Archive | December, 2008

How to Achieve Any Goal

We’re quickly heading into that brief window of time each year when far more people will casually discuss their goals with others: New Years. People at work who seem loath to accomplish much for eleven months of the year, will suddenly start talking about self development goals like seasoned veterans! And yet, the cliche is how short-lived such “resolutions” tend to be. Those who don’t proudly announce their new-found discipline will instead proclaim their defeatist cynicism: “I quit making New Year’s resolutions years ago when I realized I couldn’t keep them for more than a few weeks.”

So why are New Year’s resolutions so commonly broken? Is it that the necessary enthusiasm and intent isn’t really there? Sometimes. But I think it happens just as often that while we’re setting the types of goals that an experienced veteran may hesitate to declare, we proceed to implement them like real life rookies. This year, why not try to set and achieve goals from the seat of experience, paying particular attention to the types of obstacles that need to be avoided, and with a plan for surmounting the obstacles we can’t.

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The Joy of Positive Gift Giving

One of the most challenging aspects of our relationships is gift-giving. Not just for holidays, but all year we’re faced with the prospect of choosing gifts for friends, loved ones or even someone that we might not have met.

All too often the need to come up with a gift can be a source of negative feelings. Despite all obstacles in our paths, we can strive to find gifts which will delight and help, as well as satisfy our social and personal obligations, by bringing a positive perspective into the act of gift-giving.

Right now, we have the additional challenges of a tightened economy. Many are unemployed or coping with decreased incomes. Even in the best of times, choosing gifts that speak positively can be a daunting hurdle. Gift-giving founded on positive principles may take a few extra steps past the quick answers found at the mall, but it’s easier than you might suspect.

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The Universe Works If You Get Out The Way

Sometimes, things just go our way. We get the job we have been dreaming of, an unexpected check comes in the mail, or things just seem to effortlessly fall into place for no apparent reason. We call it luck or attribute it to simply having a good day. But in truth, we have been given a glimpse of the true nature of the universe.

We tend to think the timing was right never realizing we are an intimate part of the process. We are not random recipients. If only for the moment, our state of being pulls to us this divine experience of synchronicity. There is rhyme and reason to the way the universe unfolds. When we are “in the flow”, the illusion that we can protect ourselves by being in control has been released. We have gotten out of the way long enough to experience how effortlessly this process takes place. We must be willing to stop pushing and allow the universe to send us the things we truly need rather than what we keep asking for.

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10 Secrets for Instant Self-Confidence

There are lots of ways to improve your self-confidence over the long-term – but sometimes you need an instant boost. You can’t walk into an important work meeting, (or a class at college or a room full of strangers at a party) whilst frantically re-reading a self-help manual, or making a last-minute phone call to your life-coach. So here are ten secrets to boosting your self-confidence in just a few seconds…

1. Smile

The one-second tip for when you’re feeling nervous and unconfident is simply to smile! You don’t just smile because you are happy and confident – you can smile to make yourself feel better. The act of smiling is so strongly associated with positive feelings that it’s almost impossible to feel bad while smiling.

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Watch Where You Point That Finger

There is a saying that when you point a finger in blame at another person, you have three fingers pointing back at yourself.

The recent hoopla surrounding the bailout of the Detroit Big Three reminded me of this saying. It is obvious that the bailout is hugely unpopular, and there is understandably a lot of anger being directed at the management of these car companies for the many, many poor decisions they have made over the years that have contributed to their current state. But are they solely to blame? I think not.

The sad truth is that the car companies have been producing big stupid gas guzzling super-trucks for a good reason – people have been buying them! And the reason people have been able to afford these gas guzzlers is because of the low taxes on gasoline in the US compared to the rest of the world. Why are taxes so low? Because there would be an uproar if politicians tried to increase them!

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The Danger of Virtually Living

Virtually living. How many of us here are doing just that, I wonder. I’m going to share something a little personal with you today in my musings. But there is a point to it …

The other day, I was “on the road” for my job – the first time in several years that I was doing so. It’s something I love, and was excitedly looking forward to getting back to talk to “my people”. Oddest thing was, each time I sat down with someone, I found myself awkwardly groping for contact … and anyone who knows me, knows that has never been a problem. I felt very much “in a fog”. Why? What happened? What changed between then and now?

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