Success is Like Riding a Bicycle

Newsletter 12/19/07

Okay, a show of hands, please!

How many of you learned to ride a bicycle as a child?

Hey, that's quite a lot of you.

Now, close your eyes and remember what it felt like to ride a bicycle for the first time. Maybe yours had training wheels that helped to balance the bike as you gained confidence riding on the sidewalk in front of your house. As your confidence expanded, and also from observing the older children in the neighborhood riding without any assistance, you then graduated to your first test without training wheels.

It was scary!

At the beginning came the wobbling of the tires and excited, hurried pedaling as you struggled to break free of your parent's or older sibling's guiding hand for balance. And, perhaps there were one or two falls along the way! However, through your determination, willpower, desire, and continued practice, you soon sped forward on your own.

As you grew in size and age, you moved up to bigger and more complex bicycles and mastered them all. Some of you even learned to ride without holding onto the handlebars or perhaps did "daredevil" tricks jumping over ramps like Evel Knievel.

And, I'll bet now that even if you haven't ridden a bicycle in years, you could still do it.

Now, let's take a look at success. For many people, success or being successful is just as scary as the first time they rode a bicycle. Naturally, many people want to be successful. However, there are few that truly have the motivation to put forward the needed effort and action and make the necessary sacrifices to get what they want.

Here are four of my success strategies. Make them part of your "quest for success."

1) Just as you did when you learned to ride a bicycle, here is only one way to accomplish anything today -- set your mind to concentrate on doing it and let nothing interfere with your progress. Obstacles, whether they be training wheels on a bike or lack of resources (money, time, lack of skill, etc.), are quickly overcome by the person who sets out to accomplish their heart's desire. Those who have the desire, "the fire in the belly" so to speak, will outdistance and outperform those who do not.

2) No matter what anyone says, "Size does matter." When you first learned to ride a bike, you were a child. As you grew to adulthood, of course, you were faced with greater and more challenging situations. On your road to success, remember this quote from my Success System book, "The Power of Concentration: How to Take Control of Your Life"...

"The 'bigger' you are, the smaller the obstacle appears. The 'smaller' you are, the greater the obstacle appears."

Always look at the advantage you gain by overcoming obstacles, and it will give you the needed "size" and courage for the conquest -- now and in the future.

3) Do not expect that you will always have a smooth road, free of potholes, speed bumps, and detours. Parts of your journey are likely to be rough. The way you navigate the bad roads shows exactly what you are made of. Keep on with your journey and view with delight the smooth roads that are in front of you.

4) Do not let a setback stop you. Just like when you skinned your knees and elbows learning to ride, think of it as a mere incident that has to be overcome before you can reach your goal. Learn from it and use the lesson to move ahead.

Success IS like riding a bicycle. Learn my strategies of success outlined above, and you will ALWAYS be up to the challenge -- regardless of the size.

~ K.Shaw~

Self-Confidence Secrets: Measure Your Success

Newsletter 12/12/07

Would you like to be confident in the things you do? Most people would. The problem is that many people aren't sure how. They think it is some mystical trait that some people seem to have and others don't. Actually, being confident in yourself and your ability to achieve your goals is a skill that can be learned.

Let's say you've decided to move forward in your efforts to achieve your goals and have taken action. Congratulations for reaching this point! Along the way you will certainly experience many victories. Yet there will also be challenges. To keep yourself going, you are going to need lots of support from one very important person: Yourself! This support comes in the form of setting achievable goals, supportive self-talk, self-monitoring to acknowledge success, and plenty of rewards along the way.

Today's theme is the crucial importance of acknowledging success. To balance the scale of triumphs and challenges, the skill needed is learning to recognize and feel good about all the little steps you take each day, and the efforts you put forth toward achieving your goal. Building on every little victory acts like fuel to your confidence. Achieving any new goal isn't easy. It takes decision, hard work, effort, and dedication. But that is what this life is about - setting new goals for ourselves and accomplishing those goals. Learning to feel good along the path to something new is what makes life a grand adventure.

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." - Albert Schweitzer



WHY ACKNOWLEDGE SUCCESS?

For many, the journey toward reaching the overall goal is often a long road. It's frequently so full of experiences and opportunities (okay, challenges) that we often don't notice the gradual change that is occurring. We don't recognize the progress we have made. This error of self-acknowledgment can be devastating and stop us dead in our tracks.

One surefire way of putting out your own fire is to dismiss your success. Let's imagine you've been binging on food for quite a few days. Through much effort and determination, you manage to stay binge-free for three days. Following these three days, you binge again. What are you most likely to do with this situation?

* Do you count those three days as success?


* Do you dismiss those three days as proof that since they didn't last, you are not good enough to have what you want -- now falling into helplessness or hopelessness?


* Do you use those three days (and subsequent relapse) as an occasion to self-condemn and shame yourself?


* Do those three days count for anything wonderful in your book?



WHEN TO ACKNOWLEDGE SUCCESS

One day, I decided I wanted to increase the amount of water I was drinking each day. I thought this goal through and decided that the best way to achieve success would be to drink one bottle of water each morning as I was getting ready for my day. After a few weeks had gone by, I pondered my goal. I realized that almost every morning I had drunk one full bottle of water. Had I achieved success with my goal? How long must a goal be achieved before I could call myself successful?

Contemplating, I became aware of my own particularly nasty habit. I set goals for myself. With enough time, my goals became habits. But I had no mental criteria established for when I could call myself successful. There was no endpoint of "How do I know I've achieved my goal?" And since there was no endpoint, there was no feeling good at the end of my goal. I was running my own life story of not being good enough for myself, and having to earn my own love but never succeeding. I sat there amazed at my own self-realization. I asked, "How long must I maintain a behavior before I can call myself successful?" The answer came immediately: "The very first time the behavior is achieved, you are successful." Wow! This about blew me away. I successfully achieved my goal the first day I followed through with my intention. No wonder I never felt enough. I was completely failing to recognize, acknowledge, or celebrate my strengths, efforts, and my achievements.

Many of the people I work with also have no internal criteria established for knowing when they are successful. Oh, sure, they may say when they lose 40 pounds, then they will be successful. Or when they stop binging, then they will be happy. But what happens when they lose those 40 pounds or stop binging for several days? Success is never measured, never celebrated, never acknowledged. Eventually a few pounds creep back on or a relapse in binge behavior occurs. Wouldn't you know it? This gets acknowledged! Lots of negative self-talk, huge emotion, beastly feelings of self-reproach... now there is evidence that success cannot be achieved. Without being conscious of it, the criteria were that if the weight was maintained forever, or a binge never occurred again, then success would be achieved. The problem with this strategy? Success can't be measured until forever occurs, meaning success never occurs.

"Success is never final. Failure is never fatal. Courage is what counts." - Sir Winston Churchill



SUCCESS EXERCISE

Close your eyes and relax. Think of a success you had today. Maybe it was feeling good, or deciding to drive past the fast food restaurant, or choosing to sit still while envisioning your goal, or laughing instead of feeling heavy. Maybe you overcame an urge, and even though later you didn't overcome the urge, that first "overcoming" was a success. You cannot change the fact of it or deny that it was a success.

Remember your goals. Recall your successes of the day. Remember your efforts. Get in touch with your very being. Feel your physical body. Breathe in... breathe out. Acknowledge your successes over and over again in your mind. Say to yourself, "I was truly successful. There is no denying that." Imagine the lightness of your joy is spreading all around, filling your body. It is filling your chest, spreading to your abdominal cavity reaching towards your thighs, legs, and feet. Think of a similar spread to your shoulders, arms, hand, head, neck, and face. Now your whole body is filled with radiant blissful lightness. You are calm and centered and feeling really good. Nourish your goal by looking for more successes. Bring your goal life and light through praise and intention and enthusiasm. Strengthen your goal by feeding it love. Breathe in... breathe out.

DO YOU:

1. Expect the best from yourself?

2. Understand your needs and use this information to create an environment that builds your motivation?

3. Establish standards of excellence that are attainable for yourself?

4. Create an environment where failure isn't fatal?

5. Encourage yourself or nag yourself?

6. Recognize and applaud your efforts?

7. Use a mixture of positive and negative reinforcement (acknowledge without judgment, but with honesty, your failures)?


~ Dr. Annette Colby ~

Celebrate your Life!

Newsletter 12/5/07



My very first coach, Rachelle Disbennett-Lee has two favorite sayings, "My life is perfect and only getting better," and "Today is the best day of my life!" And she's serious about both. It's really fun to be around Rachelle because she radiates this 'best life' point of view. Whenever I try this too, I instantly feel lighter because I've shifted into a lighthearted and playful attitude.
I'm asking you to try this too. Say out loud, "This is the best day of my life!" and mean it.


See how great it feels? This simple act will raise your perception to a whole new level. From this vantage point, you'll begin to notice and celebrate all of the positive things around you, putting you in an upward spiral of constructive energy versus a downward spiral of negativity. Even if nothing earth-shattering happens, you'll be in a better mood. And this mood is attractive and appealing to others. If someone overhears you and doesn't quite get it, that's okay! You'll be having a great day, so it's worth a few questioning looks. My favorite personal saying is, "All is well in my world." Whenever I connect with this truth, I really do feel as though I'm having the best day of my life and that it's only getting better.

~ Christen ~

Clarity about Clutter

Newsletter 11/28/07

Life Improvement Tips

Clarity about Clutter

I'm an organized person -- just ask anyone who knows me. In spite of my talents at organization, clutter loomed its ugly head during our recent move. You see, I'm committed to making the most from what I have, and I can find a use for practically anything. As a result, I turned our home and my studio and office into an attractive, well-organized landfill. I'm over it.

After vigorously pruning before the move only to find that I had an additional ten boxes of books and magazines (Are you beginning to get the picture?), six more giant sacks of clothes, and six boxes of unclassifiable junk to get rid of, I saw the light. Never again am I going to collect more than I can keep attractively and accessibly in the space I already have. No more will I hold onto odd screws, outdated clothes, and books just because they could conceivably be useful to someone, somewhere, someday. If you, too, have been slowly suffocating under growing piles of indispensable clutter, it's time to take the clutter challenge.

Evaluate how true each of these statements is for you on a scale of 1 to 5. Be honest. Then choose one area in which you fall short and resolve to de-clutter there, this week, without fail.

1. Each season I discard or donate the clothing that I did not wear, whether or not it still fits and regardless of whether or not I made it myself.

2. I buy quality books in hardcover and donate them to the library when I finish them, except only books that I use in the day-to-day operation of my business or that I resort to on an ongoing basis for inspiration and delight. (Note: the test is not whether I might use them, but whether or not I DO use them.)

3. I give away, recycle, or toss anything I have not used for a year. (If I do find I want something like it in the future, I will happily borrow, rent, or buy it, knowing that in the meantime I have not had to pay to store it, clean it, or look for it.)

4. I return -- immediately -- any purchase that does not fit or function.

5. I repair anything within a week of when it breaks or stops working or I discard/donate it.

6. At the end of each year, I discard files that are more than seven years old.

7. I discard, donate, or recycle any souvenir or memento that is not framed and displayed within thirty days of acquisition.

Action tip: Get a clutter buddy and make a commitment to each other that you will put these principles to work. Make a date to go to the recycling center, the dump, and Goodwill together. Help each other say "no" to the clutter in your lives. Phone each other for support and intervention whenever you are tempted to rent a storage unit, buy new shelving or drawers, or build a shed. Bonus tip: Lose the catalogs. Recycle them immediately and write the Mail Preference Service of the Direct Marketing Association to stop future mailings. You'll prevent clutter from both the catalogs and the umpteen goodies that you don't buy because you'll never know you need them.

~ Molly Gordon ~

Finding Motivation: Or What to Do When You Don't Feel Like Doing Anything

Newsletter 11/21/07

"The measure of your success usually comes down to who wins the battle that rages between the two of you. The 'you' who wants to stop, give up, or take it easy, and the 'you' who chooses to beat back that which would stand in the way of your success -- complacency."

~ Chris Widener ~

In all my interactions with people, I've never found anyone, regardless of their level of success, who doesn't sometimes find themselves simply not wanting to do the things that they need and want to do. It is a part of human nature that there will be times that, in spite of all that we need to do, and even desire to, we will find ourselves not wanting to do anything.

And what separates those who will become successful from those who will maintain the status quo, is the ability at those very crucial moments of time when we are making decisions about what we will do, to choose to find the inner motivation that will enable us to conquer our complacency and move on in action.

I find that I confront this issue in my life on a regular basis, so the following success strategies are not merely pie in the sky techniques, but proven ways to get yourself to go even when you don't feel like doing anything.

Honestly evaluate whether or not you need a break.

This is the first thing that I usually do when I find that I don't want to get to a specific action. The fact is that oftentimes we will have been working very hard, and the lethargy we are feeling is really our body and emotions telling us that we simply need a break. And this is where it takes real intellectual honesty because when we don't need a break, our mind is still telling us we need a break! But sometimes we do need a break. I'll give you a good example. I don't particularly like to exercise, but I do almost every day. Sometimes, I find myself before going to the club thinking about how I just didn't feel like going. Most of the time I am just being lazy. However, sometimes I realize that my body needs a break. So from time to time I will take a one- or two-day break from working out. The benefits of this are two-fold: One, my body gets a break to regenerate itself. Two, after a day or two, I begin to miss my workout, and eagerly anticipate a turning to the gym. Other examples: Perhaps you are a salesman who has been phoning clients for a week straight, day and night. You wake up one morning and just don't feel like doing it any more. Well, take a break for the morning. Go to a coffee shop and read the paper. Go to the driving range and hit some golf balls. Take a break and then get back to it!

Start small.

I'm at a point in my workout schedule now where a typical workout day for me consists of 30 to 45 minutes of aerobic exercise, and about 30 minutes of weight lifting. So when I find myself not wanting to get up and go to the gym, I will sometimes make a commitment to go and just do a smaller workout. Instead of deciding not to go, I'll commit to doing 15 to 20 minutes of aerobic exercise and 15 to 30 minutes of weight lifting. This is also good for two reasons. One, I actually get some exercise that day. And two, it keeps me from getting into a cycle of giving up when I don't feel like moving toward action. Other examples: Maybe you are a writer who simply doesn't want to write today. Instead of the long day writing you had planned, decide that you will at least outline a couple of new articles. You will at least get these done, and you may have found that you put yourself into the writing mood after all.

Change your routine.

I have found that what keeps me in the best shape and burns the most calories for me is to do 30 to 45 minutes on the treadmill every day. Now let me be very blunt. I find running on the treadmill to be extremely boring. Usually I can get myself to do it, but sometimes I need to vary my routine. So instead of 30 to 45 minutes on a treadmill, I will break down my aerobic exercise routine into a number of different areas. I will do 10 to 15 minutes on the treadmill, 10 to 15 minutes on the reclining cycle, 5 to 10 minutes on the rowing machine, 5 to 10 minutes on the stair stepper, and then back on to the treadmill for five to 10 minutes. I still get my exercise, but I'm bored a lot less. Other examples: Maybe you are in construction and you have been working on the plumbing for a week, and it is getting monotonous. Don't do the plumbing today! Go frame-in the office.

Reward yourself.

One way that I motivate myself to do something when I don't feel like doing it is to tell myself that if I get through the work that I need to, I will give myself a little reward. For instance, I may tell myself if I to get up and go to the club, I can take five to 10 minutes off my treadmill exercise, which will shorten my workout routine, and I'll allow myself to sit in the hot tub for a few extra minutes. Hey, it works! Other examples: Maybe you are a mortgage broker who feels like sleeping in. Tell yourself that after the next three mortgages you close, you will take your kids to the fair or your spouse to the movies. Maybe you'll give yourself a night on the town with old friends.

Reconnect the action with pleasure rather than pain.

Psychologists have long told us that we humans tend to connect every action with either pleasure or pain. Tony Robbins has popularized this even further in the last few years with something he calls Neural Associations. That is, we connect every action with either a pleasure or pain. When we are finding ourselves lacking motivation, what we are probably finding about ourselves is that we are associating the action that we are thinking about with pain, rather than pleasure. For instance, when I'm considering not going to the health club on any given day, I am usually associating going and working out with having no time, the pain of exercising and weight lifting, or the boringness of running on a treadmill for an extended period of time. What I can do to re-associate is to remind myself that by going in and doing my exercise, I will feel better about myself, I will lose weight, and I will live longer. This brings me pleasure. When we begin to run those kinds of tapes through our minds, we find our internal motivating force unleashed and changing our attitude about the action that we are considering. Other examples: Maybe you are a counselor who really doesn't want to spend the day listening to people. Your association may be that it will be boring, or that you will be inside while it is sunny outside. Instead, re-associate yourself to the truth of the matter: Someone will be better off because of your care and concern. Think of your clients and the progression they have been making recently and how you have been a part of that.

Give these ideas a try and see if you don't find yourself pushing through into action!

Adding To Your Credibility - Just Say No! (Part 2)

Newsletter 11/14/07

Last week we talked about some of the reasons that many of us have difficulty saying no, in our work or our personal life. Giving a thoughtful no when it is appropriate for you will add much more happiness and much less stress to your life. You will also be much more credible. How could you develop a filter for yourself, or your accepted standard through which to make your decisions and to give your answers? There are several things to consider when you wish to say no.

• If you want to say no, then be truthful and really say it; no explanation is necessary, and do not dilute your words by mumbling something like, "check back with me if you don't find anyone."
• Make sure your body language matches your answer.
• When you say no, be sure to visualize the good ramifications of this decision in order to support your choice. Take the time to visualize how professional you are by not overextending yourself, and make an affirmation around it, such as, "I am making the best choice possible for all those involved."

If you want to say yes, but are unsure if you will be able to devote the proper amount of time to the task or project in question, determine all the options before making your commitment.

• Determine exactly what needs to be done, how long it will take and how the activity can be broken down into manageable chunks that fit in with your schedule.
• Be definite about how you can contribute, and set boundaries around your time.
• Find out if there are others who can share the responsibility. Perhaps the task would benefit from others helping and dividing the work. Then be sure to ask for the help needed.

It is also important to think first, before you offer assistance that you may impetuously offer out of habit. Have you noticed when others offer to do something that they really cannot do, and you begin to feel as though you cannot count on them?

• Count to three before you make a spontaneous offer to help or take over a project. Think it through, estimating the time availability, and whether it would be best to not offer empty albeit well meaning promises.

How can taking the extra time to make your decision add to your peace and serenity and your professionalism and integrity? Notice of all the times you need to take a moment and think before you offer or respond.

~ Lorraine ~

Adding To Your Credibility - Just Say No! (Part 1)

Newsletter 11/7/07

A "no" uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a "yes" merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble.

~MAHATMA GANDHI~

How many times have we said "yes," and what we really needed to say was "no?" As women, we have been known to put others first and it can be a habit that is deeply ingrained. Can we make a new habit of putting ourselves first? There are many reasons that keep us saying yes to every request for our time and for our efforts. Do you think you would have less stress if you were able to think your answer through before saying yes? What are some reasons that many of us quickly agree to saying yes without thinking deeply about our choices?

First of all, we often have ourselves on auto pilot to say yes, almost like a default program on our computer that opens up whenever we turn the computer on; very often we can find ourselves saying yes every time there is a request directed at us. Being available to cheerfully assist could make us feel as though we will be better liked and we will appear as a cooperative person; an important aspect of success in our work is being a good team player. Saying yes could make us feel important, and it could also be that we love to be needed; most of us are just plain nice, but it really isn't always being nice to ourselves in the moment.

One of the ways I justify my own lack of determining what is best for me is that I know I will enjoy doing what is asked of me. I love the challenge of fitting one more activity into an already busy schedule. Unrealistically, I just have not thought it through, to realize the truth that there may not be enough hours to comfortably add another task to the mix of activities. Now I realize I have said yes too often and took on too many projects that are of my own liking. This can definitely interfere with what is best for me and my peak performance. When we know why we tend to say yes when we should say no, it is helpful to create the criteria through which we will determine the best choice for answering "yes" or "no."

I challenge you to notice the times when you are asked to do for others, or the times when we just offer to help even when we have not been asked to help. Just by becoming aware of these times, we can begin to notice when we need to stop and place some thought into choosing our action.

~ Lorraine ~

To live a dog's life.

While in the park, I saw a young girl walking her miniature dog. Something caught its eye that I couldn't see yet because shrubs blocked my view. The dog would surge forward, barking non-stop at the top of its miniature voice, and the leash would pull it back. I watched this surge/pulled-back action repeat over and over, and thought that life is sometimes like that. Then, I saw what was causing the behavior when a man came around the point with a very large dog on a leash. Whether wise or not, the little dog was fearless in the presence of the bigger dog. That little dog believed in itself. It was 100-percent into its dogness. It was authentic.

We talk about how nice it would be to live a dog's life. We mean that in terms of how dogs have their needs met and are lavished with affection, sleep when they need to, and are always ready to play. If we think about this, we could create a "dog's life" for ourselves. Emphasis on the COULD.

And we could note

that in our human lives, we aren't always so fearless about taking on challenges, no matter the size. Nor are we always as passionate about them as the little dog was.

Sometimes we surge forward and are pulled back. Are we as willing to aim to gain even a few "inches" if that's what we can do at that moment? The little dog was focused on a target and was willing to continue moving forward until it reached it.

The little dog's target may have been an inappropriate one. I don't know what its expected outcome was, but had the bigger dog been in a bad mood, the outcome might not have been a desired one. And let's not ignore that there was a
protective control factor at work here since both people monitored what was going on so they could prevent a negative result.

When we are aware of our connection to the larger consciousness and how we participate with it, know and trust that it operates on our behalf; we see it functions like the people, the caregivers, who held the leashes. When we focus on targets that are inappropriate for us and may actually create negative or unpleasant outcomes, we should appreciate the "fail-safe" that is in place. The little dog was forced to abandon its target because it was on the end of a

leash. It did not focus on the inappropriateness of straining to hit a target it shouldn't. We, however, are able to pay attention and recognize that a particular target is not the right one for us. Perhaps, it actually led us to a different target, the one we should aim at.

We can consider and choose, reassess, change our target at will, take aim, and reach it. We may recognize that aspects of a dog's life are ones we'd like to have, and as I said earlier, we COULD create for ourselves; but we also have the option to decide, mindfully, what is truly appropriate for us.

Also, consider how a dog owner must appear to the dog. We probably appear as quite powerful to them. We'd benefit if we thought of ourselves the way our pets do. And another thing we can borrow from a dog is to choose to "wag our tails"

in joy and play more often. A dog is always willing to make the most of every moment.

Life is what we make it.

~ Joyce Shafer ~

Self Care- What If It's Not About You? (Part 4)

Newsletter 10/24/07

Don't take care of yourself just for your benefit. Do it for everyone around you!

Paradoxically, it's selfish if you fail to take good care of yourself, because the burden of your emotional mood or needs may fall on someone else. Ooh, this is one of those tough truths, isn't it?

Think about it. If you don't fill your own well enough or practice smart boundaries, what's likely to happen? A bit more crankiness and no energy left for feeling "Joy to the World"? If you don't practice smart boundaries, will you be someone who blows up in traffic or get overly stressed out in a long line at the mall? Snap at your spouse for not remembering to pick up the cinnamon sticks?

This year, be a hero and practice what I call Proactive Resentment Prevention. You may also need its cousin, Proactive Exhaustion Prevention, which conveniently spells PEP.

Stay very aware of your energy and when you need to refill your well or not say "yes" to one more thing. I felt some exhaustion and resentment building during a busy, emotionally and professionally challenging week. A visiting relative was napping and my husband was starting dinner. If I wanted to win my badge for being a good girl, I'd help with dinner, right? I actually asked my husband if I might go to a movie, explaining it would be smart proactive resentment prevention. He said- Yes, Go. (Wonderful, smart man!)

In the dark theater with just me and my popcorn I breathed a sigh of delicious calm. 2 hours later, I enjoyed dinner with my family and pleasant evening, feeling more capacity to be generous and compassionate with everyone. (Because I'm learning to take responsibility for being compassionate and generous enough with myself.)

~ Marian Baker ~

Self Care- What If It's Not About You? (Part 3)

Self Care- What If It's Not About You? (Part 3)

We've been exploring the concept Your Life is Your Message (inspired by a book by same title, by Eknath Easwaran). In this context, taking responsibility for your own self care and fun quotient takes on new significance. Beyond your own well being, your energy (and who you become) make a difference in the world.

This book will help you stay grounded. It invites me to pay attention to self-transformation (vs. leaping over that by getting caught up in a frenzy of to-do's for websites, press releases or accidentally arrogant goals about "making a difference"). It calls me to be very awake to my personal example and fueling a great quality of life for myself in order to continue supporting others in that quest.

My invitation to you is to appreciate the importance of enhancing your own quality of life (beyond your own comfort or personal goals!)

Look for ways to take good care of yourself and ENJOY LIFE!

Trust that this is not merely frivolous or selfish. Actually, it makes all the difference in the World!

Your Next Step:

Consider the following check-in 2-3x/week:

My life is my message

• What is my Life saying today?

• How might I grow toward more harmony with myself?
  

Consider your personal example and the energy you radiate. The tangible choices and actions you're inspired to do (because you're evolving to be more in sync with your true spirit) are all relevant ways that you become a positive contributor.

~ Marian Baker ~

Self Care- What If It's Not About You? (Part 2)

In his book, Your Life is Your Message, Eknath Easwaran talks about the importance of your quality of life and the ripple effect beyond your self-focus. The quality of you life ultimately benefits others.

"People absorb something deep below the conscious level when they see a man who is at peace with himself."

As we focus on enhancing the quality of our own lives, of becoming who we are meant to be, we are beginning to contribute to improved quality of life for all. Of course, this could be misinterpreted to give people permission to pursue hedonistic comforts and ego-driven self absorption. That's clearly not the message. Think about it - When you authentically focus on "becoming your true self" (harmony with self) that is a spiritual revolution. That does lead to peace, prosperity and the pursuit of happiness for all.

In a recent coaching session, my client Marge came to some eye-opening insights about Fun. Decades of conditioning created limiting beliefs such as "Fun should come after the significant work is done." Or "Fun is selfish and irresponsible." Marge wanted to stretch to see how making fun a higher priority could be the opposite of selfish - how filling her own well creates brighter energy and thus fuels her capacity to BE a more compassionate, generous, creative contributor to the rest of us.

Your Next Step:

What are your potentially limiting beliefs about self care being selfish?

What are your potentially limiting beliefs about enjoying life and the value of fun?

What could be a new perspective (that would lead to positive shifts for you and how you show up in the World)?

Consider your personal example and the energy you radiate. The tangible choices and actions you're inspired to do (because you're evolving to be more in sync with your true spirit) are all relevant ways that you become a positive contributor.

~ Marian Baker ~

Self Care- What If It's Not About You?

Self Care- What If It's Not About You?

Is self care selfish? Is having fun irresponsible? Or are these ways to make a positive difference in the world? I'm feeling newly inspired by a little book, Your Life is Your Message by Eknath Easwaran. (This title was inspired by the author's hero, Mahatma Ghandi.) He tackles the grand agendas of a harmonious planet, global peace or economics with a simple and profound declaration.

What matters most is how you live your own life.

This is not a brand new thought, but it's really sinking in more deeply. It feels so true.
Easwaran acknowledges many of our challenges such as poverty, drug abuse, tensions among various peoples, wars and increasing threats to our environment. The punch line keeps coming back to individuals' own personal commitment to "quietly change the world by changing themselves."

"The only way to influence people for the better-your family, your friends, your club, your class, your clinic, your society, even your enemies-is through your personal example.

Harmony with the environment- the alleviation of our environmental crisis- and harmony with others- the easing of our social, political and economic difficulties-both begin with a third harmony: harmony with ourselves."

Your Next Step:

What does this perspective stir up in you?

Where does this feel true?

What's challenging or perplexing about this for you?

~ Marian Baker ~

7 Strategies To De-stress - NOW (Part 5 -END)

To wrap up this months topic about how you as a busy business owner can reduce stress quickly, without adding more to your to do list, I want to bring you back to the most basic stress reliever there is: reconnect with your vision and passion.

It’s so easy to let the bigger picture slip from your awareness and get lost in the immediacy of what has the loudest voice. There are so many daily demands coming from all ends of life. Since 7 years, I am running a Non-Profit Organization for Seniors in need in addition to running my successful coaching practice. It was very stressful as you can imagine. I was myopically focused on all the urgent details and relating to the project from the perspective of how little was getting done and how much still needs to be done.

Finally, I began to take five minute walks in the woods around the property adjacent to the house. I would sit in the sunshine for a few minutes and slow down. Instantly I would be reminded of why we started this project, and how rewarding it was to help our Seniors. I was filled again and again with my vision and the original excitement I had when I started the journey. It turned my stress around in an instant.

Slowly this new habit helped me manage my stress and saw me through to a successful completion. Vision is a powerful antidote to stress. Take some time now to remember your vision, your passion about your business and breathe it in to every fiber of you being. Ahhhh, isn’t that better?

It’s YOUR life - imagine the possibilities!

~Helaine~

7 Strategies To De-stress - NOW - (Part 4)

While business ownership can be an amazing, rewarding experience, it can be one of the most stress producing life styles out there. While it’s critically important for every woman who owns a business to engage in self care strategies to reduce stress, adding stress relief to your already full life often adds more stress to the situation.

This month I’ve been inviting you to experiment with simple, fine minute strategies that can instantly lower your stress level. This week I want to focus on paying specific attention to your physical body.

As soon as you become aware of your high stress level, check in with your body.

Note to yourself what you are feeling physically. Is it a knot in your shoulders, stomach distress, tension or anxiety? Stop what you are doing and take 10 deep breaths. Changing your breathing will help ease your physical symptoms. This is something you can do for yourself all the time. No, 10 breaths won’t take your stress away, but it will increase vital blood flow to your system and help you handle the stress better. And, as you make this a habit; you will begin to notice a deeper change.

Other simple physical strategies that help reduce stress levels quickly are spending a few minutes of stretching, take time for a healthy meal, taking a bath rather than a shower. When you feel stressed, ask yourself what would feel good right now and give it to yourself.

~Helaine~

7 Strategies to de-stress - NOW! (Part 3)

We’ve been focusing this month on simple de-stressing strategies without adding more complication to your life. While there are many techniques and opportunities to manage stress, sometimes adding them in can feel like one more thing to your already overflowing plate.

While it’s important to address stress reduction as an overarching adjustment to your lifestyle - that would be one more thing on your plate, and the point of this article is to make more room in your life for you now, not less.

Here’s another on-the-fly strategies for grabbing self care moments.

Take yourself on a date.

Coffee, dinner, a weekend away. You decide. A change of environment can clear away stress and freshen your spirit. Find and explore something new in your familiar surroundings. I guarantee your perspective will shift.

7 Strategies To De-stress - NOW (Part 2)

The other need is you, your health and your sanity. You know you need to carve out time for self care but because the long term, negative results of not taking time for yourself is not immediately evident, you put yourself last. You've adapted to a baseline level of stress and have somehow made it acceptable. Don't beat yourself up over it, it's not all your fault, our entire culture perpetuates this preposterous habit and it's very, very hard to break.

Hopefully, by finding a balance between your need to take care of yourselves AND your business, it will leave you time and energy to go out and change the world - if you want to.

Here are two more quick tips that you can try today.

Return to the source of what's meaningful to you. Walk in nature, meditate, or listen to your favorite song. What gives you personal strength? Whatever your spiritual orientation, reconnect with it. Remember - there's something larger than you - if you can become aware of it that will help you find perspective when you're focused on your own navel.

Do nothing. Don't panic even if you feel the world getting tighter around you. Take five minutes to stop. Remember that when you're highly stressed your decisions are likely compromised. Take the phone off the hook. Turn off the radio or TV, Close the door. Sit and breathe. This will help you recharge your battery.

~Helaine~

7 Strategies To De-stress - NOW - Part 1

Self Care on the Fly:

Your stress is high, your energy is low. Sound familiar? This is the common experience of most small business owners I know. Owning a business can be like running a marathon. You know you’re in it for the long haul, there’s not much time to catch your breath, yet you push on, and on, and on.

You can easily see how this scenario can lead quickly to an out of balance life and stress your business as well. This month I’m going to offer you 7 simple – on the fly remedies for creating breathing room in any stressful life. Even the busiest business owner can find five minutes in her day for a little self nurturing. I challenge you to try.

Here are 2 ideas to get you started:

Dust off your journal and write. One of the best ways I know to quiet the mind and access your deeper thoughts is to write. Even for only five minutes. Let yourself write in an uncensored way. Let your thoughts flow without concern for grammar or impressing a reader. Be curious about what your inner self wants to tell you.

Call someone. A five minute conversation with a friend or trusted advisor can inject you with some well needed perspective. It’s harder when you feel stressed AND alone. Ask for some venting time if that’s what you need. Or, talk about something completely off topic from what’s on your mind. Laugh together. Make sure you seek out someone you feel safe sharing with.

~Helaine~

Living to Please

Is your life one of your choosing? Do you make decisions based on what feels right to you, or do you make decisions based on what others might think? It’s time to stop “shoulding” on yourself.

Living life according to the wants, demands, and expectations of others puts you in a powerless position. You will never have the opportunity to bring your Authentic Self out into the world if your energy is dedicated to making everyone around you happy.

Please understand, I’m not suggesting that you disregard the priorities and desires of those close to you. I am encouraging you to give at least equal weighting to the priorities and desires of your heart. It is through this channel that your Authentic Self, and thus your power, have the chance to come into the world.

Instead of Living to Please – Live to Contribute

The essence of making decisions based on other people’s demands revolves around your desire to please others. This is similarly related to our first weapon; perfection. When you live to please you are essentially telling your Authentic Self that you don’t believe in your own worth. As a result, you work to earn approval and love – by being a good person vs. a real person.

Put the good person to bed! You’re grown up now; with intrinsic value, wisdom, and insight. Step into the beautiful creature you are, and harness the power of the gifts you’ve been given to contribute to the lives of the people you care for.

I promise you that the love you receive as a result of making a difference in another person’s life will be far more genuine than the hollow approval you receive as a result of living according to someone else’s rules and wishes.

This week, answer this question: Where in your life are you living to please?

Then – decide to stop that!

~Kim~

Believe In Yourself: You Deserve The Best

After you have decided what you want, visualized it, and believed it can happen, the next step is receiving it – fully and wholeheartedly.

This step may sound simple at first (and to some, it may be really simple), but in reality, people sometimes have a hard time receiving what they want. Why? Because they feel they don’t deserve it.

Feeling undeserving of good things usually stems from a lack of self-esteem which may be traced back to childhood. Dysfunctional families, lack of support from teachers or guardians and lack of acceptance from peers are common culprits of poor self-esteem.

The danger of such negative childhood experiences is that children may carry their trauma up to their adult life. The trauma may have a destructive impact on their thought patterns and relationships, among others. Because of feelings of low self-worth brought about by the trauma, they may consciously or unconsciously believe that they do not deserve the good things that can come to them.

So if you honestly cannot see yourself living with the best in life, you need to really ask yourself – why do I feel I do not deserve this thing I want? If your answer is along the lines of “I’m not worthy enough” or “These things simply cannot happen to people like me,” then you may have to review your self-image.

The good news is, even years of destructive thought patterns can be reversed through positive thinking and daily affirmations. After you identify your habitual negative thoughts about yourself, you can replace them with positive ones. And while negative thoughts may still enter your mind from time to time, it may encourage you to know that a positive thought is far more powerful than a negative one.

You can begin by daily affirmations like “I am a unique, wonderful human being,” “I deserve the best in life,” or whatever you feel will make you appreciate yourself more.

It may also be helpful to do these affirmations in the second person. Since we hear the hurtful, destructive words from other people, affirming from a second-person point of view can be empowering. For example, you can say “I love you for who you are. You do not need to prove yourself to anyone. You are already special as you are right now.”

An exercise which may also help is imagining a person close to you talking to you and telling you about what he/she likes about you. You can also assume the point of view of this other person, and look at yourself through his/her eyes.

Do your affirmations and meditations daily and watch your life change. By loving and appreciating yourself for who you are, you will open yourself to all the best life has to offer.

~ Jeff Cohen ~

Life without Obstacles

What would your life look like if you were to remove all of the obstacles that stand in between you and your potential? Would you be intimately connected to your family and friends? Would you work in a career that filled you with passion and afforded you the opportunity to make a contribution? Would you experience a sense of energized focus, and enjoy feelings of balance and calm? Would you be filled with a sense of purpose and an understanding of your blessings each day?

I can answer each of these questions for you. In a word – yes. When you fully step into the powerful potential waiting to be unleashed within you all of these joyful benefits will be part of your reality, and I want that reality for you! For that reason, this month I’m going to lead you through a process that will introduce you to your potential, and invite you to bring it out into the world!

Nature has purpose. Every gift you possess has been bestowed upon you with intention, and every experience you’ve encountered has been designed to help you expand on your strengths or to build your endurance. The composite of your inherent strengths and your unique life experience combine to form a blueprint of your personal potential.

Your blueprint, like your DNA, is unique to you. That means that you are singularly capable of making contributions to this world that that no one else on the planet can make. Translated, if you don’t make the contributions you alone are designed to make, they’re not going to make it into our world. What a loss!

Because of this, it’s important to note that stepping into your power is about more than accomplishing your goals or experiencing joy. Though you deserve all that you desire, and you are entitled to live joyfully, these outcomes are byproducts of a bigger purpose.

The catch is this; you have to plug back into your life. That’s going to take some effort. You’ll have to come off of auto-pilot. You’ll have to reconnect with your intentions, and you’ll have to use your gifts. Are you willing?

Think about your life.

In what areas are you just going through the motions?

Where are you on automatic pilot?

You have to name it before you can claim it.

Kim

Live Powerfully in the Present Moment

The time we spend on earth is very short when you consider
the scope of the universe. Often, we don't see the big
picture and get lost in the details. What is our purpose
in the few years we have? It is to become a living
embodiment of spirit while we are here. We must learn to
express spirit through our actions, emotions,
relationships, and in the work we do, which can be
anything from loving our children to being a bank teller.
We're supposed to nurture each other, love the planet that
provides us sustenance, evolve our soul in the process,
then go home,perhaps to try another version at some later
date.

There's no singular instruction manual for this type of
big picture thinking -- to a large degree, we make it up
as we go along. Remember, being born is like standing at
the end of a big river and jumping into an already moving
stream of people and events, all colored by the past --
the past others have left behind, but mostly the past we
create during our stay.

The Past is a Benefit

The past is important because we learn from it. It helps
us navigate through our current choices in order to evolve
our soul. We're in soul school the minute we hit the
ground until we cross over, coursework made possible by
the enriching and sometime challenging conditions we have
chosen. We chart a learning program well before we get
here, a structure that includes our parents, our gender,
and circumstances that will provide us with the greatest
opportunity for personal and spiritual growth, resulting
in true-self-empowerment.

Negative Programs Limit Our Present-Day Vision

Where we get into trouble is giving up our freedom to
make new choices within that structure based upon the
present, especially when we replay old, outdated
messages given to us by others that solidify our belief
system about who we are.
Negative programming results, or the way we automatically
approach present day circumstances, with a "can't do"
attitude. Negative programs limit our vision, preventing
us from feeling empowered about what we can accomplish in
life. Such negative thought patterns from the past
deplete our energy reserves, diminishing our ability to
make a difference in the lives of others today.

Have any of the following ideas become part of your
present experiences?

* You can't do that; girls just don't do that.
* You have to make me happy; I sacrificed everything for
you.
* This family comes first, not you.
* You don't deserve to be loved.
* I'm poor but good.
* The world is a terrible place.
* You'll fail/get hurt/be taken advantage of so don't
try.
* I don't have to apologize because I'm the parent.
* You make enough mistakes, and you'll learn how hard
life is.

I believe we set a mental agenda every day, and what we
see in our world, and our personal lives, is a result of
what we think. If you aren't getting what you want out
of life, then you must create a mental discipline that
replaces a negative belief system with one of hope,
appreciation of the past, and a decisive statement of
what you see happening in the present. The present is
what matters.

Change Your Outlook

Changing a mental outlook takes discipline. In our
culture we are taught to plan for disaster, be prepared,
and anticipate what might be coming around the bend.

It involves releasing outdated ideas and replacing them 
with ideas of what you want in the present moment, and 
accept it as already happening.

How many of you have heard "life is hard, a daily
struggle, life is tough"? How about "if you don't have
your health, you don't have anything"? I am of the
opinion that if you don't have excellent health, yes,
things might be fairly bleak, but there still is an awful
lot of life to be had. Life, in terms of our exchange
with others, has many meanings, but often we've got the
definition backwards. Life isn't all about taking it in.

It's mostly about what you give out.


Write a Daily Affirmation to Stay on Track

Write a daily affirmation that encourages you to look
inward and unseat old messages.

Ask yourself:

What blocks my ability to overcome and mend? 

Am I fearful of life? 

Do I always put my needs last because I feel unworthy? 


Change your mental outlook into a new assumption for
today by saying:

* Each day is an opportunity to give more to humanity.

* This unlimited universe gives me room to grow in
unlimited ways.

* By being who I am, I give to the world with excitement
and love.

* I become stronger because of the challenges I have
faced.

* I am worthy because I am my Divine Self.

* I no longer need to hold myself back from success and
prosperity.

* My life is a unique expression of creation.

* I love the journey I'm on. I construct my puzzle at my
own pace!


Move Forward with Hope and Joy

Remember, every day is new, no matter how you slice it.
The sun comes up in spite of our mistakes or the despair 
we must face. We are meant to continually move forward!
Getting stuck in the past holds us behind, a prisoner
within an incredible universe of opportunity.
True empowerment stems from living now, not as a reaction
to now from the past, or living with worry about what
might happen tomorrow, next month, or next year.

Every day, no matter what has happened to you in the 
past, is a new opportunity to begin painting your life
on a fresh, new canvas. 

Paint with powerful, present moment strokes. A mental
outlook centered in "now" allows you to realize more
self-power and confidence you'll need to ride the bumps
in life.

You can do it!

~ Charlene M. Proctor,Ph.D.~

The Freedom and Power of Accountability

Why an article on accountability? While hardly a new topic,
the concept is widely maligned, misunderstood, or missed
completely. Until we are willing to live our lives from an
accountable perspective, there are always excuses as to
why we can't, why our lives don't work, and why we should
not even try.

Let's start at the beginning. The 3 basic levels of
accountability are, briefly:

1) Accountability for our feelings: I do not have choice
regarding all the events in my life, but I always have
choice in how I respond to those events.

2) Accountability for our feelings, choices, and lessons:
I co-create the experiences in my life. I choose not to
waste precious energy blaming myself or anyone else.
I honestly examine all of MY choices that co-create the
experiences in my life, and I choose to learn valuable
lessons from everything I experience.

3) Spiritual accountability for everything: This level of
accountability is best framed by the statement, "I chose
my parents, and I will choose the time, place, and method
of my death." The implications are many, but simply put,
we are spiritual beings having a human experience. The
experiences we co-create here on earth have some purpose
or lesson for us, both at a human and spiritual level.
It is our job while we are here to discover that purpose,
learn, and evolve.

Accountability is a massive concept; however there are
some foundational ideas that assist in its integration:

1) Accountability is not "right"; it is simply a way of
viewing our lives and experiences that helps us to let
go of the past and move forward in life.

2) Accountability is an internal experience; no one can
make you accountable

3) Accountability is the foundation of freedom and
personal power

In defining accountability, it is sometimes easier to
start with what accountability is NOT, as our society
is very invested in the model of blame. If something
is "wrong," then there must be someone to blame;
someone or something is responsible.

Accountability is NOT SELF-BLAME.

Too many people believe that being accountable is 
being responsible, and most have the experience of 
blame attached to being responsible.

The first and most important step in understanding
and applying accountability is accepting the concept
there is NO BLAME. This idea, while it sounds
simple, is really quite radical, and doesn't fit
within belief systems held by most.

If the concept of no blame is difficult for you,
simply ask yourself this question,

"What if there is no one to blame?" 

How would that impact your life?

How could it assist you and free up your energy?

Would this idea support you to forgive yourself
and others?

Simply releasing the energy of blame can transform
your life.

Become conscious of where in your life you blame
others and you blame yourself.

If possible, let go of the blame and see how it
feels.

A concept that allowed me to stop blaming is: We
all have made the best possible choices we knew how
to make when those choices were made, with the
information we had at the time. (Information means
our entire development as human beings, mentally,
emotionally, physically, and spiritually).

The truth is, for most people, this is
exceptionally difficult to accept. We have been
hard wired to blame, and there must be someone or
something at fault. If we begin to release this idea,
we can let go of the emotional energy and weight of
blame in our lives. What we are aiming for is the
experience of truly accepting what is.

Regardless of how much we feel blame may be justified
in a given circumstance, a more important question
is, "Is it your wisest choice to consume your
precious life energy blaming yourself or others?"

If we choose to blame, we project our life 
experiences outside of ourselves where we have no 
power, or internally where we diminish and demean 
ourselves.

From either of these positions, we cannot learn or
move forward in life. We can only stay stuck.

Next, ask the question, "What is my life lesson in 
this experience?"

Only after answering this question can we really move
forward to the power of accountability. The key to 
ongoing empowerment and personal evolution is
interpreting and applying the lessons in our lives.

Practice answering the question "What choices did I 
make to co-create this experience in my life?" 

Answer the question in areas of your life where
things are going great and areas where things are not
terrific. There are significant lessons in both
circumstances.

Now the most important aspect of truly being
accountable is the application of the lesson(s).
Accountability has become a much more commonly used
term over the past 15 years. Many people now profess
to be accountable and, even more entertaining, to
taking accountability. I always wonder, taking it
from where?

The grounding of taking accountability is usually
still related to the weight of responsibility and
blame, yet the results in their lives never seem to
shift.

Here is the measure of true accountability. Our 
results in life change because we apply the lessons of
our life. It is a simple and powerful measure. If our
results do not change, we have not learned the lessons 
and keep recreating similar experiences over and over 
again.

If we choose to accept (and apply) the concept of 
accountability, then no matter the circumstance, we 
can choose to accept, learn, and grow, regardless of 
how challenging it may be.

The final component of accountability is the capacity
to attach meaning and significance to the events in
our lives in a manner that supports us to move
forward, evolve, and more consciously engage in our
lives.

~ Jay Fiset ~

6 Steps to a Stronger Mind by Mark Victor Hansen

Our minds are all we've got. They are the source of who we, both personally and professionally, are. They determine our success or failure. They are our strength and our weakness.

With the quality of our entire lives resting on our minds, it's unbelievable that we choose to fill them with so much garbage. The amount of negativity from television, newspapers, tabloids and other media that bombards us on a daily basis is amazing. We would never think to fill our bodies with only junk food, right? Heck no. We know that if we ate nothing but French fries and ice cream we would experience negative consequences like skin blemishes, weight gain and rotting teeth.

But with mental junk food we don´t see the physical consequences right away. When our minds are constantly filled with negativity and bad news, our minds begin to decay. That´s why we need to develop a strong, Herculean-esque mind.

Developing your mental muscles will give you the power to accomplish anything you want in life. Sure, it takes some discipline on your part, but look at the world's greatest bodybuilders. They don't show up at the gym every once in a while. They create a workout schedule and they are at the gym every day, no matter what.

Hire yourself as your "mental manager". Figure out how much you're going to pay yourself and make up a job list. Here are six jobs to assign to yourself to create a stronger mind.

1. Read Right

How much good news do you see in the newspapers? Editors usually say, "If it bleeds, it leads." Not much chance of positivity there. So, read something else. Read books – good books. Books that motivate you. Books that inspire you. Look up some of the great inspirational authors online or in your local bookstore. Read them every morning and/or every night, before you go to sleep.

2. Share Your Mind

Find someone, or a group of someone's, who have the same desire to share positivity. This is called masterminding. Great successes are created when great minds come together and think about the same things.

3. Find A Mentor

My mentor was Buckminster Fuller and I learned more from that man about life than I ever hoped to. Who are the people you admire most, whether you know them or not? Figure out whom you'd like to emulate and study them. If they offer seminars, attend them. If they've written books, read them. Just a few I´d recommend are: Jim Rohn, Tony Robbins, Dr. Wayne Dyer and Zig Ziglar.

4. Listen to Motivational/Inspirational CDs and DVDs

This is one of the most important habits you can create for yourself. Find inspirational audio messages and listen to them over and over. Earl Nightingale, one of the most brilliant thinkers of our time, had this to say on the subject: "Tape listening is the most important advance in technology since the invention of the printing press." With CDs speakers can reach 10 times as many people as the printed word ever could.

5. Sign Up and Attend Seminars

The motivational messages you hear at seminars, and the inspirational people you meet, reinforce your self-esteem and positive thinking. You can search out seminars via the internet, newspapers or local colleges and universities.

6. Turn Off the Television

On average, the television set in an American home is on over 7 hours a day. Just like any bad habit, it needs to be broken. I'm not saying that all television is bad. Heck no. I'm simply recommending that you cut back on your television viewing. Decide how long you're going to watch television and then turn it off when you're time is up. Try cutting back your television viewing one hour every day at first. You can use that time to read a book, listen to a motivational tape, walk your dog or spend time with your family.

After reading these six steps maybe you're saying, "But Mark, I can´t do it. I just don´t know if I can be this dedicated to bettering myself?" Who else are you going to be dedicated to if not yourself? Because when it comes right down to it, folks, you are all that you've got. Jobs and relationships come and go. Children grow up, leave the nest and get lives of their own. Then there you are, alone with yourself. Why not create a "you" you can be proud of.

'Amaze yourself; manifest your full potential.'

~Mark Victor Hansen~