Friday, January 8, 2010
Weekend Words
"People think that I can teach them style. What stuff it all is! Have something to say, and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret of style." ---Matthew Arnold
Thursday, January 7, 2010
To Act in Spite of Your Fears Is a Genuine Act of Courage
by Richard L. Weaver II
Terrorism is a threat. Salmonella is a problem. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes more frequent. The economy has not recovered. Our jobs are being outsourced. It is possible that the future will bring us even greater suffering and less happiness. Fear is an unpleasant, often strong, emotion, caused by anticipation or awareness of danger. Because it is a powerful emotion at the very core of our desire for self-preservation, it is the gatekeeper of our comfort zone, and our comfort zone is whatever is familiar to us.
Our comfort zone can be represented by a circle we draw around ourselves. Into that circle we place the people we know, the routines to which we have become accustomed, and the places where we feel at home. Whether these are good, happy, sad, or bad is immaterial. It is our comfort with them that keeps them in the circle. That is why people stay in bad marriages, boring jobs, and other belittling situations. Being afraid can feel normal to the point that calm or peacefulness may feel foreign or just plain uncomfortable. Breaking the bond of familiarity confronts us with the fear of the unknown: “Better the devil we know than the devil we don’t know.”
There is no doubt that there are times when fear is appropriate and useful. It helps us protect ourselves and to survive difficult times. There is little support in our society, however, for the healthy expression of fear; thus, many of us have become controlled and manipulated by unnamed, repressed fear. For many, it means a lifetime of confirming rather than relieving our fears. What many people do not realize is that fear limits our existence, creates greater fear, is the usual reaction to fear, and stifles true power. It is an unassailable barrier to living life to its fullest. As Marcus Aurelius said, “A man’s life is what his thoughts make of it.”
What does the voice of fear sound like? It is the voice in our heads that wonders what other people are thinking and how they will react. It wonders what might happen to the economy, to housing prices, to our partner, to our family, to our lifestyle, to our image, to our car. It is the voice that asks us, “Have I made the right decision?” “Will I have enough money?” “Will I be able to cope?”
It is the voice, too, that asks (perhaps not in so many words), “How will what is happening in the world affect my comfort zone?” And when we see things in the world either affecting or potentially affecting what is within the circle drawn around us, we not only express fear, but we are always finding more possibilities to fear.
This does not mean we should not think about the future or that we should not make plans. We must always look ahead and gauge the outcome of our actions. But when our mind is filled with the fear of what might or might not happen, both our intelligence and our imagination are being negatively affected. It is mental chatter that keeps us trapped.
When our mind is consumed with fear, it is not available to notice what is going on around us, to hear the sounds of birds, to feel the gentle touch of the wind, to perceive the creaking of the trees, to sense the mood of our spouse, to observe the reactions to our words, to spot others’ emotions or detect our own, or to consider how our body feels. Fear makes us half-conscious. Fear keeps us in our comfort zone. Fear leads us to resist the very changes that would help us solve our existing problems. As Mark Twain said, “I’ve lived a long life and seen a lot of hard times...most of which never happened.”
We fear change, because change can threaten our careers, our relationships, our position, our sense of control, our feelings of security, and our freedom. Because of the way we fear change, we resist new technologies, new working practices, new customs, new ways of thinking. We resist changes to our plans, circumstances, and lifestyle. We hold onto, for dear life, everything within our comfort zone no matter how unpleasant, contrary, untrue, annoying, troublesome, obnoxious, hateful, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, or disgusting.
How do you remove the gatekeeper and expand your comfort zone? Identifying your fears is the first helpful step towards overcoming them. Ask yourself, “What will I not do that I would really love to be doing?” “Does the way I live express or result in self-limitation?” “Am I over-cautious and prone to anxiety or panic?” “Is my overall view of life negative and suspicious?” It was Eleanor Roosevelt who said, “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience when you really stop to look fear in the face.”
Second, you need to put something in place of fear. It could be the mind-clearing repetition of a mantra such as “I am safe in this moment.” It could be the reverent reiteration of a favorite prayer or sound. It could be imagining yourself in a calm and peaceful place such as sitting in a comfortable chair listening to the ocean waves tumble onto the beach. Remembering any past positive moments may work. Taking deliberate and well-prepared actions to ease or ward off our fears generates both energy and strength.
Third, just as you have allowed fears into your life, you can just as easily stop them from interfering with your life. Take charge. Refuse to continue living in the land of devastating possibilities. Stop the constant barrage of terrifying news by turning off the television, putting down the newspaper, and switching the radio to Mozart. If it is the 24/7 broadcasts of fear and mayhem that are kicking up your fear-based belief systems, do not cooperate. Instead, get involved with something greater than yourself.
Fourth, resolve to see things differently. Resolve to experience new ideas, have an open heart, take risks, dwell on the positive rather than the negative, and listen to people who cheer you on rather than those who echo your fear.
Remember that those sitting in the rocking chairs at the end of their lives are not regretting the actions they took. Instead, they are regretting the ones they did not take. When you can act in spite of your fears, you have achieved that fleeting thing that we all admire so much in others—the genuine act of courage.
-----
At JobCircle.com, in an essay, “Beyond your fear,” written by Julie Fuimano, MBA, RN is an Executive Coach with Nurturing Your Success Inc., first defines fear, then has a section entitled, “Fear as Motivator and as Suppressor:,” includes a section called, “Fear as a Message,” and ends with one called,“Uncover Your Greatest Fear.” She concludes her essay saying, “It's one thing to be afraid, it's quite another to let that fear run your life. YOU can decide for yourself how you want fear to impact your life. Be in charge of your fear by creating awareness around it and give yourself the freedom to choose.”
Victoria, at her website AskVictoria, includes an essay entitled, “Facing your Fears: 3 Steps to Facing any Fear.” Her three steps are, 1) Awareness, 2) Acknowledgment, and 3) Action.
-----
Copyright January, 2010 - And Then Some Publishing L.L.C.
Terrorism is a threat. Salmonella is a problem. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes more frequent. The economy has not recovered. Our jobs are being outsourced. It is possible that the future will bring us even greater suffering and less happiness. Fear is an unpleasant, often strong, emotion, caused by anticipation or awareness of danger. Because it is a powerful emotion at the very core of our desire for self-preservation, it is the gatekeeper of our comfort zone, and our comfort zone is whatever is familiar to us.
Our comfort zone can be represented by a circle we draw around ourselves. Into that circle we place the people we know, the routines to which we have become accustomed, and the places where we feel at home. Whether these are good, happy, sad, or bad is immaterial. It is our comfort with them that keeps them in the circle. That is why people stay in bad marriages, boring jobs, and other belittling situations. Being afraid can feel normal to the point that calm or peacefulness may feel foreign or just plain uncomfortable. Breaking the bond of familiarity confronts us with the fear of the unknown: “Better the devil we know than the devil we don’t know.”
There is no doubt that there are times when fear is appropriate and useful. It helps us protect ourselves and to survive difficult times. There is little support in our society, however, for the healthy expression of fear; thus, many of us have become controlled and manipulated by unnamed, repressed fear. For many, it means a lifetime of confirming rather than relieving our fears. What many people do not realize is that fear limits our existence, creates greater fear, is the usual reaction to fear, and stifles true power. It is an unassailable barrier to living life to its fullest. As Marcus Aurelius said, “A man’s life is what his thoughts make of it.”
What does the voice of fear sound like? It is the voice in our heads that wonders what other people are thinking and how they will react. It wonders what might happen to the economy, to housing prices, to our partner, to our family, to our lifestyle, to our image, to our car. It is the voice that asks us, “Have I made the right decision?” “Will I have enough money?” “Will I be able to cope?”
It is the voice, too, that asks (perhaps not in so many words), “How will what is happening in the world affect my comfort zone?” And when we see things in the world either affecting or potentially affecting what is within the circle drawn around us, we not only express fear, but we are always finding more possibilities to fear.
This does not mean we should not think about the future or that we should not make plans. We must always look ahead and gauge the outcome of our actions. But when our mind is filled with the fear of what might or might not happen, both our intelligence and our imagination are being negatively affected. It is mental chatter that keeps us trapped.
When our mind is consumed with fear, it is not available to notice what is going on around us, to hear the sounds of birds, to feel the gentle touch of the wind, to perceive the creaking of the trees, to sense the mood of our spouse, to observe the reactions to our words, to spot others’ emotions or detect our own, or to consider how our body feels. Fear makes us half-conscious. Fear keeps us in our comfort zone. Fear leads us to resist the very changes that would help us solve our existing problems. As Mark Twain said, “I’ve lived a long life and seen a lot of hard times...most of which never happened.”
We fear change, because change can threaten our careers, our relationships, our position, our sense of control, our feelings of security, and our freedom. Because of the way we fear change, we resist new technologies, new working practices, new customs, new ways of thinking. We resist changes to our plans, circumstances, and lifestyle. We hold onto, for dear life, everything within our comfort zone no matter how unpleasant, contrary, untrue, annoying, troublesome, obnoxious, hateful, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, or disgusting.
How do you remove the gatekeeper and expand your comfort zone? Identifying your fears is the first helpful step towards overcoming them. Ask yourself, “What will I not do that I would really love to be doing?” “Does the way I live express or result in self-limitation?” “Am I over-cautious and prone to anxiety or panic?” “Is my overall view of life negative and suspicious?” It was Eleanor Roosevelt who said, “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience when you really stop to look fear in the face.”
Second, you need to put something in place of fear. It could be the mind-clearing repetition of a mantra such as “I am safe in this moment.” It could be the reverent reiteration of a favorite prayer or sound. It could be imagining yourself in a calm and peaceful place such as sitting in a comfortable chair listening to the ocean waves tumble onto the beach. Remembering any past positive moments may work. Taking deliberate and well-prepared actions to ease or ward off our fears generates both energy and strength.
Third, just as you have allowed fears into your life, you can just as easily stop them from interfering with your life. Take charge. Refuse to continue living in the land of devastating possibilities. Stop the constant barrage of terrifying news by turning off the television, putting down the newspaper, and switching the radio to Mozart. If it is the 24/7 broadcasts of fear and mayhem that are kicking up your fear-based belief systems, do not cooperate. Instead, get involved with something greater than yourself.
Fourth, resolve to see things differently. Resolve to experience new ideas, have an open heart, take risks, dwell on the positive rather than the negative, and listen to people who cheer you on rather than those who echo your fear.
Remember that those sitting in the rocking chairs at the end of their lives are not regretting the actions they took. Instead, they are regretting the ones they did not take. When you can act in spite of your fears, you have achieved that fleeting thing that we all admire so much in others—the genuine act of courage.
-----
At JobCircle.com, in an essay, “Beyond your fear,” written by Julie Fuimano, MBA, RN is an Executive Coach with Nurturing Your Success Inc., first defines fear, then has a section entitled, “Fear as Motivator and as Suppressor:,” includes a section called, “Fear as a Message,” and ends with one called,“Uncover Your Greatest Fear.” She concludes her essay saying, “It's one thing to be afraid, it's quite another to let that fear run your life. YOU can decide for yourself how you want fear to impact your life. Be in charge of your fear by creating awareness around it and give yourself the freedom to choose.”
Victoria, at her website AskVictoria, includes an essay entitled, “Facing your Fears: 3 Steps to Facing any Fear.” Her three steps are, 1) Awareness, 2) Acknowledgment, and 3) Action.
-----
Copyright January, 2010 - And Then Some Publishing L.L.C.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
SMOERs: Words of Wisdom
"Imagination disposes of everything; it creates beauty, justice, and happiness, which is everything in this world." ---Pascal
Day #116 - Allow your imagination to run free.
Day #116 - Allow your imagination to run free.
SMOERs: Self-Motivation, Optimism, Encouragement Rules! - Daily Reminders for Outstanding Living
An everyday guide full of quotations to uplift your spirits.
Free 10-Day sample: smoers.com
An everyday guide full of quotations to uplift your spirits.
Free 10-Day sample: smoers.com
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
And Then Some News
Thursday’s essay is called, “‘To act in spite of your fears is a genuine act of courage,” and it comes just after the new year has rolled around. How appropriate, because if the new year ushered in a desire to turn over a new leaf, list and attempt to fulfill New Year’s Resolutions, or begin again to try to forge change in your life, then I would suggest one of your challenges will be to act in spite of your fears. This essay is perfect for the time because it provides specific suggestions you can implement at once. To act requires that you get out of your comfort zone. You need to read this essay!
Share your link. Have you written anything about acting in spite of your fears? Do you think it’s a genuine act of courage? Have you actually been able to move out of your comfort zone? When did it happen? How did it happen? What effects have taken place? Do you know others who have acted in spite of their fears? Can you share some insights about how, when, where, or why it happened? What would you like to tell people about the advantages (or disadvantages) of moving out of their comfort zones? Of acting in spite of their fears! Share your link with us. We’ll post it and move traffic in your direction. And, a big “thank you,” in advance, from AndThenSomeWorks.com, for sharing your link.
Click here to LINK your And Then Some story
Thursday's And Then Some Essay preview:
To act in spite of your fears is a genuine act of courage
by Richard L. Weaver II
Excerpt:
When our mind is consumed with fear, it is not available to notice what is going on around us, to hear the sounds of birds, to feel the gentle touch of the wind, to perceive the creaking of the trees, to sense the mood of our spouse, to observe the reactions to our words, to spot others’ emotions or detect our own, or to consider how our body feels. Fear makes us half-conscious. Fear keeps us in our comfort zone. Fear leads us to resist the very changes that would help us solve our existing problems. As Mark Twain said, “I’ve lived a long life and seen a lot of hard times...most of which never happened.”
And Then Some Works - see you Thursday!!
Share your link. Have you written anything about acting in spite of your fears? Do you think it’s a genuine act of courage? Have you actually been able to move out of your comfort zone? When did it happen? How did it happen? What effects have taken place? Do you know others who have acted in spite of their fears? Can you share some insights about how, when, where, or why it happened? What would you like to tell people about the advantages (or disadvantages) of moving out of their comfort zones? Of acting in spite of their fears! Share your link with us. We’ll post it and move traffic in your direction. And, a big “thank you,” in advance, from AndThenSomeWorks.com, for sharing your link.
Click here to LINK your And Then Some story
Thursday's And Then Some Essay preview:
To act in spite of your fears is a genuine act of courage
by Richard L. Weaver II
Excerpt:
When our mind is consumed with fear, it is not available to notice what is going on around us, to hear the sounds of birds, to feel the gentle touch of the wind, to perceive the creaking of the trees, to sense the mood of our spouse, to observe the reactions to our words, to spot others’ emotions or detect our own, or to consider how our body feels. Fear makes us half-conscious. Fear keeps us in our comfort zone. Fear leads us to resist the very changes that would help us solve our existing problems. As Mark Twain said, “I’ve lived a long life and seen a lot of hard times...most of which never happened.”
And Then Some Works - see you Thursday!!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Book Review Mondays
by Kevin Hogan
Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
by David D. Burns
Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
Burns’ previous book, Feeling Good, sold over four million copies; this book has the potential of doing the same. It is outstanding. In this 255-page book, there are six parts and 30 chapters — approximately 8½ pages per chapter. Some of the intriguing chapter titles include, “Why We Secretly Love to Hate,” “Three Ideas That Can Change Your Life,” “How Good Is Your Relationship? The Relationship Satisfaction Test,” “The Price of Intimacy,” “Good Communication vs. Bad Communication,” “How We Control Other People,” “The Five Secrets of Effective Communication,” “The Disarming Technique,” “Intimacy Traing for Couples: The One-Minute Drill,” Part Five, “Common Traps—How to Avoid Them,” and “Positive Reframing: Opening the Door to Intimacy—and Success.” You can see, just from the titles, how the information he presents is directly tied to questions, problems, and issues that all couples face. The beauty of the book, however, and the practical, realistic tools Burns offers readers apply to all relationships, whether they are spouse, family, friends, or co-workers. I have always found Burns’ approach to readers direct, interesting, warm, and engaging, and his “radically different approach” in this book is labeled “Cognitive Interpersonal Therapy,” and if my interpersonal textbook had continued (the seventh edition of it was the last), I would have incorporated his basic principles of CIT in my textbook: 1) “We all provoke and maintain the exact relationship problems that we complain about.” 2) “We deny our own role in the conflict because self-examination is so shocking and painful, and because we’re secretly rewarded by the problem we’re complaining about.” 3) “We all have far more power than we think to transform troubled relations—if we’re willing to stop blaming the other person and focus instead on changing ourselves” (p. 36). The tables, bulleted points, suggested steps, and examples are helpful, realistic, and worthwhile. For anyone having relationship problems, wanting to avoid relationship problems, or wanting to know what kind of advice to give to others, this is an outstanding choice.
Through our reading, researching, and writing, And Then Some Publishing (and our extended family of readers) mine volumes of books representing a wide variety of tastes. We use the books in our writing, test and try suggested techniques, and we read for enjoyment as well. We wouldn't spend the time reviewing the books if we didn't get something out of it. Read more reviews on other fantastic books at our BookWorksRules.com website.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
There are so many different ways to take control of your life
by Richard L. Weaver II
Growth, development, and change requires that we pick and choose those elements and suggestions most relevant and immediate to our own personal situation — those that will most help us in the areas where we feel (or others suggest) help is most needed. There are so many ways and so many who are willing to make suggestions.
Sheila Dicks, at the website of Christopher M. Knight’s Top7Business, has an essay entitled, “Control Your Life: Top 7 Steps to Take Control of Your Life,” and she says you will be on your way if you follow these 7 steps: 1. Get in touch with your values, 2. Decide what motivates you, 3. Set Goals, 4. Take Action, 5. Manage Your Time, 6. Do What Needs to be Done [this is a tough one for those who want to take control!], 7. Self-discipline. Dicks concludes by saying,“When you believe in and trust yourself and have enough desire, self-discipline comes easily.”
At Ian’s Messy Desk, Ian McKenzie has an essay entitled, “10 Ways to Take Control of Your Life,” and his ten suggestions include: 1. Take care of yourself, 2. Practice gratitude, 3. Stop making assumptions, 4. Refrain from absolutes, 5. Eliminate the negative, 6. Squash the “ANTs” [ANTs are “Automatic Negative Thoughts”], 7. Come on and get physical, 8. Get out more, 9. Volunteer, and 10. Take a break.
At Shepell-fgi, in their essay, “Take Control Of Your Life!,” they offer eight suggestions: 1) Accept What You Can't Control, 2) Stop The Blame Game, 3) Let Go, 4) Learn To Say No, 5) Take Time to Plan Because You Can't Do It All, 6) Schedule Time For Yourself, 7) Simplify Your Life, 8) Recognize the Difference Between "Needs" and "Wants."
At the Life With Confidence website, Catherine Pratt has an essay entitled, “How To Take Control of Your Life,” and she starts by talking about fear: “First of all, the number one reason people don’t take control of their lives is due to fear. Fear of having dreams, fear of following their dreams, fear of achieving their dreams. Fear stops them dead in their tracks.” Then she talks about facing the fear and starting to dream. Also, she discusses starting out small and keeping positive. Pratt ends her essay on an upbeat, positive note by saying: “So, what are you waiting for? Change that attitude. Start working towards your new positive life. Go get it. It’s yours, it’s waiting for you to make the first move. Take that first step and you’ll never look back. Everything you’ve ever wanted can be yours and all you have to do is change your thoughts and Take Control.”
At iVillage, there is an anonymous essay, “7 Ways You Can Take Control of Your Life,” with a goal of developing a nurturing environment. The seven ways discussed include: 1) invest in a paper shredder, 2) give yourself ten extra minutes, 3) write in a gratitude journal, 4) stop and think, 5) cut down on your to-do list, 6) exercise every day, and 7) throw away the old sponge (use Clorox Clean-Ups instead). The point of throwing away the old sponge is to make use of new technology that saves time and labor. The point of this essay is: “There are plenty of things in our lives that will never be in order, but by habitually taking care of small tasks, we can change our outlook. ”
At NaturalNews.com, Mike Adams has written a brief essay entitled, “Life Coach Says You Can Take Control of Your Life (press release) ,” in which he offers readers guiding principles for taking control of their lives. His suggestions come from Tom Caines, a life and business coach, and in each of the following cases, I am quoting Adams’ essay without using the quotation marks. First, listen to yourself. Identify negative statements and change them to positive ones. Second, Expect plenty. Give up scarcity thinking. Belief in scarcity leads to evaluating your life in terms of what you lack, not what you have. Third, have a personal vision that excites you by exploring activities you love doing (career, travel, writing, art, etc. ) without regard to money, fear, obligations or the opinions of others. Fourth, give yourself credit for your strengths and successes. Everyone, Adams writes, have personal strengths such as being well-organized, nurturing, natural leaders, understanding, uplifting or pragmatic, which can assist them in taking control of our lives.
At AlexShalman.com, Shalman suggests that you can, “Take Control Of Your Life With One Thought.” His idea is a good one. He suggests that, “We are responsible for choosing which thought we are going to invest our time and energy into thinking. It is completely in our power to choose thoughts that resonate with our happiness, or any other feeling that we wish to experience.” How do we do it? “We can choose to keep our mind focused on this moment, and on the thought of happiness. That way we don’t need to obtain anything to be happy, we can be happy right now.” You can experience — right now — any thought or feeling you desire simply by concentrating on it.
Many of these suggestions are practical and worthwhile. Taking control of your life is important, of course, because that is where all maturity and responsibility begin. When you look over the suggestions, it is clear that not only do different people have different suggestions, but it is clear, too, that different people have various starting points depending on where they are in their lives. Obviously, not all suggestions are useful for everyone. But lists — with the possibility of following each item with a full discussion (within the essays where they were first discussed) — serve a worthwhile purpose, because growth, development, and change requires that we pick and choose those growth elements most relevant and immediate for our own purposes.
-----
At HealingWell.com, Pauline Salvucci writes an essay entitled, “Take Control of Your Life!.” She talks about the meaning of “control,” and then discusses, opening the door to your options, broadening your vision, and asking the right questions,. She concludes her wonderfully encouraging essay saying, “Being in control of your life opens you up. The more you're able to stretch yourself, the more you'll access the benefits, depth and wisdom that come from using your mind, heart, spirit -- and the more you'll receive from what life has to offer. This is the important lesson. Learn it and live well!”
At the Fearless Dreams website, Joel’s essay is entitled, “Four Tools to Take Control of Your Life.” His tools make good sense: 1) Define yourself, 2) Use the help of experts, 3) Compare and take action, and 4) test yourself with action. His examples are good, and the inspiration he provides is encouraging.
At SuccessMagazine there is an essay that is all suggestions: “30 Tips to Take Control of Your Life Now.” The suggestions are a bit scattered rather than being organized around a single topic, but they are short and valuable — but, as any set of suggestions, hard to apply to yourself if you don’t already do them.
-----
Copyright December, 2009 - And Then Some Publishing L.L.C.
Growth, development, and change requires that we pick and choose those elements and suggestions most relevant and immediate to our own personal situation — those that will most help us in the areas where we feel (or others suggest) help is most needed. There are so many ways and so many who are willing to make suggestions.
Sheila Dicks, at the website of Christopher M. Knight’s Top7Business, has an essay entitled, “Control Your Life: Top 7 Steps to Take Control of Your Life,” and she says you will be on your way if you follow these 7 steps: 1. Get in touch with your values, 2. Decide what motivates you, 3. Set Goals, 4. Take Action, 5. Manage Your Time, 6. Do What Needs to be Done [this is a tough one for those who want to take control!], 7. Self-discipline. Dicks concludes by saying,“When you believe in and trust yourself and have enough desire, self-discipline comes easily.”
At Ian’s Messy Desk, Ian McKenzie has an essay entitled, “10 Ways to Take Control of Your Life,” and his ten suggestions include: 1. Take care of yourself, 2. Practice gratitude, 3. Stop making assumptions, 4. Refrain from absolutes, 5. Eliminate the negative, 6. Squash the “ANTs” [ANTs are “Automatic Negative Thoughts”], 7. Come on and get physical, 8. Get out more, 9. Volunteer, and 10. Take a break.
At Shepell-fgi, in their essay, “Take Control Of Your Life!,” they offer eight suggestions: 1) Accept What You Can't Control, 2) Stop The Blame Game, 3) Let Go, 4) Learn To Say No, 5) Take Time to Plan Because You Can't Do It All, 6) Schedule Time For Yourself, 7) Simplify Your Life, 8) Recognize the Difference Between "Needs" and "Wants."
At the Life With Confidence website, Catherine Pratt has an essay entitled, “How To Take Control of Your Life,” and she starts by talking about fear: “First of all, the number one reason people don’t take control of their lives is due to fear. Fear of having dreams, fear of following their dreams, fear of achieving their dreams. Fear stops them dead in their tracks.” Then she talks about facing the fear and starting to dream. Also, she discusses starting out small and keeping positive. Pratt ends her essay on an upbeat, positive note by saying: “So, what are you waiting for? Change that attitude. Start working towards your new positive life. Go get it. It’s yours, it’s waiting for you to make the first move. Take that first step and you’ll never look back. Everything you’ve ever wanted can be yours and all you have to do is change your thoughts and Take Control.”
At iVillage, there is an anonymous essay, “7 Ways You Can Take Control of Your Life,” with a goal of developing a nurturing environment. The seven ways discussed include: 1) invest in a paper shredder, 2) give yourself ten extra minutes, 3) write in a gratitude journal, 4) stop and think, 5) cut down on your to-do list, 6) exercise every day, and 7) throw away the old sponge (use Clorox Clean-Ups instead). The point of throwing away the old sponge is to make use of new technology that saves time and labor. The point of this essay is: “There are plenty of things in our lives that will never be in order, but by habitually taking care of small tasks, we can change our outlook. ”
At NaturalNews.com, Mike Adams has written a brief essay entitled, “Life Coach Says You Can Take Control of Your Life (press release) ,” in which he offers readers guiding principles for taking control of their lives. His suggestions come from Tom Caines, a life and business coach, and in each of the following cases, I am quoting Adams’ essay without using the quotation marks. First, listen to yourself. Identify negative statements and change them to positive ones. Second, Expect plenty. Give up scarcity thinking. Belief in scarcity leads to evaluating your life in terms of what you lack, not what you have. Third, have a personal vision that excites you by exploring activities you love doing (career, travel, writing, art, etc. ) without regard to money, fear, obligations or the opinions of others. Fourth, give yourself credit for your strengths and successes. Everyone, Adams writes, have personal strengths such as being well-organized, nurturing, natural leaders, understanding, uplifting or pragmatic, which can assist them in taking control of our lives.
At AlexShalman.com, Shalman suggests that you can, “Take Control Of Your Life With One Thought.” His idea is a good one. He suggests that, “We are responsible for choosing which thought we are going to invest our time and energy into thinking. It is completely in our power to choose thoughts that resonate with our happiness, or any other feeling that we wish to experience.” How do we do it? “We can choose to keep our mind focused on this moment, and on the thought of happiness. That way we don’t need to obtain anything to be happy, we can be happy right now.” You can experience — right now — any thought or feeling you desire simply by concentrating on it.
Many of these suggestions are practical and worthwhile. Taking control of your life is important, of course, because that is where all maturity and responsibility begin. When you look over the suggestions, it is clear that not only do different people have different suggestions, but it is clear, too, that different people have various starting points depending on where they are in their lives. Obviously, not all suggestions are useful for everyone. But lists — with the possibility of following each item with a full discussion (within the essays where they were first discussed) — serve a worthwhile purpose, because growth, development, and change requires that we pick and choose those growth elements most relevant and immediate for our own purposes.
-----
At HealingWell.com, Pauline Salvucci writes an essay entitled, “Take Control of Your Life!.” She talks about the meaning of “control,” and then discusses, opening the door to your options, broadening your vision, and asking the right questions,. She concludes her wonderfully encouraging essay saying, “Being in control of your life opens you up. The more you're able to stretch yourself, the more you'll access the benefits, depth and wisdom that come from using your mind, heart, spirit -- and the more you'll receive from what life has to offer. This is the important lesson. Learn it and live well!”
At the Fearless Dreams website, Joel’s essay is entitled, “Four Tools to Take Control of Your Life.” His tools make good sense: 1) Define yourself, 2) Use the help of experts, 3) Compare and take action, and 4) test yourself with action. His examples are good, and the inspiration he provides is encouraging.
At SuccessMagazine there is an essay that is all suggestions: “30 Tips to Take Control of Your Life Now.” The suggestions are a bit scattered rather than being organized around a single topic, but they are short and valuable — but, as any set of suggestions, hard to apply to yourself if you don’t already do them.
-----
Copyright December, 2009 - And Then Some Publishing L.L.C.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
SMOERs: Words of Wisdom
"I have made mistakes, but I have never made the mistake of claiming that I never made one." ---James Gordon Bennett
Day #112 - Admit your errors, but don't stop making them.
Day #112 - Admit your errors, but don't stop making them.
SMOERs: Self-Motivation, Optimism, Encouragement Rules! - Daily Reminders for Outstanding Living
An everyday guide full of quotations to uplift your spirits.
Free 10-Day sample: smoers.com
An everyday guide full of quotations to uplift your spirits.
Free 10-Day sample: smoers.com
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
And Then Some News
Thursday’s essay is called, “‘There are so many different ways to take control of your life,” and it comes just as the new year is ready to roll around. With the new year comes the desire to turn over a new leaf, list and attempt to fulfill New Year’s Resolutions, and begin again to try to forge change in our lives. This essay is perfect for the time because it offers so many different ways to take control of your life. And that’s what it’s all about! When you take control, change is possible!
Share your link. Have you written anything about ways to control your life? Have you actually been able to take control? When did it happen? How did it happen? What effects have taken place? Do you know others who have taken control of their life? Can you share some insights about how, when, where, or why to take control of your life? What would you like to tell people about the advantages (or disadvantages) of taking control? Share your link with us. We’ll post it and move traffic in your direction. And, a big “thank you,” in advance, from AndThenSomeWorks.com, for sharing your link.
Click here to LINK your And Then Some story
Thursday's And Then Some Essay preview:
There are so many different ways to take control of your life
by Richard L. Weaver II
Excerpt:
Many of these suggestions are practical and worthwhile. Taking control of your life is important, of course, because that is where all maturity and responsibility begin. When you look over the suggestions, it is clear that not only do different people have different suggestions, but it is clear, too, that different people have various starting points depending on where they are in their lives. Obviously, not all suggestions are useful for everyone. But lists — with the possibility of following each item with a full discussion (within the essays where they were first discussed) — serve a worthwhile purpose, because growth, development, and change requires that we pick and choose those growth elements most relevant and immediate for our own purposes.
And Then Some Works - see you Thursday!!
Share your link. Have you written anything about ways to control your life? Have you actually been able to take control? When did it happen? How did it happen? What effects have taken place? Do you know others who have taken control of their life? Can you share some insights about how, when, where, or why to take control of your life? What would you like to tell people about the advantages (or disadvantages) of taking control? Share your link with us. We’ll post it and move traffic in your direction. And, a big “thank you,” in advance, from AndThenSomeWorks.com, for sharing your link.
Click here to LINK your And Then Some story
Thursday's And Then Some Essay preview:
There are so many different ways to take control of your life
by Richard L. Weaver II
Excerpt:
Many of these suggestions are practical and worthwhile. Taking control of your life is important, of course, because that is where all maturity and responsibility begin. When you look over the suggestions, it is clear that not only do different people have different suggestions, but it is clear, too, that different people have various starting points depending on where they are in their lives. Obviously, not all suggestions are useful for everyone. But lists — with the possibility of following each item with a full discussion (within the essays where they were first discussed) — serve a worthwhile purpose, because growth, development, and change requires that we pick and choose those growth elements most relevant and immediate for our own purposes.
And Then Some Works - see you Thursday!!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Book Review Mondays
More information at Amazon.com No obligation to buy Click below: |
by Jack Canfield and Gay Hendricks
Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
I found this book absolutely fascinating, and it made me think about the single book that has had the most effect on my own life. More on that book in a moment. This is a book designed to get you reading. What Canfield and Hendricks have done is ask entertainers, sports personalities, businesspeople, writers, environmentalists, and activists to tell about the book that has impacted their life the most and why. The book is more uplifting than literary, however, when you find out what people you know (e.g., Dave Barry, Catherine Oxenburg, Kenny Loggins, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Lou Holtz, Max Edelman, Bernie Siegal, and a host of others) have been inspired by, it does inspire you as well. As I read these 55 brief, well-written, inspiring messages, I was reminded of the old cliche I have always supported, “When the student is ready, the teacher will come.” It is definitely true that what inspires one person, or what causes a major shift in his or her thinking, or what changes the course of one’s person’s life may not do the same for another person; however, many of the books mentioned are classics. For example, To Kill a Mockingbird, The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, The Bible, The Teachings of the Buddha, Mein Kampf, The Secret Kingdom, On Aggression, The Science of Getting Rich, Life after Life, The End of Poverty, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Catcher in the Rye, Great Expectations, The Brothers Karamazov, Chicken Soup for the Prisoner’s Soul, The Great Divorce, A Guide for the Perplexed, The Legacy of Luna, How to Make Millions with Your Ideas, Key to Yourself, Gone with the Wind, 100 Selected Poems, Franny and Zooey, Peace Pilgrim, and more. I liked the simple (Chicken Soup for the Soul) format; the book is easy to read (It will take you several hours only.), and the stories are entertaining.
I obtained my Ph.D. from Indiana University in 1969, and I was just beginning my teaching career as an Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts when a new book caught my attention and changed my life. The book, Teaching as a Subversive Activity, by Neil Postman and Charles Weingartner
How did I get started on my rant about the book Teaching as a Subversive Activity? That is the beauty of the book, You’ve Got to Read This Book. It makes you think, and for readers, that’s a good think!
More information at Amazon.com No obligation to buy Click below: |
by Larry McMurtry
Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
I think it’s fairly easy to understand how a writer like myself would appreciate a book by the name of Books: A Memoir. This book by McMurtry is special, however, because it is the story (actually, a whole lot of stories) of how a person raised in a small ranch house in the village of Archer City, Texas, where there were no books (“the bookless ranch house”) could grow to read, love, collect, and use — then write his own — books. To me, that fact alone, warrants the stories he tells, warrants reading this book. McMurtry grew up in a storytelling culture, and obviously it had a profound, engaging, and long-term effect on his life (and all this time I thought it was the possession, availability, and reading to children — from in the womb until they can read on their own — that was the influence that mattered!). What this book is, is a series of vignettes about McMurtry’s life with books. Not only does he write about books he treasures and acquires and sells, but you get a wonderful picture of the writer himself: “My method of writing a novel was, from the first, to get up early and dash off five pages of narrative. That is still my method, though now I dash off ten pages a day. I write every day, ignoring holidays and weekends” (p. 49). “Once my writing duty was done each morning,” McMurtry writes, “I went out into the city and spent the rest of my day in bookstores” (p. 53). This isn’t a book for everyone. McMurtry spends a great deal of time naming names: books, people, places, relatives, friends of friends, characters, etc. Also, if you have no interest in book scouting, book acquisitions, book trading, or running a bookshop, this book is likely to hold little interest for you. I found his vignettes, as one reviewer of his book said, “entertaining, educational, vividly portrayed, and descriptive.”
----
Through our reading, researching, and writing, And Then Some Publishing (and our extended family of readers) mine volumes of books representing a wide variety of tastes. We use the books in our writing, test and try suggested techniques, and we read for enjoyment as well. We wouldn't spend the time reviewing the books if we didn't get something out of it. Read more reviews on other fantastic books at our BookWorksRules.com website.
I think it’s fairly easy to understand how a writer like myself would appreciate a book by the name of Books: A Memoir. This book by McMurtry is special, however, because it is the story (actually, a whole lot of stories) of how a person raised in a small ranch house in the village of Archer City, Texas, where there were no books (“the bookless ranch house”) could grow to read, love, collect, and use — then write his own — books. To me, that fact alone, warrants the stories he tells, warrants reading this book. McMurtry grew up in a storytelling culture, and obviously it had a profound, engaging, and long-term effect on his life (and all this time I thought it was the possession, availability, and reading to children — from in the womb until they can read on their own — that was the influence that mattered!). What this book is, is a series of vignettes about McMurtry’s life with books. Not only does he write about books he treasures and acquires and sells, but you get a wonderful picture of the writer himself: “My method of writing a novel was, from the first, to get up early and dash off five pages of narrative. That is still my method, though now I dash off ten pages a day. I write every day, ignoring holidays and weekends” (p. 49). “Once my writing duty was done each morning,” McMurtry writes, “I went out into the city and spent the rest of my day in bookstores” (p. 53). This isn’t a book for everyone. McMurtry spends a great deal of time naming names: books, people, places, relatives, friends of friends, characters, etc. Also, if you have no interest in book scouting, book acquisitions, book trading, or running a bookshop, this book is likely to hold little interest for you. I found his vignettes, as one reviewer of his book said, “entertaining, educational, vividly portrayed, and descriptive.”
----
Through our reading, researching, and writing, And Then Some Publishing (and our extended family of readers) mine volumes of books representing a wide variety of tastes. We use the books in our writing, test and try suggested techniques, and we read for enjoyment as well. We wouldn't spend the time reviewing the books if we didn't get something out of it. Read more reviews on other fantastic books at our BookWorksRules.com website.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Weekend Words
"Man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that sometimes he has to eat them." ---Adlai Stevenson
Thursday, December 24, 2009
“It is more blessed to give than to receive”
by Richard L. Weaver II
I have attended church since I was a child, and whenever I think of “church,” I think of a warm, supportive, social environment. For me, there is no “higher purpose,” no “spiritual quest,” and no “spiritual union with God.” In my early years, I attended because my family attended and in my later years I have attended because my wife and family did.
In their book, How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life, Mark Victor Hansen and Art Linkletter include a chapter entitled “Spirituality or Plugging Into a Higher Power.” In this essay I borrow liberally from their chapter, and I have avoided using quotation marks because of the distraction they sometimes cause.
I realize the reasons people attend church. Spiritual beliefs give individuals hope and peace. Also, they keep them optimistic, relieve stress, and prevent depression. The authors make it clear that strong beliefs may help seniors cope with mortality while helping them develop acceptance of the events that later life brings.
I have discovered that most people attend church because they were brought up in a family that attended church. This is neither to doubt nor diminish their own spirituality, but it isn’t like they went out on a personal mission and “found religion.” Such missions are unlikely to happen. What is more likely is that “religion” becomes an automatic, accepted, well-integrated and entrenched part of their lives. In three-out-of-four of our children, this is certainly the case. They need no scientific proof to know that prayer and spirituality exert enormous influence over their lives.
What is interesting, however, is that Hansen and Linkletter cite more than a little anecdotal evidence supporting the idea that having some sort of strong spiritual belief helps people live better and longer. How does it do that? Belief gives people strength, reminds them that we’re not alone in hard times, sets their moral compass, encourages them to help and forgive others, and gives them hope. It adds a rudder and some direction to ships being tossed and turned in turbulent seas. With a rudder, people not only find out who they are, but they have a purpose that supercedes what they do or have done in their life.
The effects of having faith have not gone totally unnoticed by the scientific world. Hansen and Linkletter cite studies that have shown that people who attend religious services regularly had lower levels of the protein interleukin-6 which is linked to immune system diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and B-cell lymphoma. Studies show, too, that patients with a strong religious faith are less likely to die in the six months after heart surgery than those without it, have lower diastolic blood pressure, and are more likely to live longer. One study the authors cited drew the conclusion that “there is something uniquely inherent in the practice of spiritual meditation that cannot be completely conveyed through secular mediation and relaxation (p. 197).”
One of the most impressive studies Hansen and Linkletter cite was conducted at the University of Texas-Austin by Terrence Hill and his team of researchers. Published in the Journal of Gerontology (2005), the study found that among people sixty-five and older who attended church once per week, the mortality rate was 32 percent lower than those people who did not attend church. This study confirmed another one just two years earlier that found a 25 percent reduction in mortality among regular churchgoers.
What is actually occurring to support the view that an active spiritual life helps people live longer? The obvious answer is that a religious lifestyle is good for your health. But what does “a religious lifestyle” mean? I think it means that people who shun smoking, drinking, and sexual promiscuity, and promote work can claim to have health advantages. There are a number of studies, for example, that claim that Seventh-day Adventists, who promote this kind of healthy lifestyle, including a vegetarian diet, enjoy greater longevity than the average American.
Actually, it goes far beyond a healthy lifestyle and vegetarian diets — although there is nobody who doubts that both contribute to longevity. Researchers suggest that the social networks that form in religious congregations offer valuable support for members. With regular church attendance, people both lend support and receive it. This helps them cope better with the stresses that normally accompany financial hard times, disease, or the loss of a loved one.
In our church services, for example, time is always provided for people to raise the names of friends and loved ones for the purposes of the prayerful support of all those in the congregation. Time is provided as well for people to offer examples of “answered prayers.” Such times give people opportunities to both lend support and receive it.
It is likely that the benefits of spiritual beliefs go even deeper than healthy lifestyles, vegetarian diets, and prayerful support. It was Harold Koenig of Duke University, who led one of the scientific studies cited earlier, who believes that faith gives meaning to the lives of regular believers. It supports beliefs that the deaths of friends or family or the major changes that are occurring in their lives are part of a greater plan. Everything becomes part of a greater plan which offers continuing evidence that life is not meaningless and random. For seniors, the primary focus of Koenig’s study, it gives them a feeling of control at a time which so much of their control seems to be slipping away from them.
Because of their outreach programs, service orientation, and involvement in the faith community, members who are regular attenders and identify closely with churches, become — through their associations, linkages, connections, and interrelationships — just as involved. It helps them stay upbeat and optimistic while filling — even if they are not actually physically involved — useful and productive roles in the community.
For me, going to church — the most obvious and tangible expression of my connection to my family — is an opportunity to socialize with people who care for and about me and each other. It is not just the ultimate expression of fellowship, belonging, love, but the collective strength of our family. When our son is the preacher, our daughter leads, sings with, and plays for the accompanying praise band, and our granddaughters often sing before the church and serve as acolytes, what greater expression and support for “family” could there be? For me, it supports the most beautiful words in the Bible, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
-----
Wendy Griffith, CBN News Senior Reporter, has written an essay at the CBNNews.com, entitled, “More Blessed to Give Than Receive,” in which she supports her opening statements: “A new book out explains how giving not only makes you rich - it makes you healthier and happier. There is now scientific evidence supporting the Scriptures that discuss the benefits of charitable giving.”
“Benefits of going to church as a family,” at the website, HubPages, written by Cougar, offers readers four benefits: 1) 1) Going to church builds your faith and helps you develop a better understanding of God, 2) gives you a real community, 3) gives you an outlet to help other people, and 4) People who attend church statistically live longer.
-----
Copyright December, 2009 - And Then Some Publishing L.L.C.
I have attended church since I was a child, and whenever I think of “church,” I think of a warm, supportive, social environment. For me, there is no “higher purpose,” no “spiritual quest,” and no “spiritual union with God.” In my early years, I attended because my family attended and in my later years I have attended because my wife and family did.
In their book, How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life, Mark Victor Hansen and Art Linkletter include a chapter entitled “Spirituality or Plugging Into a Higher Power.” In this essay I borrow liberally from their chapter, and I have avoided using quotation marks because of the distraction they sometimes cause.
I realize the reasons people attend church. Spiritual beliefs give individuals hope and peace. Also, they keep them optimistic, relieve stress, and prevent depression. The authors make it clear that strong beliefs may help seniors cope with mortality while helping them develop acceptance of the events that later life brings.
I have discovered that most people attend church because they were brought up in a family that attended church. This is neither to doubt nor diminish their own spirituality, but it isn’t like they went out on a personal mission and “found religion.” Such missions are unlikely to happen. What is more likely is that “religion” becomes an automatic, accepted, well-integrated and entrenched part of their lives. In three-out-of-four of our children, this is certainly the case. They need no scientific proof to know that prayer and spirituality exert enormous influence over their lives.
What is interesting, however, is that Hansen and Linkletter cite more than a little anecdotal evidence supporting the idea that having some sort of strong spiritual belief helps people live better and longer. How does it do that? Belief gives people strength, reminds them that we’re not alone in hard times, sets their moral compass, encourages them to help and forgive others, and gives them hope. It adds a rudder and some direction to ships being tossed and turned in turbulent seas. With a rudder, people not only find out who they are, but they have a purpose that supercedes what they do or have done in their life.
The effects of having faith have not gone totally unnoticed by the scientific world. Hansen and Linkletter cite studies that have shown that people who attend religious services regularly had lower levels of the protein interleukin-6 which is linked to immune system diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and B-cell lymphoma. Studies show, too, that patients with a strong religious faith are less likely to die in the six months after heart surgery than those without it, have lower diastolic blood pressure, and are more likely to live longer. One study the authors cited drew the conclusion that “there is something uniquely inherent in the practice of spiritual meditation that cannot be completely conveyed through secular mediation and relaxation (p. 197).”
One of the most impressive studies Hansen and Linkletter cite was conducted at the University of Texas-Austin by Terrence Hill and his team of researchers. Published in the Journal of Gerontology (2005), the study found that among people sixty-five and older who attended church once per week, the mortality rate was 32 percent lower than those people who did not attend church. This study confirmed another one just two years earlier that found a 25 percent reduction in mortality among regular churchgoers.
What is actually occurring to support the view that an active spiritual life helps people live longer? The obvious answer is that a religious lifestyle is good for your health. But what does “a religious lifestyle” mean? I think it means that people who shun smoking, drinking, and sexual promiscuity, and promote work can claim to have health advantages. There are a number of studies, for example, that claim that Seventh-day Adventists, who promote this kind of healthy lifestyle, including a vegetarian diet, enjoy greater longevity than the average American.
Actually, it goes far beyond a healthy lifestyle and vegetarian diets — although there is nobody who doubts that both contribute to longevity. Researchers suggest that the social networks that form in religious congregations offer valuable support for members. With regular church attendance, people both lend support and receive it. This helps them cope better with the stresses that normally accompany financial hard times, disease, or the loss of a loved one.
In our church services, for example, time is always provided for people to raise the names of friends and loved ones for the purposes of the prayerful support of all those in the congregation. Time is provided as well for people to offer examples of “answered prayers.” Such times give people opportunities to both lend support and receive it.
It is likely that the benefits of spiritual beliefs go even deeper than healthy lifestyles, vegetarian diets, and prayerful support. It was Harold Koenig of Duke University, who led one of the scientific studies cited earlier, who believes that faith gives meaning to the lives of regular believers. It supports beliefs that the deaths of friends or family or the major changes that are occurring in their lives are part of a greater plan. Everything becomes part of a greater plan which offers continuing evidence that life is not meaningless and random. For seniors, the primary focus of Koenig’s study, it gives them a feeling of control at a time which so much of their control seems to be slipping away from them.
Because of their outreach programs, service orientation, and involvement in the faith community, members who are regular attenders and identify closely with churches, become — through their associations, linkages, connections, and interrelationships — just as involved. It helps them stay upbeat and optimistic while filling — even if they are not actually physically involved — useful and productive roles in the community.
For me, going to church — the most obvious and tangible expression of my connection to my family — is an opportunity to socialize with people who care for and about me and each other. It is not just the ultimate expression of fellowship, belonging, love, but the collective strength of our family. When our son is the preacher, our daughter leads, sings with, and plays for the accompanying praise band, and our granddaughters often sing before the church and serve as acolytes, what greater expression and support for “family” could there be? For me, it supports the most beautiful words in the Bible, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
-----
Wendy Griffith, CBN News Senior Reporter, has written an essay at the CBNNews.com, entitled, “More Blessed to Give Than Receive,” in which she supports her opening statements: “A new book out explains how giving not only makes you rich - it makes you healthier and happier. There is now scientific evidence supporting the Scriptures that discuss the benefits of charitable giving.”
“Benefits of going to church as a family,” at the website, HubPages, written by Cougar, offers readers four benefits: 1) 1) Going to church builds your faith and helps you develop a better understanding of God, 2) gives you a real community, 3) gives you an outlet to help other people, and 4) People who attend church statistically live longer.
-----
Copyright December, 2009 - And Then Some Publishing L.L.C.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
SMOERs: Words of Wisdom
"Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are, to some extent, a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it, piece by piece --- by thought, choice, courage, and determination." ---H. Jacson Brown
Day #111 - Be of good character.
Day #111 - Be of good character.
SMOERs: Self-Motivation, Optimism, Encouragement Rules! - Daily Reminders for Outstanding Living
An everyday guide full of quotations to uplift your spirits.
Free 10-Day sample: smoers.com
An everyday guide full of quotations to uplift your spirits.
Free 10-Day sample: smoers.com
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
And Then Some News
Thursday’s essay is called, “‘It is more blessed to give than to receive,” and it comes at Christmastime, because the saying is so related to giving and receiving presents, but the essay itself, has more to do with “giving” to your family. In the case of the essay, it means going to church as a family event and what values accrue from church attendance.
Share your link. Have you written anything about being more blessed to give than to receive — or having faith? Have you received actual, physical benefits that you can cite? Do you know someone who has proven, in his or her life, that it is more blessed to give than to receive? Can you share some insights about being more blessed to give than to receive? What would you like to tell people about such situations? Share your link with us. We’ll post it and move traffic in your direction. And, a big “thank you,” in advance, from AndThenSomeWorks.com, for sharing your link.
Click here to LINK your And Then Some story
Thursday's And Then Some Essay preview:
"It is more blessed to give than to receive"
by Richard L. Weaver II
Excerpt:
The effects of having faith have not gone totally unnoticed by the scientific world. Hansen and Linkletter cite studies that have shown that people who attend religious services regularly had lower levels of the protein interleukin-6 which is linked to immune system diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and B-cell lymphoma. Studies show, too, that patients with a strong religious faith are less likely to die in the six months after heart surgery than those without it, have lower diastolic blood pressure, and are more likely to live longer. One study the authors cited drew the conclusion that “there is something uniquely inherent in the practice of spiritual meditation that cannot be completely conveyed through secular mediation and relaxation (p. 197).”
And Then Some Works - see you Thursday!!
Share your link. Have you written anything about being more blessed to give than to receive — or having faith? Have you received actual, physical benefits that you can cite? Do you know someone who has proven, in his or her life, that it is more blessed to give than to receive? Can you share some insights about being more blessed to give than to receive? What would you like to tell people about such situations? Share your link with us. We’ll post it and move traffic in your direction. And, a big “thank you,” in advance, from AndThenSomeWorks.com, for sharing your link.
Click here to LINK your And Then Some story
Thursday's And Then Some Essay preview:
"It is more blessed to give than to receive"
by Richard L. Weaver II
Excerpt:
The effects of having faith have not gone totally unnoticed by the scientific world. Hansen and Linkletter cite studies that have shown that people who attend religious services regularly had lower levels of the protein interleukin-6 which is linked to immune system diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and B-cell lymphoma. Studies show, too, that patients with a strong religious faith are less likely to die in the six months after heart surgery than those without it, have lower diastolic blood pressure, and are more likely to live longer. One study the authors cited drew the conclusion that “there is something uniquely inherent in the practice of spiritual meditation that cannot be completely conveyed through secular mediation and relaxation (p. 197).”
And Then Some Works - see you Thursday!!
Monday, December 21, 2009
Book Review Mondays
More information at Amazon.com No obligation to buy Click below: |
by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
Mihaly’s last name is pronounced chick-sent-mih-high, and the intent of his book is to describe how different people create meaning in life with full intention and focus and thereby achieve an ongoing state of satisfaction and sense of fulfillment. It is, thus, not a recipe book for self-improvement, but Csikszentmihalyi offers general concepts — principles (a flexible framework) — that can be applied to yourself and your life. Although he is a professor of psychology at the University of Chicago, this is not a textbook, and it is not about psychology alone. With psychology, he interweaves philosophy, anthropology, and sociology as well. It is written for everyone, and it explains an important concept. The major components of the flow experience include: 1) There's clarity of goals, 2) Feedback is immediate. You know moment-by-moment how well you're doing, 3) The challenges of the activity are matched with the skills of the person, 4) There's a feeling of focus on what you're doing, 5) Everyday frustrations are removed from your attention, 6) You feel that you can be control of your life, 7) You also lose a sense of self-consciousness, 8) And, finally, a sense of time is transformed. His discussion of "the zone" or the state of "Flow" is thorough, comprehensive, and clear. This is an engaging, thought-provoking, eye-opening book by a knowledgeable, educated man who offers readers a popularized examination of the intellectual bases for the concept of flow. He doesn’t use long lists of scholars, rather, he uses copious "real life" examples to illustrate the concepts he introduces — how to achieve optimal experience. This is not a "fun" read unless you like critical analysis of psychological processes, but his approach is logical, linear, and well illustrated. Once you read it, you will want to save it and re-read it from time-to-time. As an author who has experienced flow many times in his life, I can tell you that it is wonderful having this book as a mental reference for understanding the entire process.
More information at Amazon.com No obligation to buy Click below: |
by Stephen Singular
Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
This is a fascinating book. My sister lives in Kanab, Utah, as I am writing this, and I have driven past Colorado City, Utah, where much of this book takes place, so I know the area. Singular, a New York Times bestselling author, is an excellent writer. This book is educational, gripping, and detailed. Singular traces the rise to power of Warren Jeffs, self-proclaimed prophet of the fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a sect of Mormonism based in isolated southern Utah, and the effort involved that led to his downfall. Effort involved? It took law enforcement, private investigators, the Feds, and a group of former polygamous wives seeking to liberate young women from arranged marriages to bring him down. To his twenty to thirty thousand followers, Jeffs wasn’t merely their pastor but their Prophet, “the only person on earth who took orders directly from God” (p. 3). The prologue of the book discusses his final arrest, but the chapter titles alone give you a hint of the great read ahead: 1) Sex and terrorism, 2) One-man rule, 3) The resistance, 4) In the shadows of Zion, 5) Fallen prophet, 6) Outlasting the sun. In addition, there is a short epilogue and a brief afterword as well. There are no notes, bibliography, nor index. To reveal a taste of his writing style, here Singular explains benefits of polygamy from some of the women he interviewed: “Some of the women mentioned the specific psychological benefits of polygamy. Plural marriage had helped them come to terms with difficult feelings like jealousy, insecurity, competition, and thinking that they ‘owned’ their spouse. Instead of denying these complex emotions, they’d been forced to confront them in order to make their marriages work. They saw all this as a growth experience — a lifestyle that was not only tolerable, but preferable” (p. 81). This is truly an excellent book, and although you may not like the central character, the subject matter, nor the beliefs and values held by this group, the book offers a solid, well-drawn, footnote not just in the history of this country but in how people like David Koresh, Jim Jones, and Warren Jeffs are able to accomplish their feat of control. Jeffs was a reader of Hitler and Napoleon, wrested leadership from his father, discharged all those who opposed him, and maintained absolute and total control by eliminating all outside influences, thus, if you are born into that belief system, and isolated enough so that contrary views are never presented to you, it is difficult or close to impossible to get out. This is really an incredible read.
----
Through our reading, researching, and writing, And Then Some Publishing (and our extended family of readers) mine volumes of books representing a wide variety of tastes. We use the books in our writing, test and try suggested techniques, and we read for enjoyment as well. We wouldn't spend the time reviewing the books if we didn't get something out of it. Read more reviews on other fantastic books at our BookWorksRules.com website.
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