True-Happiness

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You may have tried manifesting things into your life before. Then worried about it and given up when they seemed to not arrive. This may have filled your heart with sadness and a loss of hope, because your mind gave in to the ego’s cries that tell you this is a waste of time. Your energy is better spent doing physical actions that bring you where you want to be, and
your imagination is better off in your childhood where it belongs… right?

There are many factors that can cause the seed not to grow. Once a seed is created -brought into form- from the Law of Cause and Effect, in order for the seed to undergo transformation certain conditions must be present.

Many prayers go unanswered because of this often-overlooked secret.

The main secret is within the use of your emotions.

When you ask for something, what are the conditions from within?

Let’s say you’re asking for money. You’re going to the Creator with a sincere desire for sustenance. What you must be aware of is what feelings you are using to generate the request as those feeling are what are fueling your prayers and meditations. For most people, they’re asking for what they don’t have, so they’re entering into a state of being where regardless of what they’re asking for, they won’t receive it because the fuel that’s being used to send those prayers to the Heavens are propelled by lack, grief and limitation. Guess what; you get what you ask for! However since you did not ask correctly you do not get what you desired. People are motivated to pray and manifest based on the false presumption that merely asking will bring it.

How can this possibly manifest any other way? The true power is in the feeling behind the thought and intention.

Did you read that last sentence? If the thought is to gain, but the feeling is based on fear of loss, then the outcome is for them to cancel each other out and nothing happens… otherwise, the exact opposite of what you’re wishing for may come true.

So what then can be done? Instead of praying or creating through fear of loss; generate the feeling of wonder.

Imagine you are a little kid in a candy store and all around you is the most candy you have ever seen. You don’t know where to start, you are frozen in anticipation. Your eyes remain wide open and your jaw drops in amazement. What are these feelings? Then your mom or dad gives you some of that candy, now what feelings do you have?

The feeling of shear gratitude, of thankfulness, you are in complete awe.

This is the secret of manifesting; never pray, meditate or manifest out of fear of loss. When you use manifestation you are creating; you have nothing to lose! Fear is the anticipation of pain or loss. Anticipate wonder instead. Be and feel wonderful and manifest your dreams into physical form. Be grateful and thankful and happy. Be struck with awe that such awesome things are coming to you.

Be Blessed



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Labels: dreams, goals, Manifesting, self improvement

Everyone, at some point in their life, has dreamed of being somebody special, somebody big. Who hasn't fantasized about being the one who hits the game-winning homer? Who hasn't dreamed of being the homecoming queen? And how many times have we dreamed of being rich, or successful? Often, we dream big dreams and have great aspirations. Unfortunately, our dreams remain just that – dreams, and our aspirations only collect dust.

This is a sad turn of events in our life. Instead of experiencing exciting adventures and living our dreams, we get caught up in the humdrum of living from day-to-day. Rather than rise out of bed each day looking forward to the days events, we drag ourselves to our jobs, just barely existing.

But you know what? Life could be so much better, if only we learned to aim higher. To actually know what we want from life and to actually go get it. This would be such a great thing, that we would be happy all the time.

To be happy with ourselves and with our life is the ultimate goal.

The most common problem to setting goals is the word impossible. Most people get hung up thinking I can't do that. This is too hard. It's too impossible. Nobody can do this... Here is a giant revelation that when you understand this your life will change: Impossible is Just a Word! That word is used by you to limit yourself. You set the limit, you are in charge of your life, and you are responsible for your own actions.

Remember that scientists were baffled when they took a look at the humble bumblebee. Theoretically, they said, it was impossible for the bumblebee to fly. Unfortunately for the bumble, bee no one has told it so. So fly it does.
We all have listened to the wrong advice. Yes some advice is good, like “don’t play in traffic” and “look both ways before crossing the street.” Other advice was bad, like “we aren’t made of money” and “You can’t do that because your too (young, stupid, old, white, black, etc.)” We become limited from listening to the wrong advice.

Have you ever told your friends about something you were going to do? Then they all either laughed at you or told you it can’t be done, or both? This is dream killing. People do not want you to succeed. They think that no one should succeed, or become a better person.

Some people suffer from dreaming totally outrageous dreams and not acting on them. The result? Broken dreams, and tattered aspirations. If you limit yourself with self-doubt, and self-limiting assumptions, you will never be able to break past what you deem impossible. If you reach too far out into the sky without working towards your goal, you will find yourself clinging to the impossible dream.

Try this exercise. Take a piece of paper and write down some goals in your life. Under one column, list down things ‘you know you can do’. Under another column, write the things ‘you might be able to do.’ And under one more, list the things that that are ‘impossible for you to do.’

Now look at your list. Strive every day to accomplish the goals that are under things ‘you know you can do’. Check them when you are able to accomplish them. As you slowly are able to check all of your goals under that heading, try accomplishing the goals under the other header-the one that reads ‘you might be able to do.’ As the items you wrote under things I could do are accomplished, you can move the goals that are under things that are ‘impossible for you to do’ to the list of things ‘you might be able to do.’

As you go through this process, you will find out that the goals you thought were impossible become easier to accomplish, and the impossible begin to seem possible after all. You see, the technique here is not to limit your imagination. It is to aim high, and start working towards that goal little by little. However, it also is unwise to set a goal that is truly unrealistic.
Those who just dream towards a goal without working hard end up disappointed and disillusioned.

On the other hand, if you told someone a hundred years ago that it was possible for man to be on the moon, they would have laughed at you. If you had told them that you could send mail from here to the other side of the world in a few seconds, they would say you were out of your mind. But, through sheer desire and perseverance, these impossible dreams are now realities.

Thomas Edison once said that genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Nothing could be truer. For one to accomplish his or her dreams, there has to be had work and discipline. But take note that that 1% has to be a think-big dream, and not some easily accomplished one.

Ask any gym rat and he or she will tell you that there can be no gains unless you are put out of your comfort zone. Remember the saying, “No pain, no gain”? That is as true as it can be. I like the Marine saying; “pain is weakness leaving the body.”
So dream on, friend! Don’t get caught up with your perceived limitations. Think big and work hard to attain those dreams. As you step up the ladder of progress, you will just about find out that the impossible has just become a little bit more possible.

Be Blessed

Labels: dreams, goals, Manifesting, self improvement

Why do things just seem to work out better for those people who have self esteem? Here are some tips you may need to consider as a starter guide.

Imagine yourself as a dog. Dogs have great self esteem. They don’t care about what might happen, they only concern themselves with what is happening. Dogs show love easily and without reservation. They are driven by only pleasure and pain. (Not to mention they eat like teenagers.) Am I saying we should be like dogs? No, however we should take from them a few examples and this will help us to develop self esteem.

Everything and everyone else around you at one point or another will try to influence you to do something. Some things are just plain good for you and most of them also deliver pleasure. Some things bring pain and discomfort, and we should avoid or mitigate these things.

Things that we should concentrate on that will in the long run be to our benefit are self love, love for others and having a code of conduct.

The first thing that many people do not have is self love. We do not love ourselves. There are many reasons given, like too skinny, too fat, too short, too tall, too this, too that, and so on. Stop focusing on what you don’t like about yourself. Look for something that you like about yourself instead. Find something outside yourself that you do like. Are you a great cook, or a fine artist? Do you have the best looking yard in the neighborhood? By focusing on something we like to do or are good at we ignore the part of us we currently do not like. By focusing on what is good we learn to appreciate ourselves.

Now look for something you like inside yourself. Do you value your own life? Is there a reason to allow yourself to continue to exist? For most people it is serving others. You have children that need taking care of, parents, spouses and siblings. Some of us have even gone so far as to take care of other people who are not family of friends. This is love for others. Without this you will see your life as being empty.

Last but not least is a code of conduct. We each need our own personal code of conduct. Start with a few key words. Honor, respect, devotion, love, caring, and so on.

Create an acronym with the key words. For example; HARD. (Honor, Admiration, Respect, Duty) Now create a short sentence about each word;
I will act with Honor at all times
I will give Admiration to all things and people
I will Respect others and their values
I will perform my Duties to the best of my ability

This will give you a method to measure against no matter what the situation. You have to be true to yourself, but if you do not know what to be true to, then you can’t. By having your own code of conduct you will enable yourself to grow mentally as well as spiritually. You will have self esteem because you have the three keys. Self love, love of others and a code of conduct. These keys will govern our attitude, our behavior and our way of thinking.

Once you have self esteem you will find that there are many challenges. By having your own code of conduct you can overcome those challenges. Let’s examine a few examples.

The Negative Work Environment: Beware of “dog-eat-dog” theory where everyone else is fighting just to get ahead. This is where non-appreciative people usually thrive. No one will appreciate your contributions even if you miss lunch and dinner, and stay up late. Stay out of this, it will ruin you. Competition is at stake anywhere. Be healthy enough to compete, but in a healthy competition that is. Do your work, but at the end of the day, leave work at work. Go home and enjoy what you have. This where having something outside yourself works wonders. Let us say the thing outside yourself was flower gardening. When you get home you go and tend your garden. After a while you just feel good again and then you can interact better with your family.

Other People’s Behavior: Bullies, brown nose’s, gossipmongers, whiners, backstabbers, snipers, controllers, naggers, complainers, button pushers, patronizers, sluffers, and other losers… all these kinds of people will pose bad vibes for your self esteem. By holding true to your code of conduct you can minimize the effect these people have on you.

Changing Environment: Change is the only constant you can count on. Everything is changing all the time. Changes challenge our paradigms. It tests our flexibility, adaptability and alters the way we think. Changes may even make life difficult for awhile, it may cause stress but it will help us find ways to improve our selves. Change will be there forever, we must learn to accept it. By loving others we learn that change is good and we rejoice in seeing the changes. When kids grow up, or sick people get better, or when someone learns a new skill. Rejoice with them and share their happiness.

It’s okay to cry and say “ouch!” when we experience pain. But don’t let pain transform itself into fear. Treat each failure and mistake as a lesson. Look at what you’re looking at. Don’t wrap yourself up with all the negativities of the world; we must learn how to make the best out of worst situations. Learn from your mistakes and become better at what you do.

You have your own identity. If your father is a failure, it doesn’t mean you have to be a failure too. Learn from other people’s experience, so you don’t make the same mistakes. Being positive, and staying positive is a choice. Building self esteem is a choice, not a rule or a talent. God is not going to come down from heaven and tell you – “You now have the permission to build self esteem.”

Building self esteem will eventually lead to self improvement if we start to become responsible for who we are, what we have and what we do. It’s like a flame that grows from the inside out. When we develop self esteem, we take control of our very lives.

So how do you start using self esteem? Be positive. Be contented and happy. Be appreciative. Never miss an opportunity to compliment. A positive way of living will build self esteem.

Be Blessed

The more authentic information about Manifesting you know, the more likely people are to consider you a Manifesting expert. Read on for even more Manifesting facts that you can share.

At first glance, it would seem that positive thinking and manifesting have nothing to do with one another. But many of us develop negative thinking patterns because we become frustrated by our challenges and frequently feel overwhelmed. This negative outlook then makes it even harder for us to manage those challenges and manifest the life we want.

Practicing positive thinking allows us to focus on our strengths and accomplishments, which increases happiness and motivation. This, in turn, allows us to spend more time making progress, and less time feeling down and stuck. The following tips are practical suggestions that you can use to help you shift into more positive thinking patterns:

1. Take Good Care of Yourself,
When you are eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest, It's much easier to maintain a positive outlook on life.

2. Be Grateful
Stresses and challenges don't seem quite as bad when you are constantly reminding yourself of the things that are right in life. Taking just 60 seconds to stop and admire something beautiful, to be thankful for what you do have, and appreciate the good things in life will make a huge difference.

3. Look for the Proof Instead of Making Assumptions
A fear of not being liked or accepted sometimes leads us to assume that we know what others are thinking, but our fears are usually not reality. If you have a fear that a friend or family member's bad mood is due to something you did, or that your co-workers are secretly gossiping about you when you turn your back, speak up and ask them. Your fears will become reality if you do not take action. Don't waste time worrying that you did something wrong unless you have proof that there is something to worry about.

4. Refrain from Using Absolutes
Have you ever told a partner "You're ALWAYS late!" or complained to a friend "You NEVER call me!"? Thinking and speaking in absolutes like 'always' and 'never' makes the situation seem worse than it is. Never use” never” and “always” in an argument, it will cause the problem to become unsolvable as the other person will be defending his/her behavior rather than solving the problem.

5. Detach From Negative Thoughts
Your thoughts can't hold any power over you if you don't judge them. If you notice yourself having a negative thought, detach from it, witness it, and don't follow it. Replace it with a positive thought. Keep a small notebook with your goals, or a picture of what you desire, and when a negative thought starts, look at what you really want. Do not waste your manifesting powers on stuff you don’t want.

6. Remember Your Goals
Write down you goals and dreams in a notebook and carry it with you all the time. Whenever you find a spare moment, look at your dreams and goals to remind you what direction you want your life to go in. An extra bonus to this is when you have an idea or inspiration you will have somewhere to write it down.

7. Practice Loving and Touching
You don't have to be an expert to know the benefits of a good hug. Positive physical contact with friends, loved ones, and even pets, is an instant pick-me-up. Dogs are called mans best friend for a reason, pet your dog and you will feel better.

8. Increase Your Social Activity
By increasing social activity, you decrease loneliness. Surround yourself with healthy, happy people, and their positive energy will affect you in a positive way!

9. Volunteer for an Organization, or Help another Person
Everyone feels good after helping. You can volunteer your time, your money, or your resources. The more positive energy you put out into the world, the more you will receive in return.

10. Use Pattern Interrupts to Combat Rumination
If you find yourself ruminating, a great way to stop it is to interrupt the pattern and force yourself to do something completely different. Rumination is like hyper-focus on something negative. It's never productive, because it's not rational or solution-oriented, it's just excessive worry. Try changing your physical environment - go for a walk or sit outside. You could also call a friend, pick up a book, or turn on some music.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what's important about Manifesting.

To know the things needed to do are the basics of productivity, but interaction and having a steady mind makes up the entire thing to true productivity. There are those who seem to work well even under pressure, but they're uncommon ones and we are human and imperfect. Sometimes it takes a bit of courage to admit that we're turning to be workaholics than tell ourselves that we're not doing our best.

Be Blessed

The Budget – The Ultimate Financial Management Tool

A carpenter uses a set of house plans to build a house. If he didn’t the bathroom might get overlooked altogether.

Rocket Scientists would never begin construction on a new booster rocket without a detailed set of design specifications. Yet most of us go blindly out into the world without an inkling of an idea about finances and without any plan at all.

Not very smart of us, is it?

A money plan is called a budget and it is crucial to get us to our desired financial goals.

Without a plan we will drift without direction and end up marooned on a distant financial reef.

If you have a spouse or a significant other, you should make this budget together. Sit down and figure out what your joint financial goals are…long term and short term.

Then plan your route to get to those goals. Every journey begins with one step and the first step to attaining your goals is to make a realistic budget that both of you can live with.

A budget should never be a financial starvation diet. That won’t work for the long haul. Make reasonable allocations for food, clothing, shelter, utilities and insurance and set aside a reasonable amount for entertainment and the occasional luxury item. Savings should always come first before any spending.

Even a small amount saved will help you reach your long term and short term financial goals. You can find many budget forms on the internet. Just use any search engine you choose and type in “free budget forms”.

You’ll get lots of hits. Print one out and work on it with your spouse or significant other. Both of you will need to be happy with the final result and feel like it’s something you can stick to.

Life isn’t fair. Sometimes, when I feel like the world is just too heavy, I look around and find people who continued to live fascinating and wonderful lives. And then thoughts come popping into my mind like bubbles from nowhere – “How did their life become so adorably sweet? How come they still can manage to laugh and play around despite a busy stressful life?” Then I pause and observed for awhile… I figured out that maybe, they start to work on a place called ‘self’.

So, how does one become genuinely happy? The short answer is to love yourself.
My theology professor once said that “loving means accepting.” To love oneself means to accept that you are not a perfect being, but behind the imperfections must lay a great ounce of courage to be able to discover ways on how to improve your repertoire to recover from our mistakes.

Genuine happiness also pertains to contentment. When you are contented with the job you have, the way you look, with your family, your friends, the place you live in, your car, and all the things you now have – truly, you know the answer to the question “how to be genuinely happy.”

When we discover a small start somewhere from within, that small start will eventually lead to something else, and to something else. But if you keep questioning life like it has never done you any good, you will never be able to find genuine happiness.

I believe that life is about finding out about right and wrong, trying and failing, wining and losing. These are things that happen as often as you inhale and exhale. Failure, in a person’s life has become as abundant and necessary as air. But this should not hinder us from becoming happy.

How to be genuinely happy in spite all these? I tell you… every time you exert effort to improve the quality of life and your being, whether it is cleaning up your room, helping a friend, taking care of your sick dog, fail on board exams and trying again, life gives you equivalent points for that.

Imagine life as a big score board like those which are used in the NFLs. Every time you take a step forward, you make scoring points. Wouldn’t it be nice to look at that board at the end of each game and think to yourself “I got a point today. I’m glad I gave it a shot.” instead of looking at it all blank and murmur “Geez, I didn’t even hit a score today. I wish I had the guts to try out.” and then walk away.

Genuine happiness isn’t about driving the hottest Formula 1 car, nor getting the employee of the year award, earning the highest 13th month pay, or beating the sales quota. Sometimes, the most sought after prizes in life doesn’t always go to the fastest, the strongest, and the bravest or not even the best. So, how do you become genuinely happy? Every one has their own definition of ‘happiness’. Happiness for a writer may mean launching as much best selling books as possible. Happiness for a basketball rookie may mean getting the rookie of the year award. Happiness for a beggar may mean a lot of money. Happiness for a business man may mean success. So, really now, how do we become genuinely happy?

Simple. You don’t have to have the best things in this world. It’s about doing and making the best out of every single thing. When you find yourself smiling at your own mistake and telling your self “Oh, I’ll do better next time”, you carry with you a flame of strong will power to persevere that may spread out like a brush fire. You possess a willingness to stand up again and try – that will make you a genuinely happy person.

When you learn to accept yourself and your own faults. You pass step 1 in the project “how to become genuinely happy”. For as long as you know how to accept others, you will also be accepted. For as long as you love and know how to love, you will receive love ten folds back.

Again, throw me that same question “how to become genuinely happy?” Most of us know that laughter is the best medicine to life’s aches and pain. But most of us don’t know that the best kind of laughter is laughter over self. Because then you don’t just become happy… you become free.

They say there's more than one way to skin a cat. The same goes when you start tearing your hair out with all the frustration, grief, anxiety, and yes, stress. It's a state of mental conditioning that is like taking that bitter pill down your throat, causing you to lose your sense of self, and worse your sanity. Just thinking about it can drive anyone off the edge.

And they say that the proactive ones are already living off the edge.
As one stressed-out person to another, I know how it feels, and believe me there are many variants when it comes to stress. Coping with life, and carrying the problems that may or may not belong to you can scratch away the little joy and happiness that you can carry once you head out that door. You can't blame them for being like that; they have their own reasons, so much like we have our reasons to allow stress to weigh us down. They say that stress is all in the mind, well, what's bugging you anyway?

There are several ways to manage stress, and eventually remove it out of your life one of these days. So I'll try to divide it into a seven-day course for you and I promise it's not going to be too taxing on the body, as well as on the mind.

1. Acknowledge stress is good
Make stress your friend! Based on the body's natural "fight or flight" response, that burst of energy will enhance your performance at the right moment. I've yet to see a top sportsman totally relaxed before a big competition. Use stress wisely to push yourself that little bit harder when it counts most.

2. Avoid stress sneezers
Stressed people sneeze stress germs indiscriminately and before you know it, you are infected too!
Protect yourself by recognizing stress in others and limiting your contact with them. Or if you've got the inclination, play stress doctor and teach them how to better manage themselves.

3. Learn from the best
When people around are losing their head, who keeps calm? What are they doing differently? What is their attitude? What language do they use? Are they trained and experienced?
Figure it out from afar or sit them down for a chat. Learn from the best stress managers and copy what they do.

4. Practice socially acceptable heavy breathing
This is something I've learned from a gym instructor: You can trick your body into relaxing by using heavy breathing. Breathe in slowly for a count of 7 then breathe out for a count of 11. Repeat the 7-11 breathing until your heart rate slows down, your sweaty palms dry off and things start to feel more normal.

5. Give stressy thoughts the red light
It is possible to tangle yourself up in a stress knot all by yourself. "If this happens, then that might happen and then we're all up the creek!" Most of these things never happen, so why waste all that energy worrying needlessly?
Give stress thought-trains the red light and stop them in their tracks. Okay so it might go wrong - how likely is that, and what can you do to prevent it?

6. Know your trigger points and hot spots
Presentations, interviews, meetings, giving difficult feedback, tight deadlines…. My heart rate is cranking up just writing these down!
Make your own list of stress trigger points or hot spots. Be specific. Is it only presentations to a certain audience that get you worked up? Does one project cause more stress than another? Did you drink too much coffee?
Knowing what causes you stress is powerful information, as you can take action to make it less stressful. Do you need to learn some new skills? Do you need extra resources? Do you need to switch to decaf?

7. Burn the candle at one end
Lack of sleep, poor diet and no exercise wreaks havoc on our body and mind. Kind of obvious, but worth mentioning as it's often ignored as a stress management technique. Listen to your mother and don't burn the candle at both ends!

So having stress can be a total drag, but that should not hinder us to find the inner peace of mind that we have wanted for a long time. In any case, one could always go to the Bahamas and bask under the summer sun.

A New and Better You

I got this from an e-mail my Famous Uncle Marlin sent me:

Everybody needs a good chuckle and these will definitely make you chuckle.

1) NUDITY: I was driving with my three young children one warm summer
evening when a woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved.
She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my
5-year-old shout from the back seat, "Mom! That lady isn't wearing a
seat belt!"

2) OPINIONS: On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his
teacher a note from his mother. The note read, "The opinions expressed by
this child are not necessarily those of his parents."

3) KETCHUP: A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the jar.
During her struggle the phone rang, so she asked her 4-year-old daughter
to answer the phone. "Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right
now. She's hitting the bottle."

4) MORE NUDITY: A little boy got lost at the YMCA and found himself in
the women's locker room. When he was spotted, the room burst into
shrieks, with ladies grabbing towels and running for cover. The little
boy watched in amazement and then asked, "What's the matter, haven't you
ever seen a little boy before?"

5) POLICE #1: While taking a routine vandalism report at an elementary
school, I was interrupted by a little girl about 6 years old. Looking up
and down at my uniform, she asked, "Are you a cop?" Yes," I answered and
continued writing the report. "My mother said if I ever needed help I
should ask the police. Is that right? "Yes, that's right," I told her.
"Well, then, "she said as she extended her foot toward me, "would you
please tie my shoe?"

6) POLICE #2: It was the end of the day when I parked my police van in
front of the station. As I gathered my equipment, my K-9 partner, Jake,
was barking, and I saw a little boy staring in at me "Is that a dog you
got back there?" he asked. "It sure is," I replied. Puzzled, the boy
looked at me and then towards the back of the van. Finally he said,"
What'd he do?"

7) ELDERLY: While working for an organization that delivers lunches to
elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon
rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by the various appliances of old
age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs. One day I found her
staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself
for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered,
"The tooth fairy will never believe this!"

8) DRESS-UP: A little girl was watching her parents dress for a party.
When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, "Daddy, you
shouldn't wear that suit."
"And why not, darling?"
"You know that it
always gives you a headache the next morning. "

9) DEATH: While walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, our
minister heard the intoning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt.
Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin.
Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small
box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal
of the deceased. The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate
prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought
his father always said: "Glory be unto the Faaaather, and unto the Sonnn,
and into the hole he gooooes."

10) SCHOOL: A little girl had just finished her first week of school.
"I'm just wasting my time," she said to her mother . "I can't read, I
can't write and they won't let me talk!"

11) BIBLE: A little boy opened the big family Bible. He was fascinated as
he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the
Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old
leaf that had been pressed in between the pages "Mama, look what I
found," the boy called out. "What have you got there, dear?" With
astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, "I think it's Adam's
underwear!"

So what does it take to be a cut above the rest? Here are some of the things you can think and improve on that should be enough for a week.

1. Know your purpose
Are you wandering through life with little direction - hoping that you'll find happiness, health and prosperity? Identify your life purpose or mission statement and you will have your own unique compass that will lead you to your truth north every time.
This may seem tricky at first when you see yourself to be in a tight or even dead end. But there's always that little loophole to turn things around and you can make a big difference to yourself.

2. Know your values
What do you value most? Make a list of your top 5 values. Some examples are security, freedom, family, spiritual development, learning. As you set your goals for 2005 - check your goals against your values. If the goal doesn't align with any of your top five values - you may want to reconsider it or revise it.
The number shouldn't discourage you, instead it should motivate you to do more than you can ever dreamed of.

3. Know your needs
Unmet needs can keep you from living authentically. Take care of yourself. Do you have a need to be acknowledged, to be right, to be in control, to be loved? There are so many people who lived their lives without realizing their dreams and most of them end up being stressed or even depressed for that matter. List your top four needs and get them met before it's too late!

4. Know your passions
You know who you are and what you truly enjoy in life. Obstacles like doubt and lack of enthusiasm will only hinder you, but will not derail your chance to become the person you ought to be. Express yourself and honor the people who has inspired you to become the very person you wanted to be.

5. Live from the inside out
Increase your awareness of your inner wisdom by regularly reflecting in silence. Commune with nature. Breathe deeply to quiet your distracted mind. For most of us city slickers it's hard to even find the peace and quiet we want even in our own home. In my case I often just sit in a dimly lit room and play some classical music. There's sound, yes, but music does soothe the savage beast.

6. Honor your strengths
What are your positive traits? What special talents do you have? List three - if you get stuck, ask those closest to you to help identify these. Are you imaginative, witty, good with your hands? Find ways to express your authentic self through your strengths. You can increase your self-confidence when you can share what you know to others.

7. Serve others
When you live authentically, you may find that you develop an interconnected sense of being. When you are true to who you are, living your purpose and giving of your talents to the world around you, you give back in service what you came to share with others -your spirit - your essence. The rewards for sharing your gift with those close to you is indeed rewarding, much more if it were to be the eyes of a stranger who can appreciate what you have done to them.

Self-improvement is indeed one type of work that is worth it. It shouldn't always be within the confines of an office building, or maybe in the four corners of your own room. The difference lies within ourselves and how much we want to change for the better.

I am sure you have heard this saying many times, so take the hint already; Always be honest. Never be afraid to be honest, however not to the point of cruelty, but always honest. The advantage of always being honest is you don’t have to worry about being caught in a lie and exposed as a fraud. By always being honest people will come to respect you as they know your word is your bond.

Now there is a difference between honesty and brutal honesty. Let us use the famous question; Does this make me look fat? Your answer should be honest, if the person is fat, then tell them yes. If the item makes them look fat then simply say “yes.” Here is where subtle honesty comes into play. Just say yes, and do not elaborate. For example to say that yes and add a comment such as nothing will make you look skinny is cruel honesty and should be avoided. Silence is better than cruelty.

But what about the old white lie? Again honesty is always the right thing to do, and silence is better than cruelty. If someone asks you a question do not avoid the honest answer, but do not go beyond the minimum required to answer. Continuing with the previous question, stop after saying yes, do not add any mitigating comments such as the dress is the wrong size or maybe it will look better tomorrow. Keep it simple and do not give it too much attention. Another example would be if a person who is mentally challenged asks you if they are stupid. Reply with something along the lines of “you think differently than other people do.” To say no would be a lie, and to say yes would be cruel. If you stick with the truth and do not use it as a bludgeon you will become very well liked by everyone, and even respected by your detractors as they know you are honest

Try to always be kind to those who do things for you. For example if a person has cooked a meal for you and there is something you do not like, remember that silence is better than cruelty. When offered the food you do not like (for me it’s peas) just say “no thank you” rather than “I don’t like peas, so I am not eating those.” If they push the issue and want to know why you aren’t eating their world famous peas, just say “I’m sorry, but I do not like peas, but you couldn’t have known that, I am sorry if that offends you, I am sure they are really good.” Avoid the remarks about what you think they are good for, just keep it simple and avoid cruelty.

If your relative makes you a sweater that you think is disgusting, just say thank you. Do not point out that it is ugly, the wrong style, and you will just let it accidently fall into the trash. That person thought enough of you to make something they thought was nice, remember that it’s the thought that counts. Maybe suggest that the next one be made with your favorite color or design. “Aunt Mary, thanks for this sweater, on the next one could you make it green with an eagle on the back.” This will thrill that person and make them eager to make the next one for you. Who knows maybe the next one you will actually wear in public.

When dealing with the online community always represent yourself honestly. If you aren’t 6’1” with a six-pack to be proud of, don’t claim to be. If you are a bar tender, don’t claim to be a lawyer with a six figure income. If you are 40 going on 50, don’t pretend to be 30 something. Remember, the idea here is to find people who will like you exactly like you are. If you have lied in your profile, the first face-to-face meeting will remove all doubt that you are a liar. If you do not want to admit to the facts then silence is better than cruelty.

Lastly, the hardest of all; be honest with yourself. If you kid yourself or lie to yourself then you will not be worth the skin you wear. With yourself it is ok to be brutal. If you have something about yourself that you tell white lies about, stop it. Lets say you have a physical deformity, temporary or permanent. Do not lie to yourself and say this mole is just a beauty mark. If it is ugly admit it, seek medical advice about its removal, or use make up to mitigate its appearance. This goes for personality traits too, are you quick to anger? How about prejudiced against other people for some reason, (nationality, skin color, etc) admit it and get over it. Accept yourself for who you are. You are all you have and you can’t be someone else as they are already taken.

Be honest with yourself, and be honest with others. Honesty is the best policy so stick with it, and your life will be easier.

Find a Place to Study

Figuring out a time and place to do your homework and study is of the utmost importance. Once you have figured out when to do your homework, the next question is where to do it.

A good study area should have a desk or table big enough to spread out books, notes, worksheets, etc. without them all being on top of each other. You do not want to make a mess, but you also do want to have ample room to work.

Make sure you have plenty of light. Ideally, you will near a window with an overhead light and perhaps even a small reading lamp.

Most important in choosing a study location is finding a place that is relatively free from distractions. That means no TV on in the room, no brothers or sisters running by, no phone conversations to listen in on, and no instant messenger or emails to keep you busy.

Whether or not you listen to music while you study depends on your personal preference. You may choose to ignore any phone calls, or turn off your cell phone, and forget about the urge to go and get a snack every ten or fifteen minutes.

Depending on your home, you may be able to find this area at the kitchen or dining room table, or in your bedroom. You may be able to set aside a study space in your basement or an office in you home. Some people find their homes too filled with distractions, and prefer to take their studies to the local library.

Wherever you choose, it is best if you can study in that same place all the time. If you can study in this same location consistently, your mind will get used to this being a focused and important place. When you enter this area, you will know it is time to get down to business. Your pens and pencils, paper, erasers, stapler, calculator, and anything else you use often can be kept nearby. Also, you can keep them in a bin or bag which can be pulled out whenever you need them. This will avoid having to stop studying to collect supplies.

Having this dedicated study spot will help you get down to business and focus more easily on getting your work complete.

http://www.staffofpower.com/ratinghub.html


Keep Supplies in a Homework Kit

It’s four o’clock…you know what that means…time to do homework. You scour the house looking for a pencil. Then you need a pencil sharpener. Ten minutes later you find one. Finally you sit down to start your homework. Where’s the calculator? Dad’s desk? Brother’s bedroom? Once found, you discover that it is low on batteries…there have to be some in the house…but where? If you find your typical study session unfolding like this, then here are a few suggestions to make you finish your homework with ease…

You can waste a lot of time looking for homework supplies and making sure they are ready to be used. OR, you can use a homework box or supply kit of some kind to keep it all together. Then, when it comes time to do homework, everything is in place for you. No running around, no scouring the house.

Any kind of box will do. You can use a storage tote, an old shoebox, or even a drawer. The key is to keep everything you need in there, ready to go. Make sure the tote or box is placed conveniently in your study area. It should not move from the spot.

Make sure siblings and family members know that these supplies are for homework, and not for other activities. Those supplies should stay there, and only be used for homework. You may want to label it so there is no confusion as to its purpose.

Pencils and crayons should be sharp, calculators fully equipped with fresh batteries, markers with lids tightly attached. Here’s a tip, since your parents are always offering to help with your homework but it is up to you to do the work, suggest that they take responsibility for keeping the supply kit full and in working order.
When it comes to studying, there are few people that want any more struggle or stress than is necessary. Keeping all materials and supplies handy and ready to go will make your studying not only go smoother, but possibly quicker. And who wouldn’t want to shorten the time they need for studying?

Learn How to Be Happy

Concentration is Key

Learning to concentrate while studying and doing work is a skill that will be used for the rest of your life. The art of concentration is to eliminate any possible distractions and completely focus on the task at hand. Many students will read through material and discover that they have no idea what they have just read. Or, they will attend lectures and have difficulty paying attention to what is being said. Here are a few suggestions to help you stay focused and boost your grades…

When scheduling study times, try to stick to a consistent and efficient routine. Try to avoid studying one day late at night, and the next in the afternoon. Write in your planner or calendar when you will study so as not to have conflicts.

Always study in a quiet environment. If you haven’t already, find a designated study spot free of distractions. If you live in a noisy house or dormitory, this may mean heading to a study room or even the library.

When you need a study break, do something different from you have been doing, and in a different area. Get up and walk around in another room. Listen to music for a few minutes. Grab a snack. Try to take a break every hour for about 10 minutes.

Every student struggles with day dreaming while studying…thinking about plans for the night or tomorrow’s basketball game. To avoid daydreaming, ask yourself questions about the material as you study it, which will keep your mind focused.

If you have trouble focusing during classroom lectures, look over the notes of the previous lecture and read the course material pertaining to the lecture beforehand so you can anticipate the main ideas that the instructor will cover. Additionally, show outward interest during lectures. Have an attentive expression and posture. This will self-motivate internal interest. Also, resist distractions by sitting in front of the room away from disruptive occurrences and classmates and by focusing on the instructor through listening and note taking.

Just a few minor adjustments in your studying habits will go a long way in improving grades and concentration.


Learn How to Be Happy

Skimming with Skill

Think about how you find a name in a telephone book. You don’t read any more than necessary to find the name. Maybe you use your finger to guide your eyes. This type of reading is known as scanning. Skimming uses the same type of skill mechanically but a different skill mentally. In scanning, you know what you are looking for; in skimming, you don’t.

Since you don’t know exactly what you are looking for while skimming, prepare yourself by reading the title, source, author, and any pictures; then question yourself,--who, what, when, where is this likely to focus on? With a questioning mind direct your eyes down the column of print, or in a zigzag, if the lines are quite long. Look for exact names of people, places, things, ideas, numbers and words like therefore, whenever, until, because, and instead, to clue you to how and why.

When you first start to learn to skim you may see only the words in bold type, italics, digits, or capitalized words. Soon you will note new or unusual vocabulary. As you become an efficient skimmer your span of perception will develop and your ability to make closure will increase.

Skimming is a step you should always take before you read any article of factual or practical narrative. You will soon be able to detect most important facts, strange vocabulary, and words that are clues to important relationships.

It's a good practice to skim everything in mass media after reading the title and first paragraph. You may get all the information you want. This keeps your skimming skills from deteriorating, or will give you the practice you need to develop necessary skills.

Skim everything you intend to read before you make a final decision to read, discard, or study the material.

Skim all highlighting and develop a read-skim pattern to use for rapid review. And don't overlook this! Reviewing frequently and rapidly is the best way to memorize (or simply remember information) from notes and long text assignments. Skimming is a very useful tool for studying, so learn it and use it!

Learn How to Be Happy

From Start to Finish

Confused about what to write down in your notebook during class? Get stressed when preparing for tests and looking over your notes? Here are some suggestions to take you from the beginning of the studying process in the classroom, to the end, or the test itself.

Read assignments before heading to class. This will build your background for the information that will be presented in class. It helps you be familiar with the vocabulary and concepts. This is especially helpful if you are unfamiliar with the subject matter. As you read, underline and highlight important information. If you don’t have time to read the entire assignment, at least look over introduction paragraphs, bolded words, and summaries. This will give you a good overview of the information.

Although it seems obvious, you need to go to class and take notes. Most professors or teachers lecture during class periods, emphasizing points of importance. Head to class ready to be attentive and write during the entire class. Don’t stop taking notes until the lecturer is finishing. Pay particular attention to the end of the lecture, as professors will cram information into this part to finish up for the day. Use abbreviations; get details and main ideas to get complete notes.

While the notes are still ‘fresh’ in your mind, look over them and make any additions or corrections as soon as possible after class. Be sure to make note of any parts you didn’t understand or missed. Ask either the professor or a friend via email or before the next class period to get the missing information.

Try to pass your first test in each class to boost self-confidence. Make up a list of study questions and definitions and practice reciting this information aloud, either to yourself or someone else. Don’t wait until the last minute study. Rather, study for short periods over several days. Of course, you will want to review the night before a test.

Finally, test day arrives. Use these strategies during your exam to make all your hard work worthwhile. Read directions carefully before you begin. Take a few minutes to look over the test, then answer all the questions you know first. This will help you get sure points and builds confidence. Don’t leave any blanks; it is better to guess if you don’t know. Watch your time, and manage it accordingly. Don’t rush, but don’t go too slow. Take a few minutes at the end of class to look over your test to be sure you have answered all questions and that your answers make sense.
Learn How to Be Happy

A short lecture by L. W. ROGERS

It is the natural right of every human being to be happy—to escape all
the miseries of life. Happiness is the normal condition, as natural as the
landscapes and the seasons. It is unnatural to suffer and it is only
because of our ignorance that we do suffer. Happiness is the product of
wisdom. To attain perfect wisdom, to comprehend fully the purpose of
life, to realize completely the relationship of human beings to each
other, is to put an end to all suffering, to escape every ill and evil that
afflicts us. Perfect wisdom is unshadowed joy.

Why do we suffer in life? Because in the scheme of nature we are being
forced forward in evolution and we lack the spiritual illumination that
alone can light the way and enable us to move safely among the
obstacles that lie before us. Usually we do not even see or suspect the
presence of trouble until it suddenly leaps upon us like a concealed
tiger. One day our family circle is complete and happy. A week later
death has come and gone and joy is replaced with agony.

Today we have a friend. Tomorrow he will be an enemy and we do not know why.
A little while ago we had wealth and all material luxuries. There was a
sudden change and now we have only poverty and misery and yet we seek in vain for a reason why this should be. There was a time when we had health and strength; but they have both departed and no trace of a reason appears. Aside from these greater tragedies of life innumerable things of lesser consequence continually bring to us little miseries and minor heartaches. We most earnestly desire to avoid them but we never see them until they strike us, until in the darkness of our ignorance we
blunder upon them.

The thing we lack is the spiritual illumination that will enable us to look far and wide, finding the hidden causes of human suffering and revealing the method by which they may be avoided; and if we can but reach illumination the evolutionary journey can be made both comfortably and swiftly. It is as though we must pass through a
long, dark room filled with furniture promiscuously scattered about. In the darkness our progress would be slow and painful and our bruises many. But if we could press a button that would turn on the electric light we could then make the same journey quickly and with perfect safety and comfort.

The old method of education was to store the mind with as many facts, or supposed facts, as could be accumulated and to give a certain exterior polish to the personality. The theory was that when a man was born he was a completed human being and that all that could be done for him was to load him up with information that would be used with more or less skill, according to the native ability he happened to be born with.

The theosophical idea is that the physical man, and all that constitutes his life in the physical world, is but a very partial expression of the self; that in the ego of each there is practically unlimited power and wisdom; that these may be brought through into expression in the physical world as the physical body and its invisible counterparts, which together constitute the complex vehicle of the ego’s manifestation, are evolved and adapted to the purpose; and that in exact proportion that conscious effort is given to such self-development will spiritual illumination be achieved and wisdom attained. Thus the light that leads to happiness is kindled from within and the evolutionary journey that all are making may be robbed of its suffering.

Why does death bring misery? Chiefly because it separates us from those we love. But when we have evolved the faculty of clairvoyance, in our work of self-development, the separation vanishes and our “dead” friends are as much with us as the living. The only other reason why death brings grief or fear is because we do not understand it and comprehend the part it plays in human evolution. But the moment our ignorance gives way to comprehension such fear vanishes and a serene happiness takes its place.
Why do we have enemies from whose words or acts we suffer? Because in our limited physical consciousness we do not perceive the unity of all life and realize that our wrong thinking and doing must react upon us through other people—a situation from which there is no possible escape except through ceasing to think evil and then patiently awaiting the time when the causes we have already generated are fully exhausted.

When spiritual illumination comes, and we no longer stumble in the night of ignorance, the last enemy will disappear and we shall make no more forever.
Why do people suffer from poverty and disease? Only because of our blundering ignorance that makes their existence possible for us, and because we do not comprehend their meaning and their lessons, nor know the attitude to assume toward them. Had we but the wisdom to understand why they come to people, why they are necessary factors in their evolution, they would trouble us no longer. When nature’s lesson is fully learned these mute teachers will vanish.

And so it is with all forms of suffering we experience. They are at once reactions from our ignorant blunderings and instructors that point out the better way. When we have comprehended the lessons they teach they are no longer necessary and disappear.

http://www.staffofpower.com/happiness.html

I received this from My Uncle Marlin in an e-mail. He is such a good source of fun info.


Things you didn't know your phone could do.

There are a few things that can be done in times of
grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be
a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check
out the things that you can do with it:


FIRST
The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112.
If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your
mobile; network and there is an emergency, dial 112
and the mobile will search any existing network to
establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly
this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked.
Try it out.


SECOND
Does your car have remote key less entry? This may come
in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If
you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at
home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your
cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your
car door and have the person at your home press the unlock
button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end.
Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive
your keys to you.

Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away,
and if you can reach someone who has the other "remote"
for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).


THIRD
Subject: Hidden Battery Power
Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press
the keys *3370# Your cell will restart with this reserve
and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery.
This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell
next time.


FOURTH
How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?
To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the
following digits on your phone: * # 0 6 #
A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number
is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it
somewhere safe. When your phone get stolen, you can
phone your service provider and give them this code.
They will then be able to block your handset so even
if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless.
You probably won't get your phone back, but at least
you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either.
If everybody does this, there would be no point in people
stealing mobile phones.

And Finally....


FIFTH
Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or
more for 411 information calls when they don't have to.
Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our
vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a
problem. When you need to use the 411 information option,
simply dial: (800) FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring
any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now.

I apologize for not posting for a while.

The short version is I ended up buying a new computer,
and had to try to find all my user names and passwords again.

Now I am truly grateful for the power of cookies.
I never had to worry about remembering all those details,
set it up once and forget it.

Anyway, I am back online and will have some really good stuff soon

PS; Do not allow 15 year old daughters who are in technology class to have free reign on your system
She turned off the firewall so the computer would surf faster...