Personal Development Articles

The best way to save money on healthcare is to avoid injury. A large majority of people going to the gym today have little, if any understanding of biomechanical anatomy. I thought this article might offer a quick education for anyone who wants to avoid getting hurt while trying to get healthy at the local gym. I want to point out that when you go to the gym, you actually bring your machine with you – it’s called your body. Your body is so intelligent that it works best when all the pieces and parts work perfectly together.

The first step in how to overcome barriers to success is to identify what is a barrier to success? What is it that stops you achieving what you want?

Question: I’m not a very assertive person. How do I learn to say No to people who ask me to do things I don’t really want to do? I have this problem not just with my colleagues but with my boss too. Answer: Don’t think you’re alone. We all find ourselves in situations where we say “Yes” to ...

A strong personality is not necessarily a dominant personality. People who believe that they have a strong personality will not necessarily be dominant because a strong personality is merely based on your ideas, idols and thoughts. You could have a strong personality and yet still listen to people and accept a fair judgment and accept a loss. Winning is not the main characteristic of a strong personality, but rather acceptance is the true trait of a strong personality. Now, t

If you have a child that seems to excel at everything he or she does in the academic realm then you are very lucky. This is not something that every parent is able to report when speaking about their children. There are times when children struggle in school. When this happens it can be very stressful for the parents as well as for the child. However, there are ways to identify if your child is struggling. Once you are able to recognize the signs and verify there is an issue, you can begin the process of identifying what is creating the challenge.

The idea of value and purpose is linked to the concept of discovering a greater good, a mission, or a higher calling. Most people know the story of Mahatma Gandhi. But most people only know his story after he became a prominent figure. He was born into a middle class family. He had low self-esteem that made him reluctant to interact with others. Gandhi’s life changed one day while riding on a train in South Africa in the first-class section. Because of his dark skin, he was f

There is within us the inner mind, a powerful ‘orb’ of potential that we can access to boost us through life and give us the seat of success, but the thing is, none of us even know that it is there in the first place. So how do you access the full potential of your subconscious mind when you do not know where it is? Where is it? It is in the frontal lobe or does it sit in the deep recesses of the cerebral cortex? Perhaps it is in the thalamus or the brain stem. nnFact of

I've given up.....hoping that one day I will no longer have challenges to overcome in life. A few years ago I had got to the point where I was tired of the constant struggle to overcome the challenges that seem to continually come my way. Challenges at work, in my personal life, with my relationships and after my divorce the financial challenges. I know that you learn most from the experiences that stretch you and take you out of your comfort zone however, I had got to the point where I no longer wanted to be stretched and developed. Have you ever felt like that?

This is a subject I’ve become aware of after living my life in my own comfort zone for many years, and having been through such a transitional period recently, I’ve come out the other end feeling better than ever; so I decided to briefly touch on the process for this month’s blog.

Body language and tone of voice convey 93% of our messages - not words - according to Dr. Albert Mehrabian, international expert on non-verbal communication. Surprisingly, spoken words account for only seven percent of what listeners perceive. n With this in mind, let's visit some ...

Newton, Jung, Freud, Shakespeare, Blake, and Pythagoras what do they all have in common? These great minds have all studied the hidden mysteries of the Kabbalah. So what is it all about? This mysterious religion which is an offshoot of Judaism. In this article I hope to demolish a few myths and confront a few pre-conceived ideas about what Kabbalah is really about and what it isn't. The Holy Kabbalah sometimes spelt Cabbala, or Qabbalah or abbreviated "Qbl" which means to receive is based on the Torah or the law.

I smoked cigarettes for a lot of years, more tha I can bring myself to admit to. So when it comes to giving reasons, or should I say "making excuses" for continuing to suffocate myself, I am a pro. I've met smokers who claim not to believe the overwhelming evidence that smoking is hazardous to your health. There are some that believe it but are willing to risk painful death rather than quit. And there are smokers who just don't ever think of such things; Mammy, Pappy, Gramps and Uncle Bubba all smoke so why shouldn't they? But these people are rare.

Stress is something that we face more and more in today's life. It is caused by a number of different situational factors, but if you find yourself in constant stress on daily basis in your life, it may cause a lot of issues in all areas of your life. Fortunately, these issues can be avoided with three simple and practical techniques.r

I recently wrote an article in which I explained that any relationship has a natural duration, after which it ends – unless the people in the relationship hold on to the relationship for dear life. This raised a question about marriage vows.

nProcrastination… We all do it to some degree. n nThe question is: “How much does it have to hurt before you are willing to do something about it?” n nIn the Webster’s Dictionary the definition of procrastination is: “To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness.”n nI believe that procrastination is a choice. Some of you may resist the idea that procrastination is a choice as ‘choice’ implies y

I have been pregnant twice... In one year... For nine weeks each time... Had everything gone according to plan, I could have been halfway through a pregnancy and well on my way to a baby. Unfortunately, something went wrong in both cases, and the fetus died sometime between weeks six and eight. Miscarriage at any stage of pregnancy is an awful experience to go through - no question about it. The grief, the shattered hopes, the loss of unrealized potential can be almost too much to bear.

As businesses become increasingly more global and bringing people of all races, cultures and backgrounds closer, learning the skills of proper etiquette on an international level is one of the most important elements for business success and growth. The ability to appreciate and respect cultural differences can be very helpful in understanding why people act in certain ways and gives you a better understanding on how you should act while conducting business or attending social events with them. Each country comes with a set of rules and traditions.

Building self-confidence is one thing, getting your confidence back after a personal or professional calamity is a substantially different situation. FORGIVE YOURSELF Whatever experience or situation that caused you to lose your confidence needn’t have been your fault for you to be carrying around a load of embarrassment or guilt. It’s natural to feel that somehow you should have known, or been able to prevent the occurrence.

I am constantly gobsmacked by the amount of negative attention the network marketing industry receives. Network marketing allows anyone to have the opportunity to make a lot of money and quickly. It also provides systems, leadership, training, and a community of supportive people who are celebrating you and working with you to help you rise to the top of success. Why wouldn't anyone want to be involved in it? When I think of network marketing I think of freedom, wealth, security, support, self-improvement, success, lifestyle choices and control over my life.

Health and wealth are the two important and precious things that one would want all throughout his/her life. Losing all of the wealth that you have accumulated over years is depressing, you might even feel the end of your life has approached you at this financial loss. Choose your own change at this turning point in your life and you will surely see the glory and a new life ahead of you. Despite the accumulated and continuous loss that you might have experienced the confidenc

How do you stay true to yourself when you’re surrounded by friends and family that have an opinion on everything you do? Who constantly offer their opinions, whether you asked for them or not? Who seem to imply that they “know better”? nnIt’s not easy! However, if you’re going to lead the life you really want, you’re bound to run into a few folks who won’t, or can’t, understand where you’re coming from. Don’t let their strong opinions back you into a corne

I have read literally hundreds of self-help, philosophy, spiritual and religious books but before I read "Zero Limits, " by Dr. Joe Vitale and Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len, master teacher of the updated Ho’oponopono system, I had never heard of the Hawaiian Ho'oponopono system. I was not too far into ...

"I wake up smiling" could be a metaphor for life's enlightening moments, a song title about a smile, or the response to transition from sleep to the day's activities. I love the waking-up smile as a metaphor for enlightenment, and maybe I'll write a song someday, but I do mean literally that I start each day this way. Often I awaken in the very early morning hours to meditate; I wake up smiling.

The greatest fear that is affecting us right now is our financial situation. The stress of our dwindling retirement accounts, fear of losing our jobs and houses is consuming our nation. So many of us are terrified, extremely stressed and unsure of what is going to happen to us. Watching the ...

The good news is that we all experience self-limiting beliefs; the bad news is, that’s right, we all have self-limiting beliefs. There’s more good news though - we can do something about them. Limiting beliefs have a method to their madness, they keep us safe, safe from ever having to take a risk or making a mistake.

Personal Brilliance is the result of mastering the everyday habits that create a lifetime of success. Personal Brilliance is the sum of what you’ve learned, experienced, and practiced. Awareness, curiosity, focus, and initiative are the catalysts that spark innovative thinking and light the way ...

n n Self-efficacy is an impression that one is capable of performing in a certain manner or attaining certain goals. It is a belief that one has the capabilities to execute the courses of actions required to manage prospective situations. Unlike efficacy, which is the power to produce an effect, self-efficacy is the belief that one has the power to produce that effect. For example, a person with high self efficacy may engage in a more health related activity when an illness o

Ancient lore tells us that there’s a magical Genie who lives in a lamp and that the person who possesses that lamp has the power to invoke wishes and desires beyond our wildest dreams. If I told you that Genie lives in you, would you believe me? Maybe not.nnBut if I told you that there was another character who lives in you and complains, whines, and was negative about your day-to-day life as well as your dreams, would you believe me then? I’ll bet you would because we ar

The best time for you to meditate is the time that you will do it! It's the time that works best in your schedule, the time that is easiest for you. If you choose a time that is convenient for your lifestyle, you'll find the experience more appealing and more natural. I consider the above is ...

Reiki Healing for the Mind, Body and Soul In our modern society people are increasingly taking their health into their own hands and making their own informed choices about what is best for them, rather than relying on Western medicine alone. The current trend for increased well-being is ...

Have you had, in your moments of contemplation, evaluate the possessions you have? Did you ask yourself if the things you dearly hold are really worth having? There are many possessions we want to acquire in life, but most of the time we found ourselves deeply attached once we have what we aspire. We have become blind to the important things that are really worth treasuring. The most important possession to acquire in life has been a questio I long to resolve. But there is a big hindrance in my pursuit for answers.

You don’t need self improvement. You’re perfect all ready – you just need to realize it. Some aficionados of personal development might call the process ‘self-realization’ – a big word (two actually) for something that is within every single person’s reach. There’s little pointing in clouding what comes naturally in some fog of mystique – little point in complicating the simply. Every sinlge one of us can achieve awareness and self fulfilment if we learn how to simply stop the incessant noise in our head. I think you know the noise that I’m talking about.

By Sam Vakninr Author of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited" Positive feelings (about oneself or pertaining to one's accomplishments, assets, etc.) – are never gained merely through conscious endeavor. They are the outcome of insight. A cognitive component (factual knowledge regarding one's achievements, assets, qualities, skills, etc.) plus an emotional correlate that is heavily dependent on past experience, defense mechanisms, and personality style or structure ("c

Stuck IN your life? Work ON it instead! 'I find it fascinating that most people plan their vacations with better care than they plan their lives.' -- Jim Roh Are you stuck in your life? Here’s how you can tell: When we only work IN our lives: - We know what we have to do right now. - We do ...

Some hurdles that we run up to in life are higher than others. In track, there is the sprint, the low hurdles, and then the high hurdles. We all confront similar situations every day. Sometimes life's a breeze and we sprint right on along. Sometimes we hit the low hurdles and we have to figure out how to overcome these hurdles. And then we can run into the high hurdles. Only the best learn to master these. With training and practice, one can learn to leap over any hurdle that is put in front of them and still stay in stride.

Becoming side tracked is a part of life, and while this can be a serious problem when we want to complete some important task, distraction is simply a fact of life. It is important to learn how to deal with distraction and keep your focus so that you can finish the job you set out to do in the first place. Distractions may be hard to ignore, especially when it's a chatty coworker, a ringing phone, a demanding spouse, or many other things. Thankfully, there are some tried and true strategies we can use to put the distractions on hold and place an intense focus on our task.

As a Certified Image and Etiquette consultant, for over 20 years I’ve watched the definition of etiquette evolve and expand, especially in the world of business. Thirty years ago, anyone using the word etiquette in everyday speech might have been laughed out of town. Let’s face it; etiquette had a bad rap. It was synonymous with pretension – the Holy Grail of an elite frate ity of social snobs. Rather like curtsying at a debutantes’ ball. There were exceptions, of course.

As a public speaker, entrepreneur, trainer, consultant, manager, do you ever feel stressful about presenting to a group? Regardless of your role or relationship to the group, it's quite normal to experience stress. A little stress keeps you alert; too much stress can be counterproductive. Here ...

Men and women respond to stress very differently. As in childbirth, women’s bodies release a chemical, oxytocin (ahk-see-toe-sin). This chemical has a calming effect and is also found at higher levels in breastfeeding mothers. Estrogen, the predominant female hormone, boosts the effects of oxytocin. Testosterone, on the other hand, is predominant in men during stress. Testosterone blocks the effects of oxytocin and produces aggression, hostility, withdrawal, and anger. It can be seen that evolution has balanced the stress reactions between men and women.

Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, you’re surrounded by people who have no idea that their subconscious mind is creating their very own version reality as we speak. All these people – so-called normal people – have no idea that their subconscious mind controls them and, by virtue of the fact that they, in the ordinary course of their lives, exercise no control over their own mind, that they are actually crazy.

According to the recent Ipsos/Reuters survey conducted in 24 countries around the world, there is considerable disagreement about business dress codes. That's not to say workplace attire is an international hot potato with daily conference calls betwee Brussels and Singapore thrashing out the pros and cons of polo shirts. But, the very fact that Ispos, one of the world's leading market research firms, organized this survey speaks volumes about the magnitude of dress code issues.

I had the chance to learn my native language in my family since I was born and the official language as my second one when I went to kindergarten. Until recently I did not realize how lucky I was.

There are few things in life worth more than happiness and inner peace. People seek after many things. Material objects, fame, and fortune are often among these. What is the goal of getting things? Typically, people will say it's happiness. They think they have to have x, y, and z complete in the exte al world before they can relax and really be happy. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, the exte al world is relatively unimportant in terms of happiness. What is important is your internal world.

National Women's Friendship Month first began as National Women's Friendship Day in 1999 (celebrated the third Sunday in September each year). Following the 10th anniversary of National Women's Friendship Day in 2008, it became apparent that one day just wasn't enough, so the celebration was expanded to the entire month of September beginning in 2009. "All women find strength, comfort and inspiration from their girlfriends," said Melanie Schild, Executive Director of Kappa Delta and the brains behind the creation of the celebration.

The holidays can be a joyous time filled with love, joy and peace, a time of festivities and fun with family and friends. However it can also be a difficult time for many. Limited financial resources, current crises, recalled losses and past disappointments can make us very sad. Even though having hope may be the last thing on our minds, it is the one thing that will change our outlook in an instant. Here’s a story about my dear friend Serena and how cultivating hope got her through a very difficult life threatening time. 1. WHAT IS HOPE?

What is Your Ideal Vision What is your ideal vision of the very best person you could possibly become? How would you behave each day if you were already that person? Asking yourself these questions and then living your life consistent with the answers is the first step to creating yourself in your ideal image.

Have you ever wondered why grown up elephants don’t try to break their leg chains and escape? They could if they tried. They have been convinced that they can’t do it, so they don’t even attempt it. This is how it’s done in Thailand. The captured elephant has iron bands placed around each ...

Let me ask you these questions. How many of you would like to become successful trainers? How many of you would like to spread your messages to many people? And how many of you would like to get paid to spread your messages to many people?

During a recent coaching session a client began talking about her need to be perfect, although she didn’t actually use those words. This led us onto a helpful discussion of the drivers of Transactional Analysis; I thought it might be of interest to you to try and work out whether you are a ‘be ...

"Life isn't about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself" ~ George Bernard Shaw. Before we start please get a piece of paper and write down the answer to the following questions. What do you think about yourself, what do you think your colleagues and peers think about you? The answers off course will vary from individual to individual and will reflect what you think you radiate and transmit to your associates and peers. Galileo Galilei once said "you cannot teach a