POSITIVE ATTITUDE

                                 THE BENEFITS OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

      THERE ARE MANY ADVANTAGES TO HAVING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. THE ADVANTAGES ARE EASY TO SEE. BUT WHAT IS EASY TO SEE IS ALSO EASY TO MISS!

                                              BENEFITS FOR YOU

      * MAKES FOR A PLEASING PERSONALITY

      * IS ENERGIZING

      * INCREASE YOUR ENJOYMENT OF LIFE

      * INSPERES OTHERS AROUND YOU

      * HELPS YOU BECOME A CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF SOCIETY AND AN ASSET TO YOUR COUNTRY.

                                        AND FOR THE ORGANIZATION

      * INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY

      * FOSTERS TEAMWORK

      * SOLVES PROBLEMS

      * IMPROVES QUALITY

      * MAKES FOR A CONGENIAL ATMOSPHERE

      * BREEDS FOR A CONGENIAL ATMOSPHERE

      * INCREASES PROFITS

      * FOSTERS BETTER RALATIONSHIPS WITH EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES, AND CUSTOMERS 

     * REDUCES STRESS

SUCCESS RECIPE

                                                 A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

        SUCCESS IS LIKE BAKING A CAKE. UNLESS YOU HAVE JUST THE RIGHT RECIPE, IT IS NOT GOING TO WORK. THE INGREDIENTS MUST BE OF THE FINEST QUALITY AND IN THE RIGHT PROPERTIONS. YOU CANNOT OVER BAKE IT OR UNDERCOOK IT. ONCE YOU HAVE THE CORRECT RECIPE, WITH PRACTICE AND LEARNING FROM THE OCCASIONAL MISHAP, IT BECOMES A LOT EASIER.

        YOU HAVE THE RECIPE: WHETHER OF NOT TO USE IT IS YOUR CHOICE.

                               A CRASH COURSE FOR SUCCESS

        * PLAY TO WIN AND NOT TO LOSE.

        * LEARN FROM OTHER PEOPLE OF HIGH MORAL CHARACTER.

        * ASSOCIATE WITH PEOPLE OF HIGH MORAL CHARACTER.

        * GIVE MORE THAN YOU GET.

        * DON'T LOOK FOR SOMETHING FOR NOTHING.

        * ALWAYS THINK LONG TERM.

        * EVALUATE YOUR STRENGHTHS AND BUILD ON THEM.

        * ALWAYS KEEP THE LARGER PICTURE IN MIND WHEN  MAKING A DECISION.

        * NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR INTEGRITY.

CHILDWOOD MOVIES

                                 MENTAL MOVIES FROM CHILDWOODE

          WHERE DO THESE PICTURES COME FROM? WELL, BEGIN TO DEVELOP OUR MENTAL MOVIES , EARLY IN LIFE. IF WE WERE CRITICIZED OR FELT UNWORTHY AS YOUNGTERS, WE RECORD THE EVENTS AS IMAGES IN OUR MINDS. BECAUSE WE FREQUENTLY DWELL ON THESE PICTURES, WE TEND TO CREATE LIFE SITUATION THAT CORRESPOND TO THE ORIGINAL IMAGE. FOR EXAMPLE YOU MAY STILL HOLD A VIBRANT IMAGE OF BEING CRITICIZED BY A TEACHER IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, YOU FELT HUMILIATED IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE CLASS. LATER ON, WHEN YOU WERE TEMPTED TO OFFER YOUR OPINION IN SCHOOL OR IN A GROUP OF PEOPLE, YOU HELD BACK AND KEPT QUIET.. ALL THE WHILE REMEMBERING HOW PAINFUL IT WAS WHEN YOU WERE YOU WERE CRITICIZED. THE PICTURE REMAINS IN YOUR MIND AND EXERTS TREMENDOUS INFLUENCE OVER YOUR PRESENT ACTIONS.

           UNFORTUNATELY MANY OF US HAVE NOT UPDATED OR REVISED OUR CHILDHOOD MOVIES, SO WERE CONTINUALLY PRODUCING RESULTS THAT FALL SHORT OF OUR FULL POTENTIAL. WHAT FOLLOWS ARE SOME TECHNIQUES FOR USING THE POWER OF VISUALIZATION TO IMPROVE VIRTUALLY EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE.

DOOR WILL OPEN

                                                    TRY WITH CONFIDENT

          HERE'S ANOTHER MIRACULOUS FEATURE OF THE POWER OF COMMITMENT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW AT THE OUTSET HOW TO ACHEIVE YOUR GOAL. SURE YOU WILL BE BETTER OFF IF YOU HAVE A PLAN OF ATTACK, BUT ITS NOT ESSENTIAL THAT EVERY STEP BE MAPPED OUT IN ADVANCE.

          IN FACT, WHEN YOU HAVE THE WILLINGNESS TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES, THE RIGHT STEPS ARE OFTEN SUDDENLY REVEALED TO YOU. YOU WILL MEET PEOPLE YOU NEVER COULD HAVE PLANNED TO MEET. DOORS WILL UNEXPECTEDLY OPEN FOR YOU. IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE LUCK OR GOOD FORTUNE IS SMILING ON YOU, IN TRUTH, YOU WILL HAVE CREATED THESE POSITIVE EVENTS BY MAKING A COMMITMENT AND THUS INSTRUCTING YOUR MIND TO LOOK FOR THEM.HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW A DOOR UNEXPECTED OPENED FOR ME, IN 1989, I STARTED WRITING MOTIVATIONAL ARTICLES. I'D LEARNED ABOUT THE POWER OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND THE OTHER SUCCESS PRINCIPLES, AND I WAS COMMITTED TO SHARING THIS INFORMATION WITH OTHERS WHO COULD BENEFIT FROM IT. BUT I HAD NO IDEA WHERE TO START. DO I SEND MY ARTICLES TO NEWSPAPERS. SUBMIT THEM TO MAGAZINES... WRITE MY OWN BOOK?

        THE FIRST THING I DID WAS SUBMIT AN ARTICLE TO A LOCAL NEWSLETTER FOR PEOPLE INVOLVED IN TRAINING AND HUMAN RESOURCES. THAT ARTICLES WAS PRINTED IN THE SUMMER OF 1990. A FEW MONTHS LATER, I GOT A WRITER WHO ALSO WORKED WITH BUSINESS TO PRODUCE NEWSLETTERS. STUART SAID HE SEEN MY ARTICLES WHILE VISITING THE HOME OF HIS BEST FRIEND AND WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH IT.

     

GRATITUDE

                                      GRATITUDE IS THE BRIDGE OF LOVE

      GRATITUDE TOOK MY MOTHER FROM THE DEEPEST GRIEF INTO HAPPINESS. MY MOTHER AND FATHER FELL IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER VIRTUALLY AT FIRST SIGHT, AND THEY HAD THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LOVE AFFAIR AND MARRIAGE I HAVE EVER SEEN. WHEN MY FATHER DIED, MY MOTHER SUFFERED FROM ENORMOUS GRIEF, BECAUSE SHE MISSED MY FATHER SO MUCH. BUT AMIDST HER GRIEF AND PAIN, MY MOTHER BEGAN TO LOOK FOR THINGS TO BE GRATEFUL FOR. OTHER THAN BEING GRATEFUL FOR ALL SHE HAD RECEIVED FROM THE DECADEDS OF LOVE AND HAPPINESS WITH MY FATHER, SHE LOOKED FOR THINGS TO BE GRATEFUL FOR IN THE FUTURE. THE FIRST THING SHE FOUND TO BE GRATEFUL WAS THAT NOW SHE COULD TRAVEL. TRAVELLING WAS SOMETHING MY WAS ALIVE, BECAUSE HE NEVER WANTED TO TRAVEL. MY MOTHER DID FULFILL HER DREAM. SHE TRAVELED, AND SHE DID MANY OTHER THINGS THAT SHE HAD ALWAYS WANTED TO DO. GRATITUDE WAS THE BRIDGE THAT TOOK MY MOTHER OUT OF IMMENSE GRIEF, AND INTO BUILDING A NEW LIFE OF HAPPINESS.

          IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO FEEL SAD OR HAVE ANY NEGATIVE FEELING WHEN YOU'RE GRATEFUL. IF YOU'RE IN THE MIDST OF A DIFFICULT SITUATION, LOOK FOR SOMETHING TO BE GRATEFUL FOR. WHEN YOU FIND ONE THING, THEN LOOK FOR ANOTHER, AND THEN ANOTHER, BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE THING YOU FIND TO BE GRATEFUL FOR CHANGES THE SITUAION. GRATITUDE IS THE BRIDGE FROM NEGATIVE FEELINGS TO HARNESSING THE FORCE OF LOVE!

             "GRATITUDE SI VACCINE, AN ANTITOXIN, AND

               AN ATISEPTIC"

TIPS OF POSITIVE POINT

                                                        THE TIPPING POINT

         IF YOU GIVE MOTE THAN 50 PERCENT POSITIVE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ISTEAD OF NEGATIVE, YOU HAVE REACHED A TIPPING POINT. EVEN IF YOU JUST GIVE 51 PERCENT GOOD THOUGHTS AND GOOD FEELINGS, YOU HAVE TIPPED THE SCALES OF YOUR LIFE! AND HEARE'S THE REASON WHY.

         WHEN YOU GIVE LOVE, IT NOT ONLY COMES BACK TO YOU AS POSITIVE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT YOU LOVE, BUT AS IT COMES BACK, IT ADDS EVEN MORE LOVE AND POSITIVITY TO YOUR LIFE! THE NEW POSITIVITY TO YOUR LIFE, THE NEW POSITIVITY THEN ATTRACTS MORE POSITIVE THINGS, ADDING EVEN MORE LOVE AND POSITIVITY TO YOUR LIFE, AND SO IT CONTINUES. EVERYTHING IS MAGNETIC, AND WHEN SOMETHING GOOD COMES TO YOU IT MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTS MORE GOOD THING.

         YOU MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS WHEN YOU SAID YOU WERE HAVING A 'LUCKY STREAK' OR YOU WERE ON A ROLL WHEN ONE GOOD THING AFTER ANOTHER HAPPENED, AND THE GOOD THIBGS JUST KEPT HAPPENING. THE ONLY REASON THOSE TIMES OCCURED WAS BECAUSE YOU HAD GIVEN OUT MORE LOVE THAN NEGATIVITY, AND AS THE LOVE RETURNED TO YOU, IT ADDED MORE LOVE TO YOUR LIFE, WHICH THEN ATTRACTED EVEN MORE GOOD THINGS.

            YOU MAY HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THE REVERSE HAPPENING WHEN SOMETHING WENT WRONG, AND THEN OTHER THINGS STARTED GOING WRONG ONE AFTER THE OTHER. THOSE TIMES HAPPENED BECAUSE YOU GAVE MORE NEGATIVITY THA LOVE, AND AS THE NEGATIVITY RETURNED TO YOU, IT ADDED MORE NEGATIVITY TO YOUR LIFE, WHICH THEN ATTRACTED EVEN MORE NEGTIVE THINGS. YOU MAY HAVE CALLED TO DO WITH LUCK AT ALL. THE LAW OF ATTRACTION WAS WORKING PRECISELY IN YOUR LIFE. ADN THOSE TIMES, GOOD OR BAD, WERE SIMPLY A REFLECTION OF THE PERCENTAGE OF LOVE OF NEGATIVITY YOU WERE GIVING. THE ONLY REASON THE LUCKY STEAK, OR RUN OF BAD LUCK, CHANGED IS THAT, AT SOME POINT, YOU TIPPED THE SCALES THE OTHER WAY WITH YOUR FEELINGS...

      " IT IS THUS THAT YOU MAY LEAD A CHARED LIFE AND BE FOREVER

        PROTECED FROM ALL HARM; IT IS THUS YOU MAY BECOME A POSI

        TIVE FORCE WHEREBY CONDITIONS OF OPULECE AND HARMONY

         MAY BE ATTRACTED TO YOU".....

LAW OF ATTRACTION

                          THERE IS ONLY YES FOR LAW OF ATTRACTION

                    TURN AWAY FROM THE THINGS YOU DON'T LOVE AND DON'T GIVE THEM ANY FEELING. DON'T SAY NO TO THE THINGS YOU DON'T LOVE, BECAUSE SAYING NO BRINGS THEM TO YOU. WHEN YOU SAY NO TO THE THINGS YOU DON'T LOVE, YOU'RE FEELING BAD ABOUT THEM, YOU'RE GIVING AND FEELINGS, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE THOSE FEELINGS BACK AS NEGATIVE CIRCUMTANCES IN YOUR LIFE.

                 YOU CANNOT NO TO ANYTHING, BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAY, 'NO I DONT WANT THAT,' YOU ARE SAYING YES TO THE LAW OF ATTRACTION. WHEN YOU SAY, 'THE TRAFFIC IS TERRIBLE' , THE SERVICE IS REALLY BAD, THEY ARE ALWAYS LATE, ITS SO NOISY IN HERE, THAT DRIWER IS A LUNATIC, I WILL BEEN ON HOLD FOR SO LONG, YOU ARE SAYING YES TO THESE THINGS AND YOU ARE INCLUDING MORE OF ALL OF THEM IN YOUR LIFE. TURN AWAY FROM THE THINGS YOU DON'T LOVE AND DON'T GIVE THEM ANY FEELING, BECAUSE THEY ARE FINE ARE FINE AS THEY ARE BUT THEY HAVE NO PLACE IN YOUR LIFE...

               'SEE NO EVIL---- HEAR NO EVIL----- SPEAKN NO EVIL'.......

LIFE STORY

                                                 YOUR LIFE YOUR STORY

 

              YOU ARE CREATING THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE, SO WHAT STORY ARE YOU TELLING ABOUT YOURSELF? DO YOU BELIEVE THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN AND CONNOT DO? IS THAT THE STORY YOU ARE TELLING ABOUT YOURSELF? BECAUSE THAT STORY IS NO TRUE.

               DON'T LISTEN IF SOMEONE SAYS YOU ARE LESS THAN ANYONE ELSE, DON'T LISTEN IF SOMEONE SAYS YOU ARE LIMITED IN ANY WAY. DON'T LISTEN IF SOMEONE SAYS YOU CAN'T DO WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO AND EARN A LIVING FROM IT. DON'T LISTEN IF SOMEONE SAYS YOU ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH NOW AND YOU HAVE TO PROVE YOURSELF IN LIFE. DON'T LISTEN IF SOMEONE SAYS YOU CANNOT HAVE WHAT YOU LOVE OR DO WHAT YOU LOVE OR BE WHAT YOU LOVE. IF YOU BELEIVE IT, YOU PUT LIMITS ON YOURSELF, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT IS NOT TRUE! THERE IS NOT A SINGLE THING THAT IS TOO GOOD FOR YOU, OR TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.

             THE FORCE OF LOVE SAYS, 'WHATEVER YOU GIVE YOU RECEIVE BACK', DOES THAT SAY YOURE NOT GOOD ENOUGH? THE FORCE OF LOVE SAYS? GIVE LOVE FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO BE, DO, OR HAVE AND YOU WILL RECEIVE IT. DOES THAT SAY YOU ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH? YOU ARE WORTHY AND DESERVING JUST AS YOU ARE. YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH NOW. IF YOU FEEL YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT RIGHT, UNERSTAND THAT YOUR REALIZATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF IT IS ABSOLUTION FOR THE LAW OF ATTRACTION.

BAD FEELINGS

                                               ELIMINTE BAD FEELINGS

              YOU CAN CHANGE ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE BY CHANGING HOW YOU FEEL. WHEN YOU CHANGE HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT ANY SUBJECT, THE SUBJECT MUST CHANGE! BUT IN CHANGING THE WAY YOU FEEL, DON'T TRY TO GET RID OF BAD FEELINGS, BECAUSE ALL BAD FEELINGS ARE SIMPLY A LACK OF LOVE. INSTEAD, YOU PUT LOVE IN! YOU DON'T TRY TO GET RID OF ANGER OR SADNESS; ANGER AND SADNESS ARE GONE WHEN YOU PUT LOVE IN. THERE IS NOTHING DO DIG OUT OF YOU. WHEN YOU PUT LOVE INTO YOU, ALL BAD FEELINGS ARE GONE.

               EVERYTHING HAS ITS PERFECT PLACE IN LIFE, INCLUDING BAD FEELINGS. WITHOUT BAD FEELINGS, YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW WHAT IT FEEL LIKE TO FEEL GOOD. YOU WOULD JUST FEEL THE ONE 'BLAH' FEELING ALL THE TIME BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO COMPARE YOUR FEELINGS TO. YOU WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO FEEL REALLY HAPPY, EXCITED, OR JOYFUL. IT'S THROUGH FEELING SADNESS THAT YOU KNOW HOW GOOD IT FEELS TO BE HAPPY. YOU CAN NEVER REMOVE BAD FEELINGS FROM LIFE BECAUSE THEY ARE A PART OF LIFE, AND WITHOUT THEM, YOU WOULD'T HAVE GOOD FEELINGS!.

           LIFE IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN! WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN, YOU FEEL GREAT AND YOU RECEIVE GREAT THINGS! WHEN YOU TAKE LIFE TOO SERIOUSLY, YOU RECEIVE SERIOUS THINGS. HAVING FUN BRINGS THE LIFE YOU WANT, AND TAKING THINGS TOO SERIOUSLY BRINGS A LIFE YOU HAVE TO TAKE SERIOUSLY BRINGS A LIFE YOU HAVE TO TAKE SERIOUSLY, YOU HAVE THE POWER OVER YOUR LIFE, AND YOU CAN USE IT DO DESIGN YOUR LIFE IN WHATEVER WAY YOU WANT, BUT FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, LIGHTEN UP!..

ELIMINATE BAD FEELINGS

                                         HOW TO ELIMINATE BAD FEELINGS

        YOU CAN CHANGE ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE BY CHANGING HOW YOU FEEL. WHEN YOU CHANGE HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT ANY SUBJECT, THE SUBJECT MUST CHANGE! BUT IN CHANGING THE WAY YOU FEEL, DON'T TRY TO GET RID OF BAD FEELINGS, BECAUSE ALL BAD FEELINGS ARE SIMPLY A LACK OF LOVE. INSTEAD, YOU PUT LOVE IN! YOU DON'T TRY TO GET RID OF ANGER OR SADNESS; ANGER AND SADNESS ARE GONE WHEN YOU PUT LOVE IN. THERE IS NOTHING TO DIG OUT OF YOU. WHEN YOU PUT LOVE INTO YOU, ALL BAD FEELINGS ARE GONE.'

         THERE IS ONLY ONE FORCE IN LIFE AND THAT FORCE IS LOVE. YOU ARE EITHER FEELING GOOD BECAUSE YOU ARE FULL OF LOVE, YOU ARE FEELING BAD BECAUSE YOU ARE EMPTY OF LOVE, BUT ALL YOUR FEELINGS ARE DEGREES OF LOVE.

          THINK OF LOVE AS IF IT IS WATER IN A GLASS, AND THE GLASS IN YOUR BODY. WHEN A GLASS HAS ONLY A LITTLE WATER IN IS, IT IS EMPTY OF WATER. YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE WATER LEVEL IN THE GLASS BY WAGING WAR ON THE EMPTINESS AND TRYING TO RIP OUT THE EMPTINESS. THE EMPTINESS GOES BY FILLING THE GLASS WITH WATER. WHEN YOU HAVE BAD FEELINGS YOU ARE EMPTY OF LOVE, AND SO WHEN YOU PUT LOVE INTO YOURSELF, THE BAD FEELINGS ARE GONE..

SECRET PROCESS

                                                        THE CREATION PROCESS

          IMAGINE IT, FEEL IT, RECEIVE IT.

1. IMAGINE

        USE YOUR MIND TO FOCUS ON AND IMAGINE WHAT YOU DESIRE. IMAGINE ,YOURSELF BEING WITH YOUR DESIRE. IMAGINE YOURSELF DOING THINGS WITH YOUR DESIRE. IMAGINE YOURSELF HAVING YOUR DESIRE.

2. FEEL

         AT THE SAME TIME AS YOU IMAGINE, YOU MUST FEEL LOVE FOR WHAT YOU'R IMAGINE YOU MUST FEEL LOVE FOR WHAT'S IMAGINE AND FEEL BEING WITH YOUR DESIRE. YOU MUST IMAGINE AND FEEL DOING THINGS WITH YOUR DESIRE. YOU MUST IMAGINE AND FEEL HAVING YOUR DESIRE.

        YOUR IMAGINATION CONNECTS YOU TO WHAT YOU WANT, YOUR DESIRE AND FEELINGS OF LOVE CREATE THE MAGNETISM, THE MAGNETIC POWER, DRAWING YOUR DESIRE TO YOU. THIS COMPLETE YOUR PART IN THE CREATION PROCESS.

3. RECEIVE

     THE FORCE OF LOVE WILL WORK THROUGH THE VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE FORCES OF NATURE TO BRING WHAT YOU DESIRE TO YOU. IT WILL USE CIRCUMSTANCES, EVENTS, AND PEOPLE TO GIVE WHAT YOU LOVE TO YOU.

     WHATEVER YOU DESIRE YOU MUST WANT IT WITH ALL YOUR HEART, DESIRE IS LOVE, AND UNLESS YOU HAVE A BURNING DESIRE IN YOUR HEART, YOU WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO HARNESS THE FORCE OF LOVE, YOU MUST REALLY DESIRE WHAT YOU WANT, AS AN ATHLERE DESIRE TO PLAY A SPORT, DANCER DESIRES TO DANCE, AND A PAINTER DESIRE TO PAINT. YOU MUST DESIRE WHAT YOU WANT WITH ALL YOUR HEART BECAUSE DESIRE IS A FEELING OF LOVE, AND YOU MUST GIVE LOVE TO RECEIVE WHAT YOU LOVE!

TOXIC

                                                         TOXIC RELATIVES

                       WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE TOXIC RELATIVES? OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A TOUCHY ISSUE. WHAT I'M GOING TO SEGGEST IS THAT YOU DON'T TURN YOUR BACK ON YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS. FAMILY TIES ARE PRECIOUS, AND I THINK WE MUST MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO MAINTAIN HARMONIOUS FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS.

                      EVEN SO, I RECOMMEND THAT YOU PUT SOME CONTROLS IN PLACE THAT REDUCE THE IMPACT YOUR TOXIC RELATIVES HAVE ON YOUR LIFE. YOU'RE NOT ABANDONING THEM OR REFUSING TO SPEAK WITH THEM, BUT YOU ARE PUTTING SOME LIMITS ON YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THEM.

                      FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE NEGATIVE RELATIVES, I SUGGEST THAT YOU DON'T GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO CALL THEM ON THE PHONE SEVERAL TIMES EACH DAY IF YOU KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO PUT YOU DOWN OR CRITICIZE YOUR EVERY MOVE. WHAT GOOD CAN POSSIBLY COME FROM THAT? WE GET BOMBARED WITH ENOUGH NEGATIVETY AS IT IS---- JUST TURN ON THE RADIO OR TV OR READ A NEWSPAPER. DO WE NEED OUR RELATIVES TO PROVIDE EVEN MORE NEGATIVE NEWS? I DON'T THINK SO!

                      AND HERE'S ANOTHER SUGGESTION THAT WILL WORK EQUALLY WELL WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING WITH A FRIEND OR A RELATIVE, WHEN THE DISCUSSION MOVE TO A NEGATIVE SUBJECT, RESIST THE TEMPLATION TO ACCUSE THE OTHER PERSON OF BEING NEGATIVE. THAT WILL USUALLY MAKES THINGS EVEN WORSE. INSTEAD, GENTLY SHIFT THE CONVERSATION TO A MORE POSITIVE TOPIC. 

                     REMEMBER THAT I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO DISOWN YOUR RELATIVES OR REFUSE TO ATTEND FAMILY FUNCTIONS. THIS IS ABOUT LIMITING YOUR CONTACTS WITH NEGATIVE RELATIVES SO YOU DON'T GET DRAGGED DOWN TO THEIR LEVEL!

FEARS

                         THE BENEFITS OF BACKING AWAY FROM FEARS

                         WHEN CONFRONTED WITH AN ANXIETY-PRODUCING EVENT, MOST PEOPLE WILL RETREAT TO AVOID THE FEAR AND ANXIETY. THAT'S WHAT I USED TO DO. YOU SEE, BACKING AWAY DOES RELIEVE THE FEAR AND ANXIETY THAT WOULD HAVE RESULT IF YOU FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH THE ACTIVITY. FOR INSTANCE, IF SOMEONE ASKS YOU TO MAKE A PRESENTATION WITHIN YOUR COMPANY, AND YOU DECLINE, YOU SAVE AND THE NERVOUSENESS YOU'D EXPERIENCE IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO THE PRESENTATION.

                         IN FACT, I'VE FOUND THAT'S THE ONE AND ONLY BENEFIT YOU GET BY RETREATING---- A MOMENTARY AVOIDANTS OF ANXIETY.

                          THINK ABOUT IF FOR A MOMENT. CAN YOU LIST ANY OTHERS BENEFITS THAT PEOPLE GET WHEN THEY REFUSE TO CONFRONT THEIR FEARS? I'VE ASKED THAT QUESTIONS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, AND NOBODY HAS BEEN ABLE TO COME UP WITH ANY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS, FOR GOOD REASON---- THERE ARE NONE!

                                                  THE PRICE YOU PAY

                   NOW, I WANT YOU TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE PRICE YOU PAY WHEN YOU BACK AWAY FROM THOSE FEARS THAT ARE STANDING IN THE WAY OF YOUR GROWTH, HERE'S WHAT HAPENS:

                        * YOUR SELF-ESTEEM IS LOWERED

                        * YOU FEEL POWERLESS AND FRUSTRATED

                        * YOU SABOTAGE YOUR SUCCESS

                        * YOU LEAD AN UNEVERNFUL, BORING LIFE.

                    IS THIS A PRICE WORTH PAYING FOR THE SHORT-TERM AVOIDANCE OF FEAR AND ANXIETY? MOST OF US ARE INDEED WILLING TO PAY THIS DEAR PRICE, SIMPLY TO AVOID TEMPORARY DISCOMFORT AND POSSIBLE REDECULE FROM OTHERS.

                   TRUST ME FOLKS, THIS IS INSANE! IN THE RUN, RETREATING IS NOT THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE YOUR PROBLEM. YOU'LL NEVER BE HIGHLY SUCCESFULL OR DEVELOP YOUR TALENT TO THE FULLEST UNLESS YOU'RE WILLING TO CONFRONT YOUR FEARS.