making the most of what you have

Making The Most Of What You Have
On Nov. 18, 1995, Itzhak Perlman, the violinist, came on stage to give a concert at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City.
f you have ever been to a Perlman concert, you know that getting on stage is no small achievement for him. He was stricken with polio as a child, and so he has braces on both legs and walks with the aid of two crutches. To see him walk across the stage one step at a time, painfully and slowly, is an awesome sight. He walks painfully, yet majestically, until he reaches his chair. Then he sits down, slowly, puts his crutches on the floor, undoes the clasps on his legs, tucks one foot back and extends the other foot forward. Then he bends down and picks up the violin, puts it under his chin, nods to the conductor and proceeds to play.
By now, the audience is used to this ritual. They sit quietly while he makes his way across the stage to his chair. They remain reverently silent while he undoes the clasps on his legs. They wait until he is ready to play.
But this time, something went wrong. Just as he finished the first few bars, one of the strings on his violin broke. You could hear it snap - it went off like gunfire across the room.
There was no mistaking what that sound meant. There was no mistaking what he had to do. We figured that he would have to get up, put on the clasps again, pick up the crutches and limp his way off stage - to either find another violin or else find another string for this one.
But he didn't. Instead, he waited a moment, closed his eyes and then signaled the conductor to begin again. The orchestra began, and he played from where he had left off. And he played with such passion and such power and such purity as they had never heard before.
Of course, anyone knows that it is impossible to play a symphonic work with just three strings. I know that, and you know that, but that night Itzhak Perlman refused to know that.
You could see him modulating, changing, re-composing the piece in his head. At one point, it sounded like he was de-tuning the strings to get new sounds from them that they had never made before.
When he finished, there was an awesome silence in the room. And then people rose and cheered. There was an extraordinary outburst of applause from every corner of the auditorium. We were all on our feet, screaming and cheering, doing everything we could to show how much we appreciated what he had done.
He smiled, wiped the sweat from this brow, raised his bow to quiet us, and then he said - not boastfully, but in a quiet, pensive, reverent tone - "You know, sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left."
What a powerful line that is. It has stayed in my mind ever since I heard it. And who knows? Perhaps that is the definition of life - not just for artists but for all of us.
Here is a man who has prepared all his life to make music on a violin of four strings, who, all of a sudden, in the middle of a concert, finds himself with only three strings; so he makes music with three strings, and the music he made that night with just three strings was more beautiful, more sacred, more memorable, than any that he had ever made before, when he had four strings.
So, perhaps our task in this shaky, fast-changing, bewildering world in which we live is to make music, at first with all that we have, and then, when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we have left.
This story was so impressive to me that I wanted to share it with all of you!

QUOTE FOR 18.4.07

+++++++++++++++++ LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

Siblings are the people we practice on, the people who teach us about fairness and cooperation, kindness and caring - quite often the hard way. And that someone need not be perfect for you to love them.--Pamela Dugdale

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

No matter how small and unimportant what we are doing may seem, if we do it well, it may soon become the step that will lead us to better things. --Channing Pollock

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

A possibility was born the day you were born and it will live as long as you live. --Marcus Solero

QUOTE FOR 16.4.07

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
No soul is desolate as long as there is a human being for whom it can feel trust and reverence. --George Eliot
LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
The Law of Win/Win says, "Let's not do it your way or my way; let's do it the best way.--Greg Anderson
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
The strongest principle of growth lies in human choice. --George Eliot

quote for 15.4.07

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

Love doesn't sit there like a stone, it has to be made; remade all the time, made new. --Ursula K. LeGuin

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. --Winston Churchill

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:


Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. --Will Rogers

quote for 15.4.07

POSITIVE THOUGHTS+++++++++++++++++

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

The finest qualities of our nature, like the bloom on fruits, can be preserved only by the most delicate handling. Yet we do not treat ourselves nor one another thus tenderly. --Henry David Thoreau

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist. --Indira Gandhi

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
An uninspired mind is a handicap we all can do something about. --James R. Ball

quote for 14.4.07

POSITIVE THOUGHTS+++++++++++++++++
LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

To live is like to love--all reason is against it, and all healthy instinct is for it. --Samuel Butler

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

It is good to dream, but it is better to dream and work. Faith is mighty, but action with faith is mightier. Desiring is helpful, but work and desire are invincible. --Thomas Robert Gaines

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

Life's strict rule is this: You get more of what you focus on. Ignoring this, we abandon our healthiest, concentrative energies and court emotional upheaval. --Marsha Sinetar

quote for 12.4.07

+++++++++++++++++ LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact. --William James
LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:


Faith, to my mind, is a stiffening process, a sort of mental starch. --E. M. Forster
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

Death is no more than passing from one room into another. But there's a difference for me, you know. Because in that other room I shall be able to see. --Helen

the dash that matters!!!!!

POSITIVE NEWS WEEKLY++++++++++++++++++++
The DashCopyright 1998 by Linda Ellis

I read of a reverend who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.

He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth and spoke of the following date with tears.

But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth.

And now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;the cars...the house...the cash.

What matters is how we live and love and how we spendour dash.

So think about this long and hard.Are there things you'd liketo change?

For you never know how much time is left. You could be at dash mid-range.

If we could just slow down enoughto consider what's true and realand always try to understand
the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger and showappreciation more and love the people in our lives like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respectand more often wear a smile...remembering that this special dashmight only last a little while.

So when your eulogy's being read,with your life's actions to rehash,would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?

quote for 10.04.07

POSITIVE THOUGHTS+++++++++++++++++
LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact. --William James

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:


Faith, to my mind, is a stiffening process, a sort of mental starch. --E. M. Forster

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

Death is no more than passing from one room into another. But there's a difference for me, you know. Because in that other room I shall be able to see. --Helen

positive thoughts

POSITIVE THOUGHTS+++++++++++++++++

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:


Always kiss your children goodnight, even if they're already asleep. --H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work. --Booker T. Washington

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, thereare still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born. --Dale Turner

positive thoughts

POSITIVE THOUGHTS+++++++++++++++++

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

A very small degree of hope is sufficient to cause the birth of love. --Henri B. Stendhal

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Find a job you like and you add five days to every week. --H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up. --Paul Valery

quote for 030407

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
We judge others by their behavior but ourselves by our intentions.--Stephen Covey

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
If you have the will to win, you have achieved half of your success.--Author Unknown

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
Always give hundred percent, and you'll never have to second-guess yourself.--Author Unknown

quote for 040407

All Positive News, All the Time...News You Can Really Use!
++++++++++++++Positive Thoughts++++++++++++++

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
Love is the free exercise of choice. Two people love each other only when they are quite capable of living without each other but choose to live with each other. --M. Scott Peck

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
Hard work often leads to success. No work seldom does. --Harvey Mackay

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
Need and struggle are what excite and inspire us. --William James

STAY POSITIVE!

quote for 050407

+++++++++++++++++
LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
90% of love is appreciation. Let thoseyou love know how much you appreciate them... --MRP

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
Success comes from two things having a goal and persisting until you achieveit... --MRP

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
If you need inspiration look up into the night sky or into the eyes of another human, you'll see the same thing...eternity. --MRP

quote for the day

POSITIVE THOUGHTS+++++++++++++++++

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
Be happy in the moment, that's enough.Each moment is all we need, not more.--Mother Teresa

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
Every start upon an untrodden path is a venture which only in unusual circumstances seems sensible and likely to be successful.--Albert Schweitzer

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
Be willing to launch in faith, with no guarantees of success. This is the mark of personal greatness.--Brian Tracy

quote for the day

Positive Thoughts++++++++++++++

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection. --Buddha

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

The kind of people I look for to fill top management spots are the eager beavers, the mavericks. These are the guys who try to do more than they're expecting to do - always reach.--Lee Iacocca

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

It is better to suffer wrong than to do it, and happier to be sometimes cheated than not to trust.
--Samuel Johnson

quote for the day

Positive Thoughts++++++++++++++

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
To live is like to love--all reason is against it, and all healthy instinct is for it. --Samuel Butler

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

I like thinking of possibilities. At any time, an entirely new possibility is liable to come along and spin you off in an entirely new direction. The trick, I've learned, is to be awake to the moment. --Doug Hall

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

He who postpones the hour of living is like the rustic who waits for the river to run out before he crosses. --Horace

quote for the day

Positive Thoughts++++++++++++++

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
To live is like to love--all reason is against it, and all healthy instinct is for it. --Samuel Butler

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

I like thinking of possibilities. At any time, an entirely new possibility is liable to come along and spin you off in an entirely new direction. The trick, I've learned, is to be awake to the moment. --Doug Hall

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

He who postpones the hour of living is like the rusticwho waits for the river to run out before he crosses. --Horace

quote for the day

Positive Thoughts++++++++++++++

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
Friendship, like love, is destroyed by long absence, though it may be increased by short intermissions. --Samuel Johnson

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Latent abilities are like clay. It can be mud on shoes, brick in a building or a statue that will inspire all who see it. The clay is the same. The result is dependent on how it is used. --James F. Lincoln

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

Reflect that life, like every other blessing, derives its value from its use alone. --Samuel Johnson

quote for the day

Positive Thoughts++++++++++++++

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have. --Norman Vincent Peale

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
It's always too soon to quit! --Norman Vincent Peale

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
Knowledge is the food of the soul. --Plato

quote for the day

Positive Thoughts++++++++++++++

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
The finest qualities of our nature, like the bloom on fruits, can be preserved only by the most delicate handling. Yet we do not treat ourselves nor one another thus tenderly. --Henry David Thoreau

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Be like a postage stamp. Stick to it until you get there. --Harvey Mackay

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

This time, like all times, is a very good one if we but know what to do with it. --Ralph Waldo Emerson

a poem by tawana williams

LORD, WHY ME?
I often asked the question, Lord why me?
You must have seen something in me, which I didn't see
I know that I was not a mistake, because mistakes you
never make
How much more of this hurt and shame, Lord, how much more
can I take?
You see, man looks at the outside, but you looked on the inside,
and made sure that my heart was pure
You gave me power, and the will to fight, and you knew that
I would endure
But it wasn't easy, there was always a struggle, because I
always had to fit in
And I learned real quick that trying to fit in, always lead to sin
The devil slipped in and packaged sin, and made it look real good
I did things for money and drugs, I never thought I would
I should've none better, and listened to my elders, but, I learned
a valuable lesson
I went through so much, and the Lord brought me out, because he
knew, that I would be a blessing
Who would've ever thought that you would use me as you do, to
change the many lives of others, but I thank you for the spirit that
gave to me, to help my sisters and brothers
Lord, you saved me just in the knick of time, when I thought that it
was the end
I shall never let those words come out of my mouth, Lord why me,
ever again
By: Tawana Williams© 2005

an inspirational story

Positive Hero+++++++++++
Unarmed BUT Dangerous
The eagle is so powerful that it can even soar above an approaching storm.
It catches the wind by the tail and then rides the air currents. It does not fear.
It does not panic.

It only watches and waits until just the right moment and then aligns itself with
the coming force of nature. Then it rides, glides, and soars. Now just imagine
that same eagle without wings...

Without its wings, the eagle would be powerless. It would not be able to soar
above the earth, and we would miss the sight of him in flight. It would starve.
Without its wings, this magnificent bird of prey would die.

Like that eagle, we have all been created to soar. With outstretched arms,
we wait for our chance to catch a wave and soar. But my story is a bit different.
I learned to fly, even without wings.

Where do you turn when pain destroys every dream you ever had? When every
door of hope has been shut to you? For every fighter who has ever stood alone,
one woman's life tells the story of victory dawning after the darkest night.

Tawana Williams was a victim of brutal medical negligence. Born without arms
and with impaired use of her legs. Her compelling life story reveals a will to
survive the anguish of physical defect and the shame of abuse and isolation.

Unable to fight with human hands, she fought in spirit, and yet lives to stand
through the grace and courage. This is why she likes to tell others that because
of her relationship with God, she considers herself "Un-armed but Dangerous! "

Born in Wilson, NC, in 1963, Tawana was trained as a baby to use her feet as
hands. She can do just about anything that someone with arms can do, even
braid hair and write a check.

The words "I can't" are not in Tawana Williams' vocabulary. Tawana will simply
tell you that if you decide to do something in your life, you can do it. She knows
this lesson because she lives it everyday of her life.

I pray that my story will encourage you to live without excuses and even if your
wings get broken, make the attempt to fly. I believe that if you will try, then you
will live. If you don't, then like the eagle without wings, your dreams will surely die.

Tawana is the author of two books, "I'm Different but I Can" and "Unarmed but
Dangerous," which was released in 2005. She is also a professional speaker,
artist, poet, and vocalist. Tawana captivates her audiences with her boldness
and her ability to do what others might think is impossible.

"My mission is to make a positive impact in the lives of people, primarily through my message of hope and inspiration. I want to assist them in achieving their highest potentials and goals by sharing my message of triumph." --Tawana Williams

To learn more about Tawana please visit her website http://www.tawanawilliams.com

quote for the day

Positive Thoughts++++++++++++++
LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods. --Aristotle

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
The will to conquer is the first condition of victory.--Marshal Ferdinand Foch

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
Faith that the thing can be done is essentialto any great achievement. --Thomas N. Carrurther

quote for 12.03.07

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
I want love, because love is the best feeling in the whole world. --Fairuza Balk
LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority. --Ken Blanchard
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase. --Martin Luther King, Jr.

All Positive News, All the Time...News You Can Really Use!
LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
God created people to help each other but God created mothers only to love.--Alexender
LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
Remember it's easy to lose focus if you are not focused.--Author Unknown
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
Don't expect a great day; make one

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
Laughter is the one form of communication every culture can understand.--Author Unknown
LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
There are two conditions in life: accept things as they exist, or accept responsibility for changing them. --Dr. Denis Waitley
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
Life goes on. Keep the faith.--Author Unknown

quote for 13.3.07

All Positive News, All the Time...News You Can Really Use!
++++++++++++++Positive Thoughts++++++++++++++ LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

The more we live by our intellect, the less we understand the meaning of life.--Leo Tolstoy

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center.--Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

Everything in this world was declared impossible before it was actually done.--Author Unknown

quote for 14.03.07

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

Forget yourself and you will not be forgotten.--Author Unknown

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It's quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure.

You're thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn't at all. You can be discouraged by failure - or you can learn from it.

So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can.
Because, remember that's where you'll find success.
--Thomas J. Watson

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.--Buddha

quote for 07.03.07

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
Love is like playing the piano. First you must learn to play by
the rules, then you must forget the rules and play from your heart.
--Unknown

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Be proud of how far you have come, have faith as to how far you
can go. --Kyle Roberts

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

I live by this credo: Have a little laugh at life and look around you for
happiness instead of sadness. Laughter has always brought me out
of unhappy situations. Even in your darkest moment, you usually can
find something to laugh about if you try hard enough. --Red Skelton

quote for 08.03.07

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
Friendship is the greatest aspect of the world.--Kyle Roberts

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down.--Mary Pickford

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. --Vesalius

quote for 12.03.07

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
The time for action is now. It's never too late to do something. --Carl Sandburg

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

What I do today is important because I am paying a day of my life for it. What I accomplish must be worthwhile because the price is high. --Author Unknown

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.--Carlos Castaneda

QUOTE FOR 090307

All Positive News, All the Time...News You Can Really Use!

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.--M. Kathleen Casey

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Your future depends on many things , but mostly on you.

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

Life is like riding a bike. It is impossible to maintain your balance while standing still. --Linda Brakeall

One Jar of Mayonnaise and 2 cups of coffee

One Jar of Mayonnaise and 2 cups of coffee.

When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours ina day isn't enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in frontof him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large andempty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He thenasked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas betweenthe golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. Theyagreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Ofcourse, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jarwas full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table andpoured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty spacebetween the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you torecognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important thingsour family, your children, your health, your friends and your favourite passionsnd if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house andyour car.The sand is everything else--the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golfballs.

The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important toyou.

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out todinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house andfix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that reallymatter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffeerepresented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked.It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."Please share this with someone you care about...

DOES EVIL EXIST??????

Did God create everything that exists? Does evil exist? Did God create evil?

A University professor at a well known institution of higher learning challenged his students with this question: “Did God create everything that exists?”
A student bravely replied, “Yes he did!”
“God created everything?” The professor asked.
“Yes sir, he certainly did,” the student replied.
The professor answered, “If God created everything; then God created evil. And, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then we can assume God is evil.”
The student became quiet and did not answer the professor’s hypothetical definition. The professor, quite pleased with himself, boasted to the students that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.
Another student raised his hand and said, “May I ask you a question, professor?”
“Of course”, replied the professor.
The student stood up and asked, “Professor, does cold exist?”
“What kind of question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?” The other students snickered at the young man’s question.
The young man replied, “In fact, sir, cold does not exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-460 F) is the total absence of heat and all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no heat.”
The student continued, “Professor, does darkness exist?”
The professor responded, “Of course it does.”
The student replied, “Once again you are wrong, sir; darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact, we can use Newton’s prism to break white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn’t this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present.”
Finally the young man asked the professor, “Sir, does evil exist?”
Now uncertain, the professor responded, “Of course, as I have already said. We see it everyday. It is in the daily examples of man’s inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.”
To this the student replied, “Evil does not exist, sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold … a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God’s love present in his heart. It’s like the cold that comes when there is no heat, or the darkness that comes when there is no light.”
The professor sat down.
The young man’s name — Albert Einstein…
(Author unknown)

PROCRASTINATION

Have you ever thought about why you procrastinate? Years ago I discovered that my tendency to procrastinate had its roots in teenage rebellion against my mother! When I realized how little value that rebellion had for me as an adult, I could effectively change my behavior. Procrastination is a habit, and one that can be changed- if you are willing. If you have a big project or bigdream, procrastinating will just delay it forever and find you regretting the lack of action later.When I was working on my PhD dissertation, I found myself delaying for months because it was such as huge task. FinallyI made a deal with myself: I would work on it every morningfor 2 hours. Once I did that, I could do anything I wanted to for the rest of the day! What happened is I started getting involved with the project, working 5 to 7 hours a day on it, and the draftwas finished in 6 weeks.

1. Start by taking care of some of those small tasks right away.When you do, congratulate yourself. Go to the mirror and praiseyourself.

2. Create some affirmations for your new way to deal with things."It feels great to be taking care of things easily and quickly!"(Note- do not use the word procrastination in your affirmationsbecause that gives your subconscious mind the very image ofwhat you want to change.)

3. List a few "instant tasks." What are some immediate thingsyou could take care of?

4. If you're working on a big project that seems daunting, setaside a short block of time to work on it, say 15 - 30 minutes.Establish mini-deadlines.

5. Set priorities. What are the most important tasks that needto be accomplished? Write them down and schedule them.

6. Use the magic "if." I just can\'t, but IF I could, what would I do?On the days I didn\'t feel like working on my dissertation, I would do something mindless like typing up the book list or the table of contents.

7. Recognize any fears, breathe, and let them go.

8. Identify your most creative time during the day and schedulethat time for your project.

9. Ask yourself, "How will I feel in 5 years if I don\'t put energytoward this goal?"

10. Stop judging yourself for procrastinating. Accept yourself, evenwhen you are procrastinating. Then forgive yourself and get going!

Feel free to forward this to friends and family with our copyright intact.Have a great week-end and a joyful holiday season,Love and blessings, Patricia and RickP.S. Don\'t procrastinate- check out our great holiday specials!My book with screensaver at no extra cost, discounts on our mostpopular products, and more..... go to:http://www.heartinspired.com/HS.htm© Heart Inspired Presentations, 2006http://www.heartinspired.comInspiring people the world over to a higher levelof thinking about who they are, what they\'ve got,and how to have a more powerful positive impacton the world around them.Patricia Crane, Ph.D. and Rick NicholsHeart Inspired PresentationsPO Box 1081, Bonsall, CA 92003 USA800-969-4584 or 760-728-8783If you no longer wish to receive communication from us:http://autocontactor.com/app/r.asp?ID\u003d34998200&ARID\u003d0To update your contact information:http://autocontactor.com/app/r.asp?c\u003d1&ID\u003d34998200",0]
);
//-->
!

quote for the day

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
All of us need to grow continuously in our lives. --Les Brown
LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success. --Dale Carnegie
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
Other people's opinion of you does not have to become your reality. --Les Brown

quote for the day

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
All of us need to grow continuously in our lives. --Les Brown
LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success. --Dale Carnegie
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
Other people's opinion of you does not have to become your reality. --Les Brown

quote for the day

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
Can miles truly separate you from friends... If you want to be with someone you love, aren't you already there? --Richard Bach
LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars. --Les Brown
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
We must look for ways to be an active force in our own lives. We must take charge of our own destinies, design a life of substance and truly begin to live our dreams. --Les Brown

quote for the day

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
It's no accident, that when you look closely into the eyes of another, the very first thing you see, is yourself.
That when you hold their hand, you can feel your own warmth. And that when you give of yourself, you give to yourself.
LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
Many a one has succeeded only because he has failed after repeated efforts. If he had never met defeat, he would never have known any great victory. --Orison Sweet Marden
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
You can't think your way into acting positively, but you can act your way into thinking positively. --Nido

quote for the day

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
Love begins on the inside.--Uknown
LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
To lead a symphony, You must turn your back on the crowd.--Unknown
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
It's all right letting yourself go, As long as you can get yourself back.--Mick Jagger

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
To watch is not to love.--Carl Jung
LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
Don't find fault, find a remedy.--- Henry Ford
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
Life goes on. Keep the faith.--Author Unknown

quote for a day

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
Assuming that just because you can hear, you can listen...Is like assuming that just because you can see, you can read...--Dr. Tony Alessandra
LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
There is no education like adversity.--Benjamin Disraeli
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
Don't expect a great day; create one.--Author Unknown

quote for the day

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
The worst prison would be a closed heart.--Pope John Paul II
LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
No other success can compensate for failure in the home. --David O. McKay
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
A solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities. --Maya Angelou

quote for the day

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
If you have love in your life, you have life. --Bernhard Goetz
LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
I better love what I do or else I'm the kind of person who would say, I'm out of here. --Kate Hudson
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
Motivation will almost always beat mere talent. --Norman Ralph Augustine

daily positive quotes

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
Love must have wings to fly away from love, and to fly back again. --Edwin A. Robinson
LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:
One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency. --Arnold H. Glasow
MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better. --Martin Luther King, Jr.

meaning n fulfillment in yr job

Most people want meaning and fulfillment in their work, not just a 9:-5: job that pays the bills. If your heart is longing for a new career, read these tips and put them into action!

1. Be happy with who you are where you are right now. Practice feeling as though you are in your ideal work wherever you are right now. Don't wait to be happy or accept yourself "until... ' you lose he weight, meet the right partner, get the great job. The time is NOW.

2. Practice living your life purpose right now. What are the values you live by, no matter where you go? Express those!

3. Identify your important past accomplishments, starting from your earliest memories. What's important about them today?

4. Identify your unique skills and abilities and favorite activities. Make a list- brag on yourself! Ask your friends what they see as your skills and abilities. Notice what you do easily. What do others ask you to do?

5. Focus on what excites you, what you feel passionate about. What do you want to share with others? What is your mission?

6. Synthesize and converge. Bring together 3, 4, and 5 above to develop some possibilities for your ideal work.

7. Research the possibilities. Talk to people who do similar work or go on the internet. See if you can find a unique niche for yourself.

8. Create positive affirmations and practice visualizations to attract the people and resources you need. Spend time with these every day."It is wonderful to be using all my talents and abilities in my ideal career position! I am confident I earn a wonderful living doing work and service that is important to me."

9. Develop a plan for manifesting your ideal life work. What are the steps you need to take? Affirm AND take action. Years ago I affirmed that I was an international workshop leader. Before that happened, I was busy leading local workshops and improving my skills.

10. Be patient! It's true you can "do what you love and the money will follow," but if you ask people who are making a good living at what they love, they will usually tell you it took a lot of hard work and time.

ten ways to say i love u

LOVE ALL OVER THE PLANET!
10 Ways to say "I love you" . . .
1. English - I love you.
2. Native American, Hopi - Nu' umi unangw'ta
3. Native American, Sioux - Techihhila
4. Burmese - Chit pa te
5. Chinese - Wuo ai nee (Mandarin)
6. Finnish - Je t'aime
7. French - Je t'adore
8. Gaelic (Irish) - Tá mé i ngrá leat(literally: Am I in love with-you / meaning: I'm in love with you)
9. Japanese - Kimi o ai shiteru
10. Spanish/Latin - Te amo
How ever these words are spoken or written they are always beautiful

some quotes for valentine

Today's tips are a mix of lovely quotes and tips.

'The best and most beautiful things cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart.'

Helen KellerStart with yourself. Ask: 'Am I being loving and accepting to myself? Am I willing to stop criticizing myself?' When you love and accept yourself, you project an energy that is attractive to others, and it's also easier to love others. Look at people with compassion and love. They are doing the best they can with the knowledge and understanding they have at the time.

'There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.' - Mother Teresa

When going to a gathering or meeting of any kind, before you go in, mentally project love around you and the entire group. Then notice the miracles of connection that happen!

Forgive the past. Forgive yourself and others to let go of the old baggage and make room for more love. Right now, instead of just reading on, stop and ask yourself, 'who do I most need to forgive?' Then be willing to do it. 'Throughout eternity, I forgive you and you forgive me.'

A short poem by William Blake to his wife on the need to continually forgive the one closest to us.

Looking for the perfect partner? Instead of trying to figure out where to meet him or her, trust that the Universe will guide you to the right place. I met Rick in a church bookstore, at the time not even thinking about finding a partner! If you're in an intimate relationship, how can you show your partner more love, not just around special days like your anniversary or Valentine's Day,but all year long? 'Love doesn't make the world go 'round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.'- Franklin P. Jones

Think of someone in your life who seems difficult to love- a family member, co-worker, or acquaintance. Close your eyes and mentally tell that person, 'I am willing to accept you as doing the best you can. I send you love.'Write love notes to yourself or buy lovely cards and send them to yourself. Buy yourself some flowers! For the next few days, whenever you speak to someone you know, tell the person something you like or appreciate about them. Then make it a habit.'As you continue to send out love, the energy returns to you in a regenerating spiral... As love accumulates, it keeps your system in balance and harmony. Love is the tool, and more love is the end product.' Sara Paddison

not giving up

Not Giving Up
I can remember a period in my life when I was unemployed and money was running short. I needed a job very badly and it seemed as if no one was hiring.
A very good friend of mine approached me one day with an offer. "I'm going to have to let this job go and I was wondering if you would like to take it over?"
"That would be great," I replied.
I went to speak with the manager and he said he could use me, but never gave me a start date. Really needing the job, I made it a point to go and check in with him every day.
I knew he would eventually get tired of me and give me a starting period. Finally one day he said, "You can start Monday morning."
Come Monday morning, I showed up for work extra early. I was ready to do my best. When I went inside I was informed that I would be buffing the floors. My friend was there to show me how to operate the buffer.
"It's real easy," he said, running the machine very smoothly.
He handed it over to me and said, "Here, you give it a try."
I grabbed the handles with a "no problem" attitude and gave it some gas. To my surprise, the buffer whipped around in a big circle, running over my friend's brand new pair of boots, and sending him jumping up on a check-out counter.
Several times, I tried to run it again and failed. I really had to fight that thing to make it go.
"What am I going to do?" I thought to myself. "I finally found a job and I can't do it. Am I going to have to tell them I have to quit?"
After several rough days of buffing, I finally made up my mind that I was going to do this. For about a week, I struggled with the buffer, putting all my weight and strength into it.
Eventually, I learned the trick was not to struggle with it at all, just go with the flow of it, and by the second week, I was showing off and running it with one hand.
A few months later, I thought back and wondered what would have happened if I had given up that first week. I certainly would not have had the newfound confidence or a paycheck.
Sometime after that experience, I started a new job that required the use of a buffer. I even had to train others to use it, and I always got a kick out of seeing them run it for the first time.
I knew, though, if they stuck with it, they would do just fine; they just needed a little encouragement and a lot of practice.
Michael Jordan said, "Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it."
--Kip Davis

do you have a reason to love someone? think again!

i have no reason to love any one of you.................................. yet i love you all.

Lady : Why do you like me..? Why do you love me?
Man : I can't tell the reason.. but I really like you..
Lady : You can't even tell me the reason... how can you say you like me? How can you say you love me?
Man : I really don't know the reason, but I can prove that I love you.
Lady : Proof? No! I want you to tell me the reason. My friend's boyfriend can tell her why he loves her but not you!
Man : Ok..ok!!! Erm... because you are beautiful, because your voice is sweet, because you are caring, because you are loving, because you are thoughtful, because of your smile, because of your every movements. The lady felt very satisfied with the man's answer.
Unfortunately, a few days later, the Lady met with an accident and became comma.

The Guy then placed a letter by her side, and here is the content: Darling, Because of your sweet voice that I love you... Now can you talk? No! Therefore I cannot love you?
Because of your care and concern that I like you...Now that you cannot show them, therefore I cannot love you?

Because of your smile, because of your every movements that I love you.. Now can you smile? Now can you move? No, therefore I cannot love you...?

If love needs a reason, like now, there is no reason for me to love you anymore. Do love need a reason? NO! Therefore, I still love you... And love doesn't need a reason... " Sometimes the best and the most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, cannot be touched, but can be felt in the heart " " The meaning of true love is not finding the perfect person but to love the imperfect person perfectly " Love doesnt need a reason... its something you can feel burning inside your heart and cannot be explain...

how will you touchthe life of someone today???

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking
Written by a former child Author Unknown

A message every adult should read, because children are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's alright to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.


When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, 'Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.'

Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher or friend) influences the life of a child. How will you touch the life of someone today?

I Wish You Enough

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

It's always worthwhile to love.

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Goals, actions, success...are inseparable; they go together.

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

Be happy right now. Smile. Laugh. Enjoy. NOW is the time!

+++++++++++++
A Positive Story
+++++++++++++

I Wish You Enough
Recently at an airport I overheard a father and daughter
in their last moments together. They had announced
her departure and standing near the security gate,
they hugged and he said, "I love you, I wish you enough."

She in turn said, "Daddy, our life together has been
more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed,
I wish you enough, too, Daddy."

They kissed and she left. He walked over toward
the window where I was seated. Standing there
I could see he wanted and needed to cry.

I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed
me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to
someone knowing it would be forever?"

"Yes, I have," I replied, "forgive me for asking,
but why is this a forever good-bye?" I asked.

"I am old and she lives much too far away. I have
challenges ahead and the reality is, the next trip
back would be for my funeral," he said.

"When you were saying good-bye I heard you
say, 'I wish you enough." May I ask what that means?"

He began to smile. "That's a wish that has been
handed down from other generations. My parents
used to say it to everyone." He paused for a moment
and looking up as if trying to remember it in detail,
he smiled even more.

"When we said 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting
the other person to have a life filled with just enough
good things to sustain them," he continued and then
turning toward me he shared the following as if he
were reciting it from memory.

"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude
bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the
sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep
your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that
the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.


I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you
possess. I wish enough "Hello's" to get you
through the final "Good-bye."

Tears filled his eyes and he walked away.

some good quotes for new year

Positive Thoughts
++++++++++++++++

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

I don't know what I want, but all in all I know what I don't want.
--T. Littner

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

In all things, be willing to listen to people around you.
None of us is really smart enough to go it alone.
--John Clendenin

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

Never acquire a lifestyle you are willing to sell your
soul to keep.

++++++++++++++++++++++++
Positive News Weekly Story
++++++++++++++++++++++++

Here's a list of "gifts" we all can give and receive all year long!

PRICELESS GIFTS

THE GIFT OF LISTENING:

No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your responses.
Just listen.

THE GIFT OF AFFECTION:

Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back, and handholding.

THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER:

Share articles, positive news, funny stories, and cartoons to tell someone,
"I love to laugh with you."

THE GIFT OF A COMPLIMENT:

A simple and sincere "You look great in red," "You did a super job," or "That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day.

THE GIFT OF SOLITUDE:

Be sensitive to the times when others want nothing more than to be left alone.

THE GIFT OF A CHEERFUL DISPOSITION:

The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone, even if it's just saying hello or thank you.

THE GIFT OF A PRAYER:

Let your friends and loved ones know you pray for them.

THE GIFT OF FRIENDSHIP:

Without friends life would hardly be worth living, let your friends know just how much they mean to you today.

THE GIFT OF YOUR SMILE:

A simple smile breaks all the barriers of language and culture.

Smile and the world smiles with you!

--Rod Chaplin

TIPS FOR INCREASING HAPPINESS

BY By Remez Sasson

Here are a few tips for increasing happiness in daily life:

1) Endeavor to change the way you look at things. Always look at the bright side. The mind may drag you to think about negativity and difficulties. Don't let it. Look at the good and positive side of every situation.

2) Think of solutions, not problems.

3) Listen to relaxing, uplifting music.

4) Watch funny comedies that make you laugh.

5) Each day, devote some time to reading a few pages of an inspiring book or article.

6) Watch your thoughts. Whenever you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, start thinking of pleasant things.

7) Always look at what you have done and not at what you haven't.
Sometimes you may begin the day with the desire to accomplish several objectives. At the end of the day you might feel frustrated and unhappy, because you haven't been able to do all of those things.

Look at what you have done, not at what you have not been able to do. You may have accomplished a lot during the day, and yet you let yourself become frustrated, because of some small things that you did not accomplish. You have spent all day successfully carrying out many plans, and instead of feeling happy and satisfied, you look at what was not accomplished and feel unhappy. It is unfair toward yourself.

8) Each day do something good for yourself. It can be something small, such buying a book, eating something you love, watching you favorite program on TV, going to a movie, or just having a stroll on the beach.

9) Each day do at least one act to make others happy. This can be a kind word, helping your colleagues, stopping your car at the crossroad to let people cross, giving your seat in a bus to someone else, or giving a small present to someone you love. The possibilities are infinite. When you make someone happy, you become happy, and then people try to make you happy.

10) Always expect happiness.

11) Do not envy people who are happy. On the contrary, be happy for their happiness.

12) Associate with happy people, and try to learn from them to be happy. Remember, happiness is contagious.

13) Do your best to stay detached, when things do not proceed as intended and desired. Detachment will help you stay calm and control your moods and reactions. Detachment is not indifference. It is the acceptance of the good and the bad and staying balanced. Detachment has much to do with inner peace, and inner peace is conductive to happiness.

14) Smile more often.

Winners vs Losers

A winner is always part of the answer.
A loser is always part of the problem.

A winner always has a plan.
A loser always has an excuse.

A winner says: "Let me do it for you."
A loser says: "That is not my job."

A winner sees an answer for any problem.
A loser sees a problem for any answer.

A winner sees a green near every sandtrap.
A loser sees two sandtraps near every green.

A winner says: "It may be difficult but it's possible."
A loser says: "It may be possible but it's too difficult."



Author Unknown

Positive Thoughts for Today

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

Take away love, and our earth is a tomb.
--Robert Browning

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Outstanding leaders go out of the way to boost the
self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe
in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish.
--Sam Walton

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

The world is moved not only by the mighty shoves of
the heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny
pushes of each honest worker.
--Helen Keller

POSITIVE THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

Be curious, not judgmental.
-Walt Whitman

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

The great use of life is to spend it
for something that will outlast it.
-William James




MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:



All life is an experiment.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

SOAR AS HIGH AS YOU LIKE

SOAR AS HIGH AS YOU LIKE – BUT FOR GOD’S SAKE,
GET YOUR SAFETY NET IN PLACE FIRST!
by Rajen Devadason


Money isn’t the most important thing in life,
but it’s reasonably close to oxygen on the ‘gotta have it’ scale.

Zig Ziglar

Have you ever been to the circus and watched aerial artistes go through their motions on a high wire act?

If so, you should also have noticed, at least in passing, that the safety net strung out directly below the acrobats serves a rather important function.

To succeed in our financial lives, we too need a ‘safety net’. In my Malaysia-based financial planning practice, I insist that each carefully selected client puts in place a reserve fund of between 3 and 12 months’ expenses.

I call this reserve fund an emergency buffer account. Its purpose is to provide fiscal and emotional stability during times of economic upheaval.

You see, for most of us normal people, our biggest asset is not anything that shows up in a conventional net worth statement.

A net worth statement is nothing more than a simple listing of material assets and liabilities, which allows for quick calculation of your net worth position. (It’s quick because your net worth is mathematically derived by this simple formula:

NET WORTH = ASSETS minus LIABILITIES

Typical items that show up on the plus side of a net worth statement are key assets like cash, stocks, mutual funds or unit trusts, vehicles, gold, real estate and jewellery. Normal liability line items are home mortgages, credit card balances, car loans and family loans.

All these are important, but the biggest asset a person has is not one of the key assets I mentioned. The biggest asset for most of us is our capacity to earn money for 20, 30 or 40 years at our jobs.

Yet, let’s face it, most of the money most of us will ever earn quickly evaporates as personal expenses, interest charges or taxes.

Clearly, to be successful financially, we have to reduce that seemingly persistent rate of evaporation. Let me be blunt:

Our long-term future wealth can only be built from the bricks and mortar of the financial surplus we set aside each month.

This surplus should usually be invested in assets that fluctuate in value. It has been historically proven through more than 200 years of equity market data that those who are most able to ride the ups and downs of markets are the ones who tend to accumulate the most wealth.

But to be able to ride those nerve-wracking but eventually profitable fluctuations, you must have a safety net whose strong strands are made of cold hard cash. This safety net is your emergency buffer account.

However, if you’re concerned that you don’t know enough about investing to risk putting down real money in real investment markets, then what you need as much as an emergency buffer account is an education programme.

My FREE e-book 26 Books to Take YOU All the Way to the TOP! is an ideal resource to help you begin a five-year self-study programme in personal finance, economics and investing.

You are welcome to download this e-book at the main page of http://www.rajendevadason.com. Just scroll down to the E-bookstore section, click on its icon, and follow the download instructions.

Now, as I was saying about the ups and downs of markets, you will find that fluctuations in investment asset values usually go hand in hand with the dips and rises of the general economy.

The perverse side of Nature that has caused Murphy’s Law (‘if anything can go wrong, it will’) to gain such wide prominence is that in most cases when you need extra cash because of a downturn in your personal, internal economy, the entire external economy also chooses that moment to falter.

The only way to safely ride the bumps in our economies - general and specific - is to have our financial safety net in place.

So, look at your own circumstances, check your various bank balances, other savings and investment balances and figure out just how long you can last if a catastrophe takes place today that stops you from actively earning a living for one full year.

Be honest now, can you last a week, a month, three months, six months, nine months, or a year?

Only you can answer that question.

I hope you do just that because the answer you give the person you see in the mirror will help you confront honestly where you are in your life’s financial journey.

Again, your willingness to invest resources in educating yourself is directly correlated to your chances of long-term success in the financial arena. If you see yourself as a rookie in this field, then my very first book, Your A-Z Guide to the Stock Market – And all You Need to Know About Capital Terms, is a great resource. It contains 1,001 terms that are usefully cross-linked to help you take a self-directed journey of financial self-education. (If you would like to order a copy, do drop my associate Steven Poh an email at mailto:steven@i2media.com.my).


PRACTICAL STEPS YOU CAN TAKE!

Now, here are my guidelines on emergency buffer establishment for your consideration:

If you are employed by an established, healthy company that is unlikely to go bust anytime soon, put in place savings amounting to between three and six months’ normal expenses. If your boss loves you to bits and can’t get along without you, three months is plenty. But if your boss would love nothing better than to tear you to bits and spit out the pieces, err on the high side!

If you are self-employed, running your own business, make sure you have at least six months’ expenses available in savings if your business is in good shape with many clients who pay on time. If business is shaky, then opt for an increased buffer size. Having a full year’s reserves is generally more than enough for most people.

Warning: It may take as long as three years to build this buffer. So, keep at it and save diligently.

And remember, your emergency buffer is for emergencies, not for exciting ‘opportunities’ like a great sale at the local department store! Having your buffer will give you financial stability.

This stability will help you weather the ups and downs of the investment markets.

Just one point before I conclude: If you currently have very little saved as a buffer, you are in a financially precarious position.

It is imperative that you reduce your near-term expenses and build up your reserves as fast as you can to your targeted sum.

For most people, doing so usually takes anything from 12 to 36 months. It’ll be a long slog, unless you suddenly have a massive bonus land on your lap or have an investment go ballistic.

Do yourself a favour. Don’t bank on or hope for some strange occurrence to provide you with the funds needed to weave that safety net. Just do the work and set the money aside in a safe place where yields may be low but certainty of return is high.

DON’T LET GO OF YOUR DREAMS

DON’T LET GO OF YOUR DREAMS – NOT AGAIN!

by Rajen Devadason

Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there,
wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to
dream before.

Edgar Allan Poe


You wake up screaming!

Your spouse calms you down; reassuring you it was just another nightmare.

Even as you settle back and start drifting into slumber again, you wonder why the only dreams you have nowadays are bad ones.

What happened to your once fertile imagination that was able to conjure exciting, almost always enjoyable dreams; pleasurable mental movies you could play against the screen of your inner eyelids day or night, awake or asleep?

The problem so many of us face in daily life is one of encroaching walls; figurative rock faces that creep toward us inexorably, leaving us with less and less room to manoeuvre.

If you remember the trash compressor scene in Star Wars where Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker are trapped, we’ll be on the same wavelength!

When we were younger, it seemed our imaginations allowed us to roam the world, making it our stage or better yet our playground.

But we allowed ourselves to grow up - and not always in the right way. Many of us have lost the ability to dream big, great dreams that fuel mental excursions.

And that’s tragic, because those exciting journeys within our skulls are the only things that permit us to grow beyond the normal confines of our too often drab lives.

Thankfully, none of us has totally lost that ability to dream and imagine. I can prove it!

When you’re stuck behind a desk that seems to have grown shackles that attach themselves to your ankles and wrists, don’t you readily dream of a better place, a better way of life?

The problem is those dreams tend not to last too long. Someone or something is always crashing into our reality, bringing us back to earth with a rather hard bump.

But if we want to lay claim to a life that is bigger than the one we now live, we must recapture that long-lost childhood facility to dream good dreams for sustained periods.

You see, being able to see beyond things as they are now, through rosy mists of future probability and then perceiving them as they might be, is the common denominator of life’s big winners.

If they can do it, so can you, because all of humanity shares that God-given endowment. As Stephen Covey puts it, “In addition to self-awareness, we have imagination - the ability to create in our minds beyond our present reality.”

If you use your ability to imagine properly, it will expand into one of the most potent time management tools at your disposal - your capacity to idealise and dream of a better future.

Of course, we all know people who do nothing but dream. I’m not asking you to become such an airhead. I’m saying you need to give yourself permission to look beyond perhaps the grey, drab walls of your existence and ask yourself if this is the rich, abundant life God created you for.

Most people would have to say NO.

That would be a great first step.

The second is to grant yourself permission to daydream actively for short spells at a time - even if it is only for 30 seconds while stuck in a traffic jam. (Of course, if you commute to work using public transport, you have even more time at your disposal.)

So, get a dedicated little notebook and jot down whatever comes to mind during these brief, but precious mental excursions.


MY OWN EXPERIENCE

I remember doing a similar exercise about a decade ago, when I felt trapped in a great paying job that was nonetheless squeezing every drop of joy out of my life.

And so I dreamt and wrote, wrote and dreamt, and then wrote some more.

If you think that a similar exercise will help you detect what’s important to you, then you really should get to know yourself better by tapping into your dream bank.

I consider this so important that Step 2 in my e-book 5 Steps to a Saner Life is DREAM.

Most people know how to dream at night. But they have a problem retaining their far more vital lifetime dreams within a solid framework for awakened review.

Such a pragmatic framework allows those who know how to go about it well to follow up on those dreams, to prioritise them, then to take action on the most exciting ones.

Are you among those who want to recapture lost dreams but are not sure how to do so? Then, 5 Steps to a Saner Life includes a starter list of such dreams. It contains the outrageous mingled with the challenging and practical. You can buy your own copy of this great e-book by returning to the main page of http://www.rajendevadason.com, and scrolling down to the E-bookstore section.

After a long while of working through practical exercises of dream harvesting, I began noticing a pattern in where my thoughts kept taking me.

I spent a long time charting my dreams and thoughts. Then came the time to stop dreaming and to take action!

I had to gather my courage and walk away from the security of that soul-sapping high-paying job onto a path only dimly lit by the lamp of those written dreams.

Since then, some months, even years, have been very hard. But looking back, it’s been worth it to get from there to here.

I’m not asking you to quit your job. Just to give yourself permission to start to dream again.

And then to have the courage to pursue the right dreams.

In this context, I love what Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “To be thrown upon one’s own resources is to be cast into the very lap of fortune; for our faculties then undergo a development and display an energy of which they were previously unsusceptible.”

And so, the way I see it, finding the courage to reignite your latent ability to dream and having the discipline to record those dreams is just a tiny, tiny step away from giving yourself permission to truly start living again!

INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHTS

Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.
******************************************
When the door of happiness closes, another opens, but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has been opened for us.
******************************************
It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.
******************************************
Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too.
******************************************
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
******************************************
Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives. Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
******************************************
source : www.superlaugh.com
Contributed by nitya

DAILY POSITIVE THOUGHTS 4.4.06

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

Don't marry the person you think you can live with;
marry only the individual you think you can't live
without. --James C. Dobson

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried
is the true failure. --George E. Woodberry

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

In faith there is enough light for those who want to
believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.
--Blaise Pascal

DAILY POSITIVE QUOTES

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

The way to love anything is to realize that it may be lost.
--Gilbert K. Chesterton

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

What is success? I think it is a mixture of having a flair
for the thing that you are doing; knowing that it is not
enough, that you have got to have hard work and a certain
sense of purpose. --Margaret Thatcher

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

If you take responsibility for yourself you will develop
a hunger to accomplish your dreams. --Les Brown

DAILY POSITIVE THOUGHTS

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

Love does not dominate; it cultivates.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure
are two of the surest stepping stones to success.
Dale Carnegie

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

All men who have achieved great things have been great dreamers.
Orison Swett Marden

DAILY POSITIVE THOUGHTS

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

Love does not dominate; it cultivates.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure
are two of the surest stepping stones to success.
Dale Carnegie

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

All men who have achieved great things have been great dreamers.
Orison Swett Marden

DAILY POSITIVE THOUGHTS

Do all things with love.
Og Mandino

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed
is more important than any other.
Abraham Lincoln

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at
earth and you get neither.
C. S. Lewis

DAILY POSITIVE THOUGHTS

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

There is always a Higher and Lower Way,
your Choice is Your Way!

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Twenty years from now, you will be more
disappointed by the things you did NOT do
than by the things you did.

So, throw off the bowlines...
Sail away from the safe harbor.

Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore...Dream...Discover.
--Mark Twain

DAILY POSITIVE THOUGHTS

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much
the heart can hold. --Zelda Fitzgerald

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Time is at once the most valuable and the most perishable
of all our possessions. --John Randolph

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the
whole staircase. --Martin Luther King, Jr.

FULLFILL YOUR GOAL

The more intensely we feel about an idea or a goal,
the more assuredly the idea,
buried deep in our subconscious,
will direct us along the path to its fulfillment.


Earl Nightingale

ATTITUDE

There is a little difference in people,
but that little difference makes a big difference.
That little difference is attitude.
The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.

W. Clement Stone

The Thread of a Dream By Denis Waitley

When I was researching the history of the building of the Brooklyn Bridge
as a major illustration for the ideas of success and motivation, I became
engrossed with the story of how the first bridge was built over Niagara Falls.



You see, to build a bridge over a giant gorge, first you have to get a line
over the canyon, from one side to the other. Easier said than done at
Niagara Falls.



The engineers couldn't cross the falls in a boat to take the line from one
side to the other because the boat would go over the falls. And the airplane
hadn't been invented yet. The distance was also way beyond the bow-and-arrow
range, which had been a common method at the time of getting the first
line across to build a bridge.



The designing engineer, Charles Ellet, pondered the question until he came
up with a revolutionary idea. He decided that, while solving the problem,
he would also have some fun and generate some publicity for the project.



Ellet sponsored a kite flying contest and offered five dollars to the first person
who could fly a kite across the gorge and let it go low enough to the ground
for someone to be able to grab the string.



In 1849, five dollars was a prize similar to a small lottery today. The boy who
won the prize relished his accomplishment until his death, nearly 80 years later.



It all began with an idea and one thin kite string. The kite string was used to
pull a cord across, then a line, then a rope. Next came an iron-wire cable
and then steel cables, until a structure strong enough to build a suspension
bridge was in place.



I'm struck by how that string is like a single thought. The more vivid and
clear the thought, and the more you come back to it, the stronger it
becomes - like the string to the rope to a cable. Each time you rethink it,
dwell on it, or layer it with other thoughts, you are strengthening the
structure on which to build your idea, like building a bridge over Niagara Falls.



But unlike a kite, there is no string attached to how high and how far your
goals may take you. They are limited only by the power of your imagination .
and the strength of your desire.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Denis Waitley is one of America's most respected authors, keynote lecturers
and productivity consultants on high performance human achievement. Visit
his website at www.deniswaitley.com, tell him Mr. Positive sent you!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Positive Thoughts for Today

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
There can be no friendship when there is no
freedom. Friendship loves the free air, and
will not be fenced up in straight and narrow
enclosures. --William Penn

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

I don't know the key to success, but the key
to failure is trying to please everybody.
--Bill Cosby

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.
Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.
--Helen Keller

DAILY DOSE OF POSITIVITY

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

The language of friendship is not words
but meanings. --Henry David Thoreau

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

How can they say my life is not a success?
Have I not for more than sixty years got
enough to eat and escaped being eaten?
--Logan P. Smith

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

Things do not change; we change.
--Henry David Thoreau

The Daffodil Principle

Plant One Today...
by Jaroldeen Asplund Edwards -


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over."

I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead "I will come next Tuesday", I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.

Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.

"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!"

My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother."

"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.

"I was hoping you'd take me over to the garage to pick up my car."

"How far will we have to drive?"

"Oh...just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "But I'll drive. I'm used to this."

After several minutes, I had to ask, "Where are we going? This isn't the way to the garage!"

"We're going to my garage the long way," Carolyn smiled, "by way of the daffodils."

"Carolyn," I said sternly, "please turn around."

"It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, "Daffodil Garden." We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped...

Before me lay the most glorious sight. It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and it's surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue.

There were five acres of flowers.

"Who did this?" I asked Carolyn.

"Just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home."

Carolyn pointed to a well kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.

On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking" was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read. The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1958."

For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop.

Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration.

The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration. That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time -- often just one baby-step at time -- and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world.

"It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years? Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"

My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way.

"Start tomorrow," she said.

She was right. It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, "How can I put this to use today?"

DAILY POSITIVE DOSE

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

Friendship... is not something you learn
in school. But if you haven't learned the
meaning of friendship, you really haven't
learned anything. --Muhammad Ali

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

It's easy to make a buck. It's a
lot tougher to make a difference.
--Tom Brokaw

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

Life belongs to the living, and he
who lives must be prepared for changes.
--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

DAILY POSITIVE DOSE

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
Friendship... is not something you learn
in school. But if you haven't learned the
meaning of friendship, you really haven't
learned anything. --Muhammad Ali

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

It's easy to make a buck. It's a
lot tougher to make a difference.
--Tom Brokaw

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:
Life belongs to the living, and he
who lives must be prepared for changes.
--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

good food for thoughts

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.
— Albert Schweitzer
Inspirational Quote from Inspiration Line 7/18/05

There's no thrill in easy sailing ... but there IS satisfaction that's mighty sweet to take, when you reach a destination that you thought you'd never make.
— Spirella
Inspirational Quote from Inspiration Line 10/18/04

When you come to the edge of all the light you know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.
— Patrick Overton Educator, Poet, Playwright, Author, and Speaker
Inspirational Quote from Inspiration Line 8/2/04

The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.
— Oprah Winfrey, Motivational TV Talkshow Host
Inspirational Quote from Inspiration Line 1/19/04

When our Hope, Faith and Belief transcend into clear KNOWINGNESS ... we are then truly awake to experience all that Beingness can offer.
— Chelle Thompson, Editor of Inspiration Line
Inspirational Quote from Inspiration Line 11/10//03

An affirmation is a strong, positive statement that something is already so.
— Shakti Gawain, Personal Growth Author and Motivational Speaker
Inspirational Quote from Inspiration Line 7/21/03

For yesterday I hold no apologies, For tomorrow I hold no answers, today is a gift and I will honor it by fully living in it.
— Maryanne Radmacher-Hershey, Contemporary American Writer
Inspirational Quote from Inspiration Line 7/7/03

Each choice we make causes a ripple effect in our lives. When things happen to us, it is the reaction we choose that can create the difference between the sorrows of our past and the joy in our future.
— Chelle Thompson, Editor of Inspiration Line
© 2003 Inspiration Line

The greatest motivational act one person can do for another is to listen.
— Roy E. Moody

Walking your talk is a great way to motivate yourself. No one likes to live a lie. Be honest with yourself, and you will find the motivation to do what you advise others to do.
— Vince Poscente (Invincible Principles)

When people are highly motivated, it's easy to accomplish the impossible. And when they're not, it's impossible to accomplish the easy.
— Bob Collings

If you tell people where to go, but not how to get there, you'll be amazed at the results.
— Gen. George Patton

Praise does wonders for the sense of hearing.
— Unknown

Appreciation can make a day — even change a life, Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.
— Margaret Cousins

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.
— Albert Schweitzer


May you find serenity and tranquility in a world you may not always understand. May the pain you have known and the conflict you have experienced give you the strength to walk through life facing each new situation with courage and optimism. Always know that there are those whose love and understanding will always be there, even when you feel most alone. May you discover enough goodness in others to believe in a world of peace. May a kind word, a reassuring touch, and a warm smile be yours every day of your life, and may you give these gifts as well as receive them. Remember the sunshine when the storm seems unending.
— Unknown

When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.
— Alexander Graham Bell

When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds; your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.
— Patanjali (c. 1st to 3rd century BC)

Correction does much, but encouragement does more.
— Goethe

Die when I may, I want it said of me that I plucked a weed and planted a flower where ever I thought a flower would grow.
— Abraham Lincoln

Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible.
— Virginia Satir

The greatest gift we can give one another is rapt attention to one another's existence.
— Sue Atchley Ebaugh

If I can put one touch of rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God.
— G. K. Chesterton

If someone listens, or stretches out a hand, or whispers a word of encouragement, or attempts to understand a lonely person, extraordinary things begin to happen.
— Loretta Girzartis

If your treat an individual ... as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.
— Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

The eternal beginning in you always existed, it exists now, and it will always exist; its time will never end.
— Brahmin Wisdom

No matter what our achievements might be, we think well of ourselves only in rare moments. We need people to bear witness against our inner judge, who keeps book on our shortcomings and transgressions. We need people to convince us that we are not as bad as we think we are.
— Eric Hoffer

There are high spots in all of our lives and most of them have come about through encouragement from someone else. I don't care how great, how famous or successful a man or woman may be, each hungers for applause.
— George Matthew Adams

Those who are lifting the world upward and onward are those who encourage more than criticize.
— Elizabeth Harrison

You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins.
— Jim Stovall (Success Secrets of Super Achievers)


What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?
— Dr. Robert Schuller

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:

A loving heart is the beginning of
all knowledge. -Thomas Carlyle

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

Failure is success if we learn from it.
-Malcolm Forbes

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

The man who has no imagination has no wings.
-Muhammad Ali

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BELIEVE WHO YOU ARE

by: Gary Barnes, Source Unknown

Once upon a time, there was a large mountainside, where an eagle's nest rested.
The eagle's nest contained four large eagle eggs.
One day an earthquake rocked the mountain causing one of the eggs to roll down the mountain, to a chicken farm, located in the valley below.
The chickens knew that they must protect and care for the eagle's egg, so an old hen volunteered to nurture and raise the large egg.

One day, the egg hatched and a beautiful eagle was born.
Sadly, however, the eagle was raised to be a chicken.
Soon, the eagle believed he was nothing more than a chicken.
The eagle loved his home and family, but his spirit cried out for more.

While playing a game on the farm one day, the eagle looked to the skies above and noticed a group of mighty eagles soaring in the skies.
"Oh," the eagle cried, "I wish I could soar like those birds."
The chickens roared with laughter, "You cannot soar with those birds.
You are a chicken and chickens do not soar."

The eagle continued staring, at his real family up above, dreaming that he could be with them.
Each time the eagle would let his dreams be known, he was told it couldn't be done. That is what the eagle learned to believe.
The eagle, after time, stopped dreaming and continued to live his life like a chicken.
Finally, after a long life as a chicken, the eagle passed away.

The moral of the story:
You become what you believe you are;
so if you ever dream to become an eagle follow your dreams,
not the words of a chicken.

FRUIT FOR THOUGHT

"When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame the lettuce.
You look for reasons it is not doing well.
It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun.
You never blame the lettuce.

Yet if we have problems with our friends or family, we blame the other person.
But if we know how to take care of them, they will grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and argument.
That is my experience.
No blame, no reasoning, no argument, just understanding.
If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change."

Thich Nhat Hanh

AN ACT OF LOVE

An act of love need not be a gesture great or grand…

A smile can work a miracle and show you understand.

Being there in time of need transcends the spoken word;

A helping hand is simply grand when hearts begin to bleed.


A prayer is nothing till it’s heard beyond the highest leaf,

But when it’s answered, oh my friend,

how strong is our belief!

An act of love may simply be a smile, a hug, a kiss…

But it’s a joy for all to see when troubles come like this...

Author Clay Harris

Nice Lessons From Your Loyal Companion THE DOG

Laughing It Off
IF THE DOG WAS YOUR TEACHER

You would learn stuff like this:

1)When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

2)Take naps and stretch before rising. Run, romp, and play daily.

3)Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

4)Avoid biting, when a simple growl will do.

5)On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

6)On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree.

7)Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

8)Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

9)When it's in your best interest - practice obedience.

10)Let others know when they've invaded your territory.

11)When you're happy, dance around and wiggle your entire body.

12No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout -run right back and make friends.

13)Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

14)Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.

15)Stop when you have had enough.

16)Be loyal.

17)Never pretend to be something you're not.

18)If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

19)When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

~Contributed by Bruce in Santa Fe, New Mexico

daily thoughts from positive news network

LOVE/RELATIONSHIPS:
Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. -Mother Teresa

LEADERSHIP/SUCCESS:

A person with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds. -Mark Twain

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION:

There is a wisdom of the head, and a wisdom of the heart. -Charles Dickens