Reasons for Recording Your Life Story

1. No one else will do it for you.

2. No one else knows the stories of you life quite like you do. Do you want them to tell it?

3. This is an opportunity to share knowledge, wisdom and advice to those who would be inspired to learn from us.

4. When we record something, we remember more.

5. By reflection and recording we are able to gain a deeper appreciation for all the surrounding happenings that influenced our decisions and experiences.

6. A life examined and recorded is twice precious, first the experience itself and then the memories it evokes when we read about it later.

7. Everyone has a story to tell. We each have a unique view of history from our own perspective.

8. There is an inner need in each of us to be remembered. To reflect and to see that our lives had value.

9. We want to be remembered by descendants as a real person and not just a name on a tree.

10. If not recorded, the stories you learned from your grandparents will die with you.

11. The things you did as a child are as remote from children today as Mars is from the Earth.

12. You will be looking at painful memories of childhood with the eyes of an adult and realize that they no longer have the power to hurt you.

13. You have the opportunity to leave a legacy for friends and family.

14. This is a way to celebrate your own life.

15. It allows family and friends to know you as an individual, not just the role they were familiar with.

16. By sharing how you overcame adversity, it may strengthen another who is facing a hard time.

17. It gives you an opportunity to not only examine events, but feelings and emotions.

18. It allows you the opportunity to say on paper what is sometimes hard to express in person.

19. By writing our stories, we can examine our life's journey with a wider view.

20. It is very therapeutic to examine the past and then to let old hurts go.

21. It is the ultimate journey of self-discovery, even if no one else ever reads it.

22. You can pass down traditions, standards, beliefs or even recipes that have a great deal of meaning within the family or community.

23. As you grow older and less verbal, it helps caregivers and others to see you as you once were.

24. You will be respected, envied and praised for doing what most people just talk about doing.

A recent survey taken of a group of elderly people indicated that their major life regrets were in not:

! Taking more risks-choosing the secure over the unknown and the unknown would have been fine..

! Reflecting more, taking time to stop along the way and decide who we are and where we are going.

! Contributing and sharing more feelings, thoughts and emotions with family, friends and community.

By recording your life story, which is a scary step to take, you can accomplish all three.

There is an old African saying that every time a person dies, it is as if a library has burned down.

Just do it, you will always be glad that you did!!!

If you are interested in getting the answers to these and other questions about life story writing, please contact us at judywright@artichokepress.com and sign up for a tele-class and our FREE e-zine: "The Artichoke" - finding the heart of the story in the journey of life..

?Judy H. Wright, Personal and Oral Historian - www.artichokepress.com

Palmetto Dunes Plantation ? Hilton Head Island

An Award Winning Vacation, Golf, Tennis and Beach Resort

If you are planning a vacation for your family this summer and still are not sure where to go, I recommend going to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. This luxury getaway is just forty five minutes away from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. The first thing I would do is look to book a beautiful vacation home, condo, or villa online.

The Villamare is definitely the most requested vacation spot in the resort. This oceanfront community has magnificent views of beaches and a large pool that is just seconds from the ocean. The Villamare offers one and two bedroom condos either both oceanfront or ocean-oriented. Windsor Court and Windsor Place are also in high demand. They too are located on the ocean and range from one to two bedrooms.

If you are looking for outdoor activities while you visit Hilton Head Island, there are many things for people with all types of interests. Palmetto Dunes has more than 5 miles of bicycle paths for guests to walk, run, or ride with safety. Palmetto Dunes is also home to three world class golf courses. Each golf course has water, sand, and marsh to battle with and should be enjoyed by all who play. The Palmetto Dunes Racquet Club is located right before the security gates on the left-hand side. There are many tennis courts available throughout the day - just call for a reservation. Palmetto Dunes has many things to offer all guests who visit. There are lagoons that can be traveled by canoe, kayak, or electric motored boat. For all of you fisherman out there, great fishing and shrimping can also be done.

Palmetto Dunes has recently won several awards:

?#1 Family Resort in North America by Travel & Leisure Magazine

?#3 Tennis Center in the World, by Tennis Resorts Online

?"Golf Course of the Year", the Robert Trent Jones Course, by South Carolina Golf Course Owners Association

?#1 golf course on Hilton Head Island, The Arthur Hills course, by Fodor's Golf

The best feature of Palmetto Dunes has to be the beach. Unlike some beaches that are so soft to walk on that you trip and fall while carrying your chairs, this hard-packed beach allows you to walk, run, or even ride a bicycle easily. Everything is clean and beautiful and much better than Myrtle Beach or Charleston.

Whatever getaway you dream of, as a guest of Hilton Head Island Rental you will enjoy exclusive and preferred tennis, golf and amenity privileges throughout Palmetto Dunes Resort.

Rich Neste lives in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. He is an expert writer and insider who's columns appear in numerous papers around the country. He is a Junior Executive with Performance Development Corporation. He can be contact at (843)671-4700 or email at rich@hiltonheadrentals.com | http://www.hiltonheadrentals.com

The Power of Simplicity in Holistic Living

What does it take to live life holistically?

It definitely does not require a degree from well known university, a high paying job or huge bank balance. Holistic living has nothing to do with all that!

Holistic living simply means?..

1) To enjoy positive health and wellness with physical body

2) To have sharp and alert mind

3) To have positive emotions such as Zest, Love, Joy

4) To be aware spiritually

Holistic living is all about being human! More and more human!! http://www.premnirmal.com/the-power-of-simplicity-in-holistic-living.htm

The effect of Negative

Majority of people who have had too many negative experiences in life get stuck with the negative polarity. So, in such cases where negative polarity is dominant in human experience, living holistically does take commitment, practice with patience and clear intention to create balance and evolve wholeness consciously.

Holistic living is to emphasize the positive in all dimensions. To begin with, create wholeness in the grosser trio of Body-Mind-Emotions. Once these grosser dimensions are brought in a state of balance, then we can actualize the more subtle dimensions.

The effect of Positive

A simple practice like smiling more often can have profound impact on our personality.Smiling is one of the natural and simplest things we can do. It doesn't cost anything! Scientific studies have shown the uplifting effects on the mind and emotions from a simple smile.

Conscious attention on the breath is another simple practice. It is such simple practices as these that can create balance between the negative and positive polarities. By being diligent in the practice of life affirmative techniques, we can make a profound shift in our state of being.

The effect of Kriya

Practice "Tatwa Breathing" (25 connected breaths) or "Elemental Breathing" consciously. Start it with a couple of deep breaths. Now start with four short breaths and end with a long breath. This makes the train of five connected breaths. Repeat such train five times and you have completed "Elemental breathing". (All 25 breaths should be connected without stopping in between). Tatwa breathing is based on the fact that our body is made of five tatwas or elements namely Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space. Once these five elements are balanced within our body, we experience wellness! It is such a simple practice which does not need any cassette or gadget for practicing. Also, breathing in such simple way does not even cost you anything! You do not need to travel to attend any group for practicing this Kriya. For next few days, simply focus on the practice of this simple Kriya. Also focus on simplicity with regards to your holistic lifestyle.

Practice Kriya regularly. It takes less than half a minute to practice it. You do not have to make any noise while practicing it. Nobody will know except you about it! You can do it standing, sitting or sleeping positions. You can repeat it every hour or anytime you feel you are drifting into negative habit patterns.

The effect of Meditation

Once you practice Kriya which prepares the background, it naturally throws you in a space of non-thinking, called meditation. http://www.premnirmal.com/shop.htm It creates the high levels of Prana in your body-brain system that makes it easier for you to be aware of your breath and your thoughts simultaneously. You can easily get the knack of meditation when you do this Kriya. Simply remain silent after doing Kriya, and keep your attention on your natural breathing process. Simultaneously keep witnessing your thoughts. You will experience very low levels of thought traffic as in high Prana state thoughts can not linger for long. Even if the No-thought state remains just for few seconds, you will experience the surge of energy and vitality, bringing back the positive qualities of Zest, love and joy!

Half a minute of Kriya and five to ten minutes of Meditation can be very refreshing during hectic working days, if you plan for these mini breaks in your work schedule. You can make it a habit of practicing it consciously before lunch, before tea or before starting a meeting. It has the power to zoom up your personal effectiveness. It is bound to reflect in work quality and productivity going up with effortless ease! This is one of the easiest ways to manage your stress too!

Through your commitment to practice of Kriya and Meditation, http://www.premnirmal.com/scofmed.htm, which is to focus in emphasizing the positive, you will increase balance. That balance is the basis of wholeness and fulfillment. What begins as a simple balancing technique can become a powerful tool for life transformation.

Author's Bio
Prem Nirmal, http://www.premnirmal.com/ a postgraduate in Cybernetics has done extensive research in the areas of Stress Management, Intuition development, Aura Reading and Meditation Therapy. He is the visiting faculty to various Management Institutes & professional keynote speaker for many social events. He has wide experience in Personal Counseling, Consultancy and Training and has deep insights in human behavior and body-mind healing.

Why I Hate (Most) Benefit Statements

Benefits are what motivate people to purchase from you, right?

Not exactly.

Just last week I was reviewing a rundown of product benefits with a client who is putting a new prospecting program together.

This client got a series of benefits to use in selling from one of the senior sales reps of his company.

Here's a few of them:

• "Thousands of successful Installations"
• "Extraordinary number of referrals"
• "Unparalleled commitment to our clients"

I'm just curious... do any of these things sound like the benefits YOU are supposed to be talking about with YOUR customers?

Back when I was selling business software systems for Silicon Valley startups, I used to get benefit statements like these from the brilliant marketing and training people.

I got to really hate benefits. Saying them made me feel like a real cheeseball salesguy.

OK, maybe hate is a little harsh.

But I do hate the way they are used most of the time I hear people talk about their importance in selling.

Most Benefits Are Too Vague

Most benefits that salespeople are given to use (or they come up with on their own) are too vague.

So many benefits sound like the examples I gave above or - even worse - like the following:

• "Saves you money"
• "Improves efficiency"
• "Will make you feel better"

Ask yourself what you would be saying to your new prospects if you went to work for your number one competitor tomorrow. Do you think you'd say "Well my product saves you money, but not as much money as my competitor who I used to work for yesterday"?

No! Of course not.

You'd be claiming the exact same (or substantially similar) benefits as you are today.

And that's just what your competitors are doing right now. They are making the same vague benefits claims as you are.

Selling Is Interactive - Benefits Are Not

By using a series of benefits when selling to a prospect, you are tossing out attractions, sensations, or invitations in hopes that your prospect will get excited about one or more of these.

That is not interactive selling - that's advertising in front of a live audience.

Don't waste your time by spewing vague general benefits when you are selling live in-person.

You want probe, ask lots of questions and learn about your prospect first, instead of leading your pitch with product or doing-business-with-us benefits.

When Benefits Are Useful

Benefits are useful in written sales text such as prospecting letters, newspaper or magazine advertisements, and formal proposals.

The most effective way to sell with the least resistance is to find out what is important to your prospect and sell to that.

Find a problem that they are having, which you are capable of solving with your product or service. People will pay for a solution to that problem, IF it is important to them to solve that problem.

Once you have uncovered one or more solvable problems, specific benefits that your prospect can gain become very meaningful because you are now appealing to your prospect's self-interest.

So instead of living these sales clich?s...

• Spray and pray.
• Show-up and throw-up.
• Throw it against the wall and see what sticks.

... ask more quality questions first. Find out what's important, and find a problem that you can solve that is meaningful. Then sell them on how your solution can eliminate the problem and benefit them.

? 1999-2004 Shamus Brown, All Rights Reserved.

Shamus Brown is a Professional Sales Coach and former high-tech sales pro who began his career selling for IBM. Shamus has written more than 50 articles on selling and is the creator of the popular Persuasive Selling Skills CD Audio Program. You can read more of Shamus Brown's sales tips at http://Sales-Tips.industrialEGO.com/ and you can learn more about his persuasive sales skills training at http://www.Persuasive-Sales-Skills.com/

Anchor Your Relationships

I heard a speaker recently who was talking about how to maintain strong relationships. As I listened to his basic principle, I realized that it is true in all of our life situations, be it work, family etc. And let's face it, relationships are what make the world go 'round. So strong healthy relationships will make your work more enjoyable, and prosperous, and will make your family and friend relationships better as well.

What was the principle? The speaker said that each point of connection is like an anchor in the relationship, and the more connections you have, the stronger the relationship will be. He calls one-connection relationships "Simplex," and multi-connection relationships, "Multiplex." The strongest relationships are multiplex.

There is also the idea that some connections are stronger than others and so you want as many connections as possible and you want those connections to be as strong as they can be as well. Confused? Let's put some legs on this. We'll take a business situation and we'll take a family situation to illustrate the principle.

Anchoring work relationships. Let's say you sell insurance. A guy walks in and says, "I would like to purchase some term life insurance." You have a simplex relationship. The connection is that you both want him to have insurance. As you get to know him better and get information from him, you realize that you have a multiplex relationship growing and the chance that your business relationship will grow is improving.

"You grew up in Iowa? Me too!"

"You like to golf? Me too!"

"Your wife and you like to go to the opera? So do we! We should go together sometime."

The multiple connections are anchoring your relationship.

Anchoring a family relationship. Let's take a marriage in trouble. Chances are that at one time, the relationship was multiplex. Because of time, work, and other stresses, the marriage has deteriorated to the point where both are thinking, "What did I marry this person for?" Or "Why do I stay?" The chances are that now the relationship is simplex. Maybe it is that the one connection is that they want to do right by the kids and so they "Tough it out." What is the answer? I believe that it is regaining a multiplex relationship. Work hard to make those other anchoring connections. Did you used to play tennis together before the kids came along? Go play tennis together on a regular basis. Do you both have a common interest in a specific cause or charity, but time hasn't allowed you to pursue it? Take the time! It will anchor your relationship again!

I think you get the point. Take some time to think about your current relationships. Are they as multiplex as they can be or as they used to be? Think about the new relationships you will make in the coming weeks or months. Think of ways you can make them strong by finding multiple connections, securing deeper and more fulfilling relationships.

Make your relationships "multiplex" and you make them strong, with an anchor that will not let them go!

About The Author:

Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams.

To see Chris "live" at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on the subject of Secrets of Influence go to http://Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ or call 800-929-0434.

7 Powerful Ways to Show Love to Children

Our children are our most important legacy to the world. However, our love is our most important legacy to our children. Here are seven ways to show love that will help children build sturdy foundations for the future.

1. Spend Time with Your Children.

Time is the most loving gift we can give to our children. It allows for the mutual exchange of ideas, emotions, actions, and words that help our children develop and learn to communicate.

Enjoy a toddler's tea parties as well as a teen's ball games. Help your children build things and create art. Begin new family traditions that you can enjoy together each year. Ample time spent in mutually enjoyable activities will create memories you will always treasure.

2. Be the Primary Role Model for Your Children.

Children need examples to follow. Teach practical values to your children by modeling those values. Admit when you have made a mistake and apologize. Model being committed to the ideals you embrace. Demonstrate the advantage of integrity over peer pressure.

We teach and influence children more through actions than words. We are our children's first heroes; the ideals that we live today are the ideals that will influence our children throughout life.

3. Listen to Your Children.

A child's message is one of his or her most essential gifts. We build self-esteem in children when we show interest in what they have to say. Children need to communicate their pride of accomplishment as well as their needs.

Get down at eye level with very young children and listen with your eyes, ears, and heart. Listen most of all to the feelings conveyed through a child's eyes and expressions. If you listen to your children deeply, they will grow up listening deeply to you.

4. Provide Your Children with Loving Discipline.

Children need guidelines and safe boundaries without being constrained unnecessarily. They need to learn the value of being accountable for their choices and actions.

Let your children know that you disapprove of hurtful actions but will always love them as sons and daughters. Loving discipline enables them to recognize the best in other people. It allows children the freedom to explore the world safely and reach their highest potential.

5. Give Your Children Encouragement.

Encouraging words are powerful emotional deposits of confidence and self-esteem. Verbally acknowledge your children's special talents and accomplishments. Catch your children doing something great, and tell them what a great job they have done.

Children need to know that we recognize and support their hopes and dreams for the future. Encouraging children to grow mentally, emotionally, and spiritually provides the foundation for living a balanced life.

6. Share Your Experiences with Your Children.

We each have valuable stories to tell, unique maps of our journey through life. These stories tell how our reactions to events created the life we are living now. Sharing the benefit of your experiences - the roadblocks and rewards - is a very loving way to guide your children.

Your children may face many of the situations you faced. Your experiences can help them make informed decisions and avoid unnecessary mistakes. Among the most worthwhile possessions that we can someday leave for our children are journals filled with the stories that shaped our lives.

7. Love and Support Your Children Unconditionally.

Love is an unconditional gift from the heart; it is not a reward for good behavior. Let your children know that you will love and support them in any situation. This message creates a sturdy bond of trust. Your children will grow to feel safe in coming to you with any problem they face.

Children need the freedom to make decisions, try new things, and learn that life requires personal responsibility and persistence. They need the freedom to fail and learn from mistakes without being judged. Unconditional love helps them to acquire the decisiveness and resiliency required to become successful.

If you could sum up all of our children's needs, hopes, and expectations in one word, that word would be love. We share love when we play a central role in our children's world of learning and discovery. Our legacy of love will have a guiding influence upon our children and grandchildren for many generations.

© Copyright by Steve Brunkhorst. Steve is a professional life success coach, motivational author, and the editor of Achieve! 60-Second Nuggets of Inspiration, a popular mini-zine bringing great stories, motivational nuggets, and inspiring thoughts to help you achieve more in your career and personal life. Get the next issue by visiting http://www.AchieveEzine.com

Wireless Meditation: Top Five Tips For Wherever-Whenever Mindfulness

The problem with meditation is attachment.

We get in the habit of needing our altar, favorite cushion, incense, CD, certain time of day, necessary length of time, or particular style of sitting. If we can't do it the "right" way, we tend to skip it altogether. We get so attached to the trappings that we get a little testy if we don't have everything just so.

This is funny when you think about it. In Buddhism, the core belief is that life is full of suffering, and this suffering is due to attachment. Isn't it ironic that we become so attached to the idea of meditation? Isn't it a bit absurd to think of followers of particular styles of meditation as obsessive about their own approach?

I find it hilarious. I also find it destructive.

I'm all for whatever works. If committing to a ritual is right for you, by all means, light that candle. If you must do some yoga exercises prior to sitting, go for it. If you need to go for a run before chanting, be my guest.

However, if you find that your concept of what you need in order to meditate is hindering instead of liberating you, it's time to take a look at what I refer to as "wireless" meditation.

The beautiful thing about going wireless--whether it's with phones, computers, or your own quest for mindfulness--is that you suddenly become unencumbered by extraneous connections. You can continue with your day. You can go anywhere. You are free.

Just as a wireless phone allows you to think of your workplace in a whole new way, mindfulness practice gives you the opportunity to bring attention to whatever you're doing.

Your connection to your mind and your heart is hooked up while you're taking a shower, washing the dishes, walking the dog, or tending your garden. You no longer see mindfulness as something you can do only if you're sitting in your family room before the kids get up.

For those who've given up on meditation, consider the freedom of mindfulness practice.

Here are five questions to ask yourself in order to stay connected anywhere, anytime:

* "What can I notice this minute?" Look around. What do you see? What colors pop? What kind of light fills your space? What do you smell? What do you hear? How does your body feel right now?

* "Where can I focus my attention this minute?" Choose something within you--a physical sensation, a thought, an emotion. Or, go outside your skin and shine all of your attention upon something around you. Spend one minute in full discovery mode.

* "What can I do to connect with this person?" If you're a parent and you're feeling a little burned out by your child's demands, stop thinking about how to fulfill a request and focus on how to fulfill a need. Can you give loving attention without giving a thing? Can you focus your full attention on your partner in the way most likely to make them feel cherished?

* "How can I bring more mindfulness to this task?" Whether you're filing, copying documents, folding laundry, or scrubbing the bathtub, you can focus intently and intensely upon your particular task. Take note of the textures. Pay attention to edges, creases, folds, warmth, texture, and color. Focus on the muscles you're using in each step of the process. Feel the bending, flexing, and stretching your body must do to perform each movement.

* "How can I find more meaning in this moment?" In every moment, we have the opportunity to connect to what matters most. We can choose to find a reason to feel grateful, content, secure, uplifted, and cared for.

By paying attention, we can find value in the simplest tasks and the greatest challenges. Going wireless means you can choose to connect whenever you like. Find ways to tap into mindfulness without becoming attached to meditation.

Use your wherever-whenever minutes--and get more.

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse in Portland, Oregon. Through her company, Real-World Mindfulness Training, she teaches fun and effective eyes-wide-open alternatives to meditation. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, please visit http://www.MassageYourMind.com