IN THIS ISSUE
Welcome
Feature Article - Paths to Change
Words to Inspire
Guest Column - Improve Your Life. One Minute At a Time!
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WELCOME

Greetings and welcome to all of you. We are delighted to send you another issue of KEYS TO SUCCESS. Thank you for joining us.

The feature article this month is about how change happens. We know change is not always easy. However, it isn't change itself that is so hard. The challenge is the path we need to travel to get there.

This week is the start of the Jewish New Year. To all of you who celebrate I wish you a year of good living.

Our commitment is to give you practical information and inspirational ideas to benefit your business and personal life. We are committed to "bringing out your best"! We welcome feedback so we can improve and offer real value to you.

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<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< FEATURE ARTICLE - Paths to Change

Here we go again. The seasons are changing. Change is in
the air whether you live in the Northern or Southern
Hemisphere. In my corner of the world Fall has arrived.
The air is turning a bit cooler, the days a little
shorter and the nights are becoming longer. The green
leaves of summer are turning into the reds, oranges and
yellows of fall. It is a beautiful time of year.

Seasons are a natural progression of change. Like
seasons, we change as we move through the rhythms of life.
Some of our changes are natural such as getting older.
From the time we are born until we die our bodies and
minds are changing as we move from one age to the next.
Not surprisingly, we generally find it easier to accept
those natural changes.

As you well know not all changes are natural. Some are
brought on by external forces beyond our control. Some
are things we actually initiate. In either case change is
situational. For example, you get a new boss, accept a
promotion, move to a new city, lose your job, start a
business, retire, or have a baby. These are
all changes that impact your life.

We tend to look at change as something finite with a
beginning and an end. What we often ignore is the path
between the beginning and end; i.e., the transition phase.
Transitions are the uncomfortable space found between
the beginning and the end. They are the paths we travel as we
come to terms with those new situations.

Ah, now we get to the tough part of change because
transitions are an inside job. Transitions are the
psychological processes we go through as we deal with change.
In other words we need to take the time to deal with our
positive and negative emotions around change. And all we
want to do is to get back to the status quo so we can be
normal again. Successful change will not happen without
the process of transition.

William Bridges, author of Managing Transitions: Making
the Most of Change tells us the starting point for
transitions is not the outcome of change but the ending of
what was. Letting go of the old starts the transition
phase. What happens between the old and the new is what
Bridges calls the neutral zone. That is where transition
resides.

Our personal job is to accept and acknowledge our feelings
of fear, discomfort, confusion, anxiety, and resentment.
Denying those feelings only prolongs the process. Of
course it's much easier to deal with the positive feelings
of happiness, joy, excitement, and elation. We can't manage
change without managing the transitions that accompany the change.

Life and work are full of change. How well do you handle
change? What are your thoughts about change? Do you see
opportunities or obstacles when faced with changes? Do
you embrace change or find yourself doing a lot of kicking
and screaming about it? Perhaps your answers are
contingent on whether the changes are voluntary and you
feel ready to make the change versus changes that are
imposed upon you.

Change is a fundamental part of living. Transitions
are the paths we take to get there.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>WORDS TO INSPIRE

"Things do not change; we change."
Henry David Thoreau

"Change is not merely necessary to life, it is life."
Alvin Toffler

"Change begets change."
Charles Dickens
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GUEST ARTICLE - Improve your Life. One Minute at a Time!
by Dr Jill Ammon-Wexler

Want to make some positive gains in your life? A lot of
folks would like to improve their lifestyle, but just
can't find the time to take action. If you are already
living a busy lifestyle, finding the time to make a
positive change CAN pose a seemingly insurmountable
problem.

Still the highest mountain is scaled only step at a
time, and the biggest goal is only accomplished one
step at a time. And actually -- it's impossible to take
more than one step at a time anyway.

Why not try an approach of focusing on just what you
can accomplish in one minute -- just 60 seconds. That's
enough time to at least re-focus on a goal, and plan
one small action to move you in your desired
direction.

You can actually do quite a bit in only one minute.
Here are some ways to use the power of a single
minute:

Exercise for One Minute
No time to go to the gym? OK. Forget about the next 59
minutes, and just focus on the next one minute. Perhaps
do a deep breathing exercise, or one minute of push-ups
or sit-ups. Or invest in one of those easy-to-use $50
home gym systems, and just do a single exercise for 1
minute. After a while you may expand to two minutes ...
and wow, you have just made a 200% jump.

Relax for One Minute
Just relax into your chair and suck in a slow deep
breath all the way down into your belly. Then open your
mouth slightly, and release your breath as slowly as
you can. Repeat this for just one minute to refresh
your mind with increased oxygen.

Calm Your Mind For One Minute
Your mind is a fabulous theater, and contains wonderful
visions of your favorite places. Go visit one of those
places for one minute. Just relax and clear your mind
wherever you may be -- in a plane, waiting in a bank
line, or at your desk. Now revisit your favorite place
in your mental theatre for one minute. You'll come away
feeling refreshed, and a lot calmer and clearer.

Change Your Outlook for One Minute
You can even experiment going outside your normal self
for a minute. Try acting the exact opposite of how you
usually act for one minute. If you tend to be
introverted, think like an extrovert. If you are an
engineer, think like an artist. If you are a man, think
like a woman.

Re-Frame a Problem for One Minute
Choose a problem, then select a different frame of
reference to consider it from. Try considering the
problem through the eyes of someone you admire. Does
the problem look different? Try looking at it with the
mind Albert Einstein or Bill Gates or Martha Stewart.
Now how does the problem look?

Be Happy for One Minute
Maybe you are currently overwhelmed with problems and
challenges beyond your control. Try finding something
to give thanks for, and focus on being grateful. Forget
any current or past tragedies or disasters, and allow
yourself to be happy for one minute.