The Power of Truth

Everything you need to succeed is found within you. How you see yourself and your ability to succeed will be "make or break" of your business. I've seen some amazingly talented people give up because they allowed two words to take over their psyches. These words have had a profound impact on their lives and businesses. The words are, "I can't."

"I can't" are the two most debilitating words in the English language. "I can't" usually starts with the all to familiar "You can't," or "You'll never". These words seem to carry an intrinsic power. For some, it's a call to stand up and say, "Yes I can! Watch me!" For others it's call to sit in the ashes of self-defeat. Which one are you?

For years I allowed, "You can't" to get in the way of my success. There was a time when I believed I would never be a success. My self-esteem was so low I didn't think I could get up again. Then I realized the Power of Truth. The choice to get up or stay down had been given to me. My success or failure was up to me, no one else. I became fully aware that I had the power to choose. I chose to stand. After I made that decision. I made several changes in my life in order to keep my mind set on belief instead of unbelief.

My rules to stay standing are:

1. Start where you are. Don't think about past failures. Start right here, right now, today. Move ahead one-step at a time.

2. For every negative thought that comes into your mind create an opposing positive thought. Say it out loud. Write them down and keep them front of you. Read them daily.

3. Commit to your goal. Write down your goals. Make sure they are manageable and commit to making them happen. Keeping them visible is a great way of keeping them real.

4. Be in good company. Stay around positive people. Read positive material. I highly suggest joining online groups to provide support and accountability.

5. Trust the Power of Truth. No matter where you go there are going to be those who will want to knock you down. Connect with your inner power. Remember who you really are. Don't go back to the ashes.

Make the choice to stand.

Jill Betz Freeman is the CEO of ROAR! Growing Your Business With Pride. She is passionate about helping entrepreneurs and small businesses grow. Jill has over 15 years of experience in sales, marketing, business development, customer service and corporate training. Shel is a saavy, vivacious, straight on consultant and trainer who is commited to working with companies, business owners and sales professionals who want to increase their bottom line. She has trained sales people involved in diverse industries such as healthcare and engineering. Stacy Kelly, CEO of PM Squared in Houston TX said, "Jill is the go-to person for sales advice." Beth Felege, BSN and Clinical Liason for a major skilled nursing company praised Jill as being, "the person who taught me the most about sales."

Check out ROAR! at http://www.roarcorps.com and contant Jill for more information about services.

Removing Interior Walls

Here's a word of advice for any contractor, Carpenter, handyman or homeowner that is planning to remove an interior wall from your home or someone else's. Beware of removing interior walls, to eliminate your fears of the house collapsing. Some of the interior walls inside of the house are important structural components of the building.

Some of these walls hold up floors, roofs and other loadbearing sections that could create safety problems within the structure of the house itself. This is an area where an expert with framing skills should be consulted. What is the definition of someone with excellent framing skills? Some one with at least 10 years as a master framing carpenter.

My home building experience consists of three decades for over 30 years of assembling some of the most difficult sections of a home. During these years I have seen damage done to houses from removing structural interior walls. Most of this damage could be repaired with a little structural engineering. Some of the damage could not be repaired and caused other damage to different sections of the house. The damage caused in some cases to the floor and the roof framing had to be completely rebuilt.

I'm not telling you about every single thing I have ran into but you would be surprised if I started to make a list of all the homeowners and professionals in the building industry or home selling and buying business that contacted me to remove a structural component of a building. There have even been a few of these people that told me everything was going to be okay just go ahead and remove the structural building component.

Needless to say I would leave these people very irritated but I'm sure they found someone to do the job. The bad news is I was normally the person they would hire to go back and repair the damaged building after these people were gone and out of business. There have been cases where people have removed an interior walls against my better judgment and over the years of driving by in these homes I personally got to witness the structural damage that was occurring on the outside of the house.

I have no idea what the inside of the house looked like but could only imagine. My advice again when removing interior walls is to hire an experienced contractor or at least get some advice from an experienced framing carpenter. This does not include your basic know it all that has basic construction experience like your father in law, parents, friends, golfing associates or people you work with that tell you not to worry about it, just do it, everything will work out just fine.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and What Does A Shear Wall Do

Ask And You Might Receive Or Ask

Self Help Tips - Goal Setting 101

I am so excited for today & for 2009. I know that it is going to be our best year ever. And I have some awesome ideas on how to keep myself and anyone & everyone reading this "Reach Your True Potential" newsletter on target.

If you are not happy with your station in life thus far; find someone who you want to be like; and follow them and learn. You see; the stress we are carrying around seems at an all-time high. Every day there is a rich billionaire land mogul who walks out in a field and blows his head off.

A good question to revisit whenever you are being overwhelmed; Am I having a Breakdown or Break Through? Stick with me this year and you will have more BREAKTHROUGHS than Breakdowns.

IS THERE REALLY TONS OF OPPORTUNITY AROUND US ON JAN. 1, 2009?

It looks like we are going towards another "Great Depression". Well I do not know if you know it or not but while some guys were killing themselves because the thought they lost everything; but there were many millionaires that were made at the end of the great depression. You see; there were those who saw opportunity where others saw lack. It seems to be a sublt difference, but it reaps huge returns when you can habitually see the glass as 1/2 full versus 1/2 empty.

One guy I follow; Tim Ferris (author of The Four Hour, Work Week) had one of the guys he has followed (mentor) for 10 years e-mail him today;

While many are wringing their hands, I recall the 1970s when we were suffering from an oil shock causing long lines at gas stations, rationing, and 55 MPH speed limits on Federal highways, a recession, very little venture capital ($50 million per year into VC firms), and, what President Jimmy Carter (wearing a sweater while addressing the Nation on TV because he had turned down the heat in the White House) called a "malaise".

It was during those times that two kids without any real college education, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, started companies that did pretty well. Opportunities abound in bad times as well as good times. In fact, the opportunities are often greater when the conventional wisdom is that everything is going into the toilet.

Well...we're nearing the end of another great year, and, despite what we read about the outlook for 2009, we can look forward to a New Year filled with opportunities as well as stimulating challenges. SO, IT IS UP TO YOU; WHAT DO YOU SEE? DO YOU SEE A CUP THAT IS 1/2 FULL? OR IS YOURS 1/2 EMPTY? IT IS UP TO YOU?

I am in shock. I just found out that someone that I respected, looked up to, worked next to every day for 8 years; and really liked committed suicide. He was an acquaintace / friend. Here is what I am taking out of it.

Every day that we wake up; we have a decision to make. Are we going to have a good attitude, a luke warm attitude, or a positive / great / excited attitude. ARE WE GONNA SEE THE GLASS AS 1/2 FULL, OR HALF EMPTY?

You see; our attitude is the only thing in this world that we have direct control over. Every thing else comes at us; FAST AND FURIOUS. We must be aware of where our attitude is; and make adjustments when necessary. We need to build a support team around us.

- Stand Guard over your mind, be careful who you hang around, what you read, what you listen to, what you watch
- Because the above will influence your thoughts; Garbage in, garbage out
- Your thoughts will become words
- Your words become actions
- Your actions become habits
- Your habits become character
- Your character becomes your destiny

Do not fall into the trap of listening to the news, to your neighbors, to co-workers at the copy machine or the water cooler. Cause the message out in the world is doom and gloom. It hard times; it is lack, it is fear. Trust me, you will bring into your life that what you focus on.

I understand that we need to see it as it is. And you might say, "Yeah, Darin, it's easy for you to have a positive attitude cause you are fit, positive, happily married, and have three successful business's that are exploding in growth".

"But I got layed off, money is tight, and I am not sleeping at night, I don't have the energy to work out, I am drinking/eating to dull the pain; and I am depressed."

Trust me, I can totally relate. And there is an epidemic out there right now of millions of people that are in the same shoes. I know that it may be hard to believe, but I have been there in the past.

Many of my clients and or their spouses are entrepreneurs. I hear their story every day. I believe that with the fast paced ness of today's information age, the keep up with the Jones' mentality, and lack of physical movement, and the "doom and gloom" mindset that the media is shoving down our throat that this is the most challenging time in the history of the world to be healthy, fit, energetic and happy.

I absolutely know that 2009 is going to be the best year of my and my families lives. And I'll bet that it will be the best years of my one on one clients lives. And if you stick with me, stay open minded, and build a support team up around you, it will be the best year of your life as well.

Things that help me and my clients have a positive mindset (and they will help you as well);

1. Do not answer e-mails until after noon, do not go on the internet to check out the news about your industry, or any news. Do something for yourself. Exercise, deep breath, pray, meditate (think of nothing) I have many techniques in my book that work great.

2. Te-evo your evening programs on tv (or watch less tv) and watch them some other time and go to bed a 1/2 hour earlier than normal.

3. Listen to motivational speakers; Tony Robbins, Les Brown, Tom Venuto, Joel O'Steen, etc. Load your i-pod up, use your lap top and force this stuff in your ear.

4. Hire a coach, a trainer, etc. Be careful about friends or family. I am not saying a friend will not work, I am simply saying that do not get someone who will let you cry on their shoulder. You need someone that is going to be brutally honest with you.

5. Stand up tall with great posture and say "I am going to have a great day today; I am going to have a great attitude today". There is power in the spoken word. Faith it until you make it. There where plenty of things that materialized in my life that I did not really believe deep down in my core. But I faithed them out loud. Sometimes for years until they materialized. Do not give up on your dreams. You can still have it all; A fulfilled, energetic, happy fit life.

I do not care what age you are (I am 43), what condition you are, where your finances are; etc. Everyone knows that we are supposed to have a great attitude. But why don't we. If you could go to the Vitamin Store and purchase a "Have A Great Attitude" pill, we would. But of course, it's never that easy.

The best way to have a great attitude is to have a positive expectation of your outcome. Do you think your best days are in front of you, or are your best days behind you. I am here to tell you that which ever one is your predominant thought is your reality.

Cause if you know that your best days are behind you; YOU ARE TOAST! But if you can have a little faith and start to train yourself to think, speak, and act like your best days are in front of you; then it will be much easier to wake up every day with a killer, positive attitude. In fact, you will begin to wake up excited with tons of real energy.

I do not care how old you are and feel now. Anyone and everyone has the power to change; on a dime; in a heart beat. But sometimes it helps when you feel and acknowledge the pain.

You see; I absolutely know that everything that you and I need to be totally fulfilled in every area of our life; Fitness, / Health, Money / Finances, & Relationships (God, Self, Family, Peers, and even Strangers) is right around us.

If we are not living our dream life; It's not for a lack of re-sources, It's for a lack of re-source fullness. So the tools that I have in store for you in 09 are powerful.

Each and every one of us has the ability to open up your eyes, to see and use what is readily available to you. "Just because we do not see something at any one point in time; does not mean that it is not there."

So, DO NOT LISTEN TO THE NEWS, THE NEIGHBORS, THE STOCK MARKET, THE POLITICIANS; OR ANY ONE FOR THAT MATTER WHO IS NOT LIVING A DREAM LIFE.

So, now the choice is up to you; are you going to have a great 2009, or are you going to keep doin what you've been doin. Just remember, pain is not really bad. It is telling us something. Look at the pain for what it is; a signal. It's a great thing to get a warning. So now you can do something about it. It is not nearly as difficult as you may think.

I love you and believe in you all,

Your Healthy, LifeStyle Coach,

Darin Steen (aka "The Chicago Kid")

Darin Steen, the "Trainers Trainer" is America's Top Fat loss, Healthy Lifestyle Coach. A best selling Author, drug-free for life professional Bodybuilder, Personal trainer, Motivational Speaker, and family man, he is an expert on fat loss, fitness, gaining muscle, and aging gracefully. His goal in life is to help 2 million people realize a higher quality life through making healthier FATLOSS LIFESTYLE choices by leading by example

Learn cutting edge fat loss / fitness strategies & get your free "Fat loss 12 Week E-course" OPERATION BURN FAT FAST at http://www.fatlosslifestyle.com

To learn how & why you should perform "Interval Cardiovascular" exercise to not only lose fat faster, but to build a strong heart & lunges go to http://www.IntervalCardio.com

Media Requests: Darin Steen is a dynamic, high energy television and radio guest available for interviews and corporate speaking engagements

Helping You Recover From Grief and Loss

Journaling is about empowerment through self-awareness. It is a process by which you meet your needs for emotional and spiritual cleansing. Journaling removes the cobwebs from your thought processes by recording the ideas, feelings and emotions that are currently distracting to you.

This process is about balance. Journaling gives you access to your inner thoughts and feelings, and removes them from the cluttered storehouse of your unconscious. Then, you can clearly see where you are going from day to day, what you are thinking and what you need to focus on as your growth unfolds.

The world opens up to you when you start journaling because your unconscious receives the message that you are ready to receive information from your inner world.

Self-empowerment through self-knowledge is about entering your world of unconscious activity where you have stored past traumas, hurt feelings and any un-examined life events. When you are open to this process, you will discover much about yourself that has heretofore remained hidden.

Journaling is not a short cut to creative writing, as some would have you believe. It is simply an access point to your inner life where valuable information about who and what you are can be uncovered.

Disregard any other ideas you may have about journaling, especially those that suggest you have to write creatively and with purpose. This is not the case. Journaling is about self-revelation. You are bringing your unconscious self to conscious awareness. Only by knowing what you believe in, and then acting on that information, can you make choices for the better.

The conditioning you received in your early years is still active, even if it no longer rises to conscious awareness. That's what repeating patterns of behavior are all about. We are being driven by some part of us that believes in unquestioned and outdated ideas. Once you see these patterns, and the ideas that drive them, you can interrupt your automatic responses and make new choices.

Prepare yourself for a rough ride, at times, as your unconscious protector-controller tries to steer you away from recognizing this inner activity. This part of you has a big investment in remaining hidden and will resist your pursuit of self-honesty and increased awareness.

In the end you will acquire what you want, because your submerged self wants to come forward and enjoy the same level of freedom you desire.

The old guard, the protector-controller, will put up resistance because it is about to lose its job. Successful journaling requires you listen to all the voices within, including this one. So when that part is active, put it on the page.

Your resistance will hiss and snarl at times of change, so let it do so in your journal. You will see this happen time and time again. It's a struggle, after all, for every part of you. When you choose to make a change for the better, it upsets the old inner balance. Let the resistance have its say in your journal. Only then can you set it aside and resume your forward motion.

Once you begin this process and engage in it regularly, your journaling will become self-activating. Whenever something inside you clamors for attention, you will find yourself reaching for the journal to let it out. Whatever needs attention, put it on the page - good, bad or indifferent. Do not edit or deny what is begging for attention. You will learn that these so-called "negative" parts of you are just scared. Once those feelings are out, you will immediately calm down.

Journaling is a very powerful process of self-communication. It will activate itself time and again as you become accustomed to using it. Begin simply by recording your feelings. Let your inner self tell you what is going on inside. Ask yourself feeling questions, mainly, because we are all capable of rationalizing our thoughts and feelings rather than experiencing them.

When you ask feeling questions, listen for feeling answers and write them down. Your protector-controller will try and dissuade you from going too deep. Feeling questions help you sidetrack that resistance.

"How do I feel about . . . .?" will help you reach the center of any difficulty while bypassing the defenses to awareness of your interior life.

You will discover things about yourself that are truly amazing, secrets you've never revealed to anyone. You will uncover regrets you have had about past experiences, hopes you hold for your future and secret desires that you have never acknowledged. This is your chance to do all that adventurous excavating while clearing your emotional and feeling centre of psychological debris.

This will be a time of great learning accompanied by great frustration. It is all part of the package. Journaling brings out everything and that is always to your benefit.

Do not give up on your recording practices just because things have calmed down. Your journaling sessions will become smoother as time marches on, and you'll be better equipped, in terms of emotional and spiritual strength, to handle each and every crisis that comes your way.

Journaling takes you to the Well of Wisdom from where all answers emerge. Eventually, you will find yourself confronted with the deity that is you, your own holy soul. This encounter will reveal much about who you are and help you secure that connection with your Higher Self.

In time, you will trust that connection so completely that you will begin to access it often, especially when big decisions are at stake. At this point, you will see yourself as a co-creator with your God Source and happily utilize that guidance for every aspect of your life. That is the power of journaling. It puts you in touch with your essential self, which puts you in touch with your Source. We are part of a Divine Matrix and we are all enriched by this connection.

Let Journaling be Your Friend from this point forward.

Maurice Turmel holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology. He was a practicing therapist for nearly 25 years providing counseling and therapy to individuals, groups, organizations and families. He is the author of "The Voice - A Metaphor for Personal Development"; "Mythical Times - Exploring Life, Love & Purpose"; and "How to Cope with Grief and Loss - Support, Guidance and Direction for Your Healing Journey". He has been a guest on numerous regional television and radio talk shows and hosts his own radio shows on live365.com/drmauriceturmel and on BlogTalkRadio.com

Email: drmoe2000@gmail.com
Websites: http://www.howtocopewithgriefandloss.com

Planning Your Bathroom Remodel Budget - Home Improvement Ideas

As a bathroom remodeling contractor, I get calls from people, that have no idea what they want or how much anything is going to cost. Here's some simple tips that can be very helpful when planning a bathroom remodel budget.

Bathroom Remodeling Investment

In 2008, the average mid-range bathroom cost around $16,000 and you could recoup around $12,000 of your original investment upon the sale of your home. According to a popular remodeling magazine, larger bathrooms using expensive fixtures, tile, bathtubs, woodworking, toilets and showers had an average of $52,000. Upon the sale of a home, you could recoup around $36,000 of your original investment.

Finding out How Much Things Cost

My first suggestion, would be to visit your local home improvement center, lumber yard or plumbing supply warehouse. Larger stores like Home Depot and Lowe's, seemed to provide you with value pricing but don't have a large selection. While doing some research on the Internet I noticed that some of their pricing is outrageously, outrageous. Some plumbing supply warehouses can provide value but beware others won't.

Create a List of Bathroom Remodeling Parts

You can get a good idea of your bathroom remodel costs for your budget by making a list of bathroom parts with pricing and then adding them up for a grand total. If you're a total bathroom remodel budget is $15,000 and you have a $6,000 bathtub with $4000 worth of tile, you could have a budget problem.

Figuring out the Labor

You will have to contact a contractor to get an actual cost for the labor. Sometimes you can double the cost of your bathroom remodeling parts to get a rough idea. If you have a list or a couple of lists and a few pictures of some sample bathrooms, this will make the contractor's job easier and often they can give you a labor price within a few days.

Give Yourself a Cushion

I would suggest leaving yourself a small financial cushion for any additional remodeling items. For example, you could see a different toilet, or instead of painting the walls, you now choose to wallpaper, you could incur additional expenses that you haven't planned for. If you know exactly what you want and stick to the original bathroom remodeling plan, you shouldn't need the cushion.

Financial problems often transfer into construction problems, so spend some time figuring out, how much money you want to spend on the bathroom remodel and try not to go overboard on the budget. I hate to see homeowners struggling with home improvement loan payments. Try to create a bathroom remodeling budget that is realistic and will not create a financial burden upon you or your family.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If your looking for some more bathroom remodeling or home building ideas.

Ask And You Might Receive Or Ask

A Choiceful State of Being

Julia Cameron in her world famous book The Artist's Way writes about, and for, blocked creatives. That describes not just the writers and artists for whom she initially intended her book, but all of us at one time or another. Being blocked is a fearful state of being.

What keeps us blocked and unable to find creative solutions to our challenges is being in this fearful state. It's like a catch 22 - you can't find solutions to your problems because your problems keep you in a state of fear where you can't find solutions to your problems. As I've written before, when you are experiencing fear you are accessing a portion of your brain called the Reptilian Brain.

This part of our brain is the first brain we had in our evolvement and we still have it for a good reason. It allowed us to survive back in the days of dinosaurs and still serves us in our modern day survival.

To this part of our brain everything is either something to flee from or something to fight. Either fight or run. Notice that there is not an array of choices here. In today's world this translates into the form of the threat usually being a person, rather than a dinosaur. We still react the same by either wanting to fight or run away. Now, however, the fighting may be verbal and the flight may take the form of avoidance.

Luckily for us our brains evolved and we now have additional portions of our brain which we can utilize. The cerebral part of our brain is one of these "new" areas and is where we get creative.

It's where we visualize, create, and and are able to find new opportunities as we "see" choices and solutions.

Using our cerebral brain puts us in a choiceful state of being.

When we move our awareness out of the Reptilian part of our brain and into the cerebral cortex we begin to find choices that are far better than the limitation of only fight or flight. We begin to see choices that lead to collaboration, win/win solutions, harmonious relationships, and most importantly, peace.

Sounds great, doesn't it? But when your consciousness is in the limitation of the fear based Reptilian brain, how do you move it into the creative cerebral cortex? It's quite simple, actually.

Visualization
When you visualize you are automatically moving your awareness out of the Reptilian brain and into the cerebral cortex, activating this creative portion of your brain. Any form of visualization will work. Here's a few suggestions:

• Draw a diagram or mind map of the situation. Begin with diagramming the issue and as you work with it and your awareness moves into your cerebral brain, you'll begin to see alternatives and choices. Include them in your diagram or map.
• Close your eyes and envision the situation as if it is on a stage and you are the director. As you are watching the players - including yourself as the star - how might you make changes to the plot for an equitable outcome?
• Use a visual tool such as a Tarot card. Select a card at random from the deck and describe what's happening in the picture on the card. What are the choices the people on the card have in regards to their situation? How does this relate to your situation?

Living in a choiceful state of being gives you and everyone around you the gift of living in harmony rather than conflict, collaboration rather than competition, and inevitably, peace.

Kathy Wilson helps people get their life unstuck using a multi-faceted approach. She and her clients utilize life coaching, spiritual consulting, NLP, vibrational healing, and teaching... whatever is in her client's highest and best interests. She's a Certified Professional Coach, spiritual teacher, Reiki master, vibrational healer, and author of An Inner Journey: Living Your Life Purpose. For information about her products, services, and classes, visit her websites: http://www.under-one-roof.net and http://www.aninnerjourney.com

Advantages of Framing With Steel Studs

I have heard all sorts of stories over the years of the advantages in framing with steel versus wood studs. One time I even heard you could build an entire house with the amount of recycled steel from a large automobile such as a Cadillac. I find this hard to believe unless you're building a very small home.

My personal favorite for framing with steel studs is that they are extremely straight. I have built nonbearing partition walls using 12 foot 3 1/2 inch wide steel studs and after the drywall you can lay an 8 foot level to check it for straightness on the wall with amazing results.

If you use 3 1/2 inch wide steel studs with 5/8 of an inch drywall you will get an extremely durable and sturdy wall. Framing was steel studs is common in office renovations or remodeling. Most of the steel stud framing is done via the drywall contractors.

Steel studs and termites do not mix. You'll never have to worry about these little buggers or other uninvited house pests damaging your walls.

Over the years I have heard stories that steel framed buildings are earthquake and fire proof. They might be more resistant to fire than wood but keep in mind when metal is hot enough it will bend and warp making it unusable.

When I hear people talking about a fireproof building built with metal framing components my first thought is all of the other materials used in building the house that are not fire resistant. Don't get a false illusion when buying a house framed with steel studs and think it is 100% fire proof.

As far as steel framed buildings being earthquake proof this is another story. I really can't comment too much on earthquake damage to a steel building. The problem with earthquakes is they seem to create fires. So even if you're building does survive an earthquake it could get damaged by a fire in the area.

I have framed more wood homes than steel homes over the years and my steel stud construction is limited to nonbearing partition walls usually located in office buildings. I love framing with metal because of its light weight and ease of construction.

I still love framing with wood. There is something about what framing that I have always loved and always will.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as

well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on House Framing Ideas

Nothing Will Be Impossible

How to Create a Personal Leadership Development Plan

Many people think that management and leadership go hand in hand automatically. But just because you are a manager does not mean that you are a leader. Many management techniques are being thrown out the window in favor of leadership skills. But making the transition between manager and leader can be difficult for some. The best way to become an effective leader is by creating a personal leadership development plan.

The first thing that you need to do to create a personal leadership development plan is to understand the difference between management and leadership. While some do not see the difference, others cannot explain it. Quite simply, management is something that you do. It is a career. Leadership is having strength and courage in your convictions, and the ability to see those convictions manifest in reality.

So what are your convictions? You may think that you know what you believe in, but it is important to take a step back and actually list your beliefs and values. There are many assessments available that can help you do this. This important step in creating a personal leadership development plan will likely teach you things about yourself that you yourself did not realize were true. It may seem like a waste of time, but until you know what your convictions are, you cannot manifest them in reality through effective leadership.

Once you have a clear understanding of your convictions, you need to apply them to your organization. Do not look at numbers and people. Look at the overall purpose and mission of the company. Then, narrow your view to your team, and finally yourself. If you do not see your values and beliefs reflected in your actions, the actions of your team, and the actions of the company, then your work is cut out for you.

When creating your personal leadership development plan, first outline your beliefs, ethics, and values. Then, outline the ways that those beliefs, ethics, and values show in your actions within the organization. Are there ways that you need to improve? What support does your team need to obtain personal and organizational success that you have failed to give them? After all, their success is your success. Write down all of your thoughts and ideas for manifesting your convictions in the reality of your team and organization. This is the bare bones of your personal leadership development plan.

Next, do your homework. Talk to your employees, team members, customers, and suppliers to learn what more you can do or be that will assist you in manifesting your convictions and your personal leadership development plan. Sit back and listen to the ideas and feelings of others. This is the only way that you can learn from other perspectives what is needed for organizational or team success. Until you are aware of the changes that need to be made, you will not be able to make any changes for the common good of the organization and your employees.

Remember that while you may be able to affect change in your own small part of the world, the organization as a whole may not reflect your convictions any time soon. Change within large corporations is either very slow or nonexistent. Watch for signs that your personal leadership development plan is making a difference in your immediate environment.

Tracy Brinkmann is an goal setting and success coach. Through his company Success Atlas, he provides goal-setting, motivational & educational material, & training via live presentations as well as digital/audio products.

Sign up for his free e-Zine http://www.successatlas.com

DIY Bathroom Remodeling Or Hiring a Contractor

The first question you need to ask yourself when remodeling a bathroom is can you actually do the work yourself or do you have someone that can help you with the remodeling. If you don't know anyone and can't do the work yourself, I would suggest hiring a contractor with experience remodeling bathrooms.

If you can do the work yourself or think you could do the work yourself, why not give it a shot. Any experience you have in construction or home remodeling, is going to be beneficial to your bathroom remodeling project. There is plenty of information on the internet or in your local libraries on bathroom remodeling and these often prove to be great resources for do it yourselfers.

As an experienced contractor I have gathered a great deal of information through books, at work and watching local home improvement shows. The biggest problem with the show's and quite a few of these books, is they don't provide enough information. Most of the time they provide you with the basics of bathroom remodeling and you could soon find yourself in trouble or seeking the advice from a home improvement professional.

The largest benefit for doing the bathroom remodeling project yourself, could be the money you save, along with the satisfaction of completing the project. It makes homeowners feel good when they've completed a large home remodeling project, like a bathroom remodel.

If you don't have the time, lack the experience or a combination of both, I would suggest hiring a contractor to relieve you from the stress and frustration of your bath remodeling project. The more complex your bathroom remodeling project is, the greater the degree of difficulty, the longer it will take to complete the project. Some of these projects can take up a lot of your time.

If you're working on galvanized water supply pipes or old cast iron waste pipes, you could find yourself hiring a plumber to install your bathtub and fixtures. These old pipes create problems for most do it yourselfers and I would suggest hiring a professional, whenever you run into a problem you don't feel comfortable with.

Choosing to tackle some of these difficult problems yourself, could lead to water leaks and more damage to the home eventually costing you even more money than the original cost of hiring an experienced plumber in the first place. When it comes to water, structural framing and electricity, think twice, especially if you're not experienced in these areas.

My advice to do it yourselfers is to hire a professional if you're not comfortable or seek the advice from a contractor or someone with considerable experience bathroom remodeling.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If your looking for some more House Remodeling Pictures or home building ideas.

Religion Articles

Your Blissful Life - Your Definition

The beauty of your blissful life is the simple fact that it is all yours! You, and only you, define exactly what it means to you, in every part of your life. There have never been two individuals wanting exactly the same thing in every part of their lives. While they may share some common desires, they will have unique meanings for their respective blissful lives. Just as each of us are a unique beautiful people, so is our definition of our blissful life! As you execute the process of defining your blissful life, you are creating a work of art that is all you. Your work of art is you in all your beauty and glory.

How can each of us have such a unique definition for the same object of our desires? Let me explain;

As I discussed in earlier articles, we are all made up of many components or parts. Recall also that all of these aspects or parts are unique to each and every one of us. It is because of this that we all place different values on our various parts. l place a certain value or importance on my professional career while you place a completely different value or importance on yours. You may place greater importance on your relationship with your friends (your friends part) as opposed to your professional career. Everyone you know such as your significant other, mother, father, and siblings, acquaintances etc. will all place various parts higher or lower on their importance scale when compared to yours.

The importance that we each place on our various parts uniquely defines not only who we are and how we act; it also uniquely defines your blissful life. The reason that you are currently reading this article is you, for some reason, feel a need to redefine, re-rank, resolve a conflict within or between your parts, or to define new parts and integrate them into yourself. This is your unique definition. This is how you identify, compare, and take action on a daily basis, in every moment. Everything you do is driven to satisfy and achieve the definition you have for your parts which, when combined, define yourself as a person.

After completing my this and my next two articles, you will have identified all of your parts, ranked them in order of importance to yourself and your life, and what you want your blissful life to look, sound, and feel like to you.

For me, your blissful life means a balance between my parts that allowed me to assist others in achieving their goals while providing a satisfactory standard of living. It also means that I have the freedom and permission from myself to continue to grow and discover more about myself and the world I live in, no matter what! To me this means that there are no silly or ridiculous ideas or paths. I have given myself permission to explore all of them, no matter where they might lead. I have learned that in order for me to live my blissful life, I must be true to myself, my ideals, my thoughts, my intuition, and my feelings. When I do this, I can do anything, be anything, and discover anything I desire. When I am doing this and helping others enrich their lives that I am truly living my blissful life.

Take some time now to reflect;

Review your list of parts my previous article Your Blissful Life: The Struggle Within.

Review all of the parts you identified after reading the article.

Have you discovered any other parts? If so, note them here.

Mr. Timothy A. McGinty is the published co-author of the highly regarded Wake Up... Live the Life You Love series. This series is a collaborative effort with such inspirational leaders as Tony Robbins, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Brian Tracey, Steven E, and Lee Beard.

Mr. McGinty is also the author of "Your Blissful Life", a book which takes the reader by the hand and walks them through a process for defining their "Blissful Life" and the action plan for achieving it.

Imagine Yourself... is an organization focused on enabling clients "breakthrough" in achieving their success. Mr. McGinty has helped many organizations and individuals discover their passion, define the life balance they seek, develop strategies for achieving that balance, and held them accountable for reaching their goals. His clients have been so successful that Mr. McGinty is known as "The Breakthrough Guy"

Imagine Yourself...
13477 Prospect Rd. Suite 204
Strongsville, Ohio 44149
Telephone: 440-236-6519
Web: http://www.timothymcginty.com
E-mail: tim@timothymcginty.com

Finding Homes Using the Internet - Home Shopping

You can simply type the words real estate or homebuying into any search engine on the World Wide Web and you will come up with hundreds, maybe even thousands of websites that are extremely helpful and full of great information. Like the one you're on right now.

Finding homes with the internet, combined with a skilled real estate salesperson, provides you with the most effective technology available today. Most websites start out, having you select a state you would like to search in and then, select a city, with your price range.

By answering their questions, this narrows the search down to all of the homes available in the area. The internet has made home shopping very simple. Considering what you had to go through in the 1970s. You found a realtor or by looking in the yellow pages, sometimes you found a good realtor and if you are lucky, maybe you would find you a good home.

Most of the time, the first homes you would look at, were owned by the real estate professional you were working with.

There are however a couple of problems with using the internet to find your dream home. Some of the verbage used and photographs taken can create a wonderful illusion of a tropical paradise but the reality, it's a regular home in a decent neighborhood.

Some of these photos are taken by skilled photographers who take advantage of every angle and tend to give an illusion of grander. When you actually start driving around and looking at these homes, only then will you get a reality check, of what the home actually looks like. You'll get used to it.

After you've looked at a few of your future dream homes, you will get a better idea of what I'm talking about with these wonderful pictures and the extraordinary home descriptions like "Beautiful Three Bedroom House with an Ocean View." When reality it's a two-bedroom house with an extra closet for the third bedroom and the ocean is 45 miles away, but you can see it on a clear day if you actually climb to the top of the largest tree on the property.

Take your time when searching for your dream home and don't let any one push you into making a decision if you're not ready. If you find your real estate professional a little too aggressive or pushy, get out of your contract, if you've signed one and find another, more helpful real estate salesperson to help you with your home purchase.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Find other real estate tips and great advice, from another one of the Internet's best website creators.

Another Crappy Rule In The Bible

Do You Live Life on Default Or Do You Participate in Your Life

It's incredible the number of people who do very little or no planning in their lives. Who is in charge? What is there to be gained from wandering about life from experience to experience without having any idea of where you are going? I like to think of it as though there is an auto-pilot flying your life - sometimes you'll get something that you really want or arrive somewhere you really want to be, but most of the time, you are simply going to get what you get.

In order to live your life with a sense of direction, you have to make some decisions. You have to decide:

• Where you are going
• What you want to be, do and have
• How active you are going to be in pursuing your goals

I'm a firm believer that there is no pre-determined purpose to our lives and that ultimately, it makes no difference if you live your life set to default, or if you take an active role in your life's direction and purpose. I do get the sense that to live our lives set to default is to miss out on some of the wonderful journeys we are able to create for ourselves. If you constantly find yourself arriving at a new destination, that you didn't pre-plan or intend to arrive at, then surely you've simply been a passenger in your life and not the driver. Ultimately though, if you understand that you have the choice to participate or sit back and let it happen, then you make the choice from an informed position. There are many people who are unaware that they do have the choice to participate in life and it is these people who have the most to gain from reading these words.

So rather than being a passenger, decide where you wish to go, who you wish to be and what you wish to have in your life, and then take action and make it happen.

Dan O'Neil offers Life Coaching and personal development training services in the UK. He specialises in helping people improve their confidence, self esteem and work-life balance. Dan also writes a popular personal development blog.

Change Your Thinking About Life

What do I do when I get down and out. Well that use to happen to me often and I seemed to suffer with some minor depression. It would seem like time would stand still. I would look at the clock and notice the time. Let's say 2:23 in the afternoon. I would look back to see what time it was about fifteen minutes latter and it would be 2:26. Wow what in the heck is going on with this clock.

I just couldn't believe it seemed like the day would never end. I would just sit there and think about all the stuff going on in my life, good and bad of course. This seemed to last until I was in my early twenties. I just didn't want to feel like this any more. I made a Conscious design not to get depressed period. I never wanted to feel like that again.

I read a book on ESP and in the book it described visualizing a rose as you went to sleep. I started doing this every night and while I was doing the exercise it seemed to make me feel relaxed in a way I never had felt before. The reason for the exercise was to teach you to visualize something peaceful. This in turn would put you in a peaceful state of mind.

Then a thought came into my noggin. What if when ever I start to feel bad or seem to be going into a sort of depressive state of mind I change my thoughts. It worked... I would start to visualize something else that made me feel comfortable and give me a peaceful feeling. Man was I surprised with my results.

Keep in mind I didn't think of this all on my own but I did put the pieces of the puzzle I needed to together that I needed to change my life. It seemed like I could use this form of self control in different parts of my life. If I was at work and someone made me mad.... Well this didn't work all the time... I still got mad. Let's pick something else OK.

I would worry about something on the job that wasn't going right. Then I would get irritated over something else that wasn't even related to what I was worrying about. Why did I take it out on the other person when what I was really mad about was something else. We do this all the time in our lives. We seem to get mad, get even or give up. Why do we do this and what can we do to stop it.

My main point to all of this is we can change our thinking and change our lives. We can learn new things to change our thinking. We don't need to give up hope that we will always be like this. Change the things you don't like about yourself. Do it today. If you need some help there is a great book that will help you change your life for the better.

You can find it at http://www.live.spiritualideas.com This book has a lot of tools to create the change in your life you want to have a more full filling life.

Most people give up just when they're about to achieve success. They quit on the one yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game one foot from a winning touchdown. Ross Perot.

Start Living Your Dreams Today and Create a Wonderful Life For Yourself And Your Family. Greg Vanden Berge is one of the best inspirations on the planet. You will be hearing a lot about this guy in the future. You can count on it.

What Happens To Nonbelieving

Real Help For Out Of Control Anger

It is very easy to get angry, with the way the world is today. Most people have stress levels off the charts due to family, work, social problems, and worst of all, financial and debt issues. With everything that is on your plate, it's no wonder that most days you feel like screaming and ranting until things finally start to make sense. So, what can be done to soothe your raging spirit and bring calm to your life when everything feels so out of your control? Anger management is a collection of techniques and methods that are designed to help you learn to better control your anger and feel more at peace with the world around you. The following four anger management methods will give you the information you need to help you decide how and where to get help.

Relaxation Therapy Since stress and the feelings of pressure are often the leading reasons for uncontrollable anger. The best way to curb this type of anger is through relaxation therapy. Relaxation helps reduce stress levels and allows you to better control your anger. One of the most common relaxation technique is meditation. Meditation is focused breathing often accompanied by a specific and meaningful word or phrase repeated under your breath. This word or phrase is also called a Mantra and frequently represents something important to your life.

Aromatherapy has more recently become a favorite way for people to relax and relieve stress. By adding a scent to your bathwater, floating to candlelight and maybe reading a good book or listening to soothing music, you will be able to feel your tension melt away.

Many people also find exercise, particular yoga, to be relaxing in a meditative way. Not only does yoga relieve stress, it also helps you get into shape. I know looking good improves my attitude!

Support Groups When your stress levels are high and your anger is out of control, you can feel lonely, scared and isolated. As if you are the most horrible person in the world and the only one who can't handle your anger. Joining a support group can show you that there are many, many people who struggle with the same anger problems that you do. If you are shy or just prefer not seeking out a support group in the "real world", the Internet offers assistance through forums and chat rooms. On the Internet you can enjoy the feeling of belonging that you need while still getting the feeling of anonymity that you want.

Self-Help Books Maybe you are the type of person who learns best through reading. Self-help books for anger management can discuss many different ways to analyze your problem with anger and get to the root of your issues. Some of the other methods discussed in this article will be discussed in more thorough detail and other methods will be introduced. Many anger management self-help books were written by medical professionals (mostly psychologists) and can effectively help you cope with your out of control anger.

It is important to note that it is net recommended to only use self-help books to treat anger. Reading a book can only help so much and should be combined with other methods for treating anger management.

Therapy If you feel that your anger is seriously out of control and you may be a danger to yourself or others in a fit of rage, you should enlist the help of a professional mental health counselor. A counselor will talk with you about your anger, try to determine the root, and introduce you to the most effective techniques in controlling anger. Therapy isn't only a last resort for anger management; it is a good option for people who have only mild anger problems too. Anyone who believes they could benefit from talking to a professional about their anger should go ahead and schedule an appointment without fearing judgment.

http://www.livingmybigdream.com
http://hubpages.com/hub/Anger-Managment

Old Versus New Construction Adhesives

When I first started building in 1978 as a young carpenter and an apprentice to my father. I had the grand illusions of becoming what they call on the east coast a master carpenter and on the West Coast a journeyman carpenter.

Part of my training in construction was learning to use the proper adhesive and caulking for different parts of the building project. We used to use a standard solvent-based construction adhesive when we were building our stairs and they would also use this adhesive on the floors to eliminate squeaks.

This glue dried extremely hard and everyone thought the harder the better. This construction adhesive was great when I started using it in 1978. There wasn't the polyethylene super elastic expandable multi-use glue and caulking construction adhesives at that time.

We used this brittle glue and it always seemed like a waste of time. As the wood dried and started to shrink the brittle hard glue would crack and break away from the wood it was glued to. Normally the glue was breaking away from plywood floor sheeting. I have seen 2 x 12 shrink 3/8 of an inch before in as little as a few months during the summer.

Now as time went on the old construction adhesives were replaced with a new window sealant made by a company called TOPS. This stuff was the hottest and best product of the decade to me. I used this stuff for everything.

This new urethane glue was now being used for sub floors, stair treads, sealing the windows flashing and siding. This stuff is still in use today and is a great choice for all of the uses I mentioned above. The price for this sealant is about double that of most water-based or solvent-based glues. But it's worth it.

So there you have it I like the urethane glues because of their flexibility, elasticity, their ability to adhere to wood concrete or metal and their performance in the years ahead.

There is one thing to keep in mind when using construction adhesives. Most construction workers seem to ignore the fact that the wood needs to be dry and clean before applying the construction adhesive. There have been quite a few times I have witnessed carpenters working with me and ignoring my advice.

Don't put yourself into this category. Doing quality work and following the manufacturers recommended installation instructions for their product will decrease your liability if there is ever a problem. Read the instructions carefully on all of the building products you use.

The manufacturers of these construction adhesives have thoroughly tested them. So use them properly and follow all safety warnings.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and Carlsbad Structural Repairs

Using Words In The Bible Effecti

5 Tips For Handling Conflict

If you live long enough you will experience conflict. The chance that everyone will like us or get along with us is very minimal. Inevitably we will disagree with someone. When this happens, handling the conflict with a level head avoids stress and keeps the chance of the conflict escalating less likely.

Handling conflict does not have to be confrontational in the classic sense. When someone mentions an altercation we think of the showdown at the OK Corral. Coming into the meeting ready to fight is not the best way to handle a conflict.

Conflicts can occur at any time. You could be in a grocery store and the cashier may act rude as they ring up your groceries. We've all had that happen at least once, right? The first reaction is to slam the money on the counter or to snap back at them. In that instant we have taken their problems as our own and created a stressful situation that changes the tone of the rest of our day.

Here are five tips for handling conflict. They work for coworkers, family members, friends, and even strangers. You never know when the proper response to a conflict could save your life or someone else's.

1. Think about the situation. We are quick to respond when someone says what we don't like. Take the time to breathe before responding. In that breath replay the words spoken.

2. Make the hard decision. In many cases, the conflict that arises is not the first of its kind. Harsh or offensive words or deeds could be a recurring theme in the relationship. Decide if this affiliation is worth saving or if it is time to cut the person loose. Leaving the association could result in a lost friendship, a divorce, or changing jobs. Sometimes, for our own sake, these things are better in the long run than staying in a bad relationship.

3. Wait a day. Don't respond right then. Give yourself time to talk over the situation with a trusted friend. Maybe you overreacted. Sometimes, a third party can see something that you missed in the heat of your anger. In these cases, apologize where necessary. If the consensus is that you were wronged, then bring the matter to the attention of the other person with a level head not a hot one.

4. Find a solution. A common conflict, especially among spouses could result from wanting to make a purchase that there isn't enough money for. Instead of brooding, come up with favorable solutions that could get you what you want or need. Get a second job to earn the money.

5. Apologize if you were in the wrong. Just because something is true doesn't mean that it has to be said. Telling someone that they are wearing a dress that is too small for them is not a positive way to help them lose weight. Understand how it could be offensive to them and apologize. Better yet, stop and think before you respond in situations such as these. Put yourself in the other person's shoes before hand. Part of resolving conflicts is realizing our role in it.
Facing confrontational situations is not easy. But, it is not inevitable and sometimes it has to be done. Learning conflict resolution techniques can alleviate the stress of these situations.

Gregg Zban is a General Manager with Coca-Cola Enterprises and has created a website dedicated to better time management in business, with family, at school and more.

To learn more please visit http://www.choice-time-management.com

For freebies please visit http://www.GreggZban.com

Hiring a Contractor For Bathroom Remodeling - Remodeling Contractors

Well here's the age old question, how do we go about finding a decent bathroom remodeling contractor.

Here's some things you will be looking for in a contractor.

1. Is Your Contractor Fair and Honest?

2. Does Your Contractor Have Experience Remodeling and Designing Bathrooms?

3. Can You Actually Find a Contractor Who Will Complete the Job in a Timely Manner?

4. Do You Think the Workers Will Be Able to Clean the Job up Daily?

5. Will the Contractor Show up on Time?

6. Is the Contractor Going to Work At Least Eight Hours a Day?

7. Does the Contractor's Crew Have Experience?

8. Is Your Contractor and His Crew Courteous?

If you find a contractor for your bathroom remodeling project that has answered yes to all questions above, hire that person immediately. Most contractors can sincerely answer yes to half of the questions above. If you're looking for the ultimate bathroom remodeling contractor, you could be searching for quite a while, you're looking for some one that is competent and you feel comfortable with.

When hiring a contractor, look for someone who has your interest in mind first and not theirs. Find someone who is willing to help with the designed process of your bathroom and the remodeling. If you find a contractor to be arrogant or controlling, there is a good chance, your bathroom might not turn out the way you envision it.

When hiring a contractor for your bathroom remodeling project or any home improvement project, the most important thing to keep in mind is, whether or not you feel comfortable with this person or not. Never hire a contractor you're not comfortable with.

If a contractor is referred to you by someone you trust, this does not guarantee you will be happy with the bathroom remodel. Most referrals that I have gotten over the years are like rolling the dice, I believe I would have done just as good picking a name out of a hat.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Meditating On Religious Scriptur

Mental Awareness

Being aware of your thoughts is the first actual step to proper self defense. Believe it or not most of what you think determines what will happen in an altercation with someone. This might be a fight between friends or it might be a more serious situation like defending yourself from a burglar or criminal. Your mind in every situation controls exactly what it is you do...obviously. But did you know that thinking negative thought during an altercation can actually prohibit you from and success in the situation? If you are thinking nothing but, "How am I going to make it out of this?" or "oh my God I might not live through this!" it is a high possibility that those thoughts could come true.

Please understand me when I say this, I don't expect you to be thinking about going to the amusement park while you're being robbed, let's be serious. But what you can do is say,"Everything is going to be Ok just stay calm." Saying that simple little phrase tells your subconscious to do everything it can in order to bring that into reality. This can actually be applied to everything in your life. I am not here to write about soul seeking, personal development but you get the picture.

The main lesson to take from this is simple; stay focused, stay positive. You might have pepper spray in your purse or pocket or you might have a stun gun or even a knife with you. These self defense weapons mean nothing if you're not calm enough to use them. Once again, you don't have to be in a Zen like state but you have to keep your mind on your goal and this is to stay alive and walk out of the situation OK. Check out a post called "Mental Affirmations." This post almost complements what you have read here so far, but with more details and steps.

In conclusion just make sure you keep yourself ahead of the game by using your head. Tell yourself that you will be OK and that all will turn out fine. You and only you control what happens in your life. Even certain outside factors can be changed by what you think and how you talk to yourself. Mental awareness is what separate survivors from victims. If you plan on living your life in happiness and freedom then keep telling yourself that you are happy and safe from harm. That is the only thing you can do to keep yourself ahead of the game.

Matthew Batcho is an entrepreneur that has been involved with start-up business for over 10 years. He currently owns a landscaping business and runs a small self defense business online. He enjoys writing, painting, and discovering new ways to build business.

http://www.peopleprotection.com/bestsg.php

http://www.peopleprotection.com/blog

Slow Market Home Pricing Advice

Homes are going to be sold in good markets and bad. When times are good, people often forget that bad times will be coming eventually. During good times, people often get caught up in the hype of the real estate boom. During tough times, houses will be sold eventually, or taken off the market and sold later. If you need to sell the home as soon as possible, for financial or other reasons, you will have to adjust your price with the current market and don't get greedy.

This is the hardest thing for most people to do, lower the price of their home in order to sell it in a slow real estate market. Don't get caught up in the value of your home, six months or even a year ago. Last year's prices are not going to be this year's prices and you need to get that through your thick skull. If the average homes in your neighborhood are selling for $250,000 and you have a swimming pool or done some upgrades, maybe a room addition. Your home is going to be worth more than the average selling price.

Most real estate professionals will price your home according to the length of time you have to sell it. If you're in a hurry to sell, they don't have time to test the market. The price of your home would need to be competitive or lower than homes selling in the area. Whether homes are selling fast in a good market for selling slow in a bad market, if you have time, you can ask a little bit more for your home. If the market hasn't reached the bottom, waiting could actually hurt you, because the prices of the homes in the area would still be dropping.

Listen to your real estate professionals advice when pricing your home. That's what you're hiring them for, they are in the real estate business. Your neighbors, relatives, friends and people you work with, will probably be guessing if you asked for their opinion on pricing your house.

Your house is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Finding that person is the key to selling your home, finding that person as soon as possible could give you the illusion that you sold your home to cheap. Don't worry about it, your final objective is to sell the house.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If you really think your home is safe, check out these pictures about home water damage.

Nothing Will Be Impossible

Hindsight - Looking Forward

You know how "they" always say "hindsight is 20/20", meaning that it's easier to see the problems and pitfalls of your choices after they're over? Well, sometimes we spend a little too much time looking backwards at the choices we've made and the things we've done and we forget to look at the opportunities we have right now and in the near future; that or we see the current situations through the filters of our past.

With all the talk about the Secret and the Law of Attraction, it occurred to me that a whole lot of people are looking back at their lives so far and making their lists and affirmations about corrections to what they see as problems instead of creating opportunities for new lives and new experiences.

We don't want to attract more baggage from our past. Let me explain.

Ever notice that when you pack a bag for a trip, things never repack as neatly or compactly once you've started going through the contents? You could use this analogy for your memories and experiences, too. Once you begin rummaging around in the memory pile, things don't fit back neatly and you find errant thoughts and memories creeping into your daily lives like a staticky white sock that attached itself to the back of your good gray wool suit. And they don't match any better, either! Your past is just that, p-a-s-s-e-d. It's all over and done with, things happened and you cannot un-happen them. No matter how much effort and perspiration we put into it, we can't change things that happened 2 seconds ago yet we spend countless hours in contemplation, personal debriefings, should'ing all over our best selves and wishing we'd done something different at the time.

Well, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you didn't and that's that. You made the best choice possible at the time based on the information, experiences, gut instincts you had at your disposal and the situation you were in at the time. There's no backtracking for a do-over. Yet we spend so much time trying to relive less than optimum experiences so we can do better next time. It's not foresight or hindsight we need. We need sight, plain and simple. We need to see what is right in front of us.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret.... You can remember the experiences - I'm not trying to say forget everything that has happened to us- but we don't need to relive these things over and over. Once is enough to make an impression.

Sidney Madwed says... "How many of your judgments, when you made them, were you perfectly sure they were correct, would you want to change now with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight? Since every judgment is only an opinion based on the limited information at hand, filtered through one's personal value system, it might be safe to assume no two people will judge anything exactly the same. Even concepts of right and wrong, good or bad, good or bad morals and ethics are only opinions, for what may be good in one case may be a disaster in another. "

You may have heard this before, but you know, human beings are hard wired to be meaning making machines. We just HAVE to ascribe a meaning to everything that happens. We can't help ourselves. I've heard some people say the weather that is terrorizing the globe lately is a punishment for the world's evil ways, some blame it on global warming. Okay, that's fine, but what is happening is we are experiencing lousy weather. Period.

When we're faced with an opportunity,whether it's favorable or not it's still an opportunity, do we look at it through all the filters of what has gone before, or look at it for what it is?

Five days before my 45th birthday, my life as I expected it to be ended. My mother passed away and disinherited me for a reason known only to herself. I was evicted from her home by her executor with nowhere to go. I felt betrayed, alone, and all the other things loss brings about.

Now I could have wallowed in self-pity (which I did for about three weeks, I admit - it didn't do anything to get me out of the situation I was in), gotten angry, bitter, cynical or any other way of being, feeling put upon and sorry for myself. I could have dug out my violins and looked at the situation as an insurmountable barrier and just given up, thinking I was a terrible person for my own family to have thrown me away like that. I didn't.

I'd had a huge revelation. I was no longer anyone's daughter, no longer anyone's mother. The roles that had defined my life had suddenly dropped away and I had a very rare opportunity to totally change my life as well as my view of the world and everything in it. I knew I had to begin again. I had to sit down and figure out just what I wanted my new life to be. I could have struggled to find the meaning in what had happened to me.

I remember the events, but the emotional charge has gone. There's no anger, there's no wasted energy in blame and sadness. I've unpacked those bags and don't intend to fill them up again (In fact, I've thrown them away). One of the things that's so great about discovering the difference between what happened and what we make something mean is that once we know we give events and situations their meanings, we can make them mean anything we want!

Now what I'm getting at is this: As you go forward into 2009, 2010, and on and on, you can choose to see each opportunity as something brand new and exciting or a rerun of a boring, sad old tape. If the first thought that enters your mind when something occurs is, "oh, no, not again" or "here we go again", that's your signal that you're just replaying old tapes and digging through those old bags. Fluff all that old stuff up, expose it to some fresh air and sunshine and toss out what doesn't fit anymore. You don't need it, really. We've turned the corner on Winter and Spring is coming. Start your Spring Soul cleaning a little early.

DeBorah Beatty is the "Created Life" coach. She is a speaker/trainer and solopreneur expert. She speaks from experience having been an entrepreneur for almost as long as she's been alive (and that's a long time!). She offers tips and tricks on her blog, Opportunity's Knocking, Open the Door, on her radio show on BlogTalkRadio and in her newsletter, Living in Left Field. She is the creator of the upcoming Disconnect Your Oughta-Pilot Telecourse and is currently accepting coaching applications. For more information about DeBorah and to request a free report, "Are You Living On Oughta-Pilot?", visit her website

http://www.DEBORAHBEATTY.COM
Walla Walla, WA 99362
contact-dbc@deborahbeatty.com
http://www.deborahbeatty.com

Bathroom Moisture Problems - Home Repair

Right above my bathtub in my master bathroom the paint is peeling off the wall. The area is peeling above the tile in my bathtub and shower combination. I tried to glue the peeling paint back and only made the situation worst.

First things first. The paint is peeling because there is to much moisture in the bathroom while you are using it. Do you have any windows you can open or a ventilating bathroom fan. If you have a window crack it open part way while you are showering.

The water droplets will accumulate on the walls and drip into any cracks. Right above the tile grout is a great place for moisture to accumulate. Oh yeah moisture loves grout and drywall. If you have any unpainted areas or an area that has cracked. Guess what you have now.

Your paint is peeling because the bathroom gets hot and cold. Moist and dry. If you have the door and windows shut. You just created a moisture trap. Most people prefer their privacy and will closes the door when using the shower. Well then open the window and let some cold air in while you are taking a nice warn shower. I don't think so. Most showering fools don't like that idea either.

Ok one more idea keep the windows shut so you don't let the cold air in. Then lock the door so no on barges in on you. If you have a ventilation fan turn it on. This will at least pull fresh air in from under the door and send the moist air out of the house.

But the fan is so noisy and I can't enjoy my nice warm vapor producing shower that will eventually cause me to get sick from mold particles floating around in the air while I am using my bathroom.
Does this about sum it up for you and don't we all do this from time to time. We want to enjoy our shower time, so we close up everything and when we are in our bath sauna environment relaxing our house is getting some damaging moisture that could cause mold and mildew.

Open a window or door a little when you shower. Get some air circulating through the bathroom and prevent damage to your nice house.

Put up with a little inconvenience for you homes sake and your pocket book.

Greg Vanden Berge has been in the home building and remodeling business in California for over 30 years. With this knowledge he has created a few websites that provide useful information for home owners as well as contractors. His main goal is to educate professionals in the home related businesses, dealing with problems that can easily be avoided with just a little bit of information.

His website provides all kinds of answers to remodeling and new house building in North San Diego Home Remodeling Carlsbad Home Remodeling

Visit us now for Bathroom Ideas

Nothing Will Be Impossible

10 Ways to Deal With Negative Thinking, Panic and Paralyzing Fears

I recently heard from a friend who had been laid off at the newspaper she worked at because of the faltering economy. She didn't have many job leads and her motivation was at an all-time low. She felt that there was nothing more frightening than being a writer in an uncertain job market.

Panic and fear quickly took over; where would she go from go from there?

How would she pay her bills?

How would she cope with uncertainty?

Her mind was plagued with self-doubting, self-defeating thoughts and she began to spiral out of control, right into a dangerous state of anxiety that threatened to paralyze her into stagnant ground forever.

As she began to realize what a toll her predicament was leaving her in, it became clear to her that she needed to take action and do something to get herself out of the hole she was in.

Once she sat down and began to reflect on things, working through the paralyzing fear and the negativity that came along with the devastation of losing her dream job and having to start over from the beginning, everything started to make sense and she was on a roll!

Sometimes it takes a moment of crisis to help us refocus our thoughts and energies into what we want our professional and personal goals to be and what we need to accomplish.

The following points will help you focus and concentrate on the positive rather than dwell on the negative, motivating you to move forward into action rather than leaving you stuck in a rut.

Reading through them should help you gain some perspective into your particular situation:

1. Allow yourself to be upset and grieve if things have gone wrong

Sometimes you suffer from start-up inertia because you're having to make a new start and you're stubbornly holding on to the way things were.

It is perfectly normal to feel panicked, upset, angry, sad, even outraged; you wouldn't be human if you didn't feel that way.

Take some time to get in touch with those feelings.

The night my friend got laid off she drove home, fell into bed and literally could not move for 45 minutes.

Then she called me.

I got her to get up, take a long shower, change into some comfortable clothes, and then she spent some time sat in front of the television watching 'Friends'.

Give your mind and body time to settle into the initial shock of change, whatever it may be. But focus primarily on how you feel and let those feelings out.

2. Take a DEEP BREATH!

Your mind deserves it, your body deserves it, your lungs deserve it.

Taking deep breaths improves circulation, calms anxiety and helps you focus.

Once you're done moping, take a deep breath and start to move.

3. Organize your home, organize your life

Is your house a mess? What about your room or your home office? Can you not see yourself going through the piles of papers on top of your desk? Have you looked at your bills lately and seen what you have?

If you haven't done any of these things, now is the time to do it.

There is nothing more stressful when we are in a state of panic than a living space that has no room for us to live in it.

So tackle the mess; wash those clothes, clean out that pantry, throw out the clutter, get those bills out of the way.

You'll be surprised how much more motivated you will be when you surround yourself with cleanliness and order.

4. Surround yourself with positive people

Now would be a good time to reconnect with friends that you haven't spoken to in a while, or even with the friends that you talked to just yesterday, those friends that always have an encouraging word, who are helpful and positive.

Do yourself a favor and avoid people who are always down in the dumps, or who always have something negative to say.

However:

5. Don't confuse negativity with constructive criticism

Some friends may seem like they're helping but they're just feeding the cynicism. Conversely, friends that may appear to be negative are actually offering ways to help by sharing your experiences and showing you a better way to focus.

Listen to the people that are there for you, take what you can use, and dismiss those things that you don't want to use or that you can't use. Don't allow yourself to be brought down by it.

Take charge of your life again.

6. Have someone objective to talk to

When possible, sometimes having an objective third party to talk to and run ideas by can be tremendously helpful.

In some cases, a therapist can be of vital importance in your growth process towards finding yourself and focusing on your career and life goals. They can provide you with a perspective that is sound, rational and unbiased, while still keeping your best interests in mind.

7. Keep a journal of your progress

Write your ideas and your thoughts down and read over them the day after. You will gain some valuable perspective and insight into your own growth and where you are at.

8. Get out of the house!

Take your laptop or notebook to the local coffee shop or park, somewhere with some interaction and get out into the world! This will give you a chance to get out of the house and possibly meet some people, network and create some opportunities towards accomplishing your goals.

9. Actively look for opportunities to do the things that you love most and turn them into opportunities for you

Do you enjoy attending art shows? Love doing volunteer work? Do you like fishing with friends or going to the library or attending meetings for local organizations?

These are all things that would not only satisfy the craving for you to do something that you enjoy, but it would also present you with opportunities to network, meet people that could help you get ahead, and spend time taking care of yourself and your mental and emotional health.

10. Finally, SMILE and BELIEVE!

Easier said than done, I know. Believe me, nothing about my friend's situation warranted a smile and some faith. But had she not kept herself smiling, it would have been so much harder to be positive and pull out of that state of anxiety.

Believe in yourself and the things that you have accomplished and remember that you are capable of achieving anything you set your mind to do.

So get your coat, get your shoes, get your smile and go out into the world!

Taking heed of these valuable insights will help you create and maintain a positive energy source in your life and keep inertia at bay. You will feel better, be more motivated and definitely more at peace.

All it takes is for you to make that first move. Don't let panic paralyze you into inertia. Anything is possible; it's up to you to make it happen!

Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report that reveals how to crush procrastination and sustain lasting motivation. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: stay motivated

Change Your Thinking About Life

What do I do when I get down and out. Well that use to happen to me often and I seemed to suffer with some minor depression. It would seem like time would stand still. I would look at the clock and notice the time. Let's say 2:23 in the afternoon. I would look back to see what time it was about fifteen minutes latter and it would be 2:26. Wow what in the heck is going on with this clock.

I just couldn't believe it seemed like the day would never end. I would just sit there and think about all the stuff going on in my life, good and bad of course. This seemed to last until I was in my early twenties. I just didn't want to feel like this any more. I made a Conscious design not to get depressed period. I never wanted to feel like that again.

I read a book on ESP and in the book it described visualizing a rose as you went to sleep. I started doing this every night and while I was doing the exercise it seemed to make me feel relaxed in a way I never had felt before. The reason for the exercise was to teach you to visualize something peaceful. This in turn would put you in a peaceful state of mind.

Then a thought came into my noggin. What if when ever I start to feel bad or seem to be going into a sort of depressive state of mind I change my thoughts. It worked... I would start to visualize something else that made me feel comfortable and give me a peaceful feeling. Man was I surprised with my results.

Keep in mind I didn't think of this all on my own but I did put the pieces of the puzzle I needed to together that I needed to change my life. It seemed like I could use this form of self control in different parts of my life. If I was at work and someone made me mad.... Well this didn't work all the time... I still got mad. Let's pick something else OK.

I would worry about something on the job that wasn't going right. Then I would get irritated over something else that wasn't even related to what I was worrying about. Why did I take it out on the other person when what I was really mad about was something else. We do this all the time in our lives. We seem to get mad, get even or give up. Why do we do this and what can we do to stop it.

My main point to all of this is we can change our thinking and change our lives. We can learn new things to change our thinking. We don't need to give up hope that we will always be like this. Change the things you don't like about yourself. Do it today. If you need some help there is a great book that will help you change your life for the better.

You can find it at http://www.live.spiritualideas.com This book has a lot of tools to create the change in your life you want to have a more full filling life.

Most people give up just when they're about to achieve success. They quit on the one yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game one foot from a winning touchdown. Ross Perot.

Start Living Your Dreams Today and Create a Wonderful Life For Yourself And Your Family. Greg Vanden Berge is one of the best inspirations on the planet. You will be hearing a lot about this guy in the future. You can count on it.

If I Hate My Brother

Be Glad the Hard Times Are Upon Us!

If you ever had a hard-driving athletic coach, these and other phrases will probably bring back memories and might even summon his screaming face back into view:

"When the going gets tough, the tough get going!"

"Show me someone who loses and laughs, and I'll show you a loser!"

Vince Lombardi, legendary Green Bay Packers coach, said there's something in "good men" that loves a struggle. You're being beaten up on the playing field, bruised and bloodied, but you give the game all you have, exhausted as it ends, but you WIN!

Or, you may have heard it this way: "Winning isn't everything; It's the ONLY thing!"

I summon these quotes because they're designed to have what psychologists refer to as, "sleeper" effects. Like messages in bottles, they're cast across our consciousness from the land of our youth, and they're intended to wash up and be read some time later, on a distant shore of adulthood.

We might have goofed about them privately, outside of earshot of our coaches. But if these proclamations didn't rouse us and help us to perform in the games at hand, that grouchy leader with the whistle or clipboard knew these admonitions wouldn't be forgotten, completely.

Some day, circumstances would arrange themselves so we would feel deeply dejected, helpless and hopeless before seemingly overwhelming odds, and a small voice would echo in our mind:

"Winners never quit and quitters never win!"

And like Rocky Balboa, we'd struggle to our feet and miraculously knock out anything or anyone standing in our way.

Well, looking at our economy and world events, it seems like a fine time to deliberately awaken these sleeper messages, and to put them to work.

If you have ever played sports or striven in any competitive environment, you already have what it takes to respond to adversity. Recall all of the steps you took to achieve in those arenas.

Remember as well, the self-doubts you overcame. Because now, we have a chance to prove, yet again, what we're made of, who we are, and what we can do when we want to, and need to.

Someday, when these difficulties are overcome, you'll look back and realize times were hard, "But YOU DID IT HARD," as motivational speaker Les Brown would say.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman is a top speaker, sales, customer service and negotiation trainer, best-selling author, and TV and radio commentator. He conducts seminars and convention presentations around the world and can be reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com. His profile can be read at: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/a91/833.

Window Header Framing Problems

As a building contractor it is my job to assemble the house to meet the specifications from the architect and the structural engineer. I do this by looking at the building plans and installing the specified lumber sizes. I can take it upon myself to install a larger size wood beam or window header adding an additional cost to the job of course. I don't think so.

It's not uncommon for a framing contractor that has an additional 5 foot scrap piece of 4 x 8 left over that he now has no use for. He can then choose to use the 4 x 8 instead of a 4 x 6 for the window header. This type of building is common and acceptable.

If the structural engineer calls out for 4 x 6 window and door headers do not take it upon yourself to replace the 4 x 6 with a 4 x 4. I have seen too many framing contractors or carpenters make an on-the-job judgment like this.

A good example would be a single story house with 2 foot wide windows that require a 4 x 6 window header. As the carpenter builds homes over the years he can come to his own conclusion that a 4x4 will work fine for this application. Again keep this in mind as a framing contractor and a carpenter you are assembling the home not designing it.

Do not change the sizes of any headers or beams.

A long time ago carpenters used a standard rule of thumb, you could go up two sizes larger than the window opening for your header. Let me give you an example of what I'm trying to explain.

A 4 foot wide window opening would require a 4 x 6 window header. A 6 foot window opening would require a 4 x 8 window header. This should give you an idea of what I mean by going up two sizes larger than the window opening to figure out the lumber necessary to use for your window header.

This rule of thumb does not necessarily apply in today's building industry. The reason for this is structural changes from earthquake damage. The structural requirements that are required for building a home require a lot more metal bracing and strapping. Therefore some of the lumber requirements for beam sizes and window headers will be different.

This message is for general contractors, framing contractors and carpenters. When installing a window header and you take it upon yourself to change the size you also assume the responsibility if the building fails. This type of mistake is common and you guys know what I'm talking about.

It's not worth it. Keep in mind you are the assembler and not the designer of the building you are working on.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and House Framing Structural Repairs

Believing In Yourself

Installing a 32 Inch Back Door

In some older houses you will find a 30 inch back door. Have you ever tried to move a refrigerator or some large furniture through a 30 inch door? Keep in mind most bedroom doors are 30 inches wide and are in 36 inch hallways. 30 inch doors and bedrooms make it tough to move some furniture in too.

Let's start with the price difference between a 30 inch door and a 32 inch door. The cost difference is usually going to be around $20. If you are building a hundred homes this could become quite an additional expense. So we can understand why the home builder installed a 30 inch door in the back of our home.

He got the extra money in his pocket, you got a headache.

Here's the big problem. If you ever want to install a larger door you will need to replace the structural door framing. Now this is where you could run into a little bit of an expense. Changing the framing for a wider door could become quite costly. It could actually cost over $1000 in some cases.

Now if the homebuilder would have originally installed a 32 inch door in your house it might have ran him as high as an additional $45. How can this be? I will give you the first clue. There is a good chance the homebuilder will not be moving into any of these houses. If for some strange instance he did move into the house, he would learn the same lesson whenever he needed to move a large item into the house.

I'm a contactor and learned this lesson in a long time ago.

If you are building a new home you might even want to consider installing a 36 inch back door. This door will give you plenty of room when it comes to moving large items in or out of your house. The cost difference between a 36 inch door and a 32 inch door is usually around $20 also.

When building a new home most people don't give very much thought about their interior or exterior doors. Here's a simple chart I made to help with some basic door decisions.

Bathroom Doors Should Be 28 Inches Wide Minimum.
Bedroom Doors Should Be 30 Inches Wide Minimum.
Front Doors Should Be At Least 36 Inches Wide
Back Doors and Garage Doors Should Be At Least 32 Inches Wide

If you are a professional football or basketball player don't use these numbers above.

If you have large sliding glass doors or French doors throughout your home and can use them to move large items into the house you can install whatever size doors you choose that are comfortable to walk through.

Give some thought when installing a new door on your next project and keep some of the above tips in mind..

If you are designing a home give some thought to the stairways and hallways in the home as well.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and Bay Window Ideas

You Have To Start Somewhere