Sunday 30 November 2008

Spiritual Partnership

From The Seat of the Soul: Inspiring Vision of Humanity's Spiritual Destiny by Gary Zukav:

There are certain growing dynamics that can occur only within the dynamic of commitment. Without commitment you cannot learn to care for another person more than yourself. You cannot learn to value the growth of strength and clarity in another soul, even if that threatens the wants of your personality. When you release the wants of your personality in order to accommodate and encourage another's growth, you attune yourself to that person's soul Without commitment, you cannot learn to see others as your soul sees them - as beautiful and powerful spirits of Light.

The archtype of spiritual partnershp - partnership between equals for the purpose of spiritual growth - is emerging within our species. This is different from the archetype of marriage which was designed to assist physical survival and in which the partners do not necessarily see themselves as equals. When individuals enter into a marriage, the ability of each to survive physically is enhanced.

The archetype of spiritual partnership reflects the conscious journey of multisensory humans toward authentic power. Spiritual partners recognize the existence of the soul and consciously seek to further its evolution. They recognize nonphysical dynamics at work within the world of time and matter. They consciously cocreate their experiences with each other, with an alive Earth that loves Life very much and with a compassionate Universe.

When an individual invokes the energy of the archetype of spiritual partnership, not only the partnership that it forms with another individual is affected, but also its community, nation and the global village. Your decision to evolve consciously through responsible choices contributes not only to your own evolution, but also to the evolution of all of those aspects of humanity in which you participate. It is not just you that is evolving through your decisions, but the entirety of humanity.

When you commit to a spiritual partnership with another human being, you bring the energy of the archetype of spiritual partnership into the physical arena. You begin to form and to live by the values, perceptions and actions that reflect equality with your partner and a commitment to his or her spiritual development and your own. You begin to set aside the wants of your personality in order to accommodate the needs of your partner's spiritual growth and, in doing that, you grow yourself. That is how spiritual partnership works.

You begin to see that what is necessary to the health of your partnership is identical with what is necessary to your own spiritual growth, that each of you holds the pieces that the other is missing. You begin to value your partner's contribution to your development. You experience that his or her perceptions and observations are helpful and, indeed, central to your growth, that conversations between you stir deep waters.

You learn the roles of love and commitment and trust in making your partnership work. You learn that love alone is not enough, that without trust, you are not able to give and to receive the love that both of you have for each other. You learn that your commitment must be translated into a form that satisfies the needs of both you and your partner. You learn to value the needs of your partner as much as you value your own, because the partnership that you both want requires two healthy and inwardly secure individuals.

You learn to trust not only each other, but also your ability to grow together.

You learn not to do stupid and careless things to each other. You learn that wanting what you want is not enough, but that you must both want it deeply and create it every day, that you must bring it into being and hold it in being with your intentions. As the consciousness of each of you becomes lighter, your partnership becomes richer.

You see each other as spiritual playmates as you work through the areas that require healing in each of you.

Saturday 29 November 2008

FREE Tickets for Bronwyn Boyle's Archetypes For Life Seminar

I'd like to invite you to Bronwyn Boyle's 'Archetypes For Life' evening seminar.

Bronwyn has trained people all over the world in countries as diverse as Australia, America, Canada, and various European countries and we're very excited to be able to bring her to the UK. She has spent the last 11 years studying Personal Development and psychology, dedicating the past 7 years to archetypes. Working closely with Caroline Myss, the foremost expert on the subject, she is a highly trained authority. She has written many papers on the subject with a book about to be published soon, she developed the 'Archetypes For Life' seminar which is a truly remarkable event.

Why you should attend:
* Have you ever wondered why you do the things you do and why certain things do and don't work out for you?
* Do you have a clear feeling of what you're fated to do or a clear vision of what your destiny is?
* Have you ever been frustrated that personal development takes you so far but not far enough?
* Do you have the feeling that in spite of all the work you have done on yourself and the improvements you have introduced into your life that you haven't really quite got there?
* What is it that you don't know about yourself that, if you did, would change the course of your life?
* Does your intuition tell you that the chaos happening in the world could actually be an opportunity?

If any of these questions or statements resonate with you, you'll benefit greatly from attending this seminar, apart from gaining great insights into yourself which you can translate into real world benefits, you'll have a lot of fun in a warm environment with like minded people. Best of all, it won't cost you a penny. Join us on the archetypal journey and discover your core patterns of power.

CLICK HERE TO CLAIM YOUR COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS NOW!

Archetypes can be taken on at many levels and once you have a greater understanding of this symbolic language you'll be able to recognise archetypes in yourself and those around you, be it in business, family or health.

Knowing your archetypal patterns enables you to take a step back and see the
dynamics created in your life and make new choices and create the life of your dreams.

This unique programme demystifies the how of your challenges to invoke your destiny.

By the end of this seminar, you will have learned to:
* Optimise your results and gain clarity in your business, relationship and health
* Communicate more effectively by appealing to other people's archetypes
* Identify and fix your personal 'road blocks'
* Reach your higher intuitive self

Who would benefit from Bronwyn's course?
* Anyone who is interested in starting their Personal Development journey or wants to go further
* People who want to learn new ways to adapt to a changing world Life
* Coaches, NLP practitioners and therapists
* People in management who want to improve their communication skills
* CEO's and business owners who want to grow their business significantly

For your complimentary tickets go to
BRONWYN BOYLE - FREE TICKETS

Who is Bronwyn Boyle?

Bronwyn is based in Australia. She is a writer and the founder of the Archetypes for Life. Her seminars have received huge acclaim in both Australia and the US where she has helped thousands of people. Bronwyn is one of the few people who has actually worked and trained very closely with Caroline Myss.

What other people are saying about Bronwyn's 'Archetypes For Life':
"Thank you Bronwyn for introducing me to Archetypes - the information I have learned has allowed me to take the next step in my coaching business and offer my clients even deeper insights into their own lives and that of their partners and/or work colleagues. All of which leads to a greater understanding and cooperation for everyone, better yet my clients are seeing their true colors and potential for development in a concise and clear way. As I continue to learn more and use them with my clients it is even clearer that the value of Archetypes in limitless."
- Jane Asplin, Performance Consultant and NLP Master Practitioner

"I have been working with archetypes with Bronwyn's guidance, and her teaching and help has been exceptional. The changes, awareness and opportunities that have occurred have just blown my mind. I really can't wait to complete my program, if I feel this good after one month; I am going to be soaring after 12 months. If you really want to get to know yourself and be able to achieve whatever it is that you want to achieve, then I strongly suggest that you work with Bronwyn, she will help you find your purpose and then you can live it."

- Nilla Spark, YourSpiritualJourneys.com

Up Coming Dates
MANCHESTER
12th November 08
6.30pm

Venue
Radisson Edwardian Hotel
Free Trade Hall, Peter Street, Manchester M2 5GP
Limited Places Available.
Go to
cky_Yates> to claim your complimentry tickets now! Achieve extraordinary results in your personal life and business.

Friday 28 November 2008

Don’t Throw the Baby Out With the Bathwater

A few days ago I wrote about self-sabotage, the irrational behavior of acting or taking decisions that are not in one’s best interests.

Some people expect everything to be right, perfect even, before they will commit themselves. What is perfection? If you achieve it, does that mean that is the best it will ever be? Are you closing yourself off to the possibility of an even better experience? How do you know?

It is only by accepting that life will have rainy days as well as sunny days that we can compare the two. I used to live in southern Spain where we expected 320 days of sunshine per year. Paradise you would say. Actually, I could tell you a lot of disadvantages from having so much sunshine. Premature skin ageing for one.

On the way to finding what we think is the perfect scenario, we might miss something which has the potential of bringing us the most joy, the best feeling of satisfaction, contentment or maybe we need to meet a challenge along the way to benefit from the learnings.

“Life is sent to test us.” True. Only by meeting challenge, even adversity, do we grow, become more. The more we learn, the more we can help others to achieve their potential. So the greater contribution to society. Possibly to mankind throughout the ages. How do we know we are not destined for greatness? Or possibly our heirs because of the learnings they gain from our experience.

So my advice is to embrace what you have, appreciate what you have been given, learn the lessons and give of yourself.

Alternatively, you could throw away the gifts you are given in life by rejecting something or someone you think you no longer need or want. That is what we mean by “throwing the baby out with the bathwater”.

Wednesday 26 November 2008

Partnering - A New Kind of Relationship

Partnering: A New Kind of Relationship is an important book about relationships.

At the beginning we meet the Star Maiden, the wife of a bushman, from Sir Laurens van der Post's book "The Heart of the Hunter". She teaches us a valuable lesson about magic in relationships and trust.

The authors, Hal and Sidra Stone, speak from their own experience and that of their clients. Many times they too feared that the end had come but then they did some work with each other. They advise readers on how to transform their intimate relationships into a "joint venture" based on "cooperation and equality, mutual respect and mutual empowerment."

The good news is that it is possible to preserve the magic, even after many years, but it takes work together, work and learning new skills. "Love alone cannot make a relationship work become the forces that can destroy love are too powerful and, for most of us, too unconscious." We need not only love, romance, sexual chemistry but also partnership, personal growth and spiritual evolution.

The Selves
Within everyone of us are a multitude of selves and these selves interract with similar or opposite selves. "Without the knowledge of one's inner selves, there is little possibility for truly rewarding and successful relationships." Learning about my selves was a key lesson for me.

We have developed "primary selves" which protect us, the basis of our personalities. They vary according to our surroundings. We also have selves we have disowned or discarded. People will come into our lives who display these selves, often our chosen partner, and their role is to challenge us. These "disowned selves are like heat-seeking missiles, aimed at us by the intelligence of the universe, and find us they will." Anyone who pushes our buttons must surely carry our disowned self.
"Entelechy is the purposive nature of the psyche that pushes us to complete ourselves, to become all that we can become. it senses what we are missing - the disowned selves. Much pain in relationships comes from the fact that people do not know they are carrying the other's disowned selves. They are our teachers."

Embracing our vulnerability is also key. There is a whole chapter on learning to meet the other without defenses.

Challenging ourselves to live the best relationship we possibly can is a goal well worthwhile having.

Some relationships do reach a natural end but too many fail because they don't know how to handle the negativity and the sense of being overwhelmed.

The chapters include:
- the business venture of a relationship
- the difference selves we encounter in ourselves and identify in our partner
- the patterns of behaviour
- vulnerability
- energetic linkage
- sexuality and sensuality
- romance for parents
- keeping your love alive amid routines.
- spirituality.

This book is easy to understand, contains many exercises to do alone and together and it brings results It helped me in my relationship and I recommend Partnering: A New Kind of Relationship to couples and therapists. You can order it from amazon.com but not from amazon.co.uk



Antonia Harrison the English Hypnotherapist & NLP Practitioner in Belgium and Personal Development in the 21st Century .

The Pursuit of Happiness

I just watched another inspiring show on Oprah entitled “How Happy Are you?” Here is a happiness quiz that the studio audience answered. I suggest you do the same before reading any further.

How satisfied are you? To find out, read the following five statements.

Use the 1–7 scale to rate your level of agreement.
1 = Not at all true
4 = Moderately true
7 = Absolutely true

1. In most ways, my life is close to ideal.
2. The conditions of my life are excellent
3. I am satisfied with my life.
4. So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.
5. If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.

(Quiz developed by Ed Diener at the University of Illinois)
Did you score nearer 5 or nearer 35 points? Your answer will be revealing.

It was interesting that the person with the highest score in the studio was a male funeral director who scored maximum 35 points. We might think that looking at dead bodies every day would be depressing but he told us that he felt honoured to be able to help people at a very difficult and sad time. He said his way of looking at life is not aiming to be successful in material terms but to be significant is more important. He labels each day eg “Marvellous Monday”, “Terrific Tuesday”. That is great because it sets up an intention for the day. He chooses to be an optimist.

Dr Robert Holden is British and has written a book
Happiness Now!: Timeless Wisdom for Feeling Good Fast In fact the subject of his Doctorate was happiness. He joked that it is rare to find a Brit who is happy!

Happiness is a choice YOU have to make. It is a state of being only you can create.

If we choose to be an optimist, the Law of Attraction will work in our lives as our perception gathers evidence to prove us right. “What is the good that can come out of this?”

When I studied French A´Level, I read Voltaire’s “Candide. Candide was a man who endured a life of suffering but through it all, he stuck to this belief that “Everything works for the best in this, the best of all possible worlds”. It is a wonderful book, funny and sad but so poignant. I really recommend Candide as it turned me on to optimism at a young age. I am even a member of an international Optimism Club.

Happiness has to come from inside but we tend to look outside to make our lives happier. There is a place inside us where we are already happy. Do you know where it is?

Going back to the Law of Attraction, we project what we think we deserve on to the world and, guess what, it comes back multiplied. Surround yourself with positive, supportive people who build you up and keep reminding you of your qualities and strengths. We become like the people we mix with. Who do you see on a regular basis? Are they a positive plus in your life?

Mothers who always help others first are particularly in danger of leaving themselves out of their life but the best gift we can give our children is showing them how to be happy. Children do not learn from what we tell them – I’ve noticed that – but what we show them.

Dr Robert Holden identified “Destination Addiction”, that conundrum of “I can’t be happy now but I will be when I have this, become this, go there”. We are always chasing more, looking around the next turn. The truth is that you will not be happy when you arrive at your destination. You will simply choose a new destination. Have you experienced that? We cannot create happiness from material items but from the internal joy within us.

He also talked about “Happychondria”, the fear that if things get too good, there will be a fall, something will go wrong, there will be a price to pay. We say, "This is all too good to be true" or "All good things come to an end". Why? Says who?

Turn it around. Dare to let life be great. As Del Trotter always says, “He who dares wins”.

Life is too short and we do not receive a second chance. Some of us do go through near death experiences, serious illnesses etc which should teach us the value of every day. But for too many, this is true – “We die before we die”.

In the film “The Pursuit Of Happyness” (deliberately mis-spelt), Will Smith makes us thankful for what we have by showing us how easy it is to lose it all.

Let go of the past for you cannot change it. Start anew. Find your purpose in life. Focus on the significant contributions you can make to yourself, your family and then the world and “success” will surely follow.

Someone wrote a review about Happiness Now!: Timeless Wisdom for Feeling Good Fast,“This book should be on schools’ “must read” llist actually, if it’s not on the parents’ bookshelf already”.



Candide: A Dual-Language Book

Here are some quotes about happiness:
"But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads?” – Albert Camus

"Happiness comes when your work and words are of benefit to yourself and others.” – Buddha

"There are as many nights as days, and the one is just as long as the other in the year's course. Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word 'happy' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.” – Carl Jung

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” – Mohandas K Gandhi

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.” – Denis Waitley

"The basic thing is that everyone wants happiness, no one wants suffering. And happiness mainly comes from our own attitude, rather than from external factors. If your own mental attitude is correct, even if you remain in a hostile atmosphere, you feel happy.” – the Dalai Lama

"Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored." - Earl Nightingale

© Antonia Harrison the English Hypnotherapist & NLP Practitioner in Belgium and Download Hypnosis Mp3 for immediate, affordable hypnosis Mp3s to improve your life.

Tuesday 25 November 2008

Why Do People Self-sabotage Their Lives?

Why do people self-sabotage their lives?

Why do some people with every apparent disadvantage make something of their lives – look at Oprah Winfrey’s life journey - while others with advantages throw it all away, on drink, drugs, poor life choices, destroying relationships with those who love them most?

A student wins a scholarship to a prestigious college but fails to turn in two assignments on time and is asked to leave.

Someone with great musical talent stops practicing, two weeks before an important selection.

On the first day of starting a great new job, a person forgets to set their alarm clock so arrives late creating a poor first impression.

Or the person who says they want a better job but deliberately applies for unsuitable jobs, one they are not qualified for or are not practically possible.

Another person has been told by their doctor that they must lose weight and improve their eating habits drastically to avoid serious illness, possibly death. Full of good intention, they start a sensible eating programme and join a fitness class but stop after just two weeks. The pain of making the change is somehow greater than the pain of the threat of illness.

The person who ignores on-going pain, swallowing pain-killers, refusing to see a doctor then discovering one day they have terminal cancer which could have been cured had they sought help earlier.

A person finally receives the keys to a dream home but neglects to pay the home insurance and the downstairs is destroyed by an electrical fault.

The father who has a loving wife, good children and a happy home but destroys everyone’s happiness by starting an affair.

The person who wants love, wants a togetherness relationship, but when it stares them in the face, runs a mile, too scared to give back and make a commitment. It is easier to find some small reason why they cannot enjoy happiness together instead of choosing to overcome any issues. No relationship is perfect but they go looking for something which does not exist instead of appreciating how fortunate they are to have found someone who loves them.

They say we have a fear of failure but too often, the real problem is fear of success.

What if we really could have it all? Other people do and not just in movies.

Does it come from a deep-rooted feeling of not being good enough, not deserving enough, not capable enough of living up to what will be required of us if we do step into this next stage – even if it means fulfilling our dreams? Why not eliminate that negative comparison “not ….. enough” once and for all? According to who?

Self-sabotage behaviour is when there is no logical or rational explanation for why you cannot do the things you want to do or why you cannot have the things you want to have.

Sometimes it is so frightening to imagine changing, growing or making conscious choices that we deliberately hamper our own efforts. That means that something is going on unconsciously to cause us to self-sabotage.

Self-sabotage is really a form of self-hatred. It is not extreme to say that. There is a fine line between love and hate and if you are self-sabotaging, you have not learned to truly love yourself.

Are you going to allow the negative self-talk to keep you on a path of destruction or are you going to build a better future, brick by brick?

"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." - W.W. Ziege

I think we all have situations where parts of us are not in congruence ie part of us says/wants one thing while another part of says/wants something else. This inner dichotomy can cause a great deal of stress if not resolved. NLP has a very effective technique for dealing with this “inner tug-of-war” by integrating the parts when a person is ready.

In which areas of life are you holding yourself back? Do you know why? Is procrastination your enemy? Laziness? Is it fear of success? Fear of commitment? Are you waiting for the perfect scenario? (The UK government did that with the Euro. Now the Pound has fallen from 1.40 € to 1.22 €.)

I suggest you find some quiet time to be with your inner self. Ask yourself what you are afraid of. What fears do you have? What uncertainties? What makes you feel uncomfortable about this goal? For what reasons would you try to hold yourself back? Using a journal to write down questions and answers can help too because writing helps you to connect with the deepest part of yourself. It might take time and practice, but exploring these possibilities can dramatically help you to flee the self-sabotage rut.

Hypnosis sessions can quickly deal with overcoming limiting beliefs, fears and destructive behavior.

Be authentic and true to yourself. You can be, do or have anything you want but first you may need to clear some of the negative obstructions which are holding you back. You can be free to live the life you truly want.

“If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up.” - J. M. Power

“By your thoughts you are daily, even hourly, building your life; you are carving your destiny.” - Ruth Barrick Golden

“Your life changes the moment you make a new, congruent, and committed decision.” - Anthony Robbins

"Procrastination . . . is the thief of our self-respect. It nags us and spoils our fun. It deprives us of the fullest realization of our ambitions and hopes." - Thomas S. Monson

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." – Mark Twain

"Excuses are the words coming from the loser in you." - Robert Kiyosaki in Rich Dad Poor Dad

"Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity." - H. Jackson Brown JR.

" Always be able to look back and say “ At Least I did notlLead no Humdrum Life” - Forrest Gump

© Antonia Harrison the English Hypnotherapist & NLP Practitioner in Belgium and Download Hypnosis Mp3 for immediate, affordable hypnosis Mp3s to improve your life.

Friday 21 November 2008

Samantha Backman and Gertrude Matshe in London

Acclaimed global speakers Samantha Backman and Getrude Matshe, two amazing women, will be appearing together in the UK for the first time ever. They will be in London on 24 November and in Chorley on 1 December.



This is an experience not to be missed.

Three reasons why this event is special:

Laugh while you learn:
Samantha Backman is a hilarious stand-up comic, having appeared throughout Australasia, and lately, introducing her out-of-the-box blend of worldly-wise female Aussie humour - and serious business experience - to American audiences. She's a homo-toxicologist, an international businesswoman, social entrepreneur, TV and radio host and is Australia's most successful global TV talk show host beaming her provocative and inspiring "A Bloody Brilliant Life" into 52 countries in India, Indonesia, the US and Middle East. This homo-toxicologist, international businesswoman, social entrepreneur, TV and radio host has helped millions of 3rd world women through her ground-breaking approach to health and sexuality.

She is the CEO & founder of many companies in the health industry, is the creator of the wealth template, the heart beat of wealth and is a very active humanitarian. Now, the multi-talented, mother of four, mega-successful, 'pull no punches' CEO who has Oprah knocking on her door, is in the UK to débuting her latest invention 'The Mango Juicer'. Introduced as a kitchen utensil, 'The Mango Juicer' is changing the lives of women all over the world in more ways than you can imagine.

The Mango Juicer was developed by Samantha in response to the abhorent practice of Female Genital Mutilation, (FGM), still widely practised throughout the world.

Proceeds from the sale of the Mango Juicer support The Waris Dirie Foundation and Forward UK. These organizaitons exists to safeguard human rights and dignity and to stop Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as well as The Africa Alive Education Foundation which provides education, health and family support services for HIV positive children, AIDs orphans and young adults in rural and impoverished communities in Zimbabwe.

Be inspired: Getrude Matshe was key speaker at Akasha in London, Summer 2007. She has an amazing story to tell of the life's struggles that led to her entrepreneurial success. Who else do you know that has moved from an IT career to property to Hollywood talent agent? Through her charity, the Africa Alive Education Foundation, she is changing the lives of thousands of HIV and AIDS orphans in Africa. Both women have inspired audiences around the globe with their ability to merge their business acuity with making a profound difference.

From her homeland in Zimbabwe to her multi-million dollar property portfolio, Getrude's story will move you to tears of sadness and joy. Combining enthusiasm with an energetic speaking style, Getrude Matshe is a fascinating motivational and inspirational speaker.

Described as "a vibrant bundle of African energy, a human dynamo whose drive, zest and passion for life inspires everyone she meets."

Married and the mother of three children, Getrude is an African storyteller, a poet, an artist, an author, an entrepreneur and the founding director of three successful businesses in New Zealand.

Her extraordinary ability to manifest her dreams into reality can only be described as the way of the wizard Merlin; for she has the Midas touch and everything she touches turns to gold.

But what makes Getrude’s personal life so intriguing?

* She currently looks after 150 children from her immediate family. Her grand mother had 34 grand children, 19 of them have died from HIV leaving an average of 4-8 children parentless.
* The World Health stats show that there are 40 million Aids infected people in the world and 30 million of them are in Africa - there are 15 million HIV orphans in Africa alone.
* A life expectancy of a Zimbabwean female is now 32 and 34 for a male. She just turned 39 last year and has lived past her die-by-date…
"An African woman is the lowest in the food chain. She labours all day, gathering water and firewood, preparing food, tending to the family and at the end of her life she will amount to very little. She has no recognition, no rights and no voice ...

...this life has given me so many gifts and I have a voice. Now my mission in this life is to be her voice too" - Getrude Matshe


On the 2nd of April 2007, 60 people crammed into a small hall in London to hear Getrude speak. Her story touched people on many levels. Her beginnings, her business success, her writing, her influence and her giving stirred people at their core.

By the end of her presentation the atmosphere was electric. One of the people in the audience asked "how can we get more people to hear this powerful message?"

It is an honour for XL Manchester to present Getrude Matshe for the first time. Her reputation has preceeded itself in the XL Life Member network and beyond. She has created a ripple of inspiration everywhere she goes, and her presence is not to be missed.

Here's what Thomas Power, Ecademy Chairman says about Getrude:
"Getrude is changing the world person by person and is one of the finest public speakers and actors I have ever seen. I look forward to her life story becoming an Oscar winning movie. The world needs an army of Getrude's."


This is an evening you'll remember and be talking about for weeks, combining hilarity, business lessons and inspiration.

Seating is limited and will fill quickly, so book now . . . and bring a friend (or two)

On 24 November in London, enjoy a mango themed party: Hosted aboard the HMS President, a stunning heritage ship moored on Victoria Embankment, you will experience a extraordinary presentation by Samantha and Getrude and you'll have an opportunity to mix and mingling with awesome people as you enjoy delicious canapés, mango cocktails, mango treats and many surprises! £20 includes canapés and mango cocktail on arrival.

HMS President (1918) Heritage Ship
King's Reach, Victoria Embankment, London EC4Y 0HJ
Closest Tubes: Temple or Blackfriars Station

They will be at The Pines Hotel, Chorley, PR6 7ED on 1 December. Book here for Chorley. Free entrance for XL members.

Getrude will also be holding a visioneering workshop next week called "The Visioneering Toolbox", with a choice of dates and times between 26 and 29 November. Tickets and information at www.visioneeringtoolbox.com

Monday 17 November 2008

O Ambassadors are Helping Children in Developing Countries

My children and I watched a wonderful programme from the Oprah Winfrey show about the O AMBASSADORS program. Oprah's Angel Network set this up with Craig Kielburger from Free the Children. US schools can apply to join the program. They receive a curriculum to teach them about the lives of children in a particular area of the developing world. Hopefully this will inspire the school children to want to raise money to help the less privileged children and work towards achieving the Millenium Development Goals.

What are the Millennium Development Goals?
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) focus on four major issues affecting our world today: poverty, education, health and sustainable development. Set for the year 2015, the MDGs are targets agreed upon by world leaders who have all promised to do their part in helping millions of people to break the cycle of poverty.

Volunteer projects
Some even have the opportunity to volunteer for a working project eg 12 teenagers spent three weeks in Kenya building a school with their bare hands and hand tools such as picks and shovels. They had a bare piece of ground around which they had to dig a trench. The laid the bricks, prepared the walls, installed window frames and roof rafters.

The American teenagers also spent time with the Kenyan children understanding their way of life, visiting their infested water source and one girl in her home. She was so proud of learning to read English that when she read a page in the newspaper, she stuck it on the wall. She also made paper patterns from her schoolbooks and hung them from the ceiling.

The teenagers spoke of how particular aspects of their experience had been life changing, certainly making them grateful for things we take for granted such as clean water from a tap. Oprah introduced the programme as one to share with children to inspire them. My boys spoke afterwards of what the program had meant to them.

Find out how your school can participate in O Ambassadors at www.OAmbassadors.org or make an online donation.

Wednesday 12 November 2008

Avoid Work At Home Stress

Most people believe that being able to work at home will make their lives easier and less stressful but what they fail to realize is that when you work at home, stress is still present but in different forms. There are certain things to consider to keep the stress level down while you work at home.

Yes, you have no-one to answer to and no set schedule to adhere to in most work at home occupations, but the end result of whether you receive a paycheck can be stressful on everyone when they first begin working from home. They can depend on no one but themselves for their income and they are also responsible for all aspects of operating the business including taxes, supplies, paying the bills and getting paid for the work performed.

Self-discipline is often tougher than working for someone else, as quite often it is easy to justify doing things not related to the business since you are at home and no one is watching what you do. You will have to be the supervisor that keeps you on your toes and remaining productive. However, even more stressful when you work at home is having the rest of your family understand that when you are at home you are working.

Being able to separate work from home in a home-based business can be stressful but by reminding yourself and others that work has to be conducted and keeping it separate can reduce the stress you feel. Even with a flexible schedule you will need to set strict hours during which business will be conducted in order to stay on track. You will also need to establish certain areas of your home for business which can be used for nothing else. You cannot be productive when you work at home if others are in your office playing games and being generally disruptive to your business.

These general rules need to be discussed before you being to work at home and the rules have to be in place and enforced from the very first day your begin working from home. Without the disciplines in place and without the understanding of family members, your business will suffer. However, having flexibility in your work schedule can be very rewarding as long as you understand your first priority has to be completing the work you have promised to your customers or clients on time.

Download your FREE 5 page report on Personal Stress Management Tips at http://www.live-stressfree.com/

Thursday 6 November 2008

The Practice of Discipline

By Brian Tracy

Discipline yourself to do what you know you need to do to be the very best in your field. Perhaps the best definition of self-discipline is this:
"Self-discipline is the ability to make yourself do what you should do when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not."

It is easy to do something when you feel like it. It's when you don't feel like it and you force yourself to do it anyway that you move your life and career onto the fast track.

What decisions do you need to make today in order to start moving toward the top of your field? Whatever it is, either to get in or get out, make a decision today and then get started. This single act alone can change the whole direction of your life.

Seven Steps to Success
There is a powerful seven step formula that you can use to set and achieve your goals for the rest of your life. Every single successful person uses this formula or some variation of this formula to achieve vastly more than the average person. And so can you. Here it is:

Decide What You Want
Step number one, decide exactly what it is you want in each part of your life. Become a "meaningful specific" rather than a "wandering generality."

Write it Down
Second, write it down, clearly and in detail. Always think on paper. A goal that is not in writing is not a goal at all. It is merely a wish and it has no energy behind it.

Set A Deadline
Third, set a deadline for your goal. A deadline acts as a "forcing system" in your subconscious mind. It motivates you to do the things necessary to make your goal come true. If it is a big enough goal, set sub-deadlines as well. Don't leave this to chance.

Make A List
Fourth, make a list of everything that you can think of that you are going to have to do to achieve your goal. When you think of new tasks and activities, write them on your list until your list is complete.

Organize Your List
Fifth, organize your list into a plan. Decide what you will have to do first and what you will have to do second. Decide what is more important and what is less important. And then write out your plan on paper, the same way you would develop a blueprint to build your dream house.

Take Action
The sixth step is for you to take action on your plan. Do something. Do anything. But get busy. Get going.

Do Something Every Day
Do something every single day that moves you in the direction of your most important goal at the moment. Develop the discipline of doing something 365 days each year that is moving you forward. You will be absolutely astonished at how much you accomplish when you utilize this formula in your life every single day.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to put these ideas into action immediately.

First, decide exactly what you want, write it down with a deadline, make a plan and take action -- on at least one goal -- today!

Second, determine the price you will have to pay to achieve this goal and then get busy paying that price
-- whatever it is.

Training yourself to complete important tasks -- even when you don't want to -- is a vital skill that every Top Achiever should master.

Accomplish More in a Month Than Most People Accomplish in a Year. Take complete control of your time and your life. Get more done now.



Brian's tips may seem obvious but his advice is well-founded. Writing down goals and making plans is really the best way to achieve what you want. The "salami technique" helps with any task ie complete one slice then go on to the next. If you want to clear out the spare room, start with one drawer, then a cupboard etc. Approaching any task this way avoids a negative feeling of overwhelm.

Brian Tracy now has over 70 MP3s and various CDs. Click here for your Free CD of 21 Success Secrets of Self Made Millionaires