tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59185931221019679762024-03-05T02:48:10.236-08:00Meaningful LifeSumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-7347907155701361762011-03-13T11:51:00.000-07:002011-03-13T11:54:11.059-07:00Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift.Written by an 83-year-old woman to her friend:<br /><br /> I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting in the yard and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden.<div><br /> I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time working. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experiences to savor, not to endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them.<div><br /> I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, or the first Amaryllis blossom. I wear my good blazer to the market.</div><div><br />My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties, but wearing it for clerks in the hardware store and tellers at the bank.<br /><br /> "Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now.</div><div><br /> I'm not sure what others would've done had they known that they wouldn't be here for the tomorrow that we all take for granted. I think they would have called family members and a few close friends. They might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think they would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, or for whatever their favorite food was. I'm guessing; I'll never know.</div><div><br /> It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew my hours were limited. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and parents often enough how much I truly love them. I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. </div><div><br /> And every morning when I open my eyes, tell myself that it is special.</div><div><br /> Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-38059165192257075632009-11-22T10:42:00.001-08:002009-11-22T10:42:45.344-08:00Gratitude because.....<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i>“We count our miseries carefully,<br />and accept our blessings without much thought."</i></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />~ Chinese Proverb</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >I have met countless people who can describe in detail why something is unpleasant for them, why something isn’t working or what is going wrong in their life, and yet their gratitude is only a single word or short phrase. Does being able to explain in detail the reason <span style="font-style: italic;">why</span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style=""> you have gratitude for something make a difference in the energy behind it?</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> I went on a quest for answers.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Some people I talked with had long laundry lists of gratitude,but they seemed to talk more about their problems and complaints.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > Others had shorter lists, and shared beautiful stories with me about each items on their list.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >I met people who had similar items on their gratitude list and different responses to my question: “you are grateful for this because…..?”</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ></span><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><br />One woman I met with had written “I am thankful for my health” on her gratitude list. When I asked her “You are grateful for your health because…..”, her answer was a sharp: “Well! Because I just am, and I am insulted to be asked why!.” It reminded me of when my parents would tell me do to something and when I asked why I heard: ” because</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> I said so”. This answer didn’t help me to understand.<br /><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">In contrast, I met with Nancy who also had written on her list “I am thankful for my health”. When I asked “she was grateful because….” what she told me was: “I am thankful I have my health, because that means I can take care of my kids. I brought these beautiful children in the world and they depend on me. When I have my health I can enjoy them and take care of them. And that make me feel such a deep feeling for love and life, that I call that a grateful feeling.” In order to feel the depth of her gratitude Nancy believes that she must be willing to know <span style="font-style: italic;">why</span> she feels gratitude. Anything less, to her, is simply lip service.<br /><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">I find that every time I do this exercise I find new feelings around each incident I list in Gratitude. Several other people shared with me how doing this exercise made a difference in their feelings of gratitude.<br /><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">“He who knows others is learned;<i><br />He who knows himself is wise.”</i></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />~ Lao-tzu, Tao te Ching </span></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">For this Thanksgiving season, do this for yourself and see if there is any difference in the depth of your feelings of Gratitude.</span><br /><br />Write down a few things on that you are Grateful for.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >And then continue the sentence with: </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >because…..</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >|<br />See what you can discover with your because.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /><br /></span><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i>"The important thing is not to stop questioning our reasons<br />Never lose a holy curiosity.”</i><br />~ Albert Einstein </span></p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></span></p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:78%;" >(c) 2009 excerpt from book: <a href="http://bit.ly/gquYn">Stress</a></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Arial;font-size:78%;" ><a href="http://bit.ly/gquYn"> Out</a>, show stress who's the boss</span><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 7.5pt 7.5pt 0in; text-align: center; line-height: 140%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="">Focus on the reasons to complain = stress</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: 120%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="">Focus on the reasons for gratitude = happy</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: 120%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=""><br />More happy = less stress</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: 140%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:120%;" ><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: 120%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bit.ly/gquYn"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 157px; height: 237px;" src="http://stressout-book.com/images/SO-book2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://bit.ly/gquYn">www.StressOut-book.com</a></span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; line-height: 120%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span><br /></p></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >.</span>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-87911498251405871152009-11-17T11:34:00.000-08:002009-11-17T11:42:27.616-08:00Stress Out - show stress who's the boss<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Stress is a constant in our lives, such a constant that we actually don’t realize we are under stress, we think it’s “just part of life.”</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Traffic jams, deadlines, eating on the run, we stress when we have bills to pay, job changes, endless chores and too many errands.<br /><br />Our job has stress, not having a job has stress, it’s stressful maintaining your weight, having a relationship is stressful, not being in a relationship is stressful, family responsibilities are stress, and all those other demands on you can be huge amounts of stress. Not to mention those people who really get on your nerves.<br /><br />Our energy is drained, and we feel helpless. Health surveys report that over 70% of people feel stress everyday. You are not alone.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />But is there anything that can be done?<br /><br />Yes! Ther</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://stressoutbook.com/images/SO-book2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 157px; height: 237px;" src="http://stressoutbook.com/images/SO-book2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">e is help!</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Just like you, I n</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">eeded answers. I certainly didn't have them all, in fact, on some days I didn't think I had even one. I searched.... listened to experts, created polls and surveys, talked to strangers - people like you and me.<br /><br />This book is more than just my words or experience, it is a joint effort of several authors who share their expert advice and experience PLUS stories and testimonials from individu</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">als interviewed during my extensive search for solutions to teach stress who's the boss.</span></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="http://bit.ly/gquYn"><span style="font-family:arial;">Buy this book and benefit a charity</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Read this book and benefit yourself</span></a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://bit.ly/gquYn">http://stressoutbook.com</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Portion of proceeds benefit charity of your choice and <span style="font-weight: bold;">you get to choose the charity and get the donation in your name.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Special discount through November 21st.</span></span>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-26874367252076035782009-09-28T10:23:00.001-07:002009-09-28T10:23:35.537-07:00Helping children who lost a parent to breast cancer<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Lorraine Jackson was diagnosed with very early stage breast cancer when she was 40. Because of the cancer’s early detection, she was able to be treated with radiation. Doctors explained that had this happened to her only 10 years earlier she would have needed a mastectomy. </span><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >At that moment Lorraine personally realized how important education and medical innovation are to effectively treating cancer patients. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>Spark of Inspiration</b></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://stressout-book.com/images/Lorraine-Jackson.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">During her treatment, Lorraine met other wo</span><span style="font-size:100%;">men undergoing treatment for cancer, </span><span style="font-size:100%;">many of these women were mothers. While fighting for their own health, these mothers were also concerned about their children, and their children's future, especially if they didn't survive the cancer.<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >This experience inspired Lorraine to start The Lorraine Jackson Foundation. Since 2005, the nonprofit has provided mentoring and college scholarships to children who have lost a parent to breast cancer through their Pearls of Hope Scholarship Program. All students who receive a scholarship from us are students who have a lost their mother to breast cancer. "One lost her mom when she was 11 months old, and a</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >nother when he was 5. Some students have lost their mother while they were in high school, " Lorraine says. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >To make the scholarship awards even more impactful, California Dollars for Scholars matches the amount of each scholarship awarded within </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >their collegiate partner program. But the Lorraine Jackson Foundation doesn’t just provide financ</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >ial support. It also pairs each student with a mentor who will stay in touch throughout their time in college and beyond. </span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>Increased Need</b></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />There has been an influx of scholarship applicants this year, which Lorraine attributes to a growing need in the community to help children who have lost a parent to breast cancer. To date, scholarship recipients have gone on to matriculate at a variety of institutions from UCLA to the University of Cape Town, South Africa. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://pearlsofhope.com/"><img src="http://stressout-book.com/images/POH.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 102);font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: 700;"><a href="http://www.pearlsofhope.com/"><span style="color: rgb(223, 0, 223);">www.PearlsofHope.com</span></a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="font-family:arial;"><span id="role_document" style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > Pearls of Hope</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><sup>®</sup></span><span id="role_document" style="font-size:100%;"> is a registered trademark of The Lorraine Jackson<br /> Foundation, a California 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://stressout-book.com/pledge-pearlsohope.htm"><b style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">Pledge your donation to Pearls of Hope</b><sup style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">®</sup><b> </b></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><i><b><br /> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /> <a href="http://stressout-book.com/"><img src="http://stressout-book.com/images/Stress6.jpg" width="89" align="left" border="0" height="113" /></a></span></b></i><b>P<span style="font-family:arial;">roceeds from Stress Out book benefit selected charities. </span></b></span> </p><p class="MsoNormal" face="arial" align="left"> </p><p align="center"> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:16pt;" > <span style="font-weight: 700;font-family:Arial;" > <a href="http://stressout-book.com/">Buy t</a></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:16pt;" ><span style="font-weight: 700;font-family:Arial;" ><a href="http://stressout-book.com/">he book -<br />benefit a charity</a></span></span><a href="http://stressout-book.com/"><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:16pt;" ><span style="font-weight: 700;font-family:Arial;" > Read the book -<br />find benefit for yourself.</span></span></a></p> <span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><a href="mailto:fundraising@selfinvestmentpublishing.com?subject=Charity%20Spotlight%20Inquiry">Contact us</a> to get find out how to get your favorite charity in the Spotlight of the Week.</span><br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://stressout-book.com/images/spot.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 74px;" src="http://stressout-book.com/images/spot.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-51939685219439574702009-09-23T11:27:00.000-07:002009-09-23T11:41:04.729-07:00Life can be as sweet as you make it<h1 style="font-size: 20px; color: rgb(0, 88, 169); font-family: Arial;" align="center">How to find love in loss</h1><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Can we find sweet moments amid life changes? This month’s Spiritual Cinema Circle volume brings a message of love and hope within life’s difficult moments. Starring Kristen Stewart (<em>Twilight</em>) and Bruce Dern (<em>Monster</em>) the feature,<strong> </strong><em>Cake Eaters</em>, is a<strong> </strong>coming-of-age drama all ages can relate to. This heart-felt story explores the new (and old) connections between two small-town families. A young woman with degenerative disease feels she has no time to lose in becoming a woman while a widower struggles to reconcile with his sons. Sparks fly as young love story begins and a longtime romance comes to light.</p><img src="http://merchant.linksynergy.com/fs/banners/24673/24673_10000180.jpg" alt="Start My Free Trial" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);" width="230" align="right" border="0" height="200" hspace="10" /><p><strong><br />Now for a limited time only you can receive <em>Cake Eaters</em> and <em>The Gift</em> (the first original film series by Spiritual Cinema Circle, co-produced by Steven Simon) plus 2 additional films FREE* when you sign up for a trial membership of <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=165327.10000039&type=3&subid=0">Spiritual Cinema Circle</a></strong>.</p><br /><br /><ul><br /><li>Try the <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=165327.10000039&type=3&subid=0">first month for FREE</a>* and then pay just $21 (the price of 2 movie tickets) monthly!</li><br /><li>NO RISK — Keep the movies and cancel your membership at any time</li><br /><li>EXCLUSIVE — Get the filmmakers’ perspectives during engaging discussions with Stephen Simon (director and producer of Academy Award-winning What Dreams May Come)</li><br /><li>BONUS feature — Enjoy inspirational interviews with Louise Hay, Jack Canfield, Neale Donald Walsch and other thought-leaders, only available to club members</li></ul><p><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=165327.10000039&type=3&subid=0">Start your free trial* now!</a></p><p>*You can cancel your membership at any time and the DVDs are yours to keep. </p><strong><em></em></strong><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=165327.10000039&type=3&subid=0" target="_blank"><img src="http://merchant.linksynergy.com/fs/banners/24673/24673_10000163.GIF" alt="Start My Free Trial" width="194" border="0" height="73" /></a></p><br /><p align="center"><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);font-size:100%;" >*Shipping and handling fees apply to Free Trial.<br />Membership is just $21 per month.</span></p><table style="width: 400px; height: 54px;" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><br /><tbody><tr><br /><td align="center"><br /><img src="http://merchant.linksynergy.com/fs/banners/24673/24673_10000162.JPG" alt="Footer" width="400" border="0" height="19" /> </td><br /></tr><br /></tbody></table><table width="400" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><br /><tbody><tr><br /><td style="font-size: 10px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" align="center"><p><strong>Spiritual Cinema, Inc.</strong><br />833 W. South Boulder Rd.<br />Louisville, CO 80027</p><p>Copyright ©2009 <strong>Spiritual Cinema Circle</strong>, A Gaiam Company<br /><br /></p></td><br /></tr><br /></tbody></table>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-82137336104946763372009-09-20T10:31:00.001-07:002009-09-20T11:15:51.562-07:00Happy National Women's Friendship Day<p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:#000000;">National Women's Friendship Month first began as National Women's Friendship Day in 1999 (celebrated the third Sunday in September each year). </span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#000000;">Following the 10th anniversary of National Women's Friendship Day in 2008, it became apparent that one day just wasn't enough, so the celebration was expanded to the entire month of September beginning in 2009.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#000000;">"<i>All</i> women find strength, comfort and inspiration from their girlfriends," said Melanie Schild, Executive Director of Kappa Delta and the brains behind the creation of the celebration. "In a time of increasing demands, we want to encourage women to take the time to nurture and celebrate these important relationships."</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:#000000;">Plus a landmark study by UCLA </span><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#000000;"><span mce_ style="font-family:Arial;">suggests that friendships between women are special. They shape who we are and who we are yet to be. They soothe our tumultuous inner world, fill the emotional gaps in our marriage, and help us remember who we really are. But they may do even more. Scientists now suspect that hanging out with our friends can actually counteract the kind of stomach-quivering stress most of us experience on a daily basis.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:#000000;">"Until this study was published, scientists generally believed that when people experience stress, they trigger a hormonal cascade that revs the body to either stand and fight or flee as fast as possible," explains Laura Cousino Klein, PhD, now an assistant professor of biobehavioral health at Pennsylvania State University in State College and one of the study's authors. It's an ancient survival mechanism left over from the time we were chased across the planet by saber-toothed tigers. Now the researchers suspect that women have a larger behavioral repertoire than just "fight or flight.<br /><br />"In fact, says Dr.Klein, "it seems that when the hormone oxytocin is released as part of the stress response in a woman, it buffers the fight or flight" response and encourages her to tend children and gather with other women instead. When she actually engages in this tending or befriending, studies suggest that more oxytocin is released, which further counters stress and produces a calming effect. This calming response does not occur in men, says Dr. Klein, because testosterone- which men produce in high levels when they're under stress- seems to reduce the effects of oxytocin. Estrogen, she adds, seems to enhance it.</span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:#000000"> (Yay - finally estrogen is a good thing.)<br /><br />The famed Nurses' Health Study from Harvard Medical School found that the more friends women had, the less likely they were to develop physical impairments as they aged, and the more likely they were to be leading a joyful life. In fact, the results were so significant, the researchers concluded, that not having close friend or confidante was as detrimental to your health as smoking or carrying extra weight!</span></p><p><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:#000000;">Click these links to read more about the <a mce_href="http://bit.ly/2hDRPy" href="http://bit.ly/2hDRPy">National Women's Friendship Month</a> and the <a mce_href="http://bit.ly/33frC" href="http://bit.ly/33frC">UCLA study.</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">Celebrate!!!!!</span></p><p><br /></p>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-88849646501658759712009-09-09T11:13:00.001-07:002009-09-09T11:16:55.518-07:00The Power of the Number 9<p><em><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;">"Today is the ninth day of the ninth month in the year 2009, which means there's magic in the ethers all around you! </span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;">In Feng Shui, the number nine represents happy and prosperous conclusions that bring completion to certain cycles of our lives before embarking on a new path. </span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;">The reason that this number holds this mantle is because it's the last of the single digit integers before you get to double digits that can then be reduced back down to a single (10 = 1+0). </span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;">So, on the Feng Shui Magic Square called Lo Shui, the number nine is associated with transformation, recognition and rewards. </span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;">It's also the only nu</span></span></em><em><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;">mber in calculation that will always reproduce itself. For instance, 9 x 2 = 18 with 1 + 8 hearkening back to the magic nine. </span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;">There's all sorts of mystery surrounding this number: on the ninth day the ancients buried their dead. The Romans honored their dead every ninth year and it was at the ninth hour that Jesus was said to have died. Hebrew teachings state the God has des cended to earth nine times. There are nine planets in the solar system and the nine is associated with mankind itself. It's the number of force and energy and its purest form denotes ambition and domination over all. </span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;">On this day try to do one or all three of these next things in order to gain the most magic you can from the energies swirling all around. Knock on your front door nine times, visualizing opportunities and advantages coming through that same space. Put nine yellow roses in the center of your home, and then light nine red candles in the 'Fame' area of your main floor. </span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Any one of these adjustm</span></span></em><em><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;">ents will put you in touch with the miracles surrounding this number, but enacting all three will put you in position of strength, power and fulfillment. </span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Here's to a day dedicated to the number nine, it's a total 10 in my book!</span></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><a href="http://bit.ly/ckGTC" mce_href="http://bit.ly/ckGTC">Ellen Whithurst</a><br /><span lang="EN">The (Self) Empowering Lifestylist</span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">(one of the co-authors in the upcoming book: </span><a href="http://bit.ly/K5ebW" mce_href="http://bit.ly/10Xeyq"><span style="color:#0000ff;">Stress Out</span></a><span style="color:#ff0000;">)</span></span></em></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://selfinvestmentpublishing.com/images/index.7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 116px; height: 160px;" src="http://selfinvestmentpublishing.com/images/index.7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-12987957661765322812009-09-07T22:13:00.000-07:002009-09-07T22:18:45.040-07:00Stress Out is coming soon!<div><span style="font-size:180%;"><b><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-family:Arial;" ><i>It's approaching fast!</i></span></b></span></div><div><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Stress Out will soon be here. Just in time for solutions for holiday stress and great gift idea too.</span></div><div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> I am so excited that one chapter is by Ellen Whitehurst. You may have heard her name through ivillage.com, monster.com, Redbook, Woman's World, Natural Health or even Donald Trump. Her wisdom on Feng Shui and Astrology are published monthly in several publications and websites. And now she is going to be sharing her wisdom in this book. </span><br /><br /><a href="http://bit.ly/K5ebW"><img src="http://selfinvestmentpublishing.com/images/index.7.jpg" width="150" align="left" border="0" height="206" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This book is timely - STRESS is one of the biggest complaints heard daily - everywhere - and people are searching for answers.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Not to say the answers haven't always been there, but this book will be a resource of many choices, from many perspectives. A selection of tools and techniques from both experts in their fields and stories from individual experiences are included in this book.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Stress relief answers in each chapter that can be learned or applied immediately, and a great resource section of products and services from the co-authors, our affiliates and sponsors.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Gotta say - I'm excited. (and trying to keep from being stressed)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Ellen is only one of the empowering co-authors, stay tuned as I introduce you to some of the others as we move forward.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">For now - keep breathing. It's kinda important. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Wheeeeeee.......</span><br /><br />P.S.</span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">"If you want to lose weight, go to a skinny doctor." Zig Ziglar</span><br /><br />As we interpret from Zig's quote, it's more than just talking about it; it's actually putting your words into practice; and then being able to explain it well enough that someone else can benefit as well. That is why this book is a combination of expert advise and personal experience stories. </span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span></div><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ></span><div><br /><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />*Self Investment Publishing is not affiliated with Zig Ziglar or any of his organizations. This quote is used under Fair use Law and full credit is given to<a mce_href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=p7sh85cab.0.0.achqircab.0&ts=S0414&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zigziglar.com%2F&id=preview" target="_blank" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=p7sh85cab.0.0.achqircab.0&ts=S0414&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zigziglar.com%2F&id=preview"> Zig Ziglar</a><a href="http://zigziglar.com/">.</a><br /><br /></span></div><br /><div><br /><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /></span></div>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-41805538316521040652009-08-16T12:07:00.001-07:002009-08-16T12:07:33.664-07:00Naptime Anyone<p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><b><span mce_="" style="font-weight: normal;font-family:Arial;">This bridge is on the <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Old Donner Pass Highway</st1:address></st1:street> . It has a spectacular view of <st1:placename st="on">Donner</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Lake</st1:placetype> and <st1:place st="on">Donner Pass</st1:place> on Route 80.</span></b><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;">A bear was walking across <st1:placename st="on">Rainbow</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Bridge</st1:placetype> (Old Hwy 40 at Donner Summit,<st1:place st="on">Trucke</st1:place>e) on a Saturday in September 2007, when two cars, also crossing the bridge, scared the bear into jumping over the edge of the bridge. Somehow the bear caught the ledge and was able to pull itself to safety. </span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="float: left;" mce_style="float: left;" src="http://selfinvestment.com/Personal-Self-Investment/Meditation/bear/bear1.bmp" mce_src="http://selfinvestment.com/Personal-Self-Investment/Meditation/bear/bear1.bmp" width="350" height="262" /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;">Authorities decided that nothing could be done to help Saturday night so they returned Sunday morning to find the bear sound asleep on the ledge.<br /></span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="vertical-align: text-bottom;" mce_style="vertical-align: text-bottom;" src="http://selfinvestment.com/Personal-Self-Investment/Meditation/bear/bear2.bmp" mce_src="http://selfinvestment.com/Personal-Self-Investment/Meditation/bear/bear2.bmp" width="350" height="262" /></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;">After securing a net under the bridge the bear was tranquilized, fell into the net, lowered, then woke up and walked out of the net. </span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="float: left;" mce_style="float: left;" src="http://selfinvestment.com/Personal-Self-Investment/Meditation/bear/bear3.bmp" mce_src="http://selfinvestment.com/Personal-Self-Investment/Meditation/bear/bear3.bmp" width="350" height="262" /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="float: left;" mce_style="float: left;" src="http://selfinvestment.com/Personal-Self-Investment/Meditation/bear/bear4.bmp" mce_src="http://selfinvestment.com/Personal-Self-Investment/Meditation/bear/bear4.bmp" width="350" height="262" /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="float: left;" mce_style="float: left;" src="http://selfinvestment.com/Personal-Self-Investment/Meditation/bear/bear5.bmp" mce_src="http://selfinvestment.com/Personal-Self-Investment/Meditation/bear/bear5.bmp" width="350" height="262" /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;">Authorities then guided him back towards the wilderness and out of the present danger.</span><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><img style="float: left;" mce_style="float: left;" src="http://selfinvestment.com/Personal-Self-Investment/Meditation/bear/bear6.bmp" mce_src="http://selfinvestment.com/Personal-Self-Investment/Meditation/bear/bear6.bmp" width="350" height="262" /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;">There is a moral to this story you know; this old bear made a wrong move and found he was hanging by his nails. </span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;">Somehow he was able to pull himself up onto the ledge where,Yep, he took a nap and sure enough Spirit took care of the situation while he was asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;">The moral of the story is that when confronted with a bad situation, sometimes the best solution is to take a nap and let Spirit take care of the rest.</span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i><span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128);font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;">"When you come to the edge of all the light you know,<br />And are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown,<br />Faith is knowing one of two things will happen:<br />There will be something solid to stand on<br />or you will be given wings to fly."<br /></span></span><span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128);font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;">~ </span></span><span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128);font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;"><span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;">Barbara J. Winter </span></span><span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128);font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;">©<span mce_="" style="font-family:Arial;"> Gibson Greetings</span></span></i></span></p>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-22896656312719132512009-08-11T10:24:00.001-07:002009-08-11T10:24:31.167-07:00Even Eagles Need a Push<p style="font-family: arial;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >Encouragement can come in the form of a kind word or written note that has the power to change a life forever. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a target="_blank" mce_href="http://sumnerdavenport.com/even-eagles-need-a-push.htm" href="http://sumnerdavenport.com/even-eagles-need-a-push.htm"><img style="float: right;" mce_style="float: right;" src="http://sumnerdavenport.com/images/eagle3.jpg" mce_src="http://sumnerdavenport.com/images/eagle3.jpg" width="293" height="248" /></a></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >Click the link below and e</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >njoy watching the movie, <b> Even Eagles Need A Push,</b> for a message of encouragement that can push your life from ordinary to extraordinary.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" > </span><a target="_blank" mce_href="http://sumnerdavenport.com/even-eagles-need-a-push.htm" href="http://sumnerdavenport.com/even-eagles-need-a-push.htm"><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" >Even Eagles Need a Push</span><br /><br /></a></p><p><a target="_blank" mce_href="<a target=" _blank="" href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=187038&u=219508&m=17824&urllink=&afftrack="><img src="http://www.shareasale.com/image/EENP_movie_300x250.jpg" mce_src="http://www.shareasale.com/image/EENP_movie_300x250.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p><br /></p>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-66130277650334748782009-08-09T12:04:00.001-07:002009-08-09T12:05:22.372-07:00STRESS OUT<p><img style="float: left;" mce_style="float: left;" src="http://selfinvestment.com/stressmeter.gif" mce_src="http://selfinvestment.com/stressmeter.gif " width="151" height="120"><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(66, 0, 66);" mce_style="font-family: Arial; color: #420042;"></span></b></font></p><p><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(66, 0, 66);" mce_style="font-family: Arial; color: #420042;"><font size="3">Are you STRESSED !?<br><br></font></span></b><font size="3"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(66, 0, 66);" mce_style="font-family: Arial; color: #420042;">Stress is a constant in our lives—<br><br> such a constant that we actually don’t realize we are under stress, we think it’s “just part of life.” <br></span></font><b><span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(66, 0, 66);" mce_style="font-family: Arial; color: #420042;"><br></span></b><font color="#000000"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" mce_style="font-family: Arial; color: #000000;">It’s everywhere! <br><br>We experience traffic jams, deadlines, eating on the run, We stress when we have bills to pay, job changes, endless chores and too many errands. Our job has stress, not having a job has stress, it’s stressful maintaining your weight, having a relationship is stressful, not being in a relationship is stressful, family responsibilities are stress, and all those demands on you can be huge amounts of stress. <i>Not to mention those people who really get on your nerves.</i><br><br>Stress!! It’s there! It’s everywhere!<br><br>Is there anything that can be done? There are so many recommendations for reducing stress, but what really works? Something you do everyday may be different that something you need to do when the stress gauge rises.<br><br>We wanted to find answers, tools and techniques which were actually being used and could be shared so more people would have choices on how to work with, manage and embrace the stress in their lives. </span></font></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#ff0000" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-family: Arial;" mce_style="font-family: Arial; color: #c30d10;"><i>“If you want to lose weight, go to a skinny doctor.” Zig Ziglar</i></span></font></p><p><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><font color="#000000"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" mce_style="font-family: Arial; color: #000000;"><font color="#000080"><i></i></font></span></font></font><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><font color="#000000"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" mce_style="font-family: Arial; color: #000000;">As we interpret from Zig’s quote, it’s more than just talking about it, it’s actually putting your words intro practice. And being able to explain well enough that someone else can benefit as well.<br><br><font color="#000080">Barbara Kramer, a professional event planner is a co-author in the book STRESS OUT. She uses a visualization technique when someone adds stress to her day.<br><br>Visualization is a technique where you close your eyes and imagine yourself in another place. A place where your stress leaves you. Barbara says that this is easy and offers a suggested visualization the next time someone really gets on your nerves and see if it helps you.<br><br>You take a minute and close your eyes, take a very deep, slow breath and imagine yourself sitting by the side of a beautiful flowing stream of cool water. Then let your visualization continue as you see yourself walk into the stream and splash around in the water. Your stress begins to leave you. You look around at the beautiful scenery, the open sky. You look down at your hands in the water and see that your fingers are tightly around the neck of the person who has been aggravating you as you hold their head under water. Now doesn’t that make you feel better. <br><br>Barbara quickly says that her intent is not to actually harm another person, but this visualization releases her from the stress hold she feels from the other person’s behavior. Then she can move on to more healthy and actual solutions.<br><br>For long term healthy results, Barbara gives two powerful examples of visualization techniques that can not only shift stress energy, but will also stimulate your creative thinking, which brings about solutions that you can put into action. Someone reading Barbara’s chapter might also be looking for a event planner than can function well under the pressure.<br></font><br>We all have stress. It’s is a really term that is commonly used to describe the symptoms your body has in response to increased tension. <br><br>The "stress" which people complain about, or that which makes them function less well, is a feeling of tension or pressure that you experience when you feel that the demands placed on you appear to exceed the resources you have to deal with them. <br><br>Believe it or not, a certain level of stress is good and is normal to help you deal with the challenges of life. Too much stress, on the other hand, causes your body to react in unpleasant ways. It can even kill you. It is more than being a simple medical condition. <br><br>Stress is your body's response.; a combination of physical, mental, and emotional feelings resulting from pressure, worry, especially worry about those things that never finally happen, or worry over guilt from the past.<br><br>Stress is anxiety, guilt, the lack of taking responsibility for your own life and the results. It’s frustration, a feeling of loss of control, and (<i>a big one</i>) is our attempts to control others. <i>If they would only change, then we wouldn’t have to, and since they won’t oblige, we’re stressed.</i><br><br>Relaxation techniques rather than fighting against stress can be another method to maintain balance in your life.<br><br>No matter how many times you’ve been promised la-la land by certain helath and energy workers or what you’ve heard from Zen Buddhists and transcendental meditators about “just say OM”; relaxation can be hard work under certain circumstances. A couple of those circumstances could be when your blind date comes to the door in a straightjacket or you show no reflection in the mirror. Other more real circumstances occur in your life everyday, so valid relaxation techniques are necessary and STRESS OUT book intends to offer as many choices as the pages will hold.<br><br>Surprising as it seems, some stress does have positive outcomes. "Good stress" If you are an athlete, good stress can give you the energy you need to excel in a physical competition. If you are a computer programmers, good stress could stimulate your thinking. If you are a music composer's , good stress could stimulate your creative energy. <br><br>Good stress can give many people the energy to solve problems and to finish hard work. In basic terms, stress is an aspect of living that can be beneficial when it motivates you, encourages change for you or inspires you, but can be the opposite when it does not. Your body is actually designed to deal very well with pressure, excitement or stress while working towards a goal or working through a challenging event; and after the accomplishment of your goal, or the event passes, your body has the need to relax, slow down again and recharge itself. <br><br>It is only when this pressure, or this stress, becomes so continuous and intense that you are unable to relax and you feel distressed." You feel out of control, you are no longer able to handle the demands made on you, and your body begins to feel unwell. Too many people go to their Doctors every year with unspecific symptoms of not feeling themselves. <br><br>The key to managing stress is achieving the right balance of forces between tension and relaxation. <br><br><font color="#000080">Samuel Patricks, an Attorney, and another co-author in the book STRESS OUT, had a heart attack at a very young age. Too young. He now uses the stress of physical exercise to keep himself healthy physically and emotionally. Not just any exercise, he runs marathons; and not just any marathon – he runs in marathons where he can raise money for his favorite charities. So an additional positive stress motivator he places on himself is his financial fundraising goal. He sees it as a win-win. Plus after a marathon, his body has spent all of its stress. He is ready to relax and recharge. <br><br>Readers of his chapter may be motivated by his example to do something that helps their stress level while they are helping someone else. Someone looking for an attorney will read something more personal about Mr. Patrick that they won’t find on his C.V, which will motivate them to consider him for their legal work.</font><br><br>So many times we treat our automobiles better than we treat our mental and physical bodies. That vehicle we travel in everywhere is out physical body and it needs great care to continue to function properly. <br><br>You probably wouldn’t think of jump starting your car in the morning, cold start without fuel and running it hard all day. Never shutting off the engine leaving it running, even when not going anywhere. You probably wouldn’t think of running your car engine at its optimum, in high gear, constantly revving the engine for more power, driving it continually with no service break. If you do, then you know, that if you did this to your car, it would start to break down. And it would become less reliable, and then it would rapidly begin to break down, usually at the most inconvenient times.<br><br>Yet, many people jump start their days; run themselves in high gear, overheated, under fed and poor fuel, over accelerated constant push and no breaks. Then we wonder, why we are feeling so poorly and less effective? !<br><br>Unrelieved stress can take an emotional as well as physical toll, in the form of anxiety or depression or high blood pressure and heart disease. If unattended, stress can seriously your damage physical health; psychological well-being; and your relationships with your friends, family, and co-workers. It’s never too soon or too late to start decreasing the effects of stress in your life.<br><br>There are dozens of ways you can work with and through stress and maintain a healthy life regardless of the external events. These can include acupuncture, biofeedback, EFT, energy work, exercise, humor, hypnosis, meditation, music, NLP, nutrition and so much more and new methods are being proven in people’s lives every day.<br><br>STRESS OUT book will be on the shelves in the all 2009, and it will be used as a fundraising tool through many companies. Our goal is for this book is to be detailed, duplicatable tips, tools and techniques that the readers can use to reduce, manage or use their stress to enhance their personal or professional lives. This book is a focus on how to create peace, harmony and healthy energy that can assist a person to not be a victim of stress.<br><br>We are still accepting so-authors who have a proven tool or technique that they use. We are looking for people who want to gain prestige as a published author*, extend their marketing reach and build their brand in a non-sales, no-hype niche marketing program.<br><br>Click here for more information about the <a target="_blank" mce_href="http://tr.im/nrEy" href="http://tr.im/nrEy">STRESS OUT </a>book and the <a target="_blank" mce_href="http://tr.im/nV44" href="http://tr.im/nV44">BENEFITS</a> of being a co-author in this proven marketing program. <br><br><i>* Many companies will help you get published; no other company does what we do to market our authors. </i></span></font></font></p><p><br></p><p><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Namaste'</font></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-52731272006667812232009-08-06T09:33:00.001-07:002009-08-06T09:33:35.352-07:00Congruence and Gratitude<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family: arial;">“You can tell a person, </span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family: arial;">not by what they say they are gratitude for, </span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family: arial;">but how they respect </span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family: arial;">what they claim to be grateful for.”</span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family: arial;">~ Mrs. Donna Priscott~</span></span><br /><br><br /></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"></span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">My mother was of my greatest examples on how to live life with honesty and integrity. This quote was one of her favorite sayings. Long after her passing, I remember every time she said it to me. She wanted me to learn that people don’t just see what I say, they learn who I am by how my actions match my words.<br /><br />If I expressed gratitude for something then I needed to show respect for it and protect it just as I would anything else that was important to me.<br /><br />My parents were married for over 50 years. My Mom said a gratitude prayer every day for her marriage and relationship with my Dad. Every day she worked to make sure he knew how much she meant that. She never looked at another man and she always made sure our home was a happy place for Dad to come home to after a long day at work. She was grateful for her two kids, and she spent time teaching us how to be our best, learn our best and present our best.<br /><br />When I gained over 60 pounds excess weight in college, and the doctors prescribed medicine for high blood pressure, she didn’t ask me why. She asked me if I was grateful for my healthy body and if I was then why was I carrying the extra weight that was having a negative effect on my health?<br />When my bother experimented with drugs in High School she asked him the same question.<br /><br />She simply told us to make a choice and live by our words. My choice was to ether give up saying gratitude for a healthy body or give up the unnecessary weight. Her message was empowering and not judgmental, even though I knew she didn’t approve our behaviors. Mom taught me best by her example. I hope I can be as good a Mom as she was to me.<br /><br />Are you congruent with your gratitude?<br /><br />Are you showing respect to your gratitude by your actions?<br /><br />If yes, what are you doing?<br /><br />If no, what can you change?<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">***</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Contributed by Veronica Davina, for inclusion in the book: <a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);" href="http://tr.im/nrE0">The “G” Spot, the ecstasy of life through Gratitude</a>, Author Sumner M. Davenport, <a href="http://tr.im/nrD7">Self Investment Publishing</a>, #ISBN 9780981523859</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><br /><br /></span>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-69639504609500804732009-08-02T09:47:00.000-07:002009-08-02T09:49:06.458-07:00National Friendship Day<p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Human beings are social creatures who respond to the love and affection of others. Genuine friendship has been valued as one of the most important things in life. To celebrate friendship and the blessings it brings us, it was deemed fit to have a day dedicated to friends and friendship and the <b>first Sunday of August</b> was declared as a holiday in US in honor of friends by a Proclamation made by US Congress in 1935.</span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><i><span style="color:#0000ff;"><span style="color:#0000ff;"> </span></span></i></b></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><i><span style="color:#0000ff;"><span style="color:#0000ff;">"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy;<br />they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."<br />~ Marcel Proust ~</span></span></i></b></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> <p>I offer you this gentle reminder of friendship. Part of this has circulated the internet for years. Many of the quotes you may have already seen or heard. When I found it in my files this morning, it was the timely reminder on a perfect day.</p></span> </p> <p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><i><span style="color:#0000ff;"><span style="color:#0000ff;"> </span></span></i></b></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" align="center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><i><span style="color:#0000ff;"><span style="color:#0000ff;">"I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving<br />for my friends, the old and the new."<br />~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~</span></span></i></b></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> <p>In kindergarten your idea of a good friend was the person who let you have the red crayon when all that was left was the ugly black one.<br /><br />In 1st grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went to the bathroom with you and who held your hand as you walked through the scary halls.<br /><br />In 2nd grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you stand up to the class bully.<br /><br />In 3rd grade your idea of a good friend was the person who shared their lunch with you when you forgot yours.<br /><br />In 4th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who was willing to switch square dancing partners in the gym so you wouldn't have to be stuck "do-si-do-ing " with Nasty Nick or Smelly Susan.<br /><br />In 5th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who saved a seat on the back of the bus for you.<br /><br />In 6th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went up to Nick or Susan (your new crush) and asked them to dance with you, so that if they said no you wouldn't be embarrassed.<br /><br />In 7th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who let you copy the Social Studies homework from the night before that you did. <br /><br />In 8th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pack up your stuffed animals and old baseball but didn't laugh at you when you broke out into tears.<br /><br />In 9th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who would go to a party thrown by a senior so you wouldn't wind up being the only freshman there.<br /><br />In 10th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who changed their schedule so you would have someone to sit with during lunch.<br /><br />In 11th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who gave you rides in their new car, convinced your parents that you shouldn't be grounded and helped you find a date to the prom.<br /><br />In 12th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pick out a college or university and assured you that you would get into that college or university, or helped you deal with it when you didn't make it.<br /><br />At graduation your idea of a good friend was the person who was crying on the inside but managed a big smile on the outside as they congratulated you. </p> <p>The summer after graduation your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you clean up the bottles from that party, helped you sneak out of the house when you couldn't deal with your parents, assured you that now that you and Nick (or you and Susan) were back together, you could make it through anything, helped you pack up for university and silently hugged you as you looked through blurry eyes at 18 years of memories you were leaving behind. And most importantly sent you off to college knowing you were loved. </p></span> </p><p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><i><span style="color:#0000ff;"><span style="color:#0000ff;"> </span></span></i></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;" mce_style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><i><span style="color:#0000ff;"><span style="color:#0000ff;">"In prosperity, our friends know us;<br />in adversity, we know our friends"<br />~ John Churton Collins ~</span></span></i></b></span></p> <p style="text-align: left; font-family: arial;" mce_style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Now, your idea of a good friend is still the person who gives you the better of the two choices, holds your hand when you're scared, helps you fight off those who try to take advantage of you, thinks of you at times when you are not there, reminds you of what you have forgotten, helps you put the past behind you but understands when you need to hold on to it a little longer, stays with you so that you have confidence, makes time for you, overlooks your mistakes, helps you to deal with pressure from others, smiles for you even when they are sad, helps you understand how priceless you are, and most importantly loves you. </span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I am deeply grateful, today and everyday, for my genuine friends. With them I have discovered and enjoyed many of lifes blessings.</span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><i><span style="color:#0000ff;"><span style="color:#0000ff;"><b><i><span style="color:#0000ff;"><span style="color:#0000ff;"> </span></span></i></b></span></span></i></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;" mce_style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><i><span style="color:#0000ff;"><span style="color:#0000ff;"><b><i><span style="color:#0000ff;"><span style="color:#0000ff;">"A real friend is one who walks in<br />when the rest of the world walks out."<br />~Walter Winchell ~</span></span></i></b></span></span></i></b></span></p> <p style="text-align: left; font-family: arial;" mce_style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span style="font-size:100%;">No matter where we go or how our lives change, we never forget those who walked with us and supported us in getting there. </span></p> <p style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;" mce_style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><i><span style="color:#0000ff;"><span style="color:#0000ff;"><b><i><span style="color:#0000ff;"><span style="color:#0000ff;">"Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. <br />Don't walk behind me; I may not lead.<br />Just walk beside me and be my friend."<br />~ Albert Camus ~</span></span></i></b></span></span></i></b></span></p> <p style="text-align: left; font-family: arial;" mce_style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><span style="font-size:100%;">There's never a wrong time to pick up a phone or send a message to show your friends you miss them or care about them. </span></p> <p style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;" mce_style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><i><span style="color:#0000ff;"><span style="color:#0000ff;">"The most beautiful discovery true friends make<br />is that they can grow separately<br />without growing apart."<br />~ Elisabeth Foley~</span></span></i></b></span></p>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-83223311257393892622009-06-28T09:52:00.000-07:002009-06-28T16:09:53.113-07:00<p style="font-family: arial;"><span id="obmessage" style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color:#000000;">Studies show we need 12 laughs a day to stay healthy.</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="obmessage0"><br />You will laugh out loud watching this free movie of quotes and photos that bring them to life.</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />C<span id="obmessage2"><span style="color:#000000;">ontribute to your good health- get your share of laughs today !<br /><br /></span></span>A few of the humorous quotes:</span></p><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><i><span style="color:#000000;">"I used to think I was indecisive, but now I'm not so sure"</span></i><br /></span><div style="font-family: arial;" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;"><i> "I've exercised with women so thin, that buzzards followed them to their cars" ~Erma Bombeck<br /> <span style="color:#000000;">"I'm not going to vacuum 'til Sears makes one you can ride on." -Roseanne Barr</span><br /> <span style="color:#000000;">"</span>Insanity doesn't run in my family, it gallops" - Cary Grant</i><br /></span></div> <p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span>It may require you to disable your pop up blocker to launch this video to play.</span></span></p> <p><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span><!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" startspan --><a target="_blank" href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=173322&u=219508&m=17824&urllink=&afftrack="><img src="http://www.shareasale.com/image/ABCD_movie_300x250.jpg" alt="Laughter Movie" border="0" /></a><!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" endspan --></span></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;">If that link doesn't work, <a href="http://tr.im/q46Q"><span style="color:#000000;">click here</span></a></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><a href="http://tr.im/q46Q"><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></a></span></p>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-68871095021016556552009-06-26T08:40:00.000-07:002009-06-26T08:44:10.518-07:00The Shadow Effect<p> <span lang="EN"><p><font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"><font face="Arial">The shadow is dark, its sensitive, it can be dangerous...</font></font></i></font></p> <font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"> </font></i></font><p><font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"><font face="Arial">Things we lie about not only to others but to ourselves...</font></font></i></font></p> <font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"> </font></i></font><p><font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"><font face="Arial">The shadow shows up in many ways: drinking too much, writing bad checks, eating cake in the middle of the night after 3 days of dieting...</font></font></i></font></p> <font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"> </font></i></font><p><font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"><font face="Arial">Hundreds of Million are living in denial of their individual shadows.</font></font></i></font></p> <font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"> </font></i></font><p><font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"><font face="Arial">People who express self righteous morality are usually the ones with the darkest and deepest shadows.</font></font></i></font></p> <font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"> </font></i></font><p><font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"><font face="Arial">We see it in the media all the time. </font></font></i></font></p> <font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"> </font></i></font><p><font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"><font face="Arial">We see it in our neighborhoods, We see it in our friends, We attempt to hide it from ourselves.</font></font></i></font></p> <font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"> </font></i></font><p><font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"><font face="Arial">The cost of ignoring a self destructive pattern is that you will self destruct.</font></font></i></font></p> <font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"> </font></i></font><p><font color="#000080"><i><font size="2"><font face="Arial">If you haven't cleaned your house, you will be in trouble.</font></font></i></font></p><p><font size="2" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">These were excerpts from Debbie Fords new Movie.</font> <span lang="EN"><font size="2"><font face="Arial">The Shadow Effect,<!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" startspan --><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0" mce_href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0"> A Journey from Your Darkest Thought to Your Greatest Dream</a></font></font></span></p></span><span lang="EN"><font size="2"><font face="Arial">Prepare yourself for a chilling inquiry into the conflicting forces of darkness and light that compete for attention within every human being. Debbie Ford, #1 New York Times bestselling author and internationally acclaimed expert on the Shadow, presents a visually stunning and cutting-edge documentary that will inspire you to uncover the wisdom in your wounds, the blessings in your misfortunes, and the gifts that are waiting to be claimed where you may least expect them . . . in the dark.</font></font><p> <font size="2"> <font face="Arial">Ford reveals the method, secrets, and meaning of your shadow, the parts of yourself that you dislike and disown, the past that you regret and repress and the pain that you attempt to bury, and shows how it persistently rises from its grave only to thwart your happiness and oppose your greatest potential as a human being. </font></font></p> <font size="2"> </font> <font size="2"> </font><p><font size="2"><font face="Arial"></font></font></p> <font size="2"> </font><p><font size="2"><font face="Arial"></font></font></p> <font size="2"> </font><p><br></p><font size="2"></font><p><font size="2"><font face="Arial">The intention of this powerful movie is to assist you to step out of the darkness of your smallest thought into the brilliance of your greatest dream. <!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" startspan --><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0" mce_href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0">THE SHADOW EFFECT</a><img src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&bids=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0" mce_src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&bids=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0" width="1" border="0" height="1"><!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" endspan --></font></font></p></span><font size="2"></font></p><p> <font size="2"> </font></p><p align="left"> <font size="2"> <img style="border: 0pt none ;" mce_style="border: 0;" src="http://2009isminenow.com/15/shadow.jpg" mce_src="http://2009isminenow.com/15/shadow.jpg" width="145" border="0" height="208"></font></p><p> <font size="2"> </font></p><p align="left"> <font size="2"> <font size="2" face="Arial">With appearances from some of the most brilliant and evolutionary thinkers of the 21st century, including <b>Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Mark Victor Hansen, James Van Praagh,</b> and others, this world-class cinematic experience pulls no punches as it traces the stories of individuals who have met with some of life’s harshest experiences—war, child abuse, racism, a German concentration camp—but learned how to face their terror, heal their wounds and meet their higher, heroic selves in the process. Visually beautiful and highly stylized, with vignettes and special effects that dramatize the concepts and the real life stories, this film unveils the fascinating story of why we do what we do, fear what we fear, and why good people do bad things. </font></font><span lang="EN"><font size="2"><font face="Arial"><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0" mce_href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0">THE SHADOW EFFECT</a><img src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&bids=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0" mce_src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&bids=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0" width="1" border="0" height="1"></font></font></span><font size="2"><font size="2" face="Arial"> will leave you breathing a little deeper and feeling more compassion and kindness for your own dark, conflicted, or repressed urges. It may even inspire you to make the most life-altering step of all—to embrace your entire self. </font></font></p><p> <font size="2"> </font></p><p align="left"> <font size="2"> <span lang="EN"> <font size="2" face="Arial">Step out of the darkness of your smallest thought into the brilliance of your greatest dream. Be the first to have a copy of this <!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" startspan --><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0" mce_href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0">powerful movie</a><img src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&bids=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0" mce_src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&bids=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0" width="1" border="0" height="1"><!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" endspan --> either on DVD, special interactive 2-DVD set, or </font> <font size="2" face="Arial"> <!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" startspan --><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0" mce_href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0">click the button for more information</a><img src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&bids=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0" mce_src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&bids=177087.10000063&type=3&subid=0" width="1" border="0" height="1"><!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" endspan --> to watch the trailer. </font></span></font></p>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-44657943459512946612009-06-21T09:43:00.000-07:002009-06-21T10:30:31.783-07:00Network Miracle<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:90%;" ><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">My friend Michelle is focused on opening a spiritual spa in Costa Rico. She sent me this update. Her commitment, her belief in her self worth, and her faith in her Spiritual support may be an inspiration to others so I am sharing her words here:</span><br /><br><span style="font-family: arial;">I was attending my monthly business networking meeting held at various local businesses. This meeting was hosted by a deluxe assisted living facility in Venice. The first miracle was the luxurious spread they provided us for breakfast complete with chefs making our custom omelets to the beautifully carved ice sculpture.</span><br /><br><span style="font-family: arial;">Every meeting there is a drawing from the business cards for lovely prizes. Often they are things/services that I’m not interested in and I wish them for the person whose life will be enhanced most in receiving them. However, on numerous occasions there are prizes I desire and I say, “That’s mine” or “I want that!” Yes, they’ve picked my card 99% of the time that happens. Today I wanted a gift for a very silly reason. I wanted the gift bag it was it. The bag was all sparkly and pretty and I’d run out of bags to gift people things in. The prize happened to be a bottle of wine (not something I’m big on) and a bottle stopper with a beautiful silver heart….the heart will stay with me for a while </span><br /><br><span style="font-family: arial;">Everyone gets a chance to stand up, introduce themselves and their businesses. I stood up and said, “For all those who have been following my Spa Retreat progress…..manifestation, I thought it was Costa Rica but recently Panama has been presenting more powerfully. If anyone has any leads or ideas, please let me know.”</span><br /><br><span style="font-family: arial;">At the end of the meeting, a gal who worked at the assisted living facility, Julie *, came up to me and said, “I live in Panama”. She has homes here and there. She asked what areas I was considering. Trying not to be too specific and open, I said, “kind of around the west side, near Costa Rica.” Julie says, “I live in Bocas Del Toro.” She couldn’t help but notice my eyes getting bigger than saucers. Bocas Del Tor has been in my mind for months. Bocas info and pictures were on my desk that very moment. She said she could connect me with the various spas around and I could stay at her apartment. We agreed to get together later that evening at her place.</span><br /><br><span style="font-family: arial;">So I’m going to my new angel’s place to talk business and possibilities. Lo and behold, thanks to my morning’s winnings, I even have a gift to bring….a lovely bottle of wine! I arrive at Julie’s condo right at the beach on Venice Island and her husband Dan* answers the door. It was kind of interesting as he is all dressed up….in swim trunks! As I enter I see she is wearing a bathing suit herself. I’m thinking, “She’s totally comfortable in the midst of luxury and totally down to earth too – I like these people!” My first feelings couldn’t have been more right. We talked and laughed for hours feeling like we’d known and loved each other forever.</span><br /><br><span style="font-family: arial;">Turns they have all the connections I could possibly dream of in Panama. Dan is in construction and knows about properties, building and dealing with “the system”. Julie has holistic training, knows how to go into the rainforest to get plants for cooking and healing. She gave me some soap she made that smelled good enough to eat. She showed me her hand-crafted jewelry made from sharks teeth and shells. Layer after delightful layer of complimentary information unfolded.</span><br /><br><span style="font-family: arial;">So, I had all sorts of choices. I could go now, stay at their place and flounder on my own…..not good timing anyway (legal stuff not quite finished here). I could go with Dan in August when he prepares the way for Julie’s effortless arrival. Or I could go with Julie in September effortlessly flying in with her. I won’t need to know how to call a taxi or even where my apartment is. I’ll just have an Angel to guide me around, show me the ropes and introduce me to all sorts of cool people and adventures. I choose Door 3, thank you Universe!</span><br /><br><span style="font-family: arial;">So, I’ll be dancing off to Panama in September to live and scope out areas for the Spa Retreat. I’ve been doing plenty of virtual traveling and now it’s time for me to really see and feel the areas. Then I’ll be able to provide more info for the Spa Retreat Birth Plan to present to my potential financiers. They are beautiful people but a little more “practically” minded than I. The Universe will provide and my Angels and Fairies are always taking care of me aren’t enough for them.</span><br /><br><span style="font-family: arial;">More adventures later……</span></span><br /><br><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(153, 51, 153);font-size:90%;" ><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.universalwellness.us/images/mich-crop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 198px;" src="http://www.universalwellness.us/images/mich-crop.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0)" ><br /><span style="font-size:90%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Michelle Hazelwood has contributed to the elevation of the planet through motivating, training, and sharing the personal benefits of fitness with men and women throughout the United States since 1982.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:90%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Offering a high level of expertise to the Personal Training profession, Michelle brings years of certified qualifications to her clients. You can learn more about Michelle through her website: </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://tr.im/pf3n">Universal Wellness</a></span></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><br /><br><br /><br><br /><br>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-43641036686895971662009-06-08T11:38:00.000-07:002009-06-08T11:47:17.326-07:00Happy Birthday - Make a wish<span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 51, 102);"><span style="font-size:100%;">Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers”<br />~ Garth Brooks ~</span><br /></div><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-family:arial;" >In his hit country song, Garth Brooks tells a story of a man who encounters his high school flame years later when he is at an event with is wife. Reflecting back he remembers how he begged God for this high school fling to be his everlasting love, and he promised eternal gratitude if this prayer was granted. At that reunion, he saw how the woman he loved so deeply, who was now his wife would never have been in his life if that previous prayer had been answered the way he begged it at that time. In that moment he was genuinely grateful for his unanswered prayer.</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-family:arial;" ><br /><br />Today is my birthday, and undoubtedly my friends will take this opportunity to make every old age joke they can remember. We will enjoy laughter over dinner and dessert. Someone will make sure the appropriate number of candles is lit on the chocolate cake, and a fire extinguisher is close at hand.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-family:arial;" >Ever since I was a child, at every birthday party I have attended, the ritual is for the birthday person to make a wish when blowing out the candles. I wonder how many people make wishes for things they absolutely desire. As a child I believe I did, and some of my wishes actually came true.</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-family:arial;" ><br /><br />What if, everything you had every wished for over the smoke of a blown out candle actually came true for you? </span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-family:arial;" ><br /><br />Are there some of these wishes that you can be genuinely grateful for to</span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);font-family:arial;" >day because they didn’t come true?</span><br /><br />Partial excerpt from book:<br /> </span><a href="http://selfinvestmentpublishing.com/announcement.htm"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The "G" Spot, the ecstasy of life through Gratitude</span></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://selfinvestmentpublishing.com/announcement.htm"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 224px;" src="http://selfinvestmentpublishing.com/G-Spot/images/g-spot-book2.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-11142806843764928782009-06-02T08:05:00.000-07:002009-06-02T08:39:38.643-07:00Change Lifelong, Self-Defeating Thinking Habits<div align="center"><div align="center"> <p align="center"><font size="4" face="Arial"><b>Excuses Be Gone<br><font color="#000080">A Life-Changing Book from Dr. Wayne W. Dyer!</font></b></font></p><blockquote><p><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" startspan --><a target='new' href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=139925.10000227&type=2&subid=0" >Excuses Begone! How to Change Lifelong, Self-Defeating Thinking Habits</a><IMG border=0 width=1 height=1 src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&bids=139925.10000227&type=2&subid=0" ><!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" endspan --></font></b><font face="Arial" style="font-size: 11pt">.</font></p><p align="left"><font face="Arial" style="font-size: 11pt">In this groundbreaking work, Wayne presents a compendium of conscious and subconscious crutches employed by virtually everyone, along with ways to cast them aside once and for all. You’ll learn to apply specific questions to any excuse, and then proceed through the steps of a new paradigm.<!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" startspan --><a target='new' href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=139925.10000227&type=2&subid=0" ><IMG border=0 src="http://affiliate.hayhouse.com/IndivProd/978-1-4019-2173-6.gif" ></a><IMG border=0 width=1 height=1 src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&bids=139925.10000227&type=2&subid=0" ><!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" endspan --></font><font face="Arial" size="3"><b> <!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" startspan --><a target='new' href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=139925.10000227&type=2&subid=0" >Pre-order Now</a><IMG border=0 width=1 height=1 src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&bids=139925.10000227&type=2&subid=0" ><!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" endspan --></b></font><font face="Arial" style="font-size: 11pt">and you will receive a <b>FREE</b> 2-hour workshop download so you can immediately begin to draw connections between your own life and Dr. Dyer's teachings. <font color="#0000FF">PLUS,</font> with each order for <i>Excuses Begone</i>, you will automatically be entered to </font><font face="Arial" size="3"><b><!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" startspan --><a target='new' href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=139925.10000227&type=2&subid=0" >win a trip to MAUI for Dr. Dyer's weekend intensive</a><IMG border=0 width=1 height=1 src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&bids=139925.10000227&type=2&subid=0" ><!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" endspan --></b></font></p><p align="left"><font face="Arial"><span class="MainFont2">Within the pages of this transformational book, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer reveals how to change the self-defeating thinking patterns that have prevented you from living at the highest levels of success, happiness, and health. Even though you may know what to think, actually changing those thinking habits that have been with you since childhood might be somewhat challenging.<br><br><i>If I changed, it would create family dramas . . . I’m too old or too young . . . I’m far too busy and tired . . . I can’t afford the things I truly want . . . It would be very difficult for me to do things differently . . . and I’ve always been this way . . . </i>may all seem to be true, but they’re in fact just excuses. So the business of modifying habituated thinking patterns really comes down to tossing out the same tired old excuses and <font color="#0000FF">examining</font> your beliefs in a new and truthful light.<br><br>In this groundbreaking work, Wayne presents a compendium of conscious and subconscious crutches employed by virtually everyone, along with ways to cast them aside once and for all. You’ll learn to apply specific questions to any excuse, and then proceed through the steps of a new paradigm. The old, habituated ways of thinking will melt away as you experience the absurdity of hanging on to them.<br><br>You’ll ultimately realize that there are no excuses worth defending, ever, even if they’ve always been part of your life—and the joy of releasing them will resonate throughout your very being. When you eliminate the need to explain your shortcomings or failures, you’ll awaken to the life of your dreams.<br><br><i><b><font size="4">Excuses . . . Begone!</font></b></i><font size="4"> </font></span></font></p><p align="left"><font face="Arial"><!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" startspan --><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=139925.10000132&type=4&subid=0"><IMG alt="Hay House, Inc." border="0" src="http://affiliate.hayhouse.com/Promotion/Dyer/a2m_300x250.jpg"></a><IMG border="0" width="1" height="1" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&bids=139925.10000132&type=4&subid=0"><!--webbot bot="HTMLMarkup" endspan --></font></p></blockquote></div></div>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-54771524411453657392009-04-08T10:13:00.000-07:002009-04-08T10:51:51.156-07:00The Power of Appreciation<div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);font-size:100%;" ><i style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128);">“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it</span></i><br /><i style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128);"> is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”</span></i><br /><i style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128);"> ~ William Arthur Ward</span></i></span><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >This week as I sorted through my usual stack of catalogs, coupons, flyers, advertisements and bills, all delivered to me through the (good old fashioned) US snail mail, I found something else.</span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >Something that added joy to my day.</span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >I received in a handwritten thank you note from my friend and colleague Michelle Hazelwood. When I listed her in one of my regular e-zines, I didn't tell her. I did not doit hoping for a thank you, I did it because I believe in her and the integrity of the work that she does with other people </span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >(Note: I have received other gestures of thank you from other people mentioned in my e-zines, however, Michelle went an extra mile and today she is my <a>One</a>)</span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><br /></span> <p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" align="left"><span style="font-size:100%;">Michelle's handwritten thank you note did two things:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (1) simply conformed that what I believe about her is true and</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (2) gave me a good feeling, which comes back again every time I see her note on my desk.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">and her note is now page one in my Kudos binder.</span><br /></span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><br /> Sending notes of Gratitude used to be an expected social behavior. In those days people who didn't send them usually didn't find themselves receiving future invitations or gifts. </span></p><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >Zig Ziglar, one of my all time favorite mentors shares a story on his <a target="_blank" href="http://tr.im/ioL4" style="text-decoration: none;">website</a> about US President Theodore Roosevelt, and notes that his life story indicates that he was not only an extraordinarily successful man, but surely one of the busiest and best organized ever. However, with all of his"busy-ness" . . . he still retained some of those human qualities that made him so successful. Simple example: He never forgot to thank others who did things </span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><i><b>for him</b>.</i>”</span><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-size:100%;">I had the good fortune of meeting Ziglar in my early 20's, and the opportunity to shake his hand and thank him personally for the lessons I had learned from his book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1565547063?ie=UTF8&tag=solvingtheent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1565547063">See You at the Top</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=solvingtheent-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1565547063" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /> Recently, through his son, I was able to send Zig a detailed thank you letter of how his words helped me blaze the trail of my life since I first met him over 30 years ago.<br /></span> </p><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-size:100%;">I admit it took time to write my thank you letter, as I'm sure it took my friend Michelle more than a few seconds to write her thank you note to me. As I wrote the thank you letter to Zig, I could feel a powerful energy rising in me. After sending it, all day I felt lighter, more enthused, more creative and some of the challenges on my To-Do list seemed to be accomplished with more ease.<br /></span> </p><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-size:100%;">Peoples attitudes about expressing "Thank You" have changed. Some people write long gratitude lists, but keep them to themselves. Some people will send a quick Thank you in an email reply or an e-card, and some still do take the time to write a heartfelt thank you note.<br /> <br /></span> <span style="font-size:100%;">Ziglar also taught me about the <i>Notes of Appreciation </i>I wrote about in my book, <a style="text-decoration: none;" href="http://tr.im/ioKJ">The "G" Spot, the ecstasy of life through Gratitude</a>. Even a short written thank you note, especially to someone who doesn't expect it, can change two lives that day - theirs and yours. That one positive action is powerful.</span></p><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-size:100%;">Sometimes the best way to find time in our day is to take time to write a genuine thank you.</span></p><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-size:100%;">I recently received a handwritten thank you note from a reader of my book, and she concluded her note telling me that she was now inspired to write thank you notes to all her children. I have asked her to write that on the <a style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" href="http://tr.im/ioKS">Gratitude Spot blog </a>so other people may be inspired by her words and actions.</span></p><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-size:100%;">Here's an experiment you may want to add to your day and see the power it has in your life:<br /><b><span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128);"><br /> <a name="one"></a><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family: arial;">ONE-A-DAY</span></span></span></b></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /> For the next 7 days, write a sincere heartfelt thank you note to one person in your life. Just one!<br /><br /> The next day, one more.<br /><br /> Only <span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">one</span> </span>a day.<br /></span> </p><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-size:100%;">One or all of four things will happen:<br /></span> <span style="font-size:100%;">(1) You will find more people to thank than you first thought you had;<br />(2) you may want to do more than one a day. (resist the temptation);<br /> (3) you will discover something new about yourself;<br /> (4) you will feel a shift in your energy, your feelings and sometimes your physical body.</span></p><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-size:100%;">Today, Michelle is my ONE.</span></p><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-size:100%;">I look forward to reading how <span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">One-A-Day</span> made a difference in your life.</span></p><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: arial; font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><b>NOTE </b></span><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >-</span><span style="color: rgb(128, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><br /><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"> One of the bonus gifts offered to people who bought the book, </span><i style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">the "G" Spot, the ecstasy of life through Gratitude </i><span style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">- was a set of custom greeting cards by renowned artist Juliane. Refer back to the link you received when you purchased the book and get your free greeting cards so you can start your ONE right away. if you have lost your bonus gifts link, contact me.</span><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-75322568061310262302009-03-13T11:56:00.000-07:002009-03-13T11:59:48.326-07:00Enjoy the ride<p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">A very talented High School Class reminds us how to Enjoy Life.</span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">If you don't have 4 minutes for this beautiful photo and music, then you really need a reminder. <img alt="" src="http://jasonsnetwork.com/file/smile/biggrin.gif" phpfox="image-protect" mce_src="http://jasonsnetwork.com/file/smile/biggrin.gif" /></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Click on the image to launch the link to the video. And if that doesn't work, no excuses, the direct link is below <img alt="" src="http://jasonsnetwork.com/file/smile/biggrin.gif" phpfox="image-protect" mce_src="http://jasonsnetwork.com/file/smile/biggrin.gif" /></span></p> <p><a class="null" href="http://www.lshs64.com/enjoytheride.html" target="_blank" mce_href="http://www.lshs64.com/enjoytheride.html"><img style="width: 398px; height: 328px;" src="http://sumnerdavenport.com/images/ride.jpg" mce_src="http://sumnerdavenport.com/images/ride.jpg" /></a></p> <p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Just in case the link in the graphic doesn't work, here it is: <a href="http://www.lshs64.com/enjoytheride.html" mce_href="http://www.lshs64.com/enjoytheride.html">http://www.lshs64.com/enjoytheride.html</a></span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">And thank you to my beautiful Friend Michelle Hazelwood who shared it with me.</span></p> <p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Namaste'</span></p>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-80720214673180758412009-01-19T14:37:00.000-08:002009-01-19T14:49:57.433-08:00Laughter is the best medicine<div><div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://sumnerdavenport.com/images/grandpa.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 118px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 148px" alt="" src="http://sumnerdavenport.com/images/grandpa.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;color:#660000;">My grandfather was one of the most positive influences in my life as a small child. He passed on before my eleventh birthday. He believed that Laughter is always the best medicine. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#660000;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="color:#660000;"></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#660000;">My Grandfather was diagnosed with cancer and heart disease and spent his last few weeks in a small bedroom with an oxygen tank. Next to his bed on the floor, a stack as tall as me was issues of Readers Digest magazine. I spent every afternoon and weekend sitting on the floor next to that stack of magazines reading to my Grandfather from its pages of Laughter is the Best Medicine, Life in the United States, and all the other amusing anecdotes. We would laugh together and he told me how much better he was able to breathe after exercising his lungs with laughter. </span><a href="http://www.selfinvestment.com/clipart/images/Laughter/dog-ha-ha-good-one.gif"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#660000;"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 143px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 148px" alt="" src="http://www.selfinvestment.com/clipart/images/Laughter/dog-ha-ha-good-one.gif" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;color:#660000;"><br /><br />Norman Cousins is renowned for the incredible healing power of laughter in his life which he wrote about in his book Anatomy of an Illness. He discovered that when he laughed boisterously at the comedy films that he had selected, he was able to stimulate chemicals in his body that alleviated his physical pain and stimulated healing.<br /><br />Science News reported recently that employees reported higher job satisfaction when they work for someone who was more humor-oriented and used humor effectively and appropriately.<br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.selfinvestment.com/clipart/images/Laughter/clown-face.gif"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#660000;"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 50px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 50px" alt="" src="http://www.selfinvestment.com/clipart/images/Laughter/clown-face.gif" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;color:#660000;">Many years ago, people were institutionalized for too much laughter. Dr. Hunter "Patch" Adams believes that silliness is a virtue. He is the founder of the Gesundheit Clinic; a clinic which deals with their patients with humor and play, which they see as essential to physical and emotional health healing.<br /><br />Laughter can make a bleak situation appear more tolerable and clear the energy for creative thinking. Many people have found that humor is an effective way to deal with stress. It doesn't mean that the situation is funny, or not to be taken seriously. Humor releases endorphins that can assit you in working with or moving through a difficult situation.<br /><br />How much better do you feel about anything in your life, after you have had a great belly laugh. (Except my friend who just had tummy surgery, but she’ll make up for it soon)<br /><br />I’m very picky about what will prompt me to laughter. I love jokes, parodies, skits and sitcoms which are clever enough in words and actions to surprise me to laughter without having to resort to any racial, gender, political or personal attacks or putdowns. Americas funny home videos, at times, is one of my favorite shows, however, I cannot understand why a man being hit painfully in the groin is considered funny.<br /><br />One of my all time favorite funny skits was seen on the Carol Burnett show. Yes, I’m aging myself as I let you know that I saw this when it was first telecast. Now you can see it on the internet.<br /></span><a href="http://sumnerdavenport.com/images/carol.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;color:#660000;"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 245px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="http://sumnerdavenport.com/images/carol.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#660000;">In this Gone With the Wind parody ("Went With the Wind") a broke Scarlett O'Hara (Carol Burnett) tears the curtains off Tara's windows to create a dress, as you may remember Scarlett did in the book and epic film. However, instead of emerging in the iconic green velvet grown, she descends the stairs wearing the curtains intact — complete with a curtain rod thrown over her shoulders doubling as shoulder pads, and the tassel from the tie back as a hat.<br /><br />What created the laughter was the total surprise of this moment. Even Carol Burnett reported that the crew and her fellow actors did not have a clue about her and Bob Mackie’s plan until the second she appeared at the top of the stairs. One of the longest laughs in TV history was created because it was not what we expected, it was better.<br /><br />Please share your joy. I invite you to share your favorite funny so we can all enjoy a good laugh.<br /></span></div><div><br /><span style="color:#660000;"><span style="font-family:arial;">P.S. And yes, I still read the jokes in Readers Digest and I still laugh and I know my Grandfather is still laughing with me.</span> </span></div><div> </div><div align="center"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><em><span style="color:#000099;">"We must also be careful to avoid ingesting toxins in the form of violent TV programs, video games, movies, magazines, and books. When we watch that kind of violence, we water our own negative seeds, or tendencies, and eventually we will think and act out of those seeds."~ Thich Nhat Hahn</span> ~<br /></em></span><a href="http://www.movieswithmessage.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><em>Visit Movies with Message</em></span></a></div></div></div>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-8082496641773676212009-01-10T10:54:00.000-08:002009-01-10T11:20:04.765-08:00Ambition To Meaning<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>A Life-Changing Film from Dr. Wayne W. Dyer!</strong></span><br /><img height="183" src="http://www.hhemarketing.com/author/dyer/movielaunches/images/hdr_dyer_atm.jpg" width="425" border="0" /><br /><td style="PADDING-RIGHT: 10pt" valign="top"><span style="color:#000000;">Dear Friends,<br /><br />I've just completed one of my life's great experiences and I invite you to share it! Making my first movie at age 68 was an unexpected gift from the Universe that filled me with wonder and amazement. <em><strong>Ambition to Meaning: Finding Your Life's Purpose</strong></em> has given me the opportunity to marvel at the limitless power of the human spirit to discover and rediscover all that we can be.<br /><br />Never underestimate the power of great natural beauty to bring you inspiration, peace of mind, and clarity of thought. <em><strong>Ambition to Meaning</strong></em> was filmed at Asilomar, "refuge by the sea," on the breathtaking Monterey Peninsula of California's central coast, a landscape of mist and pines and pounding surf. In nature, you find yourself. The characters in our story discover a new path for themselves that too much focus on success, competition, and worldly concern almost made them miss. They find the music within that gives life real worth.<br /><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=139925.10000076&type=3"><img style="FLOAT: right" height="300" src="http://www.hhemarketing.com/author/dyer/movielaunches/images/cvr-btn_140x300.jpg" width="140" align="right" border="0" /></a><br />This movie touches me profoundly and I'm prouder of it than of anything I've done before. Which goes to show that you are never too old to learn and grow and look in awe at the teaching power of the Universe. From the kite fluttering in the wind above to the sand between your toes, there is wonder to be found in every moment. Move with me from Ambition to Meaning and begin enjoying your life as never before!<br /><br />Namaste,</span><span style="font-family:cursive;"><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000000;">Wayne</span></em></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=139925.10000076&type=3"></td><br /></span></a><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Ambition to Meaning was directed by the<br />wonderfully talented Emmy award winner<br />Michael Goorjian. The movie features a<br />fine ensemble cast of seasoned actors in<br />addition to Dr. Wayne Dyer: (in alpha order)<br />Molly Bryant, Michael DeLuise, Portia de Rossi,<br />Don Franklin, Ron Garcia, Ed Kerr, Ethan Lipton,<br />Ron Marasco, Maury Sterling, and Shannon Sturges.<br />Look for a surprise cameo appearance by<br />Louise L. Hay in this heartwarming film about finding<br />your bliss! </span><br /></span><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000000;"></span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;"></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></p></span><span style="color:#000000;"><em><strong>Ambition to Meaning</strong></em> is available in two versions:<br /><em>Standard</em> and <em>Deluxe</em>.<br /><br />The <em>Deluxe</em> version includes the following bonus material:<br />(1) Two music videos<br />(2) Interview with Wayne Dyer in Maui about <em>Ambition to Meaning</em><br />(3) Fireside talk with Wayne Dyer telling stories about his life and family<br />(4) Michael Goorjian, the film director, talking about making the movie<br />(5) Extra material of Wayne being interviewed on the movie set </span><br /></span><br /><br /></span><br />This announcement was sponsored by Sumner M. Davenport<br /><span style="color:#000000;"></span><br /><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=HGw2MzK0A2k&offerid=139925.10000076&type=3"><br /></a><br /></td>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-87072092830209733252009-01-02T11:51:00.001-08:002009-01-02T11:54:59.776-08:00May you be validated everyday<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Cbk980jV7Ao&rel=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Cbk980jV7Ao&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><br />This video was created by an online friend of mine.<br /><br />Be sure to visit her profile and see more of what she has to offer:<br />http://jasonsnetwork.com/CherokeeSumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-42258778944458126282009-01-01T09:42:00.000-08:002009-01-01T09:43:44.523-08:00Wow, 2008 went fast , didn't it!<a href="http://sumnerdavenport.com/images/newyear4.gif"></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>H</strong></span><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000066;"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">ow did you do</span>?</strong></span><br /><br />Each year people have a reaction to the transition of one year to the next. Some people are happy with their results. Others want something to change. Some people exceeded their goals and are excited for their next results. Others are struggling to make ends meet, find love, drop those extra pounds. Some will be glad the year is over. Some will end the year with regrets.<br /><br />What does 2009 hold for you? Will it be more of the same or are you looking for a change? Even those who are happy with their results in 2008, many would still like something new or a change in something in the coming year.New Years Eve is the re-start of many old habits. </span><br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000066;">Millions of people will voice new years resolutions in one night, and within the week over 75% will have broken them. Some people know they will never meet their resolutions but a small flicker of wishing and hoping that this year will be different motivates them to say them anyway.<br />2009 can be your best year ever ! Great tips and free downloads are here to get you started.<br /><br /><strong>Tip #1:</strong><br /><br /><span style="color:#660000;"><strong>Don't make New Years resolutions this year.</strong></span> <strong>Make your acknowledgment list instead.<br /></strong><br />Studies show that for a sales person, the best time to make a sale is right after you made one. The best time to create another success in your life, is right after you have just experienced one.<br /><br />Why is that? It is because your energy is now focused on success, feeling good about what you just accomplished and you are feeling a <strong>"success high".</strong> So then it would make sense that the most difficult time to set new goals or resolutions is when you are not feeling confident, not feeling proud of your accomplishments or not feeling successful. Yet this lack of success is what most people are feeling when they set New Year resolutions. This seems to be one answer to the question as to why over 75% of people give up on their new resolutions after only a couple of weeks. Start your New Year with a "success high" and propel your self towards greater success in 2009. Start by NOT making New Years resolutions this year and making an acknowledgment list instead.</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#990000;">"</span><em><span style="color:#990000;">The more you focus on and list your accomplishments,<br />the more accomplishments you will recognize." ~ Brenda Stuart ~</span></em></span><br /></div><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000066;"><a href="http://sumnerdavenport.com/images/acknowledgement-journal-sm.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 127px" alt="" src="http://sumnerdavenport.com/images/acknowledgement-journal-sm.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2009isminenow.com/">Click here to download a free copy<br />of Acknowledgment Journal Sheets</a></span></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000066;"><strong>Tip #2</strong></span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000066;">Write your list with what you are happy you did, are proud of yourself for or something you accomplished this past year.</span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000066;"><br /><br /></p><p>Then do something else with this list. We are so conditioned by society that we must have more; that more is better. We rush to make our lists longer, and in the process we lose the depth. Rather than quickly writing a list (usually by habit), and putting it away, choose one item from your list– and really take all the time to feel all of the joy and passion that is connected to and within it. </p><p>Feel and seek to understand WHY this is important to you, why you are proud of yourself, why this accomplishment is a milestone or a success for you. Stay with that one item all day. Think about it, feel it, understand your reasons for acknowledging yourself for it.</p><p>The next day choose another one from your list. Get to know the deepest parts of yourself through your choices of self acknowledgement.<br /><br />What is your <strong>ONE</strong> today?</p><p></p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 191px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 83px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://sumnerdavenport.com/images/newyear4.gif" border="0" /> <p></span></p><p></p></div></div></div></div>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918593122101967976.post-2794241218587149812008-12-31T10:15:00.000-08:002008-12-31T10:39:35.782-08:00Animal Clouds, Big Mud Puddles and Love Gardens<span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#000066;">Original author unauthenicated.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000066;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#000099;">When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my yard.</span> </span></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#cc33cc;">My CHILD see a garden of love and blowing white fluff you can wish on.</span><br /> </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#000099;">When I look at an old drunk and he smiles at me, I see a smelly, dirty person who probably wants money and I look away.</span> </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#993399;">My CHILD sees someone who deserves a smile and smiles back.<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#000099;">When I hear music I love, I think I can't carry a tune and don't have much rhythm so I sit self-consciously and listen.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#cc33cc;">My CHILD feels the beat and moves to it, singing out the words. and when really in the grove, my CHILD makes up new words.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;">When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk.</span><br /><span style="color:#993399;">My CHILD’s eyes close.., and with arms spread, flies with it, eventuallyfalling to the ground laughing.</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#000099;">When I see a mud puddle I step around it. I see muddy shoes and dirty carpets. </span><br /><span style="color:#993399;">My CHILD sits in it....sees dams to build, rivers to cross, and worms to play with.</span><br /><span style="color:#000099;"><br />When I see clouds in the sky, I mumble “ I hope it doesn’t rain”</span> <br /><span style="color:#993399;">My CHILD sees elephants, giraffes and other animals at play.</span><br /><span style="color:#000099;"><br />When I pray, I say thee and thou and grant me this, give me that.</span><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;">My CHILD says, " Thanks for my toys and my friends. Please keep the bad dreams away tonight. I don't want to leave this earth yet, I have more love to share. “</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#cc0000;"><em>Allow your CHILD remind you of the joys , the blessings and the important parts of life.<br /></em></span> </span>Sumner http://www.blogger.com/profile/01076851282689064035noreply@blogger.com0