Creating Powerful Intentions

Creating Powerful Intentions

“Our intention creates our reality” - Wayne Dyer
“Manifestation: If you intend it, it will come” - Melanie Votaw
“Write it down, Make it happen” - Henriette Anne Klauser

An intention can be defined as: a statement of purpose
or the thought behind the thought…influencing our actions.

The fact is: we move through the world with intent, whether
we mean to or not. So, if we have intentions, what does this
mean? What intentions are we creating unconsciously? What
impact do these intentions have on our lives?
(How often have you ended up somewhere by accident?
Got stuck in a role that no longer serves you?) And what intentions
can we consciously create to influence our behavior, guide our
actions and then shape the possibilities that are open to us.

Speak Freely.
Shop 4th of July Gear at CafePress.com
for 4th of July

Sometimes the unconscious intentions we hold like: “I don’t want
to be dragged into”, “I don’t want to be late”, “I don’t want to
seem”, “I don’t want to have an argument”, “I don’t want to be
seen as”, “I don’t want to be unhappy” etc, lead us to outcomes
that seem to be the opposite of our intentions and leave us
wondering why.

The answer is that human brain only understands “positive”
instructions. If you give a negative instruction or create a negative
intention, your brain will only process the “positive” part of the
statement (e.g. “don’t think about pink elephants” or – a great one
for children – “don’t drop that!”). So intend and ask for what you
want instead.

Intentions are different from goals. They are less measurable. They
are more about creating the flavor and direction of the day and
might be the biggest component in creating changes in your life.
If you set an intention to be “inspirational”, “loving”, “dynamic”,
“open and receptive” or “confident and welcoming”, or “present,
engaged and listening” or “respectful”, or “happy and healthy”
this will inform how you show up in the world, how you behave and
the actions that you take. Intention comes before action.

Go Organic Intentions?

There are two stages in creating intentions. The first is awareness;
to surface the intentions we already create in our lives and notice
their impact…this can be a fascinating and illuminating process. We
may think we are operating from one intention, but sometimes find
that we are driven by a quite different (often hidden and conflicting)
intention. This can lead to struggle and frustration.

The second stage is to actively develop a practice of creating and
writing positive intentions. Writing down intentions makes them
even more powerful.

We continue to be amazed at the power of intentions, even those
intentions over which we have “no control” and no influence over
the outcome.

Some examples of created intentions:

We co-create a curious journey of exploration, where anything
is possible and every experience an opportunity for learning.

My intention is to radiate loving energy, kindness and healing.
I welcome positive people and possibilities into my life.

I am open to learning, competent & powerfully present.

Today I am happy, free and live in sunshine.

I work with inspirational people.

I help people and energize myself.

I’m increasing my excellence at playing the guitar.



I truly listen at all levels to my friends, family and
associates, am fascinated by them and their experiences,
thrilled by their successes and passionate about their
learning & development.

I hold a space for co-operation & collaboration,
effortlessly leading to a successful outcome for all.

I plan effectively for the actions I want.

I am fully present, capable and energetic, facilitating
the groups learning and enjoyment. All participants leave
feeling valued, confident and inspired.

I hold a safe space for all participants to fully explore and
express themselves.

My shop

I am naturally aware of the choices in life which serve my
best interests and I effortlessly choose accordingly.

… And more, which are fantastic
I begin again with clarity, determination and optimism!

I am constantly improving myself through personal
development so that I can share what I’ve learned
with others on a daily basis and together, everybody
will achieve more!

It is my clear and ready intention to support the conscious
awakening humanity as a healer and teacher of eloquence,
grace, joy and ease. It is my intention to have 2007 be the
year that serves as the foundation and cornerstone of my
dharma and one in which I fully step into my mastery. It is
my intention to have fun, friends, prosperity and grace in 2007;
and to love and heal all that I touch. I enjoy a fit, healthy,
active old age.

As you can see, intentions are a very personal and potent
force and fit for many a purpose. They can be general and wide
ranging (influencing how we operate in the world on a grand scale
and how we show up in life); they can be more specific
(created to influence particular situations) and everything in between.

NOLO: Your Personal Legal Resource

The bigger intentions we hold in life, the more possibilities
that are available to us. There are no hard and fast rules,
but these guidelines will help you create powerful intentions:

Clear and simple

Stated in the positive (am/can/co-create)

Powerfully written ~ in a way that “juices” you/matters to you

Owned (I am/can/co-create)

Appreciated

Present tense

And remember that your attitude is aligned with your
intentions; your intentions are aligned with values.
Appreciate each experience and how you can grow
from it.

“…being grounded in intention is what provides integrity
and unity in your life. Through the skillful cultivation of
intention, you learn to make wise goals and then to work
hard toward achieving them without getting caught in
attachment to outcome. As I suggested to the yogi, only by
remembering your intentions can you reconnect with yourself
during those emotional storms that cause you to lose touch
with yourself. This remembering is a blessing, because it
provides a sense of meaning in your life that is independent
of whether you achieve certain goals or not. Ironically, by
being in touch with and acting from your true intentions, you
become more effective in reaching your goals than when you
act from wants and insecurities.” Phillip Moffat

We are passionate about sharing this powerful practice; with
each other, friends, family, colleagues, clients… We consciously
use intentions in all aspects of our life and work. We write
intentions for our client programs, often sharing them and
sometimes co-create them with my clients for our work together.
We recommend our clients create intentions and invite you to
join us. (Even when writing about intentions,
we can’t help writing intentions!)




If you haven’t already started to do this, make it your
intention for tomorrow morning. Keep a pad by your bed
and set aside the time just before you get up to write your
daily intentions.

Ask yourself:

What flavor do I want today?
How do I want to feel?
How do I want to be?
WHO do I want to be?
What do I want to have happen today?

If you only make one or two intentions each morning, make
them good ones. Once this practice becomes routine for you,
you’ll begin to notice how well it works and it’ll become even
easier to do more of it. Get clear on your expected results and
expect them to show up. Before you realize, life will be even
better and more abundant than it is now.

So, what’s YOUR intention today? Enjoy.

Slideshow

Socionic's, Psychological ("personality") Types, Quizzes and Label's

Life Happenz believes that we see the world as we are. The more one knows whether this be information gained through experience or literature, the more opportunity one has to increase their personal awareness of themselves and hence, the world at large. Understanding personality types, learning styles and how they may or may not impact you and those in your life can be an essential tool towards responding to your life rather than reacting to it. Make a conscious choice to empower your life by educating yourself.

Read More about Types
What is Socionics?
Take Your Own Quiz
Take The Typology Test based on Jung from HumanMetrics

Take Keirsey's Temperament Sorter 2

Myers-Briggs Test for Programmers

12 Steps to Managing Anger

Anger appears when one is confronted with frustration, unhappiness or hurt feelings, or when plans don't turn out as desired. It also shows up when coming against opposition or criticism.

Anger never helps anyone. It wastes your energy, and can hurt your health, spoil your relationships, and cause you to miss opportunities. Getting angry is acting against your best interests.

Things don't always proceed according to plans and expectations. People not always act the way you wish them to act. You may not be always able to be in control of external influences and conditions, but you can certainly learn to control your attitude and reactions. There is no sense of allowing circumstances and people to pull your strings and affect your mind and feelings. You can choose not to let what people say and do affect your moods. You can maintain an inner attitude of emotional and mental detachment, and refuse to allow every minor event play with your feelings and evoke anger.

I often see people getting angry over unimportant and insignificant matters. Some insignificant remark or action, not getting a satisfactory reply to a question or just moodiness are enough to set fire and cause anger, snappy remarks, arguments and even physical fights. This is absolutely unnecessary. Life can be happier without this behavior.

Anger is a negative reaction, and if you wish to progress on the path of self-improvement or spiritual growth you should avoid it as much as possible.

Learning to calm down the restlessness of the mind and gaining peace of mind, is one of the best and most effective methods to overcome anger, and in fact, all negative emotions.

If you are willing to invest the time and energy, you will reap great rewards. Peace of mind will not only help you overcome anger, but also help you overcome anxiety and negative thinking, and enable you to stay calm, tranquil and self possessed in difficult and trying situations.

Peace of mind requires the development of an attitude of emotional and mental detachment, which is of vital importance for overcoming and avoiding anger. It protects you against being too affected by what people think, say or do, and is therefore highly recommended. Detachment is not an attitude of indifference and lack of sensitivity. It is an attitude of common sense and inner strength and leads to peace of mind.

I would like now to suggest a few simple tips to help you manifest some inner detachment and peace of mind, so as to be in a better position to overcome anger.

1. At least once a day, devote several minutes to thinking on how much your life would be better without anger.

2. When you feel anger arising in you, start breathing deeply and slowly several times.

3. You may, instead of breathing deeply, or better still, in addition to it, count slowly from one to ten. This will delay your angry reaction and weaken it.

4. Drinking some water has a calming effect on the body.

5. Try to be more patient, no matter how difficult it might be.

6. Be more tolerant toward people, even toward people you don't like.

7. Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. You can disagree with people, but still maintain tact and diplomacy.

8. Choose to react calmly and peacefully in every situation. Try again and again, regardless of how many times you lose control and get angry.

9. Positive thinking makes it easier to disregard remarks and behavior that otherwise could cause anger.

10. Try to manifest at least some self-control, self-discipline and more common sense.

11. Don't take everything too seriously. It is not worth it.

12. Find reasons to laugh more often.

Author's Bio

Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power".

Visit his website www.SuccessConsciousness.com, and find articles, advice, guidance and ebooks!

For information on gaining inner peace visit:
www.successconsciousness.com/books/peace-of-mind-in-daily-life.htm

The Law of Attraction!

There is both a natural law and spiritual law and they both work together to give us what we need in life. However, the mind controls all of this and it is up to us to use our minds to work the law of attraction to our advantage. Some people call this “karma” and some call it “like attracts like.” Whatever you want to call it, you can use it to get anything you want.

It is what you think about the most that becomes your reality. So your thoughts must encourage the outcome that you desire. Your thoughts affect your relationships, your money, and your well-being. If you think negative thoughts you will get negative outcomes. If you think positive thoughts, then your outcome will be positive. It is that simple.

An example of this would be someone who wasn’t doing well with his online sales and the first thing words that came out of his mouth was, “I don’t think I am cut out for this.” Guess what, he isn’t cut out of this because that is what he believes and that is what was happening to him. His words framed his world.

The law of attraction is just like the law of gravity. It works all the time and there is nothing you can do to change it. If you change your thoughts to line up with the words that you speak, it will happen for you just as how you speak it.

The question is: are you making the law work for you or are you working against it? The key to examining your life and to find out if this law is working for you is to look at your situation and see if you have everything that you desire. If you don’t, then you are not using this law to attract the things that you want and you are cheating yourself.

You must believe in yourself and talk to yourself if you have to. You are in control of your thoughts. No one can go into your mind and tell you what to think. We know that bad thoughts influence our lives in a negative way. You can train your thoughts to line up to your desires and speak it and it will happen, but you have to believe that it will.

Your destiny is in your own hands. Only you alone can change it. Don’t blame the universe or someone else. The power is in your hands and you can achieve anything you want with the law of attraction.

The law of attraction can bring you success, motivation, self improvement, address issues of depression, give you confidence, Challenge your fears and insecurities, help you to improve yourself and your life partnerships and it can help you on your road to happiness.

One-Liner's To Avoid

One Liners to Avoid in An Argument

Cruel, sarcastic or aggressive wisecracks and retorts can quickly cripple the growth of relationships. Here are some expressions to to shun like the plague, together with kinder (and safer) alternatives.

by Peter Pearson, Ph.D

They slice and dice, causing wounds not easily healed by pacifying words.

They inflame like a blowtorch on tinder.

They suck the life out of all that they touch.

What are they?

They’re the one-liners couples fling at each other during arguments, the cruel and aggressive wisecracks or retorts that escalate a fight like nothing else.

And when these zingers begin to outnumber the kind words spoken to each other, they cripple the growth of relationships.

How to argue without hurting could be the most important relationship survival skill ever

Learning how to communicate well in a conflict — how to argue without hurting and insulting each other — is possibly the most important relationship survival skill ever. It increases personal happiness, relationship satisfaction and peace of mind—and reduces divorce and domestic violence rates.

Here, then, are a few one-liners to avoid, along with suggestions for better alternatives:

1) "That’s not what’s happening here!" This is just one of many versions of the line: “I’m right and you’re wrong!” And whether you say it or just think it, “You’re wrong!” creates a lose-lose situation.

Try this approach instead:, “Well, here’s another perspective or point of view…”

2) “You always…” or “You never…” Starting a sentence with either of these phrases is guaranteed to raise tempers.

Be specific. Talk about a particular incident. Rather than complaining, “You never listen to me,” try something like this: “When you respond that way, I conclude you don’t want to understand me in the way I’d like you to.”.

3) “You really know how to hurt me.” This line suggests that the other person is intentionally trying to hurt you. It also implies that someone other than yourself has power over what you feel. It places you in the role of emotional “victim.” But you’re not a victim--you have choices whether or not to be hurt by someone’s actions.

Try this instead: “What you just said/did really stung. It was especially painful because…”

4) "How can you be that way?” This isn’t really a question. It’s an assault that implies, “You’re a terrible/insensitive person, and you should be ashamed of yourself."

Try this instead: “When you did/said that, it really hurt. I don’t know if you intended to hurt me, or if you were frustrated yourself about something. Can you help me understand why you did that?”

This is communication under stress at its highest level. You not only avoid defending yourself by explaining the pain you are in, you actually investigate the distress your partner is in. This can make it much easier for your partner to hear the impact of what they did on you.

Of course, these are mild, compared to the doozies we come up with in the heat of an argument. But for love to flourish and deepen, for healthy and long-lasting relationships, we need to learn how to incorporate acceptance, self-understanding, compassion and tolerance into our conflicts.

And maybe one-liners like, “I love you!”

Peter Pearson, Ph.D., and his wife Dr. Ellyn Bader - authors, speakers and therapists - are founders of The Couples Institute in Menlo Park, CA. Since 1984, they have been helping people create extraordinary relationships. They have been featured on over 50 radio and TV programs. For more information, and to subscribe to their free newsletter Love That Lasts, visit: http://www.couplesinstitute.com. Also check out their new website with free audio clips for couples who want to improve their relationship.

Communicating Across Cultures

by Carol Kinsey Goman, Ph.D

Two psychiatrists meet on the street. One psychiatrist says to the other, "How are you?" The second psychiatrist nods, hurries away and thinks, "I wonder what he meant by that?"

If communicating person to person can be so difficult, then it's a safe bet that communicating across cultures will add layers of complexity to the difficulty.

Each culture has rules that its members take for granted. Few of us are aware of our own cultural biases because cultural imprinting is begun at a very early age. And while some of culture's knowledge, rules, beliefs, values, phobias and anxieties are taught explicitly, most of it is absorbed subconsciously.

Take this scene in a Chinese cemetery. Watching a Chinese reverently placing fresh fruit on a grave, an American visitor asked, "When do you expect your ancestors to get up and eat the fruit?" The Chinese replied, "As soon as your ancestors get up and smell the flowers."

The challenge for multinational communication has never been greater. Worldwide business organizations have discovered that intercultural communication is a subject of importance - not just because they have to deal increasingly with globalization, but also because the work force within their own national borders is growing more and more diverse, ethnically and culturally.

We are all individuals, and no two people belonging to the same culture are guaranteed to respond in exactly the same way. However, generalizations are valid to the extent that they provide clues on what you will most likely encounter when dealing with members of a particular culture.

High-context or low-context

All international communication is influenced by cultural differences. Even the choice of medium used to communicate may have cultural overtones.

For example, it has been noted that advanced industrialized nations rely heavily on electronic technology and emphasize written messages over oral or face-to-face communication. Certainly the United States, Canada and Germany exemplify this trend.

But Japan, which has access to the latest technologies, still relies more on face-to-face communications than on the written mode. The determining factor in medium preference may not be the degree of industrialization, but rather whether the country falls into a high-context or low-context culture.

In some cultures, personal bonds and informal agreements are far more binding than any formal contract. In others, the meticulous wording of legal documents is viewed as paramount.

High-context cultures (Mediterranean, Slav, Central European, Latin American, African, Arab, Asian, American-Indian) leave much of the message unspecified - to be understood through context, nonverbal cues, and between-the-lines interpretation of what is actually said.

By contrast, low-context cultures (most of the Germanic and English-speaking countries) expect messages to be explicit and specific. The former are looking for meaning and understanding in what is not said - in body language, in silences and pauses, and in relationships and empathy. The latter place emphasis on sending and receiving accurate messages directly, and by being precise with spoken or written words.

The business challenge for someone from a low-context culture is to realize the importance of building and maintaining personal relationships when dealing with high-context cultures.

"The most important thing I learned on my international assignment was not to rush meetings with the typical 'American take-charge attitude.' I was present when the outgoing chief took the new officer to meet a key contact - and I watched, helpless and horrified, as the new man destroyed in five seconds what the incumbent had taken a year to build. Undoubtedly the new chief thought he was creating the impact of a hard-charging young executive, but in reality he was tearing down a delicate relationship." -- Major, U.S. Air Force

Sequential or synchronic

Some cultures think of time sequentially - as a linear commodity to "spend," "save," or "waste." Other cultures view time synchronically - as a constant flow to be experienced in the moment, and as a force that cannot be contained or controlled.

A friend from Venezuela was invited to a party in the States. The hours on the invitation were stated as 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. This was almost inconceivable to the Venezuelan. "How can anyone know when the party will be over?" she asked. To her way of thinking, a party can't be "timed." It begins when it begins and ends when it ends.

Whether time is perceived as a commodity or a constant determines the meaning and value of being "on time." Think of the misunderstandings that can occur when one culture views arriving late for a meeting as bad planning or a sign of disrespect, while another culture views an insistence on timeliness as childish impatience.

In sequential cultures (like North American, English, German, Swedish, and Dutch), businesspeople give full attention to one agenda item after another. In many other parts of the world, professionals regularly do several things at the same time. I once cashed a check at a Panamanian bank where the teller was counting my money, talking to a customer on the phone, and admiring the baby in the arms of the woman behind me. To her, it was all business as usual.

The American commoditization of time not only serves as the basis for a "time is money" mentality, it can lead to a fixation on timelines that plays right into the hands of savvy negotiators from other cultures.

A Japanese executive explained: "All we need to do is find out when you are scheduled to leave the country - and, by the way, it amuses us that you arrive with your return passage already booked. We wait until right before your flight to present our offer. By then, you are so anxious to stay on schedule, you'll give away the whole deal."

In synchronic cultures (including South America, southern Europe and Asia) the flow of time is viewed as a sort of circle - with the past, present, and future all inter-related. This viewpoint influences how organizations in those cultures approach deadlines, strategic thinking, investments, developing talent from within, and the concept of "long-term" planning.

There's a joke about an American and a Chinese businessman sitting on a park bench in Hong Kong. The American is saying, "Well, you know I've been in Hong Kong for my company for thirty years. Thirty years! And in a few days they are sending me back to the States." The Chinese executive replies, "That's the problem with you Americans: here today and gone tomorrow."

Orientation to the past, present, and future is another aspect of time in which cultures differ.

Americans believe that the individual can influence the future by personal effort, but since there are too many variables in the distant future, we favor a short-term view. This gives us an international reputation of "going for the quick buck" and being interested only in the next quarterly return. Even our relationships seem to be based on a "what have you done for me lately?" pragmatism.

Synchronistic cultures have an entirely different perspective. The past becomes a context in which to understand the present and prepare for the future. Any important relationship is a durable bond that goes back and forward in time, and it is often viewed as grossly disloyal not to favor friends and relatives in business dealings.

Affective or neutral

With much angry gesturing, an Italian manager referred to the idea of his Dutch counterpart as "crazy." The Dutch manager replied. "What do you mean, crazy? I've considered all the factors, and I think this is a viable approach. And calm down! We need to analyze this, not get sidetracked by emotional theatrics."

At that point, the Italian walked out of the meeting.

In international business practices, reason and emotion both play a role. Which of these dominates depends upon whether we are affective (readily showing emotions) or emotionally neutral in our approach.

Members of neutral cultures do not telegraph their feelings, but keep them carefully controlled and subdued. In cultures with high affect, people show their feelings plainly by laughing, smiling, grimacing, scowling - and sometimes crying, shouting, or walking out of the room.

This doesn't mean that people in neutral cultures are cold or unfeeling. (All cultures will express irrepressible joy or grief.) But in the course of normal business activities, neutral cultures are more careful to monitor the amount of emotion they display.

Research conducted with people who were upset about something at work, noted that only some cultures supported expressing those feelings openly. Emotional reactions were found to be least acceptable in Japan, Indonesia, the U.K., Norway and the Netherlands - and most accepted in Italy, France, the U.S. and Singapore.

Reason and emotion are part of all human communication. When expressing ourselves, we look to others for confirmation of our ideas and feelings. If our approach is highly emotional, we are seeking a direct emotional response: "I feel the same way." If our approach is highly neutral, we want an indirect response: "I agree with your thoughts on this."

It's easy for people from neutral cultures to sympathize with the Dutch manager and his frustration over trying to reason with "that excitable Italian." After all, an idea either works or it doesn't work - and the way to test the validity of an idea is through trial and observation.

That just makes sense - doesn't it? Well, not necessarily to the Italian who felt the issue was deeply personal, and who viewed any "rational argument" as totally irrelevant!

When it comes to communication, what's proper and correct in one culture may be ineffective or even offensive in another.

Culture is, basically, a set of shared values that a group of people holds. Such values affect how you think and act and, more importantly, the kind of criteria by which you judge others. Cultural meanings render some behaviors as normal and right and others strange or wrong.

In reality, cultures are not right or wrong, better or worse; they are just different. In today's global business community, there is no single best approach to communicating with one another.

The key to cross-cultural success is to develop an understanding of, and a deep respect for, the differences.

Dr. Carol Kinsey Goman, president of Kinsey Consulting Services, specializes in energizing individuals and organizations to thrive in an environment of constant change. Carol presents keynote addresses and seminars for management conferences and association conventions. She delivers speeches and seminars to business and government clients. She coaches executives to become more effective leaders of change.

Carol is the author of of nine books, including This Isn't the Company I Joined" - How to Lead in a Business Turned Upside Down and Ghost Story: A Modern Business Fable, about the power of collaboration and knowledge sharing. She can be reached at through her website: http://www.CKG.com by email: cgoman@CKG.com