Self Improvement Newsletter
Issue # 486, December 31 / January 1, 2008
FREE Self
Improvement Newsletter, Click here!Please Visit Our Sponsors
Self Improvement Newsletter
Issue # 486, December 31 / January
1, 2008
FREE Self
Improvement Newsletter, Click here!
Please Visit Our Sponsors
* Self Improvement and Personal Growth Weekly Newsletter *
Issue # 486, Week of December 31/January 1, 2008
Publisher: David Riklan -
http://www.SelfGrowth.com
In this issue:
-- Quotes of the Week
-- Personal Growth Products and Services
-- Article: Ten Tips to Achieving Your Goals - By Robert Phipps
-- Article: Just Say "Yes" to Your Creative Self! - By Chris Zydel, MA
-- Book Review: Notes from a Minor Key: A Memoir of Music, Love, and Healing -
By Dawn Bailiff
-- How to Subscribe and Unsubscribe from this Newsletter
Current Subscribers - 263,506 subscribers Removal instructions are listed at the
end of the newsletter.
------------------------------------------------------------
*** Quotes of the Week ***
------------------------------------------------------------
You can close your eyes to reality but not to memories. - Stanislaw J. Lec,
1909-1966, Polish Writer
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.
- George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950, Irish Playwright and Nobel Prize Winner
Even a mistake may turn out to be the one thing necessary to a worthwhile
achievement. - Henry Ford, 1863-1947, American Industrialist and Founder of Ford
Motor Company
------------------------------------------------------------
*** Personal Growth Products and Services ***
------------------------------------------------------------
* You Can Break The Paralyzing Grip Of SOCIAL ANXIETY Forever * Conquering
Social Anxiety Now! is a learning program that helps permanently abolish
thoughts & beliefs that create shyness, self-consciousness, embarrassment &
panic without drugs or therapy. It works like nothing you've ever tried. Easy.
Safe. Effective. Continue =>
http://www.thinkrightnow.com/r/si-121007-soc-anx.asp
* If you love making money while helping others...
Discover the Secrets of "How To Quickly and Easily Get Started in
Professional Coaching And Build A 6 Figure Income From Home" Click Below now
and Download my FREE 25 page "Thinking of Becoming a Coach" Special Report
sent immediately to your email.
http://www.on2url.com/app/adtrack.asp?MerchantID=120557&AdID=350539
* The Ultimate Self-Help Power Tool. Mobile Support for mobile lifestyles. *
'Power Develop' your wellness skills, habits, and diet through your cell
phone. Make it easier to achieve and stay on track with any self-improvement
program or system. Clinically proven concept. Automated web service. No
hardware to purchase. First month Free!
http://www.ihelpwellness.com
* I Was Barely Getting By... *
Then one day, everything changed. I learned how I could tap into a huge
lucrative market I never knew existed. Now I'm living the kind of lifestyle
I always dreamed of. To learn more, click here:
http://www.awaionline.com/sga/dtm/
** How to Add a Description of Your Website Here **
If you want to share information about your website, your business or your
book in our newsletter, please go to the following webpage and fill out the
form. Visit our website at
http://www.selfgrowth.com/form-ad-newsletter.html
----------------------------------------------------
*** Article: Ten Tips to Achieving Your Goals - By Robert Phipps ***
----------------------------------------------------
In achieving any worthy objective, there must be consistency in the amount
of hard work you put in; a day here and there just isn't going to do it. A
week of sustained effort isn't going to do it either!
So what am I saying?
I'm saying if you want to achieve your goals, you must remain focused on
exactly what it is you want.
Starting the process is usually quite easy, especially when you have that
initial excitement about a new objective or goal you've just set for
yourself.
Here are ten ideas to assist you in reaching any goal you care to set:
1) The Right Reasons (personal to you). Doing things for the right reasons
is easy; having strong, powerful emotions for reaching your goals will give
you the "Get Up and Go" that is needed when things sometimes get tough. If
we're excited and full of enthusiasm for reaching our goals, then the energy
and vigor naturally follow. If you don't have a strong enough reason for
doing something, then it becomes more of an effort, requires more
discipline, and uses more energy.
2) Think In Ink. Use pen and paper to write down clear, concise goals. When
your eyes see your goals written down, it becomes a new permanent picture in
your subconscious mind for you to recall any time you choose.
3) See It, Be It. Visualize what it is you want; feel the strong emotions
you associate with your goals -- the smells, the tastes, the happiness, the
sense of achievement.
4) Say It Loud, Say It Proud. Speak to yourself in positive, present-tense
terms. I am, I have, I earn, I do, I can. The more emotion you put into this
exercise, the more powerful they become, and the more energy you will feel.
5) Destination, Station. You can't travel in the right direction unless you
know where to start and exactly where you want to end up. Your route can
change in many ways; the journey will almost certainly not be a straight
one, so look ahead for the blind corners before you get to them.
6) Measure Your Treasure. Your goals are something to be treasured; if
they're not, then you probably don't have "The Right Reasons" in the first
place. So measure your progress. You can only adjust your route if you find
out where you are; otherwise you will waste a lot of effort to end up a long
way from your intended destination.
7) Peer, Steer. Associate with as many positive, motivated, and focused
individuals or groups as you can. Meet with them, talk on the phone, in
email, or by fax, or join news groups. Set up your own newsgroups if you
can't find any on your particular goal.
8) Fewer Goals, Fewer Tolls. By this I mean you should concentrate your
efforts on just a few goals at any one time. You can have as many goals as
you like, but only have a few priority goals to work on at any point. Don't
pay a higher price en route.
9) Pay Every Day. If you have "The Right Reasons," you already have a
powerful driving force to motivate you to do something every single day to
move toward your desired goals. Taking action every day means you can break
down your BIG goals into small manageable-sized pieces. You wouldn't try to
eat a whole week's groceries in one meal. So why bite off more than you can
chew?
10) Celebrate and Congratulate. When you achieve milestones, reward yourself
and celebrate, even if only in a small way. You're on the road to overall
success, so congratulate yourself on your achievement. The more you do this,
the better you will feel; the better you feel, the more likely you are to do
it all over again.
Good luck.
About the Author:
Robert Phipps is a Management Consultant & Body Language Specialist with
more than 15 years experience.
Since 1984 Robert has gained extensive direct experience working with such
companies as Canon, Agfa, Apple Macintosh, Hewlett Packard, and Rank Xerox.
After extensive research into the personal and professional development
industry, Robert, a former shooting coach and instructor with HM Forces, set
up SMARTraining in 1999.
Robert is an accredited trainer for Brian Tracy International and a
qualified member of The European Mentoring Network. He is the resident body
language expert for ITV's "Trisha show," the UK's number-one rated daytime
chat show.
Robert was also featured in the series "Mistresses" on ITV 1 and is one of
the official guest experts on Ch 4 & E4's Big Brother's Little Brother
series.
Robert was the consultant for Granada Television's "Salesmen From Hell 2,"
the body language/facial expressions specialist on the Canadian film "The
Shooting of Dan McGrew," and has a regular feature in "M" magazine for The
Mirror Group.
Robert is in constant demand in the media and business world as an
international platform speaker and trainer. He is currently in the process
of writing his own book and has already written and commented for many
national publications and journals.
Learn more at
http://www.SMARTraining.co.uk or
http://www.robertphipps.com
Check out the Experts page for Robert Phipps, the Official SelfGrowth.com
Guide to Body Language:
http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/robert_phipps.html
----------------------------------------------------
*** Article: Just Say "Yes" to Your Creative Self! - By Chris Zydel, MA ***
----------------------------------------------------
How many times have you told yourself, "I want to be more creative in my
life"? And how many times has that ended up on your New Year's resolution
list, along with wanting to exercise or eat better, with similar
disappointing results?
Well, I have good news and bad news for you today.
The good news is that you are already creative. There's nothing you need to
learn, nothing missing from your basic makeup, nothing at all inadequate
about you in the creative realm. In fact, you are immensely more creative
than you could even begin to imagine. You came fully equipped as a creative
being, on the day you were born. Along with a beating heart and pumping
lungs came the ability to create. In any capacity. In any realm. Now, I can
hear the wheels already turning. "Oh, sure, I can be creative when it comes
to making my kids' lunch, or maybe doing some creative accounting with my
checkbook. But that's about it. I haven't tried to do anything remotely
artistic since I can't remember when, and believe you me, it's really for
the best. I have no talent. I'm just no good at being creative." Sound
familiar?
OK, here comes the bad news. You can be creative, in any area you choose. If
you can pick up a pen or brush, you can write or paint. If you can move any
part of your body, you can dance. If you can squeak, you can sing. Now, I
know I promised you bad news, and this doesn't sound too bad yet. You're
right. This isn't exactly the bad news. The really bad news is that you can
do any and all of those things.
But you have to give something up.
Something very near and dear to your heart.
You have to be willing to give up your belief that you are inadequate, and
you have to accept, totally, no holds barred, everything that comes out of
you. Every word you write, every stroke you paint, every movement you move
has to be held with an attitude of absolute love and honor and respect.
Whoa, boy! Now I can really hear those brain wheels whirring. In fact, I
think I'm beginning to smell smoke! "What? Well, obviously she really is
crazy. I mean come on! If I accept everything that comes out of me, I'll
just be kidding myself. Anything that comes out of me will by definition be
absolute drivel. I am not prepared to make a total fool out of myself, and
that's exactly what would happen if I tried to be creative. I'm telling you
I HAVE NO TALENT. Mrs. Bobblycrow in the 3rd grade told me so, and I'm just
glad she gave me a heads up."
OK. So here it is. This is exactly what I am talking about. This is the bad
news. This is what has got to go! You have to be willing to give up your
attachment to this voice. In case you haven't noticed, this voice is not
exactly the voice of love, honor, and respect.
This voice is not on your side.
You see, the real trick to being creative is not about talent. I mean, don't
you just wonder when little Bobby Zimmerman (a.k.a. Bob Dylan) started
twanging on his guitar and then started singing... don't you think one of
his "friends" came up to him and said, "Bob, I'm just trying to do you a
favor here. You know the songs and lyrics are great. But that voice... I
mean, Frank Sinatra you are not"? I'm sure Bobby said to this friend,
"Phooey on you. You're right. I am not Frank Sinatra, I'm Bobby, and I
intend to sing." He believed in himself. And he let his creative muse fly.
Why do you think that voice is so strong? Where does it come from, and why
do you believe it so unquestioningly? Why would most adults want to believe
that they are truly not creative? If you give a 4-year-old a pad of paints
and paper, they never refuse you with "I'm sorry, but I have no talent." Any
self-respecting 4-year-old grabs that paper out of your hand and gets right
down to it because they love it and need it. It's an essential part of being
human.
The reason you believe that voice? You've been brainwashed! We have all
grown up in this western 20th century culture where everything is a
commodity, competition is rampant, what is valued is money and celebrity.
Making art has been reduced to something that a few people are considered to
be good at, and the rest of us get to watch TV!
So we have all been hoodwinked into believing that creativity is only
worthwhile if it makes us famous, or we produce something that can be
sold... which very conveniently distracts us from the true purpose and
potential power of our creativity.
Our creativity was given to us, by a very compassionate and benevolent
force, as a way to access and express the deepest parts of who we are. It is
connected to our internal guidance system, also known as our intuition, that
leads us with unfailing accuracy to make positive, optimal life choices. It
is a powerful tool for healing on both spiritual and psychological levels.
And it keeps us viscerally connected to what is passionate, vital, and
meaningful in our lives.
What a deal!
So next time you hear that voice of the creative naysayer whispering in your
ear, just smile, pick up that paintbrush or pen or dancing shoes, and remind
yourself that it really doesn't know WHAT it is talking about. It's just a
little misguided. And you have to make up for lost time. You have a lot of
creating to do! So get busy! Your creative life is waiting!
C Chris Zydel 2005.
About the Author:
Using counseling, astrology, and the expressive arts, Chris Zydel, MA, has
worked with hundreds of people over 28 years to help them joyfully grow and
expand into their full creative potential. Visit her at
http://www.creativejuicesarts.com
Check out the Experts page for Chris Zydel:
http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/chris_zydel.html
------------------------------------------------------------
*** Book Review: Notes from a Minor Key: A Memoir of Music, Love, and
Healing - By Dawn Bailiff ***
------------------------------------------------------------
In this spiritual memoir, pianist prodigy and composer Bailiff delves into
her early genius, her passion for her husband and kindred spirit, Paul, and
her debilitating struggle with multiple sclerosis. Bailiff met her
husband-to-be at Baltimore's Peabody Conservatory in 1986, where Paul
studied composition and the author, at only 16, was a college sophomore and
competition performer. The book alternates between the points of view of
these two (which can be stilted), who ended up studying and working in
Europe: the author became a soloist in Vienna, where she played with Leonard
Bernstein's Viennese Symphony, and she and Paul married.
However, a series of apparently stress-related illnesses and horrific bouts
of pain culminated in her collapse onstage in 1992, and she was finally
diagnosed with MS, which spelled the end of Bailiff's career. She and Paul,
still living in Vienna, tried alternative therapies such as a macrobiotic
diet and holistic medicine, as well as returning to their Jewish faith. With
their move to Seattle and her pregnancy, Bailiff's grief only increased:
their baby, David, died of heart problems at age two, and Paul committed
suicide some months later. Despite the book's problematic structure, this is
an astounding tale of talent and woe. (Copyright C Reed Business
Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
*****
The list price of this book is $22.95. To purchase it from Amazon.com for
$15.61, a 32% discount, go directly to
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1571745548/selfimprovemeonlA/
------------------------------------------------------------
*** Brief News of the World ***
------------------------------------------------------------
Positive:
* Food pantry project taking health care to needy: Nurses offer free
screening when clients come in for food donations *
An out-of-work David Thomas walked into a Milwaukee food pantry just seeking
groceries. Thomas learned he was a stroke waiting to happen and got blood
pressure medicine along with his bread. Food pantries have long aimed to
help heal hunger. A new project aims to see how well they can help heal high
blood pressure, diabetes and other ailments, too. It's part of a growing
movement to offer medical care for the poor and uninsured in the places
where they regularly gather. (Click here for complete news story)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22389115/
* Hilton to donate bulk of fortune to foundation *
Barron Hilton, son of the international hotel chain's founder, said
Wednesday that he will donate nearly all of his fortune to his family's
philanthropic foundation that supports housing for the homeless, safe water
in developing countries and other causes worldwide. Barron Hilton, 80, plans
to donate to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation a total of nearly $2.3 billion
at his death, including $1.2 billion in proceeds from two recent corporate
deals and 97% of his other $1.1 billion in assets. Hilton said in a
statement that his father, Conrad, left 97% of his wealth to the foundation,
"and I am proud to follow my father's example." (Click here for complete
news story)
http://www.usatoday.com/money/2007-12-26-hilton-donate_N.htm?csp=34
* Woman Gets Surprise Wedding For Xmas: Woman Gets Married In 2nd Surprise
Christmas Eve Wedding For 65th Anniversary *
Some people get surprise birthday parties. Ilda Ruth Southey gets surprise
weddings. Twice in her life Southey was surprised with a wedding ceremony on
Christmas Eve, both times to Francis Southey. Her future husband planned
their original wedding for Christmas Eve 1942 while he was stationed in
Sherman, Texas, awaiting orders to ship off to Europe during World War II.
(Click here for complete news story)
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/25/ap/strange/main3645669.shtml
** For more positive news, please visit
http://www.selfgrowth.com/news.html
Other:
* Ancient pyramid found in central Mexico City *
Archeologists have discovered the ruins of an 800-year-old Aztec pyramid in
the heart of the Mexican capital that could show the ancient city is at
least a century older than previously thought. Mexican archeologists found
the ruins, which are about 36 feet high, in the central Tlatelolco area,
once a major religious and political centre for the Aztec elite. (Click here
for complete news story)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071228/sc_nm/mexico_pyramid_dc;_ylt=AvY91vfSSdXHbxCZpNAahOus0NUE
* Rare 'Jenny' stamp sells for $825,000 *
One of the most famously flawed stamps in U.S. history sold for $825,000 to
a New York man who bought it slightly cheaper than the record price another
"Inverted Jenny" copy fetched at auction last month. The rare 1918 24-cent
stamp, depicting an upside-down Curtis JN-4 biplane known as "Jenny," was
sold privately this week to a Wall Street executive who did not want to be
identified. (Click here for complete news story)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071227/ap_on_fe_st/odd_rare_stamp;_ylt=Ana_4XXEf3CMcS_G1_kbk54DW7oF
* Travelers may stay closer to home in '08 *
Travel in 2007 was marked by high gas prices, new passport rules, record
lows for the dollar and record-high air travel. In 2008, experts say,
Americans may take shorter trips or choose destinations closer to home where
their dollar goes further. But they will still travel. The Conference
Board's most recent consumer survey found 45.8 percent of Americans intend
to take a vacation within six months, down just a tad from 46.4 percent a
year ago. (Click here for complete news story)
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TRAVEL/12/28/year.ahead.ap/index.html