1. Inspirational Quotes
2. A Treasure Box By Joe Mazzella
3. Find Of The Week
4. Wild Trivia
5. Metaphor ~ The Stranger
6. Good manners count by Ken Warren
7. Jokes
8. Motivational ~ Setting Your Goals By Brian Tracy
9. On a personal note
No trees were destroyed in the sending of this message.
However, a large number of electrons were significantly inconvenienced
A BIG Thank You to all those who forwarded the last Journal to friends & for your very kind words about us! If you haven’t already done so, please forward this journal onto those who colleagues who may be interested.
And Again Thanks so much!
If you would like to write a testimonial for our webpage www.SelfDevelopment.biz we would be glad to send you our e-book 1001 Inspirational quotes as a way of saying thanks for taking the time to do so.
1. Inspirational Quotes
Path to Truth ~ There is no path to truth, it must come to
you. Truth can come to you only when your mind and heart are simple, clear, and
there is love in your heart; not if your heart is filled with the things of the
mind.
J. Krishnamurti
Products of our Past ~ We are products of our past, but we don't have to be prisoners of it. Listen: those who have hurt you in the past cannot continue to hurt you now unless you hold on to the pain through resentment. For your own sake, learn from it, and let it go.
“To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you’re not, pretend you are.” ~ Muhammad Ali
Lighten Up ~ Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
May These Special Gifts Come Your Way
Happiness. Deep down within.
Serenity. With each sunrise.
Success. In each facet of your life.
Close and caring friends.
Love. That never ends.
Special Memories. Of all the yesterdays.
A bright today. With much to
Be thankful for.
A path. That leads to beautiful tomorrows.
Dreams. That do their best to come true.
And appreciation. Of all the wonderful
Things about you.
2. A TREASURE BOX By: Joseph J. Mazzella
Every one of us in this world carries a little treasure box within our souls. This box is full to bursting with every good thing imaginable. All that we ever wanted from life lies within it. It has love, joy, peace, and happiness in it. It is also full of optimism, enthusiasm, cheerfulness, and merriment. There is faith, kindness, gentleness, and patience in it as well. There is room too in it for ecstasy, rapture, forgiveness, and trust. Energy, vitality, delight, and oneness with God are packed to the top of it. Even wonder, laughter, fun, and hope lie in this glorious box. All we have to do is open this box everyday and all of these things are ours for the choosing. Sadly, most of us barely even crack the lid in our lifetimes.
I am not sure why this is so. Perhaps there is too strong a belief out there that good things like love, joy and happiness shouldn’t come easy. Perhaps there are too many people who think good things must be earned from people and things outside of us and not simply chosen from within ourselves. This is so sad, because the box remains within us all: a precious gift from God just waiting to be opened, enjoyed, and shared with the world.
Don’t leave that glorious box, full of goodness that lies within your own soul closed then. Open it up. Let its joy, love, and countless good things out. Enjoy them, revel in them, and then share them with everyone you meet. God didn’t intend for the treasures of your soul to be locked away. God wants you to give them to the world and rejoice in the wondrous cycle of giving, receiving, and loving that will result from your gift.
The treasures of our souls are as eternal and limitless as God’s love for us. It would be a shame to leave them locked away when we can instead live in them and share them always.
3. Find of the week
A friend, Gordon Young, is running an introductory NLP course. Below is all the details.
7th and 8th February 2004
The Trainer
Gordon Young B.A. Dip. Ed, B.A. (Hons), Dip. C.H., Dip. C.S., NLP Trainer
Corporate Trainer and Psychotherapist
Having graduated with majors
in education, history and behavioural Sciences Gordon was one of just eighteen
to be offered a place in the invitation only postgraduate Honours Degree by the
University Board of Examiners. He was also one of just three people to receive
a NSW Tertiary Education Scholarship in that year.
Gordon is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, a Life Coach and a Psychotherapist. He is also a Master Practitioner and Trainer of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming). He is a Registered Member of the Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists (ASCH), the American Board of Hypnotherapy (ABH), the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Association (CAPA), the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and the National Speakers Association of Australia (NSAA). He is also the Vice President of the Australian Board of Neuro Linguistic Programming (ABNLP).
Gordon is the founder and director of the Institute of Human Technology which provides training and coaching to the business community. He is also the founder of Positive Reconditioning Therapy (PRT)
Gordon runs the unique Mondo Clinic on the northern beaches of Sydney. Fifteen years of business experience taught Gordon that customers should have some certainty about their outcomes, and he is so confident of his techniques that he guarantees the result.
In addition Gordon provides life coaching and is the author of The Success Pathway, a personal development programme designed to facilitate sustainable life changes, and help people create their own compelling futures.
Where and When?
The Mondo Clinic, 158 Pittwater Road, Manly 2095
Saturday 7th February 9.15am for 9.30am start. Finish 5.30pm
Sunday 8th February 9.45am for 10am start. Finish 5.30pm
Light Lunch, morning and afternoon tea will be provided
How do you book your place?
Simply send a cheque or book your seat by credit card over the telephone.
Full price for the workshop is $425-00
The Early Bird price of $349-00 must be paid for by cheque or credit card by Friday 30th January 2004
We accept all major cards.
To Book just call 9977 0779 or email gordon@iht.net.au
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Natural highs
1. Falling in love.
2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.
3. A hot shower.
4. No lines at the supermarket
5. A special glance.
6. Getting mail
7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.
8. Hearing your favourite song on the radio.
9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.
11. Finding the sweater you want is on sale for half price.
12. Chocolate milkshake. (or vanilla!) (or strawberry)
13. A long distance phone call.
14. A bubble bath.
15. Giggling.
16. A good conversation.
17 The beach
18. Finding a 20 dollar note in your coat from last winter.
19. Laughing at yourself.
20. Midnight phone calls that last for
hours.
21. Running through sprinklers.
22. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
23. Having someone tell you that you’re beautiful.
24. Laughing at an inside joke.
25. Friends.
26. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
27. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
28. Your first kiss (either the very first or with a new partner).
29. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.
30. Playing with a new puppy.
31. Having someone play with your hair.
32. Sweet dreams.
33. Hot chocolate.
34. Road trips with friends.
35. Swinging on swings.
36. Wrapping presents under the Christmas tree while eating biscuits and
drinking your favorite tipple.
37. Song lyrics printed inside your new CD so you can sing along without feeling
stupid.
38. Going to a really good concert.
39. Making eye contact with a cute stranger
40. Winning a really competitive game.
41. Making chocolate chip cookies.
42. Having your friends send you homemade gifts.
43. A surprise letter from an old friend.
44. Seeing smiles and hearing laughter from your friends.
45. Holding hands with someone you care about.
46. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad)
never change
47. Riding the best roller coasters over and over.
48. Watching the expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present
from you.
49. Watching the sunrise.
50. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful
day.
Friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.
3. Gratitude Exercise
"Installing Love"
Customer Service Rep: Can you install LOVE?
Customer: I can do that. I'm not very technical, but
I think I am ready to install now. What do I do first?
CS Rep: The first step is to open your HEART.
Have you located your HEART, ma'am?
Customer: Yes I have, but there are several programs running right now. Is it okay to install while they are running?
CS Rep: What programs are running, ma'am?
Customer: Let me see....I have PASTHURT.EXE, LOWESTEEM.EXE, GRUDGE.EXE, and RESENTMENT.COM running right now.
CS Rep: No problem. LOVE will automatically erase PASTHURT.EXE from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory, but it will no longer disrupt other programs. LOVE will eventually overwrite LOWESTEEM.EXE with a module of its own called HIGHESTEEM.EXE. However, you have to completely turn off
GRUDGE.EXE and RESENTMENT.COM. Those programs prevent LOVE from being properly installed. Can you turn those off, ma'am?
Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?
CS Rep: My pleasure. Go to your Start menu and invoke FORGIVENESS.EXE. Do this as many times as necessary until GRUDGE.EXE and RESENTMENT.COM have been completely erased.
Customer: Okay, I'm done. LOVE has started installing itself automatically. Is that normal?
CS Rep: Yes it is. You should receive a message that says it will reinstall for the life of your HEART. Do you see that message?
Customer: Yes I do. Is it completely installed?
CS Rep: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to other HEARTS in order to get the upgrades.
Customer: Oops...I have an error message already. What should I do?
CS Rep: What does the message say?
Customer: It says "ERROR 412 – PROGRAM NOT RUN ON INTERNAL COMPONENTS." What does that mean?
CS Rep: Don't worry ma'am, that's a common problem. it means that the LOVE program is set up to run on external HEARTS but has not yet been run on your HEART. It is one of those complicated programming things, but in non-technical terms it means you have to "LOVE" your own machine before it can "LOVE" others.
Customer: So what should I do?
CS Rep: Can you find the directory called "SELF-ACCEPTANCE?"
Customer: Yes, I have it.
CS Rep: Excellent, you are getting good at this.
Customer: Thank you.
CS Rep: You're welcome. Click on the following files and then copy them to the "MYHEART" directory: FORGIVESELF.DOC, SELFESTEEM.TXT,
REALIZEWORTH.TXT, and GOODNESS.DOC. The system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching any faulty programming. Also, you need to delete SELFCRITICIZE.EXE from all directories, and then empty your recycle bin afterwards to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.
Customer: Got it. Wow! My HEART is filling up with really neat files. SMILE.MPG is playing on my monitor right now, and it shows that WARMTH.COM, PEACE.EXE, and CONTENTMENT.COM are copying themselves all over my HEART!
CS Rep: Then LOVE is installed and running. You should be able to handle it from here. One more thing before I go...
Customer: Yes?
CS Rep: LOVE is freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to everybody you meet. They will in turn share it with other people, and they will return some really neat modules back to you.
Customer: I will. Thank you for your help
CS Rep: You're very welcome.
4. Wild Trivia
Neil Eskelin's Daily Jump Start
Friday, December 26, 2003
Yesterday, Christmas was celebrated around the world. But today, in Great Britain, there’s another important holiday - “Boxing Day.”
In the Middle Ages, the lords and ladies of England presented Christmas gifts in boxes to the servants, the day after Christmas, and tradition was established. Boxes of food were often given. It was also the day the “alms boxes” of donations given during the holiday season were opened in the churches and their contents distributed to the poor of the parish.
Boxing Day, also known as St. Stephen’s Day, is still a celebrated day in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Many people give gifts on this day to employees, and special people such as the mailman and paper boy.
This special day should be a reminder that there are many people who touch our lives that merit our personal thanks. During the coming year, let’s not wait for Post-Dated Checks
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"Use by" date!!???
Dear Reader,
I was helping my sister prepare for a move last weekend, and while packing up we were also tossing out some old items. She was going through containers of over-the-counter medications when she laughed and showed me an aspirin bottle that was almost two years past the "best if used before" date.
But then I stopped to think about the word "best" in that phrase, and I wondered: How bad could it be to use those aspirins long after that date? If they weren't "best," does that mean they'd be ineffective? And could they do any harm?
After digging though a little research, I found some reliable information that runs contrary to the standard thinking that we should discard a medication after its expiration date has been reached. But not all drugs are useable after that date, and the ones that are require proper storage.
Hot & humid
In 1979 the FDA set out guidelines for expiration dates, required of all prescription and over-the-counter drugs. But the regulatory mandate to drug companies was not to establish exactly how long a drug would be potent and safe, but rather to set an arbitrary date, and then do the testing necessary to guarantee that a drug would be potent and safe at least until that date.
So when a company sets an expiration date for a new drug - let's say, for instance, 18 months - they don't place the drug on a shelf for a year and a half and then test it for potency. Instead they subject it to extremes of humidity, heat, and light (the three enemies of drug potency), designed to approximate deterioration over time. This is followed by chemical analysis to insure that the active ingredients are still intact.
Since the beginning of the expiration date requirement, scientists for both the FDA and drug companies have generally agreed that the testing standards are rigorous enough that most drugs are safe and potent well beyond their established expiration dates. And while this information wasn't really kept secret, no one was shouting it from the rooftops either. Then in the mid-80s, a major drug customer started asking questions.
Pushing the envelope
It's probably safe to say that the number one consumer of prescription drugs in the U.S. is the military. And because our armed forces have a huge stockpile of drugs on hand at all times, expiration dates are an important and expensive issue. Imagine: If every drug purchased by the military were tossed out on day-one after its expiration month, millions of dollars would be going down the drain yearly.
In 1985 the military had reached a point where its store of drugs was worth about $1 billion. FDA scientists were called on to help determine which drugs could be safely used beyond listed expiration dates. The FDA tests showed that out of more than 100 tested drugs, about 90 percent of them were still fully potent and safe well past their expiration date, and in some cases for YEARS past that date.
As a result, over a period of five years in the mid-90s, the military spent almost $4 million to test certain drugs for realistic expiration dates, and ended up saving more than $260 million by extending the use of many drugs past their listed dates. (Go ahead and savour that. It's not every day you hear about the military SAVING our money.)
Ancient aspirin
Not all drugs are quite as durable as the majority of them are. A former FDA expiration-date compliance chief named Joel Davis told the Wall Street Journal that nitro-glycerine, insulin, and some liquid antibiotics are more perishable and should be used or discarded before their listed "use by" date.
So in theory, my sister's aspirin is probably still good a full two years past the expiration date. In fact, Bayer has tested aspirin as old as four years and found it to be just as effective as the day it was manufactured. The big question, however, is this: What happens to that aspirin and other drugs in your medicine cabinet over the course of several years?
As I said above, the culprits that rob drug potency are heat, humidity, and direct light. So ironically, medicine cabinets in bathrooms that get steamed up by daily hot showers may not be the best place to keep medications. But a refrigerator is perfect: cool, dark, and dry.
On the supplement side...
Does all of the above also apply to vitamins and other dietary supplements? In many respects, yes.
Of course the military doesn't stockpile $1 billion worth of vitamins, so there's been no high-profile testing to use as a guide. But all reliable supplement manufacturers conduct tests to determine how long the full potency of their products can be guaranteed. And while supplements are generally regarded as effective and safe beyond their expiration dates, you wouldn't purchase food that had passed the "sell by" date, and I'm sure you wouldn't purchase a supplement after that date either.
Like drugs, vitamins and supplements should be kept away from heat, humidity, and direct light. And if you should notice a change in the odour, taste or appearance of a supplement (or a drug), you would be wise to discard it, regardless of the expiration date.
Bottom line: Store your supplements and medications properly, and many of them could still be effective long after the "use before" date.
.. and another thing
It can't leap tall buildings in a single bound, but magnesium does seem to be something of a super mineral.
In recent e-Alerts we've seen how a good intake of magnesium may promote bone flexibility while also helping prevent type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Now here's another benefit to add to that list: Magnesium is essential for keeping teeth healthy.
Everyone knows that calcium is necessary to help form the tooth enamel that protects against cavity development. But calcium can't do that job alone. In fact, without the assistance of magnesium, calcium can only manage to supply soft enamel, which isn't strong enough to battle tooth decay. Magnesium and calcium together are essential to create hard enamel.
Phosphorus also helps develop hard enamel, but studies have shown that the interior structure of teeth - below the protective enamel - can be weakened when too much calcium and phosphorus are present without magnesium. And guess what delivers calcium and phosphorus, but zero magnesium?
Milk. And what's worse, a high intake of milk may interfere with your body's metabolism of magnesium.
In the e-alert "It's Elemental" (10/21/03) HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., recommended a 2:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium intake. For most people, 500 mg of magnesium per day is a good idea because none of the dietary sources of magnesium (green leafy vegetables, avocados, nuts and seeds, and whole grains) deliver large amounts.
So while it may not be naturally abundant in the average diet, it's obvious that magnesium is a nutrient that's well worth going out of our way to get adequate amounts of.
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Seven Simple Computer Security Tips
Use strong passwords. Choose passwords that are
difficult or impossible to guess. Give different passwords to all accounts.
Make regular backups of critical data. Backups
must be made at least once each day. Larger organizations should perform a full
backup weekly and incremental backups every day. At least once a month the
backup media should be verified.
Use virus protection software. That means three
things: having it on your computer in the first place, checking daily for new
virus signature updates, and then actually scanning all the files on your
computer periodically.
Use a firewall as a gatekeeper between your
computer and the Internet. Firewalls are usually software products. They are
essential for those who keep their computers online through the popular DSL and
cable modem connections but they are also valuable for those who still dial in.
Do not keep computers online when not in use.
Either shut them off or physically disconnect them from Internet connection.
Do not open e-mail attachments from strangers,
regardless of how enticing the Subject Line or attachment may be. Be suspicious
of any unexpected e-mail attachment from someone you do know because it may
have been sent without that person’s knowledge from an infected machine.
Regularly download security patches from your
software vendors.
Thanks Debby
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~ Please take the time to read this. I know you are smart enough to know these pointers but there will be some, where you will go “hmm I must remember that"
1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!
2. I f a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. BUT TOSS IT AWAY FROM YOU. Chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!
3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.
4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their check book, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun toy our head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.
5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
a. Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat.
b. If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
c. Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)
6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).
7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; and even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!
8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.
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Neil Eskelin's Daily Jump Start
Thursday, October , 2003
I’ve met many who spend their lives anticipating trouble. Their only joy seems to be in managing make-believe problems and rehearsing sad scenarios.
Let’s face facts. The misfortunes you create in your mind aren’t likely to happen, so why waste precious time thinking about them? Calvin Coolidge once remarked, “If you see ten troubles coming down the road, you can be sure that nine will run in the ditch before they reach you.”
Why put yourself through fear, torment and grief unnecessarily? Some people stay awake nights thinking a burglar is about to attack, a fire may burn their house, or an earthquake might strike. Of course, you need to be prepared for emergencies – but don’t let worry rob your sleep.
As writer Edgar Howe said, “Some men storm imaginary Alps all their lives, and die in the foothills cursing difficulties which do not exist.” Don’t let that be your life story. Today, start viewing the future as a drama with a happy ending. – Neil Eskelin
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Bug & Insect Eradicator
Grow "Tansy" an inedible herb in your back yard. Bring in a bouquet. Place in container. It will dry. Leave it all year. No bugs, no spiders. Not dangerous to animals.
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Strange Things You Likely Didn't Know and maybe didn't care.
Thanks Trish Tagg
1. A rat can last longer without water than a camel.
2. Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks or it will digest itself.
3. The dot over the letter "i" is called a tittle.
4. A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.
5. A female ferret will die if it goes into heat and cannot find a mate.
(It's not a broken heart. What is it?)
6. During the chariot scene in "Ben Hur," a small red car can be seen in the distance (and Heston's wearing a watch).
7. On average, 12 newborns will be given to the wrong parents daily!
(That explains a few mysteries....)
8. Because metal was scarce, the Oscars given out during World War II were made of wood.
9. The number of possible ways of playing the first four moves per side in a game of chess is 318,979,564,000.
10. There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with orange, purple and silver.
11. The first CD pressed in the US was Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the
USA."
12. By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you cannot sink into quicksand.
13. Celery has negative calories. It takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with.
14. Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.
15. The glue on Israeli postage is certified kosher.
16. The Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the book most often stolen from public libraries.
17. Astronauts are not allowed to eat beans before they go into space because passing wind in a spacesuit damages them.
18. Bats always turn left when exiting a cave!
5. Metaphor
The Stranger
You may be tempted to stop reading the following simple story before you reach the end, but please read far enough to find out who the "stranger" was. The Stranger: A few months before I was born, my dad met a stranger who was new to our small town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer, and soon invited him to live with our family.
The stranger was quickly accepted and was around to welcome me into the world a few months later. As I grew up I never questioned his place in our family. Mom taught me to love the Word of God, and Dad taught me to obey it. But the stranger was our storyteller. He could weave the most fascinating tales. Adventures, mysteries, and comedies were daily conversations. He could hold our whole family spellbound for hours each evening. He was like a friend to the whole family. He took Dad, Bill, and me to our first major league baseball game.
He was always encouraging us to see the movies and he even made arrangements to introduce us to several movie stars. The stranger was an incessant talker. Dad didn't seem to mind, but sometimes Mom would quietly get up - while the rest of us were enthralled with one of his stories of faraway places - go to her room, read her Bible, and pray. I wonder now if she ever prayed that the stranger would leave. You see, my dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions. But this stranger never felt an obligation to honour them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our house-not from us, from our friends, or adults. Our long time visitor, however, used occasional four letter words that burned my ears and made Dad squirm. To my knowledge the stranger was never confronted. My Dad was a teetotaller who didn't permit alcohol in his home - not even for cooking. But the stranger felt like we needed exposure and enlightened us to other ways of life. He offered us beer and other alcoholic beverages often. He made cigarettes look tasty, cigars manly, and pipes distinguished. He talked freely (too much, too freely) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing. I know now that my early concepts of sexual relationships were influenced by the stranger.
As I look back, I believe it was the grace of God that the stranger did not influence us more. Time after time he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked and never asked to leave. More than thirty years have passed since the stranger moved in with the young family on Morningside Drive.
But if I were to walk into my parents lounge room today, you would still see him sitting over in a corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures. His name?.....We always just called him...TV
6. Good Manners Count ~ Ken Warren
I am frequently astonished at the lack of manners I notice in everyday life - people who do not bother to acknowledge the presence of others, teenagers who are rude to their parents or teachers, people who treat waiters dismissively, and those who inconvenience others with no concern. Now don’t get me wrong – I am no Mr Manners nor do I always get it right. But manners are important – they are the social lubricant that helps us to get on with each other. I am not so much concerned about whether people leave their elbows on the table when they are eating, but more about the courtesies we show each other in our relationships. Here are a few practical rules for improving manners and the way we treat each other. Ultimately, they are all about respect and consideration.
Acknowledge people with a greeting that is warm and respectful through a hello, good morning, or smile. This is pretty basic, but people do like to be acknowledged and not ignored. Show consideration for the other person’s perspective, needs and feelings. So often, we are trying to make others understand how we feel. Good manners also mean being prepared to show understanding. One way of doing this is to offer an apology if you have inconvenienced or hurt someone, even if not intentionally.
Speak to people the way you would like to be spoken to and be careful about the tone of voice you use – sometimes the words are OK but our tone is saying something different. Treat everyone with respect. Some people think that respect has to be earned, but I think it is a right of every person.
Find a balance between containing your opinions that may be critical of others and times when honesty is important. I would say that on most occasions people can live without our criticism. Take an interest in other people and balance the conversation so that it does not revolve solely around you. It can get tiring for the other person when they do not have the same interest shown towards them.
Remember to thank people when they have gone to some effort or have considered your needs in some way. We all like our efforts to be acknowledged and appreciated. Most importantly, be genuine – if people perceive we do not mean what we are saying we will be replacing politeness with insincerity and rudeness.
We can influence others to have better manners by setting the example and treating them with consideration even if they do not reciprocate. People will not always remember what you say, but they will always remember what you do. We can also influence others by reinforcing and giving positive feedback on those occasions when they are showing consideration. People always prefer praise to criticism. We can also tell them what we would prefer in the future, but be careful about the tone and body language signals you send when doing this. If they perceive they are being criticised, they will tend to become defensive.
Treating others with consideration and respect can be hard to do especially when we feel we are not being treated similarly. But by doing so, we not only end up feeling better about ourselves, we are also setting a better example for the other person. Treating people with consideration usually tends to produce a more positive response from others. Ultimately, courtesy and good manners cost nothing, but buy everything.
Links to leading websites dealing with bullying, mental health, parenting, family issues, etc Contact details for Ken Warren and Associates
PO Box 54
Cotton Tree Qld Australia 4558
Level One, Cnr Third Avenue & The Esplanade
Cotton Tree Telephone: (07) 5443 7626 Facsimile: (07) 5443 7447
Email: kenwarren@counsel.com.au
Website: www.counsel.com.au
7. Jokes
Q: What do you get when you kiss a bird? A: "Chirpies". It's a canarial disease. Don't laugh! There's no tweetment!
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God's Reasoning For Having Children -Author Unknown
Whenever your kids are out of control, you can take comfort from this thought:
After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve - the first children. And the first thing He said was:
"Don't."
"Don't what?" Adam asked.
"Don't eat the forbidden fruit!" God said.
"Forbidden fruit? We got forbidden fruit?" Adam replied. "Hey, Eve, we got forbidden fruit!"
"No way!" Eve exclaimed.
"Yes, way!" Adam replied.
"Don't eat that fruit!" said God.
"Why?" Adam and Eve both asked at the same time.
"Because I am your Father, and I said so!" God replied sternly, wondering why he hadn't stopped after making the elephants and giraffes.
A few minutes later, God saw his kids having an apple break, and he was angry.
"Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit?" the First Parent asked.
"Uh huh," Adam replied, smacking his lips.
"Then why did you do it?" God asked.
"I don't know," Eve answered.
"She started it!" Adam claimed (and men have been blaming women ever since).
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"DID NOT!!!"
Having had it with the two of them, God's punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own. Thus, the pattern was set, and it has never changed, but there is reassurance in this story.
If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give your children wisdom and they haven't taken it, don't be hard on yourself. If God has trouble handling children, what makes you think it would be a piece of cake for you?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale, and gave all my money to the church, would that get me into heaven?" I asked the children in my Sunday school class.
"No." the children all answered.
"If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me into heaven?"
Again the answer was, "No."
"Well, then, if I was kind to animals and gave candy to all the children and loved my wife, would that get me into heaven?" I asked them again.
Once more they all answered, "No."
"Well," I continued, thinking they were a good bit more theologically sophisticated than I had given them credit for, "then how can I get into heaven?"
A five-year-old boy shouted out, "You got to be dead."
8. Motivational ~ Setting Your Goals By Brian Tracy
Setting Goals - In numerous conversations with top salespeople over the years, we've found that they all have one thing in common. They have taken the time to sit down and create a clear blueprint for themselves and their future lives. Even if they started the process of goal setting and personal strategic planning with a little scepticism, they eventually become true believers.
Becoming a True Believer - Salespeople are amazed by the incredible power of goal setting and strategic planning. Believers often accomplish far more than they ever believed possible in selling and they ascribe their success to the deliberate process of thinking through every aspect of their work and their lives, developing a detailed, written road map, and continually working towards where they want to go.
The Definition of Happiness - Happiness has been defined as "The progressive achievement of a worthy ideal, or goal." When you work progressively, step-by-step toward something that is important, you generate a continuous feeling of success and achievement.
You feel more positive and motivated. You feel more in control of their lives, happier, and more fulfilled. Feeling like a winner, you will soon develop the psychological momentum that enables you to overcome obstacles and plough through adversity as you move toward achieving the goals that are most important to you.
Determine Your Values - Personal strategic planning begins with determining what you "believe in" and "stand for"-your values. Your values lie at the very core of everything you are as a human being. Your values are the unifying principles and core beliefs of your personality and your character.
The virtues and qualities that you believe in are what constitute your person today. Your values, virtues, and inner beliefs are the axle by which the wheel of your life turns. All improvements in your life begin with a clear definition of your personal values and then committing yourself to abide by them.
Fuzzy or Clear? - Successful people are successful because their values are very clear. Unsuccessful people are unsuccessful because their values are fuzzy. Complete failures have no real values at all.
Build Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem - Value clarification is the first step to improving your life and establishing your goals. It builds your self-confidence and self-esteem and defines your personal character.
When you take the time to think through your fundamental values and then commit yourself to living your life consistent with them, you feel a surge of mental strength and well-being. You feel stronger, more capable, closely centred, and more competent. You will accomplish the goals you set for yourself.
Action Steps
1. Decide for yourself what makes you truly happy and then organize your life around it.
2. Determine your true values, what do you "believe in" and "stand for"?
3. Commit yourself to living your life consistent with your values.
4. Write down your goals and then make plans to achieve them.
___________
Brian Tracy is one of the world's leading authorities on personal and business success. His fast-moving talks and seminars are loaded with powerful, proven ideas and strategies that you can apply immediately to get better results in every area.
http://www.getmotivation.com/briantracy
- On a personal note
We have all been so very busy, making our infomercial for the UK, and here I must say the biggest, biggest thankyou to all who did testimonials for us. The support was so heart-warming. I must say, sitting in the editing suite was so amazing; the editor was like a technical magician. If only we could do the same with our lives, just cut a bit out here, colour this up, add a bit of music, and delete ugly bits, focusing on all the good bits.
Christmas was practically an anticlimax, though a lovely time spent with friends and family.
I have a project at the moment, to declutter in as many areas of my life as possible. First the attic, 20 odd years of accumulated stuff!! It is all down and being stored in Paul’s granny flat ~ now the fun begins!! I am determined to do 2 boxes per night. The parting with the unnecessary and rediscovering of so many‚ ‘treasures’ is a wonderful experience. I know I am a hoarder, and I am so glad to be one today, I would not want to be one of those people who says things like ‘ Oh, if I haven’t used it in a year I throw it away.’ I would not be having all this fun of rediscovery and laughing at what I have thought was important enough to store and yet have not thought of for years. And the wardrobe!! Its funny how by moving things on, it is emotionally freeing and moving as well.
Then there is the office, I read something the other day that said, - there is no use having something if you can’t easily find it. The sorting, refiling and discarding of so much gives me a lovely feeling of having grown out of some things, and in other areas of finally seeing parts of a jigsaw come together. I can thoroughly recommend it.
All the best in all ways
Love
Lyndall
Website Managers is a web hosting company that can get your website designed and on the web looking exactly the way you want it without the technical talk. Click to www.websitemanagers.com.au for more information or call Adam on (02) 9345 4395.
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.
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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.