Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Reach Your Goals with Goal Pooling

Goal-pool with friends or acquaintances

Get together with a group of friends or co-workers and host a logistical brainstorming party where all the invitees lay out the goals theyd li5B4ke help with and make plans to meet them, with the help of the rest of the group. The result might look something like this:

Every Monday the whole crew gets together for a half-hour after work to help Barbara make fund-raising calls for her charity (and in exchange, everyone gets invited to the hoity-toity, networking-heaven Christmas party held to thank the donors and volunteers).

On Wednesdays, Bob hosts a scrap-booking dinner where he provides the food in exchange for mooching supplies, equipment and techniques from his more scrap-savvy cohorts.

On Sundays, June hosts a brunch where everybody eats high on the hog in exchange for honest feedback on her catering recipes and presentation/marketing ideas.

Continue goal-pooling until everyone involved has met their goals unless everyone decides to keep going and move on to the next batch of goals!

(c) Soni Pitts

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Soni Pitts is the Chief Visionary Butt-Kicker of SoniPitts.Com. She specializes in helping others reclaim "soul proprietorship" in their lives and to begin living the life their Creator always intended for them.

She is the author of the free e-book "50 Ways To Reach Your Goals" and ove33Er 100 self-help and inspirational articles, as well as other products and resources designed to facilitate this process of personal growth and spiritual development.

5 Great Tips To Make Your Goals Your Reality

Goals are a great tool for motivation. But if you don't use them correctly, they can also be a source of frustration. Goals are only empowering if they are used properly. So how do you make a goal into something that is a benefit for you?

Goal-setting strategies are important especially for to help you create the type of success you desire and deserve. Here are five goal-setting techniques to help you realize them.

  1. Balance Your Goals: In your life you will have personal development goals, personal finance goals and things goals. Don't neglect any of them. It is ok to want things, but don't forget to balance those pursuits with your own growth as a person. All of these goals are important so be clear about all of them and make them real for you.
  2. Plan Actions From Your Goals: Goals are not items for your to do list. Your goal is what you are striving for. Plan specific actions that lead you towards those goals. Use the goals to provide your compass for those actions. When you plan actions for the day you can easily tell if they're going to be effective if you have clear goals to compare them against.
  3. Share Your Goals: If you were an archer, would you keep it a secret that your goal is to hit the bull's-eye? Too many keep their goals a secret. Share your goals with people who will support and encourage your aims.
  4. Write Down Your Goals: Make your goals real by recording them. Put copies of your goals on index cards and keep copies in the car and in the bathroom and review them regularly. Make them the center of your focus. Don't just set them and then ignore them. Your goals are like a compass to tell you which way to go. The exciting part is that you get to chose the alignment of your compass.
  5. Don't Give Up: Your goals and the actions you take to get them are different things. Don't be afraid to try something, f57Dail and try something else. Take effective and massive action to meet your goals and understand that any true goals will take many steps to achieve. Sometimes you will make a misstep, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the goal. Everyone makes mistakes, but it's only those who abandon their goals who don't achieve them.
  6. Dave Saunders is an author and speaker on motivation and finding balance between body, mind and spirit. Visit http://www.the-time-management-guy.com and receive free time management and goal setting tips.

Techniques in Building Courage for Improving Self Esteem

Building courage is the very first part to improving your self-esteem. When you build up your courage, it also helps you in expanding your mind. You are more likley to take risks that will guide you to an important positive future, where if you ordinary would not challenge yourself. Fear will fall way behind you when you build up your courage level.

All Courage is taking a hold of and admitting your most important fears. But, if you take measures to discover many new ideas it will help you to defeat these important fears. You must not allow your fears to take control of your life, you must gain as much courage as possible to master all of your fears.

being Scared is acceptable from time to time. When you see a flying object heading in your direction, you develop a positive fear that tells you to move out of the way. Healthy and positive fear is also respect. This is a very good thing.

Improving your courage will help you learn to control your life effectively. You will learn new ways to take all responsible actions and accept rewards and consequences. Courageous people will often admit blame and account for, while going over his or her actions and then by using what they have learned from it. Courageous people step up to the plate, rather than jump back at what time all opportunities arrive. Courageous people will step back while taking a closer look at all of their mistakes and accept them no matter what.

At times, a courageous person will feel spontaneous. Sometimes all of your planning will lead to failure, thus you just have to certain things without any planning sometimes. Not one person can explain what happens in the future. You may plan to go to the park on Sunday. then all at once, on the day your going to the park it rains, thunder, tornado, lightning, windstorm, or anything may ruin your plans. When you plan, you failed to plan for the weather or the weather report changed without you knowing about it. This causes you to make another plan to fill in the spots from your original plans. So, you can see that planning sometimes is not in the best interest. But, courageous individuals that are aware of this sometimes take spontaneous and decisive actions.

People with willing souls are ready to make improvements in their overall lives will learn to take control and relax. These individuals will feel so relaxed even when their plans fall apart. Lets say, it rained very hard the following day a person made plans to play soccer. Rather than letting the storm cause them to become down and depressed, this individual will move to find something else exciting and fun to do. In addition, he will enjoy doing what he does because he or she will not let anything ruin there day.

A truly successful individual will make improvements their life and have a positive attitude to learn how to trust all of their own decision making. When this person puts trust in who they are, they learn to trust other individuals also. Trust is something you'll find very difficult to obtain in a world of lies and corruption. But, someone out to improve their self-esteem will see past all of the bad and lies of the world and move forward a positive situation that will bring them happiness.

People can improve your life by making your mind creative. When you use your creative mind, you can create new and exciting ideas that will lead you to improve your self-esteem. Your computer along with many other choices can give you many different options.

But, you must be willing to put forth the effort to find these resources. You may feel intimidated at times. but this is normal. And if you are willing to take these situations with an open mind, you will find it easier to improve your self-esteem.

When your self-esteem is low, its very hard to get through the day. With every day you feel like this, it becomes more stressful than you can bear. Yet, if you are willing to let go of your stress and accept the situation, you will find your way in life to be much easier with fewer hassles. And, you want to relieve your mind of negative and depressed thoughts

Author: G.Wadel Find Out More On All Your Self Help Questions. http://my--self--improvement.blogspot.com

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Do You Have Trouble Asking for Help? - This is a Skill You Can Learn

Do you resist asking for help--until it's your last resort?

Join the crowd.

Our fierce independence is creating a culture of need--and unprecedented isolation.

Attendance at club meetings is down 58 percent, involvement in church activities has dropped as much as 50 percent, and simply having friends over to the house has decreased 45 percent. Meanwhile, one in four people say they have no one to confide in--and most everyone reports overwhelming levels of stress at home and on the job.

The good news?

You can learn to ask for help. But first, you've got to figure why you don't, why you should, and how you can.

Why we don't ask for help

Asking for help is so frightening that, even when faced with death, some of us will still not ask for that helping hand. To overcome this dread, you've got to debunk some common cultural myths--and face your fears:

Myth: Asking for help makes you look weak or needy.

Reality: There's no shame in turning to others in times of need. In fact, it's a sign of strength.

Myth: Asking for help signals incompetence--especially at work.

Rea5B4lity: Seeking help at work shows others that you want to do the job right--and to develop and learn.

Myth: Asking for help can harm relationships.

Reality: Healthy relationships are about give-and-take--not just give.

Myth: Asking for help puts others in an awkward position.

Reality: It's human nature to offer help when you see someone in need--and it's no different when others see you in need.

Myth: Asking for help might lead to rejection.

Reality: Even a "no" response offers the opportunity to learn more about yourself--and your relationships.

Myth: Asking for help means the job might not get done right.

Reality: Refusing to ask for fear of losing control maintains the status quo. Let go and give your helpmate a chance to shine.

Myth: Asking for help means you'll have to return the favor.

Reality: Help freely given comes with no strings attached--other than a simple and sincere thank-you.

Myth: Asking for help just isn't the American way.

Reality: Independence and self-sufficiency are admirable qualities that lead to success. Still, all great enterprises--including our nation--were built on mutual support and teamwork.

Why we should ask for help

Mastering the "Mayday" call can ease and enhance your life and career in a variety of ways. Asking for help:

Deepens connections

When someone answers your call for help, it strengthens5B4 the bond between you--or creates the potential for a new relationship.

Reduces stress and restores energy

Getting help can save you time and energy, simplify your life, and improve your work-life balance.

Reminds you that you're not alone

Everyone needs help at times. If you're the type who endures hardships with grim determination, you'll discover you don't have to go it alone.

Gives happiness to others

Don't you feel good when you help someone else? Letting others help you gives them that same opportunity.

Leads to personal growth

Taking risks, learning to trust, and finding out that others have got your back are just a few of the lessons you'll learn.

Allows the pleasure of surrender

Being out of control can actually feel great. Once asking for help gets a little easier, you'll relish the experience of letting go.

Reminds you that you're worthy of support

You deserve a hand as much as anyone else. When someone comes to your aid, it reinforces that message.

Lets others shine

Seeking help gives others the opportunity to reach out, contribute, and try something new.

Clarifies relationships

Mayday calls reveal the strengths and limitations of relationships--and provide important "aha" moments.

Solves problems

Don't overlook the original reason for the Mayday call: You're in trouble a5B4nd need help--help that could potentially change, or even save, your life.

How we can ask for help

Too many of us would rather go it alone when help is right there--just for the asking. Here are ways to reach out with comfort and confidence:

Practice.

Building your Mayday muscles requires regular exercise. Challenge yourself to ask for help three times a day--every day.

Go easy on yourself.

Self-care is the new self-help. Be compassionate with yourself--and remember that you, too, are deserving of help.

Cast a wider net.

Expand your list of helpmates. Look beyond the obvious--family and friends, and co-workers--and add some new names to the list, starting with someone who's been in your shoes.

Plan the time--and place.

Talk to your potential helpmate as soon as possible. Pick a convenient time for him or her, and do it in person--and in private.

Be specific.

Articulate your needs. Clarify what you're looking for--from terms to timelines--though be careful not to micromanage.

Listen differently.

Be attentive to the subtle cues behind a general "yes" or "no" response. Is your potential helpmate willing--or reluctant?

Use the "three thanks" rule.

Don't flub the thanks. Express your gratitude three times--when the agreement is struck, when the need has been met, and when you next see your helpmate. Ask ea568rly, ask often

No one is immune from needing help, even in today's go-it-alone culture. So, take a risk and "make the ask"--early and often. It just may change your life!

Sincerely,

Kevin "K-Man" McNabb

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Kevin "K-Man" McNabb is the author of "The Responsible Network Marketer" series that can be found at:

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Learning Self-Confidence By Observing Others To Help With Blushing

We all have those people in our lives who are so self-confident that it boggles the mind. The aunt who is short and plump and still flirts with every man she meets. Her husband still flirts right back. The high school math teacher with the thick glasses who gets around on crutches. Previous students are always stopping by to say hello. Your neighbor with the big nose and crooked teeth. She loves to entertain and always has a big smile for her dozens of friends.

These people have physical differences that would make many people very self-conscious,2202 shy and withdrawn. But not them. These aren't those people who are secretly embarrassed by their appearance and put on a false front to hide it. These are the people, who for some unexplained reason, go about their lives as if they are among the most averagely attractive, regular people in the room. You never even see a glimpse of embarrassment pass through their eyes, or hear an apology about additional accommodations that they may need. Self-confidence simply exudes from them.

If you are naturally shy, or developed shyness due to excessive blushing, observing these people can give you some ideas of your own. Like excessive blushing, shyness can only be understood if it's experienced. If you look for parallels in other people's lives and observe how they overcame their difficulties, you will be able to find some techniques or points of view that you may not have considered.

Consider that neighbor for a minute. She loves to entertain and has a lot of friends. She has a wonderful gift of making people feel welcome and relaxed. This gift overshadows anything that may have made anyone else self-conscious by leaps and bounds. Nobody notices or cares about her appearance. They just love to be around her.

The math teacher may have been told by doctors that he would be in a wheelchair by this point in his life. Those crutches may be a symbol of victory for him. He loves to see the look on his students faces when they really begin to understand a mathematics concept. Contact lenses require too much fussing for his taste. Plus, his family tells him his glasses make him look intellectual. Professor-ish, as his daughter puts it.

You don't have to be like these extremely confident people, or anyone else to develop your own self-confidence. You just have to allow yourself to be more of who you are, and reach out to your friends and family in that way. Are you a good listener? Try being the one who calls to chat with friends, especially those who are going through a rough time. Do you love to bake, but don't particularly like to entertain? Bring some snacks to the office to share with your coworkers.

The more that you reach out to people, within your own natural gifts and personality, the more people will open up and reach back to you. Then, before you know it, your confidence will begin to grow all by itself.

Excessive facial blushing is a serious and debilitating problem that affects thousands and thousands of people worldwide. Due to the nature of the problem, where most blushers suffer in silence, it gets very little attention by the media and therefore society.

Not much has been done by the medical community, aside from a dangerous and questionable surgery procedure to help blushers. There is however one method of overcoming blushing that is getting excellent results for all blushers who try it. Find out more at our site http://www.blushingfree.com

Self Defense - How to Prevent an Assault

Here are some facts every parent of a college age child should know.

--One out of four women will be sexually assaulted on a college campus.

--One out of eight women will be raped while in college.

--84% of women who were raped knew their assa5B4ilant.

--57% of rapes occur on a date.

--75% of male students and 55% of female students involved in date rape had been drinking or using drugs.

These are the reported figures. There is a lot of data suggesting that most rapes go unreported. One study showed that only 5 % of victims of rape or attempted rape report it to college police.

But EVERY woman is a potential target of these perverted assailants. An assault occurs every 29 seconds. Most sexual assaults can be avoided by using some common sense and being armed with knowledge of what to avoid and armed with some non lethal self defense weapons.

Let's look at some things you should know to help prevent an assault .....

LOOK. Look around you and be aware of your surroundings-hiding places, people following you, etc. If confronted by an assailant look him straight in the eye so he knows for sure that you will remember what he looks like in a police lineup.

YELL. There are two things about a shout. One it attracts the attention of others. Second it deters assailants. They want an easy target not someone who is going to resist.

SHOW. If you are carrying a non lethal self defense weapon SHOW IT. Sometimes the sound of a discharging stun gun is enough to frighten them off. Try using a combination of SHOW and YELL. Try something like "back off or you'll get 900,000 volts."

PAIN. Learn where some key A20points for pain are and how to inflict as much pain as you can quickly. Eye gouges, pinch or bite under the arm or the upper inner thigh, or the groin areas are all sensitive and subject o maximum amounts of pain. A sharp blow across the bridge of an assailant's nose will stop him dead in his tracks. You want just enough time to escape. Consider using your elbow if you can-it is the strongest point on your body.

INSTINCTS. Always trust your INSTINCTS. Women are usually more insightful than men-use it to your advantage.

CARRY. Always carry some non lethal self defense weapons. A stun gun, taser, pepper spray, a telescopic baton are good examples. Each if used will afford you enough time to escape and get help.

These tips can help you prevent an assault on yourself or any woman you know. Used wisely they may save a life-maybe yours.

Please Note that even though pepper spray is legal in all 50 states, some states and cities have restrictions. Some states and cities have restrictions on stun guns. Check with your local police department. Literally thousands of police departments carry and use pepper spray and stun guns. Why wouldn't you?

Jack Krohn is the #1 author of Home Security Articles in the country. He owns SECURITY SOLUTIONS a one stop resource that provides solutions and answers for all your self defense and home security problems.

Take action TODAY and learn how to defend yourself. Purchase a PEPPERGEL

or a RUNT STUN GUN

Need Help Defending Yourself, Your Family and securing your home and business?

Believe Your Soul Mate Is Out There

Believing that your soul mate is out there is critical to the preparation of manifesting him or her into your life. The basic law of attraction states that you will attract to you those things that match your state of belief.

I believe that the Universe is always mirroring back to us our beliefs about ourselves and the world. If we believe the world is a loving and friendly place, then most of the time that will be our experience. If we believe the world is a chaotic, stressful and fearful place, then that becomes our reality. So, believing and knowing that your soul mate is out there is part of the formula for manifestation. If you do not yet believe with 100% certainty that your soul mate is out there, let's begin to look for things that will make a believer out of you.

Do you believe you are loveable? If you are reading this then I am certain you are loveable. Why?5B4 Because, loveable people want more love in their lives. But, if you believe you are not loveable, I'm going to ask you to challenge that belief. Take a moment to identify at least three (or more) lovable traits that you possess, such as being generous, compassionate, friendly, kind, considerate, thoughtful, interesting, funny, etc. Write these down and then memorize them. You will be using them shortly for your treasure map.

I know many very attractive, successful single people who have some very negative, limiting beliefs when it comes to finding their soul mate.

The list usually goes something like this:

I'm too old.
I'm too fat.
I'm too damaged.
I have too much baggage.
I am too successful.
I am not successful enough.
All the good ones are taken.
Nobody I want wants me.

These are just knee-jerk excuses to keep you stuck. There is plenty of evidence that love is available to everyone regardless of age, weight or income or any other feeble excuse. What if I told you that it's not your job to know HOW your soul mate is going to appear? It's only your job to be ready, willing and open to love.

You don't really know where air or water comes from but you totally believe that they are there for you. As a human being you know that air and water are your divine right. You know that no matter what mistakes you have made in the past, you are still going to wake up every day and557 have access to air and water.

The same is true for love. It's there for you. It's always been there for you. You just need to remember the love that you are and once you do, the Universe will deliver to you the perfect soul mate. There is nothing for you to do, there is only a way for you to BE.

Arielle Ford is a professional, previously unmarried woman who is revealing her secret to finding romance, love, marriage, and a perfect soumate. She discovered how to take her professional success and apply it to her personal life, and she has never been happier. Now she wants to share that secret with you. Learn how to find your soulmate at http://www.SoulMateKit.com

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Twelve Tips to Help Burned-Out Toddlers Repair Mental Muscles

Self-discipline is a well-developed skill in most adults and important to the survival of our society. Those who grow up with little self-discipline may be ostracized by others or fall victim to vices like drugs and alcohol. Self-discipline is a mandatory ingredient of successful professions like business, athletics and medicine. Even the business of art, music and drama requires great self-discipline from those who may have tendencies toward unbridled freedom. Yet, no one has more need for self-control for his own protection than a young child does. However, toddlers are raw energy with few brakes and fewer breaks. The maturation process is slow and difficult. Here are twelve tips to help you be a better parent while your child learns self- control.

1. Think of self-discipline as a mental muscle.

A successful and in-control person has a well-developed mental muscle. If cared for properly the muscle will deliver a lifetime of performance. The expert body builder takes care of precious muscles that tire with rest, elevation, protection from more injury, affection for his health and body5B4, information about what is happening to him and rubdowns until a full recuperation renders the muscle useful again.

2. Reduce your demands.

Would you agree that even the strongest muscle might grow weak and tired from overuse? Extraordinary effort can exhaust the mightiest strongman. A wise person would not insist an exhausted muscle must carry on regardless of the pain suffered. Injury and demanding spasms might occur if one ignores the increasing pain from the weary muscle. Tantrums are a result of inadequate coping skills and too much demand.

3. No one is perfect.

Even an adult who is a productive self-disciplined person has moments of weakness and may succumb to bad behavior like eating an entire pie, fighting or foolishly spending their rent money. The more stressed, depressed or tired a person becomes, the more likely they will have a failure of their mental muscle of self-discipline.

4. Remember how far he has progressed already.

An infant has no self-discipline in the beginning, it cries and wets at will. Slowly over the next few years, the childs experiences and maturity help self-discipline muscles to grow stronger. A child may not fully develop emotionally until his early twenties. You have a long way to go.

5. He learned it from you.

The behavior that you applaud as well as the behavior you wish to avoid stems mostly from watching his parents. If you give him love bites in 5B4play, he will bite others, perhaps not so lovingly. If you swear, expect that word to become his favorite. If you yell at him, he will yell at you.

6. Everyone wants to do his best.

A two-year-old usually attempts to behave the best he or she can until exhausted and a meltdown occurs. The tired self-control muscles are aching and just not responding to the Sit still, Wait to use the bathroom and Whisper! commands imposed by adults on young children. Did he behave better yesterday? Great. Today he needs more help not hurt feelings. Assume he is doing his best and stop criticizing him. Praise him for even trying.

7. Did you forget to provide him enough?

The child is communicating with you constantly without words. A cold, missed nap, hunger pangs, embarrassment and parental scolding tax the self-control muscle beyond its ability to respond correctly. Take time to bring along age-appropriate organic food filled with nutrients, fish oils and trace minerals, water, diapers, a sweater, and toys to help him be comfortable instead of miserable and mute, unable to ask for what he needs. You must listen with ears and your eyes to what is happening inside him. A calm and happy child means a lot less work and stress for you.

8. What is the big deal?

Few adult occasions are so important that a parent must ignore a childs need to stop and rest emotionally. Anyone who has been a parent willB68 excuse you if you need to take a cranky kid outside for a few minutes and everyone else will figure it out someday. Put your child before other people. That is your job.

9. Become more sensitive.

Most good parents can sense instinctively their childs emotional levels resulting from stressful events, both positive ones like parties, and negative ones like a scary dog. Some inexperienced or less sensitive parents may miss the important cues that a mental muscle is tiring. When your toddler is approaching his or her limit, you must pay attention. If you notice stress in your child and act quickly, you can often prevent a total meltdown.

10. Grandma is right.

Older and wiser parents and grandparents appear to rescue and spoil toddlers but they are wisely allowing the child a moment of respite and regression to less stringent behavior demands. Knowing how to help your toddler to succeed is a win for everyone- especially the innocent people sitting at the next table. Most spoiled children grow up to be loving parents. Over-disciplined children grow up to be neurotic and frightened adults.

11. Learning has its ups and downs.

Just because a child is potty-trained at home on quiet afternoons does not mean he/she can make it through the excitement of a church picnic without an accident. The child is not wrong, the parental expectations and demands are wrong. If your toddler misbehaves, acts inappropriately or regresses, then try to imagine that his or her underdeveloped mental muscles have worked to failure. Lower your expectationseven lower.

12. R.E.P.A.I.R.

Learn how to R.E.P.A.I.R. the self-discipline mental muscle of your child. Gently take him somewhere quiet to Rest, Elevate him into your arms, Protect him from more stimulation, smile and give him Affection, speak to him slowly in a pleasant voice with Information that helps him to know you still love him and that he is fine, then a little Rubdown while you hug. Just let the busy world go on without both of you for a little while. Slowly sway with his head on your shoulder, as your childs body processes millions of bits of new information that allows his fried nerve endings to relax and recuperate. Only then, can you reasonably demand more from someone who gives to the best of his or her ability and with all that a little heart muscle can.

BIO:

Dr. Molly Barrow holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is the author of the new book, Matchlines: A Revolutionary New Way of Looking at Relationships and Making the Right Choices in Love. She is a leading forensic expert and authority on relationship issues and a licensed mental health counselor. A member of the American Psychological Association, Dr. Molly has appeared on NBC, PBS, KTLA, GO-CODE f47Deature film My Suicide, WGUF-FM, the documentary "Ready to Explode," and interviews for Psychology Today, Newsday, O Magazine, AIA, Manage Smarter, MSN.com, Gannett Newswire, Womens Health, Womens World, Hitched, Bride and Groom, Arizona Foothills, and The Nest. For more information, please visit: http://www.askdrmolly.com, and http://wwwdrmollybarrow.com

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Monday, July 14, 2008

Reach The Success You Truly Desire

Ever have those days where no matter what you try life seems to be a series of one step forward and two steps back?

Well today is the very best day to take charge of your life and develop strategies to achieve personal success. You will need to work hard and make a commitment to your personal success plan, but once you break the inertia you will find that small achievements will help you gain momentum, and each step forward will attract more success.

1. Take a look at the one and only person responsible for your success- YOU. To be successful you must take complete responsibility for your actions. You can't pin your success or your shortcomings on anyone else.

2. Develop and nurture a successful self- Start by smiling more, look to the positive side in everything. Don't list all the reasons why something is hard and you can't do it, find the reasons even if it is only one to start with of why you can do something. You must develop a successful persona to become a successful person.

3. Make the decision today- Decide today that you will be successful. Praise yourself for past accomplishments, take stock of your strong qualities and work to nurture and improve those that are underdeveloped. You have a purpose and a mission you must sweep aside the negative clutter and defi5B4ne this purpose and begin today to fulfill yourself.

4. Always begin with the positive- every morning you wake up, every time you speak with other people. Always stick with the positive. Associate with positive people. People who have also made the commitment to success. Avoid negative people at all costs. They will not only drag you down. Their negative actions and thoughts, their pessimism, whining, and complaining is a toxin and you need to steer clear of it.

5. Visualize and write down how you desire to live successfully- think of the things that are meaningful to you. Things that give you pleasure, comfort, and fulfillment. Then being as specific as possible write down how you want to live. Don't listen to any of the negative, just concentrate. Write down every detail, where you live, what your house is like down to the decor. What you and your friends are passionate about, what kinds of community projects do you donate your time and money to. After writing everything down copy the most vivid and important things into a new journal. One you have chosen just for this. Make the journal come to life with drawings, photographs, magazine clippings, articles, and poetry. Images and words that will help your vision of a successful life crystallize in your mind. Look through this journal several times a week. Every day visualizing living that life. Make all of your actions in accordance with that successful life.

6. Defin4Fe what success means to you- Concentrate on what you are best at and what bring588s you satisfaction and fulfillment. Using your vision of how you want to live, write down and then read out loud what success means to you. Otherwise you won t know when you have achieved it.

7. Study and make the commitment- Read books and magazines about people who are successful in your eyes, and ways to become more successful. Develop a daily methodical systematic approach to reaching your goals and take one step towards your success.

Keep your mind in the moment don't let it wonder to negative discourse. Focus your attention on your vision of success. With a resolute attitude you are well on your way.

About The Author

BZ Riger-Hull. www.in-spiros.com For valuable free articles, assessments, & practical success tools mailto:A1@smartautoresponder.com Certified as a Success Coach, Four Agreements Facilitator, & Tele-Course leader We help you communicate powerfully, reduce stress, Strategically Attract success, & increase your financial well-being.

bz@in-spiros.com

Friday, July 11, 2008

Creating Money Beyond Belief

I grew up in an environment of lack. At the tender age of 5, I remembered watching my mother looking all over the house and under the sofa set in our small living room for a five cent coin to pay the vegetable vendor - vegetables that she had wanted to buy to cook our dinner. She didnt find the five cent but the kind vegetable vendor gave her the vegetables anyway.

To save money, I always packed my food to school. This way, I dont need to buy from the school canteen. Most time it was just two slices of bread and a bottle of water.

For a long time I grew up believing that I have to work hard to become rich and that this was the only way to achieve wealth. That was what my parents taught me because that was what they believe in.

So I grew up with a lot of limiting beliefs about moneyFA5. I believe that

* most rich people become rich at the expense of the poor
* money is the root of all evils
* receiving money for helping people is sinful
* I dont deserve to be rich
* being rich is bad
* poor people are more honest than rich people
* poor people are more spiritual
* and many more

Then one day I chance upon a book. In it was the statement below:

Whether you believe it or not, its true.

The statement at first did not strike me as particularly special but somehow it stuck in my mind. Then one fine day, it clicked!

Of course!

All these while Ive been struggling with money, or the lack of it, because deep down inside my subconscious mind I believe that money is bad and since I am good, I should not have too much money. The powerful subconscious mind gives you exactly what you believe in.

I know that by changing my beliefs in money I could change my life from one of lack to one of abundance, but knowing is one thing and doing it is another thing altogether.

Old habits die hard. There was a lot of resistance to changing the old beliefs. Despite putting in all the positive affirmations about money and using subliminal messages, it was still a painstakingly slow process of change - but change it did.

I also learned meditation and learned to become more mindful of my thoughts so that I can delibrately allow only positive thoughts into my subconscious mind. Again, meditation requires lots of patience and discipline, but the fruits of the effort is well worth it. As I purify my mind more and more, I find that not only was I creating more opportunities for wealth into my life, I was also attracting a lot of good people and company as well.

Today, I do not worry about money.

I know I will not be lacking it. The universal law of abundance flows freely into my being and my life as I continue to practice generosity and gratitude towards others.

Wealth and spirituality are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they are one and the same. A person who truly understand the universal laws knows that he or she is a spiritual being that is complete and whole, lacking nothing. That is our nature - unconditional love, joy and abundance. Only when we doubt our true nature does fear of lack creep into our lives. In the presence of fear, we create resistance to the flow of abundance into our lives. Have faith in your wholeness and the universe will provide - without fail.

You can choose to believe in unconditional love, joy and abundance or you can choose to believe otherwise. Whichever you choose, youll be right!

Dr. Tim Ong is a medical doctor who runs his own busy medical practice. In his free time, he enjoys giving public talks, teaching meditation and offering his service to hospice work in the community. He is the webmaster of The Self Improvement Site and Mind Science Info. He is also giving away his personal collection of life transforming ebooks at Book of Transformation.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Yoga for Sciatica

More and more people are seeking out yoga for relief from their pain and ailments. Yoga has become a real option to the doubting public. This will result in yoga instructors seeing more students, in their classes, with disorders, such as sciatica.

Sciatica is the name of a class of symptoms, which result from compression of the nerve roots of the sciatic nerve, or the sciatic nerve itself. The symptoms that result from this compression are most often pain, numbness, or tingling. These symptoms usually occur in the back, legs, and buttocks, but can appear elsewhere in the body.

Other symptoms can include weakness in these muscles and problems with control and coordination. More often, than not, the symptoms occur on just one side of the body.

It is important to remember that sciatica is just the name for the symptoms. The causes can be more complex. As a yoga instructor, you must get the whole story, from your student, with sciatica. When you know the cause of their sciatica, you can more accurately instruct them about which yoga poses will best benefit them.

Due to the delicate nature of the nerves in the lower part of the spine, yoga poses must be done carefully and correctly. Certain asanas (Yoga postures), which include straight-leg forward bends, can often aggravate sciatica and should be avoided. However, any asana can be modified for the specific needs of the student. Forward folds c774an easily be modified, by allowing the knees to bend.

Encourage students, with sciatica, to be patient and steady with their yoga practice. The areas around the sciatic nerve, and nerve roots, must be strengthened and stabilized.

Through specific sequences of poses, and moving properly between poses, circulation is improved in the pelvic region. Simultaneously, the muscles are strengthened. This approach will effectively begin to relieve the sciatica symptoms, resulting in less pain and freer movement.

Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA - http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com - He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free Yoga e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Achieve Mental And Physical Sanity

If you are seeking a guaranteed proven means to attain a healthy body in a serene mind, then YOGA is for you! Yoga is an authentic time-tested system to attain peace of mind and physical wellbeing. It has been intensively researched and molded into a composite system by the Indian sages down the ages. It can be practiced by anybody at any age to gain discipline - be it spiritual, mental or physical.

WHAT EXACTLY IS YOGA?

Yoga is the panacea for innumerable diseases. It can also provide mental stability. Yoga can further fortify your body.

YOGA PHILOSOPHY

It unites the Individual Self (Jiva) with the Universal Self (Brahman). In fact, the Jiva is just a microcosmic reflection of the Brahman.

The term 'Yoga' has its roots in Sanskrit. It means 'union'. Therefore, it helps an individual to achieve the ultimate goal of human life. In fact, all our activities are targeted towards the realization of this supreme mission.

HOW DOES YOGA HELP?

Yoga is the spiritual path through which one will have to tread to reach one's destination. And, to reach that goal, obviously one will have to dedicatedly follow the road signs. Here, the three indicators are hygienic lifestyle, ethical regulation and moral self-control.

Their combined effect is fascinating, to say the least! A person who has observed all these regulations will also have sure control over his mind. That, in turn, will reinforce his spiritual faculty. Once his mind and spirit are in harmony, his physical body will also be within their purview.

And with time, the yoga practitioner will witness a radical and positive transformation within his mindset. This would definitely get reflected in his changed lifestyle.

The end result: Positive outlook, mental poise and total harmony (physiologically).

THE BASIS OF YOGA

Yoga has two firm bases. They are physical and spiritual. On the physical plane are the asanas, Kriyas, Bandhas and Pranayams besides the four Mudras. Proper practice of these exercises prepares the body and simultaneously conditions the mind of the yoga practitioner to seek spiritual progress. The spiritual revelation is self-realization and mind control. A Yoga guru (teacher) will be the living embodiment of these faculties.

Nilutpal Gogoi is a freelance journalist and writer. He has published more than 1500 articles on varied fare including women issues, travelogues, political commentaries, short stories and o2DBn cultural items. He is also a content builder.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

I Would Give Anything To ...

A couple days ago I was listening to a CD by one of the most successful speakers in the industry. He has been around for many years and is considered one of the greats. He is also considered to be somewhat off the beaten path. As much as he is admired and respected by many, he is judged by just as many. The segment I found most intriguing was one about how others often say to him5B4, I would give anything to be a successful speaker and author just like you.

His response is, No you wouldnt. What you want is the end result, but youre probably not willing to do what it takes to achieve the level of success I have achieved. Arrogant? Maybe. Harsh? Perhaps. Truthful? Most definitely.

Anyone who has achieved a relatively high level of success in their industry has probably had the same statement directed to them. I would give anything to be a successful ________ just like you.

Truth be told, achieving a level of success others will want to emulate is something most people are not willing to make the necessary sacrifices for. Sure, they want the end result, but are they willing to step out from the crowd and do what it takes to achieve their dream? Are they willing to go through the inevitable ups and downs?

Over the years Ive had the opportunity to work with some pretty incredible people. Folks who have achieved more than most could only dream of. Individuals who others will look at and think, I would be willing to do anything to achieve that level of success.

Sadly, that is about as far as many people get with their desire to accomplish what they want out of life. They talk about it, but dont do what is necessary to achieve it. Im not referring simply to monetary success. I am referring to contribution to community, personal success, physical succes5B4s, or virtually anything that would signify a complete life.

In last months column I mentioned the book I am co-authoring. Why Be Different? Success Secrets for Selling the Unsellable is a book about how one can set themselves apart from the competition in such a way that they literally become leaders in their industry. Much of the book will be based on interviews conducted with people from a variety of industries such as real estate, healthcare, accounting, hospitality and more. Being a leader doesnt necessarily mean you are the biggest. It means that you are the one others look to when determining standards of success within an industry.

As I have been gathering information, what I find interesting is some of the similarities with the people we are featuring in the book. Each person has been through some incredible ups and downs on their road to success. Each has gone through experiences that would make someone else quickly throw in the towel. They didnt let the roadblocks stop them; they just kept moving forward in order to reach their goals.

What I find most intriguing is their powerful belief in having a vision of what is possible. All are also very flexible in their approach to life. They knew what they wanted to achieve and if one thing didnt work they tried something else. If that didnt work, they tried yet something else. They kept at it until they achieved their goals. The words no and 4FCcant are almost nonexistent in their vocabulary.

Also evident is their generosity to their community and their clients. Rather than putting a price tag on everything, they often make contributions without expecting anything in return. They do it because it makes others feel good and it is simply the right thing to do.

With each person, a love of what they are doing is essential. Although they work very hard, they have such an incredible passion for what they are doing that when the tough times hit, they are virtually unstoppable. People who are not incredibly passionate about what they are doing give up when they are presented with roadblocks to their success.

Dont just be another person saying, Id do anything Keep your vision, your passion and jump over your roadblocks.

Copyright: 2004 by Kathleen Gage

Publishing Guidelines: You may publish my article in your newsletter, on your web site, or in your print publication provided you include The resource box at the end. Notification would be appreciated but is not required.

About The Author

Kathleen Gage is a business advisor, keynote sp3FFeaker, and trainer that helps others gain dominance and visibility within their market. Call 801.619.1514 or e-Mail kathleen@turningpointpresents.com . Get Gages FREE 4 day online marketing course by visiting www.kathleengage.com.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Posture and Gymnastics

For athletes participating in sports like swimming and gymnastics, there is a need to assume a totally different body posture compared to other sports to be able to complete well. This posture can carry over to their personal lives as well, and one can easily identify a swimmer or gymnast by the particular way they stand, walk or carry themselves. While football and basketball are "leg based" sports, swimmers and gymnasts have assimilated a decidedly hunchbacked posture because of the "hand based" orientation of their particular athletic activities. The hunchbacked posture in gymnastics is part of the sport's proper form and is known as "hollowing out". Constant training in this posture can lead to the athlete's assuming the same form in the daily course of his or her life, which is potentially a cause for serious injuries in the knee, shoulder, neck and lower back.

The Fundamental Athletic position in most land-based sports requires the athlete to assume a medium stance with 5B4the hips back, and the chest and head aligned with the spinal curves. This posture enables swift movement forward, backward or sideways. It is the basic position assumed for squatting, deadlifting and executing Olympic lifts, as well as to maximize leg, hip and back power during leaps and jumps.

A gymnast assuming the proper position hollows out the chest, push the head forward, tucks the hips in and contracts the spine. The only instance when a gymnast takes on the fundamental athletic position is during landings or dismounts.

Athletes beginning their gymnastics training at a very young age while their bones are still undergoing growth and development will encounter problems with the gymnastic posture. This is especially true when they reach puberty and the end of their growth cycle. The "hollowing out" posture, and even the specific manner gymnasts are required to run, can become a fixed poste for young gymnasts, and this can cause serious and long-lasting side effects when they are older. Most gymnastics programs aggressively cultivate this peculiar posturing in young gymnasts. Strength and conditioning exercises have been geared to develop exactly that: training gymnasts in the required stance, thereby generating imbalance. This is a great disadvantage for female gymnasts who are made to forgo upper body conditioning altogether.

Former parallel bars gymnast, Mark Alexander, having worked with fellow athletes for m5B4ore than 30 years, has observed that most female gymnasts from the Elite level are unable to perform push-ups or maintain a sturdy handstand. Most gymnastics clubs have misguidedly neglected to encourage flexibility exercises among their gymnasts, instead leaving them to fend for themselves.

Alexander's first sport was gymnastics, and at the age of 14 started a mostly skill-based training. He remembers having experienced mastering tricks before being aware of any inherent weakness, and without even attempting to develop basic strength. The sport principles require that a gymnast lands and remains grounded, or "stuck" in the same landing position. For this reason, most gymnasts executed landings with rigidly straight legs, bending only at the hips to establish balance. The result of this is an L5 - S1 fusion that could go undetected for a great number of years. Because of a lack of leg strength or proper lumbar curve positioning, dislocated knees were a frequent occurrence during attempts to "stick" a full twisting back.

As an analogy, consider gymnastics training as jumping off a roof and landing motionless with legs straight. Jump over and over, dozens of times each day, six days a week, over a period of several years. The impact generated by these landings are way beyond the gymnast's body weight. And the higher the altitude of the jump, the more force is involved. Landing mats are a mere token, and seldom help. Floors in 59Bgymnasiums act as mini-trampolines, allowing young athletes to soar to ill-recommended heights. Although there are foam pits available to cushion landings, they prevent the athlete from actually learning how to steady their bodies for actual competition.

Without the needed leg, hip and back conditioning allowing a gymnast to assume the correct position during landing, instead of diffusing, the impact is centered into the joints and bones. This is the explanation behind the never-ending injuries sustained by Elite and lower-ranked gymnasts. Most of these injuries last long into retirement.

for more information on gymnastic injuries visit http://www.gymnasticsrescue.com

The Most Effective Fat Burning And Muscle Building Workout That Takes Just 13 Minutes

Most people who want to burn off some excess pounds and tighten and tone their bodies simply dont have 2 hours each day to spend in the gym performing the bodybuilding style workouts that most fitness experts recommend.

Plus, these workouts consist of exercises and techniques that do not exercise the body in the way it is normally used so they end up building a somewhat unusable strength. In my opinion, most people, unless their main objective is body building, shouldnt perform the traditional style workouts

While I do still believe that machine and free weight strength training is the best choice for body building, it is NOT the best choice when it comes to general fitness goals like strength, flexibility, endurance, etc.

I dont know about you, but I can barely fit in 15 minutes for exercise let alone 2 hours and I personally am not interested in muscle size alone (which doesnt mean strength and usually leaves you stiff and inflexible)! Im sure your schedule is probably the same. The good news though is you dont have to you can burn fat, increase flexibility, build unbelievable strength and endurance, reshape your body, and build a level of fitness that is truly functional.

I want to share with you a workout that I do personally that delivers a great combination of strength, flexibility, cardio and muscular endurance, and fat burning.

WARNING: The following workout will not only surprise you, but it will likely go against everything you ever thought to be true about fitness. Also, it is recommend you consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.

Are you ready? Good, here it is:

The following exercises should be performed with little or no rest between and you may need to adjust the number of repetitions or time depending upon your current fitness level.

  • Jumping Jacks 1 minute

  • Bodyweight squat (one-leg squat for advanced) 15-20 reps

  • Push-ups (slower reps for advanced) as many reps as possible

  • Kick butts (jog in place and kick your rear with both heels) 1 minute

  • Hamstring floor bridge (use swiss ball or one leg for advanced) - 15-20 reps

  • Superman (lying on stomach w/ arms out to side, lift legs and chest off floor) 15-20 reps

  • High knees (jog in place lifting knees as high as possible) 1 minute

  • Stationary lunge 15-20 reps

  • Torso rotations/twists 20 reps each direction

  • Side bends/reaches 20 reps each direction

  • Mountain climbers 1 minute (if you can J)

  • Wall sit as long as you can hold it

  • Dips (use chair/bench/stairs) as many reps as possible

There you have it sounds easy, right? That couldnt possibly do anything, right? I personally challenge you try it no, try it right now! Drop what you are doing and give it a shot and see for yourself. If you find it a bit easy, which I doubt, perform it 2-3 times thru without rest.

This workout will deliver more usable fitness results and benefits than any traditional gym or health club workout. Now, you can of course implement this type of workout in the gym and make it even better, but the beauty of this is you can do it anywhere!

Also, this is just one example and as you can imagine, there thousands of other exercises you can add or replace I actually recommend switching the exercises every 2-4 weeks or even better is to put together 3 or 4 different workouts and then rotate them.

If you are not familiar with one of the exercises just replace it with one you know that works the same part of the body. You can also learn all of these exercises along with dozens of others in my soon to be released video which will consists of several workouts like this that you can do anywhere to build and maintain awesome levels of fitness, even workouts with dumbbells, swiss balls, medicine balls, and more watch for it in coming months.

About The Author

Jesse Cannone is a certified personal trainer and author of the best-selling fitness ebook, Burn Fat FAST. Be sure to sign up for his free email course as it is full of powerful weight loss and fitness tips that are guaranteed to help you get the results you want. http://www.guaranteed-weightloss.com

info@guaranteed-weightloss.com

Natural Body Building Contests - Natural Body Building Contest Preparation Tips For Amateurs

Natural body building contests are a great place for amateurs to start showing off their muscular physiques. However, there are some tips that must be borne in mind. This article will reveal natural body building contest prep tips for amateurs and people just starting out.

As a start, it is a good idea to actually watch some contests before you decide to enter one yourself. The reason for that is you will be able to see for yourself how contestants put their programs together and how the winners stand out from the other competitors. It's a good idea to take note of the music they use, the tempo of the music and the poses that they make. If you are able to, ask questions.

There is a lot that can be done as contest prep as much as six months to a year before the competition is set down. It takes a lot of commitment and if you are not sure you can follow through then it is best not to try.

About a year to six months before the contest have a good look at yourself in the mirror and look at where you need more muscle definition. Contestants are showing their muscular physique as best as they are able to sculpt it. It is important to have as little body fat as possible, with strong, cut muscles throughout the body.

Your music choice is also important. Ultimately your routine will either stand out from the crowd or be a routine they've seen hundreds of times before. Your music choice should help you choose your poses and your pace.

The body building clothing you perform in is also vital to showing off your physique. Be sure to choose tasteful but revealing clothes. Ultimately speedos for men and a bikini for women are ideal. Also be sure that the clothing you wear in flattering, a color that suits you and is extremely comfortable and not restrictive.

It is a good idea when you are practicing your routine or playing around with it that you have a third party video tape it for you so that you can watch it critically. It is also a good idea to have someone you trust watch it with you also for competing views.

In the lead up to your competition you also need to pay strict attention to your workout and diet plan. There is no time to slacken off when getting ready for a contest. You must be persistent and consistent and ultimately your hard work will pay off.

There are a large number of contests that you can enter as a body building. Not only are there local competitions but there are also national body building contests that can be extremely competitive and gruelling so start at a local level and work your way up as your experience increases.

A ripped, cut, perfectly sculpted body is worth showing off. To learn how to perfect your body even further check out the website below where I compare the best body building programs and put them to the test.

Copyright 2007. Body builders are spending a fortune on body building products that just dont work. Thats why I put the so-called best body-building products to the test. Not all body building weight training products are created equally, nor do they live up to the amazing results that they promise. The shocking truth is exposed at my body building weight training review site. Only go with body building weight training products that you trust. To find out more go to http://www.body-building-natural.blogspot.com.

How to Gain Weight and Build More Muscle!

For many thin guys around the world, gaining weight without using illegal steroids has been a challenge. For thousands of lean young men, the dream is to gain weight, but no matter how much they eat they remain thin. Some people are naturally thin; that means their genetic makeup is in such a way that the body burns more calories than others. The very basic method of weight gain is to eat more calories than your body burns off. By providing the body with more calories, this balance can be altered and body mass can be increased. Weight training is of great importance in this context, which enables the body to absorb more nutrients from the food by increasing the level of certain hormones and increasing the muscle mass.

There are many incorrect beliefs and theories bout building muscle. The type of food to be eaten is an important factor which decides the type of weight gained, whether it is muscle mass or mere accumulation of fat. Some types of calories are not equal to others for gaining muscle; because most processed junk food contains empty, totally nutritionless calories. These foods promote accelerated fat Storage, and do not provide the body with the correct nutrients essential for gaining muscle. High quality protein, which the body breaks down into amino acids, should be the centerpiece of all your meals. Intense exercise increases demand for amino acids, which support muscle repair and growth.

Another factor is the selection of the right type of weight training. Resistance exercises will help with muscle growth. Whereas aerobic exercises can result in the reduction of weight. For maximum muscle gain, the focus of your workouts should consist of free weight exercises, rather than machines or bodyweight exercises. To get a very effective workout, you must stimulate as many muscle fibers as possible, and machines do not do this. The main reason for this is a lack of stabilizer and synergist muscle development. Stabilizer and synergist muscles are supporting muscles that assist the main muscle in performing a complex lift.

The results of weight training can vary from person to person, and will usually depend on your consistency and commitment to your program. You should have the patience and motivation for building a powerful body with a consistent diet and exercise schedule.

Exercise Guidelines for building muscle:

Weight training involves the use of equipment that enables variable resistance. This resistance can come in the form of free weights like barbells and dumbbells, machines that use cables or pulleys to help you lift the weight, and bodyweight exercises like pull-ups or dips. The more stabilizers and synergists you work, the more muscle fibers stimulated. The exercises that work the large muscle groups are called compound (or multi-joint) movements that involve the simultaneous stimulation of many muscle groups. These compound exercises should be the Foundation of any weight training program because they stimulate the most amount of muscle in the least amount of time. Multi-jointed free weight exercises like the bench press require many stabilizer and synergistic muscle assistance to complete the lift.

Free weight exercises like the dumbbell press or squat put a very large amount of stress on supporting muscle groups. You will get fatigued faster and not be able to lift as much weight as you did on the machine. But you will gain more muscle, become stronger very quickly and have a true gauge of your strength.

If you use machines in your program, they should be used to work isolated areas and only after all multi-jointed exercises have been completed. Beginners should begin with a limited combination of machine exercises, bodyweight exercises and multi-jointed free weight exercises. Before increasing the weight levels, they should work on becoming familiar with the proper form and execution of each.

The following are some proven basic exercises to encourage muscle and strength gain unlike any other exercises.

Bench Presses - works the chest, shoulders, triceps

Overhead Presses - shoulders, triceps

Pull-ups/Barbell Rows - back, bicep

Squats - legs, lower back

Dead lifts - legs, back, shoulders

Bar Dips -shoulders, chest, arms

To build mass, you must weight train with heavy weights. To consider a weight heavy, you should only be able to do a maximum of 4-8 reps before your muscles temporarily fail. A weight is considered 'light' if you can do more than 15 reps before muscle fatigue sets in. Heavy weights stimulate more muscle fibers than lighter weights which result in more muscle growth. Heavy weight training puts a huge strain on your body, so adequate rest and recuperation after your workouts is essential.

Eating guidelines for building muscle:

A high protein diet is an inevitable part of any weight training programme, importantly, protein derived from animal sources. Proteins you need to be concerned with are those found in whey, casein (cottage cheese), eggs, beef, poultry, and fish. Soy protein, tofu and bean curd are some alternatives. Eating the right amount of foods consistently will force your body to grow beyond what you may think possible. The diet also should contain an adequate amount of carbohydrates (potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, oatmeal, cream of wheat, cream of rice, rice, beans, bread, pasta, all cereals) and fat. Green leafy vegetables and fruits also should be included.

When you train with weights, you should eat a minimum of 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. You also must have protein at every meal. To enable your body to actually assimilate and use the all the calories you will ingest, you have to reduce your meal size and increase your meal frequency. Splitting your calories into smaller, more frequent portions will enable food absorption and utilization of nutrients.

During the past 20 years there have been great developments in the scientific understanding of the role of nutrition in health and physical performance. Studies shown that adequate dietary carbohydrate should be ingested (55-60% of total energy intake) so that training intensity can be maintained. Excess dietary saturated fat can exacerbate coronary artery disease; however, low-fat diets result in a reduction in circulating testosterone. So the balance between protein, carbohydrate and fat should be maintained.

So the focus on weight gain programmes must be on two components, lifting heavy weights, which will stimulate the largest amount of muscle fibers. Your body responds to this stimulus by increasing your muscle mass and secondly eat more calories than your body is used to. When you overload your system with plenty of protein and fats, your body has no other choice but to gain weight.

A Mass Gaining program is incomplete without the timely measurements to monitor your progress. Without it, you won't know how exactly your body is responding to your diet and training routine. Just looking in the mirror and guessing is not acceptable. If you want to start getting great results, you must develop the habit of accurately tracking your progress. This also provides the motivation to continue with the weight gain schedule and for the further progression. So even though you have a very thin body type, and havent been able to gain weight no matter what you try, you will definitely succeed with a well planned weight gain programme.

References:

1) http://www.fastmusclegain.com/part1eating.htm

2) http://www.fastmusclegain.com/part2weights.htm

3) http://www.fastmusclegain.com/part3muscle.htm

4) http://www.fastmusclegain.com/part4suppl.htm

5) http://www.fastmusclegain.com/part5monitor.htm

6) http://www.skinnyguy.net/tips.html

7) Lambert CP, Frank LL, Evans WJ. Macronutrient considerations for the sport of bodybuilding. Sports Med. 2004;34(5):317-27

Former "skinny guy" Anthony Ellis is the author of Gaining Mass. The most widely used weight gain program in the world. This unique program designed to help people gain weight and build muscle, is currently being used in over 90 countries. For more information on how to gain weight and build muscle, check out his website at http://www.fastmusclegain.com

Friday, July 4, 2008

Progressive Goal Party

Hold a "progressive" goal party

If you have a group of friends with the same goal who live in close proximity (or who can meet up comfortably in a third-party establishment), get them involved in a progressive goal party. The idea is to meet at one location, where you all complete one part of the goal as a group, then move on to the next (carpool or walk) 8C0to complete the second part, and so on. This can be extended to include shops and other buildings as well as houses. Be sure to have appropriate snacks, fun activities, etc., at each stop to make it a special day.

A good example would be a Christmas shopping/preparation party: Everybody starts at one house making lists, planning the day's activities and eating a light brunch. Next, hit the malls (or other predetermined shopping areas) together, making sure to help each other hunt down those hard-to-find items - and don't forget to stop by the coffee bar or other dining place to fuel flagging energy and regroup. Afterwards, it's on to the next house to wrap (and have a late lunch or early supper), then on to the next to bake cookies (don't forget the eggnog and late-night snacks!). It's good fun, great camaraderie, and everybody gets their stuff done and over with at one time.

(c) Soni Pitts

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Soni Pitts is the Chief Visionary Butt-Kicker of SoniPitts.Com. She specializes in helping others reclaim "soul proprietorship" in their lives and to begin living the life their Creator always intended for them.

She is the author of the free e-book "50 Ways To Reach Your Goals" and over 100 self-help and inspirational articles, as well as other products and resources designed to facilitate this process of personal growth and spiritual development.

Why Do You Need to Rid Your Life of Stress

Good or bad, you will always have challenges in life. Oftentimes, the struggles you face will be happy trials, because you can see the positive end result. However, at other times, you trials will seem like a millstone around your neck, causing a great deal of unhappiness and anxiety. So, learn why you need to rid your life of stress, and learn the coping mechanisms lending to contentment in life.

First, unless you get a handle on your stress, it will adversely affect your health. For example, anxiety has a negative effect on blood pressure. Although not the direct cause, always being uptight can only make the problem worse. As most of us know, the end result can be debilitating and even deadly diseases. As the great Bob Proctor said, look at the word disease. It'5A8s merely your body being at dis-ease

One of the most deadly illnesses to come to mind is a heart attack. Medically speaking, you may already have the precursors to an episode, but the majority of people generally experience the pain and full arrest after periods of physical or mental stress. Anxiety is basically the straw that broke the camels back. It's also been proven that stress can potentially activate cancer cells in your body.

The same can be said for strokes. Stress is not the primary cause, but it is definitely a contributor to this often fatal disease. So, in addition to taking care of your physical health, you need to be mentally well. Nevertheless, your physical and mental condition is not the only reason to rid your life of stress.

Anxiety will influence your productivity and effectiveness in the workplace. Being on top of your game is good; but, being constantly stressed will not only make it difficult to stay on task and do the best job possible. In fact, you stress can also influence the lives of your coworkers and the atmosphere at work in general. In addition, how you react to stress may also determine whether you get a promotion or retain your position if your place of employment downsizes.

If your health and your job are being influenced by stress, you can bank on your home life suffering as well. Anxiety will infiltrate your relationships with friends, a spouse, children, or anyon576e else that is important in your life. No matter how hard you try, your inner turmoil will be a source of contention in your personal interactions as well.

Now you know why you need to rid your life of stress. Fortunately, if you want to change how you approach challenges in life, and make anxiety a thing of the past, help is available. Do not wait until all facets of your life have been permeated by tension. You can learn to live stress free.

Paul Sutherland is an Accelerated Business Growth Coach. His company - Daniel Thomas International is also heavily involved in personal development and growth. For that reason a website http://www.perfected-products.com was created. Here you will find some of the very best tried tested and proven methods for creating the life you really want to achieve.

Don't make the mistake of trying the same old things and expecting different results. Make a real difference in your life right now and find out what works in the real world.

Take Back Your Self Empowerment

Have you gone through periods of your life when you felt helpless and hopeless about your circumstances and destiny? I believe we all have.

Many of us have experienced the tragedy of physical or emotional abuse, broken relationships or the death of loved ones. The first thing we want to do is blame others or outside influences for our state of mind, financial stresses, relationshiB68p stresses or just life.

It's so easy to blame the abusive person or the person who broke our hearts for destroying our ability to love or trust again. You're placing on others the responsibility of your life, your emotions, your self worth, and happiness. However, blame is the easy way out and is a very disempowering emotion.

When we are thinking of making changes in our lives, we have a tendency to look externally. We think if we change our outsides, then we will be happy. We are waiting for the circumstances to change before we can be happy. However, true happiness comes from inside out; taking control of our own lives, being responsible for our own emotions, making the right choices for us.

The simple choice of taking responsibility for your self and life is the first step towards picking up the pieces of your life and starting over. When you focus your attention on making positive changes in your life, the constraints of the past are removed and you can be, do or have anything you desire. The power of deliberate positive thoughts will literally change your reality.

True empowerment is not just about taking control, fighting injustices or passing new laws that we think society needs to change the world. Empowerment starts within us first. It begins with our willingness and acceptance to be responsible for what is happening in our own lives.

I'm sure at some point in our life; we are all face with challenges and adversity. Some of us want to point the finger at others or outside situations, while others own their responsibility, making necessary changes to grow and learn from those challenges and get on with our lives. The sooner we realize this lesson, the sooner we will find life happier and with less stress. The way we handle our pain and these challenges and let it transform us makes the difference between winning and losing life's battles. The realization of this and the appropriate action makes you the true master of your own destiny. Isn't this what we all desire?

So I say to those who are still playing the blame game, it is time to take back your own empowerment and start living the life you so richly deserve. A life of choice and freedom.

About the Author: Sheri Falcone is a novice author, student of personal growth, and entrepreneur who enjoys helping others become truly empowered and achieve their dreams. She has turned her passion into a lucrative personal development, home business, http://www.setnolimits.info This business system provides all the tools you will need to create greater prosperity and joy in your life. Her enthusiasm is contagious and she believes laughter and appreciation are our emotional healers.

How to Will Yourself to Success

One challenge of the human condition is gathering the strength and courage to break through the barriers we erect which keep us from confronting personal problems and challenges. It seems that avoidance and fear are the twin killers to personal progress. Why is it that some of us can motivate ourselves to accomplish everyday tasks and set long-term goals? Why is it that others of us often avoid, procrastinate, and waste valuable time agonizing about our inability to carry out self-rewarding behaviors?

The implication of willing ourselves to success affects every aspect of our life. Some of us desire to lose weight, change jobs, exercise, make new frien5B4ds, or learn new skills, but create resistance affecting our chances for a positive outcome. Why do we choose the road of self-defeating behavior even though we know that a different course of action will bring us to our desired goals and a sense of fulfillment?

The will to act must be greater than the power to resist. In other words, the urge to accomplish a task or goal must create an inner momentum until its force becomes irresistible. For some, this means a mounting cascade of frustration and anger, or a sense of being fed-up with the status-quo. The constructive passion to achieve drowns out the inner voice of inertia. Often, people tell me that an inner voice keeps hounding them until the clamoring sounds of change are strong enough to break the impasse.

Often people will resist the road to change because of a pattern of prior failure. They might say, Ive tried that route and it didnt work. They may view the motivation to change as an either/or process. Either Im 100% successful or Im a total louse. They may overlook the subtle changes that are necessary to complete a task. Established goals may be unrealistic and set the stage for failure. An additional obstacle may pop up when one starts down the road of progress and faces a period of regression. The back-sliding may be viewed as a monumental setback rather than a part of the growth process and may lead one to completely give up on5B4 a new endeavor.

Those who are unmotivated tend to harbor self-blame. They will blame themselves for their inability to change or will chastise themselves for any behavioral setback. With a mind-set of victim-posturing, the unmotivated individual will say, Its no use; no matter how hard I try, I will always come up short; its just my nature. Self-blame becomes an excuse for not trying. The self-centered focus is on personal failure rather than the impetus to move forward in spite of failure.

Often people remain unmotivated because they fear success. Those who contemplate losing weight might say, What if I lost weight and start to look more attractive? How would that affect the way others view me? My friend might want to date me and I dont know if I am ready for that! The fear of success often keeps one tied to the safety-net of the past.

The foundation for willing oneself to success begins with the process of setting goals. An individual must start with identifying what he really wants and needs. must be reframed to reflect a positive way of perceiving events. A friend who was unhappy with her life once told me, I know that I am withdrawing from people and I believe that it is bad for me. What she really needed to say is, I need to feel connected to other people; I want to find a way to make that happen. How we frame our thinking helps us to determine ways in which we will a5B4ct on them.

It is very difficult to move forward when you dont know where you are going. Setting realistic goals is essential to increasing our self-motivation. Goals need to be identified and chunked down into smaller steps. This makes getting motivated less overwhelming and easier to manage.

Giving yourself permission is an important ingredient to creating motivation. Often, people lack a sense of inner permission because they have relied on others to lead their lives. The fact that they have depended on others to direct their life makes them feel incompetent and thwarts forward-moving change.

Fully functioning people dont wait, they dont procrastinate, but they act. Life is too short. The fear of passing time may give us a sense of urgency about changing our life and making things right. Such a feeling of urgency may create the conditions necessary for changing the quality of our character and behavior. We dont have forever to will ourselves to success. Today is the day to redeem that which we have put on hold.

James P Krehbiel, Ed.S., LPC, CCBT is an author, a freelance writer and cognitive-behavioral therapist practicing in Scottsdale, Arizona. He can be reached through his website at http://www.krehbielcounseling.2B3com.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Creating Money Beyond Belief

I grew up in an environment of lack. At the tender age of 5, I remembered watching my mother looking all over the house and under the sofa set in our small living room for a five cent coin to pay the vegetable vendor - vegetables that she had wanted to buy to cook our dinner. She didnt find the five cent but the kind vegetable vendor gave her the vegetables anyway.

To save money, I always packed my food to school. This way, I dont need to buy from the school canteen. Most time it was just two slices of bread and a bottle of water.

For a long time I grew up believing that I have to work hard to become rich and that this was the only way to achieve wealth. That was what my parents taught me because that was what they believe in.

So I grew up with a lot of limiting beliefs about moneyFA5. I believe that

* most rich people become rich at the expense of the poor
* money is the root of all evils
* receiving money for helping people is sinful
* I dont deserve to be rich
* being rich is bad
* poor people are more honest than rich people
* poor people are more spiritual
* and many more

Then one day I chance upon a book. In it was the statement below:

Whether you believe it or not, its true.

The statement at first did not strike me as particularly special but somehow it stuck in my mind. Then one fine day, it clicked!

Of course!

All these while Ive been struggling with money, or the lack of it, because deep down inside my subconscious mind I believe that money is bad and since I am good, I should not have too much money. The powerful subconscious mind gives you exactly what you believe in.

I know that by changing my beliefs in money I could change my life from one of lack to one of abundance, but knowing is one thing and doing it is another thing altogether.

Old habits die hard. There was a lot of resistance to changing the old beliefs. Despite putting in all the positive affirmations about money and using subliminal messages, it was still a painstakingly slow process of change - but change it did.

I also learned meditation and learned to become more mindful of my thoughts so that I can delibrately allow only positive thoughts into my subconscious mind. Again, meditation requires lots of patience and discipline, but the fruits of the effort is well worth it. As I purify my mind more and more, I find that not only was I creating more opportunities for wealth into my life, I was also attracting a lot of good people and company as well.

Today, I do not worry about money.

I know I will not be lacking it. The universal law of abundance flows freely into my being and my life as I continue to practice generosity and gratitude towards others.

Wealth and spirituality are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they are one and the same. A person who truly understand the universal laws knows that he or she is a spiritual being that is complete and whole, lacking nothing. That is our nature - unconditional love, joy and abundance. Only when we doubt our true nature does fear of lack creep into our lives. In the presence of fear, we create resistance to the flow of abundance into our lives. Have faith in your wholeness and the universe will provide - without fail.

You can choose to believe in unconditional love, joy and abundance or you can choose to believe otherwise. Whichever you choose, youll be right!

Dr. Tim Ong is a medical doctor who runs his own busy medical practice. In his free time, he enjoys giving public talks, teaching meditation and offering his service to hospice work in the community. He is the webmaster of The Self Improvement Site and Mind Science Info. He is also giving away his personal collection of life transforming ebooks at Book of Transformation.

Begin Each Day With a To Do List

Time flies faster and faster each day. Technology gives the impression that we can accom10FBplish more in less timeyet, observation and studies reveal America is falling behind in the race as a productive force. To improve your rate of productivitythere are some easy and simple things you can do.

Do avoid over scheduling your day. It seems like scheduling every minute is the logical and practical solution. However, it has the opposite effect. Some things will take longer than you expected, because there will be interferences that you cannot predict. If you are scheduled to the max, you will have no room to absorb the miscalculation on time. Plan to schedule about 75% as productivity and 25% free time to give yourself flexibility.

Do avoid saying, Yes to everything. See my article, Freedom to Say, No. http://ezinearticles.com/?id=391631 Saying Yes to everything is like cholesterol clogged arteries. Your system is overloaded with stuff you have difficulty handling. Sometimes you will need to say, No to yourself. If you want to read a book, you will need to say, No to watching your favorite TV show. If you want to start a business, you will need to say, No to time wasters or other lesser important things.

Do avoid trading what you want at the moment for what you want later. That extra few minutes of sleep might seem like the best thing since your last favorite chocolate, but you know it will only cause you to be late, and then cause you to play catch-up. That new pair of shoes or dress may seem like the most awesome item you could buy for yourself, but if it causes a money crunch for necessary items, they arent worth it. Think about the long-term effects of your decisions one decision at a time.

Do avoid being duped by the clich You can have it all. Having it all is possible, either by having it at different times in your life, or by having a whole lot of helpthink Kelly Ripa, Katie Couric, Barbara Walters, Charlie Gibson, Tom Brokaw, et al. They have hair dressers, chauffeurs, wardrobe attendants and a full staff of people, making sure their every professional need is met, as well as nannies, housekeepers, etc. You can rest assured they aren't grocery shopping or do laundry.

Do avoid adopting the microwave mentality. Appreciate the various stages of projects and goals, as well as the pleasure they give. Be like a roseit begins to bud and unfold slowly and perfectlyas it unfolds we can enjoy its beauty. A relationship can change, being just as beautiful and enjoyable at each stage. Enjoy your journey as you move through each stage of a projectwhether long or short. Observe yourself as you learn in the process.

Do avoid giving up. Never give up. When you make a mistake, or when the wind of life blows in unannouncedand it willbeing as prepared as possible will give you the strength to be able to carry on. If you lose your job, having a reserve of money will ease the transition into a new job and give you the ability to wait to find the right job. When it seems there is no end in sightpush on. The answer is usually closer than you think. Avoid dooms day (fear) thoughts, anger, frustration, or a poor me attitude. No one can stop youonly you can stop you. Keep on until you get what you want.

Do Simplify your life with a few more items you want to avoid. Listen to your heart. Listen to your intuitiona.k.a. gut. Your heart and intuition will readily and easily help you make up your own list of things to avoid. Set your intention on filtering out things that do not give you the most enjoyment/reward.

Do Set you intentions. Set your intentions on what you wantbe specific. I will write a book this year. I will learn to golf. I will improve my golf game.

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, author, 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, motivational speaker and 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

Danger Goal Setting Can Hurt You

Goal setting can hurt you. Yes, I know, goals are one of those sacred things not to be criticized because the evidence is clear; setting goals leads to success. While it is true that goal setting when done properly contributes a lot to your growth and success, there are also times when goal setting can actually harm you.

Whenever you set goals properly, it gets you focused, motivated, and causes you to outperform your usual self. This is fantastic for personal growth, and as I said earlier, goal setting helps you succeed in life.

So what is the danger in goal setting?

The danger from goal setting is when you fail to take a break from the process. Think about elite athletes for a moment. They are incredibly focused and use goal setting during their season. But o5A8nce their season is over, they back off a bit from their focus. This is a needed time of rest and recovery. Because goal setting can elevate our performance so dramatically, it also has the potential to burn us out if we are not careful. We burn out when we are constantly called to stretch ourselves and grow without any rest and recovery time.

When you workout in the gym, you apply stress to your muscles. The real growth occurs after your workout when your body has a time of recovery. Ask any fitness professional and they will tell you that working out constantly without a time for recovery will actually make you weaker. The key word there is "recovery." This cycle of stress followed by rest and recovery is evident in many places in life. In fact there is very little growth without the stress-recovery cycle.

Because goal setting can initiate a time of good stress by calling you higher, you also need to have periods of time where you are not being stretched and trying to grow. I know this may sound strange, but typically people set goals and come out of the blocks hard for the first couple of months, then they get tired and realize they cannot sustain this effort forever. It is usually at this point that they quit all together on their goals.

If you want to have a consistent year of goal setting, then break your year into trimesters. For each trimester, which consists of four months, make the first three mon57Eths, times of focused goal setting, and the fourth month a time to throttle down and take a break. To give you an example, here is a way you might structure your year beginning in January.

Goal Setting Months ===========Rest Months

January, February, March, ==========April

May, June, July, ================August

September, October, November, ======December

By following a cycle like this you will actually grow more than if you simply try to set goals year round without any break. Go ahead and commit to some goals for the next three months with a planned break from goal setting in your fourth month. You will find this structure very motivating and also you will see some incredible growth as a result.

Do you want to make massive progress on your goals and dreams? Take the Summit Challenge; the online goal setting game guaranteed to help you reach your peak potential. In addition to creating the Summit Challenge James Robbins also delivers keynotes on personal excellence and leadership issues such as employee retention and creating engaging workplaces. To find out more about the Summit Challenge, go to http://www.ontothesummit.com

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Thoughts To Ponder #90

Eric Butterworth was among the leading spokespersons in modern times on "practical mysticism." Eric was considered a legend and spiritual icon in the Unity movement. The author of 16 best-selling books on metaphysical spirituality, a gifted theologian, philosopher, and lecturer, and for over 50 years a teacher of "practical Christianity," helping thou1C80sands of people to help themselves to a more abundant life by the study and application of Truth. He possessed a unique ability to render the most complex metaphysical teachings in simple sound bytes of awareness. He mastered the art of the brief "essayette," of which he has written thousands and is often described as "The twentieth century Emerson."

Don't go through life, grow through life.

Evil, and evil spirits, devils and devil possession, are the outgrowth of man's inadequate consciousness of God. We must avoid thinking of evil as a thing in itself-a force that works against man or, against God, if you will.

Fundamentalists believe Jesus was God becoming man. I believe that Jesus was man becoming God.

God can only do for you what He can do through you.

I am not what I think. I am thinking what I think.

Most people show up for work being physically accoutered but mentally disheveled.

Nothing stops the man who desires to achieve. Every obstacle is simply a course to develop his achievement muscle. It's a strengthening of his powers of accomplishment.

One of the best things to do sometimes is simply to be.

Our job is not to set things right but to see them right.

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

Viktor Frankl

Journey To Your Heart's Desire

Have you decided yet what kind of life you want to experience? Do you know? Responsibilities of life can make you feel disconnected from yourself and leave little time to really think about the direction of your life. There are ways to figure out what you really want in your life. You are going to need a little courage and it will take some work and patience.

To start with, you need to be clear about what you want. What does your heart tell you? It seems really simple to answer this question, yet a large portion of the population would not be able to say what they really want. It is really hard to be specific. Do you think this describes you right now? Believe it or not, you really do already know how you want your journey to unfold. It seems logical to know what you want, since it is you and who has known you longer than you? Let's just say that deep inside where it's a little scary to go, you may not be fully aware of your desires. Hang on, you will shortly.

The journey to your heart's desire can begin with these simple steps:

What dreams did you have when you were younger? Think about those and expand on the themes5B4. Fantasizing about how your life could be is a good way to wake up your inner voice. Make the dreams even bigger than you think is possible. Feel the satisfaction and joy the reality of your biggest dreams can bring. Can you feel you're on the right path now?

Silence is golden, so it is said. Did you know you could gain great energy and balance from spending quiet time with your own thoughts? Here is another way to listen to your inner voice. This voice is what guides you through your journey in this life. The voice isn't one you can hear with your physical ears. This is the voice that makes you know beyond doubt when something is real. It causes your heart to stir and brings harmony to your body, mind and spirit.

Your thoughts can be productive in a couple of different ways. When your mind seems unfocused, just go with the process. This will allow your imagination to be creative and just play. Don't force your thoughts into any particular direction. Just go with the flow. A lot of times when you do this in a relaxed manner, insights will come to you that you never expected. Another way to have a productive brain session is to start writing down everything that comes to your mind. Make a list of your skills, abilities, experiences, hobbies and everything you ever wanted to do but never had a chance to do or just never got around to it.

These are just a few of the processes you can use to f555ind out what it is you really want in life. Ask yourself this. In a perfect world without limits where you had every opportunity, what is your life about? When you can answer this question, you will know your heart's desire.

Robin Skeen

www.robinskeen.com

Robin lives in the lovely state of Ohio, USA. She is a freelance writer and her website contains her reflections on inspired personal growth - transforming body, mind and spirit so you can live your best life NOW! To find out more, visit today. Free reports and eBooks are added on a regular basis.

Law of Attraction the most powerful law in the universe