Obstacles?

There are no obstacles in life --- only stepping stones of all shapes and sizes.

Change Mastery

By Tracy Brinkmann

This is a time of unpredictable, unprecedented and ever rapid change. The rate of change that is befalling us however presents a new, and unique set of opportunities and challenges. For some a change will bring a new level of success, while for others, the same change can be a seedbed of negativity. If you’re the former – be sure not to let your ego get over inflated, lest another change be the pin that pops it. If you’re the latter, keep your spirits up and your humor high. I Personally, I have yet to meet a change that did not, in the long run, work out for the better for my family, my career and my future.

However, that is because I learned to handle change, and have become confident in my skills, talents and abilities. So let’s look at how we can tame the beast called change.

**Don't Fight It.

Give up the natural tendency to protect the familiar. Remember just because its working does not mean it doesn’t need to be fixed. The world will change with or without you. You will find yourself adapting over and over again in today’s fast paced world. If you look back 5, 10, 15 years are you the same person today you were then? Of course not because you learned, you grew, you adapted, absorbed what was superior and effective, discarded the unnecessary and changed to what you are today. Don’t fight change – you will quite probably over complicate your life in the battle. You will stress yourself out and even risk making yourself ill. It’s not worth that much to stay the same is it?

**Acceptance Doesn’t Mean You Have To Like The change.

You will note I haven’t said you have to like the change. I am going to tell you though that you have to understand the change and go forth. If you have questions about the change, ask them. Get the big picture, study, probe, read – get yourself a good knowledge base around the change. We usually fear the unknown. As you study the change it will be less of an unknown and you’ll feel more in control. Life is not about liking – it is about doing. Taking what you have right now and building upon it.

**Be Change Wise and Defense Ready.

Balance comes into play here. Don’t change for the sake of change, for if you do you risk valuable assets, situations and relationships. Don’t live your life a piece of clay to be molded by those around you. There are some things that should resist change – when change plainly does not translate into better results. Live your life a piece of jade, firm but shapeable in the right hands. Know what values your willing to defend against change and what values your willing to change.

**Don’t Take Life Too Seriously – Use Humor.

Take the emotional vacation that a good sense of humor will afford you. A positively honed sense of humor will overcome pretense, put out the fire of anger and quell hostility. Using your sense of humor will keep your attitude positive, giving you the ability to take a seemingly impossible situation and make it acceptable. Once you have made it acceptable you can then seek to find the hidden nuggets that will benefit you and those around you. Use your humor positively, be spontaneous, express your feelings and encourage those around you.

Change mastery can make the difference between being inside looking out or outside looking in. Which do you prefer? Change mastery will make all the difference in the world. Is it easy? Well, to some, yes. Others have to take it step by step. But, by not fighting it, accepting/learning about the change and using your humor to keep your spirits up during those trying times – you will be able to take it head on. You will be enabling yourself to help those around you going through their own changes as well. By doing so you will indeed be making a significant difference.
Think Successfully & Take Action.

Tracy

(C) Tracy Brinkmann 2000-2005 all rights reserved

About the Author: http://www.SuccessAtlas.com
Tracy Brinkmann is an goal setting and success counselor. Through his company Success Atlas, he provides goal-setting, motivational & educational material, & training via live presentations as well as digital/audio products. Sign up for his free e-Zine http://www.SuccessAtlas.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Our Role

Happiness comes about by realizing that we all have a unique part to play in the scheme of things.

My not so eloquent way of paraphrasing the Great Bard himself: William Shakespeare

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts...

"As You Like It", Act 2 scene 7

Three Guiding Principles Of Courage (And It’s Development)

By Tracy Brinkmann

I have come under the personal belief that everyone is a leader to someone. Whether that someone be an employee (or thousands of employees), your spouse, a child or at the simplest level, oneself – you are a leader. As a leader you have the responsibility to develop a level of courage first within your self, then to instill that level of courage in those that look to you for your leadership. It is key to note here that you must first achieve a level of courage within yourself before you even attempt to instill it in those around you. Why? Well the answer is simple… how on earth can you pass on that which you do not have? You will never be able to encourage others beyond the very level of courage that you carry and demonstrate on a regular basis. Your level of courage is the only limiting bar. Raise that bar and you raise your ability to encourage others.

The three guiding principles around raising that courageous bar are:

1. Courage = Controlling you fear.

Growing up in a military environment taught me one thing that I know is fact - Everyone is afraid of something (often many things). From the 6 foot Army Veteran who has served many months on the front lines, to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, fear is a fact in each of their lives. But throughout history our true heroes were not the men and women that were not afraid, but rather those that faced their fear, acted in spite of it, and moved forward to overcome its choke hold on their lives.

2. Face your fears.

Realize that your fear is going to exist and maintain its control on your life, until you face it. Once you face it –YOU will gain control and your fear will falter, thus lessening its grip on your life. However, let us not forget that the opposite is just as true. While moving towards that which you fear weakens that fear, avoiding it and heading away from that very same dread will empower and strengthen it, thus increasing its strangle hold on your life.

Make facing your fear a habit-knit part of your life. Consciously and continuously take steps to chip away at that fear. Look at every situation or task that induces fear in you as a challenge, or an opportunity for you to become more than you are today. To become more of what you want to be.

Last but not least – this one has almost said itself…

3. Do what you fear and that fear’s demise is certain.

At the risk of repeating myself - do what you fear over and over again and your fear will lose its hold on you. A perfect example comes to mind. For many, public speaking is a number one fear. I have been a member of an outstanding Toastmasters International Club in Atlanta for 7+ years. In our weekly meetings we watch those that would never willingly get up in front of an audience and speak overcome that fear. They do so by taking a little step closer each week. First they get up and answer a simple impromptu question – a quick thirty-second answer and they rush back to their seat. Next time they will give a two to three minute speech about themselves. Shortly after that a three to four minute speech on a topic they are passionate about. Step by step they build their skills and remove the chokehold that the fear of public speaking had upon their lives and their careers. Take what you fear and break it down, face it step by step until you are the one empowered.

Zig Ziglar said it quite well in a presentation I attended, “Fear = F.E.A.R or False Evidence Appears Real.” Time and time again you have thought about taking the action that you fear. Your mind ran through all the possible outcomes positive and negative. Then your imagination, fed by your fear, led you further down the negative path. Thus feeding your fear again. Leading you further down the negative path… I’m sure you see the pattern developing here. Break that pattern! Turn and face your fear! Take conscious and continuous steps towards it, as often as you can, until you are the one with the control.

Think Successfully & Take Action.

Tracy

(C) Tracy Brinkmann 2000-2005 all rights reserved

About the Author: http://www.SuccessAtlas.com
Tracy Brinkmann is an goal setting and success counselor. Through his company Success Atlas, he provides goal-setting, motivational & educational material, & training via live presentations as well as digital/audio products. Sign up for his free e-Zine http://www.SuccessAtlas.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Want or Need

Do you always get what you want and do you always need what you get?

Changing Your Flow Of Thoughts

By Tracy Brinkmann

While you are reading this I do not want you to think about your shoes (or your feet if your not wearing shoes). Through the entire article never at any time are you to think of the color, style or fit of your shoes nor the temperature or feel of your feet.

Why such a ridiculous way to start this article – well to prove a point. The first thing most of you did, of course, was think about your shoes or your feet. Even though you were specifically instructed not to, you did it for at least a moment. That is how the human mind works. When you consciously attempt not to think of a specific thought, you’ll generally think of it between 6 and 15 times in a 5-minute period.

This works in the realm of negative thoughts as well. Focusing your power on trying not to think negative thoughts can and will prompt negative thinking. View thinking as a flowing stream of water, actually its more like a strong river. The current starts off as a trickle and builds into a rushing power that can erode the very earth it winds though. You thoughts are much like this river in that you cannot stop them. You can however change the flow to your advantage. Changing the flow of your thoughts is possible, stopping them is not. Changing the flow from negative to positive will keep that river of thought from eroding deep, dark, dismal ravines into your attitude, and into your life.

You can think discouraging, disheartening and depressing things to yourself; or you can think inspiring, motivating and rousing things to yourself, but again you will not be able to stop thinking things to yourself all together. So instead of attempting to build a dam for your river of thoughts, channel and direct them in the way you WANT them to go.

How? That is a good question, and in it hides the answer. You channel your thoughts in the direction you desire with, questions. However, your questions have to be empowering questions. You will cause yourself more harm than good by asking, “Why do I always get the projects nobody else wants?”

You want to ask a question or questions that will move you forward and empower you to take action. Like: “How can I accomplish this project and enjoy the process?” Now you have directed any negative thinking to a more positive flow. This positive flow will encourage action and give you results.

If you are tackling a big problem ask questions like, “How can I break this down into workable steps?” “How can I solve the first step, the second step and so on?” Or “What is the first action to resolving this first step and so on?”

Should you be going through a “bad” experience -- if there is such a thing, for while we have experiences we don’t enjoy, are they truly BAD in the long run? Don’t we gain valuable knowledge and experience we can apply later? But I digress. Let us get back to the topic at hand. If you are going through a “bad” experience, then channel your flow with questions like; “What can I learn from this experience?” “How can I grow from this experience?” “How can I keep this from happening to me again?” “How can I make lemonade out of this lemon?” (Remember Velcro was actually a failed experiment so was the glue that now is used on Post-It Notes – both of these lemons have become sweet profitable lemonade for the inventors and their companies)

Now that you have asked your question(s) really let your mind run with it. Don’t just ask the question once, ask it again and again. Whenever you have a minute of spare time or when your alone driving home, seriously mull over the question and let your mind turn over to you the ideas and actions that will bring you to the positive results of changing your flow of thought.

(Oh, and remember don’t think about your shoes!) Think Successfully & Take Action.

Tracy

(C) Tracy Brinkmann 2000-2005 all rights reserved

About the Author: http://www.SuccessAtlas.com Tracy Brinkmann is an goal setting and success counselor. Through his company Success Atlas, he provides goal-setting, motivational & educational material, & training via live presentations as well as digital/audio products. Sign up for his free e-Zine http://www.SuccessAtlas.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Inner Peace

Inner peace brings fulfillment. Attain it, and life works. Give it away, and happiness becomes elusive.

Developing Passion

By Tracy Brinkmann

Passion for anything you want to have, be or do occurs at the very moment you get a peek at the potential for the goal. Whether your goal is self-improvement, a project, a mission or any other worthy objective.

My mission with these articles is to give you a peek at your own potential. A fleeting look at what you are able to have, to do and to become. Once I have accomplished that goal, there will be born within you a spark of passion. When you fan that spark it will grow into a burning desire that no one can stop. Those with a burning desire have persistence and they reach their goals, every time.

How do you develop passion? Well I was recently asked that question so I sat and thought about it for a while and came up the following:

1. Know what you truly want and develop a plan to get it.

During the course of my life a number of pivotal events have developed passion deep with me. The birth of my first daughter, the death of my second daughter, hearing the applause of an appreciative audience for the first time, the list goes on and on. While each of these events sparked a life changing passion, most of the time my passion comes from a careful review of my dreams, desires and goals. What do I want out of life? Where do I want to be in 1, 2 or 5 years? A careful review of your goals (long and short-term), and the development of a detailed plan to attain them will do wonders do develop the passion you need.

2. Daily action toward your goals.

Once you have completed step one, (remember in 100% of the cases I have found that anyone that will not take step one… will never get to step two) and developed the plans to reach your goals. Take DAILY steps towards their attainment. As you take these daily steps, your goal will become increasingly closer, increasingly more real, more vivid and more enticing. This will fuel your excitement, enthusiasm and your commitment to follow through on your goals until they are attained. A bonus gift here is, with each step you complete, each little success you achieve, your self-confidence and self-esteem will increase. It is a like a river feeding itself. Complete a step, feel better, gain confidence and passion, become more committed to your goal then take the next step towards the goal. Then you complete another step, feel better, gain confidence and passion, become more committed to your goal then take the next step towards it. Are you seeing the pattern here?

3. Direct your passion.

The next time you are passing a construction site take a moment to notice the immense power of the vehicles at work there. Dump trucks, tractors, and cranes to name a few. Each weighing tons and able to move far more than their weight across a road, up hundreds of feet into the air or down the freeway at considerable speeds. The next time you see one of these powerful vehicles roaring down the highway, take a quick look at the driver behind the wheel. All 180-220 pounds of him (or her) controlling all that power. What would happen if you were to remove that driver from the steering wheel? The power would be rendered useless, or worse yet would roll on without regard to its surroundings reeking havoc until it came to a crashing halt.

We need to be at the helm of our passion, making effective use of the power our passion holds, much like the driver of those massive vehicles. Effectively steering your passion synergizes all of your great qualities into a finely tuned ‘machine’. Each of these qualities working in harmony with the other. Creating an overall ‘power’ within you that is greater than each of your qualities individually. So bring your passion to focus on your goal.

History is filled with stories of average everyday men and women who have accomplished great things with little more than a passion in their hearts and a goal in their head. Apply your passion to goal, job, profession, family or yourself and you will see the difference between just getting by and real success.

Think Successfully & Take Action.

Tracy

(C) Tracy Brinkmann 2000-2005 all rights reserved

About the Author: http://www.SuccessAtlas.com
Tracy Brinkmann is an goal setting and success counselor. Through his company Success Atlas, he provides goal-setting, motivational & educational material, & training via live presentations as well as digital/audio products. Sign up for his free e-Zine http://www.SuccessAtlas.com If you would like to receive my article on 4 WAYS TO STAYING HIGHLY MOTIVATED mailto:successarticle_7@sendfree.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Destiny

You can look...and you will find it. You can not look...and you will find it. That which is yours will surely find you.

Solve Problems In Your Sleep With Lucid Dreaming

By David Allen

Lucid dreaming is dreaming while being aware that you are dreaming. The idea is that once you are aware you are dreaming you can alter your dreams and control what happens. Once perfected, it allows you to control the direction of your dreams. This is an enticing prospect for creative problem solving since when dreaming, you are restricted only by your imagination, not by the “realities’ of physical constraints or social customs. Imagine being able to develop new ideas, chat with Einstein, or get golf tips from Tiger Woods.

Can you learn to have lucid dreams?

Lucid dreaming is like any other skill—some people are naturally better at it than others but most can learn how to do it. To learn how, it’s important to first know a bit about the stages of sleep.

Our sleep patterns follow a repeating cycle that involves different levels of sleep having different brainwave activity. Each cycle lasts about 90 to 100 minutes so a person will typically experience 4 to 5 complete sleep cycles a night. The stages of this cycle involve four levels of Slow-Wave or Non-REM sleep followed by REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.

Although some dreaming occurs during the other stages of sleep, the most vivid dreaming occurs during the REM stage. During this time, the higher frequency beta waves keep the mind active. As its name suggests, REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is characterized by frequent bursts of rapid eye movement, along with occasional muscular twitches. The first REM period occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep and lasts about 10 minutes. This REM period increases in subsequent sleep cycles during the night.

How do you start?

One of the first requirements for having lucid dreams is to be able to recall your dreams. This can be done with a little practice. A good method is to focus your intent on remembering your dreams. Before falling asleep, repeat to yourself over and over, “I will awake from my dreams and completely remember them.” If your thoughts wander, try to come back to this affirmation so that it is your last thought before drifting off to sleep. Another good technique is to keep a dream journal to record your dreams upon waking. Whenever you awake, immediately attempt to focus on what you had just been dreaming and write it down on a writing pad. Try to capture all the key points, such as what you were doing, where you were, and who was around you. Also, note anything strange such as things that wouldn’t normally happen in the waking world. If you find these strange events recur in your dreams, then they are your personal dream signs which you can use to recognize when you are dreaming.

Inducing lucid dreams

Lucid dreaming is usually induced by some sort of cue—something that indicates to the person that what they are experiencing is a dream, and not reality. These cues are often referred to as dream signs. Dream signs are usually things or events that would be impossible or very unusual in the waking world. Some examples of dream signs are breathing under water, flying, light switches that don’t work, suddenly returning to work at an old job, or being naked. Whenever a dream sign occurs in your dream, stop and ask yourself whether or not it is possible. If the answer is no, you are dreaming! With practice you can learn to recognize when you are dreaming by looking for these cues and doing a “reality check”.

Once you have “caught” yourself dreaming, you can start to control your dream. Try changing the scene or situation, or controlling your own actions. In order to be successful at controlling your dreams, you should believe that what you are trying to do is possible. So it’s important to remember that you are in control and anything you want is possible. Start with some small things and gradually work up to more challenging activities.

A good resource in this area is Dr. Stephen LaBerge's book Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming which is based on his extensive laboratory work at Stanford University. However, if you really want to speed up the learning process, there are audio CDs available that enable you to experience lucid dreaming in just days. One program that has had good reviews is Bradley Thompson’s The Lucid Dreaming Kit. The kit includes an Audio Stimulation CD that you play as you go to sleep which incorporates special beats and prompts to help you become lucid when dreaming.

Using Lucid Dreaming for Creative Problem Solving

Although lucid dreaming can be used for many applications, one of the most intriguing is to solve problems in your sleep. Lucid dreaming is a powerful tool that taps into your brain’s most creative state without the normal sensory distractions that disturb our focus during waking hours. Lucid dream offers the potential for truly creative thinking.

About the Author: David Allen is an award-winning inventor with a strong interest in simple and practical methods to enhance creative thinking. Visit http://www.creativityboosters.com for more easy tools and techniques to increase your creativity.

Source: www.isnare.com

Happiness?

Does happiness come by chance or by creation?

Be Happy And Give Us A Smile

By Steve Hill

I often wonder why people seem reluctant to smile these days. It costs nothing to smile so come on people lets start looking a bit happier. This article is all about this and about having a more positive outlook on life which will bring positive results.

I am somebody who used to always think in a negative way, I have now managed to stop this and my life has improved no end. I now like to be around positive people, as these people tend to be more successful and happier. In my opinion there are too many people who are always moaning and groaning and are seemingly depressed.

Growing up I had many things to be negative about, I had a stutter, I have a bald patch, I was overweight and am also quite short for a male at five foot four. I was one of the ones who walked around in a depressed state and I used to feel sorry for myself. Even when I write about it now, I laugh about how stupid I used to be.

I realised early into my twenties that I needed to change my approach to life. I was quite fortunate in that I had a friend at the company I worked for, who was to prove an inspiration to me. His name was Stuart, and even though this may seem cruel, Stuart did not have a lot going for him. I won't go into details but lets just say even with the problems I felt I had, I was not jealous of him. I became quite good friends with Stuart and we would regularly have lunch together.

I would meet him in the canteen at 1pm and would be waiting in my gloomy state of mind, with my gloomy face, for him to arrive. Arrive he certianly did, always with a beaming smile on his face. This always amazed me as I could never understand what he had to be happy about. We would sit down and talk whilst eating our lunch and he never had a negative word to say. When he talked, he talked with passion, about his work and interests. One day it dawned on me, if Stuart (who from what I know of him, seemingly has nothing going for him) can always be positive, happy and smiling, why can't I?

This was the beginning of my new outlook on life. An era of being positive, appreciating what I have got and more than anything else, plenty of smiles. I now am happy with my weight, height, bald patch and am proud to say I have now overcome my stutter.

About the Author: Stephen Hill has a number of websites including: http://www.copywriting-information.com http://www.dating-tips-service.com
http://www.eradicate-depression.com

Source: www.isnare.com

The History Of Thanksgiving

By Angela Tyler

Throughout history, the celebration of a bountiful harvest has been an annual occurrence. Harvest festivals have been a tradition among all nations and races. The Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, Chinese, and Hebrews have all had harvest celebrations, even before organized religion came to be. In America, the first Thanksgiving celebration took place in 1621. The Native Americans shared this event with the Pilgrims because the Pilgrims had learned to plant crops and hunt wild game in the New World according to Native American culture. Without the help of the Native Americans, the colonists would have not survived their first winter nor would they have harvested bountiful crops.

The early Thanksgiving celebrations in America were not known as "Thanksgiving". There were harvest celebrations that did not include what are staples in modern times such as cranberry sauce, turkey, and pumpkin pie. It is entirely possible that wild fowl including turkey and duck were served, but turkey did not hold the sacred place it holds now. It is thought that seafood was a major component of the harvest celebration due to the colonist's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. There could have been seasonal vegetables such as squash included in the festivities, but side dishes did play a major role in the feast. Also, desserts such as pies and cakes were most likely not included due to a lack of sugar and obviously, there were no ovens in which to bake them.

The Pilgrim's harvest festival is thought of as the first Thanksgiving, but in reality the term "Thanksgiving" was normally applied to a religious holiday until the 19th century. In 1817 Thanksgiving Day was officially adopted by New York State as an annual event. By 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of Thanksgiving, and since then every president has given a Thanksgiving Day proclamation. >From 1939 to 1941 Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed the third Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day, but in 1941 Congress passed a resolution declaring that Thanksgiving was to be held officially on the fourth Thursday of November. Since that time, the holiday has been celebrated on that day.

The traditional dishes that are served on Thanksgiving evolved over a hundred years or more. More than likely, the turkey is the only similarity modern celebrations have with the harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrims. Our favorite desserts, such as pumpkin pie, were absent from the Thanksgiving festivities during WWII due to shortages of sugar. Side dishes like green bean casserole and stuffing have been the products of modern times and an abundance of food supplies.

We have many reasons to be thankful on Thanksgiving Day. Our friends and family, our easy access to food, and modern conveniences are things that we tend to take for granted. Early Thanksgiving celebrations were held to rejoice in the gift of a bountiful harvest and the very survival of the Pilgrims, a fact that we should remember each and every year.

About the Author: Are you a mom who’d rather play than cook? If so, you won’t want to miss http://www.freequickrecipes.com. And, if frugal cooking is your thing, then check out http://www.freequickrecipes.com/frugal-cooking.php.

Source: www.isnare.com

The Wonder of a Child

Have you ever noticed how when some children are given an exepensive gift, they seem so much happier to play with the box it was packed in?

Holiday Stress Hotspots: Manage Stress With Knowledge

By Simma Lieberman

There are four main causes of holiday stress: gift giving obligations, expenses, a lack of time, and unrealistic expectations about creating a perfect holiday. To reduce holiday stress, arm yourself with knowledge. Know the ins and outs of these top four holiday stress hotspots and follow these effective stress-reducing tips:

Holiday Stress Hotspot #1: Gifts

* Make a list of everyone you need to buy gifts for.

* Look for gifts you can buy for multiple people. Similarly, look for stores where you can buy many gifts for a lot of people.

* Plan a few back-up gifts, generic gifts with blank cards for people you might forget or who unexpectedly give you a gift.

* Focus on the point of gift giving: showing your appreciation for someone. Enjoy the process of finding them something they'll like.

* If you don't like shopping, plan a single gift shopping day. Make this day sooner than later to avoid the holiday shopping craze.

* Or, don't go shopping. Thanks to the internet and catalogues, there is enough time to order gifts so you don't have to leave your house or office.

* Better yet, take off the whole month of December and go to the mountains where no one can call, email or page you.

Holiday Stress Hotspot #2: Holiday Expenses

* Set a budget, and stick to it. Don't buy gifts that you'll spend the rest of the year trying to pay off.

* Think of alternative ways to give gifts (set up a gift exchange, make some handmade gifts or foodstuffs).

* Choose inexpensive ways of entertaining and enjoying. Have a potluck party instead of providing all the food yourself.

* Do activities with family and friends that cost little or no money: go on walks, have a movie night instead of going to see the latest blockbuster together.

* Give the gift of a phone call or note. Let the people you care about know how important they are to you with words, not expensive gifts. Most people need this type of nourishment in general and may need it even more during the holidays. It may be the best gift they get.

Holiday Stress Hotspot #3: A Lack of Time

* Complete your gift shopping early. This will relieve you of one of the biggest time stresses during the holidays.

* Refuse Invitations. You don't have to go to every party you're invited to. If party going becomes a chore or exhausting, step back and slow down the pace.

* Take time for yourself. With so much emphasis on time with family and friends, many people feel guilty taking time for themselves. Take it. When you consciously plan to have alone time, it keeps you empowered and reduces possible feelings of melancholy during the holiday season. You will also be also be less overwhelmed by external stimuli.

* Share the tasks. Don't take on too much. View your to-do list as an opportunity to spend time with people.

* Share responsibilities and your tasks will take half as long and be more enjoyable.

Holiday Stress Hotspot #4: Anticipation and Expectations

* Be realistic. Just because it's the holidays, family issues will not suddenly disappear and everything will not be perfect.

* Adjust your expectations. Expect a few bumps in the road at family events and gatherings and you'll be better able to deal with them.

* Relish Traditions. Focus on those little traditions that make evoke positive memories for the holidays: songs, events, rituals, etc. Consider creating new traditions if older ones are marred with mixed memories.

About the Author: Simma Lieberman helps organizations create environments where people can do their best work and be successful. She specializes in Diversity and Inclusion, Diversity Dialogues, and Eliminating Fear and Self-doubt. Simma is the co-author with Kate Berardo and George Simons of the book "Putting Diversity to Work." She can be reached at http://www.simmalieberman.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Make Your Dreams a Reality

I would like to introduce you to my brother Armando Lopez.

Armando is a retired United States Marine, committed husband, loving father and loyal brother.

A dreamer in the finest sense of the word, Armando doesn’t just sit around, and long for the things he thinks he deserves, he steps up, takes initiative and makes those dreams become a reality.

I am sure that many of you and me included have had an idea for some device or invention that we believed would be of benefit to others, but lacked the confidence or determination to take it to the next level. Well not Armando. Armando took a chance with his inspiration and took the steps necessary to transform the vision in his mind into a tangible product that will ensure for the safety and protection of those individuals or families who use it.

I am reminded of the quote by Robert F. Kennedy:

"Some men see things as they are and say, why. I dream things that never were and say, why not."

I invite you to click the link below and see if Armando’s invention may be of use to you. If not, perhaps Armando has inspired you to believe enough in yourself to take your dreams to the next level.

Gas Off - A Home Safety Device by Armando Lopez

Enjoy The Ride

It is impossible to truly understand exactly what it is that makes us happy, so stop trying to figure it out and enjoy the ride!

Discovering Your Passion And Purpose

By Margaret Paul, Ph.D.

“I can’t seem to discover why I’m on the planet.”

“What is my purpose here? I know there’s something I’m supposed to be doing, but I don’t know how to find out what it is.”

“I don’t seem to be passionate about anything.”

I’ve heard these complaints over and over from my clients.

Discovering our passion and purpose is vital to our joy and well-being. The problem is that many people have lost touch with any sense of their passion and purpose and have no idea how to access this information.

The blueprint for this information lies within our core Self, our essence, the true Self that is often buried during our early years. If our true Self was not seen and validated by our parents, teachers, or other caregivers, it is likely to have gone underground. The self many of know as our “self” is generally our wounded self, our ego, the self we created to get love and avoid pain. Our wounded self has within it all of our fears and false beliefs, and does not have access to what is true for us.

How, then, do we discover our passion and purpose if the blueprint for this information is long buried? The good news is that while it is buried, it is not lost. Anyone can reclaim this information if you are willing to do the inner work of healing your wounded self.

I’ve worked with thousands of clients who, as they practice the Inner Bonding process that I teach (see our FREE course at www.innerbonding.com), gradually heal their fears and false, limiting beliefs to the point where their true Self comes peeking out. This is the vital, alive aspect of ourselves, the aspect of us that just wants to joyfully express ourselves in the world. As you allow this aspect to emerge, you will gradually discover what truly brings you joy.

In our society, we tend to ignore our special talents and choose our careers according to what will give us a sense of security. Too often, however, what makes us feel safe does not fulfill us spiritually. For example, Roger worked for many years as an attorney, but he never enjoyed it. He made lots of money, yet when he consulted with me he was suffering from anxiety and depression. He had become an attorney because his father had been an attorney and wanted Roger to follow in his footsteps. Roger had gone along with what his father wanted for him because he didn’t know what else he wanted and now, in midlife, he was miserable. He yearned to discover his passion.

A few months after starting to practice Inner Bonding, Roger remembered that he had really wanted to be a teacher. He had never seriously considered teaching because he felt he couldn’t make enough money, but now he was willing to make far less money because he was so unhappy with his present work. Roger went back to school and got his teaching credential and is now a high school social studies teacher. The last time I spoke with him he was radiant! He loved working with adolescents, and he felt he was making a real contribution to their lives. For the first time ever, he felt alive and passionate about his life. His wife decided to take up some of the financial slack by doing something she had always wanted to do: design children’s clothing. She started her own mail-order business and is thrilled with it. Their marriage and family life is flourishing because both of them are happy and fulfilled within themselves.

Ricki came to see me because she was so unhappy working as a controller of a big import business. Yet she had no idea what else she wanted to do. It took about a year of practicing Inner Bonding before her true Self told her that she wanted to be a nutritionist. Ricki hadn’t wanted to hear her true Self because she didn’t want to go back to school. Finally she was so unhappy that she decided to listen. She is now back in school enjoying discovering her passion.

While it may not always be possible to change your work immediately to something you love, if you follow your passion, it will often lead you there. And even when you have to earn money in ways that do not express your soul, you can seek volunteer opportunities and hobbies to express who you are. Often these can lead to the work that you will eventually do.

Alfredo worked as a manager of a large supermarket. With his small savings, he decided to start pursuing a hobby that had always fascinated him - restoring old cars. He used all his extra money to buy his first old car and spent many blissful hours restoring it. He was so good at it, he was able to sell his restored cars for a lot of money. Eventually he was able to quit his job at the market and pursue his passion full time. Ultimately he started a project in a prison teaching inmates to restore cars. Alfredo now loves what he does and receives great satisfaction from helping others.

Your soul has a deep desire for you to express yourself in ways that brings you joy. It is your job to discover what that is and to bring it about.

About the Author: Margaret Paul, Ph.D., best-selling author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You” and co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding healing process. Learn Inner Bonding now! Visit her web site for a FREE Inner Bonding course: http://www.innerbonding.com or email her at mailto:margaret@innerbonding.com. Phone Sessions.

Source: www.isnare.com

Community

All beings fear violence. All beings fear pain. When you see yourself in all your brothers and sisters, then how can you bring harm to them?

What Really Creates Health And Wellbeing?

By Margaret Paul, Ph.D.

Most of us know that eating well and exercising is important for good health. Yet often we hear about people 100 years old and older that are still vital and have not eaten perfectly or exercised much. What is the secret of their good health?

Research indicates that a major factor in good health – more important than genes, food, or exercise – is how we handle stress.

Our bodies are equipped with a “fight or flight” mechanism that enables us to mobilize our strength when necessary. This mechanism allows us to fight or flee from real and present danger. However, this mechanism is also activated when we BELIEVE there is danger, even when no actual survival danger exists.

For example, it is appropriate for the fight or flight mechanism to activate if you are being physically attacked. When the stress response is activated, blood is taken from our brain and organs and put into our arms and legs to enable us to fight or flee. Our immune system shuts down to give us more energy to physically protect ourselves and ensure our survival in the moment. Once the danger is over and we have discharged the stress through fighting or running, our bodies go back to normal and blood again flows to our brain and organs.

However, what if your thoughts are creating the stress? What if you are imagining being attacked, or being rejected, or losing money, or losing your job, or losing a loved one? In this case, there is no actual real and present danger occurring in the moment. Yet the body does not know the difference between something that is really happening and something that you are thinking about. The body goes into the stress response the moment you think scary thoughts. But instead of being able to fight or flee, you are stuck with the anxiety caused by your thoughts. The blood is in your arms and legs with no way to be released. You can’t think very well due to as lack of blood in your brain, your organs are being robbed of necessary nutrients, and your immune system is not functioning properly. Strenuous exercise may release the stress response, but if you keep thinking the scary thoughts, it will just come right back.

Perhaps the most important thing you can do for your health and wellbeing is to become conscious of your thoughts that create stress and become adept at changing your thoughts. People who have learned how to let challenging things roll off their back generally have good health. People who allow the challenges of life to constantly stress them out often have health problems, even when they eat well and get exercise.

Our minds have been programmed from infancy with many untrue thoughts – many false beliefs. It is when we think these untrue thoughts that we cause ourselves anxiety and our bodies go into the stress response. However, we all have a “Wise Self” that knows truth from lies. When we move “out of our minds” and into our knowing, we will stop thinking the thoughts that cause anxiety and instead operate from the truth of our knowing.

Thoughts that are untrue cause anxiety. The truth brings peace. If you have a thought that you cannot survive being rejected or being alone, you will feel anxious. However, while this might have been true as a child, it is not true as an adult. Your anxious feeling is letting you know that your thought is untrue. If you then think – from your Wise Self rather than from your programmed mind: “I can handle rejection. I’ve been rejected many times and I have not died. I’ve been alone many times and I have not died,” your body will release the anxiety and you will feel peaceful. Your peaceful feeling is telling you that you are now thinking the truth.

The very best thing you can do for your health and wellbeing is to become aware of the thoughts from your programmed mind that create anxiety, and practice thinking the truth from your Wise Self that creates inner peace.

About the Author: Margaret Paul, Ph.D., best-selling author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You” and co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding healing process. Learn Inner Bonding now! Visit her web site for a FREE Inner Bonding course: http://www.innerbonding.com or email her at mailto:margaret@innerbonding.com. Phone Sessions.

Source: www.isnare.com

Tranquility

Tranquility is achieved when you are in harmony with all beings and all situations. Knowing that everything is precisely the way it is meant to be.

The Joy Of Spirit

By Margaret Paul, Ph.D.

I have counseled individuals, couples, families and business partners for the past 35 years and authored eight published books. All this experience has resulted in the development of a profound healing process, called Inner Bonding, which anyone can learn and use throughout the day (free course available - see resource box at the end of the article). One of the results of practicing the Inner Bonding process is much more joy in your life.

What brings you joy? What really brings you joy, as opposed to what you think brings you joy?

We have all been taught that we will be happy when we: find our soulmate, make money, work at something we love. Or, we will be happy and fulfilled when we have a house, have a child, do service. Yet I have worked with people who have and do all of the above and are still not happy, and I know of people who have little or none of the above and are frequently joyful.

You might try to find your joy with substances such as alcohol or drugs, but I have never met anyone using these substances whose energy was truly joyful. You might try to find your joy through getting love from others, or through sacrificing yourself and caretaking others, but I have never met anyone who was a taker or caretaker who was truly joyful. So, what creates joy?

Joy is not the result of what you do. Rather, you can find your soulmate, make money, work at something you love, have a house, have a child, or do service with or without joy. Joy is a state of being that enters your heart when you are open to learning and taking loving care of yourself.

Joy, like love and truth, is a gift of Spirit. Joy, love and truth enter your being when your heart is open. Joy is the feeling of exuberance and oneness that envelopes you once you have opened to feeling your pain, learning from it, and moving through it. Joy cannot enter your heart when you are protected against your pain. When you protect against your pain, you close your heart to avoid the pain, and joy cannot enter a closed heart. Thus, joy is the result of doing your inner work to learn to keep your heart open.

Sometimes I am amazed by this feeling of joy. I used to think that my joy would come from good things happening outside of myself. I certainly love for good things to happen, but often I find myself feeling great joy even when nothing is happening!

I feel joy when my Inner Child feels loved by me, important to me, cherished by me, seen by me, valued by me. I feel joy when I attend to my wants and needs, saying "no" to others when I mean no, and "yes" to others when I mean yes. I feel joy when my Inner Child feels safe inside, knowing that I am taking care of her, knowing that I am connecting with my spiritual Guidance each moment so that we are not alone.

Joy is your birthright. It's what makes life worth living. Once you taste it, you will want more and more of it. Yet too many people stay stuck in their safety zone, thinking that protecting against pain and trying to get love is what will make them safe and happy. But do you really feel safe inside? Are your protections really working to create safety within? If you are willing to be honest with yourself and see that your protections aren't working, then maybe you will open your heart and embrace your pain, with a deep desire to learn what you may be doing that is causing it, so that you can feel the joy of Spirit.

About the Author: Margaret Paul, Ph.D., best-selling author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You” and co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding healing process. Learn Inner Bonding now! Visit her web site for a FREE Inner Bonding course: http://www.innerbonding.com or email her at mailto:margaret@innerbonding.com. Phone Sessions.

Source: www.isnare.com

Commonality

The thoughts I have thought and the sins I have sinned have all been had before I existed by people I shall never know.

Family Heirlooms

By Brooke Brimm

Ask yourself what values, superstitions, myths, and beliefs you hold, which were given to you by those who have loved, nurtured, and reared you. You know what I mean; I like to call them “family heirlooms.” All the little stated or unstated rules you were instilled with growing up. Some of us are still receiving values reinforcement from our love ones or we just replay messages in our head from when we were developing.

“We don’t act like that.” “We don’t do that.” “We don’t say that.” We don’t believe that.” “Are you going to wear that?” “Is that your friend?” “Are you going to eat that?” The messages just play on and on.

Do you know why you were given those “heirlooms” or have you just adopted them blindly? Were they born out of the experiences of others, but have not much to do with your own experiences? Could they have been passed on to you from an era when they may have been necessary, such as “the depression” or “the Jim Crow laws period,” but now they are clearly obsolete? Do they all fit your life today? Do you ever find yourself wondering how others who do not share your same values and beliefs live? Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if you did not follow the family traditions? Are any of these “heirlooms” stopping you from being who you really want to be? Are any of these “family heirlooms” hindering you from succeeding in a loving relationship?

To get the life and love you want it is essential to evaluate, and then correct yourself. Part of the evaluation should include the plethora of information you have been given by those who love you. These individuals are significant because you probably trust them more than any others on this earth. They are also very important because they have helped shape who you are. To fully grow into your individual self, you must carefully analyze your development.

Decide if what you were given as a child fits your lifestyle today. While looking through your old family heirlooms you may find a new appreciation for values you have taken for granted. You may also find that some of your heirlooms clash with your new flair. If you have old heirlooms that do not match your new style, get rid of them. Discard them happily, and don’t look back.

You may have to explain to the folks who have given you all this stuff that you no longer have use for it. They will probably try to convince that you do. They may even try to coerce you, beg you, or threaten to disown you, in order to make you carry the family baggage. However, you should remember that you only have one life to live, and you will be the one responsible if you do not get what you want out of it. More than likely, your family will adapt to your new way of living because they love you.

One last thing, if while taking this journey you discover that the “heirlooms” you’ve adopted from your loved ones are very incongruent with the life you desperately want to lead, do not waste your time blaming them for doing their best. Just work toward doing your best. Continue to love and accept every part of them because at your core you are they. To reject them is to reject you.

About the Author: Brooke Brimm has a Master's degree in Professional Counseling and 8 years of experience in the field of Human Science. She has been married since 1993 and has two beautiful daughters. Ms. Brimm authors an ezine, Loves Gumbo, in which she discusses love, relationships, and friendships in today's society. To join email: lovesgumbo@comcast.net

Source: www.isnare.com

Just Live

Why is it that mankind is always in a state of preparing to live instead of actually living?

The Nature Of Thought Energy

By Jeff Palmer

Your thoughts are the currencies with which you exchange energy with the universe

Do you believe that your thoughts have energy? Do you believe that a place or an object can retain the energy of the people that have come into contact with it? If you have ever entered an old home and sensed the presence of its previous occupants, or held an antique item in your hands and felt the history of it, then you know the answers.

Scientists are just beginning to accept the truth about thought energy, and have begun to study what many have known for centuries. In fact some of today’s leading scientists in areas of physics, biology, psychology and many other fields are starting to recognize the importance of thought energy.

Positive thought energy in the form of collective meditation has been scientifically proven to reduce violent crime!

In 1993 a study encouraged by one the world’s leading physicists was undertaken in Washington D.C to determine if focused meditation could have an effect on that city’s crime rate. The results were astonishing. During the weeks that several volunteers meditated, crime rates fell dramatically by 25 percent! This was no accident. This was scientifically validated and proven to be an effective means of countering the criminal inclinations of a very large group of people…an entire city in fact.

All life is energy.

Thoughts have energy. Negative thoughts create negative events. Positive thoughts create positive results. The energy of thought is either stored in physical structures or is transmitted into the universe, it never dies. Consider what this means. Think about the ramifications.

Where did the clothes you are wearing come from, who made them?

Were they manufactured by depressed and impoverished people working in appalling conditions for weeks to make the same amount of money that you spend on a cup of coffee in the morning?

Who built the car that you drive?

Was it built by disgruntled and tired factory workers? Where some of those workers alcoholics? Did some of them leave work, go home, beat their wives and children and build your car the next morning?

Who built the house that you live in?

Who came into contact with the food that you ate today?

Starting to get the picture? Everything we come into contact with can hold the thought energy of other people. Even the air that we breathe carries the thought energy of those it surrounds.

What were the thoughts that have been injected into every part of your life?

How much has the thought energy of others affected you?

Every thought interacts with the energy of the universe. Negative thought looks for other negatives thought energies to bind with. Eventually a matrix of negative thought energy is created and forms a thought wave. These powerful negative thought waves manifest themselves in our lives in the form of poverty, crime, war, plagues and natural disasters. Negative energy creates a vacuum, it detracts from the life giving nature of the universe Negative thought waves come in many sizes and have been known by many names, bad luck, misfortune, disaster, evil, curses, etc. Call them what you will, the source of their energy is the same. The source is us.

Positive thought energy also seeks out other positive energies. If you are a source of positive thought energy, positive and beneficial energy will return to you in many wonderful and unexpected ways. Positive thought energy creates a surplus; it is the surplus of positive thought energy that allows for the creation of life.

You are the source and creator of all things. Everything that happens in your life has a direct connection with the type of energy that you are charging the universe with.

You alone are responsible for the type of energy created by your life.

Becoming aware of the power of your own thoughts is the most important step in understanding how to handle the adverse influence of the negative thought of others.

Knowing the value of positive thought energy allows us to become sensitive to negative energy. We begin to notice it in our own speech, we see it in our relationships, and we notice it in others.

Being aware is the key. Once we are aware of the negative thought energy in our lives we can take measures to eliminate it and replace it with beneficial, healing energy.

It is as simple as noticing it and dismissing it with our minds. A thought enters our mind that we recognize as negative, we simply dismiss it. By dismissing negativity we take away its power by not allowing it to manifest further negativity in our lives.

There are of course many other techniques available to combat negative thought energy and create positive abundance in our lives; including focused meditation among others.

The critical first step however is simply being aware of the existence and effects of these energies. Hopefully this brief article has helped you to allow that first step to be taken.

About the Author: Dr.Jeffry R. Palmer Ph.D. Is the author of "Judo for the Soul - The Art of Psychic Self Defence", as well as numerous articles and papers relating to metaphysics and the study of paranormal phenomena. Further information about Dr. Palmer and his books can be found at http://the-psychic-detective.com/Judo-For-The-Soul.htm

Source: www.isnare.com

The Simple Truth

Be ready to accept that there is no such thing as the simple truth.

The Power Of Expectations And Beliefs

By Jeff Palmer

If I were to place three apples on a table in front of you and asked you to choose one to eat, you probably wouldn’t have much difficulty selecting one. After all they are just normal apples, nothing special.

But what if I were to tell you that these apples had been the subject of an experiment in the transference of thought energy? The experiment involved the use of one hundred people familiar with the practice of meditation and the focusing of thought energy.

One of these apples was meditated on with the intention of providing health.

A group of one hundred people concentrated for one hour with the intention of giving this apple the power to heal.

Another apple was focused one with the intention to cause sickness. For one hour this apple was subjected to the meditative thought energy of ill health.

The third apple was not meditated upon.

Knowing this, how would you feel about your selection of the apples? Would you feel uneasy about choosing an apple that has been the focus of these “sickness” intentions? What do you suppose would happen to your body if you ate this apple?

How would your body react to eating the “healthy” apple? Would knowing about the different meditations before hand have an effect on your health if you were to eat? Would knowing about the meditations after eating one of these apples have an affect on your body?

In the experiment described above, what is the mechanism behind the health or sickness associated with these apples? Is it the thought energy of those meditating at work, or do the expectations of the person eating the apple have the real effect? Do the expectations of the meditators come into play?

The three apple scenario has hopefully served to illustrate the importance of understanding how our thoughts can have dramatic external effects beyond the scope of our present day understanding.

"Expectation is a powerful thing," says Robert DeLap, M.D., head of one of the US Food and Drug Administration's Offices of Drug Evaluation. "The more you believe you're going to benefit from a treatment, the more likely it is that you will experience a benefit."

Expectations and beliefs are an important aspect of thought energy studies. A perfect example of this can be found in the phenomena of the placebo effect.

A placebo, as used in research, is an inactive substance or procedure used as a control in an experiment. A placebo effect occurs when the placebo, which cannot on its own have any affect, but does in fact have the same, similar and sometimes better affects as the experimental substances drugs or procedures.

Questions remain about the interplay of psychological and physiological mechanisms that contribute to the placebo effect. Today's brain imaging techniques lend support to the theory that thoughts and beliefs not only affect one's psychological state, but also cause the body to undergo measurable biological changes. What is known, beyond doubt, is that we can create healing energies with our minds alone.

Thoughts have the power to heal and the power to cause harm. What we know and understand about the nature and mechanism of thought and thought energy pales in comparison to the vast amount of information that we do not have. Studying how expectations, beliefs and thought energy relate to physiological and biological changes can lead to a better understanding of individual roles and responsibilities regarding personal health and well being.

Thoughts are real. Thoughts are measurable outside of our bodies and they exert a real influence on people, places and objects which is not bound by time or space. Directed thought energy carrying specific intent is capable of imprinting objects with a desired physical or emotional signature.

Now, go have an apple and think about that for awhile.

About the Author: Dr.Jeffry R. Palmer Ph.D. Is the author of "Judo for the Soul - The Art of Psychic Self Defence", as well as numerous articles and papers relating to metaphysics and the study of paranormal phenomena. Further information about Dr. Palmer and his books can be found at http://the-psychic-detective.com/Judo-For-The-Soul.htm

Source: www.isnare.com

Knowledge

The more you know, the more you need to know.

What Changes Are You Avoiding In Life?

By Margie Warrell

Change is a constant in our lives and yet so often we resist it. As human beings we are wired to avoid change because any type of change, even change for the better, involves a level of discomfort in some shape or form. The whole concept of comfort zones evolved to explain the hedonistic psychological drive in all of us to seek pleasure and avoid pain. Comfort zones - characterized by the familiar, the known, the predictable - are where we risk little except, of course, our spirits deepest fulfillment. Change, by its very nature, requires us to step beyond our comfort zone and let go of something we've become familiar with - whether it be a the structure of our company, a relationship, a routine, a neighbourhood or a physical environment in which we've lived or worked - and adapt to something new, something unfamiliar.

As someone who has moved around a lot over the last decade and had four children along the way, I know all too well that change can not only be uncomfortable but it can be inconvenient and, at times, quite overwhelming (as every new mother will tell you). However I also know that unless you are willing to embrace change in your life you will miss the opportunities your ever changing environment presents to you and will be unable to create for yourself a life you really enjoy living.

Perhaps you are someone who feels very averse to change. A 'creature of habit' you call yourself. That is all fine and good. But if your aversion to change has left you unwilling to address the areas of your life you don't feel good about and fulfill your own unique potential then it is coming at a cost to you. In my experience when people choose to avoid change - even positive change - it is because they doubt their ability to take on the challenges that change will bring. Fear keeps them stuck and resigned to the status quo.

Is there something you don't feel completely great about in any of these aspects of your life?

* Your relationships
* Your home and work environment
* Your career (or lack thereof)
* Your health and general sense of well being
* Your finances
* Your sense of community
* Your recreation/leisure time
* Your life in general!

What would need to change to bring into your life more of what you wanted and less of what you didn't in whichever areas you feel dissatisfied with? People who achieve true success in their professional and personal lives are those who view change not as something that is 'bad' and to be avoided but as something that is necessary if they are to move forward toward the goals that inspire them. They don't resist. They embrace.

Likewise the only way you can ever have the life you'd really love to live is by proactively going out and making whatever changes need to be made. But what's that you say? You feel scared, daunted even? Well of course you do… you're human! No-one is born immune to fear and self doubt. We all experience it. Likewise, no one is born with an absence of courage. Courage lies within each of us and is not an absence of fear but action in spite of it. So whatever changes you have been putting off know you are capable of taking on much more than you have been giving yourself credit for. Stop underestimating yourself!

Sure your life right now might be relatively easy and 'comfortable' but that doesn't mean it is truly rich in the stuff that makes it truly rewarding and meaningful. Upgrading your experience of being alive in the world requires willingness to continual personal growth. Growth does not occur in comfort zones. In fact the only way you can grow into your full potential is by stretching yourself a little now and then, and as you do, leaving behind the old in order to experience the new. When you approach change with the right attitude you will become much more confident in your ability to handle life's challenges and to take on bigger, more exciting challenges that really inspire you.

Today I encourage you to take one small action toward addressing something you feel dissatisfied with. It may require a change to your daily routine, who you hang out with, your commitments, your eating habits, your spending habits or to your willingness to have a conversation that you've long been putting off… whatever! The most important thing is to step into action and as you do remember that you really are much much more capable and courageous than you think you are!

2005 © Margie Warrell. All rights reserved.

About the Author: Margie Warrell is an Executive & Life Coach, Speaker and Writer who specializes in empowering women to find the courage to pursue the goals that inspire them - personally and professionally - with more success, fulfillment and balance… less the stress! To subscribe to her free monthly ezine or for more information visit http://www.margiewarrell.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Suspicions

The less you know the more you suspect.

The True And Magnificent Power Of Giving

By Karen Walker

You've probably heard of the popular saying "It's better to give than to receive." But do you actually know what hidden power lies within this magnanimous act known as "giving?"

When you give something from your heart without expecting anything in return, you release a powerful force that will trigger your good deed to "bounce" back to you in amazing, and sometimes unusual ways.

I firmly believe that whatever you impart to others will come back to you a hundred fold. You are doing yourself a big favor by helping someone in need. By doing even the smallest acts of generosity, you are inviting good vibrations to come into your life.

You would be earning the respect and love of your recipients. You know that you will always have a loyal group of friends who would help, protect, and do anything for you just because they feel that they have to repay you in any way they can. Most people would have the urge or drive to reciprocate any act of kindness you've shown them.

However, this does not mean that you must expect them to repay you. Give without any expectation of rewards. Don't do it just because you have an ulterior motive. Give unconditionally. Give because you are happy doing it. The universe will get back to you in its own special way.

Speaking of happiness, the act of giving can summon the spirit of joy to come into your heart. How would you feel when you've given something to your less fortunate neighbors? Let me tell you that nothing could brighten up my day more than hearing them express their most heartfelt gratitude and seeing their smiles extend from ear to ear.

Giving is also a healthy habit. It could prolong your life by instilling within you an inner sense of peace and accomplishment.

Just like all things in life, giving has its limitations. Being too generous can have its toll. Your kindness might be taken advantage of and people might abuse your good intentions. Beware of individuals who are continuously seeking your aid. It's better to teach them how to solve their problems than to always attend to their needs.

As one saying goes...

"Give them some fish and you'll feed them for a day. Teach them how to fish and you'll feed them for a lifetime."

Lastly, here's what I consider the most important rule about giving. Keep your good deeds to yourself. Don't announce to the whole world that you've donated $100,000 to your favorite charity or that you've helped save a child from a life-threatening disease.

If you really desire to give, do it secretly and in private. Some people would write "anonymous" rather than their own names when they've made a contribution. The universe smiles upon these individuals, and they will get their just rewards in due time.

Now that you know how wonderful it is to give, would you go out to the world and share your blessings?

About the Author: Karen Walker specializes in helping individuals, entrepreneurs, network marketers, and independent professionals generate substantial incomes with their own Work at Home or Home Based Business on the Internet. Visit her web sites for more information: http://www.income-directory.com http://www.cashflowquest.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Renunciation

Each day, accept everything that comes to you as a gift. At night, mentally give it all back. In this way, you become free. No one can ever take anything from you, for nothing is yours.

How To Capture Great Opportunity

By Community Soul

How do you treat opportunities?

More often than not, most of us walk the pavement looking down, rather than up. We miss the opportunity to smile and connect with passers-by. And I’m sure that over the last year or two, people frown more and smile less. And if this is how we treat each other, I wonder how we treat the opportunities that flow our way.

Digging a little, I discovered some interesting answers.

It seems that people, in general, are not happy. Aside of the stresses and strains of life, one of the things they blame for the way they feel right now, is the state of the world.

Digging deeper, I found something else…

Take a look at today’s media headlines. Do you feel inspired by them? Do you feel the press do much for the you, by way of inspiration and wisdom?

I don’t remember a time when a newspaper guided me towards better thinking or towards the opportunity within the chaos. They are more likely to tell us about a celebrity divorce or a scandal in a reality TV show than inspire us towards a better love life or a better way to handle the kids vandalising the local park.

Another factor is TV… that thing we do for rest and relaxation?

Watch a TV soap. Would you agree it is mostly conflict? Episode after episode of fights, murders and affairs, all based on “Real Life” drama. Compare the “real life” drama to real life in my community. In the last year there has been no murders. There has been hardly a scuffle worthy of the name. And as for affairs… who knows... And frankly, other than people who don’t have a life, who cares! Watching “real life” dramas just leaves you feeling like you need to watch your back… when in real life… you don’t need to.

What else?

Advertising… food adverts: just what you need when you want to lose weight: chocolate and pizza and other fast foods that look mouth-wateringly good. Before you know it the snacks in your mouth and your feeling guilt.

Empowering, isn’t it?

It seems - unless you know where to find uplifting, empowering information - that the world, is not set up for a person who wants to really discover their true self and live a fit healthy life, full of happiness and wonderful things. In fact, you might agree that it seems set up to do the opposite - discouraging us from our dreams.

So, what can be done?

You could make a choice. You could say: if I want to succeed with my goals, I will only watch TV and read newspapers that include content that inspires me towards where I want to be. Imagine what you will gain by the end of the TV programme. If you can’t see a gain or a pay-off from the broadcast, turn it off. By doing this you reclaim your control over your leisure time. You also block out things that can discourage you or make you feel bad about the world.

‘But I need to relax,’ you might say.

Do you get relaxed watching conflict, or news about death and destruction? Surely true relaxation is peace in the mind, or curling up on the sofa, playing Lego or hide-and-seek with your kids or having an early night with your lover.

But consider going one step further…

It’s all well and good cutting out all the negative, but you need to fill that space with something positive.

So here is what I’ve done.

I’ve surrounded myself with material from some of the world’s greatest minds: speakers, authors and advisors. If we could be mentored by an outstanding coach in an area of life we want to improve, and not have it cost us a fortune, it might well be of tremendous benefit. Rubbing shoulders with a great advisor could well be the inspiration I need to do something extraordinary: make a million, lose extra pounds, turn an iffy relationship into the most wonderful, romantic experience imaginable… or help us move on.

So what did I do?

I contacted some friends: some best-selling authors, some coaches and speakers, I admire. I told them I needed their help and inspiration. Then I set up a new media reference point: one packed with positive content, that will help people discover their true identity and live life to the fullest. What’s more I made it cost less about 1% of the annual charge of a daily newspaper!

Remember you have to looking for your opportunities. You won’t find them looking down at the pavement and your unlikely to find them in a newspaper or a TV show.

Think about the mouth-watering prospect of having information you can use to enhance life and have it cost you next to nothing!

Then think about your usual daily newspaper. Once you’ve read it, what can you do with the information you gather from it… other than feel depressed.

Now think again about the prospect of having positive content in your life. Think about the prospect of having great advice.

Which makes more sense?

About the Author: What if Best-selling author and former world champion athlete, Dan Millman became your coach, Jason Vale, the Juice Master your health advisor and top marketing guru Robert Middleton became your business mentor. And, what if you could get romance and dating tips from a top author, or if you could learn to understand your kids better, from expert coaches. Would your life change? Would you feel more inspired, powerful and in control? Get your weekly input of wisdom from these and other outstanding authors, writers and coaches in one e-publication. Sign up now of a year, for less than 10p per week. Invest in yourself. Your future is worth it http://www.communitysoul.co.uk

Source: www.isnare.com

Do You Want The Truth?

Why do we seem happy enough to ask the meaning of truth then walk away before we get the answer?

Whoever Said We Can’t Change The World Underestimated The Power Of The Human Spirit

By Community Soul

I turned off the TV yesterday because the presenter talked about a reality alien to me.

She talked about road rage and trolley rage and people not apologising for bumping into each other and pushing in at check outs. My community is a rural one - quiet and friendly, but I know not all communities are like this. What’s yours like? Is it like the aggressive stressed one that the TV presenter talked about? Is your community the way you’d like it to be? Do you want to shift the consciousness around you? If the answer is yes, then I invite you, to read on…

What is community intention?

For me, and your ideas may be different, it is about realising that inner connectedness - that my happiness and well-being is connected to that which surrounds me. I love to see children and elders as well as neighbours passing the time of day. It builds a bond of respect and trust for each other. My partner loves to take flowers to people’s doorsteps and leave them with a note: “From a neighbour who appreciates you”.

I love seeing parents smiling as they take their children to school. I enjoy watching children skip and sing and hearing stories of how a village pulled together to help a family under pressure because their son had a drug problem. It’s warming to know that a community has the power to change things without a child being expelled from school or the police getting heavy.

This kind of incident makes me ask: what will it be like when human spirit truly unites?

In Egyptian times something unique happened. The population forged a national identity in their hearts when communities from the north and south came together to built the Great Pyramid. In those days the Nile flooded and there was always a time when these people had to leave their homes. It was during this time that they would come together and work as one to build this magnificent monument that has stood the test of time. What’s more, they did it from their hearts, because no monetary system existed.

So, what if we did the same? Can we give from our hearts? Can we give of ourselves and share something of value with the ones around us?

We can do so much more when we realise the commonality of our lives is defined in a word. That word is: oneness. If we seek out that glow within us and within our communities we can achieve something incredible: we can transform ours selves, the community around us and shift the world from a place of despair, desperation and greed to a place of love, peace and wonder.

You may already have been holding the light for the coming of days like these. If you have, then I call you my brother and my sister, to now carry that light one step forward, because holding a light alone is one thing, but holding a light with a thousand others around you is true oneness. Holding the light, together in any community will transform any village, any town, any city, any country, any planet. Now is the time. Step forward.

About the Author: CommunitySoul is one way of turning people to the light. It is a community of amazing people - some best-selling authors, coaches and speakers, full of inspiration and wisdom that enhance lives and help us to stay focussed on the multi-faceted nature of living. We invite you to join us http://www.communitysoul.co.uk and speed up the transformation of the world.

Source: www.isnare.com

Being Forgiven

No matter how dark our wrongs may seem to us, there is always someone prepared to forgive them.

Tapping The Power Of Your Inner Wisdom

By Community Soul

When was the last time someone sat you down and told you how amazing, special and unique you are?

Today? A few days ago? A while back? Never?

For most of us it’s been some time… But does that mean we are anything short of magnificent?

We easily recall the times when someone tells us we did wrong, when we were made to feel bad for trying and getting it wrong; when we’ve been reprimanded or punished for a mistake that happened in a momentary lapse in concentration or due to a lack of understanding. Yet life can be simple and a lot less complicated, especially when we have true gratitude and appreciation for the unique being that is us.

Just take a moment and mull this over:

From the moment we were born we had the innate intelligence to breath and within seconds we learned how to cry, screw up our face and wiggle our fingers and toes. Within hours we’d learned to recognise our mother by smell. And in the days that followed learned who and what we liked, and what we didn’t. And pretty soon the miracle that is you and me, learned to walk talk, eat and throw up.

We are brilliant, aren’t we? In fact we are more brilliant. Let me show you…

Before you left school, did any of your teachers sit you down, and ask: 'How will you use your unique gifts in the world? Did they even explore the term 'unique gift' with you? My guess would be that during your entire school life, you’d have been extremely lucky if anyone ever spoke to you about your uniqueness.

But just because someone didn’t explore the issue of your uniqueness with you, it doesn’t mean you are not unique. It just means you may have forgotten the great and wonderful thing you are and maybe not yet explored the real beauty and wonder that is you…

And these same people - our teachers and our leaders and our media, even our parents (or especially our parents depending on upbringing) - they have forgotten to impart a few other vital bits of information.

Like what?

Well, advice on love and romance for one thing. I think you’ll agree sharing love with another is a vital part of life. We all want it, don’t we? It’s the thing that make our hearts sing; it’s what makes the world go round and it’s what we yearn for when we don’t have it.

So what gem could our teacher and parents told us about love that would have been vital to us… if they had known it themselves…

You’re probably familiar with the term, Soul-mate. Its seems a lovely concept, but a bit of a day-dream on the surface. But is it? I often hear people saying, “I want to find my soul mate”. But did anyone point out to you that it would be impossible for your true soul-mate to discover your soul, before you discovered it?

It stands to reason that if you don’t know about your own uniqueness and power and understand about your purpose for being here, then neither will any mate. In fact what you’ll most probably discover is a person who shows you all your flaws and who shows you how far you are from your soul!

Am I blaming our teacher and our parents?

Not really. I don’t think they knew any better. But if we are to live a life of true happiness then it is important that we tap into our wisdom and explore our uniqueness and our soul-mate relationships and explore how we can be all we can be, otherwise we and the next generation, our kids, will continue to flounder in the dark for generation after generation.

You’ve been tagged now! You now have the responsibility to do something different!

But it doesn’t have to be a burden.

What can be done?

Find teachers who identify with your true wonder and can guide you. Explore your full potential. Play with the possibility that you can have everything you want.

About the Author: You could find your own teacher, but if that sounds like hard work you don’t have the stomach for, you can use mine. I’ve got together some of the world’s best-selling authors, outstanding coaches and speakers. You can read them in our publication and hear them on-line with our radio links. Find the true you… http://www.communitysoul.co.uk

Source: www.isnare.com

Being Remembered

When you are no longer on this earth, will you be remembered as someone who made others happy?

Reduce Stress Through Listening

By Jillian Gregory

Is your "To-Do" list longer then the latest Harry Potter novel? Do you have to pick up the kids from school, work on several cases at work, or plan your next company meeting? Maybe you have to do some or all of the above. Dealing with stressful life situations like these has become common place in our modern speed of light society.

Through advances in technology and innovation in business practices we have become accustomed to dealing with more things at a quicker pace. Our patience has diminished as we pop minute meals into the microwave instead of taking time to create a home cooked meal. There are too many things you need to accomplish in the day to worry about whether your family meal was made by your hands or Betty Crocker’s.

Unfortunately the push to achieve more in a shorter period of time is detrimental to your overall health. Lack of sleep and poor eating habits of a stressed out worker can cause problems on the job, not to mention decreased fitness. It is crucial to your health and enjoyment of life to take a breather. Take time to enjoy life. Don’t let the everyday stresses distract you from the important aspects of life, whatever they may be in your situation.

How can I make time when I don’t have enough time to begin with? It’s all about priorities. Decreasing the amount of stress in your life should be a top priority. There are techniques you can integrate into your day which will quell stressful aspects of your life.

What are these valuable techniques? There are numerous stress reduction techniques and they are varied in nature. A great audio book to listen to is Life is Not a Stress Rehearsal by Loretta LaRoche. This audio book provides insights into slowing down your hectic life in a funny, manageable way. It is a great resource for anyone dealing with stress that would like to explore practical ways to reduce stress in their life.

Also check out How to Manage Stress Easily by Effective Learning Systems. This audio learning resource will help you to free yourself from negative feelings and stressors that pervade your life. Another great audio book is Calm Your Mind by Matthew McKay. Matthew McKay presents four basic techniques you can engage in to reduce stress, calm your mind, and center your soul.

Follow the scientifically proven effectiveness of the techniques presented in Stress Reduction and Creative Meditations for Work and Career by Marc Allen. Listen to what thousands have learned about focusing on relaxation exercises each day. Another great audio resource is Living a Life of Inner Peace by Eckhart Tolle. This is a transformative talk by Eckhart Tolle that focuses on the effects of your state of presence.

Another great way to reduce stress is to make sure all of your uncompleted business tasks (or "open loops") are properly tracked. David Allen's Getting Things Done series is one of the best methodologies for this. His goal? To help you achieve a "Mind Like Water." Allen's audio titles include Getting Things Done, Ready for Anything and Nightingale-Conant title Getting Thigns Done Fast.

Other alternative stress reduction audio resources include A Guide to Alternative Self-Healing Techniques for Stress Reduction by Dr. William Collinge and Stress Relief by Michael Reed Gach. These audio books cover alternative methods such as acupuncture, yoga, and deep breathing. They offer a comprehensive alternative approach. And if you're interested in listening to a relaxing podcast to relieve stress take a listen to the Zencast Podcast by Zencast.org.

Relieve stress by listening to these priceless audio resources. Listen to them while you are cleaning the house, doing the laundry, or planning your next company meeting. Hearing the great advice and inspiration of stress experts will begin to reduce your stress level immediately.

About the Author: Jillian Gregory writes for LearnOutLoud.com, an online portal for educational and self-development audio and video material which can be found at http://www.learnoutloud.com For the HTML version of this article complete with links to the titles that were mentioned, please visit http://www.learnoutloud.com/stress01

Source: www.isnare.com

Being Helpful

If you are happy to accept help you must also be happy to offer it.

Good Sleep Habits: A Key To Better Health

By Ray Kelly

Most of us fail to get good nights sleep. As a result we run the risk of greatly increasing our susceptibility to disease and accidents. Getting a good night sleep is a minimum for a healthy life. For most people this amount needs to be around 6 to 8 hours each night. Anything less than that and you are sleeping too little and anything more than that and you are probably sleeping too much.

What is it that sleep does for us? The best way to think of sleep is as the body’s form of “downtime”. Just like our computers need to go offline in order to be repaired so must our bodies. During this “downtime” the body actually rebuilds tissue, grows bone and muscle and strengthens the immune system.

The truth is we really don’t know everything that does happen in sleep just yet. However, we know enough to realize that without it the body deteriorates along with the mind.

Each night we cycle through three stages of sleep including light sleep, deep sleep and Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (REM). Each of these stages are vital but the last stage is especially vital. Deprivation of this final stage of sleep can seriously decrease our health and productivity and make us increasingly prone to accidents and systematic disorders.

During deep sleep brain activity that controls emotions, decision-making processes and social interaction shuts down. Though these areas become inactive other areas of our brain that are usually dormant come to life. It is also at this stage that cell growth and cell repair takes place. There is in fact some truth to the phrase “beauty sleep”. Missing these vital areas of sleep deprives our body of the chance to revitalize our skin and organs.

Sleep is also integral in fighting off infection. As anybody who has been sick can attest the need for sleep increases when we are ill or bedridden. Part of the reason for this behavior is because our body is trying to shut down other aspects of our functioning in order to send much needed energy to our immune system and other parts of the body that help to fight off infection and sickness. This is a key step in the healing process. Depriving someone of sleep with a major illness can do serious damage to their long-term health.

The effects of sleep deprivation are many and varied. When we are deprived from sleep hallucinations and mood swings are usually the first effects we feel. There is also a general sense of irritability that pervades our waking mood when we are sleep deprived. Lack of sleep also affects our nervous system leaving us drowsy and unable to concentrate.

Lack of sleep is also a frequent contributor to the causes of vehicular accidents and all other types of accidents, many of which are fatal.

To make sure you get the most of your sleep try to develop some ritual before going to bed. By creating a routine you condition your body to prepare itself for sleep.

Avoid taking medicines since many of these prohibit the deepest levels of sleep, which are most necessary for our body.

Also avoid excessive stimulation two hours before sleep. This can cause your body to be unable to fall reach the state of deep relaxation needed to fall to sleep.

Find an amount of sleep that is right for you and allows your body to operate at maximum efficiency.

About the Author: Ray Kelly is an Exercise Scientist with 15 years experience in the health and fitness industry. Sign up for his free 7 Day Weight Loss Course at
http://www.free-online-health.com or
http://www.trainingdiary.ws

Source: www.isnare.com

Re-define Normal

Why is unhappiness considered to be so normal and yet a person who is generally happy considered as being a little strange.

Stress Management Find Your Own Relief

By Ray Kelly

Would you believe that one of the biggest contributors to your state of health is how stress free your home environment is? Those who live in stressful conditions in home or at work are much more likely to have accidents or become ill when compared to those who consider themselves to be in a non-stressful work or home environment.

Unfortunately, the modern world has created situations in both home and work that are at a higher level of stress than those of past generations. The world today runs at a much faster pace then the world even ten or twenty years ago. And it is speeding up if anything. The demands we make on ourselves are increasing, as are the expectations we have of our relationships and ourselves. Is it any surprise that Heart Attacks are a leading cause of death in the United States? What can be done to fix this?

First consider that you will actually spend more working hours at work than you will at home. Given that consider how stressful your job is and what about it makes it stressful. Once you pinpoint the causes see if you can find a way to reduce the stress level or delegate the responsibility of certain tasks that are particularly troublesome.

Stressful activities are not the only employee problem though. The fact is many feel stress simply because they do not like the job as a whole. If you do not like your job then you owe it to yourself to go about seeking other employment rather than staying at the risk of long-term health problems. Sometimes the simple act of even exploring other opportunities lessens the stress in your life. So even if you only look it is probably more beneficial to you than continuing to endure a job that you do not enjoy.

Second, consider the town or city that you live in. Is this the ideal place for you? Life is too short to live in a where you are unhappy. Yet, we all know many people who complain day in and day out about the place they live and yet they don't do anything about it. Often we make compromises about living preferences to be close to family and these are not bad decisions. The support and foundation that extended family provides is very important for our overall health and well being. However, if that is not a consideration then there is no reason one should not make a move to a happier and healthier environment.

The perfect environment for one person is not necessarily the perfect environment for another though. For some, being beside the ocean is the ultimate in tranquility while for others it is a stressful nightmare because of the hurricane risk. Make a decision that is right for you in terms of where you choose to live.

Third, consider your actual home in terms of the actual physical environment itself and also the emotional environment created by the members living within the home. Ideally both of these should be healing, peaceful and stress free.

It is always easier to fix the physical environment first. Decide to build a sanctuary in your home. A sanctuary is a place you can retreat to that resonates with positive energy. What is needed in that place depends on your own personal taste. Some may want to make it a religious sanctuary or sacred space while for others it may simply be a quiet place in nature. And do not underestimate the effect of plants and landscaping on your own individual health. Healthy plants reflect a healthy life.

Lastly, think about the emotional environment created by those who live in your home. Is it healthy, peaceful and supportive? What underlying conflicts disrupt the harmony in the home? Go about seeing that these are settled for the best interest of all.

Create an environment that you are happy with both in your personal life and in your professional life and you will appreciate the long-term benefits that result.

About the Author: Ray Kelly is an Exercise Scientist with 15 years experience in the health and fitness industry. Sign up for his free 7 Day Weight Loss Course at http://www.free-online-health.com or http://www.trainingdiary.ws

Source: www.isnare.com