Motivation Tips

Giants get last word on parade

2008-02-04T07:27:00.002-08:00

Allentown Morning Call - ... for any eventuality however remote it was widely regarded as something bad to share with the New England Patriots in advance of Super Bowl XLII. But what some of the Patriots allegedly said during the game might have served as a bigger motivational ...

Ryan deserves the keys to the franchise

2008-02-04T07:27:00.001-08:00

San Francisco Examiner - He’s a charismatic communicator and his teaching and motivational skills are plainly visible. As a defensive line coach under Billick he inherited interior linemen Tony Siragusa Sam Adams and Lional Dalton — not exactly a trio representing world ...

Johnson finds his fame at Ga. Tech

2008-02-04T07:26:00.001-08:00

San Francisco Examiner - His organizational game-planning teaching and motivational skills were firmly in place the day he took the Navy job six years ago following a ridiculous 62-10 run at Division I-AA Georgia-Southern. As head coach offensive coordinator and play ...

Season could be on the line tonight

2008-02-04T07:25:00.001-08:00

San Francisco Examiner - Billick’s strengths have always been in the organizational and motivational areas — the behind-the-scenes stuff that happens during the week. Sundays have been another story. Between his lack of in-game adjustments his failure to find roles for ...

Ryan deserves the keys to the franchise

2008-02-04T07:02:00.002-08:00

Johnson finds his fame at Ga. Tech

2008-02-04T07:02:00.001-08:00

Season could be on the line tonight

2008-02-04T07:02:00.000-08:00

Johnson finds his fame at Ga. Tech

2008-02-04T06:52:00.002-08:00

Season could be on the line tonight

2008-02-04T06:52:00.001-08:00

Season could be on the line tonight

2008-02-04T06:49:00.001-08:00

2005-12-25T17:41:00.000-08:00

Motivation, Your Core Resource by Ke o agile

Your motivation is one of the core resources you have to accomplish all the things you want to achieve.
Let us get one thing clear though before we handle this resource called motivation.

You may have listened to people who refer to themselves as 'motivational speakers'. And you may have attended a motivational training workshop. You got motivated there. Good!

I want you though to start of thinking of 'motivation' in a new way. And this way, which is an old fact is that 'success is not a product of motivation'.

Yes, I know I have just said it.
Contrary to some popular wishful thinking, success is not a product of motivation. Rather, it is the other way round.
High Motivation Is A Result of Success and low motivation is a result of prior failure.

What this means is that repeated success in a particular activity leads [motivates] one to want to do that activity often. While repeated failure at a particular activity leads [demotiavtes] one to want to avoid that activity.

Now that you understand that success creates motivation, and failure destroys it, what's the use?
Motivation is made up of four elements that are essential to know and apply in your quest for success and abundance. Those elements are: memories, meanings, meta-programs, and metaphors. Let us take a look at each one of them.

Memories
The memories you have about your past are influencers on your motivation. If memories of success are many and strong in your life, then it stands to reason that you will be positively inclined, and well motivated. Plentiful memories of failure on the other hand will predispose you to strong hesitancies.
It is important therefore to choose with care the memories that make up your success package.

Meta-programs
Meta-programs are patterns of acting/re-acting which an individual prefers in given situations. They may change across context and time. Two of the meta-programs you may want to think of are:
internal/external: relying on your own opinions versus relying on the opinions of others.
towards/away from: moving towards some desired objective versus moving away from an undesirable situation.
The meta-programs identify what motivates an individual and are helpful in defining 'success' and what makes it happen.
What this means for you is that you will find it helpful if you know which meta-programs you use to attain success. And use them!

Meanings
The meaning an event/experience has for an indvidual will determine how motivated they will/not be to engage in it.
Meaning is made up of expectations and criteria.
How much you expect something to occur goes hand in hand with what that particular something means to you. If it is something you are not really attached to, it does not matter whether it occurs or not. It is meaningless to you. You attach a particular criterion to something in order for that thing to have a personal meaning to you.
Criterion says: "What makes this meaningful to me", while expectation says: "How possible is this for me?".
What an event, activity or experience means to you will determine how successful you will want to be in relation to that activity. And, your perceived success will in turn influence how motivated you will be to engage in (similar) activities.

Metaphors
Metaphors are language tools we use to try to understand vague or abstract concepts and experiences. When we use them, they become frames that help us focus our attention on some aspect of a concept, situation or experience while ignoring other aspects.
Metaphors have an impact on our perceptions and the behaviours that result from these perceptions. The metaphors that you apply to yourself, others and your situations contain with them your beliefs about reality. They make experience coherent for you. And because they contain beliefs about reality, they tend to be self-fulfilling prophecies. In order to understand the influence of metaphors on your experience do the following:
identify your metaphors
which beliefs are inherent in these metaphors?
what reality (or even lies) do they create?
is this the kind of reality that you need to?
Now you know that prior successes motivates you. How can you use this knowledge?
What you can do is to recall any and/or all the successes you have had in the recent past. Fill your brain with memories of success.
Secondly, make sure you know the meta-programs that are operational in your life.
Thirdly, take a look at how you use 'meanings'. How do you balance your criteria with your expectations?
And, fourthly, make sure that your metaphors are congruent with who you want to be or with what you want to happen in your life. Contradictory metaphors are disabling.
You now can see how motivation is a core resource you can use in positioning yourself for success and abundance.

Make sure you understand it very well, and apply it wisely!

About the Author
Ke o agile (keoagile@consultant.com) is an NLP Coach as well as editor and publisher of In TheZone(http://inthezone.port5.com), an NLP focused ezine that coaches creating an abundance lifestyle.

2005-12-24T17:40:00.000-08:00

Commit To Applying Lessons Learned by Brian Maloney

When growing up as a child, the concept of learning a
lesson becomes so routine, that many of us just set it aside
as unimportant like many other principles that otherwise
should be heeded.

It is so true that all of us are mortal. Furthermore, all of us
are fallible and no one is absolutely perfect. However, there
are some people who would argue this about themselves or
someone they know.

My contention is the people who perpetually make many
crucial mistakes in their lives and continue to make the
exact ones again, are not taking the necessary steps to
correct themselves.

Simply put, carelessness, laziness, or mere insecurity in
oneself are the primary reasons lessons due to mistakes
are not applied.

Changing ones mindset and attitude towards self
progression has significant importance in this area of
growth.

Sure, there are many people out there who will almost
always be making mistakes in perpetuity, but certainly that
shouldnt mean that you have to be one of them. Taking
control of your life is an excellent first step.

Life does not have to be extremely complicated. It is a
known fact that when people simplify their lives they are
not only more happy, but more productive in any given task
because the mind has less to wonder about.

Listing or ranking things of importance in ones mind
assists in shaving down the myriad of less important things
that always seem to hinder our lives. Moreover, examining
mistakes much like a football player watching film the
Monday after a big game and then deciding a better
approach will change the outcome to a positive rather than
a negative.

So why is it so hard to apply a learned lesson?

Just learning the lesson is what many of us do, but that is
merely half the battle. The other aspect is actually setting
your mind by consciously programming it to steer away
from this mistake. It is like staring at the problem with a
microscope and discovering reasons why you made this
choice.

This part is what I call conscious recognition, where your
conscious and subconscious are on the same wavelength
rather than opposing each other.

The concept of consciously recognizing something as
wrong can be applied not only in lessons learned, but
practically every facet of life. In taking a little more time to
think a mistake out, you are literally dissecting apart each
area that needs to be addressed.

Certainly, most people will not apply a learned lesson
unless they want to or unless the law forces them to. Yet,
one must truly desire to apply a lesson before it happens
again, or that person will only know that it is a mistake and
not do anything about it.

Much like an alcoholic must will him or herself into treating
the disease by coming to peace with the thought of living
their lives without a drink, people must make firm
resolutions to fix the areas of their lives that are broken.

Procrastinating and lying to oneself about applying lessons
today, rather than tomorrow, makes for a compromising
environment when one already knows that applying the
lesson is in their best interest.

Wanting to make changes and becoming a better person is a
daily task, not yearly. Work is what it is, but the rewards of
living cleaner always outweigh that work.

--by Brian Maloney-ValuePrep.com
Want to improve your personal values?
Get high-quality-relationship advice for
guys and gals from a 'Logical' standpoint.
Visit ValuePrep - Relationship Advice

**Attn Ezine editors / Site Owners**
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety
in your ezine or on your website as long as
you leave all links in place, do not modify
the content and include our resource box
as listed above.

About the Author
Brian Maloney is an online writer assisting others in understanding their personal values within their relationships. As site owner of the new ValuePrep.com, solid editorial is what you can expect from him in the future along with his first book to be released in 2005/6.

2005-12-23T17:41:00.000-08:00

Make a Living or Design a Life:13 Tools for Successful Living in 2005 by Sheraun Britton-Parris

On the journey through this thing called life, we all endure the challenges of mass confusion, unanswered questions and feelings trepidation as we navigate our way to SUCCESS. As elusive as the achievement of Success may seem, it is indeed a process with universal laws, principles and tools that nature uses to create everything we see in material existence.

So as you reflect on 2004 and prepare for 2005 I offer you 13 tools for achieving success and inner peace. If practiced daily and incorporated into your consciousness, these tools will help you create the future you desire instead of the one life serves you. God Bless!

1.Program your mind for SUCCESS, deleting any thought, word, idea or person that disempowers you from pursuing your purpose

2.Own your own decisions, not letting the opinions of others distract you from following your hearts desire

3.Sit still in silence connecting with the Divine source by which the unmanifest becomes the manifest

4.Speak ONLY edifying words to yourself and others

5.Inherent in every intention is the mechanics for its accomplishment. Make sure you maintain Definiteness of Purpose

6.Believe SUCCESS is your birthright. What YOU become comes from what YOU believe about yourself

7.Invest in your personal development ALWAYS seeking wisdom and growth

8.Love your self and others because faith works by love

9.Infinite patience produces immediate results. Patience is how you act while you are waiting for your dreams to materialize

10.To have, GIVE all to all, because into the hands that give, the gift is given

11.Express what you want to impress, focusing on what you want to manifest in your life

12.Eliminate your pre-disposition to be critical and judgmental of others

13.Show gratitude. Gratitude keeps you connected to the divine source that brings things into your life

Have a Happy New Year and a Prosperous 2005!
About the Author
Sheraun Britton-Parris, is Founder & CEO of The Possibili-Tees Inc. The Possibili-Tees are womens tee shirts with motivational affirmations that awaken your personal power, provoke your self-confidence and stimulates your human potential. ThePossibiliTes.com is your source for quality novelty tee shirts that promote Success, Empowerment and Positive Self-Esteem.

2005-12-22T17:40:00.000-08:00

Know What You Want Out Of Life by Mark Claridge

At this point in time you have an opportunity to really analyze your life. Where you are right now and where you want to be in the future. Now is your chance to take a close look at what you would really like to do with your life. Perhaps you have never dared to choose a path based on your true desires, you have purely gone with the flow. This is now your chance.

Before you know how you are going to achieve your goals, you have to know what those goals are. You have to have specific goals. Its no good saying I am going to be rich, you have to define rich in a monetary term.

I will earn $250,000 per year.
I will earn $500,000 per year.
When I retire I will be worth $1m.

The same goes if your goal is to run your own business. What business?

I want a new sports car. What make, model and colour will this sports car be?

You have to be specific. If you are not specific you havent got a clear goal.

Speaking personally I love Jaguar cars. My goal is to have a Jaguar car from each marque within the next 10 years. I set this Goal two years ago. Last year I bought a series 3 XJ6. I wanted a series 3 because it was what I consider to be the last real Jaguar to be built in Coventry. This year I purchased a 5.3 V12 1979 XJS. Again I wanted this specific model because it represented the first of the XJS`s before the HE, when they added chrome and made other various modifications. They are both rust free, low mileage examples with a full service history.

I have used a personal example to demonstrate that you have to be specific. I knew which series I wanted. It had to be rust free. It had to have a full service history. It had to be low mileage.

Whatever you might be planning, bear this in mind:

Whatever you can conceive and believe, you can achieve. There are no limits!

Do you want to achieve your dreams and your goals? And I mean REALLY achieve them?

By the way, if you are reading this thinking 'I just don't know what goals to set', then don't worry. Ive got a solution for you.

I want you to really figure out what it is you truly desire. I want you to commit and focus your energy on achieving these goals. Goal setting is good. Even in its simplest form goal setting can help you achieve the things you want from your career and your life. Goal setting can and will free you from your mundane life.

So sit down and write down everything you want from and out of life until the day you die. These are your ultimate goals. Now right down everything you want within the next 10 years. These are your intermediate goals. Now do the same for the next 5 years. These are your shorter term goals. Now do the same for the next year. These are your short term goals.

You will never achieve your ultimate goals as these are just dreams, without setting shorter term goals to make your dreams a reality. This is where so many people go wrong. You have to set goals on a daily, weekly and yearly basis to achieve your long term objectives.

The reason for goal setting is simple. Without goals, you simply drift. People drift into unsatisfactory relationships, unsatisfying and poorly paid jobs and spend their lives looking at successful people, wondering how they do it. On the most basic level, it's possible to set goals just for one day and achieve more than you ever thought possible, in the form of a simple "To Do" list - where you list all of the things you need to get done and cross them off as you achieve them.

Goal setting is a very powerful technique that can improve all areas of your life. The process of setting goals and targets allows you to choose where you want to go in life. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know what you have to concentrate on and improve, and what merely a distraction is. Goal setting gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation. It helps to focus your acquisition of knowledge and helps you to organise your resources.

By setting sharp, clearly defined goals, you can measure and take pride in the achievement of those goals. You can see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long pointless grind.

So get into the habit of goal setting. Your long term prospects depend upon it.
About the Author
Mark Claridge specializes in teaching motivational and self-development skills. In his new FREE e-book Mindset and Match he covers amongst other subjects how having the correct mindset can bring you all you want out of life and is available at http://www.mindsetandmatch.com.

2005-12-21T17:41:00.000-08:00

FOLLOW YOUR PASSION! by Jonathan K Dall

FOLLOW YOUR PASSION!!!

The key to a successful life lies in following your passions. When you do this the Universe responds in a dynamic way. This can only occur when one is fully engaged. We are taught from the time we are young to be practical to carefully consider the why and the how of things. This, my friends is a waste of precious time. The clue to each of our destinies lies in recognizing our deepest passions and becoming fully engaged in them. Give no thought as to how they might be realized the Universe is far more capable in this regard then we could ever hope to be. Just so you dont think Im talking through my hat I am going to give you a stellar example that illustrates exactly what Im talking about. This story is true from beginning to end. I have some friends that have a home on an Island in Canada. They tried for thirty years to get me to go there and for thirty years I thwarted their efforts. After thirty years I just couldnt deny their pleas any longer and I agreed to go. To say that I fell in Love with the place simply doesnt describe the depth of my passion. It was truly like coming HOME. When I left that Island two weeks later I knew that I must return. It was like a constant yearning in my soul. I returned again the following year and I knew in every fiber of my being that this was the place I belonged. On the last day of my stay I was leaving the beach when I ran into some folks I had become aquainted with. We talked about their beautiful Island and I told them then and there that I would be back to stay. The woman recognized the absolute certainty (remember these two words absolute certainty) with which I made this statement. The following year I made a quick trip to the Island in the spring and the transmission failed in my car. Under ordinary conditions this would have caused me a great deal of stress but I was certain that there was a reason far beyond the obvious for this otherwise troubling event. Through the aid of friends I made it back safe and sound and they took care of getting my car repaired. I borrowed a car from my Brother that he was not using and went about my normal routine. To backtrack just a little about four years prior to this I placed a piece of property I owned up for sale. The property simply would not sell so I made a decision to take it off the market, which I promptly did. Two weeks later I received a call from the realtor who said he had some folks who wanted the property. I told him if they wanted it that was fine but I was not willing to negotiate on price. He called back the next day to inform me that they had agreed to pay the asking price and went about the business of taking care of the paperwork and arranging the closing. In the meantime the repairs on my car had been completed and I was to go and pick it up in two weeks. This is the gospel my friends I closed on the property the day before I left for the Island and off I went with check in hand. Pay close attention now as the story unfolds. I spent an entire week riding around the Island searching for a piece of property. The prices were steep to say the least and I began to become discouraged. The eighth day I was taking another ride around the Island and came upon a lovely little house sitting up on a hill with a wonderful view of the ocean. My friend who was with me urged me to stop and take a look, and so I did. We looked the place over and I could see that it had a new roof and had been recently painted and some windows had been replaced. When we arrived back at the home of friends we were staying with they asked if I had found anything and I told them about the little house with the water views. They told me it was the first place they ever stayed when they came to the Island. They told me to go back and get the phone number and so I did. When I returned with the number they handed me the phone and told me to call and so I did. I simply couldnt believe my ears when she told me the asking price. I told her I would like to do an inspection of the house and she agreed to have her Father meet me there the next morning. Upon inspecting the house I discovered that it had a new water pump and pressure tank a new furnace a new septic a good well and the house was structurally sound. I also discovered there was eight acres of property with the house and that the property included shore frontage. I called the woman back and (what nerve) made an offer on the property. She called back fifteen minutes later with a counter offer in the exact amount that I had determined I would pay. The story goes on with mind, blowing synchronicity. Remember my passion? Remember my absolute certainty? These are the things the Universe responds to. Dont try and figure out how it will happen youll only get in the way of things. Engage your passion and know with certainty and the universe will respond in ways you cant even imagine. If you want more info check out http://islandoutlaw.tripod.com

To Your Success
The Island Outlaw

About the Author
None

2005-12-20T17:40:00.000-08:00

Live the Dream by Mark Claridge

To achieve what you want, what you desire, needs a change in your thinking. You need to change your mindset. You need to visualise. By using this technique of visualisation you will actually put yourself into any given situation.

Any sports man or women at the top of there game will use visualisation. If they are a high jumper they will go over and over a jump in their mind. They will live it and re-live it, step by step. A motor racer will visualise leaving the starting grid and getting ahead of the pack. They would have driven every part of the track, taken every bend or turn. They will know exactly were to brake and were to accelerate. They will have driven the racetrack a thousand times in their minds eye.

Although we may not be aware of it, the brain works by visualising pictures not by using words. Yes we use words to communicate but the brain will automatically turn these words into pictures. So that we can visualise what is being said.

I once attended a seminar. The lecturer was very good, very confident and used many practical examples to explain himself. He was explaining how you can remember anything you are told, see or read if only you can visualise it. Just before the break for lunch he asked us to write our first names on a piece of paper and hold them up in front of us.

On our return he asked us to sit in exactly the same place we were before lunch. Now there were around 50 people in the room. He then started to name all of us. He told you your name, the name of the person to your right, your left. The name of the person sitting in front of you and the person sitting behind you. It was truly amazing. He did this through a form of visualisation. He put a picture to every person in the room. Within that picture was a story within that story was your name. So when he looked at you he just visualised his story.

That was one of the greatest examples of visualisation I had or have ever witnessed. But it proved his point, visualisation does work. Many entertainers use this method to remember names of people in an audience. Especially comedians who "play off" many members of an audience, as part of their act.

Many of us have trouble remembering things. If you can put a picture to everything you here or read with practise you will find your memory will improve.

So how do we use visualisation to achieve our goals?

You have to use visualisation to live the dream. This is the way to achieve it.

I have often spoken about the universe and how all life is connected to it. This is not a new theory. Hegel, Emerson, Wallace Wattles and Napoleon Hill have covered it in great depth, back in the last century. Furthermore through many philosophers even further back in history.

Here we go. You might have to read the next paragraph a couple of times to grasp the concept.

If we are at one with the universe and the universe is at one with us and everything throughout the universe is connected, this must include our mind, body and soul. Then our mind must have an effect on our body and consequently our soul must have an effect on or mind. So therefore our mind must have an effect our soul.

Please stay with this, as this is the fundamental principle of obtaining what you want.
No, what you are entitled to.

The difference between us and all other forms of life is the very fact that we have a very powerful brain. We can think, we can reason and we can invent.

Everything man has created, every idea he has ever had, has been born in his brain. We have the ability to create. It could be a beautiful picture, an architectural achievement or a medical breakthrough. Whatever it may be it has to be thought of, to exist. If you purchase a new kitchen the salesman can not bring everything around to your home, take out the old kitchen and fit the new one just to see if you like it. You have to imagine what it will look like as a finished article from a few samples or a showroom display. You have to form a picture in your mind as to what it will look like in your own home.

You see we form pictures in our mind all the time; its just that we take this ability for granted.

The other difference between us and all other forms of life is the fact that we have created a monetary world. You can do very little in this world without money. By having money is the only way you can truly have an abundant life. So if having an abundant life is an entitlement for all living things then our entitlement to money is an entitlement to live the life we are entitled to. We have the right to learn and expand our knowledge. Reading books, attending courses and travelling the world can achieve this. All this requires money. Never think great wealth is purely an entitlement for the few. Its available to everyone.

We have a very powerful tool that we carry around everyday, our brain. If you give someone a paintbrush but never show him or her how to paint they will never use it. We are given a brain at birth but if we are never shown the power within it, we will never use it.

Now where were we? Oh yes, mind, body and soul.

The mind is very complex but in broad terms it is simply the tool we use to learn and store information. It is a processor that enables us to use this information to its fullest extent.

The body is the machine. This is the equipment that can carry out all our physical needs. It enables us to see, hear, walk, run and lift amongst other things. But most importantly it allows us to build and physically create the ideas that are pictured in our minds.

It is said the soul is the very essence of life. It is the soul that makes us what we are, it is our character, our sense of humour, our emotions and the way we interpret the messages we receive from our brain. It is our spirituality its what makes us the person we are. Happy and wild or maybe withdrawn and miserable. Usually a combination of all these things. It is the part that connects us to the universe and all life.

Remember I said earlier that every thought you have ever had has bought you to where you are now.

Ask yourself. Am I happy with where I am now?

The chances are the answer is NO. Very few people are. Everyone wants to advance further. Everyone wants to achieve more. They want a more abundant life.

About the Author
Mark Claridge specializes in teaching motivational and self-development skills. In his new FREE e-book Mindset and Match he covers amongst other subjects how having the correct mindset can bring you all you want out of life and is available at http://www.mindsetandmatch.com. Visit his motivational web site http://www.inthe6th.com

2005-12-19T17:40:00.000-08:00

Youre Right to an Abundant Life by Mark Claridge

We are all part of the universe. The universe is a living, breathing thing. I use the word thing because there is no other way to describe it. It is not animal, vegetable or mineral; it is all of these things. It is the creation and the substance of all life.

We are all part of the universe and the universe is part of us. Without the universe life is dead. Without life the universe is dead. Everything is inter-connected. We take for granted that the sun will rise, that the waters will flow and that vegetation will grow in abundance all over our world. Without sun or water, life could not survive. We need both of these things to produce the vegetation that is life and that life survives upon.

For example, take an Oak tree. It starts its life as a seed. Over the years it grows and grows. It may take one hundred years to reach its full potential but eventually it does. It does this through self-growth, it obtains all it needs and requirements to develop its growth from the natural elements that surround it. The sun, the water and the minerals that surround, and are within the earth.

All animals are also entitled to this natural growth. They need exactly the same natural components of life to survive. There is of course one big difference between the animal kingdom and the plant kingdom animals have brains. This very sophisticated organ allows all animals to survive by using a thought process. Although admittedly in some animals it has developed to a much higher degree of awareness and intelligence then in others.

Let us now look at this in further detail.

In some animals there brains are there just to control there bodily functions. In other words to breath, walk, run and find food. Then there is the next group that have learned to communicate, have learned to live and work together. The dog family for example will work in a pack to catch there pray. Many other groups of animals have learnt how to be both cunning and patient and use these principals to catch there pray. No matter what there degree of intelligence all animals have the in-built instinct to survive.

So what about Human BeingsMan? The most intelligent animal of all.

What strange animals we are. We have the most sophisticated brain of the entire animal kingdom. Our brains are so far advanced compared to the rest of the animals on this earth and we are still only using a fraction of our brains capabilities. We can build unbelievable machines, marvellous buildings, send satellites into space, and communicate with each other in real time anywhere in the world. But somehow we have lost our basic instinctsthe instinct to survive our right to have an abundant life.

Without mans interference there would be an abundance of wildlife, of flowers and trees. It is the law of nature the law of the universe that everything should be in abundance. There are millions of planets; there are thousands of species and sub-species of both animals, plants, fish even bacteria. Its a fact that bacteria are the most prolific of all life forms, although on an intelligence level it is one of the lowest. Bacterium is in abundance it can be found and will grow and multiply anywhere.

So if everything on this earth is in such abundance. If everything on earth is meant to grow and expand and is entitled by the law of the universe to do so. Why are so many people not obtaining an abundant life?

Look: its as simple as this.

If life is in abundance and if everything that sustains life is in abundance, does that not mean you are entitled to some of it?

The earth will never run-out of recourses either natural or un-natural.

We will never run-out of water, food or minerals. We will always find a way of generating power. If coal runs out we can always use oil or nuclear power. We are at this present time investigating better ways to harness wind power. There is always enough food available in the world to feed every single person on Earth. Although the distribution of this food comes down to political matters. In the third world people starve in the modern world we throw food away. The truth is. If we could all work together there is enough food for everyone, and there always will be. Its the Law of the Universe.

Consequently there will always be an abundance of un-natural recourses. We will never run out of business opportunities. We will never run out of money. There are billions and billions available. If you just want 1 million of it do you really think it is going to run out? Do you really believe that one day someone is going to say, sorry; the world has run out of money? Of course not. It is in abundance and you are entitled to some of it. It is your natural right.

The problem with people as a whole is that many have lost their natural instinct to survive. We live in a world of dreams. The media work very hard to convince us that we need more. We cant do without a new car or a new TV. We need the latest technology.

The truth is we all fall into this trap. I am sitting here writing this book on a computer that has enough memory to play any game. I have a 3D graphics card, a 17 monitor, 2 DVD re-writers and my operating system is Windows XP. The truth is I dont play games on my computer. To write this book all I actually need is a low powered computer with a very basic word processing program that could easily be run on Windows 95. But no. The large marketing machine has convinced me that what I have is what I need. In fact the commercials are now telling me that what I have is out of date and I need to update quickly or else I am going to get left behind in the technology stakes.

You see the marketing dream machine traps us all. We work just to get the latest gadgets, the latest designer clothes. Furthermore we get into debt just to get these items of desire.

A world of NEED >NEED >NEED.
A world of GET >GET >GET.
A world of WANT >WANT >WANT.

We are so obsessed with our dreams that we have forgotten or lost our basic animal instincts of survival.

You NEED to re-learn how to use your basic instincts of survival to GET what you WANT. What you are entitled to.

The basic instinct of survival is in all living things and all living things are inter-connected. All animals survive by taking water and nutrients from there environment. If an animal cannot adapt to its environment it will die. This is why you find totally different species in a rain forest compared to a desert.

You must realise that you will never own anything material in this life, you are purely the keeper of it. You may be thinking, thats all very well but I own my home and I own my TV.

I am sorry but you dont, you are purely the keeper of these things.

Think about it.

Do you own money? No, you earn money by taking it from someone else. Through offering them your labour or supplying them with a product.
Do you own your home? No, you either rent it, of have given money for it. The money you have taken from someone else. When you move home you will sell it to someone else. They will buy it with money they have taken from someone. If you were to die your home would be given to your benefactor. If they were to sell it they would have taken the money from you. From there point of view, from someone else.

Can you see what I am trying to explain to you? Everything in the material world revolves around having money. This money is in abundance but you have to take it from someone to get your hands on it. Other people will then try to take it from you. Thats why I say you are purely the keeper; you will never actually own it, in the true sense of the word.

Where all the other species of the animal kingdom use there basic survival instincts to find food, you need to use this survival instinct to find money. Because to survive in this materialistic world you need money and because whatever you need to survive by the laws of the universe are always in abundance you are entitled to this money.
About the Author
Mark Claridge specializes in teaching motivational and self-development skills. He has a motivational site www.inthe6th.com. In his new FREE e-book Mindset and Match he covers amongst other subjects how having the correct mindset can bring you all you want out of life and is available at http://www.mindsetandmatch.com.

2005-12-18T17:40:00.000-08:00

The principle of higher self by song chengxiang

The principle of higher self
copyright 2004-2005 song chengxiang

I want to begin this lesson by a quote from Dr Wayne
Dyer.He said this in his book "Manifest Your Destiny".

"Within you is a divine capacity to manifest and attract
all that you need or desire."

--------Wayne Dyer

I am sure you will agree with me that we are not just
this physical form or this body. There is something
within us that is invisible and is eternal.Let me ask
you a question. Are you a body with a soul or a soul
with a body? I am sure that something inside you tells
you that you are a soul with a body.We are not just
this physical form that we can see and touch, we are
much more than it. Within us, there is something
eternal, it is never born and never dies.This is your
soul or your "higher self".

Have you ever asked yourself these questions? Where
do we come from? Who created this physical world that
we are living in? When we see tree or flowers, our
logical mind tells us that there is something within
the tree creates that tree. We go out to look for the
solution,then we find that the trees come from one
small seed.Then we know that the answer must be within
this seed.We open up the seed, what we see is just
some brown stuff, then we put this stuff under
microscope,we see some molecules, then we see some
atoms.Finally, we put it under the most powerful
microscope,and we discover that there is no particle
there;there is only energy that comes and goes.How
mysterious this is! We try to find something that
created the tree, and finally we discover it is
NOTHING.It is this NOTHINGNESS or NON-STUFF that
created the tree.It not only created the tree, it also
created our body.We come from this world of
nothingness. In the beginning,there is only energy.
This is our original self; this is our "higher self".
This is also the field of creation or manifestation.
Everything in this physical universe comes from the
same field of energy.It is the same field of energy
that created a forest,or a galaxy, or a star, created
a human body.This is the source of creation or source
of manifestation. Most importantly, you are from the
same source,and you actually are this source itself.It
is also important to realize that the source energy is
dimensionless; it has no boundary, and inseparable.We
have been taught that we are all separate human
being,in fact, we are all one, and the entire universe
is one.

To truly understand your higher self, you must be
aware of the fact that you are both a physical body
and a non-physical body. This non-physical body is
your higher self, and your true self. It is eternal,
and it never dies. Stop for a moment and ask
yourself, who is reading, who is observing, and who is
thinking. Who is this "I" inside this body, this
skin, and this bone? Once you discover this "I", you
will know that this is your true self, this is your
higher self. To understand your higher self more
deeply, you must be aware that you are not what you
observe, you are the observer.This observer inside you
is that cause of everything that you observe. It is
the origin of everything. It is the source of
creation.

Once you come to the understanding that you and the
source energy is one, you begin to realize that you
are the creator of your life. You begin to know that
anything you can imagine, you can create.Since the
source energy is dimensionless, it has no boundary and
you and source energy is one, then you are
dimensionless, and you have no boundary. You are
connected to everything and anything in this
universe.You are connected to everything through this
energy field.I repeat "at the energy level, we are all
connected.We and what we desire are also connected.".
Now we have come to the realization that what we
desire is already exist as a form of energy in this
huge ocean of source energy. What we need to do is
simply attract this energy by sending out the same
vibration of energy. As long as you do this, your
desire will be guaranteed to show up in your life. If
it does not, that will mean the fail of universal law.

I want to use Dr Wayne Dyer's words to finish this
article. These words perfectly summarize the
essence of manifestation and the true meaning of higher
self.I hope you can repeat them many times until
you can memorize. Here is what he said.

"Manifesting is not about getting things that are not
here. It is about attracting what it is already here
and is a part of you on a spiritual level."
----- Wayne Dyer

How to put this principle into practice?

(1) Be the observer, consistently observe your
thoughts.Notice the invisible "self" within you. Ask
yourself all the time, who is thinking, who is
observing.Then you will realize your higher self.

(2) Whenever you have a feeling of doubt,worry and
anxiety, remind yourself that you and the source energy
is one. Your desires are coming to you atthe energy
level by the unbreakable universal laws.Repeat this
"What I am seeking is seeking me."

(3) See the world as one. The divine energy
passing through you passes through everything. See
everything as apart of you. Refuse to put anybody
above you or under you,instead see them as you.

I highly encourage anyone who wants to learn the
art of manifesting desires at energy level to checkout
Dr Robert Anthony's 6 week audio program "Know How to
Be Rich". It not only teaches you how to
attract unlimited abundance of material wealth, but
also teaches you how to manifest anything you desire
with the least effort by using the unbreakable laws of
the universe.It is just so powerful. I love it so
much,and you will love it too. You can get your copy
here

http://theultimatesecrets.com/Affiliate.cgi?id=20&a=t&tid=14

-----------------------------------------------------

About the Author
Copyright by song chengxiang. You can publish this article
for free, provided you should include the resource box.
Learn more super effective personal development and self
help techniques, subscribe to song chengxiang's FREE newsletter
The Ultimate Success Secrets.
http://www.theultimatesecrets.com/Special.htm

2005-12-17T17:41:00.000-08:00

Seven Tips to Keep up Your New Year Resolutions by Lakshmi Menon

There are many people who enthusiastically make their New
Year resolutions with a fond hope that they will stick to them and thus make changes in their life for the better.

But they will soon find that they cannot keep up those resolutions and are back to their old life. How sad it is!

Some may be able to make it last for a week, or maximum for a month or two, and slowly give it up. Hardly a small
percentage of people can actually keep up their resolutions to their satisfaction.

Are you one of them belonging to the former category? If so, the following tips will help you to stick to your
resolutions. I have found them personally useful on most of
my resolutions.

1. Before making the resolution, think carefully and ask yourself whether you really want to do that or not.

2. If your answer is "Yes" make a firm decision that at any cost you will see to that you will keep it up.

3. Once you have made up your mind to your resolution which you believe is better for your improvement, write it on a piece of paper and read it loudly, at least five times, until your mind absorbs it fully.

4. Make a few copies of that matter and stick them in your favorite places at home. One paper should be in your
bedroom, which if you can see as you get up, will be fine.

5. Every day as you get up after your prayer, just read that piece of paper where your resolution is written. Read
it at least 3 times.

6. The other pieces of paper should be pinned in the kitchen, drawing room, and another one on your computer.
When you come to your computer side you will not miss it, but without your knowledge your attention will pass through that piece of paper as you wait for your computer to get booted, which will remind you of your resolution.

7. Finally at the end of the day, when you go to bed, remember to repeat your resolution at least twice affirming
that you are going to keep up your resolution, at any cost.

When you follow the above tips, you will feel very happy that you have not broken your resolution and you are able
to keep it up successfully, as the way you wanted it.

About the Author
Lakshmi Menon has written articles and short stories. Now she is involved in internet marketing.
Visit http://www.net4homeincome.com

2005-12-16T17:41:00.000-08:00

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED! by Jonathan Dall

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED!As one who has suffered from the long, term effects of trauma I feel compelled to share some experience and hope with those who seek to heal themselves and create true quality of life. First there must be a desire for change. No more wearing your suffering as a badge. That said let us move on to the subject of focus, which is a problem area for those who have suffered from trauma. If you cannot focus then you cannot create change. Blessed be that now there are a number of simple to use tools that will go a long way towards enabling you to remedy this situation. The science of Brain function has made great strides in understanding how this magnificent piece of creative software works. This has led to advances in technology designed to alter Brain wave frequencies. If you are like me you tried with dismal results to practice Meditation but without the ability to focus you were doomed to fail. Enter, Brain wave technology, in an audio format that you can use to achieve relaxation and meditative states as well as enhance learning abilities. I have tried some of these tools and found them to be quite effective. There have also been great strides made in the area of subliminal technology but be forewarned you will need to do your homework here as there are those who make false claims. I encourage those of you who are truly interested in making positive changes in the quality of your lives to do some research into these new technologies. I ask no one to take what I say at face value. Get out there and do some legwork! Although my website deals primarily with specific areas of reality creation I have posted links that pertain to some of these technologies. Please feel free to go there and explore. http://islandoutlaw.tripod.com You may also find some of the other info quite interesting in terms of what you can achieve when you have addressed the problem of focus. Id also like to hear back from you and let me know what kind of progress your making. Youll find a link to a message board under words of encouragement please feel free to use it to create a dialogue or post questions and share your victories. Now get out there and start doing your homework!

To Your Success

The Island Outlaw

About the Author
Jonathan K Dall aka The Island Outlaw
Website: A BETTER WAY!!! A new approach to wealth

2005-12-15T17:40:00.000-08:00

Manifesting by Judi Singleton

I have experimented with deliberate manifestation for about 30 years now. I have never tried to teach the tools of manifestation to anyone else. I certainly have shared what I have learned and articles I have found on the subject. Some people think that I can teach them how to manifest. Since you already manifest everything in your life and always have you do not need a teacher. All you need is to constantly remind yourself that you are the only one who thinks in your head. We are all energy and since energy follows thoughts then what you think is what you manifest in your life.

If you do not like the results you are getting you might want to slow down the process and take a look at how manifesting is done.

We create our reality from our thoughts let's first then look at thoughts.
THOUGHTS

You have a lot of stored information about yourself and a lot of it was put in your subconscious mind before you were six years old.
Depending what kinds of people you have come from and what kind of feedback they gave you determines a lot of what you think about yourself. If a lot of that input was negative then you probably spend a lot of time thinking you are not good enough, don't deserve. If it was postive you probably think you are entitled. Either way not many of us grow up thinking we deserve to create anything and everything we desire and that we are adored.

Balancing your negative thoughts with positive ones is probably a good step forward. Using affirmations can and will work for you if you believe what you are saying to yourself. If you timidly stand in front of a mirror and say to yourself each morning, I am beautiful, I am capable, I am deserving. Nothing will probably come of these thoughts. But if you boldly step up to the mirror and claim you are adored, you deserve to manifest all your desires and get specific about what you desire you probably can manifest it. Remember you are trying to balance the negative and the positive and with a lot of years of negative input it may take a while to balance it out. Another thing to remember is to be clear about what you want. This may start with you just knowing what you don't want and then making a clear statement, placed in the present tense of what you do want. Be specific ask yourself questions like why do I want a million dollars? What would be different in my life if I had a million dollars. Example I would not have to worry about money so I could have more time to do the things I really want to do. Ask yourself what it is that you really want time to do? Example: I want more time to write or be with my family.
Now you are getting down to specifics that you can write clear affirmations about. It is not necessarily a million dollars you want but more time.

FEELINGS

Spend time meditating on what you want. I like to think about my meditation time as prayer is asking and meditation is listening.
How would you feel if you had more time? Emotions are created by thought. If you think exciting thoughts soon you will feel excited.
If you have a toothache you may feel down emotionally the toothache goes away and you feel good again. So we can't bank our manifestations on emotions. But there is another kind of feeling, call it intuition or just what we know to be true, this kind of feeling one can manifest from. So how would you feel if you had all this time and money.
Get a clear picture in your head of what you would be doing and what you would be feeling, what would you see, hear, smell, touch, if you already had all this time to do what you wanted in life. This takes practice and like anything else in life you can do it better each time you do it. Creative visualization can help you manifest more quickly because the subconsious mind does not know the difference between what we call reality and what you imagine.

CHOICES OR DECISIONS

Many people are afraid of making decisions. They are afraid if they really decide what they want in life that they may make a mistake.
Well if you never start you will not make a mistake but you also will never go anywhere. If you start life is great at giving you feedback.
If you feel really good about what you are doing then you are going in the right direction if you feel really bad then you got sidetracked and need to start again. Remember what I said about the difference between emotions and feelings.

BELIEFS
Your beliefs are something to really look at when you start wanting to manifest. Some of our beliefs have never been thought out is this mine or someone elses. Like only hard work will get me where I want to go. Men don't cry. Women do not get angry. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Take a look at what you value, what you believe is possible. Maybe some of these are not serving you well. You also may find some that are really serving you well. There is familarity in beliefs and it can be scary to give them up. Beliefs are important because we spend a lot of energy and time defending them. We also automatically run our lives by them. Examining your beliefs can be very useful.
So take the time to look at where you are creating from daily in your meditations, take the time to know what you are thinking, feeling.
Examine old beliefs see if they are useful. Use affirmations, creative visualizations, feelings, to move you forward. Make a decision you can always redecide it. Nobody is right 100% of the time.
About the Author
Article by Judi Singleton. Visit Judi's blogs.

http://bewellnow.blogspot.com
http://goddessgospel.blogspot.com alightinthewindow.blogspot.com
http://herbalharvest.blogspot.com

2005-12-14T17:41:00.000-08:00

Leaders "Click It" Into Gear! by Richard Gorham

"Click It" Into Gear!

Ever wonder how two people can be in the same meeting, hear the same speaker communicate the same message - yet once the meeting is over, each person's perception of the event is totally different?

Why the different perception? How can one individual think the meeting was terrific and leave completely inspired and motivated, yet the other person walks away believing the total opposite?

Answer: "THE CLICK" (More on this in a minute!)

Picture yourself being told that your department is about to undergo a major downsizing. (Not a pretty picture, to be sure.) You are told that an announcement regarding large numbers of layoffs is eminent.

Shortly, you may be out of a job! (gasp!)

Stunned? Sure you are, and the choices you make in the immediate future may change your life forever.

NOW - is when you need to "CLICK IT" into gear.

Visualize "THE CLICK": Take your right hand and form a backwards "C" with your thumb and fingers. Keeping your hand in the backwards "C" position - hold your hand up to your right temple. Next, quickly make a forward snap of the wrist as you say out loud, "CLICK".

Did the light bulb just go on?

Leaders who understand the power of "The Click" - DO NOT become victims of circumstance. Rather, they identify the challenges and the opportunities which are presented to them at the moment - whatever the adversity.

We each have the ability to choose our outcome. We may not like the choices in front of us at the time - but at least we have the ability to choose our path.

One thing is for certain - doing nothing, ensures failure.

Consider these examples:
#1 Losing your job?

Initial Reactions: "Poor me. That's not fair! Those dirty rotten ba...uh.. scoundrels! Why me? My life is over!".. etc, etc.

OR,

CLICK! "Okay, this is interesting. I guess now I have the opportunity to do something totally different. I could allow myself to be scared, but I choose to be excited instead. Obviously, something greater is awaiting me just around the corner. I can't wait to get started!"

Question: Does the personal choice presented above sound crazy to you? If so, ask yourself this question - "What's my alternative choice?" Sure, you can become emotionally charged, react in anger or even allow yourself to sink into a deep depression. But what will that accomplish? Nothing constructive, that is for certain.

The better choice is to dip into your personal reserves and "be" your better self.

#2 Boss just told you your department isn't meeting expectations, and you are being placed on notice?

Initial Reactions: "He has always had it out for me. I'm next on the chopping block. It's a conspiracy! I'm going to report him to HR and the Corporate Ethics Line because I feel threatened!..etc, etc.

OR,

CLICK! "Alright, my boss just told me exactly what he expects from me. I'm going to start immediately to address every issue he mentioned to show him that I understand what he expects and that I am committed to not letting he, or the company, down. I may not agree with everything he said, but I respect the position that he holds and it's my duty to support upper management and the company I work for. I can do this!"

As the preceding examples point out, "THE CLICK" is the result of asking yourself, "What is the most constructive way I can look at this situation, and what action steps must I immediately take to professionally address this issue?"

Bottom line: NEVER forget the power of "THE CLICK". NEVER allow yourself to be a victim of circumstance.

Instead, utilize this all-important tool to remain the master of your own destiny.

Don't be "affected" - be EFFECTIVE.

"Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."
- John Wooden

About the Author
Richard Gorham is the founder and President of Leadership-Tools, Inc. His web site, http://www.leadership-tools.com is dedicated to providing free tools and resources for today's aspiring leaders. Offering high-quality tools in the areas of Business Planning, Leadership Development, Customer Service, Sales Management and Team Building.

2005-12-13T17:40:00.000-08:00

A New Way of Looking At Challenges by Judi Singleton

When we are born we are all authentic, spontenous and creative.Somewhere along the lines we lose it. We began to solve problems in ways that people before us solved them. Our education tends in this direction. Typically, we think on the basis of similar problems encountered in the past. When we are confronted with a challenge we tend to think how did I solve this last time? Then we go in a fixed line to solve it without considering new ways we may solve this problem. Once we think we know how to solve a challenge we tend to stick to trying to solve each challenge in this way until proven wrong.
Now creative people don't go about solving challenges this way they look for all the ways one might solve a challenge not throwing out any of them until they know they don't work.

Try this pretend you are a five year old looking at this challenge how would you see it?
What If you were from another country how would you see this challenge?
What if you were from another planet how would you see this challenge?
Go out for a walk go into stores that you would never visit try and have an open mind and start trying to associate look for new ways of looking at things sometimes we find answers in unfamilar territory

Do some doodling and associate between objects, ideas, events, people,
or processes that you have never thought of in that way before.
Write out different aspects of the situation make the familar strange and the strange familar.
Try and ask questions of the situation to clarify it. Great questions can solve the mystery.

Now it is time to narrow down the possibilities.
Try ordering possibilities by ranking them against a pre-established criteria.
Once likely possibilities have been found they can be expanded into better ideas.
Find the week spots in the ideas ways that they could possibly fail.

Take action, ideas are only ideas until they are put into action.
About the Author
About the Author: Judi Singleton is the owner and publisher of seven blogs visit her blogs here
http://creativeimaginationblog.blogspot.com
http://bewellnow.blogspot.com
http://herbalharvest.blogspot.com
http://anangelonmyshoulder.blogspot.com
http://alightinthewindow.blogspot.com
http://goddessgospel.blogspot.com

2005-12-12T17:40:00.000-08:00

Up the Mountain of Faith by Staci Stallings

Help! Help! No help, Im sliding!

Youre on skis, Ashley. Thats the point.

The poor girl at the top of the line headed to the bunny slope lift was scared to death paralyzed with fear to the point that any tiny move seemed destined to pitch her down the mountain out of control. Her friend seemed not to understand the direness of her situation. To her skiing was easy. She didnt understand, but I did.

Always longer on doubt and fear than on calm and cool in the sports arena, I understood. The movement seems unfamiliar, unexpected, and dangerous. What seemed like such a fun idea only moments before now seems like the dumbest thing anyones ever talked you into.

Okay, so even now there are hundreds of people swooshing down these slopes. They obviously know what they are doing. You obviously dont and so fear takes over. No not just fear but overwhelming panic that grips your gut and wrenches out small terrified shrieks. This is nutscraziness. Much better to turn back from this unknown now and go back to the safety of what you know.

And yet, what Ashley couldnt see at that moment, what she couldnt yet feel is how it feels to fly. Swooping down the mountain with only the wind and the white powder for friends. Its exhilarating, awe-inspiring, life changing. But right there, on the fringes looking in, it just feels like something youll never be able to do.

I think thats how a lot of people live life. They see the people who have Jesus in their lives. They see the people who have peace, and it looks like so much fun. Yet here they are, unsure of how or if to make that decision. Unsure if they can really do this.

The one thing these people dont need is those skiers of us acting like theyre silly for feeling like they do. They arent silly. Their fear is real, and if we dont help them through their fear, theyre likely to click those skies right off and go sit down. Instead get back to the place where you were fearful of taking this giant leap and allow them to work through their fear with you their side.

Undoubtedly they will be swooshing down the slopes of faith in no time, and maybe, just maybe theyll offer some understanding to another fearful skier along the way.

About the Author
None

2005-12-11T17:40:00.000-08:00

The Brilliant You, Unreleased by Fran Briggs

You're a remarkable person. But, you knew that already. Still, buried among apathy, unbelief and inhibition, is the brilliant "you" waiting to be released. You already knew that, too. A few disappointments here, several temporary defeats there, and POOF! just like that, you settled for being a risk-conscious, opportunity:

self-denied, generality. Nobody has ever made any progress by standing still. You're not an exception; and you're not alone. In fact, you have plenty of company. But, why settle for a life that looks like just about everyone else's? Do something magnificent with your God-given gifts and boldly distinguish yourself from the masses. Decide-on this day-to connect with your brilliance, within.

Paramount in your quest for brilliance is the personal development and daily utilization of your talents and abilities. As a matter of fact, it's required. It's not necessary to be perfect. Striving for excellence in everything you do is enough to release your brilliance.

Trust me. You were not born to be "mild." So cut it out! There's an entire universe out there starving for your gifts. How long will you continue to wait to take those last four classes needed for your degree? What career have you just been "wishing it were so" about? If all you can see is yourself remaining 16 units short of your degree, how can you possibly prepare for an exciting future? If you can't believe for a meaningful vocation now, will you have the passion to believe for one later?

Challenge yourself. Commit to do just two things this hour that will untap your brilliance. Revamp your resume; make a phone call to your advisor. Even a modest amount of brilliance unreleased, would relay the message to your brain: "Wow, she's serious!"

Ignite your passion. Inhale, then excel. Stand and deliver! See, then be!

Your life matters. Visualize your brilliance totally unreleased. Then boldly, step into the vision.

About the Author
Fran Briggs is an author and "motivational speaker of the inspirational kind." She has written and published several books including, "Seeds for Success." This prominent voice of inspiration speaks to audiences of children and adults. For more informaiton and resources that maximize human potential, visit http://www.franbriggs.com Or, to contact her personally, send an email to FranBriggs@aol.com

2005-12-10T17:42:00.000-08:00

Thinking for Success - The same method does not work for everyone. by Mark Claridge

I am always concerned that there are so many books available on the subject of being successful, but unfortunately many of these books are read and then discarded.

It is very important that when you purchase a book on any subject that the author is an expert in his or her field. So when purchasing an e-book on how to be successful make sure the author can back-up there credentials

From studying this subject on how to be successful, rich and happy I have reached the following conclusion;

The same method does not work for everyone.

It is important for you to recognise where your weaknesses lie and to build from there, but if the recommended method does not work for you personally, do not continually pursue it. On the other hand you have to be open to new ideas and concepts and try them.

This may sound like a contradiction but it is not intended to be. You see there are many ways to create a meaningful and successful life, and for many this does not mean earning sacks-full of money. Although I must admit I am personally money driven.

So always choose the right program for you. Do not buy a book on how to make money from selling used cars if the real problem is you have trouble motivating yourself. If you have low self-esteem, purchase a book or enrol in a program that specialises in improving your self-esteem, before you even think about how you are going to become a millionaire. If more people did this they would not be buying books that once read, just lay on the book shelf.

If you look at very successful people they have all succeeded by using as set method, a formula, a state of mind. I call this the correct mindset. All of these methods differ in some way dependent upon what works for the individual person. One common denominator however, is, they all want to succeed.

I suppose the words want to succeed are an under-statement. They are determined to be successful, its a fact that they dont even think about failing, and failure is not an option. So what sets these people apart from the rest? Their mindset.

There are really only two methods to becoming successful.

1.Studying from a young age and then going to university and gaining a degree or doctorate in a profession such as law or medicine.
2.Hard work and an understanding of how to gain the right tools and mindset to achieve and live your dreams.

Now most of us will fall into the second category, as do most very successful people. 80% of all self made millionaires come from an average family with an average educational background. So if its not education how do they do it? Yes you have guessed it; they have a different mindset to the rest of the population.

This is your 7 point plan to get the correct mindset.

1.Believe in yourself. Never doubt yourself. Always believe you will succeed. Trust and believe in your own judgement.
2.Set goals. You need to set goals daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, 5 yearly, 10 yearly and for the rest of your life.
3.Visualise all that you want. Live the dream-believe you have what you want.
4.Live a healthy life. By stimulating your physical body you will stimulate your mind.
5.Choose a business or career you really enjoy, something you have an interest in or a real passion for.
6.Manage your time correctly.
7.Work hard. The more you put in the more you will get out.

If you believe you have a weakness in any of the above areas, do something about it.

The 7 points above are the fundamental traits that run through every self help or successful thinking book or program I have ever read. Every self-made millionaire uses these main 7 points. Master these and you are well on your way to a successful and healthy life.

About the Author
Mark Claridge specializes in teaching motivational and self-development skills. In his new FREE e-book Mindset and Match he covers amongst other subjects how having the correct mindset can bring you all you want out of life and is available at http://www.mindsetandmatch.com. Visit his motivational web site http://www.inthe6th.com

2005-12-09T17:40:00.000-08:00

Letting Go by Judi Singleton

Letting go is done knowing that what you are wanting has already happened. Hence it includes gratitude and celebration.

Most people are not especially comfortable with letting go. Yet it is the most important part of manifesting and evolving. Manifesting and evolving are the same process in many ways. Everything that exists and everyone are made of energy. This energy is love. The purpose of love is to evolve to become more the love it already is, eventually merging with Source. Therefore, love is evolution. When you try and force something to happen, to come your way, you are slowing its evolution and yours.

What would you like to change in your personal life?

What dreams are you aspiring to, but hold back from doing because of a past belief or set of circumstance which causes negative thinking for you?

What are you holding onto that you know is not for you anymore?

What relationship has troubled you?

What big change are you avoiding? Are you feeling more comfort in unhappy familiarity rather than delving into unknown territories?

What career changes, perhaps even a total change of direction, could bring about more satisfaction?

Its time to let go of the past, to release that which no longer serves our growth, and to rebuild upon a new foundation. We are all healers, and this is a great opportunity to transform our lives in a way that will nourish our soul.

We need not be guilty of creating a life of happiness. There is no need to hurt those who have limited us in freeing ourselves. And, in some cases, we may need to break free from a career, a job, a relationship, or even family in order to create the life we want. However, most letting go is not usually burning a bridge, but often letting go is an inside job: letting go might mean changing our belief pattern, a way we process emotion, or how we view life.

Sometimes there just isn't room in our lives for anything new. So some times letting go is just making room for the new. We struggle with letting anything go we like our sameness. It is like an old bath robe comfortable though it is falling apart.

Some times negative things are comfortable. They are all we have ever known and we don't know what will fill that empty place they will leave if we really let them go. This is where faith comes in we have to know that we deserve something different and our good is on its way.

This process is an inside job. By changing what we BELIEVE we deserve, letting go of our our negative self-criticism, and embracing loving thoughts and behavior, we can create the life of abundance, joy, fun, and love that we deserve.
About the Author
Judi Singleton publishes these blogs

http://ToThe Universe.blogspot.com
http://AnAngelOnMyShoulder.blogspot.com
http://JudisRamblings.blogspot.com http://CreativeImaginationblog.blogspot.com
http://BeWellnowblogspot.com
http://AlightInTheWindow.blogspot.com http://GoddessGospel.blogspot.com
http:HerbalHarvest.blogspot.com

2005-12-08T17:40:00.000-08:00

How to find True Happiness! by Carl Cholette

To maintain an unchangeable sweetness of disposition, to
think only thoughts that are pure and gentle, and to be
happy under all circumstances, such blessed conditions and
such beauty of character and life should be the aim of all,
and particularly so of those who wish to lessen the misery
of the world. If anyone has failed to lift himself above
ungentleness, impurity, and unhappiness, he is greatly
deluded if he imagines he can make the world happier by the
propagation of any theory or theology. He who is daily
living in harshness, impurity, or unhappiness is day by day
adding to the sum of the world's misery; whereas he who
continually lives in goodwill, and does not depart from
happiness, is day by day increasing the sum of the world's
happiness, and this independently of any religious beliefs
which these may or may not hold.

He who has not learned how to be gentle, or giving, loving
and happy, has learned very little, great though his book
learning and profound his acquaintance which the letter of
Scripture may be, for it is in the process of becoming
gentle, pure, and happy that the deep, real and enduring
lessons of life are learned. Unbroken sweetness of conduct
in the face of all outward antagonism is the infallible
indication of a self-conquered soul, the witness of wisdom,
and the proof of the possession of Truth.

A sweet and happy soul is the ripened fruit of experience
and wisdom, and it sheds abroad the invisible yet powerful
aroma of its influence, gladdening the hearts of others,
and purifying the world. And all who will, and who have not
yet commenced, may begin this day, if they will so resolve,
to live sweetly and happily, as becomes the dignity of a
true manhood or womanhood. Do not say that your surroundings
are against you. A man's surroundings are never against him;
they are there to aid him, and all those outward occurrences
over which you lose sweetness and peace of mind are the very
conditions necessary to your development, and it is only by
meeting and overcoming them that you can learn, and grow,
and ripen. The fault is in yourself. Pure happiness is the
rightful and healthy condition of the soul, and all may
possess it if they will live purely and unselfish.

"Have goodwill To all that lives, letting unkindness die,
And greed and wrath, so that your lives be made Like soft
airs passing by." Is this too difficult for you? Then unrest
and unhappiness will continue to dwell with you. Your belief
and aspiration and resolve are all that are necessary to make
it easy, to render it in the near future a thing accomplished,
a blessed state realised.

Despondency, irritability, anxiety and complaining, condemning
and grumbling; all these are thought cankers, mind-diseases;
they are the indications of a wrong mental condition, and
those who suffer therefrom would do well to remedy their
thinking and conduct. It is true there is much misery in
the world, so that all our love and compassion are needed,
but our misery is not needed; there is already too much of
that. No, it is our cheerfulness and happiness that are needed
for there is too little of that. We can give nothing better to
the world than beauty of life and character; without this, all
other things are vain; this is pre-eminently excellent; it is
enduring, real, and not to be overthrown, and it includes all
joy and blessedness. Cease to dwell pessimistically upon the
wrongs around you; dwell no more in complaints about, and
revolt against, the evil in others, and commence to live free
from all wrong and evil yourself. Peace of mind, and true
reform lie this way. If you would have others true, be true;
if you would have the world emancipated from misery and sin,
emancipate yourself; if you would have your home and your
surroundings happy, be happy. You can transform everything
around you if you will transform yourself. "Don't complain
or feel sorry for yourself...

Don't waste yourself in rejection, nor bark against the bad,
but chant the beauties of the good." And this you will
naturally and spontaneously do as you realise the good in
yourself.

**Attn Ezine Editors / Site Owners**
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety
in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave
all links in place.

About the Author
Carl Cholette is a young entrepreneur who specialized
in finding, creating and publishing old but very
informative books, courses and programs on various
subjects like yoga, health and motivation.
He believes that these old manuscripts are pure gold
and filled with very useful informations which most
people would benefit if they knew about it. You can
visit his website at http://www.yoga.myinfobiz.net

2005-12-07T17:40:00.000-08:00

Chatty Cathy by Judi Singleton

We all run across these people who talk and talk and talk. They forget to include you in their conversation. You know who I am talking about here. They are the ones who run a monologue on you and you just stand there for a while so shocked that you can't move then you yell fire! to get away from the conversation.

Now this person, who is chatty cathy, is using me for attention and approval she does not seem to be able to give to herself.
She does not offer me anything she just takes my energy. I call these people emotional vampires. Now if I just stand there and listen I am doing two things that I never want to do in my life. I am caregiving afraid to hurt this person's feelings and I am enabling her to continue in this non-productive behavior.

Now I have someone in mind as I write this article. She is so needy. I do feel sorry for her but I do not want to just give her pity. I also do not want to just stand and spend my precious time as she pacify or calm chronic insecurity, her lonliness, and her emptiness. Whenever, I am out with her she traps not only me but store clerks, bank tellers, whoever will listen and don't know how to get away from her without being impolite. I avoid this person whenever possible and finally had to just tell her I didn't have time to be at the end of a one sided conversation. I told her it drained me when she talked and talked and tried to fill up at my expense. Sound mean I don't think so. Most people would just avoid her and not answer the phone when her number comes up.

Now it is my belief that she needs to heal her addiction. The inner child in her is looking for attention. Perhaps the attention she never got as a child. Every time she traps someone into to listening to her she is handing away her responsibility. It really is her that needs to listen to herself and pay attention. She needs to give that child approval. She wants someone else to take her responsibility. By handing the responsibility for her life back to her and treating her as an adult I am showing her respect that she deserves.
Like all addictions her's is trying to get someone to fill the hole in her soul.
I suggested to her that she listen to herself and start responding to her emotions and needs. She could perhaps spend some time journaling every night. She could start with small treats for herself like getting a massage, or a facial once a month. Maybe buy herself a new outfit. I told her that I had found a lot of self-love by listening to my needs. I also told her that at first it was very hard to give myself what I wanted and needed or to even recoginise what it was that I desired. I also told her that no one could fill those needs for her but her and Higher Power.Did she change I don't know because I have not seen her for a while. But I know I wasn't helping her by listening for hours to her monologue. I am showing love for myself by respecting my time. Now I am not saying you should not listen to your friends or family. Listenig is one of the most loving gifts one can give. I am saying to support someones addictions and not take care of you is just not healthy.
When you run across this kind of person look at what she might be mirroring in you. Ask yourself what need does she fill in your life. Is she an excuse to just be resentful?
Are you taking care of you by including this person in your life?
About the Author
Judi Singleton publishes eight blogs a week. Visit her at
http://totheuniverseblog.blogspot.com/

2005-12-06T17:41:00.000-08:00

Questions for the Game of Life by Maureen Killoran

If you could eliminate one day from your past so that you never had to live through it, what day would you erase?

If you could ask a single question of a dead relative, what would it be and of whom would you ask it?

These questions come from a little book Ive been reading as a way to begin the New Year. If. . . Questions for the Game of Life by Evelyn McFarlane and James Saywell (Villard, 1995) My partner and I have been playing it, one of us throwing out a question, and then both of us sharing responses.

Some questions are easy and fun: If you had the chance to make any one purchase that you passed up in your lifetime, what would it be? (Ah, no contest! The set of antique china we found on the Oregon coast some 8 years ago but were too timid to buy.

Others are a challenge: If you could choose the very last thing you will see before death, what would it be? (That took some reflection, but, although Im not a gardener, what I think Id most want to see is perfect, full-blown rose.)

Still others plunge us into an intimacy we may or may not have considered: What is the one thing from your past about which you feel the most guilty? (OK, so Im chickenI pass!)

Its a fun game, and a good relationship-builder. And yet I wonder: what happens if I go a step farther, take the initiative of shaping the questions I need to hear.

IF . . . I want to make this year the best one of my life, what one attitude will I change, starting right now?

IF . . . I truly believe that hope is possible and love is real, how will I let it show?

IF . . . I want to live so that my values show, what one thing will I do TODAY?

Your questions may be different from mine, and your answers surely will. But thats the beauty of the Game of Life. There are as many questions as you need. And only YOU can shape the answers - IF . . . you only take your values in hand and dare to begin.

Maureen Killoran, 2005
About the Author
Maureen Killoran is a Life Coach and Unitarian minister, with a passion for helping people connect their strengths with their vision. Check out her powerful teleclass, Be an Excellent Grandparent: 5 Keys to Success. You can find more details about Coach Maureen Killoran at www.spiritquestcoaching.com

2005-12-05T17:40:00.000-08:00

5 Simple Tips on Using Your Senses by Janice Hoffmann

All sensuality is one, though it takes many forms; It is the same whether a man eat, or drink, or cohabit, or sleep sensually. They are but one appetite. --Henry David Thoreau

1. Breakfast in Bed.
Imagine a lavish breakfast arrives brimming over with sweet cream pancakes, an assortment of berries and raspberry syrup, complete with a steaming mug of latte and a tender handwritten note of gratitude. You can TASTE it already. For sure, 'It is an elegant breed of person who treats breakfast in bed as a lifestyle. says Mr. Breakfast, in his definitive guide to enjoying this most important meal. www.mrbreakfast.com

2. Give Your Face a Break.
When you smile it says that you are friendly. And smiling uses about 16 muscles, while frowning about 40. Yoga facials at www.yogasite.com provides easy to do massage techniques to improve circulation while diminishing stress, as well as helping you to look & feel more relaxed.

3. Ode to Joy
Classical music is calming and good for the brain. Beethoven broke all the rules as his greatest outpouring of compositions occurred when he began experiencing deafness. Beethoven's Symphony #9 -Ode To Joy- sounds plush and his intrepid story is sure to rouse your senses.

4. Smell 101
Roses smell better than cabbage and bread is even better. Studies at Duke University have shown that pleasant odors significantly improve tension, depression, and confusion. For an intoxicating berry scent, try VOTIVO'S Red Currant scented candle. snff...Its sensational!

5. Color me Red.
Peggy Ashcroft an Empowerment Workshop Leader suggests that color can be used to create wellness and contentment , to incite passion or anger, to express frivolity and seriousness. Good and bad, The color red is both memorable and impressive. As is the gift of a single red rose.
About the Author
Janice Hoffmann is Ceo and founder of Success Is Sweetest (www.successissweetest.com) a New York City Based Career and Lifestyle Coaching Boutique.

2005-11-17T17:40:00.000-08:00

10 Easy Ways to Feel Happier, Be Healthier and Live Longer by Julie Hunt

Lets just say first thing when you popped out of bed this morning, you woke up and found a little yellow post-it note stuck on the bathroom mirror that could transform your life. You smiled, instantly recognizing this very familiar word.

And on the back were instructions on how to incorporate more of it in your life so youd feel less stress, pain and tension more carefree, fun and energetic.

Even without the handy-dandy instructions (you think to yourself) adding a little more is no big thing. After all, youve done it every single day of your life without even thinking about it. It comes as natural to you as blinking. Its as much fun as a long overdue chat with one of your dearest friends, as cheap as an afternoon daydream, as good for you as a 15 minute workout, yet as vital as the air you breathe. You glance again it says L-A-U-G-H-T-E-R.

Laughter is the no cost, no effort, super simple, fabulously fun, overnight solution to happier, healthier, better living. American scientific and medical journals have cited the medical and psychological benefits of laughter. This is no laughing matter.

Laughter can heal your pain reduce your stress help you sleep like a baby diffuse tense in difficult situations boost your immunity foster creativity multiply your productivity extend your life expand your point of view bond you to others increase your charm and charisma make you feel happier and help you live in the moment.

With so much to gain and absolutely nothing to lose, are you ready to take these 10 tips to heart so you can giggle a little, snicker some, chuckle boisterously, cackle raucously, snort unexpectedly and hoot and holler through happy tears of joy? Wrap yourself in a humorous perspective and laugh your way to a seriously healthy, happy and upbeat life!

Here are 10 easy ways to grab more giggles and exercise your funny bone

1.Get a Funny Buddy. Unite yourself with a laughing partner, friend, buddy or companion that you always know you can turn to for a laugh. Make a laughing agreement and shake on it, then surround yourself with more funny people. Make an effort to be around these lighthearted folks every chance you get.

2.Lose your wits. Be super silly for 10 seconds and let your brilliant foolish kid out to play.

3.Be a Silly Spectator. Stand back and scope out the outlandish, outrageous and crazy hilarity of humans. You will thank me the next time you are trying to ward off feelings of frustration and boredom in line at the DMV, out shopping or in the waiting room of the doctors office. Take it up a notch and bring your entertainment home with you and imitate their quirks, qualities or peculiarities that made you snicker earlier in the day.

4.Make Over the Ordinary. Recount your everyday experiences in a fun way and relive them! People laugh at the stuff they can relate to. Its the ordinary, everyday, run of the mill things we find funny. Some of the best sitcoms and funniest comedians (Seinfeld is a perfect example) create material out of the everyday perils of life. Its their passion and strong point of view that strikes an emotional cord in us and makes us burst out with laughter. Go for it and liven your stories up with attitudes, opinions, voices and dialects. Be spontaneous and let it fly!

5.Give Your Stories a Pay Off! The best stories have a punchy point, a profound lesson or a great big finish. Start with the end in mind. Give your friends a payoff for their attention. When you get close to the end, stop, take a deep breath and give the story a moment of silence. Let em dangle in anticipation before you end with a big bang! Adding more energy, impact and volume will give your story meaning, closure and give you the rewards of laughter.

6.Make it Big! Describe something gigantic. On your morning commute to work (of course while navigating your vehicle with the utmost in attentive care and caution), describe something humongous. Maybe its the biggest cell phone, coffee maker or Fourth of July sparkler ever to be seen at the Worlds Fair.

7.Demand Door to Door Comedic Entertainment. Rent your favorite classic comedy flicks or a few of the new ones youve been meaning to get around to. What some may consider the demise of America, I argue could be the comedic cure. Blockbuster now offers unlimited door to door delivery service with your favorite DVDs without any pesky late fees or due dates. No kidding! Youre in for some serious first rate livin when you think about the movies, laughs and life entertainment that will be waiting for you on your doorstep.

8.Fake a Roll or Take a Part. Play Scarlet OHara or just ham it up for the day and walk through life with a particular point of view, strong opinion, clever persona, funny accent or problem that you must solve. Juice it up and have a dinner party where everyone has to maintain a character for the night. Ive got a New York City cowgirl (dont call me an urban buckle bunny) persona in my hip pocket just waiting to come out. This girl just aint sure how shes gonna lasso herself up a ride on one of them quick four wheeled, yellow stallions.

9.Let Off Some Silly Steam. Before things get too heated up think of something quirky, cool, comical or witty. Have a few funny incidents lined up in your head that you can flash to before you disagree, bicker or complain. Even the slightest smile will ease ill feelings and spread goodwill throughout the land. The absolute worst situations still have a silver lining you are getting some really great comedic material for later. Focus on the amusing or just plain weird moments that youll want to recap with your friends and laugh about later.

10.Hunt Down the Funnies. Look for humor everywhere you go. Stalk it, pursue it and chase it down til you fall over with laughter. Think about what makes you laugh, the ironies of life that amuse you, the comedians you adore, the books that make you laugh aloud and which funny shows you refuse to miss. Read, watch or do all of the above as often as you can.

With adults laughing on average 15 times a day and children laughing about 450 weve got some serious work to do. Try a tip, grab a giggle and go. Track your laughs the fun and funky way. The free Laughin Log is yours at www.shesite.com. Who knew at the end of the day you could add up 100 laughs (the equivalent to 15 minutes on an exercise bike) and fit in to your skinny jeans?!!

Exercise your sense of humor so you can trim your body, increase your joy and be a magnetic force that attracts others to you. Let your fun, gregarious side shine and give gushing benefits of laughter to everyone around you.

CAUTION: Laughs have been known to be contagious. So watch out, you might even infect the grumpy, irritable and cantankerous folks in your life who always seem to have something to complain about.

www.shesite.com

About the Author
Julie Hunt is a female icon and founder of SHE (www.shesite.com), the foremost inspiration and personal development resource for women who want to live brilliant, happy, successful lives. Marketing consultant, sales expert, copywriting guru, improvisational actress, yoga instructor, author and just plain cool chick shes an inspiration to oodles of women who land on her free teleclass series The Essentials.

2005-11-16T17:40:00.000-08:00

Are you lacking Self-Discipline? - Part 1 by Carl Cholette

A man does not live until he begins to discipline himself;
he merely exists. Like an animal he gratifies his desires
and pursues his inclinations just where they may lead him.
He is happy as a beast is happy, because he is not conscious
of what he is depriving himself; he suffers as the beast
suffers, because he does not know the way out of suffering.
He does not intelligently reflect upon life, and lives in a
series of sensations, longings, and confused memories which
are unrelated to any central idea or principle. A man whose
inner life is so ungoverned and chaotic must necessarily
manifest this confusion in the visible conditions of his
outer life in the world; and though for a time, running with
the stream of his desires, he may draw to himself a more or
less large share of the outer necessities and comforts of
life, he never achieves any real success nor accomplishes
any real good, and sooner or later wordly failure and
disaster are inevitable, as the direct result of the inward
failure to properly adjust and regulate those mental forces
which make the outer life.

Before a man accomplish anything of an enduring nature in
the world he must first of all acquire some measure of
success in the management of his own mind. This is as
mathematical a truism as that two and two are four, for,
"out of the heart are the issues of life." If a man cannot
govern the forces within himself, he cannot hold a firm
hand upon the outer activities which form his visible life.
On the other hand, as a man succeeds, in governing himself
he rises to higher and higher levels of power and usefulness
and success in the world. The only difference between the
life of the beast and that of the undisciplined man is that
the man has a wider variety of desires, and experiences a
greater intensity of suffering. It may be said of such a man
that he is dead, being truly dead to self-control, chastity,
fortitude, and all the nobler qualities which constitute
life. In the consciousness of such a man the crucified Christ
ies entombed, awaiting that resurrection which shall revivify
the mortal sufferer, and wake him up to a knowledge of tha
realities of his existence.

With the practice of self-discipline a man begins to live,
for he then commences to rise above the inward confusion
and to adjust his conduct to a steadfast centre within
himself. He ceases to follow where inclination leads him,
reins in the steed of his desires, and lives in accordance
with the dictates of reason and wisdom. Hitherto his life
has been without purpose or meaning, but now he begins to
consciously mould his own destiny; he is "clothed and in
his right mind."

In the process of self-discipline there are three stages
namely;

1.Control

2.Purification

3.Relinquishment

A man begins to discipline himself by controlling those
passions which have hitherto controlled him; he resists
temptation and guards himself against all those tendencies
to selfish gratifications which are so easy and natural,
and which have formerly dominated him. He brings his
appetite into subjection, and begins to eat as a reasonable
and responsible being, practising moderation and
thoughtfulness in the selection of his food, with the
object of making his body a pure instrument through which
he may live and act as becomes a man, and no longer
degarding that body by pandering to gustatory pleasure. He
puts a check upon his tongue, his temper, and, in fact, his
every animal desire and tendency, and this he does by
referring all his acts to a fixed centre within himself.
It is a process of living from within outward, instead of,
as formerly, from without inward. He conceives of an ideal,
and, enshrining that ideal in the sacred recesses of his
heart, he regulates his conduct in accordance with its
exaction and demands.

There is a philosophical hypothesis that at the heart of
every atom and every aggregation of atoms in the universe
there is a motionless center which is the sustaining source
of all the universal activities. Be this as it may, there
is certainly in the heart of every man and woman a selfless
centre without which the outer man could not be, and the
ignoring of which leads to suffering and confusion. This
selfless center which takes the form, in the mind, of an
ideal of unselfishness and spotless purity, the attainment
of which is desirable, is man's eternal refuge from the
storms of passion and all the conflicting elements of his
lower nature. It is the Rock of Ages, the Christ within,
the divine and immortal in all men.

End of part 1. Part 2 coming soon...

**Attn Ezine Editors / Site Owners**
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety
in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave
all links in place.

About the Author
Carl Cholette is a young entrepreneur who specialized
in finding, creating and publishing old but very
informative books, courses and programs on various
subjects like yoga, health and motivation.
He believes that these old manuscripts are pure gold
and filled with very useful informations which most
people would benefit if they knew about it. You can
visit his website at http://www.yoga.myinfobiz.net

2005-11-15T17:40:00.000-08:00

Banishing Your Critic by Lynn Cutts

Whenever we start a new creative project, it's always a little scary. We're never sure how it's going to turn out. And that element of uncertainty is just the thing we need to get our Critic up and hollering at us.

The Critic also comes to visit when we start thinking about tomorrow's work, or yesterday's work, or the end result, instead of what we are doing here and now. Sometimes, it comes calling immediately after a visit with a well-meaning friend or relative, or when we are hungry or tired. My Critic likes to visit about 3:30 in the morning, frequently waking me from a sound sleep.

You know what I mean. Your Critic is that voice that echoes inside your head, telling you your work isn't good enough, you're not good enough, it's all a waste of time, it's trivial, no one will come, it will never sell. Everyone's Critic has it's own favorite issues. And our Critic's issues often get in the way of our work.

So we need to banish our Critic from our work space, whether that's a painting studio, a writing office, or a stage. But that's not easy to do. The Critic is stubborn, and usually returns after you think you've got rid of him for good. Here are some suggestions that might work for you.

1. Have a concrete representation of your Critic in your work space. When you start to work, move it out of the space or put it in a drawer.

2. Sit and listen to your Critic. Write down every negative thing it says, then either verbally or on paper refute each statement, whether you agree with it or not.

3. When your Critic starts to sit on your shoulder and whisper in your ear in the middle of your working, stop for a minute. Take a deep breath, then concentrate on all your five physical senses. What do you smell? What do you hear? What do you see, feel, and taste? By really paying attention to your physical surroundings, you get yourself out of your head, and into the moment.

4. Using a smudge stick, candle, or incense, devise a ceremony to purge your Critic from your work space. Perform your banishing ceremon whenever its voice gets a little too loud.

5. Draw a picture of your Critic, with a balloon coming out of his mouth. Write its favorite negative phrase in that balloon. Then burn the picture, rip it into shreds, or crumple it into a ball and step on it.

6. Talk to your Critic. Thank it for caring, but it needs to go away now. Politely but firmly ask it to leave. Keep asking until it goes.

7. Take a break. Go outside, and reconnect with the creative energies that flow all around you.

8. Go for a walk or a run. Go to the gym. Do something physical that will help you focus on now.

So the next time you hear that little voice whispering not-so-sweet nothings in your ear, get rid of it! Quickly. Then get back to work on what really matters.

NOTE: You are welcome to use this article online in electronic newsletters and e-zines as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the "about the author" info). If use of this article is desired in print, you must first contact Lynn Cutts at Lynn@ManageYourMuse.com.

Copyright 2005 Lynn Cutts
About the Author
Chocolate-loving Life Coach Lynn Cutts mission is to change the world for the better, one person at a time. At www.ManageYourMuse.com, she shares free tips, articles, games and newsletters to help you realize your dreams. Lynn offers one-on-one coaching, group coaching and self-guided programs to help you create your own boundless life. Lynn is certified by the Coaches Training Institute, and is a member of the International Coaches Federation.

2005-11-14T17:40:00.000-08:00

Completing Unpleasant Tasks by Lynn Cutts

We all have tasks we don't enjoy doing, but they have to get done. Whether it's doing our taxes, cleaning out the refrigerator, or filing that pile of papers, these are the chores we dread. So we end up putting them off over and over again, until the "To File" pile threatens to avalanche onto the floor, or the science experiment in the back of the fridge develops legs and walks away.

Usually when this happens, we get mad at ourselves, which makes us dislike the job even more. We accuse ourselves of being lazy, of having no self-discipline. But that isn't really the problem. Most of the time, it's simply that the task is unpleasant, or we're not good at it, or it's boring. We get less out of the task than we put into it. Or at least it feels that way.

So instead of berating ourselves about our laziness or procrastination, let's take that energy and use it to figure out how to make that chore more pleasant or rewarding. (Chocolate usually works for me.) Sometimes it's as simple as pulling out a pair of rubber gloves before you tackle the fridge, or brewing a special pot of coffee to sip while you struggle with the taxes. The most effective thing to do is to change your feelings about the chore. Find something positive about it and focus on that. Be glad you have a refrigerator with food in it. Appreciate the fact that you have sufficient income to pay taxes.

Here are a few more suggestions about how to handle the chore you hate.

*Can you make the chore more pleasant? Maybe you could light a candle or some incense, play your favorite music, sip a special brew of tea or coffee, if that's your thing. My daughter does her ironing in front of the television.

*Break a big task down into smaller pieces. Don't clean out the entire refrigerator; just do one shelf. Don't attack all your filing at once, just do ten pieces a day.

*Set a timer, and work on that task for just ten minutes, then quit for the day. You can do anything for just ten minutes. Often, however, once you get started, you want to keep going. That's fine too.

*Get others involved. When we had to clean out the storage area in our basement, we got the entire family involved. We set aside a Saturday afternoon, and with all of us going at it, making jokes about what we found, the job went smoothly and quickly.

*Attack that chore first thing in the morning, before you've had time to start dreading it. Then you'll feel good, and proud of what you've accomplished, for the rest of the day.

*Focus on how good it will feel to have that task done. Visualize a clean, shiny refrigerator or an empty "To File" box.

*If you can carve out the time, schedule one day when that nasty chore is the only thing you have to do. For example, on my bookkeeping mornings, I don't have to do the filing or work on my marketing plan.

*Give yourself a reward for completion. Celebrate that you've got it done!

*Finally, is this something that you, and only you, have s do? What would happen if you didn't do it, or delegated it to someone else, or even hired someone to do it for you? Will the world come apart at the seams if your spouse does the laundry instead of you? Will your business grind to a halt if you don't get everything filed away? Sometimes just letting go of the "have to" removes enough stress to make the chore bearable.

So the next time you find yourself facing a chore you abhor, take a few minutes and find a way to make it just a bit more pleasant. Not only will that chore go more smoothly, but the rest of your day will, too.

NOTE: You are welcome to use this article online in electronic newsletters and e-zines as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the "about the author" info). If use of this article is desired in print, you must first contact Lynn Cutts at Lynn@ManageYourMuse.com.

Copyright 2005 Lynn Cutts
About the Author
Chocolate-loving Life Coach Lynn Cutts mission is to change the world for the better, one person at a time. At www.ManageYourMuse.com, she shares free tips, articles, games and newsletters to help you realize your dreams. Lynn offers one-on-one coaching, group coaching and self-guided programs to help you create your own boundless life. Lynn is certified by the Coaches Training Institute, and is a member of the International Coaches Federation.

2005-11-13T17:40:00.000-08:00

Life changing Attitude by John Giagkiozis

Do you really believe that there is anything in this world that is impossible?

Im 21 and I had to grow up at accelerated rates because of multiple circumstances in my life. One of them was the divorce of my parents, my mother had no money and my father didnt seem to care about me and my brother. And to make it clear no money means that we didnt have enough even for food.

Now, Im not saying these things so you can feel pity for me. Im telling you because somehow I managed to survive, I found a Way.

Today I make 2000 euros a month, I know its not a fortune but at least I have a budget that is 4 times more than the average budget in Greece and this amount grows every minute even as I write this article. By the way my father make less money than that.

How did I manage to make it while I didnt have a quarter of a penny in my pocket? ATTITUDE is the answer, I never ever stopped learning about anything that could be learned and that made me look like Guru in my circle of influence. Even with no money I had the most beautiful girls and the highest grades of all. When someone had a problem I was the one who solved it.

Imagine how it is like to have your own problems and the problems of others. Its great, why? Because you get feedback from all the flanks, imagine yourself like a giant sponge whose only job is to soak information. It gives you an edge over the entire community, simply because people cant cope with their own problems and helping you with yours is out of consideration. Cant cope? Or so they think.

You see I wasnt always like that till family problems made me take Responsibility. I had no one to rely upon except myself and to tell the truth I felt like I was Lost in complications and trouble. At that point I gave a promise to myself that no matter how many troubles I had I Would Succeed in Life. I was so determined that I slept only 3 to 4 hours a day.

What I did find out, was that the key to get what you want is ATTITUDE and not just any attitude but the right attitude. Lets say you want to get rich, in order to get rich and successful you must behave like rich and successful people even if you are starving to death. You must believe you deserve to be rich and I dont mean some superficial belief deep in your head, rather a strong conviction that you do deserve what you ask for.

When you have that kind of convictions and determination people will start treat you the way you deserve. Its a weird thing but most people form an Opinion based on things you believe about yourself, so if you believe you are rich you will be perceived like one, if you believe you deserve to be respected you will be respected. In time those same people, will make your false conviction come True. The future You is made from the present belief of you.

The only restriction of what you can achieve is your Imagination. Imagine the best YOU in every detail and you will certainly become this YOU.

About the Author
John Giagkiozis Publishes Self Improvement Tips, he is dedicated helping people like You! If youre looking for the Home Business Opportunity that will make your Dreams Come True, information and helpful support from an honest friend in the business, come by and subscribe for FREE at: http://www.success-factory.net
The Life all Deserve, An Opportunity and a Challenge
Feel free to reach me at: info@success-factory.net

2005-11-12T17:40:00.000-08:00

Reboundability: An Essential Skill for a Successful Life! by Dr. Shawn Byler

Do you have difficulty recovering from mistakes, failure and disappointment? Do you find yourself reliving these setbacks over and over? Do certain life situations or challenges have you stressed to the max?

Was that a resounding YES? If so, you may want to invest some time into acquiring the skill of quick reboundability. Reboundability is essential to leading a productive, successful and happy life. Life is full of change, stress, disappointment, setbacks, failure, illness, injury, loss of competitions or jobs, death, and so on. How we handle these types of situations is what makes the difference between being joyful, successful individuals and those who wallow in self-pity, and stay stuck in habits of worry, fear and insecurity.

What does it mean to rebound quickly? Rebounding is the ability to quickly recover from perceived loss and failure. It means breaking old mental patterns and behaviors that keep you stuck and miserable.

Individuals lacking great reboundability skills engage in destructive patterns of self-punishment, which inevitably results in loved ones suffering as well. This may come in the form of irritability, sadness, depression, physical, emotional or even physical abuse, alcoholism, and over-working just to name a few! These negative habits make it virtually impossible to maintain a truly joyful and contented life.

Sample situation: Loss of a big sales opportunity. Those who have not acquired the skill of reboundability will engage in destructive mind habits over the course of a few days or frequently even weeks. These habits include replaying the perceived failure or setback over and over as well as engaging in negative and counterproductive self-talk. They continually second-guess themselves, or tell themselves that they are stupid and will never succeed. They may even convince themselves that the potential client didnt like them or thought they were incompetent.

This habitual pattern of thinking actually steals your ability to perform or be better the next time. These negative mind patterns drastically diminish your ability to be clear (focused) or to accomplish goals. Negative mind habits erode confidence and self-esteem. If you continue to allow your mind to be control, rather than you in control of your mind, you will continue to feel and be defeated.

Break negative habits with these 5 pointers to quick Reboundability
1) Change your perspective! You must know that setbacks, mistakes and failures are a part of lifes learning process and are key elements of meeting your potential and gaining success. Disappointments and failures are

best viewed as stepping-stones to success. Learn to view adversity as a good and valuable part of growing and learning. Know that there are extremely valuable lessons to be learned from failure and disappointment, and be sure to look for them. Decide to view problems as situations or challenges to be handled or released.

2) Refrain drawing conclusions and making interpretations. All too often we will make a mistake or fail at something and automatically assume that others think that we must be stupid or careless. In truth, it does not matter what others think of us as long as we know who we are and what we are about.

3) Refrain from judging yourself from a critical perspective that leads to less confidence and lower self-esteem. Judging yourself in this way leads to a pattern of repeating the same mistakes and repeating the same failures. It is better to observe the mistake or perceived failure, garnish the lesson, and move on. Anything else will keep you stuck and hold you back from success and happiness.

4) Trust that when one door closed another one truly will open. Dont allow yourself to get so stuck in negative mind patterns that you miss the next fantastic opportunity! All things happen for a reason, so if you are experiencing a loss, failure or disappointment, a better opportunity will be awaiting you, so keep your eyes peeled!

5) Accept what is. Accepting the current situation is the only sane choice. Wishing you could change the past and beating yourself up is not only futile, it also removes the possibility of growing and leaning from the loss, failure, or disappointment. Accept the current situation, do not resist what already is. Do you attempt to resist the sun from shining? Of course not. So why would you attempt to resist anything else that already is a reality? Acceptance is the only success-promoting choice.

These are just a few of the wonderful pieces of reboundability. Learning to rebound quickly from negative situations is a process, so allow yourself time and patience while implementing these new habits for quick recovery.
About the Author
Momentum Performance Development is a personal and professional coaching company. When you commit to one of our programs, our team of experts in sport, career, and family performance development will assist in exponentially changing your life for the better. This means high performance success for you. We are committed to your results!

Sign up for our FANTASTIC newsletters at www.create-momentum.com .

2005-11-11T17:40:00.000-08:00

Free 12 Success Secrets Of American Millionaires & Billionaires Revealed by I-key Benney

Hello! Happy new year. May you live a long healthy life and prosper.

According to a study by US Dept. of Health & Human Services, 96% of Americans never achieve financial independence. They end up depending on charity, welfare, family, or are forced to keep working past their retirement age.

According to the IRS, 85% of the people reaching age 65 years don't have even $200 in their bank accounts! US Census Bureau says that 97% of Americans never realize their dreams and desires in life, and are forced to retire on annual income of $10,000 or less!

The average American is $15,000 in debt, not including their homes and car payments.

Parents will have to spend over $150,000+ to raise their kids to the age of 18 years, and will spend another $77,000 to send them to college.

Every day, about 2,200 Americans lose their jobs, while more than 20,000 families lose their homes to foreclosure every year, and another 500,000 file for personal bankruptcy.

Some of the largest US corporations have been continuously downsizing their work force and laying off thousands of people during the past ten years.

America is weakening and sinking deeper into a debt nation. The paradox is that America is the richest and greatest nation on earth, and yet millions of the people live below the poverty level.

This is the condition in almost all the states, in New York, New Jersey, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, New Mexico, Indiana, Kansas, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Alaska.

And the largest US cities and metropolitan areas overflow with crimes, poor educational system, moral depravity, joblessness, broken families, children born out of wedlock, in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, San Diego, Seattle, Detroit, Jersey City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Boston, Miami, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Nashville, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Norfolk, Dallas, San Antonio, Jacksonville, Birmingham, Memphis, Kansas City, Des Moines, Omaha, Sioux Falls, Oklahoma City, Wichita, Denver, Louisville, Jackson, Little Rock, St Louis, Las Vegas, Tucson, San Francisco, Hollywood, San Jose, Fresno, Sacramento, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Boise, Eugene.

Why is it that 1% of the Americans control 37% of all wealth, 60% of all the corporations, and 10% of all the real estate?

One of the reasons is that most people do not know the SECRETS of the RICH and POWERFUL and are ignorant of the dynamics of wealth creation, preservation and perpetuation.

The majority of the people have been misled to believe that to achieve financial security, success and happiness, all they have to do is to go to college, obtain a degree and get a job.

Nothing can be further from the Truth!

To make both ends meet, both husbands and wives have to go to work.

In some cases, some people have two or more jobs: day job, evening job, and weekend job.

They spend every minute of their lives running from one job to the next and have no time to enjoy the money they make or the company and love of their families.

Both the husband and wife hardly have time for each other or their children.

The children have no role models and are devoid of proper parenting. Some start missing classes, hanging out with the wrong gang, using drugs and committing crimes.

This leads to moral decay, lack of discipline, dropping out of school and life in and out of prison, teenage pregnancy and dependency on welfare.

It is pathetic! Even when both parents are working, they still have mountains of bills to pay: mortgage, car, credit card bills and personal loans.

When they lose their jobs, they are unable to continue with the payments, so they lose their car, then their homes and credit line and probably end up on skid rows.

This leads to marital strife, discontent, divorce and depression.

The bad news is that many middle class Americans from the largest cities and metropolitan areas, in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, San Diego, Seattle, Detroit, Jersey City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Boston, Miami, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Nashville, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Norfolk, Dallas, San Antonio, Jacksonville, Birmingham, Memphis, Kansas City, Des Moines, Omaha, Sioux Falls, Oklahoma City, Wichita, Denver, Louisville, Jackson, Little Rock, St Louis, Las Vegas, Tucson, San Francisco, Hollywood, San Jose, Fresno, Sacramento, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Boise, Eugene have to work hard to survive on the income they earn from their jobs and businesses

The good news is that I-key Benney, a millionaire Ceo from New York has decided to do something about this.

He has published a report, 12 Success Secrets Of American Millionaires And Billionaires Revealed (http://mscsrrr.com/articles1/index.html ) that you can download for free and learn how to create and preserve true wealth and success.

No matter what state in America (USA) you come from, this Free report will help you achieve success and happiness, in New York, New Jersey, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, New Mexico, Indiana, Kansas, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, California, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Alaska

No matter your occupation in life, such as a salesman, doctor, office clerk, accountant, carpenters, actor, actress, computer programmer, stockbroker, small business owner, policeman, fireman, musician, soldier, housewife, technician, attorney, nurse, student, trader, cab driver, engineer, this free report can change your life.

Since the economies and the currencies of the other countries of the world depend largely on American economy and currency, whatever happens in America ultimately affects the other countries!

Therefore life in other continents, Europe, Canada, Asia, Africa and countries of the world are not better, in Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Monaco, Luxemburg, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Israel, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Singapore.

The biggest cities outside US in the world have similar problems too, in London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Belfast, Paris, Zurich, Bern, Munich, Stuttgart, Cologne, Bonn, Milan, Rome, Naples, Athens, Madrid, Lisbon, Brussels, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Prague, Vienna, Belgrade, Sofia, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Nairobi, Accra, Tokyo, Osaka, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Phnom Penn, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and Caracas.

America gives billions of dollars in financial and military aids annually to many countries in the world, such as Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Monaco, Luxemburg, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Israel, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Singapore.

But many of the governments of these countries (especially the developing ones) are corrupt to the bone!

They steal these billions of dollars and salt them away in secret Swiss Bank accounts.

They dont use it to build manufacturing industries that will create jobs for their country people.

They dont use it to build the infrastructures to enhance the quality of life of their people.

Their people have no modern amenities and infrastructures, good roads, electricity, running water, telecommunication service, or jobs.

They have no business, no future and no hope!

That explains why some of them dabble in scams, while others escape to seek a better fate in America and European countries.

Instead of giving billions of dollars to these corrupt governments that enrich a few corrupt politicians, why not give the same billions of dollars to American corporations so they can go to those countries and help them build up their economies and create jobs that benefit the people?

That is what American government should be doing, if it is seriously interested in helping people from other countries of the world.

This may help improve international relationships and restore the respect and love that other countries once had for America.

Have a happy new year filled with sunlight, success, good health and may your dreams and ambitions come true.

You may download this Free powerful Report at:
http://mscsrrr.com/articles1/index.html

Please feel free to print or publish this Press Release anywhere and read and also send to your friends and well wishers. Thank you.

About the Author
I-key, an Enlightened man & Millionaire CEO from New York City is the creator of "Mscsrrr: Millionaire Secret Cash System", home based business, online investment opportunity (http://www.mscsrrr.com ) which has helped thousands of ordinary people from all over the world to attain financial security and shining success during the past 2 yrs.

2005-11-10T17:40:00.000-08:00

Making Commitments of Love and Courage by Steve Brunkhorst

By Steve Brunkhorst
http://AchieveEzine.com

There is a story about a little girl who suffered from a serious disease. Her best chance of recovery would be to receive a blood transfusion from her five-year old brother.

The doctor explained the situation to the little brother. He asked the boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.

The young boy hesitated for a brief moment. Then he took a deep breath and said, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save my sister's life."

During the transfusion, the boy lay in the bed next to his sister. He smiled when he saw color returning to her cheeks. Then his smile started to fade, and his face grew pale.

With a trembling voice, he looked up at the doctor and asked, "Will I start to die now already?"

The little boy had misunderstood the doctor's explanation. He thought that he would need to give all of his blood to save his sister, and he would have done so.

Moving from Resolution to Commitment

The realization of our goals, dreams, and deepest desires depends greatly on commitment, stepping from the familiar into the new. It requires putting our faith on the line to honor our purpose, our personal contract with life. We make resolutions and carry them with us until we commit firmly. Once we commit and begin taking the necessary actions, resolutions become unnecessary.

Without commitment, we remain chained to resolutions and visions, living perpetually beyond the present moment. Though we need to envision with gratitude our goals and their attainment, it is now we must take action. Only in the present moment will we realize the soul's tremendous courage to follow our own true north -- to manifest the reason we are alive.

The Courage to Serve

Rollo May wrote, "The acorn becomes an oak by means of automatic growth; no commitment is necessary...But a man or woman becomes fully human only by his or her choices and his or her commitment to them. People attain worth and dignity by the multitude of decisions they make from day to day. These decisions require courage."

Commitment is the beginning of service to others. Making a commitment often requires that we release fear. We need to look clearly at things we would rather not see or accept. I believe courage arises ultimately from love. The courage to serve is inspired by the faith to serve not only the self but also all of humankind.

In the words of Henry van Dyke (1852-1933), "Faith is an adventure; it is the courage of the soul to face the unknown. But that courage springs from the hope and confidence of the soul that its adventure will succeed." Faith and commitments to service can inspire the hope and confidence in each other that our human family needs.

An Outpouring of Love and Compassion

Today, we are witnessing a tremendous outpouring of love and compassion for those in Asia who have endured unimaginable, heartbreaking devastation and loss. Tears flow and prayers are spoken for people we have never met.

Commitments to service and selfless acts of love are taking place globally on an unprecedented scale. Even in extreme tragedy, our "courage of the soul" that Henry van Dyke mentioned flourishes around the globe as many nationalities join together to help those in need.

At a human level, we do not understand why we must suffer. We cannot remove the pain or reunite all of the grieving families. Only God will do that. However, our commitments can make life-changing differences.

Commitments that Make a Difference

We must first be acutely aware that we are not guaranteed the next ten minutes on this earth. We can grow in appreciation for the sanctity of life and realize how capable we are of reaching out with empathy and authentic compassion.

We can also commit to honor the worth and dignity of all fellow humans, serving and supporting them in times of need. All of us can serve -- if not with donations, with acts of kindness and prayer. It is a choice we must make for the future of our planet. It is a commitment to serve and be responsible for the welfare of each other.

About the Author
Copyright 2005 by Steve Brunkhorst. Steve coaches people to help them revitalize their inner spark, access their natural talents, and design strategies to reach their personal and professional goals. Get the next issue of Steve's ezine, Achieve! 60-Second Nuggets of Inspiration, by visiting http://AchieveEzine.com

2005-11-09T17:40:00.000-08:00

Why Holding A Vision Magnetizes Great Achievement by Saleem Rana

The only reason some people enjoy success while others fail is because those who succeed persist in holding the vision of what they want.

They succeed, in the first place, by creating a vision.

Then they persist in that vision. As it sinks deeper into their minds, it becomes a driving obsession. It becomes their most cherished value. And they spend all their time in trying to materialize that value. This drives them to training themselves to achieve their goal.

Most people believe that success is a result of a realized talent. Talent is what people see. They see a bewildering array of skills and concludeincorrectlythat the talent made the person brilliant. Others attribute it to motivation. Again, this is the effect, not the cause that arises from a vision.

I contend that talent is cultivated from vision, and that as vision deepens, as action toward learning and implementation proceeds, skills develop and accumulate. The end result of numerous small skills is a prowess or flair for doing something that we call talent. Personal development happens incrementally, in small quotas, in chunks.

How did Albert Einstein become the greatest thinker the world has ever known? What is the wisdom we can gather from looking at his success story? How did a patent office clerk achieve success as a celebrity? The simple answer is that he was a genius. He had more brain cells. He had more ability to think.

Yet a history of young Albert Einstein showed that he was not a brilliant student. In fact, his teacher once sent a note to his parents suggesting that he was wasting time attending school.

And as for geniusthere have been many, many talented, brilliant physicists and mathematicians.

What Albert Einstein had was a vision. He was driven by an indefatigable curiosity about the nature of the universe. When he was 16, he imagined what it might be like to ride the waves of a light beam.

From this vision, Albert Einstein developed powerful inroads into his ability to envision things in his minds eye. His thought-experiments deepened in clarity and precision over many years. They reached such intensity that they accumulated into insights that answered in a most unorthodox way the riddles of physics.

Later, when he died, it was found that he had an enormous preponderance of brain cells that most normal people did not possess.

It is my contention that just as a muscle that is constantly exercised, his brain developed extraordinary connections and fusions over a lifetime of intense usage.

Albert Einstein became a genius because he held a vision. His skills at right-brain cognition developed over many years created such a preponderance of insights that he just had to discover how the universe glued together.

In a similar way, every one of us can develop remarkable capacity in any field if we just hold the vision long enough, shun distraction, and persist in our ideal despite everything that comes our way to throw us off our chosen path.

The journey to accumulate a thousand skills begins with developing the first one. Progress comes from sustainability of vision.

You can be what you want to be if you hold it long enough and ferociously enough to overcome all obstacles. And, in the end, what you will gain will be exponentially greater than the sum of all your efforts. It, in fact, be a true quantum leap.

About the Author

Saleem Rana, M.Sc., is a psychotherapist in Denver, Colorado.
He offers a free success course at http://www.theempoweredsoul.com

2005-11-08T17:40:00.000-08:00

HOW BREAKING ROUTINE AND UNEXPECTED ACTS OF KINDNESS CAN ENERGIZE YOUR DAY! by Laurie Hayes

Sometimes life becomes so routine, we dont have to think about a thing were doing throughout the day. Were programmed to run on automatic. Its important to shake things up every once in a while to get the creative juices flowing, give us an added boost of energy or give us something to concentrate on for a change.

When routine sets in, particularly in relationships, we cant always see the impact it has until we throw a new ingredient into the mix. This week, I ventured outside of my regular routine, and performed a very unexpected act of kindness. The results were terrific!

Picture it, Cicely, 1945oops, wait, wrong story ...

Picture it, Northern Ontario, Winter 2004. Its Friday morning, snow is falling, there is a nip in the air and neither my husband nor I want to get out of our toasty warm bed to get ready for work.

We go through the same exercise every morning. We both wait for the other one to get up first to turn up the furnace, then he heads to his washroom to get ready and I go into my office to meditate for half an hour.

This morning, however, neither of us would budge. He didnt want to get up, shower, make breakfast and prepare lunches, and I didnt want to meditate, go through my agenda for the day and start prioritizing my long list of outstanding tasks. We were stuck.

I must have been desperate or temporarily insane because I suddenly blurted out, Hey! You get up and get ready and Ill make you breakfast today! He was stunned at first and didnt say a word, then started laughing, Yeah right. What about your meditation? For anyone who knows me, there are two things I dont docook (unless Im in a real bind) and deviate from my routine.

I insisted I was going to cook for himanything he wanted. Eggs, bacon, you name it! There will be no meditating today. He hesitantly agreed and headed for his washroom, wondering if his dear partner had been possessed during the night and lost complete leave of her senses. The last time I made him breakfast was, hmmm, lets seewhen was the last time the Oilers won the cup?

I whipped up a hearty breakfast and while he ate, he repeatedly commented on how he couldnt believe I had done this. He thanked me several times.

Once I had finished in the kitchen, I went to my room to start getting ready for work. I could hear him singing and talking to himself in the kitchen. I called out to him, Youre happy, arent you? and he answered, My baby made me breakfast!

It was amazing how performing a small task for the benefit of someone else made such a BIG impact! My husband was excited and happy, and I felt fantastic for making him feel appreciated and loved.

For the remainder of the day, I was a fireball. I joked with everyone at work and had them laughing and feeling great. The day flew by. I accomplished loads of work and had tons of energy.

When my husband got home from work, he told me about his great day, how he was zinging off one-liners at the guys and making them laugh, and how good he felt, mentally and physically.

Changing our routine and experiencing an act of kindness elevated both of us mentally, physically and emotionally. It is no secret that change and giving to others boost our energy levels, but we get so caught up in daily living that we easily forget. We fall into the comfort zone of habit.

Today is a new day. What can YOU do differently? Take a different route to work? Part your hair on the left instead of in center? Take the stairs instead of the elevator? Whatever it is and no matter how small, change makes a positive impact.

What can YOU do for someone else today? Something completely unsolicited and without expectation. If youre going through the drive-thru at the coffee shop, pay for the coffee for the driver behind you. If you see someone struggling with her bags at the grocery store, lend a hand. The simplest act of kindness will reap big rewards for the giver, receiver and everyone they touch throughout the day.

About the Author
Laurie Hayes, founder of Where the Heart Is Life Coaching, is a Life Strategy Coach and author of several articles and an e-book designed to promote excitement and inspire action in others to pursue the best life has to offer. To secure a copy of her free e-book, "10 Guidelines for Attraction" visit http://www.wheretheheartis-lifecoaching.com

2005-11-07T17:42:00.000-08:00

Who are you? by Mark Claridge

I have a question for you.

Who are you?

This may be a simply enough question but before you attempt to answer this question let us go on a voyage of personal self discovery which will allow you to find an acceptable answer.

The difference between the Living and the Non Living is the existence of the spiritual soul that manages the physical body from birth to death. The soul expresses itself through the five senses of the physical body. Without the soul, the physical body cannot express or maintain itself.

The reflection you see when you look into a mirror will be that of your physical body which gradually ages. Your soul is seen through your personality. You may look old when you look in a mirror but you could feel and act like a child.

The soul is your mind that is not constrained by time or distance. Within a second your mind can race back to your youth or visit any place your thoughts may pull you towards.

Souls cannot be seen. The understanding of the soul is limited because the soul is spiritual and cannot be explained or understood with the knowledge of the physical laws of sciences.

The soul or mind is similar to the tiny microprocessor of a computer system that obtains information from input devices like the keyboard and processes the information and communicates via its output devices such as the monitor and printer. The microprocessors RAM and Rom memory are similar to the souls conscious and sub-conscious memory respectively.

Like the microprocessor, the soul obtains information via the bodys sense organs (input devices) processes them with memory of past experiences in its conscious and sub-conscious mind and communicates with the outside world via one or more of the bodies organs (output devices).

For example, when something nice is seen, heard, smelt, tasted or felt the signals (input) are processed as pleasing and positive. This creates the positive response of a smile or laughter. The overall response is one of attraction rather than repulsion and should be repeated rather than avoided.

The soul is a tiny point of energy and functions on three levels that may be broadly categorised as the Mind, Intellect and Impressions.

The function of the mind is to imagine, think and form thoughts based on emotions, desires and sensations. Happiness and sadness are created and experienced by the mind but displayed by the physical organs of your body.
The function of the Intellect is to access the thoughts created in your mind. It has the capacity to reason, memorise, discriminate and make decisions. It is your conscience that discriminates between right and wrong actions.

The Impressions are the memory of actions that become ingrained in the soul. The actions especially when repeated become habits, tendencies, emotions, temperaments and general personality traits.

There is a cyclic pattern in that the minds thoughts are put into action by the intellect to create impressions or memory of past actions. Repeated actions, especially those of a negative nature, create habits and addictions when your minds thoughts are acted upon without being judged by the intellect.

Smoking, consuming alcohol and indulging in sexual lust are actions that you enter into in search of happiness and fulfilment. The happiness created is just an illusion because ether the senses are temporarily incapacitated or the happiness cannot be sustained. You suffer the negative consequences of addiction and dependency due to the need for increasingly more stimulants in an effort to create decreasing levels of temporary happiness.

When you perform actions without thinking, you, the soul becomes a slave to your senses. Addiction and dependency are not just smoking and consuming alcohol. Laziness is an addiction just as is over-eating. Expectation from others is a dependency. Almost anything that you want or desire rather than need is a form of addiction.

The word I is used to refer to the experiences and wishes of the soul with statements such as I am, I love and I hope.

The word My is used to refer to the physical body, possessions and activities with statements such as My hand My car or My job

The advantage of knowing who I am is to realise and use the powerful spiritual energy that is within your body.

With you intellect now awakened you can focus on your power of judgement to become more selective and choose only those thoughts that will lead you to experience permanent happiness and contentment. Addiction to temporary happiness can now be avoided. Bad habits can be replaced with good habits you can be proud of. You can be more peaceful and deliberate rather than tense and anxious. You come to realise that happiness is a state of mind that it is created by you. Likewise you can avoid unhappiness or the experience of sorrow because you do not need to experience negative feelings.

You can and should be in control over your bodys senses.

With the realisation that you are a peaceful soul you can begin to see others as equals to establish relationships of harmony. You can now avoid personality clashes and discriminations based on sex, colour, language, nationality, religion, culture and physical disabilities.

Most of your activities such as eating, sitting, working and sleeping are all done for the health of your physical body. What we all do is fail to address the need for peace and happiness of the real you, the soul within the body.

So back to the question, who are you?

I can not give you the answer as only you know. I have just set the question to make you think.

About the Author
Mark Claridge specializes in teaching motivational and self-development skills. In his new e-book Mindset and Match he covers amongst other subjects how having the correct mindset can bring you all you want out of life and is available at http://www.mindsetandmatch.com. Visit his motivational web site http://www.inthe6th.com

2005-11-06T17:40:00.000-08:00

Perfectionism - The Dangerous Trap by Allie Ochs

PerfectionismThe Dangerous Trap

Just when I have something figured out, along comes another how-to-article telling me how to be or do something better or even change my entire life. No matter where I turn, I am constantly reminded that I am not good enough in more ways than one. I am not smart enough, not rich enough, not slim enough, not efficient enough, not pretty enough, not powerful enough, not with it enough and probably out of it altogether.

Thats me and it gets worse. In line with our education economy, yesterdays perfect diet is banned today and my car of the year was just recalled. My time-management is out of date and my writing achievements fade against the big authors. Yes, I am my own worst critic. Growing up with perfectionist parents didnt help either. It wasnt until their seventies, that my father could tolerate fingerprints on his freshly washed car and that my mother learned to enjoy a meal without matching table dcor.

Perfectionism is driving us up the wall or around the bend and neither direction is desirable. No wonder half of the population is on Prozac and the other half copes on some other crutch. We live under constant pressure to be perfect and expect nothing less from others. Intensely glued to information that helps us conform to some perfect ideal, we learn less about ourselves. Detached from the core of who we are, we show up with fabricated selves to gain approval.

There is quite a difference between aiming for a successful life or relationship and trying to achieve perfection. Contrary to popular belief, perfection is not required to succeed in love and life. In fact, the perfectionism-trap has serious negative consequences:

We feel our accomplishments are never good enough
We dont achieve personal satisfaction
We value people based on their achievements
We believe doing our best doesnt cut it
We take mistakes personally and hesitate to try again
We are afraid to show our flaws
We are vulnerable to rejection
We do what we should, not what we want
We set impossible to reach goals
We are hard on others and ourselves
We expect perfection of others
We develop a obsession with perfectionism
We feel we never measure up
We fear failure in relationships and have difficulties being intimate
We dont pursue a relationship out of fear it might not be perfect
We become critical of our partners

To sum it up, we believe that unless we are perfect success and love will evade us. The biggest cost of perfectionism is our neglect of the humble core within and our failure to claim a life in alignment with our true self. Instead of focussing on our qualities and all that is right with us, we are busy fixing everything seemingly imperfect. Driven to live up to the perfect ideal we become pretentious, self-promoting, critical human beings. Because of our focus on achieving goals, we never enjoy the journey of getting there. As a result we lose the irreplaceable moments of relating to people and doing things.

Webster defines perfectionism as "a disposition, which regards anything short of perfect as unacceptable". The torment for perfectionists is that they never find anything perfect, simply because perfection does not exist. Instead they suffer from social and personal anxiety and strained relationships. To find peace, accept ourselves and nurture the best in us, we have to overcome perfectionism and:

Use our mistakes as opportunities for growth
Set goals in line with who we are and what we want
Accept ourselves as human beings with flaws
Give a little less than 100% and still experience success
Enjoy the journey instead of just focussing on the goal
Recognize that anxiety arises when we set unrealistic goals
Understand that we get more done and feel better about ourselves if we dont strive for perfection.
Give up the irrational belief that relationships must be perfect
Stop second guessing ourselves
Be compassionate with ourselves and our partners

Thousands of people give less than 100% to a goal, but 100% to the journey and succeed. Everyday people dont give all theyve got, but still get done what they need to. If we try to give 100 % to everything we do, we never get enough done. Perfectionists operate on the assumption that unless they can give 100 % to a task, they wont even start. As a result, they become occupied with trivial details and put off tasks until they can make a 100% effort. Perfectionists tend to be procrastinators with endless to-do lists and dreams put on hold until some day.

When it comes to relationships, perfectionists dont do that well either. Single perfectionists keep on dating without making a choice, thinking someone more perfect will be around the corner. When they are in a relationship, the fear that it might not be perfect, keeps their relationships from progressing. Even when they finally settle with a partner, second-guessing their choice and being critical of their partner ensures frustrating relationships. Compromise in love as well as in life is difficult for them. Perfectionists pay a high price for the misguided belief that choosing the right love partner will guarantee a perfect relationship.

The entire perfectionist-trap becomes a vicious cycle in life and love. The more we attempt to be perfect in every area, the more anxious we get. This anxiety is coupled with a feeling of always falling short or behind. Consequently we concentrate on what is wrong with us or what we didnt do. While doing our very best is admirable, more often than not, doing a good job is enough. The truth is that we are always half-cooked human beings in transition. Nobody will love us any more just because we are more perfect. We are being loved for the passion and spirit we bring to the table as genuine human beings.

2005 Allie Ochs

About the Author
Allie Ochs, Relationship Expert, Coach, Speaker and Author of: Are You Fit To Love? www.fit2love.com for FREE relationship advice e-mail: allie@fit2love.com

2005-11-05T17:40:00.000-08:00

Control Your Own Destiniy by Gerri D Smith

Word Count - 708

You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.
-Brian Tracy

In order to make choices that may change your destiny, you must first know yourself and what you are creating moment by moment. What you do in the present moment brings you closer to being in command of your destiny. When you focus on past experience and the knowledge youve gained from school, work, society, economic, and spiritual training, you can begin to know yourself.

Human nature is created so that you can choose your destiny, and then control it. The key is to be one of the few who know where you are going and exactly how to get there. To do this, you must realize that life is changeable. With each change along the way you develop experience. You enrich your learning.

Since your life is always in a constant state of creating and developing, you create your own story by choosing the direction you want it to take. With any one decision, you can change your destiny. You have the power to do this: it is called making choices. Without it youd just be following the masses and letting others control your destination.

The repetition of certain thoughts also plays a huge part in determining your destiny. This is why its most important to be aware of what and how you think. Some thoughts that may bear repeating include:

To always show positive feelings toward others. Negative thoughts and feeling are limiting.
To know youre smart even if it takes you a little longer to understand a point.
To know that failures can lead to success.
To welcome problemsthey are learning tools.
To know that there is untapped skill and creativity in everything you attempt.
To remember that God put you on earth to win.
To know that prosperity comes to those who believe it will happen.
That giving quality service to your customers may result in a quantity of customers.
To know that valuing your own self and making a commitment to excellence is worth striving for.
To treat others with respect and kindness is a measure of your spirituality.

And as you keep these thoughts uppermost in your mind, you have the power to be guided by them. Yet, just knowing without thinking how you respond to life is the art of self-awareness and living in the present moment. Being aware of each moment is a part of your true being

Other ways to measure the power of your thoughts is to limit any thoughts that are non-productive. Some of these non-productive thoughts may include:

 Feeling guilty when you say, No. Refusing to cater to the demands of others is not a selfish act. Saying, yes, when you mean no may cause resentment.
 Feeling stupid when you dont understand something - Rather then make a mistake when instructions are not clear, dont be afraid to ask for clarification. This is a sign of good judgment.
 Thinking that everything you do is solely your own doing. Be confident and have enough faith to know that your life is guided by a higher power. This confirms your spirituality.
 Ignoring opportunities to change - Growth comes with change. Life is a constant state of change. Be ready for any worthwhile challenge or opportunity to grow.
 Worrying - Some of the best opportunities are missed when you worry and procrastinate until the opportunity has come and gone. Learn to be decisive. Whats the worst possible scenario? How hurt would you feel if you missed a great opportunity?

Whatever you do, and wherever you are in life, pay attention to your thoughts. Any sign of negativity, anger, fear, or procrastination is harmful. Get rid of biased opinions. Be open to other ways of thinking. Make the best of your thoughts and your thoughts will make the best you.

Then, let your new founded self-awareness lead you to a life where you are free to choose and to control your own dreams and goals. Thats your destiny.

###

About the Author
Copyright 2005
Gerri D Smith publishes and hosts a Free monthly newsletter to inspire, motivate, and encourage individuals, and entrepreneurs to reach their dreams. Visit: http://www.distinctivebusinesswomen.com Or, send your correct email address to: gerri@distinctivebusinesswomen.com?Subject=Subscribe

2005-11-04T17:40:00.000-08:00

Can You Walk the Walk? by Joyce C. Lock

Can You Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk;
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is?

Weve all heard phrases that challenged us to greatness. But instead of being challenged, what a difference it could make if we challenged ourselves ... if, every day, we awoke to hopeful expectations; searching for another mountain to climb and obstacle to pass while actually looking forward to the ruff spots (knowing theyll only help us grow stronger), to be "all that we can be" and then to be totally contented there, to be determined to make a difference and be the difference, to reach out to our fellow man, and to look forward to every breath of life God has given.

Wed soon discover that our entire world had suddenly changed. And when wed look around to see how such a miracle had happened, wed discover the miracle took place inside.

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-11-03T17:40:00.000-08:00

Grace for Grace by Joyce C. Lock

Grace: Gods unmerited favor, unconditional love, when we get what we dont deserve, when we get something far greater than anything we deserved, when we hit the end of the road and find a second chance, salvation, forgiveness.

When your child has been severely injured, due to your neglect, yet they recover without permanent scars; then, you know grace.

When youve been unfaithful to your mate and that love is restored; then, you know grace.

When youve made a mistake of catastrophic proportion and someone else pays your bill; then, you know grace.

Grace looses clinical definition when it happens to you; when it becomes very real, personal, and undefinably joyful.

Jesus gave His life to pay our debt and give us this wonderful gift of grace. He only asks one thing in return, Love one another as I have loved you, John 15:12. Its our way of saying, Thank you!

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-11-02T17:40:00.000-08:00

God is Not Mocked by Joyce C. Lock

Ga. 6:1, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the SPIRIT of MEEKNESS, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."

How many times have we had the urge to Lord it over someone fallen; to look at them in disgust, to shun their very presence, to talk behind their back, to refuse their service, to forget all the good they've done, to spit in their face and kick them when their down?

Those who receive people in meekness have learned a very special lesson. In the right place, at the right time, under the right circumstance - there is no sin we couldn't be tempted with. Only by the grace of God that it isn't me.

Where did we get the idea it couldn't happen to us? Don't we dare think ourselves any better (Ga. 6:3)!

If we weren't abandoned on a door step, raised in an orphanage or maybe even the ghettos; if we were raised with God fearing, loving, non-abusive parents who saw to it that we had the best education money could buy; if we've risen to places of prestige, prosperity, power, respect, and position ... how can we think we had something to do with it?

Sometimes, we forget where we came from and who brought us where we are (Ez. 16:21,22). If you ever find yourself in such a place - BEWARE, BEWARE, BEWARE!

"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall," (Pr. 16:18).

Once we realize the full impact of it happening to us, not forgetting our beginning, we're more than willing to put ourselves in another's shoes, we're happy not to find offense (Ps 119:165) in their weakness (like we don't have any), meekness is no longer a chore, and we welcome restoring than as Jesus would've done (Ga. 6:2), as we hope someone would do for us (Mt. 7:12).

Caring more for their works than the needs of their soul isn't what the Apostle Paul was about (2 Co. 12:14). Reverting to legalism makes us the transgressor and frustrates God (Ga. 2:18,21).

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatever a man soweth that shall he also reap." So, choose to reap the best (Ga. 6:8, 16) ... or you might be next.

God takes it very personal how we treat His children.

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-11-01T17:40:00.000-08:00

From Orphans to Royalty by Joyce C. Lock

The first time I read Ezekiel 16, I cried all the way through it. It's a story of God's heart, as a betrayed husband; with every jealousy, hurt, rage, or emotion felt by humans.

Yet, whenever we're hurting, few consider if we're doing the same things to God. Whether spiritually, literally, or bothperhaps, each of us has once been such a person who betrayed God.

Just as dust returns to dust, blood returns to blood (vs. 22, 36), 'til the pride of man be broken (vs.15) and we're ready to accept God's way (vs. 55); whatever that may be. And, just when you see your blood for what it is and you're ready to accept the punishment you know you deserve, God reaches down and loves you in ways you never dream; restoring you to a better position than you ever had before (vs. 60-63).

Once an atonement is received (unlawful/a shame to ever speak of again), you'll never forget the awesome love of God, throughout all eternity. "He loves me! He really, really loves ME!"

A love like that, we never ever want to betray, again. It breaks our heart to break His. We finally begin serving God for who He is and we learn to love like He does, letting Him live through us.

~*~

Without God, spiritually, we're like orphans left on a doorstep.

With Him, we're royalty from the inside out.

The devil lies. There is nothing between.

~*~

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-31T17:40:00.000-08:00

Only Two Paths by Joyce C. Lock

Once upon a time, there was a retarded young man whose heart's desire was to go out on church visitation. One might wonder what good a retarded person could accomplish. But, it was decided to let him go.

He walked up to a strange door, in a strange neighborhood, and knocked. A man answered the door. The young man asked, "Are you going to Heaven?"

The homeowner answered, "No."

Then, the young man responded, "Well, go to Hell, then."

They tell me this was a true story and the stark shock of that incident caused the man to realize his need for God. Thus, he became saved.

Though we might get our lights punched out for trying the same, it would be just as good were we to look at the "either ors", in our life, with just as much boldness and honesty.
Either we are spreading our seedOr we're letting people die and go to hell.
Either we are forgiving ... Or we're holding a grudge.
Either we are standing for right ... Or we're standing with Satan.
Either we are loving ... Or we're hating.
Either we are patient ... Or we're impatient.
Either we are serving ... Or we're disobeying God.
Either we are living by faith ... Or we're living in sin.
In every "either or" situation, there are only two paths. One of them leads to destruction.

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-30T17:40:00.000-08:00

Hang On! by Joyce C. Lock

God is love and He dwells within you. When you truly love, it is God loving through you. Therefore, it is never wrong to love.

Love means you love enough to do whatever is in other's best interest, meeting the needs of their heart. Sometimes, that is easy and wonderful. Other times, it is very hard and painful. But, love never fails. It will always accomplish the purpose in which God gave it.

In any area of service wherein God calls you to love, yet doors are closed, it becomes a heartache and longing within. You may even learn to be content. However, your soul will never, otherwise, be complete. As it is God who lives within you, it is God who prompts your heart to love. And, He doesnt stop calling just because someone else disagrees, Ro. 11:29.

Additionally, if your heart condemns you not, you have confidence toward God.

But, if man condemns you for following God (Jb. 40:8, Ro. 10:3, Ph. 3:9-10), holding you spiritually captive, hang on. Joy comes in the morning, I Pe. 4:13.

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-29T17:41:00.000-07:00

Messengers of Love by Joyce C. Lock

"Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends."

John 15:13

Sometimes, it seems God asks the nearly impossible; His standards being so high that the average week kneed, belly aching, fearful person could never obtain (defeating ourselves even before we've begun). Perhaps, we don't listen carefully to what He said.

Jesus didn't say we had to "give up" our lives, like victims with a gun pointing to our head. It's rare that anyone actually faces a life or death situation to protect a friend (aside from war).

What Jesus did mean was to lay our life down, willfully, dying to self to meet a greater need; which only counts when done in love.

When a phone call comes at 2:00 a.m., where the distraught seeking counseling, put aside your need of rest.

When you have in mind a shopping spree except you see another without shoes, consider their need first.

When you've planned a getaway weekend but your friend has emergency surgery, a house full of children, and no one to care for them ~ put off your plans.

When someone's house burns down and they've no place to go, lay down your inconvenience to offer temporary shelter.

When you're hungry, after a worship service, but the church bus breaks down (leaving children no way home), put your need on hold.

When someone you love needs your love, lay down your life. Love them as Jesus has loved you (vs. 12). And, even when they're not your best friend, Jesus is.

We don't have to meet every need in the universe, just the ones Jesus asks of us (vs. 14). We can all do those. Once we discover how wonderful it is to be messengers of love, we're eager to serve God more, Ac. 20:35.

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

100% Return by Joyce C. Lock

One Hundred Percent Return
On Your Investment - Guaranteed!!!

And, you dont have to pay financial advisers, investment firms, or risk being conned by, yet, another mail order advertisement. In fact, there is no money required. Isnt that cool?

Jesus said, "Everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or lands for my names sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life," Matthew 19:29.

So, there you have it! When you give God one hundred percent, you get one hundred percent, guaranteed! Its that simple. Either you spend a lifetime of tending to your business, your way, or you let God take care of it for you. You either believe Him or you dont.

But, there is one thing you can take to the bank: God pays all His debts.

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

A Choice to Believe God by Joyce C. Lock

It was beyond thrilling once I realized the Bible was a How-to Book; a list of Master's tools for overcoming whatever we face in the world.

I would see all kinds of wonderful instruction and promises, then look around and not see such faith in others. It is as if people believe Jesus died on the cross and, then, lied about all the rest.

"If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable," I Co. 15:19. And, if we are miserable, we just might have a contracted a contagious disease called Stinkin' Thinkin'.

"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he," Pr. 23:7. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to grow toward protecting ourselves from the lies of Satan.

Only two options are available for which to place our faith: (1.) to believe God, or (2.) to call Him a liar, (1.) to give glory to God by recognizing Him for who He is and who He said He would be, for and through us, or (2.) to give credit to Satan by focusing on all that is wrong with us and the world.

Of course, one could choose to place themselves on God's throne; thinking they have no need of Him. Our choice determines to whom we give power; to which presence we will dwell in. And, we know that Satan both promotes pride and accuses the brethren.

So, the next time a negative thought comes your way, before you open your mouth, stop to think. Just who are you representing, anyway?

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Satan is like a roaring lion, all he does is roar. We either give him power to devour us, or we choose to believe God. It is impossible to fall or fail following the instruction God speaks to us, as Satan can not defeat God. Being that nothing is too hard for God, rejoice even before He brings it to pass (Ro. 4:17).

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Only God knows how to defeat Satan and where he'll be lurking next (Pr. 14:12). So, it is most advisable to get one's instruction and faith from the words God speaks to you (Jb. 23:12).

Be careful for nothing ...

"But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost," Mk. 13:11.

but in every thing by prayer ...

Pray in the Holy Ghost by laying your hands on the word of God, comparing scripture with scripture; rightly dividing the words of truth ... because they are spiritually discerned (I Co. 2:14).

and supplication ...

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find knock, and it shall be opened unto you," Mt. 7:7.

with thanksgiving ...

Strait is the gate ... "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving ..." Ps. 100:4.

let your requests be made known unto God.

"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven," Mt. 6:10.

________________________________

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing
by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Ph. 4:6-7
________________________________

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report;
if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have
both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."

Ph. 4:8-9

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-22T17:41:00.000-07:00

Oh, Brother! by Joyce C. Lock

Sticks and stones may break my bones.

But, words come back to haunt me.

When we're not right with ourselves,

Were not right with the world,

And we're not right with our God.

It happens to the best of us,

Brings out the worst in us,

And affects the rest of us.

When we tend to our soul,

The tongue takes care of itself.

~ * ~

A perfect world is a world without sin.

A perfect church is the one you're not in.

A mirror is only as beautiful as its reflection.

God so loved us that we could love each other.

Changing your world begins in your heart.

~ * ~

God isn't too proud to rummage through garbage dumps,

As some of His best handiwork is made out of junk.

God didn't call us to be someone else.

If we take two steps forward and one step back,

We are still going forward.

It makes no difference how one is qualified,

As faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it.

For, it is God who builds HIS church.

God makes all things beautiful, in His time.

Isn't it about time we let Him?

If you want to know what Jesus would do,

Just ask yourself, "Is it Love?"

~ * ~

It would help us all to consider that

(Anytime we are not listening for the Spirit,

Walking in the Spirit, following the Spirit)

We are sitting on God's throne.

When God decides a matter,

The first place He will start is not upon the circumstance.

He looks upon the heart.

Know what you believe because you heard it from God.

Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

Except God gives us the ability to see man's heart, we're way out of our league.

"Judge not, that ye be not judged," is a pretty specific warning for us all.

Not forgetting we're also human,

Why not give others a break and love them anyway?

God takes it very personal how we treat His children.

Those who receive people in meekness have learned a very special lesson.

In the right place, at the right time, under the right circumstance;

There is no sin we couldn't be tempted with.

Only by the grace of God that it isn't me.

~ * ~

Brother against brother is a testimony lost people notice.

Without unconditional acceptance, there is no unconditional love.

Only when we become one with God can we become one with each other;

One in heart, soul, purpose, body, mind, and strength.

Some build for today. Others build for eternity.

Peace begins once we realize we're all in the same boat

And God gave us gifts to help each other find our way.

Plant God's Seed and He'll grow the Crop.

~ * ~

Today's Difficulties are Tomorrow's Testimonies.

Your life will always be filled with challenges.

It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy, anyway.

The sun is just beyond the clouds.

~ * ~

Were we to ask God to open our eyes, to see ourselves as He sees us;

To examine our heart, actions, attitudes, and motives ...

God would be faithful to show us how we are hurting His cause.

Once weve found our sin and corrected it,

We can ask God to show us another and, then, another.

One step at a time, well be weeding out the flesh and Satans power over us

While winning the world to Christ.

We can make a difference once we decide to be the difference,

Then do it all for the glory of God. It begins within "OUR" heart.

Excerpts from the Writings of Joyce C. Lock

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-21T17:40:00.000-07:00

Come as You Are by Joyce C. Lock

Have you ever dreamed of being such a wonderful person and devoted servant of Christ that

your heart overflowed with love toward your fellow man?
others could, truly, see Christ in you?
it would be a joy being in your presence?
people would come to you, seeking godly wisdom; their ears falling upon your every word.
the moment you entered a room, the atmosphere would suddenly change?
whenever your mouth opened, the most humble words would flow?
from your speech would come words of comfort, healing, and direction?
you would be able to know the needs of, both, those near and across the way?
you could actually hear the voice of God direct and help you in reaching out to others, as if He were doing it Himself?
you could leave any situation and hear God say, "Well done?"
Weve all probably thought, "That could never be me!" But, scripture says it can ... that, when we walk with God, we never walk alone; to open our mouths wide and let Him fill it, to encourage one another daily, and to follow Him.

You dont have to do anything special to qualify. Just come as you are, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men," (Mt. 4:18, Mk. 1:17). To follow is to listen for His voice and then to obey it, no matter how great or small. Then, its Jesus responsibility to do the rest (I Th. 5:24). Its that simple. All He needs is a willing heart.

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

Is it Love? by Joyce C. Lock

W. W. J. D. ?

Jesus said ... Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Mt. 22:37-40

So, there you have it. Hang the law.

Is it Love?

When you're the picture of health, yet you park in the handicapped zone ...

Is it Love?

If you leave shopping carts in any path but yours,

at the risk of other cars getting scratched ...

Is it Love?

When you scream absurdities at traffic that inconveniences you ...

Is it Love?

What if you use an automobile to intimidate drivers in your path

Is it Love?

When you belittle someone who has less than your abilities ...

Is it Love?

Suppose you take the credit and bows for another's accomplishments ...

Is it Love?

When you say things, in anger, that can damage another's testimony ...

Is it Love?

Maybe someone calls you with an immediate need,

just before a church service,

yet you ignore the request to be on time ...

Is it Love?

When you look down on someone who isn't dressed just right ...

Is it Love?

If you complain when someone takes your seat ...

Is it Love?

When you rush past someone waiting to talk to you,

so as not to miss the person going out the door ...

Is it Love?

Suppose you see the Spirit compelling,

but give the position to one with more credentials.

Is it Love?

When you're faced with a dilemma of choosing God's will over opposition ...

Is it Love?

When God reveals something to you contrary to man's teachings,

yet you keep silent ...

Is it Love?

If you want to know what Jesus Would Do,

just ask yourself ...

~ Is it love? ~

"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light," Matthew 11:30.
Ye keep my commandments by abiding in my love ... (par.) John 15:10.
"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life," Proverbs 4:23.

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

Love Never Fails by Joyce C. Lock

"Father, forgive them;
for they know not what they do."

Luke 23:24

How many times do you suppose we've hurt people and not realized it; to have reacted without thought; to have deemed another not ready, worthy, capable, or spiritual enough; to have picked our favorite over another; to have excluded one who didn't measure up; to sit by one more attractive, popular, or fun; to have been in such a hurry to greet one that we bypassed another; to have closed our heart to someone whose words we didn't want to hear; to think we've done God a favor by getting rid of someone we thought difficult, different, or wrong?

How many times do you suppose this prayer has been prayed for us, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do?"

Were we to ask God to open our eyes, to see ourselves as He sees us; to examine our heart, actions, attitudes, and motives ... God would be faithful to show us how we are hurting His cause.

Once we've found our sin and corrected it, we can ask God to show us another and, then, another. One step at a time, we'll be weeding out the flesh and Satan's power over us while winning the world to Christ.

Love never fails, I Co. 13:8. It's guaranteed!

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

Why God Stops Answering Prayers by Joyce C. Lock

Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet,
and shew my people their transgression,
and the house of Jacob their sins.

Isaiah 58:1

During one particular Christmas season, I learned of a church member who had considerable financial/material need. When I inquired as to if even the Sunday School class might do anything to help, the response was that it was too late ~ that her name should have been submitted sooner. Only, the remainder of the year, none of the church helps anyone in material need. Each month, they give a few dollars to a local missions project, say they already gave, and send the needy on their way.

So, in this case, I began to look after and minister to this family on my own. Even so, neither did their heart change toward her, as she had lived in sin sometime in her past. (Never mind that she wasn't very bright and had fallen prey to one who promised to help.) She wasn't allowed to serve, even as a helper, with little ones; where she was capable.

____________

On another occasion, while visiting with a church member that was in the process of recovering from a knee surgery, I inquired as to how we, as a church, might be able to better love her in her time of need.

Being that this was her 16th knee surgery, she had endured several previous painful mishaps as a result. In her sharing, our spirits connected, having experienced similar things; of even the same people. We were in agreement that we sometimes have to pray, "Father, forgive them," even when they don't care what they do and also to look over those more ignorant of their offences.

Though now, in humble spirit, her only request was to be able to return to church; without risking further injury while her knee was healing.

As it was, there was only one end pew where she could sit with her leg elevated, that would also be out of harm's way for when membership exchanged handshakes within the service. But, that seat belonged to someone else.

And, as it was, in this church, no one was allowed to take anything upon themselves without having received permission from specified "authority". Only, I thought God was The Authority. But, since it wasn't viewed that way, request would need be made to ask the other person to give up their seat ~ only until her knee had recovered.

Leadership said, "No." They were concerned about offending the other party, were not aware of the details of the unkindness that had taken place when they had tried to reserve a seat for her in the past, and didn't seem to believe that anyone else could possibly hear from God.

But, what was even more odd was this. Ladies brought her three meals a day, every day, for the first time ever. Only her mother had come to visit, especially for that purpose. Church members were scurrying all over the place to finally show they cared. Yet, no one had inquired as to her true need.

With a few more closed doors, I lost heart for going out on church visitation as, to tell people we loved them, only to find out we didn't, well ... that caused more harm than good.

Though, if you are a church that intends to follow through, just try it. Tell your members that you have come to visit them to know what it is they truly need (whether that need be prayer, to assist in some spiritual understanding, or even to correct problems within the nursery), that you want to know how to love them. People are so stunned that everything but their true heart vanishes and you will begin to discover what it is like when God looks upon the heart.

____________

On yet another occasion, a poverty stricken young gentleman had had all his teeth pulled out, at once; to save additional financial expense. Without insurance or the finances for further medical help (the bleeding having already lasted a few days) and, being to such an extent that he was very weak and literally afraid he was going to die, he requested I phone a specific preacher (that he respected for such a time as this) to come out to his home and pray over him. That preacher refused.

Sometime later, the same preacher responded that he never goes on a call like that unless the individual, themselves, request he come as, otherwise, his time is wasted ~ when it had only been a family member that had hoped such a situation would bring them to the Lord.

I said that he asked. But, I guess no one was listening. And, that young man has not been inside a church since, with the exception of maybe a wedding.

____________

On still another occasion, a different gentleman, from a nearby community, asked me to ask a preacher to visit him at work; being that it was long distance for him to make the call. His place of employment was open to the public and his hours were not as such to visit in the preacher's office. Neither did he have transportation to make the trip. He was very much under Satanic attack and felt desperate for someone to help.

Being that leadership refused, I went to a second church where I also knew that pastor. He refused, too. To my knowledge, this gentleman has not been back to church since. The excuse given was the same: until the person in need makes the request, such a visit is futile.

Are they dull of hearing?

____________

Having once run across an old friend from my childhood church, he shared how he spent the last of his money to purchase a new pair of jeans (the closest thing he had to decent, to wear; which was his Sunday best), so he could attend church. They refused him at the door. He wasn't wearing a suite.

All I know to say, sometimes, is that people fail us, we fail God, but God never fails ... that such is not God's doing. But, it wasn't enough to convince him to try another church.

____________

Once, I went to the supposed top authority with a message that I had heard from God. Yet, that message was not received. So, I requested that they make inquiry of God, that if God says to wait I will wait, but that they know I did in fact hear from God.

He agreed on all points but one and that exception is in the Bible. But, he refused to ask God if this might be that exception. Loss of membership and much adversity followed.

____________

I once knew of a church leader that would destroy all letters received, without reading, unless they were signed. That was his policy for which he shared was as per God's instruction to him, many years ago. Only, in believing that would be God's answer for every letter, within every church, forever; he missed receiving important information that could not be signed for safety reasons.

There is an exception for every rule. So, when we put God in a box and leave off the need to further discern ~ we risk missing God's best.

____________

As of late, I have not found anyone, anywhere, that is willing to help persecuted Christians with even the paperwork to help them get to safety ... even when sharing the exception to such rules of thought. And, in time, I have discovered the reasons given for refusal not to be true ~ not that they lie, but that people speak as though they have knowledge in areas where they are ignorant. Many freedoms we take for granted are not viable options for others.

But, due to a few trying to scam via the computer, we don't trust anyone. Right?

____________

It is not my intent to express that any of these people, above, have always been of the saintly sort, nor is this list all conclusive of the ways we turn people away.

I am sharing such things to say, what I have seen, repeatedly, is people who have had a bad experience (or fear having a bad experience) tend to place everyone else in the same basket. They are no longer judging each situation individually to determine merit. And, God's will for them may not be identical to the path He has chosen for you.

There comes a time when one's heart is ready to receive. But if our mind is closed ~ we both lose. Neither are people taking the time to ask God before making these decisions. We cannot truthfully claim to be representing God when we don't bother to ask His will.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Matthew 24:12

In true sincerity, I do not recall one time ever wherein I have approached an adult (represented to be in Christian leadership) at the direct leading of God, and received the desired results.

These are God's children, too. Do you honestly believe God will not visit for this?

And they ask, "But, didn't you notice, God, that we served you to the point of affliction?" Isaiah 58:3a (par).

And God responds, "You've got to be kidding. You weren't serving me." Isaiah 58:4 (par). Then, He tells them, "You did it to yourself and I'm not listening any more," Isaiah 59:2 (par).

And, they wonder, "But, what did we do?"

And, God responds, "A little bit of everything except what I told you to do." Isaiah 59:3-15 (par).

____________

Once you finally begin to realize that your prayers are no longer reaching heaven, perhaps then, you will know that God meant what He said.

Is not this the fast that I have chosen?

to loose the bands of wickedness,

(no exceptions)

to undo the heavy burdens,

(no exceptions)

and to let the oppressed go free,

(no exceptions)

and that ye break every yoke?

(no exceptions)

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry,

(no exceptions)

and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house?

(no exceptions)

when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him;

(no exceptions)

and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

(no exceptions)

Isaiah 58:6-7

When you stop pointing fingers long enough
to listen for the true needs of the heart
and thereby learn to love unconditionally,
God will start answering your prayers, again.

Isaiah 58:9 (par).

2005 by Joyce C. Lock
Author of: "The Difference"
http://www.theeaglesgarden.com/
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-17T17:40:00.000-07:00

A Motivating Factor by Joyce C. Lock

Growing up in an environment where non-church attendance isn't an option, much of one's beliefs may be based upon other's faith (wherein one either leans upon the faith of another or they were not considered mature enough to make those choices). Their daily schedule is generally more structured, also.

Young adults are familiar with struggles of being finally 'on their own'; free to sleep whenever they feel like it (as long as they make it to work). Suddenly, choices and consequences become theirs.

They begin deciding what they believe, the life style they will choose, the importance of regular church attendance, and many more things. Likely, before they get it all figured out, children come along.

Whether late night socials or babies stealing one's sleep, they can often relate to the 'pitch it out the window', Sunday morning, alarm clockfinding that, though they desire to do good, evil is present. Still believing in God, they're left feeling guilty whenever they fail to measure up or miss a church service.

What helped me most, during those early years, was a statement I remembered from childhood, "How can you say you love your children if you don't care about their souls?"

It's a motivating factor to make sure one's children have every opportunity possible to learn about God. And though we may still occasionally dread the alarm clock, in time, one's faith becomes their own. Then, there's no place we'd rather be than in God's house.

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

If I Were Called by Joyce C. Lock

If I were called to teach,
I'd give it my best.

If I were called to preach,
I'd better pass the test.

If I were called to reach,
I'd do it with much zest.

If I were called to each,
I'd surely need some rest.

Mt. 11:29b

~*~

We, often, hold high expectations for our spiritual leaders (as does God) to teach, minister, give guidance and direction, to be the example, live what they preach, and to be available, willing, and able to meet our need. We truly are blessed when we have such a person in our life.

However, were we to multiply our need by the entire membership of our church, we would see that our expectation is somewhere between unrealistic and nearly impossible. Leadership often finds themselves between a rock and a hard place as, even for the most devoted of servants, there aren't enough hours in a day.

What a good thing it would be were we to give something in return:

1.) to volunteer services to make their load easier.

2.) to not lean on them but upon God.

3.) to only ask for help when we can't find resolve.

4.) and, to try to become more like the expectations we have for our leaders.

Perhaps, then, we could begin impacting our world for Christ while allowing our leaders the same privileges we have ... to have a family and a life.

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-15T17:41:00.000-07:00

Color Me Love by Joyce C. Lock

For those who walk in the flesh, the law is given.
Some only see in black and white.

And, yet, there is a more excellent way.
Others see in color and, when they do, that color is love.

"Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God."

1 John 3:21

The Bible tells us to love our enemies, pray for them, turn the other cheek, and many like things. It also tells us to stand against evil. There are times to pluck up that which was planted, to shake the dust off our feet, and more.

If we hold to the law, we remain captive in circumstances that God gave us other provisions for. We still adamantly believe in the law. The difference is that we trust God to reveal to us which law He requires at any given time.

What ever God speaks to us is the ultimate/absolute law.
Praise God, He is a Living God!

"Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips;
I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food."

Job 23:12

The whole entire law is complete and fulfilled through following this one verse: thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. If you do that, you have covered God's intent for every law within the Bible.

Sometimes, tuff love will be required. Perhaps, sacrificial love is what will meet the need. Holy love may be necessary. Sometimes we are to love as a parent, other times as a child.

How do we know when our rightful place should be where? We can only know by listening for and following God, as He is the One that sees their heart. And always, above every other form of love, we have to stand for our love for Him.

"Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us,
written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God;
not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."

II Co. 3:2-3

God is love and, however often He requests to live through us,
let us give a right answer and say, "Color me love."

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-14T17:40:00.000-07:00

Counting Them Happy by Joyce C. Lock

"Take ... the ... prophets for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience ... we count them happy which endure," James 5:10-11.

Satan has used this passage to rob us of a victorious life. Any happiness you see is likely just a cover.

It is, often, thought we're to patiently endure whatever horrible things that come our way; to be victims of our circumstance. The only blessings we expect to see are in the life to come.

Occasionally, I've heard well intended people say, "We're never going to get through the trials of this life until we get to Heaven."

I have this urge to respond, "Don't say that! IT ISN'T TRUE!" But, I also understand that they wouldn't say it except they don't know.

The prophets were not victims. They suffered more because they went through all the issues of the inner man so they could come back and teach the people how to overcome. And, they did so holding on to the promises of God!

You can bet that, in each victorious adventure taken, the prophets were happy when all was said and done; in awe of what God had done for them. They believed God when He said we could be over comers (not only in the next life, but in this life, too). And, they weren't disappointed.

The prophets suffered and endured (stayed the course), not because they liked it but, because they liked the end result. The end result is where they found happiness.

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-13T17:41:00.000-07:00

Given Much by Joyce C. Lock

When you read the scripture, "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him, much shall be required," Lu. 12:48, do you think of a pastor who walks and talks with God or a professor, abounding in knowledge? Maybe, you think of a gospel singer, whose voice surely must be likened unto an angel, or a musician, whose hands touch the heart of God. Perhaps, someone, in prominent places, comes to mind; positions of prosperity, power, and such.

But, did you count those saved from near death, those whose homes have been restored, those who've received the miracle of healing, or those saved from financial ruin?

Did you count those with food on their table, a roof over their head, someone to love, and a pillow for their bed?

Did you count those born, in this day and time, in a country where we still have freedoms; to consider the privilege of education and worship, to work and provide for your own, to have privacy and ownership?

Did you count that Christ died for you, sent the Holy Spirit to be with you and in you, and gave His Holy Word that you could discover, for yourself, the truths to your rich inheritance?

If you can consider that you've been given much, then might this verse have also been written for you?

"And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes ... for unto whomsoever much is given, of him, much shall be required," Lu. 12:47-48.

Paying very special attention to Jesus' words, you may notice He didn't say God would beat you. Could it be that you would've done it to yourself?

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

Heavenly Son Light by Joyce C. Lock

It is a most Heavenly sight to behold someone flowing through a room, with grace likened unto an angel, spreading SON LIGHT on each heart they touch. Even more wonderful is when we realize the gift of encouragement is available to us!

Paul says we are to take it upon ourselves to minister to the saints (II Co. 8:4), not waiting for someone to hit us over the head.

We can walk into any room, using the Eyes of the Lord, 'knowing' which hearts need touched; being assured that we did not just think it up because we looked first.

If God shows you a need, He is calling you to do something about it (De. 30:14). Further assurance comes in knowing Satan would not ask you to do something good (Ps. 37:3).

Once you have seen the need, follow Jesus by taking the first step (Mt. 4:20). He will do the rest (I Th. 5:24).

It is okay if your first words are nothing more than, "I like your tie." Meeting us where we are; the walk of righteousness is one step at a time. Nothing is too small if God says, "Go", because little is always much if done for the Lord (II Co. 9:10).

It is exciting to see what Jesus does with our feeble efforts. We soon discover we are the one most blessed! When faithful in little things, He empowers us to do so much more (Mt. 25:21)!

One day we will look back to remember where we came from and be amazed at how much we have grown (Jn. 15:2). Though we will know it really happened only because Jesus began to live through us.

Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift (II Co. 9:15).

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-11T17:40:00.000-07:00

Our Gift by Joyce C. Lock

If you knew you were going to stand before God, today (not in judgment, but meeting your very best friend) ... is there a gift you would like to present Him with? Do you plan to meet Him empty handed? Maybe you have a gift for God already. Perhaps, you never thought about it and would like to.

What would be the truest statement of your love? What type of service are you passionate about? Find the answer. Then, head in that direction. And if you still do not know, walk in the direction your heart leads and God will take you there.

It does not matter if God calls you to little or a lot. (Faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it. Let the weak say, "I am strong," the most necessary part. He meant it!) What brings inner completeness is serving in the center of God's perfect will (Lu. 12:50), wherein there is joy in that He empowers us to do so much more.

Consider His promise ...

"And every one that hath forsaken houses (churches), or brethren (religion), or sisters (family), or father (leader), or mother (counselor), or wife (soul mate), or children (followers), or lands (positions), for my name's sake (when He calls you), shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life."

Matthew 19:29

Would you suffer persecution from those you love,

if necessary, in order to follow God?

Micah 7:6

God never promised it would be easy.

Though, consider the price of such gods ...

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:

and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."

Matthew 16:25

Rewards for choosing God ...

"But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren,

and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions;

and in the world to come eternal life."

Mark 10:30

Wouldn't you enjoy discovering the joys, blessings,
and rewards in completing your race?

It isn't too late.

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-10-10T17:40:00.000-07:00

And We Know ... by Joyce C. Lock

And we know what?

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Evidently, we are suppose to 'know' that all things work together for our good ... all things.

So, do we 'know'? Do we really know?

It is to our advantage to look for the silver lining, to not give Satan so much credit, to faithfully watch for God to transform a negative situation into something good. And, when we watch for Him, most of the time, we come to 'know' His purpose.

Therefore, perhaps, before we can know God has it covered, we have to see Him working and, before we can see Him, we first need to be watching.

By whatever name we call it; fear, worry, and anxiety does not come from God.

While we can not always control the fact that spiritual warfare hits us like a 2x4, we can request God's help in giving Him honor, in even our thoughts and emotions (in spite of circumstance), by asking Him to remove our negative feelings.

And, that is easier to do once we realize, no matter how we feel, it is only a feeling. God is still on His throne. So, it can not be true about who God is.

But, beyond that, we can also take personal responsibility for our part. We opened the door for Satan to attack our emotions, not him or anyone else. It originated the moment we believed a lie.

How many ways do we call God a liar ... He can't, He won't, or that nothing good can ever happen to us?

If nothing is too hard for God, then why do we believe our problem is? When we can't seem to find our rightful place with God, do we blame Him? Or, do we believe what Jesus said? Once we 'know' the truth, it will set us free. John 8:32.

Perhaps we beg and plead, or command and demand, for what is already rightfully ours; when we could be moving mountains, if only we didn't place more than a grain of faith in our part.

Maybe we are not ready to jump spiritual hurdles. Though, we might try starting where we are, watching for God.

When attacks come, it is quite helpful to remember that it is a lie. The fear element of the situation will always be based upon a lie.

Immediately, begin seeking God for the needed truth that will overcome this particular warfare. As truth is revealed, light replaces darkness and Satan flees. Oh, what relief!

Once we begin experiencing that relief, we will want to pick up our Bible and look further. There are promises and provisions given, all over, to let us know our rightful place with God!

What an awesome provision God has given! Truth: a battle weapon amidst spiritual warfare! It sets us free!

And, once we experience such freedom, we begin to realize and finally 'know' that all things work together for our good (to us that love God, to us who are called), according to his purpose; no exceptions.

Isn't it about time we get to 'know' God?

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. II Corinthians 10:4-6

2004 by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-09-29T17:40:00.000-07:00

Share the Joy by Joyce C. Lock

Let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.

Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.

O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice.

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King.

Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.

Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

Glimpses of Godby Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-09-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

Are you an Early Bird or a Night Owl and how that can make or break your business success? by Lynette van Greunen

Early Birds are typically the people who love to get up at the crack of dawn and generally use the rising sun as their natural alarm clock.

It does not take much to get them out of bed and once their feet hit the floor, well they are almost instantly ready to start doing whatever needs to be done.

Some might turn on the tunes, singing along happily and are up to date on world news before the sun has even peek its entire head over the horizon

Around midday, their chirpy mood starts to wane, making way for the unexplained grumpiness that starts to set in. By the time the sun is getting ready to retire for the day, the bed is about the only place that will welcome their company

These Early Bird individuals need wind down activities at night. Now, meet the Night Owls, who need wind down activities in the morning.

We are all aware that everything in nature has an opposite, so it goes without saying that the Night Owls have a rightful place in this world too

These are the individuals that need a really loud sounding alarm clock to jolt them from their dreams. The snooze button must be unmistakably big and easy to hit with eyes still tightly closed.

Getting up early is not a pleasant experience for them. Given the slightest chance they will gladly doze until well into the morning.

When they eventually venture out of bed, they seem to daze around for a few more hours before they manage to get themselves dressed and ready for the day.

Generally, they will find some errands or effortless chores to pass the first half of the day. By midday, they are usually ready to take a little nap

But once they awake from the nap, there is no stopping them. Their minds start racing in a frenzied fashion from the one project to the other and they start performing miracles, working well into the night, seemingly effortless

If you are considering starting your own business, it is vitally important to determine when you work best and to choose a business that allows you to work when you are at your peak performance levels.

When you work for yourself, there is no paycheck just for showing up to work! No, you actually have to produce concrete results in order to get paid.

Running your own business is no joke, but the rewards are worth far more than the initial effort that you have to put in. But, here is a little known secret for you

If your business requires you to work against your inborn natural performance pattern, you will most probably fail no matter how hard you try. It is really as simple as that.

Look at it this way, if the business requires you to make important sales calls first thing in the morning, the Night Owl will surely fail because he simply wont feel ready for that type of pressure first thing in the morning.

Similarly, if the business requires sales calls that can only be done after hours, the Early Bird will fail simply because he is not at his peak performance levels at night.

In both cases, the individuals will start experiencing high levels of frustration and start thinking that they are not capable of doing what it takes to succeed and many will likely quit trying at this point.

But in reality, both individuals could have had success, had they been working with their natural inborn performance patterns. Some business owners need to find a system that allows them to work during regular office hours, while for others they need a system that allows them to work after hours.

So, where do you start to find a business that allows you that type of flexibility. E-commerce is the answer. It allows you to take full control of every minute you feel like working, no matter what the time of day or night is.

Early Birds and Night Owls alike can operate at full potential 24/7 and it is the only business solution where it is never too late or too early to grow your business into the successful venture you have always longed for.

Starting your own business will definitely be the best thing that you could ever do for yourself. For tips on how to naturally energize your environment while you are working, sleeping or relaxing, please visit http://www.naturalindoorwaterfountains.com for some great information on the positive benefits of negative ions.

About the Author
Lynette is the webmaster for http://www.naturalindoorwaterfountains.com where she teaches you how to energize your surroundings naturally in order to be more productive, therefore more successful, in all your undertakings.

2005-09-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

The Reward of Obedience by Joyce C. Lock

In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.

That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the land, which the Lord sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
If ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God: But if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall the hand of the Lord be against you, as it was against your fathers.

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the Lord our God.
And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord, and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.

But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name.

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Glimpses of Godby Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-09-26T17:40:00.000-07:00

Ingredients for success by Ophelia Sanchez

INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS
By Ophelia Sanchez
President
Management Resources, Inc. (MRI)
(c)1997 Management Resources, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or copied by any means without written permission from Management Resources, Inc. Write MRI.
Management by Objectives, strategic planning, quality, teams, re-engineering. Passing management fads? Consultants, more consultants. Training and more training. Businesses are littered by the corpses of all these attempts at finding the way to become better.
What happened? What went wrong? How can simple and productive ideas like these have failed in some companies while succeeding in others? In some companies one finds employees sneering at management, not believing on anything, just letting the days go by. In others one can see an uplifted employee force. They are committed to their work, they communicate with each other, they read company publications, they ask questions and hear the answers.
What is the cause? What is the difference? ATTITUDES. Attitude is one of those words that we have difficulty defining. It is a state of mind, a disposition, it reflects in our moods and personality, it molds our perspectives and preferences. It can result in laxity or negligence: an "Its Not My Job" mentality; or in an open-minded "Can Do" behavior.
Attitudes makes us who we are, how we think and act, how we respond to challenges, how we look at things. Attitudes are created and modified. We are not born with them. They are developed from early childhood.
There is a direct link between the way we think and the way we behave. When people come in contact with us they are responding to our personality, which is the outer expression of our inner attitudes. Our behavior (or personality) directly impacts our success. Since behavior is based on attitudes, attitude is one of the key ingredients for success.
Look at your favorite people in history. Why did they succeed? Was it their skills alone? There are millions with the skills and the knowledge who are not successful. In most cases winners have a driving attitude to succeed. Lincoln lost many elections before becoming president. John Paul II was shot and came close to death. Beethoven was deaf.
Even in medical terms, positive attitude is a remarkable force. Positive thinking has been determined to be a "miracle drug" that you manufacture within yourself. As June Bierman, author of "Diabetes in the News" says "this miracle drug has no side effects, doesnt require a doctors prescription and doesnt cost you a penny." What a powerful force!
What are your attitudes? Do you live thinking that any situation is an opportunity for success? Or do you believe that sooner or later something bad is going to happen? Do you look at things as "too much trouble," "there is nothing I can do?" Or do you say "this is an opportunity for me," "this is my chance to shine"?
So how can we develop our attitudes? Obviously, we first must realize that we need to. Then we must want to. If not, we will never change them. The most practical way to change attitudes is through spaced repetition, which is how attitudes were developed originally. Human behaviorists estimate that if you are exposed to an idea six times during six days, you will retain 62% of the idea after 15 years.
Another powerful tool to change attitudes is affirmations. Remember Mohamad Ali. He used to brag all the time that he was the greatesthe was re affirming his belief in himself. We need to do the same! Continuos use of positive affirmations about us have a tremendous power on how we see ourselves; how we see ourselves impacts how we act, how we act impacts our success.
Is this all we need to be successful? No. We also need SKILLS. Most companies send employees to technical training; but many are not concerned with human behavioral skills. The higher we go in an organization, the less technical skills we need; however, the human behavioral skills become critical to the job. We must keep in mind the "soft" skills as well as the technical skills required for our job. We can find people to fill in our lack of technical skills but is very difficult to get someone to replace our lack of human behavioral skills.
What else do we need to be successful? Think about how many times have we had the best of intentions to do something and we have quit along the way? The answer is : GOALS. Goals "make sure" that we stay on track and aimed at our success. We should emphasize personal goals as well as professional goals. Actually, they are integrated. Excelling in one propels the other. We must set goals for improvement for ourselves, making sure they are realistic, specific, measurable, actionable and time bound.
Develop an action plan to accomplish your goal with positive affirmations to guide you. Slowly you will see your life changing. What about in business ?. How many of us find ourselves with no business goals, no direction? We fall in a daily routine of answering telephones, writing letters, having meetings, etc. Without goals for improvement we become slaves to the system, to the process. Goals drive companies to success.
A change in our attitudes, skills and goals will result in changed behavior. This new behavior will bring about improved results, both in our personal lives as well as in our business live. A very simple formula: Positive Attitudes, combined with Skills and Goals result in success.

About the Author
CEO of Management Resources Institute

2005-09-25T17:40:00.000-07:00

Just Think ... by Joyce C. Lock

If you are a salesperson (not only because it is your job but, you actually happen to be good at it), just think. How many sales did you make last year? Last month? Last week? A lot? Probably, you would have sold more in a better economy. Though still, you likely sold way more than you can readily remember. Was that 100 customers? 1,000? 100,000? More?

Imagine if you were to use that same great charm to sell Jesus? Wow, what an impact!!! Now, multiply that by a few years and that is really a lot of changed lives!!!

Ok, so maybe you are not a salesperson. How are you at advertising? Isn't it fun to continually have more ideas of ways to reach just one more customer and often thousands!? Just think how the world would view differently if you were to use all that creativity to say ... advertise God.

Can't you just see it, now, a neon light in every public restroom? Oh, we could have so much fun! Soon, the idea would catch on and God's name would be on every pair of tennis shoes, on every bath robe. There is no place people couldn't go without being reminded of God and, wherever He's included, that is that much less room for Satan.

Is that too active for you? Ok, let us say you are a writer, an artist, a musician. You have wares to share, so do it. If you haven't been discovered already, odds are that you are not going to win the Mr. or Miss America pageant by keeping your gift hidden. Just think of the thousands and hundred thousands your gift could already be ministering to. And, when you give to God, He gives you more! Why not go for the world title!?

What is your gift? I am about certain that you have at least one. So, your health isn't cooperating. That is pretty common, these days. In fact, Satan gets his jollies at the ways he convinces us that we can not serve. Are you not about tired of it, too?

You do have a telephone, don't you? How about a computer? And, there is, still, the old fashioned snail mail. Ask God to show you something you can do. That will teach the old fart a lesson!

If you use the gift God gives you, He will give you another one, too! Then, when you use both gifts for the Lord, He will double it again, and again! There is no longer any reason to whine about how others are more gifted than you. Get going! One gift is a good place to start; at just your speed. How do you think I ended up with so many different gifts!? It really works!

And, do you know what else? Now, this is really cool! If you make just one person smile, they will feel happier and will, in turn, make at least a couple more people smile. Then, you have two new people smiling who will, in turn, make two more people smile. You started with one smile, which was yours. And now, that seed has already multiplied seven times, when all you did was smile!

The same is true in sharing joys of the Lord. Each time you minister to someone, they will find opportunity to share it again. It's kind of like the Energizer bunny. It keeps going and going. Some seed multiplies a little, some up to a hundred fold. It could even be more!

Thank God that we don't have to count how much our seed gets multiplied. All we have to do is offer the seed and God will take it from there.

I, often, wonder if the person who led Billy Graham to the Lord had any idea what they had done. One seed multiplied more times than anyone but God can count. Have you ever thought to realize it could be your seed that will reach the next Billy Graham?

Just think of all the good we could accomplish were we to quit letting Satan tell us that we can't. Why, we could change the world ... if we would just think.

~ Changing the World ~

You can change the world
By the thoughtful things you do;
Making a difference,
Letting God's love shine through.

Reaching out to help others,
With compassion He gave you,
Multiplies His seed;
Making hearts brand new.

~ * ~

By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Romans 5:19

by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-09-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

O, Come by Joyce C. Lock

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord, and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.

:::::::::::>><><><><><><><<:::::::::::

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation.

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God.

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Glimpses of Godby Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author
Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the e-mail ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.

2005-09-23T17:41:00.000-07:00

Life Engagement by Diann Cannon

What is your level of engagement? I'm talking about your level of involvement in your own life. If you check in with your spiritual, mental, emotional and physical selves, what do they tell you about how engaged you are in LIFE? If you had to put a score on yourself between 0 and 100, how would you fare?

Are you frightened of resolutions? Try engaging yourself. If you think you'd like to focus on a resolution for the New Year, the following is a great place to start:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Visit http://lge.perfprog.com and take the test, (max. 5 min.). When I took it, the results said I was 80% engaged in life. The conclusion was that if I strengthened my physical side, my overall life would improve. I often view these kinds of tests with a grain of salt, but this time it seems as though the results were really on to something. I was looking through my "life" box of goodies filled with mementos and treasures from my life and came upon some old report cards from my school days. And what do you think they showed? Sure enough, my lowest grades were in physical education! I had forgotten that my average score in Physical Education was indeed a C. It was true, the test was correct; my lowest level of engagement in life was and still is physical!

So, I made up my mind that I was going to become fully engaged. Doesn't that sound FUN????? Since then, I've taken up hiking and I am having so much fun!!!!! Downhill skiing is something else I enjoy, but I've found hiking to be an excellent alternative because it's inexpensive and accessible nearly year-round.

Let me back track for a moment. My husband hates hiking. He refuses to even walk around the park with me. I was afraid to go alone, afraid of being mugged, and since he wouldn't go with me, I initially allowed that to be a stumbling block. But then I began asking my women friends if any of them liked to hike. Some of them did but we just couldn't seem to coordinate our schedules. But I didn't give up. I finally struck up a friendship with a woman who walks at the park around the same time that I do. After a time, we decided to hike outside of the park. Since then we've gone on several hikes together including this beautiful place called Red Rock Canyon right here in Clark County, Nevada that I never would have experienced if not for my willingness to engage in something different.

Then another facet of this wonderful new period in my life began to unfold when my church started a hiking club. So now I've been on two very fun hikes with them. These hikes have typically been anywhere from 4 to 7 miles in length, not really steep and so beautiful.

What has happened to my physical body because of this is very encouraging. My shape overall is better and my heart feels stronger. But what has happened to my mental and emotional body is even more impressive. I am more joyful? I feel like I did when I was a child playing all day long. Being out in the fresh air doing something physical, fun and adventurous is most definitely giving me a new sense of vitality. Not to mention a great night's sleep?

While I'm not going to share my exact scores on the rest of the test I will say that my highest score was spiritual, followed by emotional, mental and physical in that order. I agree with the experts who say we are encouraged to change what we measure. Had I never taken this test I would not have identified this weak area in my life, nor realized that focusing and engaging with it could make my life richer. Laughter and fun = joy and since I've engaged my physical self more I am engaged in life in a way that makes everything I do have more meaning.

About the Author
Diann Cannon, founder of Signals Personal and Business
Coaching, works with individuals facing major life transitions, such as
divorce, unemployment or career change. She helps them identify their
strengths and confront limiting beliefs and behaviors. Ultimately, she
helps people achieve success and balance in their business and personal
lives. Contact Diann and sign up for her newsletter at
http://www.signalscoach.com.

2005-09-22T17:40:00.000-07:00

Ingredients for success by Ophelia Sanchez

INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS
By Ophelia Sanchez
President
Management Resources, Inc. (MRI)
http://www.managementresourcesinstitute.com
(c)1997 Management Resources, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or copied by any means without written permission from Management Resources, Inc. Write MRI.
Management by Objectives, strategic planning, quality, teams, re-engineering. Passing management fads? Consultants, more consultants. Training and more training. Businesses are littered by the corpses of all these attempts at finding the way to become better.
What happened? What went wrong? How can simple and productive ideas like these have failed in some companies while succeeding in others? In some companies one finds employees sneering at management, not believing on anything, just letting the days go by. In others one can see an uplifted employee force. They are committed to their work, they communicate with each other, they read company publications, they ask questions and hear the answers.
What is the cause? What is the difference? ATTITUDES. Attitude is one of those words that we have difficulty defining. It is a state of mind, a disposition, it reflects in our moods and personality, it molds our perspectives and preferences. It can result in laxity or negligence: an "Its Not My Job" mentality; or in an open-minded "Can Do" behavior.
Attitudes makes us who we are, how we think and act, how we respond to challenges, how we look at things. Attitudes are created and modified. We are not born with them. They are developed from early childhood.
There is a direct link between the way we think and the way we behave. When people come in contact with us they are responding to our personality, which is the outer expression of our inner attitudes. Our behavior (or personality) directly impacts our success. Since behavior is based on attitudes, attitude is one of the key ingredients for success.
Look at your favorite people in history. Why did they succeed? Was it their skills alone? There are millions with the skills and the knowledge who are not successful. In most cases winners have a driving attitude to succeed. Lincoln lost many elections before becoming president. John Paul II was shot and came close to death. Beethoven was deaf.
Even in medical terms, positive attitude is a remarkable force. Positive thinking has been determined to be a "miracle drug" that you manufacture within yourself. As June Bierman, author of "Diabetes in the News" says "this miracle drug has no side effects, doesnt require a doctors prescription and doesnt cost you a penny." What a powerful force!
What are your attitudes? Do you live thinking that any situation is an opportunity for success? Or do you believe that sooner or later something bad is going to happen? Do you look at things as "too much trouble," "there is nothing I can do?" Or do you say "this is an opportunity for me," "this is my chance to shine"?
So how can we develop our attitudes? Obviously, we first must realize that we need to. Then we must want to. If not, we will never change them. The most practical way to change attitudes is through spaced repetition, which is how attitudes were developed originally. Human behaviorists estimate that if you are exposed to an idea six times during six days, you will retain 62% of the idea after 15 years.
Another powerful tool to change attitudes is affirmations. Remember Mohamad Ali. He used to brag all the time that he was the greatesthe was re affirming his belief in himself. We need to do the same! Continuos use of positive affirmations about us have a tremendous power on how we see ourselves; how we see ourselves impacts how we act, how we act impacts our success.
Is this all we need to be successful? No. We also need SKILLS. Most companies send employees to technical training; but many are not concerned with human behavioral skills. The higher we go in an organization, the less technical skills we need; however, the human behavioral skills become critical to the job. We must keep in mind the "soft" skills as well as the technical skills required for our job. We can find people to fill in our lack of technical skills but is very difficult to get someone to replace our lack of human behavioral skills.
What else do we need to be successful? Think about how many times have we had the best of intentions to do something and we have quit along the way? The answer is : GOALS. Goals "make sure" that we stay on track and aimed at our success. We should emphasize personal goals as well as professional goals. Actually, they are integrated. Excelling in one propels the other. We must set goals for improvement for ourselves, making sure they are realistic, specific, measurable, actionable and time bound.
Develop an action plan to accomplish your goal with positive affirmations to guide you. Slowly you will see your life changing. What about in business ?. How many of us find ourselves with no business goals, no direction? We fall in a daily routine of answering telephones, writing letters, having meetings, etc. Without goals for improvement we become slaves to the system, to the process. Goals drive companies to success.
A change in our attitudes, skills and goals will result in changed behavior. This new behavior will bring about improved results, both in our personal lives as well as in our business live. A very simple formula: Positive Attitudes, combined with Skills and Goals result in success.

About the Author
President and CEO Management Resources, inc.

2005-09-21T17:40:00.000-07:00

Prioritize in 2005 by Diann Cannon

Do you get overwhelmed? Are you running on the cheap fuel of adrenaline? Do you get depressed because you make promises to yourself and others that you cannot keep because you run out of time? If so, and you would like to change your sense of defeat into a sense of control this coming year, read on.

There is a program taught in most coaching circles called "The Personal Foundation Program". This program helps us reconstruct the underpinning of our lives by strengthening ourselves in a variety of ways and learning how to accomplish more with less effort. One of the first things the program recommends is choosing a personal theme for each year. I've been doing this every year since I entered the coaching community. My theme for this year is "Prioritize in 2005" and here's why: I have a tendency to procrastinate whenever I am feeling overwhelmed by a task. I tell myself that I will tackle it some other time when I am feeling more courageous. The irony of this of course is that the act of procrastinating increases my sense of being overwhelmed and further erodes my courage to roll up my sleeves and just go for it. As I began looking for ways to mitigate this reflexive habit, I found that if I took the time to plan my day and prioritize my actions, I ended up being much more successful and productive. You see, most of us are (as one of my coach friends describes himself) "easily distracted by shiny objects!" It's very easy to get sidetracked from our goals. Choosing a theme helps up cut down on distraction time. It's a way to keep the end in mind as described so clearly by Stephen Covey in his bestseller "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People".

The same person who I said is "easily distracted by shiny objects" chose, "Market More in 2004" for his theme last year. Since then, his business has grown so much that he's decided it's time to raise his prices!

One of my clients chose the phrase, "Fully Alive in 2005!" I like that one, too. She wants a reminder to stay engaged in LIFE!

Themes are a tool to help us FOCUS. It's a friendly nudge that keeps us on the track of positive change.

Whatever you choose, your theme is like a beacon when it comes to helping you achieve your ultimate objective(s). It summarizes that something you want to move toward in your life. Your theme can help get you out of your comfort zone and into the territory you want to go. Having a theme can also help in the decision making process because saying "no" to the things that don't fit into your theme for the year becomes easier. There are so many things that can derail us from the things we want for ourselves, but having a theme can help keep us on course.

When we figure out what our goal for the year is, selecting an appropriate theme is just a step away. When we have our own purpose, we are less likely to get caught up in other people's chaos or engage in "rescuing" behavior. Rescuing others from what amounts to their lack of planning is a path that can lead to resentment. And don't you have better things to do?

About the Author
Diann Cannon, founder of Signals Personal and Business
Coaching, works with individuals facing major life transitions, such as
divorce, unemployment or career change. She helps them identify their
strengths and confront limiting beliefs and behaviors. Ultimately, she
helps people achieve success and balance in their business and personal
lives. Contact Diann and sign up for her newsletter at
http://www.signalscoach.com.

2005-09-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

Are You Seeing a Vision? by Caterina Rando

As we look at bringing your business to the next level, I ask you a very important question: do you have a visiona Technicolor snapshot in your mind of what your ideal life looks like? If not, create one. Not a goal; goals come later. Visions are more powerful than goals because visions have an emotional component. When you see a picture, it evokes emotioninvolving your heart, not just your head. This is far more powerful than only writing down an idea.

For example, if you were to say, "I want a bigger house," that is a good goal. However, that simple statement by itself is not significantnot strong enough to get you to figure out everything you need to do, to support you through sacrifice, to get you to take risks, to have you learn new skills to overcome your "friends" telling you to forget about it.

If, instead, you create a compelling vision in which you see yourself standing in front of your yellow house with a two-car garage on a sunny street lined with trees, with a rose garden in front and a lemon tree and hammock in the back, and with a chefs kitchen and master bedroom with a view of the ocean, you now have an idea that is not only in your head; it is in your heart, too. That is where the motivation happens; that is where your desire lives, and that is where you will connect with your internal powerthe power that will pull you through all the challenges you have to address to create your compelling vision.

Do not let the busyness and immediate needs of your life prevent you from stopping to create what you want your life to look like at this time next year.

Follow these steps to create your compelling vision, and watch it work for you.

1. Get clear about your compelling vision. Write it down on paper; be specific, use visual language.
2. Share it with someone else. Ask them if they can see the snapshot. If they cannot, you are being too vague.
3. Read your vision every day and continue to clarify it when new ideas come in.
4. Create a physical imagea drawing, a real photograph, or a collagethat represents your vision. Put that vision where you will see it every day.
5. Create an action plan to realize your vision, and take even some small action every day.
6. Get the help you need. You do not have to do it alone.

Once you have your vision, ask yourself: Are you more committed to your compelling vision, or are you more committed to your current situation? Our reality interferes with our vision because we see what is not ideal around usand that is far more vivid than a vision of what we desire that still lies only in our head and heart. That is why it is important to follow these steps and spend time with your vision every day, gradually bringing it more and more into focus and finally into reality.
About the Author
Caterina Rando, MA, MCC coaches women entrepreneurs and direct sellers to succeed with ease. She is a sought after speaker, master certified coach and author of the national best-seller Learn to Power Think. Caterina can be reached at 800 966-3603 or by email at cpr@caterinar.com. Visit her website http://www.caterinar.com for more articles and a beautiful, colorful downloadable daily inspiration card.

2005-09-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

My Success Story by Edward Chew

Dear Friend,

It is with great pleasure of having you here at this hour. Let me get it straight and be honest with you at the very outset. First of all, I'm not going to sell you anything here. And second of all, if you are hoping that you could learn some tricks to earn Quick & easy Money, you are definitely in a wrong place.

What I'm offering you are some personal story and lesson which I hope you will find it useful and beneficial to your well-being - be it financially or spiritually. Below is an article which I wrote to an online magazine, some time ago. The response was phenomenal and overwhelming. I hope you will enjoy reading it.

The Power of Dream

Have you ever dreamed of being financially free seomeday ? Yes, let me repeat, FINANCIAL FREEDOM. I bet some of you do. However, I believe only a handful of you would actually commit yourselves into making your dream comes true. Instead of committing to pursue your dream, you would just sit back and do nothing about it. Am I right to say that most of you have no confidence of yourself , let alone your dream?

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Well, some people will doubt it and think that being financially free seems to be an impossible dream to attain. - Never ever doubt about yourself !- To have financial freedom is not impossible and is within your reach if you possess the fundamental understanding of how wealth is created and accumulated.

By the same token, the depth of your financial knowledge and planning will determine your financial future whether you will retire broke, debt-ridden or leave a huge amount of wealth for your dependence. The choice is yours because you are the navigator of your own destiny.

As Burke Hedges the author of the book The Parable of the Pipeline eloquently writes , " becoming a millionaire is a matter of choice, not chance ."

How to Be Financially Free

Most of you must have heard of people saying; you either be a professional or run your own business to earn BIG INCOME, right? It is true to a certain extent, however, a profession per se does not guarantee you a better financial future. Why? Because no matter how much you earn as an engineer, a manager, an accountant, an architect, etc. you will still depend on a paycheck or a fee for a living. Think about it, the moment when you stop working, your income will stop flowing in and the next thing you know, your bank-savings is drying up.

Thus, being a professional with a big income is never going to make you financially comfortable. You will never make your family safe and secure. Burke Hedges calls this group of people a "bucket carrier". He writes, "as long as you carry buckets, you have to show up and do the work in order to get paid."

Does it sound familiar to you? This is how the rat-race world works. Instead of working for the money as Robert T. Kiyosaki, the author of the best selling book Rich Dad and Poor Dad pointed out, "we should make the money work for us." What a brilliant saying!

So how do we get out of this rat-race world? The answer is we need to start thinking on how to make the money work for us. Have you heard of the concept of leverage? It is a concept that is widely applied in all fields of work including the financial world. So what is it all about?

What is leveraging?

Leverage is a phenomenal concept that has been known to people throughout the ages. The root of the word leverage, lever is originated from an old French word that means, "to make lighter." Say, if we want to move an object, which is many times heavier than us, what do we do? That's right. We place a rigid bar on a pivot to lever it and the object becomes so light that even a child can lift it easily.

"Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world." - Archimedes

This is the power of leverage. In today's financial world, we apply the same principle of leverage to time and money, and the outcomes are exponential. Leverage allows people to work smarter, not harder, and it is the reason behind the creation of so many millionaires in the last century.

Leverage: The Source of Residual Income

Residual income, which is also known as passive or recurring income, is an income that will continuously generates inflow of money to us after the initial effort that we have put to work or money we have invested in an investment fund. Alternatively, if you are an inventor, your residual income will basically derived from the rights and patents of something you have invented and used by others. The same goes to an artist or a musician.

Two Types Of Leveraging

Leveraging Money

Have you heard of Warren Buffet? Yes, the second richest man in the world and a legendary figure in the stock market that earn his living by leveraging other people's money and as result he made himself and his investors rich in the course.

Check this out. One share of Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway stock was worth around $19 in the mid 60s and by the end of 1998, the value of that single share has shot up to $70,000. Say, if you have invested $ 10,000 back in 1965, your investment at the end of 1998 would have been worth a whopping $ 51 million. WOW ! That's unbelievable. The money was left to compound by itself as time went by. That's how money-leverager makes their millions.

Nevertheless, most of these 'money-leveragers' would only get to see their wealth touches the million-dollar mark only after they have reached their 50s or 60s. Though it's a long wait before they could see the result, it is worth the wait anyhow. Wouldn't it be great to be a money-leverager?

Ok, let's be honest to ourselves. Not everyone of us has the patience to wait, not to mention, some of us even find it hard to come up with the initial capital to invest. So, if we don't have the money, what do we have to leverage then? The answer is TIME !

Leveraging Time

A day has 24 hours and all of us regardless whether we are rich or poor, have that same amount of time in a day. Time helps us to level the playing field. We can no longer give ourselves excuses not to be rich. We have been given an equal opportunity in this era where every one of us can have easy access to information and knowledge on wealth building.

All we need to do is to leverage an iota of our leisure time and spend it wisely to build our pipeline that will continuously pay us day and night. Always remember - pipelines are no longer an affair of the rich. Pipeline belongs to people who believe they CAN do it.

Why Leveraging Time Not Money ?

"Life is a waste of time; time is a waste of life; so why waste your time when you could be having the time of your life?" - Unknown

Why leveraging time not money? Well, if you were a money leverager, you wouldn't be reading this article in the first place. You would probably talking to your broker looking for stocks to invest or busy looking for real estate properties to add to your investment portfolio. Right? So I believe you are here because you do not have enough financial means to leverage money to build pipelines of ongoing residual income. ( Admit it, I won't tell anyone. )

Up to this point, I hope you understand the difference between leveraging time and money. Let us put aside the latter and pay more attention on the concept of leveraging time as we have mentioned earlier that building pipelines through leveraging time is within everyone reach.

In the next few years from now, believe it or not, many millionaires will be created through Internet marketing - either selling your own or other people's products. ( What if I could show you how to start an Internet Business in less than 24 hours , and see profits by next weekendwould you be excited? - keep reading if you want the answer) Internet marketing gives you the edge over other types of businesses because it is not limited by boundaries and physical limitations. It is accessible 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

Do you know that a recent report has shown that e-commerce revenue has trippled in the last 5 years ? And it has been forecasted that transaction from online buying would reach up to trillions dollars in the next 5 years.

Ok, so much of the hype and yet you're still not convince that people do make money via internet. Would you believe if I tell you that I could earn U$ 2K-3K a month for having only to spend 30 minutes a day online? Well, the rest of the day I spend on reading and working - yes, I still work because I "want to work" and not I "have to work". There's a big difference here. With some extra cash in hand, I invest some in stocks and Real-Estate. Well, as the saying goes, "Never put all eggs in one basket."

Hey, why don't you go have a look at what I have on my websites? Click the following links to go to my websites:

www.archbrowser.com

or www.archiquotes.info

ArchiQuotes.Info was started as a hobby. Like you perhaps, I did not know how to create website at first - it's not hard to learn though. Anyway, there are ways to earn some extra cash through internet. You don't have to create a website on your own. I can assure you that Donald Trump of the Apprentice reality show, knows nothing about computer-aided drawing software and yet, still able to build a business empire from real-estate. The reason being, he has MONEY! Like I said earlier, you need to find something - a tool - to make the wheel cart moving. Once you've got it moving, it'll be so much easier to keep it going. That's physics - the law of inertia. YOU have to start the initial drive!

What I'm going to share with you is something personal - You and Me. But first of all, I want to thank you so much for bothering to read so far. Words of Advice: if you are a type person who has no determination to succeed, please do not read further or attempt to try it. If you insist you want to try, good. Welcome to the BIG THINKER group. You will see result in less than a month provided that you put 101% effort in what you are doing.

I owe much of my online success to one person that is, none other than the foremost online guru, Corey Rudl. I believe some of you must have heard his name or read his book. He is the Grand Strategist of all Internet Business and Internet Marketing.

To win a war, you need to have strategies in place - echoing the wisdom of ancient Chinese sage, Sun-Tzu. Likewise, if you want to succed online, you need strategies. There's an old saying that say,

"Don't Reinvent the Wheel."

That's right. You are lucky because you don't have to start from scratch. Corey Rudl has put in place all the strategies for everyone who wish to earn some extra cash or - let me be a little bolder - earn a six figure income! If you are serious about going online to make some extra cash, look no further. Corey Rudl's is a proven internet marketer - he earns U$ 7.8 million a year. Is that convincing enough for you to start an online business?

Perhaps, some of you will comprehend what I've written here and proceed to set your own financial goal. Others may just call it a quit before even trying it. Whichever path you decide, always bear in mind this saying by Napolean Hill, "winners never quit, and quitters never win." All success begin from a very small step of faith in yourself. Let me end by giving you an old chinese proverb,

"A journey of a thousand miles, start with one steps."

Believe me, one pipeline is worth a thousand paychecks. Start building one, my dear friend. If you ever succeed after reading my letter, please remember me. All I ask from you is to buy me a dinner.

Thank you for your time.

Best Wishes,

Edward Chew
About the Author
Copyright (c) 2004 by EdChew. All rights reserved. The author
authorizes you to post the above article on your Web Site or
E-zine solely for personal and non-commercial use. A link to
author's website www.my.archbrowser.com is very much appreciated.

2005-09-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

Recharge Your Battery by Steve Dimeck

It was 4:15PM on a Thursday when I arrived at the hair salon to get my haircut. My hair appointment was at 5PM but I arrived there quite early.

As I set down in the comfortable leather chair in the little waiting corner, I looked down to my left with an intention to pick a magazine from the big basket that was filled with maybe over 50 magazines.

I sorted through the magazines but nothing would catch my eye. There were so many different magazines; I couldnt decide which one to pick and read while waiting.

Then, as I lifted a big batch of magazines to choose from, one of them fell down on the floor. I immediately dropped all the other magazines back into the basket and took the one that fell on the floor.

The beautiful view of a tropical island in the background, surrounded by crisp clear water covering the entire cover of the magazine, got my attention.

The magazine contained a large number of photos from tropical islands, vacation resorts and everything tropical you can imagine. I submerged myself into the pictures so much that 40 minutes went by like 4 seconds.

When I was all done with the haircut, I asked Isabella (the hair stylist) if I could take the magazine. She said that it wouldnt be a problem because anyway they recycle the magazines at the end of each month when they bring new ones in.

The magazine is called Islands. It was a June 2004 issue. When I went home I put it next to my computer and until todays day, its still sitting there.

I look through it periodically. All my life Ive lived in the northern hemisphere of the planet, and winter is definitely not my favorite season. Not to even mention the driving headaches when we get dumped with a few feet of snow.

The tropical theme has always been a dream place of mine.

So, every time I feel down, discouraged, marketing plan isnt working well, a goal doesnt get accomplished, problems and obstacles appearing out of nowhere, motivation is down, no inspiration, the world is coming down on me.....

I take few peaceful minutesno children, no computer. I pick up the magazine and literally isolate myself from this world. I transfer my soul to the tropical beauty shown in the pictures and I visualize myself living there and not just vacationing.

My battery gets recharged; I get the smile back on my face and I say to myself: One day

How many times have you felt down and depressed because of one reason or another?

How many times have you felt that you needed to recharge your battery? How many times have you lost your inspiration and motivation? How many times have you faced problems and obstacles that discouraged you from persisting with your goal?

What brought you up and what pulled you down during these crucial times?

I remember back in 1994 when I was starting college, a friend of mine gave me a study to read. The study came from a major corporate research. It was on why executives rise to the height of their company and why other people dont.

The executives told in their words what they did to achieve such a success. I dont have that study anymore but I remember it very well because Im still practicing what they said.

One of the steps was to have material goals. Something that you can see.

The material goals represent something far beyond material form. When you visually see the material goals that youre striving for, you receive the feeling of the kind of person you need to become in order to have them.

That feeling will recharge your fuel cells and bring your enthusiasm to the front line.

We live in a material world and we have to operate in a material world. We want material things because theyre a representation of who we are.

What you want is good, because what you want is an extension of you becoming better.

And sometimes, you just need a basic material something to spark you into a higher level of achievement.

About the Author
Steve Dimeck. Publisher and author of The Success Maze - an ebook dedicated to the people who are still looking for ways to succeed online but feel a bit lost in this online Maze -- or should I say Jungle.
FREE Details: ==> http://www.thesuccessmaze.com

2005-09-17T17:42:00.000-07:00

Banana Republic by malcolm james pugh

Banana Republic

Like a cat I slumber, blissfully unencumbered,
Through eighty per cent of my allotted span,
Occasionally awoken, when dissent is spoken,
And I invent another cunning five year plan,
Lately it was pensions, that were being mentioned,
So I borrowed from the French and Robespierre,
Scrap all that went before, saved by tooth and claw,
And let my all equal Citizens appear,
Currently it is time, for me to be in my prime,
For there is another election looming,
I have to appear sincere, for part of this coming year,
And assure everyone that everything is booming,
Never mind strict quotas, Ive imported multitudes of voters,
And told them which party let them stay,
Though Ive rigged the postal vote, and defamed everyone of note,
You never know what might happen on the day.
So to be on the safe side, I swallow all my pride,
And allow my people to hear my hallowed voice,
And roll out the charade, put on the facade,
And even make believe they have a choice,
Next time around the crown, will be trampled underground,
House of Lords and Lord Chancellor history,
With the other Chancellor gone, I alone will soldier on,
Yes, then there will only ever be me,
Ill hold elections for you, as all dictators do,
And fill positions with those that grease my palm,
As for civil unrest, there is always house arrest,
Or secret imprisonment for those that mean me harm.

So from national nursery, via educational history,
You can in time join the New Labour Youth,
Be taught gay is fun, and the state is number one,
And any other opinion is untruth.
Ask the media if unsure, or philosophically impure,
Brainwashing British Citizens is their forte,
They will surely put you right, or visit you at night,
Either way they will stop you being naughty.
Meekly follow all the rules, laid down in our schools,
Where state is all and learning is suppressed,
And you can safely be ignored, not seen as being flawed,
Just be another number like the rest.
Better far to be, a part of mediocrity,
Within your state and the seeds they have sown
Than to disappear, or to live in constant fear,
For having a mind and will all of your own.

How is it that we, lost the option to be free,
How did we give away our right to choice,
How did we believe, whilst being deceived,
When did we decide to lose our voice.
How did we select the politically correct,
Why are we victims of unpunished crime
Were we such fools as not to see the tools
Or did we think they would go away in time.

The tap is darkly dripping, droplets that are gripping
Our throats today our minds in time to come
We must turn the tide, and reaffirm our pride,
We must prove we are not deaf and dumb.
It is no good wailing, chained up to your railing,
That you want the vote back like before,
For no one hears your plea, they are deaf to you and me,
No on cares about us any more.

This is about manipulation, of us and of our nation
This is about illusions triumph over actual reason,
This is about lies, and the power to mesermerise,
This is about a slowly creeping treason,
This is about the eviscery, of the neutral BBC,
This is about what poison will soon take its place,
This is about five year plans, and Citizens of Euroland,
This is about civil service, with a very red face,
This is about soaps and plays, which in very subtle ways,
Try to put into our minds new sets of plausible truths,
This is about newspaper demise, in the guise of purveying lies,
Whilst the state preaches Pravda through schools to our youth,
This is about vision and sound, and any means that is allowed,
Trying to persuade you against your own common sense,
This is about duplicity, making seem true what cannot be,
And hoping you will at very least sit on the fence.
This is about unelected expertise, being paid huge taxpayer fees,
Alaister Campbells school of used car salesmen integrity,
This about usage of such curs, and their lies, and their slurs,
To pull the wool over the eyes of you and me.

Maybe feeble opposition is fuelling this submission,
But this is not about parties or their competence,
This is simply a war, not about who to vote for,
But who to definitely vote against.

About the Author
originally civil engineer then not so civil systems programmer, now old and slightly deranged aging hippy

2005-09-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

Why do you want more money? by Leon van der Walt

We all want more money, but have you ever stopped and asked yourself why you want it? Is it to buy the things that give you pleasure or maybe you want to provide better for your family? Whatever it is that you want to buy, whatever it is that you to do with the money, it can often be traced back to some more basic human need or want.

So stop for a moment and answer the question: Why do you want money? (What do you want to do with it?) Even if you already have all the money you desire and are doing what you've always wanted with it, this exercise will help to determine whether the means serve the end.

I've always wanted to be very rich and have a lot of money, but taking a moment and examining the reasons why is an eye-opener. So take out a pad of paper and make three columns. The first column to note what it is that you want, the second the reason you want it, and the third the basic human need/want that it fulfils.

Below I've set out the first two of my own as an example:
What - Why - Need/Want
1. Yacht - Cruise around the world - Want to be able to say 'been there, done that'.
2. Support parents - Duty - Want them to appreciate what I do for them.

My list is far longer and the reasons (the why) mostly valid. The needs and wants, however, seem almost childish at times. Yet it is these needs and wants that is the real driving force behind some of the things that I do.

It is nothing to be ashamed of and it is valuable to know what drives you. In fact, you might realise that the need or want that you need money to satisfy, can be satisfied by some other means and that money is only one of the paths that will take you there.

Explore your inner self and the reasons that you desire money. Do this, not so that you feel guilty or doubt your own desires, but that you may know yourself more intimately. Know what it is that drives you. And may you realise that money is of itself not an end, but only a means to an end.
About the Author
Leon van der Walt is an aspiring netrepreneur in the fields of inspiration and financial freedom. Leon has a masters degree in quantitative risk management and when not working on the Net is a bank employee. He strives to continually improve himself and is focussing on increasing financial literacy. He is the web master at www.financial-inspiration.com and can be contacted at through the contact form on the website.

2005-09-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

The Gift of Listening by Lynn Cutts

Give something different this Valentine's Day instead of chocolate or flowers. (Save the chocolate for me.) Give something precious and unique, something that only you can give. Something suitable for all ages and all relationships. Give the gift of listening. Really listening.

How often do we sit down and listen to our loved ones? The vast majority of our conversations with others occur while we are doing something else. We're driving, or cooking dinner or tidying up. We're watching TV or listening to both kids and the dog. We're preoccupied with our own thoughts. Or we just tune the conversation completely out. Our mental processes go like this:

Hmm, I like that song on the radio. I wonder who does it? I wish he'd get rid of that shirt. It's a bad color for him. Oh, dang, I just broke a nail. I wonder what I should fix for dinner? Is he still talking about the car? Yup. Why doesn't he just get it fixed? I don't get what's the big deal here.

Of course, sometimes we do sit down and pay attention, or so we think. While we are focused on the conversation, it's usually with the goal of coming up with the next clever thing to say, or a killer argument to the point being made.

What does it mean to really listen? It means paying attention to what the other person is saying, without being distracted by outside events, our thoughts, or planning what to say next. It brings improved connection, communication and understanding to any relationship. It tells the other person that they matter; that you care enough about them to make them a priority, a focus. It lets them know that they are more important to you than washing dishes or fixing supper. Now thats a real gift.

Like everything else in life, listening is a skill. It takes practice. Here are a few guidelines that might help:

1. Find a quiet place where the two of you can sit down together, with no distractions. It doesn't have to be at home. My husband and I often go down to a pub and grab a quiet table in the back when we want to just sit and talk.

2. Get really curious about what the other person is saying. Ask open-ended questions, such as "What else?" "Tell me more about that." "How does this matter to you?" Be careful not to ask questions that sound judgmental, though, such as "Why on earth would you do that?" or "What were you thinking?".

3. Set up a ground rule that nobody gets to be wrong. Don't judge the other person. Just accept for now.

4. By the same token, don't try to fix things, or solve problems, unless you're asked to. Often all someone needs is a place to talk things out so they can discover their own solutions. Give the other person the respect of believing that they are resourceful and able to resolve things on their own.

5. Don't interrupt. Wait until the other person is finished talking before you jump in. Let there be natural gaps in the conversation. You don't need to fill every second with talk.

6. Maintain eye contact, but don't stare.

7. Be encouraging. Let the other person know you're really listening. Repeat key words, say "uh-huh", nod in agreement.

8. Acknowledge the other person's feelings and point of view. Try phrases such as "What Im hearing is . . ." or "Im getting that . . ." This also helps to eliminate misunderstandings.

9. Finally, pay attention to body language and energy. Sit with an open, receptive posture. Angle your body slightly towards the other person, or lean in a bit. Do not cross your arms across your chest defensively. In addition, notice how the other person is sitting. Be aware of the cadence of their words and the energy behind them.

Following those nine guidelines will drastically improve your listening skills. Which will drastically improve communication. Which will drastically improve your relationships. And that's a Valentine's gift that will keep on giving - both to the other person and to you.

NOTE: You are welcome to use this article online in electronic newsletters and e-zines as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the "about the author" info). If use of this article is desired in print, you must first contact Lynn Cutts at Lynn@ManageYourMuse.com.

Copyright 2005 Lynn Cutts
About the Author
Chocolate-loving Life Coach Lynn Cutts mission is to change the world for the better, one person at a time. At www.ManageYourMuse.com, she shares free tips, articles, games and newsletters to help you realize your dreams. Lynn offers one-on-one coaching, group coaching and self-guided programs to help you create your own boundless life. Lynn is certified by the Coaches Training Institute, and is a member of the International Coaches Federation.

2005-09-14T17:40:00.000-07:00

Were trying to.............. by graham and julie

How many times have you heard this in your life. Perhaps you have said it yourself. We are trying to accomplish something here. We are trying to complete this programme. We are trying to change the attitudes of our employees. We are trying to finish so we can go on holiday. We are trying to get fit. We are trying to diet. We are trying to give up smoking/drinking/eating donuts or whatever.

These are all statements you hear and no doubt have said a thousand times. But in them is the seed of failure. In saying these few words you are destined not to succeed. The seed to failure is in the word trying.

Just stop a moment and look at your life. Ask yourself the question.
What does trying really mean?

Does it mean:
I am making effort to succeed.
I am having a go but I dont think I will succeed
I dont want to do this but if I look as though I am it will keep everyone happy.
I must look as though I am making effort here.
It wont really work but if thats what they want I will go along with it.
I cannot see us completing this in a month of Sundays but at least it looks as though we have given it a go.
I hate the idea of jogging or the gym but to keep her/him happy I will have a go.
Deep down I like the way I am and the food I eat but it keeps people off my back.
I actually like smoking. It helps with the stress but after all the publicity I think I ought to give it up.

If trying means any of the above are you surprised you fail?

Have a go at this exercise.

Try not to think of a giraffe?

Did you succeed. I bet you cant get the photo of a giraffe out of your mind.

Try to make a cup of coffee.
You cant can you. You either make a cup of coffee or you dont.

I know they are silly examples but they make the point. When it comes to tasks you either do them or you dont. So using the word trying is just a way of preparing yourself when you havent set the goals and objectives of what it is you want to achieve. If you really decide what it is you want to achieve then you will find the correct tools the right frame of mind to go out and do it. When you fail to set the goals and objectives or you are not really committed to succeeding for whatever reason then you save yourself with the word, trying.

Trying really means a state between no I dont want to do it and full commitment. You and I both know that if you fully commit to something then 99 times out of 100 you succeed. The time you dont succeed is when you dont want to . But rather than face the aggravation from others you say Ill try. Which basically means I will not give it my all. I will do what I think is necessary in order for others to think that I have given it a good shot. I will try.

Do you remember when you were child and your grandmother said you were very trying. In other words you were a pain in the butt. You were a nuisance.

Well its the same. When you decide that you will try to do something you are really a nuisance to yourself and others because the chance of success is negligible. You, at best, are going to waste a great deal of time and energy doing something you dont really believe in and is destined for failure. Or possibly marginal success.

Whenever you enter a new challenge with the thought of trying in your mind you are really doing yourself no favours. You are really showing the world that you are a non achiever.

If deep down, in those hidden dreams you carry, you want to be an achiever then do whatever is necessary in order to succeed. When you carry out a task say to yourself,
No one can do this without me, and we promise you will succeed.

Its not a case of we are trying to achieve something here but We are achieving our goals here.

Good Luck

Graham and Julie
www.desktop-meditation.com

About the Author
To improve your intuition, initiative and energy levels please go to:
www.desktop-meditation.com

2005-09-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

Abide in Me by Staci Stallings

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. --John 15: 7

Abide in me. The three words with which Jesus invited his disciples to place their faith in His love as they walked to the Garden of Gethsemane that last fateful night. He wasnt just talking to the disciples though. No, He was talking to us, too. And these three simple words, if understood and acted upon, can make all the difference in a Christians life. The problem is that many of us have never really even noticed they were spokenmuch less taken their message to heart.

What does abide mean anyway? According to Websters Dictionary, abide means to remain. That makes sense, remain with Me, stay with Me, stay by My side. Ah, but Jesus doesnt say with, He says in. Simply put Jesus is not saying He wants us to walk with him, or be with Him. He is saying He wants us to remain in Himas close as we could ever get to actually to Him without being Him.

This is just semantics, you say. A play on words. What possible significance could such a tiny distinction make? I can tell you that in my life, it has made all the difference.

I must confess first that until recently I didnt put words to this phenomenon. I knew it was in my life, but explaining it wasnt easy to do. At the time I called it faith. As a writer, I put great faith in the belief that God would light my path, that if I surrendered the project to His care, I would have the right words at the right time.

The opportunities to use this faith were boundless. For example, when my two year old deleted five pages of the new manuscript I was working on, I distinctly remember saying, Well, I guess God didnt want it said that way. Or when my publicist threw a major curve into my plans by saying the cover for my second book (which I had chosen) would never work, and we had no choice but to change it. True it took me awhile of being furious with her before I realized that it was God, not she, that had a better idea. Once I surrendered to that understanding, the new cover came into focus, and it was far and away better than the original.

For several years these were the types of ways I tried to abide in Him although faith was probably the better term because I was still relying on some outside entitynot a spirit that permeated me.

Recently, however, I came into contact with Bruce Wilkinsons Secrets of the Vine, and my understanding took a giant leap forward. In Secrets, Wilkinson talks about the phrase abide in me and what Jesus really meant when he spoke those words. After reading that book, I was having a discussion with a friend about my writing. For the first time ever this friend is getting to experience the writing process with me as she is reading the book I am working on as I am writing it.

The strange thing is: it is not just she who is growing through this project as I am now getting to experience the writing process in a whole new light. A light which has opened my eyes to what has been happening for years. When it would happen in the past, however, I couldnt adequately explain it to anyone else and therefore it was easier to overlook or to not take the time to really examine. Nonetheless, I believe this experience is the best definition for abiding in me around.

A couple of examples: during the course of writing my current book, I was introduced to two songs that so embody the book that their entrance into my life could not be called mere coincidence. Also, I received an email that depicted the exact kind of person characterized in the book in a way that visually detailed the precise message I am trying to portray. A sign possibly that I am on the right track?

Perhaps most intriguing I received a magazine which gave me in perfect form the insight I needed to understand why this character was acting the way he was. Of course, everyone receives magazines every day, and it was one that I was subscribed to, so that shouldnt be all that noteworthy. Except for this: the post office had changed our address and that particular magazine was one I hadnt changed the address on yet. I hadnt received that magazine for four weeks, and when that copy got here, it had the old address, which the post office had said they refused to deliver to anymore. More than that, I havent received either of the next two editions although I have now changed the address. So, why then did that one come through with exactly what I needed despite every obstacle against it?

I think the answer can be found in those three words: abide in me. Tell me honestly, do we really think that some little post office crisis can keep Gods plan from working out in our lives? If you do, then I challenge you to question how many of these coincidences in your life you are either missing out onor overlooking right at this very moment.

As a firm believer in these words, I can tell you that if you will take them to heart If you will accept that Jesus is not just an out there entity that you can have faith in but truly a spirit that permeates your very life If you will truly accept His presence in every aspect of your life, every minute of every day, then He will abide in you, and your life will never again be the same.

After all it was His promise.

About the Author
None

2005-09-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

How to choose the right goals to focus on. by Christos Varsamis

Sometimes setting goals alone is not the only problem that you must face. Sometimes, choosing the right goals to begin with is harder.
Basically, you can choose to work any goal that you feel is necessary for your health, stability and happiness.
Goal setting is nothing more than a formal process for personal planning. By setting goals on a routine basis you decide what you want to achieve, and then move in a step-by-step manner towards the achievement of these goals.
The process of setting goals and targets allows you to choose where you want to go in life. By knowing exactly what you want to achieve, you know what you have to concentrate on to do it. You also know what nothing more than a distraction is.
Goal setting is a standard technique used by professional athletes, successful business people and high achievers in all fields. It gives you long term vision and provides you with short term motivation.
It helps to focus your attention and knowledge which helps you to organize your resources. By setting sharp and clearly defined goals, you can measure and take pride in the achievement of those goals. You can see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long pointless effort.
By setting goals, you will also raise your self confidence, as you recognize your and ability to meet the goals that you have set. The process of achieving goals and seeing this achievement gives you confidence that you will be able to achieve higher and more difficult goals later on.
Goals are set on a number of different levels. In the first place, you decide what you want to do with your life and what large scale goals you want to achieve.
Second, you break these down into the smaller aims that you must hit so that you reach your overall lifetime goals. Finally, once you have your plan, you start working towards achieving it.

About the Author
Christos Varsamis is the creator and publisher of the http://www.settinglifegoals.com

2005-08-29T17:40:00.000-07:00

Making decions. by Fatimah Musa

You lost your job. Your partner left you. Your car was re-possessed. You find your life barren like the desert.

Your self-esteem plunged. You dont think you are good enough for anything.

You will never find another job because you lack the education and the skills required. You are too old to try again. And who would want you now? The most "handsome, tall dark and charming man" has deserted you and you will never find another as charming as him.

These are common thoughts when you are met with adversity. At this point of your life you usually will not be able to see beyond what you are facing.

How can you think right when you are hungry? All you need is food to eat and a place to stay and call it a night. Your goal for the moment is to feed your stomach.

What can you do?

You can do something. All is not lost.

You can decide to tell yourself that "this too shall pass". You can decide that you will start all over again.

You can take any job for the moment to give you a paycheck. And from there work yourself up again.

Read inspirational and motivational books instead of wallowing in self-pity. Better than using the time watching soap operas or reality shows. The books are available from the library and you can read them for free.

If you think that there is no way to turn your life around-read "Mans search for meaning" by Victor Frankl. It may help you look at your life at a different perspective. Or you can read the book by W Mitchell. Youll be inspired.

Listen to motivational recording. If that is the only one you have...just keep listening to it.

Start writing your goals. Make a list of what you can do today and the next day and the next.

Set out your intentions. Its one step at a time and you have to keep on trying many times and different ways until you get what you want.

Have a talk with yourself. Write your feelings and thoughts in a journal. Sit down alone and contemplate.

Go for a walk. Practice deep breathing.

You and only you decide what you want to think. No one knows whats going on inside your head. You can rewind and replay your failures or you can record and replay new positive ones.

People can say things about you. You decide what you want to listen to. You decide what you want to keep. You decide what you want to say to yourself.

Sometimes you think that there is no way out. How do you know you have tried everything? Did you write them down? How many ways were there...1, 2 or 20?

If you still have your complete physical self and a sound mind, there is no reason why you cannot start all over. Unless...you do not want to.

Or maybe what you are really crying out for is the familiarity. Its too scary out there. You have been comfortable all this while.

Now you have no choice but to change or rot. And you do not want to rot. At the same time you are so fearful. You have to decide. And the decision is yours.

This is the opportunity for you to challenge yourself. You have to help yourself to grow. You have to develop the attitude that if you work hard on yourself you can have a better life. No one is going to help you unless you help yourself first.

About the Author
Fatimah Musa provides information, tips and quotes written to help people become aware that any future growth starts with their personal growth. You can visit Fatimah at http://www.about-personal-growth.com

2005-08-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

Information, Schminformation--Enough Already! by Lynn Moore

We are drowning in it, our grey matter is swollen with it, half the time when we need a piece of it and we know it is "in there" somewhere, we can't access it because the poor Grey Matter Computer is so jammed it takes forever to search for the file and then it's usually "just lost" or was mistakenly deleted. And that's just our brains...what about our files, drawers, shelves, filled with papers, books, stuff.

Arrrgggghhhhh!

What the heck good is all this information if we can't use it? Or can't find it? Well, there is good news...

The INFORMATION AGE is slowly passing. Like the tail of a comet that appears, is visible for a time then gradually loses it's brilliance and fades from view. And in it's wake there arrives...

TA DAH...

THE INSPIRATION AGE!

Let's look at the word "inspire". It comes from the root words "in spirit".

"We have a responsibility to listen to and honor the siren calls of our Souls-too often silenced by our egos" -Lance Secretan, Author of "INSPIRE: What Great Leaders Do"

How much of the activity in your life is duty-driven? How much of the activity in your life is driven by passion? There is a world of difference between duty-bound activities and INSPIRED action! INSPIRATION propels you into the actions you love to do. In any segment of your life, if you do not love what you are doing 80% of the time, you are not living an On-Purpose life.

INSPIRATION is fueled by passion. What are you passionate about? If you can get in touch with this, you will have defined your life purpose. For most of us that is not easily done and is a good subject for Life Coaching. In the meantime, here are some ideas with which to start:

1. Write a list of things that are important to you. You will find that once you get rolling, you won't be able to write them down fast enough.

2. List 10 times you felt like a winner or things you are most proud of. Some should be from childhood.

3. What do you want people to remember about you?

4. What do you want to accomplish in your life before you die?

5. If a book were written about you, what would the title be?

6. Finish this sentence... "I want to make a difference by..."

Remember one thing...your purpose is not what you do (job), it is not your role in life (parent, spouse, teacher, etc.), it is why and who you are "in spirit". Your purpose can be fulfilled in any number of professions or roles.

If you find your INSPIRATION by answering the above questions, then WoooHooo, good on ya, mate! (I'm practicing my Australian). You will have discovered the driving force that propels you. Something will spark a flame, rev the idling engine, snap a piece into place and off you go.

You know, people want to be INSPIRED, people want to create, people want to connect. It's in our human-ness. In this new INSPIRATION Age, we will want to place ourselves in the company of people and events wherein taking action is the purpose. So much of Information is passive - reading, surfing the Internet, watching TV. Often we do nothing with it. While all of INSPIRATION is in passion-driven action.

I meet exhausted, duty-driven people every day. The most common phrase I hear is,"I'm just too busy." How on earth did we get into this state? We are suffering physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually with this lifestyle we created. We hear the advice "relax" and "just slow down." And who DOES that!? Slowing down a duty-driven life only prolongs the suffering while living a passion-driven life actually energizes you.

We ARE entering the INSPIRATION Age. Be ready! Get yourself On-Purpose and Love what you are doing 80% of the time!

What did you just say?.....Oh yes you DO! YES you do have time to honor who and "why" you are. Be open to the INSPIRATION that will compel you to make it happen.

About the Author
Lynn Moore is a Life Coach specializing in personal empowerment, especially Women's Personal Relationships, Health and Weight Loss. Her Life Purpose is: "To lead people to discover their true value." As she wears the hats of woman, wife, mother, daughter, aunt, sister and Life Coach she provides "Heavenly Hugs or a Toe to the Tush inspiring you to create change."http://www.CoachAngelBoots.com

2005-08-27T17:40:00.000-07:00

Make Fear a Nine Day Wonder - Motivate Yourself with Fun! by Cliff Kuhn, M.D.

Have you heard something referred to as a "nine day wonder"? The phrase refers to something that causes a sensation for a brief period of time and then fades into obscurity. The origin of this phrase is usually tied to the nine-day reign of Lady Jane Grey (1537-1554) as Queen of England. This reluctant queen met an untimely fate. More on that later...

I added a new Fun Commandment recently to address a very pesky and persistent nine day wonder we all face - fear as a motivator. Fear is a great motivator...for a brief period. Then it does worse than fade into obscurity; fear adds to our load of stress and pressure. So I'm calling for an end to this nine day wonder's reign with my Fun Commandment, Motivate Yourself with Fun Rather than Fear.

Motivating yourself with fun rather than fear pays big dividends in myriad ways. Making this choice accelerates your ability to communicate, rests your brain, lowers your stress, increases your tolerance for pain, among other things. In this article, however, I am focusing on one incredibly important and impactful side effect of this Commandment - using fun to motivate yourself increases your creativity.

Creativity is an ability highly sought by businesses and employees alike. Creativity is trumpeted in every mission statement and praised by every CEO for good reason - we know that creativity brings breakthroughs! Since the ability to create breakthroughs is both a highly sought after and also a highly marketable skill, creativity gets a lot of deserved attention.

Yet there are still many myths to dispel about creativity. One of the biggest myths is that creativity is fueled by time pressure. Time pressure is an example of fear-based motivation because it involves trying to escape a negative consequence rather than moving toward a positive outcome. Deadlines are a reality, but using fear to fuel our creative juices has the opposite effect.

The alternative is to use fun as our motivator. Theresa Amabile, head of the Entrepreneurial Management Unit at Harvard Business School, has been studying creativity for 30 years. For the past 8 years she has collected nearly 12,000 daily journal entries from 238 people working on creative projects in seven large corporations. She and her team scoured journals for moments when people struggled with a problem or came up with a new idea. The following rules for using fun to motivate creativity are inspired directly from Amabile's research.

1. Deadlines are fear-based; if you want to be creative you must give yourself an "incubation period." Deadlines create distractions that rob your attention, the research indicates. Even with a deadline looming, to get creative you should focus on your work in an environment protected from distractions.

2. Competition is fear-based; collaboration is fun-based. If you want to amplify your creativity, the research tells you to foster the confidence to share your ideas with others. Be open to debate with collaborators and create a noncompetitive environment. You'll hit new heights of creativity!

3. Catching people doing things right, rather than punishing them for doing things wrong, is fun-based. Public celebrations, according to the research, of accomplishments are a boon for creativity. If you want to spark creativity, publicly recognize someone's work or contributions!

4. Sparking intrinsic motivation is what fun accomplishes when you use it as a motivator. Intrinsic motivation, the research proves, is critical to creativity. Anyone, it turns out, can be highly creative - when they become intrinsically motivated! Motivating yourself with fun clears away barriers and allows your experience, knowledge, and skills to foster new, creative ways of thinking.

5. You are more likely to have a creative breakthrough if you were happy the day before. When you're happy, which usually happens as a byproduct of fun-based motivation, the research clearly indicates a great chance of your happiness "incubating" overnight to show up as a creative idea the following day.

How about that? I couldn't have asked for more compelling evidence that fun is a better personal and professional motivator than fear. Amabile's 8-year study clearly shows that today's happiness predicts tomorrow's creativity! So start getting happy today by motivating yourself with fun and then re-create your world tomorrow!

By the way, Lady Jane Grey was reluctant to take the throne of England because she was only 15 years old and she held unpopular Protestant beliefs. Her reluctance was well-founded; the young Queen relinquished the crown after just 9 days, plead guilty to treason, and was eventually beheaded.

Let's give fear, as our motivator, the same fate. Fear becomes a nine day wonder when we replace it with fun today!
About the Author
How to turbo-charge your health, success, and vitality! Clifford Kuhn, M.D., dispenses his unique Fun Factor prescription from http://www.natural-humor-medicine.com/GA2. On his website you will find tons of fun, free ways for you to maximize your sense of humor, and enjoy a life others will envy and admire.

2005-08-26T17:40:00.000-07:00

Run Freely (A Lesson About Courage) by Gabriel Daniels

One afternoon, many years ago, I went to pick up my mother from
work. I got there a little early so I parked the car by the
curb, across the street from where she worked, and waited for
her.

As I looked outside the car window to my right, there was a
small park where I saw a little boy, around one and a half to
two years old, running freely on the grass as his mother watched
from a short distance. The boy had a big smile on his face as if
he had just been set free from some sort of prison. The boy
would then fall to the grass, get up, and without hesitation or
without looking back at his mother, run as fast as he could,
again, still with a smile on his face, as if nothing had
happened.

At that moment, I thought to myself, Why arent most adults
this way? Most adults, when they fall down (figuratively
speaking), make a big deal out of it and dont even make a
second attempt. They would be so embarrassed that someone saw
them fall that they would not try again. Or, because they fell,
they would justify to themselves that theyre just not cut out
for it. They would end up too afraid to attempt again for fear
of failure.

However, with kids (especially at an early age), when they fall
down, they dont perceive their falling down as failure, but
instead, they treat it as a learning experience (as just another
result/outcome). They feel compelled to try and try again until
they succeed. (The answer must be...they have not associated
"falling down" with the word "failure" yet, thus they dont know
how to feel the state which accompanies failure. As a result,
they are not disempowered in any way. Plus, they probably think
to themselves that its perfectly okay to fall down, that its
not wrong to do so. In other words, they give themselves
permission to make mistakes, subconsciously. Thus they remain
empowered.)

While I was touched by the boys persistence, I was equally
touched by the manner in which he ran. With each attempt, he
looked so confident...so natural. No signs of fear, nervousness,
or of being discouragedas if he didnt give a care about the
world around him. His only aim was to run freely and to do it as
effectively as he could. He was just being a childjust being
himselfbeing completely in the moment. He was not looking for
approval or was not worrying about whether someone was watching
or not. He wasnt concerned about being judged. He didnt seem
to be bothered by the fact that maybe someone would see him fall
(as there were others in the park aside from him and his mother)
and that it would be embarrassing if he did fall. No, all that
mattered to him was to accomplish the task or activity at hand
to the best of his ability. To run...and to feel the experience
of running fully and freely.

I learned a lot from that observation and experience, and have
successfully brought that lesson with me in my many pursuits in
life. Since then, Ive always believed that in each of us is a
little child with absolute courage. A child that has the ability
to run freely (or express himself fully and freely)without a
care for anything externalwithout a care for what people would
say if he/she experiences a fall.

I believe that that courageous part of us, that courageous child
within us all, will always be with us for as long as we live. We
only need to allow it to emerge more fully. We only need to once
again connect with that child within usand give that child
permission to run freely, just like that boy in the park.
About the Author
Gabriel Daniels publishes Confidence & Courage Tips...To Help You
Realize Your Dreams. For more tips, strategies, stories,
quotes, and more...to empower and inspire you to take action...
so you can get what you want out of life, visit his website at: http://confidencetips.blogspot.com (For article reprint
details, please check the websites License Information section.)

2005-08-25T17:40:00.000-07:00

Ten major causes of failure by Christos Varsamis

-Lack of a specific purpose in life. You can not hope to succeed in any field of your life if you dont have a central purpose. If you dont have a definite goal in your life then you will jump from one activity to another with no success. Almost 97% of people think and act this way. Thats why successful people, who have a clear goal in their life, are very few.

-Lack of education. Most of the successful people are self educated or self made as individuals. You can have five college degrees but if you dont apply this knowledge its a waste. What counts is the applied knowledge with a plan of action and not just knowledge.

-Lack of self discipline. Discipline means self-control. You must control yourself and decrease your negative habits and qualities. If you dont conquer yourself, it will conquer you.

-Procrastination. It is one of the major causes of failure. These kind of people are waiting for opportunities come to them instead of seeking for the opportunities. They think that some day the time will be right to act. That right time never comes.

-Lack of persistence. Most people are good starters but they stop in the run when the first obstacles come. Obstacles are a chance to become better. They are ways to use your mind and improve your self. Quitters can not hope to success of any kind.

-Being negative. If you are negative then your whole world is negative. Your subconscious mind tells you that you cant do it. Your subconscious mind commands your conscious self that you really cant do it.

-No risk at all. If you are extremely careful and take no risks then you cant expect to make the difference .There are many opportunities out there for you to grab. Being over cautious limits you to mediocrity and leads you to failure.

-Wrong selection of associates. This is very critical. We can not do everything ourselves. The colleagues we work with are a capital for our business. Successful and intelligent partners are one of the keys for our own success.

- Divide you actions. This is a typical mistake. Spreading your energy and efforts on multiple causes and not concentrating on one cause. Sooner or later you will realize that you will not succeed to any of them.

- Lack of honesty. This is the master key of success. Without honesty your credibility will vanish in no time and you can not hope to expand and of course retain your business. People are not as stupid as you think. They can understand the fake, maybe not immediately but in the long turn run they will go away and spread around the world negative messages about you.

About the Author
Christos Varsamis is the creator and publisher of the http://www.settinglifegoals.com

2005-08-21T17:40:00.000-07:00

Who Is Stuart Goldsmith and Why Is He One of My Mentors and Heroes? by Chris J Lloyd

'Stuart Goldsmith? Who is Stuart Goldsmith?' you may be asking.

I met Stuart at his retirement seminar in London at the end of 2002. I couldn't miss the chance of seeing for myself if he was 'for real'. He didn't disappoint me!

In his books, courses and newsletter he is very controversial. He explained that this is a deliberate shock tactic used to make people wake up and take action.

Here is a sample of his opinion about the majority of people who live their lives like sheep:

"After a lifetime of always choosing the easy option, the lazy way out, the least amount of work, the mediocre will have the temerity to call you 'lucky.' They will then demand 'their' share of your wealth - the wealth you built by numerous small daily disciplines, each one requiring you to forgo immediate gratification of your desires."

"Whilst vilifying and despising the rich and successful, they will be frantically completing a lottery ticket in an attempt to join them."

You have been warned! If you are prepared to be shocked, you can learn a lot about wealth, power and freedom from Stuart Goldsmith.

About the Author
For Inspirational Quotes, Articles, Special Reports and e-
courses by Stuart Goldsmith please visit http://www.4-inspirational-quotes.com/stuart-goldsmith.html

2005-08-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

7 Tips to help you Connect with your Angels by Christopher Dilts

Introduction
Asking an Angel for help is one of our most power spiritual practices. We can ask the Angels for immediate help at any time and in any place.

A Jewish proverb says that Every blade of grass has an Angel bending over it saying. Grow, Grow! Just as every person has one or more Guiding Angels that help and assist them, every human activitypartnerships, businesses, organizations and relationships - also have one or more Angels that preside over offerings of grace, assistance and blessings for them. Call upon your Angels whenever you are need. Here are some tips that will help you:

7 Tips
1) Ask for helpAngels offer us help 24/7; the more receptive we are, the more help they can give us. If you diminish your receptivity you limit the Angels ability to help you. Create your own invocations, or prayers, that specifically call for the help you need. Realize that when you call upon an Angel, that what really happens is that you open yourself into greater receptivity to their assistance. (see www.AskAnAngel.org for examples of invocations that begin the Angel Messages there.)

Realize yourself as fully worthy of Angelic assistance. Angels work with everyone regardless of personal histories and beliefs. Angels are infinite and omnipresentyour request does not diminish them in anyway nor does it affect there ability to be with and help everyone else at the same time. They exist beyond our experience of time and space. The respond to everyone with complete unconditional love.

2) Connect with your inner divine child as you call upon the Angels and ask for help. Your inner divine child is whole, innocent and true - and recognizes Angels as true and trustworthy gifts of Creator. This will help create openness, receptivity, excitement, eagerness and wonder as you prepare to receive the gift your Angels have prepared for you.

3) Hand everything over to the Angels during your time of invocation and prayer. Every issue, problem, worry and fear as well as every good intention and positive outcome you imagine as the result of your request. Release all expectations of how your request will be answered.

4) Express Appreciation and GratitudeFind and express genuine appreciation and gratitude for things exactly as they are. If you are struggling with this, ask the Angels to help you to find the love that is present in whatever difficulty you are facing. Have patience with this and let go of any expectation of how the love may be revealed to you.

5) Know that it is doneEvery prayer is answered and grace is always given. If you fear that your prayer will not be answered, then ask for help in understanding and seeing more clearly. Trust that you will see the love in every answered prayer. You are known completely and loved unconditionally by the Angels and nothing that will serve you is ever withheld from you.

6) Act quickly on the guidance you receiveaccept the opportunity and act upon it immediately. Angelic help is infinite and unlimitedyou can not use it up or run out of it. You cannot ask for too much and the Angels are joyously happy to give to you without limit. The faster you act, the faster you receive more assistance!

7) Celebrate yourself exactly as you are in the moment. Leave any critical judgments or negative feelings about yourself, your life, or others in the hands of the Angels for healing. Even if it is just for a few moments, let go of everything that is not of love for yourself and everything around you. In this moment of surrender much more can done for you by the Angels than you can accomplish on your own. Thank yourself and the Angles for deepening and the relationship between you.

About the Author
Christopher Dilts has been offering sessions for individuals and groups to come into greater partnership with their Guiding Angels for over nine years. For more information about working with your Angels and free Angel Messages, visit the Ask an Angel website. You are also welcome to contact Christopher directly:

Email: Christopher@AskAnAngel.org
Phone: 866-200-9148 (Toll Free)
Web: www.AskAnAngel.org

2005-08-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

Achieving Your Goals by Jason Johns

You may or may not have a set of written goals. If you do not, then I strongly urge you to make a written set of goals and clarify what you want to achieve. Whatever the case, you may be struggling with achieving your goals in life. In this article, you will learn some techniques for achieving your goals.

Think of a time in your life when you achieved something you really wanted. Did you doubt it would happen and believe that you could not achieve it? Or did you have a solid sense of knowing that it would happen and doubt never entered into your mind?

It was the second wasnt it?

When Richard Branson set up Virgin Airways, did he sit in his office and wonder if it would ever work? Did Bill Gates sit in his office wondering if anyone would want to buy his Windows product? They may have done for a little while, but they did not let these doubts rule them. They knew their plans would work and that they would be successful.

When working to achieve your goals, you need that unerring sense of confidence and lack of doubt in yourself. You must Know it is going to happen and that you will succeed. We are not talking about thinking you will succeed, believing you will succeed or knowing you will achieve your goal. They are all intellectual forms of Knowing, Knowing with a capital K; that solid feeling in the pit of your stomach that you will make happen and you cannot fail. Expect it to happen and know there is no other way. It will happen. This Knowing gives you drive and commitment to see you through to the success of your goal.

But how do you get this feeling? One of the best and most effective techniques is visualisation.

You currently use the power of visualisation, probably without even realising it. Have you ever run through what you are going to say to someone before you have the conversation? Or seen yourself in your mind giving a presentation before you give it?

That is the power of visualisation, and it is very potent. You can use it not only for your goals, but for any aspect of your life. Visualisation is something most people are unused to directing. You will find initially that your attention will wander, but you have to pull it back to the task at hand. It is similar to building a muscle up through exerciseit takes time to strengthen it.

The exercise for visualising your goals is very simple, and is as follows.

1) Select the goal that you wish to work with
2) Picture an image of this goal in your mind
3) Visualise yourself attaining your goal. Use all of your sensestouch, hearing, sight, smell, and taste. Really feel your success with every fibre of your being and Know that your goal is as good as achieved.
4) Hold this image in your mind for a minimum of 10 minutesremain focus and positive. Challenge any doubts that rise and replace them with positive words and images of success. If you get distracted or your mind wanders, bring your focus back to your goal.

You can also hold this successful image in your mind as you go about your day to day business. Keep the image there and focus on your success. You get what you focus onand if you focus on achieving your goal, then you will get it. Visualisation is a method of programming the subconscious mind for success.

With some goals you may want to keep them private. If you are trying to get fit and your friends know you have been less than energetic in the past when you tell them your goal, they will laugh and joke and not believe you. This doubt and disbelief can affect your belief in yourself and in your goal, which in turn can lead to failure to achieve the goal.

It is hard enough to overcome our own doubts and worries without having to also overcome those of the people around you. Keep any goals where you may be influenced by others to yourself and let the people around you see the successful end result.

Affirming Success

Another method for achieving your goals is to use affirmations, which means you repeat your goal again and again to yourself. This is another method of programming your subconscious mind, which is the source of all action.

An affirmation is a sentence or two that is written in a positive language with definite targets and timescales. A bad affirmation would be I want to lose some weight. Your subconscious looks at this and since there is no timescale it will not leap into action. There is also no definite target so your subconscious does not know what to aim for. How is some weight defined? It is 10 pounds, but also 1 pound and also just 1 ounce.

A good affirmation is I want to lose 10 pounds by the end of this year. This sends the right messages to your subconscious. It knows that you exactly how much you have to lose (10 pounds) and when this must be done by (the end of this year). You know precisely what you have to do and when it has to be done by.

If the goal is to lose 10 pounds by the end of the year, we need an action plan to get us to this goal and to make it happen. In this case the action plan may be to reduce our chocolate intake and increase the amount of fruits and vegetables we consume. The action plan is made up of a series of milestones. For example, if there are 5 months until the end of the year then our milestones would be to lose 2 pounds each month.

Little Steps

You may have a big goal such as To have an income in excess of 100,000 a year by the time I am 35 (notice the goal is specific in both the timescale and the amount and does not put an upper limit on your earning potential.)

This goal can be very daunting to look at, perhaps even enough for you to give up and not strive to achieve it. To overcome this, you break your goal down into a number of smaller, more manageable steps.

Any large goal can be broken down into a number of sub-goals, which can then be broken down even further if necessary. Each of the sub-goals has an associated action plan with it. Using our income goal from above, sub-goals could be to understand taxation, to understand investment, to start your own company, and so on.

Smaller goals are easier for you to handle, and help you to stay on course to your main goal. You also get the satisfaction of regularly having successes and achieving goals, which does wonders for your belief in yourself.

All of your major goals and their associated sub-goals and action plans need to be regularly reviewedideally daily. This ensures you remain focussed on your goals and instantly know if you start to drift away from your target. It allows you to adjust your goals and action plan according to whether things are working quicker or slower than planned. It also prevents you from repeating actions and carrying out tasks that are not necessary. It keeps the goals in the forefront of your mind, and does not allow you to forget about them.

Achieving our goals is something we all want to do, but it involves work. Rarely will they be given to us on a silver platter by a servant on bended knee. Achievement requires Knowing, drive and commitment, combined with careful and meticulous planning and a firm belief in ourselves. With unwavering belief and commitment there is nothing that you cannot achieve. Everything and anything is within your graspif you are willing to make the commitment to achieving it.

If you enjoyed this, check out the Achieving Your Goals audio CD and program your powerful subconscious for the success and achievement you desire at http://www.stateofhypnosis.com/audio/abundance/ayg.php
About the Author
Jason is a personal coach, dedicated to achieving success for his clients. He products a wide variety of audio programs and courses on everything from weight to confidence to abundance to past lives. Visit his website, http://www.stateofhypnosis.com, for more information and to discover how he can help you live the life of your dreams.

2005-08-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

The Language of Confidence by Jason Johns

The language we use programs our brains. Mastering our language gives us a great degree of mastery over our lives and our destinies. It is important to use language in the best way possible in order to dramatically improve your quality of life.

Even the smallest of words can have the deepest effect on our sub-conscious mind. It is like a child, it doesnt really understand the difference between what really happens and what you imagine. It is eager to please and willing to carry out any commands that you give itwhether you do this knowingly or not is entirely up to you.

Try

It is a small word yet it has an amazing impact upon us. If someone says, Ill try to do that you know that they are not going to be putting their whole heart in to it, and may not even do it at all. How often do you use the word try when talking about the things that matter to you? Do you say Ill try to be more confident or Ill try to do that or Ill try to call?

Think about something that you would like to achieve, and say it to yourself in two different ways. Firstly say, Ill try toand notice how you feel. Next say I will doand see how you feel.

The latter made you feel better than the first one didnt it? It gives you a sense of determination; a feeling that it will be done. Listen to the people around you and when they say they will try notice if it gets done or not. Eliminate the word try from your dictionary and see how your life improves.

Cant

This is another small word with big impact. It dis-empowers us, makes us feel week and helpless, and damages our self-esteem. It limits our infinite abilities and stifles creativity. Rub it out from your internal dictionary and replace it with something that makes you feel great.

Instead of saying you cant, why not say something like I chooseor I choose not to . Using words like this allows you to take back your power and to be in control of your life.

Words may appear small and insignificant, yet they can have a deep and lasting effect on us. Mastering your language gives you the power to live whatever life you desire.

What words do you use a lot that dis-empower you? Make a list of words you commonly use and then write next to them some alternatives you can use. Make these alternatives words that make you feel fabulous, not only about yourself, but about life and what you are doing!

Create the confident life you desire through the Creating Confidence Audio CD.
About the Author
Jason is a personal coach, dedicated to achieving success for his clients. He products a wide variety of audio programs and courses on everything from weight to confidence to abundance to past lives. Visit his website, http://www.stateofhypnosis.com, for more information and to discover how he can help you live the life of your dreams.

2005-08-17T17:40:00.000-07:00

Change is like a pair of shoes by Jason Johns

Change is something we all go through all the time, though we may not realise it. We cannot actually see change happening, we just see the results of change. Sometimes change is easy, other times it is a long and torturous process.

How difficult change is depends a lot on your attitude towards it and your resistance to it. You attitude to change can itself change, and make the whole transformation process much easier to bear. It all depends on your perspective.

Imagine change as a pair of shoes, this will help you understand change and how it works. Let me explain.

I am sure that you have at sometime in your life had a comfortable pair of shoes. You know the sort I mean. A pair of shoes so comfortable that you really don't want to ever get rid of them and you wish you had bought a dozen pairs at the same time. The fit your feet so perfectly you can almost forget you are even wearing shoes.

You know you need a new pair, and may even have them, but you don't want to wear them because you are comfortable with your current pair. Besides, the new pair may hurt your feet, give you blisters or be awkward to wear to start with. So, you resist the new shoes. However, a part of you knows that this new pair would be much better for your feet, and after the initial discomfort would probably be even more comfortable, yet still you resist.

Do you know I'm doing this now? I'm wearing my comfortable shoes and they feel good. They have a hole in each heel, and the sole is starting to fall off, but I'm persisting in wearing them. I even have a new pair of shoes under my desk as I write this. But my feet are used to the old comfy pair. The new pair is tighter, and hotter in this summer weather. I know I shouldn't wear my old shoes because they cause a callus where the inside of the shoe has worn thin, but still I persist.

This describes change exactly; change of our habits, change of our thought patterns. We stick with the old patterns because they are comfortable. Yet we know we need to change and that the change will ultimately be good for us. Once we get over the initial pain of the transformation, the new pattern will be comfortable and feel gooduntil the time comes when we need another new pair of shoes
About the Author
Jason is a personal coach, dedicated to achieving success for his clients. He products a wide variety of audio programs and courses on everything from weight to confidence to abundance to past lives. Visit his website, http://www.stateofhypnosis.com, for more information and to discover how he can help you live the life of your dreams.

2005-08-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

Follow these feng shui tips and sleep better by Jakob Jelling

If you are having problems at the time of falling asleep or you simply wish to improve your sleeping, you should follow the feng shui tips we will detail in the next lines and let this ancient Chinese wisdom help you. It is very important that we pay attention to our sleep due to the fact that it affects all the activities we do during the day as well as it has a direct impact on our health.

First of all, it is very important to avoid sleeping with the head towards the door. According to feng shui, the proper position in which to have the bed and to sleep is in such a place that allows us to see the door but without being right across from it. This way, you should always avoid sleeping with your feet right in front of the entrance.

It is also highly recommendable to avoid sleeping under a window. Sleeping right under a window would have a bad impact on your chi as well as it might cause you to loose some of your positive energy by dispersing it. Also, if your bed is right under the window, any bad chi which could enter into the room through it would go directly to you and therefore affect you. If you can't avoid sleeping under a window, then you should hang a curtain which doesn't allow bad chi to enter.

According to feng shui guidelines, it is also recommendable to avoid having pictures of water in the bedroom. Keeping pictures of water in the bedroom can cause insomnia as well as attract bad luck to those who sleep into the room. Therefore, if you do have a picture of water in your bedroom you should remove it or at least make sure it is as far from the bed as possible.

It is very important to make sure that there isn't any poisoning arrow pointing towards the bed. In order to find out if there are poisoning arrows, you should check for any edgy element or corner which might point towards the place where you sleep. If you find any and you can't get rid of it, you can neutralize its bad effect by covering it or by placing a plant in front of it.
About the Author
Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.fengshuicrazy.com. Please visit his website and learn all the feng shui tips you'll ever need!

2005-08-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

Overcoming Procrastination by Steve Pavlina

Overcoming Procrastination

Procrastination, the habit of putting tasks off to the last possible minute, can be a major problem in both your career and your personal life. Missed opportunities, frenzied work hours, stress, overwhelm, resentment, and guilt are just some of the symptoms. This article will explore the root causes of procrastination and give you several practical tools to overcome it.

Replace "Have To" With "Want To"

First, thinking that you absolutely have to do something is a major reason for procrastination. When you tell yourself that you have to do something, you're implying that you're being forced to do it, so you'll automatically feel a sense of resentment and rebellion. Procrastination kicks in as a defense mechanism to keep you away from this pain. If the task you are putting off has a real deadline, then when the deadline gets very close, the sense of pain associated with the task becomes overridden by the much greater sense of pain if you don't get started immediately.

The solution to this first mental block is to realize and accept that you don't have to do anything you don't want to do. Even though there may be serious consequences, you are always free to choose. No one is forcing you to run your business the way you do. All the decisions you've made along the way have brought you to where you are today. If you don't like where you've ended up, you're free to start making different decisions, and new results will follow. Also be aware that you don't procrastinate in every area of your life. Even the worst procrastinators have areas where they never procrastinate. Perhaps you never miss your favorite TV show, or you always manage to check your favorite online forums each day. In each situation the freedom of choice is yours. So if you're putting off starting that new project you feel you "have to" do this year, realize that you're choosing to do it of your own free will. Procrastination becomes less likely on tasks that you openly and freely choose to undertake.

Replace "Finish It" With "Begin It"

Secondly, thinking of a task as one big whole that you have to complete will virtually ensure that you put it off. When you focus on the idea of finishing a task where you can't even clearly envision all the steps that will lead to completion, you create a feeling of overwhelm. You then associate this painful feeling to the task and delay as long as possible. If you say to yourself, "I've got to do my taxes today," or "I must complete this report," you're very likely to feel overwhelmed and put the task off.

The solution is to think of starting one small piece of the task instead of mentally feeling that you must finish the whole thing. Replace, "How am I going to finish this?" with "What small step can I start on right now?" If you simply start a task enough times, you will eventually finish it. If one of the projects you want to complete is to clean out your garage, thinking that you have to finish this big project in one fell swoop can make you feel overwhelmed, and you'll put it off. Ask yourself how you can get started on just one small part of the project. For example, go to your garage with a notepad, and simply write down a few ideas for quick 10-minute tasks you could do to make a dent in the piles of junk. Maybe move one or two obvious pieces of junk to the trash can while you're there. Don't worry about finishing anything significant. Just focus on what you can do right now. If you do this enough times, you'll eventually be starting on the final piece of the task, and that will lead to finishing.

Replace Perfectionism With Permission To Be Human

A third type of erroneous thinking that leads to procrastination is perfectionism. Thinking that you must do the job perfectly the first try will likely prevent you from ever getting started. Believing that you must do something perfectly is a recipe for stress, and you'll associate that stress with the task and thus condition yourself to avoid it. You then end up putting the task off to the last possible minute, so that you finally have a way out of this trap. Now there isn't enough time to do the job perfectly, so you're off the hook because you can tell yourself that you could have been perfect if you only had more time. But if you have no specific deadline for a task, perfectionism can cause you to delay indefinitely. If you've never even started that project you always wanted to do really well, could perfectionism be holding you back?

The solution to perfectionism is to give yourself permission to be human. Have you ever used a piece of software that you consider to be perfect in every way? I doubt it. Realize that an imperfect job completed today is always superior to the perfect job delayed indefinitely. Perfectionism is also closely connected to thinking of the task as one big whole. Replace that one big perfectly completed task in your mind with one small imperfect first step. Your first draft can be very, very rough. You are always free to revise it again and again. For example, if you want to write a 5000-word article, feel free let your first draft be only 100 words if it helps you get started. That's less than the length of this paragraph.

Replace Deprivation With Guaranteed Fun

A fourth mental block is associating deprivation with a task. This means you believe that undertaking a project will offset much of the pleasure in your life. In order to complete this project, will you have to put the rest of your life on hold? Do you tell yourself that you will have to go into seclusion, work long hours, never see your family, and have no time for fun? That's not likely to be very motivating, yet this is what many people do when trying to push themselves into action. Picturing an extended period of working long hours in solitude with no time for fun is a great way to guarantee procrastination.

The solution to the deprivation mindset is to do the exact opposite. Guarantee the fun parts of your life first, and then schedule your work around them. This may sound counterproductive, but this reverse psychology works extremely well. Decide in advance what times you will allocate each week to family time, entertainment, exercise, social activities, and personal hobbies. Guarantee an abundance of all your favorite leisure activities. Then limit the amount of working hours each week to whatever is left. The peak performers in any field tend to take more vacation time and work shorter hours than the workaholics. By treating your working time as a scarce resource rather than an uncontrollable monster that can gobble up every other area of your life, you'll begin to feel much more balanced, and you'll be far more focused and effective in using your working time. It's been shown that the optimal work week for most people is 40-45 hours. Working longer hours than this actually has such an adverse effect on productivity and motivation that less real work is done in the long run. What would happen if you only allowed yourself a certain number of hours a week to work? What if I came to you and said, "You are only allowed to work 10 hours this week?" Your feeling of deprivation would be reversed, wouldn't it? Instead of feeling that work was depriving you of leisure time, you'd feel you were being deprived of work. You'd replace, "I want to play" with "I want to work," your motivation for work would skyrocket, and all traces of procrastination would vanish.

I also strongly recommend that you take at least one full day off each week with no work whatsoever. This will really recharge you and make you eager to start the coming week. Having a guaranteed work-free day will increase your motivation for work and make you less likely to procrastinate. If you know that the next day is your day off, you'll be less likely to put off tasks, since you won't allow yourself the luxury of allowing them to spill over into your day off. When you think that every day is a work day, however, work seems never-ending, and you always tell yourself, "I should be working." Thus, your brain will use procrastination as a way to guarantee that you get some form of pleasure in your life.

Use Timeboxing

For tasks you've been putting off for a while, I recommend using the timeboxing method to get started. Here's how it works: First, select a small piece of the task you can work on for just 30 minutes. Then choose a reward you will give yourself immediately afterwards. The reward is guaranteed if you simply put in the time; it doesn't depend on any meaningful accomplishment. Examples include watching your favorite TV show, seeing a movie, enjoying a meal or snack, going out with friends, going for a walk, or doing anything you find pleasurable. Because the amount of time you'll be working on the task is so short, your focus will shift to the impending pleasure of the reward instead of the difficulty of the task. No matter how unpleasant the task, there's virtually nothing you can't endure for just 30 minutes if you have a big enough reward waiting for you.

When you timebox your tasks, you may discover that something very interesting happens. You will probably find that you continue working much longer than 30 minutes. You will often get so involved in a task, even a difficult one, that you actually want to keep working on it. Before you know it, you've put in an hour or even several hours. The certainty of your reward is still there, so you know you can enjoy it whenever you're ready to stop. Once you begin taking action, your focus shifts away from worrying about the difficulty of the task and towards finishing the current piece of the task which now has your full attention.

When you do decide to stop working, claim your reward, and enjoy it. Then schedule another 30-minute period to work on the task with another reward. This will help you associate more and more pleasure to the task, knowing that you will always be immediately rewarded for your efforts. Working towards distant and uncertain long-term rewards is not nearly as motivating as immediate short-term rewards. By rewarding yourself for simply putting in the time, instead of for any specific achievements, you'll be eager to return to work on your task again and again, and you'll ultimately finish it.

The writing of this article serves as a good example of applying the above techniques. I could have said to myself, "I have to finish this 2000-word article, and it has to be perfect." So first I remember that I don't have to write anything; I freely choose to write articles. Then I realize that I have plenty of time to do a good job, and that I don't need to be perfect because if I start early enough, I have plenty of time to make revisions. I also tell myself that if I just keep starting, I will eventually be done. Before I started this article, I didn't have a topic selected, so I used the timeboxing method to get that done. Having dinner was my reward. I knew that at the end of 30 minutes of working on the task, I could eat, and I was hungry at the time, so that was good motivation for me. It took me a few minutes to pick the topic of overcoming procrastination, and I spent the rest of the time writing down some ideas and making a very rough outline. When the time was up, I stopped working and had dinner, and it really felt like I'd earned that meal.

The next morning I used the same 30-minute timeboxing method, making breakfast my reward. However, I got so involved in the task that I'm still writing 90 minutes later. I know I'm free to stop at any time and that my reward is waiting for me, but having overcome the inertia of getting started, the natural tendency is to continue working. In essence I've reversed the problem of procrastination by staying with the task and delaying gratification. The net result is that I finish my article early and have a rewarding breakfast.

I hope this article has helped you gain a greater insight into the causes of procrastination and how you can overcome it. Realize that procrastination is caused by associating some form of pain or unpleasantness to the task you are contemplating. The way to overcome procrastination is simply to reduce the pain and increase the pleasure you associate with beginning a task, thus allowing you to overcome inertia and build positive forward momentum. And if you begin any task again and again, you will ultimately finish it.
About the Author
Steve Pavlina is founder of StevePavlina.com, a personal development site focused on time management, motivation, problem solving, and personal productivity. He is the editor of Personal Development Insights Newsletter and has written dozens of published articles on personal growth. He shares his best insights on managing goals, projects, and tasks through his popular blog at www.stevepavlina.com/blog.

2005-08-14T17:40:00.000-07:00

Awareness is Serious Business by Mary Rosendale

Lets talk about AwDD. This is not the same as AD/HD. You may have Awareness Deficit Disorderyou just may not be aware of it. Pun intended.

Ever stand in your own living room; hold an item in your hand; put it down; turn to do something and then spend two hours looking for it. Hands up those whose most memorable searches have stretched into days?

How about those of you who live in large towns which have stores with big parking lots. Ever spend an unproductive half hour wandering up and down rows of cars with heavy shopping bags in your arms trying hard to look nonchalant but feeling like an idiot? How is it possible that you have absolutely no idea where your car is when you yourself parked and locked it and strolled away from it less than an hour ago?

It does get worse as you get older but it can strike at any age. In fact young children can be fabulously, intensely unaware of reality.

This year we have all been made aware (theres that word again) of just how devastating AwDD can be. A well-educated sophisticated college professor parked his car and strolled away from it leaving his 10-month-old child securely strapped in the back seat. Four hours later the child was discovered dead. Just to show that AwDD is not gender-specific a pre-school teacher parked her SUV and strolled into her own school leaving two of her little charges baking in the back seat.

Recently, I opened my paper and read about a local man who went to work leaving his sweltering 5 month old securely strapped into her car seat. He was arrested five hours later on suspicious of negligent homicide. Authorities later decided not to press charges stating that the incident was an accident and the man was not at fault. Which is interesting because it implies that we have no control over our awareness. We are not accountable for being present in our own lives.

This same man held a news conference to state that he was going to lobby auto manufacturers to be required to put safety devices in all cars to remind parents that their children are in the car with them. Let me repeat that. There is a proposal for legislation to require auto manufacturers to install devices in all vehicles to remind parents to be aware that their children may be in the car with them.

These heartbreaking stories bring awareness to our awareness. Something we take for granted, like breathing, becomes a precious commodity.

We realize how much we live in our heads and how little we live in our visual field.

Of course, awareness is always a matter of life or death. Like love or wellness, however, we dont value it until we experience the consequences of its absence.

You can practice awareness at any moment of the day. When youre waiting at a car wash instead of daydreaming or obsessing on work pay attention to the people around you or the worker drying your car. Does he have a system? Does he dry the glass first or the body? How old is he?

If you find yourself living too much inside your head take a walk. Dont come back until youve counted 30 red cars. Why? No reason. Itll put you in motion and youll be surprised what you notice about your neighborhood while youre peering down side streets and driveways.

Life is a great adventure and sleepwalking through it is not an option. Pay attention to your attention. If you want to realize your dream in life youre going to have to stay awake to do it.

About the Author
Mary is the proud Mama of "The Constructed Life" - a Holistic Life Coaching service rooted in Buddhist psychology.

2005-08-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

How to do Hard Things by Suzanne Falter-Barns

One of the harsh little realities of pursuing a dream is that sooner or later, you're going to have to do some stuff you don't like very much. It's just plain inevitable. Enter procrastination. Dread. Meltdown. Complete inertia.

But the prospect of doing the tough stuff doesn't have to stop you cold. To that end, I've been teasing out some different ways you can keep going. Here are a few of my favorites:

*Play music. I learned this when I started running, or 'jogging' as we called it back in the 70's. Clamping on the headphones made it go so much better. Even today, as I pound the treadmill, it's just so much easier if I've got country music videos playing along while I work out.

In fact, I recently saw a movie in which a soldier talks about overcoming his fear and going into battle by listening to heavy metal music piped into his helmet. Neurosurgeons, emergency room docs, and others in high-pressure operating theaters often play lightly upbeat, soothing music to keep stress under control as they work.

*'Bookend it'. This is a phrase the 12-steppers wisely use for calling up a supportive friend before AND after a tough taskjust so you're accountable out there to someone. Use the phone or email and make that connection. You'll be less likely to procrastinate your way out of it.

*Delegate. Got a task you just can't somehow do? I always have three or four lurking around the edges of my desk, until the day I rise up and give it away. Hire a local teenager, elderly person who wouldn't mind a little light work, a family member, or even a local odd-jobs person to come in one day and give you a hand with all or your 'hard stuff.' If the problem seems to be on-going, hire a Virtual Assistant, from one of the on-line sources like AssistU.com. This is a person you hire on an hourly basis, usually in some other part of the country, who helps you electronically with all kinds of administrative needs. If you can't afford to find help, buddy up with a friend and offer to do each other's 'hard stuff' in an even swap.

*Plan a big, juicy reward. We're talking one you seriously want and the nastier the task, the bigger the reward. If you must, combine this with book-ending, to make sure you not only do the task, but reward yourself as well.

*Dare yourself to not do it. Really imagine life without this particular task completed. Then see what the consequences are. Truly dire? If not, maybe you can actually drop the hard thing from your to-do list. On the other hand, will you be disappointed? Will things just not seem right somehow? Better use that image of disappointment to move your dream along.

*Jump in, first thing. We tend to be fresher, and less conflicted, stressed or distracted first thing in the morning (post-coffee, of course.) That's the best time to seriously seize the day and do the hard thing. Success manuals all preach doing it first, and they're right. It works.

*Envision the goal. Is it 1000 new subscribers to your ezine? Is it a potential big sale that will change your business, or leaving a job that will help you live your dream? Make a little note and park it somewhere that's frequently in your line of site, such as a Post It on your computer screen. (You can word it obscurely to protect your privacy in an open office environment.) By keeping you attention on the big picture, you'll naturally get less hung up on the day-to-day small stuff.

*Impose a temporary goal. One of my dreaded tasks is vocalizing, or exercising my vocal cords every day in an effort to keep my singing voice in shape. Just about the only motivator I've found that works is always having a small performance just aheadespecially in times when I'm working on a long-term project that doesn't 'need' my voice anytime soon. Knowing I have to perform, even at a dinner party, keeps me interested in staying in shape. Same would apply if you want to work out on a regular basis. Find a charity fun run or walkathon you can get yourself in shape for.

That should give you some fodder for facing the harsh realities of life, and getting on with those annoyingly procrastinated to-do's. Feng Shui experts insist this 'mental clutter' keeps us small and inefficient; once we actually go through the hard stuff, and clear out our anxiety and procrastination, we thrive.

And guess what? They're absolutely right!

TRY THIS
Create a better to-do list

One of my little projects for the summer was to tame my unruly, wildly unreliable to-do list. Somehow it spilled out of my date book, spewing Post-Its all over my desk and computer, with another undocumented stack of tasks always clogging up my inbox. What to do?

First I read David Allen's book, Getting Things Done, and a little light bulb went off in my head. Allen suggests organizing tasks by the location where you do them. So you maintain lists like 'At Computer', 'Errands', 'Office Time' and 'Calls to Make'. That's easy and efficient. Allen then has several suggestions on where to keep these lists.

I choose the Tasks function of Outlook, on my computer, and boy is that terrific! Every day when I turn on my email, there's my task list staring me in my face. Productivity experts note that a graphic portrayal of tasks is actually helpful in understanding, and being motivated by them. Some are done, some are undoneand I can divide them into location lists, check lists, a timeline, or any kind of list I want at the click of a button.

Not only that, the computer actually gets me to put a time frame on all tasks (if I want) and then reminds me when the deadline is near or past.

This is just the kind of office structure a meandering, creative mind like mine (and yours?) needs to keep focused and on track.

About the Author
Suzanne Falter-Barns free ezine, The Joy Letter, brings you a crisp, fresh burst of inspiration for your dream every week or two. Sign up at http://www.howmuchjoy.com/joyletter.html . And if you need extra help getting through the tough parts, check out her Passion Connector e-course at http://www.howmuchjoy.com/passionconnect.html

2005-08-12T17:38:00.000-07:00

Your Thoughts Are Powerful by Gerri D Smith

YOUR THOUGHTS ARE POWERFUL

Gerri D Smith
Copyright 2005
Word Count 557

You create your thoughts, your thoughts create your intentions, your intentions create your reality. Learn to act as if the life you visualize were already here."
-Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

The only thing between you and your desire to be successful and wealthy is one single fact: You are not successful or wealthy because of how you think. This little known fact keeps many from reaching their goals of success and wealth.

Are you sabotaging yourself from reaching your goals? Do you find yourself spending lots of time doing things to change what you dont like in your life? Most problems are caused by the way you think. If one thing doesnt work, you may try something new, then something else, and still another something.

The trick to solving problems is to understand what is going on in your mind. Focus on your thoughts and become aware of how many of your thoughts hold you back or push you forward. Understanding your thoughts helps you answer any problems you may have, too. This leads you tol understand your dreams and goals.

All thoughts begin in your subconscious mind. Before they can be expressed in your physical world, you must know how to set them in motion. This in turn, produces a certain result. What then, is the missing ingredient? How do you set your thoughts in motion?

There is no other way then this: you need to think differently. If your old ways of thinking arent working, you must learn a new way to think. And if you are to be, do, and have all that you wish for - success, wealth, health, positive relationships, you name it - you must learn to think in a different style that works. When you enhance the new understanding of your thoughts, there is nothing in your life that cannot be accomplished.

In order to do this, you must wake up and mentally watch your thoughts. Just thinking that you wish to be successful and wealthy is not enough, You must also see it. When you watch yourself think, your mind is open to receive the answers you desire. This new way of thinking is based upon the true understanding of your mind and the way you think. Its magical!

You are at the mercy of your thoughts. You cant stop them - so you must be aware of them and understand them. This powerful insight awakens you. With this kind of power over your thoughts, you magically know whats happening in your life.

In order to achieve your dreams, you must live in a constant state of awareness. Be totally surprised about everything around you. When you learn to think in this new way, you start living the kind of life you wish. You change because your way of thinking changes. You get ideas youve never had before. You see things, people, places, and events in a whole new way.

You also become aware of opportunities. Learn how to identify them for what they are and how you want them to benefit your life. Remember, the only barrier between you and what you desire is your lack of understanding. Knowledge alone of a certain thing isnt always the answer. Understanding is the knowing how and why a certain thing happens.

Success lies just beyond your thoughts. Know that this understanding is what inspires you to accomplish what you really desire in life. And if you are satisfied with yourself -and-your thoughts, there is nothing you cannot do or bebecause your thoughts are powerful!
###
About the Author
Gerri D Smith publishes and hosts a Free monthly newsletter to inspire, motivate, and encourage individuals, small business owners, and entrepreneurs to reach for their dreams. An internet resource creating multiple ways for you to unlock the doors to improvement and success.