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DC's attorney general has sued 14 of the city's largest landlord firms, claiming they entered into agreements with a property management software firm to keep rent prices high in a city with a housing affordability crisis. From a report: The complaint, filed earlier today by Attorney General Brian Schwalb, focuses on the multifamily landlords' use of software from Texas-based firm RealPage, which suggests rental prices based on a pricing algorithm. Key to those models, according to the suit, is the data fed in from the landlords and the pressure RealPage puts on them to stick to the code-derived rental rates. "RealPage and the defendant landlords illegally colluded to artificially raise rents by participating in a centralized, anticompetitive scheme, causing District residents to pay millions of dollars above fair market prices," Schwalb said in a release tied to the complaint. The collaboration "amounts to a District-wide housing cartel," Schwalb said, noting that "well over" 30 percent of buildings with five or more units use RealPage's software, along with 60 percent of 50-unit-plus buildings. Across a wider Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area, more than 90 percent of units in large buildings are subject to RealPage pricing, according to Schwalb's office. RealPage's rent management service, YieldStar, has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years. RealPage and the property management firms utilizing their software were the subject of a class-action suit filed in the Southern District of California in October 2022, alleging the "cartel" artificially inflated prices. The Department of Justice's Antitrust Division opened an investigation in November 2022 into RealPage's role in potential landlord collusion.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from CBC.ca: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blasted social media giant Meta on Monday over its decision to block local news as wildfires continue to force thousands of Canadians from their homes. "Right now in an emergency situation, where up-to-date local information is more important than ever, Facebook is putting corporate profits ahead of people's safety, ahead of quality local journalism. This is not the time for that," he said during a stop at the Island Montessori Academy in Cornwall, P.E.I. on Monday morning. "It is so inconceivable that a company like Facebook is choosing to put corporate profits ahead of ensuring that local news organizations can get up-to-date information to Canadians and reach them where Canadians spend a lot of their time -- online, on social media, on Facebook." Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has blocked Canadians from viewing news from Canadian outlets in response to the Liberal government passing its Online News Act, Bill C-18, in June. Google has threatened similar action. The law forces large social media platforms to negotiate compensation for Canadian news publishers when their content is shared. As a result, content from news providers in the North -- including CBC, the local newspaper The Yellowknifer and digital broadcaster Cabin Radio -- is being blocked and people can't access or share information from news sources on Facebook and Instagram, two of the most popular social media sites. In a statement sent to CBC News last week, the company said it's sticking to its position. It also said government sites and other sources that disseminate information aren't subject to the ban. "This is Facebook's choice," said Trudeau. "We're simply saying that in a democracy, quality local journalism matters. And it matters now more than ever before, when people are worried about their homes, worried about communities, worried about the worst summer for extreme weather events we've had in a long, long time." Meanwhile, Meta spokesperson David Troya-Alvarez said: "People in Canada are able to use Facebook and Instagram to connect to their communities and access reputable information, including content from official government agencies, emergency services and non-governmental organizations." Meta says it has activated a "Safety Check" feature that allows users to mark on their profile they're safe from the wildfires.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

guerrillatech:

New comic!
Today's News:

I don't know rainbow-hair-chick irl, but she's based on an actual GWS reader who still uses this cartoon drawing of her as her avatar, which tickles me every time I see it!

I remember a few of the readers who lent me their cute faces for the background peeps, too. Y'all are the best. :)

Here's the old post!

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Hill: PowerPoint presentations from Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies indicate that the company has a larger role in China's surveillance efforts than was previously known, according to The Washington Post. The Post reviewed over 100 Huawei PowerPoint presentations, many of them labeled "confidential," in which the company detailed how the government could use its technologies to identify voices, track people for political purposes and monitor the movements of inmates within prisons, among other surveillance tactics. While the Post could not confirm who the presentations were shown to, the newspaper said that PowerPoints detailing surveillance tactics specific to government agencies -- such as slides appearing to refer to China's controversial prison reeducation and labor programs -- may have been intended for government audiences. While China's Communist Party depends on tools such as facial recognition to find dissenters, it has warned tech companies like Huawei against misusing the technology in the private sector, the Post said. "Huawei has no knowledge of the projects mentioned in the Washington Post report," the company said in a statement to the Washington Post. "Like all other major service providers, Huawei provides cloud platform services that comply with common industry standards."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Volkswagen wants to use an open-source approach to refine elements of a software-based car operating system being developed by the carmaker, Christian Senger, its board member responsible for digital services and software, said. From a report: With the advent of autonomous driving, carmakers have been forced to link up radar, camera and ultrasonic sensors and connect them to braking and steering components, something which requires thousands of lines of software code. "There is a race to create automotive operating systems. We are seeing that many non-automotive players are building up competence in this area," Senger told Reuters. By 2025, VW wants to increase its own share of software development on its cars to 60%, from 10% at present, and to design the electronics and vehicle architecture as well. Volkswagen board member Thomas Ulbrich said in March that U.S. electric car manufacturer Tesla has a 10-year start on rivals when it comes to building electric cars and software. "In future there will likely be fewer automotive operating systems than carmakers," Senger explained. Volkswagen will define the core operating system but may seek an open source approach to enhance elements of it. "The operating system is not something that we will control on our own. We will define its core and then quickly include open-source components, to create standards. This will create opportunities for partnerships," Senger said.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee also appeared to rebuff the GOP's call to have Hunter Biden testify.

When Japan attempted its final, fateful corner kick during Monday’s World Cup Round of 16 match against Belgium, it had five players in its opponent’s box and a sixth lurking just outside it. Despite letting a 2–0 lead slip away, Japan wasn’t trying to run out the clock and play for penalties. It was going for the win in the 94^th minute. The decision backfired spectacularly.

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois caught Japan on its heels, and it took only nine seconds from the moment when the ball left his hands to when it hit the back of Eiji Kawashima’s net.

The Belgian counterattack was both remarkable and completely avoidable. Had Japan trapped the ball by the corner flag and milked the clock, I’d be writing about what happened in extra time and possibly penalty kicks right now.

Japan is not known for its swashbuckling spirit on the pitch, and it got to the knockout round partly due to its cautious approach. It was the first team ever to progress thanks to FIFA fair play points, as Japan had accumulated fewer yellow cards than Senegal during the group stage. Against Belgium, however, Japan’s attacking players looked anything but scared, and they outshone their celebrated counterparts in the early stages of the the second half.

Both of Japan’s goals came in a shocking four-minute span, and each was positively splendid. The first came in the 48^th minute, when Takashi Inui, the country’s standout star this tournament, found Genki Haraguchi streaking down the right flank. Haraguchi’s little stutter-step was perfectly off-rhythm, and the syncopation opened a path for him to shoot.

Inui topped his inch-perfect assist with a blistering shot in the 52^nd minute. The goal was set up by Shinji Kagawa’s impromptu juggling show outside Belgium’s box, and it marked the precise moment when the match revealed itself to be an ayahuasca hallucination.

Belgium responded with two quick goals of its own, but Japan did not relent. It played with stylish abandon for most of the second half, and a dipping, 35-yard Keisuke Honda free kick forced a save from Courtois in stoppage time. Japan threw all but two of its outfield players forward for the resulting corner kick, but this valiant attempt to win in the most exciting way possible resulted in a thrilling loss.

Playing to have no regrets sometimes ends in regretful fashion. We should all thank Japan for learning this lesson the hard way.

They've been talking to each other on video chat every day for four years, but they have never met in person until this occasion.

The end of Gawker is also the end of an era in the web's short history. The post Peter Thiel Just Got His Wish: Gawker Is Shutting Down appeared first on WIRED.

Knife sharpening is an art, a craft, and a way to communicate. And from our work and time spent with Yohhei Sato, he really lives and breathes this stuff. He's a passionate craftsmen and he'll join us tonight for Curiosity Club to talk about the art of knife sharpening.

Sato grew up on his family's rice farm in the countryside of northern Japan and learned sharpening skills from his uncle who is a tuna butcher and his grandfather who also taught outdoor skills. Now, Sato rides his bike all around Portland teaching skills and involving the community in the craft. 

Join us for his talk tonight where he'll speak about the importance of a strong work ethic and involving communities in craft. He'll surely sharpen some knives, too.

See you at 6 PM PST at Hand-Eye Supply (427 NW Broadway, Portland, OR 97209) or head to the Curiosity Club homepage for a live stream.

“It’s not what you look at that matters; it’s what you see.” ~Henry David Thoreau

We don’t see with our physical eyes, we see with our minds. I learned this lesson the hard way when I turned fifty-five. Suddenly, new wrinkles, deeper crow’s feet, dry eyes, and dryer skin seem to enjoy welcoming me each morning when I looked in my mirror.

I began to notice other people my age and I would automatically compare my appearance to theirs. Was she younger looking than me? Did she still appear under fifty (even when I knew she wasn’t)?

As you might guess, the negative train of doubt, comparison, and judgment did not fill me with joy. Instead, a looming sense of dread began to permeate through my life, dragging me into the abyss of aging despair. Hope became a lost memory, and the inevitability of growing older my reality.

My age stories became a lens through which I saw my life.

My mirror was my worst enemy. The more anti-aging skin care products I bought, the less I liked myself. It soon became a self-fulling prophecy—I thought I looked old, so I started acting older.

It wasn’t until after I meditated that I realized the trap I had fallen into—telling myself limiting stories when I had the same ability to tell myself something positive and empowering. I learned to shine my awareness on the negative beliefs and use a simple process to reframe them.

Story Alchemy™ to the Rescue

The word “alchemy” has earned a bad reputation over the centuries. Magic and witchcraft are associated with it, as well as charlatans and sorcerers. But alchemy is really about transformation.

Instead of changing lead into gold, Story Alchemy guides you through a simple four-step process to transform your limiting stories from negative to empowering.

The four steps are:

1. Realize.

You have to first realize that you created your story. No one else—just you. When you accept this fact, it returns your power to change your story.

2. Responsibility.

Once you acknowledge that you created your story, you understand that you have the responsibility to change it. If your story keeps you playing small, then it’s time to decide to tell a different version.

3. Reframe.

This is the fun part! Reframing requires looking at the situation or person and seeing another side that you did not acknowledge before now. Every situation can be reframed into a positive version. If nothing else, that fact that you survived to tell the story is cause enough to celebrate.

4. Release.

The last step requires forgiveness of yourself for creating the limiting story. Being kind and compassionate to yourself releases you to tell your new story. The old one has served its purpose, now it is time to let it go and replace it with the new, empowering version.

How did I use Story Alchemy to see past the physical evidence of growing older? I realized that I had accepted society’s definition of age, and I set about creating a new definition.

Now when you ask me how old I am, I will always respond (with a twinkle in my eye) that “I am as old as I think I am. Today, I think I am in the mid-forties.”

The person usually laughs and nods her head, acknowledging my joie-de-vivre if not my humor.

My declaration of age in terms of how I feel makes me happy, because tomorrow, I can decide again how old I feel. My self-image and value is not tied to a number that I can’t control, which is quite a liberating concept.

As I began telling my new story about my age, I noticed something peculiar. Whenever I passed by a mirror, I deliberately stopped and took a moment to look deep into my own eyes. A spark of divine light was always waiting for me to acknowledge it.

Knowing that I am the embodiment of such loving energy always puts a spring in my step and a smile on my lips. I know that I am not just my body or my age, but part of something so much bigger than myself.

Of course, age is only one topic that is ripe for limiting stories. There are so many more—money, relationships, career…the list could easily expand beyond the word count for this article. The point is to start becoming aware of your limiting stories and make a conscious decision to pivot and tell a more empowering version.

For example, if you are struggling in a relationship or have a history of “failed” relationships, why not take some time to discover the thread that runs through your past? It is helpful to pretend that you are an “explorer” and you want to discover the buried treasure in your past. Some questions you might ask yourself are:

• Why do you believe that relationship ended?

• What did the other person claim was the reason?

• What limiting story do you carry with you about that relationship?

As you dig deeper into the rich soil of your past, you will discover some artifacts of insight. Make a chart and write down what you discover about each relationship. A pattern may begin to emerge that will lead you to a common story you told yourself that led you to act in a way that impacted the health of the relationship.

Remember, the stories you tell yourself filter your reality. If you believe that you are incapable of forming new relationships because you are too sensitive, then you will be. If you are convinced that you are too old to learn a new career, you will remain stuck. If you always feel constricted around the topic of money, then its energy will never flow the way it is supposed to.

After you alchemize your limiting stories, you will see the light instead of the dark. Your sensitivity in relationships actually makes you a better listener and friend. Your work experience is valuable, especially when you are confronted with conflict because you have a deeper understanding of people and their motivations. Money is seen as just an exchange of value, instead of a definition of your value.

When you begin using your new, empowering story, observe the changes that naturally result in your relationships. Because you have changed your internal dialogue, your external actions will also shift.

You may also discover small bits of your authenticity that you had forgotten. You may find that you laugh more often and you give yourself permission to be playful or silly. As you peel away the layers of limiting stories, your vision will clear and you will see yourself and your world from a new perspective.

The end result is that your mind and eyes will begin to see the same things. No longer in conflict, you will notice random moments of happiness and joy bursting into your awareness. Be forewarned: spontaneous dancing may also occur!

Get in the conversation! Click here to leave a comment on the site.

The post How to Release the Limiting Stories That Keep You Stuck and Unhappy appeared first on Tiny Buddha.

The cockroach-like resilience of the Islamic State’s social media cheerleaders has bewildered American law enforcement.

Desktop Neo

User interface concept by Lennart Ziburski proposes modern method of using our computers - gone are windows, files and folders, in are hashtags, gaze selection and gesture inputs:

The desktop computer hasn’t changed much in the last 30 years. It’s still built on windows, folders and mouse input. But we have changed. We now use smartphones and tablets most of the time, since they are much easier to use.

The traditional desktop computer is struggling to adapt the simple interfaces of mobile devices while also keeping its focus on productivity. With people switching to mobile devices for mundane tasks, we have the opportunity to rethink the desktop computer with a focus on getting professional work done.    

Neo is a conceptual desktop operating system interface that is built for todays people, needs and technologies. Visualized below are ideas that were designed to inspire and provoke discussions about the future of productive computing. I have no intention of taking this beyond the concept stage. However, I am putting my work out there hoping that people built upon it.

More Here

heya,

second animated illustration for a series of three.

Thoughts on ageism, and what I believe could be a powerful way to combat it.

Generation Ice Flow: Combating Ageism

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/generation-ice-flow-combating-ageism-david-hunt-pe

An anonymous reader writes "The virtual currency Bitcoin lost 21 per cent of its value yesterday, equating to a total loss this year of 44 per cent. Reports have suggested that this rapid fall is squeezing computer supporting systems and is raising alarm about its future viability. Bitcoin's value fell to $179.37, 85 per cent lower than its record peak of $1,165 at the end of 2013. In total, nearly $11.3bn has been lost in Bitcoin's value since its 2013 high. The decline has raised concern for Bitcoin 'miners' who support the transactions made in the digital currency, and whose profits become squeezed as its price falls against traditional currencies." The Coindesk article in the linked story gives a blow-by-blow on yesterday's valuation drop; right now, Bitcoin has jumped back up and stands at just over $216.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

DeviceGuru writes with an excerpt that may be of interest especially for mobile users with cheap, always available wireless data: "An OpenWRT Linux-based hardware adapter called Plug designed for unifying USB-connected storage met its $69,000 Kickstarter pledge goal in 12 hours. The tiny Plug device eschews cloud storage for a localized approach whereby an app or driver installed on each participating computer or mobile device intercepts filesystem accesses, and redirects data reads and writes to storage drives attached to the user's Plug device. The Plug enjoyed one of the fastest fulfillments in Kickstarter history, meeting its goal in 12 hours, and has already soared to over $223,000 in funding."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Laser cutters are machines that cut shapes out of flat material. Because laser cutters use digital files and the cutting is very precise, it’s possible to create multi-component parts with tight tolerances and ornate patterns. Laser cutters are used to make everything from jewelry to furniture. I’m much more excited about laser cutting than 3D printing as a tool for making stuff.

Laser cutters are becoming affordable (some sell for under $1000) but they require ventilation systems (to get rid of the combustion fumes), which add to their expense and complexity. I know a few people who have laser printers at home, but for most people (including me) it’s not practical. A better option is to use Ponoko, an online laser cutting service. You design your part using any 2D vector program that exports EPS or SVG files (like Adobe Illustrator, which is what I use), upload the design, select the material you want to use (cardboard, fabric, leather, metal, paper, plastic, rubber, or many different kinds of wood), and submit the design. In a few days, your order arrives in a brown paper package.

I’ve used Ponoko to make a white acrylic art frame in the shape of a giant eye (for one of my daughter’s paintings) and for an Arduino-controlled peanut butter mixer I invented (photo above). I laid out the design for the peanut butter mixer on a 384.0 mm long x 384.0 mm wide template (image below) and ordered it to be printed on a sheet of 3-ply, 6.7 mm bamboo (which was large enough to fit four mixers). It cost $40, including shipping. It turned out great.

-- Mark Frauenfelder

Ponoko
Prices vary based on material and size

Component from an ongoing ID exploration...

**UPDATE: Scrapped due to a conflict with a similar mark.

“The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own.” ~Benjamin Disraeli

When I entered into a relationship with my ex-boyfriend four years ago, I felt I had found a kindred spirit. We met at a meditation retreat where we both volunteered in the kitchen.

I found myself touched by the sincerity of his smile and the kindness and compassion he showed to everyone as Kitchen Manager.

He had lost his leg in childhood but was never bitter, self-conscious, or self-defeated. He amazed me with his ability to be carefree and lived each day being present in the moment, which was the opposite of how I had previously lived.

He inspired me to look at life differently, to devote myself to living authentically, and to care more for my physical and spiritual self.

Soon after we met, we decided to forego having a long-distance relationship and that he would move in with me. In this new city he had no friends, no money, and no job, but we both felt the excitement of potential and we were in love.

We laughed and cried together. We talked about our hopes, fears, and dreams. We held each other close and learned how to be a “we.”

I started small in helping him: I bought him new clothes and shoes. I paid for food and didn’t charge him rent. Then I bought him a laptop and paid for joint activities and our vacations together. We agreed that it would all be temporary. He was determined to be financially independent soon.

He was grateful at first, telling me that he really appreciated everything I was doing for him, and I felt I was making a difference in his life. I saw his potential and we discussed how he would eventually build a career of his own.

Meanwhile, with his emotional support and guidance, I was living a more spiritual life than I had ever done before. I took many classes and was preparing to start my own business in body and energy work, while still holding down a full-time job in the corporate world.

We discussed that, in the near future, I would quit my day job and we would build a business together. Then a series of setbacks: his mother’s death, his need for a new prosthetic leg, and his inability to find a satisfying and financially supportive job.

I found myself feeling increasingly impatient and resentful as he became more and more emotionally distant and spent the better part of each day playing video games.

Finally, wanting to heal him of his passivity and frustration, I invested for him to take a six-month long life coaching course out of state. We reaffirmed our commitment to each other, and we both hoped that this was a new beginning.

After two months apart, he told me that he felt wonderful and hopeful and that he was back on his authentic path because of this training.

What I did not expect was that he had time to think about our relationship and had come to the conclusion that he felt trapped and obligated for everything he owed me, and was therefore no longer able to be in relationship with me.

Being with me was a constant reminder of how low he had sunk in his life and how dependent and weak he was. He didn’t like feeling as if he was a liability in someone else’s life.

I felt betrayed, angry, and hurt. Throughout our relationship, I had tried to help him by giving him everything I had to offer, but it wasn’t enough.

I had to learn that no matter how hard I tried to help him, I could not give so much of myself that I become depleted financially, emotionally, and energetically.

My lesson was to learn how to help others without compromising myself. Here’s what I’ve learned about that: 

1. You can’t help someone who is not taking responsibility for helping himself. 

Sometimes, no matter how much you give, the other person doesn’t seem to meet you halfway. It seems like the more you try to help them, the more they stay the same, or worse, regress.

Maybe they have become so used to your helping them that they no longer have the ability to see where they need to help themselves. Or maybe they take your helping for granted so they feel they no longer need to participate.

2. Sometimes, doing nothing is helping them.

When someone asks you for help in some tangible way or when you see the obvious need in others, especially a loved one, it’s very hard to say no. However, before you say yes, ask yourself what’s the cost to you.

Are you compromising yourself in some way that is beyond your personal boundaries? Sometimes by saying no and doing nothing, you’re giving them a chance to take responsibility for their own lives and help themselves.

3. Helping someone doesn’t mean fixing them.

Often, you think you know what is best for another person, but you don’t truly know what is for their highest good or what life has in store for them. They are in a situation because they need to learn some spiritual or life lessons.

You can’t shortchange their learning process, no matter how hard you try to help them, if they’re not in the right place and time to learn those lessons.

4. You can help by accepting them as and where they are.

We all have judgments about ourselves and others. However, helping means accepting the other person as they are and where they are on their life’s path.

It can be excruciatingly painful to sit by and watch the other person self-destruct or seemingly do nothing to help themselves, but maybe this is what they need right now in order to become more aware in themselves.

5. Don’t be attached to the outcome of your helping.

You may have expectations of what someone would become and what they’d do with their lives once you help them. You want to see this person feel better, be happier, healthier, and make better life decisions.

However, it’s not up to you to put intention in the other person’s space. What’s good for them may not be what you expect, and you might not like or agree with the outcome. Let go of attachment to your own ego and your own vision of what the other person will become once they’re helped.

6. Send loving, compassionate intention.

Know that your intention to help another person, when it’s from a place of neutrality, love, and compassion, will always be helpful, whether or not you feel you’re doing enough. Just having the intention to help and sending your peaceful, loving energy to the other person and their situation is sometimes the best thing to do.

Thoughts have energy, so even if you just send compassionate thoughts to the other person, you are doing something to help.

–

Other people are often mirrors for our own growth. Wanting to heal others is a way of being aware of what we want to heal within ourselves. By being lovingly compassionate and accepting of ourselves and our boundaries, we can not only help others, but we can also help ourselves.

Photo by rabiem22

The post How to Help Others Without Compromising Yourself appeared first on Tiny Buddha.

“The lives we lead have everything to do with the questions we ask ourselves.” ~Lori Deschene

You lay in bed night after night, tossing and turning, eager to push forward but unable to shake off the onslaught of what-ifs.

What if I’m making a huge mistake? What if I fail utterly and miserably? What if I’m overestimating my ability to go through with this? What-if…? What-if…?

Yet, no matter how crazy your anxiety and fears seem right now, you can snap out of it and make that new start you so desperately desire.

How do I know?

Let me tell you a little story…

The Grand Decision to Quit a Great Job

Two years ago, on a day that started like any other, I got an unexpected call from my husband from the hospital. “Don’t worry. They just want to run some tests before letting me go,” he said.

He ended up having a four-hour emergency procedure followed by complications that landed him in the ICU for four days. Then a week of recuperation at home, followed by another mad dash to the emergency room.

We needed weeks to get back to the “new” normal. Slowly the truth sunk in—my husband will likely live to a ripe old age, but he has a chronic condition and we’ll always have an invisible sword hanging over our heads.

Something in me changed irrevocably after that incident.

I set out on a crazy journey that has transformed into a complete overhaul of our lives. Part of the change process was my decision to quit the job that paid well, but sapped the life out of me.

I planned every waking hour to discover an alternate way to earn a modest livelihood while living a life of purpose. I saved diligently and prepared my family and friends for what was to come.

Then, ever so slowly, it was time. I set a date to resign.

The Moment of Truth

It took me two years from the time of my husband’s hospitalization to get to this point. You’d think I’d be excited and thrilled, right?

Instead, an intense anxiety attack seized me. It took me completely by surprise. I couldn’t sleep. A slew of what-ifs threatened to wash away my resolute decision.

In desperation, I brought it up with my mentor Jon Morrow. Jon got me to ask myself a few questions that finally snapped me out of the paralyzing grip of fear and anxiety.

Question 1: Be a pessimist for five minutes. What’s the worst that can happen?

My first reaction was: Why, the world will come to an end!

But even in my crazy, anxious state, that sounded too dramatic and exaggerated. So, I tackled the what-ifs.

I could be making a big mistake. But, I’d still have my resume, work experience, and the good relationship with my (soon to be ex-) colleagues. If it was indeed a mistake, I could always go back and get a regular job. A little humbling, but not quite the end of the world.

I’ll fail utterly and miserably. At making money—possibly, yes. But with other things—like trying to become a better person, a better parent, and creating a better world starting with my family first—there’s no failing. As for the money, again I could just go back to a regular job. Nowhere near the end of the world.

I’m overestimating my ability to go through with this. OK, that’s just whining. Enough, already!

So, ask yourself: What if all your what-ifs came true? What is the worst that can happen?

Question 2: What’ll happen if you don’t make the change?

I suddenly had this vision of a rich bride on the way to the altar to marry a poor bloke she desperately loved, get married, and live happily ever after in a tiny cottage, wearing the same two gingham dresses all her life—or bolt back to the comfort of her rich parents but be wretched for the rest of her life.

Frankly, neither option looked very enticing.

But if I had to make a choice, I think I would rather go ahead with the marriage. I could always spruce up that cottage and, heck, maybe even make a fine fashion accessory with the hay from the barn. Or something.

So, ask yourself: Why did you want to make the change in the first place? What do you stand to lose if you don’t make the change?

Question 3: What’s the real reason for your anxiety?

I had no rational reason to feel anxious; I had covered pretty much all the bases.

Or so I thought.

As I dug deeper though, I realized my anxiety was essentially an identity crisis.

I had spent the better part of the last 20 years being an engineer, and in the pursuit of making money.

And here I was, on the verge of throwing that away. And with it, my old identity.

While the rational part of me was okay with it, and even looking forward to it, a core part of me found it hard to let go.

So, ask yourself: Are there any obvious reasons for your anxiety? If not, are there any underlying reasons that you may not have recognized yet?

Question 4: What Little Step Can You Take Now to Get Started?

I knew switching my identities overnight was unrealistic. So, I took steps to slowly ease into my new identity.

I took two days off each week and on those days, I wrote articles for blogs that I admired (just like this one) and interacted with their audiences. This let me test-drive being a blogger—my new identity—without actually having my own blog.

I immersed myself in books on self-help and parenting, the topic of my future blog.

I interacted with other bloggers through comments, emails, forums, and Facebook groups.

And with each passing week, my anxiety shrank.

So, ask yourself: What can you do right now to see the other side of change, in spite of the anxiety? Who can you reach out to that can help you quiet the negative inner voice?

Finally, at the end of March, I walked into my manager’s office and handed in my two weeks’ notice. I felt calm. I felt in control. We had a nice chat and wished each other luck.

Bottom Line

In the end it all comes down to one thing: change isn’t easy.

Despite your best-laid plans, you will have a few very low points. Your chances of success are often a result of how well you respond to them.

This—the fear, the anxiety and the panic of starting—is just one of the low points.

If you can beat this fear, you will not just succeed at making a new start now, but you’ll significantly improve your chances of surviving through all the future lows.

So, what’s it going to be? Ready to ask yourself some tough questions?

After all, what’s the worst that could happen?

Photo by Chang’r

A while back, I took Duann Scott up on an offer to visit Shapeways' factory in Long Island City, New York, so I could see where nylon and lasers come together to make fantastic objects.

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Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Lissa Rankin of 6 Steps To Healing Yourself.

Take a moment and check in with yourself. How is your body feeling right in this moment? If you’re generally healthy, check in for subtle symptoms. Is your neck feeling tense? Does your lower back ache? Do you have a headache? Are you exhausted — again? Or perhaps you’re battling a more serious health diagnosis and you’re experiencing symptoms from your health condition.

Whether you’re experiencing the nuisance of a minor physical symptom, the more concerning stress of a serious health condition, or simple curiosity about how you might maximize your vitality and longevity, I’m psyched to share with you something they never taught me in medical school.

The Body Knows How To Heal Itself

Your body is beautifully equipped with natural self-repair mechanisms that are under the influence of thoughts, feelings and beliefs that originate in your mind. It knows how to kill cancer cells, fix broken proteins, slow aging, eliminate toxins, fight infections, get rid of foreign bodies, and otherwise keep you healthy. Things go awry and disease manifests when these self-repair mechanisms fail to function properly.

But here’s the kicker. Your nervous system has two operating systems — the “fight-or-flight” stress response dominated by the sympathetic nervous system and the relaxation response run by the parasympathetic nervous system. Only when your nervous system is in a relaxation response do your body’s self-repair mechanisms function!

The stress response is there to protect you in case a tiger chases you. But these days, we’re pretty safe from tigers, and yet our stress responses get triggered, on average, over 50 times per day. How? The amygdala in your lizard brains perceives negative thoughts, beliefs, and feelings, such as financial fears, relationship worries, work stress, loneliness, or pessimism, as threats equally scary as a tiger. Then BOOM. The scaredy-cat amygdala goes on red alert, and when this happens, our bodies can’t repair themselves. No wonder we get sick!

6 Simple Steps To Activate Your Body’s Self-Repair Mechanisms

You don’t have to be at the mercy of your stress responses. As I teach in my new book Mind Over Medicine: Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Yourself, you can be proactive about activating your body’s natural self-healing. Try these scientifically-proven steps as a health prevention strategy or as treatment for any health condition you might be battling.

Step 1: Believe You Can Heal Yourself

Don’t believe that positive belief can cure the body? Think again! The medical establishment has been proving that the mind can cure the body for over 50 years. We call it “the placebo effect,” and it has been proven to cause resolution of symptoms- and real physiological change — in 18-80% of the patients in clinical trials who are treated with nothing more than sugar pills, saline injections, or fake surgeries.

As long as you believe your condition is “incurable” or “chronic,” it will be. Don’t believe your health condition could possibly resolve? Check out the Spontaneous Remission Project, a compilation of over 3,500 case studies proving that spontaneous remission has been reported for just about every illness out there- Stage 4 cancers, HIV, diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, autoimmune diseases, even an untreated gunshot wound to the head!

For my skeptical physician mind, reading through all these case studies was a paradigm shift. It’s kind of like the story of the 4-minute mile. Exercise physiologists used to think the body was physiologically incapable of running a mile in less than 4 minutes — and so no athlete ever did it. Then in 1954, Roger Bannister ran a mile in three minutes and fifty-nine seconds. Once that limiting belief was shattered, virtually every athlete that competes in a world-class event has run the mile in under four minutes. Today’s world-record time for the mile is 3:43:15, more than 15 seconds under 4 minutes.

What if your belief that the body can’t heal itself is like the 4-minute mile? For some mind-blowing stories about how positive belief can radically affect your health, watch my TEDx talk Is There Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Yourself?.

Scientific data proves that once you believe healing is possible, it can be. So what do you believe?

Step 2: Find The Right Support

To say that you can heal yourself is sort of a misnomer because the scientific data proves that, equally essential to positive belief is the nurturing care of a true healer, someone optimistic who shares your positive belief, includes you in true partnership, respects your intuition, cares for your wellbeing, and ensures you that you won’t be alone on your self-healing journey.

Do you have the right healers on your health care team?

Step Three: Listen To Your Body & Your Intuition

Nobody knows your body better than you, not even a doctor. We doctors may know the arteries of the leg or the anatomy of your organs better than you, but you know what’s best for your own body better than anyone else. When my literary agent first read Mind Over Medicine, she said, “Lissa, before I read this book, I honestly thought my body was none of my business. Now I know better.”

Yes! Your body is indeed your business. So listen to your intuition and trust what it tells you.

Not in touch with your intuition? Then listen to your body, which is one vehicle your intuition uses to speak to you. If you have a physical sensation in your body — pain, tightness, nausea, clenching, dizziness — ask your body what it is trying to communicate to you. Then listen up! This is the voice of your inner wisdom and it will always lead you directly to your true north.

Step Four: Diagnose The Root Causes Of Your Illness

Your doctor may give you one kind of diagnosis- migraines or irritable bowel syndrome or breast cancer, for example. But the kind of diagnosis I’m talking about gets at the root of what might have triggered stress responses in your body and deactivated your body’s self-healing mechanisms, thereby making your body vulnerable to illness.

What aspects of your life are activating your stress responses? What relaxation response-inducing activities — like meditation, creative expression, laughter, engaging in work you love, massage, yoga, or playing with animals — have you been neglecting?

Illness is often a wake up call, forcing us to get down and dirty with what’s really true in our lives. We can either play the victim or we can use illness as an opportunity to awaken.

If you’re struggling with a physical issue, what might lie at the root of it? For more ideas about what might lie at the root of your illness, check out my TEDx talk The Shocking Truth About Your Health.

Step Five: Write The Prescription For Yourself

This won’t be the kind of prescription you fill at a pharmacy, though it certainly may include elements of Western medicine. It’s more of a self-guided action plan intended to make your body ripe for optimal health and full recovery.

So ask yourself, “What does my body need in order to heal?” Your Prescription may include diet changes, an exercise regimen, and a conventional medical treatment plan. But it may also include getting out of a toxic relationship, quitting a soul-sucking job, adding a meditation practice, taking steps to get out of debt, or following a passion.

Be as specific as you can. Then muster up the courage to put your plan into action!

Step Six: Surrender Attachment To Outcomes

What if you’ve adopted a positive attitude, found the right healer, tapped into your intuition and your body, diagnosed the root cause of your health condition, written The Prescription for yourself and put it into action- but you’re still sick? Are you doing something wrong? Is it your fault you’re still sick?

Absolutely not — and any talk of guilt, blame, or shame for someone on a healing journey only activates more stress responses and harms the body.

So what’s the deal? This is where the art of surrender comes in. Some patients do everything “right” and spontaneous remission happens. But others are the proverbial choir- and they’re still sick. Why does this happen? Honestly, I don’t know. The only real answer is a spiritual one. Perhaps our souls come here on this earth to learn lessons, and illness can be a spiritual practice, a way to learn our life lessons and a part of our soul’s destiny.

What I can say is that if you’ve followed the 6 steps, you’ve done everything within your power to make your body ripe for miracles — and the rest is out of your hands. So take a deep breath, trust The Universe, surrender attachment to any particular health outcome, and let any health condition you face be an opportunity for spiritual awakening.

Ready To Heal Yourself?

Are you motivated to put each of these steps into action? Will you do what it takes to reduce stress responses in your body and increase relaxation responses so your body can repair itself?

Read more from Lissa Rankin, MD on her blog, LissaRankin.com, where you can download the free eBook 10 Secrets to Healing Yourself. Her book Mind Over Medicine: Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Yourself, offers all the scientific proof skeptics will need in order to believe the mind really can heal the body. It also guides you through a series of exercises to help you implement the 6 Steps To Healing Yourself so you can make your body ripe for miracles.