Forgive or Else You Are Shackled Like a Prisoner to Your Past!

By your choice of not forgiving, you have chosen to shackle yourself like prisoners to your past! This holds you back from experiencing your true Divine Potential. You carry the great weight of shame upon your shoulders, the burdens upon your back, the grudges and revenge reek havoc in your mind and the ball chained to your leg impedes your forward growth. You hold the power and one of the keys that can potentially heal you physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, ultimately setting you free!

When we carry grudges, resentments, old hurt and pains we end up hurting ourselves more than the ones that we perceived did the hurting! Being unforgiving is detrimental to our entire being! Coaches, counselors and doctors attest to the damage that is done by failing to forgive ourselves and others. The majority of illnesses that are treated are due to emotional problems. Depression, anxiety and destroyed relationships are normally caused from carrying resentment and bitterness which is unforgiveness.

Forgiveness has to be given without resentment and in honesty. It must be completely genuine or else it is not truly forgiven. You are only fooling yourself if you do not truly forgive from the heart. What if the person we are forgiving does not feel that they have done anything wrong? It doesn’t matter, forgive them anyways! As with all choices presented to each of us during our course of life, they have choice on taking responsibility for their own role. If the other person involved chooses not to accept responsibility, that is ok! Self-empowerment is taking care of yourself and doing things for yourself. You do not need another person’s permission to heal yourself! Take back your power, forgive them, rid the energy and move on with your life! You do not need their permission or approval for you to forgive them. You owe this to yourself. You are only responsible for your own healing. In truth, when you do forgive the other person, a higher part of this being, knows and accepts your forgiveness. So in essence, you are helping the other person by your unselfish act of forgiving them! Really it is a win-win for all involved. Although the person not taking responsibility for their involvement will stay stuck in their life where they are at. But as with all things, they will evolve when the time is right for them.

A lot of hurts and pains are buried deep within our subconscious mind. We do not remember them therefore we feel we are free of them. This is not so! This hurt and pain IS an energetic memory stored within our being. It runs our lives! It is a program that keeps replaying over and over, one that stifles your growth forward as it holds your consciousness in victim mode. Forgiveness is something that needs to be done in order to heal yourself physically, raise your vibration, leave victim consciousness, and move forward in your life. Forgiving someone does not mean you are accepting the person’s behaviour. Forgiveness is more about releasing the harmful energies that are overshadowing your personal health and wellbeing than letting someone else off the hook for their misdeeds. When you hold onto the pain, resentment, fear, hurts and other emotions you give your power away to the one whom has done the hurting. When you do not forgive this person and yourself you allow subconscious programs to run your life. You keep yourself locked in a repetitive victim cycle until you are ready to release these energies and programs.

I am ready to heal myself. I am ready to forgive everyone that has ever done me wrong, how do I do this? Here is an exercise that you can do by yourself that is very powerful and freeing! It takes some time but is definitely worth every ounce of effort you put into it.

Go into your physical sacred space, sit and start a list. Go back into your life as far as your memory can remember and start writing down every single name that you ‘see’ or ‘hear’ that you feel has created any type of hurt, pain or suffering. Go right back to the very beginning. Think of your parents, siblings, relatives and neighbours. Go back to your school days. Go into your work place. Write down every single name without judgment. When you feel your list is complete, go back again and this time, write down all the names that you feel you have hurt either intentionally or unintentionally. Be as honest with yourself as you can. Remember you are the only one suffering by not taking responsibility for your own actions! After you are done, go through the list and for each person say, “I AM the Violet Flame. I forgive (name) and I forgive myself now. I release all karmic energy that we have together in all directions of time. I send you love and bless you on your way. I call upon the power of God to cut any and all psychic cords between myself and (name) now. These psychic cords are now lovingly severed, lifted, loved, healed, released and let go into the Violet Flame. I therefore accept fully and completely the healing of my relationship with (name) now. Thank you! So be it and so it is! ”

This does take awhile but it is very powerful! Free yourself and move on! If you feel like there was someone you still have trouble forgiving, keep coming back and repeating the affirmation for this person or people daily, until you feel you have forgiven them and yourself completely. I would like to also say that just because you have forgiven someone for their part in your learning experience, this does not mean you have to resume a relationship with this person if it has already been severed! You forgive and move on.

Some other very powerful ways to free yourself with forgiveness are through energy work, meditations and visualizations that work specifically to deprogram your subconscious mind.

You have the power within to change your life, who do you need to forgive right now?

If you have any questions, would like to purchase the energetic clearing program, self-healing CDs or would like to schedule a spiritual life coaching session with Lisa Whatley, please email lisa@infinitylighthealing.com

Five Tips For Avoiding Road Rage

Road Rage is a term that, unfortunately, we have become more and more aware of as the media covers an increasing number of “road rage” incidents. We’re all aware of the shocking stories of mild mannered commuters turned cold blooded murderers, and we’re fairly certain that this will never happen to us. We’re right—we will probably never turn into a cold blooded murderer simply because some jackass cut us off on the freeway. While most of us are nearly immune to such heinous fits of rage, many of us fall victim to a milder sort of road rage.

I am guilty of having committed some pretty severe “road rage” infractions in my day. I was punished in high school for some very uncivil things I said (or rather, yelled) at a bus driver in the school parking lot. On the DC beltway, raising my middle finger (along with my voice) became a reflex; it was almost as natural as using the turn signal. I wasn’t going to go out and kill someone; but my behavior sure could have gotten me killed.

This more mild type of road rage is very prevalent, and very harmful. Besides the obvious safety hazard that it poses, it is unhealthy and un-enjoyable for the Rager and his terrified passengers. The driver in a fit of traffic-inspired rage has high blood pressure (which has both immediate and long-term safety hazards), musculature tension, and high levels of adrenaline and cortisol. All of these things are a genuine hazard to a person’s health.

Some people have reported having nightmares, experiencing excessive irritability after driving, and excessive anxiety because of these episodes. It is apparent that the person experiencing road rage is harmed in a significant way.

The good news is that road rage doesn’t have to happen. There are ways to calm down and relax and deal with the stresses associated with driving in a healthy and productive way. Here are five tips that I’ve used to reduce my automobile related outbursts:

1) Breathing Techniques: I take a deep breath, hold it for a count of five, and release. Doing this several times actually reduces the tension that one’s body is holding. While I’m doing this, I imagine that stress, anxiety and tension filling my lungs, and being blown out of my body when I exhale.

2) Avoiding the aggravating situations: For me, traffic is aggravating, but it is more aggravating when I am worried that it might make me late. Therefore, if I’m going to be driving somewhere that is likely to have traffic, I’ll leave up to a half hour early, and bring a book or some work to do when I get there. Thus, my mind is put at ease and the traffic is easier to deal with. I also plan alternate routes that are less likely to get me caught up in a traffic mess. Each person has their own triggers for road rage situations, and it can be useful to sort through these triggers and try to avoid the stressful situation.

3) Posting Affirmations: I post affirmations in my car (one on my dashboard, and one on the wheel, right where I would press the horn. One of them says, “I am calm and cool because that is good for me. The one on the horn says, “I think before I speak”.

4) Preparing for the critical time: I have two stress balls in my glove compartment, a CD with relaxing music, and a bottle of water in my car at all times. When things get tough, I put on the CD, get out the stress balls (both of which can be used during stop and go traffic), and take a drink of water. This is an excellent way to being the breathing exercises.

5) Changing the mindset: I have seen a hypnotherapist, and I continue to practice self-hypnosis to deal with anger issues in my life. I’ve done a lot of work with the triggers that I identified in tip #2. Now, a lot of the things that were bothering me, simply don’t.

These five tips can take the edge off of your driving experience. The important thing to remember is that the rage is in you: it comes from you, it hurts you, and it torments you. You may be angry at someone or something else, but that anger is an internal thing. You owe it to yourself to address it properly. It isn’t much of a safety issue for others—it is your own safety and health that is at stake. If you can change the way you react and the things you do, you can regain that happy experience of relaxing during your commute.

Fear Of Heights

Psychiatry identifies three different categories of phobia:

Agoraphobia is a fear of open spaces. It is also a fear of having a panic attack in a public place, of losing control in an area from which escape may prove difficult or embarrassing.

Social Phobia is an irrational anxiety brought forth by exposure to certain social situations, leading to avoidance behaviour.

Specific Phobia is a persistent and irrational fear in response to some specific stimulus, which commonly results in avoidance of/withdrawal from that stimulus. It could be triggered by an insect or animal (zoophobia), by a situation like being trapped in an enclosed space (claustrophobia) or it could be a fear of disease (pathophobia).

Fear of heights is one of the most widespread of fears. In some situations a fear of heights is quite appropriate and a matter of common sense. According to psychologists, there are only two natural fears – fear of loud noises and fear of heights.

However, a morbid fear of high places, which is the definition of acrophobia, can be very bad for you. If you found yourself in a "high" situation, it would be much better for you to have your wits about you. Feeling an intense fear while inside a safe environment such as a skyscraper is not an appropriate response.

As with many fears, acrophobia often goes hand in hand with other phobias, a fear of flying in particular. As it is a fairly common phobia, many sufferers choose to live with it rather than try to get help, accommodating their lifestyle to the limitations. This can prove crippling to many aspects of life from holidays to accommodation, even limiting your possible career options.

The best methods for curing acrophobia involve gradual desensitisation, slowly exposing the sufferer to ever-greater heights while teaching them relaxation techniques that will enable them to maintain their presence of mind. Some of the methods that work best are NLP and timeline therapy.

Fear Of Public Speaking

Social Phobia is an irrational anxiety brought forth by exposure to certain social situations, leading to avoidance behaviour.

Specific Phobia is a persistent and irrational fear in response to some specific stimulus, which commonly results in avoidance of/withdrawal from that stimulus. It could be triggered by an insect or animal (zoophobia), by a situation like being trapped in an enclosed space (claustrophobia) or it could be a fear of disease (pathophobia).

Though it feels real, the fear of public speaking or Glossophobia is what psychologists call "social construction". This means that it is not a natural phenomenon, but the result of something society has created. We expect it to cause fear and therefore, it causes fear.

Unfortunately it is this "fear of the fear" which causes the problem to perpetuate, creating a vicious cycle.

It is possible for a sufferer to change their attitude to public speaking and thus reduce their fear. If you can figure out exactly what it is about public speaking that scares you, then you can begin to see what you might be able to do about it. This analysis will help you to change your feelings.

For example, if you regard the thought that people might laugh at you to be an important factor in your fear, you should ask yourself when they have laughed at you before. If they only laughed when you wanted them to, then your fear is unreal. Such reflection can make a positive change in your attitude to public speaking.

Test Your Anxiety Response

Worries and anxieties are part of our life. The difference between us is our response to any event. The cause may be common, but the response may vary widely. Some anxiety and worry is good. Otherwise we cannot save ourselves. Fear is one of our defense mechanisms. It is fear of death that stops us walking on a highway. Fear, worry and anxiety are related. Let us examine and quiz ourselves about our anxiety response. Too much anxiety can stop us from working. How to quiz ourselves about our anxiety response? Let us find out.

We are said to feel anxiety when we are apprehensive about future and fear what may happen. All of us experience lot of anxiety when we are to go for a surgery. Such events create maximum anxiety. Should every situation make us feel anxious? The answer is no. Are you an anxious person? Do you experience more anxiety then your friends in the same situation? If yes, it is time that you rethink about yourself.

Quiz yourself about anxiety. For example, you may to get up early than usual and reach for a very important appointment or work. Few of us will have no anxiety about that, but some of us will not be able to fall asleep because of anxiety. They are worried that they may not get up early and not reach in time. This anxiety causes more damage than benefiting us. Such common anxiety must be eliminated. Quiz yourself about different situations and compare your anxiety response with others. If you are responding with higher level of anxiety, reduce it with conscious effort.

Does social anxiety lead to depression?

A defined number of people sometimes experience having a hard time in trying to interact with others. Shyness, isolation, and lack of interest prevent people from having good interaction with others. This is felt by certain individuals and gets to a certain point that is constantly just hard to manage. There are people suffering from a specific type of anxiety. Since anxiety is associated with fear and worry, social anxiety may also have the same characteristics or symptoms. People who are dealing with social anxiety feels that everyone around them is watching their every move, staring at them and whatever they might be doing, and even judging them (even if it is not really true). Socially anxious individuals cannot seem to relax and enjoy themselves while they are in public. These people think that other people are trying to evaluate them in some sort of way, being critical in what they do or say. People dealing with social anxiety feels the self consciousness and the idea of critical judgment while they are in other people's presence. It is considered hardly possible to just relax, focus, and go with the flow when one feels the anxiety and fear at the same time. Individuals dealing with this type of anxiety would probably like to be left alone. They seem to be more comfortable with doors closed behind them. Social anxiety is like paranoia, feeling that other people are observing them, criticizing them, judging them always in a negative way. Authority figures are believed to be the worst type of people that socially anxious individuals can encounter. Supervisors and bosses from their work, and also those who seem “better” then them can make them feel a higher sense of anxiety, fear, and worry.

It is a known fact that not all people are aware of this specific type of anxiety disorder. Some people get diagnosed as having schizophrenia, manic depression, panic disorders, personality disorders, or even clinical depression. All these are just misdiagnoses that may be more damaging to the person with social anxiety. Considering this situation, not all people with social anxiety knows that they have such a disorder, since this type of disorder is not generally discussed in the media. Therefore, they just tend to keep it to themselves, thinking that they are the only ones dealing with this kind of anxiety. Due to this, socially anxious people tend to feel the surge of depression. They do not talk to other people regarding their problems, their feelings and emotions. Everything seems to be negative in some ways, and all their thoughts are regarded as irrational. Social anxiety is serious if not treated as soon as possible. Proper therapy and consultation should be provided to those who are suffering from this kind of anxiety. It is better to get help from therapy professionals in order to avoid an increase in this form of anxiety, since this would worsen as time goes by. Family members can be of big help too, seeing that their loved one is suffering from such an ordeal. Proper communication is key, and social anxiety could be treated in due time.

Causes Of Public Speaking Phobia

According to World Book Online Research Encyclopedia, "Phobia is an unreasonable yet strong fear of a certain object, class of objects or a situation." People who suffer phobia have a compelling desire to avoid the object or situation that causes their stress.

Phobia may be classified into two types:

• Specific Phobia, such as fear of animals (i.e. Arachnophobia - Fear of spiders; Necrophobia - Fear of death or dead things).

• Social Phobia is an anxiety disorder where the sufferer fears being assessed adversely in front of a group. Thus, Public speaking phobia is an over-emphasized fear of speaking in front of a group.

According to World Psychiatric Association (1995), Social Phobia affects one to 10 people at some stage of their lives. Sufferers experience dizziness, muscle tension, trembling, blushing and/or sweating, and even heart palpitations when exposed to the feared object or situation. Others do not manifest physical symptoms but they are overtly conscious of how others react to them. They also have a tendency to underestimate their capability to overcome the feared situation.

Among the common effects of Social Phobia in a person are:

• Unstable employment record

• Have less or no friends

• Being single

• Having a low educational attainment

Studies show that public speaking phobia, and most phobias, develop in middle or late childhood stage. It usually starts from an unpleasant experience like being humiliated in front of the class; this unpleasant experience gets stored in the child's memory and is brought up when faced with similar situations.

Children who have been exposed to people with public speaking phobia, like their parents or friends, learn the phobia by hearing them. They immediately conclude that what they have heard of is true without actually verifying the facts.

Research also shows that genetics also play an important role in developing phobias. It has a tendency to occur in families. Phobias are mostly likely to occur in identical twins, than in fraternal twins.

Luckily, there are many ways to treat Phobia.

• PERSONAL MOTIVATION. There are many self-help books that can help you overcome your public speaking phobia. Your desire to overcome your fear is the most important factor of treatment.

• PROFESSIONAL TREATMENT. If self-treatment does not work for you, you can seek help from a professional. Exposure to therapy is a good example of this method, which focuses on the behavior instead of the thoughts of the sufferer.

• Other kinds of treatment include:

• Counseling - discussing your phobia with a professional.

• Hypnosis

• Medication - This method is used if the sufferer has other mental conditions that are affected by the phobia. The use of these drugs can only be used for a short period of time. Using medication alone cannot cure the phobia.

Build The Confidence To Approach Other People, Through The Power Of Compassion!

Do you often feel uncomfortable in a social situation? Perhaps you’re overly shy? Or your stomach ties up in knots at the thought of approaching someone even just to say “Hi!”

Well the good news is that there are many techniques which you can use to help you overcome this problem of social shyness or anxiety. I’m going to share one of my favourites below. But first, three important points that need to be highlighted (so imagine them covered by ink from a bright yellow fluoro highlighter pen)

1. Don’t expect to get the confidence of Tony Robbins in one day. All changes happen in small steps. Make an effort to stretch yourself just a little bit further every day. And celebrate your victories, no matter how small they are. Those small victories will over time grow into a massive change in your confidence.

2. The best way to overcome a fear is to face it and succeed. What I’m presenting today is one way to build the courage to face your fear. What you need to do though is not only use it, but also search out a whole host of other techniques as well. And use them! Different techniques may be more appropriate for different situations. We’ll of course be talking about many of the other techniques in future articles.

3. As always, if your social shyness or anxiety is causing difficulties in your life, please consider talking to a doctor or a counsellor. They will be able to expand on this strategy, and provide you with many more. They really can help.

So, as promised, here’s one of my favourite techniques for helping you feel more confident as you approach other people in a social situation.

You will be tapping into one of the greatest powers you have within you. More powerful than all the fear you may currently feel.

That power is compassion.

In many of us though it lies asleep, a luxury we feel we can’t afford just yet. Maybe something we’ll get around to exploring when we get over our problems and start feeling happy about ourselves. After all, how can we be compassionate towards others when we don’t even feel good about ourselves?

Is that what you think?

Well, I think we’re better served by looking at things from a different perspective. One that sees compassion not only as a tool for helping others, but also for helping ourselves.

So, how do we use compassion in this situation?

SEE THE OTHER PEOPLE AS BEING JUST LIKE YOU!

They are human. Somewhere within them they have fears too. Their fears may not be visible to you on the surface, but they’re there. We are all human.

We all desire human contact!

We all desire friendship!

We all desire to be loved!

So before approaching someone, remind yourself that they too may have difficulties making the first move. They may be waiting for someone to talk to about their problems and their issues. They may be waiting for someone just like you, who can understand them and their own fears. Someone just like you, with a heart filled with compassion and love. And perhaps in time, if a friendship develops, you can help them with their own fears.

Why does this work? Simply because it takes the focus off you, and places it onto the other person. How can you help them? How can you be their friend in a time of need?

Of course, don’t approach them with these questions directly. It would not be appropriate in most social situations, especially if you don’t know the person yet. Just approach them with this understanding, that they’re just like you. They too are human. Make conversation. Talk about them, and their interests. Many times this may lead nowhere. Sometimes though, it could develop into one of the best friendships of your life.

They’re just like you. So there’s no need to be afraid. They also want someone to talk to. Help them!

You can let your shyness or anxiety be a source of fear within yourself, or you can let it build your compassion towards others who are also facing their own demons. Choose compassion! In return, you will also be helping yourself overcome your own fears, one conversation at a time.

Lance Beggs

Beyond Fear And Addiction: Six Steps To Healing

There is a wonderful anachronism for FEAR:

False
Evidence
Appearing
Real

Much of the fear in our lives is based on false evidence.

Our bodies are designed to respond with the fight or flight mechanism to real and present danger - such as being physically attacked. In the face of real and present danger, the adrenaline flows and the blood drains out of our organs and brain and into our limbs to prepare us for fight or flight.

Yet many people spend much of their time in the anxiety and stress of fight or flight when there is no real and present danger. This is because the body responds the same way to imagined danger as it does to real danger. The body thinks that the false evidence coming from our thoughts is real.

This constant state of fear and anxiety often leads to various addictions in the hope of numbing out the difficult feelings. Food, alcohol, drugs, nicotine, gambling, sex, TV, shopping, approval, attention, work, anger, rage, violence to self and others – all can be used in attempts to block out painful feelings.

Yet, the addictions themselves are an abandonment of self, in that they are not a healthy and loving way of dealing with painful feelings. And it is self-abandonment that causes the most fear, anxiety, and depression.

Thus, many people are caught in a very negative circle based on self-abandonment:

• Thinking negative thoughts about the future - about rejection, failure, loss of others, loss of self, loss of money – creates fear in the body and is an abandonment of self.

We are abandoning ourselves when we allow ourselves to make up thoughts about the future that scare us. This would be like saying to a child, “You are going to end up alone. No one will ever love you. You will be out on the streets with no food and no help.” Saying this to a child would be considered child abuse, yet many people tell these same things to themselves over and over when there is no objective truth to these statements.

• Once we have created fear with our negative thinking, we try to avoid the fear with our various addictions.

Avoid responsibility for creating our fear by turning to addictions is another self-abandonment. This is like offering a frightened child a cookie instead of addressing the source of the fear. The self-abandonment creates deep inner emptiness and aloneness, which perpetuates the addictive behavior. It also creates neediness, leading to pulling on others for love, approval and attention.

• Addictive behavior perpetuates the original fears – an endless vicious circle of self-abandonment.

MOVING BEYOND FEAR AND ADDICTION

There really is a way out of this! While the process of moving beyond fear and addiction is simple, it is not easy. It takes deep commitment and devotion to your peace and joy.

1) Choose the willingness to feel your painful feelings and take responsibility for creating them, rather than continue avoiding them with your various addictions. It is only when you are willing to be with your feelings rather than avoid them that you can learn about how you are creating your own pain.

2) Consciously decide that you want to learn about what you are thinking or doing that is causing your pain.

3) Dialogue with the part of you that is in fear and pain - you can think of this feeling part of you of a child within – about how you are causing the pain. Discover your thoughts and actions that are causing your pain.

4) Open to learning with a Higher Power – your own highest wisest self, an inner teacher or mentor, a guardian angel, God – about what is the truth regarding your negative thinking and what the loving action is toward yourself.

5) Take the loving action for yourself that you are guided to do in Step 4.

6) Notice how you feel. If you feel more peaceful, then you know that you have taken loving action. If not, then you need to go back through these steps to discover another loving action.

This six-step process is called Inner Bonding®. We offer a free Inner Bonding course at www.innerbonding.com.

8 Steps For Coping With And Healing Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

Attention deficit disorder is a serious disorder and it is not going away. It causes depression, inattentiveness, relationship and behavorial problems, deviant behavior (crime), can lead to drug abuse, alcoholism and even suicide. To better understand this disorder and correct it there are 8 steps we must follow:

1. Education. ADD can manifest itself in several different ways all depending upon the areas of the brain affected. Basically, ADD is caused by abnormalities in t...

Attention deficit disorder is a serious disorder and it is not going away. It causes depression, inattentiveness, relationship and behavorial problems, deviant behavior (crime), can lead to drug abuse, alcoholism and even suicide. To better understand this disorder and correct it there are 8 steps we must follow:

1. Education. ADD can manifest itself in several different ways all depending upon the areas of the brain affected. Basically, ADD is caused by abnormalities in the cortex region of the brain. These abnormalities are mostly genetic, but can also result from head trauma. The afflicted area is underdeveloped slightly - not enough to cause autism or retardation. This underdeveloped area in the cortex directly affects attention span, energy (lethargy), even quality of life. This is an actual confirmable medical condition.

2. Get medical help. Do not wait. ADD can rob the sufferer of quality of life. Go to a doctor that specializes in conditiond like ADD. Upon confirming the diagnosis for ADD they will among other things refer you to support groups. This is important as ADD can be very trying on a family. They will also determine if medication like Ridalin and Adderall are necessary.

3. Nutrition. Eat a well balanced diet. Take multi-vitamins and drink plenty of water. Multi-vitamins are a necessity as many of our foods are lacking in nutritional value. Recent research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids (like those found in salmon) not only promote a healthy heart, but also increase brain functioning and health. Many people in Okinawa on a diet compromising mostly rice and fish lived to be 100+ years old and maintained full mental acuity. They were found to have much lower incidences of mental diseases and conditions including ADD. Take a multivitamin, eat well balanced meals, and take omega-3 supplements.

4. Hydration. The brain is 85% water and when the water intake is insufficient the brain will become dehydrated and sluggish. During dehydration the neurons and synapses in the brain cannot transfer important chemicals and impulses for memory, thought and cognition. Proper hydration is even more important in ADD sufferers as they have underdeveloped lobes of the cortex that are more sensatized to the effects of dehydration. It is generally accepted that 8-10 glasses of water per day is warranted for proper mental functioning and will help with ADD sufferers as the symptoms of ADD will worsen due to dehydration.

5. Plan. Plan your day. ADD sufferers tend to be the biggest procrastinators. They can't focus as well and tend to put things off. Use a day planner and make lists, checking off tasks as they are completed. This will help alleviate some of the stress and anxiety that surrounds ADD.

6. Realize. Realize that ADD is not retardation. ADD does not mean someone is slow or unlearned. On the contrary, some of the smartest geniuses in history have had ADD. ADD makes it 10 times harder to stay focused on mental tasks than normal people, but when treated properly and taught how to cope with their condition ADD sufferers in numerous tests have been proven to be able to compete equally with non-sufferers and, in some cases, greatly out perform. There was a documented case of one individual whom, due to his undiagnosed ADD, never paid attention in elementary, middle, or high school. This individual ended up dropping out of highschool and was seen as a deviant. This individual then through proper diagnosis learned they had ADD, learned how to deal with it. Then took it upon themselves to learn what they didn't in the public school system. In two weeks they were able to obtain a real diploma, not a GED, and go to college. Whats even more amazing is that this dropout eventually ended up attending an Ivy league University! Just like underdeveloped muscles, the brain through much effort can be taught to overcompensate for underdeveloped areas.

7. Learn. Learn the art of memorization and studying. For ADD sufferers studying and mental tasks are 10 times harder to focus on. By learning memory techniques like associations, linking, lists, etc... and learning to become adept with them will make ADD easier. A great book to read is Harry Lorayne's Memory Book. It should be required learning for everyone in highschool. If the learning process can be made into a a game understanding, comprehension, and attention will all increase.

8. Meditation, controlled discipline and prayer. Stress and anxiety have been shown to play a large role with ADD sufferers. Both meditation and prayer have been shown to be very benefitial as they increase the attention span and have a dramatic soothing, calming effecton the sufferer. Discipline is very important with the ADD sufferer. Hidy Ochai, an internationally reknowned karate master states in his books that proper discipline in kids with ADD is essential to proper adult development. Karate is a very effective tool for the ADD sufferer. As it provides exercise, discipline, goal development and accomplisment, focus and self respect. ADD sufferers will do well to learn what meditation, controlled discipline, and prayer can offer them.

These eight steps are essential for the attainment of the proper quality of life for ADD sufferers. ADD can be treated and dealt with.

5 Reasons To Not Let Depression Control You Anymore!

Family – It can be very vexing to loved one’s when you are depressed. On one hand they want nothing but the best for you, but on the other they sometimes get frustrated and wonder why you can’t simply snap out of it. It can be particularly hard on children of someone with depression as it may affect their outlook on life for many years to come. Having experienced this myself, I can say definitely this the number one reason to fight your depression.

Work - Work life general...

Family – It can be very vexing to loved one’s when you are depressed. On one hand they want nothing but the best for you, but on the other they sometimes get frustrated and wonder why you can’t simply snap out of it. It can be particularly hard on children of someone with depression as it may affect their outlook on life for many years to come. Having experienced this myself, I can say definitely this the number one reason to fight your depression.

Work - Work life generally suffers when in the throws of depression. It is more difficult to concentrate and not as easy to create and maintain good professional working relationships and partnerships. Furthermore, it makes being a “Self-starter” more unlikely. Rather than moving forward, maintaining the status-quo becomes more acceptable, even if only unconsciously.

Love – The love life of a person with depression can suffer tremendously. Regardless of How much someone may profess their dedication to another person, if the other person can never see the bright side, it can wear on them. Life is short, right? Love conquers A WHOLE LOT, but it doesn’t conquer everything. Sometimes we must add internal fortitude to love to truly be invincible. Besides isn’t it better to fight, not just for you, but for this person that you love as well?

Health – University studies have proven that people who are depressed are more likely to get sick, and more likely to die of an illness than those who are content. It is in your benefit, health wise, to fight your depression as well. A recent New York Times article, citing a University study, indicated that persons who have been diagnosed as depressed have more hospital visits, and a shorter lifespan.

Prosperity – The depressed person sometimes lacks clarity of thought, and may miss golden opportunities to improve their lives if only they had been paying attention. This may be, perhaps, the most important point, since many people believe they would be happier if only this part of their life, or that part of their life, etc was different. Allowing good things to happen in your life might just give you the jump start needed to end the cycle of depression and self imposed-isolation( even if only figuratively ).

Fighting depression can help your life in many ways. In some ways, the fight in itself is also a reward. You become stronger, do better at work, have better relationships, and can focus on what is really important in life so that you can improve it, for yourself, your family, friends, and loved ones.

5 Quick Stress Busters.

Stress is fast becoming the biggest health problem in modern societies. Financial pressures, work pressures, family pressures – so much to do so little time to do it all! Here’s five quick ways to ease the pressure and relieve stress:

1. Make time to switch off from the daily trials and tribulations and relax for at least one hour every day. Just shut the world out and do something you enjoy. Reading, playing a musical instrument, taking a relaxing bath with music and cand...

Stress is fast becoming the biggest health problem in modern societies. Financial pressures, work pressures, family pressures – so much to do so little time to do it all! Here’s five quick ways to ease the pressure and relieve stress:

1. Make time to switch off from the daily trials and tribulations and relax for at least one hour every day. Just shut the world out and do something you enjoy. Reading, playing a musical instrument, taking a relaxing bath with music and candles (and maybe a glass of wine) are all great ways to unwind and will be extremely beneficial to your mental health.

2. If you’re dealing with a stressful situation and you have a lot on your plate then it can be very hard to find solutions. You’re caught up in the midst of a sandstorm and it is very difficult to see the way out. A good idea is to get some distance from your problems so you can gather your thoughts. If possible, take a day or even a weekend away from your usual surroundings, somewhere peaceful, and relax. Take a journal along so you can jot down any ideas. Distance away from problems can bring clarity and by relaxing, you’ll be calmer and solutions will come far easier than when you’re in the heat of battle.

3. One of the reasons people become stressed is because they are facing a change or even a number of changes to their lives. Change is a constant in life and refusing to accept change can cause stress levels to soar. When you are faced with a change, try to find the positives associated with change and embrace change instead of resisting it. Every change presents an opportunity for you to grow and there are always positives to find in even the most trying of circumstances. Change doesn’t bring stress, it’s all about how you react to change and if you react in a negative way, you will do yourself no end of harm.

4. There always seems to be an endless list of jobs that need doing: repairs around the home, paperwork, car maintenance, throwing out junk, cleaning the patio, weeding the garden – on and on and on! The more we put them off, the more the list grows and the more they contribute to your stress levels. So make a list of all of these chores and then schedule something I call a “Blitz Day”. On this day, you will rise early and spend the whole day sorting out each of these jobs. Take few breaks and only have a quick bite at lunchtime and just blitz through these irritating but necessary tasks. This will get rid of them, you’ll lower the stress they cause but more importantly, you’ll realize just how effective and industrious you can be when you apply the full force of your will to accomplish things.

5. Treat yourself to a pamper day. This is a day where you escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday living and enjoy some stress-free time. You’ll also feel great and give your well being a huge boost. On this day, have a light workout, a swim, a sauna, a Jacuzzi, a steam room. A massage would be nice and if you have access to one, a Turkish baths will give you an invigorating experience. Try to do this at least once a month, it is an excellent stress-buster.

The 5 Tips here will help you to significantly reduce your stress levels but they’ll only work for you if you put them into action. Give them a go – you’ll be amazed at the results!