Why Do People Set Goals For Themselves?

This year, I’ve kept the goal setting small, yet difficult to achieve. However, I fully intend to use self perserverence adhere to and accomplish my goals which are to switch to vegetarianism, become accomplished at yoga, and maintain an inspired frame of mind as well as attempt to remove any sort of resentments which I feel are toxic to our systems. I came across a great article about how to formally set ones goals and get moving on them by Mark David Peters:

All successful people set goals, so goal setting must be a worthwhile activity to do. One of the main reasons why people set goals is because goals focus the mind and give it something to work towards. Goals are therefore like having a destination in life, and the things you do to achieve those goals are how you get there.

Without goals you will have no destination to go to, and so will be blown around like a leaf in the wind, never really going anywhere.

How To Write Goals?

When you have decided exactly what you want to achieve in certain areas of your life, such as romantic or financial, your next step is to write this in goal format.

Goal format simply means writing goals beginning with “I have” or “I am”, so they are written as if you have already accomplished them. This tells the mind exactly what you want to do so it can start working on achieve those goals.

However if you were to write goals beginning with “I will” or “I want” then it is unlikely you will achieve those goals, as to the mind these statements will always be in the future and so will never come.

Set A Deadline

Once you have your goals written down, you must then create a deadline for you to do them by. Without a deadline you will not be motivated to achieve them, and so will most likely give up on them after awhile.

Make A Plan

After your goals have been written down you should then create a plan as to how you are going to do them. For example if your goal is to loose a certain amount of weight, then your plan would include activities you must do to loose that weight.

This can include things like exercising 4 days a week and eating healthy foods. But whatever you do, try to make your plan as specific as possible. Although don’t worry about getting it right the first time round. You can always add to it later on.

Overview

Well that’s really all there is to setting goals. It’s nothing complicated, but it does require some initial time to be set aside so you can decide what goals you want to go after, and then how you will achieve them. These are the main principles of goal setting, and if you can follow these simple steps you will be well on your way to achieving them!

Visit EruptingMind.com for more Self Improvement Advice And Ideas

Who Me, Yoga?

Part of my quest for self improvement is the implementing of an exercise program that really fits my interests and capacities. I’m no couch potato, but neither am I a pumped up muscular guy. I am the average height and weight proportional guy.

I have given alot of thought to the style of regular exercise that I would partake of regularly. The stationary bikes, stair climbers, and weight machines at the standard gym tend to bore me fairly quickly, andd thereby I tend to drop my routine. Swimming and jogging are ok by me. However I am not particularly interested in either one for long term regular exercise.

A, what I thought at the time, strange idea entered my mind. Yoga. I knew a few people who practiced yoga and swore by it. I became resolved that I would seek out a yoga outlet and give it a try. To my surprise, there were dozens of yoga “gyms” and classes in my community, and thus finding one nearby was an easy task.

Talking with the receptionist was  a different experience altogether. I let it be known that I was interested in a beginner’s class, assuming yoga was, well, yoga. The lovely voice from the other end of the phone asked if i was interested in Hatha, Ashtanga, Kundalini, or Bikram yoga. In all honesty I felt like she was reading the menu from an Indian Restaurant to me. It was explained that Hatha Yoga is the mthod that most of us are already accustomed to to some degree. Thus I enrolled. Eleven classes for ninety dollars. Not a bad price at all, yet I had no idea what to expect.

I was told to wear loose fitting, comfortable clothing and that we were to be barefoot. I moved ahead with some trepidation, picturing myself surrounded by twenty first century “hippies”. To my surprise the class was a mix of age ranges, genders, and physical condition. I would assume the youngest were in their early twenties, ranging upwards to the early fifties.

We were given mats, and our instructor informed us that her mother, a senior citizen had become interested in, and was practicing yoga.

The lights were dim, the mood very relaxed. We sat in comforable positions and repeated three times the famous “auuum” chant. This was followed up by some truly beautiful chanting by our instructor, who then gently eased us into a variety of positions or poses interspersed with brief meditations. Before I knew it the 90 minute class was over. I was not exhausted and sweaty. In fact, I felt very relaxed, and physically I felt like I had given myself a full body massage. I was sold on it. The people in the class all looked serene and satisfied.

My particular locale has a menu to choose from in terms of courses, and I for one, am looking forward to sampling them all with my newfound exercise. Yoga.

Spiritual Growth Question – What is Inside of You?

I have never been one to make New Year’s Resolutions. In fact I have thought they were a useless waste of time. As the clock keeps ticking and I get a bit older, and after having experienced a difficult year in 2007, I have, for the first time made a number of resolutions. The goal being to rethink my internal spirtuality and motivation, and to pay more attention to my health, as well as to become vegetarian primarily for personal moral reasons but also for good health. I will be coming up with some detailed thoughts of my own, but in the meantime, I thought I would print a great “nuts and bolts” guide to spirituality in a nutshell written by Richard Blackstone :

Your spiritual growth is a process of going within. Most spirituality information prioritizes what is inside of you rather than what is exterior to you. So your first concern about your spiritual growth is whether you are choosing to go within for answers to your innermost questions.When you are living unconsciously you are making choices all the time that are mainly concerned with the world that is outside of your physical body. Everything in life is a matter of choice.

Now, you may think that you are not choosing. You may think that what you do in life is automatic, but that is because you have conditioned yourself to believe that way. You have conditioned yourself to keep choosing the same reactions to similar stimuli. You have forgotten that you have free will to choose any state of being no matter what confronts you in life.

If you come upon a situation that has caused you to be sad in the past, then you will probably choose to be sad if you come upon a similar situation in the present. But it is your choice to be sad. It may be made automatically, but it is a choice. When you are walking in awareness you may consciously choose to be happy. If you consciously choose to be happy in a sad situation, you will do different things then what you would do if you choose to be sad. It is entirely your choice.

It all depends on what is inside of you that you choose to bring forth and deal with in the present situation. What you choose to bring forth will be a state of beingness. What you end up doing will depend on which state of beingness you call forth.

If you are sleepwalking you will just think that you are doing something about your present situation, but as you begin to live life more consciously you start to understand that yes, you are doing something, but the something you are doing is determined by who you have chosen to be in the present moment.

When you make your choices unconsciously you have no idea what state of being you are demonstrating. You just know you are doing something to react to the situation in front of you. What will you choose to react with? Once again, it depends on what is inside of you.

What is inside of you?

I want you to think of an orange. If you cut this orange open and squeeze it really hard, what comes out? Orange juice, right? And why is that? Well, that is what is inside of an orange. You are not going to get lemon juice or motor oil; you are going to get orange juice.

Now, let us take this analogy and apply it to ourselves. If somebody squeezes you really hard, that is, they confront you or antagonize you in some way, what is going to come out of you?

Typically, if you are a sleepwalker, what is going to come out of you is anger, confrontation and fear. Why is that? Well, that is what is inside of you. Right at the surface of your feelings are the reactionary qualities that allow you to bring forth those aspects of yourself that reflect who you define yourself to be.

Most of our conditioning has caused us to bring forth those aspects of our beingness that we have been told are the appropriate responses to certain given stimuli. And because we have been told that these are the right and appropriate responses for a given situation, we dutifully fulfill everybody’s expectations by regurgitating those responses as a reaction to whatever we have been confronted with.

My question is two-fold. First, “Where is the free will in that?” Second, “Does that serve you?”

My second question is answered by the first. You only serve yourself by exercising your God-given free will. Of course, the key to all of this is to make these choices consciously instead of unconsciously. And how do we do this consciously?

You must be conscious.

Remember, our beingness creates our doingness. Only by being conscious can you do things consciously.

So here is another big Ah-haaaaa. In order for you to understand what serves you and what does not serve you, you must be conscious of who you are being as you encounter the people, events and experiences of your life.

Say “Ah-haaaaa.”

Richard Blackstone is an award winning author and international speaker on Love, Oneness & Creation. Journey into discovery of Self by reading this FREE report; “The 3 Simple Immutable Laws of the Universe” at: http://www.NutsandBoltsSpirituality.com

Becoming A Vegetarian Is Changing One’s Lifestyle

In continuing in my quest to become fully vegetarian, I will continue to share convincing articles I have found and then attempt to come up with one on my own. I have made it thus far in the New Year fully vegetarian and look forward to the continual working towards becoming fully vegetarian. I really enjoyed the below article by  E.S. Cromwell  and I hope that you will also:

You’ve been mulling around in your head about what you eat and what you’d rather eat instead. Since forever, you ate both meats and produce, but you’re considering converting to strictly eating just produce and being a vegetarian. This choice, switching from being an omnivore to a vegetarian, is a big and bold move.

In essence, becoming a vegetarian is to completely modify all aspects of your diet. And changing your eating habits is essentially altering your lifestyle.

With lifestyle change and personal decisions ahead, it’s easy to get flustered, but don’t! Instead, inform yourself and collect your thoughts. Read up on the positives and the negatives of adopting such a produce-driven lifestyle. Research your possible vegetarian food options. Be aware of the reasons that can initially spur, but better yet, justify such a dietary change in your life.

For reasons ranging from health, to ethics and morals, converting to vegetarianism ways is an act harvested from grounds all too fertile. The advantages are there, as are the brutal facts pushing – and continuing to push – many people to adopt a vegetarian way of living. But, really, why should you, let alone anyone, become a vegetarian? The reasons are endless. Specifically looking at factors for health and keeping with environmentally-safe actions, here are two major reasons to consider if you’re thinking of converting:

Keeping Health In Mind-

Vegetarianism is more healthful than eating both meats and produce. Meats are a significant source of protein and are full of plenty nutritional essentials, but they’re also full of fatty deposits. It has been proven that meats contain high levels of cholesterol and saturated fats. Vegetables, on the other hand, are more beneficial for someone seeking to lower their fat intake, as they contain little to no cholesterol or ‘bad’ fats.

So, by substituting meats with varied produce, you’ll be cutting unwanted and unhealthy fats from your diet. And in the process, you’ll also be ingesting some more produce-based ‘good’ fats that will actually be better than meat-based saturated fats.

In terms of nutrition, by omitting meats you’ll be eating a variety of more balanced and nutritional foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans and so on. All these will contribute to a better and healthful lifestyle through great amounts of nutrients. From this, your energy will skyrocket and your chances for contracting illnesses will lessen significantly.

Keeping Green and Helping The Environment-

Eating meat, and doing it often, is quite detrimental to our environment. It’s a matter of wasting resources and not creating more effective methods that will better environmental standards and current states.

Through the wasteful and exorbitant means it takes to feed our livestock, we are contributing to overusing our resources, such as land and water. The amount of land, water and grain annually used to provide farm animals continued living – until time of slaughter – overwhelmingly exceeds what we have available (or are able to produce) and what we would consider environmental-friendly. Even furthermore, these ineffective methods are adding to the already prevalent problem of depleting fuel and nonrenewable resources.

It’s clear that raising animals for food, in the manner that is currently conducted, is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. And sad thing is, most people are completely unaware that our methods are damaging and in need of major revamping.

Whether for you’ve been considering switching to vegetarianism due to personal, health, environmental or any other reason, know you’re not alone in this decision. Be aware though. If you do change your eating habits, it’s a lifestyle change and you’ll have to stick to it, no matter the difficulties interwoven.

If you’re considering to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle or are already one, why not try some reusable produce bags and environmentally helpful. Green bags, a side from being eco-friendly, are also great to keep all your produce super fresh. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=E.S._Cromwell

Vegetarian Diet – 7 Tips to Becoming Vegetarian

I am slowly but surely moving in on my desire to become vegetarian in 2008, and am taking the attitude that the evolution will not occur overnight. I read a great article on becoming vegetarian by Kathy Ferneau that helps walk one through the evolution step by step:

Why go vegetarian?

• Your health. Vegetarianism ranks as one the best ways to eat a healthy diet–as simple as eating more salads and another apple every day.
• Want to follow a trend? For instance, Hollywood stars jumping on the bandwagon.
• Fanatic devotion, near religious status. Deeply into the animal rights movement, some dedicated vegetarians won’t even eat in restaurants that serve animal products.

Getting started
A vegetarian diet produces benefits no matter how you approach it, so don’t worry about doing it wrong.

Your body will appreciate any fruit or vegetable you send down! Just take that all-important first step!

If you currently consume lots of high-fat, high-sugar junk food, it doesn’t make sense to debate the merits of vegetables versus meat.

The typical vegetarian diet meets or exceeds the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals, anyway.

Tips for success

1. Decide what version of vegetarianism suits you:
   • Vegan or total vegetarian – Includes only foods from plants: fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, seeds, and nuts.
   • Lactovegetarian – Adds cheese, milk, yogurt, and other dairy products.
   • Lacto-ovovegetarian – Also includes eggs.
   • Semi-vegetarians – No red meat, but includes chicken and fish.
2. Start all at once or gradually – totally your choice. Sick and tired of meat? Just dump it all together! Or, gradually eliminate meat products, starting first with red meat.Try switching your meat and vegetable portions. Make meat the side dish and feature vegetables as the main course. Asians typically eat this way, especially in stir fry dishes.
3. Watch total calories – limit sweets and fats. Don’t let your veggies swim in cream sauce or your fruits smother in sugary syrups.
4. Plan your menu. Either:
   • Simple–stick with basic fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. Three vegetable side dishes make a meal. Eat a large salad with shredded vegetables. Serve fresh fruit in a fancy dish for dessert. or
   • Complicated–experiment with exotic items such as tempeh, tofu, wheat gluten, or seitan.
5. Buy most of your groceries in the produce aisle. Visit the dairy aisle if you decide to consume cheese, milk, eggs, or yogurt.
6. Serve a colorful plate:
   • yellow corn
   • green spinach salad with red tomatoes
   • light brown whole grain bread
   • red cherries
   • orange oranges
7. Find out if your community hosts a farmer’s market.
   • Farmer’s markets create a fun shopping experience, almost carnival-like.
   • You’ll find the freshest produce available – probably just picked that day.
   • Feel good about supporting your local economy.

See, that wasn’t so hard! Start today–your body will thank you!

Looking for diet and weight loss tips? Kathy Ferneau has created an excellent resource for information on diets, healthy eating, and exercise. Click here: http://www.lose-weight-diets.com

Becoming Vegetarian – Making a Case for the Vegetarian Lifestyle

For some time now I have wanted to switch entirely over to a vegetarian lifestyle. Making the transition is not easy, but I think, once done, will be well worth the effort. The article to follow by Barry Lovelace, I found to be very helpful:

Let’s talk about becoming vegetarian. First of all, let me tell you that I am a vegan so this is a subject that I’m passionate about. I know that being vegan seems extreme to many people so we can talk about becoming vegetarian but trust me the more you clean out your diet the better you will feel and vegan is an extremely clean way of eating. The vegetarian diet has become much more common and it is a trend that will certainly continue. Fortunately, the medical community is now supporting becoming vegetarian strongly and suggesting that people cut out the saturated fats and cholesterol ingested by eating meat.

There are many myths associated with becoming vegetarian. Many people think of vegetarians and imagine longhaired hippies eating granola in their VW bus. Well, let me assure you that there are vegetarians and vegans in every social class, every ethnicity and every religion. There are people who make this lifestyle change for health reasons, for ethical reasons, for religious reasons and even for environmental reasons. It is multi-faceted to say the least. I will tell you that I became vegan after learning about what really goes on in the factory farming industry in this country. It is nothing like what you would imagine it is and the cruelty is unspeakable and difficult to face. Of course people can eat meat and drink milk and not have to face the horrors, they are all tucked away behind closed doors, hidden from view. We call it ‘beef’ when in reality it is a dead cow; we call dead pigs ‘ham’. It comes all cut and packaged so we don’t have to face the reality and do it ourselves.

Unfortunately, in trying to reduce the bottom line there is no limit to what will be done to animals, forgetting that they are living, breathing creatures that feel pain and feel fear. It never ceases to amaze me how horrified a meat eating person will get when there is a report of an animal abuse case or find it disgusting that people in other countries eat cats & dogs. Why do people see a difference? Could it be that we just don’t know what is done to the cows, pigs and chickens that are eaten or is it that somehow they don’t appreciate that these are indeed living, feeling animals? Have we been conditioned to think of them as things instead of animals? There are many books and websites on the subject of factory farming. I am a firm believer that knowledge is power and I encourage you to learn more, that’s what I did, and as a result I have not had an animal product in over 8 years. Becoming vegetarian or vegan was never a goal of mine, far from it, but once I learned the truth I simple would not have been able to eat meat and look at myself in the mirror.

I wouldn’t eat animal products no matter what but it turns out that my ethical choice has also led me to feeling better physically than I ever have in my life. No one will ever be able to tell me that being a vegetarian or vegan is not the healthiest way to eat. I live it and I feel it! I have a family plagued with cardiac problems so my heredity is not good. Well, let me tell you, I am now the only one in my family who has not had an episode of some sort and not only that but also my cholesterol and blood pressure are extremely low.

Since becoming vegan, my energy level is so high and contrary to popular belief you do not need animal protein to build muscle. My workouts and results have not been the least bit compromised because of the change in my diet. Far from it, my muscular endurance is the highest it’s ever been and since becoming vegan I have much more stamina to during my workouts.

I encourage you to learn more about becoming vegetarian (or even vegan). Feel free to contact me if you would like some advice on where to start. There are lots of questions out there but not enough answers.

Barry Lovelace is an internationally recognized personal trainer and fitness coach. He is passionate about fitness, good health and being a vegan. He can be reached at barry@barrylovelace.com

Is Boredom The Culprit?

I “suffer” from boredom. At times it is barely recognizable, and at other times it seems to consume me altogether. I have always felt that bordeom was somehow “forced” upon me; meaning having to fulfill certain obligations, to take part in activities in which I have no interest, or to empty mindedly stare at the television set.  In fact, just today, I was so bored that I looked up the definition of boredom on the internet. I can tell you with no doubt that I was taken aback by the definition: “Boredom is a chosen state of mind brought on by laziness and the firm belief that others are in charge of the supposedly afflicted person’s own entertainment.”

I was startled after having read this definition which when broken down states that if I am bored, then I have chosen to be bored. I needed to spend a bit of time digesting that. I have always felt that states of boredom were because I was doing things repetitively or that life itself had become tedious and thereby boring.

Reading, that by definition, boredom is a chosen state of mind actually makes sense. Despite daily obligations to family, work, and community, I am still, afterall, the master of my own destiny. Thus if I am finding tedium in my routine, then it is upon my shoulders to find interest in what I am doing, to make time for my interests, or to shift my situation altogether if I have “chosen” to be bored by my life.

The next revelation in the definition of boredom actually rendered me angry and defensive. “boredom is brought on by laziness.” Who, me lazy? How insulting! Yet in reflection, the phrase rings true. If I am bored with my duties then it is up to me to find interest in them and to find contentedness thereby. it is also up to me to make room in my life for more of my direct interests. Indeed, it seems, boredom is brought on by laziness.

The final “dose” of the definition of boredom really “charged me up.” By stating in the definition that boredom is the belief that others are in charge of my entertainment would thereby imply it is entirely up to me to change my personal thinking patterns rather than giving the responsibility of my own contentment to others.

It seems then, in order to overcome boredom, we must first delare that we are in charge of our own lives and interests. Secondly, that it is up to us as individuals to take pleasure in that which we have chosen as our life patterns. If we are displeased with these patterns, then it is up to us to change the paterns.

Boredom, by definition it seems, is the rallying call to take carge of our own lives, interests, and actions. Never blame others for our situation, but merely for us as individuals to change rather than to blame. It seemingly further implies we should never take for granted one moment of our lives and that it is up to us to “supercharge” our own lives by being passionate about our current routine as well as those things we want to, and thereby should do. One need, it seems, never to be bored again.

A Happy New Years Eve And Healthy 2008

I hope that everyone has a safe and happy New Year’s Eve and a wonderful 2008. The following article by Carole Fawcett  is a great way to start anew in 2008:

We all enjoy life so much more when we are feeling happy and fulfilled. I believe that we will live longer and stronger if our personal purpose is joy. Happiness is not bought nor is it given. It is something we must reach out for and create in our own lives. It has no monetary value, but the value it does have is priceless.The road to happiness can be taken by starting with the following 5 things:

1. Do not take anything personally.

Remember that everyone walks around with emotional baggage of some sort. Their response to you is coloured by this baggage and has nothing whatsoever to do with you. Their frustration or anger is something that is unfinished within them. Their impatience is frequently impatience with themselves. Their inability to love is likely an inability to love themselves.

2. Deal with the things that bother you.

Do not hold on to grudges or bad feelings about anyone. It only poisons your own soul and your own body. So, if it means speaking to someone and trying to work things out, do so. If you are in a job that you dislike, start to look for ways to find another job that you do like. Do not stay in unhealthy relationships. Walk away from anything that creates angst or pain. Work toward getting rid of all the stressful and negative situations in your life.

3. Practice gratitude and forgiveness daily.

Get up in the morning being mindful of what it is you are grateful for. State it out loud. Forgive yourself and others for both your own and their imperfections. Our world is not perfect and will never be until we, as individuals, achieve our own state of personal happiness. This will then radiate and spread to the rest of the world.

4. Help others whenever the opportunity arises. Love humankind.

Helping others takes the focus off our own challenges. We seem to spend a lot of time in our society focused on our own wants and needs. If we learn how to reach out to others, it will help to put our own issues into perspective.

5. Laugh as often as possible.

Laughter is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Laughter sets off a chemical process in your body that is beneficial to your well being. These chemicals immediately start to diffuse the stress your body may be feeling. Laughter is contagious and spreads feelings of happiness. Laughter begets laughter.

Remember, don’t take anything personally, get rid of your baggage, be grateful and forgive others, help others and laugh as much as possible each day.

So, start with those five things and be conscious of them daily. I am almost certain that you will notice a big change in your life within a short period of time.

As a dear friend of mine says “happiness is a by-product of living a good life.”

Carole Fawcett is “The Happiness Coach” and provides stress management workshops, keynotes and laughter circles to business and individuals. Carole is a member of the Professional Writers Association of Canada, and the Professional Photographers Association of British Columbia. Carole believes that if you are not having fun on your journey through life then you need to make some changes. For more information see http://www.afunnybusiness.ca

Overcoming Chronic Stress in Seconds With Meditation Tools

With the New Year just around the corner, nearly everyone is stressing about the year to come. Hopefully anyone reading this is looking forward to the New Year. I found this article by Laurie Desjardins very helpful:

Everyone has dreams. They can be as big as the perfect vacation in Alaska, or the hiking trip in the Andes. They might be simple everyday things like eating natural, organic foods every day. Unfortunately for most of us, those dreams are tied to banal things like money, and a 40-hour work week. Is it any wonder that work and money are the two biggest sources of stress?Too many people turn to vices like overeating, drinking and smoking to cope with stress, when simple meditation tools and techniques can melt away the tension. A focused mind and light heart are the only side effects of meditation tools and techniques, as compared to overeating and drug abuse, which can lead to long-term health problems.

For those seeking a wiser alternative, meditation tools and techniques can provide a short-term solution for stress relief within minutes. The long-term benefits of meditation include a healthier, happier lifestyle can help you achieve your dreams without sacrificing your peace of mind.

Chronic stress: you are not alone

According to an online survey by the American Psychological Association, nearly three-quarters of Americans felt chronic stress in the form of headaches, fatigue, irritability, muscle tension and a lack of sleep. This can also contribute to high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes, which are all serious, life-changing conditions.

In order to cope with the chronic stress, many of those people also turned to unhealthy habits instead of meditation tools. Some admitted to drinking too much on stressful days, or smoking more cigarettes. Other people said that they skipped meals. Almost half said they actually ate more, especially fatty comfort foods like chocolate and ice cream.

Another study done by researchers in the United States found that people who used meditation techniques and tools had a more active left frontal lobe, which is related to lower anxiety and a more positive emotional state. And aren’t lower anxiety and a more positive outlook things everybody could use?

How can you manage stress with no time to spare?

Like most Americans you may be feeling the pressure of stress from work and money, and it’s could be starting to adversely affect you. If stress is a constant presence in your life, how do you fight all that negative energy?

You need more than just temporary stress relief. You need to find a meditation tool or technique that clears your mind so that you aren’t making decisions with a panicked, scattered brain.

One of the best ways proven to reduce stress is meditation. Meditation helps realign your mind and body. Stress is created when your mind and body are focused on two different things. If you’re paying bills, but thinking about what to have for dinner, or that project at work, then you’re going to be stressed.

With meditation, you are focusing your mind and energy on one thing only. This allows you to let go of everything else. Taking 10 to 15 minutes a day for a simple breathing meditation can work wonders. This can be difficult, especially for people new to meditation. It’s a good idea to have a meditation tool of some kind to help center your focus.

Find a meditation tool that works for you

Relaxation and meditation tools come in many forms, like the Zen Stick. It’s simply a smooth, buffed stick that you toss and catch with your eyes closed. Tossing and catching the meditation tool, you focus on breathing deeply and evenly, centering your mind and body. You will be surprised at how quickly stress can melt away as your body and mind snap back in sync.

Find something that works with your schedule. Most people simply don’t have the time for hours of meditation every day. Pick a meditation tool that quickly and easily centers you.

Almost everybody has a major source of stress in their lives. Instead of allowing the negative energy to fester, take the time to investigate meditation tools to reduce the stress in your daily life.

About the Author Laurie Desjardins is a meditation expert and creator of the Zen Stick relaxation tool. If you want to truly align your mind, body and spirit, consider adding the Zen Stick to your relaxation repertoire. For more information about meditation techniques and Zen Sticks, visit http://www.sleepingtiger.org.

Stop Making Resolutions, Start Making Plans

Below, is a great article written by  Dave Ferguson   which, I think, is helpful for all of us getting ready to start the new year:

Why do we keep wishing people ‘Happy New Year’? Will wishing make it so?We make resolutions, but all we seem to be thinking about is what we did wrong during the past year and resolve to do the opposite. I will lose ten pounds (because I gained ten). I will exercise more (because I haven’t been exercising). I will watch less TV (because I couldn’t find anything better to do). In each case the resolution seems more like a punishment and we find it difficult to be motivated by a cure that’s worse than the disease.

If you want the coming year to be a great one, start it off with a different mindset. I want you to begin by imagining yourself on New Year’s Eve, 2008. Imagine being truly content in your life and all its aspects – business, finance, health, relationships, and reputation – whatever it is that will make you truly content. It might take ten minutes or it might take thirty, but create a vision that is real for you. See it and feel it. Got it? Now, let’s make it happen.

That vision is your destination. Since you know where you are now, all you need is a plan to traverse the distance. This is the point at which most people throw up their hands and say, “That’s too much work!” They’re content with resolutions. We, however, imagine the path to our vision. We can see that it won’t be easy, but we begin to formulate the steps we can take each day, each week, and each month to move us closer to our goals. Those steps become plans, each plan having its own goals. Now, the truly hard part: write it down. This is the process of affirming what you want and how you are going to go about getting it. Writing it down moves it from imagination to reality. Now we can focus on our path, our goals, and our vision. We have left the past behind. Because we are focused we will begin to notice the countless opportunities in life that align with our goals and we will take action to integrate them into our plans. It’s energizing. It’s rewarding. It’s an entirely different mindset.

Enjoy the journey. May your vision guide you and sustain you in the coming year.

Dave Ferguson is a coach and the owner of Lake County Business Coaching, Inc., a coaching firm dedicated to helping people in business to improve their performance and their results, to realize their dreams by achieving their goals. More information is available at http://www.LakeCountyBusinessCoaching.com