DO THIS AND YOU WILL HAVE A BETTER LIFE!

The words personal development have become quite popular these days. Yes, it along with self-improvement and self-growth seem to be on everyone’s lips. But what do we really know about these words - do we really understand their true meaning? Do we truly live up to them? Can we live up to them? My belief is - and from what I see and experience everyday, is that we don’t truly do what these terms imply, we simply talk about changing our lives. Taking the actions that would transform our lives never occur. And we never look at this obvious fact either.

What is needed is a plan, a strategy we can apply to our normal unawareness and usual half-willed actions. There are means we can apply that will improve our lives right now, but we in our usual unattentive ways don’t even consider to use them. So, a well-crafted plan of action is a very real need, this plan must produce real results that will give us incentive to keep to it. Pay close attention to the things I am about to say to you. Make a committed and honest attempt to apply this so valuable plan of action:

First, you must look at your desire to change. Are you ready to change yourself to a better way of living? Are you doing this for yourself, or are you only attempting it for someone else? Are you willing to stick with this personal development plan until you acheive results? If you answered yes to all of the above questions, you my friend, are aready halfway through to a better, more fulfilling existence.

Next step, what are your surroundings like? Are there apparent hindrances in your immediate environment? If there are, you are going to have to conquer them, and or block them from interfering with your decision for a better life. There are sure to be hindrances from people - even friends and family - yes, even family. So, be warned, and be prepared for this. In fact, people are usually the main challenges for any person implementing a self-improvement program. With all that said, lets continue with the matter of self-growth in our lives, and making the changes that will improve our minds and bodies.

Tell me something: when it’s dark and rainy outside, do you feel sad and gloomy? Sure, it’s considered normal behavior to allow the outside world to influence our life experience, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We as humans have a more developed mental capacity, we can control the way the outside world effects our mind and thought process. Controlling our minds is like trying to lift an elephant - it’s not going to be easy to transform your negative thought into positive thought. Just remember your plan for personal development, and that, that thought is pure positive force. The single thought of your pledge to yourself to better your life will give you unbelievable strength to destroy much of the life-stealing thought that will attack your mind night and day. You have entered a battle that most people don’t even know of or are willing to engage in. Making a more enjoyable existence require all of our power and will. With this determination you can succeed, so keep your mind and heart on the goal: personal development.

Now, once you become accustomed to blocking out, and transforming the bad effects of negative events in your life. You will start observing the benefits, your life will seem to have become more tolerable, more pleasurable. The negative events in your life will now flow in and out of your life with much less ability to affect your mind - you will have more enjoyment. Life will be shining it’s love on you. This is your reward for refusing to allow negative surroundings and circumstances from robbing your existence of vitality. Life rewards those who try to improve their mind and bodies. Try it and see.

No more can be said really, I have revealed the plan of action. You must do what I have specified - follow the words completely - and you will get wonderful, life-changing results. Once again, perform the tasks, don’t just read the plan, do the actions. Only in the doing will you see the results that personal development can bring. Self-improvement is not something you look at - it’s something you become - or rather, it becomes you. Don’t allow your lower impulses to win this time, stand up to them. Stand strong, tell them this time you are going to win, and destroy them and succeed in changing your life. The negative is very strong in the life of man but it can be defeated. We can beat it with a willpower that can stand up to it. This is the secret. Go ahead and make your life into a beautiful flower - I’ll be here cheering for you.

personal development

self-improvement

How To Make A Still-life Painting

Lets paint a still-life. Get your paints, get the canvas or whatever surface you have chosen. Now just sit and relax, think about the many objects you encounter everyday, think about how these objects are used, what function do they fulfill? Think about the fact that the world would be nothing if it were not for objects. No objects, no world. Alright, now that was simple, wasn’t it? This is a fact that is always before our eyes, so we never notice it. We never notice that this universe of ours is totally made of objects.

What this will do is put you into the artist mindset. An artist sees the world, and its objects in a much deeper way than the average man or woman. This is part of what separates him from the rest of mankind, along with artistic talent. I want you to allow the objects to talk to you, I want you to feel the rust on the shovel; feel the that tree branch that has fallen from that oak tree to the ground; think about the old cuckoo clock that now lives its life down in the basement. Still-life art is the art of showcasing an object or objects. In still-life artwork the objects are drawn or painted in a static mode, but their essential qualities seem to be projecting life, a life usually not revealed to our busy unobservant minds.

Next, I want you to think about and study the colors of the objects you’ve seen in the past and the ones you encounter presently. A still-life conveys its message strickly through its ability to communicate the essential functionality and outer charcteristics of its objects. Still-lifes explore and focus our minds on an object's character - the color, age of a workman's hammer, for instance. That hammer has its story to tell and through the use of color, and shape an artist attempts to convey that hammer's story. Colors used don’t necessarily have to reflect the object's actual color(s), an artist’s main task is to reveal the outer and inner qualities of the chosen item(s). He may chose to highlight what he feels is an objects inner qualities - focusing on these rather than any outer characteristic.

Now your really feeling like an artist. Your opening your mind to a creative flow, this is the usual mentality of any true artist. Let us continue. The next step in producing our still-life masterpiece will be composition. What is composition? If you’re an artist I’m sure you’re familiar with this term. But for the rest of you, composition simply means layout - how will you arrange the objects in your still-life? Are you going to stand that book up or have it in a laying position. A good composition will result in an exciting and attractive art creation. How you layout and plan the placement of objects in your artwork will definitely affect the overall impact of the still-life. Composition determines the role each item will take, some will be in the spotlite, and some objects will only play a supporting role. Think out the placement of the items and look at them from different angles. By doing this you will come to a view that you like. Sketch out this composition, does the layout have the effect you want? If so, this will be your setup. Now you can start to paint the still-life. I’ll leave you now and allow you to began creating your still-life. Think of me when you’re done.

Art is a big part of life, it’s everywhere, you can’t miss it: a framed art piece, a billboard, a design on a piece of clothing. Many times it is in the eye of the beholder. What you feel is art may not be what he feels is art. The individual has to make his or her own decision. The above is all about a particular kind of art form: still-life. I call this form of artwork “static art”, but it is only immobile outwardly, not inwardly. Now go ahead and immerse yourself in this art form, the enjoyment will be yours.

Hard being famous

Hello folks,
Ya know what I been thinking? No, this is what I been thinking: fans see me far differently then I see myself. This was a shocking revelation and it continues to bother me. Here I am this super-talented singer, dancer, producer and songwriter among other things. And there you guys are. You all seem to think I’m one of those X-Men. That I can leap buildings in a single bound. I can’t do that, who said that I could? You believed that? Seriously though, I do have a hard time dealing with stardom. The only time I enjoy lights, camera, action is when I’m performing or creating music. When I’m not performing or making music, I’m just like everybody else. Sure you say but so is Clark Kent. I’m not going to win this discussion am I?

Well, how about this one: somebody has to make the music, so why not me? Got you there didn’t I? Okay, let me be real. I love that others find me and my music skills interesting. And that they are willing to purchase the fruits of my musical labor. But what about the intrusions into my personal life: I can’t go to the grocery store; I can’t go to the movies; I can’t go to the mall. Now, do you understand what I mean? I need privacy too. So be gentle with me, OK. Bye for now.

The 5 Things That Make A Rock Star

So you want to be the next Elvis or Stevie Nicks, huh? I’m going to show you how. Many people would like to become a rock star, this is a dream of the talented as well as the untalented(the majority of us). But most are aware that we could never become an Elvis or a Stevie Nicks. Most of us know we should never approach a microphone or attempt to persue a career in the competitive music world. Being a successful recording artist isn't an easy task. There are many important things that must occur in order to make a living as a recording artist. The obsence of these requirements is what separates the successes from the failures. This article will shade some light on the secrets of becoming a success in the music business, read these steps carefully:


1. Be able to sing - come on, I hope you were not thinking of doing the American Idol thing, were you? The voice is the center piece, the glue that holds every thing together. What kind of rock star are you going to be if you can’t sing? Listen to your records, listen to your cds, listen to the radio - what do you hear? You hear someone singing. A rock star must be able to sing. At least the people on American Idol attempt to sing, though most contestants never should have tried. Talk about public humiliation. So understand from the beginning that you need to be able and ready to show your vocal skills.

2. Charisma - this is also called “stage presence” and these artists: Micheal Jackson, the Beatles, Mic Jagger, Madonna, Chaka Khan, Prince, the Jackson 5, Elvis - all have or had it. They all are must see acts. These people, are all show-stoppers. Energy seems to be their middle name, and their singing ability is exceptional. Okay, Mic’s vocal skills aren’t the greatest, but the way he uses the little that he posesses is so amazing, Mic’s style of singing is so powerful that you don’t mind that his voice isn’t the most melodic. Some artist just have that attention grabbing presence. We feel them and we are attracted to them, even when they are no the most talented vocally - they simply have that something.

3. Music - what does your music sound like? Are the songs harmonic? Do the instruments combine in a pleasing way? Is the timing on the tracks correct? Can you hear that bass track clearly? Is that guitar solo being presented the way you want it to be? Is the lead vocal coming in with the energy that you planned? These items and more must enter your mind when making a song that potentially millions of people will hear. Now, I'm sure you are starting to see that making music is hard work. This is the part that the music industry and the recording artists themselves rarely talk about. These are the things that shock nearly every novice singer or music act. This is the unknown part of what is called “the music business”. Every successful recording artist will tell you that there is hard work involved before, and along with the “glamour” that the world sees. Again, make sure your songs are as complete and perfect as you can make them. If you can’t do the things I just spoke about, you will have to find persons who can do them. This usually requires money. This is a big problem for most beginning recording acts. It is a major cause of failure. If you can’t write songs, you can't play instruments - you are going to have to hire those who can in most cases. They are what are known as “songwriters” and “producers”. Your task is to find them and make music. See, I told you it wasn’t easy. Not easy at all.

4. Management - As I spoke above, making it in the music business isn’t easy and requires hard work. You will need to conduct yourself in a professional and business-like manner. Either you or another individual will have to manage your music career. Finding a good manager is like finding gold in the recording industry. A manager takes care of the income part of your career, he makes sure that you are making money. He will check on the progress of your album; he will talk to the record company; he along with the record company will get you concerts and talk with promoters; he will make sure you have the things you need to make that Billboard chart-topping album, and a lot of times he is the person who starts your career by getting you that all important thing called a “record deal”. These are the services a good manager performs for his client, and he is paid a percentage of your income for this. It may take you awhile to hook-up with a real one, so don’t get discouraged. He will show up sooner our later if you have talent. If you can make money for him. Just remember - the music business is a legitimate business and a real business.

5. Determination - this is the whole thing, this one word is the key to your success in the recording industry. Capture this element and success will more than likely follow. Determination means being totally focused on making it in this industry, believing in yourself, believing in your talent, persuing a music career in the face of obstacles. You must have a no giving up attitude, they will say “You won’t make it”, you must feel deep within yourself that you will and must make it. Many talented people after failure on shows like Star Search and even American Idol give up on the music business. You must say,“I won’t succumb to my fears, I’m going to succeed in this industry, I must succeed”. This is the true key to a successful recording industry career. You’re going to need determination at every step in your career. Show determination and the music industry will eventually notice you and the music-buying public will also notice you.

This article is just like a shining light. The information it provides is truly priceless. If you are contemplating a career in the music world, this is an article made for you. It comes from one who is living it everyday. I, the author, stand behind every word in this article and I give these gems out freely to all my fellow music lovers and creators. Apply what you can, reread it often and apply some more. It will become a light showing you the way. Let it give you inspiration and show you the way to a wonderful music industry career.

music

HOW TO BECOME A ***ROCK STAR*** : THE 5 STEPS!!

So you want to be the next Elvis or Stevie Nicks, huh? I’m going to show you how. Many people would like to become a rock star, this is a dream of the talented as well as the untalented(the majority of us). But most are aware that we could never become an Elvis or a Stevie Nicks. Most of us know we should never approach a microphone or attempt to persue a career in the competitive music world. Being a successful recording artist isn't an easy task. There are many important things that must occur in order to make a living as a recording artist. The obsence of these requirements is what separates the successes from the failures. This article will shade some light on the secrets of becoming a success in the music business, read these steps carefully:


1. Be able to sing - come on, I hope you were not thinking of doing the American Idol thing, were you? The voice is the center piece, the glue that holds every thing together. What kind of rock star are you going to be if you can’t sing? Listen to your records, listen to your cds, listen to the radio - what do you hear? You hear someone singing. A rock star must be able to sing. At least the people on American Idol attempt to sing, though most contestants never should have tried. Talk about public humiliation. So understand from the beginning that you need to be able and ready to show your vocal skills.

2. Charisma - this is also called “stage presence” and these artists: Micheal Jackson, the Beatles, Mic Jagger, Madonna, Chaka Khan, Prince, the Jackson 5, Elvis - all have or had it. They all are must see acts. These people, are all show-stoppers. Energy seems to be their middle name, and their singing ability is exceptional. Okay, Mic’s vocal skills aren’t the greatest, but the way he uses the little that he posesses is so amazing, Mic’s style of singing is so powerful that you don’t mind that his voice isn’t the most melodic. Some artist just have that attention grabbing presence. We feel them and we are attracted to them, even when they are no the most talented vocally - they simply have that something.

3. Music - what does your music sound like? Are the songs harmonic? Do the instruments combine in a pleasing way? Is the timing on the tracks correct? Can you hear that bass track clearly? Is that guitar solo being presented the way you want it to be? Is the lead vocal coming in with the energy that you planned? These items and more must enter your mind when making a song that potentially millions of people will hear. Now, I'm sure you are starting to see that making music is hard work. This is the part that the music industry and the recording artists themselves rarely talk about. These are the things that shock nearly every novice singer or music act. This is the unknown part of what is called “the music business”. Every successful recording artist will tell you that there is hard work involved before, and along with the “glamour” that the world sees. Again, make sure your songs are as complete and perfect as you can make them. If you can’t do the things I just spoke about, you will have to find persons who can do them. This usually requires money. This is a big problem for most beginning recording acts. It is a major cause of failure. If you can’t write songs, you can't play instruments - you are going to have to hire those who can in most cases. They are what are known as “songwriters” and “producers”. Your task is to find them and make music. See, I told you it wasn’t easy. Not easy at all.

4. Management - As I spoke above, making it in the music business isn’t easy and requires hard work. You will need to conduct yourself in a professional and business-like manner. Either you or another individual will have to manage your music career. Finding a good manager is like finding gold in the recording industry. A manager takes care of the income part of your career, he makes sure that you are making money. He will check on the progress of your album; he will talk to the record company; he along with the record company will get you concerts and talk with promoters; he will make sure you have the things you need to make that Billboard chart-topping album, and a lot of times he is the person who starts your career by getting you that all important thing called a “record deal”. These are the services a good manager performs for his client, and he is paid a percentage of your income for this. It may take you awhile to hook-up with a real one, so don’t get discouraged. He will show up sooner our later if you have talent. If you can make money for him. Just remember - the music business is a legitimate business and a real business.

5. Determination - this is the whole thing, this one word is the key to your success in the recording industry. Capture this element and success will more than likely follow. Determination means being totally focused on making it in this industry, believing in yourself, believing in your talent, persuing a music career in the face of obstacles. You must have a no giving up attitude, they will say “You won’t make it”, you must feel deep within yourself that you will and must make it. Many talented people after failure on shows like Star Search and even American Idol give up on the music business. You must say,“I won’t succumb to my fears, I’m going to succeed in this industry, I must succeed”. This is the true key to a successful recording industry career. You’re going to need determination at every step in your career. Show determination and the music industry will eventually notice you and the music-buying public will also notice you.

This article is just like a shining light. The information it provides is truly priceless. If you are contemplating a career in the music world, this is an article made for you. It comes from one who is living it everyday. I, the author, stand behind every word in this article and I give these gems out freely to all my fellow music lovers and creators. Apply what you can, reread it often and apply some more. It will become a light showing you the way. Let it give you inspiration and show you the way to a wonderful music industry career.

music

Enjoy this July the 4th!!

Hi there,
Well, we made it - see, it's not so bad - we made it to another 4th of July. Paris Hilton, terrorist attacks aside, we made it to another glorious independence day. We should be very proud of ourselves and this wonderful nation we have created. When celebrating this day lets think about what being an American really means to us. Let's celebrate that Freedom that we all so willingly enjoy. We got through 9/11 still intact as a nation, still loving and strong. Yes America, we will survive, we will continue to be the freedom-fighters of the world. The world will always need a strong leader and we americans will always be ready. So on this July the 4th be proud of your nation and its total independence. We faught for it, we died for it and now we celebrate it with pride. ENJOY THIS 4TH OF JULY AMERICA!!!

Painting with pastels

Hello there,
As a little boy, we didn’t have much to spend on art. So pastels were my oil paints. They were cheaper and you could get the same effect as an oil painting if you were talented enough. There was no wet mixing, it was like using a pencil, only much bigger. And the pastels messed up your hands. This early training with pastels has developed, and now I am an expert in using the pastel medium. Pastel are very user-friendly, unlike paints. They're a little messy but they are easy to apply. I love the pastel medium.

Using pastels is similiar to using a pencil or charcoal. They are all graphite based and they all give you the same feel when using them. Drawiing a line with a pencil feels the same as doing it with a pastel, you feel the same pressure in application as with a pastel. Like a colored pencil pastels come in colors, but with pastels you can blend or mix the colors. This is harder to do using colored pencils. As I said above, pastels can be made to look like an oil painting, but to get that effect you will have to become a master at pastel color mixing. This is something I’m an expert at and can blow your eyes away with. Yes, many times I choose to render artwork in pastel instead of paints. I have no problem with oil, acrylic or any other wet medium, it’s just that I have a special place in my heart for dry mediums. I came up using dry media - pencil, charcoal and pastel - for that was the most economical for us. I love using pastels in the production of framed art pieces.Try pastels; they are a wonderful medium. Bye folks.