Where Did God Come From?

If you believe in certain religions, like Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and even Buddhism, there's a good chance that you believe in some sort of God like being or cosmic force, especially the one that created our world that we live in today.

Where did God come from? What are we doing here? And where are we going, after we die. Some of these questions, are hard to answer and scientifically difficult to prove. There is very little evidence to prove, where God actually came from, what are we suppose to be doing here and where we are going to go, after we die.

If nobody knows where God came from, why are there so many religions, that believe in a God? Think about it for a moment, the Christian God, was the creator of the universe, and the creator of everything. Where's the proof? Why do people continue to study the Bible, and believe in a God, that they can't really even put their hands on?

If God is truly real, why wouldn't we have ever seen him? It doesn't make a lot of sense, to believe in imaginary beings, or invisible entities and pray to a God that we might not ever see or touch. It might not make a lot of sense, but if you ask serious religious followers, of these religions a question like, can you prove that there actually is a God, there's a good chance that these religious believers will reply, with a simple yes.

They have no proof, no evidence, and almost base their entire beliefs on faith, instead of facts. Rarely do they seek any evidence or even read their religious text, with a goal to understand what they're reading. Most of these people take everything that they learn, lock it away in their head, and never ask any serious questions about their religious beliefs, like these.

If there is a God, why wouldn't he show himself? If there is a God, why wouldn't he prove that he does exist, so that others wouldn't have to doubt his existence? Something to think about, on the days that you're not going to your place of worship.

Who's God Is More Powerful

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If your interested in a different point of view READ THESE ARTICLES - Great Articles For Christians

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible.

How Long Does God Really Want Me to Try?

The Holy Spirit has been working through me for many years and I really want to know how long, God really want me to try? How long does he want me to try to get Christians to think and understand Christianity? I'm doing the best that I can and as long as God is working through me, I will try to do better.

God put me here for a reason and my reason is to teach other Christians about Christianity. As long as the Holy Spirit will keep me alive, I will continue to do the best that I can and teach other Christians, how to study the Bible and where their religion actually came from.

If you're reading this article, your probably interested in Christianity and the Bible, if you do read the Bible, do you actually understand what it's saying. If you study the Bible, are you exposing yourself to others who also study the Bible, or are you only studying the Bible with people you know and are familiar with.

How long are you going to try, before you actually quit? Have you quit before and started again and maybe you've done this a few times, but you haven't quite yet. I know where you're coming from, I've been there myself and continue to motor ahead.

I would like to give you a word of advice, don't ever quit and don't ever give up. Keep searching and you will find the answers, keep knocking and doors will be opened. I have been knocking and will continue to keep knocking.

I wish you nothing but the best of luck on your journey towards the ultimate answers that we're all hoping to find.

Do Christians Believe Everything

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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a Christian self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Mysteries of the Bible - Advanced Bible Study Techniques

Have you ever wanted to really know what the mysteries of the Bible really are? Was Jesus more important than God? Why were the Jewish people considered to be the chosen ones, even though they don't get to go to heaven, because they don't believe that Jesus Christ was their Lord and Savior? I would like to help you solve some of the mysteries of the Bible.

Whether you're a Jewish or believe in Christianity, each if you share an interest in the Holy Scripture. Jewish people obviously don't believe that Jesus was the Messiah and are still waiting for their Messiah to come and free them. Christians obviously believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messiah and fulfilled all the prophecies.

One of the mysteries of the Bible that I would like to share with you, is that your actually going to need to read the Bible to find them. The biggest mystery of the Bible is actually reading it. You don't need to read the entire Bible, to figure out, what it's actually saying.

Start reading certain sections that interest you. Two of the most read books in the Bible are the books of Genesis, which is the first book in the Old Testament and the book of revelations, which is the last book in the New Testament. Both of these books are extremely popular reads.

The book of Genesis is about the beginning and the book of revelations is about the end of times and this seems to be the biggest interest for Christians. In other words, you're not going to be able to find the mysteries, within the Bible if you don't at least start to read some of it.

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If You're a Christian Woman, You Had Better Watch This Video on Problems With Women Speaking in church. Are women really allowed to speak inside the church, you won't believe what you're about to see.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, You Can Have It All

Thanks

Tithing Education - Giving From Guilt

If you're part of any organized religion and donate money on a regular basis, do you know where your money is going? Have you ever asked what they are spending the money on? Are you one of those people who feels that your pastor and church leaders know best and never even ask them, because you might feel inferior to them? Have you asked in the past and were told not to worry about it but still would like to know.

Before you give your hard earned money away, whether you're doing it out of guilt or pleasure, make sure you're supporting the right organization. You should never feel the need to donate money if you don't have it to give.

I went to a church that had funds for everything, building funds, starvation funds, church funds and even funds to fund of funds if they ran out of money. Okay I just threw that last part in their but all kidding aside, there's plenty of stuff to be done in our country, to help the starving, the poor and the needy. Why do we need to go to other countries?

I want to make a suggestion to people who can't afford to give their money away but feel guilty if they don't. In the Bible it tells you to give away 10% of your earnings to the church. The part that it doesn't tell you is what to do if you can't afford to give 10% to the church. I personally have known quite a few people who give money out of guilt and fear but will tell you that this is a requirement of their religion and its okay. God will take care of us and he always does.

I don't really believe God, the all powerful all-knowing and loving creator, wants us to suffer, if we just don't make enough money to survive. If you're planning on sending your child to a Christian private school and could only afford to send them to that school, using the money that you were going to tithe to the church, what will you do? Tithe the money to the church so that they can use it to feed hungry people in other countries or build a new church somewhere or help with your child's education.

Some of these decisions are made difficult by religious doctrine and these are the parts of organized religion that I have problems with. When do we use common sense, combined with a little education to seek the truth. Does your religion ask you to seek the truth but not to gather your information beyond their religious boundaries?

Only give what you can afford to give and feel good about it. If you don't feel good about giving your money away, don't do it. Take care of yourself, so that you can take care of others, if you choose to. Living a life of fear and guilt doesn't make sense.

Question Your Religion

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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a religious help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

The Origin of the Master Key System by Charles F Haanel

I received an email from a reader named Derek L. in which he wrote -

Thanks for your great posts/blog. It's refreshing to see someone telling the truth and not selling more snake oil.

I do have a question...

I'm intrigued by the lineage of thoughts relating to this subject. Since you have a lot of exposure to this material I'm wondering if you have any ideas about where Haanel got his original concepts?

I am often asked that question because there is a lot of mystery surrounding Haanel and his perennial work, The Master Key System. Was he a part of a Masonic conspiracy? Did he receive his knowledge through arcane means? Someone even theorized about some Russian wizard of sorts who shared his knowledge with Haanel.

The history is quite interesting, but more blase than some of the stories would lead you to believe. The Master Key System must be looked at within the context of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. The New Thought philosophy was in full swing with many books and magazines publishing the new beliefs for a seemingly ravenous audience. Based on Christian Science as espoused by Mary Baker Eddy, the Christian Scientists and many New Thought-ers held firmly to the belief about what Jesus Christ said about the powers available to each and every person.

Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. (John 14:11-13)

Thus, with enough faith and belief, one could perform miracles as Christ did. Even a cursory reading of The Master Key System would reveal to someone that this was something in which Haanel believed deeply. That being said, the monotheistic ideas that Haanel espouses is more than likely derived from his participation in Freemasonry - while the Masons do not define their God, their only prerequisite is a belief in one God. It is then through this God that miracles and extreme human potential can occur.

Before going further into this, it is worth pointing out that there were at least two other publications that emphasize the words "The Master Key" prior to the Twentieth Century. The actual phrase has been used since the 17th Century by the Freemasons and for a publication in the 18th century - Hiram, or the Master Key to the Door of Freemasonry, published in 1760. Another use of the phrase can be found in Madame Helena Blavatsky's famous (or should that be infamous) 600-page Isis Unveiled, with its sub-title A Master-Key to the Mysteries of Ancient and Modern Science and Theology, published in 1877. One shouldn't underestimate the popularity and influence of Blavatsky and those who followed her teachings - the Theosophists.

In the Twentieth Century, two authors released books with "Master Key" in the title. The first comes from L. Frank Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz fame, and is an early science fiction novel. It was called The Master Key and subtitled An Electrical Fairy Tale. It told of the adventures Rob and the Demon of Electricity. This was published in 1901.

Another book came out at around the same time Haanel was working on his correspondence school. Its advertisement showed a book and a man reading a book inside an hour glass. The advertisement read:

The Master Key ~ Reveals Things You Never Thought Possible. The Hour Glass of Success. You Will Never get Another Book Like "The Master key".

It was written by L. W. de Laurence and published by The de Laurence Company of Chicago, Illinois, USA, in 1914. To quote a few lines from it will show obvious similarities with Haanel's The Master Key System.

"THE MASTER KEY is divided into Six parts: contains Thirty-seven full Chapters embracing Thirty-five Lessons of graduated difficulty covering Forty individual numbered Exercises in which the fundamental principles of Concentration and Mental Discipline are fully explained."

L. W. de Laurence, whose full name was Lauron William de Laurence, was an American author, publisher, and owner of a supply mail order house in Chicago. He has been accused of plagiarism and the illegal publication of various occult works. The number of publications by this man seems to be considerable.

De Laurence was active at the same time as Haanel and was in fact only two years younger than him. De Laurence, who was born in 1868 and died in 1936, had connections with AMORC. It is unclear whether there was any connection between the two authors.

This then brings us to the main influence of Charles F. Haanel's: the New Thought Movement.

When you read Haanel's The Master Key System, it isn't long before he starts to use terms that can be cross-referenced. To be fair to Haanel, many quotes he uses have nothing to do with the New Thought Movement. He was a man of his time and a well-read one. He used references from eminent people of the 19th Century and talks about the inventions of that time and the early years of the 20th Century. Other quotes come from the Bible but all are rather enigmatic and symbolic which could point to being influenced by New Thought writers, the Christian Scientists, the Freemasons, or the Rosicrucians. There are several hints of a possible knowledge of Hinduism, but it is unclear of Haanel's exact knowledge of that subject as references like Pranic Energy or Pranic Ether may be from the Rosicrucian teachings or possibly, and more likely, Theosophy.

There are several words and phrases that may be of interest:

• "The Great Architect of the Universe"
• "Secret Place of the Most High"
• "Universal Mind"
• the "I"
• "The Law of Attraction"

The "Great Architect of the Universe" is a phrase often used to represent God or Supreme Being by Christians, Freemasons, and Rosicrucians. It may go back to the Middle Ages or beyond. Thomas Aquinas used a similar phrase but with "Grand" instead of "Great".

"Secret Place of the Most High" can be found in the Bible in Psalm 91:1 -

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

The "Universal Mind" would seem to come from Friedrich Von Schelling and was expanded on by Georg W. F. Hegel. Ralph Waldo Emerson also made use of this term.

The concept of the "I" also seems to have its origins in the works of early German philosophers. It would seem that "I" was the first principle of Johann Gottlieb Fichte's Wissenschaftslehre - "Doctrine of Science".

The phrase that is on the tip of the tongues of many today is "The Law of Attraction". Like the other terms used by Haanel, this was probably not of his own inventing. It seems to have come to light first in the works of William Walker Atkinson (1862 - 1932) and particularly in Thought Vibration or The Law of Attraction in the Thought World published by The New Thought Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, USA, 1906. Though the phrase itself is much older, its meaning became somewhat different with Atkinson and Haanel.

The Law of Attraction also appears in the syllabus of the S.R.I.A. - The Society of Rosicrucians. However, it is not known how old this syllabus is and it is likely that it is quite modern. The S.R.I.A. was formed in 1909 with the idea of teaching to the general public rather than Masons as with previous Rosicrucian groups. Some other aspects of the S.R.I.A. syllabus bears similarities to Haanel's works. However, it may be that both this syllabus and Haanel's ideas are from an older source - or a just coincidence. It is unknown which came first.

Ultimately it may be possible to trace the idea of the Law of Attraction back to certain phrases that were put into the mouth of Jesus Christ in the New Testament of the Bible.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8, King James Version)

Another book that cannot be ignored was published in 1908 and was called The Kybalion: Hermetic Philosophy by Three Initiates and published by The Yogi Publication Society, Masonic Temple, Chicago, Illinois, USA. It cannot be ignored that this book may have played a part in the development of Haanel's The Master Key System. It certainly wasn't a collection of lessons and exercises, but the wording throughout this book is remarkably similar to Hannel's publications. At one point the phrase "Mental Chemistry" is used. And though there is nothing in the title remotely similar to Haanel's work, the phrase "Master Key" is used in the Introduction and several times in the body of the book. The Kybalion also delves into the power of thought.

...(T)he Hermetic Philosophy is the only Master-Key which will open all the doors of Occult teachings.... One of the old Hermetic Masters wrote, long ages ago: 'He who grasps the truth of the Mental Nature of the Universe is well advanced on the Path to mastery.' These words are as true today as at the time first written. Without this Master-Key, Mastery is impossible, and the student knocks in vain at the many doors of the Temple.... The Principles of Truth are Seven; he who knows these, understandingly, possesses the Magic Key before whose touch all the Doors of the Temple fly open.

It is believed that The Kybalion is not some ancient document but was written by William W. Atkinson and the other "Initiates" have been guessed at as Paul Foster Houses and Mabel Collins. Atkinson was certainly active in the years leading up to the publication of The Master Key System and it is hard to believe that Haanel would not have known of either the man or his works. Master Key Arcana includes short pieces from the writings of several members of the New Thought Movement, including William W. Atkinson, James Allen, Florence Scovel Shinn, Henry Drummond and Phineas P. Quimby.

Whether Haanel was influenced by Atkinson, or any other members of this Movement, though, is another thing all together and it is difficult to be sure what his sources were.

Much of Haanel's life is a mystery. Not many records were kept or preserved and the lack of many living descendants who knew him add to us not knowing much about him. C. W. Evans-Gunther researched and examined Haanel's life as much as possible. His thorough biography can be found at www.haanel.com.

Researching Haanel's influences and their play on his works is somewhat easier. As was noted at the beginning of this article, when the times in which Haanel lived are examined, you can see the influences and how Haanel used those influences to shape his thoughts and his works.

In the time period in which Haanel lived, the self-help/personal development movement (although not called by those terms) was quite large and actually very similar to today's scene. As the saying goes, the times may have changed but things remain the same. By some counts, Haanel was a somewhat important player, although he never had the infamy of Blavatsky or a few others of the time.

It was all of these elements (at least) that came together in Haanel's mind to form one of the greatest books about personal development.

[Please note: This article was researched by C.W. Evans-Gunther. He is also responsible for writing the majority of it. Additional information was added by me. I am also responsible for additional editing and any mistakes that one might find. More information can be found at www.haanel.com.]

Anthony R. Michalski/Master Key Coaching

http://www.masterkeycoaching.com

Light Workers Movie on Estoic Wisdom

This video tells of the estoic wisdom between the three types of light workers and how they are going to bring the earth into a new earth full of love and light.

Life of Jesus

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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a spiritual help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

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Maximize Study Time And Retention

Learning, studying and storing information requires a great deal of memorization skills. Memorization doesnt come easy to those who have serious issues in doing the task at hand itself memorization. But for everybody else, its a task that comes naturally whenever necessary or needed. The thing about memorization is that not too many people have the knowledge to optimize the function of their brain and memorization abilities to the best it can offer. This what has been missing in man, the missing link in solving common setbacks and pitfalls in memorization.

What not too many people know back in the day when the advantageous technology called the Internet has not been born yet was the power or the natural ability of a persons mind to use its memorization skills to maximum. The mind receives information from a set of list and retains the first few items, the last ones and some parts in the middle of the list with no problems. This process is called primacy and recency but the problem isnt faced not until the task of recalling the entire items in the list is specified. This isnt the problem at all; in fact, its what the normal brain does.

The solution to the problem of optimum learning and memorization is to give the brain a rest. Its important to break down the total time for studying into 40-50 minutes because the times the brain rests is the same time when it actually absorbs all the information learned from the last 40-50 minutes work.

The idea is to give the brain more breaks, approximately 10 minutes each break time so when it starts to work again, the natural extremities of the brain (primacy and recency) starts to work to receive information from where it has last stopped. 10 minutes because the brains retention ability works about this long and then drops off again. This idea makes the brain work naturally and efficiently without putting any pressure to the student.

Shareen Aguilar is a writer for http://www.memory-improvement-techniques.com which has Memory Improvement Books and Memory Game Software.

Building the Foundation Towards Personal Development

To achieve any form of success, personal development should be on top of one's priority. You cannot expect growth in your business when you lack certain aspects in terms of personal growth. Hence, the sad reality that only a few among those aiming for success achieve it. Through personal development methods, you might not ensure yourself of success but you can be one step closer to it.

Create Goals As Your Stepping Stone

When it comes to self improvement, goals serve as both your driving force and endpoint. In concept, setting a goal is like building a solid foundation. Hence, it ensures that whatever you place thereafter or what steps you take are supported by that strong foundation.

It might seem obvious at first, after all it is what most self-help books would initially point out. But stressing the importance of a goal is critical to your success. When you have a goal, you are able to determine what actions to take in order to reach that. Accordingly, you will also identify whatever it is you need to avoid so as not to be stopped on your tracks.

As much as you can, set specific goals: monthly, weekly, or daily. This helps keep your focus on what needs to get done for you to become a step closer to achieving your goal.

How Do You Create A Goal?

Now that you realize the importance of setting goals, the next dilemma is to determine healthy goals. It is easy to set goals, but recognizing the important goals is the tougher part. Hence, you might find these tips helpful:

1. Think of something, whether short or long term, that you want to achieve or acquire. Hence, you can use that goal towards personal development.

2. Devise a plan that will enable you to reach that goal.

3. Within that major goal, trim them down to smaller and shorter goals that will serve as steps towards achieving that bigger goal. This assists in the personal development process because it practice discipline in meeting those smaller goals.

Pillars of Personal Development

Depending on your habits, you can determine whether your day to day activities are productive or not. Indeed, our habits control what you do and the way you think. Learn to recognize your healthy habits from those that are not. Then, you can work on improving your unsuccessful habits and turn them into a more productive activity.

When it comes to your way of thinking, developing an optimistic outlook could spell success in personal growth. You become what you think about. Also, having a positive outlook in life will enable you to examine things objectively so you recognize the areas in your personal life that need improvement.

Improving Your Self Image

If you have a healthy self image, you do not have to worry about living up to anyone's expectations. Do not stress out over convincing others but focus on what you need to do instead.

In terms of business, you can get more people to trust you or find you credible when you act like one. Then, surround yourself with people that will help you grow and aim for the same goals as you do. Work only with people that are committed to helping you succeed. When you have a healthy working relationship, you assist in the process of personal development. Also, limiting the amount of negativity within your immediate surrounding improves your own self-esteem and capacity to succeed.

Just a few steps to take and keep in mind in your quest to achieve personal development.

Larry Rivera is a Internet Network Marketer who teaches people how to use the internet to start a home based business. Success University is the #1 Personal Development website on the internet. It gives you a place to earn while you learn. Having problems with relationship building, Learn the skills they never taught you in school.. Success University Review

Some Sample Prosperity Affirmations That Work

If you're stumped about creating a prosperity affirmation, don't worry - you're not alone!

When people ask me how to go about creating affirmations, money is always a hot topic. After all, who among us couldn't use a money boost? Finances are an intensely-charged subject for everyone.

Each person's definition of prosperity is different, so when I work with coaching people, I guide them through three important steps.

1) First I ask them: What conditions in your life would allow you to feel prosperous? Is there a specific amount of money that you need, or is it more about having a nice home, a decent car to drive, and plenty of food on the table? When you work on a prosperity affirmation, it's important to affirm the feeling of being prosperous and to imagine the situations in your life which would allow you to experience this feeling.

2) Then, after the person has identified what situations would allow them to feel prosperous, I ask them: What words carry this same feeling for you? What words have a feeling of prosperity? Some sample words might be: joy, peace, flow, happiness, plenty, abundance, relaxation, emotional well-being, luxury, or limitless supply. At this stage it's important to find words that have a real spark to them, that light your inner fire. It's only words that light your inner fire which will carry a true energy of prosperity as you create your prosperity affirmation.

3) After words have been identified that have the right feeling to them, I ask the person to construct some sample sentences using these powerful words. Sometimes you need to play around with grammar and try different nouns, verbs, and adjectives. If you use something that seems unnatural and the words feel stiff or weird to you, they won't work. The words need to feel good to you. Some sample sentence variations might be: "I am experiencing abundance at all times, in all ways." "I have plenty of money." "My home is safe and my family is healthy and well." "I am so happy that financial abundance has manifested." "I attract abundance at all times." "I am a money magnet." Each of these phrases works nicely as a prosperity affirmation, but feel free to use these as a take-off point to create prosperity affirmations of your own.

After you've found a nice prosperity affirmation that really "clicks," it's time to get to work! Start using the affirmation each day. Repeat it silently to yourself while you're in the shower, say it aloud as you drive to work, or write it down in a journal or notebook. Put the prosperity affirmation at the forefront of your mind and bring your attention to it throughout the day.

After you use your prosperity affirmation regularly for a few weeks, it might be time to release it. I always remind people not to "overwork" their affirmations. If an affirmation starts to feel heavy and you have a resistance to using it, it's probably time to let it go and release it to the Universe. Set it aside for a while. Let the mysterious power of the subconscious mind go to work and give your waking mind a break.

Before long, you'll be noticing people, places, and situations that are leading you into a more abundant and prosperous manner of living. Pay attention to these opportunities. They are all signs of the power of your intention, and they are working to bring about your prosperity affirmation and help it manifest on the physical plane.

After you start experiencing more prosperity, you'll know for yourself how to create affirmations that will work in every area your life. And you'll start living the limitless life you were always meant to live!

My free report, Affirmations Cheat Sheet contains sample affirmations for weight loss, self-improvement, abundance and more. You can start using them today!

Myths of Strengths and Weaknesses

The following is more information that resulted from my good Friend Mr. Jay Niblick's The Genius Project. The findings are pretty astounding. The implications are even greater!

The Myths of Strengths and Weaknesses

There is a myth about strengths and weaknesses, which states that we all possess them naturally. In reality, we don't. No human possesses any single weaknesses. What we do possess are natural talents and non-talents. Now don't get him wrong, he's not one of those that think it is too negative to tell someone they have a weakness and wants to call them "opportunities for development". He actually hates this term because more often than not it supports the incorrect view that one can fix a weakness by developing natural talents. If one of his clients is suffering from a weakness he tells them so straight up, but the key is that this weaknesses isn't natural, it is manufactured. Weaknesses and strengths don't exist naturally, only talents and non-talents do. If, however, one relies on a non-talent, they turn it into a weakness. Likewise, if one doesn't rely on my talents, they are never a strength for them.

In other words, you are ultimately in control of your strengths and weaknesses. Granted you have to work with the potential strengths you have, in the form of what natural talents you possess, but it is totally up to you as to whether you allow yourself to be dependent on a non-talent - or try to rely on a talent. You may be born with talents and non-talents, and there is nothing you can do about that, but you are in charge of whether those talents and non-talents become strengths and weaknesses. If you allow your success to depend on your talents, you create a strength. If you allow your success to depend on your non-talents, you create a weakness.

This might seem like he's talking about some minor difference of semantics, but I assure you that this is much more than a simple play on words. Understanding this concept requires a total change of perspective. Most people buy into the myth that they possess their strengths and weaknesses and fail to understand that they don't actually possess them, they create them. The power is theirs as to whether they exist or not.

The key is how you apply yourself, and the impact of this understanding is incredibly important because once you realize that you create your strengths and weaknesses, you realize that you are in control. You realize that you don't have to suffer from weaknesses which were given to you and about which you can do nothing. You are in control because while you definitely have non-talents, nothing in the universe states that you have to depend on them and if you don't depend on them, then they aren't weaknesses now are they? Make sense? Both talents and non-talents are only "potential". Natural talents are only potential strengths and non-talents are only potential weaknesses. The thing that controls how these potentials turn out is how you apply yourself.

If one fail because of their weaknesses, it is their own fault. Not because they didn't fix their weaknesses, but because they allowed their success to depend on my non-talents. They created a scenario where their weaknesses outweighed their strengths. Either way, the control lies with them and no one else.

Geniuses understand this. Their locus of control lies internally within them. They know that they are the only ones responsible for whether they benefit from strengths or suffer from weaknesses. They manage to turn potential strengths into actual strengths by relying on their natural talents and they manage to leave potential weaknesses as just that - potential weakness. They do not allow their success to become dependent on their non-talents, which would manufacture a weakness. Their primary focus is on maximizing their dependence on talents and minimizing their dependence on non-talents. Peter Drucker said, "your job is to make the strengths of your people effective and their weaknesses irrelevant." While obviously influenced by the industrial era mindset, because he's talking to management not the individual, the message is none-the-less spot on. The key is the focus on minimizing dependence on weaknesses, not eliminating them.

Geniuses don't have more talents than anyone else. They are just as flawed and imperfect in their natural abilities as the next man. Geniuses don't have fewer non-talents, they just have fewer weaknesses because they are very aware of their non-talents and they do a damn good job of not depending on them. To quote Dr. Marshall Goldsmith again, "there are a whole lot of things I stink at Jay. I just make sure I don't have to do them to be successful." The level of success these Geniuses achieve is hard to argue with. They achieve significantly more success with less effort, while finding more passion, satisfaction and happiness.

The Numbers

From a pure statistical perspective, Geniuses are quite rare but they significantly outperform the non-geniuses across the board. The percentage of 5th level performers in the study was only 9% of the total population (n=300,000+) but the difference in their results was astonishing:

The most successful people outperformed the next closest level not by 10 times, nor by 100 times, but by as much as 1,000 times in some cases

The average level of self-awareness for the 5th level performers in the study was 92% compared to 62% for the 4th level performers and less than 47% for the 1st through 3rd level performers

Those who were 5th level performers had levels of authenticity that were 91% versus the levels of authenticity seen in the 4th level performers of 79% and in the 1st through 3rd level performers who were at 63%

The differences between the level of self-awareness and degree of authenticity, and the correlation of these two factors with performance, make a very compelling argument for

The data showed us that there is a direct and positive correlation between the levels of awareness you have for your own abilities, the degree to which you are authentic to them and your overall level of performance. These data showed that those who performed at the lower levels had lower levels of self-awareness and authenticity. The higher people were in performance the greater their level of self-awareness and authenticity became. The great news about this is that self-awareness and authenticity are acquired talents and as things you can develop - you can develop your ability to reach the 5th level of performance AKA The Genius Level.

Mr. Timothy A. McGinty is the published co-author of the highly regarded Wake Up... Live the Life You Love series. This series is a collaborative effort with such inspirational leaders as Tony Robbins, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Brian Tracey, Steven E, and Lee Beard.

Mr. McGinty is also the author of "Your Blissful Life", a book which takes the reader by the hand and walks them through a process for defining their "Blissful Life" and the action plan for achieving it.

Imagine Yourself... is an organization focused on enabling clients "breakthrough" in achieving their success. Mr. McGinty has helped many organizations and individuals discover their passion, define the life balance they seek, develop strategies for achieving that balance, and held them accountable for reaching their goals. His clients have been so successful that Mr. McGinty is known as "The Breakthrough Guy"

Imagine Yourself...
13477 Prospect Rd. Suite 204
Strongsville, Ohio 44149
Telephone: 440-236-6519
Web: http://www.timothymcginty.com
E-mail: tim@timothymcginty.com

Is Busy A Good Thing - Self Help Tips

"Dan, you've been in the office since early this morning, do you want to go for a walk?"
"Id love to but I'm too busy."

"I've got supper ready. Can you stop for a few minutes to eat with me?"
"Thanks Carol but, I'd better not. I'm too busy."

"Dan, it's 11:30. Are you going to quit for the day and get some rest?"
"I'm busy right now. I'll finish this first."

Busy. Do you use that word?

It seems that many people choose to wear the "busy" word as a badge of honour, as if it indicates productiveness, worthiness, and success.

My perception is that the "busy" word is the curse of the new millennium.

"Busy" is a thought-choice. When we verbalize the thought by saying, "I am busy," it reaffirms the thought, magnifies it in our mind, and proves to us that we are busy. "Busy" creates physiological reactions in our body. Our muscles become tense; we lose focus, become irritable, and may experience anger. "Busy" causes great stress and the result is the common cold, headaches, heartaches, and dis-ease.

Common Cold

Im not talking about the sniffles and coughing. The common cold I refer to is our habitual lack of attention to and compassion toward others we are cold to them. Because we are so "busy," we don't take the time to listen to others. We assume we know what they are thinking, and make judgements based upon our assumptions. The common cold eventually destroys relationships.

Headaches

When we convince ourselves that we are "busy." our head begins to swim with confusion and yes, it may even hurt. We think we have so much to do and not nearly enough time. We attempt to multi-task, which is physically impossible. We can do only one thing at a time. When we choose to be "busy," we bounce back and forth between duties and projects and none of them are completed. Or they are not done well.

Heartaches

"Busy"-ness often leads to neglect, resentment, and apathy toward others, and especially to those closest to us our life-partners, children, family, and friends. We tend to not treat them in a loving, caring way because we are too "busy." They may think you are a pain in the butt. That may be true and hearts ache and are being broken.

Dis-ease

Ease is a state of effortlessness and simplicity. In the state of ease, we experience love, joy, and happiness. "Busy"-ness creates dis-ease (lack of ease), and a state of hard work, struggle, and difficulty. In this state, we experience hurt, anger, fear, and sorrow.

With these things in mind, do you still want to be busy?

As usual, I have a challenge for you, if you choose to accept it. Don't get your shorts in a knot; there are only two things.

1. Give yourself a "busy-ectomy." Eliminate the word "busy" from your vocabulary (mentally and orally). Every time the "busy" thought enters your mind, or you start to say it, stop yourself. Instead say things like, "I've got some great projects on the go" or "I'm really enjoying the challenges in front of me" or "I have ample time to do the things I need to do."

2. Consciously notice the changes in how you feel, think, and act.

If you think you're too "busy" to accept my challenge, change your mind. Just as you chose to be "busy," you can choose another experience. At least notice how often the word "busy" is used by people around you, and be aware of how it affects them. Does it do the same for you?

In the past, I was so "busy" making a living that I didn't take time for a life. Since I eliminated "busy." I am more focussed, at ease, and productive. I find that I have oodles more fun making a living and having a life. I experience great pleasure, joy, and happiness in everything I do. Yup, everything. It is a choice I make.

Trash the "busy" badge, turn up the edges of your mouth, jiggle, chortle, snigger, bellow out a big "yahoo" and have fun!

Copyright 2007

Dan Ohler is Thinkin' Outside The Barn!

Dan writes and speaks internationally on relationships, happiness, and change. Through Dan's insights & humour you learn to apply the basics of human psychology the natural laws that create life-long flourishing relationships, and abounding success

Visit Thinkin' Outside The Barn
for FREE how-you-can-do-it-too articles. You can see Dan in action, or order your copy of "Thinkin' Outside The Barn And Steppin' Into Fresh B.S" while youre there!

Review of Energy Awareness Training

My name is Anita and I'm a therapy junkie - or, rather, I was. Like many people, I spent much of my time looking for something that would 'fix' me. In particular, I wanted something that would cure the Irritable Bowel Syndrome that had plagued my life for over a decade, leaving me exhausted and demotivated.

As luck would have it, prior to the birth of my son, I worked as a health journalist, which meant I was able to try out, and review, a diverse range of complementary and alternative therapies over the years. Some treatments I found helpful, others less so, but none was completely effective. Some - like yoga and reiki - I stuck with, others came and went.

And then, earlier this year, a friend told me about the Energy Awareness Training offered by Stephen and Lynda Kane. The theory behind the practice is that it's possible to develop your awareness so you become able to distinguish between energy-promoting and energy-depleting choices - whether about foods and supplements, people, places or activities. These choices, of course, having a knock-on effect on every area of your life, from work and relationships to finances, home, health and happiness.

Inspired by my friend's enthusiasm - not to mention her glowing skin and bright demeanour - I decided to give it a go. After all, what did I have to lose? I signed up for the very next training session, which happened to be taking place in my home town. It seemed like a good sign...

Despite the details I had downloaded from the website, I realised that I had little idea of what to expect. As a health journalist, yoga teacher and reiki healer, I consider myself to have at least some awareness of my body's energy, but I couldn't imagine how we could learn to work with something so intangible. Would it all be hopelessly theoretical and vague?

I needn't have worried. The course was decidedly practical in nature, and the techniques taught were straight-forward, accessible, and, above all, extraordinarily empowering.

Over the weekend, we practised a series of exercises designed to increase our awareness of the energies within and around us, working initially with external aids, before graduating to more subtle 'body awareness' techniques. We learnt how to accurately discover what foods and supplements were 'right' and 'wrong' for us. And how the environment and everything in it, from material objects to directions we face and colours, affects us. We even learnt how to check out our emotional responses, bypassing our surface knee-jerk reactions to people and situations, to access the body's innate wisdom.

In particular, I was fascinated by the results of the food testing. Items I had religiously avoided for years came out as okay for me, including wheat and red wine, while many I perceived as 'good', such as bananas, tomatoes, peppers and potatoes, turned out to be affecting me detrimentally, as my experience has subsequently shown.

We were also led through several unique energy-cultivating exercises, known as 'weaves'. Reminiscent of tai chi, these sequenced movements strengthen and clear the body's chakras (energy-centres) and energy-field, retrieving lost energy and generating new awareness.

Perhaps most eye-opening, though, was the work we did with a special energy protection device called an Energy Egg. I couldn't understand how this white egg-shaped aventurine crystal could possibly work, but Stephen convincingly demonstrated how it protected against energetic stresses in the room.

All in all, the course was both enlightening and comprehensive, and, by the end of the second day, we felt we had been equipped with a complete holistic toolbox of energy techniques.

Two months on, my toolbox is in daily use and I can't imagine being without it. Best of all, though, my IBS has totally disappeared - and, as an added bonus, after years of feeling blocked, I've finally written the novel I'd always been meaning to write.

When I first looked at the Energy Awareness website, I remember one of the testimonials catching my eye. It described the training as 'life-changing' - I assumed the person was exaggerating. I don't any more. The Energy Awareness Training can change your life. I know, because it's changed mine.

2008, Anita Hall. Reprints welcomed so long as the by-line below is included and all links made live.

Anita Hall is a health journalist, yoga teacher and energy awareness practitioner. She has taken and recommends the Energy Awareness Training and the Rainbow of Happiness with the School of Energy Awareness at http://www.eat.energyawareness.org

Six Steps to Stop Delaying What You Want to Do

Step One: List the costs and benefits of doing the task you are putting off. Examine each list and weigh each side. If the result of weighing the costs and the benefits points to doing the behavior then proceed to Step Two.

Step Two: Plan a specific step toward accomplishing your goal. The step you decide to take should be easily accomplished a brief period of time. You may have to break down your goal into several components. The old saying that every journey begins with one step applies to setting goals. Choose one step and don't worry about reaching the long-term goal.

Step Three: Take a moment to anticipate any barriers or problems that may interfere with your goal. Anticipating problems can help you to find a solution before you become discouraged. For example, you know that you are going to a party where there are going to be snacks but your goal is to not eat between meals. By anticipating this, you can take steps to eat a meal before you go to the party so that you are full when you arrive.

Step Four: Identify negative thoughts that undermine your effort. Some typical thoughts include:

• I must accomplish every goal.
• There is no use in trying because I have failed to accomplish this in the past.
• There is so much to accomplish, I feel overwhelmed; I don't know where to start.
• I'm going to be miserable trying to accomplish this goal.

Step Five: Establish a means for accountability. Set up some way to evaluate your progress and share your outcome with at least one other person. Help this individual to know that you are looking for encouragement not criticism. You may want to develop a method for charting your progress or simply develop a rating scale for yourself. For example, you could rate your progress toward your goal on a 1 to 100 scale each day. Make the evaluation simple and not a burden to complete.

Step Six: Plan to reward yourself for progress toward the goal, not just for reaching the goal. The reward can be a simple statement like, "You are doing great!" or you may want to reward yourself with a more lavish reward.

Setting My Goal

What is my goal that I want to accomplish?

If I were to take a step toward that goal today, what could I attempt to do?

What obstacles might I encounter from others that would interfere with this goal? How can I overcome these obstacles?

What internal obstacles might undermine my efforts? How might I prevent these thoughts or attitudes interfering with my effort to reach this goal?

Take a minute to imagine yourself reaching this goal. Now anticipate rewarding yourself with positive thoughts and benefits from reaching this goal. How do you want to be rewarded? Who can you include in your plans to reach this goal? Seek out someone who can hold you accountable without being critical or discouraging.

Lee Horton is a psychologist with more than 25 years treating adults with depression and anxiety. Visit his website http://www.counselinginmemphis.com to evaluate your mood and learn more about Dr. Horton's approach to treating mood disorders.

How Many Disciples Were There, Really

Gregs Videos
Fighting In Gods Name
Power Of Visualization
Get Something Out Of Worship Or

Use Motivation Or Inspiration

Are you attempting to use Motivation when Inspiration would be more effective? Many people think that these two words are interchangeable.In fact and application, they are quite different.

Motivation is based on Fear.It is the fear that says, "if I don't do this thing I don't really want to do, then I won't have this other thing I want (money, love, a job)."In a carrot and stick scenario, it's the stick.

It's also the stick used on us by other people to get us to do what they want us to do - parents, bosses and spouses come to mind.Often they invite us or teach us to then take up the stick ourselves, and use it on ourselves in an attempt to reach an outcome.It is one way children are trained and civilized into society. It is the Make Your Quota or Loose Your Job many face each month.

The problem with motivation is that is ONLY works short term.And since we become accustomed and then eventually immune to repeated motivation techniques, it becomes necessary to apply a stronger motivation to achieve the same goal the next time.This can create an 'addiction to motivation' - as the number of books on self help shelves testify. People are continually looking for the next thing to get them to results.It also creates increasingly negative self talk as results become seemingly harder to achieve and failures become more common.

Statistics show people gain and lose the same 10 pounds over and over and over never reaching or at least never maintaining their goal weight, and actually gaining weight overall. This is also why the old-school "Rah-Rah" training will produce a short flurry of change, quickly overwhelmed by the old comfortable status quo.

What should we do instead?Use Inspiration along with or instead of motivation.Most especially use it on Yourself!

Inspiration is a more subtle, yet infinitely stronger, emotion for creating change.Inspiration draws us forward.Motivation drives us forward with the stick of fear.We are literally looking for ways to escape motivation.Inspiration IS fun in action. Inspired Action is light; it flows forward; it carries excitement and surety with it. Our old friend, Motivation pushes action forward, creating in effect its own bow wave of resistance and requiring more effort to achieve an equal or lesser effect.

Properly used, Inspiration is something we want more and more of in our lives.So a taste of it can be positively exhilarating and lead to more and better and easier and long lasting results.

Inspiration does not mean you can take No Action.While some enlightened masters might be able to sit in a cave and call in all they desire, that is not how it works for most of us; nor does that really sound like much fun - caves are hard, damp and full of crawly things.

The odd thing is that the very same action taken with Inspiration flows easily and achieves more than that action taken in the fear of the consequences we call Motivation.

There is an element of Timing inherent in Inspired Action that is totally lacking in action forced by Motivation.It's not logical or rational or sometimes even sensible, but when you are suddenly inspired to pick up the phone and make a call, or write a letter, or send an email, or go to a networking event - the results flow back to you effortlessly.You all know when this has worked for you.Remember when you just 'suddenly decided' to do something on a flash of inspiration and the benefits were tremendous?

Tchaikowsky said, "Inspiration is a guest who does not like to visit lazy people."And this is true.You must be in motion for things to flow your way.But mindless motion generated by fear of the consequences often produces little but mindless motion.

So a little motivation may be necessary to prime the pump, but inspiration will un-dam the river and create a more lasting flow of results in your business and your life.Use it with yourself, your employees and your customers to see increased results in all areas of your life.

To use this article in your newsletter or Ezine, please include the entire text and the following author information:

Beth Lane, CTACC Peaceful Sales Coach, harnessed her expertise from 30+ year's business experience as top sales producer, sales trainer and business owner to create Peaceful Selling. This is a program that teaches you to enjoy selling, increase your productivity and expand your income. To find out more about her Sales Secrets and receive a FREE e-report visit http://www.peacefulselling.com

Cost Effective Stair Building

What is the most cost effective way of building stairs? Why do the tract homes use on site methods of construction? When you think of a factory assembling a product on a assembly line you think why not a home. Why do they still build homes on lots or residential home sites?

If homes could be built in a factory cheaper than on site that is exactly what every home builder would be doing. They just haven't quite figured it out yet. When dealing with the large amounts of materials required to build a house and of course the expense of shipping. It is not cost effective to build a conventional home in a factory and ship it over long distances.

This is the biggest problem with cost effective stair construction. Most prefabricated stairs you will notice are spiral stairs. These stairs are smaller than most stairs that are used for multi level construction.

Spiral stairs are hard for your average carpenter to build. These stairs can be purchased from a factory easily and quite inexpensive.

The stairs in your average two story house are going to weigh about 3 times the amount of a spiral set of stairs that could be shipped in a cost effective way. Spiral stairs are not going to be the main stairway in a home and normally go up to a loft or an attic. Most spiral stairs don't meet the minimum building requirements for the main stairway in your home.

When building tract homes the lumber is shipped in bulk directly to the house site where it will be assembled. The lumber and other building materials will be shipped once. If it went to a factory and then assembled it would also have to be sent to the site on which the house was to be built. This added expense in shipping the materials twice is the problem for such a large and heavy item such as a set of stairs.

There are other prefabricated types of stairs that are built locally and the shipping usually is not a major expense. If you are building a stairway that is not to difficult to build for the average carpenter it will normally be cost effective to build the stairs on site. This would require having the carpenter build the stairs as part of the rough framing and then after drywall have the finish carpenter build the stair handrail system.

Visit us now for easy Home Constuction Help

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

A Mirthful Spirit by Mary Huntley & Edna Thayer - Book Review

Beaver's Pond Press (2007)
ISBN 9781592981656

"A Mirthful Spirit" uses stories, research, quotes, poetry, tips and suggestions by two scholars in the field of mirth and laughter. More than a guidebook for embracing mirth and laughter, "A Mirthful Spirit" provides guidelines for incorporating humor in the workplace, hospitals, and schools to improve productivity, wellness, and creativity.

One of the best things about laughter is that it is contagious. By teaching yourself the techniques and tips for living a mirthful life, one of the biggest benefits is that you will soon find yourself surrounded by people dispersing the joys of living with a mirthful spirit.

From the physical benefits (Initiates Internal Jogging, Thwarts Infections, Alleviates Pain) to mental benefits (Lightens stress, Increases brain-cell functioning), "A Mirthful Spirit" provides a handbook for healthy, happy, humor-filled living.

"A Mirthful Spirit" closes with an intriguing section on the historical and cultural highlights of humor. Even humor has evolved and matured from its beginnings (ridicule) to the healing powers of mirthful living we can access today.

"A Mirthful Spirit: Embracing Laughter for Wellness" is a perfect bedside companion and coffee table book; this is certainly a book to put on your gift lists. Not only will the receiver benefit from the wisdom among its pages, all will benefit from the gift of spreading mirth. Reading "A Mirthful Spirit" will change your outlook on life. Not only will you become happier-everyone will feel your joy and start laughing with you. Huntley and Thayer are firm believers in what one of their heroes, Patch Adams, says, "The most revolutionary act we can commit in the world is to be happy." Go buy a copy of "A Mirthful Spirit" and you too can laugh your way to wellness.

http://www.readerviews.com/

Twelve Pillars by Jim Rohn and Chris Widener

Jim Rohn has been imparting wisdom and sharing his success philosophies and principles for over thirty years. Chris Widener is a rather newcomer to the field of personal development compared with Rohn, but he has also shared the stage with some impressive people sharing his wisdom through speaking and writing. Now these two personal development professionals have teamed up to write a short little novel that contains a tremendous amount of wisdom in twelve secrets of success.

The book, titled "Twelve Pillars," is short, only 120 pages, and very easy to read. It is a story of a young man named Michael. After his car breaks down, Michael meets an old man named Charlie. Charlie teaches Michael about the twelve Pillars of Success. The Pillars, or lessons, are very simple, but that does not mean they are not extremely powerful. If you really take what Rohn and Widener are teaching through this story to heart, you will undoubtedly achieve more and live a more productive and happy life. You will live a life that is much more fulfilling and be rewarded with more meaningful relationships.

Just because the lessons are simple, does not mean they are necessarily simple to incorporate into your life. However, if you have this little book there to remind you and keep you on track, you will surely become a more successful person.

I really enjoyed the story and I'm sure I'll read it again and again each time I need a quick boost and reminder of those things to focus on. It is such a quick read with so powerful a message, I'd encourage everyone to read it more than once. Let the lessons these two teach sink in and make sure you act upon them.

"Twelve Pillars" by Jim Rohn and Chris Widener will surely inspire you to take your life to the next level and beyond. It will challenge and encourage you to become the best that you can be. All you need to do is read it, learn from it, and take action on the twelve pillars of success.

Alain Burrese, J.D. is a mediator/attorney with Bennett Law Office P.C. and an author/speaker through his own company Burrese Enterprises Inc. He writes and speaks about a variety of topics focusing on the business areas of negotiation and success principles as well as self-defense and safety topics. He is the author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks, several instructional dvds, and numerous articles. You can find out more about Alain Burrese at his websites http://www.burrese.com or http://www.bennettlawofficepc.com

Change - The Secret to Coping

There's an old saying: "The only constant in life is change." If that's true, and I believe it is, you'd think that we'd all be quite adept at living our lives in the midst of a changing world. Yet, mention the word "change," and people get worried. Even when we seek change - in government, in law, or in our own personal lives - when the change actually occurs, we often have a difficult time adjusting to it.

The secret to understanding how to successfully cope with change is actually quite simple: It all comes down to transforming our attitude, from one of resisting change to embracing it. That's right - by changing how we feel, we can transform a negative experience to a positive one. It's even possible to move oneself from hating change to loving it!

Resistance to change is a natural result of fear, and fear is a natural response to something we perceive as threatening or dangerous in some way. Any change, even one we think we want, can have a domino effect, causing unexpected ripples of change in other areas of life, which we perceive as threatening. The key word in the last few sentences is "perceive." When we begin to think positively about something, we change our perception of it, which changes our feelings about it and, therefore, our attitudes.

Think about this: the physiological symptoms of anxiety (fear) include rapid or irregular heart rate, rapid breathing, lightheadedness, and sweating. Interestingly, these are the very same symptoms we experience when we are excited about something! Think of the last time you rode a roller coaster. If you feared the ride, you probably had all those symptoms, called it nervousness, and hated the experience. If you didn't fear the ride, you probably experienced all those symptoms, called it excitement, and had a great time. It's all a matter of viewpoint.

To change your feelings you have to change your thoughts. There are many ways to accomplish transforming your way of thinking about something. Following are just a few of these tools for taking control of your thoughts and attitudes. When trying out these techniques for the first time, start with something small - a change or event that doesn't carry a lot of emotional "charge" for you.

1) Look at the bright side.

List three or more positive outcomes that could result from this change. Be creative. Be farfetched. How could this event or change "backfire" into something great?

2) Say Yes!

You have to want to change your attitude and believe that you can change how you feel. When you feel threatened, however subtly, by an unexpected change, literally stand tall, open your arms wide, and loudly proclaim, "Yes!"

3) Embrace it.

Visualize the change coming into your life and, with it, all the positive changes you listed in step one. Imagine each of these positive events causing other good things to happen. Imagine yourself embracing this new event or change of circumstance and, if possible, physically act out the embrace as you imagine it.

Finally, to reinforce the idea that change is exciting, make a small, intentional change, every day. Eat blueberries in your cereal instead of sliced bananas. Try a yoga class instead of kickboxing. You'll begin to see how much fun change can be. And speaking of kickboxing, these tools are also great for kick-starting your creativity any time you feel stuck.

Amber Lea Starfire is an agent of change and loves to create solutions that transcend limits. Her passion is helping others realize their own creative, expressive, and physical potential by developing new ways of thinking and doing. Amber is Publisher and Editor of The Writer's Eye Magazine (http://www.thewriterseye.com), a freelance writer, professional portrait photographer, bicyclist and mother. Contact her at - http://www.amberstarfire.com

Law of Attraction Self-Help - How to Create Powerful Visualizations

Have you heard of people who've changed their lives completely for the better using Law of Attraction self help? You can do this too, when you learn how to create powerful visualizations.

Start by deciding how you want your life to change.

1. Make Three Wishes

Once we reach adulthood, we stop using our imaginations. Can you remember the games you played as a child, and how much fun they were? When you use Law of Attraction self help, your aim is to get back to this happy, carefree state of mind.

Pretend you're in a fairy tale, and your fairy godmother has asked you to make three wishes - these wishes will all come true.

Write down your three wishes. Writing them down ensures that you remember what they are. Date the piece of paper, and put it somewhere safe.

2. Create Scenarios for Your Wishes

Next, create some scenarios for your wishes. A scenario is just an imaginative scene - a visualization. For example, let's say that one of your wishes was for a house with an ocean view, which is yours, and completely paid for.

Imagine the house on a huge movie screen, at least 30 feet long. See the house as clearly as you can. Move from room to room. See the garden. Then step into the scene, and enjoy your house.

Create at least one scenario for each of your three wishes.

3. How Do You Feel?

Your emotions power your visualization. Step back into your visualizations, and now take special note of how you feel. Are you happy? Excited? Relaxed? Remember how you felt in each visualization.

4. Day-Dreaming Each Morning and Evening

Next, spend a few minutes with your visualizations every morning, and evening - before you get out of bed in the morning, and just before you fall asleep are great times.

5. Releasing and Allowing

Keep enjoying your morning and evening visualizations, but release any attachment to how they will manifest. Let them go in your mind. They're your creations, and the universe will bring them to you - it's inevitable - but the "how" of manifestation isn't up to you.

Before you know it, the Law of Attraction self help will bring your three wishes to you. Here's the best part: you can make as many wishes as you please, so make three more.

Are you ready to change your life and use the law of attraction to create what you want? Start with Julia Denham's law of attraction reviews, and then visit her law of attraction blog at http://loa-prosperity.com/

Self Esteem and Body Image

Our self esteem has a lot to do with our body image. How much do we accept our own bodies? Are we good enough to be ...?

Are we good enough to have ...?

Are we good enough to do ...?

The answers depend entirely on our own self esteem. Although our bodies have something to do with how others treat us, the most important factor is how we view ourselves.

If we hold an image of our bodies as being messed up then we have a negative impact on our bodies as well as our self esteem.

If we think we are our bodies, then we are building esteem for the wrong self.

We build esteem for our bodies by seeing their true perfection. The first step in doing that is accepting them the way they are. They are okay the way they are.

What effect does self acceptance have on our health?

Many people believe that we have energetic blueprints for our bodies. This energetic blueprint affects the condition of our bodies. The blueprint comes first. The actual body condition comes some time later.

If you were fortunate enough to see the movie What the Bleep, you saw microscopic pictures of water after it was exposed to prayer, positive thoughts, and various negative emotions.

The results were astonishing!

The microscopic pictures of the water exposed to negative emotions and thoughts looked like a real mess. However, the pictures of the positive emotion exposed water looked like nature's works of art. They were harmonious and beautiful.

Imagine what effect emotions have on our body!

In a later scene, the main character looked into a mirror and dramatically exclaimed "I hate you". This normally beautiful woman looked quite unattractive.

Fortunately, the leading character had a realization. She started loving herself and painted loving art work all over her body. Her whole appearance changed. She looked beautiful again. She was happy. She accepted and loved herself.

Have you ever tried to fight off negativity?

You probably noticed that it was a never ending battle. We might temporarily succeed by placing ourselves inside a protective egg shell where all the bad stuff is outside. Our world can get smaller and smaller as we do that. Pretty soon there's nothing left but us in our shrinking eggshell watching Mary Poppins video.

Have you ever tried to get rid of something by resisting it?

What happened? Did it keep coming back? Could there be a better way?

Yes, fortunately there is a better way. We can observe something and accept it the way it is. This doesn't mean we mentally push it away by telling ourselves that we accept it.

Can we really accept something? Can we allow it to continue forever? If we really can, then magic happens. That something can lift off. I can't promise that you can change physical reality. But I'm not saying that you can't.

I can tell you from experience that you can change your emotional and mental experience.

By accepting your body the way it is, you change the energetic blueprint of your body. And ...

It feels good.

Copyright 2006 by Jim Kitzmiller

Jim Kitzmiller is the author of Rocket Fuel for the Soul -- Blissercise Self-Help Manual. The book's bliss exercises (blissercises) surpass usual positive thinking approaches by bypassing the logical mind. The blissercises cover 46 different areas of life.

Jim leads self-help workshops and does spiritual coaching.

Putting God on Trial

I was listening to something interesting the other day when someone mentioned putting God on trial for some of the atrocities in the world. If God is the creator of the universe and all that is, or all that ever will be, how can we put him on trial, he's our creator. We can't put our spiritual master on trial can we, he'll just escape anyway if we convict him, won't he. He's got to be smart enough to break out a prison.

As a child I often thought about God and why he would allow such suffering throughout the world. It never made sense to me when I was child and it still doesn't make sense to me today. Why would the creator, want us to suffer, with even the littlest of problems. Other religions have explained it as if God was teaching us a lesson and that's why we have hardships in our lives.

Do you think God ever went through these hardships? Did God have problems finding a job or gathering some food? Does God even eat? Okay now I'm getting off the topic here,(I wonder what God does eat)... if children do something wrong, most of the time their parents will discipline or correct them. If adults to things wrong, the government will discipline and reprimand them. Sometimes these punishments can be severe. It depends on the crimes committed.

If man has to be put on trial for committing crimes like murder, genocide, and general atrocities towards mankind, should God also be put on trial or is he above man because he's God. I can't imagine the creator of the universe ever being put on trial for man's crimes against humanity or other men, but it seems like someone who is all powerful and all knowing could help his children out of this little mess that we're in today.

Couldn't God help us like we help our children. We as parents might not have all the answers, but we do not claim to have them. We are not all powerful and all knowing, like we would assume God to be. When is God going to help us solve some of our major world problems, like genocide and starvation.

Putting God on trial might not solve all of our problems today but it would be nice to have some help with our problems. If he created us to please him, do we have to go on trial one day, for all the things we did or ignored while we were alive. Something to think about isn't it.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing and personal development. Check This Out What Happened to the Wise Men's Gifts

Greg is currently working on a video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world.