How to Develop an Abundance Mentality for Financial Success

Posted by admin on 01/27/2012 None comments

Abundance Doesn’t Mind…

On the days when you think life just can’t supply “enough”, think of this.

I happened upon this story when reading Dan Kennedy’s book “The Ultimate Success Secret.” It’s a story I LOVE to hear over and over again. That is why I took pencil to paper to illustrate it for you.

A simple yet powerful story and after you read it you’ll better understand “abundance.”

The story goes as such…

A woman goes down to the ocean with her bucket taking away the amount of water she chooses to.

“The ocean, however doesn’t care. It doesn’t care if you come down with a teaspoon, a bucket or a tanker truck.”

The ocean is always replenishing itself like an unlimited resource.

When we look to nature we see it really is an abundant world. Abundance doesn’t give a hoot either. What you “withdrawal” will not effect the next person.

And the best line from Kennedy’s book is, “the only limits on your share are placed on you BY YOU.”

When you develop this concept in your own mind and hold this thought there wonderful things will begin to happen. You’ll stop worry over the small expenses.

You’ll get ideas that can make you 10s of thousands of dollars. All while you sleep.

And the best part of all this can all happen by simply shifting the way you think about money and riches.

To view a powerful image I illustrated to get your Abundance juices flowing go tohttp://www.successvisuals.com/articles/081205_abundance.html

There are some who only focus on scarcity. They penny pitch every nickel and dime. They cut out coupons when they shop and don’t buy something unless it’s is on sale. Guess what they are doing by acting this way. They are coming from alimited mindset. There isn’t enough money so I better save every nickel and dime.

As a result they continue to attract more limited thinking into their lives.

So a subtle shift in the way you think about the Universe and its abundance can bring you great riches.

Beep, beep beep – back that tanker up, baby!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vince Palko is Founder of Success Visualshttp://www.successvisuals.com/This site is dedicated to human improvementthrough inspirational and motivational images that plant messages of success and confindence deep within your subconscious mind.

For other products from Vince Palko visithttp://www.vincepalko.com/

4 Steps to Use Fears as Friends: Don’t be a Thunder Dog!

Posted by admin on 01/27/2012 None comments

Imagine humungous, bulbous, billowing alto-cumulus clouds building higher and higher in the sky. They are as black as tar at the bottom and snowy white at the top. It looks as if we’re in for a storm.

CRACK, rumble, rumble, rumble. Use your imagination folks. That’s thunder, not a malfunction of my keyboard.

My black and white Border Collie, Tip, catapults from her slumber, ears laid tight against her head, and she’s off, full tilt, as fast as her legs will take her. Where is she going? She doesn’t know. She’s scared and she is just running.

Does she have a safe place at home?

Absolutely. She has a nice dog house that she uses for protection from the rain, snow, and coyotes that venture too close to the yard. But when there is thunder, she runs blindly. She is an incredibly intelligent dog, but under these circumstances, the expression “as dumb as a sack of hoe handles” comes to mind.

You may be thinking, “Cute story but what does this have to do with me?”

Ponder this:

Does a similar reaction happen for you? Something happens in your life (the something rhymes with “it”), and you jump to reaction mode, as if on autopilot. You know what I’m talking about: angry outbursts, sarcasm, rudeness, aloofness, running away, or retreat. It doesn’t make logical sense, and it doesn’t get you the results you want, but you do it anyway. You are an intelligent human being, and yet, it still happens.

Why does this occur?

Let’s have a quick look at how the brain works – in dogs and in you.

Dog Noodle Notes (about Tip’s brain)

The intense sound of the thunder is a nerve message that goes to Tip’s brain. Her brain stem, the most primal part of her brain, receives the stimuli and determines that this loud sound could be a threat to her safety. A threat causes fear, and the brain stem instantaneously overrides all other brain systems and directs her body to do one of three things – fight, flight, or freeze. In Tip’s case, it’s flight.

Is she really in danger of losing life or limb? Not a chance, but her brain doesn’t know that.

If I am near Tip, and hear the thunder, there is a split second in which I can catch her attention, and encourage her to make a different choice – to go to the safety of her house. If I miss that chance, she’s gone.

People Noodle Notes (about your brain)

As a human, you have the same primal brain stem and it works exactly the same as Tip’s. When you are hurt or frightened (physically, emotionally, or mentally), a message goes to your brain stem, the threat is recognized, fear is created, and you move into the same mode – fight, flight, or freeze. You lash out at yourself or others physically or verbally, cry, pout, become argumentative or defensive. You run, or at least leave. You retreat to your own space, and are unable to do anything constructive. You do and say things that you

wish you hadn’t, and the consequences of your reactions, over time, can completely destroy your relationships.

I know this happens for you because the “fear” and “reaction mode” happens for me.

What is my reaction? Because of my personality style, I retreat, become aloof, and lose myself in my work. I become sarcastic and abrupt.

Am I this way to customers or friends? No way! I take it out on those closest to me – my wife Carol, my sons Jamie and Brad, or other family members, even though they may not have had anything to do with my fear.

Does it make logical sense?

Not at all, but it happens, unless I am aware of what is going on and make a different conscious choice.

Just like Tip, there is a split second in which I have the ability to let the message move past the brain stem to the cortex of my brain, which is the logical and spiritual part of my brain. The cortex processes the message, considers consequences, alternatives, feelings, and allows me to make a different choice for myself and others.

The same applies to you.

How can you benefit from this knowledge?

Here’s how.

4 Steps to Use Fears as Friends

These are basic, not necessarily simple:

1. Notice that feeling of fear, disappointment, discouragement, hurt, or anger. It may be: tenseness of muscles, heat, perspiration, scowling, tears, clenched fists, rapid heartbeat, and lack of focus. These are some cues to let you know that fear is present.

2. In that moment, STOP! Take a deep breath – or ten. This gives the stimulus enough time to be accepted by your rational cortex. Think about your reactive responses in the past to the same or similar experiences. Were you happy with the consequences and the effect on your relationships? Do you want that to happen again?

3. Wave your magic wand. What is the “best way” for this to turn out, and what actions can you take to achieve that desired outcome? Notice it says “actions you take,” not what someone else should do.

4. Choose and Act!!

You are a human. You have fears. They show themselves as: anger, defensiveness, frustration, or a need to be right. The reactions are not healthy for you or your relationships.

The truth is this: you are the captain of your ship! You are accountable for everything that happens in your life. You always have the power to make a choice – ALWAYS. And ultimately, not making a choice is still a choice.

Use the fears as friends and follow the steps above. You will notice a dramatic improvement in your self-esteem and self-confidence. Watch your personal and business relationships soar.

You know that relationships are vitally important. Treat them with care. Genuine happiness is impossible without them. Don’t be a “Thunder Dog!”

About the author: Dan Ohler is Thinkin’ Outside The Barn!

Dan writes and speaks internationally on relationships, happiness, and change. He helps you learn the secrets to create life-long delightful relationships and abounding success.

For FREE how-you-can-do-it-too articles, visit http://www.ThinkinOutsideTheBarn.com

Boost Your IQ: Techniques to Increase Your Intelligence Quotient Today

Posted by admin on 01/26/2012 None comments

It is possible to enhance your intelligence quotient in a matter of 10 minutes. Some techniques to do so are discussed below.

Don’t you want to enhance your IQ? Of course, you can use the brain power exercises and techniques. But these are long term and you would need to regularly practice them. What if you want to boost your IQ now, when you don’t have more than 10 minutes. You would need all your IQ for any important meeting, or a test or any other major event in your life. If you really need some concrete results and not argue about intelligence, try the following techniques.

Breath To Increase Intelligence Quotient

Breath deeply through your nose. This will relax you immensely and help you remain calm and composed. Deep breathing infuses oxygen into your blood and therefore into your brain and enhances its functioning. A relaxed brain will be far more efficient. Also nose breathing uses the diaphragm more, so lungs draw more air. This is the simplest and shortest way to enhance your intelligence quotient immediately.

Another level of relaxation through breathing is meditation. Sit in whatever posture you are comfortable and concentrate on your breathing. With eyes closed, breath through your nose initially and this will truly calm and relax you. you will have thoughts interfering but just ignore them and keep your focus on your breathing. Do this for a few minutes.

Posture and exercise can improve your IQ

The posture you take while at any problem will surely affect the intelligence at your disposal. Just observe the difference when you solve a math problem slouching and sleeping while you do the same sitting upright. The latter posture will definitely be better since you can think a lot better like that.

You need to exercise, but not a very hectic regime as such. Exercise just enough to pump blood into your brain. Walking works for many but a better alternative to boost your IQ is aerobics.

Sleep also is very crucial for proper brain functioning. But the quality of sleep is also important apart from the duration of sleep.

Diet to Boost IQ

One tree whose leaves do certainly increase blood flow into brain is ginkgo biloba tree. You can use its leaves either in tea or in form of capsules. It

also helps improve your memory power and concentration. The effect is immediate and it lasts long if regularly used.

Caffeine is certainly a IQ booster. It has been proved that any test taken after consuming caffeine in some form or the other does increase your scores. But do remember, that the effect is only temporary and caffeine if used longer can have adverse side effects too.

Give up sugar. Any carbohydrate if taken beyond a limit, can blur your thinking. Insulin gets injected into your blood stream after you have sugar and thus diminishes your ability to think. Avoid all carbohydrates like white flour, sugar, potatoes if you want to think clearly.

Results matter in the end

Experts will endlessly debate if the above techniques can really boost one’s IQ. But there are times when it is very crucial for you to score high in a test. The above techniques if are found to be IQ booster, why not use them rather than wasting time in thinking if IQ really gets boosted or not. What matters is the score you get in the IQ test. So if you sleep well, have coffee and think sitting straight and if all this boosts IQ, there is no harm in doing the above techniques. These will prepare you better to face any task. Hence, be wise and don’t debate any more on IQ and its definitions.

I am sure you all know Henry Ford. What was his IQ, any idea? Why bother? He was the most creative thinker of the last century and he was so because he was always in the company of intelligent people. That alone is a direct 20 point in IQ. I hope you get the point I state here.

You are concerned about results. Hence if you want to be creative resort to such techniques of finding a solution. There are techniques available to try out anything. Try your hands at speed reading and you will have double the grasp on the subject you read. What the world will see are the results or achievements you garner in your lifetime. The Monalisa, the Empire State building etc are what the world will remember and not your score in IQ tests.

Evgheny Stivenson, psychologist, developer of a very difficult IQ test: http://www.wordofmouthexperiment.com/dedpyhto/IQ-test-trainer.htm

Conversations in Management: Horatio Alger – Ragged Rick

Posted by admin on 01/24/2012 None comments

“You must drop that name, ‘Ragged Dick’, and think of yourself now as “Richard Hunter, Esq.”

“A young gentleman on his way to fame and fortune,” added Fosdick.

-From Ragged Dick, by Horatio Alger

These are the closing lines from Ragged Dick, Horatio Alger’s first rags-to-riches story. Its publication in 1867 would be followed by 133 similar books written over a thirty-three year span. The stories were meant to be inspirational and to offer not only hope, but a blueprint for success to thousands of impoverished American and immigrant boys. In that regard they succeeded admirably and ended up stamping self-reliance indelibly on the American psyche.

Alger was an unlikely teller of such tales. New England bred, Harvard educated and well traveled through Europe, he was unprepared for the squalor he found in New York City. He had moved there in 1866 to restart a writing career that, to this point, had lacked both focus and success. Upon arriving, he was immediately drawn to the plight of the over 60,000 orphaned and abandoned children fending for themselves on the city streets. They earned small amounts of money by shining shoes, peddling newspaper or selling notions. At night they slept in boxes or under stairwells or in the street. They were completely on their own. As he interacted with these children, Alger became convinced that there was one key variable that determined if a child would overcome his circumstances or be overwhelmed by them. That variable was character.

Alger believed not only that good character was a prerequisite for success, but that it could be developed in anyone. The first requirement of character is confidence. For Alger, people succeed who believe they can succeed. Neither hard work nor strong moral values can propel someone through adversity who sees themselves as a victim of circumstance. Such people lack the will to succeed because they expect to fail. The

second requirement is absolute integrity. In Alger’s world there are no ethical shades of gray. The demand is for scrupulous honesty coupled with a willingness to look out for someone even less fortunate. It means always telling the truth and never collaborating with deceit through silence. Finally, character requires perseverance. You must never give up or run from a challenge. Despite the odds you must press on in pursuit of a good end. And perseverance shouldn’t be grim. Instead, it should be a cheerful and optimistic look to the future—to the certainty of better times.

Alger was sometimes criticized because his characters usually succeed after some lucky break or encounter. In this case, Ragged Dick is finally launched on the path to becoming a gentleman when he dives into the river to save a wealthy man’s child. But Alger’s point was that people of strong character make their own luck. Luck is a matter of being ready when opportunity knocks. People with character have made themselves ready to be lucky.

It’s easy to dismiss Alger’s strive and thrive message as naïve or simplistic. But the belief that character can be developed in anyone and that with character any obstacle can be overcome was powerful tonic for hundreds of thousands of dirt poor kids. It was their success formula and it worked. It can work for us too.

About the Author:

George Ebert is the President of Trinity River Seminars and Consulting, a firm specializing in the custom design and delivery of team building, personal growth and ethical development programs. Mr. Ebert is a highly sought after speaker, educator, and consultant with over thirty years experience in both the public and private sectors. He has presented widely throughout the Unites States. George is the author of the management cult classic, “Climbing From the Fifth Station: A guide to building teams that work!”

The Beatles Were Wrong

Posted by admin on 01/23/2012 None comments

Remember when the Beatles sang, all those years ago, “All you need is love” and “Love is all you need” (its corollary)? Well, guess what: apparently, the Beatles were wrong!

It has now been scientifically proven that love, all by its lonesome, and when not allied with hope, doesn’t actually measure up to very much, at least not in our all-too-familiar “practical” world.

Have you generally been successful in your career? Kids doing well in school? Feel you’ve attained many (or most) of the major sights you’ve set for yourself in your personal life? If so, these victories may have come about because you’ve developed the habit of HOPING for the best.

In a study conducted by the Clinical Psychology Department of the University of Kansas, 100 first-year college men and an equal number of first-year college women were asked to rate the factualness of a series of statements. These included such optimism axioms as “There are lots of ways around any problem” and “I always energetically pursue my goals.”

Results of the study concluded that “aspirations predict achievement better than standardized tests.” Evidence: Students who ranked the test’s hopeful statements as unlikely or untrue tended to be C-level achievers while those who identified closely with the hope-based declarations typically earned B grades or

better. To put a capper on the findings, a significantly higher proportion of the hopeful student category eventually graduated.

Dare we also conclude however that such results, i.e., “the power of hope,” would also work for you and me, grizzled and fried as we are from our constant battles with obnoxious co-workers and bosses, unforgiving customers, strident politicians, telemarketers and con artists?

Probably, the Kansas research suggests. Other studies at the same center have uncovered indications that hope-minded expectations also hold the capacity to accurately predict high levels of psychological adjustment, health, athletic achievement and effective coping skills, not just in school or at work but, in fact, in ALL aspects of life.

Does what I’m telling you here make you feel hopeful or discouraged? If hopeful, you’re doing fine and are headed for success. If discouraged, get out and rent “It’s a Wonderful Life” and watch it about a dozen times. That may be the ticket to get you back on the right track.

Ken Lizotte CMC is Chief Imaginative Officer (CIO) of emerson consulting group inc. (Concord, MA), which transforms consultants, law firms, executives and companies into “thoughtleaders.” This article is an excerpt from his newest book “Beyond Reason: Questioning Assumptions of Everyday Life”.

Visit ==>www.thoughtleading.com for more info.

7 Keys to a Happy Life

Posted by admin on 01/23/2012 None comments

1. Do not act in order to receive a payoff.

This is what is causing much of our discomfort as individuals and a society. As soon as you act with the purpose of receiving something, you have removed love from the act. The goal is to act as if all your needs are met, then all your thinking and behavior comes from a different perspective. You also find that you act more effectively to get those things that you truly want, because you are acting and thinking as if you already have them. The alternative is acting and thinking as if you don’t, and guess what, you don’t. The state of mind of having something creates it, not the other way around.

The place you see this most is in relationships. The more you need in relationships, the less you get. This is simply because you are saying that you are not whole until someone else meets those needs that can never be met. Often what happens is that you eventually get the opposite because you are trying to show yourself that you must look inside. Once again, in relationships you must look to be loving, respectful, and accepting, because this is saying that you have all these things to give. In the end these things will be overflowing from you. Remember if you want to have something, give it, because you must have it if you can give it.

Abundance is another area this concept plays a major role. The more you say you need and operate from a place of not having enough, the more that state of mind will be created physically. This is why the very wealthy can sometimes feel impoverished, and the very poor can sometimes feel wealthy. Remember that perception is everything and that your thinking, feelings, and actions come from those perceptions.

2. You are the only judge of your life and what you will judge in the last moment of your life, is how well you loved.

Believe it or not, you do not really care what you accomplish in your life. How much you acquire, and how successful you are will not mean a thing when you decide to leave your body. Imagine that you are all living your own movie. Each movie has different characters, a different plot, and a different setting, yet the goal for each conclusion is the same. The happy ever after ending for every movie, is that the main character loved well at least once in their life in spite of circumstances. You have probably noticed that people on their deathbed, do or say something loving, often out of character, before they go. This is because they are closer to their spirit and may finally realize that to love well was their goal. Imagine if you lived with that consciousness while you were healthy and had time. Everything else physical comes to an end when you die, but people can take your love with them long after you die.

3. You are perfect, were perfect, and always will be perfect.

To the degree that you believe this, is how much physical success you will have. The people who believe in themselves and their ability are the ones who have lasting success in their lives. Belief creates reality. Some people have success for fleeting periods of time, but it doesn’t last if their belief in themselves is dependent on what they do or what others think of them.

Belief in yourself is not like what you consider ego or arrogance. To truly believe in this perfection, you must also believe in the inherent perfection of all people and things. Remember how all things were created. Therefore you do not believe you are better than anyone, even though you may act better and have more success because you know the truth about yourself. You never have to judge or be right because you know that you cannot make anyone believe in themselves, though you can show them what it looks like. Your belief in the constant perfection of creation allows you to know that you are successful always because you cannot be anything else. Then what you choose to create will be a success and you know you can create anything.

4. You act based on what you know.

This sounds simple but is actually very profound. In order to act in a truly loving way, you must know what love really is. To be successful at anything, you need to know what success is. How many people are attempting to be successful in relationships, but don’t know what to do because they have never learned what a loving, successful relationship looks like. If you do not know what to do, you will do what you have learned, or try something that you think might work, sometimes getting lucky.

You cannot program a computer without knowing what actions you must perform. If you must learn things because it is so difficult to remember in your physical state, perseverance, patience, and belief in yourself come in handy. Sometimes you have housed yourself in a body which does not allow you to be successful at certain physical endeavors. This you do because you choose to limit yourself so that you can focus on your higher desire to succeed at something else. If you were physically capable of the other things, you may not choose to do the thing that you really want to accomplish on a spiritual level. Many handicapped people know this and don’t like it when people feel sorry for them. They may not know why they don’t like sympathy, but they know it feels wrong.Believe this. You have chosen the body conditions, and situations you experience. This is done on a spiritual level and for good reason. Your goal is to find out what you can do with it, not feel bad about what you cannot do.So if you want to run a marathon, but your legs don’t work, don’t focus on not running a marathon. Find out what you can do because you cannot run a marathon.

5. Fear is your biggest enemy, and can only be conquered by faith.

Fear tells you that to only love will not be enough. Fear and faith cannot coexist or control behavior together. One or the other has to take over. Believe it or not, which one takes over is your choice. This may not appear so, because many of you have developed a habit of acting on your fear. Remember that you can act with faith even though you are feeling fear. Which habit have you developed?This goes back to the role of emotions and how you have developed a script, so to speak, about which behaviors go with which emotions. When you say you are depressed, you are really labeling your set of behaviors and thoughts. A good experiment is to consciously act in a way that your feeling does not describe. For instance, if you are angry, try smiling and saying something nice. If depressed, exercise and tell someone what a beautiful day it is. Most importantly, if afraid, do the thing that you are afraid of if it is in your best interest (jumping off a building may not be included in this).

You may find that these strategies make you feel like a fraud, but they will show you that you can do whatever you choose in spite of what you are feeling, including loving. Remember to use the feeling as a message, but choose the behavior that most effectively and lovingly responds to the message. Knowing that you can choose gives you real power over your life.

I understood the concept of faith. To me it is a powerful word that literally leads to mental invincibility. I was really beginning to feel it in my life.

The next principle takes from the last and is perhaps the most difficult for all of you.

6. No action is involuntary, including your thoughts.

Many of you may have at least come to believe that this is true for overt behaviors, but still struggle with applying it to thoughts. The scope of this principle is out of most human conception. There is not even a body function that is completely involuntary, though the medical profession would like you to believe that they are. Most of you simply do not know the force that controls your so-called autonomic nervous system. Once you really learn where and how thoughts work, you will know this force.

Many of the things you say you are (shy, stupid, alcoholic, etc.), have (depression, diabetes, cancer, attention deficit disorder, etc.), or feel (sad,

angry, love, etc.), are actually verbs, not nouns. Whether you are doing a behavior, having a body function, or thinking, you are on some level doing something voluntarily. All of it, every event that happens in your life, and in your body, is a product of thought.

You are probably thinking that there is no way that you could voluntarily be doing cancer, but it does begin with a thought, and your body is completely controlled by thought. Do you ever wonder why you don’t die in dreams very often? Because if you really think you are dead, you are. After being diagnosed with cancer you have more thoughts about that, then more thoughts about your prognosis and course of disease. If you could examine a record of every thought you have ever had, conscious and unconscious, you could find the explanation of everything you experience in your life. We have talked about thought and belief before, but what is important is that you know what is having these thoughts and how you can be the decision maker about the thoughts you have.

When you are born, there is one source of thoughts, your soul, spirit, higher self, God, whatever you choose to call it. This source has all the ultimate truths. Over time (and not a very long time) another aspect of consciousness emerges, which you can call the learned self. This is like an observer who begins to notice that you are separate, have needs for physical survival, and can experience pain. This part continues to define itself through experience. It also defines everything and everyone around it. Within a short time, by about six years, this learned self has all but completely taken over, and is giving commands to your body and the universe by its constant thoughts. Once a thought or belief is established, it may never again be consciously verbalized in your mind again. You may call these echo thoughts because they are no longer conscious, but like an echo, they continue to fill every space available. These thoughts or beliefs are usually in the form of a conclusion and are the most constant, therefore most creative thoughts of all. They begin to operate behind the scenes very powerfully and without conscious attention.

Thought is the creative force of the universe, but it needs to have conviction and consistency to manifest in physical reality. Thought is like hammering a nail. Usually one hit will not put it all the way in. You must decide where you want it and hit it until it is all the way in so it can’t easily be pulled out. This is how the echo thoughts work. They continually hammer at the nail until it is very hard to get out. Unless they are recognized, even if you try to pull them out by replacing them with other thoughts, the echo thoughts will hammer themselves back in even if they are part way out.

This is why it is so difficult for you to change your life circumstances. You are not often aware of the echo thoughts which continually maintain the circumstances. Even if you do things to change the situation, you will find yourself in a similar one at some point if the echo thought does not change.How do you change an echo thought if it is out of awareness? Remember that everything in the universe is a manifestation of thought. If you are unsure what your echo thoughts are, there are two ways to find out. Both of these require guessing and detective work.

First, you could simply look at the circumstances throughout your life and ask what a person with this life might believe. Ask people close to you who know about your life, what they think you believe about yourself and the world. Most people will come up with similar guesses if they have some information about your situation and they are willing to be honest. This is simply working backwards from the manifested to the manifesting thought. Even if you doubt that these beliefs are present, remember that you have lost conscious awareness of them. Therefore act as if they are true based on the evidence in your life, and you will benefit anyway. If you do not challenge a belief, you will provide evidence for it in your life, period.

A second way to accomplish awareness of your echo thoughts is to look at the major messages you got from your parents, or whomever raised you. One or both parents taught you to make conclusions about yourself, the world, and other people, by their words, actions, or other more subtle means. You likely took these conclusions and accepted them as real guiding principles in your life. You wore them like glasses which you saw everything through, and they determined how you acted, thought, and reacted throughout your life. It is then inevitable that the consequences of these accumulated acts will give you what you have today.

Most important among the echo thoughts are the I am commands that are constantly working in your self-talk. These almost always come from the pre-adult years with evidence being provided throughout your teens and adulthood. Some of the more common commands you people are giving yourselves are… I am stupid… I am a quitter… I am worthless… I am a loser… I am weak and powerless… I am fat and ugly. You also make conclusions about the future: I will never be successful; I deserve to be punished and treated badly, My life sucks; I will never be happy; I always screw up; There are no decent men out there.

All of these have endless variations which may be more specific or more general. You were fortunate to discover these as your energy blockages or bumpers as you called them. Meditation and an honest inner enquiry can also give you the awareness you need.

Once you have this awareness, you can apply the sixth principle, that all thoughts and behaviors are voluntary. This is where you must be completely dedicated to find another echo thought and corresponding behaviors. This requires daily practice in all situations with conscious intent. This must take priority over all else for you to manifest these new things in your life. The hardest part is persevering until you see results. Remember that for many years you have burned the old ways in to the universal framework. The old thoughts have become like a template which will be used until another one is complete and more prominent.

7. Gratitude is the antidote for unhappiness.

This is perhaps the easiest yet most powerful truth. When there is gratitude their can be no other feeling than joy. There is always something to be grateful for even in the most dire of situations. You must find a way to focus on that which you have and are grateful for at all times. Even if you have to look at the fact that you are breathing because you can’t find anything else. Gratitude brings with it more things to be grateful for. The universe is waiting for you to be grateful so that it can give you more.

If you are dying, be grateful for your life. If someone you love is dying, be grateful for the time you had with them. If you are broke, be grateful for your health and other’s prosperity. If you are lonely, be grateful for the time with yourself. It is up to you to find and focus on gratitude. If you are envious of what someone else has, remember you are all one and be grateful for what they have.

In the end you have a choice to be grateful or not. If you choose not to, don’t expect to be happy for any great lengths of time. If you choose to be grateful because the sun comes up, you can be happy all the time in spite of your circumstances, and you can choose to change your circumstances without need because you are already grateful for what you have. If you want more, that is fine, but be grateful for what you have until you have more.

Finally, always be grateful that you know the truth about yourself and your connection to all things including God, for these things are everlasting.

This article was written in 2003 by Sean Harder, author of Earth Wisdom, and founder of WholeLifeGym; www.wholelifegym.com.

Sean has been a therapist and life coach for over 13 years. He is a published author and founder of WholeLifeGym.com which is the home of “The 10 Pillars of Health and Happiness” eBook.

Alcohol Abuse information, tips, recovery and treatment.

Conversations in Management: Douglas Adams

Posted by admin on 01/22/2012 None comments

“I love deadlines. I like the whooshing noise they make as they fly by.” -Douglas Adams, Author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Douglas Adams heard a lot of whooshing in the course of turning The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy into a cult phenomenon. It started as a radio program, became a book (ultimately a six book trilogy), a TV series, a video game and most recently a movie. It might actually have been made into a film before Adams’ untimely death had it not been for his highly refined skill of procrastination. In fact, it’s startling than one so creatively prolific had to almost be forced to produce. At one point, his editors resorted to locking him in a hotel room for three weeks just to get him to complete a project. And you thought you had problems getting folks to meet their deadlines!

What is it about deadlines that make even the most stable among us recoil in horror and begin plotting subversive campaigns of résistance? Perhaps it’s because the dark origins of the term itself are rooted deeply in our psyche. The word was coined at the Andersonville military prison during the Civil War. Prison guards drew a line roughly seventeen feet around the interior wall of the compound. Any prisoner crossing that line was assumed to be escaping and would be shot dead. This was a literal dead line.

A more benign understanding of the term crept into our language during the 1920’s. Newspaper editors began using the word to indicate the latest possible time copy could be submitted in order to meet a press run. The expression gained quick popularity and soon students, workers and folks in general had to face the dreaded deadline.

While we may not like deadlines, they’re really pretty helpful tools and something that every leader should use. One of the best reasons for using

deadlines is that they establish clarity between the person making an assignment and the one receiving it. Almost everyone has had the unhappy experience of discovering that when the Boss said, “Get to it when you can,” they actually meant “get to it now!” A deadline takes the mystery out such individual expectations. In the same spirit, deadlines help you set priorities. Even in an age where everything is a priority, reason must sometimes prevail (at least in theory). A deadline provides a legitimate negotiating point—“if I accept this deadline, this other one will have to slip; which will it be?” Finally, deadlines establish accountability. It’s simply one of life’s truisms, that when someone is held accountable, things tend to get done. When no one is accountable nothing gets done. It’s also true that being held accountable isn’t always comfortable. Maybe that’s why we don’t like deadlines.

Of course, none of this matters when you’re on the receiving end of a deadline you’d rather not meet. If it’s any consolation, just remember that even Superman (as Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent) had to endure the same tribulation despite his unique powers. So give them a chance. Perhaps, like Clark Kent, you’ll discover that deadlines don’t contain Green Kryptonite and unlike Douglas Adams, you won’t have to be locked in a hotel room to get your work done!

About the Author:

George Ebert is the President of Trinity River Seminars and Consulting, a firm specializing in the custom design and delivery of team building, personal growth and ethical development programs. Mr. Ebert is a highly sought after speaker, educator, and consultant with over thirty years experience in both the public and private sectors. He has presented widely throughout the Unites States. George is the author of the management cult classic, “Climbing From the Fifth Station: A guide to building teams that work!”

Living With Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Your Fearful Thoughts

Posted by admin on 01/22/2012 None comments

Living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and having to deal with your fearful thoughts can be extremely difficult. It can be tough for people with OCD to have to experience obsessive thoughts that are intrusive, scary, and difficult to manage. As a result, here is a short list of techniques that a person can use to help manage their OCD and their obsessive thoughts.

The first thing a person must do is not to dwell or focus on the fear provoking thought when it comes. The more a person tries to reason out the thought or focus on the fear behind the thought, the stronger the thought becomes. The next time you encounter an obsessive thought, get into the practice of not dwelling on it.

From my interviews with various psychologists, I was told that a person should visualize a red stop sign in their mind when they encounter a fear provoking thought. When the negative thought comes, a person should think of a red stop sign which serves as a reminder to stop focusing on that thought and to think of something else. A person can then try to think of something positive to replace the negative thought.

A person should keep a small notebook of positive statements that makes them feel good. Whenever they come across a positive and uplifting verse that makes them feel good, write it down in a small notebook. A person can then carry this notebook around in their pocket and whenever they feel anxious, they can read

their notebook.

Sometimes, a person may encounter a lot of scary thoughts coming at them all at once. Instead of getting upset, remember that these thoughts are exaggerated and are not based on reality. From my interviews with various professionals, I’ve learned that usually it is the fear behind the thoughts that gets us worked up. Ignore the fear behind these obsessive thoughts, regardless how the strong the fear may be. If you ignore the fear behind these thoughts, then the thoughts become easier to manage.

Another thing to remember is that no one can predict the future with 100 Percent certainty. Even if your fearful thoughts tell you otherwise, the fact is that there are circumstances and factors in every situation that can not be anticipated. We may be ninety-nine percent in predicting the future but all it takes is for that one percent to make the biggest difference.

Although I am a Layman and not a professional, I have interviewed many counselors and I learned that there are many ways to deal with these kinds of thoughts. It is also important to seek professional help if you have OCD. There are ways to deal with your obsessive thoughts and with the proper treatment, people with OCD can live a productive life.

Stan Popovich is the author of “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear” an easy to read book that presents a overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com

Why Even Bother With Time Management?

Posted by admin on 01/22/2012 None comments

We’ve all felt this way: There’s always someone else who seems completely in control and seems to manage every aspect of life with such skill. You ask yourself “Why can’t I be like that?” There were days when I would find myself late at night and have absolutely no idea what I had done that day. Everything just seemed like a blur and I went to bed feeling as though I had accomplished nothing. The very concept of time management just seems like another thing you don’t have time for, right? Why buy another day planner to gather dust on a table or a PDA that has no calendar entries and an endless to do list?

Inside your head you just keep screaming “no more,” but what is the alternative? How can any of us really take control and feel some sanity and sense of accomplishment in this information driven world? Understanding how to manage your time is essential in all business relations, school, home, and everyday life. Having the right tools can make it easy in time management, but having the right sense of empowerment and personal direction is critical in order to create a balance in all of the aspects of life which we must be able to manage in order to live a happy, productive and meaningful life.

You have the same 24 hours in the day as everyone else. It’s your time. It doesn’t belong to someone else so take possession of it now.

When we talk about time management, we’re not really managing time. We’re managing ourselves. It’s not just about learning when to say no. It’s about learning how to say yes to the things that are important to you and give them the priority they deserve. Instead of scrambling to prioritize your schedule, you need to seize a new paradigm and schedule your priorities. Not every bit of information in this book is going to fix the exact needs of how you have chosen to live your life, but by adding context and some approaches to the way you manage your time you will find that you have enough hours in the day. You will find the success that you deserve and the sense of well being and peace of mind will be your biggest reward.

Time management is about self-mastery. The wind of time blows the same on us all. It’s how we accept that wind and allow ourselves to be moved by it that makes the difference between those who sail past all others and those who are dead in the water. Developing skills in time management is like learning how to set the sail of life in a way that creates the outcome you want, and by doing so you’ll always find the shores you seek.

Dave Saunders is a professional lecturer, and enjoys creating life-interconnections through his writings and lectures. You can find out more about time management at http://www.endless-abundance.net

Managing Stress Through Your Diet

Posted by admin on 01/21/2012 None comments

When we think about ‘stress’, we generally think about events outside our control. You know the kind of thing – experts have compiled Top Ten lists of them. These lists vary, but generally ‘death of a spouse or close relative’ is at number 1 with ‘divorce/separation’, ‘serious illness or trauma’ and ‘moving house’ following close behind. The truth is that although many of these events are outside of our immediate control, we can learn stress management techniques that can help us to reduce the effects of stress that we might experience.

But what about stress that you are choosing?

Yup, that’s right. You would think that we are all so keen to reduce stress in our lives, that there’s no way we would choose stress. And perhaps that’s true to an extent, but many of us are nevertheless making decisions every day that will increase our stress levels. The problem is, we don’t even realise that we are doing it.

“It was a stressful time.”

That last statement could be an acceptable response to a number of questions; I expect you can come up with 5 without giving it too much thought. Go on, have a go now. Think of 5 questions that might provoke the answer, “It was a stressful time.” Done? Good.

Now I’m not usually a gambler, but I’m willing to bet my PC that you didn’t come up with this question, “How was your breakfast?”! No, I thought not. And yet, if your breakfast included coffee, sugar, sausage, bacon or ham, anything fried, milk, butter or cheese, margarine or other processed vegetable oil and anything refined or containing additives/preservatives, then your breakfast, whether you know it or not, was indeed a stressful time – for your body!

A good diet is vital for keeping you healthy and reducing your stress levels. Certain foods and drinks are powerful stimulants and are therefore a direct cause of stress to your body. They will overtax your liver and upset your blood-sugar levels and though you don’t know it at the time, they are harmful over time.

And those foods listed above are not the only ‘stressor’ foods; you can add alcohol, red meat and spicy foods too.

Now if you are thinking, “hey, just wait up there a minute! That’s like everything any normal person eats!” Well, yes, sadly it is. And

that’s probably why we are seeing an increase in obesity, diabetes, asthma, liver disease, digestive problems etc.

I found out the hard way just how stressful a standard ‘western’ diet can be. This type of diet has been labelled a SAD diet (standard American diet) by those working in health and nutrition, but America isn’t the only country with mass-produced, refined and processed foods adorning the supermarket shelves. I live in the UK and the diet here is much the same as in the US. I’ve been a vegetarian for 25 years, so I always thought I was doing okay. But looking back, my old diet, for many years, consisted of lots of cheese, sugary ‘dead’ yoghurts, refined bread, pastries, cakes and biscuits, crisps, canned drinks, coffee, alcohol, take-outs and pizzas. And I smoked. I did eat a lot of vegetables, but they were generally ‘nuked’ or processed to death in the form of microwave and ready-meals. Little wonder then, that the continued stress on my body resulted in the eventual diagnosis of not one, but two dreadful digestive conditions Ulcerative Colitis and Crohns Disease.

The good news is, that despite accepted medical opinion that these conditions are incurable and chronic, I ‘cured’ myself from both simply by changing from a SAD to a wholefood diet. And if you are wondering what there is left to eat once you eliminate all of the ‘baddies’ mentioned above, I can assure you, the choice is enormous and my meals are more interesting and delicious than I ever believed they could be, eating this way.

For more detailed information about exactly what to eat, read my other article How to Relieve Stress Through Diet – 10 Transitioning Tips. You can also find regular tasty recipe ideas in both my blog http://claireraikes.blogs.com/claires_blog/ and my free newsletter http://www.liveinessence.com/free.htm

For a free Wellbeing Checklist covering the subject of this article, visit: http://www.liveinessence.com/free.htm

Claire Raikes is a Health and Wellbeing Coach who ‘cured’ herself of a chronic, disabling and potentially life-threatening bowel condition without the use of steroids, surgery or any other traditional medical intervention. She shares her passion for natural and vibrant health by working with individuals and companies to educate, encourage and inspire people to increase energy levels, boost immunity, lose weight and lead happier lives as a result.

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