Yoga For Happiness and Prosperity

There are so many traditional and contemporary styles of Yoga, that it is hard to keep track of them. Yet, each of them shares, at least, one aspect in common. Each style of Yoga will help the practitioner to find happiness and prosperity by finding oneself, and by truly understanding the depth of Yogic teachings.

It is interesting to note - some teachers feel Yoga has spread too far and too fast. No matter how much people try, Yoga cannot be controlled by humankind. Yoga is an evolving system, going in many directions at once. You cannot control a living philosophy. Yoga will continue to evolve, regardless of any attempts people make to control it.

In fact, the puzzle of how to control Yoga has baffled humankind. Yoga has spread worldwide, but some people complain about it. Should the Eight Limbed Path have been kept a secret?

Should those who have found the keys to self-mastery and self-worth regret it? Is having a peaceful mind and serving others wrong? It is, if you look at the world from a purely selfish point of view.

Selfishness is not reality, but it is powerful enough to create the appearance of reality. Those, who selfishly desire to control everything, are usually good at creating illusions. This can be accomplished in many ways, by playing on the fear of new ideas.

The tranquil mind of a Yoga practitioner will be able to see through a superficial layer. Those who create illusion do not want to see the worldwide spread of a "free-thinking" philosophy. The worldwide proliferation of Yoga creates difficulty for those who desire absolute power and authority.

Yoga continues to interconnect itself within every culture, no matter how many outrageous claims are made against it. Anyone of any religious background, or political affiliation, can practice Yoga because it peacefully crosses all boundaries.

Now, let's look at prosperity. Is prosperity selfish? Prosperity is good fortune. Therefore, it is not always tangible. Prosperity could be many things, but we commonly think of it as wealth, success, or the good fortune of having a loving family.

For the sake of debate, let's look at tangible wealth for selfishness. Money and wealth are forms of energy that have the power to create good or evil. It is a matter of what you do with tangible prosperity that creates rewards or consequences.

To a point, you can control money. If a trained mind, or a group of trained minds, has control of tangible wealth, it is possible to create prosperity. Charities do this all the time. However, governments "gone wrong" can use wealth to make war and conquer their neighbors.

We can see the consequences of combining untrained thinking and wealth throughout our history. If the mind is trained, it can create happiness from within. In turn, the goodness within will proliferate worldwide.

© Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. aurawellnesscenter.com aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html

Achieving Health the Good Old Classic Way

Today's world is full of stresses that we encounter everyday - stress from work, domestic duties, personal problems, conflicts in the workplace and other things that we have to face to make our lives as worthwhile as possible. Add to that little things that we have to deal with such as air pollution, traffic, squabbling children and the like. Sometimes, we all wish we could just spend our time in some faraway island where we can be free from all of these things. But our minds can only tell us that this is not possible - at least, not for a very long time. These are realities that we inevitably have to face, if we are to adhere to the standards of the good life we and our society have set upon us.

However, try as we may, there are things beyond our control that will affect us in ways we wish we never had to experience. When our health begins to suffer, that's when we become concerned. A lot of us get sick merely from having to cope with life's demands, and sometimes, we end up with even more problems to solve than what we started with. When we miss a few days in the office, for example, we are faced with more documents to process once we get back on our feet.

Hypertension, heart disease, cancers - these are only some of the evils that we all hope we will never have to face. But, of course, we cannot really expect to put up a good fight unless we do something to protect ourselves. The good thing is, there is nothing extraordinary or special about the things we need to do to strengthen our bodies against these diseases. Everything is about plain old common sense in terms of achieving good health.

There is also no special formula that you need for doing these things. You just simply choose the food you eat and how much exercise you engage in. Eating more vegetables and less meat, for example, is an all-encompassing trick to avoid illness, especially when coupled with an hour or two of jogging a day or working out in the gym. After all, our body systems only need a balance of these things in order to function as optimally as possible. A person who devotes his life trying to achieve this balance rarely becomes seriously ill, or when he does, we can trust that this is probably related to genetic factors and no longer within his control.

Still, another dimension that one may explore when trying to achieve good health is mental and spiritual wellness. We must admit this is an aspect that is least considered by people these days. While everybody is busy pumping iron at the gym or counting calories at the dinner table, their mental and spiritual health could still be suffering. Why? Because, whether we like it or not, our existence is and will always be affected by factors way beyond the physical realm. A good way to achieve mental and spiritual health is through meditation. There are many holistic health disciplines that focus on meditation as a way for the body to connect with their souls. Yoga is one. In fact, it is the most widely practiced method of achieving mental and spiritual wellness today.

If you're interested in learning yoga, find an instructor who has successfully completed a SchoolYogaInstitute.com yoga certification course. There are many studios that have instructors who have not even finished a SchoolYogaInstitute.com yoga teacher training course. To make sure you're learning this discipline the right way, choose the right studio with the right facilities and qualified instructors.

What Body Type Are You? Learn What Lifestyle is Best For Your Body Type

If the fashion designers and media hype had their way everyone would look the same. Thin, even gaunt, we are told is attractive. We will be loved and happy if we are thin. Of course, we all know this isn't true, just ask any model and they will tell you it can be hell emotionally and physically keeping their figure at a size 6. A whole generation suffering from eating disorders is the result of this dangerous designer fixation. We all see the images in the media or television and this conveys the message of how we are supposed to look, ads enforce these images with false promises that "you too can have a body like this!" and we believe it, time and time again. When the desired goals aren't reached we're made to believe we have failed, which in turn grows into low self-esteem. So what do we do? EAT! In a vicious cycle that can eventually make us very ill. We need to put these images into prospective and realize that most of the population just do not have the genetic predisposition to look like the models in the magazines, plus most images are now adjusted by computers to look better than they actually are, so how can we ever win!

The fact is we are not all meant to be thin. In some cultures around the world, a woman is looked upon as beautiful if she is voluptuous and curvaceous. If we look at renaissance paintings of beautiful women they were definitely not thin. Editors of fashion magazines are beginning to understand that the average woman cannot relate to the dazzling celebrities and rail-thin models and are beginning to use models with a fuller figure.

In May 2004, Glamour Magazine broke a cardinal rule by putting the sizable Queen Latifah on the cover. It outsold the May 2003 cover, which featured svelte actresses Halle Berry and Rebecca Romijn. Dove recently started an ad campaign featuring "real" women -- ranging from size 6 to 14 -- that shows them wearing only bras, panties and big smiles on billboards, bus stops and trains in Chicago, New York, and other cities. Jane Keltner, fashion news editor at Teen Vogue, said, "We try to use all shapes and sizes, but we're especially interested in their sense of personal expression and style."

Brittany Harper, is a plus-sized 20-year-old who has competed in and won several beauty pageants against average-sized girls in the US said she's pleased to see bigger women in magazines. "I think maybe seeing someone like me in a magazine makes you realize that you don't have to be skinny to be pretty," she said. "People see skinny girls in magazines and they think that's what normal is when it's not the case." Harper said she started entering the pageants because she was shy and self-conscious but now she's happy with her body.

So what is your body type?

Modern science has categorized body types into three groups;

Ectomorphs: The skinny person with a linear appearance, small muscles, ultra fast metabolism, low body fat, narrow shoulders, hips and waist.

Mesomorphs: The naturally muscular person with wide shoulders, small waist, athletic build, low body fat percentage with a healthy metabolism.

Endomorphs: The naturally large person characterised with a round face, wide hips, big bones, slow metabolism and high number of fat cells.

These three categories sound very much like the body types found in the ancient preventive medicine from India called Ayurveda. They also placed body types into three categories, but they linked them to the elements and called them Vata, Pitta and Kapha and also associated them with psychological characteristics also.

Vata types are very similar to Ectomorphs. They can be very tall or very short, with thin bony limbs. They walk quickly, talk quickly and find it difficult to sleep. The skin is thin and dry, eyes small, as is the mouth with thin lips. They find it difficult to gain weight, which can cause health problems. They can be creative, enthusiastic people who can be generous. They avoid confrontation. Fearful, worrisome and anxious they are into questioning, theorizing and over-analysis. Often dissatisfied with and unable to sustain friendships, they spend money quickly, often on trivial things.

Pitta types are similar to Mesomorphs with a moderately well developed physique with muscular limbs. Later on in life they do have a tendency to gain weight around the thighs and hips. There speech is loud, strong, precise, and convincing. The skin is fair and tends to burn easily in the sun with freckles, many moles, and a tendency to rashes. Their eyes are either light blue, light gray or hazel in color, with an intense luster, which get red in summer or after bathing. They can be ambitious, confident and focused, but have a tendency to become jealous and aggressive by nature. Argumentative, but with a sense of humour, their selective memory makes them fast learners. Moderately passionate in their sexual pursuits, they spend moderately, usually on luxuries.

Kapha types are similar to Endomorphs with a thick, well-developed frame and large, limbs. They are typically more heavily boned and carry more fat than muscle. Generally their legs are shorter than their bodies. Fat stores will accumulate around their stomachs, and their breasts may be larger than "the norm". There voices are often pleasant, deep and resonant with low, slow, rhythmic speech. The skin is often cool to the touch and smooth. The face is large, as are the eyes with large, full lips. They make caring individuals, who are patient, compassionate and grounded. Quite passionate, they love to spend money on others.

Most of us of a mixture of two body types and by identifying the kind of body type(s) you are will help you understand why even with diet and exercise you cannot change what you were born with - just as you can't grow any taller once you are an adult. What the emphasis should be placed on is not what shape you are but are you physically healthy and content with who you are?

The practice of Ayurveda turned keeping these body types or different constitutions balanced into a science. They incorporated different lifestyles for different body types; exercise, diet, environment, work, relationships. They also took into consideration that we are not just a body, but a mind also. Our minds and bodies are linked, if we "feel good" in our heads, invariably our bodies will be in good health also, and visa versa.

VATA LIFESTYLE

EXERCISE

Routine is very important to keep Vata people balanced and healthy. Whatever exercise you do remember your energy should remain even, steady and consistent. Hiking is a good exercise just so long as you remember to take your time and be aware of your surroundings. Yoga poses of course are great, particularly Lotus, Lion, Tree, Triangle, Cobra, Forward bends and Corpse (relax for at least 20 minutes)

DIET

Stay away from salads, raw and cold foods that have been in the fridge forever. Hearty soups and casseroles, fresh bread and butter. Stick with fresh, warm, moist and nourishing.

MIND

Focused, still and grounded. Try to be in the moment. Remain calm. Learn to meditate, listen to some soothing music at the end of the day. Think through what you want to say before you say it! Learn to quiet the mind with deep breathing or pranayama, which can be learnt at yoga classes.

ROUTINE

Get into a steady routine, especially with meals and sleeping patterns. Get plenty of rest and relaxation.

Aim for stability and serenity in your daily routine.

KEYWORDS

Calm, slow, steady, grounding, strengthening and consistent

PITTA LIFESTYLE

EXERCISE

Be careful not to exert yourself to the extent that too much heat is generated in the body. Focus on exercise like swimming, Thai Chi, calming and cooling Yoga poses like Triangle, Tree, Fish, Staff, Half Moon always finish with relaxation.

DIET

Stay away from hot, spicy, salty foods. Avoid stimulants. Go for moderation!

MIND

Try to remain calm in stressful situations. Do not take on too many projects. Remain receptive, but detached. Aware, but not critical.

ROUTINE

Early to bed, early to rise. Plan ahead. Give yourself a lunch break. DO not work too late.

KEY WORDS

Moderation, cooling, relaxing, gentle, forgiving and tolerant

KAPHA LIFESTYLE

EXERCISE

Kapha exercise should be stimulating and active, increasing metabolism and circulation. Care must be taken not to overstrain though! Whatever you choose, do it every day. Fast walking, pilates, yoga. Great poses are Lion, Downward Dog, Bridge, Shoulder Stand, Plow, Extended hand to toe

DIET

Raw foods, such as salads, or semi cooked such as veggies cooked in a wok. Pungent foods such as garlic, ginger, kale, mustard, tomatoes and peppers are very good also. No iced drinks please.

MIND

Try to unburden yourself from the past. Move forward and feel positive about every aspect of yourself.

ROUTINE

Kapha's should try to vary their routine. Try not to sleep too much. Get out there and show the world how dynamic you can be.

KEY WORDS

Stimulating, drive, warming, energizing, experiencing and releasing

Learn to love yourself for who you are, not who you wish to be. Acknowledge that you need to improve your health or weight but believe that you will do what you can to be the best you can possibly be. The constant pressure and stress of trying to turn yourself into someone you physically cannot be will stop and it'll be an enormous weight off the shoulders, you'll be surprised at how good it will make you feel and how this can help drive your motivation to make realistic improvements. When we understand and appreciate our bodies, we are able to work with them, not against them! Many of us have a tendency to look at our bad points, however once you start to accept who you really are it will be easier to focus on the positive side more. Try making a list of all the positive things you've done or what you like about your self (both physical and mental). Practice running these positives through your mind regularly, and try a new lifestyle that matches your constitution and see what changes happen within a few short weeks.

Jennifer Beckman (Yogamaya) is a director of the Vedic Cultural Fellowship and Pecos Valley Yoga and Ayurveda Center. She was born in North Africa, and raised in the UK, where at a very young age was introduced to yoga asana and pranayama by her Aunt Greta. During the 1990's she studied homeopathy, massage, reflexology, nutrition and became a certified instructor by the British Wheel of Yoga. Inevitably, with her knowledge of yoga, she was drawn to the sister science of Ayurveda and has studied under Doctors Vasant Lad and David Frawley. In 1998 she returned to the US with her husband Howard Beckman, to establish the Vedic Cultural Fellowship and in 1999 they moved to their present location, New Rishikesh, in Pecos, New Mexico. In 2003, she was certified as a Planetary Gem Advisor, by the Planetary Gemologist Association in Bangkok Thailand due to her advanced working knowledge of using gemstones in accordance with Vedic astrological principles. Today she and her husband, together with Dr. David Frawley, are developing the VCF's New Rishikesh as a major teaching and retreat center.

Top 7 Exercise Plans For Arthritis

Arthritis sufferers are being told they must exercise - and this can be a daunting thought when you are in so much pain and full of stiffness and so tired from the lack of sleep, because the pain and discomfort keeps you awake half the night.

You certainly can't do any high impact exercise.

However, there are plenty of low impact exercises that have helped a lot of people to ease their pain, reduce their stiffness, giving them more balance and stability. As the body relaxes less pain is experienced and you are able to sleep better, which makes the whole day look so much better.

Exercises in the pool. Doing your exercises in water is easier on your joints, the water's buoyancy supports your body's weight which reduces stress on the joints and minimizes pain. But you still need to be careful to not over do things at first. You can walk in the shallow end of the pool, especially if you find walking normally too painful. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to a pool. You do need to bear in mind that exercising, swimming and walking in water are not bone-building exercises.

Yoga actually began more than 3,000 years ago in India. The word yoga is Sanskrit (one of the ancient languages of the East). It means to "yoke," or unite, the mind, body, and spirit.Yoga includes physical movement, and certain lifestyle practices. Training your mind, body, and breath correctly is fundamental. The physical part of the yoga lifestyle is called hatha yoga. Hatha yoga focuses on poses. A person who practices yoga goes through a series of specific poses while controlling his or her breathing. Some types of yoga also involve meditation and chanting. It has been noted to improve your flexibility, strength, balance, and stamina. In addition, many arthritis sufferers who practice yoga say that it reduces anxiety, pain, and stress, improves mental clarity, and even helps them sleep better.

Pilates can easily be tailored to your individual needs where contracting muscles without moving joints can be useful when joints are inflamed. Then there is the movement of both muscles and joints helping to build strength and mobility. Pilates like most exercises recommended in this article pays particular attention to breathing correctly. For an arthritis sufferer there are what is called closed chain exercises, they put less strain on the joints while working muscles groups.

Callanetics once popular, very popular and well known is coming back with a program for people with arthritis type conditions. "Callanetics is a unique program that works your muscles with very small and very intense pulses. It's a technique that gets results because every movement is mindful and precise (each pulse moves less than an inch). The concept was invented in the 1980s, but these movements have truly "evolved" (with new progressions that incorporate spinal stabilization, pelvic floor engagement and Pilates elements). It has a very refined feel - quiet piano music, methodical instruction and lots of between-move stretches".

Qigong is an ancient Chinese health care system that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intention. Qi pronounced chee means the life force. Gong pronounced gung means accomplishment. Qigong practice involves a posture, (whether moving or stationary), breathing techniques, and mental focus. The gentle, rhythmic movements of Qigong reduce stress, build stamina, increase vitality, and enhance the immune system. It has also been found to improve cardiovascular, respiratory, circulatory, lymphatic and digestive functions. It also creates a balanced life style, which brings greater harmony, stability, and enjoyment.

Tai Qi It is increasingly being recognized that regular exercise reduces pain, fatigue, and depression, especially through the ancient art of Tai Qi. Tai Qi integrates mental and physical exercises to achieve a more complete, in-depth solution to the problems facing sufferers of arthritis and osteoarthritis. Gentle stretching and strengthening movements, exercises to increase the joints' range-of motion, cardiovascular work, in conjunction with mental exercises. Deep breathing and visualization exercises help evoke healing energy and spirituality to reduce inflammation and stress. The mind-body exercises for arthritis can be modified and performed on a chair you are able to do them standing and moving slowly.

Walking has always been good for any condition. You can decide how far you can walk, you can walk as slow as you like at first. It is free and allows you to get fresh air and some UVs. Make sure you have walking shoes on with plenty of shock absorbency, making the experience as low impact as possible. You can wear a pedometer, this will tell you exactly how far you are walking each week - this will enable you to set goals.

Remember these exercises will not cure your arthritis but if you make one of them part of your life with other lifestyle changes you will make a huge difference to your condition, especially if you change your diet. Some people have told me they just don't have the money for classes. So what can be done instead - second best thing would be a DVD that specializes in the older person, or is designed for someone with one of the many types of arthritis conditions. Walking is free and safer with the right foot wear.

Just start off easy and build up gradually.

Sonia Jones ND

Naturopath, nutritional therapist and author of three published books
arthritisalternativetreatment.com arthritisalternativetreatment.com
nutritionwithsonia.com nutritionwithsonia.com

Why Is It Essential to Have the Right Clothing While Practicing Yoga?

Yoga is considered to be a discipline to bring out the innermost energy from the mind and body. It originated in India and has been practiced there for many years. yoga as a practice is very dear to the Indian Hindu pundits who believe that it is through yoga and tapasya that they can truly attain nirvana., the supreme from of being and state of sheer bliss! How many people have achieved nirvana or seen god through this method is still unknown but the benefits of yoga are mind boggling and proved by plenty of experience and observation. yoga has been proved to eliminate life style propagated diseases like diabetes, hyper tension, insomnia, arthritis, constant recurring headaches etc. yoga in itself is an extremely strict method of performing certain asanas or positions that help tone certain muscle groups you are not aware even existed in your body. Yoga brings with it mental peace and physical balance and stresses on meditation. Meditating helps with confidence, concentration and personality building. Yoga also trains you to have sharper reflexes and senses. You feel completely alive after having done an hour of yoga and your body runs in harmony. Yoga is an essential part of everyday living.

Yoga today in the form of power yoga has been used to maintain or deal with weight related problems. Weight loss or weight gain, high blood pressure and insulin problems can be tamed by using power yoga and following a healthy diet. Power yoga or just yoga can help relieve women of all menstrual problems such as cramps or pain in the abdomen, unusual bleeding or untimely menstrual cycle.

You must remember that yoga is like all other exercises a strenuous process for your body. Yoga would generally begin with the surya namaskara or the sun prayer. In this form you salute the sun and offer your prayers to it. The prayer is carried out in 12 different stages and is shown through different posturing of the body. There is a lot of stretching and relaxing of muscles that go into the performance of yoga. Every asana has a different position in which you are expected to hold your body and keep it in the position for a few seconds. At such times you cannot have your clothes pulling you down. If you are going to be spreading your limbs to actually get a feel of all your muscle groups and their functioning then you must not have clothes that restrict your motion.

Restricted motion will give you poor posture and may even lead to injury since the balance and proportion is not maintained. One also tends to sweat while performing yoga. At such times tight and tough material should be avoided. The material of clothes you wear must be stretchable, absorbent and light weight. It is illogical to wear jeans while doing yoga. This will only tie you down. Wear clothes that are loosely fitting and have the ability to stretch with your body. The best material to be worn is Lycra. Try to avoid itchy clothes. Cotton clothes are ideal for yoga.

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The Purpose of Yoga - Letting Go of Resentment

Yoga joins many of the world's higher philosophies, known to mankind, in matters of forgiveness. Many Gurus, and Yoga teachers, will tell you forgive others for your own health. Practicing Yoga is living in the moment, and forgiveness requires us to put the past behind us.

Yet, forgiving people for the wrongs committed against you is one of the hardest acts you will ever learn to do. Some of us never learn to stop carrying a grudge.

As a result, our resentment becomes part of our personality and reputation. Sometimes, a grudge is based upon deep rooted intolerance. We have preconceived notions about race, religion, nationality, or someone with ethnic customs we consider odd.

In this case, we have combined the power of intolerance with a grudge, which is a terrible combination. This is the recipe for hatred. If a group of people assemble with similar ideas, this is the formula for a holocaust.

Resentment usually causes us more harm, as it becomes our baggage. Much like extra weight, which we carry around with us for life, grudges can wear on the person who carries one around long enough. When people ask us to "let it go," it was not they who were wronged. We want an apology. So, how can we forgive so easily?

If you are waiting for an apology, from anyone, you may never receive it. Some people go around hurting many people, throughout an average day, due to ignorance. Do you really expect a person like that to suddenly reach a state of self-realization? Yes, it can happen, but how often? Do not hold your breath, while you are waiting for an apology from an ignorant person.

A life full of resentment, grudges, and never forgiving others, is a waste of time. Resentment is a prison and a state of mind we choose to live in. Look at each negative experience in life, and see how you benefited from them. You learned from the past, and you became stronger because of adversity.

We cannot afford to dwell in the past - thinking about all the wrongs, which have been done to us. Everyone has their "cross to bear" in this life. Instead of itemizing past wrongs committed against you, consider how you managed to surpass each obstacle, while growing mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, despite the challenges life has to offer.

Look at yourself and see the inner strength. Consider the positive contributions you have made to the lives of others around you. If you cannot think of any, think again, and start helping those who need it. In this way, you will gain gratification and let grudges go. Grudges only serve to "choke" the positive energy out of your inner being.

Life goes by as quick as an eye blink. All we leave behind are memories for those who remember us. Find it in your heart to forgive others, because you will empower yourself. As a result, you will be able to focus on the more important matters of bringing happiness to your friends, family, and associates.

© Copyright 2007 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. riyoga.com riyoga.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free Yoga e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

I Got Paid Today

Recently I wrote an article in which I tried to point out that consistent effort was needed for success in many things. Persistence paid off, in other words. Shortly after posting that article on MySpace, a nice lady named Toni sent me a message about the article. She was not only kind enough to compliment the article, but in her message, she told me that she had been about to give up on something, and my article kind of pushed her back on track.

I have been paid in various ways for a lot of things in my life, but that has to be one of the nicest "checks" I have ever received.

You know something? Not only was Toni kind enough to say nice things about my article, but she took the time to let me know the impact I had had on her life.

Isn't that a great feeling? Years ago, I had the good fortune to train individuals in a new career. Many of these people had never had a job that paid as well, many had been going through a string of misfortunes, and I got to help set them on the road to success in a new career. A few came back to see me later and let me know how grateful they were for the difference I had made in their lives.

There, you go! Yet another "check".

You might be wondering why I put the word "check" in quotations.

Well, it's because Toni's response, and those of my ex-students, was not only a feel-good thing that brightened my whole day...and a payment of sorts...but it also reminded me of something we sometimes forget. It was a "reality check"...a reminder. One of the reasons we tend to forget is that we often don't get messages back telling us how we have done, what we have or have not accomplished, or the impact that we have had on someone else's life...for better or for worse.

You don't have to write an article to impact someone's life in such a way that they incorporate your message into their life. My wife has family members who are missionaries in foreign lands. She was telling me that in one country where they were missionaries, they were not allowed to preach or even tell others about their religion. They had to pass on their teachings and beliefs by being living examples of their faith.

We impact each other's lives almost every day, often without even realizing it. We may say one thing and five minutes later show our children, coworkers, or family members what our real core values are. Sadly, we sometimes say one thing and teach another through our actions. Often, our children, and others, may incorporate those values into their own lives. That's great as long as we have shown them the best lessons in life that we can muster.

Unfortunately, many of us continue teaching the wrong lessons and sending the wrong messages because we never get any response that lets us realize our mistakes and improve ourselves and our messages. Many motivational professionals and success coaches agree that to improve performance and achieve success, it is very useful to have some sort of feedback so that we can recognize our strengths and weaknesses, thus gaining an understanding of what we need to work on. Also, if we have been doing well, the positive message we get back from others can be a great reward while strengthening us in our determination to keep on doing the right things.

Several times in my life, I have received a "thank you", a compliment, or just a word of encouragement at just the right moment so that I was able to take hold of my life as it veered off track and put it back on the proper road.

That's why I say, "Thank you, Toni," for letting me know that I have made a difference in your life. I thank you also for reminding me that someone is watching and that my words and my life can have an impact, and it is up to me to determine what sort of message I wish to send. Your reality check not only rewarded me for my efforts, but brought back to my mind the need to write what I believe and live my life as it should be lived.

That sort of payment is worth a lot more than money.

Donovan Baldwin is a Texas writer and a University of West Florida alumnus. He is a member of Mensa and is retired from the U. S. Army after 21 years of service. In his career, he has held many managerial and supervisory positions. However, his main pleasures have long been writing, nature, health and fitness. In the last few years, he has been able to combine these pleasures by writing poetry and articles on subjects such as health, fitness, yoga-4-the-health-of-it.com yoga, writing, the environment, happiness, self improvement, and weight loss.

He has a collection of articles on nodiet4me.com/articledirectory health, fitness, diet and weight loss at nodiet4me.com/articledirectory nodiet4me.com/articledirectory