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.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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.

Source: Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

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.


Source: Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

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.


Source: Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

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.

Source Of Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

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.

Source of Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com