Open Your Mind to Prosperity

We grow and evolve to be a better person through knowledge and experiences. Knowledge and experiences can be learnt through books, newspaper, media, TV, radio, people and etc. Everyone needs to development himself. It will be better if we can share our knowledge and experiences with others and at the same time learn from them. There are still a lot of things for us to learn.

It is so wonderful that Priscilla Palmer had started this Personal Development List for us to learn from each other.

I just found out that I had been tagged by my friend Sam at Acquire Wisdom and Live with Passion. Thank you Sam.

Each person who participates are to put up a list of their 5 favorite personal development bloggers, and then let Priscilla know so that she can compile a master list.

This is my top 5 bloggers

Sam at Acquire Wisdom and Live with Passion

Priscilla at Personal Development Demand Success

Jacklyn Ker at Inspiring and Empowing Lives

Donald Latumahina at Life Optimizer

Killeris at Attitude, The Ultimate Power

Here is the rest of the list, I’m sure you will find some useful new sites here:

Aaron Potts at Today is That Day
Adam Kayce at Monk at Work
Al at 7pproductions.com
Alan Torres at Made to Be Great
Alex Shalman at AlexShalman.com
Alexander Kjerulf at The Chief Happiness Officer
Alexys at Unraveling The Spiritual Mystique
Albert Foong at urbanmonk.net
Amy Hedin at There is no Maximum to Human Potential
Andrea J. Lee at Money, Meaning, and Beyond
Andy Wibbels at AndyWibbels.com
Anita Pathik Law at Power of four Way
Anna Farmery at The Engaging Brand
Antonio Thornton at AntonioThornton.com
Ask Lucid at Ask Lucid Spiritual Development
Belle Wong at Abundance Journal
Blogfuse at LifeDev
Brad Isaac at Achieve It
Brian Clark at Copyblogger
Brian Kim at briankim.net
Bob at everyeveryminute
Carlon Haas at Possess Less Exist More
Chris Marshall at Martial Development
Christine Kane at ChristineKane.com
Clyde at Feeling Good
Conceive, Believe, Achieve at Conceive, Believe, Achieve
Craig Harper at Motivational Speaker
Curt Rosengren at Occupational Adventure
Damian Carr at Soul Terminal
Daniel Sitter at Idea Sellers
Dave Schoof at Engaging the Disquiet
Davers at Language Trainers Blog
David Allen at The David Allen Company
David Bohl at Reflections on Balance
David Rogers at How to Have Great Self Confidence
David Seah at David Seah.com
Dawud Miracle at dmiracle.com
Dean Lacono at Law of Attraction for Beginners
Debbie Call at Spirit In Gear
Debra Moorhead at Debra Moorhead.com
Des Walsh at Thinking Home Business
Dick Richards at Come Gather Round
Don Simkovich at Hey Don
Donald Latumahina at Life Optimizer
Donna Karlin at Perspectives
Dr. Charles Parker atThe Core Psych Blog
Dr. Hal at Northstar Mental fitness blog
Drew Rozell at Drew Rozell.com
Edward Mills at Evolving Times
Ellen Weber at Brain Based Business
Emmanuel Lopez at The Adventures of Motivatorman
Ellesse at Goal Setting College
Elly Jolly at Jolly Life Coaching
Enoch Tan at Mind Reality
Eric Napier at Quotation Collection
Frank Kanu at Frank Uncovers Excellence in Leadership
Frank Roche at KnowHR Blog
Galba Bright at Tune Up Your EQ
Guy Kawasaki at How to Change the World
Gleb Reys at Personal Development Ideas
Grayson at Modern Worker Blog
Gretchen Rubin at Happiness Project
Gustav at Success-is-in-you.com
Gyanish at Diethack
Hilda Carroll at Living Out Loud
Henrik Edberg at The Positivity Blog
Honman at Open Your Mind to Prosperity
Inkedmn at The Cranking Widgets Blog
Itzy Sabo at Email Overloaded
Jacklyn Ker at Inspiring and Empowing Lives
Jason and Michael at Black Belt Productivity
Jason Ivers at A Miracle a Day
Jay White at dumb little man tips for life
Jean Browman at Transforming Stress Into Power and Cheerful Monk
Jeff Lilly at Druid Journal
Jeffrey Phillips at Think Faster
Jennifer at Goodness Graciousness
Jeremiah Owyang at Web Strategy by Jeremiah
Jerry Hart at Blue Print to emarketing
Jerry Lopper at Personal Growth
Jim Walton at Black In Business
Joanna Young at Coaching Wizardry
John Pratt at John Pratt International
John Place at John Place Online
John Wesley at Pick The Brain
Josh Bickford at Reach For Magnificence and Reach for Magnificence
Julia Rogers Hamrick at Julia’s Blog: Journal of the Journey Home to Eden
Julie Bonner at Declutter It
Kailani at An Island Review
Kammie Kobyleski at Passion Meets Purpose
Karen at Journey with Water Learner
Karen Lynch at Live The Power
Karen Wallace at The Clearing Space
Karl Staib at Karl Staib.com
Kevin Kinchen at Creative Power of Thought
Killeris at Attitude, The Ultimate Power
Kim and Jason at Escape Adulthood
Kim George at Doing What You Can Do
Kirsten Harrell at Ipopin
K.L. Masina at Be Conscious Now
Leah Maclean at Working Solo
Laura Young at The Dragon Slayer’s Guide to Life
Lee Nutter at bmindful
Leo Baruta at Zen Habits
Life Reflection at Universe in a Single Atom
Lisa Gates at Design Your Writing Life
Liz Strauss at Successful Blog
Lola Fayemi at Real World Spiritual and Personal Development
Lorraine Cohen at Powerfull Living
Lucid at Spiritual Suggestions
Lyman Reed at Creating a Better Life
Maddy at Illuminated Minds Want to Know
Maria Palma at The Good Life
Mark at The Naked Soul
Mark Forster at Get Everything Done
Mark McManus at Build Your Life To Order
Mark W Shead at Productivity 501
Martin Avis at Kickstart Daily
Matthew Cornell at Matt’s Idea Blog
Merlin Mann at 43 Folders
Michelle Moore at Happiness Blog
Michael Port at The Think Big Revolution
My Everyday Planner at My Everyday Planner
Nancy Tierney at Unconditional Confidence
Neil Patel at Quick Sprout
Nick Smith at Life 2.0
Nneka at Balanced Life Center
Organize-It at Organize-It
Pamala Slim at Escape From Cubicle Nation
Pamm Larry at My Spiritual Dance
Patricia Singleton at Spiritual Journey of a Lightworker
Paul at Paul’s Tips
Peter atI Will Change Your Life
Peter Aldin at Great Circle
Phil Gerbyshak at Make It Great
Priscilla Palmer at Personal Development Demands Success
Raymond Salas at Zenchill Powertools
Reg Adkins at ElementalTruths
Rick Cockrum at Shards of Consciousness
Rick Cooper at The PDA Pro
Ririan at Ririanproject
Rob at 7Breaths
Rob Cooke at Leave the Office
Robert at Compassionate Council
Robyn McMaster at Brain Based Biz
Rosa Say at Managing With Aloha Coaching
Ryan Marle at The Alpha Project
S.J. Yee at Personal Development for the Book Smart
Sam at Aquire Wisdom and Live with Passion
Scott Adams at The Dilbert Blog
Scott Bernadot at Keeping The Secret
Scott Ginsberg at Hello, My Name Is Blog
Scott H Young at Scott H Young
Self Pursuit at Self Pursuit
Shauna Arthurs at Breathing Prosperity and Follow Your Path
Shaheen Lakhan at GNIF Brain Blogger
Simone and Mandy at Outfit Inspirations
Slade Roberson at Shift Your Spirits
Sleeping Dude at How to Wake Up Early
Spike at Organize It
Stephanie and Jeffrey at Brains on Purpose
Steve Olson at Steve-Olson.com
Steve Pavlina at stevepavlina.com
Steve Roessler at All Things Workplace
Steven Aitchison at Change Your Thoughts
Surjit at Gurushabad
Susan Sabo at Productivity Cafe
Ted Demopoulos at Blogging For Business
Thom Quinn at Qlog
Tim Ferris at 4-Hour Workweek and Lifestyle Design Blog
Tom Spanton at TRCoach
Tim Taylor at My Agapic Life
Tony D Clark at Success From The Nest
Torlink at You Create Reality
Travis Wright at Cultivate Greatness
Trizoko at Trizoko.com
Trevor Gay at Simplicity is the Key
Troy Worman at Orbit Now!
Tupelo Kenyon at Tupelokenyon.com
Vickie at Contemplate This
Wan Qi at Meditation Forum Mantras
WildBill at PassionateBlogger

and these collaborated sites:

Burst Blog
Daily PlanIt
Did I Get Things Done
GTD Wannabe
Life Coaches Blog Stratagies for a Greater Life
Lifehack.org

A couple habitually quarreled with each other. They had been married for quite a number of years. Both were working and by the time they reached home, both were utterly exhausted. However, the wife still took the effort and time to cook dinner. But when the dishes were on the dining table, the husband began picking on her cooking. Naturally the wife felt injustice done to her and started saying nasty things back to him. They therefore ended up in bitter quarrels every night.

One day, the wife went to a hospital to visit an elderly sick friend. Along the way to her friend’s bed, she saw many patients lying expressionless on the bed with numerous tubes of different colors and sizes with needles poked through their skin to be connected to their body. She could see that some of the patients were about her own age. Suddenly, she began to think about her husband’s health. ‘But if he’s able to quarrel with me everyday, he must be in the pink of his health!’ she thought. She gave a sign of relief. That was when a twist of her thinking happened.

That night, her husband as before picked on her cooking again. But instead of talking back, she sat down quietly, watching with admiration her husband scolding and getting angry. The more she looked at him, the happier she became. The husband got a little puzzled. ‘This old hag usually argues non-stop with me. But look at her now. She is staring at me quietly and is smiling!’ Upon asking, the wife related to him what she saw in the hospital today. Her husband was deeply moved. He realized how bad was him to treat her that way in the past. At that moment, they apologized, expressed their feelings and hugged each other in tears. From then onwards, their quarrelsome days turned into happy and sweet ones.

We get upset when being reproached especially when we are being given excessive work. But if we think on the brighter side of things, e.g. we are so busy at work because the superior thinks highly of me, or we are being reproached because they do care about me, we will not take their words too hard and are more willing to accept the work given. We are actually moving ourselves away from getting angry and upset. This is an achievement!

Have you watched a soccer match before? Two teams of people running on the field for more than an hour with only one purpose – to get the ball into the opponent’s net. The team that scores the most goals at the end of the match wins. To win the game, there are a few things that the players need. Besides knowing the rules of the game and a good pair of soccer shoes, they need a good coach, a fit body and the skill which comes on with good training.

Do you realize that our lives are very much like a soccer match? We have our lives to lead just like the players having their part to play in the match. We have goals to achieve too in our life, very much like the players trying to score goals. It could be getting a university degree, starting your own business in 3 years’ time or being an expert in a certain field you are working in. We all work hard to achieve those goals. For some of us, that is what is keeping us moving.

Like the soccer players, we have to prepare ourselves totally before we start the ‘game’. Even if we are well-prepared for it, things may not be smooth-going at all times. A good physical training program does not guarantee a soccer team’s success in winning the game. When placed in an actual game, the team could be facing unexpected situations like unexpectedly high skill of the opponents, weather change, and different feel on the field or injury. Likewise, we may be faced with obstacles too, sometimes unexpectedly. But when this happens, how do we react? Do we beat it or be beaten? The test of the soccer team’s ability begins in the actual match. The ‘chemistry’ in cooperating amongst the players during the ‘fight’ together with the players’ determination and belief in them already renders them 50% success in winning the game. Likewise, we have to press on, brave against all odds and be determined to win.

In a soccer match, after the first half, the coach calls the team players back. The situation is reviewed and the tactics and strategy may be changed. It is important for us to constantly review our position too. Are we moving in the correct direction? Is this what we want? Are there things that need to be changed, modified or added? The soccer players have a good coach to guide and consult. It will be good too if we consult someone more experienced for their advice.

A soccer match is divided into 2 halves, the first half and the second half. We can divide our lifespan into 2 halves too. Human’s lifespan is about 80 years so our ‘half-time’ ends at around 40 years old. Are you now in the first half or the second half of your ‘match’? And how many goals have you already scored? If you are in your first half, make full use of every minute now! If you are in your second half, you probably need to re-plan your life, especially if you haven’t scored many goals yet! All the best to you!

A popular singer L was interviewed in a radio program during which he revealed a particular experience that touched his life. He said, ‘Many years ago, when I attended a church service abroad, the pastor told everyone to write on a piece of paper a list of wishes we wanted to realize in 5 years’ time. After writing, we were told to put the paper in an envelope, sealed it and mailed it back to ourselves. The pastor also said, ‘upon receiving this letter, please do not open it yet. Wait till 5 years later, open it and you will gain something wonderful from it!’’

L followed through, mailing the letter back to himself and not opening it for 5 years. 5 years later, when he opened the envelope and read that letter, he was very surprised. All the wishes written down came true and more. This experience made him understand one thing – that we have the instinct to underestimate our own ability and possibility of success, due to obstacles or some bad experience in the past. When he was writing down the wishes 5 years ago, he wasn’t very sure about his future and felt somewhat uncertain about his direction in life. Nevertheless, he gave it a try working on those wishes he wrote down. And to his surprise, he succeeded and did very well! From then on, whenever he feels lost and uncertain about the future again, he first makes clear his objective and what he wants to give himself a direction. Then he will work in that direction boldly.

If we look back in our lives, many knotty problems and challenging situations after our hard work no longer slow us down today but in fact taught us many precious experiences. Many ambitions and dreams in the past no longer interest us now after we get to know ourselves better and after gradually making clear our core values. Those close friends in the past due to changes in time and space lose contact. But at the same times, many new friends with similar interest as us appear in our lives. People come and go and things change or remain. We have lost many but we have gained many too. It is normal to feel uncertain or even worried about the unknown. But if we are able to replace that fear, hesitation and uncertainty with courage and a calm mind in setting objectives that we want to achieve and put our heart into working on them, we will be able to live a life with many gains and returns.

Help came fast for this four-year-old girl, whose hand got stuck after she was seen playing at the escalator landing in Orchard MRT Station on Saturday (11 August).

“Child’s hand was trapped,” STOMPer James said in an email on Saturday and sent this photo.

“Fortunately, Civil Defence and MRT staff managed to release the child’s hand,” the STOMPer said.

STOMP contacted the Singapore Civil Defence Force which said it received a call at about 4.35pm saying a girl had been trapped at the escalator.

It sent a team and a slew of rescue equipment, including breaking and cutting tools, a red Rhino, fire engine and ambulance.

They arrived in under five minutes and found the situation under control already.

“The MRT staff were really fast. When we got there, the girl’s hand had been freed,” SCDF told STOMP on Sunday.

“We understand that the girl was playing with the handrail of the escalator near the exit gate to the station. And her hand got stuck.

“Her mother quickly pressed the stop button and waited for help. Her father was comforting her and keeping her calm. The MRT staff loosened some bolts and managed to free her hand.

“The parents later took her to KKH. She had bruises and was in shock. Everything was OK,” SCDF told STOMP.

STOMP contacted SMRT and a spokesman said the incident happened at about 4.40pm.

“According to CCTV footage, the girl was seen playing at the landing of the escalator which was going down.

“Her hand got caught at a hole at the bottom of the escalator belt. This caused the escalator to trip and the alarm was sounded automatically at the service centre.

“The station manager and maintenance staff immediately went to check. We also called for the ambulance. The staff freed her hand in less than 10 minutes.”

“We advise parents to keep an eye on their children all the time,” the spokesman said.

If parents do not keep an eye on their children, they will regret if something bad happened to their children. Children is not aware of danger, parents need to educate them.

Many times, we are faced with a situation where we have a different or conflicting view from another person. The natural reaction from most of us is to start debating and arguing in an attempt to convince the other. However, it isn’t easy to be able to attain the same view among different people.

It is common for many of us to use a different ruler to measure our disparities and differences with others. For example, when someone is in a tantrum, that person has a bad temper, poor self-control, etc. But when we are in one, we say that we are doing it rightfully to uphold righteousness. When someone insists on his/her own opinion, he/she is narrow-minded and too subjective. But when we insist on ours, we are holding firm our stand for something good. When someone doesn’t like our friends, it is prejudice. But when we do the same, we are showing that we have good judgment on people. When people are too slow in carrying out something, he/she has low efficiency. But when we are slow, we are being careful in order to produce an excellent piece of work. When people point out or rebuke us for an error we have made, he/she is picking on us and not being understanding. But when we do the same, it is our good intention to make clear the right.

When a person is subjective, thinking that he/she is always right and that there is always a good reason behind his/her mistakes, all criticism and verbal assault will never be able to get him/her out of this subjectivity and make any changes.

The best way to help a person take corrective action himself/herself is through careful guidance to give him/her time to realize his own mistakes. When he/she sees the need to correct his/her own mistakes and is ready to do so, anyone can be his/her teacher. In the contrary, when a person thinks that he/she is not in the wrong and there is no need for any correction, no amount of words can do any effect.

No matter what kind of person you are, knowledgeable or not, good or bad tempered, we basically need acceptance by others and don’t welcome criticism. In general, only things that we can understand are easier to get into our heads. And we only trust, like and believe in those people who love us and agree with us. Therefore effective communication and influence always begin with putting ourselves in another’s shoes. Be caring and understanding and be careful with the things we say.

‘Human beings’ behavior spread to one another like a contagious disease.’ ‘When trying to understand someone, please do it by using his/her eyes instead of your own eyes to see this world.’ To effectively communicate and influence others, good intention shown is the first step. Patience and empathy are very important.

By Unknown Author

One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it.

Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart
they had ever seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.

Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said “Why, your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine.” The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s heart. It was beating strongly, but it was full of scars. It had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn’t fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.

The people stared — how can he say his heart is more beautiful, they thought? The young man looked at the old man’s heart and saw its state and laughed. “You must be joking,” he said. “Compare your heart with mine. Mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears.”

“Yes,” said the old man, “yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see. Every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love – I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren’t exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared.”

“Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn’t returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges — giving love, is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?”

The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands. The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man’s heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges. The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man’s heart flowed into his.

Is your heart perfect or full of scars?

Psychologists spent many years looking for the greatest difference between people who are happy and people who are not. Surprisingly, among those ‘happy people’ interviewed, most of them ever in their lifetime experienced grief, setbacks and/or failures commonly went through by human beings.

The same if not similar kind of environment or experience could produce two extreme reactions. Some choose to be deeply disappointed whereas some choose to joyfully face it. Interestingly, during the interviews, the ‘happy’ ones rarely mentioned about ‘death’. To them, living and dying did not have any philosophical meaning to them. It was through the experience and trainings they underwent in life that they affirmed life’s value. Death would never be taken as a form of relief for them. Instead, they took all the difficult situations they faced in life as great and meaningful chances open for them, whether for learning or something else.

The ‘happy’ ones had something special in them. They would not make themselves victims of any kind. In other words, they chose to be happy whether the situation was good or bad.

Over and over again, no matter how bad the situation they were in, these ’happy’ people were able to engage in positive, optimistic thinking. And because they did not have the passive, blaming and melancholy character normally found in victims, they were able to turn problems into something that were beneficial to them in some way or another.

Psychologist and philosopher William James once said, ‘Human being, through the changing of the internal of his heart, is able to change the external of his life’. The key to happiness lies in no other than whether we are able to maintain positive and optimistic mindset and choose to be happy no matter what is happening to and around us. Once you have decided not to suffer pain anymore, you will be full of hope and aspirations for the future. Remember this: we have the power to decide for ourselves the way we experience this world. Decide for yourself! It is your Life!

A Japanese-owned company had a vacancy in its Public Relations department. Five candidates emerged for the last round. The company decided to inform the five of them that the final selection would be made by the Japan headquarter side during their managerial meeting over there.

A few days later, one of the candidates received an email from the company’s HR department. It read ‘After much consideration, you are not selected by the company for that position. You do show great potential and we will keep you informed of other positions available in our company. As an appreciation for your trust in our company, we will be sending our company’s product voucher to you. We hereby wish you well for your future endeavors.’

Knowing that she was not selected, she was really upset upon receiving this email message. However, she was quite moved by the company’s sincerity and she decided to write a message back to them, thanking them for having considered her. It took her 3 minutes to write and send that message.

Two weeks later, she received a phone call from that company telling her that she was recruited! She was selected during a discussion in the managerial meeting in Japan. Only then did she understand that it was actually a round of test by the company, from the start when she received the email message. And she was selected because of the 3 minutes she spent in writing a thank-you note back to them. The company thought that she really stood out when she took time to write a message back to thank them and this quality matched very well with the requirement they expected of the Public Relations position.

It comes naturally to us to thank people when we have received something like a gift or a help from them. A situation like the above is one where not all would write a thank-you note back. It is no wonder that she stood out from the other candidates. Give thanks in all circumstances and you will attract wonderful things to you.

Five monkeys were locked in a cage. Above the cage, there was a bunch of bananas. The researcher installed an automatic system. When it detected the monkeys trying to get the bananas, water would be sprayed out and all the five monkeys would be wet. One monkey first attempted to get the bananas and instantly water was sprayed out. All monkeys got wet. Other monkeys attempted to get the bananas but found out that at every attempt they made, water would be sprayed out and they would be wet. Eventually, they had a mutual agreement not to try to get the bananas anymore so that they would not get wet.

The researcher brought out one of the monkeys and replaced with a new monkey. We call this monkey A. Monkey A saw the bananas. It wanted to get the bananas but got beaten up by the other four monkeys. This was because the four monkeys knew that if monkey A attempted to get the bananas, water would be sprayed out and they would all get wet. Monkey A tried several times to get the bananas but was beaten by the other four monkeys every time. Monkey A finally gave up the attempt and all the monkeys did not get wet eventually.

The researcher brought out another old monkey and replaced with a new monkey. We call this monkey B. Monkey B saw the bananas. It wanted to get the bananas but got beaten up by the other four monkeys. Monkey A beat monkey B much harder as compared to the other monkeys due to the fact that he had previously been beaten up. Monkey B tried several times and every time he tried, he got beaten by the other monkeys. He finally gave up the attempt.

One by one, all the old monkeys were replaced with a new monkey. Nobody dared to get the bananas. They did not know why but they knew that when they tried to get the bananas, they would be beaten.

This is how ‘tradition’ comes about. But we should not follow the tradition blindly. We should review it and understand the true meaning behind it. Otherwise, it will be something like the blind leading the blind and the value of tradition will be totally lost.