How to Let Go: The 4 People You Must Forgive

by

Brian Tracy

There are four people you need to forgive if you are serious about changing your life and learning how to live in the now.

The first are your parents, living or dead. You must absolutely forgive them for every mistake they ever made in bringing you up. At the very least, you should be grateful to them for giving you life. They got you here. If you are happy to be alive, you can forgive them for everything else. Never complain about them again.

Many of my seminar participants have phoned or visited their parents and told them that they forgive them for everything. Often this simple act of courage and character has had a profound effect on their relationship with their mother or father. From that day onward, they have become good friends, which lasted the rest of their lives together.

On the other hand, by not forgiving your parents, you remain forever a child. You block your own chance to grow up and become a fully functioning adult. You continue to see yourself as a victim. Even worse, you keep your negative feelings of inferiority and anger alive. If your parents die without your having forgiven them, it can bother you for the rest of your life.

The second person or persons you must forgive are the people from your marriages or relationships that didn’t work out. These intimate relationships can be so intense, and so threatening to your feelings of self-esteem and self-worth, that you can be angry and unforgiving toward those people for years.

But you were at least partially responsible. Have the personal strength and integrity to say, “I am responsible,” and then forgive the other person and let him or her go. Say the words, “I forgive him/her for everything and I wish him/her well.” Each time you repeat this, the negative emotion attached to the memory will diminish. Soon it will be gone forever.

Many of my graduates have found that “the letter” is the key to putting a bad relationship behind them forever. This is a powerful technique that can free you from feelings of anger and resentment almost instantly.

Here is how it works: You to sit down and write the other person a letter of forgiveness. It consists of three parts.

First you say, “I forgive you for everything you ever did that hurt me.”

Second, you write out a description or list of every single thing that you are still mad about. Some people write several pages in this part.

Third, you end the letter with the words, “I wish you well.”

You then take the letter to the mailbox and drop it in. At that moment, you will feel a huge sense of relief, and you will be free at last.

By the way, don’t worry about how the other person might react. That is not your concern. Your goal is to free yourself, to regain your peace of mind, and to get on with the wonderful life that lies ahead of you.

The third person you must forgive is everyone else in your life who has ever hurt you in any way. Let them go. Forgive every boss, business partner, friend, crook or betrayer who has ever caused you grief of any kind. Clean the slate and forgive to forget. Wipe each of their names and images off by saying, “I forgive him/her for everything, and I wish him/her well.” Repeat this statement each time you think of the person or situation until the negative feelings are gone.

The fourth and final person you have to forgive is yourself. You must absolutely forgive yourself for every silly, senseless, wicked, brainless, thoughtless or cruel thing you have ever done or said. Stop carrying these past mistakes around with you. That was then and this is now.

Think of it this way. When you did those things in the past that you still feel badly about, you were not the person you are today. At that time, you were a different person, younger and less experienced. You were not your true self. You were an immature version of the person you have become with experience. Stop beating yourself up for something that occurred in the past that you cannot change.

Just say, “I forgive myself for every mistake I ever made. I am a thoroughly good person and I am going to have a wonderful future.” Whenever you think of that event or situation, just repeat, “I forgive myself completely.” And then get on with your life. Focus on the future rather than the past and don’t look back. Look at where you are going rather than where you have been.

Finally, if you did something that hurt someone, and you still feel badly about it, you can go to that person, or write, and apologize. Tell the person you are sorry for what you did or said. Whatever his or her reaction, positive or negative, it doesn’t matter. The very act of repentance, of expressing regret, will set you free.

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Improve Your Mind Power

Improve Mind Power Through These Natural And Simple Methods

by

J Wall

There are some simple, yet effective methods to improve mind power. Using these tools will impact your mind several times more than the amount of effort it requires to use them. They are also something you can do anytime and anywhere.

A crossword a day is a great tool for improving mind power and keeping age related decline away. Studies have shown that people who do some sort of mind puzzle or game tend to retain their cognitive abilities or even increase them well into their later years. Crosswords are a great tool that doesn't require a lot of time but actively works important parts of the brain that control thinking and recall.

You can do crosswords on the bus or train, while eating lunch or even during commercials while watching your evening TV programs. However, to make the most of them it is important to do them frequently, at least a couple times a week. Like regular exercise for the body, the mind works better when it is exercised regularly.

You can also improve mind power by what music you choose to listen to during the week. There seems to be a link between those who listen to complex music like Classical or perhaps even Jazz and increases in the brain's ability to do complex processes like math, logic problems, etc. Music of a complex structure works a number of areas of the brain effectively. Again, this is something you can do even in the background while performing other tasks.

Another tool is memorization. Memorizing your favorite poem, new vocabulary words, etc. also strengthens pathways in the brain and makes them more effective. Aside from improving mind power in general it also improves recall and if you are memorizing words....increases communication skills.

With memorization it is important that you use repetition, not just initially, but even after we've memorized something it is critical to go back and repeat it occasionally. Not only is repetition usually the way we memorize things, it also creates larger neural connections. Those larger connections are helpful in establishing better recall and improving mind power.

You can improve mind power through learning new skills as well. This is another two-for-one deal. If you already have something you are dying to learn...a new sport, dancing, or how to paint oils...you not only gain a new skill that you can use and enjoy you build up your mind as well. The process of learning new things keeps the mind fresh and helps retain ability as we age.

Eating right is another way to improve mind power. Healthy eating...getting more fruits and vegetables and lowering fat...is important in helping the brain to operate efficiently. Getting the right vitamins and minerals allows the brain to create important enzymes and neurotransmitters as well as fight off cellular decline and aging. Making a few changes in our diets will yield huge benefits.

However, if we can't get the right nutrients from our diet or if the foods you buy are nutrient deficient due to heavy farming or modern processing techniques you might want to consider a dietary supplement. Supplements are an easy way to boost your intake of nutrients and can often make up for what we're missing in our diets.

Using these steps to improve mind power is not something that takes a whole lot of time. All it really takes is willingness and commitment. The rewards are a stronger mind that will function longer as you age. None of us wants to have our minds give out early in our later years, so it is important that we take steps now to protect our cognitive abilities and strengthen our brains.

J. Wall has an avid interest in natural remedies for the treatment of memory loss. He is a regular contributor to the Improving Mind Power section of http://www.memory-enhancement-guide.com, a site dedicated to improving mental ability and cognitive function.

Chi Gong: The Cultivation of Inner Energy for Health, Wealth and Wisdom

by

Deva Roberts

Energy in our body is like water. An example is that water tends to flow downward like water flowing downstream. In order to have the energy within us flowing up, we must convert the energy into positive energy, which will then flow upward or in a positive direction. We do this by expanding our consciousness upward toward the universe. The process is known as Inner Alchemy because we changing one energy to another. Alchemists of yore were also trying to convert one thing to another. We know that they were trying to change base metal into gold. And modern chemists are always changing elements into others. By using our mind plus specific exercises and meditations we can change the negative energies (emotions and thoughts) into positive energy and also increase the amount of positive energy at our disposal. Psychology has shown us how damaging negative thoughts can be and how beneficial positive thoughts can be. For example, just talking with a friend who is depressed can change their mental state into a to a positive one. Or a person whose blood pressure rises on account of being angry, when calm, the blood pressure returns to a healthy normal. There are many other examples. If we learn to use conscious awareness and the mind to influence the energy flows within us, we can transform negatives to positives and also increase the positive. That positive energy can then be used to transform our lives into success, good health and prosperity.

One example to show that the mind can control the flow of energy in the body is to make a fist with the left hand and then open the left hand in succession about 12 times and release - you will a tingling sensation in that hand. Now with your mind transfer the same sensation to your right hand. You know how to do it. In a matter of seconds your right hand feels the blood flow like that of your left hand. You have used your mind to direct the flow of energy, Chi, to your right hand. So through intention and mind power you are directing the Chi. This is basically how we create or turn negative energy to positive energy. Think and it will happen.

One of the major theories of Taoist health practices or Qi Gong (pronounced "Chi Gong") is to relax and rest the upper mind/brains (in the head and heart), called the observation mind and conscious mind and use the lower mind/brain (in the gut), called the awareness mind, located in the abdominal area or the Lower Tan Tien. The ancient Taoist discovered that when they lowered the upper mind to the lower minds they awakened the consciousness and awareness. They also discovered that they could connect with the universe through meditation and become aware of how the universal energies are working. Scientists have confirmed that the intestinal area is energetic and similar to the brain. We can understand and experience "gut instincts" and feel emotions through this center. We experience a stomachache, or butterflies, and if we worry too much we can possibly develop an acid stomach. If anyone has ever studied reflexology they know that there are reflex points in the abdomen that correspond to all the organs of the body just like the brain has connection points from the nervous system to all the organs. In this way we can see that the brain and intestines are similar and intimately connected. It is also interesting to note that scientists have discovered that the intestinal villi hold an electrical charge. (The brain also holds energy as an electrical charge.) The villi are small hair-like fibers on the intestinal wall that help to move the materials through it. So the largest organs of the body also store energy. It is also very important to keep the intestines healthy by ingesting a lot of fiber and having normal bowel movements. With our intestines emptied the energy or Chi flows more smoothly. This area surrounding the navel is a storehouse for Chi or energy gathered from the Universe. Once one learns how to rest the upper Tan Tien or brain in the head and use the lower brain more, then everything becomes easier. Therefore, cultivation of energy in the lower Tan Tien is one of the most important techniques to learn and there are many ways to do this. Before the advent of medical science the Taoists realized that the abdominal area can be used to store Chi or universal energy. For thousands of years exercises and meditation have been developed to store more energy there and in other organs as well. There is another way to store energy in the body and that is in the form of fat. That energy is good to a degree but is not an infinite source and is generally not an acceptable storage place for most people.

In the Taoists teachings we also have information that the heart is also considered another brain that has the capacity to think. We have all heard the expressions to think with our heart (especially in relation to love) and not with our head. There are many songs and poetry written about the capacity of heart to feel love. A famous example of the heart storing thought comes from the book called the "Hearts Code" by Paul Pearsal, Ph.D. This book contains the story of an 8 year-old girl who received the transplanted heart of a murder victim. The 8 year old, after her transplant, started having nightmares about the murder of her donor who she had never met. With this information, as well as a composite drawing of the killer, the police were able to apprehend the killer.

Just like we have at our command our other "brains," we can also have two lungs and two hearts. With exercise and meditation we can increase blood flow, oxygen flow and lymphatic flow. And it is not very difficult to do. One technique is called "Laughing Qi Gong." We can activate the glands, circulatory and lymphatic systems by conscious directed laughing. The purpose of the Thymus gland is to manufacture killer T Cells or T lymphocytes that act to prevent cancer cells from spreading in the body. And all we need to do is laugh to activate them. This also expands the diaphragm that helps distribute more oxygen. By laughing the Aorta and Vena Kava pump more blood throughout the body thereby helping to relieve the heart and lungs from working so hard. Laughing also stimulates the Lymphatic system in the abdomen to produce more lymphocytes and circulate the lymph so that it moves more freely within the body. If the lymphatic system is not working correctly or clogged with impurities then we open ourselves up to various diseases in which cancer is the worst. There are many lymph ducts connected to the intestines. So if we are not careful as to what we ingest, then that could also cause trouble to the lymphatic system. The Spleen, the most important organ of the lymphatic system, along with the bone marrow, produces Lymphocytes (white blood cells) that are essential for immunity against different disease. The lymphatic system is also known as the immune system. Healthy bones are very important too. The intestines connected with the circulatory system take these Lymphocytes and change them into B-Lymphocytes that create antibodies against specific foreign organisms and bacteria. So by doing a belly laugh we help the immune system to stimulate production of the B-Lymphocytes. We have heard that "laughter is the best medicine." This Taoist way to good health has been practiced for thousands of years and we have seen that Taoists masters have lived healthy lives well into the 100's and beyond.

In esoteric Qi Gong meditations we may also use the energies that exist in the universe for positive effect. By turning the consciousness inwardly we can become aware of everything that is out side of us. We become aware of the not only the energy of the earth, but that of the moon, planets, sun and stars also. Everyone knows that the moon has a dramatic effect on earth by turning the tides and the sun obviously warms the earth with tremendous energy. But according to Taoist tradition the planets, stars and cosmic particles also have energetic effect. We just need become aware of it. Awareness means putting our attention to it - like we did in the hand squeezing exercise. And we also must become aware of the nature of the universe. The earth is, the planets are and sun is also spinning around the universe. These are scientific facts. The earth is rotating or spinning on its axis at 1000 miles per hour. We are rotating or spinning around the sun at 67,000 miles per hour. Astrophysicists have concluded that our solar system is spinning around the Polestar at approx. 300 kilometers per second. And we do not feel like we are moving at all. Why? It is because the faster we travel the less we notice it. An example would be an airplane traveling at 500 miles per hour. Our minds do not perceive we are traveling that fast and we actually feel a sense of stillness. So the Taoist theory is "the faster we spin, the more still or peaceful we become." So we are concerned with dynamic energies that are either spinning or moving. The heart is pumping, the electrons are spinning, and the cells in the body are constantly forming new cells. So in active Chi Kung meditations we create movement by using spinning forces within and later outside of us.

So the purpose of keeping everything within the body either moving or spinning is simple. If we keep everything energetic with movement, then we don't get sick. Everyone can understand this principle. If we don't use our or exercise our bodies then they become weak or sick. The cells become stagnant. The bones become brittle, the muscles atrophy and the organs become weak. That means the electrons are not moving. The joints don't work right. They may become stiff and we may feel pain in the form of arthritis. And it is the same for the organs in the body. A perfect example of how all energies are spinning is looking at the cosmos all the way down to the individual atoms. As I mentioned before, the galaxies and the planets are spinning. They are all spinning in their respective orbit. The cells of our body, all 655 trillion of them, are made up of atoms with spinning electrons. Our DNA is just spinning energy. Even the construction of the DNA molecule is a spiral. So within the Chi Kung meditations we learn to become aware of the spin and conscious of the spinning energies within and around us. It is very important to become of our own spinning energy. The energies around us like magnetic energy from the earth, electromagnetic energy from computers or the myriad of electronic and mechanical device affect us everyday and have the potential to cause physical and mental illness. Learning how to spin the energies, gather the energies and store the energies is basic to the Qi Gong practices. The name Qi Gong means "Energy Work." Qi (Chi) is energy. We can learn to become the mystic in control of our energies and therefore our own destiny.

Where do I find Chi and how can I access it? The answer is that it is everywhere. It is not energy like that of a burning log or an inert energy like lit fuel. It is contained in the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. But it is not air, it is not water and it is not fuel. It is pure essence. It is energy of God. It is not unlike us. But what are we? Are we a body? Are we a mind? All the great spiritual traditions say we are spirit. When we die, what dies? Only the body dies. The essence of who we are is that which has left the body, the life force. So it may be said that Chi is also made up of life force, but a universal force that can be used for healing, manifesting and spiritual works. The Taoists call Chi the Primordial Force. According to them, when the Big Bang occurred from the Nothingness (Wu Chi), there arose the Primordial Force (Dark Matter) which manifested into the uncountable universes with its millions of galaxies and solar systems full of suns and planets. Modern physics has described the atom as being matter and defined as being comprised of energy (electrons, protons, neutrons and quarks) with mostly empty space. It has been calculated by astrophysicists that our universe is comprised of approximately 90% empty space. So what is this space made of? Some call it gravity or a vacuum in space. The Taoists discovered thousands of years ago the it is the original Chi (energy) of existence and it can be used for all good works. One need only know how to access it through exercises, yoga and meditation. It is free and an effective medicine. It is known as Energy Medicine - the new medical paradigm for the 21st Century. Other popular forms of energy medicine are Acupuncture, Chinese and Ayurvedic herbology, and Homeopathy, to mention a few. Chi Kung's powerful healing methodologies are becoming more recognized by traditional medical practitioners around the world. It's valuable exercise and meditation techniques are being offered as an addition to or as a complete regimen for healing where other methods have failed.

The Universe is within us. How can this be? The scientists have taken pictures of outer space. As you go observe from earth further and further into space beyond the planets, sun and stars even beyond other galaxies, there is mostly empty space. In the same way when you go inside of your body and deep into the atom there is again mostly empty space between the particles (electrons, protons, etc.) The distance between each energetic particle can be compared to the distance between two stars if their mass is taken into consideration. In this way outer space (the universe) is likened to inner space. We can use this inner space, the Universe inside of us, to circulate and store more energy or Chi in the body. And the outer space can be used to gather Chi. The Taoist masters have even gone deeper still into the inner universe through what they refer to as the "mysterious gate" to the origin the universe or the Wu Chi. They have practiced very advanced meditations for sometimes hundreds of years in order to do this. Other traditions also practice similar techniques like the advanced Buddhists or Hindus sages.

Chi Gong is an ancient system of exercises and meditations that promote good health and longevity. By using our mind combined with specific gentle, yet powerful exercises, we can change the energy of negative emotions and thoughts that are stored in our body into positive energy, thereby increasing our good health.

-- Deva Roberts is a practitioner, researcher and writer on the topics of spirituality, yoga and health. He is also an Alternative Medicine writer for the Examiner.com and the editor for the classical Vedic spiritual text known as the Ganesha Purana [http://www.ganeshapurana.com]. For further info and and access to a FREE Energy Healing Course and other Energy Healing Products please visit: The Way of Health.net website.

©2010 Ganesha Purana.com

Publishing Rights: You may republish this info (or portions) in your web site, blog, newsletter, or ebook, on the condition that you agree to include the author's signature and website Ganesha Purana.com or all other links completely intact.

When, and How Often, Should I Meditate?

by

Russell Hatch

The answer to this will change over time. At first you will want make sure that you do it at least once per day, and at the same time each day.

One thing that must be emphasized here and now, however, is that you must never allow anything to interrupt the consistency of your meditations.

For example, you may lead a very busy life and look at the clock only to realize that the hour you have given to meditation has come and gone, and yet you are still at work or doing something else. This is the moment to give up the other tasks you had planned for the post-meditation period and to instead do the meditation!

Yes, you may need to forgo a meal, a workout, a meeting with friends, or that hour of TV, but it is essential that you do so. This is because strong meditative skills take many months to develop, but can be seriously damaged by a few days of absence. Go ahead and sacrifice an hour of sleep or a jog in the park because the energy you devote to meditating will be far more rewarding.

As you go deeper into meditation, however, you may find yourself doing some meditative exercises a few times each day. The ultimate goal is to be in a state of witnessing 24 hours per day, but that comes after long practice. When I first started a meditation practice in my early 20's one of my teachers asked me how often I was practicing. Proudly I told him about two and a half hours every day thinking he would be happy with my dedication. He shook his head and said why not six hours a day, why not twelve? This was an enlightening moment for me seeing that it was more about how you lived throughout the day and not just the short period of time during a focused practice.

How long should I meditate?

We just discovered that there may be no "best" time of day to meditate, and there is also no "ideal" length of time to spend in meditation either.

What is true is that most people just starting to meditate will find that ten to fifteen minutes is the longest period of time that they can focus without "forcing" the issue. As they become more experienced and learn what they need to gain clarity and awareness, they can easily extend that amount of time.

Additionally, some people prefer to do their meditation like they do their daily exercise - in segments.

Thus, you may find that 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening are ideal for your needs.

Generally, like so many other facets of meditation, it is going to be up to you as the meditator to determine the most appropriate amount of time to dedicate to your practice.

We are dedicated to teaching people how to use the mind management tools from meditation to enhance their personal potential. Success in any endeavor, whether it be in art, business or athletics, requires high levels of focus and drive. Everyone can achieve fulfillment if they learn to pursue their goals with a tenacity that is natural, easy and unrelenting. A lucky few stumble upon this combination. The rest of us can cultivate it.

Learn more about our approach to applied meditation and our center in Portland.

http://meditation-portland.com/

And our multidisciplinary Martial Arts Academy

http://www.nwfighting.com

Achieving Goals is Predictable

I am a great fan of Brian Tracy.  He has been a student of success for over 40 years, and has passed on what he has learned by coaching thousands of men and women who have gone on to become super achievers.

In this 13 minute interview he explains his recipe for success and how achieving goals can be completely predictable.

How I Started to Manifest Abundance

by

Christina T Moore

When I first learned of the Law of Attraction I was able to utilize it to completely change my life and my mind from the inside out. Every aspect of my reality was filled with misery. My emotional scale was in the red. Less than one year later everything had changed.

With the eyes of a child I saw this concept as a way out, as salvation. I began to read everything that had anything to do with the Law of Attraction. As my hunger for knowledge grew so did the information that became available to me.

The first important step to creating your own reliable process is to create a strong foundation. I did this by opening my eyes to who I AM, and take responsibility for my thoughts. That was a big undertaking! My mind was like an undisciplined and spoiled five-year old child. Moment by moment, thought by thought, feeling by feeling I guided myself to feel and think just a little bit better. That sounds trivial, but it's not. A history of negativity had me in a fast-moving spiral to nowhere. Slowly I began my addictive withdrawal process to clean up my mind.

Secondly, you must build a framework for your belief system. Do you understand who you are? You are an infinite being, the Created and the Creator. Your imagination when reinforced with emotion builds the environment you experience physically. Your feelings create a vibration that attracts similar vibrations. Hence the Law of Attraction. So if your attention to unwanted things can bring you more misery the opposite is equally true. You must also understand that you aren't creating events out of nothing. Everything that exists already exists. It is your attention to them that brings the energies into focus for your current reality.

The third concept is probably the simplest and yet the most difficult. There is nothing you have to do, but to know that your wish is already a reality. In order to experience it, you must ignore the current reality, as it is just an echo and feel the new reality before seeing it. You can do this by letting go of the thought process and fill your heart and mind with joy. Follow your highest excitement moment by moment in the smallest of ways throughout your day and keep your mind off of the absence of your manifestation. By following your excitement you will be guided by your higher mind gently and most directly on to your path.

Let me give you a personal example of how this worked for me using one of my first experiences with the Law of Attraction.

I wanted to find a new job and move as far away as I could. I set my intention as if I was asking a magic Genie for a wish. "Universe, I want to get out of here. I want a good job somewhere else." I left it and all the details up to my magic Genie. Soon I was struck by an awesome idea. I followed that idea which lead me to a contact and a job 1800 miles away from home. I had to be there in two weeks. All I did was set it and forget it until I had an inspired idea and followed it out as far as I could.

The trick to achieving instant manifestations is to keep it as fun and simple as possible. No thinking, just playing. Rub a magic lamp, make a wish. Get your mind off of it and it can happen. Only when you are joyful and inspired should you spend anytime dreaming and visualizing. Every process you choose to follow, follow it because it is fun to do.

Stay tuned for more manifestation examples and what little things I did to bring it into my reality.

Visit the author's facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/leopardhunting

Achieve Personal Success

by

Jared D Ingram

We all strive for success...  But what is this success? Success, when viewed with a positive mental attitude, is a process, a journey and not a destination.

Success for the husband and wife means making their marriage work with hope that they can celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. Success will mean keeping their family intact with communication lines open.

Success for a student means passing the courses in school and developing mind and talents to make a beneficial contribution to the human race.

Success for the surgeon means saving a life!

So what does success finally add up to? A diploma on the wall? A trophy in the case? Money in the bank? Professional honors? Yes, this is success, but more than this, success is being able to look at yourself in the mirror and be proud of the person you have become! Success is noblest when it leaves you with self respect that you have become a good steward of life, liberties, possibilities, and opportunities that God offered to you.

Achieving personal success gives you joy, real joy, when you look at yourself. As the cliche goes "Don't love the office you work for, instead love the work you do. Your office may betray you, your work wont."

The moment you fall in love with your work is the moment you can be sure of your success. Your life is in your hands, and so is success if only you try achieving it. Are we all successful in things that we do? What is keeping us from success? Why do we limit our own abilities?

The reason for failure is lack of self confidence. No matter how impossible the task may seem, self-confidence is the seed for success. Success is analyzing, recognizing, visualizing, mobilizing and energizing our possibilities and seeing them turn into realities.

The first step towards achieving your personal success is to frame a goal which is long term. Visualize yourself after 10 years. How and where do you want yourself to be? This clears your mind of any doubts you may have. The next step is to frame short term goals, goals that lead the way towards the main objective. Take a goal, make it your life. Dream of it, breathe it, live it... And don't fail to love it. "Be the change you want to see". Seek pleasures in small and beautiful things around you, yet don't get immersed. Stay focused on your vision.  If you do this, success is all yours. Dare to dream the impossible. Yet work to turn your dreams into reality. Dreamers who become doers operate emotionally and rationally with self confidence. When opportunity meets preparedness the outcome is called "luck", but don't rely on that all your life. Take a goal, make it your life, dream of it, and achieve personal success.

With these simple but powerful approaches you can bid goodbye to failures and hello to success.

Limited Good and Personal Success

by

Dr. Lamar Ross

There is a concept or philosophy of "limited good" that basically tells us that in the universe there is a limited amount of everything and that every time someone gets something, it limits the possibility of anyone else getting the same. It is like saying that if I get a piece of the pie it limits the possibility of anyone else getting a piece. It is assumed that there is a limited supply of pies. Up to a point this is true! However, this belief does not take into consideration that in reality there can be an unlimited number of pies, and when those are gone, more can be made.

If we accept the premise of this limited good concept, we immediately limit ourselves to an existence which contradicts the basic facts of nature. There is an abundance of everything in nature and multiplication is the rule and not the exception. One fruit can contain anywhere from a few to hundreds of seeds. From these seeds another plant and a multitude of fruits can grow. This multiplication factor is basically endless. Any gardener who has ever started off in the spring with a mere handful of seeds and ended up with an abundance in the fall is well aware of this law of nature. I have seen this every year in my own limited gardening activities.

Businessmen are less prone to take this position than politicians. Entrepreneurs are aware that there are endless possibilities for starting new businesses and fine-tuning the ones already operating. As long as there is a perceived need that is unfilled, there will be someone who recognizes the opportunity and fills that need. If Henry Ford and the Wright brothers had not seen a need for faster means of transportation, we would still be looking for faster horses to pull our buggies. These entrepreneurs saw the need and filled the need. The transportation industry as a result has expanded peripheral economic opportunities by creating support areas that were never imagined before its development.

Unfortunately, politicians seem to lack the ability to see beyond the "limited good" concept. The philosophy of wealth redistribution assumes that there is a limited supply of goods and services, and that as long as there are a few who have more than others, it must be taken from those who have and a portion given to those who have not. If, contrary to the "limited good" concept, we accept the fact that new wealth and goods can be created without limit, more time would be spent by governments encouraging people to create and less time teaching them to expect handouts.

Now to you as an individual! You cannot control the decisions of the politicians and businessmen, but you can control your attitude and your own belief system.

We must insist in our own lives that we will not accept less than what we are capable of. We must realize that the universe is full of possibilities and adhering to a philosophy that insists on limited possibilities can do nothing but have a negative effect on our personal success.

Dr. Lamar Ross, a cultural anthropologist by training, has a special interest in training individuals for expatriate living and providing information on unique travel destinations. He is an author, educator, photographer, internet entrepreneur, and international traveler. He has lived in the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and India and has traveled extensively in 29 different countries.

He presently splits his time between the U.S. and the Republic of Panama. He speaks both English and Spanish fluently and has a basic ability in several other languages. Check out his "Everything Travel" blog.

Living Frugal

Looking for a New Austerity and Frugality in Life

by

David L. Walker

Whenever you are trying to modify something in your lifestyle, you are going to find it very, very difficult to maintain if you dislike what it requires to create that modification in life.  Sometimes it takes a little more effort then we expect.

If you dislike training or dislike the belief of even trying better meals, it's going to be amazingly difficult to shed weight.  If you dislike the act of studying, it's going to be amazingly difficult to study the excellent guides of literary works.  Similarly, if you dislike making economical options, it's going to be nearly impossible to figure out methods to reduce costs continually, add value back to your life and have the feeling of satisfaction from it.

Here's the thing: austerity, like all of these other factors, is made up of simple factors and difficult factors, but the simple factors and difficult factors differ from individual to individual and from scenario to scenario.  The factors you like doing are different from that of your buddies.  After all, living a life of frugality and austerity can sometimes make you seem like a scrooge to your friends.  That will pass.

The best way to create austerity as a big part of your lifestyle is to adhere to the areas of it that are fun to you.  Dig into food preparation or economical journey preparing or more sensible purchasing.  View austerity as a task and look for methods to enhance your ranking (the money you are saving).  Contest with yourself, but contend against your buddies too.  Hold out for the things in need in life.

When you look at how much you have stored, you feel much better about completing this task.  Know that you have selected to not spend that money on foolish things.  Convert it all into money, walk into your financial institution, punch it down on the desk, and say "I want my car now, please."

Frugality is not about struggling and doing without.  It's about sensation, excellence and having fun because you are following in the places of your lifestyle that you really want to be successful at, while reducing in the places that you do not really care about.  For me, every phase in that direction is fun.  It's all about discovering new items in my lifestyle that do not take away from the other factors I value.  It's about concentrating on family and new success.  It's about studying how to do new factors of life better so I can be excellent in the expertise skill set that I'm developing.

Pay Yourself First

by

Brian Tracy

Resolve today that you are going to save and invest at least 10 percent of your income throughout your working life. Take 10 percent of your income off the top of your paycheck each time you receive one and put it into a special account for financial accumulation.

Save Throughout Your Career

The fact is that if you save just $100 per month throughout your working lifetime and you invest money in an average mutual fund that grows at 10 percent per annum, you will be worth more than one million dollars by the time you retire. This means that anyone (even a person earning minimum wage) who starts early enough and saves long enough, can become a millionaire over the course of his or her working lifetime.

Lifelong Habits

Developing the lifelong habit of saving and investing your money is not easy. It requires tremendous determination and willpower. You have to set it as a goal, write it down, make a plan, and work on it all the time. But once this practice locks in and becomes automatic, your financial success is virtually assured.

Practice Frugality

Practice frugality, frugality, frugality in all things. Be very careful with every penny. Question every expenditure. Delay or defer important buying decisions for at least a week, if not a month. The longer you put off making a buying decision, the better your decision will be and the better price you will get at that time.

Parkinson’s Law

A major reason that people retire poor is because of impulsive buying. They see something they like and they buy it with very little thought. They become victims of what is called “Parkinson’s Law,” which says that “expenses rise to meet income.” This means that no matter how much you earn, you tend to spend that much and a little bit more besides. You never get ahead and you never get out of debt.

Don’t be a Victim

You don’t have to be a victim of Parkinson’s Law. If you cannot save 10 percent of your income, start today by saving 1 percent of your income in a special savings and investment account. Put it away at the beginning of each month, even before you begin paying down your debts. Live on the other 99 percent of your income. As you become comfortable living on 99 percent, raise your savings level to 2 percent of your income, then 3 percent and 4 percent, and so on.

Grow Your Savings and Investments

Within one year, you will be saving 10 percent and maybe even 15 or 20 percent of your income and living comfortably off the balance. At the same time, your savings and investment account will start to grow. You will become more careful about your expenditures, and your debts will begin to be paid off.

Change Your Financial Outlook in a Year

Within a year or two, your entire financial life will be under your control and you will be on your way to becoming a self-made millionaire. This process has worked for everyone who has ever tried it. Try and see for yourself.

Action Exercise

Open a special account for financial accumulation today. Make a deposit in this account, no matter how small. Then, look for every opportunity to add to this account. Begin to study money so that you understand how to make it grow. Read books and magazines by experts on the subject. Never stop saving, learning, and growing until you become financially independent.

If you like what you learned here, and you want to take these lessons to the next level, you may be interested in Brian's program, "Wealth Building Made Simple", which he designed to give you his proven, step-by-step process for achieving financial independence and building wealth. Brian went from being a homeless man without a high school diploma to a multi-millionaire and THE expert on success – so he has a lot to share.

You learn:

• The ONE thing you can think about to kick-start your getting-rich process – and make yourself a better and more serious person
• The one thing 74% of wealthy Americans have in common
• The 4 Ds to financial success
• The 5 main ways fortunes are made in America (you may be using one right now and not even know it – but without applying this new knowledge you'll just keep treading water)

And so much more.

Go here to learn more about this program, now:

"Wealth Building Made Simple"

3 Manifesting Abundance Affirmations

by

Martin Woodchild

Manifesting abundance is something that most of us would like to do in our lives - there's always room for more "stuff" in our lives and sometimes it's even "stuff" that we want. Abundance often falls into this category and a lot of the time, we equate abundance with more money in our lives.

Affirmations are a good way to help our minds focus on what we want. Here are some affirmations you can use on a regular basis to help you with manifesting more abundance into your life.

The Universe provides me with all that I will ever need

This is a good one to start with. Most people's minds are perfectly happy to accept this assertion because, at its deepest level, it is simply true. Everything we have is ultimately provided by the Universe. Whether you believe in a creation force or ultimate being or not.

We can't magic up things out of thin air (apart from maybe our thoughts, but we're not going to go there in this article). So they have to be provided by the things around us, which ultimately means the Universe.

I celebrate life

This affirmation is simple to remember, which is always a bonus.

And if you even only begin to follow this celebration of life, you'll find that your whole body vibration begins to change. In turn, this will attract good things into your life including more abundance.

Smiling and happiness, which are both parts of the idea of celebration, are infectious. OK, you'll get the odd grumpy person who growls at you and asks why you're being so happy. And quite a lot of people who'll wonder how you're managing to be so cheerful.

But they'll gradually either get won over to your celebration or they'll seek other people to drain the energy from. If it's the former, the celebration will grow ever bigger. And if it's the latter then you're almost certainly better off without their influence.

I am abundant

This abundance affirmation is actually more of a mind-leap for a lot of people.

The trouble is, we look around and quite likely see evidence where other people have more abundance in their life than we have. Which we then translate to the negative idea that we're not as abundant as we'd like to be.

Unless you're living on a street corner in a cardboard box, chances are that your life is actually full of abundance. You're just not recognizing it.

Maybe you're seeing the proverbial glass as being half empty rather than half full.

Whatever the reason, adding this short and memorable affirmation to your list can help to create small, subtle, shifts in the way your mind works.

Maybe not today or tomorrow but almost certainly in a week or two's time, there will be some changes for the better in the way your mind deals with the concept of abundance.

And that's probably the most important thing to remember when you are moving towards a more abundant lifestyle. The Japanese method of lots of small, continuing, improvements works just as well in our lives as it does on a production line. Maybe even better when it comes to manifesting abundance.

How to Build a Successful Online Business

by

Steve Pavlina

I love the lifestyle that comes from running an online business. I get to work from home each day, set my own hours, choose my own projects, and enjoy abundant income. It’s hard for me to imagine how I’d feed myself without the Internet. When I think about income generation, I immediately think of the web.

I was talking to a successful entrepreneur recently who pointed out that building an online business is an exercise in personal development. He’s absolutely right. I’ve probably learned more valuable life lessons from my entrepreneurial pursuits than from any other areas of my life. Running a business tests you in so many ways — your self-discipline, your intelligence, your communication skills, your focus, etc. If you’re lacking in any of these areas, your business results will reflect it.

The real world of business can be unforgiving. Success is rewarded. Mistakes are punished. The benefit is that it keeps you honest. You can’t settle for weakness, laziness, and bad ideas, or your business will fail. There’s a huge chasm between an idea that sounds good and an idea that actually gets implemented and succeeds under real-world conditions. Anyone can come up with good ideas, but most people can’t successfully implement them.

Some people can’t handle the pressure of running their own business. They worry about the risk of failure. They’re looking at it from the wrong angle though. That risk is precisely the point. Risk is what helps you grow. It makes you stronger. An entrepreneur who fears risk is like a bodybuilder who’s afraid of barbells.

There have been times when I had to deal with tough problems, like having bills due but no money to pay them. These problems made me dig deep inside myself. My business compelled me to grow into the kind of person who could handle these sorts of things. I learned to trust myself to work hard, to stay focused under pressure, and to even enjoy the process.

We all have different levels of risk tolerance. You don’t need to stress yourself out to grow. You just need to challenge yourself in a way that stimulates you. Lift weights that are heavy and which tax your muscles… but which you can still successfully lift. Afterwards you may feel spent, but you’ll also grow from the experience. If you only do what comes easy for you, you’ll suffer from atrophy, and life will become rather boring and pointless.

Why an online business?

In the age of the Internet, I think almost everyone should have an online business… if only for the growth experience. It doesn’t cost much to start one, but it will teach you so much. Perhaps the greatest benefit is that you’ll learn you do have something of value to share with the world, something that can generate income for you for the rest of your life.

In a way I’m jealous of the teenagers and 20-somethings who are growing up so Internet savvy. Any of them could start their own online businesses and get ahead financially at a young age. I would have loved to have been doing this in high school or college. It’s terrific that some people are becoming millionaires at such a young age, but I think the real success stories come from those who find a way to generate just a few thousand dollars per month, enough to cover their expenses.

My kids are only 4 and 7 years old, but I’m already thinking about how I might help them start their own websites soon. My daughter is very artistic, so who knows? Imagine if by the time she becomes an adult, she already has a steady stream of cashflow from websites she created during her teen years.

Building traffic

Running an online business is deceptively simple. Look at my web site, for example. The structure isn’t very complicated. It’s mostly just a lot of content and a lot of ads. But it consistently generates a nice five-figure monthly income. Anyone can do it, right?

Unfortunately, not everyone can do this. People try and fail all the time. The success stories get a lot of attention, but there are orders of magnitude more failures.

The key factor in building a successful online business is traffic. If you can’t build sufficient traffic, you won’t be able to generate much, if any, income. And unfortunately most people are really bad at building traffic. They apply completely inept strategies that don’t work, and they usually give up within a few months after starting.

Building traffic is not remotely easy for most people. This problem isn’t unique to the web though. You see it in every field. Some authors sell millions of books, while the average book doesn’t even sell 5,000 copies. Lots of people can write a book, but relatively few know how to sell a book. Lots of people can create a web site or blog these days, but few know how to attract large amounts of traffic.

If you can successfully build lots of traffic, it’s fairly easy to generate income from it. You also have time to figure it out. If you can grow your traffic, you can maintain your traffic, and that gives you time to figure out how to monetize the traffic.

In the past I’ve written articles trying to teach people how to build successful online businesses, including How to Make Money From Your Blog and How to Build a High-Traffic Website. Those were long, detailed articles, and both have become extremely popular in the blogosphere. I didn’t charge any money for this content — it’s all free. Those articles inspired a lot of people (hundreds that I know of) to enthusiastically start their own websites. Some of those people are doing quite well now, but most that I’ve been aware of have failed miserably.

Why most people fail

Why did most people fail? I think the reason was that the whole process of running an online business is just too complicated for most people. There are lots of ways to screw it up. It pained me to visit some of those sites and notice a dozen glaring mistakes within the first few seconds — blogs that didn’t enable permalinks, cutesy headlines with no keywords in them, bad choice of topics, page titles that still used the WordPress default format, hideously suboptimal ad layouts, hidden or missing contact info, etc. Any one of those mistakes could cripple a site’s results. More than one is a practically a death sentence. Such mistakes cause problems both for human visitors and search engines.

But at the same time, there were teenagers humming along just fine, generating four figures in monthly income after working on their sites for 6-12 months. They didn’t necessarily get everything right, but they were Internet savvy enough to fix the big problems early.

What bothered me most about this was that people were too often failing because of the technology. Many of them had great ideas and very good content. It was a shame to read some of their articles and think to myself, This is great stuff… too bad no one will ever see it.

The cruel and unfair part of online business is that if you aren’t very Internet savvy, you’ll make mistakes on the technical side that you’re totally oblivious to. You may get the content side right, but the technology will bite you and cripple your results.

In my “How to Make Money From Your Blog” Article, I did correctly identify this problem and suggested that 99 out of 100 people would fail because of it. But it’s still a pretty unfair situation. There are people who can write great content who really deserve to be getting a lot of readers, but because they don’t understand permalinks, RSS feeds, pinging, or other technologies, they’re doomed before they start.

Once I saw this happening, I basically decided I’d better shut up about encouraging people to run an online business. People kept asking me for new articles on the subject, but I didn’t think it was a good idea. I was concerned I’d be doing more harm than good.

A new solution

Recently I came across a vastly superior solution to this problem — a way for people to build a successful online business that doesn’t require them to become technology gurus.

What I recommend is a service called Site Build It! – it’s an all-in-one solution for creating and building an online business. You pay an annual fee for the service, and they provide you with all the tools you need to build an income-generating web site. They host the site for you, they help you register your domain name, and they provide integrated tools like point-and-click page generators, built-in blogging, form builders, RSS feeds, and lots more. Many of these details will be handled for you, so you don’t have to worry about them.

You still create your own content, and you use their tools (or your own familiar tools) to create a site based on your unique ideas. You focus on the content side. They help you with the technical implementation side.

I don’t recommend this solution for everyone. If you’ve already built a successful website that generates thousands of dollars a month for you, you won’t need this. I don’t need it myself. But if you’re one of those people that have been held back by the technical complexity, then this is definitely something you should look at. This is the kind of solution I’d recommend in a heartbeat for my non-programmer friends who want to get something going online but quickly become lost in a sea of jargon.

If you’re interested, just be aware that it will take some time for you to look into this service and decide if it’s right for you. The Site Build It! site has a lot of detailed information on it. If you really like to do your homework before making a decision like this, you’ll find no shortage of detail.

Running an online business can be a wonderful growth experience, and the income and freedom it can provide is certainly nice too. People really shouldn’t be deprived of this opportunity for technical reasons. The self-publishing power of blogging technology has gotten us partway there, but it’s only one piece to the puzzle. I encourage you to take a good look at Site Build It!, since I think you’ll find that their system fills in the remaining gaps, putting online business success within reach of most people.

This is by no means a get-rich-quick program. You’ll still need to put in the time and energy to create quality content for your web site, but at least you won’t have to worry as much about the technical side.

And if you already have the technical know-how and are confident about setting up your own site, great!  But don't just sit here reading about it - get out there now and start creating the business that can change your life!

Always Make the Right Choices

Last month I introduced my blog readers to the remarkable and gifted personal development coach and entrepreneur, Katie Freiling.

I have found she has some wonderful and powerful insights, which is why I make no apology for showing you another of her videos, and will no doubt show you some more in the future too.  In this one, Katie will show you in a very clear way how you can ALWAYS make the right choices in life:

Detoxify Your Body Today

by

Michelle Schoffro Cook

Every now and then I read or hear someone say that the body doesn’t need to detoxify.  This is an appalling statement since the body cannot live without effective and efficient detoxification, which needs to occur in the lungs, liver, skin, intestines, kidneys, lymphatic system, and other areas of the body every minute of every day.

Our bodies are surprisingly good at detoxification but these processes can easily become overwhelmed due to the volume of toxins to which we’re exposed from our air, water, food, pharmaceutical and over-the-counter drugs, and many other sources.

These detoxification processes also rely on many critical nutrients (you’ll discover which ones below) to function properly.  Fortunately, there are many easy things you can do to help your body eliminate harmful toxins.  Here are 15 easy ways to detoxify today based on my book, The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan:

1. Eat pectin-rich organic apples.  Pectin binds to toxins in the intestines to escort them out of the body.

2. Drink a freshly-made veggie juice daily.  This can be as easy as throwing a couple of handfuls of leafy greens into a blender with some frozen berries and water.

3. Drink a large glass of purified water with the juice of one fresh lemon in the morning.  Lemons have over 20 proven anti-cancer compounds.

4. Eat blueberries daily.  They are rich in anthocyanins that reduce inflammation in the body and brain, as well as help reduce allergies and excess weight.

5. Remember to breathe properly.  Oxygen kills bacteria, viruses, and helps us to feel more energized.  Breathe deeply as much as possible.

6. Eat at least a half cup of legumes daily.  If they cause you gas, build up slowly and add a digestive enzyme with cellulase (breaks down the fiber in beans).  Fiber in beans helps keep the bowels eliminating properly.

7. Find the positive in every day.  Smile and laugh.  A positive attitude reduces the number of stress chemicals in the body.  And, as the adage says, “laughter is the best medicine.”

8. Take turmeric daily (a teaspoon in a small glass of water), added to soups or stews, or in capsule form.  It contains the phytonutrient curcumin that is one of the most powerful liver protectors and healers.  The liver is largely respositponsible for detoxification.

9. Eat more raw fruits and vegetables.  They contain enzymes that aid digestion and improve nutrient absorption.  Many nutrients are needed for efficient detoxification, including:  beta carotene, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin B12, pyridoxine, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, copper, germanium, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, sulphur, and zinc, among others.

10. Switch from chemical cleaning products to natural ones.  Chemical cleaning products contain toxins like formaldehyde, chlorine, petroleum products, ammonia, perchloroethylene (“perc”), and many other harmful chemicals that research links to cancer, skin conditions, asthma, and other serious health conditions.  Baking soda, vinegar, or orange oil work well.  No chemical cleaner removes stains as well as orange oil.

11. Eat at least three of the best detoxifying foods daily: broccoli, garlic, spinach, cabbage, sprouts, blueberries, and ginger.

12. Drink plenty of pure water to help flush toxins from your body.  Almost every process in your body depends on proper hydration to function smoothly.

13. Help remove toxins in your intestines by using aloe vera juice (about a quarter cup) or drinking a few cups of slippery elm bark, marshmallow root, or rhubarb root tea (about one teaspoon of the dried herb per cup of  water).

14. Take a probiotic supplement with live cultures on an empty stomach daily (morning or evening works well).  The beneficial bacteria kill harmful bacteria and yeasts and help to heal the lining of the intestines.

15. Get at least 30 minutes of vigorous physical activity daily.  Sweating is one of the best ways of removing harmful toxins, including heavy metals, from the body.


Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/15-easy-ways-to-detoxify-your-body-today.html#ixzz2M6sj1ReJ

Be Happy!

How To Make Your Life Happy Fast

by

Simona Rich

There is a reason why in most religions there is some sort of a set of rules telling how to live life. It’s not so that all people would be the same, but to make their lives easier. For example, in Buddhism there are the Four Noble truths:

(There are many translations of these truths in English, here’s my best bet…)

1. Many things in life bring suffering.

2. The origin of suffering is craving which leads to more attachments.

3. It’s possible to end suffering by ending cravings.

4. You can end cravings by following this eight-fold way: right view, right intention, right action, right speech, right effort, right livelihood, right concentration and right mindfulness.

And in Christianity, there are seven virtues:

1. Prudence (the ability to discipline yourself by the use of reason — thank you Wikipedia)

2. Justice

3. Temperance (not drinking alcohol)

4. Courage

5. Faith

6. Hope

7. Love

If you don’t follow such rules, your life will be ruled by fear, guilt and regret. If you follow these rules, your life will be much happier.

Now together with these religious laws or virtues, take note of the guidelines below. Try living according to such guidelines for one or two days. When you notice an immediate difference in how you feel and a better quality of your life, you may decide to continue living this way.

Here are the guidelines:

If you are always tuned in to your common sense and refuse to do what feels bad to your inner self, your life will become happy.

If you are good to everyone no matter how they behave towards you, your life will become even happier.

If you infuse all the actions you take with love and attention, and take time to accomplish them in a perfect way, you will experience an unbelievable quality of life.

If you let the money easily flow in and out your life without congesting the flow with fear of not having enough or regretting over “lost” money, even more abundance will flow to you.

If every day you remember to thank God that you are alive and for all the good things that come into your life, God will also not forget to reward you with more goodness.

And instead of complaining if you try to understand the lessons behind every misfortune, your mood will get uplifted instead of depressed.

If you stay present more than lost in your mind, you will start being happy about even the smallest positive things in your life.

If, instead of getting angry at someone, you try to understand where they are coming from, your life will become much easier.

And if instead of letting the fear cage you in, you would allow your heart to lead you, it will show you the life full of love and adventure.

If you are an observer of life rather than an unaware participator, your life will be filled with spiritual awakenings and depth.

And even if you are an active participator of life, don’t forget to be always the observer of yourself also, and thus you will still not lose the depth of life.

If you make the most of the situations that life gives you, God will reward you with a better life after some time.

If you conserve your energy by not talking for the sake of talking, or doing something for the sake of doing it, your life will be filled with youth and beauty.

If you don’t try to gain anything at the expense of another, you will never see lack of any sort.

You can start living like that for a few days – that will be enough for you to see some results which will encourage you to continue living according to these principles. These guidelines will surely make your life easier and happier.