Having The Wisdom To Know
How do we define wisdom? Is it being knowledgeable? Is it a way of thinking? The Oxford Dictionary describes wisdom as “experience and knowledge together with the power of applying them critically or practically” or “common sense”.
In our search for wisdom, we still must ask the question, we can gain experience through life and we can acquire knowledge through learning but where do we get the power or the common sense?
For the most part, psychologists all agree that wisdom as distinct from the cognitive abilities measured by the standard IQ tests. They believe that wisdom is a trait that can be developed by experience, but can never be taught.
In more general matters, wisdom is synonymous with prudence. Some people believe that wisdom is a gift that even a child, uneducated and inexperienced may possess. Wisdom is a virtue that is recognized by all circles whether they are religious, cultural or philosophical. Wisdom is defined as a set of principles that govern all of a person’s actions and decisions. It can pertain to a person’s perspective on life and how they deal with any number of situations.
But what is it that makes a person wise? Can wisdom be taught? Do we gain wisdom from experience or is it inherited? Can true wisdom be gained by spirituality?
As far back as the ancient Greeks wisdom was associated with virtue. Philosophers spoke about the virtue of wisdom with regards to courage and moderation. The Catholic Church says that wisdom stands with justice, fortitude and moderation as one of the four virtues. Yet some religions believe that wisdom was achieved by restoring balance. In Islam, it is believed that the Prophet Muhammad was chosen by God to represent his wisdom.
Some eastern philosophies also have their thoughts on wisdom such as Buddha who taught that a wise person has good bodily conduct, speaks well and controls their mind. It is a wise person that will do the tasks that are unpleasant but have to be done. The law of karma.
So there is much conjecture to how wisdom is acquired, yet every day we become a little wiser from the experience of just living. It is this experience that when examined, dissected and evaluated by us becomes wisdom. It is of our own choosing whether or not to use our experiences to gain wisdom. For example, you are running in a field, not watching where you are putting your feet, you trip over a log and hurt your knee. It is now up to you what you do with this experience. Do you rub your knee and forget it or do you quickly make a mental note to be more vigilant about where you put your feet?
Naturally, a wise person would do the latter. Just as a wise person would take an umbrella with them if there were heavy clouds in the sky or a jumper if there was a cold wind. So it could be said that wisdom is really a form of common sense.
Wisdom, like learned knowledge, comes at all levels from basic common sense to very deep reflective wisdom gained from reflective thought about all that has gone before us and by the analysis of our lives, our achievements and our failures and by looking at why each occurred and how it could have been better handled. How many times have you thought back over an incident and thought “if only?” If we can acknowledge these outcomes and reasons, we can learn, then apply it to what may come next.
Having the wisdom to know what to do, what to say and when to say it is all a matter of looking at the situation logically, using the experiences from our past and thinking about the possible outcomes of our next action or sentence. For some intuitive people this can be a natural process yet for others it may take a little more time and dedication.
It would appear that while wisdom cannot be learned from a text book, it can be taught. You can be taught how to become more aware of situations, thoughts, actions and deeds and the possible outcomes of these yet, only you can heed the advice being given and utilize the information in a logical manner. Wisdom comes from within, from looking at the information at hand, critically examining it and then using that information in a logical manner.
Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of My-Personal-Growth.com, a site that provides information and articles for self improvement and personal growth and development. http://www.my-personal-growth.com/
The 5 Step Personal Development Plan
Personal development has become increasingly popular in today’s busy world for everything from career improvement and weight loss to public speaking. While the methods and tools used to achieve the desired personal development outcome may vary from high priced seminars to moderately priced books, there are a number of simple steps that can be used to get you started on the right path to reach your own personal development goal, such as:
1) Identify the Cause
A good starting point with personal development is to look at how you got to where you are right now. For example, if your area of personal development relates to weight loss then look at what lifestyle factors contributed to your weight problem to start with. Write down everything you can think of that contributed to the problem and then analyze how you can modify each factor to get the result you desire.
2) Goal Setting
It is essential to have a clear goal in mind to achieve your own particular personal development requirements. Ask yourself exactly what it is that you wish to achieve and the more refined and clear your goal the more chance you will have of successfully attaining it.
3) Make a Plan
Once you have decided on your goal then formulate a plan that details the steps you will take to reach your goal. Use the details you uncovered when identifying the cause of the problem and expand on these to incorporate as much detail as possible on how you can achieve your personal development goal.
4) Focus and Commitment
Once you know your goal and have designed your plan you then need to focus on your goal and commit to the plan you have designed. Set aside a certain amount of time each day to work on your plan and do not allow general daily chores to distract you from what you need to do. Once you have become accustomed to working on your plan each day it will become a habit and therefore easier over time to stick too.
5) Look for Inspiration
It will be of great benefit to look for inspiration from others that have overcome the same personal development challenge as your own. This can be in the form of books, seminars, courses or even a person from your local community that you may be able to contact to get some tips or advice.
Personal development is about identifying areas of your life that you wish to change for the better and having an attitude of continual self-improvement. No matter which area of your life you intend to improve by following the steps outlined above and committing to the plan you can be assured of achieving your goals and in doing so gain more confidence to not only achieve other personal development goals but do it quicker and easier each time.
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Take Time To Know Yourself
Life’s reason is a question it seems, and the journey for answers. There are many questions, and often a vast array of answers.
Life is a gift, life is a joy. The winner is not the one who dies with the most toys. The winner will come to their day, content and filled with knowledge. For with this knowledge, real happiness was found. The first question ever asked was answered, and the rest of life came easily.
It’s not unusual in our haste to neglect this first question. After all, the answer is not written, neither is there a wise man to ask who could possibly reply. This question is short, only three words. But it is truly the most important ever asked, and the most valuable ever answered.
“Who am I”, now ask yourself, “Who am I”.
I wonder, have you taken the time to know yourself? If you have been like most of us in this world of instants - instant coffee, instant milk, instant answers - you’ve neglected to examine the answer to life’s most important question “who am I”, Don’t despair, you still have time to ask this question and all the time, life’s journey will afford you the answer this question. But I’m sure you will want to find this answer much sooner, and live a life of happiness and contentment from the here and now.
The endeavor of self-knowledge is not a new fad for those who wish to believe the age of today is the dawn of enlightenment, or any particular trendy new age movement. It is a basic human instinct really, and an age old quest. This is documented in ancient Greece as inscribed on the shrine of Apollo, 6th century BC “Know thyself”.
Self-knowledge is not simply a key to happiness; it is limitless in its value as a tool for successful life experiences. Self-knowledge is also security for those times when we need some loving arms, comfort and light in our darkness.
The question was simple enough. The next step is to take the time to know yourself. The most difficult part of this task is beginning. Once you have started, though, the rest will come surprisingly easy.
Begin the process of knowing yourself by being a friend to yourself. The most important thing a friend will do for you, a real friend, is to give you credit. When your friend is good at something, it is only natural to tell your friend how well he/she shines at what he/she does. Now simply do this for yourself. A real friend will not find some negative, or pick on some weaker skill of yours and highlight it. Be a real friend. There is no benefit at all being modest here. Modesty is an honorable trait and certainly acknowledge this with pride if it really is a trait. But this task is best achieved by bragging to yourself about your abilities.
Only after you have honestly absorbed and understood your wonderful skills and qualities should you turn some attention to exploring those things about yourself that would not usually be considered positive points. A real friend will gently allow you to acknowledge that perhaps you may have some limitations. That’s what friends do; they are honest with each other, but never judgmental or hurtful. It is not advisable to dismiss this step. Embracing the entire you is an important key to self-knowledge.
The joy to this second step is that you will have knowledge of your limitations, and knowledge is control. Knowledge of your limitations means that you can work on them where they can be improved, or work with them towards your eventual goals.
You may seek advice on defining the first two steps of acknowledging and recording your attributes. After all, our family and friends often see things in us that we are too close to see for ourselves. But, as you will discover, step three can only be honestly evaluated by you.
Now finally, define your aspirations. Once you begin work towards being who you aspire to be, you are who you are, and the answer to the question “Who am I” is about as simple as the nose on your face.
When you know who you are your goals appear so much nearer than where they were before. You will discover you are now stronger and braver when confronted with challenges. You will no longer wonder if you can do some thing or another. You will know.
When you know yourself, you will love yourself just as you love those nearest and dearest to you who you know so well. When you love yourself, you will never be lonely, you may be alone on occasion, but then you will feel all-one.
This, my friend, is the secret to a successful, content and happy life. It’s time to “know thyself”.
Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of My-Personal-Growth.com, a site that provides information and articles for self improvement and personal growth and development. http://www.my-personal-growth.com/
Powerful Meditation Tips To Develop Your Insight and Wisdom
When people sit down to meditate, they are often all chasing a different goal. Some simply take to meditation as a way to relax and think clearly. Some take to meditation because it helps them concentrate and focus. While others are hoping to gain insight about their life and gain a special wisdom that can only be obtained through the introspection that comes with meditation.
Here are a few helpful tips to help you gain the insight and wisdom you are looking for from meditation.
Everyone knows that when you meditate, you are told to clear your mind of any troublesome or bothersome thoughts so that you may delve into the realm of deep and complete meditation.
But if you are looking to gain wisdom on a particular nagging question, you can simply focus on that one topic as you relax and let your mind go, except for that one burning question. Let all your other worries from the day fall off your back like rainwater, but keep the topic you wish to gain insight on close to your heart. You will see better results this way if that is why you are choosing to meditate.
Something you can do to increase your focus on the topic you wish to gain insight on is to place a small object, a reminder of some kind, in the palm of your hand when you meditate. Even if you close your hand into a fist when you meditate, you can feel the object pressing into your palm. You can focus the energy of your mind on that object and this will help mind to wrap itself around the problem you want to solve.
Even if you simply place the object in front of you instead of in your hand, you will know that it is there and it will serve as a constant reminder of what wisdom you wish to gain from your meditation session.
The same essential goal can be had by putting on some quiet music while you meditate. It should be on very, very quietly, only loud enough for you to barely make out while you enter your meditation. Make sure the song (put it on repeat so it plays over and over during your session) has a direct link to the problem you are hoping to gain wisdom on.
If the topic you wish to gain insight on is about money, have it be a song you associate with wealth. If it is a relationship problem, make it a song that you associate with that particular person. Do not allow the music to be loud enough that it will disturb your meditative state, only loud enough for it to dance upon the outer reaches of your mind as you meditate.
To get your mind into the proper frame before you even sit to meditate, spend the 10 minutes immediately before you meditate thinking about the issue you wish to gain insight on. You do not have to do any hardcore brainstorming, just ponder it quietly. Think about different angles involved and different ways you could approach it.
Scent can also be a strong trigger for memory and creative thought. If it all possible, try to have something near you that you associate with the problem you are trying to resolve.
If it is a relationship problem, have a small dab of cologne or perfume. If it is about money, have a scent that reminds you of wealth and prosperity. The nose and the mind work closely together, do not underestimate the power the two can have on your meditation.
Make sure you meditate for wisdom and insight during a time when you will not be distracted. You are essentially asking your mind to perform an elaborate series of tasks that can all be shattered by a curious child interrupting or a careless spouse stumbling upon you. Try to do this style of meditation when you are completely alone and there is zero chance you will be bothered.
Also, the amount of time this style of meditation takes varies greatly. Make sure you have plenty of time to meditate. When estimating the time you will need, it is better to overestimate then underestimate since you do not want to be on the verge of a breakthrough and then be disturbed.
To solve some tougher problems, it may take multiple sessions, sometimes even months worth of delicate introspection before a problem is properly solved. Depending on how your mind approaches the problem and how deep your meditation is, different problems with be solved at different paces. Do not get frustrated and do not give up. Remember, even if you do not solve the problem at all, you are still doing your body a world of good by meditating in the first place. Give it time and in most cases, you will be very happy with the results
The keys to successful insight and wisdom meditation can be tough to grasp for some. In this world of instant gratification, it can be hard for some newcomers to meditation to have the patience if they do not get what they are looking for right away. But the path to true inner peace, not to mention wisdom and insight, is a long and winding one and only those with dedication will be able to reap the reward.
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Getting Reactions Through Your Own Actions
The old adage, “action speaks louder than words” couldn’t be more accurate, especially in the business world. The way you carry yourself speaks volumes for your confidence, your work ethic and your desire to get things done.
For good posture you need to be stable and stability is suggested by use of large muscles.
Too frequent use of the little muscles-wrist, finger, and ankle muscles-indicates quickness but also changeability and instability. The predominant use of the large muscles-hip, thigh, arm, and leg muscles-indicates strength, stability and a consciousness of power. Walk like a king among men, strongly tensing the back thigh muscles so that you seem to be pushing the earth away from you at every step.
Action is so powerful as a means of communication, that, when you see a man walk with a long, free stride, swinging his legs from his hip, your mind compels you to think of him as a man of power.
If, when talking of a big proposition, you emphasize it by light, easy and effeminate gestures, the other man will think that you are not a substantial individual upon whom he can depend, and he will think of your proposition as he thinks of you.
If your words say one thing about you, and your tones or action say another, others lose confidence in you.
A splendid young man who had been a telegrapher for six years, went to a millionaire with a very good proposition. He called five times; but the wealthy man refused to cooperate with him. To me, the man of wealth said: “The proposition seems all right; but the young man’s too changeable, he’s not dependable.”
The young man was stable and dependable, but something which he did while presenting his proposition told the millionaire a falsehood about the young man. Operating a telegraph key for years had become a habit, and the young man’s fingers were always moving-tapping, tapping, something-whenever he talked. That habit told lies about him.
For three days, I trained the young man to keep his hands and fingers quiet so that he would appear as he really was-a calm, reliable, dependable young man. Then, he again called on the millionaire and the deal was closed within an hour, because his words, his tones, and his actions had been harmonized. All told the same truth about him, and the wealthy man became confident of his capacity and dependability.
Your success depends on handling other people.
The degree of your success depends on the impression of yourself, which you convey to the minds of others.
Action is the most powerful means of communication.
Pose is the result of action. It is the means, which creates the most stable and lasting impression.
If you stand with your legs spread from side to side, you give others the impression that you are not sure of your position, or that you are afraid you cannot maintain it. No man stands thus, unless he subconsciously desires to prop his own mind, by “physical props.” In other words, such a pose indicates that the man self-consciously fears his ideas or decisions are not strong enough to stand on their own merit. Or he fears he is wrong and that you will find it out; or he fears that he cannot win you to accept his plan or proposition.
It’s amazing how much people can read get from you by just looking at your actions so stand strong because the business world does not like weaklings.
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What Is The Meaning Of Beyond Unlimited Wealth?
Being in real estate as long as I have,i’ve met lots of investors who have made great fortunes only to lose them in one painful crash.
That’s one of the reasons I stress security so much in the purchase options. It’s one thing to make a few million dollars, and it’s quite another to keep it.
Purchase option investing is the safest way to create enduring wealth through real estate. Each property you own or control is kept at a distance from each new property you acquire.
You will never have to leverage one property against another and then sit back and watch helplessly as one bad event sends them toppling over like dominos. Each purchase option technique minimizes the risk and still gives you, the investor, almost unlimited upside, profit potential.
In the end, your real security is knowing that you can live anywhere in the country and starting from scratch, build up tremendous wealth in just a few short years. Ultimately, it is your ability to create wealth that gives you that deep sense of peace and security.
Ask 100 random strangers if they are doing the things
they know will lead them to financial freedom and 98 out of 100 will tell you no. Why not? Because on one level or another, they are afraid they can’t do it.
They have the fear that if they try to achieve financial success, they will fail. So they come up with elaborate stories they tell themselves or to other people.
The economy is terrible right now.You need money to make money. I could have made it, but. The real reason lying at the heart of most peoples fear is that they don’t have the sense of certainty that the work they put in will be rewarded with financial success.
If a person knows, with absolute certainty, that a specific plan of action will lead them to massive wealth, then they are willing to take action. It’s only the lack of this proven plan that stops 98% of the population.
But you are different. You have in your hands a plan of action to succeed financially. Purchase option real estate is your proven track to riches. When you work this plan, you know with total certainty that you will get the wealth you want.
This sense of certainty you feel in your future is the real key that moves you beyond unlimited wealth. It is the master key that unlocks the door to all the other riches awaiting you in life.
Some people have called this certainty, faith. The name is not important. What is important is the knowledge you now have, that when you are persistent in putting the ideas from this book into action, you will achieve financial freedom. Congratulations!
It has been said that in times of adversity you don’t have a problem to face, you have a decision to make. What is your decision going to be?
Are you going to choose to give in to your fears and keep thinking about getting started in real estate? Or are you going to get yourself into gear and go after your dreams?
Great! We are proud that you have decided to choose the road to wealth, and the real riches that lie beyond unlimited wealth.
You already know that wealth is so much more than money. Wealth is your health, having a loving family, being passionate about your work, finding fulfillment in everyday life, and having total peace of mind.
The best part of the financial success you are on the road to creating is the lasting impact you’ll have on those people you love most. The wealth you have is a gift to you. How you use it to bless the lives of other people is your gift back to the world.
In life, it’s not the money you earn that counts, it’s the lives you touch and bless that truly matter. It’s not a question of what you earn, but rather what you do with what you earn.
Still, if you don’t get out there and earn those dollars, you are limiting the gifts of time, freedom, and security you are able to share with yourself, your family, and your community.
Right now you are probably thinking about the group of people you would like to help with your new wealth. It is a wonderful feeling to know that you are doing good in the world by giving to a worthy cause. And once you create the financial freedom you so strongly desire, you are going to have something even more important to give your time.
You’ll have the time to volunteer to help your causes. Maybe you’ll use this time to visit a shut-in, or to work at a children’s center, or any one of a variety of things. The point is, you will be able to spend your time in your own way and on your own terms.
We believe strongly that the only reason to have wealth is to be able to put it to good use. When we are partners with students and put a deal together, we donate ten percent of our profits to a charity we jointly choose.
We support local battered women’s shelter, Habitat for Humanity, programs for at risk children.
The remarkable thing is that we all have different groups of people we feel strongly about supporting. And when each of us takes it upon ourselves to make a difference, no matter how small, in our chosen area, everybody wins.
Sharing the money making ideas in is like tossing a handful of pebbles into a pond, the ripples spread wider and wider until they cover the entire area. Even though we are a small group of investors, we are able to touch thousands, even millions of lives.
When you move beyond wealth, you will enjoy so many more of lifes true riches. Right now, let’s just take a moment to talk through all those components you’ll enjoy when you move beyond unlimited wealth.
Have you ever felt the disappointment of not being able
to give something to your family that you know they needed? Or felt the stress of worrying over meeting the family bills? When you move beyond unlimited wealth, you’ll never have to feel the uneasiness of financial limitation again.
You’ll be able to provide the best of everything to your family. You’ll be able to give your kids all the things you know will make a difference in their lives. You’ll enjoy the inner strength and pride that comes from having the confidence that you are able to take care of those people you love most.
Have you ever felt pressed into a box with no way out? Stuck in a job you couldn’t stand? Or locked into a schedule that took over your life?
When you move beyond unlimited wealth, you are in control of your own life. Your time is your own. You choose whom you want to see and how you want to spend your time. Never again will anyone else dictate the pace of your life. You will be the author of your own life.
How would it feel to be able to wake up each day and choose how you want to spend your time. You have no limits. Whatever you choose to do, you can do it. Where would you travel? What places have you always dreamed of seeing? Who would you visit?
When you move beyond unlimited wealth, you create the freedom to do what you want, when you want, and with whom you want. One of the things I am most grateful for is the freedom real estate has given me.
Rather than having to rush off to work each day, I am able to enjoy one of life’s most precious gifts,my three year old grandson, Brian. It’s early in the morning and he has just woken up. Half asleep he crawls up into my lap and I just sit there and hold him.
These moments are getting shorter and shorter as he gets older. Still, those few minutes when my grandson is curled up in my lap are priceless. I thank God that I am able to have the lifestyle that affords me the freedom to be there to enjoy them.
Richard Reichmann is internationally known as a millionaire maker. He’s a leading consultant in real estate and internet marketing strategies that are profit proven.
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Are You Just A Product Of Your Environment?
Most people don’t particularly like the idea that they are merely products of their environment. But whether the suggestion in the title appeals to you or not, it describes the situation for most people pretty accurately. Most of our thoughts, emotions, actions, behaviors and habits are dictated directly or indirectly by our environment.
There may be a few exceptional individuals for whom this doesn’t seem to be the case. People with such a strong character that they appear to be impervious to influences of the circumstances around them. However even these people are under the influence of their environment Their past environment has shaped them in such a way that they have gotten stronger and are more able today to withstand certain influences.
But even though they may have developed an unshakable character they are still not untouchable. They can however be highly selective as to by what and whom they allow themselves to be influenced. They have learned to stand guard at the door of their minds, and that is a major reason for their success.
We would all like to think of ourselves as such a person and we all have the ability to be just that. But hanging around people who are just about the opposite, in other words: most people, won’t do much good. It’s not that much a question of whether or not you are a product of your environment. The question is : Do you like what your environment has made of you?” Or even better, and certainly more accurate: “Do you like what you have allowed your environment to make of you?”
If you do. Great! If not. You basically have two options; change how and when you allow your environment to influence you or change your environment. The former might seem easier, since it allows you to stay within your comfort zone, but it is in fact a lot harder than you might think. After all, if it were that easy you would already have done it.
Changing your environment can be easy enough, but it does take a conscious decision on your part. Your ‘environment’ or your ‘peer group’ usually consists of about five people. These are the people that you spend the majority of your time with and these are also the people that influence you the most. Like it or not. So if you’re not satisfied with your results and you would like to change where you are in life, a change in your environment may be the smartest first step to take.
The expectations put on you by your peers have a huge impact on you, whether you are aware of it or not. If you hang around people who hold themselves to high standards you will do your best to meet those standards. Even if this means you will have to put a higher demand on yourself. Conversely, if the people around you have a lower standard you will inevitably either lower your standards to remain comfortable around them or you will leave them. Unfortunately for many people the former, which is obviously the path of least resistance, is often the alternative of choice.
You could make achieving your goals and reaching success in life so much easier if you would just be a bit more choosy when it comes to the people in your environment. Take an active role in determining who is and who is not allowed into your peer group. Instead of just letting other people claim you for theirs. To some this may seem like a chore; consciously selecting who they spend their time with or posing as somebody else and pretending to be something they’re not in order to fit in. A lot of people also consider it to be unethical or opportunistic to apply this kind of selectiveness to determine who they spend their time with.
Many people also mistake being selective in who you spend your time with for being insincere. As if you were taking advantage of someone else by spending time with them. Of course if you actually try to take advantage of someone, he or she will notice this sooner or later and when that happens, that person will no longer be a part of your peer group. However, if you sincerely want to get ahead in life there is nothing wrong with looking for people that can increase you chances of success.
The good thing about being around like-minded individuals is that you enjoy each others company because you think alike on at least a number of subjects that you both consider to be important. These people won’t feel exploited by you at all. They’ll probably enjoy your company as much as you do theirs. And you will have a lot less trouble filtering all sorts of negative influences from these people. Simply because they won’t give you a lot of it.
They may give you a lot of constructive criticism or hold you to higher standards than you are used to, but they aren’t likely to crush your hopes and dreams and try to de-motivate you. If you have a carefully selected peer group it’s as if you have a whole team of security guards protecting the door to your mind instead of just one.
Of course this doesn’t mean that you can’t still spend time with the people you currently hang around. These people may still be very important to you. They may be close friends and family and by no means should you completely erase them from your life. Although in some cases that might not be a bad suggestions. It is important to realize that continuing to devote most of your time, attention and energy to them can seriously hurt you and your future.
As the expression goes: “Love your family, Choose your peers”. If you really want to get ahead in life you better take that phrase to heart. After all, time is a very precious commodity of which all of us are only given a certain amount. We might as well spend it in an environment that is supportive to our goals and dreams.
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The Power Of Commitment
Commitment is a responsibility to someone else or to you. When you commit to a course of action, you are responsible for ensuring that you do that action. If your commitment was to another person, that person expects that you will do what you committed yourself to do. If you commit to yourself that you will do something, you will feel bad if you don’t, your self-esteem will plummet and the action will not get done. That unfulfilled action could be the difference between a life of plenty and a life of just getting by. It will certainly mean that your life will not go in the direction that it could have gone if you had taken the action.
Abraham Lincoln said, “A commitment is what transforms a promise into reality.”
Commitment is hard. It comes with a responsibility to carry out the action that you have pledged to do. If you are in business, you commit to providing your customers with the products they desire with the best service possible. Service commitment is a business pledge that your customers expect you to keep. If you fail to do so, you will find that your business slowly withers away. So, commitment is a business necessity. It is the key to maximum business performance.
Commitment is what saves you, and all of us, from our fickle ego and its fluctuating fears and desires. If you fail to make a commitment to some course of action, then you are not really obliged to continue that course of action. For example, suppose you decide that you are going to go to the gym and exercise for an hour a day. You go for a couple of days and then on the third day you really don’t feel like going. If you haven’t made a commitment to do this exercise regardless of how you feel, then quitting the exercise is acceptable. If on the other hand you have made a commitment to do the exercise, then come what may, you are obliged to continue doing it.
You will find that a life of ethical commitment is a life full of rich relationships, meaningfulness, integrity and joy. Commitment is at the core of social life. The warm happy aspects of love are more likely to be evidenced if the underlying commitment is rock solid. Commitment is an important determinant of any relationship, either personal or professional. It is very difficult to build trust with another individual if we do not commit ourselves to do our very best to make our relationship with that other person the best that it can possibly be.
Commitment is healthiest when it is not without doubt, but in spite of doubt. There is only one sure thing in life and that is that at some point you will die. Everything else depends on you and your commitment to a course of action to have your life go in the direction that you want it to go. Unfortunately, commitment is something that many of us in this culture are averse to; we want to “keep our options open” and “be free to do what we want to.”
This sounds nice and many people believe it; however, those that do leave the outcome of their life in the hands of someone else. If you don’t commit to directing your own life, you become a passenger, taken wherever someone else wants you to go. This is why so many people complain today that their life just isn’t turning out the way they wanted it to turn out. How can it? They are in the ship of life with no helmsman and no rudder, just drifting with the currents. For life energy to move in a desired direction, commitment is essential.
Commitment is the difference between mediocrity and excellence. Commitment is the most powerful force we have. When we commit to something, we take an active part in ensuring that the outcome of what we committed to is as close to perfect as possible. And that is exactly what everyone wants, everything as close to perfect as possible.
To ensure that it happens for you, make your commitment to your life today. With commitment from you, anything is possible, without it nothing is possible. So, remember commitment is a responsibility from you to yourself. Take that commitment and make your life all that you want it to be.
Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of Be Successful News, a site that provides information and articles on how to succeed in your own home or small business. http://www.besuccessfulnews.com/
Pluck it for the Bucket
Such fun I have been having with many client, filling energetic buckets with dense, yucky stuff that is either unneeded, unwanted, or destructive. It’s fun to pluck pain and heaviness out of the energy field. It’s more fun to fill the bucket with this stuff. It’s even more fun to live without this yucky stuff in the energy field! This is a very powerful process of imagery, provided the person doing it thinks it’s fun. Working with Energetic Techniques and Tools
I find that several steps are helpful when working with any energetic technique.
1. Identify High Intention. Identify a subject-relevant high intention or use the generic, all-purpose high intention: the highest good for all.
2. Honor the Divine. Honor the divine, by whatever concept or name you use: Spirit, Higher Power, Source, God, angels, higher consciousness. Without Spirit, nothing in the physical world exists.
3. Honor the Human. Honor the human experience on this magnificent earth plane. Without the Physical, Spirit is an amorphous energy.
4. Suspend Criticism. Suspend criticism and negative judgment about yourself or others. Notice such dynamics enough to recognize that they belong in the bucket.
5. Drop the ego. When the ego gets out of hand, a good place to drop it is in the bucket is a good place. The ego, of course, does have an important function for differentiation and survival. However, when you align with the divine, you only pay lip service to “highest good” when the ego tries to control the outcome.
6. Recognize the Tool. Recognize that the bucket is a tool you have created. It can be both a powerful and playful means for neutralizing violence and resentment and other toxicity. Do not give your power away to this or to any other process or tool or idea or person, but remember to use every means available to assist yourself and others.
7. Release and Trust. Release expectations, fears, and rules; trust yourself while using such processes and tools.
8. Express Thanks. Say thank you. Often. Gratitude is a powerful energy which creates more good.
Case Study
John supervises Jane in a small, family-owned business. Jane had felt she was doing a superb job; John found something to criticize in virtually all that she did. The pattern the two of them wanted to break was the passing back and forth of anger and resentment. Each tells the story with different nuances, but a deep listener can certainly hear that their two stories are the same. Here is my synthesis of their individual accounts:
John gets angry and snaps at Jane, Jane feels hurt and resentful and makes snide comments to John which makes him more angry prompting him to find more criticism with Jane to which Jane responds with deeper hurt feelings and resentment followed by striking out at John directly, indirectly, and behind his back which leads John to retaliate with… Oh, well, you get the scenario and you have probably lived the scenario, as well, with different names and reactions. Jane and John were experts at passing toxicity back and forth.
Traditional and Energetic Strategies
In my consulting practice, I advocate working with a myriad of strategies: some conventional, some unconventional. For this type of situation, some of the conventional approaches are: discussion of the issues and needs/desires for changes, commitment to a new way of being together, and letting go of the past. I consider these all valuable. However, since the patterns were well-practiced, with each benefiting enough in some way to keep the conflict alive, John and Jane would be unlikely to sustain changes just by making resolutions. Or, John and Jane might be able to act out new behavior with each other, yet re-create the old patterns with other persons. Changes made in the energy field rather than on the surface with polite words and correct behavior yield transformation.
And, indeed, John and Jane experienced deep transformation. I trained them to envision buckets in the energy field. Sturdy, galvanized buckets. Later, John’s bucket turned into a black wrought-iron urn and Jane’s turned into a beautiful painted ceramic bowl.
Now, each time either of them has a negative thought about the other, he or she places the toxic energy of the thought in the bucket. With the energy field cleared of negativity, they can talk as two responsible adults who have a shared goal to work for the same company. They continue to have difference, which is no surprise because they are very different individual, but now they have a light-filled process that works for them. They are also now more receptive to making their differences work to benefit both.
With the buckets in place and actively used by both of them, they have found it easier to communicate more honestly, refer less and less to the past, and are beginning to engage in true collaboration. The common expression to “clear the air” applies to Jane and John’s situation. In fact, the air of this whole small organization has been cleared relatively quickly.
Buckets to You!
The beauty of the energetic bucket is that it’s impersonal, sturdy, fun, cost-effective, and omnipresent. You empower it with the quality of transmuting negativity without polluting anyone. It’s required, however, that someone from the human consciousness remember to use it. So, pluck it for the bucket!
Copyright 2006 Marshall House, http://www.mhmail.com. Jeanie Marshall, Empowerment Consultant and Coach with Marshall House writes extensively on subjects related to personal development and empowerment. Discover her guided meditations at the Voice of Jeanie Marshall, http://www.jmvoice.com
Finding Self Fulfillment
Fulfillment: meaning accomplishment, achievement, realization, or completion. The word implies an ending of sorts, and therefore the implication that one “finds fulfillment” is inaccurate at best.
Fulfillment comes from a sense of “being,” not from an ending. There are 3 important elements (that can be taken in steps) to live a life of fulfillment:
1) Want Fearlessly
2) Act Courageously
3) Be willing
Desiring to know your life purpose is important; it’s a good first step or awareness to think, “I want to know why I was born.” However, desire alone isn’t enough. Desire, tends to come from an awareness of the opposing experiences in our life. Therefore, desire is focused on the negative, not on the positive.
For example, when a person moves to a foreign country, the desire for learning the language, comes from the awareness that, “I don’t want to be misunderstood or frustrated.”
The desire does NOT arrive from a “love” of the language alone. Instead the desire originates from a realization of what we don’t want: communication frustration.
Therefore, when most of us say, “I want to live my life purpose,” we are generally more focused on the feelings and thoughts such as, “This job is a dead end; I feel like I’m floundering; I don’t know what I want to do; I feel dispassionate, lethargic, undirected, disorganized, unfulfilled etc.”
As long as we are more focused on what we don’t want, instead of what we do want, fulfillment will always be one step ahead of us. Once we recognize that we’re in a place of desire, it’s essential to take the next step and WANT that desire fearlessly.
By wanting something fearlessly, we begin moving the desire into the positive realm where we will be more receptive to guidance.
Divine guidance will come forth, and we will be inspired to take the right actions to fulfill our desire, but we must be in the “positive vibrational” quadrant in order to receive it.
Courage, according to Dr. David Hawkins’ work in Power Vs. Force, is the first positive emotion, and begins at a calibration of 200 (which is in the positive vibrational quadrant.)
Therefore, the first action step will always be to take action courageously. By just saying the words, “I am courageous! I am bold!” you are beginning to vibrate with the positive energy that attracts positive experiences.
The positive feelings of fulfillment will begin right where you are. You do not have to change jobs, change mates, change your geographic demographics to find fulfillment, but instead evolve your mental attitude from “I want to know my life purpose,” to “I fearlessly want to know my life purpose,” to “I am courageously pursuing my life purpose.” Then, proceed to a willingness to be fulfilled.
This means, being fulfilled exactly where you are, beginning now. Willingness will transform your current situation, but you have to be willing - to be willing.
Six months before he was assassinated, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to a group of students at Barratt Junior High School in Philadelphia on October 26, 1967. The following excerpt speaks clearly the message I’d like you to hear.
“And when you discover what you will be in your life, set out to do it as if God Almighty called you at this particular moment in history to do it. Don’t just set out to do a good job. Set out to do such a good job that the living, the dead or the unborn couldn’t do it any better.
If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music, sweep streets like Leontyne Price sings before the Metropolitan Opera. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well. If you can’t be a pine at the top of the hill, be a shrub in the valley. Be the best little shrub on the side of the hill.”
When I propose to some clients that they choose to be fulfilled right where they are, I’ve noticed that it brings up the feeling of fear. They are afraid that feeling fulfilled right now, will keep their “perceived negative” experience with them. They falsely believe that “disliking” the situation protects them from complacency. It does not. Disliking a situation actually holds that situation in your experience.
Being fulfilled now, will attract fulfillment in the way of your life’s work, your life’s path, and the reason you were born. What you are learning now - is already part of your life’s path. Be grateful for it, and more things will be added to your life to be grateful for. So Want Fearlessly, Act Courageously, and Be Willing. This will put you in the right place mentally, to be inspired spiritually, to act physically.
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