You probably have a general idea of what a “negative” person is… but, in my experience, there are broadly two types:

The first type is the OBVIOUSLY negative person – they’re constantly whining and complaining about everything. They’re actually fairly easy to cope with because if you can’t avoid them altogether you can at least “switch off” when they start one of their rants!

The second type is the INSIDIOUSLY negative person. They don’t SEEM to be negative… but somehow, you always feel a little flat, a little down, a little more uptight… a little more negative… after spending time with them.

This second type is much more dangerous. While you can clearly see the Obviously Negative person coming – and can take steps to “protect” yourself – the Insidiously Negative person pulls you into their negative vortex before you have a chance to scream!

(Okay, I’m being dramatic… but being surrounded by negative people is NOT good for your health!)

You can, however, recognize the Insidiously Negative person once you know what to look for:

– Their general demeanor (Do they lack enthusiasm? Are they tense or moody? Do they seem as if everything is a big inconvenience?)…

– What they tend to talk about (Is it always about something bad? Is it always about them?)…

– What they tend to do (Do they change things they don’t like? Do they take action? Or do they “talk” more than they “do”?)…

– How they see the world (Do they instinctively criticize things, question good news stories, and put down people – especially “successful” people?)

– How they treat you (Are they critical or patronizing? Do you feel like you have to apologize for something whenever you’re with them?)

“Insidious Negatives” may have just one or two of the above qualities (if they had them all they’d be Obvious Negatives) but it’s just enough to bring you down.

Of course, instead of trying to psychoanalyze anyone… you can simply go with your gut feel:

Do you FEEL WORSE after you spend time with them?

Whether you’re dealing with Obvious Negatives or Insidious Negatives, it’s probably no surprise that my number one recommendation for dealing with them is to… AVOID THEM!

And please don’t tell me you can’t because they’re “close friends” – people who constantly make you feel bad are NOT your friends.

But… what if you can’t physically avoid these people… What if they’re neighbors… or family… or work colleagues…?

Well, I do have some suggestions. I’ll share them with you in How To Deal With Negative People Part 2…

Anna Johnson is the author of the How To Manage People System, including her book, How To Manage People (Even If You’re A Control Freak!). Get Anna’s FREE 12-page report howtomanagepeople.com/ How To Be An Outstanding Manager — The 8 Vital Keys To Managing People Effectively

“A man to carry on a successful business must have imagination. He must see things in a vision, a dream of the whole thing. “ – Charles M. Schwab (1862-1959)American capitalist

Many of us have been taught that effort is the key to success. “Work hard and everything will turn out okay,” we were told. Many of us have taken that wisdom and applied it to every facet of our lives. Many of us expect our employees to take the same “just work harder” approach to sales, customer service and leadership. Yet effort is really NOT the best predictor of success. According to a study at State University in Albany, New York, effort is the single-most over-rated trait in producing success. According to the study, effort, by itself, is a terrible predictor of outcomes, because inefficient effort is a tremendous source of discouragement. People then conclude erroneously that they can never succeed, since expending maximum effort did not produce the results they hoped for.

If effort is not the key to success, what is? The key to success simply lies in how we feel about ourselves at the deepest level of our being, our personal beliefs. Over the course of our lives, we have developed many beliefs about:

-What is wrong or right
-How success should be defined
-What is possible or impossible
-Failure and risks
-What we deserve
-Who we are and who we can become
-What we have now and what we could have

These beliefs dictate how we think and how we feel. They determine the choices and decisions we make in our life, personally and professionally. They determine how long we are willing to sustain our efforts. And ultimately, they determine the results we obtain, and the quality of our life.

For many people, this “just work harder” mentality has become their primary life strategy. When a task comes up, their belief says, “Work hard and everything will turn out okay.” The reality is that things do not always work out just because you’re willing to work hard. This “No pain, no gain” approach to life is really a prescription for frustration and disappointment. Creative imagination is far superior to willpower. We know now that, while hard work, determination, willpower and effort are necessary to create success, what we believe about ourselves (our abilities and our feeling of worthiness), how we think (positively or negatively), has a least as much to do with our outcomes as does “hard work.”

We each have enormous untapped resources within us, resources that we habitually fail to use. We know that in terms of goal-setting, planning for the future, our aspirations, income and things we want to accomplish, we can never have today simply by sweating harder. The old days where the basic rule was that you work harder and harder and hammered away, and if you weren’t getting the results you wanted, you worked harder still, are long gone. Today we know that we live in a totally creative world. Everything we have today is the result of the efficiency with which we use our minds – our imagination. Everything that we have tomorrow will be the result of our creative capacity, our ability to formulate and stamp indelibly on our mind a clear mental image of what we want. To see it, believe in it and begin to build upon it.

© 2004 Paul Huff, Paul Huff International

Paul is president of Paul Huff International. He works with organizations that want to maximize productivity and profits by bringing out the best in their people. He has worked with many of America’s Fortune 500 companies, spanning multiple industries across the globe. He has been inducted into the Motivational Speakers Hall of Fame. Tens of thousands of people in more than 13 nations have benefited from the humor, energy and passion of Paul Huff’s insight. Paul is the author of several books including, “SHINE: A Simple Philosophy for Success” (Pure Heart Press; Sept. 2005). Call 704-944-6070 or visit paulhuff.com paulhuff.com for more information.

Crack addiction affects people of all ages throughout the United States. The number of people suffering from crack addiction continues to rise, in part, because supporting a crack addiction is initially relatively inexpensive. That makes it easy to get hooked. Unfortunately, crack is highly addictive, making it very easy to develop a crack addiction even for someone who want to try it ‘just once.’

Crack addiction is also on the rise because it is the ‘poor man’s’ version of the powdered form of cocaine, which is very expensive. Crack addiction does not, however, only affect poor or lower class people. Crack addiction crosses all races, classes, and socio-economic backgrounds. No matter the background or social status, a person who develops a crack addiction finds it to be nearly impossible to stop and recover from the crack addiction.

Crack addiction can result in a whole array of physical problems. One physical problem that can result from crack addiction is an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Crack addiction can also cause the eyes to become dilated, anxiety, and a decrease in mental alertness and clarity. In addition, crack addiction can cause hot and cold flashes and sleeplessness. Eventually it often leads to paranoia and psychosis.

A person coping with a crack addiction will ultimately develop a tolerance to crack. This makes it more difficult for the person suffering from a crack addiction to get high. Therefore, he has to take increasingly larger amounts of crack. The initial low cost now becomes less of a factor because the overall amount used continues to increase.

Yet, crack addiction is treatable. A crack addiction treatment program can help a crack addict recover from crack addiction when he is ready to be helped. Usually, the most difficult part of recovering from a crack addiction is the pain, both physical and psychological, associated with crack withdrawal.

For this reason, it is important for a person receiving crack addiction treatment to do more than go through a detoxification process. The person suffering from a crack addiction also needs to learn how to handle temptation and how to handle problems without turning to crack for help. The person then needs guidance and support after receiving treatment for a crack addiction to ensure he puts his newly learned skills to use. Engagement in long term continuing care and lifestyle change is neede to insure any degree of success.

Crack addiction is potentially fatal, but through qualified, professional help, the chances of recovery are incresed.

The author, Bill Urell, reviews only the best diet and fitness plans, tips, and articles that promote healthier lifestyles. Visit us and claim your FREE ebook, 101 Romantic Ideas as a welcome gift ==> online-weight-loss-resources.com online-weight-loss-resources.com

Many of us are familiar of the modern-day amulets of the Christian cross, Catholic rosary beads, and the lucky rabbit’s foot to name just a few. However, amulets have been used since ancient times, by both primitive and civilized people to ward off evil, attract love, to heal, and enhance spirituality.

The word “amulet” originates from the old Latin amoletum, meaning ‘means of defense’. Amulets are believed to be endowed with special powers of protection from such evils as ghosts, evil spirits, witchcraft, the evil eye, illness, misfortune, calamities, and any kind of disaster. Amulets that bring good fortune are typically referred to as talismans.

Many societies believe amulets derive power from their connection with natural forces, from religious associations, or from being made in a ritual manner at the time of a favorable planetary influence. Traditionally, amulets are carried or worn, kept in the place which is the desired sphere of influence, or painted on buildings, ships, and landscapes.

Small models of animals or objects, medallions bearing religious pictures or inscriptions, or lockets containing inscriptions or pictures on paper or metal are examples of man-made amulets. The most common amulets are made of natural materials, such as precious stones, crystals, gemstones, metal, teeth, claws of animals, and plants.

In recent years, as the various metaphysical genres became more accepted, the most popular forms of amulets are those made of various crystals and gemstones. There are many gorgeous designs, such as key chains, zipper pulls, necklaces, wands, and pendants. Crystals and gemstones are especially favored because they have symbolism via their colors, astrological correspondences, planetary influences, and chakra representations.

Amethyst is said to protect its wearer against seduction. For thousands of years, amethyst, of the quartz family, has been coveted by princes both ecclesiastical and secular. Moses described it as a symbol of the “Spirit of God in the official robes of the High Priest of the Jews”, and the Russian Empress Catherine the Great sent thousands of miners into the Urals to look for it. It is a popular belief that amethyst offers protection against drunkenness. The Greek word amethystos means ‘not intoxicated’. Metaphysically, amethyst is said to raise ones state of consciousness and aids in meditation.

Quartz, malachite, jade, emerald, garnet, ruby, agate, tourmaline, rose quartz, opal, pearl, lapis, sodalite, peridot, goldstone, turquoise, and tiger’s eye are just some of the other popular crystals and gemstones used to create beautiful metaphysical jewelry and amulets. Each are said to embody unique healing and spiritual properties, and all have been highly prized throughout the ages by all civilizations for one reason or another.

No matter if you personally believe in the power of an amulet or not, one can not help but admire the natural timeless beauty and mystery of moonlightdelights.com/catalog/crystalsgemstones-amulets-c-52_57.html crystals and gemstones amulets, and wear them proudly with any outfit or on any occasion.

Barbara Eyre is the owner of moonlightdelights.com Moonlight Delights, a website offering information on subjects such as herbs, chakras, and more. moonlightdelights.com/catalog/index.php Moonlight Delights also features a wide variety of gifts and products to enhance your life, to give as gifts, and to remind us of the natural beauty of nature.