Made Moon Blog

Don Miguel Ruiz, author of “The Four Agreements” and my personal mentor, spoke on more than one occasion about living one’s life in a totally different way than we had been taught to live; what he called “living the will of God.” He asked us to imagine what living the will of God might look like. At that time, my highly educated and analytical brain had a field day tearing apart his lecture. I could not begin to imagine what the heck he was talking about, it sounded vague and religious. Past experience taught me that my teacher was normally correct about things and I was the confused one! So I took the lecture in and filed it away into the recesses of my mind for exploration at a later date.

As life would have it, many opportunities soon followed that gave me the chance to put those new possibilities into action in my life. What he was asking us to imagine, was living our lives from the heart, to explore and open up to all of the opportunities life has to offer. For myself, a woman with a regimented and analytical mind, this was quite a stretch. My life had revolved around 5 year plans and long discussions with my accountant regarding the best approach for whatever I was involved in. Now some cute little brown man was suggesting I just wing it and experience my life in the moment every single day! I can tell you that this was something my mind had a very difficult time grasping.

Since then I have learned to set my intent for the bigger picture and let life show me all the possibilities that exist before me. Opportunities come all the time but I had never noticed them. My mind (frequently referred to as a “program” for its computer like qualities) immediately crossed them off the list of available strategies, not allowing me to see anything out there beyond what was comfortable, familiar and expected. As a result I found myself recreating my life in a pattern that was in perpetual repeat mode. Of course the results of that methodology have been less than successful!

Recently, a dear friend of mine was sharing how she wanted to have fun in her life but was not interested in creating an empire like another good friend had. I immediately said to her, look at how your mind, by judging an empire to be a “bad” thing, is eliminating something grand that may be coming your way. If Spirit wants to create an empire through you, who are you to refuse?

Of course the answer is that the mind is frightened at the possibility of greatness and uses the excuse of “so much work” as a justification for its fear. The truth is that if Spirit/God sends you an empire, Spirit/God will also send you the people to man that empire. If your heart and eyes are open to the magic occurring around you, you will be able to see what I am talking about. Of course when I say Spirit/God I am talking about you. You are the manifest acting on behalf of the desire of the unmanifest to create and have fun. Another way of saying this is that your higher self is directing you all the time, but rather than paying attention to your heart, you have all your attention on a restrictive, frightened, non-imaginative program that has spent its life crimping down on the expression of your creativity out of fear! Well, that said, what are we going to do about it? Get off our butts, move through our fear and create those empires with love, excitement, total abandon, and a whole lot of fun. To me this is living an inspired life, “living the will of God.” Inspired by whom? The real you as Spirit/God of course!

Dr. Sheri Rosenthal is a master Toltec teacher and author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Toltec Wisdom. Having trained with don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements, she currently takes students on spiritual journeys, works with personal apprentices and enjoys being extremely happy. You can reach her at info@sherirosenthal.com or at http://www.sherirosenthal.com.

This article describes the type of stutter speech courses which are available. In general they are designed to help people who stutter to achieve fluency.

During the first couple of days of the course, this is where the stutter speech coach normally describes the techniques which are required to overcome the stutter.

The first day is normally the most important day. This is the client’s easy day, as the coach will do most of the talking, explaining in detail around half of the speech rules required to beat the stutter. They are likely to ask the client to talk about their history, including information about how their stutter started, about their family, about their interests, plus any other information they would like to disclose for example, where they work. The client will have at least one further speech task on this first day, which they will be asked to complete after they have heard the first set of rules.

On the second day the client becomes more involved, starting to put into practice what they have learnt from the previous day. The final speech rules are taught on this day.

The final three days are spent practising, enabling the rules to start becoming embedded as a natural part of the client’s speech.

Some of the areas included in the courses could be:

1. Why people stutter.

2. Telephone technique.

3. Interview technique.

4. Public speaking technique.

5. The speech rules:

The person who has a stutter should not worry about the contents of the stutter course. If there is an area of the course that they would rather not cover or do they simply do not normally have to do it.

Each course is unique, as every stutterer is different this is why courses are usually run on a one-to-one basis.

People are able to keep in contact after the course via e-mail and telephone which acts as a form of back up and continued support.

For people who are unable to attend a course there is the option of purchasing a self help dvd or ebook, however people who attend a course leave with a copy of these at no extra cost.

Stephen Hill runs a speech centre in Birmingham, England. He has a number of websites including:

stuttering
disability

stuttering help

stammering
therapy

What the Animals Tell Us

“I am the Sun’s son.
I sit upon a turquoise horse
At the opening of the sky”
Navajo Horse Song

Each animal has its own nature, its own traits and is a representation of a power such as strength for the lion or speed for the jaguar. By learning about animal strengths or powers a Shaman comes to understand why people are attracted to certain favorite animals and repulsed by others. These attractions and repulsions actually become a tool that tells the Shaman what is needed or missing in a person’s life.

There was a woman who no matter how she tried, kept missing the boat, missing out on opportunities that would have brought her the abundance and connections she needed to succeed. In hindsight she could see every instance in which she had failed to recognize the chance to get ahead. It was very frustrating for her but she could not find a way to break out of this rut.

When asked what animal she most feared she related an experience she had as a child with a horse. She was introduced to a friend’s horse that was very high spirited and when she reached out her little hand the horse bit it causing much trauma for the child and a lot of consternation for the mother. But since that time, the horse had represented fear for this woman.

Yet if we look at the power of the horse it is a prey animal. That means it is usually a source of food for some other animal. So it is keenly aware of what is going on around it at all times. One quick move, one strange sound and the horse will perk up its ears and be on the alert for what is happening, ready to run if it feels any danger. Horses also watch out for one another and if one horse senses danger the whole herd is willing to move as one, away from apparent threat.

So examining this woman from a Shamanic perspective we see that she is not aware of what is around her and she is afraid of the power represented by the horse that would be keenly aware of her situation at all times. By dealing with her fear of horses we can allow her once again to become aware of her surroundings, to prick her ears up and take full advantage of opportunities around her.

In the same regard we can use those animals we are most attracted to for observations about powers we have or would like to have. Recently a student became interested in developing her spiritual gifts and stated that she was attracted to the snake. Certainly it is an unusual animal to attract the favor of a woman! She just seemed to think about the snake more often than any other animal and it had only been this way for the past year or so.

When we look at the snake we see it represents the power of transformation. The snake can shed its skin and recreate itself within a short time. It has always been a symbol of power and has even been regarded as the mother of all life. The life energy called kundalini is often described as a snake rising up the spinal column to bring enlightenment.

So for this woman the snake was showing her that, yes, it is time to begin developing her healing abilities and taking charge of her own power to help others. As she progresses, other animals will become her favorites and those too will have significance in her own life.

It is said that we carry 12 totem animals in our lives. Usually there are four animals that stay with us constantly and they represent the powers that are inherent in our Spirit before, now and after, eternally. The other eight totems represent life changing events or growth cycles as we move along this path of life learning and practicing what we have learned. If you pay attention to the animals you most like or don’t like you can learn many things about your true desires and how to attain them.

Shaman Elder Maggie Wahls is one of America’s best loved authorities on Shamanism and has been practicing Shaman for over 50 years. She teaches an online, ongoing course on Shamanism at http://www.shamanelder.com. She is a published author and invites everyone to learn about their own inherent skills to heal and be healed. She also offers Free Consultations to anyone who writes her at shaman@shamanelder.com

The catastrophic damage caused by hurricanes Rita and Katrina have combined to be the costliest disasters in the history of the United States. They have completely destroyed costal towns and cities and virtually destroyed the lives of millions of Americans. The estimated damage to the battered Gulf Coast has already been estimated at billions of dollars. Hurricane Katrina alone has already proved to be the deadliest and most costly natural disaster to ever hit American soil. To make matters worse, many Americans have hoped that their insurance would provide a way to rebuild and start over.

Many of the homes destroyed by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina were ruined by deep water flooding which caused irreversible structural damage. Many people would assume that flooding caused by hurricanes would be something that insurance would cover, however many insurance companies have been rejecting these claims insisting that flood damage isn’t covered in regular policies.

In addition, there have also been many emerging stories that are claiming that carriers have been lying and attempting to bribe their customers into signing waivers that would admit their homes were destroyed by flooding and not the hurricane. In other cases the insurance carriers were trying to claim the homes were destroyed by wind and not the water.

In any case many individuals have had their hurricane insurance claims rejected and have no option for recovery. If your claim has been rejected for dishonest reasons such as bad faith insurance practice, it is important that you contact an attorney to help settle your dispute.

To learn more about hurricane victims who have had rejected hurricane claims then please visit http://www.resource4rejectedclaims.com This article may be freely reprinted as long as this resource box is included and all links stay intact and active as hyperlinks.

The dress code in most organizations is as different as the organization itself, so it is impossible to find an outfit that will work well in all interviews. What should you do? Do some investigating and find out how the employees dress and follow their lead but dress just slightly better.

Wear business-like attire, avoiding flashy colours, bold prints, logos and keep jewelry to a minimum. Wear clothes in which you feel comfortable and don’t wear skirts that will ride up when you sit. Carry a nice attaché case or folder to hold your resume and examples of your work.

Before you leave home check yourself in a full length mirror and have one last look for rips, runs in stockings (take an extra pair just in case you get a run along the way) and buttons that are about to fall off. A few extra points:

1. Wear a fashionable suit or dressy tailored separates. Make sure they fit well and don’t remove the jacket during the interview (don’t laugh, I saw this happen).

2. Prepare your clothes for the interview the night before and try it on. Don’t leave anything to chance.

3. If you are not wearing a jacket but choose to wear something more casual long sleeves are a must. Sleeveless garments should not be worn in a work environment and certainly not for an interview.

4. Never go without hosiery and don’t wear sandals.

5. It has been said that you can look at a person’s shoes and determine how wealthy they are - it seems shoes are the last investment. For an interview or business, wear shoes with a closed toe and closed heel and keep them polished without nicked heels or scruffy toes.

6. Pay attention to your hair. A stylish haircut is essential to a professional image.

7. Carry yourself with confidence; stand tall with your shoulders back. Portray a successful image by paying attention to details - tastefully applied makeup, the best garments you can afford and being prepared for the interview.

When you are prepared for the interview, which means knowing the job you have applied for, knowing your resume and how you fit that job, your self-confidence will become apparent. Taking care of how you look will give you one less thing to worry about so you can concentrate on selling your skills.

Don’t forget to smile!!

Sheila Dicks is a wardrobe and image consultant who teaches women
how to look slimmer by dressing to suit their body type. Visit her at
http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to download a copy of her e-book
Image Makeovers and get How to Build a Wardrobe free.

Apparently one percent of British people suffer from the speech impediment called stuttering. Only people who stutter can ever really know how difficult life can become when you are unable to speak fluently in all situations.

This article looks into examples of what I call, the stuttering demons and options of how to eradicate them once and for all.

When I had a stutter, I used to be afraid of certain words beginning with certain letters. Words which began with “b” were especially hard to say. If somebody asked me where I lived, I would have a voice in my head, which is what I call my demons, which would tell me that I could not say the word “Birmingham”. It would also advise to say “West Midlands” instead. This word substitution is something that I regularly did. I was not happy though and was desperate to stop this voice and believed if I could stop it, then I would be able to overcome this stuttering disablity once and for all.

I would see a potential job in the newspaper, the demons would tell me not to apply for it as the interview would be too difficult for me with the pressure of having to answer all of the questions which would be asked. I used to listen to these demons and therefore would not apply for these positions, I stayed in the same dead end job for six years.

When I was about sixteen I became drunk for the first time and the alcohol gave me a huge but somewhat false confidence boost. I now had no fear and the demons did not appear, I was also able to talk superbly. Now I am not saying that you should all be in a permanent drunken state, however this showed me not only was I able to talk well but that the stammer must not only be a physical impediment but also physcological.

There are many forms of stuttering help out there including tradional speech therapy, group speech courses, one to one speech courses and even hypnotherapy. I personally believe that the way to go is one to one speech courses as every person who has a stutter is an individual and has an individual stutter.

Stephen Hill runs a speech centre in Birmingham, England. He has a number of websites including:

stuttering
information

stammering therapy

stammering treatment

Do you have the energy you want? Do you feel as fit as you’d like to be? Can you walk upstairs without getting winded? Do you wish your muscles were stronger and your tummy tighter?

Nothing is more important than your health, and you must find the time to “move.” Research suggests you are better off doing this in the morning, but the important thing is to just do it. If you’re still working a traditional job, then you either have to do it very early or go after hours. More important than anything though is your “body clock.” When are you feeling your best?

Health also means positive thinking, eating correctly, doing preventive check-ups, learning new skills, meeting new people and practicing good principles of living.

The way you move, speak, participate, enjoy and do your activities denotes your energy. When you enter a room, heads are probably turning. You take people’s breath away.

They can also hear the enthusiasm when you are talking on the phone. What does your voice sound likeshrill or nasal? Do you sound like a little girl or out of breath? You’d be surprised how much you can improve your voice just be listening to it on a tape recorder. Listen to yourself over and over and you will begin to recognize the times you need to make a change.

If you don’t have the ability to get through the day, it’s going to be difficult to accomplish what you’d like to. Although many people include mental and spiritual health as a part of wellness and energy, you need to

determine for yourself what that means. When you do that, you will be able to bounce back more quickly from whatever does attack you.

Unfortunately, no one can motivate anyone but themselves, so it’s up to you to surround yourself with the items and people who will help you pursue the kinds of things that produce the energy in your life. How and what you do daily allows you to cope with the disasters and enjoy the highs.

There’s no magic formulait’s your formula. What makes you tick? What gets you excited? Passion is the key word here. When you truly get excited about something, it does give you an energy you don’t get anywhere else. It’s all a part of your personality– the quality that makes you who you are. Your aura, friendliness, ability to carry on a conversation, having a variety of interests, showing an infectious smile, all contribute to people wanting to be around you.

Your sense of humor is another thing that will bring you energy. When you laugh, endorphins are released into your body that give you energy and spirit, so look at your situations with humor and a sense of spontaneity.

spunkyoldbroad.com

Gayle Carson is a 67 year old, three time cancer survivor who’s an internet entrepreneur and a kickboxing S.O.B.
Spunkyoldbroads.com
Gayle@spunkyoldbroad.com

Hurricane Katrina is a terrible tragedy. Some will say the lack of action by the Federal, State and local governments is a bigger tragedy. The Mayor of New Orleans was on a Radio Show blasting the Federal and State bureaucracies.

It appears now that the Federal troops are in place and the looting and rioting has stopped. The vast majority of people left in the Hurricane Katrina disaster area have been evacuated. The process has started to fix the levees and dry out New Orleans.

It is very easy to point fingers. It is very easy for the State Governments to say it is the fault of the National Governments. Unfortunately these mistakes and the delays in getting aid to New Orleans has probably cost the Lives of hundreds if not thousands of people. The bigger tragedy would be to not learn from the mistakes that were made and make the same mistakes in a future disaster.

A task force needs to be created to study what mistakes were made. This task force needs to determine what was done right and what can be done better. This task force needs to point out what was done wrong and what steps need to be taken to fix it without any finger pointing. It would be a far greater tragedy to not learn from the mistakes and have them repeated in a future natural disaster.

It appears that allot of the problems revolved around a federal law designed to protect the states. This law states that Federal troops cannot be used unless requested by the state governor. There may need to be revisions in this law that allows federal troops to be deployed for a short period of time without the governors request under very specific terms with proper checks and balances.

About the Author
Mike Makler Offers Financial Services (Mortgages,Life Insurance, Annuity) in Florissant Missouri which is in North St. Louis County Missouri Just Across the Bridge from St. Charles Missouri

Call Mike at 314 398-5547

Visit Mike’s Web Page:
http://ewguru.com/finance

For Missouri Specific Insurance and Loan Questions:
http://ewguru.com/Mo-Finance

Get Mike’s Newsletter Here
http://ewguru.com/fin-news

Copyright © 2005-2006 Mike Makler

A few years ago, Bruce Smith experienced a slowdown in his Salt Lake City-based travel agency. Airlines had eliminated his sales commissions. The recession and recent terrorist attacks also took a toll. And because the travel industry was ultra-competitive, he knew he had to find ways to distinguish his company from thousands of other travel agencies.

Then, he had a fortunate accident. His wife asked him where they would celebrate their first wedding anniversary. When he gave her a blank look, she set about planning a trip-but wouldn’t tell him what she was planning. Because he enjoyed the mystery leading up to the trip, and the hints his wife gave him, he repackaged his travel service as The Veiled Voyage, selling ‘destination unknown’ vacations to couples and others.

Smith’s clever branding strategy was a hit. It not only helped him create a unique and memorable brand, but also made him ’slightly’ famous.

Now, most of Smith’s business comes through referrals from happy clients who eagerly tell their friends about The Veiled Voyage. He’s regularly featured in newspapers, magazines and radio programs and was even invited to speak at a national travel conference. Moreover, he’s been able to extend his brand with a major grocery store chain through a lucrative co-branding relationship that has further expanded his company.

The ‘Slightly’ Famous You

Some business owners attract clients and customers like magic. They do not cold call or rely on advertising. Yet they’re regularly featured in newspapers and magazines and get invited to speak at conferences. Everyone knows their name, and they get all the business they can handle.

It’s almost as though they were famous.

In fact, they are, but not in the way movie stars and athletes are famous–they’re just slightly famous. Just famous enough to make their names come to mind when people are looking for a particular product or service. They get more business - not only more, but the right kind of business - and they don’t have to work so hard to get it.

Want to join them and enjoy this ideal state of affairs, where customers come to you? You can, but it may require a new way of thinking and a new marketing strategy. Although their efforts take different forms, underlying them all are six basic principles.

1. Targeting the best prospects

Slightly famous entrepreneurs focus their marketing to target the best prospects.

Alex Fisenko is known in the world of coffee as ‘the Dean of Beans.’ The 60-something coffee expert started his first espresso shop in the 1960s. Since then, he’s focused his energies and now sells his expertise on launching a successful coffee business to aspiring entrepreneurs. Alex conducts coffee shop seminars and sells a training course called ‘Espresso Business Success.’

His Web site, www.espressobusiness.com, generates thousands of dollars a month in products sales and consulting engagements in the United States, Thailand, South Korea, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, and Barbados. ‘By targeting the best prospects, I now make more money through book sales and consultations than when I ran coffee shops,’ says Fisenko.

2. Developing a unique market niche

Small businesses with a ’slightly famous’ strategy establish themselves within a carefully selected market niche that they can realistically hope to dominate.

Dan Poynter, for example, is a successful self-publisher who started writing books about parachuting and hang-gliding over thirty years ago. Though it might sound as if his audience would be too small to generate significant sales, he knew his market and where to find them. Best of all, he has the market all to himself!

Rather than try to fight for attention in general bookstores, he sold books to skydiving clubs, parachute dealers, and the U.S. Parachute Association. He developed a reputation in skydiving circles, and has enjoyed steady sales of his books for more than three decades.

3. Positioning your business as the best solution

Positioning is about identifying a key attribute of your company not offered by competitors and that is clearly valuable to your target market.

When Harry Shepherd started his bookkeeping service a few years ago, he realized that he was in competition with dozens of other bookkeepers selling essentially the same thing. To stand out, he mastered a popular accounting program and marketed himself as a ‘QuickBooks Software Training Consultant.’

Shepherd went from blending into a sea of look-alike competitors to occupying a compelling market position. He charged higher fees, and he did not have to work as hard to get new clients. Word spread fast among accountants as they referred him to their clients. He even trained other bookkeepers to use accounting software.

4. Maintaining your visibility

When was the last time your name appeared in print? Yesterday? Last week? A month ago? Just because you remember doesn’t mean a potential customer will. To become ’slightly’ famous, you need to have your message out there, if not continuously, then often enough to keep your name alive in customers’ minds.

When Bart Baggett decided to make handwriting analysis his career, he embraced the media, and studied newspapers, magazines, and radio and television programs to find out what types of guests were in demand, and then looked for ways to tie his professional abilities to specific media. His strategy paid off.

At the height of the O.J. Simpson trial, he sent out a news release about Simpson’s handwriting that resulted in several timely media interviews. He later appeared on Court TV to discuss Timothy McVey’s handwriting, and was recommended by the director of that program to CNN. A feature in Biography Magazine led to stories in the London Times, the Dallas Morning News, and others.

5. Enhancing your credibility

The surest way to earn credibility is by establishing yourself as a ‘recognized’ expert with intimate knowledge of your clients, customers and industry. Experts out-position their competitors because they are recognized as knowing more than their competitors.

Fred Tibbitts, Jr. founded Fred Tibbitts & Associates to help food and beverage companies reach global markets. He strategically cultivated a reputation in his industry as a well-connected and knowledgeable global beverage-marketing expert who is fluent in all the details of his business.

Tibbitts monitors global beverage trends on a daily basis while staying in contact with account managers at hotels and restaurants. He hosts a series of special events, ‘Fred Tibbitts Spring & Autumn Dinners with Special Friends,’ in key markets, including Hong Kong, Singapore, and New York. Tibbitts also contributes a column to Hospitality International Magazine and numerous industry publications.

6. Establishing your brand and reputation

Slightly famous entrepreneurs use their smallness and specialty in ways that corporate giants can’t touch. They make sure their brands strike an emotional chord by bringing their business ’soul’ to the forefront of their marketing.

When you meet Dave Hirschkop at a trade show, don’t expect to shake his hand. That’s because he’ll be wearing a straitjacket while standing before a simulated insane asylum to promote his popular line of ‘Insanity’ hot sauces.

Dave established his brand by making the hottest sauce possible. Instead of sensual pleasure, he promised pain, even danger. Now, Dave’s Gourmet, Inc. steps to the front of the crowded hot sauce category because he embraced a humorous branding strategy that resulted in fiercely loyal customers and great media exposure.

When Dave introduced his Insanity Sauce at the National Fiery Foods Show in New Mexico, he made attendees sign a release form before tasting from a bottle that came in a coffin-like box wrapped with yellow police tape. His best, if unintended, publicity coup happened when a show promoter had a minor respiratory problem after tasting his sauce, and banned him from the show.

To enjoy ’slightly’ famous status, you don’t have to be insane. But, you must cultivate a brand identity that will become the guiding star of your entire business. It will ensure that all your marketing efforts pull in the same direction. You’ll waste less time, make fewer marketing mistakes, and stand out in an increasing cluttered world.

About The Author

Steven Van Yoder is author of Get Slightly FamousT: Become a Celebrity in Your Field and Attract More Business with Less Effort. Visit http://www.getslightlyfamous.com to read the book and learn about ’slightly’ famous teleclasses, workshops, and marketing materials to help small businesses and solo professionals attract more business.

steven@getslightlyfamous.com

It appears that oil drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will not get the go- ahead this year thanks to the liberal Senate democrats. They have provided no alternative for ending our dependence on foreign oil other than not to use any. California is a prime example of life under the environmentalist whackos.

A tiny fraction of Alaska opened to drilling could go a long way toward relieving dependence on foreign oil. More than half of the nation’s oil supply comes from other countries. The liberals are the first ones to complain when the price of oil goes up, but of course do nothing to solve the problem. Instead, they point the finger at the Republicans. Oil exploration in the refuge might create over 30,000 jobs. The liberals would rather make the economy a political issue and somehow find a way to blame conservatives.

The environmentalist nut cases would rather save a tree cricket than people. Why is it they don’t complain about drilling in other places? Aren’t these other countries part of Planet Earth? The over protection of our forests has been credited with much of the out of control forest fires we have had in recent years. Millions of crickets slaughtered by simpleton environmentalist fanatics. I am sure all creatures of these once thriving forests are very thankful. I am sure they would understand that it is the SUV’s that are really destroying the environment. Yes, I am sure they appreciate liberal stupidity. After all, it is the hunters and loggers that hate wildlife, right? They are out to destroy nature. This is their mission in life. They like dirty air and polluted waters. This is what we must believe to go along with the liberal environmentalist agenda.

With a war with Iraq looming on the horizon, our need to be self-sufficient is once again very obvious. Regardless, the stonewalling goes on by the liberal democrats. At every turn they dig in and as a result, cause harm to those they claim to be trying to help. We need a sensible energy policy, not outdated liberal nonsense.

Gene LaBarge is the author of http://www.BlogChow.com.