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September/October 1992 Issue

Welcome to the new expanded edition of Jim’s Jems. Thanks to everyone who has
commented on this newsletter, we are now publishing a more in–depth issue and
will continue on a bi–monthly basis. In this edition of Jems, you will find several
new categories as well as an announcement about our company name change. Also
included with your copy of this newsletter is an announcement about our upcoming
seminars. I hope you can attend. As always, please enjoy this issue and feel free to
write with your comments. and, of course: Remember –
 C.A.N.I.(constant and neverending improvement)

“Our Doubts Are Traitors, And Make Us Lose The Good We Oft Might Win, By
Fearing To Attempt”
William Shakespeare


“Who Said That?”
You waited a long time for that special evening. The dinner was great and your date
was quite impressed that you were such a good cook. Everything was perfect until
you began to serve the dessert and proceeded to pour hot coffee all over your date’s
designer outfit. If you were able to “freeze frame” this moment, you would probably
hear a conversation that went something like this, “You dope! How could you be so
stupid? Can’t you ever do anything right? See, they were right when they said you
were useless. Why don’t you just go out and jump off a tall building?” If you are like
most people, your internal dialog is likely to continue in this fashion. This steady
stream of dialog has been referred to as your chatterbox, self talk, robot, editor,
and a number of other names which all describe that constant, usually negative,
chatter going on inside your head. I like the term “Thought Talk” because it seems
a more accurate way to identify what is actually happening. Thought talk is that
internal conversation we sometimes mistakenly call thinking, when a more
accurate description would be talking to ourselves. You cannot stop the internal
dialog but you can change what you are telling yourself. We all have these
conversations with ourselves. The difference between people who have a healthy
self–image and those who do not is that the former have learned to control their
thought talk and use it for positive reinforcement. For instance, when you perform
a task well, why not tell yourself you did well, congratulate yourself, and, by so
doing, teach your mind to reinforce this desirable behavior. On the other hand,
when you make a mistake, rather than beat yourself up about it, why not just see it
as a mistake and nothing more. Affirm that you will be better next time and move
on. Somehow, in growing into adulthood, we have developed an insane belief that
we should do everything perfectly. That’s nonsense! If you have a small child and he
or she is learning to walk, how many chances will you give the child to succeed?
After a couple of tries will you tell the child they are stupid and say, “OK, that’s
enough. You’ll just have to crawl for the rest of your life. I guess you just don’t have
what it takes to be a walker” I doubt you would react in this manner. Let me ask
you then, why do you do it with yourself?
This type of disempowering behavior is another reason people have a fear of trying
new things. Fear of failure is probably one of the biggest obstacles to human
progress in our society. Again, we have this concept that we must be perfect right
from the start. Think about any activity you now know how to do. Were you born
knowing this? Not hardly. Somewhere along the way you had to learn. I’ll bet you
were not very good at first, but with trying, you became better. All the things we
take for granted like tying our shoes, riding a bicycle, driving a car, etc., were skills
we had to be taught. Give yourself permission to make mistakes. You will anyway, so
you might as well allow yourself to do it. By doing this, you gain the freedom to go
out and experiment with your own life. Herbert Otto once said, “Change and
growth takes place when a person risks himself and dares to experiment with his
own life.”
This is your life. It is not a dress rehearsal!



Penguin Pete’s Potpourri

Lighten Up
There is a fax circulating among the female members of congress that lists “dumb”
men jokes such as: “Why is it a good thing there are female astronauts? So someone
will ask directions if the crew gets lost in space.” (ha)
As Old As Your Stuff
The definition of middle age is when the products you bought with a lifetime
guarantee begin to wear out.
The Eyes Have It
A vacation is a success if we manage to change the color of the circles under our
eyes from black to tan.
Make Sure You’re Missed
The ideal length of a vacation is long enough to be missed but not long enough for
anyone to discover how well they can get along without you.
Less Time Than You Think
If you have stopped smoking and think you have to wait years to realize the health
benefits, consider the fact that within 72 hours your lung capacity is already
increasing. A long term incentive is that within 3 to 5 years, your risk of a heart
attack drops to that of a non smoker.
Toss It
One more good method for cutting down on the amount of paper in your files is to
ask a simple question. Before you file it, ask: “Will I ever look at this piece of paper
again?” If your answer is no, toss it. You could also ask if you could find it from
another source should you have a need for it in the future. If so, you guessed it —
trash it (in a recycle container, of course). It takes creative paper handling to
survive in our information society without hitting “overwhelm.”
Crimes of Beauty
According to Allure magazine, U.S.Customs reports that people are smuggling
liquid cocaine in factory sealed shampoo bottles. This lends new meaning to the
term “blow dryer.”


Bovan Associates
JDP Communications has a new name — Bovan Associates. This new name reflects
new directions as well as additional resources. We have formed strategic alliances
with other companies & individuals whose expertise will allow us to expand our
services to assist you in your business and personal development. Our goal is to
become an even more valuable resource to you and your company. Bovan Associates
will provide the following services:
        s    Personal Development Seminars & Workshops
        s    In–house Seminars To Suit Your Individual Needs
        s    Motivational Speakers For Conferences & Conventions
        s    New Business &Start–up Consulting
        s    Sales Consulting and Sales Management Workshops
        s    Marketing & Advertising Assessment and Consultation
        s    Quality Assessment & Q.C. M. Implementation
        s    Marketing Support Materials, (Brochures Newsletters, etc.)
We are committed to providing the highest quality products and services in an
atmosphere of mutual cooperation and support. If you would like to receive a
brochure explaining our services in detail or wish to schedule a meeting, please
call our office at (718) 967–3064 or 1–800–944–3064. You can fax your request to
(718) 967–3442.

Statement of Purpose
The mission of Bovan Associates is to provide individuals and businesses access to
the latest developments in the human potential movement. Through workshops
and seminars, we will encourage excellence and endeavor to inspire people to
achieve their full potential as human beings.
We will provide on going support in the form of communications services and
consulting, to assist our clients in developing their personal and professional
capabilities. Our commitment is to
C.A.N.I.
(Constant and Neverending Improvement)


Personal Development — Physical Health

Ready, Set, Breathe
When was the last time you took a really deep breath? If you are like most people,
breathing is something you take for granted. We assume we are breathing correctly
but this is not necessarily the case. Most people have a very shallow breathing
pattern and this can add to our everyday stress. When we get anxious, we tend to
take short, rapid breaths. One way to relax under pressure is to purposely slow your
breathing and take long, deep breaths.
Some time ago, I learned a breathing technique which has been very useful for
increasing my energy levels. It is something I can use at any time during the day if I
feel a bit run down. The technique itself is pretty simple and originally comes from
one of the yoga breathing exercises. If you are going to try this, please remember
not to strain at any time and to stop if you feel dizzy or lightheaded. It is not
necessary to strain when doing this technique. Regular, sustained practice, over
time will benefit you more than trying to master this in your first session. Of
course, if you are under the care of a medical practitioner, please consult with
them before undertaking this or any other physical exercise.
Essentially, the technique is this: Inhale for a count of say five or six (if this is too
much, use a shorter count). Hold it for a count equal to 4 times the inhale count,
then exhale for a count equal to twice the inhale count. For instance, using 5 as
your inhale, you would hold the breath for a count of 20 and exhale for a count of
10. Like I said, do not strain. If this ratio is too strenuous (if you smoke or are not
in great shape it may well be too much) you can use a ratio of 1 to 2 to 1. In this
case, you inhale for a count of say 5, hold for a count of 10 and exhale for a count of
5. Either way, if you practice this exercise for 5 to 10 repetitions, two to three
times a day, you will begin to feel the results in a short time. In addition to feeling
more energized, this type of breathing has a cleansing effect on your body. Deep
breathing causes lymph fluid to move through your system and helps to cleanse the
cells. All in all, this is an excellent practice and I think you will enjoy it.

Personal Development — Mental Health

The Still Small Voice
In the July issue of Jems, I wrote about how every spiritual leader and philosopher
in recorded history, along with every stress reduction program being taught, has
encouraged the practice of meditation.
To delve further into this concept, let us take a look at some of what takes place
when we sit quietly and “go within.” The obvious is that our blood pressure is
lowered and our heart rate slows. What follows is not so obvious. When a person
reaches the “alpha” state, a state associated with deep meditation, many events
take place. This is the state associated with “waking sleep”, a state when our brain
is producing waves in the alpha range (4–8 hz. per second) as opposed to our
regular awake (“beta”) state of 10–15 hz. per second and above. These higher brain
wave states are what is called anxiety and stress.
In the alpha state, in addition to feeling calmer and being more relaxed, our bodies
work more efficiently. Our internal healing mechanism is activated and our brain’s
ability to produce neurotransmitter activity is increased. These activities partially
explain some of the claims made for meditation. Claims like an increase in
intelligence and the elimination of illnesses. It is, in reality, our mind and body
working at their potential that is doing all this. This is part of our inherent
“magical” ability.
One Life To Live
If you want your life to be more memorable and exciting, try the following: Every
week do something, participate in an activity or whatever, that you will remember
for the rest of your life. Can you imagine living like this? Can you imagine how many
truly exciting activities you will experience? If you can, then go out and do it!
Yes, You Are Creative
We are all capable of creativity. To say you are not creative is to deny yourself the
experience and pleasure of creative endeavors. You may have not tapped into your
creative abilities as yet, but, that does not mean you do not have them. One simple
method of enhancing your creativity is to change the way you approach everyday
tasks. Your brain likes challenge and responds better to change than to routine. Try
looking at a problem or situation from the opposing viewpoint and see what ideas
you get.  Change your morning routine or any other daily occurrence. This will
stimulate your creative juices and I think you will be surprised how easily creative
ideas will begin to flow. Do not judge ideas, just relax and let them flow!

Business Bits

Coming Soon!
Bovan Associates will be offering the entire Nightengale–Conant Audio &Video
library at discount prices to our readers. Now you can continue your self–
development program, improve business and selling skills among your staff, and
save money in the process. For more information about this, please call our office.
Don’t Giftwrap Garbage
It is not necessary to perform insignificant tasks perfectly. Efficient people get
things done right, while effective people get the right things done!
Type Tip
Studies with various kinds of printed material have concluded that using all capital
letters in body copy reduces the readers comprehension by more than 60%. Your
copy is more likely to be read and understood if you use upper and lower case type.
Don’t Forget The Home Business
Home based businesses, according to Home Office Computing magazine, are
responsible for buying more than $25 Billion in products and services since the
beginning of 1992. This figure represents an increase of 18% over last year.
No They Never Returned
A recent survey of home based business owners concludes that the main reason for
starting their own business was the desire for independence and 88% of the survey
respondents said they would never return to the corporate environment. When
asked about the benefits, 78% said they were happier and 85% felt more relaxed.
Selling To The Home Office
One of the best ways of reaching this hard–to–locate market is by networking
through “leads clubs” or “home business clubs”, which are growing in popularity.

“Do Not Wish To Be Anything But What You Are, And Try To Be That Perfectly”
St. Francis DeSales

Jim’s Trend Watch
If you are following the women’s accessory industry, you will notice a movement
away from handbags and pocketbooks toward those “fanny packs” or “belt bags” as
they are called. Those are the small bags worn around the waist. This trend is
evidenced by the entry into this market by the top designers like Chanel and
Escada. Look for other manufacturers to follow suit (no pun intended). Good idea,
considering this puts less strain on your lower back.

Thanks, Thoughts, and Other Things
 From “Jems Readers”

Thanks From Readers
“Just received our copy of Jim’s Jems, thank you for sharing it with us.”
Jim & Pat, PA.
“Makes my job a little more bearable.”
Ken, NY
“I want to thank you for your newsletter and tell you how much I enjoy and
appreciate it. Every day, you and your family are in my prayers.”
Pat, NY
Jems On–line
“I would like permission to reproduce your newsletter on my local BBS, here in
Jefferson City, MO.”
Robert, MO.
“I recently read your newsletter with great interest. I found it informative and
worthwhile reading and would like to make it available to the members of my
organization. We have a local BBS here in Columbus, Ohio.”
Bruce, OH
(Both BBS’s along with Compuserve, America On–line, and Brainstormer now carry
Jim’s Jems. We welcome our electronic readership).
From Far Away
Dear Jim:
I sit here quietly in the background and always read your newsletter. Quite simply,
it’s excellent and keep up the good work. I just wanted to drop you a line so you
know we are out here in the world.”
Edward, United Kingdom
Jim:
I have just read with interest your July issue of Jim’s Jems. Do keep up the good
work.”
Jill, United Kingdom
Thank to all of you whose positive response has been the inspiration for my
continuing to publish “Jems”. I sincerely hope you find the information here
beneficial and useful.
Jim Donovan, Editor

Please send your comments, suggestions, or questions to:
Jim’s Jems
P.O. Box 080157
Staten Island, N.Y. 10308
or Fax [phone]
©1992, Bovan Associates, All Rights Reserved • P.O. Box 080157 • Staten Island,
N.Y. 10308 • Tel. [phone] • Fax. [phone]