Self Improvement Information

Who is God? This question would sound awkward to 80% of us. Moreover, this question would infuriate all of this 80%. I though, do not have any intentions to hurt or disrespect their sentiments. As for the residual 20%, some people do not believe in God and the rest would like to believe in God but do not find any reason why to do so. Let’s talk.

Who created this Earth? If we do not try to explain it scientifically, the most obvious answer would be God. Now, since we all are part of this world, it must be accepted that we also were created by God. Now then, who created God? When we were born, we saw our parents worshipping some deities, which they regarded as God. And this system must have gone on for generations that preceded until the generation that saw these Gods as living figures. Now, where from did these living figures occur? Again, without trying to explain it scientifically, they must have been created by some individuals whom they considered as Gods, which will give rise to another identical debate. And if some further Gods did not create them, then we created them because they cannot create themselves on their own.

While gathering substance for this topic, I had talked to three different individuals who belonged to the three different categories mentioned above, viz., those who firmly believe in God, those who don’t believe in God, and those would like to believe in God, but can’t find any compact reason why to do so.

In this attempt, I chose to talk only to trespassers. I did not choose from people I knew from before for this project so that I could not read their emotions and mould their opinions in my favour. In this attempt, I faced three different people and placed the same questions in front of them, which were,
1> Do you believe in God?
2> Who created God?
3> Why do you believe or disbelieve in God?

In the process I first met Irena, an octogenarian lady who has been dwelling in Kolkata for quiet some time now. When faced with the first question, her answer was immediate and direct- “Yes. Of course.” To the next question, she reacted- “Who the hell are you to question the identity of God. What do you know about the greatness of God? What do you know about anything?” and after keeping my nerves to more of such sweet words at the bus stop for about five more minutes, I came out with my third question. “God is almighty. You dare not disbelieve his existence. He shall punish you for your sin. Whenever people have disregarded his rules, he has punished them earthquake, plagues, diseases, droughts, and famines. And say for example, while drowning into sea deep water, won’t you utter “Jesus” even for once? That was Irena for you, satisfying my first category. And during this conversation, I had found the person to fit my second category.

Mr. Sachilal Guha. He too had a clear cut answer to my first question- “No.” To the second question, “this had been an unanswerable question even to me at your age. But now, I think it is an illusion of the common man.” And by his case in explaining why he did not believe in God, I could understand that he had given a sanguine thought into this subject from much before.” I don’t believe in God for various reasons. Firstly, I haven’t seen him. Secondly, there are different stories about the same God, which contradict each other. Thirdly, I haven’t seen any supernormal things happening in front of my eyes, which does not include any trick of science. I firmly believe that God is believed by only the weak and coward people who find it extremely difficult to believe in themselves.” His words sounded Promethean but had enough substance in it.

To fulfill my third category, I had Atul. He was so reluctant to open his shoes while boarding the stairs of a Mandir that he offered his prayers to God from down below. At the first question, his eyes seemed to bubble with doubts, but he somehow answered back- “Yes.” The second question took him all by surprise. After letting him give it a thought, his answer disappointed me. “That is not a matter of concern for me.” Having no proper answer to my third question he said, “Because my parents believe in God.” That was Atul Thande for you.

And now for myself, solemnly I belong to the third category. For the first question, my answer is “No.” For the second question I feel that we created God. For the third I have no proper answer but I liked what Mr. Sachilal Guha had to say. Even then, whenever a difficult situation occurs, I don’t mind praying to God for help. God has been a matter of serious thought and discussion for me since I was a six-year-old kid. And today even after eleven years of thought and discussion, I haven’t been able to draw any conclusion. Have you?

I am turning 18 on 1st Aug,2005.
I also write by the pseudonym- Daffy47.
It is obvious that that I have a passion for writing.
I defy the orthodox way of life.
I live my life to the lees.
After all, no one knows what awaits.
mailto:E-mail–daffy47@rediffmail.com E-mail–daffy47@rediffmail.com

I always stay close to the word that God has given me in order to test my spirit with someone else’s spirit. Being that I am just a person and can’t know the heart of another, it’s not my place to judge them. It’s a common thing for people to say they are saved, but is that reliable? The Bible tells us we will know by the fruits they produce. That is the rule of thumb that I follow. My spirit will be in agreement with that person if they truly know and love the Lord.

I know people who confess their salvation and do good works, but when it comes to serving the Lord they fall short. My spirit alerts me that something is wrong. I have been reading a book about Christian forgiveness and it made me aware that the true fruit of knowing what their forgiveness means is in their passionate praise, and worship and prayer life. If you really are saved through the blood of Christ, then your salvation will show through your gratitude towards the One Who saved you.

It’s a fact, everyone without exception has violated his own standards, (let alone God’s) of right and wrong. As a result our guilt will catch up with us. It is a human condition and not one of us can claim perfection on our own. We have all as the Bible says in Isaiah 53, like sheep have gone astray, each one of us has turned to his own way. Whether right or wrong, we have all done as we pleased. And this is how we have broken God’s law. But because He loves us like no other, He made Himself to come into this world as a vulnerable baby and take the sins of the world upon His own shoulders.

Only God’s righteousness could satisfy Himself. In other words, God made arrangements to die and suffer in order that we could live with Him in His heavenly kingdom. Our forgiveness was by no means free. Christ who was fully man and fully God knew the price He had to pay upon that Cross in order that God the Father would accept us as righteous in His sight. For someone to confess their salvation and not be on fire for the Lord in the utmost gratitude is cause to examine whether or not that person really understands the full meaning of it. It’s not a passive subject, it’s not to be taken so lightly as doing God a favor. If you really can grasp the fullness of this gift then you would realize that great forgiveness inspires great love for Christ.

Christ Himself was always setting examples through His own actions so that He could pierce us right through the heart of the matter. He didn’t use alot of eloquent words, rather He just did things that no one could deny. A wonderful story is told in the book of Luke to prove this. Christ, Who knows our hearts better than we do is always way ahead of us when we think we can fool Him. He shows us His gentle correction without making fools of us. Such is the case of the Pharissee in the parable of the two debtors in Luke chapter 7.

Beginning in verse 36, Jesus was invited into a Pharisee’s house to dine with him. His name was Simon. If you understand anything at all about the Pharisees then you will know that they were what we today call “hypocrits”. They were concerned with ritual purity and religious laws. They were self-righteous and had a tendancy to look down their noses at the undesirable people of the day. Not much has changed today. They even looked down on Christ because He associated with those people of lesser value. Certainly He was no One of importance. God certainly wouldn’t use a man that tolerated all these sinners. But it’s the sinners Christ came to die for…you and me and the Pharisee!

Simon’s intentions could very well have been to set Jesus up. Perhaps it was his plan to find a reason to accuse Him. It was a Jewish custom to supply water for the cleansing of feet and to greet an important guest with a kiss. Simon did neither. And in those days it was also a Jewish custom to recline at a table and entertain guests of importance. The guests sat in couches around a low, U-shaped table. The doors were often left open and uninvited guests could enter inside and sit down to listen to the conversation. Most likely this was a source for entertainment. So the fact that this woman came inside was not unusual.

“And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.” Luke 7:37-38

What wasn’t customary however, was the interaction between a strange man and woman. A woman could not touch a man unless she knew him. For a woman to let down her hair in public was grounds for a divorce. This was a bold move on her part. But she was moved to tears and she let them soak His feet. Simon was in shock by this I’m sure. Her display of emotion was genuine and equally spontaneous. But her actions were pre-meditated. She came to honor Jesus openly. The love she felt couldn’t help but result in crying. It’s the same way today for those who love and honor Christ.

But in the next verse it says that Simon thought to himself that surely Jesus could not be a prophet and allow “this” woman to touch Him. But what Simon didn’t realize was that Jesus came to save him too. This woman knew she was a sinner, Simon thought himself to be above reproach. Knowing his thoughts, Jesus told Simon a parable about the two debtors. Jesus didn’t want to openly expose Simon and embarass him. After Jesus told the story about the two men who both owed money, one quite a bit more than the other were both forgiven of their debts, Jesus then asked Simon this question; “Which of them will love him more?” The fact remains that they both could not repay their debts no matter how much or how little they owed. In either case both of these men could’ve been sold into slavery or gone to prison. But the man who was owed the money cancelled both their debts. He gave them something they did not deserve. It was an act of pure grace on his part. The act of true Christian forgiveness lies with the forgiver, not the forgiven. Christ is the One Who we owe the debt to, but He paid it for us. He was our substitution.

Simon answered that the one who owed the most money loved the lender more. But in truth, there is no such thing as big or little debts. Truth is, we all owe more than we could ever afford. Just being a good person doesn’t make anyone exempt. God’s Word tells us that we have ALL sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23). Forgiveness is costly for the one who forgives. Before forgiveness… comes love. As a result, the love and forgiveness of the money lender changed the relationship with the debtors. The two debtors began to love the lender. It’s not that they were first forgiven because they first loved the lender, but because they needed him. This describes our relationship with Christ. We should be like this woman who recognized her sins and knew that she needed Christ to forgive her. Her gratitude of being forgiven through grace was totally undeserved but she became a true worshipper at His feet.

At whose feet do you worship? There are people today just like Simon who don’t recognize the person of Jesus. They don’t anoint Him with oil of praise or give Him the kiss of greeting through prayer. There are skeptics who see themselves as all important just as Simon did. He merely tolerated Jesus in his home. Since Simon hadn’t been forgiven, only because he hadn’t asked, it makes sense that he didn’t love Jesus. We will not be forgiven as long as we don’t recognize the need either. Are you in need of true Christian forgiveness today? Once you are forgiven you will love Christ forever!

Like this woman who remains nameless, the proof of her salvation was in her praise. It’s not because of who we are, but in what we are…FORGIVEN!

Ask for forgiveness this Christmas, it’s the best gift you will ever receive.

Vivian Gordon writes inspirational and spiritual articles
in which to help strengthen the Believer’s walk in Christ.
They are often taken from today’s point of view and
used in conjunction with what God says about certain
situations and how we are to handle them. There is
always an answer for every problem. These articles are
not all about asking God “why?” but in finding the
answers.

Most of us are conditioned since childhood to believe certain things and to follow the system. We get told not to swim against the current, not to make a fool of ourselves, and not to take risks. This inhibits our choices and unless we take conscious action against such beliefs, we are destined to live a life of mediocrity. We might have a reasonably good home, we can afford certain luxuries, maybe a holiday once a year or a nice car, but if something unexpected happens we are in danger of losing it all at the drop of a pin.

The tragic thing is that we have to work hard all our lives to have those so called luxuries.
We are slaves of the system and there is no real freedom for us in the long term. Oh yes, we can work our butt off until we collect our pension, but is it really enough?

How many people are dying once they collect their pension? And they worked hard all their lives for someone else. Wouldn’t it be nicer to work hard for ourselves instead and enjoy the success of our lives before we get to old age?

Here is the thing: we all can: don’t limit your thinking, as this will limit your beliefs and these will limit your actions, which will limit your successes! Success starts in our minds and the sooner we understand this, the better a chance we have at achieving it.

One of the most important things for the foundation of success is making a decision to have a go at creating it. We have to make a conscious decision to design our personal success and work hard to get there eventually. This requires us to give up certain comfort factors in our life, such as stopping to blame others for our misfortunes. Start to take responsibility for your own actions, good and bad and work on solutions rather than problems. Solution minded people find success because they conquer their mindset and find solutions rather than concentrating on problems!

Another important factor is Integrity. Integrity is necessary for us to find true success, no matter what the outcome. Be responsible for whatever happens because of the decisions you made. Stick to your values, morals and principles, even if you seem to run against the current. Most people give up too easily and let others steal their dreams! The only way to fail is to give up. Successful people use their mistakes to grow, learn and eventually better themselves and they reach success because of their strong mindset. They know that success can not withstand consistent action and integrity.

To be successful you will have to work harder on yourself than you work on your business. You will have to become an effective leader. As a trusted and strong leader people will follow you. You will have to design a plan and then work the plan diligently day after day, with your blinkers on - until! It isn’t going to be easy, but imagine what can be possible?! Here is to your SUCCESS

Monika M. has extensive online experience both in Network Marketing and IM. She runs her own Internet Marketing business from home. To get free tips and information on how you can start working from home without spending a cent, visit Monika’s website today.
thewritersmanifesto.com Get Your FREE Information Here

Our emotions will make us win or lose with our 2007 new years resolutions.

It is our emotions that are behind every decision, every act of laziness or effort that we do.

So how do you feel about your 2007 resolutions? How do you feel about maintaining them over the long haul? Are you scared or anxious? Are you strongly motivated to win? Are you already feeling guilty about breaking your resolutions even before January’s end, with over 11 months yet to go?

Can you stir the passion and commitment to build a lasting new behavior that upholds your resolutions? One of the main emotional battles you will fight with your resolutions is between optimism and pessimism.

Pessimism says that you’ll fail, why bother, don’t even try, it’s too hard, it’s unrealistic, it’s not worth it, etc.

Optimism says that it is indeed possible, even quite likely, certainly if you apply yourself and focus on the resolution.

Between being doubtful and determined, you probably have a mixture of emotions about winning or failing with your 2007 new years resolutions.

I have found working with clients for 6 years as a Professional Organizer that the most important emotion is one that most people don’t have. So perhaps that’s why winning with new years resolutions generally fail.

That emotion is what I call Positive Expectation. If you emotionally expect something positive, then that thing has a far greater chance of happening than with any other one factor.

And Positive Expectation comes from 3 key areas:

1. Your past experience.

2. Your confidence in the possibility of the things achievement.

3. Your confidence in the preparation and planning done towards the desired achievement.

If your past is full of failures (as you see them) then your Positive Expectation for future achievements will be low.

If you are not confident in the possibility of the achievement then Positive Expectation will be low. If you have not got much of a plan or done much preparation for the achievement then your Positive Expectation will be low.

So how does knowing all this help you actually achieve your resolutions? Simple: Develop those 3 parts of Positive Expectation.

Find ways to win small achievements, so that your history begins to fill up with more and more achievements.

Learn about how achieving the resolution is possible. Learn about how others achieved it. Learn what it would take to achieve it and develop the confidence that you could do it yourself. And develop a very carefully laid out plan of specific action steps that you can take to achieve the resolution.

Combined together, those three areas will bring all your emotions into the right direction and support you in achieving your resolutions through emotional positive expectation.

I was about to wish you good luck, but you don’t need it if you have a confident plan and gradually develop your track record of smaller to larger successes.

2007 New Years Resolutions are important. And they are achievable through managing your emotions. So go get ‘em tiger!

Nathan Shaw, Ex-Professional Organizer, has provided a FREE video with the 4 key tips on setting New Years Resolutions or any major goals that you have in 2007. newyearsresolutions.organizedr.com/ New Years Resolutions FREE Video

In a recent Dear Abby column one woman wrote that she had been married for 13 years and no matter what she did, he wouldn’t communicate.

She then asked a soul searching question that she must have agonized over for months:

“Is a lack of communication enough of a reason to end a marriage?”

After all, (if you read between the lines) he didn’t beat her or cheat on her or do drugs or abuse the children. Is silence enough of a punishment to call it quits?

Dear Abby answered, that communication is the foundation of a healthy relationship and without it, everything else about the relationship becomes poisoned.

Wow.

Dear Abby went on to say that the woman needed to decide if she was willing to live a life of isolation.

Communication is so important that the lack of it is defined as isolation.

We joke about poor communication; cupping our ear and saying “what did you say” or bemoaning the challenges of intergenerational communication or the difficulties of communication between genders.

There are whole comedy routines on our inability to understand the lyrics of songs. I once sang, at the top of my lungs, the new Huey Lewis & the News song “I wanna new truck. One that won’t make me sick.” For those of you who are not familiar, the actual song is “I Want a New Drug.” Hey – you say po-tay-toe and I say patata. You say knee-ther and I say n–eye-ther.

We tell our kids, “do as I say, not as I do.” We tell our girlfriends “he just doesn’t understand me.”

Communication is a two-way street

You can talk until you are blue in the face

Give and take

Don’t kill the messenger

Meet me half way

It takes two

Can you hear me now?

Think of all the over used phrases associated with poor communication.

Why is it so hard to communicate?

Could it be that honest communication requires that we become vulnerable to the other person?

Whether you are communicating in business, with friends or with your soul mate; sharing your thoughts, feelings and opinions leaves you open to their acceptance or their disapproval.

No one wants to be criticized or corrected or disagreed with. For years I carried a Lil’ Lulu cartoon in my Day-timer which read “you are entitled to your opinion so long as it is mine.”

Often when we argue, rather than listen to the other’s point of view, we are already conjuring up our response. That’s not communication that’s debate.

Effective, honest communication, whether in business or at home, requires three things:

1. A willingness on both parts to share honest information
2. More listening than talking
3. Empathy – putting yourself in the other person’s shoes

Willingness

It truly does take two. I’m a fan of the Bachelor, a reality television show on ABC. The premise of the show is that one single man is given the choice of 25 beautiful women as a potential mate for life. Each week he spends time with the girls, getting to know them and at the end of the show, someone must go home, leading to the last episode and a choice between the final two women.

This past week the Bachelor visited the homes of the remaining four women, one, Agnese of Venice speaks little English. From what we saw of the meeting, the two had a wonderful easiness about them even with the language barrier. Of the other three; he was afraid of the parents of one, didn’t like the motivation of the second and the third seemed also to be a good match.

At the end of the show, however, he sent Agnese home. I was shocked. They truly seemed to enjoy each other’s company.

“We just can’t communicate,” he said. “You are a beautiful girl, but I just can’t share my thoughts with you, it’s too difficult.”

Both parties must be willing and able to communicate openly. They have to allow themselves to be vulnerable. Particularly in the case of a spouse; if you can’t be honest, no holds-bard with your significant other, who can you be?

Listen

Really listen. This doesn’t mean keep your mouth closed but your brain is somewhere else, this means, really listen with every fiber of your being.

Trust me, try and fake listening and the other person will know. I once tried to communicate with someone whose eyes would glaze over. I knew immediately that either I had talked too fast, was boring or was talking about something that didn’t interest him or that he didn’t understand. So I stopped talking. The more that happened, the less I tried. Until finally there was silence everyday.

Take turns sharing, but when it’s your turn to listen – listen with your mouth, your eyes, your brain and your heart. Listen between the lines.

The second part of listening is to ask questions. If you are really listening, you’ll hear things they aren’t saying. Rather than ASSUME (and Archie Bunker of All in the Family told us what happens when we assume), ask a clarifying question.

The other person will not only know you are listening, but they’ll know you care.

Empathy

It can be difficult to put yourself in the other person’s shoes, however, unless you do, it’s impossible to truly understand how they feel.

I was once in a community theater production of Goodbye Charlie. The premise was a playboy who is shot by a jealous husband, falls off his yacht, dies and comes back as a woman. Through the course of the play, he was forced to put himself in the shoes of the opposite sex, literally.

That’s not realistic, but if you stop – and take a moment to truly understand how the person is feeling or will receive the opinion you are about to share or what else is going on in their life that might impact the conversation – you will be more likely to have a successful conversation.

As a mother of two, I frequently multi-task resulting in a stressful demeanor. Inevitably my daughter will run in the house and say “quick, Mommy come and help me with…” Or my older son will ask me to listen to a song he’s written, never once noticing that my hands are in a bowl of ground beef mixing meatloaf and I’m talking to a customer on the phone.

Neither take the time to check out the circumstances before requesting my time and attention. We do the same thing as adults. We are so wrapped up in what we have to share, good and bad, that we forget to look around us and see if our communication will be welcomed.

Have you ever had a really tough day and when you come home you just want to put your feet up and relax. The thought of company or going out is the last thing you want. Your partner will say, “What would you like to do this weekend?”

You immediately answer, nothing, because if you feel then, like you feel now, the last thing you’ll want to do is ANYTHING.

Take the time to assess your surroundings, the mood of your partner and what they might be feeling and take that into consideration when starting a conversation.

Communication is the key, the foundation, of a successful relationship. Without it, we are living in isolation.

It may seem impossible to successfully communicate with your partner, but it can be done. My parents celebrated their 51th wedding anniversary recently and as I think back over the years, they have had periods of good communication and times of loud communication.

When it is at it’s best it is because they are willing to share, they truly listen and they are empathetic.

There is one other secret to their successful communication.

Not sharing everything.

There are times when “I told you so” practically flies from your lips. You might feel inclined to offer a sarcastic dig or a one-up-manship comment that shows you are the better person. Let’s face it, sometimes you ARE right and they are WRONG.

Resist.

Pithy comments and quick comeback lines are fine for a sitcom, but hurtful in a relationship.

Open, honest communication is the ultimate gift of love we give another person. Share your thoughts with someone you love today. If it’s been a while since you’ve been able to talk with out yelling – put your hurt feelings aside and take the first step. Allow yourself to be vulnerable. Listen carefully for their answer and put yourself in their shoes for a moment.

You’ll both be glad you did.

Deborah Chaddock Brown, owner of AllWrite Ink, has been writing since she was seven. AllWrite Ink is a corporate writing enterprise focused on providing solution-oriented content that enhances her customer’s brand message. She writes Word People Read SM. She recently penned “It’s a Party, Planning a Successful Retail Sales Event,” a workbook designed to take the thinking out of planning a grand opening or customer appreciation day event for retailers. For more information visit allwriteink.com. Deborah has two children and a kitten that inspire her thoughts and ideas.

It happened again in class. While sharing my insights on a
particular subject, I spontaneously began by saying:

“Ask yourself this question”

I believe in the power of a good question. Questions find
their way into my journal, class notes, and my interactions
with people.

Any one answer to any one of the nineteen questions below
could make a positive impact on your life.

Did you get that? No hype.

No outrageous claims, no related tapes to purchase, and no
guarantees about changing your life forever.

But…

The potential for meaningful change does lie before you *in
the form of your own seriously considered answer* to a
selected question.

A FEW BRIEF SUGGESTIONS

Pay attention to your initial feelings about an inquiry you
read.

Should you notice a “first impression answer” that ushers in
a sense of excitement, challenge — or a deep sense of “I
should do this” — be sure to slow down your internal speed
of life and park there a moment or two.

Remember: repeating a question over and over sets in motion
an on-going search to discover *just the right answer for
you.*

Consider recording your thoughts in a journal.

Enjoy the process!

AND THE QUESTIONS ARE…

1. What one small thing — repeat — “small thing” — is
holding me back from doing my best today?

2. What *one* small thing is hindering me from becoming the
person I be could be today in *one* area of my life?

3. What action could I take today to brighten someone’s
world?

*And here’s the key: simple, doable, and even fun!

4. How can I double my value as a ___________ this year?

*As a… husband, father, employee, friend, etc.

*Suggestion: ask this question many, many times.

5. Where should I influence my world in a positive way?

6. Are negative thinking patterns eating away my potential
in any area of my life — no matter how small?

7. Am I saying “I can’t” when I should be saying “I can”
or “I must!” anywhere in my life?

8. My greatest area of tension at work or home right now is
________. How could I improve just 10% in this area?

9. What positive discipline have I let slip lately? What
price am I paying for this slip?

10. Where can I, or should I, make a positive difference?

11. If I took a thirty second “happy memory break” right
now, what would I remember?

13. How can I schedule a small break in my life — just
enough to be refreshed and recharged a bit?

14. What untapped potential could I bring to my world?

15. Am I learning what I need to learn?

16. Are my associations making me or breaking me?

17. Who is challenging me or inspiring me right now?
Who could?

18. Should I procrastinate on anything, or set aside
anything, that is not important for what is *most* important?

19. Is there anything I should *stop* doing?

____________________________________

© Lee Wise All rights reserved. You may freely distribute

this article. The copyright and this resource box must be

included. abeautifulmomentintime.blogspot.com abeautifulmomentintime.blogspot.com

Avoid pain/create pleasure. For A Beautiful Moment In Time

go here –> motivation-for-daily-living.net motivation-for-daily-living.net

Several years ago, after spending time in quiet reflection and reviewing childhood playacting roles, I wrote down things I had a passion for when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life.

It is said that passion can make your life richer in more ways than one. By recognizing what makes you happy and simply doing more if it, you can create a fulfilling and rewarding life for yourself. All kinds of people are transforming their passion into profits these days.

For the first ten years after graduation from college, I listened to other people’s “well meaning” advice, instead of trusting my intuition. I ended up working at a bank in several clock-punching-nine-to-five positions, the majority of which I absolutely no passion for. I was bored to tears. After almost a decade there, I began to realize that I was capable of doing much better. I also had a feeling my destiny was something altogether different but I didn’t know what.

So I set out to find my path.

That’s when I eventually quit and became a Wall Street stockbroker. Five years after that, I had another revelation and quit Merrill Lynch to follow my dreams of becoming a motivational speaker and eventually pilot. Those were heady days, trust me. Scary but well worth it.

Doesn’t it make sense that if you are doing what you love doing and getting paid for it, you’d be happier, more content? Millions of people are tired of going to work with a less than excited attitude these days. Why do you think they dread Monday mornings? Why do you think customer service is just horrid - are these people, by definition, happy in their jobs?

Here’s how I found my passion(s). I took out a piece of paper and wrote with wild abandon what I wanted to do with my life. I wrote anything that came to mind without worrying how ridiculous it sounded. My mind was allowed to drift back to when I was a kid - I asked myself what things I did during “playtime activities” that made time fly by fast.

While I was doing this little exercise, my ego tried to interfere and plague me with doubts saying things like, “How will you accomplish this?” “You’re crazy, you can’t afford to do this!” “How will you survive?” “You’re not good enough.”

If you have a family to feed, you might get something like, “You’ve got a family of four mouths to feed, you’ll just have to wait until they graduate from college before you do this!” If thoughts like these find their way through your mind, gently acknowledge them and set them aside. In other words, give them no power.

I vividly remember when I used to play “schoolteacher.” As a youngster, I pretended I was a pipe smoking professor, teaching imaginary students for hours at a time in my tiny bedroom. Even though I didn’t grow up to be a “professor,” I am now a teacher of sorts as a professional speaker showing others how to turn adversity into a university of possibilities! (and while I don’t smoke pipes, I do smoke cigars!)

Another childhood pastime was imagining myself as a pilot, flying model airplanes over makeshift villages with little plastic houses and fences. Right around that time, I begged my mother to take me to the airport to watch planes take off and land until I was old enough to drive. When I turned 16, I often took her car to the airport and hung out all day by myself instead of going to the local mall with my friends. Then I took it one step further and drove out to the countryside where I could safely drive down the middle of the highway, pretending to take off and land. (Unfortunately, I ultimately paid the price with a couple of speeding tickets! Isn’t that what the pundits mean by “paying the price”? Well, it was definitely worth it….in retrospect, of course!)

See the connection there? Whatever you used to do as a child that you found fun and engaging is most likely what you’re destined to do as an adult. The reason many people aren’t doing what they’re called to do is because they ended up repressing their dreams in the name of “being realistic.”

Realistic according to who? Their parents? Their friends? Relatives? Society? They have a myriad of excuses saying, “You don’t understand, I have to work at XYZ Corporation because I have to pay the bills even though I hate my job.” No, life is not about paying the bills. It’s about living your life’s purpose. All it takes is a little time to find out what it is.

Only you know what you’re good at. Others might have some kind of idea where your talents lay but that’s only their opinion. You’re the only one who can decide what talents you have and how you will apply them. The universe will guide you if you pay attention to “coincidences” and “synchronicities” which hint at what action you should take.

I’ve found that the universe eventually provided me with the “how.” That’s how I, a deaf pilot, was able to earn the instrument rating for the first time in aviation history in February 2006. When I first started flying in 2000, I distinctly remember seeing FAA regulations where it spelled out, in black and white, the two way radio requirements for the instrument rating. By definition, that excluded the deaf pilot population; yet, I affirmed that I was going to find a way around it somehow. What happened was I made a decision that I would achieve it even though it looked impossible at the time.

I’m very fond of a quote from the book “Conversations with God” by Neale Donald Walsch:

“When you ‘make up your mind’ about something, you set the universe into motion. Forces beyond your ability to comprehend–far more subtle and complex than you could imagine–are engaged in a process, the intricate dynamics of which you are only just now beginning to understand.”

You see, I hadn’t yet met people who would eventually help me get it. I hadn’t heard from the FAA that it was possible for a deaf pilot to fly in instrument conditions (i.e. flying in “bad weather”). All of this was to take place in the future - 5 years after I made the decision!

Food for thought: Cultivating and nurturing your passion(s) will take you places beyond your wildest dreams. Trust that your efforts are being supported by the universe once you make a decision. Also trust that life is very generous to those who follow their passions.

Profoundly deaf since birth, Stephen Hopson is a former award-winning stockbroker turned motivational speaker, author and pilot. He works with organizations that are ready to explore and overcome adversity because no one is immune from it - adversity does not discriminate. His professional speaking services, Obstacle Illusions, include fun and passionate presentations, especially the story of how his fifth grade teacher forever changed his young life with THAT’S RIGHT STEPHEN! You can view his website at sjhopson.com sjhopson.com Stephen also maintains a blog called “Adversity University” at adversityuniversity.blogspot.com/ adversityuniversity.blogspot.com/

There are many facts of life that we can not change. These facts of life can also be called natural laws. The sun comes up and the sun goes down is a fact of life. Things like; water is wet, snow is cold, rocks are hard, and so on, are simply facts of life.

Most of us know these facts of life and do not worry about changing them. Why do we not worry about those things? It is because we know we can not change them and so do not bother to waste our time.

So what can we change by manifesting? We can change the things that affect us for the short term. We can manifest things to solve our needs and desires. We can actively direct the smaller things that affect us. To not take a proactive outlook is to allow our lives to be decided by chance, by default. We must direct our own lives and so we can manifest that which is in our sphere of influence.

We can manifest a good day, a good job, a good parking spot, the right product at the right price, and so on. These are things we can and should control in our lives. We have the duty and the right to shape our daily world that we live in.

Many of you already know the steps to manifesting, but a quick review is in order. Decide what you want; bring the desire out from inside you, by speaking or writing it down, then visualize the desire coming into existence, wait with faith that it has become, and finally receive it when it arrives.

We can easily manifest that which is ours to control, but what about things we can not control? The problem a lot of people have run into is in the area of what they can not control. Things like insight, guidance, illumination, and enlightenment. These things are not within a person’s wisdom to accurately specify. So all that can be done is to make a request, and allow the higher forces to work out the details.
When we command that which we control, then this is the proper use of our spiritual power. When we attempt to command that which we do not control; is a waste of time and effort. To try to push a river would be folly, sheer silliness, and so we should not try. So why would we try to force the universe to do things; and then like little children get mad because it did not happen, or it didn’t happen the way we wanted.

So with that I must give you fair warning: Be careful what you ask for as you will get it, and it may not be what you wanted.

Over time reality will show you what is in your power to manifest. You will discover what is in your ability to manifest and what is not. Disappointments are just a way of telling you that it is either not yours to manifest or the time is not right.

Be Blessed
ralston-recomends.blogspot.com/ The Guide to Setting Goals

Ralston Heath recently retired from 25 years of active duty. Now that his life is his own again, he is working to share with the world all he knows. Check him out on his blog manifesting-dreams.blogspot.com/ manifesting-dreams.blogspot.com/

1. Stop All Criticism of Yourself. Negative feelings can spiral and become a negative affirmation. This drains your energy and makes it harder to take action. Instead, become your own best cheerleader!

2. Don’t Scare Yourself. Stop terrorizing yourself with your thoughts! Remember FDR? “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” And what is fear? False Evidence Appearing Real. Instead, create a mental picture or saying and put it up where you see it frequently. Mine’s “The ski’s the limit”. Use it to help switch your scary thought into a positive one.

3. Be Gentle and Kind and Patient with Yourself. Treat yourself as you would someone you really loved and admired. Remember learning a new skill takes time and we are forever learning, growing, and expanding. Learning also means making mistakes a few times before the skill is mastered. Be gentle.

4. Be Kind to Your Mind. Self-hatred is only hating a thought about yourself and thoughts can be changed. Remember also that thoughts are not necessarily true. If someone said, “I hate you because you have green hair!” would that bother you? Probably not because you would think to yourself, that’s not true and let it go. Do the same with other negative thoughts; say “that’s not true.” And let it go.

5. Praise Yourself. Praise builds up your inner spirit. Start a Victory book. Write down every little thing you did well, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. Put in at least one entry per day. Read it over often. Refer to it especially when you are about to try something new or a little risky.

6. Support Yourself. Find ways to support and nurture yourself. What makes you feel good? Is it taking time for a walk with the dog? A hot bath with bubbles? A good book by the fire? Whatever it is that nurtures you, do it.

7. Be Loving to Your Negatives. Acknowledge that you created them to fill a need. Now you are learning new and positive ways to fulfill those needs, so you can lovingly release the old negative patterns.

8. Take Care of Your Body. Pay attention to what kinds of foods, exercise and rest patterns that make you feel the best and what makes your body loose energy and vitality. Notice these and then implement a plan to increase those that energize!

9. Look Yourself in the Eye. Look in the mirror and look into your own eyes as you would a dear friend. Smile and tell yourself what you appreciate about you. If you feel that you need to forgive yourself for anything, look yourself in the eye and say, “I forgive you for __________________.” And mean it. After all, if you could have done things differently or better at the time, wouldn’t you have?

10. Don’t Wait, Do It Now. Don’t wait to get started. Do it now. Remember, decide, plan and start. The Universe rewards ACTION! And if you need help, call me. I’m in the business of helping people become their best selves and live their best life!

Deb Melton, Singles Coach and Certified Fearless Living Coach lives in Denver and coaches singles all over the country to help them find their soulmate. Deb’s philosophy is, “It’s never too late to find the love of your life and live the life you love! Deb also offers teleclasses and seminars on a variety of subjects for singles of all ages. Whether you have never been married or you are recently divorced, Deb’s coaching and classes are interactive, fun and full of helpful information. Go to her website to learn more denversinglescoach.com denversinglescoach.com

Meditation offers a plethora of benefits. Unfortunately many people do not meditate because they are fearful of the perceived demands. These perceived demands include—sitting in a perfect lotus position with fingers held in a mudra pose. This traditional Hindu or Buddhist posture is not required.

The truth is—the way you are envisioning meditating is not the Right Way—It is One Way. The best way is the way that works best for you. Sitting in a comfortable position is recommended not because it is the right way, but because if your body is comfortable you will be able to sustain a period of concentration as long as you like.

Any repetitive action or thought is a meditative practice which aids in clearing the mind and can help you to find a deep, peaceful, quiet state. For example—knitting, sewing, running, walking, hiking, gardening, vacuuming, dusting, cooking, or gently humming or softly singing. Knitting and sewing involve not only physical repetition, but a conscious or unconscious repetition of a phrase—such as pearl one, knit two. This is no different from repeating a mantra which is used during Hindu or Buddhist meditation. While these every day life activities lead to a meditative state, most people do not necessarily reach the same depth that formal meditative practitioners reach. It is important to become aware of activities that bring you to this state, appreciating what you are unconsciously doing for yourself, and examining how you might expand on the possibilities.

People often have their minds running with a continual cacophony of babble, thoughts racing through at dizzying speeds. Thoughts of yesterday, tomorrow—next week, next year – If Only, Why didn’t/don’t, shoulds, woulds, ought to, have to, must and coulds. Some people are so busy worrying about what, who, why and therefore, that they spend virtually no time enjoying the present moment. Too little is appreciated in the moment until it is past, and then we realize the missed opportunity and bemoan what is lost. This insidious cycle is played day after day.

Practicing is the most important step. The more you do it, the easier it becomes and the more effective your meditation is. Find the best way for you through experimenting. Determine what brings you to a place of peace and quiet. Practice at least 10 minutes every day. Some people think that unless one meditates for half an hour or more it is useless—short meditations can give as much benefit as longer meditation. It is helpful to alternate from short to longer meditations.

Repetitive prayers, like Hail Mary’s are a form of using a mantra, which helps to quiet the mind and allows you to open to the Divine. A reported asked Mother Teresa what she said during prayer, Mother Teresa responded, “Nothing, He is listening.” The reporter asked, “What God said and Mother Teresa responded, “Nothing, He is listening.” Her response exemplifies one of the deepest levels of meditation, no different from the Hindu or Buddhist. Did Mother Teresa sit in the lotus position? Maybe—Maybe not.

• Meditative practice helps to slow your thinking and clear your mind of all the useless thoughts that cloud your thinking process.

• On a conscious level it allows one to be in the present moment and appreciate what you are experiencing in the now.

• Subconsciously it frees your mind to search for deeper truths and answers.

• Meditation gives one the opportunity to connect with ones higher self, God, the Divine, Universal Wisdom, Tao or whatever label your belief system places on an eternal source of truth and wisdom.

• Meditation frees the conscious mind to analyze and act clearly and confidently, and opens the subconscious mind to inspiration and creativity.

You have, no doubt, noticed some people, whether they are religious figures or ordinary people have a common thread. They have a gentleness to their character—a calmness and peacefulness in their manner of being. These characteristics allow them to manage the stormy vicissitudes of life with a strength and grounding that allows them to be centered and think calmly about what they need to do and how they need to be in response to any situation.

You need to decide, What Do I Want to Create? Do I want to be harried by life’s waves and tsunamis, or do I want to be calm, serene and rooted in Universal Knowledge—rooted in the knowledge and truth that exists in my central core.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life—it is never too late to give yourself the gift of peace of mind.

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, author, motivational speaker and inspirational leader specializes in: Mind, Body, Spirit healing and Physical/Sexual Abuse Prevention and Recovery. Dr. Neddermeyer empowers people to view life’s challenges as an opportunity for Personal/Professional Growth and Spiritual Awakening. drdorothy.net www.drdorothy.net