During work I am surrounded by hundreds of co-workers. Usual talks are centered around the weather and work related topics. Not exactly the ideal communication to foster the growth of friendships.

In order to increase the friendships, release stress, and grow a successful support group, you must do activities outside of work. Many people do not wish to spend additional time with co-workers, people that they already see 8-9 hours a day, but meeting outside of work is a completely different atmosphere. You are not surrounded by the pressures of “always being on task”. You are presented with opportunities to relieve stress by talking about work, what works and what doesn’t, as well as get to know each other on a personal level.

But with all of the positive opportunities, there are also ways that can quickly accelerate negativity. Here are things to avoid when spending time with co-workers:

1. Gossip: It is so easy to gossip that you don’t even realize you are doing what. “What do you think about….” can lead others to change their outlooks on certain people.
2. Fraternization: Spending time with managers usually is not recommended according to company policies for good reasons. Favoritism or isolation can result very fast.
3. Too Much Information: Your co-workers care about you, but they do not care that you have to take medication for I.B.S. twice a day. Or that your high school girlfriend/boyfriend cheated on you with your best friend at your birthday party.
4. NDA (Non Disclosure Agreements): Just because you work with people, does not meant that they have access to the same information that you do. Be careful not to share confidential information.
5. Compromising Memories: When people are not at work, they tend to relax and let lose. Often times this includes getting a few drinks, dancing, etc. Often times the behavior that we show outside of work is not only meant to be shared with a few people, but can also be compromising. Be careful on how you share your memories of the activities, including pictures, blogs, social networks, and gossiping.

Keep these 5 things in mind and have a blast!

The average person (97% of the population), is not in control of their life for one simple reasons… they let events dictate their lives instead of creating their lives. They let excuses dominate their lives: The economy is bad, My boss hates me, Too many bills, I ran away from home, I am an alcoholic, my father didn’t love me, etc.

Though these may be real concerns, they still can not tell you the kind of lifestyle you should have. Your life should be in your hands, but most people don’t see it that way. Why should some event tell you the kind of life you can life.

When I graduated from college in 2002 with a degree in Computer Science, the “.com” bubble had just burst. Downsizing, outsourcing, failed companies, the IT industry was falling apart. I couldn’t find a job to save my life. Was that a real event, yes it was. Did it impact the lives of other college graduates, yet it did. So what was my solution, “If no one will hire me, I will hire myself.” That was how I started RKR Consulting, my own computer consulting business. So a real event happened in my life, the industry was down and so was the economy, but I didn’t let that stop me. I did not let that event dictate my life.

There are examples everywhere of people who have tackled all obstacles and found success. We all have the same problems, but what sets successful people apart from every one else is our attitude towards those problems. Don’t be a pinball, only to be guided by the bumpers and paddles of life. Instead fight through and chose your own path.

By now I am certain that everyone has heard about the revolutionary personal development philosophy known as The Secret. Wether you read the book, watched the DVD, or have viewed one of the numerous documentaries about it, the concept of the Law of Attraction has become extremely powerful.

I was first introduced to The Secret about 3 years ago and it has since changed my life. I have worked very hard to make the philosophies of The Secret a habit in my life. I wake up every morning and say aloud “Thank you for this day that I have been given to change the world for the better!” At night I say, “I am so thankful for_______” and then go about listing the events/people/places/etc in my life that I am thankful for or that positively impacted me that day.

Here are a few events that have happened in my life, all because of The Secret:

• Job: Last June I had a feeling that by the end of the year I would have an incredible job. I wanted a job where I would be in control of my future and I could help a company grow, where I did promotional presentations, and I wanted to make “X” amount of dollars per year. I got that opportunity in September when I had a job interview. During my interview, I told the interviewers that the job was already mine, and this was a formality, because I had been visualizing having this job now for months. I got the job and am now doing product promotions for a small software company named Microsoft.
• Romance: After I watched The Secret, I knew that it would work for me, but still I had a little bit of doubt left. So I started to visualize something so impossible, that if it happened, I knew The Secret worked. I began to visualize myself and a friend of mine in a relationship. Now neither her nor I had any interests in each other before, but this time we had The Secret on our side. Within 2 months, we got together for a short while.
• Place to Live: I wanted to move. I didn’t know where or any of the other details, only that it was time for a change. So one night I closed my eyes and thought about my new place. About the layout, the paint, the kitchen, the carpet, the placement of the power outlets, where I would park my car, where the sun would shine, everything, in great detail. I opened up my eyes and drew the layout of my new apartment on my whiteboard. A few months later, I was driving home from work, when I decided to just take some time and drive around and relax. I ended up only about 5 minutes from the freeway, but I found this incredible apartment complex. I went inside and got a map of their 2 bedroom apartment. The layout that they gave me matched my drawing exactly! She showed me the an apartment that just opened up the day before, and it was my apartment, same color, everything, EVERYTHING was the same.
• Money: One of the most exciting tips in that I found in The Secret was the concept of attracting money to you. Who wouldn’t love to just have money coming to them out of the blue, right? Well I went about my day, thanking the Universe for the money that I was receiving. Everywhere I went, I thought about attracting money into myself. I said over and over again the Mantra of “I am a money magnet. Money comes to me easily and effortlessly”, as taught in the teachers of The Secret. A few weeks later, I received a $50 gift card in the mail. Next I received a $119.37 check from my credit card for a billing error. In 3 weeks I had received $75 worth of donations on this website.So in the time span of a month, I had received about $225. Not bad at all

So does The Secret work? For me it is a resounding yes! I am living an abundant life because of this wonderful gift that I have received. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you Universe for everything!