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(Excerpt: 52 Ways to a Happier Life, Chap. 51)

The other day I was having coffee with a friend, enjoying a conversation about personal development books and such. When she mentioned the name of a well-known author, a man sitting at the next table chimed in. Before long we were in a three-way conversation on the subject.

Our new acquaintance went on about how much reading self-help and listening to audio programs had helped him. He explained how he had, at one time, a problem with his temper and how he was always stressed out. “When I started reading these books,” he revealed, “I began to relax more and changed my outlook on life.”

snow trees

He then explained how, even thought the books and audios were helping, when he started meditating he was able to achieve a sense of calmness he had never experienced.

As someone who has consistently practiced meditation of one form or another for over twenty years, I can attest to its values. Over the years I’ve found that when I give myself the gift of time to meditate or even just spend ten or fifteen minutes in quiet, especially first thing in the morning, my day goes more smoothly.

In my first book, Handbook to a Happier Life (New World Library), I wrote about some of the health benefits that include actually slowing the aging process. One study, in England, concluded that each year of regular meditating takes off approximately one year of aging. And it lowers blood pressure and slows our heart rate.

To me what really matters is that I take the time to do it. While I do not follow a particular system, since the goal of meditation is to reach an “Alpha” brain wave state, I do use specially made audios to lower my brain waves to more easily reach that state. These are the slower frequencies, in the 8-12 Hertz per second range, as opposed to the higher “Beta” signals that represent our normal, and sometimes stressed out, waking state.

If you were to look at my mp3 device, along with music and a wide variety of personal development and business seminars, you’d see several of these special, “brain entrainment,” audio programs which I rotate for my daily meditation practice. While I realize the mediation purists may disagree with my methods, I believe in using the technology that’s available to help “get me there.”

52 ways to a happier life

Excerpt 52 Ways to a Happier Life. If you enjoyed this article and would like to read more like it to help you have a happier life you can order this book for yourself or someone you care about now, and take advantage of our holiday pricing, click here.

On Wednesday, November 28, 2012, the world lost one of the true giants in the personal development industry. You’ve probably heard by now of the passing of Zig Ziglar, one of the legends of our industry.

Zig was one of the most dynamic and inspiring speakers I’ve ever had the pleasure to have met. He was definitely in a class by himself. No one even comes close to the level of performance he delivered for more than four decades, inspiring people all across the globe.

Zig was one-of-a-kind, with his rapid-fire style of speaking, in his own words, “at eighty miles an hour with gusts up to one hundred and twenty” and, as if that were not enough, the physicality of his performances was like no one else.

Zig Ziglar, Georgia Donovan, Jim Donovan

Zig Ziglar was an American original and will surely be missed. While he will probably be most remembered for his often repeated advice, “You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want,” I will personally remember him most for the powerful lesson I learned the day Georgia and I went to the Philadelphia Convention Center to hear him speak.

He was speaking as part of a Peter Lowe seminar program, along with many other big name speakers including Tom Hopkins, Dan Kennedy, and Bill Cosby, but it was Zig we went to see.

We had obtained VIP tickets which included admission to a more intimate breakfast talk with Zig. Since my wife, Georgia, is such a huge fan of his, it was a very special day. Of course meeting him and having a chance to talk with him briefly was an experience to remember, as you can see from the photo above, but what impacted me most happened at the beginning of our day.

We arrived at the Convention Center at 6:45, well ahead of time for the 7:30 breakfast talk. As we ascended the escalator to the upper level where the breakfast would be served, there was Zig, standing and greeting everyone with his unmistakable energy and charm, sharp looking suit, and diamond stick pin. I’ll always remember the stick pin as it put the finishing touch on his appearance, exuding class in every way.

Being a new author (the original edition of Handbook to a Happier Life had just been published) and aspiring speaker, the lesson I learned was an invaluable one.

If, as a speaker and presenter, you honor and respect the people who came to hear you, it is your obligation to be there to greet them when they arrive. As I said, Zig was a class act. I have done my best, in the years that have followed, to emulate that behavior and am usually the first person at my events.

Later in the day, after his main seminar in the room of 16,000 people, we waited to have our books signed by him and I had the opportunity to give him a copy of my brand new book.

A few weeks later I received a lovely note from him thanking me for the book and wishing me success with it. I can’t begin to tell you how much that meant to this newbie author. Today the letter occupies a special space on my “wall of fame” and it has been a source of inspiration to me on those days when I feel less-than-great.

Yes, Zig will surely be missed but I am thankful I had the opportunity to be in his presence. He now joins that group of motivational giants that includes Napoleon Hill, Norman Vincent Peale, Earl Nightingale, W. Clement Stone, Og Mandino, Charlie Tremendous Jones, and Jim Rohn. Men on whose shoulders I and my colleagues stand as we do what we do.

God bless you, Hilary Hinton (Zig) Ziglar and may you rest in peace.

How did Zig Ziglar’s message affect your life? Please leave your thoughts and comments

 

 

52 Ways to a Happier Life – $14.95

Practical ideas you can use to create the life you were born to live.

If we truly want to live a happier and more fulfilling life, it is up to us to design it and not leave it to chance. I first heard this back when I was in the process of rebuilding my own life after having hit rock bottom, losing everything.

What I learned was that if I took control over my own thoughts, developed a more positive attitude more of the time, set goals for what I wanted my life to become, and took action, I would be happier and my life would get better, and better. It did and continues to do so today.

During this time one of the keys to success I learned was to invest just 5 to 10 minutes a day to reading self-help literature. This ensured that I would begin each day on a positive note and, as an object in motion tends to stay in motion, my attitude would typically remain positive throughout the day.

What about you?

Do you find that even though you’ve read a lot of self growth and positive attitude books you still have days when you’re just not happy? I know I do unless I invest that 5 to 10 minutes a day reading. All of the experts agree that the fist hour or so after awakening is one of your most powerful periods.

 

52 Ways to a Happier Life

Practical ideas you can use to create the life you were born to live.

What I love about this book is, similar to my first book, the international bestseller, Handbook to a Happier Life, it is made up of “mini” chapters, each 2-3 pages long.

And it’s fast reading 130 pages are filled with ideas, lessons, techniques, strategies, and activities that you can read in a just few minutes and put to use right away. It’s the perfect morning pick-me-up, with or without coffee.

 

52 Ways to a Happier Life is jam-packed with powerful, thought provoking ideas to help you create a happier and more fulfilling life. You’ll explore life altering ideas like:

  • Why it’s important to acknowledge what you’ve already accomplished.
  • How to know if you’re chasing your passion or chasing a paycheck.
  • Why settling may be what’s holding you back from your true success.
  • Why becoming clear about your desires is essential to achieving the life you want.
  • How to surrender your struggle and succeed with my simple five step process.
  • How you can choose to be happy, no matter what’s going on around you.
  • What to do even if you don’t reach your goal on time.
  • Learning a simple exercise to determine who belongs on your team.
  • Why the gift of quiet is your most valuable resource.
  • And much, much more.

The same simple principles that helped me will help you, too, to live the life you were born to live; the kind of life that you will look forward to each day; a life that will amaze you with its magnificence.

We all have the capacity for greatness. All we need to do is take responsibility for our lives, learn to dream again, set worthwhile goals, have faith, and take action.

These are the principles used by virtually all successful people.

Reading this book for ten or fifteen minutes each day will help you remain in a positive state of mind as you continue on your journey toward an even more successful and happier life. I guarantee it.

Order your signed copy(s) of 52 Ways to a Happier Life
And start creating the life you were born to live




 

 

Your satisfaction is always guaranteed

I personally guarantee you, your family, friends, and colleagues will love this book and benefit greatly from it.

Blessings,
Jim Donovan

Kindle

November 16, 2011 — Leave a comment

Order Jim Donovan’s books directly from the Amazon Kindle store and read on your Kindle, iPad or other compatible device. Take advantage of special pricing and immediate delivery.

 

Don't Let an Old Person Move Into Your BodyDon’t Let an Old Person Move Into your Body

“If you didn’t know when you were born, how old would you be?”

Are you ageless – full of energy and ready to go – no matter what your birth certificate says? Or does the prospect of middle age leave you deeply concerned about what lies ahead? Don’t Let an Old Person Move Into Your Body shows you how to make the rest of your life, the best of your life — whether you’re in your 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s or beyond.

That’s great news about Jim’s latest book; he is a fantastic writer, and always gives real, workable advice, not just the usual psycho-babble that so much of the literature in the field consists of. Peter Tafuri, MS, Counselor

Order Kindle edition from Amazon

 


52 ways to a happier life52 Ways to a Happier Life

Practical ideas you can use to create the life you were born to live.

What I love about this book is, similar to my first book, the international bestseller, Handbook to a Happier Life, it is made up of “mini” chapters, each 2-3 pages long.

And it’s fast reading 130 pages are filled with ideas, lessons, techniques, strategies, and activities that you can read in a just few minutes and put to use right away. It’s the perfect morning pick-me-up, with or without coffee.

52 Ways to a Happier Life is jam-packed with powerful, thought provoking ideas to help you create a happier and more fulfilling life. You’ll explore life altering ideas like:

  • Why it’s important to acknowledge what you’ve already accomplished.
  • How to know if you’re chasing your passion or chasing a paycheck.
  • Why settling may be what’s holding you back from your true success.
  • Why becoming clear about your desires is essential to achieving the life you want.
  • How to surrender your struggle and succeed with my simple five step process.
  • How you can choose to be happy, no matter what’s going on around you.
  • What to do even if you don’t reach your goal on time.
  • Learning a simple exercise to determine who belongs on your team.
  • Why the gift of quiet is your most valuable resource.
  • And much, much more.

Order Kindle edition from Amazon


Handbook to a Happier Life

This is the new, updated, 175 page edition published by New World Library. This was Jim’s first, self-published, book and it now has twice the information and is better than ever.

“Handbook to a Happier Life is great! It is brief, easy to read, practical, and filled with useful exercises for making positive changes. This little book should be part of everyone’s self-help library.” – Jack Canfield, co-author, Chicken Soup for the Soul
“Handbook to a Happier Life is delicious and delightful! Jim has taken the best ‘ingredients’ of life and shows us how we can combine them into just the recipe we need to help us create a fulfilling life.” – Wally Amos, author, The Cookie Never Crumbles.

When Jim Donovan’s successful career in video and broadcast television led to a personal meltdown, he went through rehab, pulled himself up from the bottom, and started his life over. He then began giving seminars on “how to change your life” based on the simple yet effective ideas that had worked for him in his recovery. Don’t make big changes, Donovan suggests, just start slowly and move bit-by-bit toward your goal. In addition to goal-setting and goal-keeping, Donovan discusses writing personal affirmations that work, cultivating gratitude, disciplining the mind, and helping others to achieve their dreams. These easy-to-grasp concepts have helped thousands of people turn their lives around.

Order Kindle edition from Amazon


 

Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck

Learn how you can make more money and create all the wealth you want without quitting your job, mortgaging your home or risking your savings.

“I felt so empowered after reading this book. I immediately went down to my basement where I had lots of materials that needed to be recycled into cash. I have gone from feeling almost hopeless to feeling like there is abundance waiting for me! A quick, one evening read, showed me how to use my creativity to create a new stream of income.” - Patricia Gallagher, creator, Team of Angels pins.

How would you feel if you could make more money anytime you wanted . . . without leaving your present job or risking your savings . . . even if you’re starting from scratch, with little or no money?

Order Kindle edition from Amazon


the little book that can change your life

The Little Book That Can Change Your Life

Essential steps to creating a happier and more fulfilling life into a short, fast moving, easy to read book to get you started creating the life you’ve always wanted right away.

The Little Book That Can Change Your Life is written for busy people on the go. People who want to get the major steps to success, right now. You can learn these important keys to your success in less than a hour.

Learn how to tap into your innermost desires to create the life you were born to live. Change the beliefs that are stopping you from having the life you want; conquer your fears, commit to your success, and know how to take inspired action to live the life you’ve always wanted.

Learn to create a compelling vision for your most amazing future and set goals and action steps necessary to make it yours. Know how to adapt quickly and master the changes that occur and how to easily turn your problems into opportunities.

All this and more in less than forty pages. Get started today, living your most amazing and awesome life.

Order Kindle edition from Amazon

make more salesMake More Sales

Imagine If You Could Make More Sales Without Working Harder. This must-have, easy-to-read, “how to sell” resource, includes 10 classic ways guaranteed to increase your sales success and put more money in your pocket.

An easy to read introduction to professional selling techniques for those new to selling, or a quick review for experienced sales people who need a refresher.  There are chapters on locating your ideal customer, qualifying your prospect, ways to make more sales, delivering your presentation properly, handling objections, closing the sale, and more. You are sure to pick up at least a few good ideas.

We are all in sales regardless of whether your business cards says “sales person” or not. This book will provide you with simple, practical ideas and techniques you can put to use immediately to become a more professional and successful sales person.

Understating the basic process of a sale will make you better prepared to present your product or service to your prospective customers, eliminate time that would have been wasted on weak prospects and give you the training necessary to go from a good sales person to a professional sales person.

Make More Sales is a fast read and, at only 40 pages, it’s designed to get you selling more right away.

Order Kindle edition from Amazon

 

 

 

 

Books

November 16, 2011 — Leave a comment

Life Changing Personal Development Books by Jim Donovan

 

52 ways to a happier life book by Jim Donovan52 Ways to a Happier Life

Practical ideas you can use to create the life you were born to live.

If we truly want to live a happier and more fulfilling life, it is up to us to design it and not leave it to chance.

Learn More

 

Handbook to a Happier Life

This is the new, updated, 175 page edition published by New World Library. This was Jim’s first, self-published, book and it now has twice the information and is better than ever.

“Handbook to a Happier Life is great! It is brief, easy to read, practical, and filled with useful exercises for making positive changes. This little book should be part of everyone’s self-help library.” - Jack Canfield, co-author, Chicken Soup for the Soul
Learn More

 

Don't Let an Old Person Move Into Your Body book by Jim Donovan

Don’t Let an Old Person Move Into your Body

“If you didn’t know when you were born, how old would you be?”

Learn More

 

 

Stop Living Paycheck to PaycheckStop Living Paycheck to Paycheck

Learn how you can make more money and create all the wealth you want without quitting your job, mortgaging your home or risking your savings.
Learn More

 

Japanese Editions from Amazon Japan

Read a review of the Japanese edition in Japanese