SELF
DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL
Number 31
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. Find of the week
3.
Gratitude Exercise
4. Wild
Trivia
5. Metaphor
6.The Awakening
7. Jokes
8. Motivational
With
many thanks to Margot Cuthbert for the background on
this newsletter and for those of you who have access to the music isn’t it
lovely?
1. Inspirational Quotes
Mahatma Gandhi 1869-1948 Indian Political
and Spiritual Leader
A man is the sum
of his actions, of what he has done, of what he can do, nothing else.
Anger and
intolerance are the twin enemies of correct understanding.
Truth never
damages a cause that is just.
Be the change you
want to see in the world.
You can chain me,
you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison
my mind.
When I despair, I
remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won.
There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but
in the end, they always fall – think of it, ALWAYS.
Faith must be
enforced by reason. When faith becomes blind it dies.
The weak can
never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
Freedom is not
worth having if it does not connote freedom to err. It passes my comprehension
how human beings, be they ever so experienced and able, can delight in
depriving other human beings of that precious right.
The moment the
slave resolves that he will no longer be a slave. His fetters fall... freedom
and slavery are mental states.
It is easy enough
to be friendly to one's friends. But to befriend the one who regards himself as
your enemy is the quintessence of true religion. The other is mere business.
Happiness is when
what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
As human beings,
our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world, that is the
myth of the atomic age, as in being able to remake ourselves.
You must not lose
faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty,
the ocean does not become dirty.
An unjust law is
itself a species of violence. Arrest for its breach is more so.
I first learned
the concepts of non-violence in my marriage.
Non-violence is
not a garment to be put on and off at will. Its seat is in the heart, and it
must be inseparable part of our very being.
I have learned
through bitter experience the one supreme lesson to conserve my anger, and as
heat conserved is transmitted into energy, even so our anger controlled can be
transmitted into a power that can move the world.
An eye for eye
only ends up making the whole world blind.
Satisfaction lies
in the effort, not in the attainment, full effort is full victory.
They cannot take
away our self-respect if we do not give it to them.
In a gentle way,
you can shake the world.
The best way to
find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
Intolerance
betrays want of faith in one's cause.
2. Find of the week
How water
reflects our consciousness
Water has a very
important message for us. Water is telling us
to take a much
deeper look at our selves. When we do look at our
selves through
the mirror of water, the message becomes amazingly,
crystal, clear.
We know that human life is directly connected to the
quality of our
water, both within and all around us.
The photographs
and information in this article reflect the work of
Masaru Emoto, a
creative and visionary Japanese researcher.
Mr. Emoto has published an important book, "The Message from Water,"
from the findings of his worldwide research If you have any doubt that your
thoughts affect everything in, and around you, the information and photographs
that are presented here, taken from the book of his published results, will
change your mind and alter your beliefs, profoundly.
From Mr. Emotos
work we are provided with factual evidence, that human vibrational energy,
thoughts, words, ideas and music, affect the molecular structure of water, the
very same water that comprises over seventy percent of a mature human body and
covers the same amount of our planet. Water is the very source of all life on
this planet, its quality and integrity are vitally important to all forms of
life. The body is very much like a sponge and is composed of trillions of
chambers called cells that hold liquid. The quality of our life is directly
connected to the quality of our water.
Water is a very
malleable substance. Its physical shape easily adapts to whatever environment
is present. But its physical appearance is not the only thing that changes; its
molecular shape also changes. The energy or vibrations of the environment will
change the molecular shape of water. In this sense water not only has the
ability to visually reflect the environment but it also molecularly reflects
the environment.
Mr. Emoto has
been visually documenting these molecular changes in water by means of his
photographic techniques. He freezes droplets of water and then examines them
under a dark field microscope that has
photographic
capabilities. His work clearly demonstrates the diversity
of the molecular
structure of water and the effect of the environment
upon the
structure of the water.
Snow has been
falling on the earth for more than a few million years.
Each snowflake,
as we have been told, has a very unique shape and structure. By freezing water and taking a
photograph of the structure, as
Mr. Emoto has
done, you get incredible information about the water.
Mr. Emoto has
discovered many fascinating differences in the
crystalline
structures of water from many different sources and different conditions around
the planet. Water from pristine mountain streams and springs show the
beautifully formed geometric designs in their crystalline patterns. Polluted
and toxic water from industrial and
populated areas
and stagnated water from water pipes and storage
dams show
definitively distorted and randomly formed crystalline structures.
For beautiful
pictures and further information go to http://www.alkaminecoralcalcium.com/miraclewater/
3.
Gratitude Exercise
Along the way you
will discover:
Love is why you
are here
Desire is
something you can build
Self-Esteem gives
you the power to compete
Dreams do become
reality
Abundance can be
a part of your daily life
Goals lead you to
your dreams
Purpose gives you
the reason to succeed
Visualization
lets you shape your future
Do it now gets
results
Excellence is the
attitude of winners
Perception makes
your reality
Persistence
allows you to finish as a winner
Health gives you
abundant energy
Focus keeps you
on your success path
Thinking creates
your success environment
Growth prepares
you for opportunity
Giving comes
before receiving
Gratitude makes
the world a wonderful place
Choice determines
how you live your life
Faith lets you
keep going
Fear doesn't have
to get in your way
Spirituality
gives you a reason to have faith
Stress can be a
positive thing
4. Wild Trivia
Thanks
Marie-Pierre
What Causes Most Car
Accidents?
While
cell phones have recently sprung up as a common cause of car accidents, a
study, the largest to date on crashes involving distracted drivers, found that
rubbernecking causes far more accidents than cell phone use.
The
largest number of accidents was caused by drivers looking at other accidents,
traffic or roadside incidents. Comparatively, cell phone use ranked as the
sixth highest cause. Moreover, some 98 percent of the accidents reported
involved a single distracted driver.
According
to the study, rubbernecking accounted for 16 percent of accidents reported.
This was followed by driver fatigue, which was responsible for 12 percent,
looking at scenery or landmarks (10 percent), passenger or child distractions
(nine percent), adjusting the radio, tape or CD player (seven percent), and
cell phone use (five percent).
Distractions
from inside the vehicle accounted for 62 percent of the distractions reported
while distractions from outside the vehicle accounted for 35 percent, and three
percent of the distractions were undetermined.
Of the
crashes that occurred in rural areas, nearly two-thirds of the crashes
reported, common causes included driver fatigue, insects entering or striking
the vehicle, or animals and unrestrained pet distractions.
In
urban areas, automobile accidents caused by distracted drivers were often due
to drivers looking at other crashes, traffic or vehicles, or cell phone use.
Researchers
say that the findings likely apply to many regions in the
The Washington Post
HOW TO STAY YOUNG
T
Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age,
weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay
him/her.
Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening,
whatever. Never let the brain idle. “An idle mind is the devil's
workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
Enjoy the simple things.
Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is
with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets,
keepsakes, music, plants, and hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
Cherish your health: If it
is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you
can improve, get help.
Don't take guilt trips.
Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to
where the guilt is.Tell the people you love that you love them, at every
opportunity.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the
number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
This one is worth a try. Thanks Trish Tagg
Carry out this test. Just follow
the instructions as quick as possible but do not carry on reading the following
questions before you finish the previous one. You do not need to write the
answers, just do it using your mind. You'll be overwhelmed by the result...
How much is:
15+6
3+56
89+2
12+53
75+26
25+52
63+32
I know! Calculations are hard work but it's nearly over. Come on, a few
more...
123+5
QUICK! THINK ABOUT A TOOL AND A COLOUR!
Now scroll to the bottom of the newsletter.
5. Metaphor
The Golden Rule
When I was a child, I was told to follow the golden rule: do unto
others as you would have them do unto you. I never quite got that because it
seemed like others would always do unto me and run!
But as I've gotten older (and wiser), I realize now the full impact of
that rule. It's not simply a matter of treating people the way you want to be
treated, although this is certainly a noble trait and should be exercised.
It goes much deeper. It means that we shouldn't judge others, too,
because we wouldn't want to be judged the same way, would we? It's seeing
others the way God sees them - with unconditional love.
And when we start seeing people that way and realizing that even the
vilest person had a other once, it changes us. It might not change them, but it
helps us to be our better selves. It's easier to reach out and help a stranger
if we think of them as a human being who experiences the same desires, fears
and thoughts as we do. Because, at our most basic level, we are all really the
same. Which is why we really should treat others as we want to be treated. It
always finds it's way back to us -- good or bad.
Susan Tudor
6. The Awakening
There comes a
time in your life when you finally get it... When in the midst of all your
fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside
your head cries out - ENOUGH! Enough
fighting and crying or struggling to hold on.
And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin
to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a
mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world from a new perspective.
This is your awakening.
You realize that
it is time to stop hoping and waiting for something, or someone, to change or
for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You
come to terms with the fact that there aren’t always fairytale endings (or
beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever
after" must begin with you. Then a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.
So you begin making your way through the
“reality of today” rather than holding out for the “promise of tomorrow.” You
realize that much of who you are, and the way you navigate through life is, in
great part, a result of all the social conditioning you’ve received over the
course of a lifetime. And you begin to
sift through all the nonsense you were taught about:
how you should look and how much you
should weigh
what you should wear and where you
should shop
where you should live or what type of
car you should drive
who you should sleep with and how you
should behave
- who you should marry and why you should
stay
the importance of having children or
what you owe your family
Slowly you begin
to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin
reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really believe in. And you begin to discard the doctrines you
have outgrown, or should never have practiced to begin with.
You accept the
fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will love, appreciate or
approve of who or what you are... and that’s OK... they are entitled to their
own views and opinions. And, you come to
terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a “perfect 10” Or a
perfect human being for that matter. So
you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head or agonizing over
how you compare. And you take a long look
at yourself in the mirror and you make a promise to give yourself the same unconditional
love and support you give so freely to others.
Then a sense of confidence is born of self-approval.
And, you stop
maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” hungry for your next fix, a new
dress, another pair of shoes or looks of approval and admiration from family,
friends or even strangers who pass by.
Then you discover that “it is truly in giving that we receive and that the joy and abundance you seek grows
out of the giving. And you recognize the
importance of “creating” & “contributing” rather than “obtaining” &
“accumulating.”
And you give
thanks for the simple things you’ve been blessed with; things that millions of
people upon the face of the earth can only dream about a full refrigerator,
clean running water, a soft warm bed and the freedom to pursue your own dreams.
And then you
begin to love and to care for yourself. You stop engaging in self-destructive
behaviors including participating in dysfunctional relationships. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking
more water and exercising. And because
you’ve learned that fatigue drains the spirit and creates doubt and fear, you
give yourself permission to rest. And
just as food is fuel for the body, laughter is fuel for the spirit and so you
make it a point to create time for play.
Then you learn
about love and relationships, how to love, how much to give in love, when to
stop giving and when to walk away. And
you allow only the hands of a lover who truly loves and respects you to glorify
you with his touch. You learn that
people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say, intentionally or
unintentionally and that not everyone will always come through and
interestingly enough, it’s not always about you. So, you stop lashing out and pointing fingers
or looking to place blame for the things that were
done to you or weren’t done for
you. And you learn to keep your
Ego in check and to acknowledge and redirect the destructive emotions it
spawns; anger, jealousy and resentment.
You learn how to
say I was wrong and to forgive people for their own human frailties. You learn
to build bridges instead of walls and about the healing power of love as it is
expressed through a kind word, a warm smile or a friendly gesture. And, at the same time, you eliminate any relationships
that are hurtful or fail to uplift and edify you. You stop working so hard at
smoothing things over and setting your needs aside. You learn that feelings of entitlement are
perfectly OK and that it is your right to want or expect certain things. And
you learn the importance of communicating your needs with confidence and grace.
You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that
eventually martyrs are burned at the stake. Then you learn to distinguish
between guilt, and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and
learning to say NO. You learn that you
don’t know all the answers, it’s not your job to save the world and that
sometimes you just need to Let Go.
Moreover, you
learn to look at people as they really are and not as you would want them to
be, and you are careful not to project your neediness or insecurities onto a
relationship. You learn that you will
not be, more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of
the man on your arm or the child that bears your name. You learn that just as people grow and
change, so it is with love and relationships and that that not everyone can
always love you the way you would want them to. So you stop appraising your
worth by the measure of love you are given. And suddenly you realize that it’s
wrong to demand that someone live their life or sacrifice their dreams just to
serve your needs, ease your insecurities, or meet “your” standards and
expectations. You learn that the only love worth giving and receiving is the
love that is given freely without conditions or limitations. And you learn what
it means to love. So you stop trying to control people, situations and
outcomes. You learn that “alone” does
not mean “lonely” and you begin to discover the joy of spending time “with
yourself” and “on yourself.” Then you
discover the greatest and most fulfilling love you will ever know. Self
Love. And so, it comes to pass that
through understanding your heart heals; and now all new things are possible.
Moving along, you
begin to avoid Toxic people and conversations. And you stop wasting time and
energy rehashing your situation with family and friends. You learn that talk
doesn’t change things and that unrequited wishes can only serve to keep you
trapped in the past. So, you stop
lamenting over what could or should have been and you make a decision to leave
the past behind. Then you begin to invest your time and energy to affect
positive change. You take a personal
inventory of all your strengths and weaknesses and the areas you need to
improve in order to move ahead. You set your goals and map out a plan of action
to see things through.
You learn that
life isn’t always fair and you don’t always get what you think you deserve and
you stop personalizing every loss or disappointment. You learn to accept that
sometimes bad things happen to good people and that these things are not an act
of God... but merely a random act of fate.
And you stop
looking for guarantees because you’ve learned that the only thing you can
really count on is the unexpected and that whatever happens, you’ll learn to
deal with it. And you learn that the
only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time FEAR itself. So you learn to step right into and through
your fears because to give into fear is to give away the right to live life on
your terms. You learn that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophesy and
you learn to go after what you want and not to squander your life living under
a cloud of indecision or feelings of impending doom.
Then, YOU LEARN
ABOUT MONEY... the personal power and independence it brings and the options it
creates. And you recognize the necessity
to create your own personal wealth. Slowly,
you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself
a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever settle for less than your
heart’s desire. Then a sense of power
is born of self-reliance. And you live
with honor and integrity because you know that these principles are not the
outdated ideals of a by-gone era but the mortar that holds together the
foundation upon which you must build your life.
And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay
open to every wonderful opportunity and exciting possibility. Then you hang a
wind chime outside your window to remind yourself what beauty there is in
Simplicity.
Finally, with
courage in your heart and with God by your side you take a stand, you FAKE a
deep breath and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you
can.
A word about the Power of Prayer: In some of my darkest, most painful and
frightening hours, I have prayed not for the answers to my prayers or for
material things but for my “God” to help me find the strength, confidence
and courage to persevere; to face each
day and to do what I must do.
Remember this:
“You are an expression of the almighty. The spirit of God resides within you
and moves through you. Open your heart, speak to that spirit and it will heal
and empower you.” My “God” has never
failed me.
Copyright © 1999
Sonny Carroll. All Rights Reserved.
For permission to
post, contact sonny@waketolife.com
7. Jokes
"Good afternoon, Landlord, a pint of Less if you please,"
said the old man.
"Less? Never heard of it," replied the barman.
"Oh, come now surely you have," he persisted.
"No sorry, we certainly don't stock it. What is it anyway? Some
foreign beer?"
"Well I'm not sure," admitted the man. "It was the
doctor who mentioned it. He said I should drink less."
****************
A man was sitting at home one evening, when the doorbell rang. When he
answered the door, a 6-foot tall cockroach was standing there. The cockroach
immediately punched him between the eyes and scampered off.
The next evening, the man was sitting at home when the doorbell rang
again. When he answered the door, the cockroach was there again. This time, it
punched him, kicked him, and karate chopped him before running away.
The third evening, the man was sitting at home when the doorbell rang.
When he answered the door, the cockroach was there yet again. It leapt at him
and stabbed him several times before running off. The gravely injured man
managed to crawl to the telephone and summoned an ambulance. He was rushed to
intensive care, where they saved his life.
The next morning, the doctor was doing his rounds. He asked the man
what happened, so the man explained about the 6-foot cockroach's attacks,
culminating in the near fatal stabbing.
The doctor thought for a moment and said, "Yes, there's a nasty
bug going around."
****************
Margaret was really peeved! She was arguing with the chemist because
her favorite cure-all could not be bought without a prescription. "Look,
lady. You can't have this without a prescription because it's a habit-forming
drug."
"IT IS NOT!" yelled Margaret! "And I ought to
know...I've been taking it regularly for seventeen years!"
8.
Motivational
Thank you Elizabeth Bullock, any excuse
will do me!!! As one friend said to me “Your only domestic quality is that you
live in a house.”
Dusting
"A house becomes a home when you can write "I love you"
on the furniture."
I can't tell you how many countless hours
that I have spent CLEANING! I used to
spend at least 8 hours every weekend making sure things were just perfect
-"in case someone came over". Then I realized one day that no one
came over; they were all out living life and having fun!
Now, when people visit, I find no need to explain the "condition" of my home. They are more interested in hearing about the things I've been doing while I was away living life and having fun. If you haven't figured this out yet, please heed this advice. Life is short. Enjoy it!
Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better to paint a picture or write a letter,
bake a cake or plant a seed, ponder the difference between want and need?
Dust if you must,
but there's not much time, with rivers to swim and mountains to climb, music to hear and books
to read, friends to cherish and life to lead.
Dust if you must, but the worlds out there with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair, a flutter of snow,
and a shower of rain. This day will not come around again.
Dust if you must, but bear in mind, old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go - and go you must - you,
yourself will make more dust!
It's not what you gather, but what you
scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.
****************
Without Adam’s
unstinting help and professional support this newsletter would not be, he
also looks after our website www.hypnotherapy.net.au
, www.asch.com.au and is just taking on www.IIPM.org.au - Thankyou.
Music
on this newsletter is "I don’t know but I really like it“
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Thank you for reading my newsletter - I hope you enjoy
reading this as much as I enjoy putting it together for you. May you attain all
your goals and reach your dreams with a well balanced, fulfilling life! I wish
you good health, happiness and success in all you strive to achieve!
Let's start an epidemic of achievers and cheerful people!!
Request
I would like to make this a good fun read, so if any of you have any
suggestions/contributions please, please let me know. Credit will be
given to any contributors. I intend to put it out every 2 weeks. (The God of
computer land willing.) Please FORWARD this on to everyone you can think of and
feel free to copy whatever you want.
Lyndall
Briggs - Kingsgrove Hypnosis & Counselling Centre
64 Shaw Street
Kingsgrove NSW 2208
Phone/Fax 02 95543350
www.hypnotherapy.net.au Email: briggs@hypnotherapy.net.au
J.
You have just thought about a red hammer, haven't you????
If this is not the case you are
among 2% of the people who have a “different" if nor "abnormal"
mind. 98% of the folks would answer a "red hammer" while doing this
exercise. If you do not believe this, pass it around and you'll see.