Last week I mentioned that Leo Babauta was running another A-List Blogging Bootcamp well just to let you know registration is now open.

I am certain you will love the course and everybody you meet there as well, and as I said I don’t often endorse products and don’t really sell in my posts at all so you know I must really like the course.

The details

It runs between 13-17 February and covers these topics:

The Psychology of Subscribing
How to Use design to Hook Readers
Why Usability is the Key to Keeping Visitors on Your Blog
Crafting a Killer About Page & Prime Posting Rhythm
What Kind of Content Creates Subscribers and How to Write it
How to Craft Headlines that Lure Readers to Your Blog
What Kind of Images Attract Readers
The Art of Guest Posting
How to Promote Your Blog: Strategies that Rock
How to Leverage Social Media for Super Success

Leo’s included a money back guarantee on the training

$50 off the cost of the course

If anybody decides to take the offer up with one of my links I will send you $50  via paypal after you have completed the course which runs from 13th February to 17th February.

Please send me an email once you sign up and I will verify the details and send you over the $50 once the course is completed.

Registration starts today and is only open for a short time.

You Can Sign up for the A-List Blogging Bootcamp Here

There are two types of mind: The unconscious mind and the conscious mind and we use them in different ways to go about our daily lives.  All is well with the world, but what if we could learn to harness the power of the unconscious mind as well, and cross the line between the unconscious and the conscious? Well, here is a 3 minute task you can do to show you that this is entirely possible.

We’ll come to the task in a second, for now I wanted to discuss the unconscious mind.

Unconscious Mind

We all know we use the unconscious mind every day for essential tasks such as driving, walking, working, and as I type this article, my unconscious mind tells me where the keys are on the keyboard and I don’t have to look for them every time I want to type.  So the unconscious mind is a the guide that makes living easy, if you know what a macro is you’ll know that is how we sometimes go about our life: as if we have pressed the macro play button and we just get on with it.

What if we could access the unconscious for much more than going about our daily lives.  What if it was possible to reach out to other minds and connect with them, we don’t put names to these other minds we just connect and go with the flow.  They are not just ordinary minds we are connecting with they are more spiritual, more energetic, purer, for the sake of argument we will call this the Over-Mind.

The Over-Mind

The over-mind connects us with an energy that is not yet known and we can dip our toe in the river of energy to receive insight. You have more than likely experienced this at various times in your life without knowing it.  It’s the moments when there is a sudden flash of inspiration or clarity and it happens at the strangest times. I have experienced it when looking at the beautiful architecture  in Glasgow City Centre, I have experienced it when looking at my wife and children laughing together, I have experienced it just after a meditation session.  It’s untouchable and it’s hard to recreate at will but we will try it today.

Am I an expert on this over-mind? Absolutely not! I haven’t a clue, all I am doing is putting these feelings and thoughts into my own words and labeling them.

Exercise

To connect with the over-mind, very briefly, I am going to give you a phrase.  Try not to think about it, just let the words sink in and let them go, you will start to notice that you get images, thoughts and just start writing these down or automatically write down what comes without thinking too much about it.  The phrase is:

To be able to live the life I want, I need to ..

It might only be a few words that come up, it might be a novel that comes up, just write it down in the comments section and let me know how it felt, if your felt anything, were you connected? Anything at all that comes up just let me know.

If after doing this exercise you are thinking ‘I don’t want to be the first to comment’ just be brave and go for it, there is no right or wrong way to do this.

We can have a discussion after a few people try this.

At any single time, you are only able to either take in input, or put out output. Talking while you are listening is not doable in any useful form, and any variation of this will leave you tired very quickly. Accepting this concept is helpful for you to break up your time into manageable chunks.

Output Is The Name Of The Game

Your first priority has to be on your output. All the things we see around us are are based on some one’s output. Those people certainly had much input and knowledge obtained to be able to create, but they eventually did create. In the same way, you have to mainly be thinking about your time spent working on output.

For a freelance electrician, that means time spent doing electrical work. While an electrician could spend their time talking to other electricians and hearing what they have to say, or reading electrical books, or watching videos about cool electrical appliances, the real deal for them is doing electrical work.

For a student, putting out research papers might be the output that is needed. If this is the case, then repeating the experiment an extra time just for fun, or reading research papers on a similar topic, or doing unrelated writing might be enjoyable to do in some way, but it isn’t what is needed for output. Time has to be set and used for writing and crafting the research paper(s). We have to remember what “done” means, as David Allen would put it.

Input Is Fine As Long As It Is Controlled

Taking in input, like reading something, hearing some one’s story, watching a video, or so on, is just fine, as long as you control the duration and effects of the input. Letting the input control you is not the way to go. It might not be as leisurely or enjoyable, but you’ve got to take in input with a sense of purpose, such as by remembering that you are watching a certain video to learn a concept, or reading a certain chapter to check for a relation to your own life. We get as much out of what we see as we are prepared for, so you want to prepare for input and remain in control.

As long as you make sure to properly separate your periods of input and output, and keep a healthy amount of output in place, you will not get overtaken by input overload or any variation of it that puts you into a trance. Too much input without usage of it is like putting more and more charcoal into a barbecue grill, and not lighting the charcoal on fire. The fire, or output, is the goal.

There comes a time in your life when you are beginning to change it and you are starting to see things changing.  Sometimes the changes are huge and sometimes they are small.  With the big changes, and the gradual changes, how do you know when you’re going in the right direction?

This is what I briefly discuss in the video, the feeling deep inside of you when you are meeting the right people, reading the right books, synchroncities start happening all the time, and the right things just comes to you at the right time.  Trust in the process of change,trust in yourself and believe that change can happen for you.

I’d like your thoughts on what I discuss in the video or if you think I am a little ‘out there’ let me know that as well.

I am promoting Leo Babauta’s,  zenhabits.net, A-List Blogging Bootcamp as I truly believe it was a catalyst in my own blog rising from the ashes to where it is now, and where it is heading for the future.

In August 2009 I had 3,200 subscribers (roughly) and I made a promise to myself: that I would go all out to get have 10,000 subscribers by December 2009.  I didn’t reach that target but I increased my subscriber rate by 112% in only 5 months.  Previously I had been gaining 88 subscribers per month.  The last 6 months I have increased my subscriber rate by an average of 679 per month.  Now that figure is impressive in any language.  I’m not blowing my own trumpet here, I want to tell you one of the reasons this has happened.

Two Words:

Leo Babauta

I joined Leo Babauta’s A-List Blogging Bootcamp back in August 2009 and it gave me the impetus, the knowledge and allowed me to network with a special group of people in my field.

The bootcamps were just that, 10 days of amazing information by way of PDF’s, emails, podcasts, a forum where we could chat to other members and get help, and of course a daily visit via U-Stream TV and a chat function with Leo Babauta.  Leo and Mary Jaksch (who handles the running of the course) also gave critiques and showed members how to improve their blog.  This was invaluable and my blog was duly changed in August 2009 and I haven’t looked back since.

The course does not focus on subscribers, I only speak about this because subscriber rate is measurable, the course also looks at:

• Psychology of subscribing
• Anatomy of killer content
• Usability
• How to write your about page
• How to craft great headlines
• The art of guest posting
• How to promote your blog

There is so much more than this planned for the new bootcamp and so much that I have left out here as it wouldn’t be fair to Leo if I told you everything that was going to be in the course.

The reason I tell you this is because Leo is hosting another Bootcamp from February 13-17 2010 and it promises to be bigger and better than the one I was on.

Leo is offering his FREE ebook ‘How I Got 100,000 Subscribers in 2 years’ which is itself a great read.  You will get to read how Leo got started and how he shot up the ladder to blogging fame.

People who know me know I rarely promote anything in my blog posts, but I honestly feel if you are a blogger and are struggling to get to the next level you will gain a hell of a lot from it.

As 2010 continues, leaving the hype of the New Year behind, I’m beginning to reflect upon why we as people are so adverse to change. Even with all of these blogs, countless self help books, a plethora of case studies, most of us still find it difficult to really change. Every year we make resolutions, only to break them no more than three months later.

We trust that the spirit of the New Year will guide us towards success, only to find ourselves in the same rut we were last year… and the year before that… and the year before that. It’s this never ending cycle that refuses to let us go. Or in other words, we refuse to let it go.

The culprit of ineffective change

There’s a name for this cycle. It can be commonly referred to as routine. The actions that we perform day in and day out fall under this cycle, for better or for worse. It helps us get through our daily lives, feed our families, and stay current on mortgage payments. Or it keeps us in a never-ending chain of boredom, forcing us to constantly watch TV, stay safe by living too much within our means, and not bother stick to our weight-loss program.

Why is routine so hard to break?

Simple. First, start by asking yourself how we get into routines in the first place. Most of you will answer that, well, you simply got used to it. The actions in a routine become second nature. It got comfortable. And this, my friends, is the reason.

When we get comfortable, we get lazy. Routines tell your mind and body that there’s no need to change. It is because of this that when we do something different (mostly in the form of a New Year’s resolution) we tend to drift back to our routines.

Can I have some “change”?

There’s no easy way to say this, but the only way to start changing who you are is to practice free will. You have to actively choose to change. That means back it up with perceivable action. For example, if you’re trying to lose weight, you might want to keep a diary and record how many fruits, vegetables, and junk food you’ve been eating. You’ll want to keep the fruit and veggies count high, and the junk food count fairly low. It’s a simple yet effective way to gauge your change in diet.

Change is not easy

Mind you, change is hard, especially when been in a routine for many years. But you have to find ways to make the changing process fun if you want to be successful at it. Be creative. Don’t see “being more outgoing” as a long, sweaty slog through awkward conversation. See it as a learning experience. You’re meeting new people. Get happy! There a ton of different ways to start changing yourself, but it doesn’t start with a mere vocal commitment.

It starts with YOU.

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” – Maria Robinson

This is the first video of the year as I want to try out more videos and I am still learning.  Sharon bought me some lighting equipment and green screen for my Christmas and my sons bought me a video camera which was fantastic.

If you would like more videos on CYT let me know by leaving a comment.  I realise that the video I have made just now is not fantastic but they will get better, honest ! if you persevere with me.

I have spoken a little about beliefs as a topic for the first video and called it ‘The Magic Pill’

I love to encourage others to start blogging, even if it is just as a means of self-discovery and free therapy. It’s true… blogging is incredibly effective as a method for handling our daily sources of stress and suffering.

Here’s why:

1. You find yourself constantly emptying your brain.

There is nothing worse than getting stuck inside your own head, in endless loops of self-defeating thoughts. When you are blogging, you get in the habit of writing things down in journals, notebooks, in the margins of your books, anywhere really. You observe something that happens in your life (or in your thoughts), you react on an personal level, and you write it down for a release. This is infinitely healthier than holding it all in.

2. It changes the way you view the world.

Once you start blogging, you begin to pay closer attention to the world around you. You notice the details, live in the present moment, and relish the life lessons, because these become the themes you will write about. You stop going through the motions, living your life on auto-pilot, and instead fully engage in everything that happens. This simple shift in your approach improves the quality of your life in unimaginable ways.

3. Blogging reminds you that you are not alone.

If you isolate yourself when you’re feeling down, you might find yourself thinking no one else out there could be as unfortunate as you are. By comparing yourself to all sorts of unrealistic standards and fantasies, you could easily become convinced that your life is hardly worth living.

But once you start writing about your issues, values, and concerns, and sharing them with the world, you’ll soon meet all sorts of people who “get” who you are, and where you’ve been. Communities form, friendships blossom, and as you start to feel understood, you cannot help but feel better about yourself.

4. Readers hold you accountable.

If you announce to your readers that you are going to lose 50 pounds, or quit smoking, or give up drinking, or donate $100 per day for the next 30 days, you are far more likely to do it than if you just think about these goals. You don’t want to have to report back to your readers that you failed, or gave up, or just got lazy.

Your readers become your cheerleaders and primary supporters, so you find yourself following through on your promises, dreams and goals (for a change). You stop feeling like a quitter, or a failure, and start enjoying your small victories. This gets you well on your way to greater victories down the road.

5. Helping others distracts you from your own issues.

Soon enough you will find yourself in the position of being a role model, friend, or therapist. The bonds you form through blogging run deep, and you end up helping your readers as much as they help you. As you become involved in their issues and challenges, you think less and less of your own. Once again, getting out of your own head minimizes the power of self-defeating thoughts. By helping others you allow new thoughts, positive thoughts, to take the place of the old, unhelpful ones. Optimism becomes your new, every day way of thinking.

So, even if you aren’t looking to become a career blogger, if you are struggling through personal challenges, or stressful situations, consider starting a free hobby blog as one of many possible techniques to help you get back on track.

What do you think? Is it worth a shot?

If you are a blogger, have you found this to be true?

Following the lead from many from Problogger.net post about the best in your niche, I have gathered a list of 52 bloggers who I think will make it big in 2010 with their personal development blogs.

Watch out for:

1. Jonathan Wells – AdvancedLifeSkills.com

Blog: AdvancedLifeSkills.com

Jonathan has been a great source of inspiration over the last year.  His wisdom, knowledge and support to everyone is great to watch.  His blog is an extension of his book 7 Simple Steps is perhaps one of the best personal development books I have read.

Posts by Jonathan:

personal excellence with advanced life skills/

time to focus on abundance instead of scarcity/

optimism and the spirit of renewal/

2. Dragos Roua – DragosRoua.com

Blog: DragosRoua.com

Dragos is flying at the moment and with good reason.  He is a passionate blogger who I have come to known over the last year and he has been a good friend with some great advice and support. He is dedicated to his craft and I predict big things this year for him.

Posts by Dragos:

33 Ways To Start Your Day

100 Ways To Love A Better Life

100 Ways To Screw Up Your Life

3. Robin Easton – NakedInEden.com

Blog: NakedInEden.com

Robin ‘Angel of the internet’ Easton is a beautiful soul with a beautiful heart.  her comments are famous in the personal development field, if you’ve ever had a comment from her you’ll know what I mean.  Her blog is just amazing and her posts ooze wisdom, higher self thinking,  and personality.

Posts by Robin:

When You Know You’re Alive

What Are You Waiting For…Perfection?

Share Your Legacy?

4. David Peralty – LifeSnips.com

Blog: LifeSnips.com

David is an entrepreneur who has recently started Lifesnips.com with high hopes and big plans for it.  I have written several posts for him and his enthusiasm and business skills lead me to believe his plans for LifeSnips being the next DumbLittleMan will be realised this year.

Posts by David

How Being a Geek Made Me More Productive

Best Password Practices Guide

101 Ways To Boost Your Energy Levels

5. Stephen Mills – TheRatRace.com

Blog: RatRaceTrap.com

Stephen Mills is another blogger who writes with passion, knowledge and wisdom.  His posts are always from the heart and often based on his personal life with a message for everyone.

Posts by Stephen:

Are We Disconnecting From Real Life?

The Investment Banker and The Mexican Fisherman

A Values-Based Approach to Goals

6. VinMiller – NaturalBias.com

Blog: NaturalBias.com

Vin Miller is a great blogger blogging about health related issues.  He is not afraid to speak his mind and has a great sense of humour in his writing as well.  His blog is growing in stature and I think Vin will double his readership this year.

Posts by Vin:

KFC Grilled Chicken: Unthink Your Health!

13 Ridiculous Food Labels that Might Be Fooling You

7 Ways We’ve Failed Miserably at Trying to Outsmart Nature

7. Armen Shirvanian – TimelessInformation.com

Blog: TimelessInformation.com

Armen is relatively new on the Personal Development scene, started in May 2008, but he is starting to make an impact.  He has been a guest poster here several times and each time his posts have been well received.  He has recently started experimenting with videos which has showed his real personality and he is actually quite funny.  I definitely think he is one to watch.

Posts by Armen:

The secret to getting better and better

100 Ways to show your boldness

Instant vs delayed gratification

8. Douglas Cartwright – LivingWords.net

Blog: LivingWords.net

Douglas is another blogger who has just come onto the scene and writing a lot of guest posts.  His writing is top class and is thought provoking.  He is a life coach who I think will do great things this year.  I believe with a revamp

Posts by Doug:

Psychological Knots

Can feel it

9. Zeenat Merchant Syal – ZeenatSyal.wordpress.com

Blog: ZeenatSyal.Wordpress.com

Another angel of the internet.  Zeenat has a unique style to her blog in that she writes from the heart and is not afraid to put up quotes, videos, anything to get the message of living positively across.

Posts by Zeenat:

Recurring patterns

Smiles and laughter

RAOKA: My pursuit of happiness

10. Lisis and Alison – QuestForBalance.com

Blog: QuestForBalance.com

The writer is Lisis and the technical and social media person is Alison.  Together they make up a great team in promoting a great blog with loads of interesting and thought provoking articles.  Lisis and I had an unplanned cross/blog conversation which was fantastic and opened my eyes to the power of blogs and the people who run them.

Posts by Lisis

Book Review: Female Brain Gone Insane

Goal-Setting, and the Key to a Peaceful Household

The Star Trek Guide to Enlightenment

11. Patrick Stoeckmann – UnwrapYourMind.com

Blog: UnwrapYourMind.com

Patrick was someone I met at the A-List blogging bootcamp run by Leo Babauta and he has turned out to be a fantastic find.  His writing is fantastic.  His posts are long, always stimulating and he is going to be huge in 2010.

Posts by Patrick:

Kill Your To Do List Before It Kills You.

No Fu – The Warriors Way to Say No

Release Your Fear of Scarcity

12. Ian Peatey – QuantumLearning.pl

Blog: QuantumLearning.pl

Ian Peatey is someone I came across toward the end of last year and I am grateful I did.  He is someone who delves into the hearts of readers and leaves you wanting more.  His comments are always spot on and his blog hits you where it needs to.

Posts by Ian:

10 Books That Shook My World

Do My Words Improve Silence?

Curse Of The Lightning Brain

13. Mike King . LearnThis.ca

Blog: LearnThis.ca

Mike was the one who started the ‘Mega list’ which snowballed and ended up with my current line of books 100 Ways To________ so I have to thank Mike for that. His blog has some fantastic writing on leadership and personal development in general.

Posts by Mike:

How to Free Yourself From Gossip

The Problem with Leadership

Thinking about Personal Development

14. Lana Kravtsova - DreamFollowers.com

Blog: DreamFollowers.com

Lana first came to my attention as she was such a prolific commentor on other personal development blogs and she has been supporting me for a long time. Her blog is coming along brilliantly and she has stepped up her writing and is producing some wonderful stuff.

Posts by Lana:

The Ultimate Guide to Creative Visualization

How To Spend Time With Yourself and Why.

You are NOT responsible for anything and how it can help you reach any of your goals.

15. Celestine Chua – CelestineChua.com

Blog: CelestineChua.com

Celestine’s style of writing grabbed my attention last year and I think she is going to be a tower in 2010.Her blog is about Personal Excellence and she is a life coach who is actually helping people to live their dream life.

Posts by Celes:

Passion or Money?

Discover Your Real Purpose (7-part series)

Are You Sleepwalking Your Life Away?

16. Tim Brownson – ADaringAdventure.com

Blog: ADaringAdventure.com

I have known Tim for a few years now and you won’t find a more dedicated person to blogging, living and helping others live their life for the better. Authro, life coach, British and living in America he personifies what personal development blogs should be about. He has a unique style of writing, not afraid to speak his mind and writes what he wants to write.

Posts by Tim:

The Ultimate Goal Setting Post

Call That A Goal? THIS is a Goal!

The Real Purpose of News

17. Mary Jaksch – GoodLifeZen.com

Blog: GoodLifeZen.com

Mary is another blogger I met at the A-List blogging bootcamp as she was helping Leo to run it. I hadn’t heard of her before but she was already running a very successful blog of her own at the time. Mary’s posts are often long but never boring and I have often bookmarked them to go back and read.

Posts by Mary:

How to Develop Intelligence at Any Age

How to Start Meditating

How to Make a True Friend

18. John Anyasor – HiLife2B.com

Blog: HiLife2B.com

John wrote a post for me back in August of this year and I was extremely impressed with the way he was going about his blogging career. He seemed to be everywhere and reminded me of Leo Babauta. His writing always hits the mark and if he sticks with it will be huge in 2010.

Blog Update: The Road Ahead

Hatred Only Serves to Hurt, Not to Help

How to Get Your Groove Back: Writing, Dancing, Singing, Etc.

19. Gail Brenner – AFlourishingLife.com

Blog: AFlourishingLife.com

Gail Brenner came onto my radar at the latter half of last year and recently wrote a great post on CYT. Her writing seems to grab the reader and suck them in from the very first sentence. I think she could be another ‘Angel of the net’ and one to watch in 2010.

Posts by Gail:

Is It Time to Forgive?

The Wisdom of Restraining Yourself

How (and Why) to Make Fear Your Friend

20. Steve – MyWifeQuitHerJob.com

Blog: MyWifeQuitHerJob.com

I have known Steve for some time now as well and whilst his blog is not strictly personal development it has helped me a lot over the last year. His blog looks at his and his wife’s online store and how they went from $0 to $100,000 per year with their online linen store. It is inspiring and fantastic to read.

Posts by Steve:

How We Stopped Short Of Becoming Lazy Pieces Of Crap

Pricing: Psychological Mind Games That Stores Play

Starting Your Own Business: Do You Have To Risk Your Life Savings?

21. Nadia – HappyLotus.com

Blog: HappyLotus.com

Nadia is another recent blog I came across due to her writing comments on other blogs as well as mine. I love her spiritual writing and quest for enlightenment. her blog is like visiting a Zen garden, I am always at peace when I leave there.

Posts by Nadia

Deja Vu All Over Again: Personal Journey 2.0, My Poetry Book & A Very Important Question For You

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

The Power of Re-Invention

22. David Cain – Raptitude.com

Blog: Raptitude.com

David only started his blog 1 year ago and it is a rising star in the personal development world. I came across him via Twitter and read a few of his posts and immediately signed up to his posts via Google reader.

Posts by David:

88 Important Truths I’ve Learned About Life

Six Amazing Songs That Illustrate What it Means to Be Human

Why Happiness is Such a Struggle

23. Lance – JungleOfLife.com

Blog: JungleOfLife.com

Lance is one of the most down to earth but enlightened bloggers I have read. His conversational style is engaging and yet always teaching. I think he will be bigger and better this year.

Posts by Lance:

Weeds…In Your Life

Clarity = Direction

Shhh….

24. Lori Franklin – JaneBeNimble.com

Blog: JaneBeNimble.com

Lori is another find of late last year and some I signed up to straight away when I read her about me page. NIMBLE is an acronym and you’ll have to visit the blog to0 find out what she called it JaneBeNimble. her writing is funny, enlightening and quirky.

Posts by Lori:

My Writing Life: An Answered Question

Front Porch: Cardboard Sleds, Machu Picchu, and Sami May

Random Acts of Kick Arse: Wacky

25. Jeffrey Tang – ArtOfGreatThings.com

Blog: ArtOfGreatThings.com

Jeffrey’s blog is simplicity in itself. A great design coupled with fantastic writing and topics and you have the makings of a great blogger. I met jeffery at the A-List Blogging bootcamp and he has gone from strength to strength.

Posts by Jeffrey:

A Guide to Self-Reliance Minimalism

Why I’m Cutting Back on Multi-Tasking (And You Should Too)

The Number One Question Entrepreneurs Forget to Ask

26. Dani – PositivelyPresent.com

Blog: PositivelyPresent.com

Dani’s posts are always interesting and quirky and is a mixture of life lessons. poetry, life affirming readings etc. I came across her with her prolific commenting policy on other blogs which seems to have paid off.

Posts by Dani:

A positive present for you

How to be beautiful from the outside in

The difference between happy and not unhappy

27. Arvind Devalia – ArvindDevalia.com

Blog: ArvindDevalia.com

Arvind has had an amazingly busy year this year with lots of projects under his belt. he is a natural leader and writes about peace, love and everything personal development. I think he will go on to be a star on the blogging world.

Posts by Arvind:

6 Key Lessons in Life from a 140 year Old Man

Make It Happen in 30 Days – Just Go On An Adventure!

Blue Moon means its Time for New Beginnings!

28. Friar – DeepFriar.com

Blog: DeepFriar.Wordpress.com

Friar has to be the funniest personal development blogger I have read. His posts are always worth visiting and you will never be disappointed when you read his posts.

Posts by Friar:

An Open Letter to Lucky Charms

Corporate Buzzwords

French Candian Expressions

29. Anastasiya Goers – BalanceInMe.com

Blog: BalanceInMe.com

Anastasiya is another wonderful soul writing on the internet. I met her at the A-List Blogging bootcamp (so many great bloggers came from there) and she has gone on to be a great blogger and great support over the last 6 months.

Posts by Anastasiya:

The Myth of Personal Independence. Are You Falling for It?

Balance Your Life in Two Days

A Simple Guide to Frugal Organic Eating

30. Lodewijk van den Broek – BeAnOriginal.net

Blog: BeAnOriginal.net

Lodewijk has been around for a number of years but has recently re-invented himself and his blog. he has always been a great support and always written some great posts in the past. I am hopeful for him in 2010 on his new domain and am looking forward to his writing again.

Posts by Lodewijk

On Being original

New Beginning

31. Amit Sodha – UnlimitedChoice.org

Blog: UnlimitedChoice.org

Amit has been a very recent find for me and he is a great poster for how blog commenting can be useful to get your name and face known to other bloggers. I seem to see him everywhere, so much so I had to check his blog out and what a great blog it is. Definitely one to watch for 2010.

Posts by Amit:

Perception Vs Reality

Going It Alone

Anchoring

32. Carolyn Rubenstein – CarolynRubenstein.com

Blog: CarolynRubenstein.com

Carolyn is a rare soul who goes out of her way to help others in life. She has worked with children with cancer and is an author, frequent television guest and blogger on huffinton post and Psychology Today and when you read her writing you immediately get the reason why she is so sought after.

Posts by Carolyn:

50 Ways to Add Joy to Your Day

You Don’t Have To Know

Are the odds in your favor?

33. Rosie Jones – LoveLifeGodSexMoney.com

Blog: LoveLifeGodSexMoney.com

Rosie is a baulchy, outspoken, but an extremely talented individual. She is a songwriter, singer, producer, writer, and coach . her writing will grab you where it hurts but it always delivers the message.

Posts by Rosie:

Attitude of gratitude

The power of ‘Just get on with it’

Letter to Jennifer Ellison

34. Ayo Olaniyan – DiscoveringPurpose.co.uk

Blog: DiscoveringPurpose.co.uk

Ayo has been fantastic over the last year and I am so glad I met him. He was the brains behind ‘Meet The Coach’ series which went down well with readers and he also guest posted a few times. His blog is also a fantastic read.

Posts by Ayo:

Tips To Become Hot!!!!!!!

20 Ways To Build Resilience

My Final Word: THANK YOU!!!

35. Nik Karlil – PersonalDevelopmentPro.com

Blog: PersonalDevelopmentPro.com

Nik Karlil was a member of the A-List blogging Bootcamp and has gone on to good things over the last year. A regular commenter and guest author on CYT, I have grown to really like him and his blog and wish him big things in 2010.

Posts by Nik:

How To Be Interesting

15 Ways To Get Smarter (and wiser)

Houdini, Blank State and Calmness

36. Eduard Ezeanu – IdeasWithAKick.com

Blog: IdeasWithAKick.com

Eduard burst onto the scene about 4 months ago and really got himself known with his guest posting and commenting policy. His writing is refreshing and his blog equally so. He is going to be big if he continues doing what he’s doing.

Posts by Eduard:

Effective personal development starts here

Positive thinking won’t help you now

Smile! Real, fake, people can’t really tell

37. Jonathan Beebe – DevelopMinds.com

Blog: DevelopMinds.com

Jonathan has only been blogging for about 1 year but is doing great and making big strides on the blog front. He is interested in the same kind of mind tools which is why he stood out for me and he subsequently guest posted on CYT. I think he has a great future ahead of him.

Posts by Jonathan:

Feed Your Mind – Part One

Stress and Your Mind

Best of Develop Minds Blog 2009

38. Mr Self Development – MrSelfDevelopment.com

Blog: MrSelfDevelopment.com

A no nonsense blogger who I admire a lot for his tenacity and view of life, you can’t help but love his writing and I think he will make it big time in 2010.

Posts by MrSelfDevelopment:

5 Steps to a Six Pack

Sex Contracts

How to Discover Your Life’s Purpose in the Next 10 Minutes

39. Tess Marshall – TheBoldLife.com

Blog: The BoldLife.com

Tess is another blogger who regularly comments on other blogs. She has recently written a great post on CYT and I have checked out her blog on and off over the last few months and I’ve never been disappointed when I visited her blog.

Posts by Tess:

Local Grocery Store’s Happiest Employee

60 Ways To Become The Person You Love

Love Yourself: Be The Underdog

40. Sherri – SereneJourney.com

Blog: SereneJourney.com

Sherri is yet another blogger from the A-List Bloogging Bootcamp. Sherri has a great blog here and has also started one at ZenFamilyHabits.net which is an offshoot of the famous Zen-Habits.net blog by Leo Babauta.

Posts by Sherri:

Quick Clean Your Home In Under 20 Minutes

Secrets of the Perpetually Unhappy

Purge Just 7 Things – A Weekend Challenge

41. Belinda Munoz – TheHalfWayPoint.net

Blog: TheHalfWayPoint.net

Belinda has a blog which has a simple, clean design which is like her writing. She has been another great support to CYT over the last year. I think this is the year her blog will take off.

Posts by Belinda:

Philanthropy 101: Learning to Give

50 Simple Ways to Pay It Forward

5 Critical Skills We Must Never Lose in the Information Age

42. Dayne – TheHappySelf.com

Blog: TheHappySelf.com

Dayne is someone I met through twitter and have followed his blog posts with interest. He has a great design on his blog and I like his writing style and overall feel of his writing and think he will make 2010 his own.

Posts by dayne:

Living Naked: Personal Transformation Through Bare Simplicity

Two Magic Words To Eliminate Anxiety and Panic

Zen and The Awakened Soul

43. Eren McKay – EmbracingHome.com

Blog: EmbracingHome.com

Eren has a great blog but when I first visited it I thought it was a girlie girlie blog, but then I read her writing and quickly changed my mind. She is a christian blogger who doesn’t mind hearing other peoples opinions. It is a family oriented blog with a christian outlook and even though I am not a believer of God I respect her writing.

Posts by Eren:

How to organize important office files organizing papers – end clutter today

Weight Loss Motivation Tips and Encouragement

Goal Based Ethics — Why is Setting Goals Important?

44. Justin Dixon – ALittleBetter.net

Blog: ALittleBetter.net

Justin is a blogger who doesn’t mind speaking his mind and I have spoken with him on several conference calls from the bootcamp. His writing is top notch, and is a frequent guest blogger. I haven’t seen him around for a few weeks so hopefully, he’s only having a little break.

Posts by Justin:

How to Prepare Yourself For a Marriage That Lasts

13 Profound Statements Via Twitter

How to Choose and Attract Friends Wisely

45. Walter Adena – LionSlinger.com

Blog: LionSlinger.com

Walter has a great blog which is well design and easy to navigate. I recently discovered his blog through his commenting and found it to be a great place for personal development. He has already made strides with his blog and I believe he will do even better this year.

Posts by Walter

Nobody wants to listen

Why are we having problems with problem?

Pitfalls of instant gratification

46. Mark Foo – TheBigDreamer.com

Blog: TheBigDreamer.com

Mark is a very recent find for me and I have only read his posts through email and other bloggers blogs due to a problem with his site. I think he will be one to watch this year.

Posts by Mark:

Positive Thinking – Why You Need It To Succeed

25 Ways To Influence Others

How To Raise Your Self-Esteem By Acknowledging And Accepting Yourself

47. Brett – DareToExpress.com

Blog: DareToExpress.com

Brett is young blogger in every sense and I love his style of writing and the way he is not afraid to use new media to get through to his audience. A lot of people will now brett through his comments and his blog, only a few months old, will be huge in 2010.

Posts by Brett:

How To Disarm Fear

Presence Makes Everything You Do A Celebration of Your Life

Memento and The Dark Side of Personal Development

48. Robin Dickinson – RadSmarts.com

Blog: RadSmarts.com

Robin has been a great help to CYT over the last year and I only recently visited his blog and discovered how great it was. His writing is a mix of business and personal development and written with a very intelligent, and clear voice. I hope Robin makes it as big as he deserves.

Posts by Robin:

How leading bloggers write highly effect…

A perfect tweet

An incredibly effective writing formula

49. Nea – Blog.SelfImprovementSaga.com

Blog: SelfImprovementSaga.com

nea’s blog is about the law of attraction but definitely falls into the category of personal development. She has been seen a lot around CYT and I think her blog is a great place to spend some time and read her writing.

Posts by Nea:

Law of Attraction Bible Debate: Is It Against Your Religion?

Self Improvement Journey from Zero Talent to Extraordinary Success

Inspirational Story – Blind Mountain Hikers

50. Evelyn Lim – AbundanceTapestry.com

Blog: AbundanceTapestry.com

The lovely Evelyn Lim has embraced the internet in all it’s glory and uses it for her business, her life coaching and her writing. Her writing is focused on the law of attraction and there are some great articles over there.

Posts by Evelyn:

How To Love Yourself In 17 Ways

A Random Act of Kindness: 15 Ideas To Kickstart Your Intention

Reduce Junk Food Cravings in Only 9 Minutes

51. Alex Fayle – SomedaySyndrome.com

Blog: SomedaySyndrome.com

Alex is another blogger who I found out about through twitter and I am so glad I did. His posts are infrequent but they are worth reading when they come out. If he is still into blogging and posts regularly he has a hit on his hands.

Posts by Alex:

Resolving to Be Happier: The Happiness Project

Dealing with Detours & Limited Visibility: Planning vs Living

Course Changes on the Someday Journey: Reorienting Goals

52. Timothy Enalls – InspirationPro.net

Blog: InspirationPro.net

Timothy has been supporting CYT for a few months now and with his comments I have followed his blog and I think he will make it big and be one to watch for 2010.

posts by Timothy:

12 Fundamentals of Instant Charisma

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Greatest Message to the World

9 Powerful Techniques for Persuading People

“Ever since there have been human beings, they have given themselves over to too little joy. That alone my friends, is our original sin. I should only believe in a God who knows how to dance.” – Henri Matisse

Don’t we all want a little more joy in our lives? Living in our chaotic world it’s easy to get caught up in every emotion but joy.  Someone who is truly joyful doesn’t get hooked into what’s wrong with our world. It doesn’t mean they don’t care. It means they don’t live in fear. It’s impossible to be fearful and joyful at the same time.

Don’t allow tension, anxiety, depression or world events steal your joy.

How to feel joy and dance with life:

1. Call forth feelings of love and appreciation for yourself. Everybody has days when they feel unworthy of love. Think of a child you love and transfer those loving feelings to yourself. Let the warm and heartfelt feeling blanket you from head to toe.
2. Find pleasure in simple things. It’s easy to live a simple life when you can find appreciation for simple things. Feelings of lack come from overlooking the pleasure of a cold drink, a hug, a new book or a simple blade of grass.
3. Stay out of debt. Debt is one of the leading causes of emotional and psychological stress. Last year I decided to eliminate one purchase a month. In January it was designer coffee, in February it was magazines, in March it was new clothes and as the 2009 comes to an end I rarely have any unnecessary purchases.
4. How are you giving back to life? Do something altruistic and fun. This year we donated money to “Wounded Warriors” and “The Smile Train.” In 2010 we are going to work with wwww.peanutbutterplan.org. People gather to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and then hand them out to the homeless.
5. Forgive yourself and others. Is someone in your life you need to forgive and can’t or won’t for some reason? Become aware of the story you tell yourself about this person. Next, drop the story. Everyone deserves another chance. Resentment is like having a ball and chain around you ankle that weighs you down. Choose to begin with a clean slate each morning.
6. Eliminate gossip in your life. For the next 24 hours only speak positively about others. Tiger Woods and his family is an example of gossip gone wrong. In order for Tiger to heal his life he needs our support and prayers not our gossip and insane inquiry of details.
7. Avoid unhappy people. Refuse to be in the presence of people who bring you down or deplete your energy. Surrounding yourself with happy and successful people sounds selfish. It’s not. It’s one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself.
8. Get off the pity pot. Drop your story about your past. It’s impossible to be happy if you blame others for your life circumstances. You aren’t responsible for what happened to you in your childhood. You are responsible for how you handle it today
9. Find hobbies that make time stand still. In our busy lives many of us don’t allow time to play or get creative. Pursuing a hobby is a joyful gift to your self.
10. Learn to accept constructive criticism. I was twenty two years old, out-of-control and an immature mother when my brother-in-law, Paul, looked me in the eyes and said, “you need help.” With a few months I decided to get counseling. Because I didn’t take it personally his comment changed my life.
11. Live by the golden rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Being able to put myself in another’s shoes has allowed me to be kind, generous and caring when I haven’t wanted to be. We are all on the same path doing the best we know how to do.
12. Choose calm over drama. It’s easy to get caught up in what is going on around you. Inner peace is being able to remain centered in any kind of difficulty.
13. Focus on good. Begin every morning by writing down five things that are right in your world. Today I have my health, my home, a car that runs, food in my refrigerator and people who love me. When we focus on good it multiplies.
14. Change your routine. We are creatures of habit. Take an alternative route to work, change your cologne and sleep on the other side of the bed. This expands creativity and allows you see things in a different light.
15. Radiate positive energy. Decide each morning that you will make it a great day. Choose to smile, laugh and help others. Doing so adds truth and beauty to our world.
16. Be open to change. If you were brave what’s one thing you would do differently? Learn to be flexible and open to the opinions of others. Notice any resistance in your life. When we can embrace change fears fade away.
17. Learn to say “no.” Often we say “yes” out of obligation or guilt. I have learned to say, “No, that’s not going to work for me” when someone asks me to do something I don’t want to do. I never offer an excuse. Usually after repeating the line twice the other person backs down.
18. Read inspiring poetry and uplifting books. You always feel better when you do. This is why “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books are best sellers.
19. Move your body. Being active gets endorphins going and creates feel good energy. Our bodies are built for exercising. I saw a 79 year old man finish the iron man in Hawaii for the eleventh time in a row. I’ll never forget it.
20. Express love. Do you share your love with those around you? Often we don’t tell people how we feel about them. We think they “should know.” Maybe it’s uncomfortable for you to do so. Begin to practice telling others: I love you, I care about you, you are important to me. Hug and kiss when you greet the people who mean the most to you. Call somebody and tell them you are thinking of them. You have the power to uplift others. When you do so you are uplifted as well.

    We decide how much joy we experience every day. We decide weather we trudge or dance through life. Please share with us your thoughts below.

In what way do you give yourself away to “to too little joy?”

What would “understanding how to dance” look like in your life?”

What might you do to encourage others to “dance?”