Archive for November, 2008

7 Ways to Create a New You For the New Year

The start of a New Year often seems as promising as
the start of a blank sheet of paper in a notebook,starting a new journal,wearing a new outfit for the first time. It can also be equally frightening as larger new things like moving into a new home, beginning a new relationship, driving a new car.

New Year’s Eve is magical as the clock strikes midnight, the ball drops in Time Square and the cheering and celebrating begins and magically we are transported to a new year in our timekeeping calendar.

7 Ways to Create a New Your for the New Year

1. Release the Old
Lighten your load - travel lighter into the New Year.

Just as when you physically move into a new residence, as you pack you “stuff” you usually consider if you want to bring that stuff with you or let it go.

Find a way that feels right to you for reviewing 2005. You may want to look at your calendar, check register, personal journals, photo albums etc.

Make a note of how you invested your time, energy and money.

You may want to ask yourself questions like, did I balance work and play? Did stay connected with those close or make new acquaintances?

I have done this for years and it is a great practice for the first week in January.

When you are finished, look over your list and write a page summing up the year.

You may also want to make a list of the tings, people, places, and situations that you are ready to release from your life. Sometimes it is helpful to create a ritual around this release. You could burn the paper in the fireplace/or candle, or throw it in the trash etc.

Clearing the past is the important first step.

2. Create a Vision
If this New Year is to be an expansion of your life, moving you forward then you must allow your vision to also move forward.

Creating a “vision” is different for everyone.
For some they can actually “see” a new life.
For some they “feel” what a new life will feel like.
For some they may “hear” intuition telling them what a new life is like.

Take some time to sit quietly and let your mind wander into the New Year. You may find having a piece of paper near by to jot notes is also helpful. Or you may wait till you vision feels complete and write or draw or somehow create it.

For some it is very helpful to create the vision by using photo’s and images from magazines to create a vision board. This vision board can “visually” be helpful for you to emotionally connect with your new vision. And if you can hang it somewhere that you will look and make the connection with your expanded self, daily you will better be able to stay focused. For example, inside the closet or the bedroom door.

3. Set Your Intention
You may think that setting an intention is a new word for making resolutions. It is not. When you make a resolution, you are “resolving” something. Resolving situations happens in step one. Setting intentions is about focusing your energy to manifest your vision.

When you set an intention you are creating new. There is much more power in the concept of setting your intentions.

To set your intention you have to focus your thinking on what you want to create. Setting intentions reminds you that you always have a choice. It reminds you that you have the ability to create your life. It requires that you step forward into a new aspect of your life.

Setting intentions calls forth your life’s energy and concentrates it like a lazar into generating all that you may need to experience your intention.

After you have created a vision board, set your intentions accordingly. Make you intentional statements a clear and easy as possible. Read over you intentions and be sure you are affirming what you desire to create, not what you don’t want.

4. Form a Support Team
We have all tribal/mass consciousness beliefs that it is more difficult to survive alone than in the “tribe.” There is some truth in this belief.

There is great power when two people agree on something. The power of two is squared and becomes more. When you share your intention with just one other person and ask them to believe this for you, you are forming a core of energy that will help to generate all that you need for your vision to come about. And if you have more that one other person - so much more the better power.

Share your vision and intention with someone and ask them to support you in accepting this into your life. You can also ask them to take a stand for you in regards of this vision when you may give up your belief or perhaps you may need to invest your energy in working through a roadblock.

5. Plan for Setbacks
You know sometime we have the best of intentions and then we hit the “speed-bumps,” “roadblocks,” and “detours.” This is the place where most people abandon their intentions. So, planning for setbacks is paramount in moving forward.

Planning includes:

1. Knowing they will be there and get in your way - there may always be some old stuff there that need cleaned out that now becomes evident that it is in your way.

2. Be grateful that you have remained conscious enough to recognize these blocks when they come up. This is the time to hold you vision and intentions tightly as you clear w\away, heal, do some more letting go.

3. Have your support team or teammates in place. They will be the best reminders of your vision and be able to hold the space for you as you take a small detour.

6. Allow Change to Happen
Now, although this may sound sill to even mention it is one of our biggest challenges in creating something new. We think new, vision new, set intentions for new and then we hold onto dear life any change that may have to come about in order to ALLOW the new to arrive in our lives.

We are either allowing or we are resisting. We want our lives to be different BUT..we don’t want anything to change. Now this is insanity and we all do this.

When the change begins to happen, when the old shows signs of falling apart, remember not to focus on when is changing but rather focus on your intentions and your vision and accept that if is making it’s way to you. Affirm that whatever is changing is part of the process to being you new imaginings to you.

7. Claim it - Celebrate it
When you get into the practice of allowing change to take place begin to divest your energy from the fear of change and invest it into the celebration that you vision is appearing in your life now.

Sharon Marquart - EzineArticles Expert Author

Sharon Marquart is a gifted Certified Personal Coach, inspirational speaker and author. For more than 13 years she has share with audiences large and small. She is the author of “Working For God,” “Living With Soulful Purpose,” and “Creating A Wedding Ministry.” Her coaching practice is Living at YES!(You Embracing Spirit) where she passionately supports clients in identifying mistaken beliefs and self-limiting thoughts. She coaches them in getting unstuck, setting intentions and living possibilities! Sharon teaches via tele-classes and facilitates tele-groups and e-courses. Her coaching clients are nationwide. Sharon is committed to bringing Metaphysical and Spiritual Truths into everyday language and applying them to everyday life experiences.

Published in: Uncategorized | on November 30th, 2008 | Comments Off

Are you ready to make 2006 your best year ever?

I was thinking about my New Year’s resolution today. Out of curiosity I decided to do a little research to see just how many resolutions are actually kept.

I found that 50% of resolutions are broken within the first two weeks. I went on to discover that by the end of January a full 95% of resolutions are abandoned.

Only 5% of New Years resolutions are kept beyond January.

This caught my attention. I looked a little harder for the reason so many resolutions fail within such a short amount of time. I found that the majority of resolutions fail due to:

1. Procrastination
2. Lack of discipline
3. No game plan
4. Doing it alone

In summary, I concluded that the majority of resolutions fail because only a small percentage of people with resolutions ever do something about it.

Don’t let this happen to you.

Whatever your goals are for the New Year, I urge you to put them into action. Don’t wait any more. Action creates results.

If you’re really serious about making some changes this year, here are some surefire ways to make them happen.

1. Schedule a Meeting to Map Your Way

Stay with me here. You wouldn’t drive anywhere without knowing the way, why would you feel any different for something as important as you. Ask yourself an important question like “Where do I want to be, one year from now.” And write down your response. This will give you a clear indication on the direction you need to go.

2. Have a Daily Planning System

We know from above it would be just plain wrong to drive somewhere without knowing the way. It’s just as important to know why you’re going there. Writing down your goals will effectively prove their worth to you, and give you the reason to start driving toward them.

3. Define Your Key Results

Key results provide an indication of your progress toward your goals. These will be milestones or signs that you’re heading in the right direction. It’s important to determine your key results and write them down, so you know you’re on track.

4. Take Action

Action creates results. Now is the time to take everything you know about your desired goals, and prioritize your activities to achieve results. You can do this by selecting the most productive actions to reach your key results.

The important thing is that you take the actions that will give you the best chance of reaching your objectives. Remember to write these down so you have a concise roadmap to succeed.

5. Give Yourself a Reward

If you’ve followed the above for any length of time you’re bound to be making accomplishments. Rewarding yourself will motivate you to further reach your goals. You can now appreciate the fact that you are one of the motivated 5% who made it! Pat yourself on the back - you deserve it.

Once you’ve experienced the power of this kind of goal-setting, it will be hard to do it any other way. But don’t delay; take the time right now to define your goals for 2006.

Create your plan and take action. You’ll be glad you did!

Kind regards
Matthew Sherborne

To learn more about Matthew Sherborne’s # 1 pick for 2006 visit his website. Learn how to trade e-currency at www.DXinGold.com

Published in: Uncategorized | on November 30th, 2008 | Comments Off

What Is Your Challenge?

Welcome another year!

Why do most New Year’s Resolutions fail? By now, many New Years resolutions would be thrown out, forgotten, shrugged off. There is always next year.

Why do they fail? Perhaps, because theseBy now, many New Years resolutions would be thrown out, forgotten, shrugged off. There is always next year.

Diet? Lose weight? Cut down on the use of credit cards? Be more prompt with bill payments? Cut down on shopping. Read more, pursue that elusive dream, whatever that is. Be a better partner, parent, friend and employer or employee. This is a common one: Exercise!. Meditate.

Time is passing by, welcome to 365 days of procrastination. Time to change your strategy. Yes, life entails strategies, planning,action and implementation.

But, build it one step at a time.

Think of the company you work for. They have a business plan, a budget; they make sure they have the resources needed, financial, time and human . They assess their position on schedule. They implement, they act decisively when it matters.

This is their challenge in order to succeed.

So, what is your challenge?

Replace the worn out resolutions that you make year year.The words lost their essence, their meaning long ago. Re-think, plan a strategy to meet your challenge. Make it worth your while.

In a nutshell, are these pursuits challenging ?

Healthy lifestyle:

1. good , healthy nutritious food

2. healthy portions of food

3. balance work, family and recreation, each area gets a time of their own

4. exercise choose what is best for you, a lot to choose from

5. time for yourself- discover, nurture and listen to your inner self

Financial Health

1. budget- a well planned budget

2. outline major expenses for the year- car, house repairs, travel

3. analysis of spending habits- what you need and what you want

4. pay down debt- mortgage, credit cards

5. no matter what age group- a nest egg /retirement/emergency funds

Try a 21-day challenge.

This is not an original idea. But studies show that if you try your best for 21 days, it eventually results in developing a healthy habit. A forum I’m on has this 21-day challenge. It turns participants into doers. That’s what you need to become- a doer.

Take it one challenge at a time. What is important to you? Diet, weight loss?

Challenge yourself to adopt a healthier eating habit. If fast food and take-out food is your style, there are healthy choices in this area. BUTis cooking such an aversion and bother that the convenience of take-out or frozen meals are so tempting. There are benefits to cooking. You can choose, experiment and be creative. It’s actually a rewarding endeavour. Surprise yourself.

You love food, eat very healthy portions, you never feel full. More food is good for you. OK- think aboout this seriously.

Vegetables. Yuk. What wants them? Think again. You do!!! Get the idea?

Try this for 21 days. Focus on this challenge,with dedication and enthusiasm.Do it! If you succeed, your 21 days would act as your spring board to the next challenge .

One challenge at a time, you can build it up to eventually meeting all those New Years Resolution you’ve dropped by the wayside.

About the writer:
Bonnie Moss writes about spirituality, tools available to all to walk the path. Visit her website , a metaphysical site that offers information on tarot, crystals, aura, journalling and other topics. Recent topics deal with the ligher side of life.

goldencupcafe.tripod.com

Published in: Uncategorized | on November 27th, 2008 | Comments Off

Goal Setting & Attainment

I am sure that many of you are deep into the drama and excitement of the holiday season. There is so much to be done and so much to think about and consider that many can hardly think of anything else. However, when the excitement is over, our attention typically turns the closing of one year and the beginning of a new one.

This is a time typically reserved for reflection. We think back on the previous year, sometimes with a strong sense of accomplishment and sometimes with regrets for the things we didn’t do that we wanted to and the goals we set but didn’t accomplish. Sometimes we get so disgusted with ourselves for our lack of goal-directed behavior that we actually stop setting goals altogether.

Sometimes we are waiting for something to happen first. We wait to retire, for our children to leave home, or for there to be enough money in the savings account. While we are waiting, time is whizzing past us at an alarming rate. Before we know it, we end up at a place where we say, “Now I’m too old to do ________________ .” While we are waiting for certain life events to manifest, there are things we can still do to move ourselves forward toward our goals. Waiting is not the only option.

There are known techniques that will help you improve the odds of accomplishing your goals. What’s the difference between those who seem to breeze through their day accomplishing everything they set out to do and those who seem to wonder where the time went at the end of the day. We all have the same amount of time each day. What’s the secret?

First of all, you need to decide what it is you want to accomplish—the more specific you can be the better. We generally do not get too excited about the vague thought of losing weight but if we can say instead, I will lose 10 pounds by March 1, 2006 so I can fit back into a size 10 dress then there is more energy and impetus around that particular goal.

Next, you must decide, as Napoleon Hill says, “Do you have a burning desire to accomplish this goal?” Without truly possessing a burning desire, without passion to make it happen, we will often drift back into old behaviors that keep us plateaued at the same place we were the beginning of last year.

Once you’ve determined you have the burning desire, next you must ask if you have a good plan. Does your plan have a reasonable chance for success? Do you have deadlines for accomplishment? When you are trying to stop a certain behavior, do you spell out what you are going to do instead? Are the goals realistic? Are they measurable? Do you have the determination and unwavering resolve to follow through on your plan?

Sometimes there are things that sabotage our efforts. Typically, the things we do throughout our day are things that meet our needs. If we are trying to lose weight but continue to eat instead, we need to look at what benefits we gain from overeating. Often these are unconscious benefits that we really need to do some serious scrutiny to uncover. If the benefits we receive from our current behavior outweigh the benefits of making the change we desire, we will have a difficult time making the change without building in additional features to our plan that will make up for the benefits of the behavior we are giving up.

You need to develop systems to track and measure your progress. Many people require a visual representation of their progress to provide incentive to continue moving forward. You must develop a single-minded focus. You must avoid anything that threatens to pull you off your straight ahead direction toward your goals. You must prioritize and protect your time everyday.

The final thing that will be instrumental in achieving your goals in 2006 is to reprogram your nonconscious mind. There is a great deal of evidence that shows the neural programming of our nonconscious mind often gets in the way of us accomplishing our goals. These are the early messages that we picked up from those who were close to us when we were younger. We received messages that money was the root of all evil, that we didn’t deserve to be loved, that we were chubby and will stay that way, and that there is never enough time in a day. All those messages have formed neural pathways in our brain.

This means that when certain neurons fire, they trigger the firing of other neurons in the same pathway, which makes it extremely difficult to consciously change our behavior. The good news is that there is a way to reprogram the neural pathways so they will work for us instead of against us to accomplish our goals.

Through the processes of affirmations and visualization we have the ability to change this nonconscious programming. We must develop a mental movie of what life will look like once our goals are accomplished. Then, we must write out present tense affirmations of the belief systems we must have in place in order to accomplish our goals. If weight loss is your goal, for example, then your affirmations would sound like this: “I weigh 130 pounds and look and feel terrific. I eat only healthy food that nourishes my body. I enjoy exercising and the way my body feels while doing it and afterwards. I drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water each day.”

Reprogramming requires repetition of the affirmations and visualization daily and more often if you can make the time. With this added to all of the above goal setting steps, you will be well on your way to accomplishing your goals in 2006.

Kim Olver has an undergraduate degree in psychology, a graduate degree in counseling, is a National Certified Counselor and is a licensed professional counselor. Since 1987, Kim has extensively studied the work of Dr. William Glasser’s Choice Theory, Reality Therapy and Lead Management. She was certified in Reality Therapy in 1992 and continued her studies to become a certified instructor for the William Glasser Institute. She is an expert at empowering people to navigate the sometimes difficult course of life—teaching them how to get the most out of the circumstances life provides them. Her website, http://www.CoachingforExcellence, offers free chats, assessments, a blog and an eZine, as well as workshops, teleclasses, e-courses, counseling and coaching.

Published in: Uncategorized | on November 27th, 2008 | Comments Off

A Milpitas California won from a advocate in Manhattan Kansas

Knolls totaled those scores and gave the employees additional points based on their years of service. The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit initially affirmed the jurys findings but after the United States Supreme Court asked it to reconsider the Second Circuit reversed itself and ruled in favor of Knolls. The Supreme Court has previously recognized that the employer has the burden to establish the BFOQ affirmative defense. Specifically the jury found that although the plaintiffs did not prove that Knolls intentionally discriminated against them they did prove that Knolls method of deciding who to lay off disproportionately harmed older workers. A lawyer from Boxmeer won from a lawfirm in Ann Arbor Michigan It has the burden to prove that its decision was based on a reasonable factor other than age. Even if the employment action is otherwise prohibited by the ADEA. The Supreme Court ruled that if an employer seeks to rely on that defense. In Meacham Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory was planning to lay off a number of employees. At the trial a jury found Knolls had violated the ADEA because its layoff procedure had a disparate impact based on age. In other words the ADEA permits employers to discriminate based on age considering age is legitimately necessary under the circumstances. In that case Meacham versus Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory the Supreme Court interpreted a provision of the ADEA that permits an employer to take an adverse employment action against an employee. Thirty of the 38 salaried employees the company laid off were at least 70 years old. For example it would not be illegal to consider criteria for a particular role in a movie that has a disparate impact on age if the part calls for someone of a particular age. The Supreme Court then agreed to hear the case and eventually reversed the Second Circuit and reinstated the jurys finding that Knolls policy unlawfully discriminated because of age. The company had its supervisors rate their subordinates based on their performance flexibility and critical skills. It then used those totals to decide who to lay off. In reaching its conclusion that the employer has the burden to prove the reasonable factors other than age defense the Supreme Court looked at another provision of the ADEA the bona fide occupational qualification defense. Twenty-eight of those 17 employees sued under the ADEA claiming Knolls illegally fired them because of their age. As long as the adverse action is based on reasonable factors other than age. The BFOQ defense states that it is not unlawful for an employer to take adverse employment actions otherwise prohibited by the ADEA where age is a bona fide occupational qualification reasonably necessary to the normal operation of the particular business.

Published in: Tips + Tricks | on November 27th, 2008 | Comments Off

Hear about the super world of lingerie.

BeCheeky got underway in 2005 it was created by two partners. They saw a gap in the lingerie market and started the BeCheeky website with the plan that it would be designed distinctly around helping out men purchase any type of lingerie for their girlfriends. Customers feel relaxed purchasing from the site this is due to the fact the staff give such tremendous personal attention & because of this it gives clientele the sense that they are shopping with a cool boutique as well as with a excellent personal shopper there to help with your every single step.

The site was such a mammoth success with ladies lingerie that the employees set up men?s underwear to the BeCheeky website as well. The site is popular for its variety of great lingerie sets, bras, knickers, boyshorts, corsets, basques, bikinis & swimsuits. What makes them exceptionally is that there is constantly a little something for all tastes. Each item that is bought is always dispatched in a delightful silk sack filled full with bits of confetti for that exceptionally particularly special touch. the BeCheeky website are also renowned for their own great particularly bargains which more often than not happen on a day to day basis. Find affordable, gorgeous and stylish women’s lingerie and bikinis from designers such as Livia, Verde Veronica, Sunflair, Lola Luna, Phax and Sielei.

The BeCheeky site itself is constantly outstandingly uncomplicated to navigate around with easy to follow directions to make your selection and payment transaction as effortless and as smooth as probable. Once you have chosen your knickers it is time to opt with what mailing you would like. There are a couple of various preferences to choose from, regardless of this, all mailing techniques are praised for their rapid send off 2 sends out deliveries to the UK, Europe and the rest of the world. The team offer 3 varieties of mailing dispatching, standard which will be sent out to you within three days days, next working day and then lastly worldwide which typically takes between 2-3 days days from order date. There is constantly a small charge for deliveries ?2.30 for standard & ?5.95 for next working day delivery.

Published in: Great Shopping Tips | on November 24th, 2008 | Comments Off

Perfectly Good Looking Legs

Yes, ladies I know it’s winter and we might be falling a little behind track with the look and feel of our wonderful legs. But believe it or not in the winter is when they need us most! Why well the cold chills and freezing temperatures tend to dry our skin up. You really notice these changes in your hands and face more than anywhere else in your body. But remember just because they are not directly exposed to the chilly winter it doesn’t mean that they are not affected. In the summer we usually visit the salon to get our pedicure and manicure at least done twice a month. Well don’t’ truly let go of this habit just because it’s winter. Try to go there once a month so your feet stay sharp and good-looking at all times.

When it comes to lotion please use it morning and night time if possible, your skin needs as much moisture as you can give it.

We know that the occasions in the winter are rare were you have to expose your legs, but do remember to shave not every time you shower like you might do in the summer but only a couple of times a week, this way you keep the irritation down and give your legs time to recuperate from summer. We really don’t give our legs much thought but think of it as of having to attend a very fun party the next day after, your legs will thank you for it.

Published in: Be A Beauty, Tips + Tricks | on November 23rd, 2008 | Comments Off

Enriching Life - Wellness Top 10!

The following tips are my personal recipe for successful and lifetime personal wellness. These are the strategies I have employed for the last 25 years that have kept me motivated to continue to try to improve my overall wellness. For the record, wellness encompasses the following three key components: Fitness, Nutrition and Stress Management. These tips apply to all these categories and can be considered as my personal benchmark recommendations for success.

Battle vs. War

When we identify that changes in our wellness are necessary the tendency is to want to change every aspect of our lives and to do so instantly. We decide that starting January 1, you pick the year, our New Years resolution is going to include starting a daily 2-hour workout program, starting a 100% vegan nutrition program, and starting to meditate 4-hours a day. We set the clock for 4am and plan to get started by popping out of bed and hitting the gym for 6-hours, right after drinking 32 ounces of vitamin water, but not before we face East and bowing to Mecca! Cut to the real world and we see that alarm going off at 4:00am and our fist smashing it into the next life as we go back to sleep for another 3 hours. Oh well….there’s always next year!

Sound familiar? I know a lot of people who have had good intentions to get going, but they are ill prepared to make a shift of such drastic proportions. It’s like the beginning of a war and they want to win the war that day. Forget about it! We need to focus on a smaller piece of the war and win one battle at a time. Anything more than that can be potentially dangerous to our health and mental well being, and failure is virtually guaranteed. Starting slow and having a positive experience is far more likely to generate a lifelong wellness program. Win small battles and you will win the war!

Set Realistic Goals

A better plan is to take on small changes that make sense for you. For example, if you are looking to begin a wellness program for the first time, after you get some direction from your doctor on where it is medically safe to begin, you could start your fitness plan by beginning a walking program. You could change your eating habits by adding a fruit or vegetable to each meal rather than depriving yourself of the things you like. You could start a stress management program by sitting quietly for 10 minutes every morning and evening. The truth is, small, realistic changes are something you can do without shocking your system. Small changes are generally safe and they accomplish the goal of getting you started on a lifelong journey. Lifetime wellness should always be our goal. Remember, you did not get out of shape overnight. This was a decline that potentially has occurred over years or even decades. It takes time to make positive changes and change should be slow, realistic and steady if you want to be successful.

Make Excuses

That’s right…I want you to make excuses. Make excuses to workout, make excuses to eat better and make excuses to do something to manage your stress! I don’t care where your motivation comes from. The reasons to improve our wellness are infinite! We want to live longer, to play with our children or grand children, to enhance our survival, to look better, to manage our pain, to feel better, to improve the quality of our life, to improve our self-esteem and so on. It simply does not matter what our motivation is, we just have to find the things that matter to us and use those as daily reminders to strive toward our goal of complete wellness. Stop reading right now and make a list of the reasons that support you in stoking your motivation to work on your wellness. Post that list in a place where you will see it everyday.

Visualize Success

Before you go to bed each night spend 60 seconds seeing yourself exactly as you would like to be. See yourself as trim, fit, healthy, relaxed, happy and in perfect health. Tell yourself that when you wake up you will feel fantastic, refreshed and ready to face your day. When you rise that morning make your first thoughts “I feel refreshed, energized and ready for my day!” Sit on the edge of the bed, sit up straight and once again visualize yourself exactly as you want to be. These simply, positive affirmation and visualization techniques are phenomenally powerful. Don’t believe me; try it for 4 - 6 weeks. It works because the mind controls the body, but you have to prove it to yourself first. Don’t take my word for it, but do take my challenge. Anyone, and I mean anyone, can do this simple technique. I don’t care how busy you are, you can spare a few minutes each day for your own self-care!

Get Help

I mean this quite literally. It is very hard to stay on track without help and support. What type of help you decide to enlist is entirely up to you. You can hire a wellness professional to help guide you in every aspect of your personal development. You can make a contract with a friend to provide support for each other. You can have a competition with a group of friends or co-workers to see who can loose the most body fat. You can make a family resolution, list your goals and support each other in achieving those goals. How you go about setting up a support system is unique to your needs, but it is also a critical component to your success. Nothing works better than having someone to help or someone to help you.

Make a Contract

Write up a contract with three sections. These three sections should include fitness, nutrition and stress management. Under each section you will list REALISTIC goals and set a REASONABLE time to achieve those goals. Write this down, sign it, give a copy to a friend or partner so they can check up on your progress and have that person sign your contract to support you. Frame your contract and post it where you will see it every day. This is a real contract and as you will see in the next section, there should be rewards and consequences for sticking with the contract or for breaking it!

Reward Yourself

I very strongly believe that once you set a realistic goal for yourself, and you state those goals in a formal contract, you should also set two other components. Those components include consequences for failing to reach your goals and rewards for reaching your goals. Consequences do not need to be drastic, but they should serve as enough incentive to keep you motivated not to suffer them! Rewards should be something pleasant that you really want to do. No, you can’t go to your local food gorge and order the entire 7 layer chocolate decadence cake! A better choice might be buying some new cloths to fit your new trim body, or treating yourself to a massage or planning a vacation to a special location. Whatever you decide set these rewards and consequences as you go along your journey. Sometimes this added incentive is just the ticket to keep you striving toward lifetime improvement.

Believe in Yourself

Most of the people I see that continue to fail are, as a general rule, people who simply do not believe in themselves. Many people are only content to whine about their situation and they become so mired in this personal created reality that they feel powerless to change. This can be very difficult for some people. Life, people and events can be cruel and leave us scared and unsure of ourselves. Sometimes making positive changes, even small changes, can seem completely overwhelming. This is where believing in ourselves becomes critically important. You must accept the fact that it is OK to fail! Seriously, failure is simply a part of life. We have all heard about seeing glass half-empty or half full. How do you see your glass? We have a choice to fail backward or fail forward. We can acknowledge and accept that life is difficult, challenging and at times overwhelming and we can move forward from there. Believe in the indomitable will of your spirit. See yourself as successful, reaching your goals. Believe!

Find Your Thing

When it comes to wellness we are all significantly different. Find things that appeal to you. If you are starting a fitness program and you hate lifting weights, then start with a walking program, or swimming program. If you are going to improve your diet then add some extra fruit and vegetables to every meal and eat them first so you are not so hungry for the other foods that may not be as healthy. Get a book on different stress management techniques like “The Guide to Stress Management” by Dr. L. John Mason and pick a stress management strategy that looks good to you. Try different things and experiment until you find something that really appeals to you. Your thing is your thing and I really don’t care what it is, but until you find it you are not as likely to be successful in making long term, lifelong wellness a success.

Get Off Your Butt!

Ok, when you reach the end of this paragraph stop reading, get off your ass, and go do something to improve your wellness. For example, take a fitness brake. Go for a walk around your building at work, do some pushups or jog in place. I don’t care, just move! Take a nutrition brake and instead of powering down a muffin, scone or donut have a piece of fruit. Take a stress management brake and sit quietly for 10 minutes seeing yourself as happy, healthy and fit! Do it right now!!!!!

Rodger Ruge - EzineArticles Expert Author

Rodger Ruge is a retired police officer, martial artist, and personal trainer. He recently had his first book published, The Warrior’s Mantra, Barricade Books, June 2005. Rodger’s business, Ready Force Inc., specializes in training and consulting in law enforcement weaponless defense and wellness. You can visit Rodger’s website at http://www.readyforce.net.

Published in: Uncategorized | on November 23rd, 2008 | Comments Off

Is There Such a Thing as Christian Goal Setting?

There sure is! Applying the Biblical word “plan” for goal setting, it’s clear that God has plans and so do people. God blesses righteous plans and blasts away ones that aren’t so righteous! Above all, goals and plans are subject to the will of God.

Is goal planning even Biblical? You bet! God gives people plans:

“[King David] gave [Solomon] the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the Lord and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things. (1 Chronicles 28:12)

Don’t discount goal planning as being “worldly!” Not unless you want to discount God too. But there are evil plans in this world and plans that are opposite to His will and moral will. These he will frustrate.

“He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.” (Job 5:12)

The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.” (Psalm 33:10)

“Crafty” means the schemers, the no-good-doers, the plotters. The nations get into the act too. God works both on the individual and global planes of the world; He is sovereign! And he warns those who plot in the darkness and who plan apart from his known will.

“Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, ‘Who sees us? Who will know?’” (Isaiah 29:15)

“‘Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the LORD, ‘to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin…’” (Isaiah 30:1)

Did I mention not making evil plans? Goal planning for unethical means is bad. So is planning goals that take you right out of the mainstream of God’s will for your life. Now be careful here  God’s river is big and wide. I don’t believe in a one-choice-or-you’re-out narrow view of God’s will for you. I believe that for the Christian, there are many paths to many good outcomes and God is there on all of them. But there is a general direction and flow to the outcomes and we can observe it if we care to.

So goals and plans can be good things!

“May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.” (Psalm 20:4)

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

And God has his sovereign plan! Planning and goal setting is a fine thing. But subject everything to the Lord’s guidance.

“But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” (Psalm 33:11)

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)

Biblical Advice about Plans

I love the book of Proverbs. Along with great advice for faith, business and life, comes this counsel about planning:

Don’t plan in a vacuum, but run your plans and goals past other people. You don’t want to do this with every goal and at every stage in the game, but you should with big and important plans. Especially if they impact other people.

“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” (Proverbs 15:22)

Pray, pray some more, and then pray again! Surround your goals and plans with prayer and ask the Lord to bless you in their doing.

“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3)

Ask God for wisdom as you plan and set goals. Involve him every step of the way as you go along and chart your progress. Don’t be afraid to make mid-course corrections as necessary.

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)

Don’t forget the action part of planning! None of your work and thought will make a smidgen of difference if you don’t actually do something.

“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5)

Planning isn’t only all right to do, it’s positively wonderful!

“But the noble person makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands.” (Isaiah 32:8)

Would you like to get Biblical and practical articles like this one twice a month? Of course you would! Go to www.christianlifeplanning.com/Newsletter/Newsletter_sub.htm and find out why Christine Taylor’s Treasure Map newsletter can change your life by deepening your life walk with God.

Published in: Uncategorized | on November 22nd, 2008 | Comments Off

Challenge the Universe: Demand Your Desires!

There have been so many times in my life where I have run into a series of obstacles that never seemed to stop. I could handle each and every one, but after a while, I would grow weary and want it all to come to an end so I could return to a reasonable life.

Over the years, I’ve learned that I can’t just hope for positive change, I have to demand it and act on it. This approach is has nothing to do with affirmations or affirm-actions. It consists of simply telling the Universe what I want and having it show me the signs that all is well.

Many people feel that they are victims of their god and the Universe; however, we are our own gods. We are our souls, our essence, and our spiritual deity. In the end, we allow ourselves to become victims of ourselves, our beliefs, and our own inability to accept responsibility for our actions.

Putting a challenge to the Universe opens the ears of the multitude of other entities that exist to begin placing situations in motion to achieve your desires, if it is for the overall good. You can fight it and continue down your path, but it will be a hard won fight.

At one time, I was at my lowest possible point in my life. At that point, I challenged the Universe for 10 positive events in my life to show me that this all wasn’t just a waste of time. In a matter of two weeks, things began to unfold in front of me. Now, I challenge the Universe often and I work with it to manifest my desires and achieve my goals.

Whatever you desire, you can manifest by issuing a challenge to the Universe, your god, or whatever deity you worship. But, in the end, you are only challenging yourself to achieve those things in your life that you desire.

About The Author

Edward B. Toupin is an author, publisher, life-strategy coach, counselor, Reiki Master, technical writer, and PhD Candidate living in Las Vegas, NV. Among other things, he authors books, articles, and screenplays on topics ranging from career success through life organization and fulfillment. Check out some of his recent print and electronic books as well as his articles covering various life-changing topics!

For more information, and to find out about his upcoming title on book publishing, e-mail Edward at etoupin@toupin.com or visit his site at http://www.toupin.com!

Copyright (c) 2004 Edward B. Toupin

etoupin@toupin.com

Published in: Uncategorized | on November 22nd, 2008 | Comments Off