Holy Grail of Happiness - By Alice Greene

The promise of happiness and contentment can feel very allusive, yet it can be found in the one thing that many people resist: regular exercise and healthy habits. Think about it, of all the people you know who is the most upbeat, energetic and content?

I have found they are primarily the ones that feel good physically and emotionally because they take care of themselves and feel invigorated and fantastic. These are the ones who have gained confidence and self esteem and understand that it is alright to put themselves first. They aren’t selfish. They know when they take care of themselves there is more energy and ability to give to others, and they can do it without feeling they are giving anything up. When you take care of your own needs first, you feel rejuvenated and can more fully give to others in your work or personal life and reap greater pleasure in doing so.

Is this a conundrum for you? On the one hand you like how that all sounds but on the other hand it may seem too difficult to change what you are doing or get started with an exercise routine. That is understandable if you have been resisting it for a long time or if you have felt too stuck or lethargic to consider it. So ask yourself this: are you happy with how you feel? Do you want to feel better and have more positive, uplifting days than you have now? It really is possible.

The Holy Grail to fully enjoying life doesn’t have to be a tortuous hike on a winding and formidable path to health and well being. It can be just the opposite. It can seem more like a stroll by the river, because you can start wherever it feels best to you and do what you enjoy most. The key is consistency and stretching yourself just a bit to explore your abilities and options. Very quickly you will discover that the more you do, the more you can and want to do because it feels good to move, eat well, get enough sleep and reduce your stress level.

Everyone is different as to what works for them, so pay attention to what you are feeling when you consider your options. If you are feeling that what you are doing isn’t enough, focus instead on what your body is telling you. If you feel that more is better, consider that doing too much too quickly often leads to injuries, frustration and giving up. Only you know how much you really can do and how hard you can push yourself. It isn’t a race when you first start a new healthy habit, it is a behavioral change that takes time to fully adapt and incorporate into your lifestyle.

What is different about having a healthy lifestyle that feels wonderful as opposed to doing a diet or intense program is the realization that the focus is creating a healthier way of living and not a one-time or short-term event that is focused on achieving a set goal. When you focus on the goal and stop the new behavior once it is reached, you will soon lose what you gained from the program. That is frustrating, disappointing and impacts your self esteem and your happiness. Many of us have experienced this. It is so hard to get a taste of feeling better about ourselves and our bodies only to lose it, especially if doing it in the first place felt like a lot of effort.

This time around, allow yourself time to ease into a consistent healthy routine at a pace you can handle. You don’t have to try to do it all at once. Start off moving your body, then introduce healthier foods and later add in some quiet time. Or do the reverse. Listen to what you really need to do first. Or if you are already active and eat well, see if you need more sleep, relaxation, fun or personal time. Soon you will get a taste of how good you can really feel. You may surprise yourself and feel happier than you have felt in a long time.

Alice Greene, founder of Feel Your Personal Best, is a Healthy Lifestyle Coach, who has helped many people feel great. Alice is co-host of Living Your Personal Best radio show. She provides a unique perspective on how to succeed at making lifestyle changes that facilitate making all your life dreams come true. Sign up for her free report, "9 Life-Changing Secrets Every Woman Must Know" and confirm what you already know deep in your soul to be true. Ignite something in you that changes your perception of yourself and gives you permission to put self care on equal par with the other priorities in your day and week. To receive your free copy, visit http://www.feelyourpersonalbest.com

How Would You Eat An Elephant? - By Ian Crossley

GETTING STARTED
The biggest problem with anything is starting, and if you look at the entire task, it will depress you before you even start. As I have said before, this is no different than eating an elephant. If you contemplate eating it in one mouthful, you obviously will never attempt it, if however you make the decision to do it one bite at a time, it does not even look like a task at all.

As you look at this scenario initially you can see the solution but if you keep looking at how much of the elephant is left, or how far you have to go, most people will give up after a very short time.

This is one of my little secrets, hide the elephant, and just realise that every mouthful is taking you nearer to your destination. The bottom line is, that it ain’t easy, but it is possible for everyone to do it, once they have committed and realised that there is some work to do.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
Once you have committed you must accept that you are 100% responsible for your life. How many of you blame everyone else when things go wrong, we never seem to put ourselves in any part of the reason why. It is always something else or someone elses fault.

I suggest that before you even try to make sense of all this, you keep repeating that you are in total control and the decisions that you make will be your responsibility.

Instead of asking yourself “Why did this happen” ask yourself “How can I change it or improve it.” When we get really low we ask ourselves “What is wrong with me” and your brain dashes around finding answers to that question, and more often than not, they are not things that you want to hear. This then sends you into a negative frame of mind, and our dear friend the law of attraction starts bringing you lots more negativity.

CLIMBING BACK
At this point think back over the last five years to something really terrible that has happened to you, even now it will not appear so bad, because time eases our memory.
Try and find out what you learnt from that experience, what positive can you draw from it? Try and remember how you felt and how you just got more and more depressed, attracting exactly the same as you were putting out.

Slowly as things changed and you moved on, you started climbing back up the ladder, and as you slowly started to be a bit happier, things got back on track, and the more you tried to get on with your life, the more things aligned to make it better.

This illustrates the power that we all possess to control things, once we make the decision to move on, everything changes. I never forget a line that Rebecca put in her SOGR course. “One day we will laugh about this, Why don’t we laugh about it now?”

OPPORTUNITY
One thing that I will make perfectly clear, we all have the equipment to make this work, unfortunately some people because of previous programming refuse to believe that, and they get their mind to agree with them, as to why thy cannot do it.

The simple act of just setting a goal, and your total belief that you can obtain it, starts a chain reaction of events that will lead you to your goal. Notice the words total belief, it is no good just saying the words, if deep down your subconscious is telling you , that you cannot do it.

This is the whole crux of the matter and you have to work on this. I talked about this in the article Build your vision slowly. Your subconscious is a very worthy foe, remember that he has won every encounter that you have ever had up to this point.

Although he is very willing to change, he is not going to give up his dominance easily. He will need to see things changing and accept that the information he has stored for you may actually be faulty. The only way that you can change his mind, is to show him by example, how different things can be.

Over time you will actually reprogramme your subconscious, and the amazing thing is that once you start giving him reason to change, he starts looking for things that he can bring to your attention for consideration. At this point you are on the verge of discovery, possibly for the first time in your life, a sense of calm starts to prevail in your head.

HAPPINESS
The state of mind you are now creating, is perfect for planting the seed of happiness. From this simple seed will grow ALL the answers to your problems and queries.

This is really just a very broad overview of some little ideas to help you GET IT. I do hope that they help. I will keep thinking of ways to relate this wonderful life changing phenomena, in basic easy to understand ways.

PROOF
People quite often ask me for proof as to how this works, I just tell them that they can prove it does not work for themselves. They then ask HOW, and I reply

“JUST DO NOTHING”

Croz is a talker and thinker. check out his website http://www.croz.com.au

Moving Forward in Life - By Daniel Belcher

What does it take to move forward in life? One of the key things needed to move forward is the ability to focus. The mind must be clear about what it needs to focus on. There are times when it is critical to focus on what is taking place at that time. My advice is to focus on what is most important or that appears to be the priority. If you do not focus on what is most important; you could be in real trouble in the near or not to distance future.

Another key point to moving forward in life is having the ability see success. If someone is unable to see success then they may never feel inspired to seek greater achievements in life. There must be inside the heart something that enables one to see success. If we look at most people who have done well moving forward in life; we will see that they all had the ability to see success.

Moving forward in life, also involves the ability to unstick the mind. Sometimes life will deal us a blow that may cause us to become stuck or unmotivated. Instead of us standing our ground and lowering our shoulder, we feel like curling up and throwing in the towel. It is at these times that we must put on all our spiritual armor and prepare for battle. One battle at a time! One fight at a time! This is the kind of attitude we need to move forward in life.

Sometimes we need support when moving forward in life; it is a natural and sometime necessary fact of life. We are not alone on this planet. Let face it, we are all here to help each other, and the sooner we realize it, the better for everyone. We can move forward by helping each other pull on the support ropes of life.

As you move forward in life, occasionally look ahead to your next horizon. The next challenge you see will give you the drive to keep moving forward. Looking forward will hone your ability to achieve success. Keep moving forward.

I retired from United States Navy in 2003, after serving over 21 years of enlisted active duty onboard several different ships and a few shore assignments. I am married. My wife and i have two daughters. We have two dogs, Chow Chow's, to be exact. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Arts (Focus area Psychology) from Excelsior College class 2004. http://belwrites.com

Why Are You Still Living Where You Are? - By Jeffrey Hauser

It’s a simple question with a complex answer. I’ll go first. My parents moved to new Jersey when I was five. I eventually went to college in New York and finally moved away after my mother died. My father had already been up in Seattle with a new family he started when he divorced her years prior. So, other than a few friends. I had no family keeping me there anymore. I suspect that most people are where they are because of: friends, family, their job, they like it, and it’s familiar. But, if they are like I was, they where there because of circumstance.

Yet, as we age and can choose the place to live, we are reluctant to change. Even with horrible weather, crowded malls, awful traffic, or rural surroundings, we stick with what we know. I don’t always understand why a person in Buffalo would put up with yards of snowfall year after year. Or someone in southern Florida watching for the next hurricane? Or the Midwesterner awaiting a slew of tornadoes?

I am not totally ignorant and realize the value of friends and family around you. But weather can be a contributing negative factor. Seattlites have constant rain or clouds, much like Londoners and that seems rather depressing. But people with good weather can be depressed as well. Many times, people prefer the suburbs or rural areas to the big cities. But they give up job opportunities, better shopping, and more choices for that freedom. Conversely, large cities have more crime and higher taxes. So where’s the benefit?

The point is that, rather than complaining about your particular plight, why not get up and go? Your friends and relatives, if they really love you, will understand. They can always come for a visit and the phone still works just about everywhere, nowadays. If you are fed up with shoveling snow four months a year or constant rainfall, then move. If the traffic and crowds drive you crazy, move. If the small town has nothing of interest, then move. Take a vacation in an area you like, check out the housing and job situation and spend time in the local stores and talk to the people that live there. They will probably be honest with you.

But, hanging around a place that your parents moved to 30 years ago is no reason to continue going through the motions of enjoying your life. Sure, Hawaii is beautiful and expensive, but if you want to live on an island, you could do worse. If you love the idea of wide open spaces, Billings, Montana is calling your name. If the excitement of New York is luring you there, spend a week in Midtown and check it out. Getting a bite of the Big Apple might be your invitation to success. But get a move on because time is sweeping by and you’re not getting any younger. In fact, maybe it’s your time for a new adventure and a new life.

Jeffrey Hauser was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years.
He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master's Degree in teaching. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. He has authored 6 books and a novel, "Pursuit of the
Phoenix." His latest book is, "Inside the Yellow Pages" which can be seen at his website, http://www.poweradbook.com and he is currently the Marketing Director for http://www.thenurseschoice.com a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.

Confidence and Courage – Your Key to Success - By Mark Shearon

The truth really can set you free. Once you are free, then what?! Think about this, if a movie was being made about your life, would you have the confidence to be the star in it or would you simply be a spectator? Milt Campbell, the 1956 Olympic Decathlon Gold Medal winner said: “God created you to be a champion. You have been conditioned to be a spectator.” Being confident is to know that you know...and confidence will unlock the door to your success.

How do you know that you cannot do something that you have never attempted? Maybe you feel you have physical, intellectual or emotional barriers. Maybe someone told you that you couldn’t. Maybe someone told you not to even try. And maybe you believed them.

Think about the most successful people either in your life or in the world, alive or dead. Do you think they ever fell on their face? Do you think it kept them down? No matter what the activity or undertaking, there is always a “first time” When you were a baby or very small child, think of the things that you did without fear. Think of the things that you learned at an alarming rate. Did you know how to do these things before you attempted them? No, but you did it anyway. Did you mess up? Probably. You kept going until you did it unconsciously. If you have children in your life, you can watch it happen first hand.

So what happened? Why did we “all of a sudden” determine that there are things that we could not do so we don’t even try? Deep down inside of all of us is the ability to accomplish just about anything that we desire. However, our past experiences have somehow convinced us that we shouldn’t even attempt it for fear of failure, looking stupid or any number of false reasons. I call them false reasons because they are not real. They have been made up in our own head to keep us from doing things.

Our own self-preservation will stop at nothing to protect us from anything that might feel bad. So what if we looked at the results, regardless of the turnout, differently. Not as failure, but as continued education. When we were children learning how to walk or do something else, there was never any thought of failure. Just get up and do it again. What would happen if our children gave up after the first fall, or worse still, never tried in the first place?

Here’s my thought: J.F.D.I. Simple enough, huh? J.F.D.I. stands for Just Focus & Do It. (I inserted the word focus to keep this family friendly; you can use your own interpretation) It is none of your business what others think or feel about you or anything else. They have a right to think and feel whatever they want. You probably don’t want to know what they are REALLY thinking anyway.

If I told you that I would pay you $100, 000 for every new thing that you tried and succeeded you may think about it first and even give it a shot. How many times would you have to fail before you gave up? If I told you that you could make $5000 for every time you tried something new and failed, I believe you would jump right in and do it. That means if you tried something 20 times and “failed” you would make the same amount that you would if you “succeeded”. My point being that for every time you try something and “fail”, you now have knowledge of what NOT to do next time; ultimately getting you closer to success.

If Thomas Edison would have stopped after the first 50 “failures”, we would have been living in the dark for awhile longer. (I say that because someone else would have stepped up and invented the light bulb; they probably would have used Edison’s data to determine what not to do).

Henry Ford said, “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right” Don’t let your past determine your future. J.F.D.I.

Until next time…

More Tips on Motivation to Succeed in Life

Mark Shearon has been a personal coach, author and successful entrepreneur for most of his life. He has taught courses in personal development around the world and worked with some of the top names in the industry including teachers from the movie “The Secret”. To start living the life of your dreams, go to http://www.PraxisLife.net. Personal growth has never been so attainable and affordable. You deserve a Praxis Life!

What Super Heroes Teach Us About Personl Growth - By Dwayne Gilbert

I have always enjoyed super heroes. Spiderman, Batman, The X-Men, and many others. My favorite of all time would have to be Superman though. Superman always amazed me because he is one of the few super heroes who has to put on a costume to be normal. He also has the ability to have anything he wants, including complete rule over the earth if he so chose, but instead decided to use his powers to help people. There is one major flaw in almost every single super hero though. That one flaw is complete selflessness. Let me explain.

In our society we believe that anyone who is selfish at all is a bad person. For some reason we have picked up the idea that anytime someone does something selfish that they are commiting a sin. Now I am not saying that people should be selfish all the time and never give, however, there needs to be a balance. We should give of ourselves in any way we can to help others live better lives. However, if we don't first take care of ourselves, and if we always have others in mind with every thought, word, and deed, we will never get what we need to live a happy fulfilling life. If you only have ten dollars left until next Friday, it would be silly to give half or all of it to someone else who needs it.

It is not a bad thing to be selfish as long as that selfish is not effecting other people in a negative way emotionally, menatlly, or physically. Each and every one of us has to take care of ourselves as no one else will do so. If you give away your last meal, you will starve to death. If you are always focused on making others happy, you will never express yourself in a way that makes you happy. If you are always doing for others, when will you have the time to do for you. You need to take time to make sure you are providing for yourself on a mental, emotional, and physical level. It is the only way you will ever get closer to your goals and dreams, and hopefully you are providing for others by getting closer to your goals and dreams.

No one does anything for nothing. There is no such thing as a completely altruistic act. The return may be smaller than what is given, but nothing is done for nothing. When you donate money to a non-profit organization you don't do it completely void of emotion. You do it because it makes you feel good for one reason or another. When you stay over time at your job when you don't have to you don't do it so others can benefit. You do it because you feel a sense of duty, or you like to move forward, or for a million other reasons. Nothing we ever do is without some form of self serving reason. We tithe at church because we believe it is the right thing to do and we want to support our ministry. So be willing to be a little more selfish. Superman saved thousands of lives, but at the end of the day he had little left for himself. Often times he pushed his own happiness away so he could help other people. None of us are super heroes, but we can accomplish super hero deeds, as long as we remember to take time for ourselves.

Dwayne Gilbert is the founder of http://www.wealthylifesecrets.com and has been helping people in the area of self-protection
and personal development for 10 years. He has authored some of his own books and currently teaches people self-defense and
personal development strategies and tactics. To get more information on the law of attraction and how to apply it, visit
http://www.wealthylifesecrets.com.

Gratitude Creates Miracles - By Sjef Van De Laak

The more grateful we are, the more we will receive from Life.

Gratitude increases our receptivity to allow abundance.

According to the Law of Attraction every thought on which we instinctively focus during our live will be intensified. It accumulates and is taking continually more shape as long as we keep our focus on this thought.

Gratitude is the concentration on the fullness and abundance of life, it is like estimating the value of what we received and what we became during our life.

A grateful attitude is a laudation to the Source in all its aspects and qualities.

Every time we feel gratitude, we live with a feeling of abundance, instead of a feeling of shortage and we feel ourselves fulfilled from within.

There is nothing more healing and effective as to practice a grateful attitude!

It is the most powerful therapy which exists besides that it is always freely to our possession, every moment of life.

Gratitude is the shortest road that leads to our Source.

The Secret of Divinity, whether it is love, joy, knowledge, vitality or material things, lies in the Unification of the Source with the Infinite Resources and an absolute Knowing that everything will be thrown into our lap as long as we claim it in advance with gratitude.

How can we “practice” gratitude?

By feeling with our senses the moment of Now.
For many people life in this world is boring and does not deserve any respect.
Let us open up our senses for all these opportunities that we find on our path of life, look intently, listen intently, feel intently, smell intently and taste intently.

Our perception of this Moment is Unique in its diversity the way it is presented to us.
The way we perceive the world, will never be the same as in this moment, because everything is subject to constant change.

Look at the unique beauty from Moment to Moment.

Realize that beauty is in the eye of the observer. The more we train ourselves in seeing this beauty, the more it will be revealed to us.

Then we will be able to experience the Moment in depth.

Beauty is hided behind the veil of ugliness.

Beauty is lost when we start to compare things, because we start comparing what “IS” with what it should be according to the “ideal vision” in our mind.

Everything that does not meet our “standard” of beauty, will loose our appreciation.
Many people loose themselves in their ideas of beauty, because they have forgotten to notice their own beauty as well the outer beauty as the inner one.

Is there a “Standard” for beauty?

Is a rose more beautiful than a dandelion?

Is a frog more beautiful than a toad?

Is a racing horse more beautiful than a working horse?

Everything has its own beauty and function within the entire universe.

Beauty is born into a heart that can free itself from judgements and standards.
Beauty goes beyond the contradistinction of beauty and ugliness.

True Beauty gives the right to exist to everything that “IS” in aspect to the perpetual process of growth and evolution.

Be a grateful witness that perceives everything in such a way, like it is the first time!

Sjef van de Laak, the composer of the newly released E-book "AWAKENING YOUR SPIRIT, MIND AND BODY", intends, by means of his website (http://www.enrich-life.net), e-zines, articles and E-books, to help everybody who is interested in "The Law of Attraction", in using this Universal Law on a daily basis. The more people that understand and apply this Law in a conscious way, the more beautiful and free of aggression our world will become.

The Times of Our Lives - By Audrey Valeriani

I recently returned from my ninth week-long trip to Aruba with my fiancé. We spent our time relaxing under a tree and swimming at the beach during the day and then sharing exquisite dinners and romantic walks in the evenings. We had a lot of fun but didn’t take any photos because since we had visited the island many times before we already have plenty of pictures of both of us posed in front of every restaurant and divi tree on the island. On our way to the airport we joked that, other than our tanned skin, we would not be able to prove that we traveled here!

As we stood in line at check-in, we noticed also waiting in line was a family who had been on our chartered plane ride down the week before. This day, however, they all had swollen eyes and seemed upset, some of them wiping away tears and sniffling, and sharing only an occasional whispered comment. As it turned out, on the plane we were seated directly in back of them: a mother and her four children who ranged in age from 16 to 8, but no dad was in attendance. We found out that while vacationing with his family that week, he had been killed in a jet skiing accident. This day, his wife and children had to bravely make their way home without him.

We watched the moods of the children go from seemingly careless while playing cards to quiet sobbing when idle, but the mother’s face was another story. In between hopping seats in an effort to attend to each of her devastated children, she would sit and stare down at her lap, unable to comprehend what lay ahead for her and her family. We could almost feel her shock and pain as we realized that this is something that could have happened to any one of us that week. While we were laughing and playing in the water and eating chocolate desserts to our heart’s content, this poor family was experiencing the tragedy of their lives. The vacation they dreamed about and looked forward to turned out to be a nightmare and something none of them would ever forget – their photographs were these indelible moments that would haunt them forever.

As I turned my gaze away from that lost family and toward my fiancé, I could feel how precious time had suddenly become, and I whispered “thank you” to God for giving me some more of it with him. For a moment I found myself regretting that we had no pictures from this vacation together, but then realized that whether or not we actually capture our experiences on film, our minds are busy recording images of certain moments throughout our lives – moments that somehow jolt our emotions, have an impact on us, and change our perception and direction. I wondered if that kind of memorialization was only triggered during traumatic events. What about the good times? I closed my eyes and scanned my memory hoping that my mind had taken enough time to properly register all the tender, wonderful moments I shared with my fiancé this past week.

Throughout our lives as our hearts begin to show wear and tear from the inevitable mishaps and misfortunes that will befall us, we must remember to offset that anguish and erosion by making it also swell with love and gratitude as we encounter the happy times that bless us. We must consciously stop time and record with our minds so we can remember and cherish for years to come the intimate moments, the surprises, the hours spent with loved ones and friends... all the times of our lives.

Audrey Valeriani is an author, columnist, freelance writer, coach, creator and host of http://www.TheAccidentalExpert.com and relationship expert for http://www.TheSpotter.net She is also board chair of Self Esteem Boston Educational Institute, Inc. Her book, Boot Camp for the Broken-Hearted: How to Survive in the Jungle of Love, will be published by New Horizon Press in December, 2007.

Most Would Agree And Say; That's A Shame - Wouldn't You? - By Theresa Twogood

What do YOU really want in life? Or, what do YOU want out of life? The one's that don't understand the difference are what some would refer to as losers in the 'game of life'. Most would agree and say; “that’s a shame”, wouldn't you?

Most people don’t discover what they truly want in and out of life until it’s time to for them to die! Most would agree and say; that’s a shame”, wouldn't you?

Most people spend the very best years of their lives watching television or doing things they dislike all together. An author described humanity by saying, “Most people die at twenty and are buried at eighty.” If you are one of these living zombies, most would agree and say; “that’s a shame”, wouldn't you?

What do YOU really want in life? What is it that YOU will look back over and have pride in? The one's that don't understand the difference are what some would refer to as losers in the 'game of life'. Most would agree and say; “that’s a shame”, wouldn't you?

Some people struggle in answering such a question. When asked what they want or what their goals in life are, many are unsure and confused. They dillydally in their indecision, hardly giving any thought about what they want in life. People without definite goals are letting time pass them by and are letting their true happiness be put on hold! Most would agree and say; “that’s a shame”, wouldn't you?

If you are undecided about what you want out of life, do not worry; do not lose your composure. There are many ways of discovering your true purpose in life.

To discover what YOU want in life, try looking deep into your heart. Oftentimes, people are ruled by logic. People live by what they think they SHOULD be or by what OTHERS would like for them to be. This discovery process is the perfect time to listen to your own heart. What your heart desires comes from the whispers of your 'authentic' or 'Real self'. Your authentic self is the ‘real you’. The you, you may not be yet, but do not despair, you will get there if you listen to your heart and do not lose hope. If you would only understand, that God has a purpose for you to fulfill. Only YOU can do the job, are you then ready or do you need more time for indecision? The thing you enjoy the most is probably 'IT'. When time stands still and nothing else even matters, that’s how it will feel once you have found 'IT'. The one's that never experience that feeling of accomplishment are what some refer to as losers in the 'game of life'. Most would agree and say; “that’s a shame”, wouldn't you?

Listen to your heart to be able to hear your authentic self. What your heart says usually feels right. What your heart desires is what you usually love to do and this represents your passion. Anything done with passion is like child's play, where the task is accomplished without hesitation or effort. You pour out your very best and feel no pressure or resistance. No dead-lines or time tables! There are those who would remind you that only loser's in the game of life are rushed and running out of time! Most would agree and say; “that’s a shame”, wouldn't you?

You will totally enjoy doing things that are your passion. Setbacks, difficulties, and obstacles will make it more challenging for you, but should not deter you from pursuing your goals. God only allows these things to entertain you and to re-enforce what is true. Naturally, there may be barriers that may prevent you from reaching your goal, but your heart’s desire will find ways to overcome these barriers so that you may ultimately get everything you want in life and be able to laugh at the dopey obstacles you overcame.

Remember this: God supports people who are pursuing their passion and those who are pursuing their destiny. He is patient and ever watchful. He believes you will get there when the time is right. If only you had as much faith in yourself, the time would go by more quickly until the real passion in your life would boil up and introduce itself! However, if you never meet, some would say it's the way things go for losers in the 'game of life'. Most would agree and say; “that’s a shame”, wouldn't you?

However, this does not mean that you don’t use your head. People are born with both the mind and heart. Your duty is to live your best life and be in harmony with your mind and heart. The poet Rumi wisely said, “Live completely in the head and you cannot feel the breath and rhythm of life. Live completely in the heart and you may find yourself acting like a love-struck fool with poor judgment and discipline. It’s all a matter of fine balance - the head and heart must forge a lifetime partnership if one wants to live a beautiful life”. A life full of passion and joy is what God wants you to have! To not obtain it would be the fate of the ones who lost at the 'game of life'. Most would agree and say; “that’s a shame”, wouldn't you?

Listen to your instinct-It was God who put it into you for a reason. Part of human nature is the mysterious and spontaneous reaction to and about things. Often times, these are called instincts. Your ‘real self’ drives your self communication and guides you via your instincts. Instincts are those gentle nudges that urge you to act and follow a certain path. Your role then, is to listen attentively. God, and all he wants for you, is waiting just around the corner-you may be able to reach it now, if only you would try again! It is liken to the childhood game of hide-and-go-seek! If only you weren't so frazzled you would see the humor in this all! God does and he is smiling, just around the corner. There is a reason 'they' refer to all this as the 'game of life'! The one's that give up are what some would call losers in the 'game of life'! Most would agree and say; “that’s a shame”, wouldn't you?

Often times, we listen to what others say and allow them to run our lives. Parents often do this to their children. “We come from a family of doctors, so my son must also be a doctor.” How often do we hear this from parents who have good intentions for their children? Parents unconsciously block the true expression of their child’s real self and calling. Friends and critics will discourage you and point out the multitude of impossibilities of your dream ever coming true. Before heeding their advice, evaluate the accomplishments of the critics. Did they achieve their dreams? Do they dream big at all? When the prize is within reach, the cost becomes much less important. This will then be my mantra! God has a plan and I’m in it! Everything I do with ease, everything I enjoy, and what is at the very depths of me, is what I am to do and what God is waiting for me to understand. The one's who say 'the cost is still too high’, haven't been close enough to the prize and are destined to end up losers in the 'game of life'. Most would agree and say; “that’s a shame”, wouldn't you?

Remember, it is your destiny that is in line, not your friends. It doesn’t mean, though, that you will not listen to what other people say. Hear them out just the same. Why? Because it is all part of the game silly! But the final decision should be and will be, yours. Those that allow others to permanently side track them are what some would call the loser's in the game of life. Most would agree and say; “that’s a shame”, wouldn't you?

There is only one thing to remember: Every person, to live truly and greatly, must define how he wants to live and what his brightest aspects of life will look like. Listen to your instincts and follow your heart’s desire. You will never go wrong. God is waiting for you just around the next corner. Don’t despair while you are this close to the prize! The cost is never ‘too much’ when you are trying to attain ALL that God has waiting for you! You are a part of ‘the’ big picture and therefore you are valuable not only to you and your loved ones, but also to God and His big picture! Reach just a bit further and it is there waiting for you to grasp and control it, it is the real you, standing there just around the corner with God, and grinning ear to ear! The one's that don't put in the extra effort are the ones that lose out of all God's grace and rewards and end up as loser's in the 'game of life'. Most would agree and say; “that’s a shame”, wouldn't you?

Theresa Twogood is Executive Director of OLIN e-Publishing Company- http://www.olin.tk-DenverColorado-USA.com

The Quest for Willpower - By MJ Kaye

Flower A. Newhouse, a Christian mystic, once said, “Lack of willpower has caused more failure than lack of intelligence or ability.”

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines willpower as “energetic determination.” Synonyms of willpower include “self-discipline,” “self-government,” “self-mastery,” “self-command,” “self-control” and “self-restraint.”

What allows one person to possess great willpower and another none? Is there a genetic predisposition for self-restraint? Is it a learned pattern? Are you born with it? More important, can you develop willpower?

Willpower affects all facets of life: money (the self-restraint to practice delayed gratification, such as not purchasing expensive items on credit cards); health and your nutritional lifestyle (the self-discipline to avoid foods that are high in sugar and saturated fats); or improving your life to create more happiness (the self-government to walk away from friends or family who do not support your dreams and goals).

One would logically think that consequences would come into play when discussing willpower. Alas, they truly do not. We are all aware that smoking increases our susceptibility to cancer and emphysema, yet many people continue to smoke. Warnings are printed conspicuously on the side of the package of cigarettes, but they do not stop us from smoking.

The consequences of inadequate or poor nutrition wreak havoc on our health, causing diseases such as diabetes and heart-related illnesses; although we are well aware of the ill effects of fast food, the number of fast-food restaurants seems to grow.

Attaining and Keeping Willpower

Understanding the consequences of your actions may or may not play a role in learning self-control. It will depend on your tolerance factor. The difficulty in attaining willpower is the lack of instant gratification. As stated previously, one cannot see the immediate positive effects of willpower.

The way to develop willpower is in small increments. And the best way to see your willpower at work is to journal how you feel physically, emotionally and financially.

The most important aspect of journaling is to actually read your journal at the end of the week. Studying your journal affords you the opportunity to see a cause and effect of your actions. For example, if you wrote that you ate a certain food(s) that caused stomach cramps, you would be less likely to eat this food again. It works the same way with your emotions and finances. If you journal that you are feeling a certain way because you spent money over your budget, or felt bad because you missed your daily exercise, you would be less likely to repeat these same mistakes. At the same time, you should journal how you feel in a positive manner. If you read your journal at the end of the week and find that you were feeling good physically, mentally and financially, you will hopefully be able to determine what you did to feel good.

If you are on a diet and you don’t feel like using a written journal, use pictures. Take a picture of yourself every thirty days. If you are disciplined with your lifestyle changes, you will see the changes in your body. This will support your actions of willpower.

When it comes to health and nutrition, set a goal for one week. Anybody can do some thing for one week. The goal is simple. Avoid any foods that come from a box. Once that goal is accomplished, the following week avoid any foods that come in a box and a can. On week three avoid all bread, pasta and white rice and increase your protein intake. On week four, begin a walking program. Will it be hard at times to continue? Yes, but remember you are developing self-restraint, and as it is in any learned activity, it will take some time.

If you have the urge to buy a large-ticket item on credit, wait forty-eight hours before you make your purchase. Decide whether you really need this product or you just want this product. Is there better use for this money that you are willing to spend on this item? Ask yourself if you would be willing to save for this product over one year, saving a specific amount of money each month. This is self-control. This is willpower.

Some people do not embrace willpower because it means change. Most people talk of change, but many are not willing to strive for it. Don’t give up so easily, as willpower can be learned. It just takes time, as when you learn anything. You didn’t learn to skateboard, roller-skate or read in one day, and you won’t develop willpower in one week. But you can develop willpower over a period of time. You just have to start!

In the famous words of Lao-Tzu, "Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power."

Michael J. Kaye is a chiropractic physician practicing in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He is a member of the American Chiropractic Association, Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association and the American Chiropractic Rehabilitation Board. He has a sub-specialty in Chiropractic Rehabilitation.

He is the director of The Rehab Group of Bucks/Montgomery County-a multidisciplinary clinic with an emphasis on chronic pain and wellness. He is a publisher of two papers on rehabilitation of chronic injuries. In general his clinic promotes nutritional and lifestyle changes for the chronic pain patient. Additionally, he has published several articles on finance and wealth, happiness and motivation; and health related issues.

Dr. Kaye also developed a web site dedicated to Health, Wealth & Happiness. He authored an e-book titled, “The Living Triad”-a book about building a foundation for a well-lived life. Website-http://www.frompaintopersonalgain.com

You Can't Get It Just By Dreaming Of It - By Chin Kai Rong

Almost every single person both you and I know wants to have something more than what they have now. Some wanted more money; others wanted more time. There are also those who dreamt of bigger houses, more luxurious cars or designer clothes to fill up their closet. But how many times have you seen them work towards it? More often than not, these people are just dreaming of it, hoping that one day what they want will appear right in front of them. We both know that that day will never come. Knowing what you want is not sufficient. You need to work towards it and right away.

People who became rich did not just dream of being rich. They study them and learn what they know. They spent time with those who think and act like the rich. They communicate like a wealthy person. They behave like what rich people behave. They learn to speak with confidence and make critical decisions. The point is do not stay what you are right now and hope for results. You wouldn't break a glass and try to put it back together by slamming it on the floor again. You would only break the glass more. You need to take a different approach by gluing the glass back together. The same goes for you.

When taking a different approach, you need to know what you are doing exactly and not blindly. Staying focused is the key to achieving what you desired. The Wright brothers did not just invent airplanes overnight. They did not succeed after their first try too. Instead of giving up, they tried various method while keeping in mind what they are trying to invent. That is focus. Eventually, after countless efforts put into their work, they succeeded and achieved their dream of bringing humans up into the sky. Rich people did not gain instant wealth because they worked harder. Of course they worked hard to get to where they are, but it is much more than just being industrious. It is what they worked hard on, the they things they thought about while working on those things and what they focused on while creating that wealth.

Fear is one factor that sometimes prevent us from achieving our goals. Our fears can hold us back from doing many things that we can and want to do most in life. For example, a person may want to set up a company, run it and be its own boss. He has been dreaming of it his whole life and that opportunity appeared right before his eyes one day. However, for fear that he might encounter the many difficulties that most companies might experience, he decided to give that golden opportunity a miss! Because of fear, he had given up the chance to finally do what he had wanted to do initially. Fear has been defined as False Evidence Appearing Real – F.E.A.R. So, my advice is to just face it. Just remember that you get one step closer to your goals of being a more confident less fearful person each time you face your fear.

You cannot get what you want just by dreaming of it. Take action now and confront all your fears. You will eventually turn out a better person in life, one that is another step closer to success. And if you are one of those who aspire to become rich and successful, why not visit http://www.achievesuccessonline.com You are now on your way to success just by the click of your mouse!

Take Charge of the Choices You Make - Claim Your Power - By Peri Coeurtney Enkin

There is no doubt that we access our personal power in the present moment. NOW really is the only place where change happens. So the question I offer you today is a key for unlocking your personal power. Take this question into your daily awareness. Reflect upon it often. Let it be the window through which you see the choices you make behind the unfolding events of your life. Ask yourself this:

Where are you Focusing your Attention?
And Why?

When you cultivate awareness for the choices you make - even the small ones - you reclaim your power. Here are the choices to make when you want to reclaim your power and consciously create your life your way.

CHOOSE TO BE AWARE - Awareness is your starting point. With awareness all forms of transformation, healing and change are possible.

CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANT TO FOCUS UPON - To do this, you must know your self. You must develop an intimate relationship with your own self.

CHOOSE TO MAINTAIN YOUR FOCUS UPON WHAT YOU REALLY WANT - Your current life is the result of where you have placed your attention in the past. If you want new or different results take ownership for where you choose to focus your attention now. Are you focused upon what can’t be, or what can?

CHOOSE TO TRUST THAT ENERGY GATHERS IN RESPONSE TO YOUR CHOICES - Or do not trust it. Test this idea and prove it to yourself. Check it out until you know the power of choice for yourself.

CHOOSE TO RECEIVE THE MANIFESTATION OF YOUR CHOICES - Sometimes the very thing we want is right in front of our eyes while we are busy focusing on what we do not have. Receiving is an art form that more easily blossoms when you choose to remember two things: First: You are a Magnificent Being Just the Way You Are. Second: The Universe is wise and loving and really wants your happiness and fulfillment.

If you are unaccustomed to making deliberate choices for yourself begin small.
Are you resistant to change?
Join the club! And - do not let your resistance stop you from realizing your dreams. Use these questions to trigger your awareness and your actions.

How will you know what to choose? (Start with your values!)
What matters to you most?
If your current life were to end tomorrow what would be left incomplete for you?
What would you most like to experience next?
What are you waiting for?

When you are clear about your values you will find choices are much easier to make. And the more you practice making choices from a place of personal awareness the more power you gain.

Peri is the founder of Creators Choice- Programs, Products and People for the Practical Application of Universal Laws. Home for The Turnaround - Curriculum for a Fulfilling Lifestyle, Aware Entrepreneurs, Set Your Compass. Pick up a free report Get Unstuck Now! Listen to a free pre-recorded Tele-Class right now -The Turnaround Now! Six Essential Steps to move from Victim to Self-Empowerment and get current information about teleclasses and online programs. http://www.theturnaroundnow.com

Life Is All Just But A Game? - By Jon Simu

We have always been told not to treat life as a game and that we have to be serious about it. Yes, I totally agree on that but agreeing that we should be serious in our game.

There is nothing wrong with treating life as a game as long as you play it seriously. In fact if you were to give it some serious thoughts, life can indeed be just like a game.

Perhaps, let us define what makes a game a game.

I should believe that you have personally played before, a variety of different games? Some would have been fun and amusing while some boring. But be they however entertaining or not, all the games you have played eventually lead to an ending didn’t they? It was an either win or loses, or maybe even a draw for some.

That’s life! Just as like a game, all our actions in life will lead to a certain outcome too. I should believe that you have heard of the saying, you can either be a winner or a loser in life? And I am sure you would want to be a winner in life?

Now, what matters is how you are going to play this game of yours, your very own game of life. And for your information, your game has already begun.

What is the key to winning a game?

The key to winning a game is always to understand the objective of the game well. It is only when you are clear about the objective will you know how to go about playing the game?

And what should the objective of your game be? It is for you to decide. Remember. This is yours very own game, your very own life. Before this game can proceed, you have to first get your objective right, knowing clearly what you want for yourself in life. There is not point rushing into the game. Without a clear objective, you will probably end up wasting your precious time losing the very whole game.

Lay down your objectives first and then you are ready to start your game.

Next, would be to work out some wise strategies.

First: Get to understand the strength of you, yourself (the key player) Now, everyone is bound to be strong and weak in certain areas. Ask yourself what are you good in and what are you weak in? Attack the game in those areas you are strong in and avoid those where you are weak at.

Second: Build up a strong ally or team. In this game, you are bound to meet many other different players. And remember, some are there to help you while some are there to harm and to put you down. Choose wisely the partners who can help you, especially in the areas you are weak in. Your unique strengths plus theirs will make up the whole and together this will be a strong team. To form a soccer team, you will need at least eleven players each with their specialty, isn’t it? Understand this. You can never rule this world alone.

Third: Plan your attack. Once you get the foundation right, clearly knowing the strength and weakness of yourself and the players around you, plan your moves accordingly. Decide on a plan that best suits you and your fellow team players; a plan that is within the capability of everyone. No point having the best of plans when there is no one to execute it.

Finally: Take actions! Paper talk no matter how excellent the plan is won’t get you anywhere without real physical actions.

Many have great ideas, some of which are indeed excellent but lack the drive and the courage to execute them; to put them into real actions. And why is this so? Because they are still unclear of their objectives in life. They didn’t clearly understand themselves, failing to find out what they want in life.

Remember. In this game of life, there is never a predetermined ending. What will be the outcome of the game? Nobody knows. And in this game of life, there is never a fixed rule to how you are going to play it. But understand this. For all games that exist in this world, there is one ultimate rule: If you are not going to play, you can never win. That’s life! If you never give yourself the chance to try, how will you ever know what will just come next?

Without some real physical actions, you won’t get anywhere in this game. In life, if you are not going to take any actions to work towards your objective, nothing will ever happen.

But as the word game imply, it mean winning is certainly achievable. Understand the game well, play it smartly and the chances of winning will be there. And remember. This game of life will only end when you decided to give up. Though you may fail at times during this game but this game of life is not going to end on you unless you give up on yourself.

Remember. The law of Nature states that for all that exist in this world there is always the equal and opposite side to them. When there can be failure, there can also be victory too. Don’t give up without even trying.

Art of Feng Shui Consultancy, Traditional Classical Feng Shui Consultation and Life Destiny Analysis http://www.art-of-fengshui.com, http://www.redappletree.com

Sail the Seven "C's" to Arrive At Positive Change - By Robert Bear

“Here a problem, there a problem, everywhere a problem, problem, oh McDonald had a problem, E, I, E, I, O, OH NO!” The world is full of problems, just ask any cynic. Perhaps, you’re reading this because you want to be a problem solver, or hopefully, you are looking for ideas to serve as a lighthouse to guide you in making a constructive transformation of some sort in the microcosm of your locale, business, place of employment, or even the greater global community. If you are motivated to make a positive difference somehow, someway, you are invited to continue.

Margaret Mead said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, devoted citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that has.”

Here is the course these citizens have navigated to reach their destination and so can you.

1. Conviction

2. Courage

3. Counsel

4. Craft

5. Cooperation

6. Communication

7. Commitment

We all have at least one problem that we are passionate about solving. This passion is the Conviction. The issue could be an unfair practice at work, increasing productivity, taking care of employee’s interests, or filling a market niche and increasing exposure. There could be a need for a fence around a school campus for child safety or even an absurd zoning regulation that should experience extinction. It might even be a larger task of bringing peace to a civil war. Conviction is always the first and easiest part of the journey. It is also the closest to the harbor of non-involvement.

Courage is the fortitude to step forth and become involved. It also requires that we assess our attributes, attitude, and resources while looking forward at Commitment. The spark of Courage comes from within, but can be fanned into a formidable blaze with the winds of support and fueled with victories. Gain inner strength from meditation on positive words, inspirational experiences, and principles. Courage is the fortress of character that will sustain you through to the success of a positive change.

Counsel, the third “C”, may involve more that just seeking advice from friends or others who have traversed a course similar to your undertaking. The gathering of as much information and ideas as possible is a large ocean of consideration. Here are just a few of its tides. What is the underlying cause? How did the problem arise? What could have prevented it? Who, what, and to what extant are the effects of the condition? Who, what, and to what extant will a solution produce affects? What have been or are the possible obstacles? What may be the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial expenses and liabilities? What are the rights and responsibilities of all involved? Who will be responsible for maintenance of the solution? The process of Counseling may necessitate the services of an attorney to look at the legal issues, required paperwork, and ramifications. Keep in mind that it’s a mathematical certainty, the more data collected, the greater the possibilities for the next “C”.

Once you’ve spent an impressive tour in the waters of Counsel, Craft a map of creative solutions. Transcribe in detail the prospective routes. This will be beneficial through the remaining “C’s”. You’ll need to draft blueprints to pass the doldrums of apathy and indifference, as well as, strategies to affront the hurricanes of skepticisms and tsunamis of intolerance.

Next, network Cooperation from as many individuals, organizations, and businesses as you can that may possibly have a stake in the outcome of the resolved problem. There have been volumes written on techniques for networking, particularly in the realm of business. If you are not familiar with recent discussion on this topic, take the time and effort to do so. Within this “C” you may also need to allocate responsibility.

Communicate the objectives, articulate ideas, impart information, share feelings and feedback. This must be a multi-directional, fluid process throughout your network. Communication should be a haven where each feels safe from storms of emotions and treacherous reefs of self-centeredness. Communication needs inlets of openness where all the shipmates are respected. Locate the placid bays where tacit whispers of ideas can be heard, for here may be found a treasure chest of possibilities. How this “C” is crossed determines the success or failure of the voyage.

Commitment can be the most arduous “C” to navigate. It may entail a return to one or more of the previous “C’s” for continued buoyancy and not sinking from the onslaught of the monsters of doubt and new problems that have surfaced. You may come across false successes as Sirens alluring you from the true goals. Undoubtedly, you will also experience the icebergs of setback, threatening to put a tragic end to your gallant journey. Consequently, select a theme, adopt a saying, a religious verse, a motto, or creed. Such a statement of belief will aid in keeping your sights focused on the new shore, the destination of resolution and the treasures to be achieved.

You could be a new seaman or an experienced captain, non-the-less, use this as your sextant for setting sail. When you have reached the territory of a successful resolution consider another adventure, a new exploration in discovering a problem to be conquered in the name of positive change.

“Bon Voyage”

Robert E. Bear is a professional educator and national award winning artist. He has been recognized in Who’s Who In America, Who’s Who In American Education, and National Honor Society Outstanding American Teachers. Robert has created the Star Poster Program, the game of Gig’l®, and the team sport of Bearball®. To view his games, wildlife paintings, and other writings, go to http://www.ursidaeenterprises.com