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How often do you find yourself feeling irritated by things that other people do? If it is more often than you'd like, read on.
 
People who are easily irritated usually blame others for it. But to find the reason - and we are not talking about blame - they need to look inside themselves, instead of those around them. Of course, irritability can have many causes, but one of the most common is having too many restrictive zones. In other words, too many rigid ideas and rules about right and wrong behavior.
 
These folks believe there is a… >>>

It's tough to be a good grandparent when your grandchildren are many miles away - but it can be done. Long-distance grand-parenting takes some special attention and creativity if it is to result in the kind of close feelings that transcend miles on the map. Here are some distance-solving tips for you that will help.
 
First, make the most of the mail. It's fine if the letters are brief, as long as they are frequent. While you are waiting for food at a restaurant, write a note on the paper place mat and send it, or clippings of cartoons… >>>

As we here in the Northern Hemisphere bask in those lazy days of summer, a lot of us find that sunshine promotes some lively daydreaming. It's a little like letting your mind "off the leash" to wander where it will. This valuable time to think can give us the opportunity for what Lou liked to call "ah-ha!" moments.
 
How many times have you suddenly, seemingly from out of nowhere, found yourself saying, "Yes! Now that makes sense! Why didn't I realize this before?" Insights seem to come at the strangest times for some of us. In the shower, in… >>>

Digital or print, when you are taking pictures, you want to have a sharp, clear focus. You want to have the same clear focus for your everyday life.
 
Most of us live in a culture that presents us with a bewildering array of options. However, the confusion of too many options will largely disappear once you know how to focus. In this sense, focusing means to concentrate all your attention on one particular thing, and, much as we do with a camera, bring it into sharp relief in order to clarify your relationship with it.
 
When we concentrate… >>>

What if there were two little words that could help you unlock your imagination, allowing you to create the kind of future you would most like to have? What if these two words could boost your creativity, improve your decision-making power, and move you steadily toward a future that will give you what you want in life?
 
And what if I give you a little hint: You've already seen these two words not once, not twice, but three times in the past few seconds. Those two words are "what if," and they are every bit as powerful as has… >>>

You have probably heard something similar to, "Live each day to the fullest, because you never know what tomorrow may bring." Like all sage offerings, there is an element of truth involved here.
 
For a lot of us, we take the days of our lives for granted. The years go swirling past in a rush of things to do, places to see, and dreams to fulfill. We work diligently, raise our families, and try to measure up to our own - or someone else's - definition of success. For some of us, we put our heads down, shoulder to… >>>

One of the first reactions to the concepts of applied cognitive psychology typically will be, "It's starting to sound a little selfish." This is true, to a point. Read below for a comment from the wider, global field:
 
"The example that you gave seems to indicate that life is more worth living if you first change your attitude to a positive instead of hanging on to a negative, rebellious or resistive attitude. No worries; I got that one. But, in the beginning you stated that what makes life worth living can be summed up in a single word, 'you'… >>>

Do you know someone, perhaps they sit in the same chair you do, who seems to "play a part" when it comes to their interactions with others, rather than just being themselves? They mimic a chameleon, changing personalities instead of changing colors, depending upon who they are with and where they are.
 
Most likely, you have met or known individuals who hide behind masks in order to get through the day. This has become a survival mechanism for them. Actually, the mask betrays the good-hearted human beings the world deserves to know. You might have met or known people… >>>

[Editor's Note:  Today's message was one of Lou's favorites, and it bears a repeat performance.]
 
LOU:  I received an email from a seminar participant last week, and it got me thinking about how much our own behavior affects those around us - sometimes without us ever knowing. Quoting part of the email:
 
"For a very long time I have been struggling with how to talk to my son, who is now 8 years old.  Despite being a great kid, he has a very negative self-image and is an unforgiving perfectionist.   In the past my reaction to some of… >>>

When times get tough, some people fold and some are made even stronger. Did you ever wonder why some people seem to be able to handle life better than others? Everyone likes to think that they have what it takes to survive adversity and tough times, but when the chips are down, some folks definitely do better than others.
 
The real survivors in life (not the participants in the recent glut of "reality" survivor TV shows that only seem to bring out the worst in human behavior) have developed personalities that allow them more options. They also have a… >>>