The Creative Edge

By Andrew Cohen
What Is Enlightenment Magazine www.wie.org

Truly creative people are always pushing the edge. If you see very talented musicians lost in spontaneous improvisation, they'll often tell you that in that state something comes over them. There's a certain place they describe out of which all authentic creativity springs—a mysterious point between the present and future, where a deeper current is flowing. This place is alive with the thrill of the unknown, full of risk and insecurity. It's the very point where something comes from nothing.

In order to create something new, a risk has to be taken, a leap beyond the known. And the thrill of that creative leap is a very impersonal human experience. Great artists, writers, musicians, scientists, engineers, athletes and many others all experience this same thrill. We find that we feel most alive, most liberated, when we're expressing our own creativity, pushing the edge in the right way for the right reasons. This potential for creativity seems to be an inherent part of the human capacity. The creative process is an evolutionary process. When you experience the creative impulse awakening in your self, it's no different than the original impulse that became the whole universe. It's nothing less that the Big Bang itself, working in you and through you. That's why it is always so thrilling.

Now, it is one thing to take the risk to leap beyond the known in music, art, writing—in any kind of temporary process where we are creating something. But in an evolutionary context, we want to aspire to a relationship to life itself that would be constantly creative. I'm not just talking about creativity with a canvas or with a musical instrument. I'm talking about creativity with our own souls. It's much more challenging. There's no time out. You can't put the brush or the instrument down and go back to your safe, secure, ordinary life. Living like this requires a radical letting go and a kind of care that few people dare to even consider. It means perpetually living right on the cutting edge of the life process—where the flowering of spirit as evolution is occurring in every moment.

It's ultimate creativity of self in a total response to life.

Gossip, Rumors and Innuendo

By Gary Ryan Blair

"Extraordinary people talk about ideas, average people talk about events, and little people talk about other people. Which of these best describe you?"

To many people, the idea of "workplace violence" connotes the physical harm that one may do to another. However, there is another form of workplace violence that is just as dangerous and insidious, and this is workplace gossip, rumors, and innuendo.

While your first inclination may be to consider the way we talk as not being violent, the fact remains, our words in the context of gossip, rumors, and innuendo often lead to hurt, pain and suffering.

Today there's an ever-increasing emphasis on gossip, rumors, and innuendo which is played out in any number of Reality TV shows, in celebrity gossip shows, in the print media, and in political campaigns. Just to prove this point, I contacted the National Enquirer and learned that they sell more than 3 million copies each week!

In company offices, in meetings, on the phone, in emails, in social settings and around the water cooler, people are spending more time talking about someone else - in language that is most often harmful, hurtful, critical, demeaning, and judgmental - and outside the presence of the one who is the subject of the conversation.

Understanding Gossip and Those Who Gossip Gossip is an emotional cancer in the workplace that eats away at the sense of well-being of the individual and the team.

One of the hallmarks of a true "team" is shared values - including mutual honesty, trust and respect. Where gossip rears its ugly head, these shared values are nonexistent. In fact, when gossip exists in the workplace, there can be no "team." The label "team" is meaningless. At best, there is but a "group."

Contrary to popular opinion, gossip is not benign; it's not idle; it's not tame; it's not "for the fun of it." It's certainly not entertainment, and if you at all interested in living a quality life and running a quality business, you must put an end to it!

Ending Gossip, Rumors, and Innuendo When dealing with gossip in the workplace and throughout your life, it's critical to explore not only the symptom, but also the root cause of this particular aspect of "workplace violence." And, to discover root causes, it's well to turn the microscope on yourself and begin by answering a number of important questions:

1. What are my true motivations for gossiping?

2. What does gossiping get me?

3. Why am I willingly (consciously or unconsciously) choosing to cause another person harm, hurt, upset, or pain?

4. Is there another way to get this same result without harming another?

Honest and responsible responses to these questions can give you some insights into your personal relationship and help you to put an end to it in your office and throughout your life.

Everything counts!

If you'd like to learn how to eradicate gossip and live a more quality life, then get this Special Report: Gossip, Rumors, and Innuendo - Understanding Gossip and How to Control It!

Law of Attraction – at work!

peter@thewealthyattitude.com

Have you ever considered why wealthy people are wealthy? Is it chance, coincidence, just plain good luck, or is there something that they do differently to the majority of people. It is because the practice the law of attraction. They expect to be wealthy and with clarity and certainty focus on becoming wealthy, and it doesn't take long for wealth to manifest itself in their life.

The law of attraction works without fear or favor. If you focus on wealthy thoughts, you will become wealthy, but also if you focus on the lack in your life, the law of attraction provides what you are focusing on – lack.

If it is that easy then why isn't everybody wealthy?

Because it is not easy. It takes effort to concentrate on having wealthy thoughts. Just imagine you are having a good day and thinking lots of wealthy thoughts, and then you retrieve the mail and the vehicle insurance bill arrives. Do you think, 'no problems I will pay that early because I have the money, and I have never failed in paying it before', or is it 'how am I going to pay that bill along with all my others'. We tend to let the thoughts of lack drag us down, and we allow these thoughts to occupy our time. It is a defense mechanism that our mind develops to prepare us for the worst, and thus becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. We focus on not having the money to pay the bills, or just having enough to scrape through, and guess what we end up with. Not quite enough or just enough, but not too much left over.

It is amazing where the things that make us wealthy appear from when we focus on the things that we desire in our life. As mentioned, it is not easy to continue to focus on the wealthy things that we desire in our lives, but with practice it can be done, and don't you think it would be worthwhile to develop a habit that will help us achieve our desires and goals.

One of the big challenges that face almost everyone that develops the wealthy thinking habits is dealing with family and friends who are negative or complainers. If you have a family member or friend that continually points out all the difficulties in life and complains about everybody else, this has a devastating effect on your thoughts. It is extremely difficult to focus your thoughts on what you have and the wealth that you want to attract into your life, if you have someone whining or complaining in your ear. The best way to approach this problem is to firmly yet gently start pointing out all the benefits and privileges that you have, and speak about others in a positive way, rather than criticizing them.

In short it is easy to get taken up with all that is wrong, rather than thinking about what you have and the many blessings that you have, whether it be a great family, good health. There is always something that you can find to be thankful for and help you focus on better thoughts and thoughts that will lead to wealth. Not only this, but life is so much more enjoyable if you are looking for the good things in life. Life is short and every moment you waste thinking about problems or criticizing others is a moment that is lost to enjoy.

You have most likely heard the saying 'you are what you think' and more and more research is proving this to be true. I will pose a question to you "Is there more or less violence in the world than there was 50 years ago?" Another question "Is there more evidence of violence in the newspapers, on the radio, on the television, in computer games than there was 50 years ago?" Ever thought that this might be related. If you have people watch and listen to violence, their thoughts are occupied with violent images and 'you are what you think', especially when violence is portrayed as being acceptable.

Turn this around and if you concentrate on wealthy thoughts, your subconscious and unconscious thoughts work in harmony to make you wealthy. Just as thoughts of violence lead to violence, thoughts of wealth ultimately lead to wealth. The amount of time that it takes to achieve wealth will depend on your conviction and certainty about it taking place.

Surround yourself with people who have the same desires and goals. If you don't know anybody who has the same desires as you, then focus on meeting people who do possess the same desires. You will be pleasantly surprised when these sorts of people begin to appear in your life, it is the law of attraction.

Are you prepared to change your circumstances by thinking wealthy thoughts?

Remember nothing changes if nothing changes.

The True Body-Mind Connection.

Tom Venuto

Metaphysics & Brain science merge and prove that positive thinking and goal setting literally create your body and your entire life experience

Last week on a special edition of CNN's Larry King Live, Mr. King interviewed a panel of "mind experts" about how the thoughts you think literally turn into the events you experience, the material things you possess... AND even the health of your body.

For years, "positive thinking" and goal-setting were often criticized as "pollyanna" and "the law of attraction" was relegated into the category of "new age" fluff

On last week's show, panel experts Bob Proctor, John Assaraf and others who were featured in the movie 'The Secret' explained that recent breakthroughs in neuroscience along with understanding mental laws, reveals why goal setting, the "law of attraction" and "positive thinking" all work, regardless of whether you look at them from a metaphysical or a scientific perspective.

Scientists have even identified specific parts of the brain, such as the reticular activating system (RAS), which works with the visual parts of our brain to call our conscious attention to things that are important to reaching our goals and to filter out those things that are unimportant.

The RAS is activated by "programming" goals into our sub-conscious minds.
Our subconscious mind is the "power center" and THIS is the mechanism that explains why goal setting and positive thinking are now being accepted as scientific methods for change.

We are discovering that our brain is cybernetic in nature, which means that it is literally like a computer, waiting for a program to be installed.

Here's the kicker - the subconscious is completely neutral and impartial - it will carry out any instructions you give it.

Unfortunately, many of us are still running negative programs we picked up from others as children when our non-conscious minds were totally open and impressionable, or which we developed over the years as a result of repetition of our own negative thinking.

As it turns out, our own thoughts, repeated daily, are one of the primary ways that our "mental computer" is programmed on a sub-conscious level, which is the level of beliefs, habits and automatic behavior.

To change your results, you must overwrite old negative programming and install positive new programming into your subconscious.

This can be achieved through such techniques as written goal setting, positive self-talk (affirmations), and mental imagery (visualization).

In the 1970's, the Soviets and East Germans were the first to formally use structured mental rehearsal, and at that time, they dominated in several Olympic sports. Today, virtually all elite athletes use visualization extensively, as we now know that the brain cannot differentiate between real practice and practice that is vividly imagined.

If you are getting more of the same negative results in your life - such as the same health problems, or the same body fat continues to return even after you lose it, then you have probably been un-consciously running old negative programs and reinforcing them with negative thought patterns.

You can begin the positive mental reprogramming process by writing down your goals, changing your internal dialogue and taking a few minutes to relax, quiet your mind and perform a session of visualization or mental rehearsal every day (seeing yourself in your "mind's eye" not as you currently are, but as you ideally would like to be).

These methods, repeated often enough, will begin to program the non-conscious portion of the mind, which is the same part of the mind that controls your heart beat, digestion and new cell production, all on "automatic pilot."

In the last decade, neuroscientists discovered that you have the capacity to create an almost infinite number of new neural connections in your brain when you run new thought patterns.

The Old neural pathways are like grooves in a record, and if you are struggling with your health related behaviors or behaviors in any other area of your life, you have been playing the "old records" over and over again.

If you were to carve a new groove into that record, it would never play the same way again. the old pattern would weaken and the new one would take over. Brand new, positive thoughts, feelings and images begin to create new neural patterns.

Psychologists estimate that it takes 21 to 30 days to establish a new pattern in your brain. During this time, the focus on sticking with your practice and repeating your new thought patterns is critical.

Is this easy? For most people, no it's not. In fact, controlling your thinking and keeping it constructive may be one of the most difficult challenges you have ever faced. Fortunately, writing goals and reading affirmations can help get you started.

You can take some of the pressure off yourself by simply accepting that negative thoughts and self criticisms will pop up from time to time. Just observe them, without mulling over them or adding to them, and change the polarity of the thought by quickly repeating one of your positive affirmations or by changing your mental pictures.

So is there something to this whole "positive thinking" thing?

The philosophers and theologians have been saying yes for the entire span of recorded history: "As you think, so shall you be." Variations on this proverb can be found in every spiritual and philosophical tradition.

But... if you are the left-brained, "prove-it-to-me" type, you don’t have to go on faith anymore. Scientists are beginning to prove more and more convincingly that thoughts are powerful things. Even Larry King seemed impressed with what his panel of "mind mentors" had to say. In fact, I just found out that Larry will be airing part two of this "Power of Positive Thinking" show next week.

So how soon are you going to begin your mental training right alongside your physical training? When are you going to learn how to harness this power locked up inside your mind?

Guess what? You're already using this force every day because you cannot turn it off. Whatever you are thinking and picturing in your mind repeatedly on a daily basis is on it's way to you already, so it's simply a matter of HOW you are using it, not IF you are using it.


What do you say to yourself every day? Do you say, "I am becoming leaner, healthier and more muscular every day?"... or do you say "I am a fat person
- Ive tried everything, nothing ever works?"

The fact is - you can think yourself thin and healthy or you can think yourself obese and ill. Maybe not in the literal sense...but most certainly as the critical part in the chain of causation...

You see, there's a lot of talk these days in the personal improvement world about law of attraction, manifesting, intention, visualization and of course, positive thinking

Without understanding that there is an orderly, scientific basis underneath all of this, many people will simply remain skeptics, while on the opposite extreme, others may get the idea that you can sit around meditating and visualizing, then expect a mystical "law of attraction" to kick in and then "poof!" a great body materializes out of thin air... along with the perfect relationship, a nice bank account and career success.

What really happens is "Positive thinking" and related methods quite literally re-program your brain, which in turn creates new behaviors that move you physically toward whatever you have been thinking about and focusing on.

So success is achieved through positive thinking + positive doing...
attraction + action. There are two sides to the coin. Without paying attention to both, you may continue to struggle... often against nothing but yourself.

If you want to transform your body or any other aspect of your life, then you have to change on the inside (the mind) first and then everything else will follow.


Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
Author, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle
http://LoseFatAndBuildMuscle.com/

PS This process of *scientific* goal setting and mental reconditioning through emotionally charged mental imagery (visualization) and internal mental dialogue (affirmations) is the very first thing I have always taught my clients and the first thing I wrote about in my book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle You can learn all of these techniques in detail in chapter 1.

Learn more about the psychology of body transformation inside the Burn The Fat e-book.

Feedback on The 50 Life Booster Questions.

peter@thewealthyattitude.com

I was sent an e-mail on Sunday morning from one of our subscribers whom I did not know personally. I could tell there was some urgency in her note by the language, and she was asking if she could speak with me directly. I was at first a tad reticent, but something said, “go ahead”. And boy am I glad I did.

Within seconds of me e-mailing her back my phone was ringing. “Lena”, proceeded to launch into a story that just made what we do here all worth while.

She’s a lady in her mid-fifties, and has a very common story. Failed marriage (for the younger woman), distant children, thirty years a home-maker, not very worldly, but a very real "smiley" voice.

She proceeded to tell me that she had been on our subscriber list for about six months after a friend sent her a “reader” she thought would lighten her load. She has diligently made it a habit to spend some quiet time every day to read the offering of the day.

She told me she would feel angry at many of them, and that she’d often cuss me out walking around her house. Then she read something that I’d just briefly mentioned a month or so ago. A friend had sent her a copy of an emotional tone scale, and she saw that her “anger” was a more positive emotion than the apathy and depression she was more used too. She related to me that she was actually looking forward to getting a little “pissed” with what I was sending in the Daily Reader.

Then the sky opened up for her.

When she received Friday’s e-mail with the attached 50 Life Boosting Questions by Thea Westra, she said a whole new set of sensations took her over. Lena said that for the very first time in her adult life, she saw a road map presented before her.

This happy sounding lady had not been asleep since Friday as she worked through the questions one by one. She said she had in excess of a hundred and fifty pages of stuff that “Peter, I don’t know where it came from”.

Bottom line, she related that she has never, ever, felt so empowered, vibrant, and alive. She feels she has turned a corner.

Before she e-mailed me, she called her former husband and congratulated him for the choices he has made for his live. She called each of her three children and apologized, releasing them from any “guilt” she may have infected them with. And lastly. ( and this is where I choked) she said she took an hour long look at herself in the mirror, forgave herself for adopting powerlessness and fear, and resolved to live the rest of her life “out loud”.

Folks, I asked Lena to write her experience out for the blog, and she promised, as she feels more confident around technologies, she certainly would. She just wanted let me know what happened, and she gave me permission to write something about our call.

I’m feeling an enormous sense of gratitude for Lena, for the materials our contributors so selflessly share, for the technology that allows us to communicate to quickly, and for you all, who provide the inspiration to pull it all together.

Thank you.

50 Life Booster Questions

Developed by Thea Westra, Senior Thought Leader
http://www.forwardsteps.com.au

1. What would you love to do or accomplish, before you die?

2. If you were to begin to achieve that/these, what is the first change you would start to make?

3. What would you need to include MORE of in your life?

4. What would you need to have LESS of in your life?

5. Rewrite your goal(s) so it is ‘moving towards’ something, rather than ‘moving away’ from something?

6. What is YOUR personal definition of success?

7. If you had to guess your life purpose, what would it be?

8. What daily habits could you replace with a better daily habit? List these.

9. What would a massive action ‘look like’ for you?

10. What action would you take, if you knew you could not possibly fail?

11. What has worked for you when accomplishing past personal goals?

12. What can you see about any past setbacks, which may actually benefit you?

13. What are you tolerating/putting up with?

14. What will you do, to completely erase petty things that are bothering you?

15. For what will you take 100% responsibility, from now?

16. If you were your own coach, what coaching would you give yourself right now?

17. Who and what are you listening to, most of the time?
How will you change that, if it needs changing?

18. What do you keep saying to yourself that usually thwarts your progress?

19. What could you now keep saying to yourself, to empower you?

20. What could you get done this week that you know needs doing?

21. For that task, what is the first step and the next step?

22. What could you put in your environment to remind you of your promises to yourself?

23. What could you include in each day to create and hold your vision for your future?

24. What have you 100%, decided to achieve?

25. What ways do you benefit by NOT deliberately moving toward what you want?

26. What activities and new habits will you deposit into your future, this month?

27. On a scale of 1 to 10, how excited to you feel about taking these actions?

28. What could increase that score?

29. What are your highest aspirations for this year?

30. What are the greatest lessons you have learned in life?

31. What is life asking you to do differently?

32. What are you now willing to do that you’ve been unwilling to step into?

33. What non-negotiable decision are you willing to make for your life, and stick to?

34. What in your life needs immediate attention?

35. What strategies could you use to better manage your daily priorities?

36. What is perfect about where you are in your life right now?

37. Describe in detail, your feelings once all your goals are achieved?

38. Which books could you read, people could you call and websites could you visit, to support your goals?

39. In what way are you a better person this year than last year?
What will be your answer, next year?

40. Where will you fine-tune your use of time in the next 24-hours?

41. Is there anything you are ignoring, to which you should be paying attention? Be honest!

42. What are you most excited about now? What are you looking forward to?

43. What ways will you will get more energy into your life?

44. What newly created, personal standard(s) will you abide by; hail, rain or shine?

45. What are your greatest strengths and how will you leverage those?

46. What would you most like to be acknowledged for, so far in your life?

47. What do you need to give to yourself so that you can give more to others?

48. What new belief could you take on to speed up your personal decision-making processes?

49. What do you already know for certain? Is that the truth?

50. List all the benefits that you got from completing this exercise, and what are your next Forward Steps?

An Online Version can be found at: http://www.forwardsteps.com.au/50-Power-Questions.htm

The Magic of Enthusiasm

By John Carpenter Dealey

Norman Vincent Peale often taught that "There is real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment. Those who are fired with an enthusiastic idea and who allow it to take hold and dominate their thoughts find that new worlds open for them. As long as enthusiasm holds out, so will new opportunities"

When One Door Closes…

One day, many years ago, Frank Bettger, a young and ambitious professional baseball player got the biggest shock of his life. He was fired!

He had thought he was on his way to the top and being fired came as a total surprise. As it turned out, he was actually nervous and afraid. In order to hide that fear, he was trying to "taking it easy" and act like he was cool, calm and collected. It didn't work.

Lemons to Lemonade.

When Frank went up to the boss and asked why. The manager told him that "taking it easy will never work. That's what is holding you down. Whatever you do, after you leave here, wake yourself up and put some life and enthusiasm into your work!"

Frank made a decision that completely changed his life forever. He set out to establish a reputation (and live up to it!) for being the most enthusiastic ball player ever seen.

He realized that he could turn his life around by acting enthusiastic even when he was not. In spite of things not being what he wanted, he began to act enthusiastic. He put a smile on his face, a spring into his step, energy into his actions.

Did it work? Absolutely!

He became known as "Pep" Bettger and within 10 days got a new job that increased his income 700%. Here‟s what Frank Bettger has to say in his best selling book: "It worked like Magic! My enthusiasm overcame my fear. I played far better than I ever thought I was capable of playing. My enthusiasm affected the other players on the team, and they too became enthusiastic. I felt better than I had ever felt before."

Life is Choices

One of the great things about life is that we can choose a "new beginning" any time we want to. If today has not gone according to plan, no problem. Simply stop, close your eyes, take a deep breath and make a decision to take a new course of action beginning right now!

Dale Carnegie said: "Today is life - the only life you are sure of. Make the most of today. Get interested in something. Shake yourself awake. Develop a hobby. Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you. Live today with gusto."

Enthusiasm - What’s That?

Enthusiasm is a source of energy. The dictionary defines "enthusiasm" as strong excitement of feeling, something inspiring zeal or passion, an intense emotion compelling action. Combine energy with action and all kinds of wonderful things will begin to happen in your world.

Let’s Get Energized.

Many studies have shown our minds cannot tell the difference between something vividly imagined and something that really happened. So, let's take advantage of this convenient feature and vividly imagine a "new you" that is all enthusiastic and energized.

First, think about something that you really enjoy. What idea or activity quickens your pulse, opens your eyes, causes you to sit a little straighter? That‟s the one! Spend a few minutes with that. Visualize yourself involved in that. Notice how you feel, what your thoughts are, how others react to you. Capture that feeling of energy.

Like Nike said, ‘Just Do It!’

Now, make a decision to act enthusiastic. Don't feel like it? Do it anyway. Continue to visualize that favorite activity… see it, hear it, feel it, smell it, taste it. Build on that energy.

Jump up and down, wave your arms, shout "Terrific" to the world! Put a smile on your face, a spring in your step. Act as if today is the best day of your life and before you know it, it will be.

Yes, You Can!

Norman Vincent Peale wrote: "you can if you think you can". We encourage you to act enthusiastic today. It‟s a vital element of success. Do it now. The rewards will be many. Get excited about something!

Enthusiasm is contagious and builds upon itself. The more energy and enthusiasm you put out, the more you will have returned to you. Make a point to be around energetic and excited people. By doing this, you will attract even more energy and success into your life.

Enthusiasm is Free!

This marvelous tool for success is yours to embrace and enjoy. There is only one simple rule: To be enthusiastic, all you have to do is act enthusiastic. Try it for 30 days - you will be astonished at the results.

Be enthusiastic, take action and success is yours.

About the books:
How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success in Selling, by Frank Bettger
Enthusiasm Makes the Difference by Norman Vincent Peale

Bettger‟s book changed my life when I was a teenager. Prior to that, my father had been on Dr. Peale‟s staff and Dr. Peale‟s enthusiasm also has had a huge impact on my life.

These wonderful books have been best sellers for many years. In these books, you gain a wide variety of easy to use tools to bring more enthusiasm, success and joy into your everyday life.