Give With Your Heart!

If you had to measure your giving last week what would be the total? I don't mean financial giving but the total areas of your life where you could stretch and give things like your time, talent, self, ideas, help, guidance, friendship, and love. For some it's high, for others it's low and for the rest it may be barely in the middle.

In a society of ME we often forget about others and too many times we equate giving with dollars. Last week, a friend's aunt passed away and I said, "if there's anything I can do please let me know" a simple phrase that we say often but do we really mean it? The friend called later in the week to ask if I could provide a ride to the airport. I cringed. It was raining horribly and I didn't want too. Remember, I did say, let me know if there is anything I can do. (I wonder if God cringes when we ask for help?)

While in the middle of my dilemma, a colleague called for some assistance on a project (giving my talent). I mentioned a friend had a family death and needed a ride to the airport. I don't want to go, even though I did offer my help. My colleague replied, "the worst thing you can do is offering to help someone if it's not going to build your business." I was stunned especially after I'd spent countless hours assisting this colleague with a project that would not benefit me at all. I thought wow how selfish and my heart was convicted. I immediately got in my car to take my friend to the airport and I was glad to be in a position to do it. I prayed for the family and safe travels.

When we give of our time, talent, self, money, ideas, help, guidance, friendship, and love;

WE receive abundantly! When we give with our head it's easy not to give at all because we can think our way out of giving. That's what we do when we haphazardly offer to do things but we really don't mean it or even if we do mean it at the time we don't really expect people to take us up on it. When they do take us up on it we try to think (head) our way out of it.

When we give with our hands it's easy to take it back. We cancel commitments all the time; we take back that in which we've given way more than we should consciously and unconsciously. We take (hand) back our love, we take (hand) back our friendship, and we take (hand) back our assistance. We control our giving by taking it back and the moment we do we block our blessing and the ability to be a blessing to someone else.

Giving with our head and hand will keep us on the low-end of the giving spectrum. But when we give with our heart amazing things happen. When we give with our heart we give genuinely and not out of obligation. When we give with our heart we give in agape love which is selfless, sacrificial and unconditional and when we give with our heart it allows us to give more time, talent, self, money, ideas, help, guidance, friendship, and love. Let's be genuine, faithful, agape heart-givers this week and increase our giving and watch how we are abundantly blessed in our own areas of need while we bless others.

Dr. Taunya A. Lowe is the CEO of The Resurgent Group of Metro Atlanta, LLC and The Impact Experience, LLC, a human services and leadership development consulting firm located outside Atlanta, GA. Dr. Lowe is a speaker, trainer, coach, with the John Maxwell Team, a professor and entrepreneur. She is a skilled change agent with a focus on developing people and organizations. She enjoys combining her photography and writing to motivate, inspire and lead people toward growth and change.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7512783

Secrets to Being Rich - It's Not All About Money

Though there is no real secret to being rich. The fact that many people do not understand what it takes makes it seem hidden. People really believe that only a few people in the world know what it takes to be rich. Therefore, if this is true, what do those few people know about being rich?

The first thing that rich people know about being rich is that it is not all about the money. They understand that being rich is not about making and saving as much possible. They are aware that accumulating wealth consists of more than just working hard.

The next thing that rich people know about being rich is that they must first be happy with who they are. They do not base their happiness on how much money they have. Instead, they decide to be happy and the money they need follows.

Another thing that people who are rich understand is that they must be happy with what they do for a living. Yes, they could make a lot of money doing something they would rather not do. However, their money would not last long for they may spend it all in sorrow. Therefore, they work in a place where they can be happy. This way they are happy before they ever receive a paycheck.

Being rich has a lot to do with a person's education. People who are rich understand a good amount about how the world works. They understand a good deal about the importance of learning and continuing to build their knowledge as life goes on. With that, they also have a good knowledge of the importance of knowing how to manage their money.

A very important thing the rich people understand is that their health plays a role in their wealth. Therefore, they do their best to keep themselves in shape. This keeps them from having to spend money on doctor bills or medicines. This also keeps them from having to miss days at work or time away from doing the things they enjoy.

As you can see, people who are rich understand that in order to be rich outwardly, they must first be rich inwardly. Therefore, let us all be happy with ourselves and what we do for a living. Let us continue to grow in what we know and stay healthy as we stay happy. In turn, may the things we need continually follow as we become rich on the inside and outside.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7516800

How to Put the Law of Attraction in Action: Three Steps Towards the Abundance Mindset

How Does the Law of Attraction in Action Become Law of Creation?

Who isn't intrigued with the law of attraction in action? There are so many miracle stories behind this concept, and who among us doesn't want to be the next miracle story?

But there's something else... something most of us are missing. It has to do with the three phases of transition from law of attraction in action to law of creation, so I'd like to pass it along to you...
In theory, the law of attraction works. However, there are stipulations that must be met, as it's really not all that simple. For example, consider going out to your garden and looking at it and saying over and over to yourself, "there's no weeds, there's no weeds, there's no weeds, there's no weeds"... will the weeds disappear? NO!

Sorry to disappoint you, but the law of attraction, although perfect, is not magic. There's actually a process that you have to go through before you are able to "manifest at will".
In actuality, what might happen is more like this: Each time you go out to see your garden, you become more and more appalled at the looks of all those ugly weeks. What you just walked by and didn't seem to notice yesterday is suddenly eating away at you under your skin...

... Until eventually, you find yourself out there wanting to pull those ugly suckers!
This is just a small analogy of how the law of attraction can become the "law of attraction in action", which, without a doubt, always becomes the law of creation.

"We are all self-made, but only the successful will admit it."
-Earl Nightingale: American motivational speaker and author
And as Edgar Allan Poe once said, "the ancestor to every action is a thought."
The more we think, the more we want to act, and it's that action step that brings us to the law of creation.

Step 1: Ask - Just as they say in "The Secret", your first step is to ask.
Now, the reason for this is that you must get clear in your mind of what you want. On the surface, it seems like we all know what we want; but in reality, most of us do not.
Using any means at all to "get what you want" will never work if you don't know what you want! And, most of us throughout our lives have become satisfied with mediocrity, and therefore we convince our subconscious that mediocrity is good enough.

But what do you do if you just don't know what you want to put the law of attraction in action?
Easy. Just think about what you don't want. Everyone knows that. Whatever it is that you don't want, consider the opposite. Try to practice thinking "what if", and ending in your desired outcome...
... Example: "What if I practiced so much on writing that I became successful in writing to the extent where I could actually make money writing online?"... And,"what if I started writing E-books and graduated to becoming a successful author?"

And this leads us to step 2 - As yourself positive questions.
Once you're clear in your mind of what you want, you must focus on that outcome and ask yourself positive questions. We all are constantly asking ourselves questions anyway. Why not be positive?
Your questions, and the way you answer them, will shape your life, so you must become aware of what you're thinking. When you say to yourself, "why do I always screw this up?", your brain will answer, "because you're a loser". Negative questions breed negative answers, and this creates a non-productive lifestyle.

In the "weeds scenario" mentioned above, you might say to yourself, "what would my garden look like with all those weeds gone?" Concentrate on the uplifted emotion and energy you feel when you imagine this new positive change in your life. That positive emotion is the energy that will fuel you to put the law of attraction in action!

Your thoughts generate your feelings, and your feelings generate emotion, which generates energy...
... And that energy can be used to your benefit to put that law of attraction in action!
Now that you know that you can create your life with your thoughts, everything is going your way and life is beautiful... UNTIL something happens that hits you in the gut and pulls the wind out your sails.
When this happens, at first it is difficult to put the law of attraction in action...
And many never do. Many people throw in the towel at this point and declare, "this is a load of crap... this stuff DOES NOT work!" Of course, you know how they wind up. Did you ever see someone who is complaining about his life appear happy about anything?
I've recently heard an interesting statement about money. "Money is no more than a means to show appreciation." And your first bluff on this is, "huh? You mean I can't buy stuff and be happy with my life with this money?" When you think about it, "buying stuff" comes from a scarcity mindset.
You must begin thinking in terms of "more an enough" because the world is always giving, and this breeds your abundance mindset.

And this brings us to step 3: Surrender...
Have faith and follow your instincts to put the law of attraction in action

Face it, bad stuff happens to all of us. And again, concentrate on the way you communicate to yourself in these times. Thoughts like "why me, Lord?" will bring on more bad stuff! STOP-STOP-STOP!!
You must begin to think to yourself, "What message can I get from this? What is the universe trying to tell me?" It's the bad stuff that happens to us that is the most profound message to change our direction.
Listen to your inner self, follow your instincts and concentrate on what is happening that's good. More will come. I promise.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7535309

HAPPINESS

Three weeks after our wedding, we moved to Europe.
We had not completed our college educations,
We didn't speak the language,
We didn't know the customs,
We didn't understand much about life on any continent.

Between us we earned less than $150 a month.
Our rent was $100.
We were a couple of kids
Embarking on a new adventure.
We struggled.
We were happy.

Many years later some things are different.
We completed our college educations,
We learned the foreign language,
We grew up.
We know a bit more about life.
Together we earn more than we need each month.

But some things are the same.
We still struggle.
We are still happy.

It wasn't lack of wealth
That made us happy before.
It isn't possession of material things
That makes us happy now.

It's the intangible part of life
That we embrace:
Best friends
Building a life together,
Fellow strugglers
Supporting one another,
Mutual achievers
Caring what happens to each other,
Pals
Playing together,
Lovers
Being together.

We are different sides
Of the same coin.

That's happiness.

Carole Bos

FIVE WAYS TO STOP SABOTAGING YOURSELF

It seems so many people are feeling dissatisfied in their lives. We hear it daily on the many newscasts about individuals making so many negative choices: from dishonesty, to addictions, to murders, to suicides etc. More so, we hear it closer to home, such as in our neighborhoods, workplaces and in our social situations. And, many of you reading this are struggling with general dissatisfaction and discouragement.

When we feel this way we tend to make decisions that hurt us in one way or another. What can we do to feel more satisfied and in control of our lives? Well, for starters, since we can not control all the external events that occur, let’s start with an aspect we can do something about: ourselves! This is one area you DO have the power to effect positive change!

First and foremost I encourage you to become aware of what you are telling yourself…your internal dialogue. Whether you are conscious of it or not, you are chattering to yourself all the time. Unfortunately, most people don’t take the time to notice the quality of their internal chattering. Pay attention. Stop and take a moment every hour and check in with your internal dialogue. Notice if it is critical or nurturing. If you are being hard on yourself, correct your dialogue. The more patient, kind and encouraging you can be with yourself; the better you will feel and behave. Your internal messages are central to your ability to live a more full and productive life.

Secondly, it is essential to identify your values and goals. How can you attain the life you want if you are not clear about what is most important to you? Just going through the motions of daily life is living passively. As I state in my book, “one is often so busy doing life that it is easy to avoid evaluating whether you are putting your energy in the directions you value most.” Taking time to gain clarity about what is important to you is essential. As you are more aware of what you value, then you create goals that will adhere to and reinforce those values. Goal setting is a way of assuring that you are progressing in a manner that aligns with your values

Thirdly, pay attention to your behaviors. We have all heard the saying “actions speak louder than words.” Well, what are your actions saying about you? Do you like what your behaviors are saying? Are your actions in harmony with your values? It is great to know what you value. However, a key element to stop self-sabotaging is to behave in ways that emerge from your values. If you don’t take responsibility for how you are living your life it will be hard to feel satisfied. You may on occasion (or by accident) feel happy, however, it will usually be short lived. The best way to insure you achieve the greatest satisfaction out of life is to behave intentionally. Many clients tell me they put their head in the sand to avoid dealing with reality. Take your head out of the sand and live on purpose!

Fourthly, be more selective in your relationships. Our friendships mirror us. They are reflections of who we are at some level. It is imperative that you take responsibility in all your relationship choices. Are your friendships in alignment with your values? Are they helping or hindering you in achieving your goals? The people you choose to spend close personal time with need to be people that encourage you more than discourage you. I often hear people say “well, you can’t pick your family,” which is true, however, that doesn’t mean you have to tolerate hurtful or inappropriate behaviors. Even with family you have to learn to set limits and boundaries. You can control how much time you spend with them and what activities you are comfortable participating in with them.

The crux of how you can stop sabotaging yourself is to start living intentionally and on purpose. Stop just reacting to life and start paying attention. That is the essence of being the active director of your life – paying attention. If you begin by consciously focusing on these four areas you will start to feel more satisfied. All of these areas are always your responsibility no matter what the circumstances are in your life. Life ebbs and flows, sometimes in more pleasant ways than other times. No matter what is occurring you always have a choice of how to respond. Choose to live each day knowing that you and your life are your responsibility and that you deserve to live as full and complete as possible.

Written by: Deborah Day, M.A., Author of “Be Happy Now! Become the Active Director of Your Life.

How To Improve Motivation: Try These Self-Motivation Strategies

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, nothing seems to work. It might be because you are going through a bad patch and feel you are not making any progress. You are tired of trying and getting nowhere. When this happens, it is easy to become dispirited. These can be critical times and may spell the difference between continuing to work towards you goals and giving up on your dreams. You need to find ways to improve motivation to protect yourself from these threats to your success development.
Some steps you can take to increase motivation:

1. Go back to the beginning. Revisit your goals. Re-affirm they are still what you want and they are still attainable. Maybe you need to re-evaluate them in the light of your recent experiences. Have you set your sights too high in the short-term and expected too much too soon? If you have, set some short-term goals that are attainable and you are confident you can achieve. Then set a reasonable time frame to achieve them. It is important to reach some goals so your confidence and motivation will improve.

2. Focus on doing one job at a time - on working towards one goal at a time. If you do not do this you can become overwhelmed by the size of you major goal and this can look too big to achieve. This is important if you have goals in several areas of your life, as you cannot focus on all of them at the same time.

3. Plan the actions you need to take to achieve the smaller goals along the way. Follow your plan of action day by day so each day you will feel sense of accomplishment, which will be self-motivating. You will be motivated by these small successes and feel encouraged to keep going.

4. Make your goals public. Tell people what you are trying to achieve. That way you not only have to answer to yourself but to others. You are less likely to make excuses to others than you are to yourself. Besides, excuses can sound lame when you have to explain them to other people. It brings them out into the cold light of day and often they do not stand up to scrutiny.

5. Look for guidance from others who have achieved similar goals. If you know them, ask them for advice. Most will be only too willing to help. Look for books, videos or DVDs about successful people. There is plenty of material available on the Internet - Amazon has a huge stock.

6. Stay positive and upbeat. Use the same Internet sources to surround yourself with positive thinking. Use positive affirmations, quotes and stories to ward off negativity before it starts.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7512900