Self Improvement Newsletter- Issue # 492

Self Improvement Newsletter
Issue # 492, February 12-13, 2008

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Issue # 492, Week of February 12-13, 2008 Publisher: David Riklan - http://www.SelfGrowth.com In this issue: -- Quotes of the Week -- Personal Growth Products and Services -- Article: Lasting Love - By Dr. Charles D. Schmitz and Dr. Elizabeth A. Schmitz -- Article: Beyond Resolutions: 8 Transformation Truths for 2008 - By Brendon Burchard, author of "Life's Golden Ticket" -- Book Review: The Feeling Soul: A Roadmap to Healing and Living - By Mark Linden O'Meara -- How to Subscribe and Unsubscribe from this Newsletter Current Subscribers - 264,498 subscribers

Removal instructions are listed at the end of the newsletter. ------------------------------------------------------------ *** Quotes of the Week *** ------------------------------------------------------------ Never forget that the most powerful force on earth is love. - Nelson Rockefeller, 1908-1979, American Politician/Philanthropist/Businessman The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to him his own. - Benjamin Disraeli, 1804-1881, British Statesman and Literary Figure Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability. - John Wooden, American Basketball Player and Coach ------------------------------------------------------------ *** Personal Growth Products and Services *** ------------------------------------------------------------ * "Being in Love" by Osho * In this thoughtful, provocative work, Osho--one of the most revolutionary thinkers of our time--challenges us to question what we think we know about love and opens us to the possibility of a love that is natural, fulfilling, and free of possessiveness and jealousy. "Being in Love" will inspire you to welcome love into your life anew and experience the joy of being truly alive by sharing it. Find out more at: http://www.osho.com/Main.cfm?Area=Shop&Language=English * The Divinity of the Mind: Writings for Inspirations and Empowerment * Feeling stuck? Take yourself to a new level of Personal Empowerment. Receive an expanded understanding of where your power lies Consciously use the power of your unlimited mind and thoughts. * Read this book. * Be inspired. * Be empowered. Download your copy now! http://unlimitedmindunlimitedpower.com/books/ "SEEKING LOVE AND BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE?" Experience the wonderful journey of life with new alternative ways to discover your success in life. If you are looking for ways to emancipate yourself or how to enhance your practical skills; you must visit loveandbalance.com to book Chidi Asika-Enahoro to present at your special events and to get copies of her three joyful books from amazon.com or directly from her. http://www.loveandbalance.com How often do your hear yourself saying? - "No I haven't done it Yet, I've been meaning to..." Free report Reveals: * 10-second focus technique * The Ultimate Productivity Formula * 4 words that are crushing your efficiency * Simple Tricks to eliminate overwhelm and skyrocket productivity * Crush your critical voice in 2 steps Grab It Now! Click Below... http://www.gettingthingsdonenow.com/freemindreport * Give the gift of inspiration, joy, love, laughter, and harmony! * Magnetize your possibilities utilizing the unique Transformation Toolkit from Divinexpression.com. It includes a deck of 56 "I AM" Affirmation cards (either Creating with Grace and Ease or Financial Prosperity), a handmade paper journal, and 20 sticks of sacred incense blessed by monks. (free shipping SG1001). http://www.divinexpression.com * Interested in Becoming a Coach but Short on Time and Money? * iPEC's Accredited Life Potentials Training was created JUST FOR YOU! Our three-day program teaches you the Core Energy Coaching process, high potential concepts and success skills that transform lives! Sign up for an info session to learn more at http://www.selfgrowth.com/products/lifepotentials2.html or call 1-866-72COACH today! * 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 * Take Action Today with my FREE Report... * My name is Dr. Al Sears and I can help put your prostate worries out of your mind for good. And it won't cost you a dime... Get your hands on my FREE report and you can reverse your prostate problems and get off expensive and toxic drugs... http://www.alsearsmd.com/signup/Prostate/Prostate-SG.html * 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 ** 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: Lasting Love - By Dr. Charles D. Schmitz and Dr. Elizabeth A. Schmitz *** ---------------------------------------------------- Lasting love, 'til death do us part. Married couples repeat this stanza or some variation of it in most marriage ceremonies. In its essence, two people commit to each other their love, their faithfulness, and their sacred honor for the rest of their lives. Many times, it works out just that way. Other times, the promise falls short. But in the case of Sandy and Pris, love is alive and well and will be sustained for a lifetime. Over the past 25 years we have interviewed couples that have been successfully married for as few as 30 and as many as 60 years. We have shared 41 wonderful years together ourselves. But of all the interviews we have conducted, no love seemed greater than the love between Sandy and Pris. We interviewed them in their home about a year and a half ago. Sandy has retired as CEO of a large American corporation. He is now investing his time and money in philanthropic causes across the USA, particularly in character education. Pris has always been interested in the arts and is a big supporter of opera theatre, in particular. Their passion for their philanthropic causes was amazing, and their commitment to their work was heartwarming. If you ever wanted to spend an evening with two of the most generous, endearing, enchanting, and wonderful people you could meet, these are the two that you would want to be with. Before we interviewed Sandy and Pris, we thought we knew a lot about love and relationships. That evening, however, we got an education for which we will be eternally grateful. Sandy loves Pris absolutely and completely. He loves her without conditions. He has loved her since the first time he saw her on the ski slopes near Santa Fe, New Mexico. During our interview, he looked at his bride of nearly 60 years and said, "She is still the same beautiful woman I married 60 years ago!" He had tears in his eyes. Pris choked back the tears, as she looked deep into his eyes. These were the faces of love. Pris responded that she fell in love with this handsome, dashing man with his white skis as soon as she saw him glide effortlessly down the snow-covered mountain. Sandy and Pris love each other from the bottom of their respective hearts and both say this today, "We have been married for more than 60 years and are more in love now than ever." Everything they said to us during the interview reinforced their unqualified love for each other. There are many lessons to be learned from Sandy and Pris. We want to share with you what they believe to be the most important. First, they share a mutual admiration society. They always support and encourage each other. Secondly, they love each other very much and say so many times during each day of their lives. Thirdly, they are totally honest with each other. They show integrity in their interactions, have undying trust in each other, and demonstrate their character by their words and by their actions. And finally, their most important lesson of all: "Never go to bad mad at each other." Sandy and Pris have great admiration and respect for each other. It shows in their words, their actions, their expressions, and in Sandy's case, in his voice as he sings love songs to her every morning -- off key sometimes, but always full of love and emotion. As we concluded our interview with our usual question, "Can you imagine life without each other?" we got the answer we expected, but not a word was spoken. Their eyes welted up with tears, they gazed lovingly at each other for an extended period of time, and then they looked at us and smiled. No words were necessary. We knew their answer as well as we knew our own -- lasting love 'til death do us part. We know you will agree -- Sandy and Pris are an inspiration to everyone. Their wonderful 61 years of marriage attest to the power of their relationship and the depth of their love. There is much to learn from these two lovebirds who have found "Lasting Love." Check out the Experts page for Drs. Charles and Elizabeth Schmitz, the Official SelfGrowth.com Guides to Love: http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/drs_charles_and_elizabeth_schmitz.html ***** Note: The preceding article is based on the book, "Golden Anniversaries: The Seven Secrets of Successful Marriage," by the award-winning authors, Dr. Charles D. Schmitz and Dr. Elizabeth A. Schmitz, released in hardback on February 1, 2008 by Briarcliff Publishing. Purchase today and receive the free bonus collection including "Images of Love" DVD at http://www.goldenanniversaries.com/Secrets_of_Successful_Marriage.html ***** The list price of this book is $29.95. To purchase it from Amazon.com for $23.48, a 22% discount, go directly to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0980055407/selfimprovemeonlA/ ---------------------------------------------------- *** Article: Beyond Resolutions: 8 Transformation Truths for 2008 - By Brendon Burchard, author of "Life's Golden Ticket" *** ---------------------------------------------------- By this time, most people have already forgotten or backtracked on their New Year's resolutions. Why? Because most people set dreamy goals without first assessing their current reality and deciding exactly what they need to change in their life in order to get where they want to go. There's a law in life that says, "No Clarity, No Change." It means that if you're not completely clear about where you are today, there's no way you'll ever change to get where you want to go. With that in mind, and with the dawn of the New Year now past us, I wanted to share with you what I call the "8 Transformation Truths." I often use these with my coaching clients, and I believe these Truths will help you set goals and take stock of your life. I call these statements "transformation truths" because, if internalized and acted upon, they can dramatically change your life. These transformation truths formed the psychological journey I took the main character on in my book "Life's Golden Ticket." Take time to read and consider these eight straightforward statements. Be honest. Think about tomorrow. Go from making New Year's resolutions to creating a new reality. Transformation Truth #1: Either you are truly moving forward or you aren't. We were all born to move forward: to crawl, to walk, to run, to grow, to push ourselves diligently toward our destinies and dreams. Unfortunately, many of us have let our fears and the need for safety weigh us down. We've stopped taking the leaps and bounds and chances needed to get us closer to the life we desire. Tragically, too many of us have settled into jobs that lead nowhere, relationships that sink our spirits, and habits that hold us back. To prevent that or become more focused, ask yourself these simple questions on a regular basis: Have I been charging ahead in life, standing still, or falling behind? Am I truly moving forward toward my dreams, or am I simply conning myself into believing that I'm just "waiting for the right time to make my move"? What do I need to do today to boldly start moving forward? Transformation Truth #2: Either you're doing work you truly enjoy or you aren't. Most of us know that our life's purpose is more than just a paycheck, and that a life of meaning is not limited to a life of means. Yet many of us suffer the self-imposed misery of doing unfulfilling work simply to make ends meet. Is what you are doing something that you whole-heartedly enjoy? Do you get happily lost in your work on a regular basis and feel like you're truly growing, contributing, and making a difference? If you cannot answer with a resounding "Yes!" to these questions, then you already know it's time for a change. It's time to face that and take action. Transformation Truth #3: Either you are truly being yourself or you aren't. Each day we have a choice: Will I live authentically or adapt to the world around us? When we choose to be authentic, we show the world our raw, unpainted, genuine self. We act in accordance with our convictions, and we openly share our personality and passions with other people. Living like this makes us feel alive, connected, and "real." Unfortunately, many of us choose instead to adapt to the world the way a chameleon does, changing our true colors in order to blend in. Living like this makes us feel hollow and disconnected. It makes us avoid ourselves in the mirror and creates a repeating whimper in our minds: "Please stop acting this way; it's not the real you, and there's someone special in here waiting to be let out." How are you living your life -- are you showing the world who you really are, or are you putting on a facade in order to fit in and be accepted? Your answer probably says a lot about how you feel on a regular basis. Transformation Truth #4: Either your relationships are truly supporting you or they aren't. The quality of our lives is shaped by the quality of our relationships. Indeed, the people in our lives who treat us with kindness, respect, honesty, and understanding have the ability to lift us to our highest heights. On the flip side, those who mistreat us, disrespect us, lie to us, neglect us, or abuse us often have the power to pull us down into the depths of despair. Think about the people surrounding you: your family members, friends, coworkers, neighbors, acquaintances, romantic interest. Are any of these people holding you back from being your best? Are any of them making you feel small, stupid, unworthy, unloved, or uncared for? If so, who are they? Now the important part: Why in the world are you allowing these people in your life, and what are you doing right now to surround yourself with supportive and inspiring people? Transformation Truth #5: Either you truly believe in yourself or you don't. It turns out that sometimes the most toxic relationship we ever get into is the one with ourselves. We beat ourselves up, call ourselves names, point out our faults, and question our own worthiness of love and happiness. On the other hand, our relationship with ourselves can be healthier and friendlier. We can take pride in our efforts and achievements, acknowledge our strengths, and reaffirm that we are worthy of a good life. So what kind of relationship do you have with yourself? Are the thoughts playing in your head hurtful or helpful? Are you lifting yourself or tearing yourself down, and what is the result in your life? Transformation Truth #6: Either you're truly fit and vibrant or you're not. The diet industry booms this time of year, only to leave in its wake millions of unhealthy and unhappy people. Why? Because true health and vibrancy doesn't depend on food alone. We all know that, but most of us aren't as physically fit and vibrant as we want to be. Do you have as much energy as you'd like to have throughout the day? Are the food and proportions you're consuming helping you feel light and fueled, or heavy and wasted? Are you exercising several times a week? If you haven't felt truly alive in some time, it probably has more to do with your physical conditioning and the amount of food on your plate than on how busy you are or how much you have on your plate at work. Make today the day you rededicate yourself to living a fit, vibrant, and healthy life. Transformation Truth #7: Either you're building wealth or you're depleting it. Most of us have a one-sided love affair with money -- we take and spend, but we don't give and save. The majority of us also believe that there's not enough abundance in the world, that we're only worth so much, and can only earn a given amount each year. Are you making as much money as you would like to right now? Why not? Are you adding enough value at work? Have you been differentiating yourself, coming up with new clients or products or services, seeking mentors who can help you climb higher? Are you putting more away than you spend? If not, why? We all know the advice: earn, spend little, save lots, plan for the long haul. This is a great time to check yourself -- and your checkbook. It's time to set some higher financial goals in your life -- so you can take care of yourself and others -- and to create a plan for a more profitable year. Transformation Truth #8: Either you're truly stepping up or you're backing down. How are you facing life's challenges? Are you hiding under the sheets or seizing the day? Are you running away from your fears or charging at them head-on? Are you avoiding your problems or knocking them off one by one? Those that dramatically transform their lives refuse to shrink from anyone or anything. They choose to stand up and speak up in life even when it feels like the hardest thing in the world to do. How about you? Are you choosing to stand up or back down? Are you making your presence known? Have you shared your thoughts and feelings and declared what you want in life? Have you fought for your dreams and done it consistently enough to create the life you've always wanted? I hope these Truths help you assess where you are today and where you need to go. I also hope you always find the strength to face your life, to boldly walk up to the gates of possibility, ticket ready in hand, willing to claim the life you've always deserved. About the Author: Brendon Burchard is the author of "Life's Golden Ticket" and a highly-acclaimed life coach, leadership speaker, and business consultant. His clients have included Accenture, JCPenney, eBay, Best Buy, Nordstrom, Levi's, Gateway, Walgreens, Federal Mogul, and thousands of entrepreneurs and executives in speeches and seminars across the country. As a dynamic speaker and innovative businessman, he is in constant demand and regularly appears on national television and radio shows. His media appearances have included ABC World News, CBS-NY Early Show, regional NPR stations, Oprah and Friends, and other popular programs. Brendon's life-changing message and events have been sponsored by Wachovia, Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, Toyota, and other major companies. Recently, Brendon lived his message of making a difference by helping create the largest nonprofit partnership in history serving the children of the world. The partnership, between Junior Achievement and Kiwanis International, has the potential to teach 8 million youth worldwide about service, business, and leadership. ***** Brendon Burchard, author of "Life's Golden Ticket" has recently launched the largest success sweepstakes in history. Learn about all the FREE bonuses you get, and the 44 prizes you can win, just by purchasing his book. Go to http://www.lifesgoldenticket.com/gifts 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=0061173908/selfimprovemeonlA/ ------------------------------------------------------------ *** Book Review: The Feeling Soul: A Roadmap to Healing and Living - By Mark Linden O'Meara *** ------------------------------------------------------------ This compassionate, penetrating, and practical book is designed to encourage, support, and uplift people to rise above their adversity and negativity to learn a better way to deal with life. Drawing on countless personal experiences, Mark shares from his heart, providing a clear and heartfelt understanding, practical advice, and workable solutions on how to get unstuck and make changes to create a more centered self. "The Feeling Soul" helps us to understand where our feelings and habits come from, then based on this understanding, gives practical guidance and coaching on going beyond that to healing and moving forward. Mark shows that focusing on gratitude, compassion, and empathy can help people recover from physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual ailments. It is a thinking, feeling, and doing book, demonstrating that a new life can be learned. "The Feeling Soul" removes the barriers to being present here and now and helps the world to know that it can be done and how to do it! **** The list price of this book is $17.95. To purchase it from Amazon.com for $13.46, a 25% discount, go directly to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0968045928/selfimprovemeonlA/ ------------------------------------------------------------ *** Brief News of the World *** ------------------------------------------------------------ Positive: * Writer drops 168 pounds, blogs to inspire others * She was never really skinny or terribly overweight. But Lynn Bering knew something wasn't right when she realized she'd gained more than 100 pounds in just four years. Doctors blamed a sluggish thyroid but Bering said that was only part of the problem. She also admitted to bad eating habits, which included a lot of carbohydrates. Wearing a size 30/32 and weighing nearly 300 pounds, Bering said it became difficult to move around and she felt tired and run down. (Click here for complete news story) http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/diet.fitness/02/08/weightloss.lynn.bering/index.html * Ramirez donates car for charity: Slugger gives back to Franciscan Hospital for Children * Before Saturday, no one had to tell 15-year-old Jefferson Costa about Manny Ramirez. But after Saturday, he and more than 200 other young patients at Boston's Franciscan Hospital for Children would be more than happy to speak to the charity and heart of the Red Sox slugger. Ramirez flew up from Florida to be on hand for the first day of a special online auction to raise money for the hospital and the children it serves. (Click here for complete news story) http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080209&content_id=2369324&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb&partnered=rss_mlb * College gets anonymous $5 million in the mail: Kind-hearted donor sends big checks to help educate women and minorities * The checks to Temple University really were in the mail -- for $5 million. It was a total surprise for the school to receive the anonymous donations, which arrived in a pair of nondescript envelopes sent via U.S. mail from a bank in Arizona, said Stuart Sullivan, Temple's senior vice president for institutional advancement. (Click here for complete news story) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23033197/ ** For more positive news, please visit http://www.selfgrowth.com/news.html Other: * Mom starts online toy rental service * After scouring the Internet to fill her house with only the best toys for her infant twin sons, Lori Pope hated to watch the clutter build as the boys lost interest. If you can rent movies, video games and even handbags online, she thought, why not toys? That's the idea behind Baby Plays, a Web-based company Pope launched in October that allows parents to receive four or six toys in the mail every month, assembled and ready for playtime. Call it Netflix for the toddler set. (Click here for complete news story) http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080210/ap_on_hi_te/toy_rental;_ylt=Avw_vnLXePua6Mq35IX5dJIDW7oF * Tattoos may be tomorrow's vaccines * The tattoo of the future may be good for your health rather than just your image. German scientists said on Thursday that work on mice showed that tattooing was a more effective way to deliver a new generation of experimental DNA vaccines than standard injections into muscle. Using fragments of DNA to stimulate an immune response is seen as a promising way of making better vaccines for everything from flu to cancer. Until now, however, the concept has been hampered by its low efficiency. (Click here for complete news story) http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSL0612381120080207 * Why Misery Isn't Miserly: Sad, Self-Focused People Spend More Money Than Other People, Study Shows * Watch your wallet if you're feeling sad and have the world on your shoulders. "Misery is not miserly: Sad and self-focused individuals spend more." That's the title of a new study on why the blues can be a budget-buster. Why do people spend more when they're sad and focused on themselves? The researchers' theory boils down to retail therapy. (Click here for complete news story) http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20080208/why-misery-isnt-miserly

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