Astounding Language

Why would we need to examine our lives? What benefit does it
yield? Isn’t it just rehashing the past?

All of these questions have merit and I will examine each in this
article.

Self progression has a strong tie to one’s willingness to be able to
reflect on pertinent decisions. Moreover, this task, if done daily
and immediately after an action or decision, can bear much fruit.

Have you ever sat and stared out at something beautiful like a
glassy lake or a foggy mountain and simply thought about your life
and what it seemingly means?

This, simply put, is the nuts and bolts of introspection. To
introspect is, in basic terms, reflecting or self examining what
certain things mean to you. Introspection allows you to ask
yourself why you should or shouldn’t have done something a
certain way.

Asking poignant, yet logical, questions to yourself and resolving to
come out more insightful because of this action, clears the
ambiguities of life.

Becoming accountable to yourself as well as others is an extremely
empowering concept. This means that whatever comes around the
bend or up the hill, you are resolved to face it without the worry of
contaminating something due to your actions or lack thereof.

This, in turn, certainly becomes a sort of purification process and
eases any turmoils that rattle your subconscious. It’s truly
beneficial to resist stagnation, strive for self progression, and
discover introspection’s significant importance.

Without a doubt, many people would argue that the past is just the
past, and rehashing it is merely a waste of time, so just move
forward.

Well, moving forward is one thing. However, dissecting your
recent and long-term past, is truly the only way we can learn from
our mistakes, keeping those lessons learned always in our back
pocket.

Don’t be afraid to be critical, if your actions or lack thereof,
warrant it.

In self examination, sometimes you need to be a tough critic. This
concept raises the bar of standards and ensures that it doesn’t
naturally slide downward due to self-neglect.

Constantly moving forward should only proceed once examination
and accountability has been achieved. It is definitely nothing less
than horrible advice to forget about everything when people say
this. It is basically saying turn the other cheek to reality and step
away by moving forward.

Although, there are many scenarios in life, like a breakup in a
relationship, where sometimes moving forward sooner than later is
indicated; however, these still need the assistance of introspection.

In the event your ego is simply too important because everything
you do or touch usually turns to gold and silver anyway, then it’s
time to check that at the door.

By not checking your ego or narcissism, your simply becoming like
that of a plant that never grows. You are always fed with water
and sunlight but, due to your lack of introspection, you stay static
amongst the many others becoming taller and stronger around you.

Committing to yourself to daily self examination will undoubtedly
improve your moral character, but more importantly, help in your
overall self progression. Resolve to become and stay permanently
committed.

–by Brian Maloney-ValuePrep.com
Want to improve your personal values?
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1. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
   
2. Memorize your favorite poem.
   
3. Don’t believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
   
4. When you say, “I love you”, mean it.
   
5. When you say, “I’m sorry”, look the person in the eye.
   
6. Believe in love at first sight.
   
7. Never laugh at anyone’s dreams.
   
8. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it’s the only way to live life completely.
   
9. In arguments, fight fair.
   
10. Talk slow but think quick.
    
11. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
    
12. Call your mom.
    
13. Say “bless you” when you hear someone sneeze.
    
14. Don’t let a little disagreement ruin a great friendship.
    
15. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, act immediately to fix it.
    
16. Marry someone you love to talk to. As you grow old together, your ability to communicate will be more important than their physical attributes.
    
17. Spend some time alone.
    
18. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
    
19. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
    
20. Read more books and watch less TV.
    
21. Try your best to create a loving atmosphere in your home - this is a vital factor that will contribute significantly to your children’s happiness and your family’s harmony.
    
22. In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
    
23. Read between the lines.
    
24. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.
    
25. Be gentle with the earth…and yourself.
    
26. Pray. There’s immeasurable power in it.
    
27. Don’t trust someone who doesn’t close their eyes when you kiss them.
    
28. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
    
29. If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living. That is wealth’s greatest satisfaction.
    
30. Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.
    
31. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
    
32. Do not forget that your character is your destiny.
    

Resource Box - © Danielle Hollister (2004) is the Publisher of BellaOnline Quotations Zine - A free newsletter for quote lovers featuring more than 10,000 quotations in dozens of categories like - love, friendship, children, inspiration, success, wisdom, family, life, and many more. Read it online at - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art8364.asp

Six former wards came back to the California Youth Authority (CYA) earlier this month. This time they volunteered to return. They were on a mission to deliver a message to the wards at N.A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility, which houses California’s most violent youth offenders ages 18-24. The diverse panel of ex-convicts purposefully stepped through the fences of Chaderjian as law-abiding citizens. They each wore visitor’s passes clipped on their shirts and security alarms attached to their belts for their safety in the event that a riot “kicked off”.

Once inside the razor wired fence, I observed the former wards, some who were once rival gang enemies, hugging, exchanging phone numbers and sharing personal family photos with each other. Meanwhile, a large group of heavily guarded and structured wards were being escorted on to the dim, sky lit, concrete gym floor. The CYA alumni’s immediately began greeting the wards with warm smiles and hand shakes. Once seated, Chaplain Carlton McAllister, a CYA alumnus, introduced the panel and offered a faith filled prayer and a joyful song of praise. As I scanned the audience, I observed many of the wards staring at the panel speakers during the song, appearing to wonder what the panel members were about and what they had come to say.

“You need to stop being punks, anyone can run behind a gang, but it takes a real man to live for Christ and to stand alone.” A quiet hush fell over the gymnasium. You could have heard a prison-made cuff-key drop, as Levon Davis, now also known as Dr. Levon Davis shot these words toward wards with a force that captured their attention. Dr. Davis, a once harden criminal convicted for a double murder stood before the audience of offenders a transformed man who presented a bold, thought provoking, and inspirational message. “If it comes down to you and your friends, your friends are going to snitch you off. They ain’t going to take the blame for you,” Davis said confidently and boldly. Some of the audience members snickered, while others nodded their heads in agreement. “Why hold loyalty to someone who is not going to be loyal to you? When it comes down to it, the only thing that is really stable, that will get behind you, is God. Christ is the Answer.” Davis spoke these words with conviction and from experience.

Davis has had experiences that have now distinguished him from his past life style and previous mistakes. He has excelled since his release almost 10 years ago from the CYA and is a rehabilitated man, a scholar in his own right. Davis earned his PhD in counseling, is president and founder of Blessed Faith Bible College, which is accredited to the doctorate degree, he owns and operates a Christian music production company, and if that isn’t enough, he is a devoted husband and pastor of Blesses Faith church in Sacramento, California. He has come a long way from the cellblocks he was confined to over 10 years ago and the reality of his life is that his new beginning was initiated behind the bars of the CYA. Davis told the audience that he took advantage of every vocational program offered to him at the CYA and in addition, he enrolled in a correspondence college while serving his sentence. Davis credits the CYA and his strong faith in God for his successful transition into society. The CYA provided him with the resources and opportunities to succeed, and it took his initiative and commitment to turn those opportunities into reality.

Another success story and former guest of the CYA was Noel Patillo, son of celebrity gospel artist, Leon Patillo. This former ward also had a word for the wards, which he communicated, in part, through rap. His artistic flavor and talent got the spirit moving throughout the gymnasium, and the audience was tapping their feet and bobbing their heads. His words were profound and chillingly descriptive. “My parents were separated, my dad was always on the road, and mom was a dope dealer. I grew up in a dope house,” said Patillo. In a private interview he told me that his dad always told him that he needed to “get it right” because God had something for him.

Patillo, a former Bay Area gang member who was incarcerated for attempted murder believed his path on the straight and narrow came in a round about way. “God kind of tricked me in to getting saved,” said Patillo. He confessed that initially his interest in going to church was more so an interest in the opportunity to see the women who would occasionally volunteer in the institutional chapel service rather than an interest in God. This passionate interest eventually led to Patillo’s exposure to a man from an outreach ministry who began to speak the Word into his life. Patillo stated that the man ministered the Gospel of Jesus Christ to him for three consecutive days, and on the third day, the man said the sinner’s prayer with him. “I felt a change at that moment. I no longer wanted to fight, because I was always mad. I was angry, because I was locked up, because I took a rap for my cousin. Even though I accepted Christ in my heart, I was still riding with the Bay Area, but my heart wasn’t in it. I finally got some courage, and I just told them I wasn’t ridin’ no more. I was going to do my program and take care of my kids.”

After his amazing transformation, another miracle took place in Patillo’s life, the miracle of his mother receiving Christ and him being the person to lead her through the prayer of salvation. “She was up visiting and God had been talking to me for a couple of months about this new life he gave me, and I said okay. That week she came up there, I brought my Bible with me, and I took her to Romans 10:9 - If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead you will be saved. This was someone who taught me the ways of the street, and here I was talking to her about Jesus. Then she just opened up her heart and started crying. I said the sinner’s prayer with her, and she accepted Christ. She started going to church after that.” Behind bars Patillo had received freedom from his physical and mental shackles and now he shared the gift of freedom through Christ with his mother.

After his release in May of 1995, Patillo earned his Associate of Arts Degree in Computer Technology. He is currently working toward his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Computer Technology. He is a youth pastor at True Vine Ministries in West Oakland, and he operates and owns a legal broker business. He has accomplished much despite his shaded past, and the CYA was where his miraculous transformation began.

Vanna In of Cambodia appeared before the wards looking like a preppy college student; however, his former lifestyle was anything but that of a college student. “I had no problem going to make a name for myself, or putting a gun to somebody’s head to rob them,” said In. He told me that he wanted to join the largest and worst gang. “If I was going to join a gang, I wanted to do it right. I wanted to join the most ruthless one.” In a private interview he disclosed that he came from a verbally and physically abusive home and that he was driven by his anger and the need to feel accepted at any cost, and at anyone else’s cost. He went on to tell me about his amazing conversion while awaiting trial for a gang related murder.

“When I was in jail in ‘94, I started reading books by Chaplain Ray, who had all these books of inmates whom had given their lives to God. I was more interested in the stories than what God had done in their lives. I was reading the books just to kill the time. Then I was reading this one book called “Al Capone the Devils Driver” and in that book before each chapter there was a verse, and the verse that captured my heart was John 15:16 - For you did not choose me, but I chose you; I said what? Why would God call me after all the things I have done. I heard a soft voice that said, “Give your life to God” and as soon as I heard that, I closed the book. Then I started reading the book again, the voice said the same thing again, “Give your life to God”, but this time I said, okay. God you must be real, because you came to me a second time. So I woke up one of the brothers that use to witness to me and asked him to pray for me. It was about 2:30 in the morning. I use to worship a statue. Buddha never taught that we can be loved and forgiven and that God wanted to have a relationship with us. God gave me hope. When you have hope in God, no matter what you go through, you know your going to make it.”

After In’s spiritual awakening, he stated that he began reading the Bible daily and while incarcerated at the CYA he came across a young preacher named Levon Davis. “In January of 1995, I went to a Chapel service, I said wow! Look at this guy preach, and he’s an inmate, so I said, if God can use him, God can use me.” What a realization for this young man that God could use him for good. This revolutionary thought transformed his mind and ultimately his life.

I asked In what advice he would give to inmates to help them avoid the pitfalls of the streets once released? In said, “Separate yourself from the negative influences. What I learned from Y.A. was very good. I learned that insanity is doing the same thing expecting different results.” In’s achievements are commendable and the lessons he learned at the CYA were instrumental in helping him to break the vicious cycle of negative behavior in his life. The CYA provided the resources and the opportunity for positive change, and the hope he discovered in God gave him the will power and determination to follow through.

Joshua Ortega repeatedly stated in his high-powered message, “God is good!” He said, “I read the stories in the Bible and it seemed like Jesus was a pretty good guy,” as he gave a joyful chuckle. Ortega gave his life to Christ after picking up a Bible while incarcerated. He stated that he experienced joy at the CYA although his sentence was 35 years to life. He stated that the joy he experienced upon giving his life to Christ was equivalent to the joy that he now experiences after having his sentence miraculously modified by the court. He is now enjoying his freedom in society, has a great job, and is an active member in his church. Ortega commanded the floor with his presentation.

Richard Chandler took the floor and reminded his captive audience to look at the big picture. Chandler, a former gang member, spent 12 years of his life in the CYA and State Prison. He stressed the importance of family and considering how a person’s actions affect their loved ones and everyone around them. It was a message that emphasized a principle that many CYA counselors work to teach wards on a daily basis, accountability.

Shakir Villalobos, a former gang member from East Los Angeles, spent seven years in the CYA for a gang related murder. At age 12 Villalobos was jumped in to his neighborhood gang. “I was looking to find my identity, I was doing anything for their approval”, stated Villalobos. “If there is something on the outside that you’re not on the inside, then you’re on no one’s side.”

Villalobos was released from the CYA seven years ago and has been happily married for the past 4 years. He is the father of two beautiful daughters and is gainfully employed as a construction worker. He credits his success to the mentoring that he received at the CYA from Darwin Benjamin, a former Youth Correctional Counselor (YCC), and Chaplain Carlton McAllister. Villalobos stated that he still maintains a close friendship with his two mentors and remains accountable to them. He laughed as he told me how Benjamin calls him from time to time to ask him how his marriage is doing. He stated that he responds by saying, “Fine”, and then Benjamin will ask to speak with his wife.

Villalobos continued by sharing an analogy he received from Darwin that helped him explained how he connected with Christ and how he was able to view his relationship with Christ. “We all know how to dance for the neighborhood. When Jesus comes up to you, he doesn’t want you to stop dancing, he just wants you to change partners. When I heard that from Darwin, it just clicked in my mind, there is no difference. I wanted to switch my life to Jesus.”

There was one powerful testimony after another being shared with the wards at the CYA, and they cheered and applauded each speaker enthusiastically. At the end of the program, they all lined up and prepared to leave the gymnasium in an orderly fashion. I was able to witness something powerful from the looking glass of a photojournalist, which was very different. I was fully equipped with a duty belt as a Youth Correctional Counselor and prepared to respond to any occurrence, but I experienced a perspective from behind the lens of my camera that was gratifying and hopeful. I perceived that some of the gang tension had dissipated; many of the wards were leaving with smiles and their faces appeared to be illuminated with hope rather than snarling or shouting obscenities at their known rivals. They stood in line to leave the gymnasium and extended respect to the panel members by shaking their hands. From my perspective, some mental shackles were broken and some potential bridges were being constructed even if only within the minds of the wards. It was good to know that the wisdom of the panel had been imparted to these young men.

All of the panel members currently service their communities through outreach programs within their churches. Vanna In also works as a counselor at a non-profit organization helping high-risk youth obtain employment. “We are looking for guys that want to change, but can’t find a job because of their lack of skill, education, and criminal history.” All the speakers left their contact information for the wards, for guidance and assistance. Chaplain Carlton McAllister and N.A. Chaderjian Gang Coordinators, Don Nickerson and Bob Galano orchestrated this All-Star, successful event. They received heartfelt accolades from some of the panel members who expressed their appreciation for their encouragement and mentorship during their incarcerations.

McAllister, Nickerson, Galano and a team of others whom helped host the event, are optimistic about the future of the wards at the CYA. A large part of this optimism can be attributed to the new administration at N.A. Chaderjian. The institution has been plagued with gang violence since it opened in 1991. The administration’s approval of the organizer’s request to use former inmates as an arsenal to be deployed against the on-going campaign against gang violence has pioneered the way for the implementation of progressive and innovative programs at N.A. Chaderjian. The former inmates must meet certain criteria to participate in the program, including but not limited to being law-abiding citizens and possessing a willingness to pour back into an institution that was instrumental in their personal success.

Nickerson shared his thoughts about the success of the event. “Chaplain McAllister gathered an excellent group of young men to speak to our ward population. Their personal testimonies and the opportunity to make real change was inspiring. I have to believe they planted seeds in the hearts of the young men who attended the assembly. It is my hope that we can have future events that challenge our wards to become men of character and integrity.”

It appears that the program had a positive impact, because the percentage of incidence of gang violence in the institution has decreased as compared to past years and many gang members are severing their gang ties.

Photos and Story by Ray Johnson/Npaphoto.com

(Photos and Captions are available)

Rayford Johnson has been a photojournalist for the Sacramento Observer Newspaper going on 18 years. The newspaper has won numerous of distinguished awards. He also is publisher of Npaphoto.com.

I often wonder why people seem reluctant to smile these days. It costs nothing to smile so come on people lets start looking a bit happier. This article is all about this and about having a more positive outlook on life which will bring positive results.

I am somebody who used to always think in a negative way, I have now managed to stop this and my life has improved no end. I now like to be around positive people, as these people tend to be more successful and happier. In my opinion there are too many people who are always moaning and groaning and are seemingly depressed.

Growing up I had many things to be negative about, I had a stutter, I have a bald patch, I was overweight and am also quite short for a male at five foot four. I was one of the ones who walked around in a depressed state and I used to feel sorry for myself. Even when I write about it now, I laugh about how stupid I used to be.

I realised early into my twenties that I needed to change my approach to life. I was quite fortunate in that I had a friend at the company I worked for, who was to prove an inspiration to me. His name was Stuart, and even though this may seem cruel, Stuart did not have a lot going for him. I won’t go into details but lets just say even with the problems I felt I had, I was not jealous of him. I became quite good friends with Stuart and we would regularly have lunch together. I would meet him in the canteen at 1pm and would be waiting in my gloomy state of mind, with my gloomy face, for him to arrive. Arrive he certianly did, always with a beaming smile on his face. This always amazed me as I could never understand what he had to be happy about. We would sit down and talk whilst eating our lunch and he never had a negative word to say. When he talked, he talked with passion, about his work and interests. One day it dawned on me, if Stuart (who from what I know of him, seemingly has nothing going for him) can always be positive, happy and smiling, why can’t I?

This was the beginning of my new outlook on life. An era of being positive, appreciating what I have got and more than anything else, plenty of smiles. I now am happy with my weight, height, bald patch and am proud to say I have now overcome my stutter.

Stephen Hill has a number of websites including:

stuttering
therapy

alternative health treatments

lasik surgery

My dear old Mom won’t let anybody buy her flowers. She says she can’t stand to watch them die.

Which is probably a bit like saying she wouldn’t own a puppy because she doesn’t want to see it grow old, or read a book because she can’t stand that it will end, or better yet, eat a chocolate because then it would all be gone and all she’d have left to remind her of the wonderful experience is the foil wrapper.

Whether you believe in the divine creator or the Big Bang theory, there’s something to be said for whoever (or whatever!) created flowers.

I ask you. . . who is not awed by the beauty of a spring rose, fresh with dew, or the fresh appeal of a yellow buttercup, or the fiesta of colors in a bunch of gerberas (beautiful flowers, awful name!)

We’ve come to associate the germination and birth of a flower with life itself. We talk about children “blossoming”, the “rosy red glow” of a pregnant woman or “happy as a rosebud in June”. At the end of its brief but impressive life, most flowers return to the ground from whence they came, in much the same way as we humans do. Well, most of us.

And flowers have a special language all their own. Of course, the big one is roses, the traditional symbol of love. But don’t be fooled into thinking a bunch of flowers from your partner is a sign of his undying affection.

According to the Victorians, who first assigned a special language to flowers, giving Candytuft means indifference, and Cyclamen represents goodbye, while the poor old orange Lily means dislike and dissatisfaction.

Pity the poor fellow who presents a prettily wrapped bouquet of flowers to his lady-love. The flowery language of love he’s trying to send may need translation!

Olivia Morrow is a freelance journalist and author and is the Editor of Savvy Women Magazine, an online lifestyle magazine for women who want to KNOW…the latest fashion news, women’s health issues, beauty, movie and book reviews, travel and lots more. Visit Olivia’s website at www.savvy-women-magazine.com.

Technology executives are confident consumers will soon change how they make phone calls reducing the need for a phone line from a traditional provider. VoIP essentially turns telephone calls into just another piece of software running over an IP network, and due to this simplicity the future for VoIP seems pregnant with possibilites.

Ever since Skype introduced software for voice calls on computers the industry has been buzzing. Google has entered the internet telephony market with an IM and voice application and is testing a wireless customer service that could help it deliver phone and information services to wireless devices.

The tech companies are already beginning to launch double purpose products such as cameras which appear standard but when a person slides the back of the camera down, it reveals a full keyboard. Memory sticks preloaded with a softphone are also now available. They come with a microphone and earphones.

Companies such as Google, Yahoo, and EarthLink have already played around with this technology. Last spring Yahoo added improved VoIP calling to its Yahoo Messenger. Google has debuted Google Talk. AOL announced it would be offering its VoIP service called TotalTalk. AOL’s TotalTalk will essentially let people replace their traditional landlines. It has advanced communication features, such as unified voice, e-mail and instant messaging, and call-management.

Its probably accurate to say the phone companies will face a huge challenge with these momentous changes emerging with VoIP technology.

I spend lots of time working with individuals, corporations and businesses to get them engaged in the present moment. The reasons I think this is important in business as well as personally are drawn upon toward the end of this article.

My centre here in Bournemouth used to sell a wide range of books and one that I used to stock was a book called “The Power of Now” by a guy called Eckhart Tolle. Lots of people that came to classes, workshops and consultations at the centre would often tell me how great it was and give me snippets of information about its content and for a number of years I would occasionally think “Yeah, I really should read that book” then kept on deciding that I would wait until later (yes, I am fully aware of the irony in this!) Nevertheless, I am already sold on the power of the present moment, for a number of reasons:

My First reason - Only this present moment exists.

I think this is by far the most compelling reason to put your attention on the present moment. Yesterday doesn’t exist, except as a memory, with all the unreliability we know to be true of memories; when you experienced yesterday, it was n-o-w. Tomorrow doesn’t exist either, except as an imaginary construct; when you experience tomorrow, it will be n-o-w. And as it’s all that exists, it’s a good idea to experience it, so, have a go at doing the following…

1) Sit with your feet flat on the floor, in a comfortable, aligned position (spine straight, hands on your thighs or at your sides, breathing comfortably.) With your eyes open or closed, allow yourself to become aware of the different sounds, sights, smells & sensations around you. This is the present moment.

That’s right. This is the present moment, & there are a number of good reasons for keeping your awareness in the present as much as possible (in addition to the first reason I gave.)

My Second Reason - There’s a whole lot more of it in store for you.

If you stop for a moment, you will realise that all the experiences of your life will take place in a present moment. The more comfortable you are with the present moment, the more comfortable you’ll be with those future presents.

My Third Reason - The present is where you are.

If in doubt, look at your hands. Your hands only exist in the present moment. Rub your fingers together, feel how it feels to be in this moment. Because it’s where your hands (& the rest of your body) are located, so…

My Fourth Reason - The present is the only time you can take action.

You can wish you took action yesterday (so many do; they rue the day that…..), but yesterday no longer exists, so it will remain a wish. You can plan to take action in the future, but when you take the action, it will be in the present moment. The only time you can take action is in this hot second.

My Fifth Reason - Wherever you’re headed, you presumably want to enjoy it when you get there. Get in the habit of enjoying the present now & you’ll be even better at enjoying then when you get there.

I took some amazing insight from my running experiences with my younger brother. When we ran and trained together and competed in races, he always enjoyed the race and commented on our surroundings whereas I always had my eye on the finish line. So much can and has been said about enjoying and engaging in the journey rather than always focusing on the future. Have a go at this one too….

2) Gently place the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth (continue to breathe easily.) Imagine you are holding a tiny droplet of oil between the tip of your tongue & the roof of your mouth.

I originally got this idea from Eric Robbie on a training he did with Michael Breen & I tinkered around with it a bit, & it’s a great way of turning off your internal dialogue. Turning off your internal dialogue is an excellent way of allowing yourself to focus on the present. This is particularly important if you want to be able to pick up the clues that people give you about how they’re thinking. Maybe I’ll write another article about that internal dialogue…….

“The only way to live is to accept each moment as an unrepeatable miracle, which is exactly what it is - a miracle and unrepeatable.”

– Margaret Storm Jameson

So, how do you relate this knowledge and my rantings to ones Business or day to day life?

Business and life today seems to operate at a faster & faster pace. People have lots of demands on their time, & need every advantage they can get to be more effective. When I do corporate and business consultancy, one of the most common ‘challenges’ that people want to deal with is being focused & making progress on important business objectives or life goals.

As I’ve investigated how people avoid being focused, I’ve found that, they are often not centred in the present. Instead, they are thinking about what’s happening tomorrow, or what happened yesterday, or running through a list of things that they need to do later. As a result, their attention is not in the present.

I used to work in Victoria in Central London and if you have ever been there during the rush hours it is a hectic place. What I find interesting is that you can tell who is engaged in the moment and who is thinking about their day or the next day. Those people whose awareness is within their heads, mulling over their day or dreading what’s in store tomorrow are the ones bumping into people or veering off in wrong directions. Whereas those people whose awareness is outside their heads and engaged in their surroundings are those that are balanced, poised and agile, like a panther!

When you bring your attention & energy into the present moment, you can accomplish things more quickly, solve problems more effectively, & enjoy the process more than you might expect. So, thirdly, have a go at connecting with the moment more and more in your days…

3) Before starting an important task, take a moment to centre yourself & relax. Then, get clear about what you want to accomplish, then begin.

I wish you all the very best and hope to engage in the present with many more people here.

To receive Adam’s amazing bi-monthly newsletter, packed with modern, innovative, psychological tips, techniques and information visit www.adam-eason.com You’ll also receive a free instantly downloadable hypnosis session to enjoy at home.

How can we, as individuals, participate in waste management? Because some of us are so overwhelmed with Earth’s problems, we feel that our contributions have no real consequence in the end. For others, social barriers can be an issue. A lady we once knew confessed that she did not want to be seen buying used items or being concerned with power use. She was worried people would see her as cheap - a scrooge - when the family was so affluent. Yet, she was very careful to be seen with recycling bins out on the curb on pick-up day, because that was thought to be the thing to do socially. Now is a good time to put an end to these negative thoughts and feelings of false pride. Waste reduction is not about ego - it is about the health of the planet and of our nation.

Communities would be wise to look at Nova Scotia’s waste reduction success and try to emulate it in their area. With the highest waste reduction rates in Canada, Nova Scotia has reduced landfill contributions by 46% - saving about $31 million per year - simply by making the most of the organic and recyclable materials. Curbside recycling service (Blue Box) is available to 99% of its residents and 76% now enjoy curbside organic service (a.k.a. Green Box).

With better management of organic and recyclable waste, we will find we do not have to put the trash out as often because the odors and volume are greatly decreased. As a fiscal incentive, many garbage collection companies offer discounts to homes with reduced waste.

We can also help the waste management industry run more efficiently. For instance, when only full garbage bags and Blue or Green boxes are put out on the curb, the garbage truck does not have to stop as often and burn fossil fuels inefficiently while idling. (Incidentally, vehicle idling is responsible for 3% of the air pollution problem.) Similarly, by collapsing boxes before recycling we are ensuring that space is used more efficiently, thereby reducing the number of bins needed for transporting materials.

Recycling, alone, has a huge impact on the environment. A study of a 100-unit apartment building practicing maximum recycling found it would save 21.93 thirty-foot trees, 26.86 cubic yards of landfill space, 8,389 kilowatts of electricity, and 77.4 pounds of air pollution in just one year!

So you see, these seemingly small choices and efforts towards waste management really do make a difference.

– Written by Dave and Lillian Brummet based on the concept of thier new book Trash Talk. The book offers useful solutions for the individual to reduce waste and better manage resources. A guide for anyone concerned about his or her impact on the environment. (www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit)

One of the most memorable quotes that I heard from a trainer came from a man I knew named Rizal:

“As trainees, you are supposed to interrupt me if you don’t understand something. You are supposed to ask questions. But you are not to go ahead of where we are in the class. All of the sections will be covered in due time.”

As a trainee, I could not have agreed more with Rizal. He made an impact on me. He was one of the best trainers I have ever known. What made him a great trainer was that he loved his career. (Notice I didn’t say job.) I knew he viewed his classroom as more than just a place to go to work everyday.

As a trainer, what are YOU doing to enhance the spirit of your trainees?

One great tactic that worked for me happened when I was a restaurant manager. When I would train employees, I would purposely ask them questions that were contradictory. For example, I would ask, “This order is to go, right?” When the trainees answered yes or no, I always asked them why they gave their answer. I wanted them to discover for themselves what should and should not be.

The tactic worked because they learned to rely and trust their own reasoning. Their productivity rose as a result. They were empowered to decide what actions needed to be done, and they took the necessary steps that generated results.

Are you letting your trainees know that you are open to ALL questions? Are you asking yourself what you need to do to ask great questions? Are you wondering how you can get your trainees to be comfortable with you so they can get the most of their training?

Here’s Some Steps To Show You How:

1. Be up front with your trainees. Let them know that there is NO such thing as a dumb question and that the ONLY stupid questions are the ones not asked.

2. Tell them that they can discuss questions offline if they are not comfortable asking a question in front of others.

3. If someone asks a great question, acknowledge him or her right away.

4. If a trainee asks a question which emits discontent among other trainees, let the classroom know that they are in class to learn and that even the most seemingly silly question could help reinforce answers to other questions. Remind them that no one knows everything, and the moment they stop learning, is the moment they stop growing.

Great trainers are great because they listen. They know that the material they are teaching is new to each person in the room, and they take their time making sure that every person understands it. They have patience and persistence. They are grateful for being able to make a difference in the lives of the people they train. Inside of you is the same greatness. Use it to empower your trainees.

Sean North primarily helps writers gain focus, motivation, remove mental blocks that help to unblock the writing process. EVERYONE who writes has been stuck at some point in his or her career. You do not have to accept these mind-boggling roadblocks!

seannorthstn@aol.com

(586) 216-7516

The Law of Attraction exists in your life right now; whether you understand it or not, whether you know it or not, and whether you like it or not.

Until you learn to use the Law of Attraction in a deliberate way, most of the time you are not aware that you are attracting into your life-more of-whatever you are giving your focus, attention, and energy to. This is referred to as non-deliberate attraction. It can be described in a 4-step cycle:

Step 1: I observe what I’m attracting in any area of my life.

Step 2: While observing what I’m attracting, I’m offering a corresponding vibration, whether negative or positive.

Step 3: The Law of Attraction is always checking in to see what my vibration is and matches it obediently, whether wanted or unwanted.

Step 4: As the Law of Attraction responds to my vibration, I receive or manifest into my life, more of what I was observing in the first place.

Then, the cycle begins at Step 1 and repeats itself over and over again. Here’s how the cycle may be working in your life right now.

You may notice that you keep attracting negative people and events into your life. As you notice or observe this, you are emitting or offering a corresponding vibration. The Law of Attraction responds to your vibration by matching it and giving you more of the same. In this example, more of the same means that you experience more negative people and events in your life.

Keep in mind, the Law of Attraction is a powerful and obedient universal law. It doesn’t know whether you want more of something or not; whether it is good for you or not or whether it is wanted by you or not-it simply gives you more of the same.

If you are curious about what it is you are offering vibrationally in any area of your life, you need only look at the results you are getting in that area-it’s always a perfect match. When you observe what you are attracting and you like it, celebrate–and in your celebration, you’ll attract more of the same.

When you observe you are attracting something that you don’t like, you can use the Law of Attraction deliberately to put a stop to it and change it into something that you DO want. The easiest way to do this is to ask yourself, “So, what DO I want?” and then keep your mind focused on this new clarity of desire. Now you are becoming a deliberate offer-er about what you do want and the Law of Attraction will respond accordingly. As you continue to practice this, you’ll soon be able to check into this area of your life and see the NEW results you are getting.

Michael Losier, a Law of Attraction Trainer and author, supports people in understanding and practicing the Art of Deliberate Attraction, so they can have more of what they want and less of what they don’t. Michael has been applying the principles of Law of Attraction for many years and enjoys a wonderful and rewarding life in the city of Victoria, BC, Canada. He facilitates a number of in-person Law of Attraction seminars as well as Teleseminars to a worldwide audience.

For more articles by Michael Losier, Teleclass information or to purchase the book, Law of Attraction, The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don’t, visit www.LawOfAttractionBook.com