My Essay Blog

It’s that time of year again&ndashGarage Sale Season! If you have started your spring cleaning and decided it is time to get rid of your excess stuff, having a garage sale is a great way to accomplish that. You can take it a step further and become part of the new grass roots movement taking off across the country, to raise funds for charity. It is called Garage Sales for Charity.org.

A very simple effortless way for millions of individuals who have a garage sale to raise funds for their favorite charity. If you plan on having a garage sale you don’t need to do anything special or different, all you need to do is commit to donating a minimum of $50 or 10% or your sales to your favorite charity. Any charity–your local food shelf, church program, local shelter, national charity, wherever you feel it will do the most good. It is entirely up to you.

Garage Sales for Charity.org does not handle any of the funds donated. They simply act as a central resource for ideas and promotion. The simplicity of this plan is what makes it so appealing. Effortless fund raising for charities during the slow summer months when donations are down. There are no ulterior motives or agendas to promote. There are no million-dollar budgets behind this, no expensive TV commercials, and no celebrity endorsements. They are not affiliated with any organization, charity or political group.

One person, one garage sale can make a difference. This is grass roots at its best. The potential over the next several months is huge! A mere 100 people participating every week in every state would raise $1,000,000 a month for charities across the country. This is money local charities would have otherwise never seen, during the months they may need it the most. Charities can hop on board by including garagesalesforcharity.org web address in all their fund raising materials, giving the people who they count on the most, one more way to raise funds. Sell, donate, feel good! Saving the world one garage sale at a time.

Throughout my dealings with women from all over the world, I have met so many that are in a prison of pain and frustration. Through my website, they search desperately for a way out of this prison. They want so desperately to be heard.

Her Cries for help are genuine.She is not inventing her worries, nor is she so bored with her life that she is imagining things and creating her own miseries.

Her Cries for help are misinterpreted as nonsensical emotions. They are even viewed as insecurities. Some even become very defensive towards, “Her Cries for Help”, and take it as a personal attack of mistrust.

Her Cries for Help, are not without reason. How can anyone actually believe that a person would deliberately cause so much upheaval in a love relationship over and over again? Who has the issues there? I have to wonder sometimes, exactly who is being deliberate?

These women are in constant conflict with uncontrollable emotions. They not only have to try to disconnect from their own person within, but they have to try to interpret them to an outsider and can only hope that person can hear, “Her Cries for Help”, through her words.

These women are in need of an understanding that it is not them. This ugly reaction is a serious attempt to reach out to you for help. When something occurs time and time again, do you not start to wonder if maybe there is something more to her reaction than just what’s on the surface? Surely a person that claims to love, cherish, and endure all negative and positive would know that the love of their life is in some kind of turmoil that she cannot escape. So then why do you assume everything from PMS, to mistrust? Is it not so obvious that she is not willingly hurting your relationship? Is it not obvious that she is in a hold of some kind that is controlling her? Can you not see how much, seeing you in confusion is tearing her apart piece by piece? Do you not think that she knows her reactions are causing a wall separating your ability to reach out to her?

Pretend for one moment that you are gagged and hand tied and someone else is speaking and acting for you. You can see them and you can hear what they are saying, but cannot do anything about it. You can see your loved one suffering from the intruders acts. Your guts are wrenching because you are in fact unable to stop it. This is maybe a little bit of what she feels like when her emotions entrap and imprison her and cause her to react in ways that boggle your mind.

Her love for you was in fact the trigger. Her love for you helped to lower her defenses and allowed this monster of negative emotions to creep in. Now she battles with it and fears what she cannot control. Her mind works over-time building defense walls to keep out this intruder that is so strong-willed and controlling. Her Cries for Help continue; for that is her only way of escaping this torment that in fact both of you are tangled up in. She searches for ways to rid herself of this horrible trap that she has somehow fallen into. She will never stop trying as long as she knows you will be there and that you know in your heart that it is not her deliberately sabotaging your love relationship. Your love and understanding is her strength. It is the ultimate weapon to fight and win this battle of imprisonment.

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“Bitterness imprisons life; love releases it”

- Harry Emerson Fosdick

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“I believe that we are here for each other, not against each other. Everything comes from an understanding that you are a gift in my life - whoever you are, whatever our differences.”

- John Denver

Dorothy Lafrinere

Owner/Operator

Website- .womensselfesteem.com

Weblog- .justblogme.com/Dorothy

Forum- womenselfesteem.proboards29.com

email- dorothywomensselfesteem.com

Saturn may be moving in to Virgo, which is probably good news for Leos, and we are all about to get a break when Venus stops retrograding and turns her lovely face of love in the right direction, but there’s something else coming up that affects us all, whatever your sign is: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Seasonal Affective Disorder affects about 5% of adults severely, particularly women and young adults. Up to 25% of us are affected more mildly.

The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) says that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that’s a real illness, and sometimes the symptoms are severe. It’s worse in January and February, but sometimes starts as early as September.

The cause of SAD is believe to be melatonin, a sleep-related hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain. Melatonin production increases in the dark, so in the winter, when the days are shorter and darker, production increases, causing what we experience as symptoms of depression. Seasonal Affective Disorder is extremely rare for people who live within 30 degrees of the Equator, where daylight hours are long and extremely bright.

What are the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder? Well, a lot like depression - trouble sleeping, lethargy, overeating, sadness, social problems, anxiety, loss of libido, mood changes, and a weakened immune system. For complete description, go here:

.sada.org.uk/symptoms.htm.

What can you do to help? It’s light that suppresses the secretion of melatonin, so for lighter cases, get outside more, exercise outside, and arrange for more light at work and at home.

Phototherapy has been helpful in more severe cases. A light box can be used that emits very bright light through a filter.

If you think you might have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), check with your personal healthcare professional. Get as much information as you can, and be prepared.

Some pass easily when taking a driving test. Others though would have a hard time with it. This does not mean though that there is no way for you to pass. In fact, here are some tips on how to go through that exam well prepared and have a good chance of passing.

Practice makes Perfect

You cannot expect to pass that test with just running the drive through your head. Practice, practice, and practice some more. This way, you would really get familiar with all the twists and turns. Also, familiarizing all traffic rules is essential. A driving test is no mean feat and should not be taken lightly.

When you opt to take the test, here are some important things you should pay attention to.

Things to Bring

Coming to a driving test well prepared is just the thing. You must bring with you your identifications, photo learner permit, photo ID-card for a non driver, or photo driver license, whichever would apply. If the test you are taking requires you to provide the vehicle, then of course do so. If so, make sure that the vehicle is in top condition and all safety necessities are present.

Do not be Late

It would be rude to the examiner if you go to a driving test late. If you really cannot make it, then you might as well cancel the whole thing or somehow ask for an allowance from the examiner. Most examiners are touch with this subject. After all, they also have other work to attend to. A driving test can be canceled due to bad weather or because of other circumstances.

Examination Site

As you arrive in the site for your driving test, you must be aware of the parking etiquettes. If there is a line of parked vehicles, naturally you have to park last. Listen to the examiner’s instructions carefully. Before starting the test, you must make sure that everything is ok. Check mirror alignments and the driver seat, as well as the seat belt. Usually, before the test is begun, you will be given an explanation by the examiner. Here you can ask any question about the whole thing.

The Driving Test

The test will determine your skills on basic twist and turns as well as your overall road ethics. Do not panic. Just relax and remember the long hours of practice you had. You can certainly pass the driving test if you are confident with what you are doing. Keep your focus always.

The best leaders keep the world in perspective. They see the bright side of things. They can find humor in most circumstances. They can laugh at the absurdity life often offers. Humor eases tension and takes the bite out of tough situations.

A sense of humor draws followers to the leader. It helps followers feel safe and energizes and activates their minds. Humor also plays a larger role as an essential element of effective living. Health professionals agree that those with a sense of humor have a greater sense of being and belonging. That feeling gets communicated and creates the rapport that attracts others to the leader. Some people say that humor must be limited within the serious business of work. Yet people laugh most often about the things that are most serious to them. Think of all the jokes you have heard about money, taxes, and even death.

Stay within your style and focus on topics that delight you. This means overcoming the limiting belief that “I’m not funny.” Everyone gets a tickle out of something. For example, bring to mind the somber image of Alan Greenspan. Imagine him saying, “Inflation is what lets you live in a more expensive neighborhood without having to move.” Share what tickles you and let people see your sense of humor. Don’t worry about never getting jokes, not remembering funny stories, or not spinning a good yarn.

You don’t have to tell jokes to demonstrate your sense of humor. You do not have to try to be funny. You do not have to be a great raconteur. Just talk about topics that interest you and reveal your sense of playfulness. I knew a corporate attorney who everyone thought had absolutely no sense of humor. I found out the attorney was an avid Red Sox baseball fan. Since I enjoy baseball too, I asked him about the Red Sox once. He went on for twenty minutes about his love for the team. Several of his comments were about humorous incidents at Red Sox games. I laughed loud and hard at some of his comments.

Respond to others’ quips and cleverness. Your sense of humor is conveyed when you engage other people and react to them. Simply restating what someone else said, with a different tone or with a link to another idea, can cause a chuckle or create a second round of humor. What if your attempt at humor bombs? Acknowledge the bomb. Have at hand a few ready-made recovery lines to stop the flop. George H. Bush certainly never created the impression that he was one of American polities’ stand-up funny-men. Yet he demonstrated a good sense of humor when he flubbed a line during his 1988 presidential campaign. Bush said, “We’ve had triumphs. We’ve made mistakes. We’ve had sex.” “Sex” was the tongue-tied replacement for “setbacks.” Bush recovered easily from his flub by saying, “I feel like the javelin thrower who won the toss and elected to receive.” When you do bomb, and everyone does, say or do something rather than try to ignore the bomb.

Coaching is perhaps the most effective method of increasing performance available to managers, team leaders, and colleagues. This article defines coaching and outlines a process for effective coaching.

Coaching Defined

Coaching is perhaps the most effective method of increasing performance available to managers, team leaders, and colleagues.

If you wish to improve the skills of your employees, you must plan to observe them and provide them with feedback. If you’re like most supervisors or managers, you have limited time and are looking for employees to become proficient &ndash and independent &ndash faster.

Entelechy’s Coaching Model is designed to help you do just that!

The Coaching Model is appropriate for developing the skills of employees if the employee is willing to improve. Coaching should not be used as a softer, gentler version of corrective action; if a performance problem occurs, you will want to use the Problem Solving model.

The Coaching Model is based on several important principles:

1. There are two primary goals to coaching:

• To improve performance.

• To help employees gain the ability to self-assess.

2. It is important that the coaching sessions follow a predictable process. This will help the coachees feel more comfortable and relaxed, which will help to ensure they actively participate in these sessions. It is for this reason that we suggest that you share the coaching model with your employees prior to coaching.

3. Coaching is a planned development process and should not be a surprise.

4. The way you open the conversation sets the tone for what will follow.

5. After we open the conversation using our initial probe, we discuss positives first and areas for improvement last. Beginning with positives first is motivational and accomplishes the following:

• The goal is to have employees increase their performance. If they are not in a positive frame of mind, they will not be open to this change.

• Reinforces good behavior and ease into the coaching session.

• Builds self-esteem.

6. Ending the coaching session with a discussion of areas for development ensures that they are focusing on those areas.

7. Always give the coachee a chance to self-assess before you offer your insights. Encouraging self-assessment is positive for several reasons:

• It encourages improvement even when you are not coaching.

• It allows you to determine why the employee may not be performing as desired; they may not know that they’re doing something incorrectly.

• It builds self-esteem.

• It increases the chances that behavior will change.

8. Reinforce correct self-assessment.

9. Defer or redirect inappropriate or incorrect self-assessment.

10. We focus coaching on only two strengths and two areas for development. Limiting the discussion is important and accomplishes the following:

• Increases the coachee’s ability to reach proficiency.

• Focuses on the most important issues.

• Other issues can be addressed after some progress has been made on the most important issues first.

11. If an employee is not identifying areas that you identified (or has identified them incorrectly), use increasingly specific questions to allow the employee to self-assess if possible. This allows you to determine if the employee doesn’t know what’s expected, doesn’t have the skill, or simply chooses not to demonstrate the skill.

The Coaching Model at Work

Now let’s turn our attention to Entelechy’s Coaching Model in practice.

Step 1: Open the Conversation

The coach opens the conversation with a general question; this helps the coach get a sense for the accuracy of the coachee’s self-assessment. If the coachee responds with, “that was the best call ever” and you thought that the call was poor, you know that you’ll have to adjust your coaching conversation.

Step 2: Probe for What Went Well

The coach asks the coachee what went particularly well and listens for the responses. By identifying what went well first, a positive tone for the coaching session is set. We want to make sure that the coachee continues doing these things. This also forces the coachee &ndash NOT THE COACH &ndash to identify superior performance.

Step 2a: Redirect or Defer

Sometimes the coachee will bring up a negative when you’re discussing positives. You will want to defer that discussion until later in the coaching conversation by saying, “I’d like to talk about that more later. What else went particularly well?”

Other times, the coachee will claim something as a positive that &ndash in your opinion &ndash was an area that needs development. You will want to redirect their perception by pointing out what you saw that helped you conclude that it was less than desirable. “Oh, really? Did you happen to see John’s face when you discussed the product’s features? That’s right, he seemed to lose interest when you started talking about us rather than about him….”

Step 2b: Support and Build

When the coachee correctly assesses his performance &ndash both strengths and areas for development &ndash support the assessment by saying, “I agree.” Build from their conclusions to reinforce the accuracy of their self-assessment. In this way, you are reinforcing one of the most valuable skills anyone can acquire: the ability to assess and improve their own performance.

Step 3: Probe for Areas for Development

The third step is to ask the coachee what he would change if he could do it again. Obviously, if the coachee knows what could be improved and knows how to improve it, he won’t benefit from YOU telling him! And by mentally rehearsing what he will do differently, the likelihood of him actually carrying out the improvement is increased.

Most experts agree that two or three areas for development are enough for anyone to work on. Working on a laundry list of things to change is frustrating and futile. Focus on the areas of greatest need.

When identifying areas for development, the coachee may not have identified the one that you thought was most important. Again, you can redirect their perception by identifying what you saw that they might not have that allowed you to come to your conclusion. “I agree that the two areas that you identified would definitely had made the call go better. What do you think the effect of your product feature presentation was on the customer? Why? What might you do differently the next time…?”

Step 4: Summarize and Support

Even though you may have limited the coaching to a few strengths and a couple areas for development, you will want to briefly summarize the discussion, especially what the coachee will do differently the next time. This recap will cause the most important things to remain fresh in memory. You will also want to support the changes by saying something like, “I think those changes will make your next call go even better.”

Follow these four steps to help your employees and colleagues increase their performance. In the next issue we discuss how to give feedback within the coaching framework.

(This information comes from Coaching for Performance, a module in Entelechy’s High Performance Management program. Check out this module as well as our 40 other modules, training tools, and eGuides at .unlockit.com.)

We’ve all experienced the same thing at important crossroads in our life when big changes were underway. Often, we find ourselves feeling panic and frozen in time, possibly with indecision, waiting and wondering: Which way to go?; How will things turn out? Sometimes, you just don’t know what to do.

I’m asked frequently about this topic and oddly, I have a lot of experience with it as well. In fact, I find my life in this state of flux often as more changes loom on the horizon. Everyone, myself included, wants answers. What should I do? How do I know? These answers are never forthcoming; we cannot see into the future. Every direction can be okay; one can be the best. The simple truth is, we just don’t know with 100% accuracy. This is where awareness and faith come in to play.

Awareness is important on many levels. Knowing the landscape of your life, you can make calculated decisions that support your goals. In business, and daily life activities, we implement this process automatically without much awareness at all, it has become so habitual. This, in part, is where a problem lies. Habitual behavior may not be appropriate as new data becomes available. Auto-pilot means your flying blind. Even when flying a plane on auto-pilot, the pilot will check the instrument panels to ensure the data is consistent. Why don’t we? Be aware of your data.

Your data comes from many sources and most of us are familiar with these sources. I might surprise some of you with new concepts. The common source that we’re all familiar with is the mind and store-house of knowledge and experience we have gained from life. Again, those who rely solely upon this source risk repeating the same mistakes over and over again. The mystery of life dictates that our ability to identify with life experience as truth results in creating more of this truth in our lives. If this truth is a truth of painful experience, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Utilizing other sources, we are able to objectively assess all sources and come to new conclusions.

The next common source is our emotions and intuition; they often are synonomous. A surprising fact here is that not everyone is in touch with their emotions or permit the emotions the freedom they deserve. Emotions are very useful in interpreting and/or being aware of underlying factors that may not be evident through hard tangible data. For some this is a gut-feeling, others have a flash of insight or conclusion, and others feel twinges in certain parts of the body without being aware of any potential significance. I have scenarios for each and will refrain from elaborating further for the sake of brevity today. Be curious to explore it further though.

A less common source for most is our spiritual awareness. This is a quiet place within that has a higher level of wisdom for the greater good. This can be pertinent to you, your life, your family life, community, work, the world, and so on. The levels of knowledge accessible here are limitless. It is as though we are connected to a universal storehouse of knowledge. This place of knowing is far less judgemental and emotional but has the ability to synthesize the data from the mind and emotions, integrating and offering solutions from a much higher level of consciousness. This is something that many people find themselves seeking as they mature and look for more significance in their lives and meaning in their work.

Finally, we must talk about the role of faith. This is part of what I teach and coach in my profession. It is the co-creative relationship and process that we have as human-beings with the source of all creation. This isn’t religious, it isn’t specific to any religion, yet it doesn’t contradict any religion. This is born from my own quest for truth integrated with my own life and spiritual experiences. It may be incomplete and is a direction to follow, not a destination for you to reach. Such is the nature of our spiritual life; it is the journey and the ever-changing, ever-increasing level of knowledge and wisdom that we gain through life experience. With an open-mind, entertain our relationship with the source of all creation.

Creation exists, as do we. We see it all around us. Scientists study deeper into the stars. More scientists study deeper into the mysterys of time and space; quantum physics. What is witnessed is creation, its’ magic and its’ mystery. Down at the quantum level we discover that we’re mostly made up of empty space and other unusual phenomena that cannot be explained. Out in the stars, they see an expanding universe. Now, going deeper, with probing satellites and quantum sciences, new theories arise. All seem to point to an apex of creation coming from nothing… a God Force.

Mystery is lived by people accessing this God-Force, understanding their co-creative relationship to this mystery. Understanding that this force is abundant love, it supplies us with what is in our intention. What we intend for our lives becomes real. Many people who do this consistently refer to it as manifesting. As children, many of us have had at least one solid experience of this. We may have just known that we would have something in our lives, whether a gift, an experience, a trip, whatever, and then it happens. There was no fear, doubt, uncertainty, only gladness for what was to come. That is the power of intent.

As adults, so much of our lives have instructed us to ignore so much. Don’t dream to big. You can’t do this. Don’t do that. That’s only for the privileged. You need to have a degree. There is too much competition. This is the way things work. Everywhere you turn, you are told how it is and what cannot be and you become conditioned. We have spent too little time in practice with our spiritual origins that we do not understand this mystery and in our need for control, we stifle its’ requirement for room to breathe and work its’ own magic. We measure things by worldly standards and time clocks, not realizing that in the bigger picture, some of those so-called failures actually were important stepping-stones in a grander scheme for our lives. Is our spiritual side still influencing the outcome? Are we making the experience harder, longer, or are we co-operating and making it easier?

Okay, this is long enough for one read. If you want to know more and begin your own journey, feel free to contact me. There are more relevant articles on the website and as a coach, I spend time integrating spiritual awareness into the coaching sessions in unobtrusive ways. It has shown itself to be the single most important success factor regardless of the initial direction goals were set. In some cases, spiritual awareness harnessed the focus to realize a more significant goal for the individual instead of a goal that came about due to conditioning.

Truly Numbing Criticism

While we shouldn’t needlessly flatter we must make it a goal to encourage. Regrettably, we tend only to welcome results as opposed to effort. Several of us condemn much more than we eulogize, thereby dampening fervor and squelching confidence. One teacher who was counseled about his fifteen-year-old student, Matthew, exclaimed, “He never does anything right!”

Anything?? Now that’s Impossible!

Grownups do it to adults as well. Why do several of us so concentrate on another’s fiascos or disappointments? Oftentimes, it is because you want to establish that you are smarter than me, that you are superior. Or, you want to demonstrate that you were right and that I was mistaken. Or, you want to express how much more honor you have than I do.

There is yet an additional reason some of us are very disparaging and intolerant. Unhappy people vent their disappointment and resentments at handy targets. Condemnation often serves as a ready made avenue for the articulation of your rage and your sense that the world has dealt you an inequitable hand. Furthermore, when you condemn, you don’t have to accept your reservoir of anger. You can cloak your remarks in noble robes, for example: “I was only trying to help.”

Folks require guidance. We crave feedback designed to keep us moving in a vigorous, fruitful direction. I don’t want you merely to be my cheerleader - I want you to tell me when I am being excessive and unrealistic.

There is one type of criticism, however, whose outcome is solely negative. It is when you find lapse with something they can do zilch about. There is no point in ever permitting your brunette, hazel-eyed spouse to know that you prefer platinum locks and baby blue eyes. It is brutal to comment to your slim wife that you find bouncy breasts a real turn-on. It is tactless to go on and on about how eloquent and charming you find your male friend to be, when your husband is modest man of simple tastes.

Criticism, delivered correctly, can be helpful when transformation is within our grasp. Demanding a person to change what is already etched in stone will only compel them to feel worthless and indignant.

A critical change, nonetheless, requires that we simply shift some of our energies and become perceptive of somewhat different priorities. We educate our children to value the environment and set aside days for recycling in order to validate that respect. Adults dutifully segregate their garbage, putting aside paper, aluminum, glass, and plastic products so they can have another life. Why not then, proposition a globally recognized day each year on which we are remarkably mindful of treating others with dignity, when we associate with others as humans not objects, as equals not inferiors, as people who goad on and not criticize, as people with the same desires for appreciation?

1. Tell yourself that no matter what, some level of clutter with a child is going to happen.

2. Begin with messes and clutter that you see every day. Get organize your kitchen, garage, and family room before your hallway closet.

3. Use drawer dividers for socks, underwear, lingerie, and tiny items, to keep them separated and organized.

4. Use this same principle to organize your silverware, with clearly defined places for every fork and knife, or drawers for ties and socks or, underwear. Think in this same way for every aspect of your home. This will save many hours of searching for things. It will dramatically cut down on the clutter of items left out “for now” or “until I find a place for it.” Develop a new mantra: everything has its place and a place for everything!

5. Allocate everything in your house a place. This way your family will know exactly where to find it and where to put it away, when they searches for something they need.

6. Keep items that are used frequently in places where you can reach them without stooping or bending, and store them close to the place they will be needed.

7. Establish one defined place in your house for storing library books, and end a house-wide hunt when it is time to read or return them.

8. Hang hooks for your keys and purse at the entry to your home, so each time you walk in, you can hang them up.

9. Get rid of all junk drawers, or allow yourself just one that you clear out once a week or more. When you establish certain items are being used repeatedly, designate a drawer for those.

10. Enlist a new rule: throw out one old thing for every new purchase that enters your home.

11. Make a mental note to observe what things pile up in your house and where they cluster, and then come up with a place nearby that becomes the official home where those things will reside. For this purpose baskets, shelves, and folders will work well. Set aside one basket for you and your partner for incoming mail, bills, and receipts and letters.

12. Never go up or down empty-handed when using stairs. Always grab some items that belong to upstairs rooms and quickly put it away while you are there.

13. Create a number of brightly marked folders for discount coupons, invitations and directions, and other time-sensitive papers that just clutter your counters.

14. Things you don’t need any longer:

• Expired medications.

• Clothes you no longer wear.

• Extra paper or plastic grocery bags.

• Makeup and samples you have never worn.

• Sunscreen that’s expired or more than one year old.

• Organize your coupons and throw out all that have expired.

• Cookbooks you rarely use. Cut out your favorite recipes only.

• Magazines you meant to read but have never taken the time for.

• Stuff your crumpled plastic bags from your grocer inside a cardboard roll like a hand towel roll. Keep under your sink.

You will free your mind to remember your daily chores by getting rid of your clutter and organizing your home top to bottom. Be vigilant about cleaning about once a month and you will find it much easier to keep up, week-by-week.

Produced by Prime Time Productions, The Secret is a feature length film showcasing the tenets of the New Thought movement via a number of interconnected vignettes focusing on “The Law of Attraction.” Acted tidbits of drama intermingle with sit-down interviews to drive home the points made in the film. Although originally billed as a self-help aid, The Secret soon began to draw heavy criticism and the producers found themselves under fire from a variety of different sources.

Making the circuit of the media greats, the film’s participants were soon featured during publicity campaigns with Oprah Winfrey, Larry King and Montel Williams. Using its dramatic presentation, The Secret showcases that “The Law of Attraction” has great bearing on everyday life, and thus the actual secret that is revealed is the applicability of this law. To demonstrate the veracity of this century old claim, the producers enlisted the help of spiritual experts, personal coaches, master of the art of feng shui, and also motivational and moneymaking experts.

The goal of The Secret is to sound the alert that a person’s feelings and thought patterns indeed attract tangible results. While this may be a simplistic explanation of “The Law of Attraction,” the film attempts to show this law in action to those who might never have been exposed to it before. While it does not matter if an individual understands this law or even believes in it, the film asserts that her or his emotional as well as physical health, interpersonal relationships, and professional persona are all affected by it. Going a step further, The Secret claims that the veracity of “The Law of Attraction” has been closely guarded by those in the know, lest the population at large were to catch on to something this potentially powerful and liberating.

To understand the scope of the mind change that needs to occur, the film presents three actions that must be taken prior to any transformation:

1. One must ask.

2. One must believe.

3. One must receive.

Utilizing the power of the spoken word via the interviews as well as the energy of the dramatically presented truths the picture has to offer, the film’s producers capitalize on the showcased individuals’ reputations, mastery of their respective fields, and ability to present the reality of “The Law of Attraction” as they see it played out as either physicists, metaphysics gurus, coaches, philosophers, finance experts, psychologists, physiologists, and feng shui masters.

Questioning what the universe can do for the individual rather than the other way around, quotes of history’s greatest and most creative minds are offered: you may hear words from Buddha, Aristotle, Plato, Sir Isaac Newton, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, and musical genius Ludwig van Beethoven. This brings the film full circle to an exploration of the New Thought Movement which was thought to have begun in the mid to late 19th century.

To the uninitiated the notion that The Secret seeks to reveal is a bit odd and smacks on the mysterious and as such is considered removed from the mainstream. Yet with the gain in popularity that the New Thought movement has received in recent decades, it is not surprising to see the principles of the film embraced by a number of individuals who are featured. Claiming to have used the information thus far withheld, they promise that personal and professional success and happiness in this world no longer need to elude the viewer &ndash once she or he understand that whatever they release into the world they will also receive back.