Motivation

Click HERE for an elaborate post detailing how you can make a difference in protecting and preserving our environment. No matter what Kermit may have told you, it IS easy being green.

Even the smallest changes add up, so if we all educate ourselves and do our part, we can make certain the beautiful world we enjoy today will be the one our children and grandchildren can enjoy tomorrow.

All of us - every single one of us - has at least one change we need to make in our lives. We know full well what change needs to take place, and we certainly know WHY we want it to come about. The WHY may be more money, better health, better relationships, or better organization. Whatever the details, the change will be one that we know will add happiness and harmony to our lives.

Seems simple enough, right? What person in his or her right mind wouldn’t do whatever needed to be done to bring more happiness into their lives?

Unfortunately, there’s a reason I wrote “Seems simple enough” rather than just “Simple enough.” Change is hard!

Funny, we always look at people around us and ask, “Why won’t ____ just change?” or “Why can’t ______ just give up smoking? He’s not even trying!” Yet, when it comes to ourselves we fully recognize how difficult it is to change habits - many of which are habits of a lifetime. Trying to develop a new, better habit while trying to ditch an old one is like trying to create a new bike path, while ignoring the one that’s already there. It’s so easy to steer back to familiar territory, isn’t it? Keep Reading……

Longevity is top on all of our to do lists, but if we don’t keep our minds sharp it won’t be all it’s cracked up to be. Even with all of the jokes about “getting older” and forgetfullness, research shows that there is only a slight decline in mental acuity over time. It just takes a little longer sometimes!

Some problems, however, become more common with age and can certainly hinder your mental abilities. Hearing loss, changes in vision, medications - they’re all things that impact the way we receive and process information. Medications can actually affect concentration, initiate memory loss, or change the levels of key brain chemicals.

Did you know that Imaging Studies suggest that hypertension actually causes small strokes that damage the brain? People with high blood pressure are more prone to memory problems than those with normal blood pressure.

Fortunately, researchers have done their homework and serve us up a steady diet of ways to get sharp and stay sharp!

6 of the surefire “Stay Sharp” measures that all experts agree on are listed below: (If you read this blog or the articles on TMFC frequently, you’ll recognize many of them - they’re the same mind-stretching exercises and lifestyle we teach and preach)

Become More Mentally Active.
Make “becomming more mentally active” part of your daily life. Play challenging board games, read a lot more, work crossword puzzles, Jumbles, Sudoku, play a musical instrument - anything, basically that keeps your mind busy. Also, work on acquiring new skills, as your mind absolutely loves this sort of thing! Activities like this expand the web of in the brain and help keep neurons nimble and alive. Great stuff!

Make each moment count double,
~Joi

Jonathan Swift said, “Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.” Is that an amazing quote, or what? The longer you think about it, the more amazing it is.

Whether we call them visions, dreams, or aspirations - we all have them. We each picture how we want our life to be and we picture the “us” that’s in it. We have a vision of just who we want to be and we know the things we want to accomplish. No one else can see our visions but us, and that makes them pure gold. If they can’t see them, they can’t tell us that we’re wrong, they can’t get in our way, and they sure can’t take them away from us. They’re ours, all ours!

A sad reality is that sometimes we lose sight of our visions and dreams. We get busy with this thing called life and we lose touch with what it is we actually want from it. Instead, we get way too wrapped up in what it wants from us. Another pitfall is that we often get caught up in other people’s lives instead of our own. We’ll worry about what this person’s doing, where that person’s headed, what she’s thinking, what he’s doing wrong, etc. While it’s all fine and well - and even highly commendable - to be concerned with others, we aren’t doing them or ourselves any favors when we lose ourselves or our visions along the way.

It helps to frequently spend time alone with yourself and your thoughts. I’d even suggest picking a time of the day to do just that. Whether it’s on the way home from the office, while doing dishes, or even while taking a bath/shower at the end of the day. Set aside a period of time to hold yourself accountable. Remind yourself of your visions and dreams - then ask yourself, “What did I do today that brought me one step closer to my vision?” Also, “What did I do today that kept me rooted in place, neither going forward or backward?” Finally, “What did I do today that took me one step away from my vision?”

Knowing that you’ll have to face this line of questioning at the end of the day will keep your eyes focused on your goal during the day.

One more thing about visions. While it sounds incredibly stirring and wonderful to say things like, “Never give up, no matter what your vision is - never, ever give up….” - there’s something to keep in mind. If you’re playing a sport, it’s good to plant yourself firmly in position right? Let’s say you’re playing in a baseball game. You’re playing center field. You know your position when you take the field, right? You don’t go to the left..you don’t go to the right. You know where center is and you head off in that direction. As the pitcher throws the ball, you’re set in your position. But what if the batter doesn’t hit the ball right to you? How foolish would it be to think, “I’m staying put! If I believe in myself enough, I can stretch my arm a good 12 feet and…” And, you’re off the team, that’s what!

You’re a better player than that, though! You reposition yourself according to the flight of the ball and…. And, “Out one!” - that’s what.

Yes, our visions are golden and yes, we should hold them close to us. However, there are certain situations when they may need to be adjusted - according to the flight of life. Take, for instance, the men and women who’ve been told they can’t conceive. They hope, pray, believe, and even envision a miracle pregnancy. While anything is possible (especially if God is on your team), many families would have missed out on the most beautiful thing that ever happened to them if they hadn’t “repositioned” and chosen to adopt. There isn’t an adoptive parent in the world who’ll tell you they had to “settle” - they’ll tell you the absolute truth, they simply had to switch positions to find their precious child. Their “vision” still came true - it simply came from another direction.

Whether you’re able to stand your ground or you have to reposition to get what you want, keep your eyes on the ball. Hold yourself accountable at the end of one day and strive to do better the next. Everything you want from life is just around the corner. The only thing is, it won’t come to you - you have to go get it!

Make each vision count double,
~ Joi

The ridiculously gorgeous
Vision is the Art Art Print (above) is available at AllPosters.com

I was spending a little time alone with Greenville Kleiser last night while my husband was otherwise occupied. Fortunately for all involved, Mr. Kleiser is one of my favorite authors and the time we spend is in the confines of his wonderful books. We met last night in “Inspiration and Ideals” from 1917, and yes…that does make him an older man.

Greenville Kleiser wrote many motivational and inspirational books and self help articles (I’ll be adding these to my Self Help Daily Article’s Section, starting today.) - but one of the best things he ever penned was the following poem, “The Bridge You’ll Never Cross.” I think you’ll love it as much as I do.

It’s a great reminder to deal with things as they happen and not to invite worry or fear into your life. Most things we fret over never even happen!

THE BRIDGE YOU’LL NEVER CROSS

It’s what you think that makes the world
Seem dull or bright to you;
Your mind may color all things gray
Or make them radiant hue.
Be glad today, be true and wise,
Seek gold amid the dross;
Waste neither time nor thought about
The bridge you’ll never cross.

There’s useful work for you to do
With hand and brain and heart;
There’s urgent human service, too,
In which to take your part.
Make every opportunity
A gain and not a loss;
The best is yours, so do not fear
The bridge you’ll never cross.

If life seems drab and difficult
Just face it with a will;
You do not have to work alone
Since God is with you still.
Press on with courage toward the goal,
With Truth your shield emboss;
Be strong, look up, and just ignore
The bridge you’ll never cross.
- Greenville Kleiser

By James LaValle, R.Ph, CCN, ND

Over the years of working with patients, I have found people really fear losing their mind to dementia or Alzheimer’s. Now, two new studies show that Metabolic Syndrome may be a risk factor of these dreaded conditions. Why? Because at the core of Metabolic Syndrome is insulin resistance. Insulin resistance goes on to become belly fat. Belly fat releases inflammatory chemicals that create the oxidative free radicals that damage our artery linings and LDL cholesterol, and create lesions in the brain. These lesions may become a precursor to stroke, dementia, or Alzheimer’s disease.

Armed with this information, any of us would be foolish not get serious about taking care of our health. Here’s what you can do today to lower your risk of Metabolic Syndrome.

1. Eat a low carb diet: Don’t eat more than 80 to 100 grams of carbs per day. Most carbs should be from abundant non-starchy vegetables — so put down the potatoes!

2. Recondition your insulin receptors: The following supplements that are easy to obtain and affordable can help improve insulin sensitivity: chromium, alpha-lipoic acid, magnesium, and zinc.

3. Exercise: Walk, run, workout, take the stairs…just get out and get some exercise. Many studies show that vigorous exercise will improve Metabolic Syndrome by creating a need for all the glucose building up in the blood stream. But take note that in our clinic I have seen many who cannot lose weight despite intense exercise. This is a sure sign that nutrients are lacking that are needed by insulin and insulin receptors as discussed in number 2.

4. Stress Management: For many people, stress plays a major role in insulin resistance. Controlling the stress hormones that are promoting insulin resistance is vitally important. Relora®, holy basil, and rhodiola are well-studied supplements shown to alleviate stress symptoms themselves and help prevent their unwanted side effects.

Remember that diet, exercise, and well-chosen supplements should be our treatment of choice. Prescriptions that are often used for the pre-conditions of diabetes and heart disease are risky (unless there is an already dangerously high blood pressure or blood sugar present). These meds can even hasten our path toward the very diseases we are trying to prevent by depleting essential nutrients from our body. (See Total Health Breakthroughs article, “Drug Induced Nutrient Depletion” in the February 1 issue.)

[Ed. Note: Jim LaValle is an educator, clinician and industry consultant in the field of integrative healthcare. He is a licensed pharmacist, board certified clinical nutritionist and doctor of naturopathic medicine with more than 20 years clinical practice experience in the field of natural therapeutics and functional medicine. Named one of the "50 Most Influential Druggists" by American Druggist for his work in natural medicine, LaValle has authored 13 books, including his latest, Cracking the Metabolic Code. For more information, click here.]

“This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs, offering alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription,
visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com.”

Many people are expecting happiness the way we expect a package in the mail. It’ll come…maybe tomorrow, maybe the next day…

They think, IF this happens, WHEN that happens, AFTER this is over; that’s not happiness, it’s happen-ness.

As F.D. Van Amburgh wrote, “Happiness is a condition of the mind.” It’s not a matter of everything being perfectly lined-up, shiny, and flawless. If we wait for perfection to be happy…you guessed it, we’ll be unhappy forever. Prospects don’t come any darker than that, do they?

People who work hard, love freely, give of their time and money to others, and embrace life for what it is are the happiest people in the world. They don’t have time to worry about what they don’t have, they’re too busy enjoying and taking care of what they do have!

If a person isn’t happy today, they probably aren’t going to be happy tomorrow - not even when “this” happens or “that” goes away. A person who puts a CONDITION on happiness will put a CONDITION on happiness tomorrow.

Said another way, they’d just find something else to nag or whine about.

The only way for an individual to snap themself out of such a miserable state of mind is for them to realize that they’re there in the first place. They have to take complete responsibility for the way they’ve been thinking; that means no finger pointing. They can’t make excuses for themselves, no matter how much validity the excuses may have. After all, none of us make it through life unscratched or unharmed. We all feel its claws from time to time!

Sometimes, a person simply has to realize that it’s time to change, time to move on, and time to (most importantly) allow themself to be happy. Because, regardless of what you may have heard… as beautiful as the hills of Kentucky look, as much fun as a Florida beach is, and as cool as Texans are…. Happiness is easily the greatest state to live in.

Make each moment count double,
~Joi

My daughters and I rounded up all of our “retired” cell phones a few nights ago. My current one decided it no longer liked to ring and Emily was pretty annoyed with her’s as well, so we thought we’d sort through the old ones and see what we could turn up. They practically covered half of our dining room table. Pink, gray, brown, black, blue - we’re nothing if not colorful.

Resident expert, Stephany, gave an off the cuff presentation detailing what each phone was capapble of and incapable of. Some would take pictures, some wouldn’t. Some would store all of the sent and recieved text messages you could ever want, while others would want to purge after 12.

Some allowed you to download “awesome” ring tones and others (the ones on the bottom of Steph’s list) stuck you with “crap.” Knowing how high on my list the IM function is, she gave me a great tutorial on which had the hottest preset images (I’m all about that) and which were the easiest to use for sending IMs, etc.

So there they all were, a little community of cell phones. On the outside, they looked equally capable of the same performance. If it weren’t for Steph’s knowledge, I wouldn’t have known they were so vastly different.

As I’m sure you’ve guessed, I’m headed somewhere other than a tech-y destination with this. Fortunately, since my Tech knowledge wouldn’t get us very far!

We’re all sort of like these cell phones. On the outside, we look like we pretty much have the same capabilities and abilities. As though we, too, will perform the same way as everyone else.

We’d all do well to remember that this is far, far, far from the truth. Just as we each have different thumbprints, we each have different lives, experiences, mental abilities, drives, personalities, and “speeds.” Yet, we often expect everyone to perform on the same level….and, to be honest, the level we want everyone to perform at is usually our own, right? We fool ourselves into believing that if everyone around us thought and acted just like us, our world would be darn near perfect.

Can you imagine if that were the case? I just spent a minute thinking about it and nearly snapped myself out of it with a banshee scream. Oh, the wrecks, the economy, and the lines at Starbucks….

The next time someone gets under your skin, remind yourself that he/she is wired differently from you. They may, actually, be doing the very best they can. Expecting more from them than they’re capable of giving would be like expecting a Go Phone to give you everything an iPhone would. You can yell at the Go Phone, talk about it behind its back, and roll your eyes until you give yourself a headache - but what’s going to be accomplished in the end? The Go Phone will keep on being a Go Phone. The only thing to change will be your own level of stress and aggravation.

Very often, too, when we worry about other people instead of our own business, we lose out big time. After all, if our eyes are on them and their lives, what might we be missing in our own?!

Think about reality shows - it’s when the players get overly concerned with what this person or that person is up to that they’re blindsided. They never saw it coming because they were casting their vision in other directions. On Survivor recently, a seemingly strong contestant became nearly obsessed with another contestant. Their hatred and resentment only resulted in them being sent home before the thorn in thier side was. (That couldn’t have felt good!)

Oops, my cell phone’s ringing. Is that My Chemical Romance?

I know I’ve said it before, but I absolutely love books. Everything about them - the looks, the smells, the rush of buying a new one, the joy of discovering an old one, and more than anything, I love getting lost in the words.

One of my favorite authors is Grenville Kleiser. If you haven’t heard of the brilliant author, you are more than forgiven. His books were published in the early 1900s. They do, however, still have a place in our modern world - or at least they should have. His writings and teachings are so beautiful and basic, I’m convinced we’d all be happier, wealthier, and wiser if we read a little Kleiser each day.

The following passage is from a Grenville Kleiser book published in 1917 called, “Inspiration and Ideals.” Enjoy!

CHOOSE YOUR LIFE IDEALS

Dwell more and more upon thoughts of what you really want in your life. Close and hermetically seal the door of your mind against thoughts of what you do not want in your life. You desire health, vitality, wisdom, peace, confidence, hope, friendship, harmony, independence, serenity, cheerfulness, happiness, success, culture, and righteousness. Give your thought to these and kindred subjects, since dwelling upon them often and intently tends to make them concrete in your life. Waste no thought upon things you do not need. The power is yours to choose the ideals that shall daily possess and govern your mental life. When your mind is right your life will be right.

Basically, what you just read in the paragraph above, is the equivalent of a pricey Self Help book. All summed up beautifully in a compact little package with a bow on it. The tag reads, “To you: The secret of a better life! From: Grenville Kleiser”

Make each moment count double,
~ Joi

Free Rice.com is a pretty cool site, so I thought you might like to know about it - after all, you’re too cool for school, too!

The web site presents you with a word, such as stationary - you’re given 4 different words to choose from, you choose the one that best describes or defines your word. When you’re right, Free Rice actually donates rice to the United Nations World Food Program. The more you play…and the better you play…the more rice is donated. There’s even a place on the web site to see rice being distributed.