If you spend any time in the blogosphere, you’ll notice people getting new blog themes, new designs, and whatever other new-improved blah blah blah you can find.

I noticed something about this wave of new designs…

…they look like websites!

Yes, I know blogs ARE websites.

What I mean is they have evolved to a point where more useful navigation comes into play, where there are more alternatives to the ‘latest few posts’ style of blogs of yesterday, and where advertising has a more prominent role (see here, here and here for examples).

It’s good to see people considering their users (and evil money making plans) when they go about their web business.

Think like traditional media, think like traditional corporate branding and think about how you use them.

(No comments on my free theme designed by the masterful Chris Pearson! It’s in the works, I tell you!)

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Say again?

John Chow is giving away a 24″ wide screen LCD monitor.

LCD monitors are much easier on your eyes when compared to CRT monitors. As well, the larger screen size means you don’t have to lean in so close to read!

My eyes aren’t so good as it is, so winning this monitor would greatly improve my chances at retaining what vision I have left. I’m guessing it would help you out too, but I think it makes more sense that I have this monitor.

But who is John Chow?

In case you don’t know who John Chow is, I’ll tell you.

He runs John Chow dot Com, a blog that helps you make money. John practices what he preaches, so you can learn a lot. And not only from what he tells you, but also by what he actually does.

How can you enter?

If you’d like to enter, you just have to write about it on your blog. This is my entry.

The contest is sponsored by BlueFur, who are currently hosting Canada and the rest of the world on their super fast web servers!

PS - The deadline is tomorrow

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I think the answer may lie in your inability to distinguish the true emotions from the false emotions. (I’m not accusing you of anything, merely speculating.)

Of course, both are real responses, but the fundamentals of each are very different.

For example: a basic emotion such as fear can exist, without prejudice. The emotion exists, and it does not care whether its reasons are valid or not.

Take a misunderstanding or miscommunication, and you can easily have the emotional response of fear. We often fear that which we don’t understand.

Would the response be ‘false’, given that you don’t fully understand the situation and there may actually be nothing to fear?

True or false?

If you were standing on the edge of a cliff without a safety harness, fear would be a natural response. Is this response more accurate or ‘true’?

Understanding

Is there a way to fully understand every situation, and every reaction a human being can make?

On what terms would you be able to understand? Scientific? Spiritual?

If you could understand every situation and subsequent reaction, would you cease to emote or would it be a truer form of emotion?

Would it be an enlightened state of being? Does it really matter?

Could it be that we are worried of what damage our image might take if we stray from the tidy box we’ve presented ourselves to be?

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Your subconscious mind allows you to live freely. It allows you to feel like there is something wonderful going on. It is your unencumbered thought and imagination.

Your conscious mind acts as your security, your monitor, your public relations person. Things you are good at, passionate about, they become harder to get to as your conscious mind messes you about. Your conscious mind would have you believe you must act a certain way, appropriately for each situation.

Can you see?

Is your subconscious able to foresee the future or is it just good at predicting outcomes or is it just good at letting you know what you actually feel? Either of the last two could be called foreseeing the future, because one would never actually ‘see’ it.

Is it an ability to see the future or does it merely condition you to shape the future to your liking and/or expected outcome?

Expected outcome? Future? What is the actual difference between the two?

One may not be the same as the other, but if the expected outcome was based on very accurate observations and judgments, could it not be the same? Is that the limitation we must overcome to move forward?

Don’t limit yourself

Our conscious mind - remember? To consciously say or think we have limitations is a defense mechanism of the conscious mind, much like the defense mechanism kicking in when we need to lie about our true feelings to save face.

We cannot understand this situation well because we are very much immersed in it.

Just like you cannot see your forehead without a mirror, you cannot see your condition (of this defensive limiting) without an external guide or clue to gain you a different or greater perspective.

Who’s winning inside your head?

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When we are children we have open minds. Our minds are impressionable and limitless.

That magical feeling you got when you watched science fiction (believing it could be real) or Peter Pan, flying (knowing you could do it with some practice) is the young conscious mind at work.

The young conscious mind is not-so set in its ways, not so judgmental, and not so adverse to new, and perhaps, illogical ideas.

At this point in our young life, very few systems exist to curb our actions and thoughts beyond what our environment has told us thus far (depending on age and experience, possibly very little).

Along with this lack of thought methodology you have negatives (or are they?) because learning things like ‘fire burns’ or ‘electricity shocks’ can be useful and, of course, have been helpful in your survival.

Intelligence is your guide

Intelligence is partially structural, or made up of many systems to help test life, to learn. Systems measure things, restrict things, guide you in learning, and help you feel solid and grounded in knowing them.

Imagination is non-linear and can help surpass those ‘intelligent’ systems. We use our imagination to search for something better, though we may or may not return something useful all of the time.

Imagination sets you free

Freedom of thought can help break through inaccurate or out-dated systems. It can help you deal with complex thoughts and feelings on death and life itself, and it’s meaning.

Both imagination and intelligence are necessary to development of the mind. One could not have a sense of progression without having a system to gauge the process in which you measure your success.

In searching for this meaning of existing or understanding of the mind, I’ve yet to truly ‘know’. These are the thoughts and ideas that flow through my brain, driving neurons and sparks of electricity to collide.

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The human race has accomplished so much compared to what it typically agrees it can accomplish. The general consensus is that we can accomplish ‘only so much’ and that we are limited.

Who are these anomalies in life, these people who exceedingly surpass all typical human beliefs while moving our entire world forward? What was it that allowed them to break the typical barriers of thought?

My name is Joshua and this is what I’m going to tell you about:

• Human behavior and incentives, and how they relate to your personal and business success.
• Powerful metaphors you can use today, and the clichés they rode in on.
• Creating value for others to guarantee your success.
• The moving target that is your audience.
• What makes you think they’ll even click on this?
• Look (from the outside in), think (from the inside out), and do (it): The series?

Stay tuned!

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