Life On Your Terms

7 Proven Tips On How To Set Goals

2012-02-21T12:56:00.000-05:00

If you want to learn about how to set goals effectively, then you will want to read this article. In this article, I want to provide 7 proven tips on how to set goals.

What we will achieve in our life depend on what goals we set. If we want to live a meaningful life, we have to know clearly, what we want out of life. What is the most important to us. Successful people always know clearly, what they want out of life.

What can be worse than people don't know what they want to reach in their life, when they always focus on their problems, when they always talk about what they don't want.

Why set goals?

Click HERE to read the entire article by Gitana

Seven Self Improvement Tips That Will Make A Difference

2012-02-21T12:45:00.000-05:00

Article City

For people who are through it, they can tell you that self improvement is a journey. It all depends on where one is starting from. The most necessary thing but is getting that first step out of the way.

Self improvement comes with the fulfillment that comes from understanding oneself. It is through this understanding that you get to grasp your house within the universe and your role here. You can understand that not everything has got to be a struggle; you can achieve success, made and happy and fulfil your mission.

As I have studied self improvement over the years, I've got picked out 7 self improvement tips that are a should for you to implement so that you'll see yourself started on the journey of private growth. I'm going to share them with you in this article.

You can read the rest of this essay by Amie Erickson - click HERE.

I Am a Habit

2012-01-12T17:13:00.002-05:00

by John DiLemme

H-A-B-I-T...When 95% of people hear this word, a negative thought pops up in their minds. Typically, most people think of a habit being negative. The secret to your future lies in your daily habits so ask yourself right now, "Are my habits today going to help me achieve my WHY in life?" This is a life-empowering question if you truly ask it and listen for the answer.

I received the following excerpt from a very dear friend of mine and felt that it is definitely the best explanation of a habit that I have ever heard:

I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.
Half the things you do, you might just as well turn over to me,
and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.
I am easily managed; you must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done, and after a few
lessons I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great men.
And, alas, of all failures as well.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine, though I work with all the precision of a machine.
Plus, the intelligence of a man.
You may run me for profit, or run me for ruin; it makes no difference to me.
Take me, train me, be firm with me and I will put the world at your feet.
Be easy with me, and I will destroy you.
Who am I?
I am a HABIT!

One of my daily habits that is the foundation of my life is spending 1-2 hours each and every morning feeding my body physically by exercising and feeding my mental spirit by reading or listening to a motivational message. This habit warms me up for the day ahead.

Everyone washes their physical body and feeds their body every morning, but 95% of people will find an excuse about why they can not find the "TIME" to invest in a habit of feeding their MINDS! This parallels the statistic that 95% of people are dead or dead broke by the age 65. I consider this particular daily habit of mine to be the driving force behind my ability to consistently maintain my intense focus on the journey of success and living a dream life.

Is it easy all the time? Of course not, but when it becomes a habit -you will do it! If you commit today to begin each morning warming yourself up for the day ahead by feeding your mental spirit, your entire life will change in a positive fashion very quickly. It is like driving a race car with the emergency brake on and you try to go ahead, but you can't move. You stay in the same location with your wheels spinning, burning up, making a lot of noise, but not going anywhere! All it takes is to release the brake and you will fly towards toward your WHY in life!! You need to review what your habits are and ask yourself..."Would I recommend MY habits to someone I truly love and care about?" Your entire future lies in your daily habits-positive or negative. You have the most powerful force right now in your hands, the ability to decide what your habits will begin to be.

Motivating Lifestyle Freedom Millionaires!
John Di Lemme

Article Source: eZine Articles

John shocks millions globally by exposing the truth about how to achieve monumental life success despite the labels that society has placed on you. Through his award winning live seminars, power-packed training programs, live tele-classes, and website http://www.ChampionsAreBornLosersAreMade.com

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The Miracle of Personal Development

2010-01-07T13:26:00.002-05:00

By: Jim Rohn

One day Mr. Shoaff said, "Jim, if you want to be wealthy and happy, learn this lesson well: Learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job."

Since that time I've been working on my own personal development. And I must admit that this has been the most challenging assignment of all. This business of personal development lasts a lifetime.

You see, what you become is far more important than what you get. The important question to ask on the job is not, "What am I getting?" Instead, you should ask, "What am I becoming?" Getting and becoming are like Siamese twins: What you become directly influences what you get. Think of it this way: Most of what you have today you have attracted by becoming the person you are today.

I've also found that income rarely exceeds personal development. Sometimes income takes a lucky jump, but unless you learn to handle the responsibilities that come with it, it will usually shrink back to the amount you can handle.

If someone hands you a million dollars, you'd better hurry up and become a millionaire. A very rich man once said, "If you took all the money in the world and divided it equally among everybody, it would soon be back in the same pockets it was before."

It is hard to keep that which has not been obtained through personal development

So here's the great axiom of life:

--To Have More Than You've Got, Become More Than You Are--

This is where you should focus most of your attention. Otherwise, you just might have to contend with the axiom of not changing, which is:

--Unless You Change How You Are, You'll Always Have What You've Got--

To Your Success,

Jim Rohn

Reproduced with permission from Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine. Copyright 2005 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved worldwide. To subscribe to Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine, go to [http://Jim-Rohn.InspiresYOU.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Life Versus Lifestyle

2009-09-14T13:46:00.002-04:00

By Robin Harris

There is a difference but what constitutes a life and what constitutes a lifestyle is pretty ambiguous. One thing that seems pretty clear to me is the lifestyle is observable while a life can have many internal aspects to it. A lifestyle can include people, material things, environments, how we spend our time, energy, and money. A life includes things like our beliefs, our values, our commitments, our soul’s dream, and our vision. If you choose a lifestyle first you could wind up with an empty fortress. If you choose the life first, you will design your lifestyle to support the life.

Since most of us already have a lifestyle, and a default life, we usually have to do some redesign work. Choose a life and then redesign our lifestyle. It is possible that the lifestyle you currently have will never support the life you truly want to live. It is possible the lifestyle you currently have has many supporting structures and only minor renovations need to occur. It is possible that you are a highly intuitive person and your lifestyle is in perfect alignment. I know very few people who fall into that category. My dad does but what I notice about him, is he and my mother made a conscious decision to structure their lives around their spiritual values. They made that decision early in their marriage and lived true to it. Now it’s interesting that my parents are actually old enough to be my grandparents, (my mother is no long living) and I noticed that many earlier generations were not given to having transformational conversations so learning was a very different process then than it is now. The fact that we have e-courses and teleclasses and magazines and tons of books that are created to help people learn to live more meaningful and personally fulfilling lives represents a shift from how things use to be.

As we evolve we begin to look at various aspects of our lives for congruence to our values and commitments. The disparity shows up with exclamation marks behind them and sometimes our response is discouragement and self-disappointment. We act as if we should have known better when the truth is how could we have known better? So the first thing to get over is “I didn’t know” and then after we get over that we come to “but I know now…now what?” It takes a courageous person to see this and then set their intentions on bringing integrity into their life so that their lifestyle gives them a life that serves their higher self. You will notice some people trying to work around it, pretending it doesn’t matter that their lifestyles don’t measure up to their core values.

The real problem is once you see the inconsistency, not doing anything actually makes things worse and you lose ground really fast. It cost you big time to keep that inconsistency in place. You can’t be with yourself and be at peace in your life. It wears you down like water will wear down a mountain over time. Your life will devolve instead of evolve. If that is not a price that’s too high to pay, I don’t know what is. Just think about it and choose wisely the path you will follow.

Article source: eZine Articles

Robin Harris is a DesignerLife Coach whose focus is to empower self-motivated entrepreneurs and individuals to achieve their greatest potential while discovering and honoring their core values. Contact Robin through her web site http://www.designerlifecoaching.com or by email at robin@designerlifecoaching.com

Creating Your Future

2009-09-11T13:22:00.001-04:00

By: Lee Down

The questions of life may call to you. You may wonder about your purpose. You may feel out of place, disconnected, just a bit out of sync. You may want to find clarity; to find the stillness in your mind. That elusive quality where time loses all meaning. You may not even know what it is that you seek but you sit there in your skin and you know something is making you uncomfortable.

Well, I'm here to tell you that it's okay. It's not unusual or abnormal. The bigger questions of life and the role you want to play in that are great questions! Important questions! To not ask them and seek your own answers would resign you to an existence of numbness and one day, possibly regret. But it doesn't have to be that way. It's never too late and there is no deadline.

The journey itself can be a tremendous reward. And don't be fooled! The pursuit of worthy goals and self-discovery is not easy. There will be plenty of tough times, inner soul searching, periods of enormous movement and change, periods of stagnation and possibly even despair. There will be times when you think you have found that groove you've always been looking for and then there will be times when you feel as though you haven't a hope in the world of finding your place. This is normal.

Everyone who experiences life will encounter variations of questions pertaining to their values that will challenge them at crossroads in life. Sometimes we heed these inner callings but often times, external forces to our sense of security in the world will push these inner callings deep into the mud. Instead we are fearful of change or to focused on the negatives or "what if" scenarios. So we play it safe and ignore our inner callings.

We're all looking for "that career" that will reward us in the way we need to be rewarded. For some it may be money. For others it may be prestige, recognition and yet someone else it is just the fact they get to "do what they love doing." Everyone will have a unique journey to reach their discovery. The journey will be made intentionally or unintentionally. It will be confused and painful or it can be enlightened by your own self-awareness. Don't get so focused on the goal that you don't get the full experience of the journey. The journey is so critical.

During the journey your experiences will offer you with so many valuable clues about yourself. Who you are. What makes you thrive. What puts you to sleep. The kind of people you like to work with. The environments you prefer. All of these experiences and many many more specific pieces relevant to you, your profession, passion, skills, and personality. All of them can be incorporated into your goal.

You, your life, your values, and beliefs, and many other things, will change. So keep dreaming, keep looking at the goal. But do so with the knowledge and understanding of your journey. Implement adjustments to your navigation system towards your goal if it changes. The experiences of your life and the decisions and their consequences will teach you so much. Allow yourself to take that journey, without knowing when it will end nor where it will take you. Get comfortable with not knowing. Keep seeking. Don't be afraid to take that next step. This is the very thing I too have to challenge myself on every day.

Article source: Article Dashboard

Lee Down is a Professional Coach, Trainer/Facilitator, Speaker, & Writer of One Man Can Human Capital Development that focuses on relationships, the key foundation to success in business and life. With more than 15 years professional experience and a thirst for truth and understanding, he focuses on the human spirit and human capacity. Working with clients, he facilitates the breaking down of beliefs, barriers or obstacles that bring clients forward on their journey of discovery with spirit, energy, abundance, passion and purpose, integrating the mind and body experience. Working with business, he brings visionary leadership and relationship skills to the forefront that witnesses an empowered culture evolve and develop directly impacting the improvement to the bottom-line.

Attracting Success

2009-09-07T21:50:00.002-04:00

by Sharron Myers

We all wish to be successful and yet somehow we seem to be missing the target. In this article we will show you how to become more successful in all your endeavors.

Success often eludes many people. Like the inevitable pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, people set their hearts on following their dreams only to wake up disappointed.

Disappointment can be crushing to people. They sit and wonder what on earth they did wrong. They may have a strong belief in that pot of gold, but a dream alone cannot make your visions a reality.

You may have read a myriad of books and followed all the rules and imagined yourself as the successful person that you want to be. Your vision may be crystal clear and that is a good thing. The Bible says, “Without a vision the people perish”. The problem remains that envisioning yourself as successful is not enough.

What are your dreams?

What are you hopes for the future?

Have you ever written them down?

If you could be anything that you wanted to be and go where you wanted to go, who would you be? What would you be like? Where would you be living?

I want you to take a few moments now and write down the answer to these questions. Be as specific as you can so you can visualize these things as being true today. Crystallize these ideals in your mind.

Don’t cheat here, this is an important exercise, now go and write the answers down on a piece of paper, or better still in a book. You can call this your Dream Book to Success.

Now ask yourself this question: What do I need to do in order to live the life I dream of?

What do I need to do to make my dreams a reality?

The first step is to make sure you do not put off the vision too far in the distance. Don’t live on tomorrow’s sunshine. At the same time, don’t expect to have a change overnight. There is no magic pill that is going to bring about your dream. There is no easy road that will bring you to the Emerald City.

Someone once said “the road to success is filled with hard knocks” and this is reality.

You CAN achieve your dreams only if you systematically prepare yourself to receive them. You also must believe that you CAN receive them.

Henry Ford said, “If you think you can you can, and if you think you can’t, you can’t”

If you believe that you CAN achieve your dreams then it’s time for you to start planning on how you are going to make your dreams of success come true. Don’t let fear sabotage your thinking. If you have faith, you can move mountains! Sometimes though a mountain must be moved a piece at a time.

This takes planning. No amount of wishful thinking will get you what you want. Your vision may be crystal clear but with out a plan it’s just a dream. You need to plan your life in order to get the results you wish for.

You need to set goals for yourself. I know, you hate the thought of setting goals, but unless you put it down in writing and give it a date, it won’t happen. I can guarantee it.

Do you see yourself as slim and sitting on a beach somewhere? Well if you need to lose weight, dreaming isn’t going to make it happen. You must write down your goal for losing weight.

In order for my dream to come true I must lose __________ pounds. This is a good start. Now visualize yourself standing in front of a mirror weighing your perfect weight. Doesn’t that feel good?

This is your target, your dream, your vision. Now ask yourself, in order to reach that goal, what steps do I need to take today. Is it reasonable to say to yourself that you could lose 10 pounds a month? Too much? How about 4 pounds a month? Can you make a decision to yourself to lose 1 pound a week. In a year that would be 52 pounds! If you lost 2 pounds a week that would be 104 pounds! See how much you can do by breaking your goals down to bite size pieces. Your mountain can literally be moved piece by piece, or pound by pound in this example. Voila ! Success!

There is nothing mystical in making your dreams a success. In every situation you can do it piece by piece until your mountain is moved and you achieve Success

Article source:Article Trader

This article is bought to you by Sharron Myers
Sharron Myers has been a teacher of Spiritual Truth for over 30 years. She also is a Certified Aromatherapist and Personal Development Consultant. Be sure to check out her site: www.sharron-myers.com

To Live the Life You Want, Learn the Skills You Need
www.sharron-myers.com

Charlie "Tremendous" Jones: No More Free Lunch

2009-08-25T19:05:00.002-04:00

I remember the first time I met Charlie "Tremendous" Jones many years ago. He was speaking at a network marketing function in Allen Park, Michigan in the early 1980's. He had recently written the book, "Life Is Tremendous" and after his speech, he was signing books in the back of the auditorium.

Many years later, I was attending another marketing seminar where Charlie was speaking. I was amazed at the energy and enthusiasm he generated.

Though Mr. Jones has passed away, I can still recall both speaking events, the message he shared with us, and it brings a grateful smile to my face for having had the opportunity to shake his hand.

Thank you Charlie.

Achieving Soaring Self-Esteem and Incredible Confidence

2009-08-24T10:21:00.002-04:00

by: Sophie Brading

This really is the way to improving your Self -Belief, achieving SOARING Self- Esteem and having Incredible Confidence!

The most essential factor of self-confidence is really liking yourself.

Those who like themselves are happy and optimistic; they are comfortable and at ease with themselves and fantastic to be around; they always give the impression of being lucky; and they have huge warm hearts.

Do you like yourself?

Do you feel great about who you are? Are you satisfied with the qualities and talents you have? Are you truly pleased to be you? If your answer is yes this is how you feel about you, then congratulations you don't need to read on! If not, here are some simple steps and exercises for you to complete:

STEP ONE

Take a pen and paper and write down your answers to these statements:

The ONE main reason I'm glad I'm me is...

TEN things I like about myself are....

FIVE things that really make me unique are...

THREE things that I've failed to notice or appreciate about myself are...

THREE things about myself I wouldn't want to change are....

Don't worry if you can't come up with enough answers, the most important things is you will be beginning a routine that will put you in good position for the rest of your life - the practice of loving and valuing yourself. Keep asking yourself these questions and it will soon feel completely natural.

STEP TWO

Choose your thoughts EXTREMELY carefully - the simple fact is you are what you think.

The only difference between a happy person and a depressed person is what they choose to focus on.

You are completely free to choose your thoughts, the ones you hold onto and which ones you let go.

We have around 90,000 thoughts a day, 60,000 of these are repetitive. In other words most of what we think about is habitual.

Frequently people take the negative, fearful thoughts more seriously than the happy, exciting ones. The excuse might be that they are being "realistic".

To break this habit you need to change your focus and protect yourself against negative thoughts that damage you. You also need to acknowledge and go with the positive ones that support and encourage you.

Any time you feel down, dejected or negative, change your thoughts immediately. Come up with some positive statements to use or use positive affirmations. Always use in present tense in the future. (i.e. I am, I have...). Change your physiology... hold your head up, look up and hold a big wide smile. All simple ways to help change your mood quickly.

STEP THREE

Model confident people. Find people that have achieved what you want in life and find out how they did it and then follow the same steps.

Find people with shining self-confidence and notice their characteristics. Start to use the words they use, move how they move, think how they think! Find out what they do that makes an impact and try it yourself. Listen, learn and copy.

STEP FOUR

Choose your influences CAREFULLY. You are exposed to all kinds of outside influences and opinions every day from family, friends, newspapers, television, politicians, religious leaders. The news selected for us can paint a very bleak view of the world. Especially right now!! News of thousands losing their jobs, homes and businesses does help with our outlook of the world. The most important thing to be aware of this and to be careful about the choices you make about the influences you choose. Flood your mind with the most positive, inspiring and uplifting thoughts and ideas you can find.

Exercise:

Spend at least 30 minutes each day reading or listening to something uplifting. Select tunes for your IPOD (or make up a CD) of songs that make you happy!

Search out stories of inspiring stories of people that have achieved things against all odds. Read auto-biographies of successful people. Seek out interviews of successful people.

Now are you ready for a Happy You "Life Improver"

Now I want you to treat yourself.

Seriously spoil yourself. Treat yourself to something you consider to be a special and lavishness in itself.

Some ideas might be:

Take yourself out to lunch or breakfast or simply to enjoy a cup of coffee in a cafe. Toast yourself.

Pamper yourself with a sumptuous experience. Imagine you are getting ready a treat for a very special person. Arrange candles, play wonderful, relaxing music, burn essential oils and pour a glass of your favourite wine. Fill the bath up deep with bubbles. Lie back, relax and enjoy! Then repeat to yourself "I like myself.." 10 times.

Cook yourself a terrific meal - take time with selecting the menu and get the finest ingredients.

Take yourself to the cinema - watch a feel good movie.

Buy yourself a great uplifting novel and take the time to read it!

Do something you've always wanted to do and haven't got round to - horse-riding, ice-skating, sailing, yoga or singing lessons.

Or use your imagination and come up with something that is soooo special to you.

LAST NOTE...

Self-belief carries with it security and self-acceptance. Everything in your life is a reflection of what you feel and deserve and what you are thinking about. Learn to love yourself, think positively and you'll never need anyone's approval again.

Appreciate yourself for all you do and are.

Article source: Article City

About The Author

I'm Sophie. I'm a Life Coach, accredited with a High Distinction. I specialize in empowering professional women whether they have their own business, or have a desire to start their own business. I provide women with the tools to improve their confidence, raise their self esteem and empower them to take full responsibility of their lives and map out brilliant futures for themselves. Visit the author's web site at: http://www.HappyYouCoaching.co.uk/

Profiles in Greatness: Thomas Edison

2009-08-16T09:51:00.002-04:00

Success Magazine

When he was 21, Thomas Alva Edison patented the first of 1,093 inventions in the United States. He brought the world sustained electric light, recorded music, motion pictures and the first modern research laboratory. But in addition to his brilliance in the lab, Edison was an entrepreneur, a man who understood the most important personal-development principles for success.

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

Edison was born on Feb. 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio. When he was 7, his family moved to Port Huron, Mich. He attended school up until the age of 12, but wasn’t considered the best student, so he took a job selling newspapers and candy on a train that ran daily back and forth to Detroit. The trip included a six-hour layover in Detroit midday, where Edison later said he read “the entire public library.”

Three Characteristics of a Genius—Do you possess them?

2009-08-08T15:33:00.002-04:00

by Brian Tracy

Geniuses throughout the ages have been found to possess three special characteristics.

Characteristic #1:

First, all geniuses seem to have developed the ability to concentrate single mindedly on one question, problem or goal at a time, and to exclude all other diversions or distractions. The more intensely you concentrate your thoughts and attention, and the more intensely you are emotionally involved with a problem or goal, the more likely it is that your mind will respond with the kind of creative ideas that you need. And the good news is that concentration comes from practicing the process of concentrating whenever you have something you want to accomplish.

One of the best ways to develop this habit of concentration is to define your goal or problem clearly, in writing, at the top of a piece of paper. Then, write down every single detail that you can think of that pertains to that goal or problem. Write every fact, figure and piece of information that you have. The more you write, the more likely it is that you will come up with exactly the idea that you need to solve the problem or difficulty that is currently holding you back.

Read about the other characteristics of a genius.

Don’t Forget to Dream

2009-08-02T11:15:00.004-04:00

by Ginny Dye

"Sometimes we know that something has to change in our lives. That need often gives birth to a dream. The problem is we often succumb to the fear of the unknown and turn our backs on the doors that are opening to us.

Life was different back in the 1800's. Charles Tiffany was 15 when he completed his formal
education and went to work managing a general store for his father who owned a Connecticut
cotton mill. He worked long, hard hours - learning new things every day. At 25 he still had
nothing to call his own - and very little money.

Let Necessity Breed Action

It was time to change his life - time to create his own success. I can imagine the conversation
he had with his friend, and new partner, John Young.

"We're going to New York!"

"To do what?" John asked warily.

"We're going to open our very own stationery & notions store on Broadway!"

By now John was looking at him like he'd lost his mind, "With what money?"

"I've talked my father into loaning us $1000."

"$1000! That's all? How are we supposed to start a new business and have money to live on with
just $1000?"

Charles had the perfect answer. "It's either that or be stuck here for the rest of our lives."

The two young men went to New York - It was 1837.

Enlarge Your Expectations

The first three days of business in their new store on Broadway were not promising. Tiffany &
Young raked in a dismal $4.38 in sales. No matter. With their sights set on success, the young
men worked hard to provide products people wanted. Within two years they were selling glassware,
cutlery, porcelain, clocks and jewelry.

They had also learned a tremendous amount. They knew to search for every opportunity. They knew
to take advantage of ways to expand their business. They knew each year would bring new
challenges and opportunities. But Charles still had no idea what they would become.

Look For Ways to Expand

In 1841 they added a new partner - someone to travel abroad to increase their purchasing power.

Six years later they recognized a growing market for quality gold jewelry and began to
manufacture their own.

Just one year later, in 1847, Europe was rocked by disturbances. One of the results was diamonds
declining 50% in Paris. They took advantage of the situation to purchase huge amounts - gaining
enormous profits back in America.

All the while they were moving into bigger and better storefronts. In 1867 they moved into the
famous store still on Broadway - Tiffany's.

The young man who left Connecticut to open a stationery store became the owner of a $2 Million
dollar business (the equivalent of a multi-billion dollar business today) that was acknowledged
as the greatest jewelry company in North America.

Room To Grow

Sometimes your original dream may be just a shadow of its true potential. Tiffany never dreamed
of creating the greatest jewelry company in North America. He simply moved toward every
opportunity - keeping his mind and heart open to every possibility

Follow your dream. Take the steps to bring it to reality. But don't let your own ability to
dream limit you. Give the dream room to grow. Give it every opportunity to become more. Take
advantage of your lessons learned and continue to forge ahead."

By: Ginny Dye

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Ginny Dye owns 5 companies, is a published author of 18 books, owns her own publishing company, has 20 years in sales and marketing management, has designed internet marketing systems, developed corporate materials, and coached men and women in achieving their dreams. This is her greatest passion. Most recently she has launched Together We Can Change the World DAY which mobilizes and connects people across the U.S.

Your Dominant Thoughts - How To Take Advantage Of Them

2008-09-07T19:35:00.001-04:00

By: Gary Simpson

Self belief is a wonderful thing.

I know from my own life experiences that whenever I have been filled with dread or doubt I am unable to perform at a satisfactory level. Just the other day I was using a claw hammer and a lever to dismantle a packing crate. At the time I was making quite a noise hammering away when my wife came down to the workshop to see what I was doing.

Jokingly, I quipped: "I haven't hit my fingers with the hammer yet!" Guess what I did within minutes of uttering those words? Yep. Bang. Yeeowch! Actually, I didn't say that. It was something more colorful.

You see, in retrospect, what I did was plant the seed in my mind that I was going to hit my fingers with the hammer. My mind set about fulfilling the thought.

Not only do we become what we think about, we do what we think about. Whether your thoughts are positive or negative your mind will act on them.

If we are directed by our dominating thoughts, why not implant our minds with things that will benefit us? For instance, if you really want to become a pilot then concentrate on that. Become obsessed with it. Learn all you can about it.

Do you think that Michael Jordan became the greatest basket-baller of all time by not thinking about and concentrating on the game of basketball? During his brief sojourn into baseball was he successful? Basketball was his love. He couldn't get it out of his mind. So he returned to basketball to lead the Chicago Bulls for another three years before retiring, making yet another comeback then retiring for good in 2003.

What are your dominating thoughts? Are you thinking about the things that will make you the person that you ultimately want to be? Do you have deep and powerful thoughts about these things?

If the first step to becoming the person that you want to be starts in the mind then set that train in motion.

One thing that can really help you is to sit down and write out your life goals. Take as many pages as you need. After you have crafted your life story and the way that you want it to unfold start summarizing it. Try to get it down to a single page.

Once you have done this you should read it as often as possible. At the bare minimum you should read it at least once a day. Preferably you should do this first thing in the morning and make it the last thing you do before going to bed at night, then as many times in between as you desire. It all depends how strong your desire is.

The more times you read your plan, the more you will implant it into your mind. Remember, your mind cannot discern between reality and fiction. It will simply act on it - just like my mind did when I joked to my wife about not hitting my fingers with the hammer.

Think negative and you will receive negative. Alternatively, think positive and that is what you will receive.

So, do you have a plan? What thoughts are dominating your mind?

By: Gary Simpson

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

About the author: Gary Simpson is the author of eight books covering a diverse range of subjects such as self esteem, affirmations, self defense, finance and much more. His articles appear all over the web. Gary's email address is budo@iinet.net.au. Click here to go to his Motivation & Self Esteem for Success website where you can receive his "Zenspirational Thoughts" plus an immediate FREE copy of his highly acclaimed, life-changing e-book "The Power of Choice."

Success Is Based On A Realistic Plan

2008-09-07T19:34:00.001-04:00

By: Mark Tse

Everyone wants to be successful. However, many people often rely on luck and chance to achieve results. The best example in this case is someone who wants to be rich but only try the most ineffective method: playing the Lotto. Of course, there are chances of becoming rich over night, but how likely is it that this will actually happen? Creating a realistic plan in order to achieve the desired results is vital in any case, no matter how high or low your goals are.

The safest way to achieve your dream is by taking successive steps and gradually increasing your chances of reaching your goal. Try to think of a metaphor and compare your desires with a professional swimming competition.

The first thing you need to do, in order to have chances of winning the race, is to make sure you are not afraid of the water. Before you even consider entering the race you have to eliminate your fears. They are the ones holding you back, but be careful, some of your fears might save you from getting hurt or failing.

Once you are convinced that your goal is worth fighting for, you have to start the hardest stage in you plan: preparation. You cannot expect to win a professional swimming race when you don’t even know how to swim. Start with the basics and never skip any steps out of desire of reaching your goal faster. The experience and knowledge you are skipping will probably come back and hurt you later on. Prepare by taking gradually increasing steps. Swim half a lap first, and then move on to a full lap. Your skills will progress each time and you will soon beat your own lap records every time you enter the swimming pool.

It might take days, weeks or years to prepare for the “race”, depending on what your goals are. The main thing is to enter the race feeling confident in your own success and having all the skills that would allow you to win.

Taking steps one at a time and keeping your plan realistic gives you two important benefits. The order and precision of a plan brings confidence. You don’t feel like you are reengaging each new issue on a day-to-day basis. Organizing your strategy reduces the chances of making wrong moves or taking less efficient decisions.

Secondly, having a sound plan has many psychological benefits and your subconscious mind worries less, giving you more energy to concentrate on what’s important. You are creating a pattern in your awareness that accepts success and integrates it in your plan.

When both you conscious and your subconscious mind believe in your chances of reaching a goal you benefit from a power of concentration and focus that eliminate outside interference and let you follow the shortest path to success.

Even though chance may still play an important role in your quest to reach your ideal, having a realistic plan let’s you change the “unlikely” into “possible”.

By: Mark Tse

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Need a marketing plan for your online business? Check here: www.marktse.com/marketing-plan This article is written by Mark Tse. Mark shares free tips, articles and downloads about Internet Marketing. You can visit his Internet Marketing Blog and read his latest posts here: www.marktse.com/blog/

The Reasons Why We Fear Success

2008-09-07T19:29:00.001-04:00

by Philippe Matthews

In the book, The SHOCKwealth System™, it is discussed that there are four fears that must be overcome in order to experience true success. One of those fears is the fear of success itself. The Fear Of Success is the self-sabotaging fear.

Have you ever come close to actualizing a goal that you have put forth--- only to walk away from it or sabotage it when it appeared that victory was finally near?

The fear of success is what I refer to as ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts) and WORMS (Deep seated, unconscious beliefs and fears that act like computer viruses) in the Principles outlined in the SHOCKphilosophy™. You may fear spiritual enlightenment; successful relationships, success in finances, success in health and so on. Regardless of what kind of success you fear, it's an insidious fear virus that must be dealt with as pervasively as the fear itself.

Do you recognize these ANTs?:

• Mo money, mo problems

• I won't know how to manage all of that money

• My parents or grandparents had money and they are miserable because of it

• I don't have the education to be rich

• God, my religion says that I should be poor and live below my means

I'm sure you can add to the list. Here are a few more reasons why we fear success in life…

Accountability/Responsibility

When I was a Personal Trainer, I had a fellow trainer who used to tell me that he didn't want to become too successful or rich. In fact, he said, ‘I just want to be comfortable.' Whatever the hell that means. He continued to explain to me why he didn't want wealth and success in life. ‘I don't want to become too rich or successful because that is when people start coming after you.'

I thought about what he said and he is partially right. As Dr. John F. Demartini once said, "Life doesn't become easier, it only becomes more accountable." You've heard the phrase, "To whom much is given, much is required?" That is a fact and this is why the SHOCKphilosophy & the SHOCKprocess™ is liberating so many lives. It gives you a tool or a weapon against the counter-thoughts/beliefs toward your desired level of success.

What if you had a process that could quickly identify the type of fear you have toward success and began the process of neutralizing that fear or finding how that fear serves your higher good and best interest?

With wealth, success, happiness and just being highly competent at anything, creates an accountability and responsibility to be the best that you can be at what you wish to be. Learning how to harness the power of the fear of success rather than run away from it requires a process, a SHOCKprocess. But, once you understand that fear is and always will be your best friend, you are no longer hindered by fear you are forever liberating from fear.

The Fear of the Unknown

We fear success because we have never been successful at that which we wish to become successful, so there is an inherent fear of the unknown or the ‘What if.'

If I asked you to go into a darkened room where you could not see your hand before your face and you didn't know if there were ceilings or floors but you heard the sound of a growling tiger – what would you feel? What if I told you that in this room are billions of combinations that can make you instantly rich, improve your health, rekindle your current relationship or help you find the love of your life – what would you do? Would you go it this room and at least check it out?

Would you take the chance? Most people would not and this is the essence of the Fear Of Success. As I discuss in the SHOCKphilosophy™ most people have ANTs, or Automatic Negative Thoughts that automatically hinder them and talk them out of their greatness and potential for success, wealth and happiness.

By identifying what your individual, unconscious fear looks like, you will be able to transcend repeat failure and trends in your life.

The Fear of Public Scrutiny/Resentment

Yes, it is true; poor-minded people hate rich-minded people. Notice I said, ‘poor-minded.' Not all poor people hate the rich and wealthy, but if you haven't been watching the news lately, you may have noticed that it is an all out war on those who have publicly announced their wealth.

If you are a Celebrity, a successful Entrepreneur, a noted Author on wealth, or have become so rich in business that it has garnered media attention, you will more than likely be put on public display to defend your so-called, ‘SHOCKwealth™.'

The message that the media sends out to the masses is, ‘Don't get too big or rich for your britches, or we will come after you and expose your innermost turmoil to the public.' This dynamic creates and breeds a WORM; that causes us to fear success at the public level. There was even a Rap Song made famous by P Diddy and Biggie Smalls called, ‘Mo Money, Mo Problems.'

Do you have the fear of success? Would you like to know how to identify and neutralize this deep seated fear/belief? Check out the SHOCKphilosophy™, and signup for the next SHOCKprocess™ Focus Group to truly begin to identify and neutralize your WORMS and ANTs – the fear of success.

© 2004 The SHOCKpublishing Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

--------------------------------------------

Unlock the wealth already on your shelf! Claim your FREE 6-Day eCourse ($197 value) by sending an email to freecourse@shockwealth.com or visit http://www.shockwealth.com now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philippe_Matthews

Reading-The Best 15 minutes You'll Ever Invest

2008-09-07T19:27:00.001-04:00

by Roger Seip

I recently was made aware of two comparative statistics that I thought you might find extremely valuable. I learned that the average American reads less than 2 books per year- one and a half to be exact, with almost two thirds of those going unfinished. On the whole, Americans have lost the habit of reading good books.

There is a notable exception, however. CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies read, on average, roughly FOUR BOOKS PER WEEK! That equates to about 200 times the average for the rest of America, and I can guarantee that the vast majority of those books are good, meaty stuff that causes them to think about their business and/or their Life in a very healthy way.

Now I am not saying that you yourself need to start reading 4 books a week, but I will tell you this- I have personally seen that there is a direct and positive correlation between the amount of good reading an individual does and their influence and income. Unquestionably, the most life-changing habit you can develop is to systematically read good books. Charlie “Tremendous” Jones coined the phrase that “Leaders are always Readers”. Our friend Brian Tracy has seen it happen many times where an individual went from zero to 30 minutes a day of good reading and saw their income double, and we’ve seen it too. If you do not currently make positive reading a regular part of your Life- DO SO IMMEDIATELY!!!! Along with changing who you spend your time with, it is absolutely the most powerful way to change your life for the better.

Don’t get me wrong- I realize that you need to work, spend time with your family and engage in all the great activities that you engage in, and you should. You don’t need to become a full time student or some kind of hermit bookworm crazy person. All you need is 15 minutes a day, preferably right in the beginning or right at the end of that day. And don’t give me any crap about not having 15 minutes a day- if I followed you around for one day, I’d bet $1000 that I could find a whole hour that could be better spent reading and you wouldn’t even miss it. Watching TV, surfing the internet, eating lunch, just zoning out, the list goes on and on- I dare you to take just 15 minutes out of those kinds of activities each day and invest it in a good book. I promise that over a very short period.

Roger Seip is co founder of Freedom Speakers and Trainers http://www.deliverfreedom.com a national training company that focuses on Memory Training, Goal Setting, Attitude Management, Time Management and Effective Communication. Roger is an instructor and personal coach. For more information email roger@deliverfreedom.com or call 888-233-0407 ext 113

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roger_Seip

Change Means Action

2008-07-15T16:42:00.003-04:00

by John Cyr

"Progress is a nice word. But change is its motivator. And change has its enemies." - Robert Kennedy

Change does have enemies and Robert Kennedy knew that truth and paid for it with his blood. Change can be dangerous. That is why our natural instinct is to stay the course; stay put; avoid trying something new; leaving well enough alone; being safe; and I could mention another twenty or so excuses. If you are the type that wants to stay in your comfort zone, you will never experience the immense joy that comes from living. In order to succeed we must take risks and that means we have to change. Robert Kennedy said this in the context of politics. He referred to making progress as a nation. The only way to make progress as a nation is to change our point of view, to change the way we govern ourselves, to change certain laws that are unfair, and change the way we deal with the bad guys.

But his words can apply to any aspect of life, not just politics. In my career as a trainer I can say that change is the one thing that is needed the most and done the least. I have seen people go way out of their way just to avoid change. I trained adults in job readiness skills. Let me tell you that there were times I couldn't even get an adult to change their seat after 20 minutes of being seated in class. That is how ridiculous we can get about change. We all need to train ourselves to be more open. But it goes further than that.

Change is an action word and that means we need to act if we are going to progress. Change is not a theoretical practice of the mind, it implies real physical movement. For example, we may say that we have changed our attitude towards someone, but unless that is followed up by an action towards that certain person, they are only shallow words. Change means to repent. I instantly scare people away as soon as I say that because of the religious overtones. Well you can apply this to religion if you like. All I am saying is when someone says to you to repent, it simply means to change what you are doing. Change requires 3 things. The first is to recognize the need to change. The second is you actually do the action that is required. The third is you maintain the new course of action. Those happen to be the same three things involved in repentance. They say that recognizing that you need to change is half the battle and that is so true in my experience. The changing part is actually a lot less difficult to do than the first part which again is recognizing that you need to change. The final part is easy. It just requires that you keep on doing the new action over and over again. The second part in the middle means you must turn around and do something different to prove that what you recognized as needed to be done will be done. Change is empowering no matter how small it is as long as it is positive. Today, why not give change a chance and perform an action that you know needs to be done in your life. You will be gratified and empowered when you do it!

John Cyr, is a retired workforce development trainer and motivational consultant who publishes articles and editorials under the pen-name Cyreous. He advocates transformative learning as the key learning method for trainers and educators and shares this information at http://www.cyreousquotes.com.
Article from ArticleCity.com

Journal, The Window To Your Subconscious Mind

2007-12-09T10:14:00.001-05:00

by James Monahan

A journal is not just a simple diary, periodical chronicle or record. It is a window where you or any one reading your journal sees you from inside and through your subconscious mind.

A journal is a market place of ideas, thoughts, fears, hopes and aspirations, and the only way to reach it is through your pen.

The act of writing a journal can be your ticket to self-discovery.

Because you can be anonymous in your journal, you can write anything and everything that comes in your mind.

You can also use your journal like a psychologist. Psychologists use this as a tool in analyzing the situation of his subject.

You will easily understand your present condition, good or bad because you will be looking at it from the different side of the fence. This is how psychologists assess ones condition, looking at the matter from a different point of view.

Writers on their part use journals to write ideas, facts, feelings and snippets of conversation.

It is in the journal that most writers unleash their creative ideas that make them effective in their field. It is a log of their creative ideas, which they use later on for their stories.

The way to use your journal effectively is to write anything without having to think of where your writing will bring you.

Let the ideas fall freely. Do not stop until you ran out of things to write.

As you go along, you will realize that when you try to arrange conscious thoughts, your subconscious mind tosses ideas from your mind down your arm and final to the end where the pen is.

Writing also helps you develop ideas from deep in your mind, which you would not have thought exist.

You will realize that after a while, you have written along journal with clear pattern of thought that you initially did not have before you started writing.

Journals can also help improve your relationship with family members by understanding their fears, hopes and aspirations. This writing will help you understand who they are from beneath the person you see in front of you.

Writing journals also help release tension by having to write those things you would have said that might hurt the feelings of another person.

After writing that ugly words you long to utter, you will then have cooled down and realize that those things if you had said them may create nuisance and might create a wall and not a bridge to your relationship.

When you feel you have released your anger, you can tear the paper apart and you will realize you are not angry anymore and can face the world smiling. You will also understand the situation more when you have cleared the cobweb in your mind.

You have done two things; avoid hurting the feelings of your partner by releasing the tension on paper and clearing your mind to understand the situation clearer without a heavy heart.

I also have a friend who writes on her journal very often. She has a small notebook she brings around and writes anything that happen, when she finds the time, she expounds on them. She ends up writing a book of events that turned her into an author from being fondly called scribbling Anne.
Author Resource:- James Monahan is the owner and Senior Editor of
JournalAid.com and writes expert articles about journals.

Article From ArticleNexus.com

Success Is Really No Secret

2007-12-05T19:52:00.001-05:00

by Shannon and Kim Jaklic

Secrets of Success, "The Secret", Business Secrets - these seem to be the newest buzz words in our culture. Guess what - here's the secret - there really isn't one. If I've read one book on success secrets, I've read 100 and what they all have in common is this - some smart and sometimes hard work along with a good helping of common sense is all you really need to be successful.

You're probably saying "If it were that easy, everyone would be successful". Not true. It's the smart and at the onset of business success, hard work that eludes most people. They are all chasing the "dream". They are looking for the lifestyle business to be handed to them and expect to do nothing to get it moving forward or sustain it.

Here's the pitfall - when doing research on what business to start, you must - absolutely must read all the information and understand it before getting started. Many folks seem to start their research and get caught up in the hype. They miss the most important part.

Everyone almost always gets the "here's what you'll get when you're successful" but what they seem to often miss is the "here's what you have to do to get there" part. Then when the inevitable shock comes from finding out that there is some work involved, they concede defeat; and failure and blame are quick to follow. That's not a good place to be in.

The reality is that there are a lot of fantastic and highly profitable businesses out there; but they all require the same elements to get them up and going - Common sense Hard work (at first) Smart work

There are some tools you should put on your belt to help on your journey to success.

1. Enthusiasm and Passion: You must love what you do and then the work isn't so hard and the fun is automatic.

2. Have A "What Can I Do For You" Attitude: Too often the mindset is "What's in it for me? If I do this for you, what do I get?" That doesn't work today. Be the solution to their challenges and customers will seek you out. Remember the last time you had a business dealing with someone who had your best interest in mind? Wouldn't you do business with them again?

3. A Little Elbow Grease: No one I know ever had a bag of money fall on their head because they wished for it. Success comes from the 3 elements noted above - common sense, hard work first and then smart work. You must put your nose to the grindstone when you begin your business. If you put the time in at the start you will insure everything is set up right. Then you can sit back and relax.

4. Pure Determination: "Begin with the end in mind" as Steven Covey says. Beginning your business venture with your end goals first allows you to know where you're going and how best to get there. Keeping your eye on the prize also adds great motivation.

5. Keep Your Ears Open: Sometimes things don't go as planned and the client isn't happy. More fires have been put out by a willingness to listen than you could imagine. If there are problems along the way, it's best to handle them head on. More often than not, your client only wants to know someone is listening and cares.

6. DON'T Keep It A Secret!... If you want people to know you're out there, you have to tell them. Plain and simple. Just like brick and mortar businesses, internet businesses need marketing. Remember, most of your business is marketing. There are many ways to do it - online advertising, e-zine articles, viral marketing, discussion group promotion and the list goes on.

7. Pure Determination: Sometimes determination is the only thing that will keep you going during those last 5 miles. It is what gets you through the unexpected bumps in the road and the ups and downs that can come at the beginning of starting anything new business or otherwise.

All of this may sound like a lot, but it not. Most of what you need to start a business of any kind you will find inside of you. There are no bags of cash falling out of the sky and no magic pills to make your lifestyle appear in an instant. You and only you can shape your future the way you want it. Now that you have some "secrets" of your own in your business building tool belt you can as Henry David Thoreau said "go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined"

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Shannon and Kim Jaklic made the move into the lucrative world of the home based business industry. Their passion is to help other parents achieve and enjoy the same level of success professionally and personally. For more information on successful Home Based Business Opportunities go to http://www.Home-Business-Parent.com .
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_203608_24.html

Top Ten Ways to a More Positive Outlook on Winter

2007-12-04T19:40:00.001-05:00

by Donna P. Lendzyk

Year after year I find more and more individuals saying to me that they were still waiting for the warm temperatures to arrive one more time before the snow comes. In many ways these individuals did not have a very positive outlook on the arrival of the winter season. What can be done to have a more positive outlook towards the arrival of winter?

1. Put Seasonal Items In Order
Put away the summer things and pull out the winter ones so they are easier to find. Have your outdoor clothing ready to go in good order and repair including your boots, gloves, jackets and scarves.

2. Plan A Few Days Off
Plan a few days off during the winter so you have a special break to look forward to. It could be day set aside for reading or an indoor hobby that your enjoy -- or it could be a ski trip to the Rockies or a Caribbean vacation.

3. Get A Plant
Get a plant to brighten your living or work area such as a plant that flowers or try forcing some flower bulbs indoors.

4. Engage In An Activity That Celebrates This Season
Start or join in a regular activity that you enjoy (or enjoyed when you were younger) that celebrates this time of year. It could be an outdoor activity such as skating, curling, skiing or hockey. If you prefer it could instead be a private indoor activity such as of journaling, reading or quilting.

5. Get Ahead Of Holiday Preparations
Get ahead of preparing for the holidays so you are not rushed later on.

6. Enjoy Some Seasonal Scents
Get a lovely aromatherapy oil spray or candle you will enjoy in your home for the season.

7. Winterize Your Vehicle
If you have one, have your vehicle winterized including getting winter tires put on, the engine tuned up and be sure to include a complete winter emergency kit and blanket.

8. Prepare For SAD (If Applicable)
If you are a sensitive person who is affected by SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), be sure to have your light box ready for use. (For those of you who are unfamiliar with S.A.D., it's a physical condition that happens with the shortening of our daylight hours. In many people this causes depression and fatigue that can sometimes require extra light from special light boxes to get through the day.)

9. Get Cozy On The Couch
Put out a cozy throw blanket for the couch for when you sit to watch your favorite TV shows.

10. Enjoy Delicious, Nourishing Self Care
Bring out your favorite soups and stews recipes. If you don't have any, have fun developing and cooking up some tasty favorites. While you are at it, also stock up on a special warm drink whether its tea, hot chocolate or apple juice / cider with cinnamon sticks to simmer.

(c) 2003 Donna P. Lendzyk

Donna P. Lendzyk, The "More Done Less Time" Business Coach, helps home-based business owners to Get More Done in Less Time With Greater Ease...So They Can Make More Profits! For more great tips with being a business owner, check out Donna’s website http://www.MoreDoneLessTimeNetwork.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_P._Lendzyk

Abundance Is A Life Style

2007-11-10T20:34:00.000-05:00

Abundance is a life style, a way of living your life. It
isn't something you buy now and then or pull down from the
cupboard, dust off and use once or twice, and then return to
the cupboard.

Abundance is a philosophy, it appears in your physiology,
your value system, and carries its own set of beliefs. You
walk with, sleep with it, bath with it, feel with it, and
need to maintain and take care of it as well.

Its not walk around with "S" for sap on your forehead
either. It’s a knowing that you're perfect in your present
moment, that what you have right now was most likely based
on choices you made yesterday and what you needed to learn
in order to be in the prefect moment now. Yet not seen as
right or wrong but let go of those judgments and embrace
with a brightness that you can change with just a single
choice right now.

Abundance doesn't always require money. Many people live
with all that money can buy yet live empty inside.
Abundance begins inside with some main self-ingredients,
like love, care, kindness, and gentleness, thoughtfulness
and compassion. Abundance is a state of being. It radiates
outward. It shines like the sun among the many moons I the
world. It’s being the sun with discernment and love for the
gift of this being.

Being from the brightness of abundance doesn't allow the
darkness to appear or be in the path unless a choice to
allow it to. The true state of abundance doesn't have room
for lies or games normally played. The space is too full of
abundance. This may be a challenge because we still need to
shine for others to see.

Progressing into abundance, a transition, requires courage.
It is driven by the feeling of knowing of its possibility
and seeing the little spots and allowing them to grow
bigger. Making them consistent choices and removing all
else, that doesn't fuel that being.

Abundance is seeing people for their gifts and not what they
lack or could be. Seeing all things for their gifts and not
what they lack.

Start by knowing what your abundances are, fill that space
with you, and be fully present from that state of being.
Your profession of choice is telling you this already.
Examples: Coaches have an abundance of knowing and
possibilities. That is their gift. Consultants and
customer service professionals have the abundance of
success, practicality, in common. Administrative Assistants
and Virtual Assistants have an abundance of coordination and
time management. Abundance is all around you, and all
within. See what it is, love yourself for what it is, not
what you're missing, or what that can be better. But for
what is, at this present moment.

Be in a state of abundance of what you already have. I
guarantee they are there, it always is. Buried but there.
Breathe them in as if they are the air you breathe because
they are yours. Let go of anything that isn't abundant for
the time being. Name the shoe boxes in your closet with
your gifts of abundance; pull from them every morning if
needed. Know they are there.

Learning to trust in your own abundance is required. Who
else can you more than yourself? No one. When you begin to
be within your own space of abundance whatever you need will
appear whenever you need it. That’s just the way the higher
powers set this universe up to work. Trust the universal
energy. The knowing of it all will humble you to its power
yet let the brightness of you shine everywhere it needs to.
Just by being from a state of abundance, it is being you.

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Coach, specializes
in infoproduct development. Newsletters and additional
articles available: http://www.abundancecenter.com
blog: http://abundance.blogs.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Catherine_Franz

Catherine Franz - EzineArticles Expert Author

I Am A Habit

2007-11-03T15:04:00.001-04:00

by John Di Lemme

H-A-B-I-T...When 95% of people hear this word, a negative thought pops up
in their minds. Typically, most people think of a habit being negative.
The secret to your future lies in your daily habits so ask yourself
right now, "Are my habits today going to help me achieve my WHY in life?" This is a life-empowering question if you truly ask it and listen for the answer.

I received the following excerpt from a very dear friend of mine and
felt that it is definitely the best explanation of a habit that I have
ever heard:

I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.
Half the things you do, you might just as well turn over to me,
and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.
I am easily managed; you must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done, and after a few
lessons I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great men.
And, alas, of all failures as well.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine, though I work with all the precision of a machine.
Plus, the intelligence of a man.
You may run me for profit, or run me for ruin; it makes no difference to me.
Take me, train me, be firm with me and I will put the world at your feet.
Be easy with me, and I will destroy you.
Who am I?
I am a HABIT!

One of my daily habits that is the foundation of my life is
spending 45-60 minutes each and every morning feeding my body physically
by exercising and feeding my mental spirit by reading or listening to a motivational message. This habit warms me up for the day ahead.
Everyone washes their physical body and feeds their body every morning,
but 95% of people will find an excuse about why they can not find the "TIME"
to invest in a habit of feeding their MINDS! This parallels the statistic that 95% of people are dead or dead broke by the age 65. I consider this particular
daily habit of mine to be the driving force behind my ability to consistently maintain my intense focus on the journey of success and living a dream life.

Is it easy all the time? Of course not, but when it becomes a habit –
you will do it! If you commit today to begin each morning warming
yourself up for the day ahead by feeding your mental spirit, your entire
life will change in a positive fashion very quickly. It is like
driving a race car with the emergency brake on and you try to go ahead,
but you can’t move. You stay in the same location with your wheels spinning,
burning up, making a lot of noise, but not going anywhere! All it takes is
to release the brake and you will fly towards toward your WHY in life!!
You need to review what your habits are and ask yourself…“Would I recommend
MY habits to someone I truly love and care about?” Your entire future lies
in your daily habits—positive or negative. You have the most powerful force
right now in your hands, the ability to decide what your habits will begin to be.

Find Your WHY & FLY!!

John Di Lemme

http://www.FindYourWhy.com

By: John Di Lemme

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Change Your Thinking - Change Your Life

2007-11-03T15:01:00.001-04:00

by Laurie Hayes

The only thing in life we have direct control over is our thoughts and our thoughts determine how we experience life.

You may know of someone who has what appears to be a perfect life ... a loving family, a beautiful home, an amazing career ... but if this person is filled with negative thoughts, he or she is not able to fully enjoy what life has to offer. This person may be focusing instead on what is missing or what is perceived wrong.

You may also know of someone who has faced a difficult situation, lives a humble existence, has to work two or three jobs to make ends meet, but regardless of the situation, always has a smile, a wave and an appreciation for everything good in life.

The good news is regardless of our current circumstances, we can choose our thoughts and how we respond to any situation. We can choose to be positive, loving and appreciative, or negative, judgmental and critical. It's all up to us.

When you find yourself caught up in negative thinking, recognize what is happening and stop yourself. Then ask yourself one or more of the following questions.

1. How is this negative thinking serving me?

2. Am I willing to let something beyond my control consume my thoughts and ruin my day?

3. Is there something I can do about this to make it better?

4. How can I turn this negative thought into a positive one?

Jack Canfield, co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, teaches that 90 percent of our thoughts are habitual. If you find the majority of your thoughts are negative, it is because you allowed them to make themselves at home in your mind so they play as recordings over and over again. You may find it difficult to shut them out, even though you want to.

Since 90 percent of what you think about is habitual, you can create new thoughts to replace the negative ones and develop new thinking habits. A good place to start is by playing a little game.

Every time a negative thought enters your mind, acknowledge it, then find a positive one to replace it. Now this won't always be easy, but it can be done. You can be as conservative or as extreme as you like. Here are a few examples to get you started ...

Negative -- The taxes on my pay stub are outrageous!
Positive -- I have a job.

Negative -- I hate doing housework!
Positive -- I have a home.

Negative -- My clothes are too tight!
Positive -- I have enough food to eat.

Negative -- The only parking space I could find was at the far end of the lot!
Positive -- I am capable of walking and I have a car.

Negative -- My heating bill is huge!
Positive -- I am warm in the winter.

The next time you are faced with a negative thought, try taking control and making a positive change. In the famous words of Henry Ford, "Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're right."

Laurie Hayes, founder and visionary behind The HBB Source™ helps government and corporate employees break free of their jobs to live their dream of entrepreneurship. To subscribe to her FREE e-zine for valuable resources designed to create business success, visit http://www.thehbbsource.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laurie_Hayes

Habit Change - Six Steps To Success

2006-11-15T22:05:00.001-05:00

by Beverly Smallwood, PhD.

As every New Year approaches, many of us are doing the usual…thinking, “This year will be different. I’m going to change…(fill in the blanks)…my work habits, my attitudes. I’ll lose those pounds; I’ll make that difficult choice that’s long overdue.” We re-make these resolutions throughout the year.

But will really follow through until the goals are accomplished? Or will this new “determination” be like the others…lots of good intentions, plenty of wishes, but basically, life goes on as usual?

Research on personal change (Prochaska, Norcross, and Diclemente; “Changing for Good”) has demonstrated that successful change comes in six well-defined stages. Perhaps the failure to recognize these stages has been responsible for your past frustrations and failures in following through on self improvements.

You see, each of these stages has a series of tasks that must be completed before you can progress to the next. You set yourself up for failure when you either try to accomplish changes you aren’t ready for or when you stay so long on tasks you’ve mastered (such as understanding your problem) that you become stuck indefinitely.

Think about your past experiences as you read what happens in these six stages.

STAGE 1: PRECONTEMPLATION When you’re at this stage, you aren’t even admitting you have a problem. We’ve all seen unhealthy denial in others. We often have trouble seeing it in ourselves.

Writer G.K. Chesterton said, “It isn’t that they can’t see the solution. It’s that they can’t see the problem.”

Precontemplators don’t want to change themselves. They think others are to blame for their difficulties. Likely, others are experiencing the precontemplator’s problem and may be applying pressure for him or her to change. The responses…denial and resistance.

Are you in this stage? Chances are, you are with at least one of the destructive and self-defeating behaviors you need to change.

STAGE 2: CONTEMPLATION When you move to the Contemplation stage, you acknowledge you have a problem, and you want to get unstuck. You begin to think seriously about solving your problem. You try to understand its causes, and you begin to investigate your options. At this point you have indefinite plans to take action within the next few months.

However, you can stay stuck in this stage for months or years. (Is this where you are now?) You know you need to change, and you intend to…someday…just as soon as…after…when the rush is over (when would that be?). You know your desire and your destination, but you’re not quite ready to go.

Fear of failure can keep you searching for an easier, more dramatic, or more complete solution to your problem. The irony is, failure is guaranteed if you don’t move on to the next stage.

STAGE 3: PREPARATION “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

You greatly reduce your success probability if you suddenly wake up one morning, say “This is the day,” and dive headfirst into a change without realistically and specifically planning how you will make the change happen.

At Stage 3, you develop a detailed plan of action and you may announce your intentions publicly. Your awareness is high, and you may have already begun small behavioral changes. Before moving ahead, however, you need to know exactly how you will keep your awareness and commitment high throughout the struggles of the next stages.

STAGE 4: ACTION This stage is the one that requires the most commitment and energy. It’s where you actually DO IT! You receive the most recognition and support during this stage, because others can see that you’re working at it. You follow the plan you’ve made in Stage 3, make revisions as necessary, and “keep on keeping on” even when it’s inconvenient or difficult.

Here’s a caution: Action doesn’t necessarily mean that lasting change has been made. It’s an essential part of the process, but the failure to do what’s necessary in the next stage, Maintenance, can sabotage the progress you’ve made so far.

STAGE 5: MAINTENANCE The maintenance stage is a long, ongoing process. From my experience, it’s the most difficult. (How many times have I dieted, for example, only to gain the weight back?)

The Action stage must be followed by constant vigilance and a systematic plan for dealing with those temptations that can draw you back into the old, destructive pattern. It’s hard work to consolidate the gains you’ve made during the first four stages and to prevent relapse.

Celebrate achieving your goals, but don’t relax and tell yourself, “Whew! I’m glad that’s over!” Develop a menu of mental and behavioral coping strategies that will take you through the times when your feet begin to slip. (More on that in the next article.)

STAGE 6: TERMINATION There is lively debate about whether this stage is possible when the behavior you’ve changed is an addictive habit. The ideal would be that you no longer feel tempted, and the habit is absolutely not a problem for you. Some say, however, that you must always maintain a life of vigilance.

I tend to agree. Some can progress to the point that they are not constantly tempted, nor do they think about it every day. However, I believe that once you’ve had a deeply ingrained habit or addiction, you are always more vulnerable than if you’d never had it. Keep a level of awareness, especially in times of stress. Studies show that in times of stress or conflict, people are most likely to slip.

NOT A LINEAR PROGRESSION

Wouldn’t it be nice if we smoothly progressed from one stage to the next? It’s possible, but not probable. Most people have episodes of backsliding into Contemplation or even Precontemplation before trying again. In fact, studies show that New Year’s resolutions are made, on average, five times before the changer moves all the way to Maintenance! (That’s average. You don’t have to do it that many times if you know how to move more effectively through these six stages.)

Don’t give up! If you have a setback, don’t stay there. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again…this time with a revised and better plan.

Dr. Bev Smallwood is a psychologist who has worked with organizations across the globe for over 20 years. Her high-energy, high-content, high-involvement Magnetic Workplaces (r) programs provide dozens of practical strategies and skills that can be put to work immediately to:

1. build strong leaders who influence and develop others through serving;

2. energize, motivate, and retain team members;

3. successfully accomplish important organizational transitions; and

4. impress customers and build their loyalty.

Review a complete list of her programs available for your convention or corporate meeting at the website, www.MagneticWorkplaces.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beverly_Smallwood,_PhD.

Creating A Life You Love

2006-11-15T22:01:00.001-05:00

by Robin Harris

Imagine that right now, right here, today… there is within your grasp not one but several opportunities to redesign specific aspects of your life so that the sum total is a life you absolutely love. Then imagine that the only thing standing between you and your opportunities is a closed mind, fear, habits, concern, worry, drama, or perhaps mental, physical, and emotional clutter. Do you know what a default is? It’s what you get when you don’t choose to get something else and for most of us a default life is average and mediocre with sprinkles of joy in between. A default life is living for the weekend. A default like is hanging on ‘til retirement. A default life is waiting for the kids to grow up, move out, and finish college. A default life is waiting, and waiting, and waiting for things to get better someday…one day.

Most people don’t accidentally have a great life, a great job, a great marriage, a great body, or great children. I don’t know about you but I am not touched, moved, or inspired by mediocrity. I don’t aspire to live an average life, with an average job, and celebrate twenty-something anniversaries in an average marriage. My spirit longs for relationships and experiences that cause me to love deeply, grow profoundly, and see the magnificence in all of life. I can’t have that kind of life if I am settling for the default. My name is Robin Harris and I am a coach, an author, a certified Highlands Natural Abilities Counsultant, and I am the CEO of DesignerLife, a transformational business dedicated to helping individuals live by design; not by default. And today I just want to talk to you about designing a life you absolutely love. I call it the DesignerLife.

What’s a DesignerLife? Think of a piece of art that is not only beautiful but extremely functional. Just like a beautiful warm and cozy home provides sanctuary and focus for a family, a DesignerLife provides sanctuary and focus for the soul. Just like each room in that house has its own motif and purpose, each area of the DesignerLife has its own motif and purpose. Just like all of the rooms together, even the hallways and pantry make up the house, all of the areas of our lives make up the DesignerLife. A DesignerLife has been lovingly designed and architected to honor your best and your highest good and it includes spiritual hallways and pantries, too. Mmm, it sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?

I want you to consider a show home that has never been lived in. Everything is just so beautifully pristine and sterile. That’s because it’s for show but when the family moves in they bring their energy, their style, their nuances, their touch and the house becomes a home. It’s not perfect…but it is. It’s not immaculate buts it’s naturally inviting. The DesignerLife is a life you design that is natural, expanding, and very, very inviting not only to you but to other sojourners, also. We have so long been looking to the system, the companies we work for, the businesses we have built, the country we live in to sustain our way of life. Today is a new day, and the comfort of what we knew has passed away, it’s time to excavate, renovate, and develop our most precious resources: our soul’s dreams, our natural gifts, and our talents. It’s time for us to evolve to the next level and some sojourners are going to go kicking and screaming, and some won’t go at all. You probably thought the creation was completed millions of years ago, oh no. Human’s are still in process and every so often life says “hold on, wait a minute, it’s time to shift and leap baby”. You can plod along for only so long before life demands that you run fast or get eaten. The new paradigm is not for survivors, it’s for thrivers; people who are ready to unleash their potential into the world.

You see, the magnificent being that you are is not your doing. You didn’t design it, you didn’t create it, so there no reason to be arrogant about it. It’s a gift. Don’t just say thank you. Gratitude is only the beginning, there’s also a measure of responsibility and accountability that fall on the shoulders of the gifted. And we all are gifted. It is our responsibility to nurture our magnificence, to develop it, and express it profoundly in the world that we live in. Your magnificence is not only going to give you a life you love, it’s going to touch, move and inspire others. Divine intention will have your be great in ways you cannot even imagine. Divine intention will have your biggest mistakes sow seeds of wisdom and contribution to other. Divine intention will have you become the student and the teacher in life’s next evolution. The next evolution will have human beings manifest the Creator’s abundant, loving, creative nature.

What would it look like to have a life you absolutely love? When you really think about it, I mean see it with your minds eye, in living Technicolor, it should be so awesome it sends chills up your spine. I’m not talking about a superficial life where people are pretending to be happy, pretending that the marriage is working, pretending that the kids aren’t driving them crazy, pretending that life is in order when chaos is actually the king. I’m not talking about having more, more, more while feeling less, less, less. I’m talking about a life where your soul is satisfied. This is a life where you have peace of mind, finances in order, and a healthy mind, body, and spirit. This is a life with relationships that inspire and stimulate you, intimacy that heals and thrills you, and family and community for mutual love and support. This is a life complete with meaningful and fulfilling work that uses your gifts and talents and honors your uniqueness. This is a life where there is adequate time for self-nourishment, self-investment, fun and relaxation. And… this is a life where you receive an abundance of joy by contributing to the well being of others who are on the planet with you now, as well as those who will be coming in the future.

I can’t tell you the details of your DesignerLife. I can’t tell you how living a life you absolutely love will show up for you. I only know that the process of designing that kind of life will rock your world. I know somebody out there is saying, pfff you must be dreaming… and my response is “yes, and your point is…”

You see if it were left up to the practical people, the realists of the world, we’d still be huddled in a cold cave without a fire to warm us. I’m not just a dreamer, oh no: I’m a possibility chick with a plan. You see a designer life is not just about dreaming about it, thinking about it, longing for it, hoping for it, praying for it. A DesignerLife is about intention; the kind of intention that produces action, the kind of action that produces results.

The road less traveled is full of uncertainty, but the other road, the popular one can only take you where you’ve already been. Having an extraordinary life, a life you absolutely love is gonna seem like way too much work to the average person. It’s not going to appeal to the person courting mediocrity. It’s not going to excite the person who is content with waiting for some day, one day. It doesn’t call to the practical or the realist. So if you fall into one of these categories, cover your ears cause this message isn’t for you. I’m talking to the people who caught a glimpse of possibility for their own life, for the sojourners who are ready to unleash their potential out in the real world, and for the people who can’t stand the thought of settling for the default life.

The message I want to bring to you is simple. Your most challenging obstacle is not the present or past circumstances of your life, the things you did or didn’t do, it’s not your age, your gender, your race, it’s not the naysayers or critics or the practical realist who are convinced your dreams and aspirations are a waste of time, oh these are all challenges to be dealt with on their own terms but by far the biggest challenge you will face is your own self doubt, lack of commitment, and fear. Getting over yourself is the single most forwarding action you can take to move toward your own magnificence. I want to ask you for a huge favor and here it is…Get over yourself and just be magnificent.

Robin Harris is a DesignerLife Coach who work with client's who are ready to live by design; not by default. Contact Robin via web site www.designerlifecoaching.com or by email at robin@designerlifecoaching.com.

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