Time Management Strategies - Revitalize Enthusiasm and Productivity Using the 3 Gratitude Exercises

Time management tips that inspire you to renew and deepen your gratitude also energize you, every single time you open your heart. If you really want to experience new zest, learn how to genuinely appreciate and care for your life, starting right now.

Cultivating the gift of gratitude is a powerful way to ground yourself and prepare yourself for any challenge. Gratitude enhances healthy humility that is based in self-respect. It also helps you assess your strengths and redirect your energy. The following reflections provide a fresh window of understanding to your inner powerhouse.

Finding Time for Gratitude - 5 Central Insights.

Gratitude's 3 Gifts to You.

Gratitude immediately enriches your life in 3 ways:

- How you look at your world,
- How you move through your days, and
- How you experience your moments.

It is a fundamental value, and the ultimate way to make full use of your time. In "Character Strengths and Virtues" by Christopher Peterson and Martin E. P. Seligman, gratitude is defined as "an enduring thankfulness that is sustained across situations and over time."

There are two types of gratitude, personal and transpersonal.

Personal gratitude is about thankfulness towards an individual, whereas transpersonal gratitude is a constant and fundamental appreciation of the world.

Gratitude is a very special gift to children.

According to studies, gratitude develops between 7 and 10 years of age. However, I believe that if a child is raised in an environment of appreciation, both specific and general, and if it is spoken about often and consistently, gratitude will begin to develop at an earlier age. At the very least, the child will be surrounded by positive energy.

Experience and express appreciation to others specifically and frequently.

How many times a day do you actively thank someone? And how often do you feel the energy of awe and wonder? Don't deprive yourself or others of this wonderful, free gift that strengthens relationships!

As an informative exercise, jot down each time you feel grateful for anything.

After 3 or 4 weeks, go over your documentation and identify patterns in your gratitude. Are there days when you are so absorbed in the activities of daily living that you "forget" life's gifts? What does this tell you? What happens to your energy? Do you habitually see the glass as "half empty" or "half full"?

There is a simple and wonderful exercise I've practiced for many years. It was reinforced in the Vanguard Authentic Happiness Coaching Course I participated in several years ago.

Enjoy the "3 Gratitudes" Exercise!

Each night, right before sleep, list at least 3 gratitudes you are aware of for that day. These blessings can be anything you notice and appreciate.

Recently, I asked a client if she was continuing her nightly gratitudes. She vigorously nodded. "It keeps me positive," she responded.

And it does. It helps you maintain enthusiasm, even in challenging times. Soon it becomes automatic to appreciate your moments.

Now ask yourself: How can you generate still more gratitude today by finding more time?

To take your next step, sign up for our free gift, "The New Finding Time Boundary Template: 9 Simple, Sequential Steps to Find More Time and Recharge Your Energy!" at http://www.findingtime.net/ezine.html

This time template will help you move beyond overwhelm, disappointment, and frustration. Using a workbook format, with room to record your answers, you will discover that 24 hours really are enough!

And for even more time thoughts and techniques, visit our blog at http://www.thetimefinder.com

Offered by Paula Eder, Ph.D. The Time Finder Expert.

The Way, The Truth and The Life - pt.1

I have seen, Flood, and I have seen Drought. I have seen, the Naked and and the Poor, the Wealthy and the Famous. I have seen, Death and Resurrection, Tidal Waves and Volcanoes. I have felt, Heat and Great Despair. I have experienced, Loneness and Disappointment. I have been in, Days of no end. I have noted, the Earth Quaking and the Tears of Grief.

I know of Pain, as a Hundred Needles Piercing my Heart. I have Preached, to the Jews and the Gentiles, and have been, Rejected for Telling the Truth, And because I told you the truth, you believed me not.
I am a man, of all Countries and Nations, but can not find a Home on Earth. I know of, Wars and Rumors of Wars, wars that men know nothing of. I have been, a Light in a Dark World. I know the Past, the Present, and the Future. I have been, Beaten, Cursed and Hung between Heaven and earth. I have been, Buried, Guarded, Preached to the Dead and Returned as Lord and Christ. I have no Boundaries nor Limitations, I Am that I Am. I have come to, Strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
I am, The Way, The Truth and The Life. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

I am the way. To access God directly, we must first believe in His Son. Many religions keep God in a bottle, or a box, refusing anyone except a select few to access the wonder that is God. These men, are men of little understanding of God and Scripture. John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

Jesus is the way, the way to God and the Way to Salvation. We cannot be held back nor denied access to God by any man nor religion. We have access to God thru Jesus, the Door and the Key, to the Almighty. Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, have you not been with Christ enough to know who He is? Isa 1:11-15; To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.(The Sacrifice of the physical will not render you an opening to my Glory.)

When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? (What People, Religion or Priest has told you to come to me in this manner.)
Bring no more vain oblations(Any thing offered or presented in worship or sacred service; an offering; a sacrifice.); incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.(I will no longer abide with your religious days, holidays nor meetings. The way of the past is shut, the door is closed and the way is changed. You have made a shambles of your dedication to Me and I will no longer hear you.)

And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. (The Blood of the Prophets of God. The rejection of the New and obedience to the Old. Being guilty of one part of the Law has made you guilty of all the Law.)

Isa 35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. and a way I am is the Way, Jesus is the way of holiness. His name is Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. He is the only way to God, for God has declared it, a solemn vow, His word becoming flesh. Psa 2:7-8 ; I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Begotten, to bring forth, beget; denotes the physical relation of either parent to a child, Gen_3:16; Gen_4:18): Used metaphorically of God's relation to Israel (Deu_32:18) and to the Messianic king (Psa_2:7).

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
This physical relationship between God and Jesus is a relationship between Father and Son, parent to child, and everlasting covenant between God and Man.

Mat 11:3-6; And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. I Am the Way. end pt 1. ars

Joh 14:6 - I am: Joh_10:9; Isa_35:8, Isa_35:9; Mat_11:27; Act_4:12; Rom_5:2; Eph_2:18; Heb_7:25; Heb_9:8, Heb_10:19-22; 1Pe_1:21
the truth: Joh_1:14, Joh_1:17, Joh_8:32, Joh_15:1, Joh_18:37; Rom_15:8, Rom_15:9; 2Co_1:19, 2Co_1:20; Col_2:9, Col_2:17; 1Jo_1:8, 1Jo_5:6, 1Jo_5:20; Rev_1:5, Rev_3:7, Rev_3:14, Rev_19:11
the life: Joh_14:19, Joh_1:4,

Joh_5:21, Joh_5:25-29, Joh_6:33, Joh_6:51, Joh_6:57, Joh_6:68, Joh_8:51, Joh_10:28, Joh_11:25, Joh_11:26, Joh_17:2, Joh_17:3; Act_3:15; Rom_5:21; 1Co_15:45; Col_3:4; 1Jo_1:1, 1Jo_1:2, 1Jo_5:11, 1Jo_5:12; Rev_22:1, Rev_22:17
no: Joh_10:7, Joh_10:9; Act_4:12; Rom_15:16; 1Pe_2:4, 1Pe_3:18; 1Jo_2:23; 2Jo_1:9; Rev_5:8, Rev_5:9; Rev_7:9-17, Rev_13:7, Rev_13:8, Rev_20:15

Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries A.R.Smith Ministries http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/

Looking at Life Through the Rear View Mirror

Many of us spend a significant amount of time looking through the rear view mirrors of our lives. Some people spend all their time there - some spend no time there - but most have a nice balance between looking at what's behind and what's ahead.

Sometimes the "mirror" can be really helpful, and sometimes it can cough up those really embarrassing, stupid, negative memories that are best forgotten, but that the mirror wants to keep front and center.

Have you ever had the experience of suddenly being confronted, in your mind, with something you did in the past that you wish you hadn't, or that you regretted, and that "something" flashes up on your brain screen and sends a chill down your spine, or a flop to your stomach, or a tear to your eye - or a song to your heart?

Funny - very few of my rear view mirror flashes send a song to my heart. I don't know about you, but my mirrors tend to be critical of my behavior - the coulda', woulda', shoulda's that make me feel less good about myself. My rear view mirror wants to keep the negative stuff more available than the "bring a smile " stuff.

I'm talking about those little drops of negative emotional water that hit your brain, again and again, and in so doing create a groove or funnel for continued negative flashes.

What these flashes do is create habits of thought that affect our beliefs about our personal worth, ability and value. And those negative mirror flashes feed those two little worms - the "I am not worthy" one, and the "I am not able" one. And they grow. And we do it to ourselves.

The most powerful messages we receive about our ability and value are the ones we send ourselves. And we're often not aware that we're even doing it. That's the thing about habits - both good and bad. They become so ingrained that we just do them. The good news is habits can be changed. Not stopped, but replaced with other habits.

If your rear view mirror keeps sending you negative messages about your past, here are suggestions on ways to change that destructive habit of thought.

1 - Be aware that it is happening. That sounds so obvious, but habits are sneaky. They get so ingrained that they seem unconscious. The first step is to challenge your thoughts. Are they helpful? Are they destructive? Do they help or hinder?

2- Prepare a list of the top 100 things that make you smile, make you feel thankful, make you proud, make you feel worthy and able. Write them down. This can be tough - especially if your messages have been negative for a long time. But it is the key step to replacing those negative thoughts.

3 - Review them every day and add to them as you think of more positive messages.

4 - When a negative thought message comes through, catch yourself and tell yourself to stop! And then replace it with one of your 100 or more "guaranteed to make you feel good about yourself" messages you have written down.

5 - Persist. Habits take time and dedication to change. Keep reminding yourself of the value of thinking positively about yourself. And of how much better it makes you feel.

6 - Think of your rear view mirror as having two modes - one that lets in all the bright lights that can blind you, and the other mode that filters so you can see more clearly.

Let's face it, life has and will continue to throw all kinds of challenges at us. Using your rear view mirror to prepare for the challenges to be faced is a powerful habit of thought. Take a look in yours right now, and become aware of what a positive tool it can be.

Andy Cox is President of Cox Consulting Group LLC. The focus of his work is on helping organizations and their people increase their success in the hiring, developing and enhancing the performance of leaders and emerging leaders. Cox Consulting Group LLC was started in 1995, and has worked with a wide range of organizations, managers and leaders - helping them define success, achieve success and make the ability to change a competitive advantage. He can be reached at http://coxconsultgroup.com

Spending My Childhood Around Christians

I was born in the 1960s and raised in Southern California, United States of America. During that period of time, and in the area I was raised, there was basically one religion that dominated every aspect of mine and my friends lives. That religion was Christianity. When I was in elementary school, I knew one Jewish boy and he looked different than the Christians and even talk different. He was very smart and spent a lot of his time reading, instead of playing at recess.

There were no Muslims or Hindus and it was a predominantly white environment. The first black students I seen was when I entered the eighth grade and by the time I finished high school, I could count all of the black students I had met on both of my hands. So now you have a pretty good idea of my life, living in a white neighborhood that was 90% Christian.

As you can guessed it, I was raised a Christian, but not a regular Christian, I was a Methodist and proud of it, until my parents got tired of the church elders asking for money or if my father could help build the new church. My father explained to them, that he needed to work to support his family and could only contribute, what ever he could to the church and no more. They were very unhappy and made it uncomfortable for us to go to the church anymore.

Hard to imagine, isn't it. Christians asking for money and then when they don't receive it, getting mad at one of their brethren.

Well it was time to switch churches and we are now going to the Crystal Cathedral Church in Garden Grove California. These people had everything and it was a large church. This was before they built the massive glass structure that is presently the church sanctuary. I enjoy going to this church, because we didn't have to go to Sunday school and got to sit with the adults to worship.

By the time I was 15, neither one of my parents were going to church anymore and my life didn't seem to change that much, even though I prayed every night with my brother. Maybe that was it, I didn't have to go to church as long as I prayed every night... By the time I was 18 years old, I was more confused about organized religion than ever before and this included Christianity.

How can someone kill in the name of God? The Muslims were doing it, the Christians were doing it, the Muslims were fighting the Hindus in India and it all seemed normal. It didn't seem normal to me, when I was supposed to love my neighbor and live a life like Christ who never seemed to start fights or even get mad. Maybe a couple of times, over some money, in the Temple.

I have chosen not to be a part of organized religion. I'd figured out that most of our religious beliefs came from our upbringing. This seems to have brainwashed us into believing we are better because were right and know for a fact, that we have chosen to belong to the right religion. What if were not right?

I want to ask you a question, do you think that other religions are wrong and yours is right? If you really spend some time and think about this, you will see, that your religion is not that different than someone else's and neither was their upbringing. Most religious followers, belonged to the religion of their childhood.

Who Is Jesus?

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a spiritual videos filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world.

Goal Planning For Success

Is Your Religion an Illusion? Who is God?

Most people that I run into on a regular basis while out and about on my journey through life, seem to believe in something. Most of them when asked, fear death and are often looking forward to going to a better place, like heaven when they die. Some of them will start talking about all the good things they've done in their lifetime, while others live in a very humble world.

If you're a strong believer and are told not to read or listen to anything outside of your religious text. This probably comes from fear and will keep you living in your religious illusion of faithfulness. Jesus once said, Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

I'm sure that religious scholars can interpret this in a hundred ways and some of them will even make sense to people like me but the words are simple and straightforward. Seek and you will find is pretty simple to understand. If I'm looking for the answers while seeking the truth, I should be able to find it.

Here's where the problem comes in, why don't more people seek the truth. If you believe that seeking the truth is reading your religious text on a daily basis, read them with an open mind and soon you will find text that some of it is outdated, doesn't make sense, and some of it even contradicts itself. There is some wonderful information in these texts also. I've read some of the Holy Bible and love Proverbs and the Story of Job.

Just because I liked the stories and other parts of the Holy Bible, does it make me a believer in Jesus or the God of the Holy Bible. I can no longer agree with my past beliefs, how I was raised or have the same beliefs as the majority of people in my community. I am still seeking the truth but no longer falling into the trap and believe most religions create an illusion of a better life, but can't seem to deliver the goods, especially here on earth. The promise of something better entices some people to live a godly life but at what expense, sometimes.

There are plenty of religious followers who will tell you that they're happy and they love following their religion. Some of these people are liars, others are honest but most of them aren't very educated about their own religions or others throughout the world. Don't get caught up in the religious trap, that your religion is right and others are wrong. This could become more frustrating once you truly start to seek the truth.

Fooling Christians Today

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Eliminating Negative Media From

Are You Caught Up In A Life Of Guilt

Guilt is one of the largest causes of stress in your life. Stop reading this article for a second and think about the people in your lives that often make you feel guilty.

Now did you really stop reading the article and think about the people in your life who make you feel guilty? Okay well if you did this get back to the guilty feelings so many of us have. Guilt goes all the way back to your childhood, your parents, teachers, friends and relatives have gotten to be pretty good at it over the years, often learning from the same group of people when they were children.

Guilt is definitely a big part of our society and can be found almost everywhere you turn. Have you ever turned the television on to notice a commercial about weight loss. A large majority of Americans are overweight and are targets for a guilt creating society.

I was reading a book on writing magazine articles, when they mentioned a fact that I never thought of, most women's magazines run articles on dieting in every issue. Guilt sells magazines.

Do you think weight loss, dieting or nutritional eating habits, sell magazines? If your answer is no, you should check the financial statements of these companies. They know what sells magazines and guilt or fear is one of their best friends. If you answered yes to the question, you won't have to suffer from the guilt of not knowing the answer.

Guilt seems to work on our subconscious mind in negative ways, often producing harmful thoughts that create stressful feelings in our lives. The longer these negative thoughts are held as truths, the harder it's going to be on our self esteem.

If you find yourself around people that make you feel guilty for something you do or don't do on a regular basis, I would suggest finding new people to hang around with. Gathering negative information from people you consider your friends can only create more damage to your conscience.

If you truly and sincerely do not like something about yourself, tell your friends in a nice way, that you would rather talk about your problems in a negative way. If they have constructive and helpful comments, you would love to hear them. Guilt causes stress and stress can lead to death. If you don't believe that, do some research on stress related illnesses.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, The Intuitive Way

Greg is currently working on a personal development library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Is The Bible Historically Accura

Key Steps to Get and Stay Motivated

One of the biggest obstacles to success is the time factor. Everybody desires a change for better in any given area of their lives: health, finances, self esteem or personal relationships. But not all of us have what it takes to stick to a plan and walk it out.

The truth is that great ideas will not change our lives overnight. On the contrary, the changes we choose of our own will always happen gradually. And their outcome depends on how motivated we are and how motivated we will stay throughout the process.

Let's face it. Being enthusiastic about a new idea for a few days, or even a week, is easy. Anybody can do that. It is when the going gets tough and when it turns out to be harder than we imagined that we lose momentum and eventually give up on our new project.

If you are a giver-upper, here is good news for you: You can change that bad habit-because that is what quitting is all about-and learn how to achieve your goals successfully.

Acquire a Vision

Long term projects cannot succeed if they are chosen randomly as a whim of the moment. You might have very good ideas, but you need to take them one step further if you want to implement them successfully.

First ask yourself who you are and who you want to become.

You might not be aware of it, but God has already laid out a wonderful plan for your life. You were not placed furtively on this planet to survive as good as you possibly can. The Bible states you are His masterpiece created to walk in a life He has already prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10).

So all you have to do is connect with God and flow with His program!

Fix Your Thought Life

Most of us make the mistake of focusing on externals when we implement changes in our lives. We neglect working on our mindset, the very place where wrong thought patterns will cause our endeavor to fail.

If those wrong thoughts are not dealt with, they will lead you to quit just as they did in your previous projects. Because the thoughts you have today will determine your life tomorrow.

The most powerful way to change wrong thought patterns is by studying the Word of God-the Bible-and finding out what God has to say about your situation. And that leads to key number 3:

Have Faith

Somebody once said, "Faith can move mountains." And it does. Faith is the most important factor when it comes to achieving success in life.

You might say, "But I don't have a strong faith!"

That's easy to solve: Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. It is when you diligently seek God and His way of operating that you will come to see yourself as the one He created you to be: A victorious overcomer.

You can find out what God's plan is for your life and change the course of your life forever. Learn how to flow with God's plan for your life, and how to successfully develop the talents He has given you with my free e-course "7 Steps to Consistently Change Your Life" and e-book "The Power of Self-Directed Learning" at http://www.Self-DirectedLearningForSuccess.com

From Bettina Langerfeldt, who teaches people how to pursue their God-given gifts and talents by designing their own education with self-directed learning.

2008 Freedompioneer

Emma Curtis Hopkins