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<channel>
	<title>Note to Self</title>
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	<link>http://christienpaul.com</link>
	<description>by Christien Paul</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:00:19 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>I Am Canadian And Proud Of It</title>
		<link>http://christienpaul.com/mind/i-am-canadian-and-proud-of-it/</link>
		<comments>http://christienpaul.com/mind/i-am-canadian-and-proud-of-it/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 28 Jan 2013 19:33:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christien Paul</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mind]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mindset]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://christienpaul.com/?p=1932</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A radio announcer out in British Columbia named Bruce Allen made a comment on the air that set off a wave of political drama across the country. I received this news as an email forward from my Father encouraging me to &#8220;spread the word&#8221;. To put it in context, my Father is about to retire from the Canadian Armed Forces as a defense scientist. That said, he is VERY PROUD to be Canadian and VERY CONSERVATIVE when it comes to Canadian heritage. I&#8217;m more liberal but I must agree with him on this one because [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-1938" alt="I AM CANADIAN - MOLSON Logo" src="http://christienpaul.com/files/2013/01/i-am-canadian.gif" width="200" height="200" />A radio announcer out in British Columbia named Bruce Allen made a comment on the air that set off a wave of political drama across the country. I received this news as an email forward from my Father encouraging me to &#8220;spread the word&#8221;. To put it in context, my Father is about to retire from the Canadian Armed Forces as a defense scientist. That said, he is VERY PROUD to be Canadian and VERY CONSERVATIVE when it comes to Canadian heritage. I&#8217;m more liberal but I must agree with him on this one because too many of us &#8220;polite Canadians&#8221; sit back in silence. So here it is, I&#8217;m passing it on, see what Bruce Allen finally stood up for.</p>
<p>- CP</p>
<p>When people ESCAPE from their country of birth, because of persecution, or religious freedom, to come to a country  of choice, why do the demand that we change to the customs of the country that they ESCAPED from? It does not make  sense. All immigrants must swear an oath of allegiance to the country to become CANADIANS. Let them take heed of the words of that oath, and not just recite them from memory.</p>
<p>This needs the biggest, widest distribution that we are capable of giving.</p>
<p>It is NOT racist.  It is FACTUAL.</p>
<p>SPEAK UP FOR YOUR COUNTRY CANADIANS!</p>
<p>Bruce Allen not out of hot water yet.</p>
<p>VANCOUVER/CKNW(AM980)  &#8211; Despite being given a show of support by Vancouver 2010 organizers,  embattled music manager and CKNW editorialist, Bruce Allen is not out of hot water just yet as the fallout continues  from his recent commentary indicating immigrants to Canada should &#8216;fit in,&#8217; or &#8216;go home.&#8217;</p>
<p>Richmond Liberal MP, Raymond Chan, is set to file an official complaint with the CRTC (Canadian  Radio &amp; Television Commission) about Allen&#8217;s recent &#8216;reality check&#8217; alleging the piece was discriminatory. Chan is also  demanding an official<br />
apology and a retraction of the comments.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s time we all get behind Bruce Allen, and scrap this Political Correctness business. His  comments were anything but racist,<br />
but there are far too many overly-sensitive &#8216;New Canadians&#8217; that are trying to change  everything we hold dear.</p>
<p>For example, our National Anthem: Don&#8217;t  know what your opinions are, but I certainly agree. &#8212; I&#8217;m sorry, but after hearing they want to sing the National Anthem in Hindi &#8211; enough is enough. Nowhere or at no  other time in our nation&#8217;s history, did they sing it in Italian, Japanese, Polish, Irish (Celtic), German, Portuguese,  Greek, or any other language because of immigration. It was written in English, and should be sung word for word the way  it was written. The news broadcasts even gave the translation &#8212; not even close.</p>
<p>I am not sorry if this offends anyone, this is MY COUNTRY &#8211; IF IT IS YOUR COUNTRY SPEAK UP &#8212;-  please pass  this along&#8230;. I<br />
am not against immigration &#8230; just come through like everyone else&#8230; Get a sponsor; get  a place to lay your head; get a job; pay your taxes; live by the rules &#8230;AND&#8230; LEARN THE LANGUAGE as all other immigrants have in the past and  LONG LIVE CANADA !</p>
<p>PART OF THE PROBLEM? Think about this: If you don&#8217;t want  to forward this for fear of offending  someone&#8212;&#8211;YOU&#8217;RE PART OF THE PROBLEM!!!!</p>
<p>Will we still be the Country of Choice and still be CANADA if we continue to make the changes  forced on us by  the people from<br />
other countries who have come to live in CANADA because it is the Country of Choice??????</p>
<p>Think about it! IMMIGRANTS, NOT CANADIAN&#8217;S, MUST ADAPT.</p>
<p>It  is Time for CANADA to Speak up.</p>
<p>If  you agree &#8211; pass This along.</p>
<h4 class='related-posts-header'>Related Posts</h4><ul class="related-posts-list"></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>What is Goju Jitsu Ryu?</title>
		<link>http://christienpaul.com/mind/what-is-goju-jitsu-ryu/</link>
		<comments>http://christienpaul.com/mind/what-is-goju-jitsu-ryu/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Oct 2012 17:39:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christien Paul</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mind]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[goju]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jiu jitsu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[martial arts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tournament]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://christienpaul.com/?p=1903</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Goju Jitsu Ryu is a martial art created by Shihan Michael Neville on February 1st, 1993 under the school name of &#8220;The New Toronto Academy of Martial Arts&#8221; a.k.a. TNT Martial Arts Academy On the day of your first class you will learn that Goju Jitsu Ryu starts and ends with courtesy and respect for each other, at all times inside and outside of the dojo. The literal translation of Goju Jitsu Ryu is &#8220;Hard/Soft Art Style&#8221; but my experience studying with Shihan has given me my own definition of what Goju Jitsu Ryu means [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-1905" title="Goju Jitsu Ryu Crest" src="http://christienpaul.com/files/2012/10/goju-jitsu-ryu-crest.png" alt="" width="243" height="226" /><strong>Goju Jitsu Ryu</strong> is a martial art created by <a title="About Michael Neville" href="http://www.newtorontomartialarts.com/scategory.aspx?catid=3" target="_blank">Shihan Michael Neville</a> on February 1st, 1993 under the school name of &#8220;<a title="Martial Arts School Etobicoke" href="http://www.newtorontomartialarts.com/index.aspx" target="_blank">The New Toronto Academy of Martial Arts</a>&#8221; a.k.a. TNT Martial Arts Academy</p>
<p>On the day of your first class you will learn that Goju Jitsu Ryu starts and ends with courtesy and respect for each other, at all times inside and outside of the dojo.</p>
<p>The literal translation of Goju Jitsu Ryu is &#8220;Hard/Soft Art Style&#8221; but my experience studying with Shihan has given me my own definition of what Goju Jitsu Ryu means to me.</p>
<p><a title="Blog Category : Body" href="http://christienpaul.com/blog/body/"><strong>The Body</strong></a></p>
<p>I first joined the dojo when I was 21 while attending Humber College for Business just down the street. I was in half decent shape but I lost nearly all the muscle memory and flexibility I had in my childhood taining in Taekwondo. I trained at the New Toronto Academy of Martial Arts for about a year and got my orange belt. I then competed in the Ontario Sport Jiu Jitsu Championships against two competitors, one of which from my own dojo (Joey). This was when the brotherhood of the dojo truly sunk in for me, not only from inside the dojo but outside the dojo.</p>
<p>My first fight was against a man with roughly 10 years on me, a higher rank and more than 60 lbs heavier than me. The match was mine but I wasn&#8217;t the winner because of too many penalties for &#8220;excessive force&#8221;. I then had to fight my own training partner 3 times for a total of 9 rounds to qualify for the finals against my first opponent. Despite being from the same school we fought as if we didn&#8217;t know each other and when the match was over, we were friends again. I moved on to fight the finals bruised and broken, I could barely lift my legs anymore. My opponent in the finals kept charging at me wanting to take the fight to the ground where he would far outweigh me. Fortunately my speed outdid his and he never got me to the ground&#8230; instead he forfeit the fight having been punched in the eye too much.</p>
<p>When I was announced as the winner, Joey and a few other brothers from the dojo congratulated me with great enthusiasm. It was a day I will never forget&#8230; it one of the hardest experiences I&#8217;ve ever put my body through. I was limping for a days after the tournament, I gave my training partner a black eye which lasted for weeks and I was faced with it in every class we had together. I felt guilty and gave him my sincerest apologies but his response was &#8220;don&#8217;t apologize, I thank you for it&#8221;. I was taken back and he went on to say &#8220;you inspire me, you were meant to win&#8221;. Here lies the perfect example of how Goju Jitsu Ryu starts and ends with courtesy and respect for each other inside and outside of the dojo.</p>
<p>There are a few friends that I now call brothers that I met and bonded with at the dojo through some of the toughest training. Together, we&#8217;ve sweat, we&#8217;ve bled and we&#8217;ve even cried in laughter. The only other day I can think of as being similar is the day we had a marathon seminar to train for 12 hours! On this day I bonded with another training partner and made another lifelong friend. Goju Jitsu Ryu has become a permanent anchor to my circle of friends and a source of inspiration to training my body.</p>
<p><strong><a title="Blog Category: Mind" href="http://christienpaul.com/blog/mind/">The Mind </a></strong></p>
<p>Every class starts with an opening mediation. We do this as a means of transitioning from our hectic brain storm of a day to a quiet and empty mind ready to be filled with knowledge. A wise man once said &#8220;you must first empty your cup before you can fill it&#8221;. Every now and then we&#8217;ll reserve part of the class for a longer meditation where I always come out feeling refreshed and at peace. After classes like these I find I come home with more joy and energy.</p>
<p>The mind is harder to influence and control than the body but the rewards are greater. If I were to use another word for mind it would be focus and knowing what to focus on. I might even say that the mind represents the hardness of Goju Jitsu Ryu as with focus comes structure and perseverance. Much like focusing on a goal and committing yourself to fulfilling it&#8230; it&#8217;s a mindset. I am guilty as charged of spending far too much time focusing on things that hold me back or hinder my spirits. I would say that as humans, we will have more success bettering our body and spirit by controlling our thoughts and focus. The mind may not be a source of energy but it is definitely in control of the direction you spend your energy.</p>
<p>My favourite Kata is Sanchin (battle of mind/body/spirit) not because of the movements but for the story/message it brings. Life for me is a battle between mind, body and spirit. My biggest complaint about this Kata was that it is so slow, in fact it was my most detested Kata. But now, I appreciate what it does for me; it slows me down whereas I am always rushing. Slow and steady they say, fake it till you make it they say, it all comes down to persistent dedication (yet another challenge of mine).</p>
<p>I have commitment issues in all aspects of life, but when I see my fellow brothers pass me by in flying colours&#8230; I am inspired to pick up my socks and go at it again. For as long as I can remember, I&#8217;ve had the habit of working really hard and then moving onto something else. Over the years I&#8217;ve learned that this habit does not reap the most fruit. I struggle with it but I know that it&#8217;s more effective to do a little bit every day than to do a lot today and nothing tomorrow. Sanchin and other katas will teach you to balance your mind, body and spirit into the kata. Much like the balancing act of juggling your day to day life. It gets easier if you slow it down, much like the Kata&#8230; take it slow and then speed things up so as not to trip over yourself and develop bad technique or habits.</p>
<p><strong><a title="Blog Category: Spirit" href="http://christienpaul.com/blog/spirit/">The Spirit</a></strong></p>
<p>There are three areas of my training I find most spiritual. The first of which would be the sake ceremony. For me it feels like going to confession. It also feels like a ceremony to pay our respects to our ancestors. I remember going to my first sake ceremony and being moved by the opening words of Shihan; &#8220;this candle in front of me represents my knowledge of the martial arts and the darkness that surrounds it represents everything I have yet to learn&#8221;. As an artist I like metaphors and analogies, they help me remember deeper meaning. I think it was then and there that I grasped the importance of being humble no matter how much you think you know. A wise man once said &#8220;the more I learn the less I know&#8221;.</p>
<p>If I were to use another word to describe the spirit it would be &#8220;sensitivity&#8221; (the soft part of Goju Jitsu Ryu). It&#8217;s the spirit that delivers love and support&#8230;  and that holds back from war. I learned the most from teaching the kids&#8217; classes. I have seen how their spirits can be invigorated or crushed by their peers or even the instructors. They are delicate souls and I&#8217;ve begun to see them as my teachers, teaching me how to be a father figure and even a husband; sensitive, supportive, loving and above all encouraging. I found I had the most success teaching children by allowing myself to have fun with them and not be too serious. I learned to incorporate humour within my lessons and approach the students individually for that personal bond that keeps everyone in good spirits.</p>
<p>When there is a lack of spirit or a lack of camaraderie, you have fear which blocks the path to whatever you are reaching for. When I look back on all the tournaments I&#8217;ve been to, there was only one where I went completely alone and my confidence wasn&#8217;t the same as when I had the love and support of my friends on the sidelines. It almost sounds like I&#8217;m talking about the Holly Spirit where as a group we are stronger feeding off of each other. It&#8217;s no wonder I always feel better leaving the dojo than how I am feeling walking into the dojo.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">In Short</span></strong></p>
<p>Goju Jitsu Ryu has been my haven&#8230; it&#8217;s been a sanctuary where I can be myself and escape from the worries of my life. The dojo pulls me out of my bubble and into a womb where I can be reborn again. It&#8217;s been the back-bone to my discipline and the path to mastering myself. I will forever be a martial artist.</p>
<h4 class='related-posts-header'>Related Posts</h4><ul class="related-posts-list"><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/events/oja-championships-2010/">OJA Championships 2010 - Fight 2</a> </li><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/mind/what-is-heiho/">What is Heiho?</a> </li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The Secret to Teaching Isn&#8217;t Patience It&#8217;s Humour</title>
		<link>http://christienpaul.com/spirit/the-secret-to-teaching-isnt-patience-its-humour/</link>
		<comments>http://christienpaul.com/spirit/the-secret-to-teaching-isnt-patience-its-humour/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:17:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christien Paul</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Spirit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dojo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[humour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kids]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teaching]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s been a long time coming&#8230; my Sensei has always tried to get me to come out and assist him with the kids classes. I never took an interest over the 8 years I&#8217;ve been training with him. Wow&#8230; 8 years&#8230; good God man!  But finally, today I showed up and the look on his face was so encouraging. I don&#8217;t think I have ever seen him light up like that before&#8230;. just goes to show how powerful eye contact and a genuine smile are when greeting someone that walks into the room. It&#8217;s like [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone  wp-image-1887" title="Moose Fighting" src="http://christienpaul.com/files/2012/07/Moose-Fighting.jpg" alt="" width="590" /></p>
<p>It&#8217;s been a long time coming&#8230; my Sensei has always tried to get me to come out and assist him with the kids classes. I never took an interest over the 8 years I&#8217;ve been training with him. Wow&#8230; 8 years&#8230; good God man!  But finally, today I showed up and the look on his face was so encouraging. I don&#8217;t think I have ever seen him light up like that before&#8230;. just goes to show how powerful eye contact and a genuine smile are when greeting someone that walks into the room. It&#8217;s like he didn&#8217;t expect me to show up, and who can blame him&#8230; he&#8217;s tried to get me to show up for over 6 years now. I decided I give in and do it because a) I haven&#8217;t really had any time with kids since I was a kid b) all my peers in the black belt class say they have become better masters while teaching because they learn as well.</p>
<p>So today, on my first day I was surprised to learn that the class I was going to be teaching/assisting wasn&#8217;t the 4 to 7 year olds&#8230; it was 11 to 15 years old (great, teenager, hormones and attitude &#8211; I guess that&#8217;s just what I needed). To start things off, my Sensei asked me to introduce myself and warm them up. I proceeded with the typical black belt warm up which is a light jog, push-ups, sit-ups and throwing strikes and such. He cut in and had everyone partner up for a few exercises to review their curriculum and then passed it back to me while he took take of a few things in the office. So I continue with similar exercises stressing the importance of keeping your hands up to protect your head. &#8220;Hands up, keep your hands up&#8221; over and over as if they weren&#8217;t even listening to me. I took it on the chin knowing full well that I too had a really hard time keeping my hands up. In fact, my Sensei taped my hands to my head to prepare me for the Provincial Championships but his approach with children was totally different.</p>
<p>When he finally came back to the class to take over again, he said &#8220;Ok guys, remember the Moose stance?&#8221; I&#8217;m like&#8230; WTF are you talking about? But then all the kids say <strong>&#8220;oh yeah, MOOSE FIGHTING!!!&#8221;</strong> and they all proceeded to place their thumbs on their temples with their fingers out as if they had Moose Antlers&#8230; I shook my head in shame and laughed&#8230; finally they are keeping their hands up. I get it now&#8230; it isn&#8217;t patience that gets the job done, it&#8217;s humour, it&#8217;s making learning fun. I could have all the patience in the world but if all I&#8217;m going to do is yell &#8220;Keep your hands up, Keep your hands up&#8221;&#8230; like children, they will tune me out and never catch-on. I could wait until the cows come home and nothing will improve but if I make a joke of it, make it fun by asking them to mimic a Moose&#8230; they get it within 5 minutes.</p>
<p>Now for the second half of the class&#8230; the class gets passed back to me, Sensei ducks out to the office and the kids are all goofy from the &#8220;Moose Fighting&#8221; and now want to play dodgeball. Ok, I see value there&#8230; work some reflexes, some accuracy strikes, etc. But I can&#8217;t just give them what they want off the cuff&#8230; I mean if I got what I wanted from every teacher I had I probably wouldn&#8217;t have learned a thing. So I compromised&#8230;</p>
<p><em>CP: &#8220;You want to play with balls&#8230; let&#8217;s make a circle and play hackie sac with the ball. I&#8217;ll give you 10 rounds and if you can play one round and hit that ball at least 6 times before it hits the ground, we&#8217;ll play dodgeball. But if the ball hits the ground, it&#8217;s 5 push-ups for everyone.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>Kids: &#8220;Can it hit the wall? Can I kick it? Can I punch it?&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>CP: &#8220;You can hit it any way you want to but you can&#8217;t grab it and it can&#8217;t hit the floor&#8230; ready?&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>Kids: &#8220;YEAH!!&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>CP: &#8220;Ok, here we go.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>So the first round ended with 2 strikes&#8230; and they are instantly annoyed with the 5 measly push-ups. The dialogue resumes:</em></p>
<p><em>CP: &#8220;Ok guys, how can we reach 6 hits? What do all the professional sports teams do?&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>Kids: &#8220;_________________&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>CP: &#8220;They work as a team&#8230; they communicate. Ever notice how a basketball player says I&#8217;m open or a volley ball player says I got it? What&#8217;s that called?&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>Kids: &#8220;Talking???&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>CP: &#8220;Yes, they talk to each other, they communicate, they work together, and that&#8217;s how they win the game. So, are we ready?&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>Kids: &#8220;YEAH!!&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>So the 2nd round ends again with only 2 strikes and everyone is back to doing push-ups. I feel their frustration&#8230;..</em></p>
<p><em>CP: &#8220;Ok guys, what happened?&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>Kids: &#8220;Nobody hit the ball&#8230;&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>CP: &#8220;Why not?&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>Kids: &#8220;Because nobody called it?&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>CP: &#8220;That&#8217;s right, don&#8217;t be afraid to lay it on the line&#8230; if you don&#8217;t try you will fail, but if you do try you might not. Ready?&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>Kids: &#8220;Ok guys, let&#8217;s do this!&#8221; (says the senior belt &#8211; finally someone assumes team captain)</em></p>
<p>1, 2, 3, 4 and it hits the floor&#8230; we&#8217;re all back to push-ups again&#8230;. I crack a joke to break their frustration and say &#8220;Wow, I&#8217;m beginning to see some sweat and oh, is, is that muscle??? Wow, you guys are getting really fit <img src='http://christienpaul.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> &#8221; Two girls stick their tongue out at me and most of the boys smile with pride (adorable).</p>
<p><em>CP: &#8220;Ok so what happened last time?&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>Kids: &#8220;Everybody called it and nobody hit it.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>CP: &#8220;That&#8217;s right, now what is communication?&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>Kids: &#8220;Talking???&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>CP: &#8220;That&#8217;s half of the answer&#8230; what&#8217;s the other half? The more important half&#8230;.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>Kids: &#8220;Listening?&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>CP: &#8220;EXACTLY! If everybody is talking&#8230;. nobody is listening. Why not try to call out somebody&#8217;s name instead of saying I got it and hitting the ball towards them? Sound like a plan? Ok, let&#8217;s try again.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and&#8230;. it hits the floor :p (six hits might have been a bit much for this class) but everyone felt so close and wanted so desperately to try again but regretibly we ran out of time <img src='http://christienpaul.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_sad.gif' alt=':(' class='wp-smiley' />  However, now I have a group of kids that are looking forward to seeing me on Thursday to resume our game of reflexes hoping that I will still honor my end of the bargain and let them play dodgeball. Now I see what it takes to teach&#8230; it&#8217;s motivation and the best motivator is humour and fun. Now I know who I&#8217;m learning from, it&#8217;s more so my Sensei and how he addresses the children than the children themselves. <em><strong>I guess that makes me grateful for having such a great &#8220;father-figure&#8221; at my dojo.</strong></em></p>
<h4 class='related-posts-header'>Related Posts</h4><ul class="related-posts-list"><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/mind/which-is-the-lesser-of-two-evils/">Which is the lesser of two evils?</a> </li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>A Testimonial on the Q-ray Bracelet</title>
		<link>http://christienpaul.com/mind/a-testimonial-on-the-q-ray-bracelet/</link>
		<comments>http://christienpaul.com/mind/a-testimonial-on-the-q-ray-bracelet/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Jul 2012 03:47:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christien Paul</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mind]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[My experience with a Q-ray bracelet is two fold. The initial reason for my Q-ray trial was to help recover from a wrist injury that ended in a bone craft, not once but twice. I think it was a bad idea, there were times where it seemed to annoy my wrist and cause throbbing pains. I see now that it is not for acute sports injuries but more for the nervous system. If you Google Q-ray Toronto you&#8217;ll find a nasty article published by CBC back in 2008 they say the Q-Rays sold between 2000 &#8211; 2003 [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>My experience with a Q-ray bracelet is two fold. The initial reason for my Q-ray trial was to help recover from a wrist injury that ended in a bone craft, not once but twice. I think it was a bad idea, there were times where it seemed to annoy my wrist and cause throbbing pains.</p>
<p>I see now that it is not for acute sports injuries but more for the nervous system. If you Google Q-ray Toronto you&#8217;ll find <a title="Q-Ray Bankruptcy" href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2008/01/07/qray-decision.html" target="_blank">a nasty article published by CBC back in 2008</a> they say the Q-Rays sold between 2000 &#8211; 2003 were bogus but I have a feeling that&#8217;s when I got mine and it works for me.</p>
<p><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-1876" title="Q-ray" src="http://christienpaul.com/files/2012/07/qray-270x150.jpg" alt="" width="270" height="150" /></p>
<p>My testimonial for the Q-ray goes towards stress control and happiness (general health and wellness). I feel far more relaxed and at ease wearing the Q-ray on the left wrist with the beads on the inside of my arm. Wearing it this way triggers the heart. You can wear it in reverse on the right wrist as well but a different experience that I have not yet tried.</p>
<p>There is a video animation below that explains the Meridians and how the Q-ray affects them. It&#8217;s basically a form of acupuncture. I&#8217;ve met a handful of people who wear them and they all say positive things. Some will even refuse to take it off they love it so much. Makes sense to me, if breathing can calm your heart and mind, I don&#8217;t see why acupuncture or Q-ray bracelets wouldn&#8217;t either. Let&#8217;s just say <a title="Online Store" href="http://www.qray.com" target="_blank">buy it direct from Q-ray</a> and not a shop in China town.</p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="375" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5hs1ajG0MT8?fs=1&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h4 class='related-posts-header'>Related Posts</h4><ul class="related-posts-list"></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Coke vs Water</title>
		<link>http://christienpaul.com/body/coke-vs-water/</link>
		<comments>http://christienpaul.com/body/coke-vs-water/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Jun 2012 21:57:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christien Paul</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Body]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[diet]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://christienpaul.epkhosting.com/?p=1853</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I got a terrific email forward from my mother today. I&#8217;ve always known that Coca-cola has been used by mechanics to remove rust from car bumpers and that it could dissolve steak as well as other foods within 48 hours&#8230; but never before have I list such a detailed and horrifying list of facts. Please read on and spread the knowledge. WATER #1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population) #2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger. #3. Even MILD dehydration [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1864" title="Coca Cola vs Water" src="http://christienpaul.com/files/2012/06/cokeVSwater.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="400" /></p>
<p>I got a terrific email forward from my mother today. I&#8217;ve always known that Coca-cola has been used by mechanics to remove rust from car bumpers and that it could dissolve steak as well as other foods within 48 hours&#8230; but never before have I list such a detailed and horrifying list of facts.</p>
<p><em>Please read on and spread the knowledge.</em></p>
<p><strong>WATER</strong><img class="size-full wp-image-1856 alignright" title="water-glass" src="http://christienpaul.com/files/2012/06/water-glass.jpg" alt="" width="293" height="391" /></p>
<p>#1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population)</p>
<p>#2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.</p>
<p>#3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one&#8217;s metabolism as 3%.</p>
<p>#4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.</p>
<p>#5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.</p>
<p>#6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.</p>
<p>#7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.</p>
<p>#8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%., and one is 50% less likely to develop<br />
bladder cancer. Are you drinking the amount of water you should drink every day?</p>
<p><strong>COKE</strong><img class="alignright" title="coke-glass" src="http://christienpaul.com/files/2012/06/coke-glass.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="369" /></p>
<p>#1. In many states the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.</p>
<p>#2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.</p>
<p>#3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the &#8216;real thing&#8217; sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.</p>
<p>#4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers:</p>
<p>Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds<br />
Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.</p>
<p>#5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.</p>
<p>#6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.</p>
<p>#7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.</p>
<p>#8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.</p>
<p><strong>FOR YOUR INFORMATION:</strong></p>
<p>#1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.</p>
<p>#2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup! (the concentrate) the commercial trucks must use a hazardous Material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.</p>
<p>#3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean engines of the trucks for about 20 years! Now the question is, would you like a glass of water&#8230; or Coke?</p>
<p>Send this helpful info on to your friends.</p>
<p>- CP</p>
<h4 class='related-posts-header'>Related Posts</h4><ul class="related-posts-list"><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/spirit/not-happy-remind-yourself-of-your-ideal-day/">Not Happy? Remind Yourself of Your Ideal Day.</a> </li><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/body/home-made-caesar-dressing/">Home Made Caesar Dressing</a> </li><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/body/beat-cancer-without-chemo/">Beat Cancer without Chemo</a> </li><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/mind/something-good-comes-out-of-everything/">Something Good Comes Out of Everything</a> </li><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/body/fat-burning-foods/">Fat Burning Foods</a> </li><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/videos/acai-elite-diet-pills-review/">Acai Elite Diet Pills Review</a> </li><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/body/why-choose-the-mediterranean-diet/">Why Choose the Mediterranean Diet?</a> </li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>8 Types of Women you should know about</title>
		<link>http://christienpaul.com/mind/8-types-of-women-you-should-know-about/</link>
		<comments>http://christienpaul.com/mind/8-types-of-women-you-should-know-about/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 May 2011 00:47:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christien Paul</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mind]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://afterrunnymede.epkhosting.com/?p=1711</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[So I&#8217;ve been dating, learning, observing, reading, and talking to people and here&#8217;s a new concept I thought I&#8217;d archive in the blog. Apparently, when it comes to attracting women, you better be sure you know who you are talking to, because if you do the opposite for her type&#8230; you&#8217;ll strike out every time. Now personally I think there may be some half-breeds in there but the 8 basic types are pretty congruent with what I feel would be common-sense. Oh, don&#8217;t mind the image to the right&#8230; I was scouring the web for [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1837" title="types_of_womens_behinds" src="http://christienpaul.com/files/2011/05/types_of_womens_behinds-245x300.jpg" alt="" width="245" height="300" />So I&#8217;ve been dating, learning, observing, reading, and talking to people and here&#8217;s a new concept I thought I&#8217;d archive in the blog. Apparently, when it comes to attracting women, you better be sure you know who you are talking to, because if you do the opposite for her type&#8230; you&#8217;ll strike out every time.</p>
<p>Now personally I think there may be some half-breeds in there but the 8 basic types are pretty congruent with what I feel would be common-sense. Oh, don&#8217;t mind the image to the right&#8230; I was scouring the web for an image I could use as a thumbnail for this post and well&#8230; this one was just too funny not to share (types of female behinds) :p</p>
<p>Ok, back to the 8 types of women&#8230; The eight types are listed below with their respective profile attributes broken down into what I&#8217;ll call the 3 metrics of a woman&#8217;s type.</p>
<p><strong>Relationship: </strong>this refers to what a woman wants in a relationship &#8211; is she looking for someone to stay at home with and watch a movie (cuddling) or get out and live life to the fullest with a guy that will show her the coolest spots in town (adventure).</p>
<p><strong>Time-line: </strong>this refers to what a woman is attracted to &#8211; is she into alpha males (cocky) or looking for a down-to-earth guy (romantic). Women who want alpha males generally shop around a lot when dating in hopes to find the coolest/badest man in town. Romantic men tend to be more reserved, even shy and perhaps quiet.</p>
<p><strong>Sex-line:</strong> this refers to what makes a woman want sex &#8211; is she insecure and need to be made to feel safe (make safe) or is she the kind of girl that needs a man who can be aggressive and turn her on (turn-on).</p>
<table style="width: 100%;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Type</th>
<th>Relationship</th>
<th>Time-Line</th>
<th>Sex-Line</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Playette</td>
<td>cuddling</td>
<td>cocky</td>
<td>make safe</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Social Butterfly</td>
<td>cuddling</td>
<td>cocky</td>
<td>turn-on</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hopeful Romantic</td>
<td>cuddling</td>
<td>romantic</td>
<td>make safe</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cinderella</td>
<td>cuddling</td>
<td>romantic</td>
<td>turn-on</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Your Private Dancer</td>
<td>adventure</td>
<td>cocky</td>
<td>make safe</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Seductress</td>
<td>adventure</td>
<td>cocky</td>
<td>turn-on</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Connoisseur</td>
<td>adventure</td>
<td>romantic</td>
<td>make safe</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Modern Woman</td>
<td>adventure</td>
<td>romantic</td>
<td>turn-on</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>So what&#8217;s next? How do you identify a woman&#8217;s type&#8230; right. There are 3 rather innocent questions that you can ask to help identify a woman&#8217;s type. Each answer will help identify all three of her preferences;</p>
<p><strong>1) What gives you the most fulfillment in life?</strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">If she says something like travel, she&#8217;s clearly looking for an adventure, if she says something like helping others&#8230; chances are she&#8217;s a home-body looking to cuddle. </span></strong></p>
<p><strong>2) What is the one thing you would need if trapped on a deserted island?</strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">If she says something like &#8220;a mirror&#8221; to be rescued, she&#8217;s not down with adventure. If she says &#8220;a hamek so that I can lay on the beach&#8221; she&#8217;s pretty confident and doesn&#8217;t need to be made to feel safe. </span></strong></p>
<p><strong></strong><strong>3) What emotions will you experience when you achieve your most far-reaching goal?</strong></p>
<p>If she says &#8220;relieved&#8221; then she probably needs to feel safe&#8230; if she says &#8220;the desire for more&#8221; then she&#8217;s clearly someone who gets turned-on.</p>
<p>What do you think? Is this accurate? Dead wrong? I have to admit that I&#8217;m filling in some of the blanks I refused to pay for when I found this concept. I happen to click on an ad off Facebook that was advertising &#8220;Pandora&#8217;s Box by Vin Dicarlo&#8221; If you know it, I&#8217;d love to hear your thoughts.</p>
<p><strong><br />
</strong></p>
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		<title>The no mercy rule</title>
		<link>http://christienpaul.com/mind/the-no-mercy-rule/</link>
		<comments>http://christienpaul.com/mind/the-no-mercy-rule/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 May 2011 21:35:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christien Paul</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mind]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://christienpaul.epkhosting.com/?p=1818</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[So I&#8217;m heading to kitchener this weekend for another tournament. The beauty about this tournament is that I&#8217;m the only one from my dojo who is going, so there will be no hard feelings over fighting a friend. Another perk is that there is no weight class, so I don&#8217;t need to worry about cutting weight&#8230; and last but not least, it&#8217;s kumite karate which is strictly punch kick&#8230; no take downs! As you may or may not know, I&#8217;m best on my feet so this is all good news to me. Now that being [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1823" title="kanji_mercy" src="http://christienpaul.com/files/2011/05/kanji_mercy-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="270" height="177" />So I&#8217;m heading to kitchener this weekend for another tournament. The beauty about this tournament is that I&#8217;m the only one from my dojo who is going, so there will be no hard feelings over fighting a friend.</p>
<p>Another perk is that there is no weight class, so I don&#8217;t need to worry about cutting weight&#8230; and last but not least, it&#8217;s kumite karate which is strictly punch kick&#8230; no take downs!</p>
<p>As you may or may not know, I&#8217;m best on my feet so this is all good news to me. Now that being said, what should I focus on instead? Thinking back to my last fight, my mindset was weak&#8230; I felt no urge to persevere for I felt I&#8217;d be standing in the way of my training partner and I was on hair pills which crippled my ego (sometimes a good thing).</p>
<p>Now the game in this tournament is to be the first to score 5 p0ints&#8230; while reading the rules I took note of this footnote; no mercy rule. I ask the organizers what that meant and the responses was &#8220;if someone is getting creamed the fight will be stopped&#8230; so if one competitor has say 3 points and his opponent has no points, the referee may call it &#8220;no contest&#8221; or &#8220;no mercy&#8221;.</p>
<p>Interesting&#8230; this makes me think that my focus leading up to the event should be that mind-set &#8220;no mercy&#8221;&#8230; just cream the guy but don&#8217;t get disqualified. Play by the rules and commit to every step of the way. No mercy, not even for me. Having this mindset is the only way my spirit will come through&#8230; I&#8217;ve got to open the channel and not hesitate&#8230; hesitation kills the spirit.</p>
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		<title>Not Happy? Remind Yourself of Your Ideal Day.</title>
		<link>http://christienpaul.com/spirit/not-happy-remind-yourself-of-your-ideal-day/</link>
		<comments>http://christienpaul.com/spirit/not-happy-remind-yourself-of-your-ideal-day/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 18 Apr 2011 03:34:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christien Paul</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Spirit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[diet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[joy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[time]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://christienpaul.epkhosting.com/?p=1803</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;m noticing behavioural changes in my day to day habits. I&#8217;m beginning to pick up on a pattern of &#8220;highs&#8221; and &#8220;lows&#8221;. Sometimes I say to myself &#8220;that&#8217;s how I like it, life is a roller coaster baby yeah yeah.&#8221; and then the bigger me comes in and says &#8220;stress will kill ya kiddo, relax and hold it steady, live longer.&#8221; I think highs and lows are good if you can remain calm, cool and collected throughout them. If you bounce up like a yo-yo every time your work load is at a high and [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1810" title="Hands Cover Face" src="http://christienpaul.com/files/2011/04/68850_439843946341_503091341_5323153_5646472_n-222x300.jpg" alt="" width="222" height="300" /> I&#8217;m noticing behavioural changes in my day to day habits. I&#8217;m beginning to pick up on a pattern of &#8220;highs&#8221; and &#8220;lows&#8221;. Sometimes I say to myself &#8220;that&#8217;s how I like it, life is a roller coaster baby yeah yeah.&#8221; and then the bigger me comes in and says &#8220;stress will kill ya kiddo, relax and hold it steady, live longer.&#8221;</p>
<p>I think highs and lows are good if you can remain calm, cool and collected throughout them. If you bounce up like a yo-yo every time your work load is at a high and a low, you&#8217;re going to get paralyzed from truly enjoying your life. I think a little taste of bliss each day is better than dry spell getting flooded over and over again.</p>
<p>As of late I&#8217;ve noticed that I&#8217;ve been a lot messier in the office, the kitchen, the bathroom, the bedroom, etc. A few months earlier everything was spic and span and I felt great. I quit smoking, I trained every day, I ate right, I was balanced between work and friends.</p>
<p>Here and now, I realize that I need to remind myself of what I was doing then because clearly I&#8217;m not doing the same thing now. I suppose the difference is that now I am not nourishing my soul but rather suffocating it. I need to plug-in and &#8220;recharge&#8221; my spirit. To do so I need to get back on track. I thought my best foot forward would be to outline the usual day I had while &#8220;happy&#8221; and the usual day i had while &#8220;grumpy&#8221;;</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">IN GOOD SPIRITS</span></p>
<p><strong>Day Time: </strong>Wake Up, <em>EAT BREAKFAST</em>, Check Email, Produce for clients, <em>WORKOUT</em>, Shower, <em>EAT LUNCH</em>, Take Dog for a Walk, Produce for Clients.</p>
<p><strong>Night Time</strong>: Go out with friends, Have Dinner, Watch a movie or Make Music, Go to sleep</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">IN BAD SPIRITS</span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span><strong>Day Time: </strong>Wake Up, Check Email, Have Coffee/Cigarette, Surf the Internet, Work on Personal Projects, Produce for Clients, Have Another Cigarette/Coffee</p>
<p><strong>Night Time:</strong> Have Dinner (really breakfast), Surf the Internet, Produce for Clients, Take Dog for a Walk, Produce for Clients, EAT LUNCH, Go to Sleep, EAT Dinner, Go Back to Sleep.</p>
<blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;">Yikes! I don&#8217;t ever want to lose that &#8220;good spirit&#8221; so I better make note of these differences in behaviour/habits and do what works and avoid what doesn&#8217;t. Hopefully this post will have carved this epiphany into my skull. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: large;">Until next time, remind yourself of your ideal day.</span></p></blockquote>
<h4 class='related-posts-header'>Related Posts</h4><ul class="related-posts-list"><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/body/coke-vs-water/">Coke vs Water</a> </li><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/body/home-made-caesar-dressing/">Home Made Caesar Dressing</a> </li><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/body/beat-cancer-without-chemo/">Beat Cancer without Chemo</a> </li><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/mind/zen-in-the-martial-arts/">Zen in the martial arts</a> </li><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/mind/something-good-comes-out-of-everything/">Something Good Comes Out of Everything</a> </li><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/body/fat-burning-foods/">Fat Burning Foods</a> </li><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/videos/acai-elite-diet-pills-review/">Acai Elite Diet Pills Review</a> </li><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/body/why-choose-the-mediterranean-diet/">Why Choose the Mediterranean Diet?</a> </li><li class="related-post"><a href="http://christienpaul.com/mind/the-joy-of-inactive-activity/">The Joy of Inactive Activity</a> </li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>What does it mean to be humble?</title>
		<link>http://christienpaul.com/mind/what-does-it-mean-to-be-humble/</link>
		<comments>http://christienpaul.com/mind/what-does-it-mean-to-be-humble/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Apr 2011 04:57:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christien Paul</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mind]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://christienpaul.epkhosting.com/?p=1799</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I think I finally figured it out. To be humble is to &#8220;under-promise&#8221; and &#8220;over-deliver&#8221;. You see if you want to make them come back for more you better not get their hopes up. It&#8217;s a tricky thing&#8230; you think confidence, that&#8217;s what attracts people and that may be true, but going overboard and&#8221;bragging&#8221; too much can dig you right into the grave. It took me a while to put &#8220;under-promise&#8221; and &#8220;over-deliver&#8221; into practice with clients but now I see how that applies to people in general. My Sensei always says &#8220;Be a man [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1800" title="Be Humble" src="http://christienpaul.com/files/2011/04/Tile_Design_-_Be_Humble-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />I think I finally figured it out. To be humble is to &#8220;under-promise&#8221; and &#8220;over-deliver&#8221;. You see if you want to make them come back for more you better not get their hopes up. It&#8217;s a tricky thing&#8230; you think confidence, that&#8217;s what attracts people and that may be true, but going overboard and&#8221;bragging&#8221; too much can dig you right into the grave.</p>
<p>It took me a while to put &#8220;under-promise&#8221; and &#8220;over-deliver&#8221; into practice with clients but now I see how that applies to people in general. My Sensei always says &#8220;Be a man of your word. Consider everything you say to be a promise and never make promises you can&#8217;t keep.&#8221; Here is an example of how being humble helps manage expectations;</p>
<p>Scenario 1: &#8220;Yeah sure I&#8217;ll pick you up, I&#8217;ll be there by 2pm&#8221;&#8230; later on you show up at 3:45pm. You&#8217;ve just let them down, you got their hopes up&#8230; you didn&#8217;t give yourself enough time to get there&#8230; you were over-confident.</p>
<p>Scenario 2: &#8220;Yeah sure I&#8217;ll pick you up, I&#8217;ll be there by 4pm&#8221;&#8230; later on you show up at 3:45pm. BONUS!!! You exceeded their expectations! You were humble and gave yourself more than enough time to make it happen.</p>
<p>If you do this with everything you say you&#8217;ll do it&#8217;ll pay off in dividends. You won&#8217;t feel pressured, they won&#8217;t get their hopes up, everyone goes home happy and wanting more. That&#8217;s what it means to be humble, at least in my books.</p>
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		<title>Are you dating a jerk?</title>
		<link>http://christienpaul.com/mind/are-you-dating-a-jerk/</link>
		<comments>http://christienpaul.com/mind/are-you-dating-a-jerk/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Apr 2011 18:15:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christien Paul</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mind]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://afterrunnymede.epkhosting.com/?p=1579</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[So I came across this great article while surfing the net and thought I&#8217;d share with all of you. As you know, I can be a helpless romantic and I&#8217;ve recently had a fallout with someone I thought was going to last. Evidently, she was a jerk Here is an excerpt from the article with a link to read more; &#8220;Once one disappointment blemishes the relationship, the narcissist can never retrieve the fantasy feeling of true love.&#8221; Lisa Earle McLeod, author of Forget Perfect says, &#8220;Jerkiness is related to narcissism. A jerk usually has a [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1582" src="http://afterrunnymede.epkhosting.com/files/2011/04/jerk-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />So I came across this great article while surfing the net and thought I&#8217;d share with all of you. As you know, I can be a helpless romantic and I&#8217;ve recently had a fallout with someone I thought was going to last. Evidently, she was a jerk <img src='http://christienpaul.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_sad.gif' alt=':(' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Here is an excerpt from the article with a link to read more;</p>
<p><em>&#8220;Once one disappointment blemishes the relationship, the narcissist can never retrieve the fantasy feeling of true love.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>Lisa Earle McLeod, author of Forget Perfect says, &#8220;Jerkiness is related to narcissism. A jerk usually has a long history of failed relationships, and they&#8217;ll always tell you why it was the other person&#8217;s fault. The relationship gets really serious really fast, they get infatuated, but the second the jerk finds out that you&#8217;re not perfect and you no longer see them as perfect, they become demanding and critical.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><em>According to Van Epp, there are five universal human bonding dynamics:  Know, trust, rely, commit and sex. He suggests that &#8220;you should never go  farther in one bonding dynamic than you have gone in the previous.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>This all brings me back to one of my all-time favourite quotes again; <em>&#8220;judge love not by the garden but by the gardeners&#8221; &#8211; Rhumi</em></p>
<p><a title="How to avoid dating jerks" href="http://click.lavalife.com/relationship/feature/article/How-to-Avoid-Dating-a-Jerk/FwRU/27414/p1" target="_blank">Read the original article</a></p>
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