Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Rationalization

Rationalization: "The devising of self-satisfying but false reasons for one's behavior." Sometimes we don't know why we do what we do, and perhaps such ignorance is okay, or should be. Our temptation is always to explain, but that often does nothing useful. In fact, it can just get in the way of actual understanding.Rationalization - A Clinical ExampleWhen John went to the hypno-therapist, he w. . .

How To Deal With Negative Emotions

Negative emotions sap your energy and undermine your effectiveness. In the negative emotional state, you find the lack of desire to do anything. The mind is filled with thoughts of fear, doubts and insecurities. Your body experiences fatigue, tightness and muscle tension.Notice that your negative emotions arise when you respond to something, attach a meaning to it and picture it in your mind. Y. . .

Using Intuition To Still The Mind

Intuition was a wonderful gift. It was also an awful curse. By instantly recognizing patterns, intuition was nature's vital tool for survival. Life ceaselessly faced a train of unlimited choices and, often, baffling problems. These demanded instant decisions. An animal could not remain undecided, whether to drink water, or to eat grass. Should it be aggressive and fight, run away, or relax and . . .

Attitude of Gratitude

An attitude of gratitude? People often to think it will come from having some great luck or fortune. Of course it could feel great to win the lottery, and great friends, money, houses, travel - these are all good things, but not enough by themselves. The right frame of mind is necessary to fully enjoy life. You need the attitude of gratitude.Gratitude 101Your life is better when you feel blesse. . .

Procrastination Guilt Trip

I'm guilty of procrastination. And I should know better. My newest book, 57 Ways To Take Control Of Your Time And Your Life," covers the time management subject in considerable detail.I need to re-read chapter 6, "Discombobulated" on page 14. While I'm at it chapter 34 on page 80 called, "The Key To Finishing Is Starting," is another one for me to look at again.Sometimes I vascillate between be. . .

I Don't Know Why

“I don’t know why you keep trying to be nice to her when she’s made it clear that she doesn’t want anything to do with you.”I don’t know why it is so hard sometimes to see the truth. I had wanted so much for her to like me. I had tried so hard and turned my cheek so many times. I don’t know why there were no thank you’s for gifts or acknowledgement of things I’d done, no visits when I had th. . .

The Kabbalah of Adolescence

Adolescence – The Darkness Before the Dawn Do you remember what it was like to be an adolescent? The anger, the confusion, the rebellion? The intense need to express yourself, even in ways that were upsetting to the people around you? Or maybe you are the parent of an adolescent. Maybe you long for the days when he or she was a sweet, compliant child, wanting nothing more than to be just like y. . .

What Really Creates Happiness?

Some people believe that achieving happiness is the purpose of life, yet the pursuit of happiness often leads to unhappiness. This is because happiness is actually a consequence of a different life purpose – the pursuit of evolving our souls in our ability to love ourselves and others.When achieving happiness is your goal, you might pursue this in three different ways:1) You might pursue moment. . .

The Holiday Crunch…Are You Ready??

The holidays can be hectic and stressful. But honestly, they don’t have to be. If you put an organized plan in place to help you get through the holidays you will find that you are less stressed out than you ever imagined.For children the holidays seem to take forever to arrive. The time between Thanksgiving and all the holidays in December goes by at a snails pace. But as the parents, the adul. . .

The Supernatural

Once we arrive at the conclusion that mere matter and natural laws are not sufficient to explain the existence of the universe and life, but a super intelligence is, then what? For some, this begins a life of exploration. Others turn the matter over to organized religions that claim to be a conduit to the creator. For yet others, who assume supernatural is synonymous with superstition, it me. . .

TRANSFORMATIONAL COUNSELING

Transformational Counseling is a process of assisting others to transform their lives. Transformational Counseling is a process of assisting others in their reinventing themselves, of creating a life that they love and living it powerfully. Transformational Counseling is a process of creating a space for others to get present to or become aware of their self limiting belief, to create or inve. . .

Interpret the Posture of Confidence

Words of confidence can be heard when spoken, likewise words of confidencecan be read when written or documented. But can confidence be interpretedfrom the actions of a person?Yes, it can. As a matter of fact, action has a higher degree ofconsistency compared to spoken or read materials regardless of the subjectinvolved. Whenever there is a cloud of doubt on the truthfulness of anissue under di. . .

Is Social Anxiety Holding You Back?

Another year, another New Years resolution ... if only this time it could be different? Do you feel overwhelmed by both your own and others expectations for the festive period? Does the forthcoming prospect of social gatherings make you feel uncomfortable?If you could wave a magic wand for a new years wish and change something about yourself what would it be? Deep down you may wish to go to par. . .

Awakening To The Life That You Are Called To Live!

Living an Awakened Life Spiritually will trickle over into all areas of your life and create a fulfilling life. You were meant to have an abundant life, one of fulfillment and beauty and grace.As a Spiritual Awakening Life Coach, my goal for you is not just to discover who you are to be, but more importantly how you are to be in this life. How you are to be in every moment of this glorious li. . .

Guide The Vision With On-Target Goals

Begin to live more powerfully & more significantly – the journey begins today!Purpose is what you’re created for. Mission is what you’re meant to do about it. Visions are the evidence. Goals are the means of achievement.So far we’ve discovered that we all have a purpose and by the same token, we all have a mission as well. To this point we have only had to be willing to discover them. Patienc. . .

The Prime Mover

Originally money was just a medium to replace barter. It represented hard work pretty much on a one-to-one basis. The blacksmith toiled for a day shoeing horses and received five dollars. The farmer harvested for a day and received five dollars. Each of them could then take their five dollars and go buy whatever they needed, understanding that what they bought would represent in a fair way t. . .

Dealing With Colic Without Losing Your Mind

For a brand new mommy, or even a seasoned one, dealing with a colicky baby can be overwhelming. The constant crying is heartbreaking and nerve wracking, and leaves you with a sense of helplessness. But don’t lose heart; the only good thing I can tell you about colic is that it’s temporary. Here are a few ideas to keep you going.First – Be sure it’s really colic. If you haven’t had the little on. . .

Stress Meditation

Too much stress? You need a simple stress meditation. Of course, learning to meditate might intimidate you, and it's tough to find the time for daily meditation. A solution to both problems is a meditation you can learn right now, that will take a minute to do each day.An Easy Stress MeditationWhen you breath through your mouth, it expands your chest. Breath through your nose and you'll notice . . .

Energy Boosters

I needed to learn about energy boosters. Fatigue and a lack of energy have been problems for all my life. In an effort to find out why, I've asked doctors, read books, and finally decided that some questions just won't be answered in my lifetime.Fortunately, I've also learned that even without discovering the root causes of my tiredness, there are things I can do to alleviate it. Below are some. . .

Preventing Suicide

Christmas is always a time that brings to a head the difference between the have nots and haves. Nowhere is this more clearly seen than in counselling circles, where the period around Christmas and just after is the busiest time of year and the intake of new clients rises dramatically. The holiday period additionally always sees a rise in the number of suicides and suicide attempts.A part of th. . .

Universal Law Series - Law Of Correspondence

If your life is not the way you want it, don't blame the people around you or your circumstances. Look inside and know that you and you alone have created your reality!This is the last of seven articles in the series covering the core seven Universal Laws. The focus of this article is the seventh Law – the Law of Correspondence.Law of CorrespondenceThe Law of Correspondence tells us that our ou. . .

Keeping A Distance From Religion

A primary reason evolution is believed by many is because what is thought to be the alternative, religion, is feared, dreaded and unthinkable. And it is true that scientific advances only occurred because knowledge was wrested from the autocratic clutches of religion. Our age of wonderful technology came at a cost of great persecution and brought us out of the cave and off the pews into the l. . .

What To Do When Your Self-Confidence Declines

When your self-confidence declines, you become afraid to meet life challenges and lack the desire to interact with others. You feel knocked out and defeated. You lose the enthusiasm and excitement to take action. This could have resulted from experiencing repeated failures, encountering numerous challenges or missing opportunities. Here are steps to take to overcome the discouragement.Wake up.W. . .

How To Establish Work Life Balance

How do they do it? You know the parents that work full time and manage to raise smart, healthy and happy children? They have a secret. That secret is maintaining a good work life balance. Have you ever heard the expression “all work and no play makes a boring day?” Well the same goes for all play and no work.Do too much of anything and you are bound to go stir crazy at some point or get cabin f. . .

Happiness

Some people believe that achieving happiness is the purpose of life, yet the pursuit of happiness often leads to unhappiness. This is because happiness is actually a consequence of a different life purpose – the pursuit of evolving our souls in our ability to love ourselves and others.When achieving happiness is your goal, you might pursue this in three different ways:1) You might pursue moment. . .

How To Start The Process Of Life Change

If your debts are building up, your relationship is leading you astray or your career is at a halt, it’s about time you analyze your situation and start the process of life change.Make a decision today to do all that you can to transform you life. To do or not to do; it’s all up to you.Create clear and well defined goals.In whatever you attempt in life, you must first have clear and well define. . .

Towards Or Against Your Desires?

Are you moving towards or against what you want?Every action you take supports something, some result.The question is - are you taking the actions that support the results you would rather have in your life?If not, are they supporting something opposite of what you want or are they neutral? Either way they are not supporting your desires.If you have all the same thousands of thoughts tomorrow. . .

2006, Is It Your Year?

Do you think 2006 is “YOUR” year or just “another” year in your life similar to the previous ones? What does 2006 mean to you? What is your slogan for 2006? 2006 is My Year of Happiness2006 is My Year of Success2006 is My Year of Achievement2006 is My Year of Marriage 2006 is My Year of Fitness2006 is My Year of Spiritual Enhancement2006 is My Year of Financial Independe. . .

Goal Setting Tips for New Year Resolutions

If you've ever had a yearly performance review for your job, you know it can be a tense experience that determines whether you receive a pay raise or not. Your boss will likely have a detailed checklist of your progress and success, as well as notations on areas that could use some improvement.While these reviews can be stressful, they are also helpful because they offer a bigger perspective t. . .

How Do Thought Create Reality?

Recently I’ve been asked to be a guest expert to discuss Manifestation and, in particular, how what we think creates the life we experience - our reality and results. It occurred to me that I’ve talked about this idea over time in my newsletters, and that it was time to be really direct about it with all of you so that it’s clear. This is not just “woo woo” or metaphysical stuff anymore.Let’s. . .

Stop Grumbling, Whining and Being Unhappy About Your Job....

In the highly professional and business world that you are in, you are constantly called upon to hone your professional skills and attitude. All too often, there is a mismatch between what job you seek and what you ultimately get. In other cases, it is the problem of losing interest and shuffling many jobs to "land" up with the right one. The increasingly complex business environment and the hi. . .

How You Can Become a Winning Personality Using Mind Mapping

We all wish to be famous and be liked by one and all. This is a natural and inborn trait in all of us. However, our habitual way of thinking is, by far, the biggest stumbling block to our progress. An overwhelming reason for being the kind of personality that we are, invariably leads to lack of self-esteem and self-confidence. We do have books by the legions, detailing you on how you could . . .

What is this Tool Used in Organizations Called Coaching?

There are many different opinions as to what coaching is and also what it is not. If you look at coaching from a high level, the Merriam – Webster dictionary defines the root word coach as: to instruct, direct, or prompt as a coach. The common theme derived from this definition is guidance. The original Germanic term means to transport or move from one place to a new place. However, some org. . .

How to Successfully Implement a New Year’s Resolution

The idea of celebrating the New Year began about four thousand years ago in ancient Babylon. This celebration coincided with the start of spring and the planting season. Babylon was also the birthplace of the New Year’s Resolution. The idea was to give people who had borrowed farm equipment from their neighbor a chance to remember what they had done and return it before planting began. Most of . . .

Memory and Money - What You See Is What You Get

Your Brain does not know the difference between what it sees and what it remembers.Everytime I consider this scientific fact, I am awed.The immediate result is that I start paying way more attention to my thoughts. And then I start to realize. This means that every time I have a conversation, watch a program, listen to the news, write an email, read a book – my brain thinks it’s really happenin. . .

Holiday Cash Boost

What do you do when a former associate you haven't seen in a while stops by your home and confides in you that they have no money to celebrate the holiday?I listened to her every word with full concern in my heart. My first thought was "I'll help her out with some cash."The thought twisted within me. I knew that giving her a little financial relief was no true answer to her situation.I had to a. . .

Finish Strong

As we approach the end of the year, we tend to rush forward full speed ahead. With holiday madness and other tasks that need to be done by the end of the year, who has time to neatly tie a ribbon around the last 12 months and call it a wrap? However, finishing strong may be just the thing you need to do to create a strong start for the new year.What if bringing completion to what has past is . . .

Why do You Have a Job? Five False Beliefs that Lead Peopl...

If you find yourself stuck in a job that you don't enjoy or in a company that isn't fun to work for, the first step to making a change is asking yourself, “How did I get here?” Your being here at this time in your life is not a random event. You have made choices and decisions along the way to get here. Your individual journey has led you to this exact point.And you are not broken. You don't ne. . .

Career Change Advice

Are you struggling in your current job? Have you looked for career change advice in all the traditional places - career counselors, business magazines, trade journals and are still stuck in a job you hate? Below is an easy process to get you moving forward.How Unhappy are You on a Scale of 1-10?Most people need to encounter significant dissatisfaction and pain in order to step outside of their . . .

Aligning Work with Your Life Purpose

If you are doing work that is right for you, you will get energy from your work. Sunday nights and Monday mornings will be joyous and you will know that your head and your heart are in sync.Often my coaching clients' passions and interests are completely unrelated to the work they are performing. Well, that's why they call it work, right? Wrong! I believe that our work is our greatest opportuni. . .

Start a New Career

After coaching hundreds of people on how to break free from the corporate world, I have created 7 fundamental practices to help you successfully start a new career. I share them with you here.1. Center YourselfWhen you are trying to start a new career, you may encounter inner resistance and self-doubt. Before self-talk sabotages your dreams, learn to disconnect from your negative thought patter. . .

Top 10 Ways to Ensure Success With Your Resolutions

It has been said that 60-80% of New Year's resolutions will be broken within the first two weeks. Personally, I am not a huge advocate of New Year's resolutions because I believe in setting and achieving personal goals all year around. However, I do respect the fact that New Year's resolutions are very popular, and I understand that the New Year is a very logical time to start fresh. That be. . .

Tips To Become Happier & More Empowered

In a search for happiness, many people look for it in other people and not within ourselves. Many people feel that things like money, a better job, better relationships..etc will make them happy. In reality, to find true contentment you must look inside yourself and learn to be your own best friend. That means you have to trust, love, and care for yourself just as you do the people you consider. . .

Taking Care Of Yourself

Living in our world today can be very stressful. While some of the stress that we experience is actually useful for motivating us, a point can be reached where it becomes very harmful, physically, emotionally and even spiritually. Knowing how to manage and even reduce the harmful effects of stress on a daily basis, of staying balanced and centered as we encounter the many stressors of everyday . . .

Tips To Becoming A Successful Artist & Craftperson

The world and the Internet are filled with artists. Artists are everywhere! Because of the competition, only a few get noticed and make money at it.Take these for instance, on the Internet, www.wwar.com, www.yessy.com and www.fine-art.com. Sure they receive an immense amount of visitors per month, www.wwar.com, has almost 16,000 artists and over 100,000 pieces of art, www.yessy.com has at least. . .

Subliminal Messages - Hidden Hypnosis, Persuasion, Traini...

Subliminal Messages are all over the place!1- Subliminal Messages in Artwork2- Subliminal Messages in Music3- Subliminal Messages in Advertising4- Subliminal Messages in MoviesSubliminal messages, or hidden messages, contain a hidden stimuli with a planned response.With the recent advances in technology, subliminal messages can now be created and distributed with a standard computer by the aver. . .

What Do You Focus On?

I'm sure you’ve probably heard that lack of focus is the cause of many great failures and focusing on a task is one of the steps to success. Yet, as I write this I’m being distracted and confused by many different things.In the past I would have run off on a tangent and never finished this post. Hey I’m not perfect but I’ve learned the importance of living in the moment and finishing the task a. . .

Stress Less!

STRESS. "Yes, the S word'. Stress is the 'wear and tear' our bodies experience as we adjust to our constantly changing environment. Stress has both physical and emotional effects on us and can it can create positive or negative feelings.As a positive influence, stress can help compel us to action; it can result in a new consciousness and an exciting new perspective. As a negative influence, it. . .

How To Stay Calm When Life Isn't

No matter what is happening in the world around us, it is never necessary to become caught in depression, fear or other negativity. We are not the victims of the world we see, but have the ability to mobilize ourselves and take charge of the way we respond. There are simple steps to take which when practiced easily turn our state of mind around.Depression and fear can easily become addictive. . . .

Transformational Counseling

Transformational Counseling is a process of assisting others to transform their lives. Transformational Counseling is a process of assisting others in their reinventing themselves, of creating a life that they love and living it powerfully. Transformational Counseling is a process of creating a space for others to get present to or become aware of their self limiting belief, to create or inve. . .