Saturday, June 28, 2008

Louise Hay

Louise Hay is known as one of the founders of the Self Help movement and is the head of Hay House, a successful publishing company. Louise Hay is an internationally renowned lecturer, and the bestselling author of over a dozen books, including "You Can Heal Your Life", "Empowering Women", and "101 Ways to Happiness". She is one of those rare people who radiates peace and seems to make time stand still.

Louise Hay is a teacher and best seller who has pioneered the field of using your own creative powers for personal growth and more specifically, self healing. She is an icon in the world of metaphysics-science of mind, new age thought living. Louise Hay is famous for helping people heal there life with affirmations, and She is really the one who made the power of affirmations widely known1467.

Louise Hay is dedicated to "creating a world where it is safe to love each other, and is the original creator of the mind-body connection. Louise Hay is truly a great pioneer in this effort to enlighten us. Yes, Louise Hay is a visionary and pioneer.

The work of Louise Hay is the basis on which many of today's self help books have been written and one to one sessions using her methods are the stepping stones from which you will take an amazing leap forward allowing yourself to accept change and what is more important, to love yourself just the way you are.

Healing

Since beginning her career as a Science of Mind minister in 1981, Louise has assisted hundreds of thousands of people in discovering and using their full potential for personal growth and self-healing. She began traveling throughout the United States, lecturing and facilitating workshops on loving ourselves and healing our lives, and Louise's healing message has also been the subject of many newspapers and magazine articles.

We may not know how to forgive, and we may not want to forgive; but the very fact we say we are willing to forgive begins the healing practice. Allow the love that is deep within you to permeate your entire being and do its healing work on transforming your consciousness, and this can become be a strong, positive step for you in understanding and healing yourself. Hay develops a philosophy of healing that rests on a few of these core principles, and builds on these themes and shares stories of healing from her own life and those whom she has worked with over the years.

Affirmations

One of Louise Hay's healing your body tools are her very popular affirmation card decks. Affirmations are statements that are spoken, written, or thought repeatedly. Affirmations are like little reminder notes to the inner-self, and are always positive and harness the power of positive thinking to keep the inner self on track, and also are among the most powerful tools that encourage people to expedite their personal growth process.

Louise Hay affirmations have helped a tremendous amount of people; and you can let her help you toward a more positive thought process, as well. She has a movie out on her book "You Can Heal Your Life" and Oprah asked her how could most people experiencing bad situations be able to use The Secret of "Ask and Receive", she said by just applying daily affirmations, its like planting seeds and that this is one place that a person would need to start.

Too often we think in negative affirmations. Negative affirmations only create more of what you say you don?t want. Louise Hay believes that we create our own lives, and in her teachings, she presents exercises and affirmations intended to help the reader grow and to discard the limiting ideas and attitudes that can affect one's mental and physical health.

This book of simple, upbeat affirmations, exercises, and wisdom suggested that a healthy state of mind (and positive thinking) could bring about profound physical and emotional healing. Her work encompasses many well established disciplines including meditation,positive affirmations and the development of self approval. The affirmations, alone, are worth buying the book for.

Louise Hay's publishing company, has published some of my most favorite authors like Wayne Dyer, Doreen Virtue, Gregg Braden, Denise Linn, Joan Borysenko and more. Louise Hay is a born brilliant writer, and I thank God to have read her book "You can heal your life. She is one of my favorite teachers and one thing she is really good at teaching is, how to LOVE YOURSELF. Louise Hay is just wonderful, I highly recommend anything by her, she has both books and CDs, and at least one video. Louise Hay is, in my opinion, the mother of metaphysical thinking.

Louise Hay is an amazingly positive person and by the time you finish her book, she'll have you saying, "I can do it," too. Everyone has certain books in their bookshelves that they can't live without, and for me "You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise Hay is one of them. "Heart Thoughts" by Louise Hay is also an excellent read and a great gift.

Louise Hay is one of the most respected personal development teachers, counselors, authors and lecturers in the world, and the timeless wisdom shared by Louise Hay is as meaningful today as it was when written.

Article Written By J. Foley

J. Foley Has A Site With Similiar Topics, And You Can Go Here To Read More

Alan Turing

Brahmacharya

Brahmacharya is the fourth of the yamas and the word, literally translated means dedicated to the Divinity of Life. The word is often used in yogic practice to refer to celibacy or denying pleasure, but this is only a small part of what Brahmacharya represents. The purpose of practicing Brahmacharya is to keep you focused on your purpose in life, the things that instill a feeling of peace and contentment

Historically, Brahamacharya as celibacy w5B4as likely a product of teaching yoga to young men, whose desires can be difficult to harness. Unless you are living the ascetic life of a sadhu, chances are you will indulge in sexual pleasure, food pleasure or any number of possible treats. To bring brahmacharya into your life and yoga practice is to practice moderation in all things, including those things that are pleasurable distractions.

When we become hooked on pleasure, it becomes an addiction and the absence of pleasure feels like loss or dissatisfaction; we become unable to enjoy the simple happiness of life, to observe the quiet broad beauty of our minds - slowing down becomes difficult because the focus becomes the object of addiction. Practicing moderation allows us to enjoy pleasure and remain focused on our greater purpose. . How does this relate to asana practice? Sometimes yoga students push themselves in yoga practice, creating a sense of urgency, correctness (am I doing this pose well?) and anxiety. This can leave a student feeling exhausted at the end of their practice rather than feeling relaxed or refreshed and ready for purposeful action off the mat.

It is important to apply moderation to moderation also, so it is not a burden. It is a beautiful practice. It is about moderating the extremes, not wanting too much and being happy with what you have. The practice of Wanting Wanting Wanting will always leave you feeling unsatisfied.

Brahmachar4BEya can bring out many issues and energies as you begin to observe moderation - our addictions and ego rebel strenuously when they are not in control. When they arise, notice what the issues are, go deeper into your practice and discover your true motivations.

Ask yourself what is your purpose in your yoga practice? What are your goals in yoga and do you allow space in your practice to reach those goals?

In yoga,

Jenn

Seefailure

Friday, June 27, 2008

Building With People Tip

From my earliest days in Sunday school, I have remembered the words that a wise man builds his house upon the rock and the foolish man builds upon the sand. For 50 years, I thought this probably sound advice for someone about to build a house. It never dawned on me that it might have some other application until I heard the following quote from Peter Drucker. The task of leadership is to create an alignment of strengths in ways that make weaknesses irrelevant.

That statement unlocked doors in my mind and with it came the realization that success really does come from building on strengths. All too often we focus on problems (weaknesses = sand) and struggle to overcome them when in fact, we would be much better off focusing on what is working (strengths = rock) and building on them.

Over the course of my career, I have had a variety of bosses. Most tried to fix me. I did have one boss who stood up before the whole sales organization and told them he had complete faith in me. I didnt realize it at the time, but my boss motivated me in a way that I would have walked through fire for him.

In fact, I didnt really understand what he had done and how it affected me until I became soccer coach and tried a positive approach to leadership. By praising the desired actions of players, I was encouraging the other players to perform in a similar fashion. You get what you praise and reward (a lesson some organizations including our government should learn). In reality, I was building on strengths (the rock) just as my boss had done.

What about your organization? Are you still playing in the sand or are you building on rock?

 Copyright Bob Cannon/The Cannon Advantage, 2007. All rights reserved.

Byline Bob Cannon helps visionary leaders enhance performance and profitability in their organizations. Check out other interesting articles available in the Taking Aim newsletter available at http://www.cannonadvantage.com . Bob can be reached at (216) 408-9495 or mailto: aim@cannonadvantage.com

This article courtesy of http://www.decision-makingtoday.com . You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact.

Healing Prayers

Effective Goal Setting Requires Planning

You'll never accomplish anything in life without paying a cost for it. To build a business will require you to work longer hours in the beginning. You may have to get up early or stay up later. You may have to banish your TV for the next year. If you want to save more money, you may have to quit going out to eat so often. You may have to cut out some of your shopping budget.

If you plan to study and learn new subjects for your personal growth, you may have to turn off the radio station and listen to training CDs on the way to work. Anything you do will cost a price. It may be not as high of a price as you would think, but it will cost you something.

For example, anyone can become an expert in virtually any subject in just onA78e hour a day study over a year to two year period. That is a lot easier than most people would think, but it is still an hour which has to be invested everyday.

Count the cost for your goals or eliminating pain in your life. Make a plan. You should never start a new business without a plan, and you'll never reach your goals without a plan either.

You may want to weigh 30 pounds less than you do right now, but how do you plan to accomplish this? When will you schedule to exercise and what kind of exercise will you do? How will you change your eating habits to cut your daily calories? How can you get your friends or family to help you on this goal?

You can pick up dozens of books at any bookstore on the subject of losing weight. The hidden little secret is that the majority of them work, because you simply need to exercise more and cut the number and type of calories you eat. So you don't have to starve yourself or go on any crazy fad diet. Just make a plan that includes both exercise and healthy eating.

Make your plan by breaking down the goal into elements or steps. What kinds of steps will you have to take to reach your goal? The number of steps you use will be based on how complicated of a goal you have.

If you're starting a new business, you may have dozens of steps to prepare. You need to study the marketplace, visit competitors, do customer research, etc. Then you need to apply for licenses, setup a legal business form such as corporation, and possibly apply for business loans based on a business plan you've written.

If your long-term plan is to build your current business to $1,000,000 a year in net profits, then you may have one year goal and plan for $100,000 increase. For that plan, you may make a list of asking customers why they buy from you, writing new ads, testing your ads, and checking around to find joint venture partners who may be able to offer more items to your current customers.

You can break down these plans into many more steps than what I've listed here. The planning stage should be broken down into easy to accomplish daily and weekly goals. When I said write a new ad above, that could be broken down into individual steps as well.

You may design 3 ads to test, so you first decide on the "offer" for each one...what will make it unique and exciting to your customers. Then you decide on headlines. Then you write the rough draft of one ad. Then you edit it. Then you test it. Then you see if you can improve on it or test out one of the other possible offers you come up with.

The other important element that comes in while making plans is to make deadlines that 5A8are practical. You may want to lose 30 pounds, but doing that in 30 days is not practical. You will not reach that goal and do it in a healthy fashion.

The healthiest way to lose weight is 1 to 2 pounds per week. You hate the extra 30 pounds you're carrying and want to eliminate it in the next 6 months. You can break that down further and say you would like to lose 5 pounds this month. You didn't gain 30 pounds in a month, and you won't be losing it in one month either. So make shorter term goals such as losing 5 pounds per month.

If the most you've ever made in your life is $30,000 per year, then having a goal of making one million this year is not a realistic goal.

Making one million a year 5 years from now isn't that difficult, but you'd be better off setting a goal of $100,000 or so for your business the first year. You then would need to come up with all the steps required for you to reach this.

If it's a brand new business you're starting, there will be a lot of steps involved. Pick up several books that talk about starting new businesses to help you write down all the steps you'll need to take. Then get busy and start taking one step at a time.

One of the key principles here is you want your goals to be something you can really have faith in. You are only limited by what you can believe, but you won't be able to believe with your heart that you're worth the one million dollar income if yo5B3u've only been making $30,000. You're going to have to grow into it. You'll have to build up to the point where you truly believe you're worth that much money.

Most people set their one year goals too high and their 5 year goals too low. You can experience multiplied growth every year of your life, so your goals for 5 years out should be a whole lot bigger than your goals for this year alone. You can build the life you dream about, but you have to be willing to put in both the time and energy required to get there. You have a lot of learning and growing to do.

Look at potential roadblocks which may come up in the pursuit of your goal. What kind of obstacles are likely to come against you? This is part of counting the cost. You may have friends who won't want to be around you anymore. People who are set in their ways and satisfied with mediocre life don't usually accept those who want to strive for excellence. If you want to soar with the eagles, you might not be close friends with the turkeys anymore. You may have opposition from your family.

Terry Dean invites business owners to Earn More, Work Less, and Enjoy Life. Receive his Special report, "10 Key Strategies for Any Business Owner to Earn More, Work Less, and Enjoy Life" along with having access to his blog where he posts articles 2 to 3 times per week at: 2E8http://www.terrydean.org

Mahayana Buddhism Origins

Forget Success Be a Failure

Yep

You read that right!

Now before you lose your mind, let me explain.

You see, generally, people have a tendency to shoot for success or the positive side of things and forget the negative.

It doesn't matter if your goal is business success or a personal life goal.

When people reach their goal, they jump for5B4 joy butwhen something unexpected or negative happens, they start pointing fingers or become disgusted, upset and pretty much give up.

They say things like, "Yeah maybe this wasn't meant for me."

Or my favorite, "Well I tried and it didn't work out!"

Well the question I always ask is WHY?

Why didn't it work out or why isn't it meant for you?

Now you might just think from the title of this article that I'm about to tell you that these people are failures and if you feel the same then you're a failure too.

No way!

The fact is that it takes Failure to be a Success.

Maybe you should read that again.

It's okay to study failure, YOUR failures and the failures of others and look for the golden nuggets of knowledge that are built into them.

Success is inherent in failure. So seeking failure and analyzing what happened or reversing the process that lead to that failure you will find the cause of that failure.

All you have to do is look. Keep in mind you must look for it openly and without prejudice.

The truth of the matter is that you now know or understand the truth about success and it is Failure.

Failure is a greater asset to most than they care to realize.

Only when you knowingly give up on your dreams or desires do you truly become a real failure.

Failure is the key to finding and building the road to success. The Truth About Success: Forget Succe5B4ss, Be a Failure!

Seek success and learn from failure and you will achieve greatness!

Or better said

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." Theodore Roosevelt

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." Thomas Alva Edison

*** Rasheed Ali, once a homeless & penniless teenager on the streets of New York, is now helping to change the lives of thousands people from all over the world through his innovative and thought-provoking newsletters and websites. He publishes the Power of Concentration Newsletter and provides a complimentary copy of the timeless classic by Theron Dumont at http://www.FreePowerOfConcent2B0ration.com ***

Buddha

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.

Sir Winston Churchill

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.

Home Guide and Informaiton Blog

Thoughts To Ponder #52

When Betty Eadie was 31, she died in a hospital after undergoing surgery. What happened next has been called by some, "the most profound near-death experience ever." Betty journeyed to a beautiful world beyond this life. She met Jesus there. Jesus gave her a message to give to others when she returned. These quotes from her books, Embraced By The Light, The Awakening Heart, and The Ripple Effect give a glimpse of her profound experience.

"Every encounter we have, even if brief and seemingly unimportant, may have more significance than we know. A brief encounter may begin a greater ripple that reaches its intended purpose years later. Everyone who comes into our lives may be part of our mission, and we, a part of theirs. Understanding this can give meaning to the common events of life. By being positive and helpful towards others, even in casual moments, we can make the most of our time on earth."

"We will never know all the effects of our prayers in this life. We won't know all the good we do, the hearts we touch, the lives we bless. We will not even know what good we have brought into our own lives through prayer. And we cannot knowuntil we get therewhat joy we give heaven by the power of our prayers."

"We may become like the angels themselves, helping others who are in need. In prayer and service our lights will always shine. Service is the oil to our lamps generated by compassion and love."

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, Life Coach, Hypnotherapist, Author, "101 Great Ways To Improve Your Life." Mind, Body, Spirit healing and Physical/Sexual Abu3E9se 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

Mohandas Gandhi

The Motivation Myth

"It is the ultimate management conceit that we can motivate people." Peter Scholtes, team effectiveness consultant and author

After six years at Universal Pictures, Harry Cohn formed Columbia Pictures in 1924. During the following decades he ran the company with an iron fist. His image as a tyrant was reinforced by the riding whip he kept near his desk to crack for emphasis. Cohn form of "motivation" led to the greatest creative turnover of any major studio. At his funeral in 1958, one observer suggested that the thirteen hundred attendees "had not come to bid farewell, but to make sure he was actually dead."

Some parents want their kids to be independent as long as they do everything they're told to. Some team leaders want their teams to be empowered as long as they follow directions. What some "leaders", call "motivation" is getting others to carry out their orders. Some seem to live by the philosophy that if I want any of your bright ideas I'll give them to you. Just do what you're told...and look like you're enjoying it. These forms of "motivation" are based on fear and force. If the punishment is strong enough and the policing rigid enough, they will lead to compliance. People will follow the rules and marching orders. But that's all. Energy, creativity, and extra effort will be minimal. So will ownership and commitment. The only passion tyrants and autocrats create are fear, loathing, and the desire for revenge.

The key problems of the Motivation Myth are clearly illustrated by a Farcus cartoon; a team leader is at the head of a conference table addressing her team with these words, "we need to improve morale, any of you boneheads have a good idea." The main cause of the problem seems pretty obvious. She just needs to look in the mirror. But obviously the obvious isn't always so obvious. Root causes and symptoms are continuously confused. The Farcus team leader is treating low morale as a problem to be solved rather than an indicator of much deeper issues. Clearly a key source of a deeper problem is her contempt for her team and her forcefulness. Her approach is like an auto mechanic reporting, "I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder."

Many of the symptoms and root causes of motivation and morale can be clarified by understanding the doing versus being aspects of mobilizing and energizing. We need to get beyond "do to" programs and techniques. The big sticks of fear, punishments, and discipline or the carrots of incentives and rewards may work in the short term. But to keep them working, we need to continually increase the beatings or sweeten and vary the incentives. Eventually the beatings will burn people out and they will quit. Some will leave and find other jobs. Many will silently resign and continue to report for work everyday.

People should be fairly rewarded for their contributions. The absence of money can be demotivating, but its presence doesn't provide healthy, long-term motivation. Using money or types of incentives to get increased performance turns people into selfish, 5ABself-centered mercenaries who are increasingly tuned into WIFM (what's-in-it-for-me). Pride, teamwork, concern for customers, shared values, growing and developing, passion, meaningful work, and the like fade. These become hollow words that raise "the snicker factor" whenever they are heard.

Effective mobilizing and energizing goes well beyond "doing" programs to the "being" or culture of a team, organization, or any group including a family. That culture is a set of shared attitudes and accumulated habits around "the way we do things here." The culture provides the context or backdrop that either energizes or exhausts people.

Excerpted from Jim's fourth bestseller, Growing the Distance: Timeless Principles for Personal, Career, and Family Success. View the book's unique format and content, Introduction and Chapter One, and feedback showing why nearly 100,000 copies are now in print at http://www.growingthedistance.com Jim's new companion book to Growing the Distance is The Leader's Digest: Timeless Principles for Team and Organization Success. Jim Clemmer is an internationally acclaimed keynote speaker, workshop/retreat leader, and management team developer on leadership, change, customer focus, culture, teams, and personal growth. His web site is 2FAhttp://www.clemmer.net/articles

Alan Turing

Your Words And Thoughts Have Power

Even though they might seem relatively innocuous, our words and thoughts do, indeed, have a lot of power and in fact determine what our own reality is.

We are not the first to recognize this fact. In fact, wise people throughout the ages have seen just how prevalent this is. For example, William Blake, the poet, said, "We become what we behold." The Buddha himself said, "With our thoughts we make our world." These are just two of the wise minds that have seen this process evidence in action.

What words to use, then, that can create this kind of power?

Let's take the often used phrase, "Yes, but." In effect, what you are doing is trying to overcome someone else's opinion by suppressing it. In effect, what you have just done is completely discounted their opinion with the word "but." If you are someone who5B3 does this often (or even occasionally), it really blocks you from being able to communicate effectively with other people, and is also not particularly fair to that person. If you would not use this, you could simply acknowledge the other person's point of view and send the message that although you might not agree with the other person's point of view, you still allow the other person his or her full power. In other words, you don't want to disempower anyone else even if you disagree with his or her idea.

You can overcome this by saying, "Yes, and" instead of, "Yes, but." The word "and" is inclusive, and allows for both opinions to be present and equally valid. It also allows for much more open communication to flow, instead of blocking it.

Your self-talk, too, can be either and powering or disempowering. For example, do you say to yourself a lot of the time that you "must" or "have to" do something? This indicates that you think you have no choice in the matter, when, of course, you do. This type of self-talk disempowers you. If you listen to others talk, you sometimes also can sense this feeling of disempowerment in them.

If you want to change this self talk so that you realize you have a choice in the matter and thus to empower yourself, first, keep track of how often you say the words "should" or "must." These usually instill feelings of guilt or obligation, and thus some this empowerment to a least some extent.5B2

Other more general words that also hinder communication are "never," "forever," and "always." First of all, it is rarely true that something is "always" or "never" true. There are almost always exceptions. Therefore, if you or someone else is using the words "never" or "always," you are generalizing and not truly handling the matter at hand in reality. For better communication, avoid this type of generalization when you speak with someone.

Another word it's usually good to avoid if you can is "try." Of course, if you don't know whether or not you can do something, then you are going to "try" to do something. You won't know whether you can are or not until you try something if you haven't attempted it before. However, for communication situations, it's usually best to avoid this word because if you say you are going to "try" to get a task done for someone, you are not committing yourself to it. Therefore, you should say you either can or cannot do it. By stating whether or not you can firmly, you commit yourself to an answer one way or the other.

The more careful you are with the words and phrases used, the better your communication can be. You'll find that just a little attention to these areas will greatly enhance your communications with others and may even transform your relationships in general. Watch and see what happens. You just might be amazed.

Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of My-Personal-Growth.com, a site that provides information and articles for self improvement and personal growth and development.

Seefailure

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Risking Everything

The movie What's Eating Gilbert Grape takes place in a small sleepy town of Endora with the storyline built around a poor, fatherless, dysfunctional family. While you may be familiar with Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mary Steenburgen and Juliette Lewis, the5B4 star who stole my heart was Darlene Cates. She played Momma, a former beauty queen who, because of circumstances, became a 500-pound recluse who had given up on lifeexcept for eating, sleeping and channel surfing.

She had little purpose in life and would rather be dead than seen in public. One day, her "slow" son (DiCaprio) was put in jail for climbing the water tower for the umpteenth time. The Sheriff had had enough and made good on his promise of arrest after looking the other direction since the first incident.

Momma was worried to death about her son suffering in a cold cell. Unfamiliar with his surroundings, he might scream and sob all night or inflict self-injury. This time she knew nothing else would get her son out except a face-to-face confrontation with the law.

Of course, she did a lot of soul-searching...

This meant facing embarrassment, shame and humiliation. This meant people stopping to stare, kids pointing and laughing, townsfolk gossiping, heckling and telling fat jokes. This meant risking everything she valued in life to get her boy back.

Gilbert (Depp) drove the family to the courthouse steps. Momma got out the car and with her walking cane, made a staggered beeline to the Sheriff's office. She screamed the Sheriff's name and demanded for her son. When the sheriff made an excuse about police procedure she screamed even louder, "My son! Give me my son!"

The office staff was quit5B4e invisible at this moment. Their codes, policies and procedures didn't prepare them for matters of the heart. They cowered beneath the undying love of an angry mother.

Momma wouldn't take no for an answer. This caught everyone, including her family, by surprise. With the guts and determination Momma showed, the sheriff had no choice but to give her what she wanted. There wasn't a braver soul in Endora.

Momma risked everything to get her son back. There was no other alternative. There was no other choice. She had to conquer her inner demons.

Have you ever taken any risks?

I don't mean gambling your paycheck away at poker, driving 85 miles-per-hour on a 65 miles-per-hour highway, or eating fast food every day. I'm talking about serenading your sweetheart when you can't hit a note, going up against your boss and his gang of "Yes Men" in a company meeting, or jumping out of an airplane for the first time in your life. You know, the stuff that really matters. The stuff that causes you to stretch and makes something of you.

Imagine you had to do something you're uncomfortable at, or perhaps it was your first time...

For me that would be swimming. I've been in the pool a few times during high school and even took some lessons, but don't ask me to rescue your drowning cat. The closest you would ever find me to a pool is when I'm in the Jacuzzi.

But couldn't I become an adequate swimmer if I had enough 562practice? What if I hired a swim coach? Couldn't I get comfortable in the water then?

Definitely. With enough practice anyone can get good at anything within reason. It centers on possibilities and your beliefs in what you can or cannot do.

If I were to take swimming lessons at the YMCA, I'd look rather silly because I'd be surrounded by children who'd probably laugh at me. But wouldn't the shame and humiliation be worth it if I saved someone from drowning some day?

Tommy Yan helps business owners and entrepreneurs make more money through direct response marketing. He publishes Tommy's Tease weekly e-zine to inspire people to succeed in business and personal growth. Get your free subscription today at www.TommyYan.com.

Get a FREE 5-week Secrets to Web Mastery e-course. If your websites aren't making sales or capturing leads, you can't afford to let it idle in Cyberspace. Read more...

Alan Turing

The Heart of the Mentor - Drawing From Experiences

Those of us who have been mentored know that it takes an extraordinary person to touch and affect peoples lives in such a unique way. Mentors must be many things, but they must primarily be a person who draws everything there is to be gained from an experience. Experience teaches us wisdom, knowledge, morality, and human nature to name a few. But a mentor internalizes the feelings and emotions gained from lifes experiences and translates them into the words that can lead, guide, educate, and heal.

One may assume that experience and emotional learning occur naturally in everyone but this is not always true. How often do we go through the motions of life without ever really articulating the feelings we experience? It requires careful monitoring and a thorough memory to take the emotional lessons life teaches us and turn them into lessons for another. A mentor is a mentor long before they meet their partner or make a commitment. They are a lifelong interpreter of feelings associated with experience. It is more than learning from encounters. It is more than remembering encounters. It is reliving the encounter every time they share the experience.

When a mentor shares an experience they recapture the feelings they had at the time and put them into the context of the present. Sharing the feelings they had when they faced a challenge takes more than just retelling the events and time frames. To be genuine and authentic they must touch the actual feeling of challenge, with its fears and excitement, and put those feelings into words.

It is the authenticity of feeling that truly enriches the mentoring process. We have all had conversations where stories are told and walked away with only knowledge of a specific event. In mentoring we walk away with much more. The energy and authenticity of our mentors words are the elements that make mentoring far more than a conversation. They are the elements that inspire and motivate us. They are guidance with the energy to motivate us to take action and make changes.

When mentoring is part of the career process we have the chance to develop our lives with the knowledge and wisdom of anothers experience. When that knowledge and wisdom are shared with genuine feeling we dont just learnwe absorb. It is what allows us to choose a path, take a risk, and learn from our mistakes. It gives us the vigor to make these decisions and choices. It takes a lot of energy to live and grow in the business world and it is the lack of that energy that leads to apathy and ambivalence. More than seeking advice, seeking mentoring is reaching out for the power to control and influence our world.

You may wonder how you will know if someone is truly a mentor or just someone who is giving advice. Once you have met a mentor, the difference will become obvious. Your mentoring sessions will leave you motivated and intrigued, not fearful or apprehensive about decisions you are now faced with. The mentoring experience is a truly remarkable relationship and it is no wonder that so many professionals credit their success to mentoring. Some of the most influential and successful business people sought and received mentoring early in their careers and achieved incredible things.

All these things are possible because mentors mentor with their hearts. That vital and powerful part of them is what allows them to have such an impact on the lives of others. Sharing their hearts, with all its intrinsic hopes and dreams, gives them the authenticity to guide and enrich. When you meet a true mentor it is not hard to believe them because they have a consistency that one can trust and believe in. The emotions they share are consistent with the words and experiences they impart. When you find a mentor you have found a valuable treasure and the process deserves your efforts and respect. Future articles will cover how to be a good partner in mentoring and how mutual nurturing is essential to the process. Mentoring is such a complex concept that this article alone only touches the surface of such an exciting and beneficial process.

Melissa Vokoun is a successful Business Advisor and Trainer. From 1983 to 2005 she was COO and VP of Sales and Marketing for a national telecom equipment distributor. Her passion for business, working with clients in solving critical issues in the strategic, tactical and operational areas of growth continues. She is now President and Founder of NuVo Partners and Successful Business Advisors. To learn more about the services available, please visit the website at: http://www.nuvo-partners.com or call 847-392-6886.

Seefailure

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Why Your Goal Setting Annoys Friends, Family and Faint-Hearts

It's not unusual for people to come back from an inspiring personal development seminar, or after having read a potentially life changing book on goals and ready to take action, only to be faced with indifference and sometimes downright hostility from loved ones. Why is this the case and what can you do if it happens to you?

The relevance of what I have to say here will depend to some extent on the nature of your current relationships with friends and family. Not knowing your situation, I cannot be specific as to the outcome. What I do know is that there will be a reaction once you begin to implement the goals and make changes. And it might not be pretty, at least at first. Especially where a change in comfort is concerned. That is to say, to their psychological as well as possibly physical, comfort! Your friends and family have grown accustomed to the familiar you, warts and all. How dare you upset the applecart by seeking change with all this goal setting nonsense! ;-)

One effective method for handling this is to expect it. Be prepared! In any web of relationships there is an inbuilt survival element of "what's in it for me?" Remember, this is not necessarily a negative or selfish trait to be despised - it's simply a reality of why people are often drawn to each other in the first place. So you should be increasingly aware of the impact your goal setting and changing life direction may have on those close to you. I would go as far to say that you should patiently resolve to see their side of it with as much compassion as you can muster. Now, compassion doesn't mean weakness, or imply deviation from your chosen path. But it does suggest an openness to understand and perhaps, within reason, to compromise.

An example from a friend of mine may help to make the point. When John ( not his real name) first announced he was leaving the corporate world to pursue his goal of building a successful small business, his friends and family were at first surprised, even a little jealous. But then it dawned on his wife that not only would their income drop drastically during the unknown and possibly prolonged startup phase of the business, but that John would be working from home each and every day. For a woman well used to being a homemaker and on her own for most of the nine to nine working hours considered normal in Japan, and within the confined space of a small, by Western standards, Japanese apartment, this became a source of some friction between them.

How would you handle a situation like that? Stick to your guns and tell her that come what may, you're going to be at that desk, in that apartment, every single day even if it takes you 10 years to achieve the goal you set? There are no easy answers here but John would be well advised to holster his pistols, and commence the delicate art of negotiation. From a compassionate viewpoint, you understand -- and not with a "I win, you lose" attitude.

I know of cases where this fear of upsetting others, especially people you care about, caused life-changing goals and dreams to be aborted or stillborn by their creators. What a potential loss to the world! Even if you haven't launched your dream goal or project, you can begin right now in the practice of loving compassion for those around you. One day you may be glad you did.

-- Need help setting career or business or life goals but can't afford an excellent coach? http://www.goalcreationmaps.com

Goal Creation Online Course

Mark McClure is a certified career coach and solo business owner.

Noble Eightfold Path

Routine or Ritual

We all have dozens of routines we go through daily, and for the most part, we do them with a blind unconsciousness that is sometimes startling. Here are some examples: You get up, make and drink your morning coffee completely oblivious that a new day has dawned. You drive to work and upon arriving, ask yourself how you got there. You remember none of it. You make a meal, do an exercise routine, read the paper or pay your bills...all without paying more than a sliver of attention...just enough to get the job done and sometimes, avoid injury.

And what about those routines you go through at work...answering a phone call, dealing with a client's needs or coaching a staff member. Sadly we often do those things without being conscious as well. The results: we end up making more mistakes, and often, leave ourselves, our customers, co-workers and staff members dissatisfied without really knowing why. It's no wonder so many of us come to a certain point in life and ask ourselves, "Is that all there is?" And yet the quest for "more" never satisfies for more than a few short hours or days either.

But I've rediscovered recently that any routine can be transformed into a ritual, and by doing so, it is possible to transform what seems quite ordinary into the something extraordinary. And that, as the poet said, "makes all the difference."

Just what is a ritual and what difference can it make in your life--personal or professional? By definition, a ritual is a set of practices that usually has religious meaning. The approach to them is intentionally reverent. In our daily lives, a ritual can be anything we choose to bring an attitude of conscious reverence to. Have you ever watched how the traditional Japanese or British ritualize the drinking of tea. Tea is not simply a drink to be consumed so you can get the caffeine boost you need to hurry up and get on with your day. Drinking tea is a very special part of the day, and because the preparation and presentation of the tea is as significant as its consumption, tea drinking takes on a very different spirit for those who do it routinely.

Now imagine for a moment going through the motions of handling a customer issue with the kind of attention to detail, focus, and presence the Japanese or British bring to their tea rituals. Imagine preparing and eating meals with that conscious awareness of having a "sacred" experience instead of rushing through mindlessly to get on with the next thing. Imagine exercising and staying present to the incredibly complex series of motions our bodies go through in performing even a simple movement, instead of being hooked up to an iPod or TV set to "distract" us from the experience. Just imagine...

This week I invite you to experiment with creating some rituals for yourself. Pick an activity that you do "routinely" and see if you can transform it into a ritual. Pay attention to how you feel before, during and after performing it. For help in how to transform even the most mundane chores (think paying bills, doing laundry, driving to work) into a ritual, consult Alexandra Stoddard's book, Living a Beautiful Life.

I'm convinced that if we could bring even a fraction more awareness and reverence to our daily routines, thereby creating more rituals for ourselves, that life for many of us would take on a freshness, a beauty, a fullness we can hardly imagine.

Start right now: print this out, make yourself a cup of tea or coffee, pause to savor the experience of it all, and begin creating a ritual out of a routine. And as always, enjoy the journey!

Betty

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Quote of the Week:
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"Live your life each day as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance towards the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point." ~~Harold B. Melchart

Betty Mahalik has been coaching small business owners, independent professionals and leaders who want to achieve more but stress less, since 1996. Her background includes several years in the broadcasting and public relations fields prior to starting her own firm in 1987. She is an accomplished public speaker and corporate trainer specializing in communications, goal-setting and leveraging your strengths. Since 2001, she has written a weekly motivational message, free to subscribers, titled Monday Morning Coach. To subscribe go to: http://www.dynamic-coaching.com

Mentor

How to Improve Your Time Management Skills

Using your time wisely is an important component of Internet marketing. Successful Internet professionals know that productivity is the key to working smarter instead of working harder.

To understand what productivity is, it is beneficial to start out by making sure that you understand what it is not. Productivity and earnings do not mean the same thing. Just because you are busy doing something does not mean that you are being productive.

Many of the busiest people are the least productive. People who spend all of their time doing something, or or thinking about doing a task yet they never actually seem to do anything are not productive. For activity to be productive, it has to be directed toward accomplishing a goal in a purposeful manner.

The concepts of time management and efficiency are key components when speaking of Internet marketing productivity.

The simple fact is that no one has any more time than you do. Every human being has the same exact amount of time. Everyone in this universe has the same 24 hour days that you do. The difference among people is not in how much time they have, but rather with you well they manage their time.

People who use their time efficiently are more productive than those who do not. Efficiency is maximizing the resources that you have available to you. Being efficient roughly translates into getting the most bang for your buck. When it comes to Internet marketing productivity, time management is everything.

To figure out if you work efficiently and productively, ask yourself some simple questions. At the beginning of your workday, do you have a plan for what you want to accomplish at the end of the day? If you do, you are off to a great start. If you dont, you arent likely to accomplish much, because you dont have a goal to guide your actions.

At the end of your workday, do you look back at the day and wonder where all of the time went? This is a sign that you may be working very hard, but not in very smart way. Activity without purpose is just wasted energy.

Most people start online businesses for the purpose of building a successful business that will help them achieve long-term financial success and independence. The best way to build your business is to make efficient use of all of the resources available to you, including your time, your money, and available technology.

Ensure that you start each day with a clear goal of what you want to accomplish and direct your accomplishments toward that end. At the end of the day, look back and evaluate your progress. Use that information to plan your next day. Mastering this mindset toward time management is the key to daily productivity.

James and his wife are paying off their debt with their online income. They share their knowledge and experience of how to make money online at Our Debt Free Lives

Northern Buddhism

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Lower Back Tattoo Designs - 3 Tips For Women Who Want To Find That Perfect Lower Back Tattoo Design

So you want to get a tattoo on your lower back but don't know which lower back tattoo design is right for you. I have known women that have taken months to choose the right design. To help you on your quest to find the perfect lower back tattoo design, here are 3 tips that will help you decide.

Lower Back Tattoo Design Tip #1 - Make it personal for you.

Think about something that you think defines you in one way or another. This could be a flower, animal, place, or emotion. You can incorporate this into the design of your tattoo to make it unique. Also think about the design itself as it relates to you. Do you want a detailed design representing your inner mysteries or do you want something simple that may represent your fun loving nature?

Lower Back Tattoo Design Tip #2 - Make it the right size for you.

Of course lower back tattoo designs come in all shapes and sizes but it's important to choose the right size for you. Again, this has a lot to do with what you want the tattoo to mean to you. You can get a smaller daintier design to represent your beauty as a woman. Or you can get a larger tattoo that expresses your outgoing nature.

Lower Back Tattoo Design Tip #3 - Make browsing for a design easy.

There are millions of designs out there and looking through them all can often become very daunting. One of the best ways to find the best lower back tattoo design for you is to browse through online collections. This is an easy way for you to look at loads of designs, get great ideas, and print out the design you want all from the comfort of your house. This will stop the tiring routine of visiting loads of tattoo parlours and coming up empty handed.

Want to see the best Lower Back Tattoo Designs

Browse through thousands of tattoo designs and find the perfect tatttoo for you here: Best Tattoo Designs

Thomas Edison

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

A Simple Man (A Poem)

I'm sure I can't remember where, but some
Where in my simple life I found the key
That unlocked the door of the jungle around me.
Back then, the Lord and I, walked side by side,

Up and down that old path, a dirt alleyway!
I would sing, and hum, in the snow and rain
That circled over my head, on the way to school;
But then He disappear; growing up was done.

I was a simple boy; those walks were all I knew
No dog, no father, just mom, Mike and grandpa;
A hamster that looked at me, a turtle and poems
(I started writing them at twelve-years old).

Today I'm sixty-years old, can't sleep all that well
Yesterday I tried to talk to the Lord again, just
Like I did way back when; my voice, words
A bit rumbled? But then, I'm now a simple man.

Commentary on the Simple Man: No: 2012, October 7, 2007. I've learned in life, God takes the simple things and stupid as they may be at times, and he loves them. He hears them weep as children, and swear as adults, and somewhere in-between, He gives them keys to open certain doors (if they are willing; He even embarrasses the smart and strong and arrogant with the simple), and yes, he keeps coming around, to see if the simple spider stooping has floundered into the empty air, and become a lovely, butterfly. When we are young, simple and innocent, it is different than when we are adults, simple and likened to a dragon.

But I've learned being simple can be appealing to the Lord, you know he made us as we are. It is best we do not forget who we are, perhaps tuck it away now and then, if it is too much to swallow, but learn to live with it. Some folks laugh the simple-ness of other folks, it is not wise to do so, lest the Lord remind you, who you really are (and bring you back down off your high horse). I have learned if you love God, and trust Him, and the odds are against you, He can even them up, if you take the opportunities He throws your way, and wait, prepare. Once I waited for ten years, but it was worth waiting for, I had to prepare, be available, willing and usable.

See Dennis' web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

Fantasy Or Reality

Maine Coon Cats

We love our pets dont we? Choosing the right family pet is a serious project. The pet you choose will be part of the family for years to come and will likely always be remembered. For children, a pet is an important part of their life. They learn a lot from pet ownership, including responsibility, caring for others, relationship skills, and more.

Whatever pet you choose, keep in mind the impact a pet has on every member of your family. If you are planning to add a cat to your family, you should consider a Maine Coon Cat (often incorrectly spelt Mancoon cat). They are one of the oldest breeds of cats in the United States and make a great addition to any family.

Next to the Siamese cat, the Maine Coon Cat is the most popular breed of cat there is. These cats were the only cat breed native to the United States, but now there are Maine Coon Cat in every corner of the world. Harsh winters in the Northeastern part of the US caused this cat to evolve as a breed that can withstand the cold.

There is a myth about the origins of the Maine Coon Cat. Its bushy tail has led people to believe that it was originally the result of a cat mated with a raccoon. The Maine Coon Cats coloring also adds to the myth. Thats how it got the name Maine Coon first, then Maine Coon Cat afterwards.

Amateur historians have their own myth about the Maine Coon Cat. They say the cat originated from pets that Marie Antoinette sent to the US. That story says a Captain Clough rescued her long-haired cats and was preparing to rescue her from the guillotine as well, but was only able to save the cats.

Real historians have their own theory. They say Maine Coon Cats are likely a cross breed between short-haired cats here and long-haired cats from overseas that were brought here by the Vikings or New England seamen.

Whatever the origin of the Maine Coon Cat, it is one of the most loved breeds in the US and beyond. Why else would there be so many legends behind this breed? People love their Maine Coon Cats and help add to their mystique through speculating on their origins.

The breed almost disappeared in the early 1900s after being very popular in the 1800s. In the first part of the 20th century Persian, Angora, and Siamese Cats, along with other exotic imported cats became all the rage and the Maine Coon Cat was only popular among a few breeders.

You will recognize a Maine Coon Cat when you see one, but especially if you get the chance to pet one. Their coat of hair is water-resistant and thick and has a feel like no other cats coat. The Maine Coon Cat is built for survival in harsh climates. Its hair is longer on the undersides while shorter on the top of the neck and back to keep them from getting tangled in bushes.

Maine Coon Cats tend to be long, broad and muscular with larger bones than other cats. Their large round paws enable them to walk on snow similar to a human with snowshoes. The Maine Coon Cats tail is as long as his or her body and bushy. To keep warm they wrap their tail completely around themselves like a fur coat.

These huge cats are very loyal to the family that adopts them and they have a personality that belies their great size. They are good-natured and fun-loving pets that are good around children. The voice of the Maine Coon Cat is something you will have to get used to. Its a high-pitched squeak that doesnt seem to fit such a large cat.

I hope this article has helped you to learn more about Maine Coon Cats and that it will encourage you to adopt one as part of your family.

Robin Darch, of PRT Specialised Services Limited has a website, My Pet Cat to help you find all the information you need about pet cats, cat grooming, and cat training.

http://www.mypetcat.org

Benjamin Franklin

Monday, June 9, 2008

Love Is a State-of-Mind: Six Tips to Find It

Do you remember the last time you were in love? Think back to the very beginning with all the excitement, tingles, energy and amazement. When you fall in love the world looks more beautiful, lifes flaws disappear, you feel vibrantly alive, and the possibilities seem endless. Love is much more than two people together in relationship. Love is truly a state-of-mind.

If you are in the process of looking for love, putting this important concept to work for you can make all the difference. Sometimes frustration can creep into your search which can cause your energy and attitude to plummet. The Universal Law of Attraction states Like attracts like. That means its a lot easier to find love if you are a loving person and maintain a loving state-of-mind.

So how can someone create a loving state-of-mind prior to finding the real thing? Here are six, powerful tips to help achieve a positive outlook. Some ideas will improve self-love, while others enhance your attitude. See what appeals to you and put it to work to keep your spirits up and lovable.

1) Create an Altar Dedicated to Love
Designate a sacred space and adorn it with a pair of pink candles, heart shaped items, a framed picture of lovers from myth, movies or literature. You choose the symbols with the most meaning for you. Have fun with this task. When you look at your completed arrangement, it should instantly elicit warm, loving feelings and reinforce that finding love is really possible.

2) Heighten Your Feminine Charm
Wear perfume, sexy underclothes or makeup to heighten your feminine charm. Put on your favorite outfit to feel fabulous. Get your nails done, have a facial or massage or try an aromatherapy session. Take a bubble or scented bath, light the room with candles and play soothing or romantic music. Indulge in whatever makes you feel more alluring.

3) Focus on Your Best Features
Select your best feature, focus on on it daily and be grateful for its beauty. Every woman, without exception, has her own unique beauty and reason to be loved. Do you have beautiful eyes, sensuous lips, delicate hands, curvaceous hips or walk with a graceful step? Celebrate what makes you beautiful to build your self-esteem.

4) Practice Abundant Thinking
Notice the number of stars in the night sky, grains of sand at the beach, blades of grass in your lawn (or any where theres a patch) leaves on a single tree, or even cars on a traffic-jammed highway. Look for situations or items that are too numerous to count, because they provide excellent evidence that the universe is an incredibly abundant place. When you feel abundant, you feel more generous and realize its safe to share what you have, because there will always be more!

5) Think Loving Thoughts and Open Your Heart
Try smiling at someone who catches your eye, letting a person cut in front of you in the grocery store checkout, allow a car to leave a four-way stop ahead of you even if you were there first, etc. These random acts of kindness shift your energy, and transform your life experience. This generosity of spirit might not be rewarded directly, but will come back to you, even if its just to maintain an elevated mood.

6) Find a Reason to Laugh at Least Once a Day
No matter what is happening in your life, there is always something to smile about if you take the time to connect with it. Some reasons might include: being healthy, employed, good weather, your favorite season, a happy memory, an upcoming vacation, friendship, family, a nice home, etc. Make a list of what is good and get in the habit of noticing what is going right with your world.

Dont feel you have to try all of these methods, but know that the more time you spend lifting your spirits and maintaining a positive self-image and outlook, the better your chances of feeling good and attracting the love your desire. At the very least, youll enjoy whatever you do a whole lot more. Knowing love is a state-of-mind, makes it possible for everyone to experience it.

Visit http://www.NeverTooLate.biz for savvy dating strategies to help you find the love you want and deserve. You can subscribe to the f*r*e*e bi-weekly newsletter and check out the book MANifesting Mr. Right: Its Never Too Late to Find the Love You Want by Dating Coach and expert Ronnie Ann Ryan.

Pema Chodron

Just The Write Words: 3 Tips In Writing A Condolence Letter

When death happens to a friend across the globe, one need not travel across the world to extend ones sympathy and condolence to the bereaving family. A simple phone call would suffice. Or better yet, a more formal way for extending support and sympathy for the grieving would be to write a condolence letter.

However, since condolence letters are sent for a very emotional event, condolence letters are sensitive in nature. A condolence letter sender must keep in mind the right words to say to avoid saying one thing and being misunderstood for another.

1. Tribute to the Dead

Aside from consoling the bereaving family, condolence letters are also meant to pay last respects and tribute to the dead. If condolence calls and funeral visits to pay respects for the dead are not possible, a good and punctual condolence letter will suffice for the bereaving family. As a tribute to the beloved dead, condolence letter should contain the name of the dead, how you were related or associated, and a brief account of one or two fond memories you have with the deceased.

2. Console the grieving

The best tone for a condolence letter is to be yourself and speak as though you were consoling the bereaved family in person. There is no use for flowery, high-falutin words. We are writing a condolence letter to the grieving, not a literary masterpiece vying for literary awards. The best condolence letters are simple, sincere and unpretentious.

3. Validate and acknowledge the grief

When writing a condolence letter, it is impolite and rude to pretend the loss never happened or to presume that healing will come easy for the grieving person. Condolence letters are meant to console and support the grieving and every person experiencing an intense emotion would want their feelings acknowledged to be valid by the expression of your own sympathies.

Finding the right words at a time when words are not enough is not easy. But with sincerity, simplicity and support, a few words may just be what a grieving person need to get by.

JB Anthony is the co-webmaster and co-promoter of http://www.guidetofunerals.com To read more on funeral guides, links to funeral homes, funeral-related products and services, tips on writing condolence letters and eulogies, links to books on death, dying, poems on death, and for more articles on dealing with grief, please log on to http://www.guidetofunerals.com

Eastern Buddhism

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Opposites Attract - Even When It Comes To Horse Lovers!

It is a well known fact that opposites attract. This is why the positive and negative end of magnets will attract each other. It has also been said that two people who are just alike will not last in a relationship and for the most part these statements are true. This is why so many non horse loving men find themselves in relationships with horse loving women.

A non horse loving man that is in a relationship with a horse loving woman is going to have a hard time accepting the fact that they will come in second place to the horses every time. This is why it takes a very loving and understanding man to be with a horse loving woman. There are some men who do not understand what is meant by coming in second to the horses.

Here is an example of the horses coming in first. You have had a weekend trip planned with your wife for over two months. The morning that you are supposed to leave on your trip, your wife finds out that there is a brand new cutting of hay in a local hay field and she thinks that it would be a good idea to stock up on hay before winter comes and the hay supply gets short. You tell your wife that you insist that she get her hay some other time and thirty minutes later you find yourself in the hay field throwing fifty pound bales of hay onto a flatbed trailer when you were supposed to be on the highway for a vacation.

Now many men say that they simply would not allow their wives to push them around like that and ruin their weekend plans, but what these men do not know is that horse loving women are very sweet and nice on the outside, but when it comes to their horses their personality will change and they will turn into an angry bear who is trying to protect her cubs. Horse husbands know that when it comes down to him or the horses, it is safer to just agree with their wives and live to fight another day.

Horse husbands also know that horses require a great time commitment, especially if their wives attend horse competitions. Most wives will leave their husbands at home when they attend a competition because they know that their husbands will be bored and will complain the entire time. This is when husbands get to spend quality time with their friends watching sports or fishing and a horse wife will allow their husband to do these activities with their friends because it means that she will not have to suffer through a hot day at the lake not catching any fish.

While all marriages have their ups and downs, it seems like a horse loving wife and a non horse loving husband make the best couples. This is because neither person will force the other to do something that they do not want to do, unless your wife needs your help loading hay before you go on vacation.

Ron Petracek was raised in southern Idaho with a beautiful jet black morgan as his adventure companion, and the snake river within a easy ride. Horses and the outdoors are a solid part of his life, along with his beautiful wife and two children. Ron loves to share his thoughts and would love for you to stop by and say hello.

For more great information and FREE equine classifieds! Everything from horses to trailers & tack please visit. http://www.theequineyard.com

If you would like to help others learn more about horses than stop by our beautiful and friendly equine forum http://www.horsechitchat.com

Mahatma Gandhi

What is Cremation?

Each one of us shall die one day and facing this fact of life bravely is the first step towards wisdom. We all often wonder and frown at the mere mention of a cremation as it causes instant gloom in our lives. But its a word that causes strong emotional responses, different reactions in individuals and families leading them to ask various questions. Cremation.com is here to answer all your queries patiently and compassionately. Simply, because we care.

What is a cremation? Simply put, it is another means of preparing the physical remains for the final disposition. A casketed burial is another way of addressing the final preparations. A cremation is separate from the funeral prayers or other arrangements. When a death occurs and cremation has been chosen, the cremation provider is called by a family member, caregiver, minister, or anyone the family chooses, take care of the funeral arrangements.

Are you wondering what happens during the cremation process? The actual process of cremation itself normally takes two to three hours. The cremated remains will be swept into a temporary container after completion of the actual cremation service. Afterwards, the ashes are placed in a temporary container unless a permanent one has been selected, and are returned to the family or transported to another specified location.

Cremation services are controversial and have many misconceptions attached to them. For instance, local funeral homes offer full traditional funeral arrangements, when they are chosen for cremations.

Do you know what a columbarium looks like? What does the Bible say about cremations? What type of merchandise and services are available? Are you looking for a funeral home directory for a general pre-planning information? What do you do if you need to travel with cremated remains? Do you often think you do not want to be cremated to avoid your grieving family from undergoing the funeral speeches and procedures? Or perhaps you feel you do not want to be cremated because you desire more flexibility with your funeral arrangements like a particular cremation jewelery or a special cremation casket? Do you object to cremation societies because you have religious concerns, or are you pro-cremation because you have environmental concerns?

Well! We at Cremation.com have are here to answer your questions. Get comprehensive information on cremations, local funeral homes, funeral home supplies and much more with us.

J. WAYNE CAMPBELL came to the funeral industry in 2003 after a highly law of successful career as a full-time National Guardsman, retiring as a full-Colonel. Mr. Campbell is a Stephen Minister, a Presbyterian Deacon and Elder and a Family Support Volunteer for Hospice of Wake County. For more information on cremation and related processes, please visit us at www.cremation.com

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