Livin' the Moment

Relax ... It's All Goooooood

Posted by David Romanelli
on Tue, Jun 27, 2006, 9:30 am PDT

“When you reach an advanced age and look back over your lifetime, it can seem to have had a consistent order and plan, as though composed by some novelist. Events that when they occurred had seemed accidental and of little moment turn out to have been indispensable factors in the composition of a consistent plot…The whole thing gears together like one big symphony!” -Arthur Schopenhauer

Is your life a daily response to random events with no common theme OR are you part of a beautifully constructed plot? Sometimes we all get too closely connected to the day-to-day bump and grind of life. It's so important to occasionally step back, gain perspective, and dive into the mystery. Here are some techniques and ideas to inspire the plunge:

1. Recognize that whether by master stroke or pure chance, there is great intelligence in the universe.

Fact: A single human cell measuring 1/1,000 of an inch across contains instructions within its DNA that would fill 1,000 books of 600 pages each (Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now)

2. Minimize resistance.

“Nothing on earth can overcome an absolutely non-resistant person.” – Florence Shinn

3. Spend time in nature.

“Genius learns from nature.”- Oscar Wilde

4. Be patient with your struggles and challenges.

“Infinite patience yields immediate results.” –Wayne Dyer

5. Free the mind from daily routines.

“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free the mind.” –Bob Marley

6. Smile … everything is evolving just as it should.

“Sometimes joy is the source of your smile but sometimes a smile is the source of your joy.” –Thich Nhat Han

Water Aerobics

Water Aerobics are exercises in which the basic principles of aerobics are transferred to water. Music sets the speed and rhythm of exercise movements. The heart rate is monitored before, during, and after exercise. The aerobic cycle of warm up, peak, maintain, taper, and cool down is just as important in the water.

People have been exercising in water for many years. More and more healthcare providers are recommending it. Until very recently, it was most common as a way to rehabilitate the body after an injury. Water aerobics is often used as therapy. It helps strengthen the body while the person is surrounded by the soothing element of water. The body is reintroduced to movement by repeating slow, deliberate exercises. The exercises help mobilize stiffened joints and tone muscles that have not been used much because of the injury or disease. Many conditions can helped by water aerobics. These include:

• rehabilitation after injury
• arthritis, because limbs that are hard to move on land become much more agile in the water
• tight muscles, which become more relaxed in water
• poor heart and lung endurance, which can be improved
• problem knees, which are pounded by gravity when exercising on land
• back problems, which enjoy the support of the water and benefit from the power of water resistance
• pregnancy, as long as the healthcare provider approves

All movements in the water are both supported and resisted by water. Different movements, with different force and speed, are used in the water than on land. Exercising in shallow water gives the person mostly body weight to work with. Moving in chest-to-shoulder-deep water gives almost total water support. This creates a wonderful weightlessness. In water aerobics, the body is the basic piece of exercise equipment. Various movements can increase water support or water resistance. Both beginners and advanced exercisers benefit from the variety in water aerobics. The effort and speed of movements are adjusted to the each person's needs. Added equipment can enhance water resistance or water support. Some similarities between water aerobics and land aerobics are:

• The same degree of muscle firmness can be achieved.
• The same target heart rate can be reached.
• The same level of physical fitness can be accomplished.
Some significant differences in water aerobics include:
• Stress on joints is minimized by water support.
• Muscles are firmed by water resistance.
• Endurance is increased and the heart and lungs are strengthened with slow movement.
• Target heart rates are reached almost effortlessly.
• Those who are obese, pregnant, or have medical problems can exercise easily.
• Age is no barrier because water support enables effortless movements.
How safe is water aerobics?
• As with all physical fitness programs, people should get a healthcare provider's approval before starting. This is in the person's own best interest. Not all programs are safe for all people at all times. Just because a program is in water doesn't guarantee it's safe.
• The impact of jumping up and down is lessened by water support. So there is much less stress on joints like the ankles and feet. These same movements are also much easier on the back, because water support lessens the impact.
• People with arthritis, a bad back, or other problems find it easier to exercise in water than on land. But not all movements are safe while exercising in water. It is important to use common sense. A healthcare provider can advise whether leg lifts and body twisting should be done by someone with back problems.
• Water gives even the heaviest person support, if the water covers at least 75 percent of the body.
• For pregnant women, a new target heart rate must be evaluated by the healthcare provider. The speed of exercises may have to be reduced. The heart rate may have to be kept lower than usual to protect the baby. But movements don't have to be restricted, as long as the woman feels comfortable, and the provider approves.
• Water and air temperature and humidity play an important part in water aerobics. Water or air temperatures above 85 degrees F put a stress on the cardiovascular system. A slower pace is then recommended. Lower water and air temperatures allow for faster movements for a longer period of time. High humidity stresses the entire body, and raises body temperature and heart rate.
• Using exercise equipment in water can be a great aid to physical fitness. But how the body reacts to movements with such tools should be understood before they are used. A safe water aerobics program includes instruction in water exercise skills.

Live in Truth

The key to opening the door to your most-desired, future
life is to acknowledge where you are presently -- right at
this very moment.

Some of us don't want to face the truth. We're afraid of
what might happen if we really know where we are personally,
professionally, financially and spiritually. But, to move
forward, toward the life we really want, we have to know
where we stand. We have to take inventory of our lives.

Some people are even more afraid of what others might think
if they really knew the truth about us. But forget about
them right now. The most important person to be truthful
with is yourself, because, when it comes down to it, you are
the most important person in your life. If you're not honest
with YOU, you won't be able to be honest with anyone else.

For example: Maybe your plan was to own your own home, be
the president of your own company and have a million plus in
the bank by the time you were 30 years old.

You take a look around and realize that 30 has come and
gone, you're renting a house and are living paycheck to
paycheck, working at a job you don't enjoy.

Sure, you want more. You wish your old plan had
materialized. But it didn't. You can't keep looking back,
wallowing in what could have been. What you can do is create
a new plan, then take one goal at a time and make it happen.

Maybe your new first goal is to change jobs or start your
own business. You have unique skills no one else has -- use
them to create a career you love. Then, after you take that
first step, you can move forward to create your dream life,
goal by goal.

If you've been lying to yourself, avoiding the truth of your
life, it's time to come clean.

Action Step:

In closing this week, I'd like to offer an exercise to
complete in the
week ahead:

Get honest with yourself.

Forget about your goals for a minute, and concentrate on
getting really honest with your present situation.

The truth about any situation is not what you want it to be.
It isn't what it should be. It isn't what it would have
been.

The truth is what it is. No amount of sugar coating will
make it anything different.

Take inventory of your present truth in these categories:

A. Your physical self
B. Your spiritual self
C. Your financial self
D. Your professional self
E. Your personal self

Ask yourself these three questions for each category:

1. How do I perceive this area of my life?

2. How would I describe this area of my life if I were being
completely honest to myself?

3. Are numbers 1 and 2 identical?
(If they are, you are being honest with yourself. If they
aren't, it's time to begin making them the same.)

Live A Life Of Purpose!

Living a life directed by purpose is the richest type of
existence! How do you know if you are living out your
purpose?

First, you must understand that purpose is not something you
go searching for. Purpose wells up from your very being.
Your purpose in life has always been with you. It was
written on your soul before time.

All of your life you have been given circumstances,
challenges, hurts, and successes to help you discover and
fulfill your purpose. What I know about purpose is it will
coincide with your talents, personality, and core values.

One of the exercises I do with my coaching clients is to
have them think back to childhood and ask this question:

What did I do with my free time?

What did you play when you had free time? What was the one
thing you loved to do so much, that you would even miss a
meal for?

Remember, your mom calling you in for dinner while you were
"playing" and you would yell back, "Just five more minutes,
Mom!" Your childhood play is very reflective to your life
purpose.

What did you do as a child when you had free time?

How can you implement your childhood play in your adult
life? How can you integrate the same adventurous fun in your
grownup job? Your purpose is found in your talents, core
values, experiences, and childhood play!

Live a Life of Purpose!

Success Showdown

This is one of many Entries I have found to be informative & Useful for this particular Blog.


----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: Merina Vo
Date: Jun 19, 2006 11:40 AM

I confess, I love westerns. There is nothing like those
"Showdown" scenes where the film is shot from down low and
you see those boots moving slowly, step by step until they
come to a stop just 100 feet from the other guy.

Tumble weed blows by. The wind stirs the dust. The camera
moves up and you see fingers twitching, getting ready to
draw. You know that it is only a few moments until the good
guy lets the bad guy have it and he'll be on his way to
saving the day and setting the town free again.

All that stands in his way is this one obstacle. But that
obstacle must be put away.

What would you do in that situation? Would you save the day
and proceed to victory, or would you run and hide? Running
and hiding is tempting when you see the guy all dressed in
black, symbolizing your impending doom!

Isn't that what happens regularly though? Our journey to
success always has these "Showdowns" that we have to go
through if we are going to get there.

There are always going to be "bad guys" we have to get
through.

Let's take a look at a few:

Fear. Fear is the pre-imminent "bad guy." He keeps millions
of people from success. Here is a secret: There are times
when I am stretching myself to achieve all that I can, when
I am taking huge risks, that I wake up in the middle of the
night and I am so scared I can't sleep!

Fear will tell you anything to keep you from even trying!
But do you know what takes care of fear? Persistence. You
see, everybody has fear. The most successful people I know
have fear. But they work through it rather than give up! To
be successful you have to have and win that showdown with
fear.

Crowd mentality. I have become increasingly aware of this in
recent years. The crowd is loud. They are tenacious in
letting you know that they expect you to do things their way
or something is just not right. You know, it is the relative
who calls you a dreamer. It is the naysayers. They want you
to do what is normal.

Well friend, nobody ever got successful doing what the crowd
does. The crowd is average, that's why they're the crowd! To
be successful you have to have that showdown with the
calling of the crowd.

Hear their voices screaming, "Don't do that. Be like us,"
and win the showdown.

Doubt. Success usually takes a while. It rarely comes
overnight. And after some time, you will begin to doubt. "Am
I dreaming too big?" "Did I take a dumb risk?" "Should I
quit and go back to something safe?"

Rest assured, it will come. But this is when your vision
must be string and you must keep going. Stick with the
dream. Don't give up! Overcome your doubt and the doubts of
others! To be successful you must have that showdown with
doubt and win!

Yes, there will be many showdowns. The above are but a few,
though they are the major ones. Maybe you are experiencing
them even now. Your time has come. The old western music is
playing. Your foe dressed in black grins that devilish grin.
He thinks you can't do it. But have your showdown. Win. Then
ride off into the sunset!

Working Out at Home: Be Your Own Personal Trainer

Saturday, June 17, 2006


Two common burning questions from wannabe exercisers and fitness freaks are as follows: Is it possible to get a good workout at home, and is it possible to do it cheaply? Now, for the answers to these burning questions: Yes and yes! Losing weight, toning up and maintaining your weight involves burning calories and gaining muscle mass, all of which can be attained with home workouts. Find out how working out at home can really work for you …

When most people decide that it’s time to get in shape, they resolve that the only way to accomplish their goals is at the gym. But while the gym can indeed be an excellent resource for losing weight and toning up, it is not the end-all, be-all in the fitness world. Another great place to get in shape is somewhere you’re quite familiar with – in the very comforts of your own home.

Your home may not boast the expensive and fancy equipment of a gym, but it certainly boasts the prospect of getting just as fit as you would at any professional gym. But how is this so? Well, it all rests on one simple principle, and it’s the same principle that applies for working out at a gym or working out at home. The key strategy for an effective home workout is keeping the same level of intensity during your workout at home as you would at the gym, making your heart work just as hard. You also need the right equipment, and that doesn’t even necessarily mean an expensive treadmill. Finally, you need the right attitude, the same attitude that is essential for everyone to have when it comes to meeting their fitness or weight goals – a long-term commitment.


So not only is it possible to get a good workout at home, but the benefits of a home workout are numerous. First, working out at home can save you some much-needed time in your day. Driving to and from a gym just might not fit into your schedule, not to mention the frustration of waiting in long lines for cardio equipment. Second, and most obvious, gym memberships can be expensive, especially if you are a life-long, dedicated exerciser. Finally, home workouts can spare you the awkwardness or embarrassment you may feel by working out in public, not to mention exercise may not be a social activity for you either.

In-home gym equipment: If your budget allows for a BowFlex or any other piece of home-exercise equipment, why not invest? Home-exercise equipment can be extremely motivating – you see the equipment, so you’ll be more likely to use the equipment (you’d rather spare yourself the guilt of wasting money if you don’t). Plus, there are no time limits and you can do what you love best – watch your favorite soap or reality show – while you actually burn some calories at the same time.

Dumbbells: Free weights are an excellent way to tone up those triceps and backside during your workouts at home, and they won’t break your bank either. There are hundreds of exercises you can do with dumbbells for every part of your body, and dumbbells are cheap enough that you can buy a variety of weights to keep yourself challenged. Make sure you first learn how to correctly lift weights for maximum effectiveness and safety.

Stability ball: Performing sit ups, push ups and other exercises on a stability ball instead of on the ground will force you to engage your core and make you work harder. You can tone, strengthen and stretch using a stability ball. Buy one made of latex-free vinyl and make sure the size is ideal for your height.

Resistance bands: Resistance bands take the place of cable equipment at the gym and should be incorporated into your home workout plan. Resistance bands come with attachments that you can use to anchor them on doors, and there are a variety of resistance levels you can buy to work specific parts of your body.

Workout videos: Do you enjoy yoga but can’t afford a personal yogi, or love the idea of Tae-Bo but can’t afford Billy Blanks as a trainer? Try purchasing workout videos for a great workout at a much cheaper price. You can find a workout video on just about any kind of exercise you like, and the more variety you include in your home workout program with videos, the more results you’ll see.

Jump rope: Revisit your childhood while burning some major calories with this fun and cost-effective piece of at-home workout equipment. Jump rope in place or jog lightly while you jump and you’ll quickly see how effective this unassuming equipment can be in your home workout plan.

Magazines: Health magazines as well as other women’s and men’s magazine have pages full of exercise ideas that don’t require a gym. Cut them out and save them in a scrap book for whenever you need some fresh ideas or to reference the correct way to do an exercise.

Don’t forget that your backyard is a part of your house. Use it for walking lunges, jump roping, short sprints, or family exercise activities. Now grab those dumbbells and your favorite workout video and watch how working out at home can change your body and your life.

How To Stop Doing Things Halfway

When my youngest son, James, was born, we decided to remove
the built-in desk in his room, to give us more options for
laying out the furniture.

To install the desk, the prior owners removed a piece of the
floorboard, so the desk would lie flush against the wall.
Upon removal, the patch of missing floorboard was exposed.

This was, of course, unacceptable to a mother with her third
baby on the way. So my faithful husband went to Home Depot
and bought the matching section of floorboard.

Upon returning home, we discovered that the ends didn't
match up, so John would need to cut the board. I bought him
a big new circular saw that would do the job nicely.

James is now four years old... and that stupid piece of
floorboard is still sitting in the garage... and when I
enter James' bedroom, I look with annoyance at that bare
patch. (Of course, when John reads this, he will have to
finish the project, haha!)

Do you have little "half-done" projects like this all over
YOUR house? Do you find that you can never actually FINISH
anything?

Here are some tips for eliminating the "half-done" projects
from your life and moving things through completion: Keep
track of your projects.

I keep a running list on a blank piece of paper the size of
my Franklin planner labeled "Honey Do's." I file it behind
the "H" in the A-Z tabs of my planner: a paper filing system
of sorts.

When John has some free time, he knows exactly where to look
to remind him of what needs to be done.

Always ask, "What's next?" I know I can't be the only one
with such "half-done" projects all over the house. Why is it
that things "stall" partway through completion?

At some point, you stopped asking the question, "what's
next?" What is the single next step you would have to take
to see forward progress on the task?

For John, it would be measuring the angle of the existing
floorboard in the bedroom. If a belt is laying in the
kitchen and needs to go upstairs in your room, you might
just look at it and think to yourself, "I don't want to run
all the way upstairs to put that belt away," so you leave it
there. Instead, take the single next step and put it on the
stairs.

Every time you go upstairs, grab something to take with you.
Always seek to resolve incompletions. Unpack from trips. Put
the dirty clothes in the hamper, refill toiletries while you
remember what's gone, and unpack your files.

I was in one woman's home office and noticed seven
conference bags stacked against the wall. Upon inquiry, I
discovered they were filled with her seminar notes,
brochures, and vendor samples.

She never spent time after the conference to review and
activate her plans, so now she's afraid to even look in
there, for fear of how much time it will take.

You may as well throw them all away. If you have a pile of
magazines you haven't looked through in months, set a timer
for five minutes, force yourself to scan the table of
contents for each one, and toss or review it before the
timer goes off.

Break it down. Don't bite off more than you can chew. If you
define your Saturday project as "clean out the garage,"
you're sure to fail. It's too much and takes too long.

You will run out of steam before you're finished, give up,
and leave it "half organized," which is almost more
frustrating than unorganized.

Breaking down a project into smaller chunks of time is often
called the salami technique, slicing up a big task into
digestible slices.

Schedule a one-hour "declutter assault" and define a
specific goal to achieve in that time: "Label the drawers,"
"Tidy up the floor," "Organize the gorilla rack on the left
wall," etc.

Get an egg timer, set it for one hour, and then go at it!
Dividing a task into small sections like this will allow you
to see progress toward your goals and feel inspired, rather
than discouraged.

Make it a productive day!

How to Program Your Mind to Attract What You Want

We all aspire to be, do and have great things. Yet most of
us simply aren't creating the results we want. We don't have
enough money, romance, success or joy in our lives.

But what we need to understand is that greatness exists in
all of us. It is simply up to us to pull it out of
ourselves. We all have genius. We just need to learn how to
apply it.

Decide What You Want...
In order to get what you want, you must first decide what
you want. Most people really foul up at this crucial first
step because they simply can't see how it's possible to get
what they want -- so they don't even let themselves want it.

Don't sabotage yourself that way!

What scientists now know about how the brain works is that
you must first decide WHAT you want, before your brain can
figure out HOW to get it. Once you lock-in your desires,
your mind and the universe can step in.

Are you ready to get started?

Be Willing to Dream Big Dreams...
As soon as you commit to a big dream and really go after it,
your subconscious creative mind will come up with big ideas
to make it happen.

You'll start attracting the people, resources, and
opportunities you need into your life to make your dream
come true. Big dreams not only inspire you, they compel
others to want to play big, too.

Set Goals That Will Stretch You...
Another value in giving yourself permission to go after the
big dreams is that big dreams require you to grow in order
to achieve them.

In fact, in the long run, that is the greatest benefit you
will receive from pursuing your dreams -- not so much the
outer trappings of fulfilling the dream (an expensive car,
impressive house, loads of money and philanthropic
opportunities), but who you become in the process.

As I've seen many times over, the outer symbols of success,
can all be easily lost. Houses burn down, companies go
bankrupt, relationships end in divorce, cars get old, bodies
age and fame wanes, but who you are, what you have learned
and the new skills you have developed never go away.

These are the true prizes of success. Motivational
philosopher, Jim Rohn advises that "You should set a goal
big enough that in the process of achieving it, you become
someone worth becoming."

Service to Others...
Something else you'll discover is that when your dreams
include service to others -- accomplishing something that
contributes to others -- it also accelerates the
accomplishment of that goal.

People want to be part of something that contributes and
makes a difference.

Turn Your Dreams into Goals and Objectives...
Once you are clear about what you want, you must turn each
item into a measurable objective. By measurable, I mean
measurable in space and time -- how much and by when.

For instance, if you were to tell me that you wanted more
money, I might pull out a dollar and give it to you, but you
would probably protest, saying "No, I meant a lot more money
-- like $20,000!" Well, how am I supposed to know unless you
tell me?

Similarly, your boss, your friends, your spouse, your brain
-- God, the Universe -- can't figure out what you want
unless you tell them specifically what it is. What do you
want -- exactly -- and when do you want it by?

Write Your Goals Down...
Write your goals down in detail, and read your list of goals
every day. This will keep your subconscious mind focused on
what you want.

For an even more powerful approach, close your eyes and
focus on each goal and ask yourself, "What is one thing I
could do today to move toward the achievement of this goal?"
Write down your answers and take those actions.

To help your reticular activating system begin finding YOUR
wants in unexpected places, take time now to decide what you
want and start writing!

Remember, don't hold back!

Looking Inside

"Only by much searching and mining are gold and diamonds
obtained, and a person can find every truth connected with
his being, if he will dig deep into the mine of his soul."
(As A Man Thinketh)

The classic book "Acres of Diamonds" is the story of a
person who sold his home and land to travel far and wide in
search of diamonds, only to die penniless.

As the story goes, the new owner discovered diamonds on the
very property that the old owner had ignored.

A lot of times I think we act the same way when we're trying
to "fix" something in our life. Whether it's happiness or
self-esteem or love that we seek, many times we look outside
of ourselves to find the answer.

We look to a spouse, a friend, a child or a parent to fill
the void. Perhaps we expect the answer to come from our
pursuit of our occupation or other interests. Or we expect a
new home, a new car or a new boat to satisfy our "hunger."

But, alas, like the poor farmer in "Acres of Diamonds," our
search comes up empty handed. And just like the story,
diamonds are waiting to be discovered in our own back yard.
As James Allen points out, the only way to find the gold and
diamonds is to "dig deep into the mine of the soul."

One of my most favorite authors, Jim Rohn, says, "The
greatest source of unhappiness comes from inside."
Conversely, that's also where the greatest (and only) source
of happiness comes from.

Instead of searching far and wide, spend some time every day
searching inside. Instead of expecting something outside to
fill you up, learn to fill yourself from within. Make a
commitment to read more of the material that will help you
discover who you are. Make a decision to grow. As Jim Rohn
also says, "What you become directly influences what you
get."

And that's worth thinking about.

Dealing with Regret – How to Let Go

Dealing with Regret – How to Let Go

In life, regrets are inevitable – kind of like paying taxes and dying. Pardon the morbidity, and we don’t mean to sound fatalistic, but you will always have regrets no matter how much you do or don’t plan for the big decisions and for the future. Because what could have been and what we can’t know for sure will always be in the back of our minds, especially if we are disappointed with the outcome of our final choices. But for those of us who let regrets paralyze our present, it’s time to accept what is instead of what could have been and start constructively dealing with regret…

Regrets come from perceived mistakes about the choices we have made and the course our life has taken as a result. Regrets are usually perceived as mistakes because it always seems like the grass is greener on the other side – and the fact is that it sometimes may very well be. Between career regrets, parenting regrets, relationship regrets, health regrets and regrets in the face of an early death, many of us can get incredibly caught up in what we wish was or wasn’t. This is because we either never anticipated that we’d make those mistakes and that our decisions would turn out less than successful or because we had no choice in the matter, but still embrace unnecessary responsibility. Sometimes we never really gave enough thought to the impact of our decision for non-action, and it bites us in the backside later on.

So when we regret, we sometimes end up not being able to enjoy the good things in our present life. When we regret something, we know that we haven’t adequately worked through the emotions that are associated with the past experiences. Having regrets, especially silent regrets, is also a way that we refuse to let go of something, and a lot of the times that’s just not healthy. We underestimate the positive impact that dealing with regret can have.

What role do regrets actually play in our ultimate destiny? First, regrets either serve solely as reminders of our mistakes or they will serve as reminders to find a lesson out of the mistakes and use that lesson as our motivating factor to make the current situation better. So what about destiny? Is whatever happened supposed to have happened because the course we take is what we were ultimately destined to take? Maybe and maybe not – you have to decide that.

The fact remains that what happened in the past has happened, and unfortunately, you cannot travel back in time and change it. But there are steps you can take to help you stop ruminating and release your disappointment so that you can start letting go of the past. It is unlikely that you’ll ever be able to live your life completely with no regrets, so just remember that regrets don’t always have to be a burden on your present and your future. Start dealing with regret effectively with these tips:

Acknowledge your faults
Your regrets may stem from something you did or something that was out of your hands. When you did contribute to a bad decision, it’s important to start accepting responsibility for it. How can you healthfully move on if you won’t acknowledge the reality of the role you played? Accepting responsibility can be quite empowering, and it will allow you to more realistically evaluate a future decision.

Let go of something small first
If you have a major regret in your life that you want to get past, try letting go of a smaller regret first. Maybe you regret missing out on a party that your friend later told you was the best party she’s ever went to because she met tons of potential dates. You regret not going because maybe you missed the chance to meet someone, too. Not the most life-altering mistake, is it? Once you see how good it feels to let go of a small regret, you’ll be more motivated to move on to something more significant.

Find meaning
Every regret you have has a lesson somewhere in there for you to find. Think of regrets as a learning experience – that is the only way you’ll ever find some value in it – and there’s always something to be taken away from your experiences. One part of the lesson you learn must include asking yourself exactly why you’re letting go of the regret. For example, “I am letting go of this regret because it’s taking away time I can be devoting to my kids.” When you start to acknowledge the impact of the burden, you’ll start wondering why you’re allowing it to impact you so much, and you’ll understand why it’s time to start letting go of the past.

Modify Your Expectations
Whether it’s your personal expectation or the expectations of others, ask yourself if you’re being realistic about them. If your expectations aren’t realistic, you may discover the reasons that caused the outcome of your regret in the first place. It’s a good thing to set your expectations high, just so long as they don’t become so unrealistic that regrets become inevitable. Modify your expectations next time and minimize the opportunity to feel regrets in the future.

While you may never be totally void of having regrets, you have learned how to start dealing with regret so that you can minimize their negative influence and live with more awareness and happiness in your present and future life.

5 Reasons To Journal Your Goals

5 Reasons To Journal Your Goals

Writing out your goals, sharing them with others and
actually visualizing your success will bring you powerful
results!

It doesn't really matter how you record your goals - it only
matters that you take the time to really focus on them. But,
the more detailed your wants and needs are spelled out on
paper and in your mind, the more accurate they'll be to
achieve.

Even by writing out your goals you are more likely to
achieve them. It's true, even if you wrote the goals and
then threw away your journal you are still more likely to
achieve your goals than avoiding this exercise all together.

The goals you write are still there in your subconscious
mind. Give your mind a boost and add more detail and
visualization to the goals you plan to accomplish.

For example: One of your personal goals maybe to own a new
sports car someday. Okay, now detail the type of car, color,
options and the date you plan on getting the new car.

Reason ..1 Helps To Relieve Stress - The exercise of
journaling is not only good for your mental state, but your
physical state as well. Yes, it will help with confusion,
anger and stress.

When you journal your goals you know where you are headed,
what you truly want out of life and you begin to create a
blueprint towards a higher level of success.

Reason ..2 Helps To Analyze Solutions - When you write out
your needs and wants honestly and completely, you will find
that you lose yourself in your writing.

You may find additional meaning to the things you say or do.
You may also find the solutions to overcome the obstacles
that are holding you back from reaching your goals.

When overwhelming life events are reduced to words on paper,
words that can be analyzed and seen from a different
perspective with our thoughts, you will gain a new
perspective of the situation and find new solutions for
seemingly difficult problems.

Reason ..3 Discover Hidden Talents & Aspirations - Let your
feelings flow without critiquing the way you write them.
Simply pour out your heart and your feelings. You will be
amazed at how your writing and focus will improve. The
hardest part is getting started.

But once you have a dozen or so goals written down, keep
going until you reach 101. If you open your mind and focus
on where you want to go without setting limits the words
should flow quickly and easily.

Reason ..4 Increase Your Creativity - Everyone has the
ability to become more creative. Journaling flues the
creative spirit and soon your ability to communicate on
paper will also help you to dramatically improve your
personal interaction with other people as well.

Reason ..5 Unlocks Your Subconscious - Your journal can be a
therapist. A journal does not complain, cry or judge you in
anyway. Your goals journal will accept your thoughts and
ideas freely and easily without question. By transcribing
emotions onto pages, you can gain a better prospective of
your emotional life.

Not only is a journal a therapist and motivator to help you
reach your goals, it also will revel your dreams, future
accomplishments, hopes for the future and remind you of your
aspirations.

Journals are tools to help you discover the wisdom you
already possess. Sometimes, this wisdom will surprise you.
Other times, it will challenge you. Always, it will come
directly from you, empowering you to trust yourself and to
take action by giving you the deep-seated knowledge that you
know more than you think you do.

Awkward Beginnings

When you first meet a person, your goal is to get them to:

1. like you;
2. trust you; and
3. want to listen to you.

If you are meeting in person, after a call to set up an
appointment, you must have built enough curiosity in what
you will do for them to get that far.

They obviously want to listen to you. However, their
curiosity will only take them so far. Once they've gotten
the basic idea of what the product or service you provide
will do for them, they'll need to like and trust you enough
to want to do business with you.

To help people to like you, you must be likable. That's
pretty simple. Develop the traits you admire in someone you
deem as being likable. Chances are someone you consider
likable is already somewhat like you, so this shouldn't be
too much of a stretch for you.

It's human nature to like people who are like us or who we
recognize as complementing our personality styles. People
tend to like others who smile, make eye contact, are
courteous, and are interested in them.

These traits make those with whom you come in contact feel
as though they are important to you. Making others feel
important is critical to establishing successful
relationships - both business and personal.

To begin building trust, establish common ground. If you're
a fan of the same sports team, if you have children the same
ages, or if you belong to the same community service
organization, they'll see how much you are like them.

Most people trust and want to do business with people who
are like themselves. Seek areas of common ground by asking
questions about their business or something in their local
area.

It won't hurt, if in conversation, you are able to tell them
about a situation with another client they may be familiar
with or where you demonstrated dependability. Be careful not
to sound like you're bragging.

Use the term "we" as in "we, the company" when relating
information about other clients or business situations. That
way, if they're even the least bit shaky on their opinion of
you, they'll build faith in the fact that the company stands
behind their promises.

If you're making a telephone contact, you won't be able to
see their office or home environment, so you must stay away
from personal topics until you get a cue from them that it's
something they'd want to talk about. Stick with industry
knowledge or local topics of interest at the beginning.

Look and listen for ideas of what's important to this
person. If you don't see or hear anything that you would
feel comfortable asking about, don't become anxious. You
don't want to create an awkward situation by looking like
you're struggling to come up with a subject.

In business situations, you can always ask about the
neighborhood or good local restaurants. If you visit with a
consumer at their home, mention the landscaping, the general
style of decor, or a painting hanging on the wall. Avoid the
weather unless there's some unusual weather phenomenon
occurring. It's just too trite.

Meeting someone in a neutral location, such as an elevator,
an office lobby, or in line at the grocery store can be
handled nicely with a sincere compliment about an article of
clothing, an item the person is carrying, or a simple
question.

A good starter question for other than the grocery store
could be, "What brings you to this building?" The more
prepared you are to handle first meetings, the more relaxed
you will be. And, the more relaxed you are, the fewer
awkward beginnings you'll encounter.