Pain. Immense pain. Sometimes unbearable, and sometimes incomprehensible. So many of us live life in pain. The pain of decision-making. The pain of thinking about life. The pain of keeping dead relationships alive. The pain of memories that haunt us. The pain of fear. The pain of getting up in the morning and the pain of sleepless nights. The pain of loss of someone most dear and the pain of waiting for them to return. Pain, and more pain in everything. While most of us live in some or the other pain, the nature is blissful. Look at these mountains and rivers. Watch the joy.

But our life is different. The life of pain. Look at your own eyes in the mirror and many times you will see the pain of tiredness. The pain of trying to run away from pain. Why? Because, we all live. Yes, pain comes because we live. Only dead have peace. Or very small children or saints. Rest of us are in some pain at all the times. Pain becomes such an essential part of life that many times, we tend to forget that we are living in pain. We become unaware of a life of cheer, and a painless life.

Is there anyway to counter the pains? Sometimes, when we begin losing our balance, we do approach psychiatrists. But if the choice is wrong, that may lead to bigger pain. Is a president of a nation without any pains? Ask him/her and you will get a basketful of surprises. Is a young teenager without pain? Ask and you will get another basket. Keep on listing and keep on asking. CEOs of companies, students, junior executives, shop owners, movie makers, celebrities, poor people…The list will be endless and so will be the story of pains.

Any way out of pains? One can reflect about what is happening in one’s life that is killing the essence of living. But that exercise will not take away any pain, unless we change ourselves totally. How to do that? Let us begin with reflecting and finding out what gives us pains. Count even the smallest pain. Let the journey of making enquiries begin. Coming out of pains will only follow that exercise. Take the first step. After reflecting about and counting all the pains, you may realize that some pains are totally inescapable.

Do you yearn for Digital Versatile Disc quality; yet miss your old video recorders capability to record your beloved children’s telly shows? Well, you are able to acquire the best of both worlds with a Digital Versatile Disc recorder, thanks to its inventive taping options together with its DVD terrific sound and image.

There are many brands of Digital Versatile Disc recorders available, each with different specifications and features. Therefore, this means that whatever your desires are, there is a specific model of DVD recorders on the market that will suit you.

Digital Versatile Disc Recorders have never been so sensibly priced to procure. In actual fact, costs are plummeting so fast that getting rid of that old Video Cassette Recorder (more universally known as a VCR & changing to DVD or Hard Disk Drive (HDD) recording makes better sense. Though, it is a market affected by technology & innovation which therefore means DVD features are changing every month.

If you’re baffled with the diversity between DVD-R, DVD-RAM & DVD+RW, we also provide you with a basic breakdown of the set-ups on offer – which corporations are supporting them and what the newest developments are.

Pioneer makes an assortment of Digital Versatile Disc recorders, a few of which have HDD capability; letting you to tape many hours of TV prior to transferring them on to Digital Versatile Disc when needed. Pioneer also makes an array of brilliant DVD players & Digital Versatile Disc home cinema systems including HDMI compatible makes.

Pioneer is a well-known television and hi-fi company which caters for the home, car, multimedia & DJ equipment markets. Pioneer started up as Fukuin Shokai Denki in Tokyo in 1938. The company in the beginning began life manufacturing speakers and later changed its name to Pioneer in nineteen sixty-one. It has since introduced a selection of firsts onto the consumer market, which includes the world’s first Global Positioning System car navigation system in nineteen ninety & the first ever DVD recorder in 1999. Enjoy crazy low prices on DVD recorders at Digital Direct!

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Have a to-do list a mile long? An in-tray that’s about to collapse? Closets that are jam-packed with junk and a stack of family photos?

Now school is starting and things are just going to get worse! How can you deal with it all?

Often when we look at all there is to do, it can seem and is overwhelming. But if we chunk it down into smaller tasks the world starts to look a lot brighter. Try this 4S strategy.

Sort it. First review the four areas you want to tackle and determine the following: 1) tasks you enjoy and only you can do such as attend to personal appointments; 2) the things you don’t like doing and can transfer to someone else; and, 3) those items you’ve been meaning to do.

Start it. Stop procrastinating. Start doing what you find fun and only you can do…now. Don’t undertake everything at once or set unrealistic deadlines. Just do one small task to build momentum. Baby steps will turn into giant leaps. Remember make it fun. You’ll have a good time and feel a sense of accomplishment.

Share it. The items you designated as

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” – Dale Carnegie

I’ll venture to say that perseverance is one of the most valuable qualities you have to obtain success in any field. And the really great thing about perseverance is that you don’t need a university degree, or any complex training to make use if this tool. You HAVE the requirements to reach success using this tool.

Perseverance rarely does not result in success. No matter in what area you have goals, if you keep “keep on trying” as Mr Carnegie suggests you will reach success.

In reality, perseverance is something you were born with. Learning to walk, to talk, to write required perseverance. And the result was success.

It’s worthwhile to consider that you can be active, but not move forward. When you don’t move forward, you will not reach success. Think back to when you learned to ride a bicycle. For most of us, it took more than one attempt to get the hang of it, but we persevered, and that resulted in success, in that we could ride the bicycle.

The key in developing perseverance means taking small steps, resulting in small achievements, ultimately resulting in success with your objective. Think of building a jigsaw puzzle, one piece is added at a time, and eventually you have the finished picture.

Perseverance often means learning something new, in order to reach your ultimate goal, which is great. Why? Investing in your knowledge is never a waste – you may be able to utilize your new skills and knowledge to enable you to advance in some new area.

If you want to make more sales, you get out and see more prospects, one at a time.

Perseverance will not be without setbacks. The key is to learn from the setback, then continue forward. Do not dwell on it. Take the lesson, and move forward, and on to success.

As Mr Carnegie said, “people who have kept on trying” – that is the key to achieving success in any area you want.

As we approach the end of 2005, I would like my readers to ask themselves where they are with the goals they set for themselves for this year. Did you achieve what you wanted? Did you come close? Did you join a goal-setting group to help you? Did you hire a coach if you didn’t make progress in your goals? Did you even set goals for 2005? Why or why not?

I’m engaged in a fascinating one-year Masters Program at the University of Pennsylvania in Applied Positive Psychology, and as part of my coursework, I am deeply investigating the research behind goal-setting and why it matters to a person’s well-being.

To make a long story short, goals are what give our lives meaning, and without them, we are living in a very reactive way. We are not the masters of our own fates, and are certainly not exhibiting one of the four top traits of happy people. One of the hallmarks of a happy person (someone who shows high subjective well-being) is that they have a sense of “personal agency,” and that they feel they have control over their lives. One of the ways they exhibit this is by setting goals and creating specific plans to achieve them.

Peter Gollwitzer, one of the leading authorities on goal accomplishment, said this in American Psychologist in 1999:

1. Successful goal attainment requires that you find a way to start and persist in your goal until it is accomplished

2. Your goal should be framed as an “approach” goal and not an “avoidance” goal

3. Goals must be specific and challenging (not vague “do your best” goals)

4. Learning goals are often better than performance goals

5. Contradictory goals must be resolved creatively (for example, goals to make more friends and study for two hours every night must be knit together)

6. Implementation intention – or how you’ll accomplish your goal in the face of negativity or setbacks – is critical, particularly when the goals are challenging

In my mind, there is no better way to go about goal-setting than with a coach. A trained, skillful coach can help a client elucidate his or her values, help create a blueprint of goals that are tailored to the values and desired outcomes, and can walk a client through implementation intentions, which make all of the difference with challenging goals.

Don’t let this year end without using a coach to help you plan your goals for next year. Studies show that people who set goals are more likely to achieve them than those who disregard the whole process, plus people who set goals are happier than people who don’t.

Please sign up for my monthly newsletter, GO FOR THE GOAL! and read motivational articles from previous newsletters that are available in the archives.

Do you find it quite difficult focussing on doing simple tasks?

If you’ve got a few things you should be getting on with, do you seem to jump between them – never really getting any finished?

This is a very common problem, especially with tasks that you don’t really want to do (like housework, tax forms or paying bills). You start one thing then, as soon as you hit a problem, you move onto something else. Suddenly, it’s the end of the day – and you’ve not completed anything.

Here is a simple way to dramatically increase your effectiveness.

Take a task that you have been meaning to get done. Decide how long it will take you. Now, get a stopwatch and set it to that time. It may be 5 minutes, 15 minutes, an hour. Just set the stopwatch and get on with it.

If you try this out, you will find that your mind is far more focussed than normal, and far less open to distractions. As you see the numbers counting down, you’ll constantly be aware of what you need to do. As a result, your chances of getting the task done in the time you have set increase dramatically.

This works for a number of reasons:

1. Because you have a limit, your brain places extra importance on the task. It becomes urgent for you – even though the task itself may not need to be completed for weeks. Other tasks can be put off until after the time limit is up. 2. It releases your competitive side. Like playing a video game, you’ll get a feeling of satisfaction when you complete this challenge. 3.You will become better at judging how long things really take to get done. At first, you may assign to much or too little time for the tasks. But, very quickly, you will become an expert at working out how long tasks will really take.

You can use the same technique for virtually any task that you need to designate a period of time to. Writing e-mails, picking up your groceries… even walking the dog.

By purposefully limiting the amount of time you are able to do things, you will find yourself with fewer tasks left at the end of the day – and more time to do the things you enjoy.

Are you feeling bored or restless? Do you need to make a change of some type? People who make creative breakthroughs are the ones who usually are looking for different ways of doing things. I am going to suggest some possible ways to get out of your rut. This could actually be fun. Now, please keep an open mind.

If you usually brush your teeth with the right hand, use the left.

Speak to someone every day that you have never spoken to before.

Take a different route to work. See what new things you discover.

Read a book on a subject you know nothing about.

Find a new use for an object commonly found in your work area.

Now here is an interesting one. Read a novel except the last chapter and write your own ending.

If you have a willing partner, exchange roles at home for a day.

Now, think of some ideas of your own and see what you can do. Of course daily routine is necessary for some things, but mixing things up a bit might be just what the doctor ordered!

Copyright 2005
Karlynn Baker

Karlynn Baker is originally from California but moved to Tucson, Arizona to receive her Master of Science Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling with a specialty in addictions. She owns The Employee Assistance Program of Tucson, Inc. helping contracted employees with mental health concerns. She also shares a positive message every morning on KSAZ 580 AM entitled “A Thoughtful Moment.” She has written a book which shares 52 of her motivational and inspirational messages and she enjoys life with her husband, David, her three daughters, and her two adorable grandsons.

If one thing is for certain, each of us will experience some form of adversity while we are still breathing on this Earth. Unfortunately, some of us will experience more than our fair share of adversity, either in the workplace or in our personal lives.

Over the years, I feel I have been fortunate to experience unpleasant and often times, life-altering situations. Although at times I find it difficult to sustain a positive attitude while working through adverse situations, whether it be the lose of a job, a relationship breakup, looked over for a promotion or battling a major health issue, I know deep down that by working through and learning to find purpose and meaning in these situations is where I will encounter my greatest triumphs.

I have often said “we may ‘go’ through adversity, but we may not know how to ‘get’ through adversity.” Each time I experience something unpleasant I ask myself “what can I learn from this situation and how has my past behavior contributed to my current state?” Instead of burying my head in the sand just waiting for time to pass, or the Universe to forget about the situation, I actively work through the adversity, which helps ease the pain and frustration.

As I assess what I have learned and how I have grown through the years, I have shaped 10 survival strategies that have allowed me to get through the tough times. They include:

* Patience – This could be the hardest of all to achieve although one of the first thing we must develop when faced with adversity. The key to developing patience is to know in the end everything will work out the way it’s intended to. Also key to developing patience is surrendering your self to the fact that there is a time frame for everything. I like to use the analogy – that if you want to have a baby even though you (or your wife) may be pregnant you still have to wait the gestation period before the baby actually arrives.

* Forgiveness – Forgive the other person for wronging you. By not allowing yourself to forgive you utilize a great deal of negative energy as you harbor old thoughts and feelings. Learn to forgive and use this same energy in a positive way to take back your life. While forgiving the other person make certain you forgive your self for any misgivings or shortcomings, otherwise half the negative energy still remains.

* Acceptance -Accept the hand you were dealt – even a pair deuces can win the game.

* Thankfulness – Be thankful for the adversity. Adversity is God’s way of saying “you are worthy of my teachings.”

* Detachment – We have all heard the phrase – “If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you it’s yours. If it doesn’t, it never was.” If something is meant to be a part of your life, it will materialize, so there is no need to desperately hold onto anything.

* Understanding: Why This vs. Why Me? – I feel our first inclination when something negative happens to us we ask “why me?” Normally asking this question doesn’t provide any answers other than making us feel guilty for having asked it in the first place – really, why not you? No one is immune to pain. Simply reword the question and ask “why this?” By asking “why this” it typically leads us to understanding our past thoughts and actions that may have (karmically) contributed to our current state, allowing us to get to the root of the situation.

* Meditation or Quiet Time – I always say “it is only in the silence can we hear God’s voice.” Allow for quiet time to reflect up your desires and listen closely and intently to what is happening all around you – you will find your answers in the silence.

* Maintain a Creative Mind – Eliminate boredom otherwise it will lead you toward frustration and depression. Take up a hobby, do some writing, volunteer your time or spend time with friends and family. Any, or all of this, will make you feel good about yourself, allowing you to want to move forward.

* Work Toward the Future – Even if you do not feel things are moving forward, work on creating the future you desire. You can plant tiny seeds by going back to school, read material that is related to your desires, commit by writing out your goals and desires or network with like-minded people. Each step you take, no matter how small moves you toward your future.

* Trust – Let God and let God. All we really have control over is our actions and a gut feeling (or hearts desire) of what we hope the outcome of our lives to be. The rest is up to a higher power greater than our own. Trust the Universe will provide you with exactly what you need when you need it.

Linda Furiate is a personal coach, mentor, astrologer and author. She is also the creator and host of Portraits in Determination, a cable access TV program showcasing the lives of those who have suffered adversity and have grown emotionally and spiritually as a result of their experiences. Stayed tuned for October 21, 2005 @ 4:00 p.m. PST to hear live on the internet a weekly radio version of the show – log onto http://www.health.voiceamerica.com For more information log onto http://www.portraitsindetermination.com

It was an unexpectedly overcast day in California and the breeze chilled my sandaled feet. I was eleven years old. A playhouse made of brown chunks of sod piled like bricks leaned towards a wooden fence. Soft redwood bark chips covered the ground. There was nothing green in sight. Trowels in hand, Roxanna and I studied a petunia seed packet and considered which corner would get the right amount of sun. She went into the house briefly, leaving me in the company of her much younger sister Caroline whom we had been ignoring. Caroline rested her belly in a canvas swing seat, letting her head hang down, and fitfully walked her toes on the ground to turn her body and twist the chains of the swing. She was singing and it was soon obvious to me that she was making up the song as she sang. In that moment I realized a number of things. I used to make up songs as I sang them. I hadn’t done so for years. I had forgotten that I ever did so. We never did plant the petunias, but Caroline’s song was a tiny green shoot showing itself to me on that gray day.

Why do most of us stop making up songs and doing other creative things? Why did you? Was your creativity ever praised? Was it ignored? Ridiculed? Did a teacher listen to you sing and tell you to just mouth the words in the choir? Did the teacher pick someone else to put together the art bulletin board? Did these things happen because you had no talent? NO. These things happened because of the human flaws of your teachers. Now you have a choice. You can seek out better teachers. I would like to be one of them right now. If your creativity was never praised, it may be under a beam in the rubble of an earthquake. Listen for that weak groan and be ready with a blanket and some hot chocolate.

One good way to get your creativity going is to do a writing practice known as “keep the pen moving”. Write whatever thoughts come into your head and write fast. This is not journaling. Don’t box yourself into what happened to you on a particular day. Don’t concern yourself about the quality of the writing or worry about spelling or grammar. You are mining for raw material that may be worth crafting later. Be open to images or memories that pop into your head and describe them in your writing. They might be pictures, voices or feelings in your body. Expect most of what you write to be junk. And yet, something magical happens in your mind when you give it that kind of attention. Set yourself a length of time like ten minutes. You might spend nine minutes writing junk but then you get one interesting phrase or sentence that could be the beginning of a poem or story. Or you might remember something you haven’t thought about in years that suddenly feels worth writing about.

Even if all you get is junk, you are doing something of huge value. You are getting familiar and comfortable with the landscape of your creative mind. You are giving it the attention that it craves. If your thoughts are leaves, look under them to see the branches. There will be trivial memories that keep surfacing. These are big branches that might lead you somewhere more interesting. Or is your mind like a body, structured with bones and moved by muscles? What are the moods of your creative mind? Sometimes all it gives are tiresome puns. Other times there will be metaphors galore and some will be stinky and some will be interesting for five minutes and some will make everyone around you go “wow”. Here is something I learned from poetry teacher Peter Levitt. “Everything is permitted in the imagination.” I invite you to embrace whatever you find there. When you make creation an important part of your life, you will draw to you people who appreciate what you create.

If a gymnast falls, she ends her routine with a gymnast bow. She stands up straight and raises her arms up over her head in a posture of accomplishment. The teacher of an improv workshop I took taught us to do gymnast bows if we did something that felt lame or embarassing during our improv exercises. This created such an atmosphere of trust in that room, we could all be brilliant. If you are displeased with your creation, take a gymnast bow and get back on the balance beam and keep going.

Don’t quit your day job. Being creative does not take a lot of time. It only takes courage. Start by dipping your toe in and get some experience. Find a buddy who also wants to be more creative and make a pact to admire each other’s work, giving only honest positive feedback.

Don’t look to the noncreative people in your life for validation of your worthiness as an artist. This is self sabotage. Whatever wonderful thing you want to do in your life, it is too easy to find someone to tell you why you can’t do it. Don’t listen.

We all have a powerhouse of creativity in our mind. Think of it as a whale. Once you know where to look, you can count on it to surface now and then. It needs to breathe.

Nancy Ibsen is a third generation writer, singer and composer living in Seattle. She is a published poet and short fiction writer. She is currently writing a science fiction novel. See her website at http://www.unleash-creativity.org/

WHAT IS CREATIVITY?

Creativity – the use of the imagination or original
ideas, esp. in the production of an artistic work.

That’s how the dictionary interpret creativity. Mine is different. Probably not much,
but still different. To me, creativity is the ability to choose 1 MOST RATIONAL
SOLUTION out of hundreds or thousands other for a problem.

I’m not saying the dictionary is wrong, but I’m saying that creativity isn’t limited to
scientists, musicians, artists etc. For example, Thomas Edison is creative because he
invented the light bulb. But, Mahatma Gandhi is also creative because he found
peace without even using violence. See the difference?

HOW TO BE CREATIVE?

Some people are just born with this gift. Others don’t. But it will grow on you if you
let it. Just remember these 3 words will ya?

Imagination, patience and confidence.

Let me explain briefly how they work. Your imagination is what will find all the
answers you need. Add a little information sources (e.g books, articles, newspaper
etc) and you’ll have every answers at your fingertips. Patience will help you browse
through each and one of these answers and analyze it in each and every angle
possible. Confidence will help you choose THE BEST answers and make THE BEST
decision. Does it make sense now?

These are the key to unlock your creativity. Creative people know about these, only
that they’re not very conscious of it. Remember these 3 words and you’ll find the
creative side of you bursting out like mad cows.

————

Ahmad Zaki is the owner and the author of the fun, mind twisting blog, Wee Juices,
Inc. He shows people how to simply use their imagination to make their life happier
than before.

Read more of his articles at:

http://weejuicesinc.blogspot.com