Thursday, May 6, 2010

Transforming Fear Into Courage Is Your Choice

Have you ever allowed fear to sap your motivation? If so, you are probably familiar with the heavy sense of frustration that inevitably results in the abandonment of goals and dreams – no matter how badly you may want to achieve them.

However, you don’t have to allow fear to hinder your actions and destroy your goals! With a simple shift in perspective, you can transform fear into courage and optimism and use them to your advantage.

If you’re like most people, you’re probably used to seeing the negative side of situations. Not only do you tend to focus more on the challenges instead of the benefits in each situation, you may also hesitate to take action because of the potential negative risks involved. Wanting to move forward may not provide enough incentive to overcome these fears, so you continuously hold yourself back and accomplish far less than you’re capable of.

However, if you learn to shift your focus from what you stand to lose in each situation and instead focus on what you might gain, you’ll probably find yourself feeling more courageous and eager to take action!

You may find it helpful to make a list of any specific fears you have and get them out in the open. In each situation that makes you feel fearful, consider exactly what is holding you back. What do you fear happening and why? Are those things likely to happen, or is there only a slight chance?

Then use a separate sheet of paper and create a list of benefits you stand to gain by moving forward. Be as specific – and optimistic - as you can. Remember that dread and fear often seem to amplify the negative possibilities, which can make the positive benefits seem smaller or less important, so you may need to work a little harder to emphasize the positive.

Looking over these two lists should give you a more balanced view of your options and provide the clarity you need to decide whether to move forward or not. You may decide that you have valid reasons to hang back a bit longer, and it’s okay to do that! If you see that the possible negative consequences are more than you’re willing to accept at this time, you can either come up with less risky steps to take, or simply hold off and reevaluate at a later time.

If you do decide that the time to take action is now, you may need to work on building up your courage a bit before you do. Remember that the only one with the power to hold you back is YOU. At its core, motivation is largely the determination to conquer any fear, hesitation or excuse that threatens to hold you back.

Most importantly of all, don’t trick yourself into believing that you have to be completely fearless before moving toward your goals! The most successful people in the world would probably tell you that they eventually had to resolve to move forward despite their fear and uncertainty!

I Am Happy and Grateful

Using affirmations to manifest one's desires/goals has become a practice for many people. It is critically important that the language in an affirmation is stated with a positive focus. There is little difference in the effects produced by an intentional damaging curse; a prayer prayed improperly or an affirmation with a negative undertone, and bad advice or simply some random negative thought.

Most people have little concept about True Spirituality or how the universe really operates. As a consequence they convey misinformation, half-truths, superstitions and fears along with a multitude of associated damaging information into a person's consciousness. The result of which is Confusion and Paradox--which leads to distress, disease and un-wellness. Ministers are trained in traditional theosophical dogmatic perceptions specific to the cultural religious views that have been ascribed to for centuries.

Beginning an affirmation with praise to activate the power of God in your life will have a highly effective impact. Praise coupled with gratefulness for God's deliverance of your desires, wants and needs brings the synergy full circle. What goes around comes around. For example: "I am happy and grateful that God has sent to me..." Then, fill in the blank with whatever you would like to bring into your life. "I am happy and grateful that God has sent to me all the ideas I need to complete my project." "I am happy and grateful to God for giving me the support and the answers I need."

It is important to feel the meaning of your affirmations. Simply robotically stating the affirmation is unproductive. Feel the joy of your intent and God's presence.

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What Are Fusion Hair Extensions?

More and more people are turning to hair extensions as a way of creating much desired length and thickness to natural hair. Nowadays, there are many different application methods to choose from, from weaves to micro-loops to gluing they all claim to be the most durable, the least damaging and generally the best way to attach you hair extensions. So how do you know which method to choose? Ideally you want to choose something that is not going to damage your natural hair, isn’t going to cost you too much money and isn’t going to fall out.

Fusion bonding is a technique that takes strands of your own hair and fuses the extension hair to your own at the root. The hair is fused with the keratin protein of the natural hair using bonding glue. This is the basic concept of fusion bonding but there are two different types of the fusion method known as hot and cold fusion. Fusion human hair extensions are considered a form of permanent hair extensions as they can last between 3 to 6 months. Other methods such as using glue, sewing the extensions in or using tubing normally only last a week to a couple of months depending on method and care.

If the process of fusion bonding is completed properly by an experienced, licensed professional hair stylist then the hair extensions will appear natural and are completely non-damaging to the scalp and your natural hair. To go back to the two different systems of fusion- hot and cold fusion, both of these techniques produce long lasting and natural results. Both of the techniques attach the hair extensions in small bundles with a glue or protein bond close to the scalp. Hot fusion is the more common of the two and the small hair bundles are attached with either glue or keratin with a special heating tool that bonds the extensions. Cold fusion is typically used for fine or thin hair as it is the less damaging of the two methods. The extension hair is attached in the same way but no heat is used, instead a sonic attachment tool is used to bond the hair.

Fusion bonding is a popular method because this technique used only human hair which is available in all sorts of colours and textures so you can be sure that your extensions will match your natural hair. When the fusion extensions are applied properly, styled and cut then they will blend perfectly in with your own hair for a natural look. These extensions are generally more long-lasting than other techniques. You should expect fusion hair extensions to last between 3 to 6 months with proper care and maintenance. Even if you have fine or thin hair you can still treat yourself to hair extensions as fusion can add thickness and length to any type or texture hair.

The biggest disadvantage of fusion hair extensions are the price. They are more expensive than any other bonding methods and you could expect to pay anywhere from £200 up to £1,000 depending on the length and thickness that you desire. In some cases people have reported that the bonds that keep their extensions in place have accidently released if they are not properly cared for. Excessive heat styling and oil based styling products can cause the bonds to weaken and come away from the natural hair.

If you decide to go ahead with hair extensions then you should make the decision of how to get them applied on the basis of your own personal needs and desires coupled with the advice of a professionally trained stylist. Fusion hair extensions are not cheap but with hair extensions you really do get what you pay for. These are the most natural looking hair extensions on the market and when applied properly they can give you the hair that you’ve always dreamed of.

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Can Wearing Fake Nails Damage Your Natural Nails?

Nowadays more women are paying attention to the beauty of their hands and the way that their nails look. For those blessed with naturally strong, nicely shaped nails this may just entail a month pedicure and making sure that your nail polish is never chipped. For the rest of the population of women who aren’t so lucky in the nail department, turning to ‘fake’ nails as a way of improving the appearance of the nails seems like a good alternative. But are they safe?

If you suffer from short, brittle nails you may be tempted to invest in fake nails but you could actually be doing more harm than good. Most artificial nails are composed of acrylic fabric which covers the entire natural nail surface and extends out past the natural nail to give the impression of extra length. However, when an acrylic nail is applied to the nail surface it is quite easy for it to become separated again as a result of any minor bumps or knocks. If this happens then bacteria and fungus are more than likely to get into the separated area and result in a nail infection.

The acrylic application process uses quite harsh chemicals which are notoriously unhealthy and there has even been research to show a potential link between formaldehyde and other resins and causing cancer. Frequent exposure to these chemicals is really bad for your health and should be avoided at all costs. The chemicals don’t do your natural nails much good either and exposure to adhesive chemicals over a long period of time can even result in complete nail loss by destruction of the nail matrix.

Acrylic nails are by far the most popular type of fake nails but they are not the only ones on the market. You can opt to for wrap nails which involve the use of materials such as linen, paper, pieces of silk or fibreglass which are attached to the nail with glue. These tend to be less durable but as this is a lightweight alternative it doesn’t put so much pressure on the natural nail.

Gel nails are by far a safer option than acrylic nails. Similar to acrylics, gel nails use a mixture of polymers and monomers which is pre-mixed and thought of as a lighter alternative. The gel is brushed onto the surface of the nail and then subjected to ultraviolet light rays to dry. This method is thought to be useful for fixing broken or split nails and can actually have improved benefits for the health of your natural nails. Gel nails do not chip off or splinter in the same way that acrylics do which makes them more durable. The colour of the gel nails is embedded and because of this they tend to look fresher and more realistic for longer.

Overall gel nails are a much safer and more beautiful way of getting the nails you’ve always dreamed of. However, before undergoing any beauty treatments you must make sure that you do your research to ensure that the treatment is suitable for you and your lifestyle, a qualified technician will be able to advise you here.

If you are thinking about investing in gel nails then why not try the latest and best technology in gel nails and give LCN gel nails a try. The LCN process uses state of the art materials that are not in anyway harmful to you or your natural nails, in fact they can actually improve the health of them. You are left with the most beautifully naturally looking nails that you’ve always wanted. If you are interested in investing in LCN gel nails then why not visit the Inanch website and book a consultation today. Click here to find out more about the very best in nails.


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What Is The History Of Hair Extensions?

You wouldn’t be alone in thinking that hair extensions are a recent phenomenon as they didn’t really gain mass appeal till the 2000’s, however as far back as Egyptian times both men and women have worn wigs or hair pieces to improve the way they looked. Even the Egyptians were slaves to fashion and there is documented proof that hair extensions and wigs were used as far back as 3400BC. And it seems that some things never change as back in these times as it is today, the prices and quality of extensions varied greatly. The highest quality being made of 100% human hair with the lowest quality extensions being made out of anything that the people could get their hands on, including vegetable fibres and sheep wool. Of course, the Egyptians did not have the luxury of the technically advanced methods of application that we now enjoy and it is thought that a full head of hair extensions would have taken 15 hours of intricate weaves and knots.

Wigs, hair extensions and hair pieces have come in and out of fashion in nearly every century and in Georgian times high false wigs were in vogue in both men and women. These wigs were elaborate, intricate and exquisitely beautiful. However, following the Georgian fashion and as we stepped in to the 1800’s extensions, wigs and hair pieces actually became frowned upon. Men wouldn’t be seen dead in a wig during this time and women chose to wear their hair in a more natural and neat style. However, the appeal of fake hair swung into fashion again in the Romantic era. This era saw the elaborate Apollo knots becoming very much the fashion and the more elaborate the better.

False hair saw a dip in popularity after the Romantic era only to be dragged back in to fashion by the mid Victorian era. The Victorians favoured elaborate hair styles that could only be achieved by false hair. In fact hair extensions, hair pieces and wigs were so popular that the Victorian era saw 102 tonnes of hair sold in France in 1873 alone.

False hair became in vogue again for the early 20th century Edwardian women. They wore false hair additions to create the popular Pompadour hairstyle that was thought to make a woman look like she was wearing a teapot on her head!

Stepping into the 1920’s and women abandoned their hair pieces for a look that was natural with many women sporting much shorter looks than ever before. Women were living in a time when almost everything luxurious was rationed and they tended to favour practicality over style in this period.

The 1950’s saw women enjoying shorter bob styles and more youthful styles such as the ponytail, no need for extensions here. By the turn of the century the simple ponytail was transformed into complicated elegant French plaits and chignons. The 1960’s sparked a revisit to the world of big hair and with this came hair a demand for hair pieces and wigs. The 1960’s and 70’s was a great time to reinvent yourself and many people used hair pieces and wigs to create different identities and styles from day to day.

By the 1980’s the interest in hair pieces and wigs had worn off and people were turning to more natural styles with only performers and celebrities still using false hair for big impact on the stage. During the majority of the 1900’s hair extensions weren’t popular as the cost of the hair was massive and they were seen as a luxury that only the rich and famous could afford to indulge in. However, over the last few years the hair extensions industry has boomed. The cost is now a lot more affordable for the public to try out and the extensive range of application methods really do mean that there is something for everyone. Nowadays, hair extensions are not just a luxury that celebrities can afford as more and more of us are deciding to invest our hard earned cash in a new, versatile look and are loving the results.


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Like Herding Cats: Driving Cattle

The ability to herd cattle seems like the type of skill that is more suited to the characters in a John Wayne movie than to someone just trying to navigate modern life, but the fact is that you never know what you may be called upon to do. Whether you are visiting friends in the country or helping your local zookeeper round up stray goats, cattle-herding prowess could come in handy at the most unlikely of time, so it's best to be prepared. As you read this article, you may also find that the principles involved can also be applied in the field of human relations, when you are trying to figure out how to get people to do what you want them to do.

So, the basic cattle-herding scenario is that you are faced with a group of cows or some other animals and you have to move them from point A to point B. Hopefully, you have some other people with you, but there is a chance that you will be on your own. In either case, you need to remember that cattle will tend to move away from you if you try to approach them, and that they are especially nervous around strangers. You can exploit this fact to your advantage, or you can disregard it entirely. I leave it as an exercise for the reader to determine which strategy tends to produce the best results.

Get behind the cattle, and if you have other people with you, then arrange them on the side of the cattle so that when you close in, they will have only one direction in which to go: the direction that you want them to go. Keep in mind, however, that cattle are not very good at discerning which way you are trying to get them to go, and that they will often ignore the obvious opening that you have left them and head off in the wrong direction. They will do this more often when excited and scared.

Because of this, you want to do your best to keep the cattle calm. Move slowly, and do not wave your hand or yell. As you approach them, they will move out of the way. You don't need to hurry the process along. If you break into a run in order to keep on their tail, they will likely break into a run as well, and once they have started running they are not likely to stop until they have reached a fence or other obstruction that forces them to stop.

If the cattle end up against a fence, don't move in on them directly. Get behind them and guide them along the fence to where you want them to go. If they start going to wrong way, try to head them off, but remember the cardinal rule: don't scare the cows. As long as you keep your cool, they'll keep theirs, and you will be able to easily lead them to where you want them to go.

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How To Pack A Perfect Punch

We all hope that we will never be forced to physically defend ourselves against an attack from someone who is trying to injure or kill us, but the statistics on violent crime say otherwise. Because of this, it is vital that everyone learns to perform basic self-defense techniques correctly.

Of course, everyone assumes that they automatically know how to perform the punch, the simplest of all techniques, but there is actually a lot more to this move than meets the eye. A wizened martial arts master who had been studying the fighting arts for 80 years once remarked that, "I am just now beginning to understand the punch." Add in that an incorrectly thrown punch can easily hurt you more than it hurts your target, and you definitely want to pay attention to the information in this article.

Let us start with your foundation, foot placement, also known as stance. Remember that the more your knees are bent and the farther apart your feet are the lower your center of gravity will be, and the more stable you will be. However, you do not want to get too deep in your stance or you will end up sacrificing speed.
To make a fist, start with your hands in front of you, palms up. Curl your fingers in towards the center of palm. Make sure your thumb does not get stuck inside your fist, or you will probably break it when you attempt a hard strike. You also do not want it flopping around loose, or it may catch on something and get bent back. Keep it safely tucked underneath your knuckles, at the bottom of your fist. When you punch, make sure that you strike with the first two knuckles on your hand, the ones closest to your thumb. This will concentrate your impact and make for a harder strike.

As you prepare to strike, remember that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. The shorter the distance your hand has to travel, the faster you will be. On the other hand, the farther back your hand is the more power you will have. The best compromise is to keep your hand on your waist, where you belt would be if you were wearing one, and then strike straight towards the target.

Keep your palm facing up as you move, with the muscles of your arm relaxed, but then flick your wrist at the last instant so that it faces down and tense all of your muscles. A tense muscle is a slow muscle. As you strike, transfer your body weight forward to maximize the impact. Lean into the blow. However, do not "point" your shoulder at the target for extra reach. Keep your shoulders square, to maximize stability and power.

As you impact the target, don't think about hitting it. Think about going through the target to hit whatever is behind it. Keep going with your punch, as far as your arm will go. This follow through is essential for good punching. On the other hand, as soon as you are done punching, pull your hand back very quickly. It is not good tactics to leave your arm hanging out in front of your opponent, ripe for a joint lock or take down move. Remember that your are most vulnerable to a counterattack and most open right after you strike your opponent, so the faster you can recover and get back into your fighting stance, the faster you will eliminate that vulnerability.

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Friday, April 23, 2010

Intuition and Business - How Could They Be Related?

In a previous article, I talked about the power of tapping into your intuition and how your intuition can spare you from harm or even save lives (yours and others). But, what else can intuition do? Hay, Jung, and Orloff have already alluded to its creative abilities. However, Vishen Lakhiani, gives a bit deeper insight when he says that "there are 4 levels of intuition. Level 1 is your warning system. Level 2 revolves around your social intuition. Level 3 is your creative intuition and level 4 is higher purpose intuition." We've already discussed your early warning system in a previous article and if you haven't yet tapped into that and begun using it, I would highly recommend you do! It could just save your life!

But what is this level 2 social intuition Lakhiani talks about and how could it possibly improve your career? Social Intuition is a highly attuned function found commonly in twins and also in people who have empathetically learned to sense the moods and thoughts of those they are emotionally close to, like a mother sitting in the living room, sensing that her son on the other side of the globe is in danger. Or one twin finishing the other's sentences. The best of the world's leaders have developed this type of intuition and when utilized in business as a means of sensing the thoughts and moods of staff and customers, serves managers well.

Deborah Allen tells the story of her daughters' intuition:

When my identical twin girls, Ashley and Rachael, were about a month old, Rachael developed a very high temperature. I took her to the doctor and he immediately admitted her to hospital. As I had another baby and a two year old at home I was unable to stay with Rachael at the hospital. The first night away from home Rachael was very restless and would not settle. Ashley was the same, she just would not settle. The next night was the same.

As Rachael was still unwell, the doctor decided to keep her in hospital for another night, but asked if I could take Ashley to the hospital and leave her there the night to see if either of the girls would settle. They both slept soundly all night! The staff at the hospital were amazed. It appeared that at such a young age the girls knew their sister was not there! The girls slept in separate bassinets on opposite sides of my bed. My girls are now 16 and are still extremely close. They share the same room still and they have the same group of friends. They sometimes appear to communicate to each other without talking (although they don't realize that they do it) and they often finish each other sentences or answer questions for each other. This mental telepathy Allen describes is a form of social intuition and is not just restricted to twins.

B. Andrews of White Plains, New York tells an embarrassing story of a colleague's use of social intuition:

I work for an advertising agency as a copywriter and I want to relay my experiences with a graphic artist, which [experiences] never fail to astonish me. Her name is Angel and she is truly an angel. The way we work it here in the office is I'm given an assignment, usually a product for which to create an ad. I'll write the copy, then arrange a meeting with Angel so she can do the artwork. Our mission is to create an ad or ads that people will be drawn to and remember. When I first sit down with Angel, I am usually geared up to present her with my ideas, but most of the time she simply picks up on my thoughts and starts sketching ideas that I have in my mind.

I don't know how she does it, but time after time she usually hits it on the mark. She has the ability to climb inside my head, and it's both fascinating and unnerving. One minor problem is she is quite beautiful and sexy, but we stay careful not to get personal as our company has strict policies about 'extra-curricular' activities. The problem, of course, is sometimes I can't take my eyes off her and she knows exactly what I'm thinking. I mean to the last detail, if you know what I mean. It has happened more than once when I have a vision of the two of us in a compromising position, and she has whispered in my ear, "Nice thought but forget it buster." Fortunately she has a good sense of humor, but it is unnerving knowing she can sense what I am envisioning. It helps in creating an advertising campaign but embarrassing when I'm thinking of 'other' things. I guess Andrews forgot to keep his 'business hat' on.

Another example of social intuition in the workplaceis that of The DeMoss Group. Mark DeMoss, CEO, had a strong connection with his social intuition. He wanted to create a strong company with happy employees, like any CEO would. Being in tune with his intuition, DeMoss sensed "that without good people-trusted, professional, respected, motivated, inspired, rested people-I have no firm." His intuition told him that after five years of dedicated hard work his employees needed a sabbatical and that he should give them five weeks off work to rest and have recreation. His rational mind reasoned that this was just not possible. The company would suffer financially, his clients would miss key people and go to another firm, the added workload would be stressful for other staff, etc. There were any number of logical reasons he could think of not to give his employees an extended vacation.

Yet, on a leap of faith he decided to trust his intuition and when his first employee (the VP of the company, Beth) approached her five year anniversary, he announced his plans to all staff members. They were each to be given a five week paid vacation on their fifth anniversary, in which they were to have no contact with the company, were not allowed to take work with them, nor could they stay in touch with staff while they were away. It was intended to be a true vacation. "In return," DeMoss said, "I asked only that the person taking a sabbatical commit to spend at least one more year with us."

"Beth used her time away that year to hike the north coast of Maine, visit family and friends in North Carolina and Virginia, and spend time doing nothing at all. Meanwhile," DeMoss said, "I confess that until she walked back in the front door-our first experiment in this perk-I hadn't realized that I could hold my breath for five weeks. During that time, we didn't speak once. To my delight, the wheels of the firm rolled on as the team deftly covered Beth's client work (realizing others would do the same for them when their sabbatical rolled around). Just as sweet was Beth's summary statement on her weeks away: 'The timing was impeccable, you'll never know,' she said, blowing in these days with fresh winds and new energy. She thanked me as if I'd known all along that like a car stuck in stop-and-go city traffic, after five years a person needs to flush the buildup in her mental engine."

Looking at statistics, we see that 40 percent of all America's workers feel disconnected from their employers; two-thirds come to work with scant motivation to help achieve their employers' business goals or objectives; 25 percent admit to showing up just to collect a paycheck. Little wonder then that DeMoss was very glad that instead of following logic and reason, and inadvertently allowing his best resources to burn out, he listened to his social intuition.

Belief - Self Improvement Bootcamp - Day 8

How To Creatively Keep Your Fitness Resolutions


April is about the time New Year’s resolutions dissolve and gyms become less crowded again. It’s not that folks have lost their desire to trim pounds or increase their level of fitness. For some, it’s simply a motivation problem. They want to continue, but just can’t seem to make the time amidst competing demands. But for others, they just don’t enjoy exercise. I once watched a woman jogging whose scrunched up face displayed a combination of irritation and defeat. She wasn’t enjoying herself, but felt compelled to continue. So it’s no surprise that keeping our fitness habits going is difficult. Any activity that isn’t innately enjoyable quickly becomes drudgery and nearly impossible to maintain.

No matter what your current feelings regarding exercise, it turns out there is a way to make the activity more enjoyable. It doesn’t involve hiring a personal trainer or signing up for a Zumba class (although those might be nice compliments once you get going). The only thing that’s keeping you from a better exercise regime is your own head.

Ironically, I discovered this trick while doing something entirely sedentary: writing. One of the more difficult aspects of creative writing, especially for the beginner, is eliciting that dream-like state where the words and ideas flow easily. There’s good reason the myths about waiting for inspiration to strike or reliance on a muse persist—for many, the ability to induce the wellspring of creativity remains elusive. Writers often create elaborate rituals to get themselves into this space: they only write during a certain time of day or they have a “lucky pen.”

What I discovered is that these rituals are all methods for subduing the analytical left brain and letting your more creative right brain take over. With time and dedication, you can actually physically feel the mental switch take place. And once you know what that switch feels like, you can learn to control it. That’s how the best writers are able to crank out pages of good writing while others struggle in front of a blank screen or notepad for hours. Good writers know how to generate the mental switch on command.

So what’s the connection to exercise? When I saw that woman jogging who looked so miserable, I wanted to tell her, “It’s all in your head!” All she needed was to get out of her analytical left brain, which was likely paying attention to the amount of time she’d been running or the number of miles left to go. The left brain is prone to focusing on details and lists, making exercise more of a chore than fun. But given the chance, the right brain can make your aerobic workout take on a timeless quality. You might get to the end of a run and say, “Wow. I’m done already?”

Just as your body has that weightless feeling when you’re under water, your concept of exertion and time disappear while day-dreaming. In your head, there are no limits, there’s nothing that isn’t open to you. In fact, many times when I’ve used this technique I actually feel like my brain is out ahead of me, a tether between us, egging me on. Plus, creativity can create its own adrenaline-like feeling—it generates energy instead of zapping it.

Here’s your step-by-step guide to attaining the left to right brain switch:

1) Just like a writer, pick a certain time of day and a certain activity to practice on. It doesn’t really matter what activity you pick, but aerobic exercises where you don’t need to count or pay close attention to anything work best. Once you get proficient at the technique, you can expand it to activities like weight lifting.

2) While exercising, let your mind wander, but try to “think” in images instead of words. Pretend you are watching a movie inside your head: taking the vacation you always wanted or receiving a big award. Do not watch TV—this engages your left brain and will hamper your transition. Music is okay as long as it remains a background noise (no singing along!).

3) Each time you are able to make the switch (that is, you become so engrossed in your dream, you almost lose awareness of your immediate surroundings), try remember what it felt like. Note what your body sensation and what ideas or dreams enabled you to enter that trance-like state.

4) Once you know what it feels like, work on getting to your creative space as soon as possible. When you’re proficient, it should only take 5 minutes or less.

Unlike much advice, which tells you to simply do something a certain number of times until you form a habit, these steps are only necessary until you are able to consistently achieve the brain switch. For those who are more naturally inclined towards creativity, it may only take a couple of weeks of dedicated practice. For others, it may takes a month or more to get it right. The key to making this method work is to remember that positive feeling the next time you’re struggling to get yourself out the door. You’ll not only feel better for having exercised, you’ll soon feel better while doing it too.

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Friday, April 16, 2010

How to Improve Your Acts and Behavior for Overall Success

Self improvement is not a very hard objective to achieve. If one is really interested to feel the taste of success than it has to be found out first that what the real cause of previous failure was. It really happens that we know the exact reason of our failure but we don’t go ahead to remove the problem. We mostly try to avoid the real truth of failure and want to forget that bad time. We generally think we will not be successful and it lowers the confidence level. If we are really working in an area that has opportunities then we will surely get success. The state of mind is needed to be improved to get success.

Talk to a close friend
The best way to improve your acts and behavior is to talk with a close friend. Don’t feel shy to share your problems. Try asking about your acts and behavior. The opinion of your close friend could prove very helpful. Your friend would be able to explain the reason of your failure. You can also ask his judgment about your manners such as if you speak too loud or if you have good manners while dealing with other people. Your friend will give you a sincere opinion which will help you in correcting your mistakes. Your friend will think that you want to change yourself and you want to improve.

Don’t feel de-motivated
The second important tip is not to feel de-motivated after a failure. Try increasing your self confidence by doing more practice and remove negative and bad thinking about yourself.

Be in yourself
Don’t feel if you think that you are not very beautiful. Don’t give any attention to those who think that they are more attractive and beautiful then you or anyone else. It absolutely never means that if a person is not beautiful than it is the end of the world. For a good life, inner attractiveness always counts more in comparison to your outer attractiveness. With the passage of time, outer attractiveness becomes lighter with time but inner attractiveness will always remain with you forever.

Help others
Always try to help people near you and try to bring smile on their faces. Always motivate those people who feel down and de-motivated in some situations.

Learn from your mistakes
Always learn from your past mistakes. Everyone commits mistakes and this is not something unnatural. After all every human beings can commit mistakes but never means that they will be committed next time also. Just remember your mistakes and situations and don’t repeat them next time.

These tips will prove very helpful for self improvement. It will help one in developing the personality and will also give inner stability. For the overall growth, these two things are really very important. They will help you to set a meaningful goal in your life and will encourage you in achieving that.

Never hesitate to appreciate other people. It will increase your internal beauty and personality and people will always like for appreciating them. It will increase your confidence and you will definitely achieve success in life.
Article Source: http://www.everyonesarticles.com

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

The Secret to Change

Most of us are slaves to habit and familiarity. Our present environment is a symbol of our present thoughts. My family is me, my job is me, my friends are me.

It has been observed a wounded animal will return to what is familiar. Because man is also an animal he likes familiarity and in time of trouble will also return to what is familiar. This bit of knowledge is how criminals are tracked down. For instance a white collar criminal who has expensive tastes in cars and fancy restaurants will not be difficult for the authorities to locate. He will be driving his favorite type of car to his favorite restaurant.

A wounded pet will make their way back home. There is a compelling force driving us to old surroundings because these surroundings remind us of how we were or are supposed to be-they are comforting and reassuring. It is no wonder old habits die hard. How do we break away from habit? What is the secret to changing a lifetime of habit?

There is very little growth in an adult. Researchers claim we stop using are brains around the age of thirty. We rely on what we have learned in the first thirty years to carry us over the next thirty. While I was studying NLP therapy, my instructor told me with counseling most people will only change about six percent. That wasn't high enough for me-I wanted to change the world. Scientists are not saying people who retire should go back to college to reactivate their minds. This has to be upsetting to those who have done the same things for sixty years. How does one go about changing years of habit?

Many people who have had near death experiences or have had severe trauma in their lives come away with instant change. Their lives are never the same and it is most noticeable by those most familiar with them.
Meaningful change does not have to come by hitting yourself over the head with a hammer-nor do you have to sign up for courses or college. Change can come fairly easily, in simple steps, which are subtle and for the most part unnoticeable.

Before change can come there needs to be a desire for change. A commitment to do something about it, and from there on it is simply a matter of developing a new habit-a habit of change. A complete lifestyle makeover can be accomplished over a period of time without the trauma from hitting yourself over the head with a hammer or leaving your present circumstances. Habits are physical demonstrations of a mind that is boxed. Habit simply means you are doing the same thing over and over again-there is no growth in repeating steps. The very meaning of life is-movement!

Lasting change does not come with making a change, but a with commitment to keep changing until it becomes a habit-a habit of change.
One of the best times to start your change is first thing in the morning. Commit yourself to making at least one tiny change everyday and it doesn't have to be the same change. Try turning your alarm ahead or back 10 minutes. In other words get up at a different time tomorrow morning. Probably, no one will even notice. Instead of going straight to the bathroom try walking through the kitchen first on the way. If brushing your teeth is one of your first rituals-change it. Or change the brand of tooth paste you are using.

Try leaving your house 15 minutes early for work one morning or take a different route-your will see new people and different things. When you go to the mall or shopping downtown-part away from the store you want to go into and try walking for a block or two-you will discover new things and maybe even meet someone new, or be reacquainted with someone you already know.

The point I am trying to make here is to make small subtle changes which will not upset your life or those around you. Make this your priority every day-to do something different.

What you are going to start noticing is how things start changing around you and how people will start to treat you differently. They will evolve at the same rate as you do. They will notice a change in you and want to know what it is. They will start paying more attention to you and may want to get closer.

When I get up each morning I make my way to the bathroom without turning on lights. In fact I keep the lighting in my place subdued most of the time. I like candles and indirect lighting and nothing too bright.

This morning I got up a little earlier went to the washroom with my eyes closed-came back to my computer and started writing this article. Halfway through the article I thought about my morning tea and what I have been writing about. I decided to turn on all the lights in the kitchen/living room. Two things stood out for me-there were a few dirty dishes in the sink and my living room was very colorful. The colour was coming from things that were in the room.

I decided to wash the dishes and after wards I made breakfast for myself instead of meeting my co-workers at the restaurant. I also went to work an hour later than I normally do and managed to complete this article and there are no dishes in the sink.

I normally do not recommend making these many changes in such a short period. However, I have been practicing for some time so when I make a change it usually leads to several changes and it last the rest of the day. From time to time I find myself goofing off and returning to old habits, but I do not chastise myself. I simple notice the change and make corrections-after all, it's the trip that counts-not getting there. Also, if I am noticing old habits, it simply means I am aware and that is exactly what I want-awareness. With the awareness of change comes opportunity for change.

As you cultivate your habit of change, you will begin to make bigger changes and you will start ranging out. You growth will start to accelerate and you may find yourself in conflict with those around you and who know you the best.

Remember this-people will not want you to change-they will try to hold you back. It is very important during this process for you to find new friends and people who will support you. There are others who cherish growth and nurture it in others. For the most part your family and friends will not support you. They have expectations of who you are and how you should be-and many people do not want to be left behind. If you are growing and they are not, they will not be able to relate to you the same way-you will remind them that they are not growing. They won't want to be stuck at the station watching you get on the bus and leaving.

Plan ahead for your transformation-dedicate yourself to changing your circumstances. Be thoughtful of yourself and the feelings of others-most importantly trust your instincts and don't back down. Don't make any big steps until you are ready-firmly establish your routine of change. At some point you may find a niche that feels right and you may not want to go any further-that is OK. Start over with little changes keep up the habit no matter how settled you are. Small changes don't have to lead to major upheavals. Sometimes they are just the spices which make the rest more interesting and satisfying. The secrets to changing are small secrets which you discover everyday. You find them by looking for them in everything you do-everyday!
Article Source: http://www.articleshowroom.com

Monday, April 12, 2010

Implementing Higher Order Thinking Skills For Self Improvement

Positive thinking is an avenue utilized by lots of individuals in the world over for many different reasons. It is a way of using the mind and its creative thinking to allow positive thoughts, dreams, ideas, goals and other notions to drift through your mind, allowing for a greater comprehension and acceptance of these things. By practicing higher order thinking skills, you are opening yourself up to experiencing good and beneficial results in your life. You will begin to see the good in situations instead of focusing on negative areas, you will not be confined on things that have brought you unhappiness - instead you will see it as a learning curve.

Not everybody believes in the power of positive thinking and they scoff at the idea of the subconscious mind playing a role in setting our goals. They do not believe that creative thinking can have any impact on their life whatsoever and that anything they acquire in life is all due to fate - it was meant to happen that way. This is a perfectly reasonable attitude to have but it does seem somewhat narrow minded to those who practice higher order thinking skills.

The subconscious mind plays a very essential part in the process of positive thinking, it is utilized to allow thoughts to enter a person's consciousness and grow in a beneficial method. The law of attraction is also utilized in creative thinking, this is the theory that if a person thinks with regards to achieving something in life for long enough it will happen. Just thinking about something however is not the way in which the law of attraction works - for instance you might dream about owning a mansion but that is as far as it goes.

The law of attraction works on a various intensity, when used in connection with positive thinking it is argued that a person will take subtle steps to obtaining what they desire. They might not be fully aware that they are doing this, and this is where the subconscious mind comes into its functions. A person may think about retraining for a career change, they may begin to engage in goal setting and start to behave in a different way. All of these things are small changes and they may take time but they are all working towards the acquisition of these goals.

Individuals who contract potentially fatal diseases such as cancer, usually turn to positive thinking, as a way of strengthening themselves from within. As a matter of fact, those who have used positive thinking when facing treatments have found that they have had beneficial outcomes. They face each day with a renewed positive attitude and with higher order thinking skills, which come from positive thinking and this can have an outstanding impact on their recovery. Their subconscious mind is feeding their body with positive energy and this boosts their total being, aiding recovery and invigorating them.

Positive thinking is what you make it and if you are able to allow your subconscious mind to help you with goal setting you will be on your way to attaining whatever you want to achieve in life.
Article Source: http://www.rightarticle.com

Friday, April 9, 2010

How to Have Power over Others.

If power begins in controlling something, then are we powerless prior to controlling?

Yes and no.
We have potential, which is a power in itself, but unused and undirected potential is NOTHING.

Are we powerless prior to controlling?

I would say we are not powerless, but ignorant (Which is a version of powerlessness, I guess.)

We don't know that we have power and don't know to know to test it.

The end of all powerlessness begins with awareness.

A Samurai Warrior would learn this by practicing a meditation of sitting on the top of a mountain with his arm extended and sword pointing skyward in a position ready to fall. He would meditate on that fleeting moment when a balanced piece of metal would turn into an unpredictable falling/killing weapon. His awareness was on the potential of the weapon. When he learned that then he could study the application of it's power.

What is power?
What is power like?
How great is power?
Where is power now?

To Know. To Will. To Dare. To Keep Silent.
These were the powers of the Sphinx and they remain dormant in all of us to one degree or another.

You don't know what you don't know. Thus you must seek knowledge in whatever realm you wish to control.

You must Will and Dare to use that knowledge.

To keep silent. This is where power turns to craft. It is the most subtle application of power. So subtle it may seem that things are all happening in your favor when in fact they happen by your design.

A bolder resting precariously on a cliff, a bow string pulled tight, these have a quality of potential force, What the Chinese strategist, Sun Tsu, called "shih". With just the right action and the force is unleashed.

The silent art of power and control is to see the potential force in everything and arrange it so that, if released, it works in your favor.

The keys to this power are first to know what you want far into the future and to know it in rich and glorious detail. The next step is to develop a presice and detailed plan to your goal and to meditate upon it day in and day out. By having this constantly on your mind you will function with the greatest efficiency toward your goal.

You will see the world about and know "This action will lead me to my goal. This action will lead me nowhere."

This task that is unnatural for most of us because of our natural tendency to focus on the thoughts of the present and to respond to the urgencies at hand. To master this skill we must alter our thinking and see every action that we perform as an act of manipulating "shih".

To do this is the height of Sphinx-like power and makes mere men to seem magical as if they controlled the forces of nature.
Article Source: http://www.articles4sites.com

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Two Powerful Ways To Boost Your Self Confidence

Low self confidence can stand in your way just when you need it most; where you cannot be at your best, where you start to stumble or stutter, where you start looking down at your shoes, where you fidget or turn away and walk back into your limited comfort zone.

Well, I have great news for you!

Feeling and becoming confident quickly, almost instantaneously, is possible, and you can do it. With repetition and continued practice within a short period of time you will have all the confidence that you ever wanted; you can have supreme, unlimited self confidence.

Here are two powerful ways to get you started. They will help you gain self confidence and make you feel better about yourself quickly:

1. Do something you are good at

When you do something that you are competent and proficient at, you will quickly feel the surge of self confidence that comes with the feeling behind your skill and talent.

What are you great at? Painting, writing, cooking, jogging, holding parties and conferences, perhaps gardening. What is your strongest talent or skill? Once you have indentified what you feel awesome at, think deep how that strength makes you feel. Allow that self confidence to flow through your entire body.

Keep focused on those feelings. And when you feel that you are ready think about the situation or event you do not feel comfortable about and transfer the confident feelings into that situation.

Feel yourself being more competent, courageous and confident as you tackle that situation. At your peak of confidence say three times, ‘Yes, that’s me!’ and notice how much more confident you have become.

Do that technique daily or as often as you can so as to strengthen it.

2. Remember all the things you have accomplished

This technique is an extension of the one above. Get yourself a note pad and jot down as many accomplishments that you can remember; particularly write the ones that you thought were going to be hard, but ended up being rather easy, or easier than you had anticipated.

Here are a few examples: any exams that you passed despite thinking that you wouldn’t; or an important meeting that you chaired with greater ease and confidence than you expected; hosted a party for your child that you never thought you could pull off. Think of as many scenarios as you can remember.

The idea here is to use these successful memories as points of reference. You thought you would never achieve them and yet you did. What does that tell you? It tells you that you have more self confidence that you think you have.

Combine the two strategies together and you have the ingredients to be a confident winner. Reinforce them with repetition and in due course nothing can stop you doing whatever you want or desire.
Article Source: http://www.articlevista.com

Monday, April 5, 2010

Self Improvement Tips To Benefit You!

Self Development is a key component of any successful person. Today I explore the word Failure - and why it isn't real!

No-one is actually born successful are they? no - not even Paris Hilton! (debatable whether she ever was successful.....lol.....House of Wax...OMG!) Anyway -

I am a true believer that those who choose to actively acknowledge their issues and seek to improve their situations are the only ones who really succeed in life (makes sense?)

Self improvement is not for everyone though - there always has to be the whingers amongst us! But somewhere, someday, somehow we all must take responsibility for ourselves and stand up and be counted! We must take responsibility to improve ourselves and make it a top priority in our lives!

Most people have had bad situations in their life or childhood that can make for a really good excuse, to not make the most out of life. I choose not to allow any of the misfortunes in my life to be excuses for moving forward and being successful!

I choose to get on with it and be a success at everything I do! - You can too!

Today.......I want to start by exploring the unreal word that is - FAILURE!

  Have you shade away from something new, just out of fear of failure? I know I have in the past!As a matter of fact - most people have at some time in their life! I know it and you know it - no one likes to fail. Can anyone put their hand up and say they are happy to feel like they're ineffective, inefficient, weak or lacking in any way? not me! that's for sure!

Think about this - failure doesn't exist - not until YOU say it does, anyway! If you get out the old dictionary - you will find several definitions of the word 'failure'. You will find some of these: a state of inability to perform a normal function adequately, a failing to do or perform, a lack of success, a fracturing or giving way under stress.

Check out these definitions - do you see what they have in common if you consider goal acheivement: failure is merely a PERCEPTION.

If you believe you have failed, then you most certainly have! If you believe you don't have the ability to succeed, then you don't. and you won't! If you believe you can't handle the pressure of achieving your goals, surely you wont reach them! If you believe you're not or can't be successful, you're not and you won't be! Failure only really exists in your own mind! The moment you decide to give up or stop working toward your goals, failure is born and it is real.

Lets say that you never do that though? You never say this sort of negative stuff and instead, you strive to reach your goals, bit by bit, baby step by baby step - there's no failure then, is there?

This little snippet of info should be particularly encouraging if you've been working hard towards your goals but are not yet seeing many or any positive results yet. All you need to do is keep going and you cannot fail! Now this is self improvement at the roots! Improve your mindset! - You CAN do it! You WILL do it! You ARE doing it!

Here are three tips to improve yourself and keep your mind strong and focused on your goals:

1) Never allow yourself an easy way out. Heaps of people do this without even knowing they are doing it! They are happy to work hard on their goals until the going gets too tough or its not as easy as they thought and then they give up. Don't do that! Commit yourself to making your goals happen, no matter what! Never quit, never admit failure, never lose your determination.

2) Don't set yourself up by putting unrealistic time frames on your goals! It's okay to set a general timeframe, but surely you have to know that circumstances are not always in your control (crap happens!) so you can't be totally sure when your goal will actually be achieved. Do you feel like, in order to claim success you must set an exact time to complete your mission? If so - you are really just aiming for failure! Don't do that! Instead, get a general idea of when you'd like your goal to be completed, but then take it a day at a time and focus on making progress towards you goal, not on reaching the finish line in as little time as possible. (sensible? - I think so!)

3) Finally, are you one of these people that see obstacles and setbacks as failures? The two are completely different. An obstacle, setback or delay means only one thing: it's not time for your goal to be achieved yet. That's it! It doesn't mean you failed; it simply means you're not done yet. You've got to keep moving forward and find a way around the problem.

I personally believe that self development and self improvement should be a daily mission for everybody who really wants to succeed in life.
Article Source: http://www.approvedarticles.com

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Women Using Copulins Pheromone To Attract Men

More and more women these days are using copulins pheromones to attract men. They usually come in the form of a pheromone perfume
spray and the effectiveness of attraction is amplified as a result. The going trend these days in the club and dating scene is to become more attractive and alluring to whomever you meet out there.

For the most part, the chance to make a more perfect impression the first time is what has women running around making sure their first experience is the best. That is why more women are using pheromone perfume to increase their chances of landing the right guy into their lives.

Besides the fact that single women are using this, it has come to my attention that couples in a relationship or marriage are also starting to use pheromone perfume to increase attention and affection from their partner or spouse. It has proven to be quite effective to increase intimacy and overall attention as well.

There was a group of women one time in a night club that I noticed off hand. Now, these women knew that I was observing them while I was having my drink. But there was something about them that really made me want to get to know them more. There was a certain allure and aromatic sensation that captivated me while the night progressed gracefully. It was almost like a group of siren women were trying to draw me in. As I was getting closer to them, one of them mentioned to my ear, It must be my pheromones that delight you here.

After hearing this, I immediately had to get composure of myself so that I can communicate with them in a more controlled manner. I didnt want them to know that I was crazy about them and scare them off. I then asked the one with the curly hair if it was true that she was wearing a copulins pheromone perfume on her body and she immediately said yes and asked me if I liked it? I nodded my head yes without saying anything to her at all. This experience not only intrigued me to learn more about human pheromone but to understand the mysteries of attraction and the scent that increases these inhibitions in people.
Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Laws of Attraction - Can They work For You?

There are a lot of ideas being peddled these days about the Law of Attraction, much of it instigated through 'The Secret'. Don't know about you, but for me there was an amazing sense of belief in watching the movie, belief that we can all make our dreams come true. Like many of you reading this, I set out to prove that it can and will happen.

The problem in all of this is the tendency to believe that gratification will be instant. Now wouldn't that be nice! But that's the stuff of dreams. Unfortunately it doesn't quite work that way. Consequently, many people tend to become disgruntled, disillusioned, and ask why it seems to be working for some but not for them.

What better time than in the recent economic downturn, to really put into place the mandates of the Law of Attraction? But what actually happened was that too many people lost even more faith. The fear of ever picking up the pieces again after share losses, the desperation as people lost their jobs, and the overall uncertainty, meant that, however unintentionally, people changed their positive inner beliefs to negative ones. Well, we all know the ramifications of that! You see, those times of uncertainty are the times when you really have to hold faith. You have to look at your life every day and be positive about what you have and what you should be absolutely grateful for, instead of focusing on the all-consuming negatives.

I watched a documentary recently about an Aboriginal man who was once a successful actor. He was extremely well-spoken, clearly well-educated, and had enjoyed the fruits of his acting skills.

Unfortunately he began to experiment with drugs, and with that, he allowed his job opportunities to slip away. Still on drugs he needed a way to support his habit and so, he took to burglary. He was good at that too! In time though, he was caught and sent to prison. He was accepting of his fate and did his due time, several times, eventually reaching the decision that he was getting too old for prison life!

On his final coming out, he decided to make a documentary of his wayward living. It was a disturbing story by all accounts, but for him it was life-changing, for in doing so, he reclaimed his life.

What impressed me about him was that he was still able to attract his past co-workers and enlist their help for the documentary. He never ever engaged in blame-passing for what had happened to him. Sure, he had regrets, but he never ever lost sight of who he was and his faith in himself remained strong.

It's that sort of faith, that belief that things will get better, that will allow the Law of Attraction to work for you too. But first you must overtly and consciously, invite success into your life. Make it a daily occurrence. And then, take steps, patient steps, to ensure that it happens.

Just watching a movie such as 'The Secret' won't change your life. It may change your belief system, it may give you hope, but then it's up to you. Thereafter what you will have to change are your entrenched habits, those same habits that have weighed you down in the past. That will involve much education on your part, an education that will challenge you to grow.

Think about it this way. If you wanted to lose weight, and you simply went to the gym or for a jog each day without actually doing anything about your diet, do you think that would work? Probably not! Oh you might lose a little weight, you might be better toned, but the results would be generally disappointing. In time you would lapse into your bad habits and your weight would inevitably creep up again. You know, the weight-loss industry has built an empire on broken promises. It thrives on human failure. Don't be part of that failure!

So my advice to you if you truly desire success, is to be hungry for knowledge. Invite support wherever you can. Learn from those who know. And don't forget, that as you journey towards success, take time out to help others to succeed as well.
Article Source: http://www.notepad.in

Monday, March 29, 2010

Highly Recommended Self Improvement Books To Read

You have got to motivate yourself in order to motivate others. If you do not know how, then it is time to browse through some self improvement books on how to go about it.

Read on a few self improvement books…Here are a few:

1. 21 Indispensable Qualities of Leadership: Becoming the Leader Others Will Follow John C. Maxwell

Why do some people consistently inspire others to follow their lead? In this self improvement book, the author identifies these top traits as character, charisma, commitment, communication, competence, courage, discernment, focus, generosity, initiative, listening, passion, positive attitude, problem-solving, relationships, responsibility, security, self-discipline, servanthood, teachability, and vision.

Maxwell breaks down leadership qualities into easy to understand character qualities. Character is what defines a leader, and these traits are what people of character have. A must-read for leaders in any position.

2. Discover Your Strengths Marcus Buckingham

The self improvement book that helps you find what you are strong in and encourages you to work to make those stronger. That instead of working against what you know you're good at. You can also take the personal survey that is in the book.

3. Five Patterns of Extraordinary Careers Spencer Stuart

A remarkable book about how to stand out from your peers and have a better career. One lesson learned: It is better to ask for forgiveness after the fact than it is to ask for permission ahead of time.

4. Who Moved My Cheese? Spencer Johnson

Of course, what book list would be complete without this self improvement book that is all about change. Another book that is well worth the listen, but also worth reading.

5. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Steven Covey

Another must have in your self improvement book collection. If you like to read a lot of books, you are practicing one of Covey's habits, "sharpening the saw."

6. How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci Discover Your Genius: How to Think Like History's Ten Most Revolutionary Minds Michael Gelb

This self improvement book helps you to think more creatively and be more artistic. These factors are important no matter what position you may be in.

7. The Brand You 50 Re-imagine Pursuit of Wow! Tom Peters

A motivational book urging readers to achieve more.

8. What Should I Do With My Life? Po Bronson

A self improvement book that tells us that it is okay not to know what you want to do. That even the people we think are completely happy may not be. And that we make our own happiness, it all depends on how you deal with it.

9. Rhinoceros Success Scott Alexander

This was recommended to me by my last manager. An incredibly quick read. The book is all about leading, and how sometimes you have to do the unpopular to make a difference and stand out as a leader. Be a rhino!

10. Advanced Rhinocerology Scott Alexander

A nice sequel to Rhinocerous Success that you will also enjoy. A few things it reminded me of is that leaders are often under attack from all sides, and it's important to watch your own back because often nobody else will.

These are just some of the more popular self improvement books you can check out whenever you want answers to questions you have been keeping inside for too long.
Article Source: http://articles.rssorange.com

Friday, March 26, 2010

Creating Success Begins With You

Can you possibly imagine yourself without goals? Not even very short term goals, like presenting that financial statement after lunch? Or maybe submitting that daily accomplishment report at the end of the day?

Without goals, our lives have no direction. It resembles a piece of driftwood floating in the ocean, going where the current goes and where the wind blows. If you live such a life, will you be able to achieve success, even a seemingly insignificant accomplishment? Are you willing to live life this way - simply going with the flow with no clear destination in mind?

You know you have to take action and do something now or are you going to take the chance of creating success pass you by, again?

Success stands for different things for each individual. Your concept of success may be finishing a doctorate degree; another person will say she achieved success if she loses those excess pounds and achieve her ideal weight, still someone else may declare that his idea of success is paying off his debts and acquiring financial security in these troubled times. One thing, however, is common in all these scenarios – the key to success begins with you.

You are the only one who holds the key. Your family and friends may help you achieve whatever your aspirations may be. You may use amazing goal setting tools and apply effective goal achieving techniques but it will still go down to you. There are too many questions and by looking deep inside yourself and really contemplate on these issues, you will find the answers.

The first step to success is to reconcile yourself with your issues, compromising and finding balance. When you have found peace of mind and harmony within yourself, you are ready to take on any challenge life may bring.

Another thing you should remember is to never underestimate the power of positive thinking. The sheer power of your thoughts will be your catalyst to achieving success. A healthy dose of optimism never hurt anybody and surely not you and your goals. And don’t forget to maintain your drive, enthusiasm and motivation all throughout.

You should also associate yourself with like-minded, successful people and learn from them. Learning is a continuous process; at first you may seem not to know what you’re doing but slowly by observing successful people and learning form your own mistakes, you will get the hang of it and sooner that you know achieving success will come naturally and with less effort.

To achieve success you need to have a fit and healthy body. Success will be a hard to get hold of if you constantly fall off the success wagon because your body can’t keep up. When you are striving hard for success, stress and pressure are given factors and you have to manage them effectively. You should also provide yourself with the right nutrition to make sure you are fueled to take your game to the next level.

Creating success begins with you - your mind and body. Be an optimist - cultivate positive thinking, and sustain your enthusiasm and motivation. Be healthy - eat right and lead an active lifestyle.
Article Source: http://www.thearticleinsiders.com

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

BUILD YOUR SELF ESTEEM, A STARTER GUIDE TO SELF IMPROVEMENT

Therefore how do you keep calm, composed and maintain self worth in a very tough surroundings? Here are some tips you will to contemplate as a starter guide to self improvement.

Imagine yourself as a Dart Board. Everything and everyone else around you'll become Dart Pins, at one point or another. These dart pins can destroy your self esteem and pull you down in ways in which you won’t even remember. Don’t let them destroy you, or get the best of you. So which dart pins should you avoid?

Dart Pin #one : Negative Work Environment
Beware of “dog eat dog” theory where everybody else is fighting just to induce ahead. This can be where non-appreciative individuals usually thrive. No one can appreciate your contributions even if you miss lunch and dinner, and stay up late. Customarily you can work an excessive amount of while not getting facilitate from people concerned. Stay out of this, it can ruin your self esteem. Competition is at stake anywhere. Be healthy enough to compete, but in a very healthy competition that is.

Dart Pin #two: Different People’s Behavior
Bulldozers, brown nosers, gossipmongers, whiners, backstabbers, snipers, folks walking wounded, controllers, naggers, complainers, exploders, patronizers, sluffers… all these kinds of folks can pose dangerous vibes for your self-worth, likewise on your self improvement scheme.

Dart Pin #3: Changing Atmosphere
You can’t be a green bug on a brown field. Changes challenge our paradigms. It tests our flexibility, adaptability and alters the approach we tend to think. Changes will build life difficult for awhile, it might cause stress but it can help us notice ways that to improve our selves. Modification will be there forever, we should be susceptible to it.

Dart Pin #4: Past Experience
It’s okay to cry and say “ouch!” when we experience pain. But don’t let pain transform itself into fear. It might grab you by the tail and swing you around. Treat every failure and mistake as a lesson.

Dart Pin #5: Negative World Read
Have a look at what you’re looking at. Don’t wrap yourself up with all the negativities of the world. In building self esteem, we must find out how to form the most effective out of worst situations.

Dart Pin #half dozen: Determination Theory
The approach you are and your behavioral traits is claimed to be a mixed end product of your inherited traits (genetics), your upbringing (psychic), and your environmental surroundings such as your spouse, the company, the economy or your circle of friends. You have got your own identity. If your father is a failure, it doesn’t mean you have got to be a failure too. Learn from other folks’s experience, therefore you’ll never have to encounter the identical mistakes.

Typically, you'll want to surprise if some individuals are born leaders or positive thinkers. NO. Being positive, and staying positive may be a choice. Building self worth and drawing lines for self improvement is a choice, not a rule or a talent. God wouldn’t return down from heaven and tell you - “George, you will now have the permission to make self-worth and improve your self.”

In life, its onerous to stay robust specially when things and people around you retain pulling you down. When we get to the battle field, we have a tendency to should choose the correct luggage to bring and armors to use, and decide those who are bullet proof. Life’s options offer us arrays of a lot of options. Along the battle, we have a tendency to can get hit and bruised. And wearing a bullet proof armor ideally means ‘self change’. The sort of change that comes from within. Voluntarily. Armor or Self Amendment changes three things: our attitude, our behavior and our means of thinking.

Building self worth will eventually result in self improvement if we have a tendency to start to become accountable for who we tend to are, what we have a tendency to have and what we do. Its like a flame that should gradually spread sort of a brush fire from inside and out. After we develop self-worth, we tend to take control of our mission, values and discipline. Self-worth brings concerning self improvement, true assessment, and determination. So how do you start putting up the building blocks of self esteem? Be positive. Be contented and happy. Be appreciative. Never miss an chance to compliment. A positive way of living will help you build self worth, your starter guide to self improvement.
Article Source: http://www.medicalsupportforum.com

Monday, March 22, 2010

Law of Attraction - The Secret Journey From 1879 to Present

The law of attraction states that if you want something badly enough and believe that you'll get it then you will. It's not about chance or fate but rather influencing the natural order of things by projecting a need so great that you actually motivate that thing into happening.

The entire concept is very similar to Peter Pan and his never ending chant of "I do believe in fairies. I do, I do," when confronted with the possibility that Tinkerbell might die. So right there you see that it's not just about desiring something, it's about reaching as deeply down as you can and wanting it with your entire soul. About wanting it and believing without a doubt that you'll get it.

The idea that thoughts could affect the world outside of the head has been debunked and abused by critics as was expected considering that the idea is a new-aged one and has been steadily growing in popularity.
They say that thought cannot influence chance while others claim that chance is neither here nor there in the equation since it doesn't exist in the first place. Whatever the belief there are still a hefty number of followers out there who have studied and practiced the technique and sometimes received amazing results as rewards for their efforts.

The New York Times were the first to use the particular catchphrase Law of Attraction. Granted the phrase was used in 1879 and had very little to do with the actual exercise of the law of attraction but still, it was a huge turning point because at that moment people began to consider it as a more viable idea.
It was no longer the simple ramblings of crock-pots and psychics. It was a legitimate term with legitimate backing and while tat one sentence out of a thousand may not have revolutionized the minds of every critic within reading distance, it did start the stirring pot for something much bigger.

By 1902 electrical engineers, physicists, were beginning to put more credit behind the concept and in 1904 a movement began that would stretch over the next six years and pop up randomly every dozens of years thereafter. Thomas Troward, the poster child for the New Thought Movement, believed that your thoughts preceded any physical manifestations of them and that any action that the mind engages in is simply the seedling for something greater.

"A seedling which, when left alone, attracts the ingredients and nutrients that it needs to a physical manifestation." Bruce MacLelland said in his book "Prosperity Through Thought" Force, 'You are what you think, not what you think you are.' The quote pretty much summarizes the entire principle perfectly, a feat which authors who came before and after MacLelland, and who mentioned the subject too, were not able to accomplish nearly as well.
Article Source: http://www.articlecell.com

Friday, March 19, 2010

7 ways To Boost Self Confidence

There are many ways to boost self confidence, but it is a process that takes time to reach the point at which you feel confident. You need to take it little by little outside from where you feel safe. Don't jump in at the deep end, trying to take too many steps too soon because this may have an adverse effect on you. There are some basic points to help boost self confidence that can be easily followed.

#1 One of these is to take care of your appearance, particularly if you are going out, dress well and avoid looking scruffy because this will make you noticeable. People will start to notice you and give you positive or flattering comments. Being presentable will help to boost self confidence and make you proud of yourself.

#2 Have positive thoughts about achievements, or just try to think positively. You may need to talk out loud to yourself to examine what you are thinking. If your confidence is low much of what you say to yourself or think may be negative. Try and stop yourself and turn it into positives. By controlling your negative thinking you can boost self confidence in the process.

#3 Get yourself a piece of paper and write down what you consider to be your good points and things that you have accomplished. Put it somewhere so that you can see it every day, but only so that you can see it. Take a copy to keep with you in your wallet. Use your list as a reminder of your points to make you feel good about yourself and to boost self confidence. As time passes you will need to add other achievements to it.

#4 Develop the things you are good at. Everyone is good at something. Observe how you react in different situations, particularly in a stressful situation. Everyone is different and will behave in a different way, for example being in control and not losing your temper. If you are able to recognise your own shortcomings and are able to develop your positive points this will increase your self-belief and boost self confidence.

#5 Maintaining your general health is important for feeling confident. A good healthy diet plays a big part in your general well being, and feeling well makes you feel positive. Exercising regularly to maintain fitness and keeping excesses in check helps to boost self confidence. Keeping in good shape and feeling well leads to a good appearance and a good feeling about yourself.

#6 People notice how you carry yourself. If you walk around briskly it gives the impression of energy. Be aware of your posture, stand up straight, don’t slump your shoulders, walk upright with your chin up and not looking at the ground. This will give you a feeling of self confidence.

#7 When holding conversations with people make eye contact with then. You do not need to stare at them because this will make them uneasy. Move your gaze from time to time to avoid the impression that you are staring. This shows that you have an air of confidence.

Give any of these tips a try and see what it could do for you. Don’t do too much at once, then you will start to feel the effects of your efforts to boost self confidence and
generally feel good about yourself.
Article Source: http://www.article-buzz.com

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

3 Steps to Daily Success: Using Motivational and Inspirational Quotes to Achieve Your Goals

Changing our day-to-day behaviors may be easier than previously imagined. By meditating on and repeating motivational and inspirational quotes, we are better prepared to change our thought patterns, behaviors and in turn, change our lives.

Here's how it's done.

If we believe something to be easy, we find little, if any, struggle in accomplishing it. However, if we imagine something to be difficult to accomplish, then our struggle becomes more apparent. In fact, if we imagine that it is difficult to change a specific behavior, then we will always find experiences that will justify that belief.

Take this for example.

We wake up one morning and decide that:

"This is the day I start losing weight. When things get difficult, I will not reach for junk food, but instead I will focus on something else to keep my mind occupied. It'll be tough at first, but I'm going to give it a try."

If you continue with this thought pattern and belief, don't be surprised to find yourself struggling more often than not. Why?

If we look at this example closely we find a couple of thought patterns and beliefs already in place. We have determined to do something good for ourselves, but we do ourselves a disservice by choosing certain negative thought patterns, beliefs and words that go along with it.

We have said,

"When things get difficult...."
(This is already assuming that there will be difficult moments! Strike one!)

"It'll be tough at first..."
(This is already assuming it will be difficult at first! Strike two!)

"...but I'm going to give it a try."
(Remember the movie "The Karate Kid"..."There is no "try", there is only "do". Strike three!)

Now there are hundreds of products out there that will assist people in losing weight. Some, if not all of them, may work for various people at various stages of their goal. But for many people who have convinced themselves that losing weight is difficult, some products may fall short when our thought patterns are stronger than our desire to change.

Here is something that I've done to change a behavior I no longer desired.

I recently lost 20lbs in about 12 weeks. I didn't like the way I looked, felt or even thought for that matter. I needed to change and take some action towards it.

First, I realized that I had to change my way of thinking about losing weight. My old thought patterns were no longer working for me. My thoughts were like little tiny pictures that I projected in my mind of how heavy I was. I no longer wanted these pictures or thought patterns a part of my life. I had to choose a thought pattern and belief that would be easier to think about.

I chose this thought,

"Losing weight is easier than I thought."

Perhaps not the most ideal for everyone but it worked for me.

Secondly, I chose a word I wanted to focus on for that day, week or month to help me in accomplishing my goal (Start with just a day, or just an hour for that matter. Keep it simple.) The word I chose needed to be in relation to the change I want to make. For example, I chose the word "FOCUS", as I felt that that's what I needed to think about most of time; focusing more on losing weight than gaining it. Choose any word as long as it relates to your situation. Examples include Attitude, Energy, Action and Believe.

Following that, I scoured the Internet for motivational and inspirational quotes that resonated within me that related to that specific word I chose. Quotes that I could remember, especially ones that really spoke to what I wanted to accomplish.

But here's the most important part.

I needed quotes that were powerful enough to change my thought patterns the moment I read them. Quotes that REALLY spoke to me when I my eyes fell upon them. Quotes that forced me to pause and think for a moment. Quotes that had that extra "edge" where my mind said, "Yes. This is one."

These are all signs of a quote that held power for me. I "focused" in on the following quotes.
"All that we are is the result of what we have thought." Buddha

"The only way to discover the limits of the possible, is to go beyond them into them impossible." Arthur C. Clarke

"It's not what you achieve in the end that matters, it's who you become in the process." Author Unknown

In fact, I found dozens of quotes that I resorted to from time to time, but these three I always came back to. They spoke of who I was, what I wanted to accomplish and who I wanted to become as I worked towards my goal.

I wrote them down. I carried these quotes with me constantly. I read them and meditated on them whenever I had the opportunity to. At work, home or at the gym (yup, I finally got myself to exercise, primarily by focusing on Arthur C. Clarke's quote!), I focused on these three powerful quotes to help me FOCUS on what I wanted.

Because I changed my thought patterns, over time, I can honestly say I am 20 lbs lighter and a whole lot happier. Yes, I'll be the first to admit that accomplishing the goal involved more than just thinking but it all began with my thoughts. The thoughts then permeated into my actions. (Now I need to FOCUS on maintaining that weight, so for me a whole new thought pattern begins.)

Here are the three steps again:

1. Decided to change your way of thinking about a behavior, making it easier for you to think about it. Phrase it in a simple way.

2. Choose a word to focus on to change that behavior for a period of time.

3. Find a minimum of three motivational or inspirational quotes related to that specific word that are powerful enough to change your current thought patterns the moment you read them. Meditate on them and repeat them, silently or out loud, every chance you get.

Be patient. Stick with it. Give it some time.

Why do you think companies offer a 30-day money back guarantee? They know that if you do something for 30 days it becomes a habit and you no longer need to return it! (Learned something, huh?) Give it time.

The first step to what you want to accomplish is changing your mind and the thought patterns and beliefs associated with your behavior. Thoughts are the precursor to action, meaning that thoughts occur before any action takes place. That's what needs to be changed first. Your thoughts.

It worked for me and I hope this inspires and motivates you to achieve your goal.

Think positive.
Article Source: http://greatselfhelparticles.com

Monday, March 15, 2010

Gain Confidence and Boost Self Esteem in 5 Simple Steps

We all want to become more confident and feel good about ourselves so we can live our very best life. Here are some ways to gain confidence and raise self-esteem:

1. Do something that requires a decision and a follow-through.

Have you been putting off writing that letter to aunt Martha? Is there a friend you’ve been meaning to call? Wash the car, tidy the garden or clean the house. You’ll gain confidence by setting goals (even small ones) and following through on them.

2. Enjoy something you do well.

Do you have any hobbies or sports that you enjoy playing? Some things like going swimming, painting or writing can hold your attention and get you into a state of ‘flow’. While you are in the flow you forget about everything else.

Afterwards, you’ll feel competent and capable. It’s a great way to boost your self-esteem. If you don’t have any particular hobbies or pastimes that you enjoy make an effort to try something you’ve always wanted to try.

Picture yourself doing it, and then give it a try! It doesn’t have to be something big - it can be as simple as joining a walking club.

You’ll find that you are more centered and happier if you do something that puts you in that flow at least once a week.

3. Shift the focus.

It’s been shown that low self-esteem develops hand-in-hand with individuals who put too much focus on themselves. You can gain confidence by doing something that focuses on someone else or even something else.

You’ll find that when you are in a situation where you are meeting new people, you immediately become less nervous when you focus on the person you are meeting.

At the end of the day, you’ve interacted with others and will notice that you feel much lighter.

4. Relax, already!

Learning to become more relaxed is a great life enhancer. People who are more relaxed have fewer problems with their memories and are more likely to take the bumps in the road of life in stride.

The practice of meditation has gained popularity for this reason. You might want to look into Tai Chi, which involves physical relaxation techniques.

Whatever method you decide on, take relaxation seriously. The benefits are just too great to ignore. If you’ve never considered relaxation important, think of it this way: if you can attend to something that results in feeling good, how can you not gain confidence in your personal abilities?

5. Make a list of everything you’ve ever accomplished.

Think small. An accomplishment is an accomplishment! Some things you could put on your list: passed my driver’s test and got my license, scored a goal when I played hockey, managed to save enough money to go on a trip and so on.

These are just a few ideas you can use to gain confidence and boost your self-esteem. Use these ideas as a base point and add these things permanently in your life.

Keep in mind, people are not born with good self-esteem, most of us have to work at it. It develops from your thinking and the things you do daily to make yourself feel good.
Article Source: http://www.articleshowroom.com