Acts of Kindness Benefit Everyone

By: Paul M. Jerard Jr.

Do you really want to be happy? Everyone says yes, but the gateway to happiness makes some of us frown. The gateway to happiness, is giving to others. Think about this: "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." - The Dalai Lama

Some of us may feel that, if we give too much, our generosity, will be taken advantage of by others. This is true, and a few very selfish individuals can possibly perceive your good intentions as weakness.

However, people who seek to take advantage are in the minority. To quote Gandhi, "We must be the change, we wish to see in the world." Think about it, change has to start somewhere, so why not start with you and me, right now?

You can donate anything randomly, without seeking reward, and anonymously, without telling anyone. This is good for you, the universe, and those who receive your acts of kindness. Every time you give, you will receive – even, if you are not looking for a reward.

Try it, and you will see, what some call, “karma,” the law of cause and effect. It works like this: For every action there is a reaction. Let’s make sure the reactions to our actions are good ones.

Danny Thomas said, "All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don't discover why. Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others."

Share everything and you will achieve a legacy of kindness. Share nothing and people will, do their best, to forget you. When my life is over I will only leave memories, in the minds of others, and I want them all to be good ones.

So, how much should you give? It can start with, “heart felt”, kind words, a note, a card, or a flower. You will find that your gifts or donations won’t make you poor. As a result of this, you will see most people, naturally, return kindness to you.

You should also take the time to be polite to all of the people who perform services for you, every day. Many people do not bother to say hello to the maid, janitor, parking attendant, or service clerk.

Once you do, you may even learn their name, and you would be surprised how many of them will go out of their way to give you good service, just by addressing them by their first name.

If you establish sincerity and trust where ever you go, you will be loved by your fellow man. It is really that simple. As Mohammed said, "A person's true wealth is the good he or she does in the world."

Paul Jerard, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Engaging in the Moment for More Effective Living.

By: Adam Eason

I spend lots of time working with individuals, corporations and businesses to get them engaged in the present moment. The reasons I think this is important in business as well as personally are drawn upon toward the end of this article.

My centre here in Bournemouth used to sell a wide range of books and one that I used to stock was a book called "The Power of Now" by a guy called Eckhart Tolle. Lots of people that came to classes, workshops and consultations at the centre would often tell me how great it was and give me snippets of information about its content and for a number of years I would occasionally think “Yeah, I really should read that book” then kept on deciding that I would wait until later (yes, I am fully aware of the irony in this!) Nevertheless, I am already sold on the power of the present moment, for a number of reasons:

My First reason - Only this present moment exists.

I think this is by far the most compelling reason to put your attention on the present moment. Yesterday doesn’t exist, except as a memory, with all the unreliability we know to be true of memories; when you experienced yesterday, it was n-o-w. Tomorrow doesn’t exist either, except as an imaginary construct; when you experience tomorrow, it will be n-o-w. And as it’s all that exists, it’s a good idea to experience it, so, have a go at doing the following…

1) Sit with your feet flat on the floor, in a comfortable, aligned position (spine straight, hands on your thighs or at your sides, breathing comfortably.) With your eyes open or closed, allow yourself to become aware of the different sounds, sights, smells & sensations around you. This is the present moment.

That's right. This is the present moment, & there are a number of good reasons for keeping your awareness in the present as much as possible (in addition to the first reason I gave.)

My Second Reason - There’s a whole lot more of it in store for you.

If you stop for a moment, you will realise that all the experiences of your life will take place in a present moment. The more comfortable you are with the present moment, the more comfortable you’ll be with those future presents.

My Third Reason - The present is where you are.

If in doubt, look at your hands. Your hands only exist in the present moment. Rub your fingers together, feel how it feels to be in this moment. Because it’s where your hands (& the rest of your body) are located, so…

My Fourth Reason - The present is the only time you can take action.

You can wish you took action yesterday (so many do; they rue the day that.....), but yesterday no longer exists, so it will remain a wish. You can plan to take action in the future, but when you take the action, it will be in the present moment. The only time you can take action is in this hot second.

My Fifth Reason - Wherever you’re headed, you presumably want to enjoy it when you get there. Get in the habit of enjoying the present now & you’ll be even better at enjoying then when you get there.

I took some amazing insight from my running experiences with my younger brother. When we ran and trained together and competed in races, he always enjoyed the race and commented on our surroundings whereas I always had my eye on the finish line. So much can and has been said about enjoying and engaging in the journey rather than always focusing on the future. Have a go at this one too....

2) Gently place the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth (continue to breathe easily.) Imagine you are holding a tiny droplet of oil between the tip of your tongue & the roof of your mouth.

I originally got this idea from Eric Robbie on a training he did with Michael Breen & I tinkered around with it a bit, & it’s a great way of turning off your internal dialogue. Turning off your internal dialogue is an excellent way of allowing yourself to focus on the present. This is particularly important if you want to be able to pick up the clues that people give you about how they’re thinking. Maybe I'll write another article about that internal dialogue.......

"The only way to live is to accept each moment as an unrepeatable miracle, which is exactly what it is - a miracle and unrepeatable."

-- Margaret Storm Jameson

So, how do you relate this knowledge and my rantings to ones Business or day to day life?

Business and life today seems to operate at a faster & faster pace. People have lots of demands on their time, & need every advantage they can get to be more effective. When I do corporate and business consultancy, one of the most common ‘challenges’ that people want to deal with is being focused & making progress on important business objectives or life goals.

As I’ve investigated how people avoid being focused, I’ve found that, they are often not centred in the present. Instead, they are thinking about what’s happening tomorrow, or what happened yesterday, or running through a list of things that they need to do later. As a result, their attention is not in the present.

I used to work in Victoria in Central London and if you have ever been there during the rush hours it is a hectic place. What I find interesting is that you can tell who is engaged in the moment and who is thinking about their day or the next day. Those people whose awareness is within their heads, mulling over their day or dreading what's in store tomorrow are the ones bumping into people or veering off in wrong directions. Whereas those people whose awareness is outside their heads and engaged in their surroundings are those that are balanced, poised and agile, like a panther!

When you bring your attention & energy into the present moment, you can accomplish things more quickly, solve problems more effectively, & enjoy the process more than you might expect. So, thirdly, have a go at connecting with the moment more and more in your days...

3) Before starting an important task, take a moment to centre yourself & relax. Then, get clear about what you want to accomplish, then begin.

I wish you all the very best and hope to engage in the present with many more people here.

To receive Adam's amazing bi-monthly newsletter, packed with modern, innovative, psychological tips, techniques and information visit www.adam-eason.com You'll also receive a free instantly downloadable hypnosis session to enjoy at home.

Act Your Way Into A New Way Of Thinking

By: Rebecca Hanson

Are you working at a job you can't stand? Would you like to quit, but are afraid you'll attract more of the same? Often people write to me with questions like: I want out of my present job so badly. How can I speed things up so I can quit?

The best way to shorten the time spent in a negative situation is to focus on all the positives you can. If you can find something to appreciate--even if its appreciating a regular paycheck which DOES cover some of your essentials--you will begin to feel better. As you feel better, you'll find it easier to notice another thing you appreciate about your job.

What if you can’t find a single positive aspect of your present job? If you don't change the way you feel about your current job, you will simply attract another miserable job.

"Sometimes it's easier to act your self into a new way of thinking,
than it is to think your self into a new way of acting."
-Jo Berry, author
Years ago, in Los Angeles, California, I heard Jo Berry speak about how to get rid of a bad habit. Jo asked her audience, "How long have you thought about giving up this habit? Has it done any good to just think about it?"

At the time, I had thought and thought about quiting smoking. No matter how much I thought about quitting, I had not made it through one day in over ten years without a cigarette. (Now, through understanding how the Law of Attraction works, I can see that by "pushing against" a habit, I was reinforcing it.)

Jo told us that if we started to ACT LIKE what we wanted to be or do, then our thoughts and feelings would follow. In the flash of a moment, I understood that I could quit smoking by acting like a non-smoker. Of course the next question was, "How does a non-smoker act?" Quickly followed by, "What does a non-smoker do with their hands?" The answer came ever so gently: "They fold their hands." I figured that folding my hands when I wanted a cigarette was symbolic as well as appropriate! And it worked. I haven't had or wanted a cigarette since Sept. 13th, 1976.

Instead of trying to change the way you think about your job, begin to get a picture of yourself acting like you enjoy THIS job. What would you say or do differently? Try ACTING in a new way then notice how much better you feel.

Soon you'll find yourself in a more positive feeling place, offering a new vibration which will either attract different situations in your current job or you’ll find yourself working in a new place that feels great! Who knows--you may end up LOVING your current job!

Rebecca Hanson is a Master Law of Attraction Coach. Thousands of people have enjoyed her talks or articles about real-life experiences and how she found the "nugget of truth" in every situation. Now she has such a deep grasp of how faith, beliefs and thinking work that she is able to lift others to a higher level, very quickly. You can contact Rebecca at Rebecca@YouCanHaveItAll.com or on her website at http://www.youcanhaveitall.com and sign up for her free “Museletter”.

Rebecca has also written a book called, “Law of Attraction for Business: How to create a business or attract a job you LOVE!” To find out more about this book and other information check out http://www.lawofattractionresources.com/

Rebecca Hanson is a Master Law of Attraction Coach. Thousands of people have enjoyed her talks or articles about real-life experiences and how she found the "nugget of truth" in every situation. Now she has such a deep grasp of how faith, beliefs and thinking work that she is able to lift others to a higher level, very quickly. You can contact Rebecca at Rebecca@YouCanHaveItAll.com or on her website at www.youcanhaveitall.com and sign up for her free “Museletter”. Rebecca has also written a book called, “Law of Attraction for Business: How to create a business or attract a job you LOVE!” To find out more about this book and other information check out

Katrina - What Its Like To Be An Evacuee

By: Rev. Michael Bresciani


With less than twenty four hours to go before hurricane Katrina hit land my wife and I started to pack up the car to leave St Bernard Parish Louisiana. We had to have the brakes repaired only an hour before we left. We had to depend on the kindness of a neighbor who was frantically working on the car as we loaded it with those things the officials said we should take with us.

We loaded a few changes of clothing our important papers and our dog, Patches. We went to pick up an older gentlemen whose daughter could not pick him up because she lived north of Lake Ponchartrain which was already nearly impassible. He was a member of our church and we faithfully picked him up for every service because he could hardly walk on his own. Looking back now we know he would not be alive if we had not gone to get him out of his house.

We drove through the night. At first we could not go over fifteen miles an hour across the twin spans, an eight mile long bridge across the lake a bridge that today is largely destroyed. The winds came just behind us only hours later and washed the spans that weigh thousands of tons into the water like toothpicks in a bathtub. In time we got up to about fifty but not once did we ever reach the speed limit. We arrived at a friends house near Birmingham Alabama where we stayed for two days. We contacted the old gents family and arranged for his family to come and pick him up. The power went out several times throughout the second night as the winds gusted and threatened Old Birmingham.

On the third day only hours after Katrina had moved above Jackson Mississippi did we began the 450 mile trek to my wife’s sisters house in West Baton Rouge Parish. We listened to the radio reports with some measure of hope that all was not that bad. Our hearts began to sink as hour by hour reports came in about broken levees and rising waters.

Over the next two weeks we followed all the news reports and searched for friends and pictures from our neighborhood on the internet. During the first week it was totally impossible to get a call through to anywhere from Alabama to East Texas. It was a long dark moment of knowing nothing at all about anyone or anything we ever knew.

The news began to trickle in slowly but none of it was good. We saw pictures of our neighborhood with water up to the roofs. We slowly got reports from people we knew who were scattered all across the country in places they had gone to take refuge. Some of them said they would never return.

Next came reports and pictures of toxic laden mud through out our Parish and talk of houses that needed to be bulldozed into the ground that was said to be uninhabitable. Rescues of people, animals and the retrieving of bodies went on with all the pictures being shown daily on Baton Rouge TV stations. If things weren’t glum enough then we began the business of trying to call FEMA and Red Cross.

My wife must have dialed FEMA over 500 times before getting through. Then we were promised a packet in the mail after they took our information. We have still not reached the Red Cross and they are still talking about gathering 40,000 volunteers to help answer the phones. The insurance company that covered our house informed us that their coverage would cover our house only and no more but they are not sure they can do anything without seeing the house. But no one is seeing our house not even us. The St. Bernard Parish President Junior Rodrigues held a news conference in the capitol building here last night and spoke of months before residents could return, not weeks. Only hours before this bad news came in we went to get shots to protect us from a host of diseases that we could get if and when we do return.

Our bank accounts were not accessible and money doesn’t grow on trees even in this fertile Mississippi valley so I thought I’d make an appeal on my own little one page website. Now we feel as if we are caught between the warnings people are hearing about fraudulent sites collecting for Red Cross and other organizations and indifference. No one as yet has responded to the appeal but then only 35 or 40 people a day click on my site.

My wife volunteered her help in feeding some 200 people in a shelter here. She helped prepare the food and serve it. The food was provided by a small Baptist church in Erwinville Louisiana. Later we visited the people in the shelter and are continuing to do so when we are not knocking our heads on the wall in the biggest communications nightmare in the history of the telephone. We asked one family if there was something we could get for them in the shelter, they asked for a bible. We purchased it the next day and delivered it to them in person. That warmed us greatly, not the giving of the bible but the request for it. Unlike stories out of the Superdome this was a wonderful family of black Americans that had a different set of values. And thousands like them are suffering and waiting to begin their lives again, just as we are.

We have had several invitations to go and live with family and friends in other towns and in other states but we are staying close to New Orleans to attempt a look see and to retrieve what we can. So far all we are hearing is “stay away” and of course the endless buzzing of the busy signal from the aid organizations.

We are a praying couple, and when we talk to Jesus we are sure he is saying, I love you and I will take care of it all. We believe Him and we are very grateful that his line was not busy.

Rev Michael Bresciani is the author of “An American Prophet and His Message” and “Hook Line and Sinker or What Has Your Church Been Teaching You” He has written many articles in print and online. His website is, americanprophet.org

Katrina - What Its Like To Be An Evacuee

By: Rev. Michael Bresciani

With less than twenty four hours to go before hurricane Katrina hit land my wife and I started to pack up the car to leave St Bernard Parish Louisiana. We had to have the brakes repaired only an hour before we left. We had to depend on the kindness of a neighbor who was frantically working on the car as we loaded it with those things the officials said we should take with us.

We loaded a few changes of clothing our important papers and our dog, Patches. We went to pick up an older gentlemen whose daughter could not pick him up because she lived north of Lake Ponchartrain which was already nearly impassible. He was a member of our church and we faithfully picked him up for every service because he could hardly walk on his own. Looking back now we know he would not be alive if we had not gone to get him out of his house.

We drove through the night. At first we could not go over fifteen miles an hour across the twin spans, an eight mile long bridge across the lake a bridge that today is largely destroyed. The winds came just behind us only hours later and washed the spans that weigh thousands of tons into the water like toothpicks in a bathtub. In time we got up to about fifty but not once did we ever reach the speed limit. We arrived at a friends house near Birmingham Alabama where we stayed for two days. We contacted the old gents family and arranged for his family to come and pick him up. The power went out several times throughout the second night as the winds gusted and threatened Old Birmingham.

On the third day only hours after Katrina had moved above Jackson Mississippi did we began the 450 mile trek to my wife’s sisters house in West Baton Rouge Parish. We listened to the radio reports with some measure of hope that all was not that bad. Our hearts began to sink as hour by hour reports came in about broken levees and rising waters.

Over the next two weeks we followed all the news reports and searched for friends and pictures from our neighborhood on the internet. During the first week it was totally impossible to get a call through to anywhere from Alabama to East Texas. It was a long dark moment of knowing nothing at all about anyone or anything we ever knew.

The news began to trickle in slowly but none of it was good. We saw pictures of our neighborhood with water up to the roofs. We slowly got reports from people we knew who were scattered all across the country in places they had gone to take refuge. Some of them said they would never return.

Next came reports and pictures of toxic laden mud through out our Parish and talk of houses that needed to be bulldozed into the ground that was said to be uninhabitable. Rescues of people, animals and the retrieving of bodies went on with all the pictures being shown daily on Baton Rouge TV stations. If things weren’t glum enough then we began the business of trying to call FEMA and Red Cross.

My wife must have dialed FEMA over 500 times before getting through. Then we were promised a packet in the mail after they took our information. We have still not reached the Red Cross and they are still talking about gathering 40,000 volunteers to help answer the phones. The insurance company that covered our house informed us that their coverage would cover our house only and no more but they are not sure they can do anything without seeing the house. But no one is seeing our house not even us. The St. Bernard Parish President Junior Rodrigues held a news conference in the capitol building here last night and spoke of months before residents could return, not weeks. Only hours before this bad news came in we went to get shots to protect us from a host of diseases that we could get if and when we do return.

Our bank accounts were not accessible and money doesn’t grow on trees even in this fertile Mississippi valley so I thought I’d make an appeal on my own little one page website. Now we feel as if we are caught between the warnings people are hearing about fraudulent sites collecting for Red Cross and other organizations and indifference. No one as yet has responded to the appeal but then only 35 or 40 people a day click on my site.

My wife volunteered her help in feeding some 200 people in a shelter here. She helped prepare the food and serve it. The food was provided by a small Baptist church in Erwinville Louisiana. Later we visited the people in the shelter and are continuing to do so when we are not knocking our heads on the wall in the biggest communications nightmare in the history of the telephone. We asked one family if there was something we could get for them in the shelter, they asked for a bible. We purchased it the next day and delivered it to them in person. That warmed us greatly, not the giving of the bible but the request for it. Unlike stories out of the Superdome this was a wonderful family of black Americans that had a different set of values. And thousands like them are suffering and waiting to begin their lives again, just as we are.

We have had several invitations to go and live with family and friends in other towns and in other states but we are staying close to New Orleans to attempt a look see and to retrieve what we can. So far all we are hearing is “stay away” and of course the endless buzzing of the busy signal from the aid organizations.

We are a praying couple, and when we talk to Jesus we are sure he is saying, I love you and I will take care of it all. We believe Him and we are very grateful that his line was not busy.

Rev Michael Bresciani is the author of “An American Prophet and His Message” and “Hook Line and Sinker or What Has Your Church Been Teaching You” He has written many articles in print and online. His website is, americanprophet.org

The Power Of The Thoughts

by: Mathew Greem

Our life is a mirror on our thoughts

If we turn back, you may notice that same negative thoughts that we have seen in the past narrow our presence. The way we think for yourself, how we look our self, reflects on the material world. If you believe in your abilities your talents, you will reach great success. Doubting in our self, considering ourselves more valuable than the other people, so as will be!
It's important to understand that a big part of our life now is a reflection of our thoughts. We can't understand the circumstances, but we can choose on what we'll focus, on what we'll think. Our oblivious thoughts with a little time became conscious thoughts, in other way our beliefs and conviction. Later they manifest in our daily life through the activities we do, which are based on our beliefs on how the world is functioning. If we understand this, we are going to ask ourselves, why we still need to stay on our attitude, when we know that they are the result on our life the way it is. Or why we need to live a life based on some other assurance?

Ralph Emerson - one of the most cited authors today on the area of psychology of motivation and self evolution says that: "We stay on that on what we think the most".

Luisa Hey - author of "How to heal your life", it explains this principle and says: "If we knew how much the influence of our thoughts is, we'll never allow having negative thoughts".
It's time now to make a decision to change our thoughts in relation with those aspects of life with we have problems. Our changed thoughts step by step will change our beliefs, the daily activities we do, the habits and finally our life.

Inner dialog
We cannot omit the importance of the inner dialog. The way when we talk ourselves are the most valuable messages in the world. If we said to our self that we are stupid, or fat, or poor, or ugly, these messages in a period of continuous repetition, they will take roots in our subconciousness and will form a picture of how and what we are. So you will function in the world from a position of that king of way. The picture we represent to our self is the same we represent to the others. The reason of creating a bad picture is based on the critics from the nearest surrounding in the childhood (parents, teachers, and friends) and other various attributes in which the environment may impose.

In the childhood it was almost impossible to oppose on that impact. But now as adults, we must understand that we have the power to comprehend and overwhelm those unimportant conceptions and persuasion and to turn them into functional and normal. If today we are victims on some difficulties, it's always result of the wrong thoughts and the wrong questions we ask our selves.

We should start learning how to ask question in the right manner. For example, instead of asking our self: "Why I'm so fat"? We should ask: "How would I lose weight and enjoy in the process of loosing pounds"? Or instead asking our self: "Why I don't have enough money"? Ask yourself: "How would I make money and likewise enjoy doing it"?
You need to ask this type of questions in a daily basis and they will open the gates of more opportunities of solving the problems. In that way the focus is directed to the solution, not the problem itself.

Attention

Brian Tracy - one of the most prolific authors in this area say: "Life is one survey for attention. The way the attention goes, the heart goes our ability to overthrow the attention from low valuable activities to more valuable activities is of central meaning for all we conquer in our lifes".

When we focus our attention on something we like, informations are sent to our mind and it start to activate for accomplishment of our goals. Our mind is always on our side, it works for us, it helps us on everything we wish for. But the problem is that the mind can't make a difference what's good and what's bad for us. If we are preoccupied with sicknesses, worries, with fear that something is going to happen that we don't like to happen (so we are focusing and thinking actively on those thoughts), in that very moment our mind will understand that as it's duty and it'll accomplish the one thing we don't want and fear of. And as much we become more "skillful" doing it, and bring more emotions in that negative perceptions, than it's faster and easier we come up to the opposite of we have been wanting. Therefore it's very necessarily to focus strictly on the target we want, on the change we want to happen and all thoughts of strive, all negative anticipations. We need to reject all those manifests and change those with new ones in the very moment of their emerging. We must change them with positive thoughts which go in direction of accomplishment of our wishes.
For all this it's important to have a discipline, power of will, which will help us identify the negative thoughts and right now to react putting them aside and change then with new ones.

There is always a choice

We have a choice where to direct out thoughts, even if it’s a matter of illness, we have a choice. We can think and speak all the time about the symptoms, we can self-pity of the pain we feel and fear of our condition not to get worst, in a word we are totally focusing of the sickness we have. The other alternative is to think and deliberate for that what we really like, to recover ourselves. To think about the possibilities of how to contribute for our health, to believe that the condition soon will become much better and that everything is going to be all right. This way we send messages and activate our brain that we want to recover our illness and that we want to find the best solution in order to realize this. Remember, the minds are always on our side.
A lot of people their negative thoughts and expectations in relation with the outcome of some situation, are trying to justify with the hope, not to be surprised unpleasantly if the result is not what they expected. In a word, to be prepared for the worst. But where is the purport here? What’s the point of tormenting ourselves twice? First ahead, when we are experiencing the negative outcome, and the second time, when it’s going to really happen (if it’s going to happen)! No, the brain doesn’t work that way. If we concentrate on the negative aspect of the problem, it’s very likely that it it’s going to be that way. But if we focus on the positive side, we are probably going to avoid the worries and the disadvantages of the outcome. The chances are more likely that the result will be the positive one.

Open your mind for new possibilities and see if something could be different from something what you have known and done. Permit yourself to try something new and decide if it’s going to bring you benefit or not.

Practice

Try with the next exercise: Once you wake up tomorrow, before you begin the day, dedicate a few minutes on your thoughts. Repeat yourself the plan for the new day and the things what are you planning to do. For a moment consider them like finished on a most adequate way. Don’t think if something can be done or not, just imagine the outcome for every situation. For every negative glimpse, replace the same with the positive one. You will see that the experience of the forthcoming day it’s going to be more positive, happy and you will be more successful. And that’s just a beginning, the change is just begun.

About The Author
Mathew Greem is devoted person to finding the true values in life. You can visit his site and find more articles and tests about simular topics.
http://kingdom-of-life.50webs.com

The 5 important life lessons I learned from my dog

By: Deanna Mascle

The 5 important life lessons I learned from my dog

Our son has been on a long, arduous campaign for our family to adopt a dog. I have to admit we are weakening.

I have always loved dogs and I can well remember my own beloved childhood friends as well as that desperate desire for my very own canine companion. Plus he is an active child who loves the outdoors and he is an only child with no children his age living nearby so a dog could be a wonderful playmate and friend.

But I also feel in my heart it is simply too soon for me to open my heart to another dog. It has only been a year since I lost my beloved labrador Shamus and I still miss her terribly. Friends have told me to get another dog, but I find that rather hard-hearted. If my husband died people wouldn't send me right out to pick a new one and if my son died people wouldn't simply suggest I get pregnant again. Yes I will eventually adopt another dog to join our family, just as many people do remarry or have other children, but I am not done grieving for the loss of Shamus. You see she was a special dog and she was a very large part of my life.

Shamus joined our family during the first year of our marriage, more than a decade before our son made an appearance, and moved from New York to Kentucky with us.

She was the sweetest, most loving dog imaginable but then she was a lab and we know that is part of their nature. When she was younger my husband would take her hunting and she loved to hunt so much despite being lazy. However, I always swore that made her a better retriever because she didn't want to waste a step! She was such an agreeable dog that my husband said she was the best dog he'd ever had; she was so eager-to-please (another lab trait) that she was a joy to train.

During the last years of her life she steadily grew weaker and struggled with many health issues but she was still so loving and uncomplaining. It was very difficult for us as we watched her decline and I dreaded being forced to make a decision, but in the end she made that decision on her own. Despite the many months of knowing her death was coming it was still so very hard to say good-bye. It was even more difficult to know that the world contains one less gentle heart and one less being that loves me.

But the lessons she taught me live on:

The 5 important life lessons I learned from my dog…

You can learn a lot from being a pet owner and the lessons begin from the first day your furry family member steps into your life and continue after you say your final farewell. In many ways, my dog was a far better person than I can ever hope to become.

1. Stay in touch with your loved ones

And I mean really in touch! Every pet owner knows what I mean. We humans don't touch each other enough. Sure, we cuddle our babies, and fondle our new lovers, but in every relationship there comes a point when kisses are perfunctory farewells and hugs are doled out sparingly.

Dogs know that a simple touch from someone you love can make any situation better and sometimes make all the difference in the world. They appreciate the wonder and magic of a kiss (or lick) just because they love you and know that sometimes just sitting close enough to touch frequently keeps the cold, dark nights at bay.

2. Never overlook the chance for a nap

While most of us can't work into our schedules the 20-hours of sleep time that dogs enjoy, we could all benefit from taking advantage of some down time to relax and rejuvenate. There are few of us who are getting enough rest and many are subsisting on far less sleep than is really adequate. This is no way to live let alone thrive. Your dog knows how to relax, just roll on your back and let your tongue loll out. You'd be surprised how wonderful it feels!

Dogs know that sleep should be high on your priority list-surely higher than laundry and cleaning although not higher than any food-related activity. Give yourself some down time and you'll feel the better for it.

3. Jealousy is a waste of time

It would have been understandable if our dog took an instant dislike to our newborn. After all, for 11 years she had been the "baby" of the family. Even more than that, during the nine months of my pregnancy I'd been very sick and she'd been my constant companion on couch and bed. Now suddenly that was over and there was precious little time for grooming, walks, or cuddling. All our attention was focused on someone else. Jealous? Not our Shamus. She instantly bonded with the little screamer even though we didn't let her get too close while we sussed the situation out.

She was better than any baby monitor available as she would come find us at the first sign of stirring and distress. She was the best nursemaid as she carefully investigated any visitors approaching the baby and always slept by his bed to guard against intruders and be vigilante for his every need. Then as the baby grew and became more mobile she was the epitome of patience with all his hair-gripping, lip-tugging, ear-pulling explorations.

She was his his guardian angel, playmate, and furry walker and she loved every minute of it.

4. The best toys are found not bought

Expensive squeaky toy? Shredded in minutes. Knobby ball? Lost in the bushes. Rubber bone? Shoved under couch. Frisbee found by the side of the road? Played with every day and stowed carefully on bed when not in use. A person's hand? Endless play opportunities.

Dogs and young children teach us an important lesson about gifts. Your time and attention are the greatest gift of all and with a little imagination and energy you don't need any toys at all, let alone expensive, electronic gadgets.

5. You are never too old to play

Arthritis and muscular atrophy sometimes make it a challenge for Shamus to get around, but she still loves to wrestle and will even romp for a little while. Although she can't be as active and play fetch for hours as she once did, she still wants to be in the center of the action and participate as much as she can.

We humans forget that the need for play and fellowship does not disappear when we leave childhood. There is no such thing as being too old to play. Perhaps we need to revise our choice of game and venue, but no matter what our age, there should be no limit to our ability to join in the fun!

What lessons has your dog taught you? What role does your dog play in your home?

Deanna Mascle is an inspirational freelance writer. You can find more inspiration at Inspiration by Dawggone and her inspirational ezines Words of Inspiration Online and Daily Quote Online.

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

By: Deanna Mascle

This is a question that most people grapple with from time to time and it has largely been on my mind this past week.

You see one of the best people I know -- my Uncle Carl -- had a very bad accident this week. While working on the wood lot with his son, his hand got caught in a log splitter. In the end the damage was so severe that his left hand had to be amputated.

Although no longer a young man, my uncle is very active and enjoys working with his hands. He is right handed but clearly the use of two hands was an important part of his former life and just as clearly that will have to change.

I was devastated when I heard the news and am still shaken by it -- even more so when I think about how much worse the accident could have been. My whole family is upset, especially Uncle Carl's wife and children, most notably my cousin John who was with him at the time.

As I worked through my worry and grief I kept asking myself that question: Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

I know people often say this when tragedy occurs, but this is not simple lip service -- it is fact. My uncle is a good man.

He is a very strong family man who is still married to his high school sweetheart. He loves his four children as well as his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a devoted son when his parents were alive and is loved by his siblings, nieces and nephews. He and his wife opened their home to many children and young people over the years and continue to open their home and hearts whenever family, friends, or community require it.

He has worked hard all his life -- using his hands to service the land and master machinery and using his broad shoulders and strong muscles to complete every task set before him.

He has played an important role in his community serving as a volunteer firefighter as well as a cornerstone of his church congregation.

Yes, he is a good man, but his life has not been easy though and I had to question why one more burden needed to be added to his heavy load.

Many Christians will say that God sends us trials to test us. And there might be some truth in that. Many of us are stronger than we think and it takes difficult challenges to make this clear. But I didn't think this applied to my uncle -- he has had many challenges over the course of his life and I think he has a good handle on his own strengths.

However loss also highlights what we have and perhaps have taken for granted. Yes, my uncle has had a difficult life but he has also had a tremendously rewarding one. I don't think there really is much that my uncle wishes for or envies in others. Yes, his siblings may have more money and professional success, but I am confident that Carl would not trade his wife and family for that money any day of the week. And I secretly suspect that if he did in fact have more money that it would be spent in large part on his loved ones.

And he is greatly loved by a great many people. Not just by his immediate and extended family but by the many people whose lives he has touched. I know there are prayers on his behalf winging from coast to coast. I don't think he'd trade that love and the respect that accompanies it for all the professional success his siblings have enjoyed.

We can grieve with him for the loss of his hand, but we can't pity him when we look at the many gifts that God has given him.

What is more, when you step back and take a look at the man he is then you do not even notice the missing hand. He is so much more than the simple sum of his parts and in the end it is the size of his heart that one notices most.

It is important to note that it was his right hand that was preserved -- the very hand he has extended so many times to others to offer love, friendship, and help.

Deanna Mascle is an inspirational freelance writer. You can find more inspiration at Inspiration by Dawggone and her inspirational ezines Words of Inspiration Online and Daily Quote Online.

Having Faith In God’s Word And His Healing Power

By: Ynewbyb

"WHAT EVER YOU DO IN LIFE LET GOD DIRECT YOUR PATH, FUTURE AND YOUR DESTINY."

The Word of God cannot work without Faith. You cannot understand without Faith. Speak the word of Healing and you will be healed. Faith is certain of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. God’s word is living and active. It penetrates to driving our Body, Mind and Soul.

Praise the Lord in the mist of the Problem.

Ask God for his Help.

Listen to the Lord.

Pray for deliverance.

Always think Positive.

Raising the bar is getting closer to God.

Every Season in your Life has a Purpose.

Our Lives are determined by the Season’s.

Go from Pain to Power.

God cannot Heal a thing by saying it is not there.

You must admit your Present Condition.

Your true Beauty is in your Inner Self.

Life and Death are in the Power of the Tongue.

Your Mind plays an important role in your Victory.

Nothing is to Hard for God.

Life is Lived from the Inside Out.

All we have is Today

The Future is the Past that has not happen Yet.

God is in Control of History he Work out everything for his Purpose.

God never brings you Out without bringing you Into.

"WHAT EVER YOU DO IN LIFE LET GOD DIRECT YOUR PATH, FUTURE AND YOUR DESTINY."

About Author: Retired Verzion Telephone Company employee. I am a entrepreneur at heart and Network Marketer. A new web site owner of www.MyHealingPrayer.com This website is about cancer and how Prayer Heals. Trusting God in all things that he will work it out. This is a exciting new site with lots of cancer information and products and shopping. Stop bye and visit with us soon. !!! Our E-mail myhpwork@aol.com

In Search of Self

By: BonnieM

The human self is a temple of the Divine.

Life goes on. You can choose to let life flow or get stuck and just keep spinning your wheels. Each day offers a chance to look at the brighterside of life and enjoy it. Each day is a chance to be connected with your divinity. Each day heralds a new beginning. You have to be part of it.

The world never stands still. Time comes when battles that were once critical no longer top the list of priorities. That is if you learn to reconcile yourself with the past, sort out the precious lessons and move on.

Take control of your life, validate yourself, honor and respect your being and most of all, love yourself. This is not about being aggressive, domineering and always in control and confrontational. It is not about becoming self-absorbed.

Far from it. It is about offering a more compatible YOU in a relationship. There are inevitable bumps in any relationship, unavoidable falls and pitfalls.No problem lasts forever. There has to be a way to adjust your sails and enjoy the breeze, not get lost in the storm.

Take stock of your life. What are your illusions?What is your reality? How do you deal with failure, with disappointments and the other elements thatfuel stress? Are you just coping, mostly in a crisis management mode? What can you do?

Sometimes, one's world, one's hopes and dreams come crashing with a big bang, a major shaking up of life. This is a chance to take a great leap of faith, to grow and strengthen your self-trust that is eroding. Move on without fear. Fear can be paralyzing. Move on instead with self-confidence. Have faith in yourself. Faith is enduring.

Grab the chance to harness the power from the river of knowledge already flowing through your being, to take that first step to get up and move on to the next phase. Time to let go and really let go. Hanging on to personal loss builds up powerful negative blocks; these fuel anger, grief, bitterness, vindictiveness, distrust, confrontation, erodes self-confidence- all negative but very powerful energies. Over time, accumulation of these take its toll on your health.

Why allow a negative influence to knock on the door? Hurtful issues tend to get remote and forgotten.over time.Why dwell on these, the negative energy gets very powerful and takes on a life of its own. What purpose does it serve? NOTHING.

Take peace over misery any day, any time. In a world of turmoil, deception, hypocrisy and insensitivity, not to mention fighting with inner demons, peace can be elusive. Believe in the power of love and peace. Loving yourself
first enhances your capability to share that love with others.

Strengthen your personal power. Nurture your spirit,let it bring forth deep insight, thus, perspective. Search deep within, bring out the glitter from within your soul, let it radiate joy and peace. Help make this a better world.

END

About the writer: Bonnie Moss writes about spirituality and other inspirational topics. Visit her website , a metaphysical site that offers information on tarot, crystals, aura, angels, charms and spells and related topics. goldencupcafe.tripod.com

How Do You Deal With Adversity

By: Deanna Mascle

"We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival."
~ Winston Churchill

I remember reading some time ago about a study of longevity in humans. There has been a large body of scientific research into the reasons why some people are long-lived but of course while various diets, health regimes, and regional or ethnic differences are often linked to living long it is a very difficult cause and effect relationship to determine because there are so many other variables involved. However the study I remember didn't spend as much time on health and diet as many others. The researchers spent time observing and interviewing a number of people who are living long lives to determine what common factors these very diverse people shared.

Do you know what the single largest factor they all shared -- the trait that the researchers determined played the largest role in their long lives? It wasn't a specific food or faith or daily activity. It was simply the way these folks dealt with adversity.

The ways that these folks dealt with adversity did vary. Some had great religious faith, others had an unquenchable zest for life, and others had a great determination that they could and would overcome and difficulty.

If you think about it then this does seem to make sense. After all, the longer you live then the more adversity you must overcome. Human life is fraught with adversity -- both physical and emotional -- although each person's experience varies greatly. In order to survive adversity, to overcome loss and difficulty, and to succeed in life a person must have inner resources to draw from.

As Oliver Wendell Holmes says: "If I had a formula for bypassing trouble, I would not pass it round. Trouble creates a capacity to handle it. I don't embrace trouble; that's as bad as treating it as an enemy. But I do say meet it as a friend, for you'll see a lot of it and had better be on speaking terms with it."

Most of us have seen the evidence of this even if we have never formulated a scientific theory about it. We have seen the cancer patient diagnosed and then does not even live out the time doctors predicted. We have seen the heart patient diagnosed who far outlives expectations -- by months and then years. What makes the difference between these two groups of people? I believe it has to be a will to live, some inner resource, that one group possesses and the other does not.

A few weeks ago my Uncle Carl's left hand was amputated after being injured in an accident with a log splitter. It was devastating to those who love him and certainly no one would have blamed him for becoming depressed and grieving.

But Carl hasn't chosen that path. Instead he is focused on what he can do, not on what he can't. And if he discovers something that he can't do one-handed then he puts his considerable problem-solving abilities to work on a solution. He isn't simply reacting to a tragic accident but proactively seeking solutions.

He is not a saint. He complains about the pain and discomfort of the healing process and is sometimes frustrated by the trial-and-error process of his problem-solving, but he is not wasting time feeling sorry for himself. He knows he has been given many gifts and those gifts include the ability to solve problems and overcome adversity.

I can only hope when my time comes to face adversity that I can meet it with as much energy, determination, and confidence.

You can enjoy more inspirational articles by Deanna Mascle at adviceforlife.net, bestinspirationonline.com, and daily-quote.net.

Take Back Your Personal Power, Stop Being Blamed and Start Creating An Incredible Life!

By: Lisa Whatley

Have you ever had a person in your life who literally thrived on playing the blame game? You know the ones that are constantly belly aching that it’s your fault? Then you actually believe them, so you play the game of fixing all of their problems! You become the rescuer? I did! I didn’t realize it at the time of course because that is a life lesson that I was working on mastering and boy did we play a good game together! We danced in victim consciousness together creating disaster after disaster for ten years! He created, I rescued! He created, I rescued! Then one day he got himself in another situation (and of course this was all my fault!) I was so sick and tired of continually putting forth all my energy into fixing his problems that I threw in the towel. I quit. That’s the day the light bulb came on! I realized that I was not allowing him to take responsibility for his own life. I was doing him the worst service possible. I was dis-empowering him! I was taking his power away by fixing all his problems not to mention dis-empowering myself! That’s the day I gladly, and I mean gladly, handed him his life back on a gold lined platter! Ahh to peace once again!

Blamers are people that refuse to take any kind of responsibility for their own lives. When things go wrong in their life they tend to blame other people. Whether something goes wrong at home, work or school they try to find someone else to blame. I have found they tend to blame those that love them the most. Why? Because these will be the first people to ‘fix’ their problems and become their rescuers. Blamers will rarely admit to their own problems. Typically the statements you will hear from them are “It wasn’t my fault.” “How was I suppose to know?” “It’s your fault.” etc. Their dialogue usually goes something like this. “If only you had done something differently, then I wouldn’t be in the predicament that I’m in. It’s your fault.”

By blaming other people for the problems in their life, they become powerless to change anything. Their thoughts hold them in victim consciousness. They believe and hold thoughts of:

• I cannot change my life.
• I am a victim of circumstance.
• I am a victim of my past.
• Life is hard.
• There is always more work to be done.
• Plus numerous other ones.

In order to move past this, they must begin to think differently. They must change themselves. We all know by now, that we can’t change anyone but ourself, right? We can’t change the blamer, we can only work on changing ourself and our reaction to the blamer. I learnt that I needed to stop being the rescuer! We know it’s not our fault, so no more fixing it! How far are you willing to sacrifice yourself for someone else’s problem? That’s a tough question, but how low will you go? Take a tough love stance and let them take responsibility for their own life. They created it. They need to learn whatever it is that they have created so let them experience it themselves! If this is a spouse or child, it’s even harder because nine times out of ten, the problem effects your marriage and your family. I’m certainly not saying this is going to be a walk in the park! It isn’t easy but you have to stand your ground the second they present their next problem to you. Ask them what ‘they’ are going to do about ‘their’ problem. A temper tantrum will likely ensue, leave the room if you have to and don’t send negative energy back into the cycle! Come back to it after they have completed their dramatic hissy fit. This is an excellent opportunity for you to learn the limits on your boundaries and also stretch your compassionate detachment muscles! All very empowering tasks and ones that will bring empowerment knocking on your door.

Knowing beforehand that this is a repetitive cycle where both people are getting their desired energy fix, will make it easier to remain de-attached to the blamers problem. Why? Because now you as the rescuer will be taking responsibility for your part in the game! The blamers gets satisfaction for not taking responsibility for their life along with the boost of power and control they feel they have over you when you do fix their problem. The rescuer gets satisfaction for being the hero and solving the problem.

If you are at the point now in your life of rolling your eyeballs in disgust because here comes another problem to be fixed, then you are well aware that it is time to change things! Where do you start? Yourself. You can use positive affirmations. Write them down on some index cards and carry them with you, put them beside your night stand, hang them above the kitchen sink, on the mirror in the bathroom and even stick them in your visor of your car! You can also change your thought pattern by replacing a negative thought with a positive one whenever they creep in. Once you become aware of your thoughts you will be amazed at how much negativity is hanging around up there having a pity party! Another method is going into a slight meditative state and re-programming your mind with positive beliefs and positive thoughts. Visualization is also very effective. You can visualize yourself with the desired outcome of resolving the issue at hand. Not fixing the person’s problem, but resolving the issue between yourself and the blamer. Hard feelings, how you will handle it, how you see them re-acting to you, etc.

Throughout our history, there have been many great, wise people from all walks of life that carry the same basic understanding: what we believe we will somehow create. This is so much more powerful and truthful than once thought! We truly are the creators of our life! The continual thoughts flowing through our minds is the projection of our soon to be reality! Regardless if the thoughts are positive or negative, what you think, you will create! James Allen once said, “The outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to reflect their inner beliefs.” Maitri Upanishad says that everything that happens in our own world is a reflection of how we think. “One’s own thought is one’s world. What a person thinks is what he becomes.” We are powerful beings, waking up to the true potential of who we really are. Be aware of what thoughts you allow to stay in mind. Your future is being created by you and only you!

I remember reading a study a while ago. In this particular experiment, they had ten ‘average’ people dress the same and line up in front of a panel of convicted robbers. Five of these ‘average’ people had low self-esteem, had fears of being attacked by someone and no self-confidence. The other five ‘average’ people had high self-esteem, didn’t carry any thoughts of being attacked and were very confident. The panel of criminals knew none of this information. They were asked to pick three people they would choose to be their next victim by appearance only. Each criminal picked three out of the five low self-esteem category! Why am I telling you this? Your thoughts are energy. What you think is sent out. For these particular people, their thoughts are projecting I am a victim. The criminal picks up the signal and targets that person. Even though these thoughts were fearful and not something they wanted to happen, it happened because they were thinking it. They created it. Powerful! This is what I would classify as a fatal attraction! These attractions occur daily through this hidden language of energy/thought. Granted it goes both ways, negative creation and positive creation. We interact through our energetic body, the invisible field surrounding our physical body. Our thoughts make up a part of this energetic body.

If you have the desire to change your life, regardless of what condition you want to change, change your thoughts and your belief system. Thoughts and beliefs that we have about ourselves and the world alter our perception, our hope, our energy, our health, our mood, our actions, our relationships, our entire life! Thoughts are extremely powerful and creative. The example above was a negative one, now imagine how powerful you can be if you change your thoughts to positive ones. Attracting wealth, great health, vitality, love, positive relationships, the list is endless! It is yours to create as you are the creator, so start creating joy and the perfect life you have always wanted today!

What kind of thoughts are you allowing to create your life?

If you have any questions regarding this article or need some help via coaching/counseling please feel free to email me at lisa@infinitylighthealing.com

Lisa Whatley is an Indigo/Crystal Adult, single mother of four Indigo/Crystal Children, an Entrepreneur, Writer, an Energy Facilitator and Spiritual Coach. She has helped many people change their lives with the services she provides. She resides with her four children in Northern Ontario Canada. She can be reached through her personal website www.InfinityLightHealing.com Special Request: © Copyright 2004-5 Lisa Whatley www.InfinityLightHealing.com You may share this information in it’s entirety with others freely, provided that this notice is included. You are free to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work under the following conditions: You must give the author credit, you may not use this for commercial purposes, and you may not alter, transform or build upon this work. For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the license terms of this work. Any of these conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder.

Improve Self Confidence By Being More Care Free

By: Stephen Hilll

Many people in life feel that they have a lack of confidence or that they have a low self esteem. In this article, I give free tips on how to imporove your self-confidence and how to increase your self-esteem. I myself have managed to change my whole life by using the information below which I am going to share with you. I hope it also proves beneficial for you.

I am Stephen Hill from Birmingham in England. I was always somebody who had many confidence issues as I grew up, from a child, through to adulthood. I would feel very sorry for myself and would often be down and depressed. The issues that I had in my life were:

A bald patch the size of a ten pence piece on my head

A problem with my speech known as a stutter

A weight problem, I was quite fat for my height

I am quite short for a male at five-foot-four

Certain people would take the mickey out of me, and their comments would hurt. I would always make sure they did not see my anger but inside I was crying.

These people were making my life a misery and by the age of twenty-two I had had enough. I decided I needed a big change in attitude and started to read books about life and about positive thinking etc.

These were the things I had to take on board:

It is not important what other people think of you, it is what you think that counts

You need to start to like yourself

There are various things about your person, you do not like but which you can not change. You therefore have to start accepting these things and realising that maybe there are other people in life who are more unfortunate than you.

You need to have respect for yourself

Do not accept second best in life

Be happy

Learn to relax

Treat yourself to some pleasures. Like a regular massage or reflexology

The above tips helped me to become more positive and happier in life.

Stephen Hill has a number of websites including: stuttering treatment botox treatment bipolar information

Appreciate Yourself And What You Have

By: Ken McIsaac

A better life has been achieved when we are no longer trying to achieve a better life. It means that we are content, as we should be, with ourselves and what we have. To be anxious for more or to envy someone else's life or possessions is self-defeating. We are then in a constant state of frustration, always hoping and waiting for more happiness.

So what is important? Enough, not more.

"Think of what you have rather than of what you lack. Of the things you have, select the best and then reflect how eagerly you would have sought them if you did not have them." - Marcus Aurelius (121-180)

There is, here and now, much to appreciate. There is life itself with friends, family, and everything that is naturally before us. We just have to look around and take it in. Perhaps it is time to make a list of all the good things we have to grateful for.

Are there people in your life that you would miss dearly if they were not here? When you go for a walk don't you see, hear, and smell, many things to appreciate and feel nice about? Like the flowers, trees, birds, and the clouds in the sky. A caterpillar crossing the sidewalk or your neighbor waving. A cute pup or child enthusiastically enjoying that moment in life.

"Whether in favor or in humiliation, be not dismayed. Let your eyes leisurely look at the flowers blooming and falling in your courtyard. Whether you leave or retain your position, take no care. Let your mind wander with the clouds folding and unfolding beyond the horizon." - Hung Tzu-ch'eng (1593-1665)

It just makes good sense to be satisfied and at peace with yourself and others, and to enjoy life now.

© Read Ken McIsaac's 32 KEYS About Life at www.32keys.com or his articles on marketing and consumerism at www.axiom.ws/unethical/

“How Great is the Strength of Your Belief?

By: Martha Lanier

Be careful what you believe because that is what you will experience. Your belief system is a mechanism which is uniquely yours. It is powered by your desire and controlled by your thoughts and actions. In other words, your success is measured by the strength of your belief.

What is it that you desire? Often people do not have a clue what it is they want, they just know what they do not want. Now is a good time to evaluate your goals and determine the end result you want to achieve. Put your goals in writing and place them where you can see them throughout the day. Read them frequently to keep them fresh on your mind.

• Be inquisitive. Research and learn as much as you can on how you can achieve your goal. Use all possible resources such as books, CDs, courses and people. Yes, people. Talk to as many people as possible who are already successful in what you want to achieve. Ask, ask and ask some more about what they did to reach success. Do not limit your contacts to only the people you already know. Introduce yourself by phone or mail, explain your purpose for contacting them and ask for a tip. The worst thing that can happen is that they ignore you. The best thing that can happen is that they become your mentor and offer support and encouragement. Chances are you will receive at least one great tip from many of the people you contact. This method is the least expensive and most rewarding.

• Be unique. Next, take the ideas you learn, embellish them and come up with your own creative process. Think of how you can approach your goal in a way that no one else has. Dare to be different. Don’t be afraid to take risks. What do you have to loose? Write out a list showing the worst things that could happen and then list all of the best possible outcomes. Always maintain your concentration on your desired result.

• Be better than your competition. When you were a child and saw your older siblings or friends riding a bike (without training wheels), you didn’t look at their scraped knees and elbows and say, “Whoa, I could get hurt doing that.” Instead, you begged to try it for yourself. With a great deal of practice and often pain, you gradually learned how to maintain your balance. Before long you were trying to “out do” your friends with your speed or fancy tricks. When you fell, you would get back on and try again with even greater determination. From your very first effort, you believed in your mind that if you got back on, you would eventually learn to ride. I bet you even knew in your mind you would be the best in the neighborhood, in your school, in the state, in the world!

• Be positive. If you see obstacles before you, then you will also only see problems. If you have hesitations that you plan will not work, then it will not work. If you are influenced by the power of negative people, then you will never be any better than they are. Believe in yourself and what you are capable of achieving.

When your desire to succeed is stronger than the pain, fear or frustration of failing, there is no turning back. I challenge you to view your goals just like you did when you were a child before you learned about self doubt and negative criticism. Remember, anything is possible as long as you believe. Make a commitment that you will not let anything or anyone, including yourself stand in your way of reaching your goals.

Martha Lanier, President of Ignite Your Potential, Inc. is a professional speaker, author and coach. She presents programs on risk-taking, empowerment, leadership and personal achievement. She can be contacted at 770-886-6033 (Atlanta, GA), toll free at 886-IgniteU (866-446-4838-0020), email martha@marthalanier.com or visit www.marthalanier.com Copyright 2005 Ignite Your Potential, Inc. All rights reserved. Duplication in whole or in part must include this entire attribution.