What is EFT?

Whether you’re a potential client or counselor, you may have come across a kind of therapy called EFT. This stands for Emotional Freedom Technique and is a way for a recipient to gain nearly instant freedom from their pent up emotions.

The Man Behind EFT

Gary Craig is the founder of EFT Therapy. Craig is an ordained minister at the Universal Church of God located in southern California. He’s also a Stanford graduate from the college of engineering. However, he always had a deep interest in psychology and personal development.

EFT Therapy: The Definition

EFT is a type of therapy that uses an emotional form of acupressure. With EFT Therapy, you can tap on a certain part of the body with a finger and provide a recipient with therapeutic healing that may have taken years with other methods.

Your body has a tendency to store up past emotional problems. When this emotional form of acupressure is utilized on the body’s meridian energy points, the pent up emotional energy can then be released. If this seems too good to be true, you can refer to the testimonials of countless past users who’ve described it as life altering.

The beauty of EFT is the ability to provide the client with instant healing. Many would have you believe that traditional conversational therapy is required in order to truly heal emotional problems, however, you can achieve excellent results even with online-based EFT systems.

A free manual about EFT is available for download in order to give you a full education on the Emotional Freedom Technique. It goes over information on how it came about and then describes the technique so you can try it for yourself. The actual technique is only two pages of instructions and easy to understand.

Some problems EFT Therapy has been known to solve include:

1. Insomnia and Anxiety. These two problems often go hand in hand. With EFT, you can learn how to quickly cope with these problems. You’ll also gain confidence, which will reduce the occurrence of both anxiety attacks and insomnia. Many long time sufferers are shocked by the easy results they can achieve.

2. Phobias. Phobias can vary from minor and relatively harmless, up to major ones that interfere with daily life. EFT has been known to fully erase even debilitating phobias in a matter of hours.

3. Anger. Anger management can also become easier with help from EFT therapy. Repressed anger is a common pent up emotion that can easily be released with EFT.

4. Addiction and Weight Loss. EFT therapy can be used on all kinds of addictions, from alcohol and drugs to excessive eating. This form of therapy can make dealing with cravings more bearable and – in some situations – the cravings can disappear entirely.

The Mind/Body Connection

No matter what kind of therapy you engage in, you may begin to notice mind and body connections. Mental conditions such as stress can take a toll on the body.

Stress can cause all sorts of problems including:

* Backaches
* Headaches
* Fatigue
* Discomfort

Once your stress has been relieved, you may also notice that these physical symptoms fade as well. Clients of the EFT Therapy method undergo simple procedures and then find that their physical symptoms vanish without having to endure longer or more emotionally painful treatments.

Like most things in life, EFT Therapy is not fail proof. The system is not perfect and there are certain individuals and situations that cannot be helped. On the flip side, there are certain people that have tried nearly everything without luck until they finally came across the Emotional Freedom Technique.

It could be the answer to your physical or emotional challenges and, since it’s a quick and painless process, it’s worth a try. EFT practitioners are located in every major city and many towns throughout the country. Seek one out in your area or study the field on your own, and reap the benefits!

Five Ways to Find Inspiration

Sometimes life is tough and it’s hard to see the pot of gold waiting for you at the end of the rainbow. Fortunately, it’s easier than you think to find inspiration that will motivate you and keep you on the right path toward your goals.

Here are five quick and easy ways to find inspiration:

1. Use motivational quotes and affirmations. It seems that no matter how many times you read or hear your favorite quote, it resonates with you almost as much as the very first time you heard it. Adding to your collection will bring you an ever-flowing well of new inspiration.

• As your goals change, look for quotes and affirmations that reflect your new path so you can gain the inspiration to persevere in your new direction.

2. Find inspirational imagery. Sometimes you come across inspiration by spotting something in nature, like a beautiful sunset or freshly fallen snow. Other times you may be inspired by a photograph, an image in a book, or a painting at an art gallery.

• Perhaps the beauty of an image will inspire you to create something beautiful of your own. In the process, you’ll find new excitement and motivation to carry over into the other areas of your life.

• An image can also remind you of your destination, which will motivate you to work ever more swiftly with laser-like focus to reach your goal.

• Once you find an image that inspires you, rely upon it during stressful or difficult times as a visual reminder to keep moving forward.

3. Confide in strangers. A method you may find surprising as a source of inspiration is to talk to strangers when out and about. There’s an understood confidentiality clause with strangers. Because of the anonymity factor, people may actually become comfortable with someone they may never see again.

• Someone you meet by chance can bring you a new perspective on old challenges. The next time you’re out, try striking up a friendly conversation and share your thoughts.

4. Let your neighbors inspire you with their stories. When you hear someone’s story of personal triumph or hardship while standing in line at the neighborhood post office or sitting in the waiting room at your local doctor’s office, you just may be able to relate to this person.

• Because you’re neighbors or friends, it’s as if you have an instant connection. Their story could very well be yours, with a few different details. Seek out their stories and let them inspire you!

5. Watch motivational videos. Websites like YouTube offer a plethora of motivational and inspirational videos. Some videos, such as the late Randy Pausch’s poignant “Last Lecture,” has inadvertently inspired millions, even though it was originally intended for a much more personal audience.

• People often use YouTube to tell their stories, share successes, and offer advice or encouragement. When facing a challenge, or if you need some words of wisdom from someone who’s “been there, done that,” you’ll surely find inspiration here.

The next time you feel like you need some extra inspiration, try these sources. You may be surprised at how well they work to get you happily working toward fulfilling your goals and living the life you desire.

Build Confidence With Daily Affirmations

You can build confidence using daily affirmations! Do you suffer from low self-esteem? When something negative happens in your life, do you beat yourself up about it time and time again?

Focusing on phrases such as: “That was stupid,” “I am so fat,” “No one loves me,” and a host of other negative statements can easily zap the happiness right out of your life.

Luckily, this doesn’t have to be permanent. Positive affirmations can turn your negativity around. Affirmations are simply statements or phrases, which focus on the positive rather than the negative.

These mantras can actually reprogram your subconscious thinking and bring you a plethora of good benefits that you’ll enjoy for years to come!

Here are some easy ways to incorporate positive daily affirmations into your life:

1. Affirmations should always be in the present tense. Begin your statements with “I can” “I have” or “I am,” instead of a phrase like “I will” or “I may.”

• Examples of this would be “I have a beautiful body” and “I am so intelligent,” instead of “I will never be so stupid again.”

• Choose statements that focus on the positive attributes you want to encourage, saying them as if you already exhibit that behavior.

2. Address yourself by name when expressing your affirmations. Believe it or not, this does make a big difference. When you say: “I, Jane Doe, am a beautiful person both inside and out,” it makes your affirmation more powerful because you hear the lovely sound of your own name!

• Using your name in the affirmations allows your subconscious to process the words even quicker.

3. Focus on one or two affirmations to start with. Although you possess many positive attributes, it’s best to focus only on one or two when you’re first starting out. If you start with twenty positive affirmations, your subconscious may be overwhelmed or dismiss the deeper meaning.

• For example, if you meet someone who goes on and on about how great and beautiful you are, what’s your reaction? Usually after the second or third compliment, you tend to wonder if this person is actually being sincere! The same principal applies to practicing many affirmations at once.

• Focus on one or two, and when they’re firmly planted into your subconscious, you can move on to more.

4. Practice your affirmations as often as possible. Our subconscious mind is more open to suggestions when we first open our eyes in the morning and then again when we’re ready to fall asleep at night.

• The more often you recite your affirmations, the faster you’ll experience lasting changes.

5. Don’t fret if you’re having trouble writing your affirmations. There are many books and self-improvement websites that include hundreds of good, daily affirmations. You can then pick out one or two that you’d like to focus on and get started.

• Don’t let something as insignificant as not being able to compose a positive mantra hold you back from making changes and incorporating happiness into your life!

Low self-esteem is something that holds us back from living the life we deserve. You can rebuild your confidence and self-esteem with daily affirmations and experience the joy of life you’ve been missing. Try it and you’ll love it!

Use Positive Affirmations to Discover the Joy in Your Life

Affirmations are simple statements we can use to improve our self-esteem, help us reach a goal, break a bad habit, find love, or even discover joy in our lives. Positive affirmations work hand in hand with our subconscious to make lasting changes for the better.

Many times we may already experience joy, but we don’t know how to celebrate it enough. Sadly, at other times, we aren’t even aware that it’s present. Positive affirmations can help you rediscover that joy, peace, health, and happiness!

Here are some examples of positive affirmations and how they can improve your life:

1. “I’m worth it!” This positive affirmation tells us that we’re deserving of being happy. If you’re feeling dejected or worthless, this affirmation can work wonders.

• By using this affirmation on a consistent basis and coupling it with an open heart, you’ll see results. You’ll realize that you’re more than deserving of happiness and joy.

2. “I go with the flow and my life is easy and filled with happiness.” Are you feeling stuck in rut or completely stressed out? This is an effective positive affirmation that helps you to release all that tension.

• This affirmation helps you rid your mind of negativity so the joy that’s present can shine through.

3. “I see the beauty in my surroundings and I radiate love and joy.” This positive affirmation will help you to notice all that’s beautiful in this world. It will also teach you how to spread love and joy to those around you.

• You can enjoy everything this world has to offer; all you have to do is give yourself permission to celebrate!

4. “I now choose thoughts that nourish and support me in a loving manner.” This will tell your subconscious that you’re serious and you want to make good, positive changes in your life.

• This affirmation helps you open your mind to constructive thoughts so you can celebrate all the joys that life has to offer you.

5. “I can relax and accept the good that I know I deserve in my life.” This is a positive affirmation that will help with your stress and patience.

• No matter how long it may take, you can be confident that only good things await you.

• Even though you may be completely stressed out, this affirmation will help you to relax and slow down.

6. “I take time regularly to do the things that I love to do; I follow my heart and I am happy.” This positive affirmation celebrates someone very important – you! You take the time to make yourself a priority and you’re an active player in your life!

• To be happy is extremely important and joy will follow you wherever you go when you recite this affirmation frequently.

Joy is essential and our lives should be filled with it. Positive affirmations allow us to refocus our lives to a point where we can be happy again. Practice positive affirmations on a regular basis and celebrate all the joy that this life has to offer!

Discovering Happiness in Your Life

Happiness is a choice. It’s true. You can choose to let life’s circumstances get you down or you can choose to be happy no matter what challenges life brings.

Happiness is already within each of us and we are born to be naturally happy! For example, have you ever noticed how infectious a baby’s giggle is? So why is it that, as we get older, we forget where to find happiness within ourselves and, instead, allow outside forces to determine our happiness?

You can determine your own happiness by following these simple strategies:

• When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Cliché, I know, however it’s so true. You don’t have to let life’s troubles and problems get you down. Yes, there will always be troubles because no one is perfect, but you can choose your reaction to situations. Look at the positive side of things and work hard to see the good in people and circumstances.

• Find something you love to do and do it. Do you have a lifelong dream or desire? If so, start working toward it. Taking baby steps towards a dream or goal will help you feel like you’re accomplishing something. You’ll find drive and determination to reach that goal when it’s something you love to do.

• Do you have a gift or talent you’re not using? One reason so many people are unhappy is that they’re not doing what they’re called to do with their God-given talents. Each and every one of us has a purpose in life. You have natural gifts and talents to help you achieve your purpose, so use your gifts effectively!

• When you’re feeling down, don’t wallow in your sorrows alone; do something about it. Call a friend who you know is positive and cheerful. Talk about your feelings and listen to their advice. So often, people allow themselves to go deeper and deeper into self-pity or depression because they think it has to be that way. The truth is, you don’t have to be sad and you shouldn’t be. You can decide to be happy. You just have to make up your minds to do so.

• Think about all the things you have to be thankful for. Often you get so caught up in what’s wrong with your life that you forget to look at what’s right and good. Take a step back and reflect on your life. How far have you come from, say, six months ago?

• Do you have children or family to be thankful for? Yes, they may not be everything we’d like them to be, but imagine life without them. Now, be thankful that you have them in your life.

• Do you have a job? Maybe it’s not your dream job, but in today’s economy, those of us who have a job should be thankful for it.

• When you’re feeling down, journal your thoughts and feelings. Often you’ll find that just getting your feelings down on paper will allow you to work through them, helping you to feel better about yourself and your beautiful life!

If you’ve been prone to look at life negatively, then you’ll have to put more effort into seeing and choosing happiness. But don’t let that stop you from being happy! You, too, can learn to be happy.

Practice the steps above and train your mind to focus intensely on the positives. When you feel a negative thought coming on, or your mind gravitates toward the negative, learn to recognize it, stop it in its tracks, and then start thinking happier thoughts.

Starting from this moment onward, make the conscious choice to be happy!

Stop Living in Fear of a Financial Meltdown

Everywhere you go, you hear about how awful the economy is, but you don’t have to let all the talk of our country’s financial meltdown get you down. You can keep your cool.

Don’t let fear of the future take control of your mind and emotions. When we live in fear, we make bad decisions, think irrationally, and are in a reactive mode. Living in fear actually makes the situation far worse.

To help overcome the fear of your financial future, here are some proactive things you can do:

• Turn off the news. Why would you want to listen to bad news over and over? We already know the state of the economy, so listening to a news reporter talk doom and gloom all the time isn’t necessary.

• Ensure you’re on a budget and living within your means. If you need to cut back, then find ways to do so. There are many, many ways to reduce the cost of living with a little planning and effort. Here are some examples:

• Reduce your cell phone bill
• Get rid of your land line if you have a cell phone
• Shut off the cable (who needs it anyway?)
• Turn off the lights and unplug electronic devices when not in use
• Turn your thermostat down in winter and wear sweaters to keep warm
• Open windows in the summer instead of turning on the air conditioner
• Use coupons and shop for the weekly sales at your local grocery store

• Plan ahead by setting up an emergency fund. Of course, this involves living on a budget so you can save enough money from your income for emergencies. An emergency fund is usually a minimum of $1,000 in savings at all times and is used for emergencies only, like unexpected vehicle repairs or medical needs. If you can afford more, then save more!

• Plan for the future by getting rid of debt and using cash only. Again, this requires living on a budget, but it can be done.

How to Budget in a Recession

Since we’re talking about budgeting so much and it’s the best way to keep your cool during the financial meltdown, let’s talk about ways to set up a budget and reduce debt.

• Figure out your income after taxes. Know what you’re bringing in each month so you can determine how much you have to spend. Sounds obvious, but why is it so common for people to spend way more than they make? Far too often, people don’t know how much they really make, nor where the money goes!

• Make sure your living needs are met. These things include your house payment, utilities, food, and property taxes.

• Next, make sure your transportation to get to and from work is taken care of. Things like your vehicle payment, gas and maintenance. This is one area you may be able to cut back on as well. If you’re making a car payment, try to sell the car and buy a used one with cash. You may also want to consider taking public transportation more often.

• Pay off credit card debt. Start paying off the card with the highest interest rate first. Once that card is paid off, put your payments toward the card with the next highest interest rate and so on, until each card is paid off. You may also want to contact a financial planner to discuss consolidating the debt to make it more manageable.

• Once your credit card debt is paid off, begin putting all the money you were paying out into savings. The goal is to build your savings up to at least 6 months worth of income in case something happens, like job loss or disability.

By following the steps above, with diligence and determination, you can be debt free and survive the financial meltdown! Of course, this won’t happen overnight and you’ll probably have to adjust your lifestyle so you can live below your means, but doing so will help secure your future financially.

Building Self Confidence through Positive Self Talk

Whether you’re at work or just facing a bad day at home, there are many things you can do to make sure you’re back in the saddle and feeling more confident about life. One of the best ways to regain your self-confidence is to give yourself a little pep talk.

The idea of positive self-talk, or positive thinking, is something many coaches and counselors suggest to their clients and nearly everyone can benefit from it. Have you ever been in a situation where you think a little bit of positive reinforcement could make things a lot easier? Don’t wait for someone else to lift your spirits; take a moment and realize you can easily do it yourself!

Be Proactive and Gain Confidence

Having negative thoughts, even about a single project at work, can often impact your entire outlook on life. You may begin to believe that you’re in a trap of bad luck or that things will never get better, but in reality, the only way for things to get better is to make positive changes and that takes both action and self-confidence.

• When faced with a difficult situation that leaves negative feelings, step away for a few minutes and take some deep breaths. Think about a resolution to the problem, come up with a smart action plan, then return to propose your plan. Removing yourself from the situation will help minimize those negative feelings while allowing you to gain some perspective.

What Makes You Special?

Another way to lift your spirits and give yourself a confidence boost is to remind yourself of your accomplishments, both at home and at work.

• Did a client praise your work? Have you been promoted? Do co-workers come to you for advice? Do friends marvel at your decorating flair? Each person is so much more complex than what’s visible on the outside. Allow yourself to delve deeper into your soul and treasure what makes you unique.

Rediscover your personal strengths or hobbies that make you proud and happy.

• Do you love to cook? Have you traveled extensively? Do you play an instrument? Do you play competition sports? These are all accomplishments you should be proud of because you took the time to develop these different facets of your life.

Think about the journey you took to reach those accomplishments. If something was too easy, you may place less importance on the final outcome, but when you are able to face and overcome serious challenges, it makes you a stronger and more determined person.

How Do I Use Positive Self-Talk?

The term positive self-talk might scare some people away, thinking it involves talking to yourself out loud. Although you may choose to say positive affirmations out loud, it’s enough to just think positively about your accomplishments and what makes you special.

If you’re having trouble thinking about your strengths, sit down in a quiet spot and make a list of everything that makes you unique. Taking some extra time to write these things down will help reinforce them in your mind.

• Once the list is written, post it in a place where you’ll see it everyday. Starting your day positively will make the small nuisances disappear.

If necessary, make copies of these lists so you can take one with you. Anytime you feel down or upset, take out your list and read it. You are a fabulous person and this list proves it!

This list isn’t written in stone; it should be a continuously changing list, just as we continuously change ourselves. So be sure to constantly add to your list as you achieve more accomplishments!

Everyone Can Benefit From Positive Thinking

As you build your self-confidence with positive self-talk, you might feel silly at first but you’ll still benefit from the experience. Whenever you feel overwhelmed, stop and give yourself a little pep talk. Reassure yourself that you’re strong, that you can get through anything, and that success is within your grasp.

• Remembering that everyone goes through ups and downs in life will help you face the day more positively.

Thoughts and feelings are what make us human. Everyone experiences negative emotions, but if these negative feelings seem to cling to you everyday, then finding ways to dissolve that negative energy can be empowering.

Your life is yours to control so don’t wait for others to help. Positive thinking and positive self-talk can help you come out of the darkness and into the light.

How to Live Consciously

Have you ever seen ants marching in search of food? They just follow one another in an almost endless game that seems to drone on and on. Does your life feel like an ant’s life – as if you’re going from day to day, doing the same thing, the same way, and nothing ever changes?

If so, then there’s a very good probability you’re not living consciously.

Conscious living is being aware of your life and the things you’re doing. It’s about taking the time to stop and smell the roses so you can see where you fit into the whole picture. Living consciously is a vital component in enjoying the fleeting moments we have on Earth.

It’s important to take note of what’s going on around us and be aware of what we’re doing. Living consciously brings us an understanding of what we’re capable of doing and paves the way for us to get where we want to go.

Benefits of Conscious Living

Perhaps you’re wondering, “What’s in it for me?” Conscious living brings with it many benefits, which you may already be seeking in your life.

Here are just a few of these benefits:

1. Relieve stress. Conscious living can be a great stress reliever. Not only does it make life more enjoyable when you alleviate your stress, but it also makes you healthier. Stress affects every process in our bodies and can cause serious disease if it builds up within us.

2. Expand your horizons. As you become more aware of your surroundings, you’ll find that you can better understand the world and your place in it.

3. Live in the moment. Throughout the day, you’ll be more focused on your work because you’re consciously acting on a specific task in the moment.

4. Enjoy more passion in your relationships. While living consciously, your relationships will become more meaningful because you’ll be appreciative of them as well as the other person. You’ll be more in tune with your partner and aware of every want and need.

5. Know your importance. Your job will become more fulfilling because you’re more conscious of your role in the grand scheme of things. You no longer just answer a phone or hand someone a photocopy, but you are consciously making a difference.

6. Bring color into your world. Your surroundings will become more vibrant because you’ll notice things like the subtle differences between the shades of the trees and the direction of the soft breeze.

7. Being conscious of life makes life more fun. When you’re living consciously, bad days are few and far between.

Action Steps to Living Consciously

Luckily, transforming your humdrum life into one filled with vibrant joy is easier than you may think! You can make some simple adjustments to your everyday routines to live consciously and more fully enjoy your life.

Here are some action steps you can take to bring conscious living to your life:

1. Stop. Take some time to stop throughout the day and look around. Be aware of where you are and what’s around you. Become conscious of your surroundings and notice how you fit into them.

• Notice the details such as the green on the trees, or the condensation dripping down the side of the cup.

• Become in tune with what your body feels and actually search out the sensations of your fingers and toes while feeling your chest rise and fall with each breath.

2. Breathe. Take deep breaths and be in the moment. Don’t think about what you’ve done or what you still have to do, just take a minute or two to just breathe!

3. Learn. Take a few minutes each day to try something new. Pick up a book you’ve wanted to read or learn a new skill. By doing this, you’re starting to become conscious of your life and the things you can do with it.

There are many things you can do to live life to its fullest. Living consciously is one of the easiest changes to make on a day-to-day basis. Take a few of these ideas, integrate them into your routine, and begin enjoying the benefits of living consciously!

Self Empowerment

Self Empowerment

When you take positive steps to feel self empowered and practice feeling positive everyday, sooner or later this will have profound changes upon your personality.

Self empowerment should be recognised as a very positive thing in our personal lives. Not only do we begin to feel great as a person on the inside but all around us, things can and do change for the better. Our relationships with our family members improve. Our relationships with other people in the workplace improve too.

What’s more by the process of self empowerment we begin to start feeling a lot more confident of our own abilities. This self empowered confidence can also rub off on other people around around us as they too, begin to follow our lead. Self empowerment followed all the way through forges stronger, more meaningful relationships and ultimately our lives feel Read more