The Science Of Deliberate Creation

The science of deliberate creation is about becoming more conscious. By becoming aware of your own preconceived ideas, beliefs and attitudes, you can see what is possible, and what isn't.

Nothing is possible without belief. Without belief in an idea, you won't take action and nothing can be achieved. But most people put the brakes on their own lives because their belief doesn't allow the possibility of great things.

People can live great lives only if they believe they can. Otherwise, you wouldn't attempt to improve things. Why bother if you don't think you can do it?

This is the beginning of the science of deliberate creation and it starts with your thinking. Thoughts are perhaps the smallest parts of your creation process. But like a drip of water in a cave, large formations can form over time.

Stalactites and stalagmites are large formations in a cave which form because of the drippings of water depositing material over a long period of time. I like to think these are like your beliefs and ideas forming in the mind over long periods of thinking in a certain way.

By taking control over the thoughts which you allow to remain in the conscious mind, you can influence your subconscious mind. This in turn is capable of creating beliefs and attitudes and attracting circumstances and events into your life.

The subconscious mind is much more powerful than the conscious mind and the thoughts can be considered the 'seeds' of the subconscious belief system.

If you've ever worked really hard at something only to self-sabotage it later on, this is an example of the subconscious mind working against your conscious wishes. This can be for many reasons but often it's because your conscious and subconscious are not working together as a "team".

Other considerations of the science of conscious creation are your words, visualisations and plans for the future. Becoming more conscious of your thoughts, words and actions is a good place to start. Many people self sabotage their best intentions with their words, proclaiming that they are "not good enough", "don't deserve something" or are not up to the job. Unless you can consolidate what you want to attain, with how to get it and align the two with your self-image, you'll find ways to un-do your work.

This is often just the sub-conscious mind delivering what you intended anyway. Perhaps you didn't realise it, but you were sending contrary intentions to your subconscious mind in the form of words, thoughts or intentions.

Your self-image has a large part to play in conscious creation. Unless you see yourself as someone worthy of success and happiness, you'll keep hitting a brick wall and falling back to your previous view of yourself and model of the world.

The old self-image keeps us safe inside our comfort zone. That's the positive pay-off. But there's a lot of downside to maintaining a consistent view of the world and how we fit into it.

If we doggedly stick to our preconceived ideas in all circumstances, it can eventually bite us on the ass! Particularly if we don't grow and change as our circumstances and needs change.

Becoming more conscious of our thoughts starts by being aware enough to know that we are not our thoughts. The thoughts we think can easily overtake our idea of ourselves. If we start to see ourselves as the thoughts themselves, we lose control by identifying with the thoughts as "us".

One way to detach from our thinking processes is through meditation. Anyone can learn to meditate simply by sitting still and quietly watching their thoughts come and go without attachment. The more you practice, the more you will experience the gap between the thoughts and be able to choose your thoughts more consciously.

Being aware of what you say is the next thing to take control of. Much of people's speech in general runs on complete autopilot. When we become conscious, we can align our speaking with our thinking. We can become more conscious of the power of our words to carve out our world.

Visualisation is another tool for the conscious creator to use in 'sculpting' their lives more consciously. We've all experienced a daydream. A daydream is a nice relaxing fantasy where we can let our mind wander and think about a nice situation or circumstance of our choosing.

But in our busy and stressful lives, we can start creating arguments and conflicts with our visualisations inadvertently. By trying to control our circumstances we can often focus on trying to push against problems and adversity rather than focusing on joy, happiness and contentment. When we try too hard to push things away by struggling with them, we are focusing on the very things we don't want.

The more attention we give them, the more they seem to wrap themselves around our lives. What you focus on grows in your life. Noticing this is the first step to becoming a more conscious creator. Then you can stop focusing on those things which you don't want, and turn your attention to more positive things, circumstances and situations.

https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Science-Of-Deliberate-Creation&id=10139364

The Basics of Self-Esteem

Our self esteem is something that we can control and change at any time. It is based upon our beliefs and attitudes that we have about ourselves. For example, "I AM GOOD ENOUGH despite my faults, insecurities and imperfections. Who I am is not defined by what I do, what I look like, how much I weigh, or how smart I am." It is about loving who we are and accepting ourselves unconditionally. It is allowing ourselves to be imperfect, to accept ourselves as we are, to take risks, to try new things and to "LET GO" of negative thinking, judgments and self-criticism. It is about facing our fears and knowing that regardless of the outcome we took a risk and faced a fear.

Improving our self-worth is about making our own decisions about how we want to use our free time, setting our own goals and making choices for ourselves. It is about knowing what we like and do not like and feeling comfortable saying it out loud to others without fear of rejection, ridicule or laughter. It is about knowing our strengths and weaknesses and being willing to work on areas that need improving, such as attitudes, friendships, school, or getting along with others better. It is having the COURAGE to be honest with ourselves and being open and willing to change in a positive direction.

Being around friends and people who love and appreciate us is another way to feel good about ourselves, which will raise our self-esteem. People who know our faults and like us just the same are good friends. It is also important to not take ourselves so seriously and to be able to laugh at ourselves. Good self-esteem is from knowing that we have succeeded at things in our life that we once thought were difficult and being able to empower ourselves to try new things.

Another important factor in improving our self-esteem is taking care of our bodies. When we feel good physically, we feel energetic and full of life. It is important to eat well, exercise regularly and dress neatly. It is also essential to get enough rest/sleep. When we are tired, hungry and restless we are more than likely to make mistakes and react in ways that are counterproductive for us. Thus not feel good about ourselves. In conclusion be open, willing and honest to see ourselves in a positive and loving manner. Make today the day to say "I matter and I am worth it."

https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Basics-of-Self-Esteem&id=9654630

How To Not Fail With Your New Year's Resolutions

New Year's resolutions are a hit during the beginning of every year, but it has acquired a bad reputation due to people giving up on their resolves. Statistics show that only 9.2% of people feel like they were actually able to achieve the resolutions they made.

Why do people give up? Some blame it on the lack of enthusiasm or passion; however, these reasons are too shallow. If enthusiasm or passion determined if we will reach our goals or not, then we wouldn't be failing in the first place.

People have a hard time accomplishing their resolutions not due to the lack of enthusiasm or passion but because of limited knowledge about behaviour change. Let's understand more about this first and later we will look at five reasons why we can't keep our New Year's Resolutions and see how we can fix it.

THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOUR

The Theory of Planned Behaviour by Icek Ajzen is considered to be one of the best models for behaviours affecting New Year's Resolutions. This theory explains why these resolutions fail and states that intentions or goals are built on three elements that serve as the foundation of being successful at keeping resolutions.

1. Attitudes around a behaviour
2. Social network's attitude towards the behaviour
3. Belief in one's ability to reach success at a behaviour

When all the three elements are lined up to support your goal it will be easier to achieve success in whatever area you want.

Let's look at this example. If you prioritize good health and the people you surround yourself with don't smoke, you will feel strong enough about quitting smoking so setting yourself up towards it won't be a problem.

But if good health isn't your top priority, and you're surrounded with people who smoke and have tried quitting but only to fail, then setting yourself up towards quitting smoking won't be that easy.

Also, what we can notice from this model is that goal setting is not the last step. It's important to know that there is a gap between the intention or goal and the behaviour. This gap is the reason people fail at keeping their resolutions. There is a need to act and take on the right kind of behaviour so that your intentions will turn into a reality, because if not, then goals will never be achieved.

Once we understand this model, we'll get an idea of the five reasons New Year's Resolutions fail. Let's go through these reasons now.

FIVE REASONS WHY NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FAIL

Reason #1 - No Strong Reason Why

When you have a weak attitude toward your goals, there is a high chance that you will fail at keeping your New Year's resolutions. Make sure you are clear on why your resolution is important. Answer the reason why you need to achieve your goal and what will happen if you achieve it or if you don't.

Cultivate a strong attitude by making sure that the resolutions you make will impact your life for the better. In 2, 3, or 10 years' time what do you think life will be like if you keep your resolutions? The answer to that question will be a great motivation, an energiser, and a means for you to stay focused in order to accomplish your goals.

Find a compelling answer to WHY you need to keep your resolution.

1. Why do I need to accomplish my fitness goal? So I'll do well at my child's school sports day instead of becoming an embarrassment.
2. Why do you want to travel? So I can treat my parents who sacrificed their trips in order to provide first for my needs.
3. Why do you want to be successful at your new business venture? So that I can provide a better life for my family, my children can go to a better school and help my parent's pay their mortgage.

Those are just some answers to questions that will keep you on track. Always remember that a good answer to WHY will motivate you when it seems like you are about to give up.

Reason #2 - Weak Support Network

The five people you spend most of the time with is who you most likely are or who you'll become. That's how important a role the people you spend time with plays in your life. So, more than thinking about surrounding yourself with cool people, it's important that you have forged close connections to people who will hold you responsible for the accomplishment of your goals.

Even the most successful person will sometimes struggle in finding the motivation and accountability to keep a New Year's Resolution that is why surrounding yourself with people who care enough about your success will help keep you focused.

Here are some examples on how you can surround yourself with the right people who will help you achieve your goals:

1. Do you want to be fit? Join a gym near your area and tell your trainer to not go easy on you.
2. Do you want to start your own business? Find a networking organization and join them. Commit to attend their meetings.
3. Do you want to own a property? Consult and be mentored by an expert on property investment.

People who will challenge you, hold you responsible and push you to be better are what you need in life. Go out and find them if you don't have any now. Again, your close connections can either help you or break you into keeping your goals.

Reason #3 - Lack of Self Efficacy

Self-efficacy is a psychological construct first created in 1977 by Albert Bandura. This belief is related to one's ability to be successful in the accomplishment of goals.

There are actually two ways self-efficacy affects one's goals.

First, self-efficacy is linked to how a person creates challenging goals. The more confident they are of themselves, the more likely will they create goals that are more challenging and fulfilling. Second, self-efficacy determines how likely a person will take action after they are done setting their goals.

Cultivate self-efficacy daily until you reckon that you are unstoppable. This is important because achieving your goals requires that you believe in yourself. Here are 4 different ways to increase one's self-efficacy:

1. Performance Accomplishments

Goals can be broken down into smaller bits where every accomplishment is celebrated.

2. Vicarious Experience

Find someone who you consider as a role model. Observe how they act and apply what you have learned from them.

3. Verbal Persuasion

Everyone needs to be encouraged. Find someone, a life coach or a mentor perhaps, who will tell you the things you need to hear to boost your belief in yourself.

4. Emotional Arousal

Before taking any significant step toward the accomplishment of your goals, condition yourself by watching a movie or listening to music. There are actually other ways to do this, but the two I mentioned are the fastest ways to get you into a positive state.

Reason #4 - Lack of Compelling Goal(s)

A to-do list is different from a set of compelling goals. Just imagine, if both of them were the same, then people high-fiving at each other when they ticked off something from their shopping list would be a common sight to see at the supermarket.

One of the things that makes a compelling goal different is the excitement that it brings once you have achieved it. Compelling goals challenge people, they stretch out one's limits, requires the development of skills, increase of knowledge and enhancement of abilities to make the goal a reality.

For example, if you want to improve your financial situation, a great first step can be opening a savings account with a bank; however, since opening an account will just take seconds to do it just becomes an item in the to-do list, not a compelling goal. A compelling goal would be to find a side hustle that will match your monthly salary.

Another example is that of a person who wants to write and publish a book. Yes, you can setup a blog that will take only minutes to do but a compelling goal would be to finish a book after two months and start publishing 1500-2000 articles daily.

If the goal is not too compelling, not inspiring or not challenging you to go beyond, then you're going to go south with the accomplishment of your New Year's Resolutions.

Reason #5 - Lack of Action

A goal will remain to be words on paper if they are not put into action. What to do to avoid it being just mere words on paper is to ensure that your goal or resolution is crystal clear in order to turn it into a reality.

The problem with taking action though is that most people are afraid of it especially if the action required is not something one has engaged in and successfully done before. This is why an action plan is deemed important. Large goals can be broken down into smaller chunks and then you make your way into accomplishing each so progress can be made.

If you ever built a snowman before, you know that a lot of effort has to be put into it to get going. You form small snowballs first by rolling them around, this would seem to be taking forever to do and you're going nowhere with it, but in the long run, you'll notice that the ball becomes bigger and you'll be needing more snow to continue to form bigger rolls.

The same strategy is applied with our goals. You'll need to act small at first, do it consistently and you'll be building momentum. Through the actions you have taken, your knowledge and experience is widened. In time you'll see that the progress toward your goals increases as well.

Taking action should not be optional. You cannot just expect your goal to be accomplished on its own. There is no way that the law of attraction will be in effect without undertaking the necessary measures on every opportunity that is presented to you. Make sure you're doing something - whether it's big or small, do something every day. No matter how small the steps you make are, if it's going to get you closer to realizing your goals or your resolutions, then do it.

Also, be wary of engaging in the same behaviour or approach as before especially if it did not work out the first time. Go and do something unusual. Don't confine yourself in a box, get out of your comfort zone and act on the things that will make you move in the direction of the accomplishment of your goals.

That's it! Now that you understand why New Year's Resolutions fail, it's time that you incorporate the steps taught here when planning your goals. I also have a goal setting playbook you might want to check out for more help. If you already have your goals set up, just adjust it accordingly so as to include the tips we mentioned in this article.

Give your New Year's Resolutions a boost by giving it the attention it deserves. It's definitely time to say goodbye at failing at your resolutions, and hello to reaching success this year and the years to come that is beyond what you can imagine.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Not-Fail-With-Your-New-Years-Resolutions&id=9880291

How to Make the 3 Most Important Choices for Your Day

We make 100's of choices every day. Choices range from, 'what do I wear?' to "do I call in sick today?' to "what shall I watch on tv tonight?'.

But the top 3 choices that need to be made each day will create the flow of your day and possibly the flow of those that are affected by your choices. We are free to choose but we are NOT free from the results of those choices.

Choice #1

Positive or negative outlook for your day. Whether it is in the grocery store or in the workplace, we sometimes forget that our attitudes affect those around us. We cannot know what kind of day or what path others are on. It is selfish behavior to not consider how our mood affects others.

Choice #2

Mid day down time. We all need a break in our day. What do we do on that break? Is it productive? Does it strengthen our bodies? Does it motivate or replenish our spirit? Being specific on what to do or not to do would only make me guilty of robbing others of their freedom to choose. For me, my down time could include reading, listening to my favorite music, looking around and marveling at God's creation and just being thankful. To me, Facebook, surfing the internet or playing mindless games does the complete opposite of relaxing my mind and improving my outlook for my day. Only you know what is best for you. By making the right choices in your down time you are guaranteed to feel more relaxed, uplifted, stimulated to continue your day.

Choice #3

Interacting with those closest to us. There is an old proverb that says we tend to hurt those closest to us. Although this tends to be more true than not, just as a side note, I do not believe in old proverbs. What I do believe in is that we are a composite of all our choices. So no matter what we face during the day, whether positive or negative, we tend to allow those things to mold our behavior. That is what we give in return to those closest to us. We must always remember who we are and to give thanks to God for all that we have. We can then draw strength from those closest to us or give them of our strength. Putting the needs of others before your own will have the most amazing beneficial effect on our minds and bodies.

https://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Make-the-3-Most-Important-Choices-for-Your-Day&id=9943726

Do You Believe Persistence Creates Success?

For centuries, people have chanted that the most persistent person wins the prize. In this article, I am going to challenge that belief. I assert that it is not persistence that makes the difference. It is the stripping away of beliefs that allows an individual to keep going. While I understand that people in the stands watching a sporting event have opinions about successful athletes. On the field, there is something happening that the fans cannot see. The same applies when people view what they call persistence.

To start, the human brain stores everything it hears, smells and sees in neuropaths. Those neuropaths possess your attitudes and belief systems. When you were born, you were told you could be anything you wanted. However, when you said you wanted to be CEO of a Fortune 500, you may have been told about being realistic. If you were black or Hispanic, you may have been warned that being CEO of a Fortune 500 is so rare for blacks and Hispanics that it's best to focus on being a doctor or lawyer. Many women may have been told the same. In addition, you were told that women and minorities have to work twice as hard as white males, especially if those males came from affluent families.

This kind of conversation creates cognitive dissonance. That refers to a situation involving conflicting attitudes, beliefs or behaviors. This produces a feeling of discomfort leading to an alteration in one of the attitudes, beliefs or behaviors to reduce the discomfort and restore balance. In other words, being told you can be anything you want, but CEO is unrealistic, creates internal conflict and tension. One path is to stay in the conflict and pursue your dreams. The other is to avoid the conflict and take your parents' advice.

While the cognitive dissonance may have initially started with your parent(s), you inherit the same conflicting thoughts your parents have. Since you trust your parents, you trust they know what they are talking about, even if you believe you can be the exception. (Depending on socioeconomic class, being a doctor or lawyer may appear to be unrealistic. Therefore, the child is told to focus on getting a lower paying job with benefits, for example. By the way, many children are discouraged when they want to be professional athletes.)

To go against your parents is to simultaneously go against conversations stored in your neuropaths. As you can see, this creates a quandary for the individual. As a result, a woman or minority could sabotage a great career because they spent time looking for evidence to prove they can't be CEO of a Fortune 500. They would seek evidence they have to work twice as hard. Even those two beliefs work against one another. Why?

While the job of CEO is extremely demanding, he or she must be able to delegate. If a woman or minority believes working twice as hard is what got them to the position of CEO, they may believe that is what they have to do to remain in that position. Eventually that person will become overwhelmed because they did not delegate effectively. An overwhelmed CEO could result in a poor performing company and eventually lose their job. There is a saying that the best CEOs work on their companies, not in them.

Furthermore, you may be so exhausted from working twice as hard that you may become disheartened to pursue a higher level of management. So working twice as hard can be a double-edged sword.

What does this have to do with persistence? If a woman or minority was told that being a CEO was unrealistic, they will have mental barriers that stop them from pursuing CEO. While those conversations may be stored in your brain, upon introspection, you will see those thoughts and beliefs are not your own. They are the beliefs of your parents, teachers, media, etc. Therefore, you are not obligated to adhere to them. As you strip away the inherited beliefs of others, you can make a clear path for new thoughts and beliefs. This time they will be the thoughts you choose for your life.

On the other hand, if you never inherited conflicting beliefs, you would have a clear mindset. That mindset would allow you to move through each phase of success in your life with power and alacrity. To the observer, you would look persistent. Contrary to the observer, you would have the advantages of seeing no barriers. The same possibility occurs for the person who strips away inherited barriers. With built in barriers, you spend time being in conflict with them or stripping them away. If you don't know how to strip them away, you are stuck. Without the barriers, you have freedom and open fields to do what ever you want.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Do-You-Believe-Persistence-Creates-Success?&id=9834829

Transforming Negative Emotions Into Positive Feelings and Actions Part 1

Overview and Benefits

We spend a lot of time in pain from negative emotions such as anger, fear, hurt, worry, sadness, disappointment and jealousy etc. No one enjoys this, but it doesn't have to be this way. We can learn many ways to overcome and transform negative feeling and experiences. One of the greatest achievements and most important accomplishments we can have in life is to take control of our inner space; our emotions, thoughts, perceptions and attitudes. All are in the realm of personal choice if we know how to heal them. We're immersed in our own emotional energy every day whether it's positive or negative. We can learn to choose how we will feel and free ourselves from the unpleasant state of being taken over by emotions and acting in ways that don't help us while we're in their grip. Emotions are a form of energy and each one produces a particular frequency either high or low. For example, feelings of peace, generosity and good will are high; feelings of judgment, self- doubt and rage are low. These frequencies sit within our energy field, and our habitual moods and feelings magnetically attract more of the same to us. They also go out into the world and negatively or positively affect others through our inter-penetrating energy fields. We are all connected energetically in the quantum field of energy that underlies all of life. Our emotions affect others as well as ourselves. They also produce harmful or beneficial chemical reactions and physical changes in the body affecting our health, which was researched and documented by Dr. Candace Pert in her book "Molecules of Emotion."

Negative emotions are so powerful that they must be countered by an equally powerful intention and decision to transform them and be peaceful. With a strong intention to change and lots of practice, we will feel so much better!

Benefits of taking control of our Emotions:

1.) We stop lashing out at others which can ruin relationships and destroy trust.

2.) We attract more positive events and experiences into our lives magnetically.

3.) It is much smoother for us to accomplish our goals when we carry positive energy.

4.) Our health improves.

5.) Our relationships improve.

6.) Our self-esteem improves and we feel good about ourselves.

7.) We become much more successful personally and professionally. People back away from a negative energy field because it feels unpleasant, even unsafe to them.

8.) We stop wasting time going over and over the hurts, slights, disappointments, resentments, pain and fears we have.

9.) We let go of burdens and feel much more optimistic about life.

We feel we are much more in control of our destiny and stop being victims.

By releasing and transforming our painful emotions, we keep our energy system clean and feel fresh to start each new day. Systematically, we can also release pain from the past that has accumulated over years and weighed us down. In the next 3 parts of this article, I will show you many ways to release and transform your emotions and your life. It is in your hands. The law of cause and effect states that what you send out comes back to you. Choose to send peace, harmony, good will, confidence, strength, kindness, respect and generosity. Emotions, thoughts, attitudes and the way we choose to perceive situations matter. Elevating self is highly rewarding in multiple ways!

I will present you with ways to observe, stop, release, transform and replace painful emotions in Part 2.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Transforming-Negative-Emotions-Into-Positive-Feelings-and-Actions-Part-1&id=9700605

Channeling Your Inner Meggin (By Gini Cunningham)

Everyone needs a mentor, someone who supports and guides to self-discovery and understanding. While family plays a valuable role in helping, a mentor offers gifts that come in no other way. A mentor is a coach, a counselor, a teacher, and an advisor who observes with fresh eyes and no preconceived notions or past history and no worry about being too honest. My mentor is Meggin.

Meggin was my instructor and advisor in my masters program at the university. An excellent teacher and presenter, she inspired me with her genuineness and enthusiasm, her honesty and openness. I worked to model my behaviors and attitudes to reflect the positivity she exemplified. She taught me much about reading instruction and literacy, but she taught me even more about myself. When I hesitate, she reinforces, when I stumble she provides a boost, when I meander off my designated, self-designed path she assists me with realignment. She never accomplishes this by being pushy or overbearing. Rather she asks the questions that lead me to my inner-most being. Everything Meggin does empowers the "me" held within my heart and soul.

In high school I had the confidence of the world and feared nothing and no one. During my years at the university, I slowly became lost in nervous anxiety. While I could fake it pretty well most of the time with outward bravado, inside I shivered when I met new people or encountered odd situations. I was fine on my own - I spent a year studying in Europe and primarily traveling alone, glad to be able to see and learn in my unique method. When I returned I became teacher. Although first day jitters often consumed me, once I got rolling, poise and self-reliance soared. In front of my eager students and at their side, I had unlimited sureness which stimulated more of the same for them.

By 30 I felt better about myself in most situations. My roles then included wife, mother, teacher, and coach. As I broadened my base I extended my talents and capabilities. Born with a love of learning every class encouraged more reflection and learning and so I added more teaching certifications to my repertoire and more thoughts and ideas to my brain. This permitted me to teach K-12 through college in a variety of subjects and in multiple schools. All of this enhanced my positive outlook and outward reach, but I still held some quivering within.

Recently a job opportunity came my direction. It was one for which I basically wrote the description and determined the salary. Writing the outline was fairly easy as it was for a mentoring position with teachers, something I enjoy and to which I am dedicated. In this case the project included new teachers as well as experienced teachers who needed assistance, a group of individuals for whom I hold great passion. As the requirements of the profession become ever greater it is essential to support and assist new teachers as they get their feet on the ground and navigate the ins and outs of the classroom. My salary request was another story.

I recognized that the district wanted me but I was nervous about asking for money. How do you apply for something you love, a job that you have been doing for free for eight years, and then ask for money? Hmmm. I wiggled the hours, the days, the amount of time each new hire might need. Then I fiddled and faddled and pulled a number out of the air. It seemed outrageous (again, I have been supplying expertise at no cost) and then I added some more. When I felt semi-confident, I emailed my proposal to Meggin. Immediately I had a response.

"You are not an hourly worker!" she exclaimed, "And while you are offering a tremendous service you are not requesting adequate funding. It's time to channel your Meggin."

Channeling my Meggin was a wonderful, passionate experience. I took Meggin at her word and jotted down all of the talents and abilities I possess, dug deep into my soul for how I could help every teacher reach excellence or at least an version of excellence, and I shook out my fear. Channeling Meggin entailed reigniting belief in myself and what I have to offer, applauding attitudes and qualities that I alone possess. After settling on these good feelings and aptitudes, I headed out the door for a jog to let all of this gloriousness settle.

Wow-ee-yay! My self-assurance buoyed and then elevated my spirit as I eyed the sky for inspiration and self-belief. I danced a jig and sang a happy song, then returned to my computer, revamped my proposal, and requested a competitive wage tied to my integrity and not an hour by hour grind. Everybody needs a Channeling Meggin. Do you have yours?

http://ezinearticles.com/?Channeling-Your-Inner-Meggin&id=9124209

Dealing With Self-Doubt

Have you ever dreamed of doing something bigger than just your standard daily grind? Have you ever wanted to start a business or write a book? Do you ever hear a little voice inside your head? You know the voice. It's your negative alter ego telling you your dreams are just that dreams. The voice tells you you're not smart enough, rich enough, or creative enough. That little voice has plagued me for many years, and it was only recently I got the nerve to tell it to SHUT UP! I will never understand why we all have that little voice, but we all know it is self-doubt. Even the most confident person deals with self-doubt, and it doesn't go away. You can be living your dream, and still have moments you question your capabilities. Even though it may be a lifelong battle, here are some questions to ask yourself when that negative feeling creeps into your mind.

If you never reached your goals, would you be satisfied?

I began to ask myself that question when fear and doubt became crippling. I felt confined to the point I was suffocating. Terror came over me when I thought of never pursuing my dream. That feeling outweighed any doubt or fear that I had that I might fail. The fear of not at least trying lit a fire in me, and I haven't looked back since.

Where did your self-doubt originate?

We are born with a level of confidence, but as we get older, our experiences shape the way we think. Did you have parents or family members that were negative? Were they quitters? Did they predict a negative outcome before even attempting the task? If you've grown up around people with these attitudes, it is hard to break the pattern. Read positive thinking self-help books. Attend events and networking events with people that share the same interests. Surround yourself with people that want to see you win.

Can you accept failure?

We all know failure is a very unpleasant situation. I've read many books and heard lots of speeches embracing failure. Who are they kidding? When you fail, it feels like the whole world is watching and laughing at you. When you have minor successes, no one pays attention. Failure is not an excuse to give up on what you want to do. Keep in mind this relates to attainable goals. If you're trying to be a pilot, but have never taken a flying lesson, that's not attainable. The journey to build something out of nothing is not paved in gold. You will have stumbling blocks along the way. When you stumble, take a step back, regroup, and continue to push through.

I've failed plenty of times, and the more I failed, the louder the voice of self-doubt got. But even though the negative voice was loud, my dream always screamed louder.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Dealing-With-Self-Doubt&id=9952747

Search Within - Define Your Own Success

Most people develop perceptions and attitudes as dictated by the society they live in. Individual's own personality and views become victim to the societal pressures of what is success and what is not. Defining success is one such causality. It is very easy to succumb to one's own surrounding and end up developing definition of success based on what others think of success.

What does one do to stand up and define our own success? It was Abraham Lincoln who said "Always bear in mind that your own definition of success is more important than any other one thing." This article attempts to provide some leads on defining your own success.

When you ask others what success means and you're likely to hear a variation of these answers:

• Fancy car or two - Mercedes, BMW, Lexus

• Nice house - Big, with a swimming pool, in a gated community

• Respectable corporate job - something worthy of bragging about

• Attractive spouse

• Obedient and smart children

Those things are fine if they're of your own choosing. But, if you take the time to think about it, your definition of success might be: Single, traveling the world, running my own business from a laptop, having adventures each day, and wearing flipflops at least eight hours each day. A person with this definition of success would be miserable in the first scenario.

Persons who stand up to the society and develop their own framework of success would mostly be high in creative field, be it sports, literature, business or public service. They are the ones who generally abandon set ideas of success and define something that is satisfying to them, that create value for themselves and people around them.

Such people will never be the ones to accomplishing something that doesn't appeal to them in the end.

All we have to remember - to define our own success - is what Anthony Robins said "There is a powerful driving force inside every human being that, once unleashed, can make any vision, dream, or desire a reality."

So how do we avoid disappointment and create our very own definition of success!

As reflected in Robert Finch's book Great Objectives, it is quite common for ordinary people to adopt such mottos as "healthy, wealthy, and wise" as aims for life. But we know that having more than one such value can lead to conflicts. It was realized that we should not try to achieve definite objectives, but instead look to some other procedure, such as a variety of evolution, to shape our objectives.

In that case, we make plans and evaluate them, as we proceed. We should use our values for guideposts.

One critical method is to seek self-introspection and ask yourself these questions:

1. What legacy do I want to leave for my children and the world? At the end of your life, what do you want to look back upon? Is it wealth and a vast business empire? Do you want to leave a string of good works? Do you want to look back on a life full of adventures?

• How will you have wanted to spend your time?

• What financial resources do you want to leave behind?

• What do you want to be known for?

2. What are my values? A lifetime spent living your values will be fulfilling. Most people have a vague notion of what's important to them, but few take the time to think about it carefully. Pull out a piece of paper and make a list of your values.

3. What do I want to do? Make a list of all the things you want to see and do. Everything from skydiving to walking on the Great Wall of China. Write it down.

4. What type of life do I want to experience? You might desire a conventional marriage and six children with a white picket fence in the suburbs. Or you might like to live in a Manhattan condo by yourself and take full-advantage of the nightlife for the first 20 years of adulthood.

5. What it will take for me to feel successful? Imagine various scenarios and determine what would make you feel successful. Is it living in a cabin in the woods with few responsibilities? Or living in a 15,000-square foot penthouse? Imagine various careers and lifestyles. Which one feels like success to you?

6. What if no one else would ever know? The idea of owning a Ferrari might feel like success, but what if no one else would ever know you owned it? Would you still feel successful? An ideal version of success wouldn't involve the opinions of others.

• Search for a version of success that's meaningful to you, even if others are unaware of your possessions and accomplishments.

There is no universal definition of success. It's important not to fall into the trap of trying to impress your friends and family. Develop a version of success that is meaningful for you, regardless of society's values. You might find that your version of success is much more enjoyable and easier to attain.

How do you define success? Your own definition will require you to like what you do and how you do it. Will you like the person you are becoming?

http://ezinearticles.com/?Search-Within---Define-Your-Own-Success&id=9724182

Is It Ever Too Late To Make A Second Impression? (By Tim Connor)

Trust me, standing in front of 1000 people I can assume (I hate assumptions) that at least 10% of the audience doesn't like me before I open my mouth. Never had that experience? Well, how about meeting a blind date for the first time hoping that you don't do or say something stupid? Never had that experience either? OK, how about waiting for an interview for a job you need to get for any number of reasons and you just hope they will approve of you and your resume, experience and yes, the color of your hair, the shoes you are wearing and how tall or short you are?

I know you might think I'm being a bit silly or even paranoid but believe me these and many more experience like this happen every day. Want proof? If you have never read any of my articles or books and are reading this one, I'll guarantee you have already made a judgement - to keep reading or click on something else. Am I right? Well, if you are in the second group you haven't even made it this far.

The basis or foundation of all impressions is simply that a person sees something, meets someone, experiences anything and their first reaction is a - No, Yes or Maybe. In other words, whenever or whatever comes into our life from any source we will on first reactions - resist it, accept it or decide to consider it.

As a global speaker I have watched thousands of people in my audiences have one of these three reactions. Why? Why do we react the way we do? I'll keep it short and sweet. Let me explain.

There are over 300 billion brain cells/nerves in your head. Every one of them has 5000+ neural connections and as a result there are over three trillion chemical reactions/responses every second in your brain. And what are these? Well first do the math - a big number of stuff going on in your head while you jog, read, watch TV, attend a staff meeting etc.

In other words - every thought you have ever had, every experience you have ever had, every memory you have ever had - get it? It's all stored in that small device in your head - everything since your birth.

So, you meet someone new - during the first 10-30 seconds your brain is searching through literally quadrillions of facts and memories trying to decide how to react to this person. And guess what - even if you have never met them before, know nothing about them - whatever - within 20 seconds you will form an opinion and a reaction that is not grounded in the present reality but years of past experiences and memories.

So, your opinion of this new person has nothing to do with them but your interpretation of them based on similar historical events, people or situations.

I know you probably didn't want this much information and I'll bet that if you formed an opinion before you got this far you have no idea what I'm talking about now cause you stopped reading a few paragraphs up - deciding that you didn't like where I was going, you didn't agree with it or it was making you feel uncomfortable or it wasn't what you were expecting based on the title.

In other words, getting a second chance at a first impression is not you giving me another chance to be perceived better by you but you giving you a second chance to change your mind based on new information that is added to the mix of your history, therefore permitting you to see things differently, better or more relevant.

For those of you who want a simpler approach I offer the following.

There are ten primary areas that contribute to first impressions of others and often even lasting ones. They are; your words, your actions, your decisions, your attitudes, your example, your congruence, your consistency, your integrity, your values and your beliefs. I'm not going to delve into each of these - if you want to make better impressions on others - do the research, but I would like to cover briefly what I feel are the five most important ones.

Your congruence - Congruent is simply where two things mean the same thing or are consistent or in harmony with. For example - if you say you will meet me for lunch at noon and you show up at noon - you were being congruent. If you said you would and you got there a half hour late - you weren't congruent.

If you keep saying one thing and keep doing something else - well - sooner or later first impressions will plague you for a long, long time.

Your words - Words matter. When you say I will always and you deviate just once - always means nothing and so your words no longer have value.

Your attitudes - Attitudes are a reflection of beliefs, values and conditioned experiences. We feel and think what we do and then express these with a variety of - yes, no or maybes - attitudes. What's an attitude? It's simply a consistent way of thinking about something and then responding accordingly. For example, if you are a liberal - conservatives get on your nerves because they have bad attitudes and vice versa. If you are twenty and are having a serious discussion with someone in their eighties, I'll guarantee that before the conversation is over sooner or latter one of you will get on the other one's nerves and blame it on - you have an attitude issue dude!

Your consistency - I'm not going to explain this one as I'm sure you know what this word means. All I want to say is that when you lose consistency in serious matters you lose credibility and often respect which contributes to poor impressions. Don't believe me - look up the acceptance level of the average politician.

Your example - Notice how all four of the previous examples are related? Well, they are - deviate or swerve form any one of them and the other four are impacted - therefore your image and the impressions you make or continue to make.

Want to make better impressions - first of all you will never get the same reaction from different people on the same behavior because everyone's mental barometers or expectations are unique. So, stop trying to please everyone - it's a waste of energy, time and life.

The answer is - be who you are not who others want you to be, expect you to be, demand you to be. Period - stop working for other people's approval - again - a waste of time and energy. Yes, we all need to keep getting better, wiser and smarter but until we are perfect we just need to chill, be and let other's attitudes, expectations, rules, needs etc. be them and not us.

I was not put on this earth for your approval so get over it. If you don't like me or approve of me - OK, but I am not going to change me to satisfy your expectations of me and as a result, lose myself in the process.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-It-Ever-Too-Late-To-Make-A-Second-Impression?&id=9855421

How to Think Yourself Young (By Mike Moore)

Everyone perceives reality through their own filters. And your perceptions of any reality are the foundations of your attitudes, beliefs and behaviours. If you perceive the aging process to be one of decline, decay and loss then that is exactly what aging will become for you. If this is true then we must involve ourselves in a frequent analysis of our existing perceptions. If we find them negative and destructive then we must transform them into more productive and constructive perceptions. When you change your perceptions you change your behaviour and thus change your life.

Let me illustrate.

My sister called our 92 year old Mother to chat. She started the conversation with the usual how are you and what are you doing? My Mother replied, "Oh I'm fine, Pat and I'm just eating a snack of fruit and vegetables and then I'm going for a walk." My sister answered with, "Mom you never eat fruit and vegetables and you've never liked going for walks. Why the change? " My Mother responded, "Oh I read in a woman's magazine that if you eat more fruit and vegetables and went for little walks you would live a long life." She will be 93 in December. How's that for attitude? I hope it's genetic.

We are the products of the thoughts we think. Everything in life is the result of the thoughts we humans, think.

The Secrets to thinking yourself young (Good advice at any age) 

*Have a sense of humour and laugh often. 

*Cultivate a positive attitude. Remember that our attitudes are our dominant thoughts. All human behaviour is nothing more than attitude in action. If you want positive behaviour cultivate positive attitudes. 

*Learn to relax. 

*Get exercise daily. 

*Watch what and how much you eat and drink. 

*The greatest compliment a person can receive at any age is, "You're fun to be with." 

* Life doesn't have to be absolutely pain free to be enjoyable. 

*The enjoyment of simple pleasures is the path to aging youthfully. 

*The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth. 

*When our friends begin to die we naturally become upset and grieve their loss. BUT... we MUST stay focused on living. Live in the hope that we will meet our friends again someday but until then we have a lot of living to do. 

*Those who laugh a lot never grow old. They might die after a long life but they will die young. 

*You are never too old to become what you might have been. 

*Smiling can take 10 years off your face. So what are you waiting for? 

*You know you're getting up there when archeologists dig up things you remember from your childhood. 

*There is nothing worse than being a doer with nothing to do. 

* Stop believing the negative thoughts you think. 

*Discover and appreciate the wonder of nature. There is nothing that calms my spirit and fills me with joy more than observing the natural world. When I stand in the solitude of a moonlight night or watch the sun set on the sea or watch a monarch butterfly quietly land on a flower I am filled with the peace and wonder only the natural world can provide. It also gives my aging spirit a sense of continuity and mystery. There is certainly more beyond the horizon than we can imagine.

In his best-selling book the Power of Positive Thinking Norman Vincent Peale suggests that to change an attitude we have to start thinking positive thoughts. He advocates writing an inspirational or motivational quote on a piece of paper and putting it beside your bathroom mirror so you can see it when you are shaving or putting on make-up. I left each quote up beside the mirror for 21 days. That's the time it takes to form a new habit or attitude according to the experts. At the end of that time I would replace the last quote with a new one.

Whenever I had a negative thought throughout the day I would recite the quotes I had memorized previously. Slowly I began to change my attitudes and my behaviour. It really works.

I would like to end with these thoughts. Stop complaining about aging. It is a privilege denied many.

You will be as happy in life as you make up your mind to be.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Think-Yourself-Young&id=8950637

What Are You Searching For?

I have not yet met anyone in my world travels who didn't want a little more inner peace. And, I have never encountered anyone who would trade a little money to rid themselves of their stress and worries.

So, is this what each of us is secretly or overtly searching for? Well, to be truthful I'm not sure. People who say they want less stress continue to pursue wealth, fame, power, position and more stuff. People who say they want to be happy often seem to sabotage this goal with poor choices, bad judgment and emotional immaturity. And people who say they want more inner peace still harbor old emotional baggage, replay old slights and hurts and let other people control their behaviors, attitudes, emotions and even their thoughts.

If we are truly searching for any or all the items listed above one would have to wonder whether we are just giving lip service to these goals, desires and dreams or if we really want them but just don't seem to know where to find them, how to achieve them or how to keep them.

I too have been guilty. I am just like you in that I would like a little more happiness and a little less stress yet when it comes to doing what is necessary I often fall short.

Sure, I have read all the books, hundreds and hundreds of them, attended the seminars, had personal coaches, spent hours and even weeks setting and planning my personal goals and dreams and spent more hours than I can remember praying and meditating and yet, here I sit from time to time, still questioning whether all this reading, study and searching is worthwhile.

During my years of study, research and searching I have come to a few conclusions.

1) Many of the people who supposedly have it figured out, don't.

2) Many of the people who preach and teach this stuff to others and get paid handsomely to do so, don't have a clue.

3) Some of the people who you would least expect to have the answers often do.

4) Even many of the religious fanatics, diehards or steadfast believers in God still struggle with the same issues, questions and challenges as those who have never set foot in a church or Synagogue or read the Bible.

Why is this? Are we doomed as a species to just search and never find or discover the true meaning of our life or as the title says, why we are we here?

Humans have been asking for centuries; why am I here, where am I going and what am I supposed to do with my life while I am here?

One could get easily discouraged and feeling a little sorry for themselves spending years contemplating simple questions like these.

Have you ever asked yourself any of these searching questions whether in times of doubt or discouragement or happiness and contentment? Success or failure? Do you have any answers yet, or are you like most of us, that you just keep on trudging ahead through life one day at a time just earning, spending, working and playing?

http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Are-You-Searching-For?&id=9673917

Truth Doesn't Have Versions

The sky is falling - the sky is falling. The earth is flat. We are all going to die in this storm. The end of life as we know it will happen this year. Give me a break. Just because the speed limit is 70 MPH - I don't have to go that fast. Just because the expiration date on my eggs is three days past doesn't mean I have to throw them away. Made my point yet or would you like twenty-five more examples (just kidding)?

Yes, I accept that some things I don't like or agree with are true but I also know that some things you believe are true are not - so - does the wind blow in both directions? Well yes. So, why then can't some people accept what is true when there is more than enough evidence and why do so many people live their lives in the realm of lies and obvious truths? I don't have 200 pages to deal with this so I'll do my best with just a few hundred words.

So, what is truth - truth is most often used to mean being in accord with fact or reality or fidelity to an original or standard. Truth may also often be used in modern contexts to refer to an idea of "truth to self," or authenticity. Need more? Want more? Truth - fact, veracity, certainty, actuality, reality. FYI - Truth isn't - opinion, impression, interpretation, estimation, judgment, belief, experience - Got this one too?

Therefore, I have three questions -

1) why do people act like their opinion etc. is the truth?

2) Why do people work so hard to convince others that their version of truth is the

only one or the only one that matters or the only one that you or I should believe?

3) How many facts (reality do we need) to know what is true or not true.

Is - gravity a truth?

Is - physical death a truth?

Is - the fact that change is constant a truth?

OR,

Is - the weather is crappy today a truth?

Is - the service in this establishment is really bad a truth?

Is - this "__________" (whatever) you believe a truth?

Is - this technology is really slow a truth?

Again - got it?

So, back to my questions.

Why do people act like their opinion etc. is the truth? Everything in life is a perception - the weather, time, health, food etc. In other words - This corn is too hot. No, it isn't! This movie is too long. Maybe yes and maybe no. That color is too dark. See where I'm going with this? Ever had an argument or disagreement with someone?

Sure, we all have. What caused it? Very simply - two different opinions coming face to face with each other - when only one could win but both were not necessarily true but you both believed that each of yours were true as far as the two of you were concerned. All conflict is the result of perceptual interpretation not based on truth and why - because truth does not have to be defended if it is real truth. When people can't let go of the need to justify opinions, attitudes, decisions, actions, feelings etc. that might be inconsistent with truth it is generally because of one of the following exists; the need for control, ego needs, arrogance, low self-esteem, insecurity or early conditioning that caused them to feel they need to get others approval in order to achieve self-acceptance and the way they do this is by being right.

Why do people work so hard to convince others that their version of truth is the only one or the only one that matters or the only one that you or I should believe or accept? A lot of this stems from the previous discussion but for clarity I will add a couple of other items. One is called projection. This is simply a refusal to accept a certain type of self-behavior and implying others of having the behavior that you have but refuse to acknowledge, admit or accept. In other words - "I am always late but can't admit it but I always blame you for being late whether you are or are not."

Another one is expanding on something or just making things up that aren't true. I want others to think I am successful so I create a self-story that over time I come to believe as true. Even if you know me well and know what I say about myself isn't true, I will still boast about these untruths as if they were true. Actually, you would be quite amazed at how many people have this behavior.

How many facts (reality do we need) to know what is true or not true.

Well, if you see a lose wire coming from a generator you might want to avoid it. If you see a red-hot grill you might not want to touch it. How many facts do you need to avoid these disasters? Probably just one. If you want to know if Heaven is for real you might need a few more facts. But here's the real issue when it comes to truth. Some things, many things might be or could be true, but we don't know it because we don't have enough information to make a decision. If this is true just because we lack evidence doesn't mean something is or isn't true. Think about it. For years people believed the earth was flat until what - someone figured out that it wasn't. But, many people continued to believe in this untruth because they lacked wisdom, knowledge or information. The same is true today. Could many things be untrue today that we just don't know are untrue but still believe they are? And the opposite. Could many things we believe are not true actually be true?

I'm done with my opinions - so what do you think about what you just read? Truth? Opinion? Blah, Blah, Blah?

http://ezinearticles.com/?Truth-Doesnt-Have-Versions&id=9728844

Re-Invent Or Become Obsolete

Is it time to re-invent or transition your business?

The world is a different place than it was in 1980. If you have been in business for more than twenty years and are dong things they way you did when you started or even just five years ago - beware - times are changing faster than at any time in history and it's only going to get worse do you have a choice - circle the wagons and keep doing what you have been doing for years or let go of conventional wisdom, sacred cows and traditional thinking and reinvent - yourself, your business, your association, your church - everything - or accept being left behind and losing everything.

Over the years I have worked with many organizations who for whatever reasons, decided that they needed to re-invent itself in order to remain a competitive and profitable enterprise in the marketplace.

During the same period, I have also observed hundreds of organizations that obviously needed to re-invent themselves but for whatever reasons failed to do so. Let's take a brief look at five of the critical areas that will have an impact on this process and will determine whether your re-invention is an exercise in futility or a successful transition.

What do I mean when I use the term - re-invent/transition?

Re-invent, re-discover, re-new, start over, begin again - the terms do not matter, what does are the attitudes, values, prejudices, opinions, expectations, fears, needs, desires and values of the owner or senior management who will ultimately drive the process. Having said that, to me, when an organization needs to re-invent itself, for whatever reason, it implies that what was or used to be, is no longer working, effective, profitable or competitive. It is time for one or more new: policies, strategies, structures, methods, procedures, expectations, rules, behaviors, leadership, direction, focus and even employees - and probably all of them.

When is the right time to re-invent/transition your organization?

My experience tells me, that, the pain for management or the organization has to be significant enough, however this pain is manifested, before executives or management becomes willing to set a new course and transition its organization. Unfortunately, because of; arrogance, ignorance, ego or all of the three, many organizations either never do it or recognize the need far too late and become just another business statistic or illustration of a bad example in some author's book. The time to re-invent is before you need to. The time to do it is every year - at a minimum and maybe even every month. Better to regularly condition your employees for consistent constructive and positive change and growth than to try and turn a battleship (your organization) around in a small harbor in twenty minutes with a less than motivated staff because they are not ready, equipped, motivated or interested in doing so.

How do you re-invent/transition your organization?

Let's see if I can summarize one of my all-day seminars here in just a few sentences. If you are not willing to seriously embrace, at a minimum, each of these steps, I recommend you save your money and let the market place decide your ultimate fate.

1) You must be willing to let go of the day-to-day details that will drive this process. 

2) You must lock your ego and your prejudices and expectations in the closet. 

3) You must be committed to see the process through to its conclusion, no matter how long it takes or what it costs. 

4) You must empower your management team to implement and inspect the transition process - you can't do it alone and still run the business. If you can you have bigger problems than this transition, believe me. 

5) You don't lose your tradition or fundamental values. 

6) You must trust your employees to pull the transition off. 

7) You need to lead the process, not manage it. 

8) You need to accurately assess your; willingness to change, let go, delegate, empower and live with the consequences. 

9) You should hire an outside resource to ensure that the above items are adhered to. Your employees are not going to do it all without some impartial guidance and/or creativity. 

10)You need to be an encourager and a champion of this process in both easy and hard times. 

11) There's a lot more, trust me but you would be amazed at how few organizations can do most or even in some cases any of the above.

Who should be involved in the re-invention/transition process?

This one is easy - anyone who can contribute ideas, reality, information, inspiration, creativity, value, feedback, accountability, integrity or support to the process and I mean everyone.

What will the new organization look like after the re-invention/transition process is complete?

It's anyone's guess. In a rapidly changing world it is becoming increasingly difficult if not impossible to accurately forecast future outcomes. All you can do is remain flexible, open, receptive and willing to make change your partner and the partner of your organization.

So, it's a choice - stay stuck and hope you survive or reinvent and get ahead or at a minimum stay with the trends and the curves ahead.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Re-Invent-Or-Become-Obsolete&id=9894391

Don't Waste Your Final Years On Being Old (By Tim Connor)

As you read this I'm not sure how you define old so I won't disappoint you by giving you my age (although many of you know it) but let's assume "old" for many people is defined after they hit sixty?

I'm sure many of you are so young you can't even imagine yourself that old and I'll bet many of you older than sixty never imagined you would be this old. Therefore, you have no interest in this article - but beware - you will be there before you know it. Just ask most of the older folks you know and I'll bet most of them will admit that the years have passed by so fast they couldn't even keep track of them.

So, I'm not going to try and convince you folks under sixty that you should wake up and smell the roses - you've heard it all before but I am going to focus on why most older folks need to spend less time being old and more time being young. 

Old - Having lived or existed for a relatively long time; far advanced in years or life. Relatively advanced in age. (What's a relatively long time? My addition).

FYI - The current average life span in America is - 77.6 years. S_____ I'm almost there. Oh well, back to my article.

Why do so many people let their age define their lifestyle, attitudes, behavior or even their goals and dreams? I could give you hundreds of examples of people throughout history who didn't really start to hit their stride until they were over sixty and many into their seventies and even eighties?

I'm sure you know many people who are old or older. You may even be one of them. Some of you may be getting to ready to retire this year or looking forward to retirement in the near future. Want a scary statistic? The current average life span of the average retiree at age 65 is 5-7 years. Yes, many people make it to ninety and some pass away at 66 but the average is only a few short years and why?

Because these folks lose their reason for living, being and even surviving. There is no more reason to get up every day - why bother - it will just be the same ole same ole. Sad.

I'm certainly not at all or in any way belittling retirement, however it just isn't in my vocabulary or DNA so here I sit typing away (at 20 words per minute).

You've probably heard the line - how old would you be if you didn't know how old you were? My mentor Mark Twain was once asked by a reporter, Mr. Twain how old are you and his response (so just Mark Twainish) was "My age is none of my business."

The day I read that - that became one of my many life mantras. Age is a number and old age is a big number.

What I really want to ask you is - how are you defining your life as the years creep up on you? Slowing down? Speeding up? Starting new stuff? Letting go of dreams, goals and desires? Not sure what to do next? So many questions and so little time.

Here's the right question - what are you going to do with the years you have left before it's too late... think about it!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Dont-Waste-Your-Final-Years-On-Being-Old&id=9743763