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a New Year Plan; Plan for a New Year

Posted in Inspiration, Personal Development, tagged 2010, Abraham Lincoln, Anthony Robbins, business planning, Cindy Eve, Ed Phillpots, Failures don't plan to fail they fail to plan Harvey MacKay, famous quotes, goal setting, Harvey MacKay, http://www.notjustagranny.com, Inspiration, life planning, motivation, new year, notjustagranny, Og Mandino, Plan, quotes, Tony Robbins, towards goals, Yogi Berra on December 29, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Why have a Plan?

Quote: “Failures don’t plan to fail; they fail to plan.” Harvey MacKay. This has been quoted by many other well known names in different formats, but the meaning remains the same!

When someone starts a business they usually set up a Business Plan before they start! Well most people do anyway 🙂

Of course it makes sense to do this since they have to present this to the Bank to get funding, or to a prospective Business Partner.

Why not then a Life Plan for our lives?

Statistics have shown that very few people sit down and prepare a plan for their lives.

Why is this do you think?

Perhaps your parents never did, perhaps they never really thought about it and subsequently you did not learn the skill.

A plan, a.k.a. setting goals, is a roadmap for where we want to go and what we want to do in life.

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Abraham Lincoln

We make plans for holidays, mostly, (of course it is great fun to take a spontaneous holiday), but on the whole we do the research: where we want to go, what we want to see, where we want to stay, how much money we are going to take to make it a great holiday, how we are going to get there, and we set a date.

Planning our lives should contain the same components. Why then do so few people sit down and make a plan for their lives?

Is it an innate sceptism? Are we fearful of setting parameters for our lives; maybe missing out on something if it is not included in the plan?

I have all my life rebelled against setting goals i.e. making a plan, preferring instead to ‘go with the flow’. Well here I am at 54years, and with 4 months to go till my 55th, I am where the flow has taken me! And, it is not entirely to my satisfaction. But……..

As Anthony Robbins would say: “The past does not equal the future.”

I have been swept along, and carried by the waves of life, going with the flow and now I have washed up on the beach of ‘nowhere’.

If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up some place else. Yogi Berra

In the last few months after a long journey of Personal Development I am finally at the stage where I get it!! I have to have a plan. To that end, I have in the last few weeks found myself far more focussed and this is after just setting a few plans down on paper, and I am making good progress :).

“The Universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” Eden Phillpots

Now, with an eye on the future, I have set a day aside to draw up a plan for the next year, the next 2 years and so on. On the first of January 2010, I will be sitting down with my startupprincess guide and when I have completed that, I intend writing up a plan, setting some goals of what I want to achieve and where I am going. This will be my roadmap, my guide for where I want to go and what I want to achieve for the next year and beyond.

The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore will become endurable, as you parade through each day, convinced that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you closer to achieving your dreams. Og Mandino 1923-1996 Author

Awesome!

What are your plans for 2010 and for the future? Once you have your plan; your roadmap for 2010 here is a tip:

Look at your plan and see how it has been written. Have you used any ‘away-from’ goals? E.g. I want to lose weight. Or I want to give up ‘whatever’.

Look at your plan/goals and check if they can be written in a more positive way. What about including: enthusiastic, fun, strong, and loving way.

Plans tend to happen more rapidly when we work ‘on’ them and ‘in’ them at the same time. What this means is that they need developing and growing, just as surely as you grow and develop. Goals and plans should never be static, they should be an active, growing thing, alive and constantly developing. I never got that, till recently 🙂

Goals should be in clear language, inspiring and exciting and include having fun. E.g. If you want to achieve a certain weight that requires increasing your level of activity, find something that you really enjoy and participate in that. For instance, I love walking and have now made it a goal of mine to walk every day for at least 30 minutes, ergo; I have a plan: I get fit, I enjoy the action and in time I will achieve my target and at the same time I get to experience more of the world around me.

If something unexpected happens, as things do, look at how it can be accommodated in your plan, and if you have to take a slight detour, it will be easier to deal with because you have a plan. You will be able to get back on track as lot sooner if you have a roadmap!

Good luck for 2010, enjoy your planning!

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The Law of Attraction says: That which is like unto itself, is drawn.

Posted in Health, Inspiration, Interesting articles, Personal Development, tagged Bill Gates, Cindy Eve, David Riklan, entrepreneur, gratitude, http://www.notjustagranny.com, Jeremy Gislason, Law of Attraction, mindmap, online business, Oprah Winfrey, philantropy, self growth, Winston Chruchill on December 11, 2009| 1 Comment »

Great article.

Giving Back to the World, by Jeremy Gislason

Are you grateful for everything you have?

Consider this, whether you have a million dollars in the bank or a hundred — if you have a roof over your head, food on your table and the comfort of friends and family, you’re rich.

Millions around the world live a bare bones existence and the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness takes a backseat to survival. If you have a roof over your head, you have food in your stomach, and you probably have at least one car, a bank account, and an abundance of creature comforts then by global standards, you’re rich.

Take a minute to look around you, wherever you are. It doesn’t matter if you’re reading this from the comfort of your couch, if you’re sitting at a table in a coffee shop, if you’re sitting in your car, on your treadmill or exercise bike, or if you’re enjoying the sunshine and reading this outside. Take a look around you and make a mental note of all you have. We’re not just talking about the material items either. Friends, family, mentors, and pets are all blessings.

What about you? You have a wealth of strengths, skills, knowledge, and experience too.

What Are You Doing With All Of Your Wealth?

Gratitude has the power to bring more abundance into our lives. We know this to be true and by simply expressing gratitude daily, in every moment of your life, you will understand it to be true too.

In addition to attracting more of what we’re grateful for, like wealth, love, and good health, gratitude also invites compassion into our lives. There are so many people in this world who suffer, who struggle and who do not have the wealth and abundance you have right now, today. It’s important to point out that this is an opportunity for you. Giving back benefits you in a number of ways.

When you give back, you feel better about yourself, your accomplishments and your wealth — you feel grateful.

When you give back, you learn about yourself and about others — this is a valuable opportunity.

When you give back, you make valuable connections with people who have the power to change your life in any number of amazing ways.

When you give back, you gain both spiritually and monetarily. It’s the Law of Attraction — which states you attract what you focus on. The Law of Attraction says: That which is like unto itself, is drawn.

When you possess gratitude, compassion, and generosity of mind, money and spirit, you attract those things back to you — all which make you richer, smarter, and surrounded by life, love and happiness.

Consider for just a moment the amazing contributions of:

Bill Gates and his foundation which partners with companies around the world to improve health and education.

Oprah Winfrey and her angel network which works on global and local networks to improve the lives of others.

And Kelly a small business owner who regularly motivates her social networking followers to generate thousands of dollars to families in need by donating her time and services in exchange for monetary donations from others.

You, no matter what level you’re at or what goals you are striving for, have the mind-blowing opportunity to improve the lives of others, including your own, in a number of ways.

1. You have the power to change the world, to better the world.

2. By embracing and acting on your power, you will gain abundance both materially and spiritually.

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.”
-Winston Churchill

How Can You Give Back?

There are a number of ways you can give back to the world.

1.) Volunteer
Volunteer your time, skills and expertise. Volunteering offers a number of benefits:

-You Become Part of a Community
Volunteering has a meaningful, positive impact on your community. We depend on each other for personal and professional survival and when you’re part of a community, your personal and your professional life prosper. Volunteering helps, you build and sustain your community, which in turn will give back to you. It’s a win-win situation.

-Broaden Your Repertoire
People volunteer to contribute their skills and knowledge however it’s practically guaranteed that you’ll walk away with more knowledge and skills than you had beforehand. Volunteering is the perfect vehicle to discover something you are good at and develop a new skill.

-A Sense of Accomplishment
There’s little else in life that offers the same level of satisfaction like watching your hard earned efforts benefit someone in need.

Volunteering also offers you new interests, new experiences, new people, and authenticity and credibility in your industry.

2.) Donate funds
What’s your favorite cause or charity – something that’s important to you, your family or your friends? Perhaps it is the American Cancer Society, the Humane Society, or the Nature Conservancy. These organizations thrive on two things: Volunteers and Donations.

If you have causes, passions and charities which are near and dear to your heart, it’s important to do what you can to keep them in the black, financially solvent, and able to continue to provide their services.

3.) Use your business to tap into the needs of your prospects, community, customers, and associates
One of the truly wonderful aspects about being a business owner is the amazing power you have to give back. As a business owner, you have a rolodex jam-packed with contacts. This includes your lead list but it also includes your associates, vendors, partners, and always your friends, family and community members. You are a veritable Paul Revere — and one word from you has tremendous power, power to change the world and have a positive effect on the lives of others.

4.) Mentor
Mentoring is an exceptional way to share your knowledge and experience with others and give back to the world.

Mentoring is when you meet with someone one-on-one and help them learn and grow. A mentee can be a child or young adult struggling with choices, a professional who is interested in growing their career, or a person interested in starting a business similar to yours. A mentor/mentee relationship is essentially, however you define it.

The Next Step

If history and experience have taught us anything it’s that the more you give, the more you receive. When you take the time to give back to the world with the intention of improving the lives of others, the essential result is that you end up receiving so much more than you can possibly imagine. Give it a try. You’ll be amazed what happens in your life.

About the Author:

Jeremy Gislason is an entrepreneur, online business owner and marketer. He is also a philanthropist with over 12 years of offline and online business experience. Discover The Secret to Lasting Abundance in Mindmap to Riches Vol. 4 at http://www.MindmaptoRiches.com

Go here for even more free self improvement tips to make you healthier, wealthier and wiser.

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Inspiration for Today 03.12.09

Posted in Health, Inspiration, Personal Development, tagged Inspiration on December 3, 2009| Leave a Comment »

THE BUZZARD: If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground witha run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

THE BAT: The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air.Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.

THE BUMBLEBEE: A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be thereuntil it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom… It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

PEOPLE:
In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up!

That’s the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem! Just look up. Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, But faith looks up!

Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly and trust in yourself!

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and the moral of the story is……

Posted in Inspiration, Travel, tagged http://calane55.worldventuresdreamtrips.com/, Inspiration, Mexico, Personal Development, the moral of the story is on November 1, 2009| 1 Comment »

A very Interesting perspective……Life can be so simple & WE MAKE IT so complicated!!

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican fishing village.

A tourist complimented the local fishermen on the quality of their fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

“Not very long.” they answered in unison.

“Why didn ‘ t you stay out longer and catch more?”

The fishermen explained that their small catches were sufficient to meet their needs and those of their families.

“But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

“We sleep late, fish a little, play with our children, and take siestas with our wives.
In the evenings, we go into the village to see our friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. We have a full life.”

The tourist interrupted, “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day.
You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”

“And after that?”

“With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers.
Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant.

You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City , Los Angeles, or even New York City !

From there you can direct your huge new enterprise.”

“How long would that take?”

“Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years.” replied the tourist.

“And after that?”

“Afterwards? Well my friend, that ‘ s when it gets really interesting,” answered the tourist, laughing. “When your business gets really big, you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!”

“Millions? Really? And after that?” asked the fishermen.

“After that you ‘ ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends.”

“But that’s what I am doing now”, replied the fisherman

And the moral of this story is:……. Know where you ‘ re going in life…. you may already be there!!

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A lesson for life

Posted in Inspiration, tagged college, contribution, God, knowledge is king, McDonalds, smile, unconditional acceptance on October 29, 2009| Leave a Comment »

A LESSON WELL LEARNED

“I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called ‘Smile.’

The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway, so, I thought, this would be a piece of cake, literally.

Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald’s one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did.

I did not move an inch…an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.

As I turned around I smelled a horrible ‘dirty body’ smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was ‘smiling’. His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God’s Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, “Good day” as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally deficient and the blue eyed gentleman was his salvation.

I held my tears as I stood there with them. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, “Coffee is all Miss” because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm-up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).
Then I really felt it – the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action. I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot.
I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue eyed gentleman’s cold hand. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, “Thank you.” I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, “I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope.” I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son.
When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, “That is why God gave you to me, Honey. To give me hope.”
We held hands for a moment and at that time we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give. We are not churchgoers, but we are believers.
That day showed me the pure Light of God’s sweet love.
I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. I turned in “my project” and the instructor read it. Then she looked up at me and said, “Can I share this?”
I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. She began to read and that is when I knew that we, as human beings and being part of God, share this need to heal people and be healed.
In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald’s, my husband, son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student. I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:

UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

Author Unknown
as read on and borrowed from Knowledge is King.

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