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It seems that there’s no shortage of Oprah coverage these days. Whether good news or bad news, she always makes headlines. The press and the not-so-legitimate press love to build her up and then tear her down.

While they love to tear anyone at the top, they seem to take a perverse pleasure in going after iconic figures like Oprah, Donald Trump, former and current Presidents.

The most recent example of this was the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls near Johannesburg in South Africa. Oprah spent $40 million dollars to establish and fund the school. Even before construction began controversy swirled around the project. Whether it was people criticizing the lavishness of school or critics questioning why the money couldn’t be better spent in American schools,
Oprah perseveres and gets the job done. She follows her heart and makes action her top priority.

Merlene Davis of the Lexington-Herald Leader also praised Winfrey’s response to the crisis: “But I so admire how Winfrey handled the mess after she heard about it. She pulled no punches, revealed all the ugliness and promised the parents of those girls to do a much better job. The good coming out of this, however, is that those girls, who all have come from extreme poverty, have some idea of what a powerful woman looks like and what she stands for. So do those who no longer work at the academy.

Merlene Davis, unlike far too many others, gets it. While others saw the glass as shattered, she saw the glass as half full. She could have played the blame game as far too many others in the press love to do. Instead, she decided to take the high road,a road seemingly less and less traveled.

It seems, no matter how much good some people try to do there will always be someone there to put you in your place. As my grandmother used to say, no good deed goes unpunished.

Who am I or anyone else to question when someone goes out of their way to help others?

As Oprah knows full well, when you decide to help others it isn’t always going to turn out perfect. There will be bumps in the road. There will be problems. You will get knocked down. As the “helper” the best you can do is avoid the bumps, solve the problems and get back up and try again. I don’t know where the quote comes from but it bears repeating here: A mark of a man doesn’t come when he gets knocked down, but if he gets back up.

Alan Bentley, God’s gift to female/male communication, helps single women across the country unravel mysteries of the male mind helping improve their relationships with men they love. To discover how you can crack the guy code, go to http://www.cracktheguycode.com or email alan@cracktheguycode.com

Most of us are so conditioned that we have no idea what we really are like, or whether we are doing the very thing that expresses ourselves best.

Think about it: You went to school, where you were told the essential knowledge that will get you a job and make a useful member of society out of you. Nobody bothered to asked you what would really make you happy. Let’s face it, that would be a very dangerous question, because you might come out with some nonsense, like: I just want to speak to my plants all day. Common social norm puts us in fixed categories. If you fit in one of the boxes, great, but if you don’t you will be considered as odd eccentric or a dreamer.

Paradoxically in a time where beaurocratic red tape is more prominent than ever, and sameness is becoming the norm we are also seeing a move by the personal development community toward stressing the individuality of human nature.

I want to elaborate on this point. Buddhist teachings talk of the oneness that is the underlying principle of life. Everything you see is basically made from the same essence, energy. The building blocks of the universe are fractals that appear in different permutations. The infinite variety of the universe creates sameness and at the same time each sentient being is an individual. Yes, there are certain laws that govern our existence. Yet, the way in which these laws can be applied are as infinite as the universe.

So, when your life is essentially mapped out by your parents and other authority figures from the day you were born, you are starting out in life with a huge disadvantage and also with a core belief, that is a lie. The lie simply is that there are no hard and fast rules. Categories are an illusion and when you surrender to the belief that you have to fit into a box in order to make money and be a useful member of society you are giving away your power and are destroying your creativity before it can blossom and unfold its many facets.

In the box thinking is one of the most costly mistakes you can make in your life. It will prevent you from finding your true self and it will stop you from finding your true purpose in life. Your purpose in life always starts out with finding out what makes you happy.

When you are happy you are aligned with universal forces, you are one with the universe. There is no friction, just evolution. Evolution is the nature of the cosmos, for nothing ever stands still. Movement is life and stillness is death, always remember this.
So, in order to make your life a true success find out what makes you happy and everything else follows from there.

Mercedes Oestermann van Essen is a human development coach, energy therapist and author. She has created the
Happy Venn Diagram for environment, body and mind, a unique approach for happiness and success. Get your free report, 5 Little Known Keys To Happiness

Most of us have heard the old saying, “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” This sounds cute, but how many of us really do it? Most of the time when something happens in my life that sucks, I complain and feel miserable. I used to let the list of injustices or terrible experiences build up and feel like a martyr. Although this sometimes got me some attention and pity, it was not really worth the pain it caused me. Life threw me lemons and I let them rot.

I started to learn how to make lemonade right after I was divorced. I had been out of the dating scene for many years and was quite nervous about being single again. I began to meet men and had some unpleasant experiences. After one brief but dreadful relationship ended, I was depressed. Was there any way that I could avoid having this happen again?

It was time to make lemonade. I wrote myself a directive about dating that said, “There is no right or wrong. There is only what happens and what I learn from it. What have I just learned?” I have used that formula ever since, whenever I have had an awful experience. Sometimes I write down what I have learned as soon as I learn it. Other times I don’t realize until later that I have accumulated too many lemons and need to get to work.

When I recovered from a month long bout with excruciating sciatica that laid me low, I had been writing a book and enjoyed sitting at the computer for long periods of time, but I was in so much pain that I couldn’t sit at my computer for more than a few minutes. I couldn’t drive or do much walking either. I had trouble sitting during counseling sessions without an ice pack. I was so miserable that I forgot to practice what I preach.

Every morning while I walk on my treadmill I do centering activities, release stress, resolve conflicts and focus on positive affirmations. However, since I couldn’t exercise, I wasn’t performing my morning ritual. Consequently, I wasn’t dealing with my life issues. Fortunately, when I went to see my acupuncturist for treatment, she could tell that I was holding a lot of anger. Right there and then she made me tap on some specific energy points to release anger. Wow! I got in touch with my rage toward my body for having sciatica lay me low, my fear of being helpless, my anger with my perfectionist self for not finishing my book according to the schedule I had set for myself, and much more. I had many lemons to squeeze to release all the stress I had accumulated.

Each time I get sick it triggers scary feelings about being powerless. This event of terrible pain forced me to look at my reaction. I realized that instead of sulking about how unfair it was, I was being offered the opportunity to examine the idea of letting go of my ego’s need to perform and experience just being in the now free of expectations. Sciatica forced me to surrender. I had no option. I had to lie there, face my fears and transform them. It turned out to be an intensely spiritual experience. Now that I look back on the experience, I can say that sciatica served a purpose in my life.

Plato said that the unexamined life is not worth living. I first read that advice in college and took it as my motto, although at times I have just given it lip service. It is another way of reminding us to keep making lemonade by learning to see each unfortunate event in our lives as an opportunity.

Gloria Arenson, MFT, treats stress, anxiety, trauma, phobias, and compulsions. She has authored How to Stop Playing the Weighting Game, A Substance Called Food, Born To Spend, Five Simple Steps to Emotional Healing, Freedom At Your Fingertips and Procrastination Nation.
http://www.GloriaArenson.com

Goal setting is a very important skill to have; billions of people use it to get what they want out of the lives, to make their lives better, and to be good and successful at what they do. If you tell someone what you want to do and say you are doing to do it and you don’t go through with it, it will never come true and you will be stuck with the lie you have which can make you unhappy. All you have to do is write them down and work as hard as you can to make them come to life and than you will have your goals set and you will be happy for what you have do with your life. There are 3 ways to get your goal set and these will show you how to do it.

1. You have to know why you want to achieve them and why you want to do them. This is the secret behind your goals that drive and motives you to take action on them. This will help you think strait and stay focus on what you want and the direction you want to take.

2. You need to write them down so you don’t forget them and so they don’t stay a dream. All you have to do is get a sheet of paper and a pen and write down all the goals you have that you want to do on life and make sure you put a date that you want to have them done by and be specific on what you want and when you want them done. This is key for your goal to come out and be real.

3. Put that paper on anything that you will see everyday so you will not forget what you want. Don’t be shy, take charge on your goals, don’t be like lots of people how are afraid. They don’t do theirs because people might laugh at them for doing what the want to do and than they don’t do their goal, which those people are unhappy with their life. You have to be committed to your goals and don’t learn to other people, do what you want to do with your life.

Seeing on your mind on how you have achieved your goals, you will sleep better and life will be much easier for you to go through without worrying about it. All you have to do is fellow these steps and you will get the goal that you want. All you have to do for yourself is be committed to your goals and you will do find.

Aydan Corkern is a writer of many topics, visit some of her sites, like
water damage miami and water damage restoration austin.

Where do we get self-esteem? We get it from other people, within us, or the way we look. Everyone knows that we are born and than we die, but between birth and death we live which there is a purpose there and the variables and the answers are endless, so you have to do what boost your esteem up to make you happy. There are billions and billions of people out there and they don’t even know you and you don’t know them ether so why learn to them, they don’t know how you feel and what you look like to even judge you and you won’t gain self-esteem from them. All you need to relay on is you and how you feel because that is the most important thing you have to make you feel better about yourselves.

You need to set down and think what will help you to feel good about yourselves. This world is nuts, which is surrounded by bad vibes and media, meaning that a lot of people think that you are a failure if you don’t make a lot of money, don’t have a sweet and very expensive vehicle, and don’t own your own house. Here’s some ways that you can have self-esteem: have a positive attitude on yourself and how you live, don’t let bad influences get to you, bring out the passion and strength within you, be happy with how you are, honor yourselves and the life you have, and never let someone bring you down.

It has so bad that there are more people that don’t like how they are and what they look like that they have a name for them and it is (NASE), which is for National Association Self-Esteem and it is getting worse ever year. People need to stop learning to the madness and get back the health of your body and your mind, don’t learn to the TV and think that you need to be the kind of people that you see and what they have, don’t let them beat you down. Keep yourselves above water and like how you are inside and out, don’t let them break your self-esteem down because than they won and you don’t want that, remember that you are a winner and no one can take that from you. You don’t need a flashy vehicle, a huge house, or anything like that to be happy, all you need to have is strength and feel good about yourselves ot keep your self-esteem high.

Aydan Corkern is a writer of many topics, visit some of her sites, like
water damage miami and water damage san jose.

Hypnosis is the process of communicating with the unconscious mind to have a person change their thoughts and actions to what you desire. It sounds simple and if you have the right training it is.

There are many techniques of hypnosis that can be used to control someone’s mind to get what you want. The techniques used will vary depending on what you are tying to achieve.

If your goal is to control the minds of others then hypnotic mind control may be exactly the type of hypnosis you are looking for. With hypnotic mind control you speak directly to a persons unconscious mind.

Think about it. Your unconscious mind controls almost everything you do. The unconscious mind controls your heartbeat, your breathing and most of the learned tasks you do, like driving a car.

When was the last time you though to yourself “I better breathe right now”? I know it sounds silly but it is true. You don’t think about it, it just happens automatically. That is the unconscious mind at work.

If you can talk to someone’s unconscious mind through hypnosis, you can get them to follow your commands and they will think it was their own idea. Have you ever had an idea just pop into your head? Well, that idea came from your unconscious mind. Are you beginning to wonder if it was someone using hypnosis or mind control on you?

When you speak to someone’s unconscious mind that is how you hypnotize them. You use hypnotic language or hypnotic language patterns to accomplish mind control. It is through these language patterns you speak to the unconscious mind.

Let me give you an example. Did you ever know you would immediately like and trust someone…me, when I realize I am going to immediate like and trust someone it’s like you may feel as if you have known them your entire life.

That pattern uses something called embedded commands, which is hypnotic language, to speak directly to the unconscious mind. Embedded commands are one of the most important hypnotic techniques you can learn.

Another important hypnotic technique is the tone of your voice. When you want to use hypnotic mind control the tone of your voice will be a determining factor in you successfully hypnotizing someone.

When you give a command, you have a downward inflection in your tone. So when you use an embedded command you want to have a downward inflection. For example “If you want to learn hypnotic mind control” you would use a downward inflection on the words “want to learn hypnotic mind control.”

These are just a few of the many techniques you will want tot learn about hypnotic mind control. There are many others.

Learn more about the right program for you at my website

Marc Savage is the owner of http://www.hypnoticmindcontrol.net

We can do anything we want to do if we stick to it long enough.

–Helen Keller

Helen Keller’s quote means more when you consider that she was born deaf and blind and went on to become one of the great educators in American history. If she can overcome that difficult beginning, certainly we can do whatever we need to accomplish . . . as long as we persevere.

While some might have seen the normal process of starting up a project as challenging as the 400 Year Project (to make improvements 20 times faster than previously in all aspects of human activity) discouraging, Carol Coles and I felt like youngsters learning to crawl and toddle. You unexpectedly flop down and fall over a lot, but it’s still exciting to be able to move around on your own.

We tended to measure our progress by the distance from where we had started to where we were at the moment, rather than from where we were to where others thought we could or should be. You’ve all seen a madly grinning toddler shrieking with glee while racing off with two parents trailing behind. We felt that joy. We listened to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony a lot to help keep us in that mood.

More importantly, we could tell that the obstacles were falling back before our efforts. Feeling an obstacle start to give way isn’t the same as removing the obstacle, but once you know you can move it a little, it’s only a matter of time before the obstacle will be irrelevant.

As we flexed our obstacle-removing muscles, our confidence grew. Although we didn’t yet see the path to the end of the project, we could always see the next step or two. Believing that the path to the objective existed, even if we couldn’t see it, was all the confidence we needed to keep plowing ahead wherever we could make progress.

What are the lessons for you?

1. Believe you can succeed, even if you don’t have a clue about what to do first.

2. Let your curiosity lead you to try lots of experiments until some of them pay off.

3. Plan to work toward your goal for as long as it takes, assuming that you are going for something worth making that kind of investment.

4. Find daily reasons to remember, rejoice, and celebrate how far you’ve come.

5. Keep a modest attitude about how important your efforts while being optimistic about what others can do to help you.

6. Enjoy the process of moving ahead . . . even more than meeting your goal.

Donald Mitchell is an author of seven books including Adventures of an Optimist, The 2,000 Percent Squared Solution, The 2,000 Percent Solution, The 2,000 Percent Solution Workbook, The Irresistible Growth Enterprise, and The Ultimate Competitive Advantage. Read about creating breakthroughs through and receive tips by e-mail through registering for free at

http://www.fastforward400.com

Finding peace and balance within you has never been more important than in our stressful times.Discovering your true purpose in life is an essential ingredient for lasting happiness in your private and working life.

If you are like most of us, you probably have not yet discovered the answer to this all important question. By the way, I am not talking about the job you should be holding. No, I am talking about finding the deep purpose that, once you know it will give you immense peace and satisfaction.

When you know your true purpose you are a step closer to being in touch with the real you. Getting to know the real you is the biggest gift you can bestow upon yourself.

I have said many a time, that you are with yourself 24 hours every day for the rest of your life. The only thing you cannot get away from is you, It does not take a crystal ball to work out that the best investment you can make in your life is an investment in yourself. It is the one investment that will brings you balance, happiness, peace and success.

Once you know your true purpose you will find it much easier to do the things that are right for you, be that in your career ,finances, your relationships, your health or your spiritual growth.

I am going to share with you a simple exercise you can do right now to find out about your true purpose.

So, get a pen and paper and go somewhere quiet where you will not be disturbed. Now, write down what comes into your mind when you consider your true life purpose. Be spontaneous. Write down the first thing that comes to your mind. Do not worry, if it does not seem to make sense. The important thing is to get into the flow of the exercise.

Keep thinking about your true purpose and keep writing. You may find after 10 minutes or so, that you are repeating words or phrases, or that they are very similar. That is okay. Keep going.

Do you notice emotions coming up when you write a certain phrase? Great, because now you have an important clue. As you keep on writing you will probably find that a certain word or phrase triggers your emotions regularly. Maybe one word or phrase will do this more than another. When you have tears in your eyes as you are writing, you have found your true purpose.

The exercise will probably take you around 20 minutes or so to complete. You will have at least 50 words or phrase, probably more likely closer to 100 written down by the time you are finished.

Once you have found your true purpose write it don on a single sheet of paper and place it where you can see it every day. In the coming days, weeks or even months you will gain valuable insights about the things you need to do to fulfil your true purpose. This could be anything. From learning new techniques to further your personal development to changing your attitude to life, your career, family and friends. Where ever this new knowledge leads you, just notice how you gradually feel happier, more balanced and at peace with yourself.

These desirable qualities are gifts that will sustain you even through the most difficult of times.

Mercedes Oestermann van Essen is a human development coach, energy therapist and author. She has created the
Happy Venn Diagram for environment, body and mind, a unique approach for happiness and success. Get your free report, 5 Little Known Keys To Happiness

Flat Broke. Wow, that is not a good place to be Right now, it seems to be a popular place inhabited by lots of nice people who didn’t ask or deserve to be there.

But it is a place, and you can move from one place to another place. Broke means having no money to spend (right now), totally bankrupt and insolvent (right now).

To be broke is to me the opposite of resilient, or flexible. Broken can be mended and frequently is better and stronger than before.

Poor is a state of mind. It is seeing no options and having little or no (known) skills. Poor is defined in the dictionary as not of good quality, inferior or in bad condition. It also means weak and lacking strength, power, stamina or resilience. A poor person has a low opinion of himself and sees his life as deficient in something.

I like to think that deficiency is in hope and faith.
Being poor is not a place, but an attitude that lives inside the soul of a human who has given up on life and his ability to make a change.

Temporary or Lifelong Condition?

“Broke” or in “in debt” is a temporary condition. It does not have to become a lifestyle. My friend, Susan McMann, BS, MA, an empowerment coach teaches; “Debt is not something we’re IN (unless we choose to be), it’s something we HAVE, from time to time. If we’re not IN it, there is no need to get OUT of it.

Alternatively, there are times when we choose to HAVE debt, and times when we choose to be debt-free. For those of you who would like to come up for air, it’s relatively easy to liquidate debt, once the decision is made to do so.”

Problem Solve the Answer

Nobody wants to be broke or “broken.” But, as difficult as it is, it still provides an opportunity for creative problem solving.

One can look at his situation and say, “This stinks, I don’t want to do this ever again. What do I have to do to dig myself out of this hole? What options do I have or can I create? How do I draw upon the resiliency of my soul to start over? What are my choices, options and avenues to begin today to make a better life?”

Accept the Verdict

On the other hand, one can choose to accept the condition of being poor but the consequence for that choice is an erosion of your spirit and attitude If you see yourself as poor, and coming from a place of fear and hardship, you will always be poor.

Someone once said that the best thing you can do for the poor, is not be one of them. That isn’t unloving or judgmental; it is a statement of not accepting poverty as inevitable or unchanging.

Thoughts Form into Words

Our thoughts turn to words, our words turn to actions, our actions turn to habits and our habits turn into a life-either well lived or lived up.

If all you think and talk about is being poor, you will draw more and more negative situations and pessimistic people to you.

If, on the other hand, you look at what you have learned and what to do next time you are given an opportunity, they will come your way. Doors will open and teachers will appear.

Being broke is not a life sentence; it is just a temporary setback on your journey. A poor attitude and low expectations is a life sentence to worry, fear, anxiety and discouragement.

It’s Okay to be Broke

We are all broke some time in our lives; financially, spiritually or physically. The trick is to get out as soon as possible, learn the lesson and move on.

(c) Judy H. Wright also known as Auntie Artichoke, family relationship coach and author.

You are invited to join us for Thursday morning teleclasses and radio shows at www.ArtichokePress.com You will be glad you did.

It is very easy when looking for birthday poems to pick the first one you come across but does this really say what you want it to say?

When trying to find birthday poems for a card or as a gift it is important to find words that convey the right message. You do not want to be sending a friend a mushy slushy birthday poem if your friendship is not like that. And with the same token you do not want to send you partner birthday poems that are funny if you want to tell them how much you love them.

Birthday poems can be written in many different ways, some will make your sides split, others will bring on the tears so it is important that you have an idea of the theme before you start looking for birthday poems.

For example A birthday poem to a very special co-worker who takes the young ones under her wing as though they were her own children. Cold be written as follows:

Lots

Hello, Nancy, you very special person,
we just wanted to say we are proud of you,
we are very proud of who you are,
and we are very proud of what you do.

And we know that today is your birthday,
so we hope you have a great day, indeed,
because you have cared for us since our very first day,
you taught us everything, in order for us to succeed.

In fact, you took us under your magical wing,
like this wonderful, protective mother hen,
and ever since, we have looked up to you,
because you share your wisdom, again and again.

You teach us about family values,
and that work ethic is something that never ends,
but most of all, and this is the best part,
we are honored to be able to call you friends.

In truth, you treat us like one of your children,
and that is a mighty fine place to be,
and we just wanted you to know that you are special,
and you mean the very world to Chris and me.

You are loving, caring, spiritual and so very positive,
and there is many more attributes that spring to mind,
you are motivational, you are inspirational,
and we have never known anyone who is even half as kind.

You really do mean such a lot to us,
in fact, there’s probably not enough lots on this Earth,
because we know the vale of your friendship,
and we know exactly what that is worth.

So, we want you to read this poem often,
so you are reminded of just how marvelous you really are,
because if our admiration was a distance,
then it would be further than the furthest star.

And we just wanted to say Happy Birthday,
I guess that is really what these words are for,
here is to you, Nancy, you are simply wonderful,
and here is to our everlasting friendship, for evermore.

Copyright Allen Jesson 2008

What ever birthday poems you decide to send, always spend as much time as possible reading as many birthday poems as you can until the right one comes to light.

Allen Jesson can help your write
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