Give your Website ZING!

I recently received a request from a fellow member of the WM Freelance Writers Connection on LinkedIn. Michelle gave me permission to share our correspondence with you. This is vitally important information for everybody to know when creating a website or blog. The importance of having an impressive and eye-catching website is immeasurable!



Hi Ellen,
I would be interested to hear your feedback on my website and blog:

http://corporatewritingpro.com/
http://corporatewritingpro.com/blog


Your profile indicates that you’re an NLP Practitioner and both of your websites reflect how much education and competence you’ve attained. If there are any communication issues that you would like to see addressed on my website or blog please do let me know. I am currently in the development phase and would welcome your input and suggestions.
Thank you and I look forward to remaining in touch.


Michelle Baker, PhD
The Corporate Writing Pro
Because communication is key!

Hi Michelle,
I took a look at your website and blog, and there are many aspects that I like about them both. There are also some things that would really brighten them up and bring people in. I know that many professionals think their websites should look "professional" and to them that means a lack of color or personality. As an NLP Practitioner I believe this to be a mistake.


Add some color and zing to your sites! Personalize them with pictures and large colorful writing. Make your posts on your blog short and fun. Blogs are supposed to be fun, and a place where you can express yourself casually. Your website should be more sedate than your blog, but it should still be colorful.


It's always good to change things up and keep people guessing what they will see on there next. My websites and blogs all change templates on a regular basis, along with pictures and personalized posts. Remaining static can stunt your website. Here's a list of some of my blogs. Let me know what you think.

http://www.onlinedating-2day.blogspot.com/
http://www.nlp-today.blogspot.com/
http://www.hypnosis-today.blogspot.com/
http://www.writersentiment.blogspot.com/


One thing to keep in mind is to speak (and write) with a positive attitude as much as possible. Wine and roses are wonderful, but beer and daisies can be just as good.
NLPLady

Does your website have any zing? People are attracted to colorful backgrounds, pictures that pop out at you and attention-grabbing headlines. A dull sterile background with small black print that never varies will be quickly passed by and unnoticed. Grab their attention with eye-catching and tastefully creative websites and blogs. You have something important to say so shout it out to the world. Capture your audience at their very first visit to your site and keep them coming back.


Your website makes a personal statement to everybody who visits. Show them who you are and what you have to offer in an imaginative and colorful way. Zap them with zing! You’ll be glad you did.

Improve Self-Image in 4 Easy Steps

Listen to Your Thoughts

When you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, consciously change them to positive ones. Constructive self-talk will have a positive influence on your self-esteem. Pay attention to where the thought originated. If the thought came to mind because of a past situation that wasn’t resolved, work on resolving the issue. If the thought is a reaction to something that’s happening at the moment, ask yourself if you are seeing the situation accurately or if you are being influenced by emotions.

 Treat Yourself with Respect and Kindness

Forgive yourself when you make a mistake. Everybody slips up on occasion. Allow for imperfections without considering them to be a reflection on you. Appreciate yourself for the good things you do and the accomplishments you have made. Accept that you are a worthwhile and valuable person.

Identify 5 things that you like about yourself

Jot down 5 things you like about yourself in a daily journal. You have a lot of great qualities, and it helps to see them written down on paper. Whenever you are feeling down, get out your journal and read your list of good qualities out loud. This will cheer you up.

Laugh and Smile

Laughter is the best medicine. A good laugh relieves stress, lowers your blood pressure and makes you stronger.  A laugh releases feel good endorphins into your system, and it’s catching. When somebody sees you smile, they get those healing endorphins flowing through their bodies too.

Computers- R- Us

NLP (Neuro-linguistic Programming) is all about speaking to the unconscious mind in a language it can easily understand.

Believe it or not, the unconscious mind understands things differently than the conscious mind does. The unconscious mind is a great deal more complex. And guess what . . . We all have one! So we probably should learn to communicate with it.

The first thing that we learn in NLP is that the unconscious understands only positive statements. So if I were to say to you "I do not want you to do that." what your unconscious mind really hears is "I do want you to do that." Only the positives are heard. That is why we have so many problems getting our children to listen and obey. They are hearing something totally different than what we think we are saying. So next time, say it this way: "I want you to do this." Be specific and be clear.

Our beliefs affect our lives in many ways, some positive and some negative. Look at it this way. You could compare a newborn baby to a computer just out of the box. She has only been programmed for the very basic stuff (breathing, bodily functions, etc.) The first thing the baby learns to do is to cry. She cries a certain way to let her mother know she needs to be fed or changed. (Mom is also being programmed). As time goes by she will learn to smile, roll over, crawl and eventually walk. Everything this baby learns is a program. There will be times when she will learn things that are unproductive. Maybe she will learn that if she throws a tantrum she gets what she wants. When she is 30 years old she might still think that throwing a tantrum is the thing to do and this will be a problem for her.

Neuro-linguistic programming helps to delete these unproductive programs. NLP uses simple processes that work with the unconscious mind to get rid of old programs and create new ones. Hypnosis is an effective method, but not the only one. A time-line will take you back to the creation of a program, where it can easily be deleted or changed. These are only a few of the methods Neuro-linguistic programming uses to create change. Give it a try! You will be amazed at the difference NLP will make in your life!

The Extensive Use of NLP

Neuro-Linguistic  Programming (NLP)  is used extensively throughout almost every industry with arms that are far reaching, delving into area’s that are varied and at times surprising. The power’s that be have discovered the efficiency of NLP, and are using this valuable tool to full advantage. Even if you are not a professional of any kind, you should at least be aware of the powerful work that can be accomplished with the use of Neuro-linguistic Programming.

 Sales
There are NLP courses specially designed for professionals in the area of sales and marketing. People who rely on the ability to sell themselves in order to market a product or idea are specifically trained in the field of NLP. The training itself stresses the use of language, body language, modeling and other useful techniques to create rapport with the customer and encourage them to desire the product. The object is to convince the customer to purchase the product or commodity, and it works successfully. If you are interested in this kind of training, I recommend Persuasion Engineering. This course is taught by John LaValle and Richard Bandler. I attended the course in Orlando, Florida with my son. The object was to introduce my son to NLP, but I found it to be very helpful and effectual for me in my field of therapeutic NLP.


http://www.persuasionengineering.com/


Marketing
Every time I turn on the television I am reminded of the strong use of NLP in marketing. It is even used more extensively with the invention of the mute button. The challenge for the advertiser is to get into your subconscious mind with fast paced flashing pictures, bright colors, and words written in bold letters across the screen that appeal to a particular targeted audience. They use convincing language for the few people that have forgotten to mute, and music that elicits a desired response from the potential customer. Marketing professionals are highly trained in NLP to use compelling, influential techniques to achieve their goal.


“One of the most consistently lucrative form of writing is that of writing advertising copy. This can encompass a wide range of media…from newspaper and magazine advertising to commercials written for radio, where the spoken word must carry the message…to television where images are used to enhance the written message…almost entirely replacing words with sound and visual stimuli."



http://nlpwriting.com/2010/09/26/advertising-writing/




Teaching
All teaching professionals should be trained in NLP, and many are. The mind of a young child is open and susceptible to influence whether productive or unproductive. It’s important for the teacher to understand that everything they do and say can have a strong influence in a child’s life. Neuro-linguistic Programming can help to train a child in learning techniques and give them the desire and self esteem to succeed in whatever they choose to do in life.


http://teaching-resourcefully.blogspot.com/




Sports
Successful sports professionals know the secret of using NLP to improve their game, expand on their desire to win, and to work out any issues that might be holding them back from achieving the desired results. Both NLP and hypnosis have been used over the years to improve the performance of many award-winning athletes.


"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses - behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”
Muhammad Ali




Acting
Neuro-linguistic Programming is an extremely important and frequently used skill by many in the acting profession. Although there are many of the NLP techniques they utilize, modeling is used by all of them. The ability to step into the shoes of the person they’re portraying is essential for them. They can become so into character that it becomes difficult to step out of character once filming has been completed. In order for an actor to play a part with convincing passion, they need to temporarily become that character in body movements, accent, emotions and beliefs. I admire the skills of a good actor. I’m reminded of Sally Field in Norma Rae and Sissy Spacek in Coal Miners Daughter., some examples of modeling a character in an inspired way.


“Actors with performance anxiety-Tip #3 is use Hypnosis, NLP, and Time line Therapy.”
- Angela Bailey, hypnotist



http://www.angelabaileyhypnosis.com/actors-with-performance-anxiety.html




Comedy
Comedians are experts in the use of NLP. In fact, when I went to school to become a Master Practitioner of Neuro-linguistic Programming, one of our assignments was to watch recordings of comedians such as George Carlin. Laughter and comedy can be very convincing, and they use NLP techniques in many cases without even being aware of it. They use nested loops, distraction, and appeal to all of the senses in ways that most people have never considered. Richard Bandler himself used George Carlin as a model at one time, to develop his art. Check out this video of a comedian, Richard Stockton who uses NLP to make people laugh.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC6JG76ZZe4


Neuro-linguistic Programming is more prevalent in today's society than you might think. NLP's use takes on many forms and is used in many different venues. NLP is a skill that everyone should acquire.

My heart- Be still . . . .

"Work is not always required ... there is such a thing as sacred idleness, the cultivation of which is now fearfully neglected."
-- George MacDonald

My front porch has the most picturesque desert view. As I sit on my outdoor barstool enjoying a refreshing drink, I watch the sunset color the sky in pink and orange shimmers of fading light rays. The mountains cross the horizon and I sigh in amazement at the beauty God gives us to enjoy every single day.

When was the last time you sat down, relaxed and just enjoyed the sunset without hearing that little voice in the back of your mind- "Shouldn't you be doing something? Why aren't you cleaning the dinner dishes? How about those bills you still haven't paid?" Before you know it, the sunset has turned into a black night sky speckled with thousands of stars, and you didn't even notice it happening.

Our society frowns upon idleness, and worships the productivity god. From childhood on we have been programmed to "get things done", "accomplish something", and "stop wasting time". When were we ever allowed to just sit back and enjoy all of God's creations?

It's time to change that programming. Take the time to be still. Do absolutely nothing, and enjoy every last decadent and enjoyable second of it! Listen to the birds sing. Smell the fragrant flowers that are growing in your own back yard. Really taste life and all it has to offer. Our world is a masterpiece waiting to be appreciated for all of it's splendor. Give yourself the gift of reflection and inactivity, without the guilt.

Taking the time to be still restores balance to a hectic and stressful lifestyle. So as I sit and enjoy my cool beverage and the fresh Spring evening- I toast to you!

Accept Your Power

What stops you . . .

from taking your own power and running with it? Do you feel that something is holding you back from accomplishing your goals?

We all have internal blocks that impede our progress, halting us just short of our destination of accomplishment and abundance. The trick is to discover those blockades and tear them down.

Your assignment is to sit down with pen and paper in hand. Write down the first five obstructions that come to you. If you allow your subconscious mind to come through and take free reign, everything will become clear.

As you examine your answers, ask yourself this: Are you holding yourself accountable or do you tend to blame other people or outside influences for your lack of progress?

It’s important to remember that the blocks we carry always begin on the inside and work their way out. If you believe that obstruction is coming from the outside and working its way in, than you are avoiding the acceptance of your own responsibility.

Your next step is to go through your answers one by one, and address the inner issues that are at the root of each conflict. Once the internal matter is resolved, the problem will correct itself.

To accept your own power, you must accept responsibility for your life. Once you do this you will regain control and start to move forward with precision and speed to accomplish your every desire.

There is no "try"

“Try not. Do or do not. There is no try!” Yoda- Star Wars Character“I will try.” Hearing these words uttered out of my own mouth filled me with dismay. My boss looked at me with defeated apprehension in his eyes, and shook his head. His reaction told me what I needed to do. Pushing myself into action I altered my statement abruptly. “I will do it!” Relief washed over his face like a warm cloth, and a soft smile brightened his expression. “Now, that’s what I wanted to hear!”

It had been an endless Friday fraught with dissatisfied customers, discontented fellow employees, and numerous mishaps strewn throughout the day like a game of connect-the-dots. Did my pessimistic attitude affect my life in a downbeat way? Did my actions, words and body language somehow influence negative forces to take hold? I determined to improve my outlook, make some positive changes and turn my frown upside down (yes, a cliché, but one that fits).

How often do you hear these words from yourself and others: “I’ll try . . . to be on time”, or “I’ll try . . . to get that finished”? The phrase “I’ll try” does not inspire confident assurance in anyone. It only creates doubt. It is used along with a lack of commitment, an uncertainty of success, and an unwillingness to put forth the effort needed.

The origin of the word “try” came from prehistoric times. The procrastinating caveman “Ugg” came up with the word. Having spent the morning being harassed by his wife to bring home meat for dinner, he glanced outside the cave entrance only to notice a huge, menacing, and fierce saber tooth tiger eying him hungrily. Throwing stones in front of the entrance, he hid in the corner and said, “Ugg try tomorrow”. Due to a lack of food, he and his family perished, but this useless word survived and spread like the discovery of fire. It passed on through generations, showing up in the English language along with “can’t”, “why”, “maybe”, “sometime”, and “uh-uh” centuries later, to the disappointment of us all.

“I’ll try” is a statement that implies a lack of dedication. It is beige on the color wheel, bland to the taste buds, and that white noise emitting from the air conditioning vent, an undefined and vague offshoot from the straight road to accomplishment. You have to search to find it amongst the tangle of bushes and twigs, buried behind a tree stump, it is so elusive. It’s a generic cop out of a word, used only when your expectations are mediocre at best. If I were asked to walk a tight rope across the Grand Canyon, would my response be, “I’ll try.” Hell no! Perhaps an emphatic “Absolutely, I would love to.” or an equally enthusiastic “No way!” but certainly not “I’ll try.” I would be dooming myself to failure. (I’ll leave that one to Evel Knievel. Can you imagine him responding “I’ll try”?)

In every situation you must be willing to:
Give your all
Make the necessary effort
Follow through
Get it done

Avoid the “maybe”, “someday”, “whenever”, or “soon” see-sawing, hazy, fuzzy and blurred response. That just won’t cut it.

Sure, there are times when we are all guilty of sitting back, propping up our feet and just expecting change to be handed to us like a miracle on a silver platter. Haven’t we heard somewhere that if we just expect good things, abundance, happiness and success will come to us? Did they forget to tell us that it takes some effort on our part? Yes, I believe in a Divine Being that intervenes and fights for us when the going gets rough. However, I also believe that same Divine Being expects us to do our part in the immense scheme of things. That is why we were given brains to think with, muscles to work with and common sense to get the job done.

• You need to buy a ticket to win the lottery.
• You must enter a contest to win.
• You have to drive a car (or somebody else does) to get where you're going.
• Dinner doesn't cook itself.
• The handle has to be pulled on the slot machine to win the jackpot.
• You are required to attend classes to earn a degree.
• Work is necessary to get a paycheck.

So, when the word “try” enters your vocabulary, make a conscious change to “I will”. That’s your final answer- no ifs, ands, or buts about it!

Take back your power. Make the changes necessary to improve your life. Just do it!

Let's Part-y

“I always say, whatever you were at ten years old is what you’re going to be for the rest of your life.”
-Joy Behar

A golden tan and summer blonde hair, the child has been kissed by the sun. Her laugh is light and airy, like a children’s symphony. Dangling from the sturdy tree branch by the knees, she swings like a limber monkey. Only ten years old, her imagination takes her to the circus under the big top, where she is an acrobat in a colorful costume, performing wondrous feats. The crowd roars with pleasure and awe. This is as real to her as it is to brush her teeth, comb her hair or eat her lunch. Like a painting caught in a downpour, the colors bleed together to create a brand new masterpiece- a delight to the eye. Fantasy and reality meld together to become one in a child’s vivid imagination.

Yes, that little girl was me- a tomboy with scraped knees, torn clothes, dirty hands and endless energy. My dream was simple and straightforward. I wanted to be an acrobat. People change and so do our dreams. From playing make believe with my Barbie dolls at eleven, to becoming a married woman at the tender age of seventeen, a mother at nineteen and a widow at twenty-one, I dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer, actor, writer, poet, interior decorator, tailor, fashion model and a cookie chef.

How much of that little acrobatic tomboy still lives on inside of me? Am I still the same person down deep that I was then? Physically, of course not. Every part of our physical body is completely regenerated approximately every seven years. At the age of ten, was I already a fully developed, morally conscious, self realized human being? The answer of course is an emphatic "No!" I believe that there will always be a part of that ten year old acrobat hidden in me, just as the dancer still dances, the actor still acts and the cookie chef still bakes cookies. These are all parts of a whole, pieces of an immense jigsaw puzzle that is far from complete.

Parts integration is an NLP process used when a person indicates something like:

“A part of me wants to _________, but another part of me wants to _________”.

Locating these parts and developing communication between them can resolve conflicted feelings, and eliminate blocks that impede our progress. The important thing to realize here is that every part is right, although at times misguided, and generally has good intentions. Agreement among parts is an efficient way to eliminate procrastination and allow a person to accomplish great things.

I began my experience here in this carnal world with a clean slate, like a computer with only basic programming. The programming began right away. From the time the doctor smacked my bottom, I learned if I cried loud enough and long enough, I would be fed, changed, cuddled and essentially completely taken care of. From that moment on the programming continued. I developed, learned and thrived to become the person I am today and I will continue to advance from this day forward. We all have programs that applied at the time, but are now obsolete. If I continued to cry loudly in order to be taken care of at the age of 30, my loved ones would probably decide to "take care of me" by committing me to the nearest psychiatric ward. This is why old programs need to be deleted and replaced with productive programs that can change and alter with time and maturity.

In the game of life, each personality part is an essential slice of the proverbial pie. The sugar and the apples work together, combining the tart tang of desire and the sweet flavor of success. A common objective between parts can create peace, harmony and a tasty dessert at the end of a fantastic meal. There’s nothing better than that.

If you promise not to tell anybody, I will let you in on a secret. There are times when I feel the urge to go climb a tree, and sit atop the branches looking down at the brown clay earth in remembrance of those carefree days of youth. That part of me still feels the excitement and joy of an innocent, daydreaming child. She looks out through my eyes at the world and grins, knowing she has made her contribution.

Was that a lizard that just ran by? Excuse me while I run to catch it . . .