Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

5 Ways To Having The Happiest Valentines Day Ever! (Even ...

The thought of Valentine’s Day conjures up romantic evenings, a candlelight dinner, and long walks with your loved one. It is, without a doubt the most romantic day of the year. So how could you possibly be expected to enjoy Valentine’s Day when you’re alone? Well, while it might not be all hearts and flowers, you can still spread the message of Valentine’s Day: Love. Over the years, I’ve inte. . .

What is the Color of the Wind?

"What is the color of the wind?""Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes and the grass grows by itself.""When I eat, I eat. When I sleep, I sleep.""What is your original face, before your mother and father were born?"These are all Zen sayings. Zen is a branch of Buddhism that teaches about mastering the mind, and releasing a distorted sense of reality. Instead of attempting to grasp realit. . .

Wisdom of the World's Proverbs

You don't have to excavate diamond mines or oil fields to find one of the world's greatest treasures. All you need to do is look at the world's proverbs--the "people's wisdom." Legendary Spanish writer Miguel De Cervantes described proverbs as "short sentences drawn from long experiences," and Scottish Historian Thomas Carlyle once wrote, "There is often more spiritual force in a proverb than i. . .

10 Tips to a Stress Free Holiday

“The stress-free way to enjoy the holidays is to plan, take one step at a time, and have a sense of humor.” Beth TabakCan you feel the holiday jitters beginning? Suddenly there it is right around the corner. Relax! Take time to plan well now and ease into the holidays with a big smile. Grab a journal and pen, and let’s get started. Reminisce over previous holidays- In your journal create a co. . .

Ageless Principles of Success(6)

With Proven Techniques for practical applications. The Principle of NOW: Dear friend, have you ever wonder what time is? Once you truly understand the real meaning of time, you will never experience worry, anxiety and unhappiness again. Actually time is just an illusion. "No matter how persistent the illusion of time is, the illusion of past, present, and future is still an illusion." -------Ei. . .

If You Want Other People to Like You, Like Yourself First!

Many of us mistakenly believe that it’s wrong or conceited, to think we have any good qualities. We may spend a lot of time berating ourselves for our negative qualities, thinking that self criticism is the key to improving our performance. However, a constant focus on our supposed shortcomings can hinder our efforts to make friends with other people. How can we have the confidence to make n. . .

7 Tips For Lasting Motivation And Greater Success

Lasting motivation is possible once you adopt an outlook that allows you to be more successful. Here are seven tips you can use today to overcome procrastination and start achieving much more. 1. Success is not achieved accidentally. It is a systematic, deliberate process of deciding what you want to do with your life, what you will do when you get there, and what the steps are to get you where. . .

Teachings of the Success Masters

Authors such as Napoleon Hill have produced a great deal of writings that form the classic success philosophy of the early 1900s. Most of this material is as applicable today as it was back then, and forms the basis of the teachings of many modern success gurus. Here is a sampling of selections from those early success writers:“…Both success and failure are largely the results of habit!” (Napo. . .

Catholic Voters Need to Rethink Morality

If Catholic doctrine calls for the sanctity of all human life, then why is it that church leaders implicitly endorse Republican candidates that are pro-life at the expense of all else. In fact, the sanctity of life doctrine stands directly in opposition to the death penalty as well as abortion. Nevertheless, The Tablet, the official weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Brooklyn, is far more ena. . .

More Companies Using Job Interview Phone Screening

Planning and preparing before you begin to send out resumes could save you some embarrassing moments when you receive that unexpected call. You just never know when that phone is going to ring. Let's say the phone rings just as you are about to sit down for dinner, but this time it's not a pesky telemarketer -- it's a company recruiter calling. The voice on the other end of the phone says . . .

D.I.S.C.I.P.L.I.N.E.

What does this word really mean anyway? According to Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 10th Edition, discipline, as a noun, is defined primarily as punishment. My, but that has a harsh ring to it. An alternate definition is self-control. Well, that’s a little closer to my idea. I submit that discipline, as it relates to making your home business a success, is the following:D = Decision The . . .

Are You Controlling or Loving Yourself?

How often do you hear a parental voice in your head that says things like, “You’ve got to lose weight,” or “You should get up earlier every morning and exercise,” or “Today I should get caught up on the bills,” or “I’ve got to get rid of this clutter.” Let’s explore what happens in response to this voice.We have a very good reason for judging ourselves: the judgmental part of us believes that . . .

It’s All To Do With The Way You Wake Up

Do you start your day with anger, frustration and annoyance at the alarm and the need to get up? Do you wake up hoping the day will go away and you can get back to sleep? Have you lost the fun? The confidence to have a go at things. Are you struggling along? Are you just going through the rituals of life? Are you just doing enough at work? Doing what is necessary because you think you ‘ought, s. . .

The Ultimate Formula for Success

Why is true success so rare? Why does research show that over 80% of people break their New Year's resolutions? Why do most attempts to lose weight, quit smoking and start businesses fail? Of course, there are many possible answers. Some people look for the easy way out, and just don't want to make the effort. Others use ineffective or simplistic strategies for change, such as affirmations, rat. . .

Eureka! I’ve Found It!

OK, so it wasn’t quite that big of a deal. But I did find the “T” that mysteriously escaped from the word “not” in one of my articles a few months ago. Yep, I found it all right. Right at the end of what was intended to be the word “though”. Of course, that misplacement resulted in a stupid sentence completely void of logic – unless by chance you missed the “t” and read the sentence the way. . .

How to Grow Your Very Own Money Tree

Okay. So money doesn't really grow on trees. Unless you plant your own Mighty Money Tree, that is! Imagine that only a few moments ago you planted a young sapling in your back yard. You gave it just enough water to ensure a good start. Not too much, not too little. You even propped it up with a stake. You'll continue to nurture it, feed it, water it. And with each passing year, your tender youn. . .

How To Indulge and Win The Battle of The Bulge During The...

If you are trying to lose weight, the holidays literally are the heaviest time of the year. So how do you eat, drink and be merry while you’re counting every single calorie? By getting a buddy who will help you make the right choices bite by bite. Scientific studies have shown that people who diet with partners are much more likely to lose weight and to keep it off. And there’s no more crucial . . .

Traditional vs. New Age Self Defense

The alternative self defense product, stun gun, requires a bit of introduction. A lot of people when they first hear the term “stun gun”, they actually think of the little gadget featured in many science fiction movies. In fact, self defense technology has come a long way. For a long time, if one wanted to protect themselves, they would have to spend years of time practicing martial arts or se. . .

Hiking in the Forest Knowing When to Slow Down

One morning in mid summer, I headed out for some time to myself on the trails of Fontenelle Forest in Bellevue, Nebraska. As usual, I stopped in at the Visitor Center to pay the entrance fee, then got back in my car and drove a couple miles down a long and winding road to the quieter back entrance. It was a typical warm and humid summer day in Nebraska. Starting out on the lush green trail, I w. . .

A Jungian Approach to Mental Illness

All of us suffer from some form of emotional distress at some stage. Some forms of distress can last longer than they should and may significantly impair our everyday functioning. If this persists, we may be suffering from a mental illness or mental disorder (like depression, or anxiety). We can better understand this by comparing a mental illness such as depression, with a case of the flu – it. . .

Do You Make These Common Mistakes When Talking to People?

Many moons ago. Talking to people was something I avoided where possible. At the time, I did not know I was unconsciously setting myself up for failure. I kept making the same mistakes without even noticing what I was doing wrong. You may be doing the same thing. Here are three common mistakes together with tips on how to deal with them: 1. Judging Your Performance Against Unrealistic Standards. . .

Your James Bond Fantasies Become Real

The problem with this is that fantasies usually don't come by chance. You have to plan them yourself. This seems to kill the very idea of a natural fantasy because you have to deal with the mundane realities of the arrangements. Arrangements like the expenditure of 'hard earned' money and finding a willing Bond girl to go wading at the Dr. No waterfall with you. Much easier to pull out your 'Dr. . .

Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places?

You’ve been to the bars, you’ve answered the personals, you’ve maxed out your credit card on online dating services, and you still haven’t met the right person. Or, you ended up dating a series of potential perfect matches, only to be disappointed. Why are your friends able to hook up, but you’re always left high and dry? Have all the good single people slid off the Earth?Listen, if you continu. . .

The One Thing You Really Want…

There is one thing you want... My guess is you want it so badly that you crave it - hunger it. And if you got it, your whole life would light up like the sky during a firework display. The thing is you don’t actually know you want it - well you do, but you won’t know it until you’ve got it, and until you get it, you’ll just notice a great big void in your life. I’ll explain. One thing we all lo. . .

Your Money or Your Life!

Quote of the month: Am I working to live or living to work? Work can wait, but the rainbow won't. Geela How many times (at least in the movies) have we stared death in the face at gunpoint? Yet, whether we realize it not, we experience the same terrorizing and paralyzing effect whenever we are faced with challenging moments in life where we are forced to make choices that seem more like a Sophi. . .

The Heroic Entrepreneur: Profiting from Your Brilliance

If you look up the definition of hero in Webster's, you'll find a definition something like, 'A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life: soldiers and nurses who were heroes in an unpopular war'. Some heroes in our lives have earned that badge of honor by doing something everyone feels is heroic as defined in the tradi. . .

The Amazing Secret To Ridding Yourself Of Self Consciousness

One of the biggest challenges to developing superior communication skills is that you already have your hands full in those situations where you need help. Take a typical scenario - meeting new people. If I give you tips for listening more effectively and you rush off to practice the tips you may not get very far no matter how hard you try. Why? Because you are likely to be self conscious when . . .

Four Common Rapport Building Mistakes and How to Fix Them

1. Pretending You Are Interested When You Are Not Do yourself a favor and be honest with yourself and the people you spend time with. If you are really not interested in the topic of conversation say so. If possible change the subject or simply postpone that particular conversation until another time. Obviously if there is a danger of offending the other person you will have to be less direct. . . .

How to Quickly and Easily Deal With Rude People

Where I live there seems to be a a growing population of rude and vulgar people. And no matter how hard I wish for things to change it is not going to happen. It is up to me to change how I think and feel about these people. The same applies for you. 1. What does it mean when someone is rude? Your initial angry reaction may be to think the person is a moron but that only makes matters worse as . . .

3 Easy Steps to Low Stress Communication

Life is all about choices. And so is the way you communicate. You can fill your days with frustrating high stress communication or you can have days of low stress effective communication with your peers. Now take a moment to learn three ways to have low stress communication. 1. Recognize Positive Intentions When someone you are talking to is unkind, negative or downright rude it is easy to get . . .

How to Kill Fear When Dealing with Aggressive People

The book Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers is regarded as a self help classic. Have you read it? I read it many years ago and I was disappointed by the content of this book that has helped a lot of people take control of their fears. Why? Because I believe we all have the power to go far beyond feeling the fear. And I really think it is important to learn how to transform fear int. . .

How To Deal With People Who Dislike You

When you read books on personal development and articles about making your life better the emphasis is generally on the positive. You learn all about deciding what you want and how to get it. However you also need specific guidelines for dealing with situations when nothing seems to be working despite your best efforts. One of the hardest things to deal with is the fact that some people will di. . .

Dealing With Negative People Made Easy

I was playing tennis today with one of my tennis buddies. We play once a week and we usually chat about work, professional tennis players and local news. Today he was very negative about the people of the area we live in. According to him they are all thieves and crooks. Now this makes me really angry when I hear him talking like this since I have had very positive experiences with the people I. . .

How to Turn Around A Sinking Conversation - 7 Tips

When a conversation is not working out there is the potential for massive frustration or a breakthrough depending on how you look at it. 1. Question your assumptions about the other person Perhaps the breakdown in communication is based on rumors that have no basis in reality. You may be unfairly judging the other person and filtering every word he speaks because of a false image of who he real. . .

What People Are Really Interested In & How to Win Friends

A lot of your people problems and concerns about what other people think will fade into the background when you understand one crucial reality. Most people are interested in you only to the extent they can get something from you. I know this sounds harsh. Bear with me a moment while I explain. Apart from your family and closest friends most other people see you as either a hindrance or as a mea. . .

A Small Piece Of Carpet

Have you ever noticed how the way you feel about yourself sometimes depends on whether or not you get confirmation of your value from others? When you enter into challenging situations with a positive self identity you will discover that you are living your life with a greater sense of enjoyment and fulfillment. I have learned a lot about nurturing a positive identity of love and appreciation f. . .

The Rewards and Risks Of Personal Freedom

We all need to decide whether to "play it safe" in life and worry about the downside, or instead take a chance, by being who we really are and living the life our heart desires. Which choice are you making?One of the first things I noticed about my newly purchased parrot, was that he couldn't fly. Chico's wings had been clipped and he was stuck here on earth just like us humans. Once the weathe. . .

Five Steps to Vocational Passion: A Disciplined Plan for ...

There’s a famous song lyric that asks: “Is that all there is?” Every seven seconds, an American turns 50 years old. So there’s a good chance that song is running through some of their heads. The question captures the ennui that many people feel in mid-life. They look up at the clock, see it ticking, and begin counting in their heads all the mountains not climbed, the poems not written, and the . . .

Trust In The Moment, and Trust In Yourself

Do you often get yourself upset and feeling less than fully confident, as part of your preparation for facing a daunting challenge? You can improve your performance if you let your somatic intelligence lead the way."You move too much to be effective." Tamura sensei softly shouted at me. "You need to give your opponent a clearer target to strike at."We were in the middle of studying how to defen. . .

Discover The Spark That Motivates You In Business and Life

Can There Be Any Other Business Like Your Own Business?“Whatever you persistently allow to occupy your thoughts will magnify in your life.”-Dennis Kimbro, PhD., Author, Small Business Consultant, and Lecturer for the Napoleon Hill FoundationYour reason for becoming an entrepreneur or having a business of your own is the first spark that motivates you to do so. A successful business is determine. . .

10 Warning Signs That You’re Ready for a Career Transition

1. You dread getting out of bed and going to work. But suppose you were in a job or profession that feeds your spirit. Just imagine how exciting it would be to jump out of bed and step right into it every single day! 2. You’re exhausted, whether you’ve had no sleep or seven to eight hours of sleep. Your perception of life in general can often be skewed when you’re not rested. So it’s important . . .

Why?

Direct Answers - Column for the week of November 1, 2004I met Sean a year and a half ago in a crowd of 50,000 people. We struck up a conversation and really hit it off. He gave me his number, which I forgot. I thought about tracking him down, but figured if it was meant to be we would meet again. Three weeks later I got a phone call from him, and we have been together ever since, until abou. . .

Surf the Wave of Abundance

Bank account bare? Bedroom barren? Body running on empty? Buddha not showing up? Why? Maybe because your beat is off! You’re out of step with the AbunDance. It’s a dance that requires flexibility, fluidity and, above all, the willingness to flow with life’s changing rhythms. The word “abundance” comes from a Latin root meaning “to move in waves, undulate, flow.” AbunDance is a wave dance. The n. . .

5 Ways to Lose Those Holiday Blues

What a great time of year! It’s a time to be thankful for what we have and enjoy all the festivities that mark a renewal of our hope and faith in the “system” that will carry us toward a bright new year. Right… So if this is such a wonderful season, how come so many of us wind up in Yucksville? It may have something to do with losing our rational map about the time we made the turn at the Gr. . .

From The WorkWise Collection: Ten Ways to Win the Job Sea...

Are you one of the thousands of job seekers who question their sanity, marketability, and capacity to make smart decisions-just because you’ve lost your job? Are you wondering how to overcome these psychological challenges, rebuild your self-confidence, increase your marketability, and regain your sense of sanity? In today’s competitive job market you need more than a killer résumé and great in. . .

Learn How to Solve Problems With a Feng Shui Mirror

A mirror, when becoming a feng shui mirror, can be used to many more things than allowing us to see how we look. Feng shui teaches how a feng shui mirror can be used in order to solve many different problems, and we will describe some of these uses through the next few lines.One first way to use a feng shui mirror is to send something negative away. By placing the mirror facing whatever is nega. . .

In between Luck & Effort

I have one magical thought, lets see it more closely. Just look around & try to find out peoples who are successful, in sense of reality, with no efforts. You will find none.Now look around again & try to explore the peoples who are successful by morality of their efforts, and this you will find many.Their distinctive efforts have certainly taken them ahead, may be in changeable degree.People. . .

Among the Purpose & Personality

I have one magical thought, lets see it more closely. Every one has purpose of life. Some holds good for self, family, a society, state, nation, religion, world, etc. Personalities are engaged to realize the purpose by executing definite plans & process.It is an interesting, amazing accepted norm of society that on several occasions, we neglect & forget the “P R O C E SS ” & the “P U R P O S E. . .

Could you use a “Stop Doing” list?

One of the tried and true organization and time-management tools is the trusty old “to do” list. I was trained to diligently put one together at the end of the day for the following day, and whatever tasks I failed to complete, to carry it forward. This system has worked well in helping me prioritize and focus. But I have also heard many of my colleagues complain about having too much . . .

Five Ways To Take A Vacation Without Taking A Vacation

Last month Along The Purpose Path was about how to identify and stop the energy drains that leave you feeling exhausted and out of balance. I outlined how energy is one of your most valuable resources and invited you to start thinking about how to reserve more energy for yourself. Now, I’d like to offer a suggestion on how to actually build energy and begin to create energy reserves. One of m. . .