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Five Ways to Manage Anger

user@domain.com — 2012-04-20T06:53:19-07:00

Photo by Tambako

Everyone gets angry. It’s just a part of being human. There are huge individual differences, though, in how we experience and manage anger. Some people walk around looking for reasons to get mad and others take a long time to anger. Some people are downright mean and hurtful when they’re angry and others internalize it.

What can you do when you feel your temper rising? Here are five things to do when you get angry:

The Pain of Compassion

user@domain.com — 2012-03-15T08:35:02-07:00

Photo by Jerry

Last week I received one of the greatest honors of my life. I was chosen to be a “giver” in the Long Beach Giving Project. Modeled after Oprah’s Big Give, the Long Beach Community Action Team chose ten volunteers and gave each one of us $1500 to give back to the community. We had eight days in which to purchase goods or services—no cash donations were allowed—for individuals whom we determined were in need.

My first reaction was that of sheer giddiness. You couldn’t scrape me off the ceiling! $1500 to help others! What an amazing gift. The euphoria lasted for several days, until I was faced with the actual challenge of locating recipients in such a short period of time.

Step Out of Your Own Shadow

user@domain.com — 2012-03-07T07:31:40-08:00

Photo by Ashley Campbell

This weekend begins Daylight Savings Time for much of the world. It’s time to “spring ahead.” And, for those of us in the northern hemisphere, it’s also the time when the days seem so much longer and the nights seem so much shorter. There is, literally, more light than darkness. It got me to thinking about the metaphor of “stepping into the light.”

Grow Your Future

user@domain.com — 2012-02-29T09:00:00-08:00

Photo by Stephen Heron

It’s so easy to get sucked into living for the future. We all do it! We say to ourselves, “I will be so happy when __________.” Just fill in the blank with any goal you have: lose weight, make more money, fall in love, get my dream job…

Any sentence that starts with the word “when” is either in the past or the future.

“When I was at my peak physical condition…”

“When I get a promotion…”

Most of us tend to fall into this trap at one point or another. But, how can we balance out having goals and anticipating the future with staying in the moment and being happy now?

The Psychology of Faith: The Six Human Needs and Organized Religion

user@domain.com — 2012-02-22T07:47:28-08:00

Photo by James Whitesmith

The first thought Jamie Stewart has each morning is, “Will my husband get a job today?” Since he got laid off, Jamie’s life has become very uncertain. “Will we get evicted?” To counter these scary thoughts, Jamie reaches for the remote and turns on the television. The familiar face of Jamie’s favorite evangelist comes on. “The Kingdom of Heaven is assured to those who believe!” Bolstered, Jamie gets out of bed and starts her day believing that everything will be okay. Her faith will protect her.

As the season of Lent approaches for Christians around the world, this week’s journal article will take a look at how, for millions of people, organized religion fulfills some basic human needs. Whether you’re “religious” or not, looking at why organized religion is so meaningful to those who participate in it can help bridge the gaps between those of different faiths.

The Business of Love

user@domain.com — 2012-02-08T06:18:25-08:00

Photo by D Sharon Pruitt

As a Whole Life coach, I couldn’t let Valentine’s Day pass by without talking about LOVE. It’s that romantic, heady, amazing force that drives every aspect of life.

You may never have thought of it, but love relationships go through stages that are similar to the development stages of a business. This week’s article will compare the stages of love and the stages of a relationship. By the end, you’ll have some strategies for managing each stage.

The Seed Stage

In a business, the seed stage is the idea stage. It’s when you’re thinking, “Maybe I ought to go into this business.” Relationships have seed stages too. It’s when you’ve met someone and you like them. You start to REALLY like them. And they like you back. You’re thinking, “Maybe I ought to pursue this.”

Well, just as with a business idea, you have to keep your head about you. Before you decide to invest the time, energy, and emotions into a new relationship, take some time. Keep it cool. It’s like the line in that Jennifer Paige song, “It’s not like everything I do depends on you.” Too many people start trying to be what they think the other person wants them to be. “He likes sports so I’ll start learning football terminology.” “She’s involved in church, so I’ll start going with her on Sundays.”

Don’t get me wrong, there’s no problem having shared interests. Just make sure that you don’t lose yourself. It’s better to adopt the attitude that says, “Look. I’ll be me and you be you. If you see something you don’t like, there’s the door. If you like what you see, keep coming by.”

Here are some keys for navigating the seed stage.

Is Your Mental Economy In Recession?

user@domain.com — 2012-01-25T09:58:59-08:00

Photo by loran

Let’s face it. Most of us have had a tough couple of years. Newscasters, politicians, and pretty much everyone in the country have been talking about the economic recession we’ve experienced.

“This is the worst recession since The Great Depression.”
“Unemployment figures are going through the roof!”
“Well, in THIS ECONOMY, what do you expect?”

But I have a secret that I’m going to share with you. This secret is the key to both being happy during ANY economic condition and to attracting abundance no matter what is going on. Are you ready?

What's Your Super Bowl?

user@domain.com — 2012-02-01T07:00:00-08:00

Photo by jdanvers

What comes to mind when you think of the following things? Passion. Commitment. Dedication. Goal Setting. Perseverance. Training. Personal Sacrifice. Dreams. Risk Taking.

Those words sure don’t sound like they are describing a game, do they? Those are some pretty serious words. And yet those are the very words to describe the forty odd football players who’ll be competing in this weekend’s Super Bowl match. Tell me. Do you think those guys think it’s a game?

This week’s topic is “What’s Your Super Bowl?” Now, many of you out there are probably NOT sports fans and are wondering, “What’s going to be in this for me?” Well, even if you don’t know a football from a disco ball, you will get something from this week’s journal. You don’t have to be Tim Tebow to know that sports can be a metaphor for success in every area of life.

The Razor's Edge - Part 1

user@domain.com — 2012-01-12T10:40:46-08:00

Photo by cliff1066

The crowd is roaring. The noise from the clapping and stomping is deafening. “De-fense.” De-fense.” The basketball player raises his arms to shoot. The clock is ticking down—five, four, three… The crowd gets even louder. “De-fense. De-fense.” The player shoots the ball. As it soars through the air, the clock runs out. “Beeeeeeeep.” If the ball goes in the basket, his team wins the championship. If it misses, they lose.

Sometimes the difference between winning and losing comes down to a millisecond--or a point, a stroke, a nose, or a dime. As any amateur or professional athlete knows, there is often a thin razor’s edge between victory and defeat.

It’s not only in sports. Surely you’ve caught yourself wondering, as you drive through an affluent neighborhood while admiring the homes, “What do they have that I don’t? How did they get all this? Are these people better than me? Are they more worthy?” The answer is, “No.” Everything they have achieved, you can too.

Bob Proctor writes in You Were Born Rich, “You are every bit as good, or as powerful, as anyone you see, know, or even hear about. Remember, since the difference between them and you is only in the area of accomplishments, and since there is something you can do that will vastly improve the results you are achieving presently, you have the potential to become even more successful than they are.”

What’s the difference, then, between those people who are wildly successful, and those who simply get by? How can you get to the other side of that razor’s edge?

There is an easy five-step plan that, if you follow it, will help you get to the other side. The steps of the plan follow the acronym SHAVE. They are:

It’s Not What You’re Eating; It’s What’s Eating You

user@domain.com — 2012-01-04T12:51:56-08:00

Photo by Bruce Tuten

Did you make a “resolution” to lose weight in 2012? If so, I bet you think I’m going to tell you that New Year’s resolutions don’t work and that you should focus on setting goals or make a “lifestyle change” or something like that instead. If you think that’s what this newsletter is going to say, you’re about to be surprised.

New Year’s resolutions DO work—even weight loss ones. You may have set the same New Year’s resolution every year since 1979, but that doesn’t mean that this won’t be the year that it happens. How do I know this? Because after 15 years of setting the same resolution to lose 40 pounds, 2011 was the year that I finally did it.

What made the difference this year? Was it some new diet I discovered or a pill I took? No. I’ve been on every diet known to mankind—some more than once. I’ve never taken shots or diet pills, but I know people who have and some have lost weight and some haven’t.

In fact, that is the case with EVERY diet. Some people lose weight and some people don’t. If the diet is the same for everyone, then the variable must be the people who go ON the diet. But many of us have had the experience of a diet “working” for us, and then the next time we try it, it doesn’t work. So, if it’s not the diet, and it’s not the person on the diet, what is it? What makes the difference between a successful weight loss effort and one that is doomed?

The Power of Goal Setting

user@domain.com — 2011-12-28T11:14:25-08:00

Photo by Justin Kern

This is the time of year when most people make “New Year’s Resolutions.” We say we’re going to lose weight, quit smoking, stick to a budget, or resolve some other problem we have.

But, as most of us know, saying we’re going to make a change isn’t enough. We actually need to set specific goals to make it happen.

I talked with personal development superstar Brian Tracy on the power of setting goals.

2012 Strategic Planning Special

user@domain.com — 2011-12-15T06:52:42-08:00

Photo by ViaMoi

Whole Life Strategic Planning Special

From 12/15/2011 to 1/15/2012, Traci Shoblom is offering a Whole Life Strategic Planning Workshop exclusively through intentionaldesign.com. In two, one-on-one telephone coaching sessions, with an assignment in between, you''ll have the opportunity to consider ten key areas that make up Traci's Whole Life Success System:

Fill Your Mind, Fill Your Wallet

user@domain.com — 2011-12-14T08:00:00-08:00

Photo by Ben Heine

“No matter what I do I can never seem to make ends meet. My wife and I make a reasonable income, cut expenses wherever we can, and do not indulge in many of the “extra” things in life. Despite this, we are always living paycheck-to-paycheck. Other than taking on an extra job, what can I do to bring more prosperity into my life?”

Signed,
Pauper in Pleasantville

Dear Pauper,
If you are living from paycheck to paycheck with little left over for savings or fun, welcome to the club! You are certainly in good company. The headlines are screaming about unemployment rates, the financial crisis in Europe, and other financial bad news. Credit card debt is at an all time high. The costs of living are rising, and we are in the midst of a baby boom. More middle class Americans are worried about money more than ever. How can you fight this trend?

Let me offer you some hope. There are some things that you can do to positively turn your money life around. Nearly every personal development book, tape, or expert has advice on increasing your wealth.

The amazing thing is, the advice is practically all the same. Napoleon Hill, Anthony Robbins, Robert Kiyosaki, Earl Nightingale, and Paul Zane Pilzer (among many others) all use different words to say the same basic thing.