Wednesday 28 February 2007

Choose your day

One of my very best friends (many say she is an angel) sent me this yesterday. I wanted to share it with you.

"Nothing is going to spoil this moment...Imagine making that decision: nothing's going to spoil this moment. Now, imagine making that decision about a relationship, job, day in the week,
or...whatever. Imagine applying that idea uniformly in your life."

--Neale Donald Walsch,
Author of Conversations with God.

She followed with her thoughts:
It is such a simple thing...This choosing to embrace the unspoiled in every aspect of our lives.
So simple, yet so profound. And it is a decision we each can choose to make.
May you decide to allow nothing to spoil this day.
om~peace~amen and may you be blessed

Tuesday 27 February 2007

The Crystal Glass

How can I ever feel lonely or blue. My surroundings are the buzzing of the telephone wires, the street lights, the sound of trucks on a highway, the slapping of a chain on a flag pole, the flashing of lights celebrating a grand opening.

I stand here and breathe fresh air . I see clusters of stars glowing in the night. I feel the warmth of God’s presence, as I know Him.

I am not alone. I’ll never be alone. I may not be rich, but I have so many wonderful things that surround me. I can see, I can hear, I can touch. I can dance, laugh, run, sing, breathe, and I can love.

The sound of an airplane flys overhead piercing the momentary silence. A owl perches itself on a branch of the tree hooting in the night.

All the while an angel guards me furiously. Fighting even me when I am not careful with myself. God loves me at all times.

Why does it seem so hard to learn to whisper life as carefully as if it were a crystal glass. We scream and flail day by day, forgetting to trust. It will all get done. Or not.

The lost sound of silence echoes in my memory as someone screams a nasty vocabulary of ridiculous words at someone else. The song of the owl is lost to the impatience of men honking their horns and hurrying from place to place.

Each person clings to his own space, in search of long lost peace. It has been here within each of us since we became living souls.

Reach from within to find silence. Rest and rejoice in the beauty of life that is still available to us all. Take a breath. Breathe in new life and purge all negative thoughts as you exhale. It's your life:)

Monday 26 February 2007

Brain Magic

"Not only can the brain learn new tricks, but it can also change its structure and function-even in old age." Sharon Begley (January 2007 Time Magazine)

Scientists are now proving that "the ability of mere thought to alter the physical structure and function of our gray matter" is NOT just an idea posed by those who participate in visualizations and meditations.

Mental practice resulted ( as seen in a series of tests) in the reorganization of the brain. The scientists also discovered that mental training had the power to change the physical structure of the brain. How cool is that!

So now we know that scientists concur with those of us who participate in mind training (such as visualizations and meditations) to be used to enhance our lives. At all ages the brain retains the ability to change its structure and function in response to thought and / or experience.

"As you thinketh, so shall you become", it seems, is more meaningful than some previously realized. We have such great, and many times, unrecognized powers to help ourselves heal, to rehearse upcoming events, to actually change our lives through our thoughts.

I choose to dwell in thought today on the following quote from a small book I read daily. It is the Daily Word.

"Because I care about myself, I choose to eliminate negative thoughts and expectations from my mind. I read literature and books that enhance my life and enrich my mind. I monitor my words and actions carefully, make sure that what I say and do is positive and caring. In blessing others I am also being blessed."

What will you think about today?

Saturday 24 February 2007

Side effects

"You may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, dizziness, tiredness, blurred vision, changes in weight, headache, muscle ache/ pain, dry mouth, bad taste in mouth, stuffy nose, constipation, or change in sexual interest / ability may occur, fainting, tremors, nightmares, ringing in the ears, problems urinating, blood in urine, chest/jaw/left arm pain,
slow/fast/irregular heartbeat, signs of infection, fever, persistent sore throat, seizures, shortness of breath, stomach/abdominal pain, black stools, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, easy bruising/bleeding, painful erection, allergic reaction, itching, swelling, rash, trouble breathing, suicidal thoughts, heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, blood pressure problems, lightheadedness, bleeding, drowsiness, depression, mood disorders, trouble sleeping, panic attacks, worsening anxiety, irritability, hostile/angry feelings, impulsive actions, severe restlessness, very rapid speech or death."

"If you suspect an overdose call your local poison control center or the emergency room."

"If you miss a dose take it as soon as you remember."

OH SURE! Not just no, but HELL NO!

My husband has had trouble sleeping as we have many stressors (good and bad) to manage presently. I just listen to my relaxation CD (That isn't weird - I love the music and believe
in what I do. I don't have any other CD's that do the trick - so therein....)

Anyway, he went to the VA as he was a Marine. "It will be a waste of time", he assured me.

The doctor said, "Are you depressed?" My husband said, "No."

Naturally the doctor prescribed an antidepressant to take EVERY DAY. The above
side effects were listed as "possible, unusual, rare" - but they were all listed.

My husband has opted to breathe and teach himself to relax instead.

READ everything concerning a possible prescription a doctor recommends. My mama was
on 4 or 5 different prescribed medications. I did a bit of research. Two of the drugs were not compatible. I do not mean every drug is bad / nor every physician poor. But be careful.
Your body is the only place you have to live!

Imagine this on your tombstone

1. Fear ruled this life
2. Motto: I'll never get everything I have to do done.
3. Anger took this life - the heart could not handle it.
4. The children were out of control.
5. There was no peace to be found here.
6. He hated his life. Now it is gone.
8. She never forgot past sorrows until the day she died.

STRESS ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS AND MUCH MUCH MORE.....
is it worth it? I think not.

Take a breath and CREATE a wonderful day. Time is fleeting. This moment is it! ENJOY- ENJOY -ENJOY!

Friday 23 February 2007

Secret #63 Clarify Your Priorities NOW

When watching people at the very end of their lives, I have yet to hear someone say, "Bring me my my bank book. I want to see where the decimal point falls one last time." I've never heard a dying person say, "Bring me my degrees. I want to see my academic accomplishments one last time before I slip away." However, I HAVE heard those who were at the very end of their lives call for the people who represent their closest relationships.

It's the dying who see what's truly important in life with crystal clarity.

Ironically, the rest of us tend to be fairly clueless until we're rudely confronted with our own brevity of life.

So how can you be sure to live before you die?

I suggest you answer this question by creating a short list RIGHT NOW:

If you only had six months to live, what would you spend your time doing?

Don't wait until you're on your deathbed to figure out what's truly important.

How To Stop All or Nothing Thinking - Speak in E-Prime

Hi there,

Many people find all or nothing thinking - also known as binary thinking - a common issue when dealing with cognitive distortions.

I have noted that many people find that speaking in E-Prime may reduce the tendency to label situations and people into certain categories.

From Wikipedia:

E- Prime attempts to remove the verb “to be” in all its forms from English: be, is, am, are, was, were, been and being, plus all the contractions. This has the tactical effect of eliminating the passive voice. According to proponents, it forces the writer (or speaker) to think differently, and often results in language that most people find easier to read. Some call E-Prime a variant of the English language, while others approach it like a mental discipline to filter their own speech and translate the speech of others. For example, the grammatical construct changes “The movie was good.” to “I liked the movie.” Telling someone “the movie was good” imparts the state of goodness to the movie, rather than communicating the subjective nature of one's experience of the movie.


E-Prime forces a writer to choose verbs and meanings carefully: the elimination of "to be" implicitly eliminates the passive voice and progressive aspect. Some defective verbs, such as "can", use paraphrases involving "to be" in some tenses and moods. This constraint alone accounts for much of the appeal of E-Prime to some of its advocates, since many stylists argue that such constructions occur too frequently in sloppy English writing. Of course it may also generate difficulties for some writers as they learn to use E-Prime.


An example of how E-Prime might work.

So the short poem:

Roses are red;
Violets are blue.
Honey is sweet,
And so are you.

One possible translation in E-prime:

Roses appear red;
Violets seem blue.
Honey tastes sweet,
And you please me too.

To use this tip, simply eliminate all uses of the verb "to be" from your communication for a given period of time, whether an hour, a day, or the time it takes you to write an email that you fear will turn into a flame.

I have indeed found this technique useful when I wish to speak in a diplomatic tone such as in a meeting

In my experience - I have found this technique useful to illustrate how people possibly label situations by using words such as:

be
being
been
am
is; isn't
are; aren't
was; wasn't
were; weren't

An example:

"That is a spaceship!"

In E-prime:
"That certainly looks like a spaceship to me." (Implication: it merits further investigation. What does it look like to you?)

You could go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-prime as a place to learn more about E-Prime.

Good Luck,

Allen

P.S. I wrote this article entirely in E-Prime, except for the examples.

How To Stop All or Nothing Thinking - Speak in E-Prime

Hi there,

Many people find all or nothing thinking - also known as binary thinking - a common issue when dealing with cognitive distortions.

I have noted that many people find that speaking in E-Prime may reduce the tendency to label situations and people into certain categories.

From Wikipedia:

E- Prime attempts to remove the verb “to be” in all its forms from English: be, is, am, are, was, were, been and being, plus all the contractions. This has the tactical effect of eliminating the passive voice. According to proponents, it forces the writer (or speaker) to think differently, and often results in language that most people find easier to read. Some call E-Prime a variant of the English language, while others approach it like a mental discipline to filter their own speech and translate the speech of others. For example, the grammatical construct changes “The movie was good.” to “I liked the movie.” Telling someone “the movie was good” imparts the state of goodness to the movie, rather than communicating the subjective nature of one's experience of the movie.


E-Prime forces a writer to choose verbs and meanings carefully: the elimination of "to be" implicitly eliminates the passive voice and progressive aspect. Some defective verbs, such as "can", use paraphrases involving "to be" in some tenses and moods. This constraint alone accounts for much of the appeal of E-Prime to some of its advocates, since many stylists argue that such constructions occur too frequently in sloppy English writing. Of course it may also generate difficulties for some writers as they learn to use E-Prime.


An example of how E-Prime might work.

So the short poem:

Roses are red;
Violets are blue.
Honey is sweet,
And so are you.

One possible translation in E-prime:

Roses appear red;
Violets seem blue.
Honey tastes sweet,
And you please me too.

To use this tip, simply eliminate all uses of the verb "to be" from your communication for a given period of time, whether an hour, a day, or the time it takes you to write an email that you fear will turn into a flame.

I have indeed found this technique useful when I wish to speak in a diplomatic tone such as in a meeting

In my experience - I have found this technique useful to illustrate how people possibly label situations by using words such as:

be
being
been
am
is; isn't
are; aren't
was; wasn't
were; weren't

An example:

"That is a spaceship!"

In E-prime:
"That certainly looks like a spaceship to me." (Implication: it merits further investigation. What does it look like to you?)

You could go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-prime as a place to learn more about E-Prime.

Good Luck,

Allen

P.S. I wrote this article entirely in E-Prime, except for the examples.

Tuesday 20 February 2007

Finding solace

To find solace in the sorrows of life one must consistently be able to elevate thoughts and hope to a higher level.

Upon reflection of my own life, I thought nothing could be worse than my own child suffering a birth defect and surgery as a small infant . Along the path tragedy has increased, side by side with joy. The sorrows with intensity I never knew I could manage.

Each circumstance laying another brick upon the foundation I perceive as my own. Each injury to my spirit coming with the assured knowledge now, that with wisdom and faith anything can be resolved. I can forge a head as a human soul and survive the most dire of circumstances.

The truth of it all is grounded in the fact that no matter what happens we have a choice in the final thoughts and position we take.

There are three steps to manage and survive this life. The first is acceptance that circumstances will happen and often times we have absolutely no control over what happens.
The only control we have 100% of the time is our response to circumstances.

The second is whether we will elevate or descend in our minds. It is always a choice.
Take a breath and think before responding.

The third is to keep hope alive and find the joy that is still all around us. Hope is eternal. Draw upon it. It resides within each of us.

Don’t let unhappy people steal your joy. Bless them, feel empathy for their pain, help them if possible, or move quickly to another place. Surround yourself with positive and loving people . Like a magnet you will all draw those positive feelings from one to another, and another.

Years ago, if someone flipped me off on the road (for whatever reason), I used to respond in like manner. Finger in the air I would say "P_ss on you!" Somewhere along the line I decided not to let anyone change my mood, or upset the organs of my body by starting a fire within me.

Now I respond with the peace sign and say "Peace on You." It surely has helped me, and perhaps unbeknown to me it has sent a message to quiet another's living soul.

My motto: "I tried being miserable. It sucked, so I gave it up." Literally.

We have only this moment to be joyful. Use it wisely and have an awesome day!

Thought for the day ....

Q: How do you make God laugh?

A: You tell Him your plans.

Good Luck,
Allen

Thought for the day ....

Q: How do you make God laugh?

A: You tell Him your plans.

Good Luck,
Allen

Thursday 15 February 2007

A Simple Way to Re-generate our Cities...

Hi Everyone..

In the spirit of self help for lazy people here is a small tip I overheard someone talking about.

In order to brighten our environment - all we need to do is scatter seeds. When you go for a walk take some seeds with you - use seeds from a good hearty plant. Plant them among the weeds or in patches of waste land and wait and see what happens.

Simple but beautiful.

Allen

A Simple Way to Re-generate our Cities...

Hi Everyone..

In the spirit of self help for lazy people here is a small tip I overheard someone talking about.

In order to brighten our environment - all we need to do is scatter seeds. When you go for a walk take some seeds with you - use seeds from a good hearty plant. Plant them among the weeds or in patches of waste land and wait and see what happens.

Simple but beautiful.

Allen

Tuesday 13 February 2007

Right now - How is your posture?

Think about it. Are you slumped over towards the computer? Are your abdominals taut or are they hanging loose? Are your shoulders rounded forward?

Posture is much more important than we are ever told. When I was younger and mama said "stand up straight", I thought it meant chest out and head erect. I visualized a soldier's straight
posture.

Over the past 20 years revelations about posture have been presented to me in so many different ways. Have you ever seen a young woman in her late teens or early twenties with shoulders rounded forward? You can almost see bones protruding from the back. How about the young man with his belly hanging out and shoulders rolled forward. It is not only a matter of how poor posture looks - it is what it ultimately does to your body and mind. That poor posture is simply derived from a lack of training in good posture habits.

My little mama had a skeleton that was out of control. She had osteoporosis. Her bone mass decreased with the days and she became so fragile she could twist and break a bone. She so wanted to stand up straight - but she couldn't. Within 10 years she lost seven inches in height and she felt shy to go anywhere as she thought the "hump" on her back (as she used to call it) was hideous.

When we slump we actually cut off a portion of our oxygen supply to our body. Our cramped position hinders that precious stuff from getting to all the areas where it's needed.
As our oxygen supply is "kinked up", our energy level is not as powerful. Our abdominals weaken which in turn weakens our lower backs and can start a cycle of back aches.

Good posture maintains a fine balance between muscular strength and flexibility. This balance decreases stress, increases self image and eliminates the possibility of chronic postural strain. (It also helps elimination!)

Right now try this: Sit up straight. Hold in the abdominals, pressing low back into back of your chair. Press your shoulders down (we lift them when tense), and back. Lift your head and neck thinking about stretching the neck upward to separate vertebrae and discs.

Take a deep inhalation in through the nose. Hold it for a few seconds and exhale through the mouth. Do it slowly several times, keeping the new posture. It would be so beneficial if you
would do this just a couple of times an hour. Get in the habit of good posture and good breathing. These things are life changing.

Practice your standing posture as well. Stand up against a wall and do the same steps. Then breathe! If you think of this as a mini workout you will be right! You will find you feel better after the day at the computer or desk. You will have more energy and actually be more relaxed at the same time.

Don't give in to having a lazy body control your health. Use your intellect and make some positive changes and life will improve. It's just the way the body works the best for you and
with a bit of practice you'll be ever so glad you you took a few moments to get in the habit
of maintaining great posture!

DON'T drink too much water, PLEASE!

I have another blog I write on and I always write different things on the two blogs. However, this particular subject is so important, I thought it had better be on both as the consequence of
what happened is too real - and terrible. I want people to know that even water can be dangerous for us if we consume too much.

I am a water advocate, and have never made the statement "don't drink too much water" before. I just assumed everyone knows that too much of ANYTHING can be toxic.

Sadly a 28 year old mother of three died last week after entering a radio contest to see who could "Hold Your Wee for a Wii". The prize was a Nintendo Wii gaming console. Of course the show was cancelled and people were fired, nonetheless, three small children are without a mother!

The cause of death was "water intoxication". PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, use the intellect you have and be moderate in all that you do. Whether it's alcohol, pop, water, juice, or drinking any liquid, be smart.

That goes for anything that might be injested into your body. Use your wits and remember that moderation is fine in most instances (though some things should be shunned altogether), almost anything can be handled by our human body in moderate doses.

Remember.......your body is the only place you have to live permanently while residing on earth - take care of it and you will retain good health and a healthy mind.

Monday 12 February 2007

Laughter can make you healthier

I read a statistic recently that declared that children laugh over 400 times a day and adults only laugh about 15 times a day. To me that is very sad. It indicates that because of all the responsibility and stress in life, we have forgotten our sense of humor and the ability to spontaneously laugh. We take things so seriously that we don't see a "funny side" to much that
transpires in our daily lives.

Laughter is actually good for your health! When we laugh it lowers our blood pressure. Our
biochemical state is changed when we laugh. Laughter decreases stress hormones while it also tends to increase the ability to fight infections,

Laughter also protects the heart. The University of Maryland Medical Center did a study that
indicated people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh in various situations
presented to them (compared to people of the same age without heart disease.)

When we laugh we relieve stress and actually improve our brain function. Laughing eases muscle tension and actually tones our intestinal function. Laughter stimulates both sides of the brain and can enhance learning.

When we keep our sense of humor, others like to associate with us. There are so many benefits I won't mention them all, but the list goes on and on.

I want to offer a suggestion about humor. There is one kind of "humor" that is not beneficial.
When jokes and laughter take punches at others, and are hurtful, you are actually increasing
the pain of others, and isolating yourself, as well. Don't do that, please:)

Laughter's best benefits are shared when others are laughing too. I admit though, I think I am really funny, and I see many situations as humorous as opposed to being difficult. I've cracked myself up and laughed until rolling on the floor with my sides hurting from the laughter. My
husband says there is an eight year old trapped in my body.

Mama told me one time, "Think of life as a party. It started before you got here. It will continue after you leave. Try not to take everything so seriously. Take the high road and
have a good laugh more often."

How right she was. So start today and find your sense of humor. There are constantly things around that can cause us to laugh. Rent a funny movie. Tickle someone and it might tickle you too. Read a few jokes. Listen to the unrestricted laughter of a child. HAVE FUN!! This is YOUR LIFE!

5 Tips on How to Survive Life When You leave College

I remember when I was in my final year of university or college as our American friends like to put it. It was a busy time but it was also a worrying time. I remember commenting to a friend of mine at the time "When I think of what life might be like after I graduate - it just feels like a big black void!" I remember him saying he thought the same. Little did I know that my post college life would take me to Sweden for 8 years but such is the unpredictability of life!

I realize that most people wont be graduating for another five or six months but it pays to think ahead and not just drift along. Life for a lot of graduates is going to change and I believe if you follow the following tips you will be in a better state to handle the transition into a new phase of your life.

1) Take at least a year off!

You have just spent the past few months studying for finals, locked in a library or study room somewhere - Get out and get some air. Take some time to yourself and see the world! You have spent the first part of your life following a set path dictated to you by your peers or your parents. Now it is time to go out and find out who you really are. Spend a year to "catch your breath". You have your whole life to work in a 9 to 5 job! Take a step back from your life to make sure you are on the right path for YOU!

2) Travel the world.

Travel does broaden the mind! I realize it takes money to travel but try and find opportunities where you can earn money in a different country.You could do charity work! What about the peace corps or some such charity organization? Do some foreign aid work but do something that will allow you to see a bit of our world outside of what we are used to. Experience a different culture. Remember where there is a will there is a way - so even if you don' t have much money there are ways to fulfill this goal.

3) Don't let other people tell you what you should now do.

Perhaps your parents have expectations of you to go to medical school or to go work in Acme inc. Perhaps your friends will scoff at your aspirations to travel and say things to you like "Boy house prices go up and up... You should get a well paid job and buy a house... settle down... What do you want to take a year off for... Some sort of new ager are you?" etc..etc... Do what is right for you!

4) Remember - Be tolerant - It will be more difficult to make new friends now.

Your whole life - up until this point- has been spent with people your own age. Lots of people your own age. If you didn't like someone or didn't get on with someone there was plenty more people you could make friends with. You could be choosey with who you would become friends with. Life outside school and college isn't like that. You will be mixing with a whole plethora of people from different backgrounds, ages and beliefs. If you start a new job you might be put on a team with so called "geeks", "nerds", or "jocks"! Develop patience and tolerance of others... You will be a better person for it and happier!

5) Remember - You don't have to have it all figured out.

There is no rule book to say that you are supposed to have everything figured out. The older you get the more you realize that very few people if any have it "all figured out". Trust your feelings more and you will find yourself in a better place. Start with developing positive qualities in yourself and you will start down a path more suited to you! Life is a journey not a destination.


I hope this helps any of you who might be graduating this year. The kindest thing that you can do for yourself is BE THE PERSON YOU WERE MEANT TO BE NOT THE PERSON OTHER PEOPLE THINK YOU SHOULD BE.

Be kind to yourself!
Allen

5 Tips on How to Survive Life When You leave College

I remember when I was in my final year of university or college as our American friends like to put it. It was a busy time but it was also a worrying time. I remember commenting to a friend of mine at the time "When I think of what life might be like after I graduate - it just feels like a big black void!" I remember him saying he thought the same. Little did I know that my post college life would take me to Sweden for 8 years but such is the unpredictability of life!

I realize that most people wont be graduating for another five or six months but it pays to think ahead and not just drift along. Life for a lot of graduates is going to change and I believe if you follow the following tips you will be in a better state to handle the transition into a new phase of your life.

1) Take at least a year off!

You have just spent the past few months studying for finals, locked in a library or study room somewhere - Get out and get some air. Take some time to yourself and see the world! You have spent the first part of your life following a set path dictated to you by your peers or your parents. Now it is time to go out and find out who you really are. Spend a year to "catch your breath". You have your whole life to work in a 9 to 5 job! Take a step back from your life to make sure you are on the right path for YOU!

2) Travel the world.

Travel does broaden the mind! I realize it takes money to travel but try and find opportunities where you can earn money in a different country.You could do charity work! What about the peace corps or some such charity organization? Do some foreign aid work but do something that will allow you to see a bit of our world outside of what we are used to. Experience a different culture. Remember where there is a will there is a way - so even if you don' t have much money there are ways to fulfill this goal.

3) Don't let other people tell you what you should now do.

Perhaps your parents have expectations of you to go to medical school or to go work in Acme inc. Perhaps your friends will scoff at your aspirations to travel and say things to you like "Boy house prices go up and up... You should get a well paid job and buy a house... settle down... What do you want to take a year off for... Some sort of new ager are you?" etc..etc... Do what is right for you!

4) Remember - Be tolerant - It will be more difficult to make new friends now.

Your whole life - up until this point- has been spent with people your own age. Lots of people your own age. If you didn't like someone or didn't get on with someone there was plenty more people you could make friends with. You could be choosey with who you would become friends with. Life outside school and college isn't like that. You will be mixing with a whole plethora of people from different backgrounds, ages and beliefs. If you start a new job you might be put on a team with so called "geeks", "nerds", or "jocks"! Develop patience and tolerance of others... You will be a better person for it and happier!

5) Remember - You don't have to have it all figured out.

There is no rule book to say that you are supposed to have everything figured out. The older you get the more you realize that very few people if any have it "all figured out". Trust your feelings more and you will find yourself in a better place. Start with developing positive qualities in yourself and you will start down a path more suited to you! Life is a journey not a destination.


I hope this helps any of you who might be graduating this year. The kindest thing that you can do for yourself is BE THE PERSON YOU WERE MEANT TO BE NOT THE PERSON OTHER PEOPLE THINK YOU SHOULD BE.

Be kind to yourself!
Allen

Saturday 10 February 2007

Dali Lama's Instruction for Life

The Dali Lama is an incredible man and his instruction for life profound:

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three R’s:
Respect for self
Respect for other’s
Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.

7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able
to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up
the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds
your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Self Help For Lazy People up for an Award! - I need your vote!



Hi everyone,

It seems that I have been long listed for an Irish blog award for "Best Blog Post" for the following entry ..

Self Help For Lazy People

May I sincerely thank the Irish Blog Awards for considering me and perhaps I could ask my readers to vote for my blog at:

http://www.awards.ie/vote/

You will see my humble blog under the category for "Best Blog Post".

Many thanks to all my reader for making my blogging feel worth while!

Allen

Self Help For Lazy People up for an Award! - I need your vote!



Hi everyone,

It seems that I have been long listed for an Irish blog award for "Best Blog Post" for the following entry ..

Self Help For Lazy People

May I sincerely thank the Irish Blog Awards for considering me and perhaps I could ask my readers to vote for my blog at:

http://www.awards.ie/vote/

You will see my humble blog under the category for "Best Blog Post".

Many thanks to all my reader for making my blogging feel worth while!

Allen

Friday 9 February 2007

Frustrating questions ! - Some Friday Fun!

First Question:

You are participating in a race. You overtake the second person. What
position are you in?




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~







Answer: If you answered that you are first, then you are
absolutely wrong! If you overtake the second person, you take his place,
so you are second!

Try not to screw up next time.
Now answer the second question,
but don't take as much time as you took for the first one, OK ?

Second Question:
If you overtake the last person, then you are...?







~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~







Answer: If you answered that you are second to last, then you are wrong
again. Tell me, how can you overtake the LAST Person?


You're not very good at this, are you?







Third Question:
Very tricky arithmetic! Note: This must be done in your head only.
Do NOT use paper and pencil or a calculator. Try it.



Take 1000 and add 40 to it. Now add another 1000 . Now add 30.
Add another 1000. Now add 20. Now add another 1000
Now add 10 . What is the total?




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Did you get 5000 ?

The correct answer is actually 4100.



If you don't believe it, check it with a calculator!
Today is definitely not your day, is it?
Maybe you'll get the last question right....
...Maybe.



Fourth Question:

Mary's father has five daughters: 1. Nana, 2. Nene, 3. Nini, 4. Nono.
What is the name of the fifth daughter?




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Did you Answer Nunu?
NO! Of course it isn't.
Her name is Mary. Read the question again!



Okay, now the bonus round:

A mute person goes into a shop and wants to buy a toothbrush. By
imitating the action of brushing his teeth he successfully
expresses himself to the shopkeeper and the purchase is
done.

Next, a blind man comes into the shop who wants to buy a pair of
sunglasses; how does HE indicate what he wants?








~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~







He just has to open his mouth and ask...
It's really very simple.... Like you!

Frustrating questions ! - Some Friday Fun!

First Question:

You are participating in a race. You overtake the second person. What
position are you in?




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~







Answer: If you answered that you are first, then you are
absolutely wrong! If you overtake the second person, you take his place,
so you are second!

Try not to screw up next time.
Now answer the second question,
but don't take as much time as you took for the first one, OK ?

Second Question:
If you overtake the last person, then you are...?







~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~







Answer: If you answered that you are second to last, then you are wrong
again. Tell me, how can you overtake the LAST Person?


You're not very good at this, are you?







Third Question:
Very tricky arithmetic! Note: This must be done in your head only.
Do NOT use paper and pencil or a calculator. Try it.



Take 1000 and add 40 to it. Now add another 1000 . Now add 30.
Add another 1000. Now add 20. Now add another 1000
Now add 10 . What is the total?




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Did you get 5000 ?

The correct answer is actually 4100.



If you don't believe it, check it with a calculator!
Today is definitely not your day, is it?
Maybe you'll get the last question right....
...Maybe.



Fourth Question:

Mary's father has five daughters: 1. Nana, 2. Nene, 3. Nini, 4. Nono.
What is the name of the fifth daughter?




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Did you Answer Nunu?
NO! Of course it isn't.
Her name is Mary. Read the question again!



Okay, now the bonus round:

A mute person goes into a shop and wants to buy a toothbrush. By
imitating the action of brushing his teeth he successfully
expresses himself to the shopkeeper and the purchase is
done.

Next, a blind man comes into the shop who wants to buy a pair of
sunglasses; how does HE indicate what he wants?








~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~







He just has to open his mouth and ask...
It's really very simple.... Like you!

How to Help Lateral Thinking and Stop Destructive Thoughts in Their Tracks - Consider PO!

The great thinker and inventor of the term of lateral thinking, Edward De Bono came up with the concept of "Po". Basically Po is used to ignite the imagination and take away boundaries when coming up with creative solutions for problems. Basically you make a statement - no matter how silly - and see where it leads you in finding a real solution to a problem.

To quote Wikipedia:

For example, Sales are dropping off because our product is perceived as old fashioned.

po: Change the color of the packaging
po: Flood the market with even older-looking products to make it seem more appealing
po: Call it retro
po: Sell it to old people
po: Sell it to young people as a gift for old people
po: Open a museum dedicated to it
po: Pretend it is a new product
Some of the above ideas may be impractical, not sensible, not business-minded, not politically correct, or just plain daft. The value of these ideas is that they move thinking from a place where it is entrenched to a place where it can move. The above ideas might develop into...

po: Change the color of the packaging
update the product casing to bring it up to date (electronic goods can often do this)
po: Flood the market with even older-looking products to make it seem more appealing
take a cut down version and release it as an older cheaper one to make this product seem like the top of the line
po: Call it retro
instead of retro say "tried and tested" or "industry standard"
po: Sell it to old people
good idea
po: Sell it to young people as a gift for old people
good idea
po: Open a museum dedicated to it
exhibit only your competitor's products
sell this product in the museum
make the experience educational within your sector
open a café
accept group bookings
add a theme park
po: Pretend it is a new product
give it a new name and call it state of the art

The second use of the word "Po" is using it as a "wedge of awareness" when you wish to change destructive thoughts. What you do is this.. When you want to change your habitual destructive thinking mutter the word Po to yourself during the thought attack and it breaks the cycle. Let me give you an example:
"That fella just cut me off in his big fancy car... !!! People are ignorant and stupid ... Po!.... I am getting worked up over nothing and I am generalizing and labeling people.."

It really works! Its such an odd word it sort pops into your head during these spiral of destructive thoughts - it certainly seems to work for me! Give it a go and let me know how you get on!

For more "mind hacks" I recommend Mind Performance Hacks published by O'Relly by Ron Hale-Evans. I am currently reading this and loving it!

Have a nice weekend

Allen

How to Help Lateral Thinking and Stop Destructive Thoughts in Their Tracks - Consider PO!

The great thinker and inventor of the term of lateral thinking, Edward De Bono came up with the concept of "Po". Basically Po is used to ignite the imagination and take away boundaries when coming up with creative solutions for problems. Basically you make a statement - no matter how silly - and see where it leads you in finding a real solution to a problem.

To quote Wikipedia:

For example, Sales are dropping off because our product is perceived as old fashioned.

po: Change the color of the packaging
po: Flood the market with even older-looking products to make it seem more appealing
po: Call it retro
po: Sell it to old people
po: Sell it to young people as a gift for old people
po: Open a museum dedicated to it
po: Pretend it is a new product
Some of the above ideas may be impractical, not sensible, not business-minded, not politically correct, or just plain daft. The value of these ideas is that they move thinking from a place where it is entrenched to a place where it can move. The above ideas might develop into...

po: Change the color of the packaging
update the product casing to bring it up to date (electronic goods can often do this)
po: Flood the market with even older-looking products to make it seem more appealing
take a cut down version and release it as an older cheaper one to make this product seem like the top of the line
po: Call it retro
instead of retro say "tried and tested" or "industry standard"
po: Sell it to old people
good idea
po: Sell it to young people as a gift for old people
good idea
po: Open a museum dedicated to it
exhibit only your competitor's products
sell this product in the museum
make the experience educational within your sector
open a café
accept group bookings
add a theme park
po: Pretend it is a new product
give it a new name and call it state of the art

The second use of the word "Po" is using it as a "wedge of awareness" when you wish to change destructive thoughts. What you do is this.. When you want to change your habitual destructive thinking mutter the word Po to yourself during the thought attack and it breaks the cycle. Let me give you an example:
"That fella just cut me off in his big fancy car... !!! People are ignorant and stupid ... Po!.... I am getting worked up over nothing and I am generalizing and labeling people.."

It really works! Its such an odd word it sort pops into your head during these spiral of destructive thoughts - it certainly seems to work for me! Give it a go and let me know how you get on!

For more "mind hacks" I recommend Mind Performance Hacks published by O'Relly by Ron Hale-Evans. I am currently reading this and loving it!

Have a nice weekend

Allen

Thursday 8 February 2007

Claim your freedom

Anyone can feel limited by situations or circumstances from time to time.
Before we are free from our outer circumstances we must also be free in our minds, from our own thoughts.

Take a stand for freedom from limiting thoughts. Let each of your thoughts, words, and actions be a powerful force for love, for possibility, for opportunity, for prosperity and for health.

Do not be limited, oppressed or imprisoned by negativity or fear. Explore the unlimited possibilities that are yours and live freedom each day.

Secret #61 Stop Reading Newspapers

According to a communications industry forecast reported by the Center for Media Research, in 2007 American adults will spend about a week reading a daily newspaper.

Think about that for a moment.

A whole week every year over the course of a lifetime is a year and a half!

At the risk of being misunderstood, let me ask you this question: Might there be a better, more efficient way to get news?

If you really want news, you may want to quit reading newspaper's altogether. USC's president, Steve Sample, wrote a very stimulating book called, The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership. In the book, Sample tells of a personal experiment he conducted: He quit reading all newspapers for six months. Sample writes, "I undertook this experiment in order to see what deleterious [harmful] effects, if any, my being insulated from the popular news media would have on my ability to carry out my responsibilities as the leader of a large and complex institution."

What did Sample discover?

1. He got news in a fast and accurate manner--from other people. And people were eager and downright happy to tell him what was going on. As a result, Sample writes, "I was stunned to find out that, within twelve hours of a story's first appearing in the popular press, I was often better informed...."

2. "The man who reads nothing at all is better informed than the man who reads nothing but newspapers." This is a maxim that Sample attributes to Thomas Jefferson.

3. "I realized that I (along with nearly everyone else in America)... had given over a big chunk of my intellectual independence to a group of editors and reporters whose core values and interests were not necessarily congruent with my own" (page 61).

I am NOT suggesting that you live an uninformed life! I am suggesting that reading a newspaper for news may be a waste of your precious time and life.

Just a thought.

What do you think?

Wednesday 7 February 2007

Let's start over

All of that sadness and regret that you carry within is useless. It doesn't matter if it was a broken relationship, if you were stung by someone you loved, or just that you made a big mistake that cost you in mind or financially. Whatever!

You can weep, feel sad , bang your head against the wall. You can throw away each moment of your life for the rest of the your life, but it will not change things, it will only destroy you!

What is past - is past. You cannot change it. You can learn from it. You can grow in character from it. You can move forward knowing the same circumstance will never happen again.

It's your choice. I made mine, and believe me, I had a heap of things in my life to put in the dumpster myself.

Secret #60 Don't Let Time Slip Away




"If you love life, do not waste time for that is the stuff life is made of."
--Benjamin Franklin

Tuesday 6 February 2007

Our magical Brains

Did you know that the brain rewires itself by just thinking? Proven fact - not just a theory.

Think positive thoughts today and you will begin to create new brain cells. Everyt ime you begin to travel that negative highway, take a breath and find something to trigger that rewiring process.

"The brisk air makes me feel alive". "I can begin again today to strive for excellence." "I am happy I am still here to have the opportunity to learn to be happy more often than I've been." "I love my family." "I love my friends." "I think the sound of the waves breaking on the shore is wonderful." "I like the thunder when a storm approaches." "I am fortunate to have the intelligence to be able to work and earn a living." .....and so on and so forth.

"Only what thou art in thyself determines thy value"
Orison Swett Marden, 1898

Monday 5 February 2007

Anxiety

Anxiety mars one's work. No one can do their best work when fevered by constant worry. The truth is that all you can do is the best you can do! We are all limited in our ability to resolve an issue occasionally. Do your best and at that point drop it.

Anxiety does nothing except hurt your mind, spirit, and body. It actually makes you function less effectively and will ultimately be to blame for a heart attack or high blood pressure !

Take it a little slower. Take a breath. Take a moment. Pet the dog.
It will all work out one way or another and all your worry is for naught.

It's your life. Try to enjoy it as it flys by faster than you will imagine. :)

Take a deep breath and remember:

You may not always have control over your circumstances, but you ALWAYS have the choice in your response. Before that response take a deep breath (in through the nose). Get extra oxygen to the brain to make a better choice in your response.

Did you know the brain needs 50% more oxygen that the rest of the body to function optimally? When we are stressed we actually hold our breath and cut off our own oxygen supply! So take that breath, exhale through the mouth, and then make a better resolve to the situation.

CREATE a wonderful day and enjoy the moments. Each moment is all we really have to celebrate life so get on it and take advantage the choice you have to do so! :)

Sunday 4 February 2007

Check this Out!

Our human body is magical, incredible, and it can be self-healing if you just learn some basics. We aren't taught the basics in school. It should be required. "Body basics 101".

For instance: Did you know that a complex part of our brain called the autonomic nervous system prepares our body when stress enters the picture. It's called the "fight or flight" response. The autonomic nervous system was ONCE thought to be so automatic it was beyond our control.

Without you even realizing it your body prepares for danger by slowing digestion so that blood may be directed to the muscles and the brain. It is more important to be alert and strong in the face of danger than to digest food. Isn't that cool?

Your breathing gets faster to supply more oxygen for the muscles. The heart speeds up, blood pressure soars and forces blood to parts of the body that need it. (Remember your heart beginning to pound fast when you are stressed?)

Perspiration increases to cool the body. This allows you to burn more energy. Muscles tense
and prepare for action. Chemicals are released to make your blood clot more rapidly. If you are injured this clotting can reduce blood loss. Sugars and fats pour into the blood to provide fuel for quick energy.

This body magic is done automatically for you when stress enters, when you are injured, or fearful. It can be invaluable for survival in critical situations.

The problem with this automatic magic is that if it happens too often, it can take a toll on your body, spirit, and your mind! This is why it is important to learn to recognize and manage stress. It will put you in charge of your own life. You will absolutely be able to learn "other methods" to address most stressors.

To reiterate, in critical situations, these automatic responses could save you. In everyday situations, however, you just waste all the value of the response mechanism. After repeated times you can actually damage your body.

You can learn through exercising your mind to slow your breathing, calm your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, relax those muscles and make optimum decisions during stressful times.

Think about it.

Decompress your Neck

It is helpful to learn how to relax and lengthen, and decompress your neck as you become familiar, again, with your own body. Because of the structure of our chairs, the positions we sit in, the kind of pillow we use, the weight of our own heads, and the stress we maintain, our necks compress little by little. This can cause neck aches, headaches, and your shoulders to further tighten up.

Here is a simple exercise to prepare you for keeping your shoulders down and your neck relaxed. Hold an object weighing one or two pounds in each hand, letting the weight of the objects pull shoulder blades down. Make sure that you keep the breastbone lifting up so that the tops of the shoulders don’t pull down and forward, collapsing the chest.

Now set the objects down and see if you can find the muscles you need to pull your shoulder blades down just as the weights did.

These muscles are called the lower trapezius. They attach to the vertebrae of the midback, and insert on the inner border of the shoulder blades. They are antagonist muscles to the upper trapezius-in other words, they are very important posture muscles, helping support the spine in the midback. When the lower traps are too weak to conteract the pull of the stronger and tighter upper traps, the scapulae will tend to ride up, compressing your neck. Use your oxygen.

Don't be changed - be a winner

Don't let someone else steal your happiness. If they are nasty or rude, that is their problem. If you change your demeanor then they win. Ignore them, feel badly for them and their unhappy state, pray for them, walk away from them. Whatever it takes, don't be changed to their level.
You have a right to be happy!