Tess's Blog

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Hi, my name is Tess which is short for the high priestess. This is my blog. Share my quest to find meaning in the world. 26th of December. Sex before marriage is so wrong. Why is it only me who’s noticed? Apart from 99 million American Evangelicals of course. My top three favourite positions in no particular order: Woman on top, man below and woman below … with woman on top. I will get round to putting them into 1,2, 3 order after my wedding naturally … or civil partnership ceremony. Why are there so many difficult choices in life?

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27th December. Fairies are so real. I know it’s true because my spirit guide told me so - in writing! Why don’t you ask your spirit guide deep meaningful questions like I do? All you have to do is take a pen and hover it over some paper and let the pen write by itself. I did – and it wrote ‘fairies are so real’. So amazing, don’t you think.

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28th December. You so must read “Zen and the Art of Two Thumb Texting”. It’s so cool. Take this quote as an example, “If you know the answer you are asking the wrong question. Enlightenment is knowing you don’t know the answer.” Wow, that’s so profound. I hear you asking, “What does it mean?” And I don’t know the answer. Wait a minute. Does that mean that I ‘m enlightened? I don’t really know if that’s true either. Wow, I think I am on to something here. You know I wouldn’t be surprised to find I am enlightened. I am a high priestess after all. That would be so mega cool. I know, I will do a reader’s poll: Is Tess enlightened: Yes or No?

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29th December. The results from yesterday’s poll: Yes 9%, No 9%, Don’t know 82% - Wow there are so many enlightened people out there. Talking of feedback, some of you spiritually empty, nit-picking sceptics were questioning my way of proving that fairies are so real. Do you really think I would rely ONLY on automatic writing? Obviously I also checked with all of my pendulum dowsing stones. Well, all but the one I bought on holiday in Southern Spain. And I will ask that one too - once I find out how to say ‘fairies’ in Spanish. My top three favourite fairy movies: “Peter Pan”, “Cinderella” and “Gay sex in the 70’s”.

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30th December. Pyramids are so mysterious. Did you know that if you turn a pyramid upside down and put it on the table it will ALWAYS fall down. Now you might think this has something to do with the pointy bit - unlike a dice say - which turned over doesn’t fall down. But it’s not that simple. Even if you don’t turn a pyramid over it still has a pointy bit - but then it doesn’t fall over! Try it for yourself. It’s so cool. What's more, it's a well known fact that if you put a blunt razor blade inside a hollow pyramid it will become sharp again. So awesome. However I do have a slight problem with that one. I don’t think the ancient Egyptians ever used Wilkinson Sword after burner mach 99 razors - so how come they designed pyramids for sharpening razor blades? My top three favourite Egyptian gods: Osiris, Mork and Mindy.

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31st December. I had an implanted alien removed today. It was so cool. Did you know that with all the UFOs flying about these days one in three of us have been taken over by an alien presence. And that's for real. The guy that removed my alien told me these were the official government statistics – kept secret of course so as not to cause mass hysteria. I paid my £50 and my alien was removed. He did a great job – it was so painless. I didn’t feel a thing. It turned out to be Jar Jar, the Jedis’ accomplice from Naboo. Maybe that explains why I have been buying so many reggae records recently! My top three favourite characters from Star Wars: R2D2, the Millennium Falcon and the Death Star.

10 Ways to be More Organised

Author: Julie Hanson
1. Write a To Do list. I often have lots of things going around in my head. If I can't sleep at night my mind goes over what I have to do. I find that if you write it all down on a piece of paper or on the PC then you can be happy that it won't get forgotten. You've captured everything that you need to do, so your mind can stop spinning.
2. You now need to prioritise that To Do list. It's no good having a huge list then panicking because you've got so much to do. Put a priority system in place. So look through all the things that you need to do urgently, mark them with an A, for example. The second most important get's a B etc etc. You now have a list of things to do and in what order you need to do them.
3. The key thing now is to not procrastinate. I often find myself doing the things that I enjoy doing first. Of course these are possibly not the most important things. You need to just eat that frog and just do it. The frog is the worst job that you have on your list. The good thing is if you do the worst job first then the rest of your day will get better and better. Imagine the relief you will feel when you get that job out of the way.
4. Sometimes you have a task to do that you keep putting off because you think it's going to be a huge task and will take a long time. A good tip is to say that you'll do just 30 minutes on the task then stop. Quite often you'll get stuck into it and continue until the end of the task. It just doesn't seem so bad if you're going to do just 30 minutes.
5. Break a task down into smaller tasks – this is called ‘chunking'. You can then tackle the activity in smaller pieces. The task then doesn't seem so big and you can do each task one at a time. For example if you are planning an advertising campaign. It may seem like a huge activity, but if you broke it down into sections ie. Newspaper advertising; internet advertising; free ads etc etc. You can then see how you'll get through each activity.
6. Create a filing system at home or in your office. If you always know where things are you will instantly feel more organised. You will be able to lay your hands on anything you need. This could be your physical paper filing or your computer filing system.
7. Now that you've got your filing system in place. File things on an ongoing basis; don't let it all pile up. If you find yourself looking at a huge pile of filing to do, you will really dread the job! However if you file for just 10 minutes a day you will no longer have a huge pile of filing to tackle.
8. Clear your clutter – have a tidy day. I do believe that if you have a tidy office then you will have a tidy mind. Set aside a day or half a day to clear out all those old files. You won't believe how much paper you have! I really don't think we've come to the age of the paperless office just yet. This also again applies to your computer files. Delete all those old documents that you will never use again. This is a very cleansing process; you will feel great afterwards and very focused.
9. Along a similar line is to have a clear desk policy. If you work on a clear desk you will be more productive. If you're constantly having to move papers or files to get to your computer it will make you inefficient. I feel a lot more focused if I have a clear working space.
10. It's important to plan your day/week/month in advance. I know that some people are very spontaneous and will hate the thought of this, but if you plan in advance you will be a lot more organised. You won't double book anything or forget any appointments. Buy a diary and make sure all your appointments are written down. This will instantly make you feel more in control.
by Julie Hanson, (c) 2007
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/time-management-articles/10-ways-to-be-more-organised-438151.html
About the Author
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Julie Hanson coaches people on how to work
from home and create wealth.
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Goal Setting - Long, Medium and Short Term Goals

Author: Andrew

Goal Setting - Long, Medium and Short Term Goals (Andrew Collings)

Most experts agree that anything can be achieved through goal setting. However, if you are like most people, you may have tried a goal setting program in the past and not succeeded. You may have set goals in a very happy and possibly inebriated state on New Years Eve and promised yourself that this is going to be the year you will achieve your goals - however by the end of the year the goals have not been achieved, and the list you set on new years eve is nowhere to be found.

Today dear reader, we are going to explore goal setting and share a goal setting secret that has been used by successful individuals for generations. A system that with only an hour or so a week, you will be achieving your goals in no time.

Goal setting generally consists of writing down goals and revisiting them. In order to achieve their goals successful people take this further. They have four to five main generic goals in their lives and break these down into more achievable components and goals. There program is broken down into five components for you to use as detailed below:

Long Term Goals (eg 7 - 15 years): At this level the goals are more generic and generally deal with four key areas of your life, for example, Health, Financial, Family and Social. A goal at this level under financial may be to have a net worth of $10million dollars.

Yearly Goals: These goals are written generically but within the scope of a one year time frame. The goals again contribute to the four or five aspects of your life (studies have shown that four to five areas achieves the most success). Ask yourself what you are going to have to do in the next year to achieve your goals. For example, under the above financial goal, you may state that you have to increase your net wealth by $100k. To do this you may decide that setting up your own side business is the way to go. As such, your yearly goal would be to set up a side business (in a certain field), that builds $100k worth of wealth. A good number of yearly goals is around 8-10.

Monthly Goals: We are now starting to get into the specifics of goal settings. This is where you provide the details of how you are going to achieve your yearly goals. Ascertain what you would have to do each month to achieve the goals.

Weekly Goals: Weekly is similar to monthly specific goals. Again write what you will have to achieve each week to meet your monthly goals.

Daily Goal and to do list: This is the base level of goal setting, and is the most important. This is where you take action. When starting your day, look at your 7-15 year goals, your yearly goals, your monthly goals and your weekly goals. Write a list of what you will need to do today to move yourself closer to your goal. On your to do list, highlight the key tasks that you will need to complete today. Focus on these tasks first.

And that the system in a nutshell. To recap, Develop 7-15 year goals (around four) that are a sentence each. Develop yearly goals (around 8-10) that sit under your four main goals (a few paragraphs each). Write what you will need to do each month to achieve your 8 - 10 goals). Write what you will need to achieve each week to achieve your monthly goals. Write a "to do list" at the start of each day, after reading all of your other goals. Highlight the activities on your "to do list" that will bring you closer to achieving your goals and do these first.

The system is successful because it first ascertains what you want to achieve in your life, and then provides specific goals, first at a larger time frame and then more specific to help you achieve your life time goals.

If you just write down what you want to achieve (eg have $1million in a bank account) without ascertaining the reasons why you want this, then it is more likely that your goal will come unstuck.

Good luck with your goal setting!!!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/goal-setting-articles/goal-setting-long-medium-and-short-term-goals-593190.html

About the Author

Andrew Collings is the founder of www.defeatthegrind.com (a weekly self help, health and parenting ezine) and has over 10 years experience in self help, health and parenting. Andrew has a Degree and Masters in social science and has also completed post graduate management studies. During the day, Andrew works as a principal in a consulting firm, and has had numerous pieces of planning work published. He is married with three children, and currently resides in Melbourne, Australia. As a hobby he is a juggler and magician.

A Facilitator's Prayer

By: James Kyle

May I always be present and focused and connect at a heart centered level giving loving support to all who come to me for guidance, support and learning. May I always be aware of the need to consistently give appropriate acknowledgment and encouragement and thus create a safe space for students that will encourage confidence and willingness. May I have the insight to be fully aware that each person has their own learning path and have the wisdom to support each individual in reaching for understanding at their own pace, transcending my human impatience by moving into a state of loving acceptance. May I also be conscious of any interaction that acts as a trigger for my own unfinished business, and to use the opportunity to grow and connect rather than to blame and to distance.

Let all this be done in a spirit of joy and playfulness that brings all concerned into a oneness in the moment in the spiritual dance of giving and receiving, so that the teacher becomes the student, and the student becomes the teacher, and both profit from the shared wisdom of each other’s unique gifts.

How to Set Annual Goals That You WILL Actually Achieve

Author: DavidByrd
Annual goals are a great way to realign your business and personal life every 12 months, and this time of year is the perfect occasion to get you back on track for the achievement that you seek. When done correctly, your annual goals will become the directional compass for your year, trickling down to your monthly plans and daily actions. At the beginning of each new year, you need to set specific, realistic, annual goals which will always be derived from your vision and dreams.
So where do you start? Review your vision statement and dream list.
If you have never taken the time to draft a dream list or really convey your vision, it is imperative that you take the time to do this. Think of it as a fun, creative exercise where there are no limits. Use your imagination! Think of things that you have wanted to have, wanted to do, or wanted to be. I have kept an updated dream list since 1979. Some may think this is a silly exercise, but we attract to ourselves that which we see for ourselves.
After you have completed or revised your dream list, you can move on to your vision statement. This statement should describe in detail a day in your ideal future 5-10 years from today as if it has already been achieved. You should be somewhat realistic, but be wary of limiting your potential. Ideally, your vision statement should be no more than one page long and should evoke strong emotion when you read it. There is something about building your vision statement into a description of a day in your life that brings your vision to life with all the sights, sounds, and feelings of reality.
Once you have your dream list and vision statement, you are ready to begin crafting your annual goals. Begin by asking yourself, "What specific goals can I achieve this year that will move me closer to my vision and dreams?" Keep in mind that your annual goals should be
A)    specific,
B)    measurable,
C)    attainable,
D)    realistic,
E)     tangible, and
F)     include a target date for completion.
I recommend that you limit your goals to 1 to 5 big annual goals. The reason I suggest a limit is that the process will require a plan of action for each goal, and the tracking process required is quite involved. Too many goals will distract your focus from the achievement of the most important goals.
Once you have set the goals you want to pursue and decided on your top goals, it is time to put an action plan together. The action plan is the lifeblood of goal setting, for a goal without an action plan is merely a wish! The first part of your action plan is to write out any benefits or losses that you anticipate from the achievement of your goals. Next, write out any obstacles you might face as well as the solutions to those obstacles. Now you are ready for specific action steps.
For each top annual goal that you have set for yourself, write down the separate action steps necessary to accomplish that goal, making sure that each action step is specific - not vague. Each action step must have a target date for its completion, and the target date for each action step must be recorded in the appropriate monthly calendar. This assures that the action steps transfer to your monthly plans. In the same way, your daily actions should support your monthly plans, thereby bringing you closer to your goals, dreams, and vision for yourself each and every day! You will transform from being a mere goal setter into someone who, through the fulfillment of specific annual goals, has become a master goal achiever.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/goal-setting-articles/how-to-set-annual-goals-that-you-will-actually-achieve-6339752.html
About the Author
Inspiring genuine growth and achievement in leaders, David Byrd has 30 years of experience working with top business executives and their organizations. He is a master of effective leadership and works closely with leaders worldwide to maximize their leadership potential. For more information about The Next-Level Achievement System or David's book, Achievement – A Proven System For Next Level Growth, visit http://davidbyrdconsulting.com.

There Is Power In Being United With People Who Share Your Vision

Author: Dave Rea

Sharing Your Vision

When people are united with a common purpose and singular vision towards the same goals, the possibilities become unlimited.  You will see changes in people and they will gain a confidence about themselves that wasn't realized before.
Before this can happen though, you must be willing to share your vision with others if you want to have a team that shares your values and common interests in succeeding.
By letting go of your ego and unifying with other people you will be a part of something bigger than yourself.
If you are in place of stalemate in your business, it is usually due to the fact that you are not uniting and you are letting your ego be the dead weight that is keeping you from moving forward.
To get past your ego you need to have a vision of where you are going in life that is so big that you have no choice but to submit to your ego and realize it's not all about you.
Let your ideas and the values you have help you fulfill the vision that you have and not give in to any particular concepts.
Realizing where you are at and being submissive to your vision is not to be thought of as a sign of weakness.  Quite the contrary as when you are in submission to a vision bigger than yourself, its as if you are unstoppable.
Holding on to our egos, refusing to unite because of our own insecurities is a sign of weakness and will ultimately cause you much pain in your business.
There is power to be had when you make the decision to unite and become part of a team and a community sharing one common goal and vision.

The Concept Of Surrendering To Our Vision

By not allowing ourselves to surrender to the process, we are actually getting in our own way and over complicating things which can easily affect the outcome of the successes we enjoy or failures we despise.
Understand that you are right where you are supposed to be in your business and it is a daily process of taking consistent action that will eventually reward you beyond measure.
There is no need to make your business any harder than it really is.  Simplifying the process will yield you much better results than trying to make it complicated.
It is not required that you be a guru and know everything about the space of being an entrepreneur before you get started.  What is necessary is that you just get started and correct your mistakes as you are moving forward.
Duplication is the key to residual income.
If you want the ability to create leverage in your life so you can start enjoying it then you need to understand its not all about you but rather the power of unity in your team.
What is your vision?
There is a difference in what you believe you have depending on what you really want to do and how far you want to go.
Having smaller sums of money with unlimited amounts of time freedom is much better than lots of money and no free time for yourself to fully enjoy it.
Learn to build an income stream that literally automates itself and perpetuates regardless of whether you are working or not.
A good question to be asking yourself is "Is your dream and your vision that which would be able to contain your teams' dreams  inside of your own"?
If your vision isn't big enough to contain that of your team's, duplication won't happen and your best leaders in your team will eventually leave to look for something bigger than the vision you have bestowed on them.
There is power in the unity of coming together and building a community with a culture and a vision that will have great impact on the masses rather than just a few at the top as has been the norm for too many because of people's refusal to let go of their egos.
Are you going to let your ego keep you from having real success in your business or are you going to give in to submitting to something bigger than yourself that empowers other people?
You should know the answer to that question and I hope you agreed with the second part if you truly have serious intentions of breaking free from the everyday burdens that are keeping you down.
Never compromise the outcome or lose sight of your vision.
www.empowernetwork.com/drea/blog/there-is-power-in-being-united-with-people-who-share-your-vision/
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/goal-setting-articles/there-is-power-in-being-united-with-people-who-share-your-vision-6346665.html
About the Author
Sharing insightful knowledge and educational information on entrepreneurial mindset.  We must have an understanding of ourselves before we are able to understand others.

USM Soul Mate Encounter(TM) Dating Service

Universal Soul Mates Inc. invites you to join the many millions who have benefited from the USM process that matches YOU with a perfect soul mate. And the first step in finding your soul mate to be? Just answer the following questions then refer to the instructions at the end of the form.

Name:

Age - Physical:         Mental:        Spiritual Wisdom:     
(For Spiritual Wisdom Age all reincarnations should be taken into account. Note also the following modifiers - each self development book read, add 50 years; each self development course completed, add 250 years; each Kung Fu episode watched, subtract 75 years).

Current Karmic burden (to nearest 10 pounds):


Personal Details:

Do you have any inner children? (Please specify age[s] and sex).


Do you partake of regular ecstatic bliss? Approximately how many times per week?


Do you practise regular self-forgiveness? Weekly? Daily? Hourly? More frequently? (If the latter please attach release form from your local mental health hospital).


How often do you live in the now?

All your life 

How often do you focus your attention on the now?

You will have to think about that  Only when you can’t avoid it  Well actually man, the present, past and future are all happening right now  (If option 3 selected attach full history of LSD use).

Describe all past lives: (Note number of times reincarnated as sovereign, martyred etc. etc. Important - underline all unusual past life memories. Underline and italicise description if you actually remember an uneventful life as an insignificant peasant).

What is your relationship to God?

Still looking after all these years  Emergency use only  Hero worship  First name terms  Play the occasional game of scrabble together  Collaborating on joint book project  Drinking buddies 

Please attach photo to form (Note a full colour Kirilian Aura is mandatory. Forms accompanied by normal photographs will be returned. Hand drawn auras using Mickey Mouse colouring crayon sets are not acceptable).

Character Reference: (This section to be completed by your Guardian Angel. References from Spiritual Guides are not an acceptable alternative).


Personal Preferences:

Are you looking for: A soul mate  Multiple mates 

What is most important for you in a relationship? Intimacy  Orgasms  Having a convenient target for projection 

Type of sexual relationship preferred: Physical  Tantric  Ethereal  Astral  Any (I just want some) 

Do you want your new partner to be an issue stacker for you? Yes  Yes 
(Sorry, that was a trick question).

Location: Must be local  Willing to travel  Astral travel only  (Please note that selecting option 2, ‘Willing to travel’, does not qualify you for alien abduction for sexual experimentation - this option is only available to our Gold Card members. If you require more info about this membership option, tick here ).


Submission Procedure:

Utilising our Soul Mate Encounter(TM) service is typically a seven stage process. It is crucially important that you complete each step before reading the details of each subsequent step.

1) Send the completed form to the Soul Mate Encounter(TM) dating service with a $25 registration fee. We will then a) allocate you a personal membership number b) have a good laugh at your answers.
2) The same evening have a pen and notepad at your bed when you retire for the evening. Set a bedtime intention to be open to receiving matching membership numbers for appropriate ideal partners as you are sleeping. Dreams are charged at $1.99 per Dreamtime Minute(TM) . Note down these numbers and corresponding fee.
3) The following evening repeat the same procedure. The intention this time is to receive dream images of these allocated soulmates. The same charges apply.
4) Send in the appropriate fee for steps 2) and 3). Note that as a result of the supreme universal principle of the law of Karmic balance the following steps will only take place once the correct fee is forwarded.
5) Wait for synchronicity to bring these potential partners into your life. This is guaranteed to happen shortly after your fee is received - except when it doesn’t.
6) Discover, belatedly, that the numbers in your dream were actually the winning numbers in that week’s lottery draw.
7) Depending on how naive you are, bring yet another lawsuit against Soul Mate Encounter(TM) Dating Service.

Success Must-Haves

Author: Melissa Roan

Everybody wants to get rich. For those who are rich already, they want to be richer. For those who are poor, they want to be rich. Being rich entitles a person with numerous benefits and privileges. When you are rich, you become powerful. You'll have VIP accesses in concerts, five-star hotels, high-end bars, and huge establishments. You would be known by more people without necessarily knowing them. You have the capability to do whatever you want in whatever way wherever you want.

But getting rich or richer is not an overnight job that when you wake you just suddenly see yourself bathing with tons and tons of cash. Reaching the peak is a lot harder being done than said. To become a successful person, you must possess the necessary characteristics that will definitely aid you towards the top.

Below are the five primary characteristics you must possess, always remember and live.

1. Ambitious. What is your purpose of doing all this? What is your goal? What or who do you want to become? This characteristic pushes you to your limit. When you feel tired and pessimistic because all your plans have not gone so well, this ignites your passion back. Without this, you may as well just lock yourself in your room.
2. Confidence. How can you do anything when you don't have this? This characteristic gets you going. Of course, you must believe in yourself, in your capabilities because if no one else who will believe that you can, you can always rely to yourself for confidence boost. If you don't any bit of confidence even just for yourself, then you cannot do anything to realize your ambition.
3. Creativity. How will you make your dream a reality? You cannot just sit around with your ambition and confidence without doing anything, right? This characteristic tells you how things should be done to actually make good profit and benefit to you. The rich people are already making money for years. They have been a success for many times. And your creativity is your card to beat all of them.
4. Patience. Being successful is easier said than done. Filling your pocket, wallet and your bank account is not a one-time shot. Even winning in lotteries requires hundreds of bets. So you must learn to be patient enough to wait until what you sow is ready to be reaped. Being patient also helps you to be more industrious. While waiting for the harvest time, plant more. By the time to reap comes, you'll be reaping more fields. This is hard to do but trust me, it pays to wait.
5. Faith. Don't just believe in yourself. It's not enough. Believe also to God, Allah, or Goodness, whatever you want to call the Higher Being. We must admit that all humans can do is manual labor. We can't actually foresee what is going to happen in the future. So after all the work has been done, hope, pray and believe that it will bring back something good and positive to you.

These do not just apply to being successful in business but also in life. Of course, life is complex. Many things will happen that can screw your whole life up but don't just end there. Don't easily give up just because things have not been turning out the way you expected them to be. Remember those five listed above and you'll surely survive.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/goal-setting-articles/success-must-haves-6326983.html

About the Author

Philfortune Media is an online hub for all the Filipinos situated all over the world bringing them together in a larger community.

Powerful Benefits of Goal Setting

Author: Danyal Robbins
Powerful Benefits of Goal Setting

Setting goals is a worthwhile activity when you'd like to acquire anything in life, but following through with them is paramount to success. The benefits of setting goals may not be always that visible. But when you continue to persevere, you may begin to see why setting goals is really important as well as how it will help to improve the quality of your life. Here are some of the key benefits associated with setting goals:

1) Establish a Sense of Purpose

Having a clear goal will help to provide you with a sense of purpose. You'll have something important to concentrate your energy on and strive towards. You will more likely to achieve your goals whenever you feel that you are doing something important.

2) Take More Control of Your Future

Individuals who set goals, manage their lives. They don't just let things happen to them. They are distinct about what they need and are generally more determined to obtain those outcomes. If you don't know what you look for, then it's very unlikely that you will get it.

3) Target the Real Picture

Having a clear and specific goal gives an individual attention for the future. Keeping this focus, most of the relevant actions for achieving the goal, start to become more clear. If you'd like to shed weight for example, you will begin to know the dietary habits that you have to modify.

4) Keeping Motivated for the Long Haul

It's not easy to keep motivated about a dream, specifically when it could take several years to get there. But when investing in smaller and even more realistic goals, you become more inspired. You are able to arranged smaller milestones that you can focus on your efforts on. And every time you achieve a milestone, you feel a great sense of achievement and remain motivated towards your dream.

5) Keep A Clear Head On What's Important

We have to contend with an enormous amount of distractions in our daily lives. And it's not hard to ignore what's really important to us. We usually reminisce after a few years and surprise why we didn't do something important. But when you set clear goals, you're able to better focus. You are specific concerning your priorities and therefore you become more determined to spend some time to work towards your goals.

6) Develop a More Positive Outlook

With clear and appealing goals, you also start to build a better approach. You feel a sense of purpose and also understand what you have something crucial in your life that you have to achieve. And as you make progress towards your goals, you in turn become more excited and develop more self-confidence. All of this results in a more positive attitude in your daily life.

While there are several advantages of goal setting, one benefit stands out above the rest. The ability to accomplish a major task or to achieve a dream is the best benefit of all.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/goal-setting-articles/powerful-benefits-of-goal-setting-6312608.html
About the Author
Read more here Benefits of Goal Setting

Freedom

By: James Kyle

St Andrew's day is celebrated on the 30th of November in Scotland and being Scottish I thought I would offer you something a little different today.

The English had made a mistake. So I wis told. You see I’m no a soldier. I im today like, but normally I look aifter the family cattle. Today ah'm fighting the English. And what is Rob MacDonald doing fighting the English ah hear you ask? Well, my clan are fighting for Robert the Bruce. He’s claimed the throne of Scotland, ye ken, and vowed to throw all the English back into their own country - that’s the wans we don’t kill like. Me, ah'm really fighting because of what they did to mah Aunt Anne. They raped her and then they killed her. In front of her bairns.

And noo the English army has come to lift oor siege on Stirling castle and, by the grace of God, we’re here to stoap them in this year of our lord thirteen hundred and fourteen. Noo when I say ah'm a soldier. I don’t want you to get the idea that ah'm wearing chain mail and plate armor and stuff, and carrying a huge battle axe. You would be confusing us for them English knights ye ken. Ah'm told thats what they look like. And they sit on toap of these huge war horses. Ah don’t know myself. I’ve never seen a knight before. And the only horses ah know about is the highland ponies we have in our army. Last night Fergus told me that the English had two thousand of these knights - I didnae believe him. But he said it was true. Ah said, in that case, nae worries I would kill a thousand o them myself, and everyone laughed. But ah tell you this, I didnae get much sleep last night thinking about what they could dae to us.

And here ah am. I have mah dirk by my side and ah have mah 12 foot spear, and a leather jerkin to help protect me from the arrows. Oh I didnae tell you aboot that did I. Ah'm told that the English archers can put thousands of arrows into the air all at wance Can you imagine that coming towards you? ... and it only takes wan to make you dead. We are arranged in our defensive oval formation, a schiltron they call it, with our spears pointing out to break the cavalry charge of the knights. The English are down the hill from us only a few hundred yards away across the bog. Fergus is the one to start the cry - he shouts out a thunderous declaration of his ancestry and lineage. And we all join in with our own. Ah’m Rob MacDonald son of Duncan, Ah look over to me faither who is standing in the line next to mah cousin Sean, and mah faither looks me in the eye and matches his voice with mine, son of Dermot, son of Ian, son of Robert… we trace our heritage back 20 generations, telling the world that this is oor land, and that oor family and clan will fight to the death to defend it. And as ah do so I feel the strength of all those dead ancestors flowing through me. They are all standing there right behind me giving me the belief I need to make it through my first battle.

And then the knights charge…

I feel the urine running down mah leg as ah piss all over myself. I hear mah faither’s voice inside mah heid. Courage is being afraid and standing there anyway. And that’s aw you have to do, he’s telling me, the power in the schiltron is in keeping the line unbroken. If the knights get in between us we’re all dead men. So when Fergus says move, you move forward. When Fergus says stand you stand - no matter what happens, all oor lives depend on it. So ah brace mah spear and stand there - as hundreds o knights on horseback, in all their fine colors, their lances aimed at oor hearts, are charging towards us. And I want to run. But I know ah can’t. And then they hit and the noise and the screaming starts. I am thrown back by the blow. The horse in front of me is impaled on mah spear. There are more knights coming in behind. I need to free mah spear from the horse to defend myself. I struggle to get it out as the next horse charges against mah position. I know ah'm a dead man. But then the horse goes down struck through by the spear of mah cousin Sean. I look over to yell my thanks and it’s then I see my faither go down. The lance is right through him. He is dead, or dying. I want to scream. I want to run to him. But I still hear his voice in mah heid, no matter what - you stand there. And ah do, and ah wait for Fergus’s command.

Remember ah told you that the English had made a mistake. Up until this battle schiltrons had always be used for defense - and only for defense. When the English chose their postion, they werenae expecting us to advance forward you ken. But we had practiced daying just that. And when their attack wavered Fergus tells us to advance. And we trap the whole English army with their backs to the Bannock Burn - and their cavalry have no room to maneuver. They tried to get their archers onto oor flanks but oor light cavalry got in among them. After that it was a massacre. Knights are helpless when they are oan their back on the ground. And ah’m telling you - I killed more than mah fair share.

The battle has been over for several hours now. Ah'm back where I started that morning. On the hill above me the Scottish nobles are all gathered round Bruce. They’re kneeling down and I can hear them thanking God for giving them victory that day and delivering the country from the English tyrant. Ah'm kneeling too - over the body of mah faither. I say a prayer for his soul and tears come to my eyes. Aye, I’ll never forget that Midsummer’s day in 1314. The day that Scotland won its freedom. The day mah faither died.

From books and words come fantasy, and sometimes ...

By: James Kyle

“From books and words come fantasy, and sometimes, from fantasy comes union.”

These are the words of the Sufi mystical poet Rumi. And if you have not heard of Rumi, he was a renowned spiritual master of 13th century who founded his own school of Sufism, the mystical branch of Islam. In his day his fame crossed all religious boundaries and when he died in 1273 mourners included representatives of 5 different faiths. Rumi's work very much fits into my personal definition of what constitutes real art: a communication of the artist's perspective in such a way as to bring about a shift of consciousness in the artist's audience.

The beauty of Rumi is that to read his poetry is to share in a world where there is a real and immediate spiritual connection. Consider these lines in which Rumi refers to his God as the Beloved:

"One went to the door of the Beloved and
knocked. A voice asked, 'Who is there?'
He answered, 'It is I.'

The voice said, 'There is no room for Me and Thee.'
The door was shut.

After a year of solitude and deprivation he returned and knocked.
A voice from within asked, 'Who is there?'
The man said, 'It is Thee.'
The door was opened for him."

Or again Rumi's thoughts on how his poetry is inspired by his spiritual connection:

“In your light I learn how to love.

In your beauty, how to make poems.

You dance inside my chest,

where no one sees you,

but sometimes I do,

and that sight becomes this art.”

Rumi celebrates life - all of life. For example here is response from Rumi to one of the life's biggest questions - why is there pain and suffering:

“But that shadow has been serving you!

What hurts you, blesses you.

Darkness is your candle.

Your boundaries are your quest.”

To this point I have been quoting from Rumi, but to reassure you that this is not a lost art form here is an extract from a present day poet, David Whyte, on a similar theme:

We shape our self
to fit this world

and by the world
are shaped again.

The visible
and the invisible

working together
in common cause,

to produce
the miraculous.

Did these words speak to you?
Did you catch a glimpse of a different perspective on life?
Did you only hear these words as fantasy, the words of a writer of fiction, or, as you took the words in, did you experience some kind of shift in your own reality?

“From books and words come fantasy, and sometimes, from fantasy comes union.”

It is my opinion that these are some of the most profound words ever written. They remind us that al that we read and hear are merely words, that everything we hold intellectually is a fiction, a make believe world that is our inadequate human attempt to understand an awesome and profound universe. However sometimes, just sometimes, these words can lead us to an experience of reality that goes beyond words to a more direct experience of a spiritual connection.

Perhaps you have been inspired to explore this poetry further, if so please see Rumi or David Whyte

I leave you with the following lines from the Sufi master as he recognizes his God, his host:

“For sixty years I have been forgetful,

every minute, but not for a second

has this flowing toward me stopped or slowed.

I deserve nothing. Today I recognize

that I am the guest the mystics talk about.

I play this living music for my host.

Everything today is for the host.”

Activities to Consider in Setting Goals

Author: Danyal Robbins
Goal Setting Activities

Each of us is likely to set goals in life willingly or unwillingly and try to attain those goals. We set goals to bring improvement in various facets of life including occupation, personal conditions, schooling, and business. The process would be to come up with a few modifications in our routine or introduce a few habits that were not present previously for you to accomplish what we had in mind. Nowadays business coaching and individual improvement sessions educate you to set SMART goals, write them down, prioritize them, after which assign resources to achieve them. In this short article we intend to discuss what exactly is actually meant by SMART goals along with what the various goal setting activities that assist to achieve those goals are.

Meaning of SMART goals

When we say SMART, we mean goals that are Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely - and that is precisely why the acronym SMART. Everytime you create a goal, ensure that it fits on the above mentioned criteria. A specific goal is easy to carry out when compared to a general goal. There must be ways to evaluate the progress of attaining a certain goal. For those who have no idea where you are going, there's no reason why you should keep on the same track. Make a guide to attain a goal and strictly follow it. Any goal need to be realistic and practical to help you achieve it within the available resources along with time. And finally you need to assign each goal a period of time frame and try to achieve it within that duration. If you ever waste a lot of time on a goal that is not producing the actual results which you were expecting, you will not be able to achieve the next level.

Goal Setting Activities - A Road Map

Every target is generally set to change something and also to reach that point you need to adhere to a step-by-step procedure. Right here we are likely to talk about a few goal setting activities that can help you set SMART goals and achieve them in a practical way.

1.    Research, research, research. Before setting a goal that is more likely to bring positive results in a short span of time, spend some time conducting research about the numerous available alternatives and after that choosing the one that fits your way of life.

2.    Specify the kind of goal you are interested in. There are two different kinds of goals: short term and long term. You need to label all your goals in these two groups after which assign resources correctly. In addition, every person has some professional goals and some particular goals that must be taken into account. You should try to create a balance between these types of goals in order to achieve them in a timely manner.

3.    Write down your goals. This is probably the most significant component of goal setting activities that assists you to not just recognize all your objectives but also gives you an opportunity to revisit your list every now and again in an effort to measure how well you're progressing. When you're done listing your goals, focus on them so that you can determine resources available at one point to the most important goals.

4.    Make your goals realistic. In case your goals are too good to be true, its about time you changed them. The time frame you assign to one particular goal should also be practical; or else you might not be able to see the outcomes you are expecting. This activity also necessitates determining what kinds of resources you will need in order to achieve a specific goal.

Some individuals are more motivated than others but everybody can set goals in life and do something to accomplish them regardless of how trivial those goals are. Adhere to the afore-mentioned guidelines to achieve things in life that are essential to you. The first and most important step in goal setting activities is to figure out what you really need to do with your life and from there on, pursue the road map to success!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/goal-setting-articles/activities-to-consider-in-setting-goals-6302342.html
About the Author
Read more here Goal Setting Activities

10 Steps To Spiritual Happiness

Author: Dan Farish
"Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence."
- Aristotle
We hear a lot about spiritual healing, spiritual awakenings, and a new shift in spiritual consciousness that many people believe is taking place as we speak. If you've heard that a person appeared to be in "good spirits", it's a sure sign the person was a happy camper at the time.
The bottom line is that any steps we take to increase our spiritual awareness is designed to make us happier people. But you don't have to schedule a one-on-one appointment with God to learn how to live more happily, although we could all benefit immensely from such an encounter.
There are 10 Steps To Happiness that you can apply starting today. Some will take a little practice at first, but each one is simple to apply and can change your entire view of life in no time at all.

1. Beware The Energy Vampire. We all know the type. Intentionally or otherwise, some people have a real knack for sucking the life out of others. Their main theme is complaining about everything, closely followed by criticism and gossip about others. If you pay attention, you can actually feel your joy and spirit dropping like a one-winged cargo plane. Eliminate negative people from your life whenever possible, and apply the other steps listed here when you must deal with them.
2. Identify What Makes You Unhappy. Sometimes the best way to identify what something is first involves identifying what it is not. The same principle applies with happiness. Sit down and write a list of things that you'd simply rather not do anymore, given the choice. Then realize you have a choice whether, or not, to continue doing anymore. Hate long supermarket lines? Find a 24-hour supermarket and shop when most people are asleep. You'll meet a few like-minded people there and might even make a new friend. Does the evening television news make you frown? Stop watching it. Yes, it's that simple.
3. The Gratitude Attitude. We've all been guilty of this one. How many times have we viewed the cup as half empty instead of half full? We should be grateful just to have a cup. If you have a roof over your head, food on the table, and two legs to walk around with, be very grateful. Some people have none of the above. If you're blessed with family or friends to call your own, let them know you are grateful to have them in your life. They'll be happier people because you shared a kind word and will do their best to make you happy, too.
4. Acceptance. A simple definition of acceptance – it is what it is and that's okay. Life throws a lot of curve balls our way. How we deal with challenges determines our happiness or lack of it. Imagine an ant demanding that an elephant does things his way. That's what we do when we demand things go our way. Happy people know there will be both good and bad times in life and learn to accept both.
5. Exercise. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that people suffering from depression who walked on a treadmill for 30 minutes reported feeling more vigorous and had a greater sense of psychological well-being than those that don't exercise. Want to feel even happier? Join a volleyball team, a local walking group, or a family football game in the back yard. You can't help but feel happy when combining physical activity and social gatherings at the same time.
6. Avoid Judgment. If you want to be happy, learn to stop judging others. Learn is the keyword here, because it's something we're all guilty of to some degree. Think about how you feel after you've silently cursed the slow driver in front of you. Probably not too good. Which of us is perfect, after all? Have you ever walked out of a restaurant with spinach stuck to your tooth or suddenly realized you're not wearing matching socks? If someone judged us for every mistake we've ever made, we wouldn't feel to good about ourselves. On a spiritual level, every judgment we've ever made has become negative energy sent out to the universe. Happy people look for the positives in people and things.
7. Accept Personal Responsibility. We not only have a right to live happily, we have an obligation to do so – if not for our own sake, then for the sake of others. Our thoughts and actions affect not only us, but also leave an impression on our children, co-workers, friends, neighbors and everyone we meet in the course of our lives. Project negativity, we breed more of the same. The opposite holds true, as well. Happy people don't blame others for their problems. The future of this world belongs to you as much as it belongs to anyone else. Take responsibility for making the world a happier place for everyone you meet. Remember, even one grain of sand is part of a huge beach.
8. Simplify Your Life. "Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know." – Ernest Hemingway. Some people could complicate the recipe for ice cubes. The more we over think things, the larger they become, and the more frustrated we become. Turning a molehill into a mountain is a great way to ruin your day. Some of the happiest people in the world also own the fewest possessions, work simple jobs, and find great pleasure in the simple things in life. A stroll in the park, a picnic at the beach, or listening to music are all simple pleasures that make us feel happy. 3 Steps To Recovery is an excellent book that describes the author's amazing spiritual experience and teaches 3 simple steps anyone can follow to do the same. If you're feeling stressed before you even leave for work in the morning, slow down and simplify your life.
9. Do Something Nice Every Day. When we do show kindness to others, we feel great about ourselves. You don't need to join a monastery or become the next Mother Teresa to help people. Hold a door for the next elderly person you see, stop and let another driver pull out of a busy parking lot, or simply share a smile and a kind word with your local convenience store cashier. It becomes a win-win situation for everyone involved. You've made someone else happy, you feel happy, and your kindness has begun a ripple effect for everyone they meet, as well. Again, one grain of sand is still part of a huge beach.
10. Live In The Present Moment. This is my personal favorite step to happiness. One of my favorite quotes comes from a famous Chinese philosopher named Lao Tzu. He said if you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present. Inner peace, of course, is the true definition of happiness. An amazing thing happens when you focus only on the present moment. Step away from yesterday and tomorrow, or even five minutes ago, and look around you. Here you are, one small, but important part of everything in existence. Pick up a fountain pen and realize that the inventor created this simple tool out of love for his fellow man. Observe a flower closely for the first time in a very long time. Understand that you and the flower were created by the same source, which is divine love, and marvel at the magnificence of the flower soft petals, knowing that although not one human on earth could create a flower from scratch, yet billions of flowers appear as if by magic. Stop and listen to your own breath. Know that all is well with you at this very moment and you will understand the true essence of spiritual and personal happiness.

All happiness stems from a flow of love both to you and from you. All emotional pain stems from a blockage of love both to you and from you. Loin our mailing list at http://3stepstospiritualhealing.blogspot.com/ and get free info, tips and articles to show you how to re-connect with your happiness.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/10-steps-to-spiritual-happiness-6297867.html
About the Author
Dan Farish was born and raised in a working class Boston suburb, along with two sisters. His first book, 3 Steps To Recovery, won a 2012 Reviewer's Choice Award. He was as surprised as anyone. Why? It's because he doesn't view himself as some hoity-toity, snooty, pretentious author. Dan's writing style reflects his working-class Boston roots -informal, down-to-earth, and brutally honest. These traits come in handy when writing about airy-fairy topics like spirituality and the afterlife. Dan's latest book, called Lighten Up, is sure to turn a few heads. Click here to see why.. http://lightenupbookpage.blogspot.com/

My Personal Guru

By: James Kyle

Once upon a time I had my own personal guru. Now when I say “had” I’m not of course implying sexual knowledge. For one thing he was a male. And for another that would be completely against Guru moral standards - which are very strict (well for most of them anyway). My guru was, in fact, a mistake. I had just arrived in Poona, India and I got off the train intending to visit a Yoga ashram run by - let’s call him Guru One - but on the station platform I was entrapped by a couple of spiritual entrepreneurs, India’s equivalent of timeshare salesmen, who convinced me to visit this other ashram - Guru three’s ashram - my guru to be.

For those of you still paying attention, thank you, and you may be wondering what happened to guru two. Well, at that time Poona was also the location of a world famous ashram founded by Rajneesh. So I decided to take the opportunity to visit this renowned guru first before going on to achieve perfect enlightenment at the feet of my own spiritual master. For those of you aware of Rajneesh’s history, this was before he emigrated with his followers to Oregon and tried to kill the local district attorney by the use of poison. Anyway way back then in his Poona days his, and his disciples, specialty was falling foul of a completely different commandment:  “thou shalt not commit adultery.” Now,  for this quasi virginal young Scotsman that was enticement enough to visit his ashram for an afternoon. That and my search for spiritual enlightenment, of course. So paying my ten rupees entrance fee I crossed the threshold into this local Shrangli-la - only to discover that the movie sets had somehow been mixed up - and find myself in Haight-Ashbury San Fransisco, time machined into the middle of India. There was plenty of white flower power to be seen - but not one Indian - not even Rajneesh. Perhaps he was stuck at the entrance trying to talk his way in: “yes, yes I know that the rules say no Indians allowed on the premises - but, I am the bloody boss here, and anyway I own 12 Rolls Royce’s and so I am karmically white.” He did eventually make an appearance that day -  on an ashram TV broadcast - warning about the danger of being attached to worldly possessions. And I could see how much he wanted to be spiritually supportive towards his disciples. As I contemplated the price list for his ashram’s services it was so obvious that he wanted to help them become completely unattached from all of their possessions. Not wishing to bring bad luck onto Rajneesh by contributing to funding Rolls Royce number thirteen, I decided it was time to leave. I had one last look around to see if anyone wanted help working through their “Idiot’s Guide to Tantric Sex” workbook. ( Please!) As ever, it was not to be the case. In fact, I once read in Karma 101 that an overindulgence in a prior life is eventually balanced by deprivation in a subsequent incarnation. … I must have owned a harem in everyone of my twenty previous existences. Anyway, with my genuine native Guru awaiting me, it was time for me to make my way back to the exit, leave this geographical aberration behind, and return to India.

My new guru was in fact an advisor to important Indian politicians. In retrospect given the continuing farcical state of Indian politics - this was not a good sign. Another warning sign should have been the prominence he gave to the spiritual qualities of - toothpaste. He had this thing that any society that puts sweetener in its toothpaste must be morally decadent and spiritually bankrupt. Now - while this is true - building a universal philosophy around this as a central concept is taking things a bit far. In addition Pavlov’s dogs also held a prominent place in his philosophical teachings. Now you know I am not making this up. No writer of fiction could come up with a spiritual philosophy based on tooth whitener and salivating conditioned animals. But wait - the best is yet to come. My guru had also thrown in the second law of thermodynamics to the mix and had consequently managed to compute - the precise temperature of the fires of hell. In degrees Fahrenheit if I remember correctly. I can’t recall the exact figure, but for those of you who could do with a friendly word of warning - I can assure you it was very hot. Meanwhile things were getting too hot for me at the ashram. My scientific background was getting in the way of my continuing suspension of disbelief and my guru had finally had enough of his cynical pupil. He threw me out. In fact being a failed disciple is now my biggest claim to fame. As I proudly tell people I am the only person I know who has received a dishonorable discharge from his own personal guru. And for all my efforts, infernal oven temperatures aside, I hadn’t even learned one secret of the universe. Well except this one subsequent, subtle, but insightful realization. And now I am going to share this profound secret with all of you. You don’t need a guru to achieve enlightenment, all you really need is a hot dog salesman. Because, of course, to experience the fundamental cosmic interconnectedness of all life all you need do is go up to any hot dog vendor, center yourself, and say: “Make me one with everything.”

How To Stay Motivated On A Diet

Author: Derek
Staying motivated on a diet program long enough to obtain and maintain benefits might be challenging for even the most self-disciplined folks. Dieting often involves forgoing your best-loved foods, transforming your routines, and investing even more time and cash on getting ready healthier meals.

Despite many the promises out there that you may enjoy anything you want and also still lose weight, deep down inside we all know that our diet plans are without a doubt critical with respect to both our health and wellness as well as the appearance of our bodies. Even if you do reduce weight without "diet programs," you're going to have to keep your eating habits in check if you would like to sustain a healthful body for a life-time.

However, once you learn the way to work with your psychology rather than in opposition to it, you'll know eating much better won't need to be any more challenging compared to eating the common "see food" eating plan (if you see it, you eat it).

The methods you will learn are among the same ones I've utilized to change my eating patterns from fast food meals every evening to a wholesome eating way of life. Not just that, but I've kept it up for 9 years straight without losing my motivation and so can you. It simply just takes doing things a bit differently than a lot of individuals!

1 - Change The Way You Approach Diets

The very first idea to get out of your mind is that you are "going on" a diet. You're currently on a diet! While not everyone adopts a particular diet "program," everybody does have their dietary practices that they've established through the years.

Occasionally individuals simply go on a diet, acquire results, and then go off an eating plan and lose everything that they worked for. This will never make any sense to me!

When you can alter your focus to your daily dietary routines, at that point the improvements you make may stick over the long run. When you prioritize incrementally adjusting the way you normally eat, eating well will come to be force of habit.
The means to do this is to just tackle a couple alterations at a time.  For one month, select only one part of your diet you'd want to change. For instance, you could lower or cut out any sweet soft drinks and substitute them with pure water.

Because you merely have to concentrate on making a single modification, you'll more than likely possess the willpower in order to be successful. Following a month or two, when drinking water becomes your new routine, you can continue to something more. But that one change over the course of a year is enough for many people to start dropping excess weight and enhance their wellness noticeably!

2 - Discover Your "Whys"

The means to becoming and remaining motivated on a diet is to understand reasons why you're dieting and the benefits it brings you. So ask your own self, "why do I desire to diet anyway?"

For lots of men and women it's in order to get in greater shape, and also in some cases for far better wellness and more strength. But even if you realize your reason is to get in far better shape, have you taken into consideration the key reasons why you wish to get in better shape?

Keep asking yourself "why?" for any reason you offer, and figure out if you can discover the deepest reasons compelling you to adjust your diet. Maybe it's more opportunity to do the things you have fun with in daily life, or feeling more confident in realizing you'll live a lot longer to provide for your loved ones, or delighting in the fact that you may wear your best-loved designer outfits.

No matter what your reasons why, there's always a deeper reason "why" you want those things. The further you can dig down, the more you reach the "root" reasons that direct what you're undertaking.

Then, every time you're faced with a temptation, remind yourself of your motivations.

Let's say you're choosing whether to eat a treat that would usually be too much to resist. You can say. "I choose to enjoy an apple rather than this treat because ..." then insert your purposes for dieting following the word "because." This makes you frequently focused on the reason why you're making these adjustments.

3 - Emphasize The Process Rather Than The Outcome

Men and women are a lot more satisfied when they enjoy what they engage in rather than only doing things for a specific outcome. Although it could appear hard to believe, you can train yourself to appreciate dieting for its very own sake instead of simply seeing it as a way to a goal.

If you could discover what is inherently good regarding eating better, you'll be a lot more likely to eat better each day regardless of any objective you have in mind.

A great method to do this is to regularly be educating yourself about the different benefits of healthy whole foods, and even the aftermaths of eating processed food.

Yet another way to achieve this is to learn wholesome recipes you enjoy. If you continually have brand-new and exciting meals to look forward to trying, it makes the process of dieting something that could be delighted in rather than dreaded.

At some point, you'll start to enjoy eating a much better diet plan for its own sake no matter any "side effects" like lose weight and better overall health!

These 3 tactics are excellent beginning points for getting and keeping motivated for any type of dieting system you desire to follow.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/motivational-articles/how-to-stay-motivated-on-a-diet-6277191.html
About the Author
Derek Doepker is the author of a book about how to stay motivated dieting.  He also offers a variety of health and fitness tips on his fitness advice website.

212 degrees

I like this video:

Conducting a Scientific Experiment on Yourself

Author: Scott Greenberg

I am probably the farthest thing from a scientist and definitely have tremendous respect for those who can work that side of the brain, particularly since as a motivational speaker I don't. What I admire about scientists and many left brainers for that matter is how they draw conclusions. They don't work much with feelings like us right brainers do, they work more with facts.

Recently, I spoke to a group of students at a large university about the danger of negative self-talk. (If you've ever seen me speak, you've probably heard all about the "mental heckler.") So many of these college students doubt their ability to compete at this high level institution. They fear the intense workload and sometimes question their social skills. Regardless of the fact that most of these students have already achieved academic success, many of them still feel very insecure. 

Scientists form hypotheses and don't draw conclusions based on their feelings. They use a proven systematic approach of gathering facts to obtain the truth. The first step is to conduct the experiment and then analyze the data. Once the data has been thoroughly analyzed, a conclusion is drawn. In other words, instead of accepting their premonitions as absolute truth, they take action with an outcome in mind, and wait to see what happens.

I think that's a great way for us to measure ourselves. We need to approach life like it's a scientific experiment. We do so by putting ourselves out there, pursue goals with everything we've got in us, and then see what happens next.  By doing this we'll be able to see the real truth in our ability. 

Do you think you're not good enough? Do you think possibly you'll get rejected? Or for that matter just fail all together? Prove it. Conduct your own scientific experiment. Take action and get the facts.

My hypothesis: You're much better than you think. Start today pursuing your goals without any fear of the outcome and without any negative self-talk to steer you in the wrong direction.  By conducting a scientific experiment on yourself based on facts and not personal feelings or hang-ups, you can better assess who you are and where you need to be based on your ability level.  Don't be your own worst enemy or your own worst critic, be forgiving of yourself and confident in your abilities and watch what happens next.    

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/goal-setting-articles/conducting-a-scientific-experiment-on-yourself-6250895.html

About the Author

Motivational speaker Scott Greenberg is a motivational business speaker on the topics of resilience, leadership and peak performance. He is also an award winning customer service expert and author of three books on leadership.

A Personal Fairy Tale

By: James Kyle

Once upon a time in a country far far away, there was once a new born baby tree. The infant tree cherished the newness and richness of life. A life full of first time experiences. He delighted in the refreshing sensation of sap rising through his veins, the rustling tingle of a breeze in his branches, and, most of all, the crackling of his leaves as they reached up to catch the nurturing sun. Every morning he thanked the sun for his nurturing love. The tree, caressed by the sunbeams, lived each moment of the day in a spirit of joy. At night, when he went to sleep, he knew his dependable friend would show up the next morning ready to share his infinite gift of light once more. Many days and nights passed. The tree continued to be very very happy. 

One morning, however, the tree woke up in the middle of a dream. He had been dreaming that his friend, the sun, had abandoned him. The tree, shivering at the thought, looked up to greet his friend in the sky. His friend had risen before him as always. But today, he seemed more distant, less available somehow.

More days and nights passed. With each passing day the tree began to fear more and more that the warming comforting rays of the sun could no longer be relied upon. The tree began to feel colder and colder. The tree realized that his terrible dream was coming true. The sun had decided to abandon him.

As the cold season took its grip, he resigned himself to the fact that the once nurturing sun had turned his back on him. His feelings of abandonment turned to despair as his leaves, his beautiful leaves, lost their vibrant color, and, one by one, began to fall off. Time passed. All his leaves were gone. Winter had arrived.

The tree passed the winter mourning his loss.

Eventually the cold season came to an end, and, at last, the sun once more dominated the sky. However it was now a different sun. A sun that could not be trusted. Even when the sun began to shine brightly, the tree knew that betrayal was to be expected. It came as no surprise when, several months later, the sun turned his back on him once more. The tree began to feel very very sorry for himself.

The seasons passed. The tree grew taller. For the first time he noticed, in the valley below, a forest of trees. He looked around the small hill he stood on and suddenly realized how isolated he was. The trees in the valley seemed so alive, their branches swaying in harmony in the breeze. On the ground, squirrels and chipmunks were playing games of endless tag. In the air, birds were singing, and flying back and forward, building nests in their favorite trees. The tree looked at the rocks who were his only companions and sighed. The rocks, who rarely spoke, made no comment. The tree felt very lonely and depressed. He fell ill.

Time passed. The tree felt more and more abandoned. Birds and animals who might have been attracted to the growing tree avoided him all together because he was no fun to be with. All around the tree was a depressing silence.

Never ending silence had replaced never ending joy. How could this have happened? How can I be happy once more? What can I do to end this isolation? The tree lost in his own self pity paid no attention to the world around him. So it was with a start that he realized that someone was standing in front of him. He had not noticed anyone approaching. The wizard, for that’s who he was, began to talk gently to the tree. But the tree, used to his isolation, cowered inside himself not listening at all. The wizard, with compassion and understanding, completed what he had to say, smiled, and moved on.

More seasons came and went. The wizard visited once more. This time the tree was so desperately lonely that he was determined to listen to the wise man. He did so, but could not understand the meaning of his words. The wizard finished with a smile, and some final words of encouragement, and went on his way. The tree was confused and forlorn. He pleaded to the rocks, “Rocks, rocks, what am I to do?” The rocks said nothing at first but then in a quiet deep voice one spoke out, “The wizard is offering you his love. Do not concern yourself with the words, just accept the love and let it grow inside you.” And then there was silence again on the hillside.

But something had changed.

When the wizard came again the tree remembered the rock’s advice and, looking at the wizard, was surprised to see how easy it was to see the love. One only had to look. The wizard stopped talking, but the conversation continued. The tree grew strong inside. Night came and the tree fell asleep.

The next morning the wizard had left. But then again, he hadn’t really gone. The tree realized that a part of the wizard was still alive, inside him. And so it came to pass that the tree stopped looking for others to nurture him.

As each day passed the tree became healthier and healthier. Small buds started forming on his branches which became beautiful fruit that was the tree’s gift to his new friends. Because of course, as the tree once more connected with the joy of life, different animals came to the hill to play, and many birds came to build nests in his branches.

The tree sat on his hill contentedly. He watched the squirrels play games in his shade. He listened to the birds sing beautiful songs. He felt joy as he shared his fruit with his new companions. As he sat in the sun nurturing his new found friends, he looked down at the trees in the valley below and, suddenly, he understood. He realized that, of course, he was part of the forest. But he had been given an extra gift, an extra blessing: he had been given a bit more space to expand and grow.

And it should come as no surprise to you that the wizard, on another journey far far away, chose that moment to stop and smile, before continuing on his way. 

How To Improve Self Esteem - Seven Steps To Be More Confident About Yourself

Author: Kara Heissman
In the simplest sense, self esteem is how we feel about who we are. Self esteem is not something that we inherit from our mom and dad or something that we have the moment we are conceived. We all want to live a happy and successful life; but this is easier said than done, especially for people who are afflicted with low self esteem. Good thing there are things we can do to improve our self esteem. However, you can't just improve your self esteem right away, it is a long and often challenging process that needs commitment. Here are seven steps on how to improve self esteem:

Step 1

Have a realistic appraisal of life's problems. You have to have a realistic evaluation of your problems so you can find the correct solutions for them. For example, common sources of stress like traffic and long lines in the cafe are not really problems unless you perceive them as such. You need to accept the fact that life is and will never be perfect--it will always come with hassles, dilemmas and challenges. If you are able to see things in a realistic perspective, you will be able to face problems and challenges more effectively.


Step 2

Don't compare yourself with others. Inasmuch as you are more talented or gifted than others, there are also others who have more than what you have. You will find yourself feeling short very often if you keep on playing the comparison game.


Step 3

Stop being your own worst critic. You cannot develop high self-esteem if you repeat negative phrases about yourself and your abilities. Rather, fill your head with positive statements and affirmations. Whenever you say positive affirmations, you allow yourself to experience positive and motivating feelings. Whether speaking about your appearance, your career, your relationships, your financial situation, or any other aspects of your life, avoid self-deprecating comments. You should be your biggest fan!


Step 4

Point out the things that make you feel bad about yourself. Take heed of what your triggers are and try to avoid them or better yet, learn ways to better cope with them. For example, if it is the way you look that is causing you to feel bad about yourself, take measures to improve it--go to the gym and dress well.

Step 5

Associate with positive, encouraging people. If you form friendships with people who are pessimistic and controlling, you are likely going to feel bad about yourself most of the time. On the other hand, your self esteem is sure to improve if you are constantly in the company of people who encourage you all the time and accept you for who you are.


Step 6

Take action! You will not get anywhere if you just keep on thinking about your self esteem issues. When you act--whatever the ensuing result, you will feel better about yourself. If you let your fears keep you from achieving what you want, you will end up feeling disappointed with yourself.


Step 7

Be forgiving when all your plans do not succeed. Each of us falls short sometimes, but rather than focusing on the negative aspects, learn to readjust your goals so that you have a better chance of meeting them. Just look at each failure as a stepping stone towards reaching your goal.


Not a lot of people are aware of how much impact low self esteem can have on a person's life. The good thing is, our self esteem is not carved in stone--we can change and improve the way we feel about ourselves if we want to. I hope these simple tips on how to improve self esteem has helped you in some way.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/how-to-improve-self-esteem-seven-steps-to-be-more-confident-about-yourself-6252431.html
About the Author
I am Kara Heissman, owner of self-improvement blog Contented Life.org. I have seen over the years how the quality of people's lives are reduced by their inability to find solutions for certain difficulties in their lives. With the great want to help, I have decided to put up a blog where I could share my experiences, knowledge and insights and help everyone live the life that they deserve--happy, healthy and fulfilled. My writings mainly revolve around stress, self esteem and health and fitness.

How to Gain Respect and Support for Yourself and Your Business

By: Olakunbi Korostensky

"He that respects himself is safe from others; he wears a coat of mail that none can pierce"
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

To gain respect from others, you have to respect yourself first. People will give you their undying respect as long as they recognise that you portray these 3 key attributes: trustworthiness, integrity and mindfulness. Because having these qualities demonstrates your level of consciousness and maturity.

When people respect you, it is easier to get their support. Getting people to give you continuous support, also requires you to apply yourself. Here are ways to help you make an impact on people whom you want respect and support from.

1. Be exuberant and passionate about what you do and your life.
People love those who exude vibrancy and passion about their life, particularly about what they do. Think of this: how stimulating do you find people who are forever talking about their "great ideas" and what they want to do and yet, never starting anything? Now that's a damper!

2. Be unique and individualistic in your views and opinions.
Are you unique and stand out with your own style and personality? If you are afraid to voice your opinion, and would rather fit in, I can assure you that it will be difficult to command respect from others. And without respect, no support. This doesn't mean that you have to constantly come up with new innovations. It simply implies that you don't suck up to people, just because you want validation. The best validation is to be true to yourself.

3. Be a great listener. All great listeners are magnetic and charismatic.
There is no charm that equals that of a good listener. Here is an experience I had in a restaurant with my husband not too long ago. I noticed that my husband was fascinated by a woman sitting a few tables way from us.

When I asked him what got him so fascinated about her. He replied that the woman was just fascinating to watch, because she was listening so intently to her partner. Her eyes were on him, as she leaned forward, giving him her feedback, and at the same time not interrupting him. While she let him know that she was hearing him, she also held up her end of the conversation.

Then my husband said something remarkable: "She's the kind of woman I normally wouldn't pay attention to on the street, but while sitting there, listening and being interested the way she's doing now, makes her attractive."

True listening embodies careful attention, patience and honestly wanting to understand what the other person is saying. It also fosters good relationship.

4. Be a life long student. Let people know that you're willing to learn from them and be genuine about it.
Learning is growing, and growing is learning. You cannot learn all by yourself. To truly grow, you need others along the way. And when you show people your willingness and enthusiasm to learn from them, you'll be amazed how helpful and happy they will be to support you.

Be open and get to know people who are different from you. If you're interested in something, never be afraid to ask questions. You won't be ridiculed for showing real interest.

Do you know people who have stopped learning? Do you find them interesting to have around? Probably not! So do yourself the favour of becoming an avid learner.

5. Be authentic and reliable.
Before you make a promise, make sure you can deliver. Keeping your word is very crucial to building trust and credibility. There's nothing more detrimental to your image, than having people believing in you and letting them down.

There are times you may genuinely try to fulfil your promise and it just doesn't work out. In that case, be honest about it and apologize. No one will hold that against you.

6. Be generous.
A generous heart gives freely without having any expectactions. Don't try to buy people's loyalty or support. It will backfire on you! You will reap more benefit and reward from giving truly from your heart, rather than being calculating. Even if you don't get something in return, the eternal laws of reciprocity will find a way to balance things out for you and give you your dues.

7. Be direct and have boundaries.
When you have something to say, just say it and let people know where you stand. Letting people know what you want and don't want, liberates you and those around you. Don't allow people to walk all over you. Let them know your boundaries.

For instance, to avoid lying about a proposition which may not interest you, an appropriate answer could be: "I'm sorry that doesn't work for me right now". This is a straightforward and truthful answer making it easy for you and for others to move on.

In conclusion, do you trust and respect yourself? If you don't, no one else will. This especially means be true to yourself and what you believe in. Just as Ralph Waldo Emerson said "Whatever games are played with us, we must play no games with ourselves".

Author Bio
Kunbi Korostensky, N.D., Psychotherapist and Certified Life Coach is specialised in supporting people in transition, turn the changes in their lives into invigorating joy and happiness. View her ebooklet Top 10 holistic Questions to Embrace Change and Grow at: www.embracingchanges.com/Books-and-Tools-to-facilitate-Changes.html or email: kunbi@embracingchanges.com.

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