Blog for Self Improvement

Motivation, Inspiration, Stagnation

nobody@www.42tales.com (shahjee) — Mon, 12 May 2008 03:34:40 PDT

It seems we all hear so often how important it is to become successful. It is what drives many people through their life journey. How do you define success? Does it relate to becoming wealthy? Gaining prestige? Building a business from nothing into something of great value? Feeling important? Creating a respectable image?

These are certainly noble aspirations. It's normal to desire prosperity and recognition, but is that what is really important for life to be successful? There are several ways to view the journey of life so let's examine these three ways: being motivated, being inspired, or being stagnant.

Motivation is an ego-driven process of making things happen in your life. We've been taught the principle of an indelible determination that makes you climb right over the obstacles, never giving up. With this drive, nothing gets in the way of your goal! We've been taught this is the road to success and it is vital that we envision what we want and go after it with all our gusto. There are thousands of motivational seminars, books, audios, and videos that share the secrets to getting motivated and accomplishing your dreams. With motivation a person grabs an idea and works and perseveres until they achieve their goal. Many individuals have been incredibly successful from this approach. It does take a lot of extra work to accomplish, but the end result is what counts in this approach.

An inspired journey is quite different. In this journey the individual is grabbed with an idea so that it takes hold of them and leads to an inspired end result. Inspiration is the reality of Spirit working through you. In other words, you are being led in the direction that Spirit knows is good for you and the benefit of others.

Inspiration always flows from the universal energy of love. It is not something that is forced or pushed in any way; it simply flows effortlessly. Most of the time, when moving from inspiration, the ultimate goal or outcome is unknown. It is a guidance that comes from within, spirit-driven, and simply asks for faith in the move into unknown territory. It always involves surrendering your will - something very difficult for most people to do.

All of my books come in this way. My second book, The Realness of a Woman, was not even in my thoughts, but one morning while I was showering I heard a voice that said I was to write that book. I simply said "okay" without having any idea what would be in the book. Every word on the 340 pages came through Divine guidance and it would often surprise me what I had written. This is inspiration. It also means simply agreeing, or surrendering, and waiting for the next step to unfold. Yes, it takes a lot of faith and trust, but every time I allow inspiration to flow, the end result is better than I could have ever imagined. It allows you to live in a state of total bliss and inner happiness, and it always requires that you get out of the way so Spirit can work!

Stagnation is another way people live their lives. Webster says that a stagnant life is one that is lacking in activity and interest, that it is sluggish and dull. This is the life many people live when they allow their job to control their life. There are bills to pay and commitments to others, so they work day after day in a job that doesn't fill them up. So this person drifts along, existing in their life similar to a robot, doing what they know to do.

A life of stagnation is not a happy life. You may find external things that make you feel happy for a while, but the novelty soon wears off and you're on to another pleasure, or at least wishing for one. In a stagnant life there is often a feeling that something is missing, or perhaps the feeling of not enough. The reason is that this person hasn't found their passion in life and therefore cannot feel fulfilled no matter what they do. This lifestyle is where most people live and eventually die. It is as if they are coasting through with life happening to them. This life is one of smallness.

Everything in life is about choice. If you don't consciously make a choice, a choice will be made for you. Many times an individual doesn't even realize they actually can make a choice, and so often I've heard the comment as someone is offering a defensive explanation, "I had no choice." My friends, you ALWAYS have a choice!

So I ask you to review the three ways you can live your life - through motivation, through inspiration, or through stagnation. The choice is yours and yours alone. Your greatest power is the power of choice. Which direction is the path you want to travel? One of these lifestyle choices is how you are living your life right at this moment. Maybe you like your life and maybe you don't, but if you want it to be lived differently, you have to make the choice to do it.

Right now, without doing another thing, think about these three ways to live. Which one do you think will bring you the greatest rewards, give you peace, and the most happiness as you show up for it?

I live my life through inspiration. I tried stagnation for many years but was miserable, restless, unfulfilled, and disenchanted with life. I made a choice to become motivated, and I did that too. I reaffirmed with positive affirmations every day and both read and listened to motivational information. I even worked with a motivated person, and I can tell you from my personal experience that it was a lot of hard work with little compensation during that time. In recent years I chose the inspired lifestyle, and my life became extraordinary. Things flowed into my consciousness that sometimes elated me and other times scared me, but I listened and followed the guidance that came. The end result? I am happier than I've ever been. I've written three books and more are on the way. I overcame my fear of speaking in public. Money has showed up in just the right timing to pay for whatever I was guided to do. I am at peace every day and know everything is working in Divine order. Amazing things keep showing up in my life that I could never have orchestrated. I work hard when I know I've been guided to do something, but there is always balance in my life now that didn't exist before. I have found that by focusing my thoughts on what flows to me with ease, I have time to complete everything that is important. My life has become extraordinary and every day is a joyous experience. I wish this for you!

Take a moment and decide what you want your life to be like: motivated, inspired, or stagnant. It's your choice!

Carolyn Porter, D.Div.

Empower Productions, Inc.

www.drcarolynporter.com
info@drcarolynporter.com

Carolyn Porter, D. Div., is an Inspirational Speaker, Author of multiple books, ebooks and audios, Spiritual Wholeness Coach, Energy Facilitator, Health Store Co-owner, whose passion is to help individuals move beyond their self-imposed limitations and become all they are meant to be. In this place they can create an extraordinary life with endless possibilities.

How do I Cope with Changes in Life?

nobody@www.42tales.com (shahjee) — Sun, 11 May 2008 09:29:51 PDT

Everyday we deal with many changes that directly or indirectly affect our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Whether it is in our thoughts or actions, we simply can�t ignore the fact that we have to make constant changes to better adapt to our environment, and ultimately make the most of every given situation.

Changes can be viewed as short term or long term adjustment made to improve a situation or to achieve certain predetermined goals. As much as we want to embrace changes with a positive attitude, but changes could also be seen as something threatening and unpleasant. Whichever angle you look at changes, a good understanding of any situation will keep your mind objective to undertake changes in the most positive outlook.

Changes come in various forms. The most essential changes take place in our everyday lives such as in the area of decision making, career development, family planning, health care and so on. These changes are within our control as we can determine the outcome by choosing the desired course of actions amongst all other alternatives to a situation. For example, a young lady who wants to excel in her career must choose actions that will help her further develop her career skills. In choosing the right thing to do, she must first identify her strengths and weaknesses, and then decide upon the area of improvements that will eventually pave her corporate ladder in years to come.

On the other hand, there are many changes which are unpredictable and unexpected. These are changes which occur when we are not ready to make a shift from our comfort zone. Usually, such changes are called for in times of a crisis or turn of event that could affect our lives or the lives of our loved ones drastically. If the situation is left unattended, the consequences could be detrimental to all involved. For example, if one of our aged parents passed away due to a sudden heart attack, we have to help the other parent to cope with the grief period. If proper care is not given immediately, the surviving parent may face serious health problems.

Naturally, changes which are within our control are more likely to be accepted; while changes that are beyond our control will demand greater courage and boldness in us. How then are we to cope with changes in life? What could be done to make changes more acceptable and pleasant?

I have devised a simple yet effective method in which the process of change is made possible when applied overtime. I called this method �I Can!� An acronym that represent the 4-steps process of producing a change: Identify Create-Assess-Never Give Up!

The first step, �Identify�, is a crucial step where you identify the situation at hand from all perspectives. This is when questions are raised to gain better understanding of the situation, such as: Who is affected? Why is this happening? and so forth.

The second step, �Create�, is when you explore alternatives to cope with the situation you are facing. After weighing the pros and cons of the alternatives, you must create the course of actions � changes � which you are ready to commit.

The third step, �Assess�, is a time where you assess the effectiveness of the actions which you have taken earlier. This step is important to see if your changes are working towards solving the situation or not. If the results are undesirable, you must then evaluate the factors that contributed to the results and find ways to solve it.

Lastly, you must �Never Give Up� no matter how great the challenges and difficulties you faced when coping with the various changes in your life. Remember that you have started the race and must aim to reach the finishing line. Everyone is cheering for you; your parents, spouse, siblings, children and friends. It is not how fast you run but how well you finish! They want to see you win and succeed.

A change indeed is an imperative part of growth for everyone. Despite all the hardship we had to face when bringing about a change, all your effort will be well paid off when your goals are achieved, and faith strengthened; ready to face with greater wave of changes in life.

About the Author: Author, Sarah Taylors, manages a directory that provides women related information and links to websites that sell products & services for women consumers. There are also many good and interesting women related articles which you can read for free. Visit her directory to find out more: Women's Appeal Directory.

Source: http://www.easyarticles.com

Self-hypnosis towards self improvement

nobody@www.42tales.com (shahjee) — Sat, 10 May 2008 11:23:54 PDT

Self hypnosis is a great tool for goal setting and self improvement. Most people are surprised at how easy it is to learn self-hypnosis. And self-hypnosis, in turn, makes a lot of things much easier.

Self hypnosis is usually thought of as a person listening to an audio tape, mp3, or other mass-produced media, intended to induce a willingness to absorb suggestions centered around a specific topic such as weight loss, stop smoking, etc.

Unfortunately, this kind of hypnosis is generally prepared by someone who has never met the person being hypnotized, often presenting unwanted, even unpleasant imagery and suggestions.

For example, if you sunburn easily, that last thing you want to hear about is a slow walk on a sunny beach. In this case, the "self" in self hypnosis simply means that you listen to it by yourself.

How do you incorporate self improvement to hypnosis?

To be able to go about self improvement, there are certain aspects in you that should be addressed. Using hypnosis, the negative aspects that are serving as hindrances to improvement are eliminated.

A true self hypnosis would necessarily be designed and created by the very person who will ultimately use and benefit from it.

Unlike the mass-produced hypnosis, this hypnosis is made for the exact purpose the person wishes, including the precise words and phrases that mean the most to that particular person.

The true self hypnosis is thus crafted by the person to suit his or her own needs. The benefits derived could only be accomplished with such a personal, one-of-a-kind hypnosis. In this case, the "self" in self hypnosis really does mean that you are hypnotized by yourself!

Below is a short view of the self hypnotic process. Though lots of variations of this method have been used, these are the basic steps you have to go through in order to hypnotize yourself to accomplish self improvement.

1. Position your goals from the most important goal to the less important. If possible, your goals should be measurable.

2. For each goal, you should formulate fitting suggestions which means you have to convert your goals into specific instructions to your subconscious mind on how to achieve each goal.

3. Relaxation. Use the first minutes of your self hypnotic session to get as relaxed as possible. Try to forget all your worries and problems.

4. Start your hypnotic initiation phase by saying and repeating out loud the hypnotic words you have chosen, thinking of these words or listening to a hypnotic tape or CD customized for your hypnotic and goal fulfillment needs.

5. Apply the hypnotic suggestions you have made for reaching the specific goal you work with, say them out loud, think them or use a tailored hypnotic tape or CD.

Before you start up your self hypnotic exercises you should make a time schedule for it. Do your hypnotic sessions every day, five minutes a day is enough. Repeat your suggestions as often as possible during the day.

Measure your progress. Are you closer to your goal now than you were before you started? Ask yourself. If you answer negative to these questions, you have to rethink and reorganize your train of thoughts.

This is the only way you can find out if this method is really helping you in achieving your self improvement goals.

Motivation to Exceed Expectations

nobody@www.42tales.com (shahjee) — Thu, 8 May 2008 19:09:33 PDT

One reason many of us find it difficult to delegate is that we've been sorely disappointed in the past.� "No one can do it as well as I can" is simply not true.� Given the opportunity and proper motivation, others will raise to your expectations with more creative, productive approaches to any task at hand.

Supervisors and managers can easily delegate, repeating the patterns of being disillusioned.� However, there is a difference between simply being a supervisor or manager and being a highly effective leader.� The title doesn't make an individual a leader.� Actions--consistent, meaningful, well-thought-out actions make the leader.

A sign of a truly effective leader is that he can motivate an individual or group of individuals in wanting to accomplishing a task.� This means that they involve all of their capabilities (imagination, insight, curiosity, enthusiasm) to not only accomplish the job, but they exceed expectations.

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea." ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Leadership mastery comes in continually challenging yourself to come up with new ways to motivate.� Clients tell me "I just don't know what's wrong with this individual. I've told them precisely what to do over and over again and they still can't get one simple job done the way I want it done in a timely manner!"

You've heard it said that the definition of insanity is 'doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.'� If your team is not living up to your expectations where is the disconnect?� Is it with them? �More likely it is with you and the manner in which you are communicating your wishes.

Do they have responsibility in asking for clarification and doing their job to the highest level imaginable?

Absolutely, yet the buck stops with you.� There is no shortage of books on motivation, yet I believe the simplest technique is to know the individuals within your team.� Who are they?� What do they value?� What motivates them as individuals and as a team?

Many leaders make the mistake of thinking all individuals are motivated by what their leader is motivated by, be it money, competition, excellence or accomplishment.� In taking the time to observe, ask questions and really getting to know the individual, you can save hours, weeks, years of disappointment on both sides.

This week take a deeper look at all individuals you lead (including your children.)� What do they really want?� Have you simply delegated tasks to them, or have you stirred up their own internal motivation?� How can you motivate them in a manner that has more to do with them than you?� In doing so, you'll create win/win scenarios, a much more exciting environment in which to work, socialize or play, and you'll have set the bar for them to exceed your expectations.. Have an outstanding week and enjoy your discoveries.

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For the sake of keeping your career fresh and on track, would you like to enjoy a weekly shot-in-the-arm from Master Certified Coach Ann Golden Egl�?� You can sign up for her Success Thought of the Week at http://www.gvsuccess.com .

The Power of Encouragement

nobody@www.42tales.com (shahjee) — Thu, 1 May 2008 19:37:05 PDT

One of the things we do well as human beings is to complain, to be quick in identifying where doer of deeds could have done them better, and even quicker in identifying what is wrong in everyone around us, everything people do, every machine, process, policy, event, et al, rather than commending the associated efforts. Those who are in denial of this fact are likely those who complain the most, for we all know somebody who never seem to be satisfied no matter what a very demanding boss, grumbling employee, harsh parent, whining child, politicians, and even religious leaders and congregations that should be cognisant of God's biblical command to "do everything without complaining". Hear this: Despite miraculously crossing the Red Sea on dry land, the Israelites were said to have complained against Moses and God almost immediately after!

We all agree that we could use just a little, regular dose of encouragement from the people around us, but we hardly receive any - and most likely hardly give any too. And of course, we blame this "oversight" on our busyness, our lack of time, our forgetfulness. In fact, the word "encouragement" is basically extinct in our workplaces, and becoming unpopular in our homes as well. Meanwhile, the feeling that our spouse, boss, coworkers, neighbors, friends, family, children, parents et al seem to only notice all of what we do wrong and barely anything we do right is becoming so prevalent and discouraging that many people no longer aim for the very best, but rather aim just to avoid the worst. It is no doubt that the world is more

sophisticated and richer than ever before, but somehow, mainly due to greed, lack of integrity and outright wickedness, the world has crossed over from been discouraging to depressing. News from around the world filled with increasing wars and rumors of war, homicides and suicides, petty thefts and corporate frauds, violence and terrorisms, teenage pregnancies and immature fathers, poverty and emerging terminal diseases, and now, the subtle elimination of human lives through abortions and euthanasia.

What you do or say every minute of the day is directly tied to how encouraged the people around you will be. If you are not about being encouraging to others, you have likely become discouraging to them. All it takes for us to help make this world a better place is really to notice the effort of others much more that the obvious improvement opportunities.

From my experience as a Life Coach, I strongly believe that your life can never be empty if all you do is seek to fill the lives of others! And this, I am committed to doing all my life. Give me a hand, and I will walk a mile with you. Give me some encouragement, and I will carry you in my heart forever. We are quick to identify those who seem to purposely seek encouragement, when in actual fact, we should look no further than ourselves.

As if the current state of the world is not depressing enough to carry in our head even minute of the day, why even bother sharing that "constructive criticism" with someone who you never take the time to encourage, especially since he or she may be directly tied to these prevalent pains and chaos in one way or the other? Why miss the opportunity to enrich someone on your way to work with a smile or friendly stare instead of maintaining that cold face? Why not energize your families and friends with a "Have a GREAT Day" on your way out instead of being so ungrateful for the gift of life by choosing to be moody so early in the morning? Why, for the sake of your own principles, standards and expectations, give up your right to be great and influential by withholding words of encouragement from the people that you are fortunate to be around? In the words of Apostle Paul, "Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? But instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong (by withholding encouragement from others), and you do this to your brothers and sisters".

Of the responsibilities we have in the world today, like being protective of endangered species, mindful of environmental pollution and global warming, philanthropic and engaged in communal volunteering, effective in leadership, and planting more trees than is being consumed, all of which are very noble and encouraging deeds, the most critical one is the duty of encouraging those around us everyday. This is what the world needs way much more than the things we think it does! As we go about our day inspiring others with hope, courage, and confidence, freely giving them support, stimulating and spurring them with courage and spirit, they will in turn start doing the same. According to Proverbs, "He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." Also, "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."

If we only knew how much we all actually desire encouragement, we will not withhold it from one another.

Encouragement is the cheapest gift we can give to people, and yet the most appreciated. All it takes is a smile, an uplifting remark, a friendly stare, a compliment, a gesture, a slight deviation from our natural state of selfishness. Our mind is the driver of our body, which is the vehicle, while encouragement is the gasoline the body needs to operate. For sure the vehicle is able to maintain high speed even when low in gasoline, but we are never willing to drive it too far with no gas station in sight. Remember that Jesus Christ once said that all the laws may be summed up into two: "Love God and love your neighbours", which means have great relationships . . . with God and everyone else. Successful people and businesses know this, and act likewise.

Now, go encourage someone and see your life filled with encouragement.
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http://www.theexhortation.com/index.htm

Do You Have Your Full Attention?

nobody@www.42tales.com (shahjee) — Thu, 1 May 2008 08:25:18 PDT

Have you ever had a conversation with someone and noticed midway that your mind is somewhere else and you have no idea what they just said? Or sat at your desk, hands on the computer keyboard and realized you've done nothing for the last ten minutes?

So often we allow our minds to be taken over by "unauthorized" thoughts, like a territory under foreign occupation. We live on auto-pilot, going through the motions of the day without fully enjoying or at least focusing on activities. Then, because our attention is so loosely tethered, we immediately react to external stimuli rather than making a conscious decision � responding reflexively to an email instead of concentrating on an important report. In reactive mode, we're less grounded and more vulnerable to stress.

To achieve flow, peak performance and productivity, I work with my clients to develop and train the "attention muscle:" the ability to be keenly aware and in control of what they're thinking, feeling and doing. Here are a few exercises, the mental equivalents of bicep curls, to beef up your focus and concentration.

DO A SPOT CHECK. Develop the habit of checking in on your mind and what it's thinking. Is it producing useful ideas for the presentation you're preparing, or preoccupied with your friend's snide comment last night? Probe around a bit to uncover any running commentary that might be creating anxiety - they may be so ingrained in your mental landscape that you don't notice they're there.

MAKE A 'WHAT'S ON MY MIND' LIST. The best way to get things off your mind is to put them down on paper. Sometimes this alone is enough to quiet the chatter. If you still can't stop ruminating, give yourself five minutes to scribble down all your stream-of-consciousness thoughts about a particular topic - why that snide comment annoyed you, what prompted it, how you could have responded, etc. Then tell your mind, "Okay, that's enough for now," and put it aside.

DETERMINE YOUR FOCUS. Now that you've got your full attention, decide where you want to direct it by setting mini-goals. Before making a phone call or writing an email, ask yourself: "What am I trying to achieve?" or create some urgency by seeing how many slides of your presentation you can do in 30 minutes. Train your attention to stay put. Okay, so that worked for five minutes but you keep getting distracted. First, notice when your mind wanders off and see if you can gently coax it back to the task at hand, without making a big deal of it - getting angry or critical usually doesn't work. (Just like it didn't when I was a child and my mother used to walk by the living room where I was (silently) practicing the piano and yell out, "Concentrate!")

Then, narrow even further your point of focus. Make a bullet point list of what you need to say in that company-wide email. In an endless conference call or meeting? Home in on each person when they speak and see if you can, without judgment, rate the qualities in their voice such as "warmth," "irritation," or "interest" on a scale of one to ten.

Developing your attention muscle is an iterative process not a one-time fix. The reward is that by devoting your full attention to the moment at hand, you will be able to delve deeper and gain greater satisfaction in everything you do.
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Peak performance specialist Renita T. Kalhorn is a Juilliard-trained pianist with a top-tier MBA and a first-degree martial arts black belt. Leveraging the power of "flow," she helps entrepreneurs and corporate professionals to achieve extreme focus and reach the top of their game at work. Claim your complimentary copy of "Find Your Flow! 21 Simple Strategies to Banish Tedium, Reduce Stress and Inspire Action" at

http://www.intheflowcoaching.com

Self Improvement - Important Things You Need To Know

nobody@www.42tales.com (shahjee) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:54:07 PDT

Do you want to improve something about yourself? There are many people that do. This is where self improvement will help you.

It doesn't matter what you want to improve, what matters is that you recognize the fact that no one is perfect and can always benefit from self improvement of any kind.

There is one thing that you have to do before you start any self improvement. You need to sit down and figure out the things that need improvement.

When you know these it will make it a lot easier for you find the self improvement program you need. Here are some examples of things that a lot of people may want to improve on.

One: Your ability to create motivation or punctuality.

Two: The ability to grasp new information.

Three: Being better able to communicate with others.

Four: Knowing how to dress properly for a function that is special.

These are just a few of the things that some people want to see improvement on. You are the only one that needs to know what you need the self improvement for.

You do not have to let anyone else know if you are uncomfortable with it. That information is only important for you.

So how do you start self improvement? You need to take the time to find a self improvement program that is right for you. It is not hard to find them and you don't even have to pay to get them.

You just need to get online and do a quick search to find them. You don't even have to use a whole program for self improvement if you don't want to. You can find free articles and other resources that you can use to put together your own program.

One thing that you need to know that is important is that when you start yourself improvement you will want to set goals. For example, do you want to lose 10 pounds?

Then write that down and be sure to write a time line for yourself. This will give you a goal to reach for and a certain time limit to do it in. If you want to have success with your self improvement program then this step is very important.

One other important thing that you need to know is that not all of the techniques for self improvement will work for everyone. You want to pick the techniques that you believe will work the best for you. This is why it is a good idea to put together your own self improvement program.

These are all very important things that you need to know about self improvement if you want to be successful with it. A self improvement program can definitely help you improve yourself but only if you take the time to actually do it.

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The Inner Dialogue

nobody@www.42tales.com (shahjee) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:23:08 PDT

Do you talk with yourself? When we hear people talking aloud with themselves we consider it weird. But have you noticed that all people, with no exception, talk silently with themselves? This, we do not consider odd or weird.

If someone hurts you in some way, or says something you do not like, what do you do? You enact a whole scene of anger in your mind! You envision yourself talking angrily; you shout at him and tell him some not so nice things. Sometimes people spend hours in such negative, destructive inner dialogues.

There is a continuous conversation going on in everyone's head, and a lot of energy, time and attention are wasted on small unimportant incidents. This conversation goes on from the moment of waking until falling asleep.

The inner dialogue continues while working, studying, reading, watching TV, talking, walking, eating, etc. There is a constant judging of people, commenting on what is going on, planning, gossiping, and mental conversations with people.

These inner dialogues bring about a snowball effect. The more we conduct them, the more we become chained to them and unable to stop them. When the emotions are also evoked, more power, energy and attachment are added. This has an adverse effect on the behavior, judgment and general performance.

On many occasions the inner dialogue is negative and strengthens any negative attitude and behavior. Few people have enough faith in themselves and in their abilities, so as to conduct positive inner dialogues. The process and effect of these inner conversations is similar to affirmations. Constant thinking about the same subject influences the subconscious mind, which consequently accepts these thoughts and words and acts on them. Negative inner dialogues bring negative results, and positive inner dialogues bring positive results.

You can use this process to your advantage. It is an automatic activity, which goes on whether you are aware of it or not. If you learn to become aware of it, you gain the ability to control it. You can turn it into a positive dialogue. If you do that, you come to realize that you have a mighty power in your possession.

Try to be aware of your thoughts. Calmly watch what is going in your mind, even if after a few moments you may forget to do that. The inner dialogue goes on even when physically you are engaged with something else. It is not so easy to mentally separate oneself from the thoughts and words the flow through the mind.

Over and over again endeavor to keep your attention of what is going inside your head, and eventually you will be able to become aware of the inner dialogue for longer times. Watching the mind and what is going on inside it develops detachment. Detachment gives a better control of the mind and its chatter.

Whenever you catch yourself conducting a useless, futile conversation with yourself, stop it. Change it to something more useful. Replace the subject, and the words. It is like running an audiotape. Why not replace it with another tape that you like? Why let this tape play by itself? Change the words of the inner dialogue to positive ones about good health, happiness and success.

There is another thing you can do, but this needs concentration and will power. You can try to stop this inner conversation altogether. Try to ignore it and give your mind a vacation. Let the mind rest for a little while. Life can certainly go on, even when this dialogue is silenced. For a little while, enjoy some rest from the mind's incessant conversation.

The inner dialogue is fine sometimes, but most of the time it is just incessant useless chatter, which distract the attention from what you are doing at each moment. By becoming aware of it, and replacing it with a positive one, or just refusing to become involved with it, you gain the ability to control it.

� Copyright Remez Sasson

Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power".

Visit his website and find articles and books filled with inspiration, motivation and practical advice and guidance.
Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com

Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm

UNLOCK YOUR SELF IMPROVEMENT POWER

nobody@www.42tales.com (shahjee) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:34:49 PDT

When we look at a certain object, a painting for example � we won�t be able to appreciate what�s in it, what is painted and what else goes with it� if the painting is just an inch away from our face. But if we try to take it a little further, we�ll have a clearer vision of the whole art work.

We reach a point in our life when we are ready for change and a whole bunch of information that will help us unlock our self improvement power. Until then, something can be staring us right under our nose but we don�t see it.� The only time we think of unlocking our self improvement power is when everything got worst. Take the frog principle for example �

Try placing Frog A in a pot of boiling water. What happens? He twerps! He jumps off! Why? Because he is not able to tolerate sudden change in his environment � the water�s temperature. Then try Frog B: place him in a luke warm water, then turn the gas stove on. Wait til the water reaches a certain boiling point. Frog B then thinks �Ooh� it�s a bit warm in here�.

People are like Frog B in general. Today, Anna thinks Carl hates her. Tomorrow, Patrick walks up to her and told her he hates her. Anna stays the same and doesn�t mind her what her friends says. The next day, she learned that Kim and John also abhors her. Anna doesn�t realize at once the importance and the need for self improvement until the entire community hates her.

We learn our lessons when we experience pain. We finally see the warning signs and signals when things get rough and tough. When do we realize that we need to change diets? When none of our jeans and shirts would fit us. When do we stop eating candies and chocolates? When all of our teeth has fallen off. When do we realize that we need to stop smoking? When our lungs have gone bad. When do we pray and ask for help? When we realize that we�re gonna die tomorrow.

The only time most of us ever learn about unlocking our self improvement power is when the whole world is crashing and falling apart. We think and feel this way because it is not easy to change. But change becomes more painful when we ignore it.

Change will happen, like it or hate it. At one point or another, we are all going to experience different turning points in our life � and we are all going to eventually unlock our self improvement power not because the world says so, not because our friends are nagging us, but because we realized its for our own good.

Happy people don�t just accept change, they embrace it. Now, you don�t have to feel a tremendous heat before realizing the need for self improvement.� Unlocking your self improvement power means unlocking yourself up in the cage of thought that �its just the way I am�. It is such a poor excuse for people who fear and resist change. Most of us program our minds like computers.

Jen repeatedly tells everyone that she doesn�t have the guts to be around groups of people. She heard her mom, her dad, her sister, her teacher tell the same things about her to other people. Over the years, that is what Jen believes. She believes its her story. And what happens? Every time a great crowd would troop over their house, in school, and in the community � she tends to step back, shy away and lock herself up in a room. Jen didn�t only believed in her story, she lived it.

Jen has to realize that she is not what she is in her story. Instead of having her story post around her face for everyone to remember, she has to have the spirit and show people �I am an important person and I should be treated accordingly!�

Self improvement may not be everybody�s favorite word, but if we look at things in a different point of view, we might have greater chances of enjoying the whole process instead of counting the days until we are fully improved. Three sessions in a week at the gym would result to a healthier life, reading books instead of looking at porns will shape up a more profound knowledge, going out with friends and peers will help you take a step back from work and unwind.� And just when you are enjoying the whole process of unlocking your self improvement power, you�ll realize that you�re beginning to take things light and become happy.

Do You Prefer Stress, Anxiety, Fear, Panic or Peace of Mind

nobody@www.42tales.com (shahjee) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 09:25:23 PDT

Do you live in a state of constant stress, anxiety, fear and panic, or do you enjoy peace of mind?

Do you let external influences affect your moods and state of mind, or do possess inner strength and detachment?

Are you obsessed by fearful thoughts and worries, or do you have control over your thoughts?

Too many people are anxious, stressed, worry too much, subject to moods and have no control over their thoughts and feelings. This situation leads to emotional, mental and physical problems, unhappiness and failure.

The truth is that that situation can be changed. Inner peace can be developed, just like other skill. You can gain a state of inner peace and inner strength that nothing can shake.

Inner peace, which is peace of mind, is not the sole possession of yogis and hermits. You too can enjoy it without becoming a yogi or a hermit.

There is an erroneous concept relevant, which says that peace of mind is sought and can be attained only by people who lead a completely spiritual life in ashrams or monasteries. Some even think that real peace of mind is an illusion and cannot be attained. These are erroneous assumptions. Some might attain a higher level of peace and others a lower level, yet everyone can gain at least some measure of inner peace. Such peace will certainly improve the quality of life, health, relationships and everything else.

There are various treatments for stress, anxiety, fears and panic attacks. Some involve psychological help, some use hypnosis and others involve the use of medications. All these treatments involve external help. There is another way to handle these problems, which does not involve external help. It is through inner work and training.

Don't be afraid of the word words inner training and work. You are not required to do impossible things. A mental training program for peace of mind starts from really simple actions, which you can incorporate in your daily life. They include a change of attitude, being more positive, developing of inner detachment, developing some control over the thinking process and later, also some special meditations aimed toward increasing the level of inner peace.

Stress, anxieties, worries, fear and panic start in the mind. They start as thoughts, which grow in strength and affect your behavior, actions and habits. Your thoughts and attitudes act like a filter, a screen or lenses, through which you see the world in a particular way, which does not always depicts reality. Your aim is to be more aware of them, and use certain techniques to stop their power over you. There is no reason to go on through life being at the mercy of uncontrolled thoughts, feelings, anxieties, worries and fears.

You can transform your life! You can change the state of your mind! Even a small amount of inner peace would do a great deal to you. Are you afraid of some effort? Can't you spare just a few minutes for making your mind and life a little calmer, with less fear and worries?

'Peace of Mind in Daily Life' is a book that goes into detail about this most important subject. It teaches in simple and easy to follow progressive steps how to attain this coveted state of inner peace, right here where you are, without the necessity of making any outer changes in your life. True peace starts from the inside, and is independent of external conditions.

Here are a few tips to help you start:

# Learn to use the replacement method, of changing every negative thought, as it arises, into a positive thought. Don't fight negative thoughts, just divert your attention a positive thoughts or mental images.

# Write down and keep a list of inspiring and uplifting quotes, and read them several times a day.

# Think positive and inspiring thoughts before falling asleep.

# Though it might not be so easy, try to keep an attitude inner detachment in dealing with difficult or unpleasant people. Don't take too personally their remarks or criticism.

# Don't watch thrillers or action movies on TV before going to bed or falling asleep.

# Reduce the number of times you listen to the news on the radio or TV. Know what is going on in the world, but there is no need to constantly fill your mind with news that cause you stress or fear.

# Repeat positive affirmations several times a day. Do so also when you feel stress or fear.

Here are a few examples:

- I feel peace and tranquility filling my mind and body.

- My mind is calm, like a lake on a quiet summer day.

- I feel calm relaxed and peaceful.

- I am a center of peace, calmness and happiness.

� Copyright Remez Sasson

Visit his website and find articles and books filled with inspiration, motivation and practical advice and guidance.
Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com
Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm