Thinking Games

Classic thinking games are a great way to tune up your brain. You can use these mind games to help you increase your brain power and to get you out of your thinking "ruts." Play them enough, and they'll habituate you to using creative problem solving as a normal part of thinking about things.

Thinking Games For Groups

Group thinking games are especially good for long trips in a car. Have someone look out the window, for example, and randomly choose an object. Everyone in the car then tries to imagine a new way to make money with it. Common street signs become places to advertise, trees are sold with names, and a truck becomes a traveling grocery store.

Use the "change of perspective" technique as a problem-solving game. Just pick any topic, and see who can come up with the most unique new perspective. Could there be a world where jobs weren't necessary? How would a virus define morality if it was conscious?

One creative thinking game uses a technique called "concept combination." You simply combine random concepts or things in interesting ways, and see who has the best idea. A chair and a microwave? Maybe an easy-chair with a built-in cooler, microwave and television, or microwavable "couch potatoes" - a potato snack in the shape of a couch.

More Thinking Games

A lateral thinking puzzle you can try right now involves nine dots, layed out three by three. Connect them all with four straight lines, without lifting the pen or pencil from the paper. When you figure this one out you'll appreciate the expression "thinking outside of the box."

Many lateral-thinking puzzles use a scenario, real or imagined, with a selection of things you have to use to accomplish something. Imagine a ping-pong ball in an iron pipe that's set in cement. The pipe sticks up three-feet high, and has almost the same diameter as the ball. Using only a box of frosted-flakes, and a t-shirt, and your body and mind, how many ways can you find to get the ball out of the pipe? You could also set this up for real, to know if a proposed solution will really work.

Many riddles are just mind games or lateral-thinking puzzles. You move laterally in your mind, away from your usual line of thought, to solve a riddle. For example, what did his friends do when the canibal was late for dinner? They gave him the cold shoulder, of course! Keeping your brain in shape doesn't have to be a matter of serious study. Why not play some thinking games?

High Energy = Instant Attraction

It was a drab Monday and I was in a black mood that day. My shoulders were hunched. I walked with a shuffle. I avoided eye contact. My normal "life-of-the-party" spirit was dead.... and somehow that shrouded me with a queer impenetrable invisibility.

Wherever I went, people didn't notice me. The salesgirl failed to serve me. The waiter failed to pass the
menu. And a dog nearly ran me over. I might as well have been dead!

It felt oddd. That was the first time I ever felt like a none-entity.

Around lunch time I entered Starbucks and got me a shot of mochha frap. Zap! Almnost instantly, the caffein lifted my mood... and with it, my vital energy came flooding back. I automatically reared higher. My gait widened. I made eye contact. And best of all, I began smiling.

The magic didn't stop there. With my personal energy flooding out my pores, I noticed an instant effect on those around me. Strangers greeted me with grins. A police offer waved. And a dog came to be petted. What a difference one's mood does to those around us!

Here are some techniques to be noticed:

* Maintain high energy levels. Avoid heavy meats and starchy foods which kill metabolism. Go for organic veggies and fish.
* Walk with purpose. Keep your spine straight and take measured steps.
* Gesture with command. Occupy as much space as you can. Model after Pierce Brosnan
* Maintain constant eye contact. The eyes can magnetize even the most frigid.
* Vary the tone of your voice. Monotony kills.
* Greet everyone you see. The clerk. The officer. The vendor. Even the dog.
* Smile smile smile smile!
* Be distinct. Wear something decent and unique that no one else has.
* Have an active lifetsyle. Go to the gym. Play ball. Athletes are attractive because their personal energy is boundless.
* Mingle at gatherings instead of sitting at a corner.

Want to be the life of the party? Keep your mood up. Straighten up, smile and walk with confidence. And don't forget the coffee.

Our Fears And Worries Can Distort The Reality Of The Situation

At times, our worries and anxieties can overwhelm us. In addition, our worries can distort our perception of what is reality and what is not. Here is a brief list of techniques that a person can use to help gain a better perspective on things during our anxious moments.

When feeling anxious, stop what you are doing and try to do something that will relax you. A person should take a deep breath and try to find something to do for a few minutes to get their mind off of the problem. A person could get some fresh air, listen to some music, or do an activity that will give them a fresh perspective on things.

Remember that our fearful thoughts are exaggerated and can make the problem worse. A good way to manage your worry is to challenge your negative thinking with positive statements and realistic thinking. When encountering thoughts that make your fearful or anxious, challenge those thoughts by asking yourself questions that will maintain objectivity and common sense.

When overwhelmed with worry, a person may encounter a lot of scary thoughts coming at them all at once. Instead of getting upset, remember that these thoughts are exaggerated and are not based on reality. From my interviews with various professionals, I’ve learned that usually it is the fear behind the thoughts that gets us worked up. Ignore the fear behind these thoughts, and your worry should decrease.

Remember that all the worrying in the world will not change anything. I realized that most of what we worry about never comes true. Instead of worrying about something that probably won’t happen, concentrate on what you are able to do. Everything else you can leave in the hands of God.

As a Layman, I realize it is not easy to deal with all of our fears. When your fears and anxieties have the best of you, try to calm down and then get the facts of the situation. The key is to take it slow. All you can do is to do your best each day, hope for the best, and when something does happen, take it in stride. Take things one step at a time, and things will work out.

Nightmares

Nightmares are the type of dream everyone fears and wants to avoid. By their nature, these dreams are fearful, but often they need to be faced. The mind may be presenting them to us in such a dramatic manner because we have ignored a message for a prolonged period of time and it’s resorting to more drastic means to get our attention.

The truth is, many nightmares are actually gifts that we should be thankful for because they are trying to help us.

Avoidance is the wrong response. The strong emotions evoked by these intense dreams are cries for help, and like a baby crying in the night for attention … they will not be denied. The longer you ignore them, the louder they will get! Therefore ignoring nightmares is not only the wrong response, it’s impractical in that it will make them worse.

Sometimes the subconscious mind will work with your nightmares to bring resolutions without you being consciously aware of the entire process. But when nightmares become recurring, then it’s a sign that your conscious attention is being sought.

It’s more common to wake up in the middle of a nightmare than during a regular dream. It’s also more common to remember a nightmare. This is, again, by design as a way of trying to get your attention.

The best way to get rid of a recurring nightmare is to deal with it – that is to deal with the issue it’s presenting. It will take some courage, but here are some tips on how to do it:

· Rather than turning and shooting a monster or “bad guy” that is chasing you, it’s better to turn and ask the aggressor how you can help it. Use such questions as “What is it you want to tell me,” or “How can I help you help me?”

· Come up with solutions by asking other “cast members” in the dream what resolution they would like to see.

· Bring your Spiritual Guide into the dream and ask for his/her suggestions.

Nightmares may also be caused by trauma, psychiatric problems or drugs (both legal and illegal). In such cases the care of a health care professional should be sought immediately.

Lucid Dreaming 101

The first step to using hypnosis in lucid dreaming or "dream control" begins with remembering your dreams. A key point to consider is that everybody dreams. You may not remember your dreams when you wake but in an 8 hour night of sleeping you usually have five or more dreams.

Before retiring at night take several deep breaths. Close your eyes and relax each muscle group in turn. Begine with your feet. Tense them and hold for a few seconds then release the tension and relax. Move up your body to your head until you have relaxed your entire body. Imagine that you are descending a long flight of stairs with ten steps. Breath with each step you take and repeat the word "relax". Once at the bottom imagine that you are in a tranquil setting and rest there awhile.

Now mentally tell yourself that when you awaken you will be fresh, rested, full of energy and will remember your last dream in vivid detail.

Have a pen and small book beside your bed and upon awakening immediately ask yourself, what did I dream last night? Focus on taking deep breaths. Then write down in your dream in as much detail as you can recall. This is an important step so don't overlook it!

After several days of this pratise look over your written dream accounts and look for recurring themes. I always have something to drink or some sort of drinking liquid in mine. Your "dream sign" may be different.

Now when retiring the next night go through your relaxation exercise and tell yourself that you will become aware that you are dreaming when you encounter your dream sign. Tell yourself that it is a sign that you should awaken in your dream.

Do this for several nights and you will experience a lucid dream. Remember to record your dream just after waking. Studies have shown that many people have lucid dreams then forget that they had them a short time after waking. Keeping a journal of your dream experiences keeps them fresh in your mind and trains your brain to remember them.

Don't be discouraged if you don't lucid dream at the start. This is a new skill that must be learned. If you persevere you will achieve results. Should you wish to accelerate your results you may wish to read the review of the lucid dreaming kit on the site below.

Teamwork and Jigsaw puzzles

All of us talk of team work. Sports thrive on teams. Every business wants to develop winning teams. Every president or prime minister brings his own team. What is there in teams? A team is needed because a lone person can not handle all the work. So one gathers different experts, creates a team, sits back and hopes that the team will bring in great results in a short time. But many times, the team proves to be a dismal failure. Why?

Let us talk of human psychology for a moment. Ego, that is the first to kill the team spirit. Why should I work under him/her? Why should I give in and accept what you say. What I say is correct and all of you are out of your senses! Ego. This is the first danger in a good team. You must have played with jigsaw puzzles. Unless, every piece fits in, you will never get the whole picture.

Whether the piece is small or big, whether it looks good or bad, it has its place in the picture and you must fit that ugly looking small piece to get the picture right. Are you getting it? One of the team members may be the sharpest and smartest person going around, but unless he/she gets support from other members for whom he/she has no respect, the team will not achieve results. Respect for individuals is the most essential part of a good team. Trying to take care of each other's weaknesses and complementing them with your strengths will bring a balance. Appreciating the smallest achievement and ignoring mistakes will make team happy gathering.

But the first need for a good team is to work towards a common goal. The goal that excites ever member. A goal that everyone wants to achieve. A goal that fires their imagination and a goal that can make them ignore the hardship of work. Goals that will make all of them feel great, when achieved. Goals are the first and the most essential part of a team's success. If a team is not motivated to achieve a goal, that team will fail.

A very good method is to send few motivational ecards to fire the imagination and make a person, a great team leader and member.

Six Easy Ways To Cope With Burnout

Have you ever been hopeless, powerless, cynical, and unsuccessful at work? Having such feelings means you are experiencing burnout.

Burnout is physical or emotional exhaustion, especially because of long-term stress. It can happen when your body and mind get so much stress from working too hard, feeling unappreciated and concerned about job security, getting confused about expectation and priorities, etc.

In such conditions, you may get very sad, angry, lack of interest and motivation. That can lead you to unhappiness and depression, and in the end, it possibly threatens your health, your job, and jeopardizes your relationship with colleagues and family.

If you are experiencing burnout, what can you do to cope with it? Here are some ways:

1. Take care of your body - Eat right, sleep well, do exercise and see doctor if you feel burnout. If you can take care of your physical health, it will reduce your burnout.

2. Do your favorite things - Make a schedule for spoiling yourself in a day, week or month. Reading favorite books or doing your hobbies is like “recharging your batteries” after going through a difficult period.

3. Talk with others - Communicate with others who will listen and understand you, but not judge you. Talking with others like that will ease your emotion and you are practicing healthy communication. Be sure to let your emotion out in healthy and productive ways.

4. Make realistic targets - Setting targets for your life will give you a real sense of purpose. Make personal targets divided into short and long terms and set up a plan to achieve the targets. To learn and reach new targets will ease your burnout.

5. Enhance your relationship - Getting closer to your partner, children, friends and other people you can count on will help restore your energy. It can ease your burnout, as you will not feel underappreciated

6. Understand your strengths and weaknesses - Knowing your strengths and weaknesses can help you learn better ways to deal with day-to-day stress. Your can avoid stress once you recognize the cause.

Initiative

I wanted to share with you something that I discovered while I was watching an excellent video online. I learned about the concept of initiative and taking action and how simple it can be to catapult yourself past immobility. Having said this, keep in mind that initiative is as essential to success as a hub is essential to a wheel. And initiative is precisely taking action when we know it ought to be done but no one is asking for it to be done. Most of the time, when we elect to put aside some action that needs to be taken, we are anticipating that our effort may not give us exactly what we desire from it. Whether our desire is instant gratification or simply a journey of smooth sailing we often anticipate one or both of these things will evade us and we are caught up in immobility due to fear. When we accept that our efforts will at some point deliver to us that which we are working toward, we can more easily surpass any fear that stumps us.

Taking action that results in achievement truly does require us to gradually overcome the bumps and tough spots along the way, but by continually putting forth effort in this manner, we can achieve numerous things that are very much worth the work.

I'd like to share with you a powerful example of how initiative can propel a person into high achievement. Two men who initially came to know one another while in high school, were each doing their own thing in their adult lives, but they did manage to keep in contact. One day the two men decided that since they recognized a need in the computer industry they would take it upon themselves to write a simplified version of the programming language called BASIC. For two months they worked on the rewriting of BASIC, and then contacted contacted the computer engineer who designed the computer that used the language. The simplified version worked, and the engineer was so impressed with the work that the two men were given a contract with the production company. Soon they were adapting other programming languages for the computer and by that summer they formed a company they called Microsoft. Without initiative, a person will remain caught up in a life of less than average quality. With initiative, comes great reward.


Thank you for taking initiative in reading this post.
Joe Clinton.

You Can Not Hide Or Runaway From Your Fears And Anxieties

Sooner or later, you will have to face your fears and anxieties regardless of how difficult they may be. As a layman and an author of a Managing Fear book, there were times that my fears had the best of me. Through these experiences, there is one thing that I learned. You can’t hide or runaway from your fears. Taking drugs, drinking, or other methods will not take away your problems and fears.

So what do you do to make your problems and fears go away? Well, since you can’t runaway from them, then the best solution is to tackle your fears head on no matter how strong they may be. The key is to be smart in how you try to manage these fears.

Do not tackle all of your fears at once. Deal with them one at a time. The best solution is to break your fears or problems into a series of smaller steps. Completing these smaller tasks one at a time will make the stress more manageable and increases your chances of success. If you still have trouble then seek the services of a professional.

Do not give up. Managing your fears takes practice. If it doesn’t work the first time around then try again. Remember that practice makes perfect.

Learn how to manage your negative thoughts that may be difficult to manage. When experiencing a negative thought, read some positive statements and affirmations that help lift your spirits and make you feel better. A lot of our fears are based on our negative thoughts.

Take it one day at a time. Each day can provide us with different opportunities to learn new things and that includes learning how to deal with your problems. Focus on the present and stop trying to predict what may happen next week. Next week will take care of itself.

Managing your fears and anxieties will take some hard work. Trying to avoid you problems will do nothing in getting rid of your fears and anxieties. Sooner or later, you will have to confront your fears and anxieties. Patience, persistence, education, and being committed in trying to solve your problem will go along way in fixing your problems.

Managing Your Fears And Anxieties Takes Practice

Like everything in life, managing your fears and anxieties takes practice. The more you do it, the better you will become. Here are a few reminders on how you can become better at dealing with your fears, depression, and anxieties.

Take advantage of the help that is available around you. If possible, talk to a professional who can help you manage your fears and anxieties. They will be able to provide you with additional advice and insights on how to deal with your current problem. By talking to a professional, a person will be helping themselves in the long run because they will become better able to deal with their problems in the future.

In every anxiety related situation you experience, begin to learn what works, what doesn’t work and what you need to improve on in managing your fears and anxieties. As an author of a managing fear book, there were times that I didn’t know how to handle my fear and anxieties. I made it a point to learn what techniques worked for me when I became anxious. I did this for fifteen years and gained a lot of valuable information on how to deal with my anxieties.

When managing your fears and anxieties do not try to tackle everything at once. The best solution is to break your fears or problems into a series of smaller steps. Completing these smaller tasks one at a time will make the stress more manageable and increases your chances of success.

Learn as much as you can in managing anxiety and depression. There are many books and information that will educate you on how to deal with fear and anxiety. Try to find those books that review many effective techniques in dealing with fear and anxiety. Education is the key in finding the answers your looking for in managing your fears.

As a Layman, the best way to deal with your fears is to find effective ways to overcome them. Remember that all you can do is to do your best each day, hope for the best, and take it in stride by using the help of God. Patience, education, and lots of practice will go along way in fixing your problems.

You Hold the Key to Creating Balance in Your Life

Copyright 2006 Red Ladder, Inc.

I often chuckle at how hard so many of us seem to be working to find the ever elusive balance that we seek. Some of you are probably personally convinced (and some days I am too!) that balance simply does not really exist. Perhaps you have told yourself that having balance is simply one of those urban legends. Sort of like the Loch Ness Monster, you've heard of it but never seen it.

So what is balance? There are many definitions of balance. According to Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, one definition of balance means to bring into harmony or proportion. Another is to bring to a state or position of equipoise. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to note the word poise in the word equipoise and that certainly sounds like something I'd like more of. Wouldn't you?

So, how do you get it? Simply put, you get balance by developing the ability to prioritize and focus on those things that are most important to you, and to let go of those things that aren't important to you. And, this requires that you have a personal definition of success, a clear understanding of your values, and a means for evaluating all of the demands on your time that you receive on a daily basis. You also need to define what balance looks like and feels like for you. And finally, you must stop comparing yourself to others!

Posted next to my telephone are the top three strategic priorities by which I evaluate or screen all demands on my time. When a demand for my time comes in, I review it against these strategic priorities and then I make a choice as to what I should do. There are only three things that I can do with any demand on my time:

1. DO it. Complete what is requested of me.

2. DELEGATE it. Ask someone else to do it.

3. DISCARD it. Decline the request altogether.

Like most women, you are probably very adept at doing what is requested of you. However, you could probably use lessons on delegating and saying no in the first place.

So my challenge for you is this. Consciously practice delegating and saying no more often. Then, do something just for you. If this fits with your vision of balance, then you are on the right track. If not, then you have more work to do. Remember, you hold the key to balance in your life. If you select which door you open thoughtfully, you will find that balance can indeed be yours. And that's a good thing.

Managing The Stresses And Anxieties Of Maintaining A Family

It can be tough in dealing with the stresses and anxieties maintaining your family and/or household. Some people may have a hard time taking care of the kids, holding down a job, and taking care of the house. Here are some tips on how parents can manage their stresses and anxieties of taking care of a family

The first step a parent can do is to learn to prioritize their daily activities. Each morning, determine what are the most important things that need to be done. List them in order and then do each task one at a time. If the first task is to go shopping then that is what you focus on. When that is finished, then focus on the second task which may be to clean the house. Perform each task one at a time. Remember that doing everything all at once can cause a lot of stress and anxiety.

Learn to communicate with your spouse. If you don’t communicate with one another than you will become unorganized and stressed. This will increase your anxiety and stresses. If you and your spouse learn to work together, you will accomplish more things, you won’t feel rushed and you will have more satisfaction in what you are doing.

Take a break from every few hours to catch your breath. A five or ten minute break can help you to get relaxed and will help you to regain control of your anxieties. Take a couple of deep breaths, take a quick walk to help unwind, or read a book. Taking a small break will help you to refocus on what still needs to be done later in the day.

Learn to plan your family tasks ahead of time. It is easier to follow a structured plan then it is to just do whatever comes to mind. Developing some kind of plan for the next day will help you to stay focus on what needs to be done. Once you accomplish your daily goals, you will feel better about yourself.

Managing a household doesn’t have to be difficult if you learn how to manage your anxieties and stresses. If you are having trouble, then talk to a professional who can give you additional advice on how to better manage your stresses.

Typing Tutor - Better Jobs Just Ahead!

Looking for a better job? Who isn’t? People that type fast get more work done in less time and with fewer mistakes. Many employers require a typing test before hiring new employees. Want some help to pass the test? Typing tutors help you learn to type quick and easy at home in a few days. Besides, you don’t have much choice, How soon do you need more money? Now? That settles it.. it’s time to download typing tutor software and learn to type fast.

Typing Tutor Programs

OK, typing lessons, here we come... Where do you start? You visit a Typing Tutor website and download a program of typing lessons, typing games and quizzes and start learning to type in minutes. How long does it take to learn to type? Most typing tutor programs estimate about ten hours to learn to type well. Just downloading the typing tutor software gives you get the
feeling you’re on the way to a better job - and you are!

Typing Lessons Fun and Effective?

Typing tutor software is designed to be FUN! May not as much fun as a barrel of monkeys, but fun just the same. The typing lessons are given through a mix of games and exercises and tests to keep you on your toes, oops, fingers! The typing tests are to give you confidence and practice to pass an employer’s typing test.

Typing Tutor - Extra Benefits

Besides finding a better job, a typing tutor gives you a sense of accomplishment. After years spent looking down at the keyboard, you’ll be able to touch type. This improves your writing skills by focusing on your thoughts not on the keyboard. How fast will your typing tutor train you to type – about 70 words per minute. If you hang out in chat rooms, you’ll make more contacts and answer more email than ever before thanks to your typing lessons.

Find a Better Job - Typing lessons

Once your master your typing lessons, you'll be able to find a better job. People that take typing lessons are better qualified to handle certain jobs because they know how to type fast. You can too. It's easy and fun to take typing lessons with online software programs and fun games. Best of all, in a few hours of typing lessons, your typing tutor will show you just how much you typing skills have improved. You still have to find the job, your typing tutor software will help you land the job you always wanted.

Is It Stress Or An Anxiety Attack?

Stress can lead to a host of problems and manifest itself in many ways. One of the more predominant results of stress is an anxiety attack. An anxiety attack can happen at any time to those who suffer from this disorder. Some studies have pointed to a steady increase of people who suffer from anxiety attacks and other stress related disorders.

Time Magazine printed an article that referred to the cause of anxiety attacks, which is stress, as an epidemic in 1983. No one would argue against the fact that the world around us has gotten to be a more stressful place, and that can only mean that the number of anxiety attacks will continue to increase.

In today’s world, no one is immune from the ill effects of stress, whether it is in the form of depression, agoraphobia or anxiety attacks. Many of us have experience an anxiety attack and never knew it for what it actually was. That’s because few people know the symptoms of an anxiety attack. Those who suffer from repeated anxiety attacks learn to know the symptoms, and when the onset of an attack is on its way.

A true anxiety attack is much more intense than just feeling stressed out at the end of the day. An anxiety attack can come on suddenly at any time, not just after a single stressful event. Often, the attack overwhelms the individual in one instant, and for no apparent cause. It is estimated that one out of three Americans will experience an anxiety attack, and one out of every seventy five people worldwide will experience an anxiety attack at least once within their lifetime.

How do you know if you’re suffering from an anxiety attack? Well, the symptoms are varied, but they can be very intense, so it is easily distinguished from the regular stressed out feeling we have at the end of the day. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you could be having an anxiety attack, and should see a doctor right away.

Extreme nervousness with shaking.

Difficulty breathing, feeling as though you cannot get enough air.

Runaway heartbeat.

Ignoring Negative Criticism

In his book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” Dave Carnegie said that humans hate negative criticism.

At that time, I thought it was just emotional stuffs.

However, negative criticism does not only hurt emotionally but can also hurt your interests realistically.

Most of negative criticisms are not true. Even if it’s true, it’s not worth paying attention to.

John Maxwell said that we should spend at least 70% of our time on our strengths and only 5% on our weaknesses. Negative criticism puts too much of our attention on what we’re weak at.

If somebody tells David Beckham, a great soccer player, that he’s such an idiot because he can’t play golf, do you think David should pay attention to that and learn golf instead?

We probably cannot improve too much the points that we’re weak at anyway. Moreover, by allocating resources to improve our weakness we’re taking away resources that could have gone to improve our strength.

However, the world is full with so many people that would rain down negative criticism to their neighbors.

These acts are often justified by strange fairy tales. For example, the purpose of school is to create a whole well-balanced new human being.

Implicit in the idea of “whole” and “balanced” is, of course, the idea you should improve your weakness.

If it doesn’t serve you to listen or pay attention to negative criticism, why are people uttering it?

Envy.

Many people, out of envy bigotry do not want you to be successful. They want to stop you from being successful.

Imagine if a male makes a lot of money and attracts many females, the other males will not get any and would go extinct, right? Hence, so many males have strong preferences to prevent you from getting rich.

They come up with various ways to trick or force you from the one “all right” path you have chosen to success.
One way to do it is through frivolous negative criticism.

Ignoring criticism will not become a straightforward silver bullet. However, it would work quite well and a good advice enough for an article.

Self Improvement With Affirmations

Affirmations are very powerful tools that can be key in bringing about change in your life, whether it is in the form of personal change or bringing new situations into your life. Self-affirmations are healing, optimistic messages that you give to yourself to counter your negative messages. Affirmations resemble visualization with mental images but words are used instead. Words you say out loud, read or write each day that will help you internalize what you want to be and what you hope to achieve. Affirmations are self improvement prophecies that when visualized and believed in will come true.

Just repeating the words is not enough. Affirmations are not magical sentences that are said just a few times and then create miracles. For affirmations to produce results, they should be repeated often with feeling and conviction.

Affirmations are said starting with the words: “I am”, “I can”, and “I will”. An I am affirmation is a statement of who you are such as I am intelligent or I am creative. An I can affirmation is a statement of your potential and power to change such as I can be strong or I can be a winner. An I will affirmation is a statement of positive change that you want to accomplish such as I will control my temper or I will handle financial matters wisely today. Affirmations should always be stated in a positive manner. An excellent way to use affirmations is to right down 30 of them, each on a separate index card. Each day of the month focus on one affirmation. Keep the card with you displayed in your sight and read it out loud during the day.

Affirmations help you to improve yourself because by nature humans are compelled to follow what they believe in. What motivates you is your belief in the end result. If you continually tell yourself something, your inner self will make it become true. Affirmations strengthen ambition, create new solutions and activate the subconscious mind in order to make your affirmation come true. The affirmations you repeat will become a positive habit that will result in self improvement of your mind, body and soul.

What's Your Passion?

Okay, you've decided you want to make money with Affiliate Marketing. So, you join some affiliate programs and start submitting free ads to newsletters and free advertising classifieds sites. You're going to make BIG money now -- right?

Nope! Sorry! Just sending out a few ads is not going to do it. Not if you want to be a real success.

You must first determine your passion. I mean other than making the money! What is your hobby? What do you know how to do REALLY well? What is your job? Everyone has something that is their own special talent. Find yours.

You probably have more than one thing that you are very interested in and do well. See if you can find five (ten if you're really ambitious). Write them down in a list. Remember, you are going to be spending a lot of time working with this subject. Make sure you enjoy it!

Go down each item on your list. Start writing a rough outline of everything you know about the topic. It doesn't have to be elaborate. This is just to give you an idea of how much information is available for a given subject.

Try mind mapping. Write down the main subject of your idea. Draw a circle around it. Now, start thinking of sub-categories that are related to your main category. Draw a line from your main category and end it with a circle. Put the sub-category title inside this circle. Find as many sub-categories (and sub-sub-categories) as you can.

Go through each of your interests with this procedure. Choose the one that you know the most about and that you can write about comfortably.
What if you "think" you don't know enough about your topic? Then, do some research. Read books and magazines. Do some searches on the Internet. Who knows? You might find an area, a niche, that is just waiting for you to fill it with useful information.

There's a lot more to affiliate marketing, of course. But the first step is to find your passion. Your "passion" doesn't have to be making money on the Internet. It can be cooking, sewing, billiards, or whatever. In fact, it's better if you find a niche that isn't in the online marketing arena because that's what nearly everyone else is doing.

Make your topic unique. Make it yours. And make it your passion. It will pay you well.

Using Alcohol Or Taking Drugs Will Not Take Away Your Worries

At some point in time, you feel lost and confused. No matter what you do, you worries and fears are bothering you. In these particular cases, some people may turn to alcohol or other substances to manage their worries and stresses.

Using alcohol or taking drugs will not take away all of your problems. You might feel better now, but down the road you will feel worse.

So what do you do to manage your fears and worries? The key is in how you manage your stresses and worries. Here are some ways in how to manage your fears and anxieties.

Get some help. Discussing your problems with a counselor can go a long way in overcoming your fears and anxieties. By getting some help, you will learn better ways to deal with your problems. In the long run, you will be successful in dealing with your future problems if you get professional help.

Do not try to get rid of all of your worries at the same time. Determine which of your worries bothers you the most and try to tackle that one first. When you are able to manage this particular worry then go on to the next one. Do not put everything on your plate at the same time. Take it one step at a time.

Do not try to determine what may or may not happen later on. Just focus on the present and do not look too far ahead. Take care of today’s problems and don’t focus down the road. Tomorrow’s problems will take care of themselves. Use your energy to deal with today’s problems.

Begin to learn what works in managing your worries. For instance, you have a lot of anxiety and you decide to read a book to feel better. The next time you feel anxious you can read another book because reading made you feel better the last time.

Remember that using alcohol or other substances will only make things worse for you. Instead of using these things, get some help and practice using constructive techniques in managing your fears. It will take some hard work and lot of patience. The key is to be persistent and be committed in trying to solve your problem.

Stammering Speech Therapy

Are you somebody who has a stammer? My name is Stephen Hill and I had a stammer problem which started when I was aged four. After suffering with the speech impediment for eighteen years, I then, afer a lot of hard work, managed to achieve fluency. This article is about the types of speech therapy that are available for stammering.

After my stammer developed, my parents decided that I needed to attend some sort of speech therapy. I attended various types of therapy, some in groups, some on a one to one basis. I was given lots of different advice about how to stop stammering. These are some of them:

slowing down the speed of my speech

costal breathing

prolonging each word or sound

taking a deep breath before I started speaking

I had started in the class which is sometimes referred to as preschool stammering. I was very young to attend stammering speech therapy and my parents were reassured that most people who stammer in childhood soon grow out of it. Well for whatever reason, I was one of those who continued well into my adult life.

I grew older and then joined the class known as childhood stammering. I continued to attend speech therapy and joining in with their speech therapy activities and their speech therapy games. This had little effect on my fluency and it has to be stated, that I really did not want to attend these anti stammering sessions. This was because I felt that the people who were trying to help me, did not really understand what I was going through, as they had never actually had a stammer themselves.

I then progressed to the class called, adult stammering. I now decided that speech therapy was not really working for me and seeked alternative stammering therapy.

I decided to try my own form of stammering self help. Even though I had a stammer, at times I could talk very well. As an example when I was drunk, I spoke superbly. This was possibly because of the additional confidence the alcohol seemed to give me.

After nearly a year I managed to overcome stammering and eradicate the stammer once and for all. As a career I now help other people to stop stammering.

How To Find Good Counseling

Counseling is a profession that aims to help people. It is one that the practitioner enters into knowing that they get the most out of making the lives of those they work with better. And in order to find the type of counseling that works best for you, it is critical that you understand this - the counseling professional you choose is there to serve you, first and foremost.

So as you evaluate counseling, specifically mental health counseling like marriage counseling, couples counseling , grief counseling or, be sure you know what you want.

It's best to ask yourself questions like
Why am I considering counseling?
What do I hope to get out of it?
What am I willing to put into counseling in order to see a direct benefit?
What is the most pressing issue I want to deal with, and what are other issues that may come up?

As you consider counseling then, keep these questions in mind. Also, it helps to know the background of the counseling professional you're considering. For example, each mental health professional is required to obtain a graduate degree and then a specific number of internship hours as required by their state licensing board, in order to get certified to practice in your state. Beyond that, most mental health counselors specialize in a specific area - marriage counseling and grief counseling are two of the common specialties.

Most important above all is to ask yourself whether you’re really ready for counseling. It's not something everyone is excited about and can challenge a person's understanding of themselves. And if it's marriage counseling you're considering, it's rare that there's a mutual commitment between spouses to attend counseling sessions. So talk things through with your loved one first and get them on board.

The search for counseling help is one that could directly benefit your life. Use this information to prepare yourself better for the type of counseling you need.

Simple positive self talk

Doing positive self talk is not as hard as others would think. Positive self talk can be done by anybody who wants to apply the principle, it will only take just a few minutes in a day then achieve remarkable results after some time.

Positive self talk will not require you to do all those complicated stuffs including uber-science chanting of a mantra, it doesn't even require you to be cheerful or enthusiastic all day. Experts have demonstrated that positive self talk only require a few minutes to seconds of your daily time.

Positive self talk in its exact and simple meaning is the act of affirming positive thoughts and emotions from one's mind which results to inner peace. Some people even claimed that this inner peace manifests in the real world via getting rich or having healthy relationships.

Positive self talk when a person just happens to be at a deep inner peace with himself. It is a natural phenomena transferred to a person's deep subconscious mind and for some reason the subconscious mind on its own intellectual power takes this feeling up and transfer the message to the universal creator and then manifests itself into the material world

A powerful and effective step in positive self talk is meditative relaxation. This simple and often neglected technique can done by simple sitting in a chair or floor and then listening to cool and relaxing music, or by performing any relaxation exercise. The main task of positive self talk is clearing up all negative thoughts in one's mind so by putting someone in a relaxed state of mind all negative thoughts are eliminated from one's mind and such state will put someone in a positive mood. After some time those positive feelings will find their way to manifest in reality

Another technique for positive self talk is what we call Affirmations. This widely accepted technique is done by affirming positive statements to your self. These affirmations when made, are capable of achieving outstanding results especially if they are repeated often as the situation demands and if the affirmation is supported with positive thoughts.

Some examples of affirmations are:
-Everyday is getting better.
-I am a winner
-I am slowly becoming successful

Just as meditative relaxation the positive messages/affirmations in your mind will somehow manifest themselves into reality

New Year's Resolutions

Have you kept to your new year's resolutions? Sadly most of us haven't, and many of us have given up trying. But why is this? Are you going to wait another 12 months before you try again? Many people give up if they fail once. You are putting unreasonable pressure on yourself if you do this.

In one of the British Heart Foundation publications I came across a lovely phrase: " A lapse is not a collapse". In other words, because you've failed once, it doesn't mean you've failed completely. Sometimes you have to fail several (or even many) times before you succeed. Thomas Edison said: "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." It is said that Edison was asked how he could bear to have so many failed experiments, and he said: “I’ve learnt 700 ways not to make a light bulb.” I’m not sure if this story is true, but it really shows graphically the power of positive persistence.

So, pick yourself up and try again, but before you do – think again. Think about the goal you’ve set yourself, and ask yourself some questions: Is it worth achieving? Is this the best way to achieve it? Do I need help from others to achieve my goal? Should I break a big goal down into several smaller goals? Have I set myself too many goals?

Then be persistent and tenacious. Louis Pasteur said: “Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity".

Make 2006 a year when you got closer to the person you could be:

“The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof." Barbara Kingsolver

Apparently a baby falls at least 1500 whilst learning to walk. Now that's an interesting thought - think of all those things that we would have never learnt as babies if we'd given up as easily as we do now!

The Secret Movie Review

Copyright 2006 llbglobal

What is this big secret? Is it the answer to all of our deepest desires? Do you desire personal wealth, health, and happiness? Is there a burning question in your soul? What does it all mean? Are you frustrated, or have you had enough? These are the questions that everyone would like to have answered. After thousands of years of searching for the secret to life, we may have finally stumbled upon the answer. What we have found is that the answer was inside of us all along.

These are the burning questions that are revealed in the movie “The Secret”. This powerful film is sure to stoke the fires of our very existence. We have all been searching and now the search is over. This carefully crafted piece of art centers on the foundations of our creation. Each of us creates our own reality. Each of us is a product of our Universe. When you begin to understand this process, you will have opened the door to your unlimited potential.

Now some of the world’s most brilliant minds have joined together to share the gift of the secret. Writers, Philosophers, Scientists, spiritual leaders, teachers, and more have come together in this uplifting motivational adventure into the mind.

Do you seek prosperity? Do you want to get out of debt? Do you want a better life for you and your family? Do you want to destroy any fear that may be inside you? All of life’s situations can be resolved if we intend them too. We are at the leading edge of a new dawn for all mankind. We are taking the evolutionary leap and you will soon see your true unlimited power potential.

Through focus and determination we can achieve great things. You can find your place of well-being. You can remove your fear of the unknown and move forward in life. You are the one who creates your own future and your own destiny. You are the one who can create beautiful things in life.

If you don’t understand the secret, it is only because you are just now being introduced to it. You will soon understand the reason why you are here. Even if this concept is hard for you to comprehend at this very moment, you are about to become witness to something so powerful and beautiful that it will shape the very existence of who you really are. The movie the secret is going to point you in the right direction, if only you take the time understand what you are about to see.

Learning How To Overcome Your Obsessive And Fearful Thoughts

It can be tough for people with OCD to have to experience obsessive thoughts that are intrusive, scary, and difficult to manage. As a result, here is a short list of techniques that a person can use to help manage their obsessive and fearful thoughts.

The first thing a person must do is not to dwell or focus on the fear provoking thought when it comes. The more a person tries to reason out the thought or focus on the fear behind the thought, the stronger the thought becomes. The next time you encounter an obsessive thought, get into the practice of not dwelling on it.

From my interviews with various professionals, I’ve learned that usually it is the fear behind the thoughts that gets us worked up. Ignore the fear behind these obsessive thoughts, regardless how the strong the fear may be. If you ignore the fear behind these thoughts, then the thoughts become easier to manage.

A person should visualize a red stop sign in their mind when they encounter a fear provoking thought. When the negative thought comes, a person should think of a red stop sign that serves as a reminder to stop focusing on that thought and to think of something else. A person can then try to think of something positive to replace the negative thought.

Sometimes, a person may encounter a lot of scary thoughts coming at them all at once. Instead of getting upset, remember that these thoughts are exaggerated and are not based on reality. Even if your fearful thoughts tell you otherwise, the fact is that there are circumstances and factors in every situation that can not be anticipated. We may be ninety-nine percent in predicting the future but all it takes is for that one percent to make the biggest difference.

Although I am a Layman and not a professional, I have interviewed many counselors and I learned that there are many ways to deal with these kinds of thoughts. There are ways to deal with your obsessive thoughts and with the proper treatment, you can live a productive life.

Finding Those Techniques That Manage Your Fears And Anxieties

Are you having trouble finding effective ways to overcome your fears and anxieties? As an author of a managing fear book, I found it difficult to find all of the answers in managing my anxieties. Although I am a layman and not a professional, I realized that the best way to overcome my fears and is to find those coping skills that effectively mange the fear and anxiety.

The first step is to take advantage of the help that is available around you. If possible, talk to a professional who can help you manage your fears and anxieties. They will be able to provide you with additional advice and insights on how to deal with your current problem. By talking to a professional, a person will be helping themselves in the long run because they will become better able to deal with their problems in the future.

It doesn’t stop there. The next step is to apply what you have learned. In my particular case, I made it a point that every time I would experience a fearful or anxiety-related situation, I would use the information I have learned. In every anxiety related situation I experienced, I began to learn what worked, what didn't work, and what I needed to improve on in managing my fears and anxieties.

If I still had trouble managing my fear, I would continue to do more research to learn of even more effective techniques in managing fear and anxiety. I would talk to more professionals, read more books, and ask more questions. I did this for fifteen years and gained a lot of valuable information on how to manage fear and anxiety.

Remember to focus on the strategies and techniques that actually reduce the fear and anxiety. All it takes is one effective technique to make a world of difference in managing your fears.

The main point of this article is that no matter how difficult it is to manage your fear, the answers are out there if you look hard enough. It might take some hard work and persistence, but it is possible to find those techniques that work for you.

Play for Your Life!

Copyright 2006 Cole's Poetic License

How do you play?

When do you play?

What does "play" mean to you?

Watch children play. They are quite serious about it. Notice how involved they are.

How much time do you give yourself to play every day?

Sometimes I have to remind myself to play.

Play is living in the NOW without thought of past or future. I think it's a worthy goal. Sometimes it's harder to make than money.

Thoughts are things, whirlygigs of energy. Imagine putting all your thoughts, fleeting or not, in a paper sack. Watch it dance.

Mine bounce onto a yellow legal pad where I can see them. They make wild movies in my dreams.

Sometimes they spread their fingers looking for a dance partner. That's how I know that my deepest desire is for play.

My first thought about that recognition: "Not much to admire about that ambition."

Second thought: "It's admirable. Most admirable." Playing is laughter and love and challenge and immediacy. It's NOW! When you catch the perfect wave and ride squealing into shore like a happy pig, you are totally present. When you catch a trout, run with your dog or cat, play a game of anything, you are happy . . .

unless you are doing those things out of FEAR or LUST.

Fear is constriction—crushing energy.

Lust has good energy, but implies lack. You want but can't seem to have.

It helps to know this so you can picture your fear as a huge boulder you can just roll down the hill out of your life, and your lust . . . you take it from here.

In the U.S. we think nothing of spending $50,000 on a heart attack but have a hard time spending $1,000 on play, unless it's gambling which is a different story. Is it really play?

Playing with others is love, laughter, challenge and immediacy. It concentrates the mind, integrates the body. It is well documented that laughter heals.

I recommend doubles ping pong. Once you have the table and paddles, it doesn't cost any money. I say doubles because that quadruples the crazy places that the ball goes. I guarantee you will laugh yourself healthy, if not wealthy and wise.

Finally, if a thought comes to your mind containing the word "should", delete it. Write it down and cross it out. Sweep it out of your head, go out and play, and then later, relax. What else really counts?

Food, clothing and shelter? You can spend some time acquiring these, I suppose, but don't make them more important than play!

The Power Of Laughter

Did you realise that laughter can heal?

The experience of laughing has been proven to be an extremely potent tool for self healing. If you have watched the DVD “The Secret” then you will have seen a very good example of this. A woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer laughed herself back to health. She watched funny shows and wouldn’t allow any stress into her life. At the end of three months the cancer had totally disappeared!

Why and how did this happen? Is it really possible to laugh your way back from sickness to health?

Well it has been observed by the medical profession that when you laugh, there are certain chemicals released in your body that relax you and allow your body to do what it does best – repair itself!

However, when you allow stress to take over and live your life from a very serious standpoint your body does not release these highly beneficial chemicals, your muscles tense and even natural bodily functions like digestion become harder for your body to regulate. As your body has to try that much harder to regulate your normal functions it takes its toil and aging can occur.

So if you try to see the funny side of things in life (and there always is one) you are actually helping yourself stay healthy and young. Using humour is not just great for your physical health; it can also keep you healthy emotionally and mentally. The best way top stay happy and humorous is to redirect your focus and thus change your perception of things.

If you constantly dwell on feelings of negativity you are not allowing yourself to see the humorous side of life and are robbing your body of much needed chemicals and a state of relaxation.

Here are some hints if you want to take advantage of the positive effects of humour.

1. Do things that you really enjoy and find funny.

2. Watch comedies that make you laugh.

3. Read a magazine or funny book.

4. Repeat the jokes you like to friends and family. Their laughter will have you laughing again.

5. Share funny stories that have happened to you.

7. Seek out the company of people you find funny.

8. Ask friends and family to tell you about their funny experiences.

You should to have a good belly laugh at least once a day. Why not laugh your way to a healthy youthful body?

What To Do When Your Fears And Worries Overwhelm You

What do you do when your worries and anxieties overwhelm you? Here is a brief list of techniques that a person can use to help manage their worries and anxieties.

Sometimes what we fear may happen can be overly exaggerated. A lot of times, our worrying can make the problem even worse. Remember that all the worrying in the world will not change anything. All you can do is to do your best each day, hope for the best, and when something does happen, take it in stride.

A good way to manage your worry is to challenge your negative thinking with positive statements and realistic thinking. When encountering thoughts that make your fearful or anxious, challenge those thoughts by asking yourself questions that will maintain objectivity and common sense.

I read that most of what we worry about never comes true. Instead of worrying about something that probably won’t happen, concentrate on what you are able to do. Everything else you can leave in the hands of God.

When overwhelmed with worry, a person may encounter a lot of scary thoughts coming at them all at once. Instead of getting upset, remember that these thoughts are exaggerated and are not based on reality. From my interviews with various professionals, I’ve learned that usually it is the fear behind the thoughts that gets us worked up. Ignore the fear behind these thoughts, and your worry should decrease.

When managing your fears and anxieties do not try to tackle everything at once. The best solution is to break your fears or problems into a series of smaller steps. Completing these smaller tasks one at a time will make the stress more manageable and increases your chances of success.

As a Layman, I realize it can be difficult to get rid of our fears and worries even when they overwhelm us. If nothing else works, take a deep breath and try to find something to do for a few minutes to get their mind off of the problem. Doing something you enjoy can give you a fresh perspective on things.

Self-Improvement - Something For Everyone (Part 2)

Just about everyone in the world can think of something they want to improve about themselves. With some people they may want to achieve more than one improvement. The best way to approach this is to make a list of what is most important to you. It could be something as simple as reading a book to help you improve the work you do or making time for yourself to indulge in reading of your favorite pastime. Once you commit your deepest desires about improving yourself to paper, it seems more attainable.

Start off with a plan. This means setting a goal for yourself. If you wish, you can even set a time limit, such as "I want to be able to walk five km. a day at the end of the summer." When you start out knowing what it is you want to achieve, then it makes it easier on you to get what you want. There is no point in trying to do everything at once. If you take small steps and reach stages in your self-improvement process in increments, it makes the end result more worthwhile. If you could do it all at once, then it would be too easy and you won't have the same sense of accomplishment as if it were something that you had to work really hard to get.

In some cases, the type of improvement that you want will necessitate spending money. If you want to become more confident at public speaking, for example, you may have to take classes in this. If you admire a friend of yours that can sew or paint really well and you would like to do this as well, there are many opportunities to take classes at night or on weekends. One thing that you do have to keep in mind is the amount of talent that you have for such a project. It is also something in which you have an interest. If you don't like it, then you won't master it.

Of course, self-improvement always involves health, whether it is health of the body or health of the mind. Once you achieve what you set out to do, it improves all of you - your body, mind and soul.

How To Choose A Therapist

Choosing a therapist is a rite of passage for many. It's a declaration of needing the support of a professional for a problem one cannot resolve through resources at hand. In simpler terms, it means paying someone for their expertise to solve a problem you have. And therapists are available to meet their client's needs in many areas of life. The most common type of therapist is a psychotherapist, some with an advanced degree and licensed in their state to assist individuals in improving their mental and emotional health. These therapists may have specialties in grief therapy, family therapy, group therapy, or couples therapy - but the principles and training are the same, and the end result is to give people more control through having a better understanding of their life and circumstances. These type of therapists help with acute problems such as marriage issue or the death of a loved one, but also meet with people over a longer term period to assist with issues like anxiety, depression, self-esteem, or difficult relationship circumstances.

A profession that has become popular over the last decade is that of the massage therapist. As people have become more attuned to self-care and taking care of their body, massage therapists have grown in demand. This is a demanding job physically but one that nurtures many massage therapists spiritually and relationally. And as long as the societal demand for an improved quality of life continues, massage therapists will play a part in this. As will physical and occupational therapists. Also known as PTs and OTs, these professionals have an interest in restoring physical health to individuals who have undergone surgery or suffered an accident.

Al of these therapists play a significant role in improving the quality of life of others and derive great value from helping, whether this is through mental, emotional, or physical means.

Personal Development Is Where Success Starts - Ask Anyone Who Has It!

Are you living the life you envisioned for yourself when you were a kid? When did you give up on your dreams and decide that you would settle for an average lifestyle? There is a better way out there.

If you ask around, many people will tell you that they're willing to pay the price, that they will do whatever it takes to live a lifestyle of absolute freedom and abundance. Well then why is less than 3% of the poplulation wealthy? It is because there's a huge gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it. That's where many people drop off. For whatever reason, whether they don't believe they could really achieve wealth, or whether they were told that money doesn't grow on trees, or whether they just don't think they deserve a ridiculous lifestyle, people hold onto beliefs that are detrimental to their growth and that hold them back an entire lifetime.

What if i told you about a personal development program that is truly worth it's weight in gold. This course will allow you to shed whatever limiting beliefs you may or may not know you have that have been keeping you back from your full potential. If you're not completely satisfied with the life you've created for yourself, why are you going to live the rest of your life just settling and going through the day-to-day motions?

If you desire different results, you require to start thinking and doing things differently. Why do you believe it is that some people get whatever their heart desires while others choose to struggle? The secrets are in this personal development course and these secrets can truly set you free.

www.millionairemindsets.com