Know yourself…your inner power

Know yourself…your inner power

Word Count:
748

Summary:
This Article examines the effect of other peoples' negative words and actions on us. It shows you how you can take gain some of that control back by knowing who you are and believing in yourself.

Keywords:
Inner strength, believe in yourself, overcome emotion, self belief, inner power

Article Body:
I am upset. At this moment, as I sit here typing this up, I am truly upset. Something happened a little while ago. I got into an argument and I am now reaping the results of that. It's a true bounty of results, I can tell you. Let's see…anger, frustration, shame, disgust…then more anger and guilt at the fact that I have allowed myself to get angry and frustrated. All of this is confusing. It's a form of madness (no offence intended). I think what's worse is that it is quite normal for most people. 

So, as I sit here and stew, let us see if we can work this all out. Where does all this negative emotion come from? Well, obviously from the thing that was said to me. The person I had the "conversation" with spoke words. These words were taken by my mind, analysed, and a proper "reaction" was produced based on the result of the analysis. No matter how deep we go into human psychology and the workings of the mind; that really is the simple description of what happened. That's all we need to concern ourselves with. We can keep it simple, and then try a simple approach to addressing the problem.

The problem is whatever the person said. Words…Just words. How can words have such a powerful effect? The answer is that they don't. What has the effect is the power we give those words…our rating of them…our belief in them. So if someone calls you an idiot, you might be offended. Why? I mean you know you are not an idiot. Most likely the person knows it too. Why the negative response? Why can't you ignore it? Well, because you are wired that way. You can't stand to see that anyone would say you were an idiot. It is not enough that you know you're not an idiot. You need this person to acknowledge that as well. And what's wrong with that? I think it's natural for us to want other people recognize the message we are trying to convey by our words or actions (whether or not the message is true or false). Sadly, no matter what we do, there are people who will always interpret things how they choose. Basically, no matter how much you show James how much of a genius you are, James (Sorry if your name is James) will still call you an idiot, and probably feel he is better than you.

It's absurd! James isn't better than you are. No one is. You have to remember that. Know thyself. Derive your strength from that. What do you do about those who refuse to accept your side of the story? Leave them. Ignore them. Walk away after putting your point across. But don't get drawn in. I am not going to get overly religious on you, but I want to make a point. Jesus Christ said "Turn the other cheek". I think people misinterpret that as a sign of passivity; of a desire to avoid confrontation; even of weakness. I disagree. I think it is an act of someone who is so powerfully aware of their own inner strength and value that they there is nothing you could do to take that away. Abuse me, torture me and kill me, yes. But you will never change the truth. People who can deal with the hurtful utterances of others go very far because they don't allow these words get to them. Put in another way, sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. There's a bit missing there. That bit is "…unless I allow them". It's in your power to choose your reaction to what others say or do. Believe in yourself, first and foremost. You will be able to withstand negativity from others without being unnecessarily hurt by it.

Just remembering this principle of faith in oneself is enough to make my anger and frustration start to dissipate. I can feel it evaporating slowly as I finish this article. Happy days! I shall leave you with a quote made by Marcus Aurelius almost 2000 years ago…"If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your own estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment".

 

 

Are Your Yellow Teeth Making a Lasting Impression About You?

 

Are Your Yellow Teeth Making a Lasting Impression About You?

Word Count:
620

Summary:
Whether it is to improve self esteem, make you look more attractive to others or simply to keep up with the Jones's, teeth whitening is certainly all the craze today.

Keywords:
teeth whitening

Article Body:
Whether it is to improve self esteem, make you look more attractive to others or simply to keep up with the Jones's, teeth whitening is certainly all the craze today.  Movie stars have sparkling white teeth; many reality stars have them and so do virtually all television personalities (news, sportscaster's, talk show hosts and so on).  Like those waif-looking beauties strutting down the modeling runways, these enamel glistening posers must all be seeing the dentist to the stars, or are they?  I mean who has such perfect teeth?  Hollywood stars are known for their cigarette smoking, coffee drinking and of course, frequent visits to rehab.  Don't all of these things stain their teeth? 

Sure they do, but they also sought professional dental help to restore their pearly whites to their natural shine.  These celebrities do not rely on the over-the-counter remedies we all see on TV and in the grocery store.  They get theirs done right by a professional.
We too all want glistening white teeth but many of us don't feel like bothering with the process, are deterred by the cost or simply don't know how to go about realizing the best results.  But one thing is for sure...beautifully white teeth will make us feel better and look better.  There is no doubt about it.

Graying or yellowing teeth are the result of damage to the pigmentation of your teeth.  With the proper treatment, you can restore your teeth to their natural shine but you must first choose the process that is best for you. 

The two most effective approaches to teeth whitening are in-office laser treatment and at-home teeth whitening with custom-fit trays designed by your dentist.  Most over the counter remedies will work to some degree but will not guarantee the same level of results these professional treatments will. Over-the-counter approaches will likely lighten your teeth by three to five shades while professional treatments will improve pigmentation by 10 shades or more.

A good ballpark price range for the in-office laser treatment is somewhere between $400-$900 for both the top and bottom teeth.  However, in many cases, more than one treatment will be necessary for the best results and your dentist may recommend you follow up this treatment with a custom-tray at-home remedy prescribed by them.  This will obviously add more cost to your bottom line. 

Putting the premium pricing aside, the biggest advantage to professional treatments is the immediacy and duration of the effect.  With the laser treatment, you will see full results as soon as the procedure is finished, and with at-home custom-fit trays, your dentist has given you professional-grade bleaching gel to keep your teeth white for a long time to come.  Tre White by Opalescence, is a professional whitening kit that has pre filled disposable trays worn for 30-60 minutes once a day.  You'll see results in 5 to 10 days. 

While teeth whitening may or may not be something you are considering right now, some things are for sure when you do decide to take the plunge:
 
· You will feel more confident
· You will look more attractive
· People won't be turned off by your graying/yellowing smile any longer

The approach is much cheaper and less intrusive than other cosmetic surgeries like liposuction, face lifts and tummy tucks

There is no pain involved

It is completely safe

The best thing for you to do if you are considering brightening your teeth is to speak with your dentist who will discuss the best treatments for you.
If you do make the choice to whiten your teeth with Tre White, we would love it if you would send us some before and after pictures so we can showcase them on our site.

 

A Celebration of Life Begins With Lunch

A Celebration of Life Begins With Lunch

Word Count:
335

Summary:
On an ordinary afternoon in St. Augustine, Fla., a group of extraordinary people met at a local restaurant for a single purpose - to celebrate their accomplishments, share inspiration and encourage each other while enjoying a meal.

Keywords:
A Celebration of Life Begins With Lunch

Article Body:
On an ordinary afternoon in St. Augustine, Fla., a group of extraordinary people met at a local restaurant for a single purpose - to celebrate their accomplishments, share inspiration and encourage each other while enjoying a meal.

They came for their weekly Friday lunch from all walks of life: parents and realtors, mortgage brokers and doctor's assistants, life coaches and flower shop employees. Many represented their own entrepreneurial ventures such as jewelry making, business coaching, spas and health clubs. Regardless of where they came from, they were there for each other, to spend an hour in support and fellowship.

These weekly luncheons are held in five other cities, sponsored by the organization Women Celebrations and attended by both men and women. Each luncheon has a theme that suggests the independence and success to which all people aspire, according to founder Sheryl Lynn. Themes have been as varied as "magnificence," "confidence" and "work." At an "applause" themed gathering, each attendee explained to the group why he or she deserved applause.

Members talked about moving from out of state and changing careers, business successes and personal joys. Each of the speakers received heartfelt applause as they took a moment to "stand in their power," Lynn's expression for people's ability to find success and empowerment within themselves.

It was the need to celebrate everyday things that inspired Lynn to create Women Celebrations. Despite success as a mother of three and an entrepreneur, at the end of the day she felt exhausted and disheartened.

"I was not patting myself on the back upon the completion of these marvelous things. And certainly no one else was either," Lynn said.

In starting Women Celebrations, she created an environment in which support and encouragement played a vital role.

Today, Women Celebrations has a strong presence in northern Florida and more chapters, or "loops," are appearing across the country. The organization is open to everyone wishing to celebrate their lives, share their experiences with others through positive interaction and build a sense of community.