Breathing from the diaphragm (the long band of muscle that lies beneath your lungs) allows for the fullest expansion possible of your ribcage. This means that more air can get into your lungs and into your bloodstream.

Singers use diaphragm breathing to be able to perform their songs with greater power and control, and learning the technique of diaphragm breathing will also improve your chances of relaxing into deep sleep.

This is a good exercise to start with, and can easily be used as a “cleansing” warm-up before doing any other form of exercise.

1. Ideally, lie on your back on a flat surface, or in bed, with your arms at your sides. If lying down isn’t possible then try to find a reclining position so that the ribcage is slightly extended.

2. As you breathe in through your nose, imagine that your abdomen and chest contain an empty vessel, like a wine carafe. The opening of the carafe is your nose or mouth and the neck of the carafe is your own neck. Where the neck of the carafe opens into the basin, picture this area as your lungs and then picture the main basin of the carafe as your abdomen.

3. Breathe in and feel the air pouring into your lungs. You should slowly expand your belly first, as if the air is literally filling up your body like wine would fill the carafe. Next fill and expand your upper abdomen, then your chest, throat and mouth. You can place your hand on your upper abdomen if you need help breathing this way. Your hand should rise as you breathe in.

4. When your “vessel” is full, begin to “pour” the air out through your mouth. This time, the air will empty in the opposite direction. First from your mouth, then your throat, chest and finally your stomach. Slightly contract your stomach muscles as if you’re trying to squeeze the last “drops” out.

5. Relax and breathe in again through your nose.

6. Repeat this process at least half a dozen times. Each time, try to pull in and pour out slightly more air.

If you prefer, you can imagine your stomach as a balloon - but it is important to keep the “order” in which the air fills your body. This exercise is teaching you not just to breathe deeply, but to notice and control your breathing. These skills form an important part of later meditation practices.

To continue practicing these skills, try this exercise. It may seem strange, but it will help you to expand your lung capacity and increase your sense of control over your breathing.

1. Get into a comfortable position, either lying down or sitting. Close your eyes and place the little finger of each hand on each side of your nose. Relax your other fingers against your cheeks or in a loose fist against your chin.

2. Use the left little finger to close the left nostril. Breathe in deeply through the right nostril only.

3. Now close the right nostril with the right little finger and release the left nostril. Exhale strongly through the left nostril.

4. Without moving your hands at all, breathe back in through the left nostril. Then close your left nostril and exhale through your right nostril only.

5. Repeat with each nostril as the “inhaling” nostril at least 3 times.

If you find it difficult to use both hands, try using the thumb and forefinger of one hand.

Because you are limiting the “pathways” for air to enter your lungs, you are making the lungs work harder to inhale and exhale. Over time, just as when you exercise a muscle, your lungs will get stronger and their capacity will increase, enabling you to breathe more deeply.

This exercise will get you some interesting looks if you try it in public, so just be forewarned!

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Meditation is healthy, safe and affordable. In fact it’s free. The only expense you’ll have is a meditation mat, which isn’t especially necessary-at least from my experience. Meditation has been around for 5,000 years, and was originally a spiritual component of yoga. Through the years non-yogis adopted it, intuitively sensing and connecting the practice with greater peace of mind. Personally, I can’t say enough good things about meditation. Its use has rewarded me with less worry and much more energy. But I’ve never been one for anecdotal evidence. Let’s get to the science…

Transcendental Meditation

Recently, there’s an incredible amount of science tied into the benefits of meditation. The studies are endless and cover a variety of meditative practices. On Transcendental Meditation alone (mantra repetition) there are over 500 studies. Some are more noteworthy that others. A study in the Japanese Journal of Public Health found that through Transcendental Meditation, industrial workers sleep improved and their smoking decreased. Another study conducted at the MERU Research Institute, in Buckinghamshire, England found that the length of time practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program correlated with younger biological age and younger functional age.

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation, which asks us to focus on our breath to facilitate awareness of the present moment, is another widely studied meditation technique. After studying the effects of 8-weeks of mindfulness meditation on participants, a 2003 report in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine concluded: “A short program in mindfulness meditation produces demonstrable effects on brain and immune function.” Impressive, but fairly vague. To get a more committed response to the benefits of meditation we have to turn to Taiwan. In 2002 their journal Chang Gung Medicine reported that “training in MM may be a medically superior and cost-effective alternative to pain medication for the control of headaches with no underlying organic causes in highly motivated patients.”

Stress Reduction and Meditation

What causes these positive physical changes? To answer this, other research has looked at the specifics of what happens in the body during meditation. . Researchers at the Maharishi School of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, found that meditation has an enormous impact on stress reduction. When they examined a group who had meditated for four months they saw that they produced less of the stress hormone cortisol. They were therefore better able to adapt to stress in their lives, no matter what their circumstances were.

Having balanced cortisol levels is essential to mental and emotional health. Notice I say balanced rather than none. We don’t want to completely eliminate cortisol. If we did we’d be dead. Even low cortisol levels can be dangerous. Not enough cortisol is the identifying trait of Addison’s disease. John F. Kennedy had this condition, which he denied passionately during his presidency. Yet during his term he regulated his levels through hydrocortisone (synthetic cortisol). The reverse of JFK’s condition is called Cushings Syndrome.

The five most common and noticeable changes of this condition include; red face and puffy cheeks; excess fat surrounding the collar bones, muscle weakness, and hypertension. But we don’t have to have Cushing’s Syndrome to be damaged by extra cortisol. The changes we experience may be subtle variations of these. Plus, the changes caused by excess cortisol are age dependent. Young people may stop growing and teenagers can develop acne. The mature among us aren’t safe either. Since excess cortisol damages bone-tissue those over age 60 may develop fractures related to osteoporosis. So it’s evident that if we can regulate cortisol, especially through a natural process, we owe it to ourselves to try.

Other Benefits of Meditation

Regina Drueding, MD, is a meditation instructor at Life Circles in Utah, USA. She quotes the benefits of meditation as follows: “more energy, improved quality of sleep, decreased anxiety, lessened chronological aging, improved concentration, improved visual acuity, increased alertness and heightened immunity.” She writes: “Besides the benefits mentioned earlier, meditation results in improvement of hypertension, sleep disorders, headaches, heartrhythm disturbances, chronic pain – pain due to cancer, infertility and irritable bowel syndrome. Following meditation, mental and physical refreshment result – and benefits are cumulative with regular practice.”

How to Meditate

Meditation is both simple and complex. It’s like defining the color orange: When you see it you know it. Similarly, the experience of meditation is best, well…experienced. In an article in New View magazine, Shippensburg University’s Dr. C. George Boeree describes the basics of Buddhist meditation. In summary, the beginner’s technique is as follows:

1. Sit or kneel comfortably.

2. The hands are loose and open with the palms up, one atop the other and thumbs lightly touching.

3. Head is upright. Eyes may be closed or open. If open they should focus on your hands or a spot nearby.

4. Beginning meditators should count upwards to ten on each exhale. Breathe in a relaxed and natural way. Then begin again at one and repeat. Continue to breathe naturally.

5. Continue for 15 minutes.

In my personal experience, I don’t find that the specific length of time is as important as repetition and persistence. To paraphrase, 10 minutes daily beats 15 minutes once a week. This brings me to another point: We all have different personalities and as such, different meditation approaches suit some more than others. Thankfully there are many varieties of meditation. Some varieties have sub-varieties.

Mindfulness meditation is one of these versatile practices. Perhaps it’s because its essence-awareness of the present moment-is so versatile. Mindfulness in our daily life can be practiced by slowing down and attending to our surroundings. What are our 5 senses telling us? We can use mindfulness in the middle of a hectic day, such as paying attention to our breathing when stopped at a traffic light. We can also use other everyday events as triggers for mindfulness. Buckling your seatbelt? Make this a reminder to return to the present. Really think about what you’re doing and the details of the experience.

The more traditional may benefit from a more formal mindfulness practice. You may sit in the identical form as in traditional Buddhist meditation- on a chair or kneeling. However, you may also sit with your legs crossed. Your eyes are closed and your posture is both straight and relaxed while your head remains upright. Focus on your breath and allow mental chatter to float by without regard. Thoughts, emotions and sensations will come, but don’t be influenced by them. Keep focused on your breath. If you are getting involved with your thoughts don’t worry-your efforts aren’t destroyed. The key thing is to bring your attention back to breathing and continue. This can go on for 5 minutes to 5 hours. It’s up to you.

Transcendental Meditation is another popular form of meditation. Generally, this type is practiced twice daily for a period of 15-20 minutes. Again, this technique involves sitting comfortably. Yet in contrast to basic Buddhist the eyes stay closed. Each student is given a mantra and is instructed to induce relaxation through use of this mantra. Since many of either can’t or won’t go to a formal TM class, a no-fail mantra I recommend is the classic OM. In The Heart of Yoga, T.K.V Desikachar writes that repetition of “OM” enables us to maintain mental and emotional calmness, overcome obstacles and enable understanding. It is the shortest of the mantras, and is said to be suggestive of God. If you’re uncomfortable with the religious aspects of OM I suggest a word that has positive meaning for you, such as love, calm or peace. Calm is an ideal substitute, since vocally it resembles OM.

Final Word

You may never, ever choose to meditate. Yet if this is your choice it may be valuable to question why. For a long time I was reluctant because of images of the dropout hippie 60’s. Yet when I tried it the experience overcame my reservations. If you try it the same may happen to you. If it doesn’t you haven’t lost any money, and you’ve gained a new experience.

Resources:

Getting in the Gap: Making Conscious Contact with God Through Meditation (Hay House Inc., 2003)

The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh (Beacon Press, 1975)

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I hadn’t thought much about luck until a few days ago, I was at a coffee shop with a buddy of mine. Sitting deep in an overstuffed blue chair, I listened to him talk about how lucky my life is. I never really thought about it before, but he was right. I put down my cinnamon scented coffee and nested back into my chair, taking in and trying to digest his compliments.

Later when I mentioned that I need to find a topic for my newsletter this month, he immediately said, “Why don’t you write about how to be a lucky person!” I chuckled to myself, because I would have never thought about that in a million years, but it intuitively felt so right. I knew that the Universe had just winked at me with a confirmation.

He said, “goodbye”, gave me a hug and left his empty ceramic cup still dripping with foam next to my chair. All around me, the coffee shop conversations were mumbling in my ears. I quietly sank deeper into my chair and started to type. I must have been in a trance, because with only one refill the article poured out of my Soul and onto my laptop. I wrote the first draft in less than two hours.

Whether you believe you are lucky or not, most people think that luck is not real or at best a random activity that can’t be chosen or developed. You might think that people stumble into good things by accident. How then do you explain when a friend calls you at the last minute with free tickets to a sold out show you’ve been dying to see? Or when you turn around to quickly drive back home, because you “forgot something” and a long lost friend is standing at your door, but had no way to contact you except to stop by and hope you’d be home. Is this coincidence or something much more magical?

I believe becoming a lucky person is easy when you understand the characteristics of these blessed people. Imagine for a moment that luck isn’t random after all! There is an attitudinal structure underlying every fortunate human being. And anyone who is wiling to change their mental-emotional habits can increase their good fortune and become lucky. Years ago, I read an article about some University research from England. The studied showed what naturally lucky individuals have in common with each other. They discovered a set of four qualities that set them apart from the “unlucky”. The cool thing is that people who developed these attitudinal qualities started to increase their own good fortune very quickly!

Four Qualities of Lucky People

1. Lucky people are mindful and present. They pay attention to the present moment and aren’t preoccupied thinking about the past (disappointment) or fearing the future (worry). They naturally choose to live in the present moment. This allows them to notice and seize new opportunities, instead of being distracted, confused or simply unaware.

2. They value their “intuition” as much as “logic and reason”. They tend to look at both the “bigger picture” and also the details of the “little picture” in their lives. They’re open to an intuitive sense of possibilities (bigger picture) and how it can fit into their current situation (little picture). They are neither stuck in the details nor dreaming about the future. Instead, they simultaneously bring these two perceptions (awareness of the big and little picture) the possibilities and on the one hand, the actuality of their lives, on the other, together. This offers them a way to set goals and make a plan that works.

3. Lucky people have a positive relationship with the future. They are hopeful about the unknown (future) instead of being fearful. Even though they don’t have all the answers, they’re naturally optimistic and open. They refuse to fantasize about what could go wrong and instead focus on “what can go right”. They feel positive even when things appear to be negative. Simply put… they don’t let negativity get in the way of their plans and dreams.

4. They are self empowered and take responsibility. They refuse to hang out in feelings of powerlessness, apathy or self-pity. They don’t believe that life happens to them nor are they a victim of circumstances. They know that what they think and feel about themselves and the future matters. They believe that opportunities are a direct result of their attitude, thoughts, feelings and actions. Simply put, they embrace their inner power and choose to live their lives with responsibility.

The study also revealed that most lucky people had fairly large social circles. They make friends easily and are socially connected to their community. They’re naturally outgoing because they really enjoy people and tend to be non-judgmental. They get involved with their community. They believe that people are inherently good, beautiful and caring, which tends to make them popular individuals.

Four Secrets to Increase Your Luck and Good Fortune:

1) Embrace and accept yourself and your life, just the way it is. The good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly-accept everything that is happening in your life, warts and all. Stop fighting yourself and make a decision instead to accept things the way they are instead of longing for it to be different. Acceptance creates the space for change and healing to occur. You’ll feel more comfortable when you accept yourself and begin to naturally relax in social situations. A quick method to do this is to choose to believe that the world is a friendly place. It is here to support you and your dreams. Unlucky people believe the world is “out to get them.” Which world is true? Whatever world you choose to believe in will be true for you! Both worlds are possible but only one will become your reality. Choose wisely.

2) Listen to your intuition and open your heart to feel greater intimacy. There is much more happening around you than you can ever grasp in your conscious mind. Your mind filters out over 50% of the experiences happening to you right now. However, beneath your conscious awareness your subconscious is continuously picking up clues about your future and the possibilities that are there. This is called your intuition. When you blend intuition with intimacy, you will experience a deeper connection with yourself and others. You’ll know what decisions to make and why. You’ll be more wise and understanding. Opening your heart will improve your intuition and deepen your sense of purpose. This naturally leads toward increasing your opportunities for luck and expanding good fortune.

3 Avoid feeling sorry for your self. Admit the truth- you are powerful. Embrace a resilient positive attitude about your self and your life. You know this and have done it before. Lemons can be made into lemonade when you change your attitude. You can learn something about yourself from the worst disaster. If you’ll begin looking for the silver lining in the dark clouds of your life, your luck will improve rapidly. What you focus on expands. So focus on being powerful and seek the good in all situations.

4. Meditate regularly. If there is one activity I had to choose that I believed cultivated good fortune and luck, it would have to be meditation. Looking back on my life, I now realize that learning to meditate as a teenager was a major turning point in my life. It changed everything dramatically. My good fortune accelerated once I learned to relax and meditate on a regular basis. I fully believe that meditation opens the door to a fortunate and lucky life.

In most studies, I’ve read on psychological well being, those who meditate regularly (at least three times weekly) are less nervous, anxious, depressed, and much less irritable, controlling, or inhibited. They are, overall, more sociable and self-confident, and felt positive about themselves and the future. They tend to be emotionally stable and self-reliant individuals, when compared to the non-meditators in the study.

I hope you’ll re-read this article many times and let the truth contained within it, sink deep into your subconscious mind. This will help change your attitude and attract more opportunities and greater good fortune in your life.

Copyright (c) 2008 Circle of Light Publishing

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When it comes to success, a person needs to be able to achieve personal motivation. Personal motivation is what drives us internally and externally to succeed in what ever we want to succeed in.

Without personal motivation, we wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything. Personal motivation can be motivation to do just about anything. It can be motivation to lose weight, or to complete a task at the workplace, or to do something that you have put on the back burner for a while. A person can also be motivated to stop doing things such as using drugs, drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes.

So how do we gain personal motivation? The first thing we need to do is set goals for ourselves. These goals have to be realistic goals and they have to be a possible gain.

We tend to set our goals too high and then fail. This is just a step backward in the personal motivation search. Goals are of utmost importance in gaining personal motivation. They give us the push we need to get the job done.

It is a good idea to write down your goals. This makes it easier to see them on a daily basis and be reminded of what you are reaching for.

Another great strategy is to write up a contract between you and yourself and state the goals in it. Then sign and date the contract. You might even put a deadline for the goals to be met. It is just another way of pushing ourselves into doing something we want.

We also need to look at the objectives. The objectives are going to be what it will take to get us to our goals. Be specific with your objectives. It is a good idea to have your objectives measure what and when the goals need to be done. For instance, an objective might be like this: I will lose 10 pounds in 1 months time.

After our goals have been set and we know exactly what our expectations of ourselves are, then it is time to go to the next step. The next phase to personal motivation is making a commitment to keep after these goals until they are met. Keep pushing on, and then maybe even raising our standards higher.

Never look back on past failures. This really does nothing for our self-esteem. It will only set you back to dwell on the mistakes you have made in the past. Now then, you can learn from your mistakes, just don’t keep looking back at them.

Rewarding ourselves when we do meet our goals is very important in this process, as well. We need a pat on the back for hard work and effort. Personal motivation can be achieved if goals and objectives are set and a commitment is made to keep them.

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Are you under the impression that employees are happy only when you pay them more money? No! That isn’t always true. Even though money acts as a major contributor to employee motivation, remember it is never the only way.

Many times bonus or commission checks are cashed, spent and forgotten very quickly. An alternative for motivating employees is to give gifts through a reward point system. This system enables you to award equivalent points instead of cash, which can be traded for gifts or a vacation. The advantage of a reward program is that it promotes individual performance and competition, while transforming the situation into a friendly contest! On the other hand, a cash reward invariably creates grudges in the minds of those that don’t receive them.

Following are some of the other non-monetary ways of motivating employees in your organization.

Acknowledge their work: When your employees complete their task, recognize it and appreciate their achievement. It costs the company nothing, but is a major motivating factor, nonetheless. Simple things like a round of applause for a particular accomplishment will work wonders for motivating employees. You could also be more creative by awarding trophies or plaques for “Employee of the Month”. Take a look at “365 Ways to Motivate and Reward Your Employees Every Day: With Little or No Money”, an e-book for some good ideas.

Train them: Remember, training is not a one time process. Conduct training sessions on a regular basis, even though they consume time and money. Some alternatives do exist - for example, the “Five Star Teamwork Video Training Program” can be used for training your employees, without spending too much of either.

Provide growth prospects: Let your employees know of opportunities and areas of growth within your company. Set career paths and promote employees to higher levels by adopting a well laid out HR strategy. This will give them the assurance that they have a stable future within the organization.

Assign professional designations: Personal identity, competence, status and self esteem are all tied up with the job title. Hence, make sure that employees feel proud of who they are and what they do in the workplace. This will ultimately enhance their performance and increase your company’s productivity. Use your creativity in forming titles and also welcome ideas from the staff while re-designing them.

Build team spirit: This is the most important way of motivating employees. Take a big photograph of your entire team along with yourself and put it up somewhere noticeable. This will instill team spirit in every employee and give them a sense of belonging.

Assign leadership roles: This will also enable you to share your workload. Most people are inspired by the thought of handling additional responsibility. For example, allow your employees to lead a training program or brief a meeting. This can be done especially when new people join the company. You could also give them an opportunity to lead a project team. Encourage them to read books like “How to Lead: Discover the Leader Within You”.

Have fun: This ploy works like no other. If you already have an annual conference for all employees, make sure it’s not all work and no play. Outbound programs or team games will do wonders for breaking the ice and building long lasting bonds between colleagues. These things stay in the collective memory, long after the event, and serve to motivate and energize.

We think that these ideas can set the ball rolling, but if you are looking for more, try the “Motivation and Energy at Work” program.

Hi, I’m Akhil Shahani, a serial entrepreneur who wants to help you succeed. If you like to work smart, check out http://www.SmartEntrepreneur.net It’s full of articles and resources to help you start and grow your business successfully. Please visit us & download our special “Freebie of The Month” at http://www.smartentrepreneur.net/freebie-of-the-month.html

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The first response from that first brave soul suggests that there is no need to influence oneself. Basically, it runs like this:

I decide to do something, I tell myself to do it, and I do it. No influence is required. I don’t have to ask myself nicely, or threaten myself with unpleasant consequences, or persuade myself that it will be worthwhile.

Really? If we could slow down the thought processes going on, you might think differently.

Let’s take a slightly different approach. I suspect that you have, inside you, at least two ‘voices’ - the pro voice and the con voice. The optimist and the pessimist. The good and the bad. You may have more, you may not consider them as ‘voices’ - that’s OK, I hope that you can work with me on the concept for a little while.

Let’s say that this is two radio stations, 55.5 and 66.6. The first station on 55.5 is supportive - bolstering your ego, always proud of you and your achievements. The second, on 66.6 is the doubter, always casting doubts in your mind, running you down, always suggesting that others are trying to get you, that you should not listen to 55.5, it always lets you down - you never realise the dreams that 55.5 suggests. 66.6 reminds you of the difficulties you had the last time you tried to do this or that. How nothing ever works for you, that it’s all about luck and fate and chance and that you just are not a lucky person. If you buy a lottery ticket, you will always miss by one number at best. That nobody else deserves to win anything either. Basically, this is a bad voice.

I can see some of you nodding your heads as you read this. Don’t worry, you’re not schizophrenic - this is normal, everyone has this going on. Some days it’s like a continuous debate, others, one or both are quiet with little to say. You know you have a problem when you cannot distinguish between the voices and which of you is real.

So, which station do you tune into?

Here’s the two stations output for a few common golfing scenarios…

66.6

Approaching the first Tee on competition day: ‘Well, it’s a lovely morning with plenty of gusty breezes to knock your ball off centre, and a touch of rain in the air, but very unpredictable whether it’ll rain now or later. You did some good practice yesterday but you know it’ll all go to pieces today don’t you? You know that you always screw up on the first drive and there’s no mulligans today. See your competition today, wow, that first group were good weren’t they. No chance you’ll keep up with them is there. Still, perhaps you can just enjoy the game for a change and not worry about winning or losing - after all you know you’ll lose, so why get your hopes up? Ridiculous game, I don’t know why you bother, should have stayed home and cut the grass. be more useful than out here, being mocked by your friends… oh no, talking of which, there they are, why do they have to come and watch my first drive. They’ll cough or chatter just as I’m lining up, I know they will. Oh well, my turn now, what a disaster, prepare for the worst and don’t get angry…

First Tee shot: So nicely lined up, but then anyone can put a ball on a tee can’t they. Now settle down, breath, how’s the grip - that instructor why did he have to change my grip, it won’t work. Right align my feet, look up, look down, those people down there, are in my line, why do they have to stand there, don’t they know they could be hit… calm yourself, that’s right, may as well get calm now, because once you hit it there won’;t be any calm left, And if you screw up this drive, it’ll all be downhill for the whole day. never recover, so get this right. Wiggle the bum, yes nice, settle, legs bent just right, what if my weight shifts before I strike then hit those people standing there. i wouldn’t mind hitting that smug bastard - he’s such a flash git. Custom clubs, custom balls, bet he cheats, never puts a foot wrong, wipe that smug grin off his face, I’ll show ‘im. Back swing, nice, but is it right, no of course not, arm down, elbow’s bent at the wrong time, as usual, THWACK….. follow-through may as well let go of the club, it’ll go further anyway.

In spite of this, by some divine intervention, the ball soars through the air and lands smack down the middle of the fairway, 220 yards at least beautifully set up for a second onto the green and a possible birdie: Whoa - didn’t know you had it in you. Nice shot, so lucky, you’d never do that again, not in a month of Sundays.

Still, plenty of time to screw up yet…

ENOUGH! Sorry, I just can’t write anymore of this - it’s just too depressing. Is this you? And, were you the one who said that they didn’t influence themselves?

55.5 on the same situation…

What a beautiful day, a few gusts, possible rain in the air. Be a good idea to look at the trees as we walk down the course, see where the gusts are going. if it rains, we’ll change clubs and, quick, borrow an umbrella from Jim there, he can pop back and get another from his car. So nice that my friends are here to cheer me on. Great guys. Now I’m going to show them a great drive. I can see it now, smack down the middle of the fairway, perfect for a chip up to the green and a birdie. I can’t wait to pick up that trophy at the end of the day. Good to have some strong competition - nothing better than a real challenge.

First Tee shot: Breath nice and deep, slow my heartbeat and see that drive. A little gusty from left to right over those trees, just align a fraction to the left because this ball’s going to soar above that line. Glove, into the zone. Complete focus, nice alignment, well done, now a beauty practice swing, nice and loose in the shoulders. Firm stance, good lad, check alignment, now trust your swing. THWACK.

In spite of this, by some divine intervention, the ball soars through the air and too far to the left, way over to the left and lands smack down into the rough by the trees, maybe even really in the trees: Beautiful drive, well done, aligned just a little too far left, so we’ll make sure to fix that. I think maybe the wind dropped as well. Nice lay-up for the second shot - I can use that chip techniques I learned from watching Seve on TV, good for a par if I’m really in the rough, and good for a birdie if it’s not too long. Good, well done.

Now, which station do you want to listen to? The one that derides you no matter how great you are, or the one that supports you and encourages you no matter how poor the shot?

“I don’t care” says someone, so long as I hit great shots I’ll put up with either. Fair enough. Which one do you think will help you enjoy your game? Which one will help you towards a stroke lying ill in bed feeling miserable and no-one coming to visit because you don’t even like yourself, let alone anyone else?

Extreme? Sadly no. Go find the most miserable-faced player in your local club and ask them which station they tune into…

John Kenworthy

Find out more about influence and making a success of your business, leadership and life, visit John Kenworthynat CELSIM

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One of his most well known works is his international, best-selling book entitled, “You Were Born Rich”. This is always one of the first books I recommend to anyone who is looking to get started and learn more about personal growth and self help.

This article is not a book review but a personal account of how the message contained in “You Were Born Rich” has influenced my thinking, and ultimately, my life.

For the majority of my life, if someone asked me if I was more of an optimist or a pessimist, I would smile and say, “I’m more of a realist”. What I meant by this was that I required concrete proof to form an opinion about a particular situation or event. I didn’t necessarily think the world was plotting to do me wrong but I certainly didn’t embrace challenges like a so-called ‘optimist’ would. So, when it came time to learn about personal growth, self responsibility and how our thoughts determine our results in life, I was naturally skeptical of most authors and teachers. That was, of course, until I was introduced to Bob Proctor’s work.

The best thing about this book was that it opened my eyes and spoke not only to my head, but to my heart. If you are reading this article, you are likely the kind of person who can relate. When someone speaks a truth that resonates with your authentic self, it is impossible to ignore the message. So many times in the past I had heard messages about positive thinking, having a good attitude, goal setting and so on. “You Were Born Rich” explains why these ideas are so important and it communicates the message in such a way that it changed my beliefs on the spot.

Above all things, this book helped me understand myself and how I was literally shaping all aspects of my life. Not only that but I was 100% capable of achieving anything in life that I was truly committed to achieving. The book is such an effective tool for personal development because it illustrates exactly how the mind works and how we as humans can use the power of our thoughts to create our results. We can do this with absolute certainty when we truly understand the laws of the universe and work in harmony with them.

A Powerful Analogy:

In the book, Proctor discusses the “Acorn Analogy”. Like humans (or anything else in the universe for that matter), an acorn is nothing more than a mass of energy in a high speed of vibration. If the acorn is left out of the earth, it is slowly disintegrating and dying off. The moment it is planted, it begins to attract particles of energy that aid in the growth of an oak tree. Similarly, a person is also a large mass of energy in a certain rate of vibration. This vibration is controlled by that person’s thoughts and they will attract energy that is in harmony with their predominant thoughts.

For me, this analogy really hit home because I was beginning to understand the correlation between my thought patterns and the types of results I had been producing in my life. For example, I had always assumed that because I was a Math major in university and had career experience in the software industry, this was a field I would have to stay involved in until the end of my career. I also assumed that a good salary and benefits was far more important than job satisfaction and fulfillment. After reading “You Were Born Rich” I realized that these assumptions were nothing more than habitual ways of thinking that were producing certain results in my life. After months of repeatedly reading, listening and watching Bob Proctor programs, I was able to reprogram my thinking and see my world in an entirely new light.

I am now operating my dream business, Ignite Your Essence and I have just launched a sister company called Winning The Formula where we will be sharing these powerful life lessons with the youth!

I carry my copy of “You Were Born Rich” with me almost everywhere I go. It is an amazing book that can literally transform your life regardless of who you are or what your aspirations may be. If you have read this book and would be willing to share your experiences with me, I would love to hear from you. You can contact me through my website.

Justin Popovic

www.igniteyouressence.com

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Every once in a while a great work of art comes along that touches our hearts and minds in unforgettable ways. George Lucas’ Star Wars is such a piece. The reason for Star Wars’ success can be attributed to amazing special effects, action, adventure, and themes of romance. However, on a deeper level Star Wars speaks to our reality containing the great truths and secrets to life. Star Wars features themes that are eternal, archetypes that will live forever, and wisdom that contains the power of transformation.

Lets take the scene in which Luke is in need of lifting his X-wing out of the swamp with Master Yoda.

In this scene, Luke Skywalker our hero and adventurer is faced with a situation that is impossible. Yoda explains to Luke that the problems and their degree of difficulty only exist in the mind.

“You must unlearn what you have learned.”

Many of us have learned to react to life in a certain way. We are told we can do this - or we can’t do that. Yoda here explains to Luke that nothing is impossible. Impossible only exists because we have learned to think it does. Luke’s reality which is created by his own mind is the only thing that limits him.

“Try not! Do, Do or Do not, there is no try.”

Here Yoda explains the importance two critical elements of living infinitely. 1. Faith: When we NEED to accomplish something in life (whether it be a X-wing in the swamp or a bill we have to pay) absolute faith is necessary if we are to receive the desired results. The Infinite Intelligence (maybe you could call it the force) responds to our intentions and brings about the solution. According to the Gospel of Luke (17:6), Jesus declared, “if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

2. Living in the moment: When we are one with the present moment we are not trying - we are either performing or not. To try is to expect to fail. I am not saying that calculations and strategy need to be disregarded, but they too can be performed with excellence in the present moment.

“Luminous Beings are We, not this prude matter”

Yoda here speaks of our true reality. The self that is connected to all others. The part of us that is One with God and in the likeness of the Divine. Through an understanding of this concept and awareness we begin to to understand that all is possible.

Luke: “I don’t believe it”
Yoda: “That is why you fail”

Why do we fail?

In the words of Darth Maul: “Fear attracts the Fearful”

Darth Maul here reveals to us out greatest enemy and his greatest ally. What do we fear? We fear ourselves. Overcome this enemy and great power will be yours. Fear grips us with limitations that deny our true nature. I leave you with Romans 8:12

“If God is for us, who can be against us?”

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If you’ve lost this sense of play in your life, maybe it’s time to recapture it. Maybe it’s time to give yourself over to your play instead of to your work or your relatives or to whatever has a hold on you.

But how is this possible in our deadline-driven, high-performance culture? Who’s got time to play? And honestly, how is it possible to play as an adult in a free-form kind of way? It’s not what grown-ups do. You’ll look foolish. You’ll feel stupid.

Risk Looking Foolish!

In a class I teach, called Writing Your Own Permission Slip, I always give the assignment to make up a new way to play and write about it. The responses to this assignment are fascinating. Some people cringe at first. They don’t know how to play. Their imagination is under lock and key. They think they’ll “look foolish” or “feel stupid.” Yet every student has come up with something new that felt like fun and provided a sense of genuine pleasure. One woman did something as basic and silly as spending time getting acquainted with her toes, exploring them much the way a baby does – like something brand new. She truly delighted in this simple experiment. Another woman created a treasure hunt as a birthday gift for a friend. She hide a series of clue messages in a large public sculpture garden, duct-taping each of them underneath or inside the huge structures. Both she and her friend laughed heartily at this comic adventure.

I also like to experiment with new ways to play, For years, I had wanted to roll down a hill like I had done so often as a child. I wanted to experience again the thrill of hurtling over and over – out of control. The idea seemed like a fun fantasy until one day I spotted the “perfect” hill inviting me to fulfill this dream. I walked around it for a long time and kept looking to see if anyone was watching (I might look foolish!). Finally I let myself have the fun I had been wanting to have. I lay down and pushed off. When I reached the bottom of the hill, I felt a little sore and a little dizzy, but I had a big grin on my face. At 55, I had quit letting “looking foolish” stop me and felt the freedom of rolling down the hill with abandon.

That’s the secret –playing with abandon. Creating with abandon. Letting make-believe and a sense of adventure lead the way.

After my hill-rolling, I came home with lots of energy and a fresh sense of excitement about tackling my to-do list. In fact, I now felt as if I could just play my way through the rest of the day.

Three Ways to Play

Do you play your way through your day? If not, why not begin now? Here are three ways to get started:

1) Create the intention to have fun.

A man I once interviewed told me that most people aren’t happy because they don’t intend to be. There’s something to that. Your day is more likely to be fun if you plan for it to be. Even if you’re not thrilled with what’s on your agenda, decide to have as much fun with it as possible. Find a way to see it a humorous light. Sing a silly song while you do it. Look at it upside down. A child can have fun with almost anything. So can you.

2) Take play breaks during the day.

Stop for a moment between meetings and toss a (soft) ball against the wall a few times. Dance around your office or living room. Do anything (without jeopardizing your job or relationship) that allows you to “let loose.” You’ll feel more relaxed and refreshed when returning to your “duties.”

3) Smile.

Sounds simple enough. But stress can make us all become scowlers in a hurry. We forget to turn up the corners of our mouths. Even a forced smile, when done with a sense of humor, can help lighten your mood. If you’re feeling too stressed to smile, you could try doing some exaggerated frowning for a good long while until you tire of it and eventually find a smile emerging. Sometimes we need to give our difficult emotions room to play (pun intended) before we can lighten up.

Want to play more? Go ahead. You’ll have a much more enjoyable day. And guess what? You’ll also have a more productive one – and probably be more fun to be around.

By Pat Samples
Learn about free newsletters and teleseminars by Pat Samples on inspired living, body wisdom, and fearless aging at http://www.patsamples.com. Her new book The Secret Wisdom of a Woman’s Body: Freeing Yourself To Live Passionately and Age Fearlessly has been called by AARP’s magazine “what our generation wants to read.”

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