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

Who I Am Is Enough

On days when I find I don’t have the time to sit down, ponder and reflect online, I always try to find some writing by someone who I would like to share with. I recently came across this article by Loren Gelberg-goff:

This is your gentle reminder of your ongoing work on your self-esteem, and positive self-image. Everyday we have opportunities to bring in positive thoughts and messages about ourselves and our lives; We just have to learn how to be conscious and aware of these opportunities.The purpose of this message is to bring to you an affirmation and meditation that you can utilize throughout the week so that your thoughts, your energy and ultimately, your feelings about yourself become more positive and your life will reflect these changes.

This article focuses on the core message from which everything else grows:

“Who I am is enough!”

Take in a slow deep breath as you make this statement, and slowly release it, and let the message settle in to your system.

Take another deep breath and say the phrase again , slowly, and out loud. Hear the words; “Who I am is enough”.

Take a deep breath again and feel where in your body the message gets blocked or stuck. Ask yourself: “Do I believe this statement without any ifs, ands or buts?”

If the answer is no, then take an extra moment to reflect on what it means to be enough…

“What is enough?” Do you know?

What’s enough food?; Enough sleep?; Enough time?; Enough love?; Enough energy?; If you do say this statement and believe it without any “ifs, ands or buts”, then allow the warm feeling to settle in as you consciously and lovingly remind yourself of who you are.

Breathe in and out slowly and deeply and repeat the statement

“Who I am is enough.”

Really allow yourself to sit with the feelings that go through you and what it means to let yourself believe this message.

This is where everyone must begin, because somewhere, at sometime, or times, in your life you knew that you really were enough and you still are today!

Sit with this… connect with the positive feelings these memories bring back. If nothing emerges right away, repeat the message:

“Who I am is enough” throughout your day, throughout your week. No judgments, no criticisms, just a deep abiding awareness that a shift is occurring in your life, and you are open to it. Take a deep breath… and allow that breath to fill you completely. “Who I am is Enough!”

As simple as these words are, they are really very meaningful and powerful. Within each of us exists the knowledge and belief that we really are enough. It’s time now to shed the messages that have been absorbed over the years that have undermined the truth “Who I Am Is Enough”, and live according to the belief that you really are enough just by being you. As always, I wish you all the best!

Loren Gelberg-Goff loren@wellfromwithin.com journey to self-esteem and self-empowerment to live authentically self-esteem.For more information about our services and self-esteem products for your journey to self-esteem, visit http://www.WellfromWithin.com

Positive Thinking – Don’t Underestimate The Tremendous Power Of Positive Thinking

This is a great article of inspiration by By Abhishek Agarwal

It is very clear that each of us human beings is made unique. We all feel different given the same situations in life. With every situation that we face, we have emotions that are attached to it. We cannot really control the inflow of these emotions, which can be positive or negative in nature. We can however have control over how we react to our emotions, and that is what maturity is all about.Some of us allow our emotions to take control of our actions, instead of it being the other way round. This will only result in negative actions every time you have a negative emotion and positive actions when you have a positive emotion. We should never let emotions rule our lives in this way, because then we just don’t know what is coming next in life.

With such a character, prolonged negative emotions will result in constant failure, and you may soon find yourself in a rut in life. People say you need a lucky break to get out of this situation in life, but then life is not always that good to people. We may need to make our own breaks, and what better way to do so than to tune in to positive thinking?

Many of us do not realize the power of positive thinking until our mature years. Especially when you are in trouble, positive thinking is what can get you back on your feet. Did you ever realize it may be you yourself that is causing destruction in your life? If you let negative emotions take control of your actions, then it is you who are to blame and nobody else, for your every failure.

You need to start reacting differently to those emotions. You need to tell those emotions that you are in control, and not any emotion is in control of your actions. We cannot change our environment neither can we change people who cause us pain. We can however change our outlook and our reactions to these people and things.

You cannot resign your life to fate. You need to understand that you have made decisions in the past, which affected the course of events in your life. Remember, there is no psychologist or counselor who can do your thinking for you. It is you who finally has to overcome the enemy within, that ties you down and forces you into a rut in life – and that enemy is negative emotions. Think positive, and look on the bright side of mishaps when they do occur in your life. When you start thinking positively you will see success in every area of your life.

Abhishek is a self-proclaimed Personality Development Guru and has written several books on this topic! Visit his website www.Positive-You.com and Download his FREE Personality Development Report and discover some amazing self-improvement tips for FREE. Become the best you can become and reclaim your life! But hurry, only limited Free copies available!

Had Some Setbacks? Learn To Bounce Back

We all have moments in our lives when some form of negative thoughts creep into our mind. But if you are plagued by worries and gloomy thoughts, chances are, you are thinking more about the future than about the present. With so many things bad thoughts floating in our mind, it is easy to forget what is important in the here and now, and this affects your ability to take action. It is difficult to move forward if you think like this. The Bible offers us many words of encouragement, “Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Take the trouble of today as it comes.”Some of us imagine the failure that will come and focus of it. This causes us to ponder over our situation, and this leads to tunnel vision. By worrying too much, a problem or potential problem become bigger than it is and we fail to consider other things, even possible solutions. The only way to stave off such thoughts is to develop confidence in your own abilities. One way about this is to begin learning to recognize that your own strategies are effective and sound.

By worrying too much, a problem or potential problem become bigger than it is and we fail to consider other things, even possible solutions. The only way to stave off such thoughts is to develop confidence in your own abilities. One way about this is to begin learning to recognize that own strategies are effective and sound.

To start, understand that you do not have a monopoly on failures. All of us have experiences coping with failures. Try to remember exactly how you managed to deal with failing an exam, not getting that job or breaking up with your ex-girlfriend or boyfriend. You’ll come to realize that it was not the end of the world-however sad or depressed you were at that point in time. Go through in your mind how you dealt with past experiences, and write them down on a piece of paper. Chances are, you have your own personal blueprint on how to deal with such events.

Learn to accept failures without being too critical about them or yourself. It would also help if you take even the smallest success as a reason to be happy. If you think that you might not be able to cope with something – for instance, an examination, a job interview, an important project- overcome you self doubts by writing down 10 reasons why you will be successful with the situation, in spite of the hurdles you have to overcome. If you have a phobia of studying or taking examinations for example, learn how you can improve your study skills or invest in some memory training material or memory techniques that will help improve your memory. If you are shy or fear meeting people, try to rationalize your fears and emotions and come to realize that the vast majority of people are kind and understanding. If you suffer from anxiety attacks in a crowded place or in high places, try to adopt some relaxation techniques that will help you to keep calm in many situations.

Remember, when you fall down, you should help yourself get up again and dust yourself off. You have done so as a child and will do so as you get older.

It helps to know that no one is ever successful a hundred percent of the time and all of us have to discover our own strengths. If Einstein (1879 to 1955) had allowed himself to be discouraged by the mediocre grades he got at school, he could never become the great physicist that he is.

Martin Mak has developed a new program to help you improve your memory and enhance your learning experience. Find out more with his popular and free ecourse – http://www.mightymemory.com

Dream Job Or Daydreaming?

One’s 18th year of life signifies alot in our society. A person’s 18th year carries alot of weight with it. Too often, it seems, it carries the weight for an entire lifetime; a weight that can often turn into a burden which is difficult to bare.

Honestly, at the age of 18, with so many expectations, how many young adults are truely prepared to make liflong commitments, goals, and careers? It seems fairly clear that at 18, one still seems to be in late adolescence, and not nearly ready to make decisions that will last a lifetime.

Yet, how many of us at 18 did make decisions for ourselves which carry over into the effect we now feel throughout our daily life. Many of us did not have the opportunity to review, take a good look at, and act upon true aspirastions and instead, in a sense, therefore, our lives have been diluted in meaning, and we have likely made many sacrifices to maintain achievements we really don’t care about at all.

Alot of people a decade or two, three or even four later realize that the life created is not the life desired. This fact mirrors itself in the glum, blank staring faces one encounters on mass transit, in elevators etc. People going places they don’t really want to, and spending a large percentage of their lives sacrificing themselves to preserve and earn the money necessary to survive.

However, at this latter date, nearly everyone has found things they feel passionate about, or hobbies and interests that may  feel more fully express who one really is. Expansion of these passions, interests, and hobbies could lead one how far? I would speculate that few have put much thought to the subject.

Yet, it seems, the first step would be to set aside a little time every day simply to follow one’s interests in detail, and even begin to take a little public action pertaining to ones interests. Do you wich you had spent more time in school, or have totally different career interests which require education you don’t have?  The internet has multiple online universites and classes covering nearly every topic. You can train on the net for your career to place your dreams into action. Do you like to cook, sew, to write or do you have any one of the thousands of interests that you wish you could do more work with? Check with your local area’s regulations and then perhaps try  to slowly market your interests to friends and the community or put them on the market on Ebay. Enjoy writing? There are hundreds of ways to give meaning and a purpose to your writing. Browse through google pertaining to writing. Politics a passion? Work for and act for those candidates you feel akin to.

We don’t need to remain trapped in that which was imposed on us at the too early age of 18. We have any choices for the full and enriching life we deserve.

Peb

Parents And Role Reversal

As a child, did I have any notion that we were fortunate? I had no clue, which would not be so different than anyone else growing up under different circumstances. I believe one, particularly as a child, just accepts one’s surroundings without question.

 A mother and father, both dependable and loving. How easy it was to overlook that blessing and to even be rebellious during teen years. A sister, distant, yet always kind, thoughtful and never unwilling to listen.

They were unusual times in our country’s history when I was a child…the late 1960’s. The chaos and change that was chruning through  our society and culture were distant to us, only touching our lives through images on the television. Was that good, naive, or even avoidant? Who is to say at this juncture? We were happy, and not only that, we knew we were happy.

Our  life allowed us to travel, and as children, my sister and I had the opportunity to visit a large portion of this earth, being clueless as to the rareity of what we were experiencing.

A mother who saw homemaking as an art. It revealed itself thorough our lovely surroundings and meals that were put together and placed before us as if by a sculpter. She provided loving arms, a willing ear, and truely unconditional love pervaded everything.

A father who was an intellectual, who expressed himself eloquently and had an illustrious career.

I only know at this late juncture, the rareity of our good fortune. Years have passed and time has taken its inevitable toll. It is now my sister’s and my turn to reverse the role and assume “parenthood” to our ageing parents.

What we know will be the inevitable is gut wrenching yet there is nothing to be done as in the well known serenity prayer which takes on new meaning as we step into these roles: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, to change the things I can and to have the wisdom to know the difference”

We are enjoying this time of role reversal as, even though it is imposed and required to some degree, it gives us a chance to gather together as we haven’t for years, to count our blessings, and to remember that which was, and that which we can pass down to our own decendents in memory.

Peb

No Scrooges Here

Trees, lights and elves adorning the shopping malls in August? Ok, well perhaps that is a stretch. Yet, house by house, street by street, small changes are currently taking place. The excerpt from the old Christmas Carol “Making Spirits Light” applies.

There is a different “sense”, as strangers pass by one another. There is a sense of togetherness,  peace and brotherhood. Even people, who ordinarly look glum and unhappy have a little extra spring in their step.

Our world transformed for a shimmering moment of peace, brotherhood and goodwill worldwide, as colorful lights beam from home to home. The warm scent of cinnamin and ginger wafts from kitchens, as the smell of pine and the otherwoldly look of fragile ornaments alight the home with a new and magical manner.

Must this moment only appear for a fleeting moment before the lights darken, and the world returns to it’s “same old self”?

What about global transormation 24 hours a day 365 days per year? Could the magic of peace and worldwide brotherhood be sustained? Why must it flicker, then vanish as quickly as it arouse. What or whom would stop the magic from eternal continuance?

Not I!

Peb

Darkness Or Daybreak?

It was  still dark outside. A peacefully quiet time of day 4:45 a.m.  I awoke, slowly, in a natural and relaxed manner, rather than one of those startling awakenings from a bad dream or a sudden noise. The peace of the environment both internal and external was sublime. It was one of those moments when one stretches somewhat blissfully from under the covers, a bit like sensing the pleasure exuding from a cat when it performs a long stretch, head to toe, with eyes closed and a smile to it’s face.  A quiet moment in the stillness pervades my mind and all seems well during that fleeting moment.

Awakening, however, nearly instantly thoughts intrude of bills to pay, work to do, errands that must be run. I run through the items that I forgot to  do yesterday. The peaceful stillness is shattered by the necessities and obligations of the day and items left undone in the past. Bliss evolves rapidly into irritation and a sense of hopelessness. Another bleak and exhausting day seems to begin to loom before me.

Yet, what of that fleeting moment of utter contentedness that I experienced only moments prior. I angrily punish myself internally with deep self criticism for letting the moment slip away and alter the present into banality bordering on unhappiness.

Could it be possible to maintain that moment of bliss even given obligations both past and future? I shut my eyes so as to see within. Deep within I feel a flickering tentative spark like a pilot light attempting to ignite against the elements.

Could this day, even given its obsticales, be lived in happiness and hopefullness? A full day of gratitude despite the weight of the future moments or the burden of moments past? Could I try with simple resolve, a seemingley sensible answer to it all?

Living from moment to peaceful moment without overexamining the burdens of the future or the errors of the past. Accomplishing while remaining at peace. A day of bliss ending in resful sleep in lieu of a bleak day followed by restlessness and uncertainty.

I think I will try.

Peb