try this simple experiment while traveling around on your adventures throughout the world.
Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing and personal development.
Would you still be reading this article, if you had no desire, for better life. Find out more by visiting a place for more life-changing skills .
Lou HoltzLet me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity ~Louis Pasteur
It seems so simple and yet it's the most overlooked ingredient in success. Persistence is the cornerstone of ANY successful endeavor.
Nothing in the world takes the place of persistence.
Thomas Edison tried 10,000 different things before he figured out how to successfully create a light bulb. 10,000! When people commented on his many failures he replied, "I have not failed, I've just found 10,000 ways that don't work". Edison understood that every unsuccessful attempt put him one step closer to reaching his goal.
Nothing in the world takes the place of persistence.
Abraham Lincoln lost his job, was defeated for state legislature, failed in business, had a nervous breakdown, was defeated for speaker of the house, defeated for nomination for Congress, rejected for land officer, defeated for US Senate twice, and defeated for nomination for Vice President, before being elected President.
Nothing in the world takes the place of persistence.
Oprah Winfrey was told she wasn't fit for television. Michael Jordan was cut from the varsity basketball team his sophomore year in high school. Bob Dylan was booed off the stage when he began to change his musical style. JK Rowling was turned down by nine different publishers before she found one to print her Harry Potter series.
Nothing in the world takes the place of persistence.
Have you let obstacles get in the way of your success? Have you let go of your dream because it got too difficult?
It's not too late! You can have the life you deserve.
Start today.
Take one small step each day to your dream and you WILL achieve it!
Nothing in the world takes the place of persistence
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How To Win FriendsCreating super habits are easier than you could ever imagine. Most people have something they would like to change in their lives. If you ask anyone, they are usually able to answer this question, "If you could change anything about yourself, what would you change." All the self help and personal development programs and Books available today are full of useful information that nobody seems to take advantage of. You've seen the TV commercials and listen to other people tell their stories, about how they lost weight.
Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.
Greg is currently working on a self help video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
Create Your DayEverything is energy. At one time, it was thought that there were only two things in this world; matter and energy. Now we understand that matter is really energy in what appears to be solid form. Only one thing exists and that is energy. We are made of it. We direct this energy either by intention, or by subconscious.
Far too many people walk the Path of life and believe that they have little or no control over it. They feel themselves victims as much as anything. They spend most of their days being reactive instead of proactive. Their very spirits feel small and withered and, indeed, are withered from lack of use. The truth is, our spirits are the source and the expression of our Life energy. When we allow ourselves to become automatons, living each day out of habitual boredom our spirits become weak. The energy that flows from us becomes weak. Our subconscious mind tells the spirit there is no hope, there is no way out and our energy follows these directions. How do we get out of this precarious predicament? Exercise!
No, I don't mean push-ups, although that might help. I mean exercising the spirit. First on the agenda is to allow yourself to dream again. Let your imagination run a little. Envision the places you would like to go, the person you would like to be. By allowing yourself to dream, the spirit begins to take hope and gives a little more Life energy so that those dreams might become reality. Who hasn't thought about what it might be like to win the lottery, or receive a huge inheritance and what they would do with the money. They get a feeling of joy, of expectation. Life seems more hopeful. This is not just silliness, it is the spirit feeling hope, wanting to release the energy needed to make some of those dreams become reality.
Next, I would suggest some meditation. There are many people today giving all sorts of different advice on how best to meditate. Most people who even begin to think about meditating assume they have to turn themselves into a pretzel, sitting in full lotus position for hours at a time, probably naked on top of a peak in the Himalayas. Although this might sound appealing to some, it is not necessary.
Take a walk outside. I like early morning, but anytime will do. Don't worry about walking fast, just walk and listen. Listen to nature and the world around you, but listen to the inner voice as well. Listen to the energy that will surely come and watch where it seems to want to go. Our times in nature are nearly always invigorating to mind, body and spirit.
If you want to try meditating in a more formal manner, don't worry about turning yourself into a pretzel. Sit comfortably somewhere free of distractions like TV or kids running through the house. Just sit there. You might try watching your breath. Just watch yourself inhale and then exhale. Notice how it feels to breathe. It won't be long and you will probably start to feel a sense of freedom, or maybe, joy. That is the Life energy within you. Enjoy it for what it is. Encourage it to grow. You might envision a fountain inside of you; a fountain that gives spiritual water instead of regular water. The energy might be small at first.Imagine turning the valve that allows more spiritual water to flow from this fountain. Watch it bubble up until it reaches into the sky with a sparkling brightness.
As you encourage your spirit, your Life energy to grow, to expand, you will find more of your dreams resurfacing and even coming to reality.We are created to be the image of the Infinite. That means we are to be creative living sources of the Spirit, the Life energy of the Source. If that is true, and it is, why would that ever mean that we are to live a robotic, meaningless life?
Everything is energy. It is meant to be this way. Understand that you are a channel of this energy, this Life force that flows through the universe.If you do, your life will never be the same!
I am a minister, Yoga teacher, Reiki practitioner and student of what makes us tick.
My website is located at http://www.acommonpath.com Please feel free to email me with your comments and/or criticisms.
If you would take one idea from this article, let it be that a spiritual life is not a life of denial. When spiritual teachers talk about recognizing spirit, they don't mean we need to deny the flesh. The body is no more than a communication vehicle for our mind. The mistake we make is exaggerating the importance of the body. That means we are often overly concerned with it when we are afraid and overly guilty about it when we feel pleasure.
I am not an enlightened being or spiritual master. I am a student. I believe strongly that the mind should be telling the body how to feel and not the other way around. Our obsession with the comfort of the body often dominates our life. If we can learn to recognize spirit and let forgiveness dominate our life instead, we are moving toward spiritual awakening.
My favorite little book is called Lucid Living. This simple book can help you wake up to a greater awareness of yourself (in less than one hour). We spend our lives building a concept of the self that is not real. Anything that helps us see beyond a limited concept of the self will bring us closer to spiritual awakening.
Why is it important for us to "wake up?" We can live our lives without giving any thought to spiritual awakening. Yet, at some point in most lives we begin to wonder what it all means. For some this happens as we become aware of our own mortality. For others, as with me, it happens when we lose a loved one. My youngest son left this world in the prime of his life. Still others have a near-death experience or suffering that becomes so intense there is a forced release that leads to enlightenment. Examples of this third path to enlightenment abound in spiritual literature. Eckhart Tolle (Power of Now), Don Miguel Ruiz (The Four Agreements) and Lester Levenson (The Sedona Method) are just three examples of teachers who approached death before waking up and teaching what they learned.
It is not necessary to approach death before learning what it means to be enlightened. We can learn from the experience of these and other spiritual teachers. The teachings about awakening are remarkably similar. They can be summarized in a few simple statements. Who we are resides in one singular, continuous moment - this moment. That could have been written by Eckhart Tolle, or Timothy Freke (Lucid Living). It happens to have been written by Bradley Falk (Guided Passages).
Read the entire series on awakening to spiritual life at http://www.beapasserby.com
Prosperity Thinking Like The Richthis is one of the most moving videos I've seen on you to, Steve Jobs contribution to this world is beyond that of most of us. His ability to persevere can be a wonderful example to others who wish to achieve what he has. Thanks for the wonderful speech Steve and the person who put the video on the Internet.
Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Get Motivated Today
Greg is currently working on a personal development library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
Book Of LifeDo you want to be a wise man? It is true that being wise is a blessing, but have you ever asked yourself what is the true meaning of wisdom?
If you're like me, I always pictured a wise man as a very old man with white hair and a long white beard - a pensive man of few words who offered profound, thought-provoking advice after great deliberation. And I always thought of wisdom itself as ancient, little-known knowledge to be found only in fragile volumes of yellowed parchment!
But is that truly what wisdom is? I asked myself that question for quite a while until I finally figured out what I believe is the TRUE answer.
After interviewing more than 100 successful people from all over the world - listening to and recording their success stories and timeless success secrets - I came to believe that every successful person is wise, and he who achieves massive success holds in his mind the true essence of wisdom. Therefore, to find true wisdom, you have to study their lives very closely and search for the clues they've left behind.
And here's what I discovered to be the TRUE meaning of wisdom...
As brilliantly stated by George Bernard Shaw, "We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future."
Being responsible for your life and your future gives you the wisdom you need to fulfill your mission in life. Having a clear vision of your future gives you an unparalleled advantage when it comes to successful decision-making and achieving better results faster.
The truth is, YOU are responsible. This is probably the foremost trait of ultra-successful people. They take responsibility for their futures, and that gives them the power to reach unmatched levels of success. You have to realize this fact now: "No one can change your life but YOU."
People often tell me that they want a better life - but when I ask them what their vision of a better life is, they can't answer! Or they simply list some vague, wishy-washy things like "more money" or "better health."
You must have a crystal-clear vision and purpose in your life. Wandering aimlessly through life will not do you any good.
Your purpose and vision are the real source of wisdom and power. Your purpose is the driving force that fires your motivation, gives you a sense of meaning, and holds you up to your dreams. The true meaning of wisdom lies in taking responsibility for your future and having a clear purpose in your life.
As Stephen Covey says, "Whatever is at the center of our life will be the source of our security, guidance, wisdom, and power."
To be a truly wise man you need to do three vital things:
1. Take responsibility for your own future, because no one else can be held responsible for improving your life. It is yours, and nothing will change unless you take the lead!
2. Develop a clear vision of your future. Eliminate vague wishes and develop specific goals. Exactly how much money do you need? What kind of "better job" are you looking for? How do you define "better health?" Be crystal clear. Remember, you can't manifest what you can't see.
3. Take action. Be bold and create your destiny with your own hand. You might listen to thousands of tapes and read all the books in the world, but nothing will change until you take action.
Wisdom is the ability to see your future clearly and to craft a legacy that will make you live forever in the hearts and memories of others. Wisdom is the ability to make a difference and bring value to the world to make it a better place. Wisdom is the ability to live with purpose, know who you truly are, and mine your own diamonds.
Now, are you ready to become THE wise man?
Mohamed Tohami uncovers the success wisdom of the ages to help you transform your life from making a living to making a difference. Find out more about the 70 ultra successful people who are spilling the beans about how they achieved their success, built their empires and live the life of their dreams at: http://www.Success-Avalanche.com
I have been busy lately at work for the past week. I was faced with critical problems... that lead me to think and I was trying to have a positive mental attitude to find the solution to the problem.
And hey, you WILL be surprised how your gray matter (your brain) in your head will CHURN out countless of POSSIBLE solutions as you work on the problem. I tried them one by one... quite a lot DID NOT work, and finally, one worked... phew (what a relieve). So, after about a week of "struggling" (sorry... "overcoming"). Just think about it, that is what we were made for, by the Creator... our minds would not give up until a solution is found!
So, if you are facing a similar "road block" in your business or life, do not give up... It WILL help if you Have a Positive Mental Attitude.
Yes, I almost gave up... but looking back, all my fears (of failure) and negativity when I was solving the problem was in fact robbing me of my energy and how futile they all are... come to think of it. Would a more positive attitude helped me focus my energy and helped me face every difficult situation for the better?
So, how do we adopt and develop a positive mental attitude even when we are faced with a negative situation? When you are down and discouraged, how do you pick yourself up, or when you think you are facing an ultimate "brick wall" and you feel you are out of a solution or...when you are hit with negative responses from people causing your excitement and enthusiasm to slowly fade?
So, since I am more relaxed now, let us talk about how we can develop a positive mental attitude in life.
Definition: A positive mental attitude is believing, accepting, hoping and working toward a good result in every situation. A positive mental attitude is constructive, while a negative mental attitude is destructive. It means spending creative energies on finding ways that things can be done rather than exhausting emotional and mental powers dwelling on the ways things cannot be done. It means turning a problem into a solution. It means developing what I call THOUGHT DISPLACEMENT.
Let me explain... When you have a negative thought in your mind and it is nagging and pulling you down. What is really happening is that you are focusing on the thing you do not want to happen and in doing so you are, you are in fact focusing on the catastrophe and not the solution! Thought displacement changes all of that; but it requires discipline and imagination.
So, let me share with you 5 steps to developing a positive mental attitude:
1. Imagine, visualize and keep thinking of things that you would like or prefer to happen for your problem.
Imagine your problem is SOLVED. Use your imagination... you can do it. For example... if you are fearful that your project or presentation will fail, just remove those thoughts. Imagine and visualize your million dollar marketing presentation went excellently... and you CLOSED that deal!! Imagine earning $500 per day online... and your mind will think only of solutions to difficult problems. When the negative thought returns, challenge it and replace it with a solution.
2. Pursue wisdom. Have a habit of always learning.
Seek wisdom... pursue it. If it means reaching out for help from a wiser person or friend, just ASK for help. Read to find if others have also faced similar problems. We can learn from others. Read life stories of people who have overcome incredible difficulties. When a negative mental attitude dwells in your mind, go read a book about real life stories of people overcome. In so doing, you relate positively that they not only survived but they went on to WIN!
3. Affirm out loud daily with a positive attitude.
Say aloud to yourself "I will solve my problem today" or "I will earn $500/day in my online business". You could write down your affirmations in a notebook which tells you clearly what you are going to do. If you are facing a "low self-esteem" problem, affirm who you are and what relationships, responsibilities you have for my life goals. With this daily check, you will keep being positive and highly motivated. Alternatively, record an audio recording of yourself, or find a recording that will help you to affirm your goals, responsibilities and self esteem daily.
4. Have a great attitude! Act and behave motivated even if you do not feel like it.
Quite often we let our subconscious mind dictate our attitudes and take us off the right track. Have you heard that "Your attitude determines your altitude in life". Keep a right attitude. The key for high achievers and highly motivated individuals is their attitude. Although it may seems difficult, remember to keep a right attitude... doing what is right; acting and behaving motivated even in difficult situations. Eventually, our minds and spirits will respond positively.
5. Do something so that your mental or physical resources can be stretched.
When you are dwelling on negative thoughts, do something so that your mental or physical resources can be stretched. Go for a swim or jog. Learn to play a musical instrument, or cook up a storm in the kitchen preparing dinner for the whole family! Learn a new sport like golf or scuba diving, or riding a horse!! Learn to blog... if you do not have a blog... why not!! You will find your mind and body refreshed by the experiences.
Look for the positive in every situation. If you do, you will definitely see the light (the solution) and find opportunities for growth, learning and experience. Remember to use affirmations like:
* I can do it
* I will succeed
* It's an opportunity
* I will find out
* It will work
* It will help me grow
Until next time, remember the 5 steps to developing a positive mental attitude.
Have a positive week ahead!!
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To have power, you must have alignment and balance. Alignment between the upper and lower body is necessary, and comes from training the core areas such as the musculature of the spine, the abdominal area, the pelvic region and the shoulder blades. To fully acquire power and stability in these areas, they should be trained in as many positions and angles (frontal, lateral, diagonal and rotational) as possible.
Most weight machine designs do not allow stability training. They are generally geared toward muscle isolation and don't let your muscles work together as the human body design dictates. Bodyweight exercises, cable bands and power yoga strengthen and integrate muscle connections. One reason is that they include the core areas in the movement. These type exercises make you work harder by bringing more musculature into play, and this causes you to burn more calories by increasing metabolism. It also forces you to bring in more oxygen that creates more body heat and energy.
There are many muscles on the body that are not brought into play sufficiently, or at all, by pumping iron or using machines. These muscles can be reached by using a combination of aforementioned modes. You'll find muscles you didn't know you had. And you can create a body that looks better and manlier, or more womanly than the 'bodybuilder' look.
Most of the things we do in life, including athletics, use the whole body, legs, back, abs, and so forth. It is prudent to train your muscles in the ways that cause you to balance, and use overall strength and power. Most of the sports athletes that are lean, strong, quick and powerful are not using bodybuilding routines to get that way. They workout by practicing their sport, and if they are smart, by integrating bodyweight exercises, cable bands, and power yoga into the mix.
Harrison Ennis is considered to be a true renaissance man of the 21st century. A published author and freelance writer, as well as owning several design patents. A votary of shag dance. Serious researcher on the science of life for over a quarter century. A Kundalini adept. Lifelong involvement in physical culture; to include martial arts, yoga, traditional exercise, and various obscure modalities. Tracker of cutting edge health products and practices. Fitness / Wellness researcher and coach, esoteric educator, and life science counselor. Past general manager for one of the largest health and fitness club facilities in a major metropolitan area. Proffers his Yoga by Ennis - Yoga Life Science Regimen http://www.yogabyennis.hleproductions.com as a personal trainer for individuals and groups, and gives seminar sessions by request and special arrangement. His current products and services directory may be viewed at http://www.hleproductions.com
For instance what is a better belief to have "People suck" or "Whatever I give out to People I will get back ten fold".
Belief Systems are difficult to change but it is possible to change them.
1) First you need to set a target and make a decision
2) Then you must identify past successes that support the new belief - If you can do one thing you can do other things with the same type of focus.
3) Finally to reinstall a belief system you want to surround yourself with the types of information from:
a) Books - immerse yourself in Books - Personal Development Books will help you change your focus
b) People - You are who you hang out with.
c) Videos and Movies - TV - Watch things that install that belief - Rocky, The Secret, Karate Kid, Rudy
d) Proof - The telling of Stories - What kind of reason can you give?
e) Seminars - Go to or buy on tape - Personal Development Seminars - Jim Rhone, Bob Proctor
f) Subliminal information
g) Visualization / Affirmations
These are the types of things that influence your mind and determine your focus and thus your reality. Immersion and constant repetition of affirmation is necessary to change a strong belief.
Now changing your beliefs is one thing, changing others beliefs are something else.
1) You can change a belief system of others by speaking from a Position of Authority
People believe base on positions, credentials, Authority and questions that lead in a direction
*People then adopt that belief and thus the behavior
2) Demonize excuses. Deify the supporting reason.
What are the reasons people give for not being able to do something?
a) Experience
b) Time
c) Connections
d) Economy
If you want someone to do something you demonize these objections and point to successes as the only way a good person would act.
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http://www.BigCheckmindset.com Donald Griffith - Author of Fastest Way to $10K (per month or more) Donald is Available to speak to your company or group.
Lets face it. We all want a little credit, even just the tiniest bit of recognition for a new haircut, a fetching sartorial ensemble, or a job well done. But when compliments are lacking, or words of encouragement nonexistent, then positive thinking phrases are the next best thing. Use positive thinking phrases like the ones below and give yourself a friendly pat on the back.
Positive thinking phrases, or positive affirmations, are like mantras you repeat over and over to yourself. Hopefully, by some mystifying subliminal process, the power of these words will be able to condition you to positively influence your way of thinking and as a result, your way of living.
Here are some examples:
Phrase #1: Hey, Gorgeous!
Admit it. Getting complimented for your looks is a wondrous tonic for the ego. So get out of bed, face the mirror and give your ego a boost. Nothing beats a greeting like that first thing in the morning to get you revved up for the stress of the day ahead.
Dont worry about sounding a bit vain or conceited, as long as you do it in private and out of anyones earshot. And when you feel good inside, itll reflect on your outer person, making you even more attractive. It wont be long before others will notice and compliment you as well.
Phrase #2: Yes, I can!
Another variant of this is, Aint nothin to it but to do it, as mentioned in the show, Hey Arnold, on Nickelodeon. In order to accomplish something, you must first believe in your heart that you are fully capable of success.
Youll find that its usually the hardest part of any endeavormustering enough courage. Without this belief in yourself, you can get easily discouraged and prone to quitting. Have faith. Remember, the only thing that can stop you is yourself.
Phrase #3: Here I am, World, do your worst!
It may sound like youre inviting bad luck and catastrophe, but what this really means is that you are welcoming lifes challenges with open arms and are willing to bravely take them on.
Like a proud sentinel in a storm, you stand firm against anything flung at you. And no matter how muddied and besieged you emerge from the battle, you emerge nonetheless, ever ready to fight and live another day. Plus, its a really cool motto, dont you think?
Try these positive thinking phrases on for size and get yourself in the mood for life.
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Power Of IntensionIf you read many of the real estate investment blogs and forums today, you'll find that a sizable number of people are really concerned about whether it's still possible to make significant amounts of money investing in real estate. It seems as if a fair number of folks have been frightened by headlines they read in the media about a burst in the real estate bubble, a downturn in prices, and the number of homes on the market. Is any of that doom-and-gloom talk true? Lets examine some of the headlines to find out.
Home Prices Down
First we'll look at the bursting of the real estate bubble. Home prices in some parts of the country have declined somewhat over the past year, but there are a number of areas that have still seen increases in real estate prices during that time. What the media is really telling people (although not very effectively) is that price increases have slowed down. Having real estate prices increase at a slower pace is very different from having the actual price of homes begin to slip into negative territory.
Home Construction Stops
Another headline we often see is that new home construction has ground to a halt, but that's not true, either. According to recent figures from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), building permits nationwide are only down six percent from 2005. Admittedly, that is a decrease, but hardly enough to imply that new housing construction has stopped altogether, especially when you stop to consider that 2005 was a record-breaking year for new home building! A drop of six percent from an all-time high is far different from saying that new construction has disappeared.
Mortgage Rates Climb
A third headline you've probably read is that home mortgage rates have begun to take off again. There have been some increases, but they'd been at very low rates for a number of years, and the increases have been slight. The average mortgage interest rate is still a considerable bargain when compared to even a decade ago, and rates have actually decreased slightly over the past six weeks. Even the federal government doesn't buy into the idea that rates are increasing. In fact, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently decided not to increase mortgage insurance premiums that multifamily developers pay for several key Federal Housing Authority (FHA) programs that support new construction or renovation of affordable multifamily rental properties.
Homes Sit on the Market
One of the scariest things that inexperienced investors have been hearing is that homes are taking longer to sell and are selling at lower prices. Again, that's not necessarily the case. In our own area, my husband and I listed one of the homes we had remodeled and sold it in ONE day, and for full price! Although we did pay some of the buyers closing costs, that possibility had been factored into the price when we listed the home.
The bottom line? Don't let the media tell you what to do in your area. If you do your homework and become an expert on the real estate market in your own target area, you'll know what a home should sell for once you're done the repairs and remodeling. You'll also know how much of the nationwide trends being reported on in the media apply to your neighborhood. There's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all real estate trend. All that matters is if you can make a profit on buying and selling homes in YOUR area.
Get the free ebook: The Truth about Making Money Flipping Houses at http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com
Jeanette Fisher teaches beginning real estate investors five ways to make money in any real estate market. She specializes in Lake Elsinore Real Estate but helps home sellers and investors worldwide with free buying and selling information.
If The Greeks Were WrongThe Happy Musing for the Day: The need to express kindness is as great as the need to receive kindness. Kindly do your part!
It was a cold, rainy day in La Jolla. Unusual, although it was winter, it was still unusual for the area. That's why I figured my son ended up coming into our art gallery one morning with a big bulky jacket on and nothing to cover his feet but sandals. He always wears sandals, as do many young people in this beach community. It's part of the dress code here.
But, as I looked at his feet, beginning to turn blue, I wondered why he had left them out in the cold. The only explanation I could come up with is that they were too far away from his thinking center or that he couldn't be bothered.
I had oftentimes in the past failed to care for parts of my own body, even my feet, because I was doing "more important things." And, at the time they had seemed so far away too. They could take care of themselves. They were easy to forget.
But now that I think about them, they do so much good. They chip in every day, all day long, getting me from here to there, hopping over things, hardly tripping on any path I take. They should be cared for. They should be revered.
Yes, I could understand my son's disregard for them, but also his need to care for them. Now I've decided to look at this slight of foot issue and see where it takes me.
As children we are taught to be kind, to care for one another. It is part of society's civilizing process. It goes on in homes, schools and churches. Without this kindness and care in our lives we would disintegrate as a species, as a society, even as a nation, which is really what we are seeing now.
But also this kindness and care must be present to remain as an intact, healthy human being. Fortunately we have the "ouch" syndrome that keeps us in check. When we cross this threshold, of not being careful, and parts of us get hurt, we hurt. Cutting a finger, getting too close to a fire, tripping on a step and falling, going out in the snow without a jacket and catching cold, lying in the sun for hours without sun protection and getting burned are all indications of a lack of care.
Also there are the hurts from a lack of care that take longer to manifest like smoking and cancer, poor eating habits and heart disease, etc.
The value of being careful cannot be over estimated not only personally, but also nationally and internationally. The lack of care has now affected our financial stability, not only locally, but globally. The government was not careful. Its regulators and legislators were lax. Companies were less than careful. In many cases their CEO's were greedy and morally remiss. Individuals were also not careful, trusting their stability on unstable practices. Banks gave in to the demands of want-to-be homeowners and their own desire to make deals. Care was not taken here. Ouch!
Back to feet and kindness to the body. Cold feet know their limits. Coldness stresses the kidneys and challenges the immune system. If that system is not strong, invaders waltz in and a throat becomes sore. Ouch! Sinuses become infected. Ouch! The head throbs. Ouch!
I was once playing tennis with a friend of mine, Stu Marshall, one of the top orthopedic surgeons in the San Diego area. On this day he mentioned that he had not gotten much sleep the night before. A special case arrived that he had to attend to. A guy had severally damaged his back riding one of those bucking bull machines in a local bar. He had no insurance and no one would help him. Stu took the case, did the surgery and put his back, back in order. I said, "Doesn't it just irk you that a perfectly healthy person would go out of his way to put himself in such danger?"
Stu's response was, "I learned long ago not to judge situations, just handle them." I guessed so. But for the one hurting it is a hard way to learn.
In most cases, without carelessness there would be little need for the services of someone like Stu. How many businesses have grown out of lack of care? Much of the health industry is just that.
Now back to personal care. Why take care again? Because of the "Ouch!" if you don't. But also on another level -- the answer is kindness. Kindness is a loving quality that resides in all of us and we need to bring it out more and more.
Again, as young children we are taught to be kind to one another and to all that is alive -- our cats, dogs, turtles, birds, frogs, etc. Yes, we need to be kind to everything that is alive. But in reality isn't everything alive? Isn't everything made up of this mysterious, miraculous energy we call life? And as such, it is alive and therefore, most worthy of kindness.
If we lived with this awareness how would it change our point of view in regards to care taking? How about it in regards to those cold feet with their active, work-horse toes?
The cells of the toes and rest of the feet come in the form of muscles, ligaments, bone, cartilage, blood and even nails. Each cell is an individual doing his part for the betterment of the whole. He is complete yet dependent upon those around him. He does his job and he appreciates any kindness shown to him.
Now the foot too, as a whole, certainly appreciates kind gestures, i.e. a warm pair of socks on a cold day. The foot with its toes even has friends who will send a message to someone who can help when he is in trouble. But it is for that someone to hear the message, know the foot, including the toes, is cold and in need of covering. And then, it is for that someone to act out of compassion and self-interest to fix the situation. When the one in charge of the big picture fails to hear and heed the voices of the little people, the cells, the one in charge will pay a price and suffer as the lowly toes may be suffering. Ouch!
I have one friend who epitomes kindness in all its forms of caring. Carmen is harmonious in everything she does and beautiful in every way.
Carmen cares for herself, from top to bottom. She does yoga for her body, plays bridge for her mind, studies and invests her money for her financial stability. She has a wonderful husband, but maintains her own individuality, not melting into him. She travels often to far places to feed her curious nature, expanding her knowledge and adding to her life experiences. She is a gourmet cook and charming hostess. She is as adept on the internet as she is comfortable in a roomful of guests. She is someone full of kindness for herself and others. Besides this, she cares for her feet, always providing the best shoes for her walks around town or around Europe. She knows her toes and looks after them.
But how to get a young person like my son to hear the callings of his feet and pay attention to their needs before he ends up with the flu? He is one of the kindest people I know. Everyone agrees. Nope, a mother can't do it. A mother can't bring this to her son's attention. As always, the feet have to fend for themselves.
Why can't we treat our toes like people? Why can't we love them and care for them as if they were our best friends? After a round of tennis, a walk in the park, a twirl on the dance floor, or a wiggle in a bathtub full of bubbles we might just think that they are.
Copyright 2009 Sally Huss
"Life is wonderful! Don't forget it."
Sally Huss has a King Features syndicated panel for newspapers called Happy Musings. You may receive FREE Sally's Happy Musings weekly by e-mail and previews of Sally's new self-help downloadable books (10 GREAT THOUGHTS ON LOVE and 10 GREAT THOUGHTS ON FRIENDSHIP) by going to http://www.sallyhuss.com/sallyhuss_signup.htm. Also you may download her Have-It-All Formula FREE.
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Radical Religious LeadersSo, you might have been dating someone for a while now but are still unsure if it is love or only infatuation or just a harmless fling in the eyes of your prospective partner. Here are 3 ways to tell if someone really loves you....
Way # 1 - Your someone puts your happiness before his/her. You might find that your special friend always puts your happiness on top before even considering his/her own. He/she might also get very distressed if you are unhappy and might take extra efforts to alleviate any problem that you might face. This special person might also not be ashamed or embarrassed to show this attribute in front of your friends or family.
Way # 2 - Your someone talks about the future. Your prospective partner might regularly mention the future but more importantly might always picture both of you together in those plans. This means that he/she is committed to you and is planning for the future keeping only you in mind. Your special friend might also indicate that he/she could never think of a future without you and might even plan the fun things that you both would enjoy doing together.
Way # 3 - Your someone sticks to you in a crowd. You might find that although there are other suitors trying to hook your special friend, he/she always manages to untangle the net and stick by you. This shows that your friend is willing to commit himself/herself and will not let any distractions stand in the path of future happiness. On the other hand, this special friend might also not let you wander around and might get visibly upset if you do so.
If your someone has been exhibiting these signs then he/she is truly in love with you and is ready to go the whole distance, come-what-may. If you too feel the same about this special person then this is one relationship that could be for keeps.
Now listen carefully-
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The most valuable lesson that I have learnt about Life Coaching is "Who I become". I realised that change is constant and by putting myself in a learning environment, I continue my learning curve and evolve as a better person for myself. The first thing I learnt is to let go of taking care of others at the expense of my own well being.
Women are brought up to nurture, protect and thus unconsciously forget about the fundamental duty of taking care of themselves. It is normal for women to believe that they need to look after others first before oneself. This belief is so strong and entrenched that they do not know how to let go of old beliefs that do not serve the 21st century lifestyles. It's about letting go of the roles of trying to be everything to everyone.
Letting go
Letting go of the roles of mother, wife and daughter is challenging especially when we have been playing these roles for a long period of time. When we become overwhelmed, we become so attached to those roles that we do not know how to engage in other roles anymore. Playing other roles is like losing our "identity". Whatever role we are playing today, ask ourselves, "is this what we stand for?" If we are unhappy, it may be time to rediscover a new "you"! All humans have blind spots and there are patterns and habits. Letting go requires someone to show what are the things that we need "to let go". How to let go? Specifically what do we need to let go first to experience that "sweet spot"? Having let go of disempowering behaviours and beliefs, what can we now replace them with?
Self Love
Some times when I attempt to explain why we need to love ourselves first, some people understood it right away; others will say, "Isn't that selfish?" Self centered? Well, if you do not fill your own cup first, and then go on to fill others, your cup will soon dry up. There will be nothing left to share. Self-love is about paying attention to your own health, fitness, mental, emotional and sense of well being. When you achieve that, people will be inspired by how you take care of yourself and love yourself. They will also want to do the same. Self love is the key to happiness.
My philosophy is "God help those who help themselves." In other words, when you live an inspiring life, others are inspired by your living example. Love yourself first. Self love is the key to happiness.
Dolly Yeo is the chief coach and founder of Mindset Coaching that specialises in life coaching. She is a Results Certified Coach (Australia) and a member of the International Coach Federation, Singapore. She is also an Active Parenting Certified Leader as well as a Certified Parent Facilitator for Parenting Workshops. You can find out more about Dolly Yeo and Mindset Coaching at http://www.mindset-coaching.com or to subscribe to her free newsletters.
Author of "Teenager Parenting 101" http://www.parentingwithdolly.com
The most important thing anyone can do for the depressed person is to help him or her get an appropriate diagnosis and treatment for depression. This may involve encouraging the individual to stay with treatment until the symptoms of depression begin to abate (several weeks), or to seek different treatment if no improvement occurs. The very nature of depression can interfere with a person's ability to get help. Depression saps energy and self-esteem and makes a person feel tired, worthless, helpless, and hopeless.
Offer emotional support. This involves understanding, patience, affection, and encouragement. Engage the depressed person in conversation and listen carefully. Do not disparage feelings expressed, but point out realities and offer hope.
Do not accuse the depressed person of faking illness or of laziness, or expect him or her "to snap out of it."
Learn all you can about depression.
Learn all you can about the helping system for depression in your area.
Bond with your friend. (That is, in the depressed person/helper relationship) Learn to communicate with the depressed person.
Encourage and help them to strengthen themselves physically, mentally and emotionally as much as possible given their depressed state.
Do provide the depressed person with practical help, as you are able. For example, you may provide them with babysitting; this can be especially helpful if they need to go to a therapy appointment or support group. If possible and appropriate, you may provide financial help. Do model positive behaviors. One of the best ways to influence someone else to become more healthy, is to be more healthy yourself. Be a good role model for your depressed friend or family member by living a positive, growing, balanced life yourself.
When helping someone who is depressed, don't expect the depressed person to overcome his or her depression all by himself or herself. When depressed a person can't "pull himself or herself up by his or her boot straps." The depression relates to chemical changes which have taken place in the brain. A person can't just change his or her brai2238n chemistry back to normal.
Depression and dual diagnosis affects the whole family. There are many ranges of emotions from anger and fear to hopefulness and hopelessness. Having others that have experienced it before can help eliminate unhealthy coping mechanisms such as isolation, shame, control and low self-esteem.
Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional: We are all going to feel pain in life never mind a home with mental illness. Surround yourselves with knowledge, self-care, experienced support and nurturing. There are no such things as victims ... only volunteers.
Make a list of early symptoms such as sleep, appetite and mood changes. Early intervention is the key to stopping a downward spiral. Determine what worked in the past to get the person with clinical depression back on track and do the things that worked before.
Research shows that medication in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy is more effective than medication alone. Combined with therapy, the person who is clinically depressed may need to make lifestyle changes, including dietary and exercise changes. The family needs to find ways to reduce stressors by simplifying their lives.
Listening carefully can also make you more aware of signs of suicide which should not be ignored.
Rachel Broune writes articles for depression. He also writes for anxiety and phobias.
Are you one of those who believed in your religion wholeheartedly and never has doubted it. Watch this video to gather some more information about questioning your religion.
Spiritual Christian and Create a Wonderful Life For Yourself And Your Family. Greg Vanden Berge is one of the best inspirations on the planet. You will be hearing a lot about this guy in the future. You can count on it.
What Changed My ThoughtsWouldn't it be nice if your dreams just magically appeared without effort on your part? I've covered two out of four stages needed to progress towards your dreams in a way that's aligned with who you are: your character and values. When your actions and decisions are aligned with who you are and what you value, you'll end up living with more peace and ease. Plus, you'll achieve your goals faster. I'll assume you have your intentions from the last stage, so now it's time to set some specific goals.
Let's say your intention is to improve your general health. You've already visualized what it's like to have good health... perhaps you've pictured all the fun activities you'll start to do, the strength your body feels, the support and good will of your friends, and so forth. A good visualization will make you want to be there already! What are specific goals you now would like to achieve? A few sub-categories of "general health" could be diet, fitness, healthy relationships, or stress reduction.
First you must pick a specific goal related to your intention. I'll use diet and fitness as the two goals for this example. Then you'll have to determine three things: (1) what you want, (2) when you'd like to accomplish it, and (3) how you know when you've reached your goal. Don't worry about stating things perfectly or whether they sound strange to someone else.
For diet, a specific goal may be:
"I want to eat well-balanced meals and have energy though out each day. It's a daily habit by the end of three months. I'll know I've accomplished this goal if, by the end of three months, my thought process to select appropriate meal foods has become routine and easy-to-do; an unconscious habit."
For fitness, two specific goals may be:
"In two months, I want to walk 3 miles twice a week. By the end of four months I want to walk 5 miles 3 times a week."
"In four months, I want to be more flexible: specifically feel comfortable in my yoga class, do the splits, and touch my toes."
Both of these goals -- diet and fitness -- include three factors: what you want, a time schedule, and a defined state of completion.
Clearly at the beginning you may not know what's included in a "well-balanced meal" for your body. As you start taking steps towards your dreams, you may end up adjusting specific goals as a result of the knowledge you gain. For instance, you might have initially said, I want to lose 25 pounds, but let's say in a month, you learn about body fat ratio and have measured yours. So you decide to change your goal to include percentage of body fat. Be gentle and flexible with yourself as you continue to learn more about your goal areas.
In my next article, I'll cover the last stage "how" -- what it takes to achieve your goals --your approach and support structures to help you along on your path.
Theresa J. Swift, MS, CRC, is a life and business coach, author, and president of Swift Resolve Coaching (http://www.swiftresolvecoaching.com/). She works with people who are serious about achieving their "must have" dreams and goals. Coaching expertise includes: lifestyle, transition, performance, achievement, relationship. If you've enjoyed this set of five articles, sign up for her monthly newsletter.
As 2008 draws to a close, some of you are already looking ahead to what you want to do in 2009. It's the time of year we begin to self-reflect and adjust our course for the upcoming year.
In my work coaching people, I find it interesting that many of my clients set very clear intentions for what they want to accomplish. They are passionate about it. They put in the required work for a period of time. And then something happens. Self-sabotage.
Does this sound familiar? Have you ever vowed to lose 10 pounds, speak nicer to your children, stop smoking, save money, pay off credit card debt, or maybe make a weekly date with your life partner? You mean it. You want to do it. You actually do it. And then you slack off?
Do you know why? There is actually evidence in neuroscience that explains why we drift back into old behaviors. Our brain actually wires itself to perform repetitive tasks without conscious effort. If you do something in the same sequence enough times, the neurons that are required to perform this task will automatically fire together in the familiar sequence whenever you are confronted with a similar situation and you aren't vigilantly aware of what your mind subconsciously is programmed to do.
If you are accustomed to eating potato chips whenever you feel stress, then when you aren't paying attention, at the first sign of stress, you may find yourself halfway through a bag of Ruffles before you even realize you're eating.
Our brain is invested in maintaining the status quo. You weigh a certain amount. You aspire to a certain degree of happiness. You make a particular amount of money. Scientists have come to understand that our brains have particular set points, much like the thermostat in your home regulates the heat. Therefore, your brain, your subconscious, can work against you in accomplishing the conscious goals you set.
How is it some people are successful in pushing past their set points? There are several ways to do it. One is to maintain a constant vigil of consciousness to your every move. This is extremely exhausting but it can be done with great determination. Other ways include hypnosis or various energy psychology techniques, such as EMDR or EFT.
Another way is to bring whatever is subconsciously sabotaging you out into the light where you can consciously deal with it. In my work with coaching clients, I have found this to be a very effective question at getting to the root of the unconscious sabotage. Ask your client, "What would you have to give up to get what you want"? I'm not talking about the obvious, e.g. in order to lose weight, a person would have to give up chocolate and free time to exercise. I'm talking about really digging deep.
I asked a woman once what she would have to give up to lose the weight she wants and she looks at me dumbfounded and said, "My husband." Upon further exploration, she subconsciously believed that if she got healthy enough emotionally to lose the weight she carried, then she would move beyond where her husband was and they would no longer be compatible.
Another woman I was working with was having difficulty breaking through her income barrier. She had her own business and just couldn't move past the $50,000 mark. When I asked her what she would have to give up to be the successful business woman she truly wanted to be, she said she would lose her father's love and approval. Her subconscious belief was that her father would love and approve of her as long as she wasn't any more successful than he had been.
A final example was a man I was working with to develop his own coaching business. He had the skills, abilities and resources but just wasn't making progress. When I asked him the question, what would he have to give up to leave his job and go out on his own, his answer was his dream. He was worried that if his dream wasn't successful, then he would have nothing left. Better to have the dream intact than fail at the one thing he truly wanted.
So, this year, ask yourself this tough question. When you get the deepest answer you can find, examine it closely in the light of day. Is it valid? Is it important? Is it worth sacrificing your goal for? Only you can answer these questions but you'll never even get to these questions unless you do some digging and get to that subconscious sabotage that often lurks in the background waiting to derail your forward progress. Don't let it happen again this year. Take control and make conscious, intentional decisions.
Kim Olver is a life, relationship and executive coach. Her mission is to help people get along better with the important people in their lives. She teaches people how to live from the inside out by empowering them to focus on the things they can change. She in an internationally recognized speaker, having worked in Australia and the continent of Africa, as well as all over the United States. She has consulted with the NBA and other major league player development specialists. She is the author of Leveraging Diversity at Work and the forthcoming book, Relationship Empowerment. She co-authored a book with Ken Blanchard, Les Brown, Mark Victor Hansen and Byron Katie, entitled 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life. She works with individuals, couples, parents, social service agencies, schools, corporations and the military--anyone who will benefit from gaining more effective control over their lives. She has consulted on relationships, parenting, self-development, training, leadership development, diversity, treatment programs and management styles. For more information about Kim go to Coaching for Excellence
Goals and are important for everyone even kids. In fact, you should be making new goals all the time in order to move in a particular direction. As a baseball coach (or parent) you should also help your young person learn how to make goals that are meaningful and implement plans to help them follow through with these goals during the year. How is it done? Let's take a look.
Without goals we will accomplish nothing. I tell my teams that "Goals are dreams with feet and direction".
Dreams become goals when we write them down and make plans to accomplish them.
Here are some ideas to help you keep your commitments this year:
For example:
I plan to lose ten pounds over the next 30 days. To accomplish this I will walk two miles twice each day in order to loose one pound every three days.
I would like to be more appreciative of others. In order to accomplish this I plan to write a thank you note or send an appreciative email to one person daily.
Accomplishing a goal is easier when you break it down into a shorter segment of time.
As a coach, I have short term and long term goals. We have goals for our team to accomplish this season, but they are broken down into three parts:
(We even keep this in mind in how we schedule games in the early season, mid season, and late season)
In addition to season goals, we have longer range goals for our program:
Three (3) year, Five (5) year, and ten (10) year goals.
We also have goals for our parents (in building and expanding our program). That's how we built (and paid for) a player locker room, a two story press box, and a 2500 square foot covered hitting facility with lights.
If we don't have goals to accomplish then no one has a direction to GO. Without direction no one is MOVING!
Would you run a race without an idea where the finish line was or how to get to it? Coaches without resolutions for themselves, their team, and their parents will not accomplish much, period.
Don't Dream It, Do It: Baseball Goal Setting Part 2, coming to Ezine Articles soon.
"CP"
Coach Mike Posey
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I was reading a book on advertising when the author mentioned, "All Advertising Is about Hope."
Check out one of his recommended books, Read This BookGreg is currently creating articles on religion filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
Chakras Book ReviewIt seems like everywhere we look in the world, we are always focused on something in the middle. Often we are spending most of our time thinking about the end and never thinking about how it all began. In the holy Bible, it states in the beginning but doesn't talk about the beginning of the beginning. Where did God come from, that is the actual beginning.
I don't know how many stories I've read in the Bible about other people's triumphs and defeats, but keep in mind that some of these stories cannot be proven, factually. Some people believe in Krishna, others Jesus, Buddha, God, and the vast and numerous creators of the world and the entire universe. I don't know which one or if all of them are the true God's and by that I would refer to God as the creator of the universe.
It seems to be extremely difficult to prove scientifically and without any doubt, that the earth was created by a creator, according to popular religious text and would be very difficult to prove with in the leading religions of the world.
Let's get back to the question of where did God come from? There obviously had to be someone before the creation of the universe, if you choose to believe in a creator. Is God a man, woman or some sort of spiritual entity, like a ghost or maybe some smoke that can form into anything at any time and if so, did his secrets come from another creator or superior being. Was God involved in self-help and learned all these secrets on his own, through trial and error.
I often wonder, how long the creator of the universe was alive before our creation and what other worlds has this all mighty and powerful being built before or after ours. Do we have sister universes and if so, will we ever be able to see them or visit them, during our lifetimes.
Most people dismiss the creation of the creator, but wouldn't this be one of the most important parts of any religion? There's obviously something to think about here and I wish that most people practicing religions, which involve a deity or superior being, could take a little more interest in finding out where their God actually came from.
Oh yeah, one more thing. If you do find the answers, I would love to hear from you and by the way, you would be solving one of the universes most perplexing and complicated secrets. You could be a gazillionaire and make the cover of Time magazine, something to think about.
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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.
Greg is currently working on a Christian help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
Is Jesus The Only Way To HeavenMost people seem to go through life doing what others do and never seem to question much about whether the people around them are actually right or wrong. How many of us do exactly what our parents, grandparents and great grandparents do? I was raised a Christian by Christians and they were raised Christians by other Christians and so on. I don't know when or who in my family tree actually decided to become part of the Christian faith. I don't think it really matters today.
Someone had to of made the decision and I will probably never know. I do know this, I have followed Christianity as far as I possibly could and the next step in my life is going to be based somehow on a more spiritually universal world. I can't seem to follow something, that doesn't make sense to me, anymore. Christianity is more or less a religion that people throughout history have made adjustments to, whenever they felt necessary.
This is often like changing a tire on a car as it starts to wear or goes flat. In order for the car to operate and run smoothly we will need to pay a little attention to it, this will require maintenance over time as the car begins to have problems. We have to solve these problems or our car will become useless and will need to be sent to the junkyard.
Religions throughout history have done the same, as the people become more intelligent and less dependent, they need to create new things and make adjustments. If they don't make these adjustments over time, the religion will no longer be necessary and be sent to the junk heap of time. This is what happened to the Greek and Roman gods, what makes you think, that your God or gods will stand the test of time.
Do you think there's going to be any more adjustments to Christianity in the future? It seems like the last adjustments were Scientology and the Mormons or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. These religions don't exactly follow what Paul started in the Roman Catholic Church. What will the next adjustment be and why will it be necessary?
If you choose to follow Christianity, how do you know which church is right, I mean their core beliefs are right, aren't they. To love your neighbor and be compassionate. To show kindness towards others and help the needy. Do you think that we're going to have to adjust this one day and start treating certain religious followers, whose skin color is deference or speaks a different language with cruelty. I wonder what the next adjustment in Christianity is going to be.
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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.
Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
The other day I was walking through the park when I saw a man, an extremely large man reading the Bible. I was minding my own business like I normally do in full observation mode, just simply enjoying life. When what I thought was a tree reading the Bible, moved and scared the crap out of me. This man was about 6'9" and look like he played professional football but when he spoke it was nonthreatening and very gentle.
Have you read the Bible he said. I thought to myself, you have got to be kidding me. Couldn't this person have been smaller and what's he going to do when I tell him that I have but no longer follow Christianity. I liked my face and the rest of my body, should I lie to this man to save my own life or would he be understanding about my beliefs.
I threw the dice out on the table and told him that I have read the Bible and do not believe it is the word of God, the Creator of the universe. I explained to him that, there is a lot of useful information and some wonderful stories in the Bible but that it could not completely be proven as factual information. I continued to explain to him that there was a lot of information in the Bible that contradicted itself and some that simply wasn't true.
He sat back down on the park bench and asked me to join him. I couldn't resist as I always have enjoyed talking about religion and ready to learn something about this man and why he is a Christian. He started to tell me about some recent events that have happened in his life, some bad, some worse and of course some that he didn't want to talk about. However, he did mention a trip to church a few Sundays ago that changed his life.
I was happy for him that he had found peace but explained to him that he is extremely vulnerable to anything right now that can make a little sense out of his life. Be careful I told him, because you could get caught up in something that feels and sounds good, only to find out later in life, that you have questions about Christianity that can't be answered.
I had a very pleasant conversation with this person and I believe he appreciated a few of the points I made. When people are down and out and their lives seem to be really messed up, they're extremely vulnerable to others religious beliefs, whether they're right or wrong.
Don't force your religious beliefs onto others, be kind and courteous to those who are on the edge and having difficulties in life. Explaining to them about your religion and how it has benefited you is wonderful but it might not be as beneficial to someone else. The next time you plan on converting someone who is down in the dumps, make sure that you understand your own religion before you pass false beliefs onto others.
It's like a cancer spreading through the body, most of the cancer cells don't know what they are doing or how much damage is going to be done until it's too late.
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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, You Can Have It All
Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
I am sure that you have heard it said absolutely too many times: If you want to create the life of your dreams, you have to believe to receive!
Is it really all about having FAITH? Is it really about positive thinking? Is it really that simple?
For a very long time, I felt I was doing all the things I was supposed to be doing to create the marvelous life that I envisioned.
I truly believed in my heart that my life would be as beautiful and as bountiful as my dreams. I had tremendous faith, but despite all the input, there was no output ... Well, at least not my desired positive output. In fact, my life seemed to get worse.
I started to ponder some serious questions:
I am sure many of you can relate to this feeling. The most asked question in the Universe seems to be:
"What am I doing wrong?" I pondered this question for awhile.
I learned a very important lesson in my journey to bliss:
No matter how accomplished a pianist, and no matter how perfectly the piano keys are struck, if the piano is out of tune, the results CAN NOT be magnificent ... The instrument used to express the genius must be in tune!
What does all of this mean?
You may have brilliantly created a marvelous life in your mind. You may have unwavering faith that it will manifest for you one day. You may even believe you have done all the perfect things to manifest this masterpiece, but if your body, mind and soul (the instruments used to create and to experience the life of your dreams) is out of balance, your magnificence CAN NOT be expressed.
Many of us have gone for years (or maybe even decades) living lives that were definitely not the lives we would have created purposefully. Nevertheless, our life thus far is what we created, good or bad.
Why?
Because of the state of our mind, body and soul during the creation process!
With all of this, many people just can't seem to figure out why their life is not exactly the way they dreamed it would be.
Hmmm!
I raise my hand very high and admit to once being a member of this popular club!
The most important lesson I learned from my experience from rising from below sea level to extreme heights (from drowning to soaring) is that before I start working on my masterpiece , I have to make sure my instruments are in tune! When my body, mind and soul are in balance, my expression is perfection.
Balance is essential.
Choose to energize your mind, body and soul with the positives! YOUR LIFE really can be as beautiful and as bountiful as YOU create it to be! Self Empowerment is the Key!
Karen E. Smith is the author of Energy Diet, a self empowerment eBook. She is also a book reviewer for AnimatedBookReviews.com, a book review web site featuring reviews of empowerment books that motivate, inspire and educate.
Please visit The Energy Diet Book Web site to learn how you can empower your life:
AND
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ARE YOU TOO BUSY living to create a life? Are you too busy working to create a career? Are you too busy managing rather than becoming a business leader? Are you just too busy because being busy is the only thing you know how to do?
Did you know that Warren Buffet only works three hours a day? Obviously someone with his wealth doesn't have to work at all. How do you think people like him got that way? I assure you they didn't get that way by being too busy to create the life they wanted. They set a side time to plan and balance their life beyond showing up day after day performing the same tasks and maintaining the status quo. They made plans, and weren't afraid to change to achieve their goals.
Stephen Covey once proclaimed you should "Begin with the end in mind." I have talked with people about getting into better shape and living a healthier life. I had that conversation with myself many times before it began to sink in. I have now vowed to do a better job and you can to. I have spoken with supervisors, managers and owners of businesses that say they are too busy to do another thing or something new. Now, take a breath and hold on because you must stop telling yourself you are too busy. You are not too busy to get exactly what you want out of life, your job and your relationships
You must make informed choices. "Doing the Same thing Over and Over, and Yet Expecting Different Results" is what Albert Einstein described as the true definition of insanity. As an inventor of many things, do you think he knew a thing or two about this concept? After all, if he had done the same thing over and over he wouldn't
be in the history books today. You must make time to do things differently today or you'll be in exactly the same circumstances tomorrow. I'm not really telling you anything you don't already know. You simply have not reached a tipping point. You've not recognized or visualized your next steps or the need to change.
It's never too late to decide to make changes. We have all heard of the 5-P's, "Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance". No truer statement has ever been uttered. Do you feel the need to follow those who have gone before you? Why are you so afraid to blaze a new trail? I know what you are saying, it's just too easy to avoid changing paths, and you are too busy. Now I 'm not suggesting you re-invent every wheel, but I do suggest you challenge the process if you plan to improve your future. What happens when you improve on an existing product or idea? You are in fact blazing a new trail. Maybe you do this in the same direction but you begin with the end in mind. The point I am trying to make is that you and only you can make these changes and improve the things around you. No one else can make these choices for you.
After speaking with owners, managers and supervisors, I have found the unsuccessful all have one thing in common: they are Too Busy to get things done. I have talked with them about the need for reducing and managing paperwork while creating a paperless system in their work place. They say they haven't the time. Either I didn't sell the benefit of saving time, or they just didn't get it. It has been said that 80 percent of the things we do everyday don't accomplish a thing. Twenty percent of the things we do make all the difference in the world. This principle challenges the theory that we are too busy to improve performance, revealing that freeing up even a little more time allows us to do more important things like improving performance.
The buck begins and ends with you. Decisions must be made individually before they can be made collectively. So don't get too busy conducting your day to day business that you cannot see the holes in the road a head. You will never be where you are today. You will never be younger or more in control. Don't let each and every moment pass you by without the breeze of your involvement. So when you think you are too busy, remember the 80/20 principle and think again!
Sam Slay is a Motivational Speaker, Author, and Trainer with over 20 years experience. For more information on "Challenging the Process and Improving Your Future" Visit my website at http://www.SamSlay.com You can also get my NEW book "The Masters of Success" co-authored with Ken Blanchard (Author of the "One Minute Manager"). Sam is also the owner of an Employee Training and Business Consulting company, 357 Solutions, LLC. If you are enjoying my articles and would like to know how to market yourself on the internet visit: http://www.MaverickTakers.com Watch their videos. This has been the best Internet marketing Program I have seen yet.
Many blame certain companies for insufficient crisis management. But is that reasonable? How many of us have experienced crises like these and would they have done better. I remember the words of an ex-CEO; we are facing a complete meltdown of the financial system. Clients and readers are not served by these statements. Yet if management saw these problems shouldn't they have consulted other institutions? That is either not without risk; a rumor easily enters the market. Then do not underestimate the role of hedge funds, they target "preys" and have strong funds... Although, not any more it seems.
A basic mistake of all times seems to be too much optimism when doing an acquisition. But information management and communication is also an area.
Some manager must have worked very hard. Like engineers solving the financial problems in their company. But does the CEO tell people about it? Financial engineering requires more and more communication about what is going on. Getting bad news out soon (Time-to-market) and not letting people make up their own story ("something must be really bad"). Communicating a "possible meltdown" doesn't serve clients. That is more the role for the media to get in some sensation. The basic premise: get out the bad news, before others will.
Another mistake is informing clients by setting up websites, when the market is screaming for action. The main problem with this is that timing makes the action worthless (it comes too late), but the main question is: does information ease emotion?
When the first problem of information management is not done properly, the problem escalates to a next level of emotion. At such a stage, responding with information is like quenching a fire with wind. It doesn't help any more. This is a lesson Edward de Bono taught management trainees with his thinking hats. Red versus White - Very basic.
Yet some humility can't be left out here. Again, who has dealt with these situations before? Probably not many. In such moment you are on your own, you cannot call another company / external advisor and ask, "tell me, how did you solve your problem when your product was thought to be infected with a virus." Todays' events and their solutions can only be used as tomorrows' jurisprudence.
H.J.B.
2008 Hans Bool
The term church was first used by Christ during the time when he declared that He will build the church as it was written on the book of Matthew 16:18. Definitely, the Apostles who heard it from Christ knew what it means, because they didn't questioned Christ about it.However, Christians today although used this term (church) have different understanding on what the term Church means. Some said, it is a building used in Christian worship and the others said it is a religion or a group of believers.And for us to make sure what the term "Church" means, we need to ask the Bible and let it answer our questions.Our first question is: What is church? According to the Apostle Paul, the church is a body of Christ.
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18, NKJV)If the church is the body of Christ, is it the physical body of Christ? Apostle Paul said that the members of the church or the body are men.
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. (Romans 12:5, ibid)In other words, the church is not the physical body of Christ and its members are not the physical body-parts but men. It is the body of Christ in which Apostle Paul, the other Apostles and their brethren are parts of it.To make it clear, let us ask the bible: Is the body made up of one part? Apostle Paul's answer is clear. The body is not made up of one part but many.
14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. (I Corinthians 12:14, NIV)These parts are joined and knit together by joints.
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:16, NKJV)Thus, a body is an organization of body-parts. And since the church is also a body, in which its members are men, so the church is also an organization of men whose head is Christ.
We should not forget this, that according to the Bible, the church is not a building but an organization.
About the Author:
Sustines E. Laplana is the first Pinoy Blogger in Southern Leyte Philippines. Visit him at http://www.selaplana.com
Read Isaiah 2:1-4.
Close your eyes for a moment and try to imagine a land where there is NO war. Not simply a land without murder or killing, but a land without even anger or bitterness or fist fights, a land without hatred or prejudice or burning crosses, a land without gangs or drive-by shootings or road rage. Imagine a land so full of love that people don't even own weapons anymore, they use them for digging in their gardens! In our days filled with "wars and rumors of wars," (Matthew 24:6) it's difficult to envision such a place, yet, that's exactly the kind of place Isaiah describes in this passage.
Are we ready for it?
So often we talk of being in the "last days," of being near the time of Jesus' return for His bride, and many signs indicate we are. Here Isaiah foretells a time when people from "all nations shall flow" to God's house (v. 2), and will desire to learn His ways (v. 3), a time when "they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks" (v 4.), a time when they shall choose to "walk in His ways" (v. 3). Obviously, those days have not yet arrived, but think for a moment just how they will be.
Little children will be able to go to bed without fear of dad's drunken rage awakening them in the middle of the night, or of Uncle Jack leering at them when no one is around. They will be able to rise in the morning without worrying that they'll say the wrong thing and leave for school with a black eye they have to explain, or a bruised back that no one can see. They will be able to go through their days without concern for where their next meal is coming from or whether mom will be able to find her way home after a night on the town. They will be able to live as children - playing, running, laughing - and not be forced to act as adults before their childhood has even begun.
In this world to come, husbands and wives will desire to be faithful and to love each other only. They won't spend their money on pornographic movies, adult websites or prostitutes. They won't work long hours at the office simply to keep from coming home. They won't drink themselves into a stupor each evening simply so they don't have to face their spouse. Divorces will be a thing of the past and families will once again remain intact. People everywhere will seek God's face and His will for their lives and will choose to live righteous, holy lives that please the Lord. Rebellion will be a relic of days gone by and no one will mourn its passing. Imagine a world where Jesus IS Lord, a world where He rules visibly and no one will deny that He is God. A world where He reigns in the hearts of all and not only in the hearts of a few.
Mankind has fallen into the dangerous trap of thinking that because Jesus has not yet returned, He isn't going to return. They have convinced themselves that the Bible is a hoax, or a book of stories that give the weak-minded a crutch to lean on. They have chosen to believe that because God has not yet judged them, He won't judge them at all. How far from the truth they are!
God is both a just and a merciful God (Psalm 89:14; Luke 6:36). It is His mercy that holds back His wrath and His hand of judgment from those who have rebelled against Him. And it is His justice that will govern in the latter days when "He shall judge between the nations" and "rebuke many people" (v. 4). Because of these two characteristics of God, we cannot discount or discredit either characteristic, simply because we don't yet see it.
We can be assured that Jesus will return as He promised. And we can be assured that when He does, the peace and joy He will bring with Him will surpass anything we can even begin to imagine. Are you ready for that day to come?
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for your mercy and for your justice, Lord. Help me to be faithful to teach others your ways and encourage them to trust you as I do. In your name, I pray. Amen.
Article 2009 by Darlene Bishop. All rights reserved worldwide.
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Entrepreneurs and emergent leaders develop passions for ideas, ideals, or tasks that give them the enthusiasm to "go for it" even when others criticize, object, resist, or ignore an opportunity or threat. A self-starter takes the initiative and the risk to transform their ideas or ideals into results that benefit others. All leaders have to rely upon their own instincts and establish an environment that motivates others; sometimes in lonely and uncertain conditions. They must influence others to motivate themselves who, in turn may become leaders in their own right.
Self motivation has five ingredients: positive attitude, ambition, confidence, commitment, and self assessment.
Positive attitude:
Attitude reflects an individual's positive or negative state of mind towards an event, activity, condition, item or another individual. Attitude affects actions; it is easy to be negative and think of barriers, obstacles, and failure. Whereas contingency plans should always be considered to prevent or recover from negative outcomes, it is better to think of what is possible than what isn't. Attitude can be changed through persuasion; favorable results and success stem from positives attitudes. Hence, it is important to examine the benefits of the situation or proposition, and think in terms of how the best results can be achieved effectively and efficiently.
Ambition:
Ambition is the basis of motivation for achieving status, power, and results. Ambition requires an aspiration (ideal or dream) - a mission and a vision, and self-esteem - the belief in oneself to achieve a positive result.
Confidence:
Confidence is the level of certainty that a hypothesis regarding an intended action or outcome is correct. With respect to accomplishing the intended outcome, confidence is the level of certainty that the related people, processes, and products and/or services are capable. Self-confidence is belief in one's own capabilities. Confidence is the basis for motivation for action.
Commitment:
Commitment is the pledge to an aspiration and creates the obligation to engage and remain in activities that realize it.
Self assessment:
Self assessment is the willingness to understand one's own strengths and weaknesses so as to undertake a specific role and associated responsibility. The consequence is taking advantage of strengths, improving weaknesses, or compensating for them by engaging others.
The criteria for self assessment include: aptitude, qualifications, ability, proficiency, and experience:
Competence includes:
Leaders cannot attract followers unless they are self-motivated; they can manage but they cannot lead.
The ability to self-motivate is an enterpriship competency.
And to assess your enterpriship competencies in thirty minutes or less, claim your opportunity for instant access when you go to http://www.fromvisiontovalue.com
From Nigel A.L. Brooks - Management Consultant and Motivational Speaker http://www.bldsolutions.com
