Tired? Depleted? Step One to Raise Your Vibration and Increase Your Energy!

Is it possible to cultivate your state of being so that no matter what happens, you feel safe, peaceful, compassionate, energized, and empowered? What I am talking about is not that you don't feel the whole spectrum of human feelings. Rather, it's how you relate to them. Is it possible to relate to all moments from a baseline of inner freedom, empowered energy, and elevated consciousness?

In this article, we'll explore the first step:

Increase Your Overall Charge or Energetic Power

The first step to raising your baseline vibration is to increase the overall energy you have. In Qigong Meditation the teaching is simple: gather more energy than you expend. When you look at this, it really is common sense. If you are expending as much energy as you have, you deplete yourself. You have nothing left over. The mere thought of doing one thing more, such as taking 10 minutes to improve your state of being is just too much. You're already at the edge of being overloaded, overwhelmed, and exhausted.

Therefore, if you want to cultivate an elevated state of being, it's absolutely essential that you manage your time and effort so you have a surplus of energy. This surplus is what you will use to grow new possibilities. Without this surplus of energy, you will always be just trying to get by, just trying to get everything done, and just trying to survive. Nothing will change.

So, how can you create an energy surplus?

Again, it's really common sense. It involves things most of us know. Yet, often, we're not doing them. The demands of the world compel us to give all our energy to work, tasks, and care for others. They push us to go against what we know is best for ourselves. The irony is that unless we take time to cultivate our own energy, we are less and less effective and useful to others and to the world.

In light of this predicament, gathering a surplus of energy will only happen when we commit to taking one or more small steps each day. These little steps accumulate into large gains as we do them consistently.

Here are some simple ways to build your energetic charge. Perhaps you can choose one or more that feel doable to you right now:

1. Go to bed 30-40 minutes earlier. Even an extra 30 minutes of sleep each night accumulates into a big energy gain over time.

2. Wake up 10 minutes earlier and center yourself using prayer, affirmations, or meditation. How do you feel when you wake up in the morning? No matter how you feel, you'll feel much better if you take the first few minutes upon waking to center your mind.

What if, as you lie in bed, you think of what you are grateful for in your life? This instantly puts you in a better mood. What if you spent a few minutes expressing your thanks in prayer?

What if you take a few minutes to calm yourself by attending to the sensations of breathing? What if you find a place within you that is peaceful by focusing on silence, stillness, and the feeling of spaciousness inside your body? Each of these cues can take the edge off anxiety and connect you to a deeper awareness that is free from tension, worry, and fear.

What if you affirm the deeper qualities you would like to live from such as peace, joy, compassion, and empowerment using simple, positive, present-tense statements such as "I am peaceful. I am joyful. I am compassionate toward myself and others. I am guided and empowered to do what I am here to do today."

Doing any one or all of these first thing in the morning will center your mind and give you a positive reference point to start your day on the right foot as well as a place to return to whenever you need.

3. Set a cellphone reminder to mindfully pause what you are doing. In this moment, pay attention to your breathing, and check in with how you feel and how others around you feel. As a suggestion, you might do this once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and once in the evening.

When your reminder goes off, compassionately notice how you are feeling at this moment. Then, take three conscious breaths, paying attention to the sensations of breathing inside your body. Imagine your whole body fills up as you inhale and your whole body empties out as you exhale. Consciously release any thoughts, feelings, and tensions in your breath as you exhale. Then, take note of how others are feeling around you. Extend compassionate awareness toward others.

4. Consider everything you eat and drink in terms of if it is adding to your energy and supporting your health and well-being. Rather than mindlessly gulping, pay attention to everything you consume. Notice how it tastes and how it makes you feel. Notice if you are eating and drinking for nutrition or to counteract something you are feeling. See if you can do this with the mind of a curious observer, to the best of your ability without judgement.

At least once a day, interrupt a habitual unhealthy choice and choose something healthier instead. As a guideline, consider foods and beverages that are fresh, organic, moderate in size, and as close to their natural state as possible.

5. Consider everything you read, watch, or interact with in terms of if it is adding to your energy and supporting your health and well-being. Pay attention to how you feel as consume this information. Notice what state of mind and emotion they put you into. Notice if you are taking in this information for learning and well-being or if it is to counteract something you are feeling.

At least once a day, take a few minutes to read, watch, or interact with information that supports your mental-emotional-spiritual health and well-being.

6. Stand up and move your body once an hour. Exercise for 10 minutes or more every day. Your body is made to move. Just standing up makes a difference. Even a 10-minute walk improves your health and energy. When you move, you circulate blood, which brings energy as oxygen to your cells. You improve digestion, which helps you absorb nutrients. And, you move lymph fluid, which clears toxins from your cells. These are just a few of the benefits of exercise that raise your energy level. So, move in ways you enjoy daily.

As you commit to any one of the above, you'll find your energy level increases. You will be on a path of managing and cultivating your vital energy, rather than overextending and exhausting yourself. With small repeated efforts each day, you will begin to grow your energetic charge.

Are you ready to be free from negative thoughts, feelings, and habits that wear you out and keep you stuck?

Visit my blog for insights, tips, and tools to release stress, boost your health and energy, and find your Clear Quiet Mind. Subscribe for weekly updates and get a free guided meditation!

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How To Stop Negativity And Start Thinking Creatively

One of the things that can get in the way of creativity is the practice of negative thinking. Some people just naturally tend to think more negatively than others. It doesn't matter, though; you can turn off your negative inclinations and learn to be more positive.

Negative Thinking Is Limiting

Right now, think of some negative things for about 30 seconds. Now you're likely finding it hard to even read this because you're thinking about how the dishes aren't put away, or you don't have enough to pay that medical bill, and other things about your daily life. Plus, now that you're thinking negatively, you're likely not looking for solutions because eventually, the negativity turns into giving up.

Acknowledge Your Negative Thinking

The first thing to do is realize and accept that almost everyone thinks negatively sometimes. It's okay to have a bad day. But it's not okay to let any negative thing that happens to you inform your entire life.

Combat Negativity with Facts

When a negative thought comes to your mind, combat it with facts. There is always someone who has it worse so if you can cite those facts convincingly to yourself, you're going to feel better - at least for yourself.

Keep a Gratitude Journal

Before you go to bed each night, write down at least three things in your life that you are grateful for today. If you're not sure what to be grateful for today, be more general such as, "I'm glad that today I managed to get through the day without going to jail."

Surround Yourself with Positive People

The more people you can find that are generally positive and don't focus on the negative, the more positive you'll become. First, you'll feel silly always trying to be negative to positive people who will point out the positives to you because that's how they think. Secondly, their positivity rubs off onto you.

Smile More

This might seem like a condescending thing to say but the truth is that when we smile with our mouths, eyes and face, it releases endorphins that make us feel better. Anytime you feel negative, think of something that makes you smile.

Take Care of Your Health

It's hard to be positive if you're not healthy. Even if you have health issues, taking the best care of yourself can make you feel better inside and out. Eat right, exercise, take your vitamins, and drink plenty of water and you're going to have the energy to be more positive. This is going to almost automatically make you more creative.

A 'Success Mindset' means that when you have challenges, you'll be able to work through them with confidence and clarity. It means that when you are presented with an opportunity you'll be able to set fears aside and take advantage of the opportunity. To help you embrace a success mindset to improve your business, and your life, download my free checklist, Cultivating a Success Mindset, at https://jonallo.com/mindset

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How To Turn Your Fear Into Fuel | Lisa Nichols

Law Of Attraction Anger

I recently became aware of some powerful attractive forces which have been working in my life for a long period of time.

Uncovering the source of many of my life's problems was a huge moment of relief. I realised that an unconscious behaviour pattern, which was established in my youth, had been perpetuating many of my problems and difficulties.

When things start appearing in life which you're dissatisfied with, you might become angry and try to push them away. But what if you're the cause of these situations and circumstances and they are trying to teach you something? What if pushing them away only draws more of the same into your life?

There's a well known sports related visualisation technique called visual motor rehearsal. In the film The Secret, Denis Waitley talks about this technique which he used in the olympics to train athletes.

When the athletes were told to rehearse in their minds the action in their sports, the same muscles fired in the same order as they would during an actual physical situation.

The mind didn't know the difference between the actual physical circumstances and the visualisation techniques. The things we 'see' and rehearse in the mind are brought about in reality as situations, events and circumstances.

My problem was, I was rehearsing fighting with my brother. I was 'stuck' in this 'daydream' because it was how I remembered my brother after he had died. It was the most powerful way to remember him.

I created a number of actual physical confrontations and got heavily into the martial arts for a number of years.

When things continued to be difficult, frustrating and confrontational in working life, I withdrew from life and from work altogether to avoid the pain associated with these feelings I kept perpetuating.

I kept asking myself why was my life so difficult. Surly this isn't what most people experience in life? Why was everything so painful and emotionally draining?

Once I uncovered this insight into my own mind, I could see the truth of what I was continually creating in life. I was angry and not at peace in my own mind. Therefore I kept perpetuating difficult, traumatic circumstances.

I am sure that many people are doing this - creating adversity because it gives their life meaning and importance, in some way. In what ways do you make yourself important at the expense of your peace of mind and happiness?

What visual images are you continually thinking about?

Many of my 'daydreams' were patterns of thinking which I was unconscious of. It took a lot of pain and insight to stop and really take a close look at my thoughts and emotional habit patterns.

I began meditating and quit drinking alcohol. I started spending more time on positive habits and less time with people who reinforced negative, and angry emotions within me.

This took some time. With regular daily meditation I became more aware of my thinking processes. When I drifted into a negative thinking pattern, I was able to notice. Whereas for years I must have run these old programs on autopilot.

This process was like letting go of who I thought I was.

When you identify with a certain emotion, you begin to think you are that emotion. You begin to think you are your thoughts. When there's nothing to fight against, large pieces of your world view fall away. It feels like you're losing your mind.

Who are we without our problems and difficulties? They often define us and give us our identity. They give us structure to hold on to!

When you become the observer, through learning meditation, you can notice what's going on inside and realise how it controls your life.

So if you're giving a lot of time and attention to negative, angry and difficult emotions, thoughts and words, consider that you may be addicted to them. You may be giving yourself an identity to hold on to, because without it, you won't know who you are.

Think about which friends you hang about with. Do you talk about things which annoy and frustrate you? To really change your life, you must stop giving thoughts and attention to the things which grow your angers and frustrations. Stop spending time with people who anger you and bring up those angry and frustrated feelings within you.

Learn how to meditate and detach yourself from your thinking. Learn to be the silent watcher. There's power in being an observer and not always being the talker who has to engage and react.

The law of attraction is a powerful force in life. If we are to learn how to use it properly to create more enjoyment and improve our lives, we must first become more conscious of the thoughts and emotions we are living already. Without this awareness, we will continue to create more difficulties on an unconscious level and blame the law of attraction saying it isn't working. When in fact it does work. You just don't understand how yet!

Tim Halloran is a stuntman, martial artist and online entrepreneur. Visit his website here: http://thelawofattractionsceptic.com/law-of-attraction-anger/

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Before You Waste Time - WATCH THIS | by Jay Shetty

Daily Practices for Focus, Peace & Joy

I know sometimes I must sound like a broken record. I repeat myself again and again to my clients, my students, my friends, my family. And I'll say it again. Self-care is not an option if you want to live a happy, peaceful life. Especially if you're a sensitive, empathic, person.

Self-care, of course, includes the obvious elements, such as a nutrient-rich-plant-rich-diet, plenty of exercise, and good hygiene. None are optional if you want to maintain good health.

To maintain happiness and inner-peace, self-care must include emotional, spiritual practices as well. My daily practices, which I share below, help me stay centered, focused, optimistic, connected, creative, productive, peaceful, and happy.

These are the tools and techniques that work for me. With most, I mix and match, depending upon the day, the amount of time available, and my emotional/spiritual needs. Some practices, such as Meditation and Gratitude, are non-negotiable, and I do them every day.

Most days I usually do at least 4 or 5 of these techniques. Some days I do only 2. Other days I might do them all! Some are so quick, or so easy to fit in my day, that they don't take 'extra time.' And, truth be told, when I don't do anything, which does happen once in a while, I feel completely off, out of focus, and anxious. That's why I use a checklist to track my progress. I've learned the hard way, it's not worth falling off track.

Create your own plan. Take any of the following techniques that work for you, add in your own, and tuck them into pockets throughout your day. Choose at least one activity, such as meditation, to do each day, no matter what. None of the activities need to take a lot of time. And, as long as you're peppering them throughout the day, you'll be optimizing your energy.

Meditation I practice some form of meditation, each day, from 10 to 60 minutes. Some days I do two or more shorter meditations. Insight Timer is a fantastic, free, app that I use to time my meditations. It comes with an extensive library of sounds, bells, meditations, and music.

Abundance Meditation For this meditation, I use The Abundance Book, by John Randolph Price. It's a little green book with 10 principle statements. I meditate on one principle a day for 15 minutes, for 40 days or more. This helps keep me in an abundant, spiritual, frame of mind.

Gratitude Meditation Closing my eyes, I meditate for 5 minutes on something for which I am grateful. It can be something that I already have, or that I would like to have. This sense of gratitude feels truly authentic, and really, really good.

Goals I hand-write write my goals, in present tense, expressing my gratitude for reaching them. This feels good, and it helps me keep on top of my goals. I write my goals nearly every day. This takes about 10 minutes.

Morning Pages Originated by Author Julia Cameron, morning pages are 3 hand-written free-flow pages each morning. They're invaluable for clearing the mind, and sparking creative flow.

Yoga or ExerciseExercising in the morning invigorates me for the rest of the day. Movement is crucial for efficient energy flow, lymph flow, strength, anxiety release, and more.

Heart Breath I add the Heart Breath in whenever I feel stuck in my head. The Heart Breath helps me drop out of a busy, over-worked mind, into the peace and calm of my heart. It's a great tool for reducing anxiety. 1 minute, or longer.

Uplifting Reading Somewhere during my day, I find time to read. Sometimes it's work-related, but it's always uplifting.

Uplifting Listening This includes music, podcasts, Hayhouse Radio, audio courses, and more. I like to listen when I make dinner. This helps keep me in a positive, optimistic, frame of mind.

EFT Tapping This is an any-time-of-the-day, as-needed, practice. EFT Tapping is perfect for releasing anxiety, tension, fear, sadness, or any other unwanted feelings that might creep in.

More Gratitude Gratitude is something that can be expressed in many ways throughout the day. In addition to my 5-minute gratitude meditation, I enjoy spontaneous moments of gratitude, or write a gratitude list, or a thank you note, or simply say thank you, thank you, thank you as I do something that brings me joy. Gratitude helps me feel more connected to the spiritual world. And, the more grateful I am, the more I have to be grateful for.

Nature Walk Nothing better for pleasing the senses and soothing the soul.

Enjoy! And reach out -- let me know what works for you!

In Courage,

Marian

Hello! I'm Marian Buck-Murray, Certified Practitioner in both EFT Tapping and Matrix Reimprinting. I specialize in helping sensitive people boost courage, confidence and self-love. To schedule a FREE 30 Minute Call, where I'll help you get clear on your best strategy to honor your sensitivity, and give you a tool to turn it into a superpower, go to http://marianbuckmurray.com/

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Gabrielle Bernstein: The Universe Has Your Back | SuperSoul Sessions | Oprah Winfrey Network

Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address

The 30-Day Challenge to Use Affirmations and Visualization for Good Luck

There has been a lot of hype and media coverage about the Law of Attraction in recent years, especially after the release of the movie, The Secret. There seems to be a lot of emotion around this subject, both for and against. This is no surprise, given that we have changed as a society to have much less patience and a reduced attention span. I will delve deeper into all of this in a future article.

The tools associated with the Law of Attraction do work, and they work well. Most of the misunderstanding about these tools is due to people not really taking the time to give them a whirl.

So here's the 30-day challenge, should you choose to accept it

Take 30 days to use affirmations and visualization to improve your luck. This will not be likely to make you win the lottery, but should manifest as better luck in the smaller things in life. After 30 days, review how your luck has changed for the better.

When you do this, and it works will for you, keep doing it and start using some of the other tools available to improve your life dramatically.

Affirmations for Good Luck

You can use an affirmation such as "I always have great luck" or something similar that works best for you. Keep it short and easy to remember and repeat. It should be in the present-tense, in the "now." Repeat this affirmation first thing in the morning, even before you rise out of bed, when you're having a bath or shower, driving, while you're falling asleep and any time your mind isn't focused on a specific task.

Pay attention to what happens around you. Are you starting to make it through green lights, finding better parking spaces? Look for little things such as those. Whenever you notice a good luck event, say something like "Wow! I DO have the greatest luck" to reinforce the event both in your own mind and the universal energy.

Visualization for Good Luck

Visualization is a technique in which you "see" something happening in your mind's eye. With practice, it becomes easier and the things you visualize become more clear and detailed. It is somewhat akin to daydreaming, but done intentionally and directed by you. To visualize, close your eyes and start imagining yourself experiencing events that have been brought on by good luck (Please do not use this while driving or operating heavy equipment). As with the traffic light example above, you would see yourself easily making it to your destination with light traffic and every single traffic light being green. Another fun one is to see yourself finding a dime or quarter on the ground as you walk along. Be creative in your imagination!

Results?

Do your affirmations and visualization exercises for 30 days and be observant throughout the process. If you wish, take notes and review them at the end of the 30 days. Think about how your luck was before this and the differences you have observed. Good Luck!

Find more information about making your own luck and the Law of Attraction at https://ness-numerology.com/

Ness Numerology is unique in that it combines the Law of Attraction and Numerology to provide a more holistic view into one's personality and how to succeed in all areas of life.

~ Wil.M | Numerologist, Geek and Person who Loves to Help People

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Change Your Life In Minutes

Often, I hear people talk about how busy they are and that often they feel overwhelmed. Their lives are disorganized, their vehicles need attention and their relationships are strained.

Rather than piling things up and then feeling like everything is just too large to resolve, try doing things a little bit at a time. Your life can be so much better if you just think about what can be accomplished in five minutes or less.

Following are things that take five minutes or less to do but will give you much pleasure.

1. Manage the dishwasher - It is much easier to make dirty dishes disappear immediately after a meal than waiting until hours later. Better yet, try having an empty dishwasher before meal preparation so that you can be loading it with cooking utensils as you go.
2. Write a short note to someone who you care about. One or two sentences may bring a smile to that person's face.
3. Play your favourite song and dance!
4. Write a grocery list (on your phone or on paper).
5. Water your plants as you take in their aroma and beauty.
6. Bag, tie and take out the garbage.
7. Pray.
8. Move the meat for your next meal from the freezer to the fridge.
9. Choose an outfit and accessories for your next appearance.
10. Open a junk drawer and pull out ten things you don't need or want.
11. Read as many pages as possible in your favourite book (within the five-minute timeline).
12. Sit in a chair with eyes closed and breathe deeply with a goal of feeling totally relaxed.
13. Throw a load of laundry into the washer.
14. Delete unnecessary emails from your inbox.
15. Clean one mirror in your house.
16. Feed the pets.
17. Phone your mother (remember to start the conversation by saying "I only have five minutes")
18. Remove everything from the seats in your vehicle.
19. Think about the next upcoming birthday in the family and how you will celebrate.
20. Exercise.
21. Plan one charity you can help this year (donations, volunteering, encouraging).
22. Journal.
23. Knit, crochet or focus on a hobby (remember, only five minutes!)
24. Brush and floss.
25. Flip through a magazine.
26. Enjoy a piece of fresh fruit.
27. Watch a Marie Kondo video on how to fold clothes (amazing!)
28. Play a game of solitaire.
29. Book an appointment for a massage.
30. List other things that you can do in five minutes or less.

Don't wait until things have piled up around you! Begin using five-minute segments in which you can organize your environment, plan your time and feed your soul.

And now I would like to invite you to claim your Free Instant Access to a complimentary list of 10 Steps to Making Your Life an Adventure when you visit http://lindahancock.com

From Dr. Linda Hancock, Registered Psychologist and Registered Social Worker

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3 Brutal Truths About Success You Must Hear Today - Lisa Nichols

Make Your Life Magical - Not Work

How often have you wanted to upgrade a certain area of your life, only to find it too much "work"? Most people set personal and professional goals, and then are stunted in their achievement of those goals.

Let's look at some ways to make things easier, in the flow and more magical.

1) DECIDE what you want. You can't get what you really want if you don't know what you want. This sounds simple, but when I ask clients, they're often vague saying things like: "I want to have better relationships, I want more interesting work." This simply is not compelling or clear enough to move you forward.

2) ASK for what you want. This may be literal, like asking for a raise, more time with your spouse, or to be treated with respect. However, it's also spiritual. State what you want in the affirmative. No pleading, whining, or sense of not deserving. Let's say you want to earn $70,000 a year or more. You would write and say a statement like: I am so joyful and grateful that I easily receive $70,000 or more a year in salary, happy gifts and welcome suprises!

An additional idea for asking is to write what Noah St. John & Denise Berard call Afformations. In their Book of Afformations, they explain that the brain is a question answering, solution seeking "machine." So, simply asking afformitive questions brings positive answers and results. Here are a few samples: "Why do I enjoy the huge benefits I bring to others through my wild abundance? Why is it so easy to talk about money to my spouse? Why has God given me the power to obtain great wealth? Why is money such a wonderful gift to me? Why does money come to me so easily?"

3) BELIEVE that what you want is on the way. If you've ever planted anything, you know that you simply water, give sunlight and wait. You believe that the seeds you planted will become a flower, plant, vegetable or fruit. It can take days or weeks before the first sprout. The time frame didn't stop you from believing it would happen. The same is true for getting what you want.

4) FEEL the feelings. Again, it is essential that while you envision what you want, you feel joy, gratitude, excitement, love, peace, passion.

5) DO! As you get guidance, opportunity and insight, do what you know to do . Enjoy the process.

6) RECEIVE! This is part of the process. Receive what you wanted. It often turns out better then what you wanted. Give thanks, put some of what you received back into the flow and start again!

NOW let's play with these magical steps. Take a look at the playtime renewal below.

Summertime - Playtime with Renewal!Take a look at the areas listed below. See which statements are true for you and the statements you'd like to be true for you. Now use the magical steps you just learned in the information above and apply the steps to what you want. Please be sure you write me with your results!

1) BODY -

* My is beautiful and exactly how I want it.

* My skin is beautiful.

* My teeth look great.

* My posture is great.

* I look and feel at least 10 years younger than my age.

* I eat healthy food and exercise regularly.

2) MY SPIRIT

* I see beauty in everything.
* I am well connected to spirit, which is my energy source.
* I feel overwhelmingly grateful.
* I have strong intuition and follow my intuition.
* I have a sense of God's presence around and through me.

3) MY HEART
* Each of my friends love me and are unconditionally positive with me.
* I ask for what I want and need.
* My heart feels joyous, loving & at peace.
* I protect myself from energy vampires and nasty, negative people.
* I am lighthearted and enjoyable to be with.

4) MY SELF CARE
* I am on the top of my "to do" list.
* I keep a pace that is comfortable for me.
* I enjoy my own company.
* I eat well & exercise regularly.
* I've looked at other areas of self care and added those enriching things into my life.

5) MY HOME
* I love being in my home.
* My home nourishes me.
* I have beauty inside and outside my home.
* I feel good welcoming others into my home.
* I feel safe, secure and happy in my home.

6) MY FAMILY
* I enjoy my partner, we are happy, kind and supportive of one another.
* My children are well balanced, socially skilled, compassionate individuals who take responsibility for their actions at an age appropriate level.
* I love being with my family.
* I have worked through issues from my family of origin and forgiven the past.
* I live in the present moments with my family.

7) MY WORK
* I love my work.
* My work is fulfilling, creative and enjoyable.
* I am amazingly well trained, highly competent and productive in my work.
* I am well regarded in my field.
* I enjoy my workspace.

8) MY FINANCES
* I have $100,000 in savings or liquid investments.
* I have insurance to take care of my health, loved ones & the things I own.
* My net income is increasing annually.
* I am taking advantage of the 8th wonder of world...i.e. compounding interest on sound investments.
* I have a sound financial plan for retirement.

Copyright 2007, Iris Fanning. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. www.irisfanning.com [http://www.irisfanning.com] Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way and give author name credit.

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Stay Happy - Keep the Faith!

How do you keep a positive faith filled life even with the myriad of changes and challenges facing you today?  I take a few minutes to nourish yourself and remind yourself that you are not alone. 
 
Many of my friends and colleagues are experiencing rapid, unpredictable change.  Most of this change is not the type we would wish for.  It includes: layoffs, salary reductions, health scares and concerns, ending of relationships and the like.  So, how do you keep your faith in uncertain times?  Let's look at a few ideas.

1)  You are not alone!  Call it Spirit, God, Universal Force, Love, Mystery, Life Force, or Angels.  We need to remind ourselves that we are not alone in any struggle, fear or circumstance.  That something greater than ourselves is as near as our next breath.  We are divinely protected and surrounded.  Our circumstances change, but this abiding force is constant.
 
2)  We don't have all the answers.  We don't need to have all the answers.   In the midst of trouble, it's hard to see what will be the results.  Fortunately, as we look back at the changes in our life, many have moved us forward, made us stronger and even turned out better than we hoped for.
 
3)  Surrender to what is.  A great deal of our stress comes when our expectations of what should be isn't met by what is.  We can come into acceptance of what is and even enjoy what is now.  We can do this while holding a vision of a more fulfilling future.
 
4)  Believe that things will be better.  In the midst of difficult circumstances, know that this is a season...and as with all seasons it will change.  Keep believing that a difficult time is a passing thing.  Keep your expectations on what you do want in your life. 
 
5)  Stay connected to others.  Social isolation simply isn't good for us.  Sometimes when things are difficult, we withdraw due to depression or embarrassment.  Now is the time to reach out and connect with others.  We gain energy from connecting, laughing and being playful.
 
Copyright 2009, Iris Fanning. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.  Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way and give author name credit

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There's a Secret to Getting Yourself to Meditate

As a meditation teacher, I've heard countless students share their excuses for why they didn't meditate in the past week. They wanted to. They know it would be good for them. They just didn't do it. At least, not consistently.

Something always seems to get in the way: they need more sleep, the dog needs to be walked, the kids are up, they had to work late or had an early meeting, they felt too anxious, worried, or irritable... Meditation just didn't seem as important as other things they had to do. Yet, all those things they did didn't give them the peace of mind they desired.

Of course, meditation is about changing your relationship with all the events, worries, and anxieties in your life. It's a daily ritual-like eating, sleeping, and brushing your teeth-that creates a more relaxed, healthy, meaningful, and intentional way of living. It's a powerful practice to realize the deep peace of mind we all desire. So, what's the secret to moving from excuses to practice?

The answer is: you've got to have a strong "Why?"

Where do you find your Why?

The answer may surprise you.

The Secret is Body Awareness

Your body is not just a mechanical vehicle for carrying out all the activities in your life. It is a highly-sensitive bio-feedback system.

Your body can tell you what is good for you to eat and how much, when you need to rest, when you need to relax and have fun, when you need to get up and move, and when you need to be alone, have contact with others, be in nature, and spend time in meditation. It connects you to when, why, and how much to do anything. If you're paying attention.

In our context, it connects you to WHY you might want to meditate in the first place. At least it has the potential to do this-if you pay attention. Yet, how often do you pause and really pay attention to your body's signals? How often do you stop to sense what it is telling you?

Why aren't you doing this?

First off, we have a culture that encourages just the opposite. We are encouraged to focus outwardly rather than inwardly. We are encouraged to do as much as possible. We are encouraged to gather as many products and as much wealth, data, and sensory input from the external environment as we possibly can.

We are encouraged to react quickly and are discouraged from taking time for well-considered and deeply felt responses. We are conditioned to quick reactions and sound bites on news and social media. We are impatient with anything that takes time. We go, go, go, until we are too exhausted to continue.

Do you feel this exhaustion?

Yet, are you worried about what might happen if you stop? Are you worried you'll fall behind and be left out? At a certain point, you may decide you just don't want to live this way anymore. When you reach this point-or preferably long before that-take a moment to pay attention inside. Notice what all this thinking, doing, worry, accumulation, and stimulation is doing to you.

Is there another option?

Meditation Creates a New Way of Being

Meditation interrupts nonstop thinking and doing and gives your body a chance to relax deeply-something you may not even get to do in a restless sleep. Consciously relaxing, as you do in meditation, unwinds tension accumulated beneath your awareness in the past 24 hours as well as in the years of your life up to this point. It slowly dissolves the reactive mental-emotional patterns that drive you on the hamster wheel of nonstop activity. It quiets your mental chatter.

Now, when you first start to meditate, you may not notice this relaxing, quieting, and calming effect. You may become even more aware of how busy your mind is, how conflicting your emotions are, and how tense your body is. If you have mistreated your body through over-stress for a long period of time, initial moments of Body Awareness in meditation might not feel so great.

Or, you may feel little to nothing at all. All that thinking, doing, and pushing yourself to do things you feel you "have to" or "should" do may have cut you off from how you feel. You may have lost touch with your vital sensations and feelings. You may just feel bored without external stimulation keeping you distracted.

Yet, discomfort, boredom, or numbness, when you face them honestly, directly, gently, and without judgment, as you do in meditation, can alert you to just how much you need to activate another way of being.

If you heed this signal and take time to sit, breathe, and mindfully notice what's happening inside-the layers of stress will begin to unwind and your vital senses will reawaken. As you unwind, Body Awareness may tell you just how exhausted you are from the way you are going about your life.

As you pay close attention to what your body has to say, you might find that all those things you've been chasing after may not be as important as they seemed. You may discover you don't want to live on the human hamster wheel of incessant activity, worry, and anxiety any longer. You may be inspired to make new choices that reflect your soul's deeper desires.

Meditation beckons you to a more relaxed, healthy, meaningful, and intentional way of living-and your body will tell you just how important this is-if you pay attention.

Want to get started meditating? You'll be gently guided into deep relaxation and calm clarity with Clear Quiet Mind Meditations. Just click "Play" and follow along. Download on CD Baby or Download on ITunes

Kevin Schoeninger is a writer and teacher of Mind-Body training, including Mindfulness, Meditation, Qigong, and Reiki. He is the author of the book "Clear Quiet Mind" and numerous guided meditations and programs in the field of personal empowerment and spiritual growth.

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Turning Point

There in times in life when significant changes occur and not everyone can figure out why that happened. Following are some of the reasons why people change:

1. They "hit bottom" - This low is different for each person. No matter how dysfunctional their choices might appear to others, people do not change until life doesn't work for them anymore! When they get to the point that they can't stand the why things are going, they consider going another direction.
2. They receive information that gives them good options that they didn't have previously. Someone might have had a dream to get an education but couldn't imagine quitting their job and moving to another location. Then they find out that they can continue to work at least part-time while studying in a certified online program.
3. They had a role model who set an example and encouraged them to reach a similar goal. The fact that another person has already been successful and believes that others can do the same, is powerful!
4. Time and Opportunity meet. Many for example, believe that Barack Obama would never have become the first black President in a different time. He apparently asked if he could wait and was told that he had to run when he did because the opportunity was ripe and might not be again in the near future,
5. Hope shines through and drags people forward despite the barriers and distractions.
6. All of the above - Many individuals believe that you need a little bit of everything mixed in the right portions.

Turning points can occur in a number of different ways most of which are positive. While one person begins enjoying better health another might find a better career. A business might see noticeable growth and a relationship improve communication styles.

I think that the major key, however, is that one must have an open mind towards change. There is no maintenance in life. You are either moving forward or moving backward.

If there is an area in your life that you do not like, the good news is that you have options. Tal with trusted family and friends in order to glean new ideas. Take responsibility for your own life and be prepared to invest time and energy now in order to enjoy rewards in the future.

Hopefully, even reading this article will help you to consider ways that you can launch yourself into making plans for your next positive turning point.

And now I would like to invite you to claim your Free Instant Access to a complimentary list of 10 Steps to Making Your Life an Adventure when you visit http://lindahancock.com

From Dr. Linda Hancock, Registered Psychologist and Registered Social Worker

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To reach beyond your limits by training your mind | Marisa Peer | TEDxKCS

Systems Make Everything Easier

Recently I wasn't feeling well. My head hurt. I was dizzy and the bathroom was barely close enough. My system was a mess!

Our bodies have several different systems. One is for digestion. Another involves lymph nodes. We have a system for blood circulation as well as several others.

It is not just the body that has systems. For example, there are transit systems, accounting systems, justice and security systems. At a personal level, we can all benefit from having systems both at home and in the workplace.

Here are some of the unique things to consider about systems:

1. They consist of several parts or steps.
2. It usually takes thought and planning to create a good system.
3. There are many resources available that provide ideas to help you.
4. Systems will usually save time and energy.
5. When one-part malfunctions, the whole system is negatively affected.
6. Maintenance and upgrades may be required to ensure efficiency.
7. People have different opinions about which systems are working well for them and which aren't so it is important to consider feedback from those who will be affected.
8. Tried and true systems last over time.

What are some of the systems that you need to create or to review in your life? Is your desk covered with paper and files? Are you struggling to find things in your garage? Perhaps you are regularly late for commitments and need to have a system to facilitate.

Do you find that you are spending a lot of money because you never have a menu plan or grocery list? Are you finding it difficult to clean because your appliances aren't working properly?

Perhaps you are feeling unwell because you haven't had nutritious meals or enough rest.

A system can be as easy as implementing things that you already have in your life. It involves setting up a process to get things done easily. For example, when you have taken out the meat for supper in advance, you don't have to come up with a plan at the last minute. Treating your washing machine, dryer and dishwasher as unpaid help allow you to feel control. Just load them up and push the buttons so they can work for you.

This week invest time in planning ways that you can develop or improve systems in your life. You will feel more in control and will notice that your productivity increases.

And now I would like to invite you to claim your Free Instant Access to a complimentary list of 10 Steps to Making Your Life an Adventure when you visit http://lindahancock.com

From Dr. Linda Hancock, Registered Psychologist and Registered Social Worker

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5 Lessons To Live By - Dr. Wayne Dyer (Truly Inspiring)

How to Use Affirmations to Make Profound Impacts in Your Daily Life

very morning you wake up, write down an affirmation in your handy notebook and leverage it to make good impacts throughout your day. How would you do that? Read on to find out.

Here are some examples of affirmations and the results they can produce:

1. I strengthen my relationships one level higher both at the home and work fronts

When you write the above affirmation in your notebook, it leaves an imprint in your mind. And it is the very thing that goes about making the affirmation a reality throughout the day. For instance, you pass a good compliment to a co-worker at work. You make her happy and you yourself become happy. Then you get a call from your hubby and you greet him well and also help him solve the problem he is having at hand. And you both become happier in the process. Therefore, the chain of joy and goodness goes on all along.

2. I can figure out the problem of finding my life direction

Once you have it written early in the morning, it gets ingrained in your brain. And it goes about giving you hints and signs about what actions to take to move forward and in what direction. Take little steps. For instance, you meet a friend on the way to shopping and she excitedly tells you that the novel she wrote has become a bestseller on Amazon and New York Times. That gives you an edge. You start wondering if writing is your cup of tea and you finally make a choice and go about taking further little steps until you reach your desired new goal.

3. I can improve the wellness of my family

Once you write the above affirmation after waking up from a good night's sleep, like before, your mind will start to influence the events that take place thereafter. For instance, when you go to pick up your kids from their school, you meet there a nutritionist mother you have talked to before. She starts talking about tips on health and fitness. And you ask if there is a good book you could buy regarding the topic. And in return, she gives you a free copy of her book on your desired topic that she has authored recently. While you benefit from the book, she wants you to promote it in your neighborhood and community. The book is an asset to you because as you read the tips and start applying them to your life directly, you actually improve the wellness of your family.

4. I can solve the puzzle of my complex work project

Again writing the above affirmation in your notebook before heading for work, your mind gropes for ways to help you with your problem. There is something you don't understand about your project. Who could help? While you are still working hard at it at your workplace, a colleague passes by to invite you to her fiftieth birthday party after work at the nearby restaurant. You remember that she had completed a similar work project in the past and you immediately take the opportunity to ask her about a piece of the puzzle in your project. She is able to help you out as she is more knowledgeable and skilled than you. You have a puzzle piece solved and you work on the rest of the pieces in order to integrate them together into a solution. Doing everything by yourself is almost always impossible, you gather and so if the older lady could help you out, you can take a little help from other good cooperative colleagues as well from time to time.

Summing up, affirmations could come to use in the above profound ways and you never know how they will lead you to unlock your problems and open up the mysteries behind them and materialize them through interesting solutions.

Rosina S Khan has authored this article. For a wealth of free resources based on stunning fiction stories, amazing self-help eBooks, commendable articles, quality scholar papers and valuable blogs, all authored by her, and much more, visit: http://rosinaskhan.weebly.com. You will be glad that you did.

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How I Beat Procrastination | Robin Sharma