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Be Always Positive

Things to Know (Go to Table of Contents)

Power of positive thinking: (Go to Table of Contents)

Affirmations are positive thoughts or statements about some outcome you wish to achieve, such as wealth, success, or health. Instead of negative self-talk, you can use positive daily affirmations to direct what your focus will be. You can conquer your past and present fears, and enjoy your present or create the future by affirmation. Affirmations redirect your values, help formulate goals, or prepare you for situations, whenever or wherever they may occur.

You can say your positive daily affirmations silently or aloud to yourself. Repetition of affirmations will also counteract negative thoughts that may stream through your mind, automatically sometimes. You may write affirmations on a card - carried in your pocket, taped to a mirror, or placed where it is always visible to you. Repeat your positive affirmations at intervals throughout your day, to reinforce the positive belief and to maintain a positive state of mind.

It takes constant practice to focus on an affirming thought. Initially, you may not find it easy to hear the affirmation above the internal noise of negative thoughts and feelings. Given enough time, however, you can change most of the basic ideas about yourself by positive daily affirmations.
How To Develop Your Own Positive Daily Affirmations?

Self-developed affirmations (the ones you compose yourself) are the most effective positive daily affirmations. If you couple them with clearly defined written goals and applied faith, their power is unlimited.

To be truly effective, you must write your own affirmations and believe in them; they must have a profound impact on you emotionally. Your firm belief that what you are affirming is possible is crucial, because once you start believing that something is possible, it becomes probable. Without that firm belief, further repetition of your affirmations will just be futile. An affirmation should be a belief in yourself. The desires and dreams that your mind can conceive bear seeds of possibility, and possibilities ultimately become realities.

The emotional dimension of each affirmation should never be overlooked. When you can actually ‘feel' your affirmation, not just utter or read them, their total impact increases immensely. The written affirmations (thus your goals) must ignite an emotional reaction in you, else they simply fall flat.

You should state your positive daily affirmations in the present tense, that is, use "I am.." rather than "I will be.." Saying things in the present tense will program your subconscious mind to believe that what you affirm is already fact. When the subconscious believes that, it will start arranging for bringing what you affirm to you. In other words, the subconscious will drive you to perform the actions needed to live out what you affirm; and, acting thus, you will create the circumstances that make them actually happen for you.

Another important guideline in formulating your affirmations is to write them in the positive state. Many people have the tendency to write affirmations in the negative state - which immediately defeats the purpose and the effectiveness of the affirmation. Affirmations written from the negative perspective will never work.

When you convince yourself not to follow certain behavior, you only bring yourself from the negative to neutral, but there is no movement forward to the positive. When you underscore the positive, you automatically start from a positive note, and you naturally shift your mind-set to forward-looking, positive thinking.
Positive Daily Affirmations for Abundance

1. All the things I want and need come to me.

2. I always receive more than what I need. (Go to Table of Contents)

3. I have a bank account with more than enough.

4. I am an abundant person.

5. I create abundance in all that I say and do.

6. I accept abundance.

7. I welcome, and am open to receive all abundance that comes.

8. I draw abundance to myself today and every day.
Positive Daily Affirmations For Success

Examples of positive daily affirmations for success include:

1. I am successful.

2. Everything I do turns into success.

3. I am filled with success.

4. Success comes effortlessly to my direction.

5. My success is contagious, other people like it, seek it and respect it.

6. I attract positive-minded people to me; I draw all things positive to myself.

7. I am very fortunate to work at what I love to do.

8. I make powerful and enjoyable business relationships and many of my business contacts are now my friends.
Positive Daily Affirmations For Relationships

Examples of positive daily affirmations for relationships include:
1. I am a confident and positive person, and confident and positive persons gravitate toward me everyday.

2. I know who I obviously am and what I like in personal relationships.

3. I am attracting powerfully positive and healthy people into my life.

4. I am caring, smart, supportive, loyal, and fun to be with.

5. I feel completely at ease and comfortable with all types of people.

6. I am winning in all my relationships. (Go to Table of Contents)

7. I am a positive and valuable contributor to my relationships.

8. I possess complete ability to articulate my thoughts and feelings to everyone, and I express myself wisely.
Positive Daily Affirmations For Self Esteem

Examples of positive daily affirmations for self esteem include:

1. I am sure of my ability to do what is necessary to improve my life.

2. If I make mistakes, I am able to give myself the benefit of the doubt.

3. I feel basically worthy as a person.

4. I am able to take risks and try new things without fear.

5. I feel good about the way I do my job.

6. I feel about myself pretty much what others think of me.

7. I have compassion for myself and the way my life has developed.

8. I am deserving of all the good things in my life.
Positive Daily Affirmations For Health

Examples of positive daily affirmations for health include:
1. I am glowing with health and wholeness.

2. I behave in ways that promote my health more every day.

3. I deserve to be in perfect health. (Go to Table of Contents)

4. I am highly motivated to exercise my body because I find exercise as fun.

5. I love nutritious healthy food, and I enjoy eating fresh fruits and vegetables.

6. I am healthy since my practices are healthy.

7. I let go of the past so I can create health now.

8. I create health by expressing love, understanding and compassion.

Additional Considerations For Positive Daily Affirmations

1. Because your experience will create the conditions that allow affirmations to manifest, word the affirmations carefully to make them crystal-clear. State your real, innermost desires and articulate your most expansive sense of self. Affirmations based on a narrow self-concept deliver results that fall short, cause suffering, and further diminish the sense of self.

2. Be deliberate in your affirmations. Spontaneous thoughts voiced out in an intense emotional state may produce undesirable effects, so consider many possible alternatives before choosing the affirmation to silently intone. Silent affirmations are more effective than spoken statements, because they entail more intensity of concentration and resonate through your entire body instead of in your surroundings.

3. Link your affirmations to actual daily actions to lay the ground for their manifestation. For instance, affirming that you will win the lottery can only be set in motion when you play in it.

4. Find a way to make it easy for you to do positive daily affirmations. You may find that it is not a habit for you to make these statements on a regular basis. To circumvent this problem, I have been using Subliminal Power, a software that sits on my PC, flashing out subliminal affirmations subtlely as I work. I figured this to be a better solution for me than using an audio, since I am on the PC more often and am not in the habit of listening to a music CD.

You can of course, choose to do a screen saver, using power point slides, with all your positive affirmations in there. This is how my husband does his, on his laptop.

However, I feel that the effect is different. My affirmations get flashed unobstructively on my screen as I work, whereas my husband only gets to see his list of affirmations when he is not on his keyboard for a couple of minutes.

Health Tips: (Go to Table of Contents)

We know we are supposed to eat a balanced daily diet, drink eight 8 ounce glasses of water, and get at least 20 minutes of exercise, but how many of us realize the importance of proper REST? Go, Go, Go, that's our motto! No time to rest - I've got kids you know! Sound familiar?

The stress of fast paced living can take it's toll on our appearance, health, and happiness. Oddly enough, the positive stress from success can be almost as destructive as the negative stress from failure. This is a case of the left side of our brains (logical / time-oriented) being overtaxed and the right side (creative / emotional / intuitive) under-used. The body runs in high gear until it finally breaks down.
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The Solution? Slow down! You don't have to stop and smell the roses, but at least slow down enough to notice them! (Did you?)

Life is a journey, not a destination!

Get at least 15 minutes a day to yourself to unwind. Here are some ideas of how to spend those 15 minutes per day. Start Today!

Meditate ... Take a slow walk ... Eat lunch at the park ... Take a nap ... Take a bubble bath.

Play with a train set ... Build a model car ... Listen to music.

Read a book ... Draw or Paint ... Quilt or knit ... Reflect on good times in your life.

Sit on the porch ... Lay in the sun ... Snuggle with a pet ... Hug someone.

Depression Tips: (Go to Table of Contents)

Depression hits all of us during our lives but for some it can become an illness that can shatter lives. Depression is hard to understand but it seems to be related to lack of success and boredom, among many other factors. One way to combat depression is to develop a personal achievement list (click here) and continuously add to it. You may find out you have more going for you than you thought. Other factors that you can control to reduce depression are: good diet, proper exercise, good sleep habits, bright lighting, positive thoughts, a variety of hobbies, goal setting, continuous education and non-excessive alcohol.

Sleeping Tips: (Go to Table of Contents)

About 1 in 3 people in America has a sleeping problem. This in turn causes numerous sick days and a general feeling of fatigue and depression. Sleeping is one of our bodies way to re-energize and heal itself. It also connects us with our subconscious mind and provides us with insight not normally available during our conscious hours. The amount of sleep people require varies by age and health but most people need between 6 and 9 hours of sleep per 24 hour period.

The following tips are fairly specific, but proper sleep comes when the entire body and soul are in balance. See "Rolling towards Happiness" above for more details.

Go to bed only when sleepy. If you can't sleep, or if you wake up in the middle of the night, then get up for a half hour and write about whatever is keeping you up. You can throw away what is written later if you like but get it on paper. Often we don't even know what is bugging us until it blurts out on the page. It's easier to solve problems that become visible to our eyes, and get out of our sometimes muddled minds.

Use the bed for sleeping only. Don't watch TV or worry in bed because you need to learn to associate the bed with sleeping.

Set a regular time for waking. This helps sets the biological clock for the onset of getting sleepy. Avoid naps or keep them under 30 minutes. Sleep as much as needed to feel healthy but avoid excessively long periods in bed which usually means light, fragmented sleep.

Running a fan or air cleaner can mask noises that would normally awaken light sleepers.

Hunger, hot or cold temperatures, nicotine, coffee, and alcohol, all make sleeping more difficult. Regular exercise will deepen sleep, occasional exercise will not. Sleeping pills may help on occasion but regular use may intensify sleeping problems

Empty your bladder before going to bed so you don't have to get up to use the restroom in the middle of the night.

For those with back problems, we suggest you learn more about Lordosis (the correct curvature of the back).

Allergy and Asthma Tips:(Go to Table of Contents)

Over 30 million people in the U.S. suffer from allergies and some 10 million suffer from asthma. Our lungs naturally constrict when exposed to allergens such as heavy smoke, pollen, dust (mites), mold, fumes, sprays, animals, cold air, humidity, foods, stuffed animals, etc.

In allergy, and especially asthma sufferers, the bodies immune system reacts in an unusual way. Sneezing, wheezing, sniffing, swelling, tearing, and fatigue may occur. About the only way to sleep is to sleep sitting up or with head elevated which causes neck and back pains the next day. Basically you can't breathe very good, your nose hurts, you can't sleep and you feel awful.

There is hope! By following several steps you can reduce the severity and frequency of these attacks. Just by learning to breathe properly can reduce sick days from 80/year to under 20/year. By drinking eight 8 ounce glasses of water each day, mucus can be expelled easier.

Step 1: Discover which Allergens (or combinations) cause you to have attacks. Keep records with dates and circumstances of the attacks. Once determined, get medical advice on the proper medications for these allergens and try to reduce or eliminate exposure to them. Stay inside during pollen season, avoid sick relatives and crowds, clean humidifiers frequently, use air cleaners, use a paper mask when dusting or in heavy pollen areas, keep your home dust and mold free.

Step 2: Stay Healthy! Eat properly, drink lots of fluids, get adequate exercise, and take care of your back and neck. Massages, acupuncture, or chiropractic help may be useful to alleviate tension and help keep the spine in line.

Step 3: Get plenty of rest. Most respiratory suffers already have sleeping problems so getting lots of rest is even more critical. Short naps of even 10 - 20 minutes can be helpful to refresh your body enough to fight off attacks or reduce the severity of them.

Step 4: Use medications as instructed. Many medications must be taken in the proper sequence and time frame to be effective. Don't stop taking or change your dosage without consulting your doctor. Sudden withdrawal without allowing the body to adjust can cause serious medical problems. If you miss a dose, don't double-dose, but do take it immediately and get back on your regular schedule. A pocket flow meter can help you determine lung conditions.

Step 5: Maintain balance in your life. Stress can cause a major factor in attacks. It is very possible that stress alone can induce attacks. Thus it is important to strive for a balance that will reduce the amount of stress and increase the amount of happiness in your life. The main activities we need to balance are divided into left and right brain activities.

For those with back problems, we suggest you learn more about Lordosis (the correct curvature of the back).

Left Brain (logical): Work, Exercise, Nutrition, Chores, Learning, Planning

Right Brain (emotional): Family/Friends, Relaxation, Intuition, Creation, Romance, Dreams

Not everyday are you going to succeed in balancing all these activities but by realizing that you are missing out on some of them, you can strive to breathe easier in the future.

Quick tips to reduce attack severity.

Stay calm and practice good breathing techniques. Breathe in slowly through your nose and out through puckered lips (as if whistling). Whether suffering an attack or not, this is just good breathing technique.

Use your medication as soon as the signs of an attack are noticed. These signs may be fever, chills, chest tightness, shortness of breath, or change in mucus.

Get rest and stay relaxed. If the medication does not help, or if the attack worsens, contact your doctor or local emergency clinic. Some attacks cantrigger another reaction that could be much worse.

MENTAL TIPS: (Go to Table of Contents)

The brain is the most powerful tool we possess but yet we still don't understand it, let alone know how to harness its power. Fortunately through medical research we are beginning to unlock some of the mysteries. There is proof that the brain can be strengthened with proper "exercise" and stimulation.

We know that the brain is divided into two halves, the left and the right. The left brain controls the right side of the body and is mainly responsible for speech, logic, time and rationality. The right brain controls the left side of the body and is responsible for our emotions, creativity, intuition, spatial awareness and analogical perceptions (metaphors). The halves communicate via a large bundle of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum.

For graphic purposes we compare the left brain to our consciousness, and the right brain to our subconscious or sleeping state. When we sleep we have no concept of time or logic. Our dreams can be very emotional, insightful and quite revealing (through metaphors). When we awaken, most of us go back to our left "responsible" brain, but we can choose to use both sides of our brain on command, if we learn how! Some do it naturally, artists can go too far right brained, and engineers have a tendency to depend too much on the left brain.

There is evidence that by constantly stimulating the brain, that is, creating new neural pathways, the risk of Alzheimer disease can be reduced. As we age, brains cells die every day. By creating new neural pathways we can stay sharp and productive. There are many ways to exercise the brain, the goal is to balance the exercise so that both sides benefit, creating a power stronger than either side could generate alone. Perhaps we are a bit nervous about this power and how it will change us. On the other hand, without change there can be no growth, without growth there is only death.

Right side exercises: Drawing, painting, ceramics, meditating, creating, loving, hobbies, coloring, problem solving by intuition, playing, etc. Methods to shift quickly to the right, intuitive hemisphere:

Visualizing, daydreaming, responding to body language, rejoicing, doodling, sketching, humming, singing, laughing, crying, awareness of smells, sounds, colors and emotions around you, using the phone with your left "sympathetic" ear, finding possible solutions via wild, spontaneous brain-storming.

Left brain exercises: Learning, planning, setting goals, problem solving by deduction, studying, reading, exercising, browsing, etc. Methods to shift quickly to the left, logical hemisphere:

Taking notes, organizing, planning, prioritizing, looking at the clock,awareness of time, analyzing body language, comparing, judging, deciding, writing, using the phone with your right "analytical" ear, finding possible solutions by relating all the facts.

If we utilize both halves of our brain to help us solve problems it is similar to a debate. We get insight from our artistic side, which the engineer in us can compare and contrast to the list of "known" facts. Just remember that we seldom have all the facts and some of the ones we have may be wrong. It seems obvious that a strong right brain is very important to success in life.

Do not underestimate the power of the mind. Knowledge is power.

OUR THREE POUND UNIVERSE, OUR REALITY - THE BRAIN: (Go to Table of Contents)

Our brain began development about 500 million years ago in a small animal in the sea that barely had enough neurons to orient themselves to light. Eventually fish evolved showing further growth in the brain stem. The brain stem is responsible for our bodies involuntary functions such as breathing, sleeping, heart-rate, eating, re-production, etc. It is also responsible for much of our behavior when we are young.

Sea-creatures evolved to land animals and the brain grew further. The dinosaurs had what we call the reptilian brain which is quite similar to the human brain stem of today. When mammals showed up, the cerebrum showed up and with it emotions and the capacity to learn. This mammilian brain, also known as the limbic system, from limbus or cap (around the brainstem) evolved until it too was covered by the "thinking cap", the cerebral cortex.

With the evolution of the cerebral cortex about 5 million years ago, humans were born and learning rapidly. Our first brain weighed only about 1 pound. As we evolved ourcerebral cortex folded in on itself in order to maximize the surface area, thus enabling greater blood supply. Since its humble beginning over 500 million years ago the human brain now weighs in at 3 pounds and consumes 40% of the oxygen in our blood. The brain has grown approximately 3-1/2% in the last 100 years which may indicate that the brain is growing at a faster rate than we have previously experienced due possibly to the increase in availability of printed and digital information (knowledge). Knowledge causes the brain to grow.

If we are to harness the power within ourselves and continue to evolve we must first realize that we posses three separate brain regions (the reptilian brain, the mammalian brain and the cerebral cortex) each of which is somewhat independent and has its own subjectivity and memory.

HOW THE BRAIN THINKS:

The thinking brain can be viewed as an electro-chemical organ that runs on stimulus (external and internal) and processes the input in a systematic and reverberating manner. The cycle goes something like this:

Input through Senses > Emotions > Muscle Control > Memory > Learning

Under a MRI scan, the cycle can be seen flowing through the different areas of the brain responsible for emotions, muscles, learning, etc. The thinking process combines several distinct brain areas and if one or more of these areas is out of whack, our entire thought process and safety could be in jeopardy. To improve our thinking (learning process) we can work on things like improving our perception skills, learning to deal with our natural emotions and improving our memory skills.

UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS - The 100th Monkey Effect? (Go to Table of Contents)

The Hundredth Monkey Effect is based upon the principle that after one monkey on an island discovers how to wash a coconut in the water to remove sand and dirt, the rest follow suit until the last, or hundredth monkey, finally learns this improved method. At that point, monkeys on other islands become aware of this knowledge without "direct" communication. This same effect has happened repeatedly in human history, where inventors have simultaneously discovered inventions that others around the world were contemplating at the same time, or where mothers somehow know when one of their children is in pain hundreds of miles away. The thoughts become energy that is available to others that tune into this energy field, or universal consciousness. It may occur more often when we are sleeping or in "hypnotic" or meditative states than during our normal waking state. If we already tap into this energy field without being consciously aware think what we will be able to do if we exercise our minds and use this incredible resource to our best advantage! When you stop and think about it, you are adding to the energy field right now by merely reading this information on peace. Thank you, this is how it will spread. Who will be the 100th Monkey for Peace?

"If 5% of the population work for peace, there will be peace."

Tips for a Healthy Back: (Go to Table of Contents)

Most people believe that when they have back pain they have "slipped a disk", but usually its a strained muscle or ligament, or wear and tear on the joints themselves. The spine is really a bunch of disks that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. Our stomach and back muscles keep them in line. The stomach muscles need to be strong while the back muscles need to be stretched. "Curls" with barbells and partial sit-ups are good for the stomach muscles and toe (knee)-touches can gradually stretch out the back muscles, but don't over do it. Let strained or torn muscles heal before exercising again. Emotional stress can cause back pain because it generates muscle tension and cramps. Stretching, sit bathes or massage can reduce muscle tension. Excess body weight pulls the spine out of alignment because the body's center of gravity is shifted away from the spine. Too much exercise can strain muscles and cause cramping.

Maintain strong stomach muscles .... Sit upright and avoid slouching .... Avoid sitting for more than an hour at a time, take quick breaks .... Keep one or both legs elevated using a foot stool or box .... Support your lower back with a cushion or lumbar support .... Avoid sliding forward in your seat .... Slide forward in chair before standing to keep your spine straight.

Lift heavy loads close to your body .... Bend your knees, keeping your spine straight and let your strong leg muscles do the lifting .... Avoid bending and twisting simultaneously .... Push and pull with your leg muscles, reaching forward with the arms, not the back.

Avoid driving for more than 1 hour at a time by taking quick stretch breaks .... Keep your legs bent so that your knees are above your hips .... Adjust the seat back to avoid slouching.

Sleep on your side with knees bent .... If sleeping on your back, put a pillow under your knees .... Avoid sleeping on your stomach.

Reasons to Exercise:

1) The effects from exercise last long after exercising has finished. One pound of fat has over 3000 calories. Walking or jogging one mile uses only about 100 calories. Fortunately, the body continues to burn off calories at a higher rate than if you had not exercised.

2) Without exercise it is nearly impossible (and un-healthy) to lose weight or avoid weight gain. The body needs the process of consuming calories and burning them off, but if too many are consumed, or not enough burned off, weight gain and cardiovascular problems are just some of the ill effects.

3) Strong stomach muscles play a large role in a healthy back!

4) A healthy body usually means a healthy heart and a longer, healthier life.

Stroke Early Warning Signs: . Table of Contents

The chances of surviving a stroke are greatly improved if the warning signs of a stroke are noticed and acted upon within 6 hours.

The key signs are: Sudden weakness / numbness on one side of the body; Sudden dizziness or loss of vision in one eye; Loss of speech, difficulty understanding speech; Sudden severe headaches; Unsteadiness or falls.

If any of these conditions are noticed contact your doctor or local emergency clinic immediately

PEACE TIPS: - What is Peace? (Go to Table of Contents)

* Peace is not merely the absence of war and hatred (negative peace) but also the presence of cooperation, compassion and worldwide justice (positive peace).

* What is war? It is a state of hostility between nations (or within nations) characterized by fighting and bloodshed. Wars are often caused by real/perceived injustice, hatred, poverty, and the desire for power.

* What is perhaps the best way to prevent war? Conflict prevention and Conflict resolution/transformation requires that we eliminate the nature of the hostilities and attempt to create harmony and equality between the various parties. Restorative justice implies that the perceived injustices must be resolved through either negotiation, mediation, arbitration, community conferencing, community meditation, negotiated rulemaking, collaborative/international law, or as a last resort, military action. Trauma recovery / Identity renewal can help prevent war torn areas from falling back into further fighting. Youth development strategies can help our future adults from repeating the mistakes we have made that have lead us to war. Philosophy suggests that nations that have found peace should help less peaceful nations by sharing knowledge, food and other resources. Our conscience teaches us that we should treat others the way we want to be treated, with dignity and respect.

* How can we achieve Peace on Earth? First and utmost, we must find it within ourselves. By sharing our inner peace with others, peace will spread. By raising our children properly and teaching them to respect and love their neighbors (didn't someone say this before? :) they will learn the joy of peace. The peace process should be a predominantly preventative measure (A gram of prevention is worth a kilogram of cure). Peace should likely start as a grassroots movement, thereby creating a "trickle-up" process. Not only can we teach others about peace but we can put pressure on governments and political candidates that continue to advocate war as the main solution to civil and international conflict. Along the way, some form of world "Planning and Lawmaking" committee probably needs to be established that includes all nations. One nation's problems are problems for all of us. We must learn to see ourselves as one small planet and not be so concerned with our nationality, race or religion. When it comes right down to it we are all human. Think what we could accomplish if we all worked together to create a true world economy. We could end starvation, reduce poverty, create jobs and work towards common goals such as worldwide justice, peace education, pollution control and planet management.

* Conflict Identification and Prevention: Conflict risk assessments are based on a number of variables. A history of armed conflict is an indicator of a problem. In political cultures of conflict the risk is higher that parties will continue resorting to violence. You can look at governance and political instability; the lack of an accountable political institution through which to channel grievances can aggravate the risk of violent outbursts. Transitional states are at higher risk of violent change, until they become fully consolidated democracies. You can look at the denial of civil and political liberties, the level of democracy, and restriction on civil and political rights. All of those will eventually lead to violent expression if there are no peaceful alternatives for resolving disputes. The history and degree of miniaturization in a country or population heterogeneity identify tensions which may be greater in ethnically or religiously heterogeneous populations. The distribution of resources along ethnic or identity lines, demographic stresses, and so on, are often precursors of violence. Other indicators include economic decline, numerous unemployed young men with no opportunities for the future, high debt burdens, low involvement in international trade. All these factors are associated with a higher risk of state failure. You look at the human development indicators. The countries in the bottom half of the human development index are much more likely to experience violent conflict. Now that's a chicken and the egg problem. Are they in the lowest development indicator positions because they have been prone to violent conflict or are they in conflict because they are extremely poor and have no other options to resolve their issues? It's hard to build democracy on an empty stomach. Also examine environmental stress. The degradation and depletion of resources can generate tensions in communities. You look at international linkages: Are there other countries that make incursions across the border? Many indicators are factored in to determine whether a country is at high risk.

We must learn to accept the fact that others will not always respond to our needs and wants in the way that we want them to. Instead of getting upset with them we need to learn to bless them and wish them well, which is exactly what we hope for ourselves. What we show outside is merely a reflection of what we are inside. Negative thoughts promote negative outcomes. Positive, loving thoughts promote positive outcomes! Think of it as an energy force that powers our well-being. Positive thoughts promote positive well-being! So simple it almost's alludes us. (:

We need to learn from our mistakes. Instead of degrading ourselves we must realize that failure and success go hand in hand. Failure is necessary because it provides obvious lessons to learn from. Analysis of these lessons should improve the chances for future prosperity.

Remember that some of the most hollow periods of our lives can happen right after we reach important goals if we haven't already established higher ones. Maybe some of the goals you set should focus on personal enlightenment? Success, like material possessions, only makes one happy for a while. We need to have continuous successes and set-backs for life to stay stimulating. There is a law of diminishing returns that states that the more you attain of something the less you enjoy the excessive amounts. We all have needs and wants but let's not get carried away. If you have too much, be it time, money or love, start sharing it with others that can benefit. If you think that seeing a smile or a tear on a thankful face isn't one of the best rewards in life then you haven't truly experienced this feeling recently.

Values are important because without positive moral values, others may resent your actions and may not radiate positive energy in your direction. Remember that when you try to point to something that makes you happy there are three or more fingers pointing back at you. We all need a minimum level of material possessions but without the personal wealth that comes from within, external wealth is nearly meaningless. (Go to Table of Contents)

We need songs about World Peace. Listening to music is a right-brain activity and we need both the left and right sides of our brain to be thinking about peace in order to integrate it into our soul. Music artists can improve our lives through the energy they put into their music.

We need films about World Peace. For our visual senses, we need to see less violence and more themes that promote heroes over injustice and mediocrity. We need films that reward strong moral values and have messages that show us ways of achieving peace and success in life.

Corporations must join the effort and create work environments that address today's changing workforce. With the advent of the internet and home computers, some jobs could be performed at home allowing for flexible work hours, reduced traffic, improved working conditions and improved productivity. Companies can also start their own non-profit peace organizations that focus on issues in their communities and staff the organization with employee volunteers.

We need a World Flag we can proudly wave that will signify that we are growing up as a united world of peace-loving souls. This flag ought to be designed by the children of the world since they are the ones that will benefit most from peace conditioning. We have the futuristic vision of one race (human), on one planet (earth), with two main purposes, Peace and Enlightenment.

LOVE AND MARRIAGE TIPS: (Go to Table of Contents)

The concept of love is something we endeavor to determine all our lives. Is it the feeling we have when we fall in love (or lust), or is it the feeling we have when our passions subside slightly and our feelings of friendship and faithfulness take over? We now know that the initial feelings of "love" occur in the limbic system of the brain (the middle brain) and the reasoning brain (the cerebral cortex) is usually left out of the decision until the love chemicals created by the limbic system stop flowing. These are the chemicals that cause us to have sweaty palms and nervousness around someone we find attractive. After the flame dies down, the cortex regains control and we find out if we've chosen wisely.

If we can control our sexual instincts long enough to find a person that can be a life-long friend, our chances are greatly improved that we will find love and happiness. But just because we find someone who shares our values and goals, it doesn't guarantee success. A healthy marriage, just like a healthy body, must be nurtured and cared for or it will wither away and die.

Tips for a healthy marriage: Do you both communicate well, have similar values, enjoy similar recreational activities, have complementary goals in life, get along with the in-laws, have similar family planning views, share in the chores, etc. Don't get married if you can't honestly promise yourself you will never be unfaithful to your spouse.

PARENTING TIPS: ( Go to Table of Contents)

Try to determine whether your child is right-brain (creative) or left-brain (logical) dominant. Read the mental tips above to determine both their bias and your own. In kindergarten through 2nd grade, right brain kids do fine because non-verbal things are stressed. Left brain kids may appear slow. By third grade, reading, writing and mathematics are stressed and the "visually creative" right brain child may now begin to appear slow or apathetic. Help your kids learn how to use both sides of their brain by practicing the mental tips above. Through long-term conditioning they can become whole-brain thinkers and improve their chances of achieving internal peace.

When you tell children "No", tell them why. This helps them to understand your reasoning and helps them to learn. It also changes your position from a dictator to one closer to their level. With older children, make sure they also understand why, and what they can do to avoid a repeat punishment. A heart-felt explanation of disappointment can often make a bigger impression than a spanking. Find out what they treasure and threaten to take their "fun" away for a while. Stick to your threats or don't make them at all. Be consistent and they will learn to respect you for it. You may want to be your child's friend but they also need a loving and guiding parent. Don't treat them the way your parents treated you, treat them better. Learn from their mistakes.

Teach your children about the stages of life and the ways you dealt with those same stages as a kid. Teach them that peace is achievable and that they must find it in themselves first. This will only happen if you take the time to teach them.

New Insights: (Go to Table of Contents)

* Enlightenment is a state of wholeness, of being "at one" and therefore at peace. Enlightenment is not only the end of suffering, as Buddha put it, but also the end to the continuous conflict within and without, and the end of the dreadful enslavement to the incessant thinking that goes on in our minds. - Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now. A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment.

* Notice the word "being" in the above definition of enlightenment. Being is central to many teachers theme when it comes to enlightenment. We are human beings, not human doings, as Dr. Wayne Dyer is fond of saying. Zen masters speak of the duality of Being and Not-Being. Often we are so busy doing while our minds are constantly thinking/worrying/criticizing that we forget about just being and living in the present. Remember that the present is a gift, the past is history and the future is not yet reality. Where does that leave us? Right here and now, of course. Thus it is easy to understand how important meditation, prayer, zazen, yoga, quiet time, etc has been to those "enlightened" individuals that have preceded us. Buddha, Jesus & Muhammad all spent time "meditating" before they started sharing their wisdom with the rest of the world. Buddha spent time under a tree, Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness and Muhammad meditated in a cave. Fortunately for us they found a way to share their wisdom with the rest of the world. It is the "recent" understanding of "how" they attained wisdom and enlightenment that may help the human race to reach a higher level of human development. We were not put on this earth to suffer and flounder in confusion but rather to live in happiness, love, peace and understanding. We were meant to discover our higher selves. Thus, we were meant to be.

* If you need proof that living in the here and now is the key to enlightenment just think back to moments in your life where you experienced complete joy, bliss, peace and contentment. We know that during those moments you were living in the "now". Your mind was not upset about the past or worrying over the future, you were just living in the moment. Maslow called these "peak experiences". (Perhaps you are experiencing one right now? :) We can begin to have many more of them if we learn to live in the present and begin to appreciate all the blessings that we have.

* Some see difficulties as catastrophes while others see them as challenges and opportunities. In fact, difficulties are necessary steps in the process of attaining enlightenment. How different life can be when you see "bad luck" as an education instead of viewing it as a major calamity. When we finally learn to see our difficulties as part of our "life experience" then we have the opportunity to learn from them and possibly attain enlightenment. Of course we also need to combine other enlightenment skills such as meditation, prayer, continuous education / reading, left & right brain usage (whole brain thinking) and reliance on enlightened people throughout history.

* Personal Enlightenment is not only about coming up with "Genius Thoughts / Eureka Moments" but also the ability to remember these insights when you bounce back to left brain control of the mind. You see, it's usually the right/intuitive/knowing brain that comes up with such thoughts but it's the left/logical/knowledge brain that is used to record them on paper or in the memory center of the brain. Any distraction (the phone ringing, someone talking to you, etc.) before the "epiphany" can be memorized can cause the insight to be lost forever. The "knowing" must become "knowledge" before it can become wisdom. In other words, right must combine with left before we can discover our higher being, a level above the ego of the "east and west".

* In any journey we choose to undertake we must take the first step and shortly thereafter the next steps become obvious. Without the first step, the tenth and twentieth steps never become reality and we have no possibility of reaching our destination. Take this world peace website for example. If we hadn't started writing the first page (and re-writing the first page over and over again) then we never would have gotten to the insights we are posting today. We kept postponing the newsletter until we had more time, more money and more wisdom. Finally we just decided to start it, even though it wasn't really ready (in our minds). But looking back, it was exactly the right way to start it! One page, one sentence at a time until it took shape and the next changes, additions and revisions became amazingly obvious. Yes, sometimes the first steps may lead nowhere but as Thomas Edison wrote, "I learned 99 ways not to make a light bulb". He understood that both difficulty and perseverance were necessary components in the effort to reach a worthwhile goal.

How to give birth to the awakened state of mind? (Quotes from the book, "Chop Wood, Carry Water" by Rick Fields)

* "There is always great uncertainty when you don't know how to begin and you seem perpetually caught up in the stream of life. If you speak in terms of the person on the street they don't seem to have a chance because they are never really able to look inwards; unless perhaps they read books on the subject." "In fact, no one is excluded and all beings are candidates for Bodhisattvahood, anyone can become an awakened person." - Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

* "Having a proper attitude towards journey is essential. If we make a journey properly, then everything we encounter is considered part of it. We are fully involved in the process of journeying rather than being fixated on our destination. We are not looking for quick solutions, but are willing to be open, precise and thorough in relating with ourselves as well as all the facets of our environment - the weather, the scenery, the landmarks, and the obstacles or sidetracks along the way. In entering the path to enlightenment, we are beginning the process of transforming confusion into wisdom. But in order to make this journey, we must first acknowledge that we are confused and that our environment is chaotic. Beyond that, we must understand that chaos and confusion are perpetuated because we do not have the training to see things as they are." - Osel Tendzin

* "Modern education is competitive, nationalistic and separative. It has trained the child to regard material values as of major importance, to believe that his nation is also of major importance and superior to other nations and peoples. The general level of world information is high but usually biased, influenced by national predudices, serving to make us citizens of our nation but not of the world." - Albert Einstein

* "Without an integrated understanding of life, our individual and collective problems will only deepen and extend. The purpose of education is not to produce mere scholars, technicians and job hunters, but integrated men and women who are free of fear; For only between such human beings can there be enduring peace." - J. Krishnamurti. (Go to Table of Contents)

* "When a man and women with significant spiritual and psychological affinities encounter each other and fall in love, if they have evolved beyond the level of problems and difficulties, if they are beyond the level of merely struggling to make their relationship 'work' then romantic love becomes the pathway not onlt to sexual and emotional happiness but also to the higher reaches of human growth. It becomes a context for a continuing encounter with the self, through the process of interaction with another self. Two consciousnesses, each dedicated to personal evolution, can provide an extraordinary stimulus and challenge to the other. Then ecstasy can become a way of life. Romantic love is not a myth waiting to be discarded, but, for most of us, a discovery waiting to be born." - Nathaniel Branden

* "I define love thus: The will to extend one's self for the purpose of nuturing one's own or another's spiritual growth." - M. Scott Peck

* "Love is not primarily a relationship to a specific person; it is an attitude, an orientation of character which determines the relatedness of a person to the world as a whole, not toward one object of love. . . . If I truly love one person I love all persons, I love the world, I love life. If I can say to somebody else 'I love you,' I must be able to say, 'I love in you everybody, I love through you the world, I love in you also myself." - Erich Fromm

* "The cost of a thing is the amount of what I call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run." - Henry David Thoreau

* "Always leave enough time in your life to do something that makes you happy, satisfied, or even joyous. That has more of an effect on economic well-being than any other single factor." - Paul Hawken

* "Often people attempt to live their lives backwards: they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then, do what you need to do, in order to have what you want." - Margaret Young

* "Intuition is one of the four basic psychological functions along with thinking, feeling,and sensing." - Carl Jung

* "It might seem that some people have more intuition than others but it is potentially available to everyone. Some people choose to develop it, others do not." - Francis Vaughan, Awakening Intuition

* "Almost anything you do will seem insignificant, but it is very important that you do it. Our actions in the world are the greatest test of our insights and growth. If we can apply our spiritual insights to helping the world around us, then perhaps we are really learning something. If not, our concepts, ideas, or personal growth are surely suspect." - Gandhi

* The idea of a society built on high ideals is hardly a new one. In Tibet there is a story of Shambhala, the city of the great lost enlightened society. The tenets of Shambhala were the natural qualities of compassion, generosity, mindfulness and wisdom that arise from minds at peace with their own passions and fears.

Recent Insights: (Go to Table of Contents)

* Knowledge comes from learning. Wisdom comes from meditating on knowledge. Real success comes from applying wisdom (not just knowledge) in our day to day lives. In summary, knowledge comes from the left/logical side of our brain, knowing comes from the right/intuitive side of our brain and the two halves of our brain constitute our mind. Our mind has a tendancy to talk to us incessantly. Our mind also has an ego that stops our higher self, our spirit, our true being, from gaining control over our mind and body. Once we learn to quiet the mind, our higher self has the chance to guide us towards enlightenment (which equates roughly to living in the moment, the present, the here and now).
We need the left brain to help us educate ourselves so that we may make a decent living for ourselves and our family, but perhaps more important is the education/use of the right brain in order for life to be rewarding and joyful! Only by utilizing the two halves together can we become whole. After learning how to utilize both sides of our mind the next step is to learn to quiet the mind so that we can attain wisdom and enlightenment. We must rise above the ego of the mind and find our higher self or true being. Thus the journey to enlightenment begins.

One of the keys to happiness is to learn how to use our left and right brain together to create balance. The left (logical) brain must "partner" with the emotional/intuitive right brain. By looking at this "vase-face" picture, you can feel the shift from left (vase) to right (faces), and back again.

A few quick ways to shift to the left is to look at your watch (recognize time), perform mathematics in your head, read stock results or work an 8 hour shift .)
A few quick ways to shift to the right is to observe flowers or artwork, start humming or singing, listen to music, play with friends, kids or animals, start drawing or painting, etc.

Those that spend all their time predominantly in one hemisphere are very likely to have mental, financial, and/or emotional problems. Only by utilizing the two halves together can we hope to rise above the mind and attain the wisdom which will lead us to peace, happiness and joy. Notice how it all starts with one step after another? First we must understand the mind and shortly thereafter we have a chance to rise above our egos and free ourselves from suffering and confusion. Now that's enlightenment! :)

* There are two main ways to solve a problem - Remove the cause, or Dampen the effect. Example, sewage in a river. Remove the source of the sewage, move up-river, or "treat" the sewage.

* Learn to enjoy life before you obtain wealth. If you are unhappy before you become "rich" then money will not bring you happiness.

* Yard by yard, life can be hard. Inch by inch, life's a cinch.

* Someday "Gross Domestic Happiness" may be equally important to "Gross Domestic Product" numbers.

* Insanity is inherited. We get it from our children. (:

* Improve the things which are in your power to improve and recognize that some things are beyond your current capacity to change in the physical world (but may be changed in the "mental" world ruled by our perception of life).

* How happy are you? How often do you smile? How many times a day do you laugh? How important is happiness to you? Do you blame others for your unhappiness or do you take responsibility to make sure you find a way to happiness? The point is that it is up to you to take control of your life and find what you need. Seek and you will find. Fail to seek and misery is likely to be your companion. Speaking of companions, are your friends upbeat and positive? If not you might want to seek some. (more on finding happiness) (Go to Table of Contents)

* Why do some people have pleasant dispositions and others have negative dispositions? How do you switch from negative to positive? Recent research suggest that the brain can be rewired through meditation and other stress-reduction techniques. People who learn to handle stress tend to live longer, happier, healthier lives. Many of these "low-stress" individuals probably discovered good coping skills through good parental guidance, religion, self-help media and elightenment training.

* Mental intelligence vs Emotional intelligence - Which is a better indicator of success? Mental intelligence may have a higher correlation to school and financial success but emotional intelligence is more important when seeking the ultimate prizes in life - happiness, peace, love and joy. The point is to be smart enough to know that you need both types of intelligence in order to truly succeed in life. Left brain thinking without right brain support is a little like playing soccer with only half of your team on the field. (" ... more on emotional intelligence)

* Is the mind capable of healing the body? Have you heard of Psychneuroimmunology? - Psycho immunology, Faith Factor, Colitis, Breast Cancer

* When a person labors not for a livelihood but for wealth, that person is a slave.

* Have you heard the phrase: "No deep resentments are justified"? It means that by harboring resentment against others, you are really stopping yourself from obtaining peace. Get rid of the resentment, even if you think it's justified, and get rid of some troubling anger (and maybe a troubling ulcer.). The person you hold resentment against may be unlikely to change their ways but you can change your thoughts and feelings if you can find a way to solve "your" problem.

* It has been said that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. That is not to say a rich man cannot enter heaven but rather that he must be penitent.

* Be careful of making friends with angry people lest you learn their ways and become like them (and suffer their fate).

* On September 11th, 2001, we saw the dark side of humanity. In the year following such a violent and dark act, we saw the bright side of humanity as nations came together despite religious and political differences. One can only hope that trend continues.

* Without hope there is only despair. Without love there is only hatred.

* You are what you think all day long. Do you think good thoughts or bad ones?

* Most religions teach us that there will be a day of judgement. (Go to Table of Contents)

* Perhaps the most important thing in life is what you do with your time. What path are you following?

* There is more to faith than just believing in something. Your actions must reflect your faith or you really haven't faith at all.

* Think of anger, fear and hate at one end of a scale and peace, love and joy at the other end of the scale. Where do you currently weigh in?

* We've all heard the phrase, "Seek and you shall find". The real question is, what causes you to seek in the first place? How do you learn how to seek?

* Whoever has no rule over their anger is like a city broken down with no walls, which is likely to be the fate of those filled with such hatred and anger. Can you think of any examples of such individuals or groups?

* The earth becomes a more wonderful place when good people make an effort to turn our world into a paradise. What are you doing to create heaven on earth?

* Remember to stop and smell the "roses" along the way.

* To get wisdom is better than gold, and understanding is more valuable than silver.

* Goals are dreams with time-lines. Have you established time-lines for your main dreams?

* Most people dream of success, some plan for it and then work their plan.

* Those who are slow to anger are stronger than the mighty. Those that rule their spirit are greater than those who rule nations.

* The more anger you have inside, the more likely you need help finding ways to get rid of the anger. Anger is usually a sign that tells you that YOU have problems. Angry people tend to blame others for their anger. The real problem is partly/mainly inside you. Admit it and you are half way to solving your problem(s).

* People sometime think that just because they are from a small town or raised in poverty they have little to contribute to society. It has been said "If you think small then your limits have already been established". The speed of the leaders determines the rate of change of society.

* Remember to help the poor. There was once a day in which you needed help.

* When you reflect back on your life, are you happy with the way you've lived it? When you reflect forward on your life, are you happy with the way you are going to live it? If not then you are going to need to change some things. You can't change the past but you can take control of your future. Make sure to have peace as a main element in your life. By focusing on peace, half of your battles will seem trivial. The search for peace and the search for happiness go hand in hand.

* When arguing with others, especially your spouse and friends, remember that just because you think you are right it doesn't give you the right to abuse them verbally.

* Recent news suggests that exercise is as effective at fighting depression as drugs. Yet another good reason to include exercise as part of our daily routine.

* Whoever is diligent in the opportunity at hand soon finds wider openings. Whoever fails to use today's opportunity finds less chance for advancement tomorrow. [also known as: "whoever has something will be given more and whoever has nothing will be deprived of the little they have."]

* Copyleft - The giving away of copyrightable material so that the world gets the maximum benefit. It's happening now with the Open-Source software revolution and with websites like World Peace Newsletter.com

* Be sure to play your music before you leave this earth. Find your passions and learn how to "sing". (Go to Table of Contents)

* The cup can be half empty or half full, depending on your point of view. Which point of view dominates your waking thoughts; the negative or the positive?

* A smile a day keeps the doctor away. (:

* Is the mind capable of healing the body? Only for those that believe.

* There are at least three barriers to learning and achievement. Determine if any apply to you and find ways to overcome them. 1) Suggestive barriers put into your head by others or yourself. 2) Logical barriers that slow you down because of excuses like, "No one can do that, it's impossible". 3) Ethical barriers. These are things like "If I achieve too much success it might be unethical". How you earn success and how you share it with others is what reveals your true personality.

* Enlightenment has been defined as having a mind that is open to anything but attached to nothing.
Do you agree? Is it possible to be attached to nothing?

* When you are truly inspired (in spirit) things have a tendency to work in your favor. An example of this is someone who loves what they do regardless of the financial rewards it may bring them. When the rewards become more important than the journey, trouble likely lies ahead.

* How do you discover your passions? We may not have a solution to this question but we sense that the search may be almost as important as the answers. The sooner you start looking for your passions, the sooner you will find them and begin to live a richer, fuller life.

* Understanding is a wellspring of life.

* Information wants to be free similar to the way electricity wants to be free. Will the internet free up information (also known as "electrical energy" or thoughts) for the masses? The Open-Source revolution is now in full stride and has become a shining example of how the world wide web is allowing people to share with each other on a global scale.

* Over-working can be more harmful than under-working. Be careful not to become a workaholic. You must remember to stop and smell the roses.

* Sometimes it is better to cease fighting a losing battle than to continue. Although quitting is often associated with failure, knowing when to quit and when to use a different approach to solve a problem can be a sign of genius.

* Learn to live within the "system" while maintaining control of your "essence". If you lose sight of who you are, the system will overtake you.

* It has been said: Those of great minds discuss ideas, those of average minds discuss events, and those of small minds focus on other people (gossip). We all shift through these "classifications". How much time to do spend in each category?

* There are two main ways to solve a problem. (1) Remove the cause or (2) Dampen the effect. Now consider a third way - Change how you think and feel about the problem. The point is to look at the problem from different perspectives. Many people fail to realize that they CAN change their thinking.

* The positive stress from success can be almost as damaging as the negative stress from failure/depression if not dealt with properly. Get plenty of rest and be sure to spend time with family and friends.

* In the story about the cricket and the ants, the cricket played all the time and did not prepare for the rainy days ahead. By adequately preparing, the ants were able to enjoy the rainy days along with the sunny days.

* Wisdom that is not shared is wasted. Where do you find wisdom? Conventional wisdom suggests that we utilize universities, community colleges, study groups, libraries, the internet, churches, talking to our elders and by reading the most published book on the planet, The Bible, particularly the book of Proverbs.

* In the search for the truth you may find that some of the beliefs that you hold dear are wrong. Having an open mind is more important than clinging to every one of your beliefs. Think of the people that thought the earth was flat, or those that thought it was the center of the universe. (Go to Table of Contents)
Use your intuition and let your conscience be your guide. The truth can set you free.

* If you pause to reflect on some of the best times in your life you might discover that you had a good balance between work and play during those periods. In order to return to the "best of times" find a way to balance your life.
Table of Contents

* Keeping life stimulating is a key to good health and longevity.

* The support groups we have can make a big difference in our lives especially when times are tough.

* The digital age is making it so that people around the globe can communicate instantly and inexpensively. Many people think that communication is the key to a good relationship. Maybe the world wide web will help the nations of the world to communicate better and get along better?

* The speed of light may be the only constant in the universe. Everything else changes! Mr. Einstein observed that matter could be converted into energy just as energy was converted into matter (and anti-matter) when the universe was created.

* Admitting when you are wrong is a key to attaining emotional maturity.

* The satisfaction gained from achieving a goal is proportional to the effort used in getting there. Fear is probably the main factor that stops people from achieving their goals. Our inability to take a leap of faith is closely tied to our inner fears.

* The means we use to reach our ends are almost as important as the ends we've chosen. Ill-gotten gains seldom (if ever) bring long term happiness.

* The only person that can make you happy is yourself. Others can help but like many solutions in life, the answer must come from within.

* Sometimes a teacher, like a good parent, must be forceful and demanding but most of the time they need to be patient, nurturing and understanding. Even the wisest pupils were once ignorant.

* Mourning the loss of someone special helps us ease the immediate pain. Dealing with the emotions in the weeks and months afterwards helps us move on with our lives.

* A heart that has never been broken is incomplete.

* Half the battle in completing a worthwhile goal is getting things started.

* What does the global village mean to you?

Although each of us is unique in thousands of ways, we all share the human experience of being born, living and dying. It is helpful to realize that we are not alone when it comes to dealing with life's challenges and setbacks. It is also helpful to understand that we all have needs that motivate us to act upon those needs and wants. Over our lifetimes our needs change and our motivation changes along with them.

Needs > Wants > Tension > Action > Success or Failure > Wants

The more tension we feel, the more likely we are to take action to reduce it. According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, our first needs are "physiological": food, water, warmth, sleep and sex. These needs must be met for growth to occur. The next level of needs are "security" needs: protection from physical danger, financial security, nutrition and shelter. Once past these stages we move on to the "acceptance" needs: the need to be accepted by others, the desire to be popular. After learning to fit in, we try to fulfill our "esteem" needs: the need for self-confidence, status, prestige and power. If we make it past the esteem needs then we have the chance to self-actualize, something few of us have ever done. By self-actualizing, you fulfill your desire to become all that you are capable of becoming. You maximize your talents and share your success with the rest of the world. Some well known self-actualizers are Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Thomas Edison, Stephen Hawking, Gandhi and Mother Teresa. Who do you look to as a role model and why? What values does your "hero" hold in high esteem?

The following is a general time-table for stages that we all seem to go through. The better we understand the natural process of life, the better our chances of dealing constructively with life's little bumps. Try to determine the needs and wants of each stage in order to speculate the motivation (tension) behind the actions.

0-3: Basic survival. We eat, drink, sleep, absorb information, and are completely dependant on others. We are very impressionable in our first three years. Our brains are processing input, be it positive or negative. Research has suggested that children that did not receive love and affection at this age are much less likley to find happiness later in life. They are often unable to express love and affection as adults. They are less likely to develop a conscience and they tend to commit more violent crimes as adults.

4-6: Discovery period. We learn that we have needs and wants. We learn that siblings can interfere with our wants. Our creativity and emotions dominate over logic and rationality.

7-10: Schooling begins. We learn to read and write but now our creativity and emotions must be kept under tighter control. We discover friends and start to discover ourselves.

11-13: Mental and physical changes begin. By now, we have learned that we should keep our emotions under control, and creativity is all but dropped from most education programs. We notice the opposite sex and changes in ourselves. We begin to want our independence.

14-18: Our teen years. We are searching for our identity while battling acne, parents, siblings, friends, school, and puberty. These could be the easiest years of our lives but for many individuals, they are the toughest. Some start dating, most of us still fear the opposite sex. At times life seems unfair and against us. We are still young but struggling to be grown up and treated like an adult. (Go to Table of Contents)

19-25: The real world. We leave home and either go to college (a 5 year educational playground before the real world), or get a job and possibly start a family. Real responsibility begins and we finally find out what it's like to run our own lives. By age 25, most of our values and thinking patterns are established. It takes great effort to change ourselves after this stage. For men, the sexual peak is passing but the instinctive drive still causes bad decision-making on occasion.

26-30: Still young but aging. We begin to realize we are not immortal and we can not abuse our bodies like we used to. Many of us have married and started a family by now. We can get caught up in the struggle to make ends meet and forget the importance of living. We still want to accomplish great things but time seems to be slipping away. Remember to enjoy life while you are still young and do not think that things will get better after you have made more money. Live life now while you still have youth, energy, health and lots of enthusiasm. When you get old and "rich" you likely won't have as much of these youthful qualities. Hopefully you will have wisdom and peace of mind after youth has left you. (:

31-35: Identity is established. By now we know who we are and what we want. How to get it may not yet be determined. Most of us have experienced the death of a loved one and perhaps drawn closer to family. Women that have not had children may fear that their time for having kids is running out.

36-40: Maturity sets in. Many of us are loaded with responsibilities by this age. We might have many debts and not enough income to do all we want. We start thinking about saving for retirement. Most of us have experienced some kind of tramatic illness or pain by now. Setting goals and planning for the future take on new meaning.

41-50: Mid-life dilemas. We may find ourselves looking back on our lives with disappointment that we didn't accomplish more. We are still young enough to accomplish our goals and dreams but we have to act now. Our kids are going through their teens and moving out. The house starts to gets bigger and emptier. We start worrying about our health and may start exercising more.

51-60: Nearing retirement. The final years of working are getting closer. Financial concerns and health problems dominate much of our worries. We may have to deal with the death of one or both parents. The kids have gone and started their own families. Many of us move into new residences that fit a family without children. Grandchildren become idols to adore and spoil. We begin to give back to society.

61-70: Retirement starts. We've finally made it! No more work, only rest and relaxation. Why then after a year or so of R&R do we often feel bored and non-productive? Because for many of us we've reached our goal of just getting here. Our health may also be stopping us from enjoying our time off. We must set new goals to accomplish, just the same as any time in life when we reach our highest goals. Strive for the next level, don't just relish in past glory. Life's a journey, not a destination. Make it a fun journey because the destination is merely the end.

71-80: Continuing retirement. If we haven't started planning for our deaths by now, this is the time. We spend more and more time reflecting on the past, partly because these memories are the strongest. If our health is good, the seventies can be very rewarding due to the amount of wisdom we have aquired. This wisdom needs to find an outlet so that others may benefit.

81-90: Nearing death. For almost all of us, death is a very scary thing. We fear the unknown and death is probably the least known thing about the human experience. But it is part of the human experience and without it, life as we know it, would not exist! It's like a big physics equation that states that the amount of energy going into a system must equal the amount of energy leaving the system. For new life to enter, some must go elsewhere. Death is probably harder on the survivors than the person dying. By this age, death can actually be a welcome event, especially if our mental or physical health is poor. In a sense, life could become a curse if death did not occur when our bodies deteriorate.

91-100: More people are living to the grand old age of 100 and many do so because they were good to their bodies and good to their souls. With medical advances and better nutrition information these days, more of us will be able to enjoy our nineties. So start taking better care of yourself and keep setting new goals so that life is worth living.

Dealing with Anger, Hatred and Grudges: (Go to Table of Contents)

The way we deal with the negative emotions in our lives has a lot to do with the way we see ourselves and those around us. We all experience anger and hatred at times but how we handle these emotions differs greatly. We must learn to harness this energy instead of letting it slowly eat away at our inner peace. View anger as an opportunity for improvement not as a reason for aggression. Turn hours or days of negativity into minutes of revelation by learning from upsetting situations.

Anger, hatred and grudges are necessary signals that tell us we need to grow in certain areas. Without these emotions we would stagnate and die prematurely. These emotions motivate us to take action. If these feelings are not addressed and learned from, they tend to linger and cause negative thinking throughout the day. You've heard the saying "To forgive is divine", well the divine part is for the forgiver because they are freed from the negativity they were suffering from! By doing this you will also grow from the experience because to truly forgive you must have tried to understand what caused the anger in the first place. Was it something in yourself, a mis-understanding, an accident, or maybe there is no apparent reason. Even if your reasons are real and valid (although biased), you are the one stuck with the daily negativity. What kind of reward is that for being right?! Write down your feelings and release them on paper. Write down the facts and compare them to your feelings. Determine several solutions to the problem. Choose the best after waiting an hour or more to cool down. Learn from the tension and move closer to inner peace. Positive karma is more powerful than violence. Those who treat others badly suffer far worse then those who treat others with kindness.

Criticism can be healthy but it can also turn one into a judge and jury. Be careful not to raise yourself above others because of your beliefs.

Anger indicates internal problems regardless of who is at fault. Here's a tip to find out what "your" problem really is. Write down who or what you are angry with (your "external" problem). Now write down short-comings within yourself that relate to this "external" problem. These are the real problems you must solve if you want to be free of future anger. If we were perfect then we would not feel anger for others - we would have empathy and try to help others "see the light". The fact that we are angry proves we still have some growing up to do ourselves. Come to think of it, if it wasn't for anger, half the items in this newsletter would not have gotten written.

In summary, reduce your anger, stop your wrath. Don't fret and don't worry - It only leads to harm.

Dealing with Regrets, Failures, and Setbacks:

We all have our regrets, failures, and traumas in life to deal with. How we handle them shapes who and what we become. Our initial reaction may be anger, denial, fear, repression, indifference, depression, or acceptance. The key is to address the issues and grow from them, not simply repress them. We can learn more from failure and injustice than from success. Write on a piece of paper, the setback, your reaction and feelings, the possible causes of the setback and things that you could have done differently. Lastly, write down all you've learned from the experience. Learn to view difficulties as opportunities to grow stronger and smarter. If you look hard enough you will find the answers to your problems.

Dealing with Moments when you get very Upset: (Go to Table of Contents)

What should you do? You may want to scream and yell and shout but you know that this is a reaction (and a bad one at that), not a response. You must find a way to calm down and sort things out before doing something you may regret later. The fastest and easiest way to "get a grip" on the situation is to write down what the left brain and right brain are thinking. The leftbrain has the "facts" and the right brain has the emotions and insight to the solution. Make sure you write down what you have to lose by making rash decisions. Let some time pass after writing down your thoughts and ideas for the subconscious to "review" them and suggest appropriate solutions or alternatives.

INTUITION TIPS:

Intuition - A Key to Finding Happiness and you Already Have It. Use It! Unlock the Door.

Our definition of Intuition is best explained as the sum of observation, emotional perception, re-collection and contemplation. Intuition provides solutions to problems that would be out of our grasp using logic alone. This implies that we must be willing to take a leap of faith in order to step beyond the ordinary. It is exactly this leap of faith that releases us from the past and propels us into the future. Facts and logic are essential to finding the truth but without using intuition to sort out the "facts" from the fiction we might as well have machines making our decisions for us.

In order to become proficient at using intuition all we really have to do is start following it. First try using intuition on small, non-important issues and as you begin to realize how accurate intuition is, move up to more beneficial issues. Learn to perceive using all your senses. Spend some time just listening, watching, smelling and "feeling" your surroundings. Try to find the metaphors in your dreams and find out what they are telling you. Try guessing someone's thoughts by looking at their expressions. Try to imagine a planet or solar system where people use mental "intuition" to communicate.

The only caution about intuition is to be careful not to confuse strong emotions for intuition. Emotions are a big part of intuition but they can also lead to biased conclusions. Make sure your emotions are under control before making rash decisions based on "intuition".

As we learn to follow our intuition our happiness and peace of mind will increase accordingly. There will no longer be the need to get angry with ourselves for not doing what we knew we should have done because we actually "do" what we should have done. This reduces both our internal and external wars. Used regularly, intuition really can double our happiness.

REALITY TIPS:

Perception and Reality. Is there a difference?

Most of us have heard the phrase - What you perceive is what you believe. Well, isn't what you believe - your reality? If it isn't, then what is? What you don't believe?

More on the brain regularly. The human mind is the last great frontier on earth!

GOAL SETTING TIPS: . (Go to Table of Contents)

Goal setting is an important part of life. Without goals we tend to wander aimlessly and without purpose. Our goals will change constantly but by setting new ones and revising obsolete ones, we stay focused on what is important to us. Goals can be divided into separate classifications and split into short and long term.

Personal Goals: Health, fitness, social life, personal improvement, ...

Family Goals: Relations with spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, ....

Financial Goals: Work goals, investments, purchases, savings, ....

Mental / Spiritual Goals: Spiritual activities, church, meditation, mental exercises, expanded consciousness, memory improvement, ...

Recreation Goals: vacations, friends, toys, evenings-out, sports, hobbies, ...

Life-time Goals: Self-actualization goals, Inner Peace goals, Accomplishment goals, ....

After writing down your goals, go through them and rank them in order of importance. Make sure your goals are measurable and realistic. Focus on the most important ones and write a 3-8 step plan to achieve each goal. Now that you have a plan of action, let's start reaching those goals! One note of caution - Achieving your goals can leave you hollow and empty if you haven't already set new, higher ones, so keep reviewing and setting new goals. It's the journey that matters, not the destination.

BUILDING A PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT LIST: (Go to Table of Contents)

After building an achievement list we can help ourselves through tough times by reviewing our "success journal" and reminding ourselves of the positive things in life we have accomplished. This list will help us stay on track and make sure we are accomplishing things associated with our highest goals. It is also a great resource for resumes and job reviews.

Start from your earliest childhood remembrances and list any achievements that come to mind. You can always delete some later, but chances are, if you remember them, they are significant. Another way to list them is by order of importance. You can also graph them out with peaks and valleys (like a stock chart), or in the shape of a mountain that continues to rise year after year.

Along with your achievement list, you can start a success journal to record your daily accomplishments, no matter how small. You can add them to your master achievement list later if desired.

There is a bit of Hero in each of us. What heroic deed have you done lately? Have you helped someone? Have you realized a major goal? Have you improved your "life" situation recently? It's little steps that will eventually get us to the promised land. It's kind of a "trek to the stars". Keep reaching!

WEALTH - YOU MAY HAVE MORE THAN YOU REALIZE . (Go to Table of Contents)

Many people believe wealth is measured by material possessions; cars, houses, money and toys, believing that these things bring happiness. But what happens if to get all these things you have to work all the time, neglect family, friends, and health. What if you had happened to be born with everything you could ever want, what would be left to wish for? Remember from the goal setting tips, some of the most hollow periods of our lives can happen right after we reach important goals if we haven't already established higher ones. Success, like material possessions, only makes one happy for a while. We need to have continuous successes and set-backs for life to stay stimulating. There is a law of diminishing returns that states that the more you attain of something, the less you enjoy the excessive amounts. Once again the term balance comes to mind. Yes we have needs and wants but let's not get carried away. If you have too much, be it time, money or love, start sharing it with others that can benefit. If you think that seeing a smile or a tear on a thankful face isn't one of the best rewards in life, then you haven't truly experienced this feeling recently.

The true measures of wealth that allow us to enjoy our family, friends, toys and "ourselves" are our 6 Senses, our Health, our Fitness, and our Values (6SHFV). Notice that all these measures are related to you and you specifically. Values are an important measure because without positive moralvalues, others may resent your actions and may not radiate positive energy in your direction. Remember that when you try to point to something that makes you happy, there are three or more fingers pointing back at you. We all need a minimum level of material possessions but without the personal wealth that comes from within, external wealth is nearly meaningless.

We all may dream of being ultra-wealthy but most rich people are bombarded with problems because of their excessive accumulation of money (the love of money is the root of all evil?). The abnormally high suicide rate among lottery winners offers some proof of the problems money can create. Low to middle class families that put emphasis on family over money are more likely to have happy, healthy lives than those that are always striving to obtain more money.

Ted Turner's $1 billion dollar pledge to the United Nations sets a very positive example that suggests Peace may not be as far away as previously thought. Ted's gift is significant for two reasons. One, because it is ear-marked for humanitarian efforts in poverty and disaster stricken locations. Two, because his business investments will not benefit from his donation. Who will follow his lead? Way to Go Ted !!

"There are two things to aim at in life - to get what you want and after that, to enjoy it. Only the wisest achieve the second." - Logan Pearsall Smith

THE 3 E's OF SUCCESS - EASY, EFFORTLESS & ENJOYABLE (Go to Table of Contents)

When you are in balance and things are rolling smoothly then success seems easy, effortless and enjoyable. That is not to say that everything comes easily and effortlessly but rather because of the enjoyment in accomplishing challenging goals, things seem exciting and fun. Thinking back, you can often relate current successes to past goals set and long-term values established. The key is to keep setting new goals so that life stays challenging and interesting. All to often we can get caught in a rut while relishing on past successes, no matter how fantastic they were.

* Use To-Do Lists to help you Schedule and Remember Daily Events and Make Life Easier.

Be careful while striving for success so that it does not cause you to damage other aspects of your life. Spend quality time with family, friends and yourself so that you do not become completely self-absorbed in your work. Do not let your work become your identity. Let your identity be established by what you give, not how you earn it.
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VALUES - WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IN? . (Go to Table of Contents)

When someone asks you to describe yourself, how do you reply? Most likely, you describe your physical self such as your age, height, hair color and birthplace. Is this who we are? Aren't we really defined by what's inside us, what we believe in, and not what we look like? The problem is that most of us have not been taught to think this way. Just try describing yourself withoutphysical descriptions. Suddenly we may be at a loss for words. How do you describe your beliefs, values, virtues and emotions? If we don't know what we stand for, we probably don't have a clear definition of who we really are.

Have you ever thought about what your values and beliefs are? Have you ever written them down? How did you develop them? Do others share the same values as you? Values are an internal set of guidelines that we live by yet few of us ever stop and give them serious consideration. Values help define who we are so we need positive values in order to develop healthy, vibrant identities. If you establish a positive set of values, then it is likely your actions will reflect this positivity. Values can be the "constant" in an ever-changing world that guides us from wrong to right.

To create a "Who Am I" list, start by writing down your current values and beliefs. After listing them, review them and see how many of them you actually follow through with. You only cheat yourself by not being honest on this part. Next, use the goal setting categories above to create a more complete list of values. Now that you have your current values listed, it's time to add some new ones and perhaps modify old ones. Are your values positive and constructive? Do they fit well with the goals and values of your significant other? Are there any major values missing like the golden rule, the ten commandments, or all people created equal? Now that you have a better idea who you are and where you are going, it's time to help your friends, children and loved ones discover more about who they are. Ask them to describe themselves and see what they say.

INTEGRITY - DO YOU FOLLOW THROUGH ON YOUR PROMISES? . (Go to Table of Contents)

A key value to have is integrity. One of the first thing successful salespeople learn is that you must follow through on your promises or your best customers will find someone else who will follow through. Price is a secondary concern for these customers. People with integrity prefer not to deal with people without it. We may not always be able to meet all our promises but onthe rare occasions when things don't go well we must accept responsibility and find ways to correct the situation instead of assigning blame. People with integrity truly care about the problems they create by not keeping their promises.

How can we improve our integrity? First, do what you say you will do. Don't make promises you can't keep. The problem may be that your intentions are good but your scheduling is not. Second, don't make excuses for your mistakes. Accept responsibility no matter who or what is to blame because ultimately it comes down to you anyway. Lastly, put yourself in the shoes of the other person and think how you would feel if you were them. Would you be upset?

People with integrity tend to be highly successful and happy individuals that form networks that seldom associate with people that regularly violate one of the key values, integrity.

EDUCATION TIPS: .(Go to Table of Contents)

Peace needs to be taught in our schools and in our homes. We envision a yearly class on War and Peace which focuses on previous and current wars, and the reasons for them. If we learn from our mistakes then we can focus on world wide peace efforts which will diminish the need for war. Our children are the future. Teach them right and the future will be all right!

Another topic that needs to be addressed is the teaching of the stages of life. We all go through very similar things: Birth, Dealing with siblings, Finding our identity, Puberty, Sex, Marriage, Work, Sickness, and Death, to name a few. The goal is to help our offspring every step of the way by advising them about their particular phase and coming stages each and every year. With each age comes new challenges and awareness, let's guide our children so they don't get lost.

Education needs to find a balance between left-brain and right-brain activities. We are cheating both the left-brain and right-brain dominant kids by teaching and rewarding predominantly left brain functions. In the past we may not have realized this but now that we are aware, let's get creative and start rewarding right brain activities as well. One way may be to have an art contest and have the kids judge the exhibits with awards going to "the favorite", "the most creative", "the best use of color", "best composition", "the best use of shadows", "the best use of negative space", "the most emotion provoking", etc..