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Wednesday, 15 October 2008
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Are There Lucky People?
Most of us know lucky people, those who seem to lived a charmed life. They may not even be all that smart, and yet they seem to almost stumble into good situations. Opportunities open up for them, things are "handed" to them. Perhaps they win in the stock market, find a dream job, or get married to their ideal spouse.
Then there are the unlucky people. Maybe you know a few of these as well. Some of them may even be very intelligent or well educated, and yet they're unlucky in love, lose money on investments, miss opportunities, and have unexpected bad things happen.
You might be somewhere between these two extremes. You have some good luck, and you have your share of "bad luck" as well. But have you ever tried to learn how to be one of the lucky people?
Generally there are two approaches to the idea of luck. Some think it is a random or mysterious thing that we have no control over, while others say it doesn't exist, that what we call luck is hard work, or a lazy way to explain cause and effect. Yet we all see that some people have easier successes, whether we call it luck or not. What both approaches tend to miss is the obvious question: How can you become one of these "lucky people?"
The answer to that starts with avoiding that mistake right there. Stop arguing about definitions. It's more profitable to make good things happen. Does it really matter if you earn the title of "lucky" even though you feel that "luck" had nothing to do with it? The bottom line is that good results are good results, whatever they are called.
One Thing Lucky People Do Differently
There are many things that lucky people do differently, and there is even serious research that demonstrates this. It has been shown that people who are identified as lucky smile more often, for example. And among those who are superstitious (entirely unnecessary for luck), the research shows lucky people have more positive beliefs, like crossing the fingers, while those who avoid black cats and fear the number thirteen have less luck.
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Monday, 13 October 2008
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Wanna Get Lucky? Four Ways To Increase Your Luck And Good Fortune
Are you lucky in life? Really… do you feel like you’re a lucky person? Not that you have a perfect life, but that things just seem to always work out for you. Even apparent negative situations end up turning into something better. Do great opportunities simply fall into your lap? Do you meet (attract) the right people in your life? If so, then you are truly a lucky person, if not, you can quickly increase your good fortune.
A few days ago I was at a coffee shop with a buddy of mine.
Sitting deep in an overstuffed blue chair, I listened to my friend talk about how lucky my life is. I never really thought about it before, but he is right. I put down my cinnamon smelling coffee and nestled back into my chair, taking in and trying to digest his compliments.
A bit later, I mentioned that I need to find a topic for my article this month. He immediately said, “Why don’t you write about how to be a lucky person!” I chuckled to myself, because I would have never thought about that in a million years, but it intuitively felt so right. I knew that the Universe had just winked at me with a confirmation.
Coincidently, I had read a study held in England a few years ago about lucky people and was mesmerized by the information. I remembered how the qualities of these people really described my attitude about life. Even though luck is difficult to measure and I certainly don’t have a college degree in “good fortune”, I knew I could write a great article and help many of my readers. I was stoked to get started writing.
He said, “goodbye”, gave me a hug and left his empty ceramic cup still dripping with foam next to my chair. All around me, the coffee shop conversations were mumbling into my ears. I quietly sank deeper into my chair and started to type. I must have been in a trance, because with only one refill the article poured out of my Soul and into my laptop. I wrote the first draft in less than two hours. Wow, how lucky can I get, since I originally thought I was going to need the entire weekend to write.
Whether you believe you are lucky or not, most people think that luck is not real or at best a random activity that can’t be chosen or developed. You might think that people stumble into good things by accident. How then do you explain when a friend calls you at the last minute with free tickets to a sold out show you’ve been dying to see? Or when you turn around to quickly drive back home, because you “forgot something” and a long lost friend is standing at your door, but had no way to contact you except to stop by and hope you’d be home. Is this coincidence or something much more magical?
I believe becoming a lucky person is easy when you understand the characteristics of these blessed people. Consider for a moment that luck isn’t random after all! There is an attitudinal structure underlying every fortunate human being. And anyone who is wiling to change their mental-emotional habits can increase their good fortune and become lucky.
The English studied showed what naturally lucky individuals have in common with each other. They discovered a set of four qualities that set them apart from the “unlucky”. The cool thing is that people who developed these attitudinal qualities started to increase their own good fortune very quickly!
Four Qualities of Lucky People
1. Lucky people are mindful and present. They pay attention to the present moment and aren’t preoccupied thinking about the past (disappointment) or fearing the future (worry). They naturally choose to live in the present moment. This allows them to notice and seize new opportunities, instead of being distracted, confused or simply unaware.
2. They value their “intuition” as much as “logic and reason”. They tend to look at both the “bigger picture” and also the details of the “little picture” in their lives. They’re open to an intuitive sense of possibilities (bigger picture) and how it can fit into their current situation. They are neither stuck in the details nor dreaming about the future. Instead, they bring these two perceptions together; awareness of the big and little picture, the possibilities and the actuality of their lives, simultaneously. This offers them a way to set goals and make a plan that works.
3. Lucky people have a positive relationship with the future. They are hopeful about the unknown (future) instead of being fearful. Even though they don’t have all the answers, they’re naturally optimistic and open. They refuse to fantasize about what could go wrong and instead focus on “what can go right”. They feel positive even when things appear to be negative. Simply put… they don’t let negativity get in the way of their plans and dreams.
4. They are self empowered and take responsibility. They refuse to hang out in feelings of powerlessness, apathy or self-pity. They don’t believe that life happens to them nor are they a victim of circumstances. They know that what they think and feel about themselves and the future matters. They believe that opportunities are a direct result of their attitude, thoughts, feelings and actions. Simply put, they embrace their inner power and choose to live their lives with responsibility.
The study also revealed that most lucky people had fairly large social circles. They make friends easily and are socially connected to their community. They’re naturally outgoing because they really enjoy people and tend to be non-judgmental. They get involved with their community. They believe that people are inherently good, beautiful and caring, this tends to make them popular individuals.
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Sunday, 12 October 2008
Thursday, 09 October 2008
Wednesday, 08 October 2008
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Lucky Bamboo Care
Quick Tips: Lucky Bamboo Care
As millions of “lucky” consumers around the world have discovered, Lucky Bamboo makes the perfect house or office plant, needing little care but an inch of water and little direct sunlight to keep it happy and thriving…
What is Lucky Bamboo?
Known for centuries as Lucky Bamboo, the plant is not a bamboo at all (botanical name: Dracaena) but a resilient member of the lily family that grows in the dark, tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia and Africa.
How Much Care Does Lucky Bamboo Need?
Keep water fresh by changing it every week, and always keep water levels at approximately an inch from the base of the canes. Lucky Bamboo prefers plenty of indirect sunlight and room temperatures at 65-70°. Although opinions differ on feeding, your Lucky Bamboo is a living organism, so it makes sense to occasionally add a mild solution to the water such as African Violet fertilizer. Since growth can be controlled by feeding, small amounts of fertilizer will keep the plant at a manageable size.
Why Are the Leaves Turning Yellow?
Two of the most common factors are 1.) too much direct sunlight; and 2.) too salty or heavily-fluoridated tap water. To give your new Lucky Bamboo a thriving start be sure to keep it away from direct sunlight, and water only with filtered or natural spring water.
Why Is It Called “Lucky” Bamboo?
Along with its ease of growth, Lucky Bamboo has long been associated with the Eastern practice of Feng Shui - or the bringing of natural elements of water, fire, earth, wood and metal into balance within the environment. Lucky Bamboo is believed to be an ideal example of the thriving wood and water element, with the addition of a red ribbon sometimes tied around the stalks - which is believed to “fire” the positive flow of energy or chi in the room. The number of stalks also has meaning : three stalks for happiness; five stalks for wealth; six stalks for health. Four stalks, however, are always avoided - since the word “four” in Chinese sounds too similar to the Chinese word for “death”!
Can I Take Cuttings from Lucky Bamboo?
Yes. New stalks can be propagated from the original plant by using a sharp knife to cut through a stalk - just below the joint. Place the cutting in fresh, clean water. A fine mist spray to stalks is sometimes suggested to stimulate new bud growth.
How Do I Repot Bamboo?
Like any other houseplant, Lucky Bamboo can be transferred to a vase or pot 2 inches larger than the original, or planted permanently into a loose sand or soil mixture that provides lots of bottom drainage. To avoid root rot, be careful to let the top of the soil dry out between waterings.
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- Name: American Gift Club
- Gender: Female
- Member Since: 3/23/2008
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