Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Wealth Building Habits and Tips

If you want to be successful, you need mentors or in other words find people that have succeeded. These people can include the ultra rich like Bill Gates or Warren Buffett, but don't forget about the people around you that have created good wealth building habits.

Some of the people have great advice and will need to be listened to very intently, while others need to be put on a list and never spoken to again. If you're going to be developing wealth building habits, you're going to need some advice from wealthy people. Let me make myself clear, when I'm talking about developing wealth building habits, I'm not talking about spiritual, knowledge, Biblical or religious wealth. I'm talking about making money, as much money as you desire or feel you need.

Wealth building habits start with you. Ask yourself this question "how bad do I want or desire wealth?" Really, really, really bad or are you the kind of person that would like to be rich, but that's as far as it goes. Developing any of these habits does not include sleeping in until 11 o'clock in the morning and then complaining the rest of the day about your finances.

Bill Gates used to work 16 hours a day. How many days a week did he do that? These are the questions you're going to find the answers to. If you're interested in making $50 million, you need to find someone who can teach you, how to make $50 million.

It won't be necessary to contact Warren Buffett but I would advise you to gather as much information about him as possible. Wealth building habits start with learning about wealthy people. If they get up at four o'clock in the morning and read the newspaper until six o'clock, then exercise for 30 minutes and start working at seven o'clock, you need to start doing this also. Developing good wealth building habits over time are what most successful businessman and women have been doing for years. Study their habits and start changing yours.

If you do something every day, it will usually become a habit within 30 days.

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 self help video library filled with great movies 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.

Jack Felton
Roy Abraham Varghese

Monday, March 30, 2009

Many Benefits of Meditation

Meditation is a way of life. It leads one to the path of health and peace.

Meditation is not easy. One needs a mental discipline and dedication. It requires perseverance just like those who are dedicated to their sports, art or other field of endeavour. Over time, their performance is enhanced through their dedication and discipline. There is much to gain from learning to embrace the practice of meditation. It is not as awkward and uncomfortable as some may think.

Meditation works through the brain circuitry. Meditative practice helps people achieve different levels of awareness. Through meditation. the brain waves get organized and mental activities like focus, memory, learning and awareness are sharpened. Benefits of meditation touches on the physical, psychological and spiritual level. Many medical practitioners believe in the benefits of meditation.

PHYSICAL HEALING

Stress reduction

Today's world is stressful. Negative emotions invade our everyday life. These manifest as disappointments, regrets, overwhelming responsibilities, relationship issues, failure, feelings of rejection and a lot of other issues. There are many physical conditions triggered by stress such as hypertension, cardio-vascular disorders, ulcers, skin rash and insomnia, just to name a few.

Calm down, relax. These are words we hear when stress starts to take over. Meditation offers the promise of a tranquil and calm mind. Meditation is not a review of what could have been and other thoughts of uncertainty. It is not a rehash of unpleasant events. Meditation is a way to relax the mind and focus on the present moment. A calmer mind is empowering. Issues are not threatening.

Levels of cortisol and lactate are lowered through meditation. These chemicals are linked with stress. During deep meditation, the metabolic rate and heart rate are reduced. It is a process of slowing down. This state will not be achieved quickly.With patience and dedication, a meditator will get to this state.

PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALING

Meditation quietens the mind. This brings about coherence in the brain waves. When the brain wave activities are in harmony, this is associated with improved reasoning and greater creativity. The clutter in the mind is minimized.

Other psychological benefits are decreased anxiety, decreased depression and irritability. With a quieter mind, the power of concentration is improved, memory is enhanced, vigor and vitality is renewed, better emotional stability and self-awareness. A calmer person finds inner peace and happiness and projects this on the outside. Meditation makes one realize that problems people worry about are trivial.

SPIRITUAL

Meditation is a way to connect with inner feelings. It guides one to feel calm, love and peace. Acknowledge negative feelings and let these go.The goals of meditation is to replace these with positive feelings. Meditation helps one to go deeper into one's being and appreciate what a relief it is to be able to surrender negative thoughts, let go all negative feelings that cloud judgment and reason.

Meditation ushers one into a different world. There is an experience of feeling peaceful and general well-being. Intuitive capabilities are enhanced with a feeling of assurance and "knowingness." One embraces unconditional love and psychic abilities are sharpened.

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION

Breathing is very important in meditation. It is a way to calm down and quieten the clutter in the mind. Thoughts will come and go as one meditates, especially at the start. Don't let this discourage you. Even expert meditators experience fleeting thoughts that intrude into their meditation. Just let it go and continue meditating.

The proper way to breathe is to extend the stomach on inhale, and contract on exhale. The shoulders should not move. Focus on counting as you breathe in and out.

Sit in an upright position, on the floor, lotus or semi- lotus position or sit on a chair. It is important to be comfortable.

Focus on breathing and nothing else.

Start with count of four or five as you breathe in. Hold your breath

Count the same as you breathe out.

Thoughts will come and go, don't let this stop you, just keep counting and breathing.

As you practice, increase the count. Savor the calmness and relax. Slowly, you can adopt a mantra, this helps you to keep your focus. As you practise, you will be able to clear your mind of intrusive thoughts. As time moves on, so will you. Discover the surreal world of meditation. There is a lot of doors to open.

Bonnie Moss writes to inspire and to motivate her readers to explore the depths of their heart and soul and make a difference in this world. She draws from personal experience and her interest in spirituality.

Visit her website :

http://goldencupcafe.tripod.com

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Pressure Creates Resistance

Pressure creates resistance. This statement rings true for me as a parent, grandparent and therapist. Parenting can be stressful, especially if the child seems to be growing in a manner that raises concerns for us. And if a child feels pressured by our concerns, the result will probably be resistant behavior. The child will resist our efforts to make him/her be the way we want and will continue to unconsciously develop behaviors that oppose our wishes. The child is usually not aware of what he/she is doing.

Many parents might disagree with my last sentence. However, I have been studying child development and human behavior for over 45 years. The human brain is not fully developed until we are in our early 20s. Too many people have been taught to believe that children can think like adults. Self-awareness and understanding is that skill that adults must develop consciously. Most children will "act out" their feelings and do not develop awareness until they have become adults. Children will behave oppositionally to their parents because their parents are pressuring them in a manner that feels dis- respectful to the child.

Aretha Franklin defined respect in her song with the phrase "find out what it means to me". How do you know what respect means to a child? Children do not have enough self-awareness or understanding to be able to tell people when they feel disrespected. That is an ability most adults have, if they have worked on becoming self aware. Part of the job of parenting is to be aware of one's own feelings, thoughts and behaviors. When a parent has developed this ability, well enough, the parent can begin to be more aware of what the child may be feeling as well. A child who is behaving in an oppositional manner usually does so because they are feeling pressured and disrespected.

Knowing and respecting the psychological boundaries of a child takes a great deal of self/other awareness. It involves understanding the developmental level of a child according to his/her age as well as their individual ability. What is true for a two year old will change rapidly and be different by the time a child is 4, 6, 8 etc. Children grow differently as individuals. The best time to start the process of understanding the child is as early in the child's life as is possible. When a parent-child relationships starts with awareness and understanding, the relationship tends to grow in a healthy direction.

Interpretation of a child's behavior usually comes through our own filters. For instance, if we have been raised to believe that only girls play with dolls and only boys can climb trees, these rules are part of our filters. Those filters can distort our interpretation of our child's behaviors and we can, out of fear, begin to pressure the child to be interested in things we think he or she "should" be interested in. This is when a child can feel disrespected. Children need to explore their interests as much as possible within safe limits and boundaries.

Safe limits and boundaries? What are they? Some are logical and universal such as don't use drugs, don't play in the street, eat well, get enough sleep, do your homework, clean up after yourself, etc. Structure is something we all need in our lives. It is only within structure that we can safely explore our interests. Children who have parents who have set reasonable limits and boundaries, are often able to set their own limits and boundaries while they explore. Setting reasonable limits and boundaries is another aspect of the parenting job of knowing and respecting the psychological boundaries of a child.

Yes, I know this sounds very complex and some might find it confusing. It's about balance. Being a parent who can continually create equilibrium within oneself is the most important job we will ever do. And I join the ongoing lament that there are no structured classes on how to be a parent. We just do it and often we do it out of our own issues. Self-awareness, self understanding and positive self-esteem are vital for good enough parenting. Good therapy can help parents increase these personal qualities.

Anne is a Board Certified Registered art therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor. Anne has been studying human development and relationships for over 45 years. She has been successfully working with families, in various capacities, for over 20 years. Her private practice is in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia PA. She specializes in helping people recover from various types of trauma, difficult changes and loss. Anne has an unusual ability to connect with children and adolescents, along with their parents. Parenting is the most important job we ever do, yet no one shows us how to do it or gives us the support we need. Anne has successfully coached many parents through a variety of critical stages in their children's lives. Annes greatest joy is helping people understand themselves and each other.

http://www.annescreativetherapy.com

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Reading Feng Shui Books

Quite simply, a different style of living. If you're the kind of person who eats the same food week after week, shops and the same stores and only socializes with a few people, feng shui is probably not something you're going to be interested in. However, if you're someone, who wants to try something different, the Chinese philosophy of feng shui could be something that you, just might be interested in.

Where can you find feng shui books? Of course we all know you can find them at your local bookstores like Barnes & Noble, Amazon and other online sources. Here's something that might be a little new age or something that most people often forget about, how about going down to your local public library. Public libraries are a great source for books and if you don't like them, you never had to pay for them.

Feng shui books have become popular in the last 20 to 40 years and seems to create an environment out of your home. The Chinese have been practicing this for over a thousand years and it almost has a mystical power to it. If you're tired of the same old house and would like a little change in your life, I would suggest using some of the simple methods, suggested in these books.

One $20 book on home building or feng shui, can save you lots of money, if you're willing to do a little research and the labor to complete almost any home building project.

By the way, if you're interested in learning how to repair a roof, build your own house, interior decorating, structural engineering, building a deck, gathering some more information about home painting or even remodeling your bathroom. Our online home building bookstore can save you money if you're willing to do the work.

You can learn a lot by reading feng shui books and I would suggest, that if you're interested in interior design or even spirituality, these books will provide you with the information, you need to create a little change in your life

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry

Zig Ziglar

Learn Something About Time Management From the American Indians

I don't consider myself an expert on the American Indians but I would like to share a thought about their lifestyle. I was listening to an audio book on the American Indians eating habits, when it got me thinking about something the author said. This might not be a topic of interest for most people but I found it fascinating.

While listening to the audio book, the author made a statement about the American Indians I will never forget. He said "American Indians spend about four hours each day working, gathering and preparing food." If you think about it, that's not too bad of a lifestyle.

I would imagine that we have a better selection and larger variety of food to choose from than they had. This of course would be a benefit to living in our society instead of theirs.

American Indians often spent a lot of time outdoors and for some reason, spending time in nature seems to be a good thing. I know a lot of people that would rather be outdoors than indoors, walking, jogging, hiking, camping and even gardening. It almost seems more natural for us to be outdoors than indoors.

Now with the Indians working about four hours each day, this is a little bit different then our standard workday. Most people spend at least 9 to 12 hours each day driving to and from work and actually working. I would imagine our standard workday would actually be easier than that of the American Indian. I can't imagine some of my friends or family members chasing after a Buffalo with a spear.

Does this mean the American Indians had it right, just because they worked four hours each day and spent more time in nature were doing what they truly wanted to. Know I can't truly say that they had it right, but I can say that they seem to do just fine living with nature.

Some of these civilizations lasted for centuries.

Something to think about, on your daily travels to and from work as you desire to be at the beach or hiking in the mountains. The philosophies we often associate with a good life, could actually be better instead of progressively adding unneeded stress and frustration to it.

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, You Can Have It All

Peter Lynch

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Over Deliver in Your Business Or Someone Else Will

When you decide to undertake a new business or internet enterprise or if you already have a business be prepared to deliver the goods. That is over deliver. If you want to stand out amongst the countless mediocre businesses that are out there, give of yourself and share all the resources you have at your disposal. This is not only a good philosophy to adopt, but it is mandatory.

There is way too much competition and too many alternatives available in todays' marketplace to offer some run of the mill product or service and expect people to be satisfied. Others may get away with it, but that doesn't make it alright to perpetuate this practice. Make it your mission to blow your customers away with the value you offer. You may fear this will exhaust you or overwhelm you, but I can assure you the opposite is true.

Outside forces tend to come into play when they are truly necessary. If your mission is to help others and offer a business, service, or program that is of value it will get noticed, and as such others will rally behind this system and actually contribute to and multiply your efforts. You will find this reaction energizes you and inspires you to offer even more value. Also the concerted effort behind this cause will gain momentum.

So few people actually make themselves available to spend the time assisting their newly recruited clients or customers and offering them the assurance and support they need. By simply going the extra steps and taking the time to answer questions, offer training, return phone calls, return emails, and show your concern; you are fostering more trust and a stronger bond that will pay off in the long run. You're establishing long term relationships and ties that carry on.

Learn a lesson from the top businesses or noted personalities who are among us today. What are the commonalities? What qualities do they share? Above all they are givers. They blow people away. Disney World does this, Walmart does this, McDonald's does this and even Brittany Spears. All in their own way, they offer something and they don't hold back. Fan or not, this is undeniable. Walmart has teams of marketing experts seeking out name brand goods to offer at lower prices. Disney always surprises us with the latest in animation and technology. And yes, Ms. Spears may take a detour or two, but she ultimately shares her talent and is rewarded because of that.

If this sounds foreign to you or like unnecessary baloney, I would encourage you to reexamine your intent and your expectations for success. A customer can always buy from someone else or a new client can always seek a service elsewhere. Don't let them. Don't be concerned with "the how" as much as the effort. If you put forth more effort, even more than you think you possess, you will most assuredly enjoy the rewards, and in most cases more than you can gauge by a bank account.

If this has been helpful and you'd like to learn more Go Here for more marketing tips.

James Broadfoot is an entrepreneur, web publisher and online marketing specialist. Take a Look Here to see what else he's up to.

Change Your Life Forever

Finding something you don't like about yourself is usually very easy for most people. Most of the time you don't even have to ask your family or friends because you have heard them complain about the same thing for years. How many times have you heard someone mention, I need to lose weight?

Here's a list of things people don't like about themselves. If you're one of those people that has a hard time finding something wrong with yourself, you could always ask one of your friends for some suggestions. I'm sure they would like that.

1. The need to lose weight. This of course is one of the worst problems with Americans. Most people need to lose weight and let's not forget there are some people that need to gain weight.

2. The need to stop gambling. As more Indian reservations are allowed to build gambling casinos and of course as the Internet gambling gets larger, I've noticed some people with gambling problems.

3. The need to stop drinking alcohol. The abuse of alcohol has been going on for many years. These people have an excuse for why they drink and most of the time it doesn't make sense.

4. The need to stop smoking. This could be one of the most difficult things I've ever seen my friends and family deal with.

5. The need to stop excessive behaviors. For example, gossiping, cruelty, bullying, lying, cheating, stealing, partying etc. You get the idea.

6. Don't forget the dreaded shopaholic. Most shopaholic's seem to have large credit card debt and can't seem to stop this vicious circle of buying and owing money to their creditors.

7. Working long hours or the workaholic. Sometimes this is a necessity but I would suggest that you change your lifestyle if possible. Reevaluate your reasons for working so hard.

8. Religious fundamentalists. People that spend too much time at their place of worship and soon find themselves feeling guilty if they're not doing something spiritual.

9. The need to be on time. This would include people that have problems giving themselves enough time to get ready for work or school.

10. The need to stop doing drugs. I thought by now, approaching my 50s, that drugs would no longer be a problem in the United States, but it is. It's one of the most damaging things people can do to their lives.

There are plenty of things that people would like to stop doing or start doing. If you're a smoker and you seem to shop excessively near the casinos, I would advise you to start with something small and work your way up to the big stuff.

What are you going to change today about your life? Make a list of things that you're not happy with about your life and start making the changes today that you need to create the life you deserve and desire.

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 personal development video library filled with great movies 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

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Religious Fanaticism and How Jim Jones Impacted on My Life

"To the extent the actions in Jonestown were viewed as a mass suicide, it is one of the largest such mass suicides in history, and the greatest single loss of American civilian life in a non-natural disaster until the events of September 11, 2001. One of those who died at the nearby airstrip was Leo Ryan, who became the only Congressman murdered in the line of duty in the history of the United States."

This is a quote from Wikipedia, you can find out a little bit more about Jim Jones by searching Wikipedia or the Internet.

It was November 18, 1978, I was in the 11th grade, living and Anaheim, California when I heard the news about a man and a group of followers that I would think about often throughout the rest of my life. I didn't know Jim Jones or any of the followers but their impact will leave a lasting impression on me for the rest of my life.

As a teenager, during a critical part of my life. I was always trying to understand things that the government, religious and world leaders were doing. Often very confused. I was confused about the life of Christ and couldn't quite get a grip on evolution and creation. I could always count on getting one thing from every person I had ever met, and that was an opinion, with very little factual information to back it up.

It was hard for me to imagine, that anyone would follow another mortal being the distances that Peoples Temple's followers had followed Jim Jones. I guess I could understand this in a supreme being or supreme race extraterrestrial beings, with magical powers and supreme knowledge of the universe. But a regular person, I don't think so.

I rarely watched the news on television and gathered most of my information from teachers and other students who I went to school with. There was an English teacher whom I was fond of and she let the class express how they felt, about what had happened and only then did I realize, this had actually happened. It was real.

I couldn't believe that people were this stupid. How could anyone commit suicide like this? I could understand something like this happening 500 or maybe a thousand years ago but in 1978, it's not possible. I started to get a better understanding as I learned more about Jim Jones and The Peoples Temple based in San Francisco, California. I could understand, that religion offers people hope and we all need a little bit, if not a lot of hope. Hope helps us get through our humdrum and boring everyday lives.

These people were hoping for a better life and when there was no more hope in sight and these people would be going back to live in America, with nothing (most of the people had given everything they owned to The Peoples Temple) I could understand this a little bit better but not clearly enough. When people have no hope or they feel like they're at the bottom of the valley, looking up at an impossible hill to climb, I could see where suicide becomes a viable option.

Looking at 9/11, most of the people that died, had hope. What happened in Jonestown Guyana was a lot different, most of these people did not have hope but all had a reason to live, but chose death. Was this actually their choice or were they so caught up in someone else's dream that they couldn't see reality anymore. There are still fanatical leaders today, causing pain and grief all over the world. Jim Jones was not the first and he won't be the last, make sure you're not one of the victims if this ever happens again.

Over 900 people died that day and I hope we never have to see something like this ever again.

Sir Winston Churchill - "A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject."

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, You Can Have It All

Here's a question I would like you to think about, winning or losing with Christianity. Fanatical groups like Jim Jones are not a thing of the past, make sure that, what ever religious organization you are following is not leading you down the wrong path. Use common sense and if that doesn't sound right, it probably isn't

Christianity Saved Me

I would like you to think about something for a minute, have you ever met somebody who has been saved in a Christian church. There's a good chance you know quite a few people if you live in the United States of America. Over the years I've heard people tell me, "I've Been Saved," it can be a new beginning for some or lead to a life of frustration and pain for others.

If you don't know what being saved is, or have never heard of it, let me give you a brief description of a saved Christian. This would be someone who accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior, it's not that difficult and you really don't have to go to church, this ritual can be performed anywhere.

If you're reading this article and would like to be saved, here's how you do it. Get up out of your chair, run outside the building you're in and start running up and down the streets yelling, I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, 1111 times. Be careful because if you missed this by one number, in either direction, you have to start all over again.

Okay I'm just kidding about the running out of the house, and yelling at the top of your lungs, oh yeah and the 1111 times. Anyway the truth about being saved according to the Christian church, is quite simply saying the words to your self or out loud, "I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior."

That's it, it's really quite simple and your saved.

The problem becomes a little bit later in your life and this could be within a few days or even a few hours, if most people don't see a drastic change in their life, they quit their newly founded Christian religion and go back to their old ways.

I hope you have a pretty good understanding about being saved in the Christian religion and you can do it anytime of the day, at any period of your life. If you're going to die and you been a liar, committed adultery, murdered or raped another person, lived a life of crime, ruined the lives of others or even been part of another religion you're whole life, simply state the words "I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior," and you're instantly a Christian. That's a pretty good deal for anyone.

Oh yeah I forgot to tell you, this simple statement gives you a one way ticket to heaven and spend eternity in one of the grandest most beautiful places you could ever possibly imagine, even though you might not have been, what most people would consider a decent person. Now this is looking pretty good isn't it.

Being saved can provide you with a lot of benefits if you're a believer but I forgot to tell you one very important thing about this whole process. There is no hard evidence and most Christians will tell you that they base their whole life on faith and a book written by a man but inspired by, one unbelievable, supernatural and incredible entity.

I've seen a lot of people live their lives tormented from the decisions they've made throughout their lives. If you choose to believe in Christianity, I would suggest you spend some of your time reading the Bible but most of your time gathering information about other religions also. Don't take someone else's word, that this is the way to eternal salvation. I beg you to at least, find out where the Bible really came from, always question your religion.

Education has freed me, to pursue other ideas and release me from the bondage and fear of organized religion.

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, The Four Agreements

Mitch Albom

Monday, March 23, 2009

Find Out Why You Believe in Your Religion

Whenever I ask someone involved in a religious organization, the question, do you really believe in your religion? Most of these people will often answer would be yes and start their religious conversion. Some of these people can become very intrusive if I don't stop them soon, very few of these people listen with an open mind.

I have talked to quite a few men and women about their beliefs over the years and still find it hard to believe that most of them live a life of faith with very little understanding or education about their religion. Now some strong believers might take offense to that statement, while others will listen to what I said and start doing a little more research on their religion.

Most of these religions throughout the world make perfectly good sense to their followers and I understand the reasoning behind some of them, it's all they know, everyone around them believes in the same religion and they get some sort of happiness and joy from it.

It's not hard to imagine a young child, walking around with strong religious beliefs if their parents are strong believers in it also. These children grow up and eventually train their children to follow the same path of their parents. Our children should be able to choose, what they will believe in, by the time they are adults.

This is a natural process of life, your parents learned from their parents and whenever someone asked them a question that they really couldn't answer or were uncomfortable answering, they can always reply with, I'm living a life based on faith or you just have to believe. You have to believe that someone is looking out for you and taking care of you. Most of these people think that something else is responsible for the events that take place in their life.

Is it possible for people that live a life of faith to educate themselves about their religion, to find the origin and maybe the destination of their religions. Could these people actually assume responsibility for their choices, whether they're good or bad. It's often hard to listen to somebody tell me that some evil entity made them do something bad. These people are easily convinced by others who agree with them and support them with their statements and beliefs. This seems to be where the biggest problem lies.

Once the people around us support our beliefs, they soon become realities in our lives. These realities will be transferred to others around us and give them support eventually about their beliefs. It's like a vicious circle that never ends. One believe supports another belief, until it's a fact.

Education is the path to freedom and will soon deliver the students from religious bondage. Someone a long time ago said," Seek and You Shall Find, Knock on My Door and I Will Open It.

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, Science Getting Rich

Greg is currently working on a religious education also visit our article library, 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

Sunday, March 22, 2009

A Book Review of the Law of Attraction

This self titled book gives a very descriptive account of how to use the Law of Attraction into our lives. The book itself is well suited to read as a "how to" book and gives short, definite plans how we put this concept into our lives. The author, Michael J. Losier is a sincere person who cares about delivering his message of the Law of Attraction. He does seminars around the world. I have attended one of the seminars here in Edmonton, Alberta which I totally enjoyed.

The book starts off with an explanation of Law of Attraction, then goes into positive and negative vibrations. When we have positive thoughts, these thoughts are further translated into vibrations. The words that we use cause our feelings and our feelings...vibrations. Negative thoughts bring on negative feelings that bring on negative circumstances or negative people. Positive thoughts bring on positive feelings and positive circumstances.

When we focus on what we don't want, we end up getting it. For instance; don't slam the door, really your asking to slam the door. Instead say close the door slowly. Or don't play in traffic; you're really saying to play in traffic. Instead say play in a safe area. Stay away from using the words don't, not and no. The book also goes on to say that we can reset our vibration at any time. When we are upset, we can push an imaginary reset button to change your words and vibrations.

The next areas are deliberate action, contrast and relationships. He gives specific case studies of a girl wanting more from a relationship. The other case study is someone who needs more money in their life. Both people have gotten really exciting results. Michael Losier has examples of worksheets in his book to help us define what we want and what is contrast (stuff we don't want).

He gives us a simple 3 step formula to follow the let the Law of Attraction into our lives.

1.) Identify Your Desires (what you want)
2.) Give Your Desire Attention (focus on what you want and do whatever it takes to get it)
3.) Allow It (remove any doubt)

The book is extremely easy to read, not very long and can be easily read because the font is large. This is good for me because I enjoy reading large print. The book goes on and gives powerful tools to get what you what you want in life, be it physical, emotional or spiritual. Michael also has an audio library membership to help people learn from other people what works and what doesn't.

Michael is an excellent author and has a way of expressing complex ideas into simple, easy to understand concepts that are easy to understand. Buy this book; it can change your life.

Neil Armstrong lives in beautiful Edmonton, Alberta with his 2 teenagers. He is a 2nd. Class Power Engineer working in a Control Center in Edmonton. His interests are camera repair, electronics, computers and Marketing. Edmonton has lots of bike trails so he likes to spend his time riding with the local bike club. It's getting colder now so the bike will go away and the skis will come out.

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http://neilarmstrong.ws

Myths of Strengths and Weaknesses

The following is more information that resulted from my good Friend Mr. Jay Niblick's The Genius Project. The findings are pretty astounding. The implications are even greater!

The Myths of Strengths and Weaknesses

There is a myth about strengths and weaknesses, which states that we all possess them naturally. In reality, we don't. No human possesses any single weaknesses. What we do possess are natural talents and non-talents. Now don't get him wrong, he's not one of those that think it is too negative to tell someone they have a weakness and wants to call them "opportunities for development". He actually hates this term because more often than not it supports the incorrect view that one can fix a weakness by developing natural talents. If one of his clients is suffering from a weakness he tells them so straight up, but the key is that this weaknesses isn't natural, it is manufactured. Weaknesses and strengths don't exist naturally, only talents and non-talents do. If, however, one relies on a non-talent, they turn it into a weakness. Likewise, if one doesn't rely on my talents, they are never a strength for them.

In other words, you are ultimately in control of your strengths and weaknesses. Granted you have to work with the potential strengths you have, in the form of what natural talents you possess, but it is totally up to you as to whether you allow yourself to be dependent on a non-talent - or try to rely on a talent. You may be born with talents and non-talents, and there is nothing you can do about that, but you are in charge of whether those talents and non-talents become strengths and weaknesses. If you allow your success to depend on your talents, you create a strength. If you allow your success to depend on your non-talents, you create a weakness.

This might seem like he's talking about some minor difference of semantics, but I assure you that this is much more than a simple play on words. Understanding this concept requires a total change of perspective. Most people buy into the myth that they possess their strengths and weaknesses and fail to understand that they don't actually possess them, they create them. The power is theirs as to whether they exist or not.

The key is how you apply yourself, and the impact of this understanding is incredibly important because once you realize that you create your strengths and weaknesses, you realize that you are in control. You realize that you don't have to suffer from weaknesses which were given to you and about which you can do nothing. You are in control because while you definitely have non-talents, nothing in the universe states that you have to depend on them and if you don't depend on them, then they aren't weaknesses now are they? Make sense? Both talents and non-talents are only "potential". Natural talents are only potential strengths and non-talents are only potential weaknesses. The thing that controls how these potentials turn out is how you apply yourself.

If one fail because of their weaknesses, it is their own fault. Not because they didn't fix their weaknesses, but because they allowed their success to depend on my non-talents. They created a scenario where their weaknesses outweighed their strengths. Either way, the control lies with them and no one else.

Geniuses understand this. Their locus of control lies internally within them. They know that they are the only ones responsible for whether they benefit from strengths or suffer from weaknesses. They manage to turn potential strengths into actual strengths by relying on their natural talents and they manage to leave potential weaknesses as just that - potential weakness. They do not allow their success to become dependent on their non-talents, which would manufacture a weakness. Their primary focus is on maximizing their dependence on talents and minimizing their dependence on non-talents. Peter Drucker said, "your job is to make the strengths of your people effective and their weaknesses irrelevant." While obviously influenced by the industrial era mindset, because he's talking to management not the individual, the message is none-the-less spot on. The key is the focus on minimizing dependence on weaknesses, not eliminating them.

Geniuses don't have more talents than anyone else. They are just as flawed and imperfect in their natural abilities as the next man. Geniuses don't have fewer non-talents, they just have fewer weaknesses because they are very aware of their non-talents and they do a damn good job of not depending on them. To quote Dr. Marshall Goldsmith again, "there are a whole lot of things I stink at Jay. I just make sure I don't have to do them to be successful." The level of success these Geniuses achieve is hard to argue with. They achieve significantly more success with less effort, while finding more passion, satisfaction and happiness.

The Numbers

From a pure statistical perspective, Geniuses are quite rare but they significantly outperform the non-geniuses across the board. The percentage of 5th level performers in the study was only 9% of the total population (n=300,000+) but the difference in their results was astonishing:

The most successful people outperformed the next closest level not by 10 times, nor by 100 times, but by as much as 1,000 times in some cases

The average level of self-awareness for the 5th level performers in the study was 92% compared to 62% for the 4th level performers and less than 47% for the 1st through 3rd level performers

Those who were 5th level performers had levels of authenticity that were 91% versus the levels of authenticity seen in the 4th level performers of 79% and in the 1st through 3rd level performers who were at 63%

The differences between the level of self-awareness and degree of authenticity, and the correlation of these two factors with performance, make a very compelling argument for

The data showed us that there is a direct and positive correlation between the levels of awareness you have for your own abilities, the degree to which you are authentic to them and your overall level of performance. These data showed that those who performed at the lower levels had lower levels of self-awareness and authenticity. The higher people were in performance the greater their level of self-awareness and authenticity became. The great news about this is that self-awareness and authenticity are acquired talents and as things you can develop - you can develop your ability to reach the 5th level of performance AKA The Genius Level.

Mr. Timothy A. McGinty is the published co-author of the highly regarded Wake Up... Live the Life You Love series. This series is a collaborative effort with such inspirational leaders as Tony Robbins, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Brian Tracey, Steven E, and Lee Beard.

Mr. McGinty is also the author of "Your Blissful Life", a book which takes the reader by the hand and walks them through a process for defining their "Blissful Life" and the action plan for achieving it.

Imagine Yourself... is an organization focused on enabling clients "breakthrough" in achieving their success. Mr. McGinty has helped many organizations and individuals discover their passion, define the life balance they seek, develop strategies for achieving that balance, and held them accountable for reaching their goals. His clients have been so successful that Mr. McGinty is known as "The Breakthrough Guy"

Imagine Yourself...
13477 Prospect Rd. Suite 204
Strongsville, Ohio 44149
Telephone: 440-236-6519
Web: http://www.timothymcginty.com
E-mail: tim@timothymcginty.com

Better Health Through Positive Thinking

Mind over matter is more than a scientific mantra. Better health through positive thinking is no longer a new age superstition. Scientists and members of the medical community are embracing the concept that thinking positively leads to behaving positively which in turn improves overall health. At one time scientists refuted this idea in part because happiness and optimism are difficult to measure in scientific terms. However, today study groups as well as therapy sessions are proving that better health can be obtained through positive thinking.

Studies indicate that human thinking patterns affect human behavioral patterns. Therefore, better health can be achieved through positive thinking and positive behavior, which in turn results in better health. Patients who remain in a positive mood can manage pain and severe symptoms as well as change their lifestyle more effectively than patients who are feeling down. This means thinking positive means positive health benefits.

Healthy people tend to eat healthy and take time to do healthy activities so it makes sense that healthy people also have healthy thoughts. The same is true with health care putting forward a positive attitude will help your body assert itself in a positive way. This means looking at the positive aspects of every situation. Instead of dwelling on the negative a positive person tends to focus on the opportunities and solutions associated with various issues. In health care focusing on solutions is the easiest way to better health.

This technique influences health by decreasing stress, lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease and even increasing life expectancy. Many groups, including cancer support groups and weight loss programs, are incorporating therapies designed to encourage thinking positive into their regiments for better long term results.

Medical professional have suspected that better health can be achieved through positive thinking yet studies are really just now being conducted. The health benefits of positive thinking are that they empower the patient to behave positively as well as be proactive about their health. The mind can not magically heal a broken leg overnight but it can allow the patient to feel good about the healing process, prevent the patient from feeling defeated and giving up on healing as well as make the time in recovery more pleasant and relaxing.

Your Healthy Outlook provides information related to men's and women's health issues. To learn more visiting: http://www.yourhealthyoutlook.com

Becoming the Old Woman Full of Wisdom

A woman in society is a very interesting creature. She is a sign of beauty and all the male people want to be associated with her. In the life of a woman, there are many stages. First, there is the beginning stage, when she is born. The female child is a blessing in most societies of the world. Today, their arrival is celebrated as they are ushered into the real world. The girl child will then develop as they reach a stage where information and understanding comes to them. After this, they will enter into a stage where they will start to discover the opposite sex and the power of attraction. This is a crucial stage and many girls do things their bodies have never done. It is the verge of adulthood, however strange and confusing, the lady will enjoy every minute because it is a gateway to new and exciting things until she becomes the old woman. From this stage, the lady will start to look more keenly at the opposite sex as they look out for a person who could be destined for them.

It does not take long before a young man comes calling and depending on the feelings of the lady, she will either accept or deny. When a girl is treated with love and respect from an attractive man, it is very easy for them to say yes. The next transition might be marriage if everything goes well. This is the stage where the girl becomes a woman. They say that this is the stage where ladies learn most. The wisdom will last until they are referred to as the old woman. Life will be based on this institution which is called marriage and a lot comes from it. Children and even wealth of many sorts will come to a woman at this stage. She is not yet the old woman. Sometimes, there will be feelings of inadequacies but, they will pass and if the partners are still committed to the marraige it will last. The woman will then learn to harbor great wisdom that will seek to direct her children. Sometimes, she will be shocked at the fact that a lot of sense comes from her mouth. She will just see herself as the young girl who was mesmerized by the thought of having her own home. At time, she will feel like the old woman but, it is not yet time for that.

A dry season might set in and the husband might begin to change. They will engage in all business that is strange and, people will refer to it as mid life crisis. This crisis will not spare the woman. She will have to undergo her fair share of challenges as she recounts all those dreams she has not yet fulfilled. But at this stage, the children are grown up and some are leaving home. She will be feeling like the old woman. When the kids mature up, little things will not worry her anymore, she is happy observing the success of her children. At some point, the grand children will start to beckon and, she is the old woman. She will be the source of wisdom and guidance to her children. Her words are invaluable. Years of experience have taught her all she needs to know about life. She is the mature older woman. It is pretty exciting going through the journeys of life knowing that you have no regrets.

Francis K. Githinji Is An Online Dating Expert. His Latest Project Free Online Dating Shows How The Power Of Online Dating Can Be Harnessed Internationally and With Great Success, Or You Could Post Your Valued Comments On His Blog At Free Online Dating

When Preparation Meets Opportunity - Creating Good Habits

You must be ready when an opportunity comes before you, opportunity often comes in the form of work and that's why most people seem to miss it. Most people are too busy looking for the easy path through life. They seem to lay around waiting for the opportunity of a lifetime,... to simply fall at your feet.

Why would you want to spend so much time complaining about something, or someone? Other people can help you along the way, if you let them, but it's up to you, ultimately, to become the most you can possibly be. I have had plenty of opportunities in my life and have took advantage of some, while letting most of them pass by.

I'm no different than most people but now seem to be aware of my surrounding opportunities, all the time.

How many times do you wish for an opportunity to come along? It's probably one that you missed already, at some point during your life. Are you going to be prepared for the next opportunity when it comes along? These opportunities seem to repeat themselves throughout our lives and if we're not in the right state of mind, we often overlook them and let them pass by, time and time again.

You need to prepare yourself in advance for the next opportunity. If you are prepared and have your eyes open, you will be able to see the next opportunity that comes your way. Preparation will increase your chances for success and good fortune always.

Opportunities come in all shapes and sizes. Be on the lookout, when you're walking to the grocery store, taking a break at work, reading the newspaper, talking to your neighbor, walking down the street or even while you are sitting alone, letting your mind wander away. Your chances for success could come while your in your quiet places, or relaxing. Be prepared.

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 video library filled with great movies 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.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Change Your Thinking About Your Life

What do I do when I get down and out. Well that use to happen to me often and I seemed to suffer with some minor depression. It would seem like time would stand still. I would look at the clock and notice the time. Let's say 2:23 in the afternoon. I would look back to see what time it was about fifteen minutes latter and it would be 2:26. Wow what in the heck is going on with this clock.

I just couldn't believe it seemed like the day would never end. I would just sit there and think about all the stuff going on in my life, good and bad of course. This seemed to last until I was in my early twenties. I just didn't want to feel like this any more. I made a Conscious design not to get depressed period. I never wanted to feel like that again.

I read a book on ESP and in the book it described visualizing a rose as you went to sleep. I started doing this every night and while I was doing the exercise it seemed to make me feel relaxed in a way I never had felt before. The reason for the exercise was to teach you to visualize something peaceful. This in turn would put you in a peaceful state of mind.

Then a thought came into my noggin. What if when ever I start to feel bad or seem to be going into a sort of depressive state of mind I change my thoughts. It worked... I would start to visualize something else that made me feel comfortable and give me a peaceful feeling. Man was I surprised with my results.

Keep in mind I didn't think of this all on my own but I did put the pieces of the puzzle I needed to together that I needed to change my life. It seemed like I could use this form of self control in different parts of my life. If I was at work and someone made me mad.... Well this didn't work all the time... I still got mad. Let's pick something else OK.

I would worry about something on the job that wasn't going right. Then I would get irritated over something else that wasn't even related to what I was worrying about. Why did I take it out on the other person when what I was really mad about was something else. We do this all the time in our lives. We seem to get mad, get even or give up. Why do we do this and what can we do to stop it.

My main point to all of this is we can change our thinking and change our lives. We can learn new things to change our thinking. We don't need to give up hope that we will always be like this. Change the things you don't like about yourself. Do it today. If you need some help there is a great book that will help you change your life for the better.

You can find it at http://www.live.spiritualideas.com This book has a lot of tools to create the change in your life you want to have a more full filling life.

Most people give up just when they're about to achieve success. They quit on the one yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game one foot from a winning touchdown. Ross Perot.

Start Living Your Dreams Today and Create a Wonderful Life For Yourself And Your Family. Greg Vanden Berge is one of the best inspirations on the planet. You will be hearing a lot about this guy in the future. You can count on it.

Spoiled Children

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Is the Bible Historically Accurate and True

I'm going to start with the first book of the holy Bible, Genesis chapter 1 verse one through five. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

And God said," let there be light," and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

If the Bible is historically accurate, did God actually create earth. I have been battling over this, my whole life. It's very easy for someone to accept and believe in any religion, government, other people or whatever they truly desire to make real. I see it every day of my life, open your eyes and you will see it to.

It's hard to imagine that a superior entity like God created everything that we touch and see. The moon itself is pretty big and the creation of the sun would prove to be a little more difficult, but if you're God and your all knowing and all powerful, he or she or it, must be one incredible being.

This is only the first couple of paragraphs in the Bible and there is no, I repeat no, historical accuracy to this event. It seems like God or man, whoever wrote the Bible, should have started the Bible with something a little more believable for people that live in the 21st century. It's not hard to imagine someone 2000 years ago, believing in something like this.

2000 years ago the Romans were worshiping their own gods, we might find this ridiculous today but back then the Romans would punish you if you didn't worship their gods. We are not too far from that today. If we don't stop organized religion and their influence on humanity, we're going to have serious problems in the future.

The biggest problem I foresee is common sense. If the Bible has 500 historical accurate facts that can be proven without a doubt by historians, scholars and other intelligent people, but has one thing that can't be explained, how do we handle this. How do we handle the fact that the Bible states God created light? If this is false, what else is false in the Bible.

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. Have you ever really ask yourself Who is, Jesus of Nazareth?

Greg is currently working on a Personal Power Ideas. If you're ever wondering why some people can achieve success, while others seem to struggle aimlessly, what would it hurt, to take a couple of minutes of your time, if you could actually find the truth

Starting Your Own Religion

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

VIP - Very Inventive Procrastinator

Many of us think we have conquered procrastination and have become efficient workers. This may be true for some of us, but when it comes to procrastination we may have just become a little more creative. You may just be a V.I.P. - Very Inventive Procrastinator. Read the statements below to see how many you can identify with.

  • I like to get a lot of little jobs out of the way before starting a major project.
  • I have a messy desk, overflowing in-basket and paper that needs to be filed.
  • I frequently go back to work with my "homework" still in my briefcase untouched.
  • I frequently tell myself, "I'll put it here for now and put it away later."
  • I have at least two major projects at work or at home that I am leaving until I have more time.
  • I have several broken items at home waiting to be repaired or articles of clothing waiting to be mended.
  • In the mornings I rarely get up when the alarm sounds or at the time I planned to get up.
  • I like to stick with a task until it is perfect.

How many of those statements described you at least some of the time? According to Dr. Linda Sapadinin in her book It's About Time, there are six styles of procrastination:

  • The Perfectionist- Spends too much time past the acceptable level of work
  • The Dreamer- Focuses on fun and easy things in hopes the difficult will disappear
  • The Worrier- Is afraid to make mistakes, so never gets started
  • The Defier- Puts things off as a way to object to having to do it
  • The Crisis-Maker- Lives for the adrenaline of working against the clock
  • The Over-Doer- Takes on more can they can do in a timely manner

Which are you? Each type of procrastinator has uniquely inventive ways to procrastinate.
"...But I want it to be perfect!"
"...But I hate all those bothersome details"
"...But I'm afraid to change!"
"...But why should I have to do it?"
"...But I only get motivated at the last minute!"
"...But I have so much to do!"
Sound familiar? Not to worry, there is hope for VIPs who thought they had procrastination beat. The ideas below should help you kick the habit:
  • Change your "can'ts", "shoulds", and "somedays" to "cans", "coulds", and specific times.
  • Identify why you procrastinate. Do you try to perfect everything? Do you worry? Do you like the feeling of beating the clock? Do you take on too much?
  • Set a goal for the thing you've been putting off. Pick a specific date to do it, and schedule time in your planner to get it done.
  • Break down the overwhelming tasks into chunks, and do them a little at a time.
  • Keep telling yourself, "If it's unpleasant, I'll do it now and get it over with."
  • Disorganization breeds procrastination, so get organized.
  • Tackle the distasteful tasks when you're feeling good or have just accomplished something significant.
  • Force yourself to start. Once started, you'll build momentum. Keep starting, and you'll develop the do it now habit.
  • Decide on a reward for finishing a task that you have been delaying. Example: a coffee break, a new shirt, a night on the town. Provide yourself with an incentive to get it done.

We would also like to acknowledge Harold Taylor's "Procrastination Self-Assessment" and "25 Ways to Overcome Procrastination for info in this article.

Colette Robicheau, President of Organize Anything, is a consultant, coach, and public speaker offering corporate, residential, and personal organizing services. Colette's humor and positive attitude are a great asset in her roles as professional organizer and life coach. An extensive background in professional organizing, project management and business development, have given Colette a no-nonsense approach to project completion with the ability to deliver on budget and on schedule. Email Colette or for more information, including great organizing tips, visit http://www.organizeanything.com.

Earl G Graves

Success Starting Today

You're going to find it hard to believe, but very seldom does an individual peak with creativity until they reach the age of 40. The average individual usually makes the most money between the age of 40 and 60. This doesn't have anything to do with retirement. Most highly creative people keep producing until they die.

If you're 55 years old and looking for a new career or can't seem to find a job in the profession you have worked at your whole life, don't be alarmed or fearful. Do you think you could start your own business? Is there something, you have always wanted to do but have put it off until retirement, or until you had enough time to do it?

Why wait, if you can't find a job in a business you never truly enjoyed, maybe you can find a new job doing something you love.

I have worked in construction for 30 years and at 44 years old started to pursue a career in writing and plan to create award winning websites and best selling books, for the rest of my life. This doesn't mean, I won't work in construction ever again, but I will become a best selling author within the next 20 years.

Most people don't take the time required to learn a new profession. If you're sincerely interested in another career, and you're 50 years old, there is plenty of people out there to give you hope and inspiration.

If you would like some proof, here's a couple successful American businessman who succeeded after the age of 40. Henry Ford is probably one of the most popular and became extremely successful after the age of 40. Andrew Carnegie, an American industrialists who transformed the steel business and did not start reaping the rewards of his efforts until he was well past the age of 40.

I gathered this information from the book "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. There is a section in the book where he talks about people after the age of 40 with phenomenal success. Anyone who's interested in gaining wealth through spirituality or finances should read this book.

I've often heard the statement, "People Often Over Estimate What They Can Do in a Year and Often Underestimate What They Can Do in a Decade." If you want to accomplish something after the age of 40, I would advise you to start with a plan and then put that plan and the action. Your plan could take five to 15 years to achieve or longer but think about the rewards, whether spiritual or financial.

Gregory Vanden Berge is working to promote personal development ideas and spiritual reform. He has started a web site for videos and articles based on current information about subject he is very familiar with.

"Education has freed me, to pursue other ideas and release me from the bondage and fear of organized religion."

Gregory Vanden Berge

Searching For A Soul Mate

How Watching Tv As A Boy Made Me A More Disciplined Adult

When I was a kid at primary school, way before I graduated to the darker days of high school, I used to believe there were three kinds of hero:
The superhero - guys like Batman who could kick butt despite looking pretty dodgy in their day-glo outfits
The anti-hero - like the Incredible Hulk who tried to do good but still got treated like an outcast
the everyday hero - normal people like you and me who could do superhero things, with just a little bit of training
Although the first two kinds were cool enough, you never felt like you could be just like them. I mean, how many times would an overdose of gamma personally hit you? But the third kind Anybody could be like them, even a scrawny little kid like me, and nowhere was this more true than with the 'Kung Fu' TV series.

Maybe it was because it was so normal that I liked it so much. The hero didn't look like the Hulk on steroids, and he didn't have need to wear a mask to hide who he was he'd take on everyone and be proud to show who he was. All I knew was that between 1972 and 1975, at exactly 6.00pm in the evening, I'd be in front of the TV, hunched just like a meditating Chinese martial artist myself.

It was also the first thing to introduce me to one of my favorite actors as well, David Carradine, who played the main character, Kwai Chang Cain. Okay, so he may not be the greatest actor on the planet, but you show me someone who is as laid-back cool as him and I'd bet David Carradine could lay the smack down on them. The fact that he was actually a trained martial artist made 'Kung Fu' an even better TV series, since he was just as scrawny as I was!

Born of an American father and Chinese mother, Cain is orphaned and becomes an outcast, and maybe I related to that, as my father died when I was very young, too. Taken in by Shaolin monks, they turn this scrawny little kid into the guy that even Bruce Lee would respect. Discovering he has a half-brother called Danny, Cain (as an adult) sets out on a journey across America to find him.

Although no specific episodes stood out for me as a kid, I always remembered the little sayings in every episode the philosophy of why I should strive to become a better person through discipline and honor. It must have worked, because 30 years later, I'm one belt away from achieving my black belt in karate.

When I found out that you could get the complete 'Kung Fu' TV series, I almost peed my pants (my strong karate discipline stopped me, of course!), since I never enjoyed the newer version of the series (which also starred Carradine as a descendent of Cain, and was shown in the nineties). Now all I need is my own little brood in my dojo, so I can share with them what made me the man I am today.

Yoshi Kundagawa is a freelance journalist covering the martial arts world. Too much time at his computer eating donuts reduced him to couch potato status. He's on a quest to recapture his youth and fitness. You can read his blog at http://www.martialarts3000.com

Paulo Coelho

Monday, March 16, 2009

21 Days To Creating Your Dream Life

Are you one of those people who believe that good fortune, success, blooming health and all the perks of a wealthy lifestyle comes to a select few, who somehow have managed to win life's lottery? Are you one of life's ordinary people - humdrum job, humdrum life? Do you believe the gap between where you are and where you want to be is just too big and can never be reached?

Answer yes to any of the above and you need to read this book.

You see too many of us think that success will always be just out of our grasp; that we will never have the good fortune to have a life that fits on the cover of our favorite magazine, or any publication that we hold dear. What we fail to realize is that this type of thinking is one of the barriers that are holding us back from our success. That's right - if you think that you can't succeed and live the life you want to live, you will be right - every time.

You see, the Universe is a wondrous place and whether you believe in it in a spiritual sense or not, the Universe has this way of looking out for you and giving you what you want, all the time. Unfortunately too many of us spend our time complaining about what we haven't got, and don't take the time to consider that it is our complaints that are coming true in our lives: not our dreams, our desires or our goals. But I am getting ahead of myself. Suffice to say at this point - you have a lot more power to change your life, than you can ever imagine.

You have a desire to change your life - otherwise you would not be reading this. But I am willing to bet that you don't know how to go about it. I am also willing to bet that there is a part of you that is just a bit scared of succeeding - I mean what would that do to your self-esteem; to your relationships with family, friends and co-workers and to the way you live your life? Change is always a scary prospect, but if you are in control of the change process then it doesn't have to be a negative experience. This book will show you how you can control your life to the point where you are living where you want to be, and doing what you want to do, rather than what you are doing right now.

If you have the desire to change your life and move forward now, today, take a chance, go order the book called "21 Days To Creating Your Dream Life" available exclusively at http://www.stephenmark.com

Stephen Mark is an extremely motivated Entrepreneur, turned Author and motivator to help people overcome obstacles in everyday life at work and at play.

"My mission is to achieve financial abundance while sharing my knowledge and talents with others."

Paulo Coelho

Sunday, March 15, 2009

A Wrinkle in Time Book Review

I recently read A Wrinkle in Time for the second time in my life. Meg Murray's father is a scientist, and he's missing. Along with the help of her brother (Charles), a school friend (Calvin) and some other-worldly friends (including Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which and Mrs. Whatsit), they're seeking to find and retrieve the missing scientist.

The three children must travel through time and space and confront many opposing forces, including one another.

Children will love this book, especially those with interests in science fiction. I read this book when I was young, and to this day I can remember exactly where it sat on the library's shelves. I re-read it as an adult, and I can still feel its magic!

I like the very basic introductions to physics ideas in this book. Time travel is just one of the ideas touched upon here, and it's explained in a way that children can begin to understand some of the larger forces in the universe. A Wrinkle in Time presents an interesting story with complex vocabulary and ideas in such a way as to introduce them to children.

Meg Murray is an outcast with a strong will, a child who feels like she doesn't belong. She does have a very supportive family that encourages curiosity and intelligence and one that sticks together no matter what. A Wrinkle in Time can be a great book for any child (especially a girl) who feels like they aren't quite "normal" or the perfect fit for mainstream society.

A Wrinkle in Time is just the first book in this interesting universe. The saga continues with A Wind in the Door, then A Swiftly Tilting Planet and finally Many Waters (which follows the adventures of Meg's younger twin brothers). It's obvious that the first novel in the series was a successful one. It's a classic amongst children's literature and is re-read by many adults who wish to recapture the magic of their childhood reading.

When I read A Wrinkle in Time as a child, I remember feeling its magic, thinking the book was fantastic. Reading it again as an adult, the book seemed very simple. I found the story to be lacking just a little, but I still enjoyed it. If you're reading this for the first time as an adult, remember that it is a book intended for a younger audience. If you can stay in touch with that magical feeling of being a child, you'll see the magic of this book.

Tonia Jordan is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers.

Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/spidergirl so stop by and read for a while.

Comp1011

A Wrinkle in Time Book Review

I recently read A Wrinkle in Time for the second time in my life. Meg Murray's father is a scientist, and he's missing. Along with the help of her brother (Charles), a school friend (Calvin) and some other-worldly friends (including Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which and Mrs. Whatsit), they're seeking to find and retrieve the missing scientist.

The three children must travel through time and space and confront many opposing forces, including one another.

Children will love this book, especially those with interests in science fiction. I read this book when I was young, and to this day I can remember exactly where it sat on the library's shelves. I re-read it as an adult, and I can still feel its magic!

I like the very basic introductions to physics ideas in this book. Time travel is just one of the ideas touched upon here, and it's explained in a way that children can begin to understand some of the larger forces in the universe. A Wrinkle in Time presents an interesting story with complex vocabulary and ideas in such a way as to introduce them to children.

Meg Murray is an outcast with a strong will, a child who feels like she doesn't belong. She does have a very supportive family that encourages curiosity and intelligence and one that sticks together no matter what. A Wrinkle in Time can be a great book for any child (especially a girl) who feels like they aren't quite "normal" or the perfect fit for mainstream society.

A Wrinkle in Time is just the first book in this interesting universe. The saga continues with A Wind in the Door, then A Swiftly Tilting Planet and finally Many Waters (which follows the adventures of Meg's younger twin brothers). It's obvious that the first novel in the series was a successful one. It's a classic amongst children's literature and is re-read by many adults who wish to recapture the magic of their childhood reading.

When I read A Wrinkle in Time as a child, I remember feeling its magic, thinking the book was fantastic. Reading it again as an adult, the book seemed very simple. I found the story to be lacking just a little, but I still enjoyed it. If you're reading this for the first time as an adult, remember that it is a book intended for a younger audience. If you can stay in touch with that magical feeling of being a child, you'll see the magic of this book.

Tonia Jordan is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers.

Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/spidergirl so stop by and read for a while.

Helpful Habit Planning Tips

Friday, March 13, 2009

Book Notes - A Book Overview on Twelve Pillars

Twelve Pillars, by Jim Rohn and Chris Widener, is a short, easy to read story about a man named Michael Jones, who feels that his life is at a dead end.He meets an older gentleman, named Charlie, who shares with Michael twelve "pillars" that have helped the owner of the house Charlie maintains, Mr. Davis, achieve great success.The story is somewhat predictable (I'm not going to tell you how though, you have to read the book), but effectively conveys each of the pillars. I presented these pillars to a group of college students a few months ago, and thought they would be good to share with you too.

Pillar 1 is "Personal Development."This pillar highlights that you can achieve only to the level where you are.Key points on this pillar are success comes when you develop yourself beyond where you currently are; read books, attend seminars/speaker engagements, study the best people; and implement and integrate what you've learned.These points remind me of the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. To get different results, you've got to change what you're doing. "The only way things are going to change for you is when you change."

Pillar 2 is "Total Well-Being," which is "three dimensional health." The three dimensions are the body (physical), soul (our intellect, emotions, and will), and spirit (part of us that transcends this world).The Spirit is your core, the soul is the next layer, and the body is the outside layer.You need to work on all three, don't just work on one to the detriment of the others.The relationship between the three dimensions highlights the need to be transparent, sincere, and genuine.Let people see you as you really are. "You should make sure the outside of you is a good reflection of the inside of you."

The third Pillar is "The Gift of Relationships."Relationships represent the "most beautiful highs" and the "most tormented lows" of life. Relationships are the backbone of our existence.Twelve Pillars explains that relationships are like a garden, you have to cultivate them.Once you get them up and running, the maintenance to keep them growing is much easier."Time, effort, and imagination must be summoned constantly to keep any relationship flourishing and growing." People say that money that makes the world go around, but I believe relationships are what make the world go around because things get done through people.

Pillar 4 is "Achieve Your Goals."I've heard and read many times that you should write your goals down.Writing them bring them into reality.A side benefit of achieving your goals is that you become a better person."The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it."Something I learned from someone elsewhere is that plans will change, but your goals will stay the same.A good approach for checking your progress is "Plan, Do, Check, Adjust."

"The Proper Use of Time" is the fifth Pillar.There are two types of pain, the pain of discipline, which weighs only ounces, and the pain of regret, which weighs tons.Don't procrastinate, the end of your life will come sooner than you expect; don't wait until it's too late.Remember that when you spend a day, you have one less day to spend, so spend each day wisely."Every day has many opportunities, but only one best opportunity."The best opportunities are those that align with your overall goals.Know the difference between the urgent and the important.

"Surround Yourself With the Best People" is Pillar 6."Don't join an easy crowd; you won't grow.Go where the expectations and the demands to perform are high."People have an amazing power to influence your destiny.Every relationship you have is an association, be it positive, neutral, or negative.Ask yourself the following questions about your relationships.Who am I around? What effect are they having on me? What have they got me reading? What have they got me saying? Where do they have me going? What do they have me thinking? What do they have me becoming?Then ask yourself if you're good with the answers.Categorize every person you meet.Is he or she someone you should disassociate with, have limited association with, or should you expand your association? Surround yourself with winners, successful people who exhibit and live consistent to values and skills you want to acquire and develop. You become like those you hang out with, so be picky.

Pillar 7 is "Be a Life-Long Learner."Most of your life is lived after formal education."Formal education will make you a living. Self education will make you a fortune."Self education is about what you teach yourself and what you learn along the way so you are constantly improving and growing. Learning is the beginning of wealth, health, and spirituality. Read books, observe successful people, reflect on your own experiences; learn what went right and what went wrong.Help others by sharing what you've learned. "All of

Life is Sales" is the eighth Pillar. Sales means influence and influence is the key to a successful life; learn the art and skill of influence."One key to having influence with others is to have others perceive you as a person of talent and virtues."Your talent and virtues represent your character and skill.Be a person of strong character and increasing skill and you will always be growing your influence.

Pillar 9 is "Income Seldom Exceeds Personal Development." Money doesn't solve the problems of life; you can lose it, be sued for it, or it can be stolen. What's important is what you become because, "What you become directly influences what you get." Become a million dollar person.Remember, even if you lose money, you have the skills to earn it again.

"All Communication Brings the Common Ground of Understanding" is Pillar 10."Communication is two or more people working together to find the common ground understanding.And when they find that common ground, they are positioned to have tremendous power together."Communication is hard, yet important in all relationships.It's about what you say, how you say it, when you say it, and the receptiveness of who you say it to. Make sure you really listen. The character behind listening is caring enough and valuing the other person enough to want to listen.People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Pillar 11 is "The World Can Always Use One More Great Leader."Anyone can be a great leader, all is takes is mastering the art of influence. Leaders make a difference through servant hood."To lead others is to help them change their thoughts, beliefs and actions for the better."Be interested in people, not just in what you can get from them.Help people with more than just their jobs, help them with their lives. A critical component is the leader-follower relationship, which must be built on trust and integrity.Great leaders are real, they know where they are.Great leaders have an optimistic vision, they know how to get to a better destination and work towards that vision.Another quote I like that captures the essence of leadership is, "The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly."

Finally, Pillar 12 is "Leave a Legacy." Life is short. You can't choose how long you will live, but you can choose how well you will live. "Live a life that will help others spiritually, intellectually, physically, financially and relationally.Live a life that serves as an example of what an exceptional life can look like." The path we walk has been prepared for us by others who have gone before us. So live your life in such a way that it will serve those who come after you. Blaze a trail that will allow others to move forward in their lives faster than if they had to blaze the trail themselves.

As you can see, the twelve pillars are interdependent; you can't just focus on one and neglect the others.The bottom line is that you have a choice about your life,"Make a Living or Design a Life." I hope you find value in these pillars and will be inspired to pick up Twelve Pillars and apply the pillars to your life and business.

Happy Business Building,

Yoli

Yolanda Allen is a program manager working for the US government. She owns a home based business specializing in financial education and uses the internet to market her business. Yolanda and her business partners teach other business owners online marketing and have set a goal to create 100 millionaires by 2012. To learn more about Yolanda's business, marketing system, and business partners, visit http://www.YBAMarketing.com

Be Happy 101: the Happiness Course

Your Happiness Resources

This time, thirteen is a lucky number. Here are thirteen books that can really help you on the road to finding increased happiness:

1. Authentic Happiness -Martin Seligman
A great place to start. Discover your "signature strengths" and use them as much as you can to produce true, long term gratification in your life.

2.The How of Happiness - Sonja Lyubomirsky
Twelve positive steps you can take to being happier, working on areas you can influence, instead of those you can't change much.

3. 50 Self-Help Classics - Tom Butler-Bowdon
The "50 Classics" series of books provide extraordinary summaries of self help books, respectively on prosperity, success, the spirtual classics and several others. Having these excellent books is like having a self help library at your fingertips.

4. Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart - Gordon Livingston
A best selling author, Dr. Livingston uses his experience as a practicing psychiatrist to help us deal positively with many of life's common problems.

5. Your Best Life Now - 7 Steps To Living Life At Your Full Potential -Joel Osteen
The famous tv evangelist provides suggestions for living a positive life. Christians will be able to relate easily to the beneficial message this book contains, but this book can benefit anyone, whether they are Christian, or if they don't believe in God.

6. The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People -Stephen Covey
Provides an excellent structure for setting goals and accomplishing them.

7. A New Earth: Awakening To Your Life's Purpose -Eckhart Tolle
A thorough, step by step presentation to help you discover your guiding purposes. Even though this book was highly promoted by Oprah Winfrey, it would be a real mistake to think that it is only "a women's book". Anyone can benefit from it.

8. Blink - Malcolm Gladwell
Great stories that emphasize the point that good decisions can often be made by "thin slicing", using a small amount of information that leads us to a decision that might be the same as if we had taken more time and done more research in making it. Our quality of life, and our happiness, is greatly impacted by our decisions and our thoughts . This book present an alternative view for making decisions, without deprecating more traditional methods.

9. George Foreman's Guide To Life -George Foreman
This is not just "a man's book", nor is it a boxing book, it's one that can benefit anyone. It contains excellent practical advice for getting the most out of life.

10. Meditations - Marcus Aurelius
This classic work provides great guidance for living daily life. Its principles are as applicable today as they were in Roman times.

11. The Right Words At The Right Time -Marlo Thomas
Short two or three page stories by celebrities telling what events made positive turning points toward success in their lives. Interesting reading and contains many good lessons.

12. Happier- Tal Ben-Shahar
Let the author share the secrets with you of finding happiness from Harvard's most popular course. Everybody wants to be happy!

13. The Working Poor -David Shipler
This might not sound like a book that relates to happiness, but it is, because its insights can truly help people stay away from things that are going to make them very unhappy. The Pultizer Prize winning author explains what it's like to be part of the working poor. Anyone who isn't, but thinks they have a good handle on this type of life should read this book. It not only encourages concern and assistance, but it provides very valuable lessons on how getting into this state can be avoided. Poverty is not a plus when seeking happiness, so this book also serves as a valuable cautionary story to anyone who is making major decisions in their lives, regarding education, child bearing, marriage and so forth.

We all need to eat to sustain ourselves physically. Make self-help reading a regular habit to support and guide you mentally throughout your life.

Larry Danks is an Assistant Professor of Business at Camden County College in Blackwood, NJ, near Philadelphia. To these books above, I also add my book, Your Unfinished Life: The Classic and Timeless Guide To Finding Happiness and Success Through Kindness. Let it help you be happier, find personal fulfillment and develop higher self-esteem. http://www.yourunfinishedlife.com where samples from each chapter and reviews of Danks' book are available.Comments may be directed to the author at helpfulmedia@yahoo.com

My book, and the others listed above, are all available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and all major booksellers.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Do You Have a Good Sense of Humor? Take the Quiz

Plato once said that Life was meant to be lived as play. When I ask audience members if they have a sense of humor, I usually get 25 per cent of the group raising their hands. Yet, when I tell a joke, most of the audience laughs. Id like to expand your understanding of yourself and humor. Underneath the word PLAYFULNESS are more specific terms such as humor and fun. Humor is the ability to give laughter or be the instigator of playfulness. This is the more yang, or masculine principle. Fun, on the other hand, is the ability to receive laughter. This is the more yin, or feminine, principle of playfulness. A useful metaphor may be that humor is the plug, and fun is the socket. The ability to be playful with life is to have both. Some people are good at receiving laughter; they can laugh at jokes or irony, but rarely express humor themselves. These people have a good sense of fun. Conversely, some people use humor often to instill laughter in others, yet may not be able to laugh themselves. Several professional comedians fall into this category. They have a good sense of humor, but not a good sense of fun. The ideal is to have both.

What Are Your Attitudes Towards Humor?

Before building on your sense of humor, it is important to do a personal attitude inventory. Read each statement and think about how often this is true for you

A) Always B) Mostly C) Dont Know D) Never

1. Life is hard, mostly a struggle. A B C D

2. When I work I have a lot of fun. A B C D

3. I find I worry a lot in life. A B C D

4. My mental health improves when I'm having fun. A B C D

5. Having fun seems to just get me into trouble as a presenter. A B C D

6. I laugh at myself when I make a mistake. A B C D

7. I feel overwhelmed by my responsibilities. A B C D

8. I take my responsibilities seriously, but myself lightly. A B C D

9. When I'm having fun, other people seem positively affected by me. A B C D

10. When I'm doing something that is just for fun, it feels like a waste of time. A B C D

11. I thrive on adventure. A B C D

12. Im not playful when I work because there is too much to do. A B C D

13. I put off learning more about humor because I dont have time. A B C D

14. I am grateful for my life, and make each moment count. A B C D

15. When Im with a group of people socially it takes me a while to feel relaxed enough to be playful. A B C D

16. Using humor feels too risky. A B C D

17. Im concerned people will think Im stupid or foolish if I try to make them laugh. A B C D

18. People generally consider me a positive, upbeat person. A B C D

19. My audiences are usually poker-faced grouches who practice mirth control. A B C D

20. If Im having fun at the front of the room, others feel uncomfortable. A B C D

21. The people I spend most of my time with are fun-loving people. A B C D

22. I look for what is wrong with a situation, before I look at what is right. A B C D

23. I have a good sense of humor; I can easily make people laugh. A B C D

24. When I was growing up, my family was humorously challenged. A B C D

25. I have a sunny disposition. A B C D

26. I laugh easily. A B C D

27. When things go wrong, I eventually find some angle on it that is funny. A B C D

28. Whenever I start to enjoy myself, I start to feel guilty. A B C D

29. I tend to see the glass as half empty. A B C D

30. My humor seems to hurt and/or offend people A B C D

31. Im less self-conscious when Im having fun. A B C D

32. I like to stay in control. Having fun often seems too chaotic. A B C D

33. I balance work and play in my life. A B C D

34. I make sure I take time to enjoy myself each day. A B C D

35. Most women arent very funny. A B C D

36. Womens humor is just as valid as mens. A B C D

Scoring
1. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
2. a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
3. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
4. a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
5. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
6. a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
7. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
8. a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
9. a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
10. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
11. a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
12. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
13. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
14. a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
15. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
16. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
17. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
18. a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
19. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
20. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
21. a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
22. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
23. a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
24. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
25. a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
26. a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
27. a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
28. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
29. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
30. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
31. a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
32. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
33. a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
34 a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
35. a.1 b.2 c.3 d.4
36 a.4 b.3 c.2 d.1
Total Score = ______________

Results

If your score was 117 or more, your attitude towards fun is a model for the rest of us.

If your score was 90-116, you are human. We all carry some negativity. You are still on your way towards a more joyous life. This book can help enhance that.

If your score was 63-115, your attitudes often repel wonderful, fun moments. Practicing new behaviors outlined in here, will help you re-write your inner script around fun.

If your score was under 62, you definitely need some help. But that's okay, there is lots of help available. And, each moment is an opportunity for making new choices.

Carla Rieger is an expert on creative people skills at work. If you want a motivational speaker, trainer, or leadership coach to help you stay on the creative edge, contact Carla Rieger.

Web site: http://www.carlarieger.com
Tel: 1-866-294-2988
Email carla@carlarieger.com

Russell H Conwell