Self Improvement Newsletter- Issue # 495

Self Improvement Newsletter
Issue # 495, March 4-5, 2008

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Issue # 495, Week of March 4-5, 2008 Publisher: David Riklan - http://www.SelfGrowth.com In this issue: -- Quotes of the Week -- Personal Growth Products and Services -- Article: Some Boats Need to be Rocked - By Meryl Runion, CSP -- Article: Finding Your Dreams by Leaving Your Comfort Zone - By John Seeley -- Book Review: Jack Canfield's Key to Living the Law of Attraction: A Simple Guide to Creating the Life of Your Dreams - By Jack Canfield and D.D. Watkins -- Brief News of the World -- How to Subscribe and Unsubscribe from this Newsletter Current Subscribers - 264,978 subscribers

Removal instructions are listed at the end of the newsletter. ------------------------------------------------------------ *** Quotes of the Week *** ------------------------------------------------------------ All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832, German Poet/Dramatist/Novelist The discipline of writing something down is the first step toward making it happen. - Lee Iacocca, American Industrialist and Automobile Executive Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. - Mother Teresa, 1910-1997, Albanian-born Humanitarian and Missionary ------------------------------------------------------------ *** Personal Growth Products and Services *** ------------------------------------------------------------ >>> LAUGH AT MONEY WORRIES WHEN YOU FOLLOW THIS SIMPLE PLAN <<< Isn't it time you started being there for your kids... and building a secure debt-free future for yourself and your loved ones... instead of slaving your buns off making somebody else rich? Create a $10,000 + monthly income in The next 30 days -- from scratch. FREE REPORT shows you how! http://www.DanielLevis.com/free-report * How to Write Your Book Faster than You Ever Imagined. * Your free Email Course and free article library is your key to writing your book, faster than you ever thought possible. Make it a best seller, make it a memoir, make it a profit center but make it happen NOW! http://www.WriteABookNow.com/selfimprovement5.html * "This Simple System Doubled My Team's Accountability!" * Today Only! Hundreds $$ in bonuses when you get the hottest new leadership/management adventure "Who Will Do What By When? How to Improve Performance, Accountability and Trust with Integrity." Free Instant Access to Report: "How to Complain Effectively to Someone Who Didn't Do What They Promised." http://www.HeadsUpPerformance.com/si.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 * 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 * Attention Men: Get Your 8 Simple Steps to a Healthy Prostate * Discover how you can decrease your chances of risk for prostate disease, how to accurately measure your prostate health and so much more... Get all this and more in this FREE report by Dr. Sears. All you have to do is click on the link below... http://www.alsearsmd.com/signup/Prostate/Prostate-SG.html * 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..." 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Visit our website at http://www.selfgrowth.com/form-ad-newsletter.html ---------------------------------------------------- *** Article: Some Boats Need to be Rocked - By Meryl Runion, CSP *** ---------------------------------------------------- One Block in Any Direction My earliest memory of being unable to speak for myself goes back to when I was four years old. I was allowed to cross the street, one block in every direction. When our neighbor found me playing across the street, he didn't believe I had permission to cross. He brought me home in "disgrace" and ranted on and on like he was some kind of superhero who saved me and the planet from certain destruction. No one spoke for me. Inwardly I screamed, "One block in any direction! I'm allowed! Why aren't you telling him?" Outwardly I could only cry. I doubt my mother understood what she taught me that day. She may have thought she taught me to put my best foot forward, but she actually taught me to put a false front forward. She taught me that if someone is likely to object to what you have to say, you don't say it. She taught me that if the truth is likely to rock the boat, you stay silent, you pretend. An Early Tsunami Warning Silence is a lesson I learned all too well. The first half of my life was based on the theme of putting a front forward that wouldn't rock the boat, create waves, or even a tiny ripple. That continued until I avoided a ripple that was really an early tsunami warning. The tsunami was my late husband Mike's cancer. The ripple I avoided was his wrath when I voiced my concerns about early indications that something was terribly wrong. I got a clue of what when I read a passage in a book telling how Harvey Peterson beat his tumor to the punch. I was shocked to realize that Harvey's symptoms sounded just like Mike's. I showed the passage to Mike, who took the book, threw it across the room, and screamed, "Damn it, Meryl, I don't have cancer! And don't talk to me about it again! Don't you dare say anything to my mother." I responded in what had become my habitual way...if my husband was upset with me, obviously I had done something terribly wrong. If I had done something wrong, I needed to avoid doing it again. I returned to the "safer" waters of agreeing with him. I almost drowned nine months later when I lost him to untreated cancer. Whose Hand Is Over Your Mouth? After Mike died, I considered myself a victim of his denial. It took a year for me to realize I was really a volunteer who chose to put a false front forward when heartfelt honesty was the only hope we had. It happened at my counselor's office. He interrupted himself mid-sentence to ask, "Why is your hand over your mouth? Whose hand is that? Who is keeping you from speaking?" I was stunned to realize I had my OWN hand over my mouth. I silenced myself. And it always had been my own hand over my mouth. Mike could never have silenced me had I not chosen to allow it. Boat Rocking Lessons I silenced myself because I didn't want to rock the boat. Now I realize that some boats desperately need to be rocked. If I don't speak for myself, no one else will. I became a woman on a mission -- a mission to figure out how to rock the boats that need to be rocked without capsizing or sinking. That was over twenty years ago. I've rocked a lot of boats since then. It didn't happen overnight. Once I realized I had lost my voice, it took years to find it again. I started in safe environments. I started speaking up and out in the safe haven of my counselor's office. (That was harder than you might think because my habit of "making nice" was so deeply entrenched.) I started being stronger with my son. (Was it possible that that beautiful being of light was manipulating me?) I set better boundaries with my boyfriend. (He resisted, and we broke up.) I began to say no to my clients more often. (Some of them didn't like it, but I sure did!) After ten years of reclaiming my voice, I contacted a seminar company and told them I wanted to work for them (even though I had no relevant experience.) They said no. A year later I contacted them again and told them I still wanted to work for them. They said yes. Speaking up for what I wanted worked and felt really good. Helping Others Rock the Right Boats in the Right Way In my role as a seminar leader, I encouraged others to address issues and be their own advocates. I adopted a simple phrase that epitomizes my approach to communication -- I'll give it to you now. That phrase is: Say what you mean and mean what you say, but don't be mean when you say it. The simplicity of that phrase makes it powerful. During my seminars I noticed how empowered people become when they get the right words to address their own hot-button issues. I call those perfect words Power Phrases. When I shared my Power Phrases, I saw people transformed in front of my eyes. They actually seemed taller. I decided to write my first book, "PowerPhrases!" to give people actual words for their most difficult situations. I started my weekly newsletter, A PowerPhrase a Week, to reinforce the new behavior. Had I Known Then What I Know Now It's possible that had I had the words and the communication skills when my husband became ill, he would still be with me today. It was one of the most treatable kinds of cancer there was. But there are no guarantees. I still may have lost him...but I would have not lost myself. It's much easier to weather the loss of a love when you haven't also lost yourself. A Stunning Contrast When I compare life now to my "pre-tsunami life," the contrast is stunning. I used to live in a constant state of resentment. Now I've almost forgotten what resentment feels like. I used to have chronically conflicted emotions. Now inner conflict is rare for me. But best of all, while I used to hide behind a false front, I'm authentic now. I love being me. And I love helping others be themselves. I also love saying what I mean and meaning what I say without being mean when I say it. About the Author: Meryl is the President and CEO of SpeakStrong, Inc. a training, speaking, consulting, and information services company. Her first book, "PowerPhrases!" has sold over 200,000 copies. She has since authored four other books: "How to Use Power Phrases to Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say and Get What You Want," "How to Say It: Performance Reviews," "Perfect Phrases for Managers," and the "Unite and Concur" eBook, available through her SpeakStrong website. She is also the author of a weekly email newsletter called A PowerPhrase a Week, which boast thousands of subscribers. Visit http://www.SpeakStrong.com Check out the Experts page for Meryl Runion, the Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to Management Skills: http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/meryl_runion.html ---------------------------------------------------- *** Article: Finding Your Dreams by Leaving Your Comfort Zone - By John Seeley *** ---------------------------------------------------- What do you desire that you don't have now? A new job? A new relationship? A new home? Make a list of all the things you want in every category you can think of. Everything you desire that you don't have is outside of your comfort zone. Do you want to release some weight or be in better shape? If you do, then you just got your answer on how to find everything else on your list. Einstein said, "To continue doing the same thing, expecting different results, is insanity." The implication is if you want different results, you have to do something different. That is where most people stop. They either feel that they can't change, or they come up with reasons not to change. Either way, nothing new happens. Change is scary for many people. Men might not admit it, but it scares them too. Change usually represents the unknown. Fear of the unknown is a big cause of stuckness. If we can recognize the fear and push through it, we usually find that whatever we were afraid of isn't as bad as we thought. Sometimes it's not only pleasant but down right exciting! Change happens instantly. Deciding to change usually takes time, sometimes years. The easiest way to change is the baby step process. Set your goal, but then break it down to very small and very doable tasks. Begin by choosing something you can definitely complete today. It could be as easy as looking up a phone number. You don't even have to place the call. Just look up the number. You may find that you will place the call, but the goal was only to look up the number. When you complete your small goal, you are retraining your subconscious mind to work with you. Since the majority of our lives are run by our subconscious mind, it's best to get it to align itself with our conscious mind. Sometimes we don't want to choose for fear we might make a mistake. Not choosing is a choice. It's another way we stay stuck. Procrastination is putting off the inevitable, which usually makes it worse. Why not empower yourself by taking the time to evaluate your choices, choose the best one, and take action? If it's something that involves something unpleasant, why not get it out of the way, which allows the healing to begin to take place? Sometimes it helps if you have support while going though your changes. So build a support team. Find people that will be supportive of the changes you want to make. Oftentimes the people closest to you are actually the ones that oppose you changing. So be careful who you choose. A professional has your best interest at heart. Whether a coach, a trainer, a therapist, or a friend or family member, be sure they know how you want to be supported. We each like support in our own way. Once you have a plan and a support system in place, dip your toe in the water outside your comfort zone and see what you find. Chances are you'll be pleasantly surprised. About the Author: John Seeley, MA is the author of "Get Unstuck! The Simple Guide to Restart Your Life." In this thought-provoking book, John is showing people the steps to take to get their lives moving and create the life they really want. For a limited time, John has partnered with a team of the finest in the personal growth movement who are each offering a valuable free gift when you order this life-changing book. These are people that have dedicated themselves to helping others achieve their highest potential in life. Order your copy today and receive your valuable gifts by going to http://www.GetUnstuck.com/Get-Unstuck-Special-Offer.html ***** The list price of this book is $12.95. To purchase it from Amazon.com for $11.01, a 15% discount, go directly to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=097659420X/selfimprovemeonlA/ ------------------------------------------------------------ *** Book Review: Jack Canfield's Key to Living the Law of Attraction: A Simple Guide to Creating the Life of Your Dreams - By Jack Canfield and D.D. Watkins *** ------------------------------------------------------------ Most people are familiar with the bestselling DVD and book "The Secret," which has won the world over with its poignant message about the Law of Attraction -- an ancient principle that describes how you attract what you focus on, feel, and believe. But learning the wisdom of this often misunderstood Law left a few people scratching their heads. How do you actually put this law into practice? That's where Jack Canfield's "Key to Living the Law of Attraction" -http://www.JacksKeyToLiving.com - comes in to play. At long last, there is a practical "tool box" to help people unravel the mysteries of the Law of Attraction and apply it to their everyday lives. Jack's newest book has already been a hit feature on The Today Show and PBS and has received amazing feedback. Jack Canfield, one of The Secret's chief teachers and champions of bringing this Law to today's fast-paced and high-tech world, introduces his new hands-on book that covers not only the Law of Attraction, but also the actionable steps you need to take in order to live out this law. Jack's "Key to Living the Law of Attraction" (co-written with D.D. Watkins) is a book millions probably wished came out tandem to "The Secret." Part instructional manual, part workbook, it offers readers everything they need to know (in fewer than 150 pages) to take the Law into their own hands and lives. The "Key" is broken into 15 short sections that act as roadmaps for successfully applying the Law. For example, in section 4, Jack covers positive and negative emotions -- plus internal and external feedback -- and then shows readers how to focus on the positive in the next section. Throughout the book, you'll also learn how to define your purpose, employ the power of affirmations, visualization, meditation, and prayer, and understand why the best attitude to have is one of gratitude. What results is a compendium of ideas, notes of inspiration, and reminders about what it takes to get what you want out of every facet of life -- financial, emotional, health, relationships, career, and so on. Anyone looking for words of wisdom on how to make more successful connections with others, or to merely increase confidence, tackle daily challenges, and live with passion and purpose, will find an assortment of ideas in this succinct and extraordinarily useful book. By mapping out your goals and dreams, you can move towards becoming a better parent, co-worker, friend, spouse, CEO, and citizen of the world at large. After all, with reminders like "I am responsible," "I create my own reality," "give," and "love" in front of you, how can you go wrong? In Jack's ever-inspiring words, "you can begin to reconnect with your inner truth and wisdom...you can learn to trust your intuition, heighten your awareness, and honor your emotions...and as you become increasingly aware of the miracles around you, the events in your life will begin to unfold in what seems like magical and mysterious ways." To purchase Jack Canfield's "Key to Living the Law of Attraction," please visit http://www.JacksKeyToLiving.com **** The list price of this book is $16.95. To purchase it from Amazon.com for $11.53, a 32% discount, go directly to http://www.JacksKeyToLiving.com ------------------------------------------------------------ *** Brief News of the World *** ------------------------------------------------------------ Positive: * Chamberlain surprises Lincoln family with Disney trip * Belmont Elementary Principal Deb Dabbert still can't quite get her head around the whole thing. How, out of the blue, Joba Chamberlain -- the Lincoln native son who rocketed to the Major League Baseball spotlight last year as a Yankees pitcher -- called his old high school coach in November with a proposition. How the pitcher wanted to pay for a Lincoln family's trip to Disney World and thought of Belmont Elementary where his former coach, Jerome Ehrlich, and his wife, Bobbie, both teach. ... (Click here for complete news story) http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2008/03/01/news/local/doc47c89df01a46e211846738.txt * Sign of Hope Seen for Rare Frog Species * A rare and threatened species of tiny frog has been found breeding in a New Zealand animal park, meaning its future may now be more secure, researchers said Monday. The 13 finger nail-sized Maud Island froglets were discovered clinging to the backs of full-grown male frogs at the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary in the capital Wellington, said researcher Kerri Lukis. The frogs are normally found only on two islands in the Malborough Sounds region of New Zealand's South Island. (Click here for complete news story) http://news.aol.com/story/_a/sign-of-hope-seen-for-rare-frog-species/20080303090509990002 * Woman loses 180 pounds, gains celebrity status * Like many young girls, Jennifer Marnell always dreamed that one day she'd become famous. Bubbling with personality and quite the ham -- she was no stranger to performing. Marnell loved singing, dancing and acting in local plays while growing up on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia. Even though her family showered her with adoration and unconditional support -- Marnell was hiding something that she was afraid to share with anyone. Since the age of 8, she struggled with her weight. (Click here for complete news story) http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/diet.fitness/02/29/weightloss.jennifer.marnell/index.html ** For more positive news, please visit http://www.selfgrowth.com/news.html Other: * Long workweeks keeping Americans up late * Hey you! Dozing at your desk! Wake up, go home and get more sleep! That could be the message from a survey released Monday by the National Sleep Foundation. The survey of 1,000 people found participants average six hours and 40 minutes of sleep a night on weeknights, even though they estimated they'd need roughly another 40 minutes of sleep to be at their best. Roughly one-third of those surveyed said they had fallen asleep or become very sleepy at work in the past month. (Click here for complete news story) http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080303/ap_on_he_me/sleepy_workers;_ylt=AknLoz14fySonlBqbOhLKnCs0NUE * U.S. study shows why winter is 'flu season': Coating protects viruses against cold -- so they can infect you more easily * Influenza viruses coat themselves in fatty material that hardens and protects them in colder temperatures -- a finding that could explain why winter is the flu season, U.S. researchers reported on Sunday. This butter-like coating melts in the respiratory tract, allowing the virus to infect cells, the team at the National Institutes of Health found. (Click here for complete news story) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23435961/ * Physics lab completes world's largest jigsaw puzzle * A 100-tonne wheel, the last piece of an ambitious experiment that scientists hope will help unlock the secrets of the universe, was successfully lowered into an underground cavern on Friday. It is the final major element in the ATLAS particle detector, the largest of four detectors being hooked up to the world's most powerful particle accelerator which the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) hopes to start up around the middle of 2008. "This last piece completes this gigantic puzzle," CERN said in a statement. (Click here for complete news story) http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080229/sc_nm/science_cern_dc;_ylt=Ag3s0qdQ0Rh19QwCHDH9v.Gs0NUE

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