One Hard Core CURE – a Must Read Story

By Johnny Delirious –

Listen to Johnny Delirious on The Self Improvement Show at noon PST today.

They took the core sample out and immediately sent it to the laboratory for further testing with a more detailed examination. This was not a geological survey looking for evidence of crude oil in the region or an ice core sample to study the atmospheric content changes over hundreds of years, this core sample was from my liver!

My name is Johnny Delirious and I authorized the Doctor who was head of gastroenterology at the University Hospital to perform my liver biopsy. My reasoning: “a closer look was in order.” When the laboratory submitted their findings, the reality of my liver condition was 96% scar tissue. That meant that my body was operating and surviving on only 4% liver tissue. No wonder I was tired all the time and I did not have an appetite. A yellow death camp prisoner vision was all I was.

The doctor, her assistant and I reviewed the lab report together and the assistant told me I would be lucky to be alive in 8 months. The Doctor said she did not know how I am surviving right now with only 4% liver function. They both said I had 8 months to live and that I better get on the liver transplant list right away. They recommended interferon and some other drugs; what they referred to as “the cocktail”. The cost was astronomical! I had no insurance.

For me their recommendations were equally as grim as the prognosis itself. I asked them to please give me the research material that supported the “drug cocktail” and the liver transplant. They looked at each other and sort of hesitated; then I said, “Well this is the University Medical Center, right”, they said, “yes”, well I want to read all the research you can provide about these two courses of action.” I believe they were stunned that I would question their recommendations; however I was polite but firm and determined to read up on anything that supports this particular treatment therapy.

A week or so later, after I went to several other doctors seeking different opinions but they all gave me the same conclusions, I came back by to pick up some stacks of copied material with flyers all about Hepatitis C, liver transplants and interferon combination drug cocktails. I read everything; dove in and studied the reference material with the vigor of a wild hungry dog finally getting his long awaited meal. The doctor told me to return in a week so we could get started.

What I found in the research was not very encouraging. The cost of drug therapy treatment was outrageously high and it could last up to 6 to 10 months and the side effects are “likened to the flu on the better days.” Wow, what is it like on the not so good days? This was my big question about the drug therapy. Shoot, I already felt bad and I certainly did not want to feel worst. The liver transplant information and statistics were even more grim; at best most liver transplant recipients only lived four or five years, if their body does not reject the new organ. There were a few cases that lived 6 or more years, but none made it passed 7 years. There is also a regiment of several anti-rejection drugs and regular clinical monitoring during this period. Gosh, all that plus the three drug cocktail combination on the best days I would feel like I had the flu? I do not have to say what you already know; the cost of this treatment and transplant is way out of sight; more than a $500,000. After reading all of this I felt that it was the wrong way to go. Check that, I thought it was totally ridiculous and jokingly I thought “I would be better off going to see Dr. Mingela”.

When I returned to the Gastroenterology Center or the GE as they called it, I met with the treatment team; that was my doctor, her assistant and an intern. As soon as I walked in they started talking right away telling me things like: “Well you have the most common blood type O+, and so the wait for a liver with that blood type is much longer it could be about 10 or 12 months since there are so many recipients like you. Of course you will need to meet with our donor planning committee in order to get the paper work going to get approval, but we can get you on the drug therapy right away…” I said wo wo wait a minute, I do not want to do this.” They were stunned and speechless; it was like I zapped them with a ray gun from Dr. Who!

Then my doctor snapped back and said, “so what are you going to do? You are not thinking right – you are delirious!” I said to them, “I really think I will be better off usingherbs.” My Doctor got red in the face angry. “You are going to die if you do not get this treatment.” And then I said, “I know cancer survivors that used herbal cleanses and they are healthy today. I do have a choice don’t I? I do not want to do the liver transplant or drug therapy.” She said “we are working so hard to help you, etc. etc..and you are so sick you can’t make these kinds of decisions.” I kept thinking how she was not giving me a choice and started singing when Johnny comes marching home again, ha rah, ha rah and repeated that I was not going to do any of their treatments and as I walked out the door, she said “alright Johnny Delirious, you are going to die.”

For me, there were several fundamental hard core principles at stake here. One, is you should always have choices when making life and death decisions about yourself. Two, and probably more importantly is, I am God’s child, just like you and I am going to fight to survive and I should always be able to follow his lead in my choices. As God’s child, I do not see myself as an automobile where you take out the carburetor and put in a new one. If I chose the liver transplant that would certainly guarantee my mortality less than 6 years. But why would I do that if they gave me only 8 months to live and it takes 10 to 12 months before I get another liver? While I am waiting, the drug therapy on good days would make me feel like the flu; bad days are worse. I felt like with their treatment, I would start dying as soon as I started it because I would feel rotten from the 1st day on through the whole time and things would get only worse. I made a hard core decision; I did not want to be another medical statistic and later the treatment team would be talking about cases like mine….“yea, actually Johnny did good, he lived a little over 5 years before he died;”

NO THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

A little background on me, my father was a medical doctor who graduated from Tulane where he taught Pharmacology at that University Medical School before he started his practice where I grew up near Pensacola, Florida. I knew a little bit about the profession and I respect it. I also know of some people who did the drug cocktail and are doing better. But I do not know of anyone who got a liver transplant and lived more than 6 years and I do not know anyone to truly verify they are virus free after a decade. So we all have our choices to make, however, I felt like I no longer had a choice with the doctor who gave me the liver biopsy. My family and friends ridiculed me for just walking away. Today, I am so glad I did.

My book tells about my journey through the Natural Health World of healing. I don’t mention any of the hype, treatments and potions that did not work. God knows I tried many things, I focus on what I did that does work. In my book, Hepatitis C, CURED you will read about my Hepatitis Support Group and how the ones that made up their minds to get well did; and many of them used only one or two of the numerous treatments that I applied to get my healing accomplished. Interestingly enough, the ones that healed did not use the same therapies. Individually they chose the therapies they were comfortable using. You see, when you are fighting for your life and you make up your mind to get well, you choose the treatment that feels right to you by your understanding and you will succeed with your own Hard Core Cure, just like I did. For over 17 years I have had no viral load or antibodies of any type of Hepatitis A, B and C. All I want to do with my book is to give you hope, some information of the right natural healing modalities out there that work and remind you that YOU are just like me; you should always have choices, you are one of God’s children and you should fight for your life. Take it from me, Johnny Delirious, “natural recovery from Hepatitis C is a choice not a myth.

For more information go to: www.johnnydelirious.com

In my high school, class of 1971, I contracted Hepatitis A and B. In 1981, I contracted Hepatitis C. In 1991, the Doctors gave me 8 months to live and said my only hope to survive was to get a liver transplant and interferon drug therapy. I did not have health insurance and could not afford the conventional treatment, so I had to heal myself with natural therapies that did not harm my body and were more affordable. In short, for several years, my body became the test site for alternative products and natural therapies of every imaginable variety in order for me to find what worked to promote liver wellness. The experiment yielded positive results. For over 17 years, I have no viral load of Hepatitis A, B and C with no antibodies or markers. My liver enzymes are also normal. In fact, my immunity response got so strong that even warts and moles have fallen off my body. The best news is, that I still have my own liver and today medical experts say, I have the liver of “a twenty year old.”  I am a vibrant 56 year old man. My book, Hepatitis C, CURED, gives the step by step blueprint of the recovery protocol that facilitated my healing and it is published in 5 different languages. Russian translations of the book are available by electronic download. My goal is to help the people of the world achieve good liver health and not be the prey of the Hepatitis Dragon.

www.johnnydelirious.com

View the original article here

Is 2011 Going to be “The Year of Spam”?

By Irene Conlan -

This morning I had 217 copies of the same message in my email each one from a different ID and IP.  The message read:

“Hello. I remember i had seen this site before…This guy made a exact copy of your site. Or possible this is also your site?”

It’s bad enough to have my blog flooded with spam but to have the same illiterate message repeated 217 times is really annoying.  I understand trying to get a message out under the spam radar. Trust me. I get it. If it’s possible to get my message out to a  massive list of people and even a small percent buy what I’m selling, I can make big profits. If I can get my link on millions of websites, I’m way ahead. I think that’s the idea. Right?

It comes from software designed to to send massive email without being designated as spam and, therefore, blocked. I don’t have a problem with this for legitimate business use. In fact, I have received a few unsolicited mailings that brought information or an opportunity to me that I needed. I DO have a problem with the mailings that target blog comments – mine and yours – and fill my blog with porno, illiteracy, gibberish and languages I don’t recognize. It makes it almost impossible to sort out the real comments that should be posted with the article it responds to and if it exceeds the allowed bandwidth and disk space it could potentially crash the blog.

If I am getting all this, others must be getting it as well. The volume seems to be growing exponentially on my blog and I imagine everyone who is getting hit is getting hit harder as the weeks pass.

Does anyone have a solution?  This isn’t normal spam so how do we stop it?

I am absolutely opposed to regulation of the Internet. It is one of the last bastions of free speech in the world today and, in my opinion, is critical  if freedom is to be sustained. However spam and cyber-stalkers will seriously put this freedom in jeopardy.  While I do have a cyber-stalker, it is the spam that is causing me the most concern right now.

It’s the same old deal. Just like the school bully ruins everyone’s day, the spammers are doing a good job of ruining the freedom we have experienced on the Internet. It is called selfishness and greed. There have always been those who will hurt anyone who gets in their way or use other people’s stuff as there own. They use the Internet, too.

If you have a solution, let me know.

View the original article here

5 Survival Tactics for When Everything Goes Wrong

By Sandra Martini -

You know the type of week.

* You’ve worked hard and are gearing up to launch a new product when a vendor calls and says that he can’t get the new website up on deadline which is “okay” because the graphic artist’s computer crashed and your product picture isn’t ready anyway. They’ll get back to you.

* Taxes are due for those who got and, in some previous insanity, you agreed to do them for friends and family. But you still need information and the tax deadline looms.

* Your hubby needs reading glasses but you can’t find the credit card which will give you the big discount. It’s gotta be around somewhere.

* Your sister wants to borrow your AAA card – it must be with the missing credit card.

* Your business phone line stops working and the telephone company insists the problem is in the home and they can’t get to you for a week.

* It hasn’t rained for weeks and yet the dog is covered in mud and lying on the couch.

* Your largest client calls on a Friday afternoon and requests the impossible. This was preceded by your smallest client calling and demanding that you drop everything as her every need is *urgent*.

* The bathroom toilet stops working and then starts leaking and your plumber is on vacation.

What do you do when it all goes wrong?

1. Laugh.

Laugh hard and laugh often. Laugh like there’s no tomorrow – given the above, there may not be. Seriously though. . .laughter will put you in a much better frame of mind to deal with life’s interruptions without losing your sanity.

2. Breathe.

If laughter isn’t possible, and sometimes it just isn’t, then focus on your breathing. Breathe in and out, in and out as deeply as possible until your pulse stops racing or you let go of the throat that somehow found its way into your grasp.

3. Regroup.

When the walls are caving in around you, take five minutes and figure out what you can do to keep at least one thing moving forward. Follow-up on the email that may land you a new client. Submit your article to the various article submission sites. Pay a couple of bills. Do one thing, anything so that you can cross something off your *list*. It’s probably best if this something doesn’t involve interaction with others!

4. Give thanks.

“What? Give thanks? Are you insane?” I can hear the grumbling from here. Do it anyway! Grab a piece of paper and make a list of everything that you are thankful for – chances are, you have it better than millions of others.

Here’s a quick list of things that I know I’m grateful for: my health, family and friends, my pets, my business and my clients, sunrises and sunsets, flowers, chocolate ice cream, the sound of the ocean and a crisp New England fall day.

5. Get out.

Get out of the house and out of the office. Whether you choose to go for a walk, have lunch with friends, go window shopping (leave credit cards at home) or browse the shelves at your local library, get out and enjoy yourself for a bit. You’ll return in a much refreshed frame of mind and ready to tackle whatever life throws your way.

Let’s be real. Sometimes problems are just problems and not “opportunities”. Sometimes lemons make bad lemonade. And not all clouds have a silver lining. When everything goes wrong, try one (or all) of the above techniques, accept it and move on knowing that things will get better!

Online Business Manager & Entrepreneur, Sandra Martini coaches small business owners to more efficiently manage their businesses while increasing profits and having fun. Sandra’s coaching programs are available via teleconferencing, emails and telephone calls. For more information or to sign-up for ‘Effective Entrepreneur’, visit http://www.online-biz-coach.com today. Want to grow your business? Sign up for the FREE e-course “How to Write a Dynamic Marketing Plan” by sending a blank email to smartini-187175@autocontactor.com today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sandra_Martini
http://EzineArticles.com/?5-Survival-Tactics-for-When-Everything-Goes-Wrong&id=330714

View the original article here

Inspirational Words: Make a Difference Helping Others

Share

“Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day.” Sally Koch

In a world where there is so much poverty, hunger, illness, and pain; it sometimes seems impossible to make a difference.  Have you ever felt that way? “I am just one person,” you may think, “How can I make a difference in the world?”

You may have given money to a homeless man, just to see him begging on the same corner the next day.  Maybe you’ve signed petitions to protect animals or reduced your carbon footprint to help the environment.  Still the problems remain.  Moreover, each time one problem improves, another one takes its place.  Have you really made a difference? Is it even worth trying to make a difference?

“In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us.” Flora Edwards

There’s so much to do—save the whales, feed the children, house the homeless, war on drugs, save the planet, end war, fight cancer. The desire to make a difference disintegrates into feelings of powerlessness as it crashes into the seemingly unconquerable brick wall of problems.  Today’s inspirational words are meant to remind you that YOU are an important part of the solution.

When you’re doing all you can and you don’t see significant change, it may feel like a total waste of time, energy, resources and emotions. But that is never the case.

Powerlessness is a figment of the imagination.  It is only as real as you allow it to be in your mind’s eye.  An attempt to help is never meaningless, never without value. Change and effort, even on the most miniscule scale, always outshine apathy.

No matter what, never give up on helping others.  Never allow the problems and the frustrations of the world to overshadow your desire to make a difference.

“Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light.”  Norman B. Rice

Even the smallest and outwardly weakest among us are capable of contributing to the betterment of our world.  You may not singlehandedly eradicate an issue altogether, yet you can make a difference.  You may not see the full extent of your impact in this lifetime, still you make a difference.  The difference you make may be small, still you make a difference.

Instead of focusing on failures to bring down the brick wall of problems, just focus on one brick.  Focus on doing whatever it is that you are capable of doing—and what you feel good about doing. Every effort, every helping hand, every prayer, every loving thought makes a difference to someone or something in some way.

Maybe you can’t bring about world peace, but you can be an example of peacefulness.  Maybe you can’t wipe out the problem of illiteracy in the inner cities, but you can teach a child (or even a few children) to read.  Maybe you can’t cure HIV, but your love and respect can help someone cope with the disease.

If you can’t save a village, change the life of one person within that village.  If you can’t change a person’s life, bring a better moment to his life.  Helping others on any scale is a wonderful gift to the world, but more importantly it is a wonderful gift to yourself.  Nothing compares to the feeling of making a difference.

“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” John Wooden

Don’t ever feel so discouraged by the plight of the world that you stop giving, loving, helping, doing your part.  Every problem is an opportunity to show your humanity, to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  Every problem helps us all to grow as a whole, as a family filled with love and compassion.  Maybe that is the larger reason behind the problems in the first place—to remind us that we are all one.  We are one with each other, one with every species, one with Mother Earth, one with the entire Universe.

My friends, I wish you the inspiration to do what you can do today.  On tomorrow, there will still be starving children, domestic violence, animal cruelty, global warming, poverty, drug addiction.  But if someone is always reaching out to help others, someone is always making a difference. That is exactly what the world needs—today, tomorrow, and throughout eternity.

Every cause isn’t for everyone; yet every cause is for someone.  Step up to the plate.  Stand up fearlessly and acknowledge that you have the power to make a difference in this world.

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.”  Albert Pike

Click here for Self Improvement Saga’s Inspirational Words archive

Please share this post to show your support: Tagged as: giving, help others, helping

View the original article here

Why Forgiveness and Love Trump Holding a Grudge

View the original article here

Blogging Mastery

Making Money by Blogging, the Encyclopedia for blogger beginners and experts alike! monetize blogs,pro blogger,making money by blogging,how to earn money blogging,blogging for money Affiliate: http://www.thebloggingmasters.com/affiliates.html

Check it out!

Realty Blogging Profits

Increase real estate sales by 200% or more. Dominate your market with this Full-featured Real Estate plugin for Wordpress blog. Get a leads generating real estate blog. A must have for all Realtors and Real Estate Agents.

Check it out!

3 Ways To Let Your Soul Guide You (listen to your gut!)

THE “ACCIDENT”

Theoretically, Halloween 2006 was the worst day of my life.

During a dressage lesson, my beloved horse tripped, fell down, panicked, jumped up and launched me into a wall all in a matter of seconds.  I hit the wall so hard that when I landed, my lungs collapsed.

As I floated outside of my body, I remember thinking, “Well this isn’t a bad way to go…”

And then the universe dumped a cold bucket of reality on me with the horrifying thought of my kids living alone with my still-alcoholic-ex-husband.

Thankfully, that’s all it took to yank me back into my pain-ridden body as my mind (and likely my mouth) screamed for morphine.

HINDSIGHT IS 20/20

I can remember as clear as day how I wanted to cancel my lesson that morning. I was too tired and KNEW I should skip it.  On top of that, traffic was horrendous, I almost ran out of gas AND I forgot my riding boots.

Looking back on all of this, had I listened to my intuition, or paid attention to “the signs” would I have broken my back? I don’t know.

But I can tell you this – breaking my back took my “bar” (the barn) away from me and I was forced to sit with myself – it wasn’t pretty and it certainly wasn’t easy.

Boredom, frustration, anger, and pain were taking turns shoveling a pile of pity on me as riding, exercising, working or traveling (my life preservers) could no longer be my distraction du jour due to the seriousness of my injury. It was a dark and depressing period in my life with no pain relief in sight; I can honestly say it was the first time I experienced “hopelessness”.

MAKING SPACE TO LISTEN TO MY GUT

I’m not a quitter – never have been, never will be.
But I have to say this accident tested me.  It put me in the fetal position on the field of life for longer than I’m proud of or care to even admit. Luckily, I had the help of some pretty amazing friends who guided me back to the solace of my soul again  with books to read, videos to watch, even asking me for help for their problems as a lure that the world still needed me to play.

So I did what I could. I read. I learned. I wrote. I planned.
And as soon as I could, I took action, charging down a path of personal development from one coast to the other, to India, to Fiji, to Europe and back again, only to find out what my heart had been trying to tell me the whole time…all I needed was always with me.
I just needed to make the space to listen.

REGRETS ARE THE LIES THE MIND TELLS US

Did it take a severe accident I still haven’t fully recovered from to get where I am now?  I don’t know. And I really don’t care because one of the things I have learned is “regrets are the lies the mind tells us.”

We will never know one way or the other which exact moment landed us in the one we live.  It’s all a hypothesis, mostly devised from a mind whose only knowledge comes from experiences of the past.

Here’s what I DO know. My ex went to rehab and got healthy. I met some incredible people, became friends and business partners with Tony Robbins, met my soul-mate on the internet, got married, had twins and started my own business.
And I look for clues from the universe every second of every day – and you can too just by doing these 3 things!

#1:  Become a human lie detector
Think of the biggest lie you could tell yourself.
For example “I hate my son.” (assuming that’s a lie!)
Sit with how that makes you feel.  Pay attention to where you feel the physical discomfort.  What does the mental anguish feel like?
Now, tell yourself something that you know is true and fills you with joy. “I love my son more than anything in this entire world.”  (assuming you do!)
How do you feel? Where do you feel it? Pay close attention to these ‘happy feelings.’
Next time you have to make a decision about something – pay attention to your body and compare it to this exercise as you find your answer.

#2:  Become a world-class biographer
This is so easy to do with all the technology available to you. Buy a cheap camera, take photos of your favorite meals, of things that moved you – even a book you just read.
Upload your photos to picassa (http://picasa.google.com) or to flickr (http://flickr.com).  A great iphone/ipad application you can download to do all this and more (including voice memos) is called Evernote (http://evernote/com).
Facebook is also a great platform to do “electronic” scrap-booking. You can even order a book that aggregates all your status updates, who “liked” them or what comments were made. (http://apps.facebook.com/my-egobook/)

If you aren’t a shutterbug, that’s okay – downloading an iphone/ipad app like the gratitude journal allows you to simply input one thing you’re grateful for each day, week, month or heck even minute!
You can also just grab an old fashioned journal and ask yourself what made me feel great today, what did not. Pay attention to coincidences that you experience each day by looking for them. Once you start to play a game with the universe to find “the signs” you will see them pop up everywhere.

#3:  Be a positive signal to attract the best life you can by being grateful
Stopping to experience your win, whether it be a present from a lover, a promotion at work, or just a quiet, happy moment with your child, means you are taking the time to say thank you and signaling you want more of this “good stuff.”
Stay in the moment – don’t think about the future. Don’t dwell on the negatives – real or imagined. Stay open to now. Just by asking “Why did I bring this moment to me?” you can more easily find the recipe for lemonade no matter how bruised the lemons look in your hands.
The most important thing to do is to pay attention to anything that comes your way. If it’s hard for you to decide if a thought popping into your head  is  more noise from the mind or your intuition, just sit with the thought – if it brings you joy or happiness, then do it. If there is any feeling of stress, guilt or worry, set it aside and move on. Either way, be happy with your choice you make.

Remember, your mind is not a bad guy, but it does love to keep busy! Swinging from concept to concept and stirring up drama and emotion simply to entertain itself. By monitoring your moods, you’ll have a better gauge for your internal state, allowing to dial yourself up or down, instead of being at the mercy of your monkey mind.

You don’t need to wait for the worst day of your life to learn what your soul is trying to teach you. Just open yourself to its message.

Are you letting your soul guide you? How did you first hear its call?

Lori Taylor is a direct marketing specialist who writes about Seizing The Minute at her site, One Click Society. Follow her on Twitter.

Get the confidence boost you deserve!

Download FREE ecourse from Pick The Brain “The 90 Day Confidence Booster”

? Daily Motivational Quote? Daily Inspirational Quote? Daily Confidence Booster? Power List of 50+ Life Changing Books

Plus a FREE bonus gift: “90 Of The Most Motivational Quotes You Will Ever Find”

You’ll also get Pick The Brain’s motivational weekly newsletter filled with positive thoughts, expert advice, helpful self-improvement articles & blog updates.

View the original article here

Beginners Blog Profits

Discover how any beginner can earn real money by simply blogging

Check it out!

Super Auto Blogger

Quickly create an army of monetized niche blogs without writing a word.

Check it out!

Max Blog Money 2010 Pro Blog Edition

Lowest price for this training! Includes over an hours worth of step-by-step video training teaching you how to correctly build, optimize, and make a profitable Wordpress blog. Perfect for beginner bloggers, tons of helpful bonuses inside. Tech. Support!

Check it out!

Inspirational Words: The Courage to Live Fearlessly

Share

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.”
–Ambrose Redmoon

It is my hope that today’s inspirational words will encourage you to live fearlessly.  But what exactly does that mean?

No matter who you are, fear will get in your way at some point during your life.  It doesn’t matter how strong, bold, powerful, smart or enlightened you are.  Fear is a reality that we just can’t escape. Fearless living isn’t about taking that fear away, leaving behind some superhuman immunity to fear.  It’s simply about having the courage to move through it.  When your life doesn’t reach a standstill in the face of things you can’t predict, explain, rationalize, or finance; you are indeed learning to live fearlessly.

Life is meant to be the grandest of adventures.  But how can you live it fully while busy running from all that you’re afraid of?  I’m not suggesting that you dash outside to jump off a building. That would be an act of stupidity rather than courage.  What I am suggesting is that you muster enough courage to push through fear when it stands in the way of living the life that you deserve.

Fear comes in many forms—fear of change, fear of pain, fear of success, fear of failure.  The list goes on and on.  However, it is important to remember that fear itself is not enough to hold you back.  It is your thoughts, actions, and inaction that give fear its power.  So, what can you do about it?

If you feel inspired to start your own business or change careers, to get married or become a parent, to advocate for a cause or to break free from a tradition; fear will show up.  However, you can choose to draw upon your inner strength for the courage to live your best life no matter what.

You can create a plan to make your dreams come true.  You can take steps in the direction of your desires.  None of this will immediately erase the fear, but little by little this takes away its power.  Before you know it, you will have survived something that you were almost too afraid to try.  That is what it means to live fearlessly.  And there is no better way to build more courage and more faith in your own abilities.

The next time you look at someone and think, “Wow…he is so brave,” I want you to remember something.  Remember that the bravest among us must still face fear.  Successful people are not successful because they have no fear.  They are successful in spite of their fear. Heroes are not heroes because they have no fear.  They are heroic because they take action in spite of their fear.

Instead of waiting to feel fearless so that you can start living fearlessly, move past the fear now.  Tell yourself you can do it, decide to do it, plan to do it, and then DO IT.

The seeds of courage are within you, but you must cultivate them if you want a mighty harvest of fearless living.

Photo by: knezeves

Please share this post to show your support: Tagged as: Courage, Fear, inspirational thoughts, inspirational words

View the original article here

The Successful Online Blogging Story

This 7,600+ word document has far more value than you'd expect from a $9.99 product. This also means a super low refund rate. Easy to sell with a pitch page that gets straight to the point as to what is contained within this product. 75% Commission.

Check it out!

3 Ways to Change Your Perspective

Photo credit: Vaida Petereikiene

You know what the real enemy to happiness is? It’s not sadness, or failure or fear… its complacency. It’s becoming so comfortable with just being comfortable that we stop trying to make things better. We stop even trying to make things different. We go on and on, satisfied with being good enough, and we don’t realize that nothing is really all that good until we wake up one day and find ourselves miserable. Sometime before we reach that point, there are chances, windows that can be thrown open to let in some fresh air and sunlight. Changing your life doesn’t always mean turning your entire world upside down, sometimes it’s just about getting a new perspective on yourself, or the world around you.

Change your body

We spend our entire lives in the same skin. Isn’t that amazing? The one thing you truly carry with you from birth to death is your body. And our bodies can be the ultimate frenemy. They are there for us, they enable us to live and yet all the while they can be a source of resentment and struggle. But they are also something we can alter.

Our bodies will change on their own over the years, but there are plenty of developments along the way we can control. If a change of perspective is in order, why not start with your own reflection? Weight issues are battle for many of us; whether it’s losing or gaining pounds we spend far too much time agonizing over some notion of physical perfection. Or hell, screw perfection, even just something we can be proud of. Any of us can make healthier food choices and exercise a little bit more if we really want to change our bodies in that regard. And sometimes, weight loss, or gain, can be exactly the thing we need to turn our lives in a new direction. But that’s obvious. What about some of the less conspicuous options?

Look in the mirror, anything you see you can change. If you need to reinvigorate your life, maybe a cosmetic change is the way to go. I’m not talking plastic surgery, I suppose it’s an option, but again it’s obvious, and risky. I mean more like, tattoos, piercings, hair color types of changes. We tend to think of these things as rites of passage for the young. But a change in hair color can be an exciting new venture for anyone. I don’t just mean covering the grays either; I’m talking about going blonde for the first time in your life. And if age equals wisdom, is there any better time in life than mid-life to get that tattoo you’ve always thought about? You probably know yourself a lot better now than you did in your 20’s, and have a better idea of what kind of image would have sustainable significance. A belly button piercing seems like something for an 18 year old but certainly not a mother of 2, but… why not? Who cares if no one will see it but you? Whether it’s a tattoo or a navel ring, you will know and the knowledge that you did something so crazy will make you smile and it may make you wonder what other things you can do that you’ve never considered?

Change your view

My mom used to suggest when I had trouble sleeping that maybe I just needed a change of scenery, and somehow moving to the couch would always help. I doubt it was the scenery, but sometimes when we spend too long looking at the same things; they lose their meaning. That’s why sometimes the best thing you can do to change your perspective is to literally change what is right in front of you.

The way you change your surroundings can be quiet or dramatic. It can be as simple as re-arranging your furniture or as huge as buying a summer home in Cancun. Feng Shui isn’t for everybody, but a book will only cost about $10-$15 and if putting my headboard against a wall is supposed to help me sleep better, it’s worth a Saturday afternoon to give it a shot. It may work, it may not, but it’s fun to imagine that my day to day life could be affected by the placement of my bed. Ok ancient Asian arts aside, re-painting a living room, buying a new carpet, hanging new decorations or getting a new slip cover for an old couch can all drastically affect how you see your living environment. Sometimes just those changes will re-awaken us to the things we love about just being at home.

If fixing up the house isn’t going to cut it, you may have to travel around the world to find your answer. Or maybe just across town. Because the answer isn’t anywhere else, it’s in you; you just may need to go somewhere else to figure it out. The fact is nothing changes your perspective like a trip. It could be a day trip or a two-week excursion to your dream destination. Getting up, and out of your rut can be as easy as getting on a Greyhound. If you are looking for a real life-changing experience though, there’s nothing quite like experiencing a new culture for the first time. If you feel like maybe you need to be reminded of exactly how fortunate you are, try visiting a poorer country to see how the rest of the world lives away from Starbucks and Best Buy. When you see the places where children beg to braid hair to have money for food, believe me, your perspective gets a little electro-shock therapy. Suddenly your dead-end job and mediocre family car don’t seem so disappointing.

Change your resume

Speaking of jobs, the way we make our living is a major part of our identity, so if you really want to shake things up, a career change may be the answer. Granted, it’s not feasible for everyone to switch occupations. The job market isn’t exactly brimming with opportunities right now, and sometimes we can’t afford the financial sacrifices, so we have to make the best of what we have. But that’s ok. You don’t need to change jobs to change your resume. There are plenty of things we can add aside from a new title, or place of employment.

Improving yourself is always an option, but how you choose to do that is entirely up to you. I see the continuing education brochures for my local community colleges and high schools all the time. I browse through them, think “Hmm, that looks like fun” then they get lost with the junk mail and forgotten. But what if, just once, it wasn’t? Why not try that jewelry making seminar or that cooking class? The options are so endless everyone can learn a new skill that may change how we define ourselves. Some are just fun, like ball room dancing or synchronized swimming, but others like a course in real estate or tax law can be put to practical use. If a visiting a physical classroom is out of the question, online education is available 24/7 pretty much everywhere. Whether it’s getting a GED or learning Italian, it’s only as far away as your home computer.

When all else fails, a new perspective on the world isn’t just in undeveloped nations, it’s in every community in every country in the world. You have a local soup kitchen or shelter somewhere near your hometown, even if you don’t know about it. Charities all seem to come out of the woodwork at the holidays, but philanthropy is going on all year, all around you. All you have to do is look for it. Nothing will make you appreciate your own life like seeing what others live without. It will make you re-evaluate your priorities, and it’s something that can be done as a family. It may seem cruel to expose children to the more unfortunate side of the world, but the truth is it can also breed, grateful, sensitive and generous kids, who will grow into empathetic, giving adults. If you really want to love your existence again, imagine having a different one that is filled with the kinds of hardship that hundreds of thousands of people face every single day.

The power to change your life lies in you. But making the leap into something entirely new can be terrifying. So don’t force yourself to dive head first into the void. Try working up to it, you may find that a few small changes are all you need to re-invigorate your happiness. Or you may decide that you need whole-life makeover. And sometimes, you may discover that everything you need for happiness, you’ve had all along.

Janet is a writer for New Look Houston a Texas laser tattoo removal clinic. She is a blogger and freelance writer who loves to travel and re-decorate, although she’s not very good at the latter.

Get the confidence boost you deserve!

Download FREE ecourse from Pick The Brain “The 90 Day Confidence Booster”

? Daily Motivational Quote? Daily Inspirational Quote? Daily Confidence Booster? Power List of 50+ Life Changing Books

Plus a FREE bonus gift: “90 Of The Most Motivational Quotes You Will Ever Find”

You’ll also get Pick The Brain’s motivational weekly newsletter filled with positive thoughts, expert advice, helpful self-improvement articles & blog updates.

View the original article here

Autos & Tuning

Modifiaciones Tuning Diseñe, Fabrique e Instale luces, utilzando Leds en las Bocinas de su Auto. También como Instalar luces Neon adicionales

Check it out!

In Defense Of Solvency: 4 Reasons You Need To Pursue Financial Solvency

Let’s face it; many people would love to be rich. Few people wouldn’t want to jet set around the world traveling, attend the most coveted premieres, drive their dream cars, lavish gifts upon their love ones, etc. However, there is limited value in even thinking about riches until you can become and stay financially solvent. Solvency isn’t about income. No matter whether you make $40,000 a year or $400,000 a year, you can still be broke. Solvency is simply your ability to meet your entire financial obligations with some money to spare. It is the degree to which your current assets exceed your current liabilities.

Solvency exists on a continuum. For example, some define their ability to meet obligations as being able to afford their credit cards, student loans, and car payments. Nonetheless, these people are generally a lot less solvent than someone who is debt-free, has a sizable emergency fund, is consistently investing, and can afford some fun. These two extremes differ profoundly but the financial vulnerability of the former scenario may only become evident during a time of financial adversity. While a great starting point, having just enough to pay ones bills today typically doesn’t provide enough of a buffer during financial crisis. As nearly 61% live from paycheck to paycheck, lack of solvency has placed many in a very risky position. If you haven’t structured your finances to decrease your economic exposure, your solvency may be very fleeting! It is imperative to build long-term financial solvency, so let’s discuss why.

No amount of experience, natural talent, or education can guarantee that you will have a job tomorrow. Thus, your only job security is your ability to get another job. It is critical to recognize the precarious position insolvent wage-earners are in. Any employee is constantly interviewing for his or her job: every single day! Use this as a motivator to make wise but sometimes painful financial decisions. It’s not about fairness, or even initial comfort, as much as it is doing what’s necessary to put your family in the best financial position. This may mean delaying or even foregoing some fun on occasion, especially while becoming solvent. For example, if the only way you can have such fun is by counting on money that you have yet to earn, then perhaps the purchases are beyond your budget at this point. Remember, future paychecks are not promised, and believing otherwise is typically evidence of denial.

Regardless of whether it is right or wrong, an uncomfortable reality is that money influences many of life’s decisions. It affects things such as whether we choose to work a job or start a business, where we live, how much we invest, and sometimes even who we marry. Additionally, the one thing that we can count on in life is change. I recall a situation where a seemingly insignificant clerical error caused six consecutive paychecks to be missed over a three month period. Being solvent in that situation made the difference between going into debt and thriving. Also, while I was paying off my debts years ago, my neighborhood HOA decided that it was time to replace the roofs. Although I had no problems with my property, we all had to fork over a sizable chunk of money unexpectedly. Although I was displeased, especially with the timing, I wrote the check and moved on.

Regardless of whether you want to have children, go back to school, or capitalize on unique business opportunities, you don’t necessarily have to derail your finances because of transient nature of life. Having long-term solvency decreases your financial risks because you have more resources available to you. Thus, when life happens, you’ll be ready.

The Rat Race refers to a pattern of behavior where we work for a living but barely make any progress financially. It’s actually a misnomer because even rats have more sense than to stay in this ridiculous model. There’s nothing wrong with having a job, but depending solely on a job for your financial provision is a very risky proposition (see Job Security Is an Illusion above). Do you long to break free from your golden (or copper) handcuffs? Then, consider that long–term solvency lays a necessary foundation to pursue independence. Financial solvency combined with consistent investing and/or running a profitable business places one in an enviable economic position where he is no longer dependant on earned income (from a single employer) for his financial provision. In short, solvency can be an invaluable foundation to your wealth plan. Embrace it!

Financial solvency can be a reflection of your sense of responsibility. True financial responsibility means you can afford to pay all of your bills in timely manner. I mention this not to place those who face hardship under condemnation. However, it is evident that some people never truly take ownership of their finances and how their decisions affect their finances. Some have incomes adequate to meet their financial obligations and invest for the future yet instead choose to spend it irresponsibly. Have you ever met someone who wears brand new tennis shoes but can not afford food or those who take vacations but cannot afford clothes and school supplies for their children? Unfortunately, financial education is often not taught, and sometimes we just prioritize badly. Nonetheless, there is real honor in financial solvency, as it indicates that maintaining your good name by respecting your commitments transcends all the other things that you could be spending your money on. Making strides towards achieving solvency reflects maturity that goes well-beyond the financial sphere.
Thus, the next time you dream a little about your financial future consider dreaming of being solvent. If you have a reasonable income and expenses, not only is solvency totally achievable, but you will likely become solvent before you become rich anyway.

Pursue solvency today, and you’ll be in a better position tomorrow

About the Author: I’m Roshawn Watson, and I write at Watson Inc on eliminating debt, investing money, and building wealth. Get my free eBook Your Foundation to Wealth by signing up for my email updates (no spam I promise). Get my RSS feed and connect with me on Twitter @roshawnwatson too.

Get the confidence boost you deserve!

Download FREE ecourse from Pick The Brain “The 90 Day Confidence Booster”

? Daily Motivational Quote? Daily Inspirational Quote? Daily Confidence Booster? Power List of 50+ Life Changing Books

Plus a FREE bonus gift: “90 Of The Most Motivational Quotes You Will Ever Find”

You’ll also get Pick The Brain’s motivational weekly newsletter filled with positive thoughts, expert advice, helpful self-improvement articles & blog updates.

View the original article here

My Not-So-Religious Approach to Appreciating the World’s Religions

Share

A few days ago, a Facebook friend asked me if I find it difficult to have a close relationship with someone whose spiritual beliefs vary significantly from my own.  Although I had a quick answer, the question sparked deeper thoughts about my reasons.

Spirituality is a very important part of my life, but I’m a long way from being the religious type.  I was raised a Christian, yet I’ve evolved in ways that won’t allow me to adhere to that religion (or any other).  Still, I don’t frown upon religions or those who choose to conform to one religion or another.

I seek what I call God in every person, place and thing.  Whether you are Hindu, Muslim, Christian or Atheist; I’ll open my heart so that I might see in you the essence of what I call God. I am simply happy that you have something to believe in, particularly so if it brings you joy or hope.

I am not opposed to (or limited to) the Qur’an, Gita, Bible or Torah.  Neither book defines me, yet I can read the contents with my heart open—again—to seek out the essence of what I call God.  If I find something of value, I take it into me, intentionally leaving everything else behind.

You see, I don’t need to agree with all of a person’s spiritual beliefs in order to love or befriend them; nor do I need to agree with everything in a particular Holy book in order to find value there.  I am a seeker of good, of light, of truth, of love.  And I believe that what we seek determines what we find.

What I want to share with you today are examples of the good I’ve found in several religions.  There are many elements of these religions that don’t align with my personal truth, but that is not the focus of this article.  My intent is simple.  I want you to know that, in practically anything and everything; you can find something to appreciate if you will just open your heart and mind.

Holy Book: Qur’an

“Repel (evil) with what is better. Then will he, between whom and thee was hatred, become as it were thy friend and intimate. And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint.” –Qur’an 41:34-35

If you’ve read anything about Islamic extremists, you may have the misconception that this religion is all about violence.  Quite to the contrary, the Qur’an is filled with references that, like the quote above, promote peace.  Those who exemplify peacefulness and restraint, according to several ayahs (verses), are highly favored by Allah. This is the message from Islam that most harmonizes with my beliefs.

Sacred Text: Tao Te Ching

“In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don’t try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present.” –Tao Te Ching

There is so much that I love about Taoism, but its focus on simplicity is at the top of my list.  Principles like living simply yet fairly, and finding solace in the little things, are vital parts of my personal self improvement plan.

Sacred Text: Kitab I Aqdas

“By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor.  Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. ” –Baha’u'llah

While many religions, particularly those practiced in Western society, rebuke open-mindedness in favor of blind faith; the second principle of the Bahai faith is the independent investigation of truth.  Many of the writings suggest that there isn’t just one prophet or one manifestation of God, and that people should feel free to seek Truth through critical thinking, research, and the use of available resources (including other Holy books).  As an open-minded seeker, this teaching completely aligns with who I am.

Sacred Texts: Vedas, Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita, and others

“The universe that we inhabit and our shared perception of it are the results of a common karma. Likewise, the places that we will experience in future rebirths will be the outcome of the karma that we share with the other beings living there. The actions of each of us, human or nonhuman, have contributed to the world in which we live. We all have a common responsibility for our world and are connected with everything in it.”  –His Holiness Dalai Lama

If there is one thing that I absolutely love about Hinduism, it is the concept of Karma.  There are times when I want to respond from a place of anger, revenge or pain; but I remind myself that every thought, word and deed has a karmic response.  That often helps me to make the higher choice, even when it’s not so easy.

Sacred Text: Bible

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else?” –Matthew 5:43-47 NLV

I’ve been guilty in the past of judging Christianity by its misguided Christians; however, the truth is that I have a great appreciation for Jesus Christ’s teachings of love for all.  There are many verses on love in the New Testament and the one above is a personal favorite.  The very idea of loving outside your comfort zone, remembering to include those who seem unlovable, resonates with me more than anything else in the Holy Bible.

Sacred Text: Zend Avesta

“Form no covetous desire, so that the demon of greediness may not deceive thee, and the treasure of the world may not be tasteless to thee.”—Zoraster

I don’t know much about Zoroastrianism, but I was able to find something respectable with just a small amount of research.  What appeals to me most are the sayings about charity and unselfish action.  The teachings about not letting greed get in the way of your choices are in total alignment with who I am.

Sacred Text: Tipitaka

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.” –Buddha

Of all the spiritual practices listed here, Buddhism may be the one that I’m most comfortable with.  I’m not a Buddhist, but the practices of meditation and mindfulness have had an amazingly positive influence on my life.  Closing out the physical world, quieting my mind and focusing on the present moment brings me the sense of peace and calm that leads to pure internal happiness.

I’m sure many people clicked off the page before completing this article.  It’s quite a touchy subject; but I appreciate every one of you whose mind is open enough to ingest information about these different religious practices.

Spiritual growth is an important part of self improvement; but it can’t be accomplished if you walk through life with a fearful, judgmental state of mind. When you are truly open and receptive to something—whether it is truth, love, spiritual growth or something less positive—you will find it.  Where you seek it out is irrelevant.

Can you trust that the same is true for others?  Can you accept that good does not exist solely on the path you’ve chosen?  If so, don’t fear or hate any of the world’s religions.  Just take whatever lessons you can, leaving behind what doesn’t resonate with you.  This is the way to personal and spiritual growth.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Please share this post to show your support: Tagged as: Acceptance, judgment, Religion, Spiritual, Tolerance

View the original article here

Energy Medicine – Hype or Real?

By Shannon Nelson -

“Your daughter will never walk again”. When my mother heard those words from the neurologist at Maine Medical Center, she fainted. She was still mourning the death of her beloved husband, Bob, who had died just two months earlier after a long battle with colon cancer.

When she received the call from my friend Tiffany, informing her that I had an accident, she immediately assumed that it was something minor. She was used to me getting injured from playing soccer throughout high school. Nothing could have prepared her for something like this.

I went through the typical stages of grief after such a dramatic, life-changing event. At first I was in denial; then I was angry (mostly with myself), and finally I was depressed but resigned to my new life.

After coming to terms with my accident, I had a few years of relatively good health, with no complications typical of people in my condition. This all changed in late 1999. I developed serious health problems (including recurrent bladder infections and severe lower-back pain.)

Tired of my constant visits to the emergency room, and following my doctor’s advice, I had bladder surgery. I would love to say that that put an end to my health problems, but nothing could be further from the truth. The pain persisted to the point where I was no longer able to get up in my wheelchair. I was completely bedridden and deeply depressed.

Throughout the following years I was prescribed many different pain medications and anti-depressants. The side effects were horrible beyond words. I was barely able to function, and I was constantly dizzy, tired, and nauseous.

During this period of time I kept putting my faith in the next magic pill, and the next one, and the next one. Only to be disappointed time and time again. The spinal cord specialist in charge of my case finally told me that there was absolutely nothing else that could be done for me and that I should learn to live with pain. That was the final blow for me; it meant that all I had to look forward to was more pain. I gave up all hope. I was emotionally and physically exhausted.

In early 2007 I read an amazingly informative book called “The Biology of Belief” by Dr. Bruce H. Lipton (a world-renowned cellular biologist), which helped me understand–from a scientific point of view–that our thoughts create our feelings and our feelings create our health. Despite all of the scientific evidence presented in Dr. Lipton’s book, I was still somewhat skeptical; but I decided to ignore my skepticism and hang on to my new found hope. I was then introduced to energy medicine. I put some of the techniques to the test with the help of a friend, and I was astonished… how could something so simple be that effective?

I am not going to tell you that you can get rid of physical and/or emotional pain overnight with energy medicine and/or energy psychology, it is a process; but I can share with you how it is helping me. Before energy medicine and energy psychology, I was taking a powerful prescription pain medication three times a day–which provided only partial and temporary relief. After a few months of applying EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) and other forms of energy medicine–such as Reiki–on a regular basis, I gradually stopped taking pain medications and anti-depressants altogether. And I am happy to report that, as I write this article, I am no longer in constant pain, and I am neither bedridden nor depressed. In fact, I am actually taking adult education classes in order to prepare myself to join the work-force once again. My plans for next year also include mentoring children.

In no way am I suggesting that you should replace your medications and/or medical treatments with energy medicine or energy psychology. I actually owe my life to modern medicine. I would not have survived breaking my neck in a country without cutting-edge treatment for spinal cord related injuries. What I am suggesting is that you don’t have to give up when traditional medicine doesn’t seem to be helping. There is a place for every form of healing.

While I still have break-through pain every once in a while, I no longer feel like a victim. I now know that virtually every physical ailment is the result of unresolved emotional trauma. I am currently working on my own list of unresolved emotional issues, one at a time. The more closure I bring to an old issue, the better I feel. I strongly believe that forgiveness played a crucial role in my recovery.

It is now my mission to reach out to people that are experiencing despair due to health problems, especially chronic pain and depression. I was once there myself, and I can completely identify. Whether you are suffering from physical or emotional pain, or you know someone that is going through a similar situation, I would like to invite you to join me in this journey.

I truly hope that through http://www.hotchocolateforthespirit.com I will create a community of people willing to share their experiences to help others, and also to find desperately needed help, information, inspiration and support.

Now that I found meaning to my years of suffering, I understand that everything happens for a reason.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shannon_Nelson
http://EzineArticles.com/?Energy-Medicine—Hype-or-Real?&id=980416

View the original article here

A Practical Guide To Meditation

In this article I’m going to show you the way I learned to meditate, based on research and the teachings of different gurus. Meditation is a pretty common subject these days As with many things that fall into popular use, its true meaning and purpose can become distorted. There are a lot of misconceptions out there about what exactly meditation is, and how one should do it.

Common Misconceptions

It’s strange that there is so much confusion, as it’s one of the simplest things you could ever do. First, meditation isn’t reflection. The whole point of meditation is transcendence of the mind and the need for self concepts, so critical thinking and any sort of analysis are by default out. Sitting in the lotus position or humming also have precious little to do with it, though they can be useful. Basically, forget everything you’ve seen in the movies or heard from your friends. Meditation is simple.

So what exactly is meditation?

Meditation is being. That’s it. Nothing fancy or pretentious. No need to use the meditation soundtrack someone’s trying to sell to you for $19.99. There is no “secret method” or any need for guidance, beyond the basic principles I’m going to show you. Essentially, meditation is existing in its purest form. What does this mean?

When you meditate properly, you essentially become nothing. One way of putting it is you surpass your egoic nature and rise into a different level of consciousness. You forget about your daily problems and become an empty vessel. This can become intensely pleasurable as you get better at it. It can even change your entire reality.

In order to start meditating, first find a quiet spot away from interruptions by family, phones, TV, and your dog. Next, simply sit down and relax. Whatever feels comfortable will work. After you’ve relaxed a little you’re going to calm your mind and witness your thoughts.

Become the watcher

This technique involves becoming unidentified and nonreactive to your thoughts. Clear your mind as best you can and watch your thoughts pass. It’s as though you’re on an airplane that’s taking off, and your thoughts are on the ground. Wave goodbye and smile, because they’re of no consequence. They’ll be there when you get back.

The key here is to identify with consciousness. The thing that allows you to know that you’re thinking. Watch the thoughts. Once I start watching them I find that they no longer affect me. Minor annoyances and big problems alike lose their importance. Being free from mind-induced torture is incredibly relieving of its own accord, but there are other benefits to be had..

As I relax into this state, I notice my typical thoughts floating around. As I continue to be watch them impartially, I find that they occur less and less. Finally, they disipate entirely. The experience at that point is one of incredible peace and calm. I like to think it’s how we were naturally as kids, before we inherited the typical adult seriousness. We don’t have any worries, anything to be upset about, we simply are.

Taking meditation further

This state of “just being” has some pretty cool characteristics. You’ll notice that when you open your eyes after a good meditation session, everything will seem different. It’s as though that childlike sense of wonder and amazement is restored to you. You’ll also notice that you don’t have any thoughts coming back in yet. These two phenomena are inextricably linked, so pay attention to them!

The objects around you will seem more.. complete. Like you’re observing an essence in them that wasn’t there before. It’s a really trippy feeling if you haven’t experienced it before. The reason this is happening is because meditation puts you in a state of no-mind. You aren’t instantly judging and mentally labeling everything you see. Instead of seeing a “chair,” which is whatever your mental image of a chair is, you’ll see an object full of unfathomable depth. This is because the act of meditating bumps you up to a higher level of consciousness. With practice you can make this shift permanent. Many people would call this enlightenment.

While I haven’t been able to achieve this state permanently, I’ve had little tastes of it. I’ve shared a couple of them on my article about the power of now.

Becoming one with the chair

When you first start meditating your goal will simply be to clear your mind while sitting there, and this is no easy task. When I first started my mind was especially chaotic with thoughts going left and right. Don’t get frustrated if you can’t do it right away. By doing that you’re just adding more thought anyway. If you find yourself getting impatient or annoyed, practice accepting whatever you feel and letting go. Don’t resist or fight anything. Accept the present moment no matter what.

As you get better at this your thoughts will become less and less frequent, until you’re able to reach a state where they don’t come in at all. This is where all the fun begins. After having no thoughts for a long period of time you’ll notice that even when you’re done meditating and you open your eyes, your thoughts won’t immediately come back. Each time you practice you’ll be able to hold your state of no-mind longer and longer. If you keep it up you’ll eventually reach a state of transcendence of duality, perpetual no-mind, and complete and utter bliss. This is when you sell all your material possessions and start preaching on the street corners.

Meditation can only do a whole lot of good for your life. Just remember not to judge anything when you’re doing it. If you can’t calm your mind, just accept it and try later. Become completely nonreactive and internally congruent. It’s well worth the effort.

About the author: Hi! I’m Fred Tracy, and I run a personal development website. I share all sorts of useful information like financial abundance, self discipline, achieving happiness, and a whole lot more. You can visit my site or subscribe to my RSS Feed. Thanks!

Get the confidence boost you deserve!

Download FREE ecourse from Pick The Brain “The 90 Day Confidence Booster”

? Daily Motivational Quote? Daily Inspirational Quote? Daily Confidence Booster? Power List of 50+ Life Changing Books

Plus a FREE bonus gift: “90 Of The Most Motivational Quotes You Will Ever Find”

You’ll also get Pick The Brain’s motivational weekly newsletter filled with positive thoughts, expert advice, helpful self-improvement articles & blog updates.

View the original article here

The Blogging with Pride Masterclass

The Blogging game is over! The Best sticky recurring Blogging system is here & its here to stay. This 26wk course turns you from newbie 2 blog guru! Updated Jun10. 60% Paid to all our affiliates. Find out more (www.bloggingwithpride/affiliates)!

Check it out!

Auto Repair Scams Revealed

Auto Repair Shop Owner Finally Reveals Insider Secrets That Will Prevent You From Being Scammed By Your Mechanic.

Check it out!

The Blogging Insider - 65% Commission!!!

Earns You 65% Commission! A Weathly Blogger Teaches You Step-by-Step How To Create, Generate And Exploit Money Making Blogs. Includes 6 bonuses to make selling this easy. Affiliate Tools Here: http://www.theblogginginsider.com/affiliates.html

Check it out!

The Niche Blog Profitz Course

The Niche Blog Profitz Course can be the start of something new for you. You'll be building a Real online business that you can grow and profit from for the rest of your life.

Check it out!

Easy Blogging Guide

If you have ever wanted the freedom that comes from owning your own business and the satisfaction that comes from speaking your mind and having readers pay you for it then it's time for you to order! Don't wait any longer!

Check it out!

Ez Blog Carnival

Blog Carnival Submitter Allows You To... "Reel In Boatloads Of Hungry, Rabid Traffic To Your Blogs Without Advertising, Article Marketing, Or Other Useless SEO Tactics!" A Breakthrough Way Of Shepherding Tons Of Vistors To Your Blogs

Check it out!

Avoiding the 10 Pitfalls to Making Your New Year’s Resolution a Reality

By Cindy Loughran -

Many of us ushered in the New Year proclaiming that we’d drink less, exercise more, get organized, find a new job, have more fun and on and on.   And, of those who made resolutions, 25% will have abandoned them by next week.  And, as time goes on, more and more people will leave their virtuous plans by the wayside, many even forgetting what they were, never mind doing anything about them.

That would be fine except, with each failure to reach our stated goal, comes a knick in our self-esteem, a crack in our personal credibility and a deepening in our belief that we’re not good enough.

Before you give up on your New Year’s Resolution, consider these things to avoid and tips for how to counter them.

1.   Being vague about the change you want to make and the result you want to achieve
-          Create crystal clear goals and envision the outcome

2.  Relying on willpower
Design the change process into small, do-able steps that don’t require ‘will’.

3.  Taking on too much at once
Set priorities and make only one change at a time.

4.  Doing the same thing you’ve always done and expecting different results
Change your beliefs, your environment, your support network and your actions

5.  Moving away from something vs. toward it
Focus on what you want to do differently and keep your mind off of the things     you want to avoid doing

6.  Lacking self-awareness
Identify the triggers to your current, undesirable behavior so that you can anticipate them and consciously choose a different response.

7.  Assuming that more information will be helpful
Once you have basic knowledge, it is your feelings, many of which are not immediately evident that drive the change train.  Be aware of them and be sure they are on the right track.

8.  Measuring success on a scale of all or nothing
Give yourself credit for and celebrate small milestones along the way to your  final destination

9.  Doing it alone
Surround yourself with people who will encourage and support you on your journey

10.  Making changes because you think someone else thinks you should
Own the changes you want to make and be sure they are aligned with your    authentic self

About: Cindy:
Cindy holds a degree in Communication Studies from the University of Vermont. She is a Certified Professional Coach, Certified Group Coach , Principal of CBL Associates and Founder and President of New Leaf Touchstone, a personal development business she created that employs at-risk adolescent girls in the creation of bracelets and touchstones designed to help people create new, positive habits and turn over a new leaf in all aspects of their lives. Visit her website at http://www.newleaftouchstone.com/

View the original article here

How to Become a Different Person

“Have you seen Joe lately? It’s like he’s a different person.”

What do we mean when we say that? And if you wanted to become a different person – where would you start?

Well, what’s probably happened to Joe is one (or more) of three things.

He’s let go of something that’s been holding him back.He’s rediscovered, and reclaimed, a part of himself that he was denying.He’s strengthened an existing part of himself that was under-emphasized before.

Let’s look at each of those in turn. How could you or I do that?

Joe may have let go of a bad relationship that was dragging him down. He may have let go of part of his self-image that was keeping him from fulfilling his potential. He may have let go of a powerful emotional memory that was distorting his life, or he may have let go of a pattern of behavior that was harmful.

Here’s my three-step approach to letting go.

Connect. One of the ways in which negative thoughts, feelings and behaviors retain power over us is that we keep them from coming fully into our consciousness, where we can deal with them with all our resources. Sit down and look at the issue head-on – but from the outside, so that the emotions don’t wash you downstream. Observe the sensations in your body and the thoughts in your mind that come along with the issue.Allow. By this I mean, let the thoughts and feelings be there; don’t try to push them down or away. You’ve been doing that for years. If it was going to work, it would have worked already. Just let them be themselves and acknowledge them.Release. When you’re ready to do so, just allow the issue to go. I sometimes feel a distinct physical sensation, as if I’ve been holding my breath and I’ve finally let it out, when I do this step. If release doesn’t happen by itself, don’t force it; go back to connecting and allowing.

Connect, Allow, Release gives us the acronym CAR. I often use an image of standing beside a busy road watching the cars (the thoughts and feelings) to demonstrate this process. The cars come and go. You’re not in them, you don’t grab onto them or push them away. You just watch them as they come and go.

If you’ve spent much time around Jungians you’ll know about the Shadow. The Shadow is a part of ourselves that we deny, because it holds things that we’re afraid of or disgusted by. But it also holds a lot of our personal power. Every aspect of ourselves can be positive or negative, and often the most powerful parts have the greatest potential to both harm and help.

Here’s a three-step approach to regaining access to those strengths. You need to be ready for this – it’s not something to undertake lightly or in an idle moment, and it may be a process that extends over a long period.

Connect. Yes, just the same as for letting go. You’ve been stuffing power into your Shadow for years because you haven’t paid direct attention to it. Sometimes it takes a powerful dream, or a significant loss or failure in life, to bring us face-to-face with our Shadow so that we can at last connect to it.Allow. Again, just as for letting go, you look at the Shadow objectively, acknowledge that it’s there, that it’s a part of you, without judging, resisting or rejecting it (or justifying or excusing it). Just hold it in consideration. This is a skill that takes some time to develop.Befriend. Rather than letting the Shadow go (because it’s an important part of it), look for ways to bring it into your life in a positive role. For example, you may never have allowed yourself to be angry because in your family, expressing anger was deeply unacceptable (or perhaps because a parent expressed it in a way that you swore you’d never imitate). Your anger is still there, though. How can it be a force of protection, not only for you but also for others who are in need? How can it be a dynamo driving positive change in yourself and your area of influence?

Connect, Allow, Befriend gives us the acronym CAB. This time, instead of just watching the traffic, you’re calling a part of it to you and getting it to take you where you want to go.

I’m training at the moment to increase my physical strength, and it has all kinds of benefits in clarity of mind and confidence. Developing your strengths of mind and personality works the same way.

Here’s a three-step process to develop your strengths. (No clever acronym this time.)

Identify a strength that you want to develop. Write down everything that draws you, everything that you enjoy doing. Pick something that will take you where you want to go.Exercise. Look for ways to start where you are and exercise that strength as best you currently can. Train that strength.Build up. One of the things that’s amazed me about strength training is how feasible it is to increase your strength many-fold, just by being persistent and building up slowly. Always be challenging yourself to further improvement.

You can become a different person in any one of these three ways – by letting go of the past, allowing your hidden and denied parts to become present, or developing your strengths for a better future.

Which one will you choose first?

Mike Reeves-McMillan writes the personal development blog Living Skillfully: Change Your Life, where he’s running a series on how we avoid change. Last year he created the online course Stop Procrastinating, Start Succeeding.

Photo Credit: Ellen Kooi

Get the confidence boost you deserve!

Download FREE ecourse from Pick The Brain “The 90 Day Confidence Booster”

? Daily Motivational Quote? Daily Inspirational Quote? Daily Confidence Booster? Power List of 50+ Life Changing Books

Plus a FREE bonus gift: “90 Of The Most Motivational Quotes You Will Ever Find”

You’ll also get Pick The Brain’s motivational weekly newsletter filled with positive thoughts, expert advice, helpful self-improvement articles & blog updates.

View the original article here

Complete Blogging Course

Learn how to install,optimize,and use blogs without having previous technical knowledge. Watch the entire process unfold through provided videos.

Check it out!

How to Bring Your Future Closer to You

Your future and your goals sometimes feel very far away.
To be able to keep you motivation at a high level all the time you need to be able to see every (foreseeable) step on the way.

Your motivation stands in direct relation to how clear your goals are and it is your motivation that will make or break your future.

Create Your Master Plan

If you are to succeed you need to keep your motivation high, you need to know that you are going to complete your goals.
Every time you feel like you are loosing your way and/or your motivation, just look at the map you have made and it will come rushing back.

Here are the four steps to creating your master plan.:

1. Visualize your goals

Start by „painting“ a picture of when you have completed your goals. How will you act? What will you do? What will be different?

Make that picture as clear as possible (this will help your motivation when things get tough).

2. What needs to happen for you to complete your goals

List everything that needs to happen for you to have completed your goals.

What do you need to have done? How much money do you need to have made? Who do you need to know? Anything that will needs to have happened in order for you to complete your goals.

3. Go back 90 days and do the same thing again.

What has to have happened 90 days before you complete your goals?

4. Redo this until you reach the present date.

Now you will have a complete plan, guide, for you to follow. Every step that has to happen for you to get from where you are today to your goals.

Your plans are not written in stone

Since you can not be completely right the first time you do this, do not be afraid to remake your plans as new realities develop.

Use your plan to evaluate opportunities, dangers, actions and tasks. If you see that something isn’t helping you read your goals, don’t waste your time.

Making the plan will let you gauge your progress

By having you will be able to see how far you have gotten, what needs to be done next and if you are ahead of or behind schedule.

If you don’t have a plan you will never be sure how you are sizing up.

It lets you be proactive and make the best of opportunities

Since you know exactly what needs to be accomplished and in what time it has to be done, you will be able to react to every opportunity and evaluate it objectively.

Will it help you move towards your goals? Is it worth the time? Is there something else that will give you a better return on invested time and effort?

It is the key of all successful businesses and people

All successful business (and successful people) have started with a complete plan of action.

They have known exactly where they are going and what they need to do.
Even if they end up doing something completely different then they planned, the act of planning let them act on opportunities, react to changes in the marketplace and get the most out of their opportunities.

On the other hand, people who didn’t spend time planning their goals missed opportunities, went after the wrong ones and ended up running in circles. Almost all failed startups failed because they didn’t have a clear plan of action. Don’t let this be you and don’t let this be your life.

Conclusion

Spending time on planning will save you lots of time on execution.

Start by visualizing your goal and then planning backword 90 days at a time until you get to the present.

That way you will have a complete plan to follow. Exactly what needs to be done on a week by week basis so that you can move towards your goals.

This was a guest post by Daniel M. Wood. You can read more from him at his blog Lookingtobusiness.com he writes about Sales Technique, Motivation and Success. By following his blog by email you will even get a free copy of his ebook Double Your Income

Get the confidence boost you deserve!

Download FREE ecourse from Pick The Brain “The 90 Day Confidence Booster”

? Daily Motivational Quote? Daily Inspirational Quote? Daily Confidence Booster? Power List of 50+ Life Changing Books

Plus a FREE bonus gift: “90 Of The Most Motivational Quotes You Will Ever Find”

You’ll also get Pick The Brain’s motivational weekly newsletter filled with positive thoughts, expert advice, helpful self-improvement articles & blog updates.

View the original article here

The Blog Blueprint - The Ultimate Roadmap to Auto Blogging Profits

The World's Premier Auto Blog System. Incredible Training, Powerful Content, Promotion and Blog Installation Tools. Hot = Conversions! Awesome Upsells Converting at over 50%. $10,000 in Affiliates Prizes http://blogblueprint.com/affiliates

Check it out!

The Most Powerful Auto Blogging Software

This is the first and Only software that can grab Full Text content from RSS Feed' source websites and posts to 1000s of your Blogs, automatically on a push of a button. Works both with WordPress as well the Free Blogger.com

Check it out!

Don’t Miss Holly Clegg on Today’s Self Improvement Show

Holly Clegg, is the guest on The Self Improvement Show today and now I understand why she wrote “Too Hot in the Kitchen.” She is amazing and you won’t want to miss this interview. A student of Cordon Bleu in Paris and London she considers herself a “good cook but not a chef.” I consider her terrific. She has some fantastic tips to make your life in the kitchen not only easier but fun.

Holly Clegg, author of the best selling trim&TERRIFIC” cookbook series including a diabetic cookbook with the ADA and Eating Well Through Cancer, has sold almost 1 million copies. Holly has promoted her healthy lifestyle recipes on national shows including Fox & Friends, NBC Weekend Today, and The 700 Club.

Holly’s new phone application, Mobile Rush Hour Recipes, available on Iphone, Blackberry and smart phones, delivers directly to your phone an easy and heatlhy recipe with photo, shopping list and lots more.   She understands the demands of the busy person and with her user friendly, pantry friendly, and time friendly cookbooks, she has garnered a national reputation as the healthy “Queen of Quick!” Visit her blog:  http://thehealthycookingblog.com/

In keeping with the season she graciously gave us some of her sweet potato/yam recipies which could be helpful next Thursday  when you celebrate Thanksgiving.

YAM-TASTIC FALL FAVORITES

Even though the Louisiana yam is delicious in any season, it is really highlighted as a standout in many dishes this time of year. This nutritional vegetable, packed with antioxidants and fiber, adds a natural sweetness to any recipe from soups to breads. With an emphasis on tradition, the humble sweet potato appears on every holiday table but is also very versatile. You will want to try these mouth-watering new yam ideas for a perfect solution to holiday entertaining this season but they will get requested year-round!  Louisiana yams are the sweetest of the sweet potatoes, so wherever you live look for Louisiana yams, the orange fleshy sweet potato to insure maximum sweetness and flavor.

Sweet Potato Wedges Wrapped in Prosciutto: A quick and easy dish that will “Wow” your guests at your holiday gathering.
- Can be served as an appetizer or side.
- Prepare ahead of time, refrigerate, and bake when ready to serve.
- Basil is so easy to grow – even I have it planted in a pot on my porch!

Southwestern Shrimp, Corn, and Sweet Potato Soup: What could be better than a perfect blend of spicy southwestern flavors mixed with yams’ natural sweetness?
- Having guests come in town – an easy “dump and stir” one-pot meal.
-Whenever I make this recipe on TV around the country, after tasting, the response is I am making it tonight!
-Whenever a soup, stew or chili calls for potatoes, substitute sweet potatoes for a nutritional boost and added flavor.

Yummy Yam Praline Coffee Cake: One of my absolute favorites and easy to make as it starts with the pantry-friendly biscuit baking mix!
- From brunch to satisfying a sweet tooth, this pantry friendly easy-to-prepare recipe is great for a house full of holiday guests.
-Make ahead and freeze to pull out for last minute needs.
-Use fresh or canned yams:  1 (15-ounce) can sweet potatoes, drained and mashed=1 cup.

WHAT’S GOING ON (LOTS)

11/3: New Orleans, LA:  WWL Morning Show (CBS)
11/9: Thibodaux, LA:   Cherry Books Book Signing 11-1pm
11/11: Baton Rouge, E. J. Ourso College of Business, Guest Lecturer
11/14: Baton Rouge:  Barnes and Noble Book Signing, Perkins Rowe 2-4pm
11/17: The Self Improvement Show on VoiceAmerica/World Talk Radio at 12 noon Arizona time. MST
11/17: Baton Rouge, LA: WAFB Noon Show
11/18: Baton Rouge, LA:  Our Lady of Mercy Lunch and Learn, 10:30am
11/23: Fort Worth, TX:   Costco Book Signing 1:00pm
11/29: St. Joseph’s Academy:  11-12:00pm

- Check out:  Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets To Sizzle At Any Age Whimsical fun and practical, this user-friendly cookbook includes over 200 delicious recipes and 100 color photographs and illustrations.

Holly has partnered with Wal-Mart’s Great Value brand to help them develop healthy and affordable meal solutions.  Watch Holly’s cooking webisodes: www.walmart.com/greatvalue – & to warm you up on a cool night, watch Holly make her healthy, satisfying Wholesome Veggie Soup on YouTube.

- Visit http://thehealthycookingblog.com/ for fun food trends.

- Visit http://www.twilatv.org/ for Holly’s latest cooking segment on This Week in Louisiana Agriculture.

****Holly’s Mobile Rush Hour Recipes:  FREE on iphone or ipad in the Apps store – search Holly Clegg Mobile Rush Hour Recipes. Blackberry and smart phones – http://www.handango.com/

Newly Released: Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets to Sizzle At Any Age

View the original article here

7 Efficient Ways To Double Your Productivity

Do you find yourself struggling to do all the tasks that you need to do every day? Do you want to learn simple, effective methods to increase your productivity in ways you never thought possible? It’s time that you learn how to properly double or triple your productivity! Here are 7 tips that can get you started on the right track:

Work at your energy peaks
We all have our own time of the day where we feel at our very best. Some people are more energized in the morning, while others in the evening. Figure out what part of the day you are at your very best mentally and physically, and this is the time that you should be doing your most important and demanding task. Also, by keeping a healthy lifestyle, you will make your energy peak periods last longer, which is to your advantage in becoming more productive.

Prioritize your to-do list
Separate your to-do list into different parts, depending on their level of importance. For example, break down your list in parts 1, 2, 3, and 4. In part 1, list all your most important tasks. Then in 2, list the second most important tasks, and so on. Then, ONLY work on part 2 items when ALL part 1 items are completed. This will not only help you organize your to-do list into a more practical manner, it will also make you focus only on the most important tasks at hand. Imagine how productive you get if you always work on the most crucial task at any given moment!

Do worst thing first
Stop procrastinating the task that you don’t want to do. Get it done, and get it out of the way as soon as possible. You will feel better, trust me! If you linger around, doing other things, you will never get that harder task done. Usually, the harder tasks are the more important tasks, so if you can master this rule, you will witness your productivity skyrocket. Take the habit of doing the things you feel less like doing first, as this is the key to self discipline, which will boost your efficiency.

Organize your work area
Many people tend to work in a cluttered environment, with all kinds of papers and documents lying all over their desk. They claim that they can “find themselves” throughout all that mess. This is a common occurrence. Truth is, a clean desk equals clean work. So stop telling yourself that “this is how I work”, because you are fooling yourself into accepting less than optimal conditions to increase your productivity and success. Develop the habit of always filing away what you don’t need right away, and throw away things that you do not use. Keep your desk and work area clean, and in order. Your productivity can only be maximized within such an environment.  You might want to read 10 Tips For Productive Desk Work for more information on this.

Use commute time effectively
Most people spend over an hour per day commuting to work and back home. Think of the most effective way that you can use this hour of your day to enhance your productivity. You can take that time to read a book, or go over important documents or notes. If you are driving, you can listen to motivational audiotapes, or audiobooks. In any event, there are many ways that you can use this commute time more appropriately so that you can benefit as much as possible from it.

Optimize your work processes
In many of our tasks, there are steps that can be fixed, skipped, or optimized. This can save us a tremendous amount of time, as research has shown that up to 30% of processes can be optimized. Take a look at the processes involved in your tasks, and see if you can optimize them as much as possible. Work requiring less steps is also more likely to be of better quality, as well as a huge time saver. See if you can do your work in batches for example. Remember that there is always a more efficient way of doing what you do, so keep that in mind and let it motivate you to improve your work processes.

Balance out your life
Keep in mind that while we live in a success and achievement driven society, most of our happiness comes from our relationships with one another. So make it your duty to spend time with your loved ones and cultivate your friendships. Happier people work better and more efficiently. This leads to more success and more free time for your relationships, so you can see how this comes full circle. Boosting your productivity will end up making you a happier, more successful person as a whole!

image by ohskylab (license)

View the original article here