-Martha Beck
1
Preface
This book includes collection of the best articles about
personal development and productivity from the web.
Good luck.
2
INDEX
1. It ’s Time to wake up pg 5
2. Self Love pg 9
6. Law of Attraction pg 77
7. List of websites pg 84
8. After note pg 85
9. Guy in the glass pg 86
10. Thank you pg 87
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Here it begins.......
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Its time to wake up
-Andria Zapiain
( http : / / w ww. hig h ex iste nc e.com /its- tim e- to -wa ke- up/ )
5
Let me ask you something, if it is not you, if it is not
me… who is going to change the world? You know it
needs changing, don’t you? But if none of us feel like
we’re up to the task… then who will do it?
This life is all you have. This very moment is all that
exists or ever will exist; the past is a memory and
the future is uncertain. Are you spending your time
wisely? W hen you look back on this day… what will
make it remarkable? “Oh, but it is only one day in my
life” you say.
What makes you so sure that you will have time to do
whatever it is that you must do with your life? I’ve
never seen such guarantee, signed by the very hand
of your God of choice. Never, because there is no
such thing. You could die tomorrow. You could die
now.
7
I think it is time for us to realize just what great power
lies within us. It is time to wake up and destroy
apathy, for it is killing us all. It is time to ask the
important questions.
8
Self-Love
-Jordan Lejuwaan
(http://www.highexistence.com/my-radical-realization-about-
self-love/)
To make matters more confusing, the people who act the most
confident often have the most dire issues with loving
themselves. Do not mistake compensation for authentic self-
love.
9
This is something that everyone can work on, no matter how
much you love yourself. There is no limit as to how much self-
love you can cultivate and the benefits you can reap from it.
My Story
Before I delve further into this topic, I want to share with you
the story of how this has affected me.
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what was wrong. It was incredibly frustrating because I felt
like I had no control over this phenomenon and none of my
friends seemed to experience the same issue. Then that
night it suddenly became clear that I was subconsciously
sabotaging these relationships because deep down, I felt
unworthy of being loved. There was nothing wrong with the
wonderful girls I had dated, in fact the issue was that inside
I felt they were too good for me.
I had issues taking compliments from people, eg.
HighExistence readers writing to me about how much they
loved HE. Reading those nice words felt uncomfortable; I
actually disliked reading and replying to them.
I would go to great lengths to help others, to the extent of
greatl y eating into my own time and preventing me from
reaching personal goals. Loving others can only go so far
until it is unhealthy, and you end up hurting yourself.
All of this hit me at once like a train. I spent the next day
reading every article on the web about self-love and exercises
to cultivate it. Over the next month I practiced the techniques
outlined in the next section religiously. The results have been
profound. Each of the previous indicators have been
completely reversed:
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I’ve segregated my personal time from time set aside
communicate with and help others (currently Tuesdays and
Thursdays)
Self-Love Exercises
Note: These exercises might feel weird, awkward and fake at
first, but that will change quickly. The phrase “fake it til you
make it” really applies to self-love.
Mirror Exercise
I found this to be the most effective exercise, while also being
the hardest to bring yourself to do because it’s so bizarre.
Go into a room with a mirror and lock the door. Get close to
the mirror, no more than a foot away. Stare deep into your
e yes for 2 minutes. Not in the way that you normally look at
yourself in the mirror — actively become aware that this
is you. Once that strange sensation comes over you, repeat
the words ‘I love you’ out loud for a minute. Then begin stating
things that you like about yourself — how you look, things that
you’re good at, what you’re accomplished, etc.
Hug Yourself
This sounds really silly, but it feels fantastic. Reach your
hands as far around you as possible and squeeze. Hold this
for a minute or two while repeating ‘I love you’ and reall y
feeling it. Focus your a wareness on the area around your
heart.
Reverse Each Criticism
W henever you hear yourself criticizing yourself, immediately
follow it up with two compliments, ideally but not necessarily
related to the criticism.
Loving Meditation
Feeling love towards others is a good wa y to ramp up towards
showing love to yourself. Go thro ugh the people you care most
about in your mind and send them love. Picturing yourself
giving them a huge hug. Wish them a fantastic day and the
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fulfillment of the dreams most dear to them. After you’ve gone
through your family and closest friends, do the same for
yourself.
Personal Day
If you have issues with valuing your own time, pick one da y a
week to focus entirel y on yourself. Take the extra time to make
the food you love the most, take an extra long shower, sleep
in, etc. Show yo urself love just like you would yo ur significant
other.
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50 Life secrets and tips
- Jordan Lejuwaan
(http://www.highexistence.com/life-secrets-and-tips/)
1. Memorize something everyday.
Not only will this leave your brain sharp and your memory
functioning, you will also have a huge library of quotes to bust
out at any moment. Poetry, sayings and philosophies are your
best options.
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5. Get fit!
It’s ridiculous to think that we have one body, one sole means
of functioning, and people are too lazy to take care of
themselves. Fit bodies lead to better health, confidence and
more success with romantic endeavors. I’d sa y th ose are
3 very good reasons to get in shape.
6. Learn to focus only on the present.
The past is unchangeable so it is futile to reflect on it unless
you are making sure you do not repeat past mistakes. The
future is but a result of your actions today. So learn from the
past to do better in the present so that you can succeed in the
future.
9. Drink water.
Hydration is tremendously important for overall health. Soda
has absolutely ZERO nutritional content; it’s like pouring a
punch of sugar and syrup into your cup. Instead, fill it with life-
replenishing water. It ma y taste p lain at first if you’re coming
off of a heavy soda-drinking streak, but you’ll soon find
yourself addicted to it. 10 glasses per da y is optimal, how
many have you b een getting lately?
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10. Don’t take life so seriously!
Learn to laugh at the little things and this whole “existence”
thing will be a whole lot easier. Be amused by you r mistakes
and failures and be thankful that you learned your lesson and
won’t mess up like that again. And most importantly do things
that you enjo y! Life is not strictly business, it can be mixed
with pleasure.
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4. It’s the most fulfilling thing you can do on this planet.
It not only feels amazing physically, you also feel like
a good person
5. You might be able to call in a favor later when you
need some help
6. Karma (if you believe in it)
7. Because there are more people in this world than just
you
15. Set aside a specific time to worry each day. Ponder all
of your problems and anxieties during that time so that they will not
distract you during work or moments of pleasure. This way you can
be extremely efficient with your time and avoid focusing on negative
things as much as possible. If you get all of your worry out of the
way and have the mental fortitude to keep from reverting back to
them, you will be much happier on the daily.
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19. Figure out what your goals and dreams are.
So many people wander aimlessly through life simply go for whatever
small thing they want moment by moment. Instead, decide what your
perfect life consists of and begin to put the steps in motion to reach
that place. The most satisfying thing in the world (yes, better than sex,
much better) is overcoming a challenge and reaching a goal. We are
the happiest when we are growing and working towards something
better.
22. Travel.
Anyone who has ever gone anywhere will tell you that traveling is one
of themost exciting and life-changing activities that you can do.
Observing a different culture will expand your mind while making you
further appreciate the life you already live. This goes back to becoming
an explorer: this world is your jungle so go explore! Who knows,
maybe you’ll find a place you love so much that you decide to move.
Imagine the
positive repercussions a new environment could have on your life.
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23. The Rubber Band Method
This is the third and final way to rid yourself of negative thoughts
(hopefully by now you have figured out that this is very important!).
Place a rubber band around your wrist and snap it against your skin
anytime a negative thought finds its way into your head. This operant
conditioning technique associates a slight pain with negative thoughts
like Pavlov associated food/salivation with the sound of a bell. Sounds
a bit cruel at first but it only stings for a second, I promise. Plus the
outcome, having only positive thoughts, far outweighs a little slap on
the wrist here and there.
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forgiving someone brings a refreshing sensation to the mind
and healing to the relationship.
20
is going to be extremely hard at first! You might find it boring
or just plain impossible to think of nothing, but you will get
better and you will learn to love it. Post-meditation, you will
feel extremely clear-headed and.. well, just plain wonderful.
The onl y wa y to really understand this sensation is to try it.
34. Relax!
This one is for you workaholics out there (myself included). Yes, work
is very important and productive but you need to take some time to
chill out everyday or you are going to burn out faster than a candle
with no oxygen. Additionally, you need to reward yourself for a job well
done. What’s the use of doing all of that work if you can’t have a little
fun from time to time anyways?
21
35. Work on making good first impressions.
Practice a strong, firm handshake and the small talk that
generall y goes along with meeting someone for the first time.
People won’t know what to think of you if you have nothing
more to say be yo nd “My name is _______, nice to meet you.”
Also make sure you remember names, as mentioned
previously. W ho knows, you may be going into business with or
marrying this person you’re meeting for the first time if you
make a good impression. Be sure and make an excellent one.
37. Be mysterious.
Don’t let off everything about you and definitely leave out some major
details. There is something both alluring and mesmerizing about
someone who no one knows fully about. I’m not saying to confide in no
one or to alienate yourself. Just think James Bond.
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that it rarely applies but also not so general that it’s not
personal.
23
42. Read something inspirational right before bed and
after waking.
This will set get you in a great mood for sleep and for the day.
Read anything from a famous speech to your favorite self-
improvement book. Try to read something that get’s you really
excited in the morning especially so that you’ll leave your
house beaming with energy and wonder
.
43. Do what you love.
There is a huge difference between making a life and making a living;
which one are you making right now? So many spend their entire lives
trying to make as much money as possible so that they can afford to
do what they really want later. It makes no sense to settle in life until
you’re 65 so that you can retire and do what you want when you’re
already WAY past your prime. We only live life once so why wouldn’t
you want to spend it pursuing your bliss? To do anything else would
be a tragic waste of the freedom you are allowed if you are reading
this right now. Follow your bliss and you will be a thousand times more
happy than your retirement date and 40+ years younger. But first you
need to figure out what you love to do…
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wish you had never severed ties so harshly. You never know
when you might need the help of someone you knew in the
past. Plus there is alread y too much hatred in this world, why
add more towards the people you interact with?
25
point of the next party. Lie to yourself constantly and tell
yourself that you are more warm and gregarious than Ronald
Regan. Belief is the first step! Reality will come soon after.
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27
28
29
30
31
The following 5 articles are by renowned
personal development author and blogger
Steve Pavlina
(www.stevepavlina.com)
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33 Rules to Boost Your
Productivity
- by Steve Pavlina
Heuristics are rules intended to help you solve
problems. When a problem is large or complex, and
the optimal solution is unclear, applying a heuristic
allows you to begin making progress towards a
solution even though you can’ t visualize the entire
path from your starting point.
33
Heuristics have many practical applications, and one
of my favorite areas of application is personal
productivity. Productivity heuristics are behavioral
rules (some general, some situation-specific) that can
help us get things done more efficiently. Here are
some of my favorites:
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18. Promise. Tell others of your commitments,
since they’ll help hold you accountable.
19. Punctuality. Whatever it takes, show up on
time. Arrive early.
20. Gap reading. Use reading to fill in those
odd periods like waiting for an appointment,
standing in line, or while the coffee is brewing. If
you’re a male, you can even read an article while
shaving (preferably with an electric razor).
That’s 365 articles a year.
21. Resonance. Visualize your goal as already
accomplished. Put yourself into a state of
actually being there. Make it real in your mind,
and you’ll soon see it in your reality.
22. Glittering prizes. Give yourself frequent
rewards for achievement. See a movie, book a
professional massage, or spend a day at an
amusement park.
23. Quad 2. Separate the truly important tasks
from the merely urgent. Allocate blocks of time
to work on the critical Quadrant 2 tasks, those
which are important but rarely urgent, such as
physical exercise, writing a book, and finding a
relationship partner.
24. Continuum. At the end of your workday,
identify the first task you’ll work on the next day,
and set out the materials in advance. The next
day begin working on that task immediately.
25. Slice and dice. Break complex projects into
smaller, well-defined tasks. Focus on completing
just one of those tasks.
26. Single-handling. Once you begin a task,
stick with it until it’s 100% complete. Don’ t
switch tasks in the middle. When distractions
come up, jot them down to be dealt with later.
27. Randomize. Pick a totally random piece of a
larger project, and complete it. Pay one random
bill. Make one phone call. Write page 42 of your
book.
28. Insanely bad. Defeat perfectionism by
completing your task in an intentionally terrible
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fashion, knowing you need never share the
results with anyone. Write a blog post about the
taste of salt, design a hideously
dysfunctional web site, or create a business plan
that guarantees a first-year bankruptcy. With a
truly horrendous first draft, there’s nowhere to go
but up.
29. 30 days. Identify a new habit you’d like to
form, and commit to sticking with it for just 30
days. A temporary commitment is much easier to
keep than a permanent one. See 30 Days to
Success for details.
30. Delegate. Convince someone else to do it
for you.
31. Cross-pollination. Sign up for martial arts,
start a blog, or join an improv group. You’ll often
encounter ideas in one field that can boost your
performance in another.
32. Intuition. Go with your gut instinct. It’s
probably right.
33. Optimization. Identify the processes you
use most often, and write them down step-by-
step. Refactor them on paper for greater
efficiency. Then implement and test your
improved processes. Sometimes we just can’ t see
what’s right in front of us until we examine it
under a microscope.
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How to Become an Early Riser
- Steve Pavlina
Hmmm…
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It’s hard to become an early riser using the wrong
strategy. But with the right strategy, it’s relatively
easy.
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If you sleep based on what your body tells you, you’ll
probably be sleeping more than you need — in many
cases a lot more, like 10-15 hours more per week (the
equivalent of a full waking day). A lot of people who
sleep this way get 8+ hours of sleep per night, which
is usually too much. Also, your mornings may be less
predictable if you’re getting up at different times. And
because our natural rhythms are sometimes out of
tune with the 24-hour clock, you may find that your
sleep times begin to drift.
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off. Even if I want to sleep in, I always get up right
away.
41
Why get up early?
I’d say the main reason is that you’ll have a lot more
time to do things that are more interesting than
sleeping.
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10 Tips for College Students
- Steve Pavlina
After writing the time management article “ Do It
Now,” which was based on my experience of
graduating college in three semesters with two
degrees, I received many follow-up questions from
students asking for more advice. Here are 10 tips
to help you create a productive and memorable
college experience… and most of all, to deeply enjoy
this time in your life.
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That experience sent me into a bit of a tailspin. I was
in a funk for about six months, mostly just playing
video games. Finally in an attempt to re-ground
myself, I got a retail sales job and tried to stay under
the radar while taking some time to “find
myself.” That was the time I began developing an
interest in personal development, and boy did it pay
off. A year later I was ready to go back to college,
and I started over as a freshman. But this time I
knew why I was there. I wanted to be a programmer,
and I wanted to earn my Computer Science degree (I
later added the Math degree). But it was more than
that. I knew I was capable of a lot more, and I
wanted to push myself. I wanted to create the richest
experience I could. For me that meant a really dense
schedule.
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academics, activities, socialization, and fun. The
keyword I used was “richness.”
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4. Set clear goals for each class.
Decide what you want out of each specific class. Is
this a subject you’re eager to learn? Do you want to
target this teacher for a letter of recommendation? Is
this a required class you must take but which doesn’ t
otherwise interest you?
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thinks poorly of you. Set yourself up for success in
advance.
5. Triage ruthlessly.
You don’ t need to put an equal amount of effort into
every class. Inject extra effort when it’s important to
you, but feel free to back off a little from classes that
are a low priority based on your specific goals. For
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me this was an important way to conserve energy. I
couldn’ t play full out in every class, or I’d burn out,
so I invested my energy where it mattered most.
49
own reasons for being there. Just be sure to consider
the consequences of your decision.
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6. Get an early start to each day.
I’ve written previously about the benefits of becoming
an early riser. I wasn’ t getting up at 5am when I was
in college, but I’d usually get up around 6-7am. I
found that getting an early start each day helped me
get a lot more done, not just in the morning but
throughout the day. I began each day with a 25-
minute run followed by a shower and breakfast. This
simple morning routine got me out the door feeling
alert and energized.
51
This was a surprisingly great cure for boredom. If the
professor was droning on and putting everyone to
sleep, I’d be working on programming assignments. I
used to write them out on paper and then go to the
computer lab between classes and type them up. That
way I didn’ t have to spend much time outside class in
the lab, sometimes just 10-15 minutes if my program
worked the first time.
52
In software development it’s well known that bugs
should be fixed as soon as possible after they’re
introduced. Waiting to fix a bug near the end of a
project can take 50x as much effort as it would take
to fix the bug the first time it was noticed. Failing to
learn what you’re supposedly taught each day is a
serious bug. Don’ t try to pile new material on top of
an unstable foundation, since it will take even more
time to rebuild it later.
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anything you’re being taught, you’ve got a bug that
needs fixing. Don’ t move on until you can honestly
say to yourself, “Yes, I understand that… what’s
next?”
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come to the end of the semester, you end up having
to re-learn everything you were supposed to learn.
But because you cram at the last minute, after finals
you forget everything anyway. What’s the point of
that silliness? It’s like overspending on a credit card
that charges you 25% interest. Eventually you’ll have
to pay up, and it will cost you a lot more time in the
long run.
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I’m sure you’ve encountered simple
mnemonic techniques such as using the phrase “Every
good boy does fine” to memorize the musical notes E,
G, B, D, and F. Those kinds of tricks work well in
certain situations, but they’re so grammar
school. There are far more efficient visual
techniques. The two I relied on most in school were
chaining and pegging.
56
memories on a single pass, usually in seconds. The
downside is that pegging and chaining require a lot of
up-front practice to master, but once you learn
them, these are valuable skills you’ll have for life. I
also found that learning these techniques seemed to
improve my memory as a whole, even when I’m not
actively trying to memorize. I think this
practice trained my subconscious to store and
recall information more effectively.
57
“hole in one” shot I made from a second-story balcony
to hit a light post at the edge of a soccer field.
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effective we can be when we push ourselves beyond
our comfort zones. It taught me to keep setting goals
beyond what I feel certain I can accomplish. Many
times what we assume to be impossible just isn’ t. We
only think it is.
59
Timeboxing
-b y S te ve P av li na
60
in line. So I’m in and out with everyone’s gifts in
under two hours.
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on the task, 90 minutes may pass before I even feel
the desire to stop.
62
Speed Up!
-b y S te ve P av li na
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enjoyable at a very slow pacing. I’m not suggesting
that all goals need to be sped up.
65
those 40-odd minutes. I could have taken all morning
to write this piece, but why go so slow? Fast is fun!
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Self-Discipline
-by Steve Pavlina
What Is Self-Discipline?
Self-discipline is the ability to get yourself to take
action regardless of your emotional state.
Building Self-Discipline
My philosophy of how to build self-discipline is best
explained by an analogy. Self-discipline is like a
muscle. The more you train it, the stronger you
become. The less you train it, the weaker you
become.
If you can only lift 10 lbs, you can only lift 10 lbs.
There’s no shame in starting where you are. I recall
when I began working with a personal trainer several
years ago, on my first attempt at doing a barbell
shoulder press, I could only lift a 7-lb bar with no
weight on it. My shoulders were very weak because I’d
never trained them. But within a few months I was up
to 60 lbs.
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stronger, the same weights will seem lighter and
lighter.
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Hard Work
-by Steve Pavlina
Success literature going back hundreds of years
espouses the benefits of hard work. But why is it that
some people seem to feel that “hard work” is a dirty
word nowadays?
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I do believe there is an underlying flow to life at
times, but I see myself as a co-creator in that flow. I
can ride the flow when it’s headed where I want to go,
or I can get off and blaze my own trail when
necessary.
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own, waiting for opportunities to come to you instead
of creating your own, and doing work that in the
grand scheme of this world just isn’ t important.
Purpose.
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Law of Attraction – Take Control of Your Life
By Jordan lejuwaan
78
possible. Make sur e you’re doing something wher e
you won’t be dis turbed for at least 30 minutes, if not
an hour. Be com fortabl e, but don’t lay down or you
m ight find more sleep coming into your life instead
of your ideal.
3. Creat e your fantas y by just letting your mind
wander for the firs t few ti mes. For exampl e, let’s say
the goal is to lose weight. Im agi ne l ooking at
yourself in the mirror and looki ng am azing. You
have lost XXX lbs and are extr emely happy with
yourself. Then you walk outside of your house and
som eone walks by and comm ents on how thi n you
look. So, to rei terate, you are i magining the tim e
when your goal has been com pleted, NOT how you
are going to get there. Your responsibility is to have
the will, not the way. The uni verse will figure out the
m ethod for you. Anyways, keep building the fantasy
until you have a series of events that you can
vi sualize happeni ng ever yday. R epititi on is key. Do
the same for your other goals as well. The fantasy
does n’t have to be split up into goal sections either,
in fact, combining goals in one fantasy is
encouraged. For exam pl e, if your three goals are
losing weight, fi nding a j ob and getti ng a new BMW ,
vi sualize your ver y thin self drivi ng to your new
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job in your new BM W. If you are having trouble
vi sualizing/using your imaginati on, tr y clearing your
head first and not thinking of anything for 1 minute.
Other Tips:
- Positive things come to positive people, so
practice a good demeanor about life. Enjoy every
day and stop complaining. Don’t hate people,
that’s negative energy. The more positive you
are, the stronger your attraction for positive
things is going to be. Negativity cancels out
visualizing.
- Visualize every day, being consistent is one of
the most important parts of the process.
- If you are having trouble believing or
manifesting, visualize something smaller and
easier to attain, but out of the ordinary. If it’s
small enough and you are at least visualizing
correctly and with belief, you will most definitely
see results. Those results will increase your
belief and passion in visualization, thus giving
you the ability to manifest larger goals. W ork
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your way up if necessary, but remember that
anything is possible.
- If you are either having problems either
deciding what you truly want or having trouble
visualizing, meditation is highly recommended.
You don’t need to take a class or to sit in a lotus
position, just sit somewhere quiet, make yourself
comfortable and close your eyes. Take 3 deep
breaths into your nose and out of your mouth and
then, as mentioned before, try to empty your mind
completely for a minute before attempting to
visualize. If your mind strays from your fantasy
during visualization, open your eyes, shake your
head, and then close your eyes and continue.
Books (These are the books that I read in order
when I became aware of the Law of Attraction
and began using it in my freshman year of
college. They go really well together and will turn
a s k e p t i c i n t o a h u g e l y s u c c e s s f u l vi s u a l i z e r )
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2. For Th ose Wanting To Better Understand
Visualizat ion:
The M as ter Key System by Charles H aanel – This
book explains visualization fr om step 1 to step 24.
Yes, i t goes that , but with c oncise chapters that
each end i n an exercise that should be done to
increase visualizati on ability. The Master Key
System is the definitive guide to The Law of
Attr ac tion and m akes it unbelievabl y understandable
and easy wi th its step- by-process.
3. For Th ose Wit h
Extreme/R isky/ U npo pular/C raz y Dr eams
The Innovative Mind by Gene Landrum – If your
dream isn’ t goi ng over well with your fam il y and
fr iends or if it is so out there that even you are
worri ed it might be impossible or too risky, this is
the book for you. It will :
- dispell your fears and then some
- get you ridiculously excited about the goal you
used to fear
- mi ght get you a little cocky si nc e i t focuses on how
few people can have s uc h goals.
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List of websites
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After note-
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The Guy in the Glass
When you get what you want in
your struggle for pelf,
And the world makes you King
for a day,
Then go to the mirror and look
at yourself,
And see what that guy has to
say.
You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the guy in the glass.
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-------Thank you-------
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