New Year's Eve 2009

It is the end of a decade.

Let's party like it's 1999!!

I made a resolution many years ago NOT to make resolutions on New Year's Eve. That was an easy resolutaion to keep. But now that the years seem to fly by so fast, it seems like a good time to review the past year and set some goals for the future. Time flies. May as well get something accomplished.

Some of my major accomplishments for 2009:

joined Toastmasters International,
gave 5 speeches,
served as Toast Master twice,
eliminated about 90% of ums from my speeches.

Tomorrow I will publish my Resolutions for 2010

Top 5 Wellness Resolutions

Dr. Victor Dolan of Staten Island, NY sent me an interesting article in his newsletter today, so I thought I would pass it on. There is a link at the end to read the whole article.

New Year, New You: Top 5 Wellness Resolutions

Another year means another list of New Year's resolutions. How long is your list this year, and how confident are you that by year's end, you'll have stuck with them? To be successful in whatever you resolve to do, it's important to set realistic goals. Here are five achievable wellness resolutions to get you started.

TAKE MORE WALKS. If you haven't taken a walk for awhile, go for a 15-minute stroll during a work break or after dinner; we bet you'll immediately feel more refreshed and less stressed about the world. The simple act of walking - away from the relative confines of your office or home - allows you to enjoy nature and exercise all at once.

WATCH LESS TV. We're not suggesting you eliminate TV altogether, particularly if it's news- or education-based, but a few less hours a week of reality TV and late-night B movies wouldn't hurt. Substantial evidence links TV viewing to negative health outcomes, not the least of which is obesity. So turn off the boob tube now and then.

TRY NEW FOODS. Most adults are fairly locked in to their food preferences, which can be dangerous on several levels: If your preferences aren't healthy ones, you're in trouble; and if you don't mix things up occasionally, you risk getting bored. The solution? Try at least one new food a week, preferably the healthy variety.

MAKE TIME TO PLAY. Games, that is; games with your kids, your significant other or yourself that keep your mind sharp and take you away from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind. Whether it's a board game, a crossword puzzle or even a sport that keeps you on your toes (literally and figuratively), make more time to play.

SPOIL YOURSELF. Your last New Year's resolution is perhaps the most important one, because you can't be healthy, at least not over the long haul, if you don't spoil yourself occasionally. Schedule a vacation, plan a date night, or just commit to taking an hour or so at least once a week and relaxing all by yourself. You're worth it.

I would suggest just 15 minutes a day of self-hypnosis will reduce stress, boost the immune sytem and refresh you just like a mini-vacation! See www.EnlightenedHypnosis.com for the next self-hypnosis class.

--Gloria


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Holiday Wishes

I just want to wish all my readers:

A Very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to YOU!

ThursDay

Today is Thursday. Thursday is named for the Norse God of thunder, Thor.

I look forward to Thursdays, because I usually get to attend the weekly meeting of my Toastmasters International Group. I attend meetings during my lunch hour at work.

And today I get to speak! I always get excited about it. It is only a 5-7 minute speech, but that means you have to get right to the point. I tend to be sententious, but in 6 minutes you cannot really cover the information completely. So the challenge is to compose a speech that will intrigue the audience and leave them wanting more. I definitely think that brief speeches are better than long. The Gettysburg address was delivered in less than 3 minutes! Lincoln was one of several speakers that day. It was a brilliant speech, but his companions droned on for much longer. And does anyone know who else spoke on that day? Not many! Just a few historians.

So Happy Thurdsay to you!

A Spoken Review

Speaking will open doors, it creates opportunities, it takes you where you want to go. You are as good as you decide to be.

The title of the book is Speak like a CEO, Secrets for commanding attention and getting results, by Susanne Bates, and these sentences are all taken from this book.

Leading is all about communication. Communication is the most important skill of a leader.

Mastery is everything.

When you speak well, you enjoy it more.

Are these excerpts or quotations?

On the back of an envelope

I love being a writer. When I need to write, I find some paper, or the back of an envelope and start writing. I now have the pleasant task of choosing a topic for the next ToastMaster speech I write. I can write about learning, or about speaking. Actually, I think I will write one short speech about each topic. Then I will have my "hot seat speech" ready for the next time. Next year, which is only 3 short weeks away, I will be secretary of my club! To serve in this capacity, I had to attend a special training last weekend.

I also have some notes written on the back of a receipt I got at the grocery store...

How to Look 10 Years Older

Just read a magazine article yesterday (from an October 2009 issue, I'm right on top of things) about a study done on identical twins who look 10 years different in age. All the twins pictured were female.

One common difference for this small sample of twins, is that one smoked for over 10 years and the other didn’t. That is no surprise to me. I talked about twin studies and the effects of smoking at my Hypnotic Fountain of Youth workshop at the NGH convention in August.

Sun exposure also plays a role, as expected, the twins, one in Toronto and the other in Florida, look very different.

They also listed weight as a factor for several of these pairs. The conclusion is that extra weight is an advantage when you are over 40 years old, but a disadvantage when younger. In older women, the extra fat tends to smooth out wrinkles, so skin looks more youthful.

Divorce plays a role. The twin who divorced looks older than the one who stayed married. Fortunately this is not a cumulative thing, you don’t age 10 years with every divorce, just the first one.

They mention depression medication, though they don’t identify the twins who took it, as they did not want to be identified. However they note that taking anti-depressant medication for 10 years or more, tends to affect the slant of the eyes and make someone look older than they are.

They did not mention other pharmaceuticals, but we know that people addicted to illegal drugs, and to the legal drug, alcohol, look older than their years.

So if you want to look older, smoke cigarettes, get a divorce, and get out in the sun!

Are you dehydrated?

Here are some startling facts and statistics:
75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
37% have suppressed their thirst mechanism to the point that it is often misinterpreted for hunger.
Even mild dehydration can slow down one's metabolic rate by as much as 3%.
A University of Washington study, found that nearly all participating dieters were able to deter their midnight hunger pangs by just drinking a glass of water.
The No. 1 trigger of daytime fatigue is lack of water.
Preliminary research has indicated that drinking 8-10 glasses of water each day could improve back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
A mere 2% drop in body water can negatively affect short-term memory and the ability to concentrate.
Drinking five glasses of water each day can decrease the risk of breast cancer by as much as 79%, bladder cancer by 50%, colon cancer by 45%, and deadly heart attack by 41%.

********************************************************************************
By drinking healthy living water you are positioning your body to be at optimal health. You are better able to ward off sickness because you have a boosted immune system. You are also more likely to lose weight, slow down the aging process, and better absorb important nutrients including vitamins and minerals.

This is information I got from Life Enthusiast dot com.

It's Easy with Hypnosis

It was Emile Coue (1857-1926) a French pharmacist and pioneering hypnotist who said:
"Always think of what you have to do as easy and it will become so."

And another insightful Coue-ism:
"When the will and the imagination are in conflict, the imagination invariably wins the day."

Thanks, Mark Beck for sending me this information!

Memory Tips 1

I am preparing a presentation for Memory Tips, A to Z.

The A-B-Cs of Memory?

I like that title.

I came across another article today about how our diet affects our memory. Today's article was about preventing dementia by eating fish and cruciferous vegetables several times per week. It seems what is good for your body is also good for your mind, and your memory!

Omega-3 fatty acids are the substances that are good for you in fish and cruciferous vegetables.

I can put that in my presentation under O.

Just 25 more letters to go!

Public Speaking 101

Acccording to Suzanne Bates, in Speak Like a CEO: Secrets for Commanding Attention and Getting Results,

Business is about nothing but communication.

This would be a major revelation to the management where I work.

In addition:

Leading is about communicating.

My managers definitely do not know this.

I have just begun this audio book, and may discuss several noteworthy quotations from it in the next few days. I am suddenly fascinated by the relationship between leadership and public speaking, management and communication.

It's also interesting how the author of this book seems to agree with the authors of Leading with Kindness about the philosophies of effective leaders, "those we admire," according to Bates.

Fort Hood

What's really on my mind is the violence at Fort Hood yesterday.

Somehow it seems a mystery why anyone would do such a thing. Especially someone trained to be a psychiatrist. You would think he would know what to do when experiencing homicidal thoughts.

Monday Morning Meetings

I used to work for a privately owned company in New jersay. We used to have meetings every Monday Morning at 10 am. As a Programmer/Analyst, I found them completely useless, as I had to endure the reports from finance and production and various special projects before I reported on the status of the computer programs they needed to keep everything running.



I remember people falling asleep during these meetings. I myself had trouble staying awake, but I would have been too embarassed to allow myself to sleep. How did I stay awake? It's hard to describe. Sometimes we know it's important to be there so we are. Daydreaming, doodling, or playing mental games are okay. I heard recently, that if people (or students) are doodling while you are speaking, it actually helps them pay attention to your words.



I'm sure these Monday Morning Meetings were helpful to the Director, but he was wasting the time of 8 or 9 other employees. The meetings lasted at least an hour, so thats pretty expensive, for this to occur every week. I can see that maybe he wanted everyone to appreciate how things worked together and other departments affect each other, but I doubt the expense can be rationalized in today's economy. The Director could have gotten what he needed on an individual basis or in smaller meetings. And my direct supervisor would be a better person to report to, because he knew what projects we were assigned and he also could provide information or guidance if needed.



I agree with Kevin Hogan that 99% of all business meetings are completely useless.

A Radical Philosophy of Leadership

I'm now listening to the audio book Leading with Kindness by Bill Baker and Michael O'Malley. I am very impressed with their assessment of leadership, which is a word they use interchangeably with management.



They actually believe and can support the notion that good leaders can be both well-liked and respected! They talk about the ideal workplace, where employees are treated like individuals, and are encouraged to make choices that are good for the company as well as themselves. Can you imagine such a place?



They mention Donald Trump and the changing roles of managers as we change to a more service-oriented society. Although we may have enjoyed watching The Apprentice, it's for sure we wouldn't want to work for a manager like that.

What's my password?

Let's see....what's my password?



I ask myself this every morning. I had the same password for years, and a variation of it for several applications. Then someone hijacked my hotmail account and I had to change my password, and several others. At work we were given a sheet with about 40 applications, so we can record our passwords. And every month we are forced to change some of them.



I guess it's a good memory challenge.



Also good to write them down, just in case.

But I'm fascinated with the enhancement of memory. Can hypnosis really help?

Stress and tension interferes with memory retrieval. So we know hypnosis can reduce stress and tension. But what about memory storage? It seems you have to pay attention to remember something. Can hypnosis improve focus and concentration?

I think the regular of self-hypnosis would definitely help, since it is simply a state of focused attention, and improves with practice.

Hot Flashing Hypnosis

I am reading a book about menopause. I thought it would be helpful, since many of my clients are experiencing some of the symptoms associated with this process. (you know I'm too young!)

A No-nonsense Guide to Menopause by Barbara Seaman and Laura Eldridge is a pretty good exploration about HRT, herbs, vitamins, folk remedies, and superstitions about the various aspects of this remarkable stage of life.

The book mentions hypnosis on page 58:

"Other alternative methods being investigated for treating hot flashes include magnets, acupuncture, and hypnosis. A 2004 study from Texas reported that hypnosis significantly reduced flashing and sleep disturbance in participants. "

Then it explains how no studies have supported the effectiveness of acupuncture or magnets on this particular experience, so I can't explain why they are even included in this paragraph entitled, "Look Into My Eyes," in this chapter about Hot Flashes.

Hot flashes are particularly difficult to treat, as the biological cause is unknown and it seems in other cultures, women do not share in this curious form of energy surge.


The study mentioned is footnoted thusly:

Elkins, Marcus, Palamara, Stearns, "Can Hypnosis Reduce Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer Survivors? A Literature Review," American Journal of Hypnosis, 2004.

I have a video about Ways to

Quell Hot Flashes

here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqS9D1RDpjE&feature=youtu.be

Cramming vs. Hypnosis

Someone asked me if hypnosis can enhance the learning experience.

Definitely!

I heard a speaker at the HypnoSummit say that learning only takes place in trance. Which makes sense if you define trance as focused attention. If you want to learn something, you have to pay attention. If you can focus only on that subject, on that teacher, at that moment, you can absorb the information and retrieve it later.

Regarding memory, you won't remember something if you didn't attend to it. That makes sense, too, if you don't notice something (make note of it) you won't remember it tomorrow. It won't make it to the long-term memory bank.

So the best way to learn is to practice self-hypnosis and use it during class. The best way to study is to use self-hypnosis and then study. The best thing to do before a test is to use self-hypnosis to relax for about 5-10 minutes before sitting down to the test. This has been shown to be more effective than cramming just before a test.

Stress and anxiety tend to prevent someone from remembering everything they have studied. So hypnosis is excellent for relieving test anxiety.

More about how hypnosis can accelerate learning on http://VerbalImpact.blogspot.com.

Tweeting

I am trying to expand my horizons and increase my income, by learning how to use social networking tools, like twitter, http://twitter.com/GloriaConstant

And Facebook.

I think I like Facebook better, because I can post whatever I want on my wall or send messages to others, and the messages can be any length. Tweets, on the other hand must be shorter than a certain number of characters. Now I tend to be brief and direct, so I don't need a limit, but I seem to have to edit and use abbreviations or symbols to make sure I don't exceed 140 characters!

Also, Facebook will find me if you type in my full name, but I had to shorten it for Twitter.

C U Later, Tweetheart!

That reminds me, anybody remember this:
YY U R
YY U B
I C U R
YY 4 me!

Canada Cancels Flu Shots?

This morning, on the way to work, I heard some very interesting information about flu shots.


It seems that if you received a seasonal flu shot last year, you are more likely to get the swine flu. More likely, not less. This is according to a study which has not been published yet, but has Canadian Officials thinking about canceling the rollout of swine flu vaccine, which was scheduled for later this month, October, 2009. Very interesting.

Drawn from a series of studies from British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario, the findings appear to suggest that people who got a seasonal flu shot last year are about twice as likely to catch swine flu as people who didn’t.

Read about it in the Toronto Sun:
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/09/24/11097061.html

Success

Success! I have finally managed to change my web hosting service. After 4 days, 4 calls to StartLogic, and 2 calls to 1 and 1, reading tutorials, banging my head against the wall, and a few prayers, my website is up and running and my email works, too!

Don't ask me why these things were not available, just send me another email if you sent a message over the past few days and didn't get a response!

Who said these things were complicated??!! Thank Heaven for the toll-free technical support phone numbers!

I also want you to know that http://www.enlightenedhypnosis.com/ is a green website!

My web host announced last month, that my site is powered by 100% wind energy.

Wild, huh?

Cool!

Cool and breezy!

Hypnotic Trance

This morning I heard someone say something I never heard before! She said this phrase, "hypnotic stupor." After doing hypnosis for over 10 years, I cannot remember seeing anyone in a "hypnotic stupor." All of my clients report feeling more alert, creative and resourceful while in a hypnotic trance. Almost all of them do appear quite relaxed on the outside, as I do encourage relaxation for all of my stressed clients. But Stupor? Hypnosis is far from it. I would have to say that this phrase is an oxymoron.

I would even say that many people go thru life in an automatic, dissociated, unemotional way. That I might call stupor, but that is not hypnosis. That is the opposite of hypnosis. It reminds me of something Milton Erickson said:
"Hypnosis is the temporary interruption of habitual behavior in order to find creative solutions."

For more interesting trivia about the word "stupor," see my other blog, Philologsblog.blogspot.com.

Happiness Part One

Interestingly enough, what people think and say will make them happy, doesn't.



And Abraham Lincoln had it right when he said, "People are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be."



I have read some books lately about Happiness. One was fiction, the other non-fiction.





The Happiness Code, by Amy Herrick--about a genetically modified baby, born with the "happiness" gene and some of his adventures while just a year old.




I can't remember the title about noticing the happy times and enjoying them and how to look at other events in a more positive way. (the next book I will read will be about improving the memory!)




And the best book about how to include more joy in your life, The Joy Diet by Martha Beck.

You are Magnificent

Have you ever stopped to revel in your own magnificence?

Or do you let your inner slavedriver dictate your attitude?

These are just a few thoughts I had after listening to Dr. Judith Orloff on her audiobook this morning. The bold words above are some phrases she used in just the introduction, before the first chapter. I just love the poetry in them!

It is time to replace your negative programming with self-love and self-acceptance of the very special and unique and creative and brilliant person you truly are. That's right. It's time to celebrate your life and to celebrate you!

Happily Ever After

Happiness is an interesting topic. It seems we are always talking about the "pursuit" of it. That makes it seem very elusive. Or the "journey." But happiness is not a destination. Noone lives Happily ever after. Even the most happy people will experience moments of unhappiness. But I think Happiness is a habit.



I read a book about cultivating the habit of happiness and it is a guide to making the most of every situation, and looking for the good stuff. An optimist can always find something good in any event, and a pessimist can always find something negative in any event. Optimism is also considered a habit by Martin Seligman, in his book Learned Optimism.



But what is happiness? Is it an emotion? If so, all emotions are fleeting. They do not have a long life, unless we keep nourishing them.

Which emotion do you want to nourish in your own life? It is a choice. We have control over our thoughts. We can learn and practice optimism. If you need help with this contact your local hypnotist.

Angel Babies Book Review

I just read an amazing book by someone I know personally, Patricia McGivern. Patti is a hypnotist who has an office in Dunedin, FL. Her specialty is past life regression and she has written a book called, Angel Babies, Messages from Miscarried and Other Lost Babies. It is a very moving book about a very personal subject. It will definitely make you cry and may challenge your beliefs about the afterlife and reincarnation. It challenged my beliefs, and yet I have to accept the book as true, because I know Patti and I know she was writing from her own spiritual experiences. She also includes correspondence from other parents, psychics, authors and doctors.

Patti is an excellent writer and I'm glad she shared her spiritual experiences in this exceptional book! This book is definitely a gift to parents everywhere. Thank you, Patti!

Cheerfulness

Call me Mary Sunshine, I am in a good mood today and want to spread encouragement to everyone I encounter today!


So here is something repeated from an email I got today:


Your cheerfulness is a sparkling spring of joy that overflows into every neighboring mind and heart. What a priceless gift your cheerfulness is. You have the power to effect a positive change in your world and the people within it. Your cheerfulness will affect both you, the giver, as well as, the receiver. You can begin by being a giver of good cheer, and then, it will return to you multiplied (many times). Your cheerful attitude is reflected in your smile and in everything you say and do. You follow up every smile with positive uplifting words. Your words have a greater effect on people than you realize.
At times, in the past, we may have been so involved in our own lives that we spoke without considering the feelings of others. Realizing that this has happened in the past helps us in working to improve our communication. You take time to laugh deeply and share the deep laughs of others.
In James 1:19, our Bible states, "Know this, my beloved children. Let every human be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger." We back up our cheerfulness with a caring attitude that begins withlistening instead of talking. When we listen to others, we give a wonderful gift. We pay attention to what they're saying, but we are also alert to the feelings behind their words. If we "hear" loneliness or pain, we offer our cheerful countenance of friendship and offer words of support and encouragement. We ask God to guide our words and actions. Cheerfulness is a learned habit (!). The more we view our relationships with a cheerful attitude, the more solid, lifelong friendships are made manifest in our lives.

I can't take credit for this, I am not so knowledgeable about the Bible. This is from Chris Chenowith, Positive Christianity.

What's the difference between happiness and cheerfulness? I think a person can be cheerful even if they are not happy. And people can be happy without being cheerful. More to follow...

Thought for today

I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time. - Anna Freud

Hotmail Hijacked by Spyware!

After I told a friend of mine about the email-hacking event that happened just a little more than 24 hours ago, he recommended that I get a program to detect and eliminate spyware. I used Spyware Terminator, which is available as a free download, and it appears to have worked.

In addition to that, I changed my pasword and secret question from 2 different computers, twice. It was recommended I change them by MSN Live Support. They did not mention using another computer, but I was afraid if someone got my password from my home computer, then they would know if I changed it from the same computer.

I think this event has made me a lot more paranoid. I have always enjoyed email and Internet browsing, and recently, I discovered Twitter. Well, before I shut down my computer 2 nights ago, I tweeted and checked out some of my follower's pages and websites. Then I decided I needed to send an email to the members of the TBNGH, so I sent a group email notifying them of upcoming meetings. Then I shut off the computer and went to bed. In the morning I was horrified to find a bunch of messages in my inbox saying that delivery had failed to some of my recipients. It seems the unscrupulous fiend had sent at least 20 messages with about 250 illegally obtained addresses step by step from my email address book starting with A and getting to about J or K before reaching my maximum!

Needless to say I was shocked and horrified. And even more horrified when I started getting unpleasant messages from people on my list requesting that I lose their address and never send them junk like this again. Even my Uncle sent an inquiry as to what was the meaning of this?

You can see the message in the previous blog entry.

I am wondering how to apologize to the people on my list. I really feel bad. I am so outraged, I want to spam that guy who did this to me! I wish I knew the best way to do that, but I afraid that any electronic communication could be dangerous and I don't want to have my reputation compromised again. So I have taken every step possible that I know of to prevent a future recurrence of this. I have received a similar message from another online shopping marketing genius who hacked a friend's email address and sent almost incomprehensible messages. I replied to her, sending the original message and she said other people had gotten the same thing and it said it was from her. I have gotten that same message 3 times from her email address. Now I know how it happened.

Or maybe not. I have to link this with Twitter, so I will not be tweeting on a daily basis. I will probably post a tweet about this blog entry, but only after I have closed the browser that I opened hotmail with.

It's a shame. The Internet can be so much fun, especially the social networks. It's too bad there are sharks out there. All I can say is be careful!

And I apologize if you received this illegal and illiterate message saying it was from me.

Dear Unscrupulous Hotmail-hacking Thief

Dear Thief,

Please stop sending illegal and illiterate messages to my "firends!!!" I am outraged that you stole my email address book and sent out 250 messages this morning at 4:20 am. If I could I would fill your email with spam myself, but you surpassed my limit for outgoing email and I can't send any more, now for 24 hours!

Please Cease and Desist!
I will do all I can to make sure noone ever goes to your website!

This is the message you sent and even changed my personal signature to insert it in other actual emails from me!

Dear firend:AA

Hello.How are you doing recently?Some days ago, I came across a wonderful electronic company on the web and had a pleasant chat with the sales manager. He told me that they are planning to lower the prices greatly in order to adapt to the global economic crisis, so that they can expand their overseas market. I have bought an iphone and a computer,and i am very satisfied with their items and services.If you have time,you can have a look. Their website: xxxxx
email: shop09 at 188.com
I wrote it this way so you know what it is, but it doesn't create a link. Send him a nasty message if you like...

Beloved readers, how do I get revenge on this fiend? Please send suggestions by way of making a comment to this post. Thanks.

A Hypnotic Suggestion

A book I'd like to read:


A Hypnotic Suggestion by Alison Jones

When a man is found murdered in his North Carolina home, Dr. Susan Kemper, psychologist and forensic hypnotherapist, is on the case, going against the wishes of her domineering husband and the lead detective who considers her methods laughable. In fact, the only person who wants her there is Tom Danford, the compelling, criminal attorney fighting to prove that his client is not the killer.

The deeper Susan delves into the case, the more her marriage deteriorates. She has long hidden her unique ability to enter a hypnotized state with witnesses...

It seems the author, Alison Jones is a forensic hypnotist. I wonder if it is somehow autobiographical?

I told you

I told you they love me at the Blood Bank:

They sent me a Happy Birthday wish!

Spectacular Spectacles

I don't want to blame this on aging, but my birthday is coming up (on Sunday).



I now need to wear glasses. Pretty much all the time. But I don't. I usually need them for reading, unless I am outside in bright sunlight. I need them to read Newspapers all the time, even in sunlight. And driving. And using the computer. But I still prefer to take them off when doing housework, or talking to someone, or watching TV (unless I have to read subtitles) or shopping. It's more convenient to take my son shopping with me, to read the expiration dates on the coupons.



But ...glasses? They are quite fashionable these days. And so widespread that they no longer say "men don't make passes at girls who wear glasses."



What an outdated, sexist expression!
Remember when the put thick lenses with clunky black frames on Marilyn Monroe to make her look unattractive?!! If you remember that, then you are older than me!!


I guess I could wear contacts, but then I don't have a choice whether to wear them or not. I think if I wore contacts it would be difficult to take them off, and that is something I would only want to do once per day. So, if I'm at work I'll wear my glasses. Or reading. Or driving. I keep my spare pair in the car.


So, just what is my objection to wearing glasses?



Because they make me feel older? No, many young people wear glasses.

Maybe because they make me look more studious? No, that's a good thing.

Because they hide my beautiful hazel eyes? Noooo.



What is it?!



Maybe because they continually slip down my nose? Maybe because my hair gets stuck in the hinges and they pull out some hair when I take them off? Maybe because it seems my eyes itch and I need to rub them more when I am wearing them. Does anyone else have any of these problems? I can't be the only one!

And even though the optometrist technicians all say "you'll get used to them!" It still seems like I'm walking on a moving boat when I'm walking down the stairs. And I don't really want to (get used to them)!


Just stubborn, I guess. If I do wear them all the time and get used to them , then I will be dependent on them.

Maybe if I call them spectacles, I'll like them better. Is there another word for glasses?

Vision-aids.
Bifocals.
Double monocles.
Lenses.
Opticle technological magnification apparatus.
Vision Enhancement Devices, or VEDs, for short.

I'll stick with spectacles, or maybe spectaculars. Yeah, I like that!

Interview with a Vampire

Yesterday I saw my friendly phlebotomist on the bloodmobile in order to donate some blood. I've got premium in my veins and the Blood Bank calls me every time they have a bloodmobile in my area.

So I must thank my supervisor for the title as he said I could take a break to go to the bloodmobile during my work day and I should log it as "interview with a vampire!"

I remember reading awhile ago that the Japanese were trying to come up with a synthetic blood which would not carry infrections and could not be rejected by any blood type. I guess they haven't yet developed one that good, or else it may be too expensive to produce in mass quantities, because I cannot find synthetic blood on the internet. I can find "substitute blood products" which are synthetic, but they can't do everything blood does.

One type of these products is called Perfluorocarbon emulsions (PFCE) and they are considered oxygen therapeutics, which apparently are superior to hemoglobin in delivering oxygen to the cells according to this PR release:

Due to the synthetic nature of PFCE's, the product has a shelf life of 2 years and minimizes the risk of infection or immunologic reaction resulting from a transfusion (i.e. mismatched blood type, mismatched Rh factor or diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis B). In addition, PFCE's dissolve oxygen (unlike hemoglobin, which binds the molecule), which allow them to load/unload oxygen 2 times faster than hemoglobin, extract >90% of the transported oxygen and as evident in Oxygent™ (a current PFCE product), deliver the amount of oxygen of 1-2 units of red blood cells in one unit of PFCE product (100-110 ml). About 4-12 hours after infusion, the PFCE particles are removed from the circulation via normal respiration.

Blood is an amazing fluid. It serves many functions.

to be continued...

Growing Wiser

These are 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."

Very Persuasive

This Is For Real {!firstname_fix}

Do you ever get emails that begin like this?

I like it when they do use my first name, but often when I sign up for things I use a pseudonym so I will know that it is not a true acquaintance of mine.

Another interesting subject line frorm my email today: Let your volcano erupt!

Now that is enticing. That gets me to open the email.

The subject on the first line, gets labeled as junk.

Optimism and the Hypnotic Fountain of Youth

I found a great quotation!

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope or confidence. - Helen Keller

And in Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman, he mentions that optimism leads to better health, which leads to longer life. It seems that the immune system is strengthened by positive thoughts and weakened by negative thoughts. This agrees with another book, You can't Afford the Luxury of a Negative Thought by John-Roger & Peter McWilliams.

Junk Mail

Good News!

Thousands of single women are waiting to meet me!

Or so it says in an email I received today.

I do get the most interesting mail! Especially in my junk folder!

Here are a few more interesting subject lines:

Stop snoring, without sprays or pills

This is about your yellow teeth

Lose all the weight you want

If your joints still hurt, read this now

Official Notification of Winner

Wishing you Cooperation Delectation

and I guess I don't need this anymore:
You can pick up more women
since I got that first one. And of course, I am married, and I am female!

New Book

I'm so excited! I am about to start a new audio book by Deepak Chopra!

It's called Why is God Laughing? The Path to Joy and Spiritual Optimism.

I have read some reviews of it and it is said to be a funny book. It is also written more like a novel, than some of his other books. It is the story of a comedian who meets a stranger who becomes his spiritual mentor.

I can't wait to read it!

BTW, has anyone ever heard Deepak laugh?

Toast Masters

I just joined Toast Masters. Does that make me toast? And how long will it take to make me a "Master?"

I would definitely like to master this public speaking thing. I have done some great presentations in the past, and some mediocre. I want to be consistently spectacular. I want the prize, the award for the Best Presenter. Of course there are over 100 presenters at NGH each year. But I am planning a stellar performance at the convention this year. Actually, 2 stellar performances. I have a presentation on Saturday morning at 4, I think, Self Hypnosis for Hypnotists and other Winners, and on Sunday morning at 8 am, again, The Hypnotic Fountain of Youth. I have done 8 or 9 presentations already and 6 have been at 8 am. I happen to be a morning person, but for some unknown reason, it seems hypnotists tend to sleep in past 8 am on Saturday and Sunday mornings while at the convention, which provides activities from 7 am thru 11 pm every evening. But I will promote my Sunday workshop throughout the weekend, so I expect there will be a good attendance. You will see me with my flashing name tag at the Big Dinner on Saturday evening. And I hope to see you Sunday morning!

Beware of the Leopard

I do imagine myself as funny. Sometimes other people think I am, too. See the article I wrote after the convention 2 years ago. I got into flow and then they actually got my jokes! I want to develop this ability by attending Toast Master meetings. I have joined. I am scheduled to present at the convention in August, also at a few meetings here at work. These will be about 30 minutes long...

I would like to be a humor writer, like Douglas Adams or Dave Barry. I have just introduced my son to the Hitchhiker Triology. I remember it as being very funny and my son is enjoying reading me some excerpts that he finds particularly amusing.

I did particularly enjoy the part in the first book when Arthur Dent was talking to the bureaucrat about the notice that was prominently displayed in the courthouse in a public area for several weeks before they actually sent the bulldozer over to demolish his house.

It turns out Arthur Dent did read the notice.
It was posted in the Courthouse,
in the basement.
It was prominently displayed on the side of a broken file cabinet
in a closet
in a decommissioned restroom.

Oh, and did I forget to mention, there was a chain and a sign forbidding the stairs to be used by the public, as they were severely damaged.

Oh, and I did forget to mention the sign saying Beware of the Leopard. But I forget where it was posted in the Courthouse...

Ma'am

I've been ma'amed! This morning, at the front gate of work, the security guard said it. He said Have a good day, Ma'am!

This is a subsitute security guard. The usual guard is much older than me and he usually wishes me a good day, Young Lady!

So which do I prefer? Young Lady, of course. I have never really liked ma'am. Of course now that I work with military service members and their families, I have a renewed respect for the title. I mean, it is useful and in the military there are ma'ams and sirs. So even military spouses have to get used to these.

But what can be done about “ma’am?”

I used to feel very uncomfortable with it, of course, that was when I was about 30 and teenagers started calling me ma’am. It made me feel old.

I list it as a sign of aging, and discuss it in my Hypnotic Fountain of Youth presentations.

But now, I find that my attitude has changed.

I guess that’s because I discovered something worse.

I was at a local grocery store. The cashiers have been trained in greeting the customer, being polite and always wishing the customer a nice day at the end of the transaction. They also have been trained to look at the name on the credit or debit card, so they can address the customer by name. So when I was just about to leave, the teenager said, have a nice day, and I braced myself for the ma’am.

What he said was so much worse.

Have a nice day, Gloria!

I live in Florida. It is very informal here, so they have been trained to use the First Name. I understand that the company wants them to be friendly and polite, but I just don’t think it is appropriate for a cashier to call me by my first name. I don’t like strangers calling me by my first name. I especially don’t like strange teenagers calling me by my first name.

I also object to telemarketers using my first name. They call and ask for Gloria, so I think they know me. They don’t. I really don’t care for it.

Am I the only one?

The Way of Aikido

I have just finished reading, The Way of Aikido, Life Lessons from an American Sensei, by George Leonard. This book is about 10 years old, and was not on my list of books to read, but I found it fascinating. It echoed a lot of messages from Thick Naht Hanh's books.



Aikido is another martial art from Japan, which differs form all the others, because it is as much a mental effort as a physical effort. It really has more to do with Buddist philosophy than the others.



It is not a series of counter attacks. There are just 2 techniques: centering and blending. George Leonard calls it blending, when you merge with your attackers point of view, and escape, while also protecting the attacker. You see, they truly believe that there are more than just 2 options, win and lose. This is a western concept. There are many other options available if you change your perspective. They teach you to see from the other's position and provide a third alternative. the goal is to protect yourself from harm, without harming the other. Basically to disarm the other by taking away the threat.



It also works with verbal attacks and other areas of life, not just physical attacks.



Many people advocate Centering Yourself, but this is the only book with instructions. To center yourself, focus on your center. In Chinese, this is the dan tien, and is located an inch or 2 below the navel. That's it. Simple, isn't it?

Procrastinate? Later!

I changed my calendar this morning, so I now can view May on the wall. I have to tell you I am very proud of myself for completing this task before May is a week old.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Fiesta later!

Someday I will beat this procrastination habit!

What if it's swine flu?

The media is reporting that the 1918 pandemic was composed of a recombination of H1N1 seasonal flu and H1N1 swine flu. What you won’t hear reported in the main stream media is how chiropractic care afforded life saving relief to so many back in 1918.

The 1918 flu epidemic swept silently across the world bringing death and fear to homes in every land. More than one hundred million people died. In 1918 almost nothing was known about prevention, protection, treatment or cure of influenza. The whole world stood at its mercy, or lack of it.

In 1918, chiropractors in Wisconsin began going door-to-door adjusting anyone who had the Flu.
As a result, an amazing thing occurred. Those who were adjusted by a chiropractor didn’t die.

The news about Chiropractic swept across Wisconsin and eventually the whole country. Within a short period of time, chiropractic became so well known as the best defense against the flu that chiropractors were being called “Flu Doctors”.

Read about it here: http://chirounity.com/

As for me, I take vitamin C daily, go to a chiropractor regularly (at least once per month) and use self-hypnosis to keep my immune system ready for any challenge.

State of Mind

This will make you feel rich in ways you never thought possible for financial freedom does not depend on how much money you have, it is a State of Mind!



That is what Suze Ormond says about her program Financial Freedom.



I liked it because she went over psychological factors, then the practical, real world, financial education, then spiritual factors.



And I thought she was more shallow than that. I underestimated her. My apologies, Suze.

I also like that she advocates the use of affirmations. She recommends writing it down 25 times per day in addition to screaming it, singing it and repeating it over and over when faced with fear. Only she calls it Your Truth, not simply an affirmation.

The audio program is called, Financial Freedom by Suze Ormond and Suze delivers on her promise that it will make you feel richer than you ever thought possible. Is that the Truth, or just an affirmation? You'll have to listen for yourself.

Self-talk Matters

This morning, I was listening to Ed Martin from NGH talking about Cell Command hypnosis techniques. He mentioned how certain language causes a negative physical effect. The examples he used were by someone who often said, "I'll be dammed!" and another who liked to say, NO sh**!" Both of these people were constipated for years before using hypnosis to get help and eliminate those phrases from their lexicon.

I just heard from someone saying he got his "guts stomped on" by his former spouse. Interestly enough, he also has some digestive issues and his doctor wants to scope his stomach. Since he keeps talking about his guts, I hope they also do a lower GI series.

Weekend Festivities

Kalo Pascha! (Happy Easter!)

We celebrated Greek Orthodox Easter this weekend. On Thursday night, the crucifixion was reenacted. On Friday, there was a 3-hour ceremony with songs about the activities of the women after Jesus' death. Since this was a funeral service, people were dressed in black. A flower-adorned "tomb" was set up in the front of the church.

The thunderstorm on Friday evening caused a power shortage, which knocked out the lights, microphone, and air conditioner in St. Nicholas Church for the first 40 minutes of the service. Since there was dim emergency lighting in the church, the atmosphere was perfect for such a ceremony.

On Saturday morning, communion was offerred to those who were will willing to arrive at 6 am.
The Saturday night service began at 11:00 pm. At the end of the service, all the lights were intentionally turned off. A few minutes later, the priest dramatically emerged from the back, with one lighted candle. The choir and altar boys each lit one candle and brought their candles to light another of the parishioner's candles until all the candles in the church were lit. This continued as people left the church and waited outside. After a few words from the priest outside the church, everyone cheered, "Christos Anesti!" (Christ is risen!) Then the fireworks began and continued for about 20 minutes.

Easter day was spent with friends, and meat was served for the first time in 40 days.

Easter is the biggest holiday in the Greek Orthodox Church.

(this is reprinted from an article I wrote in 2006, since the festivities lacked fireworks this year)

Open Your Mind

The book I am currently reading is called, Open your Mind to Prosperity, by Catherine Ponder.

It was written in 1971. So she is one of the pioneers of the current trend in Positive Thinking, called Law of Attraction now.

So far, I have learned that an attitude of gratitude is necessary to open yourself up to new opportunities.

Next, forgiveness. If you hold things against others, you are holding and maintaining your barriers to success. If you forgive others, you set them free and you set yourself free, too. This opens up the channels to new opportunities, also.

It also includes a nice little technique to ask for other's forgiveness for yourself. You can do this remotely, so you don't even have to confront the other person. I like that. It's useful for people from the past that you haven't seen for 30 years and have no idea where they are or if they are still alive.

Other things that get in the way (barriers) to prosperity:

Envy, criticism, and playing the victim role.

Catherine Ponder looks at prosperity through a spiritual perspective and employs prayer as well as affirmations to assist the process. She has written other books about Prosperity, including the Dynamic Laws of Prosperity and The Prosperity Secret of the Ages.

Great titles, great books.

Which seeds to nurture?

I apologize, but I won't say I'm Sorry.



I won't say I'm sorry, because I believe in the impact of words. I don't want to suggest that I am "sorry," which means pitiful, poor or imperfect. I believe we are all divine children of the Universe and as such, cannot be sorry. I can feel sorry for you or regret something I've done, but I am still magnificent. I am still divine. I am still a child of God.



According to many sources, the combined words "I am" are very powerful.



Words are like weeds and I don't want to nurture the wrong ones. Thick Naht Hanh says we have the seeds of compassion and the seeds of violence within us, so every day we need to decide which ones we will nurture and practice. I choose to nuture the seeds of compassion and peace, so I will choose my words carefully. I know how hurtful words can be. Ask any adult who was bullied as a child. The physical wounds heal, but the emotional ones never do. So affirm that you are magnificent and others, too.

Are we having fun yet?

Are we having fun yet?



We moved to the sunshine state 8 years ago for the weather. We have had some great weather. Even the cold spells are refreshing.

But when do we start having fun? I guess some people enjoy the abusement parks, but we don't. We had a really bad experience the last time we went to a Disney park.

We have had a really bad time with the school system.

We have had a really bad time with the job situation.

We have had a really hard time with finances. It's so cheap here.



So....

Another transformational book review

The book review this month, is called Creating True Peace by Thick Nhat Hanh. It is a transformational book about Life. Thick Nhat Hanh is a buddhist monk who has written several books about Engaged Buddhism, which he learned and taught during the Viet Nam war. He mentions how they fervently prayed for a 24-hour truce so they might have some respite from the bombing, in order to meditate, breathe and smile. The smile is very symbolic in Buddhism. They smile with compassion at every person, because they believe suffering is universal.

TNH believes that if we promote peace in our own hearts and minds, then our circumstances will improve. He believes that mindful breathing and walking can increase peace and compassion and even transform our negative emotions into a more productive state of happiness. He says no person can be happy, if they do not have peace in their heart. He advocates deep listening and loving speech in order to promote peace in our own lives. And if we have peace in our own lives, it can spread to the family, community and the whole world.

He gives a lot of practical advice in the book, to promote mindfulness and peacefulness. For example, every house should have a Peace room and a meditation bell. Whenever the bell is rung you must stop and breathe, so even the youngest in the family may initiate a peaceful time out. The peace room is a place where anyone in the family can go for peaceful meditation, yet whenever a family member uses the room it is advisable for the whole family to join in.

It's also about transforming your suffering or negative emotions into compassion, with very simple methods, like breathing and walking. Things we do every day. But do we do them mindfully? Of course not!

Peace, love and compassion. You would think these would be concepts worthy of embracing in today's world. You might think everybody could agree that these are valuable and worthwhile. But it is amazing how controversial they can be.

Fortunately, it seems that by applying his practical advice, and applying compassion, persistently, circumstances and relationships can change. Conflict can be transformed into cooperation. He even has advice for politicians and governments.

As a result of reading (and rereading) this book, I have decided to adopt some of his ideas in order to have more peace in my heart, a more harmonious family life, more deep listening at work, and hopefully promote peace in my own community and country.

Deepak Chopra Recites Poetry

Wow! I saw Deepak last night. He spoke about Be the Change. Then explained how we are going through a time of transition, not just transition, but transformation! The metaphor he use was a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. This is no simple change, the butterfly is not just a caterpillar with wings, it is a completely new being.

It started with discussion about the difficult economic times we seem to be living in.

It ended with singing, dancing and people taking a vow of non-violence.

Exquisite.

In my humble little town, Palm Harbor, Florida.

Well, technically I live in the next town...

Transformational Book Review

This is the transformational book review for January edition of Verbal Impact newsletter!


(Of course, I mean that the book is transformational, not this review.)


I enthusiastically recommend this transformational book, Writing Down your Soul, by Janet Conner. The subtitle is How to Activate and Listen to the Extraordinary Voice Within.



If you want answers, this is the way to get them. I'm talking about the kind of answers that you cannot get with google or blackle. All you have to do is write every day. The method is explained in the book. This is a how-to book, and you cannot read it passively, though there are lots of interesting examples. You really have to apply the steps and see how it the practice develops in your life and helps you make decisions about what to do.

The most interesting thing for me is that this is a method which puts you in touch with deep feelings, with your subconscious and perhaps even deeper. The process occurs when your brain waves are in the Theta range, the same brain wave pattern that occurs while in hypnosis. Therefore, I would say that it is a form of self-hypnosis. I intended to discuss this method with other hypnotists during my presentation about Self-hypnosis at the National Guild convention in August.

I also liked the research she mentions in the book. It seems that writing is good for us physiologically and can even help the unemployed find jobs! Perhaps they just find more confidence and motivation, because it says that out of a group of 60 unemployed over-55 men, 53% had found jobs 8 months later. While the ones who did not write about their experiences and feelings remained 82% unemployed (only 18% found jobs). What is most interesting about this particular study is that all the grops had about the same number of interviews. The big difference was who were offered jobs.

Writing is not only good for your immune system, but good for your financial wellbeing, as well!

Sleep like a Baby!

Why do we someone is "sleeping like a baby?" Especially when babies generally don't sleep through the night??

I guess it has to do with the peaceful way, otherwise active children appear when they are sleeping. They relax completely, and look like they don't have a care in the world. They look like little angels. Maybe you have to be a parent to know what I'm talking about. I love watching my child sleep, and I think most parents do.

Joyful book review

Oh dear, I forgot one of most favorite authors, Martha Beck. She has written a book called The Joy Diet, which is not about calorie restriction, but lifestyle. It is wonderful.

While I was reading this, I took it with me to the health club and I left it there. I went back, but couldn't find it. Someone probably thought it was a guide for losing weight, and picked it up. I hope they enjoyed it! The menu in this book has 10 items on it and she advocates going through each item in order and practicing each one for about a week, so that in 10 weeks you can transform your attitude and your life. It is very positive and inspiring. I went out and read another of her books after reading this, because I was curious about the author.

The other book is autobiographical about a very tumultuous time in the author's life when she was pregnant with her second child. She had a very difficult pregnancy, and yet some strange and wonderful things happened also.

She has 3 children in all. The second one has Down's syndrome. She discovered this during the pregnancy and decided to move forward against the advice of many concerned friends and family. The book ends happily, yet the story goes on.

This book has some very interesting observations on human behavior, as well as the American culture.

Weekend

We had a very busy weekend with the dignitaries from Larnaca, Cyprus, plus a few ambassadors who are living in the US and presidents of the Pancyprian Association and PSEKA.

The mayor of Tarpon Springs gave a key to city to the mayor of Larnaca, and also to the 2009 Distinguished Man of the Year Award recipient. The big event was the Panycypriot Association's Man of the Year Award Dinner Dance last night.

Sixth Sensory People

Sonia Choquette is one of my favorite authors. She has written several books about Improving your Life and Expressing your Spirit in your own unique way.


Some of her books:
Trust Your Vibes, Trust Your Vibes at Work, and Diary of a Psychic.

These are excellent books. I just completed the Diary of a Psychic and it is very entertaining, especially since she is just a few years older than me and she describes the clothing and hairstyles in hilarious detail!







I know there are others. I think she also has a workbook.

Female Authors

It has come to my attention, that although I always use quotations from women in my corespondence, most of the books I have reviewed in Verbal Impact (the newsletter) have been authored by men.

So at least for the next few editions, I will review books by some of my favorite female authors. In the interest of fairness and balance, of course!

Some of my favorite authors: Louise Hay, Sonia Choquette, Shakti Gawain and Erica Jong.
Wow, it's so hard for me to narrow it down to a brief list. I do love books. I think a lot can be learned from them.

Marianne Williamson quotation

"In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it."
Marianne Williamson

Grin or grimace

Have you ever grinned when you were really angry or upset? I know I have. I read something many years ago about how putting a smile on your face had a positive impact on your physiology and your emotions. It said smile when you want to feel happy, don't wait for happiness to bring on the smile, let the smile bring on the feeling!

It really doesnt work.

Not unless you do the New Orleans squash. You just can't sit there with a forced grin and start to feel better. But that's just the first step. after you do that, try feeling happy on the inside and showing the negative emotion on the outside. Then switch them back and forth a few times. After doing this, you may find you can no longer recapture that negative emotion. It just dissapates, usually with some genuine laughter, because you know how silly it looks!