Thanksgiving Thoughts

With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, I wanted to share with you this article that I received.  While the holidays are a wonderful time, they can also be so stressful for many people.  I think we feel pressure to feel gratitude and happiness and joy and love and that pressure often boils over into the opposite emotions.  The authors of Tapping the Source, William Gladstone, Richard Greninger, and John Selby, share how to focus on your inner self so you can put the power of gratitude to work in your life at any time of year.

Thanksgiving Focus Phrases That Work

By William Gladstone, Richard Greninger, and John Selby,
Tapping the Source: Using the Master Key System for Abundance and Happiness

As we approach Thanksgiving and the beginning of the holiday season, we hopefully find our hearts opening, eager to share in uplifting feelings like gratitude, inner harmony and joyful relating. During this time of year we can realize that true happiness comes not from possessions and accomplishments but from inner feelings of compassion, thankfulness and belonging to a greater community of family, friends, and world sharing.

But experiencing these uplifting feelings during the holiday season, for most people, is easier said than done. How can you take charge of your own inner experience, and actively tap into the true spirit of the holiday season?

My co-authors and I sought to answer this core question in our new book and upcoming film, Tapping the Source, wherein we explore in depth the true “secret” to achieving not just wealth, health and material abundance – but spontaneous joy and lasting happiness.

The secret of feeling genuinely good inside your own heart has been known for thousands of years: you must first look inward regularly and reconnect with your ultimate Source of life and love and power, in order to nurture all the good feelings that constitute happiness. Connect with your Source, and then open and up and feel natural thankfulness for everything that’s coming into your life each new moment.

The truth is, without experiencing gratitude you will never be able to access the true joy of your authentic self. Feeling thankful, and in response giving of yourself to others, does feel good! That’s the heart of the holiday spirit. Your challenge is in remembering to focus on these positive feelings, so that they manifest in your life.

In our book, we explore practical Focus Phrases that will help you refocus your attention regularly inward, so that you make essential contact with the spontaneous feelings of thankfulness and sharing which are the true secret of the holiday season. At the core of your being you are an essential part of the that infinite wisdom and power that created this entire universe and continues to manifest each emerging moment. Your challenge is to remember to focus on your Source – and then bring its infinite love more fully into your personal world.

When you look inward to your Source and realize the joy inherent in your true nature, you naturally become brighter and more giving in your life. While interviewing over a hundred highly-successful people for our film and book, we were told again and again that the greatest joy for these artists, entrepreneurs, writers and leaders was to be of service to others. They talked about the gratitude they felt in just waking up and being alive every new day – to breath, to see, to experience … and to share their feelings and creativity and insights with others.

Where you focus your power of attention determines everything in your life. And as you approach this new Thanksgiving holiday it will be important to focus, as philanthropist Shari Arison states, “on what is, and not on what is not.”

Enjoy each new breath. Accept your family and friends just as they are. If you can remember to focus regularly on your ability to create joy for yourself and others, and feel thankful for each new moment of your life, then your holiday will naturally flow with more brightness and heartfelt sharing.

To help you do this, try holding special Focus Phrases in your mind as often as possible. As we teach in Tapping The Source, you can let these key words fill your whole being with the clear intent of what you want to manifest in your life:

1: “I choose to enjoy this moment.”

2: “I feel thankful for all that I have.”

3: “I want to share my happiness.”

4: “My inner joy is right now perfect and complete.”

Whatever you do this holiday, and throughout the year, you can hold these Focus Phrases often in your mind. Aim your attention in uplifting directions more often, and you’ll feel brighter, healthier, and more loving. In this age of ‘magic bullets’ and synthetic external solutions, it’s wonderful to know that you need nothing outside of yourself to feel gratitude and joy.

For more audio and video support in focusing upon what you really want this holiday season and for the rest of your life, visit www.TappingDaily.org where you can preview the movie and the book, and share your experiences and insights with others.

© 2010 William Gladstone, Richard Greninger, and John Selby, authors of Tapping the Source

Author Bios
William Gladstone is an author, literary agent, and pioneer in the publishing industry who has worked with respected and influential authors including Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, Barbara Marx Hubbard, and many others.

Richard Greninger is the producer for Muk Victor Hansen's book, Mega Speaking, and the Mega Marketing seminar programs; John Assaraf's "Cloning of Success" seminars; Debbie Allen's "Maximizing Success" seminars; and Adam Urbanski's "Small Business Success Summit" seminars.

John Selby is the author of more than two dozen self-help, spiritual-growth, business-success, and psychology books published in fourteen languages with over half a million books in print. Early in his career he conducted mind-management research for NIH and the New Jersey Neuro-Psychiatric Institute, and explored innovative approaches to meditation with J. Krishnamurti, Alan Watts, and others.

Article reposted with the permission of FSB Associates.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Thief of Lives by Barb & J. C. Hendee

Title:  Thief of Lives
Authors:  Barb & J. C. Hendee
Publisher:  Roc
Publication Date:  January 2004
Format:  Paperback, 410 pages
Age Group:  Adult
Series:  Noble Dead (Book 2, series 1)

Magiere and Leesil have settled in Miiska and rebuilt their tavern, the Sea Lion, after ridding the town of its vampire trio.  Although Magiere believes that they will be able to live peacefully, Leesil realizes that they will now be called upon to rid other towns of the Noble Dead.  Soon enough the call comes from the city of Bela where a councilman's daughter has been murdered in an unusual fashion.  Now Magiere, Leesil, and their dog, Chap, must travel to face an unknown threat in an unfamiliar place.  Can they successfully defeat the vampires while dealing with an uncooperative city council, very few clues, and more secrets from the past?

I've spent so much time reading modern urban fantasy lately that I had forgotten how much I enjoy a more traditional, dark fantasy novel.  I can't believe that I reviewed the first book in this series, Dhampir, last December!

Magiere and Leesil are both very complex characters.  Both of them are heavily influenced by their pasts which they have chosen to conceal from each other.  This information comes out a little bit at a time and significantly impacts their relationship.  While it is obvious that they would both like to get closer to each other, many events cause Magiere to pull away.  Even their dog, Chap, has secrets which are revealed in this book.

It is clear from the beginning that someone is setting up Magiere and Leesil to test and train them.  Although I suspected who it might be based on the first book, there were enough clues leading in other directions that I wasn't completely sure of what was going on until Magiere and Leesil were facing it.  The overall agenda is still unknown but clearly there is a hand guiding Magiere and Leesil along their journey.

Thief of Lives is full of action and emotion.  The characters want to complete their task quickly and return home but false clues and uncooperative citizens lead them down a complicated path.  I am really enjoying this traditional fantasy series and will be reading the next book, Sister of the Dead, soon.

I borrowed Thief of Lives from my local library and no one had any expectation of a review.

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

TSS: Making Progress...

Welcome to The Sunday Salon, a place for readers and book lovers to come together to escape into our books for a bit.  Each Sunday, we set aside some time to read and to discuss that reading, our reading throughout the past week, and other events in our lives.  Please join in the discussion here and take some time to visit some of the over 500 bloggers who participate.

In my last Sunday Salon post, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with the number of books facing me.  Three library books came in at the same time and of course two of them could not be renewed.  Plus I received a couple of books for review.  I'm very pleased to say that I've gotten some reading done and some reviews written!

Even though I had completed You Already Know How to Be Great by Alan Fine before I wrote my last Sunday Salon post, it took me quite a while to write the review.  I think a good part of my hesitation was feeling unqualified to review the book after I read it.  I have no background in business and, in part, the book felt more like a business book than a personal self-help type book.

I've completed two more books since then.  A review of Thief of Lives by Barb & J. C. Hendee is scheduled to go up Monday and I'll be writing up my review of Grave Witch by Kalayna Price tonight to post on Wednesday.

Next book up is Sister of the Dead by Barb & J. C. Hendee.  I've been enjoying the Noble Dead saga as it is a real change of pace from the urban fantasy I've been reading for the last few years.  I still have two review books waiting in the wings, along with my personal to read shelf but I feel like I've made some forward progress.

Current Giveaway:  November Book Giveaway (ends 11/27, US only)

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Guest Post - Author Sheila Roberts

Today I am very pleased to welcome author Sheila Roberts to Library Girl Reads.  Her latest book, The Snow Globe, was just released in October.  It sounds like a wonderful Christmas read!  Thank you to Sheila for sharing some of her inspiration and holiday spirit with us.

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

I love snow globes! They’re so darned pretty. And intriguing. Remember shaking a snow globe as a kid and being fascinated by the blizzard you had just created? Boy, I do. Oh, the power! And the little scene inside always fascinated me. I’m a Seattle girl and the first snow globe I ever owned was one that came with the Space Needle in it. I loved that snow globe! I’ve had all kinds of snow globes over the years since including a gigantic one containing Santa and his elves, one with a woodland scene complete with reindeer, and one with an angel. Snow globes with angels always rank as my favorite because they make me think of miracles.

And what better time to think of miracles than Christmas, the season of miracles, of angels singing and shepherds gazing timidly at that baby in the manger? Sometimes we think that miracles have to be gigantic, but I think they come in all shapes and sizes: a child’s smile on Christmas morning, the tree staying upright (I don’t know about you, but when I was growing up a collapsing tree was a regular occurrence – my dad the not-so-handy-man, finally wrapped wire around the trunk and secured the wire to a nail on the wall. Charming.) For me it’s always a miracle if my clothes still fit by New Year’s.

I think snow globes fascinate us because the scene inside is always so idyllic. We look at it and think wouldn’t it be nice to live in that perfect little alpine village, all dusted with snow? Actually, not. Someone would always be shaking your village, making you live in a perpetual blizzard. Ick! I have to admit though, I’ve experienced some perfect moments when I’ve thought, I wouldn’t mind staying here – times when my children were behaving like angels, when my life was going smoothly, when my house was clean, when I had a waist.

But if you stay put you never grow and you miss the adventure ahead, which is why I made the snow globe in my book a catalyst, a tool to help my characters glimpse the possibilities the future holds. As you look around you this holiday season, I hope you’ll see the small miracles in your life both large and small. You may feel like you’re in a snow globe and some giant hand is shaking you up and creating a nasty blizzard. My wish for you is that, when the snow settles, like Kiley, Suzanne, and Allison did in The Snow Globe, you’ll see a future filled with new possibilities. And that you’ll get through the holidays with your waistline in tact!

Sheila Roberts lives in the Pacific Northwest. Her novels have appeared in Readers Digest Condensed books and have been published in several languages. Her novel Angel Lane was an Amazon Top Ten Romance pick for 2009 and her holiday perennial, On Strike for Christmas, is slated to be a Lifetime Channel movie presentation this December. When she’s not hanging out with her girlfriends or hitting the dance floor with her husband, she can be found writing about those things dear to women’s hearts: family, friends, and chocolate.

You can visit Sheila at her website (http://www.sheilasplace.com).
You can also find her on Twitter (http://twitter.com/_Sheila_Roberts) and
Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/pages/Sheila-Roberts/76502579853?ref=ts)

Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.

Mega Swagbucks Friday

The first Friday of each month, I post about Swagbucks.  That is because every Friday means Mega Swagbucks for searching (but I don't want to overwhelm people with reminders every Friday)!  Haven't tried Swagbucks yet?  It is super easy - simply use the Swagbucks search engine to do your normal Internet searching and sometimes you will be rewarded with Swagbucks which can then be redeemed for some great prizes. My theory is that if I'm going to be searching the Internet anyway, I may as well get rewarded for doing it.

My favorite prize is the Amazon.com gift card.  My plan is to try to pay for as much of Christmas this year as I can using the gift cards I earn.  There are also tons of other gift cards available plus you can redeem for various merchandise as well.

On Fridays, Swagbucks gives out more Mega Swagbucks (anything over 10) than usual which means you can earn your desired prizes even faster.  The most I've gotten from one search so far is 59 Swagbucks.  I'd love to hear if one of my readers finds a high value one today or any other day!

Don't forget to check out the Special Offers section and keep an eye out for Swag Codes as well.  Both of those can help those bucks add up!  Daily Polls get you 1 Swagbuck each day and they recently added other trusted survey sites for another option to earn.

Swagbucks links contained within this post are referral links and I will earn some Swagbucks if you sign up using those links.


Note: All opinions provided on this blog are my own. If a product was given to me for review, the source of that product is noted in the post. Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links and I do earn a small percentage for each item purchased through those links. Any other referral or associate links will be noted within the post.