The Laws of Attraction and Your Mindset

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for September 1 2009

Good day all on this amazing 1st day of a brand spanking new month.

I want to absolutely thank everyone who has responded to our theme of this past week. Your insights and commitment to your own personal development sets examples that inspire us here to perform our mission with added enthusiasm, and much added love. Our sincere thanks and appreciation to you all.

Today we engage the work of yet another new contributor as he clarifies....

The Laws of Attraction and Your Mindset
by Thomas Cummins

Imagine you are two years old you and you just received your first tricycle your excitement is overwhelming and so infectious it brings tears to the eyes of your folks as they watch you with such pride in their hearts. You are now 18 years old and are standing in line for your graduation certificate and once again your family as there with tears of pride for their wee lass or laddie. When you receive your first paycheck from your very first real job there is pride all around you.

"All mankind is divided into three classes:
those that are immovable,
those that are movable,
and those that move".
Benjamin Franklin

Develop and maintain the mindset that will always have you at the forefront of attraction because you are in the move groove. It does not matter if you are male or female, tall or short, plus size or slim size, as long as you are full of enthusiasm and willing to learn and then act on what you have been taught. For the correct mindset comes with a size that fits all.

There are no secrets that are being reserved for a select few, but there are preferred opportunities for the lass or laddie with the mindset to follow up on the attractions being presented to them. Decide that you are going to be the magnet that attracts and become the select preferred opportunist that has the determination to take the first step to action. Maintain a list of affirmations to reinforce you like a battery needs charging, you need daily affirmations to remain charged for there are always pitfalls and by being in the mindset you will seek solutions and not even miss your stride.

"Challenge each problem you face with purposeful thought and determined action. Resolve that 'every' situation you encounter will make you better, stronger, wiser, more skillful and more loving. " Steve Brunkhorst

Quotes like the above prove that there are no secrets, only wisdom ready to be shared for open minds, caring hearts and willing bodies. It is said that if you truly want to achieve then you have to believe. When you believe with God at your side you will be ready for all transactions. Success is not just measured in your ability to perform when everything is just magical, but also how you perform when the load is heavy and you are tired. The right mindset in difficult situations is the one where you have no problem in asking for help. It is always available, sometimes you may not like it but if you learn from this lesson then it was easy stuff.

The attractions do not come alone, they come with all the gifts you need to implement and enjoy them. The better the attraction the more gifts, the more resources, more wisdom becomes available for you to listen to and benefit from. Just like a good networking business, you are not alone.

The winning mindset conquers no matter the attractions, and that is no secret at all.

Thomas is an inspirational motivator who believes we all have it within us to change the results we may have become accustomed to accepting and by availing of resources both free and not we may change our success ratio.

What Have You Done to Improve Your Life?

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Monday August 31, 2009

Good day all and welcome to a shiny new week.

Last week we focused on the theme of "Personal Development" and I expressed my joy at the quantity, and quality, of readers submitted by our contributors. I'm still in joy and want to continue on the theme for a bit as you really will enjoy some of the others pieces we were given.

So let's get right to it and ask you a very important question...

What Have You Done to Improve Your Life?
by Jahiel Yasha Kamhi

I was seated with a group of people when someone said to me:

"What have you done to improve your life?"

I didn't expect that kind of question, so I asked for clarification.

"I mean," he said, "What have you done to study, improve or change your life? Probably, you've studied many years to get your credentials, but how many years have you spent studying your life?"

Fortunately, a friend of mine solved the problem when he declared that today's topic was "How to improve our lives."

This article is actually adapted from a conversation between friends about the topic I mentioned above, with no indication of who said which statement.

The very first question was: "Do you really need to improve your life?" We all agreed with one clear and obvious conclusion: yes, you do need to work to improve your life.

Your whole life is actually a permanent school for you. Only people who pay attention to the quality of life can expect satisfaction. Life is a process of learning not only job skills but also life skills.

To improve your life, you first need to learn who you are. Do you know yourself, or you are just guessing? Knowing yourself is crucial, because everything starts with you. Can you improve yourself if you don't know yourself? If you don't know where you are now, you might be heading in the wrong direction. I hope not!

Do you have a personal goal or a destination as a fixed point to reach in your life? What do you do for life, not just for living?

Write down your answers and read them on a regular basis, checking to see where you have improved. Learn what you have done for your life that particular week and try to get closer to your goals every week. After a couple of months or years, you will see improvements. Having a goal or a fixed destination is the best way to do something about your life.

Goals are important, but you must have more. What about meaning in life? Do you believe that meaning is within you or not? Who is "in charge" of meaning in your life? If you expect someone else to find meaning for you, unfortunately you're on the wrong track!

Can you answer these simple questions:
What's your reason for living?
What do you want from life?
you have a real fascination about life?
Are you living for ... or for ....?

The only one person who can answer these questions is You. To live a full life, you need to know your reason for living. Is your reason for living a healthy and good family life, or is it maybe your professional success?

Think about your reason for living. It will shape your destiny.

If you, like everyone else, think about how to get more money, or how to get a better position on the professional ladder in your work place, this is not a bad thing.

A bad thing is if you don't do anything to improve your spiritual dimension of life (this isn't necessarily religious). Your soul wants to grow and help you to live a life with meaning, reason, goals, and a destination. Spirituality is part of a healthy way of living and you need it, especially when you are looking for any kind of mental support.

A person who applies his entire mind to living is not only a great human being; he is also a rich person. If you know how to apply your mind in everyday life, you will live an intellectually and spiritually rich life. Sometimes, your mental and intellectual potential is unused. You have the power to access that potential: each person's life has purpose and meaning if you know how to discover it.

Have you learned to forgive yourself first, and then to forgive others? Forgiveness is the key to inner peace, for inner peace is not determined by circumstances.

How "high" or "deep" is your life? You must learn this because your life is your source of wisdom, inspiration and meaning. Your personal inner wisdom is the basis for your knowledge of what is needed in your life, and it will determine your personal growth. Can you reach a higher level of being?

During our friendly conversation, we asked many questions and answered many of them with the sincere intention of bringing more knowledge into our own lives.

We know: there is no single recipe for a joyful and meaningful life; it's the individual's creation.

We all understand and agree with this message:

When we try to change things in life, the same life responds perfectly well. Help yourself to feel good because it's your responsibility to do that. We need to be able to purify our spirit by making changes to our inner state.

Our quality lies in what we are, not in what we do for a living.

Jahiel holds a degree in Medical Biochemistry and a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry. He is passionate about writing, and conveying positive ideas that help people live life with more passion and purpose. His mission is to promote a good mental and physical health. Jahiel's core message is to inspire and encourage people, to give them hope and help them live their everyday life. Being thankful for what is good in life rather than focusing on the negative is his message. With hope, all things are possible. Yasha can be contacted at jasakamhi@hotmail.com

Philadelphia Field Project

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Friday August 28, 2009

Well hello there all and welcome to the weeks end. We've had a whole bunch of fun around here this week as we have been blessed with the plethora of absolutely great readers from our contributors on the subject of "personal development".

As is always the case, we could spend months on this theme alone as there is an enormous appetite in the world today for information that helps folks live the life they desire.

To end the week, we're still on the subject, but taking it to a whole new level of awareness. The following video clearly shows what possibilities exist when you move "personal development" and "personal responsibility" completely out of the box.

The professor running the Philadelphia Field Project thinks the answer is in creating non-monetary solutions to basic needs - food - community, health etc. Luckily, he decided to challenge his students to help him in this mission, and what resulted was an award-winning program that must be seen.

You're going to like this.

Have a great weekend.

See you on Monday.

Take care.

~peter~

Personal Development Key: Take Responsibility for Your Life

A note from peter@thewalthyattitude.com for Thursday Aug 27, 2009

Hello there good folks and welcome to this last Thursday of August. Boy this summer is scooting by.

I've been having just a hoot here this week with our theme. I've been caused to read just dozens of absolutely great submissions from outstanding writers who all deserve to get your attention. They have dug deeply into the whole arena of "personal development" with care, intelligence, compassion, and a whole bucketful of wit.

Today we present yet another new contributor who touches on something most you know very much about if you have been here for any time. Lynn tells us a touching personal story and brings to your attention a...

Personal Development Key: Take Responsibility for Your Life
by Lynn Pierce

Taking responsibility makes it possible for you to experience the total pleasure of the success you achieve. What? Read that again. I have a feeling that you didn’t give that thought time to sink in.

To fully be responsible, you must take responsibility for the good and the seemingly bad in your life—for your positive habits as well as your negative habits.

It reminds me of how parents will jokingly or not so jokingly say when a child does something good, “That’s my boy.” And when he does something wrong, “He’s your son.”

Taking responsibility comes with big benefits. You assess the situation and then take steps to change what doesn’t contribute to your personal success. When you take responsibility you experience the accomplishment of your personal success goals at a much higher level than if you only take credit for the good that comes into your life and blame someone else for the rest.

I admit that it took me quite a while to come to terms with cutting off the excess baggage I was carrying around. I seemed quite comfortable accepting responsibility in all areas of my life except for one.

I spent almost 10 years in an abusive relationship. I thought I was well along my path of personal success and spiritual growth at that time. I only read motivational and self-help books. I listened to personal growth tapes in my car. I lived and breathed the personal development principles I learned, or so I thought.

Despite all that positive reinforcement, I was wearing blinders to this horrible situation. But it wasn’t my fault, or so I told myself confidently. Obviously it had to be his fault because look at all the evidence of how empowered I was.

And yet, there I stayed. Being beaten up physically and verbally on a regular basis. If I had told anyone, they would have been shocked.

Looking back all these years later, I have a completely different perspective. I wasn’t so innocent in all this. I played some part or it couldn’t have happened.

If I were going to take responsibility, which means having the ability to respond and adapt rather than react to situations, I would have to give myself a serious reality check.

As painful as it may be to let go of the convenience of blaming someone else for what happens in your life, it’s necessary for you to move forward and be successful.

Because while you are still blaming or holding a grudge, like I was in that situation, a lot of energy that could be used for personal development is fueling anger, resentment and fear.

Think of this excess baggage from your past as a virus on your computer. On the surface everything looks like it’s running normally, but behind the scenes something is using up energy that slows down the progress of what you’re trying to create.

You have to look deep inside your computer to find that virus. You may have to engage the services of an expert to help you work it out. It’s inconvenient, but once done, you feel much better, your computer is back to full potential and you can work quickly with results showing up faster than before.

In that abusive relationship I had to look at the fact that I allowed myself to be manipulated. I handed over my power to someone else. No matter how persuasive his verbal abuse to break down my self-confidence, in the end he couldn’t be successful without my help.

Once I became responsible, I came up with a plan. And because I was now responding and adapting to situations rather than reacting like a victim, my plan got implemented, I created the desired result and extracted myself from that relationship.

I believe I could have ended up dead if I had allowed the violence to continue. It happens to women every day and I could have been one of them.

That’s why it’s so important for you to take back your power from partners, family, friends, and the media. You may not have ever been in a situation like I was and I hope you never are.

But…

You are the only one who should be in charge of your life.

You bear the sole responsibility for who you are today and who you will become in the future— no one else is responsible for your personal growth and success.

Lynn Pierce, the Success Architect, has taught people how to combine business and personal development to reach the pinnacle of success and live the life of their dreams for over 25 years. In addition, she is also the founder of one of the most exciting annual events for women entrepreneurs, "Women¹s Business Empowerment Summit". Now she shares her keys to success and life mastery with you. You can get the first five lessons of "Change One Thing, Change Your Life: A Personal Transformation System" for free at www.YourBreakthroughToSuccess.com

5 Ways to Stay Positive in Tough Times

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Wednesday August 26, 2009

Good day all and welcome to the midweek point.

So, I know you're asking, did I pull off what my intention was yesterday. Darned tootin' I did, and more. I took a leaf out of every personal development guide and unplugged for a while and just lived the day.

Today we're continuing our theme for the week and have yet another brand new contributor share...

5 Ways to Stay Positive in Tough Times
by Cynthia Morse CAP

We all know the situation with today’s economy. In fact, we are constantly bombarded by the situation whenever we turn on the television or pick up a newspaper. Hype, hype, hype … it’s everywhere.

So how do you keep a positive attitude with regards to your business, your job, or your life in general? Here are a few things you can do to combat the overall negative outlook:

1. Focus on what you need to do right now, today. Thinking about what lies ahead is all right to a certain extent, but can lead to depression if you let it take hold on you in a negative way, or if you start to over-think a negative financial or other situation. Focusing on your business, job, family, planning your weekend, errands, etc., can get your mind off the negative economical situation. Start living day to day.
   
   
2. Plan fun activities with family and friends. Get out of the house and have some fun! You don’t have to go far or spend a lot. Just getting outside for a fall hike with a picnic lunch can do wonders for your soul. Pick some apples, see a movie you really want to see, watch a comedy show. The point is, adding some fun to your life will help in ways you cannot imagine.
   
   
3. Stop watching the news. Yes, you heard me right. It can be downright depressing to watch the news these days. To catch up on what’s going on, read the newspaper or go online to get the news. At least you’ll be catching up on news that’s important to you, at your own pace, and you won’t have to listen to all the reporters’ hype. You can also pick and choose what you want to read about.
   
   
4. Count your blessings. You have a job or business, your health, your loved ones, and a roof over your head. You are not starving. Add to this list the things that are most important in your life.
   
   
5. Laugh … a lot! I believe that laughter really is the best medicine, and I try to practice it daily. I look for the humor in everyday situations. It helps to keep me grounded, and to realize that life doesn’t always need to be taken so seriously. Try it!

These are, of course just a handful of ideas to help you stay positive, not only during tough times, but in general. Keep a list of others you happen to come across or experience, and reference the list whenever you feel negativity start to hone in on you. You’ll most likely start to feel better, and maybe even adopt a permanent positive outlook.

Cynthia Morse, CAP is a Virtual Assistant, and the owner of Virtually At Your Service, http://www.virtuallyatyourservice.biz.She partners with solopreneurs and micro businesses by offering top-notch administrative support from her home office, allowing her clients the time to focus on what they love and do best. To sign up for her bi-weekly ezine Virtual Results, visit http://www.YourVirtualResultsPartner.com

Your Journey toward Personal Growth

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Tuesday August 25 2009

Hello there all and welcome to what is going to be one heck of a day here at TWA. It is our declared intention to use this day as an out-of-control, knock down, ice-cream licking, peach munching, lip-smacking Rampage of Appreciation experience.

Why, you may ask? Because we can, and so frankly, can you. Come on, appreciate just one thing, and that will get the ball rolling.

As I mentioned yesterday, this week we are focusing on "Personal Development", and to propel us into this fine day we have another new contributor who wants to talk about....

Your Journey Towards Personal Growth

by Manny Goldman

Everyone defines Personal Growth in his or her own terms. It is amazing how many people refer to it as a journey, while others look at it as an evolution.

I believe Personal Growth encourages proactive learning. Here’s a metaphor to describe it: you can water a plant or wait for it to rain. Each action or reaction has a very different outcome. When you water a plant, you are proactively providing the resource required for its growth. The same concept applies to your life. You can either create the life of your dreams or settle for what you get.

Personal Growth is a personal journey about becoming aware, obtaining knowledge, and learning from every situation in life. It is about being grateful, optimistic, and going after what you want.

There are many ways to experience Personal Growth, such as: attending seminars, reading books, listening to audio programs, watching inspirational movies, having a mentor or coach, spending time with supportive friends, meditating, journaling and especially finding lessons in everyday experiences.

Personal Growth speeds up the process of taking in and absorbing wisdom fully so you don’t have to learn through repeated trial and error. One of the quickest methods to accelerating your Personal Growth is to consider the company you keep: Surround yourself with people who believe in you and will hold you accountable to fulfilling your full potential and living your dreams.

But that’s just my opinion. Here’s what Lew Bronstein, business professional, considers Personal Growth:

“Learning something new and applying it each and every day gives meaning and purpose to our lives. Growth is the ability to learn how to take any situation either good or bad and get the most out of it, and then share what you’ve learned from the experience. Making progress in life is about taking responsibility for ourselves and being responsible to others. It is about using past pains as a motivator to embrace future pleasures. In summary it is about our stepping up to the plate of being all we can be and then striving for more!”

How do you define your personal growth?

How do you define your personal journey?

Manny Goldman is the founder and the visionary force behind PersonalGrowth.com. His vision is to create a community through PersonalGrowth.com that will transform the lives of billions of people. A community where it is normal for each person to share in each others’ successes, provide valuable support, encouragement and accountability. He envisions a world where Personal Growth is common practice and each person living their dreams to their full potential. http://www.personalgrowth.com

What Is Personal Development?

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Monday August 24, 2009

Good day all, Happy Monday, and welcome to a brand spanking shiny new week.

We're entering the last week of August and soon there will only be 1/3rd of the year left to spin your magic and fulfill those desires proclaimed in January. How are you doing with them? Are you on track? And...if not...why not?

Over the years of doing The Daily Reader I have noticed that while many people claim the are into "personal development", really they are just flirting with the concept, and are often still tied to their ingrained habits.

Recently I was introduced to a lady that really knocked it all out of the ballpark for me. She graciously agreed to allow me to feature some of her articles here for you, me best friends. You'll like what Dr. Jennifer has to say as you ask that very question....

What Is Personal Development?
By Jennifer Howard Ph.D.

Personal development is all about change, an over arching term that includes many different approaches to self-improvement.

BE EXTREMELY HONEST WITH YOURSELF

Personal development in its largest context could encompass anything that involves personal growth on all levels, meaning physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Exploring personal development takes a willingness to look at ourselves with extreme honesty and examine ways we want to change and improve.

PAIN IS A GREAT MOTIVATOR FOR CHANGE....http://www.drjenniferhoward.com/articles/What-Is-Personal-Development.asp?ctr=9" Follow this link.

Jennifer Howard, Ph.D. is an internationally known licensed psychotherapist, Integrated Kabbalistic Healer®, Integrated Energy Healer, life coach, author and professional speaker. She is a co-founder of the Healing Path Center and maintains a private practice with offices in New York City and Huntington, L.I., New York.

Dr. Howard has been frequently seen as an expert and featured guest on national television shows including, The Maury Povich Show, Turning Point, America’s Talking, Rolanda, Charles Perez, Les Brown and others. Click here for her tv credits.

You can get to know her much better on her website: www.drjenniferhoward.com

We Are All One!

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Friday August 21, 2009

Here we are again at the end of a great week.

I could talk for ages with you here about what has touched my life in this past week, however, I'll hold that down until a more appropriate time. I want to just let today's message live in its own magnificent way.

I deeply know that...

We Are All One!

Give what you are seeing in today's video some deep consideration this weekend. I'd just love to hear your reflections. Drop me a note.

See you on Monday.

Take care,

~peter~

peter@thewealthyattitude.com

Twitter: WealthyAttitude

Skype: pcomrie

Breathing: The Way Back to Balance!

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Thursday August 20, 2009

Good day everyone and welcome to a lovely summer Thursday (Winnipeg MB notwithstanding).

I'll get right to it today because I'm just so excited about the video that's coming tomorrow.

We have another new contributor with us today, and Judy makes very personal what we're going to be addressing globally tomorrow. You'll be enriched by....

Breathing: The Way Back to Balance

by Judy Ringer

“If you don’t like what’s happening in your life, change your mind.”

This brief quotation from the Dalai Lama reminds me that my experience of life changes as I do. As I change, I change the way I influence - and am influenced by - my surroundings.

How are you inventing your life today? How does the way you think affect your actions? And how might you become more aware of the process?

A centering breath is a place to start.

When you're stressed, in conflict, or otherwise under pressure, do you hold your breath? Most people do. When you stop the natural flow of air, you become tense and unbalanced, physically and emotionally. Your body, mind and spirit are disconnected.

One of the easiest ways to regain your balance is to start breathing again. Open your throat, relax your body and allow inspiration to take place. Inspiration–a great word, isn't it? Your breath is your life energy that connects to inner wisdom,
resources and strength.

A good way to practice centering is to notice how often you hold your breath. The awareness will trigger you to start breathing again. The more you notice, the less you'll hold your breath, and the more relaxed and centered you'll be. Try it. And let me know what happens!

Judy Ringer is the author of Unlikely Teachers: Finding the Hidden Gifts in Daily Conflict and the award-winning e-zine, Ki Moments, containing stories and practices on turning life's challenges into life teachers. Judy is a black belt in aikido and nationally known presenter, specializing in unique workshops on conflict, communication, and creating a positive work environment. She is the founder of Power & Presence Training and chief instructor of Portsmouth Aikido, Portsmouth, NH, USA. To sign up for more free tips and articles like these, visit http://www.JudyRinger.com

Watch out for tomorrow's video, it's going to shake you in the most loving way.

How Much are You Worth?

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Wednesday August 19, 2009

Good day there dear people and welcome to the midweek point.

We just noticed past night that it was getting darker earlier and earlier. No surprise there, however, it also served as a wonderful reminder of the cyclical nature of all life, and delightfully so as we enter the harvest season. More yummy stuff coming to market here in the beautiful Okanagan Valley.

Today we reach out to our delightful friend from "down under" to bring a question to your day. Thea asks all of you...

How Much are You Worth?
by Thea Westra

We all have a personal assessment of our own value and sometimes we judge others by similar measures. These may be based on circumstances currently in our lives, the things we have or haven't done in our lives, the things that we do or don't have, or the ways that we do or don't appear to others.

Recently, my mother gave me two tiny clothing tops that she had made when I was less than a few months old. I spotted those cute little tops again this week and it hit me that this larger sized and adult body – this very same body that stands here today – used to fit inside those teensy garments! What I was totally in touch with for that moment was the miracle of that - the transformation of a tiny body into this full-grown body and all the experiences and growth through which this individual had journeyed. Incredible!

A few days later I came across a little story of a well-known speaker who started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. To his audience, he asked, "Who would like this $20?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this money to one of you, but first ..." then he started to crumple the note and asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands went up. "Well then…what if I do this?" He dropped the $20 to the stage and ground it into the floor with his shoe. Then he picked it up again, asking, "Now who still wants it?" Again, many hands went into the air. No matter what he did to the money, the audience still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

Had he given the $20 note a pat on the back for a job well done, would that have increased its value?

So, how then can we consider ourselves to be less in value and less worthy, purely because of the kinds of things we haven't done, the things that we don't have, or the ways that we are not pretty? How then can we consider ourselves to be more in value and more worthy, purely because of the kinds of things we have done, the things that we have, or the ways that we look good? Are we nuts? Plus here's a little humor for you … according to www.HumanForSale.com I am worth $1,269,046!

Consider this. Could you create another "you"? Could Microsoft, Toyota or Sanyo whip up a duplicate of "you"? Will there ever again be another "you"? Was there ever another "you" that walked this planet?

You are invaluable and a treasure just because "you are" and "exactly the way you are". No reasons, justifications and qualifications needed. No adjustments, fixing and changes warranted. Now…walk, act and talk like you know that! "Be" the way a person, who truly believes that, would "be" - just because you can - again, no reasons.

There's a Chinese Proverb that says, "Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are." So go right ahead, give yourself full permission to "just be" and relax a little!

You may now be left with the question, "So why then bother at all with personal growth and making changes to us or our patterns of behavior?" I'll leave that one for a future article.

© Thea Westra is the senior thought leader, at her Forward Steps site. She resides in Perth, Australia with her ultra-supportive partner Greg. Thea publishes a monthly ezine (among many other publications and products) at http://www.forwardsteps.com.au Enjoy her life success blogs at http://www.timeformylife.com/blogs.htm and get personally connected here, http://www.ask-thea-about.com

Life is “Now”

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Tuesday August 18 2009

Good day to you all and welcome to a fine Tuesday.

This week has started off on an amazing note. Folks are excited about how business this coming Fall will unfold. Optimism in my personal circle is on a sustained rise, and there is a hint of a giggle in many voices I get to hear during my day. I just love it.

Today we get to hear from a new contributor as he clearly declares that....

Life is “Now”
by Andrew Thorn, PhD

I saw a billboard sign of the ‘Earth’ as I was driving home from the airport yesterday with the message, “Time To Live!”. It was intended to be a motivating. It also featured Randy Pausch, with the quotation, “wrote a book about living while dying.”

Of course, they were talking about his book, “The Last Lecture”.

Q. What Time Is It?
A. Now

This message troubles me. The book never would have been written if Randy had not discovered that he had pancreatic cancer. His motivation was to create something for his children, who are very young, so that they could know and remember him. He realized that he was going to die and he wanted to provide financially for them. So he wrote about his life and the lessons he had learned over the course of it.

It is obvious that he had learned many great lessons. I wonder though, if he realized that before he was told that he was going to die. I don’t think he did. I think, like the billboard said, he did not learn how to live, until he learned he was dying.

I think it is great that he learned this before he died, but unfortunately, it was too late for him to really benefit from this knowledge. It is true, that we may benefit from it, but he only really had about nine months to enjoy what he learned. I don’t want to wait until a doctor tells me I am dying to learn how to live. I want to live right now, in this very moment, right now. Then if I am granted another one, I will be aware of just how precious it really is.

Life Is Only A Moment

The truth is that I am dying, and so are you. We don’t know when it will be our turn, but the clock is ticking. From a larger point of view, we are only here for a moment. Sadly, much of our time is wasted on the unimportant. It is easy to take every good thing for granted and embellish every little trouble we have when it is our turn for the ill winds of life momentarily blow upon us.

WAKE UP!

Life passes us by. It is easy for us to get lost it what matter least. One day, each of us will have a moment when realize that it is over. Some of us will have time to ponder about that awareness like Randy did, but most of us will have only a moment of realization.

Today is the day to be what you have always wanted to be. Don’t wait for tomorrow - it may never come. This very moment is the most important moment you will ever have, because you may not ever get another one.

What are you going to do about it?

Are you going to sit around and complain about how unfair it is, or are you going to look around and see how beautiful it is? I choose to find the beauty in life. I choose to live every moment - right here, right now. I hope you will do the same.

Live Today! Love Today!

Andrew is currently President and Chief Vision Officer of Telios Corporation and he is also an executive coach. He is very interested in getting to know the best you! You can reach him at:
andrew@andrewthorn.com - 760-559-3548 Direct

Top 10 Quotes for Living Well!

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Monday August 17, 2009

Good day all and welcome to another shiny new summer week.

I had occasion over the weekend to re-visit much of the work of our friend and major contributor to The Wealthy Attitude, Dr. Philip Humbert.

Philip has been a coach and mentor to me for years and his work has influenced much of my thinking and the inspired actions that followed. he is also one of the world's really good guys.

On the weekend I opened an old journal, and there on the inside cover was Philips list of....

Top 10 Quotes for Living Well!
by Dr. Philip Humbert

Over the years many people have offered their models of the "Good Life", and some have left quotes that nicely summarize important truths. The following are ten of my personal favorites.

1. Know Thyself. - Socrates. From ancient Greece comes this reminder that introspection, keeping a journal, paying attention to the heart of things, comes first. Before we can know the world around us, and make reasonable decisions about our roles and goals, it seems we must first come to grips with who we are and what we value.
2. To Thine Own Self Be True. - Shakespeare. In life there is no substitute for integrity. My grandmother was fond of saying, "We either stand for something, or we'll fall for anything." Integrity is about going beyond the truth to full and complete honesty, openness and fairness.
3. And the Greatest of These is Love. - St Paul. He also observed that "without love I am just a clanging symbol or a noisy gong." Without love, caring relationships, and compassion, life is indeed a dry and shallow thing.
4. Imagination Rules the World. - Albert Einstein. The good life is at least partly based on dreams that are worthy of us, dreams that elevate and challenge and inspire our best. Bobby Kennedy noted, "Others look at the world and ask, 'Why?' I dream of a world that never was and ask, 'Why not?'" Martin Luther King's defiant cry, "I have a dream!" will live long after most of us are gone and forgotten.
5. Too much of a good thing is wonderful! - Mae West. The good life is about living large, about expressing the joy and love of life. It's about song, exuberance, and about taking chances, and "going for it".
6. Opportunities multiply as they are seized. - SunTzu. Success depends on the courage to act, and courage in turn requires a level of faith that every opportunity acted upon will lead to more and better ways to serve, learn, grow and prosper.
7. Do, or do not. There is no "try". - Yoda (The Empire Strikes Back). Life requires action, boldness and decisiveness. Mae West also observed, "He who hesitates is a damned fool."
8. Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. - Antoine de St. Exupery. Henry Thoreau recommended, "Simplify, simplify, simplify. Let your concerns be as 2 or 3, no more." Friends, work, the media and this thing called the Internet, along with our own "wish lists" try to seduce us to complexity, busy-ness and anxiety. Keep it simple!
9. The artist is nothing without gift, but gift is nothing without work. - Emile Zola. Only focused, intelligent, diligent effort turns potential into reality. Without creative effort, talent and "gift" seem to atrophy and die. Truly a case of "use it or lose it".
10. There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. - Albert Einstein. I highly recommend practicing the attitude of gratitude. What else is there?

Written by Dr Philip E. Humbert, author, speaker and personal success coach. Dr Humbert has hundreds of tips, tools and articles on his website that you can use for YOUR success! It's a great resource! And, be sure to sign up for his FREE newsletter! Visit him on the web at: http://www.philiphumbert.com"

The Unsettling Truth About Life

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Friday August 14, 2009

One of the greatest philosopher's of my time was Alan Watts. For more than forty years, Alan Watts earned a reputation as a foremost interpreter of Eastern philosophies for the West. Beginning at age sixteen, when he wrote essay for the journal of the Buddhist Lodge in London, he developed an audience of millions who were enriched through his books, tape recordings, radio, television, and public lectures.

In all, Watts wrote more than twenty-five books and recorded hundreds of lectures and seminars, all building toward a personal philosophy that he shared in complete candor and joy with his readers and listeners throughout the world. His overall works have presented a model of individuality and self-expression that can be matched by few philosophers.

This short piece based on Alan's observations will undoubtedly cause you to consider where you are in life. Enjoy and share it around.

Changing Direction in Life

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Thursday August 13, 2009

Good day all and welcome to Thursday.

We've been having some really fun conversations here about "social entrepreneurism" and the increasing number of brave souls who are making a huge impact on our combined world.

I've placed a few really interesting links at the bottom of the front page of The Wealthy Attitude website where you can discern for yourself if this is a conversation you would be interested in taking further. You can let me know your thoughts by just dropping me an e-mail.

I bring this to your attention as I'm meeting some wonderful folks who are committed to...

Changing Direction in Life
by Dr. Sheri Rosenthal

Years ago, before embarking on my spiritual path, I believed that I would and should have a career that would last until my retirement. But since then, and after many years questioning such beliefs and programming, I have come to realize that it is not in the nature of fluid beings of light to be doing anything for an extended period of time. Yes, I do agree that there are some folks who find something they adore and stick with it for their lifetime--but they are not in the majority. Perhaps we can say that they are blessed with an unending passion for what they do.

However, for the rest of us, we often choose a career that is seemingly steadfast and fiscally sound until we find ourselves terribly bored and without passion. Or maybe we never felt any passion in the first place for our career or maybe we never knew what we wanted to do in life at the time we made those choices. If you are one of those people who are not enthralled with your career--read on.

There’s always a moment when we realize our life is not going in the direction that we always dreamed it would go – it’s kind of like getting hit with the cosmic two-by-four and asking: How did I get here? Sometimes we call that a mid-life crisis, spiritual breakdown or a come-to-Jesus moment. No matter what we call it--the best aspect of this realization is that it brings with it unending possibilities and opportunities--if we are willing to be open to the miracle of life.

Once this realization comes into our consciousness--normally the next occurrence is not a vision of us running off, excited to find our next calling. Instead what happens is an onslaught of every possible reason for not letting go of our comfortable but mundane lives. The amount of fear-based reasons for not getting out there and taking a chance at something new are formidable. Perhaps you are familiar with some of these objections:

* I can’t leave where I am until I have something new in line.
* I don’t know what I want and until I do I should stay with this.
* I’m too old to start something new at this time.
* I don’t have the resources to make what I would like happen.
* I don’t know how to create what I would like.
* I don’t know anyone in that business and have no connections.

If any of these objections have passed through your mind--please see them for what they are--lies. You are capable of creating anything – especially with help. There are so many people out there willing to assist us in creating our dream--but we must be willing to start talking about what we would like and asking for assistance. Believe me, you are never too old to create something new and allow your spirit to soar. There are no excuses for mediocrity and you pay a very high price for a little safety in life.

If you haven’t thought about any of this before--perhaps now is the time to meditate on your happiness before the cosmic two-by-four gets you! Spread your wings, open your heart and fly.

Sheri Rosenthal DPM is a master Toltec teacher and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Toltec Wisdom and Banish Mind Spam!. Having trained with don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements®, she currently takes students on spiritual journeys www.journeysofthespirit.com works with personal apprentices and enjoys being extremely happy.

Life is a Lemon

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Wednesday August 12 2009

Welcome to this midweek point of this beautiful second week of August.

I must declare that we're having a hoot here in B.C. and The Okanagan Valley gets more interesting my the day. The local fruits and vegetables are just flodding the area, and the juicer here at home can hardly keep up.

The whole thing reminds me of an important lesson in life's pathway that is conveyed in today's missive. Another new contributor clearly shows us that....

Life is a Lemon
by Arcel

Squeeze a lemon, and it will produce a juice, too harsh to be palatable. But it forms the basis for lemonade, the world's oldest refreshing drink. Like a lemon, life is full of sour things. It is full of challenges, hardships, pain and suffering. But in all this is hidden the seeds of greatest achievements, happiness and success. Life at times can even be cruel, but that is what makes it worth living.

We become happy as we fight sorrow. We become wealthy as we struggle to remove poverty. We develop intimate relationships as we overcome loneliness. We produce light as we fight the darkness. In other words we produce positive in our endeavors to remove negative.

Life will hand you a lemon. Bigger it is; more sour it is, tastier and more of lemonade you can make with it. Bigger the suffering, bigger is the blessing; bigger the challenge, bigger is the reward. Big people made it big because they had bigger lemon in their lives. If they didn't have theirs, they take others. Mahatma Gandhi, was a lawyer, and could have made a great career at it. But his sensitivity towards inequality and injustice made him what he was. Life handed him his lemon the day he was thrown out of the first class compartment of the train for having the wrong skin color. Would Gandhi be Gandhi we know if there was no injustice and India would not have been a ruled by exploitative British imperialists. What Mother Teresa would have done, if there was no illness and pain on the streets? Would Helen Keller rise to the heights she did, if she was not blind? The list can go on and on.

Your life is full of big problems? It has sorrows too hard to describe? You are facing hardships that you do not even want your enemies to face? Congratulations..... You have the lemon to make the lemonade. God has given you these not without reason. It is in these hard times that we grow towards our potential. So thank God for it. It is during these trying moments when you rise and keep rising, till you achieve greatness. No one is born great, but it is his challenges, pain and misery that force him to become great.

You may rightly argue that if pain and hardships are required for success, then why there are so many who are still homeless and poor. Why so many people are castigated to a life of loneliness. Why people live an entire life in misery and ultimately die a miserable and obscure death.

It is simple; this is the way they want to be. They accept that lemon is a sour fruit and nothing can be done about it. The pain and misery in their life though apparent to others does not seem to hurt them. You are not suffering if you are not feeling the hurt. It is only when you feel the hurt, that you do something to remove it. And in the process you become a hero.

A lemon does not turn into lemonade all by its own. Someone has to press it to squeeze out the juice, and then add water and stir in sugar. It requires the thirst and the desire that prompts you to take action. It needs faith, that it can be done. To get the perfect lemonade, it requires careful planning and execution. And it requires patience perseverance till the sugar dissolves. And the important part, you have to make it your self. You open a bottle of readymade lemonade; it is the manufacturer who earns the money (pun intended).

So, are you ready to make your lemonade........?

Let's see!

So You Thing YOU Can Dance?

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Tuesday evening.

As one who has been touched deeply by watching friends deal with the ravages of cancer, I'm obligated to share every uplifting message I find in their memory. I miss them dearly and I know they are giggling to all get out with what is posted here.

Share this around. It must have legs. Oh, and do you really think you can dance? Let's see!

Who is Responsible For Your Happiness?

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Tuesday August 11, 2009

Welcome all to this very fine Tuesday.

With all of the stuff that folks are dealing with right now it very easy to forget some of the ineffable guiding tenets that make our lives incredible.

Many delightful authors that support us here at The Wealthy Attitude are really stepping up to the plate is amazing ways. They are going above and beyond to bring forward messages that cause each of us to sit up and pay attention to the truth of our lives.

Today, one of our favorite writers provides us with an opportunity to clarify.....

Who is Responsible For Your Happiness?
by Warren Wojnowski

Do you feel unhappy and trapped in your present circumstances? It's not an uncommon feeling, especially in today's modern world. And it's easy to believe you're trapped without choices, that you're somehow at the mercy of everything and everyone around you ... that somehow your happiness depends on things over which you have no control.

Let me ask you this question: who is responsible for your happiness? Shouldn't it be you?

I'm here to tell you that you have complete and total control over your happiness. If you find that hard to believe, let me explain.

1. Your happiness is your Choice. If you're unhappy with where you are, recognize you are where you are because of the choices and decisions you've made up to now in your life. This is something that you may or may not at first blush agree with and it's something that took me a long time to understand. We're conditioned to believe we have no choices. We live where we live because that's where our parents lived. We work where we work because it's the only job we believe we can get. The result is that we tend to get stuck in the status quo because we believe we have no choice. Yet the truth is we always have a choice and, in fact, doing nothing to change our circumstances is in itself, a choice. If you don't like your job, why not look for another one? If you don't want a job, why not start your own business? If you don't like where you live, why not look for somewhere else to live? Too often, we get caught in the trap of waiting for something or someone else to bring change to us, failing to realize that our happiness is our responsibility and no one else's. You always have a choice to accept things the way they are or to begin to do something about it.
   
2. Choose your own thoughts. Taking personal responsibility for your happiness begins by beginning to deliberately choose your thoughts. Rather than buying into all of the "no you can't" monkey chatter, start to deliberately think "yes I can". When you start deliberately choosing your thoughts, all of a sudden you begin to feel inspired and you start to look at the world and your circumstances in another way. You begin to see opportunities rather than problems. You begin to shift your mindset away from being a victim of your circumstances.
   
3. Take the action. Once you begin to choose your own thoughts and start identifying opportunities, you begin to feel inspired. You start to feel yourself compelled to take certain actions that will begin to move you towards what you want. The minute you begin to take actions, you've begun the cycle of assuming responsibility for your results -- and for your happiness. If you're not willing or afraid to take an action, ask yourself how badly you really want change. If you really want it badly enough, then take responsibility for initiating the action. There's no point waiting for someone else to because that's only going to prolong the current situation in which you're unhappy.

Would you like more information about how to take personal responsibility for your own happiness? I've co-written an entire program that reveals how easily you can begin to discover and experience true happiness, starting today. Sign up for my free introductory eCourse here: Life Happiness Secrets

Warren Wojnowski is an avid student of personal growth and self improvement. He is a respected writer, teacher and Intrinsic Coach® who is very willing to share what he's learned (or still learning), what's working, and what isn't. Warren says "If you have an aspect of your life in which you feel stuck, whether in your life or your business, I can help you get back on track and start living the life you want.

Anyway, Who Is This Inner Critic?

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Monday August 10 2009

Welcome to a shiny new week.

At the end of last week everything seemed to go a little nutsy around here. A whole bunch of stuff was going on in TwitterVille, FacebookLand, GoogleBurg, and it was all compounded by my own lack of understanding just how much of this cyberdiddly thing really works.

Many of you didn't get to see Sir Laurence Olivier as he does an amazing job narrating the Theme from Time. So when you have four minutes do watch it, itb will set you up for the day.

Today though, we have a delicious offering from our friend Thea Westra. You'll really enjoy it as she aske the question we've all thought about....

Anyway, Who Is This Inner Critic?

by Thea Westra

That is it! I have had enough... and who is this Inner Critic person anyhow? I do not even remember the day when I originally put that character on my personal management team. Then, to top it all off, as well as insidiously positioning itself as my second in command, I find that much of its time on the job is spent on spreading lies and malicious rumours!

Here is the clincher though, I cannot remove this disdainful little character, it constantly eludes me. It has been with me so long and its voice is so embedded in my subconscious thoughts, it is often indistinguishable from the more logical and conscious conversations that I might have with myself.

Do you know that this character even has cultural attributes, and depending on the environment in which we were raised, it will have you believe many things as absolute truth? Mark Twain once suggested, "Whenever you find you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." Those kinds of internalized beliefs are fortified by the community of people surrounding you. For example, the tall poppy syndrome that is so much a cultural cliché in my country (Australia), might suppress many from even contemplating exciting projects that could expose them to prominence.

"Reality is made by agreement. Agreement is created when two or more similar or identical images are projected and fused. The more similar or identical images that are fused from more sources, the more solid the agreement and the more real the reality. Reality is not truth. The more solid the reality, the more untruth it contains." A quote by Alan C. Walter, from "Gods in Disguise".

I am putting in place an Inner Champion to over ride anything that I am advised, by this Inner Critic. With all future decisions, I will seek my initial advice from the Inner Champion, and especially when I strongly suspect that I am receiving false information from Inner Critic.

To challenge the information I get from the Inner Critic I will ask questions of it, such as, "Where did you get that information?", "How are you so certain about this?" or "Is that really true?" I then call my Inner Champion into the room to join the conversation and to hear what it may have to say on the matter.

A great way to call forward your Inner Champion, in everyday situations, is by having an affirmation or mantra to envision, feel and repeat as you go through the day. It is useful to change those daily or they will eventually become invisible, and the Inner Critic steps in immediately, sidelining any contribution from the Inner Champion. Some sample affirmations might be, "I choose to always be enthusiastic", "I choose to be crystal clear about what I want to achieve" or "I choose to win and help others win".

Reduce the power that your Inner Critic holds over you, by avoiding giving it a label of being "bad" and by giving your Inner Champion a "good" label. That will give both these characters an elevated sense of importance, causing disharmony. Conversations would then be confrontational instead of open dialogue. Remain engaged in open enquiries and conversations that explore possibilities. It is common for us to feel that we must remove something that is "bad" and this gives our Inner Critic much more of our focus and energy than it deserves!

By having our Inner Champion engaged in conversation with our Inner Critic, we are distancing ourselves and we can more easily hear what both are saying to us. Stand on the outside, looking in. Be a fly on the wall in the conversation. Remembering that you cannot change anything you do not know is there.

It is important to start hearing the internal dialogue between Inner Champion and Inner Critic. When you reject what either of these two characters bring to the table, you will not hear anything that they have to offer, and you may miss something of which you really want to be aware. That is their secret way of keeping you in the dark about who, or what, is really running the show when it comes to creating your own life and expanding your personal power.

Thea Westra is the senior thought leader, at her Forward Steps site. She resides in Perth, Australia with her ultra-supportive partner Greg. Thea publishes a monthly ezine (among many other publications and products) at http://www.forwardsteps.com.au Enjoy her life success blogs at http://www.timeformylife.com/blogs.htm and get personally connected here, http://www.ask-thea-about.com

Theme from Time

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Friday August 7, 2009

Good day there folks and welcome to the weeks end.

Our first week back from hiatus has been filled with awareness's that went deeper than we ever imagined. The feedback from many of our subscribers tells us that, even though the world is still in economic turmoil, personal leadership and responsibility are the overriding thoughts highest in many peoples minds.

Here in North America we are richly blessed with options that much of the world just do not get. We have business opportunities, learning opportunities, free libraries, incredibly inexpensive Internet access, healthy dialogue among ethnic groups, religious freedoms, and the cheapest food on the planet.

In fact, today would be a grand day to spend time and write yourself a list of all of your amazing blessings, and then spend the weekend in gratitude. Think about it!

To help bring clarity to your personal powers, and there associated responsibility, we present to you in our usual Friday video one of the worlds greatest voices as he narrates the theme from Time. You'll want to share this around.

Enjoy The Theme from Time.



See you on Monday

Take care.

~peter~
peter@thewealthyattitude.com
Twitter: glasshammer1
Skype: pcomrie

Living in the Moment - Here and Now is All We Have

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Thursday August 6, 2009

The forest fires here in The Okanagan Valley in beautiful British Columbia are absolutely something to behold. What is even more outstanding is the way these communities have come together in support of everyone involved. Boy, the human spirit is awesome.

Read on below.

Here's some of the night activity from the weekend.

Welcome all to this amazing Thursday.

The local forest fires we have here in the valley serve, for me, a metaphor. These fires will eventually be extinguished, life will return to normal, and a whole new growth will occur. Now isn't that exactly what always happens?

No matter what is being served to you in your life right now, things will be extinguished, life will return to normal, and new growth will occur. Isn't that just magical. Keep smiling!

Another new contributor reminds us today that we should be....

Living in the Moment - Here and Now is All We Have
by Aaron Whiston

In our chaotic modern society, most people spend their entire life in a past that no longer exists or a future that may never be real. Regret, anxiety, and displacement through fantasy are the norm in most cultures at the time of this writing.

The result is rampant stress-related illness and death, a soaring suicide and depression rate, and the widespread feelings of loss and disconnection so many people can relate to. But take heart in knowing that life absolutely does not need to be this way on either the individual or collective levels!

The life experience is an incredible journey, filled with surprise, satisfaction, and expansion on all levels. All one needs to do is become aware of the present moment and sustain this awareness long-term.

When you learn to be still and accept what this moment has to offer, you find peace, clarity, spontaneous joy, and inspiration. These energies are always present, but you can't hear or connect with them over the clamor and chaos of your thought-driven reality.

Answer this question honestly:

Have you ever really solved any perceived problem by fretting over it and worrying constantly? More likely you make things worse when you do this.

Here's another one:

Have you ever successfully traveled backwards in time to alter an embarrassing past event? If so I urge you to contact the nearest scientific research facility immediately and set up an interview!

The truth, of course, is that you have never changed the past by obsessing over it. Wallowing in regret does nothing more than diminish your involvement in the present moment and deteriorate your overall enjoyment of life.

Right now, in this present moment, reality unfolds. We can remember the past and plan for the future, and there's nothing intrinsically wrong with doing so, but we can only live in the now.

At first, this sounds like some sort of work order or resignation to fact. But the opposite is true.

Embracing the present moment is the only way to live a truly exciting, refreshing life. Living in the now connects you with your true self and with the faculties of the higher consciousness.

You'll harness the powers of intuition and consistent inspiration when you immerse yourself in the present. In fact you will likely discover a completely new person within the self you thought you knew.

Being continuously aware of the moment also allows for full engagement in your relationships. Two people cannot fully connect when they are both lost in the world of past and/or future thinking. But when just one individual is clear and grounded in the now the entire relationship can obtain a more genuine quality.

And certainly if you have children in your care you will be doing them a wonderful service by teaching them to honor and live within the present moment. Day dreaming is a positive exercise in moderation, but today's youth are often mesmerized by hours of animated "entertainment" and thus severely disconnected from the real now.

All of humanity's hopes, dreams, and potential victories exist right here, right now, in this moment. Trying to hide our faces from our greatness or seeking to dwell in a state of past/future drama will only detract from our possible enlightenment, individually and as a society.

Right now is exactly what we have to work with. And it is brilliantly more than enough to achieve everything we could possibly desire.

Surrender Box: A Place For Worries and Fears

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Wednesday August 5 2009

Good day all and welcome to the midweek point.

My thanks to all of you who have written these past couple days since we got back on deck. Your notes mean much to us, and your sharing of what has been going on for you has been heart- warming.

With that in mind, we have a short reader today that highlights a practice that will likely be of value to many. You should consider getting your own...

Surrender Box: A Place For Worries and Fears

by DailyOm

There are times when our minds become too full. Our to-do lists, worries, plans, and dreams may be so crowded together in our heads that we don’t have room to think. We may believe that we are somehow taking care of our desires and concerns by keeping them at the forefront of our minds. In maintaining our mental hold on every detail, however, we may actually delay the realization of our dreams and the resolution of our worries because we won’t let them go. At times such as these, we may want to use a surrender box.

A surrender box allows us to let go of our worries and desires so the universe can take care of them for us. We write down what we want or need to happen and then place the note into a box. By writing and placing our thoughts in the box, we are taking action and letting the universe know we need help and are willing to surrender our feelings. We give ourselves permission to not concern ourselves with that problem any longer and trust that the universe is taking care of it. You may even want to decorate your box and place it in a special place. Your surrender box is a sacred container for your worries. Not only do you free up space in your mind by letting go of our worries and desires and dropping them into your surrender box, but you are giving your burden over to a higher power. Once we drop our worries and desires into the surrender box, we free our minds so we can be fully present in each moment.

Surrendering our worries and concerns and placing them in the hands of the universe doesn’t mean that we’ve given up or have been defeated. Instead, we are releasing the realization of our desires and the resolution of our worries and no longer concerning ourselves with their outcomes. It’s always fun to go back and pull the slips of paper out of the box once your requests have been granted. And it’s amazing how quickly problems go away and dreams come true when we finally let go and allow a higher power to help us.

Intent.com is a premier wellness site and supportive social network where like-minded individuals can connect and support each others' intentions. Founded by Deepak Chopra's daughter Mallika Chopra, Intent.com aims to be the most trusted and comprehensive wellness destination featuring a supportive community of members, blogs from top wellness experts and curated online content relating to Personal, Social, Global and Spiritual wellness.

Your Perception is Everything

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Tuesday August 4. 2009

Good day to you and welcome to an amazing summer Tuesday.

As I mentioned yesterday, I’ll share some of my summer awareness’s as we get fully launched in this new season of learning.

I have long been an advocate for taking 100% responsibility for the entire life experience. That means we, you and I, are completely and totally responsible for absolutely everything that we attract as experiences into our lives.

In these times of economic adjustment I’ve noticed that most folks take one of two positions. One runs around like a chicken with its head lopped off declaring that “the sky is falling, the sky is falling”! The other takes an open minded approach knowing “that this too shall pass”. The quality of your experience will be determined by which position you take. Choose carefully, and take the necessary inspired actions to live the experience you desire.

A new contributor shares a neat personal perspective on why…

Your Perception is Everything
by Jahiel Yasha Kamhi

Let me tell you my story. The other day a friend of mine came over to my place for just one reason; to complain about a recent event, a disturbing event as he explained it to me. When he finished his "monologue" (I am sorry, but I have no other word) I just said one thing: perception is everything. Instantly he was angry and started yelling at me. " What do you mean by that, Mr. Philosopher?" he asked, incensed. "Are you saying I am a liar or crazy or that it's my imagination?"

When these words came at me, I felt there was just one option. I let my friend cool down a while, not saying nor doing anything. The story is not yet over and I need to explain to that angry man the meaning of what I said to him.

This is my explanation in terms of what can be learned from it. Our perception--how we become aware of success, failure, happiness, friendships, love, and everything else--is just a perception. It is how we perceive failure or defeat, and what we do with it, that makes all the difference. Actually, perception is our personal opinion or our point of view about any particular event. Of course, the event is a fact, not imagination, but at the same time there is a very personal view coloring the event. We really need to accept the truth about our emotions and perception: our thoughts and attitudes create our emotions - not the external event!

Our own perception depends on many things. These include our attitude, which, in turn, includes self-acceptance, self- confidence, self-respect and other things. Because your mental structure is different from my mental structure we see the same situation differently. The same pleasant or unpleasant episode is not the same for you and me. You choose your own perception and the consequences are yours, not mine.

Is it clear? If not, may I remind you about cognitive distortion? Cognitive distortion simply means that our thoughts and our way of thinking sometimes misrepresent the facts. Our own mental filter chooses how we feel. This filter will pick up any detail to prove that things are as we perceive them-negative or positive--but mostly negative! Sounds strange but any kind of behavior is a conscious choice. I didn't choose for my friend to be angry or upset. I am sorry if I am unkind but this is a reality that my friend doesn't want to see and understand. It was his attitude, his perception, of this "disturbing event" that led him to his behavior.

It is necessary to understand that sometimes the next day we will see the same event differently. How is it possible? The next day we are wearing a different "pair of eyeglasses." That is, a different mental filter. Yes, we are very fashion-conscious in that respect--we change our mental filter every time we process our thoughts. Now you know why some days are "so bad, boring and disturbing" for you. Your emotions-fear, anger, anxiety and guilt are a direct result of your mental processing system that day. Don't blame the weather, the event, the company, the other person or the government.

Our emotions are an indirect response to our environment, based on our inner thought processes. When out thoughts are in conflict with one another--cognitive distortions-or with reality, they will produce a sensation we will call emotion. All emotions are actually a result of an inappropriate response to external events. Actually, they are cognitive distortions

If you see my friend around, tell him to change his "pair of glasses". He will feel better. I, however, was not able to do it. I couldn't explain to him that he feels so negative and angry because he assumed things were otherwise than they really were.

We all need to accept one thing: our emotions follow our thoughts. It took me a long time to logically understand that the only person who is in charge of my feeling and emotions - is me. I am responsible for my "pair of eyeglasses". Whenever I start to feel inappropriately "emotional," I ask myself: What kind of mental filter is in my mind today? Where is the twisted thinking?

The more depressed or miserable I feel, the surer I am the more twisted my thinking is! In the absence of mental distortion I cannot experience my anger, fear, anxiety or depression. What about you?

Persevering from a different perspective is a very healthy way of living. We will save a lot of energy and do our nerves a favor if we can wear the appropriate "pair of eyeglasses". And we won't save just energy - maybe you can save your marriage, or friendship, or even a job!

Next time when you or someone else says, "I am sorry, that's my mood," don't be afraid to say, "Yes, I understand that, but you can change it. You have an obligation to feel better about yourself."

I didn't want to be too complex, but if I still sound "too technical", you have a choice: go over my article again and learn more about how the mind works, or simply hit a delete button. As I already said: YOUR PERCEPTION IS EVERYTHING.

Jahiel holds a degree in Medical Biochemistry and a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry. He is passionate about writing, and conveying positive ideas that help people live life with more passion and purpose. His mission is to promote a good mental and physical health. Jahiel's core message is to inspire and encourage people, to give them hope and help them live their everyday life. Being thankful for what is good in life rather than focusing on the negative is his message. With hope, all things are possible. Yasha can be contacted at jasakamhi @ hotmail.com


Also, don't neglect to check out The GLOW Project. This is going to impact many women in some amazing ways. Just click on the graphic below.

The Like Attracts Like Attraction Factor

A note from peter@thewealthyattitude.com for Monday August 3, 2009

Let me begin by saying that I'm blisteringly excited to be back with you. As I mentioned last week, the move to British Columbia took way more out of me than I expected.

Everything seemed to be calling me to shut down for a while, take a break, re-evaluate, and frankly just rest. So I did, and the effects have been wonderful.

I'll not go into much detail right now, but over the next while I'll share with you some of the awareness's that came up for me throughout the time away. But needless to say, I'm happy to be back and in communication with you.

So let's get right to one of our very favorite contributors. Thea Westra from Forward Steps is on her own amazing journey and we'll be featuring her quite a bit in the upcoming months. To get you re-acquainted with her, enjoy her as she clears up.....

The Like Attracts Like Attraction Factor
by Thea Westra

Someone once said to me, if you want to know to what you're committed, just take a look around you. They are words I have never forgotten, and they can raise my spirit, or other times can leave me a little flat. Depending on how I interpret my surroundings in the moment.

Another suggestion, associated with the like attracts like phenomenon, is that of giving more love if love is what you are seeking, generosity when wealth is what you are after, being a great friend if you value your friendships. This removes you from a wanting or needy state, and back to where creative responsibility truly lies: with you.

We all know these to be truths, when we observe our lives, yet do we consciously take them on board as a way of living, and as path to achieving the things we want to accomplish? It is logical that if you want to live with greater awareness and live in a more enlightened way, then be mindful to envelop yourself with those things that support keeping you in a state of awareness and enlightenment.

Given that it is our mind registering all the things that surround us, and that the thinking of our mind is in the form of words and pictures, then our interpretation of what we see is paramount. It is one reason that gratitude journals and visualization tools are so effective. In the moment of recording those things for which we feel gratitude, we fill our mind with the upside of our lives. That compounds, every time we do it. The mind creates new neural pathways, changing our possibly negative perceptions to deliberately generated, affirmative patterns of thought.

Consider then how else you use language to interpret the things surrounding you each day. How do you think the cells of your body might logically respond to the words: I am starving? What image does that conjure? Would it cause a shift in the cellular and chemical response of your body if instead, you were to tone that down, and use the words: I am hungry? New words, new pictures, evoking empowering emotions.

What do you see around you, and what do you take on board emotionally, when you say to yourself: I have no money? Try this at home! Look around your home and say those words several times over. Do you notice what your mind is picking up and tuning in to? Now, try the flip side of that exercise, allowing at least five minutes to just be with it. This time, walk around your home saying: I am so wealthy. What did you notice?

You can use that very simple exercise with anything you like. Walk around for an afternoon, with the words: I am so alone. Then try it differently, and this time repeating the words: I have so many wonderful people sharing in my life. You may even be surprised by a few external manifestations of how like really does attract like.

There are so many ways in which you can become more attractive to the things you want to bring into your life. It all comes down to the emotions you feel, and these are triggered by thoughts created from the words you hear, and pictures you see. Every cell of your body responds to the emotions. Your body produces chemical, and therefore physical changes with each feeling that you experience.

The way we can manage emotion is with our thoughts, and you can help that along by shifting your interpretation of what you see and experience. You can also be much more vigilant with what you feed your mind, from external sources included. We can so easily fall into automatic patterns of thought, because we have had years of practising! It is going to take conscious action on your part to manage those thoughts, and remodel mind patterns if that is needed.

All this does not need to be hard work. For example, carry a number of one hundred dollar notes in your wallet at all times, so when you open the wallet you are not negatively triggered by a possibly low amount of money that you might otherwise see. At the end of each day, record at least five things for which you are grateful, in this way you will not look back on a less than satisfactory day and associate negativity, and taking that into your dreaming.

By keeping track of accomplishments, and listing at least one hundred of those at the end of a year, avoids the scenario of looking back over the year and being despondent over where that time went, and what you may imagine you did not get to do. As an aside to that, have you noticed that televised programs that present reflections over a past year, give to us a collection of the most highly dramatized, often negative events of the year?

Like attracts like, so set up your habits and the things in your environment to help you be someone that upbeat people love to be around. More opportunities and courageous living shows up around those kinds of friends. If you consciously work at interpreting your environment with the glass half full mindset, your skin and body posture will eventually reflect these positive emotions, through chemical shifts brought about by those states of being. Who and what, do you think, are most attracted to you? Look around you and you will have your answer, harsh or too fantastic, as that may seem.

Thea Westra is founder and author at www.forwardsteps.com.au She resides in Perth, Australia with her ultra-supportive partner Greg. Enjoy her other publications with these Forward Steps subscriptions, and download this handy Positive Emotions list.

P.S. Also check out The GLOW Project. Every woman is going to absolutely love what's happening there. Just click on the graphic below.



Enjoy this amazing day.

~peter~
Twitter: glasshammer1
Skype: pcomrie