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Your life is the blueprint of the choices you have made, and will only change when you change the plan. Being happy is all relative to what it is that makes you happy. Everyone can learn to embrace the moment and be free of the patterns they have created. Think about if you are living your life expecting someone else to make you happy, or are you taking responsibility for your own happiness?   Do you you rely on money, family and friends to make your world happy even though those are outside forces that were created by your own decisions?  Why can’t you live in the moment if it brings you joy instead of expecting something more from others?

 A good place to start is with your own internal dialogue and what is in your head. If you tell yourself each morning that you are able to handle things calmly and honestly, and then remind yourself throughout the day that you are what you think, and then you will start to become aware of your actions. Look at the things that take place throughout your day without judgment so there is less stress in your life. Treat others with respect and respect will be given to you in return. Happiness comes from within, but how you have chosen to live in the external world that you have created, will determine how often you feel peace, joy, and respect. To be able to live with an attitude of gratitude and to be thankful for the simple things that cross your path every day will bring you more joy. Allowing that joy to enter your heart will bring peace to your soul.  Internal peace is always found through self awareness and growth.

Make a list of the things that make you happy and look at how much, or how often those things are in your life now.  Each day you should surround yourself with what actually brings you joy.  First, knowing what those things are, and then creating the space for them will be the start of making joy prevalent in your life.  You must also start to create boundaries and eliminate the things and people that are not serving you as well.  Stop giving your energy each day to things that drain you. Start becoming aware of how you spend your time and what moments you are missing along the way. Appreciating simple pleasures each day will slow your mind down and bring you back to the basics of feeling joyful. Being aware of what’s right in front of you will force you into the moment.  Embracing the many little moments that take place in a day can bring a lifetime of happiness and joy to your life.

Find a minute of peace in your day or evening to just close your eyes and give thanks with a happy heart for all your blessings. Call people you love more often and spend less time with those who are always angry. Create an outside activity each day even if it’s for 15 minutes and connect with the world. Commit yourself to organize something in your home or at work to get your surroundings in line with your values. Make a commitment to change just one thing today and embrace the moment, even if the moment is reading this article. Take a deep breath and close your eyes. Once you are relaxed, open your eyes and think about what you just read and how you can apply something to your present circumstance.

It’s really up to you to make the simple changes that will help you embrace moments that can bring you happiness. If your world is so complicated that you can’t stop and feel some joy throughout your day, then enjoyment of the moment is lost. Stress and judgment will not bring you the happiness you deserve. You always have the power to bring joy into your life because your life is your own, and happiness is a choice. Uncomplicate the day and release the negative thoughts in your mind. The simple things that make you truly happy will become more prevalent and those moments you embrace will define your happiness.

“When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of “shoulds,” freefrom the nagging sensation that this moment isn’t right, we will have peaceful hearts. “ – Joan Borysenko

Denise Dema is a Business and Life Management Coach who has over 20 years experience empowering individuals, entrepreneurs and business owners to attain self-defined success in their professional & personal lives. To learn more about the author and her practice please visit http://www.denisedema.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/embrace-the-moment-and-learn-to-be-happy-1073281.html

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You remember the classic fairy tale. Cinderella flees the Royal Ball at midnight, accidentally leaving behind one glass slipper. The captivated Prince Charming picks it up and searches the land to find its beautiful owner.

All sorts of hopeful candidates, including Cinderella’s evil ugly stepsisters, try to force their feet into the Prince’s glass slipper. But it just doesn’t fit – even, in some versions of the tale, after the stepsisters have chopped off bits of their feet (ugh) in a desperate attempt to win the Prince.

I’m ashamed to say that in the early days of my working life I was a lot like the ugly step sisters. I tried to make something that wasn’t meant for me fit.

Instead of looking inward, and understanding myself better – what I truly enjoyed and why – I looked outward. I focused on professions I’d heard of, that my family and peers respected, and spoke to the limited range of organisations that attended my university’s recruitment days. So in my first career, as a solicitor, I ended up shoe-horning myself (forgive the pun!) into a slipper that not only didn’t fit it gave me blisters.

It’s easy to do. At some point, we’ve probably all tried to squeeze ourselves into a mould – to be someone we’re not – whether to get a job or to hold on to a flagging relationship. We humans have such a power of denial, we often don’t realise at the time what we’re doing. So here are a few clues:

You know you’re an Ugly Step Sister when…

1. You find yourself led by what others want, rather than yourself
When I was applying for my law training contract, I had 4 or 5 template cover letters. One explaining why I really wanted to work for a big firm, one extolling the virtues of small, niche firms, one detailing my (non existent) passion for EU law… you get the idea. The sad thing is, I thought I was being really clever.

Are you forcing any of your responses to job applications? Or designing your business too conservatively, around what you think the market wants – as opposed to experimenting with what you’d love to bring to it? (I’m all for listening to potential customers, but haven’t we all been seduced by an innovative product or service we didn’t even know we wanted? Tamagotchis, anyone?!)

2. All your enjoyment comes from your personal life
Your Friday nights out, gorgeous new boy/girlfriend, surfing addiction or kids are all that keep you going.

(You realise this when every Sunday evening you get that “oh no it’s Monday” tomorrow seasick feeling in the pit of your stomach).

3. You lack confidence in your skills
In fact, you can’t understand why you haven’t been fired, but expect it’s coming.

You know you’re Cinderella when…

1. You ask yourself the question “at the end of my professional life, what would I feel proud of having accomplished?” – and you realise you are on the path to achieving those things.

2. If you magically overnight became as rich as Bill Gates, you’d still be doing what you’re doing.

3. You suspect that occasionally, you bore your long-suffering friends with excited accounts of what you’re up to, though they’re usually too polite to tell you.

Which were you? If you’re the Ugly Sister, don’t despair. Remember the words of George Eliot “It’s never too late to be who you might have been.”

Sarah helps mid-career professionals transition from the corporate world to self-employment “off the beaten path”. Her clients want to follow a passion, express their creativity or help people or society in some way – and at the same time to lead a richer, more family-friendly lifestyle. Sign up to Sarah’s FREE mini e-course 5 Keys to Finding Freedom By Doing What You Love at http://www.nomoredreadingmondays.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/are-you-cinderella-or-the-ugly-step-sister-when-it-comes-to-your-career-1070740.html

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The main reason while people become discouraged and despondent is because, at a certain moment, they believe that they have no options. This is not true, unless you suffer from terminal illness and you have no time left. Wherever you live, whatever your occupation, alternatives exist.

An active mind is a precious treasure that is given to every human. If you doubt this, look at children. Their curiosity and excitement are irrepressible. An entrepreneurial spirit is not something you have to acquire, but your natural due. If later in life, you find that missing, you just need to reclaim it.

There are plenty of unexplored possibilities when it comes to jobs, professions, investments, training courses, houses, medical treatments, friends and lovers. In each case, you might need to exert effort, look around, and experience some rejection. That’s part of the price you pay for growing as a human being.

Once we are equipped with an entrepreneurial attitude, we should actually love it when someone calls our dreams unrealistic. In particular, when that person adds some trite remark, such as “in life, we cannot always get what we want.” That’s a sign for us to take action.

If your parts supplier demands you to make all your purchases there, find a new supplier. If your internet provider acts as though you have no choice, change providers. If your computer repair shop informs you that they are the only experts in that brand of computer, throw away the old computer and purchase another brand.

If your bank announces that you have no other place to save, open accounts in three other banks. If your plumber tells you that your have to pay too much, learn how to replace the water tabs yourself. If a painter tells you that you can do things only his way, hire someone else to paint your house.

What about geographical ties? Moving to another region or country seems so complicated that most people don’t give it much thought. Nevertheless, every year, millions of men and women go and live in another country in search of a better life. In most cases, they find it.

When someone says that you have no choice, give yourself a break. Look hard at situations and question their why, when and how. Once you decide to replace problems with solutions, your eyes will begin to detect opportunities that you had never seen before.

When people express the view that no further progress is possible, don’t get upset and refrain from giving a snappy reply. Useless discussions are not going to save the day. More often than not, you will be better off if you just nod, smile, and move on. Life is full of possibilities. Don’t waste a minute with those that believe that there is only one path to walk. You have better things to do.

JOHN VESPASIAN writes about rational living. He has resided in New York, Madrid, Paris, and Munich. His stories reflect the values of entrepreneurship, tolerance, and self-reliance. See John Vespasian’s blog about rational living.

http://johnvespasian.blogspot.com/

JOHN VESPASIAN writes about rational living. He has resided in New York, Madrid, Paris, and Munich. His stories reflect the values of entrepreneurship, tolerance, and self-reliance. See John Vespasian’s blog about rational living at http://johnvespasian.blogspot.com/

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/you-have-more-options-than-you-think-1068929.html

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If you listen closely to everything your business coach says, you’ll hear him talk about the sales process, something in which everyone in business is involved with. So, with respect to this “sales process”, where does it begin, and where does it end? A lot of people enjoy using the analogy of a simple sales funnel, with the widest piece of the funnel at the top and the narrowest piece at the bottom. All prospects journey through your funnel by journeying from the top to the bottom, with their landing at the bottom of your funnel indicating their complete conversion from a prospect to a loyal customer.

Perhaps it would be simpler to define a prospect? Again, your business coach with probably advise you that everyone is in your sales funnel and that everyone is a prospect for your goods or services.

At the very top of your sales funnel, at its widest circumference, picture the world of prospects out there. These people may not even know you exist or be aware of your products or services. Nevertheless, they may be ideal prospects and it is your job to expose your offerings to as wide an audience as possible and to entice them to move further down into your funnel.

As we proceed a little further down into your sales funnel you can envisage people who have heard of your product or service and may even have expressed some kind of interest. Further along, are people who have received a recommendation from people who may have used your service, or who otherwise have cause to recommend you. As your business coach will tell you, we are getting a little bit warmer now.

As your marketing initiatives come into play, so the people at this stage of your sales funnel become much more aware of what you have to offer. For example, some of these folks may have seen an advert or an article or maybe even subscribe to one of your mailing lists. We are now in the realm of people who are more likely to buy from you at some stage during the passage of time, as you may well have some means of regular communication with them – such as through an auto responder mailing list.

Your business coach will tell you that you need to pay particular attention to the people who occupy this part of your sales funnel. Those who previously bought something from you, who are not recurring consumers, may have visited the sales page on your website once, or may not yet be in a position to become a regular customer.

As you get to the very narrowest section of your sales funnel, you’ll come across individuals who have some sort of allegiance to you or your organisation, be they family or friends, acquaintances, alliances, affiliates and so on. People here may be in contact with you on a regular basis and much more inclined to buy.

The very narrowest part of the funnel will reveal your loyal, repeat customers who have travelled all the way down the sales funnel and like everything that they see.

As your business coach told you, if you treat everyone as being in your sales funnel – at some stage in the process of descent, you will be able to design a series of procedures to help you convert them from prospect to valued and loyal customer.

Alan Gillies is the Managing Director of the L2L Group, specialising in providing Executive Coaching, Training and Consultancy Services to Businesses across the Globe. Want to learn more about these business success strategies? Get Alan’s popular FREE Business Pack today!

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/everyone-in-business-is-involved-in-the-sales-process-1066897.html

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What Started This Plague of Debt & How Can You Get Cured!

The Plague of Debt began when banks, credit card companies, department stores, travel companies etc. realized that if they used really powerful subliminal messaging and other highly effective but suspicious means, then they could increase their sales.

They began putting faded pictures of seductive women hidden in print ads.  They began scenting the air of hotels, stores & casinos with fragrances that encourage taking out your wallet and spending.  Movie theaters began flashing pictures of popcorn too fast for you to see consciously.

But, there is now something powerful you can do about it to GET YOURSELF OUT OF DEBT.

You will learn how to get out of debt.  Fast.  Permanently.

Companies began listening more to shareholders’ greed rather than integrity and reason.  Giant computer programs now analyze your behavior constantly and every time you do anything.  Every service you use (like your credit cards) and every item that you buy in every store – all that information is captured, processed and sold to others who figure out the best way to market directly to you using your own information.

Tens of thousands of ads hit your subconscious every day.  Not a single one of them encourages reason, caution & savings.  Every one of them brilliantly displays the benefits of over-spending.  And, so you spend.  And, over-spend.

Every possible way is used to cajole you into doing what advertisers and merchants want.  If an ad does not work, it is discarded.  If an ad works, it is enhanced and bettered until it works even more powerfully – on you!

How Can You Get Cured?  How Can You Get Out Of Debt?

To get out of debt, you must know the Debt Awareness Levels.  So, let’s learn them.

Your Level of Debt Awareness

To get out of debt, you first have to know where you are now.  Here are the Four Levels of Debt Awareness:

………. Debt Awareness Level 1 ………. You are in debt and in denial

At Level 1, you make statements like “I’m really not in debt” and “I’m only in debt temporarily” and “I’m in debt only because of xxx” and “I’ll can be out of debt any time I choose” and “As soon as I get my job back, I’ll be out of debt”.  These are all self-delusions.  People are either in debt their whole life or they have savings and no debt all their life.

………. Debt Awareness Level 2 ………. You are in debt and you know you are, but you do not know many details

At Level 2, you have admitted that you are in debt, but you are unsure of the details.  You do not know exactly how much you owe on your mortgage, or on your car loan, or on any of the department store cards, or on your credit cards, etc.  You do not know the interest rates.  You do not know the repayment options.  You have excuses like “well, my balances change every day so there is really no way to know”.

………. Debt Awareness Level 3 ………. You are in debt and you have all the details

You have all details, in one place, neatly printed on paper, likely on a computerized spreadsheet so that it is easily and neatly updated.  You have the name of every debt, the balance as of the first day of every month, the interest rate, the repayment options, etc.  By the way, if you are in this elite group, you represent less than 10% of all those who are in debt. Bravo.

………. Debt Awareness Level 4 ………. You are in debt and you have all the details and your debt is dropping monthly

You know your numbers.  You track your numbers monthly.  You are wise with your expenses.  You spend LESS than you earn.  Your debt is decreasing.  You are in a super-elite group of about 2% of all those who are in debt.

Step One To Get Out Of Debt

Step One is to admit which Level of Debt Awareness you are at.

Step Two To Get Out Of Debt

Step Two is to record FIVE ways you can implement to move from the level you are at now to just one level up.  That’s all.

Debt is PSYCHOLOGICAL … it is not FINANCIAL.  You get out of debt by working on your mind, not on your pocketbook.

Raymond Aaron,New York Times Top Ten Bestselling Author, “Double Your Income Doing What You Love” published by John Wiley and Sons, New York City.

Claim your Gifts From Raymond“to double your income”. It’s free.

Join Raymond Aaron on Twitter @RaymondAaron.

Join “Raymond Aaron Double Your Income” Facebook Fan Page at http://www.FacebookRaymond.com .

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/know-the-4-debt-awareness-levels-so-you-can-get-out-of-debt-faster-and-double-your-income-sooner-1066490.html

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