The Les Brown seminar was a great event! An amazing storyteller and motivator Les strings together many of his one-liners and personal stories together to create an experience that makes you not only laugh and feel good about yourself but helps you focus on the outcome of your potential successes! He reminds us that even when things aren’t looking up that being committed to our final successful destination is what’s most important in spite of bumps that may come along the way. In order to find success in our business or our personal lives we’ve got to know our story and be committed to our goals. To be of greater success we must give ourselves over completely to our company to the market and to the customer. We need to focus on our reputation, what it is we’re known for and our reliability: do we deliver on a promise, are we trusted, do we make it happen with integrity? Only by getting out of our comfort zone and facing our fears have we then started on our journey to success!
Below I have listed many of Les Bown’s most popular quotes. These motivating thoughts that can be used in both our personal and professional lives.
You must take action now that will move you towards your goals. Develop a sense of urgency in your life.
Take action in order to move toward your goals.
When you face your fear, most of the time you will discover that it was not really such a big threat after all. We all need some form of deeply rooted, powerful motivation -- it empowers us to overcome obstacles so we can live our dreams.
Anytime you suffer a setback or disappointment, put your head down and plow ahead.
Just because Fate doesn't deal you the right cards, it doesn?t mean you should give up. It just means you have to play the cards you get to their maximum potential.
You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
Believe that you possess a basic goodness, which is the foundation for the greatness you can ultimately achieve.
Your level of belief in yourself will inevitably manifest itself in whatever you do.
Begin to read a book that will help you move toward your dream.
You have the power to change.
Change is difficult but often essential to survival.
You cannot expect to achieve new goals or move beyond your present circumstances unless you change.
You don't get in life what you want; you get in life what you are.
Other people's opinion of you does not have to become your reality.
You need to make a commitment, and once you make it, then life will give you some answers.
Your ability to communicate is an important tool in your pursuit of your goals, whether it is with your family, your co-workers or your clients and customers.
Don't let the negativity given to you by the world disempower you. Instead give to yourself that which empowers you.
If you don't program yourself, life will program you!
I advise you to say your dream is possible and then overcome all inconveniences, ignore all the hassles and take a running leap through the hoop, even if it is in flames.
A lot of people do not muster the courage to live their dreams because they are afraid to die.
You gotta be hungry!
If you do not develop the hunger and courage to pursue your goal, you will lose your nerve and you will give up on your dream.
Be determined to handle any challenge in a way that will make you grow.
Help others achieve their dreams and you will achieve yours.
You have the courage and power to live your dreams.
One of the most essential things you need to do for yourself is to choose a goal that is important to you. Perfection does not exist -- you can always do better and you can always grow.
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars.
You must think of failure and defeat as the springboards to new achievements or to the next level of accomplishment.
Fear does not have any special power unless you empower it by submitting to it.
Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.
You must remain focused on your journey to greatness.
You may not accomplish every goal you set -- no one does -- but what really matters is having goals and going after them wholeheartedly.
Forgive those who have hurt you.
Forgive yourself for your faults and your mistakes and move on.
Review your goals twice every day in order to be focused on achieving them.
As you reach your goals, set new ones. That is how you grow and become a more powerful person.
Choosing goals that are important to you is one of the most essential things you can do in order to live your dreams.
Goals are not dreamy, pie-in-the-sky ideals. They have every day practical applications and they should be practical.
If you set goals and go after them with all the determination you can muster, your gifts will take you places that will amaze you.
Life takes on meaning when you become motivated, set goals and charge after them in an unstoppable manner.
You are the only real obstacle in your path to a fulfilling life.
Someone's opinion of you does not have to become your reality.
If you view all the things that happen to you, both good and bad, as opportunities, then you operate out of a higher level of consciousness.
If you are carrying strong feelings about something that happened in your past, they may hinder your ability to live in the present.
When life knocks you down, try to land on your back. Because if you can look up, you can get up. Let your reason get you back up.
If you put yourself in a position where you have to stretch outside your comfort zone, then you are forced to expand your consciousness.
The things you want are always possible; it is just that the way to get them is not always apparent. The only real obstacle in your path to a fulfilling life is you, and that can be a considerable obstacle because you carry the baggage of insecurities and past experience.
The only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the buts you use today.
Life has no limitations, except the ones you make.
"Act The Way You Want To Be And Soon You'll Be The Way You Act"
Copyright 2010 - The Candle Wick Shoppe
Get the most out of your candle purchase with tools of the trade. Using a candle snuffer reduces the risk of splashing hot wax and the amount of smoke generated when extinguishing the candle. The candle snuffer was invented in 1830 and looked very different than the snuffer we use today. It had a short scissor at the tip and reservoir to capture the wick. Skilled snuffers could trim a wick with out extinguishing the flame.
Today’s self trimming wicks have changed the look of the snuffer, which is now a bell shaped metal cup on a long handle. Other snuffers are ceramic, jewel encrusted and very ornamental. You can find snuffers to match your décor or the holiday. It’s always a good idea to snuff rather then blow your candle out.
Wick trimmers are used to trim the wick of your candle when it’s become encrusted with unsightly carbon build up. Maintaining the wick length and quality will keep your candle flame the right size and smoking less. A long flame will smoke too much and throw to large a heat radius. This will prevent you from being able to hug the lip of the candle to keep it from dripping excessively.
The most convenient way to light your candle is with a fuel lighter. Invented in 1816 by a German chemist, the lighter was called Dobereiner’s Lamp and was fueled by hydrogen. Though a brilliant invention, it was not pocket sized and very dangerous. The next evolution was the flint lighter. Developed in 1908 it was finally small enough to fit in a pocket or a purse and it was much safer.
By the 1920’s the lighter had gone through many incarnations. They now had hoods to protect the flame from the wind and decorative covers. A new fuel called naphtha became available. It was oily and still needed a wick to create a flame. By the 1940’s, Ronson began mass producing a lighter using compressed butane. We no longer needed a wick to make a flame. It was cleaner burning but still used a flint to ignite.
In the 1950’s, the piezoelectric spark was discovered and applied to the lighter technology, and that is the lighter we use today. It’s clean burning, has a low scent and is easy to refill. For more of this interesting history of the lighter, see www.bugstore.com
Recourses
Wikipedia www.lonestarcandlesupply.com, www.bugstores.com
Spring has finally arrived; and Old Man Winter took his time leaving this year. The advantage to living in a four season climate is the opportunity to experience the ebb and flow of nature and the full spectrum of human emotions. Winter is the season of death and transition. Try not to think of death in terms of an absolute ending of life, but rather as part of the cycle of life. Death is a process of transformation, in which we rid ourselves of that which no longer serves a purpose and make way for new growth—“Out with the old, in with the new.” Winter then gives way to spring; the time of rebirth, renewal, and the emergence of new life.
If you have the “spring cleaning” jitters, there is good reason for that. It’s time to get rid of the emotional, mental, or physical baggage that is no longer serving you. It is a perfect time to incorporate smudging with incense as part of this process. Since your home has been shut tight during the cold weather, you may want to consider smudging your home to cleanse the stagnant energy that may be lingering.
Smudging is the process of burning sacred plants or herbal resins to cleanse and purify a person, object, or place. The spirit of each plant has a different vibration, resulting in different effects. Sage, cedar, and juniper are excellent for cleansing negative spirits, energies, or influences, and to help create sacred space. Other plants are great for bringing positive influences, such as: sweetgrass for positive and uplifting energies; lavender for peace, balance, and harmony; and mugwort to stimulate dreams and psychic awareness.
To execute a smudging, first acquire the desired incense, which can be found at the Candle Wick Shop. If you are new to this process, consider using white sage and sweetgrass—they are commonly used and very effective. You will probably want a bowl or dish of some sort to catch the ashes, a lighter or candle, and if you have any favorite spiritual tools, feel free to incorporate them into this process as well. A feather is helpful for directing the smoke. If you don’t have one, a handheld fan or simply using your hand is just as useful.
Now that you have your materials, you are ready to perform a smudging ritual. The most important part of this process is your intention and trusting your intuition. If you follow your heart, there is no right or wrong way to perform a smudging ritual. Approach this process with the reverence you have for other spiritual ceremonies. If you have designated sacred space or an altar in your home, start there. If not, you can start the ritual by your fireplace, your kitchen (the heart of the home), or wherever your intuition guides you. Begin by grounding and centering yourself, and then offer a prayer to Spirit, God, the Divine, guides, ancestors, etc. (and don’t forget the spirit of the plant). Prayer completed, set your intention and light the incense. Then extinguish the flame, reducing to a smolder that produces smoke.
The next step is to smudge yourself and anyone else participating, to cleanse your energy field. If you are flying solo, place the incense in a bowl in front of you. With a feather or a hand, direct the smoke around you, starting at your feet working up to your head. Then wave the smoke over your head and direct it behind you toward your feet as best you can. If more than one person is present, have one person fan the smoke around the body of another as described, and then switch.
Once your personal energy field is cleansed, proceed to smudge your home. From your starting point, work as best you can in a clockwise direction throughout the house. Fan the smoke throughout each room, directing it toward doors, windows, corners, objects, etc. Let your intuition guide you and trust in the plant. When you have completed the circle and returned to your starting point, set the incense down, and then open a door or window to the outside. With focused intention, gather up the unwanted energy captured in the smoke and direct it outside, asking the powers that you pray to to take care of this energy for you. This is a symbolic process; you do not need to literally remove all the smoke from your home. Now enjoy the sensations and energy of your newly cleansed home. If you desire, you could follow the cleansing with sweetgrass incense, which will invite uplifting and positive energy into your home and provide a wonderful aroma.
May spring and the spirits of the plants bring you many blessings!
It's Always Wonderful Time to Have Gratitude and Give Thanks!
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to 
order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. --Melody Beattie
As we roll in to the month of November, one word comes to mind - GRATITUDE!
When was the last time you took a moment to appreciate all of the blessings in your life? When you show gratitude for these things, you will attract more of the same.
Gratitude is all about appreciating the things you have in your life.
During this amazing time of year, we pause and take the time to appreciate all the goodness and beauty around us. This can be as enchanting as the full moon, a glorious sunrise, or something as simple as the aroma of fresh ground coffee with your favorite barista. Be thankful for the gift of friendship, a child’s laugh, the nod of greeting from a passerby. Appreciate the change in the season. The cool autumn weather is a gentle reminder of the great rebirth of whats to come.
When we focus on gratitude, we are reminded of what is right in our lives rather than what has gone wrong.
Have you said “thankyou” to someone to show how grateful you are for them today? It’s such a small thing, but it can have a huge impact on your life, and the life of that person.
Let's take this time to incorporate gratitude into our lives and into the lives of others by incorporating just a few of these simple 
ways to exercise and grow our gratitude:
• Start a gratitude journal and count your blessings.
Write as many things down from your day as you can recall. What works for most people is to say "thank you" for everything they encounter each day, for example a sunrise/sunset, frost on the trees (especially when the sun is shining), food, shelter, warm homes and offices, clothing, colleagues, work/jobs.
• Pay it forward.
Practice an "Act of Kindness" every day. What ONE thing, small or big, that I can do today will make someone’s life easier?
• Do someone a free favor.
Without expecting anything in return, do something nice for someone. Just something small. Get them a drink or a coffee, do a chore for them, offer to do an errand, anything they’d appreciate, really. Think of what the person likes, wants or needs, and try to do something (even something small) to help them. Actions speak louder than words, and doing something nice will show you’re grateful more than just saying it.
• Accept things as they are.
No matter how much the situation has turned out differently to your expectations, it is the way it is. You don’t know how much worse off you could have been, had things gone differently. Savor the current moment and be grateful for what is.
• Give a little gift.
It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, but a little gift can be a tremendous gesture.
• Be Thankful!
Each and every day take time to be grateful for all that you have in life. Gratitude is, after all, a great stress-buster! What you think about brings more of the same into your life. So, focusing on the positive, even during difficult times, is one of the best ways to reduce and alleviate stress and transform your life!
May you and your loved ones share this time of thanks and gratitude and may it grow and multiply all that you cherish!
Walt Szymborski
Candle Wick Shoppe
The love you seek may be closer than you think…
What is love? It’s one of the most difficult questions for man to answer. No one person can seem to give love it’s proper and just definition. Scholars have pondered it, psychologists have theorized, poets have written of it, artist have tried to capture it’s essence on canvass and in clay yet for all that has been no one has landed the ultimate feeling or definition.
It has been noted that love is patient and that love is kind. It rejoices over evil and is the ultimate truth seeker. We pine to be in it but often-times regret pursuing it regardless of how badly we’ve been hurt or have caused hurt we seem to always yearn for more.
A day doesn’t go by at the Candle Wick Shop when one of our dear customers comes in searching for the answer with a desire in their eyes and an aching in their heart looking for a spell or some sort of magic to find the love of their lives.
Yesterday a young lady was looking to get someone back, a musician trying to mend a broken heart and last week a housewife just wanted to rekindle the spark in her marriage. Is it possible? Of course it is!
Here at the shop, we believe in the power of loves spells and magic. We’ve seen them work and we’ve seen them stumble. Is magic dark, evil, conjuring? Hardly, that’s mostly in the movies from Hollywood. But what magic is, is the miracle you hold inside of yourself.
You can take control of the love in your life (or lack thereof), see results and embrace the change but know that in order for magic to work you need to have an open mind and be open to receiving love in order for the transformation to occur.
Candle-magic and love spells work differently for different people and might not necessarily work in the blink of an eye. But be patient, you will get the message or the results that that you need if you continue to believe in your strength, your power and your ability! Be in touch with your inner being and be aware of particular fears and insecurities that may be keeping you from getting the love that you want, need and deserve.
Whether you are trying to snatch up the perfect man (or woman) of your dreams, trying to power up the love or passion in your relationship, honoring your soul mate or are in need of healing a broken heart the Candle Wick Shop is delighted to carry all of the wonderful lines of candles, oils and incense from Coventry Creations to create the magic that begins in your heart.
Drop by our store soon or visit us on-line at candlewickshoppe.com or at coventrycreations.com
We can’t wait to see you!
Walt Szymborski, “Gator”
the Candle Wick Shoppe