Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Food for Thought on Love

***For those ISO LOVE, here is some food for thought:

By default.... (1) People make conscious decisions based on subconscious feelings, then justify their decisions with reasons that sound good........

(2)People subconsciously grow dependent upon those who satisfy their emotional needs.....

(3) People are most attracted to those who exhibit some degree of aloofness and emotional independence... and my favorite....

(4) People want what they can't have.

The way to true love is not to sit back and wait for the person of your dreams to magically appear. Rather, it involves choosing the one YOU want above all others, and then winning their heart. If you haven't figured out why your relationships have failed in the past, then you are at the mercy of fate. Not the way to approach the game of love!

There is always a reason why a relationship succeeds or fails. A clear and accurate understanding of what went wrong is vital to your future success.

Remember relationships need the Big 4 and here they are…

Friendship

Respect

Passion

& Communication

If one of these four elements is missing, your relationship is doomed to fail.... Yes, you might ask how cum Trust in not in the top 4. Well, Trust to me earns the "0" place. It would be silly to be with someone that we wouldn't be able to trust. Without trust, none of the other 4 elements would stand a chance.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

4 Rules To Love By

1. Never disparage your partner.I find most people in relationships are usually looking to return to "that feeling" you have when you first fall in love. From my personal experience, the loss of this feeling comes from each partner losing the respect they had for the other when they first met. Remember your love will NOT be perfect, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve your respect and love. Don't try to make your partner "better." You loved them exactly the way they were when you first met them. Don't let time change that.

2. Never let your partner disparage you.Personal integrity is valuable asset. Lose that and you lose your identity as a being. Everyone deserves to be treated with value and love. If you have a partner who doesn't respect you, talk to them about it. Let them know how you feel. If it's not something they are willing to change... find someone else. It may not seem like it now but you'll be happier in the long run.

3. Keep your romance alive.Contrary to popular opinion, romance doesn't just exist. After some period of time you do have to put in effort to keep it alive. It doesn't have to be much. In fact, the most romantic people I know just take the time to do the little things to make their partner feel special. Make a commitment to do something romantic at least every day. Remember, even taking the time to really listen to how your partner's day went can be considered romantic!

4. Always be honest.Nothing can damage a relationship more than dishonesty, even white lies. In every case, honesty is the best policy. This also means... don't put yourself in situations you feel the need to lie about. Relationships are built on trust. Once broken it's very difficult to rebuild. Avoid, at any cost, falling into this trap.

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

"Scotomas"

Do you know what Scotomas are? Everyone has them and they can keep you from seeing the opportunities all around you.

Have you ever heard of a "Scotoma?" It's what doctors call the defect that blocks sight in one part of our visual field. It's also a term I use to describe our occasional failure to see what's right in front of us because we build our own Scotoma, or mental blind spot, to it.

You see for the most part, we see what we expect to see or what we look for, not what is really there. What we expect to see is determined by our beliefs about reality. If we believe the world is a hostile, unfriendly place, we'll see evidence to support that belief everywhere we look. But if we believe people are basically good and that the world is a supportive, friendly place, that's what we'll see and experience.

Now, our beliefs are mostly a matter of how we have been conditioned since birth. But once we become adults, it is possible to become aware of our conditioning, our belief systems, and even our Scotomas.

We can choose to expand our consciousness, remove our blind spots, and adopt beliefs that will help us grow instead of clinging to expectations and attitudes that keep us suspicious and small. By the simple act of making this choice, we actually start the wheels of a better future turning.

And by the daily affirmation of goals that support our commitment, we become top-notch Scotoma Busters, and then we really start to grow!

Lou Tice

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

"Building A Better World"

How do we build a better society, a better world? Today, I will give you my prescription for a better world.

I got an e-mail the other day with a special request. This person wrote, "I'
ve been reading your words lately as you talk about raising kids and dealing with conflict and adversity, and the importance of self-respect and self-esteem. Now, would you please talk about how we can build a better world."

I'd be glad to. In fact, I have been all along. Because, you know, if we want a world with more intelligence, more clear thinking and honesty, more goodwill and brotherhood, what we have to do is cultivate these qualities in ourselves first.

There is a natural progression in social advancement from the individual to the family, then out to the community, the nation and the world. The line of progress can move in no other direction. Every time you show tolerance and understanding, all of us live in a more tolerant world.

Every time you reach out to help someone in need or show kindness to another, with no thought of personal gain, you improve the quality of society in general. Every time you grow as a person, as a parent, as a human being in community with others around you, you change the delicate balance of life on earth.

So, you see, the most important thing you can do to make a better world, is make a better you.

Lou Tice

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

"Everyone Can Learn"

Do you know people who talk about kids who can learn and kids who can't? Or, kids who can be helped and kids who can't? Well, they are wrong, and I'll tell you why.

Some 30-odd years ago, the great Japanese teacher, Dr. Suzuki, who taught over 20,000 children to understand and play the violin like virtuosi, had some words of wisdom to share with us. He said, " People today are like gardeners who look sadly at ruined saplings and shake their heads, saying the seeds must have been bad to start with - not realizing that the seed was all right, and that it was their method of cultivation that was wrong. They go on their mistaken way, ruining plant after plant. It is imperative that the human race escape from this vicious circle."

Dr. Suzuki did not believe that some children were gifted while others were not. He believed that every child could be superior, and that every child could be educated. Talent, he believed, was no accident of birth, but a purposeful effort, a powerful creation.

Let's teach our children to understand that when they see someone of ability, they see a person who has been carefully taught, and who has worked hard to realize their unlimited potential. Let's teach them that they have the same unlimited potential. And let's teach them to believe in sustained effort, self-discipline and self-determination.

We have the opportunity and the ability to raise an entire generation of superstars every day. Why would we settle for less?

Lou Tice
The Pacific Institute