Learn how to motivate yourself

Learn how to motivate yourself

Word Count:
403

Summary:
Motivation is not an accident or something that someone else can give you -- you are the only one with the power to motivate you. Motivation cannot be an external force, it must come from within as the natural product of your desire to achieve something and your belief that you are capable to succeed at your goal

Keywords:
inspiration, motivation, success, dream, fire, motivate, challenge, problem, compete, God, faith, rules, obey

Article Body:
"Motivation will almost always beat mere talent."
~ Norman Augustine

I truly believe Augustine's words are true and if you look at history you know it is true. There are many people in the world with amazing talents who realize only a small percentage of their potential. We all know people who live this truth.

We also know those epic stories, those modern-day legends surrounding the early failures of such supremely successful folks as Michael Jordan and Bill Gates.  We can look a bit further back in time to Albert Einstein or even further back to Abraham Lincoln. What made each of these people so successful? Motivation.

We know this in our gut, but what can we do about it? How can we motivate ourselves? One of the most difficult aspects of achieving success is staying motivated over the long haul.

Motivation is not an accident or something that someone else can give you -- you are the only one with the power to motivate you. Motivation cannot be an external force, it must come from within as the natural product of your desire to achieve something and your belief that you are capable to succeed at your goal.

Positive pleasure-oriented goals are much more powerful motivators than negative fear-based ones. Although each is successful separately, the right combination of both is the most powerful motivational force known to humankind.

Here are some tips and methods for motivating yourself:

~ Use a past defeat as a motivator. Remind yourself you have nowhere to go except up as you have already been at the bottom.

~ Give yourself the power of responsibility. Remind yourself the only thing stopping you is yourself.

~ Make a list of your achievements toward your long-term goal and remind yourself that intentions don't count, only action's.

~ Do it today. Remind yourself of someone you know who died suddenly and the fact that there is no guarantee that tomorrow will come.

~ Let success motivate you. Find a picture of what epitomizes success to you and then pull it out when you are in need of motivation.

Reflect and experiment until you find the right combination of motivators for your personality and your personal goals. I'll leave you with this final motivating quote:

"What drives me? The thing that drives me most is the desire to find my limits--and extend them." ~ Richard Marcinko

Now go push your own limits and succeed!

 

Impact of extrinsic motivation on intrinsic motivation

Impact of extrinsic motivation on intrinsic motivation

Word Count:
649

Summary:
This article discusses intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation, and how extrinsic motivation may affect intrinsic motivation.  The danger of overjustification is discussed and recommendations suggested.

Keywords:
motivation, intrinsic, extrinsic

Article Body:
Motivation can be simply defined as the things that induce us to take certain actions or behave in a certain way. It is the why or the reason that drives a person towards a desired goal.

The reasons can be categorized into something that is within us i.e. intrinsic / internal motivation, or something that is external to us i.e. extrinsic / external motivation.

Internal motivation in performing a task occurs when the task in itself is experienced as rewarding and there is no need for any external reward before it is performed. Examples are love of the task, self-satisfaction, sense of achievement, relaxation purpose, etc.

External motivation in performing a task occurs when the task is performed because of an external reward. Examples are praise, recognition, money, stickers, grades, material rewards, etc.

Motivation can be seen as a continuum from being externally driven to becoming more internally driven. All of us start off in life being externally driven. Remember how many children are bribed with sweets or stickers, and do things to get praise from adults. But as we mature and our material needs become more satisfied, we become more internally driven. Though intrinsic motivation is generally accepted as being better as it is within the internal control of the person, external motivation is useful in helping a person initially to get on a task when he does not feel intrinsically motivated to do so.

However, the excessive use of external motivation might have detrimental effects. This has been shown in research or experiments that examine the effects of external reward on an internally motivated task.

The 1973 paper "Undermining children's intrinsic interest with extrinsic rewards: A test of the overjustification hypothesis" by M Lepper, D Green & R Nisbett, reported an interesting experimental observation. During children's free-play time, a fun drawing activity was introduced. They observed the children playing and selected those children who appeared to find intrinsic satisfaction in drawing. These children were placed under three different conditions.

Condition 1: "Good Player" certificate was shown to some of the children, and asked if they would like to draw to win the certificate.

Condition 2: Some children were given the opportunity to simply engage in drawing and the children were given the "Good Player" certificate unexpectedly.

Condition 3: Some children simply drew without expecting or receiving any reward.

Two weeks later, all these children were again allowed to engage in the drawing activity. The result was interesting. It was found that the children who chose to draw for the reward showed less interest in drawing, and also when the reward was withdrawn, these children simply stopped drawing. Children in the other two conditions showed no significant change in their interest in drawing. The result seems to suggest that the external reward of a "Good Player" certificate destroyed the original intrinsic motivation for drawing.

In 1975, EL Deci reported his research findings in the paper "Intrinsic motivation", that when people were given rewards for pursuing intrinsically satisfying goals, decreased motivation was the result. The result seems to suggest that if people already enjoy what they are doing, giving rewards for their engaging in this activity can act as a deterrent in continuing with that activity.

These two reports seem to suggest that external rewards can destroy intrinsic motivation. There is therefore the danger of "overjustification" in our enthusiasm to motivate good performance through rewards.

What are the lessons that we can learn in motivating our children, students or subordinates? Suggestions are:

1. Develop intrinsic motivation for tasks, e.g. by providing a safe environment for them to pursue their own interests without undue interference.

2. Encourage intrinsic motivation for tasks e.g. providing opportunities for sharing of work and of the personal satisfaction gained.

3. Provide external rewards sparingly, and without giving expectations for it.

 

As Summer Fades, Your Tan Doesn't Have To

 

As Summer Fades, Your Tan Doesn't Have To

Word Count:
464

Summary:
Enjoying the sun has been a favorite pastime for people of all ages for many years. Today, it is still one of life's free pleasures.

Keywords:
As Summer Fades, Your Tan Doesn't Have To

Article Body:
Enjoying the sun has been a favorite pastime for people of all ages for many years. Today, it is still one of life's free pleasures.

In the early 1920s, "Sun Therapy" became very popular and was prescribed as a cure for everything from simple fatigue to tuberculosis. Around the same time, French fashion designer Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel popularized the tan as a status symbol when she appeared at the fashion shows with a golden tan obtained while vacationing on the French Riviera.

In the mid-1940s, home tanning lamps gained popularity with health enthusiasts. And in the 1970s, the carefree youth culture demanded a year-round tan so they could appear to have just returned from vacation. This spawned the development of the indoor tanning bed (1975) and the growing popularity of sunless tanning lotions.

Today, with superior application methods and advanced ingredients, the use of sunless tanning products is at an all-time high and anyone can enjoy the appearance of a beautiful, healthy-looking tan-year-round.

Keep On Glowing

As summer fades, your tan doesn't have to. One of the simplest and most effective ways to keep a beautiful tan looking fresh and radiant through the sunning season and beyond is to use products specifically designed to create and maintain a sun-kissed glow. Following are some simple sunless tanning tips from the experts at California Tan.

• Always Prepare Your Skin-For best results, prime skin with a gentle, oil-free exfoliating product to do away with rough, flaky, dry skin to create a smooth surface that will more evenly absorb sunless tanning ingredients. Exfoliating will also help color last longer and help the sunless tan fade away more evenly and naturally.

• Apply Self-Tanner Once a Week-To develop or maintain a healthy-looking glow, apply self-tanner over entire body in even, circular motions and always wash hands after application. Never apply self-tanner to palms of hands or soles of feet. Choose a product format that is best for your skin type-lotion for dryer skin, spray for oilier skin, or foam for combination skin. A product with a subtle tint allows for easy application as it "shows where it goes."

• Keep Color Fresh and Skin Hydrated-To extend color and protect a tan from fading away, use a moisturizer containing subtle self-tanning, skin-enhancing bronzers. The combination of hydrating the skin and supplying it with the added bronzers will keep color going strong and skin smooth and radiant.

• Pay Extra Attention to Fast-Fading Zones-Certain body parts, like the face and legs, lose color due to excessive cleansing and/or shaving. Keep color longer by paying special attention to these areas with products designed to extend color longer with bronzing, anti-aging, sun care protection and moisturizing ingredients. California Tan Face Perfector SPF 15 and Leg Perfector were designed to prolong color on your face and legs.

 

A Metaphor For Change - The Egg

 

A Metaphor For Change - The Egg

Word Count:
338

Summary:
There is nothing more certain in the world and in this life than CHANGE. No matter what people might think or what they might try to believe, everything is changing all the time, as we breathe in and out, as we eat and sleep and grow and go through our own spirals of unfoldment.

Keywords:
change metaphor, egg metaphor, silvia hartmann

Article Body:
There is nothing more certain in the world and in this life than CHANGE. No matter what people might think or what they might try to believe, everything is changing all the time, as we breathe in and out, as we eat and sleep and grow and go through our own spirals of unfoldment.

So here is a simple metaphor for change. It is called "The Egg" and I hope you enjoy it.

I often have this feeling of stress and desperation because I am quite convinced nothing has changed.

I look around myself and all I see is what I always see.

Same house, same furniture, same pile of bills, same everything.

I work so hard and NOTHING is changing.

I thought that again about something the other day, and this large, beautiful golden egg came to my mind.

There it is, and it just sits there in its nest of straw.

It doesn't DO anything.

It doesn't change shape, it doesn't change colour.

It doesn't pulsate. It doesn't roll around.

You could look at it for DAYS AND DAYS and you'd come away thinking that it was just that and there was NOTHING GOING ON.

And yet, and if one was to extend one's feelers in a different way, one might become aware of the RIOT OF CHANGE that is taking place INSIDE the egg, a storm of re-organisation, feeding and growth, of total unfoldment as a bunch of random cells become a fish thing, which in turn becomes ever more defined and more complex, more organised in every way, more mature, more fantastic with every heartbeat, every breath that passes.

One day, and we know not when, the egg that lay so motionless for so very long and seemed to be nothing but an inert shape will begin to rock, and then it will crack, and the newly born dragonet will emerge, spread its wings for the first time and take its first small steps.

Yes, there was change.

Even if we thought there wasn't.

 

What's The Opposite Of Doubt?

What's The Opposite Of Doubt?

Word Count:
528

Summary:
The Law of Attraction teaches us that whatever you focus on, you will attract MORE of it into your life--whether it's wanted or unwanted.

Keywords:
law of attraction, focus, doubt, certainty, attract, vibration, deliver, goal

Article Body:
The Law of Attraction teaches us that whatever you focus on, you will attract MORE of into your life--whether it's wanted or unwanted. To deliberately attract more of what you enjoy, you need do only three things:

Be very clear about what you want--write it down, find the precise words that describe your desire.
Become a vibrational match for what you want--speak only in the most positive way about your desire and remember the three phrases that will raise your vibration faster:
I am in the process of attracting...
The Universe is in the process of lining every thing up so I can attract...
I LOVE it when...
Allow the Law of Attraction to deliver! Just eliminate doubt and receive what you've asked for.
What we're not told, is how to eliminate doubt. Better yet, what's the opposite of doubt? CERTAINTY. Say that word out loud...C E R T A I N T Y.

How does it feel to have CERTAINTY?
Can you recall a time when you had CERTAINTY?
What did CERTAINTY look like or feel like?

Do you remember arriving at a state of 'knowing' that what you desired would be yours?
Do you recall thinking or saying, "I know it doesn't look that way right now, but I just KNOW this is going to happen?" That's CERTAINTY.
 
The good news is that the Law of Attraction doesn't wait for you to have complete certainty before it starts delivering what you want.
 
It is waiting for you to have a little more belief than doubt--just 51% more belief for your desire will get things started. Once you 'allow' yourself to believe that it IS POSSIBLE to have your desire--that if it's possible for someone else to have this, then it is possible for ME to have it too--once you have tipped the scale so that your desire outweighs doubt, you'll begin to notice 'signpost' events that prove your desire is getting closer and closer.

Do you recognize signposts?  A 'close-match' is a signpost. So is a 'taster' experience such as this one:

I've had a dream for my company, TeleClass International Services Inc., to bring the TeleClass Model into Corporations. The first signpost that this dream would be realized was a small contract we had with IBM to train 15 of their trainers. At the time, I thought my dream was in 'full production', however the next contract for Corporate TeleLeader Training arrived two years later. In the meantime, we attracted the perfect person to deliver the Corporate Training and we've had adequate time to train her in all aspects of this industry. Recently, the Corporate contracts have been flowing in at a steady rate as more corporations learn about TeleClasses and how this model can reduce their training costs. NOW my dream is being fulfilled.

As you pay attention to those signposts, acknowledge them for the encouragement that they are intended to be and celebrate that you are one more step closer, your belief will grow into CERTAINTY.

Notice how much closer you are today, to being certain that a long-held dream will one day become true. Make CERTAINTY your goal--and the Law of Attraction may surprise you with an early gift.

 

What Good Is A Rocket That Fizzles?

What Good Is A Rocket That Fizzles?

Word Count:
483

Summary:
'Rocket of Desire' is the exhilarating emotion necessary for creating a memory that sustains our hope until the 'rocket of desire' becomes our reality.

Keywords:
law of attraction, rocket, fizzles, passion, coaching, desire, motivate, sustain, attract, vibration, goal, reality, dream

Article Body:
Muriel used to feel passionately about starting a business, but somewhere between grading tests and completing report cards she lost her enthusiasm.

For as long as she could remember Muriel, my coaching client, had secretly nurtured a dream to own her own business. But like many women in her age group, she had chosen a safer, more socially acceptable, occupation. She was a teacher. Now that she was close to retirement, she was beginning to realize that it might soon be possible to fulfill that hidden dream and start a new career. This time she would do something that would allow her to utilize many of her gifts and talents. She would own a business. With this rediscovered dream came strong feelings of desire and hope-powerful emotions called 'rockets of desire.'

Like Muriel, many of us are afraid that if we don't maintain that emotional high we won't get our heart's desire. What we fail to realize is that the initial 'rocket of desire' is only a rocket. It takes off fast and rises quickly with a flaming burst of delight. Then it descends back to earth leaving us with the memory of its brief journey and fueling our desire to ascend again.

It is this memory that motivates and sustains us to find a way to actualize the 'rocket of desire.' Once we have tasted the thrill of owning a business, a new automobile, a new home or vacation, once we have felt the rush of excitement and delight in our imagination, then we begin to move toward that desire.

The secret of getting your heart's desire is to keep your attention on what you want-on that idea or goal which caused the 'rocket of desire.' What happens to many of us is that after the rocket has returned to earth, we begin to observe reality; the way things are now. We focus on reasons why we don't have and probably can't have that desired outcome and effectively put the brakes on our 'rocket of desire'. Unless we can look beyond what is present today and picture ourselves as we want to be, we may never attain the level of belief necessary to receive the 'rocket of desire' as our new reality.

Muriel had come to our coaching session focused on her lack of passion. She was so worried about her waning emotions that she was not paying attention to what had shown up for her that week--a potential business partner. However, once Muriel saw this little graph and understood where she was in the process she was able to recognize the significance of meeting her potential business partner and to continue the work necessary to realize her dream.

Just like Muriel, we can get the most from our 'rocket of desire' by recognizing it for what it is--the exhilarating emotion necessary for creating a memory that sustains our hope until the 'rocket of desire' becomes our reality.

 

Use the Law of Attraction to Manifest Outstanding Results

Use the Law of Attraction to Manifest Outstanding Results

Word Count:
409

Summary:
How joyful could you allow yourself to be?  How much more magical could your application of the law of attraction be?  Read on to learn more.

Keywords:
law of attraction, manifesting, manifest

Article Body:
If you have gone about your life feeling frustrated, angry and stuck you can transform this lower feelings and move into an outrageous state of joy and hopefulness and begin to attract greater circumstances.

The law of attraction states that like attracts like.  That simply means if you are feeling stuck and hopeless you will continue to attract more circumstances that bring about hopelessness. 

One of the fastest ways to get the law of attraction to work for you is to take a period of time and do nothing more than find the things which bring you outrageous joy.  Forget about wanting a new car or more money.  Focus most on being joyful.

1) Make a list of all the things which make you completely happy.  Then go out and do it.  See if you can fill an entire week of your free time with activities that are fun and emotionally rewarding to you. 

2) Get a journal – Every night before bed write out your feels about the way you spent your day.  Make a point to express how you felt.  Your feelings are extremely important because they inform the law of attraction as to your present vibration.

3) Each day search out activities that you may have wished to try but never got around to doing them.  The more new and fun activities that you engage in the more expanded you will feel.  You will naturally move into a higher more expanded state.  New activities open up your inner being much more than activities that you have become too familiar with.  When you are in a new environment you easily move into a more aware and open state.

By the end of the week you will be a change in your own personal energy.  Now you can begin to think more about what you would like to manifest in your life.  Be clear about your desire and allow the law of attraction to go to work to do wonders in brining about your desires. 

To best apply the law of attraction you should be in a state of joy and openness.  As you go through your daily activities you may not be aware of it but you do shut down.  Everything becomes routine and you easily hold on to old thought patterns. 

As you change your routine and open up you begin to see some amazing changes and your ability to master the law of attraction techniques will be greatly enhanced.

 

Universal Law Series - Law Of Attraction

Universal Law Series - Law Of Attraction

Word Count:
594

Summary:
Our thoughts, emotions and feelings act as a powerful magnet, attracting circimstances into our lives. Whether these circimstances are positive or negative, is completely dependent on how we think!

This is the sixth of seven articles in our continuing series covering the core seven Universal Laws. The focus of this article is the sixth Law – the Law of Attraction.

Law of Attraction

Simply stated, the Law of Attraction says that we attract into our lives, that upon wh...

Keywords:
personal coaching, personal development, universal law, self help, training, leadership, coaching

Article Body:
Our thoughts, emotions and feelings act as a powerful magnet, attracting circimstances into our lives. Whether these circimstances are positive or negative, is completely dependent on how we think!

This is the sixth of seven articles in our continuing series covering the core seven Universal Laws. The focus of this article is the sixth Law – the Law of Attraction.

Law of Attraction

Simply stated, the Law of Attraction says that we attract into our lives, that upon which we place our dominant thoughts. In other words, if we focus predominantly on abundance, solutions and positive outcomes then that is exactly what we will attract back into our lives. Nice!

There is a dangerous flip side to this law however - if we focus on lack, problems and negative outcomes, then that is exactly what we will attract.

You may have heard of Earl Nightingale. Known today as the father of modern day self-help, Earl, while working in the insurance business back in the mid 1950's, cut a record called 'The Strangest Secret'. The purpose of this record was to provide some training for his staff while he was traveling on business. Earl's strangest secret was simply this:

"We become what we think about most of the time!"

This 'secret' aligns perfectly with the Law of Attraction and acts as a constant reminder that we must learn to control our thoughts. Truthfully, our own thoughts are the only things in life over which we have complete control. The challenge is to keep them in control and not let them run rampant with negativity.

For an example of the power of the Law of Attraction, you need look no further than your own life. Have you ever had one of those days, where everything seems to go wrong? From the cold shower to the burnt toast to the traffic ticket on the way to the office, to the grouchy boss, to the difficult customer, we have all experienced those days. It all starts with the way we think. Our thought patterns attract the first negative experience. This experience then puts us in a negative frame of mind which works to attract further "bad" situations. The more we focus on the "bad day" we are having, the worse things get!

The solution is to change our frame of reference. Take the negative emotions and change them to be either positive or at least neutral. Look for the lesson in every situation. Learning to laugh at ourselves is another great way to change our reference point. If we break the cycle of negativity, things will begin to turn around almost immediately.

What You Can Do

There are two things that you can start doing immediately that will help you to harness the awesome power of the Law of Attraction:

1. Ask yourself the question: "Do I focus on Lack or Abundance (or stated another way, 'Am I problem-focused or solution-focused")? If you answered, 'Lack / Problems' then set out to immediately change your frame of reference. Change your habits and thought patterns to be more positive and solution-focused.

2. Take full responsibility for whatever is happening in your life, be it good or bad. You have attracted the good as well as the bad, so taking responsibility will allow you to make the choice to change your thinking.

Positive thinking on it's own will not solve all of your problems, however it is one of a series of things that we all have the power to implement which will get us on the path to leading the life we want.

 

Unexpected Flowers

Unexpected Flowers

Word Count:
449

Summary:
There is the expected, and there is the unexpected. When it's a special day for your significant other or close friend, he or she may be expecting something, and it is important to come through.  But, most people agree that the best time to receive flowers and gifts is when...

Keywords:
flowers,florals,florist,gifts,online flowers,online florals,flowers delivery,relationships,caring,thoughtful gifts,giving flowers

Article Body:
There is the expected, and there is the unexpected. When it's a special day for your significant other or close friend, he or she may be expecting something, and it is important to come through.  But, most people agree that the best time to receive flowers and gifts is when they aren't expecting them at all. 

A recent survey shows that for every 20 Americans who think Valentine's Day is the best time to receive flowers, 30 others think it's even more special when flowers are received with no special occasion in mind. It's the unexpected surprise and thoughtfulness behind the gift that means so much. 

A gift on an Anniversary or Mother's Day may be rightfully expected, but receiving a gift that express love in the middle of a stressful week can turn a troubled time to a happy one. When you really love someone, it's often the little unexpected gestures that really show them how much you care.  And, sending a surprise message of caring doesn't have to cost a bundle.

While 26% percent of Americans named jewelry as the gift most likely to make them smile, flowers ranked a close second at 23%, and there are a variety of fresh flower gift options at most local florists in the $10 to $20 range. Other great gifts include candies, cards, books, CDs, a special dinner out, or a romantic movie at home.  Use your imagination. 

Think flowers and gifts are just for women?  Think again.  Research shows that men are just as likely as women to appreciate flowers and gifts, especially when given for no special occasion.  A colorful bouquet with a bold, masculine flair can brighten up any guy's office workday, and the gift's beauty and aroma will remind him of you every time he sees it.

We all like presents, and most people agree that an unexpected gift can turn a day around.  So, remember what great gift-givers throughout the ages have always known -- it's that thoughtful gift and personal note for "no special reason" that really gets noticed.  Whether it's a Monday, a bad hair day, laundry day, or any day of the week, you can always make it more special with flowers, a card, or some other personal token delivered. But whatever it is, the most important thing is that it is straight from the heart.

 

Two Hearts Are Now One

Two Hearts Are Now One

Word Count:
1577

Summary:
A Valentines Day story - for this is a story of two broken hearts; healed and mended, then melted together as one--in an instant.  This is a story of True Love.

Keywords:
law of attraction, true love, heart, heal, mend, broken, pain, confusion, attract, vibration

Article Body:
It is fitting that I should write this story on Valentines Day, for this is a story of two broken hearts; healed and mended, then melted together as one--in an instant. This is a story of True Love.

Anyone who comes from a broken family understands the pain of divorce. I was twenty-seven years old when my parents divorced, and while some people think that a person shouldn't be "affected" by such things once they are adults, I can assure you--I WAS! I was shocked when my parents divorced. I had no forewarning in the natural. But, on the day that my dad told my mom that he was moving out, I felt a great anxiety in my spirit--so great that I told my husband, "Something is terribly wrong in California. I want to phone home." Considering the fact that I was three thousand miles away, on a remote island in Northern Canada, when I felt this anxiety, you can appreciate that I was deeply affected.

Pain and confusion became constant companions as I tried to "understand" what had happened--what right did he have to leave my mother? Whose standard was he using to exercise his right to leave her? What had she done that was so terrible that he could not live with her? I had questions and I asked them of nearly everyone around me. I asked God the same questions, and in so doing, I realized that my own life was in quite a mess. As I came into a better alignment with God, I searched the Bible for "the answer" to all my questions about my dad. Since he had been a Baptist minister at one time, I felt certain that he would know and obey what the Bible said about such an important issue.

About two years after the divorce, the whole family gathered in California--for one of those BIG attempts to bring reconciliation--I felt certain that dad would listen to God's Word. I reached for my Bible and said, "Dad, look at what God has to say about what you are doing." Before I could find the carefully selected passage of scripture that would straighten this mess out, he stood up and loudly cursed me, the Bible and the whole family. Then he walked out. Needless to say we were all in shock. The shock of that cursing lasted a long time--eighteen years for myself, and twenty years for my brother and sister.

Eighteen years is a long time. Think about it. It generally takes eighteen years to graduate from high school. A whole "lifetime" of events takes place in eighteen years. During those years, contact with my dad was minimal. A card from him on my birthday, Christmas cards, the odd phone call which always stirred up the pain. Someone would hear about something that he was doing and he would again become the topic of our conversation for weeks. My mother never stopped talking about him. She never let him go.

My mom maintained her relationship with God throughout this long painful separation. She read her Bible, went to church, cared about us kids and loved her grandkids. She worked as a secretary and saved her money so she wouldn't be a burden on anyone when she retired. But, always, she was obsessed with talking about my dad.

I would say that most of our conversations about him were judgemental. After all, we read our Bibles; we knew that what he had done was wrong. She had done nothing that the Bible sanctioned as reason for divorce. By the time of his third marriage, we knew he wasn't coming back to her. Still, his actions and their effect on our lives were frequent topics of our conversations.

After many years, I gave up hope for my dad to ever be reconciled to his family. I doubted he was even a Christian. I felt he was a totally lost, immoral, unstable, unsavory person. That was a very dark time for me. Gradually, I got used to the darkness in my own soul--it seemed normal.

Mother did retire and she moved from California to Canada to be near my family. She had missed out on much of the growing up of my five children, and she wanted to get to know them. She bought a condominium two blocks from my house and the kids enjoyed having "Gran" live so close. One year after moving here, she was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease.

Lou Gehrig's disease was a death sentence. There was no cure. There was no treatment. I spent four months pryaing and asking God to heal my mother. Finally, the answer came: "Help her die." I accepted her diagnosis and did all I could to help her.

I wish I could tell you that I was a "good little Christian" who praised and thanked God every day for His righteous judgements--but, the truth is that I questioned God. I really felt that it was unfair of Him to let my dad go free, when he was the one who had done this great wrong to his family, and to allow my mother to die this cruel death. Finally, I asked God, "How do You see this situation?" The answer He spoke to my heart would one day transform all our lives.

About a year after my mother died, I felt something stirring inside of me--a desire to see my dad. In the long eighteen years of separation, I had only invited him once to visit my home and during that visit I had tried again--and unsuccessfully, again--to confront him with the Bible. I had no reason to expect that another visit would end differently, but I honored that desire anyway and invited him for a long weekend.

My dad came armed with his own arsenal of justifications. He knew what to expect from me. I hadn't planned anything specific to confront him on--I didn't need to, I had a whole list of offenses that I could whip out at any given moment. So, the weekend progressed--awkwardly, but quietly.

I had no idea that Spirit was about to move in on us in a powerful way. I simply invited two gentlemen friends over for lunch. They lead a prayer group I attended and I suppose I hoped they would "say something" important to my dad. If not, it was a way to let others meet my dad and see the man who had so wounded me. We were sitting around my dining room table, when one gentleman began telling the story of a young soldier in Napoleon's army who had gone A.W.O.L., been caught and was now about to face the firing squad. This young man's mother came to Napoleon and pleaded for mercy for her son. Napoleon replied, "He doesn't deserve mercy." To which the mother implored, "But, Sir, if he deserved it, it wouldn't be mercy!" At that, Napoleon allowed the boy to live. After telling this story, the gentleman said, "I have no idea why I told that story. It just came into my head."

As he had been speaking, I felt the strangest sensation of heat come over my head and into my chest. Without wavering, I said, "I know why you told that story." I turned toward my dad and gently said, "Dad, when mom was dying, I felt that God was being very unfair. So I asked Him what He had to say about the situation. Would you like to hear what God had to say about you and mom?" The room was very quiet. I could tell that my dad was afraid to know. But, after a few moments he indicated that he would.

I felt the heat increasing as I reached deep into my soul for those words, "He said, 'I could not heal your mother, because she would not forgive. But I see the wounds upon your father's heart, and I have pity on him." In the moment I spoke those words, the power of Spirit hit both of us "like lightening." We stood up, pushed our chairs back from the table and fell into each others arms, sobbing. After quite a while of crying and kissing, we sat down again--even the two gentlemen present were crying--and I realized that I could not remember even one of those offenses on my "list." The whole list was erased from my memory--and five years later, it is still gone! (10 years later too.)

From that day on, my dad and I have had a relationship that is far beyond mere "reconciliation" or "recovery." We never had a relationship like this before--ever! This is a totally new relationship! We talk on the phone every weekend, we plan visits around special holidays, we go to conferences together. Where before my dad had been closed to the "things of the Spirit," due to the wounding caused by my own judgementalism and legalism, now he is hungry for more of the Spirit. Right away my dad began having powerful dreams which he KNEW were from God. He shares these dreams with me and we discuss their possible meanings.

Two years after this momentous day, my dad was reconciled to my brother and sister. My family traveled to California where we had a true "family reunion." It had been twenty years since the divorce.

Whenever my dad and I are together, we look for an opportunity to share our story. It is a story that brings hope to hopelessly broken relationships. It is a True Love story.

 

To Focus Or Not To Focus

To Focus Or Not To Focus

Word Count:
720

Summary:
Being able to focus, but not over-focus whereby you are causing resistance to allowing the Law of Attraction to deliver.

Keywords:
law of attraction, focus, desire, allow, attract, vibration

Article Body:
Often I receive emails from people who have been learning about and applying the Law of Attraction yet they feel stuck. They are clear about what they want. They stay focused on their desire and yet, it seems to be so slow in coming or out of reach entirely.

Here's an example of one such email: "I have been trying to attract a good mate into my life and have really focused on it for the past three months. I have posted positive affirmations on my bathroom mirror with positive quotes like 'I am married now to a wonderful person' etc.... I also read every morning and mid-day and night a positive affirmation that I am attracting a great mate who harmonizes with me. I also bought an endless loop cassette tape and recorded that I have a good spouse and that I have attracted a good person to myself etc and I listen to it every night. I really believe that it will come to me, but ..."

Could it be that this person is focusing too much? Surely all these affirmations and positive statements should have produced the desired outcome by now! Yes, this person is probably focusing too much on their desire and actually causing resistance to allowing the Law of Attraction to deliver. Here are three things about how the Law of Attraction works to consider:

Once you have clarity about your desire and feel satisfied with the mental picture and good feelings you have, then the Law of Attraction reads you loud and clear and the process of delivery is set in motion.

If you do nothing more than get crystal clear, you will receive your desire in the easiest most efficient way.

The Law of Attraction doesn't really listen to your words, but DOES read how you actually feel about this desire. When you make affirmations that are not true, like: "I have a wonderful spouse"--when you don't, the Law of Attraction only receives your opposite vibration of "I don't have a spouse." The more affirmations you make, the more you are nullifying your desire with this opposing vibration.

So, what ARE you supposed to do with that desire you've been so clear about?

Hold it in your periphery vision, rather than your focal point.

Here's an exercise that will demonstrate how to do that:

Keep your focus on this article on the screen of your computer. Now, tell me, what do you see on your far right? Don't move your eyes, just notice what is there.

OK, now tell me, what is in the upper left field? What's in the lower left field? What is at the top of your field of vision? And the bottom?

You DO know what is there without focusing on the object directly.

Now, let's pretend that one of the items in your periphery is a lamp and you want to turn it on. You move your eyes, so that the lamp is the focus of your vision, BRIEFLY, while you turn it on--then return your focus to this screen.
 
This is the best way to hold your clear desires: once you have clearly stated or written your desire, hold it in the periphery of your vision. Get on with other things that you enjoy. You'll know when to shift your focus to your desire--maybe you've changed your mind about a detail--or you just enjoy imagining what it feels like to be living your desire.

I have a practice of writing out my desire statement using the 3-Phrases that raise my vibration, then I put it away in a file-folder. The file folder is in my left peripheral vision when I'm at my computer.. I usually seem to 'forget about it' until it is fulfilled. Then I go digging for that particular Desire Statement and find, to my absolute delight, that EVERYTHING I asked for has come true!

The bottom line is really this: If focusing on your desire feels good, delightful, playful and exciting, then by all means, enjoy giving it attention. But if you are forcing yourself to focus--you are actually causing resistance that can cause delay. If you've been noticing the length of time it is taking for your desire to come--you are slowing down the process.

"Allowing" means staying out the the way, while you allow the Law of Attraction to deliver your desire.

 

Timing

Timing

Word Count:
272

Summary:
You've asked; the Universe is doing its work; it is answering. Your work is to get into this place where you joyfully receive it.

Keywords:
law of attraction, attitude, universe, timing, exact, affirmation, virtual reality, attract, vibration, accept, accept

Article Body:
"The attitude that we would have is: 'The universe is lining it up just right, and the timing will be just exactly right. And I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm doing everything just exactly right. And in the perfect timing, a timing that I cannot even quite see yet, this is going to happen. And meanwhile there isn't anything else for me to do.'

How is it that you all get so involved in things that have nothing to do with you? The Law of Attraction is a huge Law. So next time you find yourself thinking: 'Well, I should write one more affirmation, or I should do one more Virtual Reality. I need to do something. I must be doing something wrong, or what I'm wanting would be,' we say, what you need to do is chill out. What you need to do is relax and accept that you've done your work. You've asked; the Universe is doing its work; it is answering. Your work is to get into this place where you joyfully receive it.

You can't take score about when it's coming or where it's coming, or how it's coming. In other words, you accept, in this faith-based attitude, it is coming and all is well. And as you do that, ahh.

Then, when you really get there, then it doesn't matter how long it takes--but it doesn't take any time, then. If you could say, 'I don't care how long it takes,' you're there! And then it takes no time. But as long as it matters how long it takes, you're not there--and it's going to take a long time.

 

Three Steps to Attracting More Satisfying Relationships

Three Steps to Attracting More Satisfying Relationships

Word Count:
519

Summary:
As long as the Law of Attraction has only the 'DON'T want' script, it is restricted to orchestrating that script over and over.

Keywords:
law of attraction, don't want, logic, words, patterns, symbols, emotions, physical stimulation, attract, vibration, script, universe, focus, powerful

Article Body:
As long as the Law of Attraction has only the 'DON'T want' script, it is restricted to orchestrating that script over and over. We must give the Law of Attraction some NEW MATERIAL to work with.

What do you really want in your relationships?  Security? Affection? Loyalty? Companionship? Communication? What?

Do you wonder why you keep attracting certain types of people into your life?

Are you tired of feeling disappointed in 'love?

Have you ever been 'blind-sided' by someone you thought was a friend?

Do you feel desperate to find that special person you can live with forever?

Here are three steps that can help you in attracting more satisfying relationships:

Step 1:  Make a thorough list of all the characteristics or scenarios of your past relationships that you DON'T WANT to experience again. You can use the T-toolTM for this exercise or just take a fresh sheet of paper and draw a large 'T' on it.

Label the left hand column: 'I Don't want' and the right-hand column, 'I Do Want'.

Ask your Inner Self to remind you of past events that you do NOT want repeated.

Write a few words about each event that express the essence of that event.

Step 2:  Examine each item on the 'I DON'T want ..." side and ask yourself this question: "If I don't want this, what DO I want?"

One major reason why we keep attracting the same unsatisfactory relationships is because we fail to use the contrast contained in those negative events to get clear about what we DO want.

Step 3:  Write a Script about how you DO want your relationships to be:

As long as the Law of Attraction has only the 'DON'T want' Script, it is restricted to orchestrating that Script over and over. We must give the Law of Attraction some NEW MATERIAL to work with.

Scripting accesses all four parts of the brain.

The left brain which deals with words and logic;
The right brain which understands patterns and symbols ;
The mid-brain which experiences emotions; and
The brain stem which registers physical stimulation .

When we write a Script, starting with a phrase such as:  "If I had my way...", and use our imagination about that which feels good to us, we are accessing our right and mid-brain. A thought or feeling comes and we translate it into words (using the left brain) that symbolize the thought or feeling (right brain again). Writing the Script engages the body, which registers in the brain stem.

When all four parts of the brain are engaged, a powerful message is delivered to the Universe.

I like to end my Scripts with the phrase, "And do this in ways that are for my highest good and the highest good of everyone involved." This is a phrase that helps me let go of 'HOW" this will all happen, and allows the Law of Attraction to bring it about in the very best possible way.

Remember, the Law of Attraction brings us precisely what we vibrate. So if we want to experience relationships that are more satisfying, then we must change our dominant vibration to match the experiences we WANT to have.

 

Thoughts Become Things

Thoughts Become Things

Word Count:
475

Summary:
We are where we are, because of our thoughts in the past. Thoughts become things. We consciously or subconsciously always think about something. The problem is that we usually think more about things we don't want, than about the things we want. It doesn't matter if we want or don't want something, we'll get what we mostly think about.

Keywords:
manifestation, attraction, wealth, happiness, success, self help, self improvement

Article Body:
We are where we are, because of our thoughts in the past. Thoughts become things. We consciously or subconsciously always think about something. The problem is that we usually think more about things we don't want, than about the things we want. It doesn't matter if we want or don't want something, we'll get what we mostly think about.
 
Try to observe your thoughts for a day or two. Do you mostly think about the things that you worry about, you don't want them to happen, you are afraid of, or do you mostly think about pleasant and wonderful things?

Your present situation is the result of your predominant state of mind in the past. And you are creating your future now. Your future will be like your predominant state of mind now.

The past is gone. You can't change it, but if you are dwelling on unhappy past now, you aren't feeling happy now, and you are creating unhappy future.

Because you're creating the future now, only the present is important. By having predominantly happy and positive state of mind now, you're creating your happy and positive future. It's called the Law of Attraction. You can attract whatever you want in your life: happiness, wealth, perfect health, love and wonderful relationships.

But you can also attract things and situations that you don't want. Actually we do it sub consciously all the time.

Because you are energy, you are like a magnet;   everything is energy, you, your mind and your body. But you can control your body, and you can also control your mind.
 
Your mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy. If you don't control your mind and allow it to dwell on negative thoughts and feelings, it's your worst enemy, because it creates your unhappy future. If you control your mind, it's your best friend, because it becomes your best friend which will create your great future.

Of course lives of most of the people are a mixture of happiness and unhappiness because of their flickering states of mind. Now, because of knowing and understanding of the law of attraction you can start creating your happy future and be sure that you'll get what you want in life.

The Law of Attraction is a broad subject and there's no space in this short report to explain everything. Fortunately there is now more and more information available on the subject of attraction.

People like Plato, Newton, Carnegie, Beethoven, Shakespeare, Einstein and many others knew the law of attraction and lived according to the law of attraction, but it was a secret for most of the people. Now a lot of people are learning about the secret, the law of attraction and the science of manifestation.

 

Thought as a Vibration Toward Manifestation - Law of Attraction Classics: WW Atkinson

Thought as a Vibration Toward Manifestation - Law of Attraction Classics: WW Atkinson

Word Count:
651

Summary:
What do you know about the forces which make the Law of Attraction work? W.W. Atkinson wrote in the early 1900's about this exact point - and explains what you should know to really put the Law of Attraction to work in your life. Need more money, better health, greater personal power? Read on...

Keywords:
law of attraction, secret, self-help, lawattraction, money, wealth, power, health, success, thunk, religion, spirituality, make money, online

Article Body:
THE Universe is governed by Law - one great Law. Its manifestations are multiform, but viewed from the Ultimate there is but one Law. We are familiar with some of its manifestations, but are almost totally ignorant of certain others. Still we are learning a little more every day - the veil is being gradually lifted.

We speak learnedly of the Law of Gravitation, but ignore that equally wonderful manifestation, THE LAW OF ATTRACTION IN THE THOUGHT WORLD.

We are familiar with that wonderful manifestation of Law which draws and holds together the atoms of which matter is composed - we recognize the power of the law that attracts bodies to the earth, that holds the circling worlds in their places, but we close our eyes to the mighty law that draws to us the things we desire or fear, that makes or mars our lives.

When we come to see that Thought is a force - a manifestation of energy - having a magnet-like power of attraction, we will begin to understand the why and wherefore of many things that have heretofore seemed dark to us. There is no study that will so well repay the student for his time and trouble as the study of the workings of this mighty law of the world of Thought - the Law of Attraction.

When we think we send out vibrations of a fine ethereal substance, which are as real as the vibrations manifesting light, heat, electricity, magnetism. That these vibrations are not evident to our five senses is no proof that they do not exist. A powerful magnet will send out vibrations and exert a force sufficient to attract to itself a piece of steel weighing a hundred pounds, but we can neither see, taste, smell, hear nor feel the mighty force.

These thought vibrations, likewise, cannot be seen, tasted, smelled, heard nor felt in the ordinary way; although it is true there are on record cases of persons peculiarly sensitive to psychic impressions who have perceived powerful thought-waves, and very many of us can testify that we have distinctly felt the thought vibrations of others, both whilst in the presence of the sender and at a distance. Telepathy and its kindred phenomena are not idle dreams.

Light and heat are manifested by vibrations of a far lower intensity than those of Thought, but the difference is solely in the rate of vibration. The annals of science throw an interesting light upon this question. Prof. Elisha Gray, an eminent scientist, says in his little book, "The Miracles of Nature":

"There is much food for speculation in the thought that there exist sound-waves that no human  ear can hear, and color-waves of light that no eye can see. The long, dark, soundless space between 40,000 and 400,000,000,000,000 vibrations per second, and the infinity of range beyond 700,000,000,000,000 vibrations per second, where light ceases, in the universe of motion, makes it possible to indulge in speculation."

M. M. Williams, in his work entitled "Short Chapters in Science," says:

"There is no gradation between the most rapid undulations or tremblings that produce our sensation of sound, and the slowest of those which give rise to our sensations of gentlest warmth.

There is a huge gap between them, wide enough to include another world of motion, all lying between our world of sound and our world of heat and light; and there is no good reason whatever for supposing that matter is incapable of such intermediate activity, or that such activity may not give rise to intermediate sensations, provided there are organs for taking up and sensifying their movements."

I cite the above authorities merely to give you food for thought, not to attempt to demonstrate to you the fact that thought vibrations exist.

The last-named fact has been fully established to the satisfaction of numerous investigators of the subject, and a little reflection will show you that it coincides with your own experiences.