Perfect Love - Loving Without Fear Or Expectation

Sometimes we hate what we used to love. We think that which we love is unworthy of our love because it has let us down greatly in some way or another. We feel like withdrawing all our love and give it to somewhere else that is more worthy to receive. It might be true that we're in love with the wrong person, but it could also be true that we ourselves are not yet right to love that person. The negative situation we experience is meant to help us discover ourselves and what loving unconditionally really means.

Hate is an emotion that is meant to be used as an aggressive defense against any form of evil. It is a destructive force against anything that is destructive towards you. When you feel hate or anger, it just means that someone is doing something that hurts you. It is a form of self love that seeks to protect you and severe anything that isn't beneficial for you. There is nothing wrong with the way you feel because your emotions serve as a feedback and motivating force to move towards that which is good in life.

It is when you understand what your emotions are telling you, and the reason why you feel that way, that enables you to truly resolve everything in your inner world. The reason why you feel hate and anger is because the person is doing something that hurts you. Your love for yourself repels against such an act. You feel unacknowledged, unappreciated or somehow mistreated in one way or another by the other person. Therefore you seek to redress the wrong or undeserved suffering caused by that person.

You may think that the person is no longer right for you to love or relate with, and you are right coming from the level of consciousness where you are at. But when you discover something beyond that, you may turn your entire perspective around and feel totally different. You see, the reason why you feel unacknowledged is because you need acknowledgement from that person. The reason why you feel unappreciated is because you need appreciation from that person. You need something that is lacking.

You feel mistreated because you require that person to treat you in a certain way. It is when that person isn't being or doing what you expect, that you feel disappointed in loving him or her. You wonder why should you continue being so good and nice to that person when you are being treated so unfairly in return. What you may not realize is how conditional your love for that person really is. You have so many conditions and requirements on what that person should be or do in order for you to love him or her.

Sometimes, the only way to resolve a friendship or relationship problem is to bring it to an end. When we are in a friendship or relationship, we tend to have an expectation of mutual appreciation, acknowledgment and love expressions. That is the way a normal friendship is supposed to be right? Yes, that's how it is supposed to be. But a true friendship does not have any suppositions or expectations of what the friendship should be like. True friendship can exist even when the parties are not normal friends.

What happens when the relationship or friendship with the person has ended in the normal sense? There is no longer an expectation or need for that person to give you acknowledgment, appreciation or anything for that matter. The same goes for you as well. You no longer need to give that person anything at all. But now you are in a space where if you feel love, appreciation and kindness for that person, you can still give it if you wish. You can now give out of a heart that is totally free and unconditional.

That is the irony of a true friendship that exists without a friendship in the normal sense of the word. You can't feel unappreciated when you do not need appreciation. You can't feel unacknowledged when you do not need acknowledgement. You can't be mistreated when you do not need the person to treat you in a certain way. Most of all, you can't be hurt when there's nothing the person can do to make you feel hurt. Because now that person can't take anything from you or give you what you already have.

When you feel true love for another, the love you have is not your own, but it is God expressing through you. You may feel anger, hurt and resentment because of your expectation of how that person should treat you. But when all those expectations and requirements are gone, what is left is the pure unconditional love that is always present beneath it all. Everything else is just meant for you to discover where you are being conditional and limited in your heart. But when you let go, you can love totally.

You don't need to end the friendship or relationship in the literal sense, but you just need to imagine what's it like being a true friend or being loving when the friendship or relationship isn't required. True love is free without needing anything in return. To truly love is to love unconditionally, without judgment of that which you love. There is no fear in perfect love. Whoever that fears is not yet made perfect in love. When you love perfectly, you do not judge yourself or the other because you accept both completely.

Love yourself for all that you are because you are worth it. From the place of complete self love and self acceptance, you are able to love another with an unconditional heart. Because you do not need anything back. Therefore you can't be hurt at all. You can love without fear. Remember the saying, "Work like you don't need the money, dance like no one's watching and love like you've never been hurt before". Love like you've never been hurt before. It is the pure, fearless and unconditional giving of yourself.

Autor: Enoch Tan

Enoch Tan aims to help people achieve greater awareness in living and experiencing life, to evolve human consciousness to higher levels and to revolutionize the way we understand the mind and reality, because that's what governs every area of life and destiny. When you learn Secret Knowledge of The Universe and Answers to Life Greatest Mysteries, you can have Wealth, Power, Freedom and Anything you want! Visit the site: Secrets of Mind and Reality

Added: December 30, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

12 Kwanzaa Quotes to Celebrate This Magical Time of Year

If education smites ignorance then hopefully these 7 Kwanzaa quotes will enlighten many of those who don't know what Kwanzaa is or what it stands for. If you think Kwanzaa is political or even religious, you need a quick intro to what the holiday is really about. Here are 7 quotes that help define the true meaning of Kwanzaa.

1. "We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color." ~ Maya Angelou

2. "We have religious holidays and we have secular holidays. I see Kwanzaa as an opportunity for African-Americans to reaffirm ourselves if we choose to, a chance to rebuild and renew our focus. I see Kwanzaa as a holiday of the spirit." ~ Jessica Harris

3. "Kwanzaa is a pan-African celebration of heritage and culture and family and community. The principles and the manner of observing the holiday lift up traditional values that are key to our lives." ~ Janine Bell

4. "The seven principles of Kwanzaa -- unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith -- teach us that when we come together to strengthen our families and communities and honor the lesson of the past, we can face the future with joy and optimism." ~ President Bill Clinton

5. "Our children need the sense of specialness that comes from participating in a known and loved ritual. They need the mastery of self-discipline that comes from order. They need the self-awareness that comes from a knowledge of their past. They need Kwanzaa as a tool for building their future and our own." ~ Jessica Harris

6. "Kwanzaa is a holiday that should be celebrated by everyone, not just the black community." ~ Jacqui Lewis

7. "Kwanzaa isn't a replacement for Christmas or even Hanukkah. Kwanzaa has nothing to do with religion and while some may twist it to be political, in its nature it is not. Kwanzaa is not the tool of its creator. Kwanzaa has a life of its own. Kwanzaa is about the spirit of people -- all people regardless of color or race. Kwanzaa is a holiday of the human spirit -- not the divine. The two were meant to co-exist peacefully." ~ Author Unknown

While the origins of Kwanzaa are often misunderstood, so is its meaning. For those who question and even criticize the beginnings and origins of Kwanzaa or the man who created it, we must all agree that at its core, the meaning of Kwanzaa and the values it instills are good ones. Let these 7 Kwanzaa quotes show us the real Kwanzaa -- the way Kwanzaa should be seen and celebrated.

Autor: Noel Jameson

For more famous quotes, check out the popular Famous-Quotes-And-Quotations.com, a website that specializes in 'Top 10' lists of quotations in dozens of categories.

Added: December 30, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Top 10 Resolutions for 2008 and How To Keep Them

It is time to reflect inward and take a hard look at what we would like to improve. It is New Year's resolution time. Good intentions on January 1st are usually not enough to produce results. Many people struggle to keep their resolutions even to the end of the first week. To keep the promises you make to yourself requires help. Most people succeed when they have a system and someone to coach them through it. It is not easy, and no one is going to just give you the life of your dreams but if you have the dedication and desire for real change then read on.

Step 1 is to start your own home- based business. Which for many is a resolution in itself. The corporate world and fast paced lifestyle of millions is not the American dream. A lifestyle of abundance without the issues of working for someone else is real freedom. Be part of a business that you can be proud of and learn to make these 10 resolutions part of your new life...

1. Make more money/ get out of debt. You will never get ahead trading time for money. It is the worst way to earn an income. Instead, learn a proven system that allows you to achieve six- figures by investing just a few hours of dedicated effort and money that you were already spending. No new money, no membership fees, no hidden charges. Learn from leaders how to produce the income you deserve not what your boss is willing to pay you. It is time to stop just thinking about your financial woes and join the thousands of others who start their own home- based business each week. Take advantage of the tax benefits and quit waiting for the lottery to pay for your early retirement.

2. Loose weight. Align yourself with a company that has an outstanding, easy to follow, healthy system to lose weight and keep it off.

3. Spend more time with/ strengthen the relationships with family and friends. With a 30 second commute to the home office you can organize your time around your schedule. Never miss a special event, a ballgame or family outing. Take the time to be member of your family instead of just a person in it.

4. Have better health/ quit smoking/ eat better. Busy lives cause many of our sicknesses. For example, the foods we eat, the products we use and the environmental stresses we put on our bodies. Keep your body in its best physical condition by using products you buy from your own business. Vitamin supplements that work and safer, more effective personal care products will make a great difference in your health.

5. Take that dream vacation. Finances and time will not restrict you when you learn this unique income generation model. Have the freedom to go where you want, when you want. 2 weeks of vacation when your boss allows is not enough time to whale watch in Alaska or sail the Greek Islands. Dream big!

6. Help others. When you give more of yourself you get so much more in return. This business helps you have the time and finances to help others.

7. Be better to the environment. The products that fuel your business help you treat the environment and yourself with more respect. Reduce your carbon footprint by using toxin free products bottled with environmental awareness that are the safest in the world.

8. Learn something new. Take that Asian cooking class, learn photography, organic gardening or kick boxing. You will have the time, health and finances to concentrate on making the most of your life. Learning keeps us young. Enjoy being a student. Challenge yourself!

9. Make time for you. With our business model you will spend more time doing what you want instead of what you have to. Work during your dedicated golden hour and spend the rest on what it is truly important to you.

10. Work on personal development. A business model should have a small, laser-focused portfolio of resources to help you in all aspects of your life. Personal development plays a huge role in success.

Starting your own home-based business allows you to keep all of these resolutions if you have an easy to follow system. There is work to be done but next years' resolution list will be a whole lot shorter! Keep these 10 resolutions this year. Get started today.

Make it a great day!

My Website

Autor: Erica Vanderbeek

Erica is an international business coach. She and her husband are part of a unique method of income generation. They help those who qualify for their mentoring through a simple system that could return a passive 6 figure income for life! They have learned how to leverage their time and money so that they can live the life that they have always dreamed. They are currently living and "working" in the middle east, Dubai, United Arab Emirates with their 2 furkids.

Added: December 30, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Mastering Public Speaking - How to Succeed Greatly in Public Speaking

Some people fear speaking in public more than they fear death. Nonetheless, mastering public speaking is an attainable task if you focus on your objectives and the benefits you will get from it. Government officials, owners of high-end companies, and bank presidents invest lots of time and money in mastering public speaking and delivering a speech more confidently to people.

The first question you should ask yourself is: Why should you master public speaking? The answer is really simple. Mastering public speaking is a primer in helping a person move up to the leadership position. It's the key notable persons use to carry themselves and portray a leadership perception.

Remember the famous figures you admire on TV, in school, in your own office building or your community? If you notice, they act really well in front of the public. They have the charisma emphasized even more with their body language.

Mastering public speaking is not all about the words that come out of your mouth and the bright ideas you think are right. It is about going on stage and letting the listeners feel your spirit.

Notice how exceptional public speakers approach the stage - the way they play with the rising and falling tone of their voice, and the way they make eye contact with the audience. These tricks make them stand out when speaking in front of the crowd. You can get people to listen to every word you say if you know when to lower your voice into a hushed tone, and when to raise it into a shout to make your point.

In order to capture your audience's attention, mastering public speaking is an absolute necessity. Whether you are trying to influence, inform or entertain your audience, you know you have to be speaking to a group of people in a disciplined and systematic manner. Remember that a good speaker does not only inform but also motivate the listeners to be involved.

Autor: Michael Lee

Michael Lee is generously giving away over $2355.00 worth of the best self-help ebooks FREE at http://www.20daypersuasion.com/goldaccess.htm for a limited time. Download as many as you want before you miss out!

Added: December 30, 2007
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Becoming a Person of Influence - Important Factors to Consider

What does it take to become a person of influence? Is it money, power, or the right kind of leadership? How about connection with the influential people? Is becoming a person of influence inherent, acquired or learned? Various factors are considered in becoming a person of influence.

You are influential when you have followers or when you can convince the majority to alter a vital decision. Indeed, you display persuasiveness and influence, convincingly executed.

Money is one ingredient in becoming a person of influence. Money can be utilized to do immoral or illegal things such as buying votes of the electorates during election period. Nevertheless, money can be used as rewards to motivate others to do the right things such as good performance at work, cooperating with the police in capturing the criminals or returning the lost items. You can also use money to influence others to do good deeds by giving donations to charitable institutions.

Power is another factor. Power is commonly linked to positions or ranks, not only in a company or an institution, but even at home. Having a high position provides you power to make significant decisions that probably could change the lives of other people including your household members, or the status of your company or organization, making you an influential person. Also, having connection with influential individuals could potentially enhance your power.

One of the most important factors is your leadership skill. Bear in mind that not all leaders, when they have started, have money to use, power to impose or connection with the influential people. But effective leaders have generated followers that were persuaded or influenced by their skill, personality or principles in life, thus magnetizing people with money and power, making them more prominent.

Leadership skill could be innate. It can also be learned or acquired through trainings or seminars; practicing such learning makes you a person of influence.

These factors are virtually interrelated with each other. Use your influential power wisely.

If a person thinks that he leads the people but nobody follows him, then he is not considered as a leader. He is merely taking a walk. Becoming a person of influence entails bigger opportunities, and most importantly, responsibilities. It is up to you whether to utilize it for the worse or the betterment of people.

Autor: Michael Lee

Discover the most life-changing insider secrets to unleash instant persuasion power and influence over anyone... guaranteed! If you want to be an expert persuader the fast and easy way, then go to http://www.20daypersuasion.com now!

Added: December 30, 2007
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Communicating in Development of the Social Self Environment

How Do You Say " I Love You"?

Why is it so hard to say those three magical words, (I Love You)?

With all the lines of communication it seems that engaging in any other topic such as hate talk; joy talk; peace and pain talk are easily. Let the topic of saying I Love You come into the picture and a different tune begins to play. Why is this?

Even as a child, you were often told I Love You by your parents. When you got hurt mama would kiss you and say, "I Love You" and that boo-boo would feel so much better. You were always advised to talk about the joy, fears and hurts in your life. To this very day it is still very difficult to say this positive statement. "I Love You."

Everyone that is human has a degree of language. You may be confused about how you learned it. As a baby you learned a language, not taught by your parents. You had to take steps in learning this. First, you babbled; then you began to say words; and lastly you put the words together and made a sentence. All this was done on your own as a child. Children are fast at catching on to words and the proper way to use them. Why is it so hard for adults?

As an adult, you either hear the language of love or you don't. Sometimes when you are awaken from a dream, and it was one where lovers looked into each others eyes, a simple harmony falls over you and you experience the urge to tell your partner you love them. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have such an open line of communication all the time? It would be very nourishing and rewarding in a healthy relationship.

Once you have an open line of communication, have you thought of how you will keep it open? It is very true that communication is more than what you allow your ears to hear. Words are wonderful, and shouldn't be taken likely. Words of love stand for things. Love is an affection shown toward another. It may be towards a parent, child, or lover. For each word that a human speaks, there is an emotion attached to it.

Often you may find yourself being talked too, by a smile or even a handshake. Hugs and laughter are other forms of communication. Some of these gestures may speak louder than the actual words. You can tell a great deal about a person with just a simple handshake. A hug has been known to send off mixed signals. A glance can suggest a variety of things. Still, people don't respect the power of wordless messages. Maybe the message of "I Love You" was given by one of the above gestures. Some people find it very hard to voice these three simple words.

It is essential that humans know how to communicate when they are using certain words. People need to control their words. With each word comes a definition and feeling. This is only when one can take control of their lives. The words people use in a real sense can determine the action and belief of others. Use these words generously rather than be narrowed by them. Misunderstanding begins to cause problems in a relationship when words aren't used properly.

Unless you like talking to yourself, take some advice and remember it takes two to carry on a conversation. This truly means that if your partner is speaking, you better be listening. The majority of the time, by the time someone has said what they wanted to say the other party has forgot half of it. They are only prepared to hear what they want too. So the next time you want to say "I Love You" make sure you are using the proper words or let the wordless message be shown by the gestures you have waited so long to express.

Autor: rajanmr

If you are looking for low cost pottery barn for kids, then please visit pottery barn for kids

Added: December 30, 2007
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Check You in Development of the Social Self Environment-Watch Who You Blame

You are always responsible for yourself. Never should you look for reasons to blame outside of one

self. There are people that are forever blaming the outsider for their feelings and actions. Very

seldom will you hear one ask, "Why does one have to act or react that way?" Only when you are able

to assume full responsibility for whom and what you are will you be able to experience true

happiness and freedom. As long as one feels comfortable putting the blame on others, they will never

change their behaviors.

People have always found someone else to blame. This began back when one blamed their parents for

lack of love. Society has often been blamed for keeping everyone from having true freedom. Many

friends and family members have often been blamed, even life at some point has been blamed. As long

as one can pass the blame, one will never experience what is required in changing their lives. After

all, who is the victim? God has even been blamed. How many times have you heard someone say, "I

don't know why God had to do this to me?" God is often blamed in the passing of a loved one. No one

wants to accept that it was just his or her time to go. Humans have been known to have huge egos.

Never do they stop to place blame on themselves. Whether you remain single or form a relationship,

you should always know where to place the blame. No relationship can survive if one always wants to

blame the other partner.

Relationships should never be considered a dumping ground for one's unselfish ways. Only can you

begin to grow when you assume the responsibility for your own joy and happiness. These things can't

be generated from an outside source. It has to come from within one self. This is where one finds

true happiness and peace. If this were not so, you may be able to purchase lasting joy. Having

money to afford the things that brings happiness to one self is means a great deal, but this isn't

everything.

When you choose happiness over despair, you aren't just generating it, you may find it very

contagious. Everyone has a need for happiness. When life is approached with joy one can often render

the all too present pain one may be experiencing. This is no small matter.

Often enthusiasm toward your loved one to make them perfect or in an attempt to protect them from

pain, we devalue them as humans. Humans aren't as trusting ; tolerant; or thoughtful toward them as

one may be with a friend. Still, this is needed in loving another person.

Set aside time to be close and intimate in the mind and body. Quit spending so much time in others

lives trying to affirm and reinforce them. Learn to listen to that private person inside of one

self. It is interesting how one can become so complete when they are lost in the lives of another.

Even as a child, you often found a brother or sister to blame if things didn't go your way. Now you

have a chance to blame your friends or lovers if things aren't done to satisfy you. This will only

cause you to become isolated. No one is going to put up with being blamed all the time. Relax!

Search your inner being. Would you want your partner always blaming you? What kind of relationship

do you want? Is always best to treat others as you would want them to treat you. Do away with

placing blame if you are interesting in having a lasting relationship.

Autor: rajanmr

If you are looking for low cost pottery barn for kids, then please visit pottery barn for kids

Added: December 29, 2007
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Practice Gratitude - the Gift that Keeps on Giving

Are you ready for wealth building with an investment that has infinite returns?

True wealth begins in the heart. You can create enduring wealth and prosperity and an endless waterfall of giving and receiving with one simple but profound feeling and practice, gratitude. It's the best investment you'll ever make.

The simple focus of gratitude lifts my spirits, opens my eyes to all the riches I have within and around me and brings a smile. From the breakfast I just ate, to a wealth of family and friends, to the computer on which I am typing, to my home and the beautiful parks within a quarter mile, the books and music that inspire me, my coaches, teachers and mentors, my clients, my health, to the love I have and have had over the course of my life.. . I am rich.

What's amazing is that once you get into the spirit of gratitude and focus on what you have to be grateful for, you realize that it is endless.

You'll even come to be grateful for the unique package of you, realizing that this too is a gift. Your gratitude for YOU naturally propels you to claim and celebrate who you are, develop and express your gifts and follow your dreams.

When you let the light of who you are shine, you make a difference not only in your life, but in the lives of those around you. Expressing your gifts, dreams and desires benefits everyone - it's the way life works. And when you do this you inspire others to do the same. Imagine the joy of fully expressing who you are and making a difference in the world by letting YOU shine through.

Gratitude is the Mother Lode.

Gratitude is the principle source and supply, of every thing that is good. It is the seed of other high energy feeling experiences like Love, Peace and Joy; of relationships that thrive; of energy and health; of true wealth that blesses and nourishes you and - like a waterfall - flows over to others.

The Universal Principles of Gratitude and Giving

When you are grateful, you attract more good into your life and you are naturally more giving. When you are more giving, your heart opens and you understand that there is no true distinction between giving and receiving.

When you give, others benefit and that which you give expands in your own life. And you experience the joy that always comes from heartfelt giving, a treasure in itself.

Don't forget the key of receiving. When you recognize and receive the inner and outer gifts in your life with an open heart, you naturally feel grateful.

Your heart fills up and you experience what it's like to be an endless waterfall of filling up and spilling over. You have more to give and your receiving is a gift to those who give to you. You keep life and wealth circulating and expanding.

Practice Gratitude!

The practice of gratitude is the consistent expression of gratitude. It is an investment in true wealth. Practice gratitude, giving, and receiving and watch everything that is good in your life grow before your eyes.

Here are a few practices to get you started or to spark your imagination to create your own practices:
Keep a gratitude journal. At the end of each day, write down 5 things you are grateful for that occurred that day.
Receive compliments. When others acknowledge you or compliment you, take a breath, look into their eyes, smile and say, "Thank you!"
Write appreciation notes. Write one note to someone each day in which you tell them something you appreciate about them.
Give regularly. And give that which you do not think you have enough of to give. Time and money are usually best since the majority of people don't think they have enough of either. Whether it is five dollars or five minutes, give regularly. You'll feel richer each time and your accounts of both will grow.

Be mindful of the everyday gifts such as the fact you are alive, the sun that rises every morning, the water you drink, the air that you breathe...

Step into your greatness and build true wealth with gratitude! Experience the joy and freedom of filling up and spilling over - like an endless waterfall - with everything that is good!

Autor: Reggie Odom

Reggie Odom, CPCC, PCC, founder of Inspired Works, is an Intuitive Vision Consultant, professional certified coach, spiritual teacher and speaker. She is also on the faculty of the National Institute of Whole Health where she teaches a coaching series. Reggie is considered a master teacher and unforgettable speaker. She inspires and guides Spirit Minded Entrepreneurs to step into their greatness, with ease! She can be contacted at (617) 524-6153, reggie@reggieodom.com.

Added: December 28, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

My Destiny: Will the Law of Attraction work for Me?

Most people I talk to feel that they have a pre-determined Destiny since childhood. This is not necessarily the truth. If you have the right mind set than YOU will determine your Destiny. The 1st step you must take is to develop what I like to call "A Million Dollar Mindset".

We all think we have one as long as one of our goals' is to make $1,000,000. Well, that is only a small part of it. Statistics show that people who succeed have 90% mindset and 10% method. So how does one get the 90% mindset needed?

You need to ask yourself this important question:If I could have, be or do anything what would it be? Take time to visualize the answer to that question and then write down at least 25 answers. I posted the list next to my computer and take time daily to visualize myself having, being or doing what I wrote as answers. I was amazed how these things started happening. It is very important that once you achieve one of the answers you replace it with another desire. It is also important that you know what you want, get into harmony with it, so that you can attract it into your life.

Many of you have seen or heard of "The Secret", a book made into film by Rhonda Byrne. In her film she revealed the ancient Universal Law of Attraction. The movie helped people to realize that once you are consciously aware of the attraction Law, then you can pinpoint how to allow situations to occur that you have attracted. Many new Law of Attraction practitioners are getting frustrated as to why the Law of Attraction "isn't working" for them.

Most people didn't realize that the Law of Attraction is working all the time. Everything you say, do or think is attracting it into your life. To many of us don't realize that we must guard what we say and think. If you are constantly stressed out about bills...Guess what, you get even more bills. Whenever I start thinking a thought about something I don't want in my life I immediately look at my answers to the question by my computer and start visualizing them. Soon your stress is gone. When you visualize the things you want in your life it is re-programming your subconscious beliefs and thought patterns as well. This is important because these thoughts and emotions are attracting also.

The Secret served as an awakening to your own personal power, and it scratched the surface, revealing to everyone how they play an important role in shaping reality and their own destiny.

None of this is new; in fact there are many books that have been written on this subject over the years. The most important lesson we must realize from the Law of Attraction is that it is always working, and it provides an answer to what was, what is, and what will be. Once you learn how to get into harmony with what you want you will be amazed how fast you will attract it into your life.

When you have developed that Million Dollar Mindset the 10% Method is easy to accomplish. The easiest method I have found is revealed in my article: "The BOA Method Reviewed - Will it Really Work For You?" found on my blog at http://www.EarnMoney-AtHome.com

Autor: Barbara Lyons

Barbara Lyons operates Make Money at Home, a blog all about how to be successful working from home. She loves helping others and is dedicated to helping them realize their Dreams. Right now she's giving away Free Membership for her Newsletter. You're not going to believe what you get as a bonus when you opt-in. It's all FREE! More information here: http://www.EarnMoney-AtHome.com

Added: December 28, 2007
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Refresh Yourself and Your Business - The Creative Intermission

Do you feel refreshed at the end of a work day? Or do you feel exhausted, too tired to enjoy the rest of your day? Maybe you even work until bedtime?

Working Full Tilt Most of the Time Is a Common Mistake that most business owners make.

The good news may be that your work is a major way in which you fulfill your divine mission. You love what you do and you want to leave your print on your clients and the world in a positive way. That is wonderful - many blessings and kudos to you.

The bad news however is that even if the good news is true, if you don't feel refreshed at the end of the day you are likely compromising your ability be effective and truly fulfill your divine mission. You have been working too hard, enjoying it less and are out of sync with the creative process.

Creating is what we all do in our businesses. Whether we are creating services or products, works of art, books, speeches or ways to get our message out into the world, we are in the business of creating.

Creating is a process with several steps but I want to focus on one, the Creative Intermission. The Creative Intermission reflects a key universal principle. This principle is necessary for the universe to continue creating and recreating itself - it is activity and rest.

Both activity and rest are necessary for you to continue creating and re-creating your business such that both you and your business remain fresh, alive and responsive - and continue to grow and to evolve. Eventual decline rather than growth occurs without the "rest" side of the equation. Plain and simply, you and work become stale.

Nature consistently takes Creative Intermissions in her process of creating and recreating herself. Look at the seasons. Spring and Summer are high activity and growth phases. Fall and winter are resting and internal phases.

Seasons change, tides ebb and flow and the sun rises and sets. Even your heart rests after every beat. In fact, your heart is in its resting phase approximately 60% of the time.

What happens during Creative Intermissions? A lot happens in the resting phase of the creative process, and without effort on your part.

Your creativity - the core of the unique genius that is yours - comes forth. Fresh and inspired ideas, new ways of seeing, "ahas", intuitive thoughts or innovative ways of putting things together may arise during these intermissions, or later on as a result. You are refreshing and revitalizing your mind and body while giving your creative genius a chance to shine through.

Now you are ready to resume your active work. You will be fresh and your love for what you do renewed. Your actions will be more meaningful and effective.

The impact of keeping yourself refreshed throughout the day has other benefits.

Your mind is crisper and clearer for everything.
You are more able to "hear" and move with your intuitive knowing.
Your ability to be decisive and to make conscious choices increases.
You are more present to yourself, and for your clients and others with whom you interact throughout the day.
And, voila, when the work day is over you yet have the energy for the rest of your life.

Take Creative Intermissions In Four Key Ways!

Over time you can learn your own creative rhythm, including the rest and activity cycle. However, until you do and are willing to follow it, it is wise to put some simple structures in place to help. Here are four simple ways you can begin now:

1. Take creative intermissions throughout the work day. An hour is generally the maximum amount of time that you can remain effectively engaged. Plan a 5-10 minute Creative Intermission every hour. Have a cup of tea or glass of water. Take a leisurely walk around the block or simply sit quietly. Take plenty of time for lunch. And get plenty of sleep at night.

2. Take at least one day completely off from work each week and make it a leisurely day. Have breakfast in bed or stay in bed until noon. You'll be glad you did.

3. Take regular, non-working vacations every year, or better yet, every season. Visit some place new, or visit some place that you already know and love in a new way.

4. Spend time in nature on a regular basis. There is nothing I know of that is more refreshing, connecting and revitalizing than being in nature. When you spend time "being" in nature you naturally imbibe her wisdom and your creative juices are sparked.

Taking regular creative intermissions may be a very bold move for you. It may take courage and trust. But I guarantee you that you won't be disappointed. It will take your creativity to the next level and enhance not only your business, but the quality of your life in every way.

Step Into Your Greatness -- Relax into the next
level of your success!

Autor: Reggie Odom

Reggie Odom, CPCC, PCC, founder of Inspired Works, is an Intuitive Vision Consultant, professional certified coach, spiritual teacher and speaker. She is also on the faculty of the National Institute of Whole Health where she teaches a coaching series. Reggie is considered a master teacher and unforgettable speaker. She inspires and guides Spirit Minded Entrepreneurs to step into their greatness, with ease! She can be contacted at (617) 524-6153, reggie@reggieodom.com.

Added: December 28, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Go The Distance in Your Business - the LSD Approach

How far could you go in your business if you used the long slow distance approach? Ernst van Aaken was an internationally known running coach in the 1970's who proposed long slow distance training for peak race conditioning. This method is primarily aerobic, where you have a steady supply of oxygen. How can you apply this to your business and keep a steady supply of energy?

I read an early copy of The Van Aaken Method during the 1970's running boom. There was one part that really got my attention then, which I recalled just a couple of weeks ago when I decided to go for a run.

I am in good condition, but hadn't run for quite a while and my legs didn't cooperate. Then Van Aaken's message played in my mind. Paraphrased, "Anyone, whether male or female, at whatever age, can run 10K or 6.2 miles, provided you are healthy and you run it slowly and steadily." In addition to completing 6.2 miles, you will become extremely fit over time - step by step, day by day.

It worked. I slowed way down, making sure I could breathe easily. Lo and behold! I found myself both breathing and running easily through the first stretch and soon the last. I was back home and had run the entire time.

The long slow distance - or LSD - approach is great for physical conditioning and it has some huge pay-offs in business, whatever your business. Rather than burning out with a fast, frenetic pace, or being stalled with low energy because the end result seems so impossibly far away, you will have a steady supply of energy, increase your confidence along the way, and go the distance one step at a time.

There are many applications to business. Here are four that come to mind:
Do one marketing activity every work day - It's amazing how the energy builds - both your personal energy and the energy for your business.

Have consistent, scheduled times - for ongoing, daily activities such as writing and making phone calls. Do each task at its time, and only one task at a time. Your focus will grow stronger, and you will sustain your energy. Eventually, the time itself will call you to the given activity and prepare the way.

Create long-term goals - and break them down into shorter-term goals or activities which you do consistently. For example create a 90 day goal, a monthly goal that supports your 90 day goal, a weekly goal that supports your monthly goal, and two daily activities that support your weekly goal. And do them, day-by-day, week-by-week and month-by-month.

Don't forget the LSD approach in the physical realm - regular aerobic physical activity will build and sustain your energy immensely for the rest of your life. Choose the number of days you will exercise (between 3 & 6) and "just do it," one step at a time.

The key to the LSD approach in your business is creating simple systems for a few clearly identified activities and doing them repeatedly and consistently over the long term. These activities will help you go the distance in your business. There are many others besides the ones I mentioned above. Take a few minutes now while the idea is fresh and create two or three for your business.

There is more to peak running conditioning than long slow distance, just as there is more to building and sustaining your business. However, the LSD approach provides a strong energetic and systems foundation from which to build the rest, and helps your business thrive over the long term.

I am laughing as an old football cheer resounds in my mind. "Take it easy, take it slow, but go, go.. . "

Step into your greatness! Step-by-step, day-by-day.. .

Autor: Reggie Odom

Reggie Odom, CPCC, PCC, founder of Inspired Works, is an Intuitive Vision Consultant, professional certified coach, spiritual teacher and speaker. She is also on the faculty of the National Institute of Whole Health where she teaches a coaching series. Reggie is considered a master teacher and unforgettable speaker. She inspires and guides Spirit Minded Entrepreneurs to step into their greatness, with ease! She can be contacted at (617) 524-6153, reggie@reggieodom.com.

Added: December 28, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Most Common Fashion Mistakes Part I

I know we all want the same thing, to look great! Right? Nothing can spoil your look more than a conspicuous fashion faux pas. Unfortunately, there are some fashion errors that we might not be aware of, but that we might practice. So for the benefit of all the readers out there, i will points out the most common fashion mistakes and how not only for woman, but also for men and how to avoid them.

1. The Color Issue
A. Wearing the wrong colors
All skin tones among us are not created equal. To look your best, choose wardrobe colors that complement your skin. Wearing the wrong colors will make your skin appear sallow and lines and wrinkles will be more evident. The lime green or hot pink that you saw on the runways may look fabulous on the models, but horrible on you. Experiment with different colors and stick with the palettes that look best on you. Don't waste your money on clothes that make you look pale, sallow, jaundiced, or washed out.
B. Wearing red and green at the same time.
Honestly, you will look like a Christmas tree. Red and green are two of the colors that you absolutely must avoid wearing together. These colors completely clash, so just stay clear. Also, it's best to stay away from green and red makeup. If you decide to go for a green eyeshadow, don't put on a bright red lipstick. Instead, opt for a clear gloss or a nude color.
C. Wearing too many Colors.
A common fashion mistake is using too many colors. As a general rule wear up to three colors only, for a easy on the eye coordinated look.

2. The Shoes
A. Dirty shoes.
It would be bad enough if you had shoes that were out of style, or didn't match with your outfit, but if you have dirty shoes, you're making a big fashion faux pas. Make sure to keep your shoes in style, according to your outfit, and most importantly, clean!
B. Bulky shoes with feminine dress.
A floral, feminine dress should never be paired with bulky shoes such as thick platforms. This kind of dress deserves a pair of soft, delicate shoes. Anything with a small heel, and even wedges and espadrilles.
C. Messy Shoes
Take care of your shoes, for they complete your look. Also ensure that your shoes complement your outfit.
D. Rundown shoes
You look great...from the ankles up. If your shoes have seen better days, find a good shoe repair shop and put them in for some TLC. Polish them regularly. Use a felt tip marker on scuffs, and put a piece of soft carpet under your feet when you drive. And most importantly, invest in a good pair if you're going to wear them every day. Don't buy them at the Five and Dime and then wonder why they don't last.
E. Clothing & Shoes Should Match.
Keep your clothing and shoes in the same color unless using black which goes with anything. Don't ever make the mistake of mismatching light and dark colors i.e. dark clothes and light shoes and vice versa.

3. Make-Up
A. Too much makeup
Too much makeup creates a harsh look and makes lines appear deeper. Keep your daytime makeup light and evening makeup a little darker. If you are unsure of makeup application techniques, see a professional. Many popular cosmetic counters at your local department store will provide a free makeup session.
B. Inappropriate makeup
Light for day, heavier for evening, sheer for sports or other strenuous pursuits. You wear different clothes for different activities in you life; your makeup should change as well. And if you're still doing Cleopatra eyes, it's time to turn the page and see what's happening THIS century in makeup styles.

These fashion mistakes tend to come from people not accepting their body type and wearing the latest fashion because its popular. To look your best, always be true to yourself and you will present a stylish confident look that will create the right impression for all occasions.
So here sums up the Part I of my Most Common Fashion Mistakes. Better Watch out for more of this later on my posts.

Autor: Bert Guevarra

For more great fashion tips and updates just visit my fashion blog at http://fashion-express.blogspot.com.

Added: December 27, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Five Strategies to Make Tackling It Easier

Why is IT so hard?

The hardness of IT was the recent topic at a "home party" I was attending. The sister of a friend and customer of mine had a home party that showcased products from her company. I was invited and went. As a network marketer, I genuinely believe that no matter what company you are in, you should support other companies as long as the products being offered do not conflict with your company's products or philosophy.

I got to talking with the hostess, Sue. We hit it off. I found out that she had been with her company for 2 years. Then she went on to say, "I'll never get rich with this, I work full time and "it" is so hard" to find the time to host parties.

She went on to tell me that the woman who sponsored her, Sharon, told her that she should be hosting 6 parties per month. Sue is currently hosting 4. She also thought that her sponsor just didn't get it because her sponsor is a stay-at-home mom who has all the time in the world!

I had to cringe inside. In our society of two income households we still have not come to value the work of at- home moms. A prestigious business publication states that if we actually have to pay at-home moms for their time, skill sets, talents and money saved on day care, they would be earning a 6 figure income.

While I was talking with Sue I realized that according to our perceptions, life is hard for us and easy for everyone else which is why a network marketing program may work for Sharon but not for Sue. Sharon has IT easy while Sue has IT hard.

Is that reality? Probably not, but Sue's belief has her doing 4 parties per month instead of 6: the difference between hot water and steam, between floundering and momentum, between warming the food and cooking as they say "with gas". Sue was already doing the work to set up 4 parties per month. How much additional work would it have taken to set up 6. Sue is so close, but aren't we all?

Life is hard. For every condition that we might say is hard someone else might say is easy. A barrier for one person might become a reason for another so we are left with two choices: either it is all easy or all hard. Either way, we can all do it. Whatever IT is.

What is IT any way? It is life. It is the monthly nut to crack. The daily jobs to do, the bills, the frustrations, the disappointments, the lost home, the lost job, the wrecked car, the new baby, the fight you had with your spouse, life as we know it. The list goes on.

Whenever we try to change IT life really becomes hard.
We have only to look at our planet to see the cataclysmic results of change. Sudden change between the way two parts of the earth touch will cause tsunamis and earthquakes, changes in the air's thermal currents will cause tornados and hurricanes, Sustained high winds may cause a home to collapse forever altering a familiy's reality.
The subtle changes that we have grown to appreciate, the creation of the canyons, for example, took many, many lifetimes to come to fruition. In the overall scheme of things, if we choose to change our IT, we must choose to change it suddenly, because we simply don't have time for subtle, gradual change.

And yet IT, life, is hard. Changing IT, all the harder.

Here are 5 strategies to make changing your IT easier:

1) Recognize that life is hard and change even harder. The moment you confront the things in your life events will conspire to challenge your sanity and commitment to change.

2) Speak to your spouse or significant other. No real change is made without the help of others. You need a team and the first member of that team may just be the person you share your intimate spaces with. That person can also block any changes you desire to make. Make sure that the two of you are on the same page. Yes, this strategy alone may prove to be the most difficult and painful one you undertake or it may prove to be the most joyful.

3) Develop a vision for yourself. How do you want your life to look in two years? Write that vision down and commit to viewing it twice daily.

4) Start a program of personal development and have your spouse or significant other start it with you. If you are just starting out, don't spring for the thousand dollar seminar! Books and tapes will do nicely.

5) Develop a way to measure your progress. How will you know that life has gotten better? How will you know that you have made a positive change?

Yes, IT is hard. Life is hard. If you desire change, is it enough to go through life without making the changes you desire? I don't know what Sue will do. Sue is tired and out of shape. Her children are grown and out of the house. She and her husband work full time although they would like not to have to. Both she and her husband have health challenges, but Sue has hired a personal trainer to help her move forward with her health. Yes I did buy from Sue and am forever grateful that I met her. Right now Sue is using one of the strategies: she has a supportive spouse who was right there at that party! I believe that Sue will move on to a more desirable IT than her present reality.

What is next for you?

Autor: Ouida Vincent

Ouida Vincent is an entrepreneur whose IT was pretty hard too. She has chosen to change her IT through a home-based business and works with her team members and associates across the globe to assist them in moving forward and creating the changes they desire. To find out more about duplicable strategies that can assist you in moving forward in your home-based business go to http://www.passiveincomesecretsonline.com

Added: December 27, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Imagery - The Key to Unlocking Your Performance Potential Addendum

[ This article is an Addendum to the 3-part series. See also: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 ]
When can Mental Imagery be Effectively Utilized?

Imagery - The Key to Unlocking Your Performance Potential (Addendum)Mental imagery can be effective from the first instance that a new skill is learned to the highest levels of performance! The goal of imagery training at different stages of the skill development process can however be quite different.

A Performance Replay type of imagery is typically more effective when you have a reasonably good understanding of (and some degree of practice in) the skills that you are trying to perfect. If you have little or no understanding of the technique that you are trying to perfect, you will likely not benefit to as great a degree from Performance Imagery training. In fact, you could even be impeding your ability to learn the skill because you are mentally rehearsing that skill without really understanding what you need to do from an execution point of view to improve your performance. Your mental images may be all over the map - and incorrect - from a technique point of view.

Let us consider a typical scenario that is played-out on playgrounds throughout the country virtually every day...that of a novice baseball player just learning how to hit the ball with a bat. Even the youngest child has some idea of what the outcome of the skill is supposed to look like because they have watched adults or other children execute the skill with some success. They generally understand that the ball is supposed to be struck with the bat and it is supposed to take off! Typically the farther, the better! The pressure is on in their own mind to perform because kids (and even us adults) automatically tend to measure our own self-worth by the outcome of their performance. Often, this self-judgment is reinforced by the behavior and comments of some of the adults involved.

When such a complex batting skill is first being acquired however, not all children easily master the motor control needed to strike a ball with an implement. For some, it may take some time to even make contact with the ball. Here are two possible scenarios that could describe, at the extremes of the continuum, the circumstances of such a learning experience:

1. The parent or coach becomes progressively more frustrated that the child is not hitting the ball and the increased frustration is expressed by verbal commands that become more abrupt or long-winded and are delivered with a 'harder' tone of voice. The focus of the adult's feedback becomes overly technical and centers on an elbow here, a knee there, a hip elsewhere. Perhaps the catcalls by other children begin...
2. The parent or coach uses feedback that focuses the child's mind on the relaxed rhythm of the swing and on the fun challenge of swinging through, simply trying to make contact with the ball. Progress is realized by first having the child just tap the ball with an easy motion and little backswing and proceeds in gradual increments that allow success. Effort and the willingness to try are verbally rewarded and reinforced rather than only the outcome of the attempt - whether or not or how far the ball flies...

The two scenarios above are offered only to provide a backdrop to briefly consider the performance consequences that could result in response to the type of imagery that very likely would be produced in the child's mind in these situations.

In the first scenario, the sense of failure that the child may feel at never properly 'connecting' with the ball (fueled by comments like "Get out there and whack that ball a mile, son!" and the real or imagined frustration shown by the parent or coach; catcalls by peers; etc.) leads to emotional anxiety and imagery that is associated with not being able to get the job done. The imagery associated with this mindset depicts fear, clumsy movements, poor rhythm and timing, etc. This failure-dominated imagery naturally leads to physical tension - remember the pendulum - and this makes the task of hitting the ball with a relaxed swing that much more difficult.

Does it mean that in these high-pressure situations, the child won't be able to hit the ball? Obviously not. But the physical reactions that are generated by the negative imagery created in their mind in response to this situation, will make it more difficult for them to be successful in executing the task properly. The poor kid can't wait for his/her turn to be over so that can extricate themselves from this pressure-filled, failure-focused situation. For many children, repeated exposure to this type of pressure leads them not to even want to play anymore and when they do try, they often pre-determine the outcome of any attempt by sabotaging their performance every time... "See, I told you I couldn't do it!" But how is the second scenario different?

In the second scenario, input or feedback from the coach or parent serves to implant dominant thoughts into the child's mind that are associated with being relaxed, having fun, playing with an easy rhythm or flow to their movements, etc. These are underlying feelings and behaviors that would increase the likelihood that the child would more effectively learn the skill from a technical point of view, because this is the mindset that predisposes them to more easily acquire the nervous system training (often called 'neural grooving') that will lead them to perfect the skill of swinging a bat and striking a ball over time.

Moreover, because the focus of the feedback (and it's associated mental imagery) is directed to the effort they put into the task and their willingness to try rather than the outcome of the attempt, the consequences from the child's point of view are not dire but in fact are rewarding...so long as they give it their all. When effort is reinforced and rewarded, especially in the early stages of skill acquisition, kids are more than happy to come back and try again...and with practice, most everyone can continue to develop their skills and improve their performance.

Think back to the first time you yourself tried to learn a complex physical skill, even as an adult. What mindset predisposed you to learning that skill more effectively? It is likely that a relaxed, focused, and eager mental predisposition would help you to learn the skill more easily. What do you think the prospects of acquiring that skill would be however, if you were physically tense, tentative, and worried excessively that you would not be able to learn the skill or that you might come across as an 'uncoordinated boob' to others who might be watching you? Do you really think that our children are any different?

When a young player first attempts to acquire a complex skill, the focus of their mental preparation should be oriented toward Psychological Imagery, with a focus on being relaxed, loose, and having fun. This is something that they can usually get their head around fairly easily without yet fully understanding what the technical aspects of the skill are. As their technical proficiency improves, training typically responds well to a mix of Psychological Imagery and a progressive introduction of Performance Imagery. As their skill level improves, the coach or parent can cue them to gradual improvements in technique when these are demonstrated and when they are successful in executing correctly, get them to describe how they think it looked and how it felt doing it that way. The idea is to focus on the look and feel of what success or 'excellence' is like. As the kids become more accomplished and skillful, both Performance Imagery and Psychological Imagery are used extensively.
Are There Any Potential Pitfalls to Using Imagery?

You should be aware however that there are potential pitfalls when you use Performance Imagery in particular, to supplement actual practice.

The first pitfall relates to the quality or 'accuracy' of the imagery you associate in your mind with the physical performance. Let us assume for the sake of discussion that you are working on the execution of your golf swing, but don't really have a good understanding of what that swing should look like from a technical point of view. Whether your imagery is 'faulty' or not, your body will attempt to replicate the physical actions that derive from that imagery. That is why I mentioned previously that Performance Imagery is not as effective (and may even be counterproductive) in the early phase of learning a new skill. Once you have a better understanding of the technique involved, then Performance Imagery can have a beneficial effect. This seems straightforward enough.

A less obvious pitfall however, involves using Performance Imagery associated with the correct technical execution of a skill... but only under ideal conditions. I can illustrate what I mean by this with the following example, again related to the golf swing.

Let us assume your skill level is good and that you have a good sense of what technique is required when making the perfect Tee shot. In your mental practice (imagery training), you replay the look and feel of what you consider the perfect shot from the Tee and you do this frequently. You mentally 'groove' the perfect Tee shot! Then you find yourself out on the course and have to dig a shot out of a bunker with a short iron. If the only shot you have mentally practiced is the Tee shot, it will be hard for you to adapt your shot to the different technical profile required for a bunker shot.

So the imagery you use needs to be related to the process of execution but it is also important that you allow for diversity and spontaneity in your mental imagery. Don't make the mistake of "playing and replaying" your actions under a set of constant - and ideal - conditions. Some individuals imagine the same 'ideal' situation each time and if you run only one scenario in your mind, you may be influenced to perform according to the limiting neural imprint set in your mind by the repetition of that one motor program. If you do this, you won't be as prepared to be dynamic and adaptable as you accommodate the variety of conditions and situations that confront you during such actions. Instead, picture hitting the ball correctly from different lies, on the fairway or in the rough, in the sand trap, etc... and in each case build an imagery library that reflects excellence in execution, regardless of the situation. The same thing applies to the coach and parent who is trying to direct the use of imagery by children trying to perform complex skills. As their proficiency improves, introduce variations in the imagery model that they can practice based upon the differing demands inherent in performing these tasks.

Encourage kids to mentally rehearse situations that they may often find are problematic, that demand versatility and adaptability on their part, and that challenge their skills to the fullest. The more they "see themselves" in these difficult situations and the more they see themselves being successful in dealing with these challenges, the more they establish a mindset that facilitates their correct performance when these situations arise in reality. When the imagery they develop is correct and clear, their potential to push the "limits" of their skills and capabilities is increased. Under these circumstances, it can help to exaggerate the images to some degree. For example, a golfer might "see" the cup as being 12 inches in diameter, making it impossible not to drop their putt into the center of the cup. They can slow the action of the putt down so they can increase the precision of their shot. Once their imagination is under control, they can start to execute the action with precision and confidence.

Autor: Jacques Dallaire, Ph.D.

Dr. Jacques Dalliare is the founding consultant of Performance Prime. For more information on programs and products which improve individual performance and enhance business performance, visit Performance Prime online, at www.performanceprime.com.

Added: December 27, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Imagery - The Key to Unlocking Your Performance Potential Part 3

[ This article is part 3 of 3. For part 1, see Performance File 09. ]

How does Imagery work?

in essence, images and feelings that you create in your mind activate your nervous system in the same way that it is activated when you are experiencing the actual event. It's almost like a mind-body rehearsal for the activity that is about to occur.

Try this simple exercise (see the illustration below). Take a string about 10 inches long and tie a small metal washer or fishing weight to one end of it. Grasp the other end of the string between the thumb and forefinger of your dominant hand, with your elbow resting comfortably on the table. Center the hanging object just above the intersection of two lines that you have drawn on a piece of paper, as shown in the diagram. With your eyes open and focused on the object, imagine what the object would look like if it were to begin to swing from side-to-side, starting to move between the numbers 1 and 3 on the piece of paper (picture it happening in your mind's eye).

Do not try to move the object on purpose but also, do not try to stop it from moving if movement does start to occur. Simply continue to vividly imagine what the object would look like if it began to gain momentum,increasing its movement more and more. Still in your mind's eye,imagine the string and the object continuing to move even more - to the extent that it begins to reach out toward the edges of the diagram. Seethe object moving in your mind's eye... and imagine what it would feel like if it responded the way you imagine it, according to the picture in your mind. Now go ahead and try it...

With practice and a relaxed 'touch', most individuals are able to experience movement of the pendulum. With mental training, this ability gets stronger and you can make the pendulum move in whatever direction you can imagine, simply by vividly focusing your mind on the images, and feelings of the action you wish to see occur. But why does the object move in this manner?

It is a scientific fact that your brain is constantly transmitting electrical impulses to your muscles when you execute any physical action...and even at rest. It is also a fact that the same kind of electrical impulses (although at a lower level of intensity) are also being transmitted down the nerves to your muscles when you think about executing such an action.

The images and thoughts you create in your mind during the exercise with the pendulum are transferred to the muscles of the hand, arm,torso, etc., but at a reduced intensity. Imagery is kind of like using an electrical dimmer switch in your brain (like the ones you might have in your house to adjust the intensity of a light) to turn down the voltage of the electrical signals that are being sent to your muscles. As strange as it may sound, simply by imagining the movement of the object in our example above, you create a set of mental impulses or commands in the brain that are transmitted down the nerves to the muscles that cause such a movement. Consider the significance of this fact for a moment...how thoughts that you formulate in your mind actually trigger very real physical responses in your body as a direct consequence of what you are thinking...Rule #3 of the Mental Road inaction!
What is Negative Imagery?

Negative imagery is the creation of thoughts and pictures in your mind that focus on images of disaster or failure. The more you try to avoid this negative image, the more energy and strength the negative image gains. The more you try not to think of it, the more it sticks in your consciousness and bounces around like an annoying tune that you cannot get out of your head.

Have you ever reminded yourself not to get nervous in the lead-up to a big event, only to become very nervous and not be able to relax? Or told yourself not to get upset or angry about something that may have happened, only to become more and more upset as you think about it.Or again, reminded yourself not to slice when preparing to drive from the tee on the golf course, only to execute a perfect slice... just the way you pictured it in your mind! The reason that this often occurs is that by thinking this way, you implant a set of images and feelings in your mind that serve as the dominant and persistent thought that directly affects your feelings, your behavior, and your performance... in a negative way. Rule #3 of the Mental Road states "You can't NOT think about what's on your Mind". As the dominant mental program at that moment - the mental blueprint for your performance - the images of incorrect execution or behavior that you picture in your mind are translated into a sequence of physical actions that result in more easily achieving that very outcome. In such a situation, it's almost impossible not to suffer a breakdown in performance... unless they can learn to replace the faulty program with a positive and productive one.
Types of Imagery

There are fundamentally two types of imagery that can be used to improve performance. These have often been referred to as psychological imagery and performance replay.

Psychological Imagery: This type of imagery typically involves the use of the imagination to control pre-event anxieties, frustrations, self-doubts and other mental variables that influence your readiness to perform like a virtuoso or a champion. It may also focus on generating controlled energy so that you are more alert, aware, and sensitive to the environment around you. Imagine many possible scenarios and events that can happen during the course of an artistic presentation or competitive performance: problems with the PA system or lights, different weather conditions, good and bad lies, good and bad shots, distractions, etc., and then "see" or "image" how you would correctly adjust and take advantage of any situation - always end up seeing and feeling the successful outcome in spite of the adverse conditions. This application of imagery may use some or all of the senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell) to recall and re-experience mood states that are associated with a performance delivered with personal excellence. This may involve an increase in confidence, a calming mindset, or any number of behavioral qualities that allow you to get out of your own way!

But it's important to realize that different qualities are needed for different individuals. Not everyone requires a calming influence before a game; some people need to energize to a more 'activated' level to get the most from themselves. The process to understand what level of arousal is best for each individual involves understanding your own personal Ideal Performance State. This isn't a case of 'one size fits all'!

Performance Imagery: This is the inner playback mechanism of the mind! This type of imagery allows you to replay in your mind the images and feelings associated with excellence in execution as you prepare to undertake some performance or play back in your mind's eye some event in your past as though you had captured the successful event on video, with all the sights, sounds, and smells of the real situation. If your performance in the event was satisfactory,then you may simply review that performance giving yourself the implicit instruction that you want more of the same to occur.

If on the other hand you are dissatisfied with your performance, a mental replay of the event can provide you with the opportunity to discover exactly what is in need of improvement from a technical or execution point of view. Once you have settled on a possible reason for a poor performance, you can replay the scene or the event with the modifications you need to implement to change your mental images and your performance to the desired outcome.

Whenever you use Performance Imagery to direct your mindset toward personal excellence, you are in effect programming your mind and body for future performances that will more likely be delivered with excellence. It is a fact that excellence in performance can be modeled and if correctly model excellence, you will more consistently be able to perform with personal excellence...on command. The pendulum exercise helps us to understand how this might come about.

In the next Performance File, we will finish up our discussion of Imagery with an addendum to this series, in which we'll consider when Imagery can be effectively used and what pitfalls may exist in its use,as far as performance is concerned.
For more information about business, team & individual performance programs and products, visit www.performanceprime.com.

Autor: Jacques Dallaire, Ph.D.

Dr. Jacques Dalliare is the founding consultant of Performance Prime. For more information on programs and products which improve individual performance and enhance business performance, visit Performance Prime online, at www.performanceprime.com.

Added: December 27, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Jesus and the rejection of earthly power-now that s the meaning of Christmas!

I hope this article finds you happy and in good health. Rhiannon and I have just finished opening our presents and are looking forward to going over to my Aunt Rose's house in a couple of hours to enjoy the annual Christmas Turkey and gift exchange with the extended Taylor family. Rhiannon will start making her world famous corn casserole in a few minutes-world famous at least in the Taylor household!

As we're all supposed to do this time of the year, I've been reflecting a lot about the true meaning of Christmas over the past few days. My heart goes out to the worlds pastors who have to find new shades of meaning and spiritual insight every single year as they prepare their Christmas sermons to deliver to their congregations. Being that it's Christmas day, this message may be a little late for pastors and missionaries looking for last minute enlightenment, but it's not late in terms of relevance for the new year.

First I'll start with what we all know and understand. Unless your last name is Scrooge and your first name is Grinch, you probably realize that Christmas is about the generosity of giving and not the vanity of commercialization. With the slew of Hallmark and ABC Family Christmas specials this time of year, I find it odd that even Hollywood sells the message of faith, family and values this time of the year.

This next thought may be a bit Pollyanna-ish, but I think that both sides of the "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays" war need to lay down their arms and take a breather, if not for political and theological reasons, then at least for practical ones. Having to correct people every time they use a holiday greeting that you don't like can get exhausting after a while. As much as I would like to continue my soapbox on this one, you can consider that a freebie.

The real message I'd like to share with you this Christmas is this. In light of my debate with a radical jihadist in London and my recent trip to the West Bank, one of the ideas that has turned my world upside down and caused me to reevaluate nearly everything I have held dear in terms of my identity and values is the idea that one of the central themes of the New Testament is a complete and utter rejection of the value of exercising earthly power and authority over others. When Jesus said, "The meek shall inherit the earth," the people of His day knew exactly what He meant. On the day of judgment, those who will be left standing are not the Caesars and the centurions, but the cooks and the carpenters. Practically the entire life and ministry of Jesus conveys the idea that the Kingdom of God belongs to the powerless, not the powerful.

Jesus said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them." In an age where politicians, even sincere politicians, are all-too-eager to invoke the name of Jesus as a stamp of divine approval upon their bid for the White House, I think a re-evaluation of the role of the Church, and how the Church interacts with earthly power is in order. Just as not everything that glitters is gold, I have a feeling that not everything that calls itself Christian is truly Christian.

Jesus was born in a stable and raised the son of a carpenter. He never levied a tax and He never waged a war. Although He could have used His birthright as heir to the Davidic throne to "restore the Kingdom to Israel", He deliberately chose not to. Instead, He put the priority on taking on the form of a servant and establishing God's true kingdom in the hearts of men. He had no earthly agenda but to love and to serve, especially those who lived with a different set of values than His own. Jesus managed to befriend the tax-collector, the zealot, the Samaritan, and the prostitute alike, calling them to repent.....without pursuing an earthly agenda to push them to the fringes of society.

As we head into the new election year, I think it would be wise for us all to remember that the world's only true "Christian" king (or ruler or politician or whatever term you would like to insert to denote earthly power) died on a wooden cross, suffering for the souls of the very people who were crucifying Him. May the example of Jesus be the true inspiration for us all to build a better world as we head into the new year.

Merry Christmas,

Aaron

Autor: Aaron Taylor

Aaron is the author of an upcoming book, "Reformation: A Biblical Response to Holy War." Aaron blogs at http://www.aarondtaylor.blogspot.com

Added: December 27, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Important Knowledge For Every Model

In the industry of modeling it is very important that one understands that becoming a model is more than just looks. There are millions of people that look good enough to be a model but only a select few that can make their way.

The first and foremost important objective is proper posing. Based on whether you plan on being a glamour model or a fashion model your pose must fit the part. This can take a large amount of practice as well as criticism. You must be comfortable while posing to make it seem more natural. The human eye can easily tell when something isn't right especially when the spotlight is on you. Using productive criticism you and your critics should choose about five to ten poses you like best. Don't be afraid to use ones you have seen previously in magazines or on TV from previous shoots.

Confidence is also a very important part of modeling. Just like having a natural pose, people can see right through someone without confidence. You will want to make sure your eyes, body language, and posture show no fear. Working with a photographer that you are comfortable with will give you that extra needed confidence. You should only adjust away from good posture if you are instructed by your photographer unless the shoot requires a different feel.

Pay close attention to your facial and hand expressions. Depending on the type of modeling this may need to be non-existent to very bright. Remember to pay attention to your critics when practicing your expressions because even though you may be trying to do one expression you cannot tell what your expressions look like to others. Once again, practice will bring improvement!

There are also many things to avoid when modeling. As noted above, keeping the feel natural is very important. Many models will try to suck in their stomachs or hold their breath. This can be easily seen and discouraged by the trained eye that will be analyzing you. You will want your entire body to be in a relaxed state to make your beauty shine in your audience's eyes. Always avoid stiffness unless instructed otherwise. Smiling is great but only if it fits the shoot. Many shoots will require serious facial expressions or even timid ones. Follow the feel of the shoot and always pay attention to your photographer's remarks and instructions.

Autor: Steve Cancel

For more resources about Topmodels or for the full story of Germany's Next Topmodel please review our Model-Community. Article written and distributed by Secure Link - Free Domain Name Registration.

Added: December 27, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

The Portuguese Language

The Spanish and French languages are the most well known Romance languages. Portuguese is often the forgotten Romance language and yet it is the third most significant Romance language and the fifth most spoken language in the world.

There are over 200 million people who speak Portuguese in the world. It spread internationally during the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, with the creation of the Portuguese Empire. Portuguese, developed from the Vulgar Latin brought to the Iberian Peninsula by Roman conquerors and was distinguishable from Latin by the 11th cent.

The Standard Portuguese known today is derived from the Portuguese language historically spoken in Lisbon and Coimbra. Portuguese vocabulary is overwhelming derived from Latin, but does include a number of Arabic, French, and Italian words, as well as words from indigenous South American and African languages.

Portuguese is a member of the Italic subfamily which in turn is part of the Indo-European family of languages. It is presently the main language spoken in Portugal, Brasil, Angola, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Green Cape, Santo Tomé and Príncipe, Oriental Timor, Ecuatorial Guinea, t is also spoken in Macao and in some areas of India that former Portuguese colonies including the regions of Goa, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Minority groups also speak it in neighboring regions near Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay due to the migration of Brazilians largely involved in commercial activities.

Portuguese speaking countries are members of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, an organization founded in 1996. The Portuguese language spoken in Portugal differs slightly from the Portuguese spoken in Brazil in areas of pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.

A distinctive phonetic feature of the Portuguese language is the nasalization of certain vowels and diphthongs, which can be indicated by a tilde placed above the appropriate vowel. The acute and diacritic accents serve to clarify stress and pronunciation as well as to distinguish homonyms.

The grave accent guides the speaker in pronunciation. It can also indicate a contraction, as in às, which is a combination of a "to" and as "the" (feminine plural). A c with a cedilla (ç) is pronounced like c in English place when used before the vowels a, o, and u.

As in the Spanish language, there are two forms of the verb "to be" : ser, which denotes a comparatively permanent state and which also precedes a predicate noun, and estar, which denotes a comparatively temporary condition.

Portuguese, like its Spanish counterpart, tends to use reflexive verbs instead of the passive voice.

Autor: Jacob Lumbroso

Jacob Lumbroso is a world traveler and an enthusiast for foreign languages, history, and foreign cultures. He writes articles on history and languages and has worked on a course for the Amharic language.

Added: December 27, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Are You Too Old Now?

Birthday celebrations are interesting aren't they? When you're a child, you look forward to them and they are so much fun. But the older we get, the less we look forward to celebrating another birthday. Why is that?

Have you been to a 30th birthday party recently? "Oh no, I'm not young anymore! I'm getting old! I've hit 30!" Those are some of the things you might expect to hear.

When was the last time you were at a birthday party for someone turning 40? You know they have special balloons for that occasion. They are black balloons. When you hit 40, life is just about over, so they say.

And then there's the big 50th birthday party. Yes, you hit the big "Five-0." Welcome to old age. So they say.

But on the other hand, there are people who don't subscribe to that way of thinking. I don't. Why would I want to focus on and dwell on how "old" I am getting?

A lot of what most people associate being old with is pretty negative. Why think that way? Why not be excited to be alive? Life has so many possibilities! You can live life to the fullest each day by enjoying every moment!

Who is the oldest man to climb Mt Everest? As of this article, it was Yuichiro Miura. On May 22, 2003 Miura, a professional skier and a high school headmaster from Sapporo in Japan, became the oldest man to reach the summit of Mount Everest at the age of 70. He was among 31 people who reached the summit as part of the Miura Everest 2003 Expedition.

On October 29, 1998, John Glenn, at age 77, became the oldest person in space when he and six other astronauts orbited the Earth for nine days aboard shuttle Discovery. His mission was to test the effects of space on the elderly.

James Van Allen was the physicist who discovered the Van Allen belts. He was asked and accepted to take part in the Galileo Mission to Jupiter, when he was 83 years old.

In July of 1999, Fred Whipple, the noted Harvard astronomer who fathered the phrase "dirty snowball" to describe comets, was named to serve on a NASA space mission team. He became the oldest researcher ever to accept an active role in a NASA space science mission, at the age of 92.

In March of 2006, Arthur "Deke" Winston, at the age of 100, retired after 75 years of cleaning and then supervising the maintenance of both the Los Angeles trolleys, and then their buses. But don't think "Deke" is taking a break!

The 100-year-old surprised nobody at his retirement party by announcing that during his retirement, he'll stay busy — volunteering, he says, helping old people. He now goes to senior citizens homes and facilities to talk to them about enjoying life.

Then there's George Dawson who had his book published when he was 101. The book is titled, "Life is So Good." Why did he wait so long to write a book? George had never learned to read until he decided to take an adult literacy class when he was 98 years old! He went on to get his GED at the age of 103.

So the next time you feel like you're getting too old, don't believe it. Yes, of course we are a day older today than we were yesterday. But, life is so good. Life is full of so much to see, do and learn!

I do not like to think of myself as getting older. I like to think of myself as getting wiser. And with those few examples that I just gave you, compared to them, I am still a youngster!

Life is truly a gift from God, and He desires that we enjoy the life He has given us to live.

Autor: Michael A. Verdicchio

Listen to one of Michael A. Verdicchio's Pep Talks at http://www.MikesPepTalks.com/christians1free.html Michael has a free newsletter called, THE PEP LETTER, at http://www.christianinspirationalgifts.com/pepletter.html. Michael is a husband, father, minister, author, and broadcaster. He has been the voice on numerous productions over the years.

Added: December 27, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Become a Game Tester - The Dream Life Of Playing Video Games For Money As A Game Tester

First off all let's get this straight: I love video games. I love to play them, watch them, and study them. When I beat a game I feel like I have conquered the world; or I won a great war. Either way it feels great. I find it incredible how long it takes to make games JUST for our entertainment! I just love the challenges in games. I can play games all day and night!

Second? I love money. Money has MANY advantages.... as you are well aware. But how can you make money and do your favorite thing in the world? Hmm....okay, I've got it!

How about becoming a game tester! Ah there we go!

As much as I loved and needed to earn money, I hated working at my last job, it was hell. I worked in a bakery, and it was not as cool as it seems...

I woke up early just to do nothing but clean, stock and paperwork.

However, after doing a bit of research, learning key things and taking action, all I do now is wake up with a huge grin and come to work, sit down in a chair and play the newest video games!

Yeah, that's right. I said "play" for work.

What else sucks? Waiting months for a game you can't wait to play... well as a game tester I am the one able to play it to test out how it's going to be. As a game tester, you don't have to wait! You're the one that is going to play it first!

Imagine this: you are the envy of your friends, and you will get to play games for free. Imagine testing out Bioshock before it came out... Well you can do that except with other games that haven't come out yet!

The only "job" part of the job? Check for bugs, glitches, and see if there is any thing wrong with the game itself. What's so hard about that? Exactly; NOTHING.

You get money handed to you while you enjoy life by doing the thing you love doing... gaming!

Before this job, I had barely any time to play. Then finally I did my homework, and ever since I have been loving life. Yes, it sounds corny, but it's honestly true.

I have been getting paid more often, and I am having fun at "work!"

Oh? I didn't tell you how much you get paid? Well how does $80 an hour sound? Money, games, and chicks (if you play your cards right.)

The best part is that anyone with a passion for gaming can do it!

Yes, that means YOU, too! Take action now, start earning tomorrow!

Autor: Avery Berman

Learn everything to know about being a game tester and dropping your old job or playing part-time free by checking out this site!

Added: December 26, 2007
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Black History Month Speaker Empowerment Principles to Live Like a King

Live like a King! Remember, honor, and prophetically be guided into the future by the outstanding legacy of the King family. Had not Africans arisen to confront injustice in America, there would be no human or civil rights in this country.

Capture the greatness of African American civil rights leaders and impart their spirit today in the hearts of a new culture. Let us once again properly identify with their struggle. For me my personal history and interaction with Africans is rather unusual as I as a white man have been numerous times to Africa. The 8 countries I have spoken to audiences in are the impoverished war-torn nations of East Africa.

We must honestly acknowledge the historical atrocities at the hands of white supremacists and the nations they duped into following their ideology. Unlike many white speakers and ministers who go through Africa, I encouraged my African brothers to not emulate white men in their dress, but rather be authentic in their individuality. I tell my African friends: "You were born an original. Do not die a copy."

I personally deeply love and identify with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his family. In fact I had the privilege of meeting his daughter Bernice King in Southern California, when she spoke on great expectations for the future. The King family was spied on by the FBI for 4 years after the assassination of Rev. King the great Civil Rights leader.

The King family's forward struggle and refusal to yield our universal human rights should be an inspiration to us all. Even when faced with personal danger, threats, violence, and death they boldly carried on full force to overthrow injustice and the farce of government that claimed to represent we the people. The King family peaceably achieved reformation taking America out of the Dark Ages and one step closer into the light. Let us continue the fight for freedom lest we lose what Dr. King accomplished for us.

History curiously repeats itself. While America bombed and burned Vietnam with napalm, Hoover's FBI was assassinating civil rights leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King and Fred Hampton of the Black Panther Party. Today the ATF kills women & children and burns & bulldozes churches (Waco, TX). Police brutalize WTO peaceful protestors on Seattle's streets. NYPD murder African Americans celebrating a bachelor party. Eight Florida boot camp workers punch, kick, and kill a 14-year-old African American boy and are acquitted of manslaughter. Is this democracy and the kind of America Dr. King gave his life for?

Unless we as a people continue to stand up to injustice, the freedoms our forefathers fought for shall be lost as America becomes a police state to serve the military-industrial complex. No government for the profiteers can also be for the people. Nevertheless what we tolerate will continue to dominate. Therefore it is time for us to arise, raise the standard, and take a stand to redeem the homeland.

The White House could use some color to again feel, get real, and heal the homeland.

African Americans have always led the way and been at the tip of the spear to pierce through evil and injustice. In this hour more than ever, African Americans must fight for people of every color who are being exploited and disenfranchized. The voice of African Americans must be heard throughout our land!

Interacting with the victims of genocide in war-torn Rwanda and Burundi (East Africa) where 1.2 million brothers divided and killed one another had a deep effect upon me. My travels deep into "the bush" of Africa (Malawi and Mozambique) where villagers had never before seen a white man, provided me a wonderful cross-cultural experience and the chance to experience being a minority myself.

When times get tough, we must ask ourselves:

Are you a thermometer or a thermostat?

Are you a mover and a shaker, or being moved and shaken?

Are you part of the problem, or part of the solution?

Are you living and loving fearlessly?

What are you living for and for what will you be remembered?

Is what you are living for, worth dying for?

Do you have a dream? Are you daily moving toward making it a reality or is it merely a fantasy?

What you refuse to confront, you can never correct.

What you tolerate, will continue to dominate.

You don't need a high IQ, if you have a strong "I will" and unflinching determination.

It's time we know ourselves by the spirit and the content of our character, rather than the color and shade of our skin. When we arise within and stop being distracted with conversations of color, we shall truly show the world what it is to transcend racial prejudice and live powerfully.

This Black History Month don't just celebrate and reflect upon the courageous journey toward liberty and equality embarked upon by African Americans of the past. Let us recommit ourselves to the continued pursuit of freedom and equality for all.

African Americans represent every aspect of this country's heritage and hope. Only with the involvement and leadership of African Americans can this country truly unite and achieve civil, social, and economic justice for all.

Autor: Paul Davis

Contact Paul to speak at your next event! He captivates audiences, transcends limitations, & brings transformation while empowering people to live their dreams!

Paul Davis is a highly sought after professional speaker, life purpose coach, worldwide minister, and change master. He is the author of several books including United States of Arrogance, Breakthrough for a Broken Heart; Poems that Propel the Planet; God vs. Religion; and many more.

Paul's compassion for people & passion to travel has taken him to over 50 countries of the world where he has had a tremendous impact. Paul's organization Dream-Maker Inc. builds dreams, transcends limitations & revives nations.

Contact Paul to speak at your event!

RevivingNations@gmail.com

407-284-1705

www.PaulFDavis.com

www.CreativeCommunications.TV

Added: December 26, 2007
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

If You Want to Succeed, Go to a Blacksmith!

Have you ever watched a blacksmith at work?

You may be surprised to find out that the blacksmith offers one of the most precious lessons about success - a lesson that will help you achieve massive success.

Look at the procedure for working with raw metal that every blacksmith follows:

1. Heat the metal until it's red-hot.
2. Mold it into the desired form by hitting it with a heavy hammer.
3. Plunge it into a bucket of cold water.
4. Watch the metal crackle in response to the sudden change in temperature.
5. Repeat the process until the metal achieves its perfect shape.

Sometimes, the metal can't withstand such harsh treatment, and it breaks. The metal has proven to be useless, so the blacksmith throws it away.

Now, you're probably wondering what this has to do with succeeding in life!

Here is the blacksmith's lesson, a lesson that you MUST always keep in mind:

"In order to succeed, you must accept the blows of life!"

The changes, challenges, and failures you'll experience in your life will mold you into the shape you need to be in and prepare you for success.

You must be hard and solid to succeed. Success is never given to the weak. You still have much experience to gain and many lessons to learn before you'll be deserving of the level of success you aim for.

And until you've been molded into your best form, you must never, ever give up. If you are unable to tolerate the tough requirements of success, life may find you useless and just throw you away.

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

You only fail when you give up. Keep that knowledge close to your heart. Know that the moment you give up is the moment you were closest to success. Just give it one more push.

If you believe in your dream and you're happy with the path you've chosen for your life, you must persist along the way no matter how bumpy the road is.

The journey to your dream may be long and difficult, but don't lose sight of the rewards! The most euphoric moment of your life will be the moment when you reach the top - the moment when you can finally hear, see, touch, and smell the fruits of your labor, the beauty of your dream, and the value of your legacy.

Heed the blacksmith's lesson and be a rock-solid person. Never give up. Persistence is the most important trait you can have, and is the key to your success. I can tell you with confidence that you will NEVER succeed without persistence.

Are you ready to get red-hot, to withstand the blows of the hammer, to plunge yourself into cold water - and then sizzle and crackle your way to success?

Then persist, my friend....PERSIST!

Autor: Mohamed Tohami

They're Willing to Give...Are You Ready to Receive? 70 ultra successful entrepreneurs are spilling the beans about how they achieved their success, built their empires and live the life of their dreams. Find out more at: http://www.Success-Avalanche.com

Added: December 26, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Video Game Tester - How To Get a Job

This is sad, but it's true, the best way to get hired as a video game tester isn't tested by what you know, but by who you know.

Yes, how sad. So how can you do this?

You have to make relationships. Call up every video game company and see if they need any video game testers. You can find these companies on the Internet in your favorite search engines. This is where your experience really comes in handy. If you have great experience in gaming, this will be an easy job. Just tell them what you have done and what console you specialize in. It's that simple.

But if your not an experience gamer, then your best bet is to sell yourself. Tell them why they should hire you. Don't just say that your a good person. No! Go into depth on why your such a great gamer.

So in order to help you, here is a list on what to say:

• What console you specialize in
• How long you have been playing games
• How intelligent you are in your console
• The different games you've played (The more the better)
• How much you play video games
• What makes you so different from everyone else

The last step is always the hardest. What sets you out as better than others that they can hire? For this last section, I can't help you out with. You have to figure this one out on your own, because only YOU know why your so different.

Everything else should be self explanatory.

Once you find the company that wants to hire you, then you have to start putting in all your effort into that gaming company. It's the least you can do to repay them for such a great opportunity. So work your hardest when you get hired and take it seriously! Don't slack off you might get fired!

Autor: Matthew Castro

If you want to start a career as a video game tester check out this web site http://www.squidoo.com/vgametesting to learn more about video game testers and how to land the dream job.

Added: December 26, 2007
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Traditional Leaders as Father Figures

We think of leadership in many different ways, which is why it is so confusing. At one level we talk about leading a tour. We follow tour guides when they "lead" us around an ancient monument. Similarly, we refer to "leading a discussion." Here, we are really talking about conducting rather than leading as we think of it in organizations.

A second popular concept is that of being the top person in a group, the individual who succeeds in getting to the top through force of personality or election. Being such a leader can mean having the ability to instill confidence that you will manage the group's affairs in a responsible manner, that you will be a good steward or caretaker.

A third way of defining leadership is to focus on showing the way, promoting new directions. Although we normally associate this concept of it with being in charge of the team, there is no necessary connection here. It is quite possible to lead in this sense without being in charge of followers. Market leading businesses and league leading sports teams lead their competitors without managing them. Martin Luther King had an impact on the U.S, government when the Supreme Court ruled segregation on buses unconstitutional thanks to his demonstrations and speeches. Clearly, King was not in charge of the Supreme Court. Finally, whenever a front-line knowledge worker promotes a new product or better process, leadership is shown to senior executives who are not managed by this employee.

Paternalistic Leadership

There is another way of talking about leadership that doesn't often get discussed and that is leaders as father figures. Many people want someone in charge of their organization, club, community or country who they can look up to, who can soothe their anxieties and provide them with reassurance. Rudolf Giuliani occupied this role following 9-11. Being a father figure works well enough in relatively stable, low tech situations like country clubs and charitable organizations but it is dangerous in businesses that compete through constant innovation. The problem is that it is inherently disempowering. When we stop listening to our real fathers and switch our allegiance to our boss, we run the risk of idealizing this new father figure. This is a no-win situation: we so strongly expect such leaders to walk on water that they can't help but disappoint us.

Paternal leadership is not totally dysfunctional, however. We want to please our fathers and we therefore drive ourselves to live up to their expectations. This model works well enough when the fundamental task is efficient execution. But where innovation is critical for success, we need employees who think for themselves, who do not look up to senior executives too respectfully.

Within the paternalistic framework, we unwittingly assign the good guy role to leaders making managers the bad guys. We want our leaders to be sensitive, supportive and inspiring, while we regard managers as controlling and punitive. This division of labor enables us to preserve our idealized image of them because we can simply discount bad leaders as managers. This is a defensive reaction that helps us preserve the status quo but the downside is that we avoid facing reality in order to maintain our fantasy of the good father figure.

Thought Leadership

The third model of leadership mentioned above can be called thought leadership. In knowledge driven organizations, all employees who promote a better way are showing leadership. In this context, senior executives need to operate more as facilitators, catalysts and talent nurturers than as leaders. Their role is like that of investors. They make decisions about which of the initiatives bubbling up from below are most worthy of investment.

This is not about stopping ourselves from learning from father figures or other role models. The key point is that regarding such figures as leaders can get in the way of everyone else in the organization showing leadership themselves. Dependency is never healthy, but it is especially risky and costly where organizations need everyone thinking for themselves to be successful.

Autor: Mitch McCrimmon

See http://www.leadersdirect.com for more information on this and related topics. Mitch McCrimmon's latest book, Burn! 7 Leadership Myths in Ashes was published in 2006. He is a business psychologist with over 30 years experience of leadership assessment and executive coaching.

Added: December 26, 2007
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Self Esteem and Physical Activity

Self-esteem and physical activity go hand in hand. Our physiology and state of mind affect each other on an on-going basis. Physical activity is a very important part of developing higher self-esteem. It gives you a sense of control in your life and generates good hormones that help you develop your mental immune system as well.

One of the most intense experiences in my life was doing an actual fire walk. This is a good example of self-esteem and physical activity working together. So here I would like to share that with you though an excerpt from my book "Firewalker."

The Fire Walk: "Think all things possible, and they become so. Only in the barren earth of disbelief, does our life lay fallow..." "Red sparks circled their way up towards the night sky, dancing an odd tempo to the music. Then the clapping began, at first slowly, in rhythm, then faster and faster. The air, fraught with emotion, felt oddly alive. Wheelbarrows of glowing coals were pushed from the fire pits. Crewmembers in black t-shirts carefully moved through the crowd, shoveling the hot embers onto the ground in long rows. The heat pressed upwards and the smell of wood smoke filled the air. I found myself quickly at the front of the line. Nothing but an overwhelming sense of strength flooded through my mind. The red coals spread out in front of me, vibrant in the darkness; I could feel their heat on my face. I stood, feet firmly planted on the ground, and brought my fist down to meet my open palm. I had practiced this move, imagining walls falling before me, oceans parting, and all the power of existence drawing into me in that one moment. A lightness of being filled me, as if I could float over the very earth itself. "Cool moss..." I chanted the mantra aloud as I stepped forward with long, purposeful strides, eyes skyward. My feet hit the coals and I felt as if I were walking on a pathway of crushed velvet. It pressed softly up under my feet, barely warm to the touch. By the time I reached the end it had happened all too quickly. At that moment I became all that existed. Enveloped by the light of the fire-walk, the night sky bore silent witness to the stirring of my spirit. "Firewalker" the word lingered in my mind, mine and not mine. Every door lay unhinged and every path lay open. All that had ever held me back now seemed a dim shadow in a distant land."

This was a very physical experience that helped me rediscover that powerful part of my creativity that can perceive the limitless possibilities around us at all times.

Autor: F1rewalker

Lyca Shan is the founder of Firewalker Enterprises. A passionate author and speaker she focuses on helping others overcome their experiences of hardship and trauma by delivering the message that "Every person is born with the inner strength to rise above their individual circumstances and find happiness within themselves despite their environment."

Added: December 26, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Video Game Tester - The Step To Find Your Right Company

The console you use for being a video game tester is vital to your success. Your not going to look for a game testing job for a pc when you don't own one.

So in order to to better succeed in this field, here is a one step process to help you find your right company:

1. Finding your console

Before you start applying to 50 different jobs, you should first consider this first step, finding your console. The company isn't going to hire you if you don't know much about the console the company uses. Why should a company hire a person who specializes in the wii when they sell games for the xbox?

So the first step is to find out what console you specialize in and apply for jobs that use that console. Be specialize, I mean, you know the tricks of the trades and you know how to adapt to the games easily without learning new buttons. This console is usually the console that you play most often.

If your the gamer that knows everything about every console, then please, apply to everything that you think you can understand, but if your not this all knowing gamer, then I suggest you focus on the console you know the best.

That's it. It's as simple as that. You might say, that's way to simple. But this career is just that simple. Find your console and apply to the company that uses that console. It's common sense, but most people just skip this step and apply to different companies that use console's that they don't specialize in just because of the money they pay. You need experience in order to get paid!

Autor: Matthew Castro

If you want to start your career to become a video game tester, check out the web site http://www.squidoo.com/vgametesting to learn more about video game testing and how to land the dream job.

Added: December 26, 2007
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Are You a Born Leader?

In the 1960's, we believed that all people could become anything they wanted to be. Today, we recognize that some talents have a biological or genetic basis. Leadership too probably has both learned and unlearned elements. You may be born with some such talent but there are useful developmental experiences to help you along. The question is: What leadership talent might be unlearned and what aspects can you learn?

The Born Leader

It all depends on how we define leadership. If it means getting to the top spot in a group, company or country, then whatever it takes to be a dominating, commanding person is key. No doubt there are influencing skills that help people get to the top which are, in part, learnable. However, the ability to dominate a human group is not so different from what it takes to achieve a similar status in other animal groups - you need to have superior strength relative to your competitors. This might be greater intelligence, being more confident, domineering, aggressive or decisive. You might also have a magnetic personality or a commanding presence. Being tall and good looking can also help sway followers. Most of these traits are either acquired very early in life or not learned at all. Having such attributes could make you a born leader.

Another Definition of Leadership

There is a tradition of associating leaders with providing direction, challenging the status quo, "showing the way." Whenever you do something that is recognized by your colleagues as excellent, many follow suit. This is leading by example. Similarly, whenever you question existing policies or propose a new product and others get on board, you have shown leadership. You might be a front-line product developer or knowledge worker with a good idea on how to do something better. Such leadership doesn't require being in a position of authority over any group.

The Psychological Basis of Finding a Better Way

Young people are naturally inclined to be dissatisfied with the status quo. Part of growing up entails questioning authority, feeling that the older generation is messing things up, wanting to prove yourself by showing that you know better. This instinct is often referred to as "youthful rebelliousness." Now, people differ widely on how rebellious they are and on how they channel this attitude. Some of us are very conservative. We are good at getting things done, but we rarely question the way things are. Others are very rebellious, but some channel this talent in unproductive ways, becoming dropouts or criminals. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a great example of having a rebelliousness that was focused on improving social equality and ethical ways of living.

In any case, the drive to rebel is surely not something that we learn in a classroom. We are either born with it or grow into it naturally very early in life. The fact that young people tend to be more rebellious than older ones suggests that people are likely to have more leadership potential when they are young. This is no surprise. The same is true of creativity, as a general rule, to which there are exceptions of course.

Aspects of Leadership To Learn

So, you have a healthy dose of rebelliousness and you challenge the status quo where you work. But, let's say, you are struggling to get others to follow your lead. What can you do differently? Your success in leading others depends on two things: how good your idea is and how effective you are at influencing people. If your idea is obviously great, opportunists will jump on the bandwagon with little persuasion required from you. On the other hand, the harder it is to prove the merits of your case, the more persuasive you need to be. For example, it is very hard to argue that the free market system is fundamentally flawed while it might be very easy to show that a new piece of software is superior to everything else around. If you aspire to be a political leader, where there are no obviously right answers, you need to come as close as possible to having the oratorical skills of a Martin Luther King to succeed. It is influencing skills that can, to some extent, be developed.

The fundamental drive to change the world, however, is not a learnable skill set. Still, "changing the world" can be done on a very modest, local level, such as modifying how people in your department serve customers. Convincing your colleagues to make minor changes in how they work is still leadership, even if it is not on the grand scale of a Martin Luther King. So, a lot more people can show some leadership than who have what it takes to get to the top of an group hierarchy. Everyone, therefore, is born with a talent for seeing how some aspect of his or her environment could be better. This means that everyone can show some leadership, even if only on a small scale.

The bottom line is that both definitions of leadership are based, in part, on traits that are hard to learn, but only the second allows everyone to show some leadership.

Autor: Mitch McCrimmon

See http://www.leadersdirect.com for more information on this and related topics. Mitch McCrimmon's latest book, Burn! 7 Leadership Myths in Ashes was published in 2006. He is a business psychologist with over 30 years experience of leadership assessment and executive coaching.

Added: December 26, 2007
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Video Game Tester - Why You Should Be One

Why do companies need video game tester?

The gaming industry costs over $50million. They have to spend more than millions of dollars just to make and market a game. So why should they spend that much money on a game that has bugs and glitches that won't make players buy the game?

Exactly.

It makes no sense. That's why the gaming industry is profiting off of the help of video game testers. These are the Santa's little helpers of the gaming industry.

What is a video game tester?

A video game tester is a gamer who gets paid to play games. It's that simple. They get free unreleased copies of games or released copies mailed to them and get to play them all night and day if they feel like it, and get paid $100 an hour (depending on the company you work with).

You can literally make a full-time income from just playing video games part-time. There are millions who are getting into this industry and those millions are making serious money from it.

Now be advised you have to be 18 to sign up as a video game testing employee.

There is no educational minimum to join! All you need to know is how to really play video games.

That's it, video game skills and 18 or over. Once you have that, your good to go, and your ready to make thousands off of this career.

So in plain, you get:

• Paid to play video games
• Paid to play unreleased video games
• Free Copies of video games
• Cheats and codes only the game testers get
• Money money and even more money
• Full-time income
• and much much more!

The pay might be good, but what about the experience?

Of course! The experience is the greatest gift of all! There is no gift better than the gift of knowledge. Not only do you get to see first hand what it's like to test out a companies products, but you also learn:

• real life experience with the company
• the development of a product
• the marketing of the product
• the manufacturing of the product
• and customer service

All of this just given to you plus $100 of dollars!

This is a real job! And it's growing fast! So what are you waiting for!? Become a video game tester today!

Autor: Matthew Castro

If you want to start a career as a video game tester check out this web site http://www.squidoo.com/vgametesting to learn more about video game testers and how to land the dream job.

Added: December 26, 2007
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

What Are Your Organization s Values Worth? 3 Steps to Prove Your Worth

I conducted a fun and interesting workshop this past week. First question out of the gate to my audience was "How many of your organizations have organizational values?" Of course, as you would expect, everyone's hand went in the air. My next question quieted the room so much, you could hear the electrical current running through my laptop. I asked, who can tell me what their organizational values are? Stunned silence!

Every business and association I work with has values, and very few of them can tell me what those values are. Values drive an organizations mission and objectives. If the workforce doesn't know what the businesses values are, how can they possibly accomplish the mission and achieve the business objectives? Going through the motions will keep a business going, but will not allow it to thrive and grow.

If your business really wants to create value for all stakeholders; shareholders, customers, the public and employees, then you need to ensure the following three things happen:

1. Have clearly defined organizational values and value

2. Interpret those values and value for all stakeholders

3. Ensure the values and value are reminded and reinforced regularly

One participant came up to me after the program and stated "You know, you're right. I can't begin to calculate the financial cost to our organization. I can guarantee you this though, we will go back to the drawing board, have you come in to assist us and calculate the difference between our current and past performance."

How much is it costing your organization in terms of financial performance?

Autor: Wesley Ford

Wesley Ford is known as That Value Guy. He is a speaker and consultant. He helps businesses and organizations grow and develop leaders and retain employees of value using The Soldier's Method ; Values, Valor and Value. Come join one of his teleseminars by visiting http://www.thatvalueguy.com to learn more.

Added: December 26, 2007
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Had Some Setbacks? Learn to Bounce Back!

We all have moments in our lives when some form of negative thoughts creep into our mind. But if you are plagued by worries and gloomy thoughts, chances are, you are thinking more about the future than about the present. With so many things bad thoughts floating in our mind, it is easy to forget what is important in the here and now, and this affects your ability to take action. It is difficult to move forward if you think like this. The Bible offers us many words of encouragement, "Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Take the trouble of today as it comes."

Some of us imagine the failure that will come and focus of it. This causes us to ponder over our situation, and this leads to tunnel vision. By worrying too much, a problem or potential problem become bigger than it is and we fail to consider other things, even possible solutions. The only way to stave off such thoughts is to develop confidence in your own abilities. One way about this is to begin learning to recognize that your own strategies are effective and sound.

By worrying too much, a problem or potential problem become bigger than it is and we fail to consider other things, even possible solutions. The only way to stave off such thoughts is to develop confidence in your own abilities. One way about this is to begin learning to recognize that own strategies are effective and sound.

To start, understand that you do not have a monopoly on failures. All of us have experiences coping with failures. Try to remember exactly how you managed to deal with failing an exam, not getting that job or breaking up with your ex-girlfriend or boyfriend. You'll come to realize that it was not the end of the world-however sad or depressed you were at that point in time. Go through in your mind how you dealt with past experiences, and write them down on a piece of paper. Chances are, you have your own personal blueprint on how to deal with such events.

Learn to accept failures without being too critical about them or yourself. It would also help if you take even the smallest success as a reason to be happy. If you think that you might not be able to cope with something - for instance, an examination, a job interview, an important project- overcome you self doubts by writing down 10 reasons why you will be successful with the situation, in spite of the hurdles you have to overcome. If you have a phobia of studying or taking examinations for example, learn how you can improve your study skills or invest in some memory training material or memory techniques that will help improve your memory. If you are shy or fear meeting people, try to rationalize your fears and emotions and come to realize that the vast majority of people are kind and understanding. If you suffer from anxiety attacks in a crowded place or in high places, try to adopt some relaxation techniques that will help you to keep calm in many situations. Remember, when you fall down, you should help yourself get up again and dust yourself off. You have done so as a child and will do so as you get older.

It helps to know that no one is ever successful a hundred percent of the time and all of us have to discover our own strengths. If Einstein (1879 to 1955) had allowed himself to be discouraged by the mediocre grades he got at school, he could never become the great physicist that he is.

Autor: Martin Mak

Martin Mak has developed a new program to help people improve their memory and enhance their learning experience. Find out how with his popular and free ecourse at; =>http://www.MightyMemory.com/memoryarticle.html

Added: December 25, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Mexican Spanish versus Iberian Spanish

When speaking about languages, is there really such a thing as Mexican? Is Mexican really so different from the Spanish spoken in Spain?

The differences existing between Spanish spoken in Spain and Mexican Spanish are no greater than the differences found in American and British English. There are without doubt nuisances and colloquialisms that are particular to each country, but deviations similarly exist in regional areas within Mexico, or in Spain, or for that matter in any Latin American country.

As far as Mexico is concerned there are a variety of "lenguas indígenas" or indigenous languages that are spoken, but Spanish remains the official language. The rise of Spanish is of course tied to the Spanish conquest of the New World.

As a result of Mexico City's central role in the colonial administration of New Spain, the population of the city naturally included large numbers of speakers from Spain. Mexico City (Tenochtitlán) had also been the capital of the Aztec Empire, and many speakers of the Aztec language Nahuatl continued to be spoken there and in the surrounding region, outnumbering the Spanish-speakers for several generations.

Consequently, Mexico City tended historically to exercise a standardizing effect over the entire country, more or less, becoming a distinctive dialect of Spanish which incorporated a significant number of hispanicized Nahuatl words.

The Spanish of the Yucatán Peninsula is different from all the other forms of the language, both as far as the intonation and the incorporation of Mayan words is concerned, whilst the Spanish spoken in the areas that border Guatemala resembles the variation of Central America Spanish spoken in that country.

Interestingly those areas were originally part of the Audiencia of Guatemalan and only became part of Mexico after the wars of colonial independence; until the 1870s most of the southern state of Chiapas and the Soconusco region did not officially become part of Mexico.

The migrations that took place in the 19th and the 20th century from Mexico to the United States have caused Mexican Spanish to become the most widely spoken variety of Spanish in the United States of America, except in the East Coast.

The Spanish spoken in the Gulf Coastal areas of Veracruz and Tabasco is also quite distinctive, at least at the level of vernacular speech, as the Spanish spoken there exhibits more Caribbean phonetic traits than that spoken in the remainder of Mexico. With more than a 108 million Spanish speakers and growing, Mexico is numerically, the foremost Spanish speaking country in the world today.

Autor: Jacob Lumbroso

Jacob Lumbroso is a world traveler and an enthusiast for foreign languages, history, and foreign cultures. He writes articles on history and languages and has used Pimsleur Method courses to learn various languages.

Added: December 23, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Why You Don t Want to Stop Meditating - How Activation Energy and Momentum Work for You

You've probably heard the story that the cost to turn on a light bulb is greater than the cost to run it. While that isn't necessarily the case, it does provide a good window into what sometimes happens when you are working to improve your life.

First, let's take a quick look at how activation energy works. When you turn on a light switch, the electricity flows into the light bulb, heating up a small wire. The wire has to get hot before it will start to glow, so some energy is spent doing that.

The same can be said with any self-improvement practice.When you first start out it's going to take a lot of energy to build up. Eventually, you're going to start seeing results. Usually by this time, the requirements of that new method aren't quite so extreme, since you've had some time to learn.

Here is where things get interesting, and where a lot of people lose faith. If you stop now, it is very hard to get started again. You wouldn't ordinarily think so, but it remains the case. Why? Here's where the "activation energy" idea comes into play.

Let's compare two cases. In case number one, you're rolling a large ball along the ground. In case number two you are starting up a light bulb. The ball shows momentum because it keeps going, where as the light stops pretty much instantly. This is the state we want, but let's focus on the analogy for now.

Whereas with the other case, the light bulb goes dark the moment the energy is cut off. If we start supplying energy to them again, the ball will be easier to start this time, but the light bulb will have to start from the beginning. For a little flashlight bulb that might be no big thing. For a street light that takes 3 minutes to start up, that is a significant problem.

When we are starting out, we are a lot like the light bulb. We are expending time, effort, and energy to produce a result. Like the light bulb - once the energy stops flowing, it's back to square one. Quite often, we give up at the wrong time. Instead of waiting until we had some real momentum, we stop and we are basically back to square one. If you had to stop, it would be better for you to either stop at the beginning, or after you have mastery. Here is why:

When you make a habit of getting to the take-off point and then stopping, you will start to re-inforce the idea that what you're doing is ineffective. Even worse, you may think that you are no good. Nothing could be further from the truth.

If you can learn to gently but firmly keep moving in the right direction for you, you will still get there. Even if you think you aren't seeing the results you wanted, ask yourself if the results you are looking for are doable. If they are and you just need more learning, then keep going. If not, then it's time for a judgment call.

If you can ride it out long enough, and if what you are trying brings benefit to your life, then you'll have momentum, and it won't take much energy. If you've mastered the technique and it still takes too much energy, then by all means, let it go and find something more suited to you.

I won't tell you that blindly moving ahead with no regard to safety or sanity is a good thing. However, if you decide that it's easier or better to not even try, then just remember that your loved ones are also being let down, not just you.

Self-development is not just about you. Self-development is about improving your world from the inside out. As you improve yourself, you will make the world a better place for you and those around you. If you turn back when the going gets hard, you are turning your back on that which can help you and your loved ones.

Take the chance, and keep moving.

Autor: John Allison

John Allison is the author and editor of Technology for Living, a blog and podcast devoted to self-development from a technological view. His free ebook about finding and using techniques for you is available here.

Added: December 23, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Alternatives to good ideas

It seems that the human race is divided into two sections. The first part is composed of people who are always looking for ways to make life better. They are forever coming up with new ideas, plans and dreams, that will improve on the world as we know it. They are optimistic, driven and good fun to be with. The other section of humanity is the people who are determined to always screw things up.

A good example came to light recently. People have been going on about global warming and talking about the fate of the planet. One particular difficulty about the future is that we are told we are rapidly approaching the time when oil supplies will run out. That's bad news for drivers, transporters and travellers. One alternative is to find other fuels, apart from petrol, gasoline and aviation fuel. A good suggestion seems to be that we could grow crops that we could turn into liquids rich in hydrocarbons rather than have to dig them out of the ground. They're called 'biofuels'. A good idea? Can't go wrong? Don't underestimate man's ability to mess up! The news is that farmers in Malaysia and islands in the region are turning to the growing of biofuels as a way of making a living. To do this, they need land. No problem. They're simply cutting down local forests and planting their crops on the land that's freed up. They get praise for this, right? No, they get hated. You see, the same people who think it's a good idea to grow biofuels are also the same people who want to keep the forests of the world alive and diverse. They don't want them chopped down! Ah, how difficult can you get. These poor farmers are simply trying to earn a living, and growing the 'new petrol' certainly seems a good way to earn a crust, and it's a growth industry, not like oil - which is disappearing. But it gets worse. Because biofuels are now so popular, other - more established - farmers are turning to their cultivation. In so doing, they're giving up what they do now, like growing food. So, not only are the forests of the region being cut down, but the population is suffering from food shortages, all caused by that spiffing new idea of growing crops for fuel.

Now, this isn't to say that the original idea wasn't a good one. No way. If the black stuff is drying up, then what else are we going to do? Apart from switching off the lights for good, and all going back to walking or riding our pushbikes, there seems precious few plans for coping for the lack of good oilfields. Planting things that can be turned into stuff that fills your tank in your local petrol station has got to be a grand plan. But chopping down forests to achieve that? Where did that bright idea come from? This nonsensical proposal came from the first one, the sensible one, so maybe the first thought was wrong? No, it's just that you have to be as aware of how an idea is put into practise as you are about what it is that is being done. A good example from history is that after the 1870 Education Act in England, it was decided to make inspections of schools to check out that they were all following the letter of the law. These Inspectors came up with a grand plan to ensure that the teachers were teaching and the pupils were learning: they decided to give the kids some simple tests, mainly about reading and writing, just to be sure the new system was working. But - and there's always a but - when the schools realised how important these tests were, and how their future was dependent on getting good results, they and just instructed the teachers to drop everything else and focus on making sure the kids knew enough to pass the exams. All other training was dropped. The result? A narrow, restricted curriculum, solely based on the need to pass Inspections, not to give the children anything like a good start in life. It wasn't unique. It isn't just 1870 when this happened. We had the same result in Britain after 1997 too.

There's a simple way out, and it involves a test too. The test is: if we've arrived at this destination, and we didn't want to get here, then we've taken a wrong turn somewhere. Let's back up, find out where we went wrong, and fix the problem there. Try that test with the forest scenario and ask yourself the question, did we want people cutting trees down in order to solve the lack of oil? If no, then we need a new plan: how can we make bio-fuel without destroying the forests? There must be an answer to that question, surely. If you find it, you'll be heaped with plaudits. But in needs to be sensible! Cue the British government. They have an answer, and it speaks for itself. Their logic is this: we don't want dirty coal-fired power stations, and we don't want the carbon dioxide that comes from oil-fired power stations. How can we create new, clean power? Well, we can support wind and wave electricity generation, but that may not be enough in itself. Wait, we've got it. We'll build some more nuclear power stations, that's the answer. Now, you at the back, were you paying attention? Then answer this question. The people who agree that coal and oil are bad things, do you really think that they're the same people who would vote for nuclear power instead? If you think you know the answer, then you deserve to be in charge of the British government, because our present lot clearly don't know what makes a 'good idea'. In this case, they haven't got one.

Autor: Mike Scantlebury

Mike Scantlebury is an Internet Author. He has articles, books and self-help material to his credit, all sent out to the web from his base in Manchester, England, home of soccer and pop music. Check out what's on offer at his download site, http://www.mikescantlebury.biz

Added: December 22, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Keys To Overcoming Work Related Challenges

The nursing profession will reach a critical impasse when the baby boomers retire.

In the meantime, I asked the people on my newsletter list to tell me what they considered to be the number one problem facing their work lives as Registered Nurses.

One woman told me she worries about being hit, punched and scratched by a patient. Apparently her best friend was injured and had to leave the nursing profession as a result.

Another said the retention of experienced nurses was a problem. This problem will grow exponentially with Baby Boomer retirement.

Another said over work. Others said disrespect. One person cited conflicts between nurses and doctors involving hierarchical attitudes with doctors treating nurses as second class citizens if not down right servants to their every need.

Then I received communication from Annette Tersigni, otherwise known as Yoga Nurse. She describes in the following post what I know to be the true solution to all our problems and challenges: that when we relax, calm down, nurture and develop a spiritual tool chest whereby we pause and choose the best tool to meet and greet every challenge, then we persevere, overcome and experience pure joy in our lives.

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I just read the comments about nursing care on the Heal Naturally Ning. All of your stories and sharing are a representation of nursing across the board.

I have worked in Canada and the USA and it is the same story everywhere. I teach wellness programs, stress management and yoga to nurses and other caregivers at my little local hospital.

There are multiple reasons for improper care. A nurse called in sick almost every shift when I worked on the cardiac unit a few years ago. Naturally we were working with a skeleton crew. Quite frankly it's a miracle that there isn't MORE that goes wrong on any given shift. It is by the grace of GOD/ESS, spirit, angels that we nurses and our patients are carried to safety the vast majority of the time.

Every night when I walked onto the floor, I spoke my mantra prayer as I entered the hospital "to do no harm."

I worked with nurses who have been showing up for 12 -13 hour shifts for 25-30 years! They were all on multiple medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, depression, anxiety and--and--and--they did an excellent job!

I was fortunate to work with brilliant staff who really tried to provide excellence. Yet even with this there are some who are just plain burnt out and show up because they have no other choice to pay the bills.

As an advocate for nurses and helping them with wellness on the job to increase morale above all, I often heard nurses say to me:

"THIS JOB IS KILLING ME AND I'D KILL TO GET OFF THE FLOOR."

I took this to management to advocate for nursing staff but management is concerned with the bottom line. When the days come that the bottom falls out of nursing because there will be no more nurses to do this damn hard job: Only then will the powers that be wake up.

Let's see how we manage with out nurses, because the entire health care system will collapse without them

I believe change can only happen on the level of "consciousness." It is my work as a nurse/healer/educator to do just that. To help the nurses to REMEMBER, to fill their cups, to come home to the inner nurse within, to the divine inner therapist that cleanses, purifies and makes whole.

I bow to all the nurses. As we like to say in the South: God bless (bliss) y'all.

Annette Tersigni

Yoga Nurse

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Spirituality is a way of life where you immerse your consciousness in a power greater than yourself be-it God/ess, nature, animals, Buddha, Krishna and/or Jesus or Christ Consciousness.

The key is to imagine your spiritual tool chest. Let's say you practice meditation, Ho'oponopono, yoga, mindfulness awareness which is living in the present moment.

Consciously put these into the beautiful box or chest you imagine for yourself.

With great mindful awareness, choose which tool to use for any and every seemingly unsurmountable dilemma.

Use it.

Open yourself to all possibilities.

Call on the angels.

Relax into the infinite for positive solutions.

Each of the chapters in this book shows examples of the tools you can use in your line of work.

Enlarge on them. Create new ones, pull out the tools that lay dormant and now pull at you for revitalization.

The time is now. In-Joy it.

Autor: kate loving shenk

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Kate Loving Shenk is a writer, healer, musician and the creator of the e-book called "Transform Your Nursing Career and Discover Your Calling and Destiny." Click here to find out how to order the e-book: http://www.nursingcareertransformation.com Check Out Kate's Blog: http://www.nursehealers.typepad.com -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Added: December 22, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Are you worried about giving the perfect gift?

Copyright (c) 2007 Melisa Milonas LLC

As Christmas is near many of you are getting your last minute shopping done. Many people experience a lot of stress when giving gifts because there is so much pressure to get the perfect gift.

This desire to give the perfect gift comes from the need to look good. You want people to acknowledge you as the best gift giver and out do the gift you gave last year. Although you may get this recognition from people, the thirty seconds they spend to thank you will not feel worth it after all the hard work and money you spent.

Furthermore, needing to get acknowledged by others for what you give is your way of being validated. As I have discussed over and over again in my articles getting your self-worth and validation externally is a negative pattern. You keep looking to get validated by others and you work harder and harder to get it, it feels like nothing is ever good enough. Hence you end up buying the more expansive bigger luxurious gift even if you can not afford it.

It is no surprise to me that so many Americans have become resigned and cynical about the holidays. Things like gift giving has become about giving the best and out doing others. People forget that giving gift is an expression of love and appreciation for another person.

When you see yourself thinking "I did not spend enough" or "I have to get something more for them" these are signs you are focused on the material aspect of gift giving. You want to look good in the eyes of the receiver. Instead focus on giving them something from your heart.

Here are some ideas for giving gifts that have meaning: give someone a book you love that has impacted your life. Give a picture in a frame from a special moment with that person. A hand written thoughtful card can have more of an impact on someone then a bright shiny gift. Donate to a charity in honor of someone. If you are still looking for gifts remember it does not have to be the perfect gift. More important than the perfect gift is a gift that is given with love. Be kind to yourself and your wallet this year.

Here is your assignment for this week: Stay connected to giving a gift from the heart. Let go of trying to be perfect.

Autor: Melisa Milonas

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Added: December 22, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Tis the Season to be Jolly - Fa la la la la - I don t have time

But you do. We can help you. Let this season be one of joy and peace. A time to laugh with friends and share precious moments with family. A time to visit with clients and show your appreciation. You can sing those carols, shop with ease, and most importantly relax. Sound too good to be true. Well, try a few of these holiday time management tips and see if they work for you.

1. Plan ahead: Who says you have to buy the holiday meal the week before. Each time you go to the grocery store, pick up those extra cans of cranberry sauce or Jell-O and jot it down on a list. With your business, buy those 2008 calendars, Daytime Planner refills, client gifts, etc. Keep a list and as you get things, mark it off.

2. Gift Certificates: This is magic to the ears of relatives who do not know what to buy family members and for us with clients who we are not sure what to buy. Not only are they well received, but instead of paying $5.00 or more S&H, you pay 41 cents. Best yet, you do not have to worry about the cut-off date for getting it there on time for those out-of-state packages.

3. Organize: It is crucial. You do not have the time to be looking for things. If possible before the holidays, spend a day or two and totally organize your home and office. What a tremendous feeling to go into the holidays feeling on top of things. If that is not possible, grab every spare minute you can, whether talking on the phone or waking up early.

For your holiday wrap, scissors, tape, find a place for it and be sure to put it back each time. Your holiday catalogs arrive daily; you are going to need a place for them as well. Find the best place now and then always put them there. For business, start the New Year out right. Clean out those files and file the important papers away. Get the trash can out and with lots of courage, toss out those things that are not important. Be brave! If you have not used it in a couple of months, chances are you will not miss it. Do it. Go ahead and while you are at it, set up your files for 2008.

4. Schedule Your Time Well: It is a glorious time of year. Church and kids plays, office parties, holiday shopping, friends, family, etc., etc., etc. Yes, it is overwhelming, but with the right scheduling, it can be tremendous fun. Write everything down. A calendar on the wall with family events is a must. You do not want to miss a thing. Get the haircuts, the holiday dresses/suits, and the family portrait now. Also, now is not the time to add on any extras. If it can wait until after the first of the year, let it. (Oh, and do not forget to arrange for those babysitters.) For business, this can be an extremely busy time of year for many. Clients need to finish up yearly tasks and might be sending you a lot of work. For the seasonal clients, it is even busier. Stay focused. Do not let your mind constantly drift to night ahead activities. Use your Daytimer and schedule your day precisely. Use e-mail instead of the phone whenever possible. Concentrate. You can do it!

5. Delegate Tasks: Your time is valuable. Is there someone else who can do the job for you? Let them. You might find they actually enjoy helping and often can use the money. This is when your virtual assistant can be very instrumental.

6. Break Tasks Down: For those of us in business, many tasks are doubled. You have your gift giving, sending out cards, etc. Do a certain amount each night. You will enjoy it more and will not be rushed to complete the task.

Group your errands, both business and pleasure. Make every trip count. You will be amazed at how much time you can save by planning ahead. When you think, gosh that would be perfect for so and so buy it. Why wait and have to come back and worse yet, have to think about where you saw it.

7. Learn to Say No: This is a good business and personal practice all the time, but around the holidays it is essential. This year, think of you and your family first. What would bring them the greatest joy? Do you really need to do it?

8. Avoid the Rushes: We work from home. We do not have to be at the post office or bank at noon or after hours. Go at 10:30 a.m.

9. Avoid Guilt: It is outta there! No, your house is not the cleanest. So what! So you did not finish all the marketing you wanted. Big Deal! What you have is more precious. If you can enjoy this holiday, even for yourself, it is so worth it! Think are you not worth it to. Plus, how much better will you be as a mom and businesswoman.

10. And Finally - ENJOY!! Not just that one night or several days, but the whole holiday season. Too many plan for the main event, the holiday itself, but instead, this year enjoy the journey getting there too.

Tis The Season To Be Jolly Fa La La La La I FOUND THE TIME!!

Autor: Diana Ennen

Diana Ennen is the author of numerous books including Virtual Assistant - The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA and Corel Word Perfect Virtual Assistant Solution Pack. http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com. She has been featured in numerous books and magazines including Family Circle, Readers Digest, Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, USA Today, Woman's World, etc. Article is free to be reprinted as long as bio remains intact.

Added: December 22, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Keeping Your Frequencies Of Attraction Separate

In using the law of attraction, some of us have been misguided to think that our thoughts and feelings in one area of life inevitably affects all other areas of our lives. That is why when we experience negativity in some area, we tend to fear and resist it thinking that we need to get rid of it as soon as possible otherwise it will diminish the attracting power of other positive things in our lives. Such kind of erroneous thinking is what causes things to become worse when it truly doesn't have to be that way at all.

It is not true that negativity in one area of our lives will inevitably affect other areas. It will only happen if we allow it to happen. Everything happens by intention which is influenced by belief, and the mind is more powerful and free in what it is able to do. We actually have a choice to control how one thought will affect every other thought. This is called the power of meta-thinking, a thought about a thought. Consciousness consist of thoughts governing thoughts and the system that keeps everything in order.

What allows the thoughts we have in one area of our lives to affect another area is the mental association we use to connect the two areas. The mental association is our thought of how one area of our lives is linked with another. It's beneficial to us when we use mental associations that are empowering, in situations when they are empowering. But in situations when the mental association is not empowering, we should break the connection so that we can keep the negative area from influencing the positive area.

It is empowering when we attribute happiness in a relationship as a source of positive energy to attract success and wealth in the area of our business. But at times when the relationship turns negative or we experience unhappiness in it, we should cut the mental association so that negativity in that area does not reduce the positive power in other areas. The trouble happens when we keep the link there and suffer the consequences of the reverse effect, without realizing that we can link and unlink at anytime.

Being able to link and unlink at will means we allow ourselves to draw joy and positive energy when it is available from a situation, and drop our connection with it when it isn't. Such is the power of detachment where we are free to enjoy anything when it shows up in our space without holding on to it. This keeps us from thinking that others are taking away our happiness or source of positive energy when they stop giving it to us. There's nothing they can cause us to lose as we keep all our power to ourselves.

In order to know why our thoughts and feelings in one area of our lives will not automatically affect all other areas, we have to look into the understanding of frequencies. All our thoughts and feelings about something dwell in a certain frequency bandwidth of our consciousness. Our thoughts and feelings about something else dwell in another frequency bandwidth. Our mental association of the two forms a third frequency bandwidth that overlaps the two. We can choose to join frequencies or keep them separate.

When you experience negative thoughts in one area of your life, as long as you confine those negative thoughts to that area and keep having positive thoughts in other areas, those negative thoughts will only affect that area while other areas will remain positive. We only cause an overlap of bandwidth when we think how those negative thoughts in that area should create negative things in another area. Always realize that it doesn't have to be that way because you have a lot more freedom than you think.

Your sense of beingness in one area will not be affected by your sense of beingness in another area. You may be unhappy or frustrated about certain relational issues but as long as you maintain your sense of being wealthy, your negative frequencies in the area of relationship will not affect your attraction in the area of wealth or money. You are a multidimensional being with unlimited and unbounded capability in governing how the frequencies of your consciousness influence one another. Do not limit yourself.

What you resist persists, and what you fear and avoid is what you resist. When you know that negativity in one area of your life does not have to affect other areas, you will not have to fear or avoid it. This enables you to face negativity in that area of your life and be present with it while still experiencing positivity in other areas of your life. It may be an issue you have to resolve and focusing on it in its own context will allow you to expand on it and work it out while keeping the other areas of your life flourishing.

Successful entrepreneurs are people who are able to maintain a calm and controlled composure in the face of pressure and chaos will keep their frequency of success vibrating strongly in the area that they are dealing with. They have mastery over the inner world and therefore they are able to be a master of circumstances. They can create the best out of every business situation because they've got every area of life in control. Such is the personal power for unrestricted creation of wealth and success.

Keeping your frequencies of attraction separate when things go wrong in one area of your life is what gives you the ability to continue working. Other people let troubles in their lives get them depressed and lower their level of productivity. You can never achieve maximum success and wealth through consistent peak performance if you do not have the personal power to keep you free in action regardless of what's arising. This quality is what separates the super wealthy and successful from the average masses.

When you can keep your frequencies of attraction separate, you will also see your intentions manifesting with equal effectiveness even though it might seem that you are experiencing low vibrations from negativity in a certain area of your life. If you believe negativity in one area of life will affect another area, then that's what you create. If you believe that it will not, then that's what you create. This is the subtle workings of the law of attraction that gives you unlimited power to be, do and have anything you desire.

Autor: Enoch Tan

Enoch Tan aims to help people achieve greater awareness in living and experiencing life, to evolve human consciousness to higher levels and to revolutionize the way we understand the mind and reality, because that is what governs every area of life and destiny. When you learn Secrets of Mind and Reality which is the science behind all Self Help, you'll become a Law of Attraction and Manifestation Master. Visit the site: Secrets of Mind and Reality

Added: December 22, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

The Secret of Attracting What You Want for Christmas is Found in Giving ? Not Receiving

Christmas offers us a wonderful chance to take another look at the foundational principle upon which the bestselling book and DVD The Secret is based. After all, author Rhonda Byrne has just released her new gratitude journal as another way of helping people who want to manifest their desires using the Law of Attraction. While The Secret offers some wonderful wisdom and tools for manifesting dreams and desires, it has been criticized for its materialistic focus. And it seems that at this time of year, most people are caught up in the commercialism of the season and focused either on getting what they desire or giving their loved ones what they might want for Christmas.

The giving and receiving of gifts may not appear to fit exactly into the scheme of deliberate creation, but it doesn't really matter how we attract into our experience the things we desire. Having our desire show up in a nicely-wrapped present under the Christmas tree still qualifies as successful manifestation. And, if you approach deliberate creation from a Kabbalistic perspective, the gift you want to receive actually involves giving to others.

You see, according to Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition, this Christmas - or any time - you should want to receive from Santa a brand, spanking, new consciousness that desires to receive not for yourself alone but for the sake of giving to others. The kabbalists, or Jewish mystics, teach that it is God's nature to give, and God created humans with a huge desire or will to receive all God's goodness. Thus, it's human nature to receive and to want to receive. If it weren't, our nature would be incompatible with God's purpose in creation. In fact, our will to receive, coupled with our focused thoughts of what we desire, draws to us - attracts - all the good God intends for us.

Indeed, the will to receive gives birth to needs and desires, which, in turn, give birth to thoughts about what we want. If we were to stop having desires, we would die. Every breath we take asks for life-giving oxygen. Desires get us out of bed each morning and keep us moving forward towards our goals every day. While it is all well and good to want "things" in the physical world, and it is part of our nature as physical beings to want and to need material "stuff," the kabbalists also teach that such desires — and sometimes even the fulfillment of those desires —never makes us happy. Additionally, manifestation of material desires never will open us to the total flow of goodness and pleasure that God is waiting to give to us.

For that to happen, we must change the focus of what we want. This Christmas, we must ask to receive a totally different present. We have to want to manifest a new desire - the desire to receive not for ourselves alone but for the sake of giving unconditionally to others. In affect, the kabbalists tell us that we should desire a new consciousness. Only when we manifest this new consciousness will we truly be happy. And only then can we open ourselves fully to the flow of Infinite goodness and pleasure available to us. So, when we come from a place of unconditional giving, when we want to receive only so we can give to others, we actually begin attracting into our lives the things we want on all levels.

Some might say, "Aha! If I give, I will get! That's the secret formula to the Law of Attraction." Maybe it is, and maybe as we begin developing this new consciousness we may find that, indeed, when we give we do get. However, that realization represents just one step towards our new consciousness. We don't want to get stuck at that step, because the point is not to get but to give.

In the process of giving something wonderful happens - something in line with the spiritual, rather than the commercial, aspect of the winter holidays: We find ourselves connected to the Divine Giver. The separation that we normally perceive to be present between Giver (God) and receiver (human) disappears and we achieve what the kabbalists would call "affinity of form" with God. We become givers. And when we become givers, we feel a unity with God, and our giving and our receiving become one spiritual act. Then, when we receive all that goodness, when we attract all those things we've desired seemingly without trying - without conscious and deliberate thought, feeling or action to manifest them, we only feel gratitude for the fact that the gifts we receive allow us to give more.

Autor: Nina Amir

Nina Amir's articles and essays have been published in numerous publications, and she has spoken before a wide range of audiences. She is the author of Abracadabra! The Kabbalah of Conscious Creation. To sign up for her 5-part teleseminar, How to Consciously Manifest Your Dreams and Desires in 2008, which starts in January,or to find out more about her books, teleseminars, or classes, visit http://www.purespiritcreations.com or call 408-353-1943.

Added: December 22, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Uncover your Self-esteem Power!

Have you ever been convinced to walk away from your dreams by people who manage to throw enough self doubt at you to win that war of attrition? The constant day in and day out negativity that pushes you to give up your dreams and conform to something you're not?

"What are you nuts? You can't do that!" "Oh there's another hair brained scheme!" "Get Real! Go get a real job!" "Who do you think you are? You aren't something special, stick to the things you can handle." "What are you stupid or something? Why do you think you can do that?" "How on earth are you going to accomplish that?" Lambasting you with negativity, giving you the message "Who are you to become an author, or an inventor, or any number of other things your dreams may lead you to?" The litany goes on and on...

We are taught to focus on the impossibility of our dreams as adults, why things "can't be done"; to hide behind the "how" instead of understanding that the first step is to reconnect with our dreams in a magnificent flight of imagination. Don't worry about the "how" first; the means will come to you as part of the process. The question of "How are you going to do that?" is so often used as a weapon against us by negative people, proof of our "imminent failure." We are told to prematurely focus on the "how" before the "what" and this stops the process before it has even begun. The energy you generate by focusing on the what, will bring forth the how. Planning is a wonderful thing, there is nothing wrong with that, however if you focus on the fact that you "don't" know how yet, then you will miss all the possible "how's" that show up when you begin to truly entertain that dream first.

The fact of the matter is that we possess more personal power than we even know...I read a definition of personal power once that said that it is: "Your capacity to dream without limits and fulfill those dreams through your imagination." I'm afraid I do not recollect the author but I like the way they put it. The ability to manifest our own reality is the power of creation itself. I believe that developing these abilities is a gift to ourselves and the world.

It can be a long and sometimes difficult journey to re-discover those qualities in ourselves after years of being trained to deny their existence. We use our personal power as children without even knowing what we are doing but then we are trained what to believe, how to think, and to limit ourselves by having our perception and interpretation of the world dictated to us by our conditioning. As a child our personal power is limitless, but as we grow older it so often remains untapped.

So how do we overcome this onslaught of negativity that assaults our dreams, threatening to drown them out of existence? We must learn how to reinforce our mental immune systems. I call it "mental martial arts" ~ the ability to shatter belief systems that imprison the mind, body and spirit. We must earn our Black Belts as Dreamers!

So what is a Black Belt Dreamer? Why the concept of Mental Martial Arts and the term of "Black Belt Dreamer?" Because a Black Belt in martial arts is the highest rank of achievement in the skills of self-defense and mental discipline. In my newly published book "Becoming a Black Belt Dreamer ~ Unleash The Dream Warrior Within!" I have defined a focused, strong, step-by -process on how to stand your ground against the onslaught of daily negativity and nay-Sayers in your lives. This process utilizes martial arts philosophy and techniques, applying them to mental self defense, building up our mental immune system to fight to regain and protect that which is most precious; our ability to dream.

Perhaps it would help to give you a little history on the subject and what it means to me. In my life I have had to lean how to defend myself, not just physically, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually as well. As a child I grew up in a cult environment where I was constantly told I was worthless, useless and undeserving of love. I endured years of emotional and mental abuse. I grew up without knowing my biological father, watched helplessly as my mother was repeatedly robbed of her money and as my brother was exiled from the family at a young age. As devastating as this story sounds, it led me to one undeniable conclusion: I am a conqueror! At my lowest points in life (there's been more than one), a powerful and imaginative warrior was always there to rescue me. Now I know that warrior was me!

What started out as a passion for martial arts has expanded into far more than that, it became not just a means of learning physical self-defense and mental discipline, but also fueled my ability to defend myself spiritually and emotionally as well through the turmoil of a very restrictive and challenging upbringing. Why am I telling you this story? Because I strive to use my own experiences of oppression, abuse and isolation as real-life examples that every individual has the power to transcend any situation - no matter how hopeless it seems. That is how I became The Black Belt Dreamer - fighting, surviving and winning against all odds. I believe that regardless of our mistakes, traumas and tragedies, we all have an inner dream warrior that empowers us to walk through the fires of life and create the reality we truly desire.

Autor: F1rewalker

Lyca Shan is the founder of Firewalker Enterprises. A passionate author and speaker she focuses on helping others overcome their experiences of hardship and trauma by delivering the message that "Every person is born with the inner strength to rise above their individual circumstances and find happiness within themselves despite their environment." Learn how to defend your dreams using mental martial arts!

Added: December 22, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Building Self-Esteem By Re-Wiring Our Minds

As I see it, building self-esteem is a life long process. It is a part of who we are and that in essence, makes it a living-breathing thing. My worldview is so completely different now than 10 years ago, that none of my actions, answers or responses to situations or questions would be close to the same.

Are we ever really "done?" I hope not! For me the joy of life is tied to the learning process. It isn't like baking a cookie "Ding!" and your done. Then what?

We always need new challenges, dreams and aspirations and building self-esteem is just a part of that package. So instead of seeing it as a chore, perhaps we should ease into it as an exploration.

We all see the world through vision goggles of some kind, our tempers, moods, emotions and actions relying heavily on how we feel about ourselves at any given moment. In that respect our view of reality is tied to our identities on a very deep level. You could view building self-esteem as creating a new pair of "goggles!"

Imagine if you will two men standing by the side of the road on their way back from lunch, waiting to cross an intersection. An old blue pickup truck pulls up to the light. As the first man's gaze falls on the relic, a memory is triggered and he smiles. This truck reminds him of their old family vehicle. He recalls working side by side with his father as a young boy, fixing the engine on a long summer day, recollecting how they connected, and how it made him feel as a child to be entrusted with helping for the first time on such an important job. It is a fleeting memory, barely touching his consciousness, yet he goes back to work that day feeling lighter somehow, smiling at the receptionist as he comes back from lunch and cracking jokes with his co-workers as he settles back down at his desk.

Back to the intersection:

As the second man sees the pickup truck pulling to a stop a slight chill goes through him. He remembers it as clearly as if it were yesterday, standing by the roadside at night in the rain, 9 years old. His drunken stepfather had kicked him out of their truck 5 miles from home; the bone chilling cold hit him as he stood in the muddy wake of spinning tires and splashing mud. "You worthless little !@##!" he heard the drunken voice and the sound of smashing glass hitting the pavement as a bottle was hurled in his direction from the truck window.

Slowly he makes his way back to the office, speaking to no one, that old sense of helplessness somehow invading his adult world from the past.

How do you think the rest of this man's day will go? Do you think he will smile at the receptionist and joke with his co-workers? During those developmental years, the time when our mind is being hard wired, and the process of building self-esteem is vital, he was torn down.

Now imagine if we can influence our own inner reactions, memories and feelings in such a way that we control that filter? You could re-invent your whole life.

My quest is to find that amazing inner power to de-activate the negative impact of the past and re-wire our automated responses. Not erase memories, but "know" your own value on such a deep level that you are impervious to the emotional impact of such things.

So the quest continues to find new and creative ways for building self-esteem!

Autor: F1rewalker

Lyca Shan is the founder of Firewalker Enterprises. A passionate author and speaker she focuses on helping others overcome their experiences of hardship and trauma by delivering the message that "Every person is born with the inner strength to rise above their individual circumstances and find happiness within themselves despite their environment."

Added: December 20, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Should Christians Work From Home? Part 2

The following is part 2 in a series of 2. I you haven't read part 1, then please find it and read it first...it will make alot more sense.

Products: If you don't have a good product, you won't last long. If you don't believe it, then neither will the people you are trying to sell it to. Look for a product that is highly sought after, a unique collection or recipe, and a great value. The product should be able to stand on it's own without a business opportunity to prop it up. ** The right product will sell itself, and greatly reduce the need for the following building blocks.**

Team support/training: Every successful company has unique points to bring to the marketplace, and even the most savvy salesman will need to be educated on the special features and benefits of a new program. Look for personal training that is available from your sponsor, AND training through a self-guided training site, team calls, live training events and live webcasts. This phase needs to be simple enough for a novice to understand and duplicate. This is where a training website is so valuable. People can go there anytime to sharpen a specific skill. You are probably going to end up doing some training for new people yourself, so it must be duplicable.

Marketing: So, now you are trained on your product and business opportunity. Now you've got to make some sales. Marketing is the fuel that makes your business engine run. No marketing, no sales, no go. There are many different ways to effectively market. Look for a system that is all set up to go when you plug yourself in. There will be a learning curve here, and you can spend a lot or a little on your education. Follow the leaders. Your leader should be willing to share EVERYTHING they know about marketing. There is no way for 1 person to control the whole market, they will profit from your efforts, and there is plenty of success pie to go around.

Talent: Probably the least important factor, talent is your ability to execute. You will need to be able to run your computer. You will need to be able to read and speak clearly. That's about it, and anybody can improve on whatever talent they have got. Don't worry about it, because you just have to be you sharing your great product. If you can communicate how much you like pizza, then you can do the same with your product and opportunity.

Patience, coachability: There is going to be a learning curve. It is often frustrating, and sometimes maddening, especially dealing with electronics and other man made components. You are going to have to give yourself permission to stumble. You're going to have to tell yourself to be patient. Just chalk it up to pruning your tree to produce the fruits of the Spirit. You will most likely need some help, and you are going to have to ask for it. Your sponsor is going to be really busy helping people, so get yourself in line. Then be calm, patient, kind, and above all teachable. Don't be afraid to ask questions, and don't be afraid to receive advice. A combination of perseverance and patience will put you in front of the pack, because most people today want a microwave business that you just pop in the oven for 2 minutes and out comes an Alaskan cruise. This is not a get rich quick scheme, so settle down and do the hard work that it takes to get going. Once you are going, then you will find that you are being grossly overpaid for the amount of time that you put in.

Money: Every business has a price tag. If it's free, then you will get what you paid for. Naturally, you have to stay within your comfort zone to get started, however you may have to adjust your comfort zone a bit to own the best business for you. That all depends on which business you buy into. A franchise restaurant will cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars to start. Some of the best opportunities on the net cost less than $1,000, or less than $300. After (or during) your training, you will need to spend some money on marketing. There is a lot of free marketing available, but this type of marketing requires a lot of time to operate. There are more expensive types of marketing, but they require far less time. You have more of one than the other. Find your own place, get some guidance, and fuel your machine.

Faith: I saved the best for last. Faith is the highest achievement of mankind. It is sad how few of us actually exercise it. Faith is an action word and a noun. If you have any, remember that it is not your's. It is a gift from your Saviour. Yahweh has an endless supply of goodness and power, comfort and strength, love and patience. These traits are available to the believer, and make powerful additions to your business. You've got to remember to daily ask for these things, and then use them to serve others. Faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.

So, what's the final answer? Is there a place for Christians in the home business world? Absolutely. If more Christians were working from home, then more homes would stay intact. More successful Christians equals more investment in the Kingdom. Christians with financial freedom and time freedom are an available force for the doing of good in this world. Wealthy believers can feed and clothe more orphans and widows, and thus fulfill the law of love. The world needs more successful Christian home business entrepreneurs. Period.

If you are just beginning your journey, then save yourself some heartache, time and shekels, and take my advice. I have already gone through the school of hard knocks on the internet, and I seek to make your road a smoother one. After several attempts at MLM companies, I have personally settled in to one very exciting networking business. This is a company dedicated to the rapid elimination of your home mortgage or commercial mortgage. We have proprietary software that guides you to payoff your 30 year mortgage in 8-12 years. This program is setting thousands of people free, and will personally be saving my family over $116,000 AND 18 years of payments, all without adjusting my monthly payments. There may be other great opportunities out there, but I am done looking. These two meet all my criteria for a legal, moral, and highly profitable home business. Whatever you decide to do, I bid you Godspeed and God Bless.

Marc

Autor: Marc Rosenbaum

Marc Rosenbaum lives in Colorado, and is on a mission to get you out of debt. It is time to take control of your finances. Start now! http://www.debteraser2007.com http://www.thecashgarden.com 15 minute video: http://www.u1stfinancial.com/Portals/2/Flash/15_minute call: 970 562 4777

Added: December 18, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

3 Powerful Tips for Making 2008 Your Best Year Ever

Copyright (c) 2007 Tony Mase

The use you make of the next two weeks will, to a large extent, determine the use you'll be able to make of the coming year.

As 2007 draws to a close and 2008 is about to begin, I'd like to share with you three simple, yet powerful things you can do over the next couple of weeks that'll help make the coming new year your best year ever...

Here they are:

Powerful Tip #1 - Spend some time in gratitude.

Whatever you focus your attention on expands in your life.

If you focus your attention on lack...

That's *exactly* what will expand in your life...

Lack.

If you focus your attention on abundance...

That's *exactly* what will expand in your life...

Abundance.

The practice of gratitude keeps you focused on the abundance that you *already* have in your life and thus opens the door for *more* abundance to flow into it.

Here's what I suggest you do...

Take out a pad of paper and a pen or pencil and make a list of everything that you're grateful for...

And I do mean everything - absolutely *everything*!

As you make your list, keep this in mind...

If your life isn't all that you'd like it to be right now...

There are a whole heck of a lot of people out there who'd *gladly* trade places with you!

So...

Be grateful for what you *already* have and have *faith* that what you need and/or want will come to you when the time is right for you to have it.

And...

While you're at it...

Don't forget to acknowledge the *source* of your *many* blessings. :-)

Powerful Tip #2 - Spend some time on your "vision".

It never ceases to amaze me how many people are out there practically killing themselves trying to be "successful", who, when asked, can't even define what "success" is - to *them*.

In other words...

They don't know what they want.

These very same people can usually tell you everything they don't want, but they haven't a clue as to what they do want - what they *really* want.

Don't let that be you!

If you haven't already done so...

Take the time to form a "clear and definite mental picture" of what you want to be, do, and/or have in your life *next*.

If you've already done this...

Now's a real good time to review your vision and revise it if necessary.

Powerful Tip #3 - Spend some serious, quality time with your loved ones.

In his book "The Personal Power Course", Wallace D. Wattles, best known for his classic masterpiece "The Science of Getting Rich", wrote:

"Just as it is true that it does not profit a man to gain the whole world if he lose his own soul, so it is true that good health, wealth, talent and success become valueless to the person who fails to attain happiness and satisfaction in the love-relations of the home. To live in happy love-relationships with those near to us is the one thing needful; failing to accomplish this, we fail in all. Health, wealth, talent and success are, to a very great extent at least, without value to a person whom nobody loves."

How true!

People tell me all the time they're working hard now so that "someday" they'll be able to spend more time with their loved ones.

My question to them is always the same...

Why not spend more time with your loved ones *now*?

In "The Science of Getting Rich", Wallace D. Wattles wrote:

"A man's highest happiness is found in the bestowal of benefits on those he loves..."

Here's a question for you to ponder as you head into this new year...

What if you got what you thought was so important for you to get, only to discover after you got it that because you neglected them in the process of getting it, there weren't any loved ones there to bestow its benefits on?

Wouldn't that be sad.

Here's the deal...

Money and things are replaceable...

Rather easily, I might add...

People, on the other hand, are not!

So...

This holiday season...

I *highly* encourage you to take stock of what's *truly* important to *you* and then spend your time accordingly.

With that...

I wish you and your loved ones the very best of holiday seasons and a wealthy, healthy, successful, and happy New Year!

Autor: Tony Mase

Tony Mase is a serious student of the works of Wallace D. Wattles and the creator of an amazing website that'll take you by the hand and guide you step-by-step down Wallace D. Wattles' proven path to wealth, health, success, happiness, love, and more... http://www.tonymasesinnercircle.com

Added: December 18, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Do You Have Your Full Attention?

Have you ever had a conversation with someone and noticed midway that your mind is somewhere else and you have no idea what they just said? Or sat at your desk, hands on the computer keyboard and realized you've done nothing for the last ten minutes? Or have you ever...hello? Excuse me, are you there?

So often we allow our minds to be taken over by "unauthorized" thoughts, like a territory under foreign occupation. We live on auto-pilot, going through the motions of the day without fully enjoying or at least focusing on activities. Then, because our attention is so loosely tethered, we immediately react to external stimuli rather than making a conscious decision - responding reflexively to an email instead of concentrating on an important report. In reactive mode, we're less grounded and more vulnerable to stress.

To achieve flow, peak performance and productivity, I work with my clients to develop and train the "attention muscle:" the ability to be keenly aware and in control of what they're thinking, feeling and doing. Here are a few exercises, the mental equivalents of bicep curls, to beef up your focus and concentration.

Do a spot check. Develop the habit of checking in on your mind and what it's thinking. Is it producing useful ideas for the presentation you're preparing, or preoccupied with your friend's snide comment last night? Probe around a bit to uncover any running commentary that might be creating anxiety - they may be so ingrained in your mental landscape that you don't notice they're there.

Make a "what's on my mind" list. The best way to get things off your mind is to put them down on paper. Sometimes this alone is enough to quiet the chatter. If you still can't stop ruminating, give yourself five minutes to scribble down all your stream-of-consciousness thoughts about a particular topic - why that snide comment annoyed you, what prompted it, how you could have responded, etc. Then tell your mind, "Okay, that's enough for now," and put it aside.

Determine your focus. Now that you've got your full attention, decide where you want to direct it by setting mini-goals. Before making a phone call or writing an email, ask yourself: "What am I trying to achieve?" or create some urgency by seeing how many slides of your presentation you can do in 30 minutes.

Train your attention to stay put. Okay, so that worked for five minutes but you keep getting distracted. First, notice when your mind wanders off and see if you can gently coax it back to the task at hand, without making a big deal of it - getting angry or critical usually doesn't work. (Just like it didn't when I was a child and my mother used to walk by the living room where I was (silently) practicing the piano and yell out, "Concentrate!")

Then, narrow even further your point of focus. Make a bullet point list of what you need to say in that company-wide email. In an endless conference call or meeting? Home in on each person when they speak and see if you can, without judgment, rate the qualities in their voice such as "warmth," "irritation," or "interest" on a scale of one to ten.

Developing your attention muscle is an iterative process not a one-time fix. The reward is that by devoting your full attention to the moment at hand, you will be able to delve deeper and gain greater satisfaction in everything you do.

Autor: Renita Kalhorn

Peak performance specialist Renita T. Kalhorn is a Juilliard-trained classical pianist with an international MBA and a first-degree martial arts black belt. Leveraging the power of "flow," she helps entrepreneurs and corporate professionals to achieve extreme focus and reach the top of their game at work. Subscribe to In The Flow, her FREE monthly newsletter and receive a complimentary copy of Find Your Flow! 21 Simple Strategies to Banish Tedium, Reduce Stress and Inspire Action at http://www.intheflowcoaching.com.

Added: December 18, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

The Chinese Language

For the student wanting to learn Chinese, the first question that comes up is what Chinese dialect should I learn? There are several regional dialects of Chinese. The most important dialects are Mandarin with approximately 850 million speakers, Wu with about 90 million speakers, Min with and estimated 70 million, and the well known Cantonese dialect with at least 70 million speakers.

Mandarin therefore is the main dialect in China both in numerical terms and as well as being sanctioned as the main language by the Chinese government and therefore of most benefit to the aspiring student. The word Mandarin is a translation from the Beijing expression guan-huà meaning "official language" that was the dialect of this city for several centuries. This dialect was accepted as the official language at the beginning of the 20th century. Mandarin is also spoken in Taiwan though differences in syntax and vocabulary do exist.

Wu is spoken in the Zhejiang province, the municipality of Shanghai, southern province of Jiangsu as well as parts of the Anhui, Jiangxi, and Fujian provinces. The Min dialect is spoken in the southeastern province of Fujian as well as by migrants to Guangdong, Hainan, three counties in southern Zhejiang, and the Zhoushan archipelago, as well as Taiwan. In contrast, the areas with the highest concentration of speakers of Cantonese are in Guangdong province, parts of Guanx, in southern mainland China, Hong Kong and Macua. Of the four official languages that are spoken in Singapore, huáyu, is based on the dialect of Beijing, though once again differences are present.

Mandarin speakers number about 70 per cent of the total Chinese population and live mainly in the western plains region. This region includes the central Yángzi, the plain of Huái, the neoriental plain, Sichuan and the the provinces of Guangxi, Guèizhou and Yunan.

The different dialects spoken are normally understood by the different language groups and can be divided as follows: Septentrional, spoken in the northern region and it includes the dialect of Pekín; Noroccidental includes the dialects of the Loess plain and territories to the west; Southoccidental, spoken in Sichuan and the adhacent regions; and Oriental, that represent the dialects spoken in Nanking.

Chinese is a tonal language. The tonal difference is one of the most common variations among the different Chinese dialects. At times it happens that the dialects of two villages separated only by a few kilometers have different tonal systems. For example, the tonal system of the dialect spoken in Pekin is the typical way of speaking in the septentrional region.

In this area Mandarin of Beijing represents one of the simplest Chinese dialects from the point of view of the tonal aspect, having four different tones that indicate the four levels of the words: very high, high, medium, and fallen high.

The romanization system officially adopted by the government of Beijing, called pinyin, represents the tones making use of diacritical superimposed signs on the nuclear vocal of the word.

Autor: Jacob Lumbroso

Jacob Lumbroso is a world traveler and an enthusiast for foreign languages, history, and foreign cultures. He writes articles on history and languages and has worked onthe Ultimate Language Store's Amharic Language resources

Added: December 18, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

How Can You Meet with Success?Guaranteed?

Imagine that you have an unexpected meeting with success. What would you do?

Now, you might ask, "What do you mean by a meeting with success? Is this a new fiction story?" But the better question might be, "How can I have a meeting with success?"

You might also be thinking, "I'm working very hard, reading everything I can find about success, and doing everything I can to achieve it. But nothing is working. I'm still struggling, still just hitting my head against the wall."

Well, I was exactly like you once. I can't count the number of times I tried to achieve success and failed.

Don't you agree with me that working hard is not enough anymore?

Yes? Okay, then let me share with you what HISTORY has proven to be the only guaranteed way to meet with success. What you're about to read will give you the information you need to easily set up a meeting with success.

But wait - there's a catch here! You can only set up an UNEXPECTED meeting!

Yes, I know it sounds odd, but that's the way it works. I can only guarantee that you will have this unexpected meeting if you prepare for it in advance and make sure you're ready for it when it comes. If you are, then your life will never be the same.

Every success story has followed the same path - I have seen this firsthand through the almost one hundred interviews I've conducted with ultra-successful people. Want more proof? Just read the biographies of successful people and you will soon realize the truth of what I am saying.

Now, let me show you the magic.

Once upon a time, the great American poet and philosopher Henry David Thoreau offered a brilliant pearl of wisdom that enlightened the world:

"If one advances confidently in the direction of one's dreams, and endeavors to live the life which one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."

I don't know what I can add to such a profound bit of wisdom - it truly leaves the greatest success guru speechless!

As soon as you finish reading this article, you must begin the search for your true purpose in life. You must have a dream and take action to achieve that dream. And when you least expect it, you will meet with success.

Do your homework. Don't be like so many others who complain and place blame and try to lay the responsibility for their unfulfilled lives on other people and external circumstances.

What do you want? What is the true purpose of your life? What is your dream?

If you already know, then you're more than halfway there.

Now you must ask yourself if you are moving toward your dream.

If you are, then congratulations - you have probably already met success. And if you are not, never fear - you are sure to meet it very soon.

If you do not yet know the answers to those questions, however, then you are the one who is blocking your own success. I know that may be hard to hear, but we must all face the truth.

Listen, it doesn't matter how many times you've set SMART goals but were unable to achieve any of them. I don't even care about this SMART stuff at all.

The only thing that you need to do from now on is to make sure that every action you take advances your position in the direction of your dreams and toward living the life you've always imagined.

And DO advance CONFIDENTLY. Believe in yourself and your dreams. Believe that you have chosen the best way to live your life. That is the only path that will lead to success and ultimate satisfaction.

I want you to read Thoreau's quote again: "If one advances confidently in the direction of one's dreams, and endeavors to live the life which one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."

So here is the guaranteed formula to meet with success:

Confident advancement + Direction of your dreams = Meeting with success.

I can't stress enough the importance of knowing your true purpose in life, and knowing that your dream is worth living for. Moving toward a purpose and a dream that fires your desire and passion is the only direction that guarantees meeting with success.

It all starts with confident advancement and your BIG dream, and voilà - the next thing you know you're meeting with success and experiencing a total life transformation.

Take action today and every day, in ONE and ONLY ONE direction: the direction of your dreams and your true purpose in life.

Do this and be confident that you will achieve success sooner or later, in UNEXPECTED COMMON HOURS.

You're living your life anyway - why not live it in preparation for your meeting with success?

I urge you to prepare NOW, because success is coming your way!

Autor: Mohamed Tohami

Like this article? Digg it!
Mohamed Tohami uncovers the wisdom of the ages to help you transform your life from making a living to making a difference. Find out more about how to create everlasting success with his free ecourse, available at: http://www.Success-Avalanche.com

Added: December 18, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Finding Spiritual Help

In today's world, the emphasis often seems to be on convenience. Much of the newer technologies stand out based on how much more convenient they make tasks than older technologies. Modern society may have become acclimated to shortcuts, and this can often carry over to elements of our personal lives. The things that we want in our lives, we typically want in the most expeditious and easiest way possible.

The search for the easiest and most direct path often carries over to more personal issues, such as self-improvement or an improved quality of life. On the other hand, beliefs remain in place that for certain things shortcuts don't exist, and only committed effort over the long haul will show results. In fact, there's a tendency even to criticize methods or a mindset that looks for a quick or easy solution to resolving situations.

One particular problem solving technique however not only embraces the notion of easy solutions, but is quite proud of it. The ho'oponopono problem solving method is often described by its enthusiasts as the simplest and least resistant way to change one's life for the better. This way of describing ho'oponopono is appealing to some, but raises suspicion among others because it claims to bypass something many people think is inevitable: hard work.

Ho'oponopono is actually a form that's been practiced for generations. The traditional form of ho'oponopono was a process whereby entire families would come together to resolve disputes. Traditional ho'oponopono required every individual connected to the dispute in some way or other to be present during dispute resolution, and for someone to take a leadership role and guide the entire process. An updated form of ho'oponopono claims to have altered the ho'oponopono process to involve only an individual and the source of all creation, or God, or however one prefers to refer to such an entity. It's worth noting that though ho'oponopono involves connecting to some form of source power, it is not an organized religious practice.

Those who practice and embrace ho'oponopono claim that results are easy to come by, though not necessarily timely. When the positive results from practicing ho'oponopono happen isn't predictable, but according to ho'oponopono's dedicated following, the positive results are assured to occur. Though ho'oponopono is far from being a universally accepted technique, it has generated increasing amounts of interest and notoriety and has a dedicated group of practitioners and supporters. While ho'oponopono's claims haven't necessarily been documented in some impartial, experimental way, the claims do exist, and people are willing to testify to their legitimacy.

Autor: Zinn Jeremiah

Zinn Jeremiah is an online writer. Find ho'oponopono resources by visiting ho'oponopono or I need help.

Added: December 19, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Using Law Of Attraction To Break Bad Habits

We have been taught that to use the law of attraction to create the reality we desire, we must focus more on what we want and less on what we don't want. But yet there are times when the things we don't want continue to be created even though we try not to focus on them. The truth is that there are times when we must focus on what we don't want so that we can attract it out fully and see it for what it is. What we don't want could be part of what we want and that is why we are still creating it unknowingly.

No habit is completely good or bad. There is always a benefit that it can provide and a detriment that it can cause. The mixture of positive and negative aspects is what traps most people in addictions. Focusing on the positive aspects alone does not remove the effect of the negative aspects. Most people use the law of attraction in a way that's unenlightened, that's why they keep miscreating their lives. From the place of seeing things for what they are completely, we can truly create in a conscious manner.

The reason why the undesirable consequences reoccur over and over again is because people ignore it and choose to focus on the positive aspects instead. But ignoring negative consequences do not make them go away. By observing what is, you begin to see what needs to be handled because intentions are a package deal. You cannot accept a portion without experiencing the rest that goes with it. If something as a whole isn't beneficial for you, you have to learn to drop the whole thing in place of another.

What you resist persists. You resist something by ignoring it. It is alright to ignore something negative as long as it stands by itself, but if it is attached to something else that is positive, it will still remain if you hold on to that positive thing without observing and resolving what is on the other side. Evolution of being is about learning all we can from a situation whether positive or negative, and then transcending both aspects so that we may be free to move without entrapment of the negative with the positive.

In order to remove something, first let it flourish. We expand a problem by focusing on the negative aspects in order to make it grow to full bloom. It is the little things that matter because they form the foundation of whole systems and relationships. When we treat a fundamental issue as something to be taken lightly and brushing it off, we are actually doing the worst for the problem as it will continue to perpetuate and bite into all overlying issues without us even being conscious or able to do anything with it.

Focusing on a problem and making it as bad as you can make it to be may seem like the worst thing to do. But what seems to be the worst thing can actually be the best thing. Because when you accelerate its effect to the point where you can see the ultimate worst scenario it can bring about, you are able to resolve it at its worst and the only thing that remains will be good after that. It is this paradoxical way of engaging reality that reveals how the universe actually works, and how total resolution operates.

We tend to focus on pleasure and avoid pain because we think experiencing one is good but experiencing the other is bad. Pain and pleasure are neutral. It is not a matter of seeing one thing as good and another as bad. Both are forces that can be used to serve you in getting what you want. Pleasure a motivating force that moves you towards what you desire and pain is a motivating force that moves you away from what you do not desire. Using both forces together will give you maximum moving power.

Pain and pleasure works well as a combination if the pain is from something and the pleasure is from something else. But there is a conflict that occurs when the pain and pleasure come from different aspects of the same thing. You are pushing yourself away and pulling yourself towards the thing at the same time. That is why you seem to go nowhere and keep on experiencing the same turmoil of good and bad stuff. Pain and pleasure works properly when they are in alignment and not opposing one another.

Congruence is power and incongruence is powerlessness. That is why people are powerless when they are in conflict with themselves about what they really want. If you want to move from powerlessness to power, you have to turn from being incongruent to being congruent. You do this by stopping your experience of the pleasure from pulling you towards the very thing that causes you pain. You focus on increasing the pain and negativity of the situation until you become fully congruent with moving away.

Use massive pain as a leverage to drive you into breaking free. The breaking point comes when you finally say you had enough of a situation and make a fully intentional decision to end it right there and then. As long as there is a part that is hanging on to it, we haven't generated enough pain to cut ourselves loose. It is not the pain of leaving but the pain of staying on that helps us to make that decision with full power. When you're free, you don't need the pain and can focus on the pleasure of being free.

Use the law of attraction to pull out the problem and nail it once and for all. Your level of ability to attract all that you desire in your life depends on the amount of energies you have freed from negative issues to channel fully into your desired manifestations. All suffering is the result of attachment. Suffering is not evil but it is a process that can trap you in evil or free you from it. Draw out the evil so that you can deal with it. Maximize the suffering until it forces you to cut of attachment and transcend suffering.

Autor: Enoch Tan

Enoch Tan aims to help people achieve greater awareness in living and experiencing life, to evolve human consciousness to higher levels and to revolutionize the way we understand the mind and reality, because that is what governs every area of life and destiny. When you learn Secrets of Mind and Reality which is the science behind all Self Help, you'll become a Law of Attraction and Manifestation Master. Visit the site: Secrets of Mind and Reality

Added: December 19, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Make your Goal Planning Successful

You hear a lot about Goals and Planning these days - but is it just a waste of time, or does it really work? Won't just making a quick list of things to do be just as effective, and much quicker? Please consider these ideas.

There are several steps we can take to increase success, whether personal or business, individual or group. One of the major components of successful outcomes is goal planning. High achievers in business and in life know that goal planning is a cornerstone to success. Learning how to plan goals, and then implementing your plan equals goal-planning success. And goal-planning success leads to overall success.

What are goals? The best way to define the word "goal" is to say that a goal is a marked point in a process that indicates progress. Think of goals as the path markers on a trail. Every time you pass one, you know you've made further progress towards reaching a predetermined end or the final goal.

Why should I set goals? You should set goals because of what they are - a way to see if you are progressing towards an objective or final result. So goal planning leads to success by creating a sort of map for you to follow.

How do I choose the right goals for goal planning success? Well, that depends on the outcome you are hoping to achieve, but here are some guidelines:

First, determine exactly what it is that you want to achieve. Is it a fit body? A successful business? A happy family?

Next, define what that means. What exactly do you consider to be a fit body, a successful business or a happy family? Your definition will not be the same as your neighbor's. Please don't let anyone else define that for you.

Third, map it out. Ask yourself, "What are the ingredients that I need to fulfill this outcome"? And "In what steps should the ingredients be added"? If your final goal is a fit body, the ingredients will be different types of exercise, healthy foods and drinks, maybe even spa treatments and massage. In what way do you need to put these together to equal a fit body? This is where you can see your goals start to take shape.

1. Goal one might be to check out the gyms in your area and join one.

2. Goal two would be to actually go to the gym a certain number of times per week to workout.

3. Goal three might be to hire a dietician to help you with your food choices.

4. Goal four would be to take that dietician's advice to heart and begin to follow an eating plan.

5. Goal five might be to do research on body treatments that help the look of your body or help detoxify your body.

As you follow these goals you will start to notice changes in your body that are leading to your final outcome of fitness. Now, this example is a bit watered down, but you get the idea.

When you begin to understand how to use goals, you will experience goal-planning success in every part of your life. Your life will become much easier and you will experience fewer disappointments as a result. If you have work projects to finish and you are feeling overwhelmed, it will help to use goal planning as a tool for better organization and more success. If you need to accomplish certain tasks each day, goal planning will help with that. If you have personal goals such as finding a wonderful partner or returning to college to finish your degree, you can use goal planning for those things too.

Goal planning success means a more happy and successful life. If you are unsure, use goal planning for a small project and see how well it works for you. Then begin to use it to accomplish larger successes. Before you know it goal planning will become second nature and you'll enjoy a more successful life.

My verdict - stop wasting time just wasting time! Set a Goal and plan the steps to fulfillment, and get to work on achieving those steps.

Autor: Winsome Coutts

Winsome Coutts has a passion for Personal Development, Goal setting, Self Help and Life Inspiration. For free downloads, heaps of info and self help tools visit her website: http://www.4lifeselfhelp.com/

Added: December 19, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Turn around your life for the better with easy to implement Feng Shui tips

Our life goes round in a full circle and in every person's life there are a number of ups and downs, which bring about changes in our circumstances from time to time. Our endeavor is to always better our state of being, using all possible means available to us. One such uncommon method of improving the state of things is the use and implementation of Feng Shui tips in our day to day life. Feng shui is the ancient Chinese practice of balancing the elements and energies around our living space to achieve harmony and prosperity in the four major aspects of our life which are health, wealth, career and relationships. Each element like earth, water, air and fire are related to these various aspects and this practice helps us to balance them perfectly.

Feng Shui tips are applied by keeping the basic intent in mind, as to which aspect would an individual like to strengthen and which negativity would he like to dispense off. As for example, if you are interested in advancing your career then the Feng Shui tips provided to you would be greatly different from those provided to an individual who is more concerned with building his personal relationships. Also, an individual's kua number is of great importance while applying the tips as the kua number decides the lucky and unlucky directions of the person and accordingly the tips can be implemented. It the element of water is good for activating one's career luck but his personal number advises him to stay away from the colors of blue and black, representing water, then a balance has to be drawn between the two.

The advice and guidance of a Feng shui expert is essential while implementing any Feng shui tips in your life and living space. As this is a powerful tool that can shuffle the positive and negative energies around you to benefit you if used properly, the reverse can also happen if inaccurately used and implemented. Keeping a water body is good for career but if placed in the wrong room or direction it can cause great loss through theft or possible infidelity in an otherwise strong relationship. Hence, maintaining caution while using the tips is of prime importance.

Always take the advice of an expert while implementing feng shui tips for your home or office. In today's time more and more people are realizing the benefits of alternative practices for improving the quality of life. Hence feng shui is also a prominent feature in many websites, magazines and even television shows. Many of us get mislead by the advice given on such forums and wrongly implement the tips, only to cause more harm than good. It is therefore crucial that the tips are implemented in the right way to provide the greatest benefit to the individuals. Use the guidance to balance the various elements and energies, both Yin (female) and Yang (male) to achieve perfect harmony, peace and prosperity in every aspect of your life be it health, wealth, career or relationships.

Autor: amit

Amit Bhalla works to help all those who want information about the latest and the best, most happening places in the city. To know more about local search services delhi, Conversion Service, Yellow Pages India, Local Search India, Feng Shui tips visit www.myquest.in

Added: December 20, 2007
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Seven Steps to Positive Change in the New Year

As the end of the year approaches, it's a time for celebration. It's also a great time for reflection. Traditionally it's a time for visualizing what we want to accomplish in the New Year and creating those infamous resolutions.

All too often, what starts out as a positive exercise in forward thinking, becomes an energy draining exercise in agonizing over past failures. How many times have we tried and failed to make these same changes? This year, why not try something a little different? How about shifting your focus from what you didn't do, to what you actually did do and start building from there?

Many people have a hard time giving themselves credit for what's working in their lives. We are so in the habit of beating ourselves up and blaming ourselves for what's not right and what's not working.

All that negativity requires a huge amount of energy. It tires us out, drains us of joy, and blocks out any sense of hope and well being for the future. It completely obscures a great deal of the good we have going for us.

Here is a seven-step process you can follow to support you in beginning this New Year with a joyous new attitude.

1) Make a list of all the things you did right last year. Think about all the things you are proud of, all the areas where you moved forward in your life, even in small ways. List the things you are grateful for about your life and how you contribute to those around you.

Add to your list what you appreciate about the many things you have accomplished and how they have positively impacted your life. Congratulate yourself for these noteworthy accomplishments. We get caught up in focusing on what we failed to accomplish and often forget to give ourselves credit for the many more things that we did check off our list!

3) Take inventory of your negative thoughts and feelings. What are you hanging on to that is draining your energy? What resentments are you holding? What are you angry about? Who are you angry with? What are you angry with yourself about? What are your regrets? Write down all the specific negative emotions you can identify on as many pieces of paper as it takes.

4) Make a conscious choice to release these negative emotions. Declare your intention with clarity of conviction by stating out loud, "I release my anger, resentments and regrets. I forgive myself, and others, for our past mistakes and imperfections. I open my heart to a more positive outlook on life"

5) Solidify your resolve by conducting a "burning bowl" ritual. If you have a safe (and legal) place to light a fire, you can toss the pages of thoughts and feelings you wish to release into the fire; watch all that negativity shrivel up and turn to ash. Otherwise you can tear your pages up into little pieces and toss them in the trash. Better yet, slide each sheet of paper into a shredder and enjoy the sound of your negativity being sliced and diced into unrecognizable bits of confetti.

6) Decide how you'd like to feel about yourself, your life and the people around you. Sometimes we are mightily attached to our negativity and after such a release it might feel a little awkward. That's because nature abhors a void. The next step is to fill that void with positive thoughts about your life and positive feelings of anticipation for a new start in your new year. Notice how you feel just thinking about your life in this new way.

7) Create an energizing life plan. Instead of making a laundry list of New Year's Resolutions, spend some time taking a broader view. What kind of quality of life would energize you? How can you create more time for the things you value the most; what things can you say "no" to? What do you want to do to take care of yourself that would be nurturing and soul satisfying? What could you do to bring more intimacy or sense of connection to your important relationships? What things could you make a part of your life next year that would create more satisfaction, balance and well being? Take a holistic view of your life and create a written plan that will energize you to take action.

Answering the questions and doing the activities outlined in this seven-step process will guide you to make changes from the heart. Changes that come from a place of heart-felt desire, along with clarity of your desired outcome in terms of the quality of life you are seeking, will naturally give you greater momentum for success than changes motivated by harsh recriminations.

As you enter the New Year, treat yourself with kindness, acknowledge and celebrate the good in your life and the important things you have accomplished, let go of negativity, and enjoy your new year with a new attitude!

Autor: Lauren E. Sullivan

Lauren E. Sullivan is the award-winning author of "Give Wings to Your Dreams: Reawaken Your Joy and Passion for Life." An expert in women's midlife issues, her coaching and retreat programs guide women who are tired, stressed out or feeling blue, to design happier, more balanced lives. View her popular inspirational movie at www.TheWingsMovie.com

Added: December 20, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

How To Get A Raise

I have to start by saying that the first and best thing you can do to get a raise from your employer is to make sure you deserve one. Of course, this should go without saying. However, many employees think that simply being at their job a while is enough reason for more pay.

Most employers will disagree. Unless you are simply arguing for a cost-of-living increase, you really should provide more value to your employer if you expect more money. If you're not doing a great job now then, start tomorrow, and do better for a while before you try to get a raise.

Okay, so you deserve a raise. But don't expect your boss to notice this or think of it on his own. Most likely, you will have to sell him or her on the idea, so you should be fully prepared to do that. Find out what others in your position make. See if you can discover how much of a raise some of them have received in the past. In the United States, you can use the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau Of Labor Statistics website at http://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm to see what the average pay of various jobs is.

Ask for a realistic raise, based not just on national norms, but on what people in your particular company make. Always aim a little high. This lets the boss negotiate your raise down to what you really hope to get. Consider everything you want before you ask for a raise too. For example, are you also seeking benefits or a better position?

Okay, so you have decided how much you will be asking for. Now make a list of the things you have accomplished. Be ready to show how these are linked to some measurable increase in profits if possible. At least make a reasonable argument for how they should add to the company revenue. Try to be specific, and don't lie about anything. You want to show that you are clearly valuable to the company - and that you know you are.

The timing of your request for a raise matters. Don't ask for a raise when the boss is in a bad mood, for example. If you've got easy access to the supervisor who'll make the decision, wait for a noticeable good mood, then ask to speak with her, or him. On the other hand, if you have to make and appointment, schedule a time when the boss won't be too distracted, like late afternoon, when lunch is past and his work is caught up.

You should always know what your options are and what you are willing to do according to the response. In my working days, for example, I got what I wanted several times by threatening to quit. But perhaps this only worked because I meant what I said. You might lose a job you want to keep if you bluff. What you will say? What you will do if the boss says no? What if he offers less than you ask for? Can you wait and bring it up again later? Can you look for other employment? How about mentioning this job search to the boss?

Consider these things carefully, and be prepared if you want to get a raise.

Autor: Steve Gillman

Copyright Steve Gillman. For more Insider Secrets, go get your free "secrets" course at: http://www.TheSecretInformationSite.com

Added: December 18, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

MOTIVATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Career in Motivational Speaking

How to develop a career in the motivational speaking market is a question I have been asked many, many times around the world over the past two decades.

At the highest possible level it comes down to one word - Congruence.

Have you achieved PhD status in the University of Life - the one and only true test of your ability? Have you walked the path of your philosophies?

To become a motivational keynote speaker, I believe you need to have demonstrated from your life that you have dreamed big dreams:

In 1996, having achieved a "D" grade in English in all my school exams, I set the goal of writing a best-selling book. The facts that no Irish person had written a book of this genre or that I hadn't got a publisher or indeed that two award winning journalists told me I was wasting my time didn't stop me from following my dream. That book became a triple best seller.

As a motivational keynote speaker,
you need to show that you have taken big risks:

In 1998, I decided to turn my back on a lucrative business consultancy to focus exclusively on keynote speaking on my three areas of expertise: Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Motivation. This resulted in a drop in my income from a six-figure turnover to less than the average industrial wage for a few years. In the process, I remortgaged my house and set sail for foreign lands! Those years of financial challenges provided the best personal training experience of my life. By continually focusing on my dream, and learning from failures, I am now enjoying working around the world, while simultaneously following my bliss.

A motivational keynote speaker needs to be personable and vulnerable - you are after all human!

Be vulnerable and share the failures as well as the successes - focusing on how you learned from both and came closer to achieving your dreams. People respond best to normal people, not robots.

Overall, a congruent motivational keynote speaker will infect audiences with his/her energy and enthusiasm. Indeed their story will bring people "to the door" without even speaking a word! Remember and always honour the Chinese proverb - "teachers open the door but you must enter by yourself."

So what makes me different from any other speaker in the world?

My answer is simple but obscure! It's my energy, drawn from living life to the full, and walking the path of each of my philosophies and strategies. I know my ideas work because they have worked for me at the highest possible level internationally.

This resonates for audiences worldwide who are now becoming more and more sophisticated and want someone who has learned from life, not from a book.

So what is the message for would be motivational keynote speakers?

Work on yourself. Totally engage in life. Build up an anthology of stories based on your own life, not what you may have read somewhere. Reality is so much more persuasive and life-changing for the audience.

Start the journey today. Trust me, it is one of magic and adventure.

About Kevin Kelly

Described as the "coach behind Ireland's Celtic Tiger," Kevin Kelly is one of Europe's and Asia's leading authorities on motivation, entrepreneurship, leadership, communication, and personal excellence.

...more about Kevin Kelly

Copyright

Copyright 2007, Kevin Kelly Unlimited. All rights reserved.

This Article is Copyright protected. Republishing & syndication of this article is granted only with permission and due credit, as mentioned, retained in the republished article. Permission to reprint or republish does not waive any copyright. The text, hyperlinks embedded on the article and headers should remain unaltered. This article must not be used in unsolicited mail.

Autor: CueBlocks Syndicate

Described as the "coach behind Ireland's Celtic Tiger," Kevin Kelly is one of Europe's and Asia's leading authorities on motivation, entrepreneurship, leadership, communication, and personal excellence. Copyright: This Article is Copyright protected. Permission to reprint or republish does not waive any copyright.

Added: December 15, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Removing the Stress from International Teaching Job Fairs

Attending an international teaching job fair can be very stressful. Whether it is for your first teaching job overseas or your tenth, international job fairs can play havoc with your nerves. This stress can affect your ability to show your best side to recruiters, so eliminating it is a priority. One sure fire way to reduce or even remove the stress you feel is to have a backup plan.

Your backup plan can take many guises. Here are two that I have used successfully in the past to make attending overseas teaching recruitment events more bearable:

1. Plan to attend more than one overseas recruiting fair

There are more than ten job fairs each year that are dedicated to international school teacher recruitment, and you can apply to attend more than one per year. You can even attend more than one organized by the same recruiting agency.

Not every international school attends each fair. You can meet directors from many different international schools if you go to more than one job fair. One way to ensure that you get maximum exposure to recruiters is to apply to attend more than one fair.

The different job fair organizers; Search Associates, CIS and ISS have different schools recruiting with them, so mixing up your job fair registration and attending more than one job fair can increase your chances of finding the perfect overseas teaching position for you.

Many of the job fair organizers offer job fairs in the same locations back to back, so you can fly into Bangkok or London for example and attend two job fairs organized by two agencies in a single trip. Full details of the dates and locations of the job fairs organized by the three big organizers are available in The Complete Guide to Securing a Job at an International School.


2. Know what your next move will be if you do not get offered an international teaching contract this academic year.

When I attended my first international teaching job fair I had two backup plans in the unlikely event that none of the school directors offered me a contract. I did not have to implement either of them, which is a shame in some ways, because my backup plans were almost as exciting as teaching abroad in an international school!

Here are some backup plans you may wish to explore...

> taking a year out and travelling around the world - you can find places you would like to live along the way and begin relationships with recruiters by visiting them at their schools.

> volunteering with an organization that teaches refugees or works with local teachers to improve methodology and pedagogy - this is an excellent way to gain international experience which will make you more attractive to international school recruiters.

> signing up with the Teachers on the Move, a company that finds temporary teachers for international schools to cover for maternity or long term sickness positions.

> applying for a teacher exchange program such as the JET program that places teachers in Japanese public schools, or the VIF program which places overseas trained teachers in American public schools.

Once you have made your decision to attend a job fair and received your invitation, you need to prepare for an intense two days in a pressure-cooker environment. Careful planning prior to the event and conscious networking at the event are the keys to landing a great teaching job abroad.

Autor: Kelly Blackwell

There Are Over 4000 International Schools Worldwide, Get The Insider Secrets To Landing A Teaching Job Abroad Today! Get your free copy of Kelly's free report, Escape the RatRace - TeachOverseas available exclusively from TeachOverseas.info

Added: December 14, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Passive Income Is a Myth

Passive income is money that a person collects without having to work for it. This is many people's dream. I am confident that I will discover such a restful work someday... sometime after I've departed from this world.

Active men load the internet full of lies about passive income. These same men worked long and hard for their online exposure so they might learn the secret of capitalizing on this weakness, which is that people want to obtain money without having to work.

Men who understand that work is necessary labor long and hard to sell the myth of passive income to other people who wish they could avoid work. Passive income is a lie that active men sell to loose wallets.

A man might pack ten years of work into a five year time period so that he might coast for the next five years on the momentum of that initial energy spurt. But that man still had to endure ten years of work; it will take him five years to recover from such a traumatic endeavor.

No matter what our occupation or goals, any meaningful success must be obtained through determination and hard work. Even seemingly privileged people obtained their positions in life either through their or their ancestor's sweat.

We have to work for every meaningful success. It's the difficulty of work that makes us appreciate our successes. This applies to spiritual as well as worldly success. Only through discipline can Christ-followers overcome their daily trials in this world. The same thing goes for worldly work. The hardships of work are what keep us humble. The difficulty of worldly work should eventually inspire people to seek rest in Christ.

Passive income is a myth because money is valuable to everyone. Any commodity that is sought by everyone is not easily obtained. It makes sense that the most cunning, determined people accumulate more money than everyone else.

We are naturally enslaved the love of money. Apart from God's spiritual redirection we would perish in the pursuit of money. But we will find freedom from this slavery in Christ. The cure for our shallow fixation is to learn about imperishable, heavenly riches.

Adam's rebellion sentenced him to a lifetime of sweat and labor. Although he had leisurely work in the garden, he chose for some reason to do things the hard way. We carry on this tradition now by continuing to rebel against God. God cursed humanity and the whole earth because of sin, this is true, but we uphold this curse by following in our fleshly father's footsteps, always doing things the hard way.

by Patrick Roberts. Find additional resources at www.BooksByPatrick.com and www.KoGmedia.com

Autor: Patrick Roberts

Patrick is an average Christ-seeker. His goal is to turn people to Jesus Christ. www.BooksByPatrick.com, www.KoGmedia.com

Added: December 12, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

The Muffin-Top Pioneer.

It's the late seventies. I'm thirteen years old. I'm a tank. Gorgeous, but a tank.

I weigh the best part of 90 kilos (200lbs) and it's school swimming sports day. Yippee. I'd rather hit myself in the head with a hammer, but here I am. I don't want to swim but I have no option; it's compulsory. Private school rules. Everyone is put into a swimming section. Everyone races. I am in the remedial section; the home of the geek, the uncoordinated and the fat.

I am unfit. In fact, unfit would be a dramatic improvement. I aspire to 'unfit'. I am embarrassing. I am embarrassed. I long for the super-power of invisibility. I am addicted to cartoons (and chocolate cake) and I fantasize regularly about having my own special power. Flying and xray vision always rate highly, but right now, invisibility seems kind of attractive. I outweigh most of my teachers. My gut cascades over my bathers like an ice-cream spilling over the side of a cone. I am pioneering the muffin top, only on a slightly larger scale. I am wearing a T-shirt to hide my ample-ness (a word). A teacher approaches me.

"Harper, take off the shirt."
I feel sick and anxious.
"But Sir, I burn easily and I have sensitive skin."
"You can't swim in that, get it off."
"But I'm not allowed to, the Doctor said."
"Do you have a note?"
Dejection. Silence.
"No Sir."
"Get it off, you're swimming in one minute."

I turn my back on the multitudes and I remove my shirt. I suck in my stomach. That will help. Twenty seconds later I can't hold my breath any longer and my gut cascades once again. I walk towards the starting area and wrap my arms around my waist in a futile attempt to hide what everyone can plainly see. I live up to my nickname; Jumbo.

The starter calls the misfits up. The geeks, the uncoordinated and the fat kids mount the starting blocks. Apart from me, there's one other fat kid. Although, he's not really in my league, more chubby than fat. Fraud.

A funny thing happens.

As I'm perched there on my starting block, for a second I forget about my magnitude. Momentarily, I forget about how I look or what people might be thinking. Strangely, I analyse my opposition. For the first time in my life, I actually think I am an outside chance of 'winning' some kind of sporting competition. A completely unprecedented thought or experience for me. Of course I'm no chance, but I indulge myself nonetheless.

Somewhere deep within my totally un-athletic subconscious, I hear these words, "what if?" I allow myself to dream for a second and, in the context of the moment and the situation, I experience a strange emotion; excitement. The fear, anxiety and embarrassment have been replaced with something much more powerful; hope. A bunch of misfits, swimming in a race that nobody cares about, and there I am, primed. Excited and hopeful. Nice emotions. New emotions for me.

The kid who gets picked last for every sporting team can smell greatness. Great for me anyway; it's all relative when you're fat and thirteen. Looking back, I've often wondered about the psychology behind letting kids pick their own teams. Standing there on your own as the team 'captains' argue because neither of them want you on their team, is not an experience I'd wish on anyone. Some teachers weren't that smart in the seventies.

The starter's gun goes and I have the reaction time of a cat. An old arthritic cat perhaps. Incredibly, I am the first to enter the water. I amaze myself. I don't even know what 'the zone' is, but I'm in it. For a moment, I'm an Olympian. The splash from my dive into the water concusses half of the field. I don't care. I create a tidal wave and cause the other half to surf into each other's lanes. Okay, I made that bit up but it woulda been funny. My fat little arms pump like pistons and at the halfway mark, I lift my head and take my first breath.


To my astonishment, and everyone else's, I am winning. I am winning the meaningless race. But for me and the other rejects, this is our moment. To us it's meaningful. Very. I am not the only one trying. I look across the pool, and if endeavour and attitude mean anything, we are all world champions. What my 'competition' and the onlookers haven't factored in is my secret weapon; ultimate buoyancy. I am like a cork with legs.

While the skinny kids struggle to stay afloat, my body-fat allows me lie on top of the water like a yacht on the ocean. I am a human floatation device. For once in my life, my body is giving me an advantage. As the little, weedy kids struggle to not only reach the end of the pool, but more importantly stop themselves from sinking to the bottom and drowning, all Jumbo has to do is propel his highly buoyant self down the lane.

Another strange thing happens.

I hear cheering. And in the middle of it, my name. Another new thing. This is indeed, history in the making. I slide into the wall and I touch... first. I watch my competitors struggle to the finish and I am as happy as I can remember. A lady with a nice face reaches down pats me on the arm and says "well done young man." I feel incredible.

As I get out of the pool a man with a clip board approaches me and asks me something I've never been asked, "Are you the winner?" It is indeed a day of firsts. I love being asked that question. "Yes", I say proudly. "Well done", he replies. He takes my details, tells me my time and sends me to collect my first-place ribbon. All of a sudden, I'm not a fat kid any more, I'm a winner and I'm on my way to get my winner's ribbon!!

I love this feeling. This moment. I feel different. People pat me on the back. A teacher puts his arm around me and congratulates me. I love the attention, I love the praise and I love the encouragement. For a moment I feel normal. I have never felt normal in a setting like this. This feeling is better than chocolate cake, and that's saying something. The social outcast feels acceptance. It's healing. It's addictive. It feels so good.

Not too long after that day, I began to train properly. I changed my diet, I started to run and I lost thirty kilos (66lbs) over the course of about five months. And I learned many, many lessons along the way. About other people, about me, about potential, about self-belief and about the importance of love, encouragement and support. I learned that often, the people who get the least attention and encouragement are the ones who need it the most. I have always been mindful of that and have tried to live accordingly.

Over the last twenty five years, I've done lots of cool stuff. Spoken all over the world, worked on television and radio, met some amazing people, created a great company, written for newspapers and magazines but none of those things have given me the feeling and sense of achievement I experienced on that day thirty years ago. While I forget quite a lot of what I've done over the last two decades, I can remember that day and everything about it with absolute clarity. Every detail. Every feeling. Every emotion. It was a defining moment for me.

As an adult, I've learned that on some level, we're all fat, insecure kids craving attention, love, encouragement and support. I've also learned that to give those things, blesses me the giver as much as it does the receiver; it's healing for both. Everyday you and I have the opportunity to notice the un-noticed, love the un-loved, hug the un-hugged and to encourage and support those who are emotionally starving in a sea of humanity. We have the opportunity to make an incredible difference with a few simple words and a few minutes of our time.

Let's do that.

Autor: Craig Harper

Craig Harper (B.Ex.Sci.) is the #1 ranked Motivational Speaker (according to Google). He is a qualified exercise scientist, author, columnist, radio presenter, television host and owner of one of the largest personal training centres in the world. Motivational Speaker - Craig Harper

Added: December 11, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Strength Of Intent Determines Attracting Power

In using the law of attraction to manifest our desire, it is the strength of intent that determines our attracting power. Some of us make the mistake of having weak intention when intending with detachment. When we detach, it means we let go of the outcome so that we do not freeze the process of manifestation but allow it to happen freely. But we are still strongly intent on a particular outcome to happen. This combination of concentrated and relaxed attitude allows our desire to manifest powerfully and freely.

In business and relationship or any situation that involves the co-intentions of two or more parties, the strength of intent determines the attracting power of each individual. One is the seller or giver and the other is the buyer or receiver. When the seller simply hopes that someone will come along and buy, he sends out a weak thought form and weak vibration. There may be potential buyers with equally weak buying thought form and it is unlikely that both parties will be powerful enough to attract each other.

However, there might be a person who have a strong intent about what they want, are consciously making use of the law of attraction, and strongly believe in the outcome of finding and buying their ideal choice. The strong vibrations of the buyer, may be strong enough to reach out and be attracted to the weak vibrations of the seller, and they will soon be in communication with the seller and enter into negotiations, the outcome of which favors the buyer, because the seller has no other interested parties.

When the seller strongly intends that people will buy what he has to offer, then he will attract many weak vibration buyers and have the upper hand in the negotiations. If both buyer and seller project strong thought form vibrations, then they would both attract a wide variety of choices and buyers respectively and thereby ensuring the best possible deal. All of this activity takes place in the Universal Mind, which is also the collective subconscious minds, with each participant as the focal point of attraction.

It is most beneficial for everyone to intend strongly in whatever they want since the outcome is in favor of those with thought forms of the most powerful vibrations. A business owner with a strong intention for sales will attract a wide range of buyers who are both strongly and weakly seeking to purchase the goods and services of the type on offer. The vibrations of his thought form are powerful enough to reach even the weak thought forms of buyers who are only vaguely interested, thereby pulling them.

When the business owner does not have a strong vibrating thought form, the potential buyers with weaker thought forms that are actually in harmony with those particular goods or services will not be attracted, and their weak thought forms would continue to drift around in the Universal Mind seeking the minds of sellers with thought forms of sufficient strength to attract and pull them in. That is why the best products are not always the best selling because there is weak magnetism on part of the person selling.

As a person succeeds in business, their confidence and faith in this process grows, their thought forms become more powerful, thereby attracting increasingly more customers, overcoming increasingly more weak buying thought forms of potential customers. This is why successful business often go from strength to strength and those with owners who have no faith in their own success do not survive very long, even though they sell the same goods in the same location as the successful business owner.

This is also why successful business people seem to create even more businesses that become instantly successful whether they consciously use the law of attraction or not. Such business people have an unshakable confidence, knowing and faith that whatever they turn their mind to will instantly succeed. The powerful thought form and its success vibration operating in the sphere of the collective subconscious mind therefore ensures success. You cause everything you do to be a success with intention.

When the seller has no confidence in the success of his business, and merely hopes that customers will turn up to buy something, then the vibrations of the resulting thought form of this person would only attract buyers with a very powerful thought form for buying those particular goods or services from that particular seller. You limit your range of success and achievement when you intend to attract only those who truly want to buy what you sell. Most people do not even know what they should buy.

Having a strong intent also causes actions that produce a strong effect. Marketing and persuasion are actions involved in selling. When you have a strong intent to make lots of sales, your subconscious mind will guide you to market and persuade in such a way as to create the strongest buying effect. Therefore strong intent creates the strong attracting power on the level of direct psychic connection as well as the level of pure physical action. Combine mental power and physical action for the best results.

It is important to follow your intuition to support your quality of attraction. Your subconscious mind will always guide to take action to produce results that matches your level of intention. When you act in a way that feels best for producing your intended outcome, you will do the best actions that create the strongest attracting power. When you follow your intuition, it will also reinforce those good feelings which will perpetuate the strength of your vibration naturally. Intuition is the mirror partner of your intention.

Realize that is not enough to only allow yourself to be guided as to what to intend. You also need to put yourself wholly into the intention. Spirit requires your participation. Commit yourself and the universe commits with you. Be fully intentional and then after the act is done, detach to allow the manifestation process to take place unhindered. It is this combination of flowing and willing that activates the above and below forces most fully. Having strength of intent enables you to co-create with the divine powerfully.

Autor: Enoch Tan

Enoch Tan aims to help people achieve greater awareness in living and experiencing life, to evolve human consciousness to higher levels and to revolutionize the way we understand the mind and reality, because that is what governs every area of life and destiny. When you learn Secrets of Mind and Reality which is the science behind all Self Help, you'll become a Law of Attraction and Manifestation Master. Visit the site: Secrets of Mind and Reality

Added: December 11, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

You Can Have More Creativity And A Better Memory

The Australian Aborigines are the descendants of the original inhabitants of Australia. For uncounted thousands of years, they followed a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle, although most are settled today. The Aborigines adapted remarkably well to the huge area of the Australian continent. Without maps to help them navigate through the land, and without pen and paper to help them record their harsh environment and landscape, the Aborigines did remarkably well to navigate this vast continent and survived and thrived. Their sense of geography was not only highly accurate but also highly sophisticated. How did they do it? The Aborigines passed geographical information on by means of stories similar to myths, which were also recorded in artistic ornaments.

These stories speak of particular features of the land like a kind of road map.
Also, these stories have been immortalised in striking fashion by many Aborigine artists. By telling and retelling these stories, the Aborigines created an aid for their memory of the exact orientation of the land, while at the same time passing on their knowledge of the landscape. Generally, stories or fairy tales, dances or songs are ideal ways for creating images that we will remember as long as we live. You too can use this tool for your memory. But instead of using songs to remember a route, why not use a route that you are familiar with, like a bus or car route to work or school to help you remember everyday things, like shopping list or to-do list? Images form not only the basis of a good memory but also serve to inspire us to greater things. People have been using vivid imagery and imagination successfully as memory techniques or memory training. In addition creative use of such imagery can be used to enhanced a student's learning and study skills.

Not many of us can make sense of our dreams and often there is no need to. Dreams serve as a kind brain dump when neurons fire off in random fashion to help us dissipate the sheer weight of information that our senses perceived each day. But that is not to say there is nothing of value in dreams. Many writers and artists have been inspired through dreams. The Scottish writer Robert Louise Stevenson (1850 to 1894) composed many of his most famous stories, such as Treasure Island and Kidnapped, from images that came to him in dreams.

Although dreams cannot be influenced, there are some people who are able to play a role in controlling their dreams. Instead of non-participative bystander, such people can control dreams and thought connections. According to psychologists, this kind of dreaming can be learnt through a structured training process. Those who dream clearly can remember their nocturnal messages later on and can store useful notes in their personal creative database.

What can happen if, in your thoughts, you were to combine with the object at the center of a problem? You could then start spinning ideas from this viewpoint. Let's take for example you are a banker and you ask yourself how it would feel to be a dollar note or a coin? Or if you were an architect, how it would feel or how would the world around look like if you were a building or a bridge? If this technique does not help you, you can try "bundling" your thoughts. This technique, used for stimulating intuition, has been developed by psychologists. Write down on a blank piece of paper, the keyword from which you want ideas to spin off. For example, seemingly unrelated words and sentences are grouped around a central keyword, it is surprising what patterns and structures will emerge. You can then suddenly discover where the real problem lies.

With the keyword in the centre of the paper and in a circle, let things evolve and flow and allow your thoughts to just move you along. Write things down quickly, giving each idea its own circle until, from the centre, lines points out in all directions. Connect each word or phrase with a line to the circle before it. If the connection is broken when something new cannot be connected to the idea or term you thought of last, then start again with the core word. Allow the other thoughts to emerge until your associations are exhausted. Drawing comparisons is a key to creativity. This is a great way for you to recognise new relations, structures and openings that can give you fresh revelations, solutions or ideas.

Autor: Martin Mak

Martin Mak has developed a new program to help you improve your memory and learning experience. Find out how with his free and popular ecourse at => http://www.mightymemory.com/memoryarticle.html

Added: December 11, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

It s not your fault.

Copyright (c) 2007 Melisa Milonas LLC

I have adapted an approach in my life where I take responsibility for whatever happens, that means any result that shows up in my life whether it is good or bad. I always look for where I can be responsible for the results produced. This approach has given me so much freedom and space to create in my life.

I teach my clients to take on this approach, at first it is met with some resistance. Usually it is because they feel they are at fault or being blamed if they take responsibility. So they hold on to blaming external factors for the outcomes in their life.

There is a powerful distinction here that I want you to get. When you take responsibility for how a situation turns out that does not mean you are taking the blame. Instead you are simply acknowledging what you did that contributed to the outcome of the situation.

When you take responsibility for your part in a situation where an undesirable outcome was produced, you then have the power to say "if I did this which caused this undesirable outcome then I have the power to create a result that works". Another great benefit from always looking for where you can take responsibility is that you never feel like a victim. You realize you always have a choice and a say in how things go in your life. Feeling taken advantage of completely disappears from your point of view and belief system.

For me taking responsibility gives me great power over my life. I gain a sense of control over my life and the way it goes that empowers me. I will give you an example from my own life of where I took responsibility. I received my monthly email reminder to pay my student loan bill. I logged into my account and paid my student loan bill before the due date. A couple days after the due date passed I received a notice that stated I was past due. I freaked out because I knew I had paid. I went into my account and saw that I had paid the wrong loan. I had paid the loan that was not due yet.

When I had logged in to pay, the loan that appeared on the screen was not the one that was due, but I did not notice. I called the customer service number and complained, I said I paid my bill but I paid the wrong one because the screen showed me the one that was not due until later in the month. I felt really justified that it was their system that caused my mistake. They fixed the problem for me and made sure my account would not be affected by the late payment.

When I hung up the phone I realized how I put all the blame on the student loan company for the way they set up the pay bill page. I had felt like a victim and that they were tricking their customers by how they set their system. But then I got present to what I did and my role in the situation. I could have easily took the time to look at the loan number and due date to prevent the problem that occurred.

I have repeatedly created situations in my life where I get to be the victim and blame other people for what has happens to me. See for me I have always felt like a victim in my life and what I finally realized over the last couple of years is that I have created situations that fulfill that belief. Taking responsibility has given me so much freedom in my life and I no longer see myself as a victim but someone who creates and has choices.

I see this pattern and belief system of being a victim in many people. Taking responsibility does not mean you are at fault and have to take all the blame. Instead of feeling powerless and like you have no control over the way things go in your life you get access to being a creator and having choices.

Your assignment for this week: Look at a situation in your life right now where you may feel a loss of power or lack of control. It could be work, a relationship with a friend or partner, your fitness. Look and see what behaviors or way of being contributed to that outcome? Again, this is not a blame game or a time to make yourself feel bad. Simply list what you see that you have done to contribute to this outcome. Now look and see what other ways you can contribute to that situation that would have you produce results that work for you and give you power?

Autor: Melisa Milonas

Get FREE weekly easy step by step tools for boosting your self-confidence and feeling inspired. Sign up at http://www.aconfidentinspiredu.com

Added: December 11, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Spell success for your life with easy Feng Shui career tips

The main aspects of a person's life are health, wealth, personal relationships and career. Although catering to different sides of a person's personality, the four have an interconnectivity that regulates our life. Among all the career section is the most difficult to manage, as it depends not only among us but also on other individuals who may not even be aware of our existence. A job, for instance, will depend on the interviewer, you in turn will not even know about you, till the time you actually show up for the interview. Feng Shui career tips can help you in influencing these uncontrollable factors through the perfect balance of energy, vibes and elements. A little guidance can then help you sort out your career and life with the maximum ease.

A person's birth date can help to calculate the ruling number for his life, which is known as the kua. According to this number you will be able to determine the lucky and unlucky directions for you, which in turn will be related to the various aspects of your life. If you want to apply Feng Shui career tips, then it is important for you to know your success or sheng chi direction. Once that has been determined, it is advisable to sleep with your head pointed towards that direction to achieve overall success. You can also make better business decisions if you sit facing a direction that is favorable for you. Feng Shui career tips can also help in activating positive energies around you that will help you better deal with office politics, back stabbing by colleagues and the recognition for your hard work.

Some of us may go through our work life, feeling that we never achieve results to do justice to our efforts. A certain blockage seems to be undoing our every move and in this scenario, Feng Shui career advice can greatly benefit the individual. The water element is considered to be good to activate career luck. Under Feng shui tips, one could keep a water body like an aquarium or a fountain towards the northern part of his home or office. The aquarium can contain either goldfish or a terrapin turtle to activate his career luck. The more active the fish or the turtle the better will it be for one's career and job. However, before activating such luck, it is advisable to reconsider the fact whether you are ready to deal with such excess of energy.

Feng Shui career tips make use of simple rearrangement of furniture or objects around our living space, to enable the energy or chi to move around freely. Colors and elements that can be enhanced or reduced from certain corners of a room can work wonders in activating our career luck. Feng Shui is also a practice that emphasizes on the visual aspect of any object. If an object looks good, chances are that it will be good for you. Therefore, use pictures or colors that make you feel good about yourself and use the right tips to give you a successful career.

Autor: amit

Amit Bhalla works to help all those who want information about the latest and the best, most happening places in the city. To know more about local search services delhi, Conversion Service, Yellow Pages India, Local Search India, Feng Shui career tips visit www.myquest.in

Added: December 11, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Menopause: Your Renaissance Debut

Renaissance: a renewal of life, rebirth, revival, rejuvenation

Debut: first appearance, launch, premiere, coming out

While in previous generations menopause, often called the "change of life," marked the transition into old age, today's baby boom women are saying "watch out world, here I come!" What's different about this generation?

Well, for one thing, this is the first generation of midlife women who, for the most part, are culturally more free to call the shots in their lives (if they want to). We have earning opportunities most of our mothers and grandmothers didn't have, providing us with choices they didn't have.

Secondly we are living longer. Gail Sheehy, author of New Passages states: "A woman who reaches age 50—and remains free of cancer and heart disease—can expect to see her ninety-second birthday. . . a girl born in the US today has a one in three chance of living to 100."

Contrast that with just 100 years ago when life expectancy was about 40 years. The average woman died before making a midlife transition. She didn't have a second half of life to look forward to after completing her childrearing duties.

Thirdly, the 1960s consciousness raising phenomenon opened our psyches to greater awareness of our emotional and spiritual selves. Psychologically we now have what it takes to re-connect with our authentic self (or some might say, true self). We come into this world with gifts, talents, temperament, and a purpose or mission. Often these authentic parts of ourselves are repressed in childhood in order to be accepted by our family, and suppressed in young adulthood in order to fit in.

Just as the hormonal changes in adolescence are designed to force growth into adulthood, the hormonal changes at midlife are designed to force growth into the full bloom of the self we were born to be. Menopause is the time to reclaim our passion and contribute our unique gifts to the world. You might think of menopause as Mother Nature's fertilizer!

But here's the rub: Mother Nature provides the fertilizer, but it is up to us to create the environment in which to grow. This means excavating our authentic self from the deep, dark recesses of our subconscious mind, then renegotiating our important relationships to accommodate her. We cannot grow without making changes. Because this is a free will universe, it is our choice whether we bloom or fade in our midlife transition.

So what will your choice be. . . Renaissance woman or a re-creation of your mother's experience?

HINT: Renaissance women are a lot more exciting and fun to be with, so the upheaval that change creates is worth it. Really!

Autor: Jennifer T. Grainger

Jennifer T. Grainger is a Self-Discovery Coach helping midlife women make a successful transition into their second adulthood. She works with individuals as well as offers a TeleProgram for Midlife Women Finding What's Next. Self-discovery is a daunting journey worthy of support. Find out what sort of help is available from Jennifer: => http://www.JenniferGrainger.com

Added: December 11, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

The Secrets of Thought Power

We have been told that if we keep positive, think positive then we can create the life of our dreams, with the power of thought. How easy is that? Have you seen how quickly thoughts whiz through our minds.

Have you tried to monitor your thoughts? If you have, then you will know how fast they move through us. We have thousands of thoughts a day. It would be extraordinarily difficult to watch and direct all of our thoughts all of the time.

One minute they are here, next they have gone. Only to be replaced by other thoughts. Most of us in the West, suffer from a kind of mental diarrhea. This over active mind is sometimes called 'monkey mind'. Like a monkey jumping from branch to branch, our thoughts flit from subject to subject.

It takes extraordinary control and perhaps a very inactive life to get to the stage where we are in total control of our thoughts. Yet there is truth to the teaching that our thoughts create our lives.

But how can we have control over our thoughts?. They are too fluid, fast and ferocious for us to get a handle and take sovereignty over them. There is however, a way to indirectly control our thoughts....it is a powerfully effective way..

The key to our destiny lies in our emotions. Emotions are slower in vibration than our thoughts. We FEEL emotions, they linger, they are longer lived than thoughts. But more extraordinary, they have an impact on our thoughts. They dictate the kind and quality of our thoughts. You could say that they give our thoughts, WINGS.

You can prove the power of emotions yourself... very easily. What happens when you fall in love? The world looks different. Your thoughts automatically become positive. You see the good in the object of your love and you can even see the good in others. Nothing seems to fluster you. You feel buoyant and able to overcome whatever life presents you. And, intriguingly, your thoughts are positive, without you even trying to make them positive. You are in a positive groove.

Good feelings lead to positive thoughts. And because energy follows thoughts,when you FEEL good and happy, you start thinking happy, victorious thoughts. Happy thoughts are like seeds you plant. They start to grow and through the law of affinity, they start to resonate with all other positive thoughts around the world.

Your initial 'seed', the good thought, starts to grow and grow and grow and resonate, resonate, resonate with all the good thoughts around the globe. Then you find that you become inundated with positivity. This positivity goes a long way to drawing the people, events, objects to us, that will enable us to realise our dreams.

So, by being aware of the feelings we are entertaining, by being present and sensing how we are feeling, and switching our feelings to a more joyous, happier frequency, we start to change our thoughts and our DESTINY.

Autor: jasmine

Duncan Sequeira lives in London with his daughter and dog Daria. He is fascinated by the impact our innner life has on our personal and business life.He is passionate about health and wellbeing. He helps people build a global business from home. Find out more by checking his site httml:// http://www.pukkahealth.com

Added: December 10, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Life Coach: Making the Top Ten New Year Resolutions Permanent

This is not yet another article to give you advice or tell you what to do. Most people have a difficult time telling a five year old what to do let alone someone who has lived with an unwanted behavior for 5, 10, 15 or more years. This is an article about the basics of how to get the job done.

The mind is great at multitasking. This is why one can maintain several bad habits at once and this is why one can make several resolutions to replace those habits and accomplish them all. Before we get started with the top ten New Year Resolutions however one needs to understand some basic principals about the subconscious.

From your very first breath everything you have seen, heard, smelled, tasted or felt is stored in the subconscious mind. The subconscious uses this information to determine how you emotionally respond to your world. This is what is referred to as your subconscious programming. You are continually subject to the random information of the subconscious if you do not know how it works.

This is why there is an endless supply of advice givers because no one has taken the time to address the single most important question for goal setting, New Year Resolutions or just simply a change in behavior and that is "What determines a human behavior?" A New Year Resolution or setting a goal is all about fixing something that does not work. This brings up another question "Can you fix anything if you do not know how it works?" The answer to this is an emphatic no. It is the equivalent of banging on the top of your radio or TV when it goes on the blink and suddenly it starts working. You say to yourself...I guess I fixed it. Does it make any sense to guess when speaking in terms of the quality of your life and what you need for it to work?

Once you have an answer to the question (What determines human behavior?) you will need information on how to act upon the answer but first let's take a look at the top ten New Year Resolutions slightly revised by a Master Life Coach.

1) Learn the Process of What Determines Human Behavior

The resolution of changing any behavior always begins with a question and the question here is, "What determines human behavior?You are guessing how to accomplish your New Year resolutions if you cannot answer this question. Without learning the process of what determines a behavior it is unlikely you will be able to permanently change any behavior so this question needs to be number one on your list.

2) Spend More Time with Family & Friends

Love is your most powerful emotional state and spending more time with people you love assists in solidifying this emotional state. If you underhand how an emotional state comes about you can maintain this powerful state in the absence of family and friends.

3) Health, Fitness and Weight Loss

Fifty-five percent of adults in America are overweight so this has become a popular New Year Resolution. Evidence of this is the packed Health Clubs in January. Weight Loss is almost a 40 billion dollar a year industry. Every year it is a rehash of the same old things and people continue to buy them. At some point you need to ask yourself if you have control over your eating behavior. If the answer is no or not really then it is time to get control of what is controlling you.

4) Quit Smoking

Smoking is more than just a habit it is a physiological addiction. This is why you must attack this problem from two fronts. There are a number of different ways to immediately address the physiological part of the equation but the behavior must be addressed at the same time in order to permanently kill the habit. When the habit is not addressed along with the physiological side of the problem more harm than good can be done. This happens when you continue to smoke while wearing a patch or using other pharmaceuticals to kill the addiction.

5) Enjoy Life More

This seems like it would be so simple but if you do not understand how an emotional state comes about this is easy to say but very difficult to accomplish.

6) Quit Drinking

While many people use the New Year as an incentive to finally stop drinking, most are not equipped with the skills in taking control of their subconscious. If you do not run the subconscious the subconscious is going to run you.

7) Get Out of Debt

Was money a big source of stress in your life last year? Out of control dept often means out of control emotionally. Making yourself feel better can many times involve overspending. If you begin to understand how an emotional state comes about then you need not overspend to attempt to affect it.

8) Learn Something New

Challenge your mind in the coming year, and your horizons will expand. Especially if you are learning how the subconscious works and how to take control of it.

9) Help Others

This is a popular, non-selfish New Year resolution. As human beings our only real value is what we can do for other people.

10) Get Organized

Organization is the key to permanently maintaining a long New Year Resolution List but where do you start. You start by taking control of what allowed you to become disorganized to begin with and that is of course the supreme ruler in your life, the subconscious. Getting control of the clutter in the subconscious will bring about organization automatically in our lives.

The reason all New Year Resolutions gets down to the subconscious is because the subconscious runs approximately four times faster than you can speak and right now you have no idea what it is doing. The conscious and subconscious is like a rope tow with the vat of mud in the middle. The conscious is one person on one side against the subconscious which is four people on the other side. If consciously you say to yourself, I want to lose weight, quit smoking etc. it is usually a losing proposition because you are outnumbered with information. In other words if you do not understand how to take control of the subconscious you will almost always be out gunned by the subconscious.

Until you learn how to recognize access and change your subconscious programming your New Year Resolutions will probably always be carried over to the next year. The question before you make a New Year Resolution is "Do I want control over my New Year Resolutions?" If the answer to this question is yes then the first step is to get control of your subconscious.

Autor: Kelly Burris

THE Burris Life Coach is the only clinically proven process for depression and the foundation for THE Burris Life Coach for Adults and THE Burris Life Coach Ages 7-17. For more about Kelly and becoming a Certified Burris Life Coach please visit www.KellyBurris.com.

Added: December 10, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

5 Hanukkah Quotes to Celebrate an Amazing Religious Holiday

It's that time of year and what better way to celebrate the holiday of Hanukkah than with some inspiring and uplifting Hanukkah quotes? Miracles are in short supply, and a jug of oil refilling itself for eight days is something to remember for eternity. Whether it's your favorite holiday of the year or you're not fully sure what it's all about, these 5 Hanukkah quotes are the perfect way to get into this wonderful Jewish holiday.

1. "They celebrated it for eight days with gladness like Sukkot and recalled how a little while before, during Sukkot, they had been wandering in the mountains and caverns like wild animals.So carrying lulavs. ..they offered hymns of praise to God who had brought to pass the purification of His own place." ~ II Maccabees 10. 6-7

2. "The miracle, of course, was not that the oil for the sacred light - in a little cruse - lasted as long as they say; but that the courage of the Maccabees lasted to this day:let that nourish my flickering spirit. ~ Charles Reznikoff

3. "In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it "Christmas" and went to church; the Jews called it "Hanukkah" and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say "Merry Christmas!" or "Happy Hanukkah!" or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!'" ~ Dave Barry

4. "The lights of the Hanukkah menorah that we kindle in our homes are a reminder both of the Menorah in the Temple in Jerusalem and the light that shines brightly within each one of us. For as it says in Proverbs 20:27 -- The candle of God is the soul of man." ~ Libi Astair

5. "At this time of year, when the sun is most hidden, the holiday of Hanukkah celebrates the rays of hope and light. Indeed, the physical darkness of this time of year can be a metaphor for the darkness that often envelopes us at times of illness and loss of a loved one, when the world sometimes feels dark and cold. At such times, we yearn for the sun, and the light and warmth that it provides. Often, it is through simple and unrecognized miracles that we are able to feel the warmth of hope and light." ~ Rabbi Rafael Goldstein

Miracles, celebration, triumph -- they are all a part of the Hanukkah tradition. This year as we celebrate the Hanukkah season, let's remember the true spirit of the holiday with these five Hanukkah quotes.

Autor: Noel Jameson

For more famous quotes, check out the popular Famous-Quotes-And-Quotations.com, a website that specializes in 'Top 10' lists of quotations in dozens of categories.

Added: December 10, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

The Midlife Transition: Are You in it?

Did you know that today's midlife women (ages 40 to 65) are the first generation of women to be culturally free to transition into their Second Adulthood?

Did you know that the midlife transition often includes:

- being dissatisfied with your life, your career, and your important relationships that have provided fulfillment for a long time.

- feeling anxious or restless and wanting to do something completely different, but not really knowing what it is.

- feeling confusion about who you are really, or where your life is going.

Most of our mothers and grandmothers never had a chance to blossom into their Authentic Selves. Trained from childhood to be subservient, and being financially dependent in a patriarchal society, they were expected to fade into the background, their main value being unpaid babysitters and community volunteers. Instead of fading some had "nervous breakdowns."

The Current Generation of Baby Bloomer Women Are Simply Not Going To Stand For It!

However, navigating the midlife transition is a daunting journey. There are very few role models to turn to. With the lack of a road map, and many external pressures for you to not change, the results are predictable: feelings of anger, guilt, confusion, doubt, anxiety, and the fear of being selfish.

Did you know that the midlife hormonal changes that can cause anxiety, fatigue, depression, fuzzy thinking, and mood swings are your body's way of telling you to STOP and PAY ATTENTION to yourself?

You'd think paying attention to yourself would be an easy thing to do.

It's not!

After spending the first half of your life caring for everyone else, you might find the connection to your Authentic Self high on the endangered species list!

I often hear women say, "But it feels so selfish to think about what I want." When they become convinced that "giving from a full cup" is beneficial to everyone, then I hear, "Wow, I didn't know it would be so hard to pay attention to what I want!"

The good news is:

- all of this is NORMAL

- there is plenty of help available

- when you successfully transition into your Second Adulthood, the people who resisted your changes the most, (including yourself) will receive the most benefit of engaging with you as a joyful and contented person who is passionately living her life On Purpose.

Here are a couple of books I found useful:

- Inventing the Rest of Our Lives: Women in Second Adulthood: What Matters: What Works: What's Next, by Suzanne Braun Levine

- If Not Now, When? Reclaiming Ourselves at Midlife, by Stephanie Marston

- Navigating Midlife: Women Becoming Themselves, Robyn Vickers-Willis

Lastly, don't be mislead by our youth obsessed culture. The rewards of being able to live authentically far outweigh the youth obsession. I am sure you have had the experience of seeing an older woman whose inner and outer beauty made it hard not to stare. Being a beautiful, attractive, mature woman gets easier every day with eating right, exercising (including facial muscles), good skin care, and thinking positively. That's what I am going for!

Autor: Jennifer T. Grainger

Jennifer T. Grainger is a Self-Discovery Coach helping midlife women make a successful transition into their second adulthood. Self-discovery is a daunting journey worthy of support. Find out what sort of help is available from Jennifer and register for the free 5 part article titled: 5 Things You Need to Know About Entering Second Adulthood by visiting: http://www.JenniferGrainger.com

Added: December 10, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Being Above Average?

Copyright (c) 2007 Patric Chan

If you do what you're expected to do, don't expect an outstanding result, my friend.

Study successful people and you'll sure to discover one thing that many of them would have in common... they live by that words of "always do more than what is expected of you."

I don't care. I wouldn't mind sleeping an hour less everyday if it means I will have the time to build my wealth.

Whether you are mowing people's lawn or someone is mowing your lawn, when you are teaching a seminar or being a participant, or when sharing your knowledge or giving advice to your people, always do or give more than what people expect. Then they will flock around you, they will line up to meet you and be happy to support you in whatever thing that you want to do next.

If you're training to be a champion, don't just train like an average player. Train more than you're expected to train.

If you're building a multi-level marketing business, increase the numbers of prospects you would like to meet everyday. If it used to be 10, now you would have at least 12. By just increasing your effort 20%, you'll end up with 60 new prospects a month. Now, that's what I called exponential.

Trying to win a girl's heart? I'm not surprise that you could be "competing" with three other guys for the same girl. And you can only win if you're giving more than all of them if everyone's equal. I'm not saying giving more money or buying stuff' give love, time or whatever that counts to her.

Whenever you are interacting with people or in a relationship, treat the other party extremely well.

Whatever is expected of you in that relationship, be it with your girlfriend or business partner or client, your spouse or your friend, always do or give more than what is expected of you in that relationship for that is the secret of making it a success.

It is not that you have to do or give a whole lot more; you have to do just a little bit more than the rest. That's it. The 10mm-difference is what Anthony Robbins calls it for you to become outstanding... in any undertaking.

To do this, it's not difficult. But most people are just too lazy to put in the effort. I'm one of them but I'll always keep reminding myself this' winner takes all. There is no place for number two. I would rather strive with the extra effort to get #1 because the pay off is many times greater.

I don't suppose you know who is the second best basket player? Nope. You can remember Michael Jordan because he's #1. In fact, as far as I know, there's no such place as 'the second best basketball player'.

Who's the second fastest runner in the world? Who knows. I just know the #1.

Others have called this 'more than expected attitude' as 'going for the extra mile'. They don't call it the extra 10 miles.

How come?

Because the average persons don't bother to do more than what is expected of them. I know it's sad but that's the truth.

To most people, "always do more than what is expected of you" are mere words and they don"t put substance to it because people are greedy and they just want to do the bare minimum to make money, to make a profit or whatever.

And guess what... successful people are above average people.

To be generous and to treat others extremely well, you must come from the perspective of abundance thinking. Then only "always doing more than what is expected of you" will come easy and naturally.

So the next time you are with somebody, or in a business negotiation, or just interacting with another person, ask how can I help you... and not expect any thank you or payment.

As the other saying goes-- you have to give, in order to get. In fact, if you want to gather riches you have to be as generous as you can. Touch people's lives profoundly, in ways that they would never forget. Give it forward... help another and that person will help another. Always do more than what is expected of you. Do this and the reward will come to you 10 folds or 100 folds when you are least expecting it.

Do you think you can do more than what you're doing today? Of course you can. The question is... DO YOU WANT OR NOT? This is something you have to decide for yourself.

Autor: Patric Chan

Patric shares his latest, original tips and ideas on how to become wealthier at http://www.patricchan.name. Youll also get to access a free video course exposing the system he uses to make more money each time he NEEDS it.

Added: December 10, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

The Secret: Does it Really Work?

The Secret exploded onto the world stage, particularly after a number of The Teachers appeared on shows like Oprah and Larry King.
I bought mine straight away and I loved it. I still rate it as one of my all time favorites.

Lots of people got really excited about it.

"At last", they cried, "NOW I understand. All I have to do is focus my thoughts on what I want, and change the language in my head. I can manifest ANYTHING I think about. As long as I think about it hard enough and long enough".

"I want to get results...and fast. I shouldn't have to wait for months or years to achieve my dreams. I am going to practice LOTS of visualizing and positive self talk. I'll get my Dream Life...NOW"

They eagerly watched The Secret over and over in anticipation that this would bring them their goals. They visualized their goals all day long. They made Vision Boards and Lists of Goals. They kept a Gratitude Journal.

Now these are all extremely useful tools. Use them.

But does only this really work? Is it possible just to manifest things just like this? Really?

This is where The Secret falls short. When you watch it you get the expectation that you can manifest your dream out of nowhere. That belief and faith will automatically bring you what you want. Well...yes, and..no!

You MUST take action.

Mike Dooley says: "Thoughts Become Things"

A friend of mine Gideon Shalwick's has a great quote that he uses: "Thoughts are only potential things. They become things only through specifically directed action."

The Secret DVD only briefly mentions taking action. But it needs to be really spelt out.

Focus on your goal. Visualize it with feeling and excitement. Repeat it in your head or out loud. But here is the important missing bit.... . every time you get a little idea just popping into your head about ways to get closer to what you want, you MUST act upon it. (Bob Doyle says: "You might get some inspired idea of some action to take".) That little idea is The Universe responding to you reaching out saying..."This is what I want".

Being focused and thinking constantly about your goals is important; you must focus on what you want. (John Assaraf says: "You become what you think about most but you also attract what you think about most").

But unless you DO something you are just a dreamer. Unless you ACT, Nothing will become.

"The Science of Getting Rich" was the little book which inspired The Secret DVD. One of the topics that Wallace D Wattles describes in his book is about taking action:

"... man must not only think, but his personal action must supplement his thought. By thought you can cause the gold in the hearts of the mountains to be impelled toward you; but it will not mine itself, refine itself, coin itself into double eagles, and come rolling along the roads seeking its way into your pocket. Your pocketbook is not going to be transformed into Fortune's purse, which shall be always full of money without effort on your part. This is the crucial point in The Science of Getting Rich; right here, where thought and personal action must be combined. There are very many people who, consciously or unconsciously, set the creative forces in action by the strength and persistence of their desires, but who remain poor because they do not provide for the reception of the thing they want when it comes.

BY THOUGHT, THE THING YOU WANT IS BROUGHT TO YOU; BY ACTION YOU RECEIVE IT."

And you must act NOW. Do not wait until you are in the perfect situation, the perfect job, the perfect relationship. NOW is the only time you have. My friend Sherry who works in my local Organic Fruit and vegetable shop told me this the other day:

PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE

The Past is History

The Future is a Mystery

The Present is your Gift: Do It NOW

Put your whole mind and strength and act to the very best of your ability in the situation in which you presently find yourself. Do your absolute best in your current job today to provide service for your customers, your employer and your work colleagues. Be the best person you can with everyone you meet. Look after your health today as if your body was a sacred temple (it is).

Make every day a successful one. A successful day is when you have done the best you can, when you have been as efficient as you possibly can. You know if you have dallied around and wasted time and energy - having days like that actually take energy from you, disconnect you from The Universe. They don't feel good; YOU don't feel good.

Make very day a winner.

Now this doesn't mean that you should work yourself to the bone, working late with long hours and running around after the whims of other people. That is not successful.

If your days are ALL successful, you are moving in the right direction. Keep holding a clear image in your head of what you want, while being deeply grateful and The Universe will respond to you and bring you closer and closer to your dreams.

So - Does The Secret Really Work?

Well yes, and..no! It has made us aware that we can consciously use our brains to focus our thinking and putting our intention towards where we want to go. And as you change on the inside, you expose yourself to larger possibilities, BUT, when those possibilities come along, then this is the time to ACT.

Have a fabulously successful day.

Autor: Winsome Coutts

Winsome Coutts is a writer for Global Secrets International. Her interests are The Secret Movie, The Law of Attraction & Personal Development/Self Help. For free downloads, heaps of info and self help tools visit her website: http://www.the-secret-dvd.net/

Added: December 10, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Tuscan and Modern Italian

Modern Italian, as is often the historical case with many languages, is a dialect that has succeeded in being adopted as the proper language of a larger region than the one corresponding to the land where the local dialect is spoken. While a variety of dialects continue to exist in conversational settings, the Tuscan dialect, spoken in Florence, Pisa and Siena, has become the dominant dialect.

Interestingly, this is not because of political or demographic reasons as normally happens, but thanks to the cultural prestige it carries due to the fact that it was the language of the famed "Divina Comedia". This literary work written in the early years of the 14th century was considered the first literary work authored in the "modern language."

The Tuscan dialect is indeed the one in which renown authors such as Dante Alighieri, Petrarca and Boccaccio wrote. These three authors were considered the most well known Italian Renaissance writers. The economic success and development of the Tuscan region during the late Middle Ages gave the dialect extra weight despite the continued influence of the Venetian dialect.

The Italian languaeg is related to the other two Italo-Dalmatian languages, Sicilian and the now extinct Dalmatian. These three languaegs are part of the Italo-Western familyof Romance languages. Italian is considered to be the Romance language nearest to Latin in terms of vocabulary other Romance languages are closer to Latin in terms of noun declension, verb conjugation, and phonology.

In Italy, all languages spoken as the vernacular other than standard Italian are termed "Italian dialects". These include various recognized groups such as Friulian, Neapolitan, Sardinian, Sicilian, and Venetian.

Other dialects are generally not used in the public square and are largely limited to informal conversations. Demographically, the younger generations tend to speak standard Italian almost exclusively though local accents and idioms do continue to be present.

The Italian language is of course spoken mainly in Italy, where it is the national language and is spoken by approximately 63 million people. It also spoken in two cantons (Ticino and Grigioni) of Switzerland where it is also known as an official language.

Italian speaking communities however reach far beyond Italy. Italian speakers are found in England, Belgium, the various republics of the former Yugoslavia, Monaco, Molta and Argentina Others are found Uruguay, Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, Chile, United States and Canada.

A large community of Italian speakers numbering approximately half a million is also found in Australia. Substantially smaller numbers of speakers in the former Italian colonies of Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and Lybia.

Autor: Jacob Lumbroso

Jacob Lumbroso is a world traveler and an enthusiast for foreign languages and cultures. He writes articles on history and languages and has used Pimsleur Italian courses for learning Italian.

Added: December 10, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

When Bad Things Happen To Good People: Know What To Do

Most of us like to blame others for the misfortunes in our lives. We like to think that bad things happen to us, rather than because of us.

But this is not necessarily so. While we can not control what happens around us, we can control who we are and what we think.

And in doing so, we can create the life we want to live, or we can stand in the way of our own success.

In truth, we change every part of our world ' whether for good or for bad.

1) Warning signs that you are in your own way

As hard as it might be for us to admit, we play a large role in the outcome of our lives.

Even science has proven this fact. When we change the way we think, we change the vibration of our atoms in our bodies which then change the interaction with the rest of the atoms in the world.

While this might seem far-fetched, the truth is that we affect everything around us ' even if we can't see that we are.

To help illuminate you, here are some warning signs that you might be getting in the way of your own dreams:

a) You know what you want, but can't seem to get it

b) You feel like you should give up hope

c) You don't feel like you deserve the thing you want

d) You seem to be trapped in a bad cycle of events

e) You're repeating the same behaviors or relationships

When you start to see some of these signs, it might be time to change the way that you're looking at your life as well as how you are reacting to it.

2) Are you breaking these laws?

The laws of attraction are all around us. Whatever we do to someone else will generally come back to us, whatever negative energy we give off, that will also be returned to us.

You might simplify that in like attracts like. When you don't realize these laws in your life, you can put yourself into situations that aren't going to help you get more out of your experience.

These laws create the ultimate responsibility for you: whatever you are thinking or doing, you are creating the increased or decreased chance for things to be better.

When you stop to think about it right now, you can probably see how you are negatively affecting your life.

A simple example is thinking that you are never going to get a new job. That kind of thinking leads to your not looking for a new job in the first place, thus you're not getting a new job.

3) What happens when you put out negative energy?

Negative energy can almost be likened to a virus in the way that it spreads. You feel this when you're with a group of negative people.

Once one person starts to complain about their lives, everyone else feels they need to do so as well. But if one person points out their happiness, the others will start to see the happiness as well.

The point is that you can create your life and your dreams by changing the way that you think and the negative energy that you have in your behavior and your mind.

4) Turning the sinking ship around

Changing the way you think is not as hard as you might think. What you need to simply do is become aware of the way that you are thinking and then decide if it is helping you or not.

In many cases, you will find that your thinking is not very helpful, so you will want to change it somehow. This requires trying to find the 'bright side' to the things and the beliefs that you have in your mind.

When you have a negative thought, you might simply ask yourself quietly, is this helping me or is this hurting me?

By stopping to notice your thought, you are causing it to weaken. And that creates the opportunity for you to change the way you live.

Everyone thinks something negative during the day, but it's how we relate to that thought that will create a better or worse existence.

If you want to live your dreams and have the things you want in your life, you need to believe that you can have them. You need to create positive energy more times than not and get out of your own way.

And changing your mind is the first step.

Autor: Cucan Pemo

If you know DEEP in your Heart and Soul that both yourself and your Spouse and lover are meant to live your Lives TOGETHER, watch this FREE Save My Marriage Video tutorial and learn how to save your Relationship TODAY with my POTENT strategies! Gain INSTANT ACCESS to even more FREE Advice, Save Relationship Reports, Strategies, Videos and Tactics and learn how to get an ex back NOW!

Added: December 8, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Welcome to Earth School!

Find your desk. Sharpen your pencils. Get ready to learn. You're officially enrolled in Earth School. That's right. Earth School. Where you learn who you are.

There are no easy classes here. All will be challenging if you're ready to really dig in, work, and accept what's taught. But the potential rewards are rich -- joy, life balance and inner peace. There's no graduation, no final diploma. The beauty of Earth School is that there are always more lessons to sign up for.

In Earth School everything is individualized. Your lessons are tailored to what you need to learn. Do you need to learn to stand up for yourself? There will be lots of chances to observe and practice this skill in Earth School. Do you need to learn to listen to others? You'll find lots of opportunities to try techniques and learn what works for you.

Everyone can be a teacher in Earth School. Nature teaches us. People of all ages teach us. Even animals can teach us. We teach ourselves and others.

Earth School. You've figured it out, haven't you? It's what others have called the school of life. Many are enrolled, but few are truly aware and learning.

If you believe life just happens to you, you're not ready to learn. If you believe you're entitled - to a job, wealth, fame, whatever - you're not a true student. To get the most out of your time in Earth School, you need to be open and accept that you make choices about how you act.

If you truly engage, here are some important lessons you'll learn in Earth School:

Every day and every experience is an opportunity to learn.

Mistakes are going to happen. Embrace them. Learn from them. Don't be afraid of mistakes. They're often better teachers than success.

It's okay to ask for help. In fact, it's necessary. None of us can do this alone. Sometimes you'll ask a friend, neighbor, or colleague. Sometimes you may use prayer or meditation. The important thing is to let go of the idea that it's bad to need help and ASK.

Living in the moment makes you strong. Most of us spend a lot of time replaying past events or worrying about what's going to happen. It's difficult to release our concerns about the past and the future, but living in the present brings great peace and joy.

Let go of fear, worry, and panic. They get in the way of positive action. Try approaching problems with the attitude that "there's always a solution." Relax. Pray. Meditate. A solution will very likely appear.

There's a right time for every lesson. Don't let others push you through a learning stage too quickly. Trust yourself. You'll know when you're ready to move on.

You are a unique and wonderful being. No on else has your combination of traits and talents, so celebrate yourself.

The ultimate lesson of Earth School is that God - however you define that - LOVES us. Your task is to learn to love yourself.

Autor: Nanette Victoria

AUTHOR INFO Nanette Victoria is a spiritual coach, teacher, and counselor. She utilizes her background and training in psychology, metaphysics, hypnotherapy, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), dance, and clairvoyance to assist people along their journey. Nanette believes that all people seek the same thing -- that which is deep peace, that which is love. Her mission with each client is to heal the thinking and restore the mind to its natural place which is serenity, stillness, and love. Once that is achieved, the rest will fall sweetly into place. Visit http://www.NanetteVictoria.com Sign up for Nanette's Daily Word email at: NanetteVictoria@aol.com

Added: December 8, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Classroom Management: Students Who Fall Through The Cracks

Many experts in education agree that the majority of students who are causing classroom management problems usually fall into one of four categories: attention seekers, power seekers, revenge seekers, and those avoiding repeated failure.

Let's focus on this last group...those students who are avoiding repeated failure.

As a middle school social studies teacher this is one I see all the time. By the time these students have gotten to 8th grade they have experienced enough failure in school that their goal is simply to avoid any more. It is much easier on this student's self-esteem to not do the assignment than it is to do the assignment and fail again.

Therefore, these students withdraw from the classroom (and the system).

These are the students who come up with excuse after excuse why they did not turn in the assignment, the ones who appear to be sleeping with their eyes open, the ones who so easily fall through the cracks...

While these students may not be causing outright behavior problems, it is still a classroom management issue.

Why?

Simple, these students take up a great deal of the teacher's time...the teacher needs to continuously try to get these students on task thereby taking time away from the lesson while at the same time providing more opportunity for other students to "act-out".

Plus, it is simply exhausting work for the teacher.

Therefore, it is easy for teachers to simply stop putting in so much effort to help these students who are refusing to help themselves. As teachers we feel there is only so much we can do so at some point we just stop...which is exactly what the student wants us to do and it is exactly why so many of these students "fall through the cracks".

However, we can't let this happen. As teachers it is our job to make sure these students DON"T fall through the cracks.

So what's a teacher to do?

Well, for one, teachers should be very careful about comparing students. Teachers compare students all the time in their classes and this can do a great deal of damage to those "at-risk" students.

Here are some examples of how teachers compare students on regular basis in the classroom:

1. Posting student's grades. Even with a "secret code", posting student grades still has the "at-risk" student seeing his low grade compared to all the other high grades.

2. Posting number of books read, spelling words right, best artwork has the "at-risk" student seeing himself as not able to read, spell, or draw.

3. Putting a student's name on the board when they break a rule is a humiliation that can last a lifetime.

I am not trying to tell teachers not to do these things...I realize that many are common teacher practices. I also realize that teachers want to honor students who did put in the effort by displaying their work and that this can have a positive effect on many students by providing quality examples of a teacher's expectations.

However, I also think it is important for teachers to be aware of the affect that these practices may have on the at-risk students.

As we know, these "at-risk" students easily fall through the cracks of the system, the question is... are we as teachers actually contributing to this...are we actually "pushing" them through the cracks?

Autor: Adam Waxler

If you can't manage your classroom you can't teach! Fortunately, Adam Waxler, a full-time social studies teacher and adjunct education professor, has developed a FREE 5-part classroom management e-course. For more information about this FREE course visit: http://www.Classroom-Management-Tips.com

Added: December 9, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Taking Cost of Living Into Account When Assessing An Overseas Nursing Contract

One of the scariest things about moving your nursing career overseas is the feeling of uncertainty when it comes to accepting a contract. Many questions go through your head, is this enough money? How much will it cost to live? Will I have enough to send home?

When looking at an employment contract for a nursing job abroad it is very easy to focus on the salary you'll be receiving and judge the medical recruiter's offer on that basis alone. However, should you fall into this trap you could be robbing yourself of some very attractive opportunities...

If you want to send money home, or have enough money to travel with and take advantage living in another country, then it is not the salary offered that you should be looking at when deciding if a contract is worth signing or not. What you need to be considering is the amount of money you will have left over at the end of the month, or you disposable income.

Disposable income is the difference between the income you receive in your pay packet and what you have to spend to live. Many factors affect your disposable income, and you need to consider them all when you are assessing a nursing employment contract.

Firstly, and probably most importantly, the cost of housing in the area where you will be nursing will have serious impact on how much money you have left at the end of the month. To find out how much accommodation will cost you - use the power of the internet. You can Google something like '1 bedroom apartment Albany New York'. And take a look at what is on offer with the letting agents that come up. Alternatively you can try to find the name of a local newspaper and check the classified section for 'Apartments for Rent'.

You may find that accepting a nursing job in an area which has a low cost of housing, or one where housing is included will result in you having a higher disposable income, even if the salary figure is lower than you are being offered in other places.

The second highest expense would probably be your food bill, and the cost of food can vary drastically, even within a country. The cost of food includes your groceries that you bring home and cook for yourself, and also the food and drink that you purchase while you are out. To find out how the cost of food will affect your budget you can again use the power of the internet. Many restaurants now have internet sites and you can even check out their menu and the cost of things like their set meal.

Of course there are some exceptions to this rule. If you are only going to shop at large chain stores and eat at restaurants like McDonalds then your cost of living will be largely unaffected by your food purchases because these companies generally set one price for across the country.

Now, between countries, that's different. You can actually use McDonalds to help you compare the cost of living between two countries. Each year economists work out the Big Mac Index which compares the cost of living in a number of countries and shows the information as how much a Big Mac costs. So the USA has a Big Mac cost of a dollar and places like Sweden have a higher Big Mac cost, but countries where it is cheap to live, like Indonesia, have a Big Mac cost of less than a dollar. It is a very rough guide to the cost of living in different countries.

Lastly, when working out your disposable income remember to use your take home pay when you work it out rather than your salary pre-tax. Unless you are nursing in the United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia you probably will not receive a tax free income.

Autor: Kelly Blackwell

Get the definitive guide to nursing jobs overseas, the only place you'll find all the facts about moving your career abroad quickly and easily.

Added: December 9, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Divorce Recovery Resistance to Change - How to Sabotage Your Divorce Recovery without Even Trying

Recovery from divorce requires us to make changes in our lives. Lots of changes. No big surprise here. For example, divorce almost always forces us to make changes in our relationships, our finances, our living arrangements, our health-related activities, our self-development, and our recreational and social activities.

The logical prescription to speed our transition from being unhappily married to happily unmarried is straightforward: make the necessary changes ASAP! No problem. Why, then, don't we do it? Why are we universally reluctant to do the obvious and make the changes that would improve our life after divorce?

The answer? RESISTANCE TO CHANGE! Resistance to change is our reluctance to make a positive change because of personal reasons.

1. A Personal Example

What I did when my first marriage ended is an example of how resistance to change prevents us from making a swift and smooth recovery from divorce. After eight years of marriage, my wife and I agreed it was over. We had tried several things to save it - couples counseling, communication training weekends, couples retreats, individual therapy. These efforts only served to reinforce our belief that a divorce was the right thing to do. Even though a judge had not signed any paper yet, the harsh reality was the marriage was over.

2. Three Ways Resistance to Change Can Ruin Your Divorce Recovery

Three things prevented me from moving on and making my recovery from divorce.
(1) FEAR - I was afraid of an unknown future.
(2) LOSS - I did not want to lose my "perfect life fantasy" of being married "til death do us part" with a loving wife and living with two wonderful daughters.
(3) SKILLS - I did not believe I had the ability to live successfully as a single man. These three things illustrate the three causes of resistance to change, which had me firmly in its grasp.

3. Cause #1 of Resistance to Change - Fear of an Unknown Future

I could not guarantee my future would be happy. I could not guarantee that I would meet someone new. My disaster fantasy was that I would never find true love again and would live alone and lonely the rest of my life. This fear paralyzed me and prevented me from moving into the next chapter of my life.

4. Cause #2 of Resistance to Change - Distress Over Loss

Moving on meant I would lose daily access to my two daughters. It also meant I would lose the stability of a daily living routine. But most importantly, it meant I would lose the hopes, dreams, and assumptions about our family I had been collecting ever since my wife and I met.

For example, I had hoped my family would last forever. I had assumed I would be involved daily in my daughters' lives. I had dreamed of growing old with my wife. My parents were married 67 years, so why not me too? Taking the active steps to recover would force me to admit that these hopes, dreams, and assumptions were shattered. The loss seemed more than I could handle. Hence, I put off moving on and thereby delayed my recovery from divorce.

5. Cause #3 of Resistance to Change - Uncertainty over the Operational Aspects

Logic-based resistance to change reflects our reluctance to make a change because we do not understand or agree with the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and/or How of the change. My logic-based resistance was based partly in my uncertainty about some How's and Who's of dating.

I had not dated for over nine years. I was convinced I would not be able to date without thoroughly embarrassing myself. I was stuck on such issues as ' "How do you date?" "Who will I date?' "Where will I find people to date?" As long as I pretended I did not have to take control of my divorce recovery, I did not have to confront my ineptitude with dating.

6. So How Can You Use This?

One fact exists, resistance to change happens to EVERYONE. It will happen to you. Be aware of its causes and be alert to your fears, your reactions to loss, and your confusion over the operational nuts and bolts of making a recovery. It's all about taking the next step. Making the next change. You can be paralyzed by resistance to change as I was, or you can confront the resistance and dissolve it, thus enabling you to get on with the next chapter in your life.

Some questions to ask yourself that will help guide you on your recovery might include - What about the future do you fear today? What about "how things used to be" are hard for you to give up? Are you confident that you have the skills and knowledge to make your recovery?

Autor: Jerald Young, Ph.D.

You do not have to replicate my experience. For more insight into how to minimize the impact of resistance to change on your swift and smooth recovery from divorce, visit http://www.smoothdivorcerecovery.com/details/methodology.htm For an assessment of your Divorce Recovery Stress Level, visit http://www.smoothdivorcerecovery.com/stress/index.htm I am Jerald Young, a divorce recovery coach. I help clients return their life to normal ASAP.

Added: December 9, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Nursing Careers Overseas Frequently Asked Questions

Regardless of your motivation for moving your nursing career overseas, you will have many of the same questions as others who want to nurse abroad. Here are the answers to three of the questions that I am asked most frequently...

Where can I get a nursing job overseas?
Most developing countries are suffering from an increasingly severe nursing shortage. They simply are not training enough nurses each year to replace the nurses that are reaching retirement age. This is an immediate problem for countries which also have an aging population who are putting more strain on the health systems in those countries.

Countries like the USA, the UK, Australia and New Zealand all have a significant number of internationally educated nurses already working in their health systems. And there are still many vacancies that nursing recruiters are unable to fill!

If you are already a registered nurse at home, moving your nursing career overseas to any English speaking country is only limited by your ability to speak the language well enough to pass the required English language test. Similarly, if you are a qualified nurse who is fluent in a language other than English, Arabic or Cantonese for example - there are many nursing vacancies abroad in the United Arab Emirates or Singapore.


How do I get a job nursing abroad?
Each country has their own way of registering nurses. And nurses who want to nurse abroad in the United States, Australia or Canada face the added challenge of being required to register with the State Board of Nursing relevant to where they will be working as there is no nationwide system of nurse registration.

Generally speaking, you will have to:

* provide evidence of your nursing education

* provide evidence of your nursing license in the country you are currently working in

* provide evidence of your nursing experience, usually recommendation letters on official letterhead will be accepted

* provide evidence of your fluency in the official language of the country you are applying to register in

In the UK you'll also have to take part in an Overseas Nursing Programme, and in the USA you'll have to take either the NCLEX-RN exam, or the CGFNS exam... or both.

Finding information on how to register as an overseas nurse can be a lengthy process as much of the information is buried deep inside websites that are not dedicated to providing information to foreign nurses. You can find detailed, step-by-step instructions to moving your nursing career abroad in the Nursing-Overseas Ultimate Job Hunting System.


Do I need special qualifications?
Your nursing qualifications and any specialist training you have undertaken may not be the exact equivalent of what is required or offered of registered nurses in the country to which you are moving.

Most countries have a service you can use that will work out what your qualifications are equivalent to in their education system. For example, you can contact NARIC in the UK and they will check your qualifications against the UK standards and issue you a report.

Even if your qualifications do not transfer exactly, you will most likely be able to register as a general adult nurse. Once you are working in a nursing position overseas, you can explore whether you would like to upgrade your nursing qualifications by up-skilling in a new specialism.

Autor: Kelly Blackwell

Discover Exactly How You Can Land a Nursing Job Overseas Quickly and with No Fuss!

Added: December 9, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

4 Steps for Giving the Gift of Meaningful and Spiritual Chanukah and Christmas Celebrations

Despite the fact that the observance of Chanukah involves the lighting of candles and Christmas has become known for its show of lights, often Jews and Christians alike find themselves spiritually in the dark during these winter holidays. It's difficult to feel enlightened by holiday observances when the meaningful or spiritual components of these holy days have been forsaken for the rush of purchasing, giving and receiving gifts alone. In fact, opening presents turns into an empty act when the giving and receiving are not accompanied by an overall meaningful and spiritual holiday atmosphere and attitude.

While both the Jewish and Christian holiday stories revolve around miracles, which means they stress the hand of God in human affairs, many people observing Christmas and Chanukah find these holidays have become less about religion and spirituality and more about consumerism. For Jews confronted at every turn with Christmas decorations, music, presents, parties, and messages, Chanukah, a holiday that historically has not been a time for gift-giving, has turned into a competition with Christmas rather than a remembrance of a battle for religious freedom and the miracle of the oil lamp. For many Christians, Christmas has become more about home decorations, Santa Claus and shopping for gifts than about the miraculous birth of Jesus or a connection to their faith.

Just as the Maccabi's fought back against the Syrians desire to assimilate them into their religion and way of life, today Jews and Christians who want to get more out of the winter holidays than presents must fight to find ways to put meaning and spirituality back into Chanukah and Christmas. When we find our holiday rituals, such as lighting the Chanukah candles or setting up our Christmas tree devoid of meaning or spiritual context, we can take steps to transform our empty observances into 'meaning-full and spirit-full' rituals and traditions. It is possible to instill the lighting of the Chanukah candles or the giving of Christmas gifts with meaning and to make these rituals a spiritual practice for ourselves and for the whole family.

To make this winter's holidays meaningful, follow these three steps:

1. Research or review why these holidays are observed and what they really are about. To make your holiday observance meaningful, find some aspect of the holiday that has personal meaning for you or some religious symbolism or history that resonates with you. For Jews, this might be the Maccabee's fight for freedom. For Christian's it might be the birth of Christ.

2. Pick a prayer or ritual used when observing the holiday ' such as lighting the Chanukah candles or lighting the star on the top of your Christmas tree, and learn exactly how to perform the ritual or say the prayer. If no set ritual already exists, create one yourself.

3. Perform the ritual or say the prayer while keeping the meaning in mind. If you do this, your observance miraculously becomes meaningful.

To make Chanukah and/or Christmas celebrations spiritual, don't forget this step:

4. Create a sacred space within which to set your chanukiah, the special menorah used on Chanukah, or to place your Christmas tree or manger scene. This step can be as simple as placing a special table cloth on the table where you place your holiday candles or decorations, burning incense in the room where you will be giving gifts or lighting the chanukiah, or saying a prayer invoking the Divine Presence to join you for your holiday gift giving or meals.

Autor: Nina Amir

Nina Amir's articles and essays have been published in numerous publications, and she has spoken before a wide range of audiences. She is the author of From Empty Practice to Meaning-Full and Spirit-Full Prayers and Rituals...in 7 Simply Steps and of Abracadabra! The Kabbalah of Conscious Creation. To find out more about her books, teleseminars, or classes,visit http://www.purespiritcreations.com or call 408-353-1943.

Added: December 9, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Personal Development Motivational Tips For Success

Every one of us is involved in some for of self improvement or personal development. This is true of you whether it is something you currently realise or not! If you have any desires, dreams or goals then you are striving to better yourself, your environment or your world and this we call self improvement.

However, there is one key area of your life that stops you from progressing in a fast and effective manner towards your desires, dreams and goals. I will now highlight this obstacle and show you how to effectively remove it forever so that you can create the life you want!

One of the worst things you can do when you need to motivate yourself to reach your long held goals and dreams is to criticize yourself. This is a pattern that has been taught to you since you were very young with school tests, grading, placement in your class and class evaluations. Teachers, parents and peers constantly compared you to others as if that was a way of gauging your true worth. This kind of personal evaluation probably continues to this day with employment superiors over-viewing your work, progress and most likely conducting some form of personal evaluation.

This view of assessing your strengths and weaknesses, although probably well-intentioned, has set a pattern within your own mind for self-criticism and self-doubt. Do you compare yourself to others? Do you beat yourself up for not having attained the same level of success as those around you or those you view from afar? Are you disappointed in yourself when you fail to achieve exactly what you set out to achieve in the time you gave yourself?

Being self-critical can cause untold damage in your life. It can also have a major ripple effect through every area of your life regardless of where you have focused the criticism. By believing you are less than you should be you are sending a very strong message to your subconscious mind that you are just not good enough. Such a belief halts your progress towards your desires. It leaves you feeling frustrated and extremely unhappy. If you are really and truly not good enough then how could you ever change anything? If you are not good enough then there can be no way for you to change yourself, your circumstances or your life.

The first step to overcoming this self-defeating pattern of thinking and feeling is to become aware that it is there. Look carefully at yourself and how you interact with yourself internally. Notice when you have a tendency to berate yourself. When you notice yourself comparing your behaviour, talents, abilities or results to those of someone else immediately stop. Only judge your own performance. If you must compare yourself to anyone then compare yourself with yourself. Look for how you have improved. If you give a task everything you've got and do your best then you are already a success regardless of the outcome. You have stretched yourself and your personal self-imposed boundaries.

Keep a journal of all your goals and list the success you have already created. When you can look back at where you once were and see the improvement that you have made personally then your confidence will be increased and your self-esteem will rocket. If you compare yourself to someone else then bare in mind that you do not know the other person's circumstances. You do not know what advantages they had when they began, so comparing yourself to them is a futile exercise. Even if these people did overcome serious adversity to achieve the same things that you now want take it as a positive sign. If they did it then so can you!

Try to encourage yourself when you are faced with a challenge. The difference between internal criticism and internal encouragement can mean the difference between a life of fear, dread, discouragement, pain, frustration and a life filled with abundance, joy, peace and harmony.

Giving yourself approval takes practise, so start right now. If you look at what you are doing when you criticize yourself it is really a form of self-disapproval. Approving and disapproving are just choices. You make them internally and you can re-make them in a different way. Approving of yourself and dispproving of yourself is merely a choice you make!

Right now begin to give yourself some approval just for the heck of it. Many times we disapprove of ourselves and others for little or no reason so turn that around. Begin to give yourself approval just because you are you. Can you imagine how differently you will view the world through the eyes of self-approval? Can you guess what kind of strides forward you can make in your life with an internal voice of encouragement? Do you think you, your family, friends and work colleges would benefit from you taking this new radical approach to how you view yourself?

By taking this approach and viewing yourself in a much more positive way the progress you make will astound you and the speed at which you start to move in the life direction that you have chosen will be amazing. You will gain more peace, happiness and harmony as a by-product and live a life filled with much more contentment, satisfaction and joy. Your personal development is assured!

Autor: Michael McGrath

Free reviews of the best Personal Development products we tested. Find out what really works! Self Improvement products tested and then reviewed for free. We find out what works so you don't have to!

Added: December 9, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Contract Conditions To Look For When Nursing Overseas

Nursing is one of the most mobile professions and no more so than now when the world is in the grip of a severe shortage of nurses. In fact, registered nurses are the biggest human export of many developing countries.

When choosing a medical recruiter or when assessing an offer of employment, you need to look at the contract conditions being offered as well as the salary in order to be able to make an informed decision...

Some contract conditions you may be offered in addition to a lucrative salary are:

* Housing or a housing allowance

* Flights paid for out to the country to take up your new position

* Visa fees paid for you

* NCLEX-RN and/or CGFNS fees paid for you

* Ability to contribute to a company pension scheme

* Medical insurance (especially important if you want a nursing job in the USA)

* An end of contract bonus

* Referral bonuses (these can be as much as 1000USD with some nursing agencies)

* Uniforms provided

Not every nurse recruiter offers any or all of these conditions in their contracts. When you are looking for a nursing job overseas you should keep these contract conditions in the back of your mind, so that you can ask recruiters about them. You may find that even recruiters that do not initially offer these benefits may have the ability to do so, if you ask.

Some of these conditions will be offered by agencies as standard to all registered nurses who sign a contract with them for a specified period. It is a wise idea to check the length of any contract you're signing and what the penalties are if you leave early.

Usually when nursing agencies or recruiters are offering a benefit that will require them to invest money in getting you into a job they will ask you to sign a contract for a specified period. This can provide you with job security. However, it has been my experience that such contracts also have a penalty clause that will cost you money if you leave the position before the contract period has elapsed.

There is a great deal of diversity in contract conditions offered between countries and also between different nursing recruitment agencies and hospitals within any one country. Before you start applying for nursing positions overseas you need to consider what contract conditions you'd like to receive and how you're going to compare different employment offers that have differing benefits.

One way to do this is to rank possible conditions in order of their importance to you. For example, if you are particularly interested in any potential employer paying for your flight - then you would put that at the top of your list of contract conditions to look for. Then you move on down the list putting the conditions in order of relevance for you.

This way, once you get offered a nursing employment contract you can assess it against your list and make an informed choice about whether you want to accept it or not.

Autor: Kelly Blackwell

Get the definitive guide to nursing jobs overseas, the only place you'll find all the facts about moving your career abroad quickly and easily.

Added: December 8, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Nursing Jobs Overseas Opportunities for Foreign Nurses in the United States

If you are looking to move your nursing abroad to the United States of America, then now is the time to do it. Hospitals in the USA are experiencing a staffing crisis, and this crisis is predicted to become worse over the next decade.

The nursing shortage in the USA is said to be caused by the many factors. On one hand there are many nurses reaching retirement age or choosing to retire early, and there simply aren't enough newly graduated nurses to fill all the gaps. And there is more strain being placed on existing medical staff because of the bubble of baby boomers reaching retirement.

This is great news for internationally educated nurses because they can now find nursing positions in US hospitals with ease. Hospital administrators are aggressively recruiting foreign nurses.

To nurse in the US, legally, there are many papers to fill out and different states have different rules. In order to qualify to register as a nurse in any state in the US you must meet the following criteria:

* undertaken post high school nursing education. This means you must have graduated high school and then gone on to do your nursing qualification afterwards.

* be a registered nurse or hold a license to nurse at home. This means that you are legally allowed to practice nursing in the country where you trained or the country where you currently live.

* have 1 year experience nursing in your specialty. If you aren't a specialist nurse in, for example, paediatric nursing, psychiatric nursing, neo natal nursing, etc, your specialty would be as an adult nurse.

* be able to communicate clearly in English. If English is not your first language, you will be required to provide evidence of your ability to communicate to the required standard. This means that you'll have to take an English language test in speaking, reading, writing and listening.

Should you meet these 4 critical pre-application criteria, you can be assured that you're a good candidate for getting a nursing job in the United States.

There are three visa options for nurses who want to work in the US.

Firstly you can apply for the much coveted Green Card. In order to qualify for a Green Card, you must meet all the criteria above, and sit and pass the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) examination. To get this visa takes the longest of the three options, but it is the better option for you if you want to make a long term move to the US. It is possible, with a Green Card, to move your nursing career to the US permanently.

Secondly, you can apply for an H-1B visa. To qualify for an H-1B visa you need to have at least a Bachelor's degree in nursing. If you have a vocational nursing qualification you will not be granted this visa.

The last visa option for nurses is the H-1C visa. The US government issues 500 of these visas to healthcare workers each year.

If you thought that getting a nursing job in the USA was an impossible dream, you were mistaken. You need to get started on your applications right away because medical recruiters in the US are desperate to employ you right now!

Autor: Kelly Blackwell

Take advantage of the immediate and severe global nursing shortage to secure your own nursing job overseas.

Added: December 8, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Shamanic Healing and Soul Retrieval - Part 3

Soul loss creates a fragmentation of one's wholeness. Consequently, a person continually tries to fill the voids caused by the fragmentation. Attempts at "fulfillment" may include overt behaviors associated with drugs, alcohol, sex, faulty relationships, and food, or more subtle behaviors of verbal and nonverbal communication.

For example, listen carefully to conversations. There is a definite exchange of energy occurring at all times. Questions about what you do for a living, how much money you make, what education you have, and where you live often establish a hierarchy of energy. There will be a winner and a loser in these conversations if the intention of the questions is to establish position. When positive energy flows, people recognize and pursue their interdependence. Interdependent behavior is evident in mutually supportive relationships in which individuals retain their personal power and self-worth. In such relationships, a person is not striving for worthiness from such external criteria as wealth or beauty, but rather from a powerful inner sense of worthiness. This worthiness creates wholeness.

Understanding that interdependence is not the same as dependence is important. In fact, soul loss is often the result of dependence. This is why children are so susceptible to theft of a soul part. However, many adults are also highly dependent on others and subject to resultant soul loss. The journey to restoration of the soul part requires the individual to first move from dependence to independence.

This movement from dependence to independence is accomplished by regaining one's individual power. Many confuse this transition with being selfish. They have been taught for so long to give away their personal power to meet the needs of others that this transition can feel jolting. However, the acquisition of independence allows one to participate in the universe in a positive and personally powerful way. Once one's independence is established, the individual is able to move from independence to interdependence, becoming a part of the wholeness of life without the loss of individual energy.

This movement from dependence to independence to interdependence is part of the larger universal shift to identifying with the web of life. The recognition that we are all part of one another enhances every individual's personal power. We are capable of ending our personal fragmentation and the unnatural fragmentation we have created in the universe. We can have wholeness of person and wholeness of life, extending outward to the universal web of life.

Autor: Jan Engels-Smith

Jan Engels-Smith promotes self-healing, empowerment, better communities, a healthy world and conducts workshops in shamanism & journeying. Her book, Becoming Yourself is at http://www.LightSong.net. Jan's a Licensed Counselor. She's done over 2,000 soul retrievals. She is the founder of LightSong School of Shamanic Studies, a Chemical Dependency Specialist, and Marriage Therapist. She is a water-pourer for sweat lodge, a minister, a Reiki Master.

Added: December 6, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

You Too Can Have A Creative Mind To Solve Your Problems

When we daydream, thoughts and ideas often bounce around like colored balls in a children's play area. Here then is the genesis of ideas and creativity. A long-term study of 20,000 trademark and patent description has shown that the one flash of inspiration, which finally led to the patent, was the result of an average of about 20 different groups of associations. All of these had a common origin - the formation of similarities or related ideas. By the careful analysis of objects or processes that have worked, new approaches to solutions are opened up. It is not a process of blind imitation but of recognising analogies and the principles which make them work.

When it comes to finding the inspiration for a problem, humans generally look to the natural world. Nature has provided numerous models for many of our modern accomplishments. The roof of Munich's Olympic stadium, built for the 1972 Summer Olympic Games, was designed and built using the model of a spider's web. Modern city planners learn from the intricate veins of the leaf and Engineers and Architects learn from the structure of mushrooms. When it comes from finding solutions for slowing down descent, the designer for the parachute look to how plants propagate with light seeds with wings that allow the wind carry for miles and miles.

Finding analogies have always been a good strategy for finding solutions to problems. Anyone can find and draw such comparisons. In brainstorming sessions, unconventional thoughts often yield ideas not conceived before. Often an unrelated idea is thrown into the fray and similarities are then looked for. Try this exercise, find the similarity between a ladies' handbag and an oil drum. Never mind about what the handbag is made of, whether is it leather or PVC or what color it is, or even it's size. Not even what the oil drum looks like. As a start, find the general term for both items. Here the general term of "container" is the correct one.

When it comes to solving problems the unconventional way, fantasy knows no boundaries. Once, while he was half asleep, the famous German chemist August Kekule von Stradonitz (1829 to 1896) watched monkeys playing a game of ring-a-ring-o'roses. He also dreamt of a snake biting it's own tail. In these analogies, he was able to recognise the ring structure of the benzene molecule, which had been sought by chemists for many years. And the Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleyev (1834 to 1907) conceived the periodic table of the elements in 1869 while watching a game of patience.

Our memory certainly is a storehouse for many of our ideas and inspiration. You can use your imagination to create new solutions or even to help you remember chunks of information. Your imagination can also be used to enhance your memory and accelerate your learning when you link it with proper memory training or brain training techniques. And if we yield to our subconscious mind through dreams and fantasies, we may yet come up with more ideas to problem solving that has eluded us for so long. Why not practice today and find the similarity between 2 seemingly unrelated items, a pencil and a hairdryer, a piece of paper and washing machine, playdoh and a chair. Who knows, you may yet come up with a million dollar inspiration.

Autor: Martin Mak

Martin Mak has developed a new program to help you improve your memory and learning experience. Find out how with his free and popular ecourse at => http://www.mightymemory.com/memoryarticle.html

Added: December 6, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

A Word of Caution about What the Law of Attraction Is How To Use It!

A short word about practicing the laws of attraction; don't waste your time dreaming of becoming filthy rich, highly successful and powerful, as though the instructions were contained in some get rich quick manual that you only had to follow to the letter to get what you want, without rhyme or reason of why you should be getting these things. Getting filthy rich is highly unlikely anyway and it is not the purpose of the laws of attraction. If you study the concept in earnest, begin to practice it with true conviction, you will come to realize that material wealth is less important when the universe begins to endow you with the real riches it possesses. That isn't to say money cannot be manifested, it can but only in order to achieve a purpose!

USING THE LAW OF ATTRACTION FOR OUR PURPOSE: You know, we are each given a purpose to carry out before we land here on earth and moving away from that purpose will only result in difficulties and disillusionment because we are not creating that which was decided for us (by us). It's like swimming against the tide! Did you ever feel there was something you should be doing, that you were missing out on something in your life? Do you sometimes ponder your existence and wonder what the meaning of YOUR life is? The laws of attraction are set in place to help us on our journey of discovery, it's important to be aware of and in tune with the opportunities around us, to have a clear idea of what it is we want to do and what we want to achieve. After all, you can't buy a train ticket without knowing where you are heading!

OUR PASSION: The laws of attraction will not work the way we want them to until we have figured out what our real passion is. We each need to discover what it is that makes our heart warm, doing something that makes us feel alive, something which feels natural and as though we were made to do this thing. This is our passion! When we find our passion and incorporate it into our life, suddenly the cogs of our universe will begin to turn and advance us because we are truly on the right path. Life will become easier, doors will open and synchronicity will provide the way forward for us. For me, just whilst writing this short article I have received three emails about the Laws of Attraction, the TV is on (I work at home and the kids are home) and have just heard a commercial that voiced the word passion really loudly about seven times!! You see I am doing what I love ' writing, communicating. I'm exploring my passion and the universe - or God - is nudging and winking at me telling me I am on the right path. Try it out for yourself ' it really does work ;-)

THE WHOLE: Our passion is there to work for the good of the whole and not only for ourselves, that is how the universe manifests and this is our place in it. It may not seem obvious that doing something we are passionate about will benefit the world - but in the long view it does, it isn't a selfish act! That's why we are given our individuality; we are here to work separately as pieces of a jigsaw in order to create the whole picture and our blessings for doing this is real happiness.

APPLYING THE LAW OF ATTRACTION: Doing what truly makes us happy people is how we will attract more happiness into our lives and less trouble, strife and illness. Scientists are already proving that our DNA reacts according to our emotions and thus when feelings of gratitude, love and appreciation are felt our DNA becomes fully switched on including our ability to resist disease. However, When the researchers FELT anger, fear, frustration, or stress, the DNA responded by TIGHTENING UP. It became shorter and SWITCHED OFF many of our DNA codes! The most extraordinary fact about these tests is that the DNA responded in samples taken out of the the body at exactly the same moment and with the exact same reaction as the DNA within the donors body - and the scientists stopped testing after the Donors and the DNA samples were 50 Miles apart!! Now that's got to be food for thought for those scientists, suggesting there has to be an unseen web of energy that connects the physical to the non physical elements of not only our make up, but our world, where distance as we know becomes redundant regarding these connections! The idea that we are intrinsically connected both to our earth and the universe around us has always been the major point of the Laws of Attraction, and it seems even science is at last catching up with this knowledge. The Laws of Attraction may sound simple but actually practicing them is not so easy. The art of focusing ones mind and emotions on positive things, on what we want rather than what we don't want has to be well rehearsed before it can be done without effort. We can all too easily fall back into complaining mode, focusing on the negative around us and therefore attracting more of it into our lives!

TAKING STOCK: So this said; the first thing we need to do is to take stock of our life. This is vital if we are to continue to move forward, even if we think we have it all figured out. Sometimes things change; we start to lose hold of the reigns and slip off course because of the many distractions and events that can preoccupy us. Regular contact with our inner mind is essential to keep in check our aims and ambitions, to tap into our purer thoughts and the unconditional love we should be feeling and giving out. Discarding bad habits and excess baggage that we have collected on the way is good housekeeping and helps us to work WITH the laws of attraction smoothly and without hitches.

Autor: Donna Oxley

To Find Out More And Learn about a Powerful Meditation Technique visit relaxmp3 here

Added: December 6, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

The Real Secret of Getting What You Want In Life

Have you ever heard the old saying, "If you don't ask, you don't get!"?

It's well worth taking heed of because far too many of us are afraid to ask for the things we need in order to succeed in life. Asking questions can open doors and bring to us the opportunities that without doubt are already out there. So why do we find it so hard?

The chances are that if you went to a good school you were always encouraged to ask questions. If you didn't quite understand what the teacher was telling you the only way to get it was to ask the meaning. As a Dad I certainly urge my sons to ask questions, it's the only way to learn.

But maybe as a child it's easy to say you don't understand and accept that you don't know something. Then it's easy to do something about it, ask for help and find the solution.

But sadly as we get older we stop asking! Maybe it's because we feel that as adults we should know what things mean and how to do them and so we don't want to appear foolish, particularly in front of our friends, family or work colleagues.

Or perhaps we have just stopped caring enough to want to learn new things and gain new experiences. It's sad, because when you do start to ask you usually start to get!

Sure, we all ask for things every day. We have to when we go shopping, go to the cinema, or go to a restaurant. But we only ask for the simple things!

Take that last example. When you go to a restaurant and see something on the menu that is unfamiliar do you ask the waiter what it is? Congratulations if you do, but most people will simply pass it over and stick with what they know. That's an opportunity lost!

And how many times, when in conversation with a group of people has something been mentioned that you don't understand? Instead of saying so and asking for an explanation it's so easy to just stay quiet and stay ignorant. Another chance wasted!

It's true isn't it? You just don't want to appear foolish.

Well it's time to change!

If you really want to move forward then you need to learn new things every day. You need to broaden your horizons, take on new experiences and discover all you need to get where you want to be.

So start asking. Ask what things mean, how to do them, and above all ask for the things you want in life.

The fact is that one of the keys to good conversation is asking questions. People won't think you're dumb or get annoyed. Instead they'll warm to you and you'll soon find that you are gaining all sorts of benefits. So don't be afraid to raise questions. Ask especially about the topics that you need to find out about to help you to achieve your goals.

Ask why, ask who, ask what. All those questions will get people talking and you'll soon to start to learn lots of new facts and information. You'll gain new knowledge and you'll discover new opportunities that will bring success to your life. And don't ever be afraid to ask for help.

So why not start right now by asking yourself some searching questions. Ask what it is you really want in life and what you need to do to get it. Search inside to find what will really bring you the happiness and fulfillment you desire. Because if you don't know what motivates you then you won't get to where you want to be.

So ask, and very soon you will begin to "get"!

Autor: Tony Hall

This article was written by Tony Hall who runs his own business dedicated to helping individuals develop their personal and business skills. You can learn more about how to develop your own life skills by signing up for his weekly newsletter at: http://www.selfimprovementskills.com/newsletter.html

Added: December 6, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

3 Easy Steps to Simplify Success!

Are you determined to achieve massive success?

Then this article will show you the simplest formula for reaching levels of success you've only dreamed about.

Remember that simplicity is not the same thing as ineffectiveness, for true power lies in simplicity. As the saying goes, "Common sense is not always common practice."

Let's begin.

Psychologist Arnold H. Glasgow has said, "Success is simple: do what's right, the right way, at the right time."

That's a simple concept, yet very profound.

The quote lays out three easy steps to simplify success, but those steps must be integrated to work effectively ' you can't afford to skip even one of them.

The first step is to do what is right. If you skip the FIRST and most important step, you're eliminating your chances to succeed.

But how do you know what is right for you?

Simply put, the decisions you make every day must reflect your true purpose in life. Every action you take must enhance and solidify who you are and what you were meant to accomplish in this life.

When you have a purpose, your actions naturally become more powerful because they are focused and united to fulfill a sole objective. Consequently, you achieve faster and better results.

The second step is to do it the right way. If you skip this step, you'll find yourself in a never-ending loop of trial and error where you'll just keep re-inventing the wheel, instead of re-inventing yourself.

It has often been said that the easiest way to become successful is to find someone who is already successful and follow in his footsteps.

Take that advice and learn from the best. Look for successful people who have reached the same level of success you want to reach, and learn from both their mistakes and their accomplishments. Imitate their lives, learn their methods, and discover their secrets.

The third and last simple step to success is to choose the right time. Take small actions every single day that lead you toward fulfilling your purpose. Prepare yourself so that when the right opportunity presents itself, you'll be ready to seize it and ride it to unimaginable levels of success. The right time to start taking action is NOW. Even the smallest action can make a big difference. Don't worry about the magnitude of your every move; focus instead on the collective power of all your small actions combined.

"Success is simple. Do what's right, the right way, at the right time."

Do what is right by discovering your true purpose in life.

Do it the right way by learning from the best.

Do it at the right time by taking small actions and preparing yourself to seize opportunity when it presents itself.

Can success be that simple?

It can be if you start NOW!

Autor: Mohamed Tohami

70 ultra successful entrepreneurs are spilling the beans about how they achieved their success, built their empires and live the life of their dreams. Find out more at: http://www.Success-Avalanche.com

Added: December 6, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

Single? What s WRONG with Him?

One of the many interesting things about being a life-long, single male in his early forties is people's reactions to that single-ness (yep, a word). Everyone has an opinion on it. Depending on the person's thinking, it can place me anywhere on the scale from 'complete social outcast', to 'coolest bloke on earth' and 'luckiest man alive'. And elicit responses ranging from pity and ridicule, to envy and admiration. Or in the case of my mother, complete devastation. My darling mum (mom) sees me essentially as a means to a grandchild and to be honest, I have been a bitter disappointment. Sure, she wants me happily married, but what she really wants... is that kid!! And yes, she lets me know it.

I love the mentality that says "single at that age, must be something wrong with him!"
Yep, had plenty of that.
"He's how old?.. and no woman, must have a lot of issues."
"Poor thing."
Interesting psychology that. Yet, very common.

It's like they have a picture in their mind of me sitting at home every night in my underwear, in a room lit by candles, eating meatloaf flavoured ice-cream from a paper plate, with my pet rat Eugene on my shoulder, my feet in one of those foot spas, a little 'Enya' playing in the background and some strategically placed cushions with images of my ex-girlfriends embroidered on them, lying around the room.
That's okay right?
If I had said tuna flavoured ice-cream, now that woulda been weird.
Waddya mean the cushion thing is creepy?
Oh well.

We all know that married people have no issues and that if, per chance, they do enter into their matrimonial journey with a few problems, the marriage ceremony will alleviate those instantly and forever. Great how that works isn't it?

What people think about me being single doesn't bother me at all, but it does interest me. For some bizarre reason, my single-ness is fascinating to some. I personally don't think it's interesting at all, but you would be shocked by the number of people who want to interrogate me regarding my 'lack of wife' status, in an attempt to discover what's wrong with me. "There's gotta be something, it's not normal" someone told me not too long ago. I wonder if I wasn't single, whether people would say "so Craig, why are you married?"

Apparently, as a Personal Development speaker and writer I should be married. It's a rule. People have suggested that my career would benefit from my extrication from the world of single-dom. Doesn't matter if I'm happily married or not, as long as I'm married.

A woman said to me recently, "I thought someone as evolved as you, would have found your soul-mate long ago." I actually laughed out loud at her. "Clearly, I have a way to go", was my response. Her friend (in the same conversation) suggested that I was probably gay but didn't know it, or want to admit it. "Oh, I'm pretty sure I'm not", I shared. "You think you're sure", she said. "All the pretty girls you meet, and not one wife?" I didn't realise 'pretty' was the determinant for a life partner. Missed that memo. Okay, note to self: if she's hot, marry her. There's my big mistake; stupidly, I've been looking beyond appearance. Idiot.

Apparently, my single-ness is some kind of indicator of dysfunction. That's it, I'm gettin' married this week. That'll fix me. Weirdo that I am.

I would never have thought to write an article on this topic, but some people seem to be fascinated by the whole single verses married discussion and in my little world, the conversation seems regularly to be directed back towards me. Of course there is no wrong or right, only opinions, so that's what I'm sharing. People often want to hear my thoughts on marriage because I'm single. Don't know why.
"Do you have marriage issues", I got asked last week. No, I love the idea of marriage and maybe I will be happily married one day, but if I don't get married, that's cool too. What I do have a problem with is, marrying someone who I'm not desperately, hopelessly in love with; marriage for the sake of not being single - seen it a million times.

For some people it's like...
"Yep, he (she) ticks all the right boxes, definitely a candidate. Let's see, money - check, good family - check, career - check, looks - check... marriage it is"
"Er, yeh but I don't really love him."
"Stop being unrealistic, your thirty four, your biological clock is racing, you won't do any better."

Over the years I have had many people say to me, "Hmm, you'd be a good catch... you need to meet my sister/daughter/cousin/girlfriend!" And their reason for saying that I'm a 'catch' is not because of my values, personality, integrity or all-round good-bloke-ness (a word), it's because they see me as being moderately successful and financially secure. A safe bet.
I find that sad.
"Yes, he ticks enough boxes, put him on the list Sally."

To me, some people seem to be more in love with the 'idea' of marriage than the actual person they're marrying or are married to. I see this as a catastrophe in waiting. It's also apparent that some people are so petrified of being single, that finding their 'soul mate' gets compromised down to "is he or she breathing? Wouldn't have been my first (or tenth) choice but hey, I have limited options, so giddyup cowboy(girl), get me that ring."

I have had literally thousands of conversations over the last three hundred years (you know I'm immortal right?) with people who are miserable in their marriage, yet amazingly, do nothing to fix it, or change the situation. For many people, marriage is something to be endured, tolerated even and of course for others, it's the best thing that will ever happen to them.

Okay, here are some random thoughts on the matter. Feel free to correct me or teach me a lesson - I am just a single bloke...

1. I am not against marriage in any way. Most of my friends are married and I know it can be an incredible part of the human experience. Given the opportunity with the right person, I would love to share my life with someone but, I'd rather be single forever, than married for the sake of it. And yep, I've been close a few times.

2. I don't believe that people need to be married to be fulfilled, functional, balanced or happy; those things are not dependant on marital status. You don't need to be a researcher to discover that marriage doesn't (automatically) equal happiness, just open your eyes. People seem to struggle with the thought of me being single and happy. They think I'm lying. It bothers them.
"You're not really happy, you only think you are... you're just trying to convince yourself."
"Er, okay. I didn't realise how miserable I am - thanks".

3. Some people are so terrified of being alone that they will compromise themselves to the point of actually losing their identity. "I'll be whatever you want me to be.." You've seen it. Maybe you've been it. Misery and frustration is always the result. It's important (for many reasons) that we learn to be comfortable and secure on our own before we launch into a life partnership.

4. A person who really gets to know themself and is truly comfortable with their own company, will be more attractive to a potential partner.

5. Too many people enter into marriage wearing those rose coloured glasses, only to have them ripped off by about day three. They spend a year planning how to have a great wedding and zero time planning how to have a great marriage.

6. People who have that sense of urgency to get married are less likely to find marital bliss and less likely to appeal to a potential partner. Note to all wanna-be brides and grooms: Desperation - not attractive.

7. While I'm open to the idea of marriage, and I would love a little Craig or Craigette one day, I love my life right now and I gotta say, singledom... not as horrible as some would have you believe!!!

Okay, now that I've opened that can of worms, I'll let you play with them.
I'm off to finish my meatloaf ice-cream and revel in my dysfunction.
Hey, where's Eugene gone?

Autor: Craig Harper

Craig Harper (B.Ex.Sci.) is the #1 ranked Motivational Speaker (according to Google). He is a qualified exercise scientist, author, columnist, radio presenter, television host and owner of one of the largest personal training centres in the world. Motivational Speaker & Conference Speaker - Craig Harper

Added: December 6, 2007
Source: http://contentdesk.com/view.php

The Broccoli Principle.

Even as a teenager I learned that, as a rule, the stuff which tasted great was bad for me, and the stuff which tasted like complete crap, was gonna do me the most good. What a ridiculous notion. What kinda weird-ass, nasty prank is that to play on a fat food-loving kid? So not fair. So not a lesson that I wanted to learn.
"Whaddaya mean, donuts don't have the same nutritional value as vegetables? Let me see that research paper."
As a somewhat resourceful (code for smart-ass) chubby thirteen year-old, I actually could have run workshops for the masses:

* Vegetable Evasion 101.
* 50 creative things to do with vegetables at the dinner table, other than eat them.
* How to create the 'illusion' of vegetable eating.
* Managing your fear of vegetables through cognitive disassociation.
* Developing your own vegetable allergy.

If the entire range of vegetables started and finished with potato, I would have been a vegetable-a-holic. I could, on occasion, stretch myself to carrots, but only to keep the Vegetable Police off my back momentarily. Peas were mushy crap, the asparagus smell was worse than my school bag (that's saying something), brussel sprouts totally creeped me out, and I had re-occurring nightmares about broccoli; it reminded me of teeny, weeny trees. Didn't look like food to me. Disgusting.

For the majority of my teenage years, my mother and I actually engaged in vegetable warfare.
Gotta say, in her thirties, she was quite the tactician. She needed to be; I could spot a hidden vegetable at thirty feet. Mothers do that you know; the vegetable 'hiding' thing. They're trained in it by their mothers. And their mothers, mothers before them. We poor, simple men live in the dark when it comes to this stuff. I'll write an article on that one day.
As I got older, she became more and more skilled and increasingly cunning. Not fair really, I was just a dumb kid. You grow up thinking that mothers are all 'love and light'; they're not. They are sneaky, resourceful, creative and extremely strategic adversaries. Sure, they look all cutesy and caring; it's a complete scam. They are hard-core. They are simply vegetable pushers in frocks. Yep, many significant battles were fought at the Harper dinner table.

"I don't care how long you sit there Mister, you're not moving until you eat every last vegetable on that plate!"
"Cow" (in a feeble-under-my-breath whisper).
"What did you say to me?"
"Nothing."
"I'll give you some 'cow' around the ears in a minute, Mister backchat"

That's another thing nobody tells you - Mothers having super-human hearing; it's like some in-built, special survival mechanism, chick thing. It puts us kids at a biological disadvantage. What kinda lame-ass 'level' playing field is that? I wish I learned about the hearing trick earlier. Coulda saved myself a lot of heartache. It's amazing how scary a tiny little woman, with cooking utensils can be.

Did I mention their unique propensity to bend the truth?
"Mum, does this have broccoli in it...?"
"Hmm, don't think so.."
LIAR!
Your pants are SO on fire Mary Harper.

When it came to vegetables, she had absolutely no morals. She would lie, cheat and coerce those horrible things into my mouth. She would look at me with that innocent, 'but-I'm-your-mother-why-would-I-mislead-you' face and then proceed to lie her ass off. Even when I'd find the offending vegetable in my meal (hidden cleverly under the good stuff), she'd come out with "I don't remember putting that in there!!"
No wonder I have trust issues.

It wasn't until I hit my twenties, that I actually began to understand and appreciate the psychology and the motivation behind my mother's sneaky little habits. And yes, I did reluctantly discover that broccoli is amazingly good for me. Even though it doesn't come close to cheesecake, I consume it on a regular basis because it's good for me. Now, if only someone could only create a cheesecake with the nutritional values and benefits of broccoli! Or conversely, maybe grow some broccoli that tastes like cheesecake. Now there's a business idea.

I now use the 'Broccoli Principle' when I am working with people in the areas of personal and professional development. Even as adults, we are addicted to the 'yummy' stuff (metaphorically speaking). The stuff that's easy, the stuff that 'tastes' good, the stuff that doesn't challenge us, get us out of our comfort zone or cause us to become stronger and more capable. It's also usually the stuff that doesn't allow us to grow and be 'healthy' (psychologically, emotionally, developmentally). We 'eat' what we want, rather than what we need. We're adults behaving like spoiled brats. And what we end up with, is stunted emotional growth and personal development scurvy. In order to 'grow' properly, develop our potential and create our own version of 'amazing', we need to eat the broccoli that life serves up.

Okay, I'm off to investigate that cheesecake flavoured broccoli thing...

Autor: Craig Harper

Craig Harper (B.Ex.Sci.) is the #1 ranked Motivational Speaker (according to Google). He is a qualified exercise scientist, author, columnist, radio presenter, television host and owner of one of the largest personal training centres in the world. International Speaker - Craig Harper

Added: December 7, 2007
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