Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

– written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s –
“Found in Old St. Paul’s Church”!

The next time you run into some familiar blockage or begin to feel unsuited to face some new and difficult personal challenge, don’t do what you’ve always done before. Don’t try to think your way around it. You no longer want a way around your troubles because what goes around, comes around!  What you want is to grow beyond the level of that disturbance. And to do that, you must not act from it.

So don’t allow yourself to be pulled down into any anxious concern or confusion over not knowing what to do about your present condition. What you really want is an insight into your situation, not a fight with it. The two have nothing in common. So make it clear to yourself once and for all: nothing that hounds you can help you.

Draw yourself back from your usual thinking. Quietly observe it race around looking for the shelter of a conclusion it can recognize. Have nothing to do with its frantic motion.

You’ve gone as far as you can go with what you know. Now it’s time to know that, so that you can let what you know go, and let something unthinkable occur to you. Just relax.

Pressuring yourself to come up with a happy ending to a sad or shaky situation only goes to show you still believe that you can resolve these troubles. But if you could have, you would have by now. Besides, your lower nature wants you to confuse these feelings of pressure for being some kind of proof of personal progress. It’s done its job well. After all these years you’re afraid to live without this feeling of habitually prodding yourself, for fear that without it, you might get stuck! The solution here is to see that, in fact, you are stuck! This powerful insight releases you from the pressure of wanting anything from yourself.

Now you’ve done what you can do. You’ve prepared the stage, your own mind, for the arrival of a higher nature and a new kind of freedom. But learn to expect it in the unexpected. To paraphrase the New Testament: be ever watchful for you don’t know when — or how — something higher will make itself known to you.

There may come a flash of insight, a clear glimpse into some self-created cause of your own continuing inner captivity. Or, perhaps, a sudden and sweet deep sense of wholeness will sweep through you, a quiet but profound intuition, wherein you know yourself, for that moment, to be one with all of that life pulsating around and within you.

However that Light breaks into the darkened room of self, consider each brief  illumination as an appointed messenger, a heavenly herald sent in advance of a greater freedom to come. Learn to embrace each appearance, for regardless of what may be revealed — to you or about you — these insights are not unlike the sound of the shouts of liberation heard always just before the arrival of the liberating forces. A new freedom always follows. Now, follow it.

– Guy Finley

Imagine that you had all the money you could ever want.  You’d have great relationships and perfect health.  Imagine you’d spend your life in peace and joy.  If you practiced the Laws of Attraction, these things could come true for you.  The first thing you must do to practice the Laws of Attraction is to embrace a feeling of gratitude.  Be thankful for everything that you have.  Focusing on the good things in your life will help you key in on positive feelings.

These positive feelings will translate into a positive energy, according to the Laws of Attraction.  When you send out this kind of positive energy, you will see good things come back to you in return through the Laws of Attraction.  You can concentrate on the positive things by holding some kind of talisman in your pocket, for example.  This will help you remember to be thankful every time you touch it.

If you properly use the Law of Attraction, you will have what you want.  It is and isn’t easy.  You only need to change the way you think and feel about things.  If you can come to understand the Law of Attraction fully, you can make it work for you.

Start transforming yourself and watch your dreams unfold by clicking below, and get your complimentary Law of Attraction Report.

Thomas Silcox

http://tinyurl.com/7na5srz

In the process of living, the winds of circumstances blow on us all in an unending flow that touches each of our lives.

We have all experienced the blowing winds of disappointment, despair and heartbreak. Why, then, would each of us, in our own individual ship of life, all beginning at the same point, with the same intended destination in mind, arrive at such different places at the end of the journey? Have we not all been blown by the winds of circumstances and buffeted by the turbulent storms of discontent?

What guides us to different destinations in life is determined by the way we have chosen to set our sail. The way that each of us thinks makes the major difference in where each of us arrives. The major difference is the set of the sail.

The same circumstances happen to us all. We have disappointments and challenges. We all have reversals and those moments when, in spite of our best plans and efforts, things just seem to fall apart. Challenging circumstances are not events reserved for the poor, the uneducated or the destitute. The rich and the poor have marital problems. The rich and the poor have the same challenges that can lead to financial ruin and personal despair. In the final analysis, it is not what happens that determines the quality of our lives; it is what we choose to do when we have struggled to set the sail and then discover, after all of our efforts, that the wind has changed directions.

When the winds change, we must change. We must struggle to our feet once more and reset the sail in the manner that will steer us toward the destination of our own deliberate choosing. The set of the sail, how we think and how we respond, has a far greater capacity to destroy our lives than any challenges we face. How quickly and responsibly we react to adversity is far more important than the adversity itself. Once we discipline ourselves to understand this, we will finally and willingly conclude that the great challenge of life is to control the process of our thinking.

Learning to reset the sail with the changing winds rather than permitting ourselves to be blown in directions we did not purposely choose requires the development of a whole new discipline. It involves going to work on establishing a powerful, personal philosophy that will help to influence in a positive way all that we do, think and decide. If we can succeed in this worthy endeavor, the result will be a change in the course of our income, lifestyle and relationships, and in how we feel about the things of value as well as the times of challenge. If we can alter the way we perceive, judge and decide upon the main issues of life, then we can dramatically change our lives.

Two Wolves…and the meaning of life……..

Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside all people. He said, ‘My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all.’

‘One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.‘

The other is Good. ‘It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.‘

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: ‘Which wolf wins?’

The old Cherokee simply replied, ‘The one you feed.’

This is not my post but there is so much for you to read into it:

How to Have the Best Year of Your Life (without Setting a Single Goal)

Posted: 05 Jan 2012 08:15 AM PST

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Jeff Goins of Goins, Writer.

This new year, do something different: stop setting goals.

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results, then making resolutions for another year is a sure-fire way to drive yourself crazy. I did it for years, and it got me nothing.

Resolutions are pipe dreams, and goals are a waste of time. They are designed to trick you into believing all you need to change your life is a plan.

But plans don’t work. Life is too chaotic and busy. For most of us, it’s impossible to stick to a list of goals for more than a few weeks, not to mention an entire year.

So how do you change your life? By controlling what you can: your daily habits.

The Pointlessness of Plans:

Most good things happen without a plan: friendships, falling in love, finding a job, and so on. If you want to make your new year count, you’ll need to be intentional — not by setting goals, but by making space in your life for what really matters.

This was how I was able to get into shape, launch a blog, train for a half-marathon, get a book deal, and keep my day job this year — while loving every minute of it.

Most productivity systems focus on beginning with the “end in mind” and setting goals to get there. Many are based on the assumption that in order to get what you want later, you’re have to give up what you want now. You work the plan, endure pain, and win.

But this is not the only path you can take.

I just finished one of the best years of my life, and most of it was completely unplanned. How did I do it? By creating new disciplines I actually liked doing. I wasn’t only fixated on the end results; I also enjoyed the process.

This is the secret to a healthy, productive life and to making an impact on the world. Create good, sustainable habits that you enjoy, and you’ll end up with a life you can be proud of.

Instead of Goals:

There is an alternative to setting goals that will bring you closer to the life you want. Focus on a few practices you can enjoy doing on a regular basis. The trick here is consistency. These four helped me:

• Get up early. When the world wakes up, distractions abound. If you are going to focus on creating a new life for yourself, you’ll need to find the time. The best way to do this is to work while others are sleeping. At first, I didn’t like waking up before the sun, but eventually my body adjusted and I began looking forward to the solitude.
• Over-commit. The adage “under-promise and over-deliver” is a farce. It only propagates the status quo. Real difference-makers push boundaries. They test, prod, and poke until something gives. You can do this, too, by saying “yes” to more things than you’re comfortable with. Learn to stretch yourself. You might be surprised by what you’re actually capable of. Your confidence will grow, too.
• Talk to strangers. Relationships are what make the world go round. This is true for your career, personal well-being, and inner life. When you meet new people, you make connections that can lead to all kinds of future breakthroughs. Even when it’s uncomfortable, reach out and introduce yourself to new people. The worst they can say is “no.” Fortunately, many won’t.
• Practice generosity. Give away your time, money, services, and ideas. When you do this, you will get a lot more than you give. People will learn to trust you, and if you really help them, they will tell others about you. This will build your reputation, and you will have more friends than you know what to do with. And as the saying goes, what goes around really does come around.

After a year of doing these things, I ended up with a life I couldn’t have imagined or planned for. And I had a blast doing it. So I’m going to do it all over again, without setting a single goal.

The best year of your life is within reach — if you are willing to give up on the craziness of plans and instead focus on creating new habits. The first step is to begin.

Read more from Jeff at his blog, Goins, Writer, or get his free eBook The Writer’s Manifesto.

—

“Marketing is NOT a separate entity; it is part of being who you are and offering ways to be of service to those who are naturally attracted to who you are as a Creative Person. Marketing is making yourself known to as many people as possible in as many creative ways as
possible to make them aware of what you are doing – while you are just having a darn good time.”

Now my daily marketing plan is simply getting myself in front of as many people as possible in as many creative ways as possible so that those people who are looking for what I am offering can find me.

It does not make any difference if you are a seriously spiritual individual or a hard core scientist who does not believe in anything spiritual; the truth is each religion and scientific discipline tell us with overwhelming conviction that each and every one of us has an innate capability to create our personal happiness.

We really do deserve to have the life we want!

Abundance, wellness, prosperity, and love are in all places. Look at all the people in the world who are happy, healthy, and prosperous.

Do you seriously believe that they somehow deserve to have more than you? Of course they don’t, we are ALL entitled to a great life!

If you simply cannot recognize this truth, it’s surely guaranteed to be tough going meeting any of your goals. The bottom line is if you really don’t think you are good enough why would anybody else?

Make it a daily exercise to tell yourself, and to believe that you most certainly deserve to be happy! Even if you don’t believe right now just keep telling yourself it’s true; once you hear it enough you’ll start to believe it.

I Will Seek Wisdom,

One would think this ideal is a no-brainer but then one has to look at oneself. More than anything this is a lesson of action and acceptance. To me it is so obvious that “seeking wisdom”  is not what you can learn through reading books, audio tapes and lectures alone. I am not saying these are not good sources of extreme importance but they are only a small but important part of the picture. One would assume that personal experience is possibly the best means of becoming a wise individual. I have lots of  experience but I can’t say I am much wiser because of it. Wisdom brings balance, discernment and good judgment into a person’s life.

It is suggested that a person becomes who he associates with. My ability to sabotage myself in that my thinking tells me I am not as good as the group of people I long to associate with, that I am an outsider restricts my growth and capacity to learn. I need to stop comparing myself to others. My comfort zone is too comfortable! Inside I know that reaching out is the key to gaining acceptance, learning and acquiring a “council of wise men”. There is safety in council. This is a person’s mastermind group as Napoleon Hill states. Solomon says “find a wise man; a person or group who has accomplished what you wish for yourself, and listen closely to their words”.

I believe there is something wrong about how we think. There is nothing more important in our lives to seek and learn than, –”that we are not our thoughts”. The thoughts that rush through my mind are not mine.  I do not create them, they come from somewhere outside me. I don’t realize this so I take them to be my own thoughts.  I soon believe I am these thoughts. The problem is that I carry these thoughts around all the time believing that I am it!

The answer to this De Lima is to think in a new way. You need to watch your thoughts. Think about what you are thinking about so to speak. My thoughts are as close as my own breath, but I never take a close look at them. We all need to learn to stay awake and not get lost in our thinking otherwise the thoughts you have will run you ragged,  on auto pilot in a sense. They never stop!!  Just watch and listen to your thoughts.  It is also true as you watch your thoughts; you can focus on changing them, consciously, so that you can become what you are thinking about (like the “Law of Attraction”).

Through serving others one can achieve serenity of thought. The rewards of helping others bring a satisfaction to yourself that cannot be compared to anything. To give is to receive. I am not saying to get something I must give something.  Give from the heart;  put yourself in the other person’s shoes and come to know what they truly desire, need or want. If you cannot help, find someone who can. Help them indirectly in this way. Do not expect anything to come back to you. Giving and receiving is not a one to one measure.  Just believe that giving always comes back to you, sometimes without even recognizing it.

These ideas have enlightened me in the areas of the importance of others and the positive influence they have on you and you on them.  The power of your thoughts on thinking, and that helping others, giving of yourself expecting nothing in return really gives back more than one realizes. It builds a group of peers around you that contributes to the wisdom you gain. There is no greater power than love and compassion for your fellow man on this earth. To me this is a Wise Man’s Secret….