5 Natural Hair Growth Treatments That Actually Work

It doesn’t matter what your age is, your hair falling and thinning out is never a welcome feeling!
Hair fall is associated with a number of reactions which is direct reflection of lack in confidence not just in women but in men also. The causes are numerous. Lets take a breif look at that before we get into the treatment options.

 

Causes of hair fall:

1.Hypothyroidism: This is a hormonal deficit that occurs due to an under active thyroid gland. This hormone is responsible for all basal body functions including hair and nail growth. The lack of this can lead to imbalances and hair fall.
2. Iron deficiency anemia: The lack of oxygen in the body effects a lot of functions of the body along with hair growth. The deficiency in iron can lead to reduced oxygen circulation which can result in hair loss also.
3. Hereditary hair loss:  This also known as androgenic alopecia. This kind is usually passed down from the parents to the child. But it reflects stronger if both the parents suffered from hair loss.
4. Telogen effluvium: This is a phenomenon where the hair moves from the growing phase to the resting phase sooner than normal due to certain medication in the likes of anti-depressants, beta blockers etc. This mostly observed during your daily showers or combing and styling routine.
5. Lupus: This is chronic autoimmune disease that forces the immune system to attack the healthy tissues in the body. It can be mild with some loss during combing or it can even lead severe loss i patches with rashes on the scalp along with the other symptoms.
6. Alopecia areata: This is an auto immune disorder in which the hair follicles are directly attacked causing hair  loss.
7. Stress: Stress is a factor that causes many ailments along with hair loss and breakage too. Avoid stress and if that is not possible then make sure you engage in activities that reduces your stress levels.
8. Excessive styling: Heat and chemicals, this is something you should not expose your hair to too much individauly or in combination. Too much f either of them can cause damage, dryness, frizz, breakage, dullness and worse.

There are a number of natural hair growth treatments which if religiously followed can treat falling and thinning hair very well. They are also helpful for curing and re-growing hair on bald patches.
Here are top 5 treatments for hair growth  that you can try at your home’s comfort but remember that these require generous follow ups without which you will hardly notice any improvement.

Hair growth treatments:

1.  Castor Oil Treatment:

As far as home treatment for hair growth goes, caster oil is one of the most beneficial oils that can make your hair grow faster, stronger and lustrous. It is claimed to be the best natural treatment for hair growth. It is known to boost hair growth while reducing the possible bald patches too. Follow up and regular use is absolutely essential to say the least.
You can make a hot oil massage treatment with indirectly warmed up castor oil and use it on clean scalp for least 20 minutes before going to shower. Massage it well. Wrap up your hair in a warm moist towel and keep it on for 20 minutes. Castor oil is very sticky, so you can add a little lemon juice to it which will make it a bit smooth and also eradicate dandruff problems on your scalp.

2. Egg Yolk Hair Growth Mask:

Egg yolk hair growth treatment at home may be smelly but they are rich in proteins that are great for hair growth. Eggs also have several nutritive fatty acids which are beneficial for hair growth. It doesn’t only condition your hair but also helps in the treatment for hair growth. Olive oil also is greatly rich in nutrients and can help in hair growth. Egg mask should always be made with olive oil since these two go best in balancing amounts to give your hair good strength. These two ingredients otherwise also are the best home treatments for hair growth.
Make a hair pack of half a cup of olive oil and 2 or 3 eggs’ yolk beaten up properly into a paste. Use it on a clean scalp. Do not massage too much but use like a pack on the hair targeting the roots. Leave on for 15-20 minutes. Wear a plastic cap to stop it from dripping.
Wash off with a mild shampoo, To avoid the smelliness of eggs, you can use a hair perfume on to strands only ( not the roots ) like Quoco.

3.  Hair Growth Treatment Tonic With Rosemary:

Rosemary is an exotic herb which is used in several kinds of cuisines. It also has herbal properties which are helpful in hair growth. You can boil 2 tbsp of rosemary leaves which are available in spices shops in dried form and strain the mixture when you think it has taken out full juices of the rosemary leaves. Apply this mixture on to dry clean scalp preferably after taking a bath. You don’t need to wash it off. Leave it on as it is like a watery solution. It will not make your hair feel sticky. This can definitely contribute to new hair growth.
Here is an excellent article on how Rosemary helps in hair growth.

4. Onion Juice Treatment:

Onion contains a good amount of sulphur which contributes to its pungent smell. This sulphur is great for hair growth. You can use onion paste and honey along with it in the proportions of 1 cup onion paste mixed with half a cup of onion to make a paste. You can use this paste on the hair. Keep for 20 minutes and wash off. The onion shreds may stick to your hair strands, so you have to be careful and may need to increase the quantity of honey because honey will help you comb out your hair smoothly after washing. If you have dry hair, then you need to increase the quantity of honey in it. Read more on how Onion helps hair growth here.

5. Grow Hair Faster With Vit E:

Vit E oil hair treatment mask can be of great use for growing hair faster .You can buy Vit E capsules or buy  tablets and break them or ground them into powder and mix up with any of essential and pure oils like jojoba, rosemary or even pure virgin almond oil. You can use this on to the scalp and massage gently. Too much massaging is not required; rather you should leave the oil on overnight so that the Vit E can get soaked into the roots of the hairs. In the morning you can shampoo off the oil. Repeat this process and your hair will grow faster and stronger .If you want to grow hair faster then use it 3 times a week to 4 times a week. If you want to grow hair on bald patches then you should increase it to a minimum of 5 times each week.
Just follow these natural hair growth treatments at home regularly for best results.

How To Grow Hair Faster – 15 Tricks That Work

 In this post, we share the mantras, tips and tricks on how to make your hair grow faster than ever before. Whether you are suffering from hair growth problems or envious of the long and shiny locks of your favorite movie star or want to get out of a disastrous hair cut, we have the best solutions for all these hair issues! Read on for more!

Before we begin, let us briefly look at the science 1.An average human has 1,00,000 hair follicles, each of which produce 20 hairs in a lifetime.
2. Each of our hair strands undergoes 3 stages: Anagen phase, Catagen phase and Telogen phase.

• About 90% of the hair on your scalp now is in the growth phase or the Anagen phase which usually takes around 5 years.
• During the Catagen phase, the hair follicle shrinks. This happens to 1% of hair strands and takes about a month’s time.
• And finally in the Telogen phase, the hair rests or falls off. This happens to around 10 – 15% of the hair strands and this period last upto 5 months.

3. The rate of hair growth varies from person to person, but the average rate is about 15 centimetres or 6 inches per year.
4. Each hair strand completes its cycle and wears off. A person loses about 50 to 100 of hair strands per day. On the day when you wash your hair, you end up losing upto 250 strands. But if you lose more than this range, you suffer from severe hair fall problem and should consult a dermatologist.

Having seen this, let us understand what may case excess hair fall:

1. Genetics:

Genetics is one of the major causes of hair fall. It has been studied that 60% of the people inherit the problem of acute hair fall. And sadly there are no treatments to cure hair fall caused by heredity. However you can take care of your mane to delay the process and make it healthy and shiny.

2. Improper diet:

A healthy diet is very important not only for our body, but also for skin and hair. Our scalp cells needs proper nourishment and nutrition. People who follow low protein diet can suffer protein deficiency which leads to massive amount of hair shedding. So deficiency of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients can cause hair fall and thinning of hair.

3. Prolong diseases:

Hair loss caused due to diseases or illness is mostly temporary and it cures once the body returns to its healthy condition. Typhoid, flu, fungus infection on the scalp (ringworm) etc causes hair fall.
Thyroid is another diease which leads to temporary hair fall, as both underactive and over active thyroid glands is responsible for hair loss. However it can easily be cured by proper medication from the physician.

4. Stress:

Our present day lifestyles have long working hours and a hectic schedule and stress is the subversive effect. Our scalp cells like other body cells need relaxation and rejuvenation. Therefore practice yoga and meditation to reduce the effects of stress and thus reduce hair fall.

5. Cosmetics:

Use of chemical laden cosmetics causes severe hair fall, as these chemicals clog your scalp pores by forming a layer over it. Most of the shampoos and conditioners contain harsh chemicals which have adverse effects on your hair. Thus avoid using them and switch to natural products, you can use a mixture of amla, reetha and shikakai to wash your hair. A hair pack of honey and eggs can be used as a natural conditioner.
However there are some mechanical reasons also which cause hair fall like excessive combing, hair styling (like dye, bleach, perming), tight braids etc are.

Here are 15 effective tips for hair growth:

1. Check what you eat:

I have already discussed that diet plays an important role for the growth of healthy and lustrous hair. It is very important that you nourish them from outside as well as inside. So,consider this one of the mist important tips on how to increase hair growth. A well balanced diet for healthy skin and hair should  consist of fresh fruits and vegetables and should be followed religiously. Include nutrients such as vitamin B12, zinc, iron and calcium as they prevent hair loss. You know that our hair is composed of “keratin”- a protein, so have a protein rich diet which consists of soybean, cheese, milk, fish, chicken etc. Stay away from that junk and processed food as it inhibits hair growth.  Here is a detailed article on foods that help hair growth.

2. Dietary supplements:

To regulate the growth of the hair naturally, include dietary supplements such as bio vitamins, multivitamins and omega 3 fatty acids. They are also found in green leafy vegetables, cereals, peas, fish, beans, almonds, yoghurt etc. However before taking any supplements in the form of tablets or capsules, consult your physician as some people may be allergic to them. Here is a list of essential vitamins for hair growth that will help answer the question of how to improve hair growth.

3. Drink more water:

Do you know that our hair consists of 95 % protein and 5 % water? Therefore it is important that you should drink 10-12 glasses of water daily, to keep your grow hair faster and keep it nourished and healthy.

4. Regular exercise:

Regular exercise not only keeps our body healthy but also encourages hair growth. 20 minutes of regular exercise such as yoga, meditation, walking, jogging, dancing, cycling etc improves blood circulation and helps the nutrients to penetrate into our scalp.  Here is a detailed post on 8 Yoga exercises that protect your hair.

5. Proper sleep:

Do not forget to include 8 hours of sleep in your daily routine. Lack of sleep causes hair fall, dark circles, pigmentation, dull skin and a stressful mind. A peaceful sleep is important for healthy mind and body. Try to sleep on silk pillowcase as it will be soft on your hair by causing less friction.

6. Regular trimming:

Split ends are one of the major reasons which inhibit hair growth. If your hair is dry and damaged, then you are bound to have split ends. Therefore trim your hair every 3 months to get rid of split ends and encourage hair growth. Remember; never prick your split ends as it would further aggravate your problem. Click here for more long hair tips.

7. Cleansing:

Wash your hair regularly to keep it clean and healthy. The sebum produced by the oil glands form a layer over the scalp and inhibits the growth of hair. However do not use chemical laden products, instead opt for natural shampoos and conditioners. But frequent shampooing is also harmful as it will make it dry, stripped and prone to breakage, so wash your hair twice a week to keep it squeaky clean and healthy.

8. Hot oil massages:

Nothing can be more soothing than a hot oil massage with your favourite aromatic oils. Oil massage improves blood circulation to the roots of your hair and encourages hair growth.  You can various oils such as coconut, almond, olive, jojoba or rosemary oil for regular massages. Use a towel dipped in hot water to cover your hair after the massage as it helps in penetrating the oil into your scalp opening the pores.

9. Protect your hair:

Pollution, sun and dust can have adverse affects on your tresses. They make your hair dry and damaged by stripping off the natural oils from the scalp and inhibit the hair growth. Wear a hat or cover your head with a silk scarf when you step outside. Avoid tight hairstyles such as high ponytails, tight braids, cornrows as they put a stress on your hair making them loose form the roots and cause hair fall. Do not comb wet hair as they are easily prone to breakage.

10.  Natural Hair Pack:

Apart from all these, you obviously have the best and safest option of the various homemade remedies for hair growth. You can use amla, fenugreek seeds, onion juice, avocado etc for effective results. However these remedies may take a long time and thus you have to be patient with these.
Here are 5 natural hair packs to help your hair grow faster.
In most cases, it has been observed that by the regulation of diet, exercising, healthy hair practices and regulating the stress levels, people have successfully been able to control even the severe hair fall problem

11. Consult a Dermatologist:

However if you have tried all the home remedies without any success or have the genetic disorder of hair fall, you can try prescription for a hair growth treatment. In this treatment, firstly consult a dermatologist so that he or she can study about your problem. By his or her advice, you can take supplements and undergo medications.

12. Homoeopathy for hair loss:

We all are familiar with homeopathic treatment, as it has very less side effects as compared to allopathic treatments. They are clinically proven to give you effective, but give slow response. So be patient when you choose homeopathic treatment.

13.  Rogaine for hair growth:

Rogaine (minoxidil) is widely famous as the only non-prescription hair growth treatment. It is a topical treatment that stimulates hair growth and also prevents hair loss. Rogaine is safe for application for both men and women. You can easily buy Rogaine at any local drugstore.

14. Hair extensions:

The fastest way to make your hair appear longer is to use hair extensions. These are of varying lengths, straight or wavy and different colours used to accentuate your look. They look chic and trendy and are the quickest solution.

15. Simple tricks to make your hair look longer:

Apart from hair extensions, there are a few hair styling options that make your hair look longer than it actually is. These could include Straightening, Middle parting, Adding layers etc.

Avoid doing these:

1. Hair colour:

Most of the hair colours contain ammonia, which is an industrial bleaching agent. It can play havoc on your hair by making it dry and damaged. Excessive use of hair colours can lead to hair fall by damaging the hair follicles. Instead of chemicals try natural options like Henna. It colours as well as conditions your hair making it soft, smooth and healthy hair. You can also use coffee or cinnamon powder.

2. Hair treatment:

Every other day we fancy different hair styles, sometimes straight, perm or wavy. But do you know that these hair treatments use a lot of harsh chemicals which lead to severe hair fall. Regular hair straightening also leads to split ends, and once it starts splitting, you have to continuously chop them to let your hair grow. Try to avoid them as much as possible and start loving your natural tresses.

3. Do not brush your wet hair:

This is the one of the biggest mistakes people generally make by combing or brushing their hair while it’s still wet. Never do this. Instead wait for them to get dried naturally, gently detangle and then comb them softly.

4. Avoid hot water:

Do not use hot water while rinsing your hair. It makes your hair very dry and brittle. Always use cool water as it allows the cuticle to smooth out and lie flat, thus giving you soft and manageable hair.

5. Tight hairstyles and rubber bands:

When you tie your hair into a tight ponytail or braid, the hair gets pulled from the roots and stressed it. This makes them loose from the roots and thus more prone to breakage. It makes the hair weak and thus causes permanent damage. Rubber bands also pull out the hair from the roots causing extensive damage to the mane. The hair becomes weak and hurts the scalp.
I hope you found these mantras, tips and tricks helpful for growing you hair faster. Do try them and discover your beautiful tresses.
Till then take care and keep it stylish!

Easiest Ways Reduce and Remove Head Lice

Easiest Ways Reduce and Remove Head Lice

 

 

The easiest way to spot head lice is through identifying their eggs in the hair. Lice eggs are called nits. Head lice will lay these eggs on the hair shaft close to the scalp. This is why a head check requires looking at the scalp.

Before the baby louse hatches, nits look tan, brown, or yellow.

Once the nit has hatched, the shell will remain attached to the hair shaft. This is the easiest thing to identify, as it is whitish, looking somewhat like dandruff.

The main difference between head lice eggs and dandruff is dandruff will easily shake off of the hair shaft, while nits are fused to the shaft.

Sometimes you will be able to see adult head lice on your child's hair, particularly if the hair is short.

These critters are small, no bigger than a sesame seed from your hamburger bun and they tend to have the same coloring as the person's hair. Some people realize their children are infected when they see the adults climbing through their children's hair.

Scratching the head is, of course, another indication of a head lice infestation. But, not all children find head lice to be itchy. Also, itching the scalp can be an indication of other problems, such as eczema or dandruff. The itching from lice is usually described as a tickle, or the feeling of something crawling on the scalp.

Children who have sensitive skin and spend a lot of time itching due to the head lice will often develop a rash on the scalp. This rash looks like red bumps on the base of the scalp. It can sometimes develop into a more serious infection that requires antibiotics.

If you think your child might have head lice, part his hair and check the base of the hair for the nits

 Pay attention

 Pay particular attention to the areas around the neck and ears. If you have trouble focusing up close, you might want to use a magnifying glass. Be sure to do this exam in bright light. If you find nothing, but the scratching does not go away, it is time for a trip to the doctor.

If, however, there is persistent itching and you have heard of an outbreak at school or daycare, you probably can be certain that the cause is head lice.

To treat head lice, purchase a medicated shampoo that will kill the lice. Make sure you follow the instructions to the letter, because improper use will not kill all of the lice. You will also want to comb through the hair with a fine tooth comb to remove any nits that are not killed by the shampoo.

Once you have treated your child, wash any clothes in the house, as lice can live up to three days off the scalp if they are on clothing.

Also, boil anything that comes in contact with your child's head, including brushes, bows and combs. It is particularly important to wash any bedding. If you cannot wash it, put it in a bag and seal it for two weeks. This goes for stuffed animals as well. Vacuum all floors and furniture. Then, watch carefully for signs of re-infestation. If it occurs, start the process again. It is not easy, but you can get rid of head lice with the proper steps.

The Ultimate Detox Bath

 When feeling poorly and worn out. Physically and mentally.

We bring a lot of it on ourselves. We Don’t get enough sleep a lot of the time or most of the time and  hardly ever give ourselves any “down” time. We may try to eat healthy and take vitamins, etc.  You just feel  like your body is trying to tell you something….but your not sure what, or what to do about it or for yourself.
Toxins can build up in your body over time and cause a myriad of uncomfortable symptoms. Give a DETOXIFICATION BATH a try!   Take the Time! Make the Time! Sleep like a baby!

Toxins and chemicals are all around us, from our drinking water, to our health and beauty products, to the materials used to build and furnish our homes! They are unavoidable. There are, of course, certains things we can do to cut back on the amount of toxins in our living environment. Eating organically and using natural cleaning, laundry, and health & beauty products, are just a few!

If you are feeling lethargic or sluggish or you are just experiencing “Brain fog”, a Detox Bath is a great way to help your body get rid of toxins and ease some of these symptoms.
Most detox bath recipes contain different combinations of the same basic ingredients: Epsom Salt, Baking Soda, and Apple Cider Vinegar.  Essential Oils and Ginger. But the “secret ingredient” is….Clay!

Healing Clay has been used for centuries as a form of natural medicine. Taking a therapeutic clay bath is one of the most effective methods in existence to assist in the elimination of toxic substances which have accumulated in the body.  Redmond Clay,  an all-natural  bentonite clay was used by the Fremont indians thousands of years ago.

 ULTIMATE DETOX BATH :

• 2 cups Epsom Salt (or Sea Salt) - draws out toxins from your body while relieving aches and pains
• 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar - soothes and soften dry, itchy skin while balancing the bodies and neutralizing the bodies pH.
• 1/2 cup Bentonite Clay  - stimulates the lymphatic system to deeply cleanse the body’s largest breathing organ, the skin.
• 5-10 drops of your favorite Essential Oil - lavender, geranium, sandalwood, ylang ylang and blue tansy are all known for their detoxifying properties.

Run your bath water as hot as you like. Add  ingredients dissolve. Soak for 20-40 minutes. Drink a full glass of water when you’re finished.

Best to do this right before bed. in the morning you'll feel energized, refreshed, and have a whole new outlook on life! 

50 Ways to Improve Finances in 2013

50 Ways to Improve Your Finances in 2013

Conquer the new year with these savvy money management strategies

By Kimberly Palmer

December 20, 2012

Along with a fresh start, the new year brings uncertainty about changing tax laws, growing concern over online privacy and security, and challenges for almost every demographic group—even the wealthy, who face steep tax increases. To help you get ready to tackle your own money goals for 2013, we gathered our best advice from the past 12 months and organized it into 50 bite-size steps:
1. Be a year-round discount shopper.
Specific holidays used to loom large in the world of coupon hunters, who expected to see massive discounts on July Fourth, Labor Day, Black Friday, and other big shopping days. But recently, that's been shifting as retailers are offering sales all year long, and often at unexpected times. In 2012, for example, retail experts noted that Christmas sales started in October, and continued all season, partly in response to customer demand. That means shoppers should always be on the lookout for the best deals, regardless of the calendar date.
2. Ask for what you want.
As the economy recovers, retailers are eager to pick up the biggest share of consumers' spending what they can, and in some cases, that means adopting more flexible pricing policies. Towards the end of 2012, several big-box stores, including Target and Best Buy, launched temporary price-matching policies. That trend could continue into 2013, which means customers can be more assertive about asking stores to match prices they find elsewhere.
3. Coordinate budgeting with your partner.
Much stress can come from disagreeing with your spouse or partner about how you should be spending shared income. Indeed, in author and yoga teacher JoAnneh Nagler's case, it even contributed to divorce. But she and her husband were able to reconcile (and remarry) when they jointly agreed to a disciplined debt-free lifestyle. By scaling back on restaurant meals and other splurges, they're able to invest in what they really value, including their creative pursuits and romantic weekend getaways.
4. Pay off debt slowly.
When you've built up a sizable amount of debt, it's virtually impossible to pay it off overnight, and attempting such a feat can be frustrating. That's why Nagler, who had $80,000 in credit card debt at one point, urges fellow debt-strugglers to go slowly. First, she changed her spending habits and set up individual savings accounts for each of her goals. Once she got those costs under control, she started paying off her debt.
5. Prepare for tax changes.
Tax rates are likely to rise for many Americans next year, especially high-earning ones. To lessen the stress from those changes, taxpayers should adjust their spending and saving habits as early as possible to prepare to hand over more cash to Uncle Sam. Taking advantage of any credits and deductions, as well as putting more money into tax-advantaged retirement accounts, can help ease the impact.
6. Calculate your retirement number.
Just 1 in 10 Americans have done the math to figure out how much they need to save for retirement, but it's an essential step in making sure there's enough cash for those much-deserved golden years. Financial advisers generally recommend saving enough to replace 80 percent or more of your income; that means someone who earns $80,000 should probably save around $2.1 million. Online retirement calculators can crunch the numbers for you.
[Read: 10 Questions That Will Help You Earn More Money.]
7. Make better 401(k) choices.
Paying high fees, choosing portfolios that are overly conservative (or overly risky), and failing to update or even check on those investments on a regular basis are just a few of the common mistakes people make with their retirement accounts. To avoid missteps, employees can often rely on free services offered through their company's human resources department or retirement services provider. Fidelity, for example, offers free seminars and online information to clients.
8. Save a quarter of your income.
Alicia Munnell, director of Boston College's Center for Retirement Research, cautions that putting aside 9 percent of your income into a retirement account is "grossly inadequate." Someone who starts saving at age 35, plans to retire at age 67, and expects a 4 percent return, for example, needs to save double that, even after taking Social Security into account. Other financial experts recommend saving as much as one-quarter of your income, in both retirement and after-tax accounts, to make sure you're fully covered.
9. Make it automatic.
If manually shifting money into savings and investment accounts is too time-consuming or too painful, consider setting up automatic deposits. Many banks make it easy for customers to do that, and, in fact, might even offer rewards for doing so. Wells Fargo, for example, waives monthly service fees on some of its accounts when customers set up recurring automatic transfers.
10. Leverage your credit card.
If you pay off your credit card bill each month and earn rewards for your spending, don't forget to cash in on them. The biggest bang-for-buck often comes from purchasing retailer-specific gift cards, which have been pre-negotiated by card companies. Farnoosh Torabi, financial expert and television personality, recently picked up an Apple Macbook Air with her points, which she also uses to buy gift cards for family members.
11. Find your perfect piece of plastic.
If your credit card isn't meeting all your needs, it might be time to find one that does. Comparison websites such as nerdwallet.com, indexcreditcards.com, and creditcards.com make it easy to compare the benefits of different cards to figure out which one suits your needs. If you carry any sort of balance, there's only one factor to focus on: finding the lowest interest rate.
12. Upgrade your bank.
Bank policies can vary widely, from offering above-average interest rates on savings accounts to making it easy to budget online with extra tools. Consider your own lifestyle and then find the bank that best matches it. If you travel a lot, you probably want a large bank with thousands of ATMs throughout the country (and beyond). If you're trying to save more, then you might want to focus on the savings rates.
13. Demand more from the one you have.
Customers are increasingly voting with their feet and switching banks when they're not happy with their current one. That also means customers have more leverage to ask for the changes they want from their current bank, as banks struggle to retain loyal customers. If you want lower fees or a higher interest rate on your savings account, ask your bank what they can do for you—they might be able to offer you a better deal than the one you're currently getting.
14. Consider a credit union.
Frustration with banks' policies, such as new fees, has motivated thousands of customers to jump ship and join credit unions, according to the Credit Union National Association. It can be a good decision, especially considering that credit unions often offer higher interest rates on savings accounts as well as lower fees and lower rates on auto loans and mortgages. They also prioritize spreading financial literacy to their customers.
15. Get a raise.
Just because the economy's struggling to make its big comeback doesn't mean you have to delay asking for a raise. Certified financial planner Lauren Lyons Cole suggests first checking out salary-comparison sites, such as Payscale.com and Salary.com, to see if your own income is out of whack with that of your peers. If it's lower than it should be, review your accomplishments and present them to your boss, along with a request for a raise.
16. Earn more money on the side.
The lack of job security these days has inspired many Americans to pick up a second stream of income by moonlighting. According to the website Payscale.com, the highest-paid moonlighting gigs are in law, clinical psychology, senior copywriting, and information technology security. Freelance website Elance.com predicts that the trend toward freelancing, especially in the creative-services sector of the economy, will only grow throughout 2013.
17. Manage your time better.
When people juggle more than one job, they can quickly feel overwhelmed with responsibilities. Veteran job-jugglers say they survive by staying organized, waking up early, and avoiding time-wastes such as television. Many also work on the weekends and some even take a sabbatical from their day jobs to focus exclusively on their second job for a few months.
18. Take advantage of your HR department.
When you land a new job, the human resources department can help you sign up for all of the new benefits, from flex spending accounts to health insurance to retirement accounts. Signing up for retirement benefits as soon as possible can pay off later: The earlier you start putting money away, the sooner it can start growing. TD Ameritrade calculates that saving $100 a month between ages 21 and 41 will create a nest egg of $471,358 by age 67, assuming a return of 8 percent per year. Waiting until age 41, however, will generate just under $60,000.
19. Prepare to earn less after 40.
If you want more motivation to ramp up that side income in 2013, here it is: In most professions, income stops rising around age 40. Payscale.com reports that in many professions, you earn quickly in your twenties and thirties as you become more valuable. Then around mid-career, you plateau, and as a result, salary increases slow down. (Certain careers, including those in law and high-tech, are exceptions.) One way to make up for that loss is to earn more money outside your full-time job.
[Read: How to Improve Your Finances at Every Age.]
20. Burnish your entrepreneurial skills.
According to a survey by Generation Y research and consulting firm Millennial Branding, 1 in 3 employers want their employees to have entrepreneurial experience. Knowing how to conceive, build, and promote a business idea is increasingly valuable in the new economy, even for those seeking more traditional jobs.
21. Learn to cook.
Replacing take-out and restaurant meals with home-cooked goodness can save you hundreds of dollars throughout the year. If you feel hesitant in the kitchen, a few hours with the Food Network or browsing foodie blogs will help get you in the mood. Investments in certain tools, such as cookbooks, immersion blenders, or quality pots and pans can also make the kitchen more enticing after a long day.
22. Invest in your home entertainment system.
If you're a movie buff, you have a lot of new choices that are cheaper than seeing movies in the theater. Hulu Plus, Apple TV, and Roku are among your relatively affordable options, especially when you consider how much you'll save by skipping weekly trips to the theater.
23. Focus on home improvements that pay off.
Leaky windows and attics can drive up heating bills in the winter and cooling bills in the summer. Consider investing in insulation as well as a programmable thermostat, which can cut energy costs by 30 percent over the year. Smart power strips, which cut power to electronics when they're off, can also help reduce electricity costs. LED lights are another smart option.
24. Give better gifts.
Do you know what people really want for holidays and their birthdays? Money or gift cards. It might sound impersonal, but a survey by Discover found that such fungible items top wish lists for both men and women. In fact, the National Retail Federation went so far as to name gift cards as the hottest gift of 2012, because they've grown so much in popularity. The fact that fewer cards come with fees and many offer extra loss protection has also contributed to that trend.
25. Get to know the holes in your homeowners' insurance policy.
The worst time to discover that your homeowners' insurance policy doesn't include reimbursement for water damage is right after a flood. Yet many homeowners don't understand the ins and outs of their policies, which can lead to nasty surprises. In fact, most standard policies don't cover earthquake damage, flood damage, or water damage from sump pump backups. (Homeowners have the option of adding supplemental coverage to handle these scenarios.)
26. Protect your online identity.
The past 12 months have seen a series of high-profile security breaches, including at Zappos and Barnes & Noble. To make sure you're as protected as possible, consider changing your passwords regularly, reviewing bank account statements each month to check for errors, and being especially wary of hyperlinks to deals promoted over social networking sites. Hyperlinks embedded within emails should also be treated with suspicion.
27. Stop before you shop.
When you're surrounded by advertisements and material temptations, it's easy to buy without thinking. But one organization, Jews United for Justice, urges people to first ask themselves a series of questions about the purchase. The questions include: "Is this something I need?" "Can I borrow, find one used, or make one instead of buying new?" and "Will this purchase enhance the meaning and joy in my life?" The group distributes credit card sleeves with the questions to encourage more thoughtful spending habits.
28. Ignore official-looking (but dubious) solicitations.
It's one of the most common scams around: A company poses as an official government agency in order to solicit your attention (and funds). It might send out mail that's covered in intimidating warnings, such as "$2,000 fine, 5 years imprisonment, or both for any personal interfering or obstructing with delivery of this letter." But they're really just trying to sell you something you probably don't need. The Federal Trade Commission calls the practice outrageous and says it's illegal to falsely suggest something bad will happen unless the recipient asks quickly. The bottom line: Ignore such solicitations.
29. Donate for free.
You don't have to be rich to be charitable. Consider donating your blood, gently used books and CDs, and your time this year. For extra power, get together with friends to form a giving circle, so you can leverage your dollars and give to causes together.
30. Learn how to talk about money with your kids.
Parents are famously awkward when it comes to talking about money. A T. Rowe Price survey found that just half of parents talk to their kids about savings goals and spending and savings trade-offs, and even fewer discuss higher-level concepts such as inflation and investing. But research routinely suggests that parents play a powerful role in how kids handle money as adults, so if you have children, try to get over your awkwardness to share some important life lessons this year.
31. Protect your money from your children.
Baby boomers have been generous toward their adult children, inviting them to move back home and offering them direct financial support. But often, that kind of generosity hurts parents' own retirement nest egg. In fact, even the parents of two Olympic gold medalists, Gabby Douglas and Ryan Lochte, revealed major financial troubles of their own. Before putting their own financial security at risk, parents should consider whether they can really afford the help they're offering.
32. Use technology to ease those conversations.
If you're struggling to explain the concept of limits to your children, there's an app that can help: "Can I Buy?" designed by the husband-and-wife team behind the Massachusetts-based developer Sqube. After crunching some numbers for you, the app tells you whether or not you can afford that purchase that you're considering. The creators themselves got the idea when they were trying to explain to their young daughter why she could not buy a new toy.
33. Take advantage of other new online money tools.
A new website, SmartAsset.com, hit the Web this year, and it's a useful one: It helps users make complicated personal-finance decisions, such as whether they should buy or rent, or which mortgage to take out. If you're looking for some help with number-crunching, the site could be the one for you. Mint.com is another useful site for budgeting and getting organized.
34. Check your Social Security benefits.
Since the Social Security Administration stopped sending out paper statements via snail mail each year, you might be missing your annual estimate of just how much Social Security income you're likely to receive in retirement. But there's an easy way to get that information: Visit socialsecurity.gov/mystatement to see your earnings history and projected future benefits. More than one million people have already done so.
35. Be an alpha consumer.
Jon Yates, the official problem-solver at the Chicago Tribune and author of What's Your Problem? Cut Through Red Tape, Challenge the System, and Get Your Money Back, says persistence is often the most important factor when seeking a response from a company. That might include threatening to take your business elsewhere, or asking to speak to a manager or executive until you get the answer you want.
36. Start a social media account.
Airing grievances about specific companies on a blog, Facebook, or Twitter can also be an effective way of getting their attention. Just be sure you don't sacrifice your own privacy and security in the process. Many banks, for example, run active Twitter accounts, but they caution customers to take specific questions off the public venue and onto a phone line or email account. Talking over social media, after all, means talking in front of an audience.
37. Pay less for gas.
In addition to seeking out the lowest-priced gas station in town, you can also stretch your gas dollars through more creative means. Those include lightening your car by unloading any heavy items stored in the trunk, carpooling, making sure tires are properly inflated, and replacing clogged air filters. An even safer bet is replacing some of your car time with public transportation or biking.
[See: 50 Smart Money Moves.]
38. Refinance, or not.
When interest rates are low, refinancing to lock in a lower rate on your mortgage is tempting. But doing so also comes with costs, including closing costs and your own time. (Completing the paperwork can take hours.) Before jumping on the refinancing bandwagon, crunch some numbers with an online refinance calculator to help you figure out if it will really save you money.
39. Improve your credit score.
Credit scores can hold a lot of power over your life; they influence your loan rates and the ability to rent apartments, and they can even play a role on job applications. According to money expert Liz Weston, author of Your Credit Score, the most important steps you can take to improve your score include removing any errors and making regular, on-time payments to all revolving accounts, including credit cards. Paying down debt helps, too.
40. Get your credit report.
You're entitled to a free credit report every year, which you can access through annualcreditreport.com. Reviewing it regularly makes it possible to check for (and correct) any mistakes, as well as catch potential problems, such as identity theft, before they escalate. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also announced this year that it will start supervising the credit bureaus as part of an attempt to make the world of credit scores and credit reports more transparent to consumers.
41. Learn patience.
Research co-authored by Columbia Business School professor Stephan Meier found that impatient people tend to have lower credit scores, which means they pay more for loans. Study participants who were most willing to wait for their cash rewards had, on average, scores that were 30 points higher than those who were the least patient. The suggestion? Learning to wait for rewards can pay off in the form of lower loan rates.
42. Check your insurance policies.
According to MetLife, just 3 in 4 married couples with young children have life insurance. That means 1 in 4 do not. Given the high cost of raising children (the Agriculture Department estimates $234,900 per child before age 18), that leaves families in a vulnerable position if one or both parents were to die. While there's some hassle involved, the cost of taking out life insurance is relatively low (a half-million dollar policy on a healthy 35-year-old might be one dollar a day, says MetLife), so consider signing up if you haven't already.
43. Organize your financial paperwork.
When Superstorm Sandy hit in 2012, thousands of people on the East Coast had to quickly leave their homes. If your paperwork is in order, it will be easy to know what to grab if you suddenly have to do the same thing. Essential papers to carry with you include identification, insurance information, and family documents, such as birth and marriage certificates and wills.
44. Create photographic evidence.
Just in case you ever have to file an insurance claim, take photos of your most valuable possessions, including furniture, jewelry, and televisions. Creating a paper trail of those goods, any damage they sustained, and subsequent claim filings can make it easier to follow up with the insurance company and collect reimbursements.
45. Prepare for emergencies.
In the spirit of always being ready, consider coming up with a plan for an alternative place for your family to stay in an evacuation scenario. When the power goes out, it's harder to find the closest available hotel, or to talk to friends about staying with them. It's also a good idea to get an emergency kit together, so if you have to hunker down in your basement for a few days without power or running water, you know you could survive. The kit should include batteries, flashlights, water, changes of clothes, cash, non-perishable food, and a first-aid kit.
46. Beef up your emergency savings account.
No matter how prepared you are, emergencies can end up costing a lot of money. Consider funding an emergency savings account that could cover you in the event of weather disasters, car breakdowns, and other unexpected calamities. Financial advisers generally recommend putting away three to six months' worth of expenses.
47. Plan to work well past retirement age.
Older Americans are increasingly working into their 70s, for financial as well as psychological reasons. In other words, many of them enjoy their work. A Charles Schwab survey found that one in three 60-something middle-income workers don't want to retire. To prepare for a long career beyond age 65, career experts recommend making sure you're doing work you love. That might mean launching a second career, unrelated to your primary one.
48. Change your habits.
In his book The Power of Habit, New York Times reporter Charles Duhigg explains how we can change our habits by focusing on the cue and reward. If you want to start exercising every day, for example, "cue" it up by putting on your running shoes before breakfast, and then reward yourself afterward with a piece of chocolate. Eventually, the new habit will become a natural part of your day.
49. Check out your older self.
Here's an easy way to motivate yourself to commit to big changes in 2013: Focus on your future self. Research by Hal Hershfield, assistant professor of marketing at New York University's Stern School of Business, has found that showing people aged photos of themselves makes them more likely to put money away for later. You can get in touch with your future self by writing a letter or even downloading an aging app, such as AgingBooth, for a sense of what you'll look like in 30 years. Spending more time with your grandparents can also help.
50. Think about where you want to be (financially) in a year.
When you're brainstorming for your big money goals for the year, try to focus on specific steps, instead of big, overwhelming dreams. For example, if you want to build financial security, goals might include spending less on food or developing a second stream of income. BJ Fogg, director of Stanford's Persuasive Technology Lab, suggests breaking big goals into small baby steps.

Chinese Face Mapping

Healthy skin heals itself. The state of your skin reflects your whole being – the thoughts you think, your emotions, your stress levels, the food you eat, toxins in your environment, how you treat your body, and even the people around you, as well as the skin care products and regimen that you use. We can help give you tips and products for your outer beauty, as you work on your inner beauty, health, balance and peace. Allow your inner beauty to come out and show all over your face with naturally blended beauty potions for the health of your skin. Start with organic food and plenty of filtered water. The new Zero Water filtration system is the best to date.
Small Intestine
Pustules, redness, irritation, bloating, acne, heavy creases
Cause
Constipation
Liver
Furrow, flaking, irritation, puffiness, itchy
Cause
Toxemia
Kidneys
Bags, dark circles, swollen, puffiness, saggy appearance
Cause
Bladder
Stomach
Blemishes, flaking, irritation, milia, acne
Cause
Slow or Improper Digestion
Lungs
Sagging, congestion, blotches
Cause
Lack of Oxygen
Large Intestine
Flaking, irritation, furrows, pustules
Cause
Sluggish Bowel, Slow Transit Time
Chin and Throat
Pustules, congestion, acne, flaking
Cause
Toxemia, Slow Digestion

Release Pent Up Emotion

Releasing

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Identification

We can feel one emotion regarding a particular circumstance, whilst at the same time or soon after feeling quite a different emotion - like when watching a dramatic movie. The emotions that we need to release are the fixed ones that we identify with and feel the effect of - we feel we ARE the emotion: "I'm angry and you make me so." A free emotion is one that we CREATE as an appropriate feeling to accompany our considerations, beliefs, desires and involvements: "I feel anger according to the way I interpret my current circumstances." An emotion is adopted chronically when it accompanies the belief structure of a particular identity we are absorbed in - a way of being, such as a people pleaser who is dominated at work by more confident colleagues, or a mother with children who feels bored and restricted to the house. And then, suddenly a different identity may become restimulated (through new circumstances or through thoughts restimulating past circumstances) and we see a dramatic personality change - the person at work may get promotion and start to feel and behave quite differently, or the mother may remember her pleasure at giving birth and suddenly looking after the children is a different proposition.
Since we cannot easily recognize what we are being, this aspect of changing fixed identities is usually an unconscious aspect of an individual's case - though profoundly affecting most people much of the time. The way that we identify and switch from identity to identity is explained fully in my free online book, 'Transforming the Mind.' The in-depth techniques of The Insight Project used on the The Insight Project course are the most effective 'transpersonal' tools to clear this case and enable one to be whatever one wants without ever becoming trapped in that role.
The pre-requisite to clearing a fixed identity is to release the emotions that are driving that way of being, so next we look at the techniques to achieve that...

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Releasing Emotions

One technique we have found profoundly effective is a process of consciously and intentionally releasing emotions as they arise - a technique developed by Lester Levenson.
In essence, Levenson found that people have three usual ways of handling a feeling:

• The first way is to suppress the feeling. But suppressed feelings don't go away - they build up and fester inside, causing anxiety, tension, depression, and a host of stress-related problems. The repressed energy (or 'charge') these suppressed feelings create eventually drives you to behave in ways you don't like or understand, and which you cannot control.
• The second way is to express the feeling. By 'blowing up' or losing our tempers we relieve the pressure of the accumulated emotions. This can feel good because it puts the feeling into action - but it doesn't get rid of the feeling, or the roots that create the feeling; it simply relieves the pressure of it momentarily. Negative emotions may also be unpleasant for the person on the receiving end, which in turn causes more distress and guilt.
• The third common way to cope with feelings is by attempting to avoid the issue by attending instead to distractions - by talking, watching TV, eating, smoking, drinking, taking drugs, having sex, etc. But despite our attempts to escape them, the feelings are still there - and still take their toll in the form of stress.

But there is another option for handling a feeling - you can focus on it, fully experience it, and then let go of it: release it, discharge it.
This is the healthiest way to handle a feeling that is consuming us. We've all had the experience of being in the midst of an emotional explosion and then suddenly began to laugh at ourselves, realizing how silly or inappropriate or useless our behavior is. In other words we became conscious.
Typical feelings include the following:

• Apathy and related feelings such as cold, cut-off, dead, defeated, depressed, discouraged, disillusioned, drained, futile, hopeless, lost, numb, overwhelmed, resigned, shocked, stuck, worthless, neglected, unaccepted, insignificant, lifeless, abandoned, loveless, pessimistic, rigid, stagnant, stopped, insensitive, disconnected, depressed, defeated.
• Grief and related feelings such as abandoned, abused, accused, anguished, ashamed, betrayed, blaming, cheated, embarrassed, helpless, hurt, ignored, left out, longing, loss, melancholy, misunderstood, neglected, lonely, pity, poor me, regret, rejection, remorse, sad, unhappy, melancholic, betrayed, discouraged, self-punishing.
• Fear and related feelings such as trapped, anxious, apprehensive, cowardly, devious, doubt, dread, foreboding, inhibited, insecure, jealous, guilty, nervous, panicky, scared, secretive, shaky, shy, stage-fright, suspicious, tense, trapped, withdrawn, worried, threatened, fearful, undesirable.
• Resentment and related feelings such as exploited, harassed, frustrated, deprived, hurt, embarrassed, used, abused, confused, rejected, offended, unacknowledged, disappointed, ignored, hidden hostility.
• Anger and related feelings such as aggressive, annoyed, defiant, demanding, disgusted, fierce, frustrated, furious, hatred, impatience, lack of control, mad, mean, outraged, rebellious, rude, spiteful, rigid, stern, stubborn, vengeful.
• Antagonism and related compulsive feelings such as aloof, argumentative, arrogant, boastful, clever, contemptuous, craving, critical, demanding, driven, envious, frustrated, greedy, impatient, judgmental, manipulative, lack of acceptance or approval, need to be right, lust, obsessed, pushy, vicious, violent, righteous, ruthless, selfish, self-satisfied, snobbish, spoiled, superior, unforgiving, vain; wanting desperately to have or to hurt; wanting to make another wrong.
• Indifference and related feelings such as bored, careless, cautious, conservative, forgetful, indecisive, lazy, sceptical, tired.
• Enthusiasm and related feelings such as adventurous, alert, amused, anticipating, aware, competent, confident, courageous, creative, curious, daring, decisive, desire, eager, friendly, happy, independent, interested, joyful, motivated, open, positive, proud, resourceful, self-sufficient, strong, supportive, vigorous.
• Love and related feelings such as acceptance, balance, beauty, belonging, compassion, delight, ecstasy, empathic, open, receptive, secure, understanding, wonder.
• Serenity and related feelings such as calm, centered, complete, free, fulfilled, peaceful, perfect, pure, whole.

Note: the last three are positive feelings - it is important to release on even very good feelings such as serenity, love and enthusiasm, for driving these feelings are sometimes hidden and compulsive needs and desires. When you release these good feelings you feel a physical and emotional release, just as when you release negative feelings. What lies behind the emotion is something even better, an imperturbable serenity, the Higher Self.
The Release Procedure

Step One: Locate. First think of some problem area in life - something that is of great urgency and concern. It may be a relationship with a loved one, a parent or child; it might be your job, health or fears. Or it might simply be the feeling that you are experiencing now.
Step Two: Identify your feeling. Determine your feeling about the problem area, or the current feeling. What word comes to mind? If necessary examine the previous list of feelings as a reminder. Check on the list also to determine the primary nature of the feeling - for example, if you perform your releasing operation on fear, rather than hesitance or worry, you will find the results are much more dramatic and powerful.
Step Three: Focus. What do you really feel? Open yourself up, become aware of the physical sensations attached to the feeling and focus on them.
Step Four: Feel your feeling. Deliberately create it. Let your feeling inhabit your entire body and mind. If the feeling is a grief feeling, you may break into tears; if it is anger, you may feel your blood begin to boil. That's good - now is the time to feel the feeling.
Step Five: Individuate. Become aware of the difference between your Self - YOU - and what that Self is FEELING. When the feeling is fully experienced and accepted, there will at some point be a clear sensation that your feeling is not you, so it would be possible to let go of the feeling.
If you do not feel that it is possible to let the feeling go, feel it some more. Sooner or later you will reach a point where you can truthfully answer: "Yes, I could let this feeling go".
Step Six: Learn the lesson. Spot the underlying thought, assumption, decision or intention, and how it has been driving your emotions. See now how rational it is in interpreting your current circumstances, even though it may have seemed appropriate in the past. What do you learn from this?
The most vital aspect of this process is the learning of life lessons. Unless you recognize what you are to learn from your negative emotions, they will not release permanently, because they will have to regenerate again until the lesson is learned once and for all. After all, the very nature of negative emotions is a message to you -- letting you know that something needs to be learned.
Circumstances create themselves in order to bring an opportunity into your life for the specific purpose of teaching you a valuable positive learning. When you don't recognize the situation as an opportunity to learn, another situation will be created. And it will continue to be re-created until the lesson is learned.
Step Seven: Release. When will you let this feeling go? Sooner or later you will be able to answer: "I am willing to let this feeling go now". So let the feeling go, simply release it, if you haven't done so spontaneously. It feels good to let it go - all the built-up energy that has been held in the body is released. There is a sudden decrease in physical and nervous tension. You will feel more relaxed, calm, centered.
Step Eight: Check. Do you still have any of the feeling? If some of it is still there then go through the procedure again. Often releasing is like a well - you release some and then more arises. Some of our pent-up emotions are so deep that they require a number of releases.
After you have learned to release emotions with the Release technique, with plenty of practice you will become familiar with obtaining the "witness view" of your thoughts and feelings - you will be less identified with them. This makes it easier to release spontaneously, in real-time - new painful emotions never get suppressed but are fully experienced, dis-identified with and let go of straight away. Simply becoming aware of a feeling is enough to trigger a natural, spontaneous release, and you will carry this ability over into your everyday life, resulting in a stress-free mind and body.

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Fixed Emotional Responses

If certain feelings never seem to go away, or if they re-emerge in specific circumstances in a way that is unwanted and apparently outside your control, then these are Fixed Emotional Responses. Actually, YOU create your emotions according to your interpretation of events, they are not directly caused by the circumstances around you or what happens to you. It is much easier to be both spontaneous and rational if such fixed responses are released. So now apply the above Release Procedure to each of the following emotions.
Apathy:
Use the following questions to help you detect if you have such a fixed emotional response:

"What are some things you don't really care about?" "What doesn't really matter in your life?"
"What is never going to change anyway?"
"Is there anything you can't do anything about?"
"What don't you even bother trying to do?"
"Is there anything you just aren't made for?"
"Is there anything that is hopeless to change?"
"What do you find depressing?"
"Have you ever felt worthless?"
When you spot the emotion of Apathy, Release it.

Grief:
(Handle similarly)

"What reminds you of something you've lost?"
"Think of something sad"
"What is missing in your life?"
"Anything that should be there, but isn't?"
"Do you feel abused in any way"?
"Have you felt abandoned or betrayed?"
"What makes you unhappy?"

Shame:

"What are you ashamed of about yourself?"
"What do you wish you hadn't done?"
"What are you embarrassed about?"
"What about yourself are you trying to hide?"

Blame:

"Who is responsible for the condition you are in?"
"Who or what do you blame for some situation?"
"What parts of your life are others responsible for?"

Regret:

"What should you never have done?"
"What part of the past is haunting you?"
"What do you wish you had done?"
"Tell me some mistakes you have made"

Pity:

"Who do you feel sorry for?"
"Who should you help?"
"Who can't manage by themselves?"

Fear:

"What shouldn't happen?"
"What are you trying to prevent happening?"
"Is there anything threatening you?"
"Is somebody after you?"
"Is anything hidden in your life?"
"What don't you want to look at?"
"Is any part of your life scary?"

Anger:

"Who do you hate?"
"Who do you think deserves to suffer?"
"What do you feel like destroying?"
"Who really drives you mad?"
"What do you think is outrageous?"

Antagonism:

"Who are you envious of?"
"Who do you think you are superior to?"
"Who or what do you have contempt for?"
"What deserves criticism?"
"What do you find really frustrating?"
"What do you argue about?"
"What are you obsessed about?"

(Unexpressed) Resentment:

"What do you not agree with, but haven't said openly?"
"What don't you like about somebody else?"
"What should somebody else not have done to you?"
"Is somebody else doing things differently than you want?"

Indifference:

"What do you have no interest in?"
"Who do you have nothing to do with?"
"What aren't you going to bother changing?"
"What do you find boring?"
"What are you sceptical about?"

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Emotional Expression

These exercises are based on the principle that what you can do consciously and deliberately you will no longer do unconsciously and compulsively.

1. Consider how you 'get into' different emotions. Start with the ones you most frequently feel and find a particular recent occurrence. Go through the incident: What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel, externally and internally? Don't accept that it is something that "just happens". There will be something that either triggers the emotions (such as something that you say to yourself or think, even nonverbally) or there will be conditions that you feel are the right ones to have that emotion, and there will be specific ways that emotion is activated. Then Release that emotion, with the Procedure above.


2. When you have worked through ones you frequently use, to the point where you can activate them at will, pick some that you don't often use but that other people do. Work out what would be a strategy for getting into such emotions. Then recall a time when you did have that emotion and Release it.


3. Then work through the following resourceful emotional states. Recall a time when you felt:

   amused, excited, daring, fascinated, stimulated, playful, committed, creative, proud, caring, appreciative, serene, trusting, peaceful, courageous, determined, glad, passionate, alluring, zestful, loving, relaxed, interested, enthusiastic, provocative, ecstatic, centered, curious, Energized, intimate, nurturing, compelling, sexy, sensual, clever, flirtatious, respectful, complete, tranquil, safe, in agreement, complete, satisfied, productive, involved, sincere, determined, fortunate, respected, protected, motivated, reckless, delighted, attractive, excited, fascinated, understanding, welcome, indespensable, refreshed, responsible, adequate, receptive, amenable, encouraged, invigorated, deserving, open, optimistic, adaptable, valuable, approachable, free, fulfilled, compassionate, secure, positive, independent, competent, strong, aware, decisive.



4. Then work through the following negative emotional states, Releasing each one after fully experiencing it. Recall a time when you felt:

   Apathy:
   cold, cut-off, dead, defeated, depressed, discouraged, disillusioned, drained, futile, hopeless, lost, numb, overwhelmed, resigned, shocked, stuck, worthless, neglected, unaccepted, insignificant, lifeless, abandoned, loveless, pessimistic, rigid, stagnant, stopped, insensitive, disconnected, defeated, depressed. Grief & Culpability:
   abandoned, abused, accused, anguished, ashamed, betrayed, blaming, cheated, embarrassed, helpless, hurt, ignored, left out, longing, loss, melancholy, misunderstood, neglected, pity, poor me, regret, rejection, remorse, sad, unhappy, melancholic, betrayed, discouraged, self-punishing.
   Fear:
   trapped, anxious, apprehensive, cowardly, devious, doubt, dread, foreboding, inhibited, insecure, jealous, nervous, panicky, scared, secretive, shaky, shy, stage-fright, suspicious, tense, withdrawn, worried, threatened, fearful, undesirable.
   Resentfulness:
   exploited, harassed, frustrated, deprived, hurt, embarrassed, used, abused, confused, rejected, offended, unacknowledged, disappointed, ignored, hidden hostility.
   Anger:
   bitter, exasperated, irate, boiling over, aggressive, furious, hysterical, annoyed, defiant, demanding, disgusted, fierce, frustrated, furious, hatred, impatience, out of control, mad, mean, outraged, rebellious, rude, spiteful, stern, stubborn, vengeful, vicious, violent.
   Antagonism:
   destructive, sarcastic, cynical, critical, aloof, argumentative, arrogant, boastful, clever, contemptuous, craving, critical, demanding, driven, envious, frustrated, greedy, impatient, judgmental, manipulative, lack of acceptance or approval, need to be right, lust, obsessed, pushy, resentment, righteous, rigid, ruthless, selfish, self-satisfied, snobbish, spoiled, superior, unforgiving, vain; wanting desperately to have or to hurt; wanting to make another wrong.
   Indifference:
   bored, careless, cautious, conservative, forgetful, indecisive, lazy, sceptical, tired.



5. Now practice expressing a whole range of different emotions. A simple way is to take spoken statements from any fictional book and say them with the designated emotional expression. Really act out the part as if you had been hired at great expense to play the part in a film.


6. If you look at the above list of emotions you'll notice that they are arranged in a naturally occurring sequence. Starting at Indifference, the emotions descend in emotional 'tone' through Antagonism, Anger, Fear, Grief and on down to Apathy. These are all types of 'victim consciousness' with a relative absense of love. Going down in tone, one is increasingly 'at the effect' of another force or determinism, with reduction of choice. Moving up from Indifference, the emotions rise in tone through Enthusiasm, Exhilaration, Beauty and on up to Serenity. These are all types of 'creative consciousness' based on love. Going up in tone one is increasingly the creator of one's state of being, with increasing choice. Your knowledge, responsibility and control increase for your circumstances, with a corresponding rise in communication, understanding and empathy with the people around you.
   Find a time where you moved from a higher emotion down through the scale to a lower emotion, and Release the emotions as you do so.
   Do this a few times, then find some incidents where you moved from a lower emotion up through the scale to a higher emotion, and Release these emotions.