What we have in common

Have you ever wondered what we have in common with others? I think that if we knew how much we have in common with every single person now living in time and space,  in terms of our deepest hopes and dreams, fears and worries, you'd wonder why some of us fear other people.

For ourselves, many of us dreams and the hope of being safe, within our own home. Now your definition of what a safe and welcoming home may be different than mine, but we both hope for this. 

We hope we can stay or become fit, and vibrantly alive. We also may want to be beautiful, rich, and healthy. 

We all have a deep need to have friends and a supportive and caring family where we feel loved and cherished. 

We also hope that our friends, colleagues and family hold us in some respect. I believe all of us when we see the joy and smile on a toddlers face, are filled with joy ourselves.

What are your deepest hopes and dreams for yourself, for your children? As parents and grandparents, we have the desire to protect our offspring and to create opportunities for them to be successful.  At the very core, of what we hope is that they have a safe, secure and successful, life.

What other dreams and hopes do you have for yourself or your family?

I suggest that as we begin to understand that my dreams and your dreams at their core are not that different, we should think of every single person as a friend or a person who is about to be a friend, just as I do.

Guidelines for successful personalized gift giving

First and foremost, always be sure to choose a suitable base product. It doesn't matter how good your personalization is if the underlying product is something the person doesn't need or want it will not do the job!

Secondly, once you have identified a suitable product, be sure to personalize it with the appropriate designs, designs that are meaningful to the intended recipient.

Get these two things right and your family and friends will soon give you the reputation of being a great gift giver!

Some of the more popular customizable gifts ideas that you may want to consider include:

For the home and office

Bar mats, blankets, bookmarks, calendars, clocks, coasters, door mats, letter openers, memo pads, mouse pads, mugs, ornaments, photo cubes, pillowcases, placemats, porcelain plates, rubber stamps, shower curtains and towels.

Personal accessories

Belt buckles, camera cases, cosmetics bags, flip flops, lighters, hip flasks, key rings, luggage tags, money clips, photo bags, umbrellas, wallets, watches and jewelry.

Other popular customizable gifts include badges, canvas prints, clothing, tablet computer cases, golf accessories, magnets, mobile phone cases, photo books, playing cards, posters and stickers.

While I have mentioned quite a few customizable gifts ideas here, remember, there are thousands of others out there, so you should always be able to find exactly what you are looking for.

To conclude

When you identify the exact gift you are looking for, all you have to do is make your own design using your own photos, logos, designs and text, place your design on your product of choice, and low and behold, you will have the perfect gift for just about anyone, regardless of age, gender or the occasion.

Out of the mouths of babes.

Happy Fathers Day to all the fathers in my family and extended family in Australia. Gifts don't need to be big and expensive, sometimes the simplest and most inexpensive gift can have great meaning, both to the giver and the receiver.

Father's Day in Australia is at a different time of year than here in North America. My daughter and my grandson sent me a great gift for last Father's day. Here is what happened. my grandson picked out an Mt. Buller Bunny Keychain that is the same as the one he has, except it is a different color. My daughter said to him, " What will Grandpa do with that?" He replied, "Cuddle it and think of me." 
So even if it is the least practical Father Day gift, it stems from his love for me and his understanding of why the gift was important and how it could be used. I have used it every day to cuddle it and think of my grandson. 

Quit Smoking Part Four Hypnosis

The last post on smoking for a while get out and enjoy the great days ahead.

Hypnosis has proven to be a highly successful approach for those wishing to stop smoking.  In fact, depending on whether or not it's used in conjunction with another approach, hypnosis has a sixty-six to eighty percent success rate.  

Why is hypnosis so successful?

Well, the primary reason is that smoking is not only a physical addiction, it's also a psychological addiction.  When you're able to control your physical cravings at the same time that you're releasing your psychological dependencies, you've got a powerful, often successful combination.  Many of the common quit smoking aids, such as patches, gums, and inhalers are far more effective when combined with hypnosis.

If you plan on working with an accredited professional hypnotherapist, however, you should be aware that permanent change is unlikely to occur after a single session.  In addition, the cost of hypnosis can be expensive (sometimes as much as two hundred dollars per session). Fortunately, you can find a number of audio programs designed specifically to help you use self-hypnosis to quit smoking.  These programs are generally much cheaper (often between fifty and one hundred dollars) than traditional hypnosis therapy.  And they can be equally as powerful.

Many people wonder if they'll experience withdrawal symptoms or gain weight when they use hypnosis to stop smoking.  Fortunately, this is generally not the case.  In fact, most people find that they experience only positive effects such as less stress, reduced anxiety, and an overall peacefulness.