Life's Journeys

Peace of Mind Tips and Advice

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:03:00 +0000

Most people would be glad to have some peace of mind in their life.

They would be happy to forget their troubles, problems and worries, and enjoy a few moments of inner calmness and freedom from obsessing thoughts.

What is peace of mind? It is a state of inner calmness and tranquility, together with a sense of freedom, when thoughts and worries cease, and there is no stress, strain or fear. Such moments are not so rare. They may be experienced while being engaged in some kind of an absorbing or interesting activity, such as while watching an interesting movie or TV program, while being with someone you love, while reading a book or while lying on the sand at the beach.

When you are on vacation, do you experience some sort of mental numbness? At this time the mind becomes calmer, with fewer thoughts and fewer worries. Even while you are deeply asleep, not aware of your thoughts, you are in a state of inner peace.

Such and similar activities take away the mind from its usual thoughts and worries, and bring some temporary inner peace.

The question is, how to bring more peace of mind into our life, and more importantly, how to experience it in times of trouble. You might also ask whether it is possible to make it a habit, and enjoy it always and under all circumstances. First, you need to learn to bring more moments of inner peace into your daily life. Later, you will be able to experience these moments in times of trouble or difficulties too, when you most need inner calmness and tranquility.

You can turn peace of mind into a natural habit, but to do so, special training is required, through concentration exercises, meditation and other means. Browse this website, and you will find articles, advice and techniques for attaining peace of mind, as well as a special book dedicated to this subject.

Here are a few simple things that can help you:

· Reduce the amount of time you read the newspapers or watch the news on TV.

· Stay away from negative conversations and from negative people.

· Don't hold grudges. Learn to forget and forgive. Nurturing ill feelings and grievances hurts you and causes lack of sleep.

· Don't be jealous of others. Being jealous means that you have low self-esteem and consider yourself inferior to others. This again, causes lack of inner peace.

· Accept what cannot be changed. This saves a lot of time, energy and worries.

· Every day we face numerous inconveniences, irritations and situations that are beyond our control. If we can change them, that's fine, but this is not always possible. We must learn to put up with such things and accept them cheerfully.

· Learn to be more patient and tolerant with people and events.

· Don't take everything too personally. Some emotional and mental detachment is desirable. Try to view your life and other people with a little detachment and less involvement. Detachment is not indifference, lack of interest or coldness. It is the ability to think and judge impartially and logically. Don't worry if again and again you fail to manifest detachment. Just keep trying.

· Let bygones be gone. Forget the past and concentrate on the present moment. There is no need to evoke unpleasant memories and immerse yourself in them.

· Practice some concentration exercises. This will help you to reject unpleasant thoughts and worries that steal away your peace of mind.

· Learn to practice meditation. Even a few minutes a day will make a change in your life.

Inner peace ultimately leads to external peace. By creating peace in our inner world, we bring it into the external world, affecting other people too.

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© Copyright Remez Sasson

Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and

Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power".

Visit his website and find articles and books filled with inspiration, motivation and practical advice and guidance.

Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com
Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm

Peace Of Mind At The Workplace

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:54:00 +0000

Work brings together people of different characters and behavior, and this often causes friction, resentment and stress. Sometimes the boss is too demanding, colleagues may be unpleasant, there might be too much work or the working conditions may not be comfortable. The job may be boring, there might be competition or envy between the workers or the customers may be uncongenial or unfriendly. No wonder there is tension and stress.

These are some of the reasons why most people eagerly wait for their vacation. Their vacation provides them a way to get out of their daily life and find some peace. The good news is that you do not have to wait for your vacation. You can learn to gain inner peace and enjoy every moment, right where you are. You can stop fretting and getting tense. You can experience peace of mind and happiness wherever you are. When your mind is peaceful, the whole environment become peaceful.

Now you probably wonder what you can do to make this come true. I am not going to talk here about meditation, though this is one of the best peace of mind tools. Below you will find some simple and easy to perform tips and suggestions to experience inner peace at your workplace.

You may not succeed at the first attempts, but if you keep on performing these suggestions earnestly, you will gradually begin to experience peace of mind. This peace will not only by inside you. It will spill over and influence your whole environment.

1) If the people you meet talk in a loud voice, are impolite and tense, you will probably react and behave accordingly, hereby raising the level of tension. On the other hand, if you stay calm, talk, act and react peacefully, people unconsciously emulate your behavior. You become a leading power, no matter what is your position at work.

2) Each day before you enter your workplace, repeat several times the following affirmation with feeling, faith and attention:

"My mind is peaceful throughout the whole day. I radiate peace around me. I talk peacefully, politely and with a smile. I choose to act peacefully".

3) Greet the people you meet at work.

4) Whenever you feel tension or anger building in you, take three deep slow breathes before any talking or action.

5) Pay attention to the words you think, say or write. Use only positive words.

6) Be polite.

7) Whenever you find yourself raising your voice, lower it immediately.

8) Talk in a medium pitch voice, not too loud or too low, and don't let the loudness or pitch of other people's voices influence yours.

9) Several times during your workday find a quiet place. It may be at your desk, or if it is not quiet enough there, it can be at the bathroom, an empty room or some other quiet spot. For several moments visualize a beautiful location that you love or some event that made you happy.

Feel that you are there and enjoy the feelings that arise.

10) While working, concentrate on what you are doing. Put there your full attention. This will keep your mind off disturbing thoughts.

11) Don't waste your time and energy analyzing and thinking about people's motives and behavior, but rather try to improve your actions.

12) Before speaking with someone whom you dislike or fear, or someone who makes you feel tense or angry, take a few deep breathes and visualize the two of you conversing peacefully and harmoniously.

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© Copyright Remez Sasson

Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and

Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power".

Visit his website and find articles and books filled with inspiration, motivation and practical advice and guidance.

Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com
Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm

Overcoming Nonstop Thinking

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 09:47:00 +0000

Are you aware that your mind is always occupied with thoughts?

Are you aware that thoughts constantly demand your attention, dictate your behavior and reactions?

Do you sometimes feel that your mind is going to explode from nonstop thinking? Can you focus your attention on what you are doing at any moment, or are you constantly distracted by all kinds of thoughts, negative thinking or negative expectations? You need to learn to overcome your nonstop thinking in order to gain control over your attention.

Do you sometimes wish your mind could just stop thinking for a little while, and let you enjoy some rest and peace? Like an engine, it has to rest to avoid wear and tear. It needs some rest from time to time, in order to recharge itself and your body.

The mind often looks like a cluttered room, with no free space and no place to move. When you empty your room it will look bigger and tidier, and it will be more pleasant to be there. So it is with your mind. Remove the clutter - the unnecessary thoughts, the worries and the fears, and your life would look happier and brighter.

You are probably not constantly aware of the restlessness of your mind, because this became a habit and you got accustomed to it, yet, thoughts keep coming and going, occupying your mind every moment of the day, spending up mental and emotional energy, and sometimes making your head ache.

Tension, strain and pressure at work and at home make the mind even more restless, and attract more thoughts into it. Problems, difficulties, fears, worries and hurt feelings increase even more the mental restlessness and lack of inner peace, making you more acutely aware of the swarm of thoughts coming into your mind and making you feel helpless. It is during such times that you desperately feel the need for inner peace and freedom endless thinking.

When you need to focus your attention, study or meditate, you are again confronted with thoughts that swarm into your mind, disturbing and distracting your attention. This also happens when you are worried, angry or emotionally excited. You feel unable to stop the flow of thoughts and emotions that prevent clear thinking, calmness or self-control.

During such times you just want to scream at the mind to stop thinking. You feel that your mind has broken any control and barriers, and that it is working on its own, sometimes to your detriment. It is like being helpless in a rudderless boat in the midst of the ocean, and all you want is some steady and safe land.

It is in times of worry, stress, fear and strain that inner peace of mind is greatly desired and appreciated. Actually, inner peace and freedom from restless and incessant thinking is a great boon anytime and everywhere. It makes you happier, stronger, more confident and happy.

Imagine how it would be to live your life, work, interact with people, read, watch TV, travel or do anything else, without thoughts and worries claiming your attention. Just think how your concentration would become stronger and your five senses sharper! Just imagine how your understanding, comprehension, awareness and intuition will increase!

You need mental and emotional training, in order to overcome nonstop thinking and free yourself the compulsion, and it is a compulsion, to think incessantly and involuntary, and fill your mind with thoughts that weaken you and distract your attention. You also need to develop some degree of inner detachment and mastery over your mind.

There are no short cuts to overcoming nonstop thinking and lack of inner peace. The aim is not to stunt your mind through hypnosis or subliminal programming, but to gain real inner peace, which you can enjoy while staying active, pursuing your goals, and while handling more efficiently and peacefully your daily affairs of life.

Everything worth having requires work and effort. You cannot become a pilot, an Olympic champion or an engineer by listening to a CD, hypnotizing yourself or saying some magic words.

Developing inner abilities, such as calming down your mind, is no different.

For practical tips and advice about gaining inner peace, please visit:

http://www.successconsciousness.com/peace_mind.htm

For a complete training program for inner peace and mental mastery, please visit:

http://www.successconsciousness.com/books/peace-of-mind-in-daily-life.htm

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© Copyright Remez Sasson

Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and

Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power".

Visit his website and find articles and books filled with inspiration, motivation and practical advice and guidance.

Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com
Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm

Nonduality - Rising Above Illusion

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 09:42:00 +0000

The philosophy of Nonduality, or as it is called in India, Advaita-Vedanta, says that there is just One Spirit in the Universe, and that everything, living or inanimate, is an inseparable and indivisible part of this One Spirit. Nonduality further says that it is only illusion, caused by the mind and the play of the senses, which makes us regard the world and everything in it, as real and separate from us.

For someone not familiar with this philosophy, it might sound strange and even weird, but once understood, it can completely change one's attitude and perspective about life.

Imagine a state, in which you feel oneness with the Universe, enjoying bliss and peace of mind, and at the same time acting and functioning normally in your day-to-day life. A state of being active in the world, but at the same time maintaining a state of inner detachment. Being aware of your oneness with the One Spirit, and also aware that the One Spirit is acting and manifesting through everything, matter, plants, trees, animals and people. This is the experience of nonduality in its highest form.

Our thoughts and five senses draw the mind outside, to the external world, and obscure the awareness of the consciousness that is beyond the mind. Through meditation, we gain inner peace and the ability to silence the mind and lift up the obscuring veil of thoughts. In this state of inner silence we rise above the illusion of identification with the mind, thoughts and ego, get beyond the illusion of separateness, and realize the oneness with the One Spirit. It is as if a new sort of consciousness dawns, and we see the world in a different way.

With this kind of consciousness we are able to allow the mind to be active or silent at our command. It becomes our faithful servant, instead of being our master. We act in the material world, yet our roots are in pure, calm and limitless consciousness, which is not attached to anything and not limited by anything. In this state, we live and view the world from the nonduality point of view.

Though in our day-today life we regard other people, as separate from us, as separate units, this is only a mental viewpoint, convenient for functioning in our day to day life. From a higher state of consciousness, all are One, and the terms "I", "you", "he", "she" and "they" are not real. There is only the One Spirit, Consciousness, which manifests in limitless forms and ways. The external forms may be different, but the Spirit within them is one undivided Spirit. It is the mind, which lets us believe and feel that we are separate from others, but we are all part of the same One
Spirit manifesting and expressing itself through diffrent forms.

The concept of nonduality is not a strange or weird idea. It can be experienced and lived right here and now, no matter where you are, and without attracting anybody's attention. It is an inner state of consciousness, not an external state.

It is possible to realize and experience the meaning of nonduality in an ashram or a cave, and it is also equally possible to do so while living in a town or city, with family and a job. This requires dedication, an open mind, inner work, and turning the mind inwards.

Most people cannnot afford to leave everything behind, in order to meditate and lead a purely spiritual life. Theye need to work and support their family, and can therefore devote only part of the day to spiritual pursuits. The good news is that you can walk on the inner path of spirituality and nonduality, meditation and self realization, without abandoning your family, job or external life style. With proper planning, it is possible to find the time and the energy for the inner work.

Meditation and walking on the spiritual path, which can lead to understanding and experiencing nonduality, can be practiced anywhere, without making external changes in your life. You can stay with your job and family, and still make spiritual progress and realize the true meaning nonduality.

Look within you, be aware of what is going in your mind, search for the source of your thoughts and where they come from, learn to make your mind peaceful, and you will start to be aware of your true essence and the consciousness beyond your mind. This will lead to understanding what nonduality is. What can help? A peaceful mind, concentration, meditation, reading of spiritual literaure, and when possible, the proximity and guidance of true spiritual teachers.

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© Copyright Remez Sasson

Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and

Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power".

Visit his website and find articles and books filled with inspiration, motivation and practical advice and guidance.

Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com
Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm

Motivation and How to Get Motivated

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 09:34:00 +0000

Motivation has become a popular word nowadays. There are motivational coaches and speakers, and motivational books and articles. What is it actually, and why do you need it?

Motivation is a driving force. In order to accomplish anything, you need a driving force, otherwise nothing will happen. A wish is not strong enough to make you take action. A wish is a weak desire.

Only a strong desire can drive forward, to act and accomplish aims and goals.

In order to get motivated, you need to know exactly what it is that you want, to possess a strong desire, and to be willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish your goal.

More than often there is lack of motivation or only a short-lived one. How many times have you started enthusiastically a weight loss program, began a bodybuilding or aerobics training program or started to learn a foreign language, only to stop after a short while? Few people possess enough willpower and self-discipline to go through to the end with what they begin (this is one of the reasons I have written the book "Will Power and Self Discipline").

It easier to show motivation in connection with a subject that is dear to you. If you desire something, but you don't feel motivated enough to act, this means that the desire is not important enough. To be motivated to take action and do something in respect to your desire, you need to possess a really strong desire.

Motivation has much to do with the emotions and the imagination, which means that if you want to increase it, you have to work on your feelings and imagination.

Tips to increase your motivation:

1. Think, meditate and find out whether you really want to achieve your desire, and whether it is worth the effort and time.

2. Make your goal very clear. Writing it down will help.

3. Think often about your goal or desire.

4. Visualize your goal as already accomplished, and close your mind to contrary thoughts.

5. Read books or articles about the subject of your goal.

6. Read about people who have achieved success.

7. Think often about the benefits you will gain by achieving your goal.

8. Visualize, and think about how you would feel after achieving your goal.

9. Repeat positive affirmations such as: "I have the desire and inner strength to achieve my goal". Repeat this affirmation often, with faith and strong feelings.

10. Start with doing something small concerning your goal. Success in small matters leads to greater success.

Motivation is the powerful engine that moves you towards success and accomplishments in every area.

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© Copyright Remez Sasson

Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and

Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power".

Visit his website and find articles and books filled with inspiration, motivation and practical advice and guidance.

Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com
Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm

Do You Prefer Stress, Anxiety, Fear, Panic or Peace of Mind

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 09:27:00 +0000

Do you live in a state of constant stress, anxiety, fear and panic, or do you enjoy peace of mind?

Do you let external influences affect your moods and state of mind, or do possess inner strength and detachment?

Are you obsessed by fearful thoughts and worries, or do you have control over your thoughts?

Too many people are anxious, stressed, worry too much, subject to moods and have no control over their thoughts and feelings. This situation leads to emotional, mental and physical problems, unhappiness and failure.

The truth is that that situation can be changed. Inner peace can be developed, just like other skill. You can gain a state of inner peace and inner strength that nothing can shake.

Inner peace, which is peace of mind, is not the sole possession of yogis and hermits. You too can enjoy it without becoming a yogi or a hermit.

There is an erroneous concept relevant, which says that peace of mind is sought and can be attained only by people who lead a completely spiritual life in ashrams or monasteries. Some even think that real peace of mind is an illusion and cannot be attained. These are erroneous assumptions. Some might attain a higher level of peace and others a lower level, yet everyone can gain at least some measure of inner peace. Such peace will certainly improve the quality of life, health, relationships and everything else.

There are various treatments for stress, anxiety, fears and panic attacks. Some involve psychological help, some use hypnosis and others involve the use of medications. All these treatments involve external help. There is another way to handle these problems, which does not involve external help. It is through inner work and training.

Don't be afraid of the word words inner training and work. You are not required to do impossible things. A mental training program for peace of mind starts from really simple actions, which you can incorporate in your daily life. They include a change of attitude, being more positive, developing of inner detachment, developing some control over the thinking process and later, also some special meditations aimed toward increasing the level of inner peace.

Stress, anxieties, worries, fear and panic start in the mind. They start as thoughts, which grow in strength and affect your behavior, actions and habits. Your thoughts and attitudes act like a filter, a screen or lenses, through which you see the world in a particular way, which does not always depicts reality. Your aim is to be more aware of them, and use certain techniques to stop their power over you. There is no reason to go on through life being at the mercy of uncontrolled thoughts, feelings, anxieties, worries and fears.

You can transform your life! You can change the state of your mind! Even a small amount of inner peace would do a great deal to you. Are you afraid of some effort? Can't you spare just a few minutes for making your mind and life a little calmer, with less fear and worries?

'Peace of Mind in Daily Life' is a book that goes into detail about this most important subject. It teaches in simple and easy to follow progressive steps how to attain this coveted state of inner peace, right here where you are, without the necessity of making any outer changes in your life.

True peace starts from the inside, and is independent of external conditions.

Here are a few tips to help you start:

# Learn to use the replacement method, of changing every negative thought, as it arises, into a positive thought. Don't fight negative thoughts, just divert your attention a positive thoughts or mental images.

# Write down and keep a list of inspiring and uplifting quotes, and read them several times a day.

# Think positive and inspiring thoughts before falling asleep.

# Though it might not be so easy, try to keep an attitude inner detachment in dealing with difficult or unpleasant people. Don't take too personally their remarks or criticism.

# Don't watch thrillers or action movies on TV before going to bed or falling asleep.

# Reduce the number of times you listen to the news on the radio or TV. Know what is going on in the world, but there is no need to constantly fill your mind with news that cause you stress or fear.

# Repeat positive affirmations several times a day. Do so also when you feel stress or fear.

Here are a few examples:

- I feel peace and tranquility filling my mind and body.

- My mind is calm, like a lake on a quiet summer day.

- I feel calm relaxed and peaceful.

- I am a center of peace, calmness and happiness.

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© Copyright Remez Sasson

Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and

Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power".

Visit his website and find articles and books filled with inspiration, motivation and practical advice and guidance.

Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com
Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm

A Conversation on Living in the Present

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Sat, 29 May 2010 09:22:00 +0000

Nothing is worth more than this day.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is.
Alan Watts

Living in the present means being aware and conscious of what you are doing, feeling and thinking at the present moment. It means shifting your attention to the present moment and dealing with it effectively, instead of focusing on the past or future. The past has gone away and you cannot change it, and the future is the outcome of the present, of the way you think, feel and act now.

True living occurs in the present moment, the only moment that exists.

Below you will find a conversation between a teacher and a pupil about living in the present. This is an excerpt from the book 'Peace of Mind in Daily Life'.

Teacher: Living in the present moment helps you to avoid worries, fears and anxieties, and wasting your time on futile and negative thoughts.

If you keep thinking about the past, you allow all kinds of emotions and thoughts to rise into your consciousness, affecting the way you feel and think. Most often, such reminiscing disturbs the mind and agitates it, which is the opposite of peace of mind.

It is the same with thinking about the future. It is okay if you devote some time to thinking about it and planning it, but if you just keep dwelling on it and worrying about it, you are keeping peace of mind away.

The best approach would be to direct your attention to the present moment, to what you are doing and what is happening around you at each moment. By occupying your mind with the present moment you keep your mind busy, and don't make room for worries, anxieties, fears or unpleasant memories.

Pupil: Do you mean to say that I should not think about the past and the future?

Teacher: Learn from the past and plan for the future, but don't dwell too much on them. You cannot change the past and you cannot yet live in the future. The only place where you can live and act is in the present. Actually, what you do in the present affects your future.

Reliving past events in your mind and daydreaming about the past or the future, keep the mind busy with endless thoughts, but if you focus your mind on the present moment, you don't make room in your mind for unnecessary and disturbing thoughts or emotions.

Living in the present means that you direct your attention to what is happening now, enjoying it and making the most of it. By focusing your mind on the present, you don't have time or opportunity to wallow in useless and negative thoughts and emotions relating to the past or the future.

Wake up to the present moment and live in it. The past happened and is over, so what is the use of reliving it?

You lose peace of mind if you constantly live in the past and think and visualize events that have already happened. You also gain nothing by worrying about the future. On the other hand, concentrating on the present moment, on what is happening or what you are doing right now, frees you of unnecessary, burdensome and unpleasant thoughts and emotions, and brings peace into your mind.

An excerpt from the book 'Peace of Mind in Daily Life'.
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© Copyright Remez Sasson
Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and

Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power".

Visit his website and find articles and books filled with inspiration, motivation and practical advice and guidance.

Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com
Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm

20 Reasons Why You Need Inner Peace and Tranquility

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Mon, 24 May 2010 09:16:00 +0000

Inner peace is not reserved only to yogis, hermits or monks, living in some far away place, praying or meditating all day long. It can also be attained by people living an ordinary life, who have a job, are married and have kids.

What is inner peace? It is a state of being emotionally and mentally at peace, without restless or disturbing thoughts, and being in control of one's mind, moods and reactions.

True inner peace is independent of external conditions and circumstances, and is acquired through special training. It confers tranquility, inner harmony and balance, and the ability to remain calm, undisturbed and in control of oneself and of the situation in difficult and unpleasant situations. It is is important not only while things move smoothly, but especially in times of trouble, difficulties or danger. Then it counts most.

A state of inner peace eliminates anxieties, fears and worries, negative thoughts, stress, lack of satisfaction and unhappiness. It is a state of emotional and mental poise, happiness, confidence and inner strength.

Though everyone desires it, albeit unconsciously, few realize its importance and benefits, and still fewer know that it is a skill that can be learned and developed. You can continue living where you are, without making external changes in your life, and yet attain inner peace. Some might progress fast and some at a slower pace. Some might reach far and others not so far, yet, everyone can make some progress that will transform their life.

Here are 20 reasons why you need inner peace:

1. It improves your ability to concentrate.

2. It improves your ability to handle efficiently the daily affairs of life.

3. It increases your inner strength and power.

4. Its possession eliminates impatience, anger, nervousness and restlessness.

5. It helps manifesting patience, tolerance and tact.

6. It makes you feel centered, grounded and stable.

7. Being mentally and emotionally calm contributes to enjoying better sleep.

8. You gain the ability to be emotionally and mentally unaffected by what people think or say about you.

9. You gain the ability to eliminate stress, anxieties and worries.

10. You enjoy happiness and bliss.

11. You gain self mastery and self discipline.

12. It helps you relax your body and nerves.

13. The healing energies of the body work unhindered.

14. Being peaceful enables you not to be swayed by events, hardships and difficulties, and to maintain inner poise, clear judgement and common sense in such situations.

15. Inner peace eliminates negative, futile and restless thinking.

16. It improves your relationships with other people.

17. It makes life look brighter.

18. It increases creativity.

19. A peaceful mind improves the abiliy to meditate.

20. Possessing this ability opens the gateway to enlightenment and spiritual awakening.
There are various ways to attain inner peace, such as psychological means, affirmations, visualization, yoga and meditation. A full program on this subject, written in a manner and language everyone can understand and follow, with instructions, advice and exercises, can be found in the book Peace of Mind in Daily Life.

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© Copyright Remez Sasson

Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power".

Visit his website and find articles and books filled with inspiration, motivation and practical advice and guidance.

Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com
Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm

Creative Visualization and Letting Go

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Wed, 19 May 2010 08:54:00 +0000

Almost every writer about creative visualization advises to visualize for only a few minutes, preferably several times a day, and then to let go, and forget your mental image until the next time. They say that of you don't do so, what you visualize will not materialize.

What is the rationale behind this idea? Why not visualize for half an hour or whenever you have the time? Isn't it more reasonable to believe that more time devoted to visualization will bring faster results?

If you are able to concentrate easily, and to hold away unwanted thoughts, for as long as you wish, then it is okay if you visualize for longer periods. The fact is that most people do not have control over their minds. They cannot hold their minds on one single thought more than a few moments, before other thoughts come. If they think about a particular goal, soon contradictory thoughts pop up, and negative thoughts start storming the mind, neutralizing any previous positive thoughts.

Most people have doubts and little faith, when thinking about goals and ambitions. Their minds are inclined to negative thinking and worrying. After a little time of positive visualization, doubts and lack of belief rise and sabotage their efforts. Impatience also rises, because they find it difficult to focus their minds on one thought.

All this means that if you focus your mind on a certain goal for too long, at a certain point you will unconsciously begin to repel and push it away, and consequently accomplish nothing.

Your predominant thoughts and mental attitude rule and interfere with whatever you think about. You may be able to disregard them and think positively for a few minutes, but after a little while they win. This is why it is advisable to start with short periods of visualizing your goals, until you gradually change your mental attitude. If you are able, through various methods, to adopt a predominant positive attitude, and also develop patience and the ability to concentrate, then you will be able to visualize effectively for longer periods.

There is another reason why it is advised not to constantly think about your goal. By freeing your conscious mind from excessive thinking, you make it easier for information, intuition, ideas, inspiration and motivation to pass from the subconscious mind to the conscious mind. This also enables the conscious mind to be more aware of any opportunity that pops up, and allows your subconscious mind to motivate you to take action, and to make the necessary effort to achieve your goals.

It is important to add that if your desire is really strong, you will carry it in the back of your head, even if you don't consciously think about it.

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Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power".

Visit his website and find articles and books filled with inspiration, motivation and practical advice and guidance.
Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com
Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm

12 Tips for Overcoming Anger and Gaining Peace by Remez Sasson

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 09:21:00 +0000

Anger appears when one is confronted with frustration, unhappiness or hurt feelings, or when plans don't turn out as desired. It also shows up when coming against opposition or criticism.

Anger never helps anyone. It wastes your energy, and can hurt your health, spoil your relationships, and cause you to miss opportunities. Getting angry is acting against your best interests.

Things don't always proceed according to plans and expectations. People not always act the way you wish them to act. You may not be always able to be in control of external influences and conditions, but you can certainly learn to control your attitude and reactions. There is no sense of allowing circumstances and people to pull your strings and affect your mind and feelings. You can choose not to let what people say and do affect your moods. You can maintain an inner attitude of emotional and mental detachment, and refuse to allow every minor event play with your feelings and evoke anger.

I often see people getting angry over unimportant and insignificant matters. Some insignificant remark or action, not getting a satisfactory reply to a question or just moodiness are enough to set fire and cause anger, snappy remarks, arguments and even physical fights. This is absolutely unnecessary. Life can be happier without this behavior.

Anger is a negative reaction, and if you wish to progress on the path of self-improvement or spiritual growth you should avoid it as much as possible.

Learning to calm down the restlessness of the mind and gaining peace of mind, is one of the best and most effective methods to overcome anger, and in fact, all negative emotions.

If you are willing to invest the time and energy, you will reap great rewards. Peace of mind will not only help you overcome anger, but also help you overcome anxiety and negative thinking, and enable you to stay calm, tranquil and self possessed in difficult and trying situations.

Peace of mind requires the development of an attitude of emotional and mental detachment, which is of vital importance for overcoming and avoiding anger. It protects you against being too affected by what people think, say or do, and is therefore highly recommended. Detachment is not an attitude of indifference and lack of sensitivity. It is an attitude of common sense and inner strength and leads to peace of mind.

I would like to suggest a few simple tips for inner detachment and peace of mind, which will help you overcome anger:

1. Devote a few minutes, at least once a day, to thinking on how much your life would be better without anger.

2. When you feel anger arising in you, start breathing deeply and slowly several times.

3. You may, instead of breathing deeply, or better still, in addition to it, count slowly from one to ten. This will delay your angry reaction and weaken it.

4. Drinking some water has a calming effect on the body.

5. Try to be more patient, no matter how difficult it might be.

6. Be more tolerant toward people, even toward people you don't like.

7. Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. You can disagree with people, but still maintain tact and diplomacy.

8. Choose to react calmly and peacefully in every situation. Try again and again, regardless of how many times you lose control and get angry.

9. Positive thinking makes it easier to disregard remarks and behavior that otherwise could cause anger.

10. Try to manifest at least some self-control, self-discipline and more common sense.

11. Don't take everything too seriously. It is not worth it.

12. Find reasons to laugh more often.

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10 Tips For Spiritual Growth by Remez Sasson

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:42:00 +0000

Spiritual growth is the process of inner awakening, and becoming conscious our inner being. It means the rising of the consciousness beyond the ordinary existence, and awakening to some Universal truths. It means going beyond the mind and the ego and realizing who you really are.

Spiritual growth is a process of shedding our wrong and unreal conceptions, thoughts, beliefs and ideas, and becoming more and more conscious and aware of our inner being. This process uncovers the inner spirit that is always present, but hidden beyond the ego-personality.

Spiritual growth is of great importance for everyone, not only for people who seek spiritual enlightenment and choose to live in far away or secluded places. Spiritual growth is the basis for a better and more harmonious life for everyone, a life free of tension, fear and anxiety. By discovering who we really are we take a different approach to life. We learn not to let outer circumstances influence our inner being and state of mind. We manifest composure and detachment, and we develop inner power and strength, all of which are very useful and important tools.

Spiritual growth is not a means for escaping from responsibilities, behaving strangely and becoming an impractical person. It is a method of growing and becoming a stronger, happier and more responsible person. You can walk on the path of spiritual growth, and at the same time live the same kind of life as everyone else. You do not have to live a secluded life in some far away place. You can raise a family, work or run a business, and yet at the same time engage in practices that lead to inner growth.A balanced life requires that we take care not only of the necessities of the body, feelings and mind, but also of the spirit, and this is the role of spiritual growth.

10 tips for spiritual growth:

1. Read spiritual and uplifting books. Think about what you read, and find out how you can use the information in your life.

2. Meditate for at least 15 minutes every day. If you do not know how to meditate, it is easy to find books, websites or teachers who can teach you meditation.

3. Learn to make your mind quiet through concentration exercises and meditation.

4. Acknowledge the fact that you are a spirit with a physical body, not a physical body with a spirit. If you can really accept this idea, it will change your attitude towards many things in your life.

5. Look often into yourself and into your mind, and try to find out what is it that makes you feel conscious and alive.

6. Think positive. If you find yourself thinking negatively, immediately switch to thinking positively. Be in control of what enters your mind. Open the door for the positive and close it for the negative.

7. Develop the happiness habit, by always looking at the bright side of life and endeavoring to be happy. Happiness comes from within. Do not let your outer circumstances decide your happiness for you.

8. Exercise often your will power and decision making ability. This strengthens you and gives you control over your mind.

9. Thank the Universe for everything that you get.

10. Develop tolerance, patience, tact and consideration for others.

Spiritual growth is the birthright of everyone. It is the key to a life of happiness and peace of mind, and the manifesting the enormous power of the inner spirit. This spirit is equally present within the most material person, and within the most spiritual person. The level of the manifestation of spirituality is dependent on how much the inner spirit is close to the surface, and on how much it is covered and hidden, by thoughts, beliefs and negative habits.

© Copyright Remez Sasson

Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power". Visit his website and find articles and books filled with inspiration, motivation and practical advice and guidance.
Website: "http://www.successconsciousness.com/index.htm"http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com
Books: "http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm"http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.

Believe in Yourself!!! - Meredith Pollock

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:36:00 +0000

Today I want to talk about believing in yourself. There are so many people out there that have either given up or are seriously doubting themselves. Why does this happen?

Personally I think this is because we are with ourselves 24/7 non stop and we allow other people to influence our thinking. They’ll either tell you that your dreams are just that – dreams, or that you are wishing for the impossible or someone will tell you that you can’t lose weight or that you’re stupid etc. Then what you do is take them at their word and long after they’ve already forgotten what they said, you are still telling yourself that because they said it. You dwell on what they said because it may have hurt your feelings and now your inner dialogue keeps telling you that. I know this because I am guilty of doing it as well. But there is hope.

When someone for example tells you that you’re stupid just tell yourself that even though what you might have said or done was a little stupid, that doesn’t make you stupid. Say to yourself “so what I made a mistake I’m human, but I’m intelligent enough not to let what they say affect my life”, or if they tell you that your dreams are impossible or just wishful thinking, tell yourself “My dreams may be impossible or just wishful thinking for them, but they are my dreams, not theirs and my dreams are real” etc. You’ve got to learn to turn those negative comments or statements around to suit you.

Now I’m not saying it is easy and that it will happen overnight BUT if you continue to do it before you know it, you will no longer be allowing others or yourself to break you down. You will start to gain strength and confidence that will help you to believe in yourself once again. When it comes to your dreams and goals DON’T allow other people to steal them away from you.

When you hear those negative thoughts creeping in, confront them. Now if you are alone you can always speak to them as if you were speaking to someone standing in front of you, if you not alone I suggest you do it in your mind otherwise the people around you might just think you slightly crazy and ready for the loony-bin, which is definitely not the case.

Another point worth remembering is that many, many of our beliefs that we have about ourselves stem right back to childhood. When people or grown ups told you things, you didn’t know any better other than to take their word for it and this wasn’t their fault either as many of their beliefs came from their parents and their parents etc etc. But now as an adult (or young adult) you know better, you know you have the choice to believe what feels right and to toss the rest.

In order for you to believe in yourself again you have to let go of the negative things you tell yourself or hear from others. As Dr Phil so often asks “How’s it working for you?”. If it’s not working for you, you need to get rid of it, let it go. But at the same time you need to be building yourself up, speaking positive.

When you love or care about someone else you talk to them with respect, love and encouragement, that is how you need to talk to yourself. Tell yourself good things that you would say to others, hell even if you have to go and stand in front of the mirror and pretend that your reflection is the other person you love and adore, then do it. It may seem totally weird at first but as they say “Fake it till you make it”. Just do it, find ways that will work for you.

What works for me, may not work for you, so experiment, play with it and start to have fun with it. And in time you will start to feel good about yourself, your dreams and goals etc and best of all you will start to believe in yourself again. Just remember treat yourself like you would an honored guest in your house and that shift in your self-belief will happen!!!!! Believe it and believe in you!!!!

Does Your Ex Want You Back Or Are You Refusing to Accept Reality? By Christine Akiteng

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:48:00 +0000

Refusing to accept reality or optimistic denial is so common that sometimes men and woman who are trying to get their ex back come across as unreasonable in their thoughts and attitudes -- even acting like their ex owes them something.

Even when they intellectually understand that they are broken up, they find it really hard to accept -- and even feel confused - that someone who once loved them is now acting like a different person. This provokes intense emotional anguish:

-- "Why is he doing this to me?"

-- "So why does she want to talk to me now?"

-- "Why did she say she's never been happier with anyone else, but then dumps me?"

-- "Why does he say he loves me but doesn't want a relationship?"

-- "How could he move on so quickly? Didn't our relationship mean anything?"

Often times denial is simply a case of not wanting to look at the real problem...

As they try to cope with overwhelming feelings of rejection, uncertainty and unpredictability, some people look for diversions or distractions that help them deal with the unacceptable reality.

This is what I call the "escapist's trap"; a subtle but dangerous game in which the mind creatively rearranges information, distorts situational cues, and misinterprets the meanings of certain messages, all in a clumsy attempt to avoid addressing the real problem(s) and avoid personal responsibility. Quite often the mind engages in this dangerous game because there is part of the unacceptable reality that the person doesn't want to admit to (even to him or herself), so he or she tries to place the blame for the unacceptable reality on someone or something else.

A few examples of "escapist's traps" include:

-- My ex is damaged and needs therapy;

-- My ex has commitment issues/ phobia;

-- My ex is very stubborn, nothing will work;

-- I think s/he is testing me;

-- My plate is full at the moment;

-- Everybody says I am wasting my time;

-- If only X would happen, everything would be fine!

These statements work as perceptual filters placed over reality only allowing in selective information that puts the blame for the unacceptable reality on someone or something else. Even when empirical evidence suggests otherwise, the person finds ways to repress, minimize, misdirect, reinterpret or explain away information that does not filter through his or her perceptual filters.

Denial gives you the excuse to keep going unchanged because facing reality is too painful...
For example your ex might say:

--"I felt like something was missing", but what you hear is "I have problems with commitment";

-- "You're needy, clingy and controlling" but what you hear is "I am not good enough for a very loving person like you";

-- "You're too nice" but what you hear is "I am addicted to bad boys" ;

-- "I need space to figure out things for myself" but what you hear is "It's over!"

-- "I do not know about us" but what you hear is "You're wasting your time, nothing will work."

This is perhaps not so surprising given the fact people who tend to creatively rearrange information, distort situational cues, and misinterpret the meanings of certain messages to create a contrived reality, are risk and pain averse in the first place. They are so consumed with trying to avoid negative consequences and undesirable outcomes, to the point that they may not have even seen the breakup coming because they saw what they wanted to see or heard what they want to hear and didn't want to know, hear or see anything else that threatened their contrived view of reality. Now that the relationship has ended, the entire focus of their energy, effort and time is another contrived reality.

-- "I don't think she's happy without me"

-- "I think he misses me"

-- "I think she wants me contact to her"

-- "I think he wants to call me but is afraid I might not pick up the phone"

-- "Its the other man/woman controlling him/her"

And its not like the person is willfully lying. Its just that their reality becomes distorted, as they convince themselves about what is really going on.

A contrived reality has you working backwards instead of moving forward...

Instead of taking the necessary steps that will turn things around

-- like being less needy or controlling, stop trying too hard to please, become more interesting
and exciting, and all the other things may be making you less attractive, you are obsessed with getting your ex to go to therapy when he doesn't really need it; or you're trying to help an ex overcome commitment phobia when the reality is that she doesn't want to spend the rest of her life with you because you're missing some of the qualities she's looking for in a guy; or you're doing no contact to try to make your ex miss you but only end up creating an even wider distance between the two of you. What a waste of energy, effort and time!

Escape from reality coupled with the feeling that you cant do anything at all puts you in a passive and dependent role

-- a victim to whom things are done. You find yourself feeling like you lack the emotional and psychological resources necessary to deal with trying to get your ex back; spending a lot of our time deciding what to do; and constantly trying to stay positive and hopeful.

Denial wont stop the reality from being real...

And even if your ex needed therapy or has commitment issues or phobia, a contrived view of reality creates a poor or very false sense of understanding of the complexity and scale of problem you pretend to address or handle. Trying to simplify the problem in order to lower exposure to threat and risk confuses the mind further making any attempts at attracting an ex back much more difficult.

It is important to understand that the escapist trap or use of escapist strategies, on most part, is not a deliberate attempt to distort information or sabotage the chances of attracting back an ex back, but a rather a reaction to the complexity of uncertainty and the need to deny personal responsibility. Sometimes, people who use escape strategies to try to attract their ex back are not even aware of their real agendas, but present the problem, often with perfect integrity, as the way they see it.

Refusing to accept reality or optimistic denial is a trap you must free yourself from...

If you are to succeed in attracting your ex back, it is imperative that you move beyond this denial as soon as possible. Your ex may even want you back, but the escapist strategies you're using make it hard to attract your ex back. And you wonder why nothing is working!

About Author: Internationally renowned Dating & Relationships Coach, Christine Akiteng has devoted years of her life re-uniting couples and has seen over and over again first hand what works. She has woven together solid-gold advice on just about every stage of getting back together with your ex to help you make the process less scary and shaky and more exciting and smooth as possible.

Christine AkitengLevel: PlatinumA zealous and inspirational figure with a captivating energy that pulls people to her, Internationally renowned Sexual Confidence/Dating Coach, Christine Akiteng is a dazzling icon ... ...

Does an Ex Ruin Your Life Or Open Opportunities For a New Start? By Colin Martin

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 10:46:00 +0000

Only you know for sure, but it does take some time for you to figure this one out. In the days and months following a bad break up, it seems as if your ex is doing everything they can to ruin your life. And you are extra sensitive to all the little things that can push your buttons.

After all, who knows you better than your ex? They swore an everlasting love to you, and suddenly they are your worst enemy. Nothing really hurts more than a trust betrayed. But you know deep down in your heart that you can get through this. The doors to start a new life will swing wide open.

You really have no choice than to start anew.

The time the two of you spent together will now have to be filled with activities of your choosing.

Half-heartedly you will look for "something to fill the time"...to take your mind off of the pain.

But these activities are the start of your new life. You have the freedom to do anything you now want to do. There will be no more asking for permission, no judgments or having to explain to anyone what you want to do or where you want to go. You can afford to take risks, find your niche in life and follow your dreams. There will be no more "That's stupid", "I don't understand why you would want to do that" or the ever popular "who's going to take care of the house?"

The biggest reason why couples fight is over money. But the biggest reason couples divorce is over one or the other partner losing their identity.

Having the freedom to do the things you want in life will be what matters most at the end of your life. Too many people say "I wish I had done (fill in the blank), but now it's too late."

Couples that support and encourage each other to find activities, together and apart, will be the ones that stay together.

Your new post break up activities will be the creation of your new life.

In your attempts to find peace, you are unwittingly creating the new you. A wiser you. A more fulfilled you. A freer you! No one can ruin your life but you. Giving someone else that power is not "freedom." You are in control even if it doesn't seem like it sometimes. Whether or not you realize it, your soul is healing itself every moment. Your new life has already begun.

Do This Before You Pursue a Relationship By Deb Allen

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:43:00 +0000

Even as children most of us dream about what our life partner will be like. Some of focus on the appearance of our mate and others focus more on the personality of that special person. The truth is that almost everyone of us will feel that we are in love at some point in our lifetime. Being in love does not guarantee our happiness, but being in love with a compatible person might. That is why there are a few steps to take before pursuing a relationship in order to ensure that it will be a great one.

The steps are easy but they can be time-consuming. The reason is that you should give careful consideration to each step. Okay, please see the list below:

1) Get to know yourself

2) Consider your dreams, goals and plans

3) Decide what, if anything, you are willing to compromise on

4) If children are in your plans determine a parenting style you are comfortable with

5) Consider your budgeting style, are you a spender or a saver

When I listed 'get to know yourself' as step one I thought many people might misunderstand.

You see, this is really the most time-consuming step for most people. In order to know yourself you will need to carefully analyze what is important to you. After completing this step you will be able to tell anyone your basic thoughts about the fundamentals of life.

I suggest that you begin with your values, faith, and ethics. I always find it helpful to make lists on paper (or a computer screen) so I can look over it. But if you prefer making the list in your head that is fine. The purpose of defining these things for yourself is so that you can decide just how important they are to you. For instance, if you are a very religious person you may plan to raise your children with that same religion. Consider how you would feel if your partner has a different religion and wants to raise the children with those beliefs.

You most likely have some plans for your future. I think we all do. The point in this step is so that you become clearer on your goals and you can more easily determine how important they are to you.

Step three is reviewing your lists from step one and two in order to determine if you are willing to compromise on any of those issues. An example might be if you meet your partner and he or she feels that their goals are more beneficial to the relationship so you are asked to assist in helping them reach their goals while yours are put on hold or forgotten.

Raising children often results in disagreements between the parents. One may have a more liberal style of parenting while the other is very strict and authoritative. Consider how that could be handled. Ideally this is something that would be discussed early in a relationship in order to avoid disputes later.

And the last step I have listed is determining your budgeting style. Some of us are spenders and some of us are savers. Arguments over money are common in relationships. Sometimes having a spender and a saver in the couple is the ideal mix. They tend to smooth the edges of one another. But if you have been on your own for awhile it may be hard to switch styles. Decide how you would handle such a situation if your partner wanted money matters handled differently than you do.

By assessing yourself before you even begin a relationship you will be better equipped to make an intelligent decision about the viability of the partnership. Some relationships may be better left as a friendship than to be pursued as a lifetime partnership.

Conversation starters

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:40:00 +0000

There is nothing worse when meeting someone for the first time then that awkward silence after greeting each other.

Kick the silence into orbit with these conversation starters.

How was your day?

You look really nice, where did you get (item in question)?

How was work?

If you are in their home comment on an ornament or a piece of furniture.

Have you seen any movies recently? How did you like it/them?

What kind of music do you listen to?

Ask if they saw a interesting TV program.What sports do you play or like? How long have you played for?

What did you do this weekend (week)?

Have you been to (a local restaurant)?

What kind of foods do you like?

Where are you from?

Where did you go to school/college?

Have you read any good books lately? Was it interesting?

What do you normally do for fun?

Do you like (an interest of yours)?

These will get the conversation going and you will find out what the other is interested in. Then you'll know if you have anything in common.

Character is Who We Are When No One is Watching By Fred Nicklaus

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:37:00 +0000

I remember a conversation that I had a while ago with a person who was talking to me about a chance that he would have to make some extra dollars and possibly take over part or all of the ownership of a company. Sounded like a pretty good deal at first, but then the person went on to tell me that he was not happy with the opportunity for extra dollars but wanted to move on the ownership of the company. In order to do that, he was willing to do some underhanded things in order for him to achieve his goals. I thought

The aforementioned person never achieved his goal and is it any wonder? Isn't it true that the way of the universe is most often that we never get things if we don't really deserve them. It almost never happens with proper joy or reward if a person is willing to use underhanded means in an effort to get what they want.

It's interesting that this theme of Character is something that I come across on a regular basis. I was at my weekly bible study and we talked about the Character theme among the group of men that I meet with. Character, it really is at the center of our relationships with family, friends, and everyday acquaintances. Any contact that we have will always be more fruitful and more fulfilling if we allow our Character to come to the front and be ourselves.

I believe that everyone knows the importance of acting the way you act at all times, no matter who the audience is that you might be in contact with. Are you the same you in all situations or do you have different yous that come to the front depending upon the situation that you are in or the people your around whether your acting a certain way might benefit you depending upon the you that you display?

I believe that it's all fairly simple. Decide who you are and let people know who that is by the way that you act in all situations. I hope that we all decide to be honest, fair, humble, willing to learn, and willing to help others. I believe that these are some reasonable character traits that can lead to a successful and happy life.

Be true in all your actions,

Can't See the Forest From the Trees By Blanca Stella Mejia

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:34:00 +0000

I always pondered on this saying and don't think I really understood what it meant until today where I fully experienced this through a situation that presented itself for me as a perfect learning opportunity.

I was driving looking for an address."I think I know where I am going," my sister calls me on the cell phone. Here we are talking about our plans, our dreams and our future or should I say she was, because all of a sudden I find myself lost while she is talking up a storm as to "how on fire she is" with our dream. For the past year, we have worked intensely together creating a blueprint for our concepts and our dreams. The plan was we would be making these real estate deals so we could continue to fund our dreams. I had left my "job" after basically having a stable income for all of my adult life in some form or another. Of coarse, we were able to do this through a business credit line, of which we had anticipated to pay back within the year due to the projected sales of real estate.

But then came the real estate crash, who would have thought........ Go figure, right???? And even in the crash, with the listings we had, and good solid contracts coming in, the deals fell apart because the sellers were suddenly upside down. There is no way we could have foreseen the drastic drop in prices in one year in Miami. At the time the market seemed to be doing well. But life has a way of take funny turns. My sister is a single mother and I, while married, and in a very stable relationship had been the major bread winner in our household. All of a sudden my sister and I are faced with no income coming in and debts piling up. It so happened that at this time my sister was also in the process of a surgical procedure to repair damage to an injured ankle from a car accident five years ago. The pain was so bad from barely any cartilage, she could hardly walk.

We were both faced with: "Now what?" There was no other option but for me to go out and find another "job." This was excruciatingly difficult for me, probably as much as the pain in her ankle.

I have been in the system of working for someone and receiving a "paycheck" for 30 years since I got out of college. On the other hand, my sister has always been self-employed and an entrepreneur in her real estate business. Quite a different world for each of us. So when I began working with her, it really took a long while for me to make that shift from "paycheck mentality" to self-employed, entrepreneur, creator of my own destiny. Don't get me wrong, I have had my own small private practice and within the last 15 years worked as an independent contractor with different agencies. But our work together was different. It was creating something different.

We were really creating our hopes, dreams and desires. And then came the real estate market crash, and then the financial markets crash. I had to go back to work in something that I did not necessarily receive a great deal of satisfaction but in the moment paid the bills and most of the time barely.

Going back to the beginning of the story, while I am on the phone with her and lost looking for this address, she was been "TOTALLY "immersed in continuing the dream because her schedule and lifestyle at this point allows it. (Thank God because if not our dreams would have died). One person always has to hold that dream.

A few months ago, I re-entered the "system of work "and all that this entails. Yes living paycheck to paycheck as so many Americans do this day. Today happened to be a more frustrating day as I experienced computer problems etc. etc. etc.

As we were talking on the phone, I finally get fed up with going around in circles and tell her I need to get off the phone because I am lost and need to find this address before 5:00 pm. I focus and begin to think as I am driving, "I know I am in the right area. I am only a block off, how can
I not find this place? "

As I retrace my steps to where I had been earlier I decide to go a little further in what I had assumed and thought was a DEAD END because I was in my frustration of the emotion of my conversation with my sister and was not paying attention. As I went a couple of feet further, there was the address that I was looking for. Yes it was the DEAD END" I HAD NOT GONE FAR ENOUGH.

Funny in our conversation on the phone my sister had said something about pushing - pushing for the dream. While I felt sometimes I was drowning being back in the system and allowing myself to get frustrated about details, I understood what she was saying. I do the same in my marriage with my husband. Sometimes I hold the dream and push for the dream.

I realize that this is what is important in working with partnerships whether it is with my sister or with my husband, at some point in time one person of the partnership has to hold the dream.

We all go through those moments where we feel like giving up. I have been in that mode and today's experience reminded me of that. What I thought and saw as the DEAD END was really the final destination that I was looking for. We all somehow tend to give up right before we get to our final destination. It's that last mile that makes or breaks us. It's not being able to see the forest for the trees that we lose our vision.

Want to know how to learn from life experiences, let go of pain and find real strength right from the heart of the crisis in your life? Get free tips, resources on personal development and spiritual growth from http://www.resurrectyourhero.com

Build Strong Relationships - Four Tips on How to Use Conflict to Create Intimacy By Eric Coggins

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 10:30:00 +0000

If you are a normal red-blooded human being, you hate conflict. In fact, most people avoid conflict like the plague. However, what we do not realize is that at least some level of conflict is necessary to gaining intimacy with another human being. A Cambodian proverb says "you are not a close friend until you have had a fight with that person." This article presents four tips on how to use conflict to create intimacy.

First, look at conflict as a way to learn more about yourself.

Often, when we are in the heat of the moment, we become locked into the problem and fail to learn from the situation. However, Stephen Covey, 1989, wrote that humans have four distinct gifts to help us change unwanted behavior. One of those gifts is self-awareness. Through the gift of self-awareness, you can use conflict to find out who you are and what makes you tick. You can learn about what is important to you and why you are having a problem with your friend.

The other three gifts are conscience, imagination and independent will. These gifts help us assess our behavior as right or wrong (conscience); design a new course of action (imagination); and carry it out (independent will).

Employment of all four gifts will help you know how to fine-tune to your partner and allow you to grow closer to them.

Second, look at conflict as an opportunity to learn more about your friend or partner.

When your worldview collides with their worldview, you learn more about them and what makes them tick.

This follows only if you are willing to suspend your need for self-preservation. Covey points out that in between stimulus and response is a space or gap. If you can teach yourself to think before you react, then you can exploit this space to make better choices. Unfortunately, most of us are prone to react instantaneously rather than take a step back and think through what just happened.

If we can learn to exploit the space and delay our response, then we can also learn to ask questions about our partner's behavior. Such questions will help them know that you want to know them better and will cause them to trust you more. As trust deepens, your relationship will become more intimate.

Third, learn to be humble.

Humility is an essential quality for close friendships. Humility means to have a right view of yourself. To have a right view of yourself means to accurately assess your worth, thinking neither too highly nor too lowly about your life. In fact, you are a masterpiece of
God's own hand, created to be the special person you are.

The same is true of your friend or companion. As such you are both very valuable. When you have a correct view of yourself and others, you will treat them with greater respect and dignity. Conflict is an opportunity to practice humility and to reiterate the worth of others.

Fourth, learn the fine art of reconciliation.

Few know how to reconcile their relationships. When relationships go sour, most people either throw up their hands to fight it out or drop their heads and slink away. But, if you can learn how to reconcile in an amiable way, you will have the intimate relationships of all. Reconciliation includes learning how to apologize for offenses committed against the other and how to forgive when others hurt you. A

lthough it is not advisable to purposely seek out trouble, the more conflict you encounter the more you will learn how to deal with conflict and how to reconcile with your loved ones.
Conflict is never easy and most people try to avoid it. This article has discussed four tips on how to use conflict to create more intimate relationships.

Eric Coggins - is the author of the 92 page ebook The Best You:Foundation Principles of an Effective Life. If you would like to know more about that book and how to have an abundant life, checkout http://www.bestyouebook.thebestyou.org/

Eric CogginsLevel: Basic PLUSI grew up somewhere between Disneyland and Hollywood. I am the third child of four, and second boy of three. Both my parents are still ... ...

Been Dumped? Relax, already!

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:24:00 +0000

This post was written obviously for the women but I think men can take something from it as well...

So you've been dumped. It's happened to all of us, at one time or another. Still, this is a case where 'misery loves company' doesn't quite apply. It hurts. A lot. It may require some effort to learn to be alone again. But there are things you can do for yourself to make it easier. First step is: be kind to yourself. Even though it feels like amputation, ditch every reminder you have of the relationship. Seeing things that remind you will only make it harder to get over him.

Discard the love letters, Valentine cards and the CDs. Whatever reminds you of the guy, get rid of. If he gave you valuable jewelry, sell it. Better yet, throw it into the nearest body of water, whether it's the ocean or a river-- the physical act of throwing his things away will free you, really it will.

Then, relax. Relax? When your heart feels as if it's been through a blender? It's really not as difficult as it sounds-- trust me on this. Doing sweet, romantic things for yourself will help ease your heart and mind. For instance, draw a nice warm bath for one. Light a few candles, brew a steaming mug of chamomile tea and turn on some lovely music (just not 'your song'). Something instrumental, without words, is just the thing. Add a generous spill of essential oil such as lavender or rose to your bath for an even more relaxing time. Roll a thick towel into a nice neck pillow and climb in.

Every time that 'he' comes across your mind, push him away with better thoughts. If you find this difficult to do, simply count backwards from one-hundred. Whatever it takes to displace thoughts of the jerk that dumped you-- do it. Indulge your favorite fantasy, as long as it doesn't involve you-know-who. Lather up with the most expensive soap or bath gel you can afford; this is the time to totally treat yourself, and well. Skip shaving your legs, unless this is something that you like to do just for yourself.

This is a good time to be absolutely selfish! Sing out loud, as long as it's nothing romantic. "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair" is a good choice, if you know it. And if you don't know it, fake it. Scrub yourself all over with a long backbrush, loofah or natural sponge. Enjoy your beautiful body and nevermind the idiot who left it. Remember that you're an exquisite woman and you will be loved again. No hurries, though-- realize that this is a time of solitude, not loneliness. As you soak in the soothing, fragrant waters let your mind wander, as long as it's not toward memories of him. Lavish yourself with love 'til your toes wrinkle, then dry yourself with a thick, warm towel.

Now, caress yourself slowly with an indulgent body-butter or lotion. Enjoy yourself completely.

Give yourself a good deep foot massage then slip into a pair of warm, snuggly socks. Brush your hair slowly while reminding yourself what a lovely, valuable woman you truly are. Above all, keep relaxing, gentle thoughts in your mind.

The old adage 'time heals all wounds' really is (as most old adages are) true. Each day that passes will be easier and easier until finally you will laugh that you every thought 'he' was worth your time. Be your own best friend and love yourself completely. Face it. Fellows come and go, but we're with ourselves forever.

Be More Attractive & Release the Fear of Being Alone Today By Nick Arrizza, M.D.

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:07:00 +0000

The fear of being alone inflicts on anyone who harbors it feelings of insecurity, anxiety, low self esteem and self worth, the tendency to depend and rely too readily on others and their opinions, feelings of emptiness and a needy disposition that makes them unattractive to others. In other words it perpetuates the very thing that the person fears i.e. being alone.

Yet many who are afflicted by this have no idea what to do about it other than to try and wrestle it to the ground and pretend to themselves and others that they are not afraid of being alone.

Does this feel like a tenable strategy to you? Hardly!

There is another solution and I present it here in a powerful way that I feel will shift you and your experience permanently if you wish to undertake this pioneering journey into yourself.

Let's start with the simple question:

What does this fear actually motivate you to do?

Well it supposedly motivates one to find friends so that they will no longer feel alone.

So if they are no longer feeling alone what are they supposedly feeling instead?

Well they would be feeling secure, comfortable, like they fit in, attractive to others, loved, good about themselves, happy, at peace and so on.

So in summary one could then say that:

The fear of being alone causes one to feel secure, comfortable, like they fit in, loved, good about themselves, happy, at peace and so on. (I call this the Summary Statement)

Now if we look at what the fear of being alone actually does to you you'll notice as stated above that it leads to feelings of insecurity, anxiety, low self esteem and self worth, the tendency to depend and rely to readily on others and their opinions, feelings of emptiness and a needy disposition that makes them unattractive to others. In other words it perpetuates the very thing that the person fears i.e. being alone.

This fear is clearly TOXIC, is it not?

If you see this place one hand over your heart and as if you are speaking from there simply affirm this to yourself and then notice how you feel.

Now does what this fear does to you concur with the Summary Statement above?

Hardly, because they are exact opposites!

So which is the truth about this fear?

Well I think that you'll recognize that the Summary Statement is false.

If you do, place one hand over your heart, and as if you are speaking from there simply affirm this to yourself and then notice how you feel.

So do you want this false statement to be living inside your mind or body? If not, as if you are speaking from your heart command that it be forever purged from your life.

Next, with your hand over your heart command the fear of being alone to be purged from your life.

Finally, in the present tense (i.e. I am feeling ...etc.) describe how you would rather feel and be.

Once you have your list then once again affirm this as if you are speaking this from you heart.

Notice how you feel now.

If you've followed this you'll find yourself in an entirely new place in your self and you life.

Congratulations!

A Positive Emotional Mental State = Experiencing Life to the Fullest By Daniel Massicotte

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:05:00 +0000

Mental state is what getting anything done boils down to. Throughout the years I have been encouraged by my teachers to learn how to multi-task. I really don't like multi-tasking because I cannot focus on one thing with my entire mind and do the best job possible. Multi-taking is something that I can do if I want to get a bunch of activities out of the way at the same time. When I do this the quality of the activities I am engaging myself in is jeopardized.

I recently put myself in a mental state that focused on being thankful. I just had surgery and was bed-ridden for a full three weeks. There really was only so much Seinfeld I could watch!

I built up the courage to write 15 "Thank You" letters to the first 15 people that came to my mind. This was a challenge because I had never done it before. I also was a little concerned that the people receiving the letters would think I'm crazy.

As I worked myself up to do this challenge I began to feel strong emotions of gratitude. I'm not talking about the thankfulness you exhibit when the driver waits for you as you run in the pouring rain to catch the bus. These emotions brought tears to my eyes because I knew that I was addressing certain things I had never taken the time to be grateful for. I never even considered their meaning.

One of these things was how my brother practically yelled at me to 'grow up!' Another one was the generosity in time someone had given me so I could share things with them I could not with others. Another letter made me realize just how much one of my mentors had done for me over the last four years.

These are feelings that we are meant to experience every day. Unfortunately we're not always receptive to them and so we close them out. This can happen for any number of reasons. I would like dive into what I feel is one of the top emotions that prevent us from feeling so full and abundant, but that will be another article, for another time.

What is most important is that we learn to be grateful for everything and everyone in our lives.

We need to recognize things that happen to us that displease us and change out mental state so that we can see the good in them instead of the bad.

Negative people always see negative results and experience life from a negative stand point.

Positive people on the other hand have a complete reverse experience. They look for the good that happens in every situation. Instead of having a bad day, they have a bad hour. Instead of crying over their wallet being stolen, they get on the phone to get new cards and then go do something they enjoy!

Be that positive person, and tell me about it!

Dan Massicotte is perhaps the most positive oriented individual you will ever meet. You can learn more about him on his website: http://danmassicottespositiveliving.com/ Join his newsletter to be informed of new articles and website developments.

A New Look at Finding Love By Dr. Brenda Shoshanna

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:02:00 +0000

Everyone wants love and yet today it seems more difficult than ever to know how to build a lasting relationship and find the fulfillment we desire. In many circles, traditional relationships and commitment are a thing of the past. For many, it has become hard to find a suitable partner and create a lasting home.

It's useful to take a new look, from an old point of view about what love is and how to find it. Both Zen and Jewish practice offer unique point of view about love, which can ease the loneliness many today experience.

In Jewish practice, it is in the very process of being in relationship, in which we learn what it means to love. In Jewish practice, romantic feelings, which come and go, are not a foundation for lasting love. The wedding is just a beginning; the person you marry is there to show you what it means to love. Your partner is your teacher, to show you the ways you need to grow. You focus on caring for and serving your partner, not on being served. When your partner is disturbing you, they are giving you an opportunity to grow. Thank them for behaving this way. They are teaching you to let go of self-centered focus, accept differences, be patient and not judge.

Zen practice asks that we first establish the ability to love within. We step back from the chase and ask what it is we are truly seeking and what it is we lack? Many feel something is missing without a partner. If they cannot or do not find their perfect partner, they are unworthy or have failed. But who is searching, and who must be found?

From the Zen point of view, this search for ourselves in another person is dangerous and misleading. Just as you are, you are complete and whole. Nothing need be added. Your original nature encompasses all; it is neither male nor female, big nor small. The feeling that you lack something comes from obsession with seeking your good outside of yourself. In the practice of zazen as we sit, we become aware of our false ideas, fears and constrictions and let them go. As we do so, we become readily able to see the beauty in others and to love and care for all.

Jewish practice also teaches that the experience of falling in love is not necessarily healthy; it can be a blessing or a curse. The emotions connected to falling in love can be so intense that unless you are prepared, they can cause difficulty and blindness of all kinds. For example, you may not know if what you feel is love or some kind of fantasy infatuation. When intoxication lessens and you see things clearly, you may wonder what you ever saw in the person in the first place.

Psychological and spiritual preparation for this event serves as a protective shield, and directs the intense emotions of the heart. However, in Jewish practice relationship is always crucial. The relationship between man and woman is considered so important that the quality of a person's marriage can tell you everything about who they are. A student wanted to find the best Rebbe to study with. He went around asking, "How can I know if this Rebbe is really great?" Finally a great scholar answered, "If you want to know the quality of the Rebbe, look how happy he makes his wife."

Jewish practice teaches that a truly matched couple are two parts of the same soul, destined to unite. When you are longing for your true partner, you are actually longing for the other part of your soul. However, you have to develop to a level where you can be suitable for the person who is meant for you. If you want to find your soul mate, first attend to your soul - refine your character, increase your goodness. In Zen practice we do not connect with our soul mates but with our authentic selves. As we live from what is most deep and real, all separation and loneliness dissolve and love naturally arises for all. At this time it is not necessary to seek that one particular person, each person we encounter is simply another part of ourselves, there to be appreciated, nourished and cared for in anyway we can.

Whether based upon Jewish or Zen practice, all relationships which are grounded in the ability to care for and nourish others can only become a source of strength and wisdom for all concerned.

Dr. Brenda ShoshannaLevel: PlatinumDr Brenda Shoshanna is a psycohlogist, author, speaker and relationship expert on i.village. Her most recent book is The Anger Diet, (30 Days To Stress ... ...)

365 Reasons Why I Love You - Tell Someone How Much They Mean to You By Allen Jesson

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 09:55:00 +0000

When it comes to giving someone a gift, most people will look for a something that stands out or in some way shows how much they care about someone.

Giving a gift to show a person how much they mean to you does not have to cost a fortune, In fact there is no better way to show your love than to spend some time making a list of 365 reasons why I love you.

When writing your list of 365 reasons why I love you, try not to focus too much on physical things, consider the persons likes, dislikes, things they say and most importantly the little gestures they make that make you smile.

An example of some of the reasons you could use when compiling your list of 365 reasons why I love you could be:

Your strength Your devotion

How you are always 100% honest no matter what

Your kindness

Your smile

The way you are always happy first thing in the morning when I am grumpy

The way you take pride in how you look

The compliments you give me

The way you touch my face when we kiss

The little looks you give me when we are around friends

Your loyalty to me and everyone or everything that matters to you

Your compassion for everyone around you

Your selflessness

Your integrity

Your strength

Your devotion

The way you hold me

The way you liven up a room just by being in it

How much you have taught me about life and myself

Your intelligence

The fact that you are good at fixing things or putting things together by hand

Your zest for life

I love to wake up with you by my side...It makes my days better

You always make me feel that you are by my side no matter what

I love that feeling of being secure when you wrap your arms around me

I love the way you keep your cool when I do something stupid

Just being with you feels like I can defy the whole world

You mean the world to me

I like your small gestures that speak volumes about how much you care

Once you have written your list of 365 reasons why I love you it may be a good idea to have a card made and place the list inside. You may even want to read the list to your partner over a romantic dinner.

However you decide to present your list of 365 reasons why I love you, make sure you have taken time to list everything that means something to you, sometimes the silly things that people do are the things that make us love them even more.

Are you struggling to create a list of 365 reasons why I love you? Allen Jesson can help you write 365 reasons why I love you.

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

24 Daily Habits Posted by Peter Clemens

noreply@blogger.com (mrp721) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:48:00 +0000

We first make our habits, and then our habits make us - John Dryden

I have previously written about how the habit of Exercising Every Day has helped me tremendously. Doing something every day is such a powerful way to form a habit that I thought I would make a list of 24 habits that are worth doing on a daily basis. Note: I have divided these into morning, day and night although some could obviously be under different headings.

The Morning

1. Wake Early:

I am a big fan of waking at 5am and spending time working on myself before going to work. I have written more about this habit here.

2. Exercise:

when I had the goal of exercising 4 times a week I found it was very easy to tell myself I will exercise tomorrow instead. Setting the expectation of daily exercise removed this as a potential excuse and I have since reaped the benefits of this daily habit.

3. Review or (even better) Rewrite Your Goals:

each day I try to get closer to achieving my short, medium and long term goals. Starting the day by reviewing or rewriting my goals means that I have better awareness of them throughout the day. As Robin Sharma says:
With better awareness you can make better choices and when you make better choices, you will see better results.

4. Read and/ or Listen to Motivational Material:

in the morning a whole day of endless possibilities lies ahead. I motivate myself to play my best game by reading and listening to inspirational books/ audiobooks.

5. Visualise the Day Ahead:

I like to take a few minutes to shut my eyes and visualise what I want happen in the coming day. It’s amazing how often my desires become reality when I do this.

6. Write a “To Do” list:

I like to write out a list in my diary of the important tasks I need to do that day. As they are completed I put a line through them. So simple, yet so effective.

7. Check the News Headlines:

I think it’s important to have an idea of what is happening in our community and the world. Also if don’t at least check the main stories, I find it is easy to feel left out of conversations throughout the day.

8. Take a Multivitamin:

I try to eat a well balanced diet, but taking a multivitamin daily reassures me that I obtaining the proper amount of vitamins and minerals that I need (**Update: see comments).

9. Tidy Up:

a cluttered house can lead to a cluttered mind and fuzzy thinking. I find it’s best to stay on top of things by tidying up each day.

10. Take Time to Look Good:

it’s a reality of life that people judge us by our appearance. I take a few minutes each morning to ensure I go out into the world looking the best I can.

The Day

11. Put First Things First:

Many people have their day controlled by tasks that are urgent , but not necessarily important. Examples include interruptions, some email and some phone calls. The habit of putting first things first is about organising and executing your life around your deepest priorities.

12. Connect with Nature:

I find spending time outdoors in nature is great for my sense of wellbeing. I have written about this here.

13. Blog:

blogging makes me think and write - two things that I can’t get enough of each day. I have written more about the benefits of blogging here.

14. Snack Well:

I substitute the chips, candy and chocolate with fruit, vegetables (carrots and celery are great to chomp on) and nuts.

15. Be Proactive:

being proactive means showing initiative and taking the responsibility to make things happen. Whenever I want something to happen, I ask myself: what can I do to make this happen?

16. Ping a Friend:

I try to send a quick email or text to a friend each day. It’s a great way to stay in touch with friends when I am extremely busy.

17. Save:

I save at least 10% of each paycheck. A great way to find the money to save is to break it down to a daily amount, for example $10-15. By taking account of the Latte Factor I find it easy to save this much.

The Evening

18. Have Family Time:

on a typical workday I won’t see much of my partner and son, so I believe it’s important to, at the very least, be there most evenings. Family time is about quantity and quality.

19. Floss:

This is essential to reduce tooth decay and gum disease. Why wouldn’t you want to have the best smile possible?

20. Wind Down:

I try to switch off the computer and the TV about 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime and let my brain have some down time after a long day. I sleep far more peacefully when I do this.

21. Review My Day:

I find this is a great way to hold myself to account for taking action throughout the day. Did I get closer to achieving my goals? Did I complete my to do list? Did my day go as planned? If not, why not?

22. Read:

I love to read and do so continuously throughout the day. I find it is especially good to read just before to going to bed. Just makes sure it’s a relaxing book, and not one about nuclear physics (see habit #20).

23. Say I Love You to My Family Members:

don’t just assume that your family members know you love them. I say these words to my partner and son at least once per day.

24. Go to Bed At A Reasonable Time:

the first habit of this list (waking early) begins by going to bed at a reasonable time and getting a good nights sleep.