Special Calm E-Report
Encouraging Positivity
Hello,
I am so excited about this that I want firstly to let you know that my book
"No Need
for Heroes" is now available as an e-book – and my thanks to Doug Floyd for doing
this (the link is below in the PS).
In addition please know that this E-Report contains a list of seminars planned so far
for 2004 and a page about marketing of my product (it's at the end of the E-Report).
All thoughts from anyone wishing to contribute to marketing ideas are appreciated.
Now to the subject at hand … Encouraging
Positivity.
Do you have those "monsters" under control … you know, those "negative thoughts
before they turn into monsters" that I spoke about in my last E-Report?
I am going to speak a bit more in this E-Report about the importance of keeping a
check on our thoughts and having an awareness of "correcting" our thinking to be
more positive. At the end of this E-Report I have included some wonderful, uplifting
anecdotes and words of wisdom on this subject.
Remember … we speak to ourselves … 50,000 times per day … and who is listening?
We are! So keep speaking to yourself in positive and encouraging ways. Does a
negative thought cancel out a positive thought? Or if I ask it the other way around …
Does a positive thought cancel out a negative thought? How do we know for sure …
however I have heard that we need ten positive thoughts to "cancel out" one negative
thought.
If we understand the motivating force behind negativity, it can be like a defence
against a disappointment such as something that hasn't gone the way we had hoped or
planned, or maybe it's somebody treating us unfairly or rudely. Blame is often
involved. Negativity is like a way of fighting back and the reason we usually do this
is because of the hurt or the perceived fear or anger.
Many people hold on to blame because of things that may have happened in their
childhood - but this is not a way forward and does not work if somebody wants to
move on in life. Acceptance is a key. What's happened, has happened and nothing in
the world can change that - it's now a question of what we do with what has happened
that is important. It is our attitude and willingness to move on that will free us to
relinquish blame and take on new more positive, useful habits. Hanging on to
blaming our parents for the way we are now just doesn't work. Why affect the
remainder of our life by thinking this way? Remember that most of our parents did
the best that they could at the time, with the tools and knowledge they had at the time.
Some Good Suggestions
It does require attention, awareness and vigilance to maintain a positive and optimistic
outlook. Letting go of or handling negative thoughts can be challenging at times –
sometimes it can feel like giving in to a situation or becoming vulnerable when you
don't feel like surrendering. Negative thoughts do not protect us, they just bring
further negativity and can drive us down into a spiral and cycle of depression. Drugs
or alcohol may temporarily mask a situation however going down this track usually
causes many more problems than were originally there. Being positive does not
necessarily mean that you have to deny the bad or unpleasant event or issue – it is just
another way of looking at things – seeing the situation from a different perspective.
It's like gaining altitude and looking down upon the whole situation to help to see a
balanced view.
To deal with negativity, it is a good idea to sometimes allow ourselves to be a little bit
vulnerable … and perhaps share with somebody … what is going on for us. "Getting
out" what is inside our heads can be very releasing and helpful.
If you feel that you may be "burdening" your friends and family with your
"problems"… then definitely consider consulting a professional counsellor. Another
way that sometimes works well is to write about your thoughts and feelings.
Remember the old saying that "a problem shared is a problem halved". And here's
another one … "People who keep stiff upper lips find that it's very hard to smile."
Going over old ground in our minds and dwelling on certain issues instead of
discussing them, resolving them and then moving on only affirms negative thinking.
I believe that meditation is a really good way of working through negativity. If
situations have really caused a great deal of anger, then I would recommend my
meditation PP9 – Letting Go Anger (CD or tape). Often our self esteem is shattered
and we blame ourselves. Re-building our self esteem can be done by using a
meditation tape or CD PP10 – Self Worth
and Confidence.
Here's another technique to help deal with situations as they arise to actually create
positive thinking. Ask yourself these questions in meditation (and write down the
answers):
* What good things do I have in my life?
* What can I learn from any negative or unpleasant situation
* What have I got to plan for or look forward to (ie. Goals)
* How many good and wonderful people do I know in my life
I have said it before and I will say it again. What I believe is that when somebody
recognises a life challenge, or issue which is holding them back, then they are 50% of
the way through the challenge. The next 25% is saying - Yes, I want to do something
about it. So, by simply recognising a challenge and wanting to overcome it, a person
is already 75% of the way there. The remaining 25% is doing it.
So the next time you recognise yourself being negative (particularly
with self talk) congratulate yourself for being aware (that's 50%) and then say YES
(that's now 75%) and then use some of the methods outlined above to work through
the situation. (that's 100%).
Enjoy the Words of Wisdom and Encouragement
below.
All the Best
Sandy MacGregor
PS. The link to buy (cost $A12)
my first E-book No Need For Heroes which
is about the very first Tunnel Rats in
Vietnam, my Engineer Troop - 3 Field Troop,
which I commanded in 1965 - 66 is: https://secure-saturn.commercevault.com/calm/nnh.shtml (or
you can read about the book on my
website) http://www.calm.com.au/pages/02noneedforheroesbook.shtml.
PPS. Please tell others
about the CALM Life Skills Seminar in
Sydney on Saturday and Sunday 17th and 18th
January.
Send an email to sandy@calm.com.au
and ask for more information.
Words of Wisdom and Encouragement
Attitude
The longer I live, the more I realise the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more than the past, than education,
than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people
think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will
make or break a company, a church a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice
every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our
past we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot
change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and
that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how
I react to it. We are in charge of our Attitudes.
Charles Swindoll
Strength
Move on Past
Move on past the setbacks
Move on past the disappointments
Perseverance will ultimately prevail over even the most daunting challenges
Strength does not get used up
The more you exercise it, the more it grows
Be strong and you become stronger
Even those who are highly skilled,
exceptionally intelligent and endowed
with ample resources will fall short of the mark if they lack perseverance
By the same measure, those who begin with nothing in
their favour can achieve whatever they set out to do when
they make the commitment to keep on going
The troubles of today will soon seem trivial and
insignificant if you'll just move on past them
The only other choice is to drain your strength into
your disappointments by wallowing in self pity
Which would you choose to do?
Find a reason so compelling,
so personally meaningful that you won't allow yourself to stop
Stand up, lift your eyes up, step forward and keep going -- today and every day
Ralph Marston
You are Special
Live today like you are someone special, because you are. Live today like you are
created for success and fulfilment, because you are. Live today as if a world of
opportunity were stretched out in front of you, because it is.
As you go through this day, keep in mind that every thought, every feeling, every
sight and sound is truly miraculous because you are alive and able to perceive it. Gaze
in awe at the vastness of possibilities which are yours to choose and follow.
Live today as if what you become is more important than what you have, because it is.
Live each moment of this day fully mindful of the miraculous reality of your
existence.
Transcend the disappointments, because you can. View the problems as opportunities,
because they are. Live with purpose, focus and joy because that is who you really are.
Ralph Marston
From: "Conversations With God - An Uncommon Dialogue" Book 1
The deepest secret is that life is not a process of discovery, but a process of creation
You are not discovering yourself, but creating yourself.
Seek, therefore, not to find out Who You Are, seek to determining Who You Want to
Be.
Neale Donald Walsch
Marketing of Sandy's Product
It's time for me to re-look at marketing in order to reach more people both in and
outside Australia. I have solid foundations here in Australia, continually building
since 1989 with both seminars, books and tapes, and I now feel that the timing is right
to reach even more people, specifically with marketing my books, CDs and seminars
on Video/DVD. I would like to explore this with anyone who may have contributing
ideas.
Areas that I need to explore are:
1. Expand my retail outlets to include alternate bookshops, department stores,
post offices, health food stores, etc.
a. How do I do this?
b. What Point of Sale material would be required?
c. What education does any of the retail staff need to direct people to the
appropriate CD? (Does the retail staff need education to understand the
power of meditation?)
2. Marketers and Agents. Will it be an advantage to have agents say in each state
of Australia and perhaps overseas?
3. My Internet Site is very useful and supportive. How can I optimise its
potential?
4. Health Industry. There are many counsellors, chiropractors, doctors,
acupuncturists, dieticians, masseurs, herbalists, and more who already know
(or could be educated) about the power of the mind to enhance their clients'
health goals using meditation. They are all potential retail outlets.
5. Seminars on DVD/Video.
a. My Students Steps to Success one-day seminar is on video and
DVD. This has a wide potential application … from individual, to use in the
classroom and from … parents to teach their younger children … to
teaching groups of students. What is the way forward?
b. My CALM Seminar has been filmed. With a little work it could be
"massaged" to be available as an alternate way to do the seminar. Is
this useful?
All comments and suggestions are gratefully accepted.
What's On?
Australian Timetable Of Seminars for
2004 (thus far)
CALM LIFE SKILLS 2-day Seminar
Sydney 17/18 January 2004 (Sat & Sun)
Ulverstone, Tas 7/8 February 2004 "
Canberra 28/29 February 2004 "
Brisbane * 5/6/7 March 2004 New Format – Fri evening, Sat & Sun
Wagga Wagga 20/21 March 2004 (Sat & Sun)
Melbourne 3 / 4 April 2004
North Queensland 17/18 April 2004
Sydney 22/23 May 2004
Sydney 9/10 October 2004
Perth 23/24 October 2004
CHI 4-Day Live-In Seminar
Sydney Wed 11th to Sun 15th Feb 2004
Useful Links
The Changing Habits tape - Peaceful Place Tape
No 2, is now On-line. You can listen to it, over and over again for
just $8 (Australian)
[Click
Here].
All the Meditation tapes are now On-line - you
can listen to each one, over and over again for just $8 each (Australian)
[Click
Here].
Next Sydney CALM Life Skills Seminar
17/18 January 2004 and see the schedule of CALM Seminars
[Click
Here].
Secure On-line Registration and Prices for CALM
Seminars [Click
Here].
On-line Shopping - Sandy's Books, Audio
Tapes, CDs and Videos
[Click
Here].
Background to the CALM Life Skills Seminar by
Sandy [Click
Here].
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