Merry Christmas to All!

Whether you celebrate Christmas or another holiday this time of year, it’s a time for reflection and appreciation… a time for family, food, and relaxation.  I hope all of you find a little bit of all of that this week!

2008 was a year of doubt for America.  People are losing jobs, losing money, and losing hope in the future.  This situation puts all of us in an important position to act… to act with positivity and encouragement - with quickness and precision.  2009 marks a time of unprecedented opportunity for anyone willing to step up and take the reigns.  Will you be one of those people?

Good Plum is Facebook Connected

Good news!  Thanks to the Facebook Connect platform, and with help from Sociable, I’m happy to say that you can now be a member of Good Plum - just by logging in with Facebook!

On the right hand side of every page (under “Be a Good Plum”), you’ll see a new box that asks you to login or join using Facebook.  Just click the button - and as long as you already have a Facebook account - simply log in so you can connect with other Good Plum readers!  I think it’ll be a great way to more easily bring like-minded individuals together.

Another benefit of using the Facebook Connect platform is that all of the comments you write on Good Plum will use your Facebook information - so there’s no need to fill out your name and email every time you write a comment!  Just login with Facebook, and you’re all set.

There are still some bugs we’re working out while we start this, but for the most part everything works.  Just shoot us a comment on this post and let us know if you find anything funky.  Depending on your operating system and/or browser, funny things can happen that can’t always be tested for!

Enjoy the new ways to connect on Good Plum, and make sure you become a fan of our Facebook application right over here.

Till next time!

Music as an Emotional Release

How come so many messed up rock stars and musicians become so successful?  The reason: They have learned to channel their emotions and suffering into their music and their art. And if there is something we as humans understand, and can relate to, it’s suffering. Plus, many of today’s artists have an unlimited supply of angst, childhood trauma to draw from and of course addictions.

Music for so many individuals has become a release for pent up emotions, by helping get issues off their minds. Learning to channel your emotions into a positive way can become the greatest way to ease your troubled mind.

Tips for using music as an emotional release: Read more

7 Steps to Self-Improvement

I seem to lost count on how many times I’ve read and heard of celebrity marriages failing almost left and right. Not that I care (and personally I don’t), it seems strange that we often see movie and TV stars as flawless people, living the fairytale life of riches and glamour. I suppose we all have to stop sticking our heads in the clouds and face reality.

There are many ways to lose your sense of self-esteem despite of how trivial it could get. But whatever happens, we should all try not to lose our own sense of self.

So what does it take to be a cut above the rest? Here are some of the things you can think and improve on that should be enough for a week.

1. Know your purpose
Are you wandering through life with little direction - hoping that you’ll find happiness, health and prosperity? Identify your life purpose or mission statement and you will have your own unique compass that will lead you to your truth north every time. Read more

Why I’m Writing In The Nude

Let’s get something out of the way right off the bat: I’m not a master linguist… I don’t properly format all of my posts… and I certainly don’t always say what everyone wants to hear.  So if you’re one of those people who needs to always leave a comment about a misspelling or how I use “…” or “-” instead of a comma - you probably won’t want to read this blog.

I type how I speak.  A lot of people say after meeting me that I speak like I write - when in fact, my speaking definitely came first.  You’re going to see all of me on Becomng.  Partly because I need a place to vent it, work it out in my own head, etc.  And partly because I feel like doing so will help someone.  I know for a fact that there are a lot of people stuck in some part of their life.  Whether they want to get out of their job, are overwhelmed with things to do, have serious goals they never seem to get around to… I’ve either been that guy, or am that guy.

This isn’t going to be another productivity or personal development blog.  Although some articles may be nice, pleasant, and helpful - they’ll be written with honesty. Sometimes that honesty may make you defensive, or it may Read more

Good Morning: The Simple Step that Will Change Your Life

The personal Challenge of starting each day with a cheerful good morning is something we should all take seriously. It is easy to pass up, because it seems so simple. Often we think dramatic change must require dramatic effort. Not so. This simple step can change your life in more ways than you can imagine.

Let’s start with the basic scientific principle like attracts like. Let me share this with you in a few different perspectives.

Have you noticed that people who complain about bills and debt — seem to become more in debt?

Have you noticed that people who complain and are negative — tend to have more negative things happen to them than their non-complaining counterparts?

Have you ever noticed that people who have seemingly boundless energy and optimism have something new and wonderful to report almost every Read more