“The individual is capable of both great compassion and great indifference. He has it within his means to nourish the former and outgrow the latter.” ~ Norman Cousins (1912-1990)

Compassion is an opening of the heart to give and receive love. It is a treasure that protects and bestows trust, courage, and inner peace. Compassion gives a sustaining sense of hope—often when it is needed most.

Small gifts of time and positive energy are the most meaningful and compassionate treasures. We thrive because of the protecting and nurturing love of friends and family while they thrive on our love in return.

Compassion itself is plentiful. As Joseph Addison (1672-1719) put it, “True benevolence, or compassion, extends itself through the whole of existence and sympathizes with the distress of every creature capable of sensation.”

Yet sometimes we unconsciously set boundaries for giving and receiving compassion. If we close the heart to giving, we block the flow of compassion with fear. If we set limits on the compassion we are willing to receive, we close the heart to God’s extension of love.

Our compassion will eventually touch many people we will never meet. Yet each kindness will open our heart further to receive love—love that is always available when we trust in God’s unfailing wisdom.

We each have special ways of giving and receiving compassion. Think of the ways you have shown and received compassion over the years.

Ask yourself these questions:

Do I have any boundaries for showing compassion?

If so, what happens to bring those boundaries into view?

What would remove them?

Have I, for any reason, set limits on the compassion I will accept from others?

What would it take to open my heart to all the compassion I deserve to receive?

May your life be filled with the most compassionate treasures you could ever want—today and throughout the years to come!

© Copyright 2006 by Steve Brunkhorst. Steve is a professional life success coach, motivational author, and the editor of Achieve! 60-Second Nuggets of Inspiration, a popular mini-zine bringing great stories, motivational nuggets, and inspiring thoughts to help you achieve more in your career and personal life. Get the next issue by visiting achieveezine.com” target=”_blank AchieveEzine.com

One way to become more successful in your life is to look at the lifestyle and habits of people who are already clearly reaping the fruits of success in life and who are living and growing towards their unique God given potential. What are some common characteristics and behaviour that we can apply to our own lives to help us on our own personal journey towards excellence? I have spent many years studying this area, and have discovered that there are common principles and habits which successful people follow and see positive results many times over. Even people who have achieved great personal growth in their lives know the importance of having established life habits and daily motivation towards their personal goals. Here are three important keys to unleash personal growth.

Three Steps towards Success to Grow You Beyond Better.

1. Believe in yourself

“You weren’t an accident. You weren’t mass produced. You aren’t an assembly-line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on the Earth by the Master Craftsman”
Max Lucado Best Selling Author

We all are born with a unique personality and gifts and abilities. There is a purpose for each person’s life and each person possesses all that is needed to fulfill that purpose. For more information on discovering your uniqueness and purpose check out
livingbeyondbetter.com/discovering-your-uniqueness.html

Believing in oneself is a choice we all have to make, sometimes many times a day. It is an attitude that we develop over time. It can be called self confidence, self esteem or self worth. We cannot base our belief about our worth on our past, our circumstances, or other people’s opinions. We choose to believe that we are of value, have something to offer to others and the world, and that our
life has purpose. The strength of what we allow our mind to think and believe is incredibly powerful. The power of what we believe will become a self fulfilling prophecy over our life. It can be the difference between mediocrity and the results we desire. Successful people acknowledge their limitations, but keep on choosing to believe that anything is possible. It is not what life hands you that is important, but how you respond to it that makes the difference.

2. Become a life long learner

Successful people keep themselves up to date with information, which allows them to be on the cutting edge in their field of influence. As human knowledge has vastly increased, and is more accessible than ever before, so a commitment to life long learning is an important key to success. Making this a daily habit builds a solid foundation for positive growth. Many successful people are committed to reading at least one book every week. If you give one hour a day towards something you would really like to learn or accomplish in your life, it adds up to 365 hours a year!
Significant changes can happen in that amount of time. Using throw away time usefully is also a good exercise, for example listening to an audio tape or CD when traveling in the car. To grow beyond better, purposely schedule time into your day which you can use to devote to improving your mind, and increasing your skills. Consciously make the decision to assimilate and apply what you learn.

3. Keep good company.

Surround yourself with positive people. It is so easy to be affected by negativity, and drawn into that way of thinking. Make a point to mix with people who encourage you, inspire you and believe in you. Keep company with people who energize you towards reaching your goals. You tend to become like the people you spend the most time with.

Jim Rohn, a successful author and self-made millionaire wrote: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”

Increase the time you spend with positive successful people, and spend less time with those who have a negative influence on you. Being around negativity will decrease your self confidence and create discouragement. Look for new opportunities to mix with successful people. Observe and learn from their attitudes and lifestyle, and adopt and adapt things that might work in your life and situation.

Barbara White, of Beyond Better Development,speaks and writes with passion to inspire and empower people in their journey of
livingbeyondbetter.com personal growth towards the excellence in life that they aspire to.

This article was written for her newsletter livingbeyondbetter.com Growing
Beyond Better

Aaah yes, the month of February is upon us. What comes to mind? Visions of red hearts, chocolate and flowers? Romance, love and a significant other? February is synonymous with Valentine’s Day. The day when another special someone treats you and you treat this special person, and remind each other of the romantic love you are fortunate to share together.

Although, Valentine’s Day seems sweet, it can also go sour when you feel pressed to long for love and romance especially when there may not be any significant other with whom to don your heart and receive your flowers. Uuggh, another year without that special treatment from a love! Look, all of us have been there at one time or another.

Whether you are celebrating Valentine’s Day with a special someone, or feeling like you are missing out, or are avoiding it altogether, learn to welcome the month of February in another light. February can be that month when you treat yourself as though you are your own lover. Sounds freaky, but it is not. Actually, make the 14th of this month special for you even if you do not have another to share it with. Consider turning all of February into that amazing month during the year when you focus on ways to honor yourself and not wait for another to make you feel special. You can feel special by your own doing and in the process of doing so, increase your self-esteem, build your self-worth, and interesting enough, set the stage for that “special someone” to walk into your life and treat you as you would treat yourself! (Hopefully, you are treating yourself well.)

Make February work for you and still receive your special Valentine treatment by banishing the blues and bringing in the red!

1.) Make a Date with Yourself – set special dates just for you this month, especially on the 14th and really treat yourself. This means make an appointment for a massage, go to a fancy dinner with friends or just cook a beautiful meal for you. Spend time with yourself soaking in a tub, with bath salts, essential oils and candles lit all around. The idea is to establish the date(s), mark them in your calendar and really do them.

2.) Nurture Your Heart – if you want flowers, treat yourself to them. Buy the chocolates you desire and have them with that special glass of wine. By the way, dark chocolate and red wine (in moderation) are healthy for the heart. Feed your heart by providing it with what you would want from a lover. The idea is to treat yourself as if you are the lover.

3.) Lavish Your Body – treat your body to special products. Purchase a new skin conditioner or premium body butter. Once you step out of the tub, immerse you senses and skin in a wonderful and healthy product for your body. Try that new facial mask you have been meaning to use. Sip your favorite tea while your face is being cleansed. The idea is to respect and care for your body to banish any blues. You cannot feel badly when you are caring for yourself.

4.) Open Your Mind – be positive with your inner talk. If you wish to be in a significant relationship and you currently are not, notice what your self talk is saying. Be aware of the messages you may be giving yourself and others! Just because this year, Valentine’s is not what you would like it to be, does not mean that this is a permanent experience. It just means that there is room to expand your relationship with yourself and with another. Everything is in a constant state of change, so align the inner messages and beliefs you tell yourself about love with what it is you wish to experience within your life, and things will change to match your beliefs.

Ultimately know that by treating yourself well, you send messages to yourself that you are worthy of such care and nurturance, that when others come into your life, they will pick up on this vibe and treat you the same. So, this February, whether you are celebrating Valentine’s Day with another or just getting through the day alone, remember to use this day as a reminder to love and care for yourself in order to create more heartfelt love within your life now and in the days to come.

Copyright (c) 2006 Karen A. Dahlman. All rights reserved.

Karen A. Dahlman, art therapist, licensed counselor and entrepreneurial business owner aspires to teach others to lead healthy, creative lives. She is founder and CEO of Creative Visions Consulting, Inc., a consulting & design firm for fortune 500 telecommunications companies. Developed from her work as a therapist, her well-being company, Gifts of the Goddess™ – All-Natural Body & Skin Care, inspires women to evoke their inner goddess through self-empowerment and self-care of their bodies, minds and spirits with the ultimate in luxurious and healthy choices in skin care.

For more information about Gifts of the Goddess™ – All-Natural Body & Skin Care, visit: giftsofthegoddess.com giftsofthegoddess.com

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Have a well-being question you would like to have answered? You can write Karen at mailto:wellbeing@giftsofthegoddess.com wellbeing@giftsofthegoddess.com for answers.

Buddha said, “We are what we think. With our thoughts, we make the world.” Or how about from the Bible, “you reap what you sow,” or “To him that hath, more will be given.” People do not get it! Buddha came from a very wealthy family. After experiencing wealth Buddha discovered that there was more to life than earthly riches. And no, you cannot take it with you but all of the criticism concerning the Secret is coming from those who “have.” This has been the case throughout history and this is what the Secret exposes. The recent rash of criticism surrounding the film and book “The Secret” seem like just another attempt to maintain power for the few.

It is just like American foreign policy that tries to instill democracy upon those who have no food, clothing, shelter, jobs or hope for the future. It is easy to say that people should not have and should suffer and that they will get their reward in a mythical heaven when those doing the preaching have all of the earthly pleasure at their disposal. It is easy to say that the most important thing in life is to put a piece of paper in a ballot box when all of your basic needs are met.

I can’t help but wonder if critics of “The Secret” have even read the book. Perhaps they have and fear that the average person will begin assert power and control over their own life. The idea is that you can create all that you want but what you create is your choice and your responsibility. Sometimes you have to be fed and be healthy before you can ponder the greater mysteries of the Universe. You cannot help but wonder why some do not want the many to stile for a happier and more abundant life. Do they fear that there is not enough to go around?

There is no sacred text that says people should not have what they desire and that being happy, with a good job, a good income and positive relationships are forbidden. Yes, they do say that “having” just for the sake of having will not make you happy in the long run but nowhere are these things denied. The notion that people should not desire a good life that includes wealth and good health is just another way of those in power preserving the status quo.

We all know that the mind can make us sick and make us feel better. Placebos have been known to heal because people believed in their healing power. People have risen above innumerable challenges by shear force of will. “Knock and the door will be opened, seek and you will find, did I not say ye are gods” all point to the fact that we have the power to create and alter our reality. Doctors will say that if you try to manifest your reality and do not have great success that you may get depressed. I guess there is power in the mind after all. Is it not better to try and to adopt a positive attitude towards life than remain condemned to a life where there is little hope of improving one’s condition?

It is interesting that people have set themselves up as judges as to what is a spiritual path and what is not. “Judge not…” If an idea does not fit accepted dogma, there must be something fundamentally wrong with the new idea. We cannot possibly want people going around manifesting their hearts desires because this would negate the need for those who claim that they have all of the answers. From the most ancient of days and throughout all great spiritual texts it is said that we must take control of our lives and that nothing is denied those who are willing to take responsibility for their actions. This is true freedom. An idea can catch fire and explode across the world in the blink of an eye in our modern era of the internet. There are those who do not want ideas like The Secret to spread because they fear what may happen.

In order to evaluate the criticisms concerning The Secret it is important to see who is doing all of the negative talking. If you look hard you will that the most ardent critics are those who have the most to lose if, in fact, people begin to take more control and responsibility for their own lives. The spiritual shot has been fired and is being heard around the world, despite those who want to maintain the status quo.

Mr. Harris was born in Massachusetts. He attended The American University in Washington, D.C. and received his degree in Political Science. His graduate work was done at the University of Northern Colorado and Howard University. While in D.C., he spent several years working for local and regional government agencies. Upon moving to Maine he worked with three governors and served as the Assistant Director of the Maine State Planning Office. He worked on a White House Task Force for the development of a National Rural Policy and later served as Rural Policy Coordinator at the Federal Regional Council of New England. He has worked on gubernatorial and senatorial political campaigns and currently works in Special Education.

Mr. Harris is co-author of the novel WAKING GOD and is a nationally syndicated and featured writer for The American Chronicle. He is working on Book II of the Waking God trilogy and writing features for literary E-zines. His second novel, A MAINE CHRISTMAS CAROL has been released by Cambridge Books. Contributing writer for UPI’s Religion&Spirituality web site.