Don't Wear a Dead Man's Shoes: Get Your Own

The Shoes are not For You


"The shoes are not for you." That statement is the foundation of an old episode of The Dark Side which I saw recently, and I had to write about it.



It's about a master shoe maker with a clientele of the rich, famous and talented, an apprentice who lusts after the "good life" of others and the magical shoes which keep clients coming back to the modest shoe maker's shop. 

Envy is the art of counting the other fellow's blessings instead of your own. Harold Coffin

The apprentice is in his twenties, and begs his master to make him a pair of his famous shoes and is told the shoes are not for you. He also advises him to focus on the fiance who loves him; it's the only thing the young man has going for him. 

At no time does it occur to the apprentice to ask his master why the shoes are not for him. The answer to which is obvious; he lacks the prosperity consciousness essential for financial success.

He dies foolishly wearing a dead man's shoes because of his envy. 


The Apprentice's Escapade

One day, the apprentice sneaks into the back room after his boss is gone and tries on a pair of shoes. He is amazed by his transformation. In the mirror he is dashing and handsome, very well-dressed and obviously a man of means.

Envy eats nothing but its own heart. German Proverb

So he goes out for a night on the town and loves rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous. It's the life he always dreamed of.


He daydreams afterwards about the rich lifestyle and can't wait to do it again. That is how he really wants to live. He is discovered and warned off about wearing clients shoes. 

Keep yourselves far from envy; it eateth up and taketh away good actions, like as fire eateth up and burneth wood. Muhammad

The young man doesn't see the harm in it though and does it again. My response would have been to fire his arse on the spot for his lack of professionalism!


Envy is a Poisoned Cup

Now I ask you, why would anyone moon about all day dreaming and envying the lifestyle of others? That makes no sense to me but it's what the apprentice does all day long. 

The wealthy work for their money and they deserve to have it. That's what prosperity consciousness is all about.  Some are born into such families and others have to overcome their mental programming of limitation to attain their current level of prosperity consciousness. Don't ever begrudge them.

Most people think they want more money than they really do. And the settle for a lot less than they could get.  Earl Nightingale

The rich "know" they deserve their wealth and as Bob Proctor says in You Were Born Rich, they are comfortable with money which is why money is attracted to them.

When you know what you want in life, focus on it. The more attention you give it, the clearer the objective becomes. Goals, ideas and plans follow. When that happens, act immediately. There will never be a "right time"

Envy is an insult to oneself. Yevgeny Yevtushenko

The persistence with which you focus on what you want attracts the people, tools and resources you need to ensure your success. That is the way it works. 

Envy is for stupid people; it destroys lives. Envy is a train wreck waiting to happen so get your mind right!


The Shoe Maker, the Final Nail and the Magic Words

Unbeknownst to the young apprentice, it's not the shoes which keep the rich coming back to the shoe maker's shop but the quality of the shoe maker. 

You see, with every pair of shoes he creates, he imbues the final nail in the shoe heels with positive values based on the person's particular talent or success.

A really great talent finds its happiness in execution. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Not only do the shoes fit perfectly, they also enhance the person's image of themself in the mirror. What he or she sees is what they portray.

The Last Act of the Envious Apprentice

There was just one last pair Mr Envious wanted to try; it was the shoes of their richest client. He just had to try them on before the man's assistant collected them.  

Unfortunately for the young man who had sneaked into the back room to try on the shoes - the owner had died the previous evening and the shoes were for his funeral.

The consequences of our actions are so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed. J.K. Rowling

Wearing the dead man's shoes was the apprentice's last act; he assumed the defunct's qualities which were non-existent and died instantly. And so ended the episode.

As I'm sure you know, the dead have no qualities - they are gone - only the living retain memories of the dead.

Moral of the Story

Don't wear a dead man's shoes; get your own. They could be too big, too small or just plain no good. Figure out what you want and focus on that. 

Stoke that fire of burning desire with your imagination until the ideas start coming. Your passion will drive you forward to attain the success you want and deserve.

Pity the man who inherits a million and isn't a millionaire.  Here's what would be pitiful, if your income grew and you didn't. Jim Rohn

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When Change Is Being Forced Upon You, Accept It

He who rejects change is the architect of decay.  The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.  ~Harold Wilson

The latest thing I've learned is when change is being forced upon you, accept it. It circumvents thoughts like "I feel alone", "I can't go any further", "why is it always to hard", "I don't have a life", etc. and the negative feelings which accompany such thoughts.

So what do you do when you have similar thoughts? Lots of us have had them in some form in weak moments and many people still do. It happens when you keep focussing on what you don't want in your life.

If you don't like something change it;  if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.  ~Mary Engelbreit

An incident occurred recently which brought these questions to mind. It made me realise that's how I used to think and also, how easy it would be to fall back into that no-exit kind of thinking.

When  stray thoughts like these surface, move on immediately to a better feeling thought, and another and another until you are flowing downstream and feeling good.

Change is a fact of life

You see, when life is pushing you in one direction and you fight it because you fear the unknown, you end up hurting yourself. Sure, life could knock you down so low that you don't believe you would ever rise up again - as I have cause to know. But you do rise again and stronger than before. That's the beauty of it.

Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure.  But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it.  Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer.  ~Shunryu Suzuki

And I reiterate here again, the pain occurs because you resist what is happening instead of accepting it. That makes a huge difference. When you cannot change what is happening, change the way you think about it.

Accept what is. Change is a fact of life and feeling afraid of the unknown future isn't going to change a damn thing!

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.  ~Anatole France

Believe It or Not, Change happens when you are ready

When change happens it is always right because there is something waiting for you - something to be learned, to be gained no matter the circumstances. This is true in every situation, and believe it or not change happens when you are ready. True talk, no lie as they say here.

When you are through changing, you are through.  ~Bruce Barton

Resist what is happening in your life and you'll get more of the same shit you don't want. In circumstances which seem dire, one option will be pressed upon you and you will be obliged to take it.

The only difference between a rut and a grave is their dimensions.  ~Ellen Glasgow

Why one? Because you allowed the other opportunities to slip through your fingers. At those times, nothing seems "right" however you're out of choices.

The result of your action turns out to be exactly what you need to take you to your destiny-nation. As Bob Proctor says in You Were Born Rich, what you seek is also seeking you.

My AHA! moment

Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights.  ~Pauline R. Kezer

I had an aha! moment in the shower this week and by the way, have you ever noticed how insights occur when you're under running water... I hope to expand on this at a later date. My insight was this:

°°°When your back is to the wall and there seems to be no way out despite your dogged efforts, one choice will present itself. Take it.

The universe works in mysterious and convoluted ways at times. Under such circumstances though, grasping the seemingly distasteful usually turns out to be more palatable than you thought. That also is a choice.°°°

It is not the strongest of the species that survive nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.  ~Author unknown

Take a meditative break and become still

How long has it been since someone touched part of you other than your body?  ~Laurel Hoodwrit

To gain some clarity of thought and purpose, take a meditative break to centre yourself.

Listen to the wonderful voice of Jennifer McLean in her free downloadable MP3s - Soul Song for 2010 (5 minutes)  and the two others (Soul Song and Ho'oponopono, 5 minutes, and Soul Song BodyTalk, 24 minutes). They're pretty damn wonderful and worth the time in the AM or PM.

Knock on the sky and listen to the sound.  ~Zen Saying

Listen to one or all of the recordings every day for one month and come back and tell me if they made a difference in your life. Start a journal to track your thoughts and feelings.

Lesson learned: when change is being forced upon you, accept it. You can thank me for this advice later.

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Motivational Quotes for the Inspiration of You and I: It's gotta help, somehow...

I decided to send out these motivational quotes for the inspiration of you and I now that I seem to be reconnected once more (here's hoping).

Because after more than a week of being dropped off the Internet in my new, temporary abode in the Caribbean - in Trinidad and Tobago - and losing an excellent 1000+ word article plus a big blog post in the black hole of cyberspace, I need this pick-me-up. 

And since everything happens for a reason, I'll just have to figure out the message the universe is sending me. Although, I suspect it's all connected to my anxiety of "what the heck am I doing here?"!

 ON HOPE

H - Hands-touching-hands. There's significant research that indicates the good that comes from giving touches not only the recipient, but also, the giver. The surprising piece, however, is that those who witness good works are affected as well. They experience an increased feeling of well-being, a stronger immune function, and a healthier relationship to epinephrine.
ON LIFE'S DOUBTS AND FEARS


Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored. Earl Nightingale




If I accept you as you are, I will make you worse; however, if I treat you as though you are what you are capable of becoming, I help you become that. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe




Don't waste your life in doubts and fears: spend yourself on the work before you, well assured that the right performance of this hour's duties will be the best preparation for the hours or ages that follow it. Ralph Waldo Emerson




Even though you may want to move forward in your life, you may have one foot on the brakes. In order to be free, we must learn how to let go. Release the hurt. Release the fear.




Refuse to entertain your old pain. The energy it takes to hang onto the past is holding you back from a new life. What is it you would let go of today? Mary Manin Morrissey, Creator of The Miracle Mastery Conference




ON ADVERSITY, ACTION, SUCCESS


Whenever you're facing any form of resistance, gratitude has the power to quickly dissolve it. This is true whether the hindrance comes from inside of you or outside of you. Peggy McColl


Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, 'Make me feel important.' Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life. Mary Kay Ash




An unwritten want is a wish, a dream, a never-happen. The day you put your goal in writing is the day it becomes a commitment that will change your life. Are you ready? Tom Hopkins




When you have a purpose in life, a vision for what you want to achieve, and know why you want to achieve it, work becomes fun, and the time you spend working seems to just whizz by. Clayton J. Moore




The big secret in life is that there is no secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you are willing to work. It is called massive action. Action is the gas in the tank. Without it, the car will not run. Marcy Blochowiak, author of No Glass Ceiling




What is the difference between an obstacle and an opportunity? Our attitude toward it. Every opportunity has a difficulty, and every difficulty has an opportunity. J. Sidlow Baxter




No one ever attains very eminent success by simply doing what is required of him; it is the amount and excellence of what is over and above the required that determines the greatness of ultimate distinction. Charles Kendall Adams




Success attracts success and failure attracts failure because of the law of harmonious attraction.


In physics, positives attract negatives and vice versa, but in human relationships the opposite is true. Negative people attract only other negative people, while positive thinkers attract like-minded individuals.


You will find that when you begin to achieve success more successes will follow. This is the law of harmonious attraction. When riches begin to come your way, you’ll be amazed how quickly they accumulate.


Train your mind to visualize yourself acquiring a specific amount of wealth or achieving a certain goal - whatever you most desire. Then use self-suggestion to persuade your subconscious mind that you can achieve your goal, and put your plan into action.


When you use the tools that you have at your disposal to prepare yourself for success and visualize yourself as having already reached your objective, you can achieve any reasonable goal that you set for yourself. Napoleon Hill Foundation




The one who tries to get something for nothing generally winds up getting nothing for something.


Those who think they can get by in life without providing the same amount of value for value received will eventually find themselves working harder than ever to deceive others and receiving very little in return. Life has a funny way of evening the score.


In the long run, you will get in the same measure you give. Spend your time on productive, positive efforts; give generously of your time and talents, and you will stand out from the great multitudes whose primary goal in life seems to be to get something for nothing. Napoleon Hill Foundation




There always remains an opportunity to make a new start.


Though it may not seem so when you first encounter a serious blow, you can never lose two of the most important assets you have. These are the power of your mind and your freedom to use it. Once you have turned them to understanding what laid you low, you can begin forming new plans.


You may not have the money you once had; you may lack the allies you had cultivated. But you still have the benefit of a universe that eventually rewards honest effort, as well as gaining the experience of mistakes you will never make again.


Remember, no matter where you are now, whatever you can conceive and believe, you can achieve. Napoleon Hill Foundation




Most failures could have been converted into successes if someone had held on another minute or made more effort.


When you have the potential for success within you, adversity and temporary defeat only help you prepare to reach great heights of success. Without adversity, you would never develop the qualities of reliability, loyalty, humility, and perseverance that are so essential to enduring success.


Many people have escaped the jaws of defeat and achieved great victories because they would not allow themselves to fail. When your escape routes are all closed, you will be surprised how quickly you will find the path to success. Napoleon Hill Foundation



AT THE END OF THE DAY, ASK YOURSELF...

Did I make someone giggle, smile or laugh today?



Did I take the time to really listen to someone today, with rapt attention, as if nothing else mattered in that precious moment but the words they spoke and the look in their eyes?


Did I allow myself to focus on all the blessings in my life today instead of contemplating the things I don't have?


Did I take a moment to imagine what I would like to experience in my life, if for no other reason than in the imagining, is the living, and in the living, comes the joy and delight?


Did I let go today, let go of resentments and unforgivingness that I have been holding onto, all the while realizing that another person may be wounded too and struggling with their own pain?


Did I keep my word today, no matter how simple a promise I may have made, knowing it meant a whole lot to someone else?


Did I make a conscious choice just to be happy today, no matter what is happening in my own life, just for the next moment, and the next moment and the next?


Did I stop caring about what other people think of me, and give myself permission to be who I am regardless of their good opinion of me or not? Did I set myself free today just by doing that?


Was I successful in noticing and appreciating the bounty before me wherever I went or was I just too busy or lost in my own thoughts to notice?


Did I contribute something beautiful to the world today? A new creation of some kind, a poem, a dinner, a dance?


Was I kind today to anyone or anything that crossed my path, no matter how trivial or how monumental? Did I give away my heart?


Is one person richer because of me today, because of my presence on the planet, my essence, my decision to keep on going no matter what?


Did I learn something new today, something about life, something about myself, something about another that I didn't know before?


Did I let go of my attachment to being right today, and open my mind to the possibility of another way, without judgement?


Will someone sleep better tonight because of me? Will they awaken in the morning believing in themselves again, and walk with their head held high?


Was I the answer to someone's prayers today?


If today was to be my last day on the planet, would I feel happy about how I lived it?


Veronica Hay, author of In a Dream, You Can Do Anything

I sincerely hope something on this page or even on my beautiful blog inspires you today. Do let me know.






O - Opportunity to expand our sense of joy. How might you expand yours today?

P -  Possibility of new aliveness in the world. What choice could you make to foster new aliveness in your life?

E - Encourages the expression of our Greater Good. Disasters are cracks through which we can learn to better translate a Greater Good into our relations.

From the wonderful Dr Cara Barker's Hope From The Rubble

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Message to Haiti of Love and Friendship

I grew up in the English-speaking Caribbean twin island state of Trinidad and Tobago. I learnt more about Haiti outside of the Caribbean than I ever did in it.

My First Haitians

The first Haitians I met were my colleagues in New York at the United Nations Development Programme. Those encounters opened my mind and spirit and made me want to know more about them.

They seemed so foreign and mysterious and it wasn't the language because I grew up speaking French and Spanish. It was something else.

I realised that I knew nothing about them at all. They were always very correct - Marie-Claude was so stylish and classy! - and friendly, yet I felt a distance between us.

It took me a long while to understand what it was and by then I had moved to Switzerland. They expected more from me as a Caribbean sister and I was unable to give it.

A Little Caribbean History

The Americans

To me, Haitians were just as foreign as the Americans with whom we have a strong and distrusting relationship.

I should add that when we Caribbean people criticise Americans we really mean the American government. However, the average Joe tends to get painted with the same brush.

The thing is we never know what shit they're going to pull next so we tend to be wary. Their lying arrogance well before George W. Bush's era has not made them any friends.

There's too much sordid history between us, the truth of which never makes it into the American news cycle.

Mixed Up Relationships in the Caribbean - A Bird's Eye View

The English-speaking Caribbean knows more about Martinique, Guadeloupe etc. from their Zouk music, Latin America in general and Venezuela and Cuba in particular.

Yet French and Spanish are mandatory in schools in Trinidad and Tobago (well, it was when I was of school age).

We know very little of our proud Haitian brothers and sisters except for the bigoted, ignorant "they say" nonsense about the native Haitian religion, Vaudou when in fact the official religion is Roman Catholic. And the island's undeniable poverty.

Most, if not all Caribbean states maintain a hands-off approach to Haiti as if they don't want to be contaminated by... the poverty, government sponsored murders, and the systematic degradation of its people.

All supported by the American government over the past umpteen decades right up to George W. Bush's administration, and its powerful World Bank and IMF arms which finished off the country completely.

Because they have always wanted a foothold in the Caribbean to fight the so-called Cuban menace after they lost their 99-year lease in Trinidad and Tobago in the seventies, if my memory serves me right.

A Little Haitian History

The Demand for Freedom

Haitians are descendants of the first African slaves in history - anyone's version - who liberated themselves from slavery with no outside help.

And in simplistic terms - since their fascinating history is not the subject of this post - that was the beginning of the end of the Pearl of the Antilles as it was called back then.

France demanded that Haiti pay reparations for all 'the cattle they had lost', humans and otherwise in order to be recognised as a legitimate country. The Haitians agreed.

And it took them 125 years to pay the false debt which equalled seventy percent (70%) of their GDP. That money today by general estimates is approximately 21 billion US dollars. Those payments which ended in the 1920s completely destroyed Haiti.

The French were ably supported by the Americans, and all other European countries. It was a sick and twisted affair. In return for assisting the French in destroying The Pearl of the Antilles, the French sold Louisiana and New Orleans to the Americans.

All because these 500,000 black Africans had the audacity to throw off the shackles of slavery by killing the mighty white soldiers and slave owners.

Sir Hillary Beckles, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Cave Hill Campus, University of the West Indies in Barbados recounts this ever so eloquently in his article The Hate and Quake.

Caribbean Ignorance and Western Disinformation

And you know what's awful in all of this, most of this information is not part of schools history classes in Trinidad and Tobago.

Like me, the average Trinbagonian and other citizens of the Caribbean Commonwealth (Caricom) learns about Haiti and it's peoples after they complete their formal education, and unfortunately much of it is misinformation.

If you wish to learn more about Haiti, read Reginal Dumas' well-written,  An Encounter with Haiti. He is an extremely sharp ex-diplomat and Special Adviser on Haiti to Koffi Annan.

His words are succinct and his view piercing and hit the mark every time which is why the so-called leaders in Caricom keep him at arms length when in truth and in fact, they need his input. They are more comfortable with the western disinformation.

My Rising Pain Body

It wasn't my intention to write this article. I didn't even have a draft or an outline. My intention was to write the poem that was on my mind about Haiti this morning, but it is what it is.

I am very upset (as we say here) about this latest disaster and that anger has raised my hackles about the past injustices perpetrated on Haiti, and on the Caribbean region in general.

I know however that it's my emotional pain body which is always waiting for negative emotions to "play with my head". So it's time to talk about love instead.

Eckhart Tolle coined the term pain body in A New Earth. Even if you read this book five times as I have, you would still find something new the sixth time! It's wonderful...

Basically, the pain body is an accumulation of painful experiences developed from childhood onward which raises it's ugly head when you start thinking angry or painful thoughts. They are always triggered by something which takes you back to the original event.

Message to Haiti of love and friendship

Haiti

My heart goes out to you

Despite appearances

We are all here for you

Although the Caribbean is your home

You were all alone

Never truly at home

History made you lonesome

Your culture

Your vibrancy

The heart-aching poverty

And daily misery

Most rise above so beautifully

And spiritually

This destruction

Will lead this time

To your proper reconstruction

So long in coming

Your children

So young

Our children

So strong

We stand as one

Now is the time

To care

To share

To cherish all we hold dear

Our hearts as one

Haiti

Our child, our mother

Our sister and brother

Our forgotten one

Now you're coming home

Where you belong

Accepted with open arms

No longer forgotten

Now it's our turn

To make our peace

We are all one

And this quake has shown

We cannot let you down

This is the time

The turning point

To set things right

You have already done your part

Against the odds

Now it's up to us

To show compassion

And share your passion

Your love and vibrancy

So very special to we

Haiti we love you

And this time

We are here for you

Take this hand

Of love and friendship

We will never let it slip.

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How to Calm Stomach Pains Caused By Stress: A Relaxation Technique

The Idea

I got the visualisation idea for my relaxation technique from a post on DailyOM - one of my favourite sites.  I would reference it but I can't find it anymore.

Interestingly, it's only when I was doing my morning chakra exercises that it clicked - the solar plexus (the gut) is the home of the third chakra - a wonderful sunshine yellow colour.  Now how's that for synchronicity!

And by the way, the gut is our second brain which is why it tightens up when we're anxious or afraid. And it becomes painfully hard when we back ourselves into a corner out of fear of expressing ourselves.

I provided this off-the-cuff technique about five months ago to a young lady on Yahoo Answers who wanted to know how to calm stomach pains caused by stress.

She liked it so it must have worked for her and I thought I'd share it here as well. It's a 15-minute technique but can be done for a long as you like. Try it and see.

The Technique

1 - Find yourself a quiet spot and sit down or lie down and close your eyes and relax.

2 - Start breathing in and out - in through your nose and out through your mouth. There's no rush so go at your own pace.

3 - When you're comfortable with that, imagine that you're pulling the air directly up through the soles of your feet and into your chest. Do this slowly. Breathe in through your nose - filling your stomach and chest like a balloon - then out through your mouth.

4 - When you feel comfortable with step 3, move on to step 5.

5 - This time imagine that there's a bright yellow sun in your tummy, warm, comfy and nurturing, just above your navel.

6 - Now, inhale through your nose and imagine that you are pulling this wonderful golden yellow light up through feet, legs and hips into your chest, and it's spreading into your arms and head.

7 - As you exhale, imagine this golden light is circulating in and out of your body constantly creating a golden bubble around you, keeping you calm and protected.

8 - Do this for as long as you like at home but 15 minutes is good enough. You can do it sitting anywhere. Afterwards, you'll feel very calm.

9 - Repeat the entire sequence every time you feel anxious. With practice, you'll be able to do it anywhere with your eyes open.

Most people don't breathe deeply, particularly women. When you're not accustomed breathing deeply, you will feel an ache under your breasts and in your upper back when your ribs expand as you breathe in. For men, the ache would be in their upper chest and back when they breathe in.

This ache is caused by unaccustomed movement of your lungs inflating and expanding your chest. It's not a problem so don't fuss unless you have medical issues. If that's the case, get advice from your doctor before-hand.

 

Do write and let me know how you get on with this relaxation technique on how to calm stomach pains caused by stress, and most importantly, tell me if it works for you. If you have other simple, relaxation techniques, please share them with us. It will contribute to the whole.

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Activating Your Intentions for 2010: Why Do They Matter?

Well, am now back to blogging and currently resident in the most southerly Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago for a bit.

Don't know where I'll be next. It's hot which is great, and heavily humid which bothers me a lot so my body had better acclimatise itself soon.

Activating your intentions for 2010

Now, let's talk about activating your intentions for 2010 and why they matter. I thought of posting mine earlier this week but didn't follow through. Then I read Cyndi's of Evolution Ezine Our Best Intentions for 2010, and thought again that maybe I should put it out there...

I blog to share after all and I have nothing to prove so what people think about them is irrelevant.

When you clearly and specifically state what you want, in writing, you flip the switch on the energy connection between you and the universe to attract what you want. And as Cyndi says in her post, if you don't know what you want how the hell are you going to get it.

I had rewritten mine several times in December 2009 but it didn't feel right even though I knew what I wanted.

I finally understood that it was because my mind wasn't clear, my emotions were negative and therefore, I wasn't feeling the connection that I do now. I feel great!

Everyday Spirituality

1 - I intend to achieve all goals that I set with effortless effort.

2 - I intend to become the best person I can be, staying authentic and true to who I am, and be compassionate with myself when I'm on a learning curve, and celebrate who I am.

3 - I intend to increase my meditation to twice daily and be aware of how I feel which tells me what I'm thinking, and learn to have fun; allowing my heart light to shine for the highest good of all.

4 - I intend to complete, absorb and share the lessons learned in The Hamlet Secret: A Self-Directed Workbook for Living a Passionate and Joy-Filled Life by James M. Lynch, and Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, for the highest good of all.

5 - I intend to pay attention to that still, soft voice when it speaks to me.

Health

6 - I intend to lose my last six kilos to reach the 70 kilos my body requires, and continue to love and cherish the magnificent temple which is my body, and find new, effective and natural ways to maintain an optimum level of health and a rock solid immune system.

7 - I intend to continue Teresa Tapp's Fit and Fabulous and Boosting my energy with The Five Tibetans exercise routines to tighten, tone and reconnect with my core.

8 - I intend to listen to my body's needs, nourish it with delicious, healthy food; the nutrients of which are easily absorbed and the excess gently and efficiently eliminated.

Relationships

9 - I intend to attract the man that I want in my life who is loyal, faithful, virile, attentive, and prosperous. He comes to me free of all engagements by an act of providence which creates all new things.

He accepts who he is and loves what he does. He loves the presence in me as I love the presence in him. He supports me, he puts me first and he believes in marriage. He gives me my space. Between us there is love, freedom and mutual respect.  I want that or better for the highest good of all.

10- I intend to allow my family and those around me to be, do or have whatever they want, secure in the knowledge that I don't have to buy into their story or take anything from their experience that I don't like, for the highest good of all.

11- I intend to associate only with people who are positive, who support me, who bring out the best in me, and who vibrate on the highest levels of abundance and prosperity for the highest good of all.

Business/Money/Work

12- I intend to attract the people, tools, free resources, and opportunities I need to quickly and effortlessly replenish my six-figure account, and create multiple streams of income to make me a millionaire by December 2010 or better, so that I can participate in the projects which interest me for the betterment of all concerned.

13- I intend to increase my blog readership ten-fold or better, create a funky newsletter of lightness and brightness, write consistently informative articles and blog posts for the greater good of all, and celebrate my passion for writing.


Dis-Identify yourself from your emotions

So, what does this have to do with activating your intentions for 2010? Basically, you have to clean up your emotional act in order to connect with and attract what you want in 2010.

Feeling dissatisfied with any area of your life calls up and fuels negative thoughts and emotions which will keep you stuck right where you left off in 2009. That can't be what you want!

Therefore, disconnecting from your thoughts of lack is essential to achieving your goals in 2010. Your thoughts are not who you are.

Ed Harkness Spina beautifully outlines this case in Dis-Identifying from your emotions. He also developed the Energy Center Clearing which offers 5 free lessons containing mystic techniques to:

• Relieve Stress
  
• Overcome Fear
  
• Eliminate Anger
  
• Dis-Identify from Your Emotion, and
  
• Connect with Your True Self
  

I will give my verdict after I complete them.

Your choices in 2010

It's time to get on with the business of creating a beautiful, bountiful life for yourself in 2010. And hey, nobody said it would be easy but the truth is it's only difficult when you fight the changes occurring in your life.

In order to progress, you have two choices:

One - Fight what's happening to you and suffer miserably. Whining "why me, and why is it so hard", complaining, criticising, getting angry and frustrated and lashing out at others as I did in 2008 and 2009 doesn't cut it; or

Two - Accept that you can't stand the pain and misery anymore and give in to what is. I did not say "give up" - there is a world of difference between the two so pay attention.

I used to confuse the two as well in my self-pitying phases even when I knew it was total bullshit.

That was because I equated giving in with being weak. That's the brain-washing many of us grew up with - it has to be hard in order to feel a sense of accomplishment. What absolute crap!

It's now up to you to choose your path. And remember, as Eckhart Tolle says in A New Earth - YOU are life and it's wonderful...

So drop me a line peeps and share with me your best intentions for 2010. I would love to read them. From what I have observed and the stories I'm hearing, millions of us are riding this wave of glorious change and this is just the beginning. The future is bright!

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Tap Into Wealth with EFT: EFT Tapping Into Life's Unlimited Abundance

This EFT wealth tapping script is Magnus' December 2009 Christmas gift to us. 

If you don't know EFT - Emotional Freedom Technique, learn about EFT.

In a nutshell, it's a finger-tapping acupressure technique used on the face and chest meridians to relieve emotional anxieties.

If you don't know EFT at all, this post will not enlighten you. Watch the learn EFT video, and follow the links there or on Magnus' website.

Magnus' Wealth tapping script

Repeat each phrase below once for each point, and tap each point about 7 times before going on to the next. Don't worry about whether or not the phrase is true for you - tap it anyway, all the phrases are positive so it can't do any harm.

Do this every day for 21 days. If you miss one day, count the next day as a new day one. You are training yourself to think differently.

1. "I Release That I Don't Have Any Money"

"I Release That I Don't Love Money"

"I Release That I Don't Want Money"

2. "I Release That There is Not Enough Money"

"I Release That the World is Limited"

"I Release That There is Not Enough in the World"

3. "I Am Abundant"

"I Have Abundance"

"I Want Abundance"

4. "I Release That I Need Money"

"I Release That I Can't Have Money"

"I Release That Money is Not for Me"

5. "I Release That I Don't See That I Have Wealth"

"I Release Not Seeing That I Have Wealth"

"I Release That I Don't Understand That I Have Wealth"

"I See That I Have Wealth"

"I Am Seeing My Wealth"

"I Understand My Wealth"

6. "I Understand That I Don't Need Money"

"I Understand When I Don't Have Enough Money"

"I Understand What it Means to Afford Something"

7. "I Release the Idea that to Love Money is to Desire it"

"I Release the Idea that to Love Money is to Want it"

"I Understand What it Means to Love Money"

(clue; it means to be naturally drawn to it, and let it into your life)

8. "I Release That I Don't Feel Rich"

"I Release That I Feel Poor"

"I Feel Rich"

"I Feel Money"

(If you have some coins, notes, credit cards, or even solid gold or silver available, hold it and feel it as you tap this. This often reduces people to tears.)

9. "I Release That I Want for Money"

"I Release That I Have A Lack of Money"

"I Release That I Have An Absence of Money"

(these are subtly different from #1)

10."I Understand That I Love Money"

"I Understand the Ways I Need Money"

"I Understand Why I Want Money"

11."I Understand Money"

"I Accept the Nature of Money"

"I Know Money"

12."I Am in Agreement With Having Money"

"I Am in Agreement With Money Itself"

"I Am in Agreement With the Nature of Money"

13."I Know the Nature of Money"

"I Accept My Understanding of Money"

"I Am Learning About Money"

14."Other People Know I Am Worth Money"

"Other People Know I Am Earning Money"

"Other People Know That Money is Good for Me"

15."God Knows I Am Worth Money"

"God Knows I Am Earning Money"

"God Knows That Money is Good for Me"

I hope you find this script helpful. Let me know if you get any major releases or insights from tapping it.

Magnus

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Character Counts: Can You Forgive Without Condoning and Let Live in 2010?

I received this interesting article about forgiveness from Bob Proctor's Insight Quotes. Forgiving without condoning or forgetting by Michael Josephson from Character Counts. I thought it was a great way to start off my postings for 2010.

So, can you forgive without condoning and let live in 2010?  Forgiveness does not mean condoning the wrong that was done to you. You understand that, don't you?

It is about releasing the hurt and pain inflicted upon you which you are still carrying around; and it is dragging you into the ground. And guess what, you aren't doing anything to the other person unless you go out of your way to make their life hell. Are you happy living like that?

When you forgive, I mean truly forgive those who hurt you - believe it or not - the hurt diminishes. Because you're no longer picking at the bloody, pus-filled wound.


Character isn’t something you were born with and can’t change, like your fingerprints. It’s something you must take responsibility for forming. You build character by how you respond to what happens in your life, whether it’s winning every game, losing every game, getting rich or dealing with hard times. Jim Rohn

Time and Healing

It sounds trite but it is accurate to say that time does heal, if you let it. You don't forget because the hurt played a significant part in forming your character.

Yet, at the same time, the memory fades like an old sepia photograph until you can barely see the faces when you allow it. The trauma then feels as if it happened to someone else.

After forgiveness, you become a new person. You now have a life ahead of you; before that you were living on the flames of memory which you kept stoking. This is where character counts.

Forgiving means you decided to say "this is how much I love myself. I honour myself by releasing this burden".

The Act of Forgiving

The act of forgiving erases guilt, shame and all other noxious potions which were floating around in your psyche which did not belong to you.

You release the "other" as well; not from their innate, morale responsibility but from you. Yes, you were keeping them attached to you at the hip with your constant stirring.

Why would you keep an adulterer, a rapist, a pedophile and other such foul creatures in your presence? See what I mean... Believe me, I've been there.

As we say in the Caribbean - time longer than twine and they will get theirs -  your perpetrators will get their just desserts; you can count on it!

    Forgiving Without Condoning or Forgetting

I suspect all of us have been hurt in deep and lasting ways by the words or acts of another. It’s normal in such situations to feel hostility toward the person who hurt us.

If we allow the offense to linger, we may carry the hurt and resentment in the form of a grudge. Usually this causes more unhappiness for us than the person we’re mad at.

Some religions speak of forgiveness as a moral duty, others as a worthy virtue, and still others impose preconditions on the wrongdoer before he or she is entitled to be forgiven. Whatever your religious views, psychologists say the ability to forgive is closely correlated to happiness and mental health.

Some people refuse to even entertain the idea of forgiveness because they don’t think the person they resent deserves to be forgiven. Others don’t want to appear to condone or excuse the conduct and certainly don’t want to reconcile with the person.

The essence of forgiveness is a voluntary decision to abandon continuing resentment, to let go of anger, and to move on. It doesn’t require or imply condoning, excusing, or forgetting. Nor does it require that the forgiver re-establish a relationship with the wrongdoer.

According to Dr. Ben Dean, the capacity to forgive is related to the character strength of empathy. People who can empathize with an offender and see things from that person’s perspective are much better able to forgive. He also says that the older we get, the more forgiving we’re likely to become.

Hmmm. We usually get wiser, too. So maybe it’s wise to forgive.

Michael Josephson
http://www.charactercounts.org/

But the really amazing thing about character is that, if you’re sincerely committed to making yourself into the person you want to be, you’ll not only create those qualities, you’ll strengthen them and re-create them in abundance, even as you’re drawing on them every day of your life. That’s why building your character is vital to becoming all you can be. Jim Rohn



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The Self-Confidence Formula for 2010: 5 Steps to Build Your Self-Confidence (If you're serious)

I mentioned in Awaken the sleeping genius in November 2009 that I would post Napoleon Hill's Self Confidence Formula but the timing didn't feel right.  It is now though - to get 2010 off to a great start.

Hill says that after you take inventory of your mental assets and liabilities, you will discover that your greatest weakness is a lack of self-confidence and this is the raison d'être of his Formula. 

Here are his 5 steps to build your self-confidence (if you're serious) in my English:

The Self-Confidence Formula

1 - I know that I have the ability to achieve what I want in life and I demand of myself persistent, continuous action to get it.  And I now promise to take such action.

2 - I realise that the dominating thoughts in my mind will eventually reproduce themselves into physical action, and transform into physical reality. So, to make this happen, I will spend thirty minutes every day thinking of the person I intend to become. In this way, I create a clear mental image of my new reality.

3 - Because I know that any thought I persistently hold in my mind will eventually seek expression through practical means, I will devote ten minutes every day telling myself to develop my self-confidence.

4 -  I have a clearly written life purpose and I will never stop trying until I develop the self-confidence which will enable me to attain my life purpose.

5 - (a) I understand that wealth and position based on lies and injustice cannot last. Therefore, I will not engage in any transaction which does not benefit all whom it affects.

5 - (b) I will succeed by attracting the forces I wish to use, and the cooperation of others in my endeavour. It feels right and natural when it happens.

5 - (c) I will encourage others to serve me because of my willingness to serve others.

5 - (d) I will eliminate hatred, envy, jealousy, cynicism, and all other negative traits from my thoughts, and therefore from my psyche by developing love for myself first. 

Love for humanity flows from this. I will do this because I know that a negative attitude towards others only attracts failure. It can never bring me success.

5 - (e) I will make others believe in me because I believe in myself, and therefore I believe in them. We will be on the same vibrational wavelength.

5 - (f) I will sign my name to this Formula, memorise it, and repeat it out loud once a day with the absolute faith that it will influence, gradually, my thoughts and actions, so that I will become a self-reliant and successful person.

*     *     *

A little Napoleon Hill refresher on how to think and grow rich. Although, as he says these principles can be applied to any area of life.

° Use your imagination

 °Get an idea

  °Develop faith that the idea will work

   °Create a plan to bring the idea to fruition

    °Act on the plan

     °Persist with the plan until you succeed

      °Revise the plan after setbacks

       °Maintain the burning desire for success

        °Stay focussed on your goal

         °Persist, persist, persist!

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