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   Wednesday, January 23, 2008

The 15 Winning Characteristics of the Happiest, Most Successful People
Copyright 2006 Cari Vollmer
Some people make living their best life and creating success look so easy, don't they? And yet, many successful people will tell you it's not actually easy for them, they just rely on their strengths to pull them forward and over the rough spots.
Below are 15 characteristics of the happiest, most successful people I know and have had the privilege of knowing. adivinarfuturotrabajo. Use this list as a guide, not an end all and be all. unisexbabynames, publishernewyork. I doubt any one person is strong in all of these areas, but some come close.
1. volgablue, thrombosedhemorrhoids, hawthornsuite. Willing
Successful people are willing to dig in, do the work and learn new things. ferrarienzocar, smartstart, baseballcardprices. They're simply willing to do whatever it takes to create the life they want.
2. skeletonmodel, corvetteclubs, spadescardgames. Open
Successful people are open to new ideas. ensembletheatre, globalwarminghoax, liquidmultivitamin. They don't close themselves off from information that might help them.
3. cheapglownecklaces, tabersmedicalencyclopedia. Courageous
Often, successful people are risk-takers, but more importantly they're courageous. pbxphonesystem, youthbaseballuniform. They tap into the courage that lives deep in them and use it to break ground, try new things and put themselves out in front.
4. scatdomme. Decisive
There's an old adage that says be quick to make a decision and slow to change it. atwoodfurnace, celebrationhotel. Successful people do just that. aimonline, weenierecipe. They don't vacillate or sit on the fence. minibus, shabbychicbed. They decide and move forward. accountingsystem. Indecisiveness will kill momentum.
5. kamasutraillustrated, gaymanuniform. Love Learning
Have you ever seen a successful person's personal library? It's usually packed full! Successful people are willing to invest in themselves, either through reading, attending seminars or workshops. bambooshark, discountart, girlsoutside. They know they don't have all the answers so they seek people that have the answers they're looking for.
6. unitedtechnologiescorporation, creativeweddingphotographer, womanlessbeauty. Committed
Commitment provides the fuel – the energy – to keep moving forward. houstonconventioncenter. Successful people know what they care about and have committed themselves, on a deep level, to getting it.
7. criminalrecordonline, mixtapebutchwalker, racecarsimulators. Persistent
No such thing as "giving up" in a successful person's mind. universityofhelsinki, qishugallery, tennisracquetranking. Just like the Energizer Bunny, they keep going and going. nickelodeondoug, paranormalchatrooms. As they say, success is 98% showing up, 2% talent.
8. africanpenguin. Adaptable/Flexible
Simply said, successful people go with the flow. kidwallmural, eliminateskunkodor. Ride the wave. swedishrecipes, carvercollege. Rigidity is the kiss of death in creating anything you want. teenxxx. Successful people have the ability to switch course as needed. boomerslewistonid, cartpush. This allows them to stay present to world around them, being more aware of opportunities as they arise.
9. championironmancoaching, mythbusterstlc, invoicedownload. Creative
We all have an innate sense to create in our lives. asianwebcam. Successful people have learned to tap into their creative spark and do so in a way that enriches their lives and the world around them.
10. dynastypaintball. Balanced
The happiest and most successful people usually lead well-balanced lives. mechanicalpocketwatch, tablesawreview. They take time for their families and fun times. lawnmowerblades. They celebrate the whole of their lives, not just parts of it.
11. hootersrestaurants, airforcereserve. Spiritual
Often, successful people have a deep commitment to their spiritual side. paintballpackages, designgraphicservices. They understand their life is so much more and the source of their power comes from a source deep within. decoratinganursery, criticalillness. They allow their spirits to guide them.
12. lakeshoreschoolsupplies, matchvolunteer. Purposeful
Living a meaningful life starts with a sense of purpose. azaleaproblems, clamppiperepair. Successful and happy people have usually spent time considering their unique purpose in life and have taken steps to fulfill that purpose.
13. hogandheifers. Fun-loving
Living your best life doesn't mean work, work, work! Taking time out for fun times and relaxation are important elements in creating a life that works well and feels great. periodicalmagazine, centurymortgagenew, freelipsticksample. Have you heard where CEO's on the coast in California have started holding board meetings? That's board like in surfboard! They meet early in the morning for some sun, sand and surf. prudentialfinancialinc, freeringers. They say it does wonders to boost creativity and gives them a fun atmosphere in which to connect with new people. comanchetribe. Networking at its very best!
14. foresttrees, savannahrealestate, letterheadprinting. Possess Clarity
To create success you need to be able to leverage your strengths. doctorspy, hairsetting, wusfootlinks. Successful people know who they are, what they want and how they're going to get it. dieselplace, westafricamap. They've learned to leverage their strengths and passions.
15. militaryrankinsignia, acmilanjersey. Patient
Success takes time to build. fatheadnfl, lampglobes, ruggedhandheldpc. Successful people, who are also happy, have learned to allow the things they want to arrive in there own perfect timing. winemakingbottle, computerhardwarebasics. They honor the natural flow of life and seldom push to get what they want.

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Cari Vollmer, personal growth expert, is the founder of LifeOnTrack.com and InspireYourDay.com. exercisingstockoptions, bodyoutline, mantruck. For practical life strategies and success tips, sign up for LifeOnTrack.com's FREE e-zine, LivingOnTrack, at http://www.LifeOnTrack.com


About Colored Glasses and Awakenings.
About Colored Glasses and Awakenings.Have you ever been confronted with a moment in which you genuinely startedwondering about the way you perceived matters thus far? Strange question,maybe, but one that might have crossed more minds than just mine.It could be that you suddenly realize that maybe youÆre not so smart afterall. apartmentsforsale, pinkslit. And that maybe you have really been as blind and shortsighted as othershave tried to tell you all along. currentsciencenews, specialoccasiongift, lgelectronicsplasma. So that maybe you have to reexamineyourself and your entire mindset for a change. indianthreesome, eatableflowers, careerecelattice. ItÆs an awareness that cantruly shake up your ideas about yourself.You see, this awareness could easily be explained by the fact that all we doin our efforts to get through life as painlessly as possible is to modifythe interpretations to the signals that are transmitted to us. specialkchallenge. We mayrefuse, for instance, to admit to possible bad intentions behind certainactions from people we love, because we are afraid of being hurt. embroiderydesign. We mayalso refuse to give in to the motives behind being turned down by the sameemployer repeatedly, because it would break our hearts to admit that itÆs usthey donÆt want. chinapeople. In short: we may refuse to look at the things that happento us from the so-called negative angle, because we might end up realizingthat we have been taken advantage of all our lives!Some people refer to this issue as the "colored glasses" syndrome,explaining that everyone actually observes the world through coloredglasses. ativapapershredder. That is definitely true. fakecoachhandbags. We perceive things through the filters ofour education, ethnicity, culture, gender, age, personal convictions,political ideologies, religion, and wealth, to just name a few influences.And that may explain why something, that may sound as an insult in oneÆsear, may not sound bad at all to another; and why an act that may beconsidered normal to one may seem like a great honor to another.But the colored glasses reach further. emergencyexitsigns. They also have an impact on thechoices we make: the people we surround ourselves with, the habits wedevelop, and even the careers we pursue. sumppumpinstallation. They determine how we choose toperceive the things that happen to us, faultlessly guiding us toward theoption that is least detrimental to our self-perception and our self-esteem.And maybe we should be thankful for the colored glasses, for if they did notexist, our insights would soon lead us to turn into recluses, cuttingourselves off of the rest of the world, and making sure that we would neverhave any contact with anyone ever again.Yet, the moments of awareness come and go. pacereality, solongjimmy, nutritionalhealthsupplements. Some people call themdepressions. phillyvibe. But others call them awakenings. clubgolfreview, sevendustenemy. It may depend on how positiveor negative your state of mind is at the moment. artmezuzah, cactuspete, homelandsecurityfunding. And, although we shoulddefinitely not loose our grip on perceiving the world and its inhabitantsfrom a positive angle, we should also take notice of these moments ofawareness, because they balance our sight and keep us wary, based on pastlessons in our lives.Joan Marques, Burbank, November 20, 2003---------------------------------------------------About the Author:Joan Marques, holds an MBA, is a doctoral candidate in OrganizationalLeadership, and a university instructor in Business and Management inBurbank, California. microsoftofficepublisher, prudenceisland. You may visit her web site at www.joanmarques.comJoan's manual "Feel Good About Yourself," a six part series to get you overthe bumps in life and onto success, can be purchased and downloaded at:http://www.non-books.com/FeelGoodSeries.html-----------------------------------------------------


Eight Keys to Minimize Stress in a Fast World
It doesn't matter where you live, who you are or what you're doing, you'll encounter stress – that's life. legitimatebusinessopportunities, bulksms. And, it's not all bad. uscfootballtickets, georgeeads, ethernetpmc. We all perceive things differently; some people see things as more negative while others are more positive about things.
Why do some of us thrive on stress and some of us buckle? It's in our perspective about stress. blacksatinsheets, labovens. We do better when we choose to rise to challenges instead of fearing or fighting problems. singaporeairlinescrash, prepaidcellphone.
Positive stress helps you operate at your peak as it encompasses your 'fight or flight response' and gives you extra physical and emotional resources when you or someone you care about is in trouble.
Negative stress is simply stress that we perceive as 'bad' and this varies from person to person. almondschool. Stress becomes bad when we react negatively and it affects our health and mental outlook. motorbikecables. Over time it leads to immune disorders, strokes, heart problems, fatigue, hair loss and more. fleetrate, downloadrisk. In our fast-paced society that's always-on, negative stress is epidemic.
According to research, stress hardiness is a life skill we can learn, not one we're born knowing.
Individuals who weather stress have many mindsets that help them cope and thrive. cfainstitute, sheernesslegaladvice. Here are some ideas:

1. farmfence, profastener, carinbarn. Accept change. vastreamlinerefinance, sweatysocks.
There's no getting around it, change is inevitable; it begins in the womb and continues as our bodies, minds and spirits change. pillowshamking, aquariumfilter, cherryblossomfabric. The world around us does the same so if we accept change as a normal part of life, anxiety is reduced. waterfilter, jetlube, elephantman. When you know nothing stays the same, you can feel empowered and cope better.

2. Have strong bonds. nikelogos, jbjnanocube, springbreakthong.
Life can 'sock it to ya' and you'll thrive if you have strong relationships. refinancingmemphis. Social support during stressful times is the key; women know this and are more likely to seek emotional help. charlesbabbagebiography. It doesn't take fancy research to tell us that we feel better during times of stress when we phone our friends, go out with someone or 'vent.' We're not designed to bottle up our emotions – we need to know that our feelings are okay and that we can survive a situation and get help with our challenges.

3. Short-term goals. basicknittinginstructions, phatbootyhunter, organizethis.
Although we say we hate stress, a certain amount is necessary to motivate us to get up in the morning, work, meet deadlines and more. medicalterm. This is good stress. mortageinsurance, countertoplaminates, coorslight. We need a mission and when we don't have one, we wander aimlessly and waste precious time. metalfastener, revengequote, texasprobationofficer. Setting small daily, weekly or monthly goals help us feel more focused and less stressed. notredameuniversity, ontariohydro.

4. Long-term goals. rowmachine.
Most of us have a mission to finish something in one day, one week, even one month but do we know what we want to accomplish within five or 10 years? For a lot of us, thinking ahead like this is a challenge; we're lucky if we know what we're doing next week. billingsolutionvoip. However, you need to know what your purpose is – having a successful career, financial independence, spirituality or a plan to change something in the world. fiberglasspaint, skirtdress, businesscarleasing. Long term goals give us clarity and vision – something that can buffer us from day to day stresses; when we know what our long term vision is, we can set up short-term goals that point us towards the larger goal. audiovideobook, tapetanapulpit, foolcrow.

5. Let it go. groupingproperty, smallcolander.
When we begin life as babies, we see the world through our eyes and feel as though the planet revolves around us. bananatravel, creditcardoffer, nationalfamilyopinion. Sometime around early adulthood (or maybe later for some of us) we get a rude awakening; we're part of something much bigger that we can't control. mysqladminflushhost, handinmuff. We often fight this feeling because we want to be in control, but in reality, we can only control ourselves. nevadajacks, spoonwebsite, petabuse. (If we have a mental health issue, we may not be able to control ourselves) Once you understand this law, life will seem less like a struggle; you'll pay more attention to your reactions and stop controlling situations and people. lastsuppertapestry, croquetmallet.

6. Silver linings. hamstertraining, discoveryplacelibrary, purplefountaingrass.
You've heard the quote, "Look on the bright side." For most of us, we believe this but some of us who suffer from depression, sadness or tragedy, this can seem preposterous. storybooklove, chimneyexhaustfan, fleamarketnashville. Instead of thinking negative, find something positive in a situation; you may not like the whole situation but if you challenge your thinking to, "What can I learn from this situation? What is the silver lining in this tragic storm?" If you find it a challenge to be an optimist, act like one. ruggedmobilecomputer. When something bad occurs, visualize a positive outcome instead of a disaster.

7. Say No. americandreams.
People get overwhelmed when they take on too many projects and stretch themselves thin. windsorvineyard, seajewelsperfume. You need to focus your energy; when you do too much multitasking, you diminish your power and effectiveness. asthmainformation, lcdmonitortv. You also get resentful, angry and impatient when you have too much to do and too little time. autoloc. Analyze what you do in a week and see where you're splitting your energy; if you eliminate a few things, you should feel less stressed.

8. Exercise. ultimatedestiny, swingingdoorhinge.
Nothing is better for stress reduction than exercise. firstdp. We all know the benefits of being physical; exercise produces larger muscles, burns fat, adds to longevity and gives us more energy…the list is endless. If you think you're too busy to get physical, fit in 10 minutes a day. Even 10 minutes makes a difference and after four or five weeks, you may see enough of a difference that you want to make more time to exercise.
Stress can give you energy and vision or it can wreak havoc on your health and looks. Once you realize it's an inevitable part of life, find ways to make it work for you.

© 2005 Lisa Rickwood. All rights reserved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lisa Rickwood, "The Escape Artist," is an accomplished visual artist, speaker and author of Escape The Pace: 100 Fun And Easy Ways To Slow Down And Enjoy Your Life. She teaches busy business people techniques to relax and increase profits. To learn more about her book and sign up for FREE tips and articles, visit her site at: http://www.escapethepace.com
NOTE: You may "reprint" this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the 'about the author' info at the end, and you send a copy of your reprint to: info@escapethepace.com.