Welcome to the SELF DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL
Number 24
I hope you will
receive a fortnightly dose of motivation, inspiration, laughter and
thought-provoking quotes. If you find yourself bogged down in our competitive,
stressful work world, take a few minutes to read and then think about the
positive messages you will receive.
1. Inspirational Quotes
2. Values and Happiness
3. Wild Trivia
4. Metaphor
5. Attitudes determine Altitude
6. Jokes
7. Motivational
1. Inspirational Quotes
Like a lot of husbands throughout history,
Webster would sit down and try to talk to his wife. But as soon as he would start
to say something, his wife would say, "... And what's that supposed to
mean?"
Thus, Webster's Dictionary was born.
*******
Why is it that when we talk to God we're said to
be praying, but when God talks to us we're schizophrenic? - Lily Tomlin
*******
LISTEN
"When I ask you to listen to me and you start giving me good
advice, then you have not done what I asked of you. When I ask you to listen to
me and you start explaining why I shouldn't feel as I do, then you are
trampling on my feelings. When I ask you to listen to me and you think you must
do something to sort out my problems, and then you fail me, however strange
that may sound. Perhaps that is why praying helps some people. Because God is
mute and doesn't give good advice or try to "fix" things. He only
listens and lets me take care of myself. So please, just listen to me, and if
you want to say something, be patient. Then, I promise, I'll listen to
you." - Anonymous
*******
“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the
ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the
ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are
hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise.”
- F. Scott Fitzgerald, Author
*******
“Contentment
makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor.” – Unknown
*******
"Whether you think that you can, or that
you can't, you are usually right." - Henry Ford
2. VALUES AND HAPPINESS by Bill Harris
Values can be very powerful in determining
whether you are happy or unhappy. Values that are in conflict, or are in some
other way not resourceful, create suffering for you. Luckily, the process of
correcting this is not difficult.
First, you have to discover what your values
are, in other words, take them from being unconscious to being conscious. Ask
yourself, "What is important to me about life?" Make a list of the
top ten or twelve life values. For example, you might have a list that looks
like this:
What is important to me about life:
Family
A challenging career
Peace of mind
Financial security
The ability to help others
Time for recreation
Sex
Not being hurt (notice this is an "away from" value)
Privacy (might also be an away from)
....and so on
I just listed these to give you some samples,
not because I think these are "good" values. I just made them up, and
yours may be quite different.
As you make your list, be sure to be honest with
yourself. Don't make a list of what you think your values should be. List what
really is important to you. When you're done, ask yourself, "What did I
fail to list that is important but I didn't list the first time?" This may
help you discover a few more. In fact, often the most important values come up
during this second round of asking.
The second step is to put the values in
hierarchical order. Decide which value is most important, which is second, and
so on. Then, test to see if this order is really the correct order by asking
"If I could only have #1 but not #2, would that be okay?" If so, #1
really should be higher than #2. If not, ask "If I could have #2 but not
#1, would that be okay?" You will be able to feel inside which is more
important. Compare each value to each other value until you know for sure which
is #1, which is #2, and so on.
The third step is to check and see if there are
any two values that are in conflict. If there are, one of two things will be
the case. Either the conflict is not really a conflict because both values
serve the same higher purpose in your life, and you just THINK there is a
conflict, or there really is a conflict, in which case you might want to make a
decision about whether eliminating one value or moving it up or down in the
hierarchy might better serve you.
Then, look and see if there are values that,
upon examination, are not resourceful for you. Are there any that keep creating
suffering for you? In the above list, for instance, "not being hurt"
is an away from value (something you move away from instead of toward) and
causes you to focus on "being hurt" and ultimately causes you to BE
hurt, even though that's not what you want.
Other values may jump out at you as creating
dramas, problems, and other suffering.
I know someone who values getting all the
information before making a decision or taking action. She is constantly in
crisis because she waits too long to get herself in gear and do what needs to
be done. "Getting all the information before doing something" is a
value that does not serve her and creates constant drama in her life.
Just becoming conscious of what your values are,
and evaluating them in terms of how resourceful they are can create tremendous
change. Remember that it is not possible to do something harmful to yourself
and do it consciously. To be non-resourceful requires you to do it
unconsciously. Becoming conscious causes all non-resourceful parts of your map
of reality to fall away.
A key point is that you probably have the values
you have because they helped you feel safe while growing up. For this reason,
you may resist changing them, even if you consciously want to. Adhering to them
in your family was the way to fit in or avoid the displeasure of your parents
(or other authority figures), and for this reason you strongly associate them
with safety. The idea of dropping any of them, even if they are creating
suffering, will cause an unconscious part of you to resist. Unless you want the
results they bring, you must make a decision to drop any part of your map of
reality that does not serve you, and to do that you must reassure that
unconscious part that is afraid that things will be better after the change,
not worse.
The overriding thing to remember is that your
map of reality will create the life you live, and you can choose your map of
reality. You don't have to take the one you were handed by parents, teachers,
TV, society in general when you were little, and which is now running on auto
pilot and creating the results you get in your life. To make these changes
takes persistent effort and often courage, but it is well worth it. Being
willing to let go of the old way of seeing yourself, other people, and the
world is absolutely necessary if you want to make these changes.
4. Wild Trivia thanks
Margot Cuthbert
If
your birthday is on......
December 23rd~ January
1st = Red
January 2nd ~ January
11th = Orange
January 12th ~ January
24th = Yellow
January 25th ~ February
3rd = Pink
February 4th ~ February
8th = Blue
February 9th ~ February
18th = Green
February 19th ~ February
28th = Brown
March 1st ~ March 10th =
Aqua
March 11th ~ March 20th
= Lime
March 21st = Black
March 22nd ~ March 31st
= Purple
April 1st ~ April 10th =
Navy
April 11th ~ April 20th
= Silver
April 21st ~ April 30th
= White
May 1st ~ May 14th =
Blue
May 15th ~ May 24th =
Gold
May 25th ~ June 3rd=
Cream
June 4th ~ June 13th = Grey
June 14th ~ June 23rd =
Maroon
June 24th = Grey
June 25th ~ July 4th =
Red
July 5th ~ July 14th =
Orange
July 15th ~ July 25th =
Yellow
July 26th ~ August 4th =
Pink
August 5th ~ August 13th
= Blue
August 14th ~ August 23rd
= Green
August 24th ~ September
2nd = Brown
September 3rd ~
September 12th = Aqua
September 13th ~
September 22nd = Lime
September 23rd = Olive
September 24th ~October
3rd = Purple
October 4th ~ October
13th = Navy
October 14th ~ October
23rd = Silver
October 24th ~November
11th = White
November 12th ~ November
21st = Gold
November 22nd ~ December
1st = Cream
December 2nd ~ December
11th = Grey
December 12th~ December
21st = Maroon
December 22nd = Teal
**********************************************************
RED Cute and lovable type, you are picky but always in love and
liked to be loved. Fresh and cheerful, but can be "moody" at times.
Capable with people nice, soft, and that can love you for the way you are.
Likes people that are easy to talk to, and can make you feel comfortable.
CREAM Competitive and sportive. Don't like losing and
always cheerful! You are trustworthy, and very out going. You choose love
carefully, and don't fall in love easily. But once you find the right one, you
don't let go for a long time.
TEAL You are mostly interested in your looks. And
have high standards in picking love. You think and make a solution precisely,
and hardly make stupid mistakes. You like to lead, and is easy for you to make
new friends.
GREY You are attractive, and active. You never hide
your feelings, and express everything
that's inside. But can be selfish at times. You want to be noticed, and don't
like to be treated unequally. You can brighten up people’s day. You know what
to say at the right time, and you have good sense of humour.
GREEN You get along well with new people. You are not really a shy person, but
sometimes you can hurt people's feelings by your words. You like to be loved and
noticed by your lover, but mostly you are single, waiting for the right person.
GOLD You know what's right and what's wrong. You are
cheerful and out going. It's hard for you to find the one you want, but once
you find the right person, you won't be able to fall in love again for a long
time.
PINK You are always trying your best in everything, and like to
help and care for other people. But you are not easily satisfied. You have
negative thoughts, and you look for romantic love like in a fairytale.
YELLOW You are sweet and innocent. Trusted by many
people, and have a strong leadership towards relationships. You make good
decision and make the right choice at the right time. And always dreaming of
romantic relationship.
MAROON You are
intelligent, and know what's right. You like to make things go your way, which
can sometimes cause trouble for not thinking about other people's feelings. But
you are patient when it comes to love. Once you get a hold of the right person,
it's hard for you to find a better love.
ORANGE You are responsible for your own actions, and you
know how to treat people. You always have goals to reach and you really work
hard to get there, you are competitive. Your friends are really important to
you and you appreciate what you have, you sometimes over react that's because
you are sensitive.
PURPLE You are mysterious, never selfish and get
interested in things easily. Your day can be sad or happy depending on your
mood. You are popular between friends but you can act stupid at times, and
forget things easily. You go for a person that's trustworthy.
LIME
You are calm, but easily
stressed out. You get jealous easily, and complain over little things. You
can't get stuck into one thing, but you have a capable personality for everyone
to trust you and like you.
SILVER You are imaginative and fun, you love trying new
things. You like to challenge yourself and you learn things easily, you're easy
to talk to and you give good advice. When comes to friendship, you find it hard
to trust someone, but once you find the right friend, you trust them forever.
BLACK
You are challenging, and
have the "guts". But you don't like changes in your life. And once
you make a decision, you keep it that way for a long time. Your love life is
also challenging, and different.
OLIVE
You are warm and light
hearted. You seem to flow well with friends and family. You don't like violence
and know what's right. You are kind and cheerful, but don't envy other people
easily.
BROWN You are active and sportive. It's hard for other
people to become close with you, but you fall in love easily. But once you find
out you can't get something, you give up and let go easily as well.
BLUE You may have low self-esteem, and can be very
picky. You are artistic and like to fall in love, but you let your love pass
by, by loving with your mind, not your heart.
NAVY You are attractive, and love your life. You have a strong
feeling towards everything. And very easily distracted. Once you get angry with
someone, it’s hard for you to forgive them.
You dream and have goals in your life. You get
jealous easily and you don't react to things easily. You are different and
sometimes weird, but everyone loves that in you.
AQUA Your feelings change suddenly and easily. You
are always lonely, and like travelling. You are truthful, but listen and
believe other people too easily. It's hard to find love for you, and get lost
in love easily, sometimes get hurt by love.
hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
GET SOME SUN by Victoria
I know doctors warn us of the
evils of the sun, but the truth is, a little sunshine is good for our health. A
small daily dose of sun on the skin boosts the immune system and helps the body
to make vitamin D, a necessary nutrient. You must have Vitamin D combined with
calcium to prevent osteoporosis.
Get 15 minutes of sunshine a
day, during the early morning or late afternoon hours and avoid the peak rays
between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. Make sure the skin you expose is not covered with
sunscreen so you don't block out the healthful rays.
Don't overdo it. As with
anything, moderation is key.
YOGHURT SUNBURN RELIEVER
If you overdo it this time of
year and happen to get sunburn, try this natural remedy:
Mix equal parts plain yoghurt
and mashed, fresh strawberries. Smear on the burned area(s) and leave on for
15-20 minutes. Rinse gently with cold water and your skin will be soothed and
moisturized.
ABOUT VICTORIA Victoria is the author of the popular "Living Well Plan"
for weight loss, long-term health, and happiness.
9999999999999999999999999
4. Metaphor
"Here, I grow again!"
By Bob Perks
I sat on
the hill in my yard a while and wondered about the day. I wanted to know what
tomorrow will bring and what to do with yesterday. I have thought these
thoughts a million times and each time just gave in. But I discovered today
that the answer lies not what I'm without, but what's within.
This grand revelation came from watching my dog
play with a blade of grass. We've had some heavy rains the last few days and I
haven't had the opportunity to just sit outside. But today the clouds gave way
to the sun and at least for a few minutes I was able to catch up on my
thinking. It was when I looked down at
a blade of grass that I discovered the answers I had been searching for all
this time. You see, no matter how many times I cut that grass it always grows
back. It thrives if there's too much rain and survives if there is a drought.
You can walk on it and it springs back up. You can dig it up and throw it
somewhere else and it will grow right where it lies. If a blade of grass can do all that, why are we so
fragile? You would think that God would
have made the human being a lot more durable than that. Why is it that after a
few times that life cuts you down, you decide not to grow any more? Why is it
that when we hit the dry times in our lives we curl up and die in spirit? Why
is it that when the big guys walk all over you, you don't spring back up to
where you rightfully belong? Why is it that when life uproots your plans you
can never see the potential for new growth wherever you are? Do you think for a
moment that God created a blade of grass to be more than you? Just like the
answers were in that blade of grass, so are the answers within you. The blade
of grass was God's way of telling me to
"bloom where you are planted."
"Here, I grow again.”
sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
5. ATTITUDE DETERMINES ALTITUDE
Unlike some things in life, we can choose our
outlook. Sometimes we just need a reminder that happiness can often simply be a
result of choosing attitudes:
I woke up early today, excited over all I
get to do before the clock strikes midnight.
I have responsibilities to fulfil today. My job is to choose what kind
of day I am going to have.
Today I can complain because the weather is
rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.
Today I can feel sad that I don't have more
money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases
wisely and guide me away from waste.
Today I can grumble about my health or I can
rejoice that I am alive.
Today I can
lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or I can
feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.
Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I
can celebrate that thorns have roses.
Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I
can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.
Today I can whine because I have to go to
work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.
Today I can complain because I have to go
to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new titbits of
knowledge.
Today I can murmur dejectedly because I
have to do housework or I can feel honoured because God has provided shelter
for my mind, body, and soul.
Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be
shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping. What today will
be like is up to me.
I get to choose what kind of day I will
have!" (Author unknown)
dddddddddddddddd
6.
Jokes
I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other
day but I couldn't find any.
mmmmmm
I went to the butchers the other day and I bet
him 50 quid that he couldn't reach the meat off the top shelf. And he said, "No, the steaks are too
high."
mmmmmm
My
friend drowned in a bowl of muesli. A strong currant pulled him in.
mmmmmm
A man came round in hospital after a serious accident. He shouted,
"Doctor, doctor, I
can't feel my legs!"
The doctor replied, "I know you can't, I've cut your arms
off".
mmmmmm
I went
to a seafood disco last week...and pulled a muscle.
mmmmmm
Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly. They
lit a fire in the craft, it sank, and proving once and for all that you can't
have your kayak and heat it too.
mmmmmm
Our ice cream man was found lying on the floor
of his van covered with hundreds and thousands. Police say that he topped himself.
mmmmmm
Man goes to the doc, with a strawberry growing
out of his head. Doc says, "I'll
give you some cream to put on it."
mmmmmm
"Doc, I can't stop singing The
Green, Green Grass of Home."
"That sounds like Tom Jones
syndrome. "
"Is it common? "
"It's not unusual."
mmmmmm
A man takes his Rottweiler to the vet.
"My dog's cross-eyed, is there
anything you can do for him? "
"Well," says the vet,
"let's have a look at him"
So he picks the dog up and examines his
eyes, then checks his teeth.
Finally, he says, "I'm going to
have to put him down."
"What? Because he's cross-eyed?
"
"No, because he's really
heavy"
mmmmmm
What
do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh.
mmmmmm
So I was getting into my car, and this
bloke says to me "Can you give me
a lift?"
I said "Sure, you look great, the
world's your oyster, go for it.'
mmmmmm
Police arrested two kids yesterday, one was
drinking battery acid, and the other was eating fireworks. They charged one and let the other one off.
mmmmmm
The world's funniest joke October 4,
2002
Scientists in Britain unveiled the world's
funniest joke yesterday at the end of the largest study of humour ever. For the
past year, people around the globe were invited to judge jokes using a
five-point "Giggleometer" on the Internet, as well as to contribute
quips of their own. The LaughLab
experiment conducted by psychologist Richard Wiseman, from the University of
Hertfordshire, attracted more than 40,000 jokes and almost two million ratings. As well as identifying the joke that appealed
most to people around the world, the experiment - not surprisingly - revealed
wide humour differences between nations.
Scans conducted on people being told jokes also
identified the brain's laughter centre - a region near the back of the frontal lobes.
The joke that received the highest global ratings was submitted by psychiatrist
Gurpal Gosall from Manchester in northern England.
Here it is:
Two hunters are out in the woods when one of
them collapses. He doesn't seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The
other guy whips out his mobilephone and calls the emergency services. He gasps:
"My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator says: "Calm
down, I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead."
There is a silence, then a shot is heard. Back on
the phone, the guy says: "OK, now what?"
"Many of the jokes submitted received
higher ratings from certain groups of people," Wiseman said. "But
this one had real universal appeal."
Researchers found significant differences between nations in the types
of jokes they found funny.
People from the UK, the Republic of
Ireland, Australia and New Zealand preferred gags involving word play, such as:
PATIENT: "Doctor, I've got a
strawberry stuck up my nose.”
DOCTOR: "I've got some cream for
that."
Americans and Canadians favoured jokes
where people were made to look stupid.
TEXAN: "Where are you from?"
HARVARD GRAD: "I come from a place
where we do not end our sentences with prepositions."
TEXAN: "OK -- where are you from,
jackass?"
Meanwhile,
many Europeans liked gags that were surreal or made light of serious subjects
such as illness, death and marriage:
A patient says, "Doctor, last
night I made a Freudian slip, I was having dinner with my mother-in-law and
wanted to say: 'Could you please pass the butter?'
"But instead I said: 'You silly
cow, you have completely ruined my life.'"
Marriage-mocking also featured in the top
American joke:
"A man and a friend are playing
golf one day. One of the guys is about to chip onto the green when he sees a
long funeral procession on the road next to the course.
"He stops in mid-swing, takes off
his golf cap, closes his eyes, and bows down in prayer. His friend says: 'Wow
that is the most thoughtful and touching thing I have ever seen. You are truly
a kind man.'
"The man then replies: 'Yeah,
well, we were married 35 years."
Animals figured prominently. Take the number one
joke in England:
"Two weasels are sitting on a bar
stool. One starts to insult the other one. He screams, 'I slept with your
mother!'
"The bar gets quiet as everyone
listens to see what the other weasel will do.
"The first again yells, 'I SLEPT
WITH YOUR MOTHER!'
"The other says: 'Go home dad,
you're drunk.'"
The survey revealed other funny facts:
- Of the countries rating the highest number of
jokes, Germans, perhaps surprisingly, laughed the most. Canadians laughed
least.
- If you want to tell a funny animal joke, make
it a duck.
- The most frequently submitted joke, at 300
times, was: "What's brown and sticky? A stick." Researchers said no one ever found it funny.
The findings can be read at www.laughlab.co.uk
uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
7. Motivational Develop A Clear Vision by Brian Tracy thanks Carol Ann
The one quality that all leaders have in
common is that they have a clear and exciting vision for the future. This is
something that only the leader can do. Only the leader can think about the
future and plan for the future each day.
Take The Time To Think - Excellent leaders take
the time to think through and develop a clear picture of where they want the
organization to be in one, three and five years. Leaders have the ability to
communicate this vision in such a way that others "buy in" and eventually
see the vision as belonging to them.
Motivate People To Give Of Their Best - It is
the vision of the future possibilities, of what can be, that arouses emotion
and motivates people to give of their best. The most powerful vision is always
qualitative, aimed at and described in terms of values and mission rather than
quantitative, which is described in terms of money and numbers.
Money Is Important - Of course, money is
important, but the decision and commitment to "be the best in the
business" is far more exciting.
Keep Your Cool - Another key to leadership
success is for you to "keep your cool." A study at Stanford Business
School examined the qualities that companies look for in promoting young
managers toward senior executive positions, especially the position of Chief
Executive Officer.
The study concluded that the two most important
qualities required for great success were, first, the ability to put together
and function as part of a team. Since all work is ultimately done by teams, and
the managers' output is the output of the team, the ability to select team
members, set objectives, delegate responsibility and finally, get the job done,
was central to success in management.
Practice Patience Is Everything - The second
quality required for rapid promotion was found to be the ability to function
well under pressure, and especially in a crisis. Keeping your cool in a crisis
means to practice patience and self-control under difficult or disappointing
circumstances.
People Are Watching - The character and quality
of a leader is often demonstrated in these critical moments under fire, when
everyone is watching, observing and privately taking notes. As Rudyard Kipling
once said, "If you can keep your head when all around you are losing theirs
and blaming it on you, then the world is yours and all that's in
it".
Your job as a leader is to have a clear vision
of where you want to go and then to keep your cool when things go wrong, as
they surely will.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately
to put these ideas into action:
First, project forward 3-5 years and imagine
your ideal future vision. What does it look like? What steps can you take
immediately to begin turning your future vision into your current
reality?
Second, resolve in advance that, no matter what
happens, you will remain calm and cool. You will not become upset or angry. You
will take a deep breath and focus on the solution rather than on the
problem.
__________
Brian Tracy is one of the world's leading
authorities on personal and business success. Visit Brian's web site
http://www.getmotivation.com/briantracy
For information on our great range of Self Development CD's &
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Let's start an epidemic of achievers and
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Request
I would like to make this a good fun read, so if
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FORWARD this on to everyone you can think of and feel free to copy whatever you
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