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Archive for the ‘Self Improvement’ Category

How Does Intuition Affect Your LIfe

By Otto On March 5, 2010 Comments Off

You know that saying, “Trust your guts”? That refers to one of our senses that most of us don’t even know we have. It’s called intuition. And today I am going to share with you how to develop intuition for greater health, wealth and happiness.

So what is intuition exactly?

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, intuition is defined as:

a) Quick and ready insight;
b) immediate apprehension or cognition;
c) knowledge or conviction gained by intuition; or
d) the power or faculty of attaining to direct knowledge or cognition without evident rational thought and inference

To most of us, intuition is that little voice in your head that sometimes tells you what to do when you are most confused. It is that feeling in your gut that sometimes tells you whether you should or should not trust that person that you just met. It is a natural gift that we are born with, along with our five senses of touch, taste, sight, sound and smell.

If we are not comfortable enough with our intuition we won’t be able to recognize that voice, even if we listened to it. We know something’s affect but we just do not know how we know it.

Benefits of intuition

There are many benefits to honing your intuition skills. According to experts, building your intuition skills can help build your emotional, physical and spiritual health.

5 easy steps to boost your intuition skills

Many people don’t think they are intuitive. But it is actually fairly simple to develop your intuition. Here are five easy tips you can practice to develop your intuition skills:

1. Get In Touch With Your Feelings

Most of us are so out of touch and out of tune with how we truly feel inside that we walk around with a feeling of numbness. It’s either that or we are a bundle of nerves, created from stress at work or at home…

The worst is when we suppress our ‘gut feelings’ and ignore them. When was the last time your guts tried to tell you something and you ignored it? Did it come true? Did you smack your forehead and said “I KNEW IT!”

Stop ignoring your inner feelings and you won’t regret it.

2. Meditate

Meditation is definitely one of the best ways to help you build your intuition skills as it is generally used to clear the mind of clutter

Clutter can block your intuition from coming through and with meditation, you will not only have clearer and sharper thoughts, you will also see drastic improvements to the power of your mind as it not only opens up the senses, but it quiets the mind and increases your vibration, both necessary for increased intuition.

3. Listen To Your Body

Most of the time, our body reacts to our environment but because we have not sharpened our bodies’ intuitions abilities, we tend to ignore it as ‘just a feeling’.

Sometimes our bodies try to tell us if something is right or wrong, and most of the time, its right.

So when our muscles are in tension, it usually means we are perceiving danger. At the opposite when our body is relaxed we are usually feeling safe!

4. Play Games With Your Mind

This is a great way to build your intuition skills, and its fun too! So the next time telephone rings, try to guess who it is. Keep track of how close you get after a few times. The more you practice, the more you are building your intuition muscles.

You can also create games yourself. Some of my favorites are guessing when the traffic light will turn green next and what color the next car that passes by my window is!

5. Believe in your first impressions.

When you see someone for the first time and think that he is a bit too arrogant for your taste, chances are that impression actually holds true. Most of the time, first impressions are brought by intuition, so even though your rational mind tells you that you are ‘being silly’, why not trust your intuition a little and ‘file’ that thought in your mind until it proves itself to be true.

Remember, anyone can develop their intuition. Boosting your intuition skills can take time but is not hard. With the suggested steps above, it’s even easier!


Stop Procrastinating And Start Achieving Goals

By Otto On March 2, 2010 Comments Off

People who equate procrastination with laziness do not have an adequate understanding of the problem and the psychology that lies behind it. However, even those people who understand that procrastination may well be a manifestation of a deeper problem may still consider that the perpetrator is procrastinating about seeking help.

Some people who procrastinate may in fact be suffering from depression or even attention deficit disorder, either of  which may be an underlying cause of procrastination. Even though procrastination is considered a behavior disorder, by treating other diagnosed issues it may be possible to offer a method to stop the procrastination at the same time. It is often recommended that those people who are chronic procrastinators see a therapist or a mental health professional to determine if there are other treatable issues causing them to consistently put things off.

Therapy has been a useful process for people to change many behaviors such as phobias and, for example, the fear of flying. These types of upsets in a person’s psychological balance cannot always be treated with medication, but a therapist can offer a better understanding of why they display the particular behavior. This type of treatment can usually help a person to stop procrastination~change the procrastination habit~stop procrastinating if it is required.

Continuing With Procrastination Can Lead To Addictions

People who continually put off doing certain tasks, often focus their attention on other, sometimes solo projects. It is possible that someone who refuses to stop their procrastination will end up addicted to the computer, for example, if that is where they turn to take their focus away from whatever else they should be doing. Hiding behind a computer screen offers them self-justification for putting something off, but an addiction to the internet or computer gaming may be a sign that procrastination help is needed.

Attention deficit disorder, while typically associated with children, has become a more common diagnosis for adults who cannot focus on one thing for a long time. When this leads to procrastination, seeking help for attention deficit disorder can also lead to a means of stopping the procrastination.

In the majority of cases procrastination is displayed as an avoidance behavior during which the individual will perform other tasks unrelated to the project they are ignoring. Learning new behaviors and finding out what draws their focus away from their planned project, often means a cure for procrastination can be found.

A major step towards stopping procrastination is starting to set smart goals. Understanding the concept of time is often the first step towards achieving goals and can create a breakthrough in many areas of our lives.


Creating Narratives and How Mind Mapping Can Aid Authors

By Otto On February 20, 2010 Comments Off

When creating a strong and interesting narrative, the author must answer of series of important questions. Among these questions are: What will the narrative be about? Who are the main characters in the narrative? What conflict or conflicts will surround the characters? Mind Mapping is an effective tool that authors can use when creating a narrative, because it provides an effective way to organize the main characters, themes, and key conflicts in the narrative. With Mind Mapping, the author can make use of colors, visual images, words, and symbols to more easily outline his or her thoughts surrounding the narrative.

How Is A Narrative Mind Map Created?

A narrative Mind Map should consist firstly of the main idea or theme of the narrative, represented by a central image located in the center of the map. Next, the supporting themes surrounding the main idea, such as the characters or locations that will be central to the narrative, can be listed on “branches” that are attached to the central image. The conflicts among characters can then be listed on “child branches” connecting the characters involved in the conflicts. Lastly, the topics least important to the main idea of the narrative, such as minor storylines or characters, can be shown on “twigs” that are attached the “branches”. In putting together a Mind Map in this manner, an author can use whatever images, words, colors, or symbols she or he wishes to bring, life to the themes, character, and ideas for his or her topic.

Comparing a Traditional Narrative Outline and Mind Map of a Narrative

A traditional narrative outline will most often present the main theme of the narrative, as well as the characters, locations, and conflicts found in the narrative, linearly. Consider the following Chapter One outline of an author who has used a traditional layout:

Title: Murder in the First Degree

I.Chapter One

A.Introduction of the Main Characters and Location of the Narrative

1.Kathryn (The Wife)

2.Aaron (The Husband)

3.Gary (The Wife’s Lover and Murder Victim)

4.John (The Sheriff)

5.Detective Parish

6.Calamesa, CA (The Location)

B.Introduction of Character Interactions/Conflicts

1.Kathryn and Aaron’s Relationship

a.Where are how they met

b.How long they have been romantically involved

2.Samantha and Eric’s Relationship

a.How long they have been married

b. Craig’s abuse of Samantha

3.Antagonistic Relationship Between Craig and Eric

4.John’s longstanding dislike of Aaron

a.Why John Dislikes Aaron (reason?)

b.Craig many lawsuits brought against Tony for slander (?)

C.Murder

1.Body Found

a)How Victim Was Murdered (Stabbed to Death)

b)Who Found Body (Craig standing over body with knife)

2.Suspect Arrested

Contrast this outline with a Mind Map of Chapter One of the narrative, represented in the attached Mind Map diagram. In the Mind Map diagram, the themes, characters, and conflicts of the narrative are presented spatially, and are spread across the page. Moreover, while the traditional outline includes only text, the Mind Map incorporates not only text, but images, colors, and graphics as well. The results are more visually stimulating diagrams of the main themes, characters, and conflicts, making them easier to conceptualize.

Writing a Narrative from the Mind Map

Both the traditional outline and the Mind Map can be used as a jumping off point for the actual writing of the narrative. However, consider the visual imagery and spatial depth of the Mind Map; the Mind Map engages the writer’s brain in a more creative manner, and allows him or her to more actively visualize the narrative as seen in the mind’s eye. By allowing the author to visualize his or her narrative in this manner, the Mind Map provides him or her with a more intuitive transition to the actual writing of the narrative. The process of outlining the narrative and writing the narrative are thus linked in one creative process, and the development of the story can evolve more naturally.


Gain Personal Growth in Communication

By Otto On February 9, 2010 Comments Off

We’ve all found it rather difficult to develop personal growth in communicating our thoughts or feelings to someone else. Forming all the emotions and thoughts that are jumbled in our heads to a sentence or two can be challenging. However, we must interact with one another, because it’s what makes this large world go ’round. Instead of becoming frustrated, and assuming that the world just doesn’t understand us, we should first try to understand others. You can gain personal growth in communication with others, and here are but a few ways to help you achieve this:

Relax

Don’t become so wrapped up in how something should be or what would make it better. When you communicate with someone, and you develop preconceived notions on how they should be, you turn them off. Try not to be so firm in your beliefs until you completely hear what the other has to say. Take your time to understand someone, that is the trick. If you don’t have time for someone else, why, praytell, should they have time for you?

Probe

Begin to ask questions when you communicate with someone. After all, people don’t naturally walk up to others and start explaining everything they feel, want, like, and have been through. When you ask someone who you’re communicating with questions, they feel as though you actually care, and they will start asking you questions. Probing questions are what makes conversations. For example, if a person says they like to eat cheesecake, a good question would be, “What kind?” Simple as it is, it is rather effective, and keeps the conversing on a consistent and non-invasive level.

Listen

A question that is often asked of people is, if they should wait to speak, or actually listen. Forming statements or questions in our heads, and focusing solely on them until the person we’re talking to takes a breath in speech is rude, and reckless. When you abandon a person by waiting to talk we show them that we weren’t very interested to begin with, and rather selfish in this right.

Speak… Honestly

Lies are often uttered to total strangers. These are only little white lies, but they are lies, just the same. When you meet anyone, or talk to existing friends or family, try to speak with honesty. The more honesty you show, the more personal development you can gain in building integrity. When you speak honestly, you won’tt speak or do something opposite to what you feel. Try to apply this concept to every encounter that you may have.

Be the Host

Let’s say, for instance, you go to a party. It’s a small gathering, maybe no more than forty people, and you have to mingle. You can communicate very well by thinking of yourself as the host of the party. Now, don’t lie and say things such as, “this event cost me a lot of money. Do you like it?” Try to stay in your own roll or flesh as partygoer, but be as inviting, friendly, and comfortable as a host should be. People will begin to flock to you, going to you for your command of entertainment and conversation.

Balance Yourself

You can most definitely gain personal growth in communication once you simply treat people the same way that you would like to be treated. A warning to you: the more friendly and sociable you become, the more responsibility you hold. You must compare your actions with your words. Your feelings must be expressed in a non-attacking manner. Build those relationships, and further develop personal growth in communication skills.

 


Where To Find Kitchen Chair Cushions

By Otto On February 7, 2010 Comments Off

It is quite annoying when people are not taking their meals in the kitchen for the simple reason that the chairs are not comfortable to sit on. If you buy some good quality cushions then this can be a thing of the past.

Having kitchen chairs that are not being used because they are uncomfortable is a situation that you can do something about. You can find cushions that are not only comfortable but will also bring some class style and style to your kitchen. Purchasing quality kitchen chair cushions is just one of the ways in which you can remodel and decorate your kitchen too. Think about it meal time should be one way that you and your family get to spend some time together and this is one step in doing just that.

Here are some places that you will be able to get some of the best cushions available: chair cushions, black kitchen cushions, indoor cushions

When it come to purchasing cushions you should always research on the durability, strength and quality among other things. The first thing that you need to consider is the type of fabric or material that the cushions are made from. Are the cushions stain resistant or have they been treated with stain resistant dye. This prevents the color from running when you wash or clean them.

The fabric should be strong as well so that you have the cushions for quite a long time before you have to replace them again. With this point in mind I would actually suggest that you purchase cushions that have removable covers. It is always easier to look after and care for removable covers. You should also look at other things that are in your kitchen when picking the cushions that you want.

To be on the safe side always go for something that will match at least one thing in your home. Buying the correct size of cushions will definitely minimize on the stress and dissapointments. There are quite a number of places where you can get quality and affordable kitchen chair cushions. You can even get some on the net without having to go to various furniture shops to compare products and prices.


Looking For The Best Chair Cushions

By Otto On February 5, 2010 Comments Off

There are things to consider when buying cushions besides the fact that it looks beautiful. This articles highlights some of the things that you have to bear in mind when purchasing cushions.

It is quite easy and alright to walk into the nearest furniture shop and pick up the cheapest set of cushions that you come across. The thing that you need to ask yourself is will the cushions complement the other things in your house. Choosing the right chair cushions is basically part of interior designing and decorating of your home and so should be given more thought than just picking it out low priced cushions.

Check out anyone of these for some really great looking cushions: best cushions for lower back pain, cool or heat cushions, lawn seat cushions

For those that are considering buying cheap cushions let me point out what that means . The type of padding that you will find on cheap cushions is thin, the fabric is not as strong and no doubt the quality of the workmanship questionable. One thing that I can tell you is that you will be replacing them much sooner than you were expecting.

Besides the fact that they are comfortable you are also assured that they will last you longer. allow me to highlight some of the things to note to help you pick the right chair cushions.

Size is something that you should not overlook or underestimated. If the cushions are large they will wear and tear easily especially at the edges and ones that are small will not doubt be uncomfortable to sit on. Find out if the material on the cushions is stain resistant or not. If they are not; you can always treat them yourself with stain guard for easy washing and maintenance.

Also choose cushions that are made of a durable fabric that is strong and resistant. Examples that I can think of are canvas and corduroy. As you shop around for the right chair cushions look for ones that have removable covers. These are just a few of things that you could look out for even though there are more.


Types Of Kitchen Chair Cushions

By Otto On February 5, 2010 Comments Off

It is quite annoying when people are not taking their meals in the kitchen for the simple reason that the chairs are not comfortable to sit on. You could change all this around by investing in some quality and yet affordable cushions.

What is the point of having kitchen chairs that no one hardly ever sits on because they are just not comfortable at all? Besides looking for kitchen chair cushions that are comfortable you can look for ones that will improve on the aesthetic qualities of your house. Quality kitchen chair cushions are classified under kitchen remodeling and design ideas. Think about it meal time should be one way that you and your family get to spend some time together and this is one step in doing just that.

Here are some places that you will be able to get some of the best cushions available: chair cushion, kitchen seat cushions, custom indoor cushions

When you choose your cushions make sure that you know what you are buying in terms of quality, strength, durability and price. Top of the list would be the type of material that the cushions are manufactured with. You should also find out how they handle stains and if they’ve been treated with strain resistant dye. This prevents the color from running when you wash or clean them.

The fabric should be strong as well so that you have the cushions for quite a long time before you have to replace them again. With this point in mind I would actually suggest that you purchase cushions that have removable covers. This will make the care and maintenance of the cushions much easier when it comes to washing them. Consider the rest of the furniture that you have in the kitchen when you are choosing.

It is always best to go with something that complements the trend or style that is there already in your home. Lastly but not least you should make sure that you pick out the correct size of cushions to avoid further frustrations. There are quite a number of places where you can get quality and affordable kitchen chair cushions. You can even get some on the net without having to go to various furniture shops to compare products and prices.