Chris Widener's Ezine
February 11, 2009
Issue 106

Welcome!

Happy Valentine's Day! Well, I'm a bit early, but Saturday will be here before you know it. There are always mixed emotions on Valentine's Day for both men and women -- some love it and look forward to it. Others dread it and wish no one had ever come up with a day to celebrate "love." Whatever direction you're leaning, don't let this day slip past without acknowledging the special people in your life. Yes, your spouse or significant other if you have one -- that's the obvious one. But what about your parents, those with whom you have a special friendship or relationship, your kids or a lonely neighbor. It could even be stopping by a local nursing home or hospital and taking the time to visit someone who might not have anyone else acknowledge them on this day. Now these don't necessarily fall under the typical "Valentine's Day" category, but love comes in many different shapes, forms and sizes, so let the day be just that. Let it take whatever form will bring you and those you care about joy.

You Are Made for Success!
Chris Widener

P.S. Today's issue is going out to 110,892 subscribers. If you've gained value from what you read in my Ezine, then I would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue to friends, family and associates!

SPECIAL NOTE: For those of you planning to join me at the upcoming SUCCESS Symposium, please note that ticket prices go up at midnight on Sunday, February 15. Now's the time to secure your seats at the best price. Make sure and join Top Achievers from all over the world, along with me, John Maxwell, Stedman Graham, Connie Podesta and many more (including a Jim Rohn Tribute and LIVE call-in). Make the decision to be there. The investment is a day, but the payoff is a lifetime!

To assure you get the best pricing on your tickets (plus, a free upgrade into Section Two seating while they last), you must act now! Go to www.SUCCESS.com/symposium  or call 877-243-8383.
 

In This Issue.......

1. Charting Your Course to Success Article
2. Made for Success Quote and Commentary
3. The Last Word...
4. Made for Success MP3 Audio Library
5. More Information

1. Charting Your Course to Success Article

Recharging Your Relationship by Chris Widener

Now you may ask why we would write an article about developing better relationships. The reason is because I believe that those who are in a relationship will be significantly and directly affected in all areas of their life by how that relationship is going, and how healthy that relationship is.  

Research has proven that those who are happy at home are more productive and less stressful at work. Developing a better relationship with your mate can help you develop a better life and a better business! Here are some thoughts to chew on for developing a strong and healthy relationship with your mate.

Listen. Communication is the key to a lasting relationship and listening is the key to communicating. Too often when we are quiet we are not listening, but waiting to speak. Instead of listening to what our mate is saying, and intently trying to understand them, very often we are making mental notes of what we would like to say in response. This is particularly true for us males. We often are trying to find the weakness in our mate's argument, rather than really listening to the words that they're saying and the manner in which they're saying it. Why not take some time this week trying to internalize and understand your mate's words and feelings?

Schedule a regular time to go out or spend time together. With today's busy lifestyles, it is too easy to put our relationships on the backburner and take them for granted. While we might have every intention of spending regular time with our mate, we often find ourselves driven by a schedule that has us running in every direction and leaving us little time for our most important relationships. Work gets in the way. The kids get in the way. Our hobbies get in the way. We need to realize the value in the importance of that relationship with our mate and its effect on our total life. Then we need to make spending time with our mate a major priority by scheduling a specific time at least each week to get alone together, talk, and simply renew our relationship. Be sure to set some time aside each week to rediscover each other and enjoy your time together. Pencil it into your schedule and don't give up that spot. In fact, it is probably best if you and your mate sit down and decide what night will work each and every week, then put it into your daytimer. If someone asks you if you're available at that time, you tell them you already have an appointment. In the long run, that time that you spend with your mate will help you to become more of a success than you could ever mention.

Consider your mate's interests more important than your own. When each person has decided to give of themselves to the other, you form a reciprocating relationship of love, concern, and devotion. When you come to a place where you disagree or where the two of you have differing opinions, try to get to the point where you can consider what your mate likes as more important than what you would like to do. The simple decision to do this goes a long way toward developing a healthy relationship!

Learn your mate's love language. There is a lot of talk recently of love languages. What this is, is that each individual has certain ways they receive love from other people. Some people like to have time spent with them. Others like gifts, small or large. Still others respond best to personal touch. And others appreciate verbal affirmation. Our tendency is to show love the way that we like to receive love, but what will recharge our relationship fastest is to find out what way our mate likes to receive affirmations of our love. The next time you get a chance to speak to your mate, ask which of the above ways they like best to receive your demonstration of love. Then make a conscious effort to begin showing your love in that manner.

Do the small things you did when you first fell in love with your mate. Do remember when you were first in love? Remember the small things you did to show your love? But as time went along, you probably began to get weighed down with simply living life and forgot the small things that made the difference in the beginning. Things like a phone call in the middle of the day just to talk or say "I love you," an appreciative note, flowers, gifts, and opening doors. Recharge your relationship by consciously going back and doing the small things that you did when your love first began to grow.

Forgive. I've done a lot of work with couples having troubles, and one of the most common elements I find that is working against the development of their relationship is that they are holding something against the other and they aren't willing to forgive. The fact is that your mate is going to fail you from time to time. We need to understand that. What we do when we get to that point however, is what will make all the difference in the world. In a relationship that is going to last, the people involved are committed to forgiving one another. Those whose relationships last longest, and will be the healthiest, are those who are committed to forgiveness.

I hope these thoughts are helpful to you in recharging your love relationship. I truly believe that if we will put these principles into practice we will see our relationships grow in ways they never have before, and that in turn will make our whole life better.

Chris Widener  

Spend a day (perhaps the day that will change your life for good!) with Chris Widener and 3,000+ achievers from around the world at the SUCCESS Symposium on March 28, 2009. But, hurry! Ticket prices go up at midnight on Sunday, February 15. Now's the time to reserve your seats! For complete details, go to www.SUCCESS.com/symposium or call 877-243-8383.

2. Made for Success Quote and Commentary

"When you are courting a nice girl, an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder, a second seems like an hour. That's relativity." Albert Einstein

Chris' Commentary:
Relativity. It is all relative, you know. Some people make more money, some less. Some have better health, some worse. Some better relationships, some worse. There is always someone better or richer, but also not as good or poorer. Is this cause for despair? Not at all. I have actually found that it is quite good for me, this idea of relativity. On one hand, relativity keeps me content. I know when I start to want more just for wanting more's sake, I can look and see that many others do not have the blessings I do. It is relative, and that makes me thankful for what I have - and content. When I start feeling proud for my accomplishments, you know, not the good kind of proud, but the bad side of pride, relativity keeps me humble. There is always someone better than me, someone who has proven they can master the art or the skills better than I. So relativity plays a very important role. It is all in how you choose to look at it.

Action Point: Ask yourself if you tend to have the wrong kind of pride. If so, remind yourself that others have mastered more. This will keep you humble. Are you lacking contentment? Then remind yourself of others who are less fortunate. This will keep you content. Relativity keeps us in a perfect tension that keeps us human, and healthy humans at that.

3. The Last Word...

The most successful relationships are based on mutual respect. Here's a wonderful story of respect from esteemed personal achievement author and speaker, Tony Alessandra.

Respect for Others by Tony Alessandra

When I was in high school back in 1960s, everyone always divided themselves into self-contained, often exclusive, groups. These groups followed all the old clichés -- you had your greasers, your jocks, your nerds, your college prep kids, and your vocational kids -- and everyone was always careful to stay within their own group.

Although I was technically in the athletic group (or jocks) and the college prep group, I always tried to go out of my way to get along with everyone -- no matter what group they were associated with. I always got good grades, so I fit in with the smart kids. I was born and raised in New York City, so I got along with the greasers. I tried to find my connection with everyone, which was not hard at all. After all, we were all high school kids -- we had plenty to bond over with the shared experience of going to the same school.

However, the reason that I was able to build on those commonalities -- the reason people from other groups were friendly back to me -- was that I treated everyone with respect. I never gossiped about the popular crowd, never teased or taunted the nerds. I made an effort to see everyone's positive aspects, and I focused on those. In essence, I treated others the way they wanted to be treated, and it gave me the ability to adapt and be liked by just about everybody.

I have carried that philosophy throughout my whole life: I am as polite to a janitor as a CEO. As people, they both exist on the same level -- and both deserve the same amount of outward respect.

My mantra: "What goes around, comes around."

What do you have "coming around" for yourself?

-- Tony Alessandra

4. Made for Success MP3 Audio Library

For the top-selling Made for Success library, Chris Widener talked to 23 of today's most creative and successful men and women in business, sports, health and wealth. The series includes interviews with: Jim Rohn • Brian Tracy • Denis Waitley • Mark Victor Hansen • Donna Krech • Jim Cathcart • Tony Alessandra • Ellie Drake • Albert Mensah and many more!

The in-depth one-on-one interviews reveal the inspirations, strategies, pitfalls and victories that these celebrated achievers experienced on their journey to success.

Now, this extraordinary series is available in its entirety on easy-to-download MP3 audio at an incredible price. You can purchase each interview individually for only $9.97 or as a complete library—all 23 interviews—for only $127!

Learn from their experiences even when on the go! Download these MP3 audios into your mobile device and learn while you travel, work out, run or walk!

Get started this instant. Listen and learn how these renowned achievers made their names and fortunes—then use what you learn to realize your own success!

For complete details and a list of available downloads, go to http://www.yoursuccessstore.com/MadeforSuccessMP3 right away!

5. More Information

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