Am I Happy With Life?

By Ross G

It's an interesting question - am I happy with life? The answer to this is so subjective - take two people and put them in identical situations - you may find that one person feels happy and fulfilled, and the other person feels like something is missing.

There is no foolproof algorithm that can be applied to make people feel happy! In my own life, I am by nature not a person who often feels depressed / lonely or sad. Because of this, I have had difficulty in the past relating to people who are feeling these things. As a typical Australian, I have often responded with 'how bout they get over it!', or 'boo hoo for you, cry a river!'

However, in the past year my feelings have been changing. I'm not quite sure if this is because I'm getting older and therefore more aware of the 'greater picture', or if it's because I'm getting older and feeling like time is moving more quickly! It might even be more related my current situation - am I feeling fulfilled in some areas but not in others?

To help me understand this age old question, I have taken some time to explore why we feel this way. Obviously there are many stressors in life that can add to feelings of unhappiness, and there are plenty of personal circumstances that influence the way people feel also. I am a big believer that the perception of 'happiness' or living a life where you feel fulfilled ultimately starts with your mindset.

This is great news! Why? because you don't have to be subjected to the feelings that you and I experience (unhappiness, depression, lack of joy or apathy) forever! WHATEVER your personal situation, you can reach a place where you once again feel happy in your life.

Think for a moment: Why is it that we see some amazing stories about people who are subjected to horrible things then have an amazing recovery that sees them become leaders in their field & fantastic, inspiring public speakers that help others who have been hurt. Then we see others who have not had any major dramas in their life fall into emotional situations like depression and unhappiness?

I'm not suggesting that there is a quick fix for this problem! But I do have a greater understanding that the key to feeling happy with life involves a few truths:

- We need to realise that regardless of past experiences, there is so much to gain from life! - A key to having a happy, fulfilling life is understanding the power of your mindset - We can make a conscious decision to change our attitudes!

- Article posted in Life Choices

Read more from this author at:

Will It Change You? - willitchangeyou.com

Your Portal for Personal Growth

Breaking Through the Fear Barrier

By Kim Mcginnis

There is a Japanese proverb that says, "Fear is only as deep as the mind allows."

It's a mental thing, a form of insanity really. We silly humans create all this anguish when our actual circumstances are just wonderful. Why do we do this?

One idea I have is that we are creatures of habit. We enjoy the comfort that comes with the familiar. We are experts at our jobs we go to everyday, the distant bond we have with our brother, and our favorite processed foods that we pick up at our neighborhood grocery store. We may bitch and moan about these people and situations and things, but there is a kind of comfort that comes from this complaining as well.

So, you are probably wondering...what does this have to do with fear? I was headed somewhere, yes. Fear comes in when we catch ourselves complaining, and realize that we are unhappy. This realization propels us into some kind of action. Maybe we decide to take a class at our local community college, or to write an honest and revealing letter to our brother, or to start purchasing some exotic or organic products and veggies at the market.

These acts, in and of themselves, are not fear-inducing. (It is not like we decided to punch a polar bear in the nose!) What causes the fear are the scenarios that we play out in our minds: What if I fail the class? What if my brother ignores my heartfelt letter? What if I do not have the discipline to eat healthier food? I will be a failure. I will be embarrassed. I will be unhealthy and unattractive.

As Dostoyevsky so eloquently put it, " Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most."

Self-inflicted negative messages keep us from following through on our action. Or we may act, but with little heart. And our feeble efforts will likely deter us from taking action in the near future.

This is tragic because taking action is living. And I'm not talking about just surviving; I'm talking about soaking up and experiencing all there is each and every day.

But keep in mind we humans are individuals, and we are each wired differently. What may seem like a walk in the park to one person may seem like a tight rope walk over a vast gorge to another. You know who you are.

So, take a look inside yourself, and dig as deep as you can go. And when you are fully aware of your surroundings, use that deep true part of yourself to propel yourself forward. Act with a certainty that comes from knowing you are capable. And don't be afraid to congratulate yourself for stepping out of your comfort zone. Each of us has own security blanket that we need to walk away from. What's yours?

Once you discover that, you can consciously put it down, and step beyond it. From there things will become easier.

"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore."

-Andre Gide (French writer, humanist and moralist, 1947 Nobel Prize for literature, 1869-1951)

Sometimes I think my writing is my security blanket. I love to come into my office and write by myself. But, even though I want to push past my fears, and begin leading seminars, I know I will return to my writing. And, just because we leave our security blankets to venture off, does not mean that it is not healthy to return to them for comfort from time to time...in my humble opinion, that is.

Of course, there is no such thing as security, whether it is a blanket or a job or a marriage. Since the only constant is change, the sooner we embrace the scary, but enticing roads not taken, the sooner we realize that who we are is not defined but what we cling to.

Kim McGinnis is a freelance writer and entrepreneur. Kim and her partner, Mark McGinnis, own and operate a full service marketing firm, Avenstar, http://www.avenstar.net For a limited time only Kim and Mark, in association with Avenstar, are presenting their One-Day Intensive Seminar, The Passive Income Bootcamp, to show and teach people how they can create consistent on-going passive income by building money-generating online businesses.

To find out more about this amazing opportunity, and to download Kim's free ebook, The Passive Income Mind Frame, go to Bring You Success - http://www.BringYouSuccess.com

Health and Happiness - Self Test

By Dianne Wandruff

First of all, examine yourself outwardly.

Look at your fingernails. Are they glossy? Do they appear nice and strong? How about your hair? It should be shiny and full of body. Now look at your tongue. Does it have a white coating on it or is it pink? Next your eyes: are they bright or dull...do they appear to be happy eyes or worried or lackluster? Do your eyes have brown flecks in them? If they do, those spots indicate injuries or malfunctions within your body...depending upon the location of the fleck.

How about your skin, which is your largest organ. Does your skin have bumps, moles of various colors, liver spots of varying sizes? Whatever is represented on your skin is represented upon your brain as well (except the spots there are at least twice as large). Do you have any evidence of jaundice (yellowish skin or eyeballs? orange skin or eyeballs?). If so, your liver has overflowed and the toxins are trying to exit your body through your skin! Bumps on your upper arms indicate hormonal imbalance, bumps on your neck and/or cheeks show that your liver is challenged.

Let's consider your internal health.

How about your bowel movements? Do your bowels move after eating each meal or snack? (They should.) Do you have headaches? Are your headaches food related or stress related or reason unknown? Do you have digestive troubles: discomfort or pain or malfunction in your throat, esophagus, stomach, intestines, or rectum? Do you have parasite pain that you're aware of? (All of us have parasites, usually about 3 pounds worth...) Are you in pain anywhere else?

Do you have a good appetite for natural and wholesome foods or do you crave sweets and packaged or fast foods? Do you drink pure water more than you drink anything else? Do you drink too many hot drinks and have to go pee often? Do you have habits you'd like to be rid of? Do you have repetitious thoughts that you can't stop?

Are you full of vibrant energy, waking up each morning ready to live creatively and relate well with those around you? Are you tired at all? Do you feel physically awkward or are you agile and self-confident about your body?

And think about how you relate to others as well as what you think about yourself.

Are you outgoing? Do you care about other people as a general rule? Do you smile as you walk? Do you frown? Are you burdened about your future? Do you have fearful pricks or fearful jolts in your chest? Do they emanate all the way up your neck and out through your head? Do you have anything to be ashamed about? Do you feel free and pleased with life. Do you have enough time? Are you trustful that you're doing well within your circle of influence?

What to do now. Take action.

You MUST consider what your self test has revealed about your outward health and your inner vibrancy. Where do you want to go from here? Do you want to address any of these issues...whether outward issues or inward physical issues or invisible spiritual type issues?

I hope you do. And I'll tell you right up front that I'm a big advocate of brutal honesty with one's self and with God. I talk out loud between me and God all the time. I lay it out very plainly for myself to hear at the same time I'm speaking to my Creator. Usually I walk in a place where I can be as loud as I want to and sound as crazy as I want to!

YOU do that too. I want you to address each shortcoming that you have, whether physical OR spiritual. Be transparent for your own sake. It feels so good to get it all out in the open. I think that's because honest exposure leads to the next step: making a plan, resolving the issue, finding needed relief. Admit to yourself what has been niggling at the back of your mind: you need help! you have some physical problems that need to be solved before they turn into disease...you need to find sweet spiritual peace and happy freedom right on the inside of yourself! You need to take care because it's just you and God alone in this universe. No one else really knows you and no one else is as responsible for yourself as you are. Don't let your life slip by. Take action!

If I were you, for part of my recovery plan, I'd check into therapeutic essential oils for my body and my invisible parts. The oils affect our emotions and our personality as much as they do our physical bodies. Who really needs these therapeutic essential oils?

people who lack energy at any time but bedtime

people who work in the public where they're exposed to germs

people who have back troubles of ANY kind

people who get worried and stressed

those of us who have small children

those of us who relate to one other person or a thousand others

those of us who need to pamper ourselves and relax

students

people of all ages, even little children and the very old

you, who have taken this self test and realize you have several different kinds of shortcomings

You may learn more about essential oils that are therapeutic/medicinal/emotionally healing and soothing.

1. You may purchase any oils or supplements by going to Young Living Essential Oils online. If you just don't know where to begin, choose the Essential 7 Kit which was created so anyone could immediately begin to use the most popular oils. Directions come with the kit, teaching you to use them topically or internally by capsule or to diffuse them at home or the office. This kit is very useful. Remember to use my number 605520 when ordering your products.

2. You may call me and book a consultation by phone. (406) 882-4050 MST home office: 866 271-8704 toll free.

3. You may attend one of my free workshops OR request a transcript of a free workshop. We hold workshops several times a month and the format and content of each one is innovative and interesting. There's a lot of questions/answering, laughing, hands-on participation... lots to see and smell. Call (406) 882-4050 MST, Fortine, MT, for instructions and information regarding workshops.

With her flair for setting people at ease about themselves, Dianne helps you look your best. Committed to leading people around the world into financial freedom and a beautiful future, she attracts people like you, who are ready for change and ready to work steadily.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/diannewandruff

She is a grammie par excellence!; a homemaker for two; a gardener of huge, healthy veggies and brilliant ever-blooming flowers; a hiker/walker; and an anti-aging specialist.

Dianne lives with her husband, David, in a romantic valley tucked up under the Canadian border...in northwest Montana.

406 882-4050 MST home office

866 271-8704 toll free

Your Blissful Life - Your Definition

By Timothy A McGinty

The beauty of your blissful life is the simple fact that it is all yours! You, and only you, define exactly what it means to you, in every part of your life. There have never been two individuals wanting exactly the same thing in every part of their lives. While they may share some common desires, they will have unique meanings for their respective blissful lives. Just as each of us are a unique beautiful people, so is our definition of our blissful life! As you execute the process of defining your blissful life, you are creating a work of art that is all you. Your work of art is you in all your beauty and glory.

How can each of us have such a unique definition for the same object of our desires? Let me explain;

As I discussed in earlier articles, we are all made up of many components or parts. Recall also that all of these aspects or parts are unique to each and every one of us. It is because of this that we all place different values on our various parts. l place a certain value or importance on my professional career while you place a completely different value or importance on yours. You may place greater importance on your relationship with your friends (your friends part) as opposed to your professional career. Everyone you know such as your significant other, mother, father, and siblings, acquaintances etc. will all place various parts higher or lower on their importance scale when compared to yours.

The importance that we each place on our various parts uniquely defines not only who we are and how we act; it also uniquely defines your blissful life. The reason that you are currently reading this article is you, for some reason, feel a need to redefine, re-rank, resolve a conflict within or between your parts, or to define new parts and integrate them into yourself. This is your unique definition. This is how you identify, compare, and take action on a daily basis, in every moment. Everything you do is driven to satisfy and achieve the definition you have for your parts which, when combined, define yourself as a person.

After completing my this and my next two articles, you will have identified all of your parts, ranked them in order of importance to yourself and your life, and what you want your blissful life to look, sound, and feel like to you.

For me, your blissful life means a balance between my parts that allowed me to assist others in achieving their goals while providing a satisfactory standard of living. It also means that I have the freedom and permission from myself to continue to grow and discover more about myself and the world I live in, no matter what! To me this means that there are no silly or ridiculous ideas or paths. I have given myself permission to explore all of them, no matter where they might lead. I have learned that in order for me to live my blissful life, I must be true to myself, my ideals, my thoughts, my intuition, and my feelings. When I do this, I can do anything, be anything, and discover anything I desire. When I am doing this and helping others enrich their lives that I am truly living my blissful life.

Take some time now to reflect;

Review your list of parts my previous article Your Blissful Life: The Struggle Within.

Review all of the parts you identified after reading the article.

Have you discovered any other parts? If so, note them here.

Mr. Timothy A. McGinty is the published co-author of the highly regarded Wake Up... Live the Life You Love® series. This series is a collaborative effort with such inspirational leaders as Tony Robbins, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Brian Tracey, Steven E, and Lee Beard.

Mr. Timothy A. McGinty is the published co-author of the highly regarded Wake Up... Live the Life You Love® series. This series is a collaborative effort with such inspirational leaders as Tony Robbins, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Brian Tracey, Steven E, and Lee Beard.

Mr. McGinty is also the author of "Your Blissful Life", a book which takes the reader by the hand and walks them through a process for defining their "Blissful Life" and the action plan for achieving it.

Imagine Yourself... is an organization focused on enabling clients "breakthrough" in achieving their success. Mr. McGinty has helped many organizations and individuals discover their passion, define the life balance they seek, develop strategies for achieving that balance, and held them accountable for reaching their goals. His clients have been so successful that Mr. McGinty is known as "The Breakthrough Guy"

Imagine Yourself...

13477 Prospect Rd. Suite 204

Strongsville, Ohio 44149

Telephone: 440-236-6519

Web: http://www.timothymcginty.com

E-mail: tim@timothymcginty.com

Live a Great Life - Use the Powerful 'What If' Question to Invent the Life You Want

By Jay Forte

One of the most significant ways to access your creative side is to ask powerful "What if..." questions. These questions both enable and compel you to invent, imagine, dream and discover. "What if..." questions encourage you to see what you generally miss as you move at breakneck speed through life; they encourage you to think, to take a stand and to own your work and your life.

Open a journal and select one of these "What if..." questions. As you record your thoughts, allow yourself to consider greater and greater possibilities. This is not about being right or wrong - it is about creating, dreaming and visualizing. The more you can imagine, the more you can create.

When ready, select another question or create one of your own. Have your work team or your family participate in this "What if..." exercise. Not only does it encourage a broader definition of you and your performance, but it helps you search out opportunities and possibilities. It allows you to step forward and own your responses. It helps you to imagine the greatest vision of you.

What if my life could be exactly as I want it?
What would it be?

What if my family was the way I want a family to be?
How would I encourage it?

What if my dreams could really come true?
What would I wish for?

What if happiness were entirely within my control?
How would you live it?

What if money could only do good?
How would I spend it?

What if a kind word could really make a difference?
What would I say?

What if I could improve the quality of life of just one person?
Who would it be and what would I do?

What if I could make a difference with someone just with a smile?
To whom would I give that smile?

What if I could love what I do for work every day?
What job would I have?

What if when I learned something important that I could pass it on?
What story or lesson would I share and with whom?

What if I could do something extraordinary and receive no credit for it?
What would I do and who would benefit?

What if I could choose what success is for me?
What would I choose?

What if I could have dinner with a famous person?
Who would it be and what would we talk about?

What if I could talk to God?
What would I ask and what do I think he would he say?

What if I could do something that would make a great difference to my family?
What would it be and when can I do it?

What if I had 10 minutes with the President of the country?
What would I talk about?

What if I had a free afternoon to spend with my kids?
What would we do and what memories would we create?

What if I were remembered for something great I did?
What would it be?

What if I could have the greatest adventure of my life?
What would it be?

What if I could address an assembly of young people/older people?
What is something valuable I could I tell them?

What if the direction of the company were left up to me?
Which direction would I bring it?

'What if...' questions are the powerhouse of creative practice and discovery. The more you use the curious 'What if...' approach, the greater your options become, the more options you consider and the more significant impact you make. Invent your 'What if...' questions and use them to make a considerable difference in the quality of your life and work and in the lives and work of others.

Jay Forte is a powerful performance speaker, consultant, author and founder of Humanetrics, LLC. He works with managers who want to be more successful in activating and inspiring exceptional employee performance, to significantly drive customer loyalty and improve company profitability. Jay, a CPA/financial executive turned educator, turned consultant, is renowned for producing significant results. He is a highly engaging speaker and is working on an upcoming book "Fire Up Your Employees and Smoke Your Competition; How to Invite, Incite and Ignite Performance" For information on keynotes, seminars and consulting, or to see the daily "BLOGucation," visit: http://www.humanetricsllc.com, his new site http://www.fireupyouremployees.com or call: 401-338-3505.

Six Steps to Happiness

By Mary McCauley

Step One:

Accept where you are at the moment and make the best of it. Take time to know where you want to be and how to get there, but for now be in the moment. Don't wish for yesterday, but do dream about tomorrow. What steps can your take to be where you want to be? What actions do you need to take to get there but wait, be sure it's where you truly want to be. Right now, be happy where you are.

Step Two:

Be Willing to Learn. There is no truth to the axiom 'you can't teach and old dog new tricks'. No matter where we are in life, we are capable of learning something new. Never stop learning, it can bring so much joy.

Step Three:

Simplify Your Life. What is it that makes us think the more we do the better we are? Why do we allow ourselves to become so over burdened with 'have to do this and have to do that'? When do we take time to just 'be'. Can we be happy running here, dashing there, getting this, getting that? We need to choose what we are going to do carefully. If it isn't vital to your life, you can turn it down. Omit one unnecessary thing from your life right now and make time to just be.

Step Four:

Anticipate. Look forward to things coming into your life. Visualize them. Feel them as if they are already here. A warmth will embrace you, a smile will sneak onto your face and your eyes will light up. This is how happiness feels. This is what you can make happen. Believe in yourself and anticipate good things.

Step Five:

Spread Happiness. Wherever you go, take a moment to do something that will make another person feel good. See if you can make someone smile. The more people you can give a feeling of happiness to, the more happiness you will feel.

Throw off thoughts that are negative, they don't belong in your life. Wrap yourself in those things that bring you joy and keep them always within reach.

Step Six:

Be Thankful. No matter what you have in your life, be thankful. Start a gratitude journal. Everyday take a moment to be thankful for something, even if it is just that you got up in the morning and had a new day to embrace happiness in your life. Be thankful for the little things, then watch as the bigger things come into your life. It happens. You can start it happening right now by being thankful for this moment.

Author, retired group tour director, I spend my time helping others on the internet in various areas of living. From traveling free to a healthier heart, my life time experiences and my joy of researching subjects I hope help people. I love sharing what I learn.

My most recent helpful post is Cruise FREE and Get Paid Too.

I love writing, communicating and being with my grandkids. It truly is a great life.

Smile and Live Longer

By Alan Fairweather

What if I told you that smiling and being agreeable influences the length of your life in a positive way. On the other hand, being grumpy increases the likelihood of a violent death, heart disease, cancer etc. This is according to a recent report in American Psychologist. Dale Carnegie also says in his book - How to Win Friends and Influence People - "People who smile tend to manage, teach and sell more effectively, they also raise happier children."

Another survey found that 75 per cent of respondents thought that an unattractive smile would be bad for their career. While a whopping 92 per cent said an attractive smile was a necessary social asset.

These sorts of reports have been around for years but many of the people that I come into contact with don't seem to have received the message. I've attended business networking meetings where many non smiley people look downright scary. And they wonder why they don't gain any benefit from their networking! Many of the people at my local health club look downright unhappy; you'd think they were there as some form of penance rather than as part of their fun and leisure time.

Of course many people don't smile because they're nervous; they lack confidence or have low self-esteem. Some people on the other hand actually believe they're smiling when the face they present to the world could actually turn milk sour.

Now I'm not suggesting that we all go around with big smiles on our face grinning inanely at people we hardly know. If you did that, then the men in white coats would soon be dragging you off to a place of detention. However, I am suggesting that we think about the face we present to other people. By sporting a warm smile at the appropriate time we can only smooth the path for the people we're dealing with. We also boost our own confidence and it allows us to relax and make the most of a situation.

Smiling also stimulates the release of endorphins, the body's feel-good chemicals, which has an ongoing positive effect. It's a two way neurological process; when you smile you literally become happier and when you're happier, you smile more. If someone gives you an unsolicited smile, you smile back and in this way we directly affect each other's moods. Switching on a smile will only bring benefits -you'll be happier and everyone else will be happier - so keep smiling!

Alan Fairweather - The Motivation Doctor - is a professional speaker, author and business development expert. To receive your free newsletter and free ebooks, visit: http://www.themotivationdoctor.com

Don't Let Your Barometer Direct Your Compass

By Ken Donaldson

Huh??!! Let me explain...A barometer is used to measure atmospheric pressure. This pressure change helps weather forecasters to predict what weather conditions might be forthcoming. Barometric conditions are always changing; therefore barometric measurement is always fluctuating. A compass, on the other hand, is used to determine direction. Since our North Pole has a natural magnetic pull to it, the needle of a compass will always point in that direction. True North is constant, and therefore, a compass reading is consistent, fixed, and yes, literally, always True.

The key is to NOT allow your compass to be overshadowed or thrown off by your barometer.

You may wonder where I'm going with this, but stay with me. It'll all make sense in the end!

It's important to know the True North of your life. This True North, a term I believe the 7 Habits guru Stephen Covey originally coined, refers to your personal life path: Your values, your purpose, your life vision and your legacy. Your True North is unique and only yours. It won't look like anyone else's, so don't bother comparing. Stay focused only on your path. Likewise, others may not understand your life path; but they don't have to as it's yours, and only yours, and it needs no explanation.

To determine your True North, there are four primary questions you need to ask yourself and find the answers to:

1. What is my life vision?

2. What are my core values?

3. What is the legacy I hope to leave?

4. What is the purpose of my life?

Watch for future article where we cover these questions in depth...

Ken Donaldson has been offering counseling, coaching, and educational programs since 1987. His programs are focused on empowering people to have more successful lives, businesses and relationships. Claim your FREE Relationship Success Special Report at http://www.marryufirst.com/ - Ken is the author of Marry YourSelf First! Saying "I DO" to a Life of Passion, Power and Purpose.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Dont-Let-Your-Barometer-Direct-Your-Compass&id=1417445

Happiness Is An Activity

Everyone is looking for happiness. But most people only feel like they are experiencing the lack of it.

In this blog, one of the things we try to emphasize is that happiness is an ACTIVITY, not something that you just passively get once the circumstances are right. Many people think that as soon as they have a few million dollars in the bank, THEN they will be happy, but not before. How often does it happen though? And even when it does and those people get the money, frequently they do not get happy as a result.

Happiness comes from within you. And once you have found it, the other things like wealth and success will follow.

In the following post, Jerry Graham explains to us how choosing your friends carefully can have a massive effect on your happiness and success levels.

Birds of a Feather Flock Together - You Can Choose to Run With the Eagles and Bypass the Turkeys

"Creatures flock together with their kind, doves with doves, cranes with cranes and so on." ancient Greek philosopher Democritus (c.460 BC)

What characteristics do you look up to most in your closet friends?

It's Not Just for the Birds!

I'm positive you have frequently heard the age-old adage, "Birds of a feather flock together." As you are able to ascertain from the above quote attributed to Democritus, that bit of wisdom has been around a long, long time.

Your parents likely used it with you to discourage you from running with the "wrong crowd." Perhaps you've utilized it with your children for much the same reason. Over the past few years however, I've discovered a couple, perhaps not-so-obvious extensions of what the phrase means...at any rate they were never apparent to me.

Why This Works

Before I go on, let's take a step back and consider why this axiom works in the first place. I think you'll concur with me that it has pretty much been a given that folks choose to be close to those who are most like them. There are exceptions, naturally, but in general, affluent folks like to hang with others of means; people with less feel moderately out of place or awkward around very moneyed people; farmers want to hang with other farmers...they don't feel there's much to talk about with those city slickers; and the other way around, of course; teenagers prefer to hang with teenagers, not with young professionals, and generally not with those of us kindly labeled "mature" citizens; and at the risk of being politically improper, ethnic groupings are inclined to favor being with their own ethnicity.

This boils down to a comfort thing. It is a what do I say and what can I talk about thing. It's all about connecting to one another. Birds of a feather tend to flock together. You may not like to acknowledge it, but it's a pretty universal truth.

Extension #1

This extends way beyond the familiar list of demographics, such as social status, line of work, age, race, etc. And that leads us into the not-so-obvious extensions of this proverb. The first, that I've heard multiple times over the past couple of years, is that you are able to anticipate someone's income pretty closely by simply knowing the incomes of their five or six nearest allies or companions.

Hmmmm...ever thought of that? (Now I acknowledge there are exceptions, so don't write me with all that you know about.) If this is totally about one's comfort zone, would you be more motivated to step away from your comfortableness if you recognized it was going to bear significantly on your earning potential? I'm not moralizing here, instead simply voicing an observation. I recognise that values, ethics, and other equally significant issues need to be considered, but in general, if you associate with people who are a step or two above you economically, you will begin to believe like them, be exposed to similar opportunities that they are, and so gradually become more likely to arrive at decisions similar to theirs, and on it goes.

Extension #2

The second not-so-obvious extension I wanted to discuss was well-articulated recently when Leo Babuata contributed an article to the "Dumb Little Man" Blog in which he wrote, "Surround yourself with others who are happy. If you are around angry, depressed or sad people, it will transfer to you. You can't help it. But if you're around people who are happy, that will also transfer to you. You'll also learn their habits, and learn to react the way they do when something bad happens. Slowly weed out the negative influences on your life and replace them with positive ones."

Outstanding advice! Why give ear to folks who are forever operating to draw you down, emotionally and mentally? It works the other way as well...if you're "wired" to see the glass half empty and you would like to change, do all you are able to to spend a good deal of time around people who are "wired to see the glass half full."

Bottom Line

Bottom line? Don't allow yourself to be a victim of this age-old adage. Be responsible for learning how to employ the proverb as an instrument to make you grow. Remember...it's always a choice...your choice!

Jerry Graham, Ph.D., D.Min., is a professional life coach and one of the charter members and guides of Renegade Network Marketing University, which uniquely incorporates step-by-step video tutorials and explanations that a beginner can easily follow.

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Growing Up Backwards

It seems like I set out in this life to do things my own way and in my own time - no matter what was wise or prudent or tried, tested and true. And, regardless of the advice I give my own daughters, I continue to 'grow up backwards.'

To my daughters I say things like:

"You have all the time in the world, enjoy now, figure out what you want and who you are before you begin to think about starting a family."

"Take your time - get into a relationship because you WANT to, not because you feel you NEED to."

"Listen to your gut, your 'inner bell'. Do what makes you feel full of life and secure in the knowledge that you're where you need to be at this moment."

"Don't look for a man to complete you - look for a man to complement you."

"Learn how to make yourself happy - never expect another human being to take on that responsibility."

And, I'm right, I know I am - doesn't every mom know that?

Thing is, it took me two marriages (and subsequent divorces), six kids and living as a single mom for five years to learn those lessons. Most kids (at least when I was a teen) grew up, graduated high school, went to college, dated, had fun, and THEN settled down to have a family.

They gave themselves a chance to spread their wings and find out who they were and what they wanted before they allowed their wings to be clipped by marriage and parenthood.

Not me.

I got married at 17, first child at 18. Now, at age 40, I have six children ranging in ages from almost 22 to 12 and am in my sixth year of 'independence.'

I have finally learned the lessons I'm trying to teach my own children. I know my words are true because I'm living both the results of learning their wisdom and the results of ignoring it. I did it backwards. So I know what it's like from both perspectives.

I know that my own happiness is dependent upon me - no one else. When you burden another human being with the responsibility for your own happiness, you're setting them up for failure and yourself up for pain.

I've learned that when you look to someone to complete you, you drain their very being. Most folks have enough problems dealing with themselves - their own dreams and fears and flaws and responsibilities. When you find someone to complement you - then you can find out what real friendship is, what real unconditional love is - what real peace is.

I've learned that I don't need a man. Sure, there's a lot I miss. I miss the hugs, the laughs, the strength, the partnership, the feeling that I'm not always in this 'all alone'. And it's ok to miss those things. But I don't NEED one. Someday I will probably want another relationship. But I don't have to have one now - because I'm finally learning who I am and what I'm capable of - and it's much more than I ever gave myself credit for. And that is super cool.

I know that I've lived the majority of my 40 years for someone else - a parent, a husband, a child - and that's ok - it taught me, molded me, strengthened me. I wouldn't change the pattern of my life if I could. But when you finally figure out who you are - and further, figure out that you LIKE who you are, the difference in the level of chaos inside is absolutely astounding.

I am me, I like me, there's things I am working to change and there's things that I'm very proud of - but no matter what, I like me - no matter WHAT someone else thinks or says.

That is the ultimate freedom - and one you can't teach your children - they just have to learn it - maybe backwards. And that's ok, too.

Dee Braun, a single mom of 6 kids, is a Certified Aromatherapist, Certified Dr. of Reflexology and a natural health practitioner. You can visit her at Mom's Blog - http://www.moms-blog.com - a blog just for moms (and dads!) which offers more information on green living, children's health, child natural remedies and parenting advice and insight.

** You are free to use/reprint this article as long as the Author information/bio AND the link within the article stay active and in tact!

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7 Ways to Know the Elusive It!

How many people are still trying to find IT? You know what I mean, the elusive IT, your very own Genie in a bottle who will turn life's hurricanes into sunny days for you? After a lifetime of curiosity, study and personal experience I attracted IT! Yes, I found IT, my very own Genie who saved my life and allows me to play a bigger game. A bigger game is about creating your own reality instead of living life by default. Are you ready to find IT? May I suggest you are ready, otherwise you would be reading something else right now! Enjoy!

Did you ever play 'tag'?

Remember how fun it was to run and chase each other until we got close enough to stretch our little arms as far as they would reach and yell, "You're IT" then run away as fast as our little legs would carry us!

Over the years IT kept showing up on my radar screen as a mystery. You know what I mean; the elusive IT individuals seek outside themselves. Our very own Genie in a bottle to turn life's hurricanes into sunny days!

A lifetime of curiosity, studying ancient teachings, the newer sciences like quantum physics and applying what I learned, brought IT to me! Yes! I found IT and now you can too!

Here are 7 ways to experience YOUR truth, when you are ready. I suggest the fact you found this article may be a 'clue' that you are ready!

1. Be aware ... are you willing to open your mind and heart to another reality? Reality is not what your eyes show your mind; reality is what your mind creates for your eyes to see. New awareness invites you to explore who you are another way and create the reality you choose instead of playing small. There are millions of resources to expand awareness through Internet.

2. Be present ... Imagine outer life is a gigantic movie screen where every person, event and circumstance is on time and on purpose. When you are present, new awareness allows you to see beyond limiting beliefs and patterns. Every present moment is an invitation to expand awareness of yourself through personal 'experience' so you can play a bigger game!

3. Be focused ... everything is energy with power to cause things to happen including our beliefs, thoughts, words, actions and feelings. Our ability to think makes us creators! YIKES!

What we oppose grows so focus ONLY on what you DO want. End judgment, criticism, complaining, blame and other low vibration reactions. Why? Because focusing on what you do not want attracts more of the same! You creator you!

4. Be your word 100% ... this is huge family! Be authentic and be consistent! Keep your commitments unless there is mutual agreement to change them. Failing to be your word creates chaos within you that will show up on your movie screen in life. Continued chaos and escalation are repeat invitations to mature parts of you by coming into full integrity; a prerequisite to playing a bigger game.

5. Be grateful ... How we do the little things influences the bigger things in life. When life sends you a gift, regardless of how insignificant it may appear to you, receive with gratitude! Pick up that penny on the ground and exclaim, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am a money magnet!"

Let someone open that door or help you in other ways. Refusal ... is an energetic signal you are closed, causing life to redirect its many gifts to someone who is open to receive and grateful!

6. Be curious ... You are more than what meets the eye. Whatever shows up on your movie screen in life is your creation and within you is the ability to make quantum improvements. Google Consciousness; quantum physics; Law of Attraction; Charles F Haanel; Barbara Marx Hubbard; Wallace D Wattles; Our Ultimate Reality. Ask deeper questions!

7. Be IT ... the elusive IT is within you! The SOULution to every dilemma is inside you. Every present moment on your movie screen in life, IT is showing you what is truly going on inside you. It is showing you hidden parts of yourself ready to mature and play a bigger game! Every experience is an invitation to know the REAL you in body mind spirit!

The elusive IT we seek outside ourselves is Inner Truth or Spirit, a particle of Consciousness known by many names including God, Life, Yahweh, Allah, Universal Mind, All That Is or Other Name.

You are IT ... Inner Truth or Spirit
As IT uniquely expresses, experiences, expands
and evolves throughout eternity.

Instead of recommended chemo and radiation early 2007, my Inner Truth or Spirit restored wellness following the removal of a tumor found to be in stage 3 colon cancer. Pay IT forward will you?

Doreen blends 33 years in corporate with a lifetime of personal development and experiential learning to 'experience' truth rather than parrot others beliefs. Doreen's recipe for creating the life you truly want includes a curious mind, open heart and willingness to explore the unfamiliar.

Inspired by ancient wisdom and newer sciences like quantum physics, Doreen explored deep within herself where she found IT ... the elusive IT, her very own Genie in a bottle, opening a world of new beginnings and endless possibilities.

"I teach people how to remember truth. Whose truth? Inner truth or spirit, the only power that is real. I consider myself an Alchemist, helping people transform life's perceived hurricanes into sunny days."

In 2007, Doreen was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer. Active cancer cells following surgical removal of the tumour called for chemo and radiation. Instead, Doreen connected within to the only Power that is Real and within 6 months her biology was restored to wellness naturally and permanently.

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Positive Self Talk - The Real Secret Weapon to Happiness

By Rhegina Sinozich

Positive self talk can transform your life and that's no understatement.

Imagine what your life would be like if you had a kid fresh out of college, fired up about the world, fired up about you. Imagine that this kid is going door to door selling YOU! She's fired up. She thinks you're the best. She's full of energy.

And now the best part of this is that she's really just a little genie sitting on your shoulder talking to you all day long. She doesn't see your flaws. She doesn't see your failures. She interprets all those things differently. Life is feeling pretty darned good. That's the power of positive self talk.

* Your failures aren't failures anymore; they're just missed tries.

* Your flaws aren't flaws anymore; they're just little quirks that will just change in time.

* Your hopes and dreams are completely realistic and exciting... because after all, you're the best!

Where can you get one of those little shoulder genies right? Well you can create one.

Positive self talk is unimaginably powerful. Your self talk is like having someone sitting on your shoulder whispering things to you, every day, every year for your entire life. So you really want it to be as positive as possible.

I mean if you were choosing a boss, would you choose one who yelled at you all the time and cut you down? Or one that was supportive and excited about you and your potential?

So here are some simple steps to creating one of those positive self talk genies:

* Take a few days or weeks to listen in. Just notice. Don't judge yourself. Don't try to change it, just listen. You can't change your self talk into positive self talk if you don't even know what you're saying to yourself! You might even want to jot down what you're hearing in a journal.

* After you have a good idea of how you're treating yourself through your self talk, intend to transform your relationship with yourself into a positive one. Intend that positive self talk is just going to become second nature for you. Intention is powerful and it sets the stage.

* Listen in regularly to your self talk and start interrupting. Even if you can't counter it with something positive just interrupting is powerful. You can even say something like "I'm not talking like that to myself anymore." That sends a powerful message to your brain.

* Actively seek out those things in your life and in you that you like and can honestly glow about and love. Get that positive self talk flowing. The catch here is that it really doesn't matter if you're talking about yourself or something out in the world. The only caveat is that it's positive and it feels good.

Pepper yourself positive, every day, in as many ways as you can and before long positive self talk will take root in a major way in your life and your life will flourish and that's no overstatement.

Rhegina Sinozich is the author of an amazing new book that will teach you how to reenergize yourself and your life so that you can create the life you really want to be living.

Want more HAPPINESS in your life? Plug Yourself Into the Frequency of Happiness will teach, inspire and motivate you to quickly come into alignment with who you really are so you can start living the life you were meant to live. http://www.balloontothemoon.com

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Finding Happiness

How can you achieve happiness in life? Can real happiness ever be achieved? Yes it can! In our featured article, Steven Milbrandt takes you through a 10 step plan to achieve the life you always wanted.

10 Steps to Becoming Happy Now

By Steven Milbrandt

Feeling happy is something everyone wants. Whether on not you admit it to yourself, being happy is something each of us seeks. The positive feelings the come from helping others and doing something well are wonderful. These are two examples of actions that we take that provide us good feelings. This reinforces our desire to do more. A cycle of positive repeatable actions not only benefits the intended recipient but also the giver. This is an example of a tangible action with verifiable results. Philanthropists do what they do for a number of reasons. They often express it this way: They want to give back for the good they have received. Yes they may not do what they do for purely altruistic reasons, but neither can we, nor should we attempt to determine motives by speculation.

Isn't it better to make every attempt to live a happy and satisfied life and help others to do the same? A famous person once said, "Give enough people what they want and you will get what you want too." The problem is that negative circumstances and problems seem to crowd our lives. The result is that often people become overwhelmed, discouraged and depressed. How can you move from feeling negative, despite all that is around you that makes you feel much less positive than you would like to be? Below are "10 Steps to Being Happy Now". Read them through and find more information at the end of this article.

1. Realize that feelings whether good or bad are just feelings. This means that you can change them. You are the one who gives yourself permission to feel a certain way in any given moment. No one else can tell you how to feel.

2. A feeling is a signal that your body gives you to take action. Recognize this and evaluate what your next step should be. Often we don't know what steps to take or take the wrong action. This does not resolve the problem. Often it only makes it worse. Try to be aware of the signals that your mental and physical states are trying to tell you and take corrective action. Sometimes these feelings are the result of negative events just past.

3. Sometimes events trigger negative associations from the past and we are not even aware of this. A long passed event buried in our subconscious mind can resurface. Therefore be as aware of your past as possible and reinforce negative events with positive ones in your mind.

4. Your mind is like a computer. It will play back to us whatever we give it. If we focus on negative things, then that is what will show up in our thoughts and actions most often. Give yourself positive thoughts and associations. When you find yourself thinking a negative thing, force yourself to stop the thought process in your head and replace it with something positive.

5. Reflect on all the good things there are in your life. The fact that you are even able to evaluate your situation and move toward some positive outcome is a good thing.

6. Take time to step outside of your situation and do some good for someone else. Even if it is just listening to someone or offering your time to them. This is a worthwhile contribution and a valuable gift. Time is limited so when you give some away for the good of others, you really are giving of yourself.

7. Remember that the person you are now is the result of all your past thoughts and actions. While this may seems scary, if we used that information to act and think more positively, we can change our outcomes and begin living a better and more fulfilling life.

8. Give yourself permission to be sad or depressed and a negative event, situation or circumstances for a specific set period then move on with a fresh outlook and optimism.

9. Resolve that the most important choice you can make on a daily basis regardless of your circumstance is your choice of attitude.

10. Being happy is not dependent on what you have. Some of the poorest people on the planet are the happiest. In contrast, some of the richest are the unhappiest. If you set your happiness on things, you will always be disappointed. True happiness comes from inside. This is often related to finding something bigger than us to believe it.

When we look for the good around us we will find it. Inspire someone today with your keen sense of self, a positive self-image and a passion for helping others. Happiness does not need to be elusive and complicated. Become aware of the signals that your mental and physical body is giving you. Learn to take proper action of the electro-chemical signals in your body and you will find happiness.

To learn more please visit the Marketplace section of http://www.learnherenow.com You can also find this article there. Also feel free to visit my sister site at http://www.stevenmilbrandt.com Thank you for the opportunity to share these insights with you.

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Peaceful Within

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Gini_Grey]Gini Grey

When your heart is full and your mind is empty you find peace. That place of inner stillness where the flow of your life meets the flow of the universe. Where you move through your day in effortless ease. Have you enjoyed any of those days recently?

What stops us from living peaceful lives? Is it the doings of others, the circumstances of life, or is it simply our own resistance to ease and joy? Perhaps it's our attachment to struggle and effort. Whatever it is, no one can bring us peace except ourselves. We sometimes live our lives as if waiting for someone to capture peace in a jar and give it to us as a present. I can just see someone opening the lid and exclaiming "where did it go, it was here just a second ago." Peacefulness isn't something we race after, accomplish or hold on to. It's a day to day, moment by moment space we choose to be in.

Being peaceful involves living life from a place of love, trust and authenticity. It means letting go of our inner arguments and outer judgments. Ultimately it's about turning the wheel of control over from our ego to our true self. Are you willing to do that in order to feel peaceful?

Explore these questions to gain more insights into peacefulness:

* When do you feel peaceful? Are you peaceful out in nature, on vacation, with certain people? Reflect over what times and what situations, circumstances and people you have felt peaceful with in the past?

* How do you define peace? What does it feel like physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally? What does your life look like when you are peaceful? Brainstorm a list of ways you can bring more peace into your life.

* What do you let interfere with your sense of peace? What situations, circumstances and people trigger you to shift out of a peaceful state? What about your own inner thoughts, arguments and judgments?

Try these inspiring ideas to have more peace:

* Spend some time out in nature and notice how peaceful it is. Let yourself match that calming energy. Let your thoughts go, your mind still and your body settle into stillness. Bring back a scene from nature in your imagination to reflect on when you need help finding your inner peace.

* Take time each day to sit with your eyes closed, relaxing your body and finding your inner stillness. Let this peacefulness fill your whole body down to the cellular level. Set your intention to bring this with you into your daily activities.

* When you find yourself being triggered or irritated by others, circumstances or your own inner thoughts, ask yourself if you want to feel grumpy or peaceful. If you choose peace, do what you need to in order to reconnect to that state of being.

Gini Grey is a Transformational Coach and author of the book "From Chaos to Calm: How to Shift Unhealthy Stress Patterns and Create Your Ideal Balance in Life" and the CD, "Create What You Want In Your Life". Gini utilizes a powerful blend of Spiritual Energy Awareness, Co-Active Coaching and Wellness Counselling tools to guide people to connect to their inner truth and bigness, move past blocks and create a life of joy, ease and freedom. For more information, articles or to receive a complimentary monthly e-zine, "Insights & Inspiration", visit http://www.ginigrey.com

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Are There Lucky People?

By Steve Gillman


Most of us know lucky people, those who seem to lived a charmed life. They may not even be all that smart, and yet they seem to almost stumble into good situations. Opportunities open up for them, things are "handed" to them. Perhaps they win in the stock market, find a dream job, or get married to their ideal spouse.

Then there are the unlucky people. Maybe you know a few of these as well. Some of them may even be very intelligent or well educated, and yet they're unlucky in love, lose money on investments, miss opportunities, and have unexpected bad things happen.

You might be somewhere between these two extremes. You have some good luck, and you have your share of "bad luck" as well. But have you ever tried to learn how to be one of the lucky people?

Generally there are two approaches to the idea of luck. Some think it is a random or mysterious thing that we have no control over, while others say it doesn't exist, that what we call luck is hard work, or a lazy way to explain cause and effect. Yet we all see that some people have easier successes, whether we call it luck or not. What both approaches tend to miss is the obvious question: How can you become one of these "lucky people?"

The answer to that starts with avoiding that mistake right there. Stop arguing about definitions. It's more profitable to make good things happen. Does it really matter if you earn the title of "lucky" even though you feel that "luck" had nothing to do with it? The bottom line is that good results are good results, whatever they are called.

One Thing Lucky People Do Differently

There are many things that lucky people do differently, and there is even serious research that demonstrates this. It has been shown that people who are identified as lucky smile more often, for example. And among those who are superstitious (entirely unnecessary for luck), the research shows lucky people have more positive beliefs, like crossing the fingers, while those who avoid black cats and fear the number thirteen have less luck.

Of all the many things that lucky people do differently, though, perhaps one of the most effective is simply asking for things. How many of us don't ever ask for a nicer table in a restaurant, or ask for a raise at work. Doing so doesn't guarantee anything, but asking certainly increases the odds of receiving. It's safe to say that you'll get more raises and nice tables in life if you ask.

For example, in his book, "Screw It - Let's Do It," Richard Branson tells the story of how he bought a $3,000,000 pound island for $180,000. That's just 7% of the asking price, by the way. Here's the short version of how he did it: He asked. I imagine there were those who would have loved to get the island for twice what he paid, since that would still be an 86% discount. But they probably never made the offer, embarrassed to ask for such a low price.

As a young man I bought my first house by advertising. I put a small ad in the paper saying I was looking for a small home with a small down payment and seller financing. I got a call and soon bought my first home. Ask and you shall receive, as the saying goes.

So are there lucky people? Yes, and if you want to be one of them, consider the following three premises:

1. "Lucky" people are those who have more happy surprises and good situations in their lives.

2. Their good luck is a result of the way they think and act.

3. You can become one of them by learning and applying certain principles (like the one above.)





Copyright Steve Gillman. Learn specific ways to Get Lucky right now at: http://www.GoodLuckSecrets.com


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Self Esteem is an Acquired Skill

By Andrew Kozloski


Did you ever wish you could be less shy or that you would spend less time worrying about how you’re perceived by others? Maybe you are all too familiar with the way that self-doubts seem to crop up out of nowhere, beyond your control?

While a good deal of stress is caused by worrying about important things like paying the bills or meeting that next deadline at work, recent psychological research has demonstrated that a significant portion of an individual’s stress comes from social anxiety, or the time and energy spent worrying about how one is perceived by others.

People with fewer insecurities seem to have a range of automatic thought processes that make them confident and buffer them from worrying about the possibility of social rejection. Fortunately, even people with low self-esteem can develop these beneficial thought processes that might allow them to gradually become more secure and self-confident.

Since persistent negative thought patterns are learned behaviors, that means that they can be unlearned too. Better yet, the mental retraining doesn’t have to be difficult or boring! Imagine you could play a computer game for five minutes each morning that would help you feel more secure and confident in yourself.

That’s the premise behind Mind Habits, a set of video games based on over a decade of social intelligence research at McGill University by Dr. Mark Baldwin and others. Through repetitive playing, the games train the mind to orient more toward positive aspects of social life and to give less attention to the negative feedback that one encounters—or thinks they are encountering—in daily life.

These video games not only boost self-confidence and naturally reduce the amount of focus given to perceived social slights or criticisms, but they have also been shown to reduce the presence of stress hormones in the people that play them.

In a recent study, Mind Habits recruited 23 employees of a Montreal-based call centre to play one of their games, which involves clicking on the one smiling face among many frowning faces on a screen as quickly as possible. These tests showed an average 17 percent reduction in the stress hormone cortisol compared to a control group that played a similar game but without the smiling faces.

"There are many possible applications for this kind of game," said Prof. Baldwin, "from helping people cope with the social anxiety of public speaking or meeting new people, to helping athletes concentrate more on their game rather than worrying about performing poorly."


Dr. Baldwin is a psychology professor in the Department of Psychology at McGill University, in Montreal Canada, and is the Lead Inventor of the software licensed to MindHabits Inc. Andrew Kozloski is a helpful writer and Mind Habits enthusiast/employee. Try the game for free here.

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Latest

Happiness - How To Get It In Three Easy Steps

Happiness - everyone wants it, everyone dreams of having it, but for most of us, happiness just seems like an impossible dream. In the world of today, when everything is so fast-paced and stressful, how can happiness ever be achieved? And while it may be all right for those who have money and can buy their way into being happy, for most everybody else it just seems like life is destined to be miserable. With all these disadvantages, how can happiness ever be possible?

Well to begin with, it is no more difficult to become happy in the modern world than it has ever been. And the good news is that happiness can start from where you are, whatever the circumstances. It doesn't matter if you have no money, once you start getting happiness by applying these Three Easy Steps, everything else will follow, including prosperity.

Step One: The first thing you must consider is that no one else can be relied on to make you happy. Yes it might happen, but ultimately your own happiness has to come from within you. So start for yourself, and don't wait for other people. Also it is important that you don't take too much notice of the opinions of others. Once you have decided for yourself what makes you happy, then go with that, whatever other people say. We don't mean that you should be arrogant, but you should be self-reliant.

Step Two: This leads on to the next step, which is to spend some time deciding what makes you happy. If you think carefully about this, you may find that what you come up with is different to what other people may expect of you. Think about those things in your life which make you happy, but also about those things that are not currently around you in your life but which you would like to have. It does not have to be only objects that you think about, it can be ideas, or relationships, anything you choose.

Step Three: Once you have made a good long list of what makes you happy, then focus all your attention on those things or ideas or people. As you give them your attention more and more, you will find that they begin to figure more importantly in your life. As this happens, you will certainly find that more opportunities arise for you to be happy.

The important thing is not to allow other people to drag you down to their own miserable level. This is a characteristic of negative people, they have a need for someone else to share their miserable outlook on life.

Think for yourself, decide what makes you happy, and then focus all your attention on that. There you have the Three Easy Steps to happiness!