"I will go now," he said as he snapped to attention. "Much to be done. Duty calls and all that. It was wonderful seeing you again, Gideon. And Marla, I still wish to take you away and make you my princess. Are you sure you ... ?"
Marla interrupted,"Not this time, Kamal. But keep trying; I like it."
"I bid you good evening, John," he said. Then he looked at Pandayji and continued, "It was good to see you, Pandayji. Let us get together in Trivandrum soon. There is a quaint tavern across from the main market. I'll meet you there."
He bowed to Marla, took her hand, kissed it gently, turned to Gideon, saluted and with a flourish, walked straight out with his companions following close behind.It took a few seconds for all that had just happened to sink in. I looked around and saw the few remaining patrons of the restaurant sitting quietly, enjoying their meals as if nothing had happened.I glanced at Pandayji who sat smiling, as if such occurrences were commonplace. I looked at Gideon and asked,"What's the meaning of all that?"
"Meaning? How you love to analyze. Does everything have to have an obvious meaning?" he countered.
"Well, yes," I replied, "I think so."
"Sometimes meanings are not apparent for along time," he said. "Of course, it's the tendency of some people to try to read all sorts of interpretations into every event. There are times, my dear John, when it's best to enjoy or endure an event for its own sake. A friend of mine, Sigmund, once had a discussion with Marla and me about just such an occurrence. The conclusion was, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."
"So all this brouhaha was just for nothing? Just a lot of smoke and no fire?"
"No," he replied emphatically, "it was not a lot of noise, not without substance. He was an old, loyal friend just visiting in his own way. That, in itself, was very touching. Do you have to totally analyze everything you do, John? When you eat an apple, do you weigh it,check its color and the texture of its skin? Do you have it sent to a lab for an analysis of nutrients? Sometimes an apple is just an apple. Enjoy it. Kamal and I go way back. He always had an eye for Marla and she could play the flirt, too, when she felt like it. But he's been doing a wonderful work. Many have been helped and given a new lease on life because the Terror of Trivandrum intervened. Don't judge him by the way he looks or how he speaks. People tend to judge by appearances. Learn, as Jesus said, to judge not by appearances."
Showing posts with label Time Management. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Time Management. Show all posts
Life Mapping-- The Secret To Success
Success is so much more than economic gains, titles, and degrees. Planning for success is about mapping out all the aspects of your life. Like a map, you need to define the following details: origin, destination, vehicle, backpack, landmarks, and route.
Origin: Who you are
A map has a starting point. Your origin is who you are right now. Most people when asked to introduce themselves would say, "Hi, I'm Jean and I am a 17-year old, senior highschool student." It does not tell you about who Jean is; it only tells you her present preoccupation.
To gain insights about yourself, you need to look closely at your beliefs, values, and principles aside from your economic, professional, cultural, and civil status. Moreover, you can also reflect on your experiences to give you insights on your good and not-so-good traits, skills, knowledge, strengths, and weaknesses. Upon introspection, Jean realized that she was highly motivated, generous, service-oriented, but impatient. Her inclination was in the biological-medical field. Furthermore, she believed that life must serve a purpose, and that wars were destructive to human dignity.
Destination: A vision of who you want to be
"Who do want to be?" This is your vision. Now it is important that you know yourself so that you would have a clearer idea of who you want to be; and the things you want to change whether they are attitudes, habits, or points of view. If you hardly know yourself, then your vision and targets for the future would also be unclear. Your destination should cover all the aspects of your being: the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. Continuing Jean's story, after she defined her beliefs, values, and principles in life, she decided that she wanted to have a life dedicated in serving her fellowmen.
Vehicle: Your Mission
A vehicle is the means by which you can reach your destination. It can be analogized to your mission or vocation in life. To a great extent, your mission would depend on what you know about yourself. Bases on Jeanís self-assessment, she decided that she was suited to become a doctor, and that she wanted to become one. Her chosen vocation was a medical doctor. Describing her vision-mission fully: it was to live a life dedicated to serving her fellowmen as a doctor in conflict-areas.
Travel Bag: Your knowledge, skills, and attitude
Food, drinks, medicines, and other travelling necessities are contained in a bag. Applying this concept to your life map, you also bring with you certain knowledge, skills, and attitudes. These determine your competence and help you in attaining your vision. Given such, there is a need for you to assess what knowledge, skills, and attitudes you have at present and what you need to gain along the way. This two-fold assessment will give you insights on your landmarks or measures of success. Jean realized that she needed to gain professional knowledge and skills on medicine so that she could become a doctor. She knew that she was a bit impatient with people so she realized that this was something she wanted to change.
Landmarks and Route: S.M.A.R.T. objectives
Landmarks confirm if you are on the right track while the route determines the travel time. Thus, in planning out your life, you also need to have landmarks and a route. These landmarks are your measures of success. These measures must be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound. Thus you cannot set two major landmarks such as earning a master's degree and a doctorate degree within a period of three years, since the minimum number of years to complete a masterís degree is two years. Going back to Jean as an example, she identified the following landmarks in her life map: completing a bachelorís degree in biology by the age of 21; completing medicine by the age of 27; earning her specialization in infectious diseases by the age of 30; getting deployed in local public hospitals of their town by the age of 32; and serving as doctor in war-torn areas by the age of 35.
Anticipate Turns, Detours, and Potholes
The purpose of your life map is to minimize hasty and spur-of-the-moment decisions that can make you lose your way. But oftentimes our plans are modified along the way due to some inconveniences, delays, and other situations beyond our control. Like in any path, there are turns, detours, and potholes thus; we must anticipate them and adjust accordingly.
If you are looking for a vehicle that will take you to your life destination, check out this exciting online home based business opportunity. It is helping me reach my destination, and if you are committed to achieving your life map destination, and willing to do a little work for it, you are invited to join us.
Origin: Who you are
A map has a starting point. Your origin is who you are right now. Most people when asked to introduce themselves would say, "Hi, I'm Jean and I am a 17-year old, senior highschool student." It does not tell you about who Jean is; it only tells you her present preoccupation.
To gain insights about yourself, you need to look closely at your beliefs, values, and principles aside from your economic, professional, cultural, and civil status. Moreover, you can also reflect on your experiences to give you insights on your good and not-so-good traits, skills, knowledge, strengths, and weaknesses. Upon introspection, Jean realized that she was highly motivated, generous, service-oriented, but impatient. Her inclination was in the biological-medical field. Furthermore, she believed that life must serve a purpose, and that wars were destructive to human dignity.
Destination: A vision of who you want to be
"Who do want to be?" This is your vision. Now it is important that you know yourself so that you would have a clearer idea of who you want to be; and the things you want to change whether they are attitudes, habits, or points of view. If you hardly know yourself, then your vision and targets for the future would also be unclear. Your destination should cover all the aspects of your being: the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. Continuing Jean's story, after she defined her beliefs, values, and principles in life, she decided that she wanted to have a life dedicated in serving her fellowmen.
Vehicle: Your Mission
A vehicle is the means by which you can reach your destination. It can be analogized to your mission or vocation in life. To a great extent, your mission would depend on what you know about yourself. Bases on Jeanís self-assessment, she decided that she was suited to become a doctor, and that she wanted to become one. Her chosen vocation was a medical doctor. Describing her vision-mission fully: it was to live a life dedicated to serving her fellowmen as a doctor in conflict-areas.
Travel Bag: Your knowledge, skills, and attitude
Food, drinks, medicines, and other travelling necessities are contained in a bag. Applying this concept to your life map, you also bring with you certain knowledge, skills, and attitudes. These determine your competence and help you in attaining your vision. Given such, there is a need for you to assess what knowledge, skills, and attitudes you have at present and what you need to gain along the way. This two-fold assessment will give you insights on your landmarks or measures of success. Jean realized that she needed to gain professional knowledge and skills on medicine so that she could become a doctor. She knew that she was a bit impatient with people so she realized that this was something she wanted to change.
Landmarks and Route: S.M.A.R.T. objectives
Landmarks confirm if you are on the right track while the route determines the travel time. Thus, in planning out your life, you also need to have landmarks and a route. These landmarks are your measures of success. These measures must be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound. Thus you cannot set two major landmarks such as earning a master's degree and a doctorate degree within a period of three years, since the minimum number of years to complete a masterís degree is two years. Going back to Jean as an example, she identified the following landmarks in her life map: completing a bachelorís degree in biology by the age of 21; completing medicine by the age of 27; earning her specialization in infectious diseases by the age of 30; getting deployed in local public hospitals of their town by the age of 32; and serving as doctor in war-torn areas by the age of 35.
Anticipate Turns, Detours, and Potholes
The purpose of your life map is to minimize hasty and spur-of-the-moment decisions that can make you lose your way. But oftentimes our plans are modified along the way due to some inconveniences, delays, and other situations beyond our control. Like in any path, there are turns, detours, and potholes thus; we must anticipate them and adjust accordingly.
If you are looking for a vehicle that will take you to your life destination, check out this exciting online home based business opportunity. It is helping me reach my destination, and if you are committed to achieving your life map destination, and willing to do a little work for it, you are invited to join us.
Finding The Time To Meditate Regularly
We always seem to be in a rush nowadays. So how can you find the time to spare to meditate? There are so many other things competing for our time that we always seem to be in a rush. Food and coffee on the go, speaking on the cell phone while doing other things, typing away at the computer whilst on the phone to a work colleague.
So how on earth can we devote even 15 or 20 minutes a day to simply meditating?
Initially it may seem an uphill struggle. But you find a few minutes every day to brush your teeth and a meditation session is just as essential for your overall health.
Maybe getting up a few minutes earlier would work for you? Or, if you're an evening person, the last few minutes before you go to sleep. A lot of people find this to be one of the best times to meditate as it puts them into a calm, relaxed state. Perfect for a good night's sleep.
If you can't devote the time every day to meditation, then consider becoming a weekend meditator. Oftentimes, Saturdays and Sundays are not quite as hectic as the rest of the week. So you may be able to regularly spend time on a meditation session. You'll still get a benefit from these sessions.
There are also times during the day that you can re-work to make the time to meditate.
If you watch the news, skip it! The news will still happen and if something important crops up, someone will tell you about it. This works well for me - I catch up on the news weekly and have yet to suffer withdrawal symptoms from my previous daily dose of news.
If you have a television recorder, use it to skip the adverts. That will free up 15 minutes or more per hour of television you watch.
So how on earth can we devote even 15 or 20 minutes a day to simply meditating?
Initially it may seem an uphill struggle. But you find a few minutes every day to brush your teeth and a meditation session is just as essential for your overall health.
Maybe getting up a few minutes earlier would work for you? Or, if you're an evening person, the last few minutes before you go to sleep. A lot of people find this to be one of the best times to meditate as it puts them into a calm, relaxed state. Perfect for a good night's sleep.
If you can't devote the time every day to meditation, then consider becoming a weekend meditator. Oftentimes, Saturdays and Sundays are not quite as hectic as the rest of the week. So you may be able to regularly spend time on a meditation session. You'll still get a benefit from these sessions.
There are also times during the day that you can re-work to make the time to meditate.
If you watch the news, skip it! The news will still happen and if something important crops up, someone will tell you about it. This works well for me - I catch up on the news weekly and have yet to suffer withdrawal symptoms from my previous daily dose of news.
If you have a television recorder, use it to skip the adverts. That will free up 15 minutes or more per hour of television you watch.
The Boomerang Effect - What Are The Causes And Effects Of Procrastination?
The universal law of cause and effect is visible everywhere. The effects, or the evidence, is mostly what we can see and what we experience, while the cause is often more far reaching and indirect. Nevertheless, we can always trace the effect back to a cause. Most people end up blaming circumstances on 'coincidence' or 'luck' or 'chance', but in reality all these effects are nothing but a natural law asserting itself.
On a very practical level we are all very familiar with the concept of action and reaction. For every action there is an equal, but opposite re-action. This is one of the laws that Isaac Newton uncovered and is still one of the most fundamental laws by which this universe we live in is governed. On a much more metaphysical level the law of action and reaction, or cause and effect, also holds true. In the ancient eastern philosophy it was referred to as the law of Karma, where every single action will come back to you in like kind. Like a boomerang, what you put out will come right back at you, although it's often disguised as something else.
A lot of the 'effects' in your life are caused by this strange human phenomenon called procrastination. Although it's quite obvious that every action has a reaction, it's a little less obvious that every in-action also has a re-action. It is not just what you do that makes the difference in your life, but also what you fail to do. Procrastination is that strange (lack of) behaviour where you want to do something, but still you don't. The question that arises is 'what are the causes and effects of procrastination?' Well, there are many. Let's look at three of the most common causes and effects of procrastination, keeping in mind that for every cause there is an effect.
Cause and Effect #1: The Fear Of Failure
The fear of failure is a major cause for procrastination. In fact, all forms of procrastination has some kind of fear at it's roots. The fear of failure is a common fear that we all share. As human beings, we are not designed to fail. We are designed to consistently progress and improve. This fear then keeps you locked up in procrastination as a way of keeping your from failing. The effect of this form of procrastination then is quite obvious: failure to utilize opportunities. If you don't act on opportunities they aren't really opportunities are they? It is never a case of whether opportunity is knocking, but rather a case of whether you are acting on this opportunity and utilizing it.
Cause And Effect #2: Feeling Overwhelmed
We all have a limited mental and emotional capacity. Just like your physical capacity, you have a limit to what you can take on at any given time, and only you know what that limit is. When you overload yourself physically, your body usually breaks down in some form or another. When you overload yourself mentally and emotionally, your mind will intervene, usually in the form of procrastination, to keep you from a 'mental overload'. The effects of this form of procrastination is that you start to avoid tasks, especially the important ones that you know you 'must' do.
Cause And Effect #3: Postponing Important Tasks
Procrastinators are actively seeking out diversions, no because they are lazy, but because at some level they fear the task that they are avoiding. By postponing a task you actually 'lie' to yourself. Instead of giving up or quitting – all you are doing is to make yourself feel a little better by saying 'I'll do it tomorrow'. By postponing important tasks, you postpone important results. Remember that for every cause there is an effect and when you postpone the actions you also postpone the results.
The are no definitive answers to what are the causes and effects of procrastination, as the effects are often far reaching. The simple fact is that without positive and constructive action on a consistent basis, you will rarely produce any significant results. Procrastination is what keeps you immobilized and locked up in where you are. To get to where you want to be, you have to break free and break out of this mould. You can overcome procrastination and you can learn to develop both your mental and emotional capacity to take your life to a whole new level you never thought possible before.
On a very practical level we are all very familiar with the concept of action and reaction. For every action there is an equal, but opposite re-action. This is one of the laws that Isaac Newton uncovered and is still one of the most fundamental laws by which this universe we live in is governed. On a much more metaphysical level the law of action and reaction, or cause and effect, also holds true. In the ancient eastern philosophy it was referred to as the law of Karma, where every single action will come back to you in like kind. Like a boomerang, what you put out will come right back at you, although it's often disguised as something else.
A lot of the 'effects' in your life are caused by this strange human phenomenon called procrastination. Although it's quite obvious that every action has a reaction, it's a little less obvious that every in-action also has a re-action. It is not just what you do that makes the difference in your life, but also what you fail to do. Procrastination is that strange (lack of) behaviour where you want to do something, but still you don't. The question that arises is 'what are the causes and effects of procrastination?' Well, there are many. Let's look at three of the most common causes and effects of procrastination, keeping in mind that for every cause there is an effect.
Cause and Effect #1: The Fear Of Failure
The fear of failure is a major cause for procrastination. In fact, all forms of procrastination has some kind of fear at it's roots. The fear of failure is a common fear that we all share. As human beings, we are not designed to fail. We are designed to consistently progress and improve. This fear then keeps you locked up in procrastination as a way of keeping your from failing. The effect of this form of procrastination then is quite obvious: failure to utilize opportunities. If you don't act on opportunities they aren't really opportunities are they? It is never a case of whether opportunity is knocking, but rather a case of whether you are acting on this opportunity and utilizing it.
Cause And Effect #2: Feeling Overwhelmed
We all have a limited mental and emotional capacity. Just like your physical capacity, you have a limit to what you can take on at any given time, and only you know what that limit is. When you overload yourself physically, your body usually breaks down in some form or another. When you overload yourself mentally and emotionally, your mind will intervene, usually in the form of procrastination, to keep you from a 'mental overload'. The effects of this form of procrastination is that you start to avoid tasks, especially the important ones that you know you 'must' do.
Cause And Effect #3: Postponing Important Tasks
Procrastinators are actively seeking out diversions, no because they are lazy, but because at some level they fear the task that they are avoiding. By postponing a task you actually 'lie' to yourself. Instead of giving up or quitting – all you are doing is to make yourself feel a little better by saying 'I'll do it tomorrow'. By postponing important tasks, you postpone important results. Remember that for every cause there is an effect and when you postpone the actions you also postpone the results.
The are no definitive answers to what are the causes and effects of procrastination, as the effects are often far reaching. The simple fact is that without positive and constructive action on a consistent basis, you will rarely produce any significant results. Procrastination is what keeps you immobilized and locked up in where you are. To get to where you want to be, you have to break free and break out of this mould. You can overcome procrastination and you can learn to develop both your mental and emotional capacity to take your life to a whole new level you never thought possible before.
Agoraphobia: Four Things I Had To Change Before Healing Could Begin.
I suffered with agoraphobia for more that twenty years. During that time I tried all sorts of treatments, some conventional, some not so, and nothing I did seemed to have any sort of positive effect upon my agoraphobia, panic disorder or anxiety disorder. In fact, some things made my condition worse, in some cases, much worse.
When my panic attacks started, back in 1985, I was left with a travel phobia but as the years passed, my safe-zone became increasingly smaller until I wound up being more or less completely housebound. During this time, at two separate stages of my downward progress, I consulted with a couple of homeopaths to see if they could help me. We tried all sorts of different treatments but nothing seemed to work. However, there was something that they both told me that lingered with me for a long time afterwards. They both stated that there was a "time for healing". I must admit that I didn't fully grasp what they actually meant by that and figured that they were trying to say that there was some God-given, pre-determined date when my recovery would begin. It wasn't until much later, when I was well on the road to recovery, that it finally dawned on me what they were talking about.
I was working with the wrong definition of time. What they were getting at was that, there is, in a person's life, a "suitable point" at which healing can take place. Unfortunately for me, it wasn't until I had got to that suitable point that I was able to figure out what they were trying to tell me. You see, unbeknown to me at the time, there were some things happening in my life that were preventing me from getting well again. Looking back now, I can plainly see that until I went ahead and physically removed these things, I hadn't a prayer of getting better.
Here's a list of things that needed rectifying:
1. The first thing I had to get over was my resentment toward my agoraphobia: Right from the moment that I suffered my first panic attack I was extremely resentful of the fact. In my opinion, I wasn't a bad person. Why me?
2. The second item was my denial that I had agoraphobia: It took me years to acknowledge that I was ill and in need of help. I truly believed that one day I would wake up and it would magically be gone. In the meantime, if asked about it by even the closest of friends, I'd deny that there was a problem.
3. The third in line was the guilt I was carrying because of letting people down: I had this crazy habit of agreeing to anything that I was asked to do, including things that involved travelling, and hoping that everything would work out fine on the day. Things seldom worked out fine and more often than not, I just couldn't face the journey. Even if I could confront going through with what I'd agreed to, I'd put myself through hell just to keep someone else happy.
4. And the last item on the list was self-medicating with alcohol: At first it started out as a couple of drinks to steady my nerves but as time rolled by, I started to lean on the stuff more and more. Eventually, I was drinking just to get through the day and wound up with depression.
Something had to change. The first thing to take a hike was the booze, followed closely by my no longer making promises just to keep others happy. If I was invited anywhere, I'd say that I would try to attend but I'd ask the host/hostess not to make any special arrangements and not to be upset if I didn't make it. I started to accept my "fate" and settled, quite contentedly, into my restricted life. I started to look upon it as a puzzle that I had been given to solve. Looking at it from this perspective made a game out of it. Also, if and when asked about my agoraphobia, I was truthful with my answer.
Within a short space of time, I started to feel better. I was no longer viewing life through an alcoholic haze and the depression started to lift, the guilt I felt from my missed engagements ceased, I was no longer kidding myself that I would magically get better and, last but not least, the resentment that I used to feel had been replaced with a sense of determination to find a cure.
Doing the above didn't cure my anxiety, panic attacks or agoraphobia but what it did do was pave the way for my recovery by removing most of the stress from my life. Once this was done, right on cue, I stumbled across the system that I needed to remove the agoraphobia and its cousins completely.
When my panic attacks started, back in 1985, I was left with a travel phobia but as the years passed, my safe-zone became increasingly smaller until I wound up being more or less completely housebound. During this time, at two separate stages of my downward progress, I consulted with a couple of homeopaths to see if they could help me. We tried all sorts of different treatments but nothing seemed to work. However, there was something that they both told me that lingered with me for a long time afterwards. They both stated that there was a "time for healing". I must admit that I didn't fully grasp what they actually meant by that and figured that they were trying to say that there was some God-given, pre-determined date when my recovery would begin. It wasn't until much later, when I was well on the road to recovery, that it finally dawned on me what they were talking about.
I was working with the wrong definition of time. What they were getting at was that, there is, in a person's life, a "suitable point" at which healing can take place. Unfortunately for me, it wasn't until I had got to that suitable point that I was able to figure out what they were trying to tell me. You see, unbeknown to me at the time, there were some things happening in my life that were preventing me from getting well again. Looking back now, I can plainly see that until I went ahead and physically removed these things, I hadn't a prayer of getting better.
Here's a list of things that needed rectifying:
1. The first thing I had to get over was my resentment toward my agoraphobia: Right from the moment that I suffered my first panic attack I was extremely resentful of the fact. In my opinion, I wasn't a bad person. Why me?
2. The second item was my denial that I had agoraphobia: It took me years to acknowledge that I was ill and in need of help. I truly believed that one day I would wake up and it would magically be gone. In the meantime, if asked about it by even the closest of friends, I'd deny that there was a problem.
3. The third in line was the guilt I was carrying because of letting people down: I had this crazy habit of agreeing to anything that I was asked to do, including things that involved travelling, and hoping that everything would work out fine on the day. Things seldom worked out fine and more often than not, I just couldn't face the journey. Even if I could confront going through with what I'd agreed to, I'd put myself through hell just to keep someone else happy.
4. And the last item on the list was self-medicating with alcohol: At first it started out as a couple of drinks to steady my nerves but as time rolled by, I started to lean on the stuff more and more. Eventually, I was drinking just to get through the day and wound up with depression.
Something had to change. The first thing to take a hike was the booze, followed closely by my no longer making promises just to keep others happy. If I was invited anywhere, I'd say that I would try to attend but I'd ask the host/hostess not to make any special arrangements and not to be upset if I didn't make it. I started to accept my "fate" and settled, quite contentedly, into my restricted life. I started to look upon it as a puzzle that I had been given to solve. Looking at it from this perspective made a game out of it. Also, if and when asked about my agoraphobia, I was truthful with my answer.
Within a short space of time, I started to feel better. I was no longer viewing life through an alcoholic haze and the depression started to lift, the guilt I felt from my missed engagements ceased, I was no longer kidding myself that I would magically get better and, last but not least, the resentment that I used to feel had been replaced with a sense of determination to find a cure.
Doing the above didn't cure my anxiety, panic attacks or agoraphobia but what it did do was pave the way for my recovery by removing most of the stress from my life. Once this was done, right on cue, I stumbled across the system that I needed to remove the agoraphobia and its cousins completely.
5 Easy Steps To Accomplishing Any Goal
In "Think and Grow Rich". Napoleon Hill wrote "nothing is impossible to the person who backs DESIRE with enduring FAITH.". Let's simplify that by saying "nothing is impossible to the person who establishes a definite goal and truly believes that they can attain that goal."
Once you've established your goal, there are two key elements necessary to accomplishing that goal, a definite date and a definite plan. I've learned that it's easier to accomplish things if we break them down into small tasks. You don't just put the whole steak in your mouth, you cut it up into small bite sized pieces. Not only does it taste better, but it's also easier for your body to digest. You should break your goals down the same way.
Accomplishing Any Goal is just 5 Easy Steps away:
1. Establish a definite date – Set your goals in reverse. Pick a date of completion and work backward. Ex. Set a goal for the end of the month and then set short term goals for each day through the end of the month. This way you are setting short and long term goals and each day as you accomplish your short term goals you move one step closer to accomplishing your long term goal. Don't forget to include personal development goals and days off.
2. Keep a calendar – Take the goal you set for the end of the month and write that goal in on the last day of the month. Then write down the short term goals for each day through the end of the month.
3. One at a time – Don't try to cram everything into one day. If you try to post to your blogs, post to the forums, post classified ads, participate in groups, submit articles and work on your Squidoo lenses, etc. all in one day you'll burn yourself out. Instead, focus on one or two things every day and then cross it off. Mark an 'X' on the calendar on the days you complete the scheduled tasks.
4. Set a time limit – Aim for one to two hours per day. By limiting the time you are spending and focusing on one or two tasks every day, you'll build momentum and increase your success rate.
5. Stick with it – Stick with your schedule. Switching things up too often can get in the way of your success.
With a written plan, you'll make accomplishing your goals easier. At the end of the month when you see more 'X's than empty squares, you'll feel more accomplished. By implementing the 5 Easy Steps to Accomplishing Any Goal, you'll find yourself making progress, building self-confidence and reaching and accomplishing your long term goals.
Once you've established your goal, there are two key elements necessary to accomplishing that goal, a definite date and a definite plan. I've learned that it's easier to accomplish things if we break them down into small tasks. You don't just put the whole steak in your mouth, you cut it up into small bite sized pieces. Not only does it taste better, but it's also easier for your body to digest. You should break your goals down the same way.
Accomplishing Any Goal is just 5 Easy Steps away:
1. Establish a definite date – Set your goals in reverse. Pick a date of completion and work backward. Ex. Set a goal for the end of the month and then set short term goals for each day through the end of the month. This way you are setting short and long term goals and each day as you accomplish your short term goals you move one step closer to accomplishing your long term goal. Don't forget to include personal development goals and days off.
2. Keep a calendar – Take the goal you set for the end of the month and write that goal in on the last day of the month. Then write down the short term goals for each day through the end of the month.
3. One at a time – Don't try to cram everything into one day. If you try to post to your blogs, post to the forums, post classified ads, participate in groups, submit articles and work on your Squidoo lenses, etc. all in one day you'll burn yourself out. Instead, focus on one or two things every day and then cross it off. Mark an 'X' on the calendar on the days you complete the scheduled tasks.
4. Set a time limit – Aim for one to two hours per day. By limiting the time you are spending and focusing on one or two tasks every day, you'll build momentum and increase your success rate.
5. Stick with it – Stick with your schedule. Switching things up too often can get in the way of your success.
With a written plan, you'll make accomplishing your goals easier. At the end of the month when you see more 'X's than empty squares, you'll feel more accomplished. By implementing the 5 Easy Steps to Accomplishing Any Goal, you'll find yourself making progress, building self-confidence and reaching and accomplishing your long term goals.
Self Defence 4 - Which Martial Art?
You are elderly and unfit. And very concerned at the risk you face when walking our streets and parks.
Worried about mugging. Frightened about rape. Scared of yobs. You want to learn how to give yourself a better than even chance of survival.
You have decided to join a self defence class. But which one?
Karate? Aikido? Judo? Ju-jutsu? Kung-fu? Hapkido? The list is truly endless.
My advice? Don't join any! If you do, you will have NO chance of surviving a mugging or a rape attack! I truly mean that!
Don't bother with self defence classes. They are a complete and total waste of time. You will be led into a false sense of security and to your horror will find yourself smashed and broken the instant you try to apply what you have been taught. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is.
The perhaps drugged-up attacker is in a desperate state of mind. If he is caught or identified he can expect a long prison term. So he HAS to smash you. He HAS to win. He has NO choice. He MUST leave you dead or seriously broken.
What chance do you have? If you try to apply martial arts techniques: None!
Why do I say all this? There is a system of Grades in all the martial arts. Generally speaking, the Beginner starts with a White Belt. After perhaps a year or so he reaches Blue Belt. This is quite a reasonable level – for a student. A further year on he may be awarded his Brown Belt. This is quite a high grade, but still a STUDENT grade. Probably a further year on he may reach Black Belt. And now he may feel pleased and satisfied.
But no, Black Belt grades start at 1st Dan and progress up to 9th Dan (really). 1st Dan equates to a University BSc, the first qualified level. Where one can now actually START to properly learn. Progressing, 4th Dan is probably about MSc level, and 6th Dan a doctorate degree. Above this we are into Professor ranges.
The point is this: Beginner to Brown Belt takes about two years CONSTANT training. To become – an advanced student. But still a STUDENT.
The first skill level where one can expect martial arts techniques to actually work automatically, without thinking is probably 3rd Dan Black Belt.
I started the martial arts at age 14. I won my 3rd Dan Black Belt THIRTY years later.
And you are thinking of attending a six week course on self defence!!!
Don't waste your time. Don't be deluded by un-thinking instructors. Ask them how long it will be till you are skilled enough to be able to use the techniques to full life and death effect? The answer is – TEN YEARS of CONSTANT TRAINING. I know. I've done it.
To survive a street confrontation, you must train and use a weapon. There is no alternative!
Which weapon? That is up to you. Find the one that suits your needs, that suits your personality. That you feel happy with.
Find that one which will become You! The choice is wide. The need is urgent.
Think on it NOW!
Worried about mugging. Frightened about rape. Scared of yobs. You want to learn how to give yourself a better than even chance of survival.
You have decided to join a self defence class. But which one?
Karate? Aikido? Judo? Ju-jutsu? Kung-fu? Hapkido? The list is truly endless.
My advice? Don't join any! If you do, you will have NO chance of surviving a mugging or a rape attack! I truly mean that!
Don't bother with self defence classes. They are a complete and total waste of time. You will be led into a false sense of security and to your horror will find yourself smashed and broken the instant you try to apply what you have been taught. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is.
The perhaps drugged-up attacker is in a desperate state of mind. If he is caught or identified he can expect a long prison term. So he HAS to smash you. He HAS to win. He has NO choice. He MUST leave you dead or seriously broken.
What chance do you have? If you try to apply martial arts techniques: None!
Why do I say all this? There is a system of Grades in all the martial arts. Generally speaking, the Beginner starts with a White Belt. After perhaps a year or so he reaches Blue Belt. This is quite a reasonable level – for a student. A further year on he may be awarded his Brown Belt. This is quite a high grade, but still a STUDENT grade. Probably a further year on he may reach Black Belt. And now he may feel pleased and satisfied.
But no, Black Belt grades start at 1st Dan and progress up to 9th Dan (really). 1st Dan equates to a University BSc, the first qualified level. Where one can now actually START to properly learn. Progressing, 4th Dan is probably about MSc level, and 6th Dan a doctorate degree. Above this we are into Professor ranges.
The point is this: Beginner to Brown Belt takes about two years CONSTANT training. To become – an advanced student. But still a STUDENT.
The first skill level where one can expect martial arts techniques to actually work automatically, without thinking is probably 3rd Dan Black Belt.
I started the martial arts at age 14. I won my 3rd Dan Black Belt THIRTY years later.
And you are thinking of attending a six week course on self defence!!!
Don't waste your time. Don't be deluded by un-thinking instructors. Ask them how long it will be till you are skilled enough to be able to use the techniques to full life and death effect? The answer is – TEN YEARS of CONSTANT TRAINING. I know. I've done it.
To survive a street confrontation, you must train and use a weapon. There is no alternative!
Which weapon? That is up to you. Find the one that suits your needs, that suits your personality. That you feel happy with.
Find that one which will become You! The choice is wide. The need is urgent.
Think on it NOW!
Happiness: How To Maximise Pleasure And Joy!
You're a diamond.
I've always said that each person was a diamond hidden in the ground. The start of the personal development journey is digging the diamond up, and clearing off the mud, is getting rid of negative emotions, negative self-image, and negative core beliefs. Most previous articles in the emotional mastery section have been clearing off the dirt, now it's time for something positive.
Find True Pleasure
Happiness. What everyone is striving for. The end goal of everything we do. A new car, a new hot girlfriend, a handsome husband, money, the latest extreme sport, the latest fashion? Are they goals in themselves? Likely not. What are we seeking in those things or people? Happiness.
How do we enjoy each moment? How do we heighten our pleasure? How do we feel truly alive? There are many ideas on this, here I shall discuss what has worked for me - how I went from a depressed, angry person to a happy joyful one.
The Body is not a Machine; It is your Temple
I think there is a current tendency to treat the body like a machine. This trend is everywhere, from TV to medicine to the gym to the club. Do X reps on this to build your bench press to Y kilograms. Put this in your body to offset that pain, do this to counteract that disease. Put this in your body to have fun.
The body is not a machine, although it might work like one. It is your temple. While the body isn't all of you, it is a major portion of you and your life. Yet many people neglect it for other things - their career or a good night out perhaps. You have to take care of it. This is hard to do, and I'm guilty of this once in a while, but you have to make an effort.
This is basic common sense, but given how many unhealthy, unfit people there are out there, and how many people who abuse their bodies, it's worth stating again. Take care of your bodies.
Health is pleasure; there is no point in having the other luxuries if you are not healthy to enjoy it.
Now, on to the fun part. The body is also a source of great pleasure. It gives you pleasure, and is a source of happiness. Read on.
Looking in the Wrong Places
When I was just out of my teens, I used to look for happiness in all kinds of ways. These included some of the extremes that many others went to – drugs, sex, alcohol, fast cars and extreme sports. (I guess boxing and being punched in the head counts as an extreme sport – I've never tried bungee jumping or anything.)
In my early twenties I tried a few more "mature" activities - a stable girlfriend, romantic cruises, walks along the beach, jazz music, a night at the lounge with the boys.
Did they work? Sure. They raised my happiness, but it is all temporary. People have a "set point" of happiness. Certain events and possessions, like an unexpected windfall, might raise or lower them for a moment, but soon we will return to our set point. The key is to raise the set point altogether.
Why do these only work temporarily?
They Make You Feel Truly Alive
There is a common theme throughout all I have described above. Almost everyone has tried to find pleasure and happiness through these. They all make you feel alive, that you are doing something extraordinary. You feel vibrant and alive and time seems to warp. Sometimes time goes by real slow. Sometimes you wonder where the hours went.
I'm not saying all they are bad (drugs are); but the rest are fine - provided you do it within the law, and in moderation.
The reasons people feel some experiences are great or better then others are because:
a) It is exclusive - doesn't happen often.
b) Conditioning: Someone (society, TV, peer pressure) told them it feels good.
c) The sensation is great.
There is probably more, but they are all similar. These reasons, which are artificial distinctions made up in your mind, stand between you and bliss. Remove them, and you would be as happy washing your dishes as you are making love!
Exclusivity
Let's deal with exclusivity first. This feeling is an artificial distinction! You have to realise that every moment is special and exclusive, for once it is gone, it will never return. We just feel certain moments are special because we don't experience it that much, or we paid much money to get it, or it only happens once a year, or something. That distinction is something that is made up by your mind.
Social Conditioning
Next, the conditioning. What is the difference between feeling the keyboard and mouse on your fingertips and feeling the skin of your lover with your fingertips?
What is the difference between the wind when you are in your garden and the wind when you are speeding down the road in the latest half a million dollar convertible sports car?
These are all artificial distinctions as well. You think it feels better when you are feeling the wind in a sports car for a myriad of reasons - Social status, how rare it is, how much better your car is next to the other cars on the road, how many hot blondes look at you as you speed by...
Would it still feel as good if you sped down the freeway in the same car everyday for ten years and the same blondes look at you for ten years? I would get sick of it, but then again Hugh Hefner doesn't. I don't know. (I have read he's actually depressed, though, if it makes any guys feel better.)
The Sensations
Finally, the actual sensation you experience. For most people, certain sensations are more pleasurable then the others. A soft silk sheet will feel better then a rough one. Even in sex, everyone has certain preferences in partners, positions, and so on.
Again, these sensations are artificially created by your mind! There will be people who like rough sheets and not silk sheets. There will be women who prefer Jack Black over Brad Pitt, and on and on!
Your mind has slotted certain things into the "great" category, some into the "superb" category and others into "lousy", "never again!" and so on. Other people will have slotted the same things into different categories. There is no definite rule on what is good or what is bad.
Happiness and Pleasure all begin in your mind
Others have attributed certain qualities to certain acts. For example, some people might attribute intimacy to sex, and thus they take pleasure from the intimacy and not the actual act of sex itself. Others derive pleasure from sex just from the physical sensations. Again, that is something totally made up by your mind.
If you like the intimacy of sex, imagine suddenly remembering that he or she has cheated on you in the past. Most likely the pleasure will disappear right away. But what has changed? Nothing, except your perception of the event, inside your mind!
One Way of getting Happiness and Pleasure
So: If all happiness and pleasure begins in the mind; how do you get into that state of mind? By opening up all your senses and feeling with all your body.
Let me explain further. I believe that skydiving gives you a rush because for those few exquisite moments your senses have all been flipped to maximum. It forces you to use all your senses. It opens your senses in a way that they've never been used before in your daily life – and therefore they feel special to you.
Feel Great Washing Your Dishes!
If you open all your senses all the time, won't that have the same effect? All the colours will look more vibrant. Every sensation will be fresh. As you wash your hands, you'll feel the water over your skin as you've never felt it before. It'll feel the same as the water from a waterfall in an exotic holiday location. You'll feel the heat in summer, you'll feel the cold in winter, you'll feel everything that much more keenly, and enjoy it thoroughly.
Note: This doesn't apply to something physically painful - that is covered by other articles in the emotional mastery section of Urban Monk.
You're on the way to Enlightenment!
Meditation can be classified into a few different types. Some empty their mind. Some focus their awareness on one object (their breath or a mental image for example). Another category is expanding your awareness and your senses as much as you can, and this is what you are doing. Except you are doing it 24 hours a day, and it's maximising your pleasure!
And what's more, meditation has been touted as one of the ways to enlightenment by just about every major school of thought or religion in the world. By maximising your happiness, you're actually meditating 24 hours a day, and taking steps towards enlightenment and free from pain and sorrow!
I'm not enlightened (yet hehe) but I've noticed major permanent changes in my mood and happiness throughout the day since I've begun the practice. Much has been written elsewhere about the other mental and physical benefits of meditation as well.
Raise your Base Set Point of Happiness
Remember the base "set point" of happiness that I talked about? The best way to increase happiness is not to seek temporary pleasures. Instead, I recommend using meditation to raise your happiness set point. Out of all the methods I've tried, meditation has had the best effect.
I've read countless other methods, but cannot write about them for I have not tried them enough to recommend them. When I get around to them, and they work, rest assured that you will know about them.
How about Heightening Pleasure?
Now, on to pleasure gained from temporary events. There is nothing wrong with those, despite all we've talked about. There are many ways of enhancing that happiness.
In an older series on overcoming pain, the main theme was to remove yourself from the pain. Observe it clinically, don't judge it or react to it. Make the shift from "I am in pain" to "There is pain inside me".
I did a little experiment - I tried doing this to pleasurable sensations. To my surprise, it actually increases the pleasure. My little experiment was sex -so I'll leave the details up to your imagination.
Try it next time: See it not as "I am feeling great!", but rather "There is joy inside my body." If it doesn't work, well, you're still having a good time!
This Too Shall Pass
"This too shall pass", is a quote that is often said to someone who is in pain or suffering. It lessens the pain and helps them shift from "I am in pain" and "There is pain inside me."
How about applying the same to happiness gained from temporary events? For example, if you see a flower and it is beautiful, do you feel the urge to uproot it and take it home with you?
The beauty fades when you try to capture it forever. If you look at the flower you've taken home everyday, you might get sick of it, or you might no longer feel it is beautiful. You might call it being desensitised, or have another theory about why this is so; but I think that trying to hold on to happiness detracts from it.
Knowing that happiness and pleasure gained from temporary events will pass soon allows you to open up your senses and enjoy being in the moment. Your attention is no longer being diverted by thinking of how to capture it, you simply let everything be, and the joy deepens.
I've always said that each person was a diamond hidden in the ground. The start of the personal development journey is digging the diamond up, and clearing off the mud, is getting rid of negative emotions, negative self-image, and negative core beliefs. Most previous articles in the emotional mastery section have been clearing off the dirt, now it's time for something positive.
Find True Pleasure
Happiness. What everyone is striving for. The end goal of everything we do. A new car, a new hot girlfriend, a handsome husband, money, the latest extreme sport, the latest fashion? Are they goals in themselves? Likely not. What are we seeking in those things or people? Happiness.
How do we enjoy each moment? How do we heighten our pleasure? How do we feel truly alive? There are many ideas on this, here I shall discuss what has worked for me - how I went from a depressed, angry person to a happy joyful one.
The Body is not a Machine; It is your Temple
I think there is a current tendency to treat the body like a machine. This trend is everywhere, from TV to medicine to the gym to the club. Do X reps on this to build your bench press to Y kilograms. Put this in your body to offset that pain, do this to counteract that disease. Put this in your body to have fun.
The body is not a machine, although it might work like one. It is your temple. While the body isn't all of you, it is a major portion of you and your life. Yet many people neglect it for other things - their career or a good night out perhaps. You have to take care of it. This is hard to do, and I'm guilty of this once in a while, but you have to make an effort.
This is basic common sense, but given how many unhealthy, unfit people there are out there, and how many people who abuse their bodies, it's worth stating again. Take care of your bodies.
Health is pleasure; there is no point in having the other luxuries if you are not healthy to enjoy it.
Now, on to the fun part. The body is also a source of great pleasure. It gives you pleasure, and is a source of happiness. Read on.
Looking in the Wrong Places
When I was just out of my teens, I used to look for happiness in all kinds of ways. These included some of the extremes that many others went to – drugs, sex, alcohol, fast cars and extreme sports. (I guess boxing and being punched in the head counts as an extreme sport – I've never tried bungee jumping or anything.)
In my early twenties I tried a few more "mature" activities - a stable girlfriend, romantic cruises, walks along the beach, jazz music, a night at the lounge with the boys.
Did they work? Sure. They raised my happiness, but it is all temporary. People have a "set point" of happiness. Certain events and possessions, like an unexpected windfall, might raise or lower them for a moment, but soon we will return to our set point. The key is to raise the set point altogether.
Why do these only work temporarily?
They Make You Feel Truly Alive
There is a common theme throughout all I have described above. Almost everyone has tried to find pleasure and happiness through these. They all make you feel alive, that you are doing something extraordinary. You feel vibrant and alive and time seems to warp. Sometimes time goes by real slow. Sometimes you wonder where the hours went.
I'm not saying all they are bad (drugs are); but the rest are fine - provided you do it within the law, and in moderation.
The reasons people feel some experiences are great or better then others are because:
a) It is exclusive - doesn't happen often.
b) Conditioning: Someone (society, TV, peer pressure) told them it feels good.
c) The sensation is great.
There is probably more, but they are all similar. These reasons, which are artificial distinctions made up in your mind, stand between you and bliss. Remove them, and you would be as happy washing your dishes as you are making love!
Exclusivity
Let's deal with exclusivity first. This feeling is an artificial distinction! You have to realise that every moment is special and exclusive, for once it is gone, it will never return. We just feel certain moments are special because we don't experience it that much, or we paid much money to get it, or it only happens once a year, or something. That distinction is something that is made up by your mind.
Social Conditioning
Next, the conditioning. What is the difference between feeling the keyboard and mouse on your fingertips and feeling the skin of your lover with your fingertips?
What is the difference between the wind when you are in your garden and the wind when you are speeding down the road in the latest half a million dollar convertible sports car?
These are all artificial distinctions as well. You think it feels better when you are feeling the wind in a sports car for a myriad of reasons - Social status, how rare it is, how much better your car is next to the other cars on the road, how many hot blondes look at you as you speed by...
Would it still feel as good if you sped down the freeway in the same car everyday for ten years and the same blondes look at you for ten years? I would get sick of it, but then again Hugh Hefner doesn't. I don't know. (I have read he's actually depressed, though, if it makes any guys feel better.)
The Sensations
Finally, the actual sensation you experience. For most people, certain sensations are more pleasurable then the others. A soft silk sheet will feel better then a rough one. Even in sex, everyone has certain preferences in partners, positions, and so on.
Again, these sensations are artificially created by your mind! There will be people who like rough sheets and not silk sheets. There will be women who prefer Jack Black over Brad Pitt, and on and on!
Your mind has slotted certain things into the "great" category, some into the "superb" category and others into "lousy", "never again!" and so on. Other people will have slotted the same things into different categories. There is no definite rule on what is good or what is bad.
Happiness and Pleasure all begin in your mind
Others have attributed certain qualities to certain acts. For example, some people might attribute intimacy to sex, and thus they take pleasure from the intimacy and not the actual act of sex itself. Others derive pleasure from sex just from the physical sensations. Again, that is something totally made up by your mind.
If you like the intimacy of sex, imagine suddenly remembering that he or she has cheated on you in the past. Most likely the pleasure will disappear right away. But what has changed? Nothing, except your perception of the event, inside your mind!
One Way of getting Happiness and Pleasure
So: If all happiness and pleasure begins in the mind; how do you get into that state of mind? By opening up all your senses and feeling with all your body.
Let me explain further. I believe that skydiving gives you a rush because for those few exquisite moments your senses have all been flipped to maximum. It forces you to use all your senses. It opens your senses in a way that they've never been used before in your daily life – and therefore they feel special to you.
Feel Great Washing Your Dishes!
If you open all your senses all the time, won't that have the same effect? All the colours will look more vibrant. Every sensation will be fresh. As you wash your hands, you'll feel the water over your skin as you've never felt it before. It'll feel the same as the water from a waterfall in an exotic holiday location. You'll feel the heat in summer, you'll feel the cold in winter, you'll feel everything that much more keenly, and enjoy it thoroughly.
Note: This doesn't apply to something physically painful - that is covered by other articles in the emotional mastery section of Urban Monk.
You're on the way to Enlightenment!
Meditation can be classified into a few different types. Some empty their mind. Some focus their awareness on one object (their breath or a mental image for example). Another category is expanding your awareness and your senses as much as you can, and this is what you are doing. Except you are doing it 24 hours a day, and it's maximising your pleasure!
And what's more, meditation has been touted as one of the ways to enlightenment by just about every major school of thought or religion in the world. By maximising your happiness, you're actually meditating 24 hours a day, and taking steps towards enlightenment and free from pain and sorrow!
I'm not enlightened (yet hehe) but I've noticed major permanent changes in my mood and happiness throughout the day since I've begun the practice. Much has been written elsewhere about the other mental and physical benefits of meditation as well.
Raise your Base Set Point of Happiness
Remember the base "set point" of happiness that I talked about? The best way to increase happiness is not to seek temporary pleasures. Instead, I recommend using meditation to raise your happiness set point. Out of all the methods I've tried, meditation has had the best effect.
I've read countless other methods, but cannot write about them for I have not tried them enough to recommend them. When I get around to them, and they work, rest assured that you will know about them.
How about Heightening Pleasure?
Now, on to pleasure gained from temporary events. There is nothing wrong with those, despite all we've talked about. There are many ways of enhancing that happiness.
In an older series on overcoming pain, the main theme was to remove yourself from the pain. Observe it clinically, don't judge it or react to it. Make the shift from "I am in pain" to "There is pain inside me".
I did a little experiment - I tried doing this to pleasurable sensations. To my surprise, it actually increases the pleasure. My little experiment was sex -so I'll leave the details up to your imagination.
Try it next time: See it not as "I am feeling great!", but rather "There is joy inside my body." If it doesn't work, well, you're still having a good time!
This Too Shall Pass
"This too shall pass", is a quote that is often said to someone who is in pain or suffering. It lessens the pain and helps them shift from "I am in pain" and "There is pain inside me."
How about applying the same to happiness gained from temporary events? For example, if you see a flower and it is beautiful, do you feel the urge to uproot it and take it home with you?
The beauty fades when you try to capture it forever. If you look at the flower you've taken home everyday, you might get sick of it, or you might no longer feel it is beautiful. You might call it being desensitised, or have another theory about why this is so; but I think that trying to hold on to happiness detracts from it.
Knowing that happiness and pleasure gained from temporary events will pass soon allows you to open up your senses and enjoy being in the moment. Your attention is no longer being diverted by thinking of how to capture it, you simply let everything be, and the joy deepens.
Numerology Readings: Shocking Secrets For Your Best Life
In this article we'll touch on the basics of what Numerology is, an opinion of where it originated (there are many theories), and the probability that it's secrets and insights can improve your life as early as today.
For thousands of years, Numerology has been a popular, if somewhat mystical practice, of discovering a great deal about an individual's character, purpose in life, romantic inclinations, what motivates them, and where their talents may lie - to name only a very few aspects of a very detailed and complicated process.
All of this is uncovered based on birth date and the sum of value derived from the letters in a person's name. Those dabbling in Numerology can use their readings for simple things such as guidance for choosing job fields they might enjoy or reassurance for romantic encounters with suitable partners.
Experts in numerology, and those who've realized the relevance of readings, use the numbers to determine the best time for major moves and activities in life. Numerology is used to decide when to invest, when to marry, when to travel, when to change jobs, or relocate.
No matter how much you choose to rely on or believe in the practice of numerology, you can see why many people choose to entertain the idea that, if we look at how long it has been in use by many cultures, there simply must be some accuracy nvolved.
As early as the sixth century B.C., Pythagoras developed the system of Numerology still in use today, called the Pythagorean System. It uses a series of 9 numbers (converted from letters) and then compounded until a single digit is reached. A very simplistic explanation is that the numbers converted from the person's name describe the things they were born knowing, while the numbers from the birth date define what the person needs to learn.
A person's numerology reading is then processed according the number calculations and then subject to the interpretation of the person doing the reading. There are standard interpretations widely in use today, which are similar in nature to personality tests. By defining a score to a series of questions, one may plot a generalized definition of personality. These too are interpreted based on their nearness to other numbers.
Today, thanks to the Internet, Numerology Readings can be done automatically by filling out a simple form. Not every Numerology websites is the same though – different sites will focus on different aspects of life, such as health, romance, personality, etc. Some Numerology sites offer detailed readings for a fee (these are an in-depth look at who you are and who you will become), and some are free (also insightful but not as detailed).
A surprisingly large number of well educated people believe strongly in Numerology and are very passionate about it. Whether you're a believer in the Occult, Tarot, Astrology, Palmistry, or even just plain old science, getting your own Numerology Reading can be a fun and insightful experience. What does fate have in store for you?
For thousands of years, Numerology has been a popular, if somewhat mystical practice, of discovering a great deal about an individual's character, purpose in life, romantic inclinations, what motivates them, and where their talents may lie - to name only a very few aspects of a very detailed and complicated process.
All of this is uncovered based on birth date and the sum of value derived from the letters in a person's name. Those dabbling in Numerology can use their readings for simple things such as guidance for choosing job fields they might enjoy or reassurance for romantic encounters with suitable partners.
Experts in numerology, and those who've realized the relevance of readings, use the numbers to determine the best time for major moves and activities in life. Numerology is used to decide when to invest, when to marry, when to travel, when to change jobs, or relocate.
No matter how much you choose to rely on or believe in the practice of numerology, you can see why many people choose to entertain the idea that, if we look at how long it has been in use by many cultures, there simply must be some accuracy nvolved.
As early as the sixth century B.C., Pythagoras developed the system of Numerology still in use today, called the Pythagorean System. It uses a series of 9 numbers (converted from letters) and then compounded until a single digit is reached. A very simplistic explanation is that the numbers converted from the person's name describe the things they were born knowing, while the numbers from the birth date define what the person needs to learn.
A person's numerology reading is then processed according the number calculations and then subject to the interpretation of the person doing the reading. There are standard interpretations widely in use today, which are similar in nature to personality tests. By defining a score to a series of questions, one may plot a generalized definition of personality. These too are interpreted based on their nearness to other numbers.
Today, thanks to the Internet, Numerology Readings can be done automatically by filling out a simple form. Not every Numerology websites is the same though – different sites will focus on different aspects of life, such as health, romance, personality, etc. Some Numerology sites offer detailed readings for a fee (these are an in-depth look at who you are and who you will become), and some are free (also insightful but not as detailed).
A surprisingly large number of well educated people believe strongly in Numerology and are very passionate about it. Whether you're a believer in the Occult, Tarot, Astrology, Palmistry, or even just plain old science, getting your own Numerology Reading can be a fun and insightful experience. What does fate have in store for you?
Social Validation Sells
For the most part, we are all conformists. We will do what the crowd does. We might not like to admit that, but it is true. Only 5 to 10 percent of the population engages in behavior contrary to the social norm.
We see this law operating in groups, in organizations, in meetings, and in day-to-day public life. In all of these circumstances, there is a certain standard or norm. In churches, the moral code determines the standard behavior acceptable for the group. In organizations, the bylaws and years of tradition establish a standard operating procedure. Because we want to fit into these groups and maintain our membership with them, we conform our actions to the norm.
We seek to find out what others are doing as a way of validating our own actions. This method is how we decide what constitutes "correct" behavior. We see the behavior as more correct when we see others doing it. The more people do it, the more correct it becomes. Professor Kirk Hansen of the Stanford Business School demonstrated this when he boosted downloads for best-selling files on the Web by downloading those files over and over himself so the counter was artificially high. He and his team then observed that these boosted downloaded files were downloaded even more frequently. The high number on the counter indicated popularity, and people were most interested in downloading the files that were already ranked the highest. Whether the question is what to do with an empty can of soda at the park, how fast to drive in the city, or how to eat the soup at a restaurant, the validation of others give us our answers and therefore guides our actions.
We feel validation when we see others do what we want to do. We learned early in life that we make fewer mistakes when we follow the social norm. There are two types of norms: explicit and implicit. Explicit norms are openly spoken or written. For example, road signs, employee manuals, or game rules are all examples of explicit norms. Implicit norms are not usually stated openly. For example, you usually don't have to be directed to say hello or to smile when you see someone, but you do it anyway. Or, somehow you know better than to put your feet up on the dinner table when you're a guest in someone's home, even though your host most likely will not request that you refrain from doing so.
If we don't know the norm, we look around and find it. The Law of Social Validation becomes a way to save time and energy in figuring out what is correct. We use others' behavior to guide our own actions, to validate what we should or should not do. We don't always have to look at the positive and the negative in every situation. This automatic trigger saves us from thinking. We compare what we do against the standard of what everyone else is doing. If we find a discrepancy between what we observe and what we do, we tend to make changes in the direction of the social norm.
Social validation compels us to change our behaviors, our attitudes, and our actions, even when what we observe doesn't really match our true feelings, style, and thoughts. We go against our better judgment because we want to be liked, accepted, and found in agreement with everyone else. When we are part of a crowd, we "no longer feel individually responsible for our emotions or actions. We can allow ourselves to shout, sing, cry, or strike without temperament imposed by personal accountability."
We seek out social norms to help us know what we should be feeling or doing. For the most part, this is not a conscious process. We subconsciously accept many ways of behaving that are determined by our surroundings and the actions of others, such as raising our hands to speak in class, tipping in a restaurant, or how we behave at a concert. When we become part of a group, our once divergent emotions and feelings tend to converge.
When we find ourselves in a foreign situation where we feel awkward or unsure of how to act, we look for those social cues that will dictate our behavior. This could be at a party, during freshman orientation, or even while attending a family gathering. When the social information we are seeking is at all ambiguous, we don't know how to respond and thus continue seeking out social clues. Imagine if you were sitting in the movie theater enjoying your show when somebody shouted, "FIRE!" Do you think you would jump up and run for it? Well, if everyone else did, you would, too. If everyone remained seated, you would remain seated also.
We see this law operating in groups, in organizations, in meetings, and in day-to-day public life. In all of these circumstances, there is a certain standard or norm. In churches, the moral code determines the standard behavior acceptable for the group. In organizations, the bylaws and years of tradition establish a standard operating procedure. Because we want to fit into these groups and maintain our membership with them, we conform our actions to the norm.
We seek to find out what others are doing as a way of validating our own actions. This method is how we decide what constitutes "correct" behavior. We see the behavior as more correct when we see others doing it. The more people do it, the more correct it becomes. Professor Kirk Hansen of the Stanford Business School demonstrated this when he boosted downloads for best-selling files on the Web by downloading those files over and over himself so the counter was artificially high. He and his team then observed that these boosted downloaded files were downloaded even more frequently. The high number on the counter indicated popularity, and people were most interested in downloading the files that were already ranked the highest. Whether the question is what to do with an empty can of soda at the park, how fast to drive in the city, or how to eat the soup at a restaurant, the validation of others give us our answers and therefore guides our actions.
We feel validation when we see others do what we want to do. We learned early in life that we make fewer mistakes when we follow the social norm. There are two types of norms: explicit and implicit. Explicit norms are openly spoken or written. For example, road signs, employee manuals, or game rules are all examples of explicit norms. Implicit norms are not usually stated openly. For example, you usually don't have to be directed to say hello or to smile when you see someone, but you do it anyway. Or, somehow you know better than to put your feet up on the dinner table when you're a guest in someone's home, even though your host most likely will not request that you refrain from doing so.
If we don't know the norm, we look around and find it. The Law of Social Validation becomes a way to save time and energy in figuring out what is correct. We use others' behavior to guide our own actions, to validate what we should or should not do. We don't always have to look at the positive and the negative in every situation. This automatic trigger saves us from thinking. We compare what we do against the standard of what everyone else is doing. If we find a discrepancy between what we observe and what we do, we tend to make changes in the direction of the social norm.
Social validation compels us to change our behaviors, our attitudes, and our actions, even when what we observe doesn't really match our true feelings, style, and thoughts. We go against our better judgment because we want to be liked, accepted, and found in agreement with everyone else. When we are part of a crowd, we "no longer feel individually responsible for our emotions or actions. We can allow ourselves to shout, sing, cry, or strike without temperament imposed by personal accountability."
We seek out social norms to help us know what we should be feeling or doing. For the most part, this is not a conscious process. We subconsciously accept many ways of behaving that are determined by our surroundings and the actions of others, such as raising our hands to speak in class, tipping in a restaurant, or how we behave at a concert. When we become part of a group, our once divergent emotions and feelings tend to converge.
When we find ourselves in a foreign situation where we feel awkward or unsure of how to act, we look for those social cues that will dictate our behavior. This could be at a party, during freshman orientation, or even while attending a family gathering. When the social information we are seeking is at all ambiguous, we don't know how to respond and thus continue seeking out social clues. Imagine if you were sitting in the movie theater enjoying your show when somebody shouted, "FIRE!" Do you think you would jump up and run for it? Well, if everyone else did, you would, too. If everyone remained seated, you would remain seated also.
To Those Who Have, More Will Be Given
"To have" or "not to have" as meant by this verse doesn't necessarily mean tangible wealth or possessions as most people who heard this verse thought, although it has a bearing on whether you will keep tangible possessions or not.
Rather it refers to an "attitude" as most scriptures in the Bible do. The verse says, that those who have, will receive more but those who don't have will lose even the little they have. Lets get a little practical here and see if I make any sense.
What this means is you may not have tangible possessions and yet you may have more than someone who has tangible wealth. Those who have, acknowledge that they have received and are therefore grateful. This feeling of gratitude is reflected in the way they live their lives.
People who have, often gives and helps others, which is a sign that they have, because in nature you can only share or leave over for others when you have enough. People who are like this will receive even more.
Everybody loves people who give, don't you? We want to do things in return for them, including wanting to do business with them. Let me give you a practical example. The most successful Internet marketers have realized that in order to sell, they have to give something away. Those who give the most away are often the most successful.
If you are stingy and you want people to buy your products, but you are not prepared to give, then know that you won't last long no matter how good your product is.
What is your attitude? Do you think you have or do you think you don't have? Have you ever heard someone who proclaims that he can't actually do something great?
Just look around you and you'll find that more than 80% of those who have achieved something in life think that "they have" and that "they can". Compare that with those people in life, who are really struggling, and you'll find that they feel they don't have and that they can't.
"To have" also means to recognize that "you can," which is only possible because you have received unique skills and talents.
What this verse merely says and which is confirmed by tangible reality is that your attitude determines your reality. The only way you can and will get and keep real wealth is when you change your attitude.
Those who do not have, as described by this verse are always complaining, about how difficult things are. Don't you know people who are like that? They are stingy and are often critical of others. They believe they owe nobody nothing and doesn't do anything unless they get something in return.
The difference between those who have and those who don't have is this. Poor people want to receive tangible things such as wealth and possessions first, before they "recognize" that they have.
Unfortunately the Universe doesn't work that way. You must first recognize what you have, including your talents, your health, good eyesight, hearing, good legs to walk with and use these, and only then will you receive the tangible things you seek such as wealth and happiness.
If you "don't have", it is perhaps because you don't have the attitude of those who have. That's why you constantly find that nothing seems to work for you. It is as if there's a hole in your pocket. Even the little you make seems to just slip through these holes.
Is Life Really A Rat Race?
The metaphor of the rat race as a way to talk about the nature of contemporary life is instructive. I wonder about its origin. And just what is a rat race? I picture a maze in some scientific laboratory with a dozen rodents scrambling in all directions, trying with great frustration to find their way to freedom. Is that a rat race? Did anyone tell the rats they were in a race? Is there really a winner in a rat race?
And that we should choose this metaphor as a way to talk about the way we live our lives is......what? Alarming? "Well, we have got to get going and join the rat race." We do? Well, that is what we have always been told and tell everybody else. That is how we were educated in school to understand that life is a rat race. We did not have a choice to choose what we want to hear since we were born.
The metaphors we use not only reflect the way we live, but create the way we live. If we call life a rate race, it will tend to become one.
So let's change the metaphors. Here are a few suggestions:
Life is a cat prowl. I envision slow and care steps, a calm awareness of what is going on in my neighborhood, and a pace that suits my needs.
Life is a dog walk. I move now with lively interest, with stopping and goings, encounters with other dogs, trees, and people, always ready to respond to a friendly petting.
Life is a fox trot. Here is a bouncy-stepped way to dance through life. Find a partner! You can always sit the next one out.
Life is a monkey march. Life is a pony canter. Life is a whale breach. Life is a swallow soar. Life is a pig parade. Life is an elephant lope. Life is a panda bear excursion (I pick this)
And that we should choose this metaphor as a way to talk about the way we live our lives is......what? Alarming? "Well, we have got to get going and join the rat race." We do? Well, that is what we have always been told and tell everybody else. That is how we were educated in school to understand that life is a rat race. We did not have a choice to choose what we want to hear since we were born.
The metaphors we use not only reflect the way we live, but create the way we live. If we call life a rate race, it will tend to become one.
So let's change the metaphors. Here are a few suggestions:
Life is a cat prowl. I envision slow and care steps, a calm awareness of what is going on in my neighborhood, and a pace that suits my needs.
Life is a dog walk. I move now with lively interest, with stopping and goings, encounters with other dogs, trees, and people, always ready to respond to a friendly petting.
Life is a fox trot. Here is a bouncy-stepped way to dance through life. Find a partner! You can always sit the next one out.
Life is a monkey march. Life is a pony canter. Life is a whale breach. Life is a swallow soar. Life is a pig parade. Life is an elephant lope. Life is a panda bear excursion (I pick this)
Reject Rejections To Your Application For Home Mortgage Refinance
Who doesn't dislike rejection? We all live in fear of rejection - be it from parents, teachers, or friends. However, rejection becomes particularly painful and burdensome when it's issued by a loan officer. So, give your application for home mortgage refinance the best chance to be accepted!
Application Anxiety
Filling out applications is an aspect of everyday modern living, but the Internet has made it much easier and faster. Whether we are applying to for a job, college admittance, a credit card, an auto loan, or a membership in the Big Ugly Chicken Flying Club, we apply with the hopes of being accepted. This also holds true when we submit an application for home mortgage refinance. To avoid receiving our application with a big red "DENIED" stamp across it, it is wise to know all about the application requirement itself.
Application Arrangement
Many lenders today offer online applications for a variety of loans. Usually, an application for home mortgage refinance will request for the following information.
* Employment information can include information, such as the applicant's position, monthly income, and duration of employment.
* When you file your application for home mortgage refinance, you will also be asked to provide the approximate loan amount, the terms of repayment sought, the type of residence and property type, and the quantity of units.
* Housing expenses on an application for home mortgage refinance can include such expenditures as monthly rent payments, homeowner's insurance, first and second mortgage, mortgage insurance, and property taxes.
* Liabilities that applicants list could include taxes, credit line, mortgage, installments, and revolving credit. Under a revolving credit, credit is repeatedly made available after repayment has been made.
* Assets reported can consist of the value of cash deposits, savings and checking accounts, automobiles, and life insurance.
* Personal information requested can include your name, birth date, number of dependents, educational level, contact information, and co-applicant's information, should you have one.
Application Advice
When completing an application for home mortgage refinance, you should also consider some general approaches in the application process. These tips could help you avoid being denied a mortgage. First, as the saying goes, "honesty is the best policy." Ensure that all data on your application is true, to the best of your knowledge. Lenders will probably do some additional checking on your mortgage and credit history after you have submitted your application. Furthermore, take the general approach that a monthly payment is more important than an interest rate. After turning on your TV in the middle of the afternoon, mortgage lenders' commercials seem to tell us otherwise. But remember one simple mantra: sodas, sneakers, and houses are bought with money -- not rates!
Rejection is part of life, so we must learn to deal with it. However, it need not be a part of your application for home mortgage refinance. Don't let it be one.
Application Anxiety
Filling out applications is an aspect of everyday modern living, but the Internet has made it much easier and faster. Whether we are applying to for a job, college admittance, a credit card, an auto loan, or a membership in the Big Ugly Chicken Flying Club, we apply with the hopes of being accepted. This also holds true when we submit an application for home mortgage refinance. To avoid receiving our application with a big red "DENIED" stamp across it, it is wise to know all about the application requirement itself.
Application Arrangement
Many lenders today offer online applications for a variety of loans. Usually, an application for home mortgage refinance will request for the following information.
* Employment information can include information, such as the applicant's position, monthly income, and duration of employment.
* When you file your application for home mortgage refinance, you will also be asked to provide the approximate loan amount, the terms of repayment sought, the type of residence and property type, and the quantity of units.
* Housing expenses on an application for home mortgage refinance can include such expenditures as monthly rent payments, homeowner's insurance, first and second mortgage, mortgage insurance, and property taxes.
* Liabilities that applicants list could include taxes, credit line, mortgage, installments, and revolving credit. Under a revolving credit, credit is repeatedly made available after repayment has been made.
* Assets reported can consist of the value of cash deposits, savings and checking accounts, automobiles, and life insurance.
* Personal information requested can include your name, birth date, number of dependents, educational level, contact information, and co-applicant's information, should you have one.
Application Advice
When completing an application for home mortgage refinance, you should also consider some general approaches in the application process. These tips could help you avoid being denied a mortgage. First, as the saying goes, "honesty is the best policy." Ensure that all data on your application is true, to the best of your knowledge. Lenders will probably do some additional checking on your mortgage and credit history after you have submitted your application. Furthermore, take the general approach that a monthly payment is more important than an interest rate. After turning on your TV in the middle of the afternoon, mortgage lenders' commercials seem to tell us otherwise. But remember one simple mantra: sodas, sneakers, and houses are bought with money -- not rates!
Rejection is part of life, so we must learn to deal with it. However, it need not be a part of your application for home mortgage refinance. Don't let it be one.
Depression Support Groups - Getting Support And Healing From Depression And Anxiety.
How's life? This sounds like abstract question, but in some cases it should be asked. Believe it or not, many individuals struggle with everyday life. You might ask yourself why. Well, there are a number of possible reasons. Their pain could concern a death in the family, a difficult separation, or possibly even the stresses of daily life. in spite of the criminal, the difficulty should be treated as soon as possible. This is why depression support groups are so accessible these days. It's time to take life by the horns again, and get a grip on your somber emotions. Life is too short to be wasted being miserable.
Have you ever been to any depression support groups? These aren't anything to be ashamed of. As we can see with new generations, our children are facing more and more problems that may result in them being depressed or feeling alone. The key to banishing this problem is through depression support groups.With the power of discussion and understanding, depression can be dealt with. Back when I was in high school, one of my closest friends suffered from severe depression after her mother died. Who could blame the girl This kind of tragedy can certainly affect one's childhood. She began to sleep a lot, and refrained from going to school as much as possible. Later she got into drugs and drinking. Finally her parents checked into depression support groups and got her help. Over time she was able to cope with her tragedy and move on. While we clearly can't forget something so devastating, we can go on living a wonderful life. It's all about dealing with it properly.
You may want to look into depression support groups if someone you know is withdrawn from society and family. Some signs to watch for concern, sleeping all the time, not eating, not wanting to leave the house, and drinking or drug use. These are all common signs of depression. If you have a child that fits that description then it's time to consider depression support groups for help. Get online and find depression support groups in your immediate area. The key is getting help in a timely fashion. There is no time to waste. With the power of the World-Wide-Web at your very fingertips, you can get help for epression today, and get back the life you can't live without.
Have you ever been to any depression support groups? These aren't anything to be ashamed of. As we can see with new generations, our children are facing more and more problems that may result in them being depressed or feeling alone. The key to banishing this problem is through depression support groups.With the power of discussion and understanding, depression can be dealt with. Back when I was in high school, one of my closest friends suffered from severe depression after her mother died. Who could blame the girl This kind of tragedy can certainly affect one's childhood. She began to sleep a lot, and refrained from going to school as much as possible. Later she got into drugs and drinking. Finally her parents checked into depression support groups and got her help. Over time she was able to cope with her tragedy and move on. While we clearly can't forget something so devastating, we can go on living a wonderful life. It's all about dealing with it properly.
You may want to look into depression support groups if someone you know is withdrawn from society and family. Some signs to watch for concern, sleeping all the time, not eating, not wanting to leave the house, and drinking or drug use. These are all common signs of depression. If you have a child that fits that description then it's time to consider depression support groups for help. Get online and find depression support groups in your immediate area. The key is getting help in a timely fashion. There is no time to waste. With the power of the World-Wide-Web at your very fingertips, you can get help for epression today, and get back the life you can't live without.
Does Sedona Method Really Work?
Well, as with everything else in life, the answer is yes and no. If you let the Sedona method work for you, the answer is a resounding "Yes". If you fight against it and refuse to do the very simple exercises involved, then the answer won't be as positive.
But then, what would be the point in going as far as purchasing the Sedona method and then fighting it? That would be daft.
Especially when it's so simple.
If you can ask yourself three simple questions, then you can carry out the process involved in the Sedona method.
You can ask the questions out loud (providing no-one nearby will think you're just going crazy) or in your head.
First, you should identify the feeling that you most want to deal with. It could be anything. I'd suggest starting with something small first, such as that annoying advert you've just watched.
Then just ask yourself the three simple questions identified in the Sedona method.
Remember, there are no right or wrong answers. If you want to hold onto the feeling of being annoyed for the next decade, that's fine. It might seem increasingly silly as you go through the questions again. But it's an OK answer!
Repeating this on a number of occasions, you'll find your feeling start to disappear. Maybe not on the first or second question round. But after, say, five or ten repetitions you'll start to question why the problem ever bugged you in the first place.
It really is that simple. And it really works!
Make using the Sedona method part of your daily routine, a bit like cleaning your teeth, and you'll start to notice a change for the better in your life.
Work-Life Balance: Making Every Day Sacred
However, why do we wait for major events to honor these sacred moments? Why can't every day be sacred? Every moment? Each moment is sacred - if we decide to make it that way. I stated above that our lives are filled with meaningless moments, but those moments are meaningless only because we don't honor them. We are hurrying along, focused on other things, not stopping to notice them at all. They come and go without so much as an acknowledgement from us.
Honoring the sacred means simply choosing to make each moment count. It is a tiny shift in perception that assigns meaning and importance to each moment. It means stopping to notice the beauty and love around us, and within us. It means being fully present in each moment, because only the present moment truly exists. So many of us worry about the future, hold regrets about the past, and completely ignore the present. When we give the now our full attention, even mundane tasks can take on an aura of holiness. Then our lives become millions of meaningful moments. Nothing has changed except our perception, but it makes all the difference.
So how do we change our perception to one of sacredness? What does it mean to stay in the present moment? Let's use an example: washing dishes. When most of us wash dishes, we hurry through it, often thinking about the million other things we need to get done that day (or the next day). Our minds are scattered all over the place, focusing on everything but what we are doing. Who can blame us? Washing dishes is not the most exciting experience. However, if we choose to make it a sacred experience, we will want to focus on it. We want to take our time and really pay attention to how the water feels on our hands, how the soap cleanses away the grease and grime, and the sense of satisfaction we get as each dish moves from the dirty pile to the strainer, now clean and shiny.
Maybe that still doesn't sound very thrilling. Let's look at what else is happening. As we give our full attention to washing the dishes, we are not only "doing," we are BEING. Ah, that is the key. It doesn't matter what we're doing or not doing in each moment of our lives, it matters only that we become aware of our own state of Being. In those moments, we are fully alive and conscious. We are connected to everything, and we are One with everything. We ARE.
Have you ever heard the term, "walking meditation?" This can be great practice to help you honor the sacred in your own life. Many of us walk for health or recreation, but we can also walk for spiritual awareness. A walking meditation is a slow, focused walk where you give your full attention to each step you take, the feel of your muscles working, your breathing, and even your surroundings. Especially if you walk someplace in nature, a place with lots of trees and wildlife. The trick is to not let your mind wander, but stay focused on the now. It can take practice, but once you accomplish it, your life will never be the same.
Imagine living a full, meaningful life. Imagine miracles happening all around you. Imagine being filled with awe and gratitude each day, and laying down to sleep each night feeling peaceful and relaxed. You can. If you choose it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
