Talk to Yourself

I have read this book a few times: What to Say When You Talk to Yourself by Shad Helmstetter. This is not a new book, but Helmstetter may have been the first to publish a book about the effect that your words and thoughts have on your attitude, and how your attitude pervades all of your experiences and interactions.

Helmstetter emphasizes repetition and exaggeration. He suggests that instead of saying, "I feel good," say I always feel good! And instead of "I don't overeat," I never overeat.

His statements were short and simple and extreme. I would also like to suggest that they be positive. For example, instead of "I never overeat," try I am completely satisfied after just a small portion of food. I always choose healthy food! I always eat just enough. Or maybe, I always enjoy small healthy portions.

I think the important thing is to be nice to yourself, and be aware of how your words do influence your moods.

Q of the U

I am the Q of the U and if you need any Q's A'd, just let me know.

Actually I would love to answer any Q's about hypnosis or about word usage. So go ahead! Forward all those intriguing Q's to me, the Q of the U.

A stands for Answer.

Q stands for question, except in the case of "Q of the U." Then it stands for Queen, of course, as U stands for Universe.

Double Cross

OK, did the universe double cross me?



I wanted a great paying new job. I got one. about 40 miles away, so my commute is about 2.5 hours per day. Maybe I could change it to 4 days per week....



I feel exhausted all the time. I hate driving home. I'm always in a rush. There is always a high volume of traffic.



Maybe I just need to vent.



Is it possible for the Law of Attraction to bring the wrong thing? Or will there be several attempts to gt it right if you just keep your eyes open for the exactly right thing to come along. Maybe this job is the closest thing to most of my requirements... (if not the closest job to my house.)

The Season of Peace

I received an email today from Positive Christianity dot org and it contained some lovely quotations about peace, that I would like to share with you:

We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace. ~ William Ewart Gladstone

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. ~ Mother Teresa

Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist. ~ Golda Meir

Peace hath higher tests of manhood
Than battle ever knew.~ John Greenleaf Whittier

Five great enemies to peace inhabit with us: avarice, ambition, envy, anger, and pride. If those enemies were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace. ~ Francesco Petrarch

An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind. ~ Mahatma Gandhi

I think that people want peace so much that one of these days government had better get out of their way and let them have it. ~ President Dwight Eisenhower

(I love this one:)
Maybe we should develop a Crayola bomb as our next secret weapon. A happiness weapon. A beauty bomb. And every time a crisis developed, we would launch one. It would explode high in the air - explode softly - and send thousands, millions, of little parachutes into the air. Floating down to earth - boxes of Crayolas. And we wouldn't go cheap, either - not little boxes of eight. Boxes of sixty-four, with the sharpener built right in. With silver and gold and copper, magenta and peach and lime, amber and umber and all the rest. And people would smile and get a little funny look on their faces and cover the world with imagination. ~ Robert Fulghum

In the name of peace
They waged the wars
Ain't they got no shame~Nikki Giovanni

Gratitude and Appreciation

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday. There is nothing mysterious about it. It is simply a day to eat a large quantity of good, homemade food.

There are so many things to be grateful for. Today I am grateful for my family, my friends and my job. I make it a point every morning to say a prayer to express thanks for another wonderful day, working with wonderful people and earning a wonderful income.

Thank you for reading! You have my Gratitude and Appreciation.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A New Review

"On this planet, normal equals insane."

Just a quizzical quote from the pundit, Eckhart Tolle, from his book, A New Earth.

I would like to write a proper review for this book now that I have actually completed it. I was awe-inspired after only the first 2 CDs, but now that I completed all 8 (and I did have to listen at least twice to each one), I feel so excited to share ET's wisdom with all of you. I will actually be looking for his previous book at the library when I return this audiobook to the library.

This is an awesome book. It is difficult to find the appropriate adjcectives to describe it. It is filled with so many profound insights that it is very difficult to absorb in one reading. I have started to go through it again this week.

I would have to say that this book is about psychology. But not about psychology as we now know it. The word Psychology, means the study of the psyche, which means soul, but because it is so difficult to study the soul, it has become the study of human behavior. Human behavior can be observed and measured.

Eckhart Tolle has actually managed to combine the wisdom of many philosophers, including Jesus and Siddartha Gautama, and explained the true dysfunction of the human race in such a new and startling way that I now understand Life, the Universe and Everything. I just wish I could convey the meaning to you, dear reader. But all I have are words which are only symbols and cannot transmit the truth without creating thoughts which are the root of all dysfunction. Although I love words and I previously embraced thought as the answer to all dilemmas, it seems that thoughts, which are comprised of words, are really the culprits. They are responsible for all violence on the planet. The quote above refers to the current acceptance of wars and violence, as well as things like genocide and the practice of burning those with opposing viewpoints at certain periods of history, like the inquisition and the Salem witch trials.

Enlightened Poetry

IF….

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,‘
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And - which is more - you’ll be a Man, my son!

By Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936).

What can we do about that last line? It seems a bit sexist to me. But considering all the meditation I've been doing lately, I have a suggestion:
You'll be ENLIGHTENED, my CHILD.

I make this suggestion, because while I was reading the poem, I was reminded of a Zen parable, which says that If you can meet a king or a beggar with the same equanimity, you have become enlightened!

Mindless

Tthe more mindful I try to be, the more mindless I think I am.





But wait! That's good. Eckhart Tolle says that mind is the enemy. And Sonia Choquette says get out of your head. But Wait! That's bad! Haven't you ever heard a teacher or supervisor say to you, Where is your head??!!





I am so confused (ET says this is good). All I know is that multitasking DOES make you stupider! I learned this at the NGH convention. I think... (the stuff about multitasking, that is.)

Is it good?

There is nothing good nor bad, but thinking makes it so.
--Shakespeare

I came across this quote while reading The New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle. A transformational book, by the way! I know because it says so in the first chapter. Or perhaps the introduction. I was skeptical when I read it. I thought Eckhart was being a bit egotistical. But after you read the first three chapters, you realize, that it is not egotistical, but truthful. This book has the potential to be truly transformational.

Ironically, it is about the EGO, which is the root of all dysfunction on the planet!

It is unfair of me to review this book before I have finished it, but I think it is going to take some time for me to get through it. This is NOT a book you can breeze through. It is very powerful and profound.

Positive Transformation

I first want to write more about the Posipalozza concert. It's hard to imagine, but I can hear the energy on the CD I bought. It is of course, much stronger in person, but let me describe the scene to you: An older man, with graying hair, what little is left of it, and a long mostly white beard slowly moves up the steps to the stage. He takes his place in front of a mike and then starts to speak. He introduces the song, then you hear the music begin. Then you witness an amazing transformation. The man transforms into a little boy right before your eyes! Though the beard is still white, the eyes sparkle and the body jumps up and down like a young child. The voice becomes stronger and stronger and the energy just fills the whole building with positive vibrations. Probably sounds corny. You should have seen it!

It reminded me of Mother Noella's quote: Do you think singing has anything to do with healthy aging? I do!

Concert

I went to a concert on Friday night. Imagine this:

A man on stage with arms spread wide and waving them like a bird, singing/chanting, Spread your wings and fly!

Spread your wings, Spread your wings, Spread your wings and fly!

The audience was mesmerized!

More words of wisdom from the same singer, Leroy White:
What are you waiting for? Get up on the Dance Floor!

I wonder, does the cosmic dance floor = the field?

Learning Opportunity

Has anyone been to a job interview lately? I have been to a few. This is an interesting question I was asked recently: Tell me about a failure you experienced and how you handled it.

I replied that I don't use the word failure myself or with my clients. I try to reframe the experience as a mistake, feedback, or a learning opportunity. If you experience what seems a failure, it gives you time to regroup and consider whether this is a goal you still want to pursue, or perhaps you might want to change direction.

I thought it was a good answer, because it shows how positive I am, and to allow me not to talk about a personal failure to a group of people I didn't know, and direct focus to the client or customer.

Desirous Invitation

Desire. It has an interesting, appealing sound. Why do I hesitate to use the word. I am using The Law of Attraction to attract the fulfillment of all my desires, but I don't like to say, for example, “I desire prosperity in my life right now.”

I won't say, “I want prosperity,” as want also means lack. And "I would like prosperity," just doesn't have the same impact. So what is the best way to say it?

Synonyms: crave, covet, wish, want, to long for, or hope for

Maybe expect or invite?

I invite prosperity into my life right now.

Abraham uses the word desire without inhibition, but also suggests the word, allow. "I allow prosperity into my life right now."

Which do you prefer? Please leave a comment below.

Healthy Habits

I just hard Andrew Weil talking about optimism on the audiobook, Your guide to optimum Health at any age. See previous post for full title.

He says "Optimism can be learned. Optimists do better than pessimists in almost all aspects of their lives, including the function of the immune system."

I only wonder why he said ALMOST all. What could he be thinking? Or was he just being cautious. He is very careful not to make sweeping generalizations. He likes to be scientific if he can, but he does believe that there are influences that we cannot see or measure. So his book includes mind and spiritual techniques as well as physical methods to optimize your health.

He tends to be conservative, but he does take supplements and recommends some towards the end of the book. He also recommends yoga, meditation and self-hypnosis.

Hypnotic Fountain of Youth

I wonder how many people will be in my next class, The Hypnotic Fountain of Youth. It is only ONE WEEK away! I am looking forward to it.

The Hypnotic Fountain of Youth
Three Sessions, starting Sept. 17, ending October 1
3 Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30 pm
At the Heritage Building of Unity Church of Palm Harbor,
1960 Tampa Road, Palm Harbor, Florida
Just $88.00

Email me to register, or call 727-946-1531.

The Self-Hypnosis Diet Book

The library just called. I have one overdue item. I think it's this one, so I will review it and then return it today!

The Self-Hypnosis Diet, Use the Power of Your Mind to Reach Your Perfect Weight, by Steven and Joy Gurgevich. This is an excellent book for hypnotists, or anyone who might be interested in adjusting their weight or shape. When I work with someone who wants to slenderize, I choose my words carefully. The tendency is to find things you have lost, or regain pounds you lose, so that's why I said slenderize. This book is about the relationship you have with food. It says you should have a loving, nurturing relationship. It says it is possible to be attracted to healthy foods and it even goes so far as to say it is easy and natural for you to attain and maintain your perfect weight. I love it!

It has lots of positive examples which help keep you motivated. They also mention a few different techniques to keep you moving in the right direction, and to keep you moving (exercise). What I love most is the non-surgical gastric bypass. A woman, using imagination and visualization (self-hypnosis techniques) successfully adjusts her weight whenever she needs to, by implementing a gastric bypass, which makes it possible for her to eat whatever she wants an still slenderize. Whenever she thinks the scale is over her perfect number, she just implements this technique. The beauty is that it is reversible, unlike the surgical kind. And it works just like the surgical to speed up her digestion process. And somehow her appetite cooperates, because she is also aware of eating more fruits and vegetables and consuming smaller portions, so that's why after 2 or 3 times, she doesn't have to implement it over and over again!

I highly recommend it.

Bad Hair Day!

All right, this is me after my presentation. I asked a few of my closest friends and advisors if I should publish it. The results were split actually, but I decided to post it because of this comment from my friend Allegra, "Not too scary for the blog! I think you hit the mark perfectly fusing the 80's notorious wild-style and good taste."

Next time I will have help with my hair and makeup! And if the National Guild of Hypnotists is reading, I think they better videotape my next presentation!

More Healthy Habits

Good News! I just read this about Healthy Aging!

MSN has a health article entitled, Healthy Sex Life Can Extend into your 80s.

(I wonder why they don't go beyond the 80s...???)

The article discusses findings that were recently published in the The Journal of Sexual Medicine, including that more people are enjoying sexual activities in their 70s and 80s.

"It's definitely whether you're elderly or "wellderly" that makes a difference," said Dr. Virginia Sadock, director of the program of human sexuality at New York University Langone Medical Center in New York City. "Illness and medications make a difference in sex lives."

I like that term, "wellderly."

I will use it in my next workshop, called The Hypnotic Fountain of Youth, starting September 17, in Palm Harbor. See www.EnlightenedHypnosis.com for details.

Healthy Habits

I think reading is a good activity to keep your mind working...I'll have to read up on that.

I discovered a book at the library not long ago, called Who Gets Sick: How Beliefs, Moods, and Thoughts Affect Your Health, by Blair Justine.

The title says a lot. In days past, about 20 years ago, most doctors believed that moods and beliefs had nothing to do with the physical process of disease. In fact, in 1990, a doctor set out to prove that mental and emotional states had nothing to do with the outcome of cancer. So he invited 86 women who were beyond treatment, in the final stage of breast cancer to participate in a study. He provided one hour per week of "psychotherapy," which included instruction on self-hypnosis, to 43 of the women. The other 43 were considered the control group, and received no psychotherapy. After TEN years, 3 of the women were still living. They all belonged to the group with psychotherapy. And the others in that group had survived twice as long as the control group. So now there have been numerous studies exploring the relationship between mental and emotional states, and even personality characteristics and disease.

The article named above says that close personal relationships are correlated with health. And that Positive Outlook has a strong effect on healing. It says that hypnosis and imagery, which are used for relaxation, help strengthen the immune system and counteract the cortico-steroids which are produced by stress.

It contains a quote by D. Burns:

You can't help growing older, but you can help growing old.

Interesting article, which supports the others I have been reading about staying healthy into old age. I hesitate to use that term, it is very subjective. Some are old at 50, some are young at 80. We are living longer, so we have to find ways to maximize the experience, by optimizing our health. And there are some very simple habits we can cultivate to do this. Stay tuned to this channel for continuing updates in the rejuvenation frontier.

Hypnotic Fountain of Youth

I just got back from the National Guild of Hypnotist's Convention in Massachusetts. I did 2 presentations this year! It was fun! There must have been 50 or 60 people at the Hypnotic Rejuvenation seminar, but I don't think they realized that I was dressed as a fugitive from the 80's: teased hair, tons of makeup, and BIG shoulder pads! You see I was immersing myself in the music and fashion of 20 years ago to facilitate my own rejuvenation. I mentioned that I was doing my own research, but I guess I wasn't specific enough....

See verbalImpact.blogspot.com for more details.

How to Stay on Top

How does one stay on top of things? Many if not all of my clients seem to suffer from too-busy-syndrome. No one talks about stress anymore. It is just an accepted part of life. You’re alive. You have a job (or 2 or 3) and you have stress. No one wants to reduce stress. Stress is the new status symbol. The more stress you have, the more important you are.

But in my research I have found that it is desirable to have a way to manage stress. Yes, every life is stressful. Even good things like weddings and births stress us. Even imagined things like worrying about getting laid off exert stress on us. Stress may be necessary to motivate us. If we never felt hunger, we would never bother to hunt for food. But too much stress causes memory loss, irritability and physical illness. We know it causes anxiety attacks and even heart attacks. So how do we find that balance between stress that motivates us and stress that kills?

I think self-hypnosis is the best way. It is something you can do every day, as many times per day as necessary, and it’s relatively inexpensive. You don’t need any special equipment and the risk of injury is low. You can learn it quickly and easily. And if done every day, you receive all the benefits of the relaxation response. You will sleep better, concentrate more easily, have more patience, and improve your physiology. Practicing self-hypnosis just 10 minutes per day can lower your blood pressure, if high. It raises your frustration tolerance, which means that you feel more calm and in-control, even in traffic. That means less Road Rage!

So it is a good idea to stay on top of your stress level. Top of the morning to you!

Cyprus photo

I love this photo of a Greek Cypriot child looking through a window in a building in Nicosia, at the Northern part of Cyprus, which at the time was forbidden to him and his family.

Does anybody know about Cyprus?

I just received this press release, from the Cyprus Embassy: September 3 2008 Date Set For Start of Full-Fledged Negotiations‏!



They are going to start negotiations for the reunification of the tiny Island of Cyprus. It has only been divided for 34 years. 30% of the island has been illegally occupied by another country, Turkey. The UN passed several resolutions pertaining to the return of the illegally occupied land to the Greek Cypriots who live on the Southern side, but Turkey ignored them and decided to name their part of the Island, The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Only Turkey recognizes this entity.



The Republic of Cyprus, a small, but independent country, has been admitted to the European Union. Now Turkey would like to join the European Union. Of course, the European Union does not allow any of its members to occupy land in any of the other countries within the Union. So now you understand why it is so important to start Negotiating. There must be a resolution. Outsiders want to reunify the Island as one Republic with 2 separate "States."

I still can't understand why the UN doesn't try to enforce it's resolutions and just have one government and one country on the island.

By the way, Cyprus is an island which boasts that it has been civilized for 10,000 years. The oldest wine containers have been found on Cyprus. Greek myths say that Aphrodite was born on the sea just off of Paphos, so Cyprus was her first home. Also, one of the oldest churches on the Island is the Church of St. Lazarus. He is the Lazarus who Jesus commanded to come out of the tomb. He later traveled to Cyprus and lived out the remainder of his life there.

Young in Spirit

Who said, "The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts." ?



I like this quote. It implies not only that thoughts are powerful, but also that the color is significant. What is the color of your thoughts? Perhaps color makes a better metaphor than using positive or negative to measure them. The quote comes from Marcus Aurelius Antonius in Ancient Rome 170 A.D.



The things that keep your spirit young help keep you youthful. You must look forward, not behind. You must challenge your body, mind and spirit. Learning new things keeps your mind working. Engaging in hobbies keeps you creative. Prayer and meditation hlep you to continue evolving into a better person.

How to stay young

There is a new book out, called The Body Knows How to Stay Young. I just got some info about it:

Caroline Sutherland Shares the Secrets of Healthy Aging—Radio Special July 17 on HayHouse Radio. Is aging getting you down? Are you worried about what might befall you as the years tick away? Health educator and medical intuitive Caroline Sutherland says there is much you can do to slow or even reverse the aging process! When you look at this lively woman in her mid 60s, you can tell she has a few secrets worth sharing. With the energy of a woman in her 30s, Caroline is on a mission to help people embrace aging. This month alone, she has released her new book, The Body Knows...How to Stay Young, and is set to do a free radio special as well as a fascinating online seminar.
“The body is like a great house with lots of possibilities,” Caroline says in The Body Knows...How to Stay Young. “Since it’s tough and has a firm foundation, all it needs is a fresh coat of paint, a little tinkering here and there, and to have the furniture rearranged—and voila! It will be as good as new.” Using her own life and healthy living strategies as a model for helping others, Caroline’s new book is filled with groundbreaking tools that really do work. “There is no reason for us to succumb to the slow cell-by-cell demise of our parents and grandparents,” she said. “There are so many tools available to us!”

What are some of Caroline’s favorite secrets? Here’s what she told us: Eat a healthy diet and stay away from junk food, get plenty of sleep, and surround yourself with love and fulfilling activities.

This is great advice. It encompasses the tips I have learned in my research.

Ageless Memory

Book Review of the Month:

Ageless Memory, Simple Secrets for Keeping Your Brain Young, by Harry Lorayne.

This is an excellent book, full of mnemonic devices and challenging word puzzles. The author demonstrates how you can train your memory to be more efficient. He says that you can't forget something if you never "get" it, so if you are more mindful and if you use his techniques to "get" the information, you won't for-get it very soon. This quotation from the book reminds me of something I learned from NLP:

"It is the mundane, ordinary, everyday things that we tend to forget. The unique, the impossible, the ridiculous, the absurd are unforgettable."

Although this book has a second subtitle, which is "Foolproof Methods for People Over 50," it contains methods that can be used by anyone, even those of us under 50. I'm only reading it because of my impending presentation, The Hypnotic Fountain of Youth, and because of the title's similarity to Ageless Body, Timeless Mind, by Deepak Chopra.

Remember to pick it up next time you are in the library or bookstore!

Signs of the Times

I am in the public library of St. Augustine Florida. We decided we had enough of the abusement parks in Orlando and have decided to move on.

The sign right next to my computer says:

THANK YOU!
For not DRINKING, EATING OR TALKING on your cell phone while using the computer lab.

(All in Caps.)

It seems our rules about drinking, eating and talking in public places have almost disappeared...

Another Day

I was challenged to complete this sentence on another brilliant blog, by the philolog:
Another day, another _____.

So I have completed it many times over, for many different people from diverse occupations.
Another day, another dollar (or dime) for a banker.
Another day, another disaster, for a pessimist.
Another day, another doorway, for an architect.
Another day, another dinosaur, ...paleontologist.
Another day, another ding dong, ...doorman.
Another day, another dirigible, ... submarine manufacturer.
Another day, another dipthong, ...grammarian.
Another day, another dimwit, ...customer service rep.
Another day, another dam,..... canal worker. Also, it's one dam thing after another!
Another day, another diaper, ... mother.
Another day, another dragon, ... mythologist.
Another day, another drug deal, ...dealer or narc.
Another day, another dill pickle, ... pickle lover.
Another day, another dipstick, ... mechanic.
Another day, another drunk, ... bartender.
Another day, another drink, ... drunk.
Another day, another divorce, ... lawyer.
Another day, another dumb bell, ... weight lifter.
Another day, another diamond, ... jeweler.

I like that one. It's not just for jewelers.

No dictionaries were consulted for this post, so please forgive any aberrations in orthography. Thanks.

Agent of Positive Change

I am working on my mission statement. How's this: I am a powerful agent of positive change. Is it too grandiose? Honestly, I think my purpose is to assist people to make changes in their habits so that it will benefit their whole life. I hope that's what I do, anyway.

And Change is Good. I think I have accepted the change in my employment status. It is a great time to be free and unencumbered! There was a mandatory training event last Friday and I happened to be the co-chair of the event. So, I got to be the MC, which stands for Master of Ceremonies. (A sexist term, but we will not discuss alternatives, here.) The event went very well. I base this on the evidence that very few people left after lunch, which has happened in the past. Even I enjoyed it. And the president of the company complimented my on my creativity. So I'm pleased. A Happy Ending.

But all endings are new beginnings. And it is time to start uncovering the opportunities that will shape my future. I was so busy the last few weeks of work, that I was unable to even complete my resume. I can't sit on the roof, waiting for the helicopter to come. I have to start attracting some boats.

Excuse me, while I look at some sample resumes on the internet...

Networking for Mothers

Perky Mamasource has lots of perks!

You can post any question and get answers from mothers all over the place. I mean the mothers are from all different places, not the answers. Well maybe sometimes.

I posted a question and got a few answers.

I’ve sent a few answers.  So I think it is a great resource.   Check it out! www.mamaSource.com

There were many questions about breastfeeding.
Breastmilk is best, they say. It's easy to prepare, you can take it anywhere with you, and it contains everything your baby needs to be healthy.

I used the Medela Pump in Style for 10 or 11 months at work. My manager once asked me if I was doing work while I pumped milk for the baby. I said of course, but actually I used my lunch hour and break time for pumping.

Spreading sunshine

Your experience has brought you to many different places. New experiences will take you further on your journey. However each new journey in life helps you grow. It leads you to great prosperity, guiding you to the right places at the right time. Now you can broaden your expectations, and leave former limitations behind. You do this by trying to see yourself and your life filled with potential and true possibilities.

I think my mission, or at least part of it, is to spread warmth and encouragement to everyone I meet. So forgive me, if this sounds like a lengthy fortune cookie.

Your awesome self

It's possible to turn self-doubt into self-love. Let the world and those you love, know and experience your deepest passions which will automatically be your unique talents. You don't have to hide any more. We all can be inspired by each other's greatness. You need to be you, all of you, as much as everyone else needs to be awed by your greatness. Aren't you tired of hiding? Do not wait to enjoy being your real self.

We all have greatness within us!

Farewell

Wow. As I leave my office, at the archaic Pinellas County High School for the last time, I am filled with mixed feelings. First I want to run back to my office and check for the 100th time if I've left anything valuable behind. There's nothing there, just some paper clips and empty binders in ancient desks. The metal and formica desk I used has already been replaced by a much older, heavier, solid wooden one.

But I leave slowly, hoping someone will call me back for one more hug and fond farewell wishes. This is the end of a program which ran for over 10 years. Although I have only been part of it for a mere 4 years, I feel sad. I wonder how the students I have met over the years will fare next year. I wonder how quickly the the suspension rate will double, and how quickly the administration will realize it. I also wonder how the former superintendent of schools can sleep at night...

Then I come back to reality. This is a new day. I believe things happen for a reason, so it's time for me to think of my own future.

I think about the words of Marianne Williamson in The Age of Miracles:

This is not the end. It is the beginning...
Growing older just happens; growing wise is something else again. The challenge of age is not to skip life's disappointments, but to transcend them. We transcend them by learning the lessons they have taught us, however painful...
But the miracle of change is that nothing that happened before this moment has any bearing on what's possible now, except that what you learned from it can be fuel for a magnificent future.

My apologies to Marianne for changing the word "midlife" in the last paragraph to "change."

Beware

Beware of the chattering monkey. He is the voice inside your head that usually tries to discourage you from trying anything new or taking a risk. You know, the one that says, Oh, that's too good to be true. Things never turn out right. You can't do that!

I took a class yesterday with Chris Chenowith so I am undertaking a 30-day program in prosperity. I will let you know how it unfolds and blossoms. You may notice that all my entries this month will be overwhelmingly positive, as I ignore my chattering monkey.

Not a good day

Okay, today has not been the best day of my life. I was running late, as I seem to have lost motivation since I was notified of the "defunding." When I got to work, one of my coworkers asked me if I'm all packed and ready to leave. Another kindly inquired when exactly will be my last day. And another seemed surprised to see me, "Are you still here?" That's got to be my favorite question for the day.

I had several meetings this week, and it was weird after I walked into the room and was greeted with an awkward silence. Everyone feels so bad about the downsizing. And so grateful that it wasn't them.

There are more meetings next week and the following Monday when the company will provide lunch for us out of sympathy. Excuse me, they actually said it would be a Celebration of all our good work over the past 7-8 years. Some days I just don't feel like celebrating my employment status.

Time to press the reset button. Oh darn, I packed it already!

I know there is something better out there for me.

Good Morning, Sunshine!

I hate to be Ms Mary Sunshine, but I am in a good mood today.
Maybe it has something to do with sleeping later than 6am?

This is just the beginning. Wherever you are, there is hope. There is room for improvement and much to look forward to.

This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Fear of Words

You are not afraid of what you think you are afraid of. You are afraid of what you think. Michael Neill just said that on Hay House Radio.

This is the beginning of a wonderful article about using hypnosis to allay fears. It is a great way to reduce or eliminate fears. I've worked with fear of flying, fear of elevators, fear of swallowing pills, and fear of public speaking.

Rude questions

Do you know what you’re talking about?
Possibly one of the rudest questions I have ever been faced with. And this was directed to me yesterday during a group presentation about drug prevention. Apparently one of my students, is an expert on marijuana, if not other drugs. She also knows that any student who has told me they don’t smoke marijuana is lying to me. She probably doesn’t realize just how much her comments say about herself.

Good news and bad news

Good news, you got a raise! That was last week. This week we are having a meeting to inform us of the impending death of the program I have been working on for almost 4 years. I assume we will be applauded for our outstanding achievements, patted on the back and handed pink slips, don’t let the door slam on your way out!

I think the Universe has something better in store for me!

Overstimulation

I want to write about the overstimulation addiction of this society. Read Ritalin Nation! It was very eye-opening. I mean why is cocaine illegal, while ritalin which, has the same effect on the brain, legal??? Please tell me why???? It's not just because one is sniffed and one swallowed, is it? Many young adults who have prescriptions for ritalin and the other amphetamines used for "ADD" and ADHD" are selling them to eager college students! And people figure that prescription drugs are safer than illegal street drugs. But it's not safe to make that assumption. How many deaths are due to prescription drugs?? Millions per year.



Is it because ritalin is prescribed for mostly white children?



I was going to write about walking in to the "Health" Club and being assaulted with loud music and hundreds of video screens everywhere I look. Music videos play continuously, accompanied by their video components on screens all over the big room. And even though these screens are visible from the bike and treadmill area, each and every treadmill, stair climber, eliptical machine, cross-country skier, and exercise bike has a TV monitor on it. You can use earphones while watching and running, skiing, climbing, or pedaling, or just read the captions. And during commercials, you can watch the music videos or just eavesdrop on one of your neighbor's televisions.



Why is it called a health club, anyway? What is so healthy about it? They sell vitamins and pseudo-steriods. I saw some women peddling protein powder in the locker room.



It's exhausting to be there even if you don't exercise.

Just say no! No to drugs, even prescription drugs. The only way to eliminate the short attention span, which indicates an addiction to stimulation, is to slow things down and learn to sit in silence. Taking amphetamines does not eliminate the addiction, it maintains it. Learning self-hypnosis or meditation will help. As a matter of fact, I remember reading a study a few years ago which said that Hypnosis was more effective than Ritalin as a treatment for ADD and ADHD.

The Fountain of Youth

Ponce de Leon tried to find it here in Florida 500 years ago. What did he find? A bunch of angry natives who threw spears at him. Ponce De Leon had actually come over to the Americas with Christopher Columbus on Columbus’ second visit. Now, Columbus had actually landed on the islands between North and South America, and on South America itself, but not North America. In fact, De Leon did not know he had found an enormous continent when he stumbled upon the North America. He thought the Florida peninsula was just another island, in the “West Indies.” Although Columbus had originally thought he found the back door to India, they had figured out it wasn’t India, but maybe some islands off of it’s eastern coast.

Legends about a Fountain of Youth had long been espoused and some suspect the Native Americans of mentioning it to Europeans in order to get more European goods.

Explorers were eager to come to the “New World,” since Christopher Columbus was awarded governance and dominion over the lands he “discovered.” Ponce was also given governance over the islands he discovered (including Puerto Rico), but when he came to the mainland, he met with resistance. The South American natives and Cuban natives had been more friendly to Europeans.

After Queen Isabella died, King Ferdinand sponsored De Leon’s explorations, in hopes of finding the “fountain of youth.”

They never found it. And, in fact, De Leon died at age 47, from an infection from a wound inflicted by a Florida native’s arrow. He fled to Cuba and died there.

No one has found this legendary fountain (yet).

Genetic Influences on Aging

I am listening to Drs. Roisen and Oz as they confront the issues of aging.

The book is called, You -- Growing Younger. There is much good news. According to the studies they have seen, some twin studies in particular, genes play only 25% in diseases and aging. They don’t believe that the genes can be changed, although I have seen other articles who assert that you can change your genes! But just to be on the safe side, let’s agree with Roisen and Oz and assume that your genes are stable, but you can influence whether they are turned on or not. They compare people to cities, and even to machines. They purport that the body is a magnificent machine designed very well to protect the genes by reproducing them. The genes do not protect the individual, but they do insure that the species continues.

They talk about evolution. Did you know that people with a certain recessive gene did not succumb to the Bubonic Plague? It was a rare characteristic before the Plague killed thousands of Europeans, but now it is not considered rare in Northern Europe, as only the survivors of the Bubonic Plague had the opportunity to reproduce. And in Florida, they say that Evolution is only a theory, and unproven at that! We are quite intellectual here: just as many people believe in alien abductions as in evolution. And you know that Global Warming can't be fact, because it was colder here a few weeks ago than it was last year at the same time! Good thing they didn’t poll Floridians on whether the world is flat or round. I have a feeling that they would find that most Floridians believe the photos from space and airplane pilots are just part of a grand conspiracy.

They explain physical systems of the body in very understandable terms. As I said they compare your body to a city or even a car. They say with progressive urban planning or with the right diet, you can extend your warranty for a few 100K extra miles! That's a good metaphor since many people drive their cars for 100,000 miles and people aspire to live 100 years or more.

They go over a lot of what Andrew Weil talked about in his book, but they are much more optimistic. Even though they are sure to point out all the dangers. I mean your body replicates billions of cells every day. But once in a while something goes wrong. And this is the beginning of cancer. Of course, cancer used to be fatal. Now many kinds are treatable and even curable.

It's a very practical book and I will include it in my references for the upcoming presentation of "The Hypnotic Fountain of Youth: How to Stay Young."

Florida weather report

"It's April, it's getting hot, and gators are on the move."-- Veteran trapper Todd Hardwick

That's from an article in the Sun Sentinel, an article about an alligator trapped by the side of a busy highway. It's Spring now, so it is hot in Florida. We won't have a temperature lower than 70 degrees for many months. Perhaps in the northern part or panhandle, there are 3 seasons, but from here south, there's only Summer and Wow! It's cool today! That may happen a few days in December, January and February.

Jenius

And I am wondering why the letter G sometimes sounds like the letter J. We have G and we have J. So why don’t all the J words start with j, like gem, or gymnasium. The G in gymnasium comes from the Greek letter gamma. You may be familiar with the first 4 or 5 letters of the Greek alphabet: alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon. We usually think of these as corresponding to our own. (Our own? We use the Roman alphabet and Arabic numerals.) But gamma, does not correspond to C. Gamma is a chamelian-like letter which sometimes sounds something like our g, but a little softer. Sometimes it sounds more like the y in yellow. So I guess it is similar to our g, in that the letter following it determines the sound.

Gem comes from Latin I bet.

Note: the letter which corresponds to our c is kappa, and when the Greeks want to hear the same sound as the initial sound in gallop, gorgeous or gill, they put the gamma and kappa together. For example, to spell my name in Greek the first 2 letters are gamma kappa, then the equivalent of l-o-r-i-a.

The British are responsible for the way that we convert Greek letters to Roman. So they are responsible for the PH sounding like F. So we use 2 letters, ph, to denote what they have one letter for, and we have one letter, g for the sound they use 2 letters for, gamma kappa.

And while we are at it, what do we need K for? Why can’t C do the job. Well, I guess it’s because we want to have C sometimes sound like s as in citizen.

So let’s just make all j’s start with J, all k’s start with K and all s start with S?
Kan’t we do that? Don’t be supersillious! Are you some kind of jenius?

Deep Uncertainty

OK. If you want to embrace the wisdom of uncertainty, you will enjoy reading (or listening) to Escape the Prison of the Intellect, A Journey from Here to Here, by Deepak Chopra. And Deepak really outdoes himself in this one, with regard to depth. I like puns and I can appreciate the zen wisdom of saying everything equals its opposite. But it is a bit disorienting! This “skin-encapsulated ego,” (person) is very confused. Fortunately, the journey from here to here takes only about an hour. After decimating the concepts of time and space, he goes on to explain that we are just tiny beings, like the whos in whoville, living on an electron revolving around the sun or nucleus. Wow, where did that come from? Am I reading too much Suess or too much Chopra??!

I read a book about Zen once, well a few pages, anyway. It said that there was reading going on, but no reader. The author said I didn’t exist. I was insulted and discontinued reading.

But I enjoy stuff like this. It makes you think, something which is very unpopular today. But how do you explain in words that words have no meaning?

Up is down and down is up and right and left are the same, or else they don’t exist at all. Being everywhere and nowhere is actually the same according to Deepak and he can prove it!

I’ve always thought that each atom looked like a tiny solar system, so maybe our solar system is just an atom in some huge molecule in some Gargantuan chunk of matter, which is of course made up of space and energy. Maybe we are just a bit of data in some huge datastream. I think “bit” is still the smallest unit of data inside a computer. When I was in college, a “bit” was a binary digit. And there were 2 bits in a byte. Somehow I think I have bitten off more than I can chew. Just a bit!

Happy Easter!

Why is Easter so early this year?
Why does the date for Easter change every year?
And tell me why Greek Orthodox Easter is April 27, 5 weeks away?!

Rev. Bob said that the lunar calendar is used and the first Sunday after the first full moon of Spring is determined to be Easter. So Spring was March 20 and the full moon March 21 and Easter March 23.

I wonder why there are still other calendars in use? I thought we had perfected it and this is the best and most accurate one. Still every thousand years or so we'll be off by 10 minutes...

And someone please tell me when the eggs became plastic? I remember Easter Egg Hunts with pastel-colored hard-boiled eggs...

Creativity

Where does inspiration come from?
You first have to gain knowledge and experience in a field, so you can recognize a good idea when you encounter one. Mozart said, “when I am alone, as in riding in a carriage, that is when inspiration comes. Whence it comes I know not nor can I force it.” So one of the most creative people of all time says he must be relaxed, and that creativity cannot be forced. This is true according to the research I did a few years ago for my presentation, creative hypnosis. I found a list of things that can stimulate creativity, but not force it.
First, Walking. Walking is good for you, especially outside in the fresh air. News Flash: Fresh air is good for your brain! Walking on the beach is best, but an unpaved path will do. According to the Chinese, walking on uneven terrain balances the yin and yang energies of the body. So walking can stimulate creativity by getting oxygen to the blood, circulating your blood, balancing your energy, and hey, you never know what you may trip over or encounter along the way.
They say listening to Bach is good, but I’m sure Mozart would do.
Watch a sunset. Read a book. [Avoid Television. Television does not evoke creativity.] These methods are all stress reducers. Stress is the enemy of creativity. So you have to learn healthy ways to relax, and reduce stress.

And who are the stress reduction experts? Hypnotherapists or hypnotists, of course!

If you experience a creative block and cannot overcome it on your own by any of the previously mentioned methods, consult with your favorite hypnotist. If you need to find a hypnotist, contact the National Guild of Hypnotists, the largest organization of hypnotists in the world, with hypnotists in 65 countries. You’re right, we should change the name to The International Guild of Hypnotists.

Improving relations

Someone asked me yesterday, how hypnosis can help relationships.

I have had several clients who wanted to improve a relationship with a spouse, mother, adult child or other relative (especially an in-law). Hypnosis is useful in this area, because first of all it relieves stress. Stress can make people impatient and irritable. After one hypnosis session, clients always tell me they feel sooo relaxed! Now back to relationships. I cannot change your mother-in-law or spouse. We can work together to change your expectations and reaction to that person, increase patience and tolerance, facilitate forgiveness, and become more assertive and confident. If you can remain calm and patient while dealing with your spouse or relative, you can interrupt the pattern of behavior that you both have fallen into, and make room for a better relationship!

And this is also how hypnosis works to improve your business skills or get a promotion! Reduce stress, increase assertiveness and confidence. I’ve worked with people who wanted to improve their sales ability so they could earn more.

Also with regard to work, I’ve had a few clients who wanted to eliminate fear of public speaking, because presentations were required to perform the job and get promoted. Hypnosis is great for this. Fear of public speaking is the number one fear in the US!

Next time: Increasing creativity or eliminating a block.

Healthy Habits

I’m listening to Andrew Weil on CD, Healthy Aging, Your Guide to Optimum Physical and Spiritual Well-being. As a doctor he is very interested in scientific evidence for all the myths and theories he has investigated regarding aging. He does not believe there is any way to reverse aging while continuing to live. However, there are some things he advocates to optimize your health and live better as you age.

He says that the factors most highly correlated to long life are: physical activity and community involvement (social connectedness). I assert that the mind is the biggest factor, so it makes sense to keep it healthy by physical activity and social interaction. It’s also helpful to look at aging in a positive way and viewing the benefits, not just the disadvantages. There are many things that are considered more valuable as they get older, like antique furniture, cheese, wine and whiskey. We live in a throw-away society now, but in the past, old things were considered better, because they were broken in already and had lasted long enough to prove their superiority over other instruments. Yes, violins are considered more valuable when aged properly. And I have seen carpenters who prefer an old trusted tool to one of the new-fangled electric ones. Shoes are more comfortable when broken in, too. I’m sure I could think of more examples. Any ideas?

Some of the advantages according to Weil are increased smoothness, complexity and depth. As with wine, whiskey and cheese, undesirable qualities are reduced, as taste and texture are enhanced. And don’t forget the old trees. He makes pilgrimages to unheard-of places just to stand in their presence. And he feels a strong presence as he thinks of all the wonders and disasters the tree has survived.

In order to keep your mind in optimum condition, Weil recommends that you continue to learn new things and he thinks the kind of learning that most effectively keeps your brain in condition are learning a new language or learning a new computer operating system. He also thinks it would be advantageous for older people to do these things in order to maintain that social connectedness.

He advocates a healthy diet, full of fruits and vegetables and recommends certain supplements which are not easy to get even in the most rigorous diet.

Hypnosis helps you develop and maintain salubrious habits, like taking vitamins and supplements on a daily basis. See www.shopbgb.com/gloriaEH for a great multi-vitamin, mineral and antoxidant formula which is cheap, easy, and convenient!

Resplendent Sunrise

No one should have this good a time on the way to work! I was listening to some songs by Cat Stevens on a CD that I borrowed from the library, then I glanced left towards the golf course. What did I behold? An astonishingly beautiful panorama. Lavender clouds were scattered around a blue-gray sky and a pink sun was just peeking over one of them. The sun turned coral as it progressed upward and emerged from the cloud as the sky lightened, and I saw palm trees silhouetted in the early light.

I'm finding it difficult to capture the magnificence in mere words!

Reckless Youth vs. Venerable Wisdom

Settle down. From Father and Son by the former Cat Stevens, Yusef Ibrahim. I know I have to go. These are the 2 voices in my head. The father, who says wait, slow down. There’s no hurry. It’s not time to make a change and the other voice, much stronger, From the moment I could talk, I was ordered to listen!

There’s a way and I know that I have to go, away. I know, I have to go.

Yet it is a very sad song. I know I have to go. It’s a compulsion. A need. It’s inevitable and something is going to happen even if I resist. I have to change. I have to move forward. Life goes on. There is only one direction. We have to grow up, even if we don’t want to.

I can’t go back now. If I retreat, I’ll regret it. Yet moving forward is filled with grief and remorse for what I leave behind. I leave behind my youth. I leave behind ignorance.

It’s like going away to college. You want to go! You are so excited about the experiences ahead! And so sad about leaving home. You know it will never be the same again. You will go home of course, but it will never be the same, you will never be the same. Like getting married. Or having a child. Or starting a new job. You never know how things will turn out.

Improve your Love Life

I keep getting things by email about hypnosis and self-hypnosis. The latest is about using self-hypnosis for improving your love life!

** Relationship Tip of the Day by Debra Berndt, CHt **--------------------------------
The easiest way to change the film of your subconscious programming is through self-hypnosis. Just a simple, light relaxation opens the door to the editing room of your mind, and you can rewrite the film script of your life. Most single people make the mistake of continuing to focus on being alone and miserable instead of imagining themselves in a happy relationship. By visualizing yourself in a happy relationship and flooding your mind with beliefs that you are confident and lovable through self-hypnosis, your film strip is rewritten, and a new love story unfolds in your life's movie. The important thing to realize is that it will not appear until you truly believe it as you are visualizing and feeling how it would feel to be completely loved. Visualization only works when you engage the feeling of the wish fulfilled. Read the rest of the article, "Changing the Movie of Your Love Life," at http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Changing_the_Movie_of_Your_Love_Life.html

Run!

Help! It's chasing me! I don't want it to catch me. What will I do if it does? It's right behind me, nipping at my heels.

How did this happen?? I don't want to continue running! But I can't put the brakes on now!

It's relentless. It's always behind me and now it's very close.

It seems every time I open my mouth, I commit myself to something more. Now I'm the Director, Now I'm an Instructor. now I'm the Leader of a success team. And what do I know about SUCCESS? It's right behind me and I'm running as fast as I can. I'm running scared. If it catches me, my life changes...

And then what happens when we get what we wanted?!

Lunar Eclipse

Did you see the Lunar Eclipse last night?! It was exquisite. The clouds only enhanced the experience, as the diminishing moon was surrounded and sometimes enveloped by them. The light on the clouds sometimes created a brightly colored ring around the moon, accentuating the diminishing glow. We observed the changing scene for about an hour, until 10:00 pm, when it seemed almost completely covered by shadow, and orange in hue. Then the clouds gathered together and concealed the part of the sky we had been observing. I’m so glad I had the chance to share this rare occurrence with my son.

The Opposite of Self-hypnosis

Is hetero-hypnosis the opposite of self-hypnosis? I think the term “hypnotism” covers it. We don’t need the hetero- prefix. The only word I can think of with hetero is heterosexual. So hetero-hypnosis is hypnotism of a client by a practitioner of the opposite sex. I guess that’s why we need insurance.

Since all hypnosis is self-hypnosis, then we don't need to have a term for it. Or do we? I am thinking it would be nice to have a term that means a hypnotist acts as a facilitator during the client or group's experience of the receptive state known as hypnosis.
I usually just call it "hypnotism."

Are most clients female? Are most hypnotists male? Things have changed a lot at the National Guild of Hypnotists. 11 years ago most of the presenters were male and all of the stage hypnotists were male. Now things have begun to even out a bit.

Hypnotic Fountain of Youth

It’s all how you look at it! One of the last 2 surviving WWI veterans died yesterday. It said in the newspaper, he was in good health and took no medications except eye drops. He leaves behind a wife, who is 100 years old, and a caregiver. Harry Landis was 108, and died after a short illness.

I’m listening to Andrew Weil on CD, Healthy Aging, Your Guide to Optimum Physical and Spiritual Well-being, although he feels most anti-aging efforts are hooey. He reports most centenarians are female, with poor eyesight and hearing, and of course, feisty personalities. He makes it sound unpleasant to live that long, but it is all in your perspective. I can hear Deepak Chopra describing the same woman, but in a much more positive way, as he did in Ageless Body, Timeless Mind. In it he describes habits that most long-lived people share. In Weil’s book he says that the factors most highly correlated to long life are: physical activity and community involvement (social connectedness). I assert that the mind is the biggest factor, so it makes sense to keep it healthy by physical activity and social interaction. It’s also helpful to look at aging in a positive way and viewing the benefits, not just the disadvantages. There are many things that are considered more valuable as they get older, like antique furniture, cheese, wine and whiskey. We live in a throw-away society now, but in the past, old things were considered better, because they were broken in already and had lasted long enough to prove their superiority over other instruments. Yes violins are considered more valuable when aged properly. And I have seen carpenters who prefer an old trusted tool to one of the new-fangled electric ones. Shoes are more comfortable when broken in, too. I’m sure I could think of more examples. Any ideas?

I’m sure luck has a lot to do with longevity. If you avoid dying while a reckless youth, you are fortunate. But after a certain age it is your habits that will carry you through or do you in.

Hypnosis helps you develop and maintain salubrious habits. See philologsblog for the definition of salubrious. See "Hypnotic Eloquence" below for Deepak Chopra's tips for healthy continuation. (I need a more positve term for "aging.")

Hypnosis also helps you to discard negative, limiting beliefs. That will be discussed in future articles.

I will go into all this much more deeply at my next presentation…
I will let you know when that occurs. I will probably present this before the convention. I think the Hypnotic Fountain of Youth will be a topic of interest around here.

Positive Perspective

Happy Fabulous February!

This is an article from the January/February newsletter, called Verbal Impact.

You may consider this edition late for January, or on-time for February. I prefer the latter. It all depends on how you look at it! Is the glass half-full or half-empty? For the answer to this and many other questions, see the article below. I have decided to make only one edition for January and February. I thought January would be a relief after the frenzy of the holidays, but the frenzy continues…


Life is wonderful. Life is hard. Both are true. How can that be? Good things happen. Bad things happen. That’s life. We all know good and bad are subjectively defined. Take this example:

There was one farmer in the town who had a horse, so he was considered rich by the rest of the people in the town, who were very poor. They told him it was very fortunate that he had a horse. He said, maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.
Then the horse ran away. They told him that it was terrible the horse ran away. He said, maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.
The horse came back with two other wild horses. They told him that it was very fortunate. He said, maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.
His son broke his leg trying to ride one of the wild horses. They told him that it was very unfortunate. He said, maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.
The army came by to conscript all young males, but his son couldn’t go because he had a broken leg. They told him that it was very fortunate. He said, maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.
Since he was the only young man in the town who didn’t go with the army, he got to marry the prettiest girl in the town. Everyone said it was fortunate.
Etc. I’m sure you get the idea. It’s all how you look at things.

So, you can be an optimist or a pessimist. It depends on how your perspective. They say every cloud has a silver lining. And isn’t it nice when you find a bit of sunshine in an otherwise gray day? It’s nice, and seems even sweeter, because it’s unexpected. I had a minor car accident 2 months ago. I don’t like to dwell on minor aches and pains, but when I informed my healthcare professional, he ordered some X-rays. He told me he saw a problem on the X-ray that could now be corrected. I was fortunate to have complained because it might have gone undetected otherwise, and could have caused problems later.

Some people are just not happy unless they are miserable. They like to complain. They like to get sympathy. The problem is that attitudes are contagious. I try to avoid these people. Some days it’s difficult to do so. But it can be done.

I saw a show called Ned’s Declassified recently. It is a show for children, which is about 3 students in Middle School. This was the funniest episode I've ever seen, and it’s about positive and negative attitudes. A student named Ned meets the most negative person on the planet, who also happens to be the new kid in his class. Since Ned values a positive attitude he tries to cheer up the new kid, but he ends up with existential angst, himself. His friends ask him how things went. He says “We do live in a barren Universe of Nothingness!” Eventually, Ned introduces the most negative boy in the world, to the most negative girl in the school and he finds out that putting 2 super negative people together, changed their charge to positive, like multiplication (2 negative numbers make a positive when multiplied). These two were so happy to have found one another, they changed each other. And their effect on others was transformed from negative to positive. When previously flowers drooped whenever they came into the room, now they all revived, just like the other student’s attitudes.

This show demonstrates how your attitude affects your life. It’s very funny. Fabio even shows up for a cameo appearance!

Wishing you enlightenment, encouragement and empowerment!

Don't change!

People can’t change. I hear this all the time. Mostly from people who want other people in their life to change. It is frustrating, but we can’t change others.

I also hear this from people who have difficulty breaking a habit. They sigh heavily and say, it’s no use, people can’t change.

The funny thing is, that I see people change all the time! And I can point this out to a friend or client who says, I’ll never quit --- (blank). When I tell them people quit every day! Surely you know someone who has quit?! How did they do it? There are many ways and maybe you just have to try something else. Keep going until you succeed. The only way you can fail is to give up. See “Perseverence” article.

That's why I love hypnosis. People change old habits and old beliefs and find better ways to handle stress, which is the cause of a lot of destructive habits. I enjoy teaching people self-hypnosis so they can reduce stress naturally, without drugs, and in just a few minutes each day!

Quash those dreams!

Thanks for your negativity!

I really appreciate the wise, helpful, pleasant people I have encountered this week who have tried to discourage me from my dreams.

Dreams are awful things! We need to quash them as soon as possible or they may cause some damage to the status quo.

There is an excellent book, available on the web, at www.dynamiclifenow.com, written by a friend of mind, Gabrielle Sogka Reign, called Never Live Your Dreams.

There are miserable people who acheive, aren't there? Well, of course, what about Scrooge? Misers accumulate wads of wealth in their lifetimes. They never enjoy one penny of it and they worry about accumulating more no matter how much they have. It is true for them that there is never enough.

Well, what if it is true that your attitude has nothing to do with your outcome? I hope to explore this question in a future article...

Reminds me of a quote, though: Your attitude determines your altitude.

I agree with that.

But is "quash" really a word? Or did it come about because it sounds like squash.... see philologsblog.blogspot.com for the answer to questions like that.

Can words be used as drugs?

I just saw this on pnosis.com and I had to copy it.

“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” -- Rudyard Kipling

I think words can be used like drugs. I get high listening to some authors, like Deepak Choprah, John O'Donohue, and Marianne Williamson. I guess that's why I keep listening to The Love Trilogy tapes! See previous article, entitled "Check it out," for the audio-book review.

Young and blonde

Youthanize with hypnosis!

I am developing a workshop about how to stay youthful using hypnosis. I hate to bring this up, but we are all getting older and weird things are happening to me and I don’t want to accept it that I’m just getting older and that’s the way things are going to be, and things are only going to get worse! You know how I hate catastrophizing! But let’s be negative for a minute here, so we can figure out how to stop all these negative expectations of aging.

Deepak Chopra really helped me with his book, Ageless Body, Timeless Mind. He states that there are no universal symptoms of aging. Many things associated with age are related to bad diet and bad habits.

The simple aches and pains I sometimes experience are not from aging, but from inactivity. So I have joined a gym. This decade has been wonderful for me and the next will be even better, I’m sure. But I have to take action now. I am just very aware of the different expectations of men and women as they get older. I am also aware of cultural differences. Our American culture worships Youth and Beauty, and our ideas of Beauty are based on youth. Young people are thin usually, and many white children are blond. I know many white people with dark hair who had blond hair as children. That’s why “blondes have more fun!” That was a slogan for a brand of hair color many years ago, yet that idea has insinuated itself into our culture and our consciousness. And hair color has even advanced so that many people with dark hair can experience the fun of a Blond lifestyle. And recently, hair coloring has become popular with men as well as women.

(So why are there so many jokes about blondes being dumb? They pertain, I think, to females only…)

Hypnotic Aging?
I prefer, “Hypnotic Youthing.”
“Hypnotic Youthanization.”
Or could I say Youthanize without bringing up too many negative images?
Please take the poll on VerbalImpact.blogspot.com and tell me which title you prefer. Or send me a comment with your suggestions!

Thanks!

Check it out!

If you see this in a bookstore, take it to the checkout. If you see this at the library, check it out!
(Where did that expression come from? Surely not the library!)

I am listening to some tapes that are amazingly profound. The wisdom and clarity contained on these tapes is stunning; it’s just astonishing! The 3 tapes are called the Quest, The Love Trilogy: Love, Passion, and the Soul. There are 3 tapes: the first is about Love, the second about Soulmates, and the third about the Spiritual Practice of Ecstasy. On each tape are 6 different modern thinkers featured, who share their insights about each topic.

I borrowed this set of tapes from the local library and passed them along to my husband, who enjoyed them so much we bought them. The thing is, they contain so much wisdom that you can listen to them repeatedly and catch something new and profound each time. There is an Irish poet quoted on 2 of the tapes, John O’Donohue, whom I never heard of before, but my husband has recently purchased 3 of his books. He was that impressed by what he said on the tapes.

I can wholeheartedly recommend these tapes to anyone who has ever wondered “why?” They are about love, life, the universe, and everything. They answer many questions. And if you don’t find the answer the first time around, they are easy to listen to again.

These tapes were produced for public television, who produced some sort of series, which I assume was televised at some point. I would love to see the videos. I just haven’t encountered them yet.

Perseverance

How do we achieve our goals?
We must persevere. Or persist. Or stubbornly stick to it. We must refuse to give up. If you give up you fail. If you experience a momentary lapse, you have not failed, if you get back on the wagon. What I’m trying to say is, if you decide I’m going to do this no matter what gets in my way and no matter how long it takes, then success is guaranteed. If you get discouraged and give up after encountering any barrier at all failure is guaranteed. That is called self-sabotage and that is what ruins most of our plans. So if you make up your mind that you will achieve this goal, success is guaranteed!
The other thing is, that there are different ways to say the same thing. I may say he is infuriating, or he is stubborn. But what if I say, he is persistent, instead. That’s not quite so infuriating, is it? Persistence is good. Stubbornness is not. Like I told my student last night you may look at someone as abnormal, weird, strange or crazy. But how about if you say instead, exceptional or outstanding or... eccentric. I had a Sociology professor who remarked that rich people are "eccentric," but poor people are "crazy." At the time I thought it was a wise and profound observation. I still do.
I mean what is normal? and who wants to be normal, anyway???!!!

Persistence and perseverance are synonyms, like persistent and perseverant. See http://philologsblog.blogspot.com/ for real words that are synonomous with persistent.