Thought of the Day

Pressure is a word that is misused in our vocabulary.

When you start thinking of pressure,

it's because you've started to think of failure.

Tommy Lasorda

Tips to Help You Make This Your Best Year Ever - Part 4

By Ruben Gonzales 

1. The day you take complete responsibility for yourself, the day you stop making excuses, is the day you start moving to the top.
2. Believe that there is an opportunity in every challenge. Your job is to find it and to take advantage of it.
3. If it is to be it is up to you. Nobody can succeed for you. You have to make it happen. There is no one to stop you but yourself. Decide you will make it happen.
4. Take a leap of faith. Leap and the net will appear.
5. Fear is a smokescreen. Act in spite of your fear and the fear will disappear.
6. Fly with eagles, and you'll start to think, feel and act like an eagle. Hang around with turkeys, and... well, you get the picture.
7. People of integrity expect to be believed, and they're willing to let time prove them right. Be a person of your word.
8. Invest in yourself. The better you are, the better your results will be.
9. "If you're going through hell...keep going!" - Winston Churchill
10. "A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week." - General George Patton
11. It's human nature to be lazy - to want to coast. Therefore, constantly strive to improve, because he who stops being better eventually stops being good.
12. You're not finished when you are defeated. You are only finished when you quit.
13. The greatest predictor of future success is how driven and passionate you are to realize your dream. Passion is much more important than talent.
14. Have fun. You can't get passionate about anything if you are not having fun. If you are not having fun you are probably doing the wrong thing.
15. Believe that you are the master of your own destiny and that you can create your own future.
16. Focus on doing things that will improve your odds of winning. It's all about improving your odds.
17. All your actions have consequences. If you sow massively, you'll reap massively.
18. There are more opportunities today than there have ever been. If you can't make it in the U.S., you can't make it anywhere.
19. If you have an intense desire to achieve something, it is a given that you have the ability within you. Your job is to figure out how.
20. Always expect the best. We tend to get what we expect.

Quote of the Day

When you paint success pictures in your mind, you initiate an inner process whereby your attitudes, hopes, aspirations, and enthusiasm are elevated in response to an image of a more promising future. Every person who aspires must first sell themselves hope, the promise of a better life.

U.S. Andersen
Author and Speaker

Life Lessons

By Fatimah Musa

Ju was physically abused as a child. She lived with a mother who was diagnosed with post depression and a father who was a wife abuser. Her parents divorced and left six of them with her mother. She left school at 15 and went to work waiting tables to help her mother feed them all.


At 18 she met and fell in love and was married soon after. Then she found out that her husband drank too much, slept around with other women, was a wife abuser and took drugs. She was divorced at age 20 with two children. Her husband took their son away and handed him to his friend. He was sent to jail for an offence with the law.


Her husband's friend did not want to hand the boy over to her and demanded money in exchange. The child had scars on his chest due to burns from cigarette butts. That was what he got for crying out for food. She finally managed to get her son back. She left her children in her mother's care while she left to find a job.


At 28 she had an accident. Her dress caught fire and she suffered 2nd degree burns. With that her self-esteem and self-confidence went down the pit. She was depressed. She attempted suicide several times and was given psychiatric treatments. After a major surgery and lots of counseling and support from relatives and friends, she started her life all over again even with one partly deformed hand and fingers.


Her anxiety was all the time still present. It was tougher to find a job. She felt like a disabled person. The one thing that kept her going in spite of her misfortune was her will to be able to feed herself and sent money for her children. She did not want to ask for financial support.


At 38 she was diagnosed with cancer of the cervix. That was a big blow to her. She went through another depression episode. "Why me?" was the question she repeatedly asked. Of course when she asked that question, she got all the wrong answers. She felt more depressed. She blamed her father, her mother and everyone for what brought her sufferings. Worst, she blamed herself.


She agreed to go for the treatments, chemotherapy and cesium, because she did not want to go through the pains. This was when she took the time to look within her. She thought that she might not live long enough so she decided to reconnect with her children. It was not easy especially with her son who had gone through his own childhood trauma.


She turned to her family for moral support and she turned to God. Now eight years later, she is still alive. Waking up and able to breathe for another day is a gift for her. She has two grandchildren whom she adores and that give her much joy. She takes some jobs every now and then when her health permits and rests when she needs it.


Her question has changed. She now asks, what is it she could do to get more out of what is left? Things happen and happen to us all. Life does not play favorites. Everyone has a story to tell. It is how we handle it that matters. We do not have to wait until a major catastrophe interrupts us to think of what we should do with our lives.


It is up to us to make or break us. No one can tell our brain and mind what to do. No one can tell us what to think of and what to put inside our head. We have the power to think what we want to think. To forget past hurts or to linger with them.


We can decide, plan and take action on what we want to have, do or be. At least when the universe intervenes, we know that we have done our best.

Fatimah Musa provides information, tips and quotes to help people become aware that any future growth starts with their personal growth. You can visit Fatimah at About Personal Growth.com.

Tips to Help You Make This Your Best Year Ever - Part 5

By Ruben Gonzales 

1. Be willing to try different approaches on the way to your goals.
2. Create a crystal-clear picture of what you want to accomplish.
3. Serve others. Your rewards in life will be proportionate to the value of your service to others.
4. Think about the future instead of the past. Focus on what you can do today to improve your future.
5. Discipline yourself to focus on the solutions, not on the problems.
6. Find out what other successful people in your field are doing, and do the same things yourself over and over.
7. Whatever you think about all the time will grow in your life.
8. "Work smart, not hard" is a joke. If you truly want to succeed, you'd better work smart and hard. The harder you work the luckier you'll be.
9. When opportunities appear, move quickly. Doors of opportunity close as quickly as they open.
10. You can't do anything about the past, therefore, remove the words "I should have..." from your vocabulary. "Should haves," create unnecessary guilt, suck the wind out of your sails, and take away positive energy that you could use to do something today.
11. Constantly ask yourself, "What can I do right now to reach my goal?" Then, do it right away.
12. When you move boldly in the direction of your dreams and goals, unseen forces will come to your aid.
13. What would you dare to do if you knew you could not fail? What are you waiting for? Do it now!
14. Act as if it were impossible to fail. Everyone is afraid. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is acting in spite of your fears. Face your fears and conquer them with swift action.
15. Winners understand that the road to success is filled with failures and challenges. Winners fail their way to success. One big success cancels out all the failures.
16. Assume that success is only a matter of time. Resolve to learn something from every setback, and decide that quitting is not an option.
17. Your persistence will fuel your self-belief and your self-belief will fuel your persistence. But you have to decide that quitting is not an option.
18. Positive self image does not come from people praising you. Confidence and positive self image comes from competence. From being good at whatever you do. And that comes from practice. Confidence and positive self image come from constantly facing your fears and refusing to quit.
19. Successful people talk about and think about what they want to happen. Unsuccessful people talk about and think about what they don't want to happen. You attract what you talk about. What are you talking about?
20. Make no small plans. Small plans and dreams don't have the power to inspire you and motivate you. Have a dream that takes your breath away. Only such a dream will motivate you to act.

TRIVIA(L) TIME

What is the best definition of globalization? 

Answer: The death of Princess Diana! 

Question: How come?

Answer: An English princess, with an Egyptian boyfriend crashed in a French tunnel, driving a German car with a Dutch engine, driven by a Belgian who was drunk on Scottish whiskey; followed closely by Italian paparazzis in Japanese motorcycles; treated by an American doctor using Brazilian medicines.
     
Moreover, this event is sent to you by an Ethiopian, who is operating from South Africa, using Indian technology, and you’re probably reading this on your computer that uses chips from Taiwan and a Korean monitor assembled by Bangladeshi workers in a Singapore plant transported by Pakistani truck drivers unloaded by Sicilian longshoremen, and transported to you by Mexican illegal immigrants. That is Globalization!

The Price of Gas – A thief in Paris planned to steal some paintings from the Louver. After careful planning, he got past security, stole the paintings and made it safely to his van. However, he was captured 2 blocks away when his van ran out of gas. When asked how he could mastermind such a crime and then make an obvious error, he replied, “Monsieur, that is the reason I stole the paintings. I had no Monet to buy Degas to make the Van Gogh.” So, if you have De Gaulle to send this to someone else, I sent it to you because I figured I had nothing Toulouse.

Tips to Help You Make This Your Best Year Ever - Part 3

By Ruben Gonzales 

1. Focus on your goals, not on your obstacles.
2. You will only see it when you believe it.
3. Don't let other people's opinion of you become your reality.
4. When the why is big enough, the how will take care of itself.
5. If you are not excited about your dream, don't expect others to get excited about your dream.
6. Don't listen to the naysayers in your life. "Impossible" is just the opinion of somebody who does not believe as much as you do.
7. When somebody laughs or makes fun of you, that person should stop having any influence in your life. They are holding you back from your purpose in life.
8. Whenever somebody compliments you, they have just seen a glimpse of your greatness. The compliments you get over and over are a clue to where your gifts lie. When you use your God-given gifts to realize your dream, you make the world a better place.
9. Associate with big thinkers. Big people don't laugh at big ideas.
10. Success is all about guts and vision. Knowing what you want, and having the guts to go after it.
11. As long as you don't quit, you've still got a chance.
12. You'll either pay the price of success or the price of regret. The price of success weighs ounces. The price of regret weighs tons. It's your choice.
13. Set high goals for yourself. If you're not headed anywhere in life, you're headed nowhere.
14. Wanting to win is not enough. You have to be willing to prepare to win.
15. Take more chances. You'll never know what you were missing in life until you dare to pursue your dream.
16. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. To get better results you must constantly adjust your approach.
17. Fortune favors the brave. Boldness has magic in it. Don't play it safe. Start taking more chances.
18. Winners have the courage to get started and the courage to endure.
19. Do the things you fear or else fear will control your life.
20. Commitment creates opportunity. Stop talking and start doing. Think less and act more.

Tips to Help You Make This Your Best Year Ever - Part 3

 By Ruben Gonzales

1. Forgive others quickly. Being angry at someone else is like drinking poison.
2. Make your dream so exciting that it takes your breath away. Then, be willing to fight for your dream and future.
3. Every time you make an excuse, you give away control of your life. Stop making excuses.
4. Don't live life through others. Be the hero in your own life.
5. Watch less TV. Your TV is keeping you from your dreams. TV wastes hundreds of precious hours of people's time - time they could use to make a better life for themselves.
6. Establish a mission and a purpose for your life.
7. Burning desire creates the power to succeed. Develop a passionate desire for your purpose. How badly you want it to happen will determine if you do make it happen.
8. Never blame, whine or complain.
9. Talk positively to yourself. Never bad-mouth or criticize yourself.
10. Be a good finder. Look for good in everything that happens. Developing a positive mental attitude is a decision. A decision that helps you have a better life.
11. Put your dreams in concrete and your plans in sand.
12. Write down your goals every day before you turn on your computer. It takes less than two minutes and helps you start off the day in a more purposeful, focused manner. Doing this will make you more productive than 95% of people in the world.
13. Imitate the perseverance of the people you admire.
14. Read 15-30 minutes a day from a positive self-development book.
15. Become a part of a support group. Hang out with people who have goals and dreams similar to yours.
16. Know yourself. Know your strengths and weaknesses. That knowledge will help you understand why you act the way you do. Learn about the four personality types.
17. Help others reach their dreams.
18. See challenges as an opportunity to become stronger.
19. Do what you fear and the fear will disappear. Facing fear is called courage. Running from fear is called cowardice. Do you want to be known as a courageous person or as a coward? It's your choice.
20. If you want to win big you have to be willing to lose big.

ONE OF THE BEST STORIES I'VE EVER HEARD!

Author Unknown

As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.!

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to."

After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets.."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did.

And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)

Tips to Help You Make This Your Best Year Ever - Part 2

By  Ruben Gonzales

1. Protect your attitude. Your attitude determines your altitude. Average talent with great attitude will beat out great talent with bad attitude every time.
2. Read biographies then model your life after the lives of successful people.
3. Don't complain about your circumstances. Decide you will make your own circumstances.
4. Don't kid yourself. Life is hard. Success takes time and massive action.
5. You only live once. Go for the Gold. Decide you will not simply exist. Decide to live an exciting life. Don't just take up space. Make a difference so you will be missed when you are gone. Decide to leave a legacy.
6. Be willing to pay the price of success. No pain no gain.
7. Vividly imagine what your victory will feel like. Replay that victory all the time. It's your preview of coming attractions.
8. Act in spite of your fear. No guts no glory.
9. Whenever in doubt, go with the bolder choice.
10. Base your plan on your strengths.
11. Humble yourself to the leadership of those who have done what you want to do. Ask for help and you will succeed faster.
12. Believe in yourself. Persist in the face of challenges. Don't take "No" for an answer.
13. Celebrate every small victory.
14. Follow your heart.
15. Constantly look for ways to simplify your life.
16. Anger gives people courage to do things they usually would not do. Whenever you are angry, don't waste your anger doing negative things. Harness the energy in your anger to reach your goal.
17. Embrace change. Change brings opportunity to win.
18. If you're not failing you are playing too safe and you are not growing. If you want to succeed faster, double your failure rate.
19. Bite off more than you can chew.
20. Live your life with passion.
21. Read good books, listen to self-development tapes, and attend seminars.

Tips to Help You Make This Your Best Year Ever

By Ruben Gonzalez

1. Count your blessings daily. Doing so will keep you in a positive state of mind.
2. Surround yourself with positive, encouraging, successful people. They will pull you up no matter what the circumstances.
3. Come to terms with the fact that in life there is no free lunch. Stop trying to get something for nothing. Doing so is a waste of time and energy you could be using to go after your dream.
4. It's not what happens to you, it's how you handle it.
5. Deliver more than you are paid to. Make yourself indispensable to others.
6. Focus on your strengths. Find an arena you are suited to play in, have the courage to get started, have the courage to not quit, and decide you will give it all you've got for as long as it takes to get the job done.
7. Live this day as if it were your last. Treat others as if it were their last day.
8. Take your projects seriously but learn to laugh at yourself.
9. Don't neglect the details. Excellence comes from taking care of the details.
10. Smile more. It makes you more approachable, and makes it easier to build your dream team.
11. Constantly ask yourself, "What is the number one thing I could do in the next 15 minutes to get me closer to my goal?" Then do it right away.
12. Break down large goals into smaller more manageable goals.
13. Find a mentor who believes in you, who will support you, and who will push you toward your dream.
14. Don't let others rain on your parade. Avoid negative people like the plague.
15. Decide to find the seed of good in every adversity.
16. Decide that you are willing to do whatever it takes to realize your dream.
17. Realize that true happiness lies within you. Happiness is the product of the quality of your relationships and of the degree of control you feel you have in life. Every time you make excuses, you lose control and become unhappy.
18. The past does not determine the future. No matter how many times you have failed, the next time you could succeed. If you don't believe me, just read Thomas Edison's biography.
19. Take full responsibility for your results.
20. Protect your attitude. Your attitude determines your altitude. Average talent with great attitude will beat out great talent with bad attitude every time.

Just Five More Minutes

Author Unknown

While at the park one day, a woman sat down next to a man on a bench near a playground.

"That's my son over there," she said, pointing to a little boy in a red sweater who was gliding down the slide.

"He's a fine looking boy" the man said. "That's my daughter on the bike in the white dress."

Then, looking at his watch, he called to his daughter. "What do you say we go, Melissa?"

Melissa pleaded, "Just five more minutes, Dad. Please? Just five more minutes."

The man nodded and Melissa continued to ride her bike to her heart's content. Minutes passed and the father stood and called again to his daughter. "Time to go now?"

Again Melissa pleaded, "Five more minutes, Dad. Just five more minutes."

The man smiled and said, "OK."

"My, you certainly are a patient father," the woman responded.

The man smiled and then said, "Her older brother Tommy was killed by a drunk driver last year while he was riding his bike near here. I never spent much time with Tommy and now I'd give anything for just five more minutes with him. I've vowed not to make the same mistake with Melissa.

She thinks she has five more minutes to ride her bike. The truth is, I get Five more minutes to watch her play."

Life is all about making priorities, what are your priorities?
Give someone you love 5 more minutes of your time today!

An Incredible Love Stoy

An incredible love story has come out of China recently and managed to touch the world..

It is a story of a man and an older woman who ran off to live and love each other in peace for over half a century.



The 70-year-old Chinese man who hand-carved over 6,000 stairs up a mountain for his 80-year-old wife has passed away in the cave which has been the couple's home for the last 50 years. Over 50 years ago, Liu Guojiang a 19 year-old boy, fell in love with a 29 year-old widowed mother named Xu Chaoqin...



In a twist worthy of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, friends and relatives criticized the relationship because of the age difference and the fact that Xu already had children.



At that time, it was unacceptable and immoral for a young man to love an older woman.. To avoid the market gossip and the scorn of their communities, the couple decided to elope and lived in a cave in Jiangjin County in Southern ChongQing Municipality .



In the beginning, life was harsh as hey had nothing, no electricity or even food. They had to eat grass and roots they found in the mountain, and Liu made a kerosene lamp that they used to light up their lives.

Xu felt that she had tied Liu down and repeatedly asked him, 'Are you regretful? Liu always replied, 'As long as we are industrious, life will improve..'

In the second year of living in the mountain, Liu began and continued for over 50 years, to hand-carve the steps so that his wife could get down the mountain easily.

Half a century later in 2001, a group of adventurers were exploring the forest and were surprised to find the elderly couple and the over 6,000 hand-carved steps. Liu Ming Sheng, one of their seven children said, 'My parents loved each other so much, they have lived in seclusion for over 50 years and never been apart a single day. He hand carved more than 6,000 steps over the years for my mother's convenience, although she doesn't go down the mountain that much.'



The couple had lived in peace for over 50 years until last week. Liu, now 72 years, returned from his daily farm work and collapsed. Xu sat and prayed with her husband as he passed away in her arms. So in love with Xu, was Liu, that no one was able to release the grip he had on his wife's hand even after he had passed away.



'You promised me you'll take care of me, you'll always be with me until the day I died, now you left before me, how am I going to live without you?'

Xu spent days softly repeating this sentence and touching her husband's black coffin with tears rolling down her cheeks.

In 2006, their story became one of the top 10 love stories from China , collected by the Chinese Women Weekly. The local government has decided to preserve the love ladder and the place they lived as a museum, so this love story can live forever.

BROWNIES WITH ICING

©Kathleene S. Baker 2007

On Father's Day I'll wander down memory lane and I'll smile knowing my dad, at 90 years of age, is doing likewise.

With many miles between us, I'm seldom with Dad on Father's Day and this year will be no different. Sure, we'll have a cheerful chat on the phone and he will thank me for his card and gift. Nonetheless, we won't feel cheated by the status of a calendar-for we have oodles of memories to sustain us.

For us, Father's Day is whenever we are fortunate enough to be together. It's not as often as I'd like, but when it happens we have extended visits-not just a few days. Recently I went home and spent an entire month with Dad; each and every day was a joyful celebration! That equals 30 years worth of Father's Days rolled into one get-together-it doesn't get any better than that.

Our month of memory making took us down pathways abundant with twists, turns, and even a few detours.? One afternoon an unexpected storm chased us away from the lake where we were fishing, sent us back home, and straight to the kitchen.

"Kathy," Dad said, "don't you think we should bake a pan of brownies?"

In translation, that meant Kathy would you bake a pan of brownies? His sweet tooth had been deprived of dessert for at least three days-mercy!

"Sure! You just relax while I mix up a batch."

I'd barely begun when I heard horse hooves, gunshots, and the voice of John Wayne. It was time for Dad's afternoon western.

I soon popped the brownies into the oven. "Dad, how long's it been since you've had icing on your brownies?"

His blue eyes twinkled at the thought. "Way too long!"

While I frosted brownies, Dad rode sidekick with John Wayne through the Montana high country. At the next commercial, he dismounted and sauntered into the kitchen to clean out the icing bowl, while I expected to hear the clatter of spurs against the kitchen floor.

"What kind of icing is this? I know it's chocolate but it tastes a little different than usual."

"Dad, it's chocolate mocha. I know Mom made it from time to time."

"Well, if she did, I sure don't remember it!" He left not one smidgen of icing and nearly scraped the finish right off the bowl.

Still smacking his lips, he yanked a recipe card out of a drawer and scribbled down detailed instructions for making chocolate mocha icing.

Baking brownies and icing them for John Wayne's sidekick will most definitely dance through my mind on Father's Day.?? Still, if I were able to spend the actual occasion with Dad, I know exactly how we'd observe his special day.? I'd pack a picnic basket brimming over with decadent treats and we'd share a feast while fishing. And, for dessert? Well, brownies with icing-what else?



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathy was born and raised in the small town of Augusta, Kansas, a few miles outside of Wichita. She married a native Texan, Jerry, in 1977 and was soon transplanted to Dallas. A large city offers many things, but she misses the slower pace of small town America. Kathy has two stepchildren and four grandchildren. Pets have always played a huge part in her life. In fact, they were her inspiration to begin writing. Kathy's website can be viewed at:
YELLOW ROSE(www.txyellowrose.com) or she can be contacted at Lnstrlady@aol.com

Just A Small Story....

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.

SON: 'Daddy, may I ask you a question?'
DAD: 'Yeah sure, what it is?' replied the man.
SON: 'Daddy, how much do you make an hour?'
DAD: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the man said angrily.

SON: 'I just want to know.. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?'
DAD: 'If you must know, I make $20.00 an hour.'
SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.

SON: 'Daddy, may I please borrow $10.00 ?'

The father was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I work hard everyday for such this childish behaviour.'

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?

After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10.00 and he really didn't ask for money very often.

The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.

'Are you asleep, son?' He asked.
'No daddy, I'm awake,' replied the boy.

'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the man.
'It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $10.00 you asked for.'

The little boy sat straight up, smiling. 'Oh, thank you daddy!' He yelled.

Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.

'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the father grumbled.

'Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied.
'Daddy, I have $20.00 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?

Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.'

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness.

It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts.

Do remember to share that $20.00 worth of your time with someone you love.

If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days.

But the family & friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.

And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family.

ADDING MORE YEARS TO YOUR LIFE

By Henrylito D. Tacio


Last week, John was celebrating his 100th birthday. "To what do you attribute your longevity?" inquired a curious friend.

Pausing a moment, John said proudly, "I never smoked, never drank alcohol, never overate, and went to bed by 10 pm and was always up by 6 a.m."

"That certainly is to be admired," said the friend, "but my grandfather did the same thing and he died at 60." John replied back, "Your grandfather didn't keep up long enough."

People today are adding more years to their lives – thanks to medical science! -- but they hate to be called old. For instance, if you happen to attend alumni homecomings or family anniversaries, you will encounter some people who are "past their prime," as they want to be called.

In 1978, the Associated Press first used the description "near-elderly," according to William Safire of the famed The New York Times. This "is the fatalistic term, embraced by middle-aged demographers – those from 40 to 60 or so."

If you meet some bald men, please don't call them old. Instead, use the word "matured" to express your observation. Another euphemism you may make use of is "reached maturity." And, please, abhor yourself from saying "almost old," as what The Washington Post once labeled those people.

Former American president Bill Clinton was politically correct when he calls those with gray hair as "junior-seniors." In the Philippines, we use the words "senior citizens" to separate them from "younger generations."

Former American first lady Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "I could not, at any age, be content to take my place by the fireside and simply look on. Life was meant to be lived. Curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life."

Good advice. No matter what, we grow and then we grow old. We can't be young forever. Beauty fades. Muscles vanish. Wrinkles won't disappear anymore. You will have a hard time reading words and recognizing people without using bifocals.

"Aging," said Dr. Denham Harmon, one of America's leading experts in the field of anti-aging, "is the progressive accumulation of changes with time associated with or responsible for the ever-increasing likelihood of disease and death which accompanies advancing age."

Recent studies have shown that people who received the Nobel prizes or Oscar trophies are most likely to live longer. That's good news. But the bad news is that not all of us will clinch those prestigious awards.

But don't lose hope yet! Dr. Steven G. Aldana, of Brigham Young University, recently revealed that a person may be able to add 20 years or more to his or her life "by making several health changes."

"People don't have to completely turn their lives around to get significant benefits," Dr. Aldana said. Example: Someone who exercises for 30 minutes six times a week can gain 2.4 years of life, even if that person doesn't adequately control his blood pressure.

But not smoking is probably the most important change. "Men who smoke a pack a day lose an average of 13 years of life, while women lose 14 years," he commented. Every year, there are about 20,000 smoking-related deaths in the Philippines, where about 60 percent of men smoke.

"The earlier in your life that you start to make changes, the better," Dr. Aldana reiterated. And it is never too late to do them. Here they are:

* Eat nuts. Studies show that eating one-quarter cup of nuts five times a week can add 2.5 years to your life. Tree nuts and peanuts (though technically a legume) are high in beneficial fats, antioxidants and other protective phytochemicals. One study found that women who ate peanut butter five or more times a week had a 21% reduction in diabetes risk.

* Don't forget fruits and vegetables for they lengthen your life by 2-4 years. People who increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables from two to five servings a day can reduce by half their risk of many cancers -- including pancreatic, colorectal and endometrial cancers. Dr. Aldana explains, "Fruits and vegetables are the best sources of antioxidants and other phytochemicals that inhibit oxidation and inflammation -- triggers that cause normal cells to become cancerous."

* Remember the fiber. For every 10 grams of fiber you consume per day, your risk of heart attack goes down by 14% and risk of death from heart disease drops by 27%. People who eat as little as two servings of fiber-rich whole grains daily can reduce their risk of stroke by 36%. Fiber-rich foods also reduce colon cancer risk.

"Fiber speeds digested food through the intestine and reduces the time that the colon is exposed to carcinogens," Dr. Aldana says. "It also binds to excess estrogen and promotes its excretion in stool -- this is important for preventing estrogen-dependent breast cancers." Fiber, by the way, lengthens life by 2-4 years.

There are two types of fibers – soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fibers can be found in whole grains, in some vegetables, seeds, peas, beans, and brown rice. Soluble fibers are found in fruits and vegetables, rice bran, and also in peas and beans.

* Devour only so-called "good" fats. People who increase their intake of mono- and polyunsaturated fats and cut back on saturated fat can achieve drops in cholesterol that are comparable to those achieved by taking statin drugs. Improvements in cholesterol translate into a 12% to 44% reduction in the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Get 20% of total daily calories from healthful fats (in olive oil, nuts, and fish, among others). Limit saturated fat (from butter, red meat, whole milk, and the like) to 10% or less. Important: Eliminate trans fats (often called "partially hydrogenated" and found in many margarines and commercially baked goods). "Good" fats lengthen life by 3-5 years.

* Lose weight. Excess weight greatly increases the risk of cancer, diabetes and hypertension. A person who is 20 pounds over his/her ideal weight is 50% more likely to develop heart disease -- and the risk increases as weight increases.

How will you lose those extra pounds? Dr. Aldana suggests regular exercise. In addition, you must do the following. Eat most meals at home (restaurant food tends to be higher in calories). Drink water instead of soda (the sugar in soft drinks is a main contributor to weight gain -- and artificial sweeteners have not been proven safe). Don't eat in front of the television (studies show that people who engage in "mindless" eating take in far more calories).

Doing all these will lengthen your life by 11 years. "This is the difference in life span between obese and normal-weight adults," Dr. Aldana claims.

* Engage in exercise. People who engage in moderate exercise at least three to five times a week can reduce their blood pressure by an average of 10 points and dramatically lower their risk of diabetes. A study at the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research in Dallas, Texas showed that men who ran, walked briskly, swam, jogged, or played tennis lowered their risks of dying early by 64 percent.

Walking – and not running! -- may be the better exercise for lowering blood pressure, according to some studies. American president Harry S Truman took to walking briskly until the ripe old age of 88. Astronaut John Glenn credited his celebrated return to orbit at age 77 to his two-mile daily power walk. Famous author and naturalist Henry David Thoreau admitted he couldn't have preserved his health and spirit without walking at least for four hours through the woods or fields everyday.

Aside from walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming, stair climbing, and aerobic dancing are also helpful to people whose blood pressure is "slightly above normal." Exercise lengthens life by two to five years.

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years," American president Abraham Lincoln surmised.

For comments, write me at henrytacio@gmail.com

Five Simple Ways to Trick Your Mind Into Attracting Wealth

By Andreas Ohrt
Author of Money Making Secrets of Mind Power Masters

Learning how to use mind power, and learning specifically how to use mind power to attract wealth and abundance, has been a major focus for most of my life. Along the way, I've learned that using mind power works most effectively when it is done with ease and grace. You don't have to struggle to get exactly what you want in life. In fact, whenever you struggle, you push away that which you most desire.

Using mind power to change your life is more like a magic trick than anything else. You simply trick your mind into believing that you have what you want, and then your life miraculously changes to reflect your new belief. And just like a magic trick, it seems impossible until you learn the trick, and then you realize it is actually very simple.

Yes, I said very simple. The five steps which follow are designed for the complete beginner. You can start today, right now, to attract more prosperity in your life. Here are five ways to start immediately.

FIVE SIMPLE WAYS TO TRICK YOUR MIND INTO ATTRACTING WEALTH

1. Show gratitude for any money which enters your life. In order to attract money into your life, you must show gratitude for the money which is already in your life. Instead of bemoaning how little money you have, bask in gratitude at the many ways in which you are rich already. For example, if you earn more than $2,182 a year, you have more wealth than 85 per cent of the people on earth. And if you earn over $25,400 per year, you are in the top 10 per cent of wealthy people on this planet. When you focus on what you have rather than what you want, you realize that you ARE already rich. Give thanks often for all the riches in your life.

How to use this principle today: The next time money enters your life, from any source whatsoever, instead of barely noticing what has happened and mentally beginning to spend it, use a few moments of time to give thanks to the universe for bringing this money into your life. Every time you receive a paycheck, every time someone gives you money for any reason, every time you find money, or get a great deal, or save money in some way, stop and appreciate the fact that money is flowing into your life. Doing this every time money comes to you will attract more and more money into your life.

2. Act as if you are rich. This is the fundamental truth of all mind power work, that you must act as if what you want is already yours. So act as if you already have the money you wish to have. Ask yourself, if I was already rich, what would I do, how would I act, how would I feel, and then do, act, and feel in those ways.

Of course, you don't need to quit your job and move to the South Pacific like you would if you suddenly won the lottery, but you start small and with each success you build your way to greater and greater wealth. Eat a little bit better, dress a little bit nicer, go on slightly higher-end vacations, take a cab instead of the bus now and then, take that course you think you can't afford, or do anything at all that you wish to do but believe you can't because of a lack of money.

And when you do these things, bask in joy at your inner state of wealth, and know that this state will be reflected in your outer world. You'll be amazed at how life provides for the things which bring you joy.

How to use this principle today: The next time you are about to buy something, anything at all, purchase an item that is of slightly higher quality and price than you would usually buy. Even if something only costs a few dollars more than what is usual for you to spend, buy that item and thank the universe for providing for your new expanding lifestyle.

Even though it is a tiny step, you are beginning to teach your mind that you are expanding your limitations, and as you practice this you will begin to purchase more of the things you want in your life and the money will come to you to pay for them.

3. Find a penny, pick it up. In order to attract wealth into your life, your subsconscious mind must be open to the idea of wealth flowing to you. You must be open and receptive to money coming to you from any source whatsoever. This includes the pennies laying on the street. If you pass a penny on the sidewalk, and your usual reaction is simply to ignore it because stooping down to pick up a penny is not worth the effort, you are telling your subconscious mind that you are not willing to put out effort for money. The amount of money makes no difference whatsoever. The subconscious mind doesn't distinguish between one penny and one million dollars. All it knows is how you feel.

Of course this manifests in many other ways as well. Whenever you do not accept a gift graciously, whenever you do not charge someone for work that you have done for them, or charge them way less than you should because you feel guilty, and whenever you sell a product for less than it is worth because you do not want to charge too much, you are generating the same emotions. So begin to be open to money, in whatever form, and begin to accept it's flow into your life, even if it's only a penny on the street.

How to use this principle today: Simply go for a walk today and look for money. You are sure to find at least a penny somewhere. Pick it up and thank the universe for bringing money into your life. Let your subconscious mind know that you are open and willing to accept money from any source.

As well, apply this principle in your working life. If you have been undercharging for your services, raise your prices. If you are not earning what you feel you should, ask for a raise. And whenever anyone gives you anything, especially money, accept it graciously and give thanks.

4. Be open to money-making opportunities. One thing that all self-made millionaires agree on is that there are opportunities everywhere, if we are just open to seeing them. You can prove this for yourself by looking at your own life. There are probably many times in your past which you think back to and wonder what might have happened if you had taken an opportunity at just the right time. Whether it's obvious things like career opportunities you let slip by, investment opportunities you didn't belive in, or less obvious opportunities like an idea you once had that is now making someone else rich, or an industry you could have joined before it became saturated.

If you are like most people, when you think of your past opportunities, you believe that you once had a chance but that opportunity is now gone. The difference between rich and poor people is that rich people realize that new opportunities are always all around us, all the time. You simply need to keep a look out for the opportunities, keep and open mind, and be prepared to take advantage when the opportunity arrives.

I'm sure you've heard the old adage that luck occurs when opportunity meets preparation. Well, it couldn't be more true. If you expect to find money-making opportunities in your life, and you prepare to take advantage of them when they come, you will be blessed with more incredible luck than you have ever experienced.

How to use this principle today: Get out a little notebook and write down all the money-making ideas you can think of. It doesn't matter how stupid or outrageous the idea might seem, write it down anyway.

This does two things. First, you realize that there are plenty of money-making opportunities around you right now, as there always have been and always will be. Secondly, this exercise will stimulate your mind to see money-making opportunities where it might have ignored them in the past, and will help you practice to see opportunities in the future.

If you keep adding ideas to your notebook consistently, one day you will see an incredibly opportunity on your list which is perfect for you. Then go for it!

5. Do something that makes you feel good. This has got to be the easiest money-making advice I could ever give. Do something that makes you feel good. When you feel good, your energy rises, and when your energy rises, it attracts more of the things into your life which make you feel good.

Could life be any easier? Not really, but we are so caught up in the backwards thinking of everyone around us that we miss the obvious flow of energy. All you really need to attract more of the good things in your life, including more money, is to generate positive energy into the world. The states of happiness and joy literally rearrange the atoms of your world to bring you more happiness and joy. Of course, the reverse is true as well. So avoid fear, anger, depression, and spend your time feeling good about yourself and your life.

If this is difficult for you, just practice. Begin with some small thing which brings you happiness. It could be as simple as watching a sunset, renting your favorite movie of all time, taking someone you love out for dessert, or anything at all.

The secret is to do these things whole-heartedly, with all your attention focussed on the happiness vibrating from your soul out into the world. This simple act will bring you rich rewards.

How to use this principle today: Don't just read this article and think "that sounds good" and then go back to your life. Pick something to do which will bring you happiness and do it today. It doesn't matter what it is or how small it seems. In fact, you don't have to do anything at all. All that is important is feeling the positive emotions of happiness and joy emanating from your soul.

One simple way to generate positive emotion is to feel gratitude for something in your life. Just pick something in your life for which you are very grateful, and vibrate your gratitude towards it.

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE IF YOU BEGIN NOW

That should get you started. Five extremely simple actions you can take to begin to expand the prosperity you experience in your life. But don't stop there. Never let fear or doubt enter your mind. There is nothing you need in order to succeed except the power of your own mind.

If you worry that you are not smart enough, not connected enough, not talented enough, not young enough or not old enough, you are simply creating limiting beliefs which will manifest in the outside world. All you really need to know is that the outside world is a reflection of the state of your inner mind. Know that you can make every day from this day forward a little more joyful and a little more abundant and then watch your life begin to change.

It's an easy and gentle process, much like letting a plant grow. One day you will suddenly realize that all of your good thoughts have grown into the beautiful fruits of a happy and successful life.