To live your passion…you need courage.

What does it takes to pursuit your passion?

All of us have heard of this thing call passion for life. What does it take to live your passion? It all sounded very romantic, like falling in love. However, in order to live your passion some time you have to face some scary thing.

Courage

Courage is the strength to stand up.
When it’s easier to fall down and lose hold.

It is the conviction to explore new horizons.
When it’s easier to believe what we’ve been told.

Courage is the desire to maintain our integrity.
When it is easier to look the other way.

It is feeling happy and alive, and moving forward.
When it’s easier to feel sorry for ourselves and stay.

Courage is the will to shape our world.
When it’s easier to let someone else do it for us.

It is the recognition that none of us are perfect.
When it’s easier to criticize.

Courage is the power to step forward and lead.
When it’s easier to follow the crowd; their pleas resound.

It is the spirit that places you on top of the mountain.
When it’s easier to never leave the ground.

The foundation of courage is solid.
The rock that doesn’t roll.

Courage is the freedom.
Of our mind, body, and soul!

~~ Author Unknown ~~

A GREAT MOVIE ABOUT COURAGE!!!!!
“March of the Penguins”


WHO SAID PENGUINS CAN'T FLY ;)

Have a great weekend, BE BLESSED!!! The 75th Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival takes place in Atlanta’s beautiful Piedmont Park on April 15, 16 and 17, 2011. Festival attendance is free, although a few of the areas are ticketed. http://www.dogwood.org

Turn this weeks problems into opportunities. It causes growth instead of stagnation. Opportunities make us grow stronger & take us to the next level of challenge. Find in the screen of life hidden opportunities to boost potential. Set the standard high & fly with the eagles. The view is great.

  I will be at the Atlanta Dogwood Festival this weekend.

The 75th Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival takes place in Atlanta’s beautiful Piedmont Park on April 15, 16 and 17, 2011. Festival attendance is free, although a few of the areas are ticketed. http://www.dogwood.org

 

Stop by the Midtown GreenHouse BOOTH to say HELLO!!!!

http://www.facebook.com/SocialMediaExtraordinaire 

http://www.facebook.com/iZiggGoGlobal

http://www.facebook.com/MidtownGreenHouse 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Social-Media-Extraordinaire/133686760030255

WHAT IS LOVE?

Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast,
It is not proud. It does not dishonor others,
It is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
It keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV)

Real love is not possessive or exclusive. When we love someone, we want everyone to love them - we want them to live in the glow of loving and being loved by everyone. If you find the previous sentence challenging, please remember that true love is not sex or lust, and focus on the vital importance of keeping those concepts separate.

True love is generous. It is strengthened, rather than weakened, by adversity. In times of trouble, real love shines and sustains both those who love and those who are loved.

True love is never conditional. One can never say, "I'll love you, if you love me." That would describe some desperate bargain, but nothing approaching real love could be a part of it. True love is not diminished by circumstances. Can you imagine loving someone less because they broke a leg? Got an infection? Lost their job? A love that depends upon the talents and capabilities of the other is conditional, and not real love.

What is Love?
What is the Nature of True Love?
- by Jonathan Lockwood Huie

What is Love? Love is a feeling of affection toward someone or something. We can love our comfortable old bathrobe, we can love God, we can love all of humanity, and we can love our Grandmother. All true love is wonderful, but let's focus here on the feeling of love by one specific person for another specific person. Even so, our love for our spouse is very different from our love for our child, our parent, our friend, or our love for the homeless person we pass a dollar bill to at the corner.

You know you love someone when you know you want them to be happy,
even if their happiness means that you are not a part of it.
- Anonymous

Real love is never a selfish emotion. If you want something from someone - especially if that something is sex - what you are feeling is not love. The wonderful quote above provides an infallible test for love. True love is about wanting happiness for the person you love - and not about seeking happiness for yourself. Fortunately, in most cases our own loving presence is the greatest gift we can give to a person we love. Nonetheless, the litmus test of love is knowing we would choose never to see that person again if we believed that distance would bring them greater happiness.

     

Sometimes you can find a helping hand where you least expect it.

Famous Friendship Quotes

"A friend is a person who knows all about you--and still likes you."
Elbert Hubbard 

 

"Never take friendship for granted, you never know what tomorrow holds."
Catherine Pulsifer 

 

"Take the time today to tell your friends the difference they have made in your life."
Catherine Pulsifer 

 

"Friendship is like a china cup, once broken can be mended, but the crack is always there."
Nozipho Buthelezi 

 

"A friend is better than a kin as he shares nothing but your pain and pleasure."
M. K. Soni

"Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or to keep one."
Robert E. Lee

        "Don't allow the grass to grow on the path of friendship."
        Native American Proverb

"Only your real friends will tell you when your face is dirty."
Sicilian Proverb

The language of friendship is not words but meanings.
Henry David Thoreau

"A friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."

"My father always used to say that when you die, if you've got five real friends, then you've had a great life."
Lee Iacocca

"A man should choose a friend who is better than himself. There are plenty of acquaintances in the world; but very few real friends."
Chinese Proverb

"Friends are the sunshine of life."
John Hay

"A true friend is someone who is there for you when they would rather be someplace else." 
Len Wein

"Friendship is like oxygen, we need it to live."
Author Unknown

“Animals are such agreeable friends— They ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.”

 

"We can't take any credit for our talents. It's how we use them that counts."


"Avoid the crowd. Do your own thinking independently. Be the chess player, not the chess piece."


Do whatever you do with a will and a smile and it will be twice as worthwhile.


Tell me and I'll forget. Show me, and I may not remember. Involve me, and I'll understand.


For everything you miss, you gain something; And for everything you gain, you lose something. It is about your outlook towards life: You can either regret or rejoice.


Attitudes are contagious. Are yours worth catching?

Focus on what you want...Just do it & be amaze to discover the hidden treasures you have inside your heart.

 

Famous Motivational Quotes

Inspirational sayings, and words of Wisdom

Famous Quote #1

People are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be.

Abraham Lincoln
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Famous Quote #2

Everyone has problems, some are just better at hiding them.

Unknown
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Famous Quote #3

If we did all the things that we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.

Thomas Edison
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Famous Quotes #4

Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.

Dennis P. Kimbro
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Motivational Quotes #5

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.

Thich Nhat Hahn
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Famous Quote #6

Life is not lost by dying; life is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways.

Stephen Vincent Benét
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Famous Quote #7

Only by going too far can one possibly find out how far one can go.

Jon dyer
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Famous Quote #8

People only see what they are prepared to see.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Famous Quote #9

Don't be afraid to fail because only through failure do you learn to succeed.

Unknown
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Famous Quote #10

It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.

Unknown

Inspirational Quotes #11

Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself   Unknown

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Famous Quote #12

The tongue weighs practically nothing, But so few people can hold it.

---

Famous Quote #13

It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone- but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.

---

Famous Quote #14

Always put yourself in the others shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the person too.
 

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Inspirational Quotes #15

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

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Famous Quote #16

Many people will walk in and out or your life,
But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart

---

Famous Quote #17

To handle yourself, use your head, To handle others, use your heart.

---

Famous Quote #18

He who loses money, loses much; He who loses a friend, loses more; He who loses faith, loses all.

---

Famous Quote #19

If someone betrays you once, it's his fault. If he betrays you twice, it's your fault.

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Famous Quotes #20

God Gives every bird it's food, But he does not throw it into it's nest.

My Favorite  Famous Inspirational Quotes

The only place where your dream becomes impossible is in your own thinking. --

Robert Schuller

If you want to be successful, it's just this simple: Know what you're doing. Love what you're doing. And believe in what you're doing. -- Will Rogers 

 

"Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve."— Napoleon Hill 

 

"Being broke is a temporary situation. Being poor is a mental state."  -- Mike Todd

The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself. -- Mark Caine 

When we can identify a problem and face the problem with confidence and enthusiasm, the solution is on the way.   -- Zig Zigler

--Unless You Change How You Are, You'll Always Have What You've Got-- Jim Rohn

If you don’t set goals for yourself, you are doomed to work to achieve the goals of someone else.  -- Brian Tracy

The only place where your dream becomes impossible is in your own thinking. -- Robert Schuller

If you want to be successful, it's just this simple: Know what you're doing. Love what you're doing. And believe in what you're doing. -- Will Rogers

"Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve."— Napoleon Hil

l

The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself. -- Mark Caine 

Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness. — Napoleon Hill

For every minute you are angry with someone, you lose 60 seconds of happiness that you can never get back. — Napoleon Hill

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. -- Eleanor Roosevelt

 

God Loves You!

1 God Loves You!

The Bible says, "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life"
The problem is that . . .

2 All of us have done, said or thought things that are wrong. This is called sin, and our sins have separated us from God.

The Bible says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” God is perfect and holy, and our sins separate us from God forever. The Bible says “The wages of sin is death.”
The good news is that, about 2,000 years ago,

3 God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins.

Jesus is the Son of God. He lived a sinless life and then died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. “God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”
Jesus rose from the dead and now He lives in heaven with God His Father. He offers us the gift of eternal life -- of living forever with Him in heaven if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me."
God reaches out in love to you and wants you to be His child. "As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name." You can choose to ask Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and come in to your life as your Lord and Savior.

4 If you want to accept Christ as your Savior and turn from your sins, you can ask Him to be your Savior and Lord by praying a prayer like this:

"Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins.  Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life.  I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want to serve you always."

About Jesus

† The Most Unique Person

Jesus Christ is often compared to other prophets and teachers, but He is the most unique person to ever live. Everything from His birth to after His death was miraculous and set Him apart from everyone else. Jesus was born by a virgin -- a natural impossibility. Before His mother Mary was married, she was told by an angel she would give birth to the Son of God. When she asked him how this could be, he answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." Just as promised, the virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ, the most incredible person to ever have lived.

† An Amazing Life

Jesus' life was just as amazing as His birth. At 30 years old, He went out into the cities of Israel and began teaching and healing people. The Bible records that He was different from other preachers, for "the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." Likewise, there was no disease too great for His power. It says, "They brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments. and He healed them." Threatened by His fame and authority, the political and religious authorities conspired to kill Him.

† A Sudden Death

His death had been predicted over a thousand years before. The prophet Isaiah wrote of Jesus, "He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement for our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed." Jesus would pay the penalty for our sins so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life. Just as had been predicted, Jesus was given the most brutal death sentence of that day for maintaining that He was the Son of God. While hanging on a wooden cross with spikes through His hands and feet, He prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Jesus had power to come down from the cross, but He chose to sacrifice His life for others.

† The Promise is for You

Just as promised, God raised His Son Jesus back to life -- eternal life -- on the third day after His burial. He was seen by His closest friends and over 500 of His followers before He went up into heaven before their very eyes. After His resurrection, his close friend Peter told a great crowd to repent from their sins and believe in Jesus Christ to be saved, "for the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call." This promise is for you! There are many religions and prophets, but no one but Jesus Christ offers complete forgiveness from your sins and eternal life with God. He has already died for your sins; now you must put your faith in Him. "For if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." If you believe in Jesus, you can pray a prayer like this right now and receive the gift of eternal life.

† If you want to accept Christ as your Savior and turn from your sins, you can ask Him to be your Savior and Lord by praying a prayer like this:

"Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins.  Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life.  I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want to serve you always."

Presentaions- I'm scared to death to speak in public. I want to change this!!!

This is a article I found on presentations: I hope to overcome my fears.

Personal Branding Comes to the Rescue when Speaking Publicly


June 05, 2007

By Dan Schawbel and Lou Longo



Forty percent of all people are more afraid of public speaking than of dying. It is a national fear among students and professionals alike.



What can you do to alleviate this common stress factor? Start by investing time in building your brand and strengthening your confidence level. Everyone has a personal brand; they just need to discover, create and maintain it over time.



Personal branding defined: An individual's total perceived value, relative to competitors, as viewed by their audience.



The concept is broken into four elements: personality, appearance, competencies and differentiation. When these elements are integrated they become your core message. Your core message is unique to only you and is valued by members of your audience.



Personality: Your behavior, interpersonal communication skills and attitudes toward your audience.





Appearance: Your body language, clothing attire and overall posture.



Competencies: The technical skills that fulfill job requirements.



Differentiation: The factor that separates one individual from anther and leaves a lasting memory in the minds of the audience.



The personality element is most prominent when you are speaking publicly to either a small group or large audience. When speaking in front of an audience, your credibility is at stake and you will be judged based on members from your audience. The only way to truly linger in the minds of your audience is through personality and in this way you need to use the differentiation element to stand out from the hundreds of other voices they hear each day. This is a great opportunity to use your core message, with emphasis on personality and captivating your audience through creativity, real life examples or quotes. There are many great and talented public speakers out there, all having exceptional personal brands.



Have you ever listened to a speaker at an event or meeting that just blew you away? Did you walk out of there wondering where he or she got their training or how they were able to deliver such a great message? Then tell us, what was the message? You probably can’t remember? Four percent and 100 percent. A former colleague who always made us feel this way once gave me these numbers. He said, "People generally retain or remember four percent of the content of any presentation, speech or talk, but they always remember 100 percent of how they felt about it."



How can you have a similar affect on your audience regardless if it is five or 500 people? Prepare, relax, be yourself and then just do it. Some of the greatest football coaches will tell you that most games are won before the ball is even snapped and it is mainly a result of solid practice (preparation) and scouting (knowledge). If public speaking is either a new experience or not a currently a comfort zone, treat it like running or skiing. You do not want to start with a marathon or a black diamond, you want to ease your way in and soon you will be ready for anything.



Tips to remember.



1. Tell your audience a story that they can relate to and follow and do not be afraid to use yourself as an example when you can. Stories are not just for children—we all love a good book or movie especially when it grabs us early as we never want it to end. But it always does and then you are left with the memory of how you felt about it.



2. If you are not speaking about an experience or topic that you know flawlessly, be sure you have done your homework.



3. Be careful when quoting statistics unless you are absolutely sure about them or have the source as there could always be that one person that will try to challenge them during your talk.



4. Tell your story, your way, how you feel about it.



5. If you are not a data person then do not go up there with pie charts and graphs. It is not who you are and you cannot be something you are not either.



6. If you do not like reading from a script you can use cards. Cards are great for many people as it lets them keep their topics in good order and drive home key points.



You must decide what works best for you and then go out and do it. Think back to the very first time you ever drove a car when you were 15 or 16 years old. You were probably nervous, stiff and over-cautious and if you were like us, blew out a clutch while learning. Now, driving is natural and easy for you. Public speaking can be the same way. Whether it is a black diamond, exercising or driving a car, prepare, know the path, enjoy it and be yourself.



Dan Schawbel, personal branding spokesman, has motivated, advised and mentored both students and young professionals. He has preached, blogged and written articles for The New York Times and The Association of Career Development. Visit http://personalbrandingblog.com.

Lou Longo, public speaking expert, teaches people and groups about life. His professional and personal experiences provide people with examples, lessons and recommendations on how to "Inspire First" so that the results you are looking for will naturally follow. And for when they don't, he'll show people how that can be valuable for you too. Visit http://enlivenfirst.com.

I'm proud to be American

I'm proud to be American not just on the holidays but everyday when I wake up and I KNOW I'm free :) Thanks to all the BRAVE men and woman who fight everyday for my freedom!!!! May GOD continue to bless each and everyone of you. It's sad to see so many take what you do for granted. KNOW THAT YOU ARE LOVED AND APPRECIATED BY SO MANY ♥ GOD BLESS AMERICA ♥

My late night dedication to myself,,,HA

"You may not always have all the answers when you need them. But, believe that they exist and KEEP SEARCHING."

Cool new gadgets I want

iNnovation: 2 Freakishly Futuristic iPhone Add-Ons

When the iPhone came out, did anyone really expect it to spawn all kinds of bizarre add-on devices that could make this seemingly innocuous smartphone powerful enough to do pretty much whatever we want it to? Well, we have a feeling some people did, because iPhone gadgets with associated apps have been bouncing out left and right. One of the most interesting (and useful) ones we’ve seen lately is this $50 dongle that turns your iPhone or iPod Touch into a universal remote. It’s made by L5 Technology, who debuted the device at CES 2010. According to them, it’ll actually control any compatible device within about 30 feet via a free app from the app store. Just select the devices you want to control, drag and drop buttons where you want them, and you’re good to go.

Another handy invention to debut at CES was the Mophie credit card reader device. It’ll let you take payments with nothing more than your iPhone, a third-party app, and this little device which attaches directly to your phone. Imagine how much easier this would be for merchants than carrying around a computer to take credit cards at trade shows and other remote locations.

Neck-Mounted Camera Lets You Blog Every Second of Life

You thought those personal blogs detailing every moment of some random person’s every day were annoying? Get ready for an even more personal level of sharing: the Vicon Revue is a wearable digital camera that takes pictures all day with no effort on the user’s part. The first version released is a research model used as a “memory aid” for people with Alzheimer’s or other memory issues…but the consumer version will likely be used for photographic picblogging of the fascinating minutiae of strangers’ lives.

The camera is equipped with a whole suite of sensors that tell it when to start snapping furiously. When the wearer’s environmental conditions – like the lighting level or ambient temperature – change, it snaps one pic per second. Otherwise, it takes a new picture every 30 seconds.If you’re the type of person who is inclined to record every second of every day, the Vicon Revue offers a simple way to do that without putting a lot of work into it. And since the camera is worn around the neck instead of held up to the face, it’s possible that the people you interact with will feel more at-ease than they would with a conventional camera pointed at them.

Cool Underwater Camera Casts Off to Catch Sea Life Pics

Here’s an invention for everyone who loves watching marine life at the beach but doesn’t want to actually get into the water. The Beriscope looks like a child’s toy, but it’s actually a little more sophisticated than that. The spherical end of the gizmo – which is actually a camera – is attached to a long tether that allows the ball to descend into the water. The user then places the device up to their eyes to watch the underwater show.

Throwing the camera into the water is a bit like casting a fishing line: you rear back and then let it go with all your might. When you’re ready to bring the camera back up, just twist on the opposite hand grip and the cord retracts like magic. Everything is coated in protective rubber, minimizing the chance that the device will be broken on the way down or the way back up.

It’s easy to imagine a gadget like this being used to scout out potential diving spots or just to get a taste of what it’s like under the water for those who aren’t able to scuba dive. It would be nearly impossible to direct the ball camera to a specific place, so this camera seems best left to those who are able to go with the flow and watch whatever underwater visions might happen to float by. But if the designer, Jaewon Choi, were able to add a light to the design, we can see it becoming a hot rental item at beaches all around the world.

REASONS TO BELIEVE

I believe although we may not understand why, everything happens for a reason

I believe everyone deserves a chance, a first and a second

I believe everyone has potential

I believe there is someone for everyone

I believe if we tried things we didn’t know we were capable of, we would astound ourselves

I believe today’s society is focused on flaws rather than individuality

I believe we strive for perfection because it’s one of the only things that is out of our reach

I believe in world peace, equality and social justice

I believe we judge others only because we are insecure with ourselves

I believe we take too much for granted

I believe it is important to not only be honest with others, but to be honest with yourself

I believe in the importance of family and friends

I believe it is important to dream

I believe it is more important to chase after those dreams

I believe we don’t tell our loved ones how we feel as often as we should

I believe fear holds us back from so many things, so go for the things you’re afraid of

I believe our background influences who we are, but we are responsible for who we become

I believe that in time all of life’s hardest questions can be answered

I believe in a place called Heaven

I believe we are stronger than we could ever imagine

I believe that without suffering there would be no compassion

I believe you don’t know what you have until it’s gone

I believe we should forgive, but never forget

I believe we are afraid to love, because we are afraid to lose

I believe in miracles

I believe that one person alone could change the world