Self Improvement

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

You are the Source of Your Riches

You are the Source of Your Riches
by: Daniel MacDougall

Use your imagination and your ability to dream and imagine what you want in life. Don’t think “That’s impossible; it can’t be done.” Think in possibilities. Rather than thinking of just one thing you could have that would satisfy you, think of many things. Instead of imagining only one desirable outcome, ask yourself, “What is the best possible outcome that can occur?” After you have imagined the best possible outcome, push yourself to imagine an even better one. Every time you find yourself imagining something, see if you can expand or fine-tune the picture. Think big! Ask for more than you think you can have. Expand your imagination, enlarge your pictures, and play with new ideas. See if you can go beyond the boundaries you have set for what you think you can have. Unlimited thinking is more than thinking big; it is thinking creatively. It is allowing yourself to imagine having all that you might have. Be open to pleasant surprises. Trust that you will receive whatever is perfect for you to have. Generate excitement about having what you want. Make it so real in your imagination that you can almost touch it, see it, or feel the feelings you will have when it comes to you. Think of it frequently and with intensity, and also be willing to detach and let it come in whatever way is best. When you have a clear intention to have something, you generate energy that is focused like a laser beam to go out and get what you want. If you intend to have something, you will.

Your imagination is your most powerful energy creating tool. When using your imagination there are no rules other than being as inventive as you can. You use your ability to visualize all the time. You make pictures in your mind prior to creating anything. As you pretend that you already have something, you begin to harmonize with it and bring the feeling of having it into your present reality. This feeling begins to draw it to you. The feeling is what energizes the thought.

You are the source of your abundance and money. Through working with your feelings, thoughts, and intentions, you can become a master at creating whatever you want. You are the source of your riches, not your job, your investments, your possessions, etc. Your thoughts set up the model of what is to be created, and your emotions energize your thoughts and propel them from your inner world to your outer world. What are you thinking about today? I invite you to make those thoughts big, and expansive. Begin right now to open your mind to greater possibilities.

About The Author

Daniel MacDougall is a writer, speaker, and artist. He and partner Marie, make their living online teaching people how to manifest their dreams. Go to http://attracting-wealth.com and learn more about how you can have all the wealth and abundance you desire in life. Free newsletter available.

You are the Source of Your Riches

You are the Source of Your Riches
by: Daniel MacDougall

About The Author

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Self Improvement

Set Goals for Self-Improvement
by: Dennis Watson

In order to succeed or accomplish anything in life you must first set goals. It is especially a must for any person interested in self-improvement. With that said, one of the first sets of goals should be on self-improvement.

But remember "What you achieve through the journey of life is not as important as who you become" - Author Unknown.

Go ahead and take the actions and steps necessary to make your goal of self-improvement in some area of your life into a reality. A good example of this is how athletes will compare their current performance to their own previous performances with self-improvement being the number one goal.

Below are six goal-setting actions to help you realize your goals:

1. Begin with short-term goals that will build upon themselves and lead you to long-term ones.

If you have a big task, like becoming debt free, break it into smaller steps which will help you stay focused and on course. You will feel good as you reach each goal, keeping you motivated and ready for the next one.

2. Make sure you really want the goal. It is very important that the goals you choose are yours and not someone else's goals set for you. If deep down you are not committed to the goals, you will only put off achieving it.

3. Share your goals with others. By doing this you will gain support you need from others. Make sure you share with those who will encourage you and not with those who will give you negative feedback.

4. Write down your goals. Create a written statement of goals and sign it. This will reinforce your commitment and give you a map for success. Also, when times get tough you can read your statement to help motivate you.

5. Stay the course and don't give up. There is nothing more satisfying in life then when you complete a goal. Being successful once turns into many. It can become quite additive.

6. Rejoice and celebrate. Take time to savor the moment. You worked hard and found out that by being committed and dedicated your goals were met.

There you have it, six basic steps that will aid you on your journey to successfully obtaining your goals. All though all six steps are important the one that stands out the most is number 1. If you can't break your goal down into bit size portions you will always put it off or procrastinate. And you know what happens when one procrastinates...nothing gets done. Good luck.

About The Author

Dennis Watson - Just helping others succeed.
Zeoh.com Free Classifieds Web Site =>http://www.zeoh.com/
Good Health, Nutrition and Exercise Web Blog =>http://www.keeping-fit.blogspot.com

Self Improvement

Become The Star, Director, And Writer Of Your Future.
by: Seth Francis

One of the secrets of success is to not work so hard with your physical body; instead, use your mind to work out the details of how to be the person you want to be. Are you motivated to spend 10 minutes a day envisioning the future you want to create for yourself?

By deliberately mentally rehearsing the experience of success in your mind, you can turn aspirations into realities. See yourself free from the old negative habits that have wasted your time, energy, and money. Forget willpower for now and imagine yourself with positive behaviors. See yourself handling any challenging situation that normally triggers your old habits and see yourself using new strategies and doing it with ease.

Success experts say your imagination is your own personal workshop of the mind. This is particularly true when you want to program yourself towards new habits of success.

Visualize Yourself as the Person You Want to Be with Mental Rehearsal.

Mental rehearsal is the most powerful way to tap into your creative process and overcome old behavior patterns. Mental rehearsal can be used in all areas of your life, from seeing yourself as a non smoker, seeing yourself as the weight and size you want to be, and even seeing yourself as calm during challenging times.

Mental rehearsal is a tool that can help you reduce the effects of stressful situations. Now you will be more resourceful, reducing the possibility of reverting to your old habits. All areas in your life can benefit from imagery. It doesn’t matter what level your goals are on: physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual.

Use visualization to improve your abilities. Because the body follows the mind, if you start seeing yourself in a different light, then your body will follow suit — maybe by not craving the things that hurt you, or by motivating you to exercise more. It’s up to you to experiment. Who knows what miracles you can create in your life by using this powerful tool?

Counselors and therapists who recommend using mental rehearsal say it is the true key to tap your potential. Their research reveals that all of our skills are learned through the image-making process, whether it’s driving a car, reading a book, or changing a habit.

You use your mind to picture the activity before you actually perform it. Think of it like this: Your mind works like a movie projector, screening an endless reel of memories and scenes of situations both real and imagined. You have the power to direct your movie projector (your mind) to reach your desired goals. Once you imagine something new for yourself, you begin to be flooded with ideas about how to realize that image. All of this will come about when you have allowed yourself to break through your own worst limitation, what you believe are your capabilities.

About The Author

Seth Francis is the owner of http://www.breakyourhabits.com. Learn the true steps needed to Break any Habit in only 21 days. With the help of Personal coach Lee Milteer, Seth is able to bring you a comprehensive program to help you dig deep into your inner self and release your habits from with in, while reprogramming your mind. Copyright 2006.

Self Improvement

Creating A Winning Mindset Using The Power of Hypnosis
by: Steve G. Jones

Do you know anyone who always wins? Sure you know that person, everything just works out for them. They go into business and they are an instant success. They enter the dating scene and their phone rings off the hook. If they were in the Olympics, you just know they wouldn't settle for anything less than the gold. It seems as though they always win.

Why is it that some people just have IT and others seem not to? Want to learn the secret to their success? Ready? Here it comes....the secret to unstoppable success...drumroll please....Winners EXPECT to win!

That's the big secret. Simple, huh?

But, think about it for a moment...Winners actually SEE their success BEFORE it happens! Do YOU expect to win BEFORE you have even entered a situation...or do you assess your chances AFTER you are already in the situation? Or, even worse, do you imagine failure?

BEFORE selling a piece of real estate, winners EXPECT to get their asking price. BEFORE buying a car, winners EXPECT to get a discount.

Before running an Olympic race, winners EXPECT TO WIN the gold, so they do win! This one small thing gives winners a tremendous advantage over others.

Want to be a winner? Try the following exercise...

Close your eyes for a full minute and THINK about achieving a goal in your life...go ahead, close your eyes for one minute and really THINK about achieving it.

OK, now close your eyes again for one full minute and EXPECT to get it. Did you notice a difference? When we simply THINK about getting something, our thoughts tend to be vague.

There are also two options...getting it or not getting it (winning or losing). But, when we EXPECT to get it, there is only one possibility...getting it (winning).

So now that you know the secret, the next step is applying your powerful knowledge and getting yourself to that point where YOU ALWAYS EXPECT TO WIN. I suggest that you take a full minute pause right before entering any challenging situation. During that minute, close your eyes, and imagine winning. See it, feel it, hear it, imagine yourself already having won. Guess what...you will have programmed your mind to pull you powerfully in the winning direction.

When you do enter that situation, your words and actions will be generated from a winning mindset. Your path will be straight to victory...you will already know the way and EXPECT to get there...so you WILL get there. Using the power of hypnosis, you can easily program yourself for a constant winning mindset.

Until next time,

Live in abundant possibility!

Steve G. Jones, CHt

About The Author

Steve G. Jones is a board certified Clinical Hypnotherapist who works extensively with Hollywood actors, writers, directors, and producers, helping them achieve their very best. Learn more about his products by visiting: http://www.betterlivingwithhypnosis.com.

Self Improvement

Explain Yourself! The Reason Why Excuses Sabotage Your Success
by: Joy Fisher-Sykes

Have you ever been in a situation where you were unable to make good on a promise or commitment? Perhaps you were late with a report to your manager, unable to take a child to the playground, or late for dinner with your partner. The question is, after the realization sets in that you can not deliver, how do you explain why you were unable to meet your obligation? Do you stand in the truth, own your actions and give an honest reason, or do you make excuses concerned only with freeing yourself from blame?

Is there a difference?

For many of us, we have probably thought of the two as being one in the same. You may be asking yourself, “Is there really a difference?” At times, the distinction between the two can be difficult to see. After all, excuses have the ability to be disguised as reasons fooling you into thinking, “That sounds like a valid reason.” In fact, when you tune in and really listen, the facade of an excuse will quickly give way to expose the truth of falsehood.

Explanations come in two forms – excuses and reasons. Remember: you make excuses and you give reasons.

Explanations

An excuse is an attempt to free oneself from blame by deflecting attention and responsibility onto someone or something else. Excuses diminish your power and say “I am not willing to take responsibility. Instead, I will settle for whatever path others choose for me as a result of my actions.” Making excuses will erode others confidence in you, and destroy your self-respect. The refusal to be personally accountable is rooted in the fear of failure - to be known as someone who did not deliver. This defense mechanism results in a plea to convince others to overlook your part and to minimize the damage caused by your role in a given situation.

To say one has a “good excuse” is an oxymoron which implies there is a difference between good and bad excuses. All excuses are bad and unacceptable. Here are some examples:

* “I was late to the meeting because the clock in the lunchroom has been broken for a month.”

* “My report is late because my manager didn’t remind me it was due today.”

* “I am not ready to give my report to the Board of Directors tomorrow because I was on vacation the last two weeks and I didn’t prepare.”

A reason is defined as a legitimate, truthful account of a situation which includes explanation of your part. Rooted in good judgment, there exists a willingness to own your actions and deal with the consequences. Reasons seek to clarify what happened, who was responsible, and how to deal with the situation and seek immediate solutions so that one can do better now and in the future. A reason is not motivated by fear, but driven by respect and integrity. Here are some examples:

* “The reason I am late is because I had a flat tire.”

* “Although I was assigned this report last Friday, the reason my report is late is because the mainframe crashed Friday afternoon and has been down ever since. I have attempted to retrieve the information from our satellite location, but to no avail.”

* “The reason I will not give a Power Point presentation is because the projector just died. Since it will be at least an hour before we locate a replacement, I will proceed without it and ask that you follow along via my handout.”

Action Steps

When you are in the moment of truth, remember the choice is yours – you can make excuses or you can give valid reasons. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before you speak out to determine if you are about to make excuses or provide a reason:

1. What is your intent - is it to release yourself from total blame or to provide a straightforward, honest account of the situation and your actions?

2. Are you willing to accept the consequences of your actions and take steps to improve the situation?

3. Do you willing to honestly acknowledge the degree of your responsibility, and is there anything you could have done differently?

The next time you are faced with the prospect of explaining your actions, ask yourself “Is this an excuse or a valid reason?” Always find the courage to behave with integrity and honor your self-respect. When faced with a choice, the question is what will you do?

About The Author

Joy Fisher-Sykes is a professional speaker, author, and success coach in the areas of communication, leadership, motivation, stress management, customer service, and team building. You can e-mail her at mailto:jfsykes@thesykesgrp.com, or call her at (757) 427-7032. Go to her web site, http://www.thesykesgrp.com, and signup for the newsletter, OnPoint, and receive the free ebook, "Secrets, Stories, and Tips for Marvelous Customer Service."

Self Improvement

7 Simple Steps to Get More Out of Your Day
by: Alan Fairweather

Let's face it - time is probably our greatest resource. We never seem to have enough of it and it seems to pass so quickly. Well we won't get any more of it and we can't slow it down.

What we can do is make the most of the time we have. Here are some simple steps you can take to get the most out of your day.

1. Plan your day the night before - At the end of each day write out all the things you need to do the following day to achieve your goals. Pull together all the information you'll need, phone numbers and relevant paperwork.

2. Prioritise the list - Number each item and do the nasty jobs first. There's always the temptation to do the easy jobs first. However, think how the thought of doing the nasty jobs hangs over you as you do the easy stuff. Think how good you'll feel when the nasties are out of the way and how motivated you'll feel.

3. Stick to your list - Tick off each item as you go and don't let yourself be distracted. The temptation is to handle the telephone and e-mails as they come in. The phone is hard to ignore but you could always pull out the plug and let it go to voice mail and switch off the email program. Make an agreement with yourself to check for messages every two hours or so.

4. Remember the Three "D's" - Do it, Delegate it or Dump it. Handle each piece of paper only once. Either do something about it now, delegate it to someone else or chuck it in the trash. And remember - "Only do it if only you can do it." 5. Don't procrastinate - Procrastination really is the "Thief of Time" It's so easy to put things off till another time or till "I've had time to think about it." DO IT NOW!

6. Plan your leisure time - Take up activities that need you to be at a certain place at a certain time. Instead of just "going to the gym," book a fitness class or an appointment with a personal trainer.

7. Be honest with yourself - Keep asking - "Is what I'm doing now getting me to where I want to get to?" if the answer is "no," change what you're doing.

This is the easiest way to more out of your day and more out of your life.

About The Author

Alan Fairweather -"The Motivation Doctor" - is the author of "How to get More Sales Without Selling" To receive your free newsletter and free e-books, visit: http://www.howtogetmoresales.com

Self Improvement

Goal Setting & Attainment
by: Kim Olver

I am sure that many of you are deep into the drama and excitement of the holiday season. There is so much to be done and so much to think about and consider that many can hardly think of anything else. However, when the excitement is over, our attention typically turns the closing of one year and the beginning of a new one.

This is a time typically reserved for reflection. We think back on the previous year, sometimes with a strong sense of accomplishment and sometimes with regrets for the things we didn’t do that we wanted to and the goals we set but didn’t accomplish. Sometimes we get so disgusted with ourselves for our lack of goal-directed behavior that we actually stop setting goals altogether.

Sometimes we are waiting for something to happen first. We wait to retire, for our children to leave home, or for there to be enough money in the savings account. While we are waiting, time is whizzing past us at an alarming rate. Before we know it, we end up at a place where we say, “Now I’m too old to do ________________ .” While we are waiting for certain life events to manifest, there are things we can still do to move ourselves forward toward our goals. Waiting is not the only option.

There are known techniques that will help you improve the odds of accomplishing your goals. What’s the difference between those who seem to breeze through their day accomplishing everything they set out to do and those who seem to wonder where the time went at the end of the day. We all have the same amount of time each day. What’s the secret?

First of all, you need to decide what it is you want to accomplish---the more specific you can be the better. We generally do not get too excited about the vague thought of losing weight but if we can say instead, I will lose 10 pounds by March 1, 2006 so I can fit back into a size 10 dress then there is more energy and impetus around that particular goal.

Next, you must decide, as Napoleon Hill says, “Do you have a burning desire to accomplish this goal?” Without truly possessing a burning desire, without passion to make it happen, we will often drift back into old behaviors that keep us plateaued at the same place we were the beginning of last year.

Once you’ve determined you have the burning desire, next you must ask if you have a good plan. Does your plan have a reasonable chance for success? Do you have deadlines for accomplishment? When you are trying to stop a certain behavior, do you spell out what you are going to do instead? Are the goals realistic? Are they measurable? Do you have the determination and unwavering resolve to follow through on your plan?

Sometimes there are things that sabotage our efforts. Typically, the things we do throughout our day are things that meet our needs. If we are trying to lose weight but continue to eat instead, we need to look at what benefits we gain from overeating. Often these are unconscious benefits that we really need to do some serious scrutiny to uncover. If the benefits we receive from our current behavior outweigh the benefits of making the change we desire, we will have a difficult time making the change without building in additional features to our plan that will make up for the benefits of the behavior we are giving up.

You need to develop systems to track and measure your progress. Many people require a visual representation of their progress to provide incentive to continue moving forward. You must develop a single-minded focus. You must avoid anything that threatens to pull you off your straight ahead direction toward your goals. You must prioritize and protect your time everyday.

The final thing that will be instrumental in achieving your goals in 2006 is to reprogram your nonconscious mind. There is a great deal of evidence that shows the neural programming of our nonconscious mind often gets in the way of us accomplishing our goals. These are the early messages that we picked up from those who were close to us when we were younger. We received messages that money was the root of all evil, that we didn’t deserve to be loved, that we were chubby and will stay that way, and that there is never enough time in a day. All those messages have formed neural pathways in our brain.

This means that when certain neurons fire, they trigger the firing of other neurons in the same pathway, which makes it extremely difficult to consciously change our behavior. The good news is that there is a way to reprogram the neural pathways so they will work for us instead of against us to accomplish our goals.

Through the processes of affirmations and visualization we have the ability to change this nonconscious programming. We must develop a mental movie of what life will look like once our goals are accomplished. Then, we must write out present tense affirmations of the belief systems we must have in place in order to accomplish our goals. If weight loss is your goal, for example, then your affirmations would sound like this: “I weigh 130 pounds and look and feel terrific. I eat only healthy food that nourishes my body. I enjoy exercising and the way my body feels while doing it and afterwards. I drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water each day.”

Reprogramming requires repetition of the affirmations and visualization daily and more often if you can make the time. With this added to all of the above goal setting steps, you will be well on your way to accomplishing your goals in 2006.

About The Author

Kim Olver has over 20 years experience in staff development and supervision and is an expert in leadership skills, staff relationships and diversity. Certified in reality therapy/choice theory/lead management/quality school concepts, she works with counselors, schools and businesses to apply these ideas http://coachingforexcellence.biz/goalsSL.htm.

Self Improvement

Living The Dream --- Yours Or Theirs?
by: Kim Olver

I know people in my life who when asked how are things going, will reply, “I’m living the dream.” Can you say the same? If you could, what would it mean?

As far back as Sigmund Freud, psychologists have been saying that there are two major areas in a person’s life---love and work. When you are “living the dream,” you will be able to say that you have found satisfying work and are fulfilled in the relationships you share with the important people in your life.

Now, I ask again, “Are you living the dream?” Let’s talk about work first. When you wake up in the morning are you filled with a sense of excitement and anticipation for what your day at work has in store for you or do you have a sense of dread about what lies ahead? Of course, these are two opposite ends of the spectrum and more than likely you fall somewhere in between.

As a parent, I always advised my children to choose a profession that they love because they will be spending a lot of their time doing it. I don’t want them to be one of many who hates their job and dreads going to work every day. That is a terrible burden to bear.

So, what can you do if you are one of those people?

Have you discovered your definite purpose in life? We were all placed here on earth with a variety of gifts that will help us make the world a better place to live. We all have unique skills, interests and abilities that will add to the good of mankind and fulfill our own inner desires, as well. What is your unique, definite purpose?

I believe mine is to help people learn to lead more satisfying lives and to get along better with the important people in them. That’s what I do. I love to do it. I am energized when I do it. And although I generally get paid for the things I do, I love doing them so much, I would do them for free! This is what I wish for everyone in the area of work.

Many of us are living the dream but it is someone else’s dream. Are you working for the "man" without any pay off? What do I mean by a pay off? Why do you get up and go to work everyday? What motivates you? If it is only the paycheck, then you are living someone else’s dream.

Your work should be something that motivates you, gives you pleasure, provides something valuable to others and is in line with your definite purpose. If that doesn’t describe your work, you may want to take some time to reevaluate. You may think you are too old to change careers now or to go out on your own. However, in ten, fifteen or twenty years you are still going to be the same age whether you invest in your own dream or not. So what’s stopping you?

Now, let’s look at your relationships. What is the state of your current relationships with the important people in your life? I suppose I should start with the question: Do you have important people in your life? Hopefully, the answer to that question is yes, but if not, there is help available. You can improve your relationship skills and learn to make new friends and develop those relationships to their fullest. Everyone needs to have human contact in order to survive.

Some of us have companionship but we are unhappy in these relationships. How can you live the dream when you feel miserable around the people who are supposed to be supporting and encouraging you? Getting our relationships in order is a critical task that too many ignore. We look around us and see lots of other people in unhappy or mediocre relationships and we tell ourselves that is just the way it is. No one is truly happy. That is not true.

Creating healthy relationships is a matter of choice. You are not destined to be in a miserable relationship. Do you remember what it was like when you first got together? It was more than chemistry. There was something between you that made you know each other was special. You can regain that feeling.

Most of us never learn healthy relationship skills. We think it is something we are just supposed to know how to do but how good were our teachers? Shouldn’t you learn relationship skills from someone who has strong relationships and who knows how to maintain them?

Living the dream is not just for a few select individuals. Every single one of us is entitled to live our dream. It is possible and we have a right to be happy and satisfied. Here are some steps you can take:

1. You must clearly examine whether or not you are happy and satisfied with your current life’s work and your relationships with the important people in your life. If you are, then congratulations are in order and you need to read no further.

2. If you are not satisfied, then you must clearly delineate what the problems are and the source of your unhappiness.

3. Next, you must identify a solution over which you, yourself, are in control. That means you must formulate a solution that doesn’t involve someone else doing something differently. You know what I mean. "I could be happy if my wife would just cook dinner every night". "I would love this job if only the boss would get off of my case."

4. If you are unable to think of a solution that is solely up to you, then daydream about what the perfect job or the perfect relationship would look like. How would you be, what would you have and what would you be doing? Assess your interests, skills and abilities to uncover your definite purpose. What is it you were destined to do?

5. Once you have your ideal picture in your mind, ask yourself what is stopping you? What would you have to give up to move in the direction of your dream? What obstacles do you face? What do you fear?

6. Now you must formulate a plan that has a reasonable chance of success. I’m not suggesting that you file for divorce or quit your job. What I am saying is come up with a plan that will move you forward in the direction you want to go. You can take small, baby steps as long as you do something each day that will move you along the path of living your dream.

7. The final step is to develop the strength to actually take the action you planned in Step 6. Making a plan is great but it will never accomplish anything if you don’t take action. Les Brown tells us, “You don’t have to be great to get started; but you have to get started to be great.” Do something.

If you are having difficulty with any of these steps, then perhaps coaching would help you. Coaching provides just the right balance of support and encouragement with challenge and accountability. You decide. Do you want to live your dream or someone else’s?

About The Author

Kim Olver has a degree in counseling, is a certified and licensed counselor. She is a certified reality therapy instructor. Kim is an expert in relationship, parenting and personal empowerment, working with individuals who want to gain more effective control of their lives and relationships. Visit http://www.TheRelationshipCenter.biz.

Self Improvement

The Top Ten Ways to Stop Procrastinating Now
by: Kerul Kassel

10. Procrastination Condemnation - Lose the Labels! All those things you call yourself, such as lazy, scattered, disorganized, not good enough, incompetent, or stupid, for example, aren’t helping you get things done, are they? You’ve learned to believe them, and you think they’ve become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you look around yourself, though, you’ll see evidence that you can accomplish quite a number of things without delay.

9. Procrastination Exaggeration – Are you really procrastinating, or are you simply focusing on other priorities? It’s possible that those things you’re not doing shouldn’t get done until sometimes later, perhaps not at all. Focus on only the most significant areas first, and the rest will come.

8. Procrastination Temptation – If you hang out with people who coax you to procrastinate, it’s time to start surrounding yourself with better examples. If you know certain that situations are too enticing and will lure you from following through, create a work-around plan that will help you prevent yourself from “taking the bait”.

7. Procrastination Alienation – Recognize that you’re not alone, and are, in fact, in excellent company. Most people procrastinate about something, sometimes about many things. In a recent survey on procrastination, almost 1/3 of respondents who identified themselves as procrastinators had a post-graduation or higher education.

6. Procrastination Inclination – At the moment you are about to procrastinate, stop for just a moment to acknowledge the pattern, even if you continue on to put off whatever you were going to do. Awareness and acceptance that these are your current patterns is a necessary step in procrastination extermination.

5. Procrastination Perspiration – You probably think that the only way to stop procrastinating is to use will power and discipline. While that certainly can work, it can cost you a lot of energy and struggle. By allowing yourself to begin recognizing what is specifically in the way of following through, and creating simple new patterns, progress is pretty painless and immediate. For more information, sign up for the New Leaf Systems ezine (www.newleafsystems.com) , and the soon-to-be-published book The Power of Procrastination.

4. Procrastination Exploration – What is your procrastination costing you? Do you have a procrastination reputation? Do you continually have to make procrastination explanations or reparations to others? Are you in procrastination isolation so nobody will know what you’re not doing? Is your credit history in procrastination degradation because of paying bills late? Are you in procrastination desperation because you might lose your job or significant relationships? Sometimes understanding how badly you’re paying and in exactly what ways can provoke you to seek assistance.

3. Procrastination Consultation – Talk with friends about how they overcame procrastination. Buddy with them on their own projects, holding each other accountable to get things done. Hire a procrastination coach, someone who has worked with hundreds of people and not only knows about procrastination generation, but has helped many veteran procrastinators with procrastination renunciation.

2. Procrastination Transformation – nothing helps you achieve more easily than knowing all the steps you need to take, having a plan to take them, scheduling that plan into your calendar, creating incentives to make following through more attractive (and consequences to make it less attractive!), and putting some accountability supports into place. This, combined with a simple procrastination meditation, will get you back on track quickly and easily.

1. Procrastination Emancipation – Once you’ve fully understood that one of the big reasons you have been procrastinating is that you’re focusing only on finishing (and that’s too daunting) you’ll begin to instead concentrate on starting, which is a much more approachable and manageable way to get thing done. All you need to do is keep starting, and finishing will take care of itself.

About The Author

Kerul Kassel

"Plagued by the temptation to procrastination? Would you like 2006 to be your year for procrastination renunciation? If you think overcoming procrastination is only about will-power and discipline, think again. Procrastination Expert and Coach Kerul Kassel has worked with hundreds of people on their procrastination challenges and created a quiz as a result: www.newleafsystems.com/one.php, or visit www.stopprocrastinatingnow.com. "

Self Improvement

Excuses Can Make or Break You!
by: Mark Machaalani

“He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else” said Benjamin Franklin. There is a lot of truth in this quote. Those, whom tend to be successful in life, do not get there by making negative excuses to themselves about how they can’t get there. In fact they do the opposite.

If you want to do something in life, there is no doubt that you will find a way. If on the other hand you don’t want to do something, you will always find an excuse. At times you want to achieve something in life, but are cluttered by your own negative excuses telling you why you cannot achieve what you are after.

I have two rules concerning excuses that I use to help me gain what I look for in life. First rule is:

1. Instead of making excuses why you cannot do something, make excuses telling yourself why and how you can do something.

This is a very important guideline or law if you like, that you must adopt into your lifestyle. Now picture for instance that you had this particular goal:

“I want to lose weight”

There are an unlimited amount of excuses out there that one can apply on themselves such as:

“It’s too hard for me, I work 9-5” or “I cannot afford it” or “I have a family and it requires strict dedication, my life is already busy as it is”

Now with this rule your excuses are the exact opposite. Hence, in order to lose weight and achieve your goal, you must learn to turn those excuses around to assist you. Make excuses stating how you can lose weight. Make sure to constantly remind your self of all the great rewards you will gain when you achieve your desired goal. Very importantly, inform yourself of the great significance of this goal how you can not go on without achieving it.

Remember, for just about anything in this world, there’s an excuse or a negative spin you can put on it. All it really takes is a shift in attitude, and the change it makes in your life is worth more than anything in the world. Therefore, change the way you think about your excuses. Instead of looking for excuses to avoid exercise, start looking for excuses TO exercise.

The second rule of mine was actually adopted from the world’s undisputed Light Welterweight boxing champion Kostya Tszyu, where he said:

2. “Never ever make excuses”

This is a strict and concise rule that requires much more practice to master. When you have a goal in mind, never ever use excuses. Just go out there and do what has to be done, keep consistent and disciplined in order to accomplish what you desire.

“Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.” - Don Wilder

One of the most difficult aspect of all this, is being self aware of the times you are actually making these excuses to your self. Many people go on through life utilizing excuses to stop themselves from achieving greatness without even noticing. Consequently, you must be self aware of all excuses used at all times in order to adapt one of the 2 rules discussed above.

IMPORTANT: Instead of being a master of excuses, you must learn to master your excuses.

About The Author

Mark Machaalani is the co-founder of the best online self help website http://www.accomplishlife.com. He is also the co-founder of the internet's favourite Health and Weight Loss website http://www.shredweight.com. Mark has an ardent interest in Self Help and Personal Development and aids people all over the globe through personal and private self help coaching at no cost at all.

Mark can be contacted via email at mark@accomplishlife.com

Self Improvement

The Top Three Goals You Need To Set
by: Terry Vermeylen

1. Improve Your Physical Health

How in the world are you going to reach any goals with bad health? Remember when you had that cold, fever or aching back? Were you in any kind of mood to work on your life goals? I don’t think so. But when you start eating healthy and working out, all kinds of energy comes flooding in and whether it's painting a room or starting a business, good physical health makes goals much easier to attain. So get off your butt and start taking care of your body. Good things will follow. Goals will be reached.

2. Improve Your Mental Health

Living in a culture that bombards us with information, advertisements and infinite choice, as well as inflicting us with downsizing and other incredible job stressors, is taking a huge negative toll on our societies health. We are living in an age of chronic stress. All these stressors create enormous mind chatter and reducing this mind chatter is key. It's important to realize that this mind chatter takes us away from the present moment. We end up worrying instead of enjoying the world around us. Try this. Take a grape and pop it in your mouth. Roll it around and feel the texture - taste that sweet juice. This is called practising mindfulness. Living in the present moment. Conscious reflection. Meditation. The more you are able to reduce that useless mind chatter, the more you live in the present moment and experience calmness and peace. A little conscious reflection or meditation is astonishingly powerful. Try it.

3. Improve Your Financial Health

Money makes our world go around. We like money. There is nothing wrong with money. Money is our friend. The only time that money inflicts pain upon us is when we owe it. And why do we owe it? Because we live beyond our means. Because it is easy to get credit. Because our entire capitalistic society is on a treadmill of endless consumerism. Having good finances means freedom, control and increased opportunity. Bad finances provide handcuffs, stress, worry and no opportunity. So the choice is clear. Forget about status symbols and keeping up with the neighbours. It's simple when it comes down to good financial health. Live within you means. That’s it. Let me repeat myself. Live with your means.

About The Author

Terry Vermeylen is one of those rare people that is passionately driven to help others unlock their own barriers toward fulfillment, meaning and purpose. He is the founder of http://www.mylifechanges.com/, an Internet value identification and goal setting enterprise.

Please consider this article for your website, blog or ezine. Permission to reprint if by-line stays intact and links are activated on the Internet.

Self Improvement

Pampering For The Working Professional: Ten Tips For A Balanced Work And Social Life
by: Maryse Mignott

Health experts worldwide resoundingly agree that workers in all labor categories must maintain a balance between their work and social lives. The dangers of more or over work and less socializing cannot be emphasized enough especially for the Londoner. The advantages to having an active social life are many. Finding a healthy balance between our work and social lives is not always easy but some efforts towards developing that balance can assure we stay productive on the job and at the same time have a satisfying and healthy personal life.

We have all heard of the dangers of stress and overwork. But what about those of us that love to work or have to work for various reasons? There has to be more to life than working at our jobs. How do we find a balance that keeps us healthy in both these important areas of our lives? Years of research and scholarly studies from experts in the UK, London, and worldwide have found the answers to these questions.

While this article is about offering you the reader “tips” on developing that balance, it is important to highlight the dangers any one of us can succumb to if we don’t play or socialize in addition to working.

An awareness of your stress levels or symptoms of stress can give you a hint that you need more of a social life. Indicators of stress are many but the main symptoms to watch for are:

• Migraine’s or headaches occurring more often
• Inability to concentrate
• Not wanting to get up in the morning or insomnia
• Over-tiredness
• Sudden mood swings not normal for you
• Isolation from friends and family

The last bullet point mentions isolation. Isolating activities such as going to work and sitting at home every night, avoidance of friends and family and taking in little social outings/activities are probably the single most dangerous thing we can do for our physical and mental health. Our physical and emotional states of well being depend upon a healthy balance of work and play. The following tips will help you avoid this common danger.

• Organize a social calendar. Just like your daily “to-do” lists at work, start planning a social “to-do” list. Knowing what social activities appeal to you is essential towards organizing your social calendar. Find the time before or after work to get out into the London social scene.

• Dine out. Many professionals in the work force are starting to see the satisfaction and pleasure in taking the time to experience food consumption in a whole new way. I’m not talking about going to a restaurant and quickly getting your meal down your throat and into your belly. I am talking about expanding your culinary horizons. For example, try ethnic cuisine or a new food you have never eaten before. Dine for hours at a trendy restaurant and savor an eight-course meal with a fine wine or cocktail. Most importantly, take your time and enjoy the experience.

• Dance the night away. The benefits to a night out of dancing could never be overstated. The obvious benefits are the exercise and calorie burning. Dance experts have long asserted that dancing tones the body in a way no other form of physical activity can accomplish. Dancers are considered among the elite in athleticism and discipline. Dancing also offers social opportunities to meet new people. It gives you an outlet to work out aggression and the strains of the workday. Overall, dance is a complete source of exercise for the physical, social and mentally healthy self.

• Soothe your soul with music. Take in a concert or musical affair. Choose your favorite music and attend an event that will fill you with the sounds of your favorite melodies. Music has long been a part of the human experience. It has been used for centuries to allow the human being an experience beyond their physical bodies. It can be said that music will lighten your mood and nurture your soul. Music, in a form that appeals to you, can quiet your mind and release the pain of the workday.

• Exercise. Consider membership in a health or fitness club. A healthy physical body will give the hard working professional the energy needed to be both highly productive with job demands and the ability to keep up with an active social calendar. Other means of getting good exercise can be a walk in the park or bring out the child in you and dance around the house while getting ready for work.

• Take in some culture with art or theatre. Museums and the theatre are fantastic venues in which to have a quiet and reflective personal experience. The visual delight of examining a piece of art that touches you in a special way or watching a theatre performance that moves you in a positive manner can be extremely beneficial. Not every social event on your calendar has to include other people. Socializing with you, for yourself can very often be just as healthy an experience as being around hundreds or thousands of people.

• Getaway to a fine hotel or spa. From a great deal of research and personal experience, three days at a spa is just about perfect. Like many of you, I often don’t have the time for a one-day vacation much less three days however; I have found that a 3-day mini-vacation has its merits. It’s just long enough to take in the full benefits of a massage, swimming, facials and some of the other amenities the hotel or spa has to offer. If one day is all you can take the time for, then do that. Try to do this at least twice a year. P.S. Leave the cell phone off, leave the laptop at home and tell the front desk you are taking no calls.

• Go shopping. Indulge in a shopping trip every now and then. All of us need to treat ourselves to that special dress or suit. Buying that toy or electronic game we always wanted can only make life a bit better. Even shopping for food can be a great way to socialize. Take the time to say hello to the checkout clerk or butcher that has been serving you for years. A simple exchange of smiles is a social interaction that benefits all people on many unimaginable levels.

• Involve your co-workers on your social calendar. There is nothing better than the buddy system for a healthy social (and work) life. Let’s face it, engaging in some social activities is just no fun alone. Keep in mind, socializing with co-workers can also be a great way to maintain healthy work relationships.

• Breathe. This may sound simple and unimportant because it is a natural activity we take part in every second of the day. Let me assure you, we can often stop breathing for several seconds at a time. The biological and rhythmic breathing pattern of humans often gets interrupted for many reasons. Stress and automatic response to difficulties in life are just a few of the reasons this occurs. Why is this important? One reason is because we need to maintain a regular and healthy breathing pattern throughout our bodies for optimal oxygen intake. Lack of oxygen can be responsible for depression, fatigue and damage at the cellular level of our bodies, to name a few. Good breathing flow and control can keep you loaded with energy as well as provide a healthy balance between mind and body. It will also make your work life much more tolerable.

These ten tips are by no means the only ways to build a social life and maintain a balance between work and fun. These tips are many that have been provided by the best experts on work and social life. Those experts being you or those like you, the workers. Be creative, discipline yourself to organize your life towards a whole and healthy you both on the job and socially.

Remember that it’s not always about where, how or how long or with whom you socialize. Socializing can be as simple as sitting alone and enjoying the flavors of good food and libations, exercising a couple hours a week at a favorite gymnasium with friends or standing front and center at a major rock concert. The point is to get out and be social. Taking these suggestions will get you out. No matter what profession you work in a healthy balance in work and social life will keep you mentally healthy and energized, stress-free and socially empowered.

About The Author

This article was written by Maryse Mignott, Corporate Strategy & Communications Executive for Exclusive London. Balance your work and social life by taking part in the London entertainment scene. Visit http://www.exclusivelondon.co.uk for hot London events. Reproductions of this article must include a link back to http://www.exclusivelondon.co.uk.

Self Improvement

Boost Your Memory With Caffeine
by: Brandon C. Hall

There have been a lot of negative reviews of the consequences of consuming coffee, tea or eating chocolate because of the amount of caffeine that these substances contain. There might be a silver lining to the caffeine cloud though and that's how caffeine can play an important role in boosting your memory.

Often we experience short term memory problems. At times it can be whether we turned off the water after we brushed our teeth or if we locked the door before we went to bed. These things can nag at our minds enough that we turn our car around to make certain that we won't be faced with a flood because of running water or we jump out of bed only to find that we did indeed lock the door.

Life is busy and it's easy to forget some of the smaller things that we take for granted. Our minds might have trouble focusing because of a conflict at work or stress at home. This isn't an uncommon occurrence and it happens everyday to people of every age. Losing track of tiny details is common but certainly not something that we need to live with. There are steps that we can take to improve our memory enough that we never have to deal with having our minds filled with those nagging thoughts again.

If you find that you're one of the people who can't put their finger on certain small facts and it has become a frustration for you, it might be time to consider the benefit of caffeine in relation to short term memory.

Caffeine is a stimulant and it works to stimulate not only our hearts but our minds as well. It can give a person the extra boost they need to clear their mind. Many people feel the need to have a cup of coffee each morning so they can focus. The caffeine that is found within the coffee jolts the brain and the memory can retain more information. You probably know someone who says that they can't function until they've had their coffee. It appears that there's more truth in that statement than most of us have ever realized. That first cup of morning coffee gets the memory gears moving in many people.

This can be especially important for many people at work. Having the ability to retain important information is essential for their employment. If they find their memory lacking it could have serious consequences that stretch far beyond some of the minor annoyances that they might experience at home when they forget to do things.

A cup of coffee or tea in the morning might be just the prescription to boost the memory enough that the rest of the day you function at full memory capacity. The same can be said for the lull that many people experience by mid-afternoon. Having a piece of chocolate or a cup of hot chocolate stimulates your memory again and the rest of the day will flow as smoothly as the beginning did.

About The Author

Brandon C. Hall maintains (www.freeinfoblog.com) which contains many articles and resources on memory boosting at (http://www.freeinfoblog.com/category/memory-boost). There is also information on dozens of other topics.

Self Improvement

Listen And Hear
by: Devlyn Steele

Who doesn’t enjoy being listened to? We crave good friends and a partner in life with whom we can share our life experiences, both good and bad. Whether we are mad, sad, frustrated, happy or excited, we crave the company of a good listener. This includes the simplest of inconsequential daily conversations.

Even though we like be listened to, most of us are not very good at listening. Be honest, often we are so caught up in what we want to say and how we feel that we stop hearing what others are saying to us. As a life and relationship coach, I see many disputes prolonged because people just don’t hear one another.

Listening is at the core of relationships and understanding. If you don’t listen, how do you learn about each other or make each other feel good about the relationship? Being listened to makes us feel validated and relieved of built up thoughts and feelings.

In all relationships, particularly intimate ones, it is as important to be a good listener as it is to be heard. Working with couples my job often is to restate what each person is saying because each person is caught up in how they feel and they no longer hear each other. You cannot understand what another person is saying or feeling if you do not take the time to see things from their perspective. Until you hear what is being said you cannot work through the issues, compromise and resolve your differences.

There are skills to being a good listener and listening with what I call an “open ear.”

Having an open ear means becoming an active listener. It means not wanting to say anything. Your primary focus is on what is being said rather than what you want to say. When you release yourself from the need to comment, you can focus entirely on what you are hearing. You become fully present and the speaker knows you are paying attention. Your body language should be relaxed with no fidgeting. If you act restless or bored, the speaker becomes self-conscious.

Keep eye contact. When you focus your eyes on the speaker, it keeps you from wandering into your own thoughts and it allows the speaker’s facial expressions to accentuate the story. Listen both with your ears and your eyes. Let the speaker know you are listening not by interrupting to say something, but by keeping your focus on them.

Listen and don’t speak. Believe it or not, most people including you don’t want too much feedback. They simply need you to hear them. With that in mind, don’t interrupt or start offering advice or judgments. Having an open ear means simple listening. Offer feedback only when prompted but refrain from taking over the conversation or sounding like you are lecturing. When you start to lecture the speaker regrets having talked to you and feels more resentment than relief from the encounter.

It doesn’t matter if you agree with what you are hearing or not. When you listen with an open ear it allows you to hear a different perspective. You may even learn something. When you are patient and free of your preconceived notions you may find the speaker has some valid and/or interesting points. Regardless, the fact that you are listening doesn’t mean you must share the same point of view; it just means that you care enough to listen. In relationships even if you don’t feel the same way as your partner, you might find that it more important to understand how he or she is feeling than to argue. How each of us feels is a reflection of the person each of us is.

While you are just listening, confirm that you have been listening by repeating back short clips of what you’ve heard. You don’t have to have all the answers. Remember that often the speaker only needs you to hear him or her. Express empathy when needed by interjecting a simple, “I am sorry that is happening.” Show your interest by asking questions and you will discover more about that person than you ever knew.

Be patient, pay attention and listen with an open ear and you will see your relationships improving. "Mastering good listening skills is one of the most precious gifts you can give to those you live, work and play with. It will help in building and maintaining strong bonds, endear you to those you care about, and will even improve your work environment."

In the simplest of terms consider the word listen, it means just that, “To listen.”

About The Author

Devlyn Steele

About Tools To Life Developed by Life Coach Devlyn Steele, Tools To Life is a revolution in self- development, a 77-day program in which thousands have implemented successful changes in their lives. Devlyn Steele is a public consultant, a private counselor, a radio host and an author. He has hosted his own radio show, "Tools To Life" and has been a guest on over 150 various shows. For more information, visit: http://www.lifecoachadvice.com/.

Self Improvement

Increase Self-Confidence- How A Tragedy Helped Me To Increase Self-Confidence
by: Steve Hill

There are many people seeking help and ways to increase their self-esteem or self-confidence. This article describes how I managed to pull myself out of depression, and how I boosted my own self-esteem by hearing about a tragedy which happened in my local area.

I am the type of person who always saw life as one big struggle. I thought that I had it tough, that I was so unfortunate. To say that I worried about things was an understatement. I stressed so much that my hair began to turn grey by the age of twenty-one. My self-esteem had been shot to pieces by people who had bullied me at school and despite many attempts to achieve happiness, had not been able to find it. I was a very negative thinker and certainly did not appreciate what I actually did have in life, which were a superb family and some good friends.

The tragic event

One day when I was around my early to mid twenties, I went to the hairdressers for my monthly trim. I knew the lady who worked in there quite well and we often had a good gossip. What she was about to tell me, not only came as a shock, but would change my life forever.

She asked me if I had heard about the car crash, that had happened over the weekend. I hadn't and she then went on to describe what had happened.

Three young men who were all aged twenty-two, were on the way for an evening in the local public house. One of them decided he would drive and on the way there, partly due to the fact that he was driving too quickly, he lost control of the car. His vehicle had then careered straight into a large tree, all three of the people in the car had died at the scene.

She continued that one of the men which had died, had worked in the butchers, which was only two doors away from her shop. She described the man in question, which turned out to be a person that I knew, just to say hello to. I actually saw him on most mornings and we often smiled at each other, and would say something like, hi there.

I know that this type of event happens everyday, however this had really took me by surprise and had quite a big impact on me. I was asking myself many questions such as:

Why him?

Why did he have to die so young, he seemed so harmless and friendly?

Later on when I was at home, I started to think even more about this particular person. Even though he was friendly, he always looked quite stressed and did not seem that happy. If he had known what was about to happen to him, I am sure he would have made the most of the time he had left.

It should not have taken this kind of tragedy to bring me to my senses, but it did. I suddenly realised that we are all terminally ill as we all will die at some point in the future. I am sorry if that is a bit morbid, but it is true. Not all of us will live until retirement age and our lives could end tomorrow.

I then decided that I had to change my approach to life, I needed to make the most of whatever time I had left. Time spent stressing is time wasted. I am now just going to go for it and not worry about, for example, what people think of me.

I also thought about the family and friends of the people who had died. I can't really imagine what they were going through as I have never been in that situation, however is must be awful. Those people have a reason to feel sorry for themselves, not me.

Life is no longer the struggle it once was, I do not care how much money I have or what car I drive or what opinion people may have of me. I fully appreciate my sense of smell, my ability to walk and talk, my family and my friends. I will die at some point but in the mean time I am going to live life to the full.

I hope this article can help you to increase your self-esteem and in conclusion, life is to short to worry. Walk tall and be proud of who you are. Think about all the positive aspects of your life, rather than the negative ones. Good luck.

About The Author

Steve Hill promotes a number of websites including:

http://www.stammering-stuttering.co.uk

http://blog.phobias-help.com/blog

http://blog.hgh-supplements.co.uk/blog

info@stammering-stuttering.co.uk

Self Improvement

How Hypnosis Can Help You?
by: Pradeep Aggarwal

Hypnosis or Hypnotism, these words often puts, not surprisingly the layman in predicament. Stretch your imagination and we see wild images of a Freud-like doctor swinging a pocket watch to and fro in front of someone in deep emotional trouble? If so, don't worry you're not alone. This is typical movie images and far from reality.

Hypnosis, on the contrary, is for all of us the ordinary people. And hypnosis can be used to solve wide-ranging problems. Mind you its not rocket science we cant understand. Each one of us can help ourselves with self-hypnosis.

Imagine the problems we face in our lives

Worried about weight loss?
Failed in Love?
Bad Marriage?
Obesity?
Finding difficult to quite smoking?
Lacking confidence
Kick drugs?
Fear?
Stressed out?
Sexual problems?

Hypnosis is the answer for all problems.

The world is full of people with myriad personal problems, big & small. If someone wants to remove phobia, bad habits, addiction or wants to develop positive attitude and make it big. Hypnosis can eliminate all them and achieve your goal. All you need to know is - HOW it can be done.

Benefits of Hypnosis - Physical & Mental

If you're among those fortunate who don’t have any personal problems, Hypnosis has immense benefits to offer - both physical & mental, which can enhance your performance, thereby improving efficiency and increasing productivity, all this without external support of a Hypnotist. By simply practicing and going into a hypnotic state on a regular basis you can do a world of good for yourself.

Let’s analyze more benefits that hypnosis offers:

Hypnosis & Illness - One of the biggest problems people facing today is - STRESS. Stress creates multiple problems - Sleep Disorders, Headaches, and can even increase cholesterol. Hypnosis can help reduce stress, since hypnosis is a state of physical and mental relaxation.

Hypnosis & Breath - For a moment, stop reading this and concentrate on your breathing pattern. You'll be breathing in short quick breaths, this short quick breaths causes stress and tension. More, it can make you feel dizzy, irritable and foggy. With hypnosis you can learn what deep breath is and feel more relaxed and calm

Hypnosis and "Feel Good" Chemicals - The brain releases chemicals when you're in deep relaxed mood. These chemicals are often in short supply as we rush about our day. Hypnosis helps cause deep relaxation, allowing these “feel good” chemicals to flow and create a sense of control and well-being.

Hypnosis & Good Sleep - Deep breathing, hypnotic state relaxation and feel good factor helps for a restful sleep. It is as if your body “learns” how to sleep more peacefully due to the hypnotic state.

Hypnosis & Immune System - The other problem of stress is it produced chemicals of the 'fight or flight' variety. This aroused state affects the immune system. Regular relaxation - hypnosis kind - can prevent this from happening.

The bottom line is we all need to live a good life. A life full of happiness, peace and joy, devoid of worries, stress, illnesses. With hypnosis you can achieve your goal, feel stronger, more relaxed and will be in a better position to handle your life.

Hypnosis is, quite frankly, good for your body PERIOD.

About The Author

Pradeep Agarwal is a renowned Hypnosis & NLP Guru, conducted workshops on Hpynosis and NLP in all parts of the world. For more information, freearticles, e-books, tapes, videos, tips, techniques on self hypnosis visit http://www.hypnosisglobal.com.

Self Improvement

How We Are Trapped By Repetition, And How We Can Escape
by: Sara Dryburgh

A recent problem page in a newspaper I read had the following issue sent in by a reader:

“My partner and I live together and share a strong relationship in many ways but we have a major problem over what he feels is my excessive need for independence and I feel his excessive need to control my every step. He emails and telephones me several times a day at work and if I am not at my desk demands to know where I have been, who with and why. He feels he is entitled to be informed about anyone I meet outside the office and often finds reasons to pick me up from any meetings with friends or even from business meetings. He denies that he is trying to keep tabs on me so my attempts to find a solution to this have had little result. How can I tackle this issue more constructively?”

Four readers replied to this question and, unusually for this feature, they all gave pretty much exactly the same advice: “Leave him”. As a psychotherapist I would agree with that advice but I can also see it’s most unlikely that she would actually be able to take it.

The reason is repetition. Very often with my psychotherapy patients I see people who suffer from the compulsion to repetition. Many people have a need to repeat situations from early life even if those situations were unsatisfactory, frustrating, unpleasant or even abusive. In this case the writer may be repeating a feeling of powerlessness which she had as a child if her parents were overly controlling and abusive. She may be looking for a father figure if her father was intrusive and controlling in this way. She will look for someone else who is similar to her father. It makes her unhappy but if she needs a father that is the only sort of parental relationship which she has and that’s the only model we can follow. She may still in some unconscious way be wanting to be a child and if that was her experience as a child that’s what she would try to repeat.

So what is the prognosis? If I have just said that she won’t be able to take this advice in fact there is no need to despair. Through psychotherapy we can understand these mechanisms and in understanding them we can overcome them and achieve the sort of happy, fulfilling lives we want.

About The Author

Sara Dryburgh is a psychotherapist. She offers a free online introduction to those considering psychotherapy, to explain more about the process and help them get the most from it.

http://www.saradryburgh.co.uk/course.htm

Self Improvement

Designing Effective RISK - the One Element that Can Catapult You to the Next Level of Personal and Professional Success
by: Connie Butler

• How many times have you looked back and wished you had taken an action that for some reason you did not take?

• How often have you looked at the success or the accomplishment of another and longed for the results they achieved?

• Where in your life or business are you hiding from the slightly or outrageously new approach that you know will open doors?

People who are successful and fulfilled in their lives have learned the necessity and the joy of designing effective risks. Risk is a funny word because it can easily mean vastly different things to people. For some the word connotes danger, jeopardy even threat. And for others it points to possibility, opportunity, even likelihood.

We’ve all seen the negative slant in movies such as "Risky Business" (although funny) that lead to dire results – or perhaps in the behavior of friends and family members who undertook ill-informed risks with disastrous consequences.

But do you think we would have landed on the moon without a dream and the ability to take the intelligent risks that it required. Where would JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, be if she hadn’t sat down in her local coffee shop and risked putting her stories to paper? And what about the myriad of people you know in your own life who took the risk required to start a new business, to engage in an emerging relationship, to change long-standing habits and are the happier for it?

Intelligent, inspired and enlightened risk can be the missing ingredient in developing a life that is truly worth living. Without it yes you may feel "safe", may know all of the outcomes of your actions and may be spectacularly bored. If you want to grow, wish to have success in your professional life and desire the satisfaction of a life you fully enjoy – then risk taking is a necessary ingredient.

Personal Risk Stories

Let me tell you a couple of stories about people who took the risk that was required and the impact it has had on their lives. Deborah Jofre was a very successful lawyer with great credentials a well developed clientele but increasingly she admitted to herself that she did not like the work that she was doing day to day. It left her flat and un-inspired. As a way to engage her creative side she began designing gift baskets for friends and family. She loved it! – the personal touch of it, designing the perfect combination of elements that would "hit the mark" for someone, that would express the emotion of the event or the moment.

As she progressed with this she began doing research about the field of gift baskets as a business. She looked into the level of products that she wanted to include in her creations. She made contacts with people who could help move her forward. Eventually after drawing up a marketing plan, and bringing together the various elements she needed she launched her own business www.BlissfulBaskets.com. She took the leap, left the legal profession and has designed a business for herself that is truly satisfying to her, is very lucrative and that she can continue to grow and develop in a myriad of ways. When you speak to Deborah you can feel her enthusiasm, she easily talks about the remarkable change that taking this risk has engendered in her life. She is thrilled with her success.

There are many components of designing effective risk that Deborah actioned brilliantly. She did her due diligence. She researched the field, experimented with it to assure herself she would love it. She gathered the resources she would need: encouraging people, contacts who would be happy to buy from her, the right products, and a good delivery system. She developed a clientele rooted in her former occupation and grew her base from there. She became very clear on the niche market that she wanted to approach and developed a plan to get in front of that audience. She also allowed herself a reasonable timeline in which to accomplish all that she knew she could.

All of these are aspects of designing effective risks:

• Research the field, the product or the change you want to make.

• Check it out for yourself as much as you can. This might include experimenting with it for awhile before you take the leap as Deborah did. It might mean shadowing someone who does what you want to do to find out as much as you can.

• She found the resources she needed to make the step: the financial resources, the types of products (the elements) she wanted to work with.

• She surrounded herself with the support she needed in order to make the shift.

• She totally believed that she could do this and started to put her dream into action.

What is one risk that, if you took it, might open up a new horizon to you? You don’t have to start with an entire life changing risk as the one above. Perhaps it is a matter of risk taking a few new actions each day that cumulatively will make all the difference. Exercising your ability to stand-up for yourself in a previously difficult environment. Trying something new that you have been putting off. Or it may be time for a radical change in your life. See what it is like this week to experiment with one level of informed and intelligent risk in your life.

I took a risk lately that turned out to be very fulfilling both personally and professionally. While visiting family and friends in California recently "out of the blue" I was asked to be interviewed on Channel 4TV. I had never been on live TV before and had almost no time to prepare for it. With no time to even meet the anchors before I was on the newscast there I was in front of the camera at the news desk. And I had a great time. It was a blast! And even better it has impacted my business in very positive ways. If I had taken some time to think about it and say to myself "well I’ve never done that before, what if I’m horrible" I would have missed a spectacular opportunity. It was an experiment and one that I relished. I was open to an emerging opportunity and risked taking the step. Take a look at the result at http://www.conniebutler.biz/interview_ch4.php

Successful Risk Taking

Another successful risk-taker is Chris Zownir. Chris has been in the financial industry in Canada for years and has been very successful. However, something else in him has been dying to be expressed. He has always been interested in the fashion industry and has a wealth of contacts in Canada and internationally. While casting about for a new endeavor he came up with an idea for an innovative line of men’s cufflinks. While visiting here in Miami he developed a design for the links and proceeded to explore the manufacturing and marketing of them. Currently his sideline business is growing by leaps and bounds. His concept of having his picked up by major corporations as a corporate gift item and his plans to expand that aspect of the business is mushrooming.

Chris as well evidenced Effective Risk Taking:

• He built on an interest and talent he already had – interest in the fashion industry and financial acumen.

• He listened to that part of him that kept telling him he needed a change.

• He allowed his playful side (one that is not expressed in the same way in the financial industry) to come out in the creation of the product.

• He is successfully growing the business as a side-line.

• He will realize his dream of becoming a full-time entrepreneur with a business that has a broad reach.

Take a moment to enjoy what he is creating at www.cuffwear.com

There are other stories of risk that I could mention here. My own risk of moving from San Francisco to Miami Beach 3 years ago. I haven’t regretted it for a moment. The story of Andy Renda who moved from Boston last year to Napa Valley in CA to leave a life that his parents had planned for him. He took the risk of moving forward in the field that he loved – the wine industry – and moved to Napa where he could become involved in a very direct way. He is now wonderfully happy living in Napa Valley as the Tasting Room Manager for The Vintner’s Collective. A fantastic Room that profiles only local boutique wineries. They were some of the best wines I tasted while I was in California lately. Take a look at their offerings at www.vintnerscollective.com.

The possibilities for intelligent risk taking are right in front of us everyday.

• Listen to your inner promptings – they will tell you when it is time to take a risk.

• Sometimes what you are most afraid of has a silver lining if you are willing to risk.

• Start by envisioning the dream of what you truly want.

• Build on your innate talent and skills.

• Look at the opportunities that present themselves. They create the pathway to the fulfillment of that desire.

• When necessary do your own due diligence.

• Experiment with the leap.

• Surround yourself with all of the support and encouragement that you need.

• Believe in yourself and all you have to offer the world!

A favorite quote...

"There are two ways to reach the top of an oak tree – you climb it or sit on an acorn and wait."

Stop waiting and begin the exciting climb!!! Sources to support you, some of which are complimentary, take a look at: http://www.conniebutler.biz/divorce_freeteleclass.php http://www.conniebutler.biz/change_free_eclass.php

I invite you this month to email me and ask your most burning question about Taking Effective Risks at connie@conniebutler.biz

About The Author

Connie Butler is a personal and professional coach working with individuals and groups to clarify their greatest vision and cultivate its successful realization moving them past their growth frontier into new territory. She is available for personal or professional coaching, seminars and can be reached at 305-534-1119 or connie@conniebutler.biz Ms. Butler is an international coach, published author and radio personality.

(c) 2006, Connie Butler, Personal and Professionl Coach. You are welcome to "reprint" this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the "about the author" info at the end) and all links are made live.

connie@conniebutler.biz

Self Improvement

Stop Giving Yourself Permission To Fail
by: Christopher Green

It’s a powerful statement isn’t it? Because who on earth would ever give themselves permission to fail? But, and I say this without any fear of contradiction, most people I meet give themselves permission to fail time and time again.

The problem is that the permission is given without even realizing it. I’m going to give a couple of examples of this so you can be aware of it and so you can stop doing it.

1. An acquaintance of mine is a perfect example of the first type. Anthony talks the talk, sure, but never manages to walk the walk. Recently, his wife spent $1000 on a saxophone for a birthday present because he was telling all and sundry how determined he was to learn. 6 months on, I asked him how he was getting on with it: “Oh, I’ve not started yet.”

“How come?” says I.

“Well, I’ve had so much to do, I’ve just been too busy with everything.”

Having played guitar for 20 years, I thought I’d challenge this. He became angry and aggressive, determined to demonstrate that learning was beyond his power as other matters demanded his time. Seeing how animated he was becoming, I didn’t mention other matters such as: drinking every night of the week during summer; his absolutely huge DVD collection and how much time he spends watching them; and how on Sundays he does absolutely nothing other than eat a huge lunch and sleep most of the afternoon – before going out for a couple of drinks in the evening of course.

He gives himself permission to fail because he’s frightened to take action and put in the effort to learn. He then clings to the “I’m too busy” excuse. Please be aware of how much time you spend on pastimes that won’t deliver any rewards at all. TV, socializing, lazy days – they will rob your dreams from you if you over-indulge them. Value time – it is a very precious resource.

2. Another common way to permit failure is to ask others what they think of your ideas and plans. Now, this is an absolute beauty. Because most people don’t consult with people who’ve done something with their lives. Instead, they consult with people who haven’t done anything. They get negative feedback, their plans are dismissed as “pie in the sky”, or the classic “if it was good everyone would do it” and plans are abandoned on the advice of others. It absolves you of any responsibility: “I’d have tried but others cautioned me against it” so you can feel nice and warm and continue as before safe in the knowledge that it isn’t your fault. Wrong. It is. You give yourself permission to fail because you allow people who don’t know any better to influence you. If you want advice about your plans and ideas, consult with people who have done something. Asking advice from people who have never overcome their fears and took a risk is like asking a computer programmer to fine-tune an engine instead of asking a qualified engineer.

3. Finally, and one of the most common: Giving yourself permission to fail because you have a family. I’ve lost count of the number of times someone has said to me: “I’d love to (move abroad, start a business, pursue an alternative lifestyle – whatever) but I have a family to think of so it’s out of the question now”. Honestly, I hear this from friends and acquaintances, from clients who email me, and I see it on countless forums that I frequent. Is it valid? It certainly isn’t, in fact, it’s just another way of permitting failure. There are numerous families who decided to pursue a dream together. Blaming family is a very cute excuse because you’re saying it’s OK to fail because a family has taken your choices away. It’s a way of absolving yourself from the responsibility of taking action so permission to fail is granted. A way to stop this excuse is to realize that as other families achieve dreams together, then so can yours. And the rewards will be shared by the whole family.

Each of the above have their roots in fear. But you don’t overcome fear by giving yourself permission to fail. Why not give yourself permission to succeed instead?

About The Author

Chris Green is the author of the new book “Conquering Fear”, the acclaimed book that shows you how to turn fear, your worst enemy, into your most powerful ally. For a FREE preview, please go to => http://www.conqueringfear.net.

Self Improvement

Learn To Love Growth And Change And You Will Be A Success
by: Edward W. Smith

Do you want to be even more successful? Learn to love learning and growth. The more effort you put into improving your skills, the bigger the payoff you will get. Realize that things will be hard at first, but the rewards will be worth it.

Many of us have to be reminded that almost everything worthwhile in our lives is hard at first. Learning to walk was hard at first, but gradually we learned and now it is effortless. The same holds true for our more advanced skills such as, sports, music, art, etc. We forget these past struggles to learn and take them for granted now.

When most people begin to try something for the first time, it usually doesn’t turn out particularly well. It doesn’t mean we are bad, or stupid, or anything like that, it just means that most things of any complexity take awhile to learn.

Given this, the surprising thing is how most people react when they begin to learn a new skill and it does not go well. Most people at that point feel such things as surprise, anger, frustration, and so on. We forget that the expression “beginners luck” means that doing something well at first is a fluke. We forget it isn’t supposed to be easy; it is almost against the laws of nature for something to be good at first.

So what is a more positive way to handle the difficulties we will encounter when we are learning something new? We should take the attitude that we are supposed to fail at first, that is the way the system works. We should look for a way to find fascination with the process, and build enjoyment of the ups and downs into the process. We need to recognize the difficulties we will face and build them into the time and effort we plan on expending on the project. This is one place in your life where a healthy dose of pessimism will pay off. Just planning for difficulty will take much of the negative emotions we feel in these situations away.

Lets look at another situation where we encounter difficulty at first. Almost anything involving change is very hard for us to incorporate into our lives at first. One of my favorite expressions regarding change is “the only kind of change we like, is the change in our pocket.” Making the decision to change is easy, it is just a decision. Staying changed is hard. We want to fall back to our old ways; we are discouraged, uncomfortable and so on. One again we are learning something new and it helps to build this into our plan for change.

In addition to learning to enjoy the process as above, we can add another element to help us through learning something new or the change process. We can keep reviewing the goal we are seeking, the payoff, etc. and continually tell ourselves that the pain is temporary, but the payoff is permanent. We need to take the pain and frustration and deal with it minute by minute, telling ourselves to hang on, hang on, we can make it. Life is a series of minutes we can make it through.

Many people use visualization techniques to help them learn a new skill or deal with change. They “daydream” or use guided imagery to see themselves going through the process of learning or change and attaining the goal. A person on a diet can see himself f becoming thinner and thinner, easing the pain and giving them the sense they can do it. The same with a new skill such as golf. They see themselves hitting the ball, in just the right way, and they see the golf ball going right where they want it. A word of caution regarding using visualization to learn a new skill. The technique is very, very powerful and you will tend to perform exactly like you visualized it, so if you visualize the wrong technique, chances are you will actually perform the wrong technique. So be very sure of the proper technique before you used visualization to help you master it.

One last point. I have stressed the need to recognize that new things will be hard to learn at first. While this “negative” view is helpful, it must be balanced with a positive outlook for the whole project. Plan and expect problems at first, but also plan and expect that you will eventually master the situation. Planning for a positive outcome will help give you the willpower to see the situation through and enable things that are needed to move you ahead to appear when they are needed. Remember if we expect good things, we tend to get good things.

About The Author

Edward W. Smith is the author of Sixty Seconds To Success, he produces and hosts the Bright Moment cable TV and internet radio show, is president of the Bright Moment Seminars, is a motivational speaker, and publishes the free, daily, email of the One Minute Motivator (quick peak performance tip). His website is www.brightmoment.com and his email is edsmith@brightmoment.com

Self Improvement

Meditation to Relieve Stress
by: Anna Dorbyk

The Connection between Mind and Body

The ancient practice of meditation has long been known as a way to heal the mind and body. In times of mental or physical stress, human beings have turned to the powers of meditation to quiet the mind and repair the body. There is a strong connection between the mind and the body, and when one is in pain, the other suffers also. Meditation can help establish a balance. Research has shown that meditation can have a beneficial impact on the health of an individual, and these positive effects are not limited to the body. When practiced regularly, it can greatly contribute to the health and well-being of not only the body but also the mind.

In today’s fast-paced world, the use of meditation to relieve stress is common. In fact, as the practice of meditation gains in popularity, an increasing number of people from the jet-setting executive to the weary housewife are incorporating the exercise into their lives. In addition to using meditation to relieve stress, people practice it to combat the many concerns affecting the mind, and there is solid physiological evidence to support its success in doing so. With the regular exercise of meditation, you may experience some of the following positive effects: a decrease in anxiety, depression, irritability and moodiness, an increase in happiness and emotional stability, feelings of rejuvenation and vitality, and greater creativity. Many people have also reported a significant improvement in their ability to learn new things and retain information. You may find that with continued practice, meditation greatly improves your mental state and contributes to a profound sense of spirituality. The spiritual person often sees the world in a uniquely positive way and is well-equipped to handle life’s challenges.

Though meditation is commonly known for its positive relation to a person’s mind and spirituality, the practice can also have beneficial physical effects. Most likely, the first effect you will notice after repeated practice of meditation is an improvement in your flexibility which keeps your body responsive and functioning. There are other equally significant changes to your physical self that you might notice such as the following: improved air flow to the lungs making it easier to breath, a decreased level in blood pressure, lowered levels of cortisol and lactate (two chemicals associated with stress), a lower heart rate, reduction of free radicals which can cause tissue damage, and a drop in cholesterol. The regular practice of meditation can also slow down the aging process - especially noticeable in the elderly who often report major changes in their vitality.

Stress relief is not the only benefit you will experience with consistent practice of meditation. Meditation also has a profound effect on the mind and body by creating a balance that better prepares you to handle challenging situations. Meditation is easily exercised and requires little preparation or knowledge. To benefit your overall physical and mental health, take some time out for meditation and feel the power of a strong mind/body connection.

About The Author

Anna Dorbyk is a writer for Tune Yourself DVD (www.tuneyourself.com) a site about meditation benefits and techniques.

Self Improvement

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

You are the Source of Your Riches

You are the Source of Your Riches

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

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