Stress Management

Stress Management 
A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "how heavy is this glass of water? 
Answers  called out ranged from 8oz. to 20oz.

The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter.

It depends on how long you try to hold it.

"If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.

If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.

If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.

"In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management.

If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again."

When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden. "

"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down.

Don't carry it home.

You can pick it up tomorrow. 
 

 

Whatever burdens you're carrying now, 
  let them down for a moment if you can. "

"Relax; pick them up later after you've rested.

Life is short.

Enjoy it! 

And then he shared some ways of dealing with the burdens of life: 
* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue. 

* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them. 
* Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it. 

* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker. 
* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague. 
* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it. 
* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

* Never buy a car you can't push.

 

* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on. 
* Nobody cares if you can't dance well.  Just get up and dance. 
* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late. 
* The second mouse gets the cheese. 

* When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. 
* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live. 

* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person. 
* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once 
* We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp,some are pretty and some are dull, Some have weird names , and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box . 
"A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour. 

The Five Universal Rules to Happiness by Irsan Kao

There are a lot of rules to being happy. In fact, a lot of them apply in our daily lives. But when it all boils down to the basics, there are five rules that apply to everyone and everything in life. When applied, these rules will definitely bring happiness to us.
Rule 1: Free your heart from any hatred. The root of all evil is hatred. Having hatred in your life will only cause feelings that will destroy your spirituality. Hating doesn't serve us any purpose. And in return, it won't do anything to the people we hate. In fact, the only negative effect of it will be on us. It will make us feel low about our self and not the person we're hating. So, stop the hatred because it will do you no good.
Rule 2: Free your mind from worries. This might probably be the biggest challenge to a lot of people. We often worry a lot about things. We worry about our job. We worry about not having enough money. We worry about what tomorrow might bring. We worry about little things that don't need worrying about. What we need to do is take a moment to reflect whether it is doing us any good if we worry about theses things. If not, then do not worry about it. Worrying only attracts negative energy in our lives. And with theses negative energy, it will be hard to find happiness. Instead of worrying, it would be better if we focus our mind to the things we want. If we do that, we worry less.
Rule 3: Live a simple life. Let go of all the things you don't need in your life. Like Unnecessary drama or negative influences that you have. Take more time for yourself. Do the things you want to do. The things that you enjoy doing. Living simply might be hard to do in the busy world that you live in but if you learn to let go of the things that you don't need and the things that bring negativity into your life, you will realize how happier your life will be.
Rule 4: Give more. One of the most rewarding things that you can do is giving. It doesn't necessarily mean you give material things. We have a lot to give as a human being. We can give time to people who need it most. We can care for people who believe no one cares for them. The more you give, the more rewarding it is and the more happier you will feel.
Rule 5: Expect miracles. We all can dream and there are no limits to what we dream of. It's free to dream big! And top find real happiness, learn to expect that even your biggest dreams can come true. Expect miracles in your life to come true. Do the necessary things that you need to do and expect your dreams to become reality as you have worked hard for them. Just expect that they will come to you in the right time. Because everything happens in the exact moment and the right timing. Do not think negatively about your dreams not coming true because this will only bring negative feelings to yourself. Just wait and expect for the best. This will definitely increase your happiness.
Following these 5 simple rules will bring you a lot of happiness in your life. Just remember to take in all the positivity, as much as you can. And avoid all the negativity to truly find your way to true happiness.

Published At: Isnare.com Free Articles Directory -isnare
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=546093&ca=Self+Help

Irsan's passion is to write on wide varieties of subjects. His latest writing is at http://www.drakehotelchicago.net/ which contains reviews and discounts on Drake Hotel Chicago and other information about hotels in Chicago.

Building Low Self Esteem

Many of us have low self esteem at one point in time or another. Self esteem situations affect people from all levels of belief, race, age, or sex. It is quite common indeed.

Improving on our low self esteem requires patience, willpower, dedication, steadfastness and firmness. Setbacks can happen as we try to build up our self esteem. These setbacks may appear in the form of not treating yourself humanely, or allowing others to treat you inadequately.

These setbacks can happen unexpectedly, and at times without you even being aware. When these setbacks do occur, it is important that you do not quit.

You may take two steps forward, one step back. Remember that and be very gentle with yourself. A creative recovery is a healing process. You may slide backward. This is normal. In your course of action to build up self esteem, you must keep in mind that your low self esteem did not take place overnight. Low self esteem or sensitivities about yourself more often than not happens at a young age. It is usually a buildup of life experiences including the way you have been treated by others that helps to form your self esteem.

Due to the time taken to form your low self esteem, only with perseverance and time can you heal and correct those negativities. If you think you are unpleasant or lacking in brains, you will not be able to transform this overnight.

There are many techniques to aid beat low self esteem and improve on your self esteem. These strategies include new beliefs about yourself. You will need to find out how to feel better about yourself. You must also keep in mind that this learning takes time.

Low self esteem can generate negative experiences, sadness, nervousness, social anxiety, and a lack of enthusiasm. Having self esteem issues can confuse your life in a negative way and life will not be as joyful as you want it to be.

There are a lot of ways to build your self esteem and as such, you do not have to be in this world with low self value all through your life.

You can beat low self esteem over time with self help methods, individual and or group counseling,. Remember, however, that you must be tolerant and persevere in this course of action and not give up on yourself.

A fresh and healthier way of feeling about yourself will improve your life and bring you the pleasure and delight that you are worthy of. Just be patient with yourself, and you will improve on your low self esteem and feel better about yourself and your life.

Being a Good Friend

Be dependable. If your friend tells you something in confidence, don't tell tales about it to anyone else. Don't talk about your friend behind his/her back. Nobody likes a backstabber. Never say anything about your friend that you would not want to repeat face to face. Don't let others say bad things about your friend until you've had a chance to hear your friend's side of the story. If someone says something that shocks you and doesn't seem like a thing your friend would do or say, tell them, "I know him/her, and that just doesn't sound right. Let me talk to him/her, find out his/her viewpoint on this. If it turns out to be true, I'll let you know. Otherwise, I would value it if you didn't spread that around, because it might not be." You can't play both sides of the fence.

Be respectful. Know the limitations. Things you and your friend converse should be treated with care - your friend is not sharing this information with just anyone, and may not want to. She shared it with you - and only you, as far as you know. Example: If your friend doesn't want to name her crush, don't push her into it. If she has named her crush, don't tell anyone else. This is just common good manners anyone and everyone deserves the belief that you will keep confidences.

Be genuine. Are you trying to be friends with someone to be accepted into a certain circle, or because you'd like to get to be acquainted with someone else that he or she knows? That's not friendship, it's opportunism. Every new person you meet has the right to be acknowledged (or not) on his or her own qualities, it's better to just be yourself than let anyone else manipulate you into being someone you are not.

Be honest. An untruthful person has no likelihood of having true friends. Keep your promises, do what you say you are going to do, and most importantly, don't lie! Lying leads to more lies, and people will in due course figure you out. If you found yourself lying about something, be honest - go up to them, tell them the truth and how you felt, as well as how you may think they would've felt (explain that you were second-guessing rather than trusting your friendship). Don't be a coward; if you know you were at fault for the whole predicament, own up. Simply talk about it, hope your friend will forgive you. They'd most likely be grateful for it in the future, to look back and say, 'wow!' I have/had an wonderful friend by my side.

Help out friends during times of predicament. If your friend has to go to the hospital, you could help pack his or her bags; if her/his dog runs away, help to find it, if he/she needs someone to pick him/her up, be there. Take notes for your friend in school and give them their homework assignments when they're not present and sick at home. Send cards and care letters. If there is bereavement in his/her family, you might want to attend the memorial service or cook dinner for them. Care about your friend enough to help him or her open up and let tears roll. Give them a tissue and listen. You don't have to say anything, just be with them.

Watch out for your friend. If you sense that s/he is getting intoxicated at a party, help him or her to get away from the alcohol. Don't allow your friend to drive drunk - take his or her keys and/or drive your friend home personally. If your friend begins talking about running away or committing suicide, tell someone about it. This rule overrides the "respect privacy" step, because even if your friend begs you not to tell anyone, you should do it anyway. Recommend a help line or qualified person to your friend. Talk to your and your friend's parents or partner first (unless they are the ones causing the problems) before relating to anyone else.

Give guidance, add viewpoints. Don't judge your friend, but do counsel to stay out of situations where they may hurt themselves or others. Tell him/her how you perceive his/her circumstances, and what you might do in the same situation. Don't be slighted if they listen to your advice and then decide to ignore it. Your friend must make his or her own decisions. Avoid saying "You should... ".

If your friend is going through a crisis, don't advise them everything is going to be all right if it's not going to be. This goes right along with keeping it real. It's hard not to say this sometimes, but false faith can often be worse than none, and it may chip away at your friend's capacity to get through the crisis as well as they might. Instead, tell your friend that whatever they need, you are there for them. If they need to talk, talk; if they need to sit quietly, sit with them; if they need to get their mind off things, take them to a movie or concert. Give them a hug. You are friends, not strangers, after all. Just stay honest, but upbeat and positive. Even a stranger would most probably appreciate it.

Give your friend space. Appreciate if he/she wants to be without help or hang out with other people. Allow it to occur. There's no need to become over possessive or deprived. Allowing one another the time to hang with other friends gives you much-needed breathing room, and allows you to come together fresh and appreciating each other even more.

Don't be selfish. Grabbing, stealing and begging are big NOs in the convention of friendship. The friend will soon get weary of this and eventually more towards more selfless people who are enthusiastic to give what they get.

Never make a pledge you know you can't keep. Good friendship is based on belief - if you break a friend's trust, the friendship may be very hard to recoup. Of course, if you have made a promise and planned to keep it, but situations beyond your power combine to prevent it, let your friend know as soon as you find out. Don't wait until the last minute to call and say, "I'm sorry." Instead, a quick call to say, "Hey, I know I promised to help you with whatever it is, but something unexpected came up and that means I won't be able to make it. I'm so sorry. Can we postpone?" That's just respecting the fact that, given a little notice, your friend might be able to get someone else to help with whatever it was - or not, whatever. But at least you won't be hanging your friend out on the dryers.

Listen to them. You don't have to agree with them - just listen to what they have to say. Make sure they are talking too and you are not just running your mouth. Some people don't really find it fascinating listening to someone talk about their thoughts 24/7. If you're monopolizing every dialogue with your feelings, they aren't getting anything out of the friendship. Encourage them to share their hearts with you as often as you share yours with them.

Learn to share. As before, if you have a selfless friend, they will look forward to something back, even if they don't make it apparent. This does not necessarily mean giving them large costly gifts. This can just mean being there for them when they need you.

Don't exploit their bigheartedness or "wear out your welcome" If your friend does something nice for you, then give in return. Money doesn't have to be an issue. Don't make use of your friends! Don't let them pay every time you go out, even if they offer. Don't help yourself to things at their house without asking, unless you are prepared that they do the same at your house. No one wants to be friends with a taker or feel used. If you borrow something from a friend, take good care of it and then return it without being asked. Also, if you end the friendship then you should return any gifts they bought for you, especially if they gave you any gifts under false pretenses. It's proper decorum.

Live by the golden rule. Always take care of a friend as you would want to be treated. If you don't there will be repercussions. Don't do or say anything to them that you wouldn't want done to you. Be there for them through thick and thin as long as they are a TRUE friend to you. Also learn to forgive, and ask for forgiveness. Don’t be a little horror!

What is LOVE

If you love some one because you think that he or she is really gorgeous ....then it's not love .. it's "Infatuation"

If you love some one because you think that you shouldn't leave him because others think that you shouldn't ... then it's not love.. it's "Compromise"

If you love some one because you have been kissed by him ... then it's not love.. it's "Inferiority complex"

If you love some one because you cannot leave him thinking that it would hurt his feelings .. then it's not love .. it's "Charity"

If you love some one because you share every thing with him ... then it's not love... it's "Friendship"

BUT... If you feel the pain of the other person more than him even when he is stable and you cry for him ... that's "LOVE"

If you get attracted to other people but stay with him without any regrets... that's "LOVE"

If you let him go knowing that he has to go but he doesn't want to ... that's "LOVE"

The Power of the English Language ;)

Dear Madam, 

I am an older young uncle living only with myself in Lahore . Having seen your advertisement for marriage purposes, I decided to press myself on you and hope you will take me nicely. 

I am a soiled son from inside Punjab . I am nice and big, six foot tall and six inches long. 

My body is filled with hardness, as because I am working hardly. I am playing hardly also. Especially I like cricket and I am a good batter and I am a fast baller. Whenever I come running in for balling, other batters start running. Everybody is scared of my rapid balls that bounce alot.

I am very nice man. I am always laughing loudly at everyone. I am jolly. I am gay. 

Especially ladies, they are saying I am nice and soft. I am always giving respect to the ladies. I am always allowing ladies to get on top. That is how nice I am. 

I am not having any bad habits. I am not drinking and I am not sucking tobacco or anything else. 

Every morning I am going to the Jim and I am pumping like anything. Daily I am pumping and pumping. If you want you can come and see how much I am pumping the dumb belles in the Jim.

I am having a lot of money in my pants and my pants is always open for you. 

I am such a nice man, but still I am living with myself only. What to do? So I am taking things into my own hands everyday. 

That is why I am pressing myself on you, so that you will come in my house and take my things into your hand. 

If you are marrying me madam, I am telling you, I will be loving you very hard every day. In fact, I will stop pumping dumb belles in the Jim. 

If you are not marrying me madam and not coming to me, I will press you and press you until you come. 

So I am placing my head between your nicely smelling feet and looking up with lots of hope. 

I am waiting very badly for your reply and I am stiff with anticipation.

Expecting soon, 

Yours and only yours, 

Choudhary Bashir Warraich born by mother in Okara and become big n Lahore , Punjab  

The Reasons Men Love Women

They will always smell good even if its just shampoo.

The way their heads always find the right spot on our shoulder.

How cute they look when they sleep.

The ease in which they fit into our arms.

The way they kiss you and all of a sudden everything is right in the world.

How cute they are when they eat.

The way they take hours to get dressed, but in the end it makes it all worth while.

Because they are always warm even when it's minus 30 outside.

The way they look good no matter what they wear.

How cute they are when they argue.

The way her hand always finds yours.

The way they smile.

The way you feel when you see their name on the call ID after you just had a big fight.

The way she says "lets not fight anymore," even though you know that an hour later...

The way they kiss when you do something nice for them.

The way they kiss you when you say "I Love You."

Actually ... just the way they kiss you...

The way they fall into your arms when they cry.

Then the way they apologize for crying over something that silly.

The way they hit you and expect it to hurt.

Then the way apologize when it does hurt. (Even though we don't admit it)!

The way they say "I miss you."

The way you miss them.

The way their tears make you want to change the world so that it doesn't hurt her anymore...

The way they fish for compliments even though you both know that you think she's the most beautiful thing on this earth...
 

Yet regardless if you love them, hate them,wish they would die or know that you would die without them ... it matters not.

Because once in your life, whatever they were to the world,they become everything to you.

When you look them in the eyes,traveling to the depths of their souls and you say a million things without trace of a sound, you know that your own life is inevitable consumed within the rhythmic beatings of her very heart.
 

We love them for a million reasons,

No paper would do it justice.

It is a thing not of the mind but of the heart.

A feeling, only felt.

Starting Your Day off the RIGHT Way by SelfEvolution

The morning is the most important time of the day. Why? - Because it can easily set the mood for the rest of your day! - This is due to many reasons. One of the most significant is that it is much easier (scientifically, almost 25 times easier) to develop short-term paradigms (viewpoints) upon first waking up. When you first awaken, your mind is slowly leaving the delta state, (low brain wave frequency) where it is most easily influenced by mental suggestion. In other words, your mind is most open – and what you put in it will stay in it, until at least the end of the day. It is for this reason that often, if a sound or a song awakens you, you may be able to easily recall it again and again throughout the day (even if it’s a song you cannot stand!).

That being said, it is absolutely critical that you start your day off on the “right side of the bed.” Any negative thoughts you have will shape your subconscious for the entire day. Realize, if you wake up and say “Sh*t… today’s gonna suck…”, then it will suck! - Your subconscious would be imbued with a belief that “today sucks” and would work with your mental filtering systems and all of your senses to perceive information accordingly. There’s a lot to it, but the point of this article is to give you a list of tips to start your day off the right way… so back on track.

We know you’re busy as #%$! In the morning and don’t have time for therapeutic, two hour spa sessions when you’re trying to get to work or class on time. Therefore, this list is as “grounded” as is possible, and you can start using it – Now.

Also, for the record, we DO use every single one of these ourselves.

1. Initial Wakeup

GET UP! FAST! When you wake up, get out of bed as fast as you can! (without sending yourself into cardiac arrest, of course.) Waste no time in getting up. The best cure for procrastination is action – so if you’re procrastinating about getting out of bed, just force yourself to get up! …and wallah! - Problem solved! Jumping out of bed will spike your metabolism, and will end all thoughts of “just lying there” a little bit more. As an added bonus, I put my alarm clock on the other side of the room – forcing me to jump out of bed and go turn it off… and once I’m out, I stay out!

2. Light

The power of light is severely underestimated by most people. How? It has profound effects upon body chemistry and energy levels. You circadian rhythm (based on light levels) affects nearly all aspects of your physiology. Over 200 processes are controlled by the level of and type of light that you receive, including heart rate, digestion, appetite and thirst, fluid balance, stress level, emotions, immunity, hunger, energy, blood pressure, body temperature, physical strength, reaction times, sexual appetite, urine production and brain balance – just to name a few. Bright, natural light is ideal for bringing the most energy to all these systems. The more light you receive, the more serotonin your pineal gland produces – a “feel good” neurotransmitter. The less light received, the more melatonin your pineal gland produces. Melatonin is essentially a depressant / sedative. This explains why humans living in Spain are some of the most upbeat, positive beings on the planet, where as residents in Norway or Russia are some of the most depressed. Your body makes melatonin at night, and makes serotonin during the day. So, the sooner you turn on the lights, or open the blinds preferably, the sooner your body’s systems will increase their energy levels. The longer you keep it dark, the harder it will be to wake up – that simple.

3. Wake Up to a Clean Room

This one may not seem that significant, but believe me – it is. Waking up to a clean, organized room has a positive first impression upon your mind. Waking up to clutter, dirty clothes, and piles of beer cans from the night before does not. This may seem like a bit of a feng shui thing, but give it a try, and you will realize – it does work. It’s easier to vacate a room when it’s clean, pristine, and relatively organized / empty, versus one that is piled high and more “cozy.” Keep your room stark… put things away from you’re done using them. It will help.

4. Fresh Air

Open the window. No matter what season it is. Open the window… even if it is just a crack. Your bedroom has sat stagnant all night, void of fresh air, especially if you leave your door closed as I do. When you open the window (and the door preferably) you create a cross draft to bring in fresh air. You have lowered the oxygen level by rebreathing the same air in the room at night. However, as soon as you open the window, you bring in fresh air with high oxygen levels – instantly raising your energy level. Even if it is 10 degrees out, open the window just a tad. When it’s cold out, it will have even more of an effect – the cool, denser air will carry more oxygen, and the temperature alone will help you to awaken.

5. Music

Music is a huge part of my morning. Even if you are not musically motivated, music can shape your mornings. Turn on music as soon as you can after waking up. Make sure it is something positive and uplifting – as chances are it may become stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Personally, I love pounding trance in the morning – it’s positive, uplifting chords and driving bass last with me all day. Make sure you’re listening to something that pulls you up… not down. The effect of music upon the brain is something we will discuss down the road – stay tuned. Also, if music is not available, any high frequency sound chords can work. Birds chirping, wind chimes, ect – all help awaken and sooth the mind.

6. Food

Start your morning off with a full glass of water before you eat anything else – This is essential. Toxins have been ejected from tissue and line your throat and mouth (thus, morning-breath) and the last thing you want to do is to allow them to adhere to your breakfast. Drink a full glass of water –and give it ten minutes. If you have an empty stomach, the toxins will be flushed down, and pass out with your urine, with no food to absorb them. Ten minutes later, you may eat your breakfast. The subject of a healthy breakfast is obviously a lengthy subject, but I’ll be brief – DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST. They’re not lying when they say it’s the most important meal of the day. Your body has been starved for eight hours or more, and breakfast is crucial. Breakfast jumpstarts your metabolism, ends your body’s “hoarding mode” from the night, and will actually help you lose weight and stay lean if you chose the proper foods. Make sure you eat some fruit, some protein, and some carbs. My typical weekend breakfast consists of an orange and three scrambled eggs… very basic, but quite healthy. If you’re eating loads of sugary cereal, or worse, doughnuts for breakfast, you need to go do some basic research online on how to eat healthy. You could be lean and good looking, but lack energy, and your arteries may be 90% blocked – as a result of your diet.

7. Cold shower

Take a cold shower. Yes, freezing cold is unbearable. You don’t have to do it that way. Start it off hot… like me. Then, after you’re medium-toasty (not well-toasty... it will make you more tired), put it on cold for as long as you can take it. Then, put it on hot for a minute… then cold for a minute. Repeat the hot-cold cycle a few times – this will not only wake you up fast, but it will expand and contract your pores to force out toxins and oils from the night. End the shower with a cold rinse – you want to be cold when you step out… it’s critical, as it will raise your metabolism, and keep it there. Try the cold shower thing for a week – you’ll notice a difference. A long, hot shower depresses your physiological systems and makes you want to go back to bed. A cold, invigorating shower will wake you up – fast. Try it.

8. Make Your Bed

This doesn’t serve as much of a purpose for in the morning, as it does for in the evening. I’ll explain how it works from my situation. I wake up. I do my morning routine. I (in this example) do not make my bed. I leave. I work all day, and at the end of the day, I think of all the projects that I am going to work on when I get home. However, when I get home into my room, I suddenly feel tired… there’s something drawing me to my bed. The covers are thrown back – like a great, yawning mouth of gaping comfort… calling for me to dive in after a long day at work. So I do – I jump in, cover up, get all toasty, and sleep away half of my evening – only to go to bed again a few hours later. Leaving your bed unmade kills your motivation. Not only does it appear messy, which drains your energy in its own right, but it also invites you back in repeatedly, when you usually cannot afford to. So, make your bed. You’ll notice you get more things done in the evening.

9. Time Savers

There are several small, simple things you can do to save time in the morning. For one, if you check your computer in the morning (MySpace, Facebook, email, stocks, weather, ect), then try this. Rather than shutting down your computer at night, put it in standby. You will save a few minutes over turning it on, and it won’t use any more electricity. If it takes your computer four minutes to boot up, multiplied over a year, that is over 24 hours! An entire day you would save if you followed the routine everyday. Another rather obvious tip is to put all your “to-go” items in one spot. Put your phone, wallet (or purse), watch, rings, notepad, ID badge, car keys, ect; all on the same part of the counter, or in a bowl perhaps. It will save you time searching for everything. Additionally, whatever time you are waking up now, wake up ten minutes earlier. It makes a world of difference in the morning. If you can get over the “I could sleep for ten more minutes” thinking, you will reap amazing benefits. Ten minutes can take a lot of the edge off of your morning, allowing you to take your time as you go about your routine. It can save you money as well. I can tell you in my case that if I leave a few minutes early, rather than driving 80 MPH to make it to work on time, I can drive 65-70 MPH, which, due to exponential drag and air resistance, is optimum gas mileage speed for my car, and saves me a few bucks each week in gas.

10. Self-Talk

Self-Talk should be the most important part of any morning routine. In the morning, you need to load yourself with as much positive mental programming as possible. Your mind is most receptive to it in the morning (and at night), and it will shape the rest of your day. Your programming comes in many different forms, and it is our job to help you use it to your advantage. Mental programming is too much for this article… keep your eyes on us as we come out with new products to help you shape your mind exactly the way you want it – and help you live the life you deserve.

6 Little Spending Mistakes That Can Cost You Your Financial Freedom by bhokin

Can't seem to get ahead financially? Debts piling up? Maybe you're making some of these mistakes unknowingly. These mistakes listed below will help you understand where you may be going wrong and how to get back on track quickly. You can be debt free.

Mistake 1. Living Beyond Your Means

This is the real cause of your worry and stress. If you are spending more than you are earning, whose money are you spending? It's the credit card provider's or the bank's. The cost of this money is interest.

The way out - Make a Commitment to yourself only to spend within your income limits. Maybe you could increase your income (or cash in) by applying for more skilled positions, selling some of your unused articles or assets. Is the second car really a necessity? What about working out ways to make your hobby pay for itself?

Why not find ways to reduce your spending? How much would you save each year if you decided not to have the daily coffee shop coffee? Why not make your work lunch each day rather than buying it? Commit to only buying the necessities.

Mistake 2. Paying Off Less Than the Full Credit Card Balance Each Month

Get this debt under control and your life will be much easier. If you are like many others and only pay the minimum balance each month, the interest on the interest makes those purchases oh so expensive.

The way out - Find ways to put aside more money to apply to the credit cards. It will take time to reach this goal. However, if you don't make a start now you may never pay them off. This situation did not occur overnight and neither will the solution. But, by diligence and commitment you'll get there.

Mistake 3. Not Really Knowing Your Financial Situation

Before you can set meaningful goals and develop savings strategies you need to know your financial situation now. The best, proven and tested method by far, is by developing your own personal budget. This is not hard to do. Please don't give up now. Just follow these simple steps:

The way out -

1. Find your latest credit card statements. Write down all the unpaid balances.
2. Are there any other unpaid debts (not home or car) then include these balances as well.
3. List out your (or family) monthly income. Only the amounts "brought home". Include all types of income.
4. Work out your monthly spending. List out where all the money goes. Don't leave anything out.
5. Minus the monthly spending total from the monthly income total and review the answer.

This will give you an initial idea as to whether you are living within your means or on borrowed money.

Mistake 4. Continually Adding to Your Debt

If debt has got you into this situation it is critically important not to add to the state of affairs and thus make it worse.

The way out - cut up the credit cards, keeping only 1 for emergencies. Don't buy on impulse. Ask yourself twice or three times before you buy anything "Do I really need this?" before you hand over your hard-earned money. Don't buy at the height of the fashion or fad. Commit to never paying full retail for anything. Get it on sale or negotiate a lower price.

Mistake 5. Spending All Your Income

It may sound OK to spend any money you earn but there are risks attached to this strategy. How are you going to pay for emergency items? What about major car repairs. What about major electrical appliance replacement? Are you going to pay for these on credit? Bad idea! How are you going to save for a substantial deposit on the next car?

The way out - Once you've prepared your budget you will clearly see what you need to do to put some income aside for other needs such are emergencies and repairs.

Mistake 6. Spending Without Caring About Your Future

Unless you are planning for your future and financial security, you cannot be really happy. There are always worries lurking in your mind about how you would survive in a financial emergency if you have no savings. It can be very rewarding to see how quickly your savings multiply over time with only a small investment each payday.

The way out - Take stock of your life and realize that tomorrow won't look after itself. It needs your attention. Keep some funds aside to put away for your retirement, children's college costs, emergencies, holidays and major purchases.

Avoid these 6 spending mistakes and you'll be well on your way to financial freedom. Guaranteed.

Living with an Attitude of Gratitude by Coach April

Creating an attitude of gratitude is one of the easiest steps we can take to improve our lives. The happiness that we create for ourselves by showing our appreciation has far-reaching effects, both for ourselves and for those we come into contact with. The potential for gratitude to spread beyond those people also increases significantly – it can be highly contagious. There are so many different ways that we can express an attitude of gratitude. Here are just a few:

Say “thank you”. This is the most basic and well-known way to show appreciation to others. Saying “thank you” is a great way to express your gratitude and can be done in several different forms. You can say it in person, over the phone, in a note, or in an email. Using this when it’s least expected can have significant results in lifting someone’s spirits. For example, a quick note to your child’s teacher thanking her for her hard work and patience might give her the boost of energy that she needs right when she needs it most. You may never know what effect this has had on her, but it will have an effect.

Stop complaining about your life. Even as tough as life can be sometimes, remember that there is always someone that has things worse than you do. Constant complaining about what is wrong in your life will keep you focused on that. The opposite is true as well – focusing on what is right in your life will keep you focused on that. Focusing on the negative will bring you down while focusing on the positive will lift you up.

Focus on what you have, not what you don’t have. This is very closely related to not complaining about your life. Being grateful for what you do have keeps you in a positive place, whereas focusing on what you don’t have keeps you in a negative place. Focusing on what you do have, regardless of how little or how much that may be, is a great expression of gratitude.

Model your attitude. Modeling your attitude of gratitude is a great way to spread it to others. We’ve all heard the Golden Rule to “treat others the way you want to be treated”. Showing your appreciation to others shows them that you like to be treated this way too. An attitude of gratitude can be quite infectious!

Be satisfied with simple things and be mindful of little things. Being grateful for the little things in our lives is just as important (if not, more so) than being grateful for the big things. Our lives are filled with little things every day that we can be grateful for. What about that front row parking spot you found when you were running late? Or the beautiful weather outside? How about the store clerk that went out of her way to help you? This may take a little practice, but there are many little things throughout the day that we can be grateful for if we take the time to notice them.

Give to someone else. This is the best way to spread your gratitude of attitude. There are so many different ways to give to someone else. You could volunteer your time to help those less fortunate or give you time to children by mentoring them. The possibilities are endless but could make a huge difference in someone’s life without you evening knowing it. If they in turn give to someone else, the cycle could continue without end.

Keep a gratitude journal. Let’s just be honest here: there are some days when it is hard to find anything to be grateful for. Keeping a gratitude journal can help with that. There are preprinted journals so you can just fill in the blanks or you can make your own. The important thing is to find at least 5 things each day to be grateful for, no matter how big or small those things are. A gratitude journal can serve two purposes: it will help you stop and remember what you are grateful for or it can serve as inspiration on days when you find it difficult to find anything to be grateful for by reading over past days.

Practice random acts of kindness. This can be one of the most fun and rewarding ways to live a life of gratitude, especially when it’s done anonymously. Surprise someone with something unexpected. You may never know what it meant to them but it will likely make their day. Try putting a note in your child’s lunch or bringing treats to the office to share. Even a small gesture can mean so much to someone.

Living a life of gratitude is one of the easiest ways to live a happier life. It takes very little effort to show someone you appreciate them but will mean so much to them. There are so many ways to make gratitude a part of our life and to spread that attitude to others. Make today the day you start living a life of gratitude and spread your light to the rest of the world!