A Secret Scrolls message from Rhonda Byrne - Creator of The Secret

Ask, Believe, Receive - just three simple steps to create what you want. However, very often the second step, believe, can be the most difficult one. And yet it is the greatest step you will ever take. When you master believing, you have mastered your life.

To master believing, all you have to do is tip the balance of your thoughts, words, and actions, from 'not believing' to believing. The ONLY thing that can ever get in the way of manifesting what you want, is having more thoughts of 'not believing', speaking more words of 'not believing', and taking more actions of 'not believing', than you are of believing. Base the majority of your thoughts, words, and actions in believing, and the law of attraction must obey you.
Believing contains no doubt. Believing does not waiver. Believing is absolute faith. Believing remains steadfast despite what is happening in the outside world.

Here is a story of believing that will speak to you and inspire you......... to believe.

From SFB in the Philippines:- 'My Own Daily Reminder'

When you open my cell phone, the first word that you will see pop-up on my greeting screen is "BELIEVE". I have had that word tacked up onto my computer screen, my vanity mirror, my journal - almost anywhere that I can see it. However, I have never really taken what that word means to heart. This afternoon, I know what it is like to believe.

A few days ago, I got hold of the DVD of The Secret. I had already read the book some time ago, and I wanted to watch the film. I decided to take The Secret's message to heart.

Each morning, I had been waking up and dreading going to work - the company I work for has a very stressful environment, and being there takes a lot out of me. Despite this, I would tell myself and really feel that I was excited to go to work, that it was going to be a good day, that only good things were coming my way. Doing this helped me. I would get through my days tired, but still able to laugh and feel less stressed. I also developed a more compassionate view of the people in our office who made our lives hard. I started seeing them not as monsters, but as people who hurt inside like we do. I was happy with this result - it made me feel more serene and calm and less stressed. It also started making me more productive at work, as I no longer let the tense atmosphere affect me.

But I was in for a little surprise.The Universe wanted to show me just how this process works. :-)
Each Christmas season, Starbucks gives out daily planners to its loyal customers. The planners are usually covered in real leather and are quite striking and stylish. To get one, you have to fill up a small card with 24 stickers - each sticker represents one cup of coffee bought in Starbucks. In our country, a cup of Starbucks coffee costs an average of Philippine Peso 150.00 - about the cost of one lunch and transportation to and from work. In a country where wages aren't that high, this is quite a luxury, and although I get paid a bit more than the average worker, this is a bit much for someone who has a family like me. I have tried for three years to get the stickers required, but each year I stop about midway when I start computing the cost! This year, when they started the annual promo, I got a card and wondered if I could fill it up with the required stickers.

I had worked my way into getting 18 stickers onto the card - no mean feat considering that I started collecting the stickers the day the promo started, or almost two months ago! I had scrimped and saved to get at least two stickers a week - sometimes three if I had a little extra left over. I wanted to get that planner before Christmas - my gift to myself.

With only five days left till Christmas, I wasn't sure that I could fill up the card. I was beginning to think this was going to be one of those years when I'd just watch other people lug the Starbucks planner around and wish I had one.

This morning, as I was taking a shower and just enjoying the water splashing on my face, I told myself I was getting that Starbucks planner TODAY. I didn't really know how since I still had 6 stickers to fill up. When I got up from my desk to get my coffee after lunch, I told my staff I was going to get my Starbucks planner. All the while I was thinking: "Now, how is that possible? I can't afford to buy 6 cups of coffee today."

As I stood in line, I kept staring at the planner displayed on the counter. I could feel the leather cover between my fingers and I could imagine writing on its sepia colored pages. All of a sudden I heard the barista ask the girls ahead of me if they wanted to give me their stickers, since they already had their planners and didn't want their stickers anymore. The girls said YES. I almost jumped - I had three free stickers, plus the one for the coffee I was getting made four, which meant that I only needed two more to get the planner. At that point, I was already sooooo thankful and I expressed my thanks to the three young girls who graciously gave me their stickers. (They were my three magi -- only in female form, don't you think?)

But that wasn't the end of it. It so happened that as part of Starbucks Manila's 10th year anniversary, they were giving away double stickers between the hours of 12:30 noon and 2:30 p.m. till December 25. It was 1:00 p.m. so I was getting double stickers!!!! That meant I was getting SIX stickers in all - the number I needed to get my planner!!!!! I walked out of the shop with my planner in the brown Starbucks bag, still in shock, but convinced that I had tapped into the Secret.. even if it was just for a short moment.

I instantly knew why I kept the word BELIEVE tacked in all those places. The Secret had been trying to get to me all these years through that word - I just wasn't really listening.
I have my planner on my desk now. The leather cover feels just as it did when I was imagining how it would feel when I touched it. I have told my co-workers how I got it - I told them I simply believed I was going to get it and I did.

This planner will be with me all through next year. It will be my daily reminder to BELIEVE.

(And oh - I'm already seeing the 2009 planner on a bigger desk in a corner office with a view!)

Warren Buffett Named World's Richest Billionaire By Forbes

Posted By:Alex Crippen
Source:CNBC

Warren Buffett is now the world's richest person, topping the just-released Forbes 2008 ranking of global billionaires, with an estimated wealth of $62 billion.

He bumps Microsoft's Bill Gates from the number one spot, a position Gates held for 13 consecutive years.

With help from Berkshire Hathaway's best year in almost a decade, Forbes estimates Buffett's wealth increased by $10 billion from the $52 billion that put him in the number two slot of the magazine's list last year.

It's the second year in a row Buffett's wealth has jumped by $10 billion, even as begins to give away lots of money to charities, notably the Gates Foundation.

Gates falls to number three this year with $58 billion, behind Mexico's Carlos Slim, who is number two with an estimated wealth of $60 billion. Forbes says Gates would have been "as rich -- or richer -- than Buffett" if Microsoft's stock hadn't dropped sharply after it unsolicited bid for Yahoo last month.

Last summer and fall, several publications, including the Wall Street Journal and Fortune magazine called Slim the "world's richest man" due to the soaring value of Mexican stocks he holds, including Telefonos de Mexico.



In October, Forbes informally declared Slim and Gates to be in a "virtual tie" for the title of World's Richest Person.

Mexican stocks, however, have faded in recent months, giving Buffett an opening.
In my post yesterday (Tuesday) at about this time, I asked: Will Warren Buffett Still Be the World's Second Richest Person 24 Hours from Now? and showed this chart, which has Berkshire (in blue) outperforming both Microsoft (orange) and Telefonos de Mexico (green) over the last twelve months.

To be totally honest, while I thought and wrote yesterday that Buffett could give Gates and Slim a good "run for their money," I expected the answer to my headline question to be 'no' with Buffett falling to third.

Instead, he's number one on the list that comes closest to being the 'official' scorecard for the super-rich.

That should give all the Buffett fans heading to Omaha something to celebrate at Berkshire Hathaway's annual "Woodstock for Capitalists" two months from now.

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Here's the Forbes top five:

Warren Buffett - $62 billion
Carlos Slim - $60 billion
Bill Gates - $58 billion
Lakshmi Mittal - $45 billion
Makesh Ambani - $43 billion

Get the Recognition You Deserve!

Imagine this: You stay late at work, consistently win accounts that your co-workers only dream of, never miss deadlines, and never show up late and to top it all off, you finish even your worst projects successfully and ahead of schedule.

You'd think that by doing all of this, you would, at least once in a while, get thanks and recognition from management? Well you wish. Unfortunately, your boss is busy dealing with a "problem" member of staff and, as a result, she forgets to show any gratitude to her stars. That includes you.Have you ever been in a situation like this?

Working hard and being ignored by your boss can be rough. That's why you sometimes have to take matters into your own hands. Boasting of your own accomplishments can feel awkward. But look at it this way: If your boss doesn't notice your hard work, and you don't point it out to him or her, then what happens when you ask for a raise? How will he or she know you're ready for that promotion, or that you're ideal for that huge-but-fascinating project?

Things don't have to be like that. I'll show you how to get the recognition you deserve without looking like you're seeking attention. Believe it or not, there is a way to do this.

Step One: Decide What You WantThere are many types of recognition, so decide what type you want.Companies often thank staff with awards, certificates, or bonuses. However, people often just want simple praise. We want to know that our work is meaningful and that we've made a difference.

An "Employee of the Month" certificate, or a cold, hard check/cheque doesn't always communicate this. So, what exactly are you looking for? It's important to really define this, because everyone wants something different. Do you want a simple "thank you"? An award ceremony in your honor? A raise?

Step Two: Define Why You Deserve PraiseDon't walk into your boss's office with no advance preparation to say what a great job you've been doing. Why? Firstly, it would seem odd. Then, if you're a bit nervous, you might forget something important that you've done.

You might forget the help a co-worker gave you, and leaving that person out could speak poorly of your character. Be sure to make yourself look good, but also share credit where credit is due. Make a list of the accomplishments you'd like to discuss. Beside each one, list the value that accomplishment has brought to the company.

Step Three: Praise Yourself.This is where you've got to get creative. You know your boss and your business environment, so think of ways to let your boss know how hard you've been working.If you tell your boss directly, then do it carefully and tactfully in a private area. You know that list of accomplishments you just created? Read that over a few times before your meeting.

As you talk, emphasize how you had help and how your co-workers should be rewarded for their hard work as well. If this feels a little too much like bragging, then think of ways to let your boss know what you're doing without being so obvious or bold. For example, send your boss an email every time you win a new account, or when you're finally able to please your company's worst customer.

These little "progress reports" keep your actions in the open in a delicate, not-too-obvious way. You can also praise others in front of your boss. By bringing their hard work and accomplishments to your boss's attention, she may also notice the great job that you've been doing.

Keep it genuine and honest, however. If you appear insincere, then people may notice, and you may look bad. If you have something good to say, then say it, but don't speak up if you don't really mean it.

Apply This to Your Life:

Ready to put this into action? Here are some easy ways to use this tool in your life right now:

Use our strategies to win the praise you deserve.

Begin by recognizing the accomplishments of others. If you notice co-workers doing something great, send them emails praising their efforts, and send copies to your boss. This can show your boss that you're leading by example.

Don't forget that your boss might need some praise and recognition too. Send him or her an email when she's made a difference in your day, and consider copying that email to his or her boss.

If you're a team leader, keep your eyes open for activities and co-workers that deserve praise. Whenever someone does something that's earned a heartfelt "thanks," send that person an email and copy it to your boss.

These are just a few ways you can "raise the bar" in your workplace to get other people thinking about praise and recognition. When you recognize the efforts of your team, you should steadily earn your own praise as well.

Thanks. Mind Tools.