Did You Ever Put Yourself Down?

There was a time in my life that I used to put myself down. I found fault with everything on the inside, everything on the outside, and every area where I was just not good enough.

This time period lasted most of my life. I would venture to say that I am not alone in this, and that perhaps there might be a time that you also put yourself down.

Did it ever do you any good? Did it help you, or help you to overcome your challenges? Did putting yourself down and finding fault with yourself ever lead you to feel that you are, in fact, a worthy human being who is equally worthy along with the rest of the human race?

I would venture to say that your answer would be no.

Playing small is not doing anyone a favor. Playing larger than others is also not much of a pure contribution to our world. What about playing fairly? How about being fair with yourself?

It's true that none of us are perfect. We are not machines, and even machines at times could use a tune up.

When you put yourself down, it is like you are destroying the goodness that you really are. It's wonderful to feel modest, and it's wonderful to feel that you are just as valuable as any other human being. When you cur yourself down either within your own mind, or out loud to others, nothing valuable is truly being expressed.

If you put yourself down, it is time that a spring cleaning begins within your mind. Here are some suggestions that you might find useful.

Notice when you are thinking about yourself in a degrading way.
Become consciously aware of the thoughts that are swirling through your mind.
Then, rather than allow them to swirl, and allow them to be verbalized, stop yourself for just one moment.

Ask yourself if there is a kinder comment you could be saying about yourself. Perhaps you are caring, or loving. Perhaps you have a great sense of humor. Perhaps there is nothing truly wrong with you other than what you might have been led to believe by others. Perhaps, if you truly think about it, you are not as bad as you might make yourself out to be.
Anyone can have a rough day, lose patience, or simply lose sight of their true essence. All of the goodness inside of your heart is who you truly are.

Your goodness is your value and worth as a human being, equal to all other human beings. What you look like, own, drive, achieve, succeed or fail at has absolutely nothing to do with the goodness inside of your heart. THAT is who you really are.

Imagine making the conscious choice to stop all self degrading comments. Imagine applying the old saying "if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all" to yourself. What if you applied this to yourself? You would speak about the truth that is not based on anything outside of the goodness inside of your heart.

Imagine that you brought out all of the goodness you truly have within you, and replaced that with the negative comments. Then, you would be doing both yourself any many others a nice favor. You would set an example of being good enough simply by sharing and expressing the goodness you have within your heart and this example would touch the lives of others in a positive way.

Imagine if everyone only expressed their goodness, because this is what they were focusing on instead of the no good, degrading, destructive negative commentary. Can you imagine how much better people would feel? Can you imagine how much better you would feel?

Give it a try. Cease all negative self talk, and instead, speak about what is good, both on the inside and on the outside. Focus on what you value within you, especially the qualities you have. Then, bring them out in some form of expression from your heart simply because it would bring you joy to do this.

What are your natural talents? What are your natural states of being that cause you to feel alive? Did you ever have an experience when you felt vibrant and alive, even for just a few minutes? What were you doing? What qualities were you expressing? This is what would do you a world of good to both remember, as well as get in touch with again.

Being hard on yourself is not doing yourself any sort of favor, and it is certainly not truly helping anyone else either. So, why bother? Be kind to yourself instead. Start to take personal responsibility to catch the negative mind banter, and replace it with positive truth.

Start to bring that truth out as an example of being a human being with a good nature, and expressing that good nature to yourself and all others. Then you would truly be doing both yourself and others a bigger favor than you may realize. You can set a modest and pure example of being someone who is good enough simply by being. Every person deserves to feel this basic and pure worth. None of it is truly outside of you, although it can be expressed in many kind ways. Its expression can only come out from within you when you get in touch with all of the good you really are.

Remember this the next time you put yourself down. Remember to speak about the truth instead of the lies you may still believe. When all is said and done, after conscious effort, this will be the new way that you view yourself, and this view will naturally spread to how you view others; with compassion instead of judgment.

Rather than playing small, play from the goodness inside of your heart. You will always go right, and can never fail. You will feel better, and the people around you will feel better in your presence. As you get in touch with all of your goodness something wonderful happens; it's all you truly express.

© Copyright by Barbara Rose, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved.

My Daughter's Graduation Reminds Me to Keep on Dreaming

On Saturday, my oldest daughter will dawn her cap and gown and cross the stage to collect the diploma she worked hard to earn. As I watch her and her friends finishing off their four years, a few things in particular strike a chord in me. They've got something so many of us older folks forget. They remind me of how important it is to make a difference in the world and how making a difference gives meaning to our lives.

When my daughter graduated from high school, she wanted to become a science teacher. She had some great role models. She liked working with kids and did really well in her science classes. As she started the science program in college, side-by-side with pre-med students, she realized it wasn't exactly what she expected.

Somewhere in the middle of her sophomore year, she told us she'd picked her major - Integrated Communications. She explained that it was a combination of marketing, advertising and communications. But somehow she still wanted to be involved with children. So that summer, she made some connections and landed herself a fundraising job at a children's cancer hospital. She returned there again this past summer for her second year as an intern. A few weeks ago, she interviewed for a position in the same office in a fund raising (they call it development I hear) position. (No news yet, but please keep her in your prayers.)

Contrast this with a conversation I had with an old high school buddy of mine. His daughter's graduating this month too and she's been accepted to a New York City program teaching inner city kids. He was proud of her accomplishments, but was concerned about her safety, the affordability of NYC and her "Peacecorp" like salary. "How's she going to make it?" he asked.

As the father of an almost college grad, I can completely relate. But in the back of my mind I can so identify with the passion driving that kid. She so badly wants to make a difference and that energy source drives her more powerfully than caring for her own self interest. Good for her!

A few weeks back, I caught the movie Mr. Holland's Opus on TV. In it, Richard Dreyfuss plays a musician who early in life stumbles into teaching leaving behind his desire to write his symphony, his opus. Over his 30 year career at the school, we watch him inspire students and making a difference in the lives of his students. Unfortunately, his career ends with a school cutback in the arts progam. He is forced into retirement and describes it like this to a friend:

You work for 30 years because you think that what you do makes a difference, you think it matters to people, but then you wake up one morning and find out, well no, you've made a little error there, you're expendable.

It isn't until we see his students give him a surprise recognition event that we see so clearly that Mr. Holland's Opus was never his symphony, but the impact he made on so many lives.

We need meaning in our lives. We need careers that support some aspect of that meaning. In the movie "Up in the Air" (a MUST see for every working and non-working professional out there) Ryan Bingham, played by George Clooney, confronts a guy he's just fired with the following words:

Ryan Bingham: Your resume says you minored in French Culinary Arts. Most students work the fryer at KFC. You bused tables at Il Picatorre to support yourself. Then you got out of college and started working here. How much did they pay you to give up on your dreams?

Bob: Twenty seven thousand a year.

Ryan Bingham: At what point were you going to stop and go back to what made you happy?

I'm at a point in my life where I really enjoy what I do. I've switched from a hardcore software development career to marketing, business development, blogging (you're sampling ny stuff) and teaching as an adjunct at the local colleges. I needed to venture in a new direction to make better use of my interpersonal skills and interact with students at this critical time in their lives. I really enjoy giving them the guidance I know I was missing when I was in college.

It's been a sharp and sometimes tough career turn, but it's definitely given me purpose and I feel jazzed every morning taking on the next thing my work dishes out at me.

I've coached people who complain about the fruitlessness of their careers. They are dissatisfied with their lives and sometimes are even aware their careers are at the center of their problem. At the same time, these people can't bring themselves to make the changes needed to reach a better alignment. They're too:

• accustomed to the money,


• burdened by responsibilities and obligations or


• unwilling to face the fears and insecurities a change might entail.

That's really sad.

To my daughter and the graduating class of 2010, I say avoid this mistake. Follow your dreams. Take some chances. Take some risks. Go out there and change the world. Very few people reach my age and says to themselves,

"I wish I had been more conservative. I wish I had taken a more secure route in my life and career."

Many do live with regrets concerning things they wish they had done and never got around to doing.

Responsibilities and obligations will follow. I can assure you of that. But do not let them blow out your flame. You may not always be able to keep you dreams front, right and center, but keep them in there somewhere so your passions continue fueling you and driving you to deliver as you were meant to deliver.

Hope this helps.

Five Tips For Improving Your Long Exposure Landscape Photography

1. Three legs are better than two. A tripod is absolutely essential, but rather than running out and purchasing any old tripod I strongly suggest saving up for a well built model from a reputable tripod manufacturer, Gitzo and Manfrotto are two that spring to mind. A tripod that is poorly built or overly light weight for your camera will be next to useless as it will shake with any light breeze or even under the vibration of your cameras shutter.

2. Use a low ISO. You may first think ok, low light, lets increase the ISO. The unfortunate side effect of increased ISO is increased noise, this become a real issue when photographing with long exposure times so keeping the ISO down is of great importance. Simply use a longer shutter speed instead, knowing that the camera is supported well on your solid tripod.

3. Ever heard of a neutral density filter? Available in a myriad of strengths and rated by how much light they cut. Essentially ND filters decrease the amount of light hitting your sensor whilst imparting no other changes in color temperature or visual quality. In practice they often change the color temperature slightly however it is nothing that can't be fixed with white balance. Now lets assume we are photographing a waterfall and we wish to render the water as a soft mist. First you would select a low ISO and a small aperture in order to obtain the slowest shutter speed possible, yet the shutter speed may still be faster than you wish. Just pop on an ND filter to slow things down even more and do a little dance.

4. Film is not dead! Well or long exposure photography it's not. Unlike digital sensors which develop unpleasant noise during long exposures film handles it nicely and can render some really great long exposure images. One issue of note when using film for long exposure work is a bugger known as reciprocity failure. Basically film loses sensitivity to light over the length of the exposure and this must be compensated for. Find a reciprocity chart for the specific brand and type of film you are using, make your exposure corrections and bob is your uncle, assuming you have an uncle named bob, that is.

5. Guiding light. No I'm not referring to a golden light emanating from the sky and leading you towards the path of forgiveness, that's called acid and was big in the 70's. What I am referring to is a cheap, battery operated torch. Trust me when I say it is an essential piece of kit. As you start shooting long exposure photos you will start finding yourself in situations of fading light, a torch is a great asset to help you change camera settings and find your way out of locations in the dark.

High Definition Wedding and Event Photography

Perhaps you've seen ads from companies that specialize in Chicago HD weddings and event photography, and you're wondering what it is - and whether it's worth exploring for your wedding or event.

In a nutshell, HD photography and videography use the latest digital technology to capture images that are richer and that have more depth than traditional digital photos and video. Although the difference is not always obvious to the naked eye, it quickly becomes apparent when the images or video are viewed on an HD screen.

"HD" stands for "high definition," which refers in part to the image quality, and in part to the file format. HD files are usually about 50 to 200% larger in size than similar files saved in traditional formats. This extra data produces much finer detail, which results in a crisper, more defined image.

More and more people are choosing a Chicago HD wedding and event photography over more traditional videography, for two reasons. First, of course, is the difference in image quality. Second, HD files are more likely to be compatible with consumer electronics in the future.

But the improved quality can come at a price: In some cases, you can expect to pay 25% to 75% more for HD services than you would for traditional photography and videography.

Even so, you may decide that the extra cost of a Chicago HD wedding and event photography is worth it for you. For many people, there is no question that a once-in-a-lifetime event should be captured on the most advanced, most sensitive technology available.

How To Start Your Own Photo Retouch Business

Adobe Photoshop and other image editing software are a necessary part of any photographers arsenal. Some photographers even supplement their income with a photo retouch business for competitors. Why would they do something like that? Because there is money to be made!

Retouching photos is a very time intensive task for most people. So, a person with talent in that area of expertise can charge a considerable amount of money for doing something they enjoy.

Most photographers are just that... photographers. They want to be in the field as much as possible shooting images and not be stuck behind a desk editing their pictures. A savvy person can capitalize on this by advertising on a few basic sites and providing samples of their work.

The needed resources to start a photo retouch business are:

• A computer with photo editing software




• Software proficiency




• Internet access and email able to receive large files (or use something similar to yousendit.com)




• A good work ethic.

Most of the time, a set fee is paid for certain services. This fee can be negotiated or be simply a flat per-image type of fee. Some common services would include:

• Levels adjustment




• Skin smoothing




• Sharpening and contrast boost




• Scaling for print




• Etc.

Take consideration when quoting time. Figure out how long it takes to adjust certain types of images and make a note of your most common edits, this way you will be able to advertise your specialties.

Once you've prepared yourself for the workload, simply post classified ads on free sites such as craigslist.org and photo forums and message boards. All of your work should be able to be done remotely from anywhere in the world via email.

Enjoy!

Profitable Website Ideas - 5 Ways to Make Your Site Profitable

Most people who own a website are often looking for great opportunities and profitable website ideas that can make them earn extra cash online. Of course, having a website that can generate profits for you is something that we all want and ideally want online. If you are one of these people who are always on the watch on some profitable website ideas, here are a few of them.

1. Advertise. Online advertising and internet marketing has swept the online community by wave and even those established brands and companies are also following suit the efforts of small business owners in advertising online. Of course, a business' online presence is a wise marketing endeavor as many people are now turning into the internet to find information on anything and everything.

You can do banner advertising, display their website's links in your website, or allow them to post their ads on one of your web pages.

2. Write an ad or promote a product as an affiliate. Affiliate marketing is one opportunity that allows you to earn commissions by just simply promoting other people's products or referring someone to their website. By being an affiliate, you can also earn extra income long-term as your ads and promotions are kept active and working to your advantage.

3. Write reviews. Reviews and testimonials are important parts of online marketing and businesses are even willing to pay individuals who can write reviews on their products. You, too can take advantage of this opportunity and make profits from it.

4. Turn your website into a members-only website or a subscription website. Especially if you have valuable information to share, such as photography techniques or techniques in playing the lead guitar, you can set your website into a subscription site that allows you to collect a membership fee before accessing your tools, tutorials and valuable information. Indeed, this can be a continuous process of making profits as you share information. One thing that you have to keep in mind if you want to put up something like this, is to make sure you have information that is valuable and you can indeed provide to what your readers are looking for.

5.Write eBooks. Writers these days go for eBook writing as there is no need for publishing costs and other printing expenses. If you are a writer or an expert in a certain field of study, you can share it in your website by writing eBooks and selling them online.

Indeed, there are lots and lots of opportunities online to make money and earn more income. You may just need to invest a little time and effort especially during the start of your venture. Even though making money online is relatively easy than the conventional way, it also needs time, effort as well as commitment.

Learning a few profitable website ideas can also bring you to a stage of profitable internet use where you just don't browse the internet, you also make money out of it.

3 Laws For Creating Competitive Advantage For Your Business

Science has given us several fundamental laws which describe how our world, and the entire universe for that matter, will always operate. Take Sir Isaac Newton's three laws of motion or the three fundamental laws of Thermodynamics as an example. From these seemingly simple laws, much of our entire complex world can be described. Modern scientists and physicists are still searching for the ultimate universal law, a theory of everything, which will capture the very nature of the universe mathematically. Until they succeed, this article will now present the three laws of creating competitive advantages for your business. I urge you to use their power wisely.

Before you read anything else, I want you to ask yourself two questions. What is the one thing that my business does better than anyone else in my marketplace? Can you state it within the context of your Business Center of Gravity (BCG)? If not, I urge you to go back and answer that question after you finish this article and have put some thought into it. Until you can answer that question, your business will continue to struggle.

Now, was your first answer related to differentiating your product or service? Odds are that it was. The two basic forms of strategy suggest that a business will pursue a strategy of either cost leadership by achieving the lowest price or one of differentiation where specific attributes of a business set it apart from all others. The following laws correlate creating competitive advantages through differentiation as we encourage the pursuit of a differentiation strategy over a cost leadership one.

The first law of competitive advantage is the principal of conservation of differentiation. This law states that competitive advantages based on differentiation are neither created nor destroyed, they can only change form. This is critical to understand because in an ultra-competitive marketplace, a competitive advantage will not remain an advantage indefinitely. Remember, your competition as the ability to adapt. The consistent transformation to new competitive advantages is what will generate long term cash flow and prevents the erosion of your strategic positioning.

The second law of competitive advantage is the principle of the constant factor rule in differentiation. This rule allows you to separate constant factors of your business outside of your business model and concentrate on differentiating the business itself. In other words, there are certain things that are required to be done by any business and certain industries require certain things to be preformed. Such constants must be examined separately from the truly differentiating factors of the business. For example, just because a wedding photographer delivers photographs to her clients, this alone does not giver her an advantage in the wedding photography industry.

The third law of competitive advantage is the principle of Business Center of Gravity (BCG). This law says that a competitive advantage is proportional to the significance of the BCG times the impulse of the business in the market. A Business Center of Gravity is what your business cannot function without and is directly linked to what your customers and clients cannot function without. The significance of your BCG times the force your business exerts in your marketplace over time directly results in the influence of your competitive advantage on your ideal clients. This means that you must understand and know your Business Center of Gravity as well and create massive and rapid forceful actions within your market if you are to truly leverage the power of your strategic positioning.

With these laws in mind, it is important to understand that competitive advantages are generated by the communication of the Business Center of Gravity and that creating new advantages is critical to business success because your differentiation will erode over time. A good fourth law would be to forget the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis. It has useful applications for keeping people busy, but within the context of the laws of creating competitive advantage it is unsupported and will not help you in creating true and powerful differentiation. Just like the greatest scientific laws that describe movement and energy, the these laws will provide you with a clear and actionable understanding of the nature of your business so that you can generate revenue by truly leveraging your differentiation.