How to Easily Create A Clear Path Ahead (By Liah Howard)

A number of years ago a friend who was very knowledgeable about Feng Shui told me that it is beneficial to have a picture of an open path hanging over my bed. She explained the idea behind the clear pathway is that the mind relaxes and envisions a positive outcome that may be just out of sight. This allows one to be open to the possibilities the infinite universe can manifest, rather than repeating past patterns. This little piece of advice has helped me at times when my mind wants to try and figure out a positive solution to a frustrating situation but, it gets stuck in the details or lacks knowledge about how a new positive result may come to pass.

Often in life, the infinite divine is much better at resolving issues than I could have ever conceived of. Recently, I was feeling a bit disheartened about being single for many years. I would look at happy couples and wonder if my romantic life would ever be alive again. Then I remembered the feeling of peace and happiness that overcame me when I would see the picture of that beautiful clear path through the woods. Every time I focused on the tranquil scene, I felt content and hopeful. I stopped worrying about how I might find true love and be in a loving partnership, and instead shifted my mind to presence and peace. I trusted that the great infinite spirit of the universe wanted my path to love to be made easy and clear. This positive visualization assisted me in relaxing and staying in today, while feeling hopeful about the future and not worrying about the outcome.

Then quite unexpectedly, one chilly morning in January as I was checking my email, I received a letter from an old college boyfriend. Forty-three years had passed since we dated. His name is Mark and he wanted to reconnect and apologize for having broken up with me so many years ago. I was in such disbelief that he had found me after so much time had passed, that I read his email three times. I returned his email and invited him to talk if he wished. Our first conversation was six hours long and we have chatted every day since that fateful moment when he reached out across time and space to reconnect with me. The infinite divine had answered my prayer in quite an unexpected way.

Mark has now moved to Hawaii from California and is my boyfriend and neighbor who lives one mile down the street. Our romance is blossoming and we both feel incredibly blessed. I never would have guessed that around the bend on my path such a sweet surprise lay in store for me. I am reminded that trusting that life can bring unexpected gifts opens the door to opportunities beyond our wildest imagination and prevents us from repeating old patterns. I invite you to place a picture of a clear pathway over your bed and see what magic life has in store for you around the next bend.

https://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Easily-Create-A-Clear-Path-Ahead&id=10101756

There Are Three Types Of People

Yes, there are millions of types of people but, they all fall into one of three categories (for the sake of this article) - yes people, no people and maybe people. Let me explain.

But before I do, let me be clear - your response to the following will tend to be an automatic quick reaction to what you read. In other words, you will be an example of what the point of the article actually is - you will have a yes, a no or a maybe response to the content of this article and what and how I share it. OK, now that that's out of the way, on to the substance.

Yes, people are not pie in the sky optimists but tend to see the world as half full vs. half empty. They tend to have open minds even about things they are uncomfortable with or know little about. Their first reaction to meeting new people, new ideas, not opportunities and yes even new problems and challenges are - a yes - I can do it, I can figure it out, I will make it work, I won't let it derail me, I won't let it ruin me, I won't give it control over me etc. They are not always easy to persuade or influence just because they are yes people, but they are more open and receptive to new and different stuff, ideas, people, and circumstances.

No people, on the other hand, are just the opposite of yes people. Their first responses to most stuff is a quick - no - I can't, it won't work, it's too expensive, too cheap, too old, too new, he's too arrogant, she's too short etc. get it - these folks are closed off from almost anything and everything that represents new, change, better, different etc.

And then there are maybe people. These folks can go either way - yes or no, but their reaction and responses will generally be governed by a number of factors. Their need for approval, their need to avoid rejection, their self-esteem, their desire to avoid conflict, their desire to contribute to positive outcomes regardless of whether they are based on or grounded in truth, reality or evidence. They have decision phobia when any of the above situations are in play. Yes, they can be yes people, but when it suits the circumstances, environment or outcomes and yes, they can be no people depending on the same issues. A few things to consider and I'll keep them short.

What are the major contributors to which group a person is in?

Your upbringing and early conditioning by parents, caregivers, churches, schools and teachers, relatives, friends and anyone who had temporary or permanent influence over what you learned, what and who you were exposed to and everything you were taught. Most psychologists agree that a person's self-esteem is established at the latest by age 10. So, before you hit your teens you tended to be a yes, no or a maybe person.

Can someone successfully switch groups permanently?

Yes, but it's not easy and takes time, a lot of effort, great patience, focus, new learning, a lot of will and a great deal of desire to change. It's harder for no people to change and it takes more time for a maybe person to change.

Which group tends to be happier and more content?

What do you think? And why - if you were right - It's yes people. Can no or maybe people be happy and content? Of course, but it's not an easy journey for them.

Which group tends to be more successful?

What do you think? And why - if you were right - It's yes people. Can no or maybe people be successful? Of course, but it's not an easy journey for them.

Which group tends to be healthier?

What do you think? And why - if you were right - It's yes people. Can no or maybe people be healthy? Of course, but it's not an easy journey for them. Sensing a pattern here?

Which group tends to live longer?

What do you think? And why - if you were right - It's yes people. Can no or maybe people live long lives? Of course, but it's not an easy journey for them.

There are a lot of other areas we could discuss that specifically address each group and its issues, circumstances, tendencies, behaviors, attitudes etc. but if you are a no person I have lost you by now. If you are a maybe person you are conflicted because of certain things I have said and if you are a yes person you have other things to do and I'm not telling you anything you don't know or have felt or believed in the past and I have just put words to the subject and it's time for you to move on to something else.

https://ezinearticles.com/?There-Are-Three-Types-Of-People&id=9965045

So You Want to Feel Happy?

Many people see being happy as their main aim in life. Ask them what they truly want and they'll probably reply, 'to feel happy'. However, I see happiness as a by-product in life, generated by activities and experiences, like a walk in nature, sitting people-watching in the mall, enjoying someone's company, having a particularly satisfying or successful day. Few of us set off in the morning with happiness as our main aim for the day.

When you want to feel happy it starts by appreciating the small things in life. We will often find that those things hold the key to real happiness. A child's laughter or them running over to us with the gift of a crumpled pine cone, a crisp autumnal day, a warm shower, listening to music; all those things which are so easy to take for granted can bring happiness and contentment when we stop and appreciate them.

Be sure to acknowledge your successes, no matter how small or unimportant you may think they are to others. They're a testament to your efforts and as such deserve recognition and acknowledgement. If you're working with a to-do list be sure to acknowledge all the additional things you do that are not on your list. Give yourself credit for those extras too.

A sense of achievement often comes when we've applied ourselves, worked hard and done our best. Even if something doesn't work out as well as we'd hoped that sense of accomplishment can bring its own reward, having tried, pushed ourselves and given it our best shot. We should smile and give ourselves a pat on the back for having had a go, and as such feel happy and proud of ourselves.

A positive attitude is an important element of being happy, where we appreciate what we have and are grateful for it. There is so much in life to be grateful for but we can often lose sight of the good fortune we have, especially if we're tempted to compare our lives to other people's in an unfavourable way. Remember that many people would feel blessed to be in our shoes.

Balance in life is also important. Constant partying and fun might seem like the dream, but if we ate cake all the time we'd end up bored, fat and not enjoying cake as much! Find a balance between work, responsibilities and 'me time'. Making an effort first often makes the reward of fun afterwards more meaningful and enjoyable.

Belonging, where we can be ourselves, perhaps as part of a group, makes a difference to our happiness levels. Knowing that we're accepted as we are, that we don't have to dress up, continually make an effort or pretend to be something we're not can really allow us to relax and feel happy. Being judged, watched or permanently under scrutiny is a familiar part of many people's everyday lives, so having places which are free from that burden is a big relief.

Being involved in charitable works and good acts can make us feel happy, having donated our time, skills or done something selfless. Doing good and helping others can bring a real sense of positivity into our lives, and it's often about the act itself, rather than any recognition we may receive.

Our comfort zone can be a happy place for a time, but it's important to leave it occasionally and explore further afield. Remember to accept opportunities and challenges that come your way, be prepared to scare yourself a little on a reasonably regular basis and avoid becoming too complacent, settled or comfortable.

Co-operating on a joint project or venture can bring much happiness and satisfaction into life. Think of a group of people tending a garden, volunteering or even sharing a commitment to exercise regularly or learn a new skill. It can be easier and more sustainable when we're working together, urging each other on, joking as we appreciate how much we've achieved.

Afterwards there's often a strong sense of camaraderie, of being part of a winning team, laughing at the failures, retelling anecdotes and in-jokes from the miscellany of adventures along the way, feeling happy at having been a part of the experience.

Whilst feeling happy may not be something we can necessarily choose for ourselves there are certainly many ways we can support ourselves and so become more comfortable and contented. It's often then that we smile and realise how happy we're feeling.

https://ezinearticles.com/?So-You-Want-to-Feel-Happy?&id=9829353

Stockholm Syndrome and Addictions

To understand what a trauma bond is and how it applies to addiction, we will start with a brief lesson on the Stockholm syndrome.

Stockholm syndrome is a condition that causes hostages to develop a psychological alliance with their captors as a survival strategy during captivity.

These feelings, resulting from a bond formed between captor and captives during intimate time spent together, are generally considered irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims. Generally speaking, Stockholm syndrome consists of "strong emotional ties that develop between two persons where one person intermittently harasses, beats, threatens, abuses, or intimidates the other."

Formally named in 1973 when four hostages were taken during a bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden, Stockholm syndrome is also commonly known as 'capture bonding'. The syndrome's title was developed when the victims of the Stockholm bank robbery defended their captors after being released and would not agree to testify in court against them. Stockholm syndrome's significance arises because it is based in a paradox, as captives' sentiments for their captors are the opposite of the fear and disdain an onlooker may expect to see as a result of trauma.

There are four key components that generally lead to the development of Stockholm syndrome:

1. A hostage's development of positive feelings towards their captor

2. No previous hostage-captor relationship

3. A refusal by hostages to cooperate with police forces and other government authorities

4. A hostage's belief in the humanity of their captor for the reason that when a victim holds the same values as the aggressor, they cease to be perceived as a threat.

So the important part to understand here is that even though the bond between captor and hostage seems illogical, there is a very logical reason behind it: survival and the need to bond.

The unfortunate experiments done on monkeys by Harlow illustrate the need to bond to survive. Baby monkeys were taken from their mothers at birth and given wood or metal "surrogate monkeys" covered with cloth to cling to. After a while, the baby monkeys saw these mannequins as "their mothers" and preferred them to live individuals. Then later when these babies grew up and had their own young, they had no idea how to parent and even threw their offspring against their cage and sometimes killed them. Yet, the little ones kept coming back to their mothers, preferring possible death to inevitable death and starvation if they were to stay away.

The way Stockholm syndrome is treated is through psychological counseling and the understanding that it was necessary to form an unhealthy bond in order to survive the trauma of captivity. It is a gradual shift in thinking, similar to healing from brainwashing. This does not absolve the victim from accountability but helps them break their unhealthy bond and cultivate new ones.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Stockholm-Syndrome-and-Addictions&id=9679803

Change, Oh No, Not That

How many times have you thought, or heard, someone say, "I hate change."

Change seems to be one of those words, like confrontation, that makes us shiver. Somehow it seems to have a negative connotation, like it's a bad thing. It's something to be avoided. It's something to fear.

So often we judge our fear of change and call ourselves names, by saying things such as, "I'm such a baby." Or "What a wimp." Judging our fear of change will tend to cement the fear into place as opposed to helping us tune in to that fear and discover what is at the core to help us to work through this fear.

What is it About Change that is So Uncomfortable?

As creatures of habit many of us love routine and predictability. Most of us find comfort in the familiar and resist changing our status quo. We must explore just what it is about change that makes us feel uncomfortable in order to begin the process of working through our fear and discover what spurs our anxiety at the very thought of a new approach.

Is your Fear of Change Rooted in your Childhood or Adolescence?

As a child, adolescent, or young adult, if we lived in the same place for a long period of time and were not exposed to much change, then change as an adult is unfamiliar and may feel uncomfortable. The thought of change may provoke anxiety.

If we experienced frequent change in our youth, and were not emotionally prepared by our parents to learn how to adjust to the new experience, then as an adult we may crave the need to stay in one place, physically, emotionally, spiritually, or relationship-wise.

• We might have heard messages like... "Don't do that, you might get hurt."

• Perhaps we had a helicopter Mom, or Dad, who hovered when we were exploring outside the family box of friends, games or activities.

• We may have lived in a rigid and confining household.

• Or our household was so chaotic, and inconsistent, that as an adult we crave "stability". Even if what we are doing is not fulfilling and making us happy.

Is Fear, or Anxiety, the Primary Reason that Change Feels so Uncomfortable?

If we identify fear or anxiety as the root cause, then it's important to know this, and honor these feelings. To connect with that part of ourselves, and look deep inside, so we can explore the origins. To begin to explore what that part of us has to teach us before we move forward to make changes.

Is it the Fear of the Unknown, the Unfamiliar, or of What Might Happen?

• What if I make a mistake?

• Is it that we believe that the enemy we know is better than the one we don't and we have a fear of the unknown?

Often when we think of change, we consider the possible negative consequences of it, as opposed to the possible positive consequences.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Change,-Oh-No,-Not-That&id=9663273

The Path to Peace, Happiness, and a Sense of Purpose Through the Sweet Medicine SunDance Path

Sweet Medicine SunDance Path: What Programs does DTMMS Offer?

The Sweet Medicine Sundance Path offers an approach to modern life that helps people live with greater integrity, maturity and individuality. Their worldwide programs address the crucial need of humans to move knowledge beyond mental facts and into lived experiences. This experiential approach to learning provides a creative space for each person to gain spiritual transformation. DTMMS is the parent organization of the Sweet Medicine SunDance Path. Their vision is to inspire beauty, excellence, and knowledge so that all people gain direct access to peace, happiness and a higher sense of purpose.

Longhouse Program: Why is it Important?

Students and teachers meet in community settings called Longhouses where specific teachings are provided. Once the concepts and ideas have been discussed, students leave the classroom and spend time in nature to absorb what they learned on a deeper level.

Being in nature allows people to experience the elements and "worlds" of Grandmother Earth. The earth is home to 5 elements (water, earth, air, fire and the void) and 5 worlds (plants, minerals, animals, humans and the spirit realm). Nature becomes a teacher that helps each individual test knowledge for themselves. In this way, knowledge becomes wisdom.

Red Lodge

Red Lodge is a Longhouse program for people dedicated to reaching their highest potential. It celebrates community by bringing together people who desire to learn about their connection with all forms of life. Red Lodge students gain tools and experiences that help them create greater life balance, health, and spiritual connection. The teachings are designed to enhance each person's individual spiritual understanding and therefore people of all spiritual traditions and religions can find incredible benefit and growth. Red Lodge Longhouses are currently offered in Arizona, Italy, Canada and Australia.

What is Ceremony?

Ceremony is one of the foundational features of the Sweet Medicine SunDance Path and is included in all programs and events. Through ceremony, people create a deep connection with Spirit, one of the names for the mysterious, all-encompassing, divine energy of the universe. Ceremonies are done in both individual and group settings, and each ceremony has a purpose and intent for creating a desired change in reality.

Life Transitions: Who needs Rites of Passage Ceremonies?

Rites of Passage ceremonies support and facilitate a person's maturation and growth throughout their life. They occur at specific life transitions and honorably mark the movement into the next phase of the person's development. These ceremonies are said to be essential for human growth. Without them, humans can mature at a much slower speed and experience unnecessary challenges in relating to their world.

A Rites of Passage ceremony marks the transition from one phase of life to another; life, marriage and death to name a few. This can include Baptisms, Naming Ceremonies, Debutante balls and the Quinceanera as well as the Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah in the Jewish traditions. The Sweet Medicine SunDance Path offers Rites of Passage ceremonies at several key places throughout a person's life. There are ceremonies for the parents before a child is born, after the child is born, naming ceremonies and various phases of the child's life into their adulthood. There are adult Rites of Passage ceremonies as well.

The Sweet Medicine SunDance Path supports the availability of spiritual knowledge for all humans. Spiritual knowledge is a roadmap for how to live with integrity and place attention on what actually works. Many people who attend programs and ceremonies in this tradition learn how to overcome personal challenges and access their individual excellence.

https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Path-to-Peace,-Happiness,-and-a-Sense-of-Purpose-Through-the-Sweet-Medicine-SunDance-Path&id=10067309

Achieving Happiness in the Face of Misfortune

In the words of Dr. Robert Ford, played by Anthony Hopkins from the up and coming American thriller series, 'Westworld', we hear Ford give an accurate explanation for humanity: "Evolution forged the entirety of sentient life on this planet using only one tool, the mistake". No one is born perfect, we all come into this world with different sets of skills, some make use of those skills and some don't. Some of us were gifted with good health, others not. Some of us must navigate severe learning disabilities, and others not. At the end of the day, happiness is something that can be achieved by anyone as long as we embrace authenticity.

Life is a struggle; it is filled with extreme highs and incredible lows, but the sum total of these emotions defines the state of our happiness. As I've come to understand over the course of my lifetime, it is hard to accept who we are sometimes. It is hard to accept the level of our intelligence; it is hard to acknowledge that we may suffer from severely impairing learning disabilities, hard to accept the fact that we may struggle with depression or anxiety. Yet how are we supposed to find joy in life when everything seems to be going against us? We only get once chance at life, and yes some of us are more fortunate than others in this regard, but for those who aren't as fortunate? Embrace who you are. Everyone serves a purpose; find your purpose.

Joy and happiness comes from the small victories in life. As I've also come to understand, everything takes time. We didn't get to where we are in a split second, although for some that may be the case. For most of us, success and fulfillment comes with time and appreciation. It is difficult to speak for everyone as we all come from a different set of circumstances and we all experience life a different way. But for those who struggle to see the meaning in life and for those who are stuck in the throes of despair, we simply cannot abandon life as we know it. The first step comes with acknowledgment, because wishing you were someone else will take you nowhere. It will do nothing for you, and it will simply break down your already low sense of self-esteem.

The moment we are born on this earth, we are given the unique opportunity to make something of our lives. It is easy to give up, but with hard work and the mentality of acceptance, we can make big strides in life. We can become who we never thought we'd become. In the words of Thucydides, the great Athenian historian and general: "The secret to happiness is freedom... and the secret to freedom is courage".

https://ezinearticles.com/?Achieving-Happiness-in-the-Face-of-Misfortune&id=9831381

13 Golden Pearls of Wisdom to Help You Live Better Lives (By Douglas Cobb)

The Secrets to Living a Fantastic Life by Dr. Allen Lycka and Harriet Tinka is a very inspirational and thought-provoking book written by two people who lived through extremely traumatic and trying experiences. The authors learned from those experiences and grew to understand that they did not have to allow what happened to them to influence the rest of their lives negatively. Instead, they both chose to move on and have successful careers and happy lives, and decided to collaborate and write a book to help others also live "fantastic lives."

The Secrets to Living a Fantastic Life is subtitled "Two Survivors Reveal the 13 Golden Pearls They've Discovered." Those "golden pearls," or life lessons, aided them to get past the traumatic events in their lives and to move on. The self-help book that they wrote, detailing what those 13 golden pearls are, is full of revelations that the authors hope will inspire readers of the book. The negative things that everybody experiences in their lives, to one extent or the other, do not have to define who we are as people.

I really liked it that Dr. Allen Lycka and Harriet Tinka opened up in The Secrets to Living a Fantastic Life and revealed the nature of the traumatic experiences they went through. Dr. Lycka was diagnosed as having Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS) and he was told he only had six months to live. Harriet Tinka was a fashion model and a Woman of Distinction who lived through the terror of being kidnapped by someone she knew, stabbed by the man, and left for dead. Dr. Lycka and Harriet Tinka could have let these things embitter them and alter the course of their lives and careers for the worse. Instead, they moved on, grew, and didn't let the negative things they went through define them.

What are the 13 golden pearls that the authors discovered and relate to their readers in The Secrets to Living a Fantastic Life? Being an author myself, I don't want to reveal too many "spoilers." I'd rather that potential readers of the book get the pleasure of checking out what the pearls are on their own, by reading Dr. Lycka and Harriet Tinka's book. They reveal what the pearls are in a captivating and entertaining manner by both telling stories from their own lives and also by utilizing a myriad of quotes from famous authors like Ralph Waldo Emerson and celebrities like Sir Paul McCartney, Christopher Reeve, and Bruce Lee.

I will mention a couple of the pearls that I loved reading about the most, though, and those are the importance of forgiveness and laughter. I will talk more about a few of the other pearls with Dr. Lycka and Harriet Tinka in an interview that they graciously agreed to do with me, which can be read elsewhere at this same site.

The ability to forgive somebody who has hurt and wronged you can be very difficult to do, but doing so is an important step if one wants to live what the authors refer to as "a fantastic life." The authors write about this in the book's seventh chapter, "Forgiveness." They relate a story called "My Uncle" told by a contributor to the book, Lauren Magliaro. Lauren begins the chapter by telling about the reconciliation that took place between her uncle and her father, when her father was in the hospital due to suffering a brain aneurysm. Her uncle was there with Lauren and the rest of her family there at the hospital by their side, supporting them and his brother during a time Harriet describes as "the hardest days of our lives."

After Lauren's dad recovered, whatever the rift was between him and his brother was like a "slate - wiped clean." From then on, both sides of Lauren's family were back together, and she writes that "Family gatherings no longer had a dividing line." Forgiveness is definitely a very powerful pearl we should all treasure in our hearts. Indeed, Lauren describes forgiveness as being "the essence of love."

Laughter is such an important part of our lives that it has been sometimes called "the best medicine." In the eleventh chapter of The Secrets to Living a Fantastic Life, aptly titled "Laughter," Dr. Lycka begins the chapter writing about a run-in he had with an obstinate camel he was trying to ride in Egypt. The camel driver, playing a joke on Dr. Lycka, tells him the camel he's picked out is his "gentlest" one, but the stubborn animal refuses to obey the camel driver's commands and cajoling.

The camel repeatedly attempts to throw Dr. Lycka, who by now regrets his decision to try riding the animal, off his back. It is only after the ordeal is over, and the camel driver buys a Coke for Dr. Lycka, that the author can see the humor in the situation and have a laugh about it. Both authors relate various ways that laughter, including being able to laugh at oneself, is important. Dr. Lycka writes that: "Laughter, especially at oneself, tempers ego, interrupts narcissism and improves your happiness in the moment." It is one of the thirteen pearls the two authors write about that can really make a big difference in our lives, make the problems and worries we all have seem a bit less significant, and help people achieve a "fantastic life."

The Secrets to Living a Fantastic Life is a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading. It is a valuable sand appealing self-help book that will have readers engrossed and entertained while also informing and teaching them about the thirteen secrets, or "pearls," that authors Dr. Allen Lycka and Harriet Tinka discovered. The knowledge about these pearls might not make us have fantastic lives overnight, but when put into practice on a daily basis, the nuggets of wisdom that the authors write about will definitely improve readers' overall outlooks on life and will put them on the road to becoming better versions of themselves. This is a book I highly recommend you check out and add to your reading lists!

https://ezinearticles.com/?13-Golden-Pearls-of-Wisdom-to-Help-You-Live-Better-Lives&id=10349632

Abraham Hicks ~ Don't Worry About 'What - Is'

What Drives Happiness?

It is often said that satisfaction and contentedness lead to lasting happiness.

I disagree.

If anything, the opposite is necessary to be happy in life. The want - the drive - to be more, do more, facilitates the actualization of an exquisite state of passion.

The 'state of passion' defined as happiness.

Happiness isn't in having more, rather is a by-product of the process, the effort, the work that one puts in to make oneself better. Happiness that comes from the realisation of a goal is short-lived, followed by an emptiness, a hunger, only to be satiated by the gratification of the self with the realisation of a new goal. An unstable loop that we often get stuck in.

Happiness isn't in the realisation of the goal it's in the pursuit.

Happiness doesn't come from owning things, it comes from the experiences they enable us to have.

Those who base their happiness on having more than others will never be happy because there will always be someone who will have something more than you. That something is often defined as money. The conundrum isn't whether this hypothesis is right or wrong - for some, it is, for some it isn't.

The conundrum is how that 'something' ended up being money in the universally accepted social framework.

Of all the things you can pay for happiness, money is by far the cheapest.

Probably, because as humans we tend to define everything in the lowest possible denominator and in this case (happiness) - it was money. It's evident, easy to measure, compare, etc. But juxtaposing amplitude of wealth with well being is a very trivial/crude approach to decoding the human nature.

A deeper probe would reveal, however, that we human beings have complete control over defining this MacGuffin. Each person has the ability to define and pursue their own objective - one that will to a certain degree affect the perception of happiness they have erected around themselves.

So now the question is

How do we define the prime directive for our own happiness?

How do we assign values to the variables in our lives?

Chasing which goals will make us the happiest?

I believe there is no universal answer. Each of us has to define their own and then derive happiness from its pursuit.

Deriving this goal and defining the pursuit is something that will come from looking inward, empathising with the self and separating that one voice from the noise that is the humdrum of everyday life.

https://ezinearticles.com/?What-Drives-Happiness?&id=9847081

Living The Law Of Attraction For Connecting Closer To Family And Friends

With the power of attraction, you will discover that you can do anything.

You can work the family aspect, you can deal with yourself, you can deal with the career, however you can likewise work on anything that you would like to enhance or change.

With living the law of attraction, you can do anything.

The Course in Miracles further states, "And where the little gap was seen to stand between you and your brother, join him there."

You will want to deal with yourself and work on ways that you can bring yourself closer to feeling total and happiness.

The first step of attraction principles is to identify exactly what it is that you want. You may want to bring your household closer together where problems have come up, but be more particular.

You will discover that there is a lot of things can be worked on when it concerns the household or your social life, but you have to get particular.

You will have to think of exactly what part of the household relationship, for example, that you have to deal with and what it will consider you to bring the family more together.

The 2nd part of living the law of attraction is discovery.

Yes, I mean to truly discover the best ways to release the negative energy and change it with favorable energy.

When you are considering the household, it is a lot harder to do this.

You will have to get everyone on board with the idea and you are going to need to get on board with the concept.

If you learn the best ways to get everyone included with the idea, you will find that this will only work.

You will want to sit down and have a couple of household discussions so that you can bring the family closer to one another.

Have every member of your household use the law of attraction in a method to accompany the family's main goal.

You will desire to make sure that you stop and think about how the household reacts to the theory and you might desire to get family therapy included.

Moving on to the 3rd step of applying attraction principles is taking action.

Previously I discussed free e-books and other material on the net about the law of attraction and your personal transformation for a successful life.

You will need to act like a close-knit household, and if it is your social life with friends you need to actually care for them and be sincere.

This implies that you will require to put your family nights together and learn how to share time with each other.

You will need to put yourself through the reality that the household needs to begin acting like a household.

You will wish to consider that there is a lot to do when it comes to working as a family and it is a long way down the road before you have the best household image.

You may even want to consider how you can find success in the family, and with close friends, instead of working towards the perfect image.

The ideal household image is always flawed anyway, but working towards family togetherness and happiness is the important thing.

There is a lot to acquire from the personal strength that you will obtain from the laws of the universe, but you will likewise discover that this is something that the whole household can gain from.

You and Your Relationships

You will want to make certain that you offer yourself a long time to think about your energy and the energy of the relationship.

You will need to believe about what part of the household relationship that you require to work on and what it will take for you to bring the family closer in mind to one another.

You will want to make sure that you be patient and think about the way the family responds to these power of manifestation ideas, and you might want to see that family therapy might be a good idea.

You will want to consider that there is a lot to do when it comes to working as a household and it is a long way down the path prior to you creating the best family image.

You might even desire to believe about how you can discover success in the household, rather of working towards the perfect household image.

Remember, the ideal family image is always going to have some flaws, but working to family togetherness and joy should be your main goal.

(I also suggest seeking the web for more material on topics like, how to change my life and my lifestyle for the better.)

To happiness and success in life!

https://ezinearticles.com/?Living-The-Law-Of-Attraction-For-Connecting-Closer-To-Family-And-Friends&id=9976567

Into Every Life

As a parade went by, one of the horses pulling a float entry left a memento in the middle of the road, right in front of where we were watching from the sidewalk. From that point on, every band or group that came marching down the road marched bravely on, right through the pile of horse manure.

The image struck a chord in me, one that the band was not intentionally playing.

The parade of life does not always go smoothly. Any one of us can be marching along, happily playing our tune, and suddenly be faced with a little mess which is not of our making. Friends can be unkind, intentionally or not, and, as Bobbie Burns wrote "The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, /Gang aft agley." Those of us who can keep focused on the goal, and march right through, deserve applause.

My mentor, Rev. Denton Roberts often said "You are not responsible for what happens to you, but for your response to it." In other words, you don't need to feel guilty for problems in your life, but it's important that you deal with them. When there's a messy pile in your road, after you get through it, it's valuable to consider how it got there, what to do about it and how to make sure you don't participate in the creation of new ones. Rather than just dwell on the problem, move your focus to the solution.

Today, I was talking to a client, and the metaphor of walking through the "road apples" of life came up again. There's no doubt about it, we're going to encounter unpleasant obstacles in our path from time to time. Just because we have to walk through it, doesn't mean it's our fault it's there --but, it is our responsibility to clean off our shoes as soon as we can, and do whatever we can (like getting the parade committee to put a bag under the horse's butt) to make sure we don't go through it again.

Above all, it's important to remember it's only a little pile. It has an end, it's temporary, and we'll probably survive it. Blaming ourselves or someone else never helped anyone get through it faster, it only makes the slogging more unpleasant. There is nothing to stop us from playing "Hey, Look Me Over" at maximum lung power all the way through. On the other hand, ignoring it won't make it go away, either. Somewhere in there is a fine balance, between letting go and taking responsibility. Pretending that all is well, and the problem is non-existent, or pretending that we don't need the rest of society, or that critical, difficult or angry people will go away by themselves, is foolhardy. Staying in isolation, so we don't encounter hassles, means we'll miss the parade. When there's a problem we must slog through it, and then scrape the leavings off our shoes. Like it or not, we must take responsibility for turning our experience around. This means minimizing reaction and maximizing effectiveness. Taking an objective look at where we become part of the problem and where we succeed are part of the solution makes a critical difference in how life goes on.

On the other hand, self-flagellation and blaming won't get us anywhere either. The key really is respect. To have respect for ourselves is the key to getting others to follow suit. I do believe that loving ourselves is the key. I believe that people who love and accept themselves will naturally do what is necessary to create a positive life, From there, it only takes being willing to project it to others.

Redemption

Life is not always easy

It hums along, sweet and low-key

and then the tsunami-real or imagined,

wipes our smug snugness away.

Devastated by loss, we weep,

We gnash teeth, we grieve, we're angry

At God, at life, at lack of control.

We regain calm, then lose it, lose it, lose it.

Slowly, slowly, normalcy returns,

creeping back in like the daily tide.

The dawning of another day, bereft of the old,

but blessed with the new,

First shows itself in the smiling eyes

Of dear friends, still here, still offering love.

Life, after all, is worthwhile

And love and gratitude trump grief.

I wish you minimal piles to slog through, and the patience and courage to keep playing your own special song.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Into-Every-Life&id=10272970

On Kindness

There is something mystical about kindness.

After doing a good deed there is a feeling of emptying oneself.

You are refreshed, invigorated and that joy of humility unexplained.

What is kindness? Kids say it is sharing and helping one another. It is the typical story of a beggar asking for food or water and the other person gladly shares something. Then the beggar transforms into a fairy godmother and gives a reward for the good deed bestowed.

Let us check on these fairy tales. How was kindness elicited?

The Elves and the Shoemaker

A shoemaker and his wife in their old age worked hard to make shoes for everyone. The elves saw their dedication like staying awake all night and though their old age the dignity of work. While the shoemaker and his wife were sleeping, nice elves made shoes for them. When the wife found out about the elves, she sewed colorful clothes for the elves to give them thanks.

The Selfish Giant

Once there was a giant who owned a beautiful garden. He was mean to the kids and never permitted them to play in his garden. One day the garden went dry and the plants wilted. Only ugly goblins hopped around.The giant did not know what to do until he heard a humming voice that made the flowers bloom again. In amazement, a child tried to climb the big tree to see over the garden's wall, but he could not. The giant was moved with pity and helped the child. Seeing the happy children around, he removed the fence and let the children play there everyday. Days had passed and the giant grew old, until one day he noticed that the little boy was not among the children anymore. He felt very sad.

He always missed the little boy. As the giant waited one afternoon, the little boy stood glowing near the trees with his pierced hands. He rushed to the child, offered help and assured the child of his love. The little boy said his name and the giant cried and came kneeling down. The next day, when the children came back to the garden they saw the giant laying near a blossoming tree with a smile. Who do you think was the little boy?

Truly, when kindness is passed on, happiness in one another flows like a river's current. It is given and received perfectly like miracles of angels. Words would not suffice, yet the feeling of joy and peace overflows.

It is overwhelming to observe kids exhibit this gift. For example, when my grandson Marco brought home two balloons from school, he gave one balloon to his brother Matthew and the other balloon to his cousin Raynne. Marco is only six years old. My students at Holy Francis School shared food to a classmate who forgot snacks or who had no snacks at all. These boys might be impish at times, but when their help was sought they acted like super-heroes.

How beautiful the world would be with kindness! What peace and happiness it brings to all! Kindness is fruit of the Holy Spirit. Please pass it forward.

https://ezinearticles.com/?On-Kindness&id=9999534

Inner Well-Being - Can I Rely on Myself?

We all probably want happiness and inner well-being. Yet sometimes we lack uplifting thoughts, forget the meaning and purpose which gave our life a sense a of direction, or feel discouraged and stressed when facing adversity.

Is it really so difficult creating inner well-being for ourselves?

Reliance on others for inner well-being

In times of hardship, we each need all the comfort, and encouragement we can get from family members. The boss may give us time off to recover. Our friends may put us up where they live for a while. But can others make us happy, deeply happy? Therapists know that despite their therapeutic skill, there are always some clients who don't improve. They also realise they cannot take all the credit for those who do get better by pursuing personal change. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. Unless people take responsibility for their own lives, nothing much changes whatever expertise is provided.

Reliance on one's own efforts alone for inner well-being

Many have wondered about ever finding inner well-being when going through an awful personal crisis, or when feeling apathetic and alienated from work. If they have tried to conjure up hope, confidence and contentment even with help from others, they probably have encountered great difficulty.

My own experience has been that I sometimes lack inspiration and a sense of strength to pursue what I guess is the right direction - one that I value and find meaningful. I've come to accept I have freedom and thus responsibility to try to do something about my life. But that I can't achieve this by myself alone. I can point myself in the right direction but can't create tolerance and generosity in myself just by having the right intentions. The soul needs nurturing.

Transpersonal energy creating inner well-being

I would suggest in addition to our own sensations and desires, personal growth comes from a greater light and energy. A higher power that give us inner well-being to manage the hurdles life placed in our path and to resist our personal demons. This idea of a higher power, however it is conceived, is also the view of the various 12 Step Recovery Programs available for various kinds of personal problems e.g. Alcoholics Anonymous.

These group interventions share the view that there is a spiritual source from beyond ourselves that can provide an inflow of healing power. In his best seller The Road Less Travelled, psychiatrist Scott Peck points out that natural growth and healing, mystical experiences, and fortunate coincidences, are commonplace. He says they are manifestations of a powerful force originating outside of human consciousness which nurtures the spiritual growth of human beings. He calls it Grace. This is a force other than, and in addition to, our conscious will. He identifies it with the power of love. The desire to nurture the inner well-being of people.

Swedenborg's experience

Emanuel Swedenborg was a Christian mystic and spiritual philosopher who was born in the 17thcentury. Once he had a vision of a shining presence. He said a brilliant light appeared to him in a similar way to how the sun appears to all of us. Only one which radiated spiritual heat and light. Light symbolising the wisdom that enlightens our thought: heat, the feeling of compassion that gives warmth to our concerns. He said that this spiritual sun, normally invisible to us, is the origin of all that is good and true in life and thus our inner well-being. The physical sun in our sky is the basis of our geography and time. Similarly, for him, the visionary sun was the basis of all personal direction and orientation.

In line with this mystical experience, Swedenborg comments on the biblical creation narrative - not he said to be taken literally but an account of the potential creation of spiritual development in each person. On the 4th day of the creation myth, the sun, together with the moon and stars formed. Symbolically speaking, receiving the sun's light enlightens our understanding of higher principles: receiving its warmth stirs in us a concern for others. The picture here is an individual newly recognising that there is a higher source of deeper thought and kindness that comes from beyond oneself. Swedenborg maintains that this acknowledgment is critical. For without it, we each will depend only on ourself to find inner well-being. And this will lead to disappointment, pride and a sense of something lacking.

Conclusion about inner well-being

Swedenborg was writing during the Christian era in Europe. These days there are many who no longer believe in a personal God. I suspect that amongst non-religious people, there are nevertheless many who do believe in a universal spiritual source of everything. In other words, they acknowledge a Divinity that is both beyond, as well as potentially within, the individual. One that inspires, and is the origin of, compassion for others as well as for our own inner welfare. Also, the starting place of common sense to know what are useful and effective ways to act.

Whatever our troubles, I would suggest inner well-being is possible if we can learn how to connect with this divine creative spirit. And keep connecting. It can be seen as the kind of love that is a real thing in itself flowing into us from beyond ourselves. An infinite and everlasting reality originating beyond our own limitations.

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Your Heart's Deepest Desire Is To Simply Be At Peace

Renew The Commitment To Yourself

Place your hands on your heart. What do you feel? I don't mean the beating of your heart but the emotions in that area of your body. This is a practice people find it difficult to do given the mixed feelings that arise when we cultivate the intimate aspect of ourselves. It reminds me of a pleasant experience that took place recently while I was preparing for bed. As I was washing my hands, I was overcome with a sense of love and compassion that filled my entire body. The touch and washing of my hands kindled a deep sense of love and compassion that lasted for thirty seconds or less. It was a familiar feeling I recall experiencing as a child. In that moment, I was taken back to my childhood where I relived the intimate feelings of oneness and togetherness associated with my mother. I mention this because it is the same sense of love and compassion we ought to practice with ourselves. The feelings evoked are the same ones we ought to invite into our lives regularly. Which brings me to the question: What is the relationship you have with yourself? Is it one of kindness and compassion or guilt and resentment? Irrespective of what it is, you can choose inner peace and harmony by letting go of thoughts that obscure its presence.

In a world where nuclear war, political deception and environmental concerns are common, inner peace and harmony ought to take precedent. We are inundated with news that captures our attention and distracts us from attaining inner peace. They try to sell us a fictitious way of life imbued with fear, hate and anxiety. I do not have contempt for them since that is their business model, and my business model is one of peace and harmony. It is my obligation to guide others to connect with their heart's deepest desire to find inner peace. Some might say the heart's role is to express love and I would argue otherwise because we are already the embodiment of love by virtue of our existence. We do not have to seek for love other than to remove the impediments that block us from realising it. This is the message espoused by the Persian poet Rumi who once said: "Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it." He was making the case for letting go of negative states such as anger, fear and hatred that obscure our oneness with love. This is not who we really are, but are learned emotional states that keep us from discovering our true selves.

An Ever-Flowing River Of Peace Streaming Through You

Inner peace is associated with the heart's deepest desire because it is the language of our soul. Inner peace gives rise to love and allows it to expand like light in a dark room that fills every corner. You do not have to direct the light into corners of the room other than to turn it on. The same can be said of us: we must remove the barriers within ourselves that obstruct love, as Rumi alluded to. How do you feel about this so far? I'm certain you have questions brewing in your mind. I invite you to sit with them and contemplate the essence of this inner peace within you. No amount of money, fame or power resembles the inner peace within our hearts. It is merely a matter of removing that which stands in the way of connecting with our longing for peace and harmony. I liken it to stripping ourselves bare of all thoughts, beliefs and falsehoods of who we think we are. These are concepts and ideas to help us find our way in the world yet do little to help us realise inner peace. There are millions of people in the world who accumulate material possessions to make them happy, yet still long for something missing from their lives. The thing that is missing is not lost but dwells within us waiting for us to come home to.

Inner peace is our default setting and one needn't look any further than that of a child to witness this sense of harmony and bliss. However, if the child is repeatedly exposed to stimuli like video games and sugary sweets, it will behave erratically. Yet if it is fed with wholesome food and nurtured with love, kindness and compassion it will exhibit this sense of inner peace and tranquillity. In keeping with this, I'd like you to return to the earlier exercise of placing your hands on your heart. After you finish reading this article, find a quiet place and turn off any distractions such as music or your mobile phone and sit with yourself for a few minutes. Notice the emotions that arise and make a declaration to see them through the eyes of love, no matter what comes up. Do not consciously engage with mental dialogue but feel the emotions and allow them to move through you. Hopefully, you will realise an ever-flowing river of peace streaming through you and it's only a matter of letting go of the dam you have built to impede its flow.

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Practice an Attitude of Gratitude (By Kristen Wint)

While standing in the kitchen this morning, I randomly blurted out how grateful I was for our warm home and the awesome family within it. It came out of nowhere for my husband and kids, but I'd been thinking about gratitude recently and couldn't help noticing all the goodness in my life. I also noticed how great it felt to start off the day thinking about what I am most thankful for. It was like a shot of dopamine with my morning coffee.

I've always been a firm believer in the power of positivity, and expressing gratitude seems to fit in nicely with this theory. What if, instead of sinking into dysphoria over long and cold winter days or feeling completely helpless about the current state of world affairs, we focus instead on things in our lives that we have control over? Things such as our home life, work life, family and friends.

I once wrote a letter to my husband to express my gratitude for all of the things he does for me and our family every day. I shared it online and it sparked a whole lot of love and positive comments from many people and demonstrated that openly showing and sharing gratitude is a really good thing.

An attitude of gratitude means making it a habit to express thankfulness and appreciation in all parts of your life, on a regular basis, for both the big and small things alike.

Begin cultivating an attitude of gratitude by keeping a short, daily list of things you are grateful for. Share your thoughts with your family and friends, and take time out of your day to think about gratitude. Have your kids practice too, because grateful families talk about what they are thankful for and practice gratitude daily.

Make a habit of expressing gratitude year-round as opposed to seasonally because studies show that consistent positive interactions, particularly ones that involve gratitude, increase happiness and decrease levels of depression. That shot of dopamine I mentioned? Some say that expressing gratitude can indeed create a surge of "feel good" brain chemicals like dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin, so for generally happy people, that's a great thing, but for clinically depressed people, it's a game changer.

Developing an attitude of gratitude is healthy for you and your family, so make it a part of your family's daily life and watch as everyone adopts more grateful behaviours and transitions away from cynicism and negativity.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Practice-an-Attitude-of-Gratitude&id=9866677

Abraham Hicks ~ Do Only What You Really Want To Do

Symptoms Of Stress And How To Mitigate And Manage Stress Motivators

Overview

Stress manifests in individuals in different ways. Stress affects Physical and Mental Health and in extreme cases can lead to death. Stressful conditions cause the body response system to go into a response mode of high alert due to the secretion of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. When this situation manifests continually, it could lead to system damage in the body. This could predispose the body to disease or injury due to loss or lack of concentration.

Symptoms and Diseases Associated With Stress

Symptoms and Diseases associated with Stress can manifest in the following forms:

Insomnia: This is a form of sleep deprivation. The individual cannot sleep for long periods and in extreme cases, may not be able to sleep at all.

Headache: Intermittent headaches could be a sign of Stress.

Migraine: This is a sustained pain or discomfort in the head for extended periods of time. This could affect the forehead or one side of the head.

High Blood Pressure: This condition manifests when a person's blood pressure reading is above 135/85. It can lead to heart attack if not well treated.

Depression: This is a state of very low esteem and despair in an individual and has led to suicide in some cases.

Erectile Dysfunction: This is Impotence in a man and Stress is one of the known causal factors

Drug/Alcohol addiction: Some people use drugs and alcohol to alleviate their Stress. Sometimes this gets out of hand and may lead to drug or alcohol dependency.

Mental Burnout: An individual could become irritable and a nervous wreck due to Stress.

Procrastination/ Inability to Take Decisions: This is also a sign of Stress. An irritable, stressed out person cannot go through the mental process necessary for making good decisions.

How To Mitigate and Manage Stress Motivators By Home Based Entrepreneurs

Overwork is a major cause of Stress for Home Based Business Owners.

Working late and extra hard could be an acceptable price to pay for the initial development of the business. But prolonged Stress can have adverse effects on Physical and Mental Health. There are many inexpensive ways to mitigate and manage Stress inducing factors.

These include the following:

Don't be over ambitious. Start small and grow, gradually.

Network with fellow industry players or join forum where you can discuss your problems and get relief.

Ensure that you take more regular short breaks throughout the day

Engage in regular daily exercise

Learn relaxation techniques, practice Yoga.

Decide to start eating Healthy.

Acquire financial management skills to enable you overcome the new irregular Income Cycle.

Always plan the next day in advance.

Conclusion

With this, I've come to the end of our discussion on STRESS. I'm very sure that if you endeavor to imbibe some of the advice given above, you'll be able to overcome stressful situations or reduce their effect to the barest minimum.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Symptoms-Of-Stress-And-How-To-Mitigate-And-Manage-Stress-Motivators&id=9639804

Brené Brown's Life Advice on Emotions Will Leave You Speechless

Putting Together The Puzzle of Life

There are many challenges which come to each person in the game of life. While it is true that life is a puzzle which needs to be figured out, we can make a success of it. We need to take each piece at a time and put it in the proper place. In order to improve one's self and find happiness in life, the puzzle pieces need to fit.

When we start out in life, we don't have all the pieces to the puzzle. Sometimes we get puzzle pieces which are difficult to figure out where they go. New pieces might not fit into the puzzle, but eventually it may all come together to create the answers.

Memories and love are pieces of the puzzle. Love brings happiness. When we do things that have meaning in our life, we can place them into our memory. These memories help to bring joy in remembering the good times which happened. They help to make a good puzzle picture and create happiness.

When Americans of Japanese heritage were placed into the American concentration camps of World War II, their experiences of incarceration created some bad memories. Although the camps did not contain the horror of the concentration camps where Jewish people were held, tortured, or even killed, these American camps were places where innocent individuals were imprisoned for no reason except their ethnicity because of racism. The Constitution did not protect these American citizens who were unjustly persecuted.

The memories of those years spent in captivity brought unpleasant pieces into the puzzle of their lives. They were often challenged beyond imagination as they languished in unsavory conditions of living for years. Some of the people could not endure the trials they faced in being suddenly removed from the normal society and losing nearly all their earthly possessions as well as their freedom. Their lives had little meaning at that time.

It is up to us to put together the picture of our lives. We need to look upon each puzzle piece as a part of the whole. Life can be meaningful and beautiful, but sometimes it seems that the pieces of the puzzle will never fit. The hardships and trials which come into every person's life can be overwhelming. The puzzle seems unlikely to ever come together in a satisfactory manner.

Hard work and perseverance are required to make the pieces of the puzzle of life fit together. The Japanese Americans who endured the pain and suffering of the egregious incarceration of World War II were required to work hard after their release from the camps in order to try and recover the losses of those years. They needed to start over to try and piece together the puzzle of their lives. It was not easy, but most of them did not give up when the going was rough. They persevered and kept working on the puzzle.

The puzzle of life can become a beautiful picture, but it takes a lot of effort to bring the pieces together properly in order to create a good life. We must not give up when challenges come, and we need to have faith that things will work out to put together the puzzle.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Putting-Together-The-Puzzle-of-Life&id=10144386