Self Improvement Newsletter- Issue # 494

Self Improvement Newsletter
Issue # 494, February 26-27, 2008

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Issue # 494, Week of February 26-27, 2008 Publisher: David Riklan - http://www.SelfGrowth.com In this issue: -- Quotes of the Week -- Personal Growth Products and Services -- Article: It's Your Little Red Wagon...6 Core Strengths for Navigating Your Path to the Good Life [Excerpt] - By Sharon S. Esonis, Ph.D. -- Article: The Forbidden Book of Getting What You Want: Make the World Your Banquet Starting With a Simmering Broth of Ambition [Excerpt] - By JK Ellis -- Book Review: Choices and Illusions: How Did I Get Where I Am, and How Do I Get Where I Want to Be? - By Eldon Taylor -- How to Subscribe and Unsubscribe from this Newsletter Current Subscribers - 264,803 subscribers

Removal instructions are listed at the end of the newsletter. ------------------------------------------------------------ *** Quotes of the Week *** ------------------------------------------------------------ A weed is but an unloved flower. - Ella Wheeler Wilcox, 1850-1919, American Poet and Journalist We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible. - Vince Lombardi, 1913-1970, Hall of Fame American Football Coach What we hope ever to do with ease, we must learn first to do with diligence. - Samuel Johnson, 1709-1784, English Author and Critic ------------------------------------------------------------ *** Personal Growth Products and Services *** ------------------------------------------------------------ * Learn 3 Keys to Empowering Your Life * Being empowered in your life is you knowing how to direct your own life. Receive this FREE guideline and learn 3 simple things you can do immediately to start being empowered in your life. Claim your guideline now! http://www.unlimitedmind-power.com/Report.html 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 * Why Am I Still Here? * Eldon Taylor exposes the number one reason why people stay stuck in a life that is unfulfilling. Today, you can obtain his life changing New York Times best selling book, Choices and Illusions, and receive over $1000s in bonuses. Click here for details: http://promos.hayhouse.com/promos/etaylor/022608email/email022608.htm SEEKING ENHANCED SKILLS FOR EMANCIPATION? Experience the wonderful journey of life with new alternative ways to successful living; visit loveandbalance.com to book Chidi Asika-Enahoro for speaking engagements and get copies of these exciting books: Innocence Interrupted, Till Cheating Do Us Part, and A Slice of Africa from http://www.amazon.com or http://www.loveandbalance.com * Your Prostate is a Ticking Bomb! * Chances are you've heard that all men eventually experience problems with their prostate. It's guaranteed that you'll suffer too. But you don't have to sit around and wait for trouble to strike. Click on the link below and take simple steps to protect your manhood -- without hassle or prescription drugs... http://www.alsearsmd.com/signup/Prostate/Prostate-SG.html * 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! * 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: It's Your Little Red Wagon...6 Core Strengths for Navigating Your Path to the Good Life [Excerpt] - By Sharon S. Esonis, Ph.D. *** ---------------------------------------------------- "It's your little red wagon. You can push it, pull it, or just stand and look at it!" That's the deal as I see it. As a psychologist and life coach, I've seen thousands of clients over the past 25 years who've faced a variety of challenges. What the "little red wagon" represents to me and the many clients I've had the privilege and honor to assist, is a special, shiny, vibrant vehicle that transports our hopes, dreams, promise, and passion. And in order to embark on a fulfilling journey, stay on course, and ultimately reach our goals and dreams, each of us must take and maintain control of our little red wagon. That's actually the good news. The fate of your little red wagon -- your life as you would wish it to be -- is in your hands! To transform the symbol into reality, however, requires not only acceptance of the responsibilities of being in charge of your own happiness and well-being, but also a commitment to acquire the help, information, and tools that can lead to individually-defined success. According to a Swedish proverb, "God gives every bird a worm, but He doesn't throw it in the nest." If your little red wagon is not going where you want it to go, here's the good news: Psychology has taken a right turn! It's now in the business of identifying and teaching the skills that foster well-being, in addition to its longtime goal of understanding and treating psychological problems. At last, the field is paying very special attention to the strengths that help us design and achieve a life filled with joy and purpose, a life characterized by the ability to weather storms valiantly, and in so doing, restore hope, energy, and self-confidence for the ongoing adventure. The movement is called Positive Psychology, and it's about the good life. Six core strengths -- Optimism, Courage, Enthusiasm, Persistence, Living in the Present, and Resilience -- are the critical elements that can help each of us discover our path to the "good life." And I believe that tapping into and fortifying these strengths is not a difficult undertaking, as long as you're equipped with the right information and a mound of motivation, both of which I hope to provide for you here! This book is all about attitude, beliefs, expectations, thinking, and behavior. It's about having a choice regarding all these factors. And it's about developing the necessary tools that will help you take control of your life and discover your own personal path. As Carlos Castaneda tells us, "We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same." COURAGE Face Your Fears, Take Risks Courage is a towering strength, one that has earned the revered status of a virtue over the ages. To many it may represent something quite daunting, but in reality, it's not nearly as elusive as many people might believe. Courage propels a person from powerless to robust and increases exponentially the ability to transform an impossible dream into a mission accomplished. Walt Disney, the great dream-maker, believed that "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." I love watching the 150-watt light bulb go on during their journey forward, the epiphany that facing your fears and refusing to be helpless makes you a mighty force for enacting your vision and ensuring the quest to become the best you can be. The process of learning to take risks and act boldly is truly an awesome experience, the gift that keeps on giving. This is the gift you give to yourself and the one you offer to others by your example. Children reap enormous benefits when parents and other adults express the belief that courage is profoundly important and then act in accordance with that belief again and again. TYPES OF COURAGE Courage manifests in a number of ways. Physical courage is the type that generally comes to mind first: Putting oneself in harm's way to save another or to fight for a beloved cause. The man who does not know how to swim yet jumps in the river to save a child is a model of physical courage. Then there is moral courage, which involves standing up for beliefs when doing so may well lead to aversive personal consequences such as decreased security, comfort, or popularity. Whistle-blowers in corporations and government exemplify moral courage. Psychological courage, the focus of this book, is about being hale and hardy in your internal world, making choices for yourself and converting them into behavioral expression. It's exemplified by dealing proactively with situations such as facing psychological, emotional, and medical problems; making difficult and bold choices; ending unhealthy interpersonal situations, making important habit changes; welcoming and using change as an ally instead of an adversary; and becoming the person you want to be by pursuing your goals and dreams. Check out the Experts page for Sharon S. Esonis, Ph.D.: http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/sharon_esonis.html About the Author: Sharon Esonis has spent close to three decades helping individuals live their dreams through her work as a psychologist, life coach, and author. An expert in human behavior and motivation, Dr. Esonis specializes in the burgeoning field of Positive Psychology, the scientific study of optimal human functioning and the core strengths that can lead to the achievement of one's personally-defined goals -- what we call "the good life." Dr. Esonis earned her bachelor's and master's degrees at Ohio University and her doctoral degree at Boston College. She is licensed in psychology in Arizona and Massachusetts, and in addition to her many years of private practice as a clinician and coach, she supervised master's and doctoral students in their clinical work at Arizona State University. She has served as a hospital staff psychologist and has lectured on topics ranging from stress management, meditation, and relaxation training to assertiveness and sleep management. Today, her private practice in San Diego is dedicated exclusively to personal and professional coaching. Dr. Esonis is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), the Association for Behavior and Cognitive Therapy (ABCT), the San Diego Professionals Coaches Alliance (SDPCA) and is a Founding Member of the Centre for Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP). ***** "It's Your Little Red Wagon...6 Core Strengths for Navigating Your Path to the Good Life" is Sharon Esonis's contribution to the field of Positive Psychology, presenting proven success factors and strength-building techniques that can lead individuals to a life of purpose, motivation and personally-defined happiness. Dr. Esonis is offering some fantastic FREE gifts when you buy a copy of her book. Learn more at http://www.selfgrowth.com/products/esonis.html The list price of this book is $21.95. To purchase it from Amazon.com, go directly to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=097994970X/selfimprovemeonlA/ ---------------------------------------------------- *** Article: The Forbidden Book of Getting What You Want: Make the World Your Banquet Starting With a Simmering Broth of Ambition [Excerpt] - By JK Ellis *** ---------------------------------------------------- * Becoming a Force of Nature There are people who live their lives as if they were a force of nature. They seem to always get what they desire and be unaffected by the events around them. Around these people others make it a rule to follow them or get out of their way. These "forces of nature" can be violent and demanding, or seductive and compelling, or both. They often personify an energy. This energy may be specific or undefined in nature. An example is the fictional Darth Vader who personifies an energy of sheer will. A living example of this type of persona is Playboy magazine founder, Hugh Hefner, who is the personification of the power of hedonistic fulfillment and Eros. Napoleon Bonaparte, Salvador Dali, Gambino crime boss John Gotti, and former president Bill Clinton are others to name a few. Not all of these "forces of nature" seek fame. Many aspire only to live their lives as they wish. Have you ever met someone who lives life as if they are force of nature? When you've taken the opportunity to speak with them, what you'll learn is that they can tell you exactly what they are going to accomplish. They will tell you this with a calm and unshakable sense of certainty. They may even seem as if they have already accomplished it or as if they have seen the future and have come back to tell you what will happen. Because they have thought so thoroughly about what they want and how they want to live as they go after it, unforeseen events are rare and of little consequence. The worst thing an unforeseen event might do is delay the inevitable attainment of their goal. When the unforeseen occurs, they have a plan on how they will respond. That is the depth of their self-understanding. Anyone who is within the presence of these rare people will feel both a soothing calmness and an unstoppable force emanating from their character. Upon first evaluation, one might conclude that these living monoliths of achievement are motivated by endless ambition, but that would be inaccurate. Rather, they are moved by an unshakable sense of destiny. While these people appear human in every way, they seem to move through the world more like a force of nature in and of themselves. Life is an adventure, and their goals and accomplishments are landmarks and milestones of their journey. They view success and failure with an unwavering detachment. Their intent is so firm that all they know is their goal will be accomplished. Time is of no consequence to them because, like a god looking down from Mount Olympus, eventually all will transpire as they have laid it out and neither the winds, the waters, nor the wills of man can stop them. They make their achievements seem easy and cause us to ask, "Why shouldn't I be able to do what they do?" This is the life YOU could live; all you must do is choose it. * Your Outward Appearance This section is not about dressing for success because even an idiot can do that. This is about your presentation as a person and how you move and interact with those around you. The first advice is simple: Move as if you have a purpose. Moving as if you have a purpose means moving as if you are not just pulled though space but also through time. You are being pulled in the direction of your goals. This is important for two reasons. The first is you do have a purpose, and even though you may never discuss it outwardly, it is through your purposeful actions and movements that others will take note and either assist you or move out of your way. The second reason is more subtle and internal. When you move as if you have a purpose, you are intentionally affecting your physiology. Any actor trained in "method acting" will tell you that if you do enough outward expressions of an emotional state, you will begin to feel that emotional state take hold of you. Moving with a purpose will strengthen every aspect of your purpose. During the early part of the last century, a young reporter was instructed to visit Mohandas Gandhi at a hospice for the dying in India and ask to observe Gandhi as he went about his daily routine. What he observed seemed unapparent at first but quickly became obvious. Gandhi moved as if he was being pulled by some greater force. That force was his sense of purpose. * Create a Mythology One way to strengthen your sense of purpose is to create a mythology that describes your life and then live to fulfill it. Many people have created their personal mythology from thin air and have often been revealed as frauds. To avoid this, remember that almost every good hero of mythical greatness begins with a humble origin. This holds true in the stories from the biblical Moses to the fictional Luke Skywalker. Start your mythology where you are at and build on it. By asking yourself, "What would the very best me do?" you can direct your course with acts that seem as though you are pulled in the direction of your greater purpose. * Your Internal State Of Mind There is a constant force that is created when we have a goal and make a plan to go after it. The force is that not everything will go our way, the difference between what we plan and what actually occurs. This is often referred to as "Friction." This Friction is a constant component of life; we plan one thing grandiose, and some unforeseen event stalls our progress. Friction is not an enemy but a natural element which, like the weather, we can sometimes predict but seldom control. Fighting the friction of life is as futile as fighting a hurricane, so instead, let it become your teacher as you become it's most dutiful student. What it teaches is the endless value of flexibility and being able to adapt to changing situations. There will always be friction; therefore, there will always be lessons to learn. Friction cannot be pleaded with or manipulated. Friction is as cold and uncaring as the winter sea, but it can be a teacher as wise as Aristotle. To become a Force of Nature, you must abandon whatever doubt you have, whether or not we each deserve to have what we deeply want. What is proposed is that you should get what you want -- if you know in precise detail what you want, if you know in precise detail the steps to getting it, if you are absolutely willing to do each step, and if you are flexible enough to embrace and adapt to the friction of life. About the Author: JK Ellis is a writer and occasional public speaker. He writes on the topic of mind control and has published two book on the subject: "Perfected Mind Control - The Unauthorized Black Book of Hypnotic Mind Control" and "Mind Control 101 - How To Influence the Thoughts and Actions of Others Without Them Knowing or Caring." Because of the controversial nature of his work, he seeks to maintain his anonymity and make very rare public appearances. ***** Order JK Ellis's book, "The Forbidden Book of Getting What You Want," and he'll send you a great thank-you gift! Learn more at http://www.TheForbiddenBook.com The list price of this book is $24.95. To purchase it from Amazon.com, go directly to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1435703596/selfimprovemeonlA/ ------------------------------------------------------------ *** Book Review: Choices and Illusions: How Did I Get Where I Am, and How Do I Get Where I Want to Be? - By Eldon Taylor *** ------------------------------------------------------------ This fascinating book holds an important key. Whether you're interested in the science of thinking and beliefs, how your own mind works, how others control your thoughts, why things just don't work out in your life, how you can create the life you've always wanted, or on a grander scale, how you can help make the world a better place, "Choices and Illusions" provides insights for all. Simply reading this book will open your eyes to new worlds of possibilities. Once exposed to the illusions most live under and by, you will change, and putting into practice any of these very simple teachings will open the door for you to achieve your highest potential. "Choices and Illusions" tells the story of one man's journey into the workings of the human mind and our reason for being. The adventure is every bit as exciting as the best of scientific discoveries. Eldon Taylor's approach is scientific and pragmatic, and his conclusions are inspirational and soul enhancing. Along the journey you'll hear fantastic stories of divine intervention, learn why you think and do what you do not wish to do, and understand the very clear message that it's never too late to be happy and succeed, regardless of your past actions. **** When you buy a copy of "Choices and Illusions," you'll receive over $1,000 in FREE gifts and valuable coupons from dozens of leading visionaries! Go to http://promos.hayhouse.com/promos/etaylor/022608email/email022608.htm The list price of this book is $14.95. To purchase it from Amazon.com for $10.17, a 32% discount, go directly to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1401918530/selfimprovemeonlA/ ------------------------------------------------------------ *** Brief News of the World *** ------------------------------------------------------------ Positive: * Stranger Donates Kidney To Atlanta Girl: Stranger Donates Kidney To Ailing 8-Year-Old Atlanta Girl After Seeing Child's Photo On Flier * The picture of the smiling little girl on the flier was more than Laura Bolan could take. The 8-year-old on the pamphlet needed a kidney transplant, and Bolan knew she could help. She did a quick Web search on the surgery and talked it over with her husband. Then she made a phone call to offer one of her kidneys to Sarah Dickman. The suburban Atlanta girl was born with the genetic disease juvenile nephronophthisis, which slowly destroys the kidneys. Without treatment, it can kill a child before the age of 15. (Click here for complete news story) http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/22/ap/health/main3867579.shtml * Creole craftsman helps rebuild N.O. * Smiling with satisfaction, Earl Barthe pushes back his wide-brimmed hat and runs his eyes over the intricate plaster trim of the Luling Mansion. He's sure his family helped form the room's original decorations, elaborate patterns on the ceilings and even likenesses of the first owner's daughter, who died of yellow fever. Today, Barthe (pronounced bar-THAY) is busy restoring the 165-year-old building. (Click here for complete news story) http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/creole_craftsman;_ylt=Al07cOsGwC38IYKBqc2iPMIDW7oF * AT&T, Tenn. Create Medical Info Exchange: AT&T, Tennessee Create Statewide Electronic Exchange For Medical Information * AT&T Inc. is partnering with Tennessee to provide the country's first statewide system to electronically exchange patient medical information, the telecommunications company said Monday. The system is designed to securely transmit detailed patient information between medical professionals. It will allow doctors to access medical histories, prescribe medicines over the Internet and transfer images like X-rays, MRIs and CT scans. (Click here for complete news story) http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/25/ap/health/main3872045.shtml ** For more positive news, please visit http://www.selfgrowth.com/news.html Other: * Typing May Turn Taboo as Users Turn to Other Tools -- Bill Gates: Microsoft Is Pushing Touch-Screen and Speech Technology to Replace Keyboards * People will increasingly interact with computers using speech or touch screens rather than keyboards, Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates said. "It's one of the big bets we're making," he said during the final stop of a farewell tour before he withdraws from the company's daily operations in July. (Click here for complete news story) http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GadgetGuide/wireStory?id=4329526 * Archeologists find 5,500-year-old plaza in Peru: One of the oldest structures ever discovered in the Americas * A circular plaza built 5,500 years ago has been discovered in Peru, and archeologists involved in the dig said on Monday carbon dating shows it is one of the oldest structures ever found in the Americas. A team of Peruvian and German archeologists uncovered the plaza, which was hidden beneath another piece of architecture at the ruins known as Sechin Bajo, in Casma, 229 miles north of Lima, the capital. (Click here for complete news story) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23339075/ * Branson's 'Nutty' Idea To Power His Jets: Virgin Airways 747, Powered By Blend of Biofuels, Flies to The Netherlands * Virgin Flight 811P took off from London Heathrow this morning fueled, in part, by 150,000 coconuts and babassu nuts picked in the Amazon rainforest. The Boeing 747 touched down safely 40 minutes later in Amsterdam. This was either a milestone in aviation history on a par with Lindbergh's first solo crossing of the Atlantic, or it was a cynical public relations stunt. It depends on how you look at it. (Click here for complete news story) http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/BusinessTravel/story?id=4336692&page=1

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