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Have you ever heard of the "if only" syndrome? Maybe you have a touch of it yourself. People with this syndrome often blame others for their disappointments and failures.
 
They blame their families - "Nobody could succeed with the parents I have." They blame their friends - "If only my so-called friends would come through for me once in a while." They blame their circumstances - "It's obvious that the deck is stacked against me." Their complaints frequently start with the words "if only," such as, "If only I had more money. If only I had paid more attention… >>>

Over the last couple of weeks, you have been encouraged to figure out what you can do to take charge of your life, your decisions and your plans for the future. Let's revisit these themes a little more today, and ask you this question:  Do you know what you want for yourself?
 
Some people have trouble with this question.  They know what they're supposed to want - what their parents or bosses or friends or the media tell them they should want ¬- but something is wrong.
 
While they seem happy and successful, inside they feel unfulfilled, in… >>>

The road to positive change isn't always easy. Let's talk about ways to strengthen your will to change, ways that go far beyond New Year's resolutions - especially the ones you made three weeks ago, and have already abandoned.
 
You've decided to change something about your life. Maybe you've decided to lose 20 pounds or run two miles every day or stop smoking. You've made your decision and begun the new behavior, you're affirming it in words and mental pictures several times a day, and things are going great. 
 
Sooner or later, you're probably going to be tempted… >>>

These first few weeks of January have been packed with news from around the world and the home front. Perhaps now, more than many new years of the past, is a good time for us to look inward - wonder if we are living life in the best possible way, and examine if there are things we'd like to change.

If you're a regular receiver of this email, you probably know that Lou taught that it is up to you to create a life that works, that feels right, and that makes you happy.  But how in the world can… >>>

Our beliefs and abilities can make or break us. Today, let's talk about a few beliefs and abilities that each of you might want to develop to live a more productive, successful life, allowing you to make a positive difference each day.
 
Everyone knows that the three "Rs" - "reading, (w)riting and (a)rithmetic" - are critical skills to have. But there are other abilities and beliefs that are equally critical if you are going to live a successful life. 
 
You must believe that you are a capable person, you contribute in meaningful ways to your relationships and society,… >>>

For those who make New Year's Resolutions, this is about the time that resolutions tend to fall by the wayside. Rarely do resolutions make their way beyond 10 days - life and old habits tend to get in the way.
 
Part of the reason for this is that "resolutions" typically lack one critical ingredient - commitment. Oh, the desire is there, and usually the need is there. But resolutions have a tendency to be "have to" as if we are pushing ourselves to do something that we really don't want to do. And when we feel pushed, we push… >>>

Since the beginning of the year, we have encouraged you to examine the way you look at the world, and make some decisions about how you want to be.  So, let's continue the discussion with a little goal-setting to see us through uncertain times.
 
If you have decided that your locus of control comes from within you (and we hope you have), then you know you have the power to change your life. You do not need to be battered by the "storm" of bad news coming your way.
 
If you have decided that you want to believe… >>>

We've talked a lot about mindsets, attitudes and beliefs these past few days. You should have been able to draw connections to how you are viewing the continuing stream of economic news as well as how you view your current financial situation. There is another piece to address: personal accountability.
 
The last few years saw many of the financial institutions we thought of as being "solid" and "well-managed" collapsing under the weight of some less-than-effective decision making. A lot of people lost a lot of money, and saw their retirement nest eggs shrink, if not disappear altogether. People lost… >>>

Whether you know of him or not, we all owe a debt of gratitude to the research into optimism and pessimism made by Dr. Martin Seligman, from the University of Pennsylvania. A past president of the American Psychological Association, Dr. Seligman is the author of numerous books on the subjects of optimism and pessimism and how they affect the way we look at our world.
 
How do you find out if you are an optimist or pessimist? Ask yourself the question: How do I think when bad things happen to me?  A pessimist lets the bad thing contaminate everything… >>>

Do you look at the future with hope and a belief that no matter what comes your way, you will succeed?  Or, do you look at the future as hopeless, and there's nothing that can be done to change it? What you believe has a lot to do with how well you weather the challenges in life.
 
Continuing on with our conversation thread from last Friday, let's talk about how our beliefs affect what happens to us. A couple of things to keep in mind:  1) As human beings, we move toward and become like what we think about;… >>>