Envelope stuffing opportunities are still widely advertised in various publications and on the Internet. 

Many people who are beginning their search for ways to make money from home find this type of opportunity very appealing.

Why?

Because it sounds like easy money!

Before jumping head-long into this thing, let's take a critical look at how the envelope stuffing opportunity really works. 
 


What's Getting Stuffed Into Those Envelopes?

Who wouldn't want to sit around the house and watch T.V while stuffing envelopes - and then the money just rolls in!

Not so fast partner! Ask yourself, "What am I stuffing into those envelopes?"

Is it Sears catalogs? How 'bout Fingerhut? Maybe it's Radio Shack's Electro-Christmas Brochure? And they're going to give you a big fat commission for every envelope you stuff with their catalog!

Sign me up! Envelope stuffing never sounded so good!

Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Here is a common envelope stuffing scenario:

You read an ad or get a piece of junk mail claiming that "Aunt Edna" makes $1,845.20 every week by doing fun and easy work right from her favorite armchair. For every envelope stuffed you earn $1 or $2 or some other amount.
Often the advertisement asks for an up-front fee of $29.95 or more just to make sure "you're serious" about their envelope stuffing program.

So far, so good. Easy work, big money. Being the cautious person you are, you may even read the ad several times to make sure you didn't miss anything.

Nope. Didn't miss anything. Sounds perfect!

You pay the fee and send off for the package. After all, they guaranteed your satisfaction with their envelope stuffing starter package (watch out! did you read the conditions on that guarantee?).

When your starter package arrives - assuming it does arrives - you gleefully tear it open. Yippee!

Your family watches you from a respectful distance, perplexed that you have found salvation in such a little package, and relieved because over the last few days you've been salivating so much there isn't an unlicked envelope within 100 meters of the desk.

As you read the literature in the package, it slowly dawns on you - you're not going to get paid $1 or $2 for every envelope you stuff. The instructions tell you to spread the news about the enveloping stuffing biz, then you'll get paid.

How, exactly, does that work, you ask?

By advertising the envelope stuffing program, of course.

Yep, they want you to help them earn those up-front fees by sending out the same letter you read and got so excited about.

They didn't tell you that part before you mailed your check, did they? You see, they won't pay you until they get paid.

Details, details.

How might one be instructed to advertise the program to others?

Well, you can place an ad asking people to send you a dollar to find out about the envelope stuffing program. That's how you earn $1,845.20 every week.

One dollar at a time.

Uh huh.

Or they might tell you to purchase a mailing list and send out a thousand or more of their "special sales letters". Of course, the letter you send out is the same one you received from dear old Aunt Edna.

Oh boy.

Or perhaps you could put up a web site? They won't tell you this, but make sure you don't post a legit phone number or a physical address. People tend to get angry when they've been scammed.

This is a big business. There are people promoting these envelope stuffing programs making thousands upon thousands of dollars from people who send in those up-front fees.

Ask yourself...

Does envelope stuffing represent a real business opportunity?

Does it provide a real service or product that has value?

While there are many variations to this envelope stuffing rip-off, they all follow the same pattern: get your money before you figure out how this scam really works.


Protect Yourself - Avoiding The "Hook"

The scammer looks for a "hook" to place in you.

Even if they seem honest, don't ask for money up front, and are easily accessible to answer your questions... watch your pocketbook!

They may be trying to gain your trust before asking for your bank account number or your social security number.

A good rule of thumb is...

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!


Some Common Scams

Pyramid Schemes - A pyramid scheme grants anyone membership for a fee, without giving something back of equal value. Not to be confused with multi-level marketing, which requires the sale of products or services from their members.

Chain Letters - A pyramid scheme. Illegal and they don't work.

Envelope Stuffing - Legal prosecution for participants becoming more common.

Craft Assembly - It's very hard to build a craft which meets their "standards".

Fast Credit Repair - There is no fast way to repair credit. They teach you how to lie.

Medical Billing - Cost thousands to start and it's very difficult to find clients. The medical community trusts only a few mega corporations for billing their patients.

Easy Work and High Pay -Beware of anyone that promises you lots of money for little effort. If it were that easy, everyone would be doing it!


The Truth Path To Working Successfully At Home

Scams are plentiful both in the online and off-line world. You will notice that those who promote scams may not fully explain what it is all about. You will also notice that you must usually pay money up front before getting full details. Plus, it is usually impossible to contact the program's promoter to get further details about their offer.

Should you invest your hard earned money without all the facts?

Would you buy a car this way?

Would you buy a pizza this way?!

No.

The true path to working successfully at home and making the income you want is:

Do what you love.

Commit to gaining the knowledge to succeed. Educate yourself.

Build relationships along the way. Never be deceitful or shadowy. Always build trust through communication.

Work hard. Then work harder.

Help others along your path.

Never give up.

Never, ever give up.

There are ways to make money from home without getting that "I just stuffed a thousand envelopes and forgot to buy $390 worth of stamps" feeling.
Lots of people are making excellent money working from home - without scams.

Just do your research, and take your time.
  Want to know more about
envelope stuffing?

Get the facts on...

 The inner workings of the offer.
 10 things the promoter won't tell you.
 Warning signs it's a scam.
 Can you stuff legitimately?

Read it now in BIZ TALK
 
 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Brett Krkosska provides how-to advice on small business and home-based work issues. His site, http://www.HomeBizTools.com, helps small businesses reach their fullest potential. He is also the publisher of Straight Talk, a fresh and original newsletter that offers a unique perspective on today's business issues.

Having those dreams again where you suddenly find yourself in the weirdest places and unlikely locales? Next time you dream, don't just helplessly wander around not knowing why you were whisked there. Wherever you are, there is a purpose in that. Read on to find out.

 

School:. Dreams that happen in schools mean a return to childhood, back when we were just starting out in the arena of life. Schools are also one of the first venues where authority and discipline was exercised upon us, and where we meet other kids, so to dream of being in school may mean you are trying to face some unresolved issues about your adequacy, popularity, performance, and achievements. Dreaming of taking an exam in a school means we are facing challenges which we are afraid of being evaluated and judged.

 

Outer Space:. Outer space dreams go hand in hand with the gift of flight. Thus, you are being adventurous and creative, to the point of being escapist. Being in outer space has a liberating feeling as well--weightlessness--add to this the fact that you are on top of things.

 

Game Show:. Being a game show contestant in your dream signifies your concern about luck, and your performance in the public eye. It could also represent your wishful thinking for fame, even if it's just a short-lived one.

 

Boxing Ring:. Dreams of being in a boxing ring means your concern about performance, especially with regards to competition. Who is your opponent, and who between you is getting the most punches? You are in the spotlight, the center of attention when you are in the ring, and thus this dream means your need to prove yourself worthy.

 

Train:. Trains are obedient vehicles; they religiously follow tracks and they stick to schedules of departures and arrivals. Trains, of course, mean journey. So dreams of being on the train represent a journey and transition in your life, unfolding according to schedules and neatly going along the tracks. Missing the train then, or being in a train wreck mean plans which you have let go out of hand.

 

Supermarket:. Groceries offer an endless and tempting variety of things. To dream of being in a market means you are faced with tough choices, all of which look perfect and inviting. You are shopping not just for material things, but for things that relate to your emotional or social needs. You might be concerned of making the wrong choice in spending your money/attention/energy.

 

Road:. Roads lead to places and possibilities. The kind of road you are treading in your dream and the sceneries on either side reveal your current attitudes and motivations towards your goals. Winding, dark, and endless roads mean unsurety and many hindrances, while smooth, well-paved ones mean stability.

 

Maze:. More than just a physical manifestation, dreams of maze reveal our state of mind. Since mazes are convoluted passages that lead to dead-ends, or if not, back to where you started, then your dream of mazes signify a state of confusion which you need to get out of. Try getting a wider, aerial view of things, and you'll see just where you want/need to be.

 

Parachute:. Parachutes can either mean safety from sure harm or a welcome withdrawal/escape from constricting situations in your life. If you are enjoying the view below while you are in your parachute, then it means you are on top of things, and you have taken a wider perspective of things. If on the other hand, you can't get your parachute open, then it means you are feeling betrayed by a friend or someone you have put your faith on.

 

Drugstore:. Drugstores and pharmacies offer healing, relief, and solutions. To dream of standing in a pharmacy's counter suggests that you may be shopping for more than just a remedy for an ailment, but for a fail-safe resolution in your life's problems.

Try as you might, you can't get over a relationship. You know its over, but you can't stop thinking about that certain someone. Whatever that person was like, they just never leave your mind for some reason. You find yourself in a spiral of hope and hopelessness that wraps you up and consumes you to the point where you can't seem to think straight. You don't need to continue beating yourself up. You can finally get over a relationship through hypnosis.

 

There are some relationships that just never seem to go away. Even when they end, the memories of them stay with you. You try to accept the fact that it is over, but you can't get over that hill. The memories come flooding back and you find yourself stuck in a cycle of depression and false optimism that keeps you from enjoying life. All the witty little sayings and helpful hints that your friends and family give you do not help. You can't just move on like everyone tells you to. It just won't go away. Even if you know you need to get over a relationship, you cannot do it will just a snap of your fingers. You know it is just going to come back again.

 

There is hope. You can finally get over a relationship through hypnosis. By applying the tools of suggestion to your mind, you can finally accept that the relationship has ended. Instead of beating yourself up or wallowing in old recollections, hypnosis can help you move on with your life. Your mind wants to gain closure. Hypnosis will simply provide you with a way to give yourself that closure. By helping your mind to work through the self-defeating cycle of missing a certain and refusing to let them go, hypnosis can finally help you break free of your depression and your hopeless hope and find new direction without hanging on to what was lost.

 

When you know you need to get over a relationship but you cannot seem to do so, hypnosis can help. By working your mind through to acceptance, you will no longer be mired in the past and you can work toward a new future free of the memories of a certain someone. So help yourself break free of your depression and move on to a new stage of your life. You can get over a relationship that you miss. Hypnosis will let you do it.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

http://www.about-hypnosis.com teaches you how to use hypnosis to improve your life. Hypnotism can help with weight loss, stopping smoking, fear of public speaking and more. You can also learn to hypnotize yourself.

Anger is a lethal force that undermines our lives in many ways. Most do not realize that anger is a choice we make and that we can easily learn to make new choices and feel good again quickly. This article explores different ways to regain peace of mind when anger strikes.

 

Anger is a lethal force that undermines our lives in all kinds of ways. Sometimes it erupts openly and other times it camouflages itself and covertly undermines your life. Some experience anger as strength and power. They feel it is necessary in order to maintain control. Others assume they have the right to express anger. These are some of the lies anger tells us. In fact, when we are angry we are out of control and our ability to respond wisely is diminished.

 

It's time to look at anger in a new way and understand what it really is. Then we can take new steps that help us of anger, make us feel better, and see clearly what to do.

 

Step 1: Realize that anger is a choice you make

 

Anger is not a form of power, strength, or control. It is a toxin, which sometimes provides a temporary high. After this high subsides, the individual is left weaker and more uncertain than before. Not only that, the negative consequences of our outburst have to be handled. Basically anger narrows our focus, creates confusion and limits our ability to find constructive solutions. When anger arises, stop, breathe deeply, and immediately look at the larger perspective. Put the incident in context. For a moment, allow the other person to be "right". Tell yourself you have plenty of time to be right later. Your main goal is to have the anger subside so you can be in control.

 

Step 2: Pinpoint the 24 forms of anger

 

Anger camouflages itself and manifests in many ways. Unrecognized anger turns into all kinds of unwanted behavior that become impossible to stop. We have to become aware that this behavior is just another form of anger and pull it out at the root.

 

Some of the 24 forms of anger are: depression, hypocrisy, self-sabotage, low self-esteem, burnout, passive aggressive behavior, compulsions, perfectionism, gossiping, lying, and various addictions. When you realize that these are being fuelled by anger, you can take appropriate steps to handle them.

 

Step 3: Give Up Being A Martyr – Stop Giving and Taking Guilt

 

Most martyrs do not think of themselves as martyrs. They may describe themselves as long-suffering, giving much more than they get. There's a huge difference between giving and manipulation. Martyrs manipulate with guilt. But guilt is a lethal toxin, fuelled by anger. When you make someone feel guilty, you are harming them. When people feel guilty they find some way to punish themselves and others.

 

Give up giving guilt and also give up taking it. Recognize this as a form of anger, which has no constructive outcome.

 

Step 4: Stop Casting Blame

 

Blaming others (and ourselves) is an expression of hurt, disappointment and anger and never leads to a constructive solution. Stop casting blame. By blaming others you are disempowering yourself. By taking responsibility you are taking back control. Stop a moment and see the situation through your opponent's eyes. When you do this blame dissolves on the spot.

 

The best defense against being hurt is to feel good about yourself and the way a person responds to you says more about them, than about you. As you stop casting blame you will be letting go of all kinds of resentments. Resentment inevitably affects our well-being and always bounces back on us. Look for and find what is positive in each individual. Focus on that.

 

Step 5 - Create Realistic Expectations

 

There is nothing that makes us more angry and hurt than expectations we've been holding onto that have not been met. It is important that you become aware of your expectations. Are they realistic? Does the other person hold similar expectations in your relationship? Let go of unrealistic fantasies. Once this is done, much opportunity for anger diminishes on the spot.

 

Step 6 – Develop A Grateful Mind

 

See what different people in your lives are truly giving to you. We often take many things for granted and are even unaware of all that we are receiving day by day. Take time to write down each day what you are receiving. Be grateful for that. Make a point of giving thanks. The more we thank others, the happier we become.

 

Also, take time to write down all that you have given others that day. It may be a surprise. We often think we are giving so much and receiving so little. This is a great cause of anger and feelings of deprivation. However, when we take time daily to look carefully, we are often surprised and how much we have received and how little given in return. As we see how much we receive daily, anger naturally subsides and we learn to take pleasure both in what we give and receive.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Watch stress melt away on award winning book, The Anger Diet. http://www.theangerdiet.com . Dr Shoshanna, speaker, relationship expert, has helped thousands discover the strength, fulfillment and well-being they’re looking for. Subscribe to free ezine at http://www.brendashoshanna.com . Contact - topspeaker@yahoo.com. (212) 288-0028.

Why should you bother to spend your valuable time to learn
how to get motivated and stay motivated?

 

Here´s why.

 

Your quality of life will change dramatically when you take
charge of how motivated you feel in any given moment.

 

Family and friends will respect you more and see you in a
whole new light. And deadline frenzy will be a thing of the
past.

 

There are several good reasons to learn the secrets to
getting motivated and staying motivated.

 

What Learning How To Get Motivated And Stay Motivated Can
Do For You

1. Earn the respect of your boss and colleagues. As a
dependable and productive member of the team people will
appreciate you and seek your valuable advice on important
matters.

2. Understand what motivates you and enjoy greater success.
When you discover your unique motivation blueprint getting
ahead will never be a mystery again. You can fire up your
motivation engine whenever you choose to.

3. Save money by getting things done on time. You will
eliminate those late fees, fines and charges that
procrastinators waste their hard earned money on.

4. Enjoy a more harmonious home life. Imagine hearing
praise and gratitude for all the little things you get done
around the house. You will enjoy a satisfying feeling of
accomplishment at the end of each evening.

5. Feel in charge of you life. As you get more done with
ease you will have order where you used to have chaos. You
will know what you want and feel compelled to move ahead
and get it.

6. Start new projects with enthusiasm and stay motivated
over time. When you can see things through to completion
you will have renewed confidence in your ability to succeed.

7. Stay motivated in the face of challenges and negative
people. Setbacks and unsupportive colleagues or friends
will make you even more determined when you know how to
stay motivated.

8. Avoid the criticism, endless nagging and moaning of
those around you. When you easily and effortlessly get
things done you give people little reason to criticize you.
In fact they are likely to give you more freedom to do
things your way.

9. Stop things getting any worse. When you know how to be
highly motivated in a matter of seconds, you can turn
around situations you have neglected in the past.

10. Develop leadership skills and positively affect those
around you. Your drive and enthusiasm will touch everyone
you deal with. People will turn to you for leadership and
guidance.

11. Eliminate problems while they are small. You will deal
with potential problems and concerns sooner rather than
later. This habit alone will put you back in control.

12. Put an end to regrets. Become the kind of person who
jumps on opportunities. And enjoy the excitement and
passion you feel when you are giving 100%.

13. Move ahead quickly in your career. When you can calmly
and efficiently get your work done, you position yourself
for more responsibility and a higher salary.

14. Feel fantastic about yourself. As a motivated
self-starter your self-esteem will soar. You will
accomplish much more, have greater success and live a full
life.

Motivation is an essential life skill and you can
discover how to be motivated and stay motivated.

Although some lucky people seem to be born highly
motivated, if you are of at least average intelligence you
can learn how to be motivated. No matter how unmotivated
you have been up to now.

The secret to being motivated is to discover the motivation
blueprint that is right for you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a
very popular free report that reveals how to crush procrastination and
sustain lasting motivation. Apply now because it is available for a limited
time only at: http://www.getmotivatedstaymotivated.com/special.htm

A lot of your people problems and concerns about what other people think will fade into the background when you understand one crucial reality.

Most people are interested in you only to the extent they can get something from you.

 

I know this sounds harsh. Bear with me a moment while I explain.

Apart from your family and closest friends most other people see you as either a hindrance or as a means to getting what they want.

 

If you can help them get what they want they will smile at you, say you are wonderful and do whatever they can to keep you happy and available in the future.

 

On the other hand if you stop being a means to the fulfillment of their needs these very same people may well shun you, insult you and have nothing to do with you.

 

Let me give you an example. You meet someone special and you date. Things progress and a few weeks later you are both i love and life has never been better. You are the center of the universe for that person and whatever you desire is immediately
granted with a smile.

Fast forward three months and the same person is screaming down the phone at you, saying how useless you are and never to call again! What happened? How could something so good go so wrong?

 

In very simple terms you went from satisfying the other persons emotional needs to not satisfying them. And the extreme change in how they treat you is because of what I said at the beginning of this article:

 

Most people are interested in you only to the extent they can get something from you.

 

Whereas in the early days of the relationship you attended to all of the other persons needs as time passed you grew complacent and things slipped to the point that key needs went unsatisfied.

 

At one point you were the answer to this persons prayers but now you serve no purpose in this persons life hence the anger and annoyance.

 

How can you use this insight?

 

1 Be alert to the unspoken demands the people in you life place
on you. And understand that your relationships depend on the
meeting of these underlying needs.

 

2 If you want to be free of a relationship that is limiting you
then stop offering the demanded input whether that be advice,
time, acceptance or any other resource or support.

Be ready for fireworks though since your input will often be
taken for granted until you withdraw it.

 

3 Realize that when you feel self conscious there is no need to
be since most people are preoccupied being self conscious
themselves!

And as far as they are concerned you are a means to an end. If
John Friend phones you to go to the cinema it is so he will enjoy
your company and to avoid looking silly going there alone.

Of course the same applies to you and I. And it is the mutual
filling of needs that underpins interactions, friendships and
business relationships.

To sum up. We all want something from each other usually we are
looking to fill emotional needs and this is the way the world is.
Once you accept this you can use this understanding to look for
what people want from you and then meet their needs.

If you do this effectively you will never be short of friends and
people keen to spend time with you.

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently
produced a very popular free report: 10 Simple Steps to
Developing Communication Confidence. Apply now because
it is available for a limited time only at:
http://www.howtotalkwithconfidence.com/report.htm

This article is about advising the would be decision maker about the process involved in arriving at that decision having taken into account the various factors that influence the outcome. Depending on what we are trying to decide about our lives whether it be a career move or a location move or to do with the more personal aspects, we will need to take risks based on the information presented to us and make a judgement call and follow that up.

 

Life is like a road. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight paths. In our life many roads would come our way as we journey through life. There are roads that lead to a life of single blessedness, marriage, and religious vocation. There are also roads that lead to fame and fortune on one hand, or isolation and poverty on the other. There are roads to happiness as there are roads to sadness, roads towards victory and jubilation, and roads leading to defeat and disappointment.

 

Just like any road, there are corners, detours, and crossroads in life. Perhaps the most perplexing road that you would encounter is a crossroad. With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they would go, which road will you take? What is the guarantee that we would choose the right one along the way? Would you take any road, or just stay where you are: in front of a crossroad?

 

There are no guarantees.

You do not really know where a road will lead you until you take it. There are no guarantees. This is one of the most important things you need to realize about life. Nobody said that choosing to do the right thing all the time would always lead you to happiness. Loving someone with all your heart does not guarantee that it would be returned. Gaining fame and fortune does not guarantee happiness. Accepting a good word from an influential superior to cut your trip short up the career ladder is not always bad, especially if you are highly qualified and competent. There are too many possible outcomes, which your really cannot control. The only thing you have power over is the decisions that you will make, and how you would act and react to different situations.

 

Wrong decisions are always at hindsight.

Had you known that you were making a wrong decision, would you have gone along with it? Perhaps not, why would you choose a certain path when you know it would get you lost? Why make a certain decision if you knew from the very beginning that it is not the right one. It is only after you have made a decision and reflected on it that you realize its soundness. If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly. Otherwise, your decision was wrong.

 

Take the risk: decide.

 

Since life offers no guarantee and you would never know that your decision would be wrong until you have made it, then you might as well take the risk and decide. It is definitely better than keeping yourself in limbo. Although it is true that one wrong turn could get you lost, it could also be that such a turn could be an opportunity for an adventure, moreover open more roads. It is all a matter of perspective. You have the choice between being a lost traveller or an accidental tourist of life. But take caution that you do not make decisions haphazardly. Taking risks is not about being careless and stupid. Here are some pointers that could help you choose the best option in the face of life's crossroads: • Get as much information as you can about your situation.

 

You cannot find the confidence to decide when you know so little about what you are faced with. Just like any news reporter, ask the 5 W's: what, who, when, where, and why. What is the situation? Who are the people involved? When did this happen? Where is this leading? Why are you in this situation? These are just some of the possible questions to ask to know more about your situation. This is important. Oftentimes, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation.

 

• Identify and create options. What options do the situation give you? Sometimes the options are few, but sometimes they are numerous. But what do you do when you think that the situation offers no options? This is the time that you create your own. Make your creative mind work. From the most simplistic to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the right one in the end. You can ask a friend to help you identify options and even make more options if you encounter some difficulty, but make sure that you make the decision yourself in the end.

 

• Weigh the pros and cons of every option.

 

Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. In this way, you get more insights about the consequences of such an option.

 

• Trust yourself and make that decision.

Now that you have assessed your options, it is now time to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees and wrong decisions are always at hindsight. So choose… decide… believe that you are choosing the best option at this point in time.

 

Now that you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences: good and bad. It may take you to a place of promise or to a land of problems. But the important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a bystander or a passive audience to your own life. Whether it is the right decision or not, only time can tell. But do not regret it whatever the outcome. Instead, learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future.

 

 

Start having belief in your ability to achieve things in life. You will start seeing positive things happening in your life! “Believe it”!

What is belief, after all? It’s the mental acceptance of an idea to be true beyond doubt. You accept an idea as a belief because you trust the source and the authority it comes from. May be the idea is based on so called research, or statistics, from your peers or from religion or culture. Once you accept an idea to be a belief, it starts impacting you.

Does Belief really have power? Yes, of course. It is the most powerful force driving the human race. It is one of the major reasons for events in life like achievement, richness, cure of illness, failure, poverty and even death. In fact belief is one of the strongest forces that compel you to take action on some issues and makes you not to act on some others.

Napoleon Hill in his classic book “Think and Grow Rich” mentioned that what ever a mind of human being can conceive and believe, it can achieve.

Have you heard the story of Roger Banister who ran a mile in four minutes? It was believed for years that it is humanly impossible to run a distance of 1 mile in less than four minutes and true enough, nobody did it, in spite of their best efforts. Many people tried but failed in the attempt as it was believed that its not possible.

In 1954, Roger Banister proved it wrong. Not only he ran a distance of 1 mile in 4 minutes, but he also broke the mental barrier. The mental barrier was the belief many people were subscribing to. What happened after that is interesting. The very first year after Roger Banister proved it wrong, there were 37 others who did break the four minute- mile barrier. And the next year there were about 300 people who did the same.

What has changed? Was it the kind of training? Was it, that people born after 1954, were natural fast runners? Or was it that the actual measure of a mile reduced?

NO. What has changed is just the belief people had. Once Roger Banister did it, people were given a new belief, that, it’s really possible to run a mile in four minutes.

Have you heard of the Placebo effect? People are told by the physicians that a particular drug will have a particular effect while they were actually given a mere sugar pill. Because the patients place a belief in the doctor and the drug, the actual results show up. Is the pill working? No. What is working is the belief that the pill works.

What’s the moral of the above examples mentioned above? Belief makes you act in certain ways. Be very clear about what you believe. Because what you believe can eventually become true.

Since you now know that “whatever you believe will eventually come true”, then why don’t you think positive and see that the power of belief works to your advantage.

Start believing in your ability to achieve things in life your goals, your talents, and very soon you will start seeing positive things happening in your life! “Believe it”!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
To make the power of belief work to your advantage, visit http://www.ebookforlawofattraction.com/attractionreport.htm to download a free report called “Attraction Accelerator” in which Bob Proctor talks about how affirmations and beliefs can change your life for good forever.

Look the way you want to look today. Become the person you want to be now. You can choose to see yourself as you want others to see you. Just do it!

There is so much truth to the statement; you are what you think you are. Your thoughts are powerful weapons. They can become your greatest asset if you learn to control them and not let them control you. Your thoughts produce positive or negative energy. We all see ourselves in a certain way. For many people it is undesirable. It can produce low self-esteem. We need to reverse that principle. Learn to see yourself as you want others to see you!

The mirror controls the lives of multitudes of people. It can make or brake our day; in fact, sometimes our entire lives. It is only a piece of polished glass that forms images by reflecting light. Yet it seems our entire personality depends on what we think we see when we gaze into it.

Life is more that looking at your reflection and reacting to it. Life is what you make it. You can choose to see yourself as you want others to see you. The greatest thing about your mind is that you have the power to change its direction. If the thoughts that live there cause you to be depressed or unhappy, or take you down a path you don’t want to go; then evict those negative squatters! They have no rights. You own the house they live in!

When you make the decision to see yourself as others see you, your life will change immediately. You will feel young and happy again. Why, because you have taken control of your destiny. Your self-confidence will be contagious. People around you will take note of it. They will begin to look at you differently, because you are looking at yourself differently. They will notice a twinkle in your eye that they haven’t seen before. They will probably think that you have fallen in love! You have. You have learned to love yourself, and see yourself as you want others to see you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Charli Pickett is a Motivational speaker. She holds, Leadership Training seminars, Image, Beauty & Fashion Seminars. Visit  http://www.charlipickett.com

Are you constantly feeling alone and empty inside? Are you often seeking to get love, attention, approval, compassion and connection with others? You might be love-addicted. Discover how to begin healing love-addiction in this article.

Imagine that you have a little child - a son or daughter, but that you are only 15 years old. How are you going to feel about this child? There is a good possibility that you will feel that this child is a burden, limiting your freedom. You will likely feel that the child is too demanding, needing too much from you. You may want to go out and have fun and not be tied down to this child.

Is this how you feel about your own inner child - your own feelings and needs? Does it feel burdensome to take loving care of yourself? Do you feel like your own feelings and needs are just too much to have to take care of? Do you feel like taking care of yourself is just hard? Do you believe it is selfish to take loving care of yourself? Do you wish someone else would come along and meet your emotional needs to feel loved, valued, and worthy?

If this is how you feel, it is because you have not yet done the inner work of developing a loving adult part of you - a part of you that is connected with a spiritual source of love, wisdom, strength, guidance and comfort. It is your adolescent self who is charge, and this part of you not only does not want the job of taking care of you, it is not adequate to handle the job.

This is what creates love addiction.

You have a little child inside you - your feeling self - who need lots of love, attention, comfort, valuing, validating, connection and compassion. When you have no desire to give this to yourself because you feel it is too hard, you feel too inadequate, you think it is selfish, or you believe that it is someone else's job to meet these needs, then you are abandoning yourself. If you believe that your best feelings come from someone else loving you instead of you loving you, then you are abandoning yourself. And when you abandon yourself, that little child in you is left to get the love he or she needs elsewhere.

When you abandon yourself because you have not learned how to take loving care of yourself or because you don't want the responsibility of your own feelings and needs, that is when you become needy of others love and attention. You learn many ways of trying to get the love, attention and compassion you need.

Think for a moment about what you do to get love, connection, attention, approval or compassion from others.

Do you try to be perfect - looking right, saying the right thing, being a high achiever? Do you try to be cute or funny? Do you try to show others how smart you are? Do you strive to have the best - the best house, the best car, the best wife or husband, the best children, the best clothing? Or, do you act helpless, incompetent, in need of rescuing? Do you pull on others with your complaining, your incessant talking, your whining, sulking, silence, or your bragging? Are you overly nice, a people-pleaser? Do you attempt to get the attention you want through intimidation - with anger, threats, blame, or violence?

When you have abandoned yourself and are love-addicted, you will have developed many ways of trying to have control over getting the love you need. That little child in you is desperate to be loved. The emptiness of the self-abandonment and the resulting longing for love leads you to behave in the very ways that end up pushing others away. It is a losing battle. IT WILL NEVER WORK. You will never get the love you need by trying to get others to give to you what only you can give to yourself.

If you are interested in learning how to give yourself the love you have always wanted and break your love-addiction, you can start by downloading our free Inner Bonding course. This 6-step course will begin to give you the tools you need to move out of love-addiction and into love.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?" and “Healing Your Aloneness.” She is the co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding® healing process. Learn Inner Bonding now! Visit her web site for a FREE Inner Bonding course: http://www.innerbonding.com or email her at margaret@innerbonding.com. Phone sessions available.

Some people are content to just to be another face in the crowd. By assuming this attitude, they are saying, in effect, to the rest of the world, "I'm just average; there's nothing special about me." For those of us who would rather stand out from the crowd, there are some relatively easy ways in which we can accomplish this mission. None of them require a whole lot of skill or money. They do, however, require a little bit of commitment on our part.

The first way to stand out from the crowd is to take time to do the little things right. The old saying goes that "if it were easy, everyone would be doing it." Well, that's not necessarily true, as there are some easy things most people don't do because they just don't think those things are worthwhile. Here are two examples. The next time you go to the grocery store, notice how many people actually take time to carry the carts back to the cart-return. You will probably notice that only a very few of them do. Most will leave them between parking spaces, in handicapped spaces, or they'll simply turn them loose, allowing them to roll freely through the parking lot. By default, they are saying to the world, "I don't have time to do things right" or "everyone else is doing it that way and I am no different." If you always take time to take yours back to the cart-return, you will stand out as positive example.

The other example has to do with making proper turns while driving, including using your turn signal. Remember how you were taught in driving school or driver's education class to make turns? You are supposed to make sharp rights and wide lefts. Amazingly, many drivers will do just the opposite! Make turns the way you are supposed to and always use your turn signal. These are just a couple of examples, but taking the time to do the little things right will make you will stand out for the right reasons.

The second way to stand out from the crowd is to find alternatives to profanity. A person who relies on profanity in his or her speech patterns comes off as someone who is boorish and has a limited vocabulary. There are plenty of ways to tell someone exactly what you think about him or her without being profane. Even a person who is not all that intelligent seems a lot smarter when he or she avoids the use of profanity. At a minimum, that person seems more high class than people who just can't help themselves from using profanity.

The third way to stand out from the crowd is to memorize things that most other people commonly forget. Most people have short memories when it comes to subjects like politics and world events. For example, I'd wager that 90% of the citizens of my home state cannot name the losing candidate in the last gubernatorial election. Ten years from now, the majority of Americans will not be able to name John Kerry as the loser of this year's presidential election! Too many people are just so caught up in their own little worlds that they don't bother to retain certain things that don't directly affect them. You don't need a photographic memory to memorize stuff. Anyone who doesn't have some type of memory-affecting brain disease can do it. All you have to do is practice. Write things down. Repeat them to yourself over and over. If you can commonly remember things that others have long forgotten, you'll really stand out.

The fourth way to stand out from the crowd is to live below your means. This is probably the toughest item on my list to follow as our culture dictates that we mortgage ourselves to the hilt. We are taught to keep up with the Joneses. We are taught to buy everything the banks and our credit cards will allow us to buy, whether we can afford it or not. However, we should strive to leave as big of a gap as possible between our income and our bills. I know there are people out there who have large families and/or limited incomes and are struggling to make ends meet. I know that not everyone can have as big of a pad as I have between my income and my bills. However, it hasn't always been that way for me. I grew up in a very poor family. We lived in the housing projects from the time I was six until the time I was 18. However, we were always able to pay our bills on time because my parents didn't buy things they couldn't afford.

When I began my career, I didn't make much, but I still always had some money to spare after paying my bills. If I couldn't afford something, I didn't buy it until I could afford it. There were even some things that I was able to afford but still didn't buy because I wanted to have some money left for unexpected expenses. I didn't buy my first car until I was more than a year into my first full-time job. This is a lot of freedom that comes with living below one's means. When everyone around you is struggling to make ends meet and you're not, you really stand out.

The fifth way to stand out from the crowd is to make decisions based on logic and reason instead of emotion and/or dogma. Too many people react emotionally to situations, rather than thinking them out rationally. For example, many people will get upset if someone calls them a name or flashes a particular gesture at them, even though there's no logical reason to get so agitated by such behavior. It doesn't make you a "blankety-blank" just because someone calls you one. However, many people react as if it does!

Other people get caught in the dogma trap. They make up their minds first and then look at the facts and evidence later. Even when they do get around to the facts, they will seek only those which seem to support their views while disregarding or explaining away those which seem to support a contrary view. You've met people who are staunch supporters of one particular political party or the other, for example. To them, their party is always right and the other is always wrong, even though common sense tells us that one particular side of any issue is never right all the time. Reasonable people realize that the truth usually lies somewhere between the two extremes. Many times, I've come across "rah rah" partisan sites in the web, which disregard the dictates of common sense in favor of the "fact" that their extreme side has cornered the market on all truth. By using logic and reason to make your decisions in an open-minded fashion, you give yourself a major advantage over much of the population.

There are other ways to stand out from the crowd, even though I've just highlighted five of them here. They include things like using proper grammar and spelling, volunteering for thankless jobs, and always being courteous. I'm sure you could think of many others. The point is that, if you want to stand out from the crowd, there are ways within the power of almost anyone to do so - if he or she is only willing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, free-lance writer, and trivia buff from Hopewell, VA. He operates a website, http://www.commenterry.com, on which he posts commentaries on various subjects such as politics, technology, religion, health and well-being, personal finance, and sports. His commentaries offer a unique point of view that is not often found in mainstream media.

Do you really know how to be motivated? All the time?

When it comes to motivating yourself to be a better person, to do better at work or to create a happier family life you need to understand the importance of taking control of your self-talk. You really need to know how to motivate yourself through thick and thin.

Do you ever pay attention to the thoughts inside your mind? And more importantly do you ever notice the way in which you talk to yourself?

Here are three tips you can use right away to motivate yourself - find out how to be motivated in seconds:

1 Talk To Yourself The Way You Talk To Someone You Love

Be honest! Is it true you sometimes insult yourself, curse yourself and say horrible things about your abilities? If you spoke like this regularly to the people you care about they would leave and never talk to you again. There is no excuse for treating yourself so badly. Talk to yourself the way you would talk to someone you deeply love. Be respectful, patient and understanding. Be slow to anger, quick to praise and grateful for the opportunity to listen.

Be on your best behavior when you talk to yourself and you will find that you treat other people better as well. This in turn will cause people to respond more positively to whatever you say. These very people will be more inclined to help you get what you want.

(How to be motivated will seem less of a mystery.)

2 Pump Up The Volume

Very often we go through our day with an internal dialogue buzzing away in the background. We mutter to ourselves about what we need to do without feeling particularly inspired to do anything other than what we have to do. This is not an effective strategy for self-motivation!

What you need to do instead is to turn up the volume, inject some passion into your words and talk to yourself with enthusiasm. You would not have much luck motivating someone else to take action without putting some energy into your words. You need to do the same to motivate yourself. You must know how to be motivated at a moments notice!

The next time you want to motivate yourself to do something - talk to yourself the same way you would if someone was standing before you waiting to be inspired. Speak loudly with passion and excitement either aloud or to yourself inside your head. The more energy you put into it the easier it will be to light the fire inside you that sparks you into action.

3 Know How To Feel Good When You Are Having A Tough Day

No matter how focused, positive and hard working you are there will still be days when nothing seems to go your way. It is on days like this that you must take charge of your brain and take control of your self talk.

You need a back catalogue of memories you can replay to make yourself feel good. Music does it for me. I have so many songs I love to hear that I just pick one out and listen to it in my mind. In a moment I can listen to sounds that make me feel fantastic simply by choosing to. For best results imagine you have a volume control with bass and treble. Make the music sound rich, loud and resonant. This is the secret to knowing how to be motivated in a way that works for you.

A friend of mine has such a great memory that he will listen to an entire CD in his mind. How about that for a quick and easy way to feel good whenever you are having a tough day?

One final way to use this tip...

Replay happy memories of people telling you how much they value and appreciate you. Hear them saying what a difference you are making and soak up those wonderful feelings of appreciation.

It really is your choice as to how you run your brain. Choose to feel great and your communication with yourself and the outside world will become remarkable. Your motivation will soar and getting more done each day will just get easier and easier with eager people lining up to help you.

You'll be very glad you discovered how to be motivated!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently
produced a very popular free report, the 5 Step Motivation
Report. Apply now because it is available for a limited
time only at: http://www.getmotivatedstaymotivated.com/special.htm

1. Get a life purpose statement.

A well thought out life purpose statement is a powerful way to boost your self-esteem. It will define who you truly are, draw out your essence and affirm you. Whenever you read your life purpose statement, you will be reminded about who you are, what you represent and what you intend to accomplish in life.

2. Take personal development courses.

Investing in the acquisition of knowledge and education will boost your self-esteem many levels higher! This will give you control over your life and you will gain self-confidence that will prepare you to face and deal with anything that comes your way.

3. Take action. Do something for yourself.

Start doing something for yourself. Take positive risks with your life. Don’t live your life in chains. If you want to start a business…do it. Don’t live other peoples dreams. Live out loud, live your dream, do something that you feel is important to you. Make sure you accomplish it.

4. Socialize

Involve yourself actively in matters that interest you. Join clubs, networking organizations, associations or groups of similar interest and participate actively. Being part of a group gives you a sense of belonging, acceptance and appreciation. Knowing that you are part of something important and meaningful, does a lot to boost your self-esteem.

5. Stand up for yourself.

Don’t allow people to put you down and don’t allow other people's expectations to thwart what you are capable of becoming. Don’t put up with people or situations that negate all the positive things that you can do. Stand up for your dreams!

6. Volunteer to help the less privileged.

Volunteering will give you a sense of fulfillment, accomplishment and appreciation. Giving yourself in service to others is one of the noblest things to do. The look of gratitude on the faces of those that you have helped is enough to boost your self esteem

7. Set personal goals and accomplish them.

Living aimlessly leaves you with a feeling of emptiness and confusion. Goals give you a sense of purpose. They steer your life in a particular direction. They make your life purposeful. Accomplishing personal goals gives your self-esteem a big boost.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Caroline Jalango is a life coach for unstoppable women who are willing to step up to the plate and take a shot at living exceptional lives wherever they are. caroline@motivationzone.com
www.motivationzone.com

So how can a blind date increase your psychic abilities? It's
probably not what you're thinking. We're not talking about having
a few drinks with someone you've never met before. We're talking
about developing your psychic abilities by deliberating shutting
down one or more of your five senses.

Because we are such physical creatures, we have a tendency to use
our five senses in everything we do. That's not a bad idea for
driving, walking, or working on the computer, but if you want to
increase your psychic or spirit abilities, using your five senses
less will help.

That's where the blind date comes in. A blind date is where you
blindfold yourself and have a buddy walk you around on a "date."
Your buddy's job is to make sure that you're safe and you don't
walk into anything or fall in a ditch. Your buddy is your guide
and will lead you around, keeping you safe and upright.

Your part of this date is to extend your psychic abilities
outward as your buddy walks you around. Sense what is around you.
Do you sense a large object ahead or just open space? Sense what
is behind and above you as well, since your psychic abilities
will allow you to see in 360 degrees.

You might want to have your buddy walk you around for a while, in
many directions until you no longer have a sense of where you
are. Then spin slowly around and extend your spirit perceptions.
Tell your buddy what you sense in each direction and have him or
her tell you if you're right.

If you don't have a buddy to do this with, you can do it by
yourself outside. Start in a relatively open space and just move
slowly so you don't get hurt. Give a whole new meaning to the
term "blind date," right?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie Yeh, co-founder of the Esoteric School of Shamanism and Magic (http://www.shamanschool.com), helps clients learn magical and shamanic techniques. Her current project, a free teleconference series on a variety of magickal and shamanic topics with guest speakers, is designed to share information and promote interaction between people of varying spiritual practices.

When you follow your heart’s desire, it is not a matter of whether you will have it, it is only a matter of time. You will always have what you want when you follow your heart’s desire. When you follow your true heart’s desires, you will live a life where everything you ever wanted will be available to you, and you will be loving every minute of it as you’re on the path towards them.

People who follow their heart's desire are the most successful. When you follow your heart's desire, it is not a matter of whether you will have it, it is only a matter of time. You will always have what you want when you follow your heart's desire. When you follow your true heart's desires, you will live a life where everything you ever wanted will be available to you, and you will be loving every minute of it as you're on the path towards them. Your true heart's desires will also inspire you to take the right action whenever it will serve to bring the fulfillment of your desires.

The reason why we do not go after our heart's desire is because we do not want our hearts to be broken. That's why we go for something else instead, so that when we fail, we can deal with failure in a logical manner, without letting our hearts be affected. The truth is we will never be truly happy until we set out to pursue our heart's desires. We experience happiness when we are being true to ourselves, knowing that we are going in the direction of what we really do want.

Our emotions are what activates the law of attraction. Your heart's desire creates the most powerful emotions that you can experience and therefore has the most emotional and magnetic attracting power, which can overcome any and all obstacles to make it a reality. When your heart's desire is driving you, nothing or no one is able to stop you. When your heart and mind is set on something, you will never give up. You will do whatever it takes to achieve it.

You may set an intention to achieve anything, but if it isn't your true heart's desire, you will stop when you encounter an obstacle that is bigger than your desire. When you choose to go for your heart's desire, there is no obstacle that can stop you from it. It may hurt like hell, or slow you down for awhile but it won't stop you if you're going for your true heart's desire. If you pursue anything less than your true heart's desire, you are already set up for failure. When your whole heart is committed to a desire, failure is never an option.

In the process of discovering your heart's desires, you may find out that what you thought you want isn't what you really wanted. You are never more clear about what you want when you are aware of what you don't want. When you turn away from something that isn't your true heart desire, you seem to be able to drop it easily and forget about it over time. But when you avoid your true heart's desires, the feelings do not go away but become deeper.

Half-hearted relationships and businesses don't last. Whenever you do anything half-hearted, you will only go half way with it. Go for where your whole heart is in and set your mind on it, and not on anything else. Only that which you desire fully will have the full power to get you all the way there. It is the only source that can give you the persistence necessary and the will to overcome any and all obstacles. The intensity of your heart's desires will energize everything that you do in life.

You can know your true heart's desire by how you feel about it. Your true heart's desire is always tied to a strong emotion. It is the only force that is strong enough to give you the staying power necessary to persist in achieving it successfully and keeping it continually. All power is meant to serve love. Only deep and everlasting love can generate such power. Everything you do must come back to the purpose of doing it for your greatest love.

In discerning your true heart's desires, you may have several desires in mind. The difference between your true heart's desires and your other desires, is the intensity of feeling behind them. Compare your desires and ask yourself which do you want more than another. The emotional response you get is the answer. Your true heart's desire is the one with the strongest emotional intensity of all. It is that which you feel most happy about. That is how you know your true heart's desire with complete certainty.

You can always get what your heart desires most because you are willing commit all your energy and resources to attaining that desire, and have the perseverance to stay with it no matter what happens or how long it takes. The only thing limiting you is belief. It is having disempowering beliefs that will hinder you from unleashing the full force of your power to attaining your desire. But if your desire is strong enough, it will compel you to look for all possibilities and in the process cause you to find knowledge and awareness that will shift your beliefs in alignment with allowing you to do everything you can to make your desire a reality. Dreams come true, for without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Enoch Tan aims to help people achieve greater awareness in living and experiencing life. To evolve human consciousness to higher levels. To change lives and to create possibility. To revolutionize the way we understand the mind and reality. Because that is what governs every area of life and destiny.

Do you know anybody that you feel is particularly engaging and lively? Take a moment to picture that person in your mind. What is it about that person that you find most attractive? He or she may have a charming voice and a great laugh, but it is also very likely that you find their face very expressive. That person is probably quick to smile and laugh and seems to always have a twinkle in their eye.

A face that never shows any emotion, and never smiles is not very appealing. No matter how attractive or how plain a person’s facial features may be, a great smile can make that person look beautiful to others. When you smile at other people, they will assume that you are in a good mood and that you are happy to see them. This will make other people more likely to want to spend time with you and to know you better.

Allowing our face to show emotions is actually an advantage in developing relationships. Other people are constantly trying to read and respond to our body language and facial expressions, often on a subconscious level. They are trying to sense whether we really care about them or not, whether we are concerned with what is going on in their lives.

If you are a person who is very emotionally sensitive, this sensitivity can be an asset in forming relationships. Use your sensitivity to show empathy for other people. Don’t suppress your emotions, trying to be “cool”. Don’t waste your sensitive nature being sensitive only to yourself and your own emotions. Imagine being in the shoes of the person you are talking with, and let yourself feel the sadness, happiness, excitement or pride that is present in the story they are telling you.

If we repress all our emotions from showing on our face, people will feel frustrated trying to get a sense of who we really are. When we let our emotions show up on our face, sharing in our conversation partner’s joys and sorrows, worries and frustrations, as well as their hope and excitement, both of us feel less alone. Both people will feel more connected to each other.

Sometimes we worry about our facial expressions. We may sense that our smile looks forced, or makes us look nervous. We may worry that we don’t smile enough, or that we frown too much.

One way you can check on your facial expressions is to have yourself videotaped in conversation with another person. When you review the tape, does your smile looks forced, or natural? Do you look extremely serious? Are you able to portray a feeling of fun and light-heartedness?

If you are not able to analyze the tape effectively by yourself, have someone else you trust give you some feedback.

If you think your facial expressiveness could be improved, you can practice in front of a mirror. Watch your face as you imagine yourself feeling various positive and negative emotions. Imagine yourself hearing a very funny joke. Or winning the lottery. Or receiving a nice compliment. Meeting your neighbor. Getting a present. Having a secret.

Also imagine yourself experiencing negative situations and watch your facial expressions in the mirror. Exaggerate them. Switch back to imagining positive emotions. Are you normally this expressive? Do you let other people see the real you? Or do you try to hide yourself from everyone? Do you like the person you see in the mirror?

Your smiles and other facial expressions will be more natural and more appealing when you are relaxed, rather than tense. If you get nervous when you are talking with others, you may find it helpful to practice body relaxation techniques until you can easily relax at will. Consciously tell all the muscles in your body to relax, even if you have to give instructions mentally to each part of your body, one section at a time.

When you are with other people, let your mental focus be on enjoying the situation you are in, rather than imagining what others are thinking about you or worrying what you will say next.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Royane Real is the author of several downloadable books available at her website at http:www.royanereal.com This article is taken from her latest book "Your Guide to Finding Friends, Making Friends, and Keeping Friends"

More Internet dating and matchmaking sites are coming online all the time. It’s no wonder they’re so popular. We’re all looking and it pays to extend your reach.

Midlife dating is definitely a “numbers game” and here’s why. The only way to do this is to get in there and start doing it. If you have been married a long time, you’ll find men at this age (whatever age you’re at now) are different. Dating on the Internet can help you get back into circulation. Some even often online “speed” dating, where you can make contact with several men on the same evening.

If you’re serious about finding a new guy, no doubt you’re getting out in your own community, have joined singles, activities and religious groups, are taking dancing lesson, pursuing your usual hobbies and interests, and letting others know you’re ready to date again. The Internet is “what else” you can do.

The Internet offers two opportunities you may not have thought of. First of all, there are plenty of pornography and sex sites on the Internet and the guys know where they are. Therefore, many of the men on dating sites are truly interested in dating, long-term commitment, friendship, and marriage.

Secondly, certain aspects of Internet dating favor the non-aggressive man with honest intent. Using an Internet dating site takes time. If he’s desperate and needy (emotionally or sexually), he won’t take the time to fill out an Internet form and start emailing, but will head for the local dive where he knows he can find what he’s after immediately.

It also gives the less-assertive man a slow way to get to know a woman. He may be an introvert, or simply new to dating and unsure of himself, and can get himself better grounded on the Internet. You may catch him just at the right time.

How to begin? Take a look at some of the different sites and get a feel for them. Particularly pay attention to how the profiles are set up. Here are some things you’ll want to make sure of:

1.The profile tells you the kind of things about someone you need to know
2.Your anonymity is protected
3.A photo is available
4.There is way to block or permanently end contact with someone
5.They attempt to screen undesirables. No guarantee but at least, for instance, they say they forbid married people, felons, pornography, hate, etc.

Bear in mind there are no guarantees on the Internet you won’t meet a louse, pervert, felon, liar, or promiscuous married man. There are no guarantees about this in real life, either. There are some obvious clues to watch for: refusing to share a photo, using foul language, asking for money, being domineering, moving too fast, preoccupation with sex, inappropriate site names such as “SexTrain,” signs of desperation, or being inconsistent or evasive about details.

The best rule of thumb is if it makes you feel uneasy, use the “delete” key. You begin with email correspondence, so take your time. You’ll get quicker about catching on to bad signs as you practice.

Always remember to protect yourself. Don’t give your personal email address or home phone number until you’re reasonably sure. Never agree to meet someone in a remote or peculiar location. If in doubt, don’t. If it’s good, it will stand the test of time.

The best way to begin is to make a list about your expectations – not just their age and appearance, but their conduct. Then work with a coach to brush up on your skills and provide valuable feedback. When you set up your profile, be honest about your personal habits, lifestyle, and what you’re looking for in a man. When you learn something that works, stick with it. For instance if you read someone’s profile that’s worded better than yours, go back in and tweak yours.

Men’s first attraction is visual (physical), so get a good recent photograph of yourself. Some people are more photogenic than others, but it’s unfair to use a photograph that’s 5 years old, or that represents you before gaining or losing 30 pounds. Be proud of who you are, represent it as best you can, and hope the man does the same.

For more tips, including how to identify a married man early-on, see my ebook, “Midlife Dating Survival for Women.”

Good luck!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

©Susan Dunn, MA, Personal Life & EQ Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc . Offering coaching, Internet courses and ebooks for midlife women for personal and professional development. Susan is the author of “The Midlife Dating Survival Manual for Women" which is available at http://www.webstrategies.cc/ebooklibrary.html . Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for free EQ ezine.

Before spending money consulting a doctor on how to spend more money at a chemist’s, just consult your kitchen shelves for effective remedies that cost almost nothing.

Our modern lifestyle - irregular food habits, fast foods, aerated cold drinks, alcohol, smoking, lack of exercise, etc., coupled with pollution - has made our lives miserable. We all want good health but some serious efforts are to be made to achieve it. We can find a number of items of great medicinal value on the kitchen shelves performing first-aid tricks without spending additional money. The golden rule of the thumb is, “Make food as medicines and not medicines our food.”

Common cold and cough

1) Take one teaspoonful of turmeric powder in a cup of warm milk.

2) Take ginger juice mixed in honey. It will loosen phlegm.

3) For stress-induced colds and infections, take raw crushed garlic. It has antioxidant antiviral and antibacterial properties.

Sore throat

1) For a bad throat, gargle with warm water containing some salt.

2) Grandmothers have been prescribing honey for sore throats for time immemorial and there is quite a bit of truth behind this old remedy. Honey has anti-microbial properties which suite the sore tissues in throats.

3) For constant irritation in the throat, suck on crystalised sugar (mishri). Keeping a clove near your gums will also work wonders.

Toothache

1) Chew a clove (lawang) or apply clove oil to relieve the pain. Cinnamon is anti-inflammatory and is used in toothaches. Make a paste containing cinnamon powder and honey in a 1:5 ratio and apply it on the affected part.

2) Try to compress the affected area with ice. But if it aggrevates the pain, discontinue.3) Put a small piece of ginger or camphor on the tooth or in the cavity if any.

Bad breath

Chew some cardamom seeds to sweeten your breath. Rinse your mouth with water containing some juice of lemon.

Pimples

Rub a fresh piece of garlic (lassun) on and around pimples. With regular application, mark will be left.

Smokers

1) If you are trying to quit smoking or just want to reduce smoking, eating oats will reduce your craving.

2) Smokers who put a paste of turmeric in their mouth, do not get cancer.

Heart problems

1) Garlic (lassun) contains the element allicin which has a distinct aroma. It has a blood thinning effect as in aspirin. It slows plaque build-up in arteries. It significantly lowers LDL cholesterol.

2) The beneficial effect of garlic diminishes when cooking it. It is better to take it raw. The heat of garlic can be reduced if stored in water.

Appetite loss

1) Ginger is recognised as a remedy for appetite loss, indigestion and motion sickness.

2) Gulping some asafoetida with water serves as an effective appetiser.

Joint pains

Ginger helps remove accumulated toxins especially in and around joints which otherwise create disorders. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Stomach upset

1) Regular use of honey helps optimise digestive functions.

2) Mint is very useful to combat flatulence and indigestion, take a cup of its soup.

Loose motions

1) Take a thick variety of cinnamon and boil it in water till reduced to one-fourth and drink it. Loose motions will be cured.

2) Burn a toast of bread and eat it. Charcoal so formed absorbs gas and helps an upset stomach. Otherwise take some aniseeds (saunf).

Stomach ache

Take some curd along with a small piece of asafoetida. In the case of babies, apply it around the naval region.

Gas

Use water stored in a copper vessel.

Dandruff

Take a cup of curd (made out of toned milk) add a teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix them thoroughly and apply it on your hair. After half an hour, wash your hair with lukewarm water and shampoo. Do it twice a week for a month. Soak a handful of methi seeds overnight. Make a paste in a blender. Apply it on your hair.

Dry skin

Switch over to brown rice. Whole grains contain B6 and magnesium.

Burns

For burns, immediately treat the area with ice cold water.

Food poisoning

Couple black tea with a few burned toasts. The tannic acid in tea and charcoal in the toast will neutralise the toxins and help you get much better very quickly.

Beauty clinic

- There are millions of pores on our skin that release oil and sweat. We can pump nutrients into our body through these pores.

- Make a paste of besan, lemon, white of the egg and haldi powder. Apply it on your face for 15 minutes and wash it with lukewarm water.

- Take some cream, add lemon juice and any other fruit juice and apply it on the face for a few minutes. The nutrients will make your skin glow.

Take a spoon of urad dal, add it in milk at night. In the morning grind it and apply the paste so formed on your skin.

What did I learn about getting rich by interviewing over 20 self-made millionaires?

Well, after interviewing one famous self-made millionaire after another I realized many of the secrets that make them rich while others continue to struggle.

When you understand and do what self-made millionaires do, you get to become one of them. If you don't understand and do what they do you don't get to become one.

It's really that simple.

Here are 5 simple reasons most people will never get rich and how to make sure you do:

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Reason #1 - Waiting to start:
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Most people don't want to wait for sucecss. But, at the same time, they are willing to wait before getting started on the road to success.

Do you see the problem here?

The longer you wait to get started, the longer it will be before you get the money, success, and lifestyle you want.

Many people are waiting for everything to be perfect before they get going. Therefore, they never get going and never get the rewards.

No race has ever been won (or even finished) by someone who never left the starting line.

Don't wait to get going. Start now on the road to success.

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Reason #2 - Being financially illiterate:
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The cornerstone of all wealth is understanding the difference between assets and liabilities.

The difference is this: Assets put money IN your pocket.

Liabilities take money OUT of your pocket.

Most people think their home, car, and other possessions are assets. But, the truth is that in most cases those things take money out of your pocket. They COST you money.

They don't MAKE you money.

Therefore, by the true definition above, those things are liabilities.

They take money OUT of your pocket each month.

When you have more money coming IN from real assets than you have going OUT to pay for liabilities, you will be financially free. There is only one way to do this.

Which brings us to...

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Reason #3-Focus on linear income instead of passive income:
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One of the millionaires I interviewed said it simply. He said, "if you're not making money while you sleep, you'll never be rich."

Linear income is what you get from a job. You work for an hour and get paid only one time for that one hour's work, and that's it.

Passive income is when you work once but continue to get paid over and over again from work you're no longer doing.

Investing in or creating true assets that provide passive income for you is your ticket to wealth.

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Reason #4 - Don't understand or use systems to make money:
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A system for making money is anything that allows you to make money without your own effort. In other words, it's
an automated way to make money.

All true assets are simply "systems" of one sort or another.

Once you create or invest in a proven system for making money, there is no limit to the money you can make.

Becoming a master of money systems can bring you riches beyond your dreams.

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Reason #5 - Not being persistent
or patient enough:
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To finish any race you have to leave the starting line and follow through to the finish line.

Most people create their own failure by either not getting started or not following through, or both.

To get rich, successful, and happy you must have the patience and persistence to cross the finish line.

You must not only get started, but also follow through.

This may sound obvious, but it's still the cause of most failure.

Only by joining the small percentage of people who are willing to do the 5 things mentioned above will you
have the greatest chances for wealth and success.

It's really quite simple...Decide to do these things and you can get rich too. If you don't do them, then like most people you may never get rich.

Decide now to master the ideas mentioned above and begin your road to success now. Then follow through and watch the difference it makes.

FENG shui (say "fung shway") is the art of creating a home environment that supports the life you wish to live. A key element of feng shui is creating a smooth flow of chi (positive energy) through your space. Chi likes to move through your home as though it were a gentle breeze or a meandering stream. Where it is blocked, the energy becomes stagnant--like a pond choked with algae and fallen leaves. You are likely to feel blocked in life, and your energy and enthusiasm for matters of the heart will be low. Balancing and correcting the chi of your bedroom helps encourage and invigorate romance. Here are some quick and easy ways to improve your love life by improving the energy of your home:

1. Clean up your bedroom
When your bedroom is cluttered and untidy, the energy in there will be low and slow. Clutter is a sure sign that chi is stuck, so roll up your sleeves and clean the place up if you want to jump-start your love life. Ring a bell, shake a rattle, or clap your hands loudly around the room to clear out old, stale energy.

2. Make room for love
If you want to attract a new romantic partner--or move a casual relationship closer to commitment--make sure there is space for that person in your home. Look at your closets, shelves, and dressers, especially in the bedroom; if they are all filled to capacity with your own stuff, make clearing some room for your current or future partner a priority. Aim to free up 25% of the space in your bedroom for someone else's things. When you are done, take a moment to visualize your loved one's belongings finding a home there.

3. Don't work out in the bedroom
When you exercise in the bedroom, or store your sports equipment there, you bring the energy of hard work and exertion into your romance space. Do you want your relationship to feel like a tough workout? If not, move your workout stuff somewhere else; your relationship is likely to move along more smoothly.

4. Remove old relationship energy
Go through your home--especially your bedroom--and remove anything that reminds you of past failed relationships; this could be an ex-boyfriend's old sweater you find in the closet, photographs of you with a previous partner, a gift that reminds you (unfavorably) of a giver with whom you are no longer in love--anything that reminds you of a love that went bad. No matter how incurable a romantic you may be, do NOT keep old love letters anywhere in your bedroom unless they are from someone with whom you are still blissfully paired up.

5. Remove inappropriate imagery
The images with which you surround yourself can have a powerful effect on your love life. Feng shui clients who complain of difficulty finding romance often have surrounded themselves with images of a person alone. Inappropriate imagery includes anything that represents solitude, loneliness, aggression, hard work, conflict, or disagreement in any way. That old photo of your Dad when he was in the army may be a treasure, but the wartime energy it carries doesn't have any place in the bedroom; find another place to keep it.

6. Open the door to love
Make sure both the front door of your home and the door to your bedroom open easily and completely. Doors that stick, squeak, or that only open partway because of all the stuff stored behind them are blocking the flow of romantic energy and opportunity into your home. A loose doorknob on your bedroom door could mean you're having a hard time "getting a handle on" romance; get out your screwdriver and tighten it up.

7. Create a path for chi
Walk slowly from your front door to your bedroom, pretending that you are a gentle river of chi. Look for any areas where furniture or other belongings are stopping or slowing the flow of chi, or where chi is diverted away from the bedroom to other areas of the house. Clear a path so fresh chi can find its way to your bedroom and nourish your love life. Make sure all the lights along this route are working, replace any burned-out bulbs, and be alert for dark or dingy corners where you can increase the energy by adding more light.

8. Move your bed
If one side of your bed is against the wall, the person who sleeps on that side may feel confined or disempowered in the relationship. If possible, place the bed so there is equal space on either side, so you and your partner can find equal enjoyment in the relationship. The ideal position of the bed will be on the opposite side of the room from the door, but not directly in line with it. If you can't see the bedroom door from the bed, hang a mirror where it will provide a reflected view of the entry.

9. Bring romance chi into the bedroom
Be sure to place romantic imagery in these two key places in the bedroom: the wall opposite the foot of the bed (where you naturally look when lying in bed), and whatever area of the room you first see when you enter. Beautiful, romantic artwork is always good, as are fresh or silk flowers and anything in pairs (such as birds, cherubs, candles, or decorative pillows). A round mirror is also good for the bedroom, as the shape signifies completion and unity. Look around your home for whatever says "romance" to you, and find a good spot for it in your bedroom.

10. Clarify your intention
Make a collage of images that symbolize your perfect relationship, and place it where you will see it every day. If you are already in a relationship, invite your partner to make a collage with you, to represent your intention to build a joyful and loving future together.

This article is based on information in the book Fast Feng Shui for Singles: 108 Ways to Heal Your Home and Attract Romance (Lotus Pond Press, Kahului, HI, ISBN 1-931383-04-9), also available at Amazon.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie Roberts is a feng shui consultant in Maui, Hawaii, and the author of the best-selling "Fast Feng Shui" books (rated 5-stars by Amazon.com readers). To find out how you can use contemporary Western feng shui to help you achieve greater success and happiness in your life.