Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Beware the Shopping Mall Monster

Like me, you’ve probably been offered a fair old number of these by now.....and, if you’re like most people, chances are you maybe own at least one or two.They always seem to put in an appearance at just the right (or wrong) moment...It might be Saturday and you've just seen the clothing item of your dreams.That can be a pain, though, if this month’s paycheck isn’t due f. . .

Tips on how to update your Writing and Marketing skillsGe...

As an online marketer or freelance writer, you need to keep pace with new trends in your field as well as gain new knowledge and skills not only for survival but to enrich your work and gain new opportunities.You also need to plan how you will absorb new knowledge and information to avoid confusion and being immersed in a deluge of irrelevant details and time wastage. You need to draw a plan/ti. . .

The Springtime of Peace

The deeper beauty of spring is its process. In winter's last days, as the sun warms the earth, each root and branch awakens to the patterned memory of who it is and what it can be. Life stirs and nature's growth in turn awakens all of us to the glories of being fully alive.Consciousness awakens in much the same way, doesn't it? One moment, everything is dark and still. Growth begins and we are . . .

Is Plastic Making You Happier?

If you’re like most people, you probably own at least one.And like most people, you’ve maybe never thought what it’s really costing you… At a recent conference held by the Fabian Society at London’s Imperial college, one of the issues discussed was happiness, and, more specifically, why it seems to elude so many of us. One of the conclusions reached was that one of. . .

4 Powerful Ways To Fire Up Your Motivation

It's so difficult to go on when everything seems to fail, isn't it? Are there times in your life when you really want to call it "quits" because you just can't see any good results from all the hard work you've done? Hold your horses! Never ever think of giving up. Winners never quit and quitters never win. Take all negative words out of your mental dictionary and focus on the solutions with ut. . .

How to Replace Bad Habits with Good Ones: The Science of ...

Few things are more difficult than kicking bad habits or developing more positive ones. But it is definitely worth the effort. Bad habits like smoking, overeating or self-criticism shorten lives and lead to underachievement, and unsuccessful attempts to change them lower self- esteem. In contrast, good habits create a kind of “success auto-pilot,” leading to greater accomplishment with less tho. . .

Two Types of Spirituality ... Faith and Knowledge

The term "spirituality" is a confusing term. Usually, when one mentions "spirituality", the first thought in many people's minds is that of "religion". While religion is an aspect of spirituality, spirituality is not an aspect of religion. Spirituality covers other areas of belief as well. Put simply, spirituality is the all-encompassing arena of "belief in something greater." This can be . . .

How To Get In The Zone And Blast Your Marketing To A High...

This may come as a surprise... but many marketers are so busy, they don't have time to get to the next level. Direct marketers are busy people. But sometimes you can be too busy for your own good. So busy in fact that you fail to see the opportunities to move up a level in your career. = Side Bar When Richard Branson set up Virgin Airways, did he sit in his office and wonder if it would ever wo. . .

Four Steps To Make Your Day Dynamic!

There are two ways to start your day. The first is to dive in; tackling whatever is in front of you. You might check your emails. This is an interesting beginning as it is always possible something fun and new came in since you last looked.Next thing you know you are deeply involved, answering all your mail. Some messages require thought; others require action, either research, interaction with. . .

Where Do Your Eyes Gaze?

The pupils of the eyes will dilate (enlarge) up to four times their normal size when excited. An angry, negative mood causes the pupils to contract (become smaller). When a person is being dishonest or holding back information, their eyes will meet yours less than 1/3 of the time. To build good rapport with someone, your gaze should meet theirs 60% to 70% of the time. BUSINESS GAZE - Imagine th. . .

Earn Your C's as A Speaker

Franklin Delano Roosevelt had some good advice for the public speaker when he said, be sincere, be brief, be seated. Be simple, natural and effective and earn your C’s. 1. Be fully Committed to your message and be ready to take action in the face of doubt. 2. Be Competent concentrate on your audience and customize your remarks to show that you know what is important to them. 3. Demonstrate . . .

Lessons in Love for the Shy at Heart

One of the biggest regrets of my life is that I was cursed with the shyness gene. Shyness is an often misunderstood condition that can leave the afflicted alone and miserable. As a victim of shyness, I completely understand the pitfalls. I also understand that there are levels of the condition that start at “painfully shy” or (as I think it is referred to nowadays) “social anxiety” to simply. . .

How To Save Your Marriage

Getting married (or beginning an intimate relationship) is, in a way, like starting a business you’ve always wanted to own or a university program you’ve always wanted to enter.It may be relatively easy to begin but it is almost guaranteed to be very challenging to stay with it for the long-term and make it a success. Which one do you think is harder? Being successful in your marriage? In your . . .

Origin of Certain Thoughts (Part I)

We all have spirit guides and we all benefit from their assistance, whether or not we recognize it. Only a few people can hear and exchange verbal communications with their guides, or occasionally see their foggy, ghostly image materialize; some people only sense their guide’s presence; others know the signs that indicate their guide’s presence; and still others do not believe these guides exis. . .

Abundance Of Money - Abundance Of Love

How much happiness is there in a piece of paper with the word "happiness" printed upon it? It depends on the person who holds that piece of paper...How much value is there in a 100 dollar bill? Same thing...If you think you're poor and have just enough to make ends meet, an unexpected 100 dollar bill is very valuable. If you believe you're rich and more money is coming to you all the time, an u. . .

When Self-Growth becomes Self-Sabotage

Many of us invest quality time and energy into our personal development. We buy inspiring books, sometimes with the workbooks or journals that complement them. We discuss psychology with our friends – or we look for friends with whom we can have open discussions on the subject. There is activity in our mind – at times a little bit of confusion. We encounter so many different lines of thoughts. . .

Origin of Certain Thoughts (Part II)

Continued from "Origin of Certain Thoughts, Part I"If you haven’t experienced any near misses, you may have at least heard or read about them. When people describe their near misses, they say things such as “The bullet missed my heart by just a few inches,” or “I was only a few feet away from the car that crashed into the crowd,” or “Had I not turned around, I would have been killed.” Are these. . .

Rules To Live Life By

How often have we heard ourselves complaining about how unlucky we are in life or how things are just not working out right for us. However, what we so easily forget is that at some time before in lives, luck has favoured us.But it is human nature whereby we remember only what didn’t work for us but easily forget the things that happened in our favour. There are several things in life that we m. . .

Evil, Hostile Grumpy Listeners? Think Again

I hated Kyle Sisk*. A notorious bully, Kyle punctuated my grade school years with misery. He would tease me about my weight, purposely rattle me with shocking language, delight in making me look foolish at every opportunity. Kyle had scary, penetrating eyes and sharp, jagged teeth that looked, appropriately, like fangs. He even had his own evil henchman named Eddie who would follow him everywhe. . .

Lessons From the Creek

Everything is in flow here in Northern Michigan. Buckets of water have flowed off the snow-covered roof. That water, along with the melting snow banks is finding its way down the hills to my driveway. I no longer walk to the mailbox, I wade. The maple sap is flowing too. Drive by a good stand of sugar maples and you'll see them all connected with plastic tubing, ultimately leading to the sugar . . .

Small Wonder

Wonder:~~To think or speculate curiously~~To be filled with admiration, amazement or awe; marvel~~A cause of surprise, astonishment or admiration~~A feeling of surprised or puzzled interest, sometimes tinged with admiration.So what is it about wonder that is so remarkable and valuable? I think when you are experiencing wonder, several things happen.1. You are more receptive and open2. You are m. . .

Spring Into Enchantment

Who can control a smile sneaking across your face as you go outside on a beautiful spring day, suddenly finding your nostrils filled with a sweet aroma of fresh blooms, while feeling warm breezes against your skin, whispering, "No coat today."? Nature provides enchantment all around us in the spring. The birds sing, the flowers bloom, animals have their babies, new birds learn to fly. If you lo. . .

Growing Optimistically

Spring is here at last! The season brings with it an opportunity for continued personal growth, stimulated by a sense of life renewing itself around us. We see growth of every kind reflected in our environment in the spring. Tiny seeds and bulbs blossom into colorful arrays of yellow, purple, and pink flowers and plants and the grass becomes green. Suddenly one day we look at the trees and . . .

Speak With a Relaxed Body and Mind

Fear of public speaking is No.1. Death is No.4. So most people would rather get a root canal and pay their taxes than speak in front of an audience! 1. Sure you have catecholamines all speakers do (including Sir Winston Churchill and Presidents Kennedy, Carter, and Reagan). These are the chemicals that make you sweat, make your heart beat fast, and make your hands shake. Get rid of those chemic. . .

(P)Refer to Grow Your Business

(Although this article is geared towards small business owners, the information is just as applicable to a similar personal situation, only the action is slightly different.)Here is the scenario. You have begun your day at work. Your day is planned ahead, with the big challenges first. You want to finish these up, get them out of the way and take a little time off this afternoon for yourself. Y. . .

Why you don't need motivation

As a life coach, I often hear people say they lack motivation – in fact, the “motivation discussion” is almost a ritual with my new clients. You really want something, in fact you almost need it, but you just don’t have the drive to get to it. As a result, you blame yourself; you get stuck in your disappointment, your guilt, or your frustration – further and further away from your goal.But why . . .

Present for Success: Simple Strategies to Add Confidence ...

Tomorrow’s the day and you’re dreading it. You’re scheduled to give a presentation to the senior management team about the new program you’re proposing. You’re excited and enthusiastic about the program but nervous and anxious about the presentation. You don’t know how you’ll manage to sleep tonight. These thoughts keep running through your mind; What if I stumble? What if I talk too fast? What. . .

How to Plan a Vacations of the Mind

Part 1Recently, in a women's therapy group that I run, the desire for fun and a change of pace over took me. I suggested that we deviate from some of our typical work and instead go around the room imagining a vacation treat designed to suit each woman’s desires.It was fascinating to see how many marvelous vacation ideas quickly emerged. One woman wished to go to Mexico and South America to vie. . .

Been There, Done That

Direct Answers - Column for the week of April 12, 2004Fourteen years ago I was divorced from my second wife, her idea. I'll call her Kay. But I never lost my love for her. She married again and had two children. We always remained friends, however my new wife could not relate to that, so contact via any manner was limited.Kay divorced again about four years ago, and my wife just passed away. . .

Body Language

Body language is fascinating. People rarely recognize how much information they give off and how noticeable it is to the human eye. Even to the untrained human eye. It is said that no less that 50 percent of information on a person’s character, impact and credibility is conveyed through no verbal communication.The following is a list of some common body postures and states the persons position.. . .

10 Quick Debt-Busting Tips

Are you really frustrated? Does it sometimes seem like the dollars are slipping through your fingers while the bills just seem to keep mounting up? It's a familiar feeling for many of us nowadays. Sometimes, though, like most things in life, taking a step back from it all and starting to get some simple things right can make a huge difference on the big picture. If your debts have been getting . . .

The Joan of Arc Complex

Sometimes I think that I have a mental health problem and that at any minute the pharmaceutical companies are going to develop a cute little green star-shaped pill to cure me of my ailment. I call it my Joan of Arc Complex. You see, I hear voices that I'm pretty sure aren't mine and they tell me to go out and do these stupid save the world projects. I call them THEY or THEM because they refu. . .

Fickle Fates

Direct Answers - Column for the week of April 19, 2004I am currently involved in a wonderful year-long relationship with a man I've known for ten years. We dated briefly all those years ago, but I wound up marrying someone else. To make a long story short, I should have listened to the fates back then.Recently I was contacted by another man I dated briefly right after high school. Our relati. . .

How To Use The Past, Future, And Present In Attaining Suc...

Did you know that your past, future, and present can affect directly or indirectly your outlook in life? THE PAST Have you ever done something that is so regrettable you couldn't forgive yourself? Have you ever made a mistake that up to the present time you're still blaming yourself? Are you still torturing yourself with the thought that only if you could've done it differently, you're living a. . .

Traveling Out Of Body

I can see the cops coming! They're a good thousand feet away. I can clearly make out their uniforms and swinging nightsticks. How can I be seeing this?I didn't dare mention it to my fellow underage drinking mates lounging with me on the grassy knoll in the park. Am I making this up? Projecting it somehow into my vision? Forcefully, I shook my head back and forth in an effort to free my mind of . . .

Supercharge Your Dreams!

We all accept the fact that the lighter the backpack, the easier and quicker the climb to the top of the mountain. We all understand that the lighter the load on an airplane, the higher and faster it can fly. We pay extra for high octane fuel so our car will operate more efficiently. Then why don't we apply the same wisdom to our bodies and our dreams?The Need for SpeedWe know that the cleaner . . .

Talk and Solve Problems

Are you facing problems in your life and don’t know how to solve them?Are you passing through a difficult time of your life and don’t know how to get out of it? Are you in the grip of unfavorable circumstances and don’t know how to mould them in your favor? Relax! There is nothing to worry about. Just talk to someone you can trust and get your problems solved. Did you ever think that it can be . . .

Triggering Intention: How To Remember To Remember

You've got a lot to store in that brain of yours. Sometimes you need to remind yourself to remember something. The most effective way to remember is to choose your triggers wisely. Post-its work great, but I'm all for simplifying things even further. By choosing to make a certain behavior a trigger for a particular thought, we can skip the paper and adhesive and get right to the important stuff. . .

My Work is My Play - The Journey From Survival to Creativity

“For the love a’ creation!”, my father was fond of expounding, when “Pete” and “God” had run their course. It was years later until I realized that sentence actually held meaning for me – other than an expression of exasperation. It is, most literally, the love of my life.For a remote viewer, creation is both the destination and the journey. It has a very real context, namely, the matrix. I. . .

Using the Language of Self-Hypnosis

Using language in the most progressive way to ensure your internal dialogue can be as amazingly powerful to you as using self-hypnosis. The author of the best selling book "The Secrets of Self-Hypnosis: Harnessing the Power of Your Unconscious Mind" tells you how. Words are just a part of our lives aren’t they? Why do we need to think about them? When I teach people self-hypnosis, the language . . .

How to be More Creative and Enhance Your Creativity

Learn about how to overcome the barriers that hinder creativity and then learn some fundamental keys in how to be more creative as well as learning about the amazing Disney Creativity Strategy based on Walt Disney's creative abilities.Before thinking about how to be more creative, let me begin point out some real barriers that some people seem to have when wanting to enhance creativity, have a . . .

Are You Too Busy to Have Fun?

Look around you. Who's having fun? Who's just faking it? (And who's just grumpy?) And how much fun are you having? Is there room in your life for a little more fun, or are you just too busy?The Seventh Irresistible Principle of FunOf the Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun the one that rings most loudly for me right now is Number Seven: Stop being busy. Being busy is so seductive. It's a place. . .

Depression from a Spiritual Perspective

This article about the intense subject of depression anticipates two ways of reaction. The question is: Will it be – in your case - shock or relief?When you read about depression, you will encounter many passages like the following:“These brain chemicals—in varying amounts—are responsible for our emotional state. Depression happens, when these chemical messages aren’t delivered correctly betwee. . .

Establish What You Want With NLP

How can you achieve if you do not know what it is you really want? So many of us want something different from our lives but do not really know what we do want. How do you find ouot what it is you want in life? Read on to find out. Recently, a lady came to see me and she had successfully stopped smoking with me and as she had enjoyed the success after 30 years of trying and failing to stop smok. . .

Enhance Wellness By Doing Something Different

If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got. Sounds simple doesn't it? Read and learn how to really do things differently to get some amazingly different results in your life. Many people would say that it is absolute madness to keep on doing the same thing, time after time, expecting to get a different result or for something different to happen. Alternatively. . .

How to be Congruent and Experience Balance Every Day

Maybe it is hard to achieve your goals sometimes? Maybe you need more balance? Even if you are in need of nothing else in your life, then you can always enjoy the benefits of having more congruence in your life and your behaviours. Read on to find out how anyone can do just that now. “If you can tell the world who you are and what you believe without breaking stride or hesitating, you are happy. . .

How Breathing Differently Can Make You Happier

The way in which we breathe can alter our lives rather dramatically and yet so many of us just seem to take it for granted that we are breathing fine. How about taking a bit more notice and noticing how when you change one of the most fundamental of autonomic behaviours; you can change your entire state of mind and physiology in many ways. Read more to learn how. "When you breathe, you inspire.. . .

Compulsive Gambler: How To Detect One?

A compulsive gambler is a person who is not able to resist urge to gamble. The compulsiveness leads to severe personal and social consequences. The desire to gamble becomes so difficult to control that stress can only be calmed by gambling more.1. Walks, Talks and Breathes Gambling.The compulsive gambler preoccupies himself with gambling. He tells story of previous experiences. The compulsive g. . .

Are You Being Affected by this Epidemic and Don’t Even Kn...

One of the most ignored and yet devastating epidemics of our time is affecting millions and millions of people every day and you may be one of them. The symptoms of this epidemic are also its horrible lasting effects. This epidemic is keeping people stuck in poverty, ill health, frustration, loneliness and unemployment. No one is safe from it because it doesn’t play favorites. And, it is driven. . .

Stress and DIStress

Stress sometimes gets a bad rap. It's actually a useful and necessary part of life. Without it there would be little reason to invent, create, and live new and fascinating experiences. Stress often helps nudge us in a direction that is better for us. It gets us out of our comfort zones and into movement toward ideals or objectives and out of our ruts. For example, Cecilia was had started a new . . .