Being a good Christian

If a Good Muslim Can't Be a Good American, Neither Can a Good Fundamentalist Christian Be One

Recently someone came up with an explanation as to why someone of the Islamic faith cannot possible be a good American. This is in response to that ignorance. The writer asks..

"Can a good Muslim be a good American?" In doing so, he sets himself up for a fall.

"Consider the following:" And of the Christian Fundamentalist, consider the following as well.

"Theologically - no. Because his allegiance is to Allah, the moon god of Arabia."

And of the Christian Fundamentalist...Theologically- NO Because his allegiance is to God, the Sun God of Egypt. This is why God is Most High (At Noon), Jesus can be seen as an archetype Son of the Sun God and the Gospels are the account of a one year trip of the Sun Jesus through the signs of the Zodiac, and I ain't kiddn! The origin all gods in the human psyche is the SUN and all that it does for humans. This is why in the Old Testament it says in Malachi that the "sun will rise with healing in his wings," which is statement about the messiah to come. In Revelation, Jesus is also called the "son of the morning star," which of course is the SUN, or the Planet Venus depending. Long story. Don't sweat Allah the moon god.

"Religiously - no. Because no other religion is accepted by his Allah except Islam (Quran, 2:256)"

And of the Christian Fundamentalist...Religiously- NO Because "there is no other name under heaven, (Jesus) by which a man can be saved. There is one true Christian Church and whoever believes on the name of the Lord..Jesus Christ, shall be saved, while others are condemned. Fundamentalist Christians do NOT accept any other religious beliefs as valid to theirs, so no difference here.

"Scripturally - no. Because his allegiance is to the five pillars of Islam and the Quran (Koran)."

And of the American Fundamentalist...Scripturally NO because his allegiance is to the Ten Pillars of Christianity, which they tend to modify according to the need, and the Bible, which is neither always historically accurate nor inerrant, no matter what they say! There is nothing in America that says you have to be a Bible believing Christian to be a true American. It is freedom of religion here...all religions. If Fundamentalists have their way, we might all want to amend the Bill of Rights to say "freedom FROM religion."

"Geographically - no. Because his allegiance is to Mecca, to which he turns in prayer five times a day."

And of the American Fundamentalist...Geographically No because his mental allegiance is to Jerusalem, Israel and the Holy Land at least twice a week, about which they talk all the time as if they have ever been there, know the real history of, or think they would be welcome. Millions of Christian Americans have a soft spot for Rome too...

"Socially - no. Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews."

And of the Christian Fundamentalist...Socially NO because his allegiance to Christianity forbids him to make friends with "the world" (love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, whoever loves the world, the love of the father is not in him.") Paul cursed the Jews in the New Testament, and hoped they'd cut their private parts if they wanted to be circumcised. Martin Luther , a Christian, taught they should be killed like pigs. Lots of places in NT tell the church to have no relationships outside the church. including not being "unequally yoked with unbelievers."

"Politically - no. Because he must submit to the mullah (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and Destruction of America, the great Satan."

And of the Christian Fundamentalist...Politically No because he must submit to the ministry, ( "obey those that have the rule over you, {ministers}, for they watch out for your souls"). Many Fundamentalist Christians teach and hope for the annihilation of everyone outside of Israel. Christians often attribute anything against them as of the Great Satan Christian fundamentalists call Roman Catholicism, the Great Whore, so don't sweat someone calling America or Washington the Great Satan. Paul cursed anyone who did not believe his true gospel and called the people of Crete, liars. Jesus is said to have said the Pharisees were "of your Father the Devil." Name calling envoking the name of Satan to define the enemy is a fundamentalist art form. It's what you do when you are afraid of the unknown.

"Domestically - no. Because he is instructed to marry four women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34)."

And of the Christian Fundamentalist...Domestically no because a fundamentalist Christian is instructed to marry only one which is his property, but cannot talk in church and can only ask her husband bible questions at home. A christian believes if you "beat (spank)a child with a rod, it won't kill him." Fundamentalist Christian women are to keep silence in the church, obey their husbands as unto the Lord, and call him "Lord" as did Sarah (all in NT). They are to give him sex as a part of her duty and submit. The Koran and the Bible sprang from the same culture, which few Fundamentalist Chrsitians realize or think about. In many respects the Taliban are to the Koran what the Fundamentalist Christians are to the Bible. PS...Lots of Fundamentalist Christian men abuse their wives with the word.

"Intellectually - no. Because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt."

And of the Christian Fundamentalist...Intellectually no, because he can't accept that the American Constitution was NOT predicated on founding fundamentalist, Old Covenant believing Fathers. I would not use the word "intellectual" with Christian fundamentalists either, as critical thinking or the examining of evidence that runs contrary to their established belief system is not encouraged. This was called the Dark Ages in the European past.

"Philosophically - no. Because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran do not allow freedom of religion and expression. Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist."

And of the Christian Fundamentalists...Philosophically no because Christianity, Jesus and the Bible do not allow freedom of religion if you take the Old and New Testaments as the only way to be or literally enforceable in our culture today. Fundamentalists look to the commands of "God" in the Old Testament, to kill unbelievers, just as much as they think Islamics do in reading the Koran. Fundamentalist would only tolerate Christian values, which can be atrocious at times, and morality, which can be appalling. True Democracy and Biblical Christianity cannot co exist either. Someone would insist on someone else losing their rights to free thought. "My Kingdom is not of this world, if my kingdom was of this world, then would my servants fight," said Jesus in Matthew. No military solutions were encouraged by Jesus unless there was only one sword per 12 disciples allowed. Turn the other cheek, Love your enemies, don't slay them. Christian Fundamentalism is a good example of the mess you get when you mix Old Testament politics with New Testament sentiments, thinking it takes both to make up a proper Christian text. It's old wine in new wineskins.

"Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic."

And of the Christian Fundamentalist...Every Christian Fundamentalist government is either dictatorial or autocratic too. This statement shows the ignorance of whoever made it up. The Christian Kings of Europe didn't do to badly in the dictatorial or autocratic department, and might we mention the Popes?

"Spiritually - no. Because when we declare "one nation under God," the Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in The Quran's 99 excellent names."

And of the Christian Fundamentalists...Spiritually no because the God and Jesus of the Book of Revelation drowns the world in blood, plagues, signs, trumpets, vials and slaughter. The Christian Jesus is loving but no one does what he really says as it really is too hard. The Christian God the father is absent mostly, but is angry, jealous, and is patterned after the war gods of paganism every bit as much. I suggest a good read of Karen Armstrongs. History of God. The Fundamentalist Christian God is 'loving" only to the degree you obey and fall in line. If not, you are toast just as with any other "god" The Jesus of the Gospels is NOT the same being in the book of Revelation. The fundy Jesus comes back with a Rod of Iron to threaten and beat the poop out of those that don't obey and love God #1 the father and God # 2 himself...we won't get into God #3. Monotheism is basically divisive by nature, even if the one God is three, co-this and co-that.

"Therefore after much study and deliberation.... perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. They obviously cannot be both "good" Muslims and good Americans. Call it what you wish.... it's still the truth."

And of Christian Fundamentalists..Therefore after much study and deliberation..perhaps we should all be very suspicious of ALL, and I Mean ALLLLLLLL Christians in this country. They obviously can't be both good Christians and Good Americans. Call it what you will, it's still the truth.

Side note: Whoever actually came up with this ignorant and insane list of reasons why an Islamic cannot be a good American is deluded, ignorant, self absorbed, mistaken, misinformed and the reason we'll end up with nothing but a sanitation problem to fix and where will we be then? Actually they are FunnyMentalists, which was nicely coined by someone recently.

"If you find yourself intellectually in agreement with the above statements, perhaps you will share this with your friends. The more who understand this, the better it will be for our country and our future."

Actually if you find yourself in agreements with the above statements about why a Muslim cannot be a good American, you will have to also conclude that neither can a good Christian fundamentalist be one.

The Good Life

I was listening to the MSNBC on the radio the other day when a feature came on entitled, 'The Good Life'. They proceeded to discuss a $14,000 dessert being offered in Sri Lanka that included, amongst other things, an aquamarine. No kidding. This is how MSNBC characterizes the good life. It struck me how in our culture we define the good life more in terms of the consumption of material goods than in relationship to any other quality.

Simply listen to the vast majority of contemporary music on the airwaves these days for confirmation. I have two teenagers in my house so I know all too well: Cristal champagne, expensive cars, first class jet airline seats, bling...the list goes on and on. This is what our kids are being taught: the good life is about having things, not about who you are as a human being. Where are these values coming from? I believe it is a trickle down effect from what they see being honored in our society.

So if the good life is about having things, how is it that so many people who have so many things have lives that lack so much satisfaction and meaning? I am not saying that having money is not a good thing, quite the contrary. We all need financial security. We need to know that we can provide for our families and be free of the pressure of struggling to make ends meet. We all want to live a comfortable life. But where is the point of no return?

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955), (attributed)

The Worldwide Institute in its 2004 State of the World report explains:

Societies focused on well being involved more interaction with family, friends, and neighbors, a more direct experience of nature, and more attention to finding fulfillment and creative expression than in accumulating goods. They emphasize lifestyles that avoid abusing your own health, other people, or the natural world. In short, they yield a deeper sense of satisfaction with life than many people report experiencing today.

What provides for a satisfying life? In recent years, psychologists studying measures of life satisfaction have largely confirmed the old adage that money can't buy happiness-at least not for people who are already affluent. The disconnection between money and happiness in wealthy countries is perhaps most clearly illustrated when growth in income in industrial countries is plotted against levels of happiness. In the United States, for example, the average person's income more than doubled between 1957 and 2002, yet the share of people reporting themselves to be "very happy" over that period remained static.

So if growth in income has not made people happier than obviously they are not living the good life. In order to clarify what the good life is, I do an exercise with clients that involves seeing themselves at some distant point in the future where they are finally who they want to be, they have what they want to have and are deeply satisfied and happy. In other words, they have achieved the 'Good Life'.

Nearly one hundred percent of the time, without fail, clients do not have visions of extreme wealth. They really don't talk about wealth at all, at least not in terms of money or possessions. They do not talk about living in a house with every known convenience and luxury. They do talk about a home located in a beautiful setting, perhaps by the ocean or on a lake in the mountains. There is always talk about a place that gives them a feeling of peace and serenity...a place they were meant to be.

They never discuss possessions...ever. No talk of cars, televisions or fancy clothes. It just never comes up. They may mention that they are free to travel but certainly they do not say first class.

They describe themselves as a person who no longer fights feelings of depression, dissatisfaction or dissonance in their lives. They speak of a feeling of acceptance of what is. There is love in their lives although they don't necessarily mention a specific mate. Just love. There is discussion of deep wisdom accumulated over the years. There is also talk of being surrounded by the people who they hold dear.

Often, if they have children, they will say that they are happy that they have been able to help their kids but more often is the description of children who have grown into responsible, loving and fulfilled human beings. They describe with pride children who are contributors to the world. I hear about pets in the house and perhaps grandchildren. These are folks who have discovered what truly has meaning for them and what they really value.

"Happiness is that state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievement of one's values."

Ayn Rand (1905 - 1982)

Values. What are the things to which you attach value? What is important to you? If you had to create a list of the top five things that you value, what would they be? Would it be money, possessions, power, stature and authority? Would it be love, family, integrity, freedom and compassion? Or a combination?

"Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value." Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

We have all heard the adage about what the epitaph on our tombstone will say or not say. Will it say that she had a powerful job, she flew first class, that she had a Mercedes-Benz and wore only couture? More often you will read on a tombstone that she was a loving Mother and Wife, a charitable person and an outstanding member of the community. Think about how you would like to be remembered? What would you like to hear people say about you at your funeral or memorial? Will it be on how much money you made or how much you consumed? Doubtful.

I remember the funeral of a very dear friend who died suddenly while he was still in his fifties. The Rabbi said that all we have in the end is our good name. Who we were, how we lived, how we loved, our empathy and compassion, service to the world we lived in and the legacy we left to our children and their children.

My own personal take on the good life, at least for me, involves the following: I want to be a person who possesses a deep appreciation for everything that I have: to be grateful. I want to be able to live without the fear of not being able to take care of my kids and myself and yes, I do want to live well. Living well for me is a lovely home in nature; it is being free to travel; it is having the ability to help my kids get a good start in their adult lives; it is having enough money to be able to take good care of myself and to also be charitable. I want to have a life that is filled with meaning, with a deep connection to the world around me.

What is your Good Life? Take the time now to give thought to the life that you want to live, the life that you would describe as the Good Life. Make certain that it is aligned with your values and your passions and to so you must connect with your values and passions. What are they? Think long and hard about what brings you real joy and fulfillment. Remember those times in your life when you were the happiest...what resonated for you in those moments? Consider how you want to be remembered, how you want to look in your children's eyes. What traits do you admire in others and how can you adopt some of those traits? What have been peak experiences in your life and what was it about those experiences that made them so special?

These are the kind of questions that beg our attention. These are the questions that will ultimately lead us to the Good Life. Not the $14,000 dessert but a life well lived. With meaning, love, comfort, joy and fulfillment.

You can live a life that truly works and you can achieve peak performance in all areas of your life. You can not only survive life's unexpected changes and transitions but also thrive. Powerful change is possible. You are fully capable of creating a life that you choose. Life Coaching is a proven, powerful, one-on-one professional relationship that promises to improve the quality of your life! Learn how to create positive change in your life.

Visit http://www.changecoachshelley.com and take your free customized Life Quiz and also Shelley's Blog at http://shelleyblog.changecoachshelley.com for more tools for personal growth and power. Contact Shelley Stile at shelleystile@changecoachshelley.com

Are the Can'ts in Life Keeping You From Personal Success?

What is keeping you from life success, personal success or professional success? Have you considered that your thoughts are keeping your from the success that you crave?

How many times have you heard someone state "I can't do this?" or "That can't be done?" The can't comes out as quickly as the exhaled carbon dioxide. Do you know why those can'ts exist?

To learn about the cannots in life requires us to travel back to our early childhood where our caring parents began negative conditioning out of their concern for our safety. We were told:

• Don't talk to strangers!
• Don't go where you are not asked or invited!
• Don't touch the iron, the knife, the stove, etc!

As we grew older, consequences were added to the don'ts. If you don't behave, you will receive a scolding, a spanking or for a time out. How many times were we told about a don't and then wait until your father or mother comes home? Our don'ts from earlier childhood evolved into the can'ts of adulthood.

How many times each day does the word can't or a similar self imposed limitation enters your mind?

• I can't lose weight!
• I can't get all of this work done!
• I can't spend more time with my family!
• I can't save any money!
• I can't waste time because I am so busy!
• I can't (fill in the blank)

The cannots in your thoughts are the real barriers to personal success and life success. To master success demands that your thoughts are focused on the positive and not on the negatives. Positive affirmations or what I call positive belief statements are one success strategy that helps to reinforce those positive thoughts while reducing the negative ones.

As in life, the choice is yours. To wallow in the Land of Misery where the can'ts control your destiny or to strive forward to the Land of Success where you are in control of you future and ultimately your personal success.

Are you where you want to be? To find out where you are, then M.A.P. for Success, a FREE email course may help you begin to chart a course of business, professional or personal success. Visit http://www.processspecialist.com/action-plan.htm.

Would you like to read more about getting to where you want to be? Then visit http://www.processspecialist.com/power-choices.htm.

Getting Rich, Staying Healthy, and Becoming Successful!
Healing Your Life
What is the meaning of life?
Create The Change in Your Life Today
Heros of The World
Greg Vanden Berge Online

Please feel free to contact me, Leanne Hoagland-Smith, Your Chief People Officer and Business Coach, who works with individuals and organizations that are tired of not being where they want to be and truly want more for their businesses and their selves. 219.759.5601

How to Find More Time by Simplifying Your Life

When life gets complicated and chaotic, it's often hard to get anything done.

The busier you are and the more responsibilities you have, the more difficult everything seems to be.

Eventually you reach a point where the simplest task seems too strenuous to even think about - let alone accomplish. You may be familiar with the feeling that your energy is being consistently drained from your body?

One major cause for that feeling is the amount of energy and focus you have to devote to everything in your life. The more scattered your thoughts become, the more you need to concentrate really hard, and the more drained you feel!

If you can take steps to simplify your life, you'll find your energy and focus gradually returning.

How do you simplify a life that has turned into a jumbled mess?

One step at a time!

That sounds overly simple, doesn't it? It IS very simple, but it does take a bit of effort. There are several ways to simplify your life, but here are two quick ways to get started:

1. Start eliminating clutter from your surroundings. Clutter is terribly draining. Not only does it make you feel scattered and confused, it can actually drain your energy so you don't want to do anything! Now, you don't have to go on a huge de-cluttering mission in order to receive some positive benefits from this technique.

Instead, try setting aside just a few minutes a day to get rid of things you don't need. Start with just one room in your home or workplace. Grab a box and a trash bag, and begin by throwing away trash and debris that is no longer usable. Put trash in the bag, and items to be donated into the box. After a few minutes have passed, throw out the trash bag and place the box in your car. Drop it off at your local Salvation Army or Goodwill store that same day.

Go through this same process every day, or at least every couple of days, and before long you'll really start to notice a difference in how you feel. Among other things you'll start to feel lighter, more productive and focused.

2. While you're clearing out the physical clutter from your life, consider also eliminating emotional burdens. These burdens might include unhealthy relationships, unresolved issues, long-held grudges, old limiting beliefs, and much more. Don't allow them to keep draining your energy and focus. If they are no longer serving you, banish them from your life. Doing this can be as simple as making a conscious decision to let go of them.

Talk about feeling lighter! Without all that old emotional baggage weighing on your mind, your surroundings aren't the only thing that will start looking refreshed!

Robert Greenshields is a marketing success coach who helps entrepreneurs and independent professionals transform their business results by changing their mindset. Sign up for his 7 top tips on Calming the Chaotic Life

Your Comfort Zone

Moving Out Of the Comfort Zone

Have you pondered about your daily activities and progress or by the lack of passion in your life?

You go to the same job every day, even though you prefer to spend your time somewhere else. You do the same chores and run similar errands. You think the same thoughts and therefore feel the same way day in and day out. You meet the people you met yesterday and the days before and talk about familiar topics. And you wonder why you are unhappy and unfulfilled.

You are still where you are, doing what you have been doing and engaging with the familiar group of people because you refuse to move beyond your limitations. You have not had the courage to bring something new into your life and achieve more than what you are capable of.

If you wish to create something different from this day on, you have to let your fears, doubts and uncertainties go. The simplest way to begin is to name your goal and start to do a little something immediately and continue until you succeed.

The worst that can happen is making mistakes. But then those mistakes are better than not having done, learned and achieve anything worthwhile. You will reach a point when you will gather enough experiences to get things right. Can you imagine what would happen, how you would feel, and what you will achieve once you get it right?

So, if there is something that you dislike, you have to start doing something constructive to remove it. Wishing that things would change won't work. Your better tomorrow depends on you. It means making a decision to shift your thinking, habits, and attitudes. It is all within your control. Make Money don't Think About It

Fatimah Musa provides information, tips and quotes to help individuals become aware that any future success starts with their personal growth. You can visit Fatimah at http://www.about-personal-growth.com/

Positive Attitude Goalsetting like Indiana Jones

Goal Setting Secrets of the Real Life Indiana Jones
Remember when you were 15? Can you recall some of the dreams you had then? How many have you accomplished?
My reflection on that is what attracted me so strongly to the story of John Goddard, of whom the LA Times called, "The real life Indiana Jones," and one of his expeditions, "the most amazing adventure of this generation."
When he was 15, Goddard was inspired to create a list of 127 “life goals” (he called it “My Life List”). By his last count, the young seventy-something has accomplished 111 of these PLUS 400 others he set along the way!!
Here’s just a few of the ones he’s reached:
He’s climbed many of the world’s major peaks including the Matterhorn, Ararat, Kilimanjaro, Fiji, Rainier and the Grand Tetons.
He followed Marco Polo’s route through all of the Middle East, Asia and China.
He’s run a mile in five minutes, broad jumped 15 feet, high jumped five feet and performed 200 sit-ups and 20 pull-ups.
He was the first person to explore the 4200-mile length of the world's longest river, the Nile. (It was the number one goal of the 15-year-old Goddard and the one the Times called “the most amazing adventure of this generation.”). He has also been down the Amazon, Congo and others.
John has been to 122 countries, lived with 260 different tribal groups, explored the underwater reefs of Florida, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Red Sea, and more.
He has flown 40 different types of aircraft and still holds civilian air records; has read the Bible cover to cover and learned to speak French, Spanish and Arabic.
The last two on his original list included marrying and having children (he has six) and living to see the 21st Century, which he has done in style.
And I’m just getting started. But I think you get the point.
More than just one of the greatest adventurers the world has ever known, Goddard is an incredibly wise person, as this quote of his demonstrates: "If you really know what you want out of life, it's amazing how opportunities will come to enable you to carry them out."
How did John Goddard manage to live such an incredible life of achievement? Two simple, easily duplicatable “secrets:” He chose BIG dreams and he WROTE THEM DOWN.
There’s no power at all in small dreams. When the dream isn’t big enough, it’s too easy to give in to the obstacles that appear in our life. It’s very difficult to maintain the persistence that all great achievement requires when the dream is small or ordinary.
Harland Sanders was 65-years-old, with little more than a $105 Social Security payment in his pocket, when he started Kentucky Fried Chicken. He is said to have been rejected by over 1,000 banks before he became successful. If he hadn’t had a big dream his self-esteem could never have withstood such rejection.
One of the biggest dreamers in the world is Mark Victor Hansen. Working with his partner, Jack Canfield, their idea was rejected by 140 book publishers as “unsellable.” Today, their Chicken Soup series includes more than 70 titles that have sold more than 90 million copies in 39 languages. Mark says, “The more goals you set - the more goals you get. Think big, act big and set out to accomplish big results. ”
Not only must your dreaming and goal setting be big, but it must be in writing. Brian Tracy says that this act alone increases your odds of success by 1000%! Like many people, I’d heard that I should write my goals down, but like most people, I rarely did. Looking at Brian’s formula another way, the failure to write your goals and dreams down means that you’ve got less than a 1-in-10 chance of succeeding. Can it be any wonder then that most people don’t live their dreams?
Who knows where your life can go after it is driven by life goals. You may find yourself landing on the moon someday, which happens to be one of the few original dreams that John Goddard hasn’t realized.
Whatever you dreams may be, when you're doing your goal setting, make them BIG and WRITE THEM DOWN! Don’t be like the chap in this poem that Napoleon Hill included in the original edition of Think and Grow Rich:
"I bargained with Life for a penny, And Life would pay no more, However I begged at evening When I counted my scanty store. For Life is a just employer, He gives you what you ask, But once you have set the wages, Why, you must bear the task. I worked for a menial’s hire, Only to learn, dismayed, That any wage I had asked of Life, Life would have willingly paid."
Copyright © 2004 Vic Johnson
Vic Johnson is a popular motivational speaker, author and Internet Infopreneur who has created some of the most visited personal development sites on the Web. His flagship site AsAManThinketh.net has given away over 200,000 eBook copies of James Allen’s classic. He is co-author of "Goals 2004," and "Goals 2005" which are found at http://www.Goals2005.com

Time Management Skills You Can Work with

"Time is Gold" - Not A Cliche Anymore

When we were kids, life was simple: you wake up, get ready for school, have breakfast, spend eight hours at school, go home, do homework, watch a little tv, then back to bed. The same routine happens the next day. All you gotta worry about is your home work, or a test the following day or the next.

Then we all grow up to be adults, with a job, with kids, our responsibilities magnified a hundred fold -- our chores and errands sometimes filling up to the brim. You wish a day was longer, or that you had a clone to do half the work that you're supposed to do. You feel burnt out. You cry out for a vacation, a break, anything!

Let's face reality: you cannot control time! What you have under control is yourself -- your behavoir during the day. Is procrastination your middle name? Are you cool and collected when things do not go according to what you have planned? Changing your actions and reactions during the day is the most effective way you can manage your time.

Here are some tips to help you become "time savvy:"

1. Know yourself.
The most successful way to start managing your time is to have an honest assessment of yourself. What are your strongest points? The things you do best? Most of the time, the work you need to do that utilizes your "best skills" will be done in less time than the others.

Evaluate yourself - do you find yourself always putting off work? Are you a perfectionist? How do you react when you don't get your work done? Taking note of these things will help you in recognizing the negative things that eat up your time during the day.

If you feel like you can't make an honest assessment of yourself, ask someone close to you, like your partner or even a fellow co-worker. Ask them to inform you how they can tell when you're overstressed. Some people fell that they're okay even if people around them can see that they're not.

Try to observe when you're tense. Sometimes, just simply taking note of tensed muscles will relax them.

2. Ask why.
Have a clear idea why you want to manage your time -- is it because you feel overworked? Or underproductive? Or do you feel that you're not spending enough time with your family anymore? Keeping the reason in mind will help you focus on managing your time effectively. Whenever you feel like giving up on work and putting it off the next day, just keep reminding yourself why you have to continue, today.

3. Set goals.
Setting realistic goals, that is. You have to tell yourself how much work you want to be done for a day; but make sure that you consider realistically how much work you can do. Remember, a day is only 24 hours. Even if you're the queen bee of organization, there's only so much that you can do. Accept that.

4. Recognize time-wasting deeds.
Are you guilty of wasting time on trivial things? Most of us are. You're planning to do your laundry right after checking your e-mail, but you spend too much time checking your e-mail, forwarding, writing your replies. Three hours later, you realize it's too late to do your laundry because it's time for dinner. You're going to postpone doing laundry until tomorrow, when you have other stuff planned to do. Like the laundry, your work piles up. Keeping in touch of course, is essential, but isn't it better to do that after finishing up with work?

Take note of the things that you waste your precious time with, and try to eliminate them. In time, you'll find yourself having the time to do such things.

5. Ignore interruptions.
It's Sunday, and you're rushing to do a presentation for Monday. Your sister calls you on your cell, and proceed to gab it up for four hours. After talking to her, you rush through the presentation, and sleep at dawn. You wake up two hours later, overtired, stressed, and completely unready for the presentation. Sounds familiar? Interruptions waste your time. You could maybe ask your sister to call you back once you've finished with work? So you could focus more on her, and not on the impending presentation.

You could also set a goal for yourself to avoid personal calls while working. It seems harsh, at first, but this will ensure you get your work done on time.

6. Put it on paper!
You do not only need to write down the things you need to be done, but one thing you have to put on paper is your goals. This will enable you to check back on them from time to time, and evaluate yourself if you're meeting your goals. Am I still avoiding my time-wasting activities? Check. Am I spending more time with my family? Check.

7. To do list.
First, a scratch. List all of the things you need to be done. Then, reread what you have written and start prioritizing. Put items on the NOW or HIGH PRIORITY list, and others on the LATER or LOW PRIORITY. Do the things on the "now list" in the morning, or as soon as possible. And when you do have time in the afternoon, do the "later list."

If, during the day, you realize that what you're doing on the "now list" is what you don't need to be doing at the moment, demote it to the "later list" and proceed to the next errand/work you have to do.

8. Set a time limit.
In each task, it's best to set a time limit on each of them. Of course, you have to know yourself in order to gauge how much time you need to spend on one errand. You can set an alarm in your cellular phone to warn you if you've spent the time you have set on the job. For example, setting one hour for grocery shopping. If you have an idea of how much time you need to spend in the market, you'll also minimize your time dawdling on the shelves and picking things that are not on your grocery list.

9. Be organized!
You cannot manage your time effectively if your files, or receipts, documents are not in order. You're on your way to the bank but you can't remember which drawers you have thrown your statements in. Then you waste more time hurriedly riffling through drawers around the house. Organization and time management go hand in hand.

10. Maximize your time.
If you know you're going to spend time waiting for a doctor's appointment, why not use that time to balance your checkbook, or maybe take a look at your daughter's term paper that she asked you to comment on? Realize that time is gold, and that you need to be productive each second.

Finally, once you've felt you're improving on managing your time -- give yourself a pat on a back. Maybe, set a time for a spa treatment or a quiet day at a park with your family -- as a gift to yourself, now that you're more productive, efficient, and happy.

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

Matthew Roberts (the author of this article) has set you up with a special gift on his website.

In an exclusive personal interview he uncovered the secret success strategies of multi-millionaire John Di Lemme. For your FREE 18 minute extract of this interview, head on over to http://www.InspirationToAchieve.com

Positive Attitude Tips You Can Appreciate

1. Smile
2. Laugh
3. Greet people courteously
4. Be enthusiastic
5. Dream. Engage in ‘Imagineering’. Set a goal. Aim high.
6. Act. Work your plan. Don’t be an ‘Excusiologists’.
7. Be single minded in your purpose.
8. Love your work.
9. Be focused at all times. Be dedicated, disciplined and regular in your work.
10. Show commitment.
11. Strive for excellence. Set your own benchmark.
12.‘Sharpen the saw, ‘Polish the brass’ everyday.
13. Be humble and open- minded. Always wear your ‘white belt’.
14. Be open to change. Don’t be afraid of taking risks.
15. Don’t be judgmental. Forgive and forget.
16. Develop a loving attitude to all around you.
17. Accept adversity and disappointments. Overcome them and emerge stronger.
18. Cultivate a working philosophy of life: Turn every experience, ‘good’ or ‘bad’, into a ‘learning’ experience.
19. Be your own critic. Strive for improvement. Be a life-long ardent student of life.
20. Live each day as though it were your last.
21. Lead. The five key *facets of leadership are..... Focus, Authenticity, Courage, Empathy, Timing.
22. Remember, we are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.
Always, keep your face to the sun,and shadows will fall behind you.
Note:
*(Taken from one of the motivational Leadership article)
N.SRIVATHSHANMBA(PHARMA MARKETING),BA SALES,PRODUCT, ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT,PHARMACY,NUTRITION&DIETETICS. PRODUCT MANAGER NANDAN BIOMATRIX
Secret of Goals Partners Life is all about experience Super Successful People

There is a form of Yoga for everyone

The Purpose of Yoga- Choosing a Yoga Teacher and a Yoga School
Choosing the right Yoga teacher, and a compatible Yoga style, is more complicated than most people realize. Most Yoga students should first research through the many Yoga styles available, in their local area, to determine which will best suit their needs.

There are many to choose from, when you consider there are nine main Yoga styles from India. These nine main styles are: Bhakti, Raja, Karma, Jnana, Hatha, Kundalini, Tantra, Yantra, and Mantra Yoga. Each of these Yoga styles places different emphasis on the methods for union of mind, body, emotion, and spirit. There are also many hundreds of sub-styles of these forms of Yoga.
Outside of India, Hatha Yoga, and its many sub-styles, is most commonly seen. With all of this in mind, researching the prospective style is very important. You should learn and compare local styles of Yoga, which are available to you.
Then you should consider which of the following is the most important health aspect - Is it mental, physical, emotional, spiritual health, or a combination of them? All of us do not have the same needs.
For example: If you are in search of relief from stress, you might not be looking for “Boot Camp Yoga,” complete with a “drill sergeant” to bark out commands and insults for you to “shape up or ship out.” Yet, some people love Yoga boot camps for the feelings of accomplishment and empowerment, which carry over into everyday life.

With that said, if you are looking for a “Yoga workout,” a class that focuses on meditation may not suit your needs. The many benefits of meditation cannot be realized by a closed mind. You cannot force yourself to meditate and neither can your Yoga teacher.
You can, at least, try to meditate, but if you are not receptive to it, you may be best to try a physical style or take a Pilates class. This is not meant to speak ill of physical styles, or Pilates, but it brings to mind a saying – “You can't teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of time and it annoys the pig.” So, wh y bother wasting time? Find a Yoga style, which fulfills your needs, and enjoy your life.
If you are searching for a Yoga exercise class, Hatha styles, such as Bikram, Vinyasa, Power, and Hot Yoga, may be just what you are looking for. Ashtanga is also physically challenging, however, Ashtanga is the Sanskrit word for “eight limbs,” and is a form of Yoga described by Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras. Ashtanga is sometimes called, “Raja” Yoga, which is one of the nine main Indian Yoga styles.

Now – let’s say you are middle aged, or older - have been inactive for a while -possibly have some physical limitations – and you are searching for a Yoga style to help you get the most out of life. In this case, the gentler Hatha Yoga sub- styles, such as Restorative, Iyengar, Kripalu, and Chair Yoga, will help you age more gracefully.
Lastly, there is a form of Yoga for everyone, of any age, but you want to research, educate yourself, try it out, and find the Yoga teacher who is suitable for you.<>© Copyright 2007 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.riyoga.com He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. To receive a Free e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

When you wish to improve a particular skill

Expand Your Mental Powers
Over the centuries, human beings have developed many techniques to gain access to their inner wisdom and improve learning.
One technique that many people have found very beneficial is to have an imaginary guide that they can call on for advice and insight.
A modern variation of this technique has been developed by intelligence researcher Dr. Win Wenger and it is detailed in his book "The Einstein Factor"
This exercise is sometimes called "Putting on the Expert’s Head"
This technique enables you to access some of the enormous untapped potential that resides in the mind of every individual. This technique can even accelerate your ability to develop a new skill. It gives you access to parts of yourself that you are normally not aware of.
It can improve your ability to come up with new creative ideas.
The first step is to decide what knowledge or skill you would like to develop in yourself. What are you interested in that you would like to do better? You might wish to improve your skill at archery, sculpture or painting, doing mathematics, or playing a musical instrument.
Once you have decided what skill or knowledge you would like to develop, take some time to think about those people you consider an expert in this chosen field. Whose skills do you admire? Who do you think of as a great role model and expert in the field?
The person need not be currently living. Before you move ahead with this exercise, you may wish to research the life of the person you have chosen.
You might even decide you want to see the world from the perspective of your favorite animal or bird, such as a wolf or an eagle.
When you are ready to do the Expert's Head exercise, prepare yourself by deeply relaxing your body and your mind. Take some time to get comfortable in a place where you will not be disturbed. Internally scan your body for tension, and allow your muscles to relax. Breathe calmly and smoothly in a relaxed way.
Now think: is there a particular pla ce where you would like to meet your imaginary expert? You might want to meet this guide in your own home, but feel free to imagine another site. For example, you could visualize meeting in a beautiful garden, in a forest, on top of a mountain, or some other location.
You can improve your ability to visualize imaginatively by speaking out loud your inner impressions to a tape recorder, or to another person. Eventually, even the slightest glimmer of imagination will be reinforced and amplified by consistent practice of this exercise.
If you are not yet able to easily imagine a location in which to meet your chosen expert, don't worry. Simply move forward to the imagined encounter with this person, whenever you are ready.
Your imaginary encounter may go exactly as planned, or there may be surprises in store for you. Perhaps someone you weren’t expecting shows up. Perhaps your chosen expert does not want to participate. If no one appears in your mind's imagination, ask for someone to come forwa rd, and then wait.
When your imaginary guide appears, handle the encounter with as much politeness and respect as you would a real life encounter with a real person. Do you feel comfortable in the presence of this expert? Do you have the sense that the expert feels comfortable with you?
Even if these guides are figments of your inner mind, you still need to be sure you are accessing a part of yourself that wants to promote only the best for you.
If you get any sense of discomfort between you, thank the expert for coming, and politely dismiss him or her. Think of another expert you admire in your chosen field and create an imaginary encounter with that person. You may even have to create a totally fictitious character to be your imaginary expert.
Once you have established a meeting with your chosen expert, mentally picture yourself and your visiting expert standing facing each other in an attitude of great respect. Gently put your arms out and slowly remove the expert’s head from his or her body. Since this is only an imaginary person or animal, the head should come off quite easily.
Place the expert's head above your own, facing the right way, and lower it over your own head. Now believe that you are looking out at the world through the eyes of your chosen expert, hearing through the expert's ears, smelling through the expert's nose.
Take the time to allow the expert's mind to slowly merge with your own mind. Now gently pull the expert's body towards you, and step into it. Feel as if it fits you perfectly. Feel that you have merged with the expert's mind and body and can feel and do the same things.
When you feel that you are actually in the expert's body, notice what seems different to you. Does the world look different in any way? Do any of your attitudes feel different? How does your body feel different? Can you feel the confident attitude of the expert? Memorize the sensation.
Focus on the differences you notice and start to talk about them out loud. Spend at lea st five minutes doing this step. When you have finished, gently step out of the borrowed imaginary body and carefully remove the expert's head from you own. Respectfully return the head and body to the expert. Thank that person for allowing you to have this experience.
You can use the Expert's Head technique to improve your skills at some desired activity, to develop new creative insights, or to accelerate your ability to learn to do something you have never done before.
First spend a few weeks performing the Expert's Head exercise daily to familiarize yourself with it. Each time you do it, spend about 10 –15 minutes mentally being the character of the expert, wearing the expert’s head and body.
After about fifteen minutes, gently remove the expert’s head and step out of the expert’s body. Thank the expert for the use of his or her body, mind and talent. Ask the person to continue filling your mind with more of their expert knowledge and ability even when you are not practicing this exercise .
Before the experience starts to fade from your memory, spend a few minutes writing down or speaking out loud everything you can remember. Write down or speak everything you can remember that was really different when you were in the expert’s mind and body, rather than as yourself.
When you wish to improve a particular skill, first spend about 15 minutes mentally doing it as yourself. Then slip into the expert's head and body to continue the exercise in real life for another fifteen to thirty minutes. If you repeat this process about three times a day, you will experience a greatly accelerated ability to master the skills you desire.
Please realize that advice and knowledge received in this manner is not infallible. Do not feel obligated to act on any advice received from your inner dialogue with your imagined guides unless you are absolutely convinced it is appropriate for you at this time.
This technique can greatly increase access to your inner creativity and wisdom, but you will s till need to make informed and reasoned decisions about what you do.
This article was written by Royane Real, author of the book, "How You Can Be Smarter – Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better, and Be More Creative" To learn more brain boosting techniques, download it today at http://www.royanereal.com

Dr. Wayne Dyer's self help books

10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace - Wayne Dyer Book Mini-Review
Dr. Wayne Dyer published his best-selling book, "10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace" and it's an easy read. It's the type of book that you can crack open and find nuggets on pretty much every page you open it to.
Unlike books that give specific advice about actions you could take to achieve success, Dr. Dyer doesn't share any advice on goal-setting, planning your future, or how to listen to older folks who have been there, done that. Instead, he wrote the book to help folks avoid feelings of inadequacy or inner remorse for not having listened to their inner guidance. While the book does have discussion around becoming a greater 'success' in life, perhaps it's more appropriate to say that the book is about finding your own 'inner peace' moreso than success itself.
As I read his book, I couldn't help thinking that the 10 secrets are really reminders of what we already know to be true. Most people turn into autonomous robots going through the daily routine of life without giving any thoughts or meditation to slow down enough to listen to their own inner voice.
Some of Dr. Dyer's ten principles include:
Being open to everything and attached to nothing.
Embracing silence, since meditation is the only way to truly come to know your Source.
Knowing that you can't solve a problem with the same mind that created it.
Treating yourself as if you already are what you'd like to become.
"Stop Looking for Occasions to Be Offended"
One takeaway that I took from the book that is worth sharing: When I first read the book, there must have been at least 10 times that I read something that I wished someone else in my life would better understand.
Example: On Page 110, Dr. Dyer says, "Stop Looking for Occasions to Be Offended" and I immediately thought of someone else that I know who is easily offended or looks to be offended daily.

A few years later, I came to understand that this message was for me to understand (and not for others I thought 'should' understand the concepts). Seems more important to be able to release our judgment of others who choose to become offended easily.
We each create our own personal experience and really only have full control over our own perceptions of reality. Conversely, we have very little control over others. Therefore, it's the work of the ego that encourages us to judge and compare what others do against what we think they should do. Not exactly the formula for 'inner peace.' Therefore one of the secrets Dr. Dyer encourages us to consider is that there are no justified resentments.
Conclusion:
If you've been reading Dr. Wayne Dyer's self help books since the 1970's, you'll quickly realize that this book offers or reinforces many of the same messages he has been talking about for decades. Still, it would be hard to read this book and not take 10 things out of it before you finish the first chapter. The 10th secret is my favorite. The ISBN for "10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace" is: 1561708755 and it's worth picking up if you don't already own it.

Successful Goal Achievement

No one becomes successful by accident. Motivational speaker Les Brown advises, “You must see your goals clearly and specifically before you can set out for them. Hold them in your mind until they become second nature.” Certainly, visualization is an essential element of achieving success.

Visualization is a secret shared by top athletes, actors, performers, and business leaders. It is used by almost all successful people. Visualization is mentally picturing an event before it happens, and seeing yourself successfully accomplishing the event. It is a powerful tool used to generate confidence, motivation, and faith. Imagine if right now you could motivate yourself, and then keep yourself motivated — how much you could achieve? Visualization creates energy, determination, and allows your creativity to generate new ideas to overcome possible obstacles. Vision creates motivation. Vision creates persistence.

The first step in creating what you want is to determine exactly what it is you want. Sounds simple, but it is not always so. For a dream to become a goal, clarity and detail are required. It’s not enough just to have "an idea” of what we want. We need to define exactly what we want. The first step is to shape it, define it, visualize it.

Read More at Successful Goal Achievement

Dr. Annette Colby, RDNutrition Therapist & Master Energy Therapist
Subscribe to our FREE content filled newsletter and see why it’s been called the best e-zine on the net!
http://www.lovingmiracles.com/Miracles@AnnetteColby.com972.985.8750"Opening Creative Portals to Success"

Life Is A Choice

Everything in life is a choice—are you choosing the best or are you choosing to see more negative in every situation or experience?


There are many choices for every situation or issue. Some days it seems everything goes well, people help us, the details of events/projects fall into place, outcomes and rewards are visible. Albeit other days everything seems to be up hill or full of ebbs and under-currents.


The first step is to recognize that you have an inner ‘center of control’ that is vital to your being truly in your unique flow. This ‘center of control’ emanates from your core being—the you that you are. A highly effective core can be described as:


• Consistent
• Contemplative
• Decisive
• Determined
• Focused
• Introspective
• Organized
• Persistent


There is immense power in these characteristics to make choices.


When people fail to choose to be the center of their choices, they generally blame others for their lack of success, or they berate themselves over past deeds, perceived mistakes and ancient experiences, and that stops the flow of creativity and forward movement.


The second step is to ‘forgive’ yourself for any perceived lack, misdeeds, perceived mistakes and ancient history—none of which, you can change no matter how much you berate yourself.


"Many people are afraid to forgive because they feel they must remember the wrong or they will not learn from it. The opposite is true. Through forgiveness, the wrong is released from its emotional stranglehold on us so that we can learn from it. Through the power and intelligence of the heart, the release of forgiveness brings expanded intelligence to work with the situation more effectively.” --David & Bruce McArthur


What does this statement convey? Although holding grudges may seem like human nature, it is a learned behaviour. Studies show that holding grudges or blaming ourselves works to the detriment not only of spiritual well-being, but for our physical health as well. Resentment, bitterness, hostility, anger and fear are emotions that have specific physiological consequences—increased blood pressure, hormonal changes, arthritis, TMJ, ulcers, cancer, lupus, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, cardiovascular disease, immune suppression and impaired neurological function and the list goes on. Metaphysics research reveals every physical illness has a mental/emotional cause and there is a metaphysical way to overcome them.


On the other side the coin, research reveals that forgiveness reduces the stress of the unforgiving state. Researcher Charlotte vanOyen Wityliet, posits that forgiveness needs to be incorporated into everyone’s maturation process as a way of life, not merely a response to specific insults. Thus, forgiveness is part of a child’s acculturation instead of a side bar in life. Learning to forgive, needs to be as important as learning to say, please and thank you. “It’s a process, not a moment,” says Dr. Edward M. Hallowell, a Harvard psychiatrist and author of “Dare to Forgive.”


See articles:


Forgiveness—Ordinary Acts, Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD
http://ezinearticles.com/?Forgiveness---Ordinary-Acts&id=357060


Forgiveness—Benefits, Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD
http://ezinearticles.com/?Forgiveness—Benefits&id=356627


Forgiveness—The Key To Peace of Mind
http://ezinearticles.com/?Forgiveness—The-Key-to-Peace-of-Mind&id=275172


Forgiveness—Truths and Myths, Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD


Forgiveness—A Misunderstood Concept, Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD


Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, Life Coach, Hypnotherapist, Author, "101 Great Ways To Improve Your Life." Mind, Body, Spirit healing and Physical/Sexual Abuse Prevention and Recovery. As an inspirational leader, Dr. Neddermeyer empowers people to view life's challenges as an opportunity for Personal/Professional Growth and Spiritual Awakening. http://www.drdorothy.net

Your Attitude Is Your Choice

By: Michael A. Verdicchio


Few people believe that their attitude is their own choice. For most people, their attitude depends upon people and circumstances. If people are nice to them, then they have a good attitude. If circumstances are favorable, they are in a good mood.

On the other hand, if someone treats them unfairly, then they have a bad attitude. If the circumstances are not favorable, they are in a bad mood.

Most people fail to realize that their attitude and their mood are really their own choice. Let me give you a silly example.

Awhile back, someone sent the following to me in an email.

A little old lady went to the mirror one morning and noticed that she had only three hairs on her head. As she looked into the mirror, she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today." That's exactly what she did. And, she had a great day.

The next morning, at the mirror once again, the little old lady noticed that she only had two hairs on her head. Looking herself right in the eye, she said, "Today, I think I'll part my hair down the middle." That's exactly what she did. And, she had a great day.

The next day, as the little old lady looked into the mirror, there was only one hair on her head. She looked at that one lonely hair and said, "Today I think I'll wear my hair in a pony tail." That's exactly what she did. And she had a great day.

The following morning the little old lady looked into the mirror and there wasn't a single hair on her head. Her eyes lit up, and she said, "Yeah! I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Your attitude is your choice.

Now, if you're a lady, please don't let this illustration shake you up too much, okay? I am quite aware that in our culture bald men are considered more attractive than bald women. In fact, I thought about that when I first read this story in the email. I wondered why they used the example of a woman in the story.

But the more I thought about it, the more I saw how much more powerful and dramatic this example is with a woman! The whole point of the illustration is all about attitude.

We can blame circumstances for our attitude. We can blame the actions of others for our attitude. We can even blame the dog. But the truth is, we decide, we choose and we determine our attitude at any given moment.

The attitude that you have right now, at this very moment, is the one you have chosen to carry around. It is determined by your thoughts.

In this silly illustration about the woman, she could have had one lousy day after another watching her each hair disappear just as easily. She could have spent her days depressed. She could have spent her time being angry.

Instead, she looked for something to be positive about, even in the middle of a lousy situation. She chose to deal with her situation in a positive way, and as a result she had a great day. Even though this is a fictional story, the point is well made.

Think about it. When was the last time you had a lousy attitude and a great day? Do you think that a connection exists between attitude, thoughts and physical realities of the day you are having? Of course it does!

I like to end my blogs with, "Choose to have a great day." There will certainly be days with circumstances that we are not able to change. There may be people we deal with that act like jerks. But, regardless of what we are faced with each day, we can choose to let it affect our attitude, or we can choose to not let it affect our attitude.

Attitude is a choice. Choose to have a great day!




About The Author

Michael A. Verdicchio is a husband, father, minister, author,and broadcaster. He has been the voice on numerous productions over the years. Michael has a free newsletter called, THE PEP LETTER, at
http://www.christianinspirationalgifts.com/pepletter.html.

Greg Vanden Berge Visit us and Check out our selection of ebooks and books.

Isn't It Time to Give Yourself Permission?

By Lois GallowayRemember back in school days when you needed a permission slip to do almost anything outside of the classroom? Things like simply being able to visit the washroom, attend a sports meeting or going on a field trip? As adults we don't need someone to give us a permission slip. We already have a whole supply at our disposal.Now the trick here is to remember to use them.Sounds simple right? Well, I have to tell you it's not always that simple. Actually I'm quite sure most of you haven't even thought about giving yourself permission to do much of anything lately, let alone permission to have some fun. Am I right?Remember that there are some old beliefs that probably crop up when you are tempted to give yourself permission to do something, change something about yourself or ask for something.Here's a list of some of those beliefs that show up and cause us to deny ourselves permission.What will people think?I'm sure I can't afford to do thatI don't really deserve thisI'm afriadI'll be considered selfishWhat if I fail?What if I'm successful?That's way outside my comfort zoneLet me share with you an example from my own life experience.About 8 months ago I was attending a womens networking seminar and while I was there, I met up with Carol, a Personal Fitness Trainer. She was so interesting to chat with and I was really enjoying our conversation until she suggested that I come out to the gym and experience working out.Oh boy, that was definitely something I never gave myself permission to do. Actually, that was one area that I was way out of my comfort zone because physical fitness has always been a big challenge for me. I just knew that I would feel uncomfortable working out in a gym.
But I have to tell you, I decided to put myself out there and took her up on her offer. And after three weeks of consistent training, I started to feel very comfortable. In fact, I felt extremely comfortable, energetic and especially proud of myself. It was great!Now after 8 months of working out I am really seeing the benefits and am so happy that I took the chance and gave myself permission to step outside my comfort zone.Here's some permission slip ideas you might want to incorporate into your own life.Permission to do something that pleases YOU. (Yes, that's right, something that pleases you, how wicked!)Permission to say no. (Not always easy to do but WOW, the benefits are tremendous.)Premission to take an occasional day off from whatever it is you do. (And remember, stop checking those emails.)Premission to check your emails. (Ok, ok, I'm guilty of this one too.)Premission to become that fearless person you have always wanted to be. (This is BIG but so worth developing.)So the moral of this information is that YOU are the only one who can sign your own permission slips.What will they be? Will you give yourself permission to have some fun days, take a day off and enjoy it with a friend, give yourself permission to have a day with no interruptions, a day to kick back and just read?All of these are possible, you just need to develop the skill and use it!

Self Improvement And Motivation Positive Attitude

Charles Lindbergh

(February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974)

Charles Lindbergh Jr. , known as "Lucky Lindy" and "The Lone Eagle", was a United States aviator famous for piloting the first solo non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927.Some believe Lindbergh tarnished his good name by his leadership in the movement to keep the US out of World War II. Others credit Lindbergh for his brave championing of a respectable view that was losing popular support.

Lindbergh was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Swedish immigrants. He grew up in Little Falls, Minnesota. His father, Charles Lindbergh Sr., was a lawyer and later a U.S. Congressman who opposed the entry of the U.S. into World War I; his mother was a chemistry teacher. Early on, he showed an interest in machinery, especially aircraft. Lindbergh, for a short time, attended Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach, California [1].In 1922, he quit a mechanical engineering program, joined a pilot and mechanics training program with Nebraska Aircraft, bought his own plane, a World War I-surplus Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny", and became a stunt pilot. In 1924, he started training as a pilot with the Army Air Service. During this time he also held a job as an airline mechanic in Billings, Montana working at Logan International Airport.After finishing first in his class, Lindbergh took his first job as lead pilot of an airmail route operated by Robertson Aircraft Co. of Lambert Field in St. Louis, Missouri. He flew the mail in a DeHavilland DH-4 biplane to Springfield, Peoria, and Chicago, Illinois. During his tenure on the mail route, he was renowned for delivering the mail under any circumstances. He even salvaged stashes of mail from his burning aircraft and immediately phoned Alexander Varney, Peoria's airport manager, to advise him to send a truck.In April 1923, while visiting friends in Lake Village, Arkansas, Lindbergh made his first ever nighttime flight over Lake Village and Lake Chicot.

Benjamin Franklin

(January 17 [O.S. January 6] 1706 – April 17, 1790)
Benjamin Franklin was one of the most well known Founding Fathers of the United States. He was a leading printer, scientist, inventor, civic activist, and diplomat. As a scientist he was a major figure in the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. As a political writer and activist he, more than anyone, developed the idea of an American nation, and as a diplomat during the American Revolution, he secured the French alliance that made independence possible.

One of the oldest Founders, Franklin was noted for his curiosity, his writings (popular, political and scientific), and his diversity of interests. His wise and scintillating writings are proverbial to this day. As a leader of the Enlightenment, he gained the recognition of scientists and intellectuals across Europe. An agent in London before the Revolution, and Minister to France during, he more than anyone defined the new nation in the minds of Europe. His success in securing French military and financial aid was the turning point for American victory over Britain. He invented the lightning rod; he was an early proponent of colonial unity; historians hail him as the "First American". The city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania marked Franklin's 300th birthday in January 2006 with a wide array of exhibitions, and events citing Franklin's extraordinary accomplishments throughout his illustrious career.Born in Boston, Massachusetts to a devout Anglican tallow-maker, Franklin learned printing from his older brother and became a newspaper editor, printer, and merchant in Philadelphia, becoming very wealthy. He spent many years in England and published the famous Poor Richard's Almanac and the Pennsylvania Gazette. He formed both the first public lending library and fire department in America as well as the Junto, a political discussion club.

He became a national hero in America when he spearheaded the effort to have Parliament repeal the unpopular Stamp Act. A diplomatic genius, Franklin was almost universally admired among the French as American minister to Paris, and was a major figure in the development of positive Franco-American relations. From 1775 to 1776, Franklin was Postmaster General under the Continental Congress and from 1785 to his death in 1790 was President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania. Towards the end of his life, he became one of the most prominent early American abolitionists.Franklin was interested in science and technology, carrying out his famous electricity experiments and invented the Franklin stove, medical catheter, lightning rod, swim fins, glass harmonica (not the harmonica, which was invented long after Franklin), and bifocals. He also played a major role in establishing the higher education institutions that would become the University of Pennsylvania and the Franklin and Marshall College. He was elected the first president of the American Philosophical Society Held at Philadelphia for Promoting Useful Knowledge

the oldest learned society in the United States, in 1769. In addition, Franklin was a noted linguist, fluent in five languages. He is typically recognized as a polymath.Inventions and scientific inquiriesFranklin was a prodigious inventor. Among his many creations were the lightning rod, the glass harmonica, the Franklin stove, bifocal glasses, and the flexible urinary catheter. Although Franklin never patented any of his own inventions, he was a supporter of the rights of inventors and authors and was responsible for inserting into the United States Constitution the provision for limited-term patents and copyrights.In 1743, Franklin founded the American Philosophical Society to help scientific men discuss their discoveries. He began the electrical research that, along with other scientific inquiries, would occupy him for the rest of his life (in between bouts of politics and moneymaking).


Benjamin Franklin
Bessie Coleman
Bill Gates
César Chávez

Top 10 Ways to Change Your Life by Changing Your Memes

By: Bea Fields Memes. funny word, big concept. Memes are essentially the building blocks for how we move through life. From “Where’s the beef” to “Nice guys finish last”, they are made up of ideas, behaviors, styles or usages that spread from person to person within a culture. They form the boundaries and limits we use to operate in the world. When we were infants, we soaked them up like a sponge and learned how to survive. As we grew older, we began to question them as well as gather evidence to support those that had already taken root, often subconsciously. Sometimes these memes helped us reach our dreams, sometimes not.

Through awareness and conscious choice, our memes can support and energize us to reach our goals and create a new reality--one of our own choosing. So roll up your sleeves and let’s do some spring cleaning on those memes… 1) Name the Memes Around You In your lifetime, you have been surrounded by countless memes. Your family history, culture, friends, television, music, the part of the world you live in, the time period in which you grew up all play a part in the way you view the world. As you become more in tune to these messages, you will be able to identify the ones that support you and eliminate those that don’t. Exercise: Consider the following areas and the cultural beliefs that relate to them: Money Success Relationships World politics Aging 2)

Clarify What’s Influencing You

Were there certain beliefs in your family that you picked up? Did work have to be hard? Was it selfish to ask for what you want rather than go along to get along? Were there certain things that were just not done? The key shift is taking control and using your own thoughts, beliefs, and ideas to invent a new way of being that becomes a bi-product of your thinking propelling you forward to grow and evolve reducing the struggle. Exercise: Ask yourself the question "Is this belief, idea, concept, or thought working for my life purpose?"

This sounds simple, but it can actually be quite challenging. We all have ideas, beliefs, and thoughts (all memes) which work for our lives and those which don't. This question should also be asked as you are interacting with your memetic environment. Are the books, websites, journals, movies, and conversations you are having pulling you forward or causing a block in your energy or zapping you of your reserves? 3) Dust Off Your Dreams and Evaluate Your Strengths What are your strengths? What comes easy or naturally to you? Find out what your strengths are, and apply these each and every day to your life. By getting clear on your life purpose and by examining your thoughts several times each day, it is possible to begin choosing memes which pull you forward. Exercise: Make a list of things you were "driven to do" but you didn't because of a belief. Did you want to "major in interior design," "invest in a certain stock," or "date or marry a particular person?" Make a list of everything you have wanted to do in the past but didn't, and then ask yourself "What were the reasons that you did not act on what you really wanted to do in life?" 4) Map Out Your “Superhighways” Each of us takes in information in a variety of ways, however some ways are our preferred paths. For example, some people enjoy getting ideas from friends and family, some are moved by visual images, music or lyrics, and still others have to experience life to form their own conclusions. By identifying and using your “superhighways” you can enhance and speed up the process of creating a supportive belief system. Exercise: Discover your learning style and work with it. Do some investigation into your learning style and take note of the trends you discover about yourself. Do you prefer to listen to books on tape rather than read? You may be an auditory learner. You learn by listening. If you like to learn by graphs, charts, or from presentations, you may be a visual learner who learns by watching. If however, you learn by hands on experience, you might be kinesthetic and learn best by doing.

5) Eliminate Clutter Holding You Back Waste and clutter crowd your thinking, and the visual image can create negative thinking, such as "I am overwhelmed" or "Things are broken" or "My house is messy." The subconscious will take this thought and will translate it into "I am broken, overwhelmed, and messy." Exercise: Spend about 10 minutes writing down everything that is on your mind. This could be a "to do list", set of random thoughts, energies, or emotions. The goal is to get what is in your mind out and on paper. A “brain dump” is a great way to clear the mind of clutter and crowded thinking. The clearing process can shift your thinking in a heartbeat. 6) Get Creative and Broaden Your Horizons Study an evolutionary trend, a culture different than your own, or a new territory worth entering. Investigate a new topic or idea that interests you—read magazines, interview people in the field, find a group to join Focus on the 15 frameworks. They can open a dialogue to new options, and new ways of thinking. View the 15 Frameworks here Exaggerate or Minimize - If you take a problem, and you blow it up...really exaggerate the problem and make it bigger than it really is, what happens to your thinking? It normally becomes wildly creative. On the same note, when you make something much smaller, the creativity soars as well, because you are shifting your thinking into a mode which is either larger or smaller than is normal for you. Exercise: Put yourself in a new physical environment. We can be creatures of habit, doing the same things over and over again. If you always sit in the back of the room, try sitting in the front, left, or right. You can even sit in a different chair around your table at mealtimes or in your living room. You can walk instead of drive, try a new restaurant or route to work, etc. The new perspective will sharpen your ability to be open to new concepts.

7) Design Failsafe Structures A failsafe structure is a structure or system which makes all environments stronger than you are. Failsafe means that the system or structure is not subject to changes in your mood or in what is going on in your life. Examples of failsafe structures include are a strong, stable Coach stimulating artwork, pictures, and photographs access to solid resources (online, library, magazines) tructures for self care (weekly massages) mastermind groups music you enjoy waking up to ongoing skills training pets who greet you with happiness, excitement, and lots of kisses Exercise: Identify 5-10 people you know and ask them to be on your team. No one does it alone. Next to each person’s name write down their strengths. When you ask them to be on your team, mention their strength, “Bob, I have noticed you are a fantastic speaker, would you be willing to be on my team and help me improve my speaking skills.” Most people will be flattered that you asked, but if Bob turns you down, thank him for his time and ask someone else. In time, you will have assembled a team of people who can provide you with quick solutions to your challenges and stretch your thinking. 8) Be in Your Purpose Find your purpose and put yourself squarely in the middle of it. Get to know people who are outstanding in your field, what are their beliefs, what drives them, what ideas do they have about success?

Try those on, how do they fit for you? Study your topic or find a group. Instead of saying, “I can’t”, ask yourself, “How can I?”. Surround yourself with real success and unlimited possibility, then your meme’s will begin to shift and line up with your goals. Exercise: Interview 25 people in your area of interest. However you define success chose people who have attained it and ask curious questions. Some questions you might ask are: "How/why did you get started?” “What is the most exciting/challenging part of your day?” “If you knew now what you didn’t know then, what would you do differently?” “What are you most proud of?” “What is success to you?” Look for trends and differences in the answers to these questions. Then ask yourself "Which answers work for my life?" You may be surprised at what you find. And, you might even add some members to you team (See tip #7 above). 9) Pay Attention to Inklings and Other Guidance Tools An inkling is a subtle sense of something, even with no evidence to back it up. As you begin to trust your inklings more often, you will find that your thinking shifts and you will become more trusting of your own abilities to make smart choices. Creativity and momentum are also increased. While we don't recommend that you act impulsively on something that is going to cost you financially or in a way which harms you, we do recommend that you go with your impulses in areas such as creative writing, drawing, playing music, or in talking to a stranger "just because you want to."

Exercise: Spend time each day in the alpha state. Research has found that the ideal state for learning is when the brain is in a relaxed, but aware state. Techniques for moving into the alpha state are varied. Some examples are meditation, yoga, swimming, deep breathing exercises, and guided visualization. 10) Realize That “Soakage” is Inevitable Even though we carefully try to choose our memes, renegade beliefs will occasionally get in or resurface, we will always be a work in progress. Don’t beat yourself up but do the necessary things to maximize success. Below are a few suggestions: Stop watching television (or at least...be very, very selective about what you watch.) Immerse yourself in thoughts and literature which relate to your goal. State your intention for what you see is possible for your day and make a verbal commitment to achieving just that. You hit the ground running, and you are in charge of your entire day...not waiting for others to call forth your best. Observe nature - your thinking can become MUCH bigger and can reach far beyond where you are today. Teach or lead others in a new way of thinking Hold an "integrity day" to help people complete mundane tasks, such as cleaning their office. Exercise: Create a "Vision Board" and reinvent this one time each month. One time each month, take the time to post pictures of what you want your life to look like, be like, and feel like on a poster board or bulletin board. Once these pictures are in place, do one thing in order to move you closer to the direction of your vision. A personal vision can orient you in the direction of the future. The more you focus on pictures and goals of what you want and where you are going in life, the more your vision will be pulled in your direction.

About The AuthorThis article was co-authored by Kris Knopp and Bea Fields. Kris Knopp is an empowerment coach, who inspires women to step up and into their full potential in life, to see bigger possibilities, think beyond the ordinary and lay claim to the exhilarating life they are made for. Visit Kris at www.deliberatelifecoaching.com or email Kris@deliberatelifecoaching.com. Bea Fields is an Executive Coach, the Visionary Leader for the Personal Environments Community (http://cid384.cvcommunity.com/?tabInx=webpage), and the owner of http://www.fivestarleader.com/. bea@fivestarleader.com

Feng Shui

Yoga

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Hadra is the term given to the collective supererogatory rituals performed by Sufi orders.

HadhraHadra is the term given to the collective supererogatory rituals performed by Sufi orders. The regular hadra is most often held on Thursday evenings after night prayer, Fridays after Jum`a prayer, or Sunday evenings. The hadra features various forms of dhikr (remembrance), including sermons, collective study, recitation of Qur'an and other texts (especially devotional texts particular to the Sufi order (tariqa), called hizb and wird), religious poetic chanting, centering on praise and supplication to God, religious exhortations, praise of the Prophet, and requests for intercession (inshad dini or madih - the latter term referring literally to "praise") and rhythmic invocations of Allah, using one or more of His Names (especially "Allah", "Hayy", "Qayyum", "Hu") or the testimony of faith and tawhid: "la ilaha illa Allah" (there is nothing worthy of worship but God).

Rhythmic recitation of names and chanting of religious poetry are frequently performed together. In conservative Sufi orders no instruments are used, or the duff (frame drum) only; other orders employ a range of instrumentation. The term in Arabic literally means "presence". The collective Sufi ritual is practiced under this name primarily in the Arab world, but also in some non-Arab Muslim countries such as Indonesia.

What is Sufism?

Sufism is the mystical dimension of Islam based on the esoteric, or "inner-meaning" of its scripture, namely the Qur'an. Sufism's central doctrine is based on a verse of the Qur'an; in which God says, "I created man and breathed My spirit into him." This "Divine spark" placed into every individual, says the Sufi, must be nurtured and cherished. Furthermore, each individual "spark" or "spirit" separated from the Universal Spirit, desires to return and reunite with the Universal spirit. This is confirmed by another verse in the Qur'an, which says "from God we came, and to God shall we return."

This "returning" is vital and central to the Sufi doctrine. Now, the Sufi embarks on a spiritual journey known as the Sufi Path; a path of devotion and love; which leads to none other than God Himself. I shall have more to say [about this] ater on. Origin and Background The word "Sufi is derived from the Arabic word "suf," meaning "wool," Garments woven from wool were generally worn by early mystics, who came to be known as "Sufis," There are other explanations and meanings of the word 'Sufi' but the one I have just given is generally accepted by most Sufis and Sufi scholars. Sufism is known in Arabic as 'Tassawuf' or Islamic Mysticism. A Sufi is a mystic, if by "mystic" we mean a person who strives towards intimate knowledge or communion with God; through contemplation, meditation and or "inner-vision." The origin of Sufism goes back to the Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, who received the Divine Revelation known as the 'Qur'an,' over a period of 23 years. As all Muslims know; the Holy Qur'an is a "multi-layered revelation," whose verses can be interpreted literally, metaphorically, philosophically, and mystically.

The Prophet used to explain and clarify the meaning of each chapter and verse of the Qur'an to his immediate friends and companions. To a select few of his Companions he explained the mystical interpretation of the verses; thus starting a "chain of transmission" of the esoteric meaning of the Qur'an. This was conveyed first by "word of mouth" from master to pupil or disciple. This oral tradition has continued from generation to generation to the present day. It is interesting to note that the "Sufi pledge" between a Sufi-master and his disciple is still an oral one. It was much later that Sufi teachings and practices were formally [laid] down in writing for future generations.

Wisdom is the ability, developed through experience, insight and reflection, to discern truth and exercise good judgment. Wisdom is sometimes conceptualized as an especially well developed form of common sense. According to the renowned Neurophysiologist and Neurobiologist Roger Wolcott Sperry though, Wisdom/Intuition is a right-brain activity while Factual and Mathematical analysis is a left-brain activity.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, wisdom is defined as the "1 a: Accumulated philosophic or scientific learning-knowledge; b: Ability to discern inner qualities and relationships-insight; c: Good sense-judgment d: Generally accepted belief . 2: A wise attitude, belief, or course of action. 3: The teachings of the ancient wise men".Most psychologists regard wisdom as distinct from the cognitive abilities measured by standardized intelligence tests. Wisdom is often considered to be a trait that can be developed by experience, but not taught. When applied to practical matters, the term wisdom is synonymous with prudence.

Some see wisdom as a quality that even a child, otherwise immature, may possess independent of experience or complete knowledge. The status of wisdom or prudence as a virtue is recognized in cultural, philosophical and religious sources. Some define wisdom in a utilitarian sense, as foreseeing consequences and acting to maximize the long-term common good.As such, in general, wisdom is looked at his/her ideals and principles that govern all actions and decisions. Applications of personal wisdom include one's ethical and social guidelines in life that determines one’s unique style of personality, the particular nature of short and long-term goal's pursued in life spiritual or materialistic.

word of wisdom

Napoleon Hill Quotes

Education comes from within; you get it by struggle and effort and thought. Napoleon Hill

Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit. Napoleon Hill

Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed on an equal or greater benefit. Napoleon Hill

Every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to cut all sources of retreat. Only by doing so can one be sure of maintaining that state of mind known as a burning desire to win - essential to success. Napoleon Hill

Everyone enjoys doing the kind of work for which he is best suited. Napoleon Hill

Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness. Napoleon Hill

Hold a picture of yourself long and steadily enough in your mind's eye, and you will be drawn toward it. Napoleon Hill

Ideas are the beginning points of all fortunes. Napoleon Hill

If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way. Napoleon Hill If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self. Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill Quotes

How To Build Self Confidence Today

5 Tips On How To Build Self Confidence Today by: John Edmond

There are very few people who could call themselves perfect and be right. Most of us need to build self confidence today, but the majority just either ignore the issues or concentrate on the negatives: stress, worry, jobs, money problems and relationship issues. Concentrating on these areas drains our self confidence rather than improving it.

If you could improve your self confidence you could make more money, look and feel better physically, or just be more relaxed with other people. Below there are five simple techniques that have been proved to help build self confidence today.
1. Talk to yourself. It sounds crazy but it works. All of us have a running monologue constantly in our heads, whether we realize it or not. Everything we see, hear, or touch sparks off an immediate dialog in our thoughts.
For those who lack confidence this monologue is filled with negative messages many of which are the negative side of adverts from television, radio, advertisement boardings, newspapers, and just overhearing other people talk.
These negative thoughts literally suck energy from our minds and bodies and block the flow of positive messages. We need to hear the positive messages as they will build self confidence today and raise our self esteem. Take control. Use your inner thoughts to talk to yourself in a positive manner, as often as you can.

As an example one of my regular sayings is "I like myself, I like myself, I like myself". I just repeat it for a couple of minutes. It sounds cheesy, but does build self confidence today – Try it. I bet that if you go to the mirror right now and repeat out loud "I like myself!" 50 times, it will be impossible to keep from smiling.
2. Dress as smartly and as classily as you can. You wont feel at your best if you don't look your best. You will be amazed at just how much more confidence you will have just looking your best. It just feels good when you are wearing your best clothes, are well groomed, and are surrounded by a clean environment. So what if it is Saturday, you need to build self confidence today not next week. Put on your nice clothes, get the car washed, style that hair! A hairdresser once told me "Everyday is show time!"
3. Increase your self esteem even more by giving thanks to what you are, how you look, and what you are doing. Say "thank you" to yourself to everything you see, all whom you meet, and each smile that you receive.
4. Stand or sit correctly: How you stand sends out a message to the World, and in turn, back to you. This results in improving how you feel about yourself and will build self confidence today and every day.

There is scientific evidence that shows how posture affects our mood. Do not slouch. Slouching produces a down mood. By slouching you are telling the world and yourself it doesn't matter, you don't matter. Standing tall and upright will actually lift your mood. Help build up your confidence by pulling back those shoulders, stop that slouch, and walk proud.
5. Smile. Just smile and things seem better somehow. Practice smiling regularly and get your facial muscles used to the physical act of smiling.
Go to the mirror and smile – make yourself. Not a grimace, but a proper smile. If you don't think you can try this:
1) Open your eyes as wide as you can – (try and get your eyebrows right up to you hair line)
2) Slightly open your mouth
3) Pull the corners of your mouth back towards your ears (If your not sure pull them back with your fingers so you know what it feels like then try again without your fingers).
4) Repeat 50 times. Get your facial muscles used to smiling and you will smile more and encourage smiles from others. This will make you feel happier and with that you'll build self confidence today.

About The Author
John Edmond writes regularly on personal growth, self help and self esteem at http://www.buildingselfesteem.info .