Archive for December, 2007

by Dr. Grace Cornish
This is the time of the year when we start creating a new list of resolutions. After surviving another year of various challenges and life circumstances, please give yourself an affectionate hug for making it through and for arriving at this moment in time, right where you are. I encourage you begin this New Year by making a conscious decision to get in touch with the true essence of who you are and to place a high value on your inner self-worth. The simple truth is we tend to overestimate other people’s abilities and mistakenly underestimate our own.

It is no secret that many of our personal successes and life’s blessings are often blocked by our own negative self-perception. These negative thoughts can come from various sources, including unhealthy past experiences and other people’s opinions. However, each one of us has the personal power to disregard any unkind belief and instead create good and positive affirmations which will uplift and empower our lives and self value system. It is age-old wisdom and sacred Biblical truth that, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.” Let’s make this a time to embrace the wonderful human being that you were created to be, by setting the tone with a New Year’s Resolution of self-kindness. These empowering commitments will help to bring self-assurance and personal joy into your life:

The Ten Commitments: “A Time to Be Kind Me”

1. A time to stop beating up myself about my past experiences and past mistakes. A time to say I’ve made mistakes—and so what? A time to move forward.

2. A time to stop condemning myself—to stop criticizing and belittling myself. A time to stop feeling insecure and bitter about what I don’t have and to start counting my blessings for what I do have.

3. A time to groom myself properly. A time to make myself as healthy, clean, and attractive as I can with what God has given me.

4. A time to be truthful with my thoughts. A time to be bold and not be afraid of speaking my mind or showing my true feelings.

5. A time to stop letting others take me for granted. A time to stop giving away my talents for free. A time to appreciate my creativity.

6. A time to appreciate the wonderful body temple that God has blessed me with, even if others may fail to do so. A time to know that I am a unique gift from God.

7. A time to know I am worthy of love. A time to let only nice, decent and healthy love match into my life. A time to know that my sexuality is valuable. A time to know that I’m important—and allow myself to love and be love.

8. A time to get rid of all negative energies. A time to have only good friends who genuinely care about my well-being. A time to remove all the deadweight from my life.

9. A time to say, “To heck with what others may think of me.” A time to make me into what I think I should be. A time to commit to becoming the best I can be.

10. A time to just smile and welcome joy into my life. A time to just be kind to me!

Isn’t this a great way to begin the New Year? This is your time now. Make sure you post these commitments where you can see them and say them until they become embedded as a natural part of you. Here’s to the best and brightest New Year to you. Wishing you joyous cheers and laughter!

Dr. Grace Cornish Livingstone, on-air psychologist for the former Queen Latifah TV show, is one of America’s foremost relationship consultants. An award-winning, bestselling author of ten books, she is the popular relationship columnist for the London-based Pride magazine. For Dr. Grace’s relationship books and CDs visit www.myhealthylove.comor www.hopenetinc.org

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by Cliff Glass
STOP! Don’t throw away things like furniture,appliances,clothes,toys,dishes,
silverware,knick-knacks,pet items,etc.,etc. Many of these items can be recycled right back into the community. Places like the Salvation Army will be happy to take these items off your hands. They have thrift stores that they use to sell these items. The money generated from the sale of these items goes back into the community. They provide many services such as, care for the elderly, help for abused women and children,rehabilitation, clothing for the homeless, food for the hungry and many other social services.

The Salvation Army claims that 83 cents of every dollar raised goes towards direct assistance to families in need in 5,000 communities. Be careful because there are alot of charities out there that support good causes, but most of the money doesn’t go towards the charity they support. It’s always a good idea to research the charity that you want to support.

Help the environment and your fellowman by not throwing away things that can be sold in these stores. Not only does it benefit the community, it also benefits people who don’t have the funds to go out to regular stores and buy the things they need. They can go to one of these stores and buy these items at a much lower price.

The items that one donates can be claimed on their income tax returns. So, no matter how you look at it, everyone including the environment benefits. After reading this article, you probably know now what you can do with all the things you have boxed up and stored in the attic.

Recycling is a major asset to the environment.Take electronic devices for instance.In the U.S. alone,it is estimated that we generated 1.5 billion pounds of all kinds of e-waste in 2006.In the entire world it is expected to be above 40 million metric tons.It seems as though that every time we turn around that new device has been upgraded.So we go out and buy the upgrade and throw away the old.So what happens when these electronic devices reach the landfill? They become toxic waste as they make it to the landfills because these substances can leach into the soil and groundwater. Electronic devices could be responsible for as much as 70 percent of the heavy metals in landfills,including 40 percent of all lead.Television moniters and CRT-based computers contain on average four to eight pounds of lead,a highly toxic heavy metal.There are a lot of useful materials that can be reused from what we would call waste.We need to do our part and find out where we could take these items that don’t work anymore.This way we could keep the landfills down,the drinking water safe,not only for us but for all creatures.It’s our duty to keep the planet clean and healthy.Please recycle as much as you possibly can.Future generations are going to have to live here,we need to think about them as well.

I’m a glazier by trade. I enjoy writting articles like these. I have a web site which I write and insert articles on spirituallity.www.itrustgodonly.com. Thankyou and God bless you. http://www.bargainsdirectdepot.com/index.html

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by ReggieO
How far could you go in your business if you used the long slow distance approach? Ernst van Aaken was an internationally known running coach in the 1970’s who proposed long slow distance training for peak race conditioning. This method is primarily aerobic, where you have a steady supply of oxygen. How can you apply this to your business and keep a steady supply of energy?

I read an early copy of The Van Aaken Method during the 1970’s running boom. There was one part that really got my attention then, which I recalled just a couple of weeks ago when I decided to go for a run.

I am in good condition, but hadn’t run for quite a while and my legs didn’t cooperate. Then Van Aaken’s message played in my mind. Paraphrased, “Anyone, whether male or female, at whatever age, can run 10K or 6.2 miles, provided you are healthy and you run it slowly and steadily.” In addition to completing 6.2 miles, you will become extremely fit over time - step by step, day by day.

It worked. I slowed way down, making sure I could breathe easily. Lo and behold! I found myself both breathing and running easily through the first stretch and soon the last. I was back home and had run the entire time.

The long slow distance - or LSD - approach is great for physical conditioning and it has some huge pay-offs in business, whatever your business. Rather than burning out with a fast, frenetic pace, or being stalled with low energy because the end result seems so impossibly far away, you will have a steady supply of energy, increase your confidence along the way, and go the distance one step at a time.

There are many applications to business. Here are four that come to mind:

• Do one marketing activity every work day - It’s amazing how the energy builds - both your personal energy and the energy for your business.

• Have consistent, scheduled times - for ongoing, daily activities such as writing and making phone calls. Do each task at its time, and only one task at a time. Your focus will grow stronger, and you will sustain your energy. Eventually, the time itself will call you to the given activity and prepare the way.

• Create long-term goals - and break them down into shorter-term goals or activities which you do consistently. For example create a 90 day goal, a monthly goal that supports your 90 day goal, a weekly goal that supports your monthly goal, and two daily activities that support your weekly goal. And do them, day-by-day, week-by-week and month-by-month.

• Don’t forget the LSD approach in the physical realm - regular aerobic physical activity will build and sustain your energy immensely for the rest of your life. Choose the number of days you will exercise (between 3 & 6) and “just do it,” one step at a time.

The key to the LSD approach in your business is creating simple systems for a few clearly identified activities and doing them repeatedly and consistently over the long term. These activities will help you go the distance in your business. There are many others besides the ones I mentioned above. Take a few minutes now while the idea is fresh and create two or three for your business.

There is more to peak running conditioning than long slow distance, just as there is more to building and sustaining your business. However, the LSD approach provides a strong energetic and systems foundation from which to build the rest, and helps your business thrive over the long term.

I am laughing as an old football cheer resounds in my mind. “Take it easy, take it slow, but go, go. . .”

Step into your greatness! Step-by-step, day-by-day. . .

Reggie Odom, CPCC, PCC, founder of Inspired Works, is an Intuitive Vision Consultant, professional certified coach, spiritual teacher and speaker. She is also on the faculty of the National Institute of Whole Health where she teaches a coaching series. Reggie is considered a master teacher and unforgettable speaker. She inspires and guides Spirit Minded Entrepreneurs to step into their greatness, with ease! She can be contacted at (617) 524-6153, reggie@reggieodom.com.

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by ReggieO
Do you feel refreshed at the end of a work day? Or do you feel exhausted, too tired to enjoy the rest of your day? Maybe you even work until bedtime?

Working Full Tilt Most of the Time Is a Common Mistake that most business owners make.

The good news may be that your work is a major way in which you fulfill your divine mission. You love what you do and you want to leave your print on your clients and the world in a positive way. That is wonderful - many blessings and kudos to you.

The bad news however is that even if the good news is true, if you don’t feel refreshed at the end of the day you are likely compromising your ability be effective and truly fulfill your divine mission. You have been working too hard, enjoying it less and are out of sync with the creative process.

Creating is what we all do in our businesses. Whether we are creating services or products, works of art, books, speeches or ways to get our message out into the world, we are in the business of creating.

Creating is a process with several steps but I want to focus on one, the Creative Intermission. The Creative Intermission reflects a key universal principle. This principle is necessary for the universe to continue creating and recreating itself - it is activity and rest.

Both activity and rest are necessary for you to continue creating and re-creating your business such that both you and your business remain fresh, alive and responsive - and continue to grow and to evolve. Eventual decline rather than growth occurs without the “rest” side of the equation. Plain and simply, you and work become stale.

Nature consistently takes Creative Intermissions in her process of creating and recreating herself. Look at the seasons. Spring and Summer are high activity and growth phases. Fall and winter are resting and internal phases.

Seasons change, tides ebb and flow and the sun rises and sets. Even your heart rests after every beat. In fact, your heart is in its resting phase approximately 60% of the time.

What happens during Creative Intermissions? A lot happens in the resting phase of the creative process, and without effort on your part.

Your creativity - the core of the unique genius that is yours - comes forth. Fresh and inspired ideas, new ways of seeing, “ahas”, intuitive thoughts or innovative ways of putting things together may arise during these intermissions, or later on as a result. You are refreshing and revitalizing your mind and body while giving your creative genius a chance to shine through.

Now you are ready to resume your active work. You will be fresh and your love for what you do renewed. Your actions will be more meaningful and effective.

The impact of keeping yourself refreshed throughout the day has other benefits.

• Your mind is crisper and clearer for everything.

• You are more able to “hear” and move with your intuitive knowing.

• Your ability to be decisive and to make conscious choices increases.

• You are more present to yourself, and for your clients and others with whom you interact throughout the day.

• And, voila, when the work day is over you yet have the energy for the rest of your life.

Take Creative Intermissions In Four Key Ways!

Over time you can learn your own creative rhythm, including the rest and activity cycle. However, until you do and are willing to follow it, it is wise to put some simple structures in place to help. Here are four simple ways you can begin now:

1. Take creative intermissions throughout the work day. An hour is generally the maximum amount of time that you can remain effectively engaged. Plan a 5-10 minute Creative Intermission every hour. Have a cup of tea or glass of water. Take a leisurely walk around the block or simply sit quietly. Take plenty of time for lunch. And get plenty of sleep at night.

2. Take at least one day completely off from work each week and make it a leisurely day. Have breakfast in bed or stay in bed until noon. You’ll be glad you did.

3. Take regular, non-working vacations every year, or better yet, every season. Visit some place new, or visit some place that you already know and love in a new way.

4. Spend time in nature on a regular basis. There is nothing I know of that is more refreshing, connecting and revitalizing than being in nature. When you spend time “being” in nature you naturally imbibe her wisdom and your creative juices are sparked.

Taking regular creative intermissions may be a very bold move for you. It may take courage and trust. But I guarantee you that you won’t be disappointed. It will take your creativity to the next level and enhance not only your business, but the quality of your life in every way.

Step Into Your Greatness — Relax into the next
level of your success!

Reggie Odom, CPCC, PCC, founder of Inspired Works, is an Intuitive Vision Consultant, professional certified coach, spiritual teacher and speaker. She is also on the faculty of the National Institute of Whole Health where she teaches a coaching series. Reggie is considered a master teacher and unforgettable speaker. She inspires and guides Spirit Minded Entrepreneurs to step into their greatness, with ease! She can be contacted at (617) 524-6153, reggie@reggieodom.com.

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by Deanna Mascle
Important reasons to keep your desire to learn. Have you ever considered upon how necessary learning is to your life in terms of your ability to not only survive but also to thrive both professionally and personally? Becoming a lifelong learner is important to your health, your success, and your happiness, but if that is not enough reason to learn more then consider these three necessary reasons to keep your desire to learn and to live and learn.

Change is healthy. Change is healthy for your diet, your physical well being, your mental state, and your brain’s health. While change is not always comfortable its benefits usually far outweigh its challenges. We know change is good for us but that doesn’t make it easy to force ourselves to change.

Learning can decrease your weaknesses. Most of us spend a lot of time and effort trying to conceal or compensate for our weaknesses when that time would be much better spent simply learning more about that particular aspect of our lives and learning how we can decrease that weakness. Perhaps with time and effor that weakness can become a strength.

Learning keeps your mind sharp. Study after study shows that when it comes to the brain it really is use it or lose it. Challenging your brain by learning new skills and experiencing new things can foster brain growth and development no matter what your age. One of the reasons why young children’s brains grow at such a rapid rate is because they are constantly learning new things. As we grow older we tend to slow and even stop learning which is damaging to our brains.

These are just three necessary reasons to keep your desire to learn that should give you food for thought and hopefully start you on the road to learning more and improving yourself today, tomorrow, and all the tomorrows to come. Now go forth and live and learn so you too can reap the benefits of becoming a lifelong learner!

Find more about how to live and learn direct from JustFolks at http://justfolks.net/

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by Dee Cohen
Do you find that you can stop a habit for a short period of time but it returns? Have you tried to quit smoking, lose weight or discontinue an addiction without success?

Please don’t beat yourself up because it takes time to stop a habit. You may have fallen into this pattern since a young age and it may seem like part of your personality. It isn’t, it is something you’ve adapted.

In the east they speak about clinging and that attachment is part of why we repeat the past. Think about routines you’ve overcome from the past. Habits are not who you are but they were something you resorted to as a coping mechanism.

Are you happy with this habit? Discontent is the first step for letting go. Try to watch yourself while you smoke or overeat. This is not easy but this helps you separate yourself from the habit.

Using your will to change is helpful but won’t be the only tool that works for true inner change. Do you get into a fight between your will and your impulses? Watch this rather than be torn apart. Don’t feel that you are starving yourself if you try to cut back on eating but instead think of the new you and the energy you’ll have.

Through the use of visualization you can have a positive experience rather than feeling unhappy and deprived. You are becoming who you really want to be instead of just a slave to your past or emotions. That is something to be very proud of.

Put a picture on the fridge of what the ideal you is. Do one for six months down the road as well as one for a year later. Let this sink into your mind that you will become this person. Start small with some good habits to replace the bad ones. Even cutting back a couple of cigarettes a day is progress.

Remember that habits weren’t formed overnight and they take time to change, but you can do this and your life will be fuller for doing so.

You CAN break the patterns and learn effective Tips to Stop Bad Habits by visiting http://www.elegantbank.com/badhabits.html

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by Lissa Bergin-Boles & Randy Boles
A couple of weeks ago — thanks to our new friend Nettie Hartsock — we ran across the real-time True Callings story of successful business writer, Peter Economy.

Peter made what most would consider a big, bold leap about 7 years ago: he went from corporate work into the writing life. And he made that leap in stages - writing part-time, and getting published and paid - to test the ‘can I actually make a living doing what I love?’ waters. And he did that over a number of years - steadily maintaining his focus, commitment and momentum.

Which in and of itself is a pretty big deal, not to mention an outstanding example of a call answered well and truly.
But just recently, Peter’s next True Calling (yup — calling is not a singular thing) came knocking at his door, marrying up a couple of his loves with one of his passions in a way that took him more than a little by surprise.

After years of giving back, (he and his wife have always been givers, he reports) he was feeling a restless kind of dissatisfaction, a yearning for something more he couldn’t yet name, and the urge to do more than give what he could - when he could - from both wallet and calendar.

But he had no idea how or what that might look like. Digging deeper didn’t feel like the answer, and more time — well, how many of us think we have room enough to give more of that?

So he just openly wondered, quietly and patiently to himself, unconsciously taking for granted there was an answer to be had - and waiting for that answer to make itself known to him.

And that, dear friend, is a Calling Key – trust and patience are essential qualities in developing an effective and rewarding relationship with our callings.

See, Peter didn’t do what so many of us think we’re supposed to do: manufacture (or force) an answer. Come up with it ourselves. All on our own.

No, Peter opened the door to an answer — expectant and patient - and let it come to him (a phrase we hear over and over again from folks genuinely following their True Callings), and when the time was right, come to him it did.

And when it did, it shocked him in its obviousness and simplicity: write (love #1) a book a year, for as long as you can write books, and write that book with someone (collaboration, or love #2) and charge them not a penny for your services - provided they agree that all profits generated by sales of the book will go to a charity of that person’s choice (‘the passion’ for giving).

Calendar cleared and more time found: check!

Much more money found (without dipping deeper into his own pocket): check!

Giving from his heart doing what he loves — and doing none of it alone: CHECK! CHECK! CHECK!

Needless to say, the whole love, passion and purpose thing has cranked up his feelings of right place and right time — not to mention his sense of wonder and enthusiasm for life - more than a notch or two.

Bam!

Which is essentially what happens for everyone when they find, follow and fulfill each of their True Callings: they get a real high return on investment, coming to them in ways they simply couldn’t anticipate fully in advance, and in currencies often way more valuable than merely money (though money is often a part of it, which is kinda nice).

Ever thought about writing a book? Ever stalled out — or just never made it to the starting post?

Well, there’s this best-selling writer we know by the name of Peter Economy whose looking for somebody he can write and publish a book with in 2008, absolutely free of charge!

Might that person be you? Could this be one of your True Callings knocking?

Lissa Bergin-Boles and Randy Boles are master life coaches, innovative teachers and inspirational speakers on living life SoulFullFilled and following your True Callings. If you’ve ‘got a feeling’, listen and learn more about Peter and his One Year One Book For Free project in this episode of True Callings or learn more at http://www.SoulFullFilled.com.

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by Deanna Mascle
Necessary reasons to keep your desire to learn. Have you ever pondered upon how fundamental learning is to your life in terms of your ability to not only survive but also to thrive both professionally and personally? Becoming a lifelong learner is important to your health, your success, and your happiness, but if that is not enough reason to learn more then consider these three fundamental reasons to keep your desire to learn and to live and learn.

Change is necessary part of life. If humans did not change then we would not have survived as long as we have upon this planet. Change is important, even essential, but while key that change does not need to be something huge and momentous. Small changes are often daunting enough and can still lead to big rewards.

Learning can increase your strengths. The old adage “the more you learn, the more you learn you don’t know” holds true in almost every field of knowledge and human experience. There is always something more you can learn even if you are an expert and few of us hold such expertise that we cannot learn something new.

Learning helps you challenge yourself. If you do not challenge yourselve to learn and grow, whether it is a physical or mental skill, then you begin to die. While that may sound harsh, it is simply reality. Learning keeps you young both physically and mentally because it gives your life direction and fosters your will to live. Discovery and learning is healthy and essential to thriving as a human being no matter what your age.

These are just three fundamental reasons to keep your desire to learn that should give you food for thought and hopefully start you on the road to learning more and improving yourself today, tomorrow, and all the tomorrows to come. Now go forth and live and learn so you too can reap the benefits of becoming a lifelong learner!

Find more advice for life at http://adviceforlife.net/

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by Deanna Mascle
Necessary reasons to keep your desire to learn. Have you ever dwelled upon how key learning is to your life in terms of your ability to not only survive but also to thrive both professionally and personally? Becoming a lifelong learner is important to your health, your success, and your happiness, but if that is not enough reason to learn more then consider these three key reasons to keep your desire to learn and to live and learn.

Change is healthy. Change is healthy for your diet, your physical well being, your mental state, and your brain’s health. While change is not always comfortable its benefits usually far outweigh its challenges. We know change is good for us but that doesn’t make it easy to force ourselves to change.

Learning can decrease your weaknesses. Most of us spend a lot of time and effort trying to conceal or compensate for our weaknesses when that time would be much better spent simply learning more about that particular aspect of our lives and learning how we can decrease that weakness. Perhaps with time and effor that weakness can become a strength.

Learning keeps your mind sharp. Study after study shows that when it comes to the brain it really is use it or lose it. Challenging your brain by learning new skills and experiencing new things can foster brain growth and development no matter what your age. One of the reasons why young children’s brains grow at such a rapid rate is because they are constantly learning new things. As we grow older we tend to slow and even stop learning which is damaging to our brains.

These are just three key reasons to keep your desire to learn that should give you food for thought and hopefully start you on the road to learning more and improving yourself today, tomorrow, and all the tomorrows to come. Now go forth and live and learn so you too can reap the benefits of becoming a lifelong learner!

Find more inspirations and daily motivational inspirational quotes at http://dailyquoteonline.com/

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by Timothy Aaron Whiston
I heard an interview a couple of days before I wrote this article where the guy being interviewed said “There are three kinds of people — thinkers, walkers, and talkers…” It made me stop and think and I believe the reflections are worth sharing.

In reality, there are probably more like a billion kinds of people on this planet. I’ve never been a fan of categorization and black and white questions about “what kind of person are you”.

However…

Sometimes we need to create results in our life. Maybe it’s business, romance, or just some personal need we want to fulfill in our lives but there are definitely times when we need to plan, execute, and measure.

So for purposes of those times in life when results matter, I think it’s fair to say there are three basic types of people:

First we have the thinkers. These are the day dreaming what-ifers who spend most of their time conceptualizing, making lists, etc. Some of their ideas are great but most of the time that’s as far as they get in the creative process.

Being a thinker alone isn’t going to get you much in terms of accomplished goals. Planning and writing down what you want are great steps, but these tactics are no end in themselves.

Then there are the talkers. Talkers may or may not think before opening their mouth, but they are essentially a step above folks who just plan and make lists.

These types are very interactive about their ideas and objectives. Every time you see them they have a new game plan, and an even better idea than what they were talking about the last time you met.

But as they say, talk is cheap. Sharing ideas with others, brainstorming and networking for instance, can be an very powerful part of any process but if that’s as far as you take it well… it’s not any better than just keeping your mouth shut and making notes.

And finally, for the purpose of this exercise, we have the walkers. These are the action takers in life and the people who spend the time doing and not just thinking and talking.

What’s interesting is that sometimes people think, talk, and then act. But the first two steps are not always necessary.

In reality many times a “walker” will just get up and take action before they realize they had a winning idea on their hands. I’m not trying to downplay the value of making plans and getting feedback from others on your ideas, but if you had to choose from one of the three models illustrated in this article I’d push you toward being a walker.

Trust your intuition and take forward-moving action! Don’t spend all your time thinking or talking about something you want when right now is the best time to DO just about anything on your objective list.

I’ve thought, talked, and walked a good deal in my life but when I’ve been truly inspired and really wanted something with all of my being I have found myself in motion before ever taking the time to brainstorm or chat about the issue.

Tim Whiston is a professional Internet marketer who enjoys his work. He has owned numerous Websites and ezines and has created hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits for his clients. Be sure to check out his free Information Marketing Course and Internet Marketing Tools.

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