Self Improvement Newsletter
Issue # 489, January 22-23, 2008
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Improvement Newsletter, Click here!Please Visit Our Sponsors
Self Improvement Newsletter
Issue # 489, January 22-23, 2008
FREE Self
Improvement Newsletter, Click here!
Please Visit Our Sponsors
* Self Improvement and Personal
Growth Weekly Newsletter *
Issue # 489, Week of January 22-23, 2008
Publisher: David Riklan -
http://www.SelfGrowth.com
In this issue:
-- Quotes of the Week
-- Personal Growth Products and Services
-- Article: Failure Is Not An Option...Or Is it? - By Keith A. Shaw
-- Article: The Miracle of Optimism: Change Your Perspective, Transform Your
Life. [Excerpt] - By Kevin M. Touhey
-- Book Review: The Compassionate Samurai: Being Extraordinary in an Ordinary
World - By Brian Klemmer
-- How to Subscribe and Unsubscribe from this Newsletter
Current Subscribers - 264,022 subscribers
Removal instructions are listed at the end of
the newsletter.
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*** Quotes of the Week ***
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The time is always right to do what is right. - Martin Luther King, Jr.,
1929-1968, American Civil Rights Leader
You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world,
but it requires people to make the dream a reality. - Walt Disney, 1901-1966,
American Film Producer/Director/Animator
Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have
an obligation to be one. - Eleanor Roosevelt, 1884-1962, American Humanitarian
and Former First Lady of the United States
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*** Personal Growth Products and Services ***
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If you want to share information about your website, your business or your
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----------------------------------------------------
*** Article: Failure Is Not An Option...Or Is it? - By Keith A. Shaw ***
----------------------------------------------------
"Failure is not an option" was the tag line for the film, "Apollo 13." In
fact, if you go to the souvenir shop at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, you
can purchase shirts, license plates, bumper stickers, and so on with this
quote emblazoned on them. Okay, I'll confess. I bought a license plate that
now hangs on the wall of my office.
What if we modify this statement and instead ask, "Is failure an option?"
If you think about it carefully you will find that the answer is Yes!
I'm guessing that many of you are surprised by my answer. I'll also bet that
many of you are terrified of failure, so much to the degree that you would
never attempt to try anything new -- no matter how small or large. Let me
ask you this.if you aren't willing to risk and make mistakes, how will you
ever learn and grow?
Failure is part of the process of learning anything. You can gain far more
knowledge from failure, much more than from your successes and triumphs. You
will more often find out what will work by learning from your mistakes.
When you begin to work on any new venture, you are going to run into
difficulties. Those who are successful in overcoming failure never lose
their nerve, go to pieces, or lose control of themselves. And they never
give up on finding a solution. They also never define themselves as a
failure.
The most successful people fail well and fail gracefully. Look at any great
inventor, and you will find that they failed far more than they succeeded.
When you look at the very best athletes, you will find many who lose more
contests than they win. Or salespeople who are the very best at what they
do. They know that for every sale they make, they will experience far more
rejections.
In the same way that you learn to win, learn to fail. When you realize that
failure is a normal part of life and learning, you will be more accepting of
yourself, and your self-esteem and outlook will improve.
Amar Gopal Bose, the founder of Bose Corporation, said, "No one ever won a
chess game by betting on each move. Sometimes you have to move backward to
get a step forward."
Change your approach to thinking of failure as being equal to a negative
outcome. We all fail. If you can learn from, rather than break under, the
pressure of failure, you will achieve far more than those that do not.
Copyright 2008 by Keith A. Shaw and Mind Body Spirit Central.com, LLC. All
rights reserved. No portion of this article may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means -- electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, audio or video recording, or otherwise -- without
the written permission of the author and publisher.
About the Author:
Keith A. Shaw is president of
http://www.MindBodySpiritCentral.com.
Headquartered in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, Keith is an authority on
motivation, success, self improvement, health, and wellness.
He is the author and creator of "The Power of Thought" and "The Power of
Concentration" Motivation and Success Systems, along with "The Power of
Serenity and Peace" Spirituality and Happiness System. These systems have
helped women and men around the world to achieve more in life than they ever
dreamed possible. He also authored and produced "The Power of Qigong" Health
and Wellness Systems (available on DVD) for increasing your health,
wellness, energy, mental power, and more.
Check out the Experts page for Keith A. Shaw, the Official SelfGrowth.com
Guide to Motivation:
http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/keith_shaw.html
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*** Article: The Miracle of Optimism: Change Your Perspective, Transform
Your Life. [Excerpt] - By Kevin M. Touhey ***
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"There are a lot of people striving but very few arriving." ~ Wayne Dyer
"Mr. Touhey," said the paramedics as they were treating me on the floor in
the refreshment concourse of the new Lincoln Financial Stadium in
Philadelphia, "You're in trouble here." The year was 2003.
I looked up at my brother, Tim. "Take care of the kids," I said. "I have
them covered," Tim said. "Just pay attention to the medics!"
"That's not what I mean," I thought, but couldn't speak the words, as blood
was streaming from my nose and mouth, and the medics were racing to stop the
bleeding. What I really meant was, "If I die right now, will you take care
of the kids?"
As the paramedics worked on me, my mind began to drift. Had I told Annabelle
enough times that she is the love of my life? Have I fought so hard over the
last two years only to die now? My daughters, Serena, just three years old,
and Ava, only a few months old -- will I never again enjoy the wonder of my
children?
The commotion around me continued as I mourned my life. If I die now, I
would not get to sing my song here on earth. I have not contributed
everything I wanted to contribute. I could not accept this as the end.
While I seemed to be giving up, the paramedics had not; quickly and
professionally, they were doing everything possible to save my life. My
blood pressure was so high, they did not know whether to give me
nitroglycerin to prevent a heart attack, or try to stop the bleeding first.
If they gave me the nitro first, they might not be able to stop the
hemorrhaging. If they tried to stop the bleeding first, I might have a
stroke or a heart attack. They were in a difficult situation.
But just as events seemed to be at their worst, I felt a familiar presence;
something warm, wonderful, and utterly miraculous, a presence that is
stronger than death. This presence saved me many times before, and I felt it
again. I even heard it, this small, soft voice, speaking from within,
tugging me gently out of death's clutches.
"Kevin," the voice said, "you have to make it through this. You're not
finished here!"
Meanwhile, the paramedics decided to give me an intravenous drug that would
stop the bleeding first; then they immediately put a nitro strip under my
tongue. It worked. My blood pressure, which had been 220 over 120, began to
drop, and the bleeding stopped.
The presence remained with me as I began to stabilize. "And once you do get
through this," I heard, "you must stop struggling with life. Life is not a
game to be won but a gift to be enjoyed. Your happiness does not depend on
success!"
As the paramedics put me on to the gurney for the trip to the hospital, I
began to finally see that life depends on just the opposite of how most
people define success. Success to me would forever take on a new meaning:
acknowledging the gifts and blessings that are all around me. I need to
allow these gifts to uplift my spirit; to simply relax and receive all good
things into my life because it is my birthright; to enjoy each and every
moment as if it is my last.
I still wasn't "out of the woods" yet. These revelations took a while to
sink in. Once I was in the emergency room, I was still extremely upset and
scared, until one of the many gifts in my life, my mother-in-law, arrived.
Beside the fact that she is a doctor and I really trust her, she exudes a
sense of motherly comfort wherever she goes, and I really needed that now.
It wasn't until her arrival that I felt I could start to calm down.
I spent five days in the hospital -- a lot of time to think, reflect, and be
grateful. I began to realize I had invited some conditions and circumstances
into my life that were crushing my spirit. I was facing financial collapse.
I was working day and night to keep the creditors away because a few
investors in my company made some financial decisions without my knowledge
that nearly put me out of business. I struggled for nearly two years under
tremendous pressure to save my business. Finally, my body just gave in and
stopped me in my tracks.
My life changed that day at the Temple/Rutgers game at the Linc. It was then
that I realized all the answers were within me, that the joy I was searching
for was a matter of changing the way I perceived the circumstances and
conditions of my life. That included looking at my childhood from a
different point of view -- not through rose-colored glasses, but from a
connection with the deep spirit of my soul. Forgiving myself and all others
would be the key to unlock the unprecedented peace and joy in my life that I
desired. I was searching in all the wrong places and waiting for some new
circumstance in my life or in the outside world to bring the change. These
changes needed to be made in my soul. This knowing came from remembering my
birthright: to live a life full of miracles, joy, and optimism. I just
needed to use the tools of my spirit to change.
The resulting healthy belief system led me down the path of believing that
everything in my world is okay. I want for nothing, I long for nothing, and
I have everything I need right here, right now, inside my soul. Whether
there was any chance I would die that day is irrelevant. I still have some
rough times in my life despite this incident and the profound changes in the
way I think and feel. The difference is now I am better able to put my
problems into a more positive perspective. I can see them now for what they
are -- little bumps in the road.
*****
The list price of this book is $25.00. To purchase it from Amazon.com, go
directly to
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0615158188/selfimprovemeonlA/
------------------------------------------------------------
*** Book Review: The Compassionate Samurai: Being Extraordinary in an
Ordinary World - By Brian Klemmer ***
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In life there are two types of people. The first are those who are nice,
good-hearted, and compassionate but can't make much happen. The other kind
can make everything happen -- they're the creators, the go-getters, and the
aggressive producers in society. However, they're often self-centered,
greedy, and unethical.
Wouldn't it be great if you could make things happen in a really big way but
not lose your integrity? "The Compassionate Samurai" will show you the way
to produce extraordinary results in a dog-eat-dog world and still maintain
the highest levels of ethics. You'll learn:
* How to always be satisfied and motivated regardless of your circumstances
* Why all people have freedom but very few have liberty
* What competing commitments are and how they prevent you from having what
you want in life
* The secret to operating optimally in an untrustworthy environment
* How to make the shift from scarcity to abundance even if you're knee deep
in debt
* ...and much, much more!
"The Compassionate Samurai" is a book that expands an individual's
definition of success. And in it you'll see that you don't have to choose
between results or kindness; you CAN have both!
*****
There is a special offer for you with great gifts if you purchase Brian
Klemmer's book today! Learn more at
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The list price of this book is $24.95. To purchase it from Amazon.com for
$16.47, a 34% discount, go directly to
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*** Brief News of the World ***
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Positive:
* A Generous Gift From A Frugal Giver: Retired Factory Worker Paul Navone
Saved His Money For 50 Years And Then Gave It Away *
At a ceremonial dinner at New Jersey's St. Augustine College Preparatory
School, everyone complied with the dress request for coat and tie. Everyone
but Paul Navone. Navone, 78, showed up in a sweater he'd bought at the
Salvation Army for $3. "Everything I had on was from a thrift shop. As it is
where I'm sitting right here now," Navone says. (Click here for complete
news story)
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/18/assignment_america/main3730424.shtml
* Husband Dives Into Sewage to Save Wedding Ring: After His Wife's Wedding
Band Fall Into the Sewer, Ryan Severn Leapt to Action *
A Seattle husband showed the depths of his devotion to his wife when he went
to extraordinary lengths to recover her wedding ring. Ryan Severn has been
married to his wife, Ann, for seven years. They work weekends cleaning an
office building to earn extra cash. When Ann took off her wedding band
before she started cleaning last weekend, it fell into the sewer. She was
upset and soon began crying, prompting Ryan to leap into action, just
moments after he and his wife watched the ring plop down into a parking lot
drain. (Click here for complete news story)
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/WaterCooler/story?id=4165111
* Brain Surgery Lets Woman Enjoy Music *
Now that surgeons have operated on Stacey Gayle's brain, her favorite
musician no longer makes her ill. Four years after being diagnosed with
epilepsy, Gayle recently underwent brain surgery at Long Island Jewish
Medical Center to cure a rare condition known as musicogenic epilepsy.
Gayle, a 25-year-old customer service employee at a bank in Alberta, Canada,
was suffering as many as 10 grand mal seizures a day, despite being treated
with medications designed to control them. The condition became so bad she
eventually had to quit her job and leave the church choir where she sang.
(Click here for complete news story)
http://news.aol.com/health/story/_a/brain-surgery-lets-woman-enjoy-music/20080118091109990001
** For more positive news, please visit
http://www.selfgrowth.com/news.html
Other:
* Google philanthropy targets global warming, poverty, and disease *
Google's philanthropic arm on Thursday said it is taking aim at global
warming, poverty, and pandemics with millions in cash and the Internet
giant's global resources. Google.org executive director Larry Brilliant said
the group had a "brutal" job selecting priorities from the world's ills and
crafting five core initiatives it feels best match Google's strengths. "It
means we left some heart-breaking problems off the table," Brilliant said in
a conference call with news reporters. (Click here for complete news story)
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5itJ72AGRnN-POBR6fiWivZVN6Mkw
* Bloomberg gave $205 million to charity in 2007: New York City mayor moves
up to No. 7 on Chronicle of Philanthropy list *
Mayor Michael Bloomberg donated $205 million to 1,100 nonprofits last year,
an increase of tens of millions of dollars from previous years, according to
a new ranking. The billionaire ranked No. 7 on The Chronicle of
Philanthropy's 2007 list of the country's Top 50 donors. He was No. 10 in
2006, when he gave away $165 million to more than 1,000 charities. (Click
here for complete news story)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22667326/
* Bulldog back on top 10 dog list after 75 years *
Bolstered by its popularity with celebrities and families, the Bulldog is
back on the list of the 10 most popular purebred dogs after a 75-year
absence, the American Kennel Club announced on Wednesday. The Bulldog ranked
10th in the Kennel Club's annual ranking of popular dogs from the 157
different breeds it recognizes. (Click here for complete news story)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080116/us_nm/usa_dogs_dc;_ylt=AnRmyqjMOQ4GNzGfMyKqq.QDW7oF