Self Improvement Newsletter
Issue # 453, May 15-16, 2007
FREE Self
Improvement Newsletter, Click here!Please Visit Our Sponsors
Self Improvement Newsletter
Issue # 453, May 15-16, 2007
FREE Self
Improvement Newsletter, Click here!
Please Visit Our Sponsors
* Self Improvement and Personal Growth Weekly Newsletter
* Issue # 453, Week of May 15-16, 2007
Publisher: David Riklan -
http://www.SelfGrowth.com
In this issue:
-- Quotes of the Week
-- Personal Growth Products and Services
-- Article: Road Trip to Empowerment – By Kay Richardson & Sarah Fuelling
-- Article: Gratitude's Gift – By Chris Fenwick
-- Book Review: the 100th human – By Chris Fenwick
-- Brief News of the World
-- How to Subscribe and Unsubscribe from this Newsletter
Current Subscribers – 256,467 subscribers Removal instructions are listed at the
end of the newsletter.
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*** Quotes of the Week ***
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An artist cannot fail; it is a success to be one. – Charles Horton Cooley,
1864-1929, American Sociologist
Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well. –
Josh Billings, 1818-1885, American Humorist and Lecturer
Always keep your composure. You can't score from the penalty box; and to win,
you have to score. – Bobby Hull, Hall of Fame Canadian Hockey Player
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*** Personal Growth Products and Services ***
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*** Article: Road Trip to Empowerment – By Kay Richardson & Sarah Fuelling ***
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Sarah and I pulled into Yellowstone's north entrance at 2:00 a.m. and were
greeted by the official National Park warning: "Beware of Bison!"
The bright yellow flyer had a comic yet equally horrifying black sketch:
a bison, head down, horns forward, tossing a flailing human into the air, his
camera flying. On this dark, moonless night, with no other human being in sight,
we were thrilled to arrive, but uncertain whether to proceed.
* The Power of Facing Our Fears
There was no one to collect our entrance fee, no one to tell us if we were safe
to continue, and no one to help us if needed. We each heard the voice of caution
familiar to many women--am I taking too great a risk? There are times to heed
that voice by not continuing and times to simply hear it, recognize the possible
dangers, and trust your instinct to move ahead.
Road trips provide multiple opportunities for empowerment, beginning with the
chance to face our fears. Each time we push past what's comfortable and succeed,
we gain confidence in our power of discernment.
This frees us to live an adventurous life!
That night in Yellowstone, we embraced just such an opportunity. With adrenaline
pumping, we drove on into the park for one of the most exciting and beautifully
eerie experiences we've ever had. Everywhere we looked, there seemed to be
eyes--little dots of light in the night looking back at us--a set of two here, a
group of many there. We drove slowly, taking it all in.
* The Power of Spontaneity
After an hour or so we parked our trusty Saturn on the paved shoulder.
It was very late; we'd covered many miles that day. It's surprising how
comfortable you can get with reclined seats, a pillow, and a sleeping bag.
On that trip we simply stayed wherever was convenient. Ironically, we'd planned
it that way. Our day-to-day lives were filled with deadlines, decisions, and
goals to reach. This road trip was an opportunity to step outside that and
simply do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted--a unique chance to let the
children in us play and the adults rest.
By 4:00 a.m., we just wanted sleep. So we got comfortable in the car, giggling
at ourselves for selecting the one spot in front of a pay phone. You know, just
in case one of those bison got ideas...
* The Power of Others
One of the things you discover on road trips is how many interesting, kind, and
caring people there are in the world. There were the folks who gave us gas when
we realized our tank was nearly empty in a huge national park with the nearest
gas station miles away. There was the camp host who brought extra firewood and
doted on us like a grandfather.
There were the countless smiles and moments of small talk.
It's easy to become wary of strangers, particularly with the barrage of tragic
stories in the media. Road trips are a chance to experience firsthand the larger
community we live in and feel support outside our usual world of friends,
family, and colleagues. The power of that knowing includes a sense of greater
security in our day-to-day lives and a feeling of connection rather than
isolation from others.
* The Power of Self-Knowledge
Yellowstone Park was one of many destinations on that luxuriously long road
trip, and through our journey together, we got to know ourselves in a new way.
We were open to such learning because we had fewer distractions and time to
consider our experiences. Unlike many life lessons that require big change for
us to stop and notice, the things we learned were, for the most part, fun and
easy.
Many of these lessons were practical nuggets of wisdom about what we really need
to be comfortable. You can live without a hair dryer--but not without toothbrush
and toothpaste. Moist wipes can clean hands, clean spills, clean the car, and
clean your body in a pinch. A hot shower is one of life's greatest sensual
pleasures. Clothes that "feel like you" are essential and empowering. Having
gear that keeps you cozy in any weather frees you to enjoy the outdoors. Less is
more; being able to find what you need because your space isn't cluttered is
freeing.
* The Power of Creating Your Dreams
As we got to know our essential selves in a new way, our real dreams for our
lives had room to surface. Around late-night campfires, we rediscovered some of
our childhood dreams and explored others we wanted to pursue. We decided to act
on them by writing down "My Five Dreams."
We began: "I co-create with the universe..." and then listed five of our most
significant life dreams. This brought them right into the present, as we took
responsibility and claimed support from the spiritual realm to attract our
dreams into our lives. The expansiveness of the road was echoed in our
dreams--rather than being limited to one, we had five to expand on. This helped
us develop an exciting life vision to take home, inspiring us to continue on our
highest path.
* The Power of Forgiving Yourself
Another tool we hit on in our travels was the power of giving ourselves a break.
We did some soul searching by writing things from the past we were carrying
guilt or regret about. Then, from a spiritually connected place, we simply said,
"I forgive myself for _____." The joy of being spontaneous on the road was
magnified by the lightness of being that comes from truly forgiving oneself.
* The Power of Being
The ultimate power of any road trip is the opportunity to be a "human being,"
rather than a "human doing." Most of us live such hectic daily lives that we
don't realize we are whole and complete just by being ourselves. Instead, we are
constantly in motion, our focus on the next thing to be done or on the list we
haven't gotten to. As a result, we can become disconnected from our experiences,
unaware of who we are or what we need because we are too busy to notice. We
become unable to adjust our lives to better suit our dreams and passions because
we don't have enough time to do so or the self-knowledge to make good choices.
There is incredible power in stepping outside our typical selves and venturing
into the unknown.
Leaving behind the familiar can be frightening, even intimidating, and we often
engineer our lives to avoid such situations. But the joy of travel and being
with friends can push us to venture into those places, with the added bonus of
it being our choice to do so rather than circumstances making the choice for us.
The resulting learning and life experience are bonuses over and above the simple
pleasures of a road trip.
So take the chance to face your fears. To be spontaneous. To reach out to others
and be touched by them. To know yourself. To create your highest dreams. To
forgive yourself, and to simply be. And if your road trip takes you to
Yellowstone, watch out for those bison!
About the Authors:
This article was written by Kay Richardson, MFT, and Sarah Fuelling,
contributing authors to "101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life: Volume 2."
Kay is a Certified Life Coach who invites clients to step into their true selves
and create their highest dreams. Sarah, who has a master's degree in psychology,
facilitates empowering workshops for women of all ages. Road Trip to Empowerment
workshops and individual Life Coaching sessions are available from any location
by teleconference. More at
http://www.kayrichardson.com
Their article above is one of 101 great chapters that can be found in
"101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life: Volume 2." This powerful compilation book
-- with John Gray, Jack Canfield, Richard Carlson, Bob Proctor, Alan Cohen, and
countless other experts -- contains 101 chapters of proven advice on how to
improve your life.
*** If you purchase just one copy of their new book today, you will also receive
$1,500 worth of valuable bonus gifts. To see this special book package, please
visit
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*** Article: Gratitude's Gift – By Chris Fenwick ***
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Key #7 Gratitude's Gift
"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul." – Henry Ward
Beecher
The 7th key found in the novel "the 100th human" is truly one that opens the
door to enlightenment. Gratitude can be found on a myriad of pathways that all
lead to God. The symbol for the 7th Key is revealed to us in the subtle image of
an elephant. The gentle giant is sometimes used as a symbol for the sacred state
of Gratitude. Within the emotion of feeling grateful is the seed that offers us
the ability to grow into enlightenment.
Sam Hutchison, the 7th gatekeeper in the novel, guides our heroes through the
intricacies and true power of Gratitude. Everyone knows what being thankful is.
However, few beings use Gratitude to its fullest benefit. Gratitude can create a
beautiful moment or define a lifetime of happiness and bliss. Its power is great
and its effects, if fully embraced, can transform your life into magic.
Gratitude's Gift is a happy paradox that perpetually turns into itself.
"Gratitude is most sacred. It is not a state of subservience as some might
interpret it; though humility is an inseparable part of gratitude.
But the type of gratitude I speak of does not worship God as some might assume,
it rather communes with God, which is considered to be far more reverent.
"...gratitude is not something I feel toward God for blessing me, as much as it
is how I feel when I commune with God.
"Without duality, there is unity. Gratitude is one of unity's faces.
Gratitude is part of the experience of unity."
– Chapter 89 of "the 100th human"
Gratitude forces us to be present in the moment. You can be grateful for the
past, but you can only feel the emotion now in this moment. Life is now,
abundance is now, God is now, and you are now. Being grateful in each moment
will literally transform your life. No less.
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and
more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It
can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend." –
Melody Beattie
God is good, happy, at peace, in bliss, and now. Gratitude is both a tool you
can use to reach God and the state of being you will find once you have arrived
in God's presence.
"Gratitude is not just something you should feel when someone gives you
something. It is a state of mind, a state of consciousness, if you will.
You can not feel gratitude in the past or future. You can think about it outside
of present time reality, but you can't experience it. The true experience of
gratitude requires several things. It requires you to be in the present moment,
completely devoid of past regrets or future projections. When you experience
true gratitude as not only an emotion, but as a state of mind, all traces of
being a victim, or of self-pity, wash away and are replaced with power and
connection to God.
"When you are in gratitude you understand unequivocally that you are connected
to God and are part of it. You can not feel a deficit in any part of your being,
if you are communing with that force. In other words, you have the power to
change -- everything, but most importantly your mind, or your perceptions.
Remember there is no reality, only perceptions of reality.
"Gratitude is also unique in that you can use it as a tool to connect to God and
to your deepest states of consciousness. What I mean is, when you are feeling
victimized, self-pity, worry, or fear, all you have to do is think of something
you are grateful for, and your mind and energy will change. It doesn't matter
how "holy" that thing might be. ...it could be feeling grateful for your dog or
for a meal or for your most recent life lesson. No matter what it is, your state
of mind will change immediately. And if you can stick with it, you can enter the
State of Gratitude.
"If you must compare yourself to others, compare down. Compare to people who are
less fortunate than you. No matter your place in the world, there is always
someone who you perceive to be worse off than you. I do not tell you this so
that you can judge or pity others, or excuse yourself from trying to better
yourself, your circumstances, or your environment. But by comparing down, you
can feel grateful. Once you begin to feel grateful, you can have access to
higher states of gratitude consciousness and realities. It is a powerful tool.
"Gratitude is a tool, a power and a state of consciousness all at once.
It creates miracles in our lives and expands our hearts to the point where we
can invite God in. I urge you, as I have urged my students:
embrace gratitude in every way that you can." – Chapter 89 of "the 100th human"
How do we use this powerful tool to reach its promise land? Never forget to feel
grateful for everything in your life, including the difficulties; for they are
the boulders of today you must climb to build the muscles needed to ascent the
mountains of tomorrow. Stay present in each moment, feel the sustenance the
earth provides you and the opportunities that lay within your heart. Make every
moment a grateful moment. Receive Gratitude's Gift!
Don't forget the other keys as well: Living on Purpose, Hearing the Silence,
Infinite Possibilities, We Are One, and Correctly Identified.
Remember your thoughts count. Be the 100th human!
About the Author:
Chris Fenwick, author of "the 100th human," a consummate optimist, artist, and
entrepreneur, has traveled the globe learning from societies, scientists, and
sages alike. Following the birth of her third child, she was captured by the
story of the 100th human and not released until its successful publication in
2006, a year and a half later. She is a co-owner in three companies, including
her publishing company, Sunbury Press, Inc. Chris lives in Pennsylvania with her
family.
*****
Each time you choose to apply one of the 8 Keys presented in the novel "the
100th human," you contribute to a critical mass wave of enlightenment. In "the
100th human," you will learn about the 8 Keys of Transformation for your own
life and for the life of the planet. Learn more about the book and $300 worth of
FREE bonuses that come with it, by going to
http://www.selfgrowth.com/products/the100thhuman.html
The list price of this book is $14.95. To purchase it from Amazon.com, go
directly to
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0976092557/
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*** Book Review: the 100th human – By Chris Fenwick ***
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http://www.selfgrowth.com/products/the100thhuman.html
Set in December 2012, the final days of a 5000-year-old Mayan calendar, "the
100th human" is a novel about the discovery of the riddle of the "End of Time."
This novel is a true page-turner offering a refreshing breath of conscious
thought and human connection. It is an overwhelmingly truthful journey of the
human spirit and our connection to the world and all things in it. "the 100th
human" is a kinder, gentler apocalyptic story, one that offers hope instead of
despair and annihilation. It is a vision of what can be. This book should be on
every person's end table, ready to turn to when they lose direction or need a
reminder of why we are here.
*****
Chris Fenwick offers 8 Keys to personal and global transformation in the novel
"the 100th human." Written as a story, Chris hopes to help people assimilate
both ancient and modern wisdom. This book is guaranteed to give you food for
thought, practical instruction, and hope for our future, all while taking you on
the adventure of a lifetime.
"It was startling, and incredibly enjoyable to read. I loved it." – Jeff Belyea,
Ph.D., The One Minute Mindgoal Method
With many other experts, Chris has created a generous offer for those who
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