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	<title>Personal Growth Princess &#187; Mindfulness</title>
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	<link>http://personalgrowthprincess.com</link>
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		<title>Financial Strength &#8211; Personal Reflection</title>
		<link>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/financial-strength-personal-reflection/</link>
		<comments>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/financial-strength-personal-reflection/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 27 Feb 2011 06:43:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nina East</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Law of Attraction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mindfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Money]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://personalgrowthprincess.com/?p=2485</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you&#8217;ve read this month&#8217;s book summary on The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles, you know how important mindset it when it comes to managing your money and taking care of yourself financially. This is a lovely personal reflection to help you manage your thoughts and focus on strengthening your financial situation, regardless [...]
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you&#8217;ve read this month&#8217;s book summary on The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles, you know how i<img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-2490" title="cover" src="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/cover-259x300.png" alt="cover 259x300 Financial Strength   Personal Reflection" width="138" height="161" />mportant mindset it when it comes to managing your money and taking care of yourself financially.</p>
<p>This is a lovely personal reflection to help you manage your thoughts and focus on strengthening your financial situation, regardless of the economy.</p>
<p>Download your <a href="/docs/PersonalReflectionFinancialStrength.pdf" target="_blank">personal reflection here</a>.</p>
<p><a href="/docs/PersonalReflectionFinancialStrength.pdf" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2489" title="PersonalReflection" src="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/PersonalReflection-300x138.png" alt="PersonalReflection 300x138 Financial Strength   Personal Reflection" width="300" height="138" /></a></p>
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		<title>Riding the Universal Abundance Current</title>
		<link>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/riding-the-universal-abundance-current/</link>
		<comments>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/riding-the-universal-abundance-current/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:08:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nina East</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mindfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stress]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[abundance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[center for joyful business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Laura Howard West]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[universal abundance current]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://personalgrowthprincess.com/?p=2467</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today&#8217;s post is written by guest author Laura West, an award-winning online entrepreneur and president of The Center for Joyful Business. I&#8217;ve known Laura for years and have long admired how much she shares about herself and what she learns. ******************************** I like to think of my business and my life as flowing in the [...]
Select any category to see more posts.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Today&#8217;s post is written by guest author Laura West, an award-winning online entrepreneur and president of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://joyfulbusiness.com" target="_blank">The Center for Joyful Business</a>. I&#8217;ve known Laura for years and have long admired how much she shares about herself and what she learns.<br />
********************************</em></p>
<div  class='wp-caption alignleft' style='width:179px;'><img title="Laura Howard West" src="http://www.joyfulbusiness.com/images/Laura_West_leopard.jpg" alt="Laura West leopard Riding the Universal Abundance Current" width="179" height="184" /><p class='wp-caption-text'>Laura Howard West</p></div>
<p>I like to think of my business and my life as flowing in the Universal Abundance Current. When I am aligned, this current flows naturally and easily, full of abundance, success, and joy no matter what is coming my way.</p>
<p>But too often we find ourselves fighting against the current, paddling upstream by reacting to our circumstances, sure that if we just work hard enough and long enough that we&#8217;ll get to where we want to go… which is actually located somewhere downstream!</p>
<p>It takes a lot of effort to paddle hard, trying to fight the natural stream and “make” things happen when, where and how we want them to happen. But it takes a huge amount of trust to let go…. to surrender to the flow and trust the Universal Abundance Current.</p>
<p>Letting go. Honestly, whenever I used to I say that (and sometimes it still happens), I would shudder and roll my eyes. I felt irritable right away. I mean, how in the heck do you “let go” anyway? If I let go of my “hard work”… then what will happen? I may lose everything I’ve worked so hard for.</p>
<p>The dichotomy is that if you can let go forcing and resisting and allow the current take you where the energy is naturally evolving, you’ll get to where you want to go without struggle, and it will probably be even more fantastic than you imagined.</p>
<p>How do you let yourself trust the UAC?</p>
<p><span style="color: #330099;"><strong>Here are four simple tips to help you feel into the current and trust your letting go.</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>1. Feel into the Flow</strong>. Notice what is moving. What opportunities are in front of you? Where is the energy stuck?</p>
<p><strong>2. Stop Resisting and Forcing Your Will.</strong> Trying to push your way through is a short term strategy and often doesn’t work. Stop trying to force a project into form when it’s obviously not ready or getting impatient that a certain milestone isn’t happening on “your” timeline.</p>
<p><strong>3. Trust the Process. </strong>For most of us it scares us to let go and trust. We are trained to have deadlines and to stick to our deadlines no matter what. If you’ll allow yourself to trust, amazing opportunities will arise when you relax and trust.</p>
<p><strong>4. Swim Downstream.</strong> You don’t just surrender and sit still. You take the inspired actions that are in front of you. Actions that are in alignment with the flow of energy, opportunities and feedback.</p>
<p>It’s time for you to tap into the Universal Abundance Current. Anytime you are starting a new project, feel stuck or notice that you are not having fun because you are trying to force an outcome, surrender (yes!), let go, and flow into the Universal Abundance Current.</p>
<p><em>Written by Laura Howard West, Center for Joyful Business, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.joyfulbusiness.com/" target="_blank">www.joyfulbusiness.com</a>. ©Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Used with permission.</em></p>
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		<title>Quieting Your Mind&#8230;</title>
		<link>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/quieting-your-mind/</link>
		<comments>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/quieting-your-mind/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:52:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nina East</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mindfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Positive Thinking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stress]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meditation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://personalgrowthprincess.com/?p=2454</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For millennia, people have sought methods to quiet their minds. Meditation and mindfulness have become very popular. But long before modern technology introduced new distractions into our lives, humans have pursued inner peace. If you&#8217;re seeking a method to quiet your mind and achieve inner peace, these four ancient techniques have proven effective even by [...]
Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/your-mind-is-not-your-friend/' rel='bookmark' title='Your mind is not your friend'>Your mind is not your friend</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-law-of-exposure/' rel='bookmark' title='The Law of Exposure &#8211; use your mind to achieve your goals [video]'>The Law of Exposure &#8211; use your mind to achieve your goals [video]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-trophy-effect-you-are-not-your-mind-55-minutes-that-will-change-your-life/' rel='bookmark' title='The Trophy Effect:  You are not your mind &#8211; 55 minutes that will change your Life!'>The Trophy Effect:  You are not your mind &#8211; 55 minutes that will change your Life!</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/letting-go-quotes-for-the-soul-and-mindfulness/' rel='bookmark' title='Letting Go &#8211; quotes for the soul and mindfulness'>Letting Go &#8211; quotes for the soul and mindfulness</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>For millennia, people have sought methods to quiet their minds. Meditation and <a href="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/category/self-help-topics/mindfulness/">mindfulness </a>have become very popular. But long before modern technology introduced new distractions into our lives, humans have pursued inner peace. If you&#8217;re seeking a method to quiet your mind and achieve inner peace, these four ancient techniques have proven effective even by today&#8217;s standards.</p>
<h2>Practice Meditation</h2>
<p><strong>1.    Practice breathing meditation.</strong> Breathing meditation is a simple and effective method for calming your mind. Start by finding a comfortable and quiet place where you can sit and observe your breath. With practice, you&#8217;ll be able to meditate longer periods or place your mind on your breath in any surroundings. Remember, meditation is a &#8220;practice&#8221;. That means you don&#8217;t have to do it perfectly &#8211; in fact, trying to do it perfectly actually gets in the way.</p>
<p><strong>2.    Develop single-pointed concentration.</strong> For many people it is difficult to slow your mind down. You&#8217;re constantly thinking about the things you need to take care of, what&#8217;s not finished yet, etc. Not only are these thoughts stressful and draining over time, they make it difficult to slow your mind down enough to experience the Quiet. Consider using something to help you focus. Train your mind to rest upon your object of meditation whether it&#8217;s a candle or a spoken mantra. Note any distracting thoughts but let them float on by. The practice of meditation is that you notice these thoughts and let them go, not that you prevent yourself from having them to begin with. Bring your mind back to your chosen object.</p>
<p><strong>3.    Learn to visualize.</strong> Select images that promote happiness and serenity. Perhaps you may want to picture snow-capped mountains or sheep grazing in a meadow. If you don&#8217;t have a favorite image in mind, take a look at the photos at <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.istockphoto.com/" target="_blank">iStockPhoto</a> or <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gettyimages.com/" target="_blank">Getty Images</a>. You can use search terms to help you narrow down the images.</p>
<p>Here are two of my favorites:</p>
<p><img class="size-medium wp-image-2455 alignnone" style="border: 0pt none; margin: 5px;" title="Captiva Beach Chairs II" src="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/beachchairs-300x227.jpg" alt="beachchairs 300x227 Quieting Your Mind..." width="184" height="139" /></p>
<p><img class="size-full wp-image-2457 alignnone" style="border: 0pt none; margin: 5px;" title="forest-fairytale3" src="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/forest-fairytale3.png" alt="forest fairytale3 Quieting Your Mind..." width="434" height="102" /></p>
<p><strong>4.    Focus on positive thoughts.</strong> If your meditation is part of a spiritual practice, you can follow the prayers taught in your tradition. Alternatively, you can soothe your mind by repeating any thought or quote that is meaningful for you.</p>
<h2>Use the Soothing Qualities of Water</h2>
<p><strong>1.    Take a bath.</strong> Cultures all over the world have long appreciated the calming effects of water. A simple warm bath can soothe your nerves. Rest your head on a bath pillow and add some comforting scents like sandalwood or lavender. Turn the lights down low and play soft music.</p>
<p><strong>2.    Surround yourself with the sound of water. </strong>Eat your lunch by a park fountain or install a solar device in your own backyard. You can find recordings of waterfalls online or get a CD with aquatic effects that you can play anywhere you go.</p>
<h2>Get Back to Nature</h2>
<p><strong>1.    Go for a walk.</strong> In some eras, it was common for people to go on long retreats into the wilderness. When I was in South Korea, every morning people would take a slow walk to the top of a mountain &#8211; a sort of walking meditation. Even a short break can do wonders to restore your peace of mind. Visit your local state park or take a quiet walk around your neighborhood. If you work indoors all week, use the weekend to explore scenic trails for biking and hiking.</p>
<p><strong>2.    Cultivate a garden.</strong> Gardening is a great way to slow down and appreciate nature. Devote a section of your backyard to growing flowers and vegetables. If you live in an apartment setting, select plants that will flourish indoors or on a balcony, like some species of palm trees and herbs.</p>
<p><strong>3.    Spend time with animals. </strong>Spending time with animals is so therapeutic it&#8217;s even been proven to help people recover from surgery faster. Take your dog for a walk. Watch your cat at play. Sign up for horseback riding lessons. Or volunteer at an animal shelter!</p>
<h2>Live in the Present Moment</h2>
<p><strong>1.    Put the past behind you.</strong> Dwelling on the past can make it difficult to feel composed. If you&#8217;re thinking about past misfortunes, decide if you&#8217;d rather devote your energy to more constructive activities.</p>
<p><strong>2.    Adopt a positive view towards the future.</strong> The future always carries some uncertainty. Focus on creating causes for a better future and patiently accepting whatever outcomes arise.</p>
<p><strong>3.    Enjoy the present moment.</strong> Give your full attention to what is happening now. Take advantage of the opportunities before you and delight in the good things that surround you. Steer your mind towards wholesome thoughts and actions. Engage fully with the people who share your life.</p>
<p>What other techniques do you use to quiet your mind?</p>
<p>Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/your-mind-is-not-your-friend/' rel='bookmark' title='Your mind is not your friend'>Your mind is not your friend</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-law-of-exposure/' rel='bookmark' title='The Law of Exposure &#8211; use your mind to achieve your goals [video]'>The Law of Exposure &#8211; use your mind to achieve your goals [video]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-trophy-effect-you-are-not-your-mind-55-minutes-that-will-change-your-life/' rel='bookmark' title='The Trophy Effect:  You are not your mind &#8211; 55 minutes that will change your Life!'>The Trophy Effect:  You are not your mind &#8211; 55 minutes that will change your Life!</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/letting-go-quotes-for-the-soul-and-mindfulness/' rel='bookmark' title='Letting Go &#8211; quotes for the soul and mindfulness'>Letting Go &#8211; quotes for the soul and mindfulness</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>5 Reasons to Live in the Now</title>
		<link>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/5-reasons-to-live-in-the-now/</link>
		<comments>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/5-reasons-to-live-in-the-now/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 Dec 2010 17:55:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nina East</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Inspiration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mindfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[being present]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[power of now]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[As personal growth enthusiasts, we spend a lot of time thinking about and preparing for the future. Yes, we intend to live in the here and now, but it&#8217;s easy to get caught up in planning your future. Planning for a secure and happy future is an important undertaking, but too much attention to a [...]
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<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/michael-beckwith-anxiety/' rel='bookmark' title='Worry Less, Live More &#8211; Michael Beckwith&#8217;s ideas on anxiety'>Worry Less, Live More &#8211; Michael Beckwith&#8217;s ideas on anxiety</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/missing-the-moment-another-mindfulness-quote/' rel='bookmark' title='Missing the moment &#8211; another mindfulness quote'>Missing the moment &#8211; another mindfulness quote</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As personal growth enthusiasts, we spend a lot of time thinking about and preparing for the future. Yes, we <em>intend </em>to live in the here and now, but it&#8217;s easy to get caught up in planning your future. Planning for a secure and happy future is an important undertaking, but too much attention to a time that is yet to come can greatly inhibit your ability to focus on the here and now.</p>
<p>One of my favorite quotes on this subject comes from Abraham Hicks:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #330099;"><strong>&#8220;Satisfied with what is and eager for more &#8211; a perfect recipe.&#8221;</strong></span></p>
<p>Right now, at this very moment, you can begin to enjoy your everyday life that is currently flashing unnoticed right before your eyes. There&#8217;s something beautiful about letting the future come naturally and living joyfully and willingly in the present moment!</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re having a hard time letting go long enough to be fully present in the moment,<strong> consider these five reasons that you should start living in the here and now: </strong></p>
<p>1.      <strong>Each day, you grow older.</strong> Yep &#8211; happens for all of us. Each day of your life has the ability to be monumental, but each day only happens once. <strong><em>Every moment of every day, you&#8217;re given a chance to make a lasting memory. </em></strong>Create a memory that you&#8217;ll be proud to share.</p>
<ul>
<li>Your fate is up to you. If you’re concerned about the future, <strong><em><span id="more-2380"></span>you can start paving the road for it today</em></strong>. That road starts by living your life to the fullest degree at this very moment so you feel fulfilled in the years to come.</li>
</ul>
<p>2.      <strong>You replace worry with contentment.</strong> With the future comes uncertainty. However, by focusing on today and what you can and are doing, rather than stressing about tomorrow, you&#8217;ll inherently stop worrying about what&#8217;s to come and focus on enjoying your reality.</p>
<p>3.      <strong>You get to know yourself.</strong> Your wants, needs, and interests are constantly evolving. You already know that &#8211; that&#8217;s why you&#8217;re here on this site. But did you know that taking time to slow down and be present is one of the best ways to get to know yourself better? If you&#8217;re wrapped up in planning for tomorrow, you may never truly get to know the person you are today.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><em>By defining yourself in the here and now, you&#8217;re able to truly figure out what you want.</em></strong> It&#8217;s common to be so deep into nurturing a plan for the future that you&#8217;ve created years ago without realizing that it&#8217;s far different than your ideal life.</li>
</ul>
<p>4.      <strong>You spend more time with your loved ones.</strong> If you&#8217;re a parent, you know better than anyone that those precious moments disappear in a blink of an eye. <strong><em>One moment, you&#8217;re changing your first diaper. The next, you&#8217;re watching your children forge ahead on their own.</em></strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Spending time with your children is obviously important, but devoting time to your spouse is even more so. When you do, you nurture your marital relationship to ensure that your significant other is feeling loved and cared for, which in turn, helps your children to feel that love as well.</li>
</ul>
<p>5.      <strong>You experience all life has to offer.</strong> You only have one life to live. It&#8217;s important to maximize every moment by experiencing each moment to its fullest.<strong><em> Take advantage of the youth you have on your side now, before it&#8217;s too late to do it later. </em></strong></p>
<ul>
<li>This is the time to be spontaneous. Take your family to a random, weekend vacation. Surprise your spouse with an adventurous trip on a hot air balloon or go kayaking with your friends. These are memories you&#8217;ll cherish for a lifetime!</li>
</ul>
<p>Life is beautiful! It&#8217;s joyous and full of abundance. So many meaningful things happen in your everyday existence. However, <strong>if your mind is trapped in the future, ignoring what&#8217;s happening here and now, all of these events will slip by before you&#8217;re even able to notice that they&#8217;re gone. </strong>Live in the now!</p>
<p>What strategies or techniques do you have for staying Present? Share by leaving a comment below</p>
<p>Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/michael-beckwith-anxiety/' rel='bookmark' title='Worry Less, Live More &#8211; Michael Beckwith&#8217;s ideas on anxiety'>Worry Less, Live More &#8211; Michael Beckwith&#8217;s ideas on anxiety</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/missing-the-moment-another-mindfulness-quote/' rel='bookmark' title='Missing the moment &#8211; another mindfulness quote'>Missing the moment &#8211; another mindfulness quote</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Persistence Pays &#8211; December self-help book summary &amp; bonus content now available</title>
		<link>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/persistence-pays-december-self-help-book-summary-bonus-content-now-available/</link>
		<comments>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/persistence-pays-december-self-help-book-summary-bonus-content-now-available/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Dec 2010 11:41:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nina East</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Announcements]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mindfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[follow through]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lori Raudnask]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Persistence Pays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[self-help book summary]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[All new December content is now available in the Members-Only Area. This month&#8217;s featured book summary is the very popular Persistence Pays: How getting what you want is easier than you think, by Lori Raudnask. As we approach the end of the year, inevitably we turn to thinking about our accomplishments and failures&#8230;as well as [...]
Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/six-styles-of-procrastination-january-self-help-summary-bonus-content-now-available/' rel='bookmark' title='Six Styles of Procrastination &#8211; January self-help summary &amp; bonus content now available'>Six Styles of Procrastination &#8211; January self-help summary &#038; bonus content now available</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-truth-about-persistence/' rel='bookmark' title='The Truth About Persistence'>The Truth About Persistence</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-science-of-getting-rich-%e2%80%93-february-self-help-summary-bonus-content-now-available/' rel='bookmark' title='The Science of Getting Rich – February self-help summary &amp; bonus content now available'>The Science of Getting Rich – February self-help summary &#038; bonus content now available</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/new-book-summary-content-added-for-july/' rel='bookmark' title='New Self-Help Book Summary &amp; Content Added for July'>New Self-Help Book Summary &#038; Content Added for July</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>All new December content is now available in the <a href="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/members">Members-Only Area</a>.</h3>
<p><strong>This month&#8217;s featured book summary is the very popular <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978441559?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=persgrowprin-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0978441559" target="_blank"><em>Persistence Pays: How getting what you want is easier than you think</em></a>, by Lori Raudnask.</strong></p>
<p><strong><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978441559?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=persgrowprin-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0978441559" target="_blank"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-2352" style="margin: 5px;" title="persistencecover" src="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/persistencecover.jpg" alt="persistencecover Persistence Pays   December self help book summary & bonus content now available" width="180" height="278" /></a></strong>As we approach the end of the year, inevitably we turn to thinking about our accomplishments and failures&#8230;as well as the soon-to-come New Year&#8217;s Resolutions.</p>
<p><strong><em>Persistence Pays</em></strong> is the perfect resource for this annual journey.</p>
<p>When it comes down to it, most of us know what we want. And we know the actions we can (&#8220;should&#8221;) be taking to move us toward it, but we just don&#8217;t follow-through on a consistent basis.</p>
<p>That&#8217;s where Persistence comes in. In her interview, Lori Raudnask shares stories and experiences she has never shared with a group before. It&#8217;s these experiences that help you understand why persistence has become so important to her, and how you can tap into your own natural ways of persistence.<br />
(As always, you can listen to the interview, or read the transcript &#8211; all in your members area.)</p>
<p>The book was originally written for sales people, to help them with their persistence, but it has quickly become a guidebook for anyone wanting to up-level their own persistence-ability. Ultimately, after all, the biggest sale you have to make is the one you make to yourself.</p>
<p><strong>When you read the book summary, you will gain access to Lori&#8217;s strength in persistence as well as:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>know the three elements of persistence</strong></li>
<li><strong>understand how the learning can be greater than the experience</strong></li>
<li><strong>know thekeys to adopting persistence</strong></li>
<li><strong>have a whole new perspective on being &#8220;relentless&#8221;</strong></li>
<li><strong>and understand why taking action QUICKLY is important to building persistence.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>Included in this month&#8217;s material are two bonus items:</p>
<ol>
<li>a resource on <strong>Effortless Follow-Through</strong> (the BEST way to do follow-through, yes?)</li>
<li>and a <strong>worksheet to assess your environment</strong> to see how and where it is set up to support you in following through effortlessly, and where you need to make some changes so you don&#8217;t have to rely on willpower so much.</li>
</ol>
<p>****</p>
<p>Want a copy of the book summary and the Vision Workshop Workbook but  aren’t a member? That’s easily remedied! <img src='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt="icon smile Persistence Pays   December self help book summary & bonus content now available" class='wp-smiley' title="Persistence Pays   December self help book summary & bonus content now available" /> </p>
<p>Simply go to the <a href="../join/">Join page</a> and register. You’ll receive IMMEDIATE access to all the resources and  tools, as well as be enrolled as a Founding Princess, which means your  registration rate at this level is locked in for life, plus you will  receive an autographed copy of the best-seller <em>The Think Big Manifesto</em> by our own honorary princess, Michael Port.</p>
<p>*Plus you’ll also receive a very special Princess Welcome Basket –  but you’ll have to wait until you get it to see the surprise. <img src='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt="icon wink Persistence Pays   December self help book summary & bonus content now available" class='wp-smiley' title="Persistence Pays   December self help book summary & bonus content now available" /> </p>
<p>Remember, just click on the <a href="../join/">Join page</a> and it’s just 1-2-3 and a princess you will be!</p>
<p>Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/six-styles-of-procrastination-january-self-help-summary-bonus-content-now-available/' rel='bookmark' title='Six Styles of Procrastination &#8211; January self-help summary &amp; bonus content now available'>Six Styles of Procrastination &#8211; January self-help summary &#038; bonus content now available</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-truth-about-persistence/' rel='bookmark' title='The Truth About Persistence'>The Truth About Persistence</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-science-of-getting-rich-%e2%80%93-february-self-help-summary-bonus-content-now-available/' rel='bookmark' title='The Science of Getting Rich – February self-help summary &amp; bonus content now available'>The Science of Getting Rich – February self-help summary &#038; bonus content now available</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/new-book-summary-content-added-for-july/' rel='bookmark' title='New Self-Help Book Summary &amp; Content Added for July'>New Self-Help Book Summary &#038; Content Added for July</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The Checklist Manifesto &#8211; how to get things right [book review]</title>
		<link>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-checklist-manifesto/</link>
		<comments>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-checklist-manifesto/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:35:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nina East</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[5-Minute Book Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mindfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SendOutCards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Time Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Atul Gawande]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[getting things done]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal growth princess]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sendoutcards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the checklist manifesto]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://personalgrowthprincess.com/?p=2306</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Are you a list maker? If so, you already know how helpful &#8211; as well as how distracting &#8211; they can be. If you aren&#8217;t a list maker, chances are you think they are a waste of time at best, and the sign of an empty life at worst. I admit it &#8211; I&#8217;m a [...]
Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-tipping-point-how-little-things-can-make-a-big-difference-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='The Tipping Point &#8211; How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference [Book Review]'>The Tipping Point &#8211; How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference [Book Review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/science-of-making-things-happen/' rel='bookmark' title='What the Dynamic Opportunity Model has to do with the Science of Making Things Happen'>What the Dynamic Opportunity Model has to do with the Science of Making Things Happen</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/you-are-a-spirit-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='You Are A Spirit [Book Review]'>You Are A Spirit [Book Review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/do-more-great-work-michael-bungay-stanier-video-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='Do More Great Work &#8211; Michael Bungay Stanier [video] [Book Review]'>Do More Great Work &#8211; Michael Bungay Stanier [video] [Book Review]</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Are you a list maker? If so, you already know how helpful &#8211; as well as how distracting &#8211; they can be. If you aren&#8217;t a list maker, chances are you think they are a waste of time at best, and the sign of an empty life at worst.</p>
<p>I admit it &#8211; I&#8217;m a list maker. I&#8217;ve even been known to add something to my list that I just completed, just for the pleasure I get from marking it off. That&#8217;s a perfect example of how lists can become distracting.</p>
<p>Of course, that&#8217;s not the kind of list Atul Gawande is talking about in <strong><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805091742?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=persgrowprin-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0805091742" target="_blank"><em>The Checklist Manifesto &#8211; How To Get Things Right</em></a></strong>. A &#8220;checklist&#8221; is not the same thing as a &#8220;to do&#8221; list. A checklist is used for routine or repetitive tasks, where getting it right makes a difference.</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805091742?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=persgrowprin-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0805091742" target="_blank"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-2320" title="checklistmanifesto" src="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/checklistmanifesto1.jpg" alt="checklistmanifesto1 The Checklist Manifesto   how to get things right [book review]" width="157" height="234" /></a><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805091742?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=persgrowprin-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0805091742" target="_blank">The Checklist Manifesto</a></em> is a scientific examination of how checklists can help. Gawande is a surgeon, so he was looking specifically at how using checklists for medical procedures or processes could make a difference in terms of accuracy and care. He shares some rather remarkable statistics &#8211; such as how implementing a checklist for one routine procedure in one hospital reduced infection rates from 11% to 0%, saving 8 lives and $2 million in costs.</p>
<p>OK, so it makes sense to use checklists in order to get things right when you&#8217;re talking about people&#8217;s lives, right? You can see how it would be helpful to use them in medicine, fire prevention, airline pre-flight checks, etc. <strong></strong></p>
<p><strong>But what about for regular people living regular lives? Can using checklists actually make enough of a difference to matter? Are there really noticeable benefits to using checklists?<span id="more-2306"></span></strong></p>
<p>Think about how much you have to keep track of every day &#8211; from your personal life to work (or even running a business). &#8220;Know-how is often unmanageable,&#8221; Gawande says. We know so much, have so much information, that even if we have a great deal of practice with something, things can slip.</p>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #330099;"><strong>&#8220;The volume and complexity of what we know has exceeded our individual ability<br />
to deliver its benefits correctly, safely or reliably.&#8221;</strong></span></p>
</blockquote>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">G</span>awande doesn&#8217;t state this outright in the book, but <strong>using checklists  can reduce stress</strong>. If you don&#8217;t have to keep track of something in your  mind, how much brain power or mental &#8220;bandwidth&#8221; does that free up for  focusing on what really matters? In this world of more information, more  overwhelm, it&#8217;s helpful to use tools that can let you breathe more  easily.</p>
<p>Honestly, some things are too complex, or too important, to be left to the memory of one person. Sure, you may have done the &#8220;task&#8221; a hundred times yourself, but does that mean you always remember every step? What if someone had to step in and do it for you? Would they know how? Would they get it right the first time, or end up using extra time because they have to do it over?</p>
<p>I started using checklists when I was a university administrator. We used them for events, hiring speakers, hiring staff, running an entire Freshman Orientation program, etc. Using the checklist meant we didn&#8217;t have to worry about whether someone did what they were supposed to. Not only did using them save untold amounts of stress, having a high quality checklist for the Freshman Orientation program meant the entire program went off without a hitch even when the key staff member left right before hand. That saved time and stress, as well as many thousands of dollars.</p>
<p><strong>We use checklists everyday at PersonalGrowthPrincess.com</strong>. We have checklists for steps to follow when contacting and following up with authors, preparing for interviews, crafting book summaries, welcoming new members, renewing members, etc.</p>
<p>For example, when a new annual member joins Personal Growth Princess, they receive a welcome basket. The basket consists of a number of delightful gifts, and is prepared in a very specific way. Why? Because I want members to know they matter to us, and I want to be able to focus on the delight and joy included in each gift, not stress over whether it is being sent out on time or if everything was included.</p>
<p>The welcome basket checklist helps us make sure the baskets go out on time with everything included. We even get as specific as indicating the length of ribbon that is used in wrapping the gifts. While that may sound a bit over the top, consider how much simpler it is to just cut 24 inches of ribbon each time and know it will come out perfectly, rather than guessing and estimating and ending up with either not enough ribbon to make it work, or wasting tons of extra ribbon. Both of those outcomes ultimately driving up the expenses, which frankly, is something I don&#8217;t even want to be thinking about when I&#8217;m sending something for the purpose of delighting you! If I don&#8217;t have to think about how long the ribbon should be, I can put my focus on other things that do matter &#8211; such as the personal note that is enclosed with each gift. By using the checklists, I have confidence it is getting done correctly, and I can focus on creating more meaning.</p>
<p><strong>So how can checklists help you?</strong></p>
<p>Think about the activities you do that are repetitive but that you have to think about. For example, washing the dishes probably doesn&#8217;t require a checklist &#8211; unless you are teaching your teenage kids how to do it, of course. In which case, a checklist would be super handy, and possibly a mother-child relationship saver!</p>
<p>Do you travel? If so, are there certain things you know you need to take every time? I used to travel every weekend to lead seminars for a college planning seminar. While I traveled every weekend, invariably I would end up forgetting something critical &#8211; such as the extra pair of pantyhose I forgot to replace after using the spare pair on the last trip. (When I was growing up my family went camping a lot. My parents had a camping checklist posted on the refrigerator &#8211; a strategy that was developed after numerous episodes of getting a couple of miles down the road only to realize we had forgotten some critical item.)</p>
<p>Are there places in your life where having a checklist would be a good strategy? Where having a checklist would allow you to catch errors, be more efficient, be more effective, help people feel more cared for because you remembered to connect with them?</p>
<p>Party planning? Volunteer work? Your own personal growth?</p>
<p>If you want the ultimate in checklists that help you show people you care, take a look at <a href="http://personalgrowthcards.com" target="_blank">PersonalGrowthCards.com</a>. This is a very cool service that allows you to send a heartfelt greeting card, written in your own handwriting &#8211; yet all handled online -  to someone anytime you get the prompting. You know what I mean&#8230;you&#8217;re driving down the road and someone pops in your mind and you think &#8220;I should get in touch with that person.&#8221; Or you hear someone was having a bad day and you want to do something sweet to brighten their day. It&#8217;s easy to send a gift or a card that can touch someone deeply, without requiring all the effort (and expense) of driving to the card store, picking out the card, buying the stamp, then writing it and getting it to the post office.</p>
<p>What&#8217;s the checklist part of it? The fact that you have an immediately accessible way to go from idea to card sent without having to drive anywhere&#8230;specific steps that are super easy to understand. The other checklist part of it? You can create triggers in the system to prompt you to send cards to certain people on certain dates. It&#8217;s a way of making sure you do what matters, even when your inclination is to forget about it.</p>
<p>So I&#8217;m curious. How do you use checklists in your life or your business? Where are they most effective? Have you ever changed a checklist? If so, how and why? <em>Leave a comment below and share!</em></p>
<p>Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-tipping-point-how-little-things-can-make-a-big-difference-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='The Tipping Point &#8211; How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference [Book Review]'>The Tipping Point &#8211; How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference [Book Review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/science-of-making-things-happen/' rel='bookmark' title='What the Dynamic Opportunity Model has to do with the Science of Making Things Happen'>What the Dynamic Opportunity Model has to do with the Science of Making Things Happen</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/you-are-a-spirit-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='You Are A Spirit [Book Review]'>You Are A Spirit [Book Review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/do-more-great-work-michael-bungay-stanier-video-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='Do More Great Work &#8211; Michael Bungay Stanier [video] [Book Review]'>Do More Great Work &#8211; Michael Bungay Stanier [video] [Book Review]</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The Trophy Effect:  You are not your mind &#8211; 55 minutes that will change your Life!</title>
		<link>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-trophy-effect-you-are-not-your-mind-55-minutes-that-will-change-your-life/</link>
		<comments>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-trophy-effect-you-are-not-your-mind-55-minutes-that-will-change-your-life/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:15:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nina East</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Announcements]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Audio-Video Programs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Confidence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mindfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Nitti]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Think Big Manifesto]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the trophy effect]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://personalgrowthprincess.com/?p=2193</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last month&#8217;s self-help book summary was on The Trophy Effect: Destroying Self-Doubt, Discovering Your True Self, &#38; Taking Control of Your Life Forever by Michael Nitti. (If you haven&#8217;t had a chance to read the book summary, it will be available for 2 more weeks in the members only area.) Michael Nitti is making it [...]
Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/trophy-effect-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='The Trophy Effect [Book Review]'>The Trophy Effect [Book Review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/change-your-life-today/' rel='bookmark' title='Change Your Life Today: No Cost Ways to Uplevel Your Life'>Change Your Life Today: No Cost Ways to Uplevel Your Life</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/new-book-summary-content-added-for-july/' rel='bookmark' title='New Self-Help Book Summary &amp; Content Added for July'>New Self-Help Book Summary &#038; Content Added for July</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/limiting-beliefs-how-do-you-change-them/' rel='bookmark' title='Limiting Beliefs &#8211; how do you change them?'>Limiting Beliefs &#8211; how do you change them?</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/098257553X?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=persgrowprin-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=098257553X" target="_blank"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1775" style="border: 0pt none; margin: 5px;" title="Trophycover" src="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Trophycover.jpeg" alt=" The Trophy Effect:  You are not your mind   55 minutes that will change your Life!" width="121" height="169" /></a>Last month&#8217;s <a href="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/members/">self-help book summary</a> was on <strong><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/098257553X?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=persgrowprin-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=098257553X">The Trophy Effect: Destroying Self-Doubt, Discovering Your True Self, &amp; Taking Control of Your Life Forever</a> </strong>by Michael Nitti.<br />
(If you haven&#8217;t had a chance to read the book summary, it will be available for 2 more weeks in the members only area.)</p>
<p>Michael Nitti is making it easy for you to get the Trophy Effect experience first-hand. You may remember me talking about the individual Trophy Effect coaching session I had with Michael. It was powerful in that it provided such  a simple reframe &#8211; that resulted in an overwhelming shift. I continue to use the lessons from the Trophy Effect &#8211; sometimes laughing at myself for the silly traps I get myself into.</p>
<p>Michael is offering a teleclass on The Trophy Effect &#8211; this time for free. He says this will likely be the last time it is free. My guess is that after hitting the best-seller list, and handling the swell of coaching clients at the Anthony Robbins Companies that have flowed in since the launch of the new television series, he isn&#8217;t going to have a lot of time in the future for doing a lot of &#8220;freebies&#8221;.</p>
<p>During this transformational teleseminar, Michael will be leading you on an extremely revealing (and entertaining) tour of your own mind, where you will not only observe first-hand the source of that “little voice” that seems to thwart your every intention, but will actually learn how to over-ride it every time! In less than an hour, you will discover how to break free of all your fears and to move toward your future with clarity and purpose.  After the seminar, you will be provided with access to an amazing series of Exercises (also free), which will empower (and condition) you to live “intentionally” rather than “in reaction” to your circumstances; resulting in a greater sense of freedom, connectedness, and joy!</p>
<p><strong>I highly recommend registering for the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.intentionquest.com/21.html " target="_blank">teleclass</a> which will be held on Thursday, August 26th,  6pm Pacific time (7pm Mountain,  8pm Central, 9pm Eastern). </strong></p>
<p>p.s. You can participate in this class whether you are a member of Personal Growth Princess or not, though I highly recommend reading the book summary prior to taking the class. You can become a member of Personal Growth Princess by going <a href="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/join/">here</a>.<br />
(Remember, for a limited time, new members will receive a copy of The Think Big Manifesto by Michael Port as a special Founding Princess gift!)</p>
<p>Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/trophy-effect-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='The Trophy Effect [Book Review]'>The Trophy Effect [Book Review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/change-your-life-today/' rel='bookmark' title='Change Your Life Today: No Cost Ways to Uplevel Your Life'>Change Your Life Today: No Cost Ways to Uplevel Your Life</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/new-book-summary-content-added-for-july/' rel='bookmark' title='New Self-Help Book Summary &amp; Content Added for July'>New Self-Help Book Summary &#038; Content Added for July</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/limiting-beliefs-how-do-you-change-them/' rel='bookmark' title='Limiting Beliefs &#8211; how do you change them?'>Limiting Beliefs &#8211; how do you change them?</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Can Jealousy Raise Your Self-Esteem?</title>
		<link>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/can-jealousy-raise-your-self-esteem/</link>
		<comments>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/can-jealousy-raise-your-self-esteem/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:58:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nina East</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mindfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Self-Esteem]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jealousy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[limiting beliefs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resentment]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://personalgrowthprincess.com/?p=2022</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you&#8217;re like most people in western culture, you&#8217;ve been taught that jealousy is a bad thing. You may have even been told that experiencing jealousy means you are a bad or ungrateful person, or that being jealous makes you weak or less spiritual. For most of us, when we experience jealousy, we try to [...]
Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/big-bowl-of-self-esteem/' rel='bookmark' title='Big Bowl of Self Esteem'>Big Bowl of Self Esteem</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/raise-your-expectations/' rel='bookmark' title='Princess Expectations: How to Raise Your Expectations of Yourself'>Princess Expectations: How to Raise Your Expectations of Yourself</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you&#8217;re like most people in western culture, you&#8217;ve been taught that jealousy is a bad thing. You may have even been told that experiencing jealousy means you are a bad or ungrateful person, or that being jealous makes you weak or less spiritual. For most of us, when we experience jealousy, we try to eliminate it or prevent it from ever coming up. Given that jealousy is a natural emotion, this is a pretty futile effort. <img class="alignright size-full wp-image-2023" style="border: 0pt none; margin: 4px;" title="2girls" src="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/2girls.png" alt="2girls Can Jealousy Raise Your Self Esteem?" width="275" height="238" /></p>
<p>There is an<strong> important distinction that needs to be made</strong> in order to have a more helpful understanding of jealousy, one which can actually <strong>raise your self-esteem&#8230;</strong></p>
<p>Jealousy is a mental uneasiness about something or someone, usually triggered by seeing or experiencing something you wish you had or wish you could do. It is an awareness of difference, and a wishing for something similar to be in your own life.</p>
<p><strong>Jealousy</strong> has developed a negative connotation in part because of general cultural perspectives, but also because of the inappropriate behavior that sometimes follows. We tend to get emotion and behavior mixed up, but, jealousy, as a feeling, does not have to be negative. <strong>In fact, it can be quite positive and empowering if you look at it the right way</strong>.</p>
<p><strong>Resentment</strong>, on the other hand, has a bite to it. It involves a <strong>sense of indignation</strong>, of having <strong>been wronged</strong> by the other person, and even the belief that when they have something you do not, whether it be a skill, a relationship, or a tangible item, that it has somehow made you &#8220;less than&#8221;.</p>
<p>Words, and therefore feelings, are defined by other words. <strong>How you define something gives it its meaning</strong>. The word &#8220;resentment&#8221; is often used to define jealousy, but that doesn&#8217;t have to be so. <span style="color: #330099;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong></strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #330099;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>If you were to choose to eliminate the word &#8220;resentment&#8221; from your definition, and experience, of jealousy, what might be different? </strong></span></span></p>
<p>If you believe that you are &#8220;less than&#8221; someone who has what you do not yet have, or if you believe their having it reduces your chances of ever having it, then you are experiencing Resentment, not jealousy. <strong>Resentment has a definite self-esteem lowering quality. </strong>Not only do you feel bad about yourself because you don&#8217;t have what the other person does, you may even feel guilty for feeling resentment, setting off a downward spiral of lower self-esteem.</p>
<p><span style="color: #330099;"><strong>What if jealousy were just a signal</strong></span> to you about something more you want to be, do, or have? The actual person who triggered the jealous response is not as important as the desire it brings up in you. <span style="color: #330099;"><strong>Jealousy can give you clarity about what you really want. </strong></span>It can help you define precisely what you want to create in your life or business. The more clear you are about what you want, the easier it is to take productive action &#8211; and one of the greatest self-esteem boosters is taking effective action.</p>
<p><span style="color: #330099;"><span style="color: #000000;">If you believed this about jealousy, how much more gentle would you be with yourself?</span> </span>How much more understanding would you be of other people? How much more likely would you be to get into action because you have a &#8220;possibility&#8221; mentality versus a &#8220;lack&#8221; mentality? How much higher could you raise your self-esteem by defining jealousy in a positive way, rather than trying to eliminate it?</p>
<p>Leave a comment below &#8211; I&#8217;d love to know what you think!</p>
<p>Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/big-bowl-of-self-esteem/' rel='bookmark' title='Big Bowl of Self Esteem'>Big Bowl of Self Esteem</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/raise-your-expectations/' rel='bookmark' title='Princess Expectations: How to Raise Your Expectations of Yourself'>Princess Expectations: How to Raise Your Expectations of Yourself</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>You Are A Spirit [Book Review]</title>
		<link>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/you-are-a-spirit-book-review/</link>
		<comments>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/you-are-a-spirit-book-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 May 2010 14:17:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nina East</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[5-Minute Book Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Announcements]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mindfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[book review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kayhan Ghodsi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stephanie Gunning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[you are a spirit]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://personalgrowthprincess.com/?p=1703</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You Are A Spirit: Nine Steps to Heaven on Earth, co-authored by Kayhan Ghodsi and Stephanie Gunning (one of our Fairy Godmothers), has just been published by Yaas Press. In fact, Wednesday, May 19th, is the official launch of the book. This is a simple, yet deep, guide to help you become more aware of [...]
Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-checklist-manifesto/' rel='bookmark' title='The Checklist Manifesto &#8211; how to get things right [book review]'>The Checklist Manifesto &#8211; how to get things right [book review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-jackrabbit-factor-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='The Jackrabbit Factor [book review]'>The Jackrabbit Factor [book review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/burning-bright-extraordinary-women-of-kwazulu-natal-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='BURNING BRIGHT &#8211; Extraordinary Women of KwaZulu-Natal [Book Review]'>BURNING BRIGHT &#8211; Extraordinary Women of KwaZulu-Natal [Book Review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/its-not-that-im-bitter-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='It&#8217;s Not That I&#8217;m Bitter [Book Review]'>It&#8217;s Not That I&#8217;m Bitter [Book Review]</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong><em>You Are A Spirit: Nine Steps to Heaven on Earth</em></strong>, co-authored by Kayhan Ghodsi and Stephanie Gunning <em>(one of our Fairy Godmothers)</em>, has just been published by Yaas Press. In fact, Wednesday, May 19th, is the official<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.stephaniegunning.com/booklaunch/" target="_blank"> launch of the book</a>.</p>
<p>This is a simple, yet deep, guide to help you become more aware of who you really are &#8211; more than just a physical body existing here on earth. You are more than what you think you are &#8211; you are a spirit, and your body allows you to exist and experience in the physical realm. For those who are more &#8220;new age&#8221; minded, you will likely have the experience of thinking &#8220;Ah, yes, this makes perfect sense now.&#8221; F<img class="alignleft" style="border: 0pt none; margin: 5px;" title="You Are A Spirit" src="http://www.stephaniegunning.com/img/bookcover.jpg" alt="bookcover You Are A Spirit [Book Review]" width="150" height="208" />or others, the stretch will be bigger. The beauty in the book is that it is not dogmatic, nor are you expected to believe anything the authors say. In fact, they encourage you not to take their word for it, but to check it out for yourself.</p>
<p>Each of the nine steps (such as &#8220;You are Perfect in the Present&#8221;, &#8220;You Are Not Your Body&#8221;, &#8220;You Can Choose Joy&#8221;) requires you to stretch and consider possibilities or ideas you may not have thought of before. Each step ends with a meditation. The simplicity of the meditations make them great for the beginner who is not familiar with meditation or may be a bit intimidated by it, but don&#8217;t let the apparent simplicity lull you into thinking they are &#8220;easy&#8221; or that nothing is happening.</p>
<p>In the first step, &#8220;You Are A Creator&#8221;, the authors state:</p>
<blockquote><p>Here&#8217;s the secret to living as a spirit in a body: If you consider that you are the creator of your life &#8211; in other words, the cause, rather than the effect of your experiences &#8211; just by considering this idea, your life changes.</p></blockquote>
<p>(This statement connects with how Kim Marcille Romaner talks about the role of the observer in scientific experiments &#8211; that the act of observing automatically affects the outcome. See the book summary for The Science of Making Things Happen in the <a href="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/members/">members area</a> for the full story, or read the post about <a href="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/science-of-making-things-happen/">The Science of Making Things Happen</a> and the <a href="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/turn-a-problem-into-opportunity/">Dynamic Opportunity Model</a>.)</p>
<p>There is a lot of hype out there about being in the &#8220;now&#8221;, yet rarely are we given any ways to experience this in a way that make sense to the average person. After all, if you haven&#8217;t been living in the &#8220;now&#8221;, how would you know how to do it? That is where I found this book to be most valuable.</p>
<p>The authors give examples of how to know you are not living in the present moment, such as when you are worrying (the future) or ruminating (the past). By projecting yourself into the past or future, you are disconnecting with the present moment, and disconnecting from your ability to create your reality.</p>
<p>The meditations accompanying each step not only show you how to bring your awareness into the present moment in ways you can relate, they are designed so that you actually experience it right then, in the moment. Of course, as with all meditation, the authors remind you that it is practice over time that will make it easier and more automatic.</p>
<p>The ultimate message of the book is to release judgment and trust yourself to be guided in your choices and actions &#8211; because after all, you, as a spirit, are the one doing the guiding. When you realize this, you realize you can experience heaven on earth because you will experience certainty and absolute faith, and because you never really left heaven in the first place.</p>
<p>Remember that Wednesday, May 19, 2010 is the official <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.stephaniegunning.com/booklaunch/" target="_blank">launch of the book</a>. To accompany the launch are special bonus offerings, so be sure to grab yours. You can also view the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRNrJK3xkdY" target="_blank">video trailer</a>, and sign up for a <a href="http://www.stephaniegunning.com/teleseminar/" target="_blank">free teleseminar</a> being offered today, May 18th.</p>
<p>Leave a comment below and let me know what you think of the book. And remember to grab your bonuses if/when you purchase <a href="http://www.stephaniegunning.com/booklaunch/" target="_blank">You Are A Spirit</a>.</p>
<p>Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-checklist-manifesto/' rel='bookmark' title='The Checklist Manifesto &#8211; how to get things right [book review]'>The Checklist Manifesto &#8211; how to get things right [book review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-jackrabbit-factor-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='The Jackrabbit Factor [book review]'>The Jackrabbit Factor [book review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/burning-bright-extraordinary-women-of-kwazulu-natal-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='BURNING BRIGHT &#8211; Extraordinary Women of KwaZulu-Natal [Book Review]'>BURNING BRIGHT &#8211; Extraordinary Women of KwaZulu-Natal [Book Review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/its-not-that-im-bitter-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='It&#8217;s Not That I&#8217;m Bitter [Book Review]'>It&#8217;s Not That I&#8217;m Bitter [Book Review]</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>What the Dynamic Opportunity Model has to do with the Science of Making Things Happen</title>
		<link>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/science-of-making-things-happen/</link>
		<comments>http://personalgrowthprincess.com/science-of-making-things-happen/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 17 May 2010 21:02:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nina East</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[5-Minute Book Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Choice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Goals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mindfulness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CoachVille]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dynamic opportunity model]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inverse Zeno Effect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kim Romaner]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Science of Making Things Happen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[transformation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://personalgrowthprincess.com/?p=1691</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last week I posted an article about the Dynamic Opportunity Model (used with permission from CoachVille). This is a powerful model for transforming a &#8220;problem&#8221; into an &#8220;opportunity&#8221;. It is simple, though not necessarily easy, but only because most of us are not very practiced at it. What&#8217;s particularly intriguing is how this model ties [...]
Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/turn-a-problem-into-opportunity/' rel='bookmark' title='How to turn a problem into an opportunity'>How to turn a problem into an opportunity</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-checklist-manifesto/' rel='bookmark' title='The Checklist Manifesto &#8211; how to get things right [book review]'>The Checklist Manifesto &#8211; how to get things right [book review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/you-are-a-spirit-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='You Are A Spirit [Book Review]'>You Are A Spirit [Book Review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-tipping-point-how-little-things-can-make-a-big-difference-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='The Tipping Point &#8211; How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference [Book Review]'>The Tipping Point &#8211; How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference [Book Review]</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Last week I posted an article about the <a href="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/turn-a-problem-into-opportunity/">Dynamic Opportunity Model</a> (used with permission from <a rel="nofollow" href="http://coachville.com" target="_blank">CoachVille</a>). <a href="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/turn-a-problem-into-opportunity/"><img class="alignright" title="Dynamic Opportunity Model" src="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/dynamicthumb.png" alt="dynamicthumb What the Dynamic Opportunity Model has to do with the Science of Making Things Happen" width="125" height="130" /></a><br />
This is a powerful model for transforming a &#8220;problem&#8221; into an &#8220;opportunity&#8221;. It is simple, though not necessarily easy, but only because most of us are not very practiced at it.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1577318536?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=persgrowprin-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1577318536" target="_blank"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1694" style="border: 0pt none; margin: 5px;" title="Science" src="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Science.jpg" alt="Science What the Dynamic Opportunity Model has to do with the Science of Making Things Happen" width="104" height="160" /></a>What&#8217;s particularly intriguing is how this model ties in with the <strong>featured book summary</strong> for May, <strong><em>The Science of Making Things Happen </em></strong>by Kim Marcille Romaner.</p>
<p>One of the key elements in the Dynamic Opportunity Model is learning to be an observer. Sometimes we try to hard to figure something out, focusing on what&#8217;s not working and why it&#8217;s not working, that we neglect to see what is really there.</p>
<p>Likewise, the role of observer is key to the science of making things happen. Kim talks about how the act of observing directly affects what happens to the thing or person being observed, the actual activity of the observed. She talks about it in scientific terms, using experiments with berylium ions (subatomic particles), and then relates it to daily life at the human level. This is called the Zeno Effect. (Members, see <a href="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/members/" target="_blank">pages 10-11 of your book summary</a> for the full explanation).</p>
<p>What Romaner found is that when you measure the wrong benchmarks, <span id="more-1691"></span>you actually slow down the process of change. And the intervals at which you measure them has a direct effect on how slowly the process goes. This is called the Zeno effect. The good news is that when you start measure the right things, and measure them more frequently, it has the effect of speeding up the process of change &#8211; quite dramatically, even &#8211; which creates the Inverse Zeno Effect.</p>
<p>When you are measuring your progress, you don&#8217;t want to measure yourself in relation to the original condition (&#8220;Am I still in the same place financially?). Rather, you want to measure the progress you are making, the evidence you are moving toward the thing you want (&#8220;Look at all the things I&#8217;m doing to get out of debt!&#8221;)</p>
<p>The &#8220;right&#8221; things to measure are the times you do something well, the times you have a success, no matter how big or small. Measure yourself on what&#8217;s working, what&#8217;s &#8220;good&#8221;, and you will accelerate the process of making the shift toward more of that.</p>
<p>In the Dynamic Opportunity Model, if you keep looking at symptoms of the problem and focusing on your situation as it is, you will continue to get more of the same, in part because of the Zeno Effect &#8211; you are measuring the wrong things (The symptoms and what is wrong), and probably at the wrong intervals.</p>
<p>When you shift to identifying the underlying dynamic &#8211; and celebrate the fact that you have discovered it &#8211; you are able to reorient yourself. Your vision of the situation can change completely, releasing you to look for solutions and strategies. In effect, you are now measuring what is working, what is possible, and the shifts you are making, and the more frequently you do so, the faster you will experience change &#8211; transforming a problem into an opportunity.</p>
<p>Read the full post here. And to view the full book summary of The Science of Making Things Happen, <a href="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/members/">log in to the members page</a>.</p>
<p>Not a member? You can still <a href="http://personalgrowthprincess.com/join/">join as a Founding Princess</a> and lock in the basic membership rate for life!</p>
<p>Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/turn-a-problem-into-opportunity/' rel='bookmark' title='How to turn a problem into an opportunity'>How to turn a problem into an opportunity</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-checklist-manifesto/' rel='bookmark' title='The Checklist Manifesto &#8211; how to get things right [book review]'>The Checklist Manifesto &#8211; how to get things right [book review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/you-are-a-spirit-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='You Are A Spirit [Book Review]'>You Are A Spirit [Book Review]</a></li>
<li><a href='http://personalgrowthprincess.com/the-tipping-point-how-little-things-can-make-a-big-difference-book-review/' rel='bookmark' title='The Tipping Point &#8211; How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference [Book Review]'>The Tipping Point &#8211; How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference [Book Review]</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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