Becoming Self-Aware

One of the most important accomplishments in our lives is also the one that is least achieved. Becoming self-aware allows us to change for the better and eliminate habits that are preventing us from being successful in various aspects of our lives.

So, what is it to become self-aware?
 Like love and other strong emotions, it is difficult to fully grasp their intensity and meaning without having experienced them yourself first. Therefore, instead of attempting to answer that question, I challenge you to try it yourself.

There are several activities including yoga and meditation that allow you to become self-aware. The first thing you must become aware of is your breath and how it fills your body. Our breath is something we take for granted, and yet without it, we would be dead. Take a minute and concentrate on your breath, how even or uneven it is, where it goes in your body and how it makes you feel. Interesting, isn't it? Something we take for granted all of a sudden is so complex and multi-layered.

Learning about your breath is the first (and quite possibly the most important) step to becoming self-aware.

Preserving the Earth by Putting Our Health First

Did you realize that what is healthy for us is also healthy for the Earth?
If you just said, "Of course!", you are one of the few Americans who is conscious of it. The biggest problem is that we are not made of aware of the bad (or good) that we do to the Earth. Here are some tips on how you can help mother Earth and yourself at the same time:

1. Walk or Ride the Bike - You do not need to drive to the store that is within 15 minutes walking distance from your house. Walk or if you are short on time, ride the bike. Not only will you be saving yourself gas money and burning up some calories, you will reduce your carbon footprint.

2. Use Natural Products - Whether it is hairspray or cleaning products, using natural products is just as effective and helps keep the Earth healthier as well.

3. Eat Organic - Pesticides don't only hurt your body, but they also negatively affect the atmosphere (the air we breathe included). The more organic foods you buy, the more energetic you are likely to feel and the cleaner the air and earth will be.

Be healthy and help the Earth do the same!

Responding To The Recent Tragedies of Boston and Texas

In the recent days, several tragedies in the United States have impacted every American in some manner. The most important question is, however, how has it impacted you? That is not to say that the events have impacted you more than the families directly affected by the tragedies, however your response should be most important to you.

While the Boston tragedy has been reported as an act of terrorism, the Texas tragedy occurred due to an unfortunate, natural accident. Ask yourself, which event if any, made you upset more? Are you closer to Texas or to Boston geographically? Did you have family or close friends close to the area? How did you find out about the event and did that affect the emotions you had about it?

Analyzing your emotions about events which have not directly affected you can help you learn to analyze your emotions about events in your life, which is of course very important. Having control over your emotions is extremely important in every aspect of your life, whether personal or professional.

To anyone who has been directly affected by either tragedy, you are in my thoughts and prayers.

So You Think You Know Network Marketing?

I have recently released my newest book, "We Create Millionaires: 20 Steps to Network Marketing" to guide those in the network marketing industry to success. However, I think it's important to let those considering joining a network marketing company, or MLM as they are commonly known, as well as the skeptics understand the real value of network marketing.

I will begin by honestly saying that this is an industry that is open to anyone who is capable of communicating with another human being. While many people complicate network marketing, it really is that simple: you just have to communicate with people. The secret in being successful in any company starts with choosing the right one.

My first mistake as a new network marketer was primarily choosing the wrong company. Now, I am not saying I chose a "bad" company - I simply chose the wrong one for me. It may be perfect for you. In order to avoid influencing you, I will not name the names of the company, however I will mention their products / services.

The first company I was presented with had to do with selling coffee. (No matter what anyone tells you, EVERY network marketing company has to do with selling - that's the point!) I will be honest - I was sold on it. When people around me told me it was not the right company for me, I got a bit angry, trying to defend my choice. However, I soon had to face the facts - I just spent $1,300 on coffee and was begging people to buy it from me - wrong company for me!

The next company I was introduced to, I was more weary of due to my recent experience. However, I was definitely intrigued. I did my research on the people behind the company, signed up and have seen positive results quite quickly. Before I go any further, let me define "research". Google-ing something without paying attention to the source of information is NOT research. Reading stories of people who have invested into the company, did nothing and are now bitter is NOT research. Hearing from people that are in the company and are telling you they are successful isn't research anyway, don't get me wrong. Dig deeper, find out the foundation of the company such as the founders, their revenue, growth, compensation plan, relationships with vendors, etc. THAT is research.

Another important factor to notice is your preference of product-based companies vs. service-based. My preference is service-based simply because I see residual income from it, whereas product-based companies depend on whether your customer will purchase your product every month. However, it is up to you.

If you are a fitness-guru and have been introduced to a company that sells nutritional products that you like and have worked for you - that is probably a great company for you. (Just don't forget the research). Today, there are many companies with various products and services. You can definitely find the right one for you.

Rich Immigrants TV Commercial

Watch my television commercial that features two of my books:
How 12 Immigrants Made Billions-12 Keys to Success and Rich Immigrant Poor Citizen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-euNsUY_To

The Power of Prayer & Positive Thinking

The following true events are captured in more detail in my inspirational booklet, 26 Steps to Spiritual and Financial Riches: How Spirituality Led to a $7 Million Gain. Enjoy!

It was on a Sunday, our holy day of festivity, that I attended the Gurdwara in Plainview, New York. As the congregation shuffled into the temple, I began to notice that we had grown in number over the years. On this particular summer day, it was quite humid which made the overcrowding more of an issue than something to celebrate. Certainly, I was delighted in our increasing congregation but I noticed that in a very short period of time, we had begun to run out of room in the temple. Space became an issue, as many people where not able to sit down with the others. Having felt that I have received so much in keeping my faith strong, this situation created a sense of desire inside me to build up a bigger temple or find a more appropriate space for the congregation, especially because I am a real estate investor

This scenario served as a backdrop in my mind and I felt as though I needed to turn to prayer. I pictured in my head taking a walk around my home and property. It did not take me long to realize that it is not right that my house is so big but God’s house, where our Sikh community goes to worship, celebrate, and socialize, is so small. There with the congregation of the temple, I made a commitment to myself that I would remain determined to find a suitable property for establishing a bigger temple. At this point, I promised that I would not work on my real estate ventures until I succeeded in finding an appropriate place for us to congregate and worship.

The very next day, fairly early in the morning, a real estate broker knocked on the front door of my home. He told me that he knew of a property that I might be interested in purchasing for investment purposes. We agree to view the property at 100 Lattingtown Road in Glen Cove, New York. This is a sprawling property, consisting of a 32, 000 square foot palatial mansion on 15.43 acres of land. The building itself was gorgeous, as most of the paint, fixtures, and furnishings were brand new. It was one of the most pristine properties I’ve ever come across in all of my real estate endeavors. The property is located in picturesque environs and is surrounded by areas of naturally occurring water. Even though this beautiful mansion sits on a large amount of acreage, it is also within walking distance to a bordering beach front and golf course.

Taking the wonderful property and scenery into my mind, I was immediately reminded of my prayer and goal from the previous evening. I thought to myself ‘This cannot be for my business ventures; it must be for the community.’ After all, it is a property fit for the king of all kings. This thought simultaneously ignited in me a feeling of submission to God. I begged Him to give me the strength and positive attitude necessary to overcome any obstacle that may come my way in acquiring and claiming this great property as a location for our new temple.

As the broker could clearly see my excitement about the property, he told me that Uni Bank had lien of $8.2 million on the property which the bank intended to foreclose. I told him that I would take some time, think about the situation, and get back to him. When I went home, I rustled up statements from various banks to see what type of cash I had available to present an offer. These totals amounted to $1.2 million so that became the offer I extended to the bank. At first, I was laughed at, but I insisted that the bank official think about the offer; after all, the money I was offering was $1.2 million in money, but the prayers that came along with it carried much more weight.

In a few days, prayer, the most important and powerful ingredient in this transaction, proved to be beneficial to my cause. When the bank officials called to tell me that they would sign the contract for my special offer, I felt that my prayers had been answered and that I was blessed with the responsibility of serving God and the community. I thought to myself that this was not only a demonstration of God’s work but also of my belief, good intentions, and power of prayer. Since the appraisal of the property was over $8.2 million, with the value of the land alone over $3 million, I was very happy to know that I would be able to provide a new, large temple in a building that would cost no less than $5 million to build.

This story is of tremendous importance because obstacles were continuously presenting themselves. But I would not allow them to obstruct my path and goal of establishing the new temple. Soon after the conversation with the bank officials, I went to meet with officials of the City of Glen Cove to tell them of my intentions and inquire for their permission to establish the property as a temple. Not unlike those at the bank, the city officials poked fun at me and presented me with an obstacle to overcome. Due to the size of Glen Cove, having only a small radius of five miles, the city officials were concerned with the possibility of them losing $200,000 in annual property taxes because of my commitment to establish our would-be temple. Since the temple would be considered a non-profit organization, the city would indeed lose that large amount of property taxes if the temple was established.

The staff of officials repeatedly told me to just “forget the project.’ Rather than letting this negativity deter me from pursuit of my goal, I relied on my positivity and faith in self to go forward, purchase the property, and face the challenges as they arise.

Inspired by the obstacles already described, I made an effort to contact the officials of the temple in Plainview to tell them that I would appreciate their presence at the meeting I had set up with the bank officials in Manhattan to sign the contract. The four officials of the temple agreed to accompany me to the meeting. We arrived and were asked to be seated, while waiting for the bank officials to arrive in the boardroom. Before the point in the meeting where the bank officials were to have us sign the contract, the four officials of the temple walked out, leaving me alone. The temple officials saw the possibility of having to explain to the congregation, in case the permissions to operate the premises as a temple were not granted.

The bank officials were disillusioned by their decision to walk out and decided to sign the contract under my own name. Due to my familiarity with such business proceedings and the potential risk involved with having my name on the contract, I bore sole financial responsibility and signed the contract. Assuming the responsibility moved me to write them a check of $120,000. At this point, I knew there would be bigger challenges to overcome, so this particular obstruction further encouraged me to be more positive. The news and possibility of having a new, larger temple quickly spread to the congregation and community. As a result, the officials later began to cooperate with me and compensated me for my faithful monetary advance.

As originally anticipated after my initial discussion with them, the City of Glen Cove refused to give us permission to establish and operate the property as a temple. Instead, the congregation and I were forced to endure a two year struggle. As if to test our will, the city insisted on surveying the area and completing environmental and traffic studies, in addition to seeking permissions from 50 other agencies during this period of time. I remained steadfast and continued to pray that our goal would be reached.

Over the course of this process, I received offers from several prospective buyers who were willing to buy the premises from me for $4 million, thereby enabling me to make an easy profit of over $2 million. Meanwhile, the officials of the temple became so impatient with this process that they held an emergency meeting to discuss the selling of the property for only $1.6 million. It was at this time that I felt compelled to show the officials the letters I had received. I am truly thankful to God that He did not let me yield in my stride and succumb to the temptation of easy money over my selfless pursuit. I am confident that it was God who stood with me so I could maintain my integrity and the commitment I had made two years earlier.

After seeing the various letters from prospective buyers, my will to not give in gave the officials of the temple no choice but to leave me to continue my struggle with the City of Glen Cove. And with the cooperation of the congregation, the permissions to continue were finally granted.

During this long, drawn-out process of getting the proper permissions for establishing the temple, the City of Glen Cove persuaded me to purchase a shopping mall located at 24 School Street. In an effort to revitalize the downtown area of Glen Cove, the city officials wanted me to purchase this property which had been mostly unoccupied for several years. I initially had no desire to go through with purchasing this property. . Furthermore, I felt that it went against my traditional business sense. Nevertheless, I felt that it would help put me and the temple in the good graces of the city officials. Moreover, I saw acquiring this property as beneficial because it would help maintain good relations with the city.

Soon after I purchased the property, however, Staples Department Stores decided to build their new store very close to the 24 School Street property. Amazingly, I started receiving lucrative offers that would enable me to make over $2 million above my original purchase price. Interestingly enough, just as the city officials had coaxed me into purchasing the property, they now pressured me to sell this property. Again, to appease the city of Glen Cove by helping revitalize the downtown area, I had to consider my options and keep the temple in mind. The very council that had me purchase this shopping plaza now wanted me to sell to a chain department store called Swezey’s.

I thought about this situation a great deal. Since I could easily gain a profit of $2 million from someone other than Swezey’s, the obvious decision to make would be to sell for more money. Keeping my promise and sense of commitment in mind, I yielded to the desires of the City of Glen Cove and sold the property to Swezey’s Department Stores. Clearly, making money was not my priority in this situation, as I didn’t stand to make a large profit in this transaction.

Ironically, this chain of department stores, which had been in business for over 100 years, went out of business a couple years following the establishment of their Glen Cove location. I, in turn, following through with my motivation and goals, had made up that $2 million profit on my investments elsewhere and remained in the good graces of the City of Glen Cove.

In fact, the City of Glen Cove was very pleased with me, thereafter. The same city officials who initially laughed at me and were ready to chase me off their premises now were willing to grant us the permissions for operation of the temple. Throughout the strains and my persistent efforts, I am now happy to tell you that the City of Glen Cove was given the title of being ‘Sister City of Amritsar,’ home of the holiest Sikh-Shrine. The mayor of the city himself proclaimed that “the fragrance emanating from the Golden Temple shall abound here in the United States of America.

At this point in time, the triumph of the temple was not yet complete. As I mentioned earlier, the property taxes were supposed to total around $200,000 a year. The reduction of these taxes to zero required the hiring of lawyers and many hours to achieve. As a result, the attorneys working on the tax situation demanded a fee of $57,000. Seeing that I had overcome so much in establishing the temple already, I turned to this situation with the same positive attitude and prayers. I called the attorneys and offered them a meager sum of $3,000 as compensation for their initial fee demands. Although not likely, I somehow felt it was possible because I was true in my intentions and remained strong in my commitment to my faith and the temple congregation. In response to my small offer, all I heard was the encouraging words, “Okay. Accepted.” This, of course, was very similar to the bank who sold us the property for peanuts.

In addition to these great feats, various real estate brokers and architects also waived major portions of their fees totaling roughly $50,000. Along with the Sikh temple there was to be a school set up on the premises. Remarkably, the school taxes of $115,000 were also waived.

Times in my life, such as the events of this story, have given me reassurance about the power of prayer and positive thinking. God’s plans and designs are above human comprehension. The above story may have amazed you. Perhaps, you may still be thinking about how the temple congregation became the proud owners of the sprawling 15.43 acre property, including a 32,000 square feet building, along with a five bedroom house used as a residence for the priests. Even more so, I was also able to gain, individually, the money that I initially thought I had lost. With monetary gain put aside, I also gained strength in the power of prayer and an ardent belief in the power of positive thinking.”

Please visit my book website, http://drsinghbooks.com.

Don’t Forget About Your Family and Friends

Your family should be of utmost importance to you and you should be sure to let them know that. Everyday, take the time to tell your family members how important they are to you. You will feel better about everything in your life, when you express to those who love you the most what they mean to you. Family is your support system and is essential in times of need and moments of illness or weakness. They, too, should and will be there for you in happier times to share in your accomplishments and successes.

It should remain a priority in every child’s and adult’s lives to keep their family members close, especially because we share more with them than any acquaintance or passerby. Family is a part of you and you are a part of their whole. They have given you the values and moral support which has made you the person you are today. You share experiences and memories that are unique to your identity and these are important things to keep in mind when facing the trials and stresses of daily life. Your family has given you the tools to not only enjoy life but also succeed in everything you do.

Sometimes tempers flare, personalities clash, and differences in opinion will surface but do not cut ties. Make sure you send birthday cards and make those phone calls that you think about often. You would not have these thoughts in your mind, if you would just reach out and make contact to these important people in your lives. Neglecting your family and friends breaks down your support system. You don’t want to push the important people in your life away because you’ll be left alone with nobody to talk to, laugh with, cry on, and spend your time. In a world with so many strangers, why choose to keep to yourself and risk the potential of being miserable.

· Talk to your family members

· Tell them how much they mean to you

· Pick up the phone and call them

· Send a card or letter with an old picture inside