The Ultimate Self Development Guide

Take Small Steps To Success Today

Info Self Development

Table of Contents
SUCCESS .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Personal Inventory 12 Questions to ask your-self monthly or quarterly to be even more successful ..................................................................................................................... 4 12 Ways to Awaken the Motivation Within............................................................................ 5 10 Tips to Put the Law of Attraction into Action .................................................................. 6 What does success mean to you? ............................................................................................... 7 5 Tips to Increase Intelligence Naturally ................................................................................ 8 5 Brain and Intelligence Myths Exposed ............................................................................... 10 How to Get Motivated to Change Your Life ........................................................................... 11 Positive Affirmations for Success ............................................................................................ 12 How Hidden Subliminal Messages Work .............................................................................. 13 How to Manifest Your Hearts Desires with Visualization .............................................. 14 SELF HELP ........................................................................................................................................ 15 Why Seeking Perfection is A Waste of Your Time .............................................................. 15 70 Tips to Turn Your Daily Life Routine Around ............................................................... 16 Relocation Therapy Moving Away to Start a New Life .................................................. 18 How to Deal with Blamers Negativity ................................................................................... 19 Natural Sleeping Methods for Insomnia ............................................................................... 20 Factors in The Development of Self Esteem ......................................................................... 22 How to Overcome Anxiety without Medication .................................................................. 23 5 Easy Tips to Reduce High-Levels of Stress ........................................................................ 25 How to Manage Uncontrollable Anger Outbursts .............................................................. 26 SPIRITUALITY ................................................................................................................................. 29 Start Showing Gratitude Today ................................................................................................ 29 Forgiveness of the Self and Others .......................................................................................... 29 Age of Aquarius Shift: What does it mean? ........................................................................... 30 Benefits of Transcendental Meditation Practice................................................................ 31

Isochronic Tones and Brainwave Entrainment .................................................................. 32 Yoga Meditation for Mind & Body Wellness ........................................................................ 33 EFT Tapping Points Meaning .................................................................................................... 34 Meditation Benefits from Mind to Body ................................................................................ 35 Brainwave Vibrations and Frequencies ................................................................................ 36 ADDICTION ...................................................................................................................................... 38 Relapse vs Conscious Choice: Why do you pick up addiction and do it again? ........ 38 Bad Behavior and Mistakes What Does Shame Feel Like? .......................................... 40 Consumerism and Our Addiction to Spending Money ..................................................... 41 5 Ways to Boost Your Mood with Food .................................................................................. 43 Feeling Stressed? Try foods with positive energies to bring relief ............................. 43 Stop Taking Prozac to Overcome Depression ..................................................................... 45 Best Way to Stop Smoking Cigarettes .................................................................................... 46 AA Rehab is Not The Solution to Addiction .......................................................................... 47

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SUCCESS Personal Inventory 12 Questions to ask your-self monthly or quarterly to be even more successful
Its important to find out if you have been spending your energy and efforts in the areas of your life where you can make a positive difference. Here is a list of questions which are useful as a way of progressing yourself development; Id just like to add that I dont score yes to all of them so Im not pretending to be perfect, I am still working hard on the list myself. 1. Have I been persistent in reaching the goals I wanted to achieve this month or year to date? If yes, how can I double or triple my goals? 2. Have I done my best and applied 100% of my capabilities to achieving my goals or are there things I can improve on?

3. Have I been an optimist and maintained a positive state of mind at all times, if not what or who is it that pushes my buttons? 4. Did I practice the art of procrastination?! Have I wasted energy and lost concentration to the point that my performance decreased? If yes what aspects of my performance need attention? 5. What strengths and weaknesses have I worked on and where can I see measurable results? If none, why? 6. Have I let my fears and doubts hold me back instead of taking bold decisions and moving towards my goals confidently? 7. Have I done my best to be compassionate and see other people points of view resulting in more peaceful relationships or have I just blamed other people for negative relationships and not taken responsibility for them? 8. Have I ditched at least a bad habit or taken on a new one? If its the later, what am I going to do to about it? 9. Am I fulfilled by my work? If not, what is it that makes me feel alive and what is stopping me from doing it? 10. Where am I, where do I want to be and how am I going to get there? 11. What am I doing that works well in my life right now and what is not helping me work toward my goals? 12. What lessons have I learned that will expand my learning and help me to grow? Im sure you can come up with a few more questions of your own, but these ones should be a good start to get you thinking and reflecting.

Are you willing to ask yourself these tough questions? ***

12 Ways to Awaken the Motivation Within

1. Become the person you want to be Surround yourself with people who inspire you and start living like the person you want to become because the biggest obstacles in our lives are self -imposed ones and our minds are our own worst enemy. Play a character and start pretending to be who you want to be. By living, breathing and believing amazing things can happen because what we think about is what we become. If you want to do something, if you want to be something, you need to act out that role now and watch what happens. 2. Face your fears and do one thing today that scares and thrills you Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear not absence of fear. Mark Twain

3. Look for challenges by breaking out of your comfort zone Your comfort zone is the imaginary line that you have placed around the border of your life and this line is made of limiting beliefs. Your comfort zone is dragging you down and stopping you from moving towards the goals you see as challenging or unattainable. Remember, the more uncomfortable you get, the closer you will get to your goal so start pushing your boundaries. 4. Sometimes let your mind wonder Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will. George Bernard Shaw 5. Find your role model Role models are people who have achieved the things that you want to achieve or who have qualities you aspire to. Your role model could be a friend or family member or an actor, writer, anyone who you look up to and admire. Use them to get tips and information on how to go about on achieving your goals. I still remember the first time I listened to Napoleon Hill; it opened my mind to an all-new way of thinking and living. 6. Be a finisher, dont procrastinate It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer. Albert Einstein 7. Live like there is no tomorrow Ask yourself: If I had only a year to live what would I do differently? Today is your day, so think one year from now, what are you going to wish you had done today? Feel whatever it is that your heart is really telling you to do and make a start. Even if it seems unrealistic, take one small step to success today. What is stopping you from being your true authentic self? Tomorrow may never come so be the person you want to be today. 8. Make use of trouble by welcoming your problems Where there is no struggle, there is no strength. Oprah Winfrey 9. Make adjustments to your relationships

Leave the friends who hold you back; pessimist friends and people with bad attitudes and behaviors. Remember, negative emotions are contagious and you can pick up on them easily, its called emotional contagion. Protect yourself from belief s and values that dont resonate with who you are. Dont surround yourself with the wrong people, those who are not supportive because they are either scared that you will fail or even worse that you succeed. Create and take care of lasting relationships that empower and inspire you to better yourself. 10. Dont take no for an answer If people are not laughing at your goals, your goals are too small. Azim Premji 11. Reward yourself for achieving No matter how small they are, you have to set goals and establish rewards for achieving those goals. When you allow yourself rewards, you will naturally be motivated because there are additional incentives to meet your goals and experience result of your efforts. Rewards are not just about money or material things, they could be a simple treat or even a feeling youll get from the accomplishment. 12. Keep your life purpose in mind. Know who you are and what you have to do The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart youll know when you find it Steve Jobs ***

10 Tips to Put the Law of Attraction into Action

1. Practice Visualization Pin pictures and quotes on your vision board to keep you focused on your goals and aspirations. Take time each day to focus on things you want to attract in your life. Visualize your future and imagine your happiness at attaining what you want. 2. Believe in The Universe You have the ability to attract what you want. The universe has a way of bringing good things to those who open their hearts and believe and trust in it. Be open and free, this way anything is possible! 3. Change Your Attitude Dont sit around waiting for your circumstances to change, behave as if they already have. If you want to find your soul mate, start loving yourself first. If you are seeking a new job or career, get the most out of the one you have now. 4. Practice Goal Setting Decide which areas of your life you want to work on and write down the steps required to achieve these goals. Getting clear on what you want and making some effort to get there sets the Law of Attraction in motion. If you dont have a direction of travel then you are going nowhere. 5. Persistence The law of attraction responds well to dedication and persistence so dont give up even when the going gets tough. Remain focused and keep visualizing a successful end result. When you offer a vibration, the Universal forces are working in concert with each other in order to satisfy you. You really are the centre of the Universe. Esther Hicks

6. Passion Desire is required to get you to your goals so make sure that youre really passionate about what youre going for and the universe will respond. Invest time in things that you really love doing. What could be a hobby now could make you a living. 7. Practice Gratitude Be grateful for what you already have and accept every gift with gratitude. The more gratitude you show, the more you will be able to open yourself up to receive whatever the universe has to give you. 8. Give Something Back The Law of Attraction is not all about receiving, but also about giving. Learn to give without wanting something back in return. Giving back does not have to cost you anything, the gift of listening, a smile or kindness can make a big difference to someones day. 9. Take Action It is good to help the universe to help you by turning thoughts into action. The right thinking with the right action is a winning combination. Repeating positive affirmations throughout the day will help keep your thoughts in alignment with your intentions. 10. Positive Thinking Focus on what you want in your life, instead of what you dont want. If you are positive then you will attract positive things to your life and vice versa. Keep in mind that your thoughts create your reality! ***

What does success mean to you?

When it comes to defining success, it really depends on who you are talking to because everyone defines success slightly differently. But in general, the three key areas of life most people measure success by are: Career A fulfilling career Job security Being recognised for ones intelligence and intellectual abilities Financial Being rich Living a celebrity lifestyle Having lots of possessions Relationships Lots of friends and a wide social circle Happy family relationships Finding the one All of the above success criteria means striving for something more or better than what we already have and leads us to question if how we are living our life is good enough. How should we be evaluating success?

Most of us assume success is mainly attaining a social status or simply being rich but even though no one can deny that money is necessary, success can be achieved through other aspect of our lives. Perhaps for some success comes from appearing in mindless reality TV shows and fifteen minutes of fame or even forming certain discriminative parties and being worshiped by others. This is because we tend to define our personal success in relation to others. But we should really think of success as a positive state of mind only in relation to ourselves, so we are not always comparing our achievements and possessions to those of others; by doing this we will always consider ourselves as unsuccessful! Success should be about achieving balance between our mind and body and finding meaning and purpose in life. If our life has meaning then it does not matter if we are financially well of for not and whether we have fame or not. Its worth remembering that doing anything that comes from the heart is probably your right calling in life. So instead of focusing on career, money and relationships which are important but by no means define who we are, consider success as being around these three things: Life Purpose Believing and achieving your dreams Generating the positive energy required to pursue your goals Giving this one life the best shot youve got Moral Respect for yourself and others Responsibility Trustworthiness Emotional Living in the present moment Maintaining a peaceful state of mind Being your true self and being proud of who you are True meaning of success Firstly remember, success is not measurable! For me, success is finding inner peace and being happy in the present moment. Not dwelling on the past, worrying about the future or fretting over what you have in relation to others. Success means living everyday of your life with meaning and purpose. So, stop comparing yourselves to others or letting your definition of success be defined by the media and advertising, where they deliberately play on your insecurities. So pick one or more from the second list and start your journey to success today! ***

5 Tips to Increase Intelligence Naturally

How to Increase Intelligence

If you think that there arent any ways to increase intelligence, think again! There are two kinds of intelligence; crystallized intelligence and fluid intelligence. Scientists have described fluid intelligence as the general ability to solve new problems and recognize unfamiliar patterns. There are ways to increase fluid intelligence. Improving cognitive function increases working memory and elevates the ability to solve problems. Increases Intelligence with Transcendental Meditation Transcendental meditation develops the level of consciousness which allow you to take in more information and see what you are learning from a different angle. This results in better ideas, higher focus, increased problem solving skills and greater spontaneous decision making. Do New Things in New Ways You can increase your intelligence by training you brain, as you would do to get your dream body. Most of us forget that the brain is also a muscle. So break out of the old routine and try new things to trigger dopamine that boosts brain performance. Challenging yourself prevents your brain from getting lazy because thinking creatively is more useful than memorizing facts you already know. So doing things the hard way exercises your brain! Read more challenging books and minimize the amount of TV you watching because television doesnt utilize your full mental capacity or allow it to recharge; especially brainwashing channels like mainstream media. Instead do cerebral games that use memory and logic; solve puzzles, crosswords, Sudoku, chess and play challenging video games. Explore new cultures. Teach Yourself a Foreign Language. Network and hang out with people and friends who know something you want to learn. Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution. Albert Einstein Sleep and Rest Studies have shown that the brain actively processes and stores your day memories while you sleep thats why the brain needs to recharge. So good quality and proper duration sleep is crucial for proper brain functioning because when your brain is tired from lack of sleep, it is difficult to concentrate and reason logically. A lack of sleep can have a huge effect on your mental performance. Physical Activity and Nutrition There is evidence that a healthy lifestyle is vital to increasing intelligence and maintaining healthy brain function because similarly to other organs, the brain needs the right kinds of foods and ironically, physical exercise to develop and function properly. Performing physical cardiovascular exercises increases brain function by releasing and boosting brain chemicals that can enhance your memory, concentration, energy and speed of thinking. Make Time for Reflection It is not a good idea to saturate your brain with new knowledge without reflecting on what you have already learned. When it comes to a certain point and your progress seems stuck then its time for reflection, only then will real growth and positive breakthroughs happen.

Even if it may be hard, giving a break to your brain and doing a different activity or even daydreaming for a while is the best way to improve creativity and increase intelligence. Realize the power of your brain, believe and work to make your dream come true! ***

5 Brain and Intelligence Myths Exposed

Intelligence Myths and Realities Nowadays, anyone with common sense, an internet connection and a thirst for knowledge can educate themselves and find the truth they seek. We all have a natural intelligence to educate ourselves about anything we put our minds to and make conscious decisions instead of just assuming the ones we are told to believe. In this age of technology exists infinite resources to enable us to access an abundance of information, but this can be overwhelming; it is not an easy task to differentiate the truths from the myths especially on the internet, so I collected some facts for you to decide how its best to increase the intelligence you already possess! The Brain Myths Exposed Myth: A person who is left-brained is often said to be more logical and analytical, while a person who is right-brained is said to be more intuitive and creative. Reality: The right brain and left brain work together so a person can be logical and creative at the same time; I believe creativity requires a bit of logic! If one considers the right hemispheric creative and emotional thinking style, there is no scientific evidence that supports a correlation between creativity and the activity of the right hemisphere, let alone evidence for a correlation between the degree of creativity and the use of the right hemisphere. Similarly, a recent analysis of 65 neuroimaging studies on emotion found no scientific support for the hypothesis of an overall right hemispheric lateralization of emotional function. There is no direct scientific evidence that supports an analytical, logical thinking style for the left hemisphere, which predetermines the left hemisphere for mathematical tasks, or reading and writing. Source: www.oecd.org Myth: People remember 10% of what they read, 20% of what they hear and 30 % of what they see. This is a rather rigid, patronizing unfounded myth. We are all unique beings with unique minds and different abilities, so these types of numbers are unrealistic. Time, which sees all things, has found you out. Sophocles Reality: That information and similar pronouncements are fraudulent. Moreover, general statements on the effectiveness of learning methods are not crediblelearning results depend on too many variables to enable such precision. Unfortunately, this bogus information has been floating around our field for decades, crafted by many different authors and presented in many different configurations Source: willatworklearning.com Myth: Some believe that we only use 10% of the brain, this seems to me to be an obvious myth because its easy to imagine what would happen if 90% of your brain got removed. This myth says that most of our brain is paralysed or maybe just for decoration!

Reality: There is no scientific evidence to support that statement and no one seems to know where that belief began. I suppose the false idea has been spread by TV and fake news channel. However scientists do believe that we use 100% of our brains. Further Reading: www.csicop.org Myth: Its often said that listening to classical music especially Mozart increases intelligence. The first question that comes to my mind is: if that myth is true then why doesnt electronic, rock or hip hop music increase intelligence too? The truth is that Mozart created genius symphonies but listening to those wont make us geniuses in return. Reality: any cognitive enhancement is small and does not reflect any change in IQ or reasoning ability in general, but instead derives entirely from performance on one specific type of cognitive task and has a simple neuropsychological explanation, called enjoyment arousal. Source: todayifoundout.com Myth: Lets think of this logically, is it the gum or chewing that makes us smarter? No, the gum itself has no benefits, except for providing an extra dose of saturated sugar! So the myth is well a myth. Reality: The effect of chewing anything is mild exercise so it might increase your heart rate which increases blood flow to the brain, which then increases brain activity for a short period of time but this does not increase intelligence and memory in the long term. So the gum itself does not increase intelligence neither does chewing it, even though it may useful to warm up your brain and increase blood before exams for example. This myth is still unsolved. There are lots of myths about increasing intelligence, but they are exactly that, myths and these intelligence myths should be exposed. We should, however, make our brains our hobby, see my article on natural methods to increase intelligence for tips on how to do things that really work! ***

How to Get Motivated to Change Your Life

Do you have problems setting goals and sticking to them? If so, you may struggle with motivation. So, what is it that motivates you and how can you connect with your inner strength, stay motivated and change your life? What is a Motive? A motive is a desire to achieve something; its the determination to go in a particular direction. When you take action, your motive or desire turns into motivation. So in order to feel motivation, you must firstly have a motive and secondly go on to take action. So motivation comes from within you, its something that you inspire yourself! Wanting something is not enough. You must hunger for it. Your motivation must be absolutely compelling in order to overcome the obstacles that will invariably come your way Les Brown Face Your Emotions and Avoid Procrastination You may have concerns about being unable to motivate yourself effectively. Maybe you cant get anything done unless you have deadlines crushing down on you, or you are just procrastinating from one day to the next and unable to get yourself started with anything.

Maybe you are simply not connected in any way to a goal, so your struggle with motivation is due to a disconnect between your emotions and your awareness; emotion is the source of motivation, it is what creates the energy to become and stay motivated. Motivation is within you, so you need to tune in your emotions, get motivated and change your life! When something really matters to you and when you feel a connection to something, you will create energy and the drive that actually gets you to where you want to go. Many people struggle to connect with their emotions because it can make them feel vulnerable but emotions are the engine for growth and the driving force for self development. ***

Positive Affirmations for Success

I want you to realize that we are the subtotal of our beliefs because the words that we speak create our reality! Usually we talk ourselves with negative self -talk, but if we make positive self affirmations about ourselves we bring positive things into our lives and if we speak negatively the same applies so switch your negative self-talk into positive affirmations. Ways You Can Use Positive Affirmations for Success When you are in front of a mirror look into your eyes and say out loud I am beautiful, I am blessed, I am awesome, I am successful, I am smart, I am strong, I am healthy and any other phrases you would like to use that are positive and nurturing to yourself. You can also do this every time you pass in front of a mirror repeating the affirmations and throughout your day. Affirmations are like seed planted in soil. Poor soil, poor growth. Rich soil, abundant growth. The more you choose to think thoughts that make you feel good, the quicker the affirmations work Louise L. Hay You could create a vision board full of positive affirmations for success, with pictures of your goals and dreams which you can find in magazines or print from the internet, then write positive affirmations messages that inspire you to succeed to pin on your board. This is what I do myself; I have a vision board on my desk which also serves me of subliminal messages while I work as I unconsciously absorb the positive affirmations all day long. I definitely notice my goals progress and most importantly I am very positive about my life. Dont Stop Believing in Yourself! I would like to encourage you to get up every morning and go to bed at night knowing that you can do it because you are a successful person, you are the person that you dream to be, you will make it, you are a success! So repeat affirmations like I can do this business; I am very successful at it and believe it or not, you will see yourself as the successful as you ever hoped to be. If you really believe it and you speak it, you will find that it will come true and have a positive impact in your life! The Key to Achieve Success with Positive Affirmations

The key is to act like you already are who you intend to be and to believe that you possess already what you desire. Positive affirmations for success must be repeated and used in the present tense to work successfully. So help your subconscious to really believe this about yourself and move your life in a positive direction! ***

How Hidden Subliminal Messages Work

Positive Thinking Hidden subliminal messages can help you to think positively and increase your motivation. Living a happy and fulfilled life is something we all desire. Hidden subliminal messages can help you to achieve your goals, stay happy in your relationships, have prosperity and abundance as well as get the career you have always dreamed about. However, your attitude and the way you think can stop you from achieving your dreams. It is important to point out that the way we think is often influenced by negative thoughts and experiences that we unconsciously store in our system. In order to live a happier life you need to develop a positive attitude towards life in general. Hidden subliminal messages can help you to develop a positive attitude and achieve your goals. Watching positive affirmations unconsciously has been found to be effective when it comes to training your mind to think positively. Hidden Subliminal Messages and Self Development Imperceptible, hidden sentences and images can penetrate your subconscious without actually being perceived by the conscious mind and they are usually embedded in mediums such as videos and photos. Although you may not be able to perceive or see them it is important to point out that repetition of these hidden subliminal messages means that they can penetrate into your subconscious mind and this can then change your attitude and behavior. Subliminal messages are, therefore, a great tool which can help you to think positively and increase your motivation. Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become a reality. Earl Nightingale It is important to point out that human beings have a tendency to accept or reject something which is put in front of them and the real goal of hidden subliminal messages is to not allow you the time to form an argument or opinion about a certain message or image that is put in front of you. There are a variety of benefits from watching and listening to imperceptible messages. When they are used properly then people can use them to change their attitude, increase their own self confidence and change the way they view the world. If you are looking to think positively and increase your motivation then playing MP3 or having a software with the right kind of subliminal messages will make it easier for you to develop a positive mindset. It is also important to point out that subliminal messages have also been used to help people stop drinking, smoking or using drugs.

***

How to Manifest Your Hearts Desires with Visualization

This is not the easiest of journeys but if you really focus and practice how to manifest your hearts desire, the sky is the limit! There are many who have tried to achieve all sorts of things in life but only a few have succeeded. The secret to manifest your heart desires and achieving success is to follow the route of: Intention, Letting go and Acceptance. Intention Most people do not have a clear intention, it is very important to have clear focus and create a vision of what you desire in your life. For example, if you want a new car, you can say my intention is to have a new car and so on Let go When you want something, the thought of wanting separates you from the thing you want because wanting means you think you are lacking something and this is negative. If you start creating ideas such as: I do not have this, how do I get it? This separates you from your vision and desire. All things will come to you if you stop wanting and start letting go of negative affirmations. Acceptance The final destination! Acceptance simply means that you behave as if you already have what you desire. For example; if you want a new house, start looking at insurance prices, the furniture you will purchase. Behave as if you already have it. This allows you to enter the energetic fields of your desire. Energy fields allow your desires to manifest and you become more compatible with your desire and reduce the separation between what you desire and your intention. They become one and allow you to create your reality. To manifest your heart desires all you need is persistence and focus. So use these pointers to go off and create an environment where all your personal demands and desires are acknowledged by the universe and see what you receive in return! Manifesting your desires is a truly powerful self development journey. Start manifesting your own reality now!

SELF HELP Why Seeking Perfection is A Waste of Your Time

In seeking perfection, ironically you are bound to find something wrong which will leave you shocked, angry, frustrated and disappointed. This is because striving for nothing but perfection means your expectations are probably very high and most likely unrealistic and unachievable. Perfection is an ideal, a concept with no meaning so aiming for perfection means you set yourself up for failure by aiming for an ideal that does not really exist. This will eventually leave you feeling anxious and depressed. Its easy to lose our sense of self in todays world, where we are constantly exposed to, overrated film stars and bombarded by reality TV stars and manufactured celebrities. The media forces the ideal of perfection and so called role models on us and encourages us to believe this is what we should be aspiring to. As a result, many women and even men feel uncomfortable about their lives or their bodies which can bring about low self -esteem and we are trapped by the fear of never being good or reaching perfection. The idea of perfection is a troubling aspect and a distorted truth of modern society, one that is not able to deal with variety and difference and is in fear of being imperfect to its own detriment. We believe that striving for perfection will put us in a safe position where well be untouchable, impenetrable and free of the judgement of others. The thing is, we must acknowledge that no matter what we do, we will always be judged unless we lock ourselves in the house without any human interaction (which is not recommended). Only when we do this can we realise that the only sure thing to do is simply give our heart priority for once instead of giving superficial and abstract status the priority. We should be guided by our instinct in leading our lives and not what is considered the norm or perfection. Would you really put others expectations of you before your own happiness? When you are attracted to someone you would like to be in a relationship with but feel that individual is not perfect, ask yourself according to whose standards; yours, or those of your friends and family? When you desire a career change but the job you aspire to do doesnt tick all the boxes on your perfection list; is this your idea of perfection or is it societies point of view that your dream job wouldnt be perfect for you? What is perfection and what does it mean to you? Well the answer to that question is found by asking another question; does perfection even exist as a concept except in the dictionary? Perfection is really just a standard you unconsciously buy into, a set of ideals created by others in society, not just the media but also your family, friends, work colleagues and community, well everybody else but you! I believe perfection is an illusion and that the pursuit of perfection is not the pursuit of happiness. Ask yourself if seeking perfection really makes you happy? The more you ask

yourself these kinds of question, the closer you get to what perfection really means for you. Its funny because the truth is there is not one universal view on perfection, we all have different views of what perfection is supposed to be and from this point of view perfection is useless and meaningless! Accept only your own personal definition of perfection and remember that uniqueness is more interesting than perfection and proudly express the essence of who you are and where you want to be. 5 Tips for Perfectionists: 1- Ignore the self -sabotaging voice in your head, learn to love and accept yourself because you are perfect just the way you are. 2- Are you a perfectionist procrastinator? Sometimes we want to be perfect in everything we do and if we are not perfect then we dont do it. Remember that something done, even if it is not perfect, is better than nothing at all. 3- Become an optimist by embracing reality. Know and accept that youll never be perfect because there is no such thing. When you are willing to fail all of a sudden you have this freedom so just get out there and do it! 4- Treat life as a learning experience not as a test and try not to be limited by an all or nothing, or win or lose mind-set. Shift your goals from being perfect to being good enough and look at the positive side of a failure because there is always a lesson to be learn in failure. 5- Remember that everything happens for a reason, if like me you are into spirituality then trust in the universe to support you in your journey of life. ***

70 Tips to Turn Your Daily Life Routine Around

The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life. William Morris 1. Go for a walk every day. 2. Take time to sit in silence alone each day. 3. Get enough sleep. 4. When you wake up in the morning remind yourself of your life goals. 5. Approach everything in life with enthusiasm. 6. Read more books open your mind. 7. Practice meditation - Spirituality is linked to better health and lower stress levels. 8. Dream more while you are awake daydreaming creates feel good feelings. 9. Make at least three people smile each day smiling keeps negativity away. 10. Laugh every day, life is too short to sweat the small stuff! 11. Clear clutter from your house, your car and your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life. 12. Dont waste your precious time and energy on gossip. 13. Get up early each day make the most of the morning tranquility. 14. Create unforgettable moments with those you love.

15. Unplug your TV have the occasional media detox days, no TV, no cell phone, no Internet. 16. Make a list of the happiest moments of your life and think about one of these moments every day. 17. Relish lifes simplest pleasures. 18. Each night before you go to bed write down what you have accomplished and be thankful for it. 19. Never stop learning learn something new everyday. 20. Exercise a little everyday. 21. Be content with what you have there is always something to be grateful for 22. Keep a journal writing your thoughts and ideas down is therapeutic and creative. 23. Plan a schedule for your week and stick to it. 24. Surround yourself with inspiring people. 25. Say no to distractions. 26. Drink lots of water. 27. Find pleasure in your work every single day. 28. Be passionate dedicate one hour each day to something you are passionate about. 29. Know your strengths and play to these. 30. Be patient. 31. Dont give up on your goals. 32. Speak less. Listen more. 33. Dont try too hard you dont have to get along with everyone. 34. Be kinder everyone you meet is facing their own life challenges. 35. Stop complaining it makes you miserable company. 36. Take responsibility for your life and your actions stop making excuses. 37. Show your emotions it is not a sign of weakness. 38. When you are worried dont dwell but take positive action. 39. Remember, No One is perfect. 40. Avoid over explaining yourself be confident in your convictions. 41. Keep balance in your life. 42. Have the courage to face challenges head on never be afraid of a challenge. 43. Dont compromise your value system. 44. Help others small and simple actions can make a huge difference to someone elses life. 45. Dont take things too personally. 46. Dont be afraid to laugh at yourself it shows that you are comfortable in your own skin. 47. Manage your time and focus on priorities. 48. Ask for help life can be tough remember you never have to go it alone. 49. Do your homework and know what you getting into before you start. 50. Learn to forgive others and stop carrying around hate, guilt or regret. 51. Finish what you started stay focused on the end goal. 52. Be willing to admit your mistakes 53. Stop thinking you are not ready be brave and go for it! 54. Leave work at work. 55. Do what you say you will do. 56. Avoid texting people at 1 am after a night out! 57. Dont compare your life to others be happy with what you have. 58. Dont judge people on appearances. 59. Always deal with a misunderstanding immediately dont let things fester. 60. Stop beating yourself up for old mistakes make peace with your past so it wont spoil the present. 61. Remember that your thoughts create your reality. 62. Dont respond to someone when you are angry. 63. Its not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts. 64. Never ruin an apology with an excuse.

65. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. 66. You dont have to win every argument agree to disagree. 67. Remember no-one is in charge of your happiness except you. 68. However good or bad a situation is it will change as nothing is forever. 69. The best things in life are free. 70. Be true to yourself and trust your instinct! ***

Relocation Therapy Moving Away to Start a New Life

Americans are always on the go. Across the United States, people pick up stakes and relocate about once every five years. These moves are often job-related. Those whose companies have transferred their positions to a distant city may have no other choice. Others will relocate voluntarily in search of a better situation. Often, though, the reason for moving is purely emotional. Some are attempting to come to grips with divorce or the death of a loved one. In this type of situation, moving away from painful memories will frequently provide sufferers with the space they need to heal. Others who have undergone abuse or victimization may be physically afraid to remain in a place where they no longer feel safe. Regardless of the provocation, the experience of life in a new location can facilitate a break from the past. Until recently, many referred to such moves as lifestyle changes. Today, however, those who are aware of its known benefits call it by a more appropriate name: relocation therapy. In this view, moving away has nothing to do with running away from problems. It is, instead, more of a solution that allows a person to close the door on a painful period and embark on a new life adventure. Many people hesitate to make such a move, questioning whether it could possibly make a difference. If thats what youve been telling yourself, consider the possibilities: - Relocation therapy can put you back in charge of your destiny. The feeling of power that comes from taking control of your life can be an invaluable aid to mental health. - Relocation therapy can provide a sense of redemption. A person who feels responsible for a failed relationship or other life situation can suffer a serious loss of self -esteem. Relocation affords a second chance to achieve success and banish the cycle of failure. - Relocation therapy can leave you with a much-needed sense of relief. It wont change the past, but it can renew your enthusiasm, making you see that life is worth living after all. Any new city or home in an area such as NY real estate will offer an array of opportunities that invigorate and inspire you. Whether you prefer to go slowly or jump in with both feet, its important to take that first step. Nobody deserves to live in misery, and everyone is worthy of a second chance. Relocation therapy can chase away those mental goblins and make life good again. ***

How to Deal with Blamers Negativity

Tips to Deal with Blamers Some relationships and friendships are toxic, so toxic in fact that we dont even realize what a negative impact they can have and how much they can drain us. One day you think you have a friend and the next you wonder if they are your enemy. But its hard to let go of a relationship in which we spend so much energy, even if we know the balance is not right and suspect people are playing the blame game with us and holding us back from believing in ourselves. Those who are dedicated to a life of wisdom understand that the impulse to blame something or someone is foolishness, that there is nothing to be gained in blaming, whether it be others or oneself. Epictetus The Blame Game Blaming others is a form of narcissism, meaning an inflated sense of ones self -importance. Narcissists are well known for blaming others for their problems and by doing so they are projecting their own insecurities onto the other person, who is usually not to blame at all for whatever they are being accused of! How do you know if you are friends with a blamer? Here are some examples: A friend who lets you down for the third time says it is your fault because you did the same to them ages ago or a friend who you find rooting through your belonging says its your fault for leaving your bag open. Or how about the friend that prangs their car and says it was your fault for distracting them when they were driving! People who blame refuse to be accountable for their own actions and failures and put blame where it doesnt belong, on others. Deep down blamers know they are wrong but they like to be in control and get caught up in their own game; blaming others makes them feel better about themselves and their own failures. Blamers make you feel fearful of taking a risk toward your dream goal in case you fail and when you fail theyll be there to say I told you so. People like this will slow you down and maybe its time to let go of them or adjust your behavior when you are with them. Understand that their behavior is not about you, something inside them is broken and your success triggers their own insecurities to surface. Why Negative People Blame Blamers blame as a defence mechanism. They usually have a self -esteem issues and can be described as selfish and self absorbed. They pretend that they can do no wrong and its the other person who is in the wrong all the time. They also dont realize how negative they are and how this can make others feel. Blamers say they feel misunderstood and when challenged around their blaming behavior they interpret it as persecution without acknowledging their part in the situation. To blame is self-perpetuating and self-reinforcing and in a blamers mind it seems logical and acceptable to blame others instead of taking responsibility for themselves.

For people who blame, its a way of avoiding external repercussions and blamers seek something from their victims, whether it is emotional, monetary, fun, reassurance or psychological stability. What should you do about friends who blame you? Do consider if you should be friends with someone who makes you feel so bad in the first place! Relationships of this nature are often just a one-way street where you put a lot into the friendship but the reciprocal feeling is only an illusion. Believe in your instinct and common sense and ask yourself if you are really to blame in a situation where you are being blamed. Have a good sense of yourself and how would you have acted if you were the other person and if you conclude that you are being treated unfairly just peacefully remove yourself from the situation without feeding the blamers ego. Keep a positive attitude and be nice to them because these people really suck the energy out of you so there is no point trying to make them admit their mistake, it just wont happen! Negative people who are blamers deserve compassion but we cannot change other peoples behaviors, only our own. Seek relationships instead with people who believe in you and support your dreams. ***

Natural Sleeping Methods for Insomnia

Sleeping Methods, Health and Well Being Effective sleeping methods are vital for our minds and bodies to function normally. Getting good sleep is critical in order for us to lead healthy and well-balanced lives. Sleepless nights can not only make you moody and tired. Not enough sleep can also impact your memory, sex drive, weight and looks! What are the side effects of a lack of Sleep? Sleep plays a critical role in thinking, lifelong learning and self development. Lack of sleep can harm our cognitive processes and reduce attention, alertness and concentration during the day. Also, whilst in a deep sleep our learning and memories are stored in our mind for future use. So, if you dont get enough sleep, you wont be able to remember what you learned and experienced during the day. Studies show that sleep loss and poor-quality sleep can lead to car accidents and injuries at work. Sleep specialists say that a lack of sleep contributes to reduced libido and interest in sex. Severe lack of sleep can also put you at risk of more serious health matters such as heart disease and high blood pressure, insomnia and depression. Sleeping Methods that dont Work We all know from personal experience that too much coffee during the day can stop us from sleeping, but tea, chocolate, fizzy drinks, energy drinks and some dietary supplements also contain caffeine that keeps us awake at night.

Many people think that an alcoholic drink before bed will help them sleep. While it may make you fall asleep faster, alcohol actually reduces sleep quality and can wake you up during the night. Cigarettes contain nicotine which is a stimulant. Smokers will experience nicotine withdrawal as the night progresses, making it hard to sleep. Eating before sleeping means the metabolism does not slow down which can impact sleep and some foods can even make falling asleep difficult, including cheeses, salami and even potatoes! Worry, stress and sleeplessness can be a vicious circle. A racing mind makes falling asleep and staying asleep impossible. Key Sleeping Methods The key to better sleep is to experiment and find out what works for you. You can try these sleeping methods: Keep a regular sleep schedule because going to bed and getting up at the same time each day is proven to help you feel much more refreshed and energized than varying sleep patterns. Try to create a relaxing environment in your bedroom or where you sleep. Dont fill your sleeping space with clutter. Think of your bedroom as your sanctuary and have soft not harsh lighting and keep it cool. Dehydration can stop you stop you sleeping so keep hydrated during the day so you dont wake up during the night. Reduce stress and worry by writing down any worries that keep you awake and try to address them by talking to someone who can help. Listening to a hypnotherapy recording before sleep can help ease tension and calm a racing mind.

In its early stages, insomnia is almost an oasis in which those who have to think or suffer darkly take refuge. Colette If you work hard too close to bedtime, your brain will be over active just when it needs to slowdown. Dont use the computer or mobile phones or watch TV before going to sleep; these gadgets actually stimulate the mind, rather than relaxing it. Instead, try listening to music or audio books instead, or practicing relaxation exercises. Spend quiet time with yourself more often; try a relaxing bath with candles and gentle music now and again. Exercise and a healthy diet are important for our sleep so try to make positive changes in both and notice how much better you sleep and feel. Cut down on caffeine, quit smoking and avoid alcohol before bed.

Sleep Easy! How you feel during your waking hours depends on how well you sleep at night. The solution to bad sleep can often be found in your daily routine. By improving your sleep schedule, bedtime habits, and lifestyle choices, you can make an enormous difference to the quality of your sleep.

So try out ways of improving your sleep so you can be mentally alert, emotionally balanced, and full of energy all day long! ***

Factors in The Development of Self Esteem

It is true that developing self esteem can be a difficult task. If you are suffering from poor self esteem then it requires dedication in order to succeed. It is important to point out that having a positive self esteem can help us to think positively, take positive action and achieve your goals. All of us want to be happy and content, however people who have poor self esteem often do not believe they can achieve a certain goal and may not even try it. Negativity and doubts are the trademark signs of low self esteem. If you seriously want to live your life filled with happiness and contentment then you need to learn how to develop your self esteem. When it comes to self esteem development, you need to make positive thoughts the norm. Positive thinking is very important so you need to consciously try to think in a positive manner. You should also tell yourself that you are successful and a winner on a regular basis. By doing this often, you will start to feel good about yourself and be well on your way to achieving your goals and developing your self esteem. Everything that happens to you is a reflection of what you believe about yourself. We cannot outperform our level of self -esteem. We cannot draw to ourselves more than we think we are worth. Iyanla Vanzant When learning about self esteem development, you should never doubt success. People who have low self esteem usually doubt themselves on a regular basis and this may stop them from doing certain things. It is important that you have strong positive thoughts and tell yourself that you are fully capable of doing something well and that you can actually do the job better than another person. One of the key factors to self esteem development is to stop all forms of negativity. When you wake up in the morning you need to push aside all negative thoughts from your mind and think positive throughout the day. Other ways of self esteem development include turning anxious thoughts into positive thoughts. Try to be in the company of people who bring out the best in you and give you the encouragement and credit that you deserve. You should also take some steps to discover who you really are. When it comes to self esteem development it is important that you know your own strengths and weaknesses.

Therefore increasing self esteem, means eliminating all negative thoughts which may cause you to doubt yourself. You need to think positively and surround yourself with people who will give you encouragement for your actions. ***

How to Overcome Anxiety without Medication

What is it like to live with anxiety? Do you remember back in school, the quiet kid in your class that never raised his hand and what about your work colleague who rarely speaks his mind or expresses his needs? Weve all known people like this before and weve all suffered through our own share of anxiety at times. General anxiety and anxiety disorders are many; Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Phobias, and Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome are widely known and described. Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere. Glenn Turner There are also feelings and symptoms related to anxiety that are harder to label; feelings of fear and dread, feeling stuck and trapped, social anxiety related to having a fear of people and everyday social encounters. There is also performance anxiety which is a fear of messing up or being a laughing stock. All these can make people feel alone and alienated from friends and family. Mental and Physical Symptoms of Anxiety Mentally, anxiety can manifest through your thoughts and make you feel like the world is going to end at any moment. It can bring on an impending sense of doom and inability to cope with everyday life that is difficult to describe. Anxiety can bring on changes in behaviours such as becoming withdrawn and becoming isolated and avoiding people and the everyday routine of life. Untreated anxiety is closely linked to sleeping and eating disorders. Many people self medicate with alcohol and drugs in an attempt to reduce their anxiety levels but this is not a healthy or useful approach and can have severe negative consequences further down the line. Physically, anxiety can bring about headaches, dizziness, hearts palpitations, excessive perspiration and shortness of breath. Anxiety can trigger general aches, pains and sensations in the body and muscles. Many people experience panic attacks which can be frightening and become a vicious circle as the anxiety caused by anticipating a panic attack can for some make all symptoms ten times worse. Anxiety Triggers The stresses of everyday life, big life changes such as serious illness, financial problems or relationships issues causes internally generated stress which affects our thoughts and emotions which often manifests as anxiety. Our thoughts create, perpetrate and influence anxiety symptoms and anxiety is generally said to revolve around negative future perceived events, outcomes and endings as opposed those happening in the present. People who have a tendency to live in the future are more prone to anxiety.

Relieve and Overcome Anxiety Counselling and therapy can be helpful in identifying the causes of anxiety and changing a negative mindset. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Neuro-linguistic Programming both do this as well as offering coping strategies suited to the individual and their circumstances but these are not the only options for anxiety. Breathing and visualization techniques, yoga, exercising and listening to binaural beats have all been shown to help relieve anxiety and reduce symptoms. Improve your Diet and Physical Routine Toxins, chemicals and low vitamins in the body can increase anxiety related emotional and physical issues. So watch your exposure to toxins and talk to a health practitioner about what vitamins you need and get these through natural foods rather than tablets where possible. Reduce and ideally remove all alcohol, recreational drugs, sugar, caffeine and nicotine from your life. All these substances have the ability to cause anxiety in the first place and are guaranteed to make existing anxiety worse. Reduce exposure to heavy metals like mercury, lead, cadmium and aluminium. Toxic metals can be found in nearly every area of life like soil, air, drinking water, construction materials, processed food, cosmetics and prescription medicines. A full body detoxification can help to rebuild the energy you need to tackle and manage your anxiety levels. Exercise daily because not enough physical activity or exercise also causes anxiety. Even if you are not the sporty type, going for a walking meditation to completely clear your mind is enough to make a difference. Sleep well, not enough sleep and sometimes too much sleep can aggravate anxiety. Find a sleep routine that is right for you and stick to it.

Antidepressants do they work? Many anti-depressants drug slower happy brain chemicals are addictive and can cause weight gain (which is depressing in itself) along with many other side effects. These types of medication fail to address the symptoms and root causes of anxiety which could lead on to chronic anxiety and even depression if left untreated. Its always best to look for and treat the things that are causing anxiety rather than just dealing with the side effects. If you or someone you know is experiencing anxiety, firstly, try a natural approach before seeking medication. Learning meditation and practicing regularly is a brilliant way to manage the stress and tensions of everyday life, it creates a stillness in the mind and body that is hard to find through prescribed mediation and drugs and alcohol. In my opinion anxiety is not a disease or a mental illness but and emotional and sometimes physical state that and can be turned into calmness by adopting only natural remedies and positive lifestyle choices. So eliminate your anxiety and release your potential today! ***

5 Easy Tips to Reduce High-Levels of Stress

Five Tips for You to Reduce Stress Setting goals can help you avoid stress, something that many people just accept as a part of daily life. However, stress actually can be quite dangerous. There are many studies linking stress to illness, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and other such ailments. These things can put you in the hospital and could even be fatal. The modern world puts a lot of emphasis on being on time and on getting as much done as possible, especially in the work environment, but you need to know how to reduce stress so that these things do not ruin your life. Thats why setting goals can help you now and for years on end. Organization isnt about perfection; its about efficiency, reducing stress and clutter, saving time and money and improving your overall quality of life. Christina Scalise Reduce your stress with 5 simple goals: 1. Take Time to Do Nothing Society says that you need to spend every waking hour accomplishing something. While being dedicated to getting things done is a good trait, you also need to take time out of each day to sit in silence with yourself, meditate or go for a walk. Your mind and body need time to just relax, to do nothing at all. 2. Go on Holiday Do not underestimate the value of a holiday. Make sure that you take a trip at least once a year. Go out and explore the world; see the countries and cities that you have always wanted to see. If this is not possible, just use your holiday time to stay at home and spend time with your family and friends. 3. Goals and Objectives A large part of the reason why people feel so stressed out is because they set goals that they cannot accomplish. They give themselves too much to do each day, and they live with the constant feeling that they are running behind. If you set goals that you can actually fulfill, you will not have this type of stress hanging over your head. 4. Get Enough Sleep There are times when you will need to put in extra hours at the office or when you will need to stay up all night to finish a report. However, this should not be a habit. It should be the exception to the rule. You need to make sure that you get around eight hours of sleep every night so that your body can rest and recharge. 5. Find Hobbies That You Enjoy People who do nothing but work have the most stress, but perhaps you are not the kind of person who can just do nothing at all in order to relax. If this is the case, you should find hobbies that you enjoy. Try learning to play a new instrument or reading a new book. This will give you a feeling of accomplishment, but it will also allow you to relax. If you set goals to do these things, they can change your life. You will reduce the amount of stress that you feel. You will be happier, you will have more energy, and you will get more enjoyment out of life. There needs to be a balance, of course; you should still value accomplishments and getting things done on time.

However, you should not let these things consume your life or drive you into health complications. Part of finding balance is just learning how to relax and take time to yourself. Your whole life will be better if you make a commitment as part of yourself development, to setting your life goals today! ***

How to Manage Uncontrollable Anger Outbursts

Let Go of Angry Feelings for Stress Relief Everyone has uncontrollable anger outbursts from time to time. Its human nature. Dealing with it quickly and finding a resolution will lessen the stress and the initial anger will pass. Staying angry can only make it worse and the problem will snowball and get blown out of proportion. Anger is usually a direct result of situations around you and involving you. The reasons for the anger may be beyond your control. These feelings can also be indicative of stress. Snapping at people or having sudden uncontrollable anger outbursts may be out of the norm and the underlying reason behind the anger may be something you arent even aware of. If the angry feelings are on your mind constantly, they could affect your life negatively, as well as your relationships with others. If something that happened deep in the past causes you to lash out suddenly or interferes with your work, its a problem, and its time to deal with it. Develop Your Ability to Let Go of Angry Feelings Staying angry can cause health problems like heart disease and ulcers. It can ruin marriages and relationships with friends, siblings and colleagues. Uncontrollable anger outbursts hurts in numerous ways and those feelings wont go away unless dealt with. When feelings of anger begin to erupt, step back and take a deep breath. Ask yourself if its really something worth getting angry over. Deal with the feelings quietly and quickly before verbal expletives make things worse. Change focus. If youre angry at yourself because you think youve made a mistake, learn to see those mistakes as lessons, not stupidity. Learn to laugh at yourself rather than show your frustration or embarrassment with anger. Dont hold to anger, hurt or pain. They steal your energy and keep you from love. Leo Buscaglia Develop A Stress Reducer Plan to Start Letting Go, Forgiving & Moving On Now! Reduce the stress in your life by becoming more active. If you are feeling tense or uptight, take a walk or go cycling. Learn deep breathing exercises for the calming effect. Try meditation for yourself development. Its a great way to tune out the stress and irritants of the day. If your issues with stress result in sudden uncontrollable anger outbursts for no apparent reason, your problem may be serious and should be dealt with by a mental health care professional.

Communicate your feelings honestly and openly. Dont savor the anger until it hurts you. Talk to someone you respect and trust.

SPIRITUALITY Start Showing Gratitude Today

Why does expressing gratitude work? I think that there are only two answers to this question. The first reason is that people who express gratitude have an increased sense of self -worth. For example, if I thank you for doing something for me, not only I grateful but also Im acknowledging t hat I must be worth something for you to make the effort. When our sense of self-worth goes up, our satisfaction from life can increase as well. The second reason is that gratitude is a social emotion that binds us to one another. When I show gratitude to you, you are likely to feel more connected to me and social connections are really the stuff of a satisfying life. The more we feel connected to the people around us, the happier we tend to be. How to start being more grateful for things, if you havent already! Start saying thank you for everything, even the small things. An easy way to start doing this is to make a list of things you are grateful for everyday. If you dont like writing you can start your gratitude practice using your camera phone look for things through the day that you are grateful for and take pictures of them. Try to capture five things a day you are grateful for; you could choose people, places, things or even situations, for example a loved one who is smiling or laughing or maybe even sleeping. Your pet, a beautiful flower blooming or even a parking space in a crowded shopping centre could all make you thankful. Capture all these grateful moments and remind yourself of them when you need a dose of positive thinking. You could print off pictures and paste them into a mini gratitude journal with a little caption of why you are grateful for each one. A grateful list starts with I am so grateful because or I am so thankful that Finish off as many sentences that start like this as you can think of. What can you except from being grateful? When you are grateful you realize that life is truly a gif t! The more you practice being grateful, the more you will see your life start to change in positive ways. ***

Forgiveness of the Self and Others

You may think that forgiveness only concerns other peoples sins towards you. You may believe that if you offer forgiveness to someone, it will benefit them only and take something away from you; your respect, dignity, or even your right to hold a grudge against someone who has hurt you. In fact what you should do when you are tempted to play the blame game and dont feel like forgiving someone, is remind yourself we are all one and reflections of each other.

When you take the time to think about it, in forgiving others we are also forgiving ourselves for the things we are not proud of having done to others. In the same way that if we hurt someone else we hurt ourselves, this is a fundamental rule of the universe! When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free. Catherine Ponder In order to forgive you must be willing to: Put yourself in the other persons shoes to get a better perspective of both sides of an argument you are having. Take responsibility for your actions and learn from your mistakes to avoid the same consequences of your actions twice (I know its easier said than done). Understand and accept that everything happens for a reason, the universe is challenging you so you can learn positive life lessons to move forward in life. In the end what you put out in the universe come back to you, it is the law of Karma.

Lets Forgive and Make The World a Better Place! Too often in this world we fail to forgive others but at the end of the day no one is perfect and instead of thinking how unfair or unacceptable a situation or someone has been towards you and wasting precious time harbouring blame and resentment living in the past, try to see the bigger picture. Step out of the comfort zone of resentment because when we hold on to resentment and replay in our head scenarios of how we have been deeply hurt, we slip into self -pity and anger. Anger solves nothing and by contrast breeds ignorance and greed which on a grand scale is what creates war. To forgive is to let go and draw a line under the past so we can move on. Open your mind, challenge your assumptions and question why people behave like they do. You will see that everyone feels as human and vulnerable as you do. So be tolerant and kind to yourself and remember that by forgiving more easily you are moving on and growing as a human being. ***

Age of Aquarius Shift: What does it mean?

Everyone is talking about the Age of Aquarius and there are scientific, spiritual and astrological versions of what it really is and many of us sensitive types may be feeling a shift in energies. But for those of you who are sceptical or need concrete evidence that something exists, just follow the news around the world or social media closely for a few days; things are definitely changing, rapidly, some things for the worst and others for the better. We are only just moving towards the Age of Aquarius but its effects are already gaining momentum. On the one hand we are witnessing political, economic and environmental turmoil across every continent in the world and on the other a shift in human spirit, altruism and technological capabilities are changing what it means to be human.

The Information Age is here and marks the new evolution of humanity. You are most likely taking in as much information about the world in one week through the internet, TV, Smartphones, radio and social media as your great grandparents were during their whole lives. The Aquarian Age and The Shift of Humanity Today, people are searching everywhere for the truth or to be enlightened. Now is the time to ask ourselves what our purpose in life is and how we can realize our full potential. There are a lot of facts and views across the world about the Age of Aquarius but the only truth is your truth. It might sound like a new age craze, but really it is as simple as a shift in energies across the universe and harnessing them to help you find inner peace and meaning in your life. It is also an opportunity to connect with others in a way that truly benefits humanity. In the Age of Aquarius, the dharma of a person shall be to reach out. Reach out to help. Reach out to share smiles. Reach out to hear each other. Reach out to every person without judgement. Yogi Bhajan Personally, I think there will be a spiritual revolution that grows over the next few decades where people come together to reject the political and economic systems that control them, so the collapse of the economy is the first step in this revolution. We will no longer seek happiness purely through social status, money and material possessions but look beyond all that and experience what it is to be truly human. The date for the end of the Age of Pisces is greatly debated, as I said but for most people, around now is the end of the Piscean universe and over the next decade we will shift into the Aquarian Age. What we can say for sure is that the move into Aquarius is a shift in human thinking like nothing ever experienced since humanity began. ***

Benefits of Transcendental Meditation Practice

Millions of people worldwide practice transcendental meditation on a daily basis as a way of staying mentally and physically refreshed. Transcendental meditation draws on ancient heart yoga techniques and the deep relaxation achieved through regular meditation for around twenty minutes in the morning and evening, can leave you feeling alert but calm and clear in thought and full of positive energy. Other benefits of transcendental meditation for many are realized through rewarding working life, improved relationships and general enjoyment and fulfilment of all life has to offer. Transcendental meditation is completely natural and can be learned by anyone and practiced anywhere. It is not complex and mysterious but truly accessible to all and no change of lifestyle is needed to bring about immediate results. The biggest challenge people state when contemplating transcendental meditation is that they find it hard to achieve a quiet and still mind, which after all the basis of meditation. But transcendental meditation if taught correctly is not so much about achieving a quiet mind but

more about settling the mind so it is more peaceful. People who have struggled with other forms of meditation often find transcendental meditation much easier than they anticipated. It is the only time I have that stillness. It gives me this peaceful feeling. I just love it so much. Ellen DeGeneres Also, during transcendental meditation, the mind settles to its most silent and restful state but remains fully alert and in this calm state, the body also achieves deep rest. This rest is deeper than sleep and scientists call a restructuring state because it allows the bodys natural healing mechanisms to function fully which many claim have healed a wide range of emotional and physical health problems. Transcendental meditation helps deep rooted stresses and tensions to dissolve and current issues caused by past experiences can disappear meaning we can be content and happy in the present moment and not live in the past. Sensory experience can also be enhanced through regular transcendental meditation practice and many people describe increased appreciation of colour, sound, taste and smell. Increased enjoyment of sex is also common. People from all walks of life have discovered their natural ability to remain stress free and calm under pressure as well as being able to achieving greater mental clarity and enhanced performance in many areas of their lives. The benefits of transcendental meditation are so widely appreciated in some countries, that employers encourage and make it available to their employees. Everyone can benefit from practicing transcendental meditation, even people who consider themselves very healthy in mind and body can benefit from the unlimited potential transcendental meditation can tap into. ***

Isochronic Tones and Brainwave Entrainment

Vibration in Isochronic Brainwaves This type of brainwave entrainment is simple, effective and very easy to use because it is the most advanced technology on the market, its called isochronic tones. Isochronic tones are also known as isochronic beats or isochronic pulses. They are a form of brainwave entrainment that helps to bring your body & mind into a relaxed and meditative state. Isochronic tones in contrast to binaural beats, which are the most common form of brainwaves entrainment frequencies and require headphones to work, with isochronic beats you dont need to use headphones. This makes Isochronic tones ideal for playing in the background while doing something else or during a group or meditation. Note: Do not play while driving or operating heavy machinery. Isochronic beats are very easy to hear, whereas in binaural beats which are harder to hear because they are mostly hidden behind music. You need to be able to hear isochronic beats

and feel the rhythm because the frequency sound and the rhythm is what enables brainwave entrainment. How to Make Best Use of Isochronic Beats Isochronic beats work best used in conjunction with an internal or external process like visualization or subliminal messages which can help you to focus and direct your awareness towards achieving a positive goal or state. When I am harnessing the power of isochronic beats, I either sit or lie down in a comfortable position and breathe deeply with my spine straight; you still get the brainwave entrainment effect from left to right without headphones and on the move. I recommend regulating your listening sessions to twenty minutes twice a day, once a day or every few days if you are a beginner, thats the routine I try to follow and it really helps me with my stress and anxiety level. It can also help to reduce doubts, negative thoughts, depression and to boost energy, confidence, peace of mind and positive thinking. Increase your Brainwaves and Enjoy a Peaceful Mind! Isochronic beats are a key element of transcendental meditation which if practiced regularly can help you to relax, fight depression, beat cravings, stop insomnia and reduce stress and anxiety. All forms of meditation allow us to connect with our soul and our inner self, where I believe the answer to many of our problems lie. You may be skeptical but dont judge before you try it! If you believe in the universe and the soul or if you are interested in knowing more about yourself then see for yourself the benefits isochronic beats and meditation can bring. ***

Yoga Meditation for Mind & Body Wellness

Yoga Benefits to Mind & Body Youve probably heard of yoga meditation but what exactly is it? What are the health benefits you can expect to enjoy from doing yoga regularly? Yoga is not just about stretching. Stretching is certainly involved but yoga is really about creating balance in the body and developing both strength and flexibility. This is done through the performance of postures and repeated sequences of movement. Yoga is a science that has been practiced for thousands of years all over the world in different forms but the essential philosophy is the same; in yoga, the mind and the body are one. A state of total well-being is not just a healthy body, but a healthy mind and spirit too. The Physical Benefits of Yoga Meditation Postures Yoga postures are gentle exercises that anyone can do regardless of age, weight or spiritual beliefs. Yoga helps you become more aware of your bodys posture and alignment. By stretching your muscles on a regular basis you increase your flexibility and release tension that has accumulated in your body. Many yoga postures require you to support the weight of your own body in new ways, including balancing and supporting yourself with your arms.

These movements increase physical strength. As you get stronger, you can also expect to see increased muscle tone. You learn to breathe deeply in yoga meditation techniques and experience the release of tension in muscles along with the increased flexibility that comes when your body is supplied with fresh oxygen. Yoga teaches you to engage your full lung capacity in the breathing process so that you flush toxins out and breathe fresh oxygen in. Yoga Meditation and Emotional Wellbeing By gently stretching your muscles and releasing tensions on a regular basis it is not just your body that feels more relaxed, your mind will too. Through yoga, you learn to become aware of tensions in different parts of the body, and work towards letting that tension go. This attention, acceptance and finally letting go, of tension in different areas of the body helps you to let go of tension on an emotional and mental level too. You cannot do yoga. Yoga is your natural state. What you can do are yoga exercises, which may reveal to you where you are resisting your natural state. Sharon Gannon Yoga Meditation brings Self-Acceptance In addition to the more obvious benefits of yoga there are some you might not have considered. Yoga can help bring about compassion and understanding. Yoga philosophy tells us that were all one and the experience of many bodies moving and breathing and meditating at the same time can create a real sense of unity and empathy. Were all the same and just doing the best we can in life! Because yoga makes you more in tune with your body you start to care more what you put in it. Many people who take up yoga find they take more interest in a healthy diet and quit some of those bad habits like junk food, smoking and drinking too much alcohol. Yoga makes the body more flexible and can help you relax and release tension in your body and mind. Learning yoga can also help to build self -confidence and self -acceptance. So why not try yoga and see what self development benefits it brings! ***

EFT Tapping Points Meaning

EFT Tapping Points Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a gentle and very powerful therapy which is very easy to learn and use. EFT can be used alone and applied almost anywhere. The theory behind EFT tapping points is simple. All emotional upsets are caused by disturbances in our bodys energy system correct the disturbance, and our emotional upset is eased. Emotional Freedom Technique is a tool that can neutralize excessive emotion. It can help manage lots of things from addiction, insomnia, chronic fatigue and high blood pressure to fears, cravings, post-traumatic stress, weight and fear of public speaking. It also works to bring about pain relief, overcome anxiety, deal with stress and much more! So, How Does EFT Work?

EFT involves tapping your fingertips at the beginning or end of your bodys meridians points. A meridian is an energy channel that flows through your body. EFT has helped my clients deal successfully with addictions, grief, fears, phobias, sexual abuse, performance issues, self -image and stress. (Dr Catherine Saltzman) Whenever you are stressed, angry or experiencing a strong emotion, these emotions block up the energy channels and energy does not flow smoothly which causes us discomfort and distress. The tapping of these key energy points, allows the blocked energy to release and encourages the smooth flow of healing energy through our body. The meridian points in EFT are the same as those used in acupuncture but fingers replace needles! Each EFT tapping points technique once learned, can offer relief. So if you persist you will feel better, sometimes very quickly. Emotional Freedom technique is safe, easy, effective and fun. It can help just about anyone to achieve genuine freedom from negative emotions and habits that have created problems in their lives. It is a valuable addition to yourself development toolbox! So why not learn and experience this healing method? Allow your energy to increase to a much higher vibration. When your body and mind are aligned, your soul will feel refreshed! ***

Meditation Benefits from Mind to Body

Most of us have heard about the meditation benefits, some practice it and other associate meditation with the hippy clich often seen in the media. So here are some facts about the meditation benefits verified by scientists and meditators to help you decide if meditation is more than a clich. Meditation Benefits to Body & Health During meditation there is about 16% drop in the metabolism, this is even more than the drop during sleep. The body gets a deep rest, even deeper than the rest we experience during sleep. Meditation helps reduce pain, can prevent high blood pressure, improve the immune system and reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Meditation also increases your overall vitality by strengthening your heart and helping you to feel rejuvenated. The process of aging can slow and the nervous system is relaxed. Meditation Benefits to Mind & Personality Meditation has been proven to improve memory and perception, academic performance and stamina and the capacity to learn and problem solve. Through meditation, the mind becomes clearer as brain power is boosted by building new neural connections, increasing brain wave coherence and production of healthy hormones. As you meditate, your brain changes state. It calms down. It becomes quiet. Stray thoughts fall away. You find peace, clarity & pinpointed focus Debbie Takara Shelor

Regular meditation practice can bring about greater self -acceptance and self-control, selfrespect and respect for others and all round emotional stability and peace. All these positive mind states will also increase job satisfaction and productivity and relationships with family, friends and co-workers. Meditation and Spirituality With deeper and more advanced meditation you can discover the power of consciousness beyond the ego as you experience a sense of oneness with yourself and connect with the universe to transcend space and time. Meditation increases the ability to visualize and manifest desire. It can help deal with past traumas, clear karma and balance energy centres. Meditation can also help to develop and overcome limiting belief sand the mind to body alignment. So start living in the present moment and create a deepening capacity for love. Tap into the full potential of your soul, the answers are at your fingertips! ***

Brainwave Vibrations and Frequencies

Are Brainwave vibration the most dynamic forms of something we call life? Throughout the ages, people have been sought the truth about the origin of the world and in doing so humanity has come up with many complex theories; some are scientific explanations and others are around faith and spirituality. One key theory that deserves attention is that in its most basic form everything in the universe is simply vibrational energy. The brain is the master controller for all functions both physical and mental within the human body and the brain produces its own vibrational energy called brainwaves. These waves fluctuate with the perception of our minds and dictate reactions within our bodies which can have a positive or negative impact on our emotional and physical wellbeing. If thoughts and emotions resonate to a negative frequency, they create vibrations which can cause dis-ease and the vibrational state of various parts of our body can become ill. If you wish to understand the universe, think of energy, frequency and vibration. Nikola Tesla You could say that we think ourselves into illness! Every time we think and feel; we are resonating a frequency which is making the energy around us resonate to the same frequency. Thats why, when you believe that you have a good health, you are unconsciously emitting vibrations which attract good health to you. Essentially, our thoughts are our brainwave vibrations! This is the same principal as the well-known concept the law of attraction which states that what you think and believe is what you create for your reality.

Can a simple technique like Brainwave Vibrations help you create and maintain a healthy life? Through decades of research scientists have come to realize that we have the innate ability to heal ourselves by using binaural beats music the body and brain vibrations can be restored to their original healthy and positive frequencies. Because we send out brainwaves which resonate vibrations when we think, we are sending out a sound frequency outside of the range of human hearing. This sound resonates energy in the universe and takes random particles and turns them into astonishing forms which turns into matter to create our reality! Types of brainwave frequencies Gamma: Inspiration, Higher Learning, Focus > 40 Hz Beta: Alertness, Concentration, Cognition 13 40 Hz Alpha: Visualization, Relaxation, Creativity 7 13 Hz Theta: meditation, Intuition, Memory 47 Hz Delta: Detached Awareness, Healing, Sleep < 4Hz

ADDICTION Relapse vs Conscious Choice: Why do you pick up addiction and do it again?
Is it a relapse or is it a conscious choice? I thought of writing this article because as spring arrives so does more temptation. Soon, there will be people sitting in the park or outside pubs drinking. Pretty much, whenever I go out its in my face! The late summer nights with a flavour of party in the air and parties resonating from your neighbours gardens and by the time you know it you see yourself starting to make excuses to justify a relapse. Excuses like alcohol should be banned in public places, alcohol advertising should also be banned, its not fair I cant go to summer festivals like everybody else. Im good at making excuses, not just in spring but Christmas, New Year, birthdays and so on. There are always going to be excuses if you look for them. Your addiction is always behind the door waiting for you to open it. Before you know it, you are mentally preparing your relapse and convincing yourself that relapse is inevitable. You are setting up a platform to fall back on and watch videos and search for information of other peoples relapse stories and you feel it is not such a big deal after all. Next, you are preparing those closest to you for your relapse too by explaining to them that a relapse would not be the end of the world. Now that I have been free from any destructible substances for a while, I have come to realise that the word relapse is a synonym of excuse. I believe that we know when we are on a slippery slope to a relapse and that we recognise and acknowledge all the triggers and the warning signs. You have probably been deliberating for a month or more or before it happens, that is not to say it does not happen on impulse, as for many people it does, it is just that a relapse is planned. When it happens maybe it will be just a lapse for one day or one night but you could relapse more than once in a short space of time and quickly go back to destructive behaviour patterns. Either way, you made a choice before you picked up whatever substance it is that is a problem for you and you knew where it would take you in the end. You assessed and weighed up the pros and cons. The truth is YOU made a conscious decision to relapse. Why do many people relapse against their best efforts and the urging of their friends and family? Most addictions serve one purpose, which is an unconscious attempt to reduce inner pain. What I mean by inner pain is, a collection of very unpleasant and intense emotions. These emotions range from shame, guilt, anxiety or fear to loneliness, emptiness, despair and rage. A mix of any of those feeling together can be called inner pain.

Most addicts in my experience acquire a great deal of inner turmoil stemming from childhood. It could be the adults that raised them traumatized them intentionally or often unintentionally and it is most likely that the adults with the parental roles themselves had negative childhood experiences that stayed with them and shaped their behaviours as adults. If someone enters adulthood with no natural mechanism for processing and managing emotions (and lets not forget happiness, excitement and joy as these too are emotions that many addicts find hard to manage) they can turn to substance abuse as a way of processing things instead, this is sometimes called self -medicating. Slowly but surely, the substance or substances of choice become an everyday way of reducing inner turmoil without having to deal with emotions. Addiction is an avoidance of what it is to be truly human. How to prevent relapse and avoid relapse in recovery from addiction Know your triggers, spot them and know what to do. Consider carefully when you start thinking about relapsing, if you really want a slip back to your old ways. I remind myself of how bad it was in my active addiction and how one relapse could sabotage my life. Which one will you choose; its your call? I know what so called experts say; to call someone, go to an addiction meeting and take things one minute at a time or even one day at a time but I believe all this just goes over your head because once the trigger are activated in your mind, it is often hard to think of anything or anyone else. Anyone with an addiction knows it comes first and as someone who went through all that I found that a desire greater that my addiction, something that gives me a better feeling than my old way of escaping my feelings, could keep me from relapsing. To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there. Kofi Annan So, find an activity, work, passion, interest or people (or all of them) that motivates you to move away from addiction and hang on to it, preserve and work at it everyday. This is what will prevent you from relapsing. Find one thing or feeling that brings you a natural high and remember it is too good to lose because it provides you with inner peace and that is all you are really craving for INNER PEACE. Obviously sitting down feeling sorry for yourself, telling yourself you are powerless, hopeless and incurable whilst waiting for this power greater than yourself to save you is appealing but it is nothing more than an easy way out of your responsibility when you relapse. Yes miracles do happen but you also have to work at it, you have to believe that it is possible to be free of damaging addictions in the first place. Believe you are powerful not powerless! In moments of despair, it will only be you and your desire to live, nothing else that can stop you from relapsing and making the right decision. Only you can keep the door of temptation closed by finding happiness, peace and purpose within you, so great that it overshadows the addiction. Recognise the warning signs and take action before it is too late. What have you done to fill up your cons list? What do you have to hang on to? What is it that is worth living for? Its on the basis of all these questions that youll decide whether to

relapse or not. A slip can remind you of why you stopped your addiction in the first place but a relapse, I feel is deeper than that, its a change back to old ways of life. The only way you are going to relapse is if you choose to. If you do relapse, dont try to make excuses for it just accept it and move on, its not day one, recovery is a life long journey. Keep in mind it does get easier and remember everyday is a victory and any defeat is not the end of the day! ***

Bad Behavior and Mistakes What Does Shame Feel Like?

What is Shame? If you have a problem with drugs or alcohol, you may have lost your credibility because no one believes your excuses for getting off your head time and time again, not even you! You may find yourself apologizing for things you dont even remember doing but out of nowhere you see flashbacks in your head of the awful things youve said and done and your heart hurts thinking about it. You may have made a fool of yourself to the point that your friends seem to be avoiding you or you text-ed loving words to someone you dislike and words of hatred to someone you love, then felt like the worst human being in the world? What you feel in all these examples is shame. Shame is when you cant look at yourself in the mirror. Shame is feeling hopeless, helpless and guilty. In fact, shame is often about secrecy and living with the dread that any moment you will be found out as a defective person, that you are not who you appear to be, an impostor and this makes you so anxious that you go into hiding from the world. Shame has the ability to destroy our closest relationships but as human beings we find it hard to talk about what causes us shame so we carry it around with us. Shame just wont go away! Shame can also keep us stuck in vicious cycle of destructive habits. When we feel ashamed of our behavior or actions, we often self -medicate with drugs, alcohol, food, gambling etc. in an attempt to forget about our mistakes and the shame they have caused. That said, mistakes are occasions for learning, thats why shame is an important emotion, despite it being uncomfortable and difficult. How to break the shame cycle To break shame cycle, know that you are not worthless. You are a powerful human being with a bad behavior and that behavior is not who you are but a habit and habits can be broken! Stop the self -judgement and criticism and learn from your mistakes. You have to change the way you see yourself. Your own thoughts about who you are affect your behavior and actions. Negative self -talk leads to more pain and escapism, more using and unwanted behaviors and then the shame follows.

Learn to forgive yourself by acknowledging that a lot of the mistakes we make are just part of the human experience and that we can only begin to heal by self -love. Learn to let go of the past. Find ways to help you relax and relieve the anxiety that can accompany shame. EFT Tapping can help. Shame and feelings of remorse can be a positive thing if they enable someone to stop doing something they dont want to do; this is the healthy version of shame. Then there is the other side of the coin toxic shame. Toxic shame is a person believing they are bad to the core and never being able to escape that feeling. Most addicts no matter what the addiction, experience these feelings often and have their core belief about themselves rooted in toxic shame. If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame cant survive. Bren Brown Talk about it! If you hold a dark secret I hope you can find one person you can talk to about it. As you share it you may feel less burdened and be able to let go and move forward. I had to take this approach in order to make progress in my life. Also remember there is no guilt and shame in the present moment. Your natural self is guiltless, you are completely pure and natural means who you really are so whenever you are angry, depressed, upset you are not being you at that moment you are being your past. Live in the present moment, be your true self and dont let shame take over your life! ***

Consumerism and Our Addiction to Spending Money

Consuming to Fill a Void Chances are you have played the lottery and made a list in your mind of all the things you would buy once those lucky numbers come. You might dream of buying a fast car or a luxury villa and designer clothes but look more closely at your current spending habits and you will see you are probably already purchasing material things that dont make you happy. That second flat screen TV in the bedroom or the pair of shoes you bought on your way from work after a stressful day but you know youll never wear! Material Addiction The truth is that most of us buy too many unnecessary material things and although what we buy might be very different to the next person, our motives for doing so are probably very similar: to make ourselves feel good or better, to show off to others, or simply to fit in group and not be left out. Ask yourself when you are next tempted to splash out: are you trying to compensate for lack of love (which is priceless!) or is your life missing purpose. Are you materialistic because you are insecure or trying to conform to a society that recognizes how well you are doing in life only by how much stuff you own.

All of us have a tendency towards excess or even addiction; it could be food, illegal or legal drugs, self -harming, gambling, shopping and so on I believe overindulging on something to the point it becomes a problem is related to not directly addressing the unhappiness within you, so youll find anything to fill this void. To live fully, we must learn to use things and love people, and not love things and use people. John Powell We live in a world that celebrates fame and money and aggressive advertising tells us this is what we should aspire to, so that if we dont have those things, we think that we are somehow not good enough. You need to remind yourself that we all have beauty within and when you find this youll be happy regardless of external attributes and material things. The temporary relief that buying things offers is accessible through others means, like meditation or perhaps finding your true life purpose and pursuing it. In general, we are already consuming far more than we need and fear, insecurity and feelings of powerlessness makes us want to consume even more! You probably know all this deep down but you need to really acknowledge it. Its not enough to just admit that we buy too much without understanding the underlying reasons why before bad habits turn into self destructing behaviours. Consumerism and Power Its a false belief that buying brings power or happiness. We have all felt the instant gratification of when after purchasing the latest hype item, feeling satisfied because we now have something someone else desires. It is similar to feeling on top of the world after a few drinks but feeling low with a hangover the morning after. Its worth remembering that the feeling of power and happiness is temporary because the more you have the more you want so the emptiness is back for more as quick as it first came on. Consuming is an endless circle of dissatisfaction like any other addiction but it is the most socially acceptable one. We dig a deeper hole of desire in our wallets and our souls so people give us respect and admiration to make up for the lack of respect and self -belief we have about ourselves. Its kind of silly when you think about it. Money and happiness Is it impossible not to consume unless you live in the middle of nowhere on a peaceful farm disconnected from reality? The answer is no because happiness is free and something that comes from within. It doesnt mean you have to be a hippy, squatter or homeless (unless thats what you desire). Its about fulfilling the void by doing meaningful actions. There are lots of causes these days you could spend a little bit of money on to help or change someone else life. Any small act of kindness will bring you much more respect, admiration and happiness for a better price than buying five minutes of pleasure. You could also spend time, not money on your own self -development; this would give you the happiness you are seeking instead of striving for happiness through the things you own and fuelling big corporations greed. Why not challenge your current spending habits and belief s around materialistic possessions, in the end its more important to have more to show for our lives than a collection of superficial designer shoes or a pile of outdated technology items.

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5 Ways to Boost Your Mood with Food

Did you know that the foods and drinks you put in your mouth have a lot to do with how you feel both physically and emotionally? Here are five tips for making sure not just what you eat but how you eat ensures you feel in tiptop condition. 1. Eat Breakfast Make time for breakfast eating breakfast will set you up for the day ahead and kick start your metabolism. It will also help you concentrate at work or school and according to some researchers; regular breakfast can lead to improved mood along with better memory and more energy throughout the day. It makes sense then that skipping breakfast would do the opposite and leave you feeling tired and unable to focus. So what makes a good breakfast? Try to avoid sugary cereal and opt for yogurt, lean proteins like ham and eggs and whole-grain toast. 2. Eat Regularly As well as eating breakfast, make sure you eat regularly throughout the day. If you skip a meal you could feel tired and irritable, remember food is fuel. When you go too long without eating, your blood sugar sinks and this can leave you lacking in energy and focus. Aim for a healthy meal or snack every four hours, like fruit and nuts. 3. Cut Down on Caffeine Too much caffeine can make you feel dizzy, anxious, restless and unable to focus. Many people are very sensitive to caffeine and dont even know it! Try to limit tea, coffee and carbonated drinks which contain caffeine and dont have any caffeine after 5pm if you want to sleep well! 4. Lack of living food Food generates energy for our bodies and we want to create the best possible energy so what we eat is very important. Eating a meal of fresh, organic plants, meat and grains is going to make you feel clean and healthy whereas eating ready meal full of dead, processed and chemicalized food is going to leave you feeling toxic and lacking in essential nutrients. Try to eat fresh food and local produce where possible to ensure that your food is vibrating at a higher energy frequency. Eat to match the seasons so more fruits, lighter greens and fish in summer and heartier root vegetables and warming stews in winter. 5. You eat too much fat. That donut or bag of fries isnt good for your waistline or your mood. Greasy snack foods and those high in saturated and sugar fat will leave you feeling bloated, tired and craving more, so opt for healthy fats like nuts and avocados instead. ***

Feeling Stressed? Try foods with positive energies to bring relief

Eating for Stress We have all reached for chocolate and junk food for energy and to cheer us up when we are feeling stressed out, sad or down only to feel even worse an hour later. But why do we reach for these sugary and processed low energy foods that do more harm than good? Well, Science can explain this. Serotonin is the brains feel good chemical and we need serotonin to maintain a balanced mood. When we are stressed, the stress hormone cortisol triggers appetite stimulating neurotransmitters and decreases our serotonin levels, which can make us, feel low. When serotonin is reduced it can also cause an increase in appetite or cravings and sugary snacks and junk food offer us a short term fix by quickly boosting reduced serotonin levels and creating a sense of calm and well-being. But what comes up must come down and shortly after indulging these cravings, we will experience what is called an energy crash; this is when our blood sugar drops again and we are left feeling even more stressed and miserable than we did in the first place! It takes a lot of work for our bodies to digest sugary fatty foods so it makes sense that theres more work going on, so obviously you are going to end up feeling tired and lacking in energy! Often at this point, we reach out for more junk food to make us feel better and get stuck on the rollercoaster of energy and emotions. This can also lead to overeating habits and longer-term mood swings and low moods. Use Food Energy to Boost Mood But surely if we remove these foods from our diet, we will feel stressed and low, so what should we eat to maintain a balanced mood and avoid low energy levels? Its easy! Eat complex carbohydrates instead like wholegrain bread, oats and seeds. They are high in fibre and they release their energy more slowly which means avoiding the energy dips caused by simple carbohydrates like sugar, pastry, white bread and pasta, sugary breakfast cereals and chocolate. These foods have a positive impact on serotonin levels, energy levels and mood, whereas simple carbohydrates; those cookies and chocolate bars do the opposite. But make sure you balance these good carbohydrates with protein. Protein will ensure longer lasting energy and balance out any lows caused by blood sugar dips. Protein also helps reduce junk food cravings. Protein can be found in nuts, cheese, lean meat and fish and yogurt. Eat a Balanced Breakfast and Eat Regularly Remember that food if fuel so if you skip a meal you could will feel tired and moody going too long without eating, also causes blood sugar to sink! The best and most efficient pharmacy is within your own system. Robert C. Peale You Are What You Eat

Finally, consider that food carries energy, and that energy is passed onto our bodies when we eat particular foods. There is a big difference between how we will feel eating a meal of fresh, organic plants and whole grains, compared to eating a plate full of dead, processed sugary food full of chemicals and additives. Everything in Moderation Of course, allow yourself some treats now and again, but take time to think about how your diet could be impacting your moods! * Always consult a nutritionist or health-care professional when making changes to your diet. ***

Stop Taking Prozac to Overcome Depression

What is Depression and Why You Should Stop Taking Prozac? We often use the expression Im feeling depressed if we are feeling sad or miserable but usually these feelings pass. Imagine, however, you are unhappy in your job, with your relationships or your physical appearance or concerned about how much money you have in the bank all of the time. If these feelings never seem to go away, you could be suffering from depression. Depression really feels like a fog, but it is something we can try to understand and manage when we stop taking Prozac and other cocktails of antidepressants. Depression is Simply a Label Not a Disease so Stop Taking Prozac Depression is the label given to people who have low moods most of the time. Someone with depression will probably loose interest and pleasure in most day to day activities. They will be tired but unable to sleep, have little or no interest in sex, feel hopeless and helpless and struggle to think or make decisions. Whilst labels can be useful, they tell us nothing about the causes of depression or the symptoms. There are dozens of causes of depression and each one needs a different approach to treatment; there is no one size fits all approach. Depression affects around 121 million people worldwide and about 1 in 10 Americans takes antidepressants to manage their moods. Most anti-depressants, however, have one or more unpleasant side effects including fatigue, insomnia, confusion, nausea, and weight gain. *1 Many leading health experts now feel that rather than using drugs to simply suppress the symptoms of depression, it is better to identify the true causes of depression in an individual and manage these, where possible without the use of anti-depressants. Interestingly, some lifestyle habits can make depression symptoms worse. Lack of sleep, bad nutrition and not enough exercise can often be the causes of low mood, so it is worth thinking about how simple changes could help to combat depression. Depression is not caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, and it is not cured by medication. Depression may not even be an illness at all. Often, it can be a normal reaction to abnormal situations. Poverty, unemployment, and the loss of loved ones can make people depressed,

and these social and situational causes of depression cannot be changed by drugs. Irving Kirsch, The Emperors New Drugs: Exploding the Antidepressant Myth How to Stop Taking Prozac and Overcome Depression with Cognitive Therapy? The idea of cognitive therapy is that you use your own thoughts to make yourself feel better and learn to recognize how your thinking has contributed to your low moods. The approach is that if you can change to a more rational thinking style, you are eliminating the negative thoughts that contribute to depression. Cognitive therapy is an educational self development and self -efficacy treatment, once you have learned the techniques from a qualified practitioner you can apply it yourself; its something you carry with you all the time and you can use in any situation once you stop taking Prozac. Stop Taking Prozac to Try Alternative Approaches There are lots of natural things you can do to manage and treat depression so do explore them further. There are alternatives approaches to simply taking prescription drugs. You may think anti-depressants are the only answer but you could end up dependent on them and be no closer to identifying the real source of your depression.*2 Similarly some think that alcohol can help to ease anxiety but this is a myth as alcohol can increase feelings of anxiety and depression; alcohol is a depressant. There is also the risk of becoming dependent on alcohol. People should attempt to deal with the real issues and not just medicate with alcohol. You probably already know what you need to do to increase your mood and positive attitude, so stop taking Prozac now, why wait!
*1 (Statistics from a report from the federal government and a research published in BioMed Central in 2011). *2 Always visit your doctor to talk about managing your depression if you are worried about your depression. Severe depression and clinical depression are serious and you should always consult a healthcare professional.

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Best Way to Stop Smoking Cigarettes

Why and how do we smoke? What causes addiction to tobacco? And above all, what are effective techniques to stop smoking cigarettes? Stop Addiction to Cigarettes Many smokers want to stop smoking; the price of cigarettes, bad breath and yellow teeth not to mention the health risks and smoking bans in public places and at work are all factors that give a good shot of acceleration to the motivation of smokers who want to stop. The biggest problems with smoking are the physical and psychological dependence to nicotine. But it is not just the nicotine and other noxious substances in cigarettes that creates dependency. Like many other addictions, smoking is difficult to give up because smokers believe smoking provides benefits. The believing we do something when we do nothing is the first illusion of tobacco. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Smoking is perceived to release stress, help concentration and ease boredom. It is seen as a means to escape lifes stressful moments and of course for many is a satisfying source of pleasure. Ironically, people who smoke are often more stressed and anxious than nonsmokers! Nicotine is a stimulant, it speeds up the heart and raises blood pressure which causes a rapid release of adrenaline. Quit Smoking and Quit those Excuses! Once you stop smoking cigarettes all the perceived advantages of smoking and the excuses you use to smoke no longer exist. A starting point is not to acknowledge bad excuses like, you feel bad or you are having a bad day. These excuses justify you lighting up that cigarette. This is often how people get stuck in a cycle of quitting and then starting again. The physical addiction to nicotine is over in 48 hours but the emotional and psychological dependency takes longer. The Underlying Cause of Smoking So take a cigarette and question the benefits it really brings you. Does it relax you? Is it to take a break from routine? Is it because it makes you feel well socially? Also, identify particular places, occasions and situations where you smoke and try to break from these routines. Once you identified the reasons and situations that cause you to smoke, you can reduce them and in some cases eliminate them. This is very important because when you stop there wont be any reasons or excuses for you to start smoking again. Quitting smoking is easier once you identify what beyond physical addiction triggers you to smoke. Working on aspects of your personal self development might help you with this. It is difficult to stop unless you understand why, when and how you smoke. There are different ways to help you stop smoking. Use your willpower if you feel strong enough mentally. Otherwise, patches, nicotine inhalator, acupuncture, subliminal messages and Emotional Freedom Technique are all proven to work. So what are you waiting for, you have the key to stop this filthy habit now! ***

AA Rehab is Not The Solution to Addiction

Most Addicts Relapse During or After AA Rehab On starting AA rehab treatment program for drug or alcohol addiction, addicts are normally told that only a minority of the group in treatment will not relapse. Indeed the majority of addicts leave treatment or relapse shortly after a treatment program because for most people, rehabilitation programs dont work. But why? Most rehabilitation treatment programs offer the addict no alternatives to traditional group therapy and the 12 Steps Program, advocated through Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). Group therapy involves reciting and repeating negative past experiences, often from childhood and listening to others experiences over and over again for up to 12 weeks.

In AA focused rehab, all personal power should be handed over to a higher power and individual choice and self -control are not considered valid options. Addicts who question this approach are dismissed which can leave them in despair and unable to move forward with their recovery. Alcoholics and drug addicts should not necessarily be treated alongside each other. They have different sets of problems requiring different approaches to detoxification, treatment and longer-term recovery. a treatment setting, alcoholics with no previous exposure to illegal drugs and the lifestyle that goes with it, can become close to drug addicts increasing their vulnerability both during and after treatment. The substance is taken away but the underlying causes of addiction are not dealt with. In most traditional treatment programs, a limited amount of time is spent on individual therapy and a great deal of time is spent on group therapy. This means the individual needs of each addict are not met and self-help or self development are not explored. The underlying causes that drive individuals into addiction are not always given priority; anger, family issues, self -image, behaviors, work and education all need addressing in order for addicts to be free from relapse and continued addiction. AA Rehabilitation is a short term solution that offers the chance to detoxify and take a break from the routine and environment that drives addiction. Increased communication skills and self -awareness can come from group interaction as most addicts become isolated through their addiction and related behaviors. But treatment isnt just about improving communication skills and this is why rehabilitation does not really offer an addict any longer term solutions and coping skills. If addiction is a disease, ask yourself why is there no cure? A 12 Steps based AA rehab program maintains addiction is a lifelong disease with no cure and does not give addicts freedom of choice or empower them to be in control of their addiction and, therefore, their life. In AA, addicts remain trapped by being encouraged to discuss and focus all attention on their disease and to believe they are powerless. The only way to end the cycle of addiction for good is for people with drug and alcohol problems to take ownership of their lives. They must deal with the causes of their addiction and empower themselves to make positive and long lasting changes free from destructive substances; it is possible to for them to find happiness and strength from within themselves. If people want to leave substance abuse behind, they need to work with other people who have done this. Everyone deserves to be an adult with an enriched and fulfilled life. Encourage them to take their life back! Positive thinking, goal setting, one to one therapy and meditation can help with this as well.

Moving Forward... We've covered a lot. Likely, you will have to read this again. I suggest you print it all out by sections so that you can work through each section efficiently. There's even more to cover, but now, it's time for you to take action because I'm telling you right now that you have a distinct advantage over 99% of the people who will read this guide. The choice to take action is yours. Just know, that whatever you choose to do, there will be hundreds if not thousands of people who take action toward change based on the information in this guide.

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