The alcohol and drug problem in this country is huge and most of the standard addiction recovery and treatment programs aren't working. Consider the following
CRIME: 25% of all prison inmates are there for drug related crimes. 16.4% are in prison for committing crimes to get money for drugs. 47% of crimes were committed while a person was on drugs or alcohol.
SEX: A lot of the sex outside of marriage wouldn't happen if it weren't for alcohol or drugs being used to try to drown out guilt and fear (which are nature's feedback to try to stop us from doing something against its perfect order). And nature does other harsh things to try to stop sex outside of marriage. USA Today reported that shockingly, 1/2 of everyone under 25 years old in the United States has had an STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease). The U.S. Dept. of Health reports that there are 1.1 million current cases of AIDS/HIV in the United States. (So obviously, it needs to be recognized that nature is hostile towards sex outside of a monogamous, heterosexual marriage, which is the only sexual setting that nature doesn't try to stop via harsh consequences). 80 percent of unmarried teen mothers end up on welfare, costing this country $7 billion annually. And a University of Georgia study reports that of those individuals who experienced unwanted sexual intercourse in the last year, 92.1% had been under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
ACCIDENTS: Alcohol is involved in 50% of all driving fatalities. In the United States, every 30 minutes someone is killed in an alcohol or alcoholism related traffic accident. That amounted to 17,488 people last year alone.
MENTAL ILLNESS: Fifty percent of the mentally ill population has a substance abuse problem. In fact, 22 million Americans suffer from substance dependence or abuse due to drugs, alcohol or both, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
EMOTIONAL HEALTH: The general emotional health of the public is very poor, as is evidenced by the high divorce rate and a teen suicide rate that is higher than the other 26 industrialized nations combined. Other indicators of the general state of the heart of America come from its entertainment industries: the shocking and harsh experiences in the movies, the rampant dysfunction on television, and the high percent of bad feelings (and the big void of good feelings) that come out of the music industry.
Now that's the bad news. The good news is that there is a solution to all of this. That solution starts with understanding what the basic problem is. The basic problem behind alcoholism and drug abuse is that people aren't finding happiness and fulfillment naturally. So then they attempt to achieve happiness and fulfillment (or escape their unhappiness and emptiness) by using alcohol or drugs. But those bandaids usually end up leading to a lot more unhappiness, health problems, financial problems, relationship breakups, legal problems, etc. A lot of hidden damage is done while in a stolen euphoria. But obviously those risks aren't enough to outweigh the problems in a person's emotional state or the lacking in their life that cause them to overlook the risks and dangers of alcohol and drug use.
So then, WHY are people so unhappy or unfulfilled that they would make that choice? The answer is simple: they are not operating in harmony with the natural design of their being. It starts with the fact that if a person has his or her natural drives unsatisfied for more than a normal period of time while searching for satisfaction, over time the frustration and lack of hope from this can cause them to become more dulled and depressed and even sleepy and prone to drugs to try to make his or her self feel good and not feel bad.
But, the good news is that the continual unnaturalness that led to this bad state can be reversed. And the process that will awaken them, enliven them and make them even feel good and excited about their life. The reason is that they are given hope that there is a real solution for their problems…and then they actually get satisfaction by carrying out that solution.
Teaching a person how to be happy naturally and in harmony with the real design, meaning and purpose of their life is the key to how they get the strength, joy and deep fulfillment that is necessary for them to have no inclination for alcohol or drugs. But, that's easier said than done, and can only happen within THE natural design of how we were made to be. That means first knowing what that design is. That can be a difficult thing to do in this world because there is a great amount of debate and disagreement as to what that design really is. But 'the world' in general, obviously has it wrong if there exists such a huge drug and alcohol problem and poor social statistics.
Having been in the top echelons of the music business as a former member of Sly & The Family Stone and The Elvin Bishop Group, I know alcohol and drug abuse well. But after experimenting with 22 approaches to lifestyle and personal growth, I became free from alcohol and drugs 24 years ago (after 18 years of use). I finally realized that fighting nature is not a battle that anyone can win and be happy. Therefore why even try?
Understanding and flowing with the natural order is how to make inner, outer and social life work at their best. But like I said, that is a task that is easier said than done, given that the mainstream culture in general is not in harmony with the natural order and is tolerant of a lot of dysfunction. Therefore, if a person wants to be free from a weakness for alcohol or drugs, they will have to go through a re-orientation of how the mind, heart and body are designed to function, and they will have to know how to have the strength and vision to transform into that design. My self-help Addiction Free Forever program shows how to do all of those things.
Rabu, 23 Maret 2011
Selasa, 22 Maret 2011
Being Flexible
When you think about being flexible, what do you think of first? Which aspects of being flexible are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.
In each of our lives, there will be times of joy and times of sorrow. In pain, we are born. In pain, we leave the world. Somewhere in the midst of living, growing, and understanding life in our maturity, we find ourselves seeking to find what we were born with. Innocence is precious. We really never lose it. We might for a time lose innocence, but life is too large for one perceptual being to embrace fully with the mind and the heart.
Innocence comes alive the moment we realize life is beyond our control, our ability to perceive, and our emotional capacity to feel. It is here we realize that life is beyond our control and we open our hearts and mind to something greater than ourselves. Our ego finds its proper place in our lives and we shift from being the central core of life's existence and attention to something much greater. At this point, we begin to place our life, our heart, our mind, and our soul into the very wisdom that has created us.
I trust that what you've read so far has been informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.
This movement from self-centered awareness to life-centered awareness allows us to perceive and have revealed to us information greater than what we know life to be to what can be known through us. Here, we become flexible with life, instead of, life having to go our way. This level of knowing creates a 6th sense, a super sense of awareness, an awareness in higher consciousness. We become more soul than body at this point. We become the awareness that brought us into this world. We become spiritual beings having a human experience. We become sons and daughters of the Universe.
When we remember who we are. We re - member ourselves back into the awareness at birth and at death. This awareness is with us always. We sometimes forget who we are. But, when we re - member who we are. We reconnect ourselves into the sense of knowing we grow through life and we also go through life. Through it all, our soul is in process of maturing and in process of remembering. With this in mind, our ups and our downs find consolation in our essence - in our spirit.
In each of our lives, there will be times of joy and times of sorrow. In pain, we are born. In pain, we leave the world. Somewhere in the midst of living, growing, and understanding life in our maturity, we find ourselves seeking to find what we were born with. Innocence is precious. We really never lose it. We might for a time lose innocence, but life is too large for one perceptual being to embrace fully with the mind and the heart.
Innocence comes alive the moment we realize life is beyond our control, our ability to perceive, and our emotional capacity to feel. It is here we realize that life is beyond our control and we open our hearts and mind to something greater than ourselves. Our ego finds its proper place in our lives and we shift from being the central core of life's existence and attention to something much greater. At this point, we begin to place our life, our heart, our mind, and our soul into the very wisdom that has created us.
I trust that what you've read so far has been informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.
This movement from self-centered awareness to life-centered awareness allows us to perceive and have revealed to us information greater than what we know life to be to what can be known through us. Here, we become flexible with life, instead of, life having to go our way. This level of knowing creates a 6th sense, a super sense of awareness, an awareness in higher consciousness. We become more soul than body at this point. We become the awareness that brought us into this world. We become spiritual beings having a human experience. We become sons and daughters of the Universe.
When we remember who we are. We re - member ourselves back into the awareness at birth and at death. This awareness is with us always. We sometimes forget who we are. But, when we re - member who we are. We reconnect ourselves into the sense of knowing we grow through life and we also go through life. Through it all, our soul is in process of maturing and in process of remembering. With this in mind, our ups and our downs find consolation in our essence - in our spirit.
Success Formula
Success makes you more self-confident. Besides success gives birth to another victory. Even the smallest piece of luck can be a step to a great one. To reach your own peak of success, you are to climb the following steps: Dare to try and dare to win. If you come across something unknown, you are sure to feel doubtful. Overcome your hesitations and be in the mood of victory. Surely you are to make concessions, you will not avoid mistakes. But it will serve you as a good practice. You'll learn from your mistakes and next time you will act differently.
Turn anxiety into self-confidence. Stop worrying what others think of you. Turn anxiety into self-confidence. Think more of other people. Each person is unique and special. Try appeal to his/her interest. If you manage to win his trust, you will be more confident and worry will disappear. Try to relax. Look for best in people. Talk about things interesting for your company. Share the attention. If you active and attract a lot of attention – share it. You should give something to the people around you, not just enjoy your own popularity. Think more of others. A self-confident person should be compassionate, show interest to other people and be able to get on with people. The most difficult is to turn satisfaction of other people's needs into the means of achieving your aim.
Believe in yourself and value yourself. Learn to listen. This is the key to developing "successful "personality in you. It will help you to set a more close connection with your partner. Overcome constraint and speak freely. Talk to the point – the thought adds lustre to the conversation. Act. You can't sit and wait till the golden rain falls on you. Don't rest on the laurels, but enjoy your position. Accept praise and kind words with pleasure. Don't criticize, praise. Someone has attained success by hard work or he was just lucky – give due to them. Do not miss an opportunity to praise someone. People like it and it fills you with confidence. If someone has managed to do it, then you are also able to cope with it. You will have optimistic and successful atmosphere around you. And this is a substantial support.
Turn anxiety into self-confidence. Stop worrying what others think of you. Turn anxiety into self-confidence. Think more of other people. Each person is unique and special. Try appeal to his/her interest. If you manage to win his trust, you will be more confident and worry will disappear. Try to relax. Look for best in people. Talk about things interesting for your company. Share the attention. If you active and attract a lot of attention – share it. You should give something to the people around you, not just enjoy your own popularity. Think more of others. A self-confident person should be compassionate, show interest to other people and be able to get on with people. The most difficult is to turn satisfaction of other people's needs into the means of achieving your aim.
Believe in yourself and value yourself. Learn to listen. This is the key to developing "successful "personality in you. It will help you to set a more close connection with your partner. Overcome constraint and speak freely. Talk to the point – the thought adds lustre to the conversation. Act. You can't sit and wait till the golden rain falls on you. Don't rest on the laurels, but enjoy your position. Accept praise and kind words with pleasure. Don't criticize, praise. Someone has attained success by hard work or he was just lucky – give due to them. Do not miss an opportunity to praise someone. People like it and it fills you with confidence. If someone has managed to do it, then you are also able to cope with it. You will have optimistic and successful atmosphere around you. And this is a substantial support.
Your 6-Step Plan For Press Release Placement
There's a clear way around press release failure and it's called the pitch. A lot like it sounds a pitch is a fast throw at busy editors about a possible story. If they want to find out more, then you send the press release.
That leads me to a huge pet peeve: Sending out press releases via e-mail to a list of editors. From my experience it's never - ever - worked. I no longer try it and suggest you don't either. It's a waste of your time and all of the editors. Instead:
1. Focus on a handful of your "dream publications." For me, I'd like to get into Fortune Small Business, Entrepreneur magazine and the Wall Street Journal. When picking your publications, think of your target audience. What do they read and why do they read it?
2. Pick the section you'd like to appear in. You never know, but chances are you won't appear on the cover of the publication in your first attempt at placement, instead, focus on sidebars, resource listings and short news sections. Almost all print pubs have them. Look at it as the waiting room for bigger and better stories on the unique products and/or services you offer.
3. Find out who the editor is. Once you have your section, find out who's in charge of it. You'll need the person's name, e-mail address and the most important element of successfully getting placed in the publication . .
4. Learn what the editor needs. The number one thing you'll need to know about the editors you're targeting is the kind of information they want to publish in their sections. There are two ways to do that: You could ask, but then that could open up a can of worms if the editor doesn't want to get calls - and most don't. Or, you could compare a few back issues of the publication to find out what they've published in the past.
5. Create the pitch. You'll want to start your pitch by stating your understanding of the editor's needs. Then list - in clear bullet points - how your news fits his or her requirements. Note: Always leave your phone number in the text of the pitch e-mail to give the editor easy access to you - and your story.
6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 until you get a response. Sound tedious? Maybe. But at least the time you spend on this will reap much better results than sending one release out to thousands of editors - right along with other business people hungry for coverage.
Bottom line: It's about building relationships with editors. And the only way to build a relationship is to find the need and fill it - consistently and considerately.
That leads me to a huge pet peeve: Sending out press releases via e-mail to a list of editors. From my experience it's never - ever - worked. I no longer try it and suggest you don't either. It's a waste of your time and all of the editors. Instead:
1. Focus on a handful of your "dream publications." For me, I'd like to get into Fortune Small Business, Entrepreneur magazine and the Wall Street Journal. When picking your publications, think of your target audience. What do they read and why do they read it?
2. Pick the section you'd like to appear in. You never know, but chances are you won't appear on the cover of the publication in your first attempt at placement, instead, focus on sidebars, resource listings and short news sections. Almost all print pubs have them. Look at it as the waiting room for bigger and better stories on the unique products and/or services you offer.
3. Find out who the editor is. Once you have your section, find out who's in charge of it. You'll need the person's name, e-mail address and the most important element of successfully getting placed in the publication . .
4. Learn what the editor needs. The number one thing you'll need to know about the editors you're targeting is the kind of information they want to publish in their sections. There are two ways to do that: You could ask, but then that could open up a can of worms if the editor doesn't want to get calls - and most don't. Or, you could compare a few back issues of the publication to find out what they've published in the past.
5. Create the pitch. You'll want to start your pitch by stating your understanding of the editor's needs. Then list - in clear bullet points - how your news fits his or her requirements. Note: Always leave your phone number in the text of the pitch e-mail to give the editor easy access to you - and your story.
6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 until you get a response. Sound tedious? Maybe. But at least the time you spend on this will reap much better results than sending one release out to thousands of editors - right along with other business people hungry for coverage.
Bottom line: It's about building relationships with editors. And the only way to build a relationship is to find the need and fill it - consistently and considerately.
Are You Getting in the Way?
Getting out of our busy mode and into our heart occasionally, I'm certain that many of us would find at least one moment during our day where we could pause, reflect on a situation, and see something that we can do to make a difference in someone else's life.
The pace of life and work has increased a lot and I daresay we don't give as much thought as we could to the circumstances of other people's lives. Sometimes, we're so caught up in our own struggle that we don't think we can even afford the time to "give" our time, suggestions, talents, to others. And yet, if we do, we are rewarded.
We are often times, throughout our lives, able to experience richness, synchronicity, and reward through small acts of generosity. This isn't even about money, although sometimes the rewards will impact our financial status as well. And yet, we fail too often when we are so self-absorbed or consumed by our own situation thinking we'd give up too much by helping.
So, this is just a gentle reminder for all of us to pay attention to at least one "little thing" that will make a difference for someone else. Try to make it for someone you don't know well or don't know at all; family and friends are too easy and natural.
The pace of life and work has increased a lot and I daresay we don't give as much thought as we could to the circumstances of other people's lives. Sometimes, we're so caught up in our own struggle that we don't think we can even afford the time to "give" our time, suggestions, talents, to others. And yet, if we do, we are rewarded.
We are often times, throughout our lives, able to experience richness, synchronicity, and reward through small acts of generosity. This isn't even about money, although sometimes the rewards will impact our financial status as well. And yet, we fail too often when we are so self-absorbed or consumed by our own situation thinking we'd give up too much by helping.
So, this is just a gentle reminder for all of us to pay attention to at least one "little thing" that will make a difference for someone else. Try to make it for someone you don't know well or don't know at all; family and friends are too easy and natural.
Smashing the Myth of the Press Release
A musician spends years honing his craft. He writes world-class songs and performs them in a manner that moves his listeners to tears. He records a demo tape and sends it to record labels. He gets a contract and becomes rich, famous and adored.
The lesson: demo tapes are the secret of becoming a famous musician.
Wait, you say, the demo tape was just a tool, just his way of conveying his talent. It's his ability as a musician that got him the contract and made him famous.
You're right, of course. He could have become just as famous if a record executive saw him in person, or heard about him from a friend, or as a result of a variety of other events.
Which brings us to the press release.
Somehow, the press release has taken on a magical reputation as the alpha and omega of publicity. Wanna become rich? Send out a press release. Wanna become famous? Press release. Wanna get on the cover of Newsweek? Press release.
Publicity "gurus" are springing up all over the Internet touting the press release as the answer to all marketing ills. Just knock out a release, mass e-mail it to journalists, sit back and wait for Oprah to call.
It's a cruel joke.
Here's the reality: the press release is no more important to your potential of scoring free publicity than the demo tape was to our musician friend. If he had no talent, if his songs sounded like garbage, the best recorded demo tape in the world wouldn't get him signed. Ditto for the publicity seeker. If you don't have a story to tell, your press release is utterly worthless.
I'm not knocking the press release -- it's an important tool. But it's just that: a tool. It's not the first thing you need to think about when it comes time to seek publicity. In fact, it's one of the last. And it's not even absolutely necessary (I've gotten plenty of publicity with just a pitch letter, a quick e-mail or a phone call)
If you worship at the shrine of the press release, it's time to rearrange your priorities. Here, then, are the things that are MORE important than a press release in generating publicity:
1. A newsworthy story. This is the equivalent of our musician's talent. It's the very basis for your publicity efforts. Without it, your press release means nothing. To learn about how to develop a newsworthy story, take a look at http://publicityinsider.com/questions.asp and scroll down to "Is my company/website/life really newsworthy?"
2. Learning to think like an editor. Oh, what an edge you'll have in scoring publicity over all those press release worshippers once you learn how to get inside the head of an editor. Give an editor what he wants in the way he wants it and you'll do great. I've got an entire article on the subject at
http://publicityinsider.com/freesecret.asp Go there now and absorb it all. Trust me, it will make a world of difference.
3. Relevance. Tie in with a news event, make yourself part of a trend, piggyback on a larger competitor's story, but, by all means, make your story part of a picture that's bigger than just your company. Stories that exist in a vacuum quickly run out of oxygen.
4. Persistence. Sending out a press release and waiting for results is lazy and ineffective. If you really believe in your story, and you believe that it's right for a particular media outlet, you need to fight to make it happen. Call or e-mail the editor to pitch your story BEFORE sending the release. If one editor says no, try somebody else. If they all say no, come back at them with a different story angle.
Getting publicity involves so much more than just sending out a press release. Treat it as seriously and with as much respect as our newly minted rock star treats his craft and you'll be well on your way to success.
The lesson: demo tapes are the secret of becoming a famous musician.
Wait, you say, the demo tape was just a tool, just his way of conveying his talent. It's his ability as a musician that got him the contract and made him famous.
You're right, of course. He could have become just as famous if a record executive saw him in person, or heard about him from a friend, or as a result of a variety of other events.
Which brings us to the press release.
Somehow, the press release has taken on a magical reputation as the alpha and omega of publicity. Wanna become rich? Send out a press release. Wanna become famous? Press release. Wanna get on the cover of Newsweek? Press release.
Publicity "gurus" are springing up all over the Internet touting the press release as the answer to all marketing ills. Just knock out a release, mass e-mail it to journalists, sit back and wait for Oprah to call.
It's a cruel joke.
Here's the reality: the press release is no more important to your potential of scoring free publicity than the demo tape was to our musician friend. If he had no talent, if his songs sounded like garbage, the best recorded demo tape in the world wouldn't get him signed. Ditto for the publicity seeker. If you don't have a story to tell, your press release is utterly worthless.
I'm not knocking the press release -- it's an important tool. But it's just that: a tool. It's not the first thing you need to think about when it comes time to seek publicity. In fact, it's one of the last. And it's not even absolutely necessary (I've gotten plenty of publicity with just a pitch letter, a quick e-mail or a phone call)
If you worship at the shrine of the press release, it's time to rearrange your priorities. Here, then, are the things that are MORE important than a press release in generating publicity:
1. A newsworthy story. This is the equivalent of our musician's talent. It's the very basis for your publicity efforts. Without it, your press release means nothing. To learn about how to develop a newsworthy story, take a look at http://publicityinsider.com/questions.asp and scroll down to "Is my company/website/life really newsworthy?"
2. Learning to think like an editor. Oh, what an edge you'll have in scoring publicity over all those press release worshippers once you learn how to get inside the head of an editor. Give an editor what he wants in the way he wants it and you'll do great. I've got an entire article on the subject at
http://publicityinsider.com/freesecret.asp Go there now and absorb it all. Trust me, it will make a world of difference.
3. Relevance. Tie in with a news event, make yourself part of a trend, piggyback on a larger competitor's story, but, by all means, make your story part of a picture that's bigger than just your company. Stories that exist in a vacuum quickly run out of oxygen.
4. Persistence. Sending out a press release and waiting for results is lazy and ineffective. If you really believe in your story, and you believe that it's right for a particular media outlet, you need to fight to make it happen. Call or e-mail the editor to pitch your story BEFORE sending the release. If one editor says no, try somebody else. If they all say no, come back at them with a different story angle.
Getting publicity involves so much more than just sending out a press release. Treat it as seriously and with as much respect as our newly minted rock star treats his craft and you'll be well on your way to success.
Foundations Of The Law Of Attraction
The Law Of Attraction at its very basic level states that everything is created by thought and that thought attracts to itself, physical things, people, situations and circumstances. Your thoughts are attracting these things in this very moment!
However, we do not just create and attract the material things that enter our lives, we also create the body we occupy, the personality we display and, ultimately, the person we are and we do it all through our thoughts. Are you creating the life you desire & becoming the person you wish to be or are you like Job and bringing upon you all manner of woes because you are giving your attention to them? Perhaps you are even identifying yourself as a victim and refusing to acknowledge the Law and use it consciously!
The Law Of Attraction is not as big a Secret, as the hit movie would have you believe. It has been around since the dawn of time and is an unbending, ever-present rule of the Universe. You cannot escape it! There is a great body of evidence that suggests mankind has known about, and utilised, the great Law for about 7000 years. However, the teaching of universal truths did become clouded for many hundreds, if not thousands, of years by greedy self-serving dogmatists that wished to keep control of the masses and was actually banned at one point.
It was largely at the beginning of the 20th century that the general public started to become aware of this great law due to the diligence, fortitude, integrity and grace of writers such as James Allen (1864-1912), Napoleon Hill (1883-1970) and Charles Haanel (1866-1949).
Wallace D. Wattles (1860 – 1911) was another pioneer of free thinking. In his great work "The Science of Getting Rich" Wattles states a great truth, "There is a thinking stuff from which all things are made, which, in its original state, permeates, penetrates, and fills the interspaces of the universe. A thought in this substance produces the thing that is imaged by the thought." How revolutionary that statement was in 1910.
Haanel set out in a 24 part correspondence course, which is now condensed into one volume called "The Master Key System", a complete guide to successfully using the Law Of Attraction! It was banned by the Church in 1933 due to its revelations. This is allegedly the book Bill Gates read before he created Microsoft!
Napoleon Hill revealed Andrew Carnegie's great Secret to the world - that thoughts create things - when he wrote "Think & Grow Rich" in 1937 (although it had taken him 25 years to complete).
James Allen wrote his famous work in 1912 and in "As a Man Thinketh" he tells people that "mind is the master-weaver, both of the inner garment of character and the outer garment of circumstance, and that, as they may have hitherto woven in ignorance and pain they may now weave in enlightenment and happiness."
However, although the teachings have been around for thousands of years and they have been readily and easily available to the general public for almost a century the great majority of people do not take the time to learn the workings of probably the most powerful physical law in the Universe.
I think you owe it to yourself to delve deeper into this mysterious Universe and learn as much as you can about the laws that govern your life. When you truly understand the Law Of Attraction and begin to work with it for you personal advantage, I promise you, your life will change in fantastic, unexpected and unlimited ways.
Begin now to utilise this gift and construct in your imagination the life you really want to live. Seek out ways to remove your own inner resistance and limiting beliefs.
Start to use the Law Of Attraction today!
