Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

While grocery shopping recently I observed that our society is not very nice. I was in a big box food store when a man walked away from a clerk swearing loudly about how the store needed to learn how to run a business. Apparently he was wronged and decided going postal in the water aisle was going to turn his luck around.

Later that same day, I was registering for a class at my fitness center when the gal behind the desk inadvertently hit the wrong key on the computer, thus slowing my transaction down considerably. She immediately tensed up and began apologizing profusely for her error. I could tell she was trying to beat me to the punch-figuratively speaking anyway.

These incidents caused me to ponder about how nice we are as a society. My conclusion was - not so nice. My favorite thing to say when something goes haywire is, "No worries." Seriously, nothing in my life was so important that getting mad at the clerk behind the desk was going to change. The fact of the matter was that if I got her more flustered, she probably would have hit another wrong button and karma would have sat back and laughed as I waited even longer to get out of there.

Do you all know what you look like when you get all whacked out in public? Do you think it's pretty? Does it make you sincerely feel good? Do you consider yourself one to follow the Golden rule? If so, how's that working for you at that moment?

Unfortunately, our retail world caters to the squeakiest of wheels. We teach our society to be loud and obnoxious. The more unruly the customer, usually the faster he/she gets shut-up with a discount or free merchandise. Can you believe people are actually seriously injured during major sales events so the craziest of buyers gets the goods?

While this may be true, I am going to live with integrity. I believe as a parent and as an adult it's my job to show the next generation that being nice does have its benefits. Not only will I be able to comfortably live with myself, but I'll never have to worry about my face freezing in one of those really ugly poses that come about with rage. Plus, I will never have to explain to my children why Mommy made the lady behind the counter cry.

Dana Johnson, a native cheese-head, whose passions include mt. biking, whitewater kayaking, cross-country skiing, reading and writing, Dana has performed some stand-up comedy and storytelling in the Milwaukee area and hopes to one day find the time to write a book.

Original article

Leave Your Past Behind

Many of us carry baggage from previous experiences and relationships. We can't do anything about yesterday, we can't change what's already been done. But, we can learn from our past experiences, and use them to better ourselves. It is our purpose in life to evolve and improve and eventually become the people we were always meant to be.

Guilt is an insidious parasite what will rob you of your self esteem and pride.

Don't allow your previous transgressions to haunt you forever. There is no point in beating yourself up over and over about who you once were, what you may have done in the past. Just think of all the energy you spend filling your mind with negative thoughts, and defeating attitudes. Break the chains of self loathing and focus on who you want to be, and make a list on how to get there.

You were never destined to be the same forever.

Do you still look like you did at 8 years old? Of course you don't. Just as time ages our bodies, time also improves our intellect, and gives us opportunities to grow mentally, and spiritually. Thanks to Facebook I have come across old friends, and I am told I resemble nothing like I used to. And that's a good thing! I'm certainly not the same person, and am very happy with who I've become.

Friends will come and go, and that's okay.

There are some people who will be our friends our entire life. Others will just be with us for what will seem like fleeting moments. If there are those people who are not in your daily life like they once were, don't get upset, it was meant to be. Sometimes they fill a place in our lives to teach us something about ourselves in our journey. Others will come to replace them and take us further along. Surround yourself with those whom you would like to be like. Get rid of those people who keep you from your goals. Positive people who think like you will help you achieve more, and help you be much happier.

Our past doesn't define us as much as our present does. It is what we do with the time we have today that will distinguish what is possible tomorrow. We can correct our past mistakes, and we can create the vision of what we want. Take advantage of today, because it is all you really know for certain. Today, right now. Sometimes we come to love and appreciate this moment because of our past, but it's what we do with that wisdom that can make all our dreams come true.

Elliot Zovighian is a life coach, speaker, author, blogger is the owner of EZ Lifestyles, a life coaching company from Toronto, Canada. His daily blog offers articles and advice on such subjects as life skills, work and career, relationships, parenting, featured videos and more. http://www.ezlifestyles.ca/

Original article

6 Positive Affirmations From the Bible

In my last post, we discussed the use of affirmations and in it, I mentioned that Norman Vincent Peale had taken a Biblical text and suggested that it could be used directly as an affirmation. That particular text was from St. Paul's letter to the Philippians (Ph 4:13).

So in this post, I thought it might be useful to see what other affirmations I could find in the Bible. Now, I did not manage to find texts that could be used verbatim in exactly the same way as the above mentioned verse, however, it is certainly possible to construct affirmations based upon what the Bible says.

So here are some more affirmations, derived from the Bible, that you might also like to try for yourself. As you know, I am very keen to ensure that Bible verses are not taken out of their proper context, so I have given the reference to each of the verses from which the affirmations are constructed so that you can look them up for yourself.

6 Positive Affirmations Derived from the Bible:

1. I Am at Peace

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. - John 14:27

2. I Have an Abundant Life

I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly. - John 10:10

3. I Have Boundless Energy

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. - Isaiah 40:31

4. I Am a New Creation

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! - 2 Corinthians 5:17

5. I Am Whole

... you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. - Colossians 2:9-10

6. I Am a Child of God

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. - John 1:12

As I mentioned in my previous post, Norman Vincent Peale suggests that you say each affirmation three times, and you repeat the procedure three times per day. Ideally, once in the morning just after rising, once around midday and finally, just before you retire for the evening. What lovely thoughts to leave impressed upon your mind as you go to sleep.

If you enjoyed this article, you will also enjoy The Inspiration Blog

Will Edwards is Founder of http://www.whitedovebooks.co.uk/

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Scientific Proof That Affirmations Work

Affirmations are words that can be uttered out loud or just be said in the mind. Mostly affirmations are positive thoughts that are formed into words and said out loud several times. Positive or negative affirmations can change your state of thinking, emotions and physical feelings dramatically in an instant. If used correctly, these words can also help you out in being positive in the most negative and ugly situations. Affirmations are grounded on Law of attraction, whatever you say or think, positive or negative has an energy that will come back to you.

In a negative workplace your personal affirmations can help you to be positive at work even though the situation means you are surrounded by pessimist colleagues. There is an easy way on how to stay positive each day, and with the help of your personal affirmations this is easily attainable. If you want to know the secret on how to be positive, you will find it within you cause it is innate to everyone from birth. Saying positive affirmations everyday is the first step, believing is the second and final step. Being positive does not require you to have the most expensive book of positive affirmations, you can do it by starting with your very own. You can also achieve it by changing your thoughts from negative thoughts against someone into a positive one. You can start by being positive at work; do not pay attention to the negative thoughts of your colleagues, do your job with a happy and content heart. In every little thing that you do, try to smile and if you feel tired, bored or any negative thing, say your positive affirmations out loud.

The claims in this article is backed up by Scientific facts. If you remember your teacher discussing the law of Polarities, I am referring to the same one. Affirmations are based on the principle that everything is made of energy, and like attracts like. Positive affirmations will attract positive events into your life. In a study, it is said that the brain rewires itself after every major experience a person goes through. With this being said, constant repetition of something will create and strengthen new connections in the brain. If you begin to develop a belief in something that you say or repeatedly think, the brain will rewire itself and bring your thoughts into a physical form. Remember that the body is controlled by the brain, whatever the brain thinks the body will manifest. The brain controls the body through hormones, if the brain thinks that the body is in trouble, the brain will then release adrenaline. This happens since the brain wants the whole body to enter the fight or flight response state. If the brain senses happiness it will release Endorphins; through this hormone, the whole body reacts appropriately to happy thoughts or events. Affirmations can make drastic changes in your life, if the brain finally believes the thought or word you say or think; the brain will release the right hormone to make what you think or say physically felt by the body. The universe will give you what you think of or say; and this is the primary premise of positive affirmations.

If you abide by this law, you will surely reap the benefits of it in time. Optimists who say positive affirmations can greatly benefit by staying positive, some of these benefits are better connected to being healthy, unconditional happiness and greater successes in life. Another scientific study to prove this is through the water test. In an extensive study done by a Japanese scientist, he found out that water reacts to thoughts and words. In the experiment, he said bad things and cursed a jar of water and froze it. When the water was frozen, he placed it under a microscope and the result was an unorganized water crystal formation. He did this again but instead of saying bad things on the jar of water, he said positive affirmations then he froze the water. When the water froze he again placed it under a microscope, to his astonishment; this time the water crystal formation was arranged beautifully. This study only proves that positive affirmations may work in humans the same way it worked with a jar of water, after all 80 percent of the human body is composed by water.

The Law or attraction states that a person creates his own reality. The universe will know your wants and needs when you think of it, when you utter them in words. Affirmations as a rule, are primary requirement in law of attraction, people who say daily positive affirmations can attest to this. Once you invoke positive thoughts or words the energy you release will scatter into the whole universe and will come back to you. If a person knows how to stay positive and understands that it is a primary requirement to get what he or she wants in life; then he or she has mastered the law of attraction. If you are really serious in creating positive changes in your life. If you want to know how being positive at work will give you outstanding end results, apply the law in to your life. Start by saying your own affirmations, change the way of your thinking from negative thoughts to positive ones. It may take time for you to get used to, but once you did you can expect dramatic changes in your life.

The author is based in Manila, Philippines.

Original article

Powerful Affirmations for Changing Negative Self Talk

Becoming conscious of negative self talk

Positive and conscious affirmations have been an integral part of my growth. I was fascinated to find that when I consciously tuned into my non-stop thoughts, I was surprised to find a lot of negatives.The constant mind chatter would start even before I opened my eyes in the morning and went a little something like this: "O God, I'm tired. Why must I get up, I hate my job, why is it so cold, why am I overweight, why does my belly look like Buddha's, I have to quit the Starbucks", after my "pre-wake up self battering" I would look in the mirror and begin again "O God, I have acne, why is my skin so dull, I look terrible, why am I ugly, O God, more white hair, why am I so tired." Blah blah blah, and on and on and on it would go until bedtime. Relentless.

Do affirmations have to be believable?

I became conscious that I wasn't very kind to myself. I also became conscious that if I had a friend that spoke to me like that, I would probably no longer have them as a friend. The only thing to do was to change these seemly self-fulfilling prophecies. Affirmations were part of this change. I would leave post its all over the house, on the fridge, in the fridge, on the mirrors, doors, walls and TV. In addition to well over hundred Post-It's I had a notebook to read on the tube, trains and buses. I would read my affirmations for months constantly and with conviction. It was also important to me that part of me believed the affirmation. It's no use having an affirmation like: "I am a supermodel" or "I am a billionaire" when your psyche is screaming that you are not. So I built my own list, and would test how these words made me feel. I thought I should start with: "I am strong", now part of me was strong but also part of me was weak, and that's ok, I just identified with the part that was strong so saying it was believable to some of me.

Choosing the right words for your affirmation

Read the list below, notice how each word makes you feel. Look especially at the words that you feel do not pertain to you, your growth lies in those words. The words "I AM", send your psyche a strong message, the more you say them, the more you believe them, the more you embody them, until you become them

Each of these attributes are in you, maybe it's time to access them, try the following:

I AM LOVING

I AM LOVED

I AM STRONG

I AM BEAUTIFUL

I AM RADIANT

I AM POWERFUL

I AM SUCCESSFUL

I AM GRATEFUL

I AM GRACEFUL

I AM VULNERABLE

I AM PEACEFUL

I see you.

As within, so without

Grace

Grace G. Payge

http://www.themanwomangame.co.za/

Grace is an international speaker and coach in the field of the man woman relationship dynamic. She gives an informative, humorous, practical and deeply intuitive talk allowing woman you to quickly access their inner Goddess. Woman will easily be able to consciously shift their behaviors, language and more importantly their energy to a true feminine nature. Woman will then experience superior and enhanced interactions with all men. Work relationships, friendships and intimate relationships shift instantly and positively. Grace is currently situated in Cape Town, South Africa.

If you would like grace to speak at an event, her contact details are available on the her website

Original article

Positive Affirmations Demystified

One of the latest buzzwords around the world these days is positive affirmations. Most everyone has heard it spoken in one way or another. But what exactly does it mean, and more importantly, what can it do for you? Positive affirmations, when broken down, are simply statements that you can use to reprogram your mind to view everything around you in a positive light. It is a way to make yourself more of an optimist than a pessimist. The classic example being that the glass is never half empty, it is always half full. Using positive affirmations, you can view everything in life in this optimistic manner.

It is good to know what positive affirmations are, but what can they actually DO for you? When you don't have a positive outlook on life, you are much more likely to dread going to work, to be upset that you don't earn enough money, or even that you don't have the life that you really want. That may sound familiar, as that is the way that most people in the world think today. However, if you could reprogram your mind to view these points in a different light, you would find your situation improving. This is where positive affirmations come into play.

How can you possibly use positive affirmations to gain more money, change your outlook on your job, or change your life? By changing the way you look at things. The job that you have may not be the ideal job that you wanted when you were younger. However, with this job, you ARE in fact earning money, and more importantly gaining experience. You are currently preparing yourself for when you get that better job. That better job is going to lead to more money, which in turn will likely lead to a better overall life for you and your family. But will just thinking you are preparing yourself actually give you that better job? You bet it will!

If you, using positive affirmations, reprogram your mind to think of your current job as a way to get to where you want to be, you will give off an attitude of greater confidence and comfort in who you are and what you are doing. People around you will start to notice that attitude, and make note of who you are. Soon, you will have people coming to you, simply because they want to be seen with someone who is so positive in life. This will lead to job offers from areas that you may have coveted but never thought you would actually get. Soon, your positive attitude alone will lead to that job that you were seeking for all those years, or perhaps one even better. All of this begins with a simple positive affirmation such as "I will reach beyond where I am today/"

When broken down and explained in easy to understand terms, positive affirmations aren't nearly as mystical as they appear at first glance. If you really stop and think about them, you will find that they are actually a very logical force in life. In this way, you can see that all of the claims people make about positive affirmations, rather than being magical or mystical, are really believable. This will be your first step in changing your own life with positive affirmations.

Richard is a Master Practitioner of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), Hypnosis, and Neurological Re-patterning?. He is also the co-founder of New You Life Coaching.

Because his interests stem from philosophy, spirituality, psychology, and leadership, Rich's coaching style incorporates a rare and ingenious approach to understanding and empowering you in an insanely effective manner.

Find out more about Richard Luck at RichardALuck.com

Original article

Positive Affirmations: How Do They Work

In many cases, the biggest roadblock on the path of success is actually you. Self-defeating beliefs, such as "I am not good enough for this" or "I cannot do, I'm too clumsy" can really harm your chances, because they stop you from actually achieving your goals. Positive affirmations are short, positive statements that target those beliefs and help you reprogram your mind so they stop being an obstacle for your success.

It may sound a bit silly to just repeat a phrase to yourself again, and again, in front of the mirror, but you are actually mimicking one of the reasons why negative thought patterns emerge: When you are told by your peers or elders that something is not possible for you, or that you are lacking on some aspect or other, your mind ends up accepting it as truth. That feeling of resistance is often your subconscious trying to avoid having to change a behaviour pattern. Of course there's a limit, and repeating in front of the mirror "I will learn to fly" won't make you grow wings. But convincing yourself that losing weight or getting a promotion is possible is the first step towards actually achieving that.

Many thought patterns are learned during childhood, when the mind is still in a very malleable status, and most of them are incredibly useful. For example, as a child learning about the importance of a job well done and working hard can be key to a successful professional career as an adult. They remove the need to think: your subconscious uses those behaviour patterns to respond to every day patterns on your life, leaving your brain free to evaluate more complex situations. For example, if there's a fire your first thought will be to get away from it, your brain doesn't really need to think about that because your mind knows that fire is dangerous.

However, sometimes those beliefs are actually self-harming, formed on the wrong premises or in answer to a difficult set of circumstances that is no longer useful, appropriate or necessary and it's actually doing more harm than good. Positive affirmations aim to deal with this kind of subconscious beliefs that are hampering your progress and making you unhappy. By way of those short, positive statements you can learn how to bring positive and long-lasting change to your life, and that's why most self-help and coaching methods use them at some point or the other.

Positive affirmations also help you focus on your current goals, with a positive perspective. Being focused is necessary to achieve success. Using this kind of language tools you will be able to replace negative and undermining beliefs with others that are positive and self-nurturing and encourage a positive spiral of change. They help you let go of the past and take control of your life, so you can actually take action and make those much needed changes. It all starts with a positive attitude and snowballs from there.

Original article

Affirmations: You Are What You Say You Are!

Have you heard the saying, "you are what you say you are?" Not only is this true, but let's take this apart and look at it in more detail.

How are things with you in your life at the moment? Are things seeming to go your way, or are you having a rough old time with life?

Albert Einstein said that the most important conversation you could have is one with yourself.

What he meant by that is, whatever we tell ourselves, out load or in your head, whether it is a task we think is difficult and you then put up a barrier in your mind saying that it is difficult, then you will find this being the case.

Whatever happens to you in your life is down to you and your perceptions and to what you tell yourself. Have you noticed that when you are in a seemingly downward spiral, things just get worse. Some would say that this is the universal law of attraction, which can work for both good and bad.

We have superstitions and 'old wives tales' which have been sent down the generations, many of which are ingrained into us, but how real are they and if we believe things passed down, for instance such as "bad things happen in threes", then subconsciously don't you think you are then counting the bad things in three's? And because you are counting them, they unfold in front of you.

However, if you are in a bad place in your life, try and find a positive out of that negative moment. Life send us lessons to learn, by learning these lessons we become stronger so that the next time something similar arises in our live, we can recall the situation and work our way out of it.

A positive way to get yourself out of a negative mindset is to talk to yourself in a positive manner. Affirmations, or things we tell ourselves may at first seem unrealistic, and false and you may feel uncomfortable with what you tell yourself, if this is something which currently conflicts with your limiting beliefs. However, the more you tell yourself something, the more your mind will begin to accept.

If you wish to change, or get out of a negative way of life, or sense of being, then write down a few affirmations in the positive and in the 'now'. Write them as if it has already happened.

Imagine yourself each day as being the person in your affirmations, stand in front of a mirror, repeat your affirmation over and over again to yourself, say it out load and keep saying inward to yourself. Eventually it will become ingrained and your negative self will blend away to the background, and the new you, the new person you say you want to be, will be.

If you have found this article useful, please share and feel free to leave me your tips and share your findings with affirmations you have used or are using now.

Colette Morris is in partnership with Numis Network who are a Network Marketing Company trading in Gold and Silver Numismatic Coins. Learn more about investing in Gold and Silver to improve your ROI. If you are interested in Coin Collecting, join our Monthly Collectors Club, or if you want a business you can do from home or anywhere in the world either way, your investment, your choice. http://www.buildmybusinessonline.info/?t=ezineart

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A Portion Of All You Earn Is Yours To Keep

The universal reality that you get to keep a portion of everything that you earn in life when you understand it, can make you genuinely rich. In concept, this sounds bad, because it seems like you are paying most of what you earn and keeping very little of what is earned. But, in reality, if you use that portion correctly, you can ultimately earn much more if you simply understand the full import of that universal reality that you keep for yourself or benefit from a portion of what you earn. Here is how. I based the title of this article on a book by a great writer called "The Richest Man In Babylon" which had the affirmation in the first chapter of that book used in the title of this article in it as an underpinning for the instruction in the parables he wrote inside the book. But, I am using this reality a little differently. The portion you keep gets bigger as you use it better, to start out the main part of this article. The portion you keep gets bigger as you use it better as you genuinely grow also, make everything else beneficial, including your positive income and spending capacity grows with it. If you try to keep all that you earn, you use it up much quicker and cannot renew anything because you do not invest what you keep and increase your capacity for action and growth.

The fact that we usually start small and slow and become big and fast, should tell us something definitive. What it tells us all is that we must build rationally and work steadily and when it is given it is easier to use up and deplete because we do not learn to make more.

Teach a man to go fishing in the lake and cook it himself, he eats for life. Give a man a fish, he eats for a few minutes."

That is an old Native American proverb that explains this whole article easily if I stopped here, indeed. But I will explain myself some more, and expand on what I have already done here. Sure, if we are given something without knowing how to produce it ourselves, there is less chance to expand and work with what is earned. If we make it ourselves, we can duplicate and better the process to ever better levels. That is where the power is. That is where the strength and potency is. Where the potency is not however is when it comes too easily, and we do not know how to duplicate the results ourselves. My point is: Explore the full meaning of "A part of all I earn is mine to keep" and you will get, become and stay genuinely rich at all levels ultimately. If I told you it would happen now without work and ambition to benefit on your part, ditch this article now, and expect your hand out because the power is in the opportunities we make, understand and use ourselves to be richer.

My name is Joshua Clayton, I am a freelance writer based in Inglewood, California. I also write under a few pen-names and aliases, but Joshua Clayton is my real name, and I write by that for the most part now. I am a philosophical writer and objective thinker and honest action taker. I also work at a senior center in Gardena, California as my day job, among other things, but primarily I am a writer.

Original article

Prana Energy

Indo-Aryan culture and Sanskrit language have a word with significant meaning of life sustaining body force. Prana is the notion of life and vital energy. It is also the central concept in yoga and it is believed to flow through a network of channels much like the different forces of the Universe.

It is concentrated in the human breath, blood, and vaginal/semen. The sun and sunshine are held to be a source of prana. Prana energy acts as physical energy, mental energy, where the mind collects information as intellectual energy, where information is examined and filtered. Prana also acts as sexual energy, spiritual energy and cosmic energy. This self-energizing force is the principle of life and consciousness. Prana is the creation of all beings in the Universe. All beings are born through it and live by it. When they die, their individual breath dissolves into the cosmic breath.

Because prana is associated with the air factor, it is subtle and moves. Therefore, it lies in the world of causality. The kosha of the mind is one in which prana exists and operates in the realm of causality. Prana tends to be a causal factor. According to Prana laws, it is flowing everywhere and it is the feeding force of life, and it is bound to change. It is possible to induce its change in the Universe by man made situations. This situations are changing the flow of Prana in the Universe creating catastrophic disasters.

As it has been coming on, one will notice species shifting. The evolutionary vital force is putting its trajectory in new ways and not working as it did before. Coincidentally, negative thoughts of disaster destruction and negativity towards man, might make it easier for Prana to work in different ways, as we know Prana is a mind force that helps make things happen. It is possible to restore many things in the Universe utilizing Prana, and channeling its purpose towards recuperation. Prana force needs to flow smoothly to create and promote life in the Universe. It is possible that Prana is what the scientists have being searching for in their efforts to find the God's Particle, Higgs Buson. The need to reproduce the Big Bang explosion that created life is being held back by the fact that Gravity-God's Particle-and the causality factor have not being introduced to the equation. The world might be closer to an answer, but for now it is safe to assume that Prana is the large brain of the Universe and its things.

Original article

How to Change a Belief

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right."

The above is a statement that I have seen attributed to both Henry Ford and Confucius. According to the TV program Qi, Henry Ford was not a particularly nice person, so I prefer to think of it as being originated by that wise old owl, Confucius. It is a sentence that captures the essence of what it means to think positively; and yet, at the same time, it says so much about the unhelpful habit of pessimism.

To succeed, you need to become an optimist. You need to believe that you can do what you are setting out to achieve, whatever it is. As Walter D. Wintle put it:

Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man,
But sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.

Belief alone is not enough, of course, but without belief you won't be prepared to put in the necessary effort, so having belief in yourself is absolutely crucial. That brings up the question of how beliefs are formed and, if your beliefs are not serving you, whether or not they can be changed. First off, it is definitely possible to change your beliefs. Isn't that exactly what people do when they become Christians, for example? They chuck away one belief system and adopt another.

So we do know that it is possible to change our beliefs and, if you have a particular belief that is incongruent with you achieving your goals, then why should you not consider changing it? It seems like a very pragmatic thing to do to me. The process of changing a belief looks like this:

Disempowering BeliefDoubt / DisbeliefNew PossibilityNew Empowering Belief

Moving from stage 1 to stage 2 isn't at all difficult because, we don't really know anything at all with one hundred percent certainty. So, simply by asking ourselves to list reasons why our current belief is absurd is a good starting point for making a transition. Additionally, we can ask ourselves why we believe what we do and where is the real, hard evidence. By asking these questions, it is very easy to cause ourselves to doubt the truth of a belief we had previously held to be true and even move us to the understanding that our previous belief is unfounded and therefore possibly untrue.

So, I recommend that you do this with any self-limiting or disempowering belief you hold about yourself and your abilities. Once you have shaken off those negative, disempowering beliefs, you are ready to move forward to installing a new and empowering belief. My own favourite method is by use of affirmation. By repeatedly making positive statements about yourself, it is possible you get your subconscious mind to accept whatever you tell it. So choose the positive beliefs that will be empowering. Often these will be the reverse of your previous disempowering beliefs.

I am calmI am positiveI am valuedI am healthyI am confidentI am in control

Say each affirmation three times and repeat the procedure three times per day - nine times per day in total - and keep doing it until you begin to see the results in your life. You should feel different within one month of using positive affirmations and that's because you will be seeing the effects of these new positive and empowering beliefs.

What will happen as a result is that you will be more calm, confident and in control - or whatever else you decide to affirm. Why? Because a confident person is someone who believes they are confident and therefore acts in a way that we recognise as confident. So your behaviour will naturally begin to change as a consequence of changing your beliefs.

If you enjoyed this article, you will also enjoy The Inspiration Blog

Will Edwards is Founder of http://www.whitedovebooks.co.uk/

Original article

Honouring and Nurturing Your Self

We spend so much of our time focussing on issues, people and things outside of ourselves, that we often ignore our own needs. Simply giving yourself a little loving attention is a beautiful way to affirm your self-worth.

Often we feel guilty for taking time out for ourselves - a little "me time" to do something that we enjoy just for the sheer pleasure of it. We feel guilty because the pressured life styles we lead demand we should be busy, busy, doing, doing....instead of just being.

Being and doing no-thing is often viewed as being lazy, or wasting time, when in fact the most loving and productive gift we can give ourselves is to simply sit quietly in meditation for a few minutes every day. It doesn't matter how long you spend in this calming silent space, or what time of day you choose to do it, it's your personal time and should be a pleasure, not a chore.

Taking time out to still our minds and allow our physical body to relax and release tension is a wonderfully calming feeling. Afterwards, you will feel re-energised and your thoughts will be clearer.

Often when our minds are busy all the time trying to cope with a hundred things, we find it difficult to make decisions. Stilling the mind and gently placing the chatter in the background may give you the space you need to make the best decision.

Meditation is not something that requires years of practice. To begin a meditation practice all that is required is for you to gently focus on your breath as it moves in and out of your body. Beginning with a few deep breaths to cleanse and rejuvenate your body and mind will help to oxygenate your entire body at cellular level, including your brain.

Oxygenating your body's cells is vital for preventing illness and assists your immune system in fighting dis-ease in the physical body.

Breathing deeply also has a very relaxing effect on your mind and body. If you are feeling anxious, stop and take a few really deep breaths, consciously releasing any tension with each out breath. Doing this while sitting on the beach is really good for you as you breathe in ozone from the ocean.

Making a commitment to take this special time out every day for your own wellbeing is a gift you give yourself and a way of honouring your magnificence as a divine being of light.

Meditation is a gift you give yourself. It will help to bring balance into your daily life. Sitting in meditation is a loving way of acknowledging to yourself and others that you believe you deserve to receive, as well as give.

Honouring yourself includes developing an attitude of unconditional self-love and self-worth and a belief that you absolutely deserve all the good that the Universe wishes to bless you with!

Begin today! Don't wait another day to begin honouring and nurturing your beautiful self. The choices we make today, shape our tomorrows.....

Affirmations for Honouring and Nurturing Yourself

• I AM deserving of love
• I honour and respect my higher self
• I appreciate all that I AM
• I regularly gift myself with the blessing of silence
• I AM good enough
• I AM a divine being of light

Blessings
Linney

Linney Elder is the author of "Infinitely Possible - A Cancer Journey", a freelance researcher and writer, Usui Tibetan Reiki Master Teacher, intuitive healer and perennial student of life. Join her on this magical journey of self-discovery - read more insights and related subjects on her website: http://www.infinitely-possible.com/ This article was originally published on my website. © Copyright 2011 - Linney Elder. All Rights reserved.

Original article

Positive Affirmations: How Long Until You See Results?

Embarking on any sort of self-improvement process is a challenging and often very difficult decision, and it is easy to feel like giving up when things don't seem to improve right away. In fact, things seem often to be getting even worse, just because you are conscientiously paying more attention for them. If you have just started using positive affirmations you may be wondering how long will it take until you actually see results, but it's difficult to actually give a real timeframe as it varies a lot.

From the first day you start using positive affirmations to change your learned behaviours you'll notice two very distinct groups: Some of them you'll love saying and will make you smile, while others you'll feel silly and embarrassed about. The first group target behaviours or thought patterns that aren't deeply seated, or which aren't difficult for you to deal with. The second group often refers to issues that are much more long lasting and damaging and your mind refuses to let go of them. The defence mechanism your subconscious uses is making you feel negative about such change, resisting it by making you feel silly or stupid.

If you are really determined to bring change to a particular area of your life, and the negative beliefs affecting it aren't too deep, change will happen much quicker. It will also depend on how that thought pattern started: an issue that started with the negative impact of an authority figure when you were a small child will probably take much longer to get rid of than something caused by a bad boss on your first job that undermined your professional self-esteem. However, each case is unique and you should insist and wait until your mind is ready to accept change. Think of it as going to the gym: It sucks for the first weeks, but at some point it becomes a natural part of your routine and you smile each time you look at yourself on a mirror.

How to Make Positive Affirmations More Effective

Some techniques you can use to try and make your positive affirmations more effective are:

Say them while looking at yourself on a mirror: Most negative behaviour patterns start when somebody tells you things while looking at you on the eyes.Write them down, and place them somewhere you can see them easily during your day.Sing or chant your affirmations: The mind often accepts better messages on a singing or rhyming form, as many advertisers know well.

The power of positive affirmations to change your life is both surprising and amazing, and they can cause powerful change. If you have a positive attitude towards that change you will see results much quicker, so don't give up and keep telling yourself that change is possible and only depends on you.

Original article

The Mantra - Healthy Wealthy and Wise

Everyone wants to be healthy, wealthy, and wise. Would anyone like to know how? Everyone also wants to live an engaging life while enjoying the above. These are the things that make us feel joyful.

Using a mantra is one way of self-reprogramming. The objective is to believe, accept, practice, become, enjoy, and excel in a manner that brings us joy.

The following are a few suggestions that may be helpful in realizing a joyful mindset:

I am immortal; I can be anything I want to be

Being healthy is my natural state

A healthy body makes me feel great and brings me joy

I am thankful for this healthy body

I am immortal; I can feel anything I want to feel

Feeling healthy is my natural state

Feeling healthy is joyful

I am thankful for this wonderful experience

I am immortal; I can do anything I want to do

Being healthy allows me to do fun things

Doing fun activities puts the excitement in my life

I am thankful for the joyfulness this brings

I am immortal; I can be anything I want to be

Being wealthy is my natural state

A wealthy life makes me feel great and brings me joy

I am thankful for this overflowing abundance

I am immortal; I can feel anything I want to feel

Feeling wealthy is my natural state

Feeling wealthy is joyful

I am thankful for this wonderful experience

I am immortal; I can do anything I want to do

Being wealthy allows me to do fun things

Doing fun activities puts the excitement in my life

I am thankful for the joyfulness this brings

I am immortal; I can be anything I want to be

Making wise decisions is natural for me

Being wise is what gives me confidence and joy

I am thankful for this wisdom

I am immortal; I can feel anything I want to feel

Feeling wise is my natural state

Making wise decisions helps me feel great about myself

I am thankful for this wonderful experience

I am immortal; I can do anything I want to do

Being wise allows me to confidently do fun things

Doing fun activities puts the excitement in my life

I am thankful for the joyfulness this brings

Although our bodies may be mortal, the lifeforce that powers our bodies is not. We are not actually our bodies, but the immortal lifeforce using these bodies as a conduit to experience this moment.

Anyone who can believe, accept, practice and become the statements mentioned above is likely to enjoy their life to its fullest and excel through their endeavors in a manner that brings them joy!

Have you tried using the Law of Attraction before, without getting the results you wanted? To read more... http://howtosucceedatanything.info/
If you'd like to put yourself back in charge, to fix things on your own, you might try the software help at http://succeedatanything.info/ to help structure that transformation.

Original article

Affirmative Thoughts Can Improve Your Finances

These days, it's all too easy to find yourself in financial trouble. No matter how hard you try to be fiscally responsible, it seems like every investment opportunity out there keeps crashing, leaving the investors scrambling to salvage their lives. When something like this happens, you end up with a lot more than just money problems. It can create great strain with your family and your work, and before you know it, you can end up depressed and convinced you deserved what happened to you. If you've ever felt this way, you need to prepare yourselves well both mentally and physically. This is where a affirmation device comes in. If you fail to put things in perspective, you will be getting into big trouble, so why don't you try any affirmation devices that help you do nightly affirmations. Such devices allow you to record your money affirmations, and then replay them back to you to help you start being positive again and take control of your life.

These devices are designed to give you the greatest possible benefit from your money affirmations. The reason you want to use nightly affirmations is that the affirmations you tell yourself during the day aren't always effective. They are important to do since they help you to ritualize your money affirmations, but, unfortunately, they are combated by your conscious mind. Anytime you repeat your money affirmations at home or at work, the negative feelings in your conscious mind contradicts you, making it very difficult for them to take hold and start reprogramming your feelings. The device that we talked about targets your subconscious mind by playing your money affirmations while you're asleep. It lets you record your encouragement and offers various programming schedules so that you can optimize the effectiveness of those messages.

A device that records and plays nightly affirmations is perfect for anyone that is trying to improve their lives with positive thinking fueled by money affirmations. You will notice significantly quicker results when you use nightly affirmations to help you reach your goals since the conscious mind, while a truly wonderful thing, also provides a significant obstacle to your attempts to improve your life. That's why the key to making the real changes you want is directly accessing the subconscious mind. Once you convince yourself with money affirmations that you can control your finances, you will be well on your way to happiness. After all, using any of the affirmation devices available on the market is the best method to straighten out things that are in disarray.

Lisa Phillips, NLP personal life coach, is the proud author of the Amazing Coaching DIY Guide. She is a personal life trainer who will help you live with better health, more money, and a better day-to-day mood! Visit http://amazingcoaching.com.au/diy-ebook.html to find out more.

Original article

Florence Scovel Shinn Quote: Affirmations That Work!

"You will be a failure, until you impress the subconscious with the conviction you are a success. This is done by making an affirmation which 'clicks'." - Florence Scovel Shinn

There is a lot of talk about affirmations these days. Why wouldn't there be? Who doesn't want to say something and have it become real? It sure seems that if these affirmations were working nobody would really be searching for jobs or money anymore. So why are people still struggling? We have affirmations. We know what we want, right? It should be simple!

Well it is simple, but humans have a two roadblocks in their way. First their concentration and second their limited perception. In order for an affirmation to work you have to absolutely believe it. To believe something on a subconscious level you must repeat it, prove it and concentrate on it. There can be no concentration on the opposite of it, none! Otherwise you are negating your belief in your own affirmation. The second issue arises with our perception. Lets say we believe that if we had a billion dollars we would be happy. So we absolutely affirm that we will have a billion dollars by such and such a date. We concentrate diligently on affirming our belief. We fully believe, but as the world starts to unfold the path to our billion dollars we find that the energy we are putting into attaining it is not bringing us satisfaction. Sometimes our affirmations are actually limiting. We say that we would like a certain house or job or dollar amount, but actually that is inferior to what we could have enjoyed. The issue is that our perception evolves along the way to our goal and we see that maybe what we had envisioned was not what we truly needed to satisfy our longings.

Great Affirmations:

A great affirmation, one that really works will have two characteristics:

It creates faith. Affirmations are all about faith. They are created to consciously mold your beliefs. Your affirmation must give you faith that there is a power within you working to give you everything you desire, before you can even conceive it.It will be infinite. Your affirmation will never wear out as you meet goals or achieve certain things. The great affirmation will enhance your belief in your infinite possibilities!

Here is an example of a great affirmation, "Things always workout for my best. The universal energy that created me is working with every atom in the cosmos to continue creating a life better than I could ever imagine. Anything is possible to me and I have no desires because the world gives me more than I could dream of!" This affirmation will bring you more than you thought possible. You could prove it daily by witnessing all the things the world gives you that you never had to think of. It is a pleasure to say because it makes you feel good, so you will definitely repeat it. This affirmation is infinite. You will never meet a goal and have to change your affirmation. It is no small task to consciously create a belief. If you doubt that look at the majority of people's lives. After adulthood people do not usually change too much in a lifetime. It is only a rare few who change the path of their core belief and shift the direction of their lives. This affirmation gives you the power to conquer any goal that might arise in your life and you will have many.

Remember that your perception is finite. When you create a belief you are trying to increase your power, your accomplishments. The best way to do this is to create beliefs which help you tap into to that infinite energy which knows infinite possibilities. You are an infinite being in a finite world. Strengthen your belief in the infinite and limitations fall away, possibilities you never fathomed will appear and you will be filled with joy. You are meant to be limitless make sure your affirmations affirm that.

By the way there is more just like this and better along with a valuable weekly Abundance Boost newsletter. Just check it out at http://energyofabundance.com/ this is a great resource for all of Chace Parask's readers.

Also don't miss out on some of the largest commissions on the internet at http://action-pays.com/ and see how you can turn your energy into steady cash.

Original article

Positive Affirmations and Your Health

Positive affirmations can easily change your whole life. You know how they work. You change your outlook on life, and you will bring that positivity to you. That is the basic Law of Attraction. Concentrate your mind on improvements you are going to have in your life, and they will come to you. What most people don't completely grasp is that positive affirmations can help change EVERY aspect of your life, even your physical wellness. In fact, it is potentially easier to understand this fact than any other aspect of the Law of Attraction.

How could positive affirmations possibly help your physical health? Think about the last time you had a cold. The doctors probably told you that the best thing for you would be rest. The most common "old wives" tale states that chicken soup will help you feel better also. Even work will let you take a few days off to help recover. Why is it that all of these things work? Because they are all steps to help you feel more comfortable. They will help your mind be more at ease, so it can work on repairing your body. Positive affirmations can help your mind in the same way.

When you use positive affirmations, you reprogram your mind to see things in positive manner. This includes how you see yourself. When you look in the mirror, see a worthy person looking back at you and you find yourself walking with more pride, being more comfortable with who you are. This person in the mirror has a comfortable air about them, and knows that anything he wants to accomplish, he can. If he feels like going to the gym for a while, he can, thus helping to strengthen his body. The person looking back at you is also confident enough to know that she doesn't want to be dependant upon foreign toxins to feel better. She has the willpower to quit smoking or any other addictive habit. In order to see this person in the mirror, all you have to do is use positive affirmations.

Positive affirmations can do more than just help with preventative health. They can help your mind be comfortable enough to help cure your body of illnesses and diseases. You can reinforce the idea of your health becoming better, envisioning the illnesses being forced out of your body. As you see these things, you will be able to put yourself into the place that rest and chicken soup would normally put you. Because you believe that it can, your mind will help clean out the negative influences on your body, helping you to heal yourself. This is how powerful positive affirmations truly are.

The human body is an amazing organism. With the right positive affirmations, the body can heal itself of diseases that would almost seem miraculous. A strong and healthy body begins with a healthy way of thinking. These healthy thought patterns will help to rewire the rest of your body to become a strong and healthy vessel. Maintaining positive affirmations will help your body realize that it also can achieve anything in life. Affirmations aren't just limited to the amount of money you may make, or your happiness at those around you. They can easily be adapted to change not just your way of life, but your way of physical health.

Richard is a Master Practitioner of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), Hypnosis, and Neurological Re-patterning?. He is also the co-founder of New You Life Coaching.

Because his interests stem from philosophy, spirituality, psychology, and leadership, Rich's coaching style incorporates a rare and ingenious approach to understanding and empowering you in an insanely effective manner.

Find out more about Richard Luck at RichardALuck.com

Original article

3 Essential Steps For New Year Resolutions!

I'm not a huge fan of New Year resolutions, for reasons I'll explain shortly, but if you do insist on making them, please make sure you get these 3 things right...

I've written before that any other day of the year is better than January 1st to make resolutions, because New Year resolutions have a particular default setting which sets you up for failure, and it's this - people never believe they will see them through!

People joke that they "set resolutions every year and then give up" - well, what kind of message does that send to the brain about how real the goal is? If you set a goal finding it funny that you will fail, then it should hardly be a surprise when you fail!

That's the first thing you have to get right if you do make a New Year Resolution - make sure you mean it! If you don't mean it, don't bother, because you will in fact be harming yourself when you actually *do* want to set a genuine goal.

So, if you do really want it to be proper goal, and you believe it, you have to define it - that's the second point.

You can't have a goal of 'being happy' or 'having more money' or 'being thinner'. Your goal has to have a much sharper focus - for example, how much more money, and what will you do to get it, or what is your target weight compared to your current weight.

It may sound obvious that a goal without a defined target is hard to reach, but this one point is a major cause of not achieving goals - they simple aren't defined well enough.

The last point you have to get right when making resolutions for the new year, is to do with action. Too often, people centre their resolutions around what they will stop doing - I will stop eating cakes, I will stop smoking, I will stop shouting, etc.

A goal plan has to be action orientated, but based on positive action, not negative action. Do not focus on what you will stop doing, focus on what you will *start* doing instead! This is a mental shift which will give you real drive and impetus on taking progressive action.

I do still believe that the whole concept of New Year resolutions is fraught with problems, but since people insist on making them, hopefully these 3 points will help steer you along the path of actual goal achievement rather than just wishful thinking.

Oh, and if you're reading this after New Year has passed, remember that not only can you set resolutions at any time, I recommend it!

By the way, if you'd like you can get a free 8 step goal achievement formula. You can also read my book Transform Your Life in 21 Days!

Original article

Using Nightly Affirmations to Maintain Confidence During Cancer Treatment

Dealing with cancer is an unimaginably hard experience. There are so many emotions running through your head after diagnosis and during treatment which amplify the physical symptoms to unbearable degrees. It is entirely understandable and normal that someone going through that would be depressed and hopeless. An affirmation device can help people dealing with those emotions with nightly affirmations that take advantage of your desire for being positive. Nightly affirmations are important because the conscious mind carries a lot of negativity which blocks the positive feelings that you try to incorporate into your day. By using an affirmation device, it is possible to deliver nightly affirmations directly to your subconscious, bypassing the negative thoughts in the conscious mind.

For someone trying to handle such a serious and emotionally trying situation as cancer treatments, you should use both daily and nightly affirmations. For positive thoughts during the day, you want to develop phrases that will help you feel more confident and hopeful. It is important to repeat those thoughts multiple times throughout the day and put sticky notes around your home and work so that you can begin reprogramming your conscious mind to believe what you are saying. Nightly affirmations facilitate the process greatly by replaying your recorded phrases while you sleep with a programmable schedule. Since your conscious mind is dormant during that period, your affirmations are not met with any negativity. Instead, when your subconscious mind receives messages from an affirmation device, it accepts them without question. This state of mental stability allows you to go forward with 'some' confidence. After all, you did not feel it before.

When you are going through cancer treatments, your life is full of uncertainty and fear. There is no way to stop that completely, but if you use any dependable affirmation device, you might be able to increase your increase your confidence and hope for the future. It requires constant work to reprogram your mind to believe your hopes, but the rewards can be great. With all that you are dealing with in your life, there is no reason you should have to face depression as well if there is any way to avoid it. Whether you have been being positive during the day and not finding it as effective as you would like, or if you just want to start with the best chance of success, try any of those affirmation devices available out there.

Lisa Phillips, NLP personal life coach, is the proud author of the Amazing Coaching DIY Guide. She is a personal life trainer who will help you live with better health, more money, and a better day-to-day mood! Visit http://amazingcoaching.com.au/diy-ebook.html to find out more.

Original article

Positive Affirmations and Other Powerful Techniques for Achieving Small Business Success

I'm fascinated by how our brains work, and the incredible power that our thoughts have in helping us to bring to life those things that we most desire.

I'm also a little bit terrified of it all, if I'm being honest.

Because if I have the ability to create something out of nothing merely by the thoughts that I think, then I need to be extra vigilant about the quality of those thoughts.

You know, just to make sure that what I'm bringing in is in alignment with what I actually want. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once observed, "A man is what he thinks about all day long."

That's a tremendous responsibility, don't you think?

Positive affirmations are a great way to "train your brain" to think the kinds of thoughts that produce the sort of results you're looking for (whether that's small business success, a loving relationship, financial freedom, or whatever it is you are wanting to manifest), but they're just a starting point.

In fact, if you want lasting small business success, it's important to get to a point where you're not attaching too much importance to your thoughts at all, and instead are feeling your way through life.

Let me explain.

Most of the thoughts that we think aren't really our own. In fact, they've been passed along to us from our family, our society, teachers, and those we spend our days with.

Over time, for better or for worse, these thoughts become beliefs that we operate by, often without even being aware of it.

Once we become aware of this fact, we tend to take an analytical approach to changing these thoughts, which, if you've ever tried it, is like whistling in the wind. Put your attention on a negative belief you'd just as soon be done with, and what do you think about?

That negative belief.

Lather, rinse, repeat, and you see why it's very difficult for us to root out thoughts and beliefs that don't serve us.

When we instead choose to feel our way through any given situation, we move away from the thinking brain and its conditioned thought processes and beliefs, and instead tune our internal radio dial to another frequency where we can "know without knowing" what step to take next as we move towards our goal.

If you're frustrated with the practice of positive affirmations and want to bring about real change in 2012, try sitting in silence at least once a day. Follow your breath, or the beating of your heart, and when thoughts come up, as they will, watch them float in your consciousness like they were bubbles on a summer day. Don't judge them as good or bad; just observe. As you do, you'll notice that your thoughts are actually neutral - neither good or bad, just thoughts - until you assign them a value.

Better still, once you can observe your thoughts and let them go, you'll begin to trust your feelings and intuition, as well as the inspiration that comes when we turn off the mind chatter (even if that chatter consists of positive affirmations) and tune into the silence.

Try this practice of silent observation for one week, and see what happens. You might be surprised to see that the small business success, or any other good thing that you desire, is just a heartbeat away.

Pamela Schott has been teaching entrepreneurs how to build thriving, multi-million dollar businesses for over 18 years. Now it's your turn. Discover ways to work from home and the secret to small business success, plus invaluable tips, techniques and training for how to become rich in your chosen field, and guided meditations for manifesting more of everything in life on her blog.

Original article

Positive Attitude Is Key To Success: Myth Or Reality?

If you were told that the reason why you aren't more successful is just that your attitude isn't positive enough you'd probably think they are oversimplifying. However, there is a popular school of professional coaching based around the concept of positive attitude and positive affirmations to achieve professional and personal success. How much truth is there on that kind of teachings?

Positive People Get Promoted

It's not easy to deny the fact that people who are successful are often positive and sure of themselves. The reasons for this are two-fold: Nobody likes working with a naysayer that darkens the day with its sole, negative presence, and managers often notice (and promote) people who aren't scared to blow their own trumpet and seem genuinely happy to be working for your company. In other areas of life being positive also has natural advantages: Who would you prefer as a romantic interest, somebody who is happy to be there and sure of himself or herself, or somebody who is trying to hide in a corner and grumbles about everything? Being positive, without a doubt, has its advantages.

But You Need To Work For It Too

However, smiling and being sure of yourself won't get you anywhere without hard work and dedication, and any lifestyle guru or professional coach that forgets to talk about the effort required to actually make changes on your life is not going to be very helpful. Working 10hr a day is of course much easier If you genuinely enjoy your job and know the rewards that will come from all that work, but you'll still need to do your best. Of course, being positive about your skills and your life goes a long way towards motivating you to do your best, but there's no reward without work.

There's No Easy and Quick Way to Success...

But being positive sure helps. While positive attitude is almost a must have for success, it doesn't mean that the moment you start smiling more you'll suddenly will get promoted. Anybody promising you quick and easy ways to getting rich (or married, or promoted) is actually trying to sell you the myth of positive thinking, without any regards for your actual success.

If you are interested in learning more about the power of positive affirmations and positive attitude you should seek out the services of a professional lifestyle coach who can clearly explain how to leverage this positive energy to increase your chances of success.

Original article

What Are You Saying and Why Are You Saying It? How To Put Power In Your Words

You're about to discover the real power of affirmations...

Affirmations work...all the time. Why do they sometimes seem like they're not working? Because most of us don't understand the dynamics. There's nothing supernatural about them. Affirmations work according to natural law. When they are understood, like any natural process, they can be used simply and easily.

Here is the secret: You are continually affirming. Your life is a direct result of these continual affirmations. Check out what you're constantly saying to yourself. As you begin to listen to that conversation, you'll notice patterns. Those patterns, repeated over and over in word and practice, produce your life experiences. They are your beliefs. You respond to your surroundings and incoming data according to your beliefs. And I'm not just talking religious beliefs, although they play a major role. I'm also talking about what you believe about the world around you, the people in it, and most of all, about your own ability to cope with what you think you see. Years of feeling like the victim make everything--and everyone--appear to be the victimizer. Believing you're not smart keeps you from being smarter. Unlovable mindsets produced unlovable actions. And the world responds accordingly.

It may be cliche' but it remains true: Change your thinking, change your life. Begin by committing to the practice of listening to what you tell yourself over and over again:

1. What do you say to yourself as you begin your day? (This can set a positive or negative tone.)

2. What are you saying, throughout the day, about those you interact with? (Remember: feeling superior to others is a good sign of an inferiority complex.)

3. When you know you're telling yourself something that goes against your physical, emotional and spiritual health, how often do you rationalize and continue on in the same direction? (This could be the key you've been looking for. We often know a truth but talk ourselves out of it. Listen carefully to your "Oh, well...")

You have talked yourself into the world in which you currently reside. You can talk yourself out of it, if you are not happy with it. But chances are, it's comfortable, habitual, and easy, even if it hurts. Even what you've just read may go onto the trash heap--even if it seems to make sense to you.

So, begin the affirmation process by first listening to your own voice. Just listen. Don't try to force change. As you listen, change will occur on its own. As you become more aware of your script, the new awareness will begin to change the script... automatically. Then, you can add the new words, the new script.

Your work is cut out for you because habits of mind and body can be difficult to break. Now you know how to do it. And you're up for it, right?

You are on a wonderful path. Keep it strong, keep it bright, keep it positive. Join me at http://spiritfeast.blogspot.com/ for powerful articles, videos, links, and more. Spirituality at its best. Richard Kent Matthews - Executive Coach, Speaker, Minister, Counselor, Writer, Musician.

Original article

Failing or Failure?

Someone said, "No one ends up where they aim...not even God."

Really? Not even God? Surely, this person was not suggesting that God sometimes fails?

Yes, come to think of it, I suspect God does. From the beginning, didn't creation become one colossal failure? And, centuries later, Jesus shows up. Even if you believe that he showed up on this earth as one sent by God to take on himself the failure of humanity and so die in your stead (something I once believed and many in the Christian community still do), I have often wondered how I could look at his life or study his teachings and draw any other conclusion than that his life, too, was a colossal failure. He once said of himself, "I have come to seek and to save the lost."

Well, did he succeed? No and yes. What do you suppose his agony was in the Garden on the night before his crucifixion? A celebration of his successes? Wasn't it the agony of defeat, even death...his own? But, of course! He knew this. The tide of popularity had swelled into a drowning wave of pain and rejection. He was in sheer agony. He, too, had failed, having not achieved what he hoped.

Or, was it a failure?

I have learned something important in a grace-awakened state of consciousness, which I describe at length in much of my writing. There's a difference as wide as the Grand Canyon between failing and being a failure. Most of my life, I have lived with the feeling of being short-changed, as if I was just one step away from achieving whatever the ego in me had imagined was necessary to award me fulfillment, a sense of completion, a kind of endless personal satisfaction. I don't know how many times, for example, I've had an ingenious idea only to pick up the paper and read about some wag in Utah who had beaten me to the draw, made his fortune, and all pertaining to the same dream I had. For much of my life, I have lived, not only with the reality of failing, but the feeling as if I am a failure...even a loser. Unless you're like me, you can only imagine how awful it is to live your life standing as it were at the precipice of success while the ego taunts you like a teenage bully, "Failure!" "Phony!" "Loser!"

Seems hard to believe, doesn't it? Oh, I know some of you read my musings and think, "Wow, he's made it!"

Made it? You don't know what haunts me at night. You have no clue the profound feelings of inadequacy that dog me day.

Gratefully, I have learned what it is-it is the ego in me. And that's how the little monster himself beats you up almost continually. Living with him can be, in the words of St. John of the Cross, "the dark night of the soul." I would be insane today were it not for the fact that in my spiritual awakening I have seen in Jesus' own failure a glimmer of personal hope...a pathway to my own destiny. Yes, I suppose, in one sense, Jesus failed, as did the Buddha. For years, the Buddha searched, sacrificed, and tore at his soul to find solace, serenity, and satisfaction. Then, unexpectedly, one night under the Bodhi tree, a miracle happened. Liberation from the internal monster was its reward.

In the miracle that is the Universe, what I refer to as God, to fall is to find yourself in a destiny you never dreamt of before. On such occasions, failing could only ever mean you're fragile...you're human...and, you're in need of something, or Someone, grander than yourself to do in you what you cannot do for yourself. That is, to transform you into that which you truly are, not a trophy case full of forgotten accomplishments, not a "success" with the cars, or houses, or Oscars to prove it; but, a person infinitely more wonderful than anything that would award you pleasure today and pain tomorrow. No, where Grace takes you is to a finer destiny indeed.

And where is that?

You'll see. Just wait. You'll see. Or, maybe you've seen it already. That little place deep inside you that begs exploration. You've been listening to the degrading voice of the inner ego long enough. And when you tire of him-and, you can be sure, you will tire of him, then your journey will begin. For as one spiritual teacher put it, "When the search for God ends, the journey with God begins."

This voice that calls out, ever so lightly, is unobtrusive...almost inconspicuous. It is, in the words of the Psalmist, "a still, small voice"...waiting patiently for an opportunity.

There is no judgment in her voice, only joy; No criticism in her tone, only encouragement; no failure in her plans; only a future. Your future, as a matter of fact! Blessed holiday, my friend! Grace is born!

I've put up an entire post on my blog about this (and written a whole book about this and other matters related to the spiritual life), and I'd love to share some of the things I've learned with you. To get started, visit this article I recently posted at my blog http://www.stevemcswain.com/blog.

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How to Make Portable Positive Affirmation Cards - Inexpensive Cards You Can Make in 5 Minutes

Positive affirmations work faster when you repeat them often throughout the day, instead of just once or twice. However, it is easy to forget to do it while rushing through the day. This article will share with you how to make easy portable positive affirmation cards within 5 minutes that you can put in your wallet, car or around the house. They serve as reminders to make use of the affirmations whenever you see them while going about your day.

I recommend handmade cards over those you can buy as they tend to be more effective. Some words work better for you than others. Being able to customise the wordings to those that work best for you means that the affirmations will work better for you. When your affirmation cards are handmade, they become very personal and will resonate better with you than those that are commercial made or store bought.

Materials you will need:

colored paper (100-120gsm works well)scissorsblack markerdecorative embellishments (optional) eg: colored markers, stickers, pictures, glitter etc

Step 1: Cut paper into the desired size

Cut your colored paper or decorative paper into the desired size. I like to use either bright or pastel colored paper. Bright colors are more eye catching and draws your attention to the affirmation among a sea of white paper documents. Pastel colors can also be a good option as they are soothing and calming on the eyes. I like to use plain paper and decorate them later, but you can just as well use decorated paper if you prefer. For simplicity and convenience, use what you can find at home.

The size must be small enough that it is portable, but big enough that the affirmations are readable. I like to make credit card sized positive affirmation cards because I find them the easiest to bring out. They are extremely portable as I can fit them into my wallet and then place them in the car while driving or display them on my desk at work. You can choose to make them in the size of post its or postcards if you like.

Step 2: Write one affirmation on each card using the black marker

These affirmations are some examples:

I live in the present moment, joyous and free.

I am comfortable with my sexuality.

It is safe to be who I am.

Step 3: Decorate

Get creative! The only limit is your fear to express yourself.

Add pictures, stickers or glitter to embellish your portable positive affirmation cards to make them more appealing and eye catching.

Now that you are done with your portable positive affirmation cards, bring them everywhere! The more you use positive affirmations, they more true they become for you.

Are you making progress with your affirmations?

It takes some time and effort to change your thought patterns and beliefs, but it is very possible to do so. Loving yourself is a continuous choice and process. Self love and happiness is not about reaching an ideal end destination, but about constantly being true to yourself and placing your happiness as utmost importance. It isn't easy, so keep encouraging yourself to stay on this journey and use affirmations daily.

Sueyan Lim Shuyan shares about being a self loving individual and encourages others to love themselves more and more as the wonderful, important individual they are. My sister and I have been using positive affirmations for 7 years. We share about being our true selves as best as we can, no matter what other people think, say or want. We welcome you to click here to find out how you can positively encourage yourself daily and let your true self shine.

Visit our website http://www.prosperitysistersbeasyness.com/ to make use of affirmations as well as other simple activities and methods to love yourself more today. We encourage you to join the thousands of people who are living in joy each day.

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How to Build Your Self Confidence - Positive Affirmations for Women

Women love to feel good and be appreciated for who they are. You know the feeling when your boss praises you for doing a good job, or when a man adores you for looking good. Fundamentally, we all want to feel good about ourselves. But what about those incidences when we've been hurt? When someone passed a hurtful comment, or we failed at something? Those are the times when negative thoughts and beliefs about ourselves may have been formed. Lets explore how you can use positive affirmations to build self confidence. You can use these affirmations to feel more secure about yourself and feel good from within.

What are some positive affirmations for women?

I love being a womanI love my bodyI rejoice in my femalenessMy body is doing the best it can now

If love feels like a word that is too strong for now, use the word appreciate or enjoy. You may not feel like you can love your body yet, but starting to appreciate it is a good start.

Appearances affect your self confidence

A woman's appearance can really affect her confidence level. The media bombards us with images of what is 'perfect' and then we inadvertently compare ourselves with that. If we believe what they show us is the only form of being beautiful, and we look different from that, then we may start to form certain negative views about the way we look. Over time, negative thoughts and beliefs about ourselves limit us and create fear in our lives. We start to become fearful of being who we really are inside.

How can positive affirmations help?

Positive affirmations help to improve your self image by changing the way you look and think about your appearance. The fundamental basis of using positive affirmations is that we create our thoughts and beliefs in life. These thoughts and beliefs then shape our responses to anything that happens. We need to understand that events in themselves have no meaning, only the interpretations we give to it. So if we have chosen hurtful thoughts such as 'I am ugly' in the past, we can just as easily choose to change them into 'I am beautiful'.

I used to have an unrealistic ideal of looking like Kate Moss when in fact, I may never reach that goal. Comparing myself to super models, celebrities and even prettier girls in school, I felt that I was ugly and undesirable. It was worse when people remarked about my looks and unconsciously scarred me even more. It made me fearful to express myself.

Positive affirmations help change your negative thought patterns and habitual responses into more positive and self loving ones. The key is to notice when a negative thought comes up. Ask yourself if the thought makes you feel good. If it doesn't, choose a better one by turning it around.

What if it's not working?

Sometimes, you strongly believe and identify with thoughts and ideas that you have held on to for a long time. While those thoughts may have served you in the past, you can let them go and choose new ones that nourish you. You are an amazing individual with intelligence, beauty and wisdom. Seek to find confidence from within by believing in yourself and trusting that you are worthy and beautiful.

Sueyan Lim Shuyan has been working with positive affirmations for 5 years. She shares her wisdom on changing habitual thought patterns and responses into self loving ones. Loving yourself and letting your true self shine is an ongoing choice to do so. Click here to find out more ways you can positively encourage yourself to feel like the worthy and deserving individual you are.

Let me share with you how to let your true self shine no matter what anyone says. My sister and I help individuals love themselves more and more at our website http://www.prosperitysistersbeasyness.com/

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The Beauty of Receiving

The Christmas holidays are over and we've just been through the season that's all about giving... and how that's so much better than receiving. (Which many of us believe, deep in our hearts, until we see our credit card statements).

But when it's all about giving, without receiving in return, the "well" ultimately runs dry - the well of our emotions, energy, time or money.

Many of us continue to give, give, give, while resisting receiving, because it's just too hard to accept help, gifts or even a compliment. Why is that?

My good friend Lisa Zimmerman, says that giving is easier than receiving because when we give we are in control, when we receive we are not.

Lisa is so attuned to the power of receiving, she's delivering a three-part telecourse called "The Beauty of Receiving." And when she discovered my independent, totally self-sufficient, do-it-yourself nature, she suggested I sign up.

So I did.

And here's what I've learned.

These are the big obstacles to receiving everything from support at work to help around the house, or just a little extra love from your friends and family.

1) Safety and trust issues. Boundaries - emotional, physical or sexual - were crossed, as a child or as an adult, and you believe it's much better to keep others at arms length because being vulnerable is not 'safe.' You resist receiving help, gifts, or even acts of kindness, because others 'can't be trusted,' there must be a hidden agenda or strings attached.

2) Beliefs about worthiness. You don't believe in your self or your talents because you were judged, criticized or neglected; nothing was mirrored back to you about your own inherent value. You're not sure you 'deserve' to receive gifts, help or an abundant life. After all, what have you 'done' or achieved to get it?

3) Having to be an adult as a child. You never experienced the luxury, and necessary stage of development, of being a self-centered toddler or child. You had to take on the responsibility of caring for siblings, parents or others, without ever being taken care of yourself. You've grow up to be a superb do-it-yourselfer, who's good at being in charge, but lousy at being vulnerable or appearing to need help... with anything.

4) Total neglect. Without any real attention, care or nurturing as a child, you basically raised yourself. Today you're totally independent, without any "need" to receive because that was the blueprint laid out for you early in life.

5) Belief that giving requires 'sacrifice.' You have been raised to believe others' needs are more important than yours, and that for you to receive someone else has to go without, or not have their needs met.

If any of these barriers ring true for you, fear not.

Here are a few ways to change your receiving signals and get what you want (and what you need).

1) Re-parent yourself by changing your negative beliefs about who you really are and your role in the world, or find someone you trust to give you new positive messages about your true value, worthiness and right to receive.

2) Shift your mindset and take "response-ability" for how you respond to others. Are you willing to ask for help and be open to receive? Ever?

3) Check your expectations. Learn to expect help (in a kind, not demanding way). When you expect people to help you, you can usually find people to help you.

4) Surrender control. If you're used to running the show and managing even the smallest details, ask yourself: "What will happen if I don't run everything?" And also ask: "Is this really my job?"

5) Create space to allow help, and others, in. If you're speeding around doing it all and are 'too busy' to stop, there's no time or space for help to enter in. Stop. Slow down. And open up.

6) Choose your thoughts. Negative thinking - especially judgement of yourself or others - prevents you from receiving. What if you look for the best in others or a certain scenario rather than the worst?

7) Perceive everything as care. Reframe receiving as a good thing, not the universe implying that you're inadequate or 'helpless.' Look for what's good and you'll create more of it.

8) Let go of everyone and everything that doesn't serve your highest good. This is a tough one for the "I'm not worthy" types, but you deserve to be treated as well as you treat others. And you get to decide who's in your 'orbit,' your inner circle and your life.

It's not better to give than receive; it's better to give AND receive. The 'love' has to flow both ways.

When we receive, it does not take away from another. There's enough sunlight for everyone.

So for all the control freaks, martyrs and "people who give too much" among us, ask not what we can do for others... but what can they do for us?

Or follow Lisa Zimmerman's new mantra and ask: "I wonder who wants to help me today?"

My philosophy of writing, and all art, echoes Gaboury's belief about architecture: "The essence of architecture is space structured for human beings, but the ultimate goal is symbolic, metaphoric or spiritual, like any other art form. The difference with architecture is that it links art with the practical."

I believe that powerful writing, too, can link the artistic with the practical.

You can hire me to write feature length stories, or to produce short, snappy creative content for print, broadcast or online.

http://barbaraedie.com/

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Tips for Better Positive Affirmations

You can read anywhere about how to create affirmations, what exactly positive affirmations do, and how they work. But it can be a little harder to find tips on how to make them more successful for you. There are obviously as many tips available to you as there are actual affirmations. Everyone is unique in how their mind works therefore there is no set rules on how to have positive affirmations work for you. There are many tips that can be applied to most anyone though. This is what we will talk about today.

Many people know and understand that repetition is a key to success for positive affirmations. The standard practice is to repeat your affirmations upon waking up and right before going to bed. The more that you repeat your affirmations to yourself, the more that you mind will become saturated with the ideas you are trying to convey to it. To this point, it might be a good idea to carry around a physical reminder to let you know that you should recite your affirmative statements. For example, if you put your hands in your pockets often, you may want to carry around a rough stone that will trigger your memory. In other words, every time you put your hands in your pocket and feel the stone, you know that you should repeat your affirmations to yourself. This is the same thing, though less visible than tying a ribbon around your finger, however you can tie a ribbon if that will help you. Anything that will help remind you to say your positive affirmations will be a great thing.

Another good tip for succeeding with your positive affirmations is to create pictures and images in your mind that go with your affirmations. Picture what your affirmative statements should look like to you, and how you will feel and look when they are successful. Even as a mental image, this will be a more tangible thing to grasp for your subconscious mind than simple words. If you state "I have the potential to be successful in my life", then you are leaving a very ambiguous picture for your subconscious mind. If, on the other hand, you picture what it would look and feel like to be successful, what you would see in front of you, how people around you would react, and the feelings you would experience at this, then you are creating a complete picture for your mind. This becomes much more than just words, it becomes an almost real thing. The image is so clear in your mind that your subconscious can almost reach out and grab it. This will make it so much easier for your mind to be able to accept your positive affirmations for fact.
As I mentioned earlier, there are many, many more tips that could work for you. Over the course of the next few articles, I will expand on other ways that you can help your own positive affirmations become more successful. Read through them and see which ones make the most sense to you and your lifestyle. You can then use any of a combination of these tips to reinforce your positive affirmations, and help them go from being an abstract thought to your new reality.

Original article

Remember The Good Things

While life is sure to throw us a few curve balls, and at times our future may seem bleak, it's always important to remember is truly important in life, and not lose focus of the real tangible loving things in our lives that need constant care.

Do you remember the last time you stopped and smelled the roses? Seriously! There is an abundance of beauty all around us if we only open our senses to allow them to be appreciated. No matter where you are or where you live, from apartment complexes to the countryside, from the mountains of steel and glass, to the small-town  streams that flow through them, appreciate where you are. Try and find the things you like and admire in all things. No matter if it's man-made or of nature, there is beauty in the symmetry and order in all things.

Do you remember the last time you told you wife and kids you loved them? Wouldn't you like to have someone tell you that will sincerity every day? I can't stress enough how important it is to communicate your love and appreciation effectively to the important people in your life. Never take for granted any of them or the moments you share together. One thing is for sure, time never stops, and nothing lasts forever, and one day we will all be gone. So cherish each moment, and make the most of the times you share.

Do you remember the last time you took control? No, I don't mean in some power hungry egocentric kind of way. When was the last time you stopped making excuses, and took responsibility for everything that happens in your life? Do you remember the last time you took charge, didn't wait for someone else, and finished whatever it was on your own? I bet the results were just as you wished them to be, if not, you knew exactly what you had to do to make them so.  Sit in the drivers' seat of your life. Dictate the outcomes you want by taking upon yourself the work that must be done in order to achieve them. Don't pass the buck, or wait for others. It's your life, so take control.

Remember the good things in life and let them inspire you to even greater  heights in life. Dwelling on what's going wrong, only focuses your thoughts on negatives, instead of thinking of positive solutions. As human beings, no one is perfect, but hopefully we're surrounded by people who are perfect for us. Cherish them and tell them how much you appreciate them at every turn, and they're love and respect will be returned. Remembering the good things in life is a fantastic foundation to build on as you write new chapters in your life.

Elliot Zovighian is a life coach, speaker, author, blogger is the owner of EZ Lifestyles, a life coaching company from Toronto, Canada. His daily blog offers articles and advice on such subjects as life skills, work and career, relationships, parenting, featured videos and more. http://www.ezlifestyles.ca/

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What Are Your Possibilities?

Ever wonder why some people seem to be able to do the impossible, but when face with a seemingly impossible task, you buckle and give up in the middle of what you are supposed to do?

There are things in this world that seem to be beyond physical and mental possibilities, but there are people who bridge that barrier every day. All you have to do is look at the news, or read some of the more popular magazines, to see that this is more evident than you might think. Want a hint of what is possible. Just find a rambunctious child, and tell him there is something really hard to do, and then tell him he better not try to do it because it is too hard. Then stand back and watch what happens. That child will do everything in his power to carry out that task, no matter how hard you might think it is. We have all fallen prey to the 'restrictions' of life, being told that 'you can't do that', or 'that is too dangerous', or 'that is beyond your physical abilities'. Just like anything else, the more you are told something, the more likely you are in believing what you are told. Like any negative response, it can have a very adverse affect on us. It puts limitations on us all, and will keep us from reaching for the impossible. That is why we need to keep a lid on how we speak to others, especially where children are involved. Maybe if we had received more positive input when we were children, we would be better suited to living a full life, without the engrained restrictions that have been pounded into us.

When there are obstacles in the way of progress, do you back off and give up, or do you find alternative routes or methods to complete what needs to be done. All we need to do is stop and think about the rewards of finishing a task, and where we could be when we finish the task. If a child breaks his leg, put him in a wheelchair and watch how fast he turns it into a race car, or he's doing wheelies around the house. Give him a BMX bike, and he will find the biggest jump he can find to go flying off from. Give him a sled in the winter time, and he will find the biggest hill around to flying down.

Take Bethany Hamilton. She lost her left arm to a shark attack, and wondered if she would ever be able to surf again. It was a long struggle, and she had a lot of setbacks. But the one thing that she told her trainer was, "Don't tell me what the probabilities are, tell me what the possibilities are". The difference here is that probabilities infer that someone else might be able to do it, but not you. infer that it is something that you can carry out with the right attitude and mindset. Another good example is Nick Vujicic. If you don't know him, you owe it to yourself to find out who he is. He is nothing short of extraordinary. He was born with no legs or arms, but was granted by God with a gift of inner strength. He had more struggles in his life than any other ten ordinary people. But he is so inspirational to others that many big name corporations hire him to come in and talk to their employees.

When you are interacting with others, especially if you have a business and there are people on your team, it is especially important to always be positive and supportive of their ideas and suggestions. Negative influences and reactions can kill creativity, and stifle the growth of your business and team. And no matter the situation, whether it is in your business, or at a regular job, it is important to be positive and nurturing with others. It makes work a lot easier, makes for a more conducive, and makes for happier co-workers.

Try finding a few methods of self-improvement, such as meditation. Use positive affirmation to help overcome all the restrictive negativity that you have had engrained into you for so long. Try yoga, which will result in better muscle tone, give you better blood flow, and help improve mental clarity. It will also reinforce the meditative state and positive affirmations that you are practicing. If you are around negative people, find a way to avoid them, and make a concerted effort to bring more positive people into your circle. It is important that you weed out the bad influences in your life. It is the only way to bring about the desired results.

Don't let the child inside of you totally die. You can turn back the clock with some real effort, and find ways to get back that adventurous spirit you thought you lost. Find ways to reach that goal you have striving for. Brush off the fear of rejection, and stay true to course. It will get easier with time, and the more you actually face the fear, and not run from it, the better you will get at overcoming obstacles that get thrown at you. Helping others is a very simple way of reinforcing the goodness in your life, for we all know that to truly help yourself, you must help others first. So let's start with our children by teaching them that fear is not an ending point, just merely an obstacle to overcome, by giving them the support and positive influence they need. Stop telling them that something is impossible, or that they can't do it, for whatever reason, whether there is physical or mental limitations, because those limitations will only be of our own design.

These limitations need to be removed from our thoughts and actions, for they only serve to hold us back. Keep practicing your positive affirmations, and include your family in this practice. It will strengthen your family unit and their individual persona. Make smarter choices when deciding what will affect your family. Do you want to live under someone else's rule, letting them decide what is best for you, binding you to them forever? Are you tired of making someone else rich? Do you want to take back control of your life, or will you let the fear rule you forever? Take a step in the positive direction, and make the necessary corrections. Don't wait until it is too late. Smack fear in the face and defy it with all your might. Take the first step to freedom, and do it now.

Michael Beaumont
Marketing Specialist
ProElite
http://www.newageretirementplan.com/

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