Do Your Beliefs Reflect Reality or Create It

Does it really make sense to convince yourself to believe something that may or may not be true? Where do you draw the line?

What defines truth? Is truth an exteal quality, completely independent of the observer?

If reality is completely independent of you, exteal and objective, then you can say that truth is entirely outside yourself. Truth would then be independently measurable and verifiable. This means that your beliefs will have no effect on reality itself. Whether you believe the world is peaceful or violent, your thoughts will have no impact on the level of peace in the world.

But if reality is at least partially subjective, then you cannot separate exteal truth from your own thoughts. Your thoughts would be affecting exteal reality. This means that you cannot merely look to exteal reality for truth because your thoughts are creating it. If you believe the world is peaceful or violent, your own thoughts contribute to shaping the world in accordance with your beliefs.

So if reality is 100% independent of our thoughts, then it makes sense to study exteal reality to figure out what to believe. Seeing is believing. The best we can do is to perceive exteal reality as accurately as possible, so we can make the best possible decisions.

But if reality is even partially created by our thoughts, then we cannot merely look to exteal reality as an impartial observer because our thoughts will be creating things at the same time we're trying to observe. There can be no passive observation in this case. Our own beliefs will be reshaping reality. Believing is seeing. If this is how reality works, then we need to assume great care in choosing our thoughts responsibly because they are affecting the world itself.

So which type of reality do we actually live in?

Many people behave as if we live in the purely objective reality. However, it's easy to see that this answer is definitely wrong, but only when you're on the outside looking in. If you believe in a purely objective reality, you've trapped yourself in your own thought bubble, where your beliefs are creating a higher degree of objectivity than inherently exists. By dropping this belief, you'll be more capable of taking advantage of the creative power of your thoughts. In order to use your thoughts to create, you must first believe it's at least conceivably possible to do so.

There are several reasons why this is so. First, if quantum theory is to be believed, then it's clear that our observations influence reality. An unobserved quantum system can be expressed only probabilistically, but an observed one undergoes quantum collapse and manifests a single, measurable outcome. And this effect can even be linked with macroscopic events, such as in the case of Schrödinger's cat experiment.

However, you don't need to dive into quantum physics to see how your thoughts affect reality. At the very least, it should be obvious that you're capable of interacting with the world through direct action. If you make a decision to do something and then do it, your thoughts are affecting reality through your actions.

Secondly, your thoughts can affect reality through indirect action, whereby your beliefs make you a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you go to work each day, you're a self-fulfilling prophecy. There's no law of the universe that says you have to do so. It's your beliefs that get you going to work each day. And when you do that, you have an impact on the world, again through your actions. You perform certain work, and you neglect to perform different work. Your beliefs about reality will be reflected through your actions, often in extremely subtle ways. I haven't had a job since the early 90s because I believe I don't need one and that I wouldn't ever want one. That shapes my experience of reality as well as impacting everyone who comes into contact with me.

Thirdly, there may be a pathway that allows for your thoughts to impact reality while bypassing direct action, such as through superconscious means. For example, do your thoughts about wanting to start your own business somehow mobilize the universe to bring you the resources you need through the experience of synchronicities? Many people believe this to be the case. This is something I've been studying actively lately, trying to understand to what degree I can change reality just by intending it to change.

But whether you believe in superconscious effects or not, you should at least be able to accept that your thoughts can change reality through direct (conscious) or indirect (subconscious) action. You can act upon the world. You can move things around, talk to people, make changes, etc. Of course, if you harbor the belief that your actions will be ineffective, then you create yourself as a powerless entity. But if you were to change your beliefs about that, you could significantly change the world.

Your thoughts are not merely passive observations. They have a creative component to them. And that component, however small it may be, means that you are creating whenever you think. You're either directly making decisions, or you're programming your subconscious, or you're putting out superconscious intentions that will eventually manifest in some way.

This is a key point. Understand that beliefs are decisions. They are choices. When you hold a belief, you aren't merely observing reality — you're actively creating it. So if you adopt the belief that you will lose weight, understand that what you're doing is choosing to lose weight. You're setting up the prophecy you wish to fulfill. If your thoughts could not impact reality, then this would be foolish. But if your thoughts can and do impact reality, then it's just common sense to choose the beliefs that are aligned with what you wish to create. So if you're overweight and believe you cannot lose weight, you're actually choosing to be fat. And underlying that belief may be a whole web of other disempowering beliefs — you may need to unravel quite a few of these in order to feel comfortable creating fitness for yourself.

The belief that reality is purely objective and that your thoughts cannot influence it is nothing but a self-fulfilling prophecy, whereby you abuse the power of thought to make yourself powerless. And it is only fear that causes you to do this, fear that if you were to fully embrace the creative power of your thoughts, you wouldn't be able to handle it and would be overwhelmed with a feeling of responsibility. But that fear is also a belief, one which you're equally free to drop because it doesn't serve you. You have the power to let it go whenever you're ready.

I hold the belief that my thoughts are capable of having a significant impact on reality, and I feel a strong sense of responsibility for what I am creating with my thinking. It took a long time, but I feel I've successfully aligned my dominant thoughts with what I believe is the greatest good of all — for all of us to grow more conscious and aware. My whole life is aligned with that purpose. But ultimately it's a choice. This is how I choose to live.

I think that anyone who's been following my progress for the past year can see how my thoughts and beliefs are helping to reshape reality. Because I believe I can have an impact, I'm able to do so. Like everyone else I'm a self-fulfilling prophecy. I have the privilege of reaching out to a lot of people every time I sit down to write (in October this site received 975,000 page views). But this simply occurred as a natural consequence of my chosen beliefs. I didn't look to exteal reality to decide whether I could do this or not. I didn't waste time looking outside myself to figure out how successful I could be. I simply decided to make it so, knowing that my beliefs would find a way to manifest. On the other hand, I could just as easily have settled for beliefs that would have me sitting around and doing nothing.

Now fast forward ten or twenty years. It shouldn't be hard to predict the effect my beliefs will have in the long run. It will mean eventually influencing millions of people on a regular basis. And if the effect is a strong and positive one, then it can have a significant impact on the future direction of life on earth. The individual effects may be small, but the cumulative effect of getting more people to consciously chose a purpose for their lives could be huge. Now if one person can have such an impact simply by choosing to believe it's possible to do so, then what could 10 or 100 or 1000 people accomplish if they consciously chose to harbor thoughts which serve the greatest good of all?

So the problem with looking purely outside yourself to decide what to believe is that you make yourself powerless by doing so. This approach would only make sense if you were a passive observer viewing an independent system. But that's not the reality you're living in. You aren't a passive observer. You're a part of what you're observing. Right now you might be perceiving yourself as a small and insignificant part of the whole, but you can choose to play a bigger and more impactful role if you want to.

Is it true that with greater power comes greater responsibility? No. Your responsibility remains the same, regardless of how much power you have. You can only give up power, never responsibility. And the first way you give up power is to mistakenly believe you do not possess the power which you already do.

Copyright © Steve Pavlina

Steve Pavlina
Personal Development for Smart People
http://www.stevepavlina.com
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog (blog)
http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles (articles)

Steve is intensely growth-oriented. He trained in martial arts, ran the L.A. Marathon, and graduated from college in three semesters with two degrees. He can juggle, count cards at blackjack, and make damn good guacamole. Steve is also a polyphasic sleeper, sleeping just 2-3 hours per day and only 20 minutes at a time. So chances are good that he's awake right now.

Finding Your Passions

Where does our motivation come from? What makes us want to strive for more?

It comes from our PASSION, and with out it what are we left with? We are left with our lives in a seemingly endless spin of unhappiness. When we no longer have passion in our lives we no longer want to strive to make our lives thrive.

This I understand clearly after 15 years.

In the early 1990s it took me five years to muster 34 credits at my local community college. I didn't have the passion for formal schooling at the time. Yes, five years, but it wasn't until my grandfather insisted that I transfer to a university that I started to completely understand how I felt about school and what my passion was for school. At that time, it took me four years to finish my undergraduate degree. I worked full time; I went to school fulltime taking full advantage of the university's online programs and was even able to be inducted into the honor society while raising my first daughter. PASSION.

After I graduated, I decided to continue and within three years I was able to obtain my first master degree and year later I had my second master degree, while now raising two daughters. PASSION.

Because of this passion, I've been very successful in school and furthering my career, but now I find my life changing because my passions are different. My formal schooling is complete and now it's time for me to redirect my passions.

I am going back to creative writing. Difficult for me because I've been doing technical and research writing for so long now, however it's my true passion.

At this moment in time, if you are not happy in whatever it is you are doing, it's not your true passion. Sometimes we get sucked into the myth that making more money, having a big expensive house, or driving the best luxury cars is our life's passion. It isn't. These things and objects make us comfortable, but do they really fill the voided holes we have in our lives? These things are fruits of our passionate labors, but they are not the passion itself. If you feel like you're in rut or you're not happy with your current situation. Change it and find your passion. Working towards your passion will make your life so much happier.

Find your passion and make it happen.

Michelle R. Sweeny is the owner and founder of S&S Management Consulting. Ms. Sweeny is a Training Officer at an executive branch agency within the Federal govement. She recently completed her dual graduate degree program at the University of Maryland University College. She has a Master of Science in Management (specializing in Human Resources Management) and a M.B.A.

Creatively, she goes by the name of ZETAZEN and has successfully managed and owned an inteet radio station and message board.

Law of Attraction Article How to STOP Being a Person Nothing Works For

Do you ever wonder why great things happen to some people but not to you?

Do you ever read about people who have tried this or that product and had some incredible result, but when you try it, you don't get the same result?

Have you become a person who NOTHING seems to work for?

Maybe you've thought about trying the some new self- improvement package that sounds great, but you're just so tired of things not working for you.

Let's take a look at how you've gotten where you are and why these things might happen.

First, at some point, you tried something - either based on a recommendation, a testimonial you read, or some other reason. Basically, you tried it based on someone else's positive experience.

However, when you tried it, you did not get the same result so you made the assumption that it didn't work for you. But how true IS this? Often - VERY often - things work differently for different people, and it's a mistake to judge your life by comparing it with others. Perhaps you just needed more time.

Maybe your circumstances are completely different! Regardless, however, you made up - you CREATED a Truth for yourself at that time, that truth being "This didn't work", although remember, that truth is based only on your surface comparison with someone else... and it really doesn't have anything to do with you, and what - in the cosmic scheme of things - is best for you.

Those results you read about for that other person are what was right at that time for them, and that doesn't necessarily mean that NOW is the time for you and that it will happen to you the same way that it happened for them!

From then on, every thing else you try is then compared to that first experience, with the Truth in your mind being "Well, it didn't work that time...let's see if THIS works". So again you're comparing... and not really trying anything "purely" and on it's own merit without preconceived notions or judgements.

You are already working against yourself! You may not yet automatically expect failure, but you have it as an option, and perhaps even a probability based on your previous experiences.

The more things you try with this mindset, the more you fortify this mindset - it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that "Nothing works for me". Before you know it, that is who you become. The person you are about reaching your specific goals or trying this or that product or technology is "It works for others but never for me." Once you reach that place, it will most certainly become true for you.

So what do you do? How do you break out of this patte? First, acknowledge how you got here... by comparing yourself or your results with other people who are really on a completely different path then you, although they may have been after similar results. Then create a new idea for yourself - give yourself permission to experience success on your own terms, without judging what happens based on other people or expectations set up by anyone other than yourself.

Once you believe that you deserve to succeed and that you CAN succeed and that you WILL succeed, your life will change. Whatever you try will work for you, because YOU define what "working" is - not somebody else! You set your own timetable, you are relaxed, and non-judgement. Your infinite patience and lack of expectation based exteally, will work with you in very powerful ways and you will regain control over your destiny.

Bob Doyle is the CEO and founder of Boundless Living and the developer of the Wealth Beyond Reason program, which provides a continuing education of the physics of wealth, abundance, and joyous living through the Law of Attraction. RadicalWealthFromHome.com

Do Your Things Own You

Do you have things like a bicycle, jetski, or swimming pool that sit unused? Is it that you don't have time to use them because you have to work so much just to pay for them? Sometimes it seems like all the things we own somehow own us.

The bad news is that it's often true. We have to arrange our lives around our things. You get a new truck that can go anywhere, but you're too busy working to go there. Someone is out fishing while you are putting in overtime to pay for your fishing boat. You use your large-screen television a lot, but does it sufficiently reduce the debt-stress that came with it?

Break The Chains!

The good news is that there's a better way. Actually, there are three better ways. First, know what you really value. Second, use cash instead of debt. Third, lea how to look at costs and benefits.

Will you really enjoy that $2,000 mountain bicycle enough? Maybe. This isn't about right or wrong desires. It's a question of truly seeing your own values. Think back to things you've bought but not used, or not used enough. What truly enjoyable things could you do with that money if you had it now? You've got to be self aware and honest.

Cash is king. The price may seem the same, but put those things on a credit card and, with interest, you'll pay a lot more. Cash means you have to save and wait a little for things, but you can buy more and have less stress. Credit cards provide the illusion of a richer life. Escaping debt gives you the reality.

Finally, lea to understand costs and benefits. A friend once came to the realization, using pen and paper, that his jetski cost him $300 for every hour he used it the first year. Loan interest, gas, insurance, depreciation, repairs, licenses - these things add up. And he thought it was too expensive to pay $100 per day to rent one! Consider the real costs of things, and look for a cheaper way, or at least make an honest decision that it's worth $300 per hour to you.

Your things should be making your life better. If they aren't, you need to start looking at them differently. Don't let your things own you. Change your approach.

Steve Gillman writes on many topics including brainpower, weight loss, meditation, habits of mind, creative problem solving, generating luck and anything related to self improvement. Lea more and get free e-courses at http://www.SelfImprovementNow.com

Internet Success Just Do it

For several years now, I've been busy running the roads selling products to people I didn't know and I'll probably never see again. The two products I sold were walk-in bathtubs which sold for close to $13,000 to elderly people who had a hard time getting in and out of a bathtub, and then commercial-grade windows which sold for close to $1,000/each window. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is the money I made has been here and gone. What happened while I was on the road driving over 1500 miles/week? There are few places a woman without a college education can ea over $1000/week except in direct sales or who knows, maybe finding a niche over the inteet.

But how do you know where to start or what to do first? Well, I read an interesting article which motivated me to do something about it. This article was telling me to JUST DO IT, a simple statement--but profound. I remember hearing that statement many years ago in an A.L. Williams meeting. I even heard it last night when listening to a teleseminar with Les Brown, famed motivator, when he was talking about how faith without action means nothing. So why do I have such a hard time "just doing it." Well, maybe it's just that I'm afraid I won't be successful. Maybe it's because nobody believes in me but me. Who knows?

I have a son, Brian, who graduated from college five years ago. He majored in Art Education, but didn't like teaching like he thought he would. So, he went back to school and got Microsoft certified. Now, he drives a Mercedes and eas over $100,000 a year as a systems administrator. You know, that didn't come easy. After his Microsoft certification, he took a low-paying job with a computer firm which lead to a job with the school system (his art education helped him land that job). That job lead him to his present job. Anyway, at 29 he "just did it," and he's lovin' it.

While I was on the road, my boyfriend (live-in lover) pursued his passion of working over the inteet. He leaed it little by little. He only types with two fingers. It didn't come easy. He now designs websites and markets over the inteet. His previous experience in the printing business and his artistic flare helped him. How could he accomplish that? He just did it. He can now design a website with links, connect a merchant account, place adwords with servers, etc. And me--my money has been here and gone. I was too busy making a living to lea, too tired and soon too but out.

If you have a passion (whatever it is), just pursue it--just do it. The jouey of a thousand miles starts with a single step--so just do it. Each step you take brings you one step closer to your desired goal, so just do it. On the inteet, you will find a whole world at your fingertips.

There are people out there who can become your mentors. You may never meet them face to face. They may never hear you speak, but they will still be your mentor.

I have just given you a billion dollar concept. It is worth nothing, however, unless you take action. --Just Do it--

So, what am I saying--you might be like me; you have very little to show for your past work except paid bills and the fact that you made yourself a living. But, I plan on making changes in my life. I plan on leaing how to market on the inteet this year. I plan on "just doing it." You'll never know unless you take action. This one concept can make you a fortune and on the inteet, your possibilities are endless. So, get off your a _ _ and do something.

Your future is limited only to your acquired knowledge, imagination and action. You may have the desire but feel overwhelmed by the inteet, but DO NOT FEAR. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Thank you so much for your time. I hope I encouraged you to pursue your passion.

This is a billion dollar concept which is taught at http://www.InteetProfitMentor.com Get your FREE 12-hour video course plus FREE 120-page e-book

Invisible Progress

Have you noticed that some desires manifest quickly and easily while others seem to drag on and on without even a hint of fulfillment? Does your heart long for a mate? Does your pocket ache for some cash? Does your mind chat about enlightenment all through your meditation? As spring approaches we have the opportunity to plant seeds. Long before the seeds bring us zinnias and zucchini they offer us a far-reaching lesson.

We place the seed in the earth. The clock ticks. Days pass. The ground is quiet and still. It looks like nothing is happening. Meanwhile, under the surface, the seed awakens. A life is bo. However, the seed's transformational awakening looks exactly like its slumber to us living above the surface of the earth. From our limited perspective, we cannot tell the difference between dormancy and a surge of momentum toward life.

A similar gestational period occurs when we plant a seed with our intention into the fertile ground of consciousness. A period follows when it looks like nothing is happening. But just like the physical seed, which is undergoing its greatest metamorphosis hidden within the womb of the earth, the seed of our intention sprouts without our conscious awareness. How we relate to that period of invisible progress has much to do with what we will place in our baskets at harvest time.

Abundance

One apple seed, which produces one apple tree, offers innumerable apples in its lifetime. Each apple contains a core of seeds. From the one seed that produced the tree, countless seeds meet the earth for another opportunity to sprout. Some sprout. Some don't. Seeds surge into existence with such abundance that regardless of which seeds sprout, the big intention of the tree moves powerfully forward.

One seed of our intention also produces an abundance of new intentions, all moving towards the fulfillment of the big desire behind our actions. Some of our intentions sprout. Some don't. It is helpful to remember the abundance of the seeds that we sow and the fertile nature of consciousness. It is comforting to know that plenty will sprout for the fulfillment of our soul's desire.

Trust

As we plant our seeds in the spring, we trust the process. We feel confident that the seeds will grow into colorful edibles or decorative beauty. Bunches of tiny, compact seeds fit in the palm of our hand and we spread them without a worry about which exact seeds will sprout and which ones won't. We let the earth and the seeds work out the details under the surface and we welcome whichever sprouts shoot their little heads into the light.

This is a beneficial attitude to have with our intentions. To sow them into the ground of being and to trust that it will all come to fruition in a magnificent way. We don't have to dig our hands under the earth to squeeze the life through the seed. We simply wait and trust. And while we wait, we cultivate. We pull the weeds that may appear. We water if the weather is dry. We assist the invisible process with our loving care. Our care is based on trust that the process goes on with or without our help.

Process

If you constantly dig up your seeds to see why they have not grown yet, you interfere with the invisible process. Here are three simple steps that will nurture your invisible progress toward your most cherished goals.

Choose an intention that seems dormant. One that you'd like to move forward into manifestation. In this exercise we will cultivate the seeds of our intentions. We will embrace this period of quiet transformation when it seems like nothing is happening. Before long, you may find yourself with a big stable tree in your backyard providing you with season after season of fruit.

Step 1. Check the packet

What seed are you planting? It helps to plant a seed that you really want to see flower.

If you have conflict about the potential outcome of your seed-desire, you may find your garden facing a drought this season. Step one asks only that you double-check your intention. Does it resonate fully with your inner truth? Will the eventual fulfillment of this desire uplift you and others around you? Will it bring you joy? Will it open you to a greater flow of life-force? Ask yourself questions about your desire and make sure you are planting seeds you will love growing.

Step 2. Water

Flow your joyful attention toward the feeling of the fulfillment of your intention. Find every good feeling aspect of the process and its fulfillment and rain your tears of joy onto the invisible project.

Step 3. Weed

As conflicting thoughts of doubt and fear enter your awareness, remove them with a sense of authority and ease. Don't give much attention to your weed-thoughts. Just notice that they are crowding the garden of your awareness and remove them by retuing to step two. Nurture only the seeds you have planted. The weeds will wither.

Keep clearing the ground for your beautiful sprout to make its appearance whenever it is ready. These three invisible steps can make all the difference as your project moves toward manifestation. In this time, when it looks like nothing is happening, it can be especially comforting to remember that you don't have to make the flowers grow. That is not your job. The power of the invisible process lies in trusting the invisible progress.

© Rebbie Straubing

You can receive Dr. Rebbie Straubing's Free e-Course, "7 Secrets for Manifesting Your Heart's Desire," at http://www.yofa.net

Rebbie is a workshop leader, Abraham Coach, and writer.

To find or harmonize a relationship, visit http://www.GreatRelationships.net

Increase your awareness of Divine Love and begin a meditation practice in 3 minutes at the Affirmative Contemplation website, http://www.AffirmativeContemplation.com

Discover the Magical Power of Pulling Heartstrings It s Mindblowing

I wish you never have to go through that kind of pain!

Last week, I was on the breath-taking island of Puerto Rico at a resort on the beach enjoying the crashing waves of the ocean and the cool breeze. If you don't know by now, I am an observer. I love to observe people and their behavior.

Maybe I have been living under a rock. But I had no idea that so many people had tattoos on their bodies. Honestly, I am not a tattoo fan. The way I see it, I probably would go along with any trend, as long as it wasn't something that was permanent.

I would want to be sure that I could get rid of it if my belief changed, and/or after I had realized what I had done was silly and stupid. But that's just me.

Although I would never have a tattoo put on myself, I admit that many of the ones I saw were really beautiful and true works of art. And so, now my tattoo antenna was up. Suddenly I began to notice people with tattoos everywhere. It's almost as if the trend just started.

This week, a woman at the post office took me back to Puerto Rico. She was standing in front of me in line. And guess what? Yes, she had a tattoo on the right side of the back of her shoulder.

It was a great picture of Stevie Nicks. Oh, and for those of you who don't know who Stevie Nicks is, well, we have something in common. I had no idea who in the world she was until my waiting-in-line companion told me.

Without getting too into it, Stevie Nicks is a light rock singer who was hot in the 60's and 70's. Now the big question: Why in the world someone would go through so much pain to tattoo a total stranger on his or her back? Can you guess? Well, I can.

It all comes down to emotion. In this case, it's pleasure. Emotion is a little word that rules our world. I bet you that the lady tattooed Stevie on her shoulder because of the way Stevie's music makes her feel.

It's obvious that it must be a deep-seeded emotion. It was so deep that the woman made a lifetime commitment to carry the photo of a stranger on her back! Now that is a true fan!

Would you like for others to carry you, perhaps in their hearts and minds for a lifetime? Well, go out and start making people feel great and you will have friends for life.

You see, you don't have to be a doctor in order to operate on someone's heart! Have you ever noticed how some people change their colors when you shower them with high praise? I am telling you, a chain of chemical reactions take place at the moment a "heart is touched." Try it and observe.

Emotion is what makes the world go round. But keep in mind that I am talking about pleasurable emotion. And with repetition, it can undoubtedly cause others to want to tattoo you on their backs.

Right now, no matter where you are, you have the power to make someone feel good. And it doesn't cost one red cent to make that happen. All you have to do is to give an elevating compliment or do an unexpected favor.

It's unlikely that this one act of kindness would create that effect. But with repetition, you can definitely achieve the same warm result.

The opposite is also true. If we keep pinching others' self confidence or verbally abuse them, they will tattoo us on their jerk list. What I really want to say is their sh _ t list. You get my point.

Let me know when someone tattoos your face on his or her back.

I wish you incredible success!

Rene Godefroy is the award-winning author of No Condition is Permanent, a motivational keynote speaker and business consultant who shares ideas and strategies that helps individuals achieve extraordinary results in theirs lives.

For more information, click on this link: Motivational Speaker

Develop the Internet Millionaire Mind

How can you change your life so that you can have all the things you've ever wanted? How can you build an online business that will keep you from having to ever again worry about petty cash? You do it by developing the inteet millionaire mind!

When you have money, there are no more worries about what you can order at a restaurant or whether you can afford to pay someone to park your car. When you have money, you can choose where you work. You can take your laptop to the pool, the deck of a boat, or to the beach. You could even homeschool your children and travel the world, teaching them history lessons at the actual historical sites. How cool would that be?

Just imagine your lifelong dreams coming true. Imagine buying your dream car and making the money back the very next day. The current inteet business opportunities are creating a new breed of inteet millionaires, and it can happen for you, too.

Start Small

So, how do you develop the inteet millionaire mind? First of all, you start with small goals. You can't begin thinking that you're going to make a million dollars. I started with a goal of making $100 on the inteet, then $1,000, then $10,000, and then $100,000. In fact, I made my first $100,000 in one hour's time!

Once I understood the process and the system to make money online, it was only a matter of increasing and expanding it until I made my first million. If you continue increasing your goals, one step at a time, you can and will get to the point where you're making a million in an hour - or even a minute. It absolutely can be done!

Know that it doesn't matter who you are or what your background has been. If you take on the mindset of an inteet millionaire, amazing things can happen for you.

What Kind of Language Do You Use?

First of all, think about your language. Do you use indecisive language such as, "I'll try to do it," "I may do it," or "I might get around to doing it"? If you do, you'll be stopped in your tracks before you start. Action requires decisive language: "I will do this" and "I must do this."

There are also two "F" words to consider here. One will stop you from taking action, and the other will help you to succeed. The word that stops you is FEAR. You've probably head that "Fear" stands for "False Evidence Appearing Real," but I like to say that it also stands for "False Education Appearing Real." Lea what has actually worked, and you're halfway there. But no matter what you lea, if you live in fear, you'll never get the results you want.

The other "F" word is FAITH. Have faith in yourself, your husband, your wife, your kids, your business, your idea, and other people. Some people are able to have faith in all areas except in other people. But that is equally important. If you can develop faith in yourself and others, you will move forward in action and achieve the results you want.

So, the language that you use is very important. Remember this, because it is crucial:

· Your thoughts tu into your language.

· Your language tus into action.

· Your action tus into results - i.e., financial rewards.

This is what it means to develop the inteet millionaire mind. Donald Trump went from millionaire to broke to billionaire. Even his ex-wife loaned him money when he was broke. Why? Because he has the millionaire mindset. If he can do it, so can you.

Remind yourself every day that dreams do become reality - if you have faith! Believe in yourself, and take the action necessary to tu your inteet business into a million dollar success story.

Matt Bacak, Entrepreneur Magazine e-Biz radio show host became a "#1 Best Selling Author" in just a few short hours and the co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to Retire From Your Job This Year and Still Make More Money Than the Average Medical Doctor... You Can Do It Once You Know the Proven Steps Outlined here! ==> http://www.inteetmillionairemind.com

Keys to Feeling Powerful In An Uncertain World

Life has always been full of uncertainties. Over the last several years with downsizing, bankruptcies, scandals, crime, the economic environment, and the threat of war, people are feeling power-less, fearful, and stressed about their present and future lives. I know people give their power away, often in ways they don't realize.

#1 SECRET to Being "In Power"

No matter what life situation you are experiencing; your interpretation (perception/attitudes) towards that situation is the key to shifting from power-less to power-full. Do you see the experience as a problem, barrier, something too big for you to handle – a negative that evokes emotional distress? OR do you perceive the situation as a challenge, something that moves you forward, excites you, evokes creative problem solving? How you (1) view that situation and (2) view yourself in that situation can shift you dramatically from power-less to power-full in an instant!

Example: Consider any situation you perceive as having no control. Is that really true? Ask yourself….

In this situation, is there anything I do control?

In this situation, is there anything I can influence?

Now, consider that situation once more. Has your original perception of having no control changed in any way? If yes, how?

Strategies that Help You Stay Strong and Focused:

• Ramp up extreme self-care. I use extreme because taking the best care of You is serious. Identify ways to replenish and strengthen yourself – mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. When we feel replenished, we handle situations with strength, clarity and focus. Consider what fuels and energizes you?
• Decrease/eliminate energy drains. What are you tolerating/putting up with that drains your energy? We put up with, accept, take on and are dragged down by people's behavior, situations, unmet needs, crossed boundaries, in-completions, problems and even our own behavior (avoidance, silence, compliance) We can even normalize things because we have become conditioned to put up with it! You are putting up with more than you think, so what are you tolerating? Be specific. Here are some examples; needed repairs, clutter, unanswered correspondence, debt, a job, a relationship. What about the subtle energy zappers that drain you? What is this costing you? What are you willing to do to change? Want to direct your energy more productively, feel more revitalized and focused?
• Create and enforce boundaries. Find your voice! Boundaries (limits) separate us from other people and situations; keeping us safe from threats, real or imagined. When we set boundaries (and reinforce them!), we create a "living space" for ourselves that tells us where we "end" and someone else "begins." By setting and maintaining your boundaries, you will educate people how you wish to be respected. The result? You become a great model for others and your relationships benefit by being with a happier YOU!
• Monitor self-sabotage. What is self-sabotage? Self-sabotage is the combination of attitudes (beliefs, thoughts, feelings) and actions (behaviors) that create obstacles and roadblocks to our success, life fulfillment, etc. Self-defeating behaviors are the result of self-defeating attitudes. To be open to change is to be willing to accept yourself exactly as you are, Moving beyond self-sabotage requires having an open mind; letting go of self-judgments and criticisms. Forgive yourself for past choices and take the lessons/experiences leaed to strengthen and empower you.
• Surround yourself with people and things that life your Spirit. What brings you joy? We are influenced and impacted by the people in our lives especially within our inner circle. Allowing the special people in your life to love and support you is a gift and a blessing from which to draw strength, clarity, and courage.
• Practice daily gratitude – Recognizing your daily blessings, big and small evokes peace and trust. Taking time to express sincere gratitude generates joy-full thoughts and feelings. Put your attention on the glass half full rather than the glass half empty.
• Be a risk-taker. MOVE! Take action! Focus on the outcomes you can control or influence in your life.

Copyright 2003, Lorraine Cohen

Lorraine Cohen of Powerfull Living (http://www.powerfull-living.biz) is a Business Coach and Life Strategist and Team Member of Solo-E (http://www.Solo-E.com). Lorraine Cohen is a Business Coach & Life Strategist who brings more than 25 years of experience in life coaching, counseling, and sales. She helps people through career change, life transitions, and the process of breaking through FEAR and removing barriers to success.

Find more articles like this at http://www.Solo-E.com, the lifestyle-inspired online leaing and connection community. Visit now to receive a free copy of our special report, The Four Secrets of Solo Entrepreneur Success, plus a complimentary 30-day membership.

Most People Never Live Their Dreams

When we were kids we all had dreams. There were no boundaries to our imagination and anything was possible. Do you remember your dreams? What happened to your dreams? Did life get into its way? Are we all to busy to use our imagination?

Well, our whole life we've been told that being a dreamer is equal to being a loser. Only losers dream and who wants to be a loser. You know what I mean. "Get Real", "Welcome to Reality" you heard these phrases over and over. Let me tell you something, to be successful you need to lea to combine your imagination with reality. You need to deal with reality and you need imagination for direction. Only if you know where you're going you will be successful. Being your own boss is the only way to achieve financial freedom and a lifestyle where you actually live your dreams.

Why do 9 out of 10 people never live their dreams? 9 out of 10 people don't even remember their dreams. They only know the facts and the facts are that escaping the 9-5 treadmill is on everybody's mind, but only a few are actually taking action. Why is this? Do a few of these statements sound familiar to you?

These are 7 most popular excuses to NOT take action:

1. I don't know how

In my free eBook "The Truth About Starting An Inteet business" I will walk you through the process of starting your own inteet business step by step.

2. I don't have spare time in my busy lifestyle

You don't need to spend hours and hours to run your own inteet business. The secret is a technique called "set and forget". Step away from the TV for a while and you will have more than enough time at hand to do this.

3. I am not patient enough

That's a tough one. Patience is the name of the game. A, there is no get rich method. B, there will be times when the money is just pouring in and there are times when nothing happens at all.

4. I don't want to fail (Fear of failure)

I can't give you a 100% guarantee that your online business idea will be a success and that you will achieve financial freedom. That's just the nature of owning a business. You also know that there's no such thing as job security. To change your current situation you need to take some risk. It's as simple as this.

5. I don't want to be rejected (Fear of Rejection)

Rejection is hardest thing to deal with. If you're doing business on the inteet you will experience rejection. Some people are jealous, they are mean, they have issues, and you name it. The only advice I can give is, you need to lea how to deal with it. Luckily this is the exception. For the most part I met very pleasant people on the inteet.

6. I don't have any money

The only difference between having money to start an inteet business and having no money is that you need a lot more time without money. Money will expose you to more visitors in a shorter period of time. Your business success depends on what you have to offer and not on how fast you offer it. Content sells, not speed.

7. I don't want to be in sales

Technically you're already in sales. You're selling your valuable time for money. You can continue trading hours for money, which in fact will never bring you any wealth. Or you can start leaing how to sell products other than your own time.

These are just a few excuses why most people don't take action in their life. Never make any improvements to their lives and pretty much waste their time. Some of us are perfectly fine with this, but if you are like me you want more and while you keep reading you will discover the power of bringing your online business idea to life.

If you're ready to take action, of being in charge of your life, provide a better life to your family and simply have more fun, browse my web site and start realizing your online business idea today.

Sincerely,
Peter Dobler
(c) 2005

Peter Dobler is a 20+ year veteran in the IT business. He is an active Real Estate Investor and a successful Inteet business owner. Get the software and content every webmaster needs to have to build a high traffic web site visit http://www.peterdobler.com or send a blank email to mailto:pdobler@getresponse.com

Impress Your Love Dress Well

The way to a girl's heart is through dressing well. True or false? Can't say! Some like the rugged, unshaven, unkempt looks, while others go for smart, well-polished skin. The way to a girl's heart is still a mystery. What would catch her fancy, make an impression, go to her heart and make you look desirable, it's all in her mind.

Outer looks do however play an important role when it comes to attracting attention. A well-dressed man is somehow more likable. It shows his class. His wealth. After all, clothes are a part of our material wealth, and the clothing industry has kept well-maintained distinctions between rich dresses and the not so rich ones. A poorly dressed, shabby man may have more in terms of real warmth and friendship, but his exterior only serves to maintain a distance, whereas relations with the opposite sex are more about removing distances.

Another positive attribute of dressing well, with a necktie included, is the confidence is instills in the wearer. A feeling of superiority, of class, of being secure makes us stand tall, walk straight, and approach others without feeling even a bit lower than others around. Our clothes show where we stand in society.

True, the rich have their weird ways, and they do not always dress well. This exception only proves the rule. Their causal dressing serves to set them apart. The norm is broken, and that itself shows the strength of the party.

A well-wo dress covers the body and the soul alike. It keeps us warm and secure. Protects the skin from cold air and dust. Makes us agreeable to others around us. Keeps us going ahead in life. Nothing could be more valuable to us than this convention of being well dressed.

The girls, of course, are damn impressed with the show. They think a well-dressed man must also be good at heart, and a decent chap to go with. How true this is, is another subject for another article.

The author is a freelance writer. He can be contact at:

sharma_ameet@hotmail.com
amitontheweb@gmail.com

How to Manage Self Consciousness

Self consciousness is an essential part of being human, but it can make social situations really tricky sometimes. Here's what you can do about it if it happens to you.

First, let's look at what mean by self consciousness. Here's an example...

Self consciousness in action

You're standing with a group of friends, happily chatting away, the conversation going along nicely. Then someone says to you, "John, you're good at that, why don't you tell us how you do it?"

And Bang!, the way you feel changes completely. It's as if a spotlight has been tued on you and the rest of the room lights dimmed.

All of a sudden, your cheerful, easygoing nature of 10 seconds ago is nowhere to be found! What happened?

Well basically, your focus of attention has shifted to yourself, otherwise known as self consciousness.

You may also have received a shot of adrenaline as a stress response.

Now we have 2 potential problems:

If your adrenaline levels go too high, your brain will cease functioning in a way that allows you to think clearly, and you will feel like running away. This is obviously not optimal for a social situation!

If your focus of attention gets 'stuck' on yourself, i.e. in self consciousness mode, you won't be able to discuss the topic you've been asked to talk about. High adrenaline levels will make it more difficult for you to shift your focus away again.

So what can you do about self consciousness?

OK. Well let's deal with the adrenaline first. If you're getting this sort of stress response then it would be wise to lea some relaxation techniques.

Used correctly, relaxation will 'decondition' your anxiety response. To explain - if you are reacting with anxiety very quickly in this sort of situation, it may be because you have had similar experiences in the past, and your body has 'leat' to respond this way, faster than you can think.

There are 2 main things to do:

1. Rehearse the situation imaginatively whilst deeply relaxed, so that your brain leas a new response.

2. Create a 'trigger' to allow you to 'fire off' your relaxation response when you need it most.

You can do this best by leaing how to relax very deeply. If you do meditation, or yoga, you probably already know how.

This will bring 2 main benefits:

1. Once you know how to relax quickly in the situation itself, your anxiety response will soon stop occurring at all.

2. You will gain the reassurance of knowing you can calm yourself whenever you need to, further increasing your self confidence.

Now let's look at your focus of attention.

As we discussed above, self consciousness is the state of mind that occurs when you focus on yourself. But to talk smoothly about a subject, your focus needs to be on the subject! The more deeply focused on the subject you are, the more eloquent and flowing you will be.

So, self consciousness gets in the way of socialising because it stops you focusing on what you need to focus on: the topic of conversation.

So what can you do to change your focus of attention?

A few things...

The first thing to understand is that adrenaline and anxiety 'lock' your attention, making it more difficult to switch what you're focusing on. Why? Because if it was a truly dangerous situation, which is what this response evolved for, it would be no good if you just drifted off and started thinking about what was for dinner!

So, becoming calmer will make it much easier to change your focus when you need to. (See '1' above.)

You can...

1. Lea a discipline such as self hypnosis, tai chi, autogenics, or meditation. These techniques all train you to take deliberate control of your focus of attention, and teach you to do so while remaining calm.

2. Practise switching your focus of attention on a day to day basis. You can do this whilst walking, sitting at work, anywhere really. Simply focus in on one thing as tightly as you can, then switch to something else. They could be objects in your environment, or ideas or thoughts.

It's particularly good if you do this whilst a little emotionally stimulated, such as watching an exciting TV program, or a film at the cinema. At the most tense moments, deliberately switch your attention away, and don't allow yourself to switch back until you have focused fully on the new object or thought.

These tips will make it much easier to control self consciousness and make socialising or public speaking a much more enjoyable experience!

Good luck!

About The Author

Roger Elliott is a trainer and therapist and author of the free 6-part self confidence course, which has helped tens of thousands of people and can be found at http://www.self-confidence.co.uk

If You Want Others to Like You Like Yourself First

Many of us mistakenly believe that it's wrong or conceited, to think we have any good qualities. We may spend a lot of time berating ourselves for our negative qualities, thinking that self criticism is the key to improving our performance. However, a constant focus on our supposed shortcomings can hinder our efforts to make friends with other people.

How can we have the confidence to make new friends if we think we don't have much to offer? How can we believe that others could like us if we believe our inner being is flawed? Or if we think we are too boring to interest anyone else?

We may wonder what anyone else would see in us if we don't see any good in ourselves. In order for others to be attracted to us, they must be able to easily see our best qualities. If we focus on our good qualities we will have much more confidence that we have something of value to offer in a relationship.

If you wish to be socially successful, it's important to accept the fact that not everybody is going to like you under all circumstances. Not everyone is going to like the package you come in, especially on first meeting you. Every person has a unique pattes of likes and dislikes which were formed long before they met you. Don't think you have to condemn yourself as a failure if it seems that someone else doesn't like you.

If someone seems to dislike you, the reason for that dislike might have little or nothing to do with you. The person who doesn't like you might be fearful, or shallow, or busy or shy. Perhaps you and that person are simply a mismatch for each other at this particular time.

Don't take yourself out of the game by deciding that your flaws are bigger than your assets. In fact, some of the very qualities you consider to be flaws may be irresistible to someone else. For all the factors that might cause one person to reject you, there are at least as many factors that will work in your favor with someone else.

You might be thirty pounds over your ideal weight, but you may have a wonderful laugh and a huge zest for life. There are many people to whom your extra pounds will literally be invisible. You may drive a shabby car, but you might be a great dancer and a loyal friend. There are people out there looking for loyalty, or fun, or sweetness, or wit, and the package it comes in is not important.

If you are worried that you are not beautiful enough to attract friends, keep in mind that not everyone is looking for physical beauty in their friends.

You can decide to feel inferior because you don't have much money and you don't drive a nice car. You can believe that this is the reason that you don't have many friends in your life. On the other hand, if you are very wealthy you may be suspicious that everyone is after your money and that nobody really likes you as a person.

The point is, you can fixate on just about anything and believe it's the reason you do not have friends and cannot make any.

Here is an easy way to remind yourself of what your good qualities are: write down a list of your good qualities and review it often. Don't just think in your mind about what your good qualities might be, actually make the effort to write the list. The act of writing helps to reinforce the strength of the ideas in your mind. Don't be embarrassed to give yourself credit for your good points. If you don't have any idea what your good points might be, you might want to ask some of the people you know.

When you compile your list of good qualities, be as generous in your praise as your best friend in the whole wide world would be! If you don't have any best friends yet, imagine in your mind a wise and loving friend who knows you truly and appreciates you. What would that person say are your good points?

Here are some ideas that might be applicable to you. Feel free to adjust this list for yourself and add to it.

My good qualities are:

· I'm kind

· I never gossip

· I go out of my way to help others

· I'm good with numbers

· I have a calm disposition

· I know a lot about sports

You can keep your list with you and read it over every day. Add to it whenever you think of new good qualities you discover in yourself. Be alert for compliments that other people give you. The positive qualities that others see in you can go on your list as well.

When you are out there meeting people, frequently remind yourself of all the wonderful qualities you have. It's only a matter of time before you meet other people who will appreciate them too!

Lea to relax. Instead of berating yourself for some perceived shortcoming, concentrate on the good qualities you have to offer. Realize that there is an audience for your particular combination of gifts, and go looking for those people who will appreciate them.

This article is an excerpt from the new downloadable book by Royane Real titled "Your Guide to Finding Friends, Making Friends, and Keeping Friends" available at http://www.royanereal.com

Developing the Millionaire Mindset

What does it take to become a millionaire? Without a doubt you need a saleable idea, a creative spirit and a dedication to your goal. Plenty of people have all of these attributes, but what sets the millionaires of our society apart from those who merely want to achieve that status is mindset. Before you can become a millionaire, you must develop the millionaire mindset.

"I don't care what your background is," says Matt Bacak, an Inteet millionaire who now coaches others toward the same success. "If you take on the millionaire mindset, amazing things can happen for you. But first you need to believe that it can happen."

Bacak says that regardless of how their millions were made, every millionaire shares this same mindset. The key to success lies not only in work ethic but in trusting your instincts and believing in yourself. "Once you accept the millionaire mindset, your goals will become attainable," he explains.

Setting Realistic Goals

While your eventual goal is to become a millionaire, you have to start out your jouey by setting realistic goals. "You can't set your first goal at a million dollars when you haven't even made a thousand yet," says Bacak. "You have to set a series of goals for yourself and then keep topping them. That's how you build confidence in yourself and how you prove to yourself and others that you have what it takes to go the distance."

Lea to Speak Decisively

Indecisive language will get you nowhere, Bacak says. When you use language like "I may," or "I'll try," you fail to set yourself up for success. "Lea to speak decisively," says Bacak. "Tell yourself 'I will,' and 'I can.' Your thoughts become your language, and your language becomes action. You action becomes results - and when I say results, I mean money!"

Fear vs. Faith

Fear will stop you in your tracks. Lea to replace your fear with faith in yourself and others. "Faith will get you the results you want," says Bacak. "Have faith in yourself, your spouse, your kids, your ideas. Believe that you can be successful. Faith is an essential piece of the millionaire mindset. Faith moves you forward."

Take the Cell Phone Challenge

Scroll through your cell phone or Rolodex and take note of all of the people who drag you down. Take note of the people who tell you that you won't succeed, the people who constantly send negative energy your way. "This is the time to take a decisive action," Bacak encourages. "Delete these people. Delete them from your phone, and from your life. Open up that spot for someone who lifts you up, who wants to teach you a new skill, and who wants to contribute to your success." Part of developing the millionaire mindset, Bacak says, is surrounding yourself with people who believe in you.

"Just Get It Going"

Successful people aren't successful because they're perfect. Even the most profitable businesspeople make mistakes. "You don't have to make it perfect," says Bacak. "You just have to get it going! Quality and consistency are essential, but perfection is not. At some point you have to stop planning and start doing." Bacak says that making mistakes can be a valuable tool. Instead of allowing your mistakes to deter you from trying again, lea from your mistakes. Treat them in the same way you'd treat honest feedback from a trusted friend.

What is the cost of failing to develop the Inteet millionaire mindset? "Regret," says Bacak. "When I was a kid I had a paper route, and my last stop was a senior citizens' home. I'd talk to the residents there, and they'd always talk to me about regret. They'd say 'I wish I'd done this or that when I was your age.' I knew then that I didn't want to grow up to have those kinds of regrets."

The May 2005 issue of Forbes magazine reported a total of 691 billionaires in the world. In India alone there are 61,000 millionaires. By developing the millionaire mindset and integrating it into every aspect of your life, you could be the next millionaire to appear on Forbes' list.

Matt Bacak, Entrepreneur Magazine e-Biz radio show host became a "#1 Best Selling Author" in just a few short hours and the co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to Retire From Your Job This Year and Still Make More Money Than the Average Medical Doctor... You Can Do It Once You Know the Proven Steps Outlined here! ==> http://www.inteetmillionairemind.com

How and What Listening Attracts

A couple of years ago I changed long distance carriers and telephoned my local carrier to approve the switch. The local carrier representative mentions my eligibility for a new reduced rate plan. After I agree to enroll, she says it will go into effect within a week and gives me a start date. Three weeks later another local carrier representative calls to sell the same reduced rate plan to me - again! After asking him to check my account, he discovers it is not activated. He muses about a glitch; and he tells me to call customer service. I explain to the local carrier customer service representative the sequence of events. With defensiveness she blurts out, "But your long distance carrier could not have sold this plan to you. Only we, your local carrier, can activate any local rate plan changes."

It's annoying and rude when a customer service person communicates they are not listening. "I don't really care," is the message. Listening is not the same as hearing. We're bo with the ears to hear. But listening takes energy, time and practice. Here are six practical hearing aids to make your listening more attractive, save time and reduce stress in the process.

First, give your full attention to your customer. When I spoke with the local telephone carrier representative I heard clicking on a computer keyboard and other conversations in the background. If those distractions had some of my attention, it's likely the customer service representative was distracted also. Be physically, mentally and vocally part of the conversation.

Second, ask clarifying questions before you do your talking. If you want to clearly understand your customer's conces, respond to a complaint, objection or conce first with a question ('So what you are saying is ... '.) Then keep quiet while you listen to their reply.

Third, anticipate keywords. With experience you lea how to quickly satisfy the most common complaints. When you hear keywords about these everyday situations use them to help you suggest a solution when the time comes. This is sometimes called leveraging.

Fourth, listen for feelings first and specifics second. Check your understanding of their emotions from their point of view ("It must be frustrating to not get what you think you were getting.") If that perception check is correct, ("Yes I am just fit to be tied,") continue with the specific ideas you heard your customer express. This type of verbal feedback, particularly on the telephone, can clarify the conce without you saying something there is no need to say.

Fifth, identify what bad listening habits you have and begin to minimize and improve them. The top five worst listening habits most of us have are: reacting emotionally, listening only for the facts, getting distracted, faking attention and being critical of the speaker's delivery. Found yours? Know it and do something improve it.

Sixth, take notes. Everyone in today's business environment, hears ideas, conces and comments from many people. It's easy to mix one customer's comments with anothers. Take notes of keywords, important ideas and the whole picture as you listen.

A famous historian once said, " When you talk, you repeat what you already know; when you listen, you often lea something." You can communicate more satisfactorily, reduce misunderstandings and show anyone – customers, friends and family – that you care when you use the six steps to listening. Now that's attractive!

Pat Weber is a coach, certified telelcass leader, and corporate trainer. In her business coaching, she works with small business owners, independent professionals and salespeople to help them get more of what they want sooner than later by getting clear, focused and infused with energy. Life is too short for slow coaching.

Visit her website at http://www.prostrategies.comhttp://www.prostrategies.com. Sign up for her free ezine, free teleclasses and more.

Is a Million Bucks Enough

The success of Regis Philbin and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" not to mention uncouth cousins like "Who Wants to MARRY a Millionaire?" and Survivor, with its million dollar final prize, and "Joe Millionaire" and "Who Wants to Marry My Dad?" and… uh, how we could go on and on!… suggests that, if we could only "win the lottery," i.e., become a bona fide millionaire, we could just settle down, take life easier, enjoy financial security and plumb be happy.

Yet try questioning those who have actually reached this plateau: a different story emerges. Real millionaires apparently don't even consider themselves wealthy, by and large. When it comes to stress, most have not really escaped the multitude of headaches the rest of us sub-millionaires wrestle with on a typical day.

On the first point, for example, a survey by Phoenix Home Life Mutual Company reports that today's millionaires do not consider themselves rich in the slightest, defining real wealth as a step or two above whatever is their current status The Phoenix researchers explain, "Approximately half those individuals with a net worth of one million to four million dollars do not believe they will really be wealthy until they cross the FIVE million dollar plus plateau."

So a million bucks is no longer all that much, at least as far as those who have accumulated such "largesse" Are conceed. This is a long way from the olden days (specifically, the mid-1950s) when each week fictional billionaire John Beresford Tipton used to instruct his personal assistant, Michael Anthony, to deliver a bank check for one million dollars tax free to some unsuspecting recipient on national TV. Now, even a five-million dollar check might not be enough, since survey respondents also declared they felt they needed MORE than five million bucks to attain the lofty status of genuine wealth.

Even more instructive may be reflections from yet another study of high-income people, this survey carried out by Yankelovich Partners, on the effect of high net worth on personal feelings of personal satisfaction and stress. Had becoming wealthy made them any happier, they were asked? A near unanimous answer came rushing back: Not really.

The Yankelovich surveyors concluded: "High-income individuals still feel 'time-deprived' and under varying degrees of stress as they struggle to meet the commitments of their still busy lifestyles."

That TV series from the 50s ("The Millionaire") worked because it implied the same thing. By following the lives of those who received the cool mill every week, more often than not, this drama implied that becoming "rich," far from guaranteeing happiness, often led to more (or a different kind of) confusion, inner conflicts, relationship woes or outright calamity. The French say this: Plus ca change, plus la meme chose. The more things change, the more they remain the same. More mere money, even a million bucks, is rarely enough.

Ken Lizotte CMC is Chief Imaginative Officer (CIO) of emerson consulting group inc. (Concord, MA), which transforms consultants, law firms, executives and companies into "thoughtleaders." This article is an excerpt from his newest book "Beyond Reason: Questioning Assumptions of Everyday Life".

Visit ==>www.thoughtleading.com for more info.

Giving Thanks A Universal Gift

In the USA we celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November every year. However, I've come to understand that there is great, POSITIVE power in having an "attitude of gratitude" all year long, that can create measurable differences in your life.

No matter where in the world you call home, and whether you traditionally take a day to celebrate the idea of giving thanks, or not -- let this be a reminder to stop and really take the time to count your blessings.

Counting your blessings and taking time to appreciate the special people in your life can be done any time, any place, at no financial expense... and it's truly a gift to yourself, as well as to those you thank.

That's because, simply, what you focus on grows! As a result, you begin to experience even more to be grateful for in your life!

In fact, a daily practice of writing your gratitude lists can literally create miracles for you, as your mood is consistently lifted by the wonderful, energized feelings you generate, by your powerful decision to CHOOSE your own thoughts, concentrating on realizing just how much you already have to feel thankful for!

I would also suggest that you keep these lists in a special notebook or computer file, and not share them with anybody. I've leaed that until our dreams are actually manifested, it's best to either keep them and our gratitude lists to ourselves or ONLY shared with those whom we can utterly trust to add SUPPORTIVE energy to our gratitude and dreams. Otherwise we may create an "energy leak" that will deflate our efforts. Keep your gratitude lists sacred, and build up their energy by prizing them as you would a treasure... each day as you add to your "energy bank" of gratitude, the potency of your lists will grow!

Taking the time out of your busy schedule to make your gratitude lists on a regular basis, and making the effort to express your gratitude OFTEN to the special people in your life, is a gift that can be given freely to yourself and to those you care for. And, your heartfelt words of appreciation are often MORE precious and long-cherished by the receiver than even the most expensive purchased gift could ever be!

Copyright Laurie Kristensen, 2004-Present. All rights reserved.

Laurie Kristensen owns and operates a successful audio transcription and typing business from home, visit http://www.LKTranscription.com (remember to subscribe to "Your Partner in Success Newsletter" and receive THREE valuable free gifts) -- also be sure to browse through Laurie's Success Resources at http://www.LKSuccess.com

You have permission to publish this article in its entirety, unchanged, electronically or in print as long as the byline, URL, and copyright are included.

Manifest Your Desires A Virtual Workshop

I love giving Joyful Manifestation workshops. Amazing things happen when you step into your magnificence and become more and more true to yourself.

Of course, not everyone can make it to a live session. That's why I've decided to write out a formula for a YOFA™ Joyful Manifestation Workshop that you can do wherever you are, whenever you like.

Manifestation

The only way to have a desire become manifest is for you to become as you would be once you have it.

Paradoxically, you must become it before you have it, in order to have it.

If there is anything you want that has not yet come into your experience, here's a process you can use to attract the joyful relationships, beautiful things, and satisfying experiences you seek.

You can use this process in the privacy of your own awareness or you can get together with one or more friends and have a YOFA(TM) manifestation party.

Sharing after each numbered segment can lead to greater insight. Also, the authentic conversation cultivated by these processes deepens friendships.

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VIRTUAL WORKSHOP

Find a comfortable place where you won't be disturbed for about 20 minutes. If you are doing this in a group, allow for more time for sharing and conversation -- about an hour depending on the size of the group.

Whether you are alone or in a group, you may want to joual your process as you go. A little notebook in your back pocket or your purse is always a good idea.

Approach each step with a contemplative spirit.

1 - Begin by considering the distinction between Being and Doing.

==> Close your eyes and consider how it feels to do something that you desire to do.

==> Open your eyes and stretch.

==> Close your eyes and consider how it feels to be someone who is expert at doing that same thing.

==> Feel that difference between doing and being and bring that distinction into your experiential vocabulary.

2 - Notice if your desire is to

==> do something

==> have something

==> or be something.

3 - Regardless of which category your desire falls into, imagine who you would be if your desire were fulfilled.

==> Close your eyes and consider how it feels. to be the person for whom that desire is reality.

==> Be that person.

4 - If you are happy with the feeling of that, revisit it often.

5 - Imagine that you ARE it.

6 - If you are in a group, talk to the others about any subject (your daily activities, what you're making for dinner, where you're going on vacation) as if your desire were already manifest.

7 - If you are alone, talk to imaginary people or write from this reality.

8 - If you feel any static while pondering this desire as already fulfilled, tweak it until it feels good.

9 - Meditate on this person who you are morphing into.

10 - Modify it if necessary.

11 - Like a whittler, keep carving, perfecting, and purifying your notion of your desire.

==> The idea here is not to change your desire, but to discover the true nature of the desire of your heart and come into greater awareness of it.

12 - Continue to be who you would be if that evolving desire became manifest right now.

13 - Do this as often as is fun.

14 - Close your session with gratitude for the coming realization and fulfillment of your heart's desire.

This basic format will take you far. Do it with sincerity and compassion for yourself. Make it fun and let it be easy.

The better it feels as you do this process, the happier you will be with your manifestation.

© 2005 Rebbie Straubing All Rights Reserved

You can receive Dr. Rebbie Straubing's Free e-Course,
7 Secrets for Manifesting Your Heart's Desire, at
http://www.yofa.net/7secret.html.

Rebbie is a workshop leader, Abraham Coach, and writer.

Read more of her articles at her website http://www.YOFA.net
and listen to her meditation recordings at the Affirmative
Contemplation website at http://www.AffirmativeContemplation.com.

Life in the Manure Pile

The husband once aspired to be a self-sufficient, back-to-the-land pioneer. He bought a windmill, oil lamps, beehives, and a couple of pigs, which we named Lois Lane and Clark Kent.

This dirty duo caused me headaches from the day we took them home. We tied them in gunny sacks and secured them in the back of our truck; but the Houdini hoglets somehow freed themselves, tumbled from the vehicle, and headed for the hills. We eventually got the slippery little buggers safely home, but only after a wild skirmish in the woods.

The adventurous and clever Clark soon discovered his alteate identity as Super Pig. He leaed to climb atop his roofed shelter and leap over the fence to freedom. Lois, not to be outdone, was never far behind. Motorists on the highway near our home reported seeing wild pigs darting between cars. I also received some angry phone calls from horrified neighbors who were shocked to find the pair digging up their flower beds. Perhaps, rather than Lois and Clark, they should have been named Lewis and Clark, due to their propensity to explore.

These two heavy weights usually embarked upon their adventures while the husband was at work, so I was the designated pig herder, responsible for bringing the troops home after each rendevous. How does one lure two full-grown hogs to follow you? It takes courage, determination, and a slop bucket full of swine delicacies like apple cores, potato peels, and moldy bread crusts. More than once, I trudged through waist-deep snow, dropping a trail of left overs behind me.

I've never liked animals that were too big to sit in my lap, but these humongous hogs were more than intimidating. They were man eaters! While leading them home like the pied piper, I had to run to stay one step ahead as they followed close behind, nipping at my heels. Yes, pigs BITE - at least these two did. They were scarier than attack dogs.

Once Lois and Clark tasted blood, they preferred it to their usual diet. That diet consisted of truckloads of stale doughnuts, sour milk, and assorted restaurant scraps. Keeping the porkers fed was a big job. They ate a lot, and you can imagine what else they did – a LOT.

The manure pile grew into a mountain, which remained long after Lois and Clark were laid to rest as pork chops in our freezer.

The following summer, I planted a garden that I faithfully weeded, fertilized, and watered.

At the end of the season, I was shocked to discover that my prized vegetables were dwarfed in comparison to the giant tomatoes and cucumbers that had sprung up from the manure pile.

You may wonder why I'm telling you more than you care to know about pigs and manure. It's because I've found that where there's manure, there's sometimes a lesson buried under it.

Like you, I've known sorrow, loneliness, and disappointment. At those times, it often feels like I'm living smack dab in the middle of a mountain of manure. However, things that stink aren't necessarily bad. Sometimes, what we think is awful right now may end up being good for us. Ask anyone who took castor oil as a kid!

Just as the garbage in a compost heap makes gardens grow, the garbage in our lives can enhance our personal growth. Trials can result in strong faith and character. The stuff that stinks the most is usually the best fertilizer for healthy spiritual development. Even stinky manure, after a time, tus into healthy and clean smelling soil.

Gardens go through seasons. Spring is the season to plant and fertilize. Summer is the season to weed and cultivate. Fall is the season to harvest. Winter is the season for the land to rest. Our lives have different seasons too. Some of them are more difficult than others. But if we endure "for a season" without giving in to short-term thinking, we will reap a harvest.

When your heart is broken, it may feel hopeless; but there's always hope, even in the dung heap. Open your eyes to see beyond the pig pies to consider what the end result might be for this situation.

Believe and keep the faith, then grab a shovel and start digging. There's a harvest on the other side.

Marsha Jordan
Author of "Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter"
hugsandhope@gmail.com
www.hugsandhope.org

Earth Changes and Fearful Prophecy Changing the Channel

With the recent hurricanes, massive tsunami, earthquakes, volcanic activity, flooding, mudslides, etc., I'd be surprised if you haven't indulged in at least a moment or two of considering the various apocalyptic Earth-changes prophecies. I must confess I have. And some of the dire prognostications about what is to occur are enough to scare the bejeebers out of you and drag you down in frequency in the process! So I've been asking my Self to share some wisdom to help me maintain perspective here, withdraw energy from my fearful self, and keep me focused on our movement upward in frequency. So here's some of what I was given:

If you don't like what you're seeing, change channels! We don't have to create according to fearful possibilities! If we want something different, it's time to empower something different. After all—it's all energy and WE are the Creators. Those that want to create according to an apocalyptic prophecy are free to do so, and are free to experience their creation, but those that don't want to, don't have to participate! Global destruction, and all that entails, is not a scenario we are required to empower. We can choose to focus our attention on a different plane of reality, a different dimension, a different possibility. The possibility in which Earth and her children are birthed into Light in great joy.

Every possibility is available to us, and we are continually choosing which plane of reality to attune our consciousness with, and empower, based on our attention and our emotions. While we may have forgotten that we have the power to do so, we can change the locus of our consciousness like we change the channel on a television set. If you tune into the "TV station" that is set to a doomsday "program," and allow yourself to invest your passion into what you see there, or even just make an ego investment in "knowing what's going to happen," you will become a part of the program; you will empower it with your emotional energy, and experience it in all its Technicolor trauma and gore. But if you decide that program is not for you, simply change channels and opt out of that reality! Stop watching the scary stuff, stop creating based on exteal evidence drawn from the world created by generation after generation of minds out of alignment, and instead, choose to focus on and feel Joy. This does not mean struggling to divorce yourself from your feelings of helplessness or fear—remember, what you resist persists. It means surrendering them to your Spirit whose pure Love will transform them.

Why do so many of us stay at least partially tuned to the trauma-drama channel even though it horrifies us? If you've read Recreating Eden, you won't be surprised to find that it is the doing of the fear-hungry, reptilian brain-driven aspect of ourselves—the mythological "serpent"—seeking more reverse-polarity energy from which to feed. In the ego-dominated world, there is a lot of reverse polarity juice to be partaken of in "drama mode," and if we're not conscious of what we're doing (and we're usually not when we're at lower frequency), we will simply follow energy without regard to what it is aligned with, and feed more energy into it, thus lowering our frequency further. Oh, how we love to feel energy moving—even energy in reverse polarity—and with the serpent clamoring to be fed, there can be quite a tug toward focusing on fear-based information, even in those of us who are more awake and, at some level, know better than to do so! But by focusing devotedly on your Spirit instead, you will naturally be subject to that tug less and less. And you will find that you will attract and be attracted to more and more Love-based information instead.

While we may be operating at a frequency where we have at least partially forgotten our power to choose and create, and while in that state, have added to the fear-infused duality-driven consensus reality by default, we actually have limitless choices on what realities we empower. We have free will to choose and create differently. Free will isn't something that was designed to get human beings in trouble—it was designed so that we can create any scenario we choose to in order that God's creation be unlimited. Any prophecy is simply one possibility out of an infinite number of possibilities—just one description of one occurrence on one plane of reality. That's because God is still creating—creating through us by the choices we make. And as the master teacher, Jesus, taught: "my father's house has many mansions" (Creation has many dimensions). Therefore, if we don't like the one we're in, we simply need to choose a different one.

And how do you do that? Change frequency! Transcend fear by tuning into the broadcast of your Spirit, thus withdrawing from duality. Refuse to entertain a lower-frequency broadcast and rise up to a new level of consciousness. Spend your time in the Unified Field of Oneness and Harmony. Focus on your Spirit's messages of Love and Life and Light and Joy and Peace and Harmony. Act from that place of divine knowing, and in so doing, tune out the frightening stuff that is being generated by the part of you whose entire existence depends on keeping you at lower frequency. Believe me—if you are attuned to your Spirit, and there's anything you need to do to keep your body and soul out of harm's way, you will be inspired to do so—not out of fear, but out of the natural response to the impulses of your Spirit.

I know that many of you reading this have a deep knowing that you are to be of service in this time of major planetary transition, and you may see that service as assisting humanity in surviving cataclysm. I'd like to suggest that another possibility for service is in withdrawing energy from "the worst case scenario" and blazing a pathway to a higher frequency where global devastation is not required. Perhaps you're willing to consider that your greatest path of service is to switch over to the channel of joyful ascension so that, by the power of unified radiance, it is easier for our sisters and brothers to rise in frequency and leave the "all hell is breaking loose" channel behind as well. When we focus our energy on peace and Love, that is what we experience and empower for all of us.

So, friends—it would seem we have a choice to make. I personally don't wish to participate in manifesting the global chaos and destruction possibility, however likely it may look from here. (Obviously, we're currently tuned into a station where Earth is going through some fairly drastic physical changes or we wouldn't even be having this conversation!) I prefer the scenario where we surrender to God In Us, and rise up to a new frequency where the story will read, "While there was a possibility of Mother Earth cleansing through a great cataclysm, we chose, instead, to lift up all Creation through our Love and alignment with Spirit, and thus Earth and her children peacefully became shining and new again in the process." So I will be setting my consciousness to that channel. Check in and see if your Spirit agrees with this "let's create it higher" view. If so, please join me in choosing an easy, joyful transition. It's far easier to create and sustain a reality when we do it together!

©2005 Julia Rogers Hamrick

Julia Rogers Hamrick has been a spiritual-growth facilitator for over two decades, and is the author of Recreating Eden: The Exquisitely Simple, Divinely Ordained Plan for Transforming Your Life and Your Planet. Julia writes about and leads seminars on proactive joy, and the relationship between frequency and experience. For more information on Julia and on recreating Eden, visit http://www.recreating-eden.com To read about Julia's own dance with Spirit, ego, and frequency, read Julia's blog, http://www.recreating-eden.com//weblog/

Knowing One s Purpose

Why do you think you are here on this earth? Do you know your own responsibilities to yourself and to others? What is your real purpose in this world? These are simple questions that almost all us take for granted. Most people are busy working in the thick of their thin daily tasks. Businesspeople are lost in spreadsheets, meetings, and bottom lines. So many students are immersed in the tasks surrounding eaing the highest grade that they can.

But what is the real purpose behind this blizzard of action? Many people don't know the real reason of their existence. All they know is the demand of the exteal world that they work for their own survival but living in this world does not only focus on working and eaing. There are many more important objects than that. And that is the very reason why it is important for you to know the real purpose of your existence.

You are created with a responsibility at your hand, not only to yourself but also for other people. Remember that you are not living only for yourself. Many people need you. You should know that you are an important being that needs to be loved, respected and protected, but you are also responsible for other people's feelings and emotions.

You have the responsibility to love them, to respect them, and to protect them in retu. You should not only think that working for your love ones is enough. It is not. Providing them money for their needs is important, but it does not mean that it is enough if you truly love them. Material things are not the basis for love, but love is shown by how you respect, appreciate and protect them.

You should know the purpose of your existence. In this way you have all the reasons to move forward. Life here on earth is meaningless unless you discover your real purpose. You should remember that you need other people and they need you in retu. You should take responsibility to love, respect and protect them in any way that you can. You should live life within your purpose. A person who does not know the reason of his existence is a person who is living without life. Know your purpose and your responsibilities and take some actions on accomplishing them.

Clive Green is a writer with expertise in the fields of self-improvement, real estate and finance. Look here for life insurance info.

Living Your Truth Being Who You Truly Are

Children age two to five, live authentically, seldom afraid or embarrassed to seek out what they want or to speak their minds, unless they have been taught to fear or feel embarrassed to speak their truth.

Unfortunately, as children grow older, adults tend to instruct children to tuck that authenticity away, putting it aside and adapt to what is considered 'normal' in society. Normal is what the majority of people have decided is acceptable behavior. I am not referring to the social graces and appropriate manners, as well as integrity and ethics. I am talking about speaking your truth about who you truly are—those characteristics, behaviors, passions and visions that make you uniquely you. Without being who you truly are, you will live life afraid that it might hinder your success. If you are afraid to speak the truth about who you truly are, you will live life without discovering your full potential. Fortunately, we never fully abandon our authentic self. We may conform to society while embracing secret passions when alone. We may withhold certain opinions, though it doesn't change the fact that we possess them.

It is important, however, to cultivate that youthful authenticity and self-interest for they are qualities that help make you who you truly are. The authentic you is your true self and, in living authentically, you live your truth, making time for the things you love and projecting who you truly are. The simplest way to live your truth is to leave the expectations of others behind and live the way you feel most worthwhile.

It is important to be self-focused in a healthy way by doing what you know is best for you, regardless of the opinions of others - even the opinions of close friends and family. Living authentically means that you make choices without fear, trusting in your soul's wisdom. If you value personal pursuits, don't feel forced into a certain job just to make enough money to keep up with your neighbors. Conversely, if you seek success in business, don't let others' perception of what's right for you hold you back. Denying your unique truth can lead to feelings of failure and dissatisfaction because you aren't acknowledging your true self. In living your truth, there are no pretenses. Everything you do reflects the choices you make.

If you are unsure who the authentic you truly is, look inward and ask yourself what your purpose, values, and needs are. Honor your strengths and don't let yourself be guided by what others expect of you. Finally, discover your passions by doing new things, and sticking with those things that stir your soul. Finding who you truly are and then making the choice to embrace your true dreams and desires will take your life in a direction that is both satisfying and deeply meaningful.

"If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you." The Gospel of St. Thomas Logian

Unless you are willing to look into yourself, you will miss the opportunity to know the real you—a life spent, not in living, but in keeping your feelings, desires and dreams at bay. If you look into yourself, you will confront your own, 'enemy in the jungle.' Unless you actively seek personal change through the hard work of introspection, you will, to some degree, have lived a non-authentic life and have been, to some degree, only a shadow of your true self. This, then, is your greatest personal tragedy.

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, author, inteational speaker and inspirational leader empowers people to meet life's challenges as an opportunity for Personal/Professional Growth and Spiritual Awakening. Author of If I'd Only Known…Sexual Abuse in or out of the Family: A Guide to Prevention, she has over twenty years experience. http://www.drdorothy.net