Zeba, The Lazy Way To Not Water Your Garden

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I've got them. You've got them. We've all got them. A bazillion Rules are tucked away in your brain, monitoring every minute of your day and telling you how to do everything you do.

There are big Rules, instilled at the cultural level, that keep you from strangling the neighbor's dog when it barks all night, from shooting the idiot that cuts in front of you on the freeway, and from slugging your boss when she demands yet another weekend's worth of overtime. While anger and frustration are justified in all three of these examples, the Rules that keep you from violence provide safety not only for your neighbor, your fellow driver, and your boss, but also for you. Let's face it, expressing that initial impulse might be momentarily satisfying, but you'd regret it in the long run.

Then there are the individual, personal Rules, the Rules you learned from your parents, your teachers, and your peers. These Rules often create restriction instead of safety, limit your possibilities, and stifle your dreams. When you start to question and break these Rules, you'll discover a sense of fun and freedom and you'll become happier and more productive.

That's not to say that breaking Rules is easy. To begin with, they served a purpose for you for a lot of years. There's a reason (to take a ridiculously simple example) why your parents taught you not to talk to strangers. However, that Rule doesn't help you much now that you're an adult who needs to network, deliver presentations to large groups, and conduct business on an international scale. Still, how much of that Don't Talk To Strangers Rule lurks in the back of your mind, creating a lump in your throat and a flutter in your belly when you're facing the adult necessity?

Now, that is, as I said, a ridiculously simple example that may not ring true for you. The thing about these individual Rules is that they are truly individual. While many are shared widely, they tend to have a personal twist; simply put, your Rules aren't the same as your best friend's Rules.

And breaking the Rules is different for everyone as well. For some people, just thinking about breaking Rules makes them break out in a cold sweat. Others gleefully start breaking Rules right and left - until eventually even they come up against a more thoroughly ingrained Rule that makes them flinch.

Here are three questions to ask yourself when you're contemplating breaking a Rule and finding it hard to do.

1. Whose Rule is it, anyway?
   
   Who made this Rule? What little voices in your head are clamoring that breaking this Rule will bring down mayhem and destruction? Get a piece of paper and list the names of everyone whom you KNOW will think less of you if you break this Rule. It will be shorter than you expect; you may have a hard time coming up with more than two or three. However many you have on your list, think about whether these are the people you want running your life.

   If you're still stuck, make another list of all the people who will support your Rule-breaking. I'll bet there are more of them - and that they're the ones whose opinions really mean something to you.

2. What will breaking this Rule do for you?
   Make a list of the benefits you'll get from breaking the Rule. Put down everything from It will be fun to I can make more money to I'll take a step closer to being who I really am. No one else will see your list, so it's safe to brainstorm wild ideas.
   If you find this hard to do, remember that you're not committing to breaking the Rule, you're just listing some of the good things that will happen when (if) you do.
3. What's the worst possible thing that could realistically happen?
   

   I'm not asking you to break Rules just for the sake of breaking them. Nor am I asking you to incur significant risk by breaking Rules. So if you're contemplating, for instance, breaking the Rule your wealthy aunt instilled in you about never lending large sums of money to friends, you might want to consider this question very carefully. If you can see significant financial, physical, or emotional risk in breaking the Rule in question, then it's probably not a Rule you should break.

   Listing the worst possible consequences on paper will help you see just how real the risk is. If your answer to this question involves what other people might think, for instance, then go back to the first question - "Whose Rule is it, anyway?"

   Be sure that when you identify risks, they're both real and significant. Breaking Rules feels very risky. This step helps you determine what's real and what's perceived.

I challenge you to consider the Rules in your life, and to break one Rule every day for a week. Then let me know how it feels. I'll bet you enjoy it enough to keep right on breaking the Rules!

"Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something." Thomas A. Edison, American inventor and businessman, 1847 - 1931

(c)Grace L. Judson
Helping professionals who feel trapped and want a sense of direction
About the Author
I'm Grace Judson, the founder of and driving force behind Svaha Concepts

Stuck in a "success plateau" and having a hard time figuring out reasons to get out of bed in the morning? For more information or to access my free resources (including my free workbook "What Would Your Cat Do? Simple Steps to Overcome Overwhelm"), please visit Svaha Concepts' website

Noble Eightfold Path
Mohandas Gandhi
John F
Prajna

Setting Your Goals for a Better Life

You have heard a few times before that you can be anything you will. That you can do anything you desire, and that you can make your own future. This is all so true, and you know it. So what is holding you back?

The first step to this whole process is to know what you want. Set a desire into your focus. Dream what your perfect life would be and why it would be that way. There is nothing impossible; there is too much limitless possibility and probability to not be able to do as you will. So have you decided yet what you want from your life? If not what is holding you back?

Think back a few years to when you were a child and told your parents you were going to be something when you grow up. You were all exited and sure of yourself, you were going to grow up and be great. Then some one probably told you that you that you couldnt for reason and you believed them. Then one day you thought you grew up when you gave up your dreams. How terribly sad!

So what are you doing with your life right now? Are you living your dream life; happily ever after? Or are you drudging away each day at work, counting the days until the weekend so you can party and forget your troubles? What went wrong, why is your life not the fantastic fun and happy life you should have?

So vow to yourself, right now, that you will live the life you desire. Dig out those old dreams; remember what you were going to be when you grew up. Are those dreams impossible? No they are not! Those dreams are still well within the realm of probability; they will just take a bit more work to make them come true.

Write down your dream; dont worry about the how, all that will come in good time. Your only concern now is to know what you want from your life. Still dont know, or cant narrow it down? Then write down whatever comes to mind. Write down more than one dream; write down every thought that crosses your mind. You will surprise yourself; you will soon fill many pages with your dreams and wishes. You will find the universe will be more than able to make them all come true, more often than not; one at a time, but they will all come into your reality.

So set some goals, remember it is easier to move towards a goal, than move away from your problem. Set a few small goals at first to get yourself used to success, then move on to ever larger and grander goals, until you are unstoppable. You are responsible for your life, now go and live it.

Be Blessed.

The Guide to Setting Goals

Ralston Heath recently retired from 25+ years of active duty. Now that his life is his own again, he is working to share with the world all he knows. Check him out on his blog http://manifesting-dreams.blogspot.com/

Secrets Of The Power

Breaking Old Habits To Unleash Your Mind Power To Attract Success

Negative habits can take over our lives making our health drop, sometimes we lose our jobs and no friends call anymore. It does not sound like a happy life to me.

We need to change our negative habits to be positive to make us happy and succeed in whatever we want. We might want to change jobs, or relocate to a different area or even just look different.

By unleashing our mind power and digging down deep, we can become a new person with goals and happiness to keep us busy. When you unleash your mind power, you will find you are doing a lot of negative thinking down inside. Change very negative to positive thinking by changing your habits.

When we realize how many negative thoughts we have stored up it is sad for everyone around us. We become depressed, sickly, and angry even begin to have mood changes every time someone says something to us.

It take a lot of hard work to change old habits believe me but be positive and tell yourself that you can and will do it. Tell yourself that the old habits are out the door and bring in the new positive habits. You will become healthier and happier when all is said and done with.

Set goals for the habits you want to send out the door and replace. Write them down so make them seem more real by reading and reading them repeatedly. The more writing and reading you do youll make your brain believe that you can do this and than it will pitch in to help.

Habits are things we have done so many times they become natural. Even thought these habits are negative ones you can make them positive. Goals will help you succeed and lead you to money and friends.

If you find yourself saying if only, or I cant, put those negative thoughts away. Change and repeat them to I will or Next time I can do it this way these are thinking positive thoughts.

You goals need to be positive and reach them with positive thinking. For instance is one of your goals is not to eat so much. Repeat to you aloud in a soft voice today I wont eat so much. Keep reminding yourself that youre not going to eat so much every time you reach for a snack or make three sandwiches. Forget the negative thoughts and walk by the second snack or only make one sandwich.

The closer you get to make your positive goals youll see yourself becoming a different person. You will have a better job or at least one you like. Your health will be better so youre not so sick all the time with a headache. The phone will be ringing all the time from friends wanting you to go for a walk or come over to there place for coffee.

As the old habits, disappear. Moreover, the positive habits start taking over you will enjoy being alive again and happy to go to work.

Taking care of yourself and changing old negative thoughts to good positive ones will bring out the real you.

It will take time and a lot of effort to reach your goals for getting rid of the old habits but they will go and you wont even realize it. It will be such a surprise when it does hit that youll be jumping up and down with joy.

Love - Fun - Peace Kevin Low http://www.welovesuccess.com/offer

God In Buddhism
Pema Chodron
Critical thinking consists of mental processes of discernment

Listening Is As Important As Speaking

While engaging in conversations with friends and co-workers, how often do you feel that the other person has truly heard what you've said?

If you want to succeed in social settings, relationships, and business, one way to ensure your success is to be a great listener.

There are a few simple rules you can follow to help you become a better listener, therefore enhancing your conversation skills.

1. Stop talking.

It sounds very simplistic but if you are constantly talking, how can others express themselves? Make an effort to shift the focus of the conversation to the other person.

Be aware of your own body language. Match the other person's body language by leaning forward when they lean forward, etc.

Attention to small details will give the person you are speaking with a feeling that you truly hear what they are saying and that you are genuinely interested in their opinions.

If you sit with your arms crossed, constantly check your watch, or stare out the window, the person with whom you are speaking will feel that you are distant and disinterested.

2. Pay attention to the tone of your voice.

Even if you are only giving brief answers or asking short questions, the tone of your voice plays a major part in communicating effectively.

If your tone suggests a condescending attitude, boredom, or anger, you will lose your audience and people will no longer want to spend time speaking with you or listening to what you have to say.

A respectful, preferably friendly tone will allow you to communicate efficiently and earn you the respect of others.

3. In order to move the conversation forward, ask questions to clarify or invite additional information.

Questions indicate that you are fully attentive to what is being said and that you have a real interest in the speaker's views.

Give your full attention to the speaker. When you show others that you want to hear them, they will automatically grant you the same courtesy.

Maintain eye contact and always face the speaker. You will be able to express your own views much more effectively if you have the full attention of your audience.

If you give your full attention, you will certainly receive the same in return.

4. Engage in light, pleasant conversation as often as you engage in meaningful, direct conversation.

If you always guide the conversation in the direction of achieving your goal, you will leave the impression of distance and a superior attitude.

You will get a much more favorable response if you relate to others on a personal level as well as in a professional or authoritative manner.

People want to feel appreciated and unique. Make a point to address each person you encounter and do so in a positive, friendly manner. Conversation skills include treating others as you would like to be treated.

Good conversation skills include much more than simply speaking with others. Listening, good body language, questioning, pleasantries, and mutual respect are important elements in any conversation and are also personality traits exhibited by successful people.

You can improve your image and your ability to communicate if you follow these simple guidelines when communicating with others.

Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report:10 Simple Steps to Developing Communication Confidence. This report reveals the secret strategies all high achievers use to communicate with charm and impact. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: http://www.howtotalkwithconfidence.com/report.htm

Pablo Picasso
Cognitive Dissonance