1

What is the role of spirituality in living a happy, healthy, productive life? Let's look at some answers to this important question.

How much attention do you give to your spiritual side?  Now I'm not necessarily talking about participation in an organized religion, although this may be something that is important to you.  I believe spirituality can be expressed and explored in many ways. 

In my experience, people who are able to stay energetic and enthusiastic over the long haul tend to have a strong spiritual connection.  Not that they all go to church, but I've noticed that there are… >>>

Yesterday, we talked about the valuable skill of "Context Reframing" and how it can help you turn negatives into positives. Today, let's take it one step further. 

Are you locked into your behaviors - trapped and controlled by them - or are you in charge of your actions, and fully accountable for the results you get in life?  If you want to take charge, one of the most important things you can do is to learn how to interpret your experiences in ways that help and support you rather than in ways that undermine and obstruct. 

You see, every experience… >>>

Today, I'm going to tell you about "Context Reframing," a technique you can use to help shift your perspective from negative to positive. 

Our past experiences influence our ability to see what's happening in the world and to interpret it. However, there are many ways to experience a situation. One of the keys to living a successful life is to consistently interpret your experience in ways that support you in getting the results you want. 

Context Reframing is a technique that can help you do just that. It involves taking an experience that seems to be negative and imagining how… >>>

How's your education coming along? I know you are probably out of school, but I hope you haven't stopped learning. 

When I think about the people I've known, who are most fully alive, invariably, it is those who have never stopped learning who come to mind. It is also those who have developed creative strategies to keep themselves from becoming stuck in a rut, no matter how comfortable that rut may seem. 

For example, I know a retired couple who felt that their evenings at home in front of the TV were becoming dull. So, they agreed to turn off… >>>

Have you heard about the Law of Entropy? Whether you have heard of it or not, keep reading. We'll talk about how this law can help or hinder you. 

In physics, the Law of Entropy says that all systems, if left unattended, will run down. Unless new energy is supplied, every organism deteriorates. In my opinion, the same law applies to individuals and relationships. 

A marriage doesn't continue to thrive simply because two people love each other, are compatible, and get off to a fine start. You and I, no matter how good our lives seem to be, won't continue… >>>

Today, let's talk about compulsive behavior - how it starts, and how to stop it. 

Are you compulsive about anything? Maybe you can't stand to be late or you have to make the beds before you leave the house. Have you ever thought about how you got that way or asked yourself what it costs you to continue? 

Suppose, for instance, that you are compulsively punctual. You probably got that way through fear feedback. Possibly, when you were young, you were trained to be on time by scolding or spanking or humiliation. What did you learn? "I can't be late,… >>>

Do you feel that half the things you do turn out all wrong? If so, take heart, because today I'm going to tell you how to fail successfully. 

After nearly forty years in business, I consider myself highly successful. The company my wife and I started in our basement is in over 60 countries, and the education in seminars I once gave to small groups of teachers and coaches now reach millions of people every year. Many of these recipients are world leaders and corporate executives. 

But one of the reasons I am successful is the same reason that Ty… >>>

How badly do you want to succeed in life? Let's look at the importance of passion and determination in getting what you want. 

Do you know anyone who is afraid to want something very badly for fear that they may be terribly disappointed if they don't get it? Maybe you feel this way sometimes yourself. This kind of negative thinking can sabotage your efforts and create a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

Many years ago, a young man, who wanted to become a lawyer, wrote to Abraham Lincoln for advice. Lincoln replied, "If you are resolutely determined to make a lawyer of yourself,… >>>

Perhaps it is because of the shortening of daylight hours (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), but autumn seems to be a time when inner reflection comes easier to a lot of folks. I keep journals of my thoughts, ideas, new affirmations, and sayings that resonate with me. This one speaks to me every time I read it:

"We have two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak." (Native American saying) 

It reminds me of a line from a cable television movie of several years ago. The movie was set in Africa, and… >>>

There seems to have been a spate of suicides in the last few weeks, most especially in that most vulnerable of age groups, teenagers and young adults. A very talented young woman committed a very public suicide, just last week at the University of Washington. Those closest to her are still having a hard time understanding why.

The United States military is experiencing an explosion of suicides amongst personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, far beyond what has been considered "normal" in such wartime situations.  In the last few weeks, several teenagers have ended their promising young lives, as a… >>>