Sir Laurens spent a great deal of time with the Kalahari Bushmen, collecting their stories. For me, his extraordinary insights sum up in a few short paragraphs the essential wish that virtually all human beings harbor:

The Bushman in the Kalahari Desert talk about two “hungers.” There is the Great Hunger and there is the Little Hunger. The Little Hunger wants food for the belly; but the Great Hunger, the greatest hunger of all, is the hunger for meaning. There’s ultimately only one thing that makes human beings deeply and profoundly bitter, and that is to have thrust upon them a life without meaning.

There is nothing wrong in searching for happiness. But of far more comfort to the soul is something greater than happiness or unhappiness, and that is meaning. Because meaning transfigures all. Once what you are doing has for you meaning, it is irrelevant whether you’re happy or unhappy. You are content – you are not alone in your Spirit – you belong.

(Sir Laurens van der Post from Hasten Slowly, a film by Mickey Lemle)

As is related so eloquently, “the Great Hunger, the greatest hunger of all, is the hunger for meaning.” The Shift is an invitation—both in this book and in the film of the same name—to explore the process of moving away from an aimless life to one filled with meaning and purpose. I’ve been engaged for many years in helping people (including myself) reach their highest potential.

I have now made almost 70 trips around our sun, and the one thing that stands out very clearly is that all of us want our lives to have purpose and meaning. In this book, I elucidate what seems to be required to reach a state of conscious, enlightened awareness that nurtures a life of purpose and meaning.

When the movie that this book is derived from was first released, it was titled Ambition to Meaning, yet many people were unclear about what those words meant or what the film was about. It seems that the title was a bit misleading, perhaps indicating that I’d made a documentary or just captured one of my lectures on film.

During the inaugural national tour when the movie was introduced to select audiences, I expressed my view about the title’s confusion to the director and the executive producer. I said, “I love this movie; however, if I were doing it over, I’d give it a different title. I’d call it The Shift, because this term is referred to throughout the picture and is what has to take place for a person to move From Ambition To Meaning.” To my delight – and to the credit of the director and producer – within a week the film had a new title. Even so, this notion of From Ambition To Meaning wouldn’t go away.

As I contemplated how to present this essential message in a companion book to the movie, a deep meditation led me to use these four words as the book’s organizational format. This is precisely what you now hold in your hands (or have on your book reader).

All of us on this glorious human voyage into adulthood have to make some shifts, or transitions, during the trip. Hopefully, we will go beyond the first two mandatory ones and move on to those shifts in consciousness that lead to a life filled with purpose. Now what do I mean by this?

The first shift that we all make takes us from non-being to being; from Spirit to form; from the invisible to our corporeal world of things, boundaries, and stuff. So, the first chapter of this book is titled “From. . . .” In my own humble (and, I’m certain, imperfect) fashion, I attempt to define the undefinable using words and phrases that are mere symbols of that which defies description.

Nevertheless, it’s what I’ve come to view as what that world of invisible Spirit, from which all things originate and to which they all return, looks like. The next shift I portray is the shift from From to Ambition – thus, “Ambition . . .” is the title of Chapter 2. Ambition is the phase where we take on an ego self that is the opposite of the place of Spirit from which we came. Ego in this context is our false self.

These are two major and mandatory shifts that we undertake in this voyage of our humanness. Many of us reach the end of our life journey having only made those two transitions. Ambition, sadly, is often the end of the life story. In my film and in this book, I propose that there are two additional shifts available to all of us. When we proceed with them, the “life without meaning” that Sir Laurens referred to isn’t the end of the story. We can all choose to make the leap past the second shift of the ego-driven ambition.

The third chapter is titled “To . . . ,” signifying arriving at a place in our minds where we realize that we have an option to make a U-turn away from the false self and begin heading back in the direction of our origination – or what I’m calling our “Fromness.”

This new phase of our life journey is a return to Spirit and an invitation to the invisible Divine realm to replace ego’s dominance. We learn how to tame ego as we head To a life of meaning and purpose, nurtured by our Source of being.

The shift described in Chapter 4 is “Meaning.” As we abandon that false self and begin our return trip back to Source while we’re still alive, we live by a new set of guidelines. We discover that the laws of the material world do not necessarily apply in the presence of the Meaning that is encouraged by our shift to Source. Manifestation of miracles and newly discovered synchronicity begin to populate the landscape of life. Indeed, Meaning is what now defines all of the moments of our existence.

In my experience, unfortunately, ego’s Ambition is the final purpose of so many lives – yet there are signs we can notice that signal those two additional shifts that release us from our illusion of ego comforts. We can do an about-face and head back to the place of Spirit in a third shift. And then, in the fourth shift, we achieve a life of Meaning and purpose by rededicating our Ambition to the fulfillment of our authentic self.

We can fulfill our greatest calling when we consciously undertake the journey From Ambition To Meaning. We can transform our individual lives and, as an additional bonus, influence the destiny of our sacred planet as well.

For more information: The Shift – by Dr. Wayne Dyer

Get your free copy of my new book:
The Principles of Successful Manifesting - How to make your life dreams come true.
Click here to download

Despite this change, most people keep working at jobs that don’t make them happy and businesses continue to ignore the major marketing and public relations benefits that can be found online.

Myth #1
I’m not passionate about something sexy or popular like wine so these lessons don’t apply to me.

The internet has drastically decreased the costs of building communities around niche subjects, allowing for even the most obscure subjects to draw enough eyeballs to command advertising attention. Starting a video blog about tortilla chips may seem far fetched until Doritos gives you a call and offers 40,000 a year to sponsor and advertise on your blog.

Myth #2
My business already has a Twitter account and a Facebook page, we’re set in the social media department.

This is the equivalent of claiming twenty years ago that just because your business bought a TV spot and a few ads in the newspaper, you didn’t need to pay attention to your advertising department. Social media isn’t about joining in, it’s about being involved.

Myth #3
I’m happy at my job so this book is irrelevant to me.

First of all, congratulations on finding work that makes you happy! However, the lessons in this book are valuable to anyone, regardless of their employment status. Crush It will show you how to utilize high level and platform specific social media and marketing strategies that will improve your work. It will also show you how to build a personal brand so that even if you’re forced to leave your job, a situation that’s especially relevant today, you’ll be able to easily find employment elsewhere in a field you’re passionate about.

Myth #4
I need to quit my job to take advantage of this book’s entrepreneurial lessons.

While the entrepreneurial strategies in this book do take time, it’s completely reasonable to start the effort as an after-work project to build up until you’re able to replace your current income with the income from your online presence. While you may have to fall behind on the current season of Lost or let your Madden 2010 game suffer, because you’ll be doing something you love you won’t mind putting in the extra effort.

In Crush It, Gary Vaynerchuk shows how anyone can build a career around what they’re passionate about. He also delivers both high-level and platform specific strategy and analysis, allowing you to take advantage of the current business environment while preparing you to succeed as it changes and evolves.

This book isn’t interested in making unrealistic promises while glossing over the work involved. Making a living by building content around your passion isn’t simple and it doesn’t happen overnight. What it is, however, is fulfilling and in most cases just as profitable, if not more so, than your previous job.

Furthermore, a business can’t just pay lip service to social media and expect it to return results. The transparency and accountability inherent in its structure necessitates a comprehensive and dedicated strategy in order to reap its tremendous benefits.

By combining practical analysis and strategy with the same passion and humor that’s made Gary one of the most in demand keynote speakers in the U.S. as well as network television’s go to wine expert, Crush It is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand and harness the future of business and work.

Learn from this book:

• Why social media has evened the playing field, destroying the “gate-keepers” who had previously dictated the distribution of content.
• How to beat unemployment and create wealth-building opportunities by building and maintaining a personal brand.
• Why storytelling is the most important business concept in the current marketplace.
• How you can build an online business around your passion without quitting your day job.
• Why Twitter and Facebook are just tools and not a social media strategy.
• How to take advantage of the half-billion dollars in advertising that are moving to the internet
• Why transparency and being true to yourself are now winning marketing formulas
• How to build and maintain an online community around your passion and brand
• Strategies for turning attention into money
• Why the legacy element of the internet era is so underrated

More about this book here: http://www.crushitbook.com

Get your free copy of my new book:
The Principles of Successful Manifesting - How to make your life dreams come true.
Click here to download

Here is the problem: most of us tend to live with the delusional belief that we somehow need to change in order to be beautiful.  It usually sounds something like:

• When I lose this extra weight, then I will be attractive.
• If I can just get my abs a little more toned, then I can wear that bikini I love.
• I feel so much better after I put on my make-up in the morning.
• I looked much sexier before I had these wrinkles.
• My hair looks drab and lifeless until I get it colored.

Unfortunately, we think these stories, these lies, that we have been taught are true. We believe that we somehow need to change who we are, how we look, and what we do in order to finally be sexy, attractive, and drop-dead gorgeous.

This is a lie – an erroneous, ubiquitous, and often painful lie. The truth of the matter is that you are inherently, unconditionally, and absolutely beautiful and loveable right now, without changing a single thing.

Fortunately, very fortunately, you can expose these lies and choose to no longer live under their spell.
Ready to get started? Here are 6 simple and sure-fired ways to help you feel beautiful today:

1. Become Aware of what you are Thinking
Simply become aware of the stories you are telling yourself so that you are no longer reacting on auto-pilot. Through awareness alone, you can begin to transmute your reality and transform lies into truth. Actively acknowledge that there is no inherent truth in the belief that you need to change something about yourself in order to be attractive. Consider that you can start feeling beautiful immediately, in this moment, without changing a single thing.

2. Set an Intention to See Beauty
Setting an intention is simple: intend to create a different reality for yourself. Here are some examples:
I intend to experience my inherent beauty. Or: I intend to see my beauty and perfection at all times. Or: I intend to know I am inherently beautiful, lovable, and worthwhile.

Do you ever see your reflection in the mirror and grimace at your wrinkles, vowing to purchase the latest anti-wrinkle cream? Set an intention to find your beauty in your reflection.

Or when you undress, do you ever suck in your stomach, berating yourself for not yet losing those 5 extra pounds? Set an intention to appreciate the body that you have right now.

Do you ever go shopping for clothes and wish you were a size (or more) smaller? Set an intention to unconditionally accept your body.

Hopefully you get the idea; set an intention to see yourself through the eyes of beauty.

3. Take a “Meditation Moment”
Meditation is the mental equivalent of brushing your teeth. This means that it is an essential and indispensable daily activity designed to help rest and rejuvenate your body, cleanse your psyche, awaken your spirit, and help you live a life that you love.

Nourish yourself with instant meditation moments throughout the day. Are you waiting at the bus stop on your way to work? Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, allowing yourself to connect within.

Are you making dinner for the family? Take 30 seconds and focus on the sounds, smells, and sensations in your environment, letting them nourish your senses.

Are you in the shower, getting ready to start your day?

Turn your attention to the feeling of warm water cascading against you, gently caressing your body, and allow yourself to relax.

These meditation moments can happen anywhere, anytime – 30 to 60 seconds of closing your eyes and connecting within can make all the difference in the world.

4. Your Body is Your Best Friend
Your human body is your truest ally. Befriend it and it will serve you tirelessly.Treat it as you would a dear friend:

Feed your body with healthy food, taking the time to give it proper nourishment. Remember to exercise, and make it enjoyable. If the gym makes you cringe, opt for yoga, Pilates, dance, or good old walking. Anything to get your body moving will do wonders.

Relaxation is key. In our harried and hurried world, it is essential that you remember to relax and rejuvenate. Instead of critiquing your body for not being enough of this and for being too much of that, offer it gratitude and appreciation for it unwavering support and devotion.

5. Create Meaningful Moments
Every day is filled with countless tasks and errands: going to work, talking with friends, picking up the kids, supporting your significant other, washing dishes, going to the gym, visiting the supermarket, shopping – on and one it goes.  Remember that you can imbue each moment with meaning. It can be as simple as smiling at everyone you meet, reacting with compassion and love instead of anger, or making sure to tell your friends and loved ones how much you care about them.

6. Your Smoking Hot, Inside Out
Remember, you were born beautiful. Believing that you are unattractive is a learned habit. You can unlearn it and discover the Joy, Peace, and Love that are your natural sate and birthright!

So that is it – 6 Simple Steps. 6 simple steps to start feeling beautiful, right now, in this moment. You don’t have to go anywhere or do anything to experience the Beauty that you already are. In fact, there is nothing you can do, say, or buy that will make you any more perfect, any more beautiful, or any more desirable than you are in this very moment. Simply know this, and you will revel in your true beauty.

About the author:
Sarah Maria is the author of Love Your Body, Love Your Life. The book outlines her 5-step process for helping you feel great in and about your body and yourself. Her work embraces the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual, so that true and lasting healing can occur. Click here to purchase your copy and begin to love your body today. To learn more about Sarah Maria and her work, you can visit her website at www.sarahmaria.com and www.breakfreebeauty.com.

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The Principles of Successful Manifesting - How to make your life dreams come true.
Click here to download

If you grew up in a family that didn’t know how to cope with stress, then your gut reaction is to act the same way they did. When stress builds up, your best thinking takes a back seat. Childhood memory grabs the wheel.

It doesn’t matter that you vowed to be completely different from your parents when you grew up. When you are under duress, the old voices take over. You might even wince as you hear yourself using the exact phrase and tone that you hated as a child or teen.

The Bottom Line
The longer you wait to enjoy your life, the more you lose in the long run. No one is going to give you a bonus that extends your life, just because you worked hard and stressed out over every dilemma. You’ve only got Today, and it’s up to you what you do with it.

Excess stress brings your life to a halt and keeps you from moving forward. But you can release the brake handle and set course on an exciting and wonderful life. The power is in your hands.

You don’t have to work harder and do more. Make a seismic shift in your outlook. You can learn how to tap into the incredible power you have inside, and be contented with the life you already have.

Stress is a Reaction
But what is “stress,” and why does it seem like we have so much more of it now? Growing numbers, even schoolkids and pre-schoolers, are being treated for depression and stress-related disease. More and more people take anti-depressants and search for ways to feel better in a pill or a bottle, or with anything that distracts them from emotional pain. Substance abuse often starts with self-medicating for emotional or spiritual pain and then gets out of control.

Simply stated, stress is your body’s reaction to any outside source that threatens to harm you or make your immediate future worse….

A wasp buzzes toward you. A car speeds headlong on the wrong side of the road. The doctor frowns at your lab test results. You open a bill with the words “past due” stamped on top. Real or imagined, the threat of something bad happening is enough to get your pulse racing. Your body gears up, ready to react to danger. It’s commonly called the “fight or flight” response, from cave man days. When you don’t release that pent-up stress, anger or anxiety, it stays in your system and causes illness.

The Surefire Way to Feel Better
Want to know the secret to feeling better about your own life, even if you don’t change anything else? Being of service to others is the key to a richly satisfying and contented life. There are so many ways to help people in your family, community, country and other areas of the world, even with minimal time and money commitments.

Take a moment or two to investigate the work being done by charitable organizations and sign up to be a member. Find ways to participate, and make a difference in the lives of others. You will find that the biggest difference is how you feel about yourself.

Working in your community rewards you with seeing the results in your own backyard. It’s harder to see the results of long-term or distant help, but planting a community garden, visiting the homebound, or working with scouts can make you smile all day.

Find Energy for What You Enjoy
Picture this: you get up in the morning and look forward to the day ahead, knowing you will cope with whatever comes your way. You’ll do it with energy to spare, and at the end of the day you’ll relax with the sense of a job well done and a life well-lived.

Sound like a fantasy? Too good to be true? A fairy tale existence? Actually, it’s the way life is meant to be! I don’t believe life is supposed to be one huge struggle every day, staggering uphill with a load so heavy to carry that you can barely do more than watch your feet shuffle forward and dread the next day because it will be more of the same.

Life should be an adventure with lessons to be learned and friends to be made, with loves to cherish and memories to keep. Then why do so many of us barely get through the day without feeling exhausted? You’re overwhelmed by all the paperwork and things on your never-ending “To Do” list. It’s not just a matter of physical fatigue and a sense of not getting enough sleep. It’s a feeling of being burdened, with so little chance of relief in sight, that you trudge through life… and then wonder with dismay how you got to that many candles on the birthday cake with so little satisfaction to show for it.

Busy, Busy, Busy
Do you feel lazy if you’re not busy every minute of the day? Does worrying make you feel responsible? Do you feel a twinge of guilt if someone catches you glancing out the window when you “should” be working? Do you feel like running away from it all?

How many “yes” answers will it take for you to recognize that you need to change your life around? You must act in ways different than what you are doing now. If you’re not convinced, think about things you enjoy… and ask how long it’s been since you did them.

Or maybe your story is one of hiding from problems by going overboard in the other direction– taking trips you can’t afford, shopping for clothes you don’t need, gambling money you can’t spare, partying and bar-hopping– to dull your mind and give an impression of being “busy”… so you don’t have to think seriously about where you are and what you’ve made of your life thus far.

This is a call to action. It’s YOUR life: what do you want it to look like, at the end of the day? Maybe it’s time to get your life in better shape.

For more information visit: Forget Your Troubles Book

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The Principles of Successful Manifesting - How to make your life dreams come true.
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If you’re in the process of deciding what you want for yourself—and you’re looking for advice, guidance, and information—you may feel overwhelmed at first, but then you’ll realize that your choices are as abundant as a 100-item buffet. The sheer number of them may seem like too much to consider, but as you look more carefully, you’ll start to sort through those choices and quickly eliminate the ones that aren’t right for you.

It’s only natural that we respond to so much information and so many options by wishing for the one thing that would solve all of our problems and lead to success, fulfillment, and contentment. Life would be much simpler if there were something out there that was always guaranteed to work, but one size doesn’t fit all.

Even those handy hints you can get on the Internet or in magazines may not be appropriate for you. For example, I once came across a list of tips for losing weight that included “Never eat after 8:00 P.M.,” which would be hard to do if you had a job where you worked until 7:30. Another tip advised putting a photo of yourself at your heaviest weight on the refrigerator to discourage you from snacking . . . but I’ve also heard that you should put a photo of yourself looking your thinnest and most fit on your refrigerator for inspiration.

Contradictory advice is everywhere. The best dieting tip I probably ever heard was: “Eat less, mostly vegetables.” Wouldn’t it be great if every dilemma in life could be solved so simply? But actually, even that advice isn’t so simple. Should you cook the vegetables or eat them raw? If you eat less, does that mean less food altogether, or just fewer calories or junk foods? And shouldn’t you actually increase your intake of items that are full of nutrients and fiber? I could go on and on.

While you may crave simple answers, unfortunately they’re rare. You may be able to find some general guidance that makes sense to you, but what’s the best process for sorting through all of the overwhelming opinions and figuring out what works for you? I believe in following the three-step approach of sort, match up, and modify.

Sort Through Information and Potential Choices
The first step in sorting through huge amounts of information and potential choices is to slow down and listen to your instincts—you see, there’s a reason why you were drawn to this book and not another, and why you’re attracted to one potential romantic partner and not another. If you’re feeling good about yourself and confident that you’ll make the right choices, you’ll have less trouble with the sorting process. You’ll be able to listen to your gut and go in a certain direction instead of second-guessing yourself or calling your friends and making your decision according to what they say.

Whenever people start to tell me about all of the contradictory advice they’ve been given, I ask them to stop for a moment and listen to what their instincts say. It’s amazing how often they know what they want to do but think that they should check out all their other options. Often, this inability to separate out what is and isn’t right is rooted in negative feelings such as fear, guilt, and low self-worth. If my clients don’t trust that they can make the right decision, they’ll avoid making one at all. If they don’t feel good about themselves, they won’t honor their desires and passions, and they’ll look for the choice that they think others will approve of—but when they do, they’re likely to take the wrong road for them.

If you are trying to avoid making a decision, are overwhelmed by all the possibilities, or are longing for someone to help you simplify your thought process, stop and identify what you’re feeling. Generate positive emotions such as love, faith, and confidence; once you do, you’ll find that it’s easier to see which choices aren’t right and focus on those that suit you.

Curiosity is also a positive emotion because it opens you up to a wide range of possibilities. When you go into a large bookstore, for instance, you may feel excited about all the volumes on the shelves and tables and be eager to start checking them out. Even if the number of choices makes you feel overwhelmed and confused at first, if you listen to your gut, you’ll know what section of the store to gravitate toward and which books to pick up. Let your instinct guide you, because if you only listen to your head, you’re likely to overlook the influence of any negative subconscious beliefs, such as: People like me don’t read about stuff like that, so I’m not going to walk into that section—someone might stare at me, or I really ought to be reading books on this subject even though I’m not at all inspired to do so.

Follow your instincts whenever you’re confronted by a range of choices, and then let your mind chime in with its ideas. Decisions that are in alignment with your true self are never wrong, even if they lead to situations that cause you to learn difficult lessons. Your head and gut, working together, will help you settle on which selections are good possibilities and those that you can disregard.

Match Up Your Wealth of Choices with Your Inner Desires
The next step in creating your winning formula for fulfillment, happiness, and success is to go deeper into your self-awareness so that you can identify those values, desires, and talents of yours that can be too easily overlooked. You can’t know what choice to make unless you know what you want.

In my many years of encouraging people to achieve their goals and dream big, I’ve discovered that most have a sort of amnesia about all of the wondrous gifts they possess. For example, not long ago I had a client who was a dream to work with. He followed my suggestions by immediately acting upon his decision to achieve the next goal in his plan, and constantly thanked me for all that I was doing for him.

What he didn’t realize is that I was only pointing out to him what I perceived were his most obvious skills and talents. He had never taken the time to examine what his strengths were and hadn’t actually considered himself a hard worker, yet that was my main impression of him!

You may have noticed something similar with someone you care about, because people so often underestimate themselves. When they’re feeling scared, vulnerable, or insecure, they’ll totally forget the marvelous things they’ve accomplished, which I think is due to so many folks not receiving a lot of praise in the early stages of their lives.

You were probably scolded or criticized when you did something wrong, but how often did your parents, teachers, relatives, or older siblings congratulate you for doing something right? You may have begun to take your skills, talents, and positive characteristics for granted . . . until they eventually dropped out of your conscious perception of who you are.

Part of being reflective is taking the time to notice what you do right. Did you treat your children well as you drove them to school today? Did you handle a conflict with a peer by starting a healthy and productive dialogue? Did you use your creativity to solve a problem?

Also take note of what you’ve done in the past that was positive and admirable. What talents do you have that you’ve forgotten? I’m always fascinated to learn that someone I know has an interesting past, having triumphed over a huge challenge or mastered a valuable skill. As you identify the gifts that you’ve been overlooking, you’ll find that you’ve discovered tools you can use to achieve your personal goals.

It’s helpful to have a friend, coach, therapist, or peer who’s able to remind us of our positive qualities, since we so often only look at ourselves one way. Not long ago, my sister bought me a makeup mirror that allows me to change the lighting to see what I look like in daylight, indoors, or at night; and I can flip it over to see my face magnified five times. I never realized how much different I look when the light changes or when I’m peering closely at myself. We often aren’t even aware that the way we see ourselves is much different from the way others perceive us.

While it’s beneficial for others to remind us of our worthy characteristics, it’s also helpful for neutral parties to point out any contradictions between what we say our values are and the choices we’re making.

While this may not be easy for us to hear, it’s important that we do. We need to be as aware as possible when weighing choices—our decisions should always be made consciously so that they resonate with who we truly are.

When It’s Hard to Make a Choice
When you’re feeling panicked about making a choice, the tendency is to do it quickly so you can then relax and shift into a more peaceful state. If you approach a crisis or problem in this way, however, you’re likely to make the wrong decision. You see, you can’t access your inner wisdom until you first become calm and have faith in yourself – only then will you have an inner awareness of which path to take.

One of the reasons why we sometimes panic and come to quick conclusions is because we’re uncomfortable in the moment. Here’s an example from my own life: I don’t like the Canadian province we’re currently living in because I don’t speak the language and it’s very difficult to find a doctor here.

Denis and I have made the decision to move after Michel graduates from high school, but I’ve already been doing Internet research on neighborhoods and looking at houses for sale. I know that when we get closer to that time, we’ll find the right place; even so, I’ve been feeling particularly anxious about moving, so I keep having the urge to call up a real-estate agent and take the steps toward buying a new house now.

Fortunately, I have two good friends who know me well—whenever I call them to say, “Hey, I found a great house in Ontario and I’m thinking that maybe I should check it out just in case,” they gently remind me that this would not be in keeping with my personal, winning formula at this time in my life.

Part of me wants them to say, “You’re right, Peggy, it is a fabulous house. Forget your plans . . . I think you guys should move right now!” But then again, if they did tell me that, they wouldn’t be such great friends. I’m thankful to have people in my life who will stop me from making rash decisions by pointing out that I’m acting out of alignment with the Won Thing that’s unique to me.

Sometimes we just don’t like the choices in front of us at the moment: I don’t want to stay where I am, but I don’t want to move yet, either, because it would take Michel out of his school and away from his friends. I know that in time, circumstances will change, and I’ll have different options, but since I’m not happy with my present situation, it feels as if nothing will never happen. I know that instead of focusing on what I don’t have, I need to be aware of what I do have and feel gratitude and happiness right now.

Modify the Won Thing as Your Needs and Desires Change
The Won Thing changes over time because life changes – and so do you. In fact, modifying your winning formula according to the shifts you make on the inside – creating a new mix of elements that works for you – is something you’ll do throughout your life.

When feelings of dissatisfaction creep in, it’s a sure sign that you need to reassess your Won Thing. Maybe you’ve always loved traveling for your career but now want to settle down. Maybe you’re feeling that you’ve been too focused on fixing the problems in your life and haven’t spent enough time simply enjoying all its blessings. Or it could be that you want to devote more time to building financial wealth now or giving back to the community. If you’re aware that it’s time for a change, it’s very important to focus on creating positive feelings so that you’ll know how to adjust your personal formula for fulfillment, joy, and success.

People often become unhappy when they need to alter their Won Thing, because they’re afraid to make changes. They can become fearful and pessimistic. Unable to see the possibilities for creating better situations for themselves, they only focus on all the obstacles blocking them from happiness. Yet as soon as they create more joy, they can start to see ways around those roadblocks, since positive emotions trigger our creativity.

There are countless ways for people to use their resourcefulness to initiate opportunities for self-gratification. For example, I teach people how to make money online. The way I see it, the Internet provides limitless opportunities for using the imagination to create wealth through selling products, services, and information. The World Wide Web gives my clients access to customers all over the globe, along with all sorts of portals to help them find the ones who would be most likely to respond to their particular message or products. I see many of the Web’s possibilities because I actively choose to foster my own positive emotions, which puts me in a very creative state.

Now, I realize that it can be easy to buy into the notion that your current circumstances will never improve, but that’s simply not true. Everything changes. You must ask yourself, “Do I want to react to changes that are imposed on me or take charge and create the life I want for myself?” Keep in mind that doors open and close, but at least one of them is always open somewhere. So if one shuts on you, access your curiosity and confidence so that you can persevere in discovering a new opportunity.

You might discover that your customer base has dwindled or people’s needs have changed, you’ve relocated to an area where the circumstances for achieving your goals aren’t quite as obvious and abundant, or your financial situation has changed. All of these will affect your Won Thing, of course, but try to remain confident. Your winning formula will always be based in your core values, and sometimes you just have to take a step back and look for new openings. And be patient as you work to discover new avenues, because ideas won’t always come to you immediately.

Obviously, you’re not who you were yesterday, the day before, 5 years ago, or 20 years ago . . . and you won’t be the same in the future. Yet people tend to forget this, often fearfully locking themselves into a limiting definition of who they are and clinging to it for dear life. For instance, insisting that you’re just not the type of person who can do that offers a false sense of security. Are you sure you’re not that “type of person”? Exploring whether you may in fact have what it takes to achieve your goal is exciting and energizing if you remain in a creative state and open to possibilities.

Sometimes what you need in order to create the life you want are the skills and talents you already have but have been overlooking. Then again, what’s standing between you and the life you want may simply be fear. Change often requires you to give up something, whether big or small, although you’ll most likely gain something as a result. For example, although you might have to give up some money, time, or sense of comfort to achieve your Won Thing, think of what you’ll be creating for yourself!

Never sacrifice your deeply held dreams and values. You do not have to compromise your integrity to make money or hide who you really are in order to find a romantic partner. When you stay true to yourself and follow the process of sort, match up, and modify—always generating positive feelings and thoughts—the circumstances of your life will begin to align with your intentions.

Checking in with Your Feelings
As I conclude this chapter, I want to stress that whenever you’re trying to decide if something is in alignment with your purpose or your Won Thing, take a moment to reflect, and check in with your gut.

Do you need to change your emotional state from negative to positive? In other words, you may know exactly what to do, but perhaps you first need to build up your confidence and self-love so that you can find the courage to begin moving forward. If you’re afraid of the unexpected changes that might occur as you start to head in a different direction, reflection will allow you to discover that. For example, if you decide to change careers, go back to school, or relocate to another area, it’s going to affect some of your relationships. If you’re too afraid to explore the effects of your transitions, you’ll either move forward in denial or avoid making a change altogether.

When you’re contemplative, you become aware of your initial response to your goal and the changes you’ll be making, since your emotions are a valuable source of information. If you feel very excited, you’re probably about to embark on the right course for you. Even so, you have to keep checking in with your feelings. Are you truly excited, or are you talking yourself into being enthusiastic because you think you should be? Are you worked up but at the same time a little scared? If so, explore that feeling of fear, because sometimes it’s just a brain blip that’s rooted in an old belief. Go ahead and take a look at that belief—consciously and bravely—and don’t be surprised if it doesn’t have anything to teach you, as it could just be clutter that you need to get rid of.

Being nervous about a change doesn’t mean it’s not right for you. For example, you may decide that you need to develop a new skill in order to reach your goal and, being enthusiastic, you immediately hire someone to teach it to you. Then, once you begin your instruction, you start feeling uncomfortable because you encounter some old ideas about what you’re not good at, or the instructor is simply not the right one for you. By exploring those beliefs that are connected to your fears and insecurities, you can definitely learn something.

In fact, you might realize that the actual lesson you were supposed to glean from this experience is not what you thought. Maybe, because of your insecurities, you’re too quick to trust someone who impresses you for the wrong reasons, since you realize that the teacher you hired doesn’t know how to effectively teach what you need to learn. Thanks to this experience, you’re now very clear on what you’re looking for, and you go on to hire the perfect instructor for you. Whatever your discomfort is, consider that it might have something to teach you, because revelations and insights often arise from listening to your instincts and feelings. As long as you learn from your missteps, they weren’t taken in vain. Sometimes the wrong path leads you in the very direction you’re meant to go!

Whatever path you take, you won’t walk it alone, because you’ll always need assistance from others who support you in various ways. In the next chapter, you’ll learn how working with other people is an important part of your winning formula, your Won Thing.

Excerpt from the book The Won Thing by Peggy McColl.

For more information visit: The Won Thing

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We manifest how we live,  what we wear, what we eat, and even what our dreams are by giving them voice. Choice gives voice to our desires and, in turn, our voice expresses our choice.

The fifth chakra is connected to the throat, neck, shoulders, mouth, jaw, and teeth, as well as to the nasal sinuses, vocal chords, trachea and esophagus, cervical vertebrae, and ears. The thyroid, parathyroid, and the hypothalamus, which control the autonomic nervous system, are also located here.

When this area is out of balance, the following conditions can arise:

• TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder in the jaw
• Swollen glands in the throat, throat cancer
• Neck problems
• Chronic childhood tonsillitis
• Hypo- and hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis, thyroid cancer, Hashimoto’s, Grave’s disease
• Chronic sinus problems
• Any disorders of the throat, voice, mouth, teeth, or gums

Thyroid conditions typically arise after physical or emotional crises. The butterfly-shaped thyroid gland that sits in the front of the neck regulates the body’s metabolism. Synthetic thyroid – the primary solution allopathic medicine turns to for thyroid deficiency – is among the top three most frequently prescribed drugs in the United States.

But this “Band-Aid” approach fails to address the underlying cause. It is no coincidence, given the cultural suppression of women, that thyroid conditions are more prevalent in women than men by a ratio of five to one.
The throat is designed to keep itself clear by discharging excess energy through speech or the emission of sound.

When the throat area has distortions, issues can develop. These may include an inability to communicate effectively, an unwillingness to hear or act on guidance, or a sense of having lost the rhythm of life. Other manifestations can include an inability to receive what is given by others, a tendency to blame others for our experiences, or an urge to force things to happen.

People who are out of balance in this area may talk too much or speak in inappropriate ways. They may gossip, stutter, or have difficulty being quiet. Sometimes they are too loud. They may find it hard to put words together or have a fear of speaking, or they may be secretive, excessively shy, or tone deaf.

Throughout the generations, women have consistently lost their identities and stopped living their truth when they marry. And men and women have both denied the truth for the sake of their careers.

Looking at Rock Hudson’s life, we see that he denied his homosexuality and AIDS until right before his death. The Hollywood star system was a force to be reckoned with at the start of the 1950s, when tall, dark, and handsome Hudson started out. A star of romantic light comedies along with Doris Day, the leading man – a symbol of the charming and glamorous playboy – was virtually a prisoner of a system that could not and would not allow him to acknowledge his real self. But when he sought treatment in Paris, the rumors that he was suffering from AIDS were confirmed.

Photographs showed the once vital man to be gaunt and unrecognizable. His death in 1985 focused world attention on the AIDS virus. He became “the face of AIDS,” helping to bring the hush-hush topic out in the open. Shortly before his death, when the truth was finally out, Hudson said, “I am not happy I am sick. I am not happy I have AIDS. But if that is helping others, I can at least know my own misfortune has had some positive worth.”

His story is a common one that illustrates the cost of repressing our truth or not asking for what we need, of living in accordance with someone else’s wants – whether real or imagined. What this ultimately costs us is our happiness, our sense of connection with ourselves, our relationships with those we love, our health, and sometimes our very lives.

The fifth chakra is the bridge between the heart, traditionally thought to embody feminine values, and the head, typically believed to express masculine traits. As the center of choice, the fifth chakra is also the bridge between an individual’s inner and outer worlds. This dynamic energy center is also the seat of higher energies and pure creativity.

A healthy and balanced fifth energy system is at one with the concept of divine will. Divine will is a powerful force of spiritual energy from higher dimensions that can awaken new consciousness, bring about profound realizations, and strengthen our personal will. It aligns our personal intentions with the soul to carry out our goals and purposes.

Those with distorted and irregular fifth chakras tend to push against the river, trying to make deals with the universe to have things go their way. Many of us have been there in one way or another. Haven’t we ever wanted it “our way or the highway?” Haven’t we all ignored that still, small voice within that speaks in barely a whisper?

During my years of drinking and promiscuity, of pretense, denial, and illness, I would hear that small voice just before going to sleep or upon awakening. I would hear the voice speak from deep within me, and I would silently answer, “One day I will be free.” This was the way I put myself to sleep every night for years as a child, soothing myself without the comfort of a mother’s kiss or warm embrace.

The long process of unmasking the truth took over 20 years and much work, but I now have a self I know intimately and never want to hide from again. Finding truth is a daily process of meeting that self, checking in and talking with myself, making sure I am speaking my truth in ways that are natural and authentic. This is one way to check if you are in alignment with higher will.

Clients sometimes tell me that they think letting go of what they cannot control is an admission of failure. But for many it is exactly the opposite. Surrendering to a higher power,  or simply to the concept that forces larger than ourselves are at work in the universe, is empowering. Letting go, relinquishing our need to have it our way and allowing other options and possibilities to emerge opens us to receiving and achieving success.

Balance between voicing our desires, taking action, and allowing what is meant to happen is key here. Stop pushing . . . relax . . . allow . . . surrender.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I tend to direct and orchestrate excessively?
• What is my underlying fear?
• What would happen in this particular instance if I just relaxed and let go?

Answering these questions truthfully, without pretense, can be part of our healing.

About the author:
Deborah King, J.D., is a speaker, attorney, and author of the national bestselling book, Truth Heals: What You Hide Can Hurt You (Hay House, 2009). She is featured regularly in broadcast (she’s been on over 100 national and regional television and radio shows), online and print media (including W Magazine, USA Today and Woman’s World).

For more information visit: Truth Heals – Deborah King

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When the rules change and the status quo is gravely interrupted, it is actually a time of great opportunity for those that are not too terrified (or paralyzed) to act on it. If we give ourselves permission to follow our own hearts and inner road maps instead of waiting for a new status quo to take root, we are looking at making new rules and shattering preconceptions about what can and can not be accomplished.

The key to the time of great permission is that you can not wait for someone to give you the permission. You have to give it to yourself and claim or reclaim what you have previously declared undoable, unreachable, or ridiculous. There are no constraints when everyone else is scrambling and directionless. Chaos turns into order when someone takes charge and that someone might as well be you. As long as you can set your sights on what you are finally ready to give yourself permission to do, you can and will blaze your own trail.

Part of what keeps people from doing so is that they are still trying to re-enter their same field, grow their business in the same old ways, or beating their heads against the wall repeating old tactics that don’t work. The time of great permission is about blowing out old ways of doing things, looking to outside measures of success and getting back in touch with your own rhythm – allowing that to capture the attention of those you want to work for or serve in your own business.

One man was unemployed for over two years trying to re-enter his old field from which he was let go. His savings were almost gone when a local business owner approached him about buying his business. The change would have meant becoming the local fishmonger and owning a store in the middle of his suburban town. He could not reconcile that it was not an executive position.

He was worried about what people would think and he thought his children would be ashamed to perhaps have to downgrade to a smaller home and go back to public school. He tried to shoo the idea away but it would not dissipate. The truth was that operating his own business by his own values and standards would be something that appealed to him. After some soul searching and support from his wife and kids, he gave himself permission to make the switch to much success and, dare I say, happiness.

Another example is that of a high-level producer in the television field who could not go another day working the grueling hours of her job, when suddenly, her show was canceled. Instead of scrambling for another job, knowing she’d be lucky just to have one in this day and age, she gave herself permission for a time out. She had no idea what else she wanted to do.

As it turns out, that was not entirely true. If she dug deep enough, she knew she wanted to find her way into work as a marketing or public relations director for a non-profit organization – preferably, one that served children. It really wasn’t that hard to dig for the truth. She just had to give herself permission to say it and then do something about it. She did and is now employed in her new field. Once she committed, it only took her one month to land a job in a field where she had no connections or direct experience!

When you know who you are and what you want and then give yourself permission to go for it, circumstances such as the economy and the ‘realities’ that come with it fade into the background. In the foreground is your focus and determination to break through the status quo and when you are on target by doing something that is truly fitted to you, it’s as if there is no global, economic crisis at all.

Isn’t it time you gave yourself permission?

©2009 Laura Berman Fortgang, author of Now What: 90 Days to a New Life Direction

Author the Author:
Laura Berman Fortgang, author of Now What: 90 Days to a New Life Direction, is a pioneer in the life-coaching profession. A renowned speaker and the president and owner of InterCoach, Inc., a full-service life-coaching business that works with individuals, small businesses, and corporations, she is also the author of The Little Book on Meaning, Living Your Best Life and Take Yourself to the Top. She lives in Montclair, New Jersey.

For more information please visit www.nowwhatcoaching.com

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A dream prompts a mother to remove her baby from his crib an hour before a chandelier falls and smashes it. More than a dozen people are no-shows for choir practice for the first time ever at the moment their church explodes.

Before his patients ever call to say they’re coming to the hospital, an obgyn gets a pain in his chest signaling they’re ready to deliver. Visions of planes crashing into buildings causes a mother to cancel her family’s Disney World trip scheduled for 9/11. Are these coincidences, or is something happening that we need to pay attention to?

This is the question Dr. Larry Dossey asked himself during his first year of medical practice. He had never had any sense of knowing the future when he experienced a week of premonitions about patients, all of which came true. As a scientist and medical doctor he was taught that knowing the future wasn’t possible.

He was scared to talk about his premonitions because if he dared believe anything he was experiencing was possible – that the future could be known before it happened – then his entire education and worldview would be turned on its head. But as suddenly as the premonitions started, they stopped: “It was as if the universe, having delivered a message,” writes Dossey in the introduction, “hung up the phone. It was now my job to make sense of it — which I try to do in this book.”

More than an examination of case studies, The Power of Premonitions reveals the world of science and research that proves the human capacity for knowing the future. Experiments consistently show that human beings are as wired to know what’s coming next as we are to see, feel, hear, and think.

Dossey uses cutting-edge science to prove the value of what has long been considered the provenance of mystic charlatans and to show readers how they can cultivate their natural abilities. This is a book for the skeptical mind, but it’s also for the believer’s heart – because its author possesses the rare gift of having both.

“I’m not asking you to take anything in this book on blind faith, but to open yourself up to the possibility of premonitions and the evidence supporting them. Listen to the stories people tell. Explore the research that demonstrates our capacity to sense the future. Ponder the implications of mind outside of time.

Invite premonitions into your life and see what happens. If you do so humbly and reverently, your life will likely become more premonition-prone, and you may touch that exquisite, infinite realm to which premonitions, now as always, are a door.

Available at amazon: The Power of Premonitions

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Your assignment is to live a charmed life in the midst of people who don’t believe you can do it , and to accomplish this despite them, not to spite them.

Chances are there is at least one significant person in your life who thinks that all this charmed-life stuff is ridiculous. They may have told you to grow up, be realistic, and get with the program. Of course, it’s their program, some variation on the theme of “Very few people do anything exceptional, and you won’t be one of them.”

They might begrudge the time you spend reading books like this one and putting the suggestions you find there into practice. They may cite every time you’ve been sad or angry or things didn’t work out the way you wanted as evidence that you’re deluding yourself.

On the other hand, you could be living or working with people who are nice enough but who are convinced that they missed any chance at a charmed life a long time ago, and they don’t think much of your odds either. They may never make a discouraging remark, but their sadness and resignation are like a black hole in the next cubicle or on the other side of the bed.

The task of charming a life becomes onerous in the face of criticism and even, if you’re sensitive, in the presence of someone else’s penetrating negativity. It’s natural to want to respond by trying to explain yourself and prove your point, but that takes a pretty good talker. Negative people often lettered in debate.

You may also be tempted to downplay your dreams and keep them to yourself. This works better than arguing, but too much censorship eats away at the soul. Your assignment, then, is to live a charmed life in the midst of people who don’t believe you can do it, and to accomplish this despite them, not to spite them.

For starters, do a reality check and make sure that your actions and aspirations pass muster with your own rational mind and with the charmed-life peers and mentors who are helping you along. If they don’t, you play right into the hands of the cynics – or even make a naysayer out of a potential supporter.

For example, I know a woman who did one day’s work as a movie extra. Some assistant director mentioned that she’d done well, and that was all it took to get her to give up her job – a good one that she’d like a lot – to try to become an actress.

You have to know by now that I live on stories like “forty-twoyear-old, never had a drama class, takes up acting.” But even in my mind, “taking up acting” and “quitting the day job” are distinctly different animals. I was so shocked when she told me that I forgot to be encouraging and said instead, “You’re kidding, right?” I hurt her feelings without intending to and didn’t help at all.

Once you’re certain in your own mind that the charmed life you’re building is one that can exist in the world as we know it, you’re ready for:

A Charmed-Life Guide to Coexistence
Let others be other. Extend to those around you the same respect and the same degree of autonomy you want for yourself, even if some of these people are not yet showing them to you. Allow your family, friends, and associates the dignity of their convictions, even if theirs are light-years apart from yours. You deserve the same consideration from them, of course. If you don’t get it, rise above what they’re unable to give and respect yourself even more.

Claim your autonomy. The fact that someone holds an opinion does not mean you have to share it. You can only live your own life, hold your own beliefs, and follow your own star. There’s nothing that says you can’t be a fi ne coworker, friend, sibling, or mate, even when you and the other person choose to see something (or several things) differently.

As an autonomous being, you have every right to pursue your charmed life regardless of what anyone thinks about that. You may not want to advertise what you’re doing by making your life list the screen saver on the family computer, but if some onlooker’s opinion of what you’re doing keeps you from doing it, you’re playing into their hands and putting your autonomy out on the curb for pickup.

Refrain from trying to convert anybody. Some people turn the old saw “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” into “If you can’t beat ’em, get ’em to join you.” It doesn’t work. If you’re expecting the best and detoxing your life, it might seem that the ticket to paradise would be to get your controlling spouse or your critical sister to try it, too.

Nothing would be a bigger turnoff for them. Instead, don’t say much (or don’t say anything) about what you’re doing. Just let it work in your life, and one day this person may come to you wanting to know how to get what you’ve got.

Take your doubts elsewhere. It’s not always easy to remain positive, value yourself, honor others, and stay focused on the big picture. Sometimes you’ll fall short, and you may wonder occasionally if it’s even worth the trouble.

This is when you need to turn to an action partner or another reassuring friend. It can be tempting to want to dump your doubts on anyone within earshot, but somebody who didn’t understand what you were trying to do when it was working splendidly won’t understand when it’s going poorly, either.

Surround the person or people who don’t understand with radiant light. When people are closed-minded, jealous, or just so sad that your happiness comes at them like a slap in the face, hold them in the light. Imagine them surrounded by it and soothed by it. See the light you’re sending attaching to their own inner light. It may be down to a pilot, but it’s in there, and the reinforcements you’re sending will help it strengthen and grow.

If all else fails, get some distance. In most cases, you can create such good boundaries for yourself and live with such focus and self-containment that either the other person will make some changes or you’ll be so content within yourself that it no longer matters if they change or not.

Do everything within your power (and with the help of a Higher Power) to bring about this degree of contentment. If you’ve exhausted all avenues of advice and counsel, and you’re working or living with someone who refuses to allow you to shine your own light, you may have to get some distance.

Relationships aren’t always easy – “They’re the advanced class,” somebody told me – but getting a shot at a life on earth can’t be a slam-dunk either. Living yours the way you want and striving to reach your highest potential aren’t just little extras that are nice when you can get them. You’ve been entrusted with a precious life all your own. Although you owe those around you kindness, consideration, honesty, and respect, you owe yourself, and perhaps even your Creator, a life well lived.

For more information please visit: victoriamoran.com

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The rest of the chapter will introduce you to 18 of the most commonly used ones, along with a brief commentary about each of them. This will give you a primer before you go on to learn the Excuses Begone! method that’s detailed in the rest of the book.

Here they are, in no particular order:

1. It Will Be Difficult
While this may seem like a supportable reason, it’s clearly an excuse designed to discourage you. If you’re honest with yourself about the difficulty you’re experiencing with addiction, obesity, depression, shyness, low self-esteem, loneliness, or any other life aspect, you’ll recognize the useless suffering you’re hanging on to.

If it’s going to be difficult anyway, why not opt for some useful suffering?

Still, the fact is that you have absolutely no incontrovertible evidence that what you’d like to change is actually going to be challenging. It’s just as likely to be easy for you to change your thinking as it is to be hard.

Decades ago when I decided to give up smoking, for example, I used Excuses Begone! beliefs. It was encouraging for me to realize how much more difficult it was to smoke than not to smoke. The smoker part of me always had to have a pack of cigarettes and an ashtray within easy reach, carry matches or lighters, dispose of ashes, deal with smelly fingers and stained teeth, earn money to pay for this disgusting habit, be careful exhaling noxious fumes, cough up nicotine residue from my lungs, buy lighter fluid and flints, and on and on.

The truth was that continuing to smoke was the real difficulty, and changing my habit involved one simple thing: not smoking.

This is true for virtually all of your habits. The belief that they’re going to be hard to change is only a belief! Making something difficult in your mind before you even undertake the effort is an excuse.

Nothing in the world is difficult for those who set their mind to it, as an ancient Taoist master concluded.

2. It’s Going to Be Risky
Again, this may seem like a good reason, but if you convince yourself that something involves more risk than you’re capable of assuming or have the strength for, this is a poor excuse for not taking action. What is unquestionable here is your ability to choose your belief about the drawbacks of this endeavor.

Over the years, countless people have thanked me for taking so many risks in speaking out about what I believe so fervently. I’m always taken aback by such expressions of gratitude – I’ve never assumed that I was being courageous by speaking my mind.

Even if my opinions and statements were certain to be perceived as offensive by large numbers of people, the idea that being myself and also being willing to express my own truth involved taking a chance never occurred to me.

I don’t believe you can ever be 100 percent certain that something will be risk free. Holding back in silence out of fear of retribution or criticism could actually be the more hazardous behavior.

Speaking from the heart doesn’t always mean critical fallout; after all, about 99 percent of the time, the feedback I receive is positive and heartwarming.

The fear involved in anticipating a risk simply serves to keep you from taking action. When you convince yourself that it’s your job to avoid taking chances, you can continue your familiar habits. If you’re accustomed to playing it safe by attempting to please everyone you encounter, then you’re a victim of your own excuse making.

The point is that if you fear the opinions of others – or if you fear failure or success – then anything that you think or do will involve some risk. But if you’re willing to live from your convictions and fulfill your destiny, then what others perceive as taking chances are simply the ways you choose to elevate your life.

Even if you do believe that changing the way you think will involve risks, so what? The peace that you feel because you ignored the worry of a risk is far greater than staying stuck in a belief that is really only an excuse.

As writer Logan Pearsall Smith once noted: “What is more mortifying than to feel that you have missed the plum for want of courage to shake the tree?”

3. It Will Take a Long Time
Is this a valid reason, or an excuse not to proceed? If you wish to elevate your life, it really doesn’t matter how long it takes, does it? And this is particularly true when you’re conscious that you live your life, every single bit of it, in the present moment and only in the present moment. All you ever get is now. Every thought occurs in the present moment, and every change has a defining moment.

Often it takes something or someone outside of you to help you realize that.

An entertaining psychiatrist named Dr. Murray Banks does just that with the following little exchange between himself and a woman who has decided not to return to school because she’d be too old when she finished.

“How old would you be in five years if you got that degree by starting now?” he asks her. “Forty-nine,” she replies. “And how old will you be in five years if you don’t go back to school?” “Forty-nine,” she answers, seemingly confused . . . but with the look of one who’s become conscious of the excuses she created for not elevating her life.

However long it took you to create any self-defeating habit, you did it all one day, one moment at a time. There’s absolutely no proof that anything will take a long time, since even the idea of “a long time” is an illusion – there is only now. Make this awareness a part of your consciousness.

The Tao Te Ching reinforces this in perhaps the most famous line in that masterful work: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Elevate or move on in your life, not by thinking big and in long time periods, but with consciousness focused on the present moment.

Stay tuned for part 2 – There Will Be Family Drama…

Available now from Hayhouse: Wayne Dyer – Excuses Begone

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