Listening and The Law of Attraction

by: Kat McCarty

There are so many different potential applications to the Law of Attraction that one could easily get confused and even lost in all of that potential. Experimentation is the most fruitful method of learning to apply anything and especially the Law of Attraction.

One area of interest to me is in how our listening affects that which we attract to ourselves. I define listening as something heard, felt, read or observed. We can listen to our surroundings by observing, listen to someone speaking by hearing them, listen to a writer by reading what they’ve written or listen to ourselves by being aware of how we feel. There are many more examples, can you name a few?

Most people believe that listening is a very passive action however; my experiments have shown me that it is something quite different. Listening is a dynamic action and when we do it deliberately we affect how we experience our lives in a profound way.

Most of us are quite rational in our thinking so a little proof might be in order. Try this: The next two people you come across in your day listen to them deliberately. When you encounter the first person, make a conscious decision to listen to them as though they are the world’s greatest leader. Take just a second or two and imagine how you would feel if you were talking to a world leader. Then listen to that person and pay attention to how you hear what they say. Is it different then how you usually hear them?

When person number 2 shows up, make the conscious choice to listen to them as though they are the funniest person you have ever met, taking a few seconds to imagine laughing a belly laugh. Now pay attention to how you hear what that person says. The expectation that person number 2 will be funny should provide for a few good laughs.

Assuming your little experiment was successful (and if it wasn’t just keep repeating it, it may take a little practice) imagine for a minute what might change around your house if you started listening to your teenager or spouse differently.

It’s also useful to remember this when you are out and about in the world. Often times people wait in line at the customer serve desk anticipating that the clerk on the other side of the desk will be distant and not very helpful. Well guess what happens when they get to the clerk?

How we listen to people is just as much an intention as anything else. And often we decide how to listen to people (or our environment, ourselves or a writer) out of habit. If a child is normally mouthy, as soon as he begins to speak most of us would just fall into our habit of listening to him as a disrespectful kid. What would happen if we listened to that same child as if he were brilliant, or gentle or full of creativity?

We can attract the behavior we want from others; we just have to make the choice to listen to them differently. It is the most allowing place we can be when we hear people in a way that they don’t normally show up.

Want to change the world? Try listening to it differently!

Read More »»

Communicate Clearly to Connect

by: Sue Currie

Do you ever wonder "what to say" when you head off to a networking event or a client meeting? Do you think it's easier to write an email rather than pick up the phone and have a real conversation? Well you're not alone. When we're busy working at our computers all day, generally alone, it's easy to lose the knack of easy conversation. Let's face it, the cat really isn't that interested in what you have to say. Take a few moments to read a few tips to get talking again…

As a fan of the TV show The West Wing; I watched with interest and amusement the "grooming" of the character Toby Ziegler from Communications Director to White House Press Secretary. In addressing the media his assistant constantly reminded him to use the communication skills of wooing a woman. To be "witty and seductive."

In winning over our clients or the media perhaps we don't need to go that far but is does pay to put some "personality" into your customer communication.

For many of us we're busy constantly setting up appointments, meeting new clients, networking and making connections with a number of new people. We are engaged with our personal and professional PR – communicating who we are, what we do and how we make a difference. Therefore we need to ensure each meeting or contact counts.

Effective communication is important when building relationships with clients, customers and the media. A stimulating conversation or well-told story may be the most interesting part of a meeting, presentation or media interview. Even witty small talk with a potential client can evolve into a new business deal or project. Here is a few conversation pointers to keep in mind when meeting or networking.

1. A good business introduction includes your first and last name and the name of your company.

2. Always introduce yourself to those sitting next to you at a business dinner. If possible, meet everyone at your table before you sit down. Sit next to someone you don't know rather than someone you do know.

3. When introducing your guest or another person at a function, mention both first and last names and perhaps an interesting item of information about that person.

4. Before going to an event, business or social, be prepared to discuss items of current interest including books, films, television shows, or current events.

5. You can find your next conversation starter by reading at least one daily newspaper, weekly news magazine, or watching a morning news show.

6. Take the time to get to know others first. People don't care about you and what you do until they know you care about them. Build relationships and trust first.

7. Beware of being a pushy promoter. We're often so passionate and excited about our business or latest project that we talk too much and over sell ourselves.

8. Listen closely and think before you speak. Don't interrupt, let the other person finish their thought before you give your opinion. Learn to do 80 percent of the listening and just 20 percent of the talking.

9. Listen attentively, smile and make good eye contact.

10. Practice the five words that help create and maintain small talk conversation Who, What, When, Where and Why to form open-ended questions.

Read More »»

Loving Money Attracts More Of It Into Your Life

by: Enoch Tan

To be in vibrational resonance with money, you have to love it. If you fear money or do not love it, you will repel it away from you. By thinking thoughts such as you should not love money or feel desire for it, you are causing vibrational dissonance between your subconscious mind and money. By loving money and being comfortable around it like it is your good friend, you free yourself to have money and have it more abundantly.

We have been taught that the love of money is the root of all evil. Therefore we think that it is wrong to love money. But that is one of the biggest errors the world has ever made about understanding money. The truth is, the love of money is not evil. It is only the root of evil. The love of anything can be the root of evil. People have done all kinds of evil for love. Love is not evil. It is when people love with ignorance that results in evil. Loving with awareness only results in good.

When you love money, it can be the root of all good or all evil. Remember that all truth are half truths. The glass can be half empty or half full. One perspective is only half the truth. When you can see things one way as well as the opposite, you have full perspective and total truth. When you love money, that love is the root that can grow into that which is good or evil. Loving money with awareness leads to all good whereas loving money with ignorance leads to all evil.

Observe of the way you behave around money. Notice your thoughts and feelings when you are dealing with it. Do you try to handle it discreetly as though you are almost ashamed of it? Do you find it awkward when you talk about any subject that involves money? Do you try to think as little about it as possible as you quickly pass it to the person you are buying something from, or taking it and putting it away hurriedly as if the longer it stays in sight, the more unacceptable it feels?

All of such behaviors and attitudes shows how you really are towards money. You have an unconscious dislike towards money. You may have all the conscious thoughts about how good it is to have money and believing that you are wealthy, but if you are acting like this towards money, you are creating resistance which prevents money from flowing freely to you. This awareness will open your eyes to your relationship with money and free you from unwittingly repelling it.

Wealth is a state of being. Having wealth begins with being wealth. When you are wealth, you are one with everything that is wealth. To be one with something is to love it, accept it, embrace it and be completely comfortable with it. Money being a form of energy that facilitates enjoyment and providence is a form of wealth. Therefore to be wealth is to be one with money and to love it, accept it, embrace it and be completely comfortable with it. Money moves to the one who loves it the most!

Take out some bills from your wallet and hold it in your hands. Look at it and just be with it. Say to yourself that you love money and money loves you. Feel good about it and feel the love for it. Do the same with your credit cards, your jewelries, your checks, your back account statement, and things that represent money. See all these things not as separated from you, but they are all extensions of your being. The more you love money and are at one with it, the more you attract it into your life.

Treat money with respect and appreciation. When you pass money to someone, do not just chuck it in their hands as if it were a bunch of papers. Hand it over to them as though you were presenting a sword with both hands to a worthy knight. When you receive money, do not take it as though you were grabbing a bunch of dirt and putting it away as if you are trying to get rid of it as quickly as possible. Take your money with appreciation and handle it comfortably as though it is your favorite pen.

Anytime you see money come into your life such as when you see commissions from sales or gifts from people, love it, welcome it and feel that it loves coming to you. Have the attitude that people love to give money for what you have to offer, and share it willingly and happily with you. Anytime you spend money to get what you desire, do it happily and willingly. Whenever you give money to loved ones or charity, handle your money comfortably and give it as though you are giving your love.

Loving money unites you with it. Fearing money separates you from it. We have an unconscious fear for something when we keep distancing ourselves from it and see it as separate from us. We have an unconscious love for something when we keep being near or around it and see it as a part of us. Allow yourself to identify with money and see your money as you. But when money goes away from you, do not think of yourself as any lesser because to love perfectly is to love freely without attachment.

Love material things in the material world as well. Love your house, your car, your toys, your clothes, your looks, your body and all your material possessions. Feel good about them and see them as all extensions of yourself. Be unashamed to show your money or your material possessions to others. In heaven everyone shows off the beauties of their creation to one another proudly and joyfully. Material things and spiritual things are the same because they are all energy of the source which is God.

People who see themselves as good but see money as evil repel money away from them. People who see themselves as evil but see money as meant for good people, repel money. People who see themselves as good and see money as good attract money to themselves. People who see themselves as evil and see money as evil also attract money to themselves. It is all about being in vibrational resonance by seeing you and money are of the same kind which draws it to you.

Read More »»

Tragedy on the 4th of July and What I Learned

by: Darlene Braden

Helplessness is one of the most difficult emotions to sort through and understand. Fear and anger seem to have a more tangible conclusion and remedy, but helplessness goes deep into the meaning of life and attempts to destruct the soul, manifesting as self-sabotage.

I lived through a helpless tragedy last night, the eve of the 4th of July 2007. At about 11:30 PM the phone rang and I immediately wondered who would be calling so late. My caller ID said it was from Kathy, my good friend and neighbor, and I anxiously answered the phone. Kathy said, “Have you looked outside?” I said that I was in my office checking email and filing some client files. She said, “The whole neighborhood is in your yard because the entire mountain is on fire.” My husband and I ran outside to see a blaze that was as big as a crater about 30 acres wide, overtaking the slope.

As mentioned in my “What Stops You?” book, I live at about 5000 elevated feet across the frontage road from jutting mountains that ascend to about 7000 feet on the front peak and 8000 on the back peak. My favorite place in the world is on my swing on my back patio that sets my gaze directly upon the jagged rocks of the mountain’s face. The trees in my yard frame the portrait perfectly for a magnificent breathtaking experience. It is often my place of refuge and inspiration to write my books.

My mountain on fire? My mountain being destroyed? My view being tormented to ashes and coal? As we watched the scenario unfold from our side yard, the hubbub and mayhem escalated; fire engines, sirens, cops, flashlights, and onlooker’s panic. I realized that all my neighbors considered that mountain theirs as well. “We live here and pay the mortgage for that view!” they said. My heart sank. My piece of pleasure, my treat at the end of the day, my serene scene being engulfed as I stood there; nothing I could do.

There was talk of evacuation for the nearby houses. What would I take? My kids were out and about, not at home so they were OK. My favorite dog died a few months ago and he was not there… I would take my pictures and my computer. Should I run in and gather or should I act as relaxed and entertained as the teenagers standing around saying, “Cool.”

Inside my heart, sadness took over. 55 firefighters started the war against the heat and rage. Because it was so late, the helicopters with water were going to come in the morning. The morning? What? The whole mountain will be gone by then. Looking up, we saw brave firemen climbing and scaling the hill with shovels, flashlights and courage. They were excellently trained to dig a trench along the bottom edge to create a fire wall. Finally our homes were out of danger, but the torch continued up and over the peak only to ravish the other side into the gully.

It is now 7:30 PM on July 4th. Almost 25 hours later, I still hear helicopters carrying water from a man-made pool that the fighters created, that held water for their huge baskets to carry over the hill. The smoke is dissipating and the frenzy is completing; only a smoldering site remains. It will take 2 years to start to mend and 5 years to display a green view again.

As my husband and I walked back inside, I started to wilt. “Why do the things I love most, the simple things that bring me pleasure get taken away? Since my dog was killed, who was also a great treat to me at the end of the day, my mind has not been as nimble and I begin to fall into thinking patterns that are limiting. My husband said, “Honey, what stories are you writing in your mind?” Alas, again a family member slaps me back into reality; back to no nonsense and back to remembering that I wrote a book about thinking strategies. I well know and teach that depression comes from focusing on things we don’t have instead of what we do have. I know that what we focus on we give power to. I know that we are limited by looking at something in only one way and stepping back causes a greater perspective of wisdom. I know that it is not what happens to us that causes our problems; it’s how we think about what happens that causes our problems.

Now I sit alone on my swing, without my little dog Beau by my side, looking at a charred scene. All of a sudden I magically begin to see the whole landscape behind the first hill; the second mountain rising. Hmm, I had always focused on the front ridge. I begin to see things I hadn’t noticed before. I then realize that God is with me even though my dog isn’t. My family supports me and you are all my friends. I am indeed not alone. It is not just positive thinking that pulls me out of my despair; it is looking at the same problem from a different angle. Thanks to my maneuverable brain, I can find joy in any situation. I find myself in the present moment with my health, a good BBQ’d steak in my belly and passion for tomorrow’s adventures. I have decided to choose the life I want and live the life I choose. On occasion it is OK to cry, yet as future sunsets glare on my mountain for years to come, it will remind me that I have choice to see beyond the dark colors and past what seems to be obvious. Opportunity awaits all of us, by overcoming self-sabotage deep inside our minds.

Power to you in your tragedies and sorrow, power to you in finding that “choice of thoughts and actions” are the most powerful gifts we have been given in this life.

Cheers,
Darlene

My gift to you; receive your FREE** copy of “Create the Life You Want, using the Power of the Balance Living Wheel” By Darlene Braden at: http://www.whatstopsyou.com/create-the-life.html

Read More »»

The Power of Your Intentions!

by: Judith A. Wentzel

By now, unless you have been living fairly shut off from the world, chances are that you have heard about “The Secret” or the Law of Attraction.

Whether you believe in the Law of Attraction or not, just like the law of gravity, it is at work in your life 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You are constantly using law of attraction. You are attracting all that appears and has appeared into your life. If you desire the ability to take control of your life, then understanding how to use this natural law of nature is your key to doing just that.

As a certified Law of Attraction practitioner, I not only use the Law of Attraction in my life and business on a daily basis, but I also teach my clients how to harness its powers to achieve their goals as well. Creating intentions is one of the more powerful tools I use when it comes to attracting.

According to the Law of Attraction, whatever we give our attention, energy and focus to, we will attract into our lives, whether wanted or unwanted.

Wow! That is quite a powerful statement and one that is very true. If you focus on negative things such as debt, lack of customers, or a slow business, you will continue to experience these things. On the other hand, if you focus on those things you wish to achieve such as greater income, more customers, increased sales, you will attract these into your life. Realtors can continue to enjoy listing and selling regardless of the local real estate market conditions if they focus on their goals and not the market.

But let’s concentrate our attention on the subject of our focus – or our intention, if you will.

Intentions can be powerful tools when it comes to using the Law of Attraction. Many people fail to manifest their desires and become frustrated when they continue to experience lack in their life or business. Chances are, they have been focusing on simply a “want” without any real substance behind it which can result in their experiencing a “ho hum” feeling when they think about their “wants”.

If you want to add some real gusto to your manifesting, try this little exercise.

List four desires you are currently attempting to bring into your life. Next, beneath each desire, list four reasons why you desire it.

By doing this, you not only justify your desire, but you also begin to create an intention. You are now ready to tell the universe just exactly what you desire and why!

Now, simply read off the first item on your list, using the words “I intend to have….” or “I intend to make…” and then insert your desires. Now add the reasons you listed beneath the desire.

For example, you may desire to earn $10,000 or more each month. Your intention, along with the reasons you desire it, might look something like this:

“I intend to earn $10,000 or more each month”
….. so I may buy a second home
….so I can have financial freedom
….so that I may establish a scholarship
…..so I can expand my business and easily hire the help I want

Notice the difference in the way you FEEEEEL when you state your intentions.

It’s your feelings that will create the magnetism to attract your desires. That’s the key to Law of Attraction in a nutshell. The way you feel is the way you attract!

Try rewording some of your desires this way and include four reasons why you want each desire.

The powerful feelings you generate with your intentions will make all the difference in how you attract those things your truly desire.

Good luck and good attracting!

Read More »»

How To Stop The Inner Critic

by: Colin Gary Smith

Let's face it, from time to time, most of us suffer from critical inner voices. The fact is we often use self talk throughout the day so wouldn't it be great if we could learn a way to transform the annoying internal voices into something more effective.

One of the first useful things to keep in mind is that even if the voice has bad tonality and says caustic things to you, at some level it has something of value for you in mind.

The way you speak to yourself has been rehearsed and then become an automatic habit. This is good news because it suggests you can re-learn and create a more beneficial habit. I'm guessing you've probably tried changing one of those voices by trying to talk to it. Maybe asking it to be a bit more patient or sternly telling it to shut the hell up! This can work but there is a more elegant way that gets better results more often.

If you were to think of one of your annoying internal voices now, just become aware of where it is located in space. You know, is it behind your head, to the left or to the right? And just become aware of how it speaks to you. How does it sound? What are the qualities of the voice? Is it fast speech or slow? Is it a deep voice? How loud is it? By becoming aware of these qualities you discover the structure. This is what holds the thought pattern together; the glue. The fun part comes next when we interupt the pattern and sabotage it! Melting the glue in essence. Have a go with the following quick little technique that utilises the Half Second Rule in order to get the change to stick.

Voice Recorder Rewind Button

1. Select one of those annoying internal voices one last time.

2. Now hear it play backwards like the rewind on a cassette.

3. Try it fast and try it slow. And then hear it backwards, really fast, in less than 1/2 a second. Do it three times.

4. Now replace that backwards voice with a new positive message with a nice, sexy, 'bed room voice' tonality.

Thought processes such as internal voices can be changed easily and quickly when we know how. By interrupting the pattern and changing the structure, our mind becomes able to access more resources, thereby making us feel better, allowing more behavioural choice.

Read More »»

The Leader In You

by: Sarah Liddle

The unsung Hero

I believe the world is full of leaders that go unrecognized.

I am sure you have met someone, or currently have someone in your life that does so much good for others and possibly the community but they go unrecognized.

I believe this is the true nature of a leader

The person that does not think he is a leader, or has leadership traits but the person that goes about their daily life letting go of what others think of them. They live their life with one intention, to leave the world knowing that they have made it a better place. No matter how small.

Just think about that for a second. Do you like to receive recognition and praise for something you have done? If you are like most you will think “Heck YES!” But isn’t it in the times that you don’t get recognition and silently do something super superb for someone else that makes you feel on top of the world because you silently made a difference which gave you an inner feeling of warmth, beauty and serenity. And this warm feeling was something you personally inwardly cherished because know one knew of this good deed you done.

So who in your life makes a difference and goes unrecognized? Just think about it now, do you follow a leader that believes he is a leader. Or are you going to follow the leader who doesn’t care if he is called a leader or a follower he/she is just happy making the world a little better regardless of whether they receive praise or criticism.

Keep your eyes and ears open for the unsung hero’s that pass through your life. The person that does something out of good, that does not want recognition is someone that I believe is an unsung hero. They are what silently are making the world a little better. God bless you, Much love Sarah.

Read More »»

The Law Of Attraction Is Working In Your Life Right Now

by: Emma Martin

Whether you realize it or not, the Law of Attraction is already working actively in your life right at this moment. The events, opportunities and experiences you are experiencing today were set into motion by the thoughts and actions you‘ve taken previously.

The secret to the Law of Attraction is really about realizing that this law is already active in your life and deciding that you want to deliberately attract things into your life consciously rather than leaving it to the vagaries of your subconscious. This is going to take some effort on your part and if you are trapped in a negative spiral, it is probably going to take a great deal of work to change the patterns of your thinking. You’ll need to monitor your emotions in particular, because it is your emotional state that gives you the clues to the kinds of things your thoughts are attracting to you. With practice, this monitoring will become more routine and you’ll be able to let the negative thoughts go lightly while you move your focus onto the positive.

One of the main differences between the writers of the early 20th century and those who write about the Law of Attraction today is the emphasis on just how much work you need to put into consciously working with it. Many of the new breed of writers suggest that it is easy and that merely thinking about what you want for 20 minutes a day and putting together a vision board or two will get you on the road to prosperity and abundance.

The early New Thought writers such as Wallace Wattles, on the other hand, suggest that you need to do a lot of work and must deliberately take charge of what you are attracting into your life throughout your every waking moment. In the words of Wallace Wattles, echoing a common phrase in Christian mysticism, you need to "pray without ceasing". In my opinion, this the correct course to take. Put a lot of work into the Law of Attraction and reap the large rewards. Or put a little work into it and watch the rewards trickle into your life. It's your decision. Reap what you sow.

Read More »»

The Magic of Love

by: Helene Rothschild

Would you like to receive the magic of love? Are you willing to give it? Try this: For one day, consciously make an effort to be loving or kind to everyone you see, with no expectations of receiving anything in return.

For example, compliment, acknowledge, or smile at people at work, home, on the street, and in the stores. Notice how you feel at the end of the day. Your heart will probably feel warmer and bigger. The loving action can make their day as well as yours. It is likely that the people you touch with the magic of love will pass it on to others. You will never know for sure how many people's lives you have touched with these simple, free, kind acts. Just trust that you are making a difference.

It worked for my client Jerry, a thirty-six-year-old computer engineer. He was surprised when I suggested that he try the experiment. The lonely, single man was complaining to me that people are so mean and nasty. Obviously, Jerry had low self-esteem and poor relationship skills.

I said, "Jerry, are you willing to go to work tomorrow with a smile, and acknowledge and compliment people? I do not mean to make up remarks. Just look for something true and positive to say to your boss and co-workers. Notice how you feel and how they respond."

The following week, Jerry walked into my office with a smile on his face. That was the first time I saw that happy expression since his first counseling session. As soon as he sat down, Jerry exclaimed, "It worked, Helene! It was amazing! I did what you suggested and everyone responded back in a positive way. The whole office felt different, and now I look forward to going to work. That is a miracle!"

I congratulated Jerry for offering the magic of love, and acknowledged his courage and progress. This seemed to be a turning point in his life. I continued to help him feel good about himself with the HART process (Holistic And Rapid Transformation), and improve his communication skills. Before long, he started to date and enjoy social activities.

I have also had great success with the magic of love. When I lived in the country, I used to take regular walks on the dirt road. I smiled and thought the words "Bless you" as I waved at every car that drove by. Almost everyone responded by sending me back a warm smile and wave. It felt so good to spread caring. What a wonderful world this would be if everyone realized the importance of and took the time to spread the magic of love.

Read More »»

Self Esteem

by: Maureen Shaw

A speaker once started off a seminar by asking a room full of 200 entry level marketers which one of them wanted a crisp $100 bill.

Everywhere in the room, hands went up. He said, “I’m going to give this $100 bill to one of you but first let me do this.” He then crumpled up the note. He asked, “Who still wants it?” Everyone again put up a hand.

So he said, “Ok, what if I do this?” He then dropped it on the ground and began grinding it with his shoe. He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty and said, “Ok, now who still wants it?

Again, all the hands went up. The speaker smiled.

“My friends, you have all learned a valuable lesson today. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It is still worth $100.”

Many times in our lives we are crumpled, dropped and feel like we’ve been ground into the dirt by decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless.

No matter what has happened or what WILL happen, you will never ever lose your value. You are special. Don’t ever forget that. Never let yesterday’s disappointments overshadow tomorrow’s dreams.

If you’re holding back from entering a new relationship because you feel wrung out by a previous one, think about what you just read and know that you have value and that value will never diminish. You might have lost out on a former partner but there’s a better one waiting for you; you just have to take the first step to look.

Read More »»

Procrastination Kills, Kill Procrastination

by: Adebola Oni

In the fight against malaria, some television adverts were launched and they all ended with the same message: "mosquito kills, kill mosquito!" In my own fight against a destroyer of destinies, I will also want to adopt the same theme.

Procrastination has destroyed so many people with great potentials. It has made the grave the richest place on earth all because by procrastinating; so many people have died without utilizing the huge potentials within them.

So many people are living lives of quiet desperation not because the do not know what to do but because they have put forward what they were supposed to do, far too much. They have procrastinated on what they were supposed to have done in order for them to achieve their dreams and by so doing have not being able to achieve much in their lives.

Procrastination, if not dealt with, is going to cause so many damages in the lives of so many people. People that do not act on their dreams are in no way different from people that have no dreams. They all end up with the same result in their lives and that is retrogression. I am sure you don't want this to be your lot.

The only known antidote to procrastination is ACTION. When there is something to be done, all you need to do, is to follow Nike's advice: JUST DO IT! When you act on your dreams, procrastination dies and it has no root within you.

Without action, nothing can be achieved and by acting, there is so much to be gained. I wonder if the technological advancements we are witnessing today would have being possible if those that conceived their ideas had procrastinated.

I believe you can achieve so much in your life if you begin to do what you are supposed to do NOW. Make yourself a person of ABSOLUTE action and in the nearest future, your dreams will become a reality.

Remember: PROCRASTINATION KILLS, KILL PROCRASTINATION!

This is to your success as you become a person of absolute action.

Adebola A. Oni

Read More »»

Helping You Memorize With Mnemonics

by: Shareen Aguilar

Forgot something lately? You probably want to rev up on your memorization approach. There are a lot of memorization methods available today and all you have to do is just choose what you think suits you best. Consider trying more than one memorization technique on your pursuit to improving and enhancing your memorization skill and you’ll surely feel a lot better after putting the technique to practice.

Mnemonics is a memorization tool which teaches you how to keep up with the important things that you need to remember or the errands that you need to do. You’ll notice that learning memorization technique such as peg method, loci or journey system and even the linkword technique; just a few to mention the different classifications of mnemonics, could noticeably change the way you’re able to retain information.

But even then, there is no perfect way to maximum memorization skills. It takes a lot of time, effort, motivation and interest for a person to be able to achieve something. And with memorization, the mentioned four are all important. This doesn’t even include yet the special skills like creativity and imagination. If you try to think about it, all of the factors mentioned here, especially the memorization skills are all part of the big picture – enhancing memorization.

Even experts suggests that in order for a person to remember better is for him to take initiative in reading, reflecting about what he has read, reciting it out loud and reviewing it afterwards to complete the process of remembering efficiently. Prior to that, a general view of what you need to memorize (e.i a law book) then backing it up with questions you could possibly ask along the way helps establish an even concrete studying goal.

After this stage, you can then choose a mnemonic technique you desire to help you create a connection of what you have just absorbed according to your own familiarities. You may perceive this to be a lot of work but with constant practice, you’d be picking out important names, words and dates out of your head in no time.

Read More »»

Why Be Normal?

by: Grace L. Judson

When you think about it, it's pretty funny, the things that we'll do to be what our society considers normal. Just look at any band of teenagers in a shopping mall or outside a high school, and you'll see the lengths to which we humans will go to fit in with the group's definition of normal.

As adults, we continue relying on those conformity skills to fit in with our chosen crowd. Almost every group has its normal behaviors clearly defined: we can all identify computer geeks, soccer moms, aging hippies, golfers, and many other groups simply based on their behavioral attributes. I'm sure you belong to a number of groups whose characteristics you've adopted almost unconsciously.

Fitting in with a group is a good thing. It gives us a sense of belonging, identity, and security, and it establishes group-specific expectations of how each individual will act and respond to others in the group. In this way, it reduces misunderstandings and the social gyrations otherwise necessary to establish who you are and how you will behave. So members of a networking group have a mutual understanding that they will provide business opportunities to each other – and those in the group who violate this defined normal behavior will find themselves outcast or ostracized.

But at the same time, the pressure to be normal can be distressingly, painfully limiting due to our natural desire to retain that group identity, security, and safety. It squelches personal expression and creativity and smothers the urge to accomplish the extraordinary.

When was the last time you pointed to someone and said, "Wow, that person is so normal – I'd like to be just like that!" Instead, consider the heroes you admire and respect, whether they be political, religious, athletic, or in some other walk of life. Nelson Mandela; Mother Theresa; Gandhi; Tiger Woods – to name a very few – are these people normal!?

We all have the ability and opportunity to act in ways that are not normal, ways that expand our horizons and enhance our lives and the lives of others. It's usually fear that stops us: fear of stepping outside the defined normal conduct of our group, of being thought "weird" or – well, yes, abnormal. But it's by doing the unusual and the extraordinary that we can surprise ourselves by being more of who we are instead of less.

I invite you, therefore, to do something wonderfully not normal. Take a small step, even a baby step, outside your comfortable boundaries and explore the possibilities. Then think about how it felt, and how you plan to keep extending yourself into the abnormality of excellence.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." Mark Twain, 19th Century US author

Read More »»

Alternatives to Speed

Self Improvement by: Mike Scantlebury

Picture the scene. I'm driving sedately in my family car across the desolate moors of Derbyshire, in particular the High Peak area of North West England, the far side of Macclesfield. It's a long, fairly straight road, but there are some vicious bends in it, and if you take them too fast you can end up in the ditch, your car a write-off. Maybe that's why some sections of the road have a 50 miles per hour speed limit. It's known as a dangerous place to drive, and also fairly renowned for having more than its fair share of motorbike traffic. (It seems the 'Easy Riders' like the twists and turns and enjoy the risk. They're asked not to: there are posters at intervals along the road warning them to slow down. They regularly ignore the injunctions. So motor bike riders regularly crash, especially in wet weather.)

This day I'm talking about is fortunately dry. I'm keeping up a good speed, but well within the limit. I don't want to dawdle, because I know that it can annoy those people following. Sure enough, that day, there is a car a few metres behind me, pressing hard, trying to get past. He seems in a bit of a hurry, so, as I want to be helpful, I go as fast as I can (or, strictly speaking, as fast as we are both allowed). He doesn't care about that, he just wants to get ahead. Not surprisingly, he seizes the first chance he can get. As we come down round a bend, he swings out and hammers past me, his engine racing. He didn't judge it very well. The road ahead seemed clear for a while, but a car comes round the bend ahead of us, and my overtaker has to pull in abruptly in order to avoid a collision.

Firstly, he took a chance, an unnecessary risk, simply in order to get ahead. It doesn't help his journey. A mile further on is a junction and I caught him up there. Slightly further on are traffic lights, and he was forced to stop there too. So, simply because he didn't like his position on the road – behind me – he put all our lives at risk. If he had crashed his car, it might have caused me to come off the road too, plus the people in the car coming towards us. The slightest misjudgement could have been fatal. Being in pole position didn't speed up his journey because it's such a winding road that he couldn't build up enough speed to really get ahead of me. That was a mistake.

Still, let's be fair. He had a car that looked impressive. It was more modern than mine, and made all the right noises. Surely he was entitled to race it? Not if his bad driving put our lives at risk. Second, not if he broke the law, i.e. the speed limits, which were clearly marked and surely there for all our sakes. Anyway, let's think about that. Do we know it was his car? It might have belonged to his employer. Would his boss have encouraged him to hammer his vehicle, knowing it would shorten the serviceable life of the car? What if – more likely – the car belonged to the bank? Yes, we don't like to think about it, but it's a fact that when we 'buy' things on credit then they don't actually belong to us, not until they're paid off. 'His' car might be yet another consumer possession that the man was able to use, but hadn't quite paid for yet – and therefore didn't actually own.

Fourthly, why was he in such a hurry anyway? Now, his employer might be involved at this stage. Maybe he had given the man orders about being at such-and-such a place, to meet a certain person at such a time. Me, I was ambling along because it was early afternoon. I had fulfilled my appointments for the day and was heading home. (The joys of self-employment!) So, our 'boy racer', in his brand new car, isn't a person to be envied all that much, if his time is not his own, and he is 'racing' to perform business that won't actually make him rich and is someone else's priority.

What a disappointment! I may be guessing, but I think that young man in his shiny car was pretty full of himself. He was gunning the engine and assuming that other drivers were envying him, his flash motor and his fast-paced lifestyle. He would be horrified to hear that observers were, in reality, feeling sorry for him, the stresses placed upon him and the way he was wasting his time and energy. Sound familiar? How many of us want to be admired? There's an obvious way to get that. Just go out and do something worthwhile. It might be difficult, of course. But don't expect that you can take the easy way out and simply show off your glossy possessions for the populace in order to earn their admiration automatically. Their pity, maybe, but driving fast cars recklessly, as part of a non-stop, busy lifestyle, is simply a sign of bad time-keeping. Nothing to admire there.

Read More »»

Avoiding Procrastination

Self Improvement by: Deidre King

Are you like me - need to or even want to do something but can’t get started? Would you like a foolproof method for getting things done? Try this, it works for me!

Write yourself a list for the day. Don’t be put off by this idea, thinking that lists are too restricting, that you don’t want to be so disciplined. Lists are meant to be an aid, a guidance to allow you to get the most out of your time – to do the things you want to as well as those you must.

Back to the list: start by writing down all the things that you must, need or want to do. Mark the items that really must be done with an ‘A’, the items that need to be done bu t could be put off with a ‘B’ and the rest – things that you want to do but aren’t all that necessary – with a ‘C’.

The secret is to do a mix of things so that you end the day with a feeling of satisfaction, of achievement and pleasure.

The next stage is to plan your day. Plan to carry out ‘A’ items at your optimum working time and reward yourself by following with a small treat – a ‘C’ item, a coffee break or a piece of chocolate, etc. Intersperse ‘A’ items with ‘B’ items as much as time allows, at the same time ensuring that all your ‘A’ items can be completed.

A lot of time is wasted in dread – dread of actually getting down to the ‘A’ item that you might not want to do, haven’t the correct tools for or just think is too difficult. If this is the case, set a short time span for it, say 30 minutes, and just start. After 30mins stop. Don’t feel guilty if you then do something else. You will find that the fear has gone and that you can continue with the item at the next planned time. You might also find that the job was easier than you thought and a little more time will finish it. Go ahead!

If you get bored easily, this method of only allowing yourself a short time for any task and then returning to it later is very useful. However, you will get more satisfaction if items are completed and you can start the next without looking back.

The most important thing is to get started and then keep up the planning until the projects are completed.

Read More »»

Is Finding Your Life Purpose Preventing You From Living It?

Self Improvement by: Lauren Gorgo

Lately I have been getting a lot of requests for assistance in the area of "life-missions" and soul purposes, and I wish to communicate this concept, based on the feed I receive, but more importantly from a grounded and comprehensive 3d perspective. From my experience, this idea of a life-mission or purpose seems to be the one thing that holds most people back from self-actualization. From my experience, it seems that this is where people get stuck and remain dormant in their lives, mainly because of mere indecision and lack of clarity...of which {soul-purpose} is more often a process of integration, rather than a sudden revelation.

I would like to clarify that this concept of a life-mission, is no more or less than the one thing that you are doing in this now moment, every moment, that brings you unprecedented and timeless joy. It is your essence... the expression of yourself that brings you into alignment with the timeless/formless and the space of the eternal. For some, this is nothing more that having a good talk with a friend in need. For others it is growing and sharing organic vegetables with your neighbors, and for many more it is the love and nutrition you provide for your family each day.

Yet for some, this mission could be the sudden revelation that you receive as an inventor or scientist, or the inspiration to produce a documentary or film. Most probably though, this elusive life-mission is something you are already doing or being, it is the part of you that is natural and the part of you that you love to share. Sometimes its a hobby, sometimes its a living, but we can often make it much harder to notice by constantly searching for it. Perhaps this searching begets more searching...

Are we missing the point of the messages from the many masters of our time which is that our only purpose is to find and emit joy, whatever that means to each of us? We all have an individual signature expression of such, and it is only in that expression that we are evolving and lifting our vibration to the realms of our soul-u-lar truth and expansion. From my experience, soul-purpose is nothing more than who we always are... only we learn to engage it, trust it, and expand it as we grow into spiritual maturity. As we do this, we focus on this once small part of our lives until it merges into a continual expression of self. When we have grounded our truth (self expression) into our everyday reality, only then are we whole again...being who we chose to be in the first place, without distraction.

So then, it can be said that our life-purpose is in this now moment, not based in some future concept or alternate universe. It is the small things that we incorporate into our lives, the big things that we eliminate because they no longer serve us, and the courage to let go of an outworn life that no longer matches our current perceptions. This is how we make room for our passions and create the space to allow our missions of joy to unfold before us... but only as we are prepared to receive them. We must clear our canvases of mis-creation to allow our souls to paint the new and higher versions of ourselves and our lives...and this is where true joy resides, in the creation and experience of those creations.

To do this, we spend many years in preparation for the actualization of our signature essence, aka soul purpose. It is a process of clearing our emotions and detoxifying our minds and bodies for purification to allow the light of our souls to enter. We must heal ourselves of chronic dis-ease through releasing past memories of betrayal, heartbreak and abuse; we must let go of our codependent behaviors and addictions; heal our relationships and find forgiveness in ourselves and in our perpetrators.

We must open our awareness and hearts to those with differences, and join in partnership with ideas and concepts we never thought possible. Mostly,we must grow to respect the path of each individual and honor the mirrors in all to continually lift ourselves out of the forceful momentum of a life based in misaligned thoughts and creation.

As each of us engage in our personal metamorphosis, however it unfolds, we often find ourselves alone, rejected by and isolated from our peers, families and even our own mates. But ultimately in all of this, we learn to stand in our power and take responsibility for our lives and happiness by exploring the whole gamut of human suffering...that is, until the polarity of extremes is no longer necessary.

And this by far, has global ramifications. When we engage in this self exploration we heal ourselves and provide the example for others so that one by one, gender by gender, race by race, culture by culture, community by community, and nation by nation, we can eventually heal the world..or at the very least, set it in motion. Our gifts are in these challenges and years of stretching and growing into our new skins. Our opportunities then, reside in this suffering and often our "life purpose" is hidden behind our challenges and reveals itself in sharing our path and what we learned upon it with others in a way that will encourage each of them to take the required steps to total freedom.

Ultimately then, we all have the same life-purpose...to heal ourselves by finding our joy and then sharing that joy to inspire others. Such is the process of evolution, onward and upward we go....

Read More »»

The Flaw of the Secret

Self Improvement by: Ian RoeBuck

The Law of Attraction does work. The Biblical idea that if you seek then you will indeed find what you are seeking. Here are a few ideas about the Law of Attraction which the Secret did not emphasize.

The Law of Attraction simply is "like attracts like and takes pleasure in the company of its kind." It should be no surprise then that the phrase, "the Rich get richer and the poor get poorer" holds so much truth. The rich are concentrating on how to acquire more wealth, the poor or concentrating on how to limit their poverty. One thinks of riches the other of poverty and the one attracts riches and the other attracts poverty. I am sure the body builder thinks on acquiring more muscle, and the 90 pound weakling thinks on how to avoid looking weak.

There are 3 Laws which deal with this subject only one of which is really covered in the secret. The Law of Attraction, but there is also the Law of Growth, and the Law of Manifestation of Form. Within these three Laws are several sub-categories which we will not go into now.

Again the Law of Attraction states that you attract to yourself that which your thought centers upon and your emotions are tied to. There is more to it than that.

Once you learn to center your emotions and thought upon that which you want, you will need to learn the Law of Growth. The Law of Growth states that in order for the thought and emotion being centered on to grow into a solid form and a tangible reality, it takes several items, one is continued thought and emotion on the item, and secondly, time must be allowed for the thing to take form, and most importantly, as in anything that grows you must give before you can receive. Jesus in the parable of the corn, states that you must put out seed which then will grow one hundred or even a thousand fold. What is the seed, anything which you give of yourself for the purpose of helping others toward that which you yourself are striving. Hence, if you seek to be happy and powerful, you will want to give to others something from yourself that will make them happy and more powerful than they were. If it is riches you seek, then share some of your present wealth with the poor, preferably in a way that helps them improve their economic condition. This is the secret of growth which was not shared in the secret as it ought to be.

Finally, when one is in harmony with the Law of Attraction and the Law of Growth, one can expect the Law of Manifestation to begin its work. The Law of Manifestation of Form states that through the Law of Growth, thought and emotion take a quicker and more powerful route into reality.

The Law of Manifestation is what we count on when we begin using the Law of Attraction, and the Law of Growth, if these two are used correctly the Law of Manifestation will invariably follow and manifest that which we desire and have shared with others.

Copyright 2007 by Ian RoeBuck author gives permission to copy and use provided nothing is changed and authors information block at bottom is included.

Read More »»

The Power Of Hypnosis And The Human Body

Self Improvement by: Barrie St John

The proof of how powerful hypnosis can be, comes in many forms. So much so that certain practices have long since been discontinued on the basis ethics and professionalism.

Some years ago, a fairly common practice in stage hypnosis was to induce a state called the full body catalepsy. In this state, the “subject” experiences a complete rigidity of all the muscle groups in his body. He/she becomes completely stiff, like a piece of wood. As a demonstration, stage hypnotists would often position the subject’s head and feet on opposing chairs, without support through the torso and legs. This created a sort of human bridge, upon which the hypnotist would sit or stand.

The full body catalepsy contains no therapeutic use whatsoever. It serves merely for theatrics, and it’s obviously quite frowned upon today. It is unlikely to be seen very much these days for ethical reasons. Despite the fact that you’re unlikely to see such a stunt, it remains a strong example of how powerful hypnosis can be. The act of turning a person’s body into a rod of iron with mere suggestion is quite simply an amazing feat.

To a greatly lessened extent, catalepsy is still used today, but only on isolated body parts like an arm or a leg. This is done to deepen the state of hypnosis, and bears no risk of injury to the subject unlike the full body catalepsy. In fact, they don’t even feel any discomfort. For instance, I can induce hypnosis on someone, and bring about arm catalepsy, and they can remain in this position for an extended period of time, even an hour, without feeling a thing. Try this at home, and within a few short moments, you will feel extremely uncomfortable.

Hypnosis is its own form of pain control. A technique called glove anesthesia can be induced where the hand can be made to feel numb, and experience a total loss of sensation. The anesthesia can then be transferred to other parts of the body by putting the anesthetized hand on another body part, such as the stomach. This is a very powerful technique which I have used many times with great success.

A more subtle example of the power of hypnosis is witnessed regularly if you watch competitive athletes, like runners, as they mentally prepare for a race. There extreme focus and concentration takes them to a place where everything else is tuned out, and they are literally running every inch of that race in their mind, before it even begins, mentally planning every step.

Fortunately, we needn’t go to severe extremes anymore to prove the power of hypnosis. The theatrical impact of hypnosis has of course dropped in popularity over the past decade or so anyway, and practices such as the full body catalepsy are a thing of the past. There is no longer the need for hypnotists to demonstrate the amazing power the mind has over the physical body. The general public is much more aware of the power and effects of hypnosis these days, even if there are still many myths that still remain.

Read More »»

Drawing What You Need Towards You

by: CommunitySoul - Neil Fellowes

I walked away with my tail between my legs. Sure, the error was all mine. I had a list of people I'd spoken to and one name was really obscure and neither Jo nor I knew who they were.

I sat down and thought about it. 'Who are you?' I asked. 'Make yourself known to me again?'

With that I turned my attention to other matters. That's when the phone rang and the person on the list revealed themselves to me.

Now if we want to be cynical we could say that the materialisation of that phone call was just coincidence - that this person just happened to call and remind me who they were. But what are the chances?

First, I just happened to have written the name badly on the list. Second, Jo just happened to spot my error. Third, we just happened to be discussing the person. Fourth, I just happened to ask for that person to make themselves known to me again. And it all just happened to happen, in the space of an hour.

What odds would you give on that happening?

This kind of thing happens to me too often for me to doubt that there is some greater connection going on between all our minds - a higher awareness.

How does it work?

First we ask for things. Second we have to be consciously aware of what's happening to us. It's important that we follow events as they unfold rather than letting our mind get in the way. It's also important to do it with a sense of humour and to celebrate in some way when the universe provides.

As soon as our mind gets in the way we break the chain of events and distort what the universe is creating - often ending up with something we didn't want.

When we put our attention on finding a solution or a person we are brought into connection with minds - sometimes people we know, sometimes people we didn't know - who are prepared to answer our call for help.

These people have the will to help, if you have the will to let them in. What often occurs when our call is answered is a discussion to see if help is possible. Oddly, as a quirk of human nature, we sometimes repel people who come to help and either we reject them or they decide they just cannot help us.

While I know synchronicity happens, I'm in no way attached to it happening. I put out a call for things and get on with life. There is no hankering. I ask, then I read, jog, make phone calls or do whatever I have to do while staying open to what happens.

I think it's fair to say that attachment to an outcome is the biggest block that can get in the way. The times in my life when I've had no money are the hardest times to create money. When I've been in pain, it's hard to imagine no pain.

But each time I've asked for a person to show up who can guide me (that's guide me - not do for me), they've shown up and helped me. From their life got better.

You'll find some very simple tips below. Please take note, this is a very simple version I'm giving you because all our situations differ. This basic outline is however workable for us all.

1. Think of one think that you feel you life needs right now.

2. Be clear on what you want.

3. Write it down

4. See it happening in the mind.

5. Now go about your daily life, aware that answers will come to direct you.

6. Keep doubt out. Stay positive.

Love and good wishes
Neil

Read More »»

Increase Creativity and Redce Stess Using Alpha Meditation

by: Richard Weber

In order to understand how alpha meditation can help improve your creativity, it is important to start by understanding what binaural beats and brainwave entrainment are.

Brainwave entrainment is the use of some external stimulus, usually different sounds that a person will hear with stereo headphones, to induce a certain level of brain wave activity. When a person's brainwave activity is artificially altered by these means, it will subtly shift their awareness and perception.

Using binaural beats is a common and effective method of brainwave entrainment. In order for the binaural beats to be effective, a person must be using stereo headphones so that they can hear a different sound in each ear.

Most of the time, the binaural beats will be embedded underneath the layers of tracks on a song, usually soothing ambient music or soundscapes, so that the person listening can focus on the music and not on the frequencies they are hearing. If you either find or create effective binaural beat audios to listen to in stereo heaphones, the frequencies should blend perfectly into the background, and you should not be able to consciously notice them unless you really try to isolate them.

Binaural beats are the most effective this way, when they are loud enough to still have an effect on your brainwave activity but quiet enough that you do not notice them. Depending on the difference between the two frequencies you decide to use, you can entrain any desired brainwave state and state of mind.

The ideal brainwave frequency for alpha meditation is about 9-10hz, so if we wanted to create a set of binaural beats that could be used to artificially induce this specific frequency, we could play 110hz in the left ear and 120hz in the right ear.

To any person who is hearing these different frequencies in each ear, their brain will act like a tuning fork and it will lock on to the difference between the two frequencies, which in this case would be 10hz.

'Alpha' is the name that we use for the range of brainwave frequencies from around 8hz-13hz. We go through the alpha brainwave state many times during a 24-hour period, and it is usually we are in a light sleep and are dreaming. You can also reach this state by listening to soothing soundscapes or chill-out music, preferably music with alpha binaural beat already embedded in the layers, and simply lying down and resting. When a person reaches this alpha state while they are still conscious, their imagination will be highly active and they can see very vivid imagery, like an intense dream.

After practicing this daily for a short while, even just a week or two, a person's intuitive creativity will naturally be higher and coming up with new ideas will seem easier.

Remaining in the intuitive alpha state for extended periods is the key to increasing your creativity, because this frequency stimulates the right-side creative portion of the human brain. After doing daily alpha meditation and staying in the alpha state for 30 minutes or more per day, your creative visualization capabilities will markedly increase, and it is this creative visualization that can help you achieve any outcome you desire.

If you are interested in pursuing alpha meditation, you can do a number of things. While it does not require music with alpha binaural beats, this is highly recommended because your brain will automatically lock on to the alpha frequency.

You can go to your local music store and look for CDs on 'alpha mediation' or 'alpha relaxation,' or you can also look online at places like iTunes. Or if you would like to have full control over your alpha meditation experience, you can embed any song of your choosing with binaural beats using special audio software.

Creating your own binaural beat audios will give you full control over your meditation experience, and you can experiment with different frequencies around the 7-10 hz area to see which ones give you the biggest boost in intuition and creativity.

Read More »»

What Are The Symptoms Of Low Self-Esteem?

by: Emmanuel Segui

People with low self-esteem rarely live their life to the full. They distance themselves from others, and are thus denied their love and support. They rarely, if ever, make full use of their abilities. Instead, they end up brooding about the injustices of life. Such people are a loss to themselves, their family and to society. Some of them even take to crime, alcohol and drugs.

Invariably, people with low self-esteem are uncomfortable with success. They tend to believe that they don't deserve success, and they have no clue as to how to savor success. At the same time, they do not hesitate to blame themselves if things go wrong. They take sadistic pleasure in telling the world that they knew things would go wrong. This is an important symptom of low self-esteem, and needs to be treated at the earliest.

People suffering from low self-esteem also have the habit of putting themselves down. They repeatedly tell themselves that they are not good enough and that they are bound to fail. Over a period of time this negative self-talk turns into a negative self-belief. More than that, they try and implant these seeds of negativity in people around them. They also gravitate towards people who suffer from similar problems. The end result is that they feed on each other's negativity, and become much poorer individuals than they initially were.

A high level of dissatisfaction is another indicator of low self- esteem. There are people who spend all their time complaining. They neither see a positive thing in others nor in themselves. This cynicism eats away their self-belief, and erodes their self- confidence. In contrast, people who value their abilities enjoy high self-esteem.

Also, people with low self-esteem spend most of their time brooding about the past and worrying about the future. They don't spend enough time living in the present. As a result, they don't enjoy the present, even though it may be full of success. The net result is that they prevent themselves from enjoying life, and make themselves unhappy. It finally becomes a vicious cycle that feeds upon itself, and prevents them from breaking out of their negative mould

such people are rarely relaxed and at ease. They keep looking for different jobs and lines of work. The reason why they are always looking for something else to do is that they are lack self- confidence. They drift from one crisis to another, and blame fate for their woes.

A few of them take to alcohol, drugs, food, sex etc to get a temporary "high". But this rarely helps them in the long run. They fail to generate a sustainable feeling of happiness and contentment.

People with low self-esteem also have problems getting close to others. They are not comfortable with intimacy and create barriers to prevent people from coming close to them. They don't like to open up to people and to reveal their innermost thoughts. They may be nursing some old bad experience with someone who caused them a lot of pain or who let them down when they were most vulnerable. By forcing themselves to live in a world of self-denial they are doing a great damage to themselves. They fail to benefit from the company of others, and keep entrenching themselves deeper and deeper into their negative world. They may ultimately reach a stage where they may be declared beyond salvage.

But this is not good for society. People with low self-esteem must be helped. Their symptoms must be diagnosed, and help provided if they have to be turned into useful members of society. This help can be given by family members, friends, teachers or by trained psychologists.

Read More »»

Focus - Your Power To Create

by: Michael McGrath

Unfortunately the majority of people on our lavish little green planet are not happy with their 'lot' in life. They are living lives of quiet desperation, unsatisfied with their relationships, careers or finances.

What is the main reason for this dissatisfaction? The main reason I believe this is so is due to a lack of understanding about the nature of our universe which can be directly linked to our belief conditioning from childhood.

As a child we begin to replicate the conditioning of our parents. A person's beliefs and values are often passed from generation to generation until someone down the generations either has a life-changing experience or consciously reorganises or changes their belief system.

Your beliefs and values determine your focus and a key point I make in all my writings on personal development is the simple truth that "your focus determines your reality". Focus sets in motion the Law of Attraction. (See Wealth Beyond Reason for instructions on using the law of attraction.)

The internal dialogue and imaginings of your mind are guided by your focus and your focus is reflected in your thinking. Your thinking becomes automatic and therefore this becomes your automatic creation system.

If you are not currently living a life that is in correspondence with your desires it is due to your internal automatic creation system being out of alignment with your goals. Simply put this means: Your focus is on what you do not want instead of what you want!

Let's say you have bills piling up everywhere and no way of paying them. When you receive post through the mail what is your first thought? I bet it goes something like this, "oh no not more bills". Where is your focus directed?

Why do the rich get richer and the poor get poorer? Well a rich man has money and he knows it. He sees wealth all around him. The poor person sees lack and concentrates on it. Can you see the difference in focus?

Now there are there are two basic ways to redirect your focus. The first is to change your beliefs so that your focus becomes more automatic in the direction that you wish it to go. The second way is to consciously redirect your attention to situations, people or events that correspond to a new belief.

This, however, is often easier said than done. For example examine the beliefs of a racist who thinks that he is superior to another person due to his heritage, skin colour, or ethnic origins. Now any right thinking person knows that these beliefs have no foundation in reality (subjective or otherwise). So in order to change these beliefs, at a core level, the racist would need to have some contact with other racial groups that have equal or better results in areas of their lives than he does. If he believes he is more intelligent then he would need to see that there are highly intelligent people of all races. If he believes that he is more prone to being successful because of his genetics then he would need to see that there are people of all races who achieve success with ease. If he believes that he is more equipped to overcome obstacles than members of another race then he would need to know that people from all walks of life and different cultures have achieved against seemingly insurmountable odds at great hardship to themselves and so on!

The problem with this is FOCUS! In most cases the racist does not want to see these things. He focuses on the situations, people and events that correspond and reinforce his beliefs! In extreme circumstances such a person will not even be in the company, correspond with, or listen about members of the group he is racist against.

You and I do exactly the same thing everyday. If your life is similar today to yesterday, last week or last year it is primarily because your focus has remained the same. Your thoughts yesterday where the same as last week and if your thoughts and focus are the same today then you can expect tomorrow to bring the same results!

If your beliefs are challenged by what you see, hear or experience many times you simply disregard the information and continue 'blindly' believing what you chose to believe. We filter our reality so that is reinforces our beliefs. We need to break free from this self-imposed brain-washing and redirect our focus on the things that will reinforce a new belief until we actually come to belief it.

For example take a couple in a 'bad' relationship. They come home from work and just know that they are going to have an argument with their spouse. Sure enough they arrive home and argue about who is taking the dog for a walk, what to watch on TV or why they argue so much! Where is the focus in this relationship?

Let's say they decide to try an experiment in beliefs and focus. They look at what IS working in the relationship. They recall the reasons why they first became a couple and begin to reinforce the things they have in common. Their focus is beginning to shift. Although they will probably fall back into some old routines of arguing again if they keep their focus on their shared interests and the things in their relationship that are working what do you think the effect will be?

Try this little experiment yourself. Choose a person who annoys you in some way and that you can't avoid but would if the choice where yours. A work colleague is a good example. Can you think of one? OK, what are you focusing on about that person? I bet it is all the things they do that annoy you. Try to think of something they do that you admire of that you like. This can be sometimes difficult but remember that every person has good and bad qualities so try not to become too polarised about people thinking them either good or bad - they are just human beings.

Now for a few days try your best to focus on the things you like or admire about them and watch what happens.

After you have tried this little experiment try other small ones in other areas of your life that you wish to improve.

Read More »»

Onions

by: Ken Mossman

If I could measure, in some way, what's been created in my kitchen over the years, I think it would all come down to onions. Don't know if they'd be Metric or English onions, all I know is they would be onions just the same.

This afternoon I was in the kitchen between client calls and my office phone, which was on the counter beside me, rang. I had my hands deep in a bowl of boneless chicken thighs and homemade barbecue goop. I was doing some early prep for the evening's festivities - school and work-night indoor BBQ - a little bit sweet, a little bit salty, a touch of sour, letting the heat slide by in a nod to my son who, for some reason, prefers not to set fire to the inside of his mouth in the interest of culinary experimentation.

On the other end of the phone was a very friendly fellow from L.A., who wanted to know if I had any interest in sinking a few thousand bucks into a new film starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. We had a rather nice chat about cooking, movies, and how he came to pluck my name from a list of folks who might be interested in sinking spare dollars into things like movies starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. After some idle chat, we took our leave of one another. I returned to chopping shallots and garlic (both members of the onion family, of course) and he, I presume, returned to calling others from his list of folks who might be interested in sinking a few thousand bucks into a film starring Cuba Gooding, Jr.

I was quite tickled by the whole conversation, which occurred about twenty minutes after my previous conversation with another equally friendly fellow - also from L.A. - who wanted to know if I'd have any interest in plunking down a few thousand dollars to purchase a mess of soy beans.

Evidently I'm listed among a group of "certified" individuals who's net worth makes it possible for them to regularly drop a few thou into movies, TV shows, and tons o' beans. And just in case you're wondering - the answer is no - at least not yet... I have to admit, there is something about those calls that's sort of motivating, what with those nice, friendly gents calling to ask for spare dollars. I look forward to saying, "Well, yes I do have a some money lounging lazily about that is simply dying to get into the pictures!" Or not...

By the way, if anyone is within a few degrees of separation of Cuba Gooding, Jr., I think he'd be fun to have to dinner. Maybe we'll whip up a tofu dish, a fitting way to close the circle between the two calls from Los Angeles. Oh, and do give Mr. Gooding my number, would you?

Back to the onions...

The humble allium, which plays so many roles in the kitchen, has the distinction of being the cause of both tears and unimaginable delights. I couldn't begin to count the number of meals Danielle and I have prepared and served to family and other guests over the years. In each of those meals (some breakfasts notwithstanding) some form of onions were as present as good company and conversation.

Onions and their kin have changed lives. Just picture the number of happy couples who have fallen for one another in the presence of onions - with our without fine wine...

I remember the winter I lived with my buddy Dan in Woodstock, NY. He had a strange aversion to garlic that dated back to his childhood when his mother, who is an accomplished cook, had presented him with a dish that included ample hunks of the stuff in a raw state. I did my best to accommodate his tastes - for one night. We took turns cooking on alternate evenings. I had learned pretty early on that if I cooked for myself - and I enjoyed what I made - others would enjoy my creations, too.

I theorized that it wasn't the taste of garlic that got to Dan, rather it was the sight of it. Being the resourceful sort, rather handy with a knife, and not above some forms of treachery, on my next night of cooking I just chopped the stuff up finer and kept my mouth shut.

"Wow, Mossy, this is really good," said Dan. "What's in it?"

This and that and that and this, I answered. "Oh, and a bunch of garlic."

He was stunned. And instantly - and dangerously - converted. (After that, Dan started putting garlic in just about everything - including the infamous Babaganouj Omelet - not always a pretty picture...)

I suppose what's captured my imagination is the rather odd omnipresence of onions, so common that most of us don't stop to think about them. To me, they've become a reminder of the less visible things I'm happy to have in my life, the blessings, like those small bits of garlic, that manage to sneak in unnoticed, yet add depth, subtlety and flavor.

When I left my last cooking job almost twenty years ago, I swore that, from that moment on, I would only cook for people I love.

As I finished off the barbecue sauce and slipped the marinating chicken into the fridge, I noticed a peeled shallot I'd left sitting on a cutting board. I looked over it, turned my eyes to take in the frozen trees outside and smiled.

Try as I might, I couldn't imagine how many onions I'd gone through since making that pledge.

Read More »»

Do the Potter...

by: Susan Hyatt

It seems like inspiration is everywhere when you look for it. Consider my latest source of joy, Harry Potter. I haven't even seen the new movie, only the previews, and was moved to tears. My six year old daughter Emily thought this was rather amusing, as I passed the popcorn.

What struck me as so awesome while watching the preview of Harry Potter, was a line that might not impress a lot of people, but I felt like he was speaking so brilliantly, and clearly, that I had to share it. In the trailer, Harry is trying to rally the other witch and wizard students to help him fight the newest dark enemy. Everyone is afraid. Protesting that they can't. Impossible to do it. And Harry, in all of his Hollywood glory says, "All truly great wizards started as nothing more than we are now. If they can do it, why not US?!" ( Or something very similar. I was so knocked over that I could be hallucinating.)

Meaning, that everyone who is accomplished, enlightened, famous, notorious, self made, etc...all started somewhere. And more often than not, they started on their quest against major obstacles. As a coach, I try encourage clients to imagine, "What if?" What if I COULD go back to college and become a teacher. What if I did take a risk and open my own business? What would it be like to try and run a marathon? As humans, we come up with all sorts of interesting excuses as to why what we profess to be our greatest wish, is impossible. I can't go back to school because I don't have the money. Who am I to think that I could open my own business? Running a marathon would be too hard. My answers: student loan, who are you NOT to open your own business, and so what? I realize that I am simplifying, but you get the picture. You have to start saying SO WHAT to welcome what might be so. (Someone really cool said that I can't remember who.)

Personally, I am working on two books. Occasionally, I'll fall into the trap of listening to some self limiting thoughts like, "Who do you think YOU are to write a book?" But, you know, who am I not to? I have a lot to say. haha And, I am going to "Practice the Potter" and realize that all great authors, before their first book, sat in front of a blank paper or computer screen, and took it one word at a time.

So, over the next week, try and notice when you are putting up your own road blocks. Observe your thoughts and challenge them. They are only thoughts, and you can choose them. Ask yourself, "Who would I be without that thought?" If Harry Potter used his magic wand to eliminate the thought, "I will never be a writer," how would your day/week/year/life be different?

I'd be slaying chapters, dude!

Have a great day!

Susan


Copyright (c) 2007 Susan Hyatt

Read More »»

Are You Unconsciously Limiting Your Wealth Potential?

by: Becky Kimes

Unlimited financial abundance is your birthright!!

Sounds great doesn't it, but do you really believe it? It's not surprising if you don't.

Many of us don't believe we have access to unlimited financial abundance because we were raised in a culture that places severe limitations on our creative abilities to attract money. These limitations begin during early childhood when our basic beliefs about everything are being formed.

Think back to when you were a child. What did you consistently hear and experience regarding money?

Did you hear that "money doesn't grow on trees" or "money is the root of all evil"?

Did people in your household fight about not having enough money?

Did your dad grow surly and silent when it was time to pay the bills?

Was your mom afraid to ask your dad for more money if an unexpected financial emergency came up?

Were vacations eagerly anticipated or were they actually stressful because the family was going on vacation even if they "couldn't afford it"?

Whatever the situation, you consciously and unconsciously absorbed those beliefs about money and wealth. This became your belief system or paradigm.

Many of us are completely unaware of the unconscious belief systems that are governing our attitudes, behaviors, expectations and comfort level regarding how much money we think we deserve and actually attract.

Do this little exercise with me.

Imagine for a moment that a complete stranger walks up to you on the street and hands you a cashier's check for one million dollars. This stranger tells you that the money is a special gift and is unconditionally yours-no strings attached.

How would you instantly react?

1. Would you nervously look around for the hidden cameras?

2. Would you absolutely refuse the gift and even feel some resentment towards the stranger for putting you in such a predicament?

3. Would you accept the gift but then feel guilty and make immediate plans on how you were going to give the money away?

4. Would you graciously accept the money with heart-felt thanks and happily go to your bank cash the check and enjoy the money?

Your initial "gut reaction" to the above scenario allows some of your unconscious core beliefs about money bubble up to the surface.

If you picked one of the first 3 answers you definitely have some inherent beliefs that are severely limiting your birthright of prosperity. But the good new is-they are only beliefs. Keep in mind that beliefs are not truth. They are just a perception and an acceptance of the truth. What's great about beliefs is that you can change them and choose ones that support you and are in alignment with unlimited wealth potential

If you picked number four, congratulations!!! You're well on your way to unlimited financial abundance!!!

Read More »»

Get Creative to Relieve Stress

by: Paul Evans

There are many things we can do to relieve stress, ranging from small routine changes (such as avoiding rush hour traffic) to large drastic life changes (such as quitting our stressful jobs!).

At the smaller end of the scale, I believe one of the best ways that you can relieve stress is to 'get creative'.

What can you do to get creative? Anything you like, as long as 'you' do the creating!

It could be physical or mental creativity (preferably both), big or small. For example, is it about time you changed your garden around? Changed those dull old patio slabs? Now would be a good idea to get creative.

To relieve stress you have to do something you can be proud of. You need to be able to stand back and say to yourself, `Yep, I did that and I did a terrific job'.

Take the example above, if you're not physically able (and would have to employ someone to do the labouring for you) you could still design the garden yourself! Teach yourself a little about landscape gardening and design the best garden you can. If you are able to labour for yourself, design and build it entirely yourself! And most important of all, give yourself a pat on the back once you've finished and be proud of your hard work.

But it doesn't have to be so big (or so expensive). You could make a model aeroplane, do your own painting, and make something from clay, or anything at all.

One of my friends recently bought his own materials and built a magnificent kite! He said it felt great to finish it, but when he stood back and actually saw his achievement (i.e. when it was flying) he felt truly elated. Now that's stress relief!

Form a personal point of view, having suffered with a phobia of public speaking for so long, I always wanted to set up my own website - to be able to communicate in another way, freely, without the troubles I would usually have. When I eventually found a way to set up my site the pride and sense of achievement I felt was enormous. And with that pride and achievement came the stress relief I was after.

So from the examples above I hope you can see how you too can get creative to relive stress. The list of things you could do is endless.

Now it's time for the hard part. . . getting started!

Read More »»

Abundance

by: Jenny Werbeloff

In order to have 'more' of anything (or everything) we need to stretch our boundaries and our imagination. I invite you to adopt Abundance rather than Prosperity as an idea, as this aligns you with the possibility of having so much more.

When you embrace and understand Abundance as inclusive of prosperity, having 'more' means having more financial freedom, greater wellbeing, relationships that enhance your life, and abundant opportunities for expanding your joyful expression. So begin by honouring the Abundance that is always readily available to you - your breath. It's free, and life-giving. The breath infuses us with Life and creates an abundant flow as a life-giving stream. With awareness, we are able to draw more from the breath and, therefore, more from our lives. So I suggest you now take a few slow breaths as this will assist you to assimilate this bigger idea and anchor it deeply in your Being.

Infusing new information more deeply into your consciousness via the breath allows you to hold it more deeply. As you inhale, you enliven all your cells which expands your capacity to think. So - breathe, infuse, allow, use.

Then take a 'wide-angle lens' view of Abundance. This means speaking to your inner-knowing to support you to arrive at your understanding of Abundance which then paves the way for you to enjoy increasingly greater Abundance in every area of your life.

Abundance is the stage of integral wholeness where we are satiated with our own delight. It is the stage in our evolution as human beings where life ceases to be about external creation, and is about internal rapture - existing in an increasingly spacious container where we create worlds, within and without, that deeply nourish our spirit and make our hearts sing; where we live gloriously with ourselves and others. We are Abundant.

Abundance is not so much about what we have, but what we are and how we feel. When we live in 'what is right with me and my world' and not 'what is wrong with me and my world', we are beginning to awaken to this possibility. Appreciation for, rather than berating against, is an essential state of being we need to arrive at. Even the times that are challenging are gifts that we are able to harvest as great learning in order to gift ourselves with 'more' Abundance. Being awake to this core knowing is the essence of Abundance.

So, what does all this mean? When we recognise - or are willing to approach the possibility - that we are infinite, not as an oft-repeated hypothetical or 'spiritual' idea that has lost its meaning, but in a very practical and demonstrable way, we know 'I am the source of my experience'. Translated, this means that as I access my joy and inspiration continuously in the present, I create my Abundant Now and my Abundant Future.

Taking full responsibility for where you place your attention is a skill that is easy to develop. Being willing to notice the effect of your thoughts, is the key here. You may like to experiment with this for 5 minutes each a day. Just take the time to notice where you are placing your attention - what you are thinking about - and you will become aware of how you're feeling: whether you are feeling increasingly vibrant, or whether you're feeling depleted. You will then realise how much you may be keeping yourself restrained, tied to struggle of your own making.

This is where the magic happens: you now have the opportunity to play the game of increasing your Abundance, simply by changing where you place your attention.

Remember: You are your greatest asset. Really know that. Cultivating a wondrous and deeply appreciative relationship with yourself is the vehicle that carries you forward towards your Abundance. When you are filled with the joy of exploring 'you' in ever-deeper ways, you create ripples that turn to waves of glorious delight, Cultivating a relationship with yourself that is founded on 'inner seeing' and reflection, holding yourself with gentleness as you plant seeds of new possibilities, and being excited by the burgeoning possibilities and the joy that unfolds, creates the flow of Abundance.

Abundance is a flow of new inspiration. New inspiration nourishes our imagination, and sets our boundaries free. The more boundaries we dissolve, the more restrictions we let go of, the more we begin to stand in our self-determined freedom. In this way we ignite our increasing passion, which creates wonder and this feeds our genius. Living in our genius, rather than our 'average' and 'good enough', is the launching pad from which we establish Abundance as a living reality. It is only when we feel BIG, brimming over with our self-generated joy, deeply nourished from the inside, and standing in our now and offering this as our gift to ourselves, our world, our families and our friends, that - finally - Abundance will flow outward and inward in ever-increasing possibilities.

The wondrous state of Abundance is an internally generated state of celebration that flows as a river in its fullness (from you) towards Life. This imprint of fullness, inspiration and joy is inscribed and described within your being, and imprinted externally. The action completes itself - Life completes this action - and you receive Abundance as a realised state of living where you are amply rewarded.

Abundance is now the flow of giving and receiving, from within and without, that we continuously exchange. Abundance is experienced as a state of deep nourishment. There is a rising heart-swell that embraces all in its vastness and you are 'more' and 'more' is yours.

Share this 'more' and feel the swell of Abundance.

Puree the flesh of 2 mangoes (about 2 cups), stir 1 teaspoon of baking powder into 225g (2 cups) almond meal, and gently beat five eggs in a bowl. Combine all ingredients, pour into a greased cake tin and bake for about 1 hour at 180o C.

Cool 10 minutes before turning out.

It is my experience that the more I joyously share, the more flows back to me. So, I offer you this divine recipe that a friend offered me. Enjoy the gifts of Abundance, and feel the increasing swell of giving and receiving delight. Enjoy.

Abundance article ©Jenny Werbeloff 2007©

For more always more, visit www.SourcingfromWithin.com.

For further information and my vision statement, Email jenny@SourcingfromWithin.com

Read More »»

Don't Waste Your Time - Use it Wisely

by: Andrew Grant

Do you waste time? Are you lazy and indolent or are you continuously on the go, using every minute to the maximum?

If you are in the first category, there are a lot of very obvious things you can do to improve, but in this article I want to concentrate on those of us who are already using our time constructively and examine how you can squeeze even more from your day.

You may think that your life is so full that this is impossible, but I recently ran an inventory of how I used my time and realised that there was still some room for improvement. Here's what I discovered.

Timespace #1 – For years I avoided doing any kind of exercise. It was pretty easy for me, I had been skinny all my life and even though I wasn't too fit, I was still the right weight. As I got older, though I realised that I had to take my body a bit more seriously.

Since then I have become a moderate, regular exerciser; I now go running for half an hour every second day and visit the gym three times a week. No problem there; I get satisfaction from using my time well and I appreciate the results.

However, I calculated that I am spending about five hours per week doing great things for my body, but nothing for my mind. So now when I'm pounding the streets or straining at the weights, I use the opportunity to listen to self development programs on my I-Pod, to concentrate on goal visualization, to practice affirmations or just focus on being grateful for all the good things in my life. And there's a bonus too; because the blood is racing through my veins, my brain is more alert and better prepared to learn and grow.

Timespace #2 – I drive a lot. My business requires a good deal of travel and most of it is done in the car. I used to listen to music on the radio or go into an almost trance-like ‘auto pilot' mode, usually to escape the tedium of long distance driving.

Now, though, I put a self development CD in the player, or a language course, or again, I use the time to practice visualizations and affirmations. The privacy of your little tin box allows you to shout, sing, laugh or mumble. Who cares? You are on your own. It's your space.

Timespace #3 – Finally, this one is not so much about finding extra time as making better use of the time I thought I was using wisely. My personal time audit showed me that I was wasting a whole hour, sometimes more, at the beginning of the day catching up on the overnight e-mail load and then planning what I was going to do for the rest of the day.

I prided myself on being an efficient time warrior, but I now realise, that I was missing one of the biggest mistakes of all.

So how did I fix that? Simple. I changed two things. Firstly, I now do my planning, the night before, by taking ten minutes, near to the end of the evening and writing down everything I want to achieve the next day. The bonus here is that overnight, my mind works on the issues even while I sleep, so by the time I get started next day, I am far better prepared.

Secondly, I leave my e-mail inbox until lunchtime. I spend the morning getting through the goals I assigned the night before and then just before I take a break for lunch, I race through my inbox. That way, I find I already feel good about what I've done so far in the day, my mind is much more focused and I don't get distracted.

So no matter how efficient you think you are, take a look again at your day and I'll bet you can find some extra layers of time, you never knew you had. Good hunting.

Read More »»