Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

I Want A Raise!

Observe a plant placed inside a box with a small hole in it. The plant will elongate outside the box through the hole so that its leaves will reach the sunlight. Why? It's because of its needs of the sunlight to grow and bear fruit when the time comes. It is only natural for a plant to bear fruit.Look at you, isn't it that you want a raise -- you want to be promoted? Would you like some thought. . .

12 Irrefutable Cool Work Habits (According To Dogbits)

Just the points, please!1. Go to work one hour early and start working.2. Extend one hour before going home.3. Follow what your boss tells you. He has the power to promote you and increase your pay!4. Patience is a virtue especially at the workplace.5. Prioritize tasks which are important and immediate.6. After finishing the priority tasks, consider the rest as priority too.7. When at work don'. . .

Your Thoughts Our World

We get more information about what happens in the rest of the world than at any other time in our history. This information is collected and transformed by the media into gross negative forms so it can be sold to the public. Our thoughts become based on screwed-up versions of facts ideas and information. There is a universal law going round the web which states:If you think what you want you g. . .

Why Failure is Good for You

How do you view failure? Do you see it as something negativethat you don't want to be associated with or do you see it assomething positive? Most people in the world don't like failure.Fear of failure is the main reason why more than 80% of peoplein the world are not prepared to change their circumstances.Why do people fear failure so much? The reason for this isbecause people don't understand . . .

Simple Indulgences for Autumn

During this hectic time of year, it's vital to take some time each day to simply enjoy your life and your family.Here are a week's worth of ideas, especially for autumn. Day OneGrab a friend and set out for a brisk autumn hike in the prettiest area you can think of within a few minutes of your home. On your walk, make an agreement with your friend to neither gossip nor complain. See what new c. . .

My Fear of Heights and a Hot Air Balloon

I’ve been terrified of heights for as long as I can remember and still I insist on white knuckle experiences. On occasion I’ve thought it’d be a great idea for my family and me to ride in glass elevators, take rides on Ferris wheels (large or small), check out revolving restaurants atop towers – not only is this alone terrifying, vertigo also gets thrown in for good measure. Then there was my. . .

Play Piano - How to Play Shell Voicings

Shell voicings are simple but functional.They make use of the root and either the third of the seventh any chord. Sometimes referred to as "shell" voicings, these are commonly used as left-hand accompaniment in the piano stylings of Bud Powell, Horace Silver, Sonny Clark, and others who play primarily in the "be-bop" idiom.With only two notes, they are harmonically incomplete; however, they do. . .

Lonely No More

Loneliness is the absence of self. Solitude is fullness of self. May SartonWhen you feel lonely, it seems that loneliness is the truth of your whole existence. You may have experienced love and friendly camaraderie just yesterday, but now it seems you must have been kidding yourself. Today’s loneliness, because it’s so familiar, seems to be the only reality. It must be real, you think, becaus. . .

Baby Steps

Big time success is indeed a big thing and can't be easily achieved.Remember when you have a baby in the house? Isn't it that mama and papa cheered for the little child when he was learning to walk and doing baby steps? They love to see it. Why, because they see progress. Before, all the baby does is lie down and cry when hungry. Then the little child can sit, crawl, stand, and now as if miracu. . .

What? Are You Afraid Of Ghosts?

I guess you could relate well on that didn't you? Honestly, I don't. I have no fear of ghosts. Okay, I admit it, when I was little.No, this article is not about ghosts or the fear of ghosts but the fear of -- failure. Let me share to you my struggle in finding (Nemo?) no!Okay, seriously now. (Actually I haven't seen the movie.)It was not an easy experience for me to find a woman to marry.Not to. . .

Mindfulness and Contemplation: New Ways to Navel Gaze

There's been a lot of talk about navels in our house lately. You see, my youngest daughter is asking to get hers pierced, and we are saying no--for now. So, naturally, I have been noticing navels more than usual.The term "navel-gazing" means indulgent contemplation, and that's an interesting concept. Is it possible to be indulgent when it comes to contemplation? Can we get TOO caught up in it? . . .

Teaching the Body Health

Quantum physics continues to make believers out of scientists and informs spirituality.Most of us grew up believing what scientists believed. We “knew” that a cell’s nucleus contained its DNA, that DNA contains genetic material, and that the nucleus of a cell therefore functioned as its brain. We believed that the genetics coded into these cellular “brains” determined our physical characteristi. . .

5 Tips To Gain A Winning Advantage In Life

Do you wish you could live your dream life? Here’s 5 top tips to help turn your dream into reality…1. Invest in your dream. This will mean investing time to develop the necessary skills and investing money to develop skills - equipment, books, courses, seminars - to take you closer to your goals. These are investments in yourself – in your dream and are never wasted. My best friend is currently. . .

Choices

It is my experience that we have many choices in life. We are not victims of circumstance. However, we are victims of our own misery. We choose whether or not we are happy. Most of my life was consumed with resentment, fear, worry and anxiety. It controlled every aspect of my life. In coaching people in their personal lives, I have found that I am not alone. In fact most people are consumed wit. . .

How Is The Mirror Of Life Treating You?

What you see in the world and much of how others interact with you is a based on what is within you. The world you live in is a mirror, reflecting to you what you feel and project.This can be hard to face, as we don't want to think that we are anything like all that we see in the world. This is not to say that you are alone responsible for everything going on in the world. However, you brin. . .

Appreciating Diversity During the Holidays: It's About Mo...

Guess who's not celebrating Christmas this year? Millions of people in the US. That's right. Tens of millions of Americans don't celebrate Christmas religiously, either as followers of non-Christian religions (Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Jews) or as individuals with no religious affiliation. Because many stores tap into the cash value of Christmas with their plethora of Santas, ornaments, and C. . .

Interview Bias: Overcoming the Silent Forces Working Agai...

Your job interview is tomorrow. You know your appearance will matter, so you polish your shoes and brush your hair. You realize your interviewer will have your resume in hand, so you've come prepared to explain every minute detail included on it. You've even done practice interviews and prepared your responses to all the trick questions. Are you ready? Not yet.There remains a single type of pre. . .

Learn the Secret to Achieving Maximum Productivity

Many people struggle with trying to balance work, family and other obligations. Have you ever secretly wished that there could be more hours in the day! We all have the same twenty four hours. How is it that some persons get more done in that period of time than most people might in a whole week? Some people do more work than five others, without a sense or overload and overwhelm. Two employees. . .

Six Degrees of Seperation

Six degrees of separation is a theory which basically states that no matter who you are or where you are; You are only six people away from knowing any one person on the planet.How can we use this to our advantage socially and in the business world? The 21st century term for this is called “Networking”. By building a list of contacts and acquaintances you can in theory find someone that can hel. . .

Money Can Not Buy You Happiness

I am sure there will be many people who read this article and will think I am rather mad. Quite frankly I do not care. In this article I write about what in my humble opinion are the most importants things in life, health and happiness.All that most of my friends talk about is money:What car do you drive?How much is your house worth?How much do you earn?How much did your suit cost?Where are you. . .

Six Steps To Becoming A Powerful Public Speaker

Public speaking ranks right up there in terms of the things we are afraid to do. Whether it’s the fear of being watched closely by others, or the insecurity and self-conscious feeling of slipping up during the presentation, these six tips will help you give a polished, professional speech that you (and your audience) can be proud of! 1. Know your audience. This is the single best piece of advic. . .

“I’m a Terrible Writer”: A Non-Writer’s Guide to Improvin...

At the beginning of every semester I’ve ever taught college writing, at least one student in the class will issue the disclaimer, “I’m a terrible writer.” That student seems to think he or she is incorrigible, hopeless, a lost cause with the written word. The poor kid was probably just the victim of too much red ink from some past English teacher. Almost without fail, I find that that student h. . .

Holiday Stress Hotspots: Manage Stress with Knowledge

There are four main causes of holiday stress: gift giving obligations, expenses, a lack of time, and unrealistic expectations about creating a perfect holiday. To reduce holiday stress, arm yourself with knowledge. Know the ins and outs of these top four holiday stress hotspots and follow these effective stress-reducing tips:Holiday Stress Hotspot #1: Gifts * Make a list of everyone you need to. . .

Take Care of Today

Listen to the salutation to the dawn, Look to this day for it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course lie all the verities and realities of our existence. The bliss of growth, the splendor of beauty, For yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore to t. . .

Discovering Yourself At Midlife

You may be thinking there's nothing really to discover about you. Here you are with years of experience, a mature adult with fairly fixed habits and a routine for living life. You may say “of course, I know myself, I know all there is to know about me!Yet sometime, don’t you yearn to be adventurous and discover new aspects of yourself like you did as a teen-ager, or to be called “young at heart. . .

Improve Memory With Simple Techniques

Improve memory easily? Yes, there really are some simple techniques, and you can start using them right now. Here are a few to get you started.1. Tell yourself to remember. When you first learn a person's name, for example, tell yourself, "remember that". This signals your unconscious mind to rank this input higher in importance.2. Know why you want to remember something. For example, to rememb. . .

Questions to Ask Before Volunteering - Obligation

Volunteering is one of the most rewarding things you will do. You will receive as much for giving your time as the ones that benefit from your hard work. Volunteering will also be a frustrating experience if you do not consider the answers to a few questions before you commit your time and energy. One of these questions is "Do you know what your true obligation will be?"It has been my experienc. . .

3 Simple Secrets to Manage Stress

Stress can be caused by a number of situational factors, but if you find you have constant stress in your life on a regular basis, it could be due to your own personality traits. Fortunately, these traits can be changed with three simple strategies to manage stress.First, consider whether or not you are prone to perfectionism. Overly critical parents or teachers during your youth may have cause. . .

Music And The Brain

What is the connection between music and the brain? Is it possible that music can help you think better? The research says yes, and after telling you about some of it, I'll let you in on an even faster way to boost your brain power with music.Music And The Brain - The ResearchThe research shows that music actually trains the brain for higher forms of thinking. Listening to, and participating in. . .

How to Deal With Difficult People Part 2 - The Bully

Sixty-four year old Bill was a married retired executive who sought anger management help on the insistence of his wife Ann. After 24 years Ann could no longer tolerate his bullying behavior toward her, their children, and their friends. He would often relate in an insulting, "get in your face" way using a loud, intimidating voice that frightened her. She often felt like a little girl who w. . .

Cop Some ‘Tude! Gratitude, That Is…

I'm talking about gratitude, not attitude! Do you express your gratitude enough? I know I don't. And I don't mean whether you write your thank-you notes on time. Do you take some time every day to feel fully grateful for what you receive? Think of it as writing a thank-you note to the universe (or God, or your higher power) for looking out for you.Thanksgiving obviously creates the perfect oppo. . .

How to Affirm and Visualize Your Deepest Desires

6 Simple Steps To Achieve Your Deepest DesiresIt's been a long time since I played soccer. But I have a passion for it. Everyday I would think that I am making the winning goal from every angle of the field. Then I would also imagine that I've won the championship, that I'm also the highest scorer in the game. I would really love to play again, but I'm too busy with my job & other stuffs.Then t. . .

The Hidden Superpowers of Your Mind

Your mind, what it contains and how you use it, is an infinite wonder. It has the fantastic ability to transmute your desires into physical counterparts and create a new reality for you. You can do anything that your mind can conceive, as long as you have the belief and will power to back it up.Skeptical? Cancer patients who were given placebo pills got well. Placebos are just plain pills with. . .

Kindness

Sometimes a random word of kindness is all that’s necessary to transform someone’s entire existence, and it’s so little cost to us. There’s a wonderful story I heard several years ago. The teller, we’ll call him John, claimed that it was true. John had just come from a self-help seminar in which the instructor had recommended that the participants find something good to say to everyone they met. . .

Overcoming Negative Beliefs

In India, the method for training an elephant is the following: When the elephant is very young, its leg is tied to a small post with a thin piece of rope. At that age the elephant hasn’t the power to break the rope or dislodge the post. It tries for a while and then gives up. As the elephant grows, there’s no reason to increase the girth of the rope or the post. The elephant of course reaches . . .

Witnessing and Sharing

In this article, I’d like to share my thoughts on what I believe to be the two most important components of effective communication. These attributes, witnessing and sharing, are also crucial elements in our understanding of ourselves in our relationship to the world around us. We’ll discuss them in sequence.WitnessingWitnessing, as it applies to our communication with others, means bringing aw. . .

Mindfulness and Neuroscience: Let's Make A Deal

It seems that everyone is talking about mindfulness lately. Have you heard?*The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society is working with a number of groups—college faculty, attorneys and judges, social justice workers, business leaders, youth and those who work with young people--to encourage the incorporation of contemplative practices in a variety of settings.*Film director David Lynch is tra. . .

Do Over

One of the great cinematic moments I can think of is the scene in City Slickers in which Billy Crystal’s character talks to his friend about how, when they were kids, if they were playing a game and something happened that they didn’t like, someone would yell, “Do over!” He then says, “That’s what this is. My life is a do-over.” Previously, Crystal’s character had been a sullen, bored, depresse. . .

Passion versus Detachment

As a student of success for many years, I’ve become familiar with the idea that we need to generate a passion for our goals, a burning desire to see them brought to fruition. Yet, as a student of spirituality, I’ve spent a lot of time embracing the idea that desire is the root of all suffering. With desire, says the Buddha, comes clinging and aversion, the two seeds of discontent which imprison. . .

Fitness Workout for Your Financial Muscles

So you bought the financial freedom books, but your bank account has yet to reap the rewards? Consider this:Your financial success can be developed just like a muscle... and if you're not seeing results, you may be on the wrong "financial fitness" plan.You were running on a treadmill to trim some “financial fat.” The result? Your wallet got "skinny.” You weren’t building your financial muscles.. . .

Success Tip #84 - Take the Word "Try" Out of Your Vocabulary

How many times have you heard yourself or other people make the following statement?“I’ll try.”I'll bet you've heard it a lot.Well, what’s wrong with that? After all, from an early age you’ve been told. "Whatever you do…always try hard.”The act of trying may actually be counterproductive. Trying is not doing.What price do you pay in your business and in your life for trying rather than doing?Th. . .

How To Overcome Your Speech Problem

Do you have a speech problem or speech impediment? I have managed to overcome a stutter which had had a major negative affect on my life for eighteen years. This article describes about how to overcome a speech problem and how to achieve fluency.According to recent figures around one percent of British people suffer from the speech impediment known as stuttering. Stuttering can also be known in. . .

Free Tips To Increase Self Confidence

1. DRUNK!At the age of sixteen I was invited out for the evening on a Saturday night to celebrate a friend’s birthday. This for most people would be something to look forward to, for me it was something to dread. Socialising and ordering drinks for somebody who has a stutter is bad enough, but I regularly seemed to bare the brunt of the evening’s jokes about me height, weight and occasionally m. . .

Layering for Comfort and Style: Combine Neutral and Brigh...

Whether you're putting together a business wardrobe or a collection of casual attire for your own personal activities, it's important to present a coordinated look.A lot of women joke that their husbands need Garanimals, a popular line of kids' clothing that has tags attached with pictures of various animals. Match the animals, and you have a coordinated outfit.It's a funny concept, but unneces. . .

Stuttering And Its Effects

Stuttering and stammering can effect people in many different ways. Some people who stutter fear certain words beginning with certain letters and will try and avoid these words or will think of an alternative word to say. When I had a stutter or as I called it “stammer” I found words beginning with “b” especially hard to say. I also found d,g,k,p and v words difficult. In time I became an exper. . .

Free Tips To Increase Self-Esteem

I have had many confidence issues in my life, all of which I have either dealt with or overcome. I have written about some of these issues below.1. The Bald Patch2. My height3. My weight4. The stutter5. My lack of belief in myself6. My careerTHE BALD PATCHEven though to some people it may seem trivial, I was born with a bald patch the size of a ten pence piece. As I went through childhood and e. . .

Appropriate Distance

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my contribution to others and my commitment to a loving presence. In that regard, I’ve adopted a concept I call appropriate distance. In previous articles, I’ve suggested a philosophical stance for our interactions with others and implied that it’s our obligation to meet everyone with respect and equanimity. I’ve also suggested that humor and honest communi. . .

Tips For People Who Stutter

This article describes the type of stutter speech courses which are available. In general they are designed to help people who stutter to achieve fluency.During the first couple of days of the course, this is where the stutter speech coach normally describes the techniques which are required to overcome the stutter.The first day is normally the most important day. This is the client's easy day,. . .

Be Happy And Give Us A Smile

I often wonder why people seem reluctant to smile these days. It costs nothing to smile so come on people lets start looking a bit happier. This article is all about this and about having a more positive outlook on life which will bring positive results.I am somebody who used to always think in a negative way, I have now managed to stop this and my life has improved no end. I now like to be aro. . .

Diet and Exercising for Weight Loss

Obesity is now being called an epidemic in the health community. In fact, it will soon be the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, even ahead of cigarette smoking. Obesity leads to type two diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke and even an increased risk of cancer. With all of these health risks, as well as the general improvement in the quality of life that. . .