Real Estate Innovation

Fear and Reason

“In civilized life it has at last become possible for large numbers of people to pass from the cradle to the grave without ever having had a pang of genuine fear. Many of us need an attack of mental disease to teach us the meaning of the word.” William James.

We have all heard the seemingly discriminating remarks that fear is normal and abnormal, and that normal fear is to be regarded as a friend, while abnormal fear should be destroyed as an enemy.

The fact is that no so called normal fear can be named which has not been clearly absent in some people who have had every cause therefor. If you will run over human history in your mind, or look about yea in the present life, you will find here and there persons who, in situations or before objects which ought, as any fearful soul will insist, to inspire the feeling of at least normal self-protecting fear, are nevertheless wholly without the feeling. They possess every feeling and thought demanded except fear. The idea of self-preservation is as strongly present as with the most abjectly timid or terrified, but fear they do not know. This fearless awareness of fear suggesting conditions may be due to several causes. It may result from constitutional make-up, or from long continued training or habituation, or from religious ecstasy, or from a perfectly calm sense of spiritual selfhood which is unhurtable, or from the action of very exalted reason. Whatever the explanation, the fact remains: the very causes which excite fear in most of us, merely appeal, with such people, if at all. to the instinct of self-preservation and to reason, the thought-element of the soul which makes for personal peace and wholeness.

Banish all fear.

It is on such considerations that I have come to hold that all real fear-feeling should and may be banished from our life, and that what we call “normal fear” should be substituted in our language by “instinct” or by “reason,” the element of fear being dropped altogether.

“Everyone can testify that the psychical state called fear consists of mental representations of certain painful results” (James). The mental representations may be very faint as such, but the idea of hurt to self is surely present. If, then, it can be profoundly believed that the real self cannot be hurt; if the reason can be brought to consider vividly and believingly all quieting considerations; if the self can be held consciously in the assurance that the White Life surrounds the true self, and is surely within that self, and will suffer “no evil to come nigh,” while all the instincts of self preservation may be perfectly active, fear itself must be removed “as far as the east is from the west.”

These are the ways, then, in which any occasion for fear may be divided:

As a warning and as a maker of panic. But let us say that the warning should be understood as given to reason, that fear need not appear at all, and that the panic is perfectly useless pain. With these discriminations in mind, we may now go on to a preliminary study of fear.

preliminary study of fear.

Fear is (a) an impulse, (b) a habit, (c) a disease.

Fear, as it exists in man, is a make-believe of sanity, a creature of the imagination, a state of insanity.

Furthermore, fear is, now of the nerves, now of the mind, now of the moral consciousness.

The division depends upon the point of view. What is commonly called normal fear should give place to reason, using the word to cover instinct as well as thought. From the correct point of view all fear is an evil so long as entertained.

Whatever its manifestations, wherever its apparent location, fear is a psychic state, of course, reacting upon the individual in several ways: as, in the nerves, in mental moods, in a single impulse, in a chronic habit, in a totally unbalanced condition. The reaction has always a good intention, meaning, in each case, “Take care! Danger!” You will see that this is so if you will look for a moment at three comprehensive kinds of fear fear of self, fear for self, fear for others. Fear of self is indirectly fear for self danger. Fear for others signifies foresensed or forepictured distress to self because of anticipated misfortune to others. I often wonder whether, when we fear for others, it is distress to self or hurt to them that is most emphatically in our thought.

Fear, then, is usually regarded as the soul’s danger signal. But the true signal is instinctive and thoughtful reason.

Even instinct and reason, acting as warning, may perform their duty abnormally, or assume abnormal proportions. And then we have the feeling of fear. The normal warning is induced by actual danger apprehended by mind in a state of balance and self-control. Normal mind is always capable of such warning. There are but two ways in which so-called normal fear, acting in the guise of reason, may be annihilated: by the substitution of reason for fear, and by the assurance of the white life.

Let it be understood, now, that by normal fear is here meant normal reason real fear being denied place and function altogether. Then we may say that such action of reason is a benefactor to man. It is, with pain and weariness, the philanthropy of the nature of things within us.

One person said: “Tired? No such word in my house!” Now this cannot be a sound and healthy attitude. Weariness, at a certain stage of effort, is a signal to stop work. When one becomes so absorbed in labor as to lose consciousness of the feeling of weariness, he has issued a “hurry call” on death. I do not deny that the soul may cultivate a sublime sense of buoyancy and power; rather do I urge you to seek that beautiful condition; but I hold that when a belief or a hallucination refuses to permit you to hear the warning of nerves and muscles, Nature will work disaster inevitably. Let us stand for the larger liberty which is joyously free to take advantage of everything Nature may offer for true well-being. There is a partial liberty which tries to realize itself by denying various realities as real; there is a higher liberty which really realizes itself by conceding such realities as real and by using or disusing them as occasion may require in the interest of the self at its best. I hold this to be true wisdom: to take advantage of everything which evidently promises good to the self, without regard to this or that theory, and freely to use all things, material or immaterial, reasonable or spiritual. I embrace your science or your method; but I beg to ignore your bondage to philosophy or to consistency. So I say that to normal health the weary-sense is a rational command to replenish exhausted nerves and muscles.

It is not liberty, it is not healthful, to declare, “There is no pain!” Pain does exist, whatever you affirm, and your affirmation that it does not is proof that it does exist, for why (and how) declare the non-existence of that which actually is non-existent? But if you say, “As a matter of fact I have pain, but I am earnestly striving to ignore it, and to cultivate thought-health so that the cause of pain may be removed,” that is sane and beautiful. This is the commendable attitude of the Bible character who cried: “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” To undertake swamping pain with a cloud of psychological fog that is to turn anarchist against the good government of Nature. By pain Nature informs the individual that he is somewhere out of order. This warning is normal. The feeling becomes abnormal in the mind when imagination twangs the nerves with reiterated irritation, and Will, confused by the discord and the psychic chaos, cowers and shivers with fear.

I do not say there is no such thing as fear. Fear does exist. But it exists in your life by your permission only, not because it is needful as a warning against “evil.”

Fear is induced by unduly magnifying actual danger, or by conjuring up fictitious dangers through excessive and misdirected psychical reactions. This also may be taken as a signal of danger, but it is a falsely-intentioned witness, for it is not needed, is hostile to the individual because it threatens self-control and it absorbs life’s forces in useless and destructive work when they ought to be engaged in creating values.

What Do You Use Corporate Credit For

You may just be starting out with a new business so you aren’t sure what you may need to use corporate credit for. Over the course of daily operations though you will soon come upon many different uses for it. Of course you want to be very wise with what you choose so that you have plenty of it to access when you really need to do so.

Most businesses will end up having access to much more credit than the individual will. Don’t be disappointed at first though if your credit access is very low for your business. In time it will gradually increase as you show you are making money. You will also need to show you have been responsible with the credit you have before any more will be directed your way.

Some people use the corporate credit they have to buy up land. They want to be able to build something there or they want to be able to sell it later for a profit. There is often a great deal of money tied up in real estate. Still, if you plan to have your business in place for many years you don’t want to waste money on leasing something when you can own it.

You will likely have to buy equipment for your business from time to time. It may be to replace what you already have or as a way for you to expand your business. You will also have to pay for repairs and maintenance to such equipment. In some cases this can end up being thousands of dollars at one shot. Failure to make the repairs can cost you production time. The best thing to do is to access your corporate credit and take care of it. This will get your business back on track as rapidly as possible.

How are you going to let people know about your business? This is going to take place through the process of advertising. You may find this is going to cost you quite a bit of money. If you want to get into forms of advertising such as TV commercials, it is going to result in you accessing the corporate credit you have. Yet the amount of sales you can generate from this can be unbelievable.

There is likely to be the issue of travel expenses as well. Most business owners have to travel for business from time to time. It is likely that your employees or at least a handful of them will need to. Something as simple as a business credit card for them will help to ensure they can take care of all the expenses associated with doing such business for you.

What you may need to use corporate credit for really depends on your own business. The exact specifics of it are going to be different for each type of business. Make sure you really look into what your options though. There are plenty of forms of corporate credit to access. Those without collateral have higher interest but at least your assets aren’t attached to it.

In order to make sure you can always access the forms of corporate credit you need though, you have to show you are worthy. As your business grows you will likely need to access higher credit limits. They only way to accomplish this is to be extremely responsible with it from the start. Watch your expenses and always pay your debts on time for the business.

The Credit Card Game

“Credit Card” and “Game” are words that are rarely spoken together. Games are fun and exciting, while credit card debt is anything but. According to financial expert David Bach, credit cards are the biggest game of all, and just like any game, there are certain rules that all credit card companies are held to.

Knowing the Rules

Because as consumers, we are in the game already, Bach says it is imperative that we know and understand the rules of the game we are playing.

Interest rates. This is the percent that consumers pay in order to borrow money from the credit card company. It is important to know this number, because it represents what your debt is costing you. The higher the number, the more money you are throwing away each month.

Late fees. Credit card companies are allowed to charge anywhere from $15-$39 on payments made even one hour late. This is money that could be applied to your debt. Pay your bills on time, and ask for an extension if you know you may be late with a payment. After the fact, you can call your credit card company and ask for late fees to be waived.

Read the Fine Print. Often credit card companies lure you in with promises of low interest rates, or no fees on balance transfers. These teaser rates are for a limited time, so its important to understand your agreement, and know how long you have to pay off your debt at the low rate. It is also important to understand the terms of your agreement, often a late payment will negate the teaser rate, and leave you vulnerable to fees, penalties, and interest rate increases.

Playing the Game:

Now that you know the rules of your credit card, you are ready to really play the game.

Know what you owe. Begin by making a complete list of all your credit cards, the amount you owe, and the interest rate the card carries. Prioritize the list starting with the cards with the highest interest rate.

Contact your creditors. Call each credit card company and negotiate a lower interest rate on your existing debt. Although they may argue at first, a supervisor is authorized to reduce your rate, immediately saving you money as you pay down your debt.

Dont be afraid to walk away. If they refuse to work with you, find a company offering a no balance transfer fee, and 0% interest for as long as possible. Transfer your debt to the new card, and pay it off within the allotted time period. Continue to pay down your debt, and celebrate each victory along the way, as you work to win the big game.

Understanding Corporate Credit

There are likely some very important aspects of corporate credit that you don’t know about. Some people just assume it will all be the same as their personal credit. In fact they don’t realize the importance of separating the two from the very start. Yet not knowing all there is about corporate credit can result in poor decisions that come back to haunt you for a very long time.

Just like personal credit it can be hard to establish at first. You will also have a business credit rating and score. So paying your bills on time and not having a high balance on available sources of credit such as credit cards and lines of credit is very important. You also want to keep a very close eye on your corporate credit to make sure it hasn’t been compromised.

Of course that is just the beginning of things so don’t give yourself too big of a pat on the back just yet. Do you know what is on your business credit report? At least once a year you should be examining it very thoroughly. You don’t want to become the victim of identity theft, in house theft, or even data entry errors that can occur with credit bureaus. All of these scenarios can be very time consuming and problematic for you to resolve.

Your credit score and the length of time that you have been in business aren’t the only things that lenders look at though. You many not realize how much weight your impression makes with them. If you can talk to them openly about what you need and why they will listen. If you have done your research and they can see you are going to make the prospect work then they will be more willing to assist you.

It is very important that you are organized and prepared. Find out what type of information the lender is likely going to ask you for. This way you can gather it and not have to wait as long to get a response from them. It also shows the lender that you are on top of things and serious about making this happen for your business.

Be smart about the types of corporate credit you apply for. Look for lenders that are a good match for your needs. This will increase your chances of getting approved. It is much easier to get a corporate credit card than a huge loan. Yet view this first business credit card as a chance to prove what your business is all about.

Don’t think for a moment that you can easily recover from poor business credit though. It is something that will hang over you and really prevent you from growing. It will also cost you much more money when you do get credit, and that is a chunk out of potential profits. Too many new business owners let this happen and then they can’t get anyone to give them funding when they really need it the most.

Establishing corporate credit can be the push in the right direction for you. It is a very long race but you can come out a winner. Don’t let these types of corporate credit issues be a stumbling block for you though. It can be almost impossible to recover from such an awkward start. The injuries may be too severe for you to even be able to finish the race.

Ideas for New Coffee Tastes to Enjoy

Coffee is something that we now take advantage of. You will find that back in the day, it took awhile for the coffee to brew over fresh grounds; however, you can now make a cup of coffee within ten minutes. You don’t have to wait forever for the water to cover a basket of grounds and then brew a fresh cup of coffee. You will also find that the coffee has become better. The coffee is more ideal because you don’t have to worry about the hassle of making coffee. You will also want to consider the fact that you don’t have to worry about coffee grounds making it into your fresh cup of coffee either. So much has changed over the years.

Today, we have a drip method that has made coffee inexpensive and quick to make. You will also find that the grounds are now filtered through paper so that you can have the great taste of coffee, but you don’t have to worry about the grounds in the cup. You will also notice that coffee is now served in a nice glass pot, or you can buy one of several different coffee makers that serve only a single cup.

If you don’t want to measure out the grounds, then you can always get pre-measured packets and slip it into the coffee maker. You will want to make sure that you watch your mouth with freshly brewed coffee. You may not know this, because coffee comes out of the make at least 200 degrees F.

Now today, we don’t just have coffee. You also have something known as the espresso. The espresso is actually from the European culture and it has now begun to work through American society. You will find that it is made within minutes and you use finely chopped dark coffee beans. It is extremely strong coffee. It has a very strong aroma, but it is a wonderfully delicious drink.

If you would take espresso and then add steamed milk, then you will have a cappuccino or latte. You will want to consider the difference between the two is simply a change in milk to coffee ratio. You will find that there is definitely an improvement on the taste of old world coffee. There are also a lot of methods that you can use to make coffee. The first is the French plunger where there is a rod in a glass pitcher. This is used so that you can get a very dark and few flavored drink. There is also something known as the vacuum brewer. This method works great for a dinner party. Then there is the old world way to making coffee. It is known as the Ibrik. This is where you heat water in a brass or copper container. The coffee and the water are heated together. It is then poured and filtered. This is a very strong version of coffee.

You will want to consider producing a delicious cup of coffee each time because of all the love and hard work that was put into making that single cup. You have to consider the fact that the history of coffee tends to make it taste even better.