The pleasure trap: Douglas Lisle at TEDxFremont

Is Pleasure an Addiction?

When I naïvely asked the above question over a very pleasurable lunch with my friends, I got the following not very pleasurable reactions:

"Give me a break-having a few drinks after shopping for a couple hours is an addiction?"

"Are you telling us that having a good time addictive?"

My answer: "Okay, guys, what do you expect me to do, here" -leave, or explain what I was trying to say?"

Their response: "You're addicted to explanations, anyway, so go ahead and clarify your statement."

What is pleasure?

Pleasure is "A feeling of happy satisfaction and enjoyment, or an event or activity from which one derives enjoyment."

Here's my question for you: What do you really enjoy a lot?

Video games? Gambling? Drinking alcohol? Eating sugary foods? Shopping? Using street drugs? Cheating on your partner? Watching TV endlessly... watching porn or scary movies?

All of the above could become addictions.

Why?

Because they give you pleasure; they stimulate the brain's pleasure centre.

Any kind of stimulation of the pleasure centre releases massive amounts of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter and a neurohormone produced in the brain.

Don't stimulate your brain's pleasure centre too often-you can wear it out! The intense and repeated release of dopamine will damage the receptors in your brain and cause them to tire of stimulation.

We people like dopamine very much. In the field of science, dopamine is called "the pleasure neurotransmitter." With adequate amounts of dopamine, we feel good, happy, and satisfied.

And what's wrong with that? Nothing, really... except that many illegal drugs and the other things people enjoy, such as those mentioned above, also target with the brain's pleasure receptors, releasing dopamine and contributing to possible addiction.

Individuals who are addicted engage in the process of releasing dopamine even if they know it's bad for them.

The brain's pleasure centre can be damaged not only by overuse but by toxins or head trauma, as well. The result is the same.

After a while, an individual will need more stimulation or more extended periods of intense stimulation just to release adequate amounts of dopamine. What follows this overuse is that the brain's pleasure centre will be less responsive.

Translated, less responsive simply means that the brain will produce less dopamine.

But we do need dopamine-right?

Yes, we do. However, when less dopamine is released, a person may be headed for depression or for an addiction to the original stimulus (e.g., nicotine, drugs, alcohol).

In the beginning, a person turns to "pleasure"; after the brain's pleasure receptors are overused for a period of time, however, he or she is at risk for addiction.

In light of the information I've just shared, is the question, "Is pleasure an addiction" a valid one? The answer is a definite "yes," since any overuse of pleasure can lead to addiction.

Of course, it's important to enjoy the things you love-doing so makes for a happy and satisfying life. However, as the saying goes, "All things in moderation." If you keep this in mind, you'll steer clear of the path to addiction.

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Are You Living an Insta Lie? Social Media Vs. Reality

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Social Media: Is It A Good For Someone To Compare Their Life With Others Online?

Whenever someone spends time on social media, they could end up looking through what their friends have been doing. Furthermore, they could look into what certain celebrities have been doing.

When this takes place, there could be times when they end up feeling happy and times when they end up feeling sad. There could also be a number of other emotional states that they go into when they look over what other people have been doing.

One Reason

Now, if one of their friends was to share a happy picture of themselves or some good news, it could result in them also feeling good. If the opposite took place, one could end up feeling bad.

What this could illustrate is that this is someone who they are really close to. Then again, one could just be someone who has a lot of empathy, which is why they have the tendency to experience strong emotions when go online.

Pulled In

Another reason why one could experience a strong reaction when they see what another person has been doing is because they have made a comparison. If one believes that their life is better than one of their friends, they could feel good; but if they don't, they could feel bad.

They might not simply compare their life with other people's lives, though; they could also compare their appearance with them too. If this was to take place, it is likely to show that one looks to what is going on 'out there' to gauge how well they are doing in life.

A Losing Battle

The trouble with this approach is that one didn't start from the same point as anyone else, and they are on their own path in life. Taking this into account, it would be far healthier for them to compare themselves with where they started.

By looking back on their own timeline and seeing where they started from, they will be able to accurately assess how well they are doing. When one compares their life with someone else's life, it will be similar to a dog comparing their life with a horse.

A Waste of Time

What will have most likely played a part in why one would compare their life with someone else's life is the conditioning that they have received throughout their life. Their time in the school system, for instance, will have most likely played a big part.

This would have probably been a time when they were just seen as another child who needed to be educated, as opposed to a child that already had knowledge within them. But if they were taught by people that had also gone though the same programming, this is to be expected.

An Illusion

At the same time, even if one did start off at the same starting point as everyone else and was also on the same path, it still doesn't mean that it would be a good idea for them to compare their life with others online. The reason for this is that what they see online might have very little basis in reality.

One can then believe that one of their friends is doing really well, yet it doesn't mean that this is actually the case. In the same way that someone can edit their pictures to make themselves look perfect; they can also edit their life to create the impression that everything is perfect.

Effortless

Just as a house can look great on the outside but be in complete mess on the inside, someone life's can also be the same. It is not as though it is hard for someone to make out that their life is perfect online.

To create this impression, the only thing that they need to do is to upload pictures where they are on holiday and are smiling. The areas of their life that are not going well can be kept offline.

No Better Off

One can then compare their life with someone else's life, believing that this person's life is better than theirs, and the other person could be in a very bad place. This person could even be looking at what one has been doing and wish that their life was like theirs.

But even though this person's life is not going well, they might be too ashamed to open up to anyone about it. Their need to maintain the image that they have created is going to be more important than their own happiness.

A Big Trap

What this shows is that not only can one suffer if they get too caught up in what they see online; they can also suffer if they use social media to try to make out that their life is perfect. One way for one to stop themselves from getting too sucked into what they see, is for them to think about what they are not seeing.

Ultimately, no matter how good someone's life is, there are bound to be things that they are not happy with. Everyone on this planet has stuff to deal with, and even if someone is rich, famous and talented, it doesn't mean that they don't have problems.

Conclusion

If one finds that they are not happy with the direction that their life is going, it will be a good idea for them to look into what they can do to get back on track. The time and energy that goes into comparing their life with others can be directed towards their own growth.

They owe it to themselves to live a life that is fulfilling, so fulfilling that they no longer need to compare their life with the edited lives that they see online. There is plenty of information online when it comes to what they can do to transform their life.

Teacher, prolific writer, author, and consultant, Oliver JR Cooper, hails from England. His insightful commentary and analysis covers all aspects of human transformation, including love, partnership, self-love, and inner awareness. With over two thousand, two hundred in-depth articles highlighting human psychology and behaviour, Oliver offers hope along with his sound advice.

To find out more go to - http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/

Feel free to join the Facebook Group -
https://www.facebook.com/OliverJRCooper

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Get Inspired - Best Inspirational Quotes

Tending The Heart: How to Get From Fear to Empowerment

Fear constricts and empowerment frees; and tending the heart allows us to find our way to that freedom.

Fear is a deeply rooted meme in society because every generation on earth has faced the need for survival. In earlier times, fear of abandonment was primary for most individuals, because abandonment by the tribe most often led to death.

Fear is also used extensively by egoic minds and unawakened beings to control, manipulate and force consensus, even when it is false.

Fear is an illusion

Fear is truly false, for it presents false evidence in order to coerce us into submission; it often parades the imminent danger of abandonment to make us cower from the possibility of what other humans might do to us.

Even this grandiose posturing of fear is false! In truth, the Creator cannot abandon creation, for the creation is the very expression of Divinity in physical form. To abandon creation, the Creator has to abandon Himself, and that is not possible. Both Creator and creation are one in consciousness; therefore all divisive concepts of fear and abandonment come from the unawakened ego self.

To make space for the realization of Divine support and protection in our lives, we need to evict the fear of what man can do to us.

We need to understand that fear is a man-made phenomenon that has no power over our eternal souls. Only then can we affirm that we are embraced by a loving Creator who does not and cannot abandon His creation.

Tending the heart

Once we have revealed fear for what it is: false evidence appearing real, there is a Zen Buddhist teaching that reminds us there are only two things in this world we need to do: sit and tend the garden.

Even though the world is full of suffering, it is also full of empowerment to overcome. When we stop and become quiet, we can see this.

And so, we need to tend our hearts so we can transition from fear to faith; from disempowerment to true empowerment.

Take the time to sit and calm your heart; feel beneath the fear to the woundedness there that begs for healing. It takes courage to step away from the crowd, to push away the busy schedule and to sit, tending your heart and your soul. Yet all masters knew how important that is: even Gandhi took one day a week to sit in silence, tending the garden of his heart so he could be the change he sought in the world.

Right action

When we've taken time to tend the heart, we can engage in meaningful action. How you do your work is as important as what you do. Never act out of guilt, because then you are propagating the very suffering of the world. If you truly wish to grow love and not anger, fear or guilt, then do what you do from love, and not from any other emotion.

When acting out of guilt, anger or fear, we act out of ego, no matter how noble the cause we engage in.

Expand your circle

We also need to stay connected to the whole of life, even as we figure out our individual parts of the journey. Don't draw your circle of life too small. You are more than one person - you are one with life itself, expressing in this life through consciousness.

Reclaim your connection

It is in sitting and contemplation that we recognize the stillness of the Creator Presence and our connection to all. That awareness can foster in us spontaneous caring and compassion for the woundedness of the world, so we commit to the awakening and care of the world.

Many brave souls have gone before to show the way. I often find inspiration in this excerpt of author Diane Ackerman's poem titled School Prayer:

"In the name of daybreak
and the eyelids of morning
and the wayfaring moon
and the night when it departs,

I swear I will not dishonor
my soul with hatred,
but offer myself humbly
as a guardian of nature,
a healer of misery,
a messenger of wonder,
and an architect of peace."

Centuries earlier, the Buddha taught: "To live in joy and love even among those who hate; to live in joy and health, even among the afflicted; to live in joy and peace, even among the troubled; quiet your mind and tend the heart, and free yourself from fears and confusion and attachment, and know the sweet joy of living in the Way."

What is your gift to the world that only you can bring? Listen closely, push beyond fear to find it, and then commit to do it with love and joy!

Ada Porat is a kinesiologist and pastoral counselor who founded Stillpoint Holistic Services, a center for healing and transformation that serves clients around the world. She is passionate about helping clients live their best lives. Ada can be reached at https://AdaPorat.com.

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The Cult That Makes Your Debts Disappear

How I Used The Law Of Attraction To Escape Debt, Fear And Panic

I was in my late 30's and nothing was going right. I was working in a building supplies yard picking up rubbish for minimum wage. I thought I had a bright future but everything just seemed to go wrong somewhere.

I'd picked up this job from an agency and soon got some H.G.V. (heavy goods vehicle) work, having just got my licence. But things just got worse and worse and worse! I had a number of crashes while driving on jobs delivering. I hit a bridge, a car and managed to drop someone's chutney - a whole pallet load, much to the owners dismay! That wasn't my best day - nor his.

Things were conspiring against me, I thought. Everywhere I went, devastation followed. My relationships were in tatters and my debt was growing. And it seemed there was nothing I could do to turn it all around.

I had remembered watching The Secret a few years earlier and losing patience with my efforts to 'manifest' my dream life (within a week)! Perhaps I was being too impatient! I knew there had to be something in it, so I decided to go back to the drawing board. I quit my job too. I had crashed twice for the same company and was costing them by the day! Just turning up back to the office made my skin crawl, knowing how useless I was!

Things had been better.

I had a huge debt sitting over me and was paying my rent on a credit card. I was just stressed out all the time. This was probably why things spiralled out of control.

I bought every book I could find on the subject of the law of attraction. I was soon in a far better state of mind, despite all the problems which hung over me. I picked up some work and started teaching a martial arts classes, something that had been a passion for years.

Things that I had given up on turned up to help me get back on track. Years earlier I had trained to do stunt work but my self-esteem had got so low that I had almost written it off as a bad idea. I picked up a few jobs and was able to pay off most of my credit card debt within a period of about 6 months.

My then girlfriend left me. I was away working on a film when it happened. I fell back into victim mode but knew I had to stay positive. I was beginning to realise that my state was the most important thing, and it was also my worse enemy.

Over the previous several months I had read every book I could find which mentioned the law of attraction: Working with the law by Raymond Holliwell, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, Wallace Wattles - The Science Of Getting Rich, As A Man Thinketh, James Allen and so on and so on!

All these books taught the law of attraction and explained it in far greater detail than was explained in the movie The Secret. In the film The Secret, it is explained as thoughts becoming things. When I first saw the film, I was inspired but I didn't fully understand it. I thought I understood it but it was only superficial. I watched my thoughts and dreamt of what I wanted, but somehow things kept showing up that I didn't want.

Turns out I wasn't as positive as I thought I was! Despite spending a few hours meditation and visualising what a great life I would be having, it became clear later that I spent the rest of my time complaining and worrying. Not useful when you're trying to attract the wonderful life.

The problem was my life was worry (for me)! I was focusing on what was, not what could be. So I kept reinforcing the old patterns of behaviour and creating the 'stuff' to complain about.

Despite the short-term rest-bite which work gave me, I was unable to spend my time in any kind of enjoyment. I always defaulted back to my worry-some state of mind and over working in some way. My only escape from this state of mind which I constantly revisited was in getting drunk whenever the opportunity presented itself.

This of course didn't help my state of mind nor my bank balance. Whenever I gave up drinking, my life seemed to dramatically improve. I had money, work came in and things got better. But with the constant worrying and obsessing over needing a more secure source of income, plus having a lot of time off, I would inevitably find my self back on the booze!

When I finally clued up to this pattern I was creating, things began to change. I found an online mentorship program and learned how to market my kung fu school more effectively as well as build an online business. This gave me something to focus my restless mind on - which is what I was in desperate need of.

Having the right people in my life now is completely invaluable. I realise I had cut myself off from people and was spending a lot of time alone. This itself led to depression and anxiety. However, my connection to the online community meant I could network and meet up in person with other like-minded people. There was a resource online to connect to through social media and I started meeting people in my local area.

Through using what I believe to be the law of attraction, I've managed to escape the 9 to 5 jobs I hated so much, get out of a rut and overcome lack of confidence, fear and panic. I'm now able to work from home and teach martial arts without a job, a boss or to answer to anyone. It wasn't easy, but if I can do it, so can you!

What do you believe about the law of attraction. Will you take the red pill or the blue pill? Take the blue pill and the story ends, wake up in bed and believe whatever you want to believe. Take the red pill and you stay in wonderland and see how far the rabbit hole goes...

Tim Halloran is a stuntman, martial artist and online entrepreneur. To learn how to build your own online business see his site here: http://www.thelawofattractionsceptic.com

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tim_Halloran/488644

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10 Mysterious Kids Who Remember Their Past Lives

What If You Could Reverse A Previous Life Decision Or Action

No, I'm not Scrooge - Past Present and future. But just wondering - have you ever in hindsight considered how your life might be different today if you could go back in time and reverse a decision or action you took years ago?

Wish you had said no rather than yes at the Altar? Wish you had said yes rather than no for a job transfer? Ever said - I'll think about it before you said yes or no to a purchase, investment or opportunity?

I could go on with hundreds more of examples but as we approach the end of another year, I'm sure many people reflect on the quality of some aspect of their lives and how it might have been better or worse in some way if they had made a different decision or taken a different action?

Could this be you?

As the end of another year is quickly bringing me to yet another life ending, I have asked myself these questions in real and often painful detail for the first time. Sure, most of us from time to time reflect on some aspect of our lives but do we ever dig really deep into real personal outcomes, causes, reasons, expectations or agendas that could be major contributors to some or all of these circumstances? As a speaker and author - from vast global experience and meeting thousands of people around the world - is that the answer to this question is - no.

And why? Do we want to avoid the pain and guilt of mistakes? Can we not get out of denial 'that my life is not in my control and the needs to point fingers or blame'? Do we lack the courage or willingness to accept responsibility to make necessary changes that can or may improve our futures?

NO ONE knows tomorrow - let me repeat if you are reading this too quickly - NO ONE knows what tomorrow will look like, bring or be. I don't care how smart you are, how in touch you are, how intuitive you are, how beautiful or handsome you are, how poor or rich you are - GOT IT? No one knows how any decision or action will turn out in the future - ever. No one knows what tomorrow and life will look - whether positive or negative, chaos or La La land, health and happiness or sickness and loneliness.

So, do we all make mistakes along the way? I don't like to call them mistakes but "life teachers" instead. We can learn from them or repeat them again and again. We can try and change the outcomes with more wisdom, knowledge, information, and experience or we can accept that there is very little in life we can control.

If you don't think you have ever made a mistake does this make you stupid, arrogant or egotistical? Or, if you look back on all of life whether positive or negative saying to yourself - "I did the best I could at the time with what I had or what I knew. Sure, If I knew then what I know now, I would have done it (anything) differently." But unfortunately - that's not how "real life" works. Life is an ongoing adventure, journey, experiment, process and progression and it is not in control by you. Life has a funny way of sometimes using our bad or poor actions or decisions to teach us what we are often too haughty to accept or learn and it desires us to learn. Ever noticed, if we fail to learn important lessons, life has a funny way of bringing different people or circumstances into our lives again and again that are remarkably similar to previous people or circumstances to teach us what it wants us to learn before it's too late or our time here is over?

Guilty? I know I am - and I must admit - far too many times.

So, what does it take to accept and learn from what life gives us whether a winning Lottery ticket or the loss of someone close to us?

I don't like to preach since that is not my strength but what I can share is what years of life - some filled with pain, disappointment and anxiety others filled with joy, humility, and peace - have taught me.

You can trust, or you can question. You can learn, or you can blame. You can love, or you can hate. You can grow, or you can stay stuck. You can whine, or you can get busy. You can resist, or you can accept.

Need I go on?

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tim_Connor/43189

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10 Habits Of All Successful People!

Regrets Or Lessons Learned

Regret can have a significant negative impact on every aspect of your future - your career, relationships, health and even your happiness and why? Well for starters it keeps you stuck in the past, something that you can't do anything about. But just as important it can have a major negative impact on your present and your future.

Basically, regret is how we choose to define the past - decisions, actions, outcomes, experiences and even people in our life.

Another way to view these decisions, circumstances and the rest is to see them as lessons learned. The only problem with this approach is you must do some "inner work" to discover what the learning could be or have been. But let me get back to that in a minute or so.

Let me give you just three quick examples of where regret can dramatically impact the rest of your life.

First - in your health - Let's say in an earlier part of your life you were a smoker, druggie or ate like an idiot. Let me ask you, you have left these actions in the past for many years, but you regret not having the discipline or common sense to not indulge in these behaviors. It's later in your life and you now have - COPD, heart issues, joint problems etc. that were mainly caused by these earlier behaviors. OK, so it's too late to change the past but you spend far too much time in the present beating yourself up because of these stupid mistakes. Let me ask do you think these thoughts could be having a negative impact on the present? If your answer is no - wake up.

Second in your career - At an earlier time in your career when you didn't have the maturity or common sense to excel you made some bad or even stupid decisions. Unfortunately, one of them caused you to be terminated from your position at a time in your life when that was very detrimental on other life areas like finances, relationships and your progress towards success. Over the years you struggled to finally land the position or opportunity that you felt you deserved or were entitled to but for some reason it never crossed your path and you lived with almost daily disappointment and regret over your "long ago" bad choices. Let me ask you - do you think staying stuck in this previous mindset is helpful in your present? Starting to see a trend here? No, OK, well one more quick example.

Third in relationships - Ever spent too much time, energy or resources on a relationship that was going nowhere or ended badly and in hindsight you regretted not ending it sooner, or never starting it, or being a better person in it? Been there? If not, I'm guessing you are close to the "perfect" person, but no one knows it but you. So, the regret is not waking up and paying attention sooner but for some silly reason - - hope, love, infatuation, poor self-esteem - whatever - kept you stuck in la-la land, denial or wishful thinking but in the end, deep down inside you - you knew it wasn't right for some reason but stuck with it. Flash forward a few years and here we go again in another relationship, marriage or romantic fling and guess what keeps filling your mind - "what if this is happening again and I'm not getting it? Been there? Do you think these thoughts (regrets) may just have an impact on your current situation? Duh.

There are numerous other examples I could give like - previous opportunities not embraced, previous investments made or not made etc.

OK, the other option is to see these life situations, circumstances or people not as regrets but as lessons to be learned or teachers that were in our life to help us learn the right lessons along the path into the future. And how can life expect us to do this during turmoil, frustration, pain, discouragement, anxiety and yes regret. It's simple but not easy and here are just a few ideas to consider, embrace or apply to change your mindset from defining who you are to becoming who you can be.

- Let the invalidating, negative, whining, pessimistic and self-righteous people in your life go. The more time you spend with them, the more you will feel life is not fair, you are a victim and you deserve what you want or need whether you deserve it not. Be careful who you are around - they are influencing you every minute of every day.

- Get out of mental "auto-pilot". Start spending real time and energy evaluating stuff in the present and not using the past or the future as the guidelines for evaluation. You don't know what the future holds no matter what you do or don't do, and you certainly can't change the past. So, if you want to have less regret in the future spend time figuring out what you are doing and not doing now and - why or why not.

- Get some coaches and/or mentors. Join a Mastermind group. Have some life advisors you trust. Stop trying to do it all on your own. Take stuff to them and ask for guidance. Doesn't mean you will or have to take it or not. But if you don't get it you can't take it.

- Accept the simple truth that you can only get better and learn more from mistakes, bad decisions and stupid actions. If life is sailing along for you day after day with no challenges and adversity - trust me - you are learning nothing. Embrace failure. Say thank you for challenges and then use them as learning tools not excuses to feel sorry for yourself, self-pity or even uselessness.

- There's a lot more, but here's just one more for the road. You were not put on this earth to whine, complain and do nothing with the time you have been given. You were put here to grow, help others, and leave your personal world no matter how small or big, a better place. You can't do these if you are stuck in the mud or mindsets of fear, greed, ego, arrogance and pride. Want to make a difference - get busy making a difference - one person and one day at a time.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tim_Connor/43189



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Learn How To Control Your Mind (USE This To BrainWash Yourself)

Are You Victimising Yourself?

Quite some time ago I came across a post on social media where someone was basically lamenting the fact that although they were there for their friends during tough times, their friends were not there for them when they were going through a tough time. From what they said, it would be easy to see them as a victim.

This person is then going to be caring and supportive, yet the people in their life are the complete opposite. After reading this post, it would be easy to feel sorry for this person and to want to offer them a few supportive words.

Another Angle

However, while it would be easy to feel sorry for this person and even to see them as a victim, it could be said that there is a lot more to it than this. For one thing, one doesn't have to stay friends with these people.

Therefore, if they are only taking from them, they can cut their ties with these people. What this clearly shows is that one is not powerless; they can do something about what is taking place.

An Important Question

As they haven't done this, it will be a good idea for them to reflect on why they haven't moved on from these people. One way of looking at this would be to say that even though they are angry about this, another part of them feels comfortable with what is taking place.

Consciously, one is not going to be getting anything from this, but unconsciously, it can be a very different story. So, the reason why they don't realise this is probably because they are not aware of this other part of them.

A Closer Look

If they were to go beyond what is going in their conscious mind and to go deeper within themselves, what they may find is that they feel worthless. Thus, even though one part of them will get angry at how these people treat them, another part of them will believe that they deserve to be treated in this way.

This will be the reason why they tolerate this behaviour, as opposed to drawing the line and finding people that are willing to be there for them. It might be hard for them to accept this, but at least they will be able to see that they are not a victim.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, this is just one of the many ways that someone can victimise themselves. What this emphasises is how vital it is for someone to develop self-awareness as this will stop them from having a victim mentality.
​
Along with this, having an internal locust of control will also help as this will stop them from getting caught up in what takes place externally. This doesn't mean that this will allow them to have complete control over their life; what it means is that they will see that they do have an effect on their life.

Teacher, prolific writer, author, and consultant, Oliver JR Cooper, hails from England. His insightful commentary and analysis covers all aspects of human transformation, including love, partnership, self-love, and inner awareness. With over two thousand, one hundred in-depth articles highlighting human psychology and behaviour, Oliver offers hope along with his sound advice.

To find out more go to - http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/

Feel free to join the Facebook Group -
https://www.facebook.com/OliverJRCooper

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Oliver_JR_Cooper/818466

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We are all connected with nature: Nixiwaka Yawanawa at TEDxHackney

We Need To Get Back To Nature

We no longer live in an agrarian society.

At the beginning of our country almost everyone lived off the land and were close to nature, being as it was, people were close to the land and cherished what was important in life.

When you live close to the land and nature, you begin to realize the importance of God and nature in your life. You sense a closeness to God and others that cannot be felt in an urban environment.

Living in a rural area, people develop a sense of community to nature and others, you learn to depend on others and others learn to depend on you.

You have a relationship with your neighbor and have an obligation to help if needed, knowing they will help you if the need arises. You become like family and share the so-called bad times with the good.

Sure, they know your business and you know theirs, but what difference does it makes, you are all in this life together, they are there for you if needed. That isn't going to happen if they don't know you.

I would sooner know my business, the good, bad and the ugly, than be ignored when assistance is needed.

In an urban environment, that closeness disappears, people begin to depend on a unresponsive and uncaring government to satisfy all their social, economic, and financial needs.

Government officials have no interest in the individual other than being able to solicit their votes on election day. There is no personal involvement and no common bond, no incentive to care for the individual, the individual just becomes a number.

We must learn and understand the government doesn't solve any of our problems, they just add to them. They can't, when they help one group, they consequently harm another group, it's a continuous cycle, all of their supposed assistance only increases our dependence on them.

When you depend on someone or something, they control you. How many women detest being under the control of a man, but yet welcome government control of their lives, in other ways than the abortion issue?

As people begin clustering into large cities, their contact with nature dwindles. How long has it been since you walked barefoot on the soil, without shoes or socks to disconnect you from mother nature, how long has it been since you walked a beautiful beach at sunset?

How long has it been since you enjoyed a sunset in nature, or seen the stars, unobstructed by smog, honking horns, or city noise.

How long has it been since you could depend on a neighbor or even know their name or anything about them?

Most of our social problems could be solved if we just knew our neighbors, their joys and problems, and took part in their lives to help when needed, and if we enjoyed a close relationship with nature.

I guessing it has been way too long.

Gary has been a writer/photographer for over 20 years, specializing in nature, landscapes and studying native cultures. Photography has given him the opportunity to observe life in many different cultures, and learn valuable lessons about life and different cultures. It has become a means to an end.

He has published several books about the various cultures he has studied.

His blog, http://www.thefloridahoosier.com. has articles about photography, travel, and long forgotten common sense, with a little humor thrown in on the side.

He can be reached by email, journeysthrulife@gmail.com

For more information and a link to his hard cover and eBooks, please check his website. http://www.journeysthrulife.com

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Gary_Wonning/73241

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10129542https://ezinearticles.com/?We-Need-To-Get-Back-To-Nature&id=10129542

Presenting & Public Speaking Tips - How to improve skills & confidence

6 Essential Considerations, To Give A Great Presentation

Whether, one needs to give a presentation, for business purposes, or for other reasons, or, if he wants to be a meaningful, effective, inspiring, motivating leader, doesn't it make sense, to understand, and consider, some of the necessities of doing so, effectively? How often, have you listened to someone, and been far less than inspired, or motivated, and thought, the presenter, could make a far better approach, etc? With that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, 6 essential considerations, in order to be able, and more capable, of giving a far better, more effective presentation.

1. Determine overall topic: Before preparing, how to present your information, do your homework, and fully consider, and determine all aspects of your selected topic, and/ or, subject matter! Why would you select a particular idea, etc? How does it relate to your audience/ attendees? Why would others want to attend, and how might it, relate to the potential attendees?

2. What are the main points, you wish to communicate, and why?: Always be prepared, before you make your presentation! What topics are the most important, and how might you, articulate and communicate these, effectively, and in an inspiring, motivating way? Choose wisely, and restrict, the number of topics. Be sure, they all relate, and are important, to those, you present, to!

3. How will you begin?: The potential success, and impact, of your presentation, is often, determined, by how you begin! You will either attract, and entertain, your audience, or lose their attention! Some start with a joke, or a story, etc, but, what's most important, is to, begin by explaining, in a compelling way, what you will be explaining, the goals, and your hopes and aspirations, for what, you believe, they might take away, from the experience. Be prepared, from the start, because, you only get one chance, to make a first impression!

4. How will you end?: Always leave them, wanting more! Don't over - present, or you will risk, boring them! Close, by summarizing, getting their input, and thanking them, for being such a great audience!

5. How will you involve attendees?: Be proactive, and interactive. The more, you get others involve, and address their perceptions, needs, and priorities, the better, you will be received! You should always, seek to, leave them, feeling, their time, was well - spent!

6. What aids, might make sense?: Consider visual aids, participation, role - playing, etc, and which, might make you, more capable, of making your point! Use these aids, to make the presentation more interesting, understandable, and compelling, and not, merely, as some sort of meaningless exercise!

If you hope to make a quality, effective presentation, take the time, to prepare effectively, and focus, on the main message, you want to communicate. Combine, being entertaining, with informative, and you'll be, well, on your way, to getting the best results!

Richard has owned businesses, been a COO, CEO, Director of Development, consultant, professionally run events, consulted to thousands of leaders, and conducted personal development seminars, for 4 decades. Rich has written three books and thousands of articles. His company, PLAN2LEAD, LLC has an informative website http://plan2lead.net and Plan2lead can also be followed on Facebook http://facebook.com/Plan2lead

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Richard_Brody/492539

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10149468https://ezinearticles.com/?6-Essential-Considerations,-To-Give-A-Great-Presentation&id=10149468

Programming your mind for success | Carrie Green | TEDxManchester

Success: Why Do Some People Get Anxious When Their Life Is Going Well?

If someone has spent a lot of time and effort building up their own life, it can be hard for them to understand why they would feel uncomfortable now that their life is going in the right direction. Yet, even if only one area of their life is going as they would like it to go, they could still be confused.

It is then going to be as if one has asked for something and, now that they have got it, they are not happy. Still, this doesn't mean that they are not pleased with how their life is going; what it comes down to is that part of them is not going to be on board with what is taking place.

Inner Shift

If they didn't feel uncomfortable, it would be possible for them to appreciate the direction that their life is taking. Taking this into account, something will need to change inside them in order for them to feel more at peace and to embrace what they have achieved.

Ultimately, what they are experiencing is not normal - it shows that something isn't right. Nonetheless, before one was able to take a step back and to reflect on what is taking place, they might have been sucked into how they felt.

A Few Areas

If their whole life is going in the right direction, it could mean that their career is going well, they have a number of close friends, they are in an intimate relationship and they are in good shape, for instance. A number of years ago, their life may have been radically different.

Based on how they feel, it could be said that the discomforted that they are experiencing is completely irrational. The same could also be said if one area of their life is going well and they feel uncomfortable.

External Feedback

If one was to share what is taking place for them with a friend or a family member, they could be told that they just need to relax and to embrace what they have achieved. In their eyes, it is not going to do one any good to get caught up in the discomfort that is inside them.

After hearing this, one may find that they are able to settle down and to enjoy their life again. Then again, one may find that hearing this doesn't help them, and it might even make them feel even worse.

More Pressure

If they do feel worse, it could be because they might now feel as though they are getting worked up for no reason. One could believe that if only they were stronger, there would be no need for them to feel so edgy.

Blaming themselves for what is taking place is clearly not going to serve them; they are under enough stress as it is. What one will need to remember is that this is a fairly new experience for them, so it might take a while for them to get to the bottom of what is going on.

Tuning In

If one was to connect to what is taking place inside them, they may find that there is a fair amount of anxiety and fear. Therefore, although their life is going well (or one part of it is), it will seem as though something bad is about to happen.

It then won't matter how well their life is going as their inner world will be telling them that it is all about to come to an end. If they are able to stop themselves from getting pulled into this, they could wonder why they feel this way.

Another Part

In addition to this, they could also find that part of them doesn't believe that they deserve to experience life in this way. So if everything that they have achieved was taken away, it would feel right to this part of them.

What could become clear at this point is that not every part of their being is on the same page. Part of them wants to achieve their goals and to experience joy, while another part of them isn't interested in achieving anything and wants to be unhappy.

A Closer Look

There may have been a time in their adult life when something was taken away for them, setting them up believe that the same thing would happen in the future. At the same time, what they are currently going through could be the result of what occurred during their early years.

For example, they may have grown up in a very unpredictable environment, due to one caregiver being emotionally unstable. At one point, everything might have been fine and, at another, it could have been complete anarchy

One Experience

Conversely, this stage of their life may have been going well, only for it to change suddenly. Perhaps their caregivers broke up or one had to move into a completely different area.

Whatever took place, it would have set them up to believe that good things don't last, and what took place would have been taken to heart. In other words, one would have believed that the reason their life changed was due to the fact that there was something wrong with them.

Awareness

At this age they would have been ego centric, and this was why they would have taken it personally. In reality, what took place had nothing do to with them or reflect their value as a person.

If one can relate to this, and they want to change their life, they may need to reach out for external support. This is something that can be provided by the assistance of a therapist or a healer.

Teacher, prolific writer, author, and consultant, Oliver JR Cooper, hails from England. His insightful commentary and analysis covers all aspects of human transformation, including love, partnership, self-love, and inner awareness. With over two thousand, one hundred in-depth articles highlighting human psychology and behaviour, Oliver offers hope along with his sound advice.

To find out more go to - http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/

Feel free to join the Facebook Group -
https://www.facebook.com/OliverJRCooper

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Oliver_JR_Cooper/818466

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10143924https://ezinearticles.com/?Success:-Why-Do-Some-People-Get-Anxious-When-Their-Life-Is-Going-Well?&id=10143924

"Everything happens for a reason" -- and other lies I've loved | Kate Bo...

The Fantastic Life

All right, the great lived life is one that is fully understood, yet never boring. With that dramatic sweep of a statement, I begin this article. Mastery, we all want it. But, only when we are willing to develop it through repetition and work on what we want to genuinely master do we get it. That is a variation on the quote I love to use: We all love to win, but who does love to train? If we want to master something genuinely, we better love to train until the final moment where we put it all into practice! When I think about the fantastic life, I think and realize about all the training beforehand, before the "overnight success" or the "instant genuine win" and all of that.

The sucker punch of a great lived life is that when seamless, mastery looks so easy and instant, when it took much training, understanding, patience, temporary mistakes in between to get to that mastery. The genuine work it takes is the invisible elephant in the room that takes the whole room up when you genuinely think of what genuine mastery takes. Indeed, though, if you want to consciously achieve and win, this work must be done behind the scenes before you do win.

All that I mentioned was and is the cause and effect of reality, the fantasy is that mastery and genius are easy. If you follow the reality of cause and effect, however quick you catch on or make it look "easy", there is always hard work involved. So, I tell you a quote from Michelangelo that I used in a last article to put things into perspective:

"If you knew how much work went into it, you wouldn't call it genius."

Yes, exactly Michelangelo, it would be an achievement still, but with the work, it would be effort, more than genius, lucky break, or whatever an average person who does not put in the work or wants to likes to call it. Mastery is simply mastering the basics until they do become advanced and a genuine growth stock I think and understand. This is not facetiousness, this is reality. Think about it, master the nuts and bolts and you genuinely can grow on to what is advanced and there is not any faking that. Growing without mastering equals disaster anyway. You can quote me on that one. I hope this article has been more than just food for thought, or a "miracle" growth formula for reality.

My name is Joshua Clayton, I am a freelance writer based in Inglewood, California. I also write under a few pen-names and aliases, but Joshua Clayton is my real name, and I write by that for the most part now. I am a philosophical writer and objective thinker and honest action taker. I also work at a senior center in Gardena, California as my day job, among other things, but primarily I am a writer.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joshua_Clayton/177409https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Fantastic-Life&id=10058393

WINNERS MINDSET - Best Motivational Video

What Keeps You From Being Successful?

There are many people who work very hard all their lives and get very little worthwhile reward while others seem to attract success at whatever they do.

It is frustrating but there can be good reason in that the more successful individual has more than likely set up plans, he knows where he wants to be and knows what he needs to achieve it,

Entrepreneurs... business people and those willing to break boundaries and become successful in what they do have to deal with many obstacles.

There are challenges that must be faced and dealt with and not least of all dealing with negativity and rejection is part of being successful and innovative.

Developing the right mindset can be the key to driving you forward in your own personal journey to success.

Nelson Mandela once said " There can be no passion in playing small- in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living"

So what is holding you Back?

Have you ever thought that maybe the biggest hurdle to success could be You?

If you are guilty of negative thinking, try instead focusing on the positive aspects.

Positive thinking is a powerful tool to and it will help you overcome the many challenges and obstacles that life sometimes throws at us.

When you constantly berate yourself and focus on your flaws and failures you are creating an internal mindset that will prolong negativity and minimize the positive aspects of the situations that you encounter in your daily life.

Of course it is normal for everyone to experience some kind of self doubt but it can get out of control. If you are to become more successful in business you will need to create self confidence in yourself and the skills and products that you have to offer.

To be successful requires your time,hard work and the right business plan but it also needs you to have the right mindset...

Do you have a mindset that is fixed in believing that only others can find success in life?

We all dream of success, the elusive part is getting from dreaming about what you want to having it and enjoying it.

You can without doubt alter the way you think, your mindset can change...

You too can be a moneymaking entrepreneur by changing your mindset. Believing in your own abilities, by being prepared for hard work and by being prepared to learn from failure along the way.

For more information on a successful mindset go to http://www.clkmg.com/Bandboxer/17g0g9 where you can download a Free eBook... In this special e-book,I'll walk you through each critical step and explain what you need to do to go from where you are to where you want to be

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Brian_Potter/112996

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10130811https://ezinearticles.com/?What-Keeps-You-From-Being-Successful?&id=10130811

How To Manifest Anything! -Very Powerful Tool! (Law Of Attraction)

Message From the Universe: Life's Possible Outcomes

"Shall I remind you that the reason you care so much, sometimes even worry so much, is because there still exists between you and life, a passionate love affair.

And because of this, everything's going to be just fine.

xxoo,

The Universe"

Never take life too seriously, as many stress experts would say. Embracing changes with open arms doesn't make you a passive person; it just allows you to learn how to be more flexible and more understanding to life's uncertainties. To truly understand what happiness should be is to accept the things you can't control, and whatever that is, figure out how to extract the positive out of every negative situation. You need to look at things with a different pair of lenses, where the old you would focus too much on the bad where the good is something looking you straight in the eyes but you are too blind to pay attention. Obviously, some bad things in life do not have any positive outcomes, no matter how positive you are, but these are the moments where you should take a step back and allow yourself time to analyze the existing situation and make your own conclusion. Sometime, these moments do not have any conclusion at all, and that is absolutely fine.

Life will do whatever it wants and unless you learn to accept that, you will never really live your life. Constantly fighting against it is a lost battle, so why bother. Just imagine facing Mike Tyson in the boxing ring at his peak where he had the opportunity to train hard while you never bothered working out prior to the fight. Based on this scenario, tell me how that will turn out for you. Not too good right? Well, try looking at life the same way. There are things that we can't change no matter how hard we try. Whatever comes in between your concerns of life and the actual outcomes of your life, you need to learn how to appreciate things more and be grateful.

Dr Dan Amzallag, PhD, MBA, CLC

Author/Inspirational Speaker/Life Coach

Free Consultation: 301-325-1550

Website: http://www.lifecoachdanamzallag.com

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Daniel_A_Amzallag/257690https://ezinearticles.com/?Message-From-the-Universe:-Lifes-Possible-Outcomes&id=9980410