Why Companies Need Motivation During Tough Economic Times

Companies need motivation, especially during these tougher economic times. Senior management must find ways to motivate employees in order to have their people perform at high levels. This is also true for associations and their members.

Motivation is required for any company employee at any level but is even more crucial for those in roles that have more direct consequences on revenues. An obvious example would be the company sales force. Another is customer service staff since they have direct interaction with customers. Dealing with complaining customers day in and day out can be a very demotivating. Production teams can also fall into this category because overall quality is impacted by the efforts of assembly people.

During booming economic periods, many companies made sure that there were incentive programs to help motivate employees. They were very aware that if some employees were not happy, they could easily jump ship to other companies. This was particularly true for valuable positions of high demand in the market. I've seen this type of jumping many times with top pharmaceutical sales representatives during my career and quite often, these high performers would end up with a direct competitor. Competitors love to snap up high performers much like professional sports teams do.

Some senior management might think that because we are in tougher times, the risk of losing valuable employees to competitors would be much lower. There might be a perception that most people would be happy just to have a job during times of recession and layoffs. There might be a lower emphasis to motivate employees since there probably won't be much jumping around to other companies.

However, this may not be true. The security of a job is not the only motivating factor among many employees, particularly younger ones. Even though it's true that people may stay with a company without much motivation from senior management, it doesn't mean that they will be motivated to perform their jobs at high levels. Quality will suffer as a result. This is why companies still need motivation during both good and bad times.

Of course, it is great to have inspiring company leaders and managers to motivate their staff. But messages from the same internal people over and over again can grow stale. This is why external motivational speakers can be such a plus during company meetings. External speakers can motivate company audiences in different ways and angles that employees have not been exposed to. It becomes a fresh source of motivation for the company. External motivational speakers can use examples that are not directly connected to a company's business but still make them relevant for the audience.

Having been on both sides as a motivational speaker and as an audience member, I can say that the best way for a company to motivate its staff is to bring in an external motivational speaker to address its people and then have senior management regularly reinforce those key messages made by the speaker. This will help employees keep motivated since in order to be successful, companies need to make sure that their people are motivated on a regular basis over time. Motivation is like vitamins, as we all need regular doses in order to keep performing at high levels.

Clint Cora is a motivational speaker, author and martial arts karate world champion. His book, "The Life Champion In You", is about how to overcome challenges and achieve life success. It is one man's journey from personal tragedy to becoming a karate world champion. More information about his speaking programs, books, videos, articles on motivation and success can be found at http://www.clintcora.com

The Solar Wind Blowing through Your Consciousness

If you follow Space Weather (on the Internet), you may be aware of the solar winds caused by active sunspots facing towards Earth. On Space Weather they mention how these may cause auroras in the night sky, but do not mention what affects these winds have on Human Consciousness.

Last night in bed, I noticed myself bathing in a stream of very high-vibration energy and remembered that Space Weather had predicted auroras. Subjectively, I feel I was noticing this strong magnetic energy coming direct from the Sun.

The energy seemed very pure and clean; the frequency was off the scale of my normal range of experiences with energy I felt I was being downloaded with information. At present, I do not have the awareness to interpret this subtle Energy at these exceptionally high frequencies.

The flow of energy was so strong it woke me up; I lay there just feeling the energy, being aware of its nature and looking for the information it contained.

I raised my own vibration through Meditation, to see if I could match the Energy flow a bit like a radio tuner searching the frequency bands to tune in to the signals contained within the light of electromagnetic radiation.

As I raised my vibration, I could feel the Angelic presence of a pure light. It reminded me of the Kabbalah and the Tree of Life. The Kabbalah refers to the planets of our solar system as the Archangels, all radiating their influence down on Earth and touching each individual's life.

Astrology aims to interpret these subtle energies and their influence and to use crystals to adjust the power of each heavenly body in our lives. By adjusting the various influences it aims to change one's destiny or path in life.

The power last night was such that I feel this was more to do with the Ascension process and the moving of Human Consciousness into the New Earth.

As more people awake to the raising of consciousness and breathe their awareness into these more subtle levels of their being, we are seeing the Quantum Field, which underlies our nature, awaking and becoming aware of its own nature: it forms the junction point between all matter, consciousness, and spirit.

The Quantum Field also forms the link to wholeness, between the plants, animals and their environment so we see everything as a whole, in the Oneness of Life.

The flow of energy from the sun in this subtle form seems to be energizing the field of electromagnetic forces around the body the Human Aura. As this field of Love grows, it creates the power to attract into your life what you desire. It brings healing and wholeness to your body, so you feel charged up and full of life.

The flow of consciousness into matter has been going on for millennia but it is only now in human history that this conscious awareness is reaching these more subtle levels. We are now starting to think within the light. This is the ultimate refinement of consciousness and what computer designers have been trying to do for years.

As this happens, Human Consciousness flows naturally into Oneness; the light connects all things in your environment with you, in this electromagnetic world we live in.

Message channelled by George E. Lockett -- HealerGeorge(C) Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved. Tel: +44 (0)1286 882701 George has recently published his new book, which contains many more articles and advice to bring Joy into your life. The book is titled: "A Journey into the Self -- the multi-dimensional nature of being human": HealerGeorge Web Site and New Book Description: What is this book going to do for YOU? For those who are seeking a complete energetic makeover, as you read it you will feel a stirring and awakening in the depths of your heart. For those who have questions about Shifts in Consciousness, Energy Balancing, and Healing within the body, you will find clear answers. Ask a question of HealerGeorge at: Ask HealerGeorge

Good People Get to Go to Heaven

I found a website that was recommended to me and it had the comment, is Jesus the only way to heaven at, Gotquestions, seems like your typical Christian website that replies with biblical quotes and simple to follow information. If I was lost, they will help me find a way. There's even a button at the bottom that states, I have accepted Christ today. I guess if I was to push that button, I get to go to heaven and be with Jesus. Hard to imagine, avoiding a life of burning in hell could be as simple as pushing a button and uttering a few simple words.

I found this question and began reading their comment. The first comment is from somebody answering as a nonbeliever in Christianity. It states something like, if I'm basically a good person and live a moral life, I get to go to heaven, right, only the bad people like murderers go to hell.

Now the answer that the website gives, seems to create fear if you do not belong to Christianity and provide you with hope if you join the group.

It mentioned Satan as the ruler of the world, and he can plant these thoughts into your head if you're not a Christian. He also controls your mind and let's you believe, that it would only make sense to any rational person, they get to go to heaven if they're good.

Now this is what makes sense to me but according to this information, I am doomed to rot in hell for eternity, even if I am a pretty good person. All I have to do is accept Christ as God and I get to go to heaven. That seems pretty easy and I wonder why more people don't do it. Just push the button.

I wonder if Satan is controlling, non-Christians minds and that's why there's brutality and war throughout the world. If everyone was a Christian, would our world be better.

Here's a quote from Wikipedia The Crusades were a series of religion-driven military campaigns waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents. Crusades were fought mainly against Muslims, though campaigns were also directed against pagan Slavs, Jews, Russian and Greek Orthodox Christians, Mongols, Cathars, Hussites, Waldensians, Old Prussians, and political enemies of the popes.

These Christian Crusades killed thousands of people. To give you an idea how many people were killed, all I had to do was type the word crusades into a search engine and it took me to the Christian Crusades.

I guess that rules that out, it seems like the Christians a long time ago were pretty aggressive towards their enemies, I wonder if most Christians would refer to these people as enemies today or are they just being controlled by Satan. Do these Christians from the Crusades get to go to heaven? If people like this get to go to heaven, may be hell is a better place anyway.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, Mere Christianity

Here's something to think about, go to heaven

Being Happy Regardless of Your Circumstances

We all want to be happy but very few of us consistently are. The World Health Organization predicts that by 2020, depression will be second only to heart disease in terms of global illnesses. Our happiness, when it occurs, is usually the result of outside events, such as when someone is kind to us, or when some opportunity is presented to us. That state of mind is fleeting. Our goal should be to be happy no matter what happens to us.

People whose happiness is not dependent on what happens to them actually bring happiness to their experiences rather than trying to get it from them. They still have bad emotions but experience an underlying state of peace and well-being. They have a sense of lightness or buoyancy, feel love and compassion for themselves and others, feel passionate about their life and purpose, have a sense of flow and openness, feel alive, vital, and energetic, are at peace with life, and are fully present in the moment.

Unfortunately it takes conscious effort to become happy. Our minds are wired to be fearful. We are much more likely to notice and remember something that frightens us than something that brings us joy. This works well under very bad circumstances, but with the constant barrage of stresses seen in modern times, most people's dominant way of thinking has become one of being on guard for trouble. In addition, our egos, which are just a collection of beliefs about who you are based on your past experiences, are always afraid of death. Being consistently happy doesn't come easily. Like most worthwhile things, it requires a lot of effort in order to achieve it.

It turns out that you have a happiness set point that works like a thermostat. Whenever the temperature in your room gets more than a certain amount outside the temperature you set on your thermometer, the thermometer tells it to return to that set temperature. In the same way, no matter what happens to you in your life, you return to your pre-set level of happiness. You can change that pre-set level however, if you make a deliberate effort to change it. It turns out that although 50% of your pre-set happiness level is probably determined by genetics, and 10% is determined by our current circumstances, the other 40% is determined by your habitual thoughts, feelings, words, and actions. Those things you certainly can change.

You can't just decide to be consistently happy. The best way to achieve that is to practice the habits of happy people. You need to become aware of which habits support happiness in your life and which ones don't. (Two of the worst habits are having the beliefs that you will be happy when... and you will be happy when you have more money or success). Then you can gradually eliminate those bad habits and cultivate the good habits. When you've done that, you can reach the state of consistent happiness you've always wanted.

For more ideas about how to be successful and have a better life, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com

Supercharge Your Positive Thinking

Many people have come to realize that what we are focused upon often manifests itself in our lives. Thus, if we are apprehensive about or fearful of events in the future, we will often attract that very thing into our lives. Fortunately, it works the other direction as well. If we are strongly focused on what we want, and imagine it happening in our minds, frequently we will receive it, or a form of it, into our lives. Here are four powerful ways to optimize your ability to focus on what you want:

1. Take care of your physical body. The mind and body are intricately connected, and care of one will benefit the other. Make sure you are eating healthy foods, taking appropriate multivitamins and calcium, and exercising regularly. These measures will elevate your mood and clear your mind, allowing you to think about the things you desire.

2. Rid your mind of negative thinking. If you are harboring anger toward someone or something, allow yourself the full negative emotion and note how it affects your mood and physical body. Make a conscious decision to release this negative feeling inside yourself for your own benefit. Remind yourself that you are here and now, exactly where you are meant to be. Assure yourself that whatever decisions you made regarding the situation, they were the best decisions for you at the time.

3. Allow that the other person or event has its limitations, and if it is a person, that this individual did what he or she could with what they have to work with. Visualize releasing this person or event into the universe, back to the God who had purpose for it. Begin to seek out the benefits of the experience and look ahead toward what you may constructively do with your experience.

4. Begin daydreaming about the things you want. Is it a material item like a car? A romantic partner? A new job? Allow yourself to think big and experience in your sensory capacity what it will feel like, look like, smell like, and taste like to have that thing. Anytime a doubt or negative thought that you "can't have that" comes into your mind, imagine a big red "X" through the thought or image, and verbally say "Cancel". Repeat as often as necessary to plant the positive mindset.

Are you interested in addressing your life challenges from a holistic standpoint, assessing the physical, emotional, and relationship components?

For a free copy of my ebook, "Natural Methods To Fight Depression", click here: http://www.stoptoxicrelationships.com/gifts-naturalmethodstofightdepression.html

Shannon Cook is a personal growth and relationship expert who has written a number of informative articles and ebooks on the topic of toxic relationships and holistic personal growth, including physical, emotional and relationship health.

Samuel L Jackson - The Famous Hollywood Actor

SAMUEL L. JACKSON (Abel Turner) Respectfully labeled as one of the hardest working actors in Hollywood, Jackson is an undisputed star as demonstrated by the fact that his films have grossed more money in box office sales than any other actor in the world. The recipient of worldwide acclaim and notoriety, Jackson has been honored with a variety of awards from some of the most prestigious organizations. He won the Best Supporting Actor award by the Cannes Film Festival in 1991 for Jungle Fever, the Silver Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival in 1998 on behalf of Jackie Brown, he has received three Golden Globe nominations for Pulp Fiction, A Time to Kill and Jackie Brown, five NAACP Image Award nominations and one win in 2005 for his performance in Coach Carter,and most recently he has garnered two People's Choice Award nominations in 2006 and 2007 for Favorite Male Actor. Jackson made an indelible mark on American cinema with his portrayal of 'Jules', the philosophizing hitman, in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. In addition to unanimous critical acclaim for his performance, he received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations as Best Supporting Actoras well as a Best Supporting Actor award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Among his many award-winning performances, Jackson made movie history with his portrayal of a crack addict in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever when he was awarded the first and only Best Supporting Performance Award ever given by the judges at the Cannes Film Festival. Jackson was most recently seen in Iron Man in a surprise cameo appearance and in the Doug Liman directed sci-fi action film, Jumper. In late 2007, Jackson had a starring role in the acclaimed drama Resurrecting the Champ, and a supporting role in the horror film 1408, based on the Stephen King novel. Earlier this year, Jackson starred in the Craig Brewer film Black Snake Moan, and Irwin Winkler's MGM war drama Home of the Brave.

This fall, in addition to Lakeview Terrace, Jackson's films will include the Dimension Studios comedy "Soul Men" with Bernie Mac and then on Christmas day, Jackson will star in the Frank Miller action drama The Spirit, where he portrays the nemesis, 'Octopus.' Other film credits include Cleaner, Snakes on a Plane, Coach Carter, Star Wars trilogy, In My Country, The Man, The Incredibles, S.W.A.T., Formula 51, Changing Lanes, Caveman's Valentine, Red Violin, Shaft, Unbreakable, 187, Eve's Bayou, Jackie Brown, The Negotiator, A Time To Kill, Die Hard with a Vengeance, The Long Kiss Goodnight and Deep Blue Sea. On the small screen, Jackson serves as Executive Producer for the animated series for Spike TV, "Afro Samurai" which premiered in 2007 and will be returning for a second season in January 2009.

He also just secured a first look television deal with CBS and their properties to produce and develop upcoming projects. In addition, Jackson has a production deal with New Line Cinema to produce and develop projects in which he has the option of starring. His first film project for the studio, in which Jackson will produce and star, is called Man That Rocks the Cradle. More details about movie and celebrities are available from the following site

http://filmsdunia.blogspot.com/

Solutions to Anger

Some of us have difficulty recognizing our anger; some of us find it so troublesome to acknowledge our anger that we deny it and turn it inwards on ourselves. Hmmm. Sounds painful. It is! Anger turned inward is called depression. (I can hear some of you, maybe even health professionals, typing away at a rebuttal.) That's okay, do whatever you need to do to deal with your anger issues. It is much healthier to take some action, provided it does not harm anyone including yourself, than to turn your anger in. Writing is a very constructive outlet for anger. And don't tell me I am opposed to antidepressant medication. I am not, if it is used as part of the solution. If we take a pill, legal or not, and collude with the prescriber, (or collude with the patient if we are the prescriber), saying the pill is the solution, we do a great disservice. Medication can be an enormous help in bringing one up to a level of functioning to effectively deal with the anger, fear and depression. Still, one does have to deal with the anger, fear and depression. Sorry, there is no magic pill and my magic wands have been on backorder for years now.

And, if you believe you have a "chemical imbalance" causing your depression, start balancing it with resolving your old anger. There is no harm in trying...it just might work. It's a chicken and egg deal...think about it.

So how does that anger stuff work? In an earlier article, we talked about children, (you?) who are brought up without being taught a constructive way to deal with normal anger. Watch a toddler get frustrated (angry) with trying something new, which they do about every two and a half minutes. If they are helped through both the something new and the frustration by another person, their anger (frustration) gets resolved. What's going on here? The toddler is angry because he cannot do or get something; he is fearful he will not be able to do or get something he wants. Take away his toy. What happens? He is angry because he has lost something. If he is helped to do or get what it is he wants, his anger goes away; if he cannot have whatever it is, but is coached through his feelings, receives empathy and hugs, and has his needs met, he moves on, not needing to hang onto the anger...someone has understood and helped him feel better in spite of not getting what he wants.

As adults, we have the same emotions: we get angry because we are afraid of losing something we have, or not being able to get or do something we want. For those with a history of being abused, this is very serious; you may have lost all trust in other people, all sense of self, have no self-esteem and be angry with God, if you believe there is a God. You, too, can heal. It just takes a lot of hard work.

If we agree that anger is an expression of fear, then part of the solution is to allow oneself to identify and feel it. Becoming vulnerable enough to experience the fear then allows us to look for a solution. Here's where it gets sticky. What is the fear about? Example: if it is real time and there is real danger, protect yourself. If you are angry and afraid of being thrown out of your apartment because you owe back rent, get a job. Get two jobs, sober up, stop spending money on entertainment and pay the rent. Then you don't have to be fearful and angry at losing your place.

People who are willing to look carefully at underlying fear usually find that they need to trust. Trust the process, trust the universe, maybe even trust that there is a God who is in charge and can help. Example: big business deal depending on decision by other party...you cannot control other party, are fearful of losing deal so are generally pissy with everyone, family and friends as well as your office manager. Not cool. If you have done everything you can, acknowledge your fear, then trust. Try praying, not for everything to go your way, but for acceptance; it can't hurt.

If your anger (fear) is based in old stuff, perhaps childhood neglect or abuse, abandonment or frequent frustration, the solution to your current feelings will require some sorting out. Most of this stuff is too much for anyone to do alone...your brain is not always your friend. Therapy can help, as can support groups, but you have to really use them; writing or journaling about old stuff is therapeutic. Physical activity to discharge some of the anxiety and irritability is the best medicine I know and changes brain chemistry to actually produce internal antidepressants called endorphins.

For those of you in a recovery program, you have access to tools, called steps, to deal with old stuff. Write your fourth step! For those who are not in recovery, similar "steps" provide the solution; they include reading, writing, talking with others, especially those who have been there, listening, and praying.

Get to work. It is not useful to carry around old fear and anger to make you depressed and no fun for your family and friends!

Dr. Dawn Obrecht is the only MD addiction medicine specialist on the western slope of Colorado. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and her office is in Steamboat Springs. She does consultations and referrals anywhere in the country and can be reached at 970-846-8479 or through http://www.docdawn.com

The Truth About Gossip

Connecting with others is one of the most rewarding things about college. The times sitting around the dorm rooms swapping stories are some of the most memorable times for me.

As any woman knows, the gift of gab is KEY to your success if you want to survive dorm life. The chat sessions that we held in the dorm at all hours in the morning were some of the most fun and interesting times in college. We would order pizza and pig out while talking about who had lost or gained weight, and all of the interesting things that had gone on in our life, like our past romances or who we were dating at the time, or what good looking guy was our next ambition. But, often, when one of the regulars werent there, wed start gabbing about them, and what awful thing they had done this week. Since I was usually there during the sessions, it never occurred to me that I would be the subject of such talk. It just never crossed my mind. After all, I was so well liked, or so I thought!

After a run one day I came out of the shower to hear my name mentioned by one of my suite mates. To my horror, it wasn't just my suite mates, but my roommate and a whole room full of girls from the hall. As I stood in the bathroom listening to the talk and laughter in the room next to me, I quietly steamed. I heard about how often my boyfriend would let the phone ring 1000 times, how messy I was, how I was too loud and so on and so on. I couldnt believe that these were the same girls with whom I had confided my entire existence. I was in SHOCK that I was the subject of so many peoples disgust! They had been so nice to me in person, and now this?

I had no other choice than to confront them, head on. So, with my towel around my hair, and one around my dripping wet body, I quietly walked in the room during their lets talk about Mary gossip hour. The gasps of horror filled the room and now it was THEIR time to be shocked. And rather than yell and scream, I simply said: You know, Im really sorry that I have offended all of you like I have. And it is hard to believe that I had to sit here and hear all of the things that I have done wrong. But do you all realize that yesterday, Anne, you were talking about Kathryn? And Kathryn, the other day, you were talking bad about Lynn? And Lynn, you were dissing Elaine? And Elaine you were in disgust with Liz? So cant you see, all of us are sitting here right now, talking bad about ME, because Im the one that wasnt the room? But, if one of you left, that YOUR name would quickly be smeared all over the place? Is this how we want to be? Is this how we want to treat one another?

No one said a thing, but the words lingered stiffly in the air as everyone looked uncomfortably around the room. I quietly left as everyone was left with their own embarrassment of being exposed.

After that, things changed for me. Any time a gossip session started creeping up into the conversation, I remembered the time when I had been talked about so horribly. I remembered how bad I felt finding out that my friends were really disgusted with me and rather than tell me to my face, they opted to talk to others about it. I learned that I would always find people who were different from me, and it didnt matter that I understood what they did or not, that they were entitled to think and to act like they wanted to. I learned that even with our best friends, that we would sometimes disagree. I learned how important that loyalty was and what a great quality it was to develop. I learned that others would respect an individual who chose NOT to gossip and chose to stand apart from the people who do. And I learned, that I wanted to be that kind of person.

That day of gossip changed my life. I cant say that Im perfect now, but I do try to remember those lessons that I learned that day. I realize that I cant change or control anyone else, but I am in control of how I conduct myself. I also now have living proof that the words my mom told me so long ago were ones that I would want to live by: if you cant say anything nice, then dont say anything at all.

Mary Gardner, The Charisma Coach! is an Executive Communications Consultant and Trainer. She works with, coaches and trains individuals, sales teams, executives, and celebrities. She owned and operated one of the first coaching institutions on the east coast, CCI, in NYC, Philly and NJ. Mary has appeared on ABCs 20/20 and has self published a book on public speaking. Mary is married to Sway and is mommy to Jeremy 5, and lives in Orlando, FL.

Contact: http://www.marygardner.com

Books On Financial Freedom

Financial freedom is the most important thing a person can have, but it can also be very difficult to achieve. Most people will need assistance from an outside source. For those of you who cannot afford to hire a financial expert to manage your finances, there are many books available that will teach you how you can use your money wisely and eventually achieve financial freedom.

There are many financial experts, as well as people who have already achieved financial freedom, writing self-help books for people wanting to free themselves from the clutches of living in debt. The hardest part is choosing the right one. You will need to make sure that the advice you follow is the right one; you do not want to follow the wrong advice and go further in debt.

These books are not very expensive, and they are very helpful. They will be able to give you very valuable advice. There are also books available on the Internet that contain the same material.

If you are able to access the Internet, you should first look for online books on financial advice. This will save you money, considering these are usually free. If you have the need to have a paper copy of the book, there are many places from which you would be able to obtain one. Obviously, bookstores carry books of this nature. You will also be able to buy financial books on the Internet, since most major bookstores have a website where you can place orders. There are many websites available from which you can purchase your book. In fact, some of these websites will offer these books at a lesser price than if you buy them at a bookstore.

Debt is the number one cause of many problems in peoples lives. Getting out of debt is the first and most important step a person needs to take in the process of achieving financial freedom. If you think this task is too difficult to achieve without assistance, then it is best that you buy a book that will aid in your struggle to achieve financial freedom.

Financial Freedom provides detailed information on Financial Freedom, Steps To Financial Freedom, Financial Freedom Resources, Financial Freedom Services and more. Financial Freedom is affiliated with Commercial Equity Line Of Credit.

Smart Thinking - Saving Money For the Future

While we are all aware of the importance of putting away money for the future, the reality is that saving doesn't come naturally to most of us. When it comes to putting money away, setting "smart" goals is the first step in finding the motivation to save.

What are "smart" goals? SMART is a popular acronym for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. These five characteristics are vital for setting goals and the acronym provides an easy way to remember each of them.

When it comes to saving money it is important to make sure a goal is specific. Rather than telling yourself that you need to put away a little money each month, set a specific figure. This will give you a balance to base the rest of your monthly spending around, as well as a measuring stick to see whether or not you are achieving it.

Why is it important to have measurable goals? If a goal is not measurable, it's difficult to know whether you are actually achieving your goal. A measurable goal means that you will be able to monitor your success and hopefully this will give you a boost to continue saving.

To really achieve a goal it is important to take an action-orientated approach and hone in on all the proactive steps you need to take to achieve that goal. Ask yourself what actions are needed in order make this ambition a reality. From deciding how much to save, to deciding which savings accounts offer the best deals - all of the actions you take will form a vital part of achieving that goal.

While breaking your goal down into mini-actions is extremely important, it is even more important to make sure the goal set is realistic. Is the figure you have set yourself going to over-stretch your budget? Do you have any major outgoings over the next few months which could hinder this goal being achieved? If your goals are not realistic, they will only cause you anxiety; therefore, it makes more sense to save little and often, as opposed to setting an unreachable target.

The final step to smart goal setting is making sure your goals are timely, which refers to having an overall timeframe for your goal. It can also help to set some timely milestones to monitor your progress along the way. In a similar way to setting mini-actions towards your overall goal, setting mini-milestones breaks the process down into shorter, simpler steps - making the goal seem all the more achievable.

When considering your savings and the savings accounts which will work best for you, it is all about thinking smart. While it may take a little extra time to set your goals the smart way, it could pay dividends in the long-run.

Victoria Cochrane writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content

Sacred Love Building Relationships That Work - Some Essentials of the Heart

There are five simple ingredients to a great relationship. I think all of them need to be in place for the relationship to stand the test of time. Any one of them will trigger the desire to enter the relationship, but, unless all are there, the relationship just dwindles to maintenance.

The first ingredient of a great relationship

Falling in love, over and over again. Did you know that we "fall into love" with someone when we get out of our head? That means, we fall in love when we are not thinking. The irony is that we fall in love with someone because we expect nothing from them. Then, we spend the rest of our relationship with that person trying to get them to match our expectations. The fastest path around this is to acknowledge that you are going to have those expectations and they are important, but to fall in love, again and again and again, you need to have periods together where you just have time out. Fun stuff, where you just BE together without wanting anything. I call this STILLNESS but it's not still.

The second ingredient of a great relationship

The truth of human nature, (as opposed to the ego nature) is that it has two sides. Balance. So, we have a public and a private nature. They are always diametrically opposite. The total ass in public has a sweet side that they display somewhere else in life. So, in relationship, it is really common to find yourself focusing on the "darker side" of your partner, especially if you are into self-help, personal growth, yoga or meditation. You see, everyone has a good and a bad side. When we are in relationship we can easily focus on the bad side, because we become self-obsessed focusing on hiding our own bad side. It's like buying a yellow VW car. Before you buy one, none exist. After you buy one, it seems like every second person has one. When you become obsessed with changing yourself, or disowning your darker side, you can't see past the darker side of your partner. Their foibles. So, the solution here is to start to embrace your true nature, and as a result, be able to embrace the whole being that is your partner too.

The third ingredient of a great relationship

Evolve ya bastard. We tried to find a quote for the women folk, Evolve ya bitch just doesn't have the same ring too it and coming from a bloke like me, can be misinterpreted. So, simply put, "GET OVER IT." You are not a victim, shit happens in your life because you bred it. Take the fall, own your power, you cause your troubles. If you do this, you can fix this. See, if you don't cause your world, then how can you fix or change it? Evolve means to accept and UNJUDGE. That's deep stuff because it involves changing your beliefs. It also involves massive MIRRORING. Meaning seeing your own reflection in the actions and words of others. If you don't evolve in a relationship, you sabotage it and bring in the drama.

The Fourth ingredient of a great relationship

Dreams. 99% of self and relationship sabotage comes from lost vision. Now, I'm not here talking about maintenance. Like "bringing up the kids." When a couple get totally turned on by each other long term it's really because they see a great future together. It's exciting and filled with new adventures. When the libido drops or the emotion goes out, it's because that future has turned to boredom. Boredom in any area of life kills the human spirit. Now, you might say, "bringing up the kids is not boring," but really, its the same thing, day in day out. It's maintenance. I'm talking about things that you dream about. Holidays are a poor man's substitute for a great life. So, many people who lack the real vision of the future to inspire themselves, go on holidays. It's like putting a band-aid on a skin cancer. Do dreams, do vision quest together. Nothing is more important for long term sexy relationship than this.

The fifth ingredient of a great relationship

It's you. You have to turn up happy. You can't prey on your partner for happiness. Happiness is what you bring to your relationship. If you turn up bored or burned out from your job, you're going to suck the life force out of your partner. They have to put up self-protective barriers to that sort of ignorance. Get a life. Get a sport. Get a Hobie. And if you don't, you'll find yourself dreaming of sex with strangers, aka, TV Desperate Housewives. Stupid life. If your yoga class, your meditation class, your spiritual guru, your self help, your job does not send you home laughing, smiling, jumping for joy at the life you've got, then F...k it.

With Spirit and love

Chris "walk your talk" Walker

I really want to help people live to a different rhythm of life. I have done many practices to achieve inner peace, they were good, but fragile. Now, I have found stillness because life has become my meditation. I would love to share how. You see, once I thought my expectations were the best barometer of goodness. Anything that wasn't good, needed to change, or be fixed. Now, I know nature, natural law, creation. And I realise that with self-honesty, I can hold my inner peace, my stillness, wherever I go, not just on my cushion in the morning and night.
http://www.chriswalker.com.au and http://www.innerwealth.com - This is what I share.

How to Overcome Fear of Darkness Using Self Hypnosis

The fear of darkness is one of the most common fears among children. You may be surprised to learn that a good number of adults find themselves paralyzed by this same fear at various times in their lives as well. You do not have to live your life in fear of what lurks in the darkness ever again. Keep these things in mind to help you overcome your night time fears and see what a difference these changes can make to your anxiety levels.

Become Your Own Light

Don't let anyone or anything dictate how you react to darkness in your life. Whether it's a literal darkness that is causing your phobia to take front page in your life or a dark place in your life that is cause for concern you can make changes you need to be comfortable in the world in which you live. You can, on occasion become your own light and overcome the feeling of darkness closing in by concentrating on the light within.

Make Your World Bright

For some people this means sleeping with the lights on -even a small light that chases away total darkness. Others need to sleep with every light in their houses on. Dark corners are as frightening to them as a darkened cemetery is to most people on Halloween. When you become a beacon of light in your darkness, you can learn to live with fewer lights on around you. Eventually you may even be able to turn off the lights completely. Take one step at a time though and handle your fear of darkness with care.

Find the Root of Your Fear of Darkness

Almost every fear has a starting point. This will be either the first place the fear manifested or the act that created the fear to begin with. You need to find out what caused your fear of darkness in order to address the problem and move on to actually overcoming the fear.

Learn to Love the Darkness

There are many great things to see and do in the darkness. Start with small steps and lesser degrees of darkness -such as movie theaters or planetariums, or work your way into places that offer more complete darkness. This gives you the opportunity to build new memories that are fond memories of the dark and erase those that led to your phobia or current anxiety level in regards to the dark.

Give Hypnosis a Shot in the Dark

Hypnosis has been used as a tool for overcoming many different fears and addictions through the past few years as well as many impressive behavior modification endeavors. If you are interested in putting your fear of darkness to rest then hypnosis is a highly effective method for accomplishing this goal without potentially harmful or anxiety ridden side effects.

Putting Out the Light and Saving Your Nights

Isn't it time that you were able to face the night once and for all? Are you ready to put out the lights and get a great night's sleep for the first time in years without worries over what the darkness brings? Put your fear of darkness behind you today with the help of hypnosis and the power of suggestion.

J. Seymour is a writer with Self Help Recordings. 'Overcome Fear Of Darkness' is an excellent recording by Steve G Jones, who offers twenty years of experience through these recordings. To find out more, visit Fear Of Darkness. A range of other self hypnosis products can be found here - Phobia Of Darkness. All of the recordings on Self Help Recordings are backed by an impressive sixty day guarantee, so to find out more simply click on the links.

Trust Matters Now More Than Ever

Given the state of the world political stage and the perception that highly important business people are often crooks, it's easy to make the assumption that simple things like integrity and ethics are nice to have but not essential to everyday life. Actually, nothing could be further from the truth - and truth still matters as much, if not more, than it ever has. In fact, it's crucial to building and maintaining trust which, in turn, is perhaps one of the most underrated business tools at our disposal.

Stephen Covey, son of the driving force behind the Habits of Highly Effective People books, is convinced that we are in the middle of a trust paradox. The lower our current levels of trust become, the more we see its importance. No where is this more apparent than in the business world where we can actually measure the results on both sides of the trust equation.

The old adage that says time is money perfectly applies when we look at our present situation vis--vis trust. We see how expensive and time consuming most business has become. Consider how much longer it takes to fly from one destination to another since we've lost trust in the ability of the airlines to protect us. Think too about how financial negotiations have gotten bogged down where we've become suspicious that the people we're bargaining with are untrustworthy.

Conversely, we see how things move ahead when the opposite is true. With trust the speed of doing business changes exponentially. For example, when someone well respected -- like Warren Buffet -- is in the room, the level of confidence rises dramatically, the process of negotiating a deal is streamlined and significantly less time is spent creating transparency and building a slew of safeguards to insure that no one is taking advantage of the other.

Furthermore, once we come to see how indispensable a business variable trust can be, we want it for ourselves as well for others. The important thing is to understand that being trustworthy is a learnable skill that requires the adoption of positive habits that can be practiced on a regular basis.

As Stephen Covey has pointed out, there are several key aspects to this process of garnering trust. In addition to being honest and ethical, we need to be competent, to show up when we say we will and do what we've promised to do. By combining strength of character with such competence we can begin to reap the benefits that come with being trustworthy.

Check out Raymond Aaron's Wealth Creator Source...access over 90 powerful interviews with business experts and thought leaders (like Stephen Covey) from across the globe...go to http://www.WealthCreatorSource.com

Well-known international speaker Raymond Aaron is author of seven books and a New York Times bestselling author of "Chicken Soup for the Parents Soul" His latest book, hot off the press, is "Double Your Income Doing What You Love".

How to Overcome Fear and Procrastination

If we listen to world news today, they give us every reason to be fearful. If we give in it seems that something dark lurks around every corner of our mind. The challenge with fear, either real or imagined is that it can hold you back from doing well in life.

When one lives with constant fear you may also be prone to procrastination because they are two sides of the same coin. In fear you cannot move forward which makes you hesitate or procrastinate on a lot of issues, especially if one believes nothing he does is good enough. Instant fear is designed to quickly move people out of dangerous situations, but prolonged or constant fear is not the natural state of the body.

Take Susan as an example. She is someone who really wanted to be a nutritionist but because she was always heavy she thought she couldn't do it. Many people told her she should take classes at the community college but she was too afraid to even call them for fear of rejection. Susan had already negatively assumed the outcome of her efforts in her mind.

When you are in the midst of feeling afraid of anything take a step back and really look at the situation. Are you in danger of some kind? Is it moving you out of your comfort zone? Are you afraid of succeeding? Are you afraid that if you make that move your life will change way too much?

If so, close your eyes and ask yourself, "What would I do if I weren't afraid?" As you calmly wait for your answer(s) without judgment you will find that fear is a complex illusion. It is an elaborate scheme by your ego to stop you from moving ahead. The dominant ego keeps you from experiencing your life in a way that will make you happy. Fear is based on events from the past that make us wary of making certain moves, old rhythms or patterns often set long ago by life experiences.

How can you release the fear and help heal procrastination? First of all by acknowledging it and then taking an action step forward. The problem lies in basing your present on the past or the future. One simply should not accept that what happened in the past will be some variation of what happens now. This vicious cycle can keep one trapped in negativity. The more closely related to the now you can be, by breaking your fearful goal into tiny manageable steps or a smaller to do list, the easier it will be to release the fear.

Going back to our example, if Susan had just called the community college it would have been a step towards her goal. She could have talked to a counselor and then perhaps have signed up for one class at a time, opening the door to new possibilities. Susan can always leave herself open to changing her mind as she moves along, helping to get past her fears.

Life can be wondrous when you release fear and side step procrastination. Now is the time to move out of your fear and take the first step. You never know what will happen to make your life become bigger than you ever imagined. I always like to keep in mind the old adage "Fear is just, False Expectations Appearing Real."

Become part of something that is sweeping the world with inspiration. You will find a wealth of spectacular material including free affirmations, beneficial worksheets and other useful tools to download at http://motivatingmessages.ning.com.

Priscilla Parham coaches on awareness and goal setting for your health, your business and your relationships, motivating others to rebuild from the inside-out.

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You Are Going to Lose Your Job! What Does That Do to Your Attitude?

The news is out. Many people will be losing their jobs. Will you be one of them? What does that do to your attitude?

To most, it will send them in a downward spiral of self pity, disappointment and negativity. They will become a victim and it will be reflected in their attitude. They will let the outside world enter and destroy their inside world. They will loose more than their job. They will lose their role in life, their self confidence, their self esteem and self respect. They will loose their sense of self worth and their net worth.

Why? Primarily because they never took control of their life or never determined what things are within their control. They were living a life of chance and circumstance from the outside in. They forgot who the most important person in the world is and got caught up in today's fast growing addiction - becoming a corporate junkie.

They became corporate junkies because they had nothing better to do or because of the fear of loosing their jobs if they didn't keep up with the other junkies. In the process they forgot themselves, their desires, their dreams, their aspirations and even their families. And now, they stand to lose it all.

Losing your job is an awakening call. It is time to wake up and to start living your life from the inside-out. It is time to get to know you. It is time to define what you want to be, to do or to have and to create a plan to make it happen the way you envisioned. It is time to take control of your life and start living the life your so desire.

You may or may not know if you are going to lose your job, but why wait to find out. Have a proactive attitude if you want to take care of the most important person in the world. Don't wait, as a reactive attitude is sure to destroy your spirit.

Start planning your future life today. If you were to lose your job, what would you do next?

If you comprise a prepared mindset and a contingency plan, they will set you apart from the junkies. Your proactive attitude will shine and your actions will speak louder than words. Your changed attitude will make you more desirable and thus, you may not loose your job.

Wouldn't it be great to be in a position to have a choice of opportunities? These opportunities only come to those who are in control of their lives and know what they want, where they are going and how they are going to get there.

You need to take control of your life and make some decisions. Do you want to live a life of chance and circumstance or do you want to live the life of your dreams? Do you want to work for the accomplishment of your goals or for the accomplishment of someone else's goals? Will you have a proactive attitude or a reactive attitude?

Only you, the decision maker, can make the decision work. It is your life so what will it be? Rise up, make a decision and reap the benefits. Nothing is standing in your way.

Bob Urichuck is an International Speaker, Trainer and Best-Selling Author. Learn personally from Bob in the areas of Sales, Motivation, Leadership and Team Skills. Bob presents a series of great ideas and strategies with combination of facts, humor, and practical concept in a high-energy and self-discovery process that you can apply right away to achieve results. Subscribe to Bob's Free Newsletter, worth $297, visit http://www.BobU.com Now!

How to Easily Cure Any Addiction Or Phobia With Self Help Hypnosis and Mind Control Techniques

Self Help Hypnosis can be used to very effectively help you with a number of problems that you are experiencing in your daily life. By using mind control techniques and self hypnosis audio you will be able to alleviate phobias, addictions or any kind of social problems you may be experiencing. The process of self hypnosis has many kinds of advantages.

Its an effective way to plants ideas and suggestions into your subconscious mind that will have a great influence over the actions in your daily life. You will be able to re-train your mind to steer away from negative behaviors. Just think about all you could achieve by using these effective mind control techniques.

Self hypnosis can help you with:

Curing phobias such as fear of heights, fear of the dentist, social phobias or any other situation where you feel vulnerable.

Easier to overcome addictions such as smoking, or help you to lose weight or any other things you need help with to stop doing, but where your mind powers are lacking.

Hypnotize yourself and get those hours of sleep you desperately need. Your Insomnia problems will be a thing of the past.

Learn how to train your mind to relieve stress, tension, worry or anything that is painful in your life

So as you can see there is many benefits of using Self Help Hypnosis. These mind control techniques will be bring an enormous positive experience to your daily life. Using self hypnosis audio you can achieve the results you seek while resting comfortably in your sofa.

If You want to find a Solution to your problem Right Now, all you need to do is Click HERE

Visit This Online Hypnosis Site that offers a ton a resources on anything hypnosis related. Dont wait for the solution to your problems when you can get the answers right now!

The Two Worst Words in the English Language

Do you know the two worst words in the English language? No, they are not naughty words.

They are two simple words that most people use everyday and they are holding you back. I guarantee you that if you stop using these words, then you will be able to change your life for the better.

So what are these two little words that are holding you back?

Try and Maybe

This is where you are saying, "You have to be kidding me. Who do you think you are...Yoda?"

No, but the wisdom of Star Wars can be applied in your life to help you become a better speaker or person.

Think about the power that these two words have when you use them. How often have you told someone that you will try to do something or that maybe you will be able to help out? How often have you said try or maybe with no intention or even worse, use the fact that you said try or maybe as an excuse for not doing something. Using those words gives you an unlimited number of ways out of staying committed to a task that you wish to accomplish.

I encourage you to change you language in order to change your life. Turn try into will and maybe into definitely in order to give you the language you need to be successful. Continuing to use limiting language will continue to limit your growth and success. As you change your language, which is one small step you can take to change your life.

How to do it

The best ways to overcome using try and maybe is to get an accountability partner. Tell someone your goal of not using the words than have them remind you when they hear you using them. As you are reminded more and more, you will catch yourself using those words and being to eliminate them from your life. This is similar to how they catch ums and ahs in Toastmasters.

What this will do is move you one step forward to eliminating your language of failure. Removing the language of failure will allow you to structure your beliefs for success, which will make you a more reliable and successful person.

Don't try...do. Don't say maybe, say I will. Change your language and you will change your life.

Chris Elliott is a professional speaker and blogger. In his presentations and articles on personal success, employee morale, technology selection, and supply chain issues, Chris Elliott brings a unique perspective to help you solve the problems that affects your business. Contact Chris Elliott today so he can deliver the results that you need to be successful.

To get a copy of Chris' new Special Report, "Make Money? You're Not a Mint: Suggestions For Earning Money Online and Offline." Sign up for his newsletter at http://chris-elliott.com

For more tips on how you can become a better speaker or go from free to fee, check out his blog at http://mytoastmastersblog.com

Primal Leadership - A Book Summary

Primal leadership takes center stage in this book. This concept goes beyond the set of conventional competencies on the making of a leader. Beyond bottom line figures, this book takes a leap forward with the concept of primal leadership through a keen and in-depth understanding of emotional intelligence and its link to leading and building emotionally intelligent organizations.

The authors explore the idea of leadership as an emotional
function. They propose that the fundamental task of a leader is to create resonance at work, thereby unleashing positive traits and attributes in people. Emotionally intelligent leaders bring organizational success to the fore because they inspire, motivate and foster commitment in people.

Harness the power of primal leadership in this book and bring out the emotionally intelligent leader in you.

Primal Dimension of Leadership

The use of emotion in leadership functions is a primal task that sets leaders apart. Great leaders move people by channeling emotions in the right direction, whether it is in formulating corporate strategy in the boardroom or a series of action items in the shop floor.

Resonance Effect

The positive channeling of emotions that empowers people to be top performers is called resonance. The culture of resonance brings out the best in people. On the other hand, when leaders negatively drive emotions dissonance is created. Dissonance is not conducive to harmonious working relationships as it can undermine peoples potentials.

Key to Primal Leadership

Emotional intelligence is the foundation of making primal
leadership work. An emotionally intelligent leader knows how to handle himself and his relationship with the people he works with in order to drive up performance.

Good Moods, Good Work

A good mood is essential for a team to function effectively. It is crucial for a leader to foster positive working relationships because emotional conflicts in a group can hamper a teams performance.

A study of CEOs from Fortune 500 companies revealed that
positive overall mood of top management people leads to better cooperation and better business performance. This argument takes the view that it is top management that creates the conditions for workers to work well.

Resonant Leader

For emotionally intelligent leaders, resonance comes naturally in their dealings with people. Their actions reinforce synchrony within their team and within the organization. The strength of an emotionally resonant leader lies in the emotional bond he forms which allows people to collaborate with each other even in the face of change and uncertainty.

Four Dimensions of Emotional Intelligence

The creation of resonance is a hallmark of primal leadership that can only be fostered by emotionally intelligent leaders. For a leader to promote prime resonance in a group, it is important to understand the four EI competencies. Interestingly, these competencies are not innately inherent but are learned abilities. According to research, an effective leader typically demonstrates at least one competence among
the four dimensions.

1. Self-Awareness

2. Self-Management

3. Social Awareness

4. Relationship Management

Approaches to Leadership in a Nutshell

1. Visionary

2. Coaching

3. Affiliative

4. Democratic

5. Pacesetting

6. Commanding

The Five Discoveries of Self-Directed Learning

1. First Discovery: My ideal self Who do I want to be?

2. Second Discovery: My real self Who am I? What are my strengths and gaps?

3. Third Discovery: My learning agenda How can I build on my strengths while reducing my gaps?

4. Fourth Discovery: Experimenting with and practicing new behaviors, thoughts, and feelings to the point of mastery.

5. Fifth Discovery: Developing supportive and trusting
relationships that make change possible.

Final Notes

Primal leadership is anchored on emotions. These emotions have underlying neurological explanations to them such as the open loop system. Thus, a leader must work hard to obtain emotional intelligence competencies that will make him a resonant leader
because resonance is the key to primal leadership.

A resonant leader builds a culture of resonance by emonstrating emotionally intelligent abilities that permeate throughout the organization. A resonant leader aims to live a resonant life for him and his people in order to make resonant work. It is this kind of work that builds an emotionally intelligent
organization a kind of organization that can survive the changing business climate because it has built-in processes that can sustain change.

By: Regine P. Azurin and Yvette Pantilla

Regine Azurin is the President of BusinessSummaries.com, a company that provides business book summaries of the latest bestsellers for busy executives and entrepreneurs.

http://www.bizsum.com "A Lot Of Great Books....Too Little Time To Read" Free Book Summaries Of Latest Bestsellers for Busy Executives and Entrepreneurs

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(c) Copyright 2001- 2005, BusinessSummaries.com - Wisdom In A Nutshell

Treatments That Work For Panic Disorders

There are a variety of different methods for treating panic disorders available. They fall into two basic categories - talking therapies and drug based therapies. If you suffer from panic attacks or anxiety and are looking for a way to eliminate them you should take a look at all the options that are out there. What works for one person may not work for you so if you try something and it doesn't work don't stop looking. Instead, try something else. Here is a run down on the treatments that work for panic disorders that give the best results and have relatively low or no side effects.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy

One of the most popular treatments for panic attacks and anxiety, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is done with a qualified professional. The idea is that they will help you talk things through and learn to change your thinking patterns and behavior so that you begin to think more positively. More positive thought patterns can help you to feel less anxious and to cope better.

SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)

These drugs are usually prescribed to treat depression, although they have been shown to be effective in treating panic disorders. A couple of examples include Prozac and Seroxat.

Trycyclic Antidepressants

Again, this type of drug is most often used to treat depression. One of the most commonly used for panic and anxiety is imipramine.

Self Help Treatment

There are a variety of self help methods for treating panic disorders available. Most involve reading a book or trying a program on the internet. Many of these have great success rates for helping people eliminate panic and anxiety and have the added benefit that they are usually much less expensive that traditional treatments. Not only that, but they are all drug free methods which is nice if you don't like the idea of taking drugs and risking possible dependency and side effects.

You can find information on several of the different self help for panic programs that are on the market and learn more about how to control or eliminate your panic attacks or anxiety without using drugs or traditional therapy at http://panicattacks.add6.com

Brain Fitness

STEP ONE:Do you know when to stop?Do you know how much is enough?Especially with brain injury and age related brain fitness decline, overwhelm defeats motivation every time.Do you get overwhelmed?

Okay, here is the solution.Decide exactly how much you are going to do and how you are going to measure it.For example, if you are going to do some gardening or walking, decide on 20 minutes.Then set the kitchen timer for 20 minutes.When the bell rings, stop.

Now, when you know you can stop after 20 minutes, do you feel more encouraged?It's just 20 minutes!Feeling like you can do it creates the MOTIVATION WHEEL.This is step one.

Know when to stop.Decide on how much you are going to do.When the timer rings, stop.

COACHING TIP:If you still don't feel like doing it, cut your effort/time in half and try again.Keep cutting the effort/time in half until you it's so easy that you laugh as you get into action!For example:20 minutes too much?Set timer for 10 minutes. Just get that motivation wheel moving!

STEP TWO:Do you count your effort like coins of gold?Do you easily forget what you did yesterday or last week?When you look at your effort today, you kill motivation by thinking that 20 minutes will do no good.

The solution is to get fun stickers.Put a sticker on your calendar or chart every time you put in your measured amount of effort from step one.
Now count the stickers on your calendar like they were coins of gold!Congratulate yourself because your stack of golden effort is growing.Fall in love with growing your stack of gold.

When you count and congratulate yourself daily for growing that stack of golden effort, you are CREATING MOMENTUM.Momentum means that your wheel is picking up speed.When you create momentum, motivation isn't an issue.

Stack your effort.Count it like coins of gold.Create momentum.

STEP THREE:Do you know exactly how far you have travelled?Everyone knows where they want to go.Motivation is often killed when you look forward at the distance left to travel to your goal.It seems so far...impossible!

However, when you look back to SEE HOW FAR YOU HAVE COME that is a powerful motivator.Dwell on the facts of what you have done.

This is where a BEFORE TEST is so important.Many people ignore creating a before test because they are embarrassed by this information.Stop what you are doing, and take those appropriate measurements right now.Take a photo of your weedy garden or unpainted room, stand on that scale, wrap the tape around your waist, time the minutes it takes to walk to the mall.You need that BEFORE DATA.Put it in the drawer.

Now every month, take the same measurements, pull the BEFORE DATA out of the drawer, and celebrate how far you have come.SEEING PROOF OF SUCCESS KEEPS THAT WHEEL ROLLING for another month.Inch by inch, life's a cinch.

Keep records so you can't forget. Review monthly how your stack of effort is changing your data.Dwell on your proof of success.Remember, every step, no matter how small, counts.

WHEN YOU USE THESE 3 STUNNINGLY SIMPLE STEPS YOUR MOTIVATION WILL GROW INTO YOUR POWERFUL ALLY.Soon you will be leaping buildings in a single stride! Celebrate.

Linda Schaumleffel, Olympian and head injury survivor, guides people worldwide with faltering memory or head injuries, by teaching them how to thrive again, strive for peak productivity, and build a hedge against dementia. Get a jump on your own brain health with "Brain Fitness: The Top 17 Activities That Will Revive Your Brain at Any Age!" special report at http://www.PowerBrainFitness.com

Self-Help Anxiety Advice - Stopping Worries From Transforming Into Anxiety and Panic

Self-help anxiety advice can teach you effective methods to control worries that get out of control and turn into outright panic attacks. Worries can become a frequent unwanted guest in our lives that just won't go away. When worry takes up a significant portion of your minds daily activity, the chances of that worry boiling into a panic attack become soaringly higher.

Worry and anxiety are normal and necessary human reactions. Mankind has always had to contemplate the "fight or flight" dilemma and anxiety is the ingredient that fuels the answer. Without worry we would likely get ourselves in a ton of trouble. It's unlikely that our species would have survived this long without some old fashioned fear to let us know when to run and hide. Like all animals, a little bit of anxiety is key to our survival.

Worry can also become our worst enemy when it appears in all aspects of our lives. When you're mind is riddled with worries, anxiety soon occupies your mood. At some point this overabundance of anxiety can trigger a terrifying panic attack. Self-help anxiety methods that minimize worry may be the solution to such a problem. Learning effective ways to lessen the amount of worrying you do throughout the day will start you on the path to a calmer mindset.

Awareness of when your mind starts worrying or thinking negative thoughts can make a big difference in the amount of anxiety you deal with. Most chronic worriers rarely realize when they're worrying. It becomes such a normal activity, therefore it's hard to imagine life without it. Negative thoughts will run rampant if they are allowed to. Self-help anxiety methods like conscious mindfulness of worrisome thoughts can begin to interrupt the familiar flow of negative thoughts.

When you can actively identify the negative patterns of your mind, you gain the ability of being able to make the decision to stop worrying. When this awareness is practiced, you become an active participant in what kind of thoughts rule your day. If you choose to let worry continue, it will manifest physically into the common symptoms of anxiety. Stop worrying and you stop the cycle.

It's normal to worry about things effecting our life; so don't drive yourself crazy trying to eliminate every ounce of worrying. Allow the common initial worry that may accompany stressful events. But also be aware of how long it lasts, or if the same worry surfaces again and again. This is the kind of worry that is completely unnecessary and guaranteed to transform into anxiety.

This repeating pattern of negative thoughts is what brings about the symptoms of anxiety. Self-help anxiety curing methods are designed to end these harmful patterns and restore order back to your life. Just realizing that this cycle of worry and stress is what causes so much anxiety can make a substantial change in the amount of anxiety you deal with and will have a lasting effect on your overall well-being.

Awareness if the first step in ending the anxiety cycle. You need to practice this awareness of your thought patterns everyday. With enough practice, those anxiety causing thoughts will give up trying to rule your life.

If you're interested in learning about the single most effective anxiety curing method, visit Mike's self-help anxiety website:

http://self-helpanxiety.blogspot.com/

52 Ways to Live a Better Life by Shadonna Richards

Infinity Publishing (2009)

ISBN 9780741451675

Shadonna Richards, a Canadian registered nurse, freelance writer and former newspaper columnist, has put together a simple but concise book on how to live a better life. As a nurse working with terminally ill cancer patients, who are told they have only six months to live, she was inspired to write empowering words of wisdom. Richards also interviewed many individuals for her newspaper columns, thus compiling inspirational stories to encourage us to look at our own lives, makes changes as necessary, and to live a fulfilled life. Although her resources are Canadian, the concept of her book is global and I'm sure readers will find similar resources in their respective countries and areas.

"A Gift of Hope" is designed to be used as a workbook, with each week having an exercise to be done daily. For example, the first week starts with "Stay Mentally Fit." The text talks about the stresses in our lives and then gives exercises. The first exercise for the first week is to "Identify, then rectify." Richards says "A crucial part of any solution is locating the problem. Do worries keep you up at night? Go directly to the source of your tension." The second exercise for the first week is "Detox Your Mind." Richards says "We always have a choice. We can choose to dwell on being hopeless in situations or dwell on having hope."

The second week covers "Dare to Dream: Believe that Anything is Possible" and captures president-elect Barrack Obama's "Yes We Can" powerful slogan. Using his story and his dreams, Richards iterates that our dreams can become reality if we persist and believe.

Other weeks cover topics like: Understand That Money Isn't Everything, Reach out to those in Need, and Be the Friend You Desire to Have. For the purpose of this review I didn't have the opportunity to test the system for a full 52 weeks; however, being a student and teacher of transformation, I know it works. Shadonna Richards has provided a book, "A Gift of Hope," to take us to a higher level of consciousness, a place where we can manage our personal lives with ease and contentment.

http://www.readerviews.com/

Book Review of "The Ultimate Gift"

Are you feeling sorry for yourself? What if your problems were reasons to rejoice? Can you imagine that a crisis might be an opportunity or even a gift in disguise? That's just one of the lessons Jason Stevens learns in The Ultimate Gift, an inspirational novel by Jim Stovall.

Wealthy patriarch Howard Red Stevens has died, but he still has one last trick up his sleeve. The decedent's estate plan provides a living for all his greedy relatives. But the benefactor reserves a special gift for his great-nephew Jason, "the last great vestige of hope" for his family. He loves Jason too much to make him an instant millionaire.

In his revised will, Stevens entrusts one final task to his longtime friend Theodore J. Hamilton. The attorney is charged with the oversight of Stevens' ultimate gift. Webster defines ultimate as final. It can also mean utmost, the best or fundamental. Stevens' gift to Jason meets all of these criteria.

Over the course of a year, Hamilton shows Jason a sequence of videotaped messages produced by his great-uncle prior to his death. These messages challenge the spoiled young man with a series of tests and launch him on a hero's mythic journey in quest of his treasure.

Our hero encounters obstacles along his path. He grows and matures as he learns the meaning of a well-lived life. For some readers, the videotaped directives may feel a bit contrived. Swept up in the saga, I journeyed along with Jason, attempting to guess the nature of the gifts. There are no big surprises nor anything esoteric in this tale. Simple truths are often the most profound and always worth remembering.

The Ultimate Gift will probably appeal to readers who enjoyed Tuesdays with Morrie or The Five People You Meet in Heaven. The book refers to a merciful God. It affirms that "life is a gift from The Good Lord." Yet it does not put forth any religious creed or dogma. Its message is universal. The core values and life lessons are applicable to people of any religious persuasion and to those with no religious affiliation. I imagined the character Red Stevens as a wise and kindly elder like Jim Rohn sharing his philosophy of life.

Crafted as a novel, The Ultimate Gift is a tender allegory. It would make an ideal graduation present. The gifts granted by Stevens resemble an ethical will, a meaningful way to pass on core values, beliefs and cherished memories. Legal and financial professionals may choose to share this resource with clients who want to bestow more than material wealth upon their progeny.

The quaint illustrations and sepia tones give this book an old-fashioned feel that connotes a treasure map. In this case, the treasure lies within. The short chapters allow readers to digest the message in small bites, reflect and apply the lessons in their own lives. This is the type of book that is passed along by word of mouth. The topics and format make it ideal for a family reading circle or a book club.

The imaginary character Red Stevens teaches his great-nephew, "In the end, a person is only known by the impact he or she has on others." With his book, The Ultimate Gift, real life hero Jim Stovall has made an impact on millions. He has faced the challenge of total blindness and made it possible for us to see into our own hearts.

(c) 2008 Michele A. Nuzzo

Life transition coach and freelance journalist Michele Nuzzo is the founder of Midlife Menu. Michele guides baby boomers on a path to a more conscious and joyful life as they juggle careers, caregiving and retirement life-planning. She inspires midlife men and women to reinvent themselves and ignite the spark of passion and purpose in their second act of life. To receive her free caregiver and retirement tips, sign up for her free newsletter and comment on her blog, visit http://www.midlifemenu.com

4 Easy Summer Dieting Tips

Dieting and exercising during the summer months can be a difficult and discouraging chore for some people. The lure of warmer weather and vacation days, and the daily routine of work and family responsibilities can make it tempting to miss workouts and give up on a healthy diet. Here are a few tips that can help, they are so easy a caveman could do them:

1) Keep it simple. Try to set basic goals of trying to exercise 2-3x a week. A simple routine which includes resistance training each muscle 1-2x a week and cardio vascular exercise such as running, walking, or cycling 2-3x a week can go a long way towards maintaining muscle and eliminating body fat.

2) Attempt to make it fun when you are in the gym. During your exercise session, try to choose exercises that you like but that will still contribute to your goals. If you are dreading a certain exercise, you are less likely to give it adequate effort or proper form and concentration.

3) Try to consume healthy food, but basic. Always be aware that each meal should include protein to repair muscle and healthy carbohydrates and fats to provide energy, but also try to choose sources that you like. No one eats clean and healthy all of the time, so don't be discouraged if once in a while you cheat on your diet.

4) Give yourself credit. Every time that you show up at the gym or exercise when you don't feel like it, or choose a food source with health and nutrition in mind, give yourself credit for making the proper choice. Self affirmation can go a long way to sustaining a healthy lifestyle.

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Melita Denning

Are We Angels and Are There Higher Levels

Are We All Angels, Watch This Video and Find out.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a spiritual and sell help articles filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Spiritual Journaling
Benefits Of A Bad Childhood

Watch Your Language! How Our Words Influence the Way We Create and Interpret Our Experiences

Watch Your Language! How Our Words Influence The Way We Create and Interpret Our Experiences

It is really important for our well-being and development that we become aware of the way we talk, our inner dialogue as well as the words we use to express ourselves to others. By noticing and taking control of our self-talk, we can direct our thoughts and feelings towards what we want to attract in our lives. Most people either do not give any thought to the words they habitually use, viewing them as automatic and inherent in some way, yet it is really empowering to learn that actually you can choose your self-talk and consequently how you feel, and be in charge of what happens to you.

Our unconscious minds are picture-orientated, servile to our thoughts and feelings, and will accept whatever we present to it as a picture. Our thoughts, and the words we use to express those thoughts, create a picture in our minds, with associated feelings in our bodies. Try thinking of something you don't like, and notice the words, the picture triggered in your mind, and the feelings you feel. Click your fingers to clear the picture, then do the same exercise, with thoughts of something you really like. Your unconscious mind cannot distinguish between what is really happening or just in your imagination.

So can you appreciate now how empowering it will be for you to visualise, think, feel and talk about what you want in your life, and take your attention away from those things you do not want. If you are constantly thinking about, picturing, talking, and thus feeling about negative behaviours, situations or circunstances, you are drawing more of the same into your life. By the same process, you attract more positive outcomes when you give your thought and energy to what is desired, when you find ways to cut off limiting and unhelpful self-talk and replace it with uplifting and affirmative words.

Affirmations

An affirmation is a declaration of belief. Our behaviour is controlled by beliefs we have about ourselves, the way we see ourselves and the thoughts, words and feelings which come with the pictures we hold in our minds.

If for example, you talk to yourself in ways like this:

"I've always found it hard to.."
"Things have never../I have never."

Statements like this will trap you in the same behaviour and conditions. People who overcome challenges and achieve their goals use positive affirmations, see themselves as successful and view failures as temporary setbacks, 'blips' or learning stages on the way to 'winning'. You can begin by 'catching' yourself
when your self-talk is getting in the way of your happiness, and use it to reverse it and convert it to an affirmation of the way you want things to be.

Such as:

"It is easy for me to.."
"I always.."
"I am../I enjoy../I deserve../I am happy and thankful that.."

Always state in the positive, and in the present tense, as if it is happening to you now. The unconscious mind does not process negatives, so instead of declaring "I enjoy not smoking" or whatever it is you want, affirm "I enjoy having more money/better health/ cleaner lungs/whiter teeth/ fresher breath" etc. Use words to describe the benefits which resonate most strongly with you, in order to generate the good feelings to reinforce the picture in your mind.

"What you resist, persists." Carl Jung

Some other kinds of self-talk set up resistance within us and others, and help to perpetuate the things we do not want. Be aware of language which makes demands on you and others, such as "have to/got to/ must/ should/ ought to", which usually result in a resistance-response, for example, "I can't/won't/won't be able to/ I'll never/ Why should I? " It is essential to find the feel-good, 'wanting-to' place of whatever needs to be done to get you to your goal. You may not really enjoy cleaning, but if you focus on enjoying having clean, pleasant surroundings, you will attract the solution or find the motivation to achieve that. Focus on what it is you intend to enjoy, rather than your performance or behaviour.

Finally, one more word to throw out of your self-talk is 'try'. When you use the word, 'try', ask yourself if you either want to do the thing, have any intention of doing it, or really believe it is possible. Trying is not doing, so have a clear intention, use words which evoke positive thoughts, pictures and feelings within you and repeat them to yourself until it becomes a habit for you. Enjoy where you are now, and your results!

Copyright Pamela Turton-Collens 2009 All Rights Reserved.

The author is a highly experienced teacher and trainer, having worked with children, young people, adults and professionals in all aspects of education, healthy lifestyles and personal, social and health education, including training professionals to use NLP based tools to promote positive change. The approach is creative and innovative, making use of my experience and skills to produce and deliver programmes which are engaging and suited to the different needs and learning styles of the participants.

Pamela has a Master's degree in Language, Arts and Education, has trained in Brief Solution Focussed Therapy, holds a certificate in Counselling Skills in the Development of Learning and is a Certified Practitioner of both Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Emotional Freedom Techniques.The Metaphorm programme was created by the author and is a unique, holistic approach, incorporating elements of life-coaching strategies, NLP, EFT and current thinking in positive psychology. The title, Metaphorm, is made up from some of these elements:
'Meta' refers to a higher level of learning, where we can bring about change easily and naturally when we deal with our core beliefs and values.
'Metaphor' is about the way we represent our experience and the 'stories' we tell ourselves. When we create a new metaphor for ourselves, it is a powerful way of accessing our unconscious mind and activating change, usually at an unconscious level.
'Metaphorm' is also a play on the word 'metamorph', introducing the idea of something transformed.

You can hear more about NLP and the Metaphorm programme which will guide you towards your Happy Story. See http://www.breakthroughbreaks.com

Benjamin Franklin

Money Affirmations - Why Are Affirmations Often Spoken in a "Dreamy" Voice?

"All these suggestions must be made in a monotonous and soothing voice (always emphasizing the essential words), which although it does not actually send the subject to sleep, at least makes him feel drowsy, and think of nothing in particular."

The above words were written by Emile Coue (1857-1926), a French physician who is considered by many to be the father of autosuggestion. While most people today have never heard of Coue, many have heard his most famous affirmation: "Day by day, in every way, I am getting better and better."

These were the types of affirmations Coue told his patients to repeat to themselves before going to bed each night. And, as indicated in the above quote, he found that using a "monotonous and soothing voice" added to the effectiveness of the affirmations.

Coue's Goal: Autosuggestion

In essence, Coue was asking his patients to use these affirmations as guided and conscious "suggestions." His goal was that the patients' unconscious minds would accept these suggestions as new instructions on how to proceed from that moment onward. When the suggestions were accepted, the unconscious mind began working on those new instructions automatically, thus moving the patients from a state of "suggestion" to a state of "autosuggestion."

In other words, at some point, the patients no longer had to consciously say the affirmations to themselves since their unconscious minds had been "re-programmed" to conform with whichever affirmations were made. If, however, the patients' unconscious minds did not accept the suggestions made through the affirmations, then no state of autosuggestion would occur.

Or, more precisely, the patients' unconscious minds would continue to act upon the old suggestions that had been accepted in their past; that is, their unconscious minds would continue to act upon their old auto-suggestions.

Affirmations and the Laws of Suggestion

Coue wrote about this process, referring to the phenomenon as "The Laws of Suggestion." He maintaining that from the time of birth, we are all naturally exposed to different "suggestions," depending on the people and situations we grow up around. Those suggestions that are accepted by the unconscious mind become auto-suggestions, thus perpetuating that particular view of the world.

Coue pointed out that the process of suggestion and autosuggestion was a natural one that most people never became aware of. For those who did become aware of it, however, it could be used to consciously and deliberately re-program the unconscious mind to automatically work in a way that better served the person's highest good.

There is much more to the story of Emile Coue, so watch for the subsequent articles that will be written on this man and his powerful findings in the realm of affirmations, suggestion and autosuggestion.

Copyright (c) Grant Pasay 2009. All rights reserved. You may forward this article in its entirety (including author bio/links) to anyone you wish.

Grant Pasay is just one of the MoneyAffirmationsMP3.com Team, whose lives have been radically changed by the continued use of positive affirmations for money and in every area of life.

Want to enjoy more money? First change your money thoughts. Go to http://moneyaffirmationsmp3.com/ today.

Pema Chodron

Positive Attitude - How to Unlearn Sickness and Stop Catching Disease

Health or sickness; wealth or poverty; success or failure -- all begin in the mind. Your physical body and material affairs reflect your state of mind. With the right positive attitude and a strong belief in health you can prevent sickness from entering your life.

Do you Expect to Get Sick?

Most people have been mentally conditioned to accept sickness from the beginning of their lives. From the minute you are born, you are taught to believe in sickness. You learn that you are supposed to be sick at certain times of the year. You learn to believe in the very idea of sickness.

While you are growing up, your parents expect you to get a whole catalog of diseases that the so-called medical authorities say children are supposed to catch. You are supposed to have the measles and the mumps, whooping cough and chicken pox. And as your got older, you 'learned' that certain aches and pains were to be expected with middle age. Many parents have unconsciously conditioned their children to expect sickness.

I remember when I was a child, whenever I sneezed, my mother would tell me that I was catching a cold. And without fail, every time I sneezed I would end up catching that cold. In fact, I was so conditioned by this childhood experience, that for years, every time I sneezed, I would subconsciously hear my mother saying, " You're getting a cold." That simple statement had an effect on me until I learned to master my own thinking.

You Can 'Unlearn' Sickness and Know Health.

I learned that if I stopped thinking sickness and stopped expecting sickness, I would stop getting sick. And I learned to block any idea of sickness out of my mind and out of my life!

Think Health and Speak Health!

Most people are just too interested in what's wrong with them and what's wrong with the world. They give negative ideas all of their attention, and negative conditions continue to enter their lives. I am always warning you that the more you give your attention to negative conditions, the more negative conditions you will have. The more you think and talk about your symptoms and your aches and pains, the more symptoms and aches and pains you are going to have.

Think Only Positive Thoughts About Health.

It is very important to only let your mind think positive thoughts about health. It is very important to only let your mouth say positive things about health. Watch what you think or say, lest you become "ensnared by the words of your mouth." (Proverbs 6:2)

Never think thoughts such as, "I think I'm getting a cold," or "I'll never get over this sickness," or "I've got a bad back." These negative thoughts cause you to get sick and prevent you from getting well. Instead, say to yourself on a regular basis, "I AM healthy and I will stay healthy ... God-in-me is my health." This positive affirmation heals you and keeps you well.

So if you don't want the disease that the national disease center plans for you this year, refuse to believe in it. Refuse to take part in any idea of sickness. Say to yourself, "God-in-me is my health." Learn the mastery of your own mind and your own thinking, and the negative beliefs entertained by the world-mind will no longer influence you.

Now, I want to send you my powerful life-changing FREE e-book, "Thinkonomics", that teaches you how to use your God-given mind power to get what you want out of life!

I'll also send you my free 7-lesson e-course "Visualization - How to Make It Work For You", plus as a third gift, a Powerful AUDIO Visualization Prayer Treatment that will automatically condition your mind for health, happiness and abundance. Request all three free gifts now (with no strings attached), at http://scienceoflivingonline.com

Dr. Frederick Eikerenkoetter is better known as REVEREND IKE, "The Success and Prosperity Preacher" Using practical Mind Science techniques, he has taught millions of people to be masters of their own mind and their circumstances by changing their self-image, thoughts and attitudes.

Why I Built Spiritualbooks4u

The Pop Art Movement

Pop Art developed slightly differently in America and Britain but in quite a curious way - American Pop artists were inspired by the burgeoning consumerist, media driven, fame obsessed culture of America whereas in Britain they were inspired by the same - but different - they were looking in at it from the safe or annoying barrier of the Atlantic. Pop Art was an affirmation of this culture not a repudiation, there was a satirical quality to it but it was far from the Dadaist destruction of artefacts of mass culture. Pop artists were far from detached, they appeared completely swallowed by pop culture, indeed some became more pop than pop itself. Like the culture that they were interpreting, their work was easy to understand, it was far from elitist, the common Joe could easily identify the symbolism in their work.

But it wasn't all that simple, Pop art was terribly close to the reality that they represented but it was clear that they were re-creations of real things. This is where the talent lay, American advertising had become very sophisticated, utilising many elements of modern art, therefore Pop artists had to discover different methods to distance their work, to save it from being consumed. Britain and America differed in their approaches, the former had the luxury of being more sentimental and humorous but the latter, living in the eye of it had to be more bold and aggressive. Pop Art continues to be as important, running alongside the all-consuming, ruthless monsters of advertising, mass media and mass consumerism; it is more than ever necessary and we all the more dependant on any Pop artist who can slay the beasts now and again and keep us all a tad less insane.

Russell Shortt is a travel consultant with Exploring Ireland, the leading specialists in customised, private escorted tours, escorted coach tours and independent self drive tours of Ireland. Article source Russell Shortt, http://www.exploringireland.net
http://www.visitscotlandtours.com

Habits To Prevent Losing Things