Discouragement's Importance In Every Person's Journey (By Steve Wickham)

What a victory Elijah had for the LORD in 1 Kings 18! He had single-handedly conquered a whole swath of idolatrous prophets - those ascribing their worship to their impotent god, Baal. What Elijah didn't count on, however, was how that victory would incite the ire of the King's wife. He had twenty-four hours to get out of town!

Out of victory, having experienced maximal favour of the LORD, comes the threat of death.

There are times in our lives, perhaps after a time of lucid encouragement, when we're slapped down. In a mix of emotion, shock bypasses all our veneers of emotional protection, and immediately we're tossed down without defence, and thrust into a depression. Depressed! How did it so quickly assail us?

That is discouragement. It's an experience common to all humankind. Yet, the absurdity is we feel all alone. About as alien as we could. We never realise the next person could be as discouraged as we are, or more!

We enter into the temptation to shrink back, to isolate, to avoid all difficulty. Fear causes us to hide when the cause of help would be to share our burden and take a hiatus.

And for a time, we go into avoidance mode, into that fake place of 'safety'. It's understandable. We're trying to reconcile just what happened, what we're to do about it, and how to respond and recover the lost ground. We need privacy about now, or so we think.

Discouragement is both a temptation and a test. It depends on how we think about it. It's our thinking that has to be challenged. If we continue to think fearful thoughts, we'll succumb and isolate. But if we acknowledge how we feel in our thinking, telling ourselves it's okay - indeed, understandable - God can give us the strength to manage the thinking moment. Panic can give way to peace; chaos to calmness. Even when we're still flailing.

God has a role for discouragement.

Discouragement makes us depend on God which causes growth in humility and integrity. Journeying with God through discouragement takes us deeper in the experience of bearing reality. It's His greatest wish for us, that we would love truth. And if we can love a reality that breaks us, we can love God no matter what. Could anything then defeat us? We would have nothing left to fear other than having a right fear of God, Himself.

See how important discouragement is as an activator for growth? It's never nice, but it is necessary. And if that's no encouragement for you in being discouraged, take heart and know semblances of confidence will return soon enough, especially if we allow ourselves the freedom to be vulnerable enough to share with our loved ones.

Discouragement reveals us as true disciples, reeling in a reality that redeems God's strength if only we stay weak.

Discouragement's purpose is to goad us to get on with our journey of dependence on God. As soon as we're truly dependent on God we quickly realise the importance of trusted others in sharing our burdens.

Stay strong in your weakness, and in that be blessed knowing He is with you and for you!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Discouragements-Importance-In-Every-Persons-Journey&id=9534196

Success and Education

“A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something very special.” 

― Nelson Mandela

How To Easily Create Your Emotional, Physical And Spiritual Health

As you navigate your personal and professional vicissitudes today, you may feel disconnected and unlike your Self. It may seem like your world has been suffused with an oddity that is puzzling and unwieldy. These unfamiliar feelings may be even mysterious sensations or changes which prompt you to react differently.

This unfamiliar pattern may be your body and mind telling you that you are too immersed in too many concerns and you need to step back from your perceived obligations in order to take care of your Self. Consider that you might need more rest and relaxation on a daily basis instead of relaxing only on the weekend.

Feeling disconnected in your life can be a sign that you need to reconnect with your inner Self in order to cement your dedication to the values you know are important. Or you might need to reevaluate your food plan. Is you food plan the best for your body? Furthermore the goings on in the world distracts you, blinding you from your needs.

When you schedule in time to restore your relationship with your Self and are diligent about remembering who you are and your evolution to be more of who you are; you will ensure that you hold onto your integrity, values and goals. Your frequent reflection on managing what is most important to you strengthens your will to approach worldly concerns on your own terms, rather than at a command from others' rules and values.

Make it a habit to reflect periodically each day. Ask your Self:

-Am I utilizing my time well?

-Am I including my needs?

-Am I including adequate rest and relaxation today?

-Am I getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep regularly?

-Am I eating nutrition for my Blood Type?

-Am I getting adequate exercise and spending time in nature?

-Am I spending adequate time with my significant other, family and friends?

-Am I spending time on hobbies and other pursuits of Interest?

These basic questions will prompt specific questions that get to the root of your daily emotional, physical and spiritual health and wellness needs.

When you meet your emotional, physical and spiritual health and wellness needs daily, the feelings of disconnection and feeling unlike your Self will dissipate.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Easily-Create-Your-Emotional,-Physical-And-Spiritual-Health&id=7012328

How to Teach People How to Treat You

Are you bombarded with obnoxious behavior from people in your everyday life. You don't need to suffer in silence for this. Show them how you want to be treated and they will treat you the same. What magic actually lies in here? Read on to find out.

The simple magic is that you treat people in a way you would like to be treated. Treat them with love, compassion, empathy and kindness. Leave them with a gorgeous smile of yours. How can they treat you badly after this? You will soon find the reflection of you in them.

Sometimes it's not you but others who react with anger and rude behavior, without letting you know what it is all about. It then becomes hard to decipher them. Ask them if there is some problem. If they refuse to cooperate, stay aloof and don't pay them attention. It will then be the case that they will be running after you to hold a gentle conversation.

Too many a time, other horrible incidents in people's lives make them behave badly towards you. It totally isn't your fault. In that case say as little as possible and outdistance yourself. You don't need to lose your mind talking to these people under such circumstances. You know they had a hard day. Say something polite and buzz away. And forgive them because they are not themselves at the moment. The next time you meet them, they will be the old good, jolly people and you can pursue a happy, worthy conversation with them.

One important tip I would like to give you is never talk ill of yourself to others. For example, "I don't look good", "I am not a good cook", "I am so stupid", "I am so fat" and the list goes on. People you talk to about you this way actually believe you and they will be repeating the same phrases to you in no short time. I can assure you that you wouldn't like it. But it is you who encouraged them to say such things. Nothing to worry. Correct yourself, think good about yourself and be kind to yourself and let others know by your actions what a great person you are. You don't need to brag and boast to prove you are worthy. Your daily actions will speak louder than your words.

Another important tip I would like to mention here is that don't ever confide in new friends and acquaintances that you have been treated badly by people in the past. Because they will believe those people and not you and think that you are not worthy of respect and start behaving ill. So it's best to keep your past in the past and not repeat it to anyone in the present good times.

Sometimes it is just a bad rumor set up by somebody spreading all over the complex you live or the office where you work. None of it is true. But how do you handle such a situation? Because it is spreading fast. Just hold on and pray from the core of your heart. Almighty God can fix everything for you. People will want to humiliate you because they get fun from it but almighty God will magnify you in wondrous ways. And then people will have nothing to say other than appreciate you at large.

So rude and ill behavior from people is not uncommon. It has happened to the best of us. Try to control the situation as much as you can and leave the rest to God and trust Him. Keep your own courtesies and behavior well all the time no matter what. God will be pleased and justify the situation for you. There isn't always much to worry, gotcha?

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Teach-People-How-to-Treat-You&id=9608850

Create an Action Plan for Your Painful Issues

“When you establish a destination by defining what you want, then take physical action by making choices that move you towards that destination, the possibility for success is limitless and arrival at the destination is inevitable.” 

― Steve Maraboli,

Tips To Create Whole Life Empowerment

Your daily diligence to the eight important factors in your life to attain wholeness and wellness might seem more challenging sometimes than others. The eight important factors include: Emotional, Spiritual, Mental Agility, Relationships, Social, Physical, Financial and Career.

Although, you might feel challenged with one or more factors, you need to focus on easy-to-implement solutions that allow you to assuage your concerns directly. This might mean spending less money to ensure you have the resources to deal with unexpected needs, or taking on new obligations in an effort to prove yourself in your workplace or your business.

When you focus on easy-to implement solutions you will feel increasingly less challenged as your day progresses, because you feel empowered when you have a workable solution. Furthermore, you are ensuring your Self that the factors in your life are manageable.

When you accept that life wellness encompasses not only your physical and mental health, but also the stability you build through your choices you are empowered. True healthfulness can only exist in your life when you are willing to take on stewardship of all factors of your existence, which you might otherwise view as an outside the realm of your control.

Accepting that you have the power to foster a sense of security-by working diligently to create the life you truly desire-allows you to eliminate the fear and worry that once encompassed a large portion of your experiences. Your prudence and thoughtfulness to all factors in your life become tools you can utilize to restore serenity and empowerment anytime you are faced with a twist or turn. Thus, the old anxiousness or worry is sidestepped with ease, because you address the issue in a practical and empowered manner. Your previous pattern of anxiousness or worry has dissipated and therefore has no power to interfere with your ongoing feelings of empowerment and wellness.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Tips-To-Create-Whole-Life-Empowerment&id=7012426

Finding Your Strengths: Building Fulfilment (By Barbara Altman)

Your Strengths

Your strengths define your success. So many think of strengths as something they are good at. While I believe that to be true, strengths also bring high energy and vitality to your life.

There is a deeper meaning to your strengths. Listen to those activities that create energy. Engage in pursuits which build confidence, fulfillment, and purpose.

Your strengths are built on energy building activities. Your weaknesses will produce a lack of vigor.

The latest buzz for success calls for building on your strengths and networking with others whose talents match your weaknesses.

Let's look at money management, for example. I wouldn't know a number if it smacked me in the face. Of course, I would know a number! The fact is, numbers bore me to tears. I only deal with them long enough to balance my checkbook and to write in the amount after I've filled up at the gas station. I leave the more complicated stuff to Gary Fischer at Stifel Nicolaus. Some check the stock market daily for exact details. I'm just happy if it's on the plus side. Gary Fischer, I need you. You fill in the gaps for me when it comes to investments.

Weaknesses reflect those endeavors that suck the life out of you. I have to cook because I want to live. But cooking is not on my list of strengths.

Is it one of your strengths? Do you enjoy using cook books and pleasing your family with kitchen capers?

Cleaning my house is another energy draining sucker. So I leave that up to my cleaning lady. I would die an early death if I had to clean.

So what are your strengths? Do you enjoy reading? Joining a book club may be in your best interest.

Do you enjoy public speaking? Toastmaster's is just for you. There are several clubs in every city and in every country.

Do you enjoy finance? Doing a daily check of the stock market may be on your list of energy producers.

Listen to your gut. Let it tell you what your strengths are. Proceed to build your life around them. Delegate your weaknesses to others. At the very least, lessen the impact that your weaknesses have on you. Energy sapping pursuits are a part of everyday life. Don't let them dominate your existence. Let your strengths rule your life. Let your strengths propel you onward and upward.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Finding-Your-Strengths:-Building-Fulfillment&id=9534793

Transition Times - 3 Timely Tips for Mindful Gifts

Transitions are challenging because they can be disruptive and disorienting. But the mindful navigation of transitions offers opportunities to spin those challenges into profound gifts.

That's why it's so important to open to the fullest possible awareness of your feelings and your needs as you move through life transitions.

And when I speak about life transitions, I don't mean just the really big ones. ANY transition is going to challenge your equilibrium. And yet, when we are mindful and present to our changes, they offer opportunities for growth and insight that enrich us mightily!

Mindful Transitions - 3 Timely Tips 

The following tips are proven guidelines that you can adapt for yourself, depending on the particular life transition you are facing.

1. Don't assume you fully understand a life transition, even if you have read or heard about it before.

If you are experiencing a common life transition such as the birth of a child or moving to a new community, it's vital to know that you will experience the transition in your own unique way. Be mindful of your needs. Consider how you personally respond to stress and to challenge, and factor this into your plans when faced with change.

2. Define your life transition from your perspective.

Here's where you dig a little deeper. Take 10 or 15 minutes each day to describe your personal response to the change you're in the midst of. Start with writing down key words and phrases that describe what you are experiencing physically and emotionally. As you proceed through the life transition, reflect on what you have described. Modify it as your understanding grows and deepens.

3. Remember that your life experience also affects the people closest to you.

Even though your experience of a life transition is unique to you, your response inevitably touches others. Be sure to be mindful of what your family, your friends, and your co-workers may be experiencing as you realign priorities and meet new demands. Be aware of the impact of those changes on other people. Where appropriate, have a discussion with them. Involve those closest to you in the decisions you make that also affect them.

BONUS TIP: Bring understanding and acceptance to yourself as your behavior shifts in unexpected ways.

Remember that you usually enter into a life transition without any direct experience to guide your decisions. Be mindful and patient as you navigate this newness.

Through learning about yourself and others during this transition time, you will grow in a way that builds a solid base for future changes.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Transition-Times---3-Timely-Tips-for-Mindful-Gifts&id=9535816

Your Meaning May Not Be Theirs

"I could kill myself."

Maybe you've said it. Honestly, I bet I've said it. In so many variations.

I won't belabor that now.

I will, however, say that words matter. It doesn't matter if you're saying "purple is the most amazing color" or "purple's the ugliest color ever" or "Does the San Andreas Fault makes me look fat?" Actions matter. Words matter. Meaning matters. Perception matters.

One of the most insightful/worst things I learned through my Interpersonal Communication courses is this: Meaning is in the mind of the receiver.

Be sure, I'm not asking you to be all over-P.C.-super-sensitive. You can craft your message. You can be hyper-aware. However, sometimes (quite possibly, most of the time) we don't know we've said something impactful until we see the reactions. It's just as important to recognize those as it may be to be aware of our surroundings and situations in the first place.

One of my favorite personal entertainments is to take what people say literally. Try it. Taking the colloquial understandings out of words/sayings can completely change the meanings and give you, in context, a relatively amusing image. Hold that grain of salt close as you continue reading.

The study of words and their usage fascinates me. I suppose that lands me in a unique position to analyze the situations/comments to come.

No more mincing words: September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.

After my sister took her life in March 2013, it took quite some time to readjust to our culturally-customized patterns. Hell, there was even a new puzzle-type app launched where you died if you didn't solve things properly. Image me, recently separated from my major-me (is that the counterpart of a mini-me?), watching a friend play a game and say again and again, "See? I died... I died... I died... I died again." It was completely innocent and, for me at that moment, completely horrifying.

Suicide has a long history of disgrace, shame. Maybe that relates more to the ideal that we, in our lives and the lives of others, can fix things. If you took your life because you couldn't solve a problem I could have fixed, well, that's haunting.

Honestly, I think it goes back to the fact that at creation God did not make more Gods. God created man (humans), who were less than God. Not Perfect.

WE ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO FIX ALL THE HORRORS, INJUSTICES, or (for Goodness' Sake) even ANY SCRAPE OR BLEMISH OR TARNISH OR BLUR in this or ANY world.

That sucks. I want to fix it. I want to make it better.

You know what makes it suck less? Trying to remember that God did not make more Gods at creation. He made us human. Errant. Unequipped to fight the innermost battles that rage; in ourselves or others. Many times, relinquishing control comes so much more difficultly than the trial, itself. Our desire to be right, to be in control, to be God will never cease to amaze me.

I like to believe that means that we all want to make this world a better place. One way we can do that is that the next time someone reacts harshly to your words, try to flip the script and see it from their POV.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Your-Meaning-May-Not-Be-Theirs&id=9520493

Never Relent Learning Your Worth

“You can be the most beautiful person in the world and everybody sees light and rainbows when they look at you, but if you yourself don't know it, all of that doesn't even matter. Every second that you spend on doubting your worth, every moment that you use to criticize yourself; is a second of your life wasted, is a moment of your life thrown away. It's not like you have forever, so don't waste any of your seconds, don't throw even one of your moments away.” 

― C. JoyBell C.

For more quotes that will motivate and inspire you everyday, click on the link below:

Be You - Only Better By Learning Your Identity, Passion And Purpose

Living a purposeless life is the worst kind of living. The most successful people today are those who have already discovered what their purpose in life is and have created ways of working towards achieving just that. But before you even get to realize what your true purpose in life is, you would need to start by knowing who you are and what you are passionate about. The three work hand in hand in making a better you. To be the best you do not need to be different, you just need to be yourself and let your abilities and qualities guide you.

Discovering identity

Self-knowledge is the starting point of your journey towards being a better you. The question here should be what makes you tick and what are your thought processes? You would need to pay attention to your thinking and thought patterns for that matter. The sooner you know your thoughts, the easier it will be for you to catching those that may not yield positive results so you are able to piece together your identity pieces. Practicing attentive non-judgment is necessary because then it helps you become aware of the thought patterns and acknowledge them at the same time without beating yourself too hard.

To get to identify yourself, you would also need to notice how you identify yourself. What factors play a role in how you identify yourself and what effects does that have? As you do this, you can jot down the self-definitions and thought processes and you will start seeing a clearer image of just who you are. Ensure that when defining yourself, you record negatives too but you also define your core values and define yourself in the most positive ways possible.

Discovering calling

Start by noticing what captivates you the most. This is a simple way of finding out what you are passionate about. There may be several things in life you are passionate about, but by attending to them one by one, you will manage to find out which one of them carries more weight for you. Reflect on your past deeds and what transpired from them; think about what you attempted and failed and the reasons behind the fail. By taking life inventory, you will be able to steer away from paths that are not where your true calling and purpose in life is.

Other simple ways of getting to know what you are passionate about and what your true purpose in life is by answering at least 50 questions about yourself and penning down the responses that you give. They should all be based on what you think your calling is so that by the end of your evaluating you will start having a clear picture of what you are purposed to become and do. You can also ask for the opinions of others and use your core values to guide you to your exact purpose in life.

No life is as fulfilling as a purposed life. Start making the steps to self-discovery today and you will start living a life you are passionate about and purposed for.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Be-You---Only-Better-By-Learning-Your-Identity,-Passion-And-Purpose&id=9517952

Our Past Does Not Equal Our Future

Some people tend to remember the past as the good old days, others remember the past as anything but good. In considering our future progress, neither way of remembering the past is ideal because, our past doesn't equal our future. Our past should not be forgotten, but it is in our best interest to remember our past and appreciated it for what it is... our past. If we're trying to build our best possible life, then our past should not dictate our future.

If we are constantly thinking about our past, then it probably means that right now we're living in the past instead of the present. It also probably means that we're resting a little too much on our laurels or past achievements. My granddaddy once told me that the good old days weren't always so good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems. We should appreciate yesterday, but we should also let go of it so we can reach for the gold that tomorrow has to offer with both of our hands. If we don't have both hands free while trying to reach tomorrow's opportunities, we may end up letting great opportunities slip through our grasp.

In contrast, if we only remember the failures of yesteryear and don't believe in the good old days, then we are going to miss some of the golden opportunities of tomorrow. Just because we couldn't do something yesterday, it doesn't mean that we won't be able to do it tomorrow. There was a time when we were babies and couldn't walk upright on our own two feet. The small fact that we couldn't stand upright without falling forward didn't stop us from eventually standing tall and running forward, full-speed ahead.

Now teens, go learn, lead, and lay the way to a better world for all of us. Remember that our past does not equal our future. So go ahead and create a new incredible future for yourself, and subsequently for your loved ones too. And once again, thanks in advance for all that you do, and all that you will do...

http://ezinearticles.com/?Our-Past-Does-Not-Equal-Our-Future&id=9540499

To Speak or Not to Speak, That Is the Question

So many of us have held back saying something that we think or feel for fear of the reaction by another. Whether that other is a loved one, acquaintance or stranger, more often we "stuff" our feelings and/or leave important words unsaid.

We may be afraid that the other person will be discontent, disappointed or angry with us. Some of us may not be willing to take the perceived risk of speaking our truth, thus saying nothing and ending up angry or resentful or angry ourselves.

Is Speaking Up Worth it?

Sometimes we are concerned about...

What will he/or she think of me if I say this?

Is it really that important?

Is it really worth it?

Often we view speaking out as confrontation, which has a negative connotation for many. Some may feel it's easier to sit quietly and wait for the storm to pass than to find the courage to speak up. Although doing so could run the risk of not establishing our own emotional worth in the relationship, or end up potentially damaging the relationship by building a wall of resentment.

As per Liane Davey, Ph.D, who served as an evaluator for the APA Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards, "You could be just as responsible for the dysfunction on your team as your aggressive, combative colleagues. That's because it's a problem when you shy away from open, healthy conflict about the issues."

You Can't Avoid All Confrontation, but You Can Improve How You Deal With It

Every day we deal with situations or people that don't meet our expectations, or respond how we desire. Confrontation can be defined as hostility, defiance or opposition, yet it can also be seen as a "bringing together of ideas, themes, etc., for comparison" (Dictionary.com). These conflicts can cause feelings of discomfort and uncertainty. Examining our own responses to confrontation, instead of denying, or avoiding, our emotional distress can have a result in positive emotional growth.

What does Confrontation Mean to You?

Each of us has developed a method of dealing with confrontation based upon how conflict was addressed in our family, our personality, or from the situations we have endured in our life.

For many of us, confrontation has a negative connotation. It means raised voices, hurt feelings, anger, or silence and comes with the consequences of getting hurt in either a physical or emotional way. The response we received as children when we expressed our opinions may have shaped how we deal with issues as adults.

Do You "Stuff" Your Feelings?

For those of us who swallow our words, it could be because we are avoiding a confrontation because of the fear that it could result in some kind of potential pain.

My wish for you today is that if you're faced with an uncomfortable confrontation you find the courage to validate your feelings and speak up.

http://ezinearticles.com/?To-Speak-or-Not-to-Speak,-That-Is-the-Question&id=9542212

All You Need is to Tap Within You

“I find it sad that too many do not understand themselves, or their potential. They don't even take the time to get to know their unconsciousness. You can truly learn so much, by simply getting to know the "you" that is behind the reality of yourself.”

― Lionel Suggs

Even Failed Effort Produces Muscle

Today, a friend of mine, expressed how sore her legs were after a recent workout. As a joke, I asked her if she wanted me to help her walk up the stairs. She replied with a painful laugh that climbing up the stairs wasn't the problem. It was coming down the stairs that really hurt.

Her comment about coming down the stairs being more painful reminded me of my old workout days. When my workout buddies and I really wanted to shock our muscles into some new growth, we would focus on the controlled, slow lowering of the weights after they had just been hoisted up. This advance technique of weight lifters is called negative reps. Negative reps cause muscle failure.

This little story above about muscle failure and failed effort has much wider reaching powers than the typical gym rat. You see, it's not just the fitness world that has this phenomenon of slow descents, negative reps, and failed efforts that are producing bigger, and stronger muscles. In life, our efforts that don't work out how we had hoped also produces larger muscles, however, these muscles are called courage muscles. These bigger and stronger courage muscles produce more human capabilities that continue to grow with each future effort, into more and more human capacity.

Listen, we all know the world is filled with everyday people who would like to try to avoid failed effort. And for the most part you can't blame them. However, every once in a while someone will pass through our lives who catches our attention. We can't help but notice that there is something different about this particular person. Is it their broader shoulders and firmer arms? Or is it the presence of confidence and determination? Either way, I'm sure what produces standout qualities in these special people, is a lot of failed effort, negative reps, and many descents when they would rather have been climbing up.

Now teens, go learn, lead, and lay the way to a better world for all of us. Remember that even failed effort produces muscle. And once again, thanks in advance for all that you do, and all that you will do...

http://ezinearticles.com/?Even-Failed-Effort-Produces-Muscle&id=9546301

Dysfunctional Learning Environments - Learning Even When It's Hard

In the modern times, learning something is easy and accessible either online or offline. You are also exposed to the various teaching methods with learning equipment such as, a slide projector or multimedia projector or any other modern facilities. But how about a dysfunctional environment and learning from that situation? Read on to find out the various examples of such a learning environment.

Here are a few:

1) You learn to type with a fast enough typing speed on a computer actually when a war is going on with bombshells and gunshots. It is a frightening environment, yet you teach yourself to concentrate on your computer and learn.

2) Suppose the floor under your feet is shaking moderately owing to an earthquake and you have already settled for saying a prayer. You continue to pray and learn to be at peace and go on with your ritual irrespective of your dysfunctional environment. How does it make you feel? You learn something in a new environment in fact.

3) Your children want to fall asleep at the end of the day - yet the ship you are in is sinking. Irrespective of the non-ideal situation, you tell bedtime stories to your children. Your children eventually fall asleep and so do you. Yet the ship is sinking and there is much chaos outside of your cabin.

4) An open active gun shooter has just attacked the school children of the school where you teach. There has been bloodshed as well. You allow yourself to take control of the situation even though you are shaky and scared to death. You cope with the children around you and try your best to console them until help arrives. You are learning to handle the children you love in a dysfunctional environment as a matter of fact.

5) When a disaster such as a cyclone or flood strikes, you have to boost up your parenting nature more than necessary and help your children to hold on until it glides away, taking your children to a safe place and keeping your children and yourself as calm as possible.

6) You have fallen into a huge debt and you have a family to manage. Money isn't rolling in; on the contrary you are drowning in your debts. You shift your mindset to abundance and refuse to focus on lack. Gradually you are able to pay off all your debts by working as much as you can with the help of your family as well and eventually you thrive. Whew! What a breakthrough!

These are six great examples for learning from a dysfunctional environment when hard times actually set in.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Dysfunctional-Learning-Environments---Learning-Even-When-Its-Hard&id=9598539

Have You Ever Fallen for an Illusion? (By Stephanie O'Brien)

An illusion is when something appears to be real, but is just a trick on the eyes or senses to make our minds believe something that is really not.

This year I have made significant strides in progressing towards my goals. I have developed new disciplines and habits, continue kicking fear where it hurts, and pressing through resistance to see my dreams become reality.

I know this truth. When I focus on this, I have so much gratitude, and happiness that God has blessed me with His grace to persevere and that I have made the choices to keep going.

Despite this, there are moments when I get so down, discouraged, and feel defeated. In these moments I feel like a failure, that things are taking too long, that I'm wasting my time, energy and money building something that hasn't given me the financial return or results I was expecting at this point.

But that's just an illusion. Something crept into my mind and has created an illusion to cause me to think and feel hopeless and defeated. When you are experiencing these emotions, realize that it is an illusion. It's not real. Something is tricking the eyes and senses to make your mind believe that something is happening that really is not.

When you face these moments you MUST shift your attention. As a person of faith, I shift my attention to my creator. I call out in prayer asking for help. I ask that my eyes see the truth and that the illusion leaves. That the lies are exposed and the source leaves. And it does.

Today, I started off in gratitude and excitement to finish the tasks of the day. But then things started taking a bit longer than I anticipated. I began to feel panicked that I was delaying my progress. Then I felt discouraged and like a total failure because yet again I didn't finish my to-do list.

That's when I did the above. I shifted my perspective. I knew those thoughts were not right or based on truth. They may have been how I felt- but feelings are rarely fact.

Determining to allow feelings to pass rather than lead and dictate what I do or do not do has been very helpful in establishing emotional intelligence.

After getting past my momentary "funk" I ended up having a very productive day. I was able to see past the illusion and move forward. Sure, there are still things left undone on my to do list.

It doesn't make me a failure. It just means that I'm still learning how much time things take to do well. I can simply adjust my to-do list and expectations.

I'd rather make a more realistic to-do list and add to it, than to have one that really won't get complete and feel like I'm not making any progress.

Over to you- have you ever fallen for an illusion? How did you shift your view to see the truth of the matter?

http://ezinearticles.com/?Have-You-Ever-Fallen-for-an-Illusion?&id=9543139

The Way You Might Live If You Had Just ONE Day

Imagine it was your final day alive. Only you knew it. You knew also that where you were going was worth departing for. You also knew that feeling overwhelming sadness would be a waste of your final twenty-four hours. So what would you do?

Perhaps you would not be bothered about politics, fashion, television, the News. These would fade from your mind's sight, as you thought more about things at home.

Maybe you might not care so much about that degree or that PB or the career you tirelessly pander after. Or possibly you see the need to take time out to just breathe - as you breathe your last seventeen thousand breaths.

Think on this. We assume we'll be here for ages, even lamenting many aspects of our lives, even as we take for granted the many moments we're given to love those we love.

Life is enriched to an abundance of purpose when we comprehend The Day (to-day) which the Lord has made.

The cycle of the cosmos seems to endure as clockwork. But our lives, though they seem to mirror life, are not like that.

None of us knows what is coming, just as none of us can predict what is coming.

All we can do is live lives that exemplify the art of goodness in time. To take the breaths we do have, and make of that oxygen fuel for thoughts and actions that make a difference in the sphere of our influence. Nothing else matters.

May God truly bless you as you ponder more days as your last here on God's earth.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Way-You-Might-Live-If-You-Had-Just-ONE-Day&id=9551644

Harvesting the Gift of Compassion (By Barbara Altman)

Story of Compassion; Mother Teresa was the founder of the Order of the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic congregation of women dedicated to helping the poor. She taught in India for 17 years before she received the call to dedicate her life to caring for the sick and indigent. The Missionaries of Charity established a hospice; homes for the blind, aged, and disabled. They also set up a leper colony.

Mother Teresa was of Albanian descent. Her father was an entrepreneur who worked as a trader of medicines and other goods.

Her father died in 1919, possibly from poisoning perpetrated by political enemies. Her mother, Drana Bojaxhiu, opened her home to the city's destitute to dine with the family. "My child, never eat a single mouthful unless you are sharing it with others," she counseled her daughter. She acquired the gift of compassion at an early age.

At age eighteen, she decided to enter the convent. She began her teaching career which culminated in becoming a high school principal.

On September 10th, 1946 she was on a train to Calcutta when she heard the voice of Christ saying "I want Indian Nuns, Missionaries of Charity, who would be my fire of love amongst the poor, the sick, the dying and the little children," she heard Christ say to her on the train that day. "You are I know the most incapable person-weak and sinful but just because you are that-I want to use You for My glory. Wilt thou refuse?"

Of course, she did not refuse and she and her order ministered tirelessly to the disenfranchised in India.

Moral of the Story: Mother Theresa did not amass great personal fortune. Apparently, she secured more than adequate funds for the Missionaries of Charity, but did not become financially wealthy herself. Her measure of success was measured by the compassion she brought to the poor and indigent in India. Is success always measured in terms of money? Is it always perceived as recognition? Or can it be recognized as a compassion based contribution to society? She based her life on the gift of compassion.

Quotes on Compassion:

Bob Marley"One love, one heart, one destiny." How can we be anything less than compassionate when we consider how intricately we are all woven together? Truly, we are all one. To whom do we extend that compassion? Do we seek shelter for the thousands of children coming in from South America to the detriment of our own poor and disenfranchised? I, for one, could not turn down a destitute child. If we work hard enough we can come up with solutions for all. I don't know where the answers lie, but I'm sure they can be found,.

John Green, Looking for Alaska. The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive."

Corrie Ten Boom found it in her heart to forgive those who murdered her family in German concentration camps. Joyce Meyer has forgiven her abusive father. And I have forgiven mine. Truly, the only way to escape suffering is to relinquish old hurts, fears, and transgressions.

Arthur Schopenhauer Compassion is the basis of morality." All moral actions are taken with the perspective of working for the good of all. When we think in terms of compassion, we want the best for everyone. When we act compassionately, we extend healing to others and to self. And when we make compassion the compass of our beliefs, we live and act for the betterment of the world.

Action Plan: Set aside anger and live in compassion. Set aside hurts and act out of love. Set aside pain and live from concern.

Practical Application to Your Life: Do you see yourself as compassionate? Do you see yourself as caring? Do you see yourself as unselfish? Set the intention to exist out of concern for yourself and others. Become politically involved. Become a mentor for someone who needs a hand up. Set the intention to help, to serve, and to encourage.

Weekly Take Away: We have 86,400 minutes in every day. Don't let any of them go to waste. Set aside time to think, act, and live out of compassion.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Harvesting-the-Gift-of-Compassion&id=9551788

Soul Communications: Feelings and Emotions Make Us Human

Feelings and Emotions - 

How Your Soul Communicates with You.

Have you noticed that feelings and emotions are frowned on in our society except in certain circumstances?

Why do we have a word like "reasonable" but no word such as "emotionable?" 

"Be reasonable" we say.

Why doesn't anyone ever say, "Be emotionable!"?

Why does corporate language reject feelings and emotions by changing language to eliminate these terms? 

Instead of "emotional" someone is "reactive."

Instead of someone being "affected" by something, an emotional term, they are "impacted" by it, a term that leaves me feeling like I've just been run over by a truck.

Why has corporate language permeated our every day language?

Might it be because those "in charge" want us to disconnect from our emotions and feelings? 

If that's true, then they also want us to disconnect from our Souls.

Why are emotions considered "illogical"?

Actually, emotions have a kind of logic, but it's not linear.

Left-brained thinking is linear - going in a straight line, in sequence 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on.

Right-brained thinking is wholistic - spontaneous, feeling, leaps about in it's own kind of logic, making connections intuitively, creatively!

FEELINGS are right-brained logic!

THE TRUTH ABOUT EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS

FEELINGS are the ability to feel or sense subjectively what's going on... in your body... in a situation... in other people... in your emotions.

Feelings are your Soul sending you a message. 

Feelings are the awareness at a subtle level of "what's happening."

That includes emotions, but it extends far beyond them.

EMOTIONS are a set of bio-electro-chemical reactions triggered in the Emotional Body (a higher frequency body that is part of our auric field and Light Body). For simplicity, they can be reduced to:

• Mad
• Sad
• Glad
• Afraid

They can be experienced in a wide range of intensity. For example,

• "Mad" can be annoyance, frustration, anger, rage.
• "Sad" can be sorrow, grief, despondence.
• "Glad" can be happy, joyful, blissful.
• "Afraid" can be anxious, nervous, fearful, terrified, panicked.

FEELINGS include emotions, and extend beyond them. For example,

• "I felt that she was secretly laughing at me."
• "I could feel in my gut that something isn't quite right about this situation."
• "This place gives me a spooky feeling."
• "Just looking at that picture made me feel icky."
• "This just doesn't feel right to me."
• "This feels good!"

ARE YOU IN TOUCH WITH YOUR FEELINGS?

Feelings are not just a bunch of emoticons on your computer.

Feelings are real and they are important.

They are a link with your Soul.

So it's not just important to know that you have feelings. It's important to

• feel them,
• acknowledge them as a form of Soul communication,
• be grateful for them, even the uncomfortable ones, and
• begin to discern the messages your Soul is sending you.

Acknowledging your feelings to your Soul is a communication to your Soul that says, 

I'm listening. 

I may not understand the message, 

but I'm glad I received it. 

Please help me discern 

the full meaning of your message. 

Thank you.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Soul-Communications:-Feelings-and-Emotions-Make-Us-Human&id=9551647

Why You Can't Experience Progress Without a Struggle

Are you contented with your life? How about a little struggle? Why? Read on to find out.

Struggles in your life help you to measure milestones of progress. Without struggles, there is no progress in life. How is that?

With every struggle, you get to rise up to a challenge and hopefully overcome it. There's beauty in it. You get to reap the fruits of your struggle. With almost every struggle, there is a blessing - something to look forward to - some hidden treasure or gift, which says yes, you have done a good job and you deserve it. This is that milestone of progress.

Say, you want to earn good grades in school. There are competitors around. But that's not the point. You put in your efforts and struggle through your courses to come out on top. There's beauty in it - yes there is. You have the blessing of a good GPA in school which will always work to open up opportunities for good job purposes through your resumes. It is earned only once but work for you in benign ways a lifetime. In fact, it is a milestone of your life's progress.

Now suppose, you have a good job reputation, but you suddenly need to change areas and work in a different zone because of someone's demise, accident, or simply to be near your old parents. Your good job reputation is a milestone of your life's progress which will help you to progress another milestone if you do need to change areas or zones.

Take for instance, you have a challenging health problem. You want to overcome it and live your best life. With the will of your determination, you can rise up to the challenge and beat it - yes, you obviously can. A positive attitude and positive thoughts all along will help you further to cover the milestone of progress. You beat your health problem and give yourself an optimal life to live the rest of your life. How good is that?

How about earning the gold medal for swimming in the Olympics? You have to rehearse a lot. After practices and practices with your coach and fellow mates, you have to prove you are worthy and finally get selected to participate. All along it's been a struggle of struggles. But finally when the grand day comes, you are able to make it and win the desired medal triumphantly. So, on top of everything, it's a milestone of progress.

One milestone leads to another milestone of progress through struggles and winning battles. You pat yourself on the back along the way but not for long. You go on struggling and making milestones of progress until you are lying on your deathbed happy with the minimum regrets. Yes, you have lived a worthy life. You don't regret. You are smug and happy.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-You-Cant-Experience-Progress-Without-a-Struggle&id=9554212

A 'Life' at Work? Here Is What You Need to Know About Work-Life Balance (By Suzie Doscher)

In the past it was always that there is life, and then there is work.

Somehow in recent decades it seems they can be so intertwined that you 'live to work' rather than the other way around and 'work to have a life'.

The term 'Work-Life Balance' seems to be all over the place now and usually closely related to preventing 'Burnout'. As a professional coach focusing on personal development I have been lucky to work with many millennials. (Apparently these younger generations X & Y, are now all mixed together and make up 'Generation Stress'!)

What I have learned from these young, motivated and focused young individuals is:

• Not only is it important to them to achieve their goals, work/life balance HAS to be in the mix. A good life means quality of life both at home and at work. This is what they strive for and frequently the goal in our coaching.

Work-Life Balance An Essential Ingredient to Success

My younger clients are inspiring and fun to work with. I value being by their side supporting and witnessing their growth as they strive to reach professional goals and enjoy their life at the same time.

The fact that these younger generations reach out to seek professional help and support impresses me. The thought to ask for help never would have occurred to me when I was their age - I believed I had to handle everything myself!

Younger generations can have an ingrained emotional intelligence. Asking for feedback - constructive feedback is not regarded as a weakness but rather a strength. Older generations can struggle with overcoming this feeling and expectation of "I should be able to... without asking for help or support".

Looking to Understand and Achieve Work-Life Balance?

Here is what you do:

• Examine what feeling balanced means to YOU.
• Know your core values - create your life based on what is important to YOU.
• Acquire the skills necessary to cope with and handle difficult situations.
• Time management to make sure you know how to plan and create a REALISTIC schedule.
• Priorities - know how to prioritize in the moment. If in a difficult moment and needing to take a few minutes to get a clearer picture, then buy yourself some time to do so.
• Stress management - skills to help you 'put fires out' and 'talk yourself off the ledge' when the pressure is high and you are feeling stressed.
• Health management - get to know your body. Learn to respect good eating habits and what foods offer you energy rather than drain you.
• Exercise - find out what gives you pleasure, challenges and energizes you.
• Motivation to achieve a healthy and realistic work-life balance. Without motivation, you will find it difficult to succeed. You might reach certain goals but it is possible you will keep going in circles. Make sure you know what you have to gain and what you have to lose.

Here is what you need to know:

• It will require patience to change certain behaviours. Everybody has self-sabotage routines. With patience you can unravel these and replace them with healthier ones.
• Just like in sports 'practice makes perfect'
• Reward yourself with a compliment when you achieve a benchmark or goal. Your brain likes to be rewarded; compliment yourself and in turn it will release a nice feeling. Again rather like in sports. You do sports, the body releases endorphins = you feel better!
• "Where there is a will, there is a way."
• Stick with it, be kind to yourself and be patient. Change takes time if you want it to be sustainable.

My clients are not only from the 'Generation Stress' but also more experienced managers/executives. Everybody is aiming to find a healthier, less stressful daily life by improving their work-life balance. I would say that once a good recipe is found then it is all about maintenance! What each person of any generation benefits from is finding what their own individual way forward is. There is no universal answer.

Get to know yourself and meet your needs. The choice is yours.

http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Life-at-Work?-Here-Is-What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Work-Life-Balance&id=9554017