COMING SOON 4 THE HOLIDAYS! GIVE THE GIFT OF LOVE AND JOY!
**********PRE-ORDER NOW FOR NOVEMBER 22nd RELEASE ************
Buy the CD Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Meditation to create and live your ideal life...and help those you love to do the same. This CD was born out of the need for a continual reminder to focus each and every day on our thoughts of appreciation and joy. As Louise Hay so beautifully points out: The thoughts we think are the tools we use to paint the canvas of our lives. Change your thoughts and you change your world.
ABOUT THE CD:
Relax and listen to Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Meditation daily to accept and embrace the principles of The Law of Attraction. Written by Dr. Joanne Scaglione, author of the popular-selling book, Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook, this CD combines four meditations to help you create the life you want. For all of you who have read The Secret and or My Secret Workbook and for those of you who have not, My Secret Meditation is an action tool to begin or continue your personal journey to wherever you want to be, no matter where you are right now.
*** Attract a life of joy and abundance
*** Create the relationships of your dreams
*** Have the good health and wealth awaiting you
OPRAH WINFREY...about The Secret
It's making its way around the world. For years on this show this is what I have been trying to do. It is the secret to creating the life you truly want. This is life-changing.
A FAN WRITES:
What a fabulous way to bring the powerful Law of Attraction into my life in a positive way. I listen every evening before I go to sleep and twice on weekends. It so reinforces the important principles and practices I need to live each and every day. This coupled with My Secret Workbook has brought extraordinary changes into my life. --JM ~ a fan
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Can You Think Yourself Thin ?
With all the information on the Law of Attraction, including CNN’s Larry King Live, where Mr. King interviewed a panel of law of attraction experts regarding how what you think turns into the events you experience in every area of your life, including your body. For years, my “positive thinking” and goal-setting strategies were often criticized as “new age” or “ahead of its time” and for years I kept seeing the positive results of thousands and just kept forging ahead, ignoring all the nay Sayers.
Now, over the past two years, unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve either seen “The Secret” or heard about “the law of attraction” which for some has been characterized as “new age” fluff. On the Larry King show, Oprah, and many other shows, a panel of experts including Bob Proctor, John Assaraf and others who were featured in the movie ‘The Secret’ reveal why the “law of attraction” and “positive thinking” all work, regardless of whether you look at them from a metaphysical or a scientific perspective.
The truth is, many of us are still running negative programs we picked up from our parents, our friends, the television and the media. Unconsciously we fed our impressionable little minds with some good and some negative programming.
To change your results of these negative daily thoughts, you must overwrite old negative programming and instill positive new programming into your unconscious.
This can be achieved through such techniques as written goal setting, positive self-talk, visualization, focused meditation; all very effective techniques. Visualization was first used by he Soviets. They used a strategy of mental rehearsal with athletes. The results were incredible, as these athletes dominated numerous Olympic sports activities. Today, virtually all elite athletes use visualization extensively.
Why, because we know that the brain cannot differentiate between real practices and practice that is vividly imagined. So, if you want to get thin, can you begin practicing being thin? Yes, of course! Does it work? Absolutely, the results in my practice prove it. Men and women alike find that when they feed their conscious and unconscious minds with positive and powerful mental images, positive feelings, the visuals of living in their thin bodies, and so forth, they begin to see their bodies slim down and their body-love and body-esteem increases as well.
Find out what your thoughts are by looking at your results. If you are seeing your pants tighten when you want them to loosen, or you see the same healthy problems or the same weight on the scale, then you most certainly have been reinforcing your conscious and unconscious mind with negative thoughts.
It takes approximately 30 days to make a break a habit, so over the next 30 days, begin to pour into your mind positive thoughts and change your internal dialogue to serve you and your life. Practiced frequently, you will begin to reprogram the your life to see faster and better weight loss results.
Start today by saying, “I am becoming leaner, thinner and healthier every day!”
So does this “positive thinking” and “law of attraction” thing really work?
Ummm, yeah! There’s a reason that I’ve been in business for over 12 years, kept my weight off and helped thousands see their weight fall off too. I believe that in order to change your weight, you must change your mind!
Training your mind is the biggest missed secret to a thin you.
Marna Goldstein is the author of the international top selling e-book, Naturally Thin Secrets. Marna teaches you how to trim down without drugs or supplements using the little-known secrets of the thin. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and turbo-charge your weight loss efforts by visiting http://www.thinwithin.com/, home of Naturally Thin Secrets, and http://www.thinwithin.com/, the Internet’s premiere members-only non-diet weight loss support community.
Now, over the past two years, unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve either seen “The Secret” or heard about “the law of attraction” which for some has been characterized as “new age” fluff. On the Larry King show, Oprah, and many other shows, a panel of experts including Bob Proctor, John Assaraf and others who were featured in the movie ‘The Secret’ reveal why the “law of attraction” and “positive thinking” all work, regardless of whether you look at them from a metaphysical or a scientific perspective.
The truth is, many of us are still running negative programs we picked up from our parents, our friends, the television and the media. Unconsciously we fed our impressionable little minds with some good and some negative programming.
To change your results of these negative daily thoughts, you must overwrite old negative programming and instill positive new programming into your unconscious.
This can be achieved through such techniques as written goal setting, positive self-talk, visualization, focused meditation; all very effective techniques. Visualization was first used by he Soviets. They used a strategy of mental rehearsal with athletes. The results were incredible, as these athletes dominated numerous Olympic sports activities. Today, virtually all elite athletes use visualization extensively.
Why, because we know that the brain cannot differentiate between real practices and practice that is vividly imagined. So, if you want to get thin, can you begin practicing being thin? Yes, of course! Does it work? Absolutely, the results in my practice prove it. Men and women alike find that when they feed their conscious and unconscious minds with positive and powerful mental images, positive feelings, the visuals of living in their thin bodies, and so forth, they begin to see their bodies slim down and their body-love and body-esteem increases as well.
Find out what your thoughts are by looking at your results. If you are seeing your pants tighten when you want them to loosen, or you see the same healthy problems or the same weight on the scale, then you most certainly have been reinforcing your conscious and unconscious mind with negative thoughts.
It takes approximately 30 days to make a break a habit, so over the next 30 days, begin to pour into your mind positive thoughts and change your internal dialogue to serve you and your life. Practiced frequently, you will begin to reprogram the your life to see faster and better weight loss results.
Start today by saying, “I am becoming leaner, thinner and healthier every day!”
So does this “positive thinking” and “law of attraction” thing really work?
Ummm, yeah! There’s a reason that I’ve been in business for over 12 years, kept my weight off and helped thousands see their weight fall off too. I believe that in order to change your weight, you must change your mind!
Training your mind is the biggest missed secret to a thin you.
Marna Goldstein is the author of the international top selling e-book, Naturally Thin Secrets. Marna teaches you how to trim down without drugs or supplements using the little-known secrets of the thin. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and turbo-charge your weight loss efforts by visiting http://www.thinwithin.com/, home of Naturally Thin Secrets, and http://www.thinwithin.com/, the Internet’s premiere members-only non-diet weight loss support community.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
What Are You Doing To Live 'The Secret?'
From: www.goodandgettingbetter.blogspot.com
The Secret Blows My Mind !!
If you haven't ever watched The Secret you haven't started living. I was reborn this past week after watching the secret, I have committed myself to watching it first thing when I wake up and then right before I go to bed. Someone told me that if I do that ALL my dreams will come true. I have started 'visualizing' my Pink Hummer and picking out what helicopter my husband will look best in.Sticky notes every where!!! I got a pink pad of sticky notes and drew a picture of my Hummer and stuck them on my front door (both sides), bathroom mirror, under the toilet seat (that one always really reminds me, and then I have a few moments to sit in quiet and focus on visualizing), on my car dash, in my fridge, above my sink, and I made a necklace with a toy hummer, that I spray painted pink, and I will wear it everyday until I get my Pink hummer.I ordered the vinyl lettering to go on it that says "Mommy Millionaire". So, not only am I visualizing but I have taken 'action'! I ran out of people to call, so I'm just focusing on building my list right now. My motto right now is "Some will, some won't, so what, move on." THE SECRET'S NOT A SECRET ANYMORE! Move over world, here I come!!!!
The Secret Blows My Mind !!
If you haven't ever watched The Secret you haven't started living. I was reborn this past week after watching the secret, I have committed myself to watching it first thing when I wake up and then right before I go to bed. Someone told me that if I do that ALL my dreams will come true. I have started 'visualizing' my Pink Hummer and picking out what helicopter my husband will look best in.Sticky notes every where!!! I got a pink pad of sticky notes and drew a picture of my Hummer and stuck them on my front door (both sides), bathroom mirror, under the toilet seat (that one always really reminds me, and then I have a few moments to sit in quiet and focus on visualizing), on my car dash, in my fridge, above my sink, and I made a necklace with a toy hummer, that I spray painted pink, and I will wear it everyday until I get my Pink hummer.I ordered the vinyl lettering to go on it that says "Mommy Millionaire". So, not only am I visualizing but I have taken 'action'! I ran out of people to call, so I'm just focusing on building my list right now. My motto right now is "Some will, some won't, so what, move on." THE SECRET'S NOT A SECRET ANYMORE! Move over world, here I come!!!!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
It's All About Attitude
Happiness seems to be the single thread that ties many people together because everyone seeks happiness at some point in their life. Happiness is not elusive, yet it seems that many people have trouble knowing what happiness truly is, or how to find it for themselves.
Happiness is defined as a state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Let’s break down this definition to get a clearer picture of exactly what happiness is…
First, take note that happiness is defined by your emotions. Let that thought soak in for a minute. Now read it again: Happiness is defined by your emotions. That means you can choose to be happy, or not. Happiness is clearly and solely dependent upon your attitude and thoughts.
Your emotions, ranging from contentment to joy, is what defines that feeling of happiness you can experience. Contentment is simply being happy with your lot in life. If you are crippled, but can accept your handicap as the way it was meant to be, you will experience happiness every day. But if you look at your handicap as a negative attribute that hinders you from living your life to its fullest, then you’ll be miserable every single day.
Your attitude defines your happiness…or unhappiness.
The secret of happiness doesn’t lie in having all the things you think you need. Many people say that if they just had a couple more thousand dollars, or a bigger house, or a better job, then their life would be better and they’d be happier.
The truth is, no matter how much physical possessions you own, those things can never define your happiness. You must reach deep within yourself and become content with your life as it is. That is when you’ll learn the true secret of happiness.
Taken from www.nurturedsoul.com
Happiness is defined as a state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Let’s break down this definition to get a clearer picture of exactly what happiness is…
First, take note that happiness is defined by your emotions. Let that thought soak in for a minute. Now read it again: Happiness is defined by your emotions. That means you can choose to be happy, or not. Happiness is clearly and solely dependent upon your attitude and thoughts.
Your emotions, ranging from contentment to joy, is what defines that feeling of happiness you can experience. Contentment is simply being happy with your lot in life. If you are crippled, but can accept your handicap as the way it was meant to be, you will experience happiness every day. But if you look at your handicap as a negative attribute that hinders you from living your life to its fullest, then you’ll be miserable every single day.
Your attitude defines your happiness…or unhappiness.
The secret of happiness doesn’t lie in having all the things you think you need. Many people say that if they just had a couple more thousand dollars, or a bigger house, or a better job, then their life would be better and they’d be happier.
The truth is, no matter how much physical possessions you own, those things can never define your happiness. You must reach deep within yourself and become content with your life as it is. That is when you’ll learn the true secret of happiness.
Taken from www.nurturedsoul.com
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Acceptance, Envy and Contentment
One who accepts with patience, that which he cannot change–has learned one secret of victorious living.
Another part of the lesson, is that we can learn to moderate our desires. “Having food and clothing,” says Paul again, “let us be content with these.” Very much of our discontent arises from envy of those who seem to be more favored than ourselves. Many people lose most of the comfort out of their own lot–in coveting the finer, more luxurious things which some neighbor has. Yet if they knew the whole story of the life they envy for its greater prosperity, they probably would not exchange for it their own lowlier life, with its more humble circumstances. Or if they could make the exchange, it is not likely they would find half so much real happiness in the other position, as they would have enjoyed in their own.
Contentment does not dwell so often in palaces–as in the homes of the humble. The real cause of our discontent is not in our circumstances; if it were, a change of circumstances might cure it. It is in ourselves, and wherever we go–we shall carry our discontent heart with us. The only cure which will affect anything–must be the curing of the fever of discontent in us.
A fine secret of contentment, lies in finding and extracting all the pleasure we can get from the things we have–the common, everyday things....In whatever state we are in–we may find therein enough for our need.
(J. R. Miller, “The Hidden Life” 1895)
Taken from http://asacrificeofpraise.wordpress.com/
Another part of the lesson, is that we can learn to moderate our desires. “Having food and clothing,” says Paul again, “let us be content with these.” Very much of our discontent arises from envy of those who seem to be more favored than ourselves. Many people lose most of the comfort out of their own lot–in coveting the finer, more luxurious things which some neighbor has. Yet if they knew the whole story of the life they envy for its greater prosperity, they probably would not exchange for it their own lowlier life, with its more humble circumstances. Or if they could make the exchange, it is not likely they would find half so much real happiness in the other position, as they would have enjoyed in their own.
Contentment does not dwell so often in palaces–as in the homes of the humble. The real cause of our discontent is not in our circumstances; if it were, a change of circumstances might cure it. It is in ourselves, and wherever we go–we shall carry our discontent heart with us. The only cure which will affect anything–must be the curing of the fever of discontent in us.
A fine secret of contentment, lies in finding and extracting all the pleasure we can get from the things we have–the common, everyday things....In whatever state we are in–we may find therein enough for our need.
(J. R. Miller, “The Hidden Life” 1895)
Taken from http://asacrificeofpraise.wordpress.com/
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Choose the Life You Want
Life is an ongoing process of choosing between safety (out of fear and a need for defense)
and risk (for the sake of progrss and growth). Make the growth choice a dozen times a day.
Abraham Maslow
and risk (for the sake of progrss and growth). Make the growth choice a dozen times a day.
Abraham Maslow
Thursday, September 25, 2008
FEAR
Fear is the most toxic of all feelings because of its potential to prevent us from getting things we want. And to make matters worse..often our greatest fear...is the exact thing that we want.
It can be the origin for inaction, immobilization...getting us stuck in a life that goes round and round to nowhere.
The best antidote for fear is perspective...realizing that that which we are afraid of doesn't usually happen.
Affirmations are also helpful along with self-talk and creative visualizations...
Tell yourself- 'I let go of all my fears'
' I face my fears head-on every day.'
' I can do it.____________'
'I know that everything will work out okay for me.'
See yourself DOING it.
Do it....how wonderful you will feel.
It can be the origin for inaction, immobilization...getting us stuck in a life that goes round and round to nowhere.
The best antidote for fear is perspective...realizing that that which we are afraid of doesn't usually happen.
Affirmations are also helpful along with self-talk and creative visualizations...
Tell yourself- 'I let go of all my fears'
' I face my fears head-on every day.'
' I can do it.____________'
'I know that everything will work out okay for me.'
See yourself DOING it.
Do it....how wonderful you will feel.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Believing In Yourself - Confidence Building
What often stops us from pursuing and succeeding in our chosen passion is ourselves. Out mind gets so cluttered with doubt and self-defeating thoughts that we end up believing them and giving up. This fear and resistance to change is something we all experience and can relate to. There is no magic pill that’ll make these thoughts go away.
Only this advice: practice taking action despite fear and doubt, as often as possible. We are creatures of habit, the more we repeat something, the better we get at it, the more automatic it becomes, and the more natural it feels.
Here are some tips that I have personally found helpful in confidence building:
Take massive action - And doing so often. As much as possible. The more you do this, the less scary it will seem, and the more confident you will feel.
Visualization - Our repeated thoughts (whether conscious or unconscious) create the tracks for the train of our mind to run on. The train ends up looping in a cycle unless we create new tracks for it. Visualization is an effective tool for creating new neural pathways in our brains, thereby introducing new experiences through our imagination. Our brains cannot distinguish between what is happening in reality and what is being vividly imagined. (Shakti Gawain has a great book on the topic if you’d like to learn more.)
Affirmations - Similar to visualization techniques, affirmations create or thicken neural pathways in our brains. It’s effective in replacing negative thought patterns with thoughts more conducive to our wellbeing. Affirmation is simply writing down a positive statement in present tense that includes where you want to be or states qualities of the more wholesome ‘you’ that you would like to embody. Repeat this statement as often and as much as you can. Posting this statement on walls where you’ll see it is also helpful. Examples, “I am an outstanding person. I live in the present moment. I embody love, compassion and kindness towards others.” Or “I am an achiever. I achieve my goals. I live life with passion! I am contributing in massive ways. I am outstanding!” Note: This is not lying to yourself, but rather feeding positive messages to your unconscious mind. We get enough self-defeating thoughts as it is from our ‘ego-ic’ minds. This is just a tool to help us undo some of that.
As you strengthen your beliefs about your skills and continue to perfect your craft, you’ll notice a shift in the way in which people respond to you. They will start to see you as the more wholesome you.
Taken from: www.bspcn.com
What often stops us from pursuing and succeeding in our chosen passion is ourselves. Out mind gets so cluttered with doubt and self-defeating thoughts that we end up believing them and giving up. This fear and resistance to change is something we all experience and can relate to. There is no magic pill that’ll make these thoughts go away.
Only this advice: practice taking action despite fear and doubt, as often as possible. We are creatures of habit, the more we repeat something, the better we get at it, the more automatic it becomes, and the more natural it feels.
Here are some tips that I have personally found helpful in confidence building:
Take massive action - And doing so often. As much as possible. The more you do this, the less scary it will seem, and the more confident you will feel.
Visualization - Our repeated thoughts (whether conscious or unconscious) create the tracks for the train of our mind to run on. The train ends up looping in a cycle unless we create new tracks for it. Visualization is an effective tool for creating new neural pathways in our brains, thereby introducing new experiences through our imagination. Our brains cannot distinguish between what is happening in reality and what is being vividly imagined. (Shakti Gawain has a great book on the topic if you’d like to learn more.)
Affirmations - Similar to visualization techniques, affirmations create or thicken neural pathways in our brains. It’s effective in replacing negative thought patterns with thoughts more conducive to our wellbeing. Affirmation is simply writing down a positive statement in present tense that includes where you want to be or states qualities of the more wholesome ‘you’ that you would like to embody. Repeat this statement as often and as much as you can. Posting this statement on walls where you’ll see it is also helpful. Examples, “I am an outstanding person. I live in the present moment. I embody love, compassion and kindness towards others.” Or “I am an achiever. I achieve my goals. I live life with passion! I am contributing in massive ways. I am outstanding!” Note: This is not lying to yourself, but rather feeding positive messages to your unconscious mind. We get enough self-defeating thoughts as it is from our ‘ego-ic’ minds. This is just a tool to help us undo some of that.
As you strengthen your beliefs about your skills and continue to perfect your craft, you’ll notice a shift in the way in which people respond to you. They will start to see you as the more wholesome you.
Taken from: www.bspcn.com
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Freedom
No matter what is happening in your life or in the world...
No matter what is...
Whether you are broke, ill or going through a divorce...
You have the freedom to choose your focus
You have the freedom to choose... how you feel
The choice is yours--
Finding something positive in what is ...is not always easy
But think about it...you are free to...
No matter what is...
Whether you are broke, ill or going through a divorce...
You have the freedom to choose your focus
You have the freedom to choose... how you feel
The choice is yours--
Finding something positive in what is ...is not always easy
But think about it...you are free to...
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Happiness Shouldn't Wait, So Go For It Today
Happiness shouldn't wait, so go for it today
The older couple on your block who are always smiling? They're not just showing off their new his-and-hers veneers. It turns out that sour-with-age stereotypes are as inaccurate as a blindfolded dart-thrower. When researchers at the University of Chicago measured the bliss of Americans, they found that about half the people in their late 80s feel jubilant, while barely a third of 18-year-olds do.
Greater self-esteem and broader access to healthcare (credit Medicare) may account for the reason good cheer climbs with age. (We figure not having to wear neckties or pantyhose to work everyday helps too.)
But here's the real secret to happiness: You don't have to wait until your 80s. Go after it now, and there's a good chance you'll get it. Between 40 and 50 percent of your capacity for happiness is genetic, meaning YOU control the lion's share of how you feel about life. Keeping your mood meter on "a favorable outlook" is possible.
Remember, few people are jerks on purpose. For instance, that guy who cut you off may need to get to the hospital because his pregnant wife is in labor.
Maintaining a favorable outlook also provides big health benefits, including protection against heart disease, better resistance against other illnesses, a younger RealAge and a longer life. Try our six proven strategies for boosting your contentment quotient today:
1. Get a grip on your wallet. Money is a health issue. With a slow economy and gas at $3 to $5 a gallon, financial worries are driving up stress. Forty percent of all serious stresses are due to money. Get back in control by creating a budget, consolidating credit debt onto a low-interest card (vow to buy on credit only what you can pay off in your next bill) and setting aside some dough (aim for 10 percent) every month to build your nest egg. This 10 percent is in addition to your retirement fund, and it's there in case you need to change jobs or you get laid off. It gives you independence, control and a safety net. So start living below your means today. Yes, it's tough, but we know of no better way to achieve long-term happiness, and you won't have to find storage space for all that stuff you bought that you didn't need.
2. Go take a hike in the park -- or just around your office building. Getting physical activity for a sustained period of time (30 minutes will do it) saturates the mood-controlling regions of your brain with endorphins. These are the pleasure-boosting chemicals responsible for the famed "runner's high" (and that giddy glow you get after a yoga class or great sex). We can't say it enough: A brisk half-hour walk every day will boost your spirits AND your health.
3. Go social. Friendship is powerful mental medicine. Folks with strong people skills rank in the highest levels of happiness, while social isolation torpedoes well-being. Hooking up for a round of golf or a girlfriend spa day isn't a luxury; it's an investment in joy.
4. Stack the deck. Stress is easier to handle when your mind and body are in tip-top shape. Start by pampering your health with a balanced diet, regular checkups and seven to eight hours of sleep per night (less increases stress hormones and diminishes growth hormone). When you find yourself tensing up over things you can't control, try this simple antidote: Switch your focus to the things you usually ignore, like your breathing. Staying "in the moment" can help you regain your perspective, easing anxiety.
5. Do what you love. If you made a pie chart of how much of your time goes to what, would the things that give your life meaning have a fair share of the pie, or are they crowded out? How you rate your own well-being is based on how much fulfillment you get from everyday things, whether it's raising kids, working on a project you love or volunteering. Make time for what you truly value.
6. Know what happiness is. It isn't wearing designer clothes or living out a hot-tub fantasy. These might give you a fun, momentary thrill, but true happiness is using your strengths to grow and meet your potential. And it's being grateful for what and who is around you. Writing thank-you notes from the heart or apologizing to someone has amazing positive actions.
Our favorite: Writing a love note every now and then (not just on anniversaries or birthdays) to the person you've shared your bed with for 32 years (or even 32 days). It brings joy to you both.
Taken from The Roanoke Times
The older couple on your block who are always smiling? They're not just showing off their new his-and-hers veneers. It turns out that sour-with-age stereotypes are as inaccurate as a blindfolded dart-thrower. When researchers at the University of Chicago measured the bliss of Americans, they found that about half the people in their late 80s feel jubilant, while barely a third of 18-year-olds do.
Greater self-esteem and broader access to healthcare (credit Medicare) may account for the reason good cheer climbs with age. (We figure not having to wear neckties or pantyhose to work everyday helps too.)
But here's the real secret to happiness: You don't have to wait until your 80s. Go after it now, and there's a good chance you'll get it. Between 40 and 50 percent of your capacity for happiness is genetic, meaning YOU control the lion's share of how you feel about life. Keeping your mood meter on "a favorable outlook" is possible.
Remember, few people are jerks on purpose. For instance, that guy who cut you off may need to get to the hospital because his pregnant wife is in labor.
Maintaining a favorable outlook also provides big health benefits, including protection against heart disease, better resistance against other illnesses, a younger RealAge and a longer life. Try our six proven strategies for boosting your contentment quotient today:
1. Get a grip on your wallet. Money is a health issue. With a slow economy and gas at $3 to $5 a gallon, financial worries are driving up stress. Forty percent of all serious stresses are due to money. Get back in control by creating a budget, consolidating credit debt onto a low-interest card (vow to buy on credit only what you can pay off in your next bill) and setting aside some dough (aim for 10 percent) every month to build your nest egg. This 10 percent is in addition to your retirement fund, and it's there in case you need to change jobs or you get laid off. It gives you independence, control and a safety net. So start living below your means today. Yes, it's tough, but we know of no better way to achieve long-term happiness, and you won't have to find storage space for all that stuff you bought that you didn't need.
2. Go take a hike in the park -- or just around your office building. Getting physical activity for a sustained period of time (30 minutes will do it) saturates the mood-controlling regions of your brain with endorphins. These are the pleasure-boosting chemicals responsible for the famed "runner's high" (and that giddy glow you get after a yoga class or great sex). We can't say it enough: A brisk half-hour walk every day will boost your spirits AND your health.
3. Go social. Friendship is powerful mental medicine. Folks with strong people skills rank in the highest levels of happiness, while social isolation torpedoes well-being. Hooking up for a round of golf or a girlfriend spa day isn't a luxury; it's an investment in joy.
4. Stack the deck. Stress is easier to handle when your mind and body are in tip-top shape. Start by pampering your health with a balanced diet, regular checkups and seven to eight hours of sleep per night (less increases stress hormones and diminishes growth hormone). When you find yourself tensing up over things you can't control, try this simple antidote: Switch your focus to the things you usually ignore, like your breathing. Staying "in the moment" can help you regain your perspective, easing anxiety.
5. Do what you love. If you made a pie chart of how much of your time goes to what, would the things that give your life meaning have a fair share of the pie, or are they crowded out? How you rate your own well-being is based on how much fulfillment you get from everyday things, whether it's raising kids, working on a project you love or volunteering. Make time for what you truly value.
6. Know what happiness is. It isn't wearing designer clothes or living out a hot-tub fantasy. These might give you a fun, momentary thrill, but true happiness is using your strengths to grow and meet your potential. And it's being grateful for what and who is around you. Writing thank-you notes from the heart or apologizing to someone has amazing positive actions.
Our favorite: Writing a love note every now and then (not just on anniversaries or birthdays) to the person you've shared your bed with for 32 years (or even 32 days). It brings joy to you both.
Taken from The Roanoke Times
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Nourish Yourself and Others With Love
"The Height Of Delight"
Each moment is an opportunity to see and experience the Love of everything and everyone.
Now is the time to live a life of complete joy, Perfect, Peace and Bliss.
Giving ourselves and others pleasure brings us to the highest state of creation. The Source of Love nourishes all things without exception. Pleasure is a portal into higher states of being.
We are receptacles for Unlimited Love. As soon as I give to others, I am filled with more Love.
excerpt from the Column This Side of Forever- The Malibu Chronicle N0.61
Each moment is an opportunity to see and experience the Love of everything and everyone.
Now is the time to live a life of complete joy, Perfect, Peace and Bliss.
Giving ourselves and others pleasure brings us to the highest state of creation. The Source of Love nourishes all things without exception. Pleasure is a portal into higher states of being.
We are receptacles for Unlimited Love. As soon as I give to others, I am filled with more Love.
excerpt from the Column This Side of Forever- The Malibu Chronicle N0.61
Sunday, July 20, 2008
The Simple Secret to Good Moods
www.moodraiser.com- excerpt from: The Simple Secret to Good Moods
Comparisons. Your mind makes them all the time. And whether you feel contentment or dissatisfaction largely depends on what you are comparing your life to.One of the barriers to contentment is that advertisers are constantly giving us perfect images to compare ourselves with: people with perfect homes and cars and spouses and children, and they give us the illusion that this perfection is somehow possible.The advertisers are taking advantage of the way our minds work naturally. You automatically and naturally compare yourself and your life to others and with your own ideals and aspirations. And when you compare your life to something worse, you feel more satisfaction. When you compare it to something better, you feel dissatisfaction and desire — feelings that may help an advertiser sell products, but feelings that ruin your good mood.
Although the process of comparison happens without your active effort, you can assume control of it. Like your own own breathing, it happens on its own, but you can make it do what you want at any time. All you have to do is pay attention to it.Why would you want to bother? Because, as Robin Lloyd put it after looking at the research:People who positively evaluate their well-being on average have stronger immune systems, are better citizens at work, earn more income, have better marriages, are more sociable, and cope better with difficulties.It makes a difference to feel some contentment. It's good for you mood. And luckily, it can be accomplished pretty easily. It won't last for a long time, but neither does sleeping or exercising. The fact that the effect doesn't last is no reason to dismiss it.
If you're willing to put out a little effort, you can feel satisfied with your life a lot more often. Here's what to do: When you feel discontented, ask yourself, What could be worse? And really try to think of something specific. You can always think of something, and it is usually pretty easy.If you feel unhappy because you haven't advanced in your job as fast as you'd hoped, for example, imagine how you'd feel if you lived in a country or a time when advancement wasn't possible. Imagine being an "untouchable" in India, sentenced to generation after generation of poverty with no chance of escape. Imagine real situations other human beings have experienced that are much worse than anything you've ever had to endure.Try this technique and you'll recognize that in many ways it is a fact that you're lucky to be where you are and who you are. That lucky feeling can put you instantly in a good mood. It's relaxing and peaceful. It won't last very long, but you can always do it again. The technique works every time and it never wears out.In a way, it is a good thing the feeling doesn't last because as wonderful as contentment is, motivation is also wonderful. Striving for a goal — physical fitness, self-improvement, financial success, whatever — is practical and worthwhile also.But when you want to feel some contentment, take a little time and think about how your situation could be worse, or how it used to be worse, or think about what others have gone through.
Comparisons. Your mind makes them all the time. And whether you feel contentment or dissatisfaction largely depends on what you are comparing your life to.One of the barriers to contentment is that advertisers are constantly giving us perfect images to compare ourselves with: people with perfect homes and cars and spouses and children, and they give us the illusion that this perfection is somehow possible.The advertisers are taking advantage of the way our minds work naturally. You automatically and naturally compare yourself and your life to others and with your own ideals and aspirations. And when you compare your life to something worse, you feel more satisfaction. When you compare it to something better, you feel dissatisfaction and desire — feelings that may help an advertiser sell products, but feelings that ruin your good mood.
Although the process of comparison happens without your active effort, you can assume control of it. Like your own own breathing, it happens on its own, but you can make it do what you want at any time. All you have to do is pay attention to it.Why would you want to bother? Because, as Robin Lloyd put it after looking at the research:People who positively evaluate their well-being on average have stronger immune systems, are better citizens at work, earn more income, have better marriages, are more sociable, and cope better with difficulties.It makes a difference to feel some contentment. It's good for you mood. And luckily, it can be accomplished pretty easily. It won't last for a long time, but neither does sleeping or exercising. The fact that the effect doesn't last is no reason to dismiss it.
If you're willing to put out a little effort, you can feel satisfied with your life a lot more often. Here's what to do: When you feel discontented, ask yourself, What could be worse? And really try to think of something specific. You can always think of something, and it is usually pretty easy.If you feel unhappy because you haven't advanced in your job as fast as you'd hoped, for example, imagine how you'd feel if you lived in a country or a time when advancement wasn't possible. Imagine being an "untouchable" in India, sentenced to generation after generation of poverty with no chance of escape. Imagine real situations other human beings have experienced that are much worse than anything you've ever had to endure.Try this technique and you'll recognize that in many ways it is a fact that you're lucky to be where you are and who you are. That lucky feeling can put you instantly in a good mood. It's relaxing and peaceful. It won't last very long, but you can always do it again. The technique works every time and it never wears out.In a way, it is a good thing the feeling doesn't last because as wonderful as contentment is, motivation is also wonderful. Striving for a goal — physical fitness, self-improvement, financial success, whatever — is practical and worthwhile also.But when you want to feel some contentment, take a little time and think about how your situation could be worse, or how it used to be worse, or think about what others have gone through.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Warren Buffet's 7 Secrets For Living a Happy and Simple Life
written by Shilpan, www.bspcn.com
Are you sold on the fake notion that owning possessions is the touchstone of your self-worth? Have you felt jealous and self-pity when a neighbor bought a new Mercedes or a new Yacht that you always wanted to possess? We all have. If your paycheck is not keeping up the pace with your cravings for the new iphone, why not learn the secrets of simplicity from the richest man on the earth who still lives without a cell phone? Before you sink your money for the latest gadget, what if you were to know that the Oracle of Omaha still has no desk computer in his modest office?
In this world full of the rich and famous, Warren Buffett remains the greatest investor ever born not due to his acumen for the wise investments that he has made during his life but more for exemplifying the greatness with simplicity. He’s full of wit and happiness and this is at the core of everything that he does.
Secret # 1 : Happiness comes from within.
In my adult business life I have never had to make a choice of trading between professional and personal. I tap-dance to work, and when I get there it’s tremendous fun.- Warren Buffett
This is the man who truly loves does what he loves. The battle between productivity and anti-productivity blogs stems from their convoluted chains of frequently twisted rational to substantiate their claim that productivity is a force of an external demand - from an employer or a competitor. In reality, productivity comes from within. It comes from doing what we love and loving what we do. When we start trading time between our professional and personal life, we wage war in our own mind to justify our passion in terms of a personal benefit. In my business I have felt more stress and angst when I haven’t given all of my talent, hard work and passion to help others on a given day. The myth of working hard to make more money to buy more things throws us in the vicious circle of hallucination. Our happiness always remains imprisoned when we do work that we abhor yet justify doing it to pay bills for those things that we don’t need. I used to work even after buying my first hotel for many years to justify the fake notion that I needed additional income to pay bills. What I needed was to change my lifestyle to free myself from this never-ending rut chase.
Secret # 2 Find happiness in simple pleasures.
I have simple pleasures. I play bridge online for 12 hours a week. Bill and I play, he’s “chalengr” and I’m “tbone”. - Warren Buffett
If the man richer than God can find happiness in the simple pleasure of playing bridge online with another billionaire, I have to learn to be happy with the simple pleasures of playing cards with friends or playing with my children or taking a walk in the wilderness. All of these simple pleasures do not need extravagant spending. I used to go play golf with other businessmen when the local chamber of commerce sponsored an event. I never found happiness in those events as they were centered on generating more business and exchanging business cards than on truly enjoying the moment. I was allowing myself to be run ragged by trading business cards after hours in a vain hope of making more money whereas that time deserved a dinner with my family.
Secret # 3 Live a simple life.
I just naturally want to do things that make sense. In my personal life too, I don’t care what other rich people are doing. I don’t want a 405 foot boat just because someone else has a 400 foot boat. - Warren Buffett
The sad truth is that our ever-sophisticated advertising industry has conditioned our mind to find happiness from consumption by spending our hard earned money on the possessions that never bring us lasting happiness. We spend our life-energy on those possessions that we seldom use. We worry about making payments for a luxury car that sits in our garage collecting dust only for the right to brag about it in an occasional social gathering. Keeping up with the Joneses is the worst epidemic among those who should never contemplate that notion in the first place. If a man who can possibly buy a nation with his cash never espouses the mantra of “more the better”, I need to learn not to spread my legs beyond the reach of the blanket. We are conditioned to spend money before we earn it. We are sold on the fake happiness of “Buy now, pay later dearly” - It’s nothing more than buying possessions that we cannot afford. I have my share of insanity when it comes to mindless spending, but lately I try to pay for most of my purchases with cash. It creates awareness towards the impulse buy when I pay by cash. I have also started red lining items on the credit card statement that I consider useless spending. All of these efforts have built my awareness towards my impulse purchases. I have been using mantra of - “less is more” to simplify every aspect of my life. It’s a work in progress but the results are astounding.
Secret # 4 Think Simply.
“I want to be able to explain my mistakes. This means I do only the things I completely understand.” - Warren Buffett
There lies one of the greatest secrets of simplicity. Warren Buffett invests only in the businesses that he understands. If you ever read research reports from an accomplished Wall Street guru, you’ll find a plethora of details that make you dizzy. The success of Warren Buffett as the greatest investor ever lies in his ability to think simply. I used to invest in the stock market in the mid 90’s when everyone wanted to make over night millions in an exuberant market. I used to read “Investor’s Business Daily” only to look at the movers and shakers. These were the stocks that made a significant upward move a day before. A few days before Christmas, I made $52,000 in one stock in a matter of a few days. I knew nothing about the company. I created a new reality for my thoughts that I had figured out how the Wall Street works. I was on my way to the riches. I applied the same thought model on the next several stocks. Needless to say, I lost all that I made and much more. I was lacking in a basic human quality that Warren Buffett has mastered well - common sense. It says a great deal about the character of a man who invested a measly amount in Microsoft despite the fact that Bill Gates is one of his closest friends. I learned a valuable lesson of life from this experience - “Not losing hard earned money is far more important than making more money”. If I apply this rule in my life, I can develop clarity and sanity in my thoughts. Clarity is the mother of simplicity. Life is not a roulette; life is about simple yet profound choices.
Secret # 5 Invest Simply.
The best way to own common stocks is through an index fund. - Warren Buffett
It is astounding to know that the greatest investor in the world is not bragging about intricate financial maneuvering to impress the rest of the world with his financial genius. Instead, Warren Buffett shows us the most simplistic approach to our financial freedom - “Flow with the market rather than pretending to be smarter than God.” In this world full of so-called financial experts, Warren stands tall by showing us the simplest way to the riches. The stock market has moved upward for the last hundred years despite numerous setbacks. He is using a long historical view to back his argument rather than making a futile effort to predict how we can make a quick fortune. After losing most of my capital in the late 90’s, I have precisely followed the simple advice of investing in the no-load index funds. I’m happier than ever and while my assets have not skyrocketed, they haven’t dwindled either.
Secret # 6 Have a mentor in life.
I was lucky to have the right heroes. Tell me who your heroes are and I’ll tell you how you’ll turn out to be. The qualities of the one you admire are the traits that you, with a little practice, can make your own, and that, if practiced, will become habit-forming. - Warren Buffett
We are worshipers of celebrity demi-gods. All of us have this acute desire to look and live like these celebrities. However, are they truly the ones with character and moral compass to lead us? Having a mentor is as important as having a purpose in our life but having a wrong mentor is as devastating as having a wrong purpose in our life. The mentor has to be someone whom we can trust and have an unwavering faith in his/her guidance. The mentor has to be the one who has made outstanding strides in advancing the greater and guiding purpose of happiness in his/her own life. You’ll find that person in your inner circle if you think hard enough. Write down why you admire them. Try to emulate their traits and as Warren has shown by his exemplary life, with a little practice, you can form a habit to clone the life that you admire the most.
Secret # 7 Making money isn’t the backbone of our guiding purpose; making money is the by-product of our guiding purpose.
If you’re doing something you love, you’re more likely to put your all into it, and that generally equates to making money. - Warren Buffett
How do you rationalize the richest man on the earth still living in a small 3-bedroom house that he purchased fifty years ago? Warren Buffett never travels in a private jet despite the fact that he owns the largest private jet company. His character and way of life speak volume about his greatness. This is the man who spent his personal time investigating a $4 line item on his tax return to hunt down the specifics of it while giving away billions of dollars to Bill Gates foundation. It is rare to find the richest man on the earth living without luxuries that we want to possess even by mortgaging our future. He has demonstrated that while valuing the worth of money is vital for our ingenuity and success, money shall never become the object and end all of our motivation. I’m an avid admirer of simplicity, but I’m an even bigger fan of the man who has mastered the greatness by living and breathing simplicity amid an ocean of wealth. Do you agree?
Are you sold on the fake notion that owning possessions is the touchstone of your self-worth? Have you felt jealous and self-pity when a neighbor bought a new Mercedes or a new Yacht that you always wanted to possess? We all have. If your paycheck is not keeping up the pace with your cravings for the new iphone, why not learn the secrets of simplicity from the richest man on the earth who still lives without a cell phone? Before you sink your money for the latest gadget, what if you were to know that the Oracle of Omaha still has no desk computer in his modest office?
In this world full of the rich and famous, Warren Buffett remains the greatest investor ever born not due to his acumen for the wise investments that he has made during his life but more for exemplifying the greatness with simplicity. He’s full of wit and happiness and this is at the core of everything that he does.
Secret # 1 : Happiness comes from within.
In my adult business life I have never had to make a choice of trading between professional and personal. I tap-dance to work, and when I get there it’s tremendous fun.- Warren Buffett
This is the man who truly loves does what he loves. The battle between productivity and anti-productivity blogs stems from their convoluted chains of frequently twisted rational to substantiate their claim that productivity is a force of an external demand - from an employer or a competitor. In reality, productivity comes from within. It comes from doing what we love and loving what we do. When we start trading time between our professional and personal life, we wage war in our own mind to justify our passion in terms of a personal benefit. In my business I have felt more stress and angst when I haven’t given all of my talent, hard work and passion to help others on a given day. The myth of working hard to make more money to buy more things throws us in the vicious circle of hallucination. Our happiness always remains imprisoned when we do work that we abhor yet justify doing it to pay bills for those things that we don’t need. I used to work even after buying my first hotel for many years to justify the fake notion that I needed additional income to pay bills. What I needed was to change my lifestyle to free myself from this never-ending rut chase.
Secret # 2 Find happiness in simple pleasures.
I have simple pleasures. I play bridge online for 12 hours a week. Bill and I play, he’s “chalengr” and I’m “tbone”. - Warren Buffett
If the man richer than God can find happiness in the simple pleasure of playing bridge online with another billionaire, I have to learn to be happy with the simple pleasures of playing cards with friends or playing with my children or taking a walk in the wilderness. All of these simple pleasures do not need extravagant spending. I used to go play golf with other businessmen when the local chamber of commerce sponsored an event. I never found happiness in those events as they were centered on generating more business and exchanging business cards than on truly enjoying the moment. I was allowing myself to be run ragged by trading business cards after hours in a vain hope of making more money whereas that time deserved a dinner with my family.
Secret # 3 Live a simple life.
I just naturally want to do things that make sense. In my personal life too, I don’t care what other rich people are doing. I don’t want a 405 foot boat just because someone else has a 400 foot boat. - Warren Buffett
The sad truth is that our ever-sophisticated advertising industry has conditioned our mind to find happiness from consumption by spending our hard earned money on the possessions that never bring us lasting happiness. We spend our life-energy on those possessions that we seldom use. We worry about making payments for a luxury car that sits in our garage collecting dust only for the right to brag about it in an occasional social gathering. Keeping up with the Joneses is the worst epidemic among those who should never contemplate that notion in the first place. If a man who can possibly buy a nation with his cash never espouses the mantra of “more the better”, I need to learn not to spread my legs beyond the reach of the blanket. We are conditioned to spend money before we earn it. We are sold on the fake happiness of “Buy now, pay later dearly” - It’s nothing more than buying possessions that we cannot afford. I have my share of insanity when it comes to mindless spending, but lately I try to pay for most of my purchases with cash. It creates awareness towards the impulse buy when I pay by cash. I have also started red lining items on the credit card statement that I consider useless spending. All of these efforts have built my awareness towards my impulse purchases. I have been using mantra of - “less is more” to simplify every aspect of my life. It’s a work in progress but the results are astounding.
Secret # 4 Think Simply.
“I want to be able to explain my mistakes. This means I do only the things I completely understand.” - Warren Buffett
There lies one of the greatest secrets of simplicity. Warren Buffett invests only in the businesses that he understands. If you ever read research reports from an accomplished Wall Street guru, you’ll find a plethora of details that make you dizzy. The success of Warren Buffett as the greatest investor ever lies in his ability to think simply. I used to invest in the stock market in the mid 90’s when everyone wanted to make over night millions in an exuberant market. I used to read “Investor’s Business Daily” only to look at the movers and shakers. These were the stocks that made a significant upward move a day before. A few days before Christmas, I made $52,000 in one stock in a matter of a few days. I knew nothing about the company. I created a new reality for my thoughts that I had figured out how the Wall Street works. I was on my way to the riches. I applied the same thought model on the next several stocks. Needless to say, I lost all that I made and much more. I was lacking in a basic human quality that Warren Buffett has mastered well - common sense. It says a great deal about the character of a man who invested a measly amount in Microsoft despite the fact that Bill Gates is one of his closest friends. I learned a valuable lesson of life from this experience - “Not losing hard earned money is far more important than making more money”. If I apply this rule in my life, I can develop clarity and sanity in my thoughts. Clarity is the mother of simplicity. Life is not a roulette; life is about simple yet profound choices.
Secret # 5 Invest Simply.
The best way to own common stocks is through an index fund. - Warren Buffett
It is astounding to know that the greatest investor in the world is not bragging about intricate financial maneuvering to impress the rest of the world with his financial genius. Instead, Warren Buffett shows us the most simplistic approach to our financial freedom - “Flow with the market rather than pretending to be smarter than God.” In this world full of so-called financial experts, Warren stands tall by showing us the simplest way to the riches. The stock market has moved upward for the last hundred years despite numerous setbacks. He is using a long historical view to back his argument rather than making a futile effort to predict how we can make a quick fortune. After losing most of my capital in the late 90’s, I have precisely followed the simple advice of investing in the no-load index funds. I’m happier than ever and while my assets have not skyrocketed, they haven’t dwindled either.
Secret # 6 Have a mentor in life.
I was lucky to have the right heroes. Tell me who your heroes are and I’ll tell you how you’ll turn out to be. The qualities of the one you admire are the traits that you, with a little practice, can make your own, and that, if practiced, will become habit-forming. - Warren Buffett
We are worshipers of celebrity demi-gods. All of us have this acute desire to look and live like these celebrities. However, are they truly the ones with character and moral compass to lead us? Having a mentor is as important as having a purpose in our life but having a wrong mentor is as devastating as having a wrong purpose in our life. The mentor has to be someone whom we can trust and have an unwavering faith in his/her guidance. The mentor has to be the one who has made outstanding strides in advancing the greater and guiding purpose of happiness in his/her own life. You’ll find that person in your inner circle if you think hard enough. Write down why you admire them. Try to emulate their traits and as Warren has shown by his exemplary life, with a little practice, you can form a habit to clone the life that you admire the most.
Secret # 7 Making money isn’t the backbone of our guiding purpose; making money is the by-product of our guiding purpose.
If you’re doing something you love, you’re more likely to put your all into it, and that generally equates to making money. - Warren Buffett
How do you rationalize the richest man on the earth still living in a small 3-bedroom house that he purchased fifty years ago? Warren Buffett never travels in a private jet despite the fact that he owns the largest private jet company. His character and way of life speak volume about his greatness. This is the man who spent his personal time investigating a $4 line item on his tax return to hunt down the specifics of it while giving away billions of dollars to Bill Gates foundation. It is rare to find the richest man on the earth living without luxuries that we want to possess even by mortgaging our future. He has demonstrated that while valuing the worth of money is vital for our ingenuity and success, money shall never become the object and end all of our motivation. I’m an avid admirer of simplicity, but I’m an even bigger fan of the man who has mastered the greatness by living and breathing simplicity amid an ocean of wealth. Do you agree?
Monday, July 7, 2008
PERSONAL GROWTH IS A JOURNEY TO KNOWING THE SELF
We are surrounded today by a chaotic world which pulsates at a mind-boggling pace. Our stress level increases daily. To handle the stimulation overload and to keep a pace with time-which slips away nonetheless-we create appearances that we hide behind. The more vulnerable we are, the thicker the bricks we use to build this wall of appearances. The walls keep rising. People become alien to themselves. We become inefficient, unaffectionate, depleted.
Muddied Waters
Yet we are like pure water at birth. As life goes on, our parents, adults, and the environment contaminate us. Worse still, we get used to this layer of mud; in time, we find it natural.
This is where Personal Growth becomes important. The aim of Personal Growth is to stop self-alienation. It is to return to our inner self: to learn about our inner world, the language of our feelings, and about the conditionings we have been subjected to until then; and-as we get to know ourselves-to find peace in ourselves; to become one with our thoughts, feelings and actions; to clear the waters again.
When this happens, when we stop deriving our power from something we are not-our appearances, and the roles we play-and become one with our nature; when our inner self reflects on the outside, we begin to utilize talents we had not been able to bring to life until then; we become more Powerful; Flexible; Effective; Free!
We stop entering into painful relationships of dependency. We begin to build relationships upon love and selectivity. Even though the confusion of daily life does not change, our reaction to it certainly does. External conditions lose their erosive nature. Even in the raging storm, the individual who is able to self-actualize knows how to navigate to the calm harbor with the inner peace he or she has found.
In short, personal growth aims for the person to return to the self (from which they have become alienated) and to live a balanced, effective, and fulfilling life.
Taken from: www.kuraldisi.com
Muddied Waters
Yet we are like pure water at birth. As life goes on, our parents, adults, and the environment contaminate us. Worse still, we get used to this layer of mud; in time, we find it natural.
This is where Personal Growth becomes important. The aim of Personal Growth is to stop self-alienation. It is to return to our inner self: to learn about our inner world, the language of our feelings, and about the conditionings we have been subjected to until then; and-as we get to know ourselves-to find peace in ourselves; to become one with our thoughts, feelings and actions; to clear the waters again.
When this happens, when we stop deriving our power from something we are not-our appearances, and the roles we play-and become one with our nature; when our inner self reflects on the outside, we begin to utilize talents we had not been able to bring to life until then; we become more Powerful; Flexible; Effective; Free!
We stop entering into painful relationships of dependency. We begin to build relationships upon love and selectivity. Even though the confusion of daily life does not change, our reaction to it certainly does. External conditions lose their erosive nature. Even in the raging storm, the individual who is able to self-actualize knows how to navigate to the calm harbor with the inner peace he or she has found.
In short, personal growth aims for the person to return to the self (from which they have become alienated) and to live a balanced, effective, and fulfilling life.
Taken from: www.kuraldisi.com
Saturday, July 5, 2008
The Secret- 101 Quotes
The Secret—101 Quotes
1. “We all work with one infinite power”
2. “The Secret is the Law of Attraction (LOA).”
3. “Whatever is going on in your mind is what you are attracting.”
4. “We are like magnets - like attracts like. You become AND attract what you think.”
5. “Every thought has a frequency. Thoughts send out a magnetic energy.”
6. “People think about what they don’t desire and attract more of the same.”
7. “Thought = creation. If these thoughts are attached to powerful emotions (good or bad) that speeds the creation.”
8. “You attract your dominant thoughts.”
9. “Those who speak most of illness have illness, those who speak most of prosperity have it, etc.”
10. “It’s not “wishful” thinking.”
11. “You can’t have a universe without the mind entering into it.”
12. “Choose your thoughts carefully; you are a masterpiece of your life.”
13. “It’s OK that thoughts don’t manifest into reality immediately (if we saw a picture of an elephant and it instantly appeared, that would be too soon).”
14. “EVERYTHING in your life you have attracted—accept that fact—it’s true.”
15. “Your thoughts cause your feelings.”
16. “We don’t need to complicate all the “reasons” behind our emotions. It’s much simpler than that. Two categories—good feelings and bad feelings.”
17. “Thoughts that bring about good feelings mean you are on the right track. Thoughts that bring about bad feelings means you are not on the right track.”
18. “Whatever it is you are feeling is a perfect reflection of what is in the process of becoming.”
19. “You get exactly what you are FEELING.”
20. “Happy feelings will attract more happy circumstances.”
21. “You can begin feeling whatever you desire (even if it’s not there)-the universe will correspond to the nature of your song.”
22. “What you focus on with your thought and feeling is what you attract into your experience.”
23. “What you think and what you feel and what actually manifests is ALWAYS a match - no exception.”
24. “Shift your awareness.”
25. “You create your own universe as you go along” Winston Churchill
26. “It’s important to feel good ( ( ( (((good))) ) ) ).”
27. “You can change your emotion immediately-by thinking of something joyful, or singing a song, or remembering a happy experience.”
28. “When you get the hang of this, before you know it you will KNOW you are the creator.”
29. “Life can and should be phenomenal-and it will be when you consciously apply the Law of Attraction.”
30. “Universe will re-arrange itself accordingly.”
31. “Start by using this sentence for all of your desires: “I’m so happy and grateful now that.””
32. “You don’t need to know HOW the universe is going to rearrange itself.”
33. “LOA is simply figuring out for yourself what will generate the positive feelings of having it NOW.”
34. “You might get an inspired thought or idea to help you move towards what you desire faster.”
35. “The universe likes SPEED. Don’t delay, don’t second-guess, don’t doubt.”
36. “When the opportunity or impulse is there—ACT.”
37. “You will attract everything you require—money, people, connections—PAY ATTENTION to what’s being set in front of you.”
38. “You can start with nothing—and out of nothing or no way—a WAY will be provided.”
39. “HOW LONG??? No rules on time—the more aligned you are with positive feelings the quicker things happen.”
40. “Size is nothing to the universe (unlimited abundance if that’s what you wish). We make the rules on size and time.”
41. “No rules according to the universe-you provide the feelings of having it now and the universe will respond.”
42. “Most people offer the majority of their thought in response to what they are observing—bills in the mail, being late, having bad luck, etc.”
43. “You have to find a different approach to what is through a different vantage point.”
44. “All that we are, is a result of what we have thought” - Buddha
45. “What can you do right now to turn your life around?” “Practice Gratitude.”
46. “Gratitude will bring more into our lives immediately.”
47. “What we think about and THANK about is what we bring about.”
48. “What are the things you are grateful for?? Feel the gratitude-focus on what you have right now that you are grateful for.”
49. “Play the picture in your mind—focus on the end result.”
50. “VISUALIZE!!! Rehearse your future.”
51. “VISUALIZE!!! See it, feel it! This is where action begins.”
52. “Feel the joy—feel the happiness!”
53. “An affirmative thought is 100 times more powerful than a negative one.”
54. “What this power is, I cannot say. All I know is that it exists.” Alexander Graham Bell.
55. “Our job is not to worry about the “How”. The “How” will show up out of the commitment and belief in the “what.””
56. “The ‘How’s’ are the domain of the universe. It always knows the quickest, fastest, most harmonious way between you and your dream.”
57. “If you turn it over to the universe, you will be surprised and dazzled by what is delivered-this is where magic and miracles happen.”
58. “Turn it over to the universe daily—but avoid making it a chore.”
59. “Feel exhilarated by the whole process—high, happy, in tune.”
60. “The only difference between people who are really living this way is they have habituated ways of being.”
61. “They remember to do it all the time.”
62. “Create a Vision Board-pictures of what you desire to attract—every day look at it and get into the feeling state of already having acquired these desires.”
63. “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” -Albert Einstein
64. “Decide what you desire-believe you can have it, believe you deserve it, believe it’s possible for you.”
65. “Close your eyes and visualize having what you already desire—and the feeling of having it already.”
66. “Focus on being grateful for what you have already-enjoy it!! Then release into the universe. The universe will manifest it.”
67. “Whatever the mind of man can conceive, it can achieve.” -W. Clement Stone
68. “Set a goal so big that if you achieved it, it would blow your mind.”
69. “When you have an inspired thought, you need to trust it and act on it.”
70. “How can you become more prosperous? INTEND IT!!”
71. “”Checks are coming in the mail regularly,” or change your bank statement to whatever balance you desire, and get behind the feeling of having it.”
72. “Life is meant to be abundant in ALL areas.”
73. “Go for the sense of inner joy and peace, then, all outside things appear.”
74. “We are the creators of our universe.”
75. “Relationships: Treat yourself the way you desire to be treated by others-love yourself and you will be loved.”
76. “Healthy respect for yourself.”
77. “For those you work with or interact with regularly—get a notebook and write down positive aspects of each of those people.”
78. “Write down the things you like most about them (don’t expect change from them). Law of attraction will not put you in the same space together if your frequencies don’t match.”
79. “When you realize your potential to feel good, you will ask no one to be different in order for you to feel good.”
80. “You will free yourself from the cumbersome impossibilities of needing to control the world, your friends, your mate, your children.”
81. “You are the only one who creates your reality.”
82. “No one else can think or feel for you—Its YOU—ONLY YOU.”
83. “Health: Thank the universe for your own healing. Laugh, stress free happiness will keep you healthy.”
84. “Immune system will heal itself.”
85. “Parts of our bodies are replaced every day, every week-etc. Within a few years we have a brand new body.”
86. “See yourself living in a new body. Hopeful = recovery. Happy = happier biochemistry. Stress degrades the body.”
87. “Remove stress from the body and the body regenerates itself. You can heal yourself.”
88. “Learn to become still-and take your attention away from what you don’t desire, and place your attention on what you wish to experience.”
89. “When the voice and vision on the inside become more profound and clear than the opinions on the outside, then you have mastered your life.”
90. “You are not here to get the world to be just as you desire it. You are here to create the world around you that you choose.”
91. Allow the world as others choose to see it, to exist as well.”
92. “People think that if everyone knows the power of the LOA there won’t be enough to go around. This is a lie that’s been ingrained in us and makes so many greedy.”
93. “The truth is there is more than enough love, creative ideas, power, joy, happiness to go around.”
94. “All of this abundance begins to shine through a mind that is aware of its own infinite nature. There’s enough for everyone. See it. Believe it. It will show up for you.”
95. “So let the variety of your reality thrill you as you choose all the things you desire and get behind the good feelings of all your desires.”
96. “Write your script. When you see things you don’t desire, don’t think about them, write about them, talk about them, push against them, or join groups that focus on them-remove your attention from ‘don’t desires’ and instead place them on ‘do desires.’”
97. “We are mass energy. Everything is energy. EVERYTHING!!”
98. “Don’t define yourself by your body……it’s the infinite being that’s connected to everything in the universe.”
99. “One energy field. Our bodies have distracted us from our energy. We are the infinite field of unfolding possibilities—The creative force.”
100. “Are your thoughts worthy of you? If not - NOW is the time to change them. You can begin right where you are right now. Nothing matters but this moment and what you are focusing your attention on.”
101. The Secret is the key to everything - the secret to unlimited joy, health, money, relationships, love, youth: everything you have ever wanted.
TAKEN FROM: A RICHER LIFE
www.aricherliferf.wordpress.com
1. “We all work with one infinite power”
2. “The Secret is the Law of Attraction (LOA).”
3. “Whatever is going on in your mind is what you are attracting.”
4. “We are like magnets - like attracts like. You become AND attract what you think.”
5. “Every thought has a frequency. Thoughts send out a magnetic energy.”
6. “People think about what they don’t desire and attract more of the same.”
7. “Thought = creation. If these thoughts are attached to powerful emotions (good or bad) that speeds the creation.”
8. “You attract your dominant thoughts.”
9. “Those who speak most of illness have illness, those who speak most of prosperity have it, etc.”
10. “It’s not “wishful” thinking.”
11. “You can’t have a universe without the mind entering into it.”
12. “Choose your thoughts carefully; you are a masterpiece of your life.”
13. “It’s OK that thoughts don’t manifest into reality immediately (if we saw a picture of an elephant and it instantly appeared, that would be too soon).”
14. “EVERYTHING in your life you have attracted—accept that fact—it’s true.”
15. “Your thoughts cause your feelings.”
16. “We don’t need to complicate all the “reasons” behind our emotions. It’s much simpler than that. Two categories—good feelings and bad feelings.”
17. “Thoughts that bring about good feelings mean you are on the right track. Thoughts that bring about bad feelings means you are not on the right track.”
18. “Whatever it is you are feeling is a perfect reflection of what is in the process of becoming.”
19. “You get exactly what you are FEELING.”
20. “Happy feelings will attract more happy circumstances.”
21. “You can begin feeling whatever you desire (even if it’s not there)-the universe will correspond to the nature of your song.”
22. “What you focus on with your thought and feeling is what you attract into your experience.”
23. “What you think and what you feel and what actually manifests is ALWAYS a match - no exception.”
24. “Shift your awareness.”
25. “You create your own universe as you go along” Winston Churchill
26. “It’s important to feel good ( ( ( (((good))) ) ) ).”
27. “You can change your emotion immediately-by thinking of something joyful, or singing a song, or remembering a happy experience.”
28. “When you get the hang of this, before you know it you will KNOW you are the creator.”
29. “Life can and should be phenomenal-and it will be when you consciously apply the Law of Attraction.”
30. “Universe will re-arrange itself accordingly.”
31. “Start by using this sentence for all of your desires: “I’m so happy and grateful now that.””
32. “You don’t need to know HOW the universe is going to rearrange itself.”
33. “LOA is simply figuring out for yourself what will generate the positive feelings of having it NOW.”
34. “You might get an inspired thought or idea to help you move towards what you desire faster.”
35. “The universe likes SPEED. Don’t delay, don’t second-guess, don’t doubt.”
36. “When the opportunity or impulse is there—ACT.”
37. “You will attract everything you require—money, people, connections—PAY ATTENTION to what’s being set in front of you.”
38. “You can start with nothing—and out of nothing or no way—a WAY will be provided.”
39. “HOW LONG??? No rules on time—the more aligned you are with positive feelings the quicker things happen.”
40. “Size is nothing to the universe (unlimited abundance if that’s what you wish). We make the rules on size and time.”
41. “No rules according to the universe-you provide the feelings of having it now and the universe will respond.”
42. “Most people offer the majority of their thought in response to what they are observing—bills in the mail, being late, having bad luck, etc.”
43. “You have to find a different approach to what is through a different vantage point.”
44. “All that we are, is a result of what we have thought” - Buddha
45. “What can you do right now to turn your life around?” “Practice Gratitude.”
46. “Gratitude will bring more into our lives immediately.”
47. “What we think about and THANK about is what we bring about.”
48. “What are the things you are grateful for?? Feel the gratitude-focus on what you have right now that you are grateful for.”
49. “Play the picture in your mind—focus on the end result.”
50. “VISUALIZE!!! Rehearse your future.”
51. “VISUALIZE!!! See it, feel it! This is where action begins.”
52. “Feel the joy—feel the happiness!”
53. “An affirmative thought is 100 times more powerful than a negative one.”
54. “What this power is, I cannot say. All I know is that it exists.” Alexander Graham Bell.
55. “Our job is not to worry about the “How”. The “How” will show up out of the commitment and belief in the “what.””
56. “The ‘How’s’ are the domain of the universe. It always knows the quickest, fastest, most harmonious way between you and your dream.”
57. “If you turn it over to the universe, you will be surprised and dazzled by what is delivered-this is where magic and miracles happen.”
58. “Turn it over to the universe daily—but avoid making it a chore.”
59. “Feel exhilarated by the whole process—high, happy, in tune.”
60. “The only difference between people who are really living this way is they have habituated ways of being.”
61. “They remember to do it all the time.”
62. “Create a Vision Board-pictures of what you desire to attract—every day look at it and get into the feeling state of already having acquired these desires.”
63. “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” -Albert Einstein
64. “Decide what you desire-believe you can have it, believe you deserve it, believe it’s possible for you.”
65. “Close your eyes and visualize having what you already desire—and the feeling of having it already.”
66. “Focus on being grateful for what you have already-enjoy it!! Then release into the universe. The universe will manifest it.”
67. “Whatever the mind of man can conceive, it can achieve.” -W. Clement Stone
68. “Set a goal so big that if you achieved it, it would blow your mind.”
69. “When you have an inspired thought, you need to trust it and act on it.”
70. “How can you become more prosperous? INTEND IT!!”
71. “”Checks are coming in the mail regularly,” or change your bank statement to whatever balance you desire, and get behind the feeling of having it.”
72. “Life is meant to be abundant in ALL areas.”
73. “Go for the sense of inner joy and peace, then, all outside things appear.”
74. “We are the creators of our universe.”
75. “Relationships: Treat yourself the way you desire to be treated by others-love yourself and you will be loved.”
76. “Healthy respect for yourself.”
77. “For those you work with or interact with regularly—get a notebook and write down positive aspects of each of those people.”
78. “Write down the things you like most about them (don’t expect change from them). Law of attraction will not put you in the same space together if your frequencies don’t match.”
79. “When you realize your potential to feel good, you will ask no one to be different in order for you to feel good.”
80. “You will free yourself from the cumbersome impossibilities of needing to control the world, your friends, your mate, your children.”
81. “You are the only one who creates your reality.”
82. “No one else can think or feel for you—Its YOU—ONLY YOU.”
83. “Health: Thank the universe for your own healing. Laugh, stress free happiness will keep you healthy.”
84. “Immune system will heal itself.”
85. “Parts of our bodies are replaced every day, every week-etc. Within a few years we have a brand new body.”
86. “See yourself living in a new body. Hopeful = recovery. Happy = happier biochemistry. Stress degrades the body.”
87. “Remove stress from the body and the body regenerates itself. You can heal yourself.”
88. “Learn to become still-and take your attention away from what you don’t desire, and place your attention on what you wish to experience.”
89. “When the voice and vision on the inside become more profound and clear than the opinions on the outside, then you have mastered your life.”
90. “You are not here to get the world to be just as you desire it. You are here to create the world around you that you choose.”
91. Allow the world as others choose to see it, to exist as well.”
92. “People think that if everyone knows the power of the LOA there won’t be enough to go around. This is a lie that’s been ingrained in us and makes so many greedy.”
93. “The truth is there is more than enough love, creative ideas, power, joy, happiness to go around.”
94. “All of this abundance begins to shine through a mind that is aware of its own infinite nature. There’s enough for everyone. See it. Believe it. It will show up for you.”
95. “So let the variety of your reality thrill you as you choose all the things you desire and get behind the good feelings of all your desires.”
96. “Write your script. When you see things you don’t desire, don’t think about them, write about them, talk about them, push against them, or join groups that focus on them-remove your attention from ‘don’t desires’ and instead place them on ‘do desires.’”
97. “We are mass energy. Everything is energy. EVERYTHING!!”
98. “Don’t define yourself by your body……it’s the infinite being that’s connected to everything in the universe.”
99. “One energy field. Our bodies have distracted us from our energy. We are the infinite field of unfolding possibilities—The creative force.”
100. “Are your thoughts worthy of you? If not - NOW is the time to change them. You can begin right where you are right now. Nothing matters but this moment and what you are focusing your attention on.”
101. The Secret is the key to everything - the secret to unlimited joy, health, money, relationships, love, youth: everything you have ever wanted.
TAKEN FROM: A RICHER LIFE
www.aricherliferf.wordpress.com
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Happy July 4th
HAPPY JULY 4TH TO YOU ALL: as everyday a time for good friends, good food and good health.... with all the fireworks ! Be thankful for this great country of ours ... there is no other place like it!!!!
This is a special day that stands for independence and empowerment for our country. Take the opportunity to reflect on and be grateful for your own independence: to be and know who you are and free yourself from any chains of the past. Feel and become mindful of your own empowernment.
Peace and joy, joanne and suzanne
This is a special day that stands for independence and empowerment for our country. Take the opportunity to reflect on and be grateful for your own independence: to be and know who you are and free yourself from any chains of the past. Feel and become mindful of your own empowernment.
Peace and joy, joanne and suzanne
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Good Tips: Dealing With Negative feelings
3 Types Of Exercises That Cure Anxiety
by Mike
If you have anxiety, doing exercises greatly helps you cure your anxiety. Even a little exercise will help! Spare 30 minutes a day for 3 to 5 days a week. This will significantly improve your symptoms. Doing exercises everyday will boost your feel-good endorphins, increase mood-enhancing neurotransmitters, relaxes your muscle tension and minimizes your cortisol (stress hormone) levels. Then you can sleep well and become anxiety free. So here are some useful exercises which cure anxiety and put you at ease…
Aerobic Exercise
Curing anxiety or reducing the symptoms is possible with Aerobic exercises. While doing these exercises, you will breathe faster and more deeply. This maximizes the amount of oxygen in your blood. By the way, you can also have a positive mental attitude. When you do Aerobics, you will consume maximum oxyzen. So you can improve your overall physical and psychological well-being.
Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises will help you a lot curing anxiety. Learn proper breathing techniques at any expert. If you are taking shallow breaths, it means you need more oxygen. So diaphragmatic breathing (breathing from abdomen) will help you. Learn and practice it in sitting a chair or lying on your back. Initially, practice for 5 to 10 minutes for three to four times a day. And then slowly spend more time on doing the exercise. This helps you cure anxiety.
Imagery Exercises
Imagery exercises will help you manage stress and reduce tension throughout your entire body. For example, take a 10-minute trip in your mind to someplace you enjoy. Or you can use the imageries like wax softening and melting, a tight, twisted rope slowly unwinding, and holding a remote control and turning down the volume on your muscle tension etc. To do these imagery exercises, all you need is about ten to fifteen minutes and a quite place where you will not be disturbed.
So exercises will improve your mental, emotional, and physical health. Your resistance to stress will increase and this will cure anxiety.
Taken from: www.healthlifestyleforever.com
About the Author: Mike
New Secret Website Helps You Find The Most Useful Information About How To Cure Anxiety. Click Here Now To Enter Mike’s Panicattackadvisor.com Website To Know Different Anxiety And Panic Attack Treatments.
by Mike
If you have anxiety, doing exercises greatly helps you cure your anxiety. Even a little exercise will help! Spare 30 minutes a day for 3 to 5 days a week. This will significantly improve your symptoms. Doing exercises everyday will boost your feel-good endorphins, increase mood-enhancing neurotransmitters, relaxes your muscle tension and minimizes your cortisol (stress hormone) levels. Then you can sleep well and become anxiety free. So here are some useful exercises which cure anxiety and put you at ease…
Aerobic Exercise
Curing anxiety or reducing the symptoms is possible with Aerobic exercises. While doing these exercises, you will breathe faster and more deeply. This maximizes the amount of oxygen in your blood. By the way, you can also have a positive mental attitude. When you do Aerobics, you will consume maximum oxyzen. So you can improve your overall physical and psychological well-being.
Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises will help you a lot curing anxiety. Learn proper breathing techniques at any expert. If you are taking shallow breaths, it means you need more oxygen. So diaphragmatic breathing (breathing from abdomen) will help you. Learn and practice it in sitting a chair or lying on your back. Initially, practice for 5 to 10 minutes for three to four times a day. And then slowly spend more time on doing the exercise. This helps you cure anxiety.
Imagery Exercises
Imagery exercises will help you manage stress and reduce tension throughout your entire body. For example, take a 10-minute trip in your mind to someplace you enjoy. Or you can use the imageries like wax softening and melting, a tight, twisted rope slowly unwinding, and holding a remote control and turning down the volume on your muscle tension etc. To do these imagery exercises, all you need is about ten to fifteen minutes and a quite place where you will not be disturbed.
So exercises will improve your mental, emotional, and physical health. Your resistance to stress will increase and this will cure anxiety.
Taken from: www.healthlifestyleforever.com
About the Author: Mike
New Secret Website Helps You Find The Most Useful Information About How To Cure Anxiety. Click Here Now To Enter Mike’s Panicattackadvisor.com Website To Know Different Anxiety And Panic Attack Treatments.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Attracting Love and Kindness Into Your Life
Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house.
Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor...
Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.
Be the living expression of God's kindness;
Kindness in your smile,
Kindness in your warm greeting.
- Mother Teresa
Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor...
Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.
Be the living expression of God's kindness;
Kindness in your smile,
Kindness in your warm greeting.
- Mother Teresa
Friday, June 20, 2008
Remind Yourself Everyday To Live
Every day I begin my day by speaking and listening to my personal declaration which serves as an important reminder to stay focused. Stored in my memory, I will repeat it through out the day as needed. It goes:
I am a powerful creator.
I can be, do, and have anything I want.
All I have to do is choose those positive thoughts that make me feel good.
I focus on what I want, what I appreciate, what I am thankful for.
My feelings will guide me to create positive thoughts and release all negativity from my mind.
These positive thoughts will bring more positive thoughts, experiences, and people into my life, transforming my desires into my physical reality.
Taken from Living The secret Everyday: My Secret Workbooks
I am a powerful creator.
I can be, do, and have anything I want.
All I have to do is choose those positive thoughts that make me feel good.
I focus on what I want, what I appreciate, what I am thankful for.
My feelings will guide me to create positive thoughts and release all negativity from my mind.
These positive thoughts will bring more positive thoughts, experiences, and people into my life, transforming my desires into my physical reality.
Taken from Living The secret Everyday: My Secret Workbooks
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Make Up Your Mind To Be Happy
Taken from- LIVING THE SECRET EVERYDAY: MY SECRET WORKBOOK
THE ULTIMATE RECIPE
STOP: Trying to find happiness outside yourself by accumulating more things and more money.
START: Being that joyful, happy person inside you now - this will inspire you to do what you need to do to have what you want. Focus on loving and appreciating where you are NOW, which in turn will inspire you to move toward all you want on this journey called life.
PAY ATTENTION TO HOW YOU FEEL: Consciously and deliberately chase opportunities to be happy now and all that you want will be yours. It is the Law of Attraction.
Most people are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be. -Abraham Lincoln
THE ULTIMATE RECIPE
STOP: Trying to find happiness outside yourself by accumulating more things and more money.
START: Being that joyful, happy person inside you now - this will inspire you to do what you need to do to have what you want. Focus on loving and appreciating where you are NOW, which in turn will inspire you to move toward all you want on this journey called life.
PAY ATTENTION TO HOW YOU FEEL: Consciously and deliberately chase opportunities to be happy now and all that you want will be yours. It is the Law of Attraction.
Most people are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be. -Abraham Lincoln
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Is Busyness Keeping Joy Away? Stop and Smell The Roses
Keeping Too Busy?
by Alan H. Cohen
Do as much as you can while still keeping your soul intact.
If you start to feel frazzled, testy, or run-down, you have overstepped a crucial line. Most people have some physical symptom that signals them that they are starting to run down their batteries. A sore throat, headache, or hemorrhoid flare-up is the universe's way of alerting you that you are getting stressed. Instead of working harder or overriding the symptom with a drug, step back and regroup. Replenish your spirit and then you are good to go.
If you have to do things that keep you busy, you can remain joyful as you go. Remember to value energy before stuff and connection before manipulation. When you do things in a hurry, you miss the party and undermine what you are trying to accomplish. Your appointment book is a navigational tool, not a vice you clamp around your head and squeeze. You can get everything on your to-do list checked off, but if your soul is gasping for air, your efforts have been for naught. Instead of writing down what you want to do, write down who you want to be and how you want to feel as you do it. What you seek is more spiritual than material. Keep spirit first and you will succeed spiritually and materially.
Many people use busyness as a way to avoid feeling. They do not want to face the issues of their lives, so they generate an endless stream of appointments, errands, and projects to avoid being with themselves. They say they do not have time to deal with their pain because they are too busy, but the very purpose of being so busy is to not deal with the pain. They are not running around; they are running away, which just drives the pain deeper. Blaise Pascal observed, "All of man's problems stem from his inability to sit in a room quietly by himself."
As a culture, we are very much in denial about our addiction to busyness. Denial stands for "Don't Even Notice I Am Lying." We have many 12-step and other support groups to deal with our cultural addictions to drinking, drugs, sex, gambling, and debt; yet we do not have many 12-step groups for workaholics or busyholics, which number far more in the population than any other single group of addicts.
Living at the end of your rope may be typical, but I assure you it is not natural. Yet we accept busyholicism as normal, even respectable. If you were to show up at work drunk every day, you would soon be confronted and either fired or encouraged to get help. But when you work 12 hours a day, whittle your personal life back to a hangnail, and have to paste Post-Its on your hotel room TV screen to remind you what city you are in, no one questions that.
You scurry frantically across town, flooring the gas pedal at yellow lights, amped by intravenous Starbucks, driving with one hand, punching cell phone numbers with the other, and trying to keep the hot Styrofoam cup of triple espresso between your thighs from thwarting your future parenthood. You pride yourself on multitasking and feel like an underachiever if you're not spinning at least three plates at once, checking e-mail on line 1 while toggling between your boss on line 2 and your honey on the cell. Then someone knocks at the door and when you return you forgot who was on which line. But WAIT A MINUTE! (Huff, huff, puff, puff.) Does this really feel good? Is this really how you were born to live? If you did this for the rest of your life, how would you feel when you leave? Is it possible you could actually have a life?
I sat in on a magazine interview with Dr. Stephan Rechtschaffen, CEO of Omega Institute and author of Timeshifting. During the interview he suggested that we might be happier and more successful if we focus on one thing at a time. "But aren't you dangerously influencing people against multitasking?" the reporter asked. My God, I thought, we've come to a point where we have to defend being fully present!
The Chinese written character for the word "busy" is a combination of two other characters: "killing" and "heart." Heart disease, the foremost cause of death in our culture, is just what it says: the heart is not at ease. It is stressed. It is pressured. It is being asked to do more than it is designed to do. Yet heart disease, like all disease, can be prevented or reversed by returning to ease. And what is ease, but living in harmony with your intentions?
Each day set aside some time to do something to feed your soul. Treat yourself according to the style to which you'd like to become accustomed. Rassle with your pooch or curl up with your cat. Make smoldering love in the middle of the afternoon. Buy that new high-definition flat screen TV you've been eying. Dance naked to your favorite CD. Whatever you do, don't settle for a life without luster; then you become just another zit on the complexion of life. When your heart feels full, you will have so much more clarity and presence that you will easily handle the things that are problems now.
This article was excerpted from:
Why Your Llife Sucks by Alan H. Cohen.
by Alan H. Cohen
Do as much as you can while still keeping your soul intact.
If you start to feel frazzled, testy, or run-down, you have overstepped a crucial line. Most people have some physical symptom that signals them that they are starting to run down their batteries. A sore throat, headache, or hemorrhoid flare-up is the universe's way of alerting you that you are getting stressed. Instead of working harder or overriding the symptom with a drug, step back and regroup. Replenish your spirit and then you are good to go.
If you have to do things that keep you busy, you can remain joyful as you go. Remember to value energy before stuff and connection before manipulation. When you do things in a hurry, you miss the party and undermine what you are trying to accomplish. Your appointment book is a navigational tool, not a vice you clamp around your head and squeeze. You can get everything on your to-do list checked off, but if your soul is gasping for air, your efforts have been for naught. Instead of writing down what you want to do, write down who you want to be and how you want to feel as you do it. What you seek is more spiritual than material. Keep spirit first and you will succeed spiritually and materially.
Many people use busyness as a way to avoid feeling. They do not want to face the issues of their lives, so they generate an endless stream of appointments, errands, and projects to avoid being with themselves. They say they do not have time to deal with their pain because they are too busy, but the very purpose of being so busy is to not deal with the pain. They are not running around; they are running away, which just drives the pain deeper. Blaise Pascal observed, "All of man's problems stem from his inability to sit in a room quietly by himself."
As a culture, we are very much in denial about our addiction to busyness. Denial stands for "Don't Even Notice I Am Lying." We have many 12-step and other support groups to deal with our cultural addictions to drinking, drugs, sex, gambling, and debt; yet we do not have many 12-step groups for workaholics or busyholics, which number far more in the population than any other single group of addicts.
Living at the end of your rope may be typical, but I assure you it is not natural. Yet we accept busyholicism as normal, even respectable. If you were to show up at work drunk every day, you would soon be confronted and either fired or encouraged to get help. But when you work 12 hours a day, whittle your personal life back to a hangnail, and have to paste Post-Its on your hotel room TV screen to remind you what city you are in, no one questions that.
You scurry frantically across town, flooring the gas pedal at yellow lights, amped by intravenous Starbucks, driving with one hand, punching cell phone numbers with the other, and trying to keep the hot Styrofoam cup of triple espresso between your thighs from thwarting your future parenthood. You pride yourself on multitasking and feel like an underachiever if you're not spinning at least three plates at once, checking e-mail on line 1 while toggling between your boss on line 2 and your honey on the cell. Then someone knocks at the door and when you return you forgot who was on which line. But WAIT A MINUTE! (Huff, huff, puff, puff.) Does this really feel good? Is this really how you were born to live? If you did this for the rest of your life, how would you feel when you leave? Is it possible you could actually have a life?
I sat in on a magazine interview with Dr. Stephan Rechtschaffen, CEO of Omega Institute and author of Timeshifting. During the interview he suggested that we might be happier and more successful if we focus on one thing at a time. "But aren't you dangerously influencing people against multitasking?" the reporter asked. My God, I thought, we've come to a point where we have to defend being fully present!
The Chinese written character for the word "busy" is a combination of two other characters: "killing" and "heart." Heart disease, the foremost cause of death in our culture, is just what it says: the heart is not at ease. It is stressed. It is pressured. It is being asked to do more than it is designed to do. Yet heart disease, like all disease, can be prevented or reversed by returning to ease. And what is ease, but living in harmony with your intentions?
Each day set aside some time to do something to feed your soul. Treat yourself according to the style to which you'd like to become accustomed. Rassle with your pooch or curl up with your cat. Make smoldering love in the middle of the afternoon. Buy that new high-definition flat screen TV you've been eying. Dance naked to your favorite CD. Whatever you do, don't settle for a life without luster; then you become just another zit on the complexion of life. When your heart feels full, you will have so much more clarity and presence that you will easily handle the things that are problems now.
This article was excerpted from:
Why Your Llife Sucks by Alan H. Cohen.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Forgiveness: The Key To Finding Joy
Here is an article from one of my favorite people: Louise Hay, Hayhouse Publications
Choosing Forgiveness
by Louise L. Hay
You can never be free of bitterness as long as you continue to think unforgiving thoughts. How can you be happy in this moment if you continue to choose to be angry and resentful? Thoughts of bitterness can't create joy. No matter how justified you feel you are, no matter what "they" did, if you insist on holding on to the past, then you will never be free. Forgiving yourself and others will release you from the prison of the past.
When you feel that you're stuck in some situation, or when your affirmations aren't working, it usually means that there's more forgiveness work to be done. When you don't flow freely with life in the present moment, it usually means that you're holding on to a past moment. It can be regret, sadness, hurt, fear, guilt, blame, anger, resentment, or sometimes even a desire for revenge. Each one of these states comes from a space of unforgiveness, a refusal to let go and come in to the present moment. Only in the present moment can you create your future.
If you're holding on to the past, you can't be in the present. It's only in this "now" moment that your thoughts and words are powerful. So you really don't want to waste your current thoughts by continuing to create your future from the garbage of the past.
When you blame another, you give your own power away because you're placing the responsibility for your feelings on someone else. People in your life may behave in ways that trigger uncomfortable responses in you. However, they didn't get into your mind and create the buttons that have been pushed. Taking responsibility for your own feelings and reactions is mastering your "ability to respond." In other words, you learn to consciously choose rather than simply react.
Forgiveness is a tricky and confusing concept for many people, but know that there's a difference between forgiveness and acceptance. Forgiving someone doesn't mean that you condone their behavior! The act of forgiveness takes place in your own mind. It really has nothing to do with the other person. The reality of true forgiveness lies in setting yourself free from the pain. It's simply an act of releasing yourself from the negative energy that you've chosen to hold on to.
Also, forgiveness doesn't mean allowing the painful behaviors or actions of another to continue in your life. Sometimes forgiveness means letting go: You forgive that person and then you release them. Taking a stand and setting healthy boundaries is often the most loving thing you can do — not only for yourself but for the other person as well.
No matter what your reasons are for having bitter, unforgiving feelings, you can go beyond them. You have a choice. You can choose to stay stuck and resentful, or you can do yourself a favor by willingly forgiving what happened in the past; letting it go; and then moving on to create a joyous, fulfilling life. You have the freedom to make your life anything you want it to be because you have freedom of choice.
POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS: FORGIVENESS
• THE DOOR TO MY HEART OPENS INWARD. I MOVE THROUGH FORGIVENESS TO LOVE.
• TODAY I LISTEN TO MY FEELINGS, AND I AM GENTLE WITH MYSELF. I KNOW THAT ALL OF MY FEELINGS ARE MY FRIENDS.
• THE PAST IS OVER, SO IT HAS NO POWER NOW. THE THOUGHTS OF THIS MOMENT CREATE MY FUTURE.
• IT IS NO FUN BEING A VICTIM. I REFUSE TO BE HELPLESS ANYMORE. I CLAIM MY OWN POWER.
• I GIVE MYSELF THE GIFT OF FREEDOM FROM THE PAST, AND MOVE WITH JOY INTO THE NOW.
• I GET THE HELP I NEED, WHEN I NEED IT, FROM VARIOUS SOURCES. MY SUPPORT SYSTEM IS STRONG AND LOVING.
• THERE IS NO PROBLEM SO BIG OR SO SMALL THAT IT CANNOT BE SOLVED WITH LOVE.
• I AM READY TO BE HEALED. I AM WILLING TO FORGIVE. ALL IS WELL.
• WHEN I MAKE A MISTAKE, I REALIZE THAT IT IS ONLY PART OF THE LEARNING PROCESS.
• I MOVE BEYOND FORGIVENESS TO UNDERSTANDING, AND I HAVE COMPASSION FOR ALL.
• EACH DAY IS A NEW OPPORTUNITY. YESTERDAY IS OVER AND DONE. TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF MY FUTURE.
• I KNOW THAT OLD, NEGATIVE PATTERNS NO LONGER LIMIT ME. I LET THEM GO WITH EASE.
• I AM FORGIVING, LOVING, GENTLE, AND KIND, AND I KNOW THAT LIFE LOVES ME.
• AS I FORGIVE MYSELF, IT BECOMES EASIER TO FORGIVE OTHERS.
• I LOVE AND ACCEPT MY FAMILY MEMBERS EXACTLY AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.
This article was excerpted from:
I Can Do It by Louise L. Hay.
Choosing Forgiveness
by Louise L. Hay
You can never be free of bitterness as long as you continue to think unforgiving thoughts. How can you be happy in this moment if you continue to choose to be angry and resentful? Thoughts of bitterness can't create joy. No matter how justified you feel you are, no matter what "they" did, if you insist on holding on to the past, then you will never be free. Forgiving yourself and others will release you from the prison of the past.
When you feel that you're stuck in some situation, or when your affirmations aren't working, it usually means that there's more forgiveness work to be done. When you don't flow freely with life in the present moment, it usually means that you're holding on to a past moment. It can be regret, sadness, hurt, fear, guilt, blame, anger, resentment, or sometimes even a desire for revenge. Each one of these states comes from a space of unforgiveness, a refusal to let go and come in to the present moment. Only in the present moment can you create your future.
If you're holding on to the past, you can't be in the present. It's only in this "now" moment that your thoughts and words are powerful. So you really don't want to waste your current thoughts by continuing to create your future from the garbage of the past.
When you blame another, you give your own power away because you're placing the responsibility for your feelings on someone else. People in your life may behave in ways that trigger uncomfortable responses in you. However, they didn't get into your mind and create the buttons that have been pushed. Taking responsibility for your own feelings and reactions is mastering your "ability to respond." In other words, you learn to consciously choose rather than simply react.
Forgiveness is a tricky and confusing concept for many people, but know that there's a difference between forgiveness and acceptance. Forgiving someone doesn't mean that you condone their behavior! The act of forgiveness takes place in your own mind. It really has nothing to do with the other person. The reality of true forgiveness lies in setting yourself free from the pain. It's simply an act of releasing yourself from the negative energy that you've chosen to hold on to.
Also, forgiveness doesn't mean allowing the painful behaviors or actions of another to continue in your life. Sometimes forgiveness means letting go: You forgive that person and then you release them. Taking a stand and setting healthy boundaries is often the most loving thing you can do — not only for yourself but for the other person as well.
No matter what your reasons are for having bitter, unforgiving feelings, you can go beyond them. You have a choice. You can choose to stay stuck and resentful, or you can do yourself a favor by willingly forgiving what happened in the past; letting it go; and then moving on to create a joyous, fulfilling life. You have the freedom to make your life anything you want it to be because you have freedom of choice.
POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS: FORGIVENESS
• THE DOOR TO MY HEART OPENS INWARD. I MOVE THROUGH FORGIVENESS TO LOVE.
• TODAY I LISTEN TO MY FEELINGS, AND I AM GENTLE WITH MYSELF. I KNOW THAT ALL OF MY FEELINGS ARE MY FRIENDS.
• THE PAST IS OVER, SO IT HAS NO POWER NOW. THE THOUGHTS OF THIS MOMENT CREATE MY FUTURE.
• IT IS NO FUN BEING A VICTIM. I REFUSE TO BE HELPLESS ANYMORE. I CLAIM MY OWN POWER.
• I GIVE MYSELF THE GIFT OF FREEDOM FROM THE PAST, AND MOVE WITH JOY INTO THE NOW.
• I GET THE HELP I NEED, WHEN I NEED IT, FROM VARIOUS SOURCES. MY SUPPORT SYSTEM IS STRONG AND LOVING.
• THERE IS NO PROBLEM SO BIG OR SO SMALL THAT IT CANNOT BE SOLVED WITH LOVE.
• I AM READY TO BE HEALED. I AM WILLING TO FORGIVE. ALL IS WELL.
• WHEN I MAKE A MISTAKE, I REALIZE THAT IT IS ONLY PART OF THE LEARNING PROCESS.
• I MOVE BEYOND FORGIVENESS TO UNDERSTANDING, AND I HAVE COMPASSION FOR ALL.
• EACH DAY IS A NEW OPPORTUNITY. YESTERDAY IS OVER AND DONE. TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF MY FUTURE.
• I KNOW THAT OLD, NEGATIVE PATTERNS NO LONGER LIMIT ME. I LET THEM GO WITH EASE.
• I AM FORGIVING, LOVING, GENTLE, AND KIND, AND I KNOW THAT LIFE LOVES ME.
• AS I FORGIVE MYSELF, IT BECOMES EASIER TO FORGIVE OTHERS.
• I LOVE AND ACCEPT MY FAMILY MEMBERS EXACTLY AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.
This article was excerpted from:
I Can Do It by Louise L. Hay.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
The Happiest Place On Earth
The Secret of Vanuatu’s Happiness
By Huw CordeyBBC, South Pacific
The South Pacific country of Vanuatu has been voted the happiest place in the world so what makes its inhabitants such a happy lot?
Jean Pierre John is living the dream. That popular fantasy of owning one’s own island, complete with swaying coconut palms, coral sea and tropical forest, is his for real. On the island called Metoma, in the far north of Vanuatu, Jean Pierre can look around and truly say that he is master of all he surveys. This single fact would put Jean Pierre in an exclusive club, you would think, one made up of billionaire businessmen, royalty and rock stars.
But Jean Pierre is none of these things. In fact, he could not be more different. On Metoma, Jean Pierre and his family live in thatched huts. They have no electricity or running water, no radio or television, and their only mode of transport is a rowing boat, which pretty much limits them to trips to the neighbouring island. On top of that, they have little money and few opportunities to make any.
No money?! Suddenly their island life does not sound all that glamorous. But here’s the thing, the Johns really are happy. This may sound surprising but living on their island they want for nothing.
Local produce :All the family’s food comes from on or around Metoma. Coconuts, yam, and manioc - their staple diet - are all grown on the island and then, of course, there is a sea full of fish to harvest. And if fish protein gets boring, there is always the occasional fruit bat, from a colony that roosts on the island. Indeed, food is so easy to gather that the family appears to have a lot of relaxation time.
When the Johns do have money - perhaps when they sell one of the few cows they own - they will buy soap powder and kerosene for their lamps. But if not, they are just as happy to make do with island solutions - sticks which can be crushed to make soap and coconut oil in place of kerosene. Some useful items are even washed up onto their island - buoys from boats are cut in half to make bowls and old fishing nets are recycled as hammocks.
It may sound like a Robinson Crusoe existence, and in many ways it is, but the Johns are not castaways. They live on Metoma out of choice. It is not as if they have not experienced some of the trappings of a more modern world. Jean Pierre grew up on one of Vanuatu’s larger islands and still makes the occasional visit. His eldest son, Joe, even went to school in the nation’s capital. In fact Joe, a very easy-going 28-year-old, had recently returned to Metoma to live full time and he told me that the only thing he missed was hip hop music, but that it was a small price to pay for living on the island. No money worries;
Jean Pierre had not heard that Vanuatu had been voted happiest country in the world but, when I told him, he nodded in a knowingly happy sort of way.
So what is his secret of happiness?
“Not having to worry about money,” he immediately replies, while picking his nose in an uninhibited way.
If you asked the same question in the UK, you would probably get the same response. The only difference is that, in Jean Pierre’s case, it means not needing any money, rather than having bundles of it.
We can all repeat the mantra “money can’t buy you happiness” until we are blue in the face, but deep down, how many of us in the West really believe it to be true?
But I can see that Jean Pierre’s happiness is more than just a question of money. It also comes from having his family around him, and there is undoubtedly an enormous respect between them.
Absence of materialism
His children - and this includes those of adult age - do anything their father asks, not out of coercion but because they genuinely want to please.
Forget the Waltons, the Johns are the real McCoy: one happy family.
While talking to Jean Pierre, I find myself wondering whether he is the most contented person I have ever met.
But he is keen to know whether I am having a good time on his island too. Every day he asks me if I am happy. When I tell him things are great, his eyes light up and he replies in pidgin, “Oh, tenkyu tumas.”
Whether happiness can truly be measured is a debatable point, but there is no doubt that Metoma - or indeed Vanuatu as a whole - has the ingredients to encourage a greater sense of happiness. The twin pillars of a classically happy life - strong family ties and a general absence of materialism - are common throughout this island nation.
The simple things in life, it seems, really do make you happy.
By Huw CordeyBBC, South Pacific
The South Pacific country of Vanuatu has been voted the happiest place in the world so what makes its inhabitants such a happy lot?
Jean Pierre John is living the dream. That popular fantasy of owning one’s own island, complete with swaying coconut palms, coral sea and tropical forest, is his for real. On the island called Metoma, in the far north of Vanuatu, Jean Pierre can look around and truly say that he is master of all he surveys. This single fact would put Jean Pierre in an exclusive club, you would think, one made up of billionaire businessmen, royalty and rock stars.
But Jean Pierre is none of these things. In fact, he could not be more different. On Metoma, Jean Pierre and his family live in thatched huts. They have no electricity or running water, no radio or television, and their only mode of transport is a rowing boat, which pretty much limits them to trips to the neighbouring island. On top of that, they have little money and few opportunities to make any.
No money?! Suddenly their island life does not sound all that glamorous. But here’s the thing, the Johns really are happy. This may sound surprising but living on their island they want for nothing.
Local produce :All the family’s food comes from on or around Metoma. Coconuts, yam, and manioc - their staple diet - are all grown on the island and then, of course, there is a sea full of fish to harvest. And if fish protein gets boring, there is always the occasional fruit bat, from a colony that roosts on the island. Indeed, food is so easy to gather that the family appears to have a lot of relaxation time.
When the Johns do have money - perhaps when they sell one of the few cows they own - they will buy soap powder and kerosene for their lamps. But if not, they are just as happy to make do with island solutions - sticks which can be crushed to make soap and coconut oil in place of kerosene. Some useful items are even washed up onto their island - buoys from boats are cut in half to make bowls and old fishing nets are recycled as hammocks.
It may sound like a Robinson Crusoe existence, and in many ways it is, but the Johns are not castaways. They live on Metoma out of choice. It is not as if they have not experienced some of the trappings of a more modern world. Jean Pierre grew up on one of Vanuatu’s larger islands and still makes the occasional visit. His eldest son, Joe, even went to school in the nation’s capital. In fact Joe, a very easy-going 28-year-old, had recently returned to Metoma to live full time and he told me that the only thing he missed was hip hop music, but that it was a small price to pay for living on the island. No money worries;
Jean Pierre had not heard that Vanuatu had been voted happiest country in the world but, when I told him, he nodded in a knowingly happy sort of way.
So what is his secret of happiness?
“Not having to worry about money,” he immediately replies, while picking his nose in an uninhibited way.
If you asked the same question in the UK, you would probably get the same response. The only difference is that, in Jean Pierre’s case, it means not needing any money, rather than having bundles of it.
We can all repeat the mantra “money can’t buy you happiness” until we are blue in the face, but deep down, how many of us in the West really believe it to be true?
But I can see that Jean Pierre’s happiness is more than just a question of money. It also comes from having his family around him, and there is undoubtedly an enormous respect between them.
Absence of materialism
His children - and this includes those of adult age - do anything their father asks, not out of coercion but because they genuinely want to please.
Forget the Waltons, the Johns are the real McCoy: one happy family.
While talking to Jean Pierre, I find myself wondering whether he is the most contented person I have ever met.
But he is keen to know whether I am having a good time on his island too. Every day he asks me if I am happy. When I tell him things are great, his eyes light up and he replies in pidgin, “Oh, tenkyu tumas.”
Whether happiness can truly be measured is a debatable point, but there is no doubt that Metoma - or indeed Vanuatu as a whole - has the ingredients to encourage a greater sense of happiness. The twin pillars of a classically happy life - strong family ties and a general absence of materialism - are common throughout this island nation.
The simple things in life, it seems, really do make you happy.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Secret To a Long Healthy Life: Don't Worry
Happy 100th birthday
By Jennifer Elves, Taber Times, Canada
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
Shinyuki Kunimoto is generally a man of small words but when his grandchildren seek words of wisdom from him, he is never short of words.When Kunimoto, who celebrated his 100th birthday in Taber on the weekend, was asked by his granddaughter Kimberly what he would tell his grandchildren so they would have good lives like him, he said, "don't worry about anything."Kimberly says he has always had an easy-going nature.His ability to look at the bright side and not let anything get him down also came out when his grandson Brenden asked him at his birthday celebration in Taber on Saturday, what it felt like to be 100. Kunimoto told his grandson he doesn't feel any different than he did at 90."He said just not thinking about dying helps a lot because if you think about it you're just going to get depressed, so (he said) just to think positively and take one day at a time," says Kimberly.When asked what the secret is to living a long-healthy life, he says he always slept well, walked every day and had passions such as reading, gardening and fishing."He sleeps well, he always has. I always think, 'gee, I wish I could sleep like him.' He goes to bed around 8:30 p.m. and sleeps right through until the morning," says his wife Hisaye.His daughter Eileen adds he has also always been a healthy eater, partly because he wanted to be healthy and because he enjoys foods like vegetables, rice and fish. Kunimoto gardened all the way up until last year and when he was younger, his family members could find him out in the garden every day. When he reflects on his hobbies and looks over at a trophy in his living room he received for fishing, his eyes light up and he makes a point of reminding his wife, daughter and granddaughter how he was named the senior men's champion at the annual fishing derby in 1990 at 82 years old. He also used to have a baseball-cap collection, which he says was "just for fun."Today, he spends a lot of time relaxing and watching T.V. He says having good things to eat, watching T.V. and doing various things keeps him happy and satisfied.Kunimoto, who is originally from Japan, moved to Vancouver at 21, as the economy in Japan was not good. When in Canada, he sent some money back home to help his parents out. He spent most of his working days as a carpenter. He also worked on the oil rigs and did some construction in his earlier days. He built the house him and his wife have been living in for roughly 46 years, and helped to build W.R. Myers high school. From Vancouver, he moved to Princeton B.C., and stayed there for a few years before moving to Picture Butte, which is where he got married through an arranged marriage to Hisaye.The couple has been married for 62 years and has six children, two of whom live in Taber. Eileen and Bruce reside in Taber, their children Jodene and Ross live in Calgary, Dennis lives in Edmonton and Bob resides in Ottawa. He was 38 when they had their first child."He had us late in his life and yet he raised us with patience, kindness, compassion and with integrity," said Eileen, adding he always worked hard and played later.
By Jennifer Elves, Taber Times, Canada
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
Shinyuki Kunimoto is generally a man of small words but when his grandchildren seek words of wisdom from him, he is never short of words.When Kunimoto, who celebrated his 100th birthday in Taber on the weekend, was asked by his granddaughter Kimberly what he would tell his grandchildren so they would have good lives like him, he said, "don't worry about anything."Kimberly says he has always had an easy-going nature.His ability to look at the bright side and not let anything get him down also came out when his grandson Brenden asked him at his birthday celebration in Taber on Saturday, what it felt like to be 100. Kunimoto told his grandson he doesn't feel any different than he did at 90."He said just not thinking about dying helps a lot because if you think about it you're just going to get depressed, so (he said) just to think positively and take one day at a time," says Kimberly.When asked what the secret is to living a long-healthy life, he says he always slept well, walked every day and had passions such as reading, gardening and fishing."He sleeps well, he always has. I always think, 'gee, I wish I could sleep like him.' He goes to bed around 8:30 p.m. and sleeps right through until the morning," says his wife Hisaye.His daughter Eileen adds he has also always been a healthy eater, partly because he wanted to be healthy and because he enjoys foods like vegetables, rice and fish. Kunimoto gardened all the way up until last year and when he was younger, his family members could find him out in the garden every day. When he reflects on his hobbies and looks over at a trophy in his living room he received for fishing, his eyes light up and he makes a point of reminding his wife, daughter and granddaughter how he was named the senior men's champion at the annual fishing derby in 1990 at 82 years old. He also used to have a baseball-cap collection, which he says was "just for fun."Today, he spends a lot of time relaxing and watching T.V. He says having good things to eat, watching T.V. and doing various things keeps him happy and satisfied.Kunimoto, who is originally from Japan, moved to Vancouver at 21, as the economy in Japan was not good. When in Canada, he sent some money back home to help his parents out. He spent most of his working days as a carpenter. He also worked on the oil rigs and did some construction in his earlier days. He built the house him and his wife have been living in for roughly 46 years, and helped to build W.R. Myers high school. From Vancouver, he moved to Princeton B.C., and stayed there for a few years before moving to Picture Butte, which is where he got married through an arranged marriage to Hisaye.The couple has been married for 62 years and has six children, two of whom live in Taber. Eileen and Bruce reside in Taber, their children Jodene and Ross live in Calgary, Dennis lives in Edmonton and Bob resides in Ottawa. He was 38 when they had their first child."He had us late in his life and yet he raised us with patience, kindness, compassion and with integrity," said Eileen, adding he always worked hard and played later.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Review of The Secret - June, 2008
Book Review: The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
by Tom Butler-Bowdon, CityWire United Kingdom
http://www.citywire.co.uk/personal/-/news/other/content.aspx?ID=304406
by Tom Butler-Bowdon, CityWire United Kingdom
http://www.citywire.co.uk/personal/-/news/other/content.aspx?ID=304406
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Are You Winging It or Bringing It ?
Life is a contact sport, and if you want to be the person standing with the championship trophy at the end of the game, then you need to live your life with an all out effort, rather than just sitting in the stands watching other people enjoy the spoils of victory.
People who float through life just going with the flow are the same people who end up being dashed onto the rocks at the bottom of the waterfall, whereas people who are willing to kick, fight, claw, and scratch for what they want are the people whose lives become examples of what dreams are made of.
Life hands us plenty of opportunities to just take the easy way out, and most people do exactly that. Although they know in their heart's that they want more than they are presently getting out of life, the huge effort that would be required of them to receive the spoils of going against the current is simply beyond their willingness to undertake. They apply a token effort (winging it) rather than a consistent 100% intensity effort (bringing it), and they are rewarded with wonderfully mediocre results.
People who BRING IT, on the other hand, take charge of their lives by giving up the victim mentality. As Joel Osteen is fond of saying, they are vicTOR's rather than vicTIM's.
It's not an easy journey, though, which is precisely why most people don't do it. Someone who is "bringing it" lays their head on their pillow at the end of the day with the true 100% belief that they did everything in their power to make their dreams a reality that day, and they often have the scars to prove it.
People from the "winging it" group, on the other hand, lay in bed at night wondering if they did the right thing, worrying about their future, lying to themselves about why they backed off on their intensity, why they ate so much junk food that day, or why they let that person push them around.
People who BRING IT don't worry about anything. They have truly done everything they can do, so worrying is a complete waste of time.
People who just wing it constantly wonder what they could have done better, or what they need to do tomorrow to make up for today's shortcomings.
People who BRING IT may be scratched, beat up, bruised, or bleeding, but they go to bed knowing that they truly fought their best fight, and they are at peace as a result.
People who just wing it are masters at coming up with reasons excuses for why they didn't make an all out effort.
People who BRING IT live up to their personal integrity every single day, even if it means a lack of security, or if it means taking a risk.
People who just wing it always take the safe route, and they die just a little bit inside each time they give up what they truly want in order to settle for what they believe they can have.
People who BRING IT realize that every 60 seconds of their life is another 60 seconds that they can take action towards their goals.
People who just wing it always have reasons excuses for why they haven't yet finished a project, or accomplished a goal.
People who BRING IT understand that their position of power is something that they create internally, and that it has nothing to do with the outside circumstances.
People who just wing it can always justify their willingness to give up control of their lives with lots of "real world" reasons for why it's all out of their hands.
People who BRING IT also KNOW that they are bringing it, and even if they live in a cardboard box, their cardboard box is the best one on the block because it was built with confidence and pride, not lack and despair.
People who just wing it are well aware of the fact that they are winging it, and no matter how successful or unsuccessful they are, the voice in the back of their mind never stops reminding them that their life isn't what it could be. They are also quite proficient at ignoring that voice.
There are a lot of people (myself included) who say that life should be full of joy, and that true joy is effortless. When you are truly living your life in alignment with your desires, struggle is not part of the equation. The confusion comes in when people equate the word "effortless" with the word "easy".
Effortless means that even though you are gasping for air and physically exhausted during a workout, you are 100% confident that you are doing the right thing for your body, and that fills you with joy.
- Easy means that you don't workout at all, or that you only give a token effort.
Effortless means that even though you have to live on 4 hours of sleep per night while you build a business or finish your education, you are 100% confident that you are doing the right thing for your future.
- Easy means just taking a day job and hoping for the best.
Effortless means that you do everything and anything in your power to make your relationships wonderful by being the best you that you can be, and you are 100% confident that anyone who doesn't see the value in what you have to offer doesn't deserve to have you in their life.
- Easy means settling for relationship circumstances that you don't agree with or enjoy.
Effortless means standing up for what you believe in at work, at church, in your neighborhood, and even in your own home, because you are 100% confident that living up to your personal integrity is more important than living by the status quo.
- Easy means doing what everyone else is doing so you don't rock the boat.
The difference between "effortless" and "easy" is the same difference between "Bringing It" and "Winging It". One of those states of mind ensures success, abundance, happiness, and joy, while the other ensures struggle, strife, fear, and uncertainty.
Life gives us back exactly what we put into it. If you want your life to be a Kingdom of Glory, Success, Joy, and Happiness, then act like a King, not like a pauper.
Taken from: TodayIsThatDay.com/Blog
People who float through life just going with the flow are the same people who end up being dashed onto the rocks at the bottom of the waterfall, whereas people who are willing to kick, fight, claw, and scratch for what they want are the people whose lives become examples of what dreams are made of.
Life hands us plenty of opportunities to just take the easy way out, and most people do exactly that. Although they know in their heart's that they want more than they are presently getting out of life, the huge effort that would be required of them to receive the spoils of going against the current is simply beyond their willingness to undertake. They apply a token effort (winging it) rather than a consistent 100% intensity effort (bringing it), and they are rewarded with wonderfully mediocre results.
People who BRING IT, on the other hand, take charge of their lives by giving up the victim mentality. As Joel Osteen is fond of saying, they are vicTOR's rather than vicTIM's.
It's not an easy journey, though, which is precisely why most people don't do it. Someone who is "bringing it" lays their head on their pillow at the end of the day with the true 100% belief that they did everything in their power to make their dreams a reality that day, and they often have the scars to prove it.
People from the "winging it" group, on the other hand, lay in bed at night wondering if they did the right thing, worrying about their future, lying to themselves about why they backed off on their intensity, why they ate so much junk food that day, or why they let that person push them around.
People who BRING IT don't worry about anything. They have truly done everything they can do, so worrying is a complete waste of time.
People who just wing it constantly wonder what they could have done better, or what they need to do tomorrow to make up for today's shortcomings.
People who BRING IT may be scratched, beat up, bruised, or bleeding, but they go to bed knowing that they truly fought their best fight, and they are at peace as a result.
People who just wing it are masters at coming up with reasons excuses for why they didn't make an all out effort.
People who BRING IT live up to their personal integrity every single day, even if it means a lack of security, or if it means taking a risk.
People who just wing it always take the safe route, and they die just a little bit inside each time they give up what they truly want in order to settle for what they believe they can have.
People who BRING IT realize that every 60 seconds of their life is another 60 seconds that they can take action towards their goals.
People who just wing it always have reasons excuses for why they haven't yet finished a project, or accomplished a goal.
People who BRING IT understand that their position of power is something that they create internally, and that it has nothing to do with the outside circumstances.
People who just wing it can always justify their willingness to give up control of their lives with lots of "real world" reasons for why it's all out of their hands.
People who BRING IT also KNOW that they are bringing it, and even if they live in a cardboard box, their cardboard box is the best one on the block because it was built with confidence and pride, not lack and despair.
People who just wing it are well aware of the fact that they are winging it, and no matter how successful or unsuccessful they are, the voice in the back of their mind never stops reminding them that their life isn't what it could be. They are also quite proficient at ignoring that voice.
There are a lot of people (myself included) who say that life should be full of joy, and that true joy is effortless. When you are truly living your life in alignment with your desires, struggle is not part of the equation. The confusion comes in when people equate the word "effortless" with the word "easy".
Effortless means that even though you are gasping for air and physically exhausted during a workout, you are 100% confident that you are doing the right thing for your body, and that fills you with joy.
- Easy means that you don't workout at all, or that you only give a token effort.
Effortless means that even though you have to live on 4 hours of sleep per night while you build a business or finish your education, you are 100% confident that you are doing the right thing for your future.
- Easy means just taking a day job and hoping for the best.
Effortless means that you do everything and anything in your power to make your relationships wonderful by being the best you that you can be, and you are 100% confident that anyone who doesn't see the value in what you have to offer doesn't deserve to have you in their life.
- Easy means settling for relationship circumstances that you don't agree with or enjoy.
Effortless means standing up for what you believe in at work, at church, in your neighborhood, and even in your own home, because you are 100% confident that living up to your personal integrity is more important than living by the status quo.
- Easy means doing what everyone else is doing so you don't rock the boat.
The difference between "effortless" and "easy" is the same difference between "Bringing It" and "Winging It". One of those states of mind ensures success, abundance, happiness, and joy, while the other ensures struggle, strife, fear, and uncertainty.
Life gives us back exactly what we put into it. If you want your life to be a Kingdom of Glory, Success, Joy, and Happiness, then act like a King, not like a pauper.
Taken from: TodayIsThatDay.com/Blog
Monday, May 26, 2008
Slipping- A Great Reminder
Yes I do slip backwards...we all do. And you shouldn't beat yourself up when you do. Growing up in a household that always shined a light on negative things; problems and looking at what is and seeing the worst...it seems for most of my life I've lived in this thinking mode on auto-pilot. But I am so grateful that I am now aware of this and can sometimes, not always stop myself and remind myself that:
I am a powerful creator
I can be, do , or have anything I want
Everything I focus on, talk about, pay attention to I manifest into my life
That is the law of attraction
The key is to control my thoughts and focus on the positive
It is very hard when it feels like everything is crashing down
But focusing on one little thing to be thankful for, will bring another and another ....positive thought
The key is to pay attention to how you feel
When you are feeling bad... you are choosing negativity and blocking the joy into your life
The universe knows what you want...is standing ready to give it to you as soon
as you get into alignment with the real you...your source... higher being...the joyful you
Everything you want will come as soon as you open your heart and deliberately
and consciously live that joyful life NOW.
When you are feeling better... you are getting more of the same and heading towards everything you want. All you have to do is take deliberate baby steps.
That is the Law of Attraction.
Just reminding myself of this brings me to a more positive place and once again I'm on my way.
I am a powerful creator
I can be, do , or have anything I want
Everything I focus on, talk about, pay attention to I manifest into my life
That is the law of attraction
The key is to control my thoughts and focus on the positive
It is very hard when it feels like everything is crashing down
But focusing on one little thing to be thankful for, will bring another and another ....positive thought
The key is to pay attention to how you feel
When you are feeling bad... you are choosing negativity and blocking the joy into your life
The universe knows what you want...is standing ready to give it to you as soon
as you get into alignment with the real you...your source... higher being...the joyful you
Everything you want will come as soon as you open your heart and deliberately
and consciously live that joyful life NOW.
When you are feeling better... you are getting more of the same and heading towards everything you want. All you have to do is take deliberate baby steps.
That is the Law of Attraction.
Just reminding myself of this brings me to a more positive place and once again I'm on my way.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Six Secret Qualities of Happy People
Six Secret Qualities of Happy People
by Lisa Brookes Kift, MFT.
If there’s one thing that we all seek - it’s happiness. I’ve never met a person who has told me they didn’t want to be happy, have you? When I do individual therapy, I have the opportunity to sit down with people as they present their concerns to me - whatever they may be. They usually seek therapy because they’re experiencing some level of emotional distress - and are fundamentally unhappy. I’ve noticed that a number of things come up over and over for people as reasons why this is so. There are certain things they either have - or don’t have - and with this information I’ve been able to come to an understanding of a question posed by many:
What makes people happy?
What do they have that others don’t? What’s their secret?
The following are my 6 secret qualities of happy people, in no particular order:
1) Absence of Toxic Shame: In the book, “Healing the Shame That Binds You,” John Bradshaw describes the difference between healthy vs toxic shame in that, “Healthy shame is an emotion which signals us about our limits…and keeps us grounded,” where “Toxic shame is experienced as the all-pervasive sense that I am flawed and defective as a human being.” Truly happy people have a strong sense of themselves and their value, in other words, an absence of toxic shame. This usually comes from a nurturing, loving and supportive experience in their families of origin. There are many reasons why people struggle with toxic shame. I find it often lies at the core of some depression, anxiety and perfectionism.
2) Absence of Resentment: Really happy people seem to be more successful at forgiveness. In addition, they often haven’t personalized the experience to the degree that others do. When you are good at letting things go - you don’t drag the burden of resentment around with you. Those who hold onto anger or grudges towards others for long periods of time can experience internal emotional distress that leads to bitterness, frustration and often health problems. They can also struggle with depression and excessive anger.
3) Living their Passion: People who are doing work that is satisfying to them, whether they simply enjoy showing up every day - or is more rewarding on a deeper level - tend to be happier. The same applies to those who have found a hobby or cause that brings them joy, whether it’s associated with work or not. Those who dislike their jobs and truly hate getting up every day to go to work tend to have an underlying baseline of life dissatisfaction that can lead to unhappiness. This is particularly true if they’re not engaging in something outside of work that touches that energizing place inside of them - which could atleast partially offset the impact of their unrewarding job.
4) Dreams for the Future: Those who have hopes, plans and excitement for the future are typically happier. They believe they can carry out their dreams - and can actually visualize them coming true. People who struggle with imagining what their futures might hold often don’t really believe that good things could actually happen for them. It’s possible their past or present have been so dismal that they’re unable to project positive things for the future. This is a very common belief of those struggling with depression. They may believe, “I can’t,” or “I don’t deserve.”
5) Ability to Stay in the Moment: Those who have mastered the skill to stay present - or in the moment - tend to be happier. Future worry is common for many people. Those who struggle with anxiety and depression often experience intense worry about about all sorts of things that can or might happen, so much so that the thinking creates an unpleasant emotional experience as if it’s actually occurred!
6) Connections to People: Happy people usually are connected to other people by supportive and loving relationships, no matter whether a few or many. There could be an argument that there are exceptions to this, but by and large, people need other people. From the time we are born, we seek to form attachments to our primary caregivers. Depending on the quality of these attachments, we will usually seek to form friendships and then - intimate partnerships. I’ve found that many unhappy people feel disconnected in some way to others - which can be very painful. Sometimes they are afraid to connect and other times their behavior is disconnecting. Regardless, for those who believe they need other people - and feel alone - a deep sense of unhappiness is common.
Like I mentioned previously, no matter who or where we are in this world, one of the ties that binds us together is the desire for happiness. Many of us know someone who seems to be a truly happy person. There’s something almost magical about them, their level of serenity, joy and state of “knowing” that everything will work out. And if doesn’t, it will still eventually be ok. I imagine that this person likely has all of the 6 happiness qualities I mentioned above. There are so many things that influence our emotional and psychological development. I believe that barring environmental chaos, (war, poverty, living conditions, etc) and severe psychological disturbance, we all have the ability to be “happy.”
It can require a bit of work to tackle the things that might be blocking us from that very achievable goal - shame, resentment, lack of dreams, future worry, isolation and/or lack of a life passion. The great news is I’ve seen it done enough times in my work as a therapist to know - it’s absolutely possible.
by Lisa Brookes Kift, MFT.
If there’s one thing that we all seek - it’s happiness. I’ve never met a person who has told me they didn’t want to be happy, have you? When I do individual therapy, I have the opportunity to sit down with people as they present their concerns to me - whatever they may be. They usually seek therapy because they’re experiencing some level of emotional distress - and are fundamentally unhappy. I’ve noticed that a number of things come up over and over for people as reasons why this is so. There are certain things they either have - or don’t have - and with this information I’ve been able to come to an understanding of a question posed by many:
What makes people happy?
What do they have that others don’t? What’s their secret?
The following are my 6 secret qualities of happy people, in no particular order:
1) Absence of Toxic Shame: In the book, “Healing the Shame That Binds You,” John Bradshaw describes the difference between healthy vs toxic shame in that, “Healthy shame is an emotion which signals us about our limits…and keeps us grounded,” where “Toxic shame is experienced as the all-pervasive sense that I am flawed and defective as a human being.” Truly happy people have a strong sense of themselves and their value, in other words, an absence of toxic shame. This usually comes from a nurturing, loving and supportive experience in their families of origin. There are many reasons why people struggle with toxic shame. I find it often lies at the core of some depression, anxiety and perfectionism.
2) Absence of Resentment: Really happy people seem to be more successful at forgiveness. In addition, they often haven’t personalized the experience to the degree that others do. When you are good at letting things go - you don’t drag the burden of resentment around with you. Those who hold onto anger or grudges towards others for long periods of time can experience internal emotional distress that leads to bitterness, frustration and often health problems. They can also struggle with depression and excessive anger.
3) Living their Passion: People who are doing work that is satisfying to them, whether they simply enjoy showing up every day - or is more rewarding on a deeper level - tend to be happier. The same applies to those who have found a hobby or cause that brings them joy, whether it’s associated with work or not. Those who dislike their jobs and truly hate getting up every day to go to work tend to have an underlying baseline of life dissatisfaction that can lead to unhappiness. This is particularly true if they’re not engaging in something outside of work that touches that energizing place inside of them - which could atleast partially offset the impact of their unrewarding job.
4) Dreams for the Future: Those who have hopes, plans and excitement for the future are typically happier. They believe they can carry out their dreams - and can actually visualize them coming true. People who struggle with imagining what their futures might hold often don’t really believe that good things could actually happen for them. It’s possible their past or present have been so dismal that they’re unable to project positive things for the future. This is a very common belief of those struggling with depression. They may believe, “I can’t,” or “I don’t deserve.”
5) Ability to Stay in the Moment: Those who have mastered the skill to stay present - or in the moment - tend to be happier. Future worry is common for many people. Those who struggle with anxiety and depression often experience intense worry about about all sorts of things that can or might happen, so much so that the thinking creates an unpleasant emotional experience as if it’s actually occurred!
6) Connections to People: Happy people usually are connected to other people by supportive and loving relationships, no matter whether a few or many. There could be an argument that there are exceptions to this, but by and large, people need other people. From the time we are born, we seek to form attachments to our primary caregivers. Depending on the quality of these attachments, we will usually seek to form friendships and then - intimate partnerships. I’ve found that many unhappy people feel disconnected in some way to others - which can be very painful. Sometimes they are afraid to connect and other times their behavior is disconnecting. Regardless, for those who believe they need other people - and feel alone - a deep sense of unhappiness is common.
Like I mentioned previously, no matter who or where we are in this world, one of the ties that binds us together is the desire for happiness. Many of us know someone who seems to be a truly happy person. There’s something almost magical about them, their level of serenity, joy and state of “knowing” that everything will work out. And if doesn’t, it will still eventually be ok. I imagine that this person likely has all of the 6 happiness qualities I mentioned above. There are so many things that influence our emotional and psychological development. I believe that barring environmental chaos, (war, poverty, living conditions, etc) and severe psychological disturbance, we all have the ability to be “happy.”
It can require a bit of work to tackle the things that might be blocking us from that very achievable goal - shame, resentment, lack of dreams, future worry, isolation and/or lack of a life passion. The great news is I’ve seen it done enough times in my work as a therapist to know - it’s absolutely possible.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Live in the Present...NOW
Living life consciously or deliberately does take effort. Your thoughts are the key. Keeping your mind aware of them is harder than it seems because we are so used to living life unconsciously. We get caught up in work, worrying, thinking about the past, what we have to do in the future so that we lose sight of the NOW. We need to be our own 3rd eye- watching, watching , watching!
Aware of the beauty of what's happening now...smelling the roses. It is worth the effort so we can feel that happiness that only comes from this state of mind.
Aware of the beauty of what's happening now...smelling the roses. It is worth the effort so we can feel that happiness that only comes from this state of mind.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Recipe 38- Shift into High Gear
We all experience swings in our mood states from time to time- you may feel happy one moment, frustrated another and sad or grumpy at other times depending on what you are focusing on. This is inevitable and some what controllable (unless we are dealing with a mood disorder that needs to be treated by a medical doctor).
Prepare ahead of time to be ready to shift thoughts by making a list of shifters. Write down those thoughts that could quickly change a negative thought and evoke a positive feeling or at least a feeling of relief. Don't expect to go from total frustration to joy instantaneously. But if you can feel a bit of relief of hopefulness, you are on your way.This will start the chain of reaction of attracting more and more positive thoughts.
When a negative thought enters your mind let it go. Say to yourself "I will receive what I choose to think. My feelings will guide me. " Then replace the negative thought with a shifter thought from your list. If one doesn't work, try another. The key is to refocus and feel the good feeling that attaches to it. Try being fully present in the moment and focusing on all those things that support your well-being;look around and be thankful for all the small things.
Prepare ahead of time to be ready to shift thoughts by making a list of shifters. Write down those thoughts that could quickly change a negative thought and evoke a positive feeling or at least a feeling of relief. Don't expect to go from total frustration to joy instantaneously. But if you can feel a bit of relief of hopefulness, you are on your way.This will start the chain of reaction of attracting more and more positive thoughts.
When a negative thought enters your mind let it go. Say to yourself "I will receive what I choose to think. My feelings will guide me. " Then replace the negative thought with a shifter thought from your list. If one doesn't work, try another. The key is to refocus and feel the good feeling that attaches to it. Try being fully present in the moment and focusing on all those things that support your well-being;look around and be thankful for all the small things.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Permanent Transformation- Practice Makes Perfect
Transforming your life and changing how you live takes practice and work. Too often we read self-help books,really identify with the principles shared and have these wonderful enlightening moments as we realize what is not or what is working in our lives. But then 3 months later these principles become a fading memory.No real change has occurred. Why? Noted psychologist William Glasser tells us how we learn and what we remember. We learn and retain:
10% of what we read
20% of what we hear
30% of what we see
50% of what we see and hear
70% of what we discuss with others
95% of what we teach
What this means for life transformation is that we must apply the principles of the Law of Attraction daily. Focus on them, do them, discuss them, teach them. In short, consciously practice them each day till they become part of your life.You've heard the old adage, practice makes perfect. Well, it's never been truer. That's what Living The Secret Everyday is all about
Taken from: Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook
10% of what we read
20% of what we hear
30% of what we see
50% of what we see and hear
70% of what we discuss with others
95% of what we teach
What this means for life transformation is that we must apply the principles of the Law of Attraction daily. Focus on them, do them, discuss them, teach them. In short, consciously practice them each day till they become part of your life.You've heard the old adage, practice makes perfect. Well, it's never been truer. That's what Living The Secret Everyday is all about
Taken from: Living The Secret Everyday: My Secret Workbook
Friday, May 16, 2008
The Choice is Yours
Listed in our book are over 42 recipes and exercises you can choose from to get going and living the secret everyday. This has been done purposely. The choice is yours. As the creator of your own life...you must be the designer of how you are about to create your reality. I like the idea of being able to structure my life in a conscious and deliberate way.
Only you can choose things that will keep you on track- choose the ones you are attracted to. And be simple- only select a few. You'll find that you will be doing more and more as the days go by. You will get tired of some and replace them with others. The activity we get the most emails about is the vision board. People enjoy doing this activity and it is such a good reminder. We'll focus on this in the next blog.
Only you can choose things that will keep you on track- choose the ones you are attracted to. And be simple- only select a few. You'll find that you will be doing more and more as the days go by. You will get tired of some and replace them with others. The activity we get the most emails about is the vision board. People enjoy doing this activity and it is such a good reminder. We'll focus on this in the next blog.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Staying On Track
The most difficult part of living the secret everyday for me is staying on track. I don't know about you but it is so easy to 'lose your way' and revert to old ways...that is to living unconsciously and by default.We all have such busy lives with to-do lists so long that they don't let us come up for air. We get into our 24/7 mode and literally neglect ourselves. This is one of the reasons I actually wrote this book. I didn't want what I learned from The Secret to be a pleasant memory not followed 3 months later.
I find that the best way to 'stay on track' is to daily remind myself that I want that joyful life and to live it deliberately.I make it as simple as possible.I use different recipes but never too many that will be too much to remember. Currently I have selected just 4 exercises from the book I do daily including reciting the mantra; using post-its to remind me to be grateful, meditating and creatively visualizing and writing in my journal ( which is part of the book).
I find that the best way to 'stay on track' is to daily remind myself that I want that joyful life and to live it deliberately.I make it as simple as possible.I use different recipes but never too many that will be too much to remember. Currently I have selected just 4 exercises from the book I do daily including reciting the mantra; using post-its to remind me to be grateful, meditating and creatively visualizing and writing in my journal ( which is part of the book).
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Recipe 21: My Gratitude Post Its
After you make a list of all the things you are grateful for, take a series of strips of paper or post- its and write on each one something that you are grateful for from your list. Post them around your home where they will be constant reminders of all the wonderful things in your life. Read them out loud as you come across each one. Include them on your bathroom mirror,you refrigerator, your wardrobe mirror. on the dashboard of your car, on your computer and anywhere else you will see them. Change them every so often if you are tiring of them.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Accepting Where You Are To Move On
A few more words on the importance of gratitude. Gratitude is all about accepting where you are in order move on to the joyful and abundant life. When you are genuinely grateful for what you have and where you are in life now, you allow that feeling of well-being to stream through you. You are going with the 'flow ' towards all that you want. Conversely,complaining about not having what you want puts you in a resistive state and manifests what you do not want.
Most importantly: it doesn't matter where you are; all that matters is that you accept where you are and feel good about it. Life is about being happy now and the Law of Attraction will do the rest.
Most importantly: it doesn't matter where you are; all that matters is that you accept where you are and feel good about it. Life is about being happy now and the Law of Attraction will do the rest.
Monday, May 12, 2008
The Best Starting Point
Gratitude is such an important way to Live The Secret Everyday. Whether its being appreciative, being grateful or thankful...consciously and deliberately thinking this way will only attract more and more and more positive thoughts, people and experiences into your life. You will feel better and better as it becomes habitual. At first you have to work at it, probably because this is not the normal way you act.
Try it...it forces you to live in the NOW and connect to yourself.
As soon as you get up in the morning,think about what you are grateful for and verbalize it out loud or in your mind.Then as you go about your day consciously look for things and people around you that please you in some way and again and again verbalize them to yourself in your mind or outloud.
Part of a day might look like this:Thinking - Waking up~ I am grateful, I slept well; I really feel rested. I got a good night's sleep. I am thankful for my health. Wow, yeah it's going to be a beautiful day.I am grateful for the sun shining.I am thankful for my cute house. I am thankful for this great closet filled with so many beautiful clothes. I am grateful I look really good in this outfit. The highway is so open today- I'm grateful there is no traffic. I love my little car- she has been good to me. I am thankful for my job...it is such an interesting one. I'm grateful that I get to work each day with kids that I can help. It is very rewarding.I am so thankful that Carol works for me.She is so efficient and has such a warmth about her....
You won't believe how more and more thoughts of appreciation come to you as you do this exercise: it is the Law of Attraction.
Try it...it forces you to live in the NOW and connect to yourself.
As soon as you get up in the morning,think about what you are grateful for and verbalize it out loud or in your mind.Then as you go about your day consciously look for things and people around you that please you in some way and again and again verbalize them to yourself in your mind or outloud.
Part of a day might look like this:Thinking - Waking up~ I am grateful, I slept well; I really feel rested. I got a good night's sleep. I am thankful for my health. Wow, yeah it's going to be a beautiful day.I am grateful for the sun shining.I am thankful for my cute house. I am thankful for this great closet filled with so many beautiful clothes. I am grateful I look really good in this outfit. The highway is so open today- I'm grateful there is no traffic. I love my little car- she has been good to me. I am thankful for my job...it is such an interesting one. I'm grateful that I get to work each day with kids that I can help. It is very rewarding.I am so thankful that Carol works for me.She is so efficient and has such a warmth about her....
You won't believe how more and more thoughts of appreciation come to you as you do this exercise: it is the Law of Attraction.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Vacation Your Mind
It's been a while since my last post since I decided to take my own advice and vacation from my world of responsibility. Its wonderful to take that trip to Hawaii if you can afford it for 2 weeks... where you only focus on having a wonderful time and vacationing. Alternatively,you can do it at home. Clearing your mind of everyday worries and to-do lists is a fabulous exercise to do daily. Take a few minutes each day and decide to give your mind a vacation. In our book we give step-by-step exercises to relax, meditate or creatively visualize for this very purpose of clearing your mind and aligning yourself with your Source. Try it.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Recipe 37 Make Peace with Yourself
Making peace is about cleansing and forgiving. It is about opening yourself up to allow positive energy to flow. It's about letting go of negative thoughts that are
holding you back or blocking you from getting what you want. It's about getting rid of those limiting thoughts you were taught growing up. It's about regaining your power.When you take control of your life, you become the powerful creator of the life you want. Here's a recipe (p.108-9)to 'look back' and make peace:
Recipe 37: My Life in Review
Find a quiet place and reflect on your life beginning now and going backwards in time. As you begin to review it, ask yourself questions. Are there people or experiences or events in my life that have had a very negative affect on me and still continue to evoke strong negative feelings in me? Am I angry about someone or something? Have I accepted and truly felt those feelings so I can let them go? Once you have found such a memory, let yourself see the image of it. See in your mind what exactly it was about, feel the feelings associated with it and then forgive yourself or another and be thankful for the experience, accepting that evry experience in our life has made you who we are.
holding you back or blocking you from getting what you want. It's about getting rid of those limiting thoughts you were taught growing up. It's about regaining your power.When you take control of your life, you become the powerful creator of the life you want. Here's a recipe (p.108-9)to 'look back' and make peace:
Recipe 37: My Life in Review
Find a quiet place and reflect on your life beginning now and going backwards in time. As you begin to review it, ask yourself questions. Are there people or experiences or events in my life that have had a very negative affect on me and still continue to evoke strong negative feelings in me? Am I angry about someone or something? Have I accepted and truly felt those feelings so I can let them go? Once you have found such a memory, let yourself see the image of it. See in your mind what exactly it was about, feel the feelings associated with it and then forgive yourself or another and be thankful for the experience, accepting that evry experience in our life has made you who we are.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Letting Go and Cleansing
Knowing the importance of our emotions as our guidance system- they tell us if we are heading in the right direction, towards that life of fulfillment and joy or attracting negative experiences into our lives;we must pay attention to them... continually be in a state of awareness about emotions and thoughts. Feel them, accept them and express them to move on.
Unfortunately, many of us have stored from our ‘growing up ‘ years, negative
emotions that we have suppressed and never truly dealt with. Letting go, cleansing and forgiving are the topics of chapter 18 in Living The Secret Everyday- “ "It’s time to cleanse yourself of negativity; forgive others, and let go of past events that have negatively influenced you. If you hold on to anger because you can’t forgive, you bring more negativity and things you don’t want into your life.You can’t move on to what you want when you pay attention to what you don’t want." Coming next, the recipes....
Unfortunately, many of us have stored from our ‘growing up ‘ years, negative
emotions that we have suppressed and never truly dealt with. Letting go, cleansing and forgiving are the topics of chapter 18 in Living The Secret Everyday- “ "It’s time to cleanse yourself of negativity; forgive others, and let go of past events that have negatively influenced you. If you hold on to anger because you can’t forgive, you bring more negativity and things you don’t want into your life.You can’t move on to what you want when you pay attention to what you don’t want." Coming next, the recipes....
Monday, April 28, 2008
Emotions Are Our Guidance System
According to the Law of Attraction, it is those dominant thoughts (positive or negative)that you focus on and are fueled by emotions that will bring you more of the same. As Dr. Peters states below, they are like the energizer bunny. The stronger the emotion behind our thoughts, the more powerful the vibration we send into the universe. Dr. Peters even looks at disease and its connection to emotions not expressed:
Emotions energize us so I like to think of them as “e-motion” or energy in motion- that is, energy that has to go somewhere. The biological plan for emotion is for it to flow outward and be felt just like electricity traveling down a wire. When we suppress emotion, we prevent it from flowing so it is stored as a type of potential energy waiting for release. If we keep it in storage and never allow it to express itself, then it starts negatively affecting bodily tissue and becomes the mechanism for psychosomatic disease. To use an analogy, emotions are like a stream flowing out of the mountains; if you dam it up, it will wreck the terrain.______Ron Peters, MD,MPH Exploring the Psychology of Disease
Emotions energize us so I like to think of them as “e-motion” or energy in motion- that is, energy that has to go somewhere. The biological plan for emotion is for it to flow outward and be felt just like electricity traveling down a wire. When we suppress emotion, we prevent it from flowing so it is stored as a type of potential energy waiting for release. If we keep it in storage and never allow it to express itself, then it starts negatively affecting bodily tissue and becomes the mechanism for psychosomatic disease. To use an analogy, emotions are like a stream flowing out of the mountains; if you dam it up, it will wreck the terrain.______Ron Peters, MD,MPH Exploring the Psychology of Disease
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