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	<title>PickTheBrain &#124; Motivation and Self Improvement| PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement</title>
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		<title>How Your Dreams are Holding You Back (And What to Do About It)</title>
		<link>http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/how-your-dreams-are-holding-you-back-and-what-to-do-about-it/</link>
		<comments>http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/how-your-dreams-are-holding-you-back-and-what-to-do-about-it/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:37:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Henri Junttila</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[self improvement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[big dreamer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dreaming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dreams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to succeed]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pickthebrain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[success]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/?p=7755</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[They only become a problem when you use them as an excuse. When you tell yourself that you could never go after your dreams, or that you donít have the connections, money, or talent to do what you deeply desire.

Most people use their dreams as an excuse.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Screen-shot-2011-11-01-at-2.23.18-PM.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-7756" title="Screen shot 2011-11-01 at 2.23.18 PM" src="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Screen-shot-2011-11-01-at-2.23.18-PM-460x304.png" alt="" width="460" height="304" /></a></p>
<p>Are your dreams secretly preventing you from living the life you REALLY desire?</p>
<p>Most people have dreams, but their dreams are holding them back. Dreams aren&#8217;t bad in and of themselves. In fact, dreams are great.</p>
<p>They only become a problem when you use them as an excuse. When you tell yourself that you could never go after your dreams, or that you don&#8217;t have the <a href="http://www.wakeupcloud.com/talent-money-and-connections/" target="_blank">connections, money, or talent</a> to do what you deeply desire.</p>
<p>Most people use their dreams as an excuse.<span id="more-7755"></span></p>
<p>What you think you have to do to realize your dreams is often not the right path at all, and the dream you have right now may not even be the dream you really want.</p>
<p>You don&#8217;t know all the possibilities that exist, so you cannot possibly know what the best life for you is, can you?</p>
<p><strong>Why Your Dreams Are Holding You Back</strong></p>
<p>I have dreams.</p>
<p>You have dreams.</p>
<p>We all have dreams.</p>
<p>The problem is that many of the dreams we have block us from seeing all the other possibilities available to us. We put on blinders and focus only on what we think is right and we miss everything else.</p>
<p>Before I started my online business and began doing what I love, I had a predetermined path in my mind, and I thought it was the only way there.</p>
<p>The problem?</p>
<p>I didnít think I could walk that path, because I wasnít good enough, I didn&#8217;t have the connections necessary, and I was scared out of my mind.</p>
<p>Or, so I thought.</p>
<p>When you look at successful people, youíll often see that they got to where they are in an unconventional manner.</p>
<p>What&#8217;s really going on is that the concept that we call dreams is holding us back by limiting our perspective.</p>
<p>We have no idea of how our dreams will manifest, or if the dream we think we want is the one we&#8217;ll want five years from now.</p>
<p>The solution is to think smaller.</p>
<p><strong>What to Do About It</strong></p>
<p>Keep your dream in mind, but don&#8217;t get too attached to it. Instead, I&#8217;d like to invite you to enjoy the present moment a tad more than you have.</p>
<p>You have your plans, and you have your vision, which is fantastic, but now it&#8217;s time to return to the here and now.</p>
<p>The way you do this is by focusing on what the next smallest step is that you can take toward what you want.</p>
<p>You will know what the right next step is because it will feel good. For example, today I woke up and felt like writing this article. It felt good, so here I am.</p>
<p>Now, beware that you will sometimes be afraid of your next step. Another example from my life would be if I was creating my next product.</p>
<p>That generally scares me because Iím not sure if people will like it. However, the problem is that the step is too big. I need to break it down into smaller parts.</p>
<p>When I do that, it becomes something like this:</p>
<ol>
<li>Come up with a product title</li>
<li>Research and outline the product</li>
<li>Fill in ideas in the outline</li>
</ol>
<p>Even those steps are too big, but can you see where I&#8217;m going with this? Itís not the task that scares us, but our thoughts about it. When you break things down, you can see yourself taking action.</p>
<p><strong>What If You Donít Know What Your Next Step Is?</strong></p>
<p>If you don&#8217;t know what your next step is, do nothing until you feel compelled to act.</p>
<p>Whenever I try to force myself to do anything, it doesnít end well. I almost feel like thereís a divine timing to everything. Iím not religious, but thatís how it feels.</p>
<p>Instead of forcing myself, I simply allow myself to rest in that space of not knowing. Itís not always easy, and often itís frustrating as hell, but thereís not much else I can do.</p>
<p>I could try to force progress, but it would just make me more miserable.</p>
<p>Iím at a point in my life where Iíve realized that thereís no rush to get anywhere. All I have to do is to enjoy the here and now.</p>
<p>Happiness comes from within me, not from out there. No goals, accomplishments, or dreams will make me happier than I allow myself to be.</p>
<p>This realization isnít always present, because like you, Iím human. Sometimes I hate life and the perceived obstacles in front of me, but thatís just how it goes.</p>
<p>Some days will be better than others.</p>
<p>But it always comes down to what you do with them.</p>
<p><em>Henri writes at Wake Up Cloud, where you can get his FREE life-changing course right now:†<a href="http://www.wakeupcloud.com/discover-your-passion/">Find Your Passion in 5 Days or Less</a>. And if you liked this article, you may like,†<a href="http://www.wakeupcloud.com/change-your-life/" target="_blank">21 Things You Can Do to Change Your Life Forever</a>.</em></p>
<p><strong><em>Don&#8217;t forget to sign up for the PickTheBrain <a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/no-spam-guarantee/">NEWSLETTER</a>!</em></strong></p>
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<p><em><strong>Related Articles:</strong></em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/smarter-time-management/">A Smarter Approach To Time Management</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/strategies-for-breaking-bad-habits-and-cultivating-good-ones/">Tips For Breaking Bad Habits and Developing Good Habits</a></p>
<p><em><br />
</em></p>
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		<title>7 Profound Realizations That Have Changed My Life (And Might Change Yours)</title>
		<link>http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/7-profound-realizations-that-have-changed-my-life-and-might-change-yours/</link>
		<comments>http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/7-profound-realizations-that-have-changed-my-life-and-might-change-yours/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Oct 2011 06:18:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Henri Junttila</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[productivity tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[self improvement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[change your life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pickthebrain]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/?p=7643</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Life goes on by itself without you having to force anything. Changes happen, good things happen, and bad things happen.

It is not the outside that counts, but what you do with it inside. Some people thrive and are happy despite most circumstances, while others are miserable living in luxury.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-17-at-2.23.19-PM.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-7646" title="Screen shot 2011-10-17 at 2.23.19 PM" src="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-17-at-2.23.19-PM-460x306.png" alt="" width="460" height="306" /></a></p>
<p>It is not the big things that end up changing our life, but the little things.</p>
<p>Most people believe they have to make huge changes and take massive action, but it often isnít necessary.</p>
<p>Life goes on by itself without you having to force anything. Changes happen, good things happen, and bad things happen.</p>
<p>It is not the outside that counts, but what you do with it inside. Some people thrive and are happy despite most circumstances, while others are miserable living in luxury.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve had a lot of realizations during my brief time on planet Earth, but to me, they&#8217;ve been profound and life-changing, and today I wanted to share a few of them with you.<span id="more-7643"></span></p>
<p><strong>1. Everything is Okay</strong></p>
<p>Everything is okay in this very moment. If youíre reading these words, you&#8217;re okay.</p>
<p>There is nothing going on. Nothing needs to be done, and there is no rush anywhere. I know you may think that there is, but there isn&#8217;t.</p>
<p>Notice that I said think, because it is our minds that create most of our problems.</p>
<p><strong>2. Thoughts are Thoughts</strong></p>
<p>You are not your thoughts. You are the awareness behind them, the observer, and the emptiness.</p>
<p>Notice your thoughts as you read this article. Do you notice any judgments, opinions, or anything else coming up?</p>
<p>Whatever you notice, just let your thoughts be there, welcome them, and check what happens. You don&#8217;t have to act on your thoughts, because they are not you, they just are what they are: thoughts.</p>
<p><strong>3. Fear</strong></p>
<p>Fear doesn&#8217;t have to paralyze you. When I began going after my dreams, and building my online business, I was scared.</p>
<p>What I quickly realized is that when I moved through my fear, the fear went poof. It was as if it never existed.</p>
<p>Where did the fear come from? I created it. It came from my mind, and I was afraid of my own creation.</p>
<p>Your fears will often not represent reality, and when you take action and move through them, or simply let them go, they disappear.</p>
<p><strong>4. Kaizen</strong></p>
<p>Many people, myself included, want perfection. They want everything to work out perfectly. No mistakes are allowed.</p>
<p>What I&#8217;ve discovered is that this journey isn&#8217;t about perfection, it&#8217;s about constant improvement, or as the Japanese call it: kaizen.</p>
<p><strong>5. Self-Honesty</strong></p>
<p>If you have self-honesty, you have the key to personal growth. You know what you can do, and what you cannot. Although you have to be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking that you know everything.</p>
<p>Sometimes the universe throws curveballs at you, and sometimes you surprise yourself. Knowing that is a part of self-honesty.</p>
<p>You are much more than you think you are, and you are capable of great things, so learn to trust yourself.</p>
<p><strong>6. Discipline</strong></p>
<p>I write, a lot.</p>
<p>I write books. I create courses, and I write, write, write, all the time.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m not always in the mood to write, but what I&#8217;ve noticed is that starting is the hardest part. I only need a touch of discipline to get started writing that first paragraph, and from there it flows.</p>
<p>If it doesn&#8217;t, I stop.</p>
<p>Discipline goes both ways. Use it to start, and use it to stop when appropriate.</p>
<p><strong>7. Kindness</strong></p>
<p>You never know what the future holds. That is why I try to practice kindness as much as I can.</p>
<p>This doesnít mean that I don&#8217;t set boundaries. It just means that I do my best to see through the illusion that there is a me vs. you, because there isn&#8217;t.</p>
<p>There is room for everyone on this planet. We can all thrive together, and it is through cooperation that we will rise to new heights.</p>
<p>Life is a strange thing. Sometimes it scares the hell out of you, and sometimes it surprises you with bursts of exquisite ecstasy.</p>
<p><em>Henri writes at Wake Up Cloud, where you can get his FREE life-changing course right now: <a href="http://www.wakeupcloud.com/discover-your-passion/">Find Your Passion in 5 Days or Less</a>. And if you liked this article, you may like, <a href="http://www.wakeupcloud.com/change-your-life/" target="_blank">21 Things You Can Do to Change Your Life Forever</a>.</em></p>
<p>Where from? Henri was born in Sweden and currently lives in Finland.</p>
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		<title>5 Proven-Effective Ways to Eliminate Negative Emotions and Tap Into Peace</title>
		<link>http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/5-proven-effective-ways-to-eliminate-negative-emotions-and-tap-into-peace/</link>
		<comments>http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/5-proven-effective-ways-to-eliminate-negative-emotions-and-tap-into-peace/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Sep 2011 06:06:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Henri Junttila</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[self improvement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[clarity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[negativity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[peace]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pickthebrain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[strength]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/?p=7428</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We all do, and most people suffer unnecessarily because of them.

The good news is that you don't have to do that. The bad news is that most people will do it anyway, even though the tools are right in front of their eyes.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Screen-shot-2011-09-20-at-3.24.47-PM.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-7429" title="Screen shot 2011-09-20 at 3.24.47 PM" src="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Screen-shot-2011-09-20-at-3.24.47-PM-460x309.png" alt="" width="460" height="309" /></a></p>
<p>Do you ever experience negative emotions to the extent that you wish they would just go away forever?</p>
<p>We all do, and most people suffer unnecessarily because of them.</p>
<p>The good news is that you don&#8217;t have to do that. The bad news is that most people will do it anyway, even though the tools are right in front of their eyes.</p>
<p>Why?<span id="more-7428"></span></p>
<p>Because of familiarity.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s uncomfortable to face the unknown, even though that is where all the possibilities lie. You cannot have certainty and possibility.</p>
<p>You must face your emotions head on.</p>
<p>That is the key to peace. When you are willing to do that, you have reclaimed your freedom.</p>
<p><strong>1. Now</strong></p>
<p>You&#8217;re probably familiar with the <em>Power of Now</em>, by Eckhart Tolle. In the book, Eckhart puts forth a simple proposition, stay in the now and you will feel peace.</p>
<p>Most people don&#8217;t understand it right away, but when they do, their life changes dramatically, because when you&#8217;re in the now, you are present with everything around you.</p>
<p>Think of a time when you were anxious or afraid of a future event, and notice what happened when that event happened and you experienced it.</p>
<p>It wasn&#8217;t as bad as you thought it was, was it?</p>
<p>That&#8217;s because when you experienced it, you were in the now, and when that happened, the unknown became known.</p>
<p><strong>2. Acceptance</strong></p>
<p>This is another part of being in the now. Most people try to run away from their negative emotions. They eat, watch TV, have sex, read, or hang online.</p>
<p>When you get curious about the feeling and accept it as a part of you, it tends to disappear.</p>
<p>But how do you accept it when it feels so painful?</p>
<p>That&#8217;s the first hurdle you have to overcome, because when you do, you will realize that the pain was only half an inch thick.</p>
<p>You can either learn to let go of your negative emotions, or you can keep doing what you&#8217;ve been doing up until this point.</p>
<p><strong>3. EFT</strong></p>
<p>EFT is weird, but it works. Nowadays I use something called <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/HealingMagic">FasterEFT</a>, which is more efficient and uses a few tricks from NLP, or Neuro-Linguistic Programming.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s faster, and it works better than classic EFT, at least for me. The mistake most people make is they dismiss EFT because of how it looks.</p>
<p>Another mistake is that they use it a few days and give up. Changing how you feel means going in and cleaning stuff up, and most of us have a lot of garbage stored in our brain, so it takes time.</p>
<p>But after a while you start feeling a deep sense of peace, joy, and wholeness. At that point you know that it&#8217;s all worth it.</p>
<p><strong>4. The Work</strong></p>
<p>The Work was created by Byron Katie, and it&#8217;s a system of four simple questions:</p>
<ul>
<li>Is it true?</li>
<li>Can you absolutely know that it&#8217;s true?</li>
<li>How do you react when you believe this thought?</li>
<li>Who would you be without this thought?</li>
</ul>
<p>That&#8217;s how it starts, and while my paraphrasing of the questions may not be perfect, the questions still hold power, because they open up your mind and beliefs to new possibilities.</p>
<p>There are so many options to feel better that I am confused about the fact that people still try to drink and eat their problems away.</p>
<p><strong>5. NLP</strong></p>
<p>Last, but definitely not least is NLP, which I use when I work with my own clients. NLP gives you the user&#8217;s manual for your brain.</p>
<p>It allows me to help my clients achieve quick changes that have big ramifications in their life.</p>
<p>As an example, one client came to me with writer&#8217;s block. She had trouble with anxiety when she sat down to write.0</p>
<p>She loved writing, but it wasn&#8217;t happening. She had some bad memories and experiences from the past around writing, and when we cleared those up, everything changed.</p>
<p>You see, we all have internal programs we learn. Sometimes we learn them in childhood, and sometimes we learn them as adults.</p>
<p>Some of these programs aren&#8217;t helpful, such as constantly worrying, stopping yourself from writing, or scaring yourself so much that you can&#8217;t go after your dreams.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s not that these programs are bad, because they work perfectly. The problem happens when they stop you from doing something you want.</p>
<p>That&#8217;s when you need to change the programs within you.</p>
<p><strong>The Bottom Line</strong></p>
<p>In the end, you are the only one that can make the changes necessary. I&#8217;ve had many people email me, and they want to feel good without any effort.</p>
<p>If you want to transform who you are and live up to your full potential, you have to first face the dragon (your fears), but what you&#8217;ll realize is that your fears are only half an inch thick.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s terrifying, but it&#8217;s over in a heartbeat.</p>
<p>When you let go of your fears and negative memories, your life changes.</p>
<p>The question then is, are you ready for it?</p>
<p><em>Henri writes at Wake Up Cloud, where you can get his FREE life-changing course right now: <a href="http://www.wakeupcloud.com/discover-your-passion/">Find Your Passion in 5 Days or Less</a></em>.</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t Forget To Follow PickTheBrain on <a href="http://twitter.com/pickthebrain">Twitter</a>!<em> </em></p>
<p><strong><em>Related Articles:</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/10-secrets-to-success/">10  Secrets To Success</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/the-language-of-success/">The  Language of Success</a></p>
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		<title>7 Harsh Truths They Don&#8217;t Tell You About Following Your Passion</title>
		<link>http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/7-harsh-truths-they-dont-tell-you-about-following-your-passion/</link>
		<comments>http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/7-harsh-truths-they-dont-tell-you-about-following-your-passion/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Sep 2011 04:35:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Henri Junttila</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[career]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[self improvement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dreams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[follow your passion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pickthebrain]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/?p=7334</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Most of us expect a white knight to swoop down and lead us to glory once we've found our passion, but it doesn't quite work that way.

Following your passion takes hard work, but it's immensely rewarding. There are a lot of lies people tell about following your passion.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Screen-shot-2011-09-06-at-9.27.30-AM.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-7338" title="Screen shot 2011-09-06 at 9.27.30 AM" src="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Screen-shot-2011-09-06-at-9.27.30-AM-460x345.png" alt="" width="460" height="345" /></a></p>
<p>Do you want to follow your passion?</p>
<p>How is it going?</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re like most people, it&#8217;s not going so well.</p>
<p>Most of us expect a white knight to swoop down and lead us to glory once we&#8217;ve found our passion, but it doesn&#8217;t quite work that way.</p>
<p>Following your passion takes hard work, but it&#8217;s immensely rewarding. There are a lot of lies people tell about following your passion.</p>
<p>But in this article you&#8217;ll get nothing but the stone cold truth, so keep reading.<span id="more-7334"></span></p>
<p><strong>1. Hard Work</strong></p>
<p>Realizing your passion takes a lot of hard work. You have to figure out how to do it, and what truly works.</p>
<p>If you want to make a living with your passion, you have to take action, and made a lot of mistakes, because you have to figure out how you&#8217;re going to make your endeavor profitable.</p>
<p>You have to find a market for what you&#8217;re doing. It will take longer than you think, but less time than you fear.</p>
<p><strong>2. Persistence</strong></p>
<p>This is where persistence comes in, because you have to keep moving forward to succeed.</p>
<p>The only way you can fail is by giving up. You will run into obstacles, fear, and other bumps in the road, but they do not matter if you keep putting one foot in front of the other.</p>
<p>Sure, it won&#8217;t be fun at times, but nothing is. Do you really want to stay where you are and look back at your life in the future and regret not having taken the steps to go after your dreams?</p>
<p><strong>3. Fear</strong></p>
<p>Fear lurks everywhere. When you venture into the unknown, you will be afraid, and you will want to seek security and comfort to get away from that fear.</p>
<p>This is the worst thing you can do, because it is through facing your fears that you will succeed.</p>
<p>The people that are willing to face fear head-on are also the ones that make the fastest amount of progress, and the ones that are most fulfilled, because they realize that fear is only an illusion &#8211; albeit a powerful one.</p>
<p><strong>4. Confusion</strong></p>
<p>Another common stumbling block is the confusion that happens when you first start following your passion.</p>
<p>You don&#8217;t know what to do, when to start, or even how to do it. The simple secret to achieving success despite this is to take action now.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s counter-intuitive, but it works. When you take action, you&#8217;ll gain clarity, and you will learn what works and what doesn&#8217;t.</p>
<p>You don&#8217;t have to be crystal clear about that in order to follow your passion.</p>
<p><strong>5. Action</strong></p>
<p>And this brings us to the next harsh truth, which is taking action. Iíve been mentioning the value of taking action throughout this article, but I think it deserves its own spot, donít you?</p>
<p>Most people get stuck in analyzing and trying to make things perfect before they take action, but it gives them false hope, because nothing happens.</p>
<p>Stop planning, put down your pen, and take action right now.</p>
<p>What can you do today that will make a difference in your life?</p>
<p>You may be scared, and you may even be confused, but you can still take action. Once you start moving forward despite all the negative feelings you have, you will see that they aren&#8217;t so bad after all.</p>
<p><strong>6. Determination</strong></p>
<p>There will come a time when you are incredibly frustrated and want to throw in the towel.</p>
<p>This is when you need the determination to keep moving forward. Make sure you&#8217;re doing something that you&#8217;re passionate about.</p>
<p>When you bump into challenge after challenge after challenge, use your determination to get you where you want to be.</p>
<p>The tough times you will face are merely signs that you&#8217;re getting closer to your goal. And when you get through these tough times, you will be even stronger and move towards your passion even faster.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s a vicious cycle that keeps going on and on. You get more excited, become stronger, and accomplish more.</p>
<p>And it doesn&#8217;t hurt that you enjoy life.</p>
<p><strong>7. Fulfillment</strong></p>
<p>What would an article like this be without at least something positive? Although, most of these harsh truths are positive, it all depends on your perspective.</p>
<p>Even though there are a lot of tough things you have to do in order to follow your passion, it will lead to fulfillment, at least that has been my experience.</p>
<p>Doing what you love is not easy, but for me it&#8217;s the only thing.</p>
<p>I will not settle for mediocrity, and I refuse to stand down.</p>
<p>I will follow my passion, or die trying.</p>
<p>What about you?</p>
<p><em>Henri writes at Wake Up Cloud, where you can get his FREE life-changing course right now: <a href="http://www.wakeupcloud.com/discover-your-passion/">Find Your Passion in 5 Days or Less</a></em>.</p>
<p><a href="http://twitter.com/pickthebrain">Don&#8217;t Forget To Follow   PickTheBrain on Twitter! </a></p>
<p><em><strong>Related Articles:</strong></em></p>
<p><a href="../reclaim-your-dreams-its-time-to-come-alive/">Reclaim   Your Dream, It&#8217;s Time to Come Alive </a></p>
<p><a href="../importance-of-reading/">Why   You Should Read Personal Development Books </a></p>
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		<title>9 Famous Quotes That Will Supercharge Your Day</title>
		<link>http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/9-famous-quotes-that-will-super-charge-your-day/</link>
		<comments>http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/9-famous-quotes-that-will-super-charge-your-day/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 May 2011 06:31:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Henri Junttila</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[motivation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[self improvement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[famous quotes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finding inspiration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[inspiration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[quotes that inspire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the power of words]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wayne gretzky quotes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/?p=6224</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In this article, I've gathered 9 famous quotes that will not only supercharge your day and make you wise, but also inspire you to go after your wildest dreams and aspirations.

The truth of the matter is that you can become and have anything you want in this world]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Screen-shot-2011-05-12-at-5.44.30-PM.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-6226" title="Screen shot 2011-05-12 at 5.44.30 PM" src="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Screen-shot-2011-05-12-at-5.44.30-PM-460x304.png" alt="" width="460" height="304" /></a></p>
<p>There are many famous quotes out there, but there are only a few with the power to touch your heart.</p>
<p>In this article, I&#8217;ve gathered 9 famous quotes that will not only supercharge your day and make you wise, but also inspire you to go after your wildest dreams and aspirations.</p>
<p>The truth of the matter is that you can become and have anything you want in this world. The only person stopping you is yourself.</p>
<p>With all that said, let&#8217;s jump right into the famous quotes, shall we?<span id="more-6224"></span></p>
<p><strong>1. &#8216;Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it doesn&#8217;t get you anywhere.&#8217; &#8211; Van Wilder</strong></p>
<p>We all worry more than we have to. When you think back in your life to the times when you worried excessively, did your worrying actually solve anything?</p>
<p>If you really think about it, I think you will find that worrying doesn&#8217;t help nor does it solve anything. In fact, it often makes things much worse and it makes you feel bad.</p>
<p>Whenever you start worrying, instantly shift your focus to what you can do about the problem right now. If there&#8217;s nothing to do, let it go.</p>
<p><strong>2. &#8216;It&#8217;s your thinking that decides whether you&#8217;re going to succeed or fail.&#8217; &#8211; Henry Ford</strong></p>
<p>Most people are more than happy to make excuses and give reasons for why they can&#8217;t do something.</p>
<p>It is in their thoughts that most people fail. One of the most common characteristics of successful people is that they are optimistic, positive, and they never give up.</p>
<p>They constantly imagine themselves succeeding and they face and overcome challenges easily. If you want to go after your dream life, you first have to get your thinking in order.</p>
<p><strong>3. &#8216;Remember that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.&#8217; &#8211; Abraham Lincoln</strong></p>
<p>It is your own resolution and determination which decides whether you succeed or not.</p>
<p>It doesn&#8217;t matter if you&#8217;ve failed dozens or even hundreds of times, because if you don&#8217;t give up, your success is inevitable.</p>
<p>You can be a success, live a life full of passion, and have everything you desire, if you will just make the decision.</p>
<p><strong>4. &#8216;You can do anything, but not everything.&#8217; &#8211; David Allen</strong></p>
<p>You can do anything you want, but not everything at the same time. You have to pick a few primary goals in your life that you want to pursue right now.</p>
<p>Or even better; just pick one.</p>
<p>This will not only help you make more progress, but it will make you feel motivated and inspired to take action.</p>
<p>When you focus on as few things as possible, you give your subconscious mind a solid target to aim at.</p>
<p><strong>5. &#8216;You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.&#8217; &#8211; Wayne Gretzky</strong></p>
<p>How many regrets do you have? How many times have you wished that you would&#8217;ve had the courage to do something?</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re like most people, it&#8217;s pretty often.</p>
<p>Take that feeling and use it to take action right now. Go after what you want, even though you may not believe that it is possible.</p>
<p>Go take that new yoga class, try painting because you always wanted to try it, or start your online business today.</p>
<p><strong>6. &#8216;We are what we repeatedly do; excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.&#8217; &#8211; Aristotle</strong></p>
<p>Courage, self-discipline, and the ability to get things done is not something you&#8217;re born with. You can cultivate the habit of being productive and achieving your goals by constantly doing so.</p>
<p>The people that are living their dream lives are able to do so because they have taken action. They have been where you are, and they have overcome their inertia and started moving forward.</p>
<p>And they have kept moving forward despite their fears and despite any challenges that stood in their way.</p>
<p>You can do the same. You can always make excuses but the truth is that you can always do something, so begin with that.</p>
<p><strong>7. &#8216;Work like you don&#8217;t need money, love like you&#8217;ve never been hurt, and dance like no one&#8217;s watching.&#8217; &#8211; Unknown Author</strong></p>
<p>When you find work that you would do for free, you have found your passion and calling in life. When you have no expectations, your life will be like dance.</p>
<p>Most people love because they want to be loved. And most people don&#8217;t dance, because they fear embarrassment.</p>
<p>I say, love because it feels good, and dance even though you may look like a complete idiot if that is what you want to do.</p>
<p>Life is meant to be an adventure full of fun, passion, and meaning. You are the only one that can create that for you.</p>
<p><strong>8. &#8216;Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.&#8217; &#8211; Albert Einstein</strong></p>
<p>Use your imagination to create the life of your dreams. You&#8217;ve heard of the law of attraction, which is excellent, but what most people often forget is that there&#8217;s also a law of action.</p>
<p>Use your imagination to plant the seed in your subconscious mind about what you want, but after that start taking massive action.</p>
<p>You can have what you want, if you will only go after it. I repeat this over and over because it is true and I want you to understand that.</p>
<p><strong>9.&#8217;The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.&#8217;  &#8211; Lao Tzu</strong></p>
<p>No matter what you want to accomplish in life. And no matter how long you think the journey is, it all begins with a single step.</p>
<p>For example, building a profitable online business begins with a single step. You can take that step today if you choose to, or you can put it off until another day.</p>
<p>And that day may never come, so you as well get started now.</p>
<p><em>If you want more information on how to change your life for the better, Henri writes at Wake Up Cloud, where you can get his FREE life-changing course: </em><a href="http://www.wakeupcloud.com/discover-your-passion/"><em>Find Your Passion in 5 Days or Less</em></a><em>.</em></p>
<p><a href="https://recreateyourlife.infusionsoft.com/go/free-belief/ptb" target=_blank><img src="http://www.recreateyourlife.com//affiliates/banners/recreateyourlife-122x122-1.gif" border=0></a><br />
Don&#8217;t Forget To Follow PickTheBrain on <a href="http://twitter.com/pickthebrain">Twitter</a>!</p>
<p><em><strong>Related Articles:</strong></em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/why-you-shouldnt-care-what-others-think-about-you/">Why You Shouldn&#8217;t Care What Others Think About You</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-goals-for-you/">How To Choose The Right Goals For You</a></p>
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		<title>11 Incredibly Simple Ways to Find Your Passion, Right Now</title>
		<link>http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/11-incredibly-simple-ways-to-find-your-passion-right-now/</link>
		<comments>http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/11-incredibly-simple-ways-to-find-your-passion-right-now/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 Apr 2011 06:26:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Henri Junttila</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[self improvement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[happiness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to be successful]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to find your passion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to get ahead]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[make it count]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[passion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pickthebrain]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/?p=6000</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you're reading this, chances are that you don't know what your passion is. The good news is that if you keep reading, you will discover 11 proven ways of finding your passion today.

You see, most people give up before they even have the chance of finding what truly excites them in life.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-6004" title="Screen shot 2011-04-19 at 5.33.51 PM" src="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Screen-shot-2011-04-19-at-5.33.51-PM-460x343.png" alt="" width="460" height="343" /></p>
<p>If you&#8217;re reading this, chances are that you don&#8217;t know what your passion is. The good news is that if you keep reading, you will discover 11 proven ways of finding your passion today.</p>
<p>You see, most people give up before they even have the chance of finding what truly excites them in life.</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t let that be you. Take control of your life and decide how you want to live. You can go after your dreams if you choose to.</p>
<p>The only thing you have to do is take one small step each day towards your dreams and you will get there sooner or later.</p>
<p>Refuse to give up and you will live a glorious life. You are on this planet to contribute to humanity with the gifts you have. We all are.</p>
<p>With all that said let&#8217;s look at how you can find your passion, right now.<span id="more-6000"></span></p>
<p><strong>1. Ask Your Higher Self</strong></p>
<p>A great way to solve problems and get ideas is to sit in solitude and meditate. This can be as simple as focusing on your breath to silence your mind, and then asking for a solution to your problem.</p>
<p>When using this to find your passion, simply ask yourself what your passion is and what you are meant to do in this lifetime after youíve calmed your mind. You will be surprised at the answers you get.</p>
<p>If at first this doesn&#8217;t work, keep trying.</p>
<p><strong>2. Listen to Your Heart</strong></p>
<p>Your heart knows more about you than your mind. Listen to your heart and follow your excitement. You may have been suspending your heart&#8217;s deepest desire because you fear failure.</p>
<p>Most people don&#8217;t think making a living with their passion is realistic, but then they see people all around them that are getting paid to do what they love.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s not a question about if it&#8217;s possible, it&#8217;s a question about whether you want it badly enough or not.</p>
<p>If other people are doing it, why not you?</p>
<p><strong>3. Look into the Past</strong></p>
<p>What did you like to do when you were a child? When we are young; we have no inhibitions, and we get to do almost anything we want.</p>
<p>When I was a kid, I enjoyed writing tremendously, and it is one of my main passions to this day, but it took me many years to rediscover it.</p>
<p>So look into the past and try to find what made you excited back when you were just a kid, and I&#8217;m not talking about buying new toys.</p>
<p><strong>4. Brainstorm</strong></p>
<p>A great exercise that I recommend you try is to write &#8216;What is My Passion?&#8217; at the top of a clean sheet of paper, and start writing down anything that comes to mind.</p>
<p>Push yourself and try to come up with at least 20 to 30 answers. The first few will be easy, but as you keep going it will get harder and harder to come up with answers.</p>
<p>If you keep pushing yourself, you might just find your passion. You see, the last few answers that you can muster up aren&#8217;t censored by your mind, so they come straight from your heart, which is where your passion is.</p>
<p><strong>5. Consult Your Fears</strong></p>
<p>What are you secretly afraid of doing but want to do?</p>
<p>For the longest time, I didn&#8217;t believe that I could follow my passion. I was afraid that people wouldn&#8217;t like my writing or that I wouldn&#8217;t have anything to contribute.</p>
<p>Eventually I got sick of putting myself down. I decided to take action and do it anyway. When I made this choice, I quickly realized that I did have something to contribute.</p>
<p>We all do.</p>
<p><strong>6. What Comes Easy to You?</strong></p>
<p>We all have a set of skills and talents. One of my skills and something that comes easy to me is writing.</p>
<p>This doesn&#8217;t have to be something you went to school for or something that you&#8217;ve been trained in. Think of it as something you have a natural inclination to do.</p>
<p>Have people ever complimented you on anything? Have you ever been told you&#8217;re talented at a specific task?</p>
<p>It might even be something that you dismissed offhand because you thought it wasn&#8217;t possible to make a living doing that.</p>
<p>Many dreams have been crushed by false assumptions like this.</p>
<p><strong>7. What Would You Do If &#8230;<br />
</strong></p>
<p>What would you do if you had $1 million in the bank right now?</p>
<p>Would you quit your job? Would you start painting, or even writing?</p>
<p>This is a powerful question, because most of our worries are financial, but once we have the most basic needs met, we can focus on what truly matters.</p>
<p>So what would you do if you had all the security in the world? Imagine all of your basic needs met. Where would your heart take you?</p>
<p><strong>8. What Do You Like?</strong></p>
<p>When I was searching for my passion, I found myself reading a lot of spiritual and personal development material.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m also highly interested in anything that has to do with business, so I blended those together, and today I make a living doing what I love.</p>
<p>It didn&#8217;t happen overnight, but I succeeded because giving up wasn&#8217;t an option.</p>
<p>Think about what you like to learn about, and what you would like to immerse yourself in if you had more time.</p>
<p><strong>9. Eliminate Excuses</strong></p>
<p>Excuses are poison to your dreams. Never let yourself make any excuses about why you cannot go after your dreams.</p>
<p>Excuses exist only in your mind, and it is not until you make the choice to never make excuses again that you can start making real progress.</p>
<p>Make the decision today that you will create your own destiny.</p>
<p><strong>10. Make the Choice</strong></p>
<p>Once you make the choice that you are going to live a happy, fulfilled, and passionate life, nothing can stop you except yourself.</p>
<p>It has been said over and over again that the only person that stands in your way is yourself.</p>
<p>You don&#8217;t have to make a radical change in your life; you just have to start taking small steps towards the life you truly want to live.</p>
<p><strong>11. Never Give Up</strong></p>
<p>Last, but definitely not least is to never give up. The most common reason most people aren&#8217;t following their passion is because they gave up before they even had the chance to succeed.</p>
<p>Most successful people fail over and over again until they succeed. It&#8217;s up to you whether you want to live a passionate life or not.</p>
<p>You alone are responsible for your destiny.</p>
<p><em>Henri writes at </em><em>Wake Up Cloud, where you can get his FREE life-changing course: </em><a href="http://www.wakeupcloud.com/discover-your-passion/"><em>Find Your Passion in 5 Days or Less</em></a><em>. </em></p>
<p>Don&#8217;t Forget To Follow PickTheBrain on <a href="http://twitter.com/pickthebrain">Twitter</a>!<em> </em></p>
<p><strong><em>Related Articles:</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/10-secrets-to-success/">10  Secrets To Success</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/the-language-of-success/">The  Language of Success</a></p>
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		<title>5 Interesting Ways to Improve Your Health and Happiness</title>
		<link>http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/5-ways-to-improve-health-happiness/</link>
		<comments>http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/5-ways-to-improve-health-happiness/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:14:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Henri Junttila</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[happiness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[self improvement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[henri junttila]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pickthebrain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[well being]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yoga]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/?p=1703</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When you think of improving your health and happiness, what do you think about? Is it diet? Is it money? Or is it even having that dream house with a nice car? We all have different dreams, but the thing that connects us all is the fact that we believe these dreams will make us happy.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.all4naturalhealth.com/image-files/health-basics-and-foundation.jpg"><img class="alignnone" title="health" src="http://www.all4naturalhealth.com/image-files/health-basics-and-foundation.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="341" /></a></p>
<p>When you think of improving your health  and happiness, what do you think about? Is it diet? Is it money? Or  is it even having that dream house with a nice car? We all have different  dreams, but the thing that connects us all is the fact that we believe  these dreams will make us happy.</p>
<p>Happiness is something that has been  studied for a long time. Itís something that we cannot fully grasp.  We may see happy people walking past us, but we never know why theyíre  so happy and what their secret is.</p>
<p>As the Buddhists say ìthe secret  of happiness lies in the mindís release of worldly tiesî, but do  we really need to do that? Iíve gathered five simple ways you can  improve your health and happiness without giving up that which makes  our lives interesting.<span id="more-1703"></span></p>
<p><strong>1. Yogic Breathing</strong></p>
<p>One of the five principles of Yoga  is Pranayama. It is a breathing exercise that promotes proper breathing.  Pretty simple, right? Proper breathing in the Yogic sense is to bring  more oxygen to your brain and blood, while also controlling the Prana  (life force energy).</p>
<p>Yogic breathing can seem mystical at  first, but once you learn and try it a few times itís just like regular  breathing with a few modifications. About 4 years ago, I traveled to  Valencia, Spain and attended a small seminar where I learned yogic breathing.</p>
<p>It felt awkward at first, but as I  practiced I noticed a sense of calm and serenity come over me. It is  believed that practicing the Asanas (yoga poses) with Pranayama (proper  breathing) is the highest form of purification and self-discipline.</p>
<p>Yogic breathing has been proven to  help <a href="http://yogaposesasanas.suite101.com/article.cfm/asthma_and_copd_helped_by_yoga_breathing" target="_blank">improve  your lungs</a> and when combined  with yoga can do <a href="http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSS/8513/34968/358876.html?d=dmtContent" target="_blank">wonders</a> for your health.</p>
<p><strong>2. Sungazing</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sungazing" target="_blank">Sungazing</a> is an interesting concept, which involves  gazing at the sun to give your body the nourishment it requires. It  is somewhat controversial and if you read about it, you will no doubt  run into a man called <a href="http://solarhealing.com/" target="_blank">Hira  Ratan Manek</a>.</p>
<p>He has been followed and studied by  scientists, but there is still an aura of controversy around this particular  subject, and rightly so. Hira Ratan Manek claims to live mostly on the  nourishment from the sun. He says that he occasionally drinks tea, coffee  and buttermilk for hospitality and social purposes.</p>
<p>Whether this is true or not, I do not  know, but it is always fascinating to expand your mind and read about  new things. Dr Shah, which was one of the people who followed and documented  Hira Ratan Manek wrote a <a href="http://home.iae.nl/users/lightnet/health/lightresearch.htm" target="_blank">synopsis</a> on the whole matter.</p>
<p><strong>3.  Sauna</strong></p>
<p>I hail from Northern Sweden and have  Finnish parents, so I know everything about the Sauna. Well okay, not  everything, but I do know that it has some pretty impressive <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauna#Benefits" target="_blank">health benefits</a>, and then you have the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrared_sauna" target="_blank">infrared sauna</a>, which is often believed to be more powerful  than the regular one.</p>
<p>One of the best ways I have used the  sauna when I lived in Sweden (I moved to Spain recently) was when I  was about to get a cold and felt a sore throat coming on. I would jump  into the sauna and take deep breaths of hot, steamy air.</p>
<p>It has even been shown that taking  cold showers in conjunction with a sauna challenges your immune system  and reduces stress hormones. If you ever have the possibility of trying  a real sauna, where it can get very hot, make sure you check it out.  It can get uncomfortable, so itís a useful way to build discipline  as well.</p>
<p><strong>4.  Oil Pulling</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_pulling" target="_blank">Oil pulling</a> is an Indian folk remedy, where you take an  oil, such as sunflower oil, and you swish it in your mouth in the morning before eating anything for about 10-20 minutes. The Hindu Business Line  has written an <a href="http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/life/2003/02/10/stories/2003021000160400.htm" target="_blank">interesting  article</a> on this.</p>
<p>A few smaller studies have shown that  oil pulling can help against certain bacteria in your mouth, but other  than that oil pulling is often thought of as something that doesnít  work. When I first read about it, I was fascinated and wanted to try  it for myself.</p>
<p>My dentist appointments are usually  a year apart, because I usually have no problems with my teeth, other  than some minor plaque. However, when I started oil pulling and went  to the dentist 3-4 months later, I had no plaque and no other problems  whatsoever.</p>
<p>My girlfriend did the same thing and  also got glowing feedback from the dentist. This convinced us that it  is a valid practice that actually works, at least for us.</p>
<p>Although there are no  official studies done, you can find many <a href="http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/oil_pulling.html" target="_blank">personal  reports</a> all around the  web. I personally will continue to do my morning oil pulling whenever  possible. I have found cold-pressed coconut oil to be particularly effective  in whitening my teeth.</p>
<p><strong>5. Finding Your Passion</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2007/04/why_passion_is_.html" target="_blank">Passion  is critical to happiness</a> and although I have found no large studies done on the effects of passion  on peopleís health and happiness, but it has been shown that <a href="http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/061217/25happy.health.htm" target="_blank">happier people live longer</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.wakeupcloud.com/discover-your-passion/" target="_blank">Finding  your passion</a> is not an  easy task. If it was, more people would be following their hearts and  living out their dream life. I recently decided to take the plunge and  start pursuing one of my passions, which is writing and helping people  improve their lives.</p>
<p>I initially ran into a lot of fear  and mental blocks, but I decided to keep going even though I felt confused  and scared. Sometimes we have to accept the uncomfortable so we can  move towards what we really want.</p>
<p>If you havenít read about the <a href="http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/happiness-3-amazing-tips-from-the-worlds-oldest-case-study-479340/" target="_blank">worldís oldest case study</a> on happiness, you might want to check it out,  because it can really open your eyes and remind you that it is the simple  things in life that improve your health and happiness.</p>
<p><em>Henri Junttila is a freelance blogger,  who also writes on the <a href="http://www.wakeupcloud.com/" target="_blank">Wake  Up Cloud</a>, a blog  that shows you how you can <a href="http://www.wakeupcloud.com/discover-your-passion/" target="_blank">discover  your passion in 5 days</a> and start living the life you truly desire.</em></p>
<p>Don&#8217;t Forget To Follow PickTheBrain on <a href="http://twitter.com/pickthebrain">Twitter</a>!</p>
<p><em><strong>Related Articles:</strong></em></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/the-massive-benefits-of-a-healthy-diet-and-how-to-make-yours-stick/">The Massive Benefits of a Healthy Diet and How To Make Yours Stick</a></p>
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