HARD LINE SELF HELP

GUEST BLOG-WE NEED ALL OF THE HELP WE CAN GET!
A Roundabout Way to Self Help
Paula Renaye




Before I start telling my story about how I started writing, there are two things about me that you should know: one, I couldn't diagram a sentence if my life depended on it, and two, I have won dignified literary awards anyway.

Now, I've loved books since I was old enough to hold one, but what really set me on a path to writing them—eventually—was the combination of a retired colonel, a high school English class and a romance novel. Serioulsy!

After retiring from the Air Force, Colonel Bob White, for reasons known only to him, decided to come to the little town in Texas where I lived and teach English for a couple of years. Looking back, I'm not sure whether he deserved a medal or a mental health exam.

Whatever the case, not long into the school year, Mr. White held up a big fat paperback book and announced that we would all be reading it. Much groaning and whining ensued. And when we learned that every tiny-lettered page was filled with glorious details of life in Saxon England circa1066, well, I think some cried.

However, when I got the dreaded book in my hand, I was confused. The title was odd—The Wolf and the Dove—and the cover had a man and a woman on it. This did not look like any other book I'd been forced to read in school. And who was this Kathleen Woodiwiss anyway?

I dutifully started reading—and couldn't stop. Yep, it was an epic romance novel. Written in 1974, it was a product of the times, and wild stuff for a sheltered little high school girl. I don't recall anyone else being nearly as enthralled as I was, but Mr. White's brilliant assignment set me on a path of reading—and, of course, concurrent learning—that also "trained" me to be a writer.

By the time I got the crazy idea that I could write my own novel, I'd read hundreds of books. Although I didn't consciously try to, or even realize that I had, I'd picked up an intuitive feeling for the structure of a story and could hear dialogue as a natural flow of conversational in my head. I could also see the scenes like a movie, which made them easy to write.

I've written a lot of books, but my first published novel was Hot Enough to Kill, a humorous mystery that was featured in Redbook. My second, Dead Man Falls, won the 2001 WILLA Literary Award for Best Original Paperback. The third, Turkey Ranch Road Rage, was released last year and I'm working on Killer Moves in all my spare time.

So, you ask, how did it happen that I went from writing funny mysteries to self help books? Well, if you'd read my fictional tales you wouldn't need to ask that question!

Actually, after the first book came out, life happened. The second book was already set to be published, but life kept happening. In short, death, divorce and delusion took a toll. And, like many people, I started searching for ways to ease my own pain. Being a writer, as I learned, I wrote.

I spent a lot of years feeling like I was just treading water—I knew I needed to do something, but I couldn't see what or how. I love the movie The Secret, but when I was in that stuck place, the only thing I was capable of manifesting was more pain. I needed the secret before The Secret!

Over the course of about ten years, I started some version of a self-help book at least six different ways, but it just never came together. I knew what I wanted to do—to help people who were in the same boat I was, people who feel stuck and yet are afraid to be un-stuck. I wanted to give people in pain, as I had been, a simple and direct roadmap out of it.

That's really what the The Hardline Self Help Handbook is. It's a do-it-yourself short course based on what I learned on my own rocky journey and what I now do with my coaching clients and in my workshops. It's a step by step guide to help people figure out what they really want in their lives, why they don't already have it—and how they can.


With times as they are today, it's exactly what a lot of us need—and are ready for. The book's subtitle is a challenge—and I hope an inspiring one—because now is the perfect time to ask, What Are You Willing to Do to Get What You Really Want?


About Paula
Paula Renaye is a professional life coach, motivational and empowerment speaker, regression hypnosis practitioner and award-winning author. She has been a consultant for 18 years, holds a degree in Financial Planning and is a member of the International Association of Coaches. Her passion is helping people face reality and take personal responsibility for their choices in order to reclaim their own power and live the life they really want.


Where to buy
The Hardline Self Help Handbook by Paula Renaye is available through most online retailers and bookstores by order in trade paperback and ebook formats.

Amazon.com
ISBN 0-9674786-5-0 (trade paperback) $19.95
http://www.amazon.com/Hardline-Self-Help-Handbook-Willing/dp/0967478650/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1304391281&sr=8-2

Kindle ASIN: B004XNKDB6 (ebook) $9.99
http://www.amazon.com/Hardline-Self-Help-Handbook-ebook/dp/B004XNKDB6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1304025368&sr=8-1

Smashwords (ebook) $9.99
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/55273

For special book tour bonus materials and a link to purchase the print book at a discount, visit www.hardlineselfhelp.com.

A printable Companion Workbook is available in printable PDF format from the publisher. See website for details.

7 WAYS TO CHANGE PUBLIC POLICY DEBATE FOR 2012

 

In my previous blog I talked about how Wall Street is controlling public policy debate. So the question is, “What are the right questions to ask concerning the current state of American and world affairs?” Further, can we achieve greater independence on this Independence Day if we, the people control the discussions? Let’s change some of the fundamental questions and see how we get totally different answers.

1. How do we find more oil? This is the wrong question. When asked in this way we get, “drill baby drill.” Or, ease up regulations, open the Tundra, claim the Arctic so that when it melts we have first rights, etc. But if we ask, “How do we eliminate fossil fuels and base our lives and economies on ‘truly’ renewable and clean energy?” the discussion is totally changed.
2. How do we reduce the budget deficit? The simple answer, when asked this way, is to stop spending and pay back the debt. Unfortunately, unless you evaluate the effectiveness of programs, the result becomes a farce as the focus is on dollars and not effectiveness. But, if we ask, “What programs are worth keeping and what is the best way to improve the efficiencies, effectiveness and usefulness of those programs?” we now begin a discussion of substance and not dollars and sense.
3. How do we privatize health care and get government out of the insurance business? Easy, make people buy health care or go without. Instead, let’s ask, “What are the most effective, efficient and reasonable ways that we can provide for the health care of all citizens?” and the answer is different.
4. How do we eliminate illegal immigration? Not quite as easy but increase border patrol, deport all illegals and maybe even build a wall or two. Or, “How can we best integrate and reduce the negative impacts of illegal immigrants as well as control the rate of immigration?” Again, the nature of that debate is different from the first.
5. How do we reduce the size of government and get those bastards off our backs? The answer, for some, is to slash and burn government payrolls and make government business friendly. Perhaps we should ask, “What do we really want from our governments in this complex world and how do we get there?” You see, as we enter this new age we must revisit fundamental issues and really see where we want to go.
6. Aren’t our schools out of control and our kids getting dumber? Answer, fire the teachers and create charter schools. Okay, this is a major beef with me. Our public education system created the most powerful nation on earth. Yes, it had/has problems. But for some reason we decided to swamp the whole thing rather than fix the leaks. So the real question might be, “Why is our educational system in such turmoil and what can we do to correct it?” Changing times requires changing models, but clearly, all of the so called ‘innovations’ are not working. Time for a national discussion.
7. Aren’t scientists wrong about this whole climate change thing? Therefore, do nothing and it will all sort out. Wrong answer. The real question is, “How do we best help reduce the effects of environmental abuse, help end the 6^th great extinction, and prepare people for what is surely happening?”

I could keep going on but hopefully you get the point. The way the question is framed determines the debate and the answers. Too often of late we have allowed the very, very few and the well-to-do to ask the questions. Is it no wonder the world about us collapses while we are not even talking about the right issues? If, we, the people, start asking the politicians the right questions, maybe we can force them to get back on track and actually represent us for a change. Happy asking!

7 WAYS WALL STREET CONTROLS THE DEBATE

If you control the question, you control the debate. Think about all of the problems confronting the world: climate change, droughts, floods, food shortages and spiraling prices, refugees, the economy, environmental degradation and ad infinitum. Yet, what are we talking about? Deficits, taxes, who’s running for president, who’s the best dancer, singer and a variety of other topics that divert our attention for the crises at hand. Enter Wall Street, the symbol of power and money who are controlling the national and international debates on policy. Wall Street, and by definition, the right wing, have managed to control the questions. How do they do that? Here are a few examples.

• Create a Straw Man – Wall Street has done a great job at diverting attention to credit ratings at the expense of other key issues. By scaring the nation with talk of reducing credit rating (done by members who are employed by multi-national corporations), they have managed to take the ‘heat’ off of global warming and climate change.
• Focus on the Numbers, Not the real Issues – The questions they raise are over amounts and not the substance. The issue is not how much Medicare or SS costs, the real question is how do we best care for an aging population? By forcing upon billions in costs rather than the needs of the population, they have people crunching numbers rather than coming up with solutions.
• Question the Premise – Science is wrong, there is no climate change! Big business has poured millions into trying to reduce the credibility of anyone that opposes their goals.
• You’re Not Worthy – It is fairly easy to make people think that they are undeserving of a social safety net. If they had worked harder they could have been wealthy, also, rather than suck off the public dole, regardless of the fact that the people contributed payroll deductions for such programs.
• Make Absurd Demands – Rather than argue about the issue, Wall Street has been expert about asking for outrageous demands about the economy, regulations, budgets and cuts that have kept the debate on the demands and not the substance of the issue. This tactic keeps debate on the lines, rather than what’s behind the lines.
• Scare the People – Threats of an oil shortage, loss of jobs, bad credit rating, inability to make loans, stifling regulations being bad for business, higher taxes will be bad for business, etc., are subtle threats that keep the public at bay for fear that dramatic actions will even make things worse. Oddly enough, even with soaring profits, this gambit is still very effective.
• Welcome to Our Show – Remember the Roman Coliseum that kept the masses happy and entertained? The goal is to divert attention from the real problems. A few clowns in a presidential race keep the media occupied. Ads that promise new drilling, fracking, coal, bio-fuels, all electric vehicles and more give people a false hope that solutions are just around the corner. All the while, people are told that any interference will slow these plans down and thus the suffering will persist. In the meantime and behind the scenes, millions are being spent to gut environmental regulations, to lobby for free access to drill anywhere and to eliminate barriers to greater profit.

Yes, there are groups that are trying to expose these tactics but they must compete with the billions of dollars that Wall Street spends to hide the truth and to divert attention. Given that the media loves a good show, they unfortunately fall prey to covering the glitz at the expense of the gore. Since Wall Street is framing all of the questions, they have managed to control the debates.

HERE'S MY PROBLEM WITH AFGHANISTAN

Aside from the money and the deaths, I have a fundamental issue with what is happening in Afghanistan. When colonial America took on the British, it was a battle of farmers against the best trained army in the world. When the French rebelled against the king, it was peasants against a strong army. Today, the Arab Spring puts clerks and everyday people against highly trained military establishments. These people want their freedom from oppressive regimes and they are winning.

But in Afghanistan, it doesn't seem like the people really want their freedom. It is a matter of who can offer the most in terms of cash and security. If it's the Alliance, so be it. If it is the Taliban, so be it. There appears to be no basic desire to rid themselves of the shackles of the extremist Muslim views of a few, if those few make the better deal. I say, leave it to them to sort it all out and let's leave. Neither Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Syria, et al began with the help of the west. Yes, are are now giving support, but the impetus came from the grassroots. This is just not the case in Afghanistan, nor was it in Iraq.

Secondly, how long can it possibly take to train an Afghan army? My God, we send our soldiers to boot camp for six months and then some desert training and off to war they go. We have been 'training' in Afghanistan for 10 freaking years. Are they stupid people? I doubt it.

So it's time to come and let them sort it out. We need the money and it seems like they don't want the freedom!

Author Alison Silbert "Boost Your Revenues by Turning People Away"

Boost Your Revenues by Turning People Away...

Guest Post-I would like to welcome Alison Silbert as a guest author for her blog tour, BOOST YOUR REVENUES by TURNING PEOPLE AWAY! Give it a read and then check out her latest book.



I started to write simple articles in the second year I was running my internet marketing business as a way to generate prospects’ interest, exposure and credibility. I found that I tremendously enjoyed writing as a way of expressing my unique abilities to teach others about online marketing and constructing websites, that I ended up continuing to write articles. In 2004, I received certification in technical writing at George Brown College. One day in 2006, a colleague suggested I put all of the answers to questions I was being repeatedly asked by clients into a book format, so I could spend less time with clients, and also give clients something to refer to repeatedly.

In 2007, I wrote my first book “Winning Websites”; then in 2009 I revisited the content of “Winning Websites” and rewrote it under the title “Boost your Revenues by Turning People Away”. With the publisher’s assistance I designed an eye-catching cover (something, I learned along the way, that “Winning Websites” lacked). I revised the copy within the book to include new questions I had begun to hear and included brief instruction-sets about how to use some simple website template styles, how to use some common content management systems (e.g. Wordpress, Joomla, and Drupal) and some common questions that someone seeking a website company should ask any representative. I also included thought-provoking marketing topics such as “how to refine your ideal client definition” and “how to make your website compel your ideal client to start sales cycles for you”, and a full section dedicated to simple ways the non-technical business-person can promote a website and boost their search engine rank via article writing and social media postings.

Most people use a website for (a glorified brochure available for everyone to see), it is possible to write website copy that builds ideal prospects’ trust in you and your business, and leads them to take some step towards starting the sales cycle for you. Thus Boost your Revenues by Turning People Away was born.

Alison Silbert is the author of Boost Your Revenues by Turning People Away. When not running her business Passionate Web Creations, she is a mentor, coach, and teacher, supporting individuals in living their dream of having a successful online business. For more details about the book, email us at info@idealvisitor.com; to order copies of the book go from Amazon.com, Barnes & Nobile and http://idealvisitor.com/idealsite/book-2/.

1BILLION DOLLARS A WEEK

Look, I know we can't just abandon Afghanistan. But, there comes a time when a people must take responsibility for their own future. There also comes a time when we must take of our own home. Even 1/2, 500 million per week would go a long way toward helping our own unemployed.

So let's become a healthier nation and trade some of those bullets for food, clothing, shelter and health care for the home front. Time to draw down big time!!!