Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

A Brick Wall

Direct Answers - Column for the week of August 18, 2003Two years ago I divorced, and there is still a lot of hostility. My former husband has been served with contempt papers for not paying child support. He says I am sending him to the poorhouse, but I have no recourse but to contact the court when the payments stop. He continues to blame me, even though two judges have explained it is the . . .

One Last Month to Make it Count!

Can you believe it, summer is almost over. Did you get to accomplish everything you planned? Did life sneak up on you, such as unexpected bills, a loss of a job or did your situation change? Well, the busiest 2 months of summer are over, with literally weeks until school starts up again. There's a lot of juggling finances as you finish off your summer trips, buy school clothes and rush to the s. . .

Mind, Body, Spirit Healing vs. Traditional Psychotherapy/...

Mind, Body, Spirit Healing vs. Traditional Psychotherapy/PsychoanalysisThe word "psychology" is the combination of two terms - study (ology) and soul (psyche), or mind. The derivation of the word from Latin gives it this clear and obvious meaning:The study of the soul or mind.This meaning has been altered over the years until today, this is not what the word means at all. The subject of psychol. . .

Looking For Answers In All The Wrong Places?

Looking around at our circumstances we may see only mountains of problems, debts piling up, fear, failure, and defeat at every corner. Maybe you've looked around and thought, where's the answer, I need a new life? Heart To Heart!No one may be able to give you an easy answer for difficult circumstances, but there are some simple steps you can take today to neutralize the negative emotions that a. . .

Happiness Is A State Of Mind, I'm Happy......I Think!

You have the power to attract and repel anything in life you want! It's all in your hands. Contentment, happiness, and joy are right around the corner. Hang in here with me; some of this is going to go against the grain of previous thinking. The Moment Of Truth!Regardless of whom you are, you are unique, you are special, and you are a wonderful person. Yet, certain people may not think so. :) . . .

Dream Lover

Direct Answers - Column for the week of September 1, 2003I met my wife a dozen years ago and her best friend shortly thereafter. I was always fond of my wife's friend. We all shared a good deal of time together through our college years and now into our thirties. She is married with two children as are we. We live in the same town, our families spend a good deal of time together, and I'm go. . .

Look To Trees To Help You Keep Balanced And Focussed Whil...

Do you remember looking up through the branches of a beautiful, leafy tree, on a warm sunny day? How the sunlight filtering through the lush greeness, seemed to take on an almost magical quality? And do you recall how this golden sunlight and the softly swaying branches almost seemed to be the physical enactment of a song, a whispering melody, just beyond the reach of your ears? Trees,. . .

Such Is Life, And It's Getting Sucher And Sucher

Problems, disappointments and trouble; the three skunks that sometimes think they are our children. At least they want to stay around long enough to give us a college education. But the education we get may be only half the story, See what you think!Nailed To The Cross!Have you ever felt like you were jinxed? That somehow you were just born on the wrong side of the tracks? Have you ever felt li. . .

What's Perfect About Imperfection?

Let me try something new but please, please, please, let me do it right and well the first time. If we always do things well, always do things right, and people know us as someone who always gets it right, then we've set ourselves up. It's costing us. As my friend John pointed out just yesterday, it gets lonesome and tiresome being the one in control, waiting for the world to catch up.Looking a. . .

Growth from Discontent ... Life's Way Of Giving You A Lit...

That strange, gut-wrenching feeling you have is not the sushi you had for lunch. It's your soul trying to give you a nudge to do something. A word for that feeling is "discontent." Discontent is a state of not being satisfied or fulfilled in your current situation. Of course, this same feeling can apply to a hundred different situations, from a work-related issue to a personal issue at home. . .

Harsh Reality

Direct Answers - Column for the week of August 25, 2003My wife and I married eight years ago. One month into our marriage she was diagnosed with a non-life threatening form of muscular dystrophy. Over the years she has grown more and more dependent on me.She no longer has the strength to carry a child, and it has become apparent we will never have children of our own. She still works full-ti. . .

Thank You

Do you want to know the magical words which can change your life? No kidding, you already know, the words are “thank you”. The magical and powerful words “thank you” open the hearts and minds of other people for us and thus pave the way for our prosperity and popularity. Don’t say thank you in a dull and lifeless manner. Say thank you wholeheartedly, humbly and wit. . .

Rebuilding Oneself ... the Universe's Basic Training

I remember Air Force Basic Training. My Training Instructor not only wanted to teach me the military way, but he also wanted to break me down so that he could rebuild me according to the needs of the military. These are two of the underlying premises of your first few weeks, or months, of your time in the military. Actually, I enjoyed it, but then Air Force Basic is only between six and eigh. . .

The Best Policy

Direct Answers - Column for the week of July 28, 2003How do I help a former friend let go of a friendship that's not working for me?This woman, I'll call her "Anne," is a life coach. We met last year and hit it off as friends. The problem for me is the vast majority of our conversation centered around Anne and her situation, particularly as it related to men. On and on these conversations wo. . .

Are Your Dreams A Day Late And A Dollar Short?

One of the greatest challenges facing our ever intensive quest for the impossible dream is to make it across the finish line even if it's only by the skin of our teeth. Many outstanding accomplishments have been started just to see our vision die one foot short of the goal line. Sound familiar? Don't get your knickers in a twist; here's an idea.Cry Me A River!Have you ever experienced this? May. . .

Ideal Self

Envisioning Your Ideal SelfIn my work as a professional coach, I've had the opportunity to interact with hundreds of individuals.  I've found that people who are successful and fulfilled share common characteristics.They believe their success has very little to do with what they have, and everything to do who they are.They hold an ideal about the kind of person they want to be.They're will. . .

Today, A Wonderful Day

Believe me, today is the most wonderful day of your life! You live in today; drink, dine, walk, talk, work and play today. Living today is not enough, make it a wonderful day for you. In order to make your today a wonderful day, get up from the bed early in the morning. While brushing your teeth, brush away the unfounded fears about today. Look in the mirror and say: “It’s a wonderful day”. Go . . .

Top Ten Creative Excursions for Building Effective Teams

The ability to build effective teams is a must for any organization who wants to succeed in the millennium. This article offers ten examples of highly creative excursions which can provide insight into developing the leadership qualities essential for success in challenging times. 1. A Day Trip to the Sharper Image The Sharper Image is a specialty retailer that is nationally and internationally. . .

Top Ten Creative Strategies for Inspiring Creativity Wher...

Websites, automobiles, milk cartons, living spaces. Design saturates every aspect of our lives and the difference between success and failure could be the color purple, could be the person that you talk to every morning when you wake up, or could be the amount of light that streams into your office every day.These ten steps will support you in revitalizing your environments and will foster an a. . .

Live Your Own Life

Are you living your life, the way you want to live?If your reply is in affirmative then you must be a very successful and powerful person in full command of your life and the circumstances. However, if your reply is in negative, then I am sorry to say that you are like millions of other people who are living the life being dictated by others. Is this life worth living?Let me explain you. Our . . .

A "Reality" Practice

Suggested practice to gain freedom from self-limitation.It is suggested that what is actual and real in the world can only be experienced in the ongoing moment (by moment) and that to be fully in the moment can only happen if all ideas and beliefs about it are gone from the psyche – including the sense of “I”, of self identity.Look at every idea, belief, or truth about life, no matter how unque. . .

It Takes A Lot Of A Little To See The Good Times Roll

Have you ever wondered why some people are just naturally successful? Why success just seems to fall on them with everything they do? You know.. The guy with the green thumb! And, everything he touches turns to gold.Picture Perfect Luck!Well, there's no such thing. Luck or if you prefer "happenstance", does have a way of falling on us from time to time. But, I don't think anyone is trying to li. . .

Organizing for Today, Tomorrow and the Next Day

Getting organized is hard. If it weren't, we wouldn't put it off until it got even harder. There are hundreds of books out there on how to get organized; they have ideas on how to work in your garage, in your living room, in your mind, in your job. They offer every sort of idea for every sort of situation... but you know what happens to most of those books? They end up in the middle of some. . .

Waiting On Your Big Break Is Playing Desperation Life!

Have you ever put all your eggs in one basket? Have you ever had so much riding on one big break that if it didn't happen you would have to move down to the zoo and live off of kudzu and stump water? If you have, you're playing desperation life!Desperation Life= Trouble Before You Start!If you're playing desperation life, then you didn't do something right early on. Being forced to go for the b. . .

Commit It To Paper

Commit it to paper - You have the idea so therefore you have within you the ability to make it a reality. Admittedly it may not always be obvious, but rest assured deep down you're capable. The catch is that often we don't lay the correct foundation so that we have a plan as to what it will take to make the idea a reality. First off we must understand that things often don't just happen. Rather. . .

Parental Consent

Direct Answers - Column for the week of August 11, 2003I am concerned about a relationship, but it is not my own. My nephew aged 21 is planning to get married this November. While I think he is young, I think the bride to be is far too young at only 17.My nephew was home-schooled through half of high school, and she was raised on a ranch and home-schooled as well. In other words, she has no . . .

The Fairness of Office Politics ... Integrity and Politic...

I hear many complaints daily about the "unfairness" of politics in corporate America. Employees say that their managers "lie" or issue "personal attacks" against them. Indeed, based on the pure ideals that we are taught as a child, this might appear to be the case. However, the corporate culture is not the "real world" in which we live out our personal lives. Each corporate culture is its o. . .

Addicted To Her

Direct Answers - Column for the week of August 4, 2003I dated a woman I work with for four years. In both our minds we were soul mates. A year and a half ago she broke it off. I never found out the real reasons.After we broke up she would still tell me she loved me and we were soul mates. Of course at the same time she was dating another man, a married man. But it's worse than that. In college . . .

A Brand New Year To Live

Have you ever started a new year with a New Years resolution? I think many of us have, whether it is to be nicer to family, to be a better friend, co-worker, or even to start that long-awaited diet. Have you ever noticed by the 3rd week or so, you just don’t have the motivation or inspiration to keep it up? I can’t recall one year that I have kept all of my resolutions. That could very well be . . .

Casting Vision

One of my greatest loves as a kid was fishing. This love developed quickly because my family owned a little bait shop that was located near Toledo Bend Lake in Louisiana. Toledo Bend is well known for its large bass and large quantity of crappies. I soon found out that there is a lot more to fishing than just catching fish. Learning to cast a fishing lure into a tree-covered fish hole takes gre. . .

Expand Your Time

In our time-crazed society, lots of time is what most of us don’t have. Yet, all of us would like to have more time. So what can you do about that? Expand your time. It’s simple.You see, linear time is actually something that responds to our thoughts and feelings because time is a function of the Universe. The Universe responds to the way we feel about time by adjusting the amount of time we ha. . .

A "Potential" New Year's Resolution

It is often said that all of us come into this world on equal footing, with nothing in our possession. Certainly we are born with equal value in the eyes of our Creator, and we don't enter the world with any material possessions. Yet we do not begin life empty handed.The moment we are born, we each have in our possession the most amazing gift! It is the gift of pure untapped potential, unique a. . .

Have You Seen My Boss?

I work for a huge organization and have never met the guy in charge. Rumor has it, that there might not be one single person in charge, but a committee of talented and caring individuals. Great, I don’t even know for sure who I’m ultimately working for. I’ve heard it said that I’m not alone. Apparently there’s an enormous amount of staff all doing various assignments, some in management, som. . .

Learning How To Fall ... You Have To Learn To Fall Before...

About a month ago, I was hit by a car while riding my motorcycle. The car side-swiped me and took off. My bike bounced off the car, shot out from under me, and I rolled under the car. Amazingly enough, I stood up, picked up my bike, and got to the side of the street without any problems. All I had was a small bit of road rash on my elbow. I was lucky!However, I'm not writing this to acquir. . .

Irresistible

Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 29, 2003I'm attracted to my manager. He was the one who showed his interest to me first by complimenting me and making wonderful eye contact. He is single and one year younger than me. Until today he only asked me out one time and that was when a close friend of ours also attended the dinner and we had so much fun. Indeed I never gave him eno. . .

Feelings and Attitudes

Are feelings and attitudes the same thing or different? Does one cause the other to happen? Which one has more power over how we respond? Does the person experiencing them have any choice in the matter? What if they are in conflict?Feelings are what they are. We can’t force them. The phrase “I can’t help how I feel” keeps rattling around in my head as I write this. There is no magical wa. . .

Demanding Miracles

Have you ever had an overwhelming problem or issue? Was there some circumstance in your life that seemed beyond your ability to handle it? Have you ever called out to God, Buddha, guardian angels, The Force, your higher self, Mohammed, Mother Earth, whatever name you give that spirit? To find an all-encompassing name without prejudice towards any one belief system, I’ll just hereby use the w. . .

Making New Friends

How do we make friends? More importantly if dropped into a new city or a new job or a new school, how do we go about making a new friends? Most of us don’t really think about it, but just sort of allow people to float in and out of our lives without really paying any attention to how we pull new people into our lives.Years ago, my son was four years old and starting preschool. He had been be. . .

The First Ninety Days

A friend of mine recently commented on the amazing number of romance novels written and the huge amount of money being made in that industry. He then shared his observation that these romance novels don’t usually tell their stories beyond the first ninety days or so. He said people just want to read about the romance of falling in love, not of the day-to-day life of being in long-term relati. . .

Top Three Secrets To Becoming A Better Thinker

We all know there are ways to become a better thinker. We should read more books. We ought to go to lectures and concerts. We need to visit exhibits and appreciate art. We can take classes and expand our horizons through travel. Blah, blah, blah. Those are the easy answers. If we really want to become better thinkers, there are three ways to do it that are guaranteed to get you tuned in t. . .

The Porch Light* Method to Speaking Confidence

You know the feeling. Looking out at a sea of faces, you notice a few scowls, frowns, even droopy eyelids on some of your audience members. What are they thinking? Do they disagree with your points? Are they in a bad mood? Do they just not like YOU? You bend over backwards to win them over. You smile, establish eye contact. But the longer you speak the more hopeless you feel as you see your des. . .

Leading In The Face Of Disaster

The date was Saturday, April 11, 1970, the time 13:13 CST. The event to take place was to be one of NASA's finest hours; the launch of Apollo 13. Apollo 13 was supposed to land in the Fra Mauro area. However, an explosion on board forced the crew to circle the moon without landing. The first two days the crew ran into a couple of minor surprises, but generally Apollo 13 was looking like the smo. . .

Possibilities

Coach’s CornerBy: Jim JenkinsOriginally published in the Frederick Chamber Newsletter, July 2003Being Open to PossibilitiesWhen you look at your future in terms of your business and/or professional career, do you see unlimited potential or do you see a lack of opportunities? Recently, many of my clients have asked me how I remain so upbeat and optimistic about the future. They cite the predict. . .

Entrepreneurs: Take Action Over Inspiration Every Time!

"Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory!" General George S. Patton When choosing a senior quote, this one jumped right at me. I was ready to conquer the world, but then reality slapped me in the face... College. 4 more years of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and encourage anyone who has the opportunity to. . .

Great Communication Skills

Having good communication skills in the workplace is important. This article will provide tips to take into account a rapidly changing workplace. Details of the message:It is important that you first check the authencity of the message before you start to communicate with your office colleagues. Has the message been transmitted from a reliable source or was it something that you just read in th. . .

Oldies

Direct Answers - Column for the week of January 5, 2004I am a captain in the Marine Corps. A year ago my wife cheated on me with another Marine. He lived in an apartment facing ours, which I passed every day on my way to work. She was my girlfriend at the time, and she told me because she felt guilty about it. She said it only happened once.She said she never talked to the guy again except . . .

The Year Of Happiness

I have decided to declare 2004 as the YEAR OF HAPPINESS for me. What about you? Yes, you can also do so! Anyone living in any part of the world has the right to be happy and enjoy every moment of his/her life. There is no harm in declaring the year 2004 as the Year of Happiness for All Mankind. You cannot bring happiness to your life unless you decide to be happy. This is the most important dec. . .

Second Thoughts? Think Again!

Life is perfect. If you have read these articles long enough, you have seen this written in several different forms and ways. There is even a series on it in one of my ebooks. Life is perfect is a way of living for me. If I understand that I have the ability to create my life by the actions I take, then I understand that both the life I live today and the life I will live tomorrow is perfect in. . .

A Christmas Wish

Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 22, 2003My sister is a woman now beginning her thirties. She has had few friends and her boyfriends have never been good for her. Now she has finally found a man who adores her. They had an affair nine years back, when he was twice her age and still married. My sister ended the affair, and he separated from his wife. When my sister contacted. . .

Where Has All the ENCHANTMENT Gone? Long Time Passing ...

I thought you might enjoy reading a professional article I prepared several years ago. It is just as current today and really speaks to a tragedy in our health care system that we must all try to combat. I am trying to explain some of the problems of managed care which penetrate much more deeply than out pocketbooks. These problems penetrate our minds, bodies and spirits! I am eager to hear. . .