BE GRATEFUL BUT DO NOT EXPECT GRATITUDE

                                              GRATEFUL AND GRATITUDE

                                                                         ❤

                                                                                    ❤

               GRATITUDE IS A BEAUTIFUL WORD. GRATITUDE IS A FEELING. IT IMPROVES OUR PERSONALITY AND BUILDS CHARACTER. GRATITUDE DEVELOPS OUT OF HUMILITY. IT IS A FEELING OF THANKFULNESS TOWARDS OTHERS. IT IS CONVEYED THROUGH OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS OTHERS AND REFLECTS IN OUR BEHAVIOR. GRATITUDE DOES NOT MEAN RECIPROCATING GOOD DEEDS GRATITUDE IS NOT GIVE AND TAKE. KINDNESS, UNDERSTANDING AND PATIENCE CANNOT BE REPAID. WHAT DOES GRATITUDE TEACH US? IT TEACHES US THE ART OF COOPERATION AND UNDERSTANDING. GRATITUDE MUST BE SINCERE. A SIMPLE THAN YOU CAN BE GRACIOUS. MANY TIMES WE FORGET TO BE THANKFUL TO THE PEOPLE CLOSEST TO US, SUCH AS OUR SPOUSE, OUR RELATIVES, OUR FRIENDS. GRATITUDE WOULD RANK AMONG THE TOP QUALITIES THAT FORM THE CHARACTER AND PERSONALITY OF AN INDIVIDUAL WITH INTREGRITY. EGO STANDS IN THE WAY OF SHOWING GRATITUDE. A GRACIOUS ATTITUDE CHANGES OUR OUTLOOK IN LIFE. WITH GRATITUDE AND HUMALITY, RIGHT ACTIONS COME NATURALLY.

               GRATITUDE OUGHT TO BE A WAY OF LIFE, SOMETHING THAT WE CANNOT GIVE ENOUGH OF. IT CAN MEAN A SMILE, OR A THANK YOU, OR GESTURE OF APPRECIATION.

              THINK OF YOUR MOST PRECIOUS POSSESSIONS. WHAT MAKES THEM SPECIAL? IN MOST CASES, THE GIFT IS LESS SIGNIFICANT THAN THE GIVER. SELDOM ARE WE GRATEFUL FOR THE THINGS WE ALREADY POSSESS.

                THINK BACK AND TRY TO RECALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAD A POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON YOUR LIFE. YOUR PARENTS, TEACHERS, ANYONE WHO SPENT EXTRA TIME TO HELP YOU. PERHAPS IT APPEARS THAT THEY JUST DID THEIR JOB. NOT REALLY. THEY WILLINGLY SACRIFICED THEIR TIME, EFFORT, MONEY AND MANY OTHER THINGS FOR YOU. THEY DID IT OUT OF LOVE AND NOT FOR YOUR THANKFULNESS. AT SOME POINT, A PERSON REALIZE THE EFFORT THAT WENT IN TO HELP THEM SHAPE THEIR FUTURE. PERHAPS IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO THANK THEM.

                                                         THE STORYOF CHRIST

                         AS THE STORY GOES, CHRIST HEALED TEN LEPERS AND WHEN HE TURNED BACK THEY WERE ALL GONE EXCEPT ONE WHO HAD THE COURTESY TO THANK HIM. CHRIST SAID, I DIDN'T  DO A THING, WHAT IS THE MORAL OF THE STORY?

                    1. HUMAN BEINGS ARE UNGRATEFUL.

                    2. A GRATEFUL PERSON IS THE EXCEPTIONAL PERSON.

                    3. CHRIST LITERALLY GAVE THEM A NEW LIFE AND SAID, I DIDN'T DO A                              THING.

                    4. LIKE CHRIST WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT GRATITUDE.

         

                  HOW DOES THIS TRANSLATE IN OUR BAHAVIOR AND PERSONALITY? WE FEED OR GIVE SHELTER TO SOMEONE FOR A FEW DAYS AND SAY, LOOK WHAT I DID FOR THE OTHER PERSON, IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO HEAR PEOPLE SAYING, IF IT WASN'T FOR ME, THIS PERSON WOULD BE ON THE STREET, WHAT AN EGO!

                                                                      BY THE WAY

                    WHEN PEOPLE ASK OTHERS TO DO SOMETHING FOR THEM BY USING THE PHRASE, BY THE WAY, CAN YOU DO THIS FOR ME? THEY UNDERMINE THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING OR NOT DOING. I HAVE FOUND THAT IF WE HAVE DO TO ANYTHING FOR ANYONE IT IS NEVER BY THE WAY, IT IS ALWAYS OUT OF THE WAY.

                  THIS DOES NOT AMOUNT TO DOING FAVORS FROM THE DOER'S PERSCEPTIVE. IF ONE DOESN'T DO THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP ANOTHER PERSON, THEN IT SAD. BUT I AM CONVINCED  THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS BY THE WAY, IT IS ALWAYS OUT OF THE WAY, AND IT IS WORTH IT.

 

                                                STEPS TO OPENING A DISCUSSION

         1. BE OPEN-MINDED.

         2. DON'T BE DRAGGED INTO AN ARGUMENT.

         3. DON'T INTERRUPT.

         4. LISTEN TO THE OTHER PERSON'S POINT OF VIEW BEFORE GIVING YOUR                      OWN.

         5. ASK QUESTIONS TO CLARIFY. THAT WILL ALSO SET THE OTHER PERSON                         THINKING.

         6. DON'T EXAGGERATE.

         7. BE THUSIASTIC IN CONVINCING, NOT FORCEFUL.

         8. BE WILLING TO YIELD.

         9. BE FLEXIBLE ON PETTY THINGS BUT NOT ON PRINCIPLES.

        10. DON'T MAKE IT A PRESTIGE ISSUE.

        11. GIVE YOUR OPPONENT A GRACEFUL WAY TO WITHDRAW WITHOUT                                  HURTING HIS PRIDE. REJECTION CAN BE HURTFUL.

        12. USE SOFT WORDS BUT HARD ARGUMENTS RATHER THAN HARD WORDS                          AND SOFT ARGUMENTS.

                 IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DEFEAT AN IGNORANT MAN IN AN ARGUMENT. HIS STRONG AND BITTE WORDS ONLY WORDS ONLY INDICATE A WEAK CAUSE.

                            

                   AN OPEN EAR IS THE ONLY BELIEVABLE SIGN OF AN OPEN HEART.

                                        ❤ IN ORDER TO BE A GOOD LISTENER:❤

 

           ❤ ENCOURAGE THE SPEAKER TO TALK.  

           ❤ ASK QUESTIONS. IT SHOWS INTEREST.

           ❤ DON'T INTERRUPT.

           ❤ DON'T CHANGE THE TOPIC.

           ❤ SHOW UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT.

           ❤ PAY ATTENTION, CONCENTRATE.

           ❤ AVOID DISTRACTIONS.

           ❤ SHOW EMPATHY.

           ❤ BE OPEN-MINDED. DON'T LET PRECONCEIVED IDEAS AND PREJUDICES PREVENT YOU FROM LISTENING.

           ❤ CONCENTRATE ON THE MESSAGES AND NOT ON THE DELIVERY.

           ❤ RECOGNIZE THE NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION, SUCH AS FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, EYE CONTACT, ETC. THEY MIGHT BE COMMUNICATING A DIFFERENT MESSAGE FROM THE VERBAL.

           ❤ LISTEN TO FEELINGS AND NOT JUST WORDS.

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BUDGET YOUR TIME AND MONEY

                                                  FINANCIAL RESOURCES

               ANDREW CARNEGIE HIS ENTIRE LIFE BY A STRICT BUDGET THAT COVERED BOTH HIS TIME AND HIS FINANCIAL RESOURCES. HIS ACHIEVEMENTS QUALIFIED HIM TO SPEAK AS AN AUTHORITY ON THIS SUBJECT, FOR AMERICA HAS NEVER PRODUCED A MAN WHO MADE BETTER USE OF HIS OPPORTUNITIES UNER THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE THAN DID HE.

              ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED GREATELY SINCE MR. CARNEGIE'S DAY, BUT THE PRINCIPLES OF PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT HAVE NOT CHANGED. THEY ARE THE SAME TODAY AS THEY WERE WHEN HE WAS WORKING HIS WAY UP FROM THE BOTTOM TO AN ENVIABLE POSITION, AND THEY SERVE AS EFFECTIVELY TODAY AS THEY DID WHEN HE WAS BUILDING HIS CAREER.

                HILL : MR. CARNEGIE, YOU HAVE NAMED THE BUDGETING OF TIME AS ONE OF THE ESSENTIALS FOR INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT. WILL YOU INDICATE WHAT METHODS ONE SHOULD ADOPT TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF HIS TIME?

                CARNEGIE : EVERY SUCCESSFUL PERSON PLANS HIS LIFE AS CAREFULLY AS SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS MAN PLANS HIS BUSINESS. HE BEGINS BY ADOPTING A DEFINITE MAJOR PURPOSE, AND THE FOLLOWS THROUGH BY DEVOTING A DEFINITE PROPORTION OF HIS TIME TO ATTAINING THE OBJECT OF THAT PURPOSE.

                HILL : WHAT PROPORTION OF ONE'S TIME SHOULD BE DEVOTED TO THE ATTAINMENT OF HIS MAJOR PURPOSE?

               CARNEGIE : TO BEGIN WITH LET US RECOGNIZE THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON COMES INTO THE WORLD WITH NOTHING BUT TIME AS AN ASSET!

                EACH PERSON HAS TWENTY-FOUR HOURS OF TIME EACH DAY- NO MORE, NO LESS.

           WHEN A PERSON REACHES THE AGE OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY HE SHOULD DIVIDE HIS TIME INTO THREE PERIODS, (1) EIGHT HOUR FOR SLEEP, (2) EIGHT HOURS FOR WORK, (3) EIGHT HOURS FOR RECREATION. SOME PEOPLE, PERHAPS A MAJORITY OF THEM, FIND IT NECESSARY TO WORK TEN HOURS PER DAY IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE PRESENT STANDARD OF LIVING,  WHILE THEY DEVOTE BUT SIX HOURS PER DAY TO RECREATION. THE AVERAGE PERSON CANNOT GET ALONG ON LESS THAN EIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP.

                                    

                        HILL : WHICH OF THESE THREE PERIODS OF THE DAY DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT?

                        CARNEGIE : THAT DEPENDS ALTOGETHER ON WHAT YOU CONSIDER TO BE IMPORTANT. SOUND HEALTH DEMANDS AT LEAST EIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP. AN EVERAGE LIVING, UNDER OUR PRESENT STANDARD OF LIVING, DEMANDS AT LEAST EIGHT TO TEN HOURS A DAY FOR WORK. THIS LEAVES FROM SIX TO EIGHT HOURS A DAY OF FREE TIME WHICH ONE MAY USE AS HE PLEASES, AND I WOULD SAY THAT IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PERIOD OF THE DAY, AS FAR AS PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT IS CONCERNED, BECAUSE IT PROVIDES ONE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE ADDITIONAL EDUCATION, PLAN NEW MEANS OF RENDERING SERVICE, AND CREATE GOOD WILL.

                        HILL : WHAT ABOUT THE PERSON WHO USES THIS PERIOD FOR NONE OF THESE PURPOSES, BUT DEVOTES IT ENTIRELY TO PERSONAL PLEASURE WHICH IN NO WAY BRINGS HIM ADDITIONAL INFLUENCES OR FRIENDS?

                      CARNEGIE : THAT PERSON WHO USES HIS FREE TIME IN THIS MANNER WILL NEVER BE A SUCCESS IN ANYTHING, EXCEPT BY SOME RARE STROKE OF GOOD FORTUNR WHICH FAVORS HIM WITHOUT HIS OWN EFFORTS.

                      THE SLEEP PERIOD PRODUCES NO RESULTS EXCEPT THAT OF MAINTAINING SOUND HEALTH. THEREFORE ONE CAN TAKE NO LIBERTIES WITH IT, AND IT HOLDS NO SEED OF OPPORTUNITY FOR SELF-PROMOTION, OR FOR THE ACCUMULATION OF MATERIAL THINGS.

                    THE WORK PERIOD REQUIRES ALL OF ONE'S THOUGHTS AND EFFORTS FOR SPECIFIC DUTIES. THEREFORE IT HOLDS BUT SLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXTRA EFFOT, ALTHOUGH ONE MAY SO USE IT AS TO LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR OPPORTUNITIES BY MODIFYING THE QUALITY AND THE QUANTITY OF THE WORK HE PERFORMS.

                     THE MORE SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE COMBINE THEIR FREE-TIME WITH THEIR WORK-TIME, BY DEVOTING ALL OF IT TO SOME SORT OF ACTION WHICH AIDS THEM IN ATAINING THE OBJECT OF THEIR MAJOR PURPOSE. THUS, THEY WORK ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THEIR TIME AND SLEEP  THE OTHER THIRD.

HILL : BUT, ISN'T IT NECESSARY FOR A MAN TO TAKE TIME OFF FOR RECREATION AND PLAYIF HE IS TO MAINTAIN SOUND HEALTH?

 

CARNEGIE : YES, SOUND HEALTH DEMANDS A CHANGE OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HABITS, BUT SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE HAVE LEARNED HOW TO MAKE THESE CHANGES BY SO ARRANGING PEOPLE HAVE LEANRNED HOW TO MAKE THESE CHANGES BY SO ARRANGING THEIR WORK-TIME AND THEIR FREE-TIME THAT THE FREE-TIME PROVIDES RECRETION ALONG LINES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO AND HARMONIZE WITH THE DUTIES THEY PERFORM DURING THEIR WORK-TIME.

HILL : I SEE WHAT YOU MEAN. A MAN MAY SO USE HIS FREE-TIME THAT IS BRINGS HIM OPPORTUNITIES DEFINITELY RELATED TO HIS WORK, SUCH AS ASSOCIATION WITH PEOPLE WHO CAN BE OF BENEFIT TO HIM IN CONNECTION WITH THE ATTAINMENT OF HIS MAJOR PURPOSE, ALTHOUGH HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM MAY BE ENTIRELY OF A SOCIAL NATURE FORM WHICH HE GET HIS RECRETION.

CARNEGIE : THAT'S  THE IDEA, PRECISELY! BUT, YOU SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT MOST PEOPLE DO NOT SPEND THEIR FREE-TIME IN THIS MANNER. THEY USE IT FOR EXCITEMENT, WHICH TOO OFTEN THEY MISTAKE FOR PLEASURE, AND FOR ASSOCIATION WITH PEOPLE WHO INFLUENCE THEM BY DESTRUCTIVE HABITS, SUCH AS DRINKING AND GAMBLING, OR PEOPLE WHO INFLUENCE THEM BY JUST PLAIN LAZINESS.

                WHILE ONE'S FREE-TIME MAY BE PROPERLY CALLED "OPPORTUNITY-TIME, IT USUALLY PROVES TO BE ONE'S MISFORTUNE-TIME, FOR IT IS DURING THIS PERIOD THAT MOST PEOPLE ACQUIRE NEGATIVE HABITS WHICH VITALLY AFFECT THEIR WORK-TIME. SUCH HABITS, FOR EXAMPLE, AS CUTTING INTO THEIR SLEEP-TIME AND THEREBY REDUCING THE EFFICIENCY OF THEIR WORK-TIME AS WELL AS IMPAIRING THEIR PHYSICAL HEALTH.

                         

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HEALTH IS WEALTH

                                                    MAKE A GOOD HABIT

                                                                           ❤❤❤❤

                  THE PHYSICAL BODY IS A "HOUSE" WHICH THE CREATOR PROVIDED TO SERVE AS A DWELLING PLACE FOR THE MIND! IT IS THE MOT PERFECT MECHANISM EVER PRODUCED, AND IT IS PRACTICALLY SELF-MAINTAINING.

                IT HAS A BRAIN WHICH SERVES AS THE CENTRE OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, THE COORDINATOR OF ALL BODILY ACTIVITY, AND THE RECEIVER OF ALL SENSE PERCEPTIONS. THE BRAIN IS THE ORGAN WHICH - BY MEANS AS YET UNEXPLAINED BY MEANS AS YET UNEXPLAINED BY SCIENCE - COORDINATES ALL PERCEPTION, KNOWLEDGE AND MEMORY INTO NEW PATTERNS WHICH WE KNOW AS THOUGHT.

                  THE BRAIN IS THE COMMANDER OF ALL VOLUNTARY MOVEMENTS OF THE BODY, THE CONTROLLER OF ALL INVOLUNTARY MOVEMENTS CARRIED ON THROUGH THE SUBCONSCIOUS SECTION, SUCH AS BREATHING, THE HEARTBEAT, DIGESTION, CIRCULATION OF THE BLOOD, DISTRIBUTION OF NERVOUS ENERGY AND THE LIKE. IT IS THE STOREHOUSE OF ALL KNOWLEDGE, THE INTERPRETER OF THE INFLUENCES OF ENVIRONMENT AND THOUGHT. IT IS THE MOST POWERFUL AND THE LEAST UNDERSTOOD ORGAN OF THE BODY.

                 THE BRAIN IS THE  HOUSING PLACE OF THE SUBCONSCIOU SECTION OF THE MIND AS WELL AS OF THE CONSCIOUS SECTION, BUT THE ENERGY AND THE INTELLEGENCE WITH WHICH THOUGHT IS PRODUCED FLOW INTO THE BRAIN FROM THE GREAT UNIVERSAL STOREHOUS OF INFINITE INTELLIGENCE, THE BRAIN SERVING ONLY AS A RECEIVER AND AS A DISTRIBUTOR OF THIS ENERGY.

                AMONG ITS OTHER DUTIES, THE BRAIN OPERATES A FIRT-CLASS DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY THROUGH WHICH IT BREAKS UP AND ASSIMILATES THE FOOD TAKEN INTO THE STOMACH, LIQUEFIES THE FOOD AND DISTRIBUTES IT, THROUGH THE BLOOD STREAM, TO EVERY PART OF THE BODY WHERE IT IS THIS SERVICE IS PERFORMED AUTOMATICALLY, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN SIMPLE AIDS WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL CAN GIVE THE BRAIN THAT WILL HELP IT TO MAINTAIN SOUND PHYSICAL HEALTH. THE BURDEN OF THIS CHAPTER IS THAT OF DESCRIBING THESE AIDS, VIZ:

                                                             1. MENTAL ATTITUDE:

                              INASMUCH AS THE BRAIN IN THE UNCHALLENGED BOSS OF THE ENTIRE PHYSICAL BODY, WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE AT THE OUTSET THAT SOUND PHYSICAL HEALTH DEMANDS A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE.

                             SOUND HEALTH BEGINS WITH A PROSPERITY CONSCIOUSNESS, JUST AS FINANCIAL SUCCESS BEGINS WITH A PROSPERITY CONSCIOUSNESS! AND LET IT BE HERE EMPHASIZED THAT NO ONE EVER SUCCEEDS FINANCIALLY WITHOUT THAT PROSPERITY CONSCIOUNESS, NOR DOES ONE ENJOY SOUND PHYSICAL HEALTH WITHOUT A HEALTH CONSCIOUSNESS. PONDER THIS STATEMENT, FOR IT CONVEYS A TRUTH THAT IS OF PARAMOUNT BENEFIT IN THE MAINTENANCE OF SOUND PHYSICAL HEALTH.

                             TO MAINTAIN A HEALTH CONSCIOUSNESS ONE MUST THINK IN TERMS OF SOUND HEALTH, IN TERMS OF ILLNESS AND DISEASE, FOR WE MUST INTO EXISTENCE, WHETHER IT BE FINANCIAL SUCCESS OR PHYSICAL HEALTH.

                          EMIL COUE, THE FRENCH PSYCHOLOGIST, GAVE THE WORLD, IN ONE SENTENCE, A VERY SIMPLE BUT PRACTICAL FORMULA FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF A HEALTH CONSCIOUSNESS, DAY BY DAY, IN EVERY WAY, I AM GETTING BETTER AND BETTER, HE RECOMMENDE THAT THIS SENTENCE BE REPEATED THOUSANDS OF TIMES, DAILY, UNTIL THE SUBCONSCIOUS SECTION OF THE MIND PICKED IT UP. ACCEPTED IT AND BEGAN TO CARRY IT OUT TO ITS LOGICAL CONCLUSION, IN THE FORM OF SOUND HEALTH.

                          THE WISE ONES SMILED, NPOT TOO TOLERANTLY, WHEN THEY HEARD OF THE COUE FORMULA. THE NOT-SO-WISE ACCEPTED IT IN GOOD FAITH, PUT IT TO WORK IN EARNEST, AND DISCOVERED THAT IS PRODUCED MARVELOURS RESULTS, FOR IT STARTED THEM ON THE ROAD TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HEALTH CONSCIOUSNESS. AND HERE IS THE REASON WHY A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF SOUND HEALTH.

                      (A) ALL THOUGHT ENERGY, WHETHER IS IT POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, IS CARRIED TO EVERY CELL OF THE BODY AND THERE DEPOSITED AS ENERGY ON WHICH THE CELLS OPERATE.

                       (B) THE ENERGY OF THOUGHT IS CARRIED TO THE CELLS OF THE BODY THROUGH THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND THE BLOOD STREAM, FOR IT IS A KNOWN FACT THAT THE BODY CHEMIST MIXES THE ENERGY OF THOUGHT WITH EVERY PARTICLE OF FOOD THAT IS ASSIMILATED AND MAE READY FOR PROJECTION INTO THE BLOOD STREAM.

                        POSITIVE EVIDENCE THAT THIS IS TRUE MAY BE FOUND IN THE FACT THAT THE MOTHER WHO NURSES HER CHILD FROM THE BREAST MAY POISON HER MILK BY WORRY OR FEAR, SO THAT HER CHILD WILL BECOME ILL WITHIN A FEW MINUTES AFTER TAKING THE MILK.

                      AND AGAIN, IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT ANY FORM OF WORRY, FEAR, ANGER, JEALOUSY OR HATRED THAT ONE MAY EXPERIENCE WHILE EATING WILL CAUSE THE FOOD TO FERMENT IN THE STOMACH WITHOUT ASSIMILATING, AND INDIGESTION IS THE NATURAL RESULT.

                      TO MAINTAIN A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE SUTABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF A SOUND HEALTH CONSCIOUSNESS, THE MIND MUST BE KEPT FREE OF NEGATIVE THOUGHTS AND INFLUENCE THROUGH SELF-DISCIPLINE AND ESTABLISED HABITS.

                     THERE MUST BE A "CRABBING" OR FAULT-FINDING. THAT HURTS THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS.

                     THERE MUST BE NO SUSTAINED HATRED, FOR HATRED ATTRACTS REPRISALS IN KIND UPSETS DIGESTION. THERE MUST BE NO FEAR, IT IDICATES FRICTION IN HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS, LACK OF HARMONY AND UNDERSTANDING WITHIN ONE'S MIND, AND DISCOURAGES DIGESTION.

                  THERE MUST BE TALK ABOUT ILLNESS AND DESEASE ! FOR THAT LEADS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORST OF ALL DISEASES - A DESEASE KNOWN TO THE DOCTORS AS "HYPOCHODRIA" WHICH MEANS, IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE LAYMAN, IMAGINARY ILLNESS. IT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED THAT THREE FOURTHS OF ALL PATIENTS WHO VISIT DOCTORS, OFFICES FOR TREATMENT ARE SUFFERING WITH NOTHING MORE THAN IMAGINARY ILLNESSES.

                                                                  2. EATING HABITS:

                          THIS SUBJECT IS WORTHY OF AN ENTIRE BOOK, BUT INASMUCH AS THERE ARE MANY WELL WRITTEN BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT, WE SHALL HERE CONFINE OURSELVES TO A FEW SIMPLE RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH ARE ON THE MUST LIST OF ALL WHO WOULD ENJOY SOUND HEALTH.

                                                     THE "MUSTS" OF CORRECT EATING

                        (A) FIRST, THERE MUST BE NO OVER-EATING! IT OVER WORKS THE HEART, LIVER, KIDNEYS, AND THE SEWER SYSTEM. A SIMPLE WAY TO OBSERVE THIS ADMONITION IS THE HABIT OF GETTING UP FROM THE TABLE BEFORE ONE IS THOUROUGHLY SATISFIED. THE HABIT WILL BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO ACQUIRE, BUT ONCE, IT HAS DEVELOPED IT WILL PAY OFF IN BIG DIVIDENDS, CONSISTING IN MAN BENEFITS - AMONG THEM A GREAT SAVING IN DOCTOR'S BILLS.

                        OVER-EATING IS A FORM OF INTEMPERANCE WHICH MAY BE, AND IT OFTEN IS, JUST AS INJURIOUS AS INTEMPERANCE IN DRINKING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, OR IN THE TAKING OF NARCOTICS.

                       (B) ONE MUST EAT BALANCED RATION, CONSISTING OF AT LEAST A FAIR PROPORTION OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, BECAUSE THESE CONTAIN THE SIXTEEN MAJOR MINERAL ELEMENTS WHICH NATURE REQUIRES IN THE BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PHYSICAL BODY. NO VEGETABLE CONTAINS ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS, THEREFORE, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE BODY WITH THE BUILDING MATERIAL IT REQUIRES ONE MUST EAT A VARIETY OF FOOD THAT IS PRODUCED BY NATURE FROM THE SOIL OF THE EARTH.

                         MOREOVER, ONE MUST BE SURE THAT THE VEGETABLES HE EATS CONTAIN ALL THE MINERAL ELEMENTS THAT NATURE DEMANDS, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE DETERMINDED BY THE APPEARANCE OF THE VEGETABLE ALONE.

                     IN MOST PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES THE SOIL HAS BEEN SO LONG ABUSED BY NEGLECT, IN NOT GIVING BACK TO IT THE PROPER KIND FERTILIZATION THAT IT NO LONGER CONTAINS ALL OF THE ELEMENTS IT NEEDS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HEALTHFUL FOOD. PARTICULARLY IS THIS TRUE IN THE SOUTH, WHERE THE SOIL HAS BEEN "MILKED" FOR GENERATIONS BY THE GROWTH OF CORN AND COTTON, UNTIL IS DEFICIENT IN MANY OF THE MINERALS NATURE ORIGINALLY PROVIDED.

                      

                        FOOD THAT IS LACKING IN THE NECESSARY MINERAL ELEMENTS FERMENTS IN THE ALIMENTARY CANAL, DECAYS AND ST UPS A CONDITION KNOWN AS TOXIC POISONING. THUS, DEFICIENT FOOD NOT ONLY FAILS TO SUPPLY THE BODY WITH THE MINERAL ELEMENTS IT NEEDS TO CARRY ON ITS MAINTENANCE WORK, BUT IT ACTUALLY CREATES A POISON WHICH MAY PROVIDE THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT VARIETY OF DISEASES. SOME DOCTORS HAVE FRANKLY ADMITTED THAT MOT DISEASE BEGIN IN THE ALIMENTARY CANAL, BECAUSE OF IMPROPER DIGESTION.

                                                                       ❤❤❤❤❤

LIFE'S IMPORTANT FACTS

                                                    LEARN FROM DEFEAT

                          THE IMPORTANT FACTS OF LIFE STAND OUT BOLDLY!

❤

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                  ONE IS THE FACT THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE ARE SUCH THAT EVERYONE INEVITABLY IS OVERTAKEN BY DEFEAT, IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. THE OTHER IS THE FACT THAT EVERY ADVERSITY CARRIES WITH IT THE SEED OF AN EQUIVALENT BENEFIT!

                SEARCH WHERE YOU WILL BUT YOU CANNOT FIND A SINGLE EXCEPTION TO EITHER OF THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, EITHER IN YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE OR IN THE EXPERIENCES OF OTHERS. THE BURDEN OF THIS CHAPTER, THEREFORE, IS TO DESCRIBE HOW DEFEAT MAY BE MADE TO YIELD THE SEED OF AN EQUILAVENT BENEFIT, HOW TO CONVERT IT INTO A STEPPING STONE TO GREATER ACHIEVEMENT, AND THAT IS NOT NECESSARY TO ACCEPT DEFEAT AS A HANDY EXCUSE FOR FAILURE.

                 HILL : MR. CARNEGIE, YOU HAVE STATED IN PREVIOUS INTERVIEWS THAT THERE ARE NO LIMITATIONS TO MENTAL CAPACITY EXCEPT THOSE WHICH AN INIVIDUAL SETS UP HIS OWN MIND, AND YOU HAVE EXPLAINED THIS BY SAYING THAT DEFEAT CAN BE CONVERTED INTO A PRICELESS ASSET IF ONE TAKES THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARD IT. WILL YOU NOW EXPLAIN WHAT IS THE RIGHT ATTITUDE?

                  CARNEGIE : FIRST OF ALL, LET ME SAY THAT THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARD DEFEAT IS THATWHICH REFUSES TO ACCEPT IT AS ANYTHIG MORE THAN TEMPORARY, AND THIS IS AN ATTITUDE THAT ONE CAN BEST MAINTAIN BY SO DEVELOPING HIS WILL-POWER THAT HE LOOKS UPON DEFEAT AS A CHALLENGE TO TEST HIS METTLE. THAT CHALLENGE SHOULD BE ACCEPTED AS A SIGNAL THAT HAS BEEN DELIBERATELY HOISTED TO INFORM HIM THAT HIS PLAS NEED MENDING.

                   DEFEAT SHOULD BE LOOKED UPON IN PRECISELY THE SAME MANNER THAT ONE ACCEPTS THE UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE OF PHYSICAL PAIN, FOR IT IS OBVIOUS THAT PHYSICAL PAIN IS NATURE'S WAY OF INFORMING ONE THAT SOMETHING NEEDS ATTENTION AND CORRECTION. PAIN, THEREFORE, MAY BE A BLESSING AND NOT A CURSE!

                THE SAME IS TRUE OF THE MENTAL ANGUISH ONE EXPERIENCES WHEN OVERTAKEN BY DEFEAT. WHILE THE FEELING IS UNPLEASANT IT MAY BE, NEVERTHELESS, BENEFICIAL, BECAUSE IT SERVES AS A SIGNAL BY WHICH ONE MAY BE STOPPED FROM GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

               HILL : I SEE YOUR LOGIC, BUT DEFEAT SOMETIMES IS SO DEFINITE ADN SEVERE THAT IT HAS THE EFFECT OF DESTROYING ONE'S INITIATIVE AND SELF - RELIANCE. WHEN IS TO BE DONE IS SUCH A CIRCUMSTANCE?

             CARNEGIE :  HERE IS WHERE THE PRINCIPLE OF SELF- DISCIPLINE COMES TO ONE'S RESCUE. THE WELL- DISCIPLINED PERSON ALLOWS NOTHING TO DESTROY HIS BELIEF IN HIMSELF, AND PERMITS NOTHING TO STOP HIM FROM REARRANGING HIS PLANS AND MOVING AHEAD WHEN HIS IS DEFEATED. YOU SEE, HE CHANGES HIS PLANS, IF THEY NEED CHANGE, BUT NOT HIS PURPOSE. IF ONE HAS MASTERED THE PRICIPLE OF ORGANIZED THOUGHT ONE KNOWS THAT THE POWER OF WILL IS EQUAL TO ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE, AND HE ALLOWS NOTHING TO DESTROY HIS WILL TO WIN.

                        HILL : YOU MEAN, I ASSUME, THAT DEFEAT SHOULD BE ACCEPTED AS A SORT OF MENTAL TONIC THAT CAN BE MADE TO SERVE AS A MEANS OF STIMULATING ONE'S WILL POWER.

                      CARNEGIE : YOU'VE STATED IT CORRECTLY. AS I TOLD YOU PREVIOUSLY, EVERY NEAGATIVE EMOTION CAN BE TRANSMUTED INTO A CONSTRUCTIVE POWER AND USED FOR THE ATTAINMENT OF DESIRABLE ENDS. SELF-DISCIPLINE ENABLES ONE TO CHANGE UNPLEASANT EMOTIONS INTO A DRIVING POWER, AND EVERY TIME THIS IS DONE IT HELPS TO DEVELOP ONE'S POWER OF WILL.

                  YOU MUST REMEMBER, ALSO, THAT THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND ACCEPTS AND ACTS UPON ONE'S MENTAL ATTITUDE. IF DEFEAT IS ACCEPTED AS PERMENENT, INSTEAD OF BEING REGARDED AS A MERE STIMULANT TO GREATER ACTION, THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND ACTS ACCORDINGLY AND MAKES IT PERMANENT. 

                  YOU SEE, THEREFORE, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT ONE FORM THE HABIT OF SEARCHING FOR GOOD THERE IS TO BE FOUND IN EVERY FORM OF DEFEAT. THIS PROCEDURE  BECOMES THE FINEST SORT OF TRAINING OF THE WILL-POWER AND SERVES, AT THE SAME TIME, TO BRING THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND INTO ACTION IN ONE'S BEHALF.

                 HILL : YES, OF COURSE! YOU MEAN THAT THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND CARRIES OUR ONE'S MENTAL ATTITUDE TO ITS LOGICAL CONCLUSION, REGARDLESS OF THE NATURE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH BRINGS IN INTO ACTION.

                CARNEGIE : YES, BUT YOU HAVE HARDLY STATED THE MATTER FULLY. THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND RESPONDS ALWAYS TO THE DOMINATING THOUGHTS IN ONE'S MIND. MOREOVER, IT GETS INTO THE HABIT OF ACTING QUICKLY ON THE THOUGHTS WHICH ARE REPEATED MOST OFTEN. FOR EXAMPLE, IF ONE FALLS INTO THE HABIT OF ACCEPTING DEFEAT AS A NEGATIVE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND MAKES THE SAME MISTAKE CIRCUMSTANCE, THE SUBSCONSCIOUS MIND MAKES THE SAME MISTAKE AND FORMS SIMILAR HABITS. THAT IS WHY I STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTROLLED HABITS.

                 ONE'S MENTAL ATTITUDE TOWARD DEFEAT BECOMES, EVENTUALLY, A HABIT, AND THIS IS ONE HABIT THAT MUST BE CONTROLLED IF ONE IS TO ACQUIRE THE ABILITY TO MAKE DEFEAT AND ASSET INSTEAD OF A LIABILITY. YOU HAVE NO DOUBT SEEN MEN AND WOMEN WHO BY THEIR IMMEDIATE REACTIONS SEEM TO AUTOMATICALLY ACCEPT DEFEAT AND WHO THUS BECOME CONFINED PESSIMISTS.

                         HILL : I SEE WHAT YOU MEAN. THE "SEED OF AN EQUIVALENT BENEFIT" THAT IS TO BE FOUND IN EVERY ADVERSITY CONSISTS IN THE OPPORTUNITY ONE HAS TO USE THE EXPERIENCE AS A MEANS OF DEVELOPING HIS WILLPOWER, BY ACCEPTING IT AS A MENTAL STIMULANT TO GREATER ACTION. IS THAT YOUR IDEA, MR. CARNEGIE?

                       CARNEGIE : THAT STATES THE IDEA IN PART, BUT YOU OMITTED SAYING THAT BY ACCEPTING DEFEAT IN A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE ONE THEREBY INFLUENCES THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND TO FORM THE HABIT OF DOING THE SAME THING. IN TIME THIS HABIT BECOMES PERMANENT, AFTER WHICH THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND WILL BE RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT ANY EXPERIENCE IN ANY EXCEPT A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. IN OTHER WORDS THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND CAN BE TRAINED TO CONVERT ALL NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES INTO AN INSPIRATIONAL URGE TO GREATER EFFORT. NOW, THAT IS THE POINT, I WISH TO EMPHASIZE.

                         HILL :  APPARENTLY THEREIS NO ESCAPE FROM THE LAW WHICH FASTENS HABITS UPON ONE. IF I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY, MR. CARNEGIE, FAILURE CAN BECOME A HABIT.

                         CARNEGIE : NOT ONLY CAN FAILURE BECOME A HABIT, BUT THE SAME THING APPLIES TO POVERTY, AND WORRY, AND PESSIMISM OF EVERY NATURE. ANY STATE OF MIND, WHETHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, BECOMES A HABIT THE MOMENT IT BEGINES TO DOMINATE THE MIND.

                         HILL : I NEVER THOUGHT OF POVERTY AS BEING A HABIT.

                         CARNEGIE : THEN, YOU MUST THINK AGAIN, BECAUSE IT IS A  HABIT! WHEN ANYONE ACCEPT THE CONDITION OF POVERTY THIS STATE OF MIND BECOMES A HABIT, AND POOR HE IS AND SO REMAINS.

                           

                        HILL : WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY "ACCEPTING POVERTY"? HOW DOES ONE SIGNIFY HIS ACCEPTANCE OF SO UNDESIRABLE A CONDITION AS POVERTY, IS A COUNTRY LIKE OURS, WHERE THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF RICHES OF EVERY NATURE?

                     CARNEGIE : A MAN ACCEPTS POVERTY BY NEGLECTING TO CREATE A PLAN TO ACQUIRE RICHES. HIS ACT MAY BE, AS IT USUALLY IS, ENTIRELY NEGATIVE, CONSISTING OF NOTHING BUT THE LACK OF A DEFINITE PURPOSE. HE MAY NOT BE CONSCIOUS OF HIS ACCEPTANCE, BUT THE RESULT IS THE SAME. THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND ACTS ON ONE'S DOMINATING, MENTAL ATTITUDE,.

                  

                                                                           ❤❤❤❤❤

MY LITTLE MORE INCOME

                                                             MY HOBBY

                   ALTHOUGH I WAS EARNING A LITTLE MORE INCOME FROM MY NEW "HOBBY", I REALIZED THAT I'D HAVE START-UP EXPENSES IN LAUCHING MY NEW ENTERPRISE. FORTUNATELY, DOLORES AND I HAD SAVED SOME MONEY OVER THE YEARS. TO SUPPLEMENT MY INCOME, I BEGAN TO SELL A LINE OF MERCHANDISE WITH MY UNIQUE "ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING" LOGO. BUT THERE WAS NO WAY TO AVOID IT - I'D HAVE TO TAKE A HUGE FINANCIAL STEP BACKWARD TO START MY NEW BUSINESS... AT LEAST IN THE BEGINNING.

                    AND YET, IT WAS TIME TO MOVE ON. I FELT AS IF I WAS BEING PULLED OUT OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION AND INTO MY NEW CAREER. WHENEVER I SPOKE TO AN AUDIENCE OR WROTE A MOTIVATIONAL ESSAY, I WAS SO INVIGORATED AND FULL OF LIFE. I KNEW THAT'S WHERE I BELONGED.

                   SO, I MADE A GRADUAL TRANSITION - WORKING FOUR DAYS A WEEK AS A LAWYER, THEN THREE DAYS A WEEK... AND THEN TWO DAYS A WEEK.. UNTIL IN 1992, I BEGAN WORKING FULL TIMES AS A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER AND WRITER.

                  TRUST ME, MY MOTHER WASN'T THRILLED WHEN I TOLD HER THAT I WAS GIVING UP THE PRACTICE OF LAW OF SPEAK ABOUT ATTITUDE. AFTER ALL, IT DOESN'T CARRY THE PRESTIGE OF SAYING "MY SON IS A LAWYER"!

                  BUT THESE ARE ISSUES YOU HAVE TO EAL WITH WHEN YOU TAKE A STAND IN LIFE. YOU HAVE TO FACE THE FACT THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL DISAPPROVE OF YOUR DECISION. I ALSO LEARNED THAT YOU OFTEN HAVE TO LET GO OF SOME THINGS IN YOUR LIFE AND TAKE A FEW STEPS BACKWARD BEFORE YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD IN A NEW DIRECTION. PART OF THE PRICE I HAD TO PAY WAS GIVING UP THE MONEY, PRESTIGE AND SECURITY OF MY LEGAL CAREER.

                  BY THE WAY, AS IT TURNED OUT, MY MOTHER BECAME VERY SUPPORTIVE OF MY NEW CAREER, ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE SAW THAT I WAS MAKING PROGRESS - AND THAT I REALLY ENJOYED MY WORK. 

                 WHY AM I TELLING YOU ALL THIS ABOUT YOU CAREER TRASITION? IT'S NOT TO IMPRESS YOU WITH WHAT I'VE DONE. BELIEVE ME. I'VE MADE PLENTY OF BLUNDERS AND MISTAKES ALONG THE WAY.

                 I'M SHARING MY STORY BECAUSE I WAS YOU TO KNOW HOW DRASTICALLY MY LIFE CHANGED- AND HOW MUCH BETTER IT GOT- WHEN I MADE A CHANGE IN MY ATTITUDE.

                PROOF POSITIVE  THAT, INDEED, ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!

                                                                              ❤

                                        HOW YOU GET BENEFIT TO READING THIS

                     SOME FINAL THOUGHTS BEFORE WE LAUNCH RIGHT INTO THIS MATERIALS.  THIS CAPTURE CAN HELP YOU, NO MATTER HOW POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW.

                     IF YOU'RE NEGATIVE, DON'T DESPAIR. YOU CAN USE THESE CONCEPTS TO DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE... AND TO ACHIEVE INCREDIBLE BREAKTHROUGHS IN YOUR LIFE.

                    IF YOU'RE ALREADY A POSITIVE PERSON, YOU CAN SEE THESE PRINCIPLES TO SOAR TO EVEN GREATER HEIGHTS OF SUCCESS AND FULFILLMENT.

                   I'VE SPENT MORE THAN 20 YEARS RESEARCHING WHY IT IS THAT SOME PEOPLE SUCCEED RESULTS. DURING THAT TIME, I'VE READ A FEW HUNDRED BOOKSAND THOUSANDS OF MAGAZINE ARTICLES ON ATTITUDE AND SUCCESS. I'VE LISTENED TO MORE THAN 3000 HOURS OF AUDIO PROGRAMS. IN ADDITION, I'VE INTERVIEWED COUNTLESS HIGH ACHIEVERS TO LEARN THEIR "SUCCESS SECRETS."

                       MORE IMPORTANTLY, I HAVE PERSONALLY APPLIED EACH AND EVERY SUCCESS STRATEGY THAT IS DESCRIBED IN THIS CHAPTER. SO, I KNOW FROM FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE THAT THESE IDEAS WORK - AND THAT THEY HAVE THE POWER TO LITERALLY TRASFORM YOUR LIFE!

                  PLEASE DON'T MISUNDERSTAND ME. I DON'T CLAIM TO BE A KNOW IT - ALL ON THESE SUBJECTS. FAR FROM IT. I CONSIDER MYSELF A WORK IN PROGRESS AND I CONTINUE TO LEARN EVERY DAY.

                HOWEVER, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE, BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND OF ATTITUDE. I HAD FOR THE FIRST 30YEARS OF MY LIFE. I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO DOUBT YOURSELF AND YOUR ABILITIES, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I DID FOR 30 YEARS. ALL OF THE POSITIVE CHANGES THAT I'VE MADE IN MY LIFE ARE THE RESULTS OF PRACTICING THE PRINCIPLES YOU'LL READ ABOUT IN THIS BOOK.

                                                           ONE SIMPLE STORY

                                                                              ❤

                     I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THE STORY OF BENJAMIN ROLL, WHO LIVES IN NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA. IN 1990 AT THE AGE OF 67, ROLL GRADUATED FROM LAW SCHOOL. NATURALLY, BEFORE HE COULD START PRACTICING LAW, HE HAD TO PASS THE CALOFORNIA BAR EXAMINATION.

                  ON HIS FIRST ATTEMPT AT THE EXAMINATION, HE FAILED, ON HIS SECOND ATTEMPT, HE FAILED. AND HE FAILED THE THIRD TIME... THE FOURTH TIME .... THE FIFTH TIME... THE SIXTH TIME... THE 10TH TIME.. THE 11TH TIME... THE 12TH TIME... AND THE 13TH TIME

                LET ME ADD ONE IMPORTANT FACT, THE BAR EXAMINATION IS GIVEN ONLY TWICE EACH YEARS OLD. MOST PEOPLE WOULD HAVE QUIT, BUT NOT BENJAMIN ROLL!

             HE TOOK THE EXAM FOR THE 14TH TIME... AND HE PASSED ! 1997, AT THE AGE OF 74, ROLL WAS ADMITTED TO PRACTICE LAW IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. NOW, HERE'S A GUY WHO'S COMMITTED... AND WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES. AS ROLL EXPLAINED, I WAS GOING TO PASS THAT COTTON-PICKIN EXAM IF LIVED LONG ENOUGH. AND I DID!

             DOES THIS STORY TELL YOU ANYTHING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTITUDE? MOST PEOPLE WOULDN'T EVEN CONSIDER STARTING LAW SCHOOL IN THEIR 60S. YET, HERE'S SOMEONE WHO NOT ONLY ENROLLED IN LAW SCHOOL, BUT WAS WILLING TO SPEND SIX YEARS AFTER GRADUATION STUDYING TO PASS THE BAR EXAM.

            WOW! BENJAMIN ROLL'S STORY IS SIMPLY FURTHER PROOF THAT ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!

                                                                     👀👀👀👀👀

 

SONGS, RAIN, AND WITH POSITIVE PEOPLES

                                                     SILLY SONGS FOR U

 

              I'M SURE IT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU MANY TIMES. YOU HEAR A SONG ON THE RADIO, AND YOU SAY TO YOURSELF, WHAT A RIDICULOUS SONG, LATER THAT DAY, YOU HEAR THE SAME SONG AGAIN. THE FOLLOWING DAY, YOU HEAR THAT DAY, YOU HEAR THE SAME SONG AGAIN. THE FOLLOWING DAY, YOU HEAR THAT SONG A FEW MORE TIMES. AS THE SONG CLIMBS THE CHARTS, YOU CAN'T GET AWAY IT. YOU HEAR IT SEVERAL TIMES EACH DAY FOR A DAY.

               THEN SOMETHING INCREDIBLE HAPPINES. YOU'RE SITTING AT HOME AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU START TO HUM OR SING THAT SILLY SONG! IF , AT THAT VERY MOMENT, I WERE TO ASK YOU WHAT YOU THINK OF THE SONG, YOU'D TELL ME, IT'S HORRIBLE, THEN WHY ON EARTH ARE YOU SINGING IT? THE REALITY IS , WHATEVER YOU HEAR OVER AND OVER WILL BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS.

                AS YOU ALSO KNOW, ONCE THAT SONG BECOMES LESS POPULAR ... AND ISN'T PLAYED AS FREQUENTLY ON THE RATIO.. YOU'LL TEND TO THINK ABOUT IT (AND SING IT TO YOURSELF) MUCH LESS OFTEN. THERE'S AN IMPORTANT LESSON HERE. THE MIND TENDS TO DWELL UPON WHATEVER IS REPEATED OVER AND OVER UNFORTUNATELY, THE MIND DOESN'T DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN MESSAGES THAT ARE GOOD FOR US AND THOSE THAT ARE HARMFUL. IF WE HEAR SOMETHING OFTEN ENOUGH, WE WILL TEND TO BELIEVE IT ... AND ACT UPON IT. JUST AS A SONG REPEATED MANY TIMES WILL GET US THINKING ABOUT THE SONG, SO TOO WILL REPEATED THOUGHTS ABOUT SUCCESS GET US THINKING ABOUT SUCCESS!

                     SO IF WE'LL MAKE SURE TO FILL OUR MIND WITH POSITIVE MESSAGES, WE'RE GOING TO BE MORE POSITIVE AND MOVE FORWARD BOLDLY TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS. THE MORE POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT THE BETTER. AND WHERE CAN WE GET THIS POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT? WELL, ONE WAY IS TO READ MOTIVATIONAL BOOKS. CONGRATULATIONS... BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING THAT RIGHT NOW! IN ADDITION, WE CAN LISTEN TO MOTIVATIONAL AUDIO PROGRAMS - AND SPEND LOTS OF TIME WITH POSITIVE PEOPLE.

                                                  SMOKEY'S SPONGE THEORY

                            I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT ATTITUDE AND THE IMPORTANT OF SURROUNDING MYSELF WITH POSITIVE PEOPLE FROM MY FRIEND GLEN SMOKEY STOVER. SMOKEY WORKED IN SALES FOR 45 YEARS IN THE CEMETERY AND FUNERAL HOME INDUSTRY. WHILE THIS MAY SOUND LIKE A GLOOMY FIELD, LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT SMOKEY IS A POSITIVE DYNAMO! EVERY TIME I GET OFF THE PHONE WITH SMOKEY, I FEEL TERRIFIC.

                           SMOKEY EXPLAINED TO ME THAT HUMAN BEINGS ARE LIKE SPONGES, WE SOAK UP, WHATEVER PEOPLE AROUND US ARE SAYING. SO, IF WE SPEND TIME WITH SOMEONE WHO'S NEGATIVE, WE SPONGE UP THE NEGATIVES AND IT AFFECTS OUR ATTITUDE. OF COURSE, THE REVERSE IS ALSO TRUE. WHEN WE HAND AROUND POSITIVE PEOPLE WE SOAK UP THE POSITIVE, WE FEET BETTER... AND PERFORM BETTER.

                          I ONCE ASKED SMOKEY, WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU'RE SPEAKING WITH A NEGATIVE PERSON?

                    HE SAID, I GET AWAY FROM THAT PERSON AS SOON AS I CAN. I'LL SAY SOMETHING LIKE, GOSH, ITS BEEN GOOD TO SEE YOU, CHARLIE, AND I MOVE ON TO ANOTH PERSON.

                   THEN I ASKED SMOKEY, DID YOU EVER HAVE A FRIEND WHO WAS NEGATIVE?

                    NOT FOR VERY LONG, HE SAID.

                    WELL PUT, SMOKEY!    

                                             DONT LET IT RAIN ON YOUR PARADE

                  ANOTHER FAVORITE COMPLAINT AREA IS THE WEATHER. IT STARTS TO RAIN AND PEOPLE SAY, WHAT A LOUSY MISERABLE DAY, WHY DOES SOME MOISTURE FROM THE HEAVENS MAKE IT A LOUSY DAY? WHEN SOMEONE MAKES THAT REMARK TO ME, I RESPOND, IT'S WET OUT - BUT IT'S GREAT DAY! BY ASSOCIATING RAIN WITH LOUSY DAY, YOU'RE PROGRAMMING YOURSELF IN A NEGATIVE WAY. FURTHERMORE, YOUR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE WEATHER WON'T CHANGE THE CONDITIONS, IT SIMPLY MAKES NO SENSE TO GET UPSET ABOUT THINGS OVE WHICH YOU HAVE NO CONTROL - AND WHICH HAVE NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE.

                 FINALLY, THERE ARE THE PETTY COMPLAINTS, SUCH AS THE WAITER DIDN'T COME OVER TO TAKE MY ORDER FOR FIVE MINUTES OR JOHN GOT AN OFFICE WITH A LARGER WINDOW THAN I HAVE, LIFE PRESENTS TOO MANY DIFFICULT CHALLENGES FOR US TO GET BOGGED DOWN WITH SILLY THINGS LIKE THAT. AND WHEN YOU GRIPE ABOUT INSIGNIFANT THINGS, YOU'RE ALSO SAYING SOMETHIG ABOUT YOURSELF. IF I'M YOUR EMPLOYER OR A MEMBER OF YOUR TEAM, I'M WONDERING HOW YOU'LL REACT WHEN WE REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WORTH WORRYING ABOUT!

       

                                                                    👀👀👀👀👀

                                              

  

AM I SPECIALIST

                                               SPECIALIST IN MY WAY

                     WITH THE NUMBER OF OPTIONS AND CHOICES AVAILABLE TODAY, IT IS MORE DIFFICULT THAN EVER BEFORE TO  UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WANT AND WHAT OU WOULD BE GOOD AT. WE ALL GO THROUGH A LEARING CURVE, EXPERIMENT INITIALLY EITHER KNOWINGLY OR UNKNOWINGLY, AND SOMEHWHERE ALONG THE LINE, WE REALISE (OR SOMEONE TELLS US) THAT WE ARE AMAZINGLY GOOD AT SOMETHING. BINGO! WE BECOME SPECIALISTS.

                    NO, IT DOES NOT HAPPEN THAT WAY. I WAS JUST KIDDING. WE ALL EVOLVE - WE HAVE SOME UNIQUE ARRIBUTES FROM AN EARLY AGE BUT THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY DECIDE OUR PROFESSIONAL SPECIALISATION OR LIFE - LONG JOURNEY. WE HAVE TO OPEN - MINDED AND PRESENT TO WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND US.

                WE HAVE TO NURTURE OUR INTEREST IN WHAT APPEALS TO US BY OBSERVING, READING, DISCUSSING WITH EXPERTS, ASSOCIATING WITH SPECIALISTS, EXPERIMENTING, PRACTISING, FAILING, AND EVOLVING. IF YOU DO NOT NURTURE YOUR INTEREST IN SOMETHING SPECIFIC, YOU WILL NEVER ENHANCE YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NOR ACQUIRED REQUIRED EXPERTISE FOR YOU TO BE CONSIDERED AS A SPECIALIST IN THAT FIELD.

                 NOW, DON'T THINK THAT I AM JUST HYPING THINGS UP HERE. A SPECIALIST DOES NOT MEAN A FANCY ACADEMIC, SPORTS CHAMPION, CELEBRITY, POLITICIAN, OR A MASTER CHEF. EVEN NORMAL WORKING PROFESSIONALS CAN BECOME SPECIALISTS IN THEIR FIELD - FOR EXAMPLE, ACCOUNTANTS, STOREKEEPERS, PRODUCTION IN - CHARGE, TEACHERS, NURSES, HAIRDRESSERS, FASHION DESIGNERS, TAILORS, PLUMBERS, CARPENTERS, TECHNICAL SALES CONSULTANTS, TRAINERS, PATHOLOGISTS, ETC. THE LIST IS ENDLESS.

                  DO YOU REALISE THAT ALL THESE PROFESSIONS ARE NOTHING BUT SPECIALISATIONS? THERE ARE UNIQUE GOD-GIFTED TALENTS SOME POSSESS LIKE AN AMAZING SINGING VOICE, MODEL-LIKE LOOKS, ETC. AT ONE POINT OF TIME, THERE WERE CONSIDERED RARE AND THAT NOT EVERYBODY COULD SUCCEED WITHOUT THEM EVEN IF THEY HAD THE WILL AND INCLINATION.

               THI I NOT TRUE ANYMORE. IF YOU HAVE A BURNING DESIRE AND ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT IT, YOU CAN BECOME A POPULAR SINGER OR CELEBRITY EVEN IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT GOD-GIFTED VOICE OR LOOKS - WE HAVE A NUMBER OF EXAMPLE FROM BOLLYWOOOD AND HOLLYWOOD, DON'T WE ?

                HENCE, THE POINT IS - IDENTIFY THE ONE INTEREST OF YOURS THAT IS VERY CLOSE TO YOUR HEART, AND APPLY ALL THE POSSIBLE TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR LEARNING AND ENHANCING YOUR SKILLS IN IT. DO WHATEVER IT TAKES, BE IT BOOKS, CONFERENCES, TRAINING,  SUBSCRIBING TO PERIODICALS, WATCHING VIDEOS, FINDING OPPORTUNITIES TO ASSOCIATE WITH EXPERTS, READING AUTOBIOGRAPHIES OF CHAMPIONS IN THE FIELD, ETC. IF YOU REMAIN PERSISTANT AND CONSISTENT IN YOUR EFFORTS, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY REACH YOUR DESTINATION, AND YOU WILL FEEL THE BLISS OF LIFE WITHOUT HAVING TO BECOME A YOGI!

                ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU DO NOT DO THIS AND INSTEAD, GO WITH THE FLOW, KEEP CHANGING YOUR WORK,  MOULD YOURSELF TO DO WHATEVER COMES YOUR WAY - YOU WILL BECOME A FOLLOWER RATHER THAN LEADING YOUR OWN LIFE. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG IN THAT EITHER, IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT.

                   HOWEVER, SOONER OR LATER, YOUR INNER SELF WILL START CALLING OUT TO YOU, AND YOU WILL WONDER WHAT THE HECK YOU WERE DOING ALL ALONG, WHY YOU WERE DOING IT, AND WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WANT. YOU MAY WORRY ABOUT MISSING SOMETHING IMPORTANT IN LIFE. START DWELLING IN YOUR REGRETS, GO INTO DEPRESSION, AND SO ON. ALL THIS IS NOT CAUSED BY EXTERNAL SITUATIONS OR OTHER PEOPLE, IT IS OF YOUR OWN MAKING, SO, TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE TODAY.

                  LIFE HAS SO MUCH TO EFFORT AND LEARN FROM. IT IS ONLY IF YOU KEEP AN OPEN MIND, BE WILLING TO FAIL, BE WILLING TO LOOK STUPID, AND BE WILLING TO DARE THAT YOU WILL DISCOVER ITS TRUE BEAUTY AND REALISE THE COMPLETE PICTURE OF WHAT LIFE HAS TO OFFER YOU.

                 I WANTED TO PLAY THE GUITAR SINCE I WAS A CHILD - I DELAYED IT BY FORTY YEARS. I WANTED TO SWIM SINCE I WAS TEN YEARS OLD - I ACTUALLY STARTED SWIMMING AFTER THE AGE OF THIRTY-FIVE. I WANTED TO COOKE WHEN I WAS IN TENTH STANDARD- I STARTED COOKING WHEN I WAS FORTY - NINE.

                 INFACT, I JOKINGLY TELL MY WIFE THAT I HAD TO CHANGE MY JOB AND LOCATION FOR ME TO FINALLY EXPLORE COOKING! MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANTED TO WRITE A BOOK TEN YEARS AGO. I AM FINALLY WRITING IT NOW. BELIEVE ME - IT IS AN INCREDIBLY SATISFYING FEELING.

                AS I WRITE,  I AM NOT SURE HOW MUCH WILL BENEFIT THE READERS BUT READING MY OWN WORDS HAS BENEFITED ME. I HOPE THAT ONCE IT TAKES ITS FINAL SHAPE, IT WILL  HELP READERS TOO. EVEN IF ONE READER BENEFITS FROM READING THIS BOOK, EVERY MINUTES INVESTED IN WRITING THIS BOOK AND ALL THE EFFORTS THAT WENT BEHIND PUBLISHING THE BOOK WILL BE COMPLETELY WORTH IT. 

                        WE ALL DEVELOP OUR OWN CONFORT ZONE, AND WITHOUT KNOWING, WE CREATE BOUNDARIES AND LIMITS FOR OURSELVES. SO MUCH SO THAT WE MUSS OUT ON MANY  THINGS THAT COULD HAVE CHANGED OUR PERSPECTIVE FOREVER. CERTAIN THINGS CAN BE APPRECIATED ONLY AFTER WE DO IT OURSELVES. UNTIL THEN, IT IS ONLY THEORY.

                     YOU MUST HAVE TAKEN SMALLER AMUSEMENT RIDES OR VENTURED INTO OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES LIKE RAPPELING, SCUBA, PARAGLIDING, ETC. AT SOME POINT IN YOUR LIFE. DO YOU REMEMBER HOW DIFFICULT IT SEEMED BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY DID IT? BUT, ONCE YOU DID IT, YOU STARTED ENJOYING IT AND THEN BECAME AN EXPERT ON IT TO OTHERS WHO WERE STILL NOT READ FOR IT.

                     SIMILARLY, IN LIFE, WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN COMFORT ZONES, AND WE WOULD NORMALLY LIKE TO REMAIN WITHIN OUR DEFINED BOUNDARIES. I INVITE YOU TO BREAK YOURSELF FREE OF THESE SELF-IMPOSED BOUNDARIES YOUR FEAR. BY OVERCOMING FEAR, YOU ARE DESTROYING THAT TOXIC ELEMENT ANXIETY PIECE BY PIECE ADN FREEING YOURSELF PERMANENTLY.

              PLAN THE FUTURE AND LEARN FROM THE PAST BUT NOT AT THE COST OF TODAY. I LIVED THE FIRST FORTY YEARS OF MY LIFE PLANNING TO LIVE A BETTER LIFE AFTER I TURN FORTY, ASSUMING THAT BY THEN, I WOULD HAVE PLENTY OF MONEY, BE FREE FROM WORK, AND BE ABLE TO DO WHATEVER I WANT! I AM AWARE THERE ARE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE LIKE THAT - BREAK YOURSELF AWAY FROM THAT THINKING TODAY.

                PLAY A LITTLE MORE, LAUGH A LITTLE MORE, HELP SOMEONE A LITTLE MORE, CARE A LITTLE MORE, FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF A LITTLE MORE, APPRECIATE PEOPLE AROUND YOU A LITTLE MORE AND BE A LITLTLE LESS JUDNEMENTAL OF OTHERS - AND DO THIS EVERY DAY.

                THERE WILL BE TOUGH DAYS, YOU MAY NOT BE IN GREAT HEALTH, YOU MAY NOT BE IN THE BEST OF YOUR MOODS, YOU MAY HAVE HAD A SETBACK, SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY MIGHT BE SICK, BUT DO NOT FORGET THAT THIS TOO SHALL PASS. NOTHING IS PERMANENT- EMBED THIS CLEARLY IN YOUR MIND.

                   CARRY POSITIVE INTERNAL DIALOGUE ALL THE TIME - I AM BLESSED BY GOD, I AM HERE FOR A PURPOSE, I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED, AND I AM WINNER, THIS INTERNAL DIALOGUE WILL DEFINITELY REFLECT IN YOUR EXTERNAL BEHAVIOUR. YOU WILL BE MORE CONFIDENT AND CLEAR IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS, AND YOU WILL BE SUPPORTED BY UNIVERSAL POWERS.

                    THANK GOD EVERY DAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE. REMEMBER THAT GOD IS WITH YOU ALL THE TIME WHETHER YOU ARE AWARE OF IT OR NOT LIKE YOUR SHADOW THAT IS WITH YOU ALL THE TIME. YOU ARE CONSTANTLY GUIDED BY HIS FORCE. WHILE EXPECTING MORE EACH DAY. DO NOT FORGET TO THANK GOD FOR WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE.

                                                                      ❤❤❤❤❤