Three Steps to Inner Growth

Inner growth is defined as many things: life lessons, wisdom, knowledge, and evolution, to name a few.

It's typically acquired as a result of life experiences, and usually those particular experiences aren't very pleasant. Humans seem to be wired to learn through pain, which I guess makes a lot of sense when you think about it. After all, if everything was hunky dorey all the time and we felt good about all aspects of our life, why would we want to take a chance on ruining all that just to learn something?

Although inner growth occurs along a path, that path is rarely steady, even, or straight. However, it almost always consists of three main steps:

1. Awareness of the issue. Typically this awareness comes as a result of an uncomfortableness you feel when something's not working for you in your life. Most often this is something that causes you emotional pain rather than physical, although it could be both.

2. Gathering information about the issue. So, what happened to cause this new awareness? What exactly isn't working for you and how isn't it working? How can it be corrected? Those are just a few of the important questions you need to ask at this step. As you delve deeper into the issue, more questions will arise, some of which may surprise you.

3. Applying the information to the issue. This is the reward. This is where you get to see how well you've learned about the subject you chose to experience. This is the feel-good part of inner growth.

Let's use an example. Say, something like you got fired from your job.

1. Awareness. Well, that's pretty obvious. You don't have a job any more.

2. Gathering information. Why did you get fired? Was it something you were or were not doing? Is it personal or universal? If it's personal, what do you need to change about how you do your work or interact with your co-workers? If it's universal, such as an economic slowdown, what do you need to do to make yourself more valuable to an employer? These questions and others like them will garner you the information you need to continue on to the next and final step.

3. Applying the information. Make a list of the answers you came up with in Step 2 and use that information to create a to-do list. Maybe some of the changes you'll make are learning better communications skills, changing your work habits, improving your personal hygiene, taking classes to add to your working knowledge.

Of course, this applies to ALL inner growth, from the mundane such as the example of losing one's job, to the esoteric, such as emotional and spiritual growth.

Breaking down the learning experience into these three steps is like eating a ton of applesauce. It's a lot easier and less stressful when you do it one small bit at a time.

Aside from the inner growth and valuable insights and information you'll acquire, another benefit for you is that as you identify the step where you are in the process, you gain the satisfying knowledge that you're making progress.

What current learning opportunity are you experiencing? What are you learning about it? Which step are you at with your learning regarding the issue?

https://ezinearticles.com/?Three-Steps-to-Inner-Growth&id=10314616

Be Authentic - Love Who You Are, Flaws and All

You are one of a kind! No two people in the entire world are the same. Both good and bad past life experiences have made you who you are today. The good times have helped you learn happiness, compassion and love. Even the difficult and grueling times in life have taught you strength and perseverance. Be authentic to you and honor your self as the unique being that you are, flaws and all.

So often, we tend to compare ourselves to others and this is so unfair. By comparing yourself to others, you do yourself a huge injustice because again, no two people are the same. Only you know the life you've lived and the lessons in life that you've learned. No other person on this earth has lived and learned, or are still learning to follow their path exactly the way you are today.

As an example, in the car dealership world, you can pick up a new car for the same price as everyone else. There's not much wiggle room when there are about a hundred of them on the lot with only one or two tiny differences. But if you're looking for a used car, you can be certain that your going to pay top dollar because there are no two used cars that are the same and the dealership know this. They play on that so that you love this car and when there are no others like it here or down the road, you'll pay more for it. You as a person are no different. Treasure yourself, your uniqueness and even your flaws, because they too, are what make you who you are.

Be authentic and accepting of yourself, flaws and all. If there's something you truly want to change, then do it, but love and accept yourself in the process. No one has lived what you lived, so you've earned it! Truly, each of us is our own worst critic and it certainly takes courage and self-respect to accept ourselves completely. See your value, take responsibility for who you are, the way you live, and your own happiness!

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Sat Chit Ananda, Pure Blissful Consciousness

I seek you in temples, in altars and shrines, in mantras and malas, in murtis and idols, what do I seek? That which is already in me, which I do not realize or can't fathom, the depths of non duality, my being is you, only you, yet I question every step, every turn that life takes, ridden with the burden of karmas, mistakes or lessons that I learnt, only increasing my faith in the very existence of the force that is the very essence of life, who do I call in the a crisis, when I am overcome with joy, the cosmic Brahman, I see you in all, peace, peace, peace.

The atman drives our existence, taking us through life's experiences, some that are what we want and some that are painfully not needed. Yet the being evolves with these experiences, strengthening ever more with the realization of Sat Chit Ananda.

Sat Chit Ananda, never changing Absolute being, surreal, the undifferentiated state of non-duality. It is the most perfect expression of living reality, the primordial Self, our inner being, that which is a part of the divine. Chit, pure consciousness, are the experiences unlimited by creation.

Ananda is bliss, limitless divine joy of the soul. We identify with that which does not change, and become the witness of the changes of nature. Going from a state of being to no being, from asking to receiving and giving, inner peace, tranquility and joy.

Watch as the seer and not the doer, go to higher levels of consciousness, not bound by rituals or doctrines, the self can be realized in any which way that your inner being asks you. Some find their path through meditation others through singing kirtans or yoga.

Sat is truth, the destroyer of falsehood, delusion, ego and illusion. It leads us from the unreal, the perceived reality to the real, out of the shadow and into visible consciousness of our true state that is union with the Brahman. Sat liberates us from a limited, narrowness of thought and action to our boundless and natural state of pure being.

So no more Karma or karmic action, and retribution it is the absolute truth of the being that you see simply and subjectively. I bore the brunt of my karmic action weighed down with pain and sadness with the world, till I realized that my being is pure and only in unison with the Brahman.

He is me, I am him, so where and how is this a game of blame. Go forward, take charge of the Sat through Chit and reach for Ananda.

Chit is consciousness reaching out of slumber and forgetfulness into our true nature of unconditional love. Ananda is pure absolute bliss, joy and union with the Brahman. Release all tensions, stress, obstacles, chaos and conflict, and disturbances and you are in union with the Brahman, surrender and be purified.

In Satchitananda, the chakras are balanced in harmony and this synergistic flow allows the kundalini to flow and prana permeates every molecule of your being and floods the consciousness.

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If It's No Longer Working For You, Change The Dance!

Some people say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. If you are finding that things are working smoothly in your life, like a well oiled machine, keep doing what you're doing. If it's not broken, don't fix it! Instead, wash, rinse and repeat. And at that point, find yourself sitting in a space of gratitude for the blessings you've been gifted. But if you are beginning to see negative patterns in your life, and you feel like your continuously hitting a brick wall, you may need to change the dance. Change things up a bit and look within for your own personal growth.

We all develop defense mechanisms to cope with challenges and painful feelings or times in our lives to simply push us through the most difficult of times. Sometimes we develop these mechanisms without even knowing it. And it's those defense mechanisms that have helped us get through the most pain in the quickest time period, that we usually hang onto subconsciously. This is in its simplest form, muscle memory and a very natural thing to do. But there comes a point in time where these defense mechanisms no longer work in serving your highest good, so it's time to change the dance.

Remember that with our life experiences, we are constantly changing throughout the course our lives so why would we expect these same defense mechanisms to always work? Most defense mechanisms were developed as a child and in some cases in a very negative manner. A child who was ignored, for example, may have thrown themselves into their schoolwork to gain some sort of recognition. But what that child really did was, they moved away from dealing with the negative feelings within. And dealing with deep inner feelings is the only way to truly release the pain and get past the need to be on the defensive to get what we want out of life in a healthy manner.

We have the ability to heal our pain by diffusing the patterns that no longer serve us. Sitting with our pain or discomfort and really feeling it is the only way to release it. Painful as it is, only then can can you look within to find your truth and use that truth to deal with a situation or feeling to change the outcome of what seems like the brick wall. You can then seek from within that which you do want by adjusting and modifying yourself and your actions so that you can get it.

So, essentially, if things are not currently working out in the manner in which you hoped for, change the dance. In this new upcoming year, try to put down your defenses and begin using your mind, heart and spirit to find your own sense of peacefulness and joy within. You may then find your inner power to put new processes in place to get exactly what you are looking for in life. Remember, your peace and happiness all starts and ends with you and your mind! This, my dear friends was my lesson, once again throughout the course of this year. Life is a work in progress always!

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Why Failure Before Success? (By Tonya White Johnson)

If you are human you have probably asked the question, why do we fail before we succeed? Unfortunately, some of us stop midway the question, and we only get to why do we fail? Life experiences have taught me that Failure is inevitable. It's the universe's way of helping us live a more empowered life. I know that sounds crazy right? It was probably the most insane thought that I could think, would ever cross my mind; particularly after one of my "greatest failures," my divorce. Funny, how I still take ownership of it. Did you just notice how I wrote my divorce as if I was the only one getting a divorce? Some habits are hard to break. Even as I am writing, I am learning. But I digress, back to my "woe is me" story.

The Failure

So it was 1995, and I was 25 years old. I was blessed with a beautiful two-year-old son, a high-powered management job in hospitality, great friends and seemingly all was well with the world. Except it wasn't. My personal life was falling apart. Some things had happened to me as a woman, that I never thought would have happened to me. How did this happen, I wanted to scream? How did I become an ex-wife, a single mother, and worse yet, why was my son in a single family household, traipsing back and forth between his parents every other weekend. Never in a million years could I have imagined that this would be my life. That same year my best friend was getting married. So I had to be truly happy for her and focus on her beautiful day while my heart had been shattered into a million little pieces.

At this point in my "perfect life", I was supposed to have a home, a white picket fence. My handsome son, a loving husband and a dog. Maybe two dogs. But here I was, unhappily single and trying to figure out what happens next. I'm sure I don't have to explain the roller coaster of emotions that happens after a "supposed failure" in life. Bouts of depression, sadness, anger, tears. Sometimes to cope we find ourselves in addiction. Addicted to anything from illegal drugs, legal drugs, alcohol, excessive shopping, excessive food and more. You name it, in despair and hopelessness, we can find all kinds of vices to get into. Whatever we can find in the moment to temporarily relieve the pain, we find ourselves clinging to it, often worshiping it.

The Revelation

It was during one of these crisis moments that I had this mind-blowing epiphany. The revelation that failure is life's sway of empowering me. Helping me to understand my strengths, challenging me to take back my power. You see, I had given my power to the word failure. My whole life, all of my accomplishments up to that point, as well as all of those that would come after, was wrapped up in one life event. One alleged failure. Divorce!!! Seriously, how could my life be over after a divorce? And while I can be complacent about it now I understand if you can't yet smile through your pain. I understand if you are in the throes of depression, sadness and anger. I get it! But you don't have to be. Your hopelessness does not have to last as long as mine did. I want to give you what no one was able to give me. I want to give you hope. I want you to know that you are not a failure just because things did not work out just the way you planned. It doesn't have to be divorce; it could be anything in life. Any of life's events that does not happen the way we think it should. Trust me when I say there is nothing in life that hope and faith can't conquer. I have to tell you, as the revelation of how life was challenging me, empowering me, becoming clearer as each day passed I found myself laughing out loud. Feeling my strength come alive. Willing my fight muscles to strengthen. Daily warring with the negative thoughts that plagued my soul, and eventually winning the battle and conquering all thoughts that warred against my mind.

That empowering moment was a turning point for me. It was the moment that I made up my mind that I would seek to learn the lesson of every event in life, whether labeled good or bad. I was determined to seek the lesson and not give my power to the word failure again.

Success Through Failure

Today, I am happily married. I have a beautiful God-sent husband. Someone who loves me through all of my stuff. I finally have a partner and a friend. I have a wonderful family life. All that I hoped for back then I now have. It took some time. It didn't happen overnight. I had to go through some stuff. There are some scars. Some wounds. Some pains. But they no longer hurt. They are there as a reminder. They remind me how great life is. They remind me of what I am capable of. They remind me that I was not built to break.

So now when I am asked the question why do we have to fail before we succeed, I can honestly answer without hesitation that failure is a way of preparing for what's to come. Failure is our strength training. It builds our muscles to be able to carry all of the success of tomorrow. It gives us life lessons to learn and share. Because of failure, we become teachers. Because of failure, we become humble. Because of failure, we become wise. Because of failure, we become grateful. Because of failure, we can now succeed.

How Do you Live an Empowered Life Through Failure?

Empowered living comes from empowered thoughts. It's not about the fact that you have failed and most likely will fail again. Empowered Living is just the opposite. It is embracing the failures. It's embracing adversity. It's choosing to accept what is, and being determined to take your back your power by re-framing the event in your mind. It is getting up after being knocked down. It is dusting yourself off and standing tall with your head erect knowing that you were not built to break. Empowered living is giving yourself permission not to be perfect. And when the flaws begin to show, you smile anyway, knowing that tomorrow will be a brighter day. Another lesson learned, another empowering moment to absorb. Another empowering moment to teach.

Do you have an empowering moment about failure and success to share? We've all had them. The key is to remember and remind ourselves of how we felt at that moment when we took back our power. It's those thoughts. That feeling. That energy that will empower you to live your best life. Your best-empowered life!

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To Each His Own (By Wilson Horrell)

This weekend I had some time to kill. I didn't REALLY want to do anything, but I didn't want to do nothing either. I grabbed my laptop and just kind of stared at it. There wasn't really anything that I wanted to read about, and nothing which I cared to learn. I don't watch the news and I don't read the newspaper. I have not really any interest in what is going on in the world, and I have a hard time wrapping my head around most things global. Being that I have so much enjoy writing, I googled "what makes a successful writer". As I read each individual point, instead of absorbing the information that the experienced writer was conveying, I found myself conjuring up my own bullet points as to why I would not be following the instruction. The article stated "not use foul language", well that will be difficult. It also said to "target a specific audience", NOPE. The author advised to "keep the content consistently based around a singular topic", I wouldn't even know where to begin. And finally, "make sure that you provide fresh and interesting information about your area of expertise", which is difficult because I don't have any knowledge about any one area, and I'm certainly no expert. So, up your butt Mr. This-is-what-you-need-to-do-to-be-a-writer-guy. Im not doing any of what you tell me to do. To be clear, I actually think his advice is pretty solid, and he seemed to be a really good writer; its me, not him (**GRAMMAR BREAK- I have no clue when to use a semi colon, but I'm dying to slide one in, because Drew Womack did it once, "Finding Nineveh" ). I CAN NOT STAND being told what to do, even if it is in the most constructive of ways, when I feel like I am being ordered, all my defensive walls go up along with the hair on the back of my neck (which is plentiful). There is something about resisting the recommended path that I have always found satisfying. Now I have paid for this characteristic time and time again, but my pattern of not following good advice has remained constant even through adulthood, but much of the logic behind my unwillingness to conform has changed greatly.

I became all-knowing at a very young age, probably about nine. I heard my mom and dad tell me this and that, but never really listened. The teachers at school did all that they could, and I was lucky to even be able to attend Sunday School. Athletic coaches would punish me, but I still knew better. Basically, I was a little pain in the butt. I think it only became worse as I got to high school. Being a knowledge savant, I was unable to understand, empathize, or agree with anyone who did not see the world as I did. I knew what was "right" and if you did not side with me, than you were wrong. I treated the people on my side pretty fairly, and I was a judgemental jerk to those who were different than me. I'm embarrassed to think of much of my past behavior, but I have accepted it for what it is, and have learned a great deal from it. I can think of few examples where my mom and dad warned me that "if I crossed my eyes that they would stay that way", where they didn't turn out to be exactly right. However, I just have to do things a different way. The interesting part of my unwillingness to conform is that it has done a 180 degree shift from my being "all-knowing" to my not knowing jack jerky. Having been absolutely wrong about most everything that I, at one time or another, regarded as "fact" or "truth", it has been a real relief to see that I don't know much of anything... and don't have much of a need to. With the revelation of my excessive level of ignorance, I was able to see one thing quite clear and that is this, NO ONE REALLY KNOWS THE ANSWERS. We each have different viewpoints on various topics because we have each had different life experiences. Depending on which angle you look through the prism, each person is going to categorize different events in different ways, and have varying opinions. No particular belief has to be "right" or "wrong", because they just "are". But I do love to listen to people converse over why their viewpoint is superior over another's, and to hear them exercise their perceived knowledge about what we as a society should or shouldn't do.

I want to let you in on a little secret. You want to know what it is? Of course, you do. Everyone loves secrets. Well here it is... I paint my toe nails. I haven't always painted them, but I do now. It started off as being sorta something funny that I did while Amanda and I were getting a pedicure. Mississippi State was playing Alabama that weekend, and I was trying to put a juju curse on the Tide. Turns out, I could have cut off both of my feet, glued them to my forehead, and it would not be enough to avoid the tail whippin that they put on us, but I digress. So, I had each of my piggies painted maroon, and the middle toe painted white. This would be something that I would do one time, get some giggles from my kids, and would just be another story. However, I found that people really had an opinion about what I did with my toes. It actually evoked feeling in people, and made some so uncomfortable that I felt as if they were holding back anger! It was really interesting, I loved it. Obviously, my only option was to do it again, but this time red, and again, but now they are gold... with glitter. I like the feeling that it evokes, but I am also a 6 foot, 250lb, educated, straight, white male who is making this decision solely from my interest in the sociological aspect. I can't imagine what it would be like to be different, when you never asked to be different, and were treated different anyway. It makes me sad. It makes me sad because of all of the times that I am guilty of it, and it makes me sad that so many people are victims of it. Believe it or not, I had no intention of veering off into an equal rights essay, but that's how my brain works. Anyways, the older I get, and the more I feel like a stable member of society, the more I appreciate those that voluntarily go against the grain. I don't want anyone getting hurt, but I like it when people are willing to turn a few heads in an effort to live the way that they see fit, and not feel like that they have to act or be a certain way.

I was having a conversation with a friend of mine on Sunday at the gym. We were discussing my toe-nails and why he did or did not agree with them. This guy is someone whom I respect and admire (GRAMMAR BREAK- it's a total craps shoot as to whether I use "who" or "whom" BTW, just a guess). It was interesting to hear him verbalize just how and why he felt particular ways about different things. Keep in mind that we were having a discussion, not an argument. An argument is when I believe myself to be "right", and do not have any desire to LEARN anything... I just want to win. I have a much greater history of arguing rather than conversing, but I am learning. I think the fact that I have so much admiration for this particular person made it easier for me to listen to his views. We were on such different ends of the belief spectrum that we were not even standing in the same time zone, but at no time did I ever see him as "right" or "wrong", as much as I did just "different". I like to see people do wild stuff, things that evoke an opinion from others, especially those who break the stereotypes. Amanda Drogmiller is one of my Amanda's very best friends and one of my all time favorite people. Just last week, Drogmiller and my Amanda went to get Drogmiller's nose pierced and Amanda got yet another tattoo. I absolutely love this sort of thing. Amanda quoted Drogmiller as saying that even though they are in their mid-thirties they felt really cool and youthful... until they got to the parking lot and boarded the mini-van. I just like seeing the societal norms challenged, I think that they should be. I like to see the (other) fat guy at the race, the skinny guy on the weights, the business man with the eyebrow pierced, and the long headed go shaved. It is fun for me to watch my generation move into the executive office of life, and the fact that we don't have to dress and act like our grandparents did. It does not make my generation right, or their generation wrong, it's just different. Back in the day it was coat and tie, no questions asked. If you did not wear coat and tie, your chances of survival were slim. Turns out, there where people closer to my age (I am 39), who did not like coats and ties, were not going to wear coats and ties, and had all the ambition, knowledge, and drive necessary to avoid them. I enjoy watching society evolve. I enjoy watching the things that were once social faux pas turn into societal norms, while we come up with other garbage to pick apart, so we can find the reasons that our world will not exist much longer, and remain perpetually unhappy. Today I want to pay close attention to the things I see in other people that evoke an emotional response. I want to see what it is that makes me feel threatened about them, and why I choose to let it bother me. If it is something that I believe that I can (and should) change, than I will act on it, otherwise I am going to do like Elsa and let that mess gooooooooo. Enjoy your day, you big sexy animal.

Peace, Love, and all things Beef related,

http://ezinearticles.com/?To-Each-His-Own&id=9385406

Mental Blocks and Metaphors

"Key metaphors help determine what and how we perceive, and how we think about our perceptions". M. H. Abrams

Perceptions are created from life experiences, and they can be your greatest source of encouragement, or create your biggest mental block. Working as a therapist and life coach I spend a lot of time delving into the perceptions of those people I work with by using interpretive images such as metaphors. Why? Metaphors tell a story or provide a visual cue to help us see alternative ways of looking at personal challenges.

Creative and powerful, metaphors have a uniquely meaningful influence, bringing together clarity and attention to your specific situation. Some refer to this experience as an "aha moment". One of the most transforming, is the key metaphor that stems from the optical viewer known as a kaleidoscope. Described as a "key" metaphor because it offers up ever-changing images and constantly shifting perspectives that everyone can relate to. Speaker Rosabeth Moss Kanter illustrates the kaleidoscope metaphor as a window to the world, in that you look at a set of elements, and with intention reassemble those floating bits and pieces into how you perceive yourself, and your world. All of which make up your life. The smallest shift having the potential to create a new awareness, as was the case in the story of my friend's daughter Kate.

My Friends Daughter: Story of the Seen and Unseen

As the door opened, my friend was struck by the tears streaming down her daughter's face.

Stumbling to speak through her tears, my friend's daughter said "It's not fair, it's not my fault, it's just not fair"! Curious my friend stopped what she was doing to listen. She wanted to know more about what had made her daughter so upset.

"What's not fair Kate?" my friend asked.

Justifying her tears, my friend's daughter said "Because I'm the tallest in my class I always get put last in line. Just once I would like to be first, it's not my fault. I didn't ask to be tall, it's just not fair".

Calmly my friend replied. "Kate do you remember the lesson of the Kaleidoscope?"

"That sometimes you need to go exploring to find a solution" replied Kate.

Okay then, said my friend," let's go exploring. Why don't we begin by lining up just you as you would do in school ". Kate looked at her mother and did as she requested. Now standing behind her, my friend using her best militant voice yelled out "about-face" and Kate found herself first in line, right where she wanted to be.

Excited Kate said "Oh mommy, if all I want is to be first in line, I just need to turn around"!

By prompting Kate to think about the lesson of the Kaleidoscope along with intentional instruction from my friend, Kate was able to see her situation in a new and different way. Whether or not you agree with the concept that problems are created when you stop seeking solutions is not important. What is helpful is the realization that challenges cannot be transformed into opportunities when an obstacle you are facing consumes all your attention.

Take-away: Even though what you see may not be up to you or me, the way it is viewed is up to you.

Making Your Kaleidoscope

While I don't believe you need any practical excuse for owning a kaleidoscope other than for the sheer enjoyment, so don't forget to find the fun in exploring creative solutions!

Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Mental-Blocks-and-Metaphors&id=9328226

Manifest Your Dreams

For each of us, the universe is different. A homeless man may view the universe as unfair, hard and tough. A rich man may view the universe as a lovely place full of luxury and pleasure. Both of them are viewing the same universe, it is just different because of their perceptions of it and their life experiences.

This is a fundamental key to understanding, to know that how you perceive the universe is how it is to you. If you feel it is full of fear and hatred, then it will be. If you think it is full of love and happiness, it is. Using some of the techniques discussed in this, and other articles, you can start to reprogram the way you perceive the universe and change your life!

Think about how many times you have feared something happening and then it has. For example, you might be worried that you are going to bump your car, and then you do. Was it a premonition or did you create it? Compare this to the amount of times you have looked forward to something and then it has happened. Usually the fear is a much stronger emotion and focus, which causes the object of that fear/thought to manifest much more quickly.

Of course, thought and belief does not just create the universe on an emotional and psychological level, but also on a material level. We may fear that we are not good with money and hence we are not. You can use your will and focus on manifesting items that you want to further your life with. Remember that you can only manifest things you believe you can have. You may wish for a million dollars, but unless you really believe you can have it, you will not get it.

You need to be aware that things are not just going to fall out of the air and land on your lap, though on occasion they may well do so, literally as well as figuratively. It sometimes takes a little while for what you want to manifest to appear. Sometimes it requires faith and patience on your part. It might be the Universe is testing you to see if you really want it and will really dedicate yourself to getting it before you get it. You cannot sit back and wait for what you want to manifest.

There is a saying "God helps those who help themselves". This is true. When you are manifesting it is essential that you listen to your intuition and follow your instincts. It often also depends on whether what you are trying to manifest is in tune with your life's purpose or not. If it is not then you have an uphill struggle to manifest it. Also, if you manifest for selfish needs and with your ego then it is not likely to work. It works best when you manifest for the greater good, selflessly, and from your higher self.

When working on manifesting remember to keep your mind open as to how it is going to appear in your life. For example, many of us may want to manifest more money. We have a mental program that says, "more money means I have to work more". This is not necessarily true. You might manifest more money from a promotion, a raise at work, a change of job or career, from a competition win, an inheritance, and many other ways. You need to be open to this because if you mentally limit the ways the Universe can provide to you then it is going to be much harder for what you want to come into your life. Listen to your intuition too because it will help guide you. You might get the urge to buy a newspaper suddenly. You buy it and notice the exact car you want for sale in it. Our intuition is from our higher self and will guide us if we listen to it.

You can use decrees, affirmations, and positive visualisation to help you create what you want in your universe. This does not just have to be limited to material items, but you can work on bringing more love, more joy and many other things into your life and the lives of those around you. When you are working on manifesting things such as these into your life look to the root cause of what you are lacking. For example, you might feel you are lacking love in your life. Examine the cause and you might see it is because of a lack of self-worth or self-love, or because of something in your childhood. Once you are aware of why you can work on dealing with the issue and healing yourself. Then you will find it much easier to bring, and to keep, what you desire in your life.

Another exercise you can do to help you manifest is to realise the abundance of the universe. Abundance will be the subject of another article, and is dealt with fully within the course, but take a walk outside some time and look at how abundant nature is. See how freely nature gives and how much is given. Think about this and how abundance can be a part of your life.

You can use affirmations such as:

* I am worthy of love and respect from others and myself

* I have an abundance of money in my life

* I am good with money and spend it wisely

* I open myself to the abundance of the universe

* I am in tune with my higher self

* I accept that I am a good and worthy person

Finally, remember these points:

Believe in what you are trying to manifest

Listen to your intuition

Manifest from your higher self and in harmony with your life's purpose

Manifesting is not just limited to material items. You can manifest more love, happiness, peace, and much more

Manifest for others, not just yourself

That YOU create the universe you live in, so changing your perceptions of it, changes the universe

Believe in yourself and what you can achieve. You can manifest anything you desire in your life, good or bad.

http://goarticles.com/article/Manifest-Your-Dreams/156584/

Marriages Have The Best Chance Of Surviving With This Age Difference

There are many predictors of the success of a marriage, among them the having of money, the having of children, and the length of time a couple spends dating before they tie the knot. 

Another big predictor, though, is age: The closer a couple is when it comes to their respective birth years, the greater their chances of avoiding divorce. 

That's according to a study that compiled polling data from more than 3,000 recently married and divorced Americans.

The study—the overall findings of which my colleague Olga Khazan highlighted last month—used a multivariate model to calculate the factors that seemed to best predict the marriage's chances of success. (Or, at any rate, its chances of not ending in divorce.) Its results were visualized by the data scientist Randy Olson, who created a series of charts to illustrate the study's findings.

Olson released another set of visuals—the most intriguing of which focuses on the matter of the age gap. A one-year discrepancy in a couple's ages, the study found, makes them 3 percent more likely to divorce (when compared to their same-aged counterparts); a 5-year difference, however, makes them 18 percent more likely to split up. And a 10-year difference makes them 39 percent more likely.

Once you enter large-gap territory—the 20-year difference, the 30-year difference—the odds of divorce are almost never in your favor.

via Randy Olson

If your partner happens to be 15 years older or younger than you are, that's not automatically a bad omen: Statistics, of course, are not destiny.

But, as predictors, the study's findings stand to reason. Marriage is, above all, about 50-50 partnership; differences in ages also mean differences in life experience and cultural reference points. Generations may be an invention, but they are meaningful nonetheless.

So, with all the necessary caveats about love's vagaries and mysteries, if you want a marriage that lasts, you should probably try to marry someone your own age. Due apologies to Aaliyah.

http://www.businessinsider.com/marriages-have-the-best-chance-of-surviving-with-this-age-difference-2014-11