Consider not running.

That may not be the answer you were looking for…or maybe it is! Either way, if you are a regular runner and you feel yourself dreading your run each day, you may need a day or even a week break from running.

And here’s the good news: It will likely be good for you to take that break! Here’s why:

Mentally

Like other areas in our life, in our running we can get into a mental rut. Maybe you engage in negative self talk during your run. Maybe your running has become just one more task you must complete on your to-do list. Taking a 1 day, 1 week or whatever length break you need can give you the mental space needed to reconnect with why you run in  the first place.

Pretty soon you’ll be reminiscing about running like an old lover that you want to return to. That’s when you’ll know it’s the right time to return. And when you do return remember to nourish your “relationship with running” just like you would nourish a real relationship. Appreciate what it give you, be grateful for it’s benefits, and find a way to enjoy it by being present during the run.

Physically

While you take a break from running use this time to alternately rest your body and explore other ways to move and challenge your body. You might try swimming, biking, tennis, weightlifting, basketball, gardening, hiking, interval training like PX90, or my favorite: belly dancing! Take a yoga class or an online dance class with BellyDance Super Star Ansuya!

Take the pressure off yourself about “I must run or else _____________ will happen:

• get fat
• lose my running legs
• never run again
• be in a bad mood
• world will collapse

These will not happen.

Just decide, accept that you are not doomed if you take a day or even a week off.

Be a pioneer in your life instead. Discover other ways to move your body and your running will be enhanced! You won’t lose anything even if you don’t run for a week or two.

By challenging your body in new ways you just may find your running improves.

Mine did!

Please Share

What happens when you take time off? How have you or how can you make it work for you? I would love to hear your thoughts!

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What to Do If You Don’t Feel Like Running is a post from: Life Learning Today

Did you know that your diet, if you’re like most Americans, is likely starving your cells of what they need to serve you best? Did you know that modern day diseases like diabetes, cardio-vascular disease, auto-immune diseases, cancer, depression, and more can be alleviated, avoided or cured altogether with diet?

It’s true!

If you want to feel your best, improve the quality of your life, and even shed some pounds, then read on and also check out the powerful video that could change your life (if you let it).

Your Cells Are Starving!

We are all made up of cells. About 100 Trillion, give or take, to be exact. And these little guys are busy 24/7 working to support us! All they are asking for are the right tools and building supplies to get their job done. If we give them that, they give us big energy, great health, bright skin, and a good mood. Raise your hand if you you’d like that!

The problem with the Western diet is that the food we eat is very low in nutrition, the building blocks and tools that our cells need. The best way to give them what they need is with a Paleo diet. This is a diet that closely mimics that of early man. The idea is that early man was around for a very long eating a diet that consisted mostly of vegetable, fruits, seeds, nuts, and wild meats/fish. Paleo man’s diet didn’t really include much grains and very little dairy, perhaps they ate eggs. Certainly there was no sugar or processed foods like chips and cookies.

Since early man was living on this diet for tens of thousands of years, the body was adapted well to this diet. The historically recent addition of grains and dairy is something that most humans are not able to digest well, causing problems of inflammation which lead to many diseases.

Early man was not eating bread, pasta, doughnuts, pretzels, milk, and cheese, and he/she was healthier for it.

Why Paleo Diet is So Good for You

Dr. Terry Wahls can best tell you why you should try this diet. Dr. Wahls completely cured herself of MS symptoms after years of progressive debilitation which left her wheelchair bound and unable to care for herself.

Desperate for a solution Dr. Wahls went back to biology. She researched what brain cells and cells in general need in order to function optimally. Her eventual solution was a Paleo style diet. Her recommendations are:

• East 9 cups of veggies and fruit daily: (3 green, 3 sulfur based, 3 colorful) to ensure you have enough B vitiamins, minerals, antioxidants. (Sulfur based: onions, garlic, cabbage family, mushrooms)
• Eat: greens, wild fish & meat, seeds, nuts) to get the essential fats you need
• Eat organic locally grown food as much as you can.

Here is her compelling video that won me over. If she could cure herself, imagine how healthy this could make you! The coolest thing is that with this diet you stop craving sugar, and real food tastes delicious.

Click here to go to her website. She has some free downloads with diet guidelines.

For more in depth info on why this diet benefits you, do yourself a favor and buy her book. It is a little more expensive than the average book because it helps support her research on how diet can reverse and prevent disease.

• Paper back version: Minding My Mitochondria by Dr. Terry Wahls
• Kindle version: Minding My Mitochondria by Dr. Terry Wahls

True Energy Food

If you are suffering with low energy, this is just the thing for you. By eliminating processed foods and sugar, and inputting nutritious foods, your body will repay you with lots of energy. This is because it will no longer struggle to fight off germs, filter out toxins, and combat the heaviness of inflammation (which so many of us have and don’t even realize it!).

Resources

Here are some great Paleo cookbooks, online cooking classes, and other references:

• Paleo Recipe Book: over 370 delicious recipes. Awesome pictures and 4 bonus guides including 30 day meal plan.
• Paleo In A Kitchen: Caveman Cooking Masterclass : The Ultimate Paleo Cooking Masterclass Developed By Expert Chef Justin Lord. All In Beautiful Hd, Over 70 Training Videos Taking Paleo Newbies All The Way Through To A Paleo Chef. Nothing Else Like It Available, Anywhere.
• Paleo Cookbooks – Complete Paleo Recipe Guide To Healthy Eating  2 recipe books that come with 5 extra Paleo based guides for free. Excellent pictures too. Especially good for athletes.
• Should You Buy a Vitamix? I definitely recommend it. Whether you eat Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian or simply American, the Vitamix blender makes eating healthy so incredibly easy. It’s my prized possession.
• Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton Ph.D. – This book is not on diet. Instead it covers the magic of biology of our cells. Combining what Dr. Lipton teaches with giving your cells what they need to function optimally is a great recipe for a healthy happy life! Highly recommend this exciting book!

More Paleo Recipes from Life Learning Today

Bookmark or subscribe so you can check back here often. Here are some recipes that are Paleo that are 100% tested for Yumminess and Health! I’ll be adding more over time. The ones with no link yet are coming up soon!

Paleo Recipes

Fruit Protein Smoothie

Lemon Garlic Dressing

Swedish Meatballs

Sweet Grilled Winter Chicken (use grassfed/organic chicken)

Creamy Vegetable Soup (leave out the beans for it to be strictly Paleo)

Green Soup!! (will change your life)

Creamy Mushroom Soup

Salmon Salad Extraordinaire – if you like tunafish, you will LOVE this even more!

Chopped Salad – you’ve never had one this good!

Ultimate Smoothie Mix & Match Guide

Please Share

What questions do you have about Paleo? Any experience with it? Would love to hear your thoughts!

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Thank you!

Eating for Health: Power Up Your Body and Save Your Life! is a post from: Life Learning Today

photo by:  Two Roses

Do you ever struggle with life’s daily challenges? Have you ever felt like you wish you could be happier? Well you truly can be happier and you can become empowered to handle challenges with ease. Mantras are the magic carpet ride that will get you there!

Breaking Bad Habits

I’ve been working on breaking a bad habit that snuck up on me over time. The habit has two parts.

• First: Chronic self-criticism, to the point of not even realizing it anymore.
• Second: Making setbacks and challenges much bigger than they really are.

With each difficulty I would think something like

• “Why does this keep happening to me?”
• “Why can I never win?”
• “Why is everything always so difficult?”

These two habits served to make me quite tense and unhappy at times. And in the grand scheme of things, I have nothing to be unhappy about! Plus that’s not what I want. I want to be carefree, grateful and happy. Heck, I want to be downright joyful on a regular basis. That’s always been my true nature and I want it back!

I have everything I need in life. I am blessed with a great family and friends. I love my home,  my work, and my hobbies.  And now I want to fully feel that everyday. I want to enjoy the goodness of life and not spend it being annoyed at daily inconveniences.

This is a daily choice.

We just need the tools to do it.

Powerful Tool for Happiness: Mantras

So yesterday I wrote about being productive and enjoying life at the same time. I gave a bunch of ways to realize that goal. One way was using mantras.

Using mantras throughout your day is very powerful. They fill the space that used to be filled with negative thinking and self-criticism. They don’t change your external circumstances but they definitely DO change your Internal world. And that can change your life!!

I’m already seeing this happen with the use of mantras.

It’s amazing how they really do carry you like a magic carpet ride to where you want to be.

My brain is already inserting these new thoughts automatically. But wait! Practice is key and we must realize that we are a life-long work in progress. This means that from time to time we will need to renew our awareness of and our commitment to positive thinking.  Practicing with awareness helps.  Posting reminders helps too. At the end of the list is a Mantra Poster PDF you can download and print.

Mantras for Happiness, Confidence, and Self-Compassion

These may feel awkward, uncomfortable, or unauthentic at first. Your critical mind may say “This is silly” or dumb, stupid, pointless….doesn’t work, etc. This is just your bad habit talking. Just ignore it. It will quiet down.

In the beginning with Mantras it is important to “fake it ’til you make it.” So this means you say or think the mantra and summon up the attitude even if it feels “fake” at first.

But stick with it and it will stick with you!!

Here are some great mantras to start with. Write down the ones you like. Post them in your bedroom, kitchen, office or anywhere you need reminders.

Here they are in the form of flashcards you can cut out along with a page of blanks so you can write your own.

• Excel Version: Mantras for Confidence Happiness Self-Love
• PDF Version: Mantras for Success, Happiness and Self-Love

MANTRAS

I can do this.
I am good at this.
I am good at ___________.
Good things will come from (this difficult task) (Name them)
I am good.
I am kind.
I am great.
I am wonderful.
I am beautiful. (You Are! Everyone is!!!)
I love myself.
It’s OK (your name). You’re doing your best and your best is good enough.
My best is wonderful.
I am winning.
Things are going my way.
Many things are going my way. (name them)
I am blessed. (name them)
Today is going to be a great day.
Good things are going to happen today.
Little challenges make me laugh because I know I always win in the end.
My life is good in many ways. (name them)
I am Loved.
I love life.
Life loves me.
I am blessed with so many good things.
I am so grateful for the basic abilities I have such as (walking, seeing, hearing, feeling love, hearing music, fill in more)
I am blessed with family and friends especially (name them).
(Name friend or family member) brings me joy in life.
Difficult people and circumstances are opportunities for me to learn, become strong, and develop compassion.
I feel confident.
Life is going my way.
I smile at life. Smile – let the world wonder what you are up to!
I love people. Smile at others – it’s the gift that gives back.
I see the good in others and myself even when they or I am cranky. Give compliments.This strengthens your ability to see the good in others and yourself.
I forgive easily. Do this. It teaches you how to forgive yourself.
I am kind. Be kind to others. It teaches you how to be kind to yourself.
I am patient. Be compassionate towards others. It will teach you to be compassionate to yourself.
People are generally good and trying their best.
Life is good.
The Difficult in my life provides constrast by which the Easy in my life becomes more clear. I am grateful for this lens.
Nothing is too difficult for me to handle.
I pace myself and always have the energy I need.
I take care of myself – getting good rest, kind thoughts, and healthy food.
I love myself with kind thoughts, compliments, and recognition of my good deeds.
I am good enough just the way I am.
I am wonderful just the way I am.
I deserve love just the way I am today.
I am lovable.
I have love, goodness, and kindness inside of me. I give this to others and to myself.
I spread love everywhere I go with kindness and a smile.
Every part of me is beautiful.
Every inch of my body is perfect and beautiful.
When I smile, I shine.
When I smile, I love.
When I smile, I love myself.
When I smile, I give energy to myself and others.
I have everything I need right now.
I am OK. I’m allowed to be calm and content at all times.
I feel love all around me everywhere I go.
The universe loves me. I can feel it.
When things get tough, I start laughing and being kind to myself and others.

And here is a my last but not least mantra, courtesy of Tyler Lenz on Twitter: @ttlenz:

“Today is the best day of my life.”

I think that one is my absolute favorite! Thanks Tyler!

Running Mantras bit.ly/Qk3gic via Running Zen @agentsully << great for those of us who don’t run with music!

— Tyler Lenz (@ttlenz) March 28, 2013

Here’s a Poster of all the Mantras you can print: Mantra Poster

Please Share!

What are your favorite mantras? How do you stay positive during each day? Let’s talk!

If you found this valuable, please share with your favorite social sites or via email. Thanks!

Mantras for Happiness, Confidence, and Self-Love is a post from: Life Learning Today

Do you ever do this? You need to get something done and as you set out to do it you become intense, serious, and most regrettably, unhappy? Why is that??

I’ve been thinking about this lately and I want to change this in myself. With any problem, if you can dissect it and understand it then you can change some of the component parts for a different outcome. Let’s try it!!

Task I MUST Complete

So I have a task that I must complete. The key word here is MUST. This is where the anxiety starts. Maybe I have an actual deadline (packing for a trip) or maybe the task is associated with a goal (exercising), say losing weight. Or maybe the “task” is associated with a creative goal or hobby (art, dance, etc) that should be fun and joyful.

But instead I am focused on MUST DO.

The anxiety stems from the Fear that I won’t get it done. I’m sort of telling myself, “I don’t trust  you to get this done so I’m going to bring in the boot camp enforcer to ensure you get it done.” Ugh, not the bootcamp enforcer!!

So now I’m feeling doubly horrible. I’m fearing I won’t get this “must do” task done AND also I’m going to be doing it under the humorless direction of a drill instructor.

The Solution

(Queue the angelic epiphanous music) heavenly sound – short

The outcome I want is to get important things done and still be tapped into joy. There are a few things I think will help yield this outcome:

1. Trust Myself to get things done. How? Failproof it.
   1. Prioritize Goals - both daily and long-term.
   2. Set a Daily Plan with realistic time scheduling.
   3. Execute the plan.
   4. Acknowledge success – to demonstrate my trustworthiness to my self.
2. Replace Negative Self-Criticism with Self-Love.
   1. Cultivate compassion for myself and others.
   2. Eliminate critical words – in thoughts and voice.
   3. Replace with more compassionate, positive, encouraging words to change thinking habits.
3. Assume Attitude of Confidence about accomplishing my daily plan and my goals in general.
   1. MANTRAS
      1. Today is going to be a great day.
      2. I am doing well.
      3. I am winning.
      4. I am making progress.
      5. I can do this.
      6. I will do this.
      7. Good job.
   2. Use Smiling as a physical trigger to generate confidence.
4. Replace Drill Sargent with Practical Time Evaluation.
   1. Be mindful of time wasting activities/habits when doing tasks. When you find yourself doing them, don’t criticize, just move back on track.
   2. Watch time but allow for partial completion of tasks. Don’t give up. You can continue tomorrow.
5. Find the Joy in the task. Look for the good that will come of the completed task. Enjoy the task itself.
   1. Is it physical? Feel how it good it can feel to move your body.
   2. Is it mental? Appreciate the mental stimulation.
   3. Is it “boring?” Surrender to the restfulness of boring.
6. Review Daily Accomplishments.
   1. Write them down. This will cement it in your brain.
   2. Share your successes with someone. Share your joy and perhaps they will share theirs.

The bottom line is to replace FEAR with CONFIDENCE that not only will you get your tasks done, but even if you don’t and as long as you did your best – everything is going to be OK in the long run.

Really. It will all be OK.

(Now I just need to make sure I do these things! Will you remind me? )

Please Share!

Are you able to be happy while you are working? Does it come natural or do you have a trick? Let’s talk!

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Thanks!

Can You Be Productive and Enjoy It? is a post from: Life Learning Today

This is a guest post by Brook Bridge
At some point, and probably for everybody, we all have that sense that we aren’t doing anything worthwhile. We might get a promotion at work, spend time with our friends, make dinner, see a movie, have hobbies, and yet? It still feels as if something is missing.

My own epiphany that I’d been gliding through life without really experiencing came after I lost someone I really cared about. Suddenly, when the idea of my own mortality was impossible to ignore, I realized I needed to make my life better. I need to figure out how to live it fully, how to make it memorable, and how to spend my time doing things that enriched my life rather than just passing the time.

And then something kind of wonderful happened. I chanced on a quote by the late, great comedian, Lenny Bruce. He claimed, “The only honest art form is laughter, comedy. You can’t fake it… try to fake three laughs in an hour—ha ha ha ha ha—they’ll take you away man. You can’t.” And I knew that in some ways, he was right. So I thought who better to go to for advice on making my life meaningful than comedians themselves? Following are the lessons they taught me that changed my life.

Actually Live Outside of Your Comfort Zone (at Least for a While)

Chris Rock claims that “comedians tend to find a comfort zone and stay there and do lamer versions of themselves for the rest of their career.” In many ways, that’s what we all do. We find the friends we feel comfortable around, the job we like, and we just hunker down there and play it safe. Well, no more! Go out and see the world.

I don’t mean take a cruise or a comfy all-inclusive beach vacation; I mean see the REAL world. Don’t just see it, live in it. I was surprised to find, when I looked around, that there were all kinds of opportunities to go live somewhere for a stretch of time. One day I was perusing the Alaska job openings, and the next moment I was packing a bag and taking off. Not to run from my problems, but instead, to put them into perspective. Try it. When you get outside of the things that make you feel comfortable, you’ll be able to see the world with a whole new set of eyes.

Remember that it Ain’t All about You

So, Ralph Waldo Emerson isn’t exactly the type of guy one would usually label as a “comic,” but it turns out that he actually did some pretty deep thinking on the topic. He said, “The perception of the comic is a tie of sympathy with other men… If that sense is lost, his fellow-men can do little for him.” And that observation doesn’t just relate to comedy. It also relates to how you live your own life.

Think about it. Look back on your life and you’ll probably realize something pretty quickly. The most memorable events tend to be the ones that involve others AND new experiences. For me, dedicating just a bit of my free time to charitable work—I volunteer at a shelter—made a huge difference in my way of thinking. Suddenly, it became easier for me to understand other people, to empathize with them and feel compassionate. I wasn’t just thinking about myself anymore.

Let Yourself Feel ALL of Your Emotions

When the amazing French filmmaker Francois Truffaut was asked about why he inserted so much comedy into his otherwise rather tragic films, he replied that “when humor can be made to alternate with melancholy, one has a success, but when the same things are funny and melancholic at the same time, it’s just wonderful.” For anything to feel complete and perfect, he’s saying, there must be a balance of emotions.

So often in our own lives, we tend to push back against unpleasant emotions. We think we just need to be “happy” and that we’re failing if we aren’t sunshine and roses all of the time. That’s wrong. You’re going to feel sad sometimes, and depressed and anxious and heartbroken. It’s impossible to be alive and not feel those things. Instead, recognize what you’re feeling. If you’re sad, say to yourself, “I’m sad.” And then find a way to enjoy the act of it. After all, the depth and variety of emotions are exactly what makes us human. Revel in it.

Learn How to KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid)

The final bit of advice about living a full life comes via the Little Tramp, aka Charlie Chaplin, who many consider to have been the best comedic actor to have ever lived. He claimed that all he’d need “to make a comedy is a park, a policeman and a pretty girl.” In fact, he believed that when you added more to a film, it actually served to detract from the humor itself, which is also an important idea to keep in mind in our own lives.

When you surround yourself with a lot of anything, be it possessions or acquaintances or time commitments, something strange starts to happen. Instead of feeling like you have more, you actually begin to feel like you have less. That’s because when there’s too much chaos, it makes it hard for us to separate out the good from the bad. Well, no more! Choose your important friendships, items you own, commitments to keep, and then get rid of the rest. The more you can trim the fat in your life, and concentrate on the good, the more depth you’ll find in it.

This is a guest post by Brook Bridge.  Brook is a writer, poet, and painter who lives in Seattle, WA. She loves travel, films, and helping her dog maintain his blog, www.onedogoneblog.com.

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The Comedian’s Guide for Living Life to its Fullest is a post from: Life Learning Today

Does everything seem like a problem to you? Are you sick of it? I have a solution! Read on…

Change Your Problems

If something seems like a problem, you need to change what you are comparing it to.

If your situation seems like a problem, you are likely comparing it to something that is not possible now, impossible, or just unfair to the situation. You may also need some rest!

To turn your situation into a blessing you must look at your gifts in life, and compare the situation against something that could be worse.

Bad things happen, inconvenient things happen, life happens. It’s often messy and difficult. But you can change your outlook on things and learn to change your perspective on it even if you can’t change the situation itself. If you do this you can change the quality of your life for the better!

Please Share

How do you handle life’s setbacks, speedbumps, and obstacles? Do you come at things with a positive attitude or do you see everything as a problem? How could you change your outlook?

Thank you for your comments and for sharing this with your friends!

Change Your Problems to Blessings is a post from: Life Learning Today

So here’s what the warts look like on day 2 of trying to remove them using the “Duct Tape Method.” I’m surprised at the results from just one day. This method is certainly looking promising. Continue reading for more details, pictures and video.

Wart Removal Method – Duct Tape and Freezing

If you recall from yesterday we are trying to remove 4 warts from my son’s hands. One of them is in the center of his palm. Even with washing his hand it has been challenging to keep the duct tape and band-aid on. So although I think we could still make the duct tape method work, we’ve decided to try a different method with this one.

We are going to try freezing it off using Dr. Scholl’s Freeze Away. It’s very simple and easy to use so we did that yesterday. We’ll be able to compare the results between the two methods.

Wart Removal Results

Here’s how the warts look today on day 2:

This one on the palm is the one we treated with Dr. Scholl’s Freeze Away. It has darkened a bit which is to be expected. It will be interesting to see how they freezing works vs. the duct tape.

This next one on the pointer finger shrunk so much already it’s hard to see it:

Wart Removal Video

Here’s a video of the results for day 2:

Stay tuned for more results. We’ll be reporting the next update, Part 3, soon.

Please Share

Have you ever removed a wart successfully on your own? If so, what method did you use? Please share in the comments below.

And thank you in advance for sharing this post with your friends on Twitter, Facebook and email.

Wart Removal Duct Tape Method Part 2 is a post from: Life Learning Today

photo credit: Iain Farrell

If you’re sick of getting sick with the flu or bad colds, I have some very good news. There are things you can do to prevent and fight the flu that are very effective. And some of them will likely be things you haven’t heard before.

Each person is different and as such you should only add supplements after checking with your doctor and WebMD to make sure it doesn’t interact with other medicines you take or conditions you have. These remedies are for adults. Check with your pediatrician for safely using any of these suggestions with children.

Preventing the Flu

I learned several of these tips from the Dr. Oz show on preventing and fighting the flu. So far this season I have been very healthy while taking them. I’ve linked to the exact ones that I currently take.  These five supplements are a power combo to help ward off illness:

Sickness Prevention Pack

NAC – Nac-Acetyl Cysteine

Take 600 mg / day. N-acetylcysteine is a powerful antioxidant that can help you prevent and/or get over flu symptoms. Take NAC supplement each day with or without food.

Astragalus

Astragalus is a ancient Chinese herb. It is used to help stimulate the immune system and ward off illness. Use 1 dropper of the extract in a cup of warm water or tea each day. If you have a cold or the flu, you can take astragalus three times a day. (tastes like sweet prune juice. I recommend just taking it directly on the tongue. It’s not bad at all.)

Vitamin D3 & Vitamin C

Taking vitamin D supplements may help prevent the flu. Take 1000 IU per day in summer and 2000 IU per day during the winter months when the sun is less strong. (People who get adequate vitamin D are also significantly less likely to get cancer. Your doctor can check your levels.) Vitamin C helps to repair and regenerate tissues, protect against heart disease, aid in the absorption of iron, prevent scurvy, and decrease total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides, protect against a variety of cancers by combating free radicals, and helping neutralize the effects of nitrates. Supplemental vitamin C may also lessen the duration and symptoms of a common cold; help delay or prevent cataracts; and support healthy immune function.

Turmeric

The yellow spice turmeric is a robust disease-fighting herb that is used by both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. It’s great to cook with. (Try it in chicken soup!) It works by increasing levels of a certain protein that help the immune system fight off bacteria and viruses. Turmeric also has manganese and potassium, which help support your immune system. If that wasn’t enough, turmeric also improves digestion and promotes heart health. Taking Turmeric in pill form makes it easy to incorporate this superfood daily.

Astaxanthin

This is a relatively new supplement. It is found naturally in marine organisms such as microalgae, salmon, trout, krill, shrimp, crayfish, and crustaceans. It is the organic pigment that gives these creatures their pink color. It was recommended by Dr. Mercola on the Dr. Oz show recently. Recommended daily amount: 8mg/day. Dr. Mercola said it is his #1 recommended supplement as it is tens and hundreds of times more powerful than other antioxidants! It has been shown to:

• Reverse the signs of skin aging
• Act as a powerful anti-inflammatory
• Enhance energy and stamina
• Support optimal joint and muscle function
• Boost immune system strength
• Protect the brain and eyes

TO EAT FREQUENTLY

Buckwheat Honey

Buckwheat honey is high in antioxidants and iron. This is a dark and flavorful honey. It has many immunity-boosting properties. Take 1-2 teaspoons a day during cold and flu season. Try it right off the spoon,  add it to a hot drink, or try my favorite: drizzled on plain Greek yogurt with some walnuts.

Remember to eat lots of MUSHROOMS  any chance you get. Mushrooms are so powerful. They literally keep germs from growing inside the body. They also contain selenium, a mineral that supports the immune system. And the bonus is they stop tumor growth too! Also try mushroom tea. My favorite is this Reishi tea that is mixed with green tea. It has the most delicious flavor. I also like to keep dried mushrooms on hand so I can cook them anytime I want and don’t have to worry about forgetting them in the fridge. (If you like mushrooms and haven’t tried chanterelles - you must try them! They are delightful!)

Other Flu Prevention Strategies

Get a Flu Shot. It’s not too late. Dr. Oz recommends it for anyone over 6 months old. That’s good enough for me. I’ve been doing it every year for the last 4 years and it really helps!

Get Adequate Rest. Get 7-8 hours of sleep or the amount that your body needs to not be tired. Being tired lowers the effectiveness of your immune system. Here’s what to do if you are tired.

Reduce Stress.

• Change what you can – free your calendar of unnecessary commitments. Use that time instead for doing things that rejuvenate you.
• Change your reaction to things you can’t change – try daily meditation to improve your reaction to stressful events. (also try a “meditation nap“)

Fighting the Flu

As I mentioned, I’ve been very healthy this season, I think due to the flu shot and also due to the preventive supplements I’ve been taking. However I’ve had an “almost” cold twice this season – slight headache and slight stuffiness but only at night. I boosted my regimen with these additional steps and so far, no full fledged colds. Here are the steps:

Neti Pot. I swear by this. It helps moisten  and clear out your nasal passages. Follow the easy instructions. I like this set because it comes with the salt packets premeasured.

Extra Vitamin C and D. Take an extra 1000 mg of Vitamin C. You can take extra D too.

Echinacea Tea. At the first sign of a cold, start drinking this tea, a few cups a day. Once you are better, stop taking the tea. It is meant to be a short term remedy.

Warm Soup. Like warm tea, this soothes your throat, heats up your body which helps fight off the germs and keeps your body from having to expend energy to keep warm.

Fever. This is one of your body’s natural defenses against germs. During the day, if you’re somewhat comfortable, it is ok to let a fever run for a little bit. You’ll be allowing your body to kill the germs faster. General rule of thumb is 102 F degrees or less. But listen to your body. If you feel horrible, check with your doctor and take something to reduce it. At night, it’s better to reduce the fever so you can sleep, than it is to let the fever run and not get good sleep.

Steaming Hot Shower or Bath. This will help add moisture back to your nasal passages which makes it easier for your body to defend against germs. It will also help you rest. This is also good as a preventative method.

Zinc Lozenges. These have shown in studies to reduce the duration of a cold. I have found this to be true for myself.

Influenza Resources

Dr. Oz Show on Preventing Flu

Dr. Oz on Astaxanthin

WebMD – to check information on supplements.

CDC – facts on the flu and how to prevent it.

Here’s to your health!

Please Share

Please share your favorite cold/flu remedy and prevention tips! How have your fared this season?

If you found this helpful, please consider sharing this with your friends on Facebook, Twitter or via email.

Thanks!

Preventing and Fighting the Flu is a post from: Life Learning Today

Warts are an annoyance. Kids are prone to getting them. Starting today we are going to try the duct tape removal method to get rid of my 9 year old son’s 4 warts on his hands. Below is a video of this simple method. I’m also including text of the method as well. I’ve read that this works. We’ll report to you exactly whether it works or not! Video and method instructions below.

Duct Tape Wart Removal Method – How To

1. File the dead skin layer off the top of the wart. This should not hurt. Stop before it hurts.
2. Clean the area so that the tape will stick.
3. Place a piece of duct tape over the wart.
4. Place band-aid over the duct tape to keep in place.
5. Repeat Daily.

The wart should be gone in 7-10 days according to my research. We’ll keep you posted daily.

Here’s the video of the simple method.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX2QWrBFwFE]

Wart Removal Duct Tape Method Day 1 is a post from: Life Learning Today

(next time I'll take a picture and add the image. Sorry no picture. Just trust me. Cook this and you'll love it!)

OMG! You will love these Swedish Meatballs. Never made these before until today and they are so good. This recipe can be converted to vegetarian by substituting Veggie “meatballs” and cream of mushroom soup instead of beef gravy. Please enjoy and let me know how you liked it!

Swedish Meatballs – YUM!!

Ingredients

• 8 oz Baby Portobello’s chopped thick
• 1 pkg Dried Shitake – reconstituted
• 1 pkg Dried Chanterelles –reconstituted
• Mushroom “Broth” from reconstituting the dried mushrooms
• Bunch of fresh Basil leaves chopped
• 4+ cloves garlic
• ¼-1/2  Vidallia or similar onion
• 1 can Campbell’s Beef Gravy
• 30 Frozen Precooked Meatballs (“Cooked Perfect” brand I used)
• 4 T Olive Oil
• ¼ t each: Cinnamin, Allspice, Nutmeg
• Salt/pepper to taste but likely won’t need any salt if using the gravy

Instructions

Cook all on med heat, but not too high so nothing burns.

In deep fry pan sauté Onions in Olive Oil until soft.

Add Mushrooms, sauté til mostly cooked.

Add Garlic and Basil. Stir and sauté for 1 minute.

Add Mushroom Broth and Beef Gravy. Bring to low simmer.

Add Meatballs, Cinnamin, Allspice, and Nutmeg.

Simmer and stir occasionally for 20 minutes on low.

Serve with pasta or egg noodles, toasted crusty buttered bread and fresh salad with balsamic dressing.

Bon Appétit!

Please Share

Please let us know how this recipe turns out for you and any variations you made. Thank you in advance for sharing this recipe with your friends!

Yummy Swedish Meatballs Recipe is a post from: Life Learning Today

photo credit: Hagbard_

Have you ever become offended or felt hurt by something someone said to you even though deep down you know that the person didn’t mean to offend you? So why did it offend you or make you feel bad? It’s because you paired their comment with your own deeply rooted self-judgments.

You had to make a leap in translating their words. You determined their “true meaning” to be in line with your own insecurities and low-esteemed beliefs about yourself.

Learn how to stop this habit in your life and watch your happiness open up. Here’s the key.

You Are Wonderful!

The key to changing this habit is to remove the old negative belief about yourself and adopt a new empowering belief. “I am wonderful just the way I am!”

Because you are!

We all are. Any “sins” we’ve committed, any measurements we don’t live up to are deserving of compassion only. Compassion Only.  Anger, resentment, and guilt can’t change the past and they only make you feel worse about yourself.

Don’t wait for a “good” time to realize and embrace this concept. Do it today! Now is the best time because NOW is the only time in which we live!

Don’t wait for a time when you’re doing everything right and everything feels right. (because, really, when does that ever happen?) Do it today. Do it now. If you do, that’s when everything will start to “feel right.”

How Self Judgment Sets Us Up to Be Easily Offended

Each of us harbor many self-judgments. Many are subtle. Let’s look at how this happens.

Let’s say you feel like you’re not as good as other people. Maybe you see others as smarter or more attractive or more charismatic or all of the above. Maybe it only happens around some people, those that you consider smart, attractive, talented and so on.  This general feeling of low self-esteem can be quite transparent in your everyday life, meaning it’s like a veil that you don’t even realize is there, yet it is all the time affecting your sense of self.

OK. So you have this general feeling that you are “less-than.” Now whenever you hear comments that come close to this deep seated belief about yourself, you will likely jump right to the conclusion that the other person is judging you and you will feel offended.

This feeling could come from being bullied as a kid or past family challenges, but it can be there just because you’re human and we all have the tendency for self-doubt in at least a few areas. So don’t worry so much where it came from. It’s normal. But now is the time to become aware of it so you can change it.

Example

Let’s say you are very self-conscious about your body. If someone makes a comment about your clothing even if it is a compliment, you might re-interpret the meaning or intention behind it to be in line with your own insecurity.  This is because of how you feel about yourself. So now in addition to your original bad feelings about yourself, you have assigned those feelings to someone else’s comments. We love to do this kind of thing especially when we are tired. Here the bad feelings are piling up because now you’re also upset with someone who was just trying to give you a compliment .

Been there? Hate how it feels? Want to stop? Keep reading.

But What If The Person Did Mean to Hurt Me?

Remember the old saying “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words can never harm me.” This is true. Maybe they can sting at first if someone outright does insult you. But, only you can allow words to hurt you.

If you practice telling yourself and, most importantly, accepting that “You are Wonderful Just the Way You Are” then no words can ever hurt you, whether the intention to hurt was real or imagined.

If you believe that you are wonderful, then if a person truly does try to hurt you with words, you can feel compassion for that person instead of using them to validate negative self-beliefs. Any person who tries to hurt with words is in pain and lashing out to try to change their own pain. Their pain is not about you. It’s about them.

The more you build up the habit of reacting with compassion, the better you will get at this. Any time we are truly insulted, we don’t have to dig into that fight. We have the choice to be good to ourselves and not absorb any of the hurtful words because they are not true. You are Wonderful!

OK Let’s Change Our Self Esteem…

How to Know You Are Wonderful (all the way down to your toes!)

Identify

1. What are your insecurities?
2. What negative beliefs do you have about yourself?
3. What causes you usually put yourself down?
4. What words do you use when you are criticizing yourself?
5. What are your triggers to get hurt by words?
6. What buttons do people push that make you feel offended?

(if you can’t think of these right away, watch for it over the next few days -write down what you observe.)

Understand

1. Evaluate the source of these negative beliefs. Why do you believe these things? Being aware of the source enables you to work around it, against it, maybe even squash it.
2. What is the truth? Maybe you are not Einstein or a model or a sports star, but we all have our gifts and talents. Even those with outstanding gifts usually have things that are challenges for them. But we all have our own special beauty, intelligence, charisma, and talents. It can be awkward to praise yourself, but today is the day to start. Write down some of your talents. And write them down daily!

Replace

1. New Mantras. 
   1. I Am Wonderful
   2. I am smart in ____________(this way)
   3. I am beautiful in (this way) ________________.
   4. I have these talents _______________________.
   5. I make a difference in others’ lives in this way_____________________.
2. Humor to Replace Stress.  Sometimes we really get caught up and take things way too seriously. Learn to laugh at yourself! Life should be fun. Fun is Good! And Fun can make up for a lot of things we may think we “lack!”

Please Share

I’d love to hear your experiences with this and any revelations you’ve had! Looking forward to your comments!

If you found this valuable, please share on Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon or via Email!

Thank you!

You Are Wonderful – All Signs Point to That! is a post from: Life Learning Today

photo credit: World Series Boxing

You know what I’m talking about. Or maybe you don’t…because it is so weaved into the everyday conversation in your mind. I’m talking about beating yourself up.  It steals your energy, makes you tired, and drains your spirit. There’s a much better way. Let’s chat…

Self -Nagging=Chronic Energy Drain

How does your mind get away with this? If someone were to insult, judge and criticize you so regularly you would try to avoid that person. Well your mind just does it so much that you get used to it. You don’t “hear” it. It’s more like someone nagging you than someone beating you up. That’s why it’s able to persist.

But I Don’t Really Do That

Don’t you? Take a day to listen. It’s quiet, low-level, in the background. Does any of this sound familiar:

• You’re exercising and you think about how you should have done more, ran faster, worked harder?
• You finished 10 things on your To-Do list but you lament the 3 things you didn’t get done.
• Your child falls asleep and you regret yelling at him/her, forgetting all the love and care you gave that day.
• You’re doing well in one aspect of your life, but you spend a lot of time thinking of the things you haven’t accomplished yet, thinking of them as “failures.”
• You call yourself bad names in your head when you “mess up” on things. These become automatic. And on and on…

Listen in your mind and you’ll see how constant it is.

Do This Instead

Change the pattern. Here’s how:

•     Be aware of how you talk to yourself in your head.
•     Notice every time you focus on real or perceived failings.
•     Be sure to give yourself credit for at least 3 things you did well.
•     Give yourself credit for things during the day – write them down to make them “stick” in your mind.

Our mind is like velcro for negative things and like a sieve for good things, so make it easier to hold onto your successes in your mind. Write them down, share the story with a friend, or create a physical reminder of your successes or celebrate with some type of event or reward.

Examples

Give yourself credit for all the things you take for granted:

•     You got up on time today.
•     You made your kids/husband a nice meal.
•     You exercised.
•     You were kind to someone.
•     You let someone go in traffic.

Physical Reminders ideas:

• Keep a log of exercise.
• Make a checklist of things you do daily and write Good Job at the top!
• Remind yourself and your family of some of the things you accomplished for the family that day and take a moment to say “good job” to yourself.  And then let others share their accomplishments.
• Make appreciation certificates for friends or family that recognize good things they do. It feels good to make someone smile. This will also help your mind to incline towards finding the good in yourself too.

 Please Share!

What other ideas do you have for celebrating successes and breaking out of self-critical habits? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

 Thank you for sharing this article with your friends!

Stop Doing That is a post from: Life Learning Today

photo credit: slightly everything

I recently wrote about what to do if you are tired and the next day an  important revelation occurred to me about this.

I think many of us are tired and we don’t recognize it.

Before we can address being tired, what I like to call “low energy,” we need to be able to recognize this state. So what’s the big deal about being tired?

Simply put, most of the world’s problems stem from someone being tired and not doing their best when faced with challenges. The ripple effect then takes place and the problems multiply.

If you can manage your energy, you can control the quality of your life!

So let’s take a look at how to see past the veil of chronic tiredness and move on to a better life!

What is Low Energy?

First of all I prefer to use the term “Low Energy” instead of “Tired” because “Tired” seems too carry some negative baggage whereas “Low Energy” feels more like a neutral description of  a person’s physical state.  Also I think that the term “Low Energy” implies there is a solution -i.e. increase or replenish the energy level.  And this is true, with either real rest, nutritious foods, or sometimes physical movement can increase your energy.

So low energy  is any time your body, mind, or spirit feels drained of energy.

The Causes of Low Energy

It’s important to understand that the cause of energy can come from various sources. Consider these common sources:

• Lack of Sleep
• Working too much
• Toxic burden (smoking, alcohol, drugs, fumes, caffeine etc.)
• Lack of Nutritious Food

Now consider the Hidden Causes of Low Energy that are not always so obvious to us or that we discount:

• Immune System Response to a virus, bacteria. Many times we are fighting an infection or a cold and we have no symptoms other than feeling a little tired. If you feel tired for “no apparent reason” this could be it.
• Biological Cycles. Women have obvious cycles, but did you know that men do also. Even children. These cycles relate to producing hormones, growth of tissues, response to light and dark, response to seasons, etc. We are blind to most of these biological cycles, but we may experience the byproduct of being tired. So again, unexplained tiredness may simply be attributed to this. It’s nothing you need to “fix,” just be aware of it.
• Dehydration. This is one of the biggest causes of fatigue. Many things will dehydrate you like caffeine, alcohol, salty foods, and more. Did you exercise and not drink enough water afterwards?
• Emotional Challenges.These types of situations can use up a lot of energy through worry, concern and anxiety. Examples:
  • Anytime you have disharmony in a relationship.
  • Difficult emotional choices in life.
  • A loved one is sick or having trouble
• Overworking. Yes, I listed this one in Common Causes as well, but for many of us, overworking is so embedded in our normal life that we don’t even see it even though it is right in front of our eyes. Over-scheduling, trying to “do it all,” trying to “have it all” is extremely draining on our energy. And ironically it defeats our original intent, “to have a better life.” We need to take action on “Less is More” in these cases.

Why Does Low Energy Cause Problems?

Low energy makes everything more difficult. Making smart decisions, being compassionate and understanding, patience, taking action. All of these things are very hard to do when what you’d really like to do is take a nap.

But we’re all so chronically tired that we don’t even recognize how much good a nap or a break would help us. Instead we “power through” the tiredness with less than optimal outcome.

One of the greatest things I learned back when I took the Dale Carnegie course, was about about the power of taking breaks. There was a study  done that showed that workers were much more productive when they took regular breaks. In fact the amount of extra productivity exceeded the amount of time “lost” during the break.  (If you ever have the chance to take this course or read Dale Carnegie’s books, I highly recommend it!)

How to Recognize If You Are Tired

OK. So let’s fix this problem of Low Energy! First Recognize it and then Fix it!

The signs that you are tired:

• Feeling cranky. Little things set you off easily.
• Patience threshold much lower than usual.
• Feeling drowsy.
• Nodding off to sleep!
• Feeling less than completely awake.
• Overwhelmed, thoughts swirling chaotically in the brain.
• Trouble making decisions – keep agonizing over deciding factors without conclusion.
• Desire to eat even though you’re not actually hungry. Sleep deprivation often causes overeating, the body seeking more energy.
• Quick to anger.
• Feeling frustrated (easily).
• Feeling down, depressed, despair.
• Wanting to give up.
• Crying.
• Irrational reaction to simple problems.
• Headache (dehydration, eyestrain)
• Body/Muscle tightness (from repetitive motions, over-working)
• Hunger
• Destructive impulse – wanting to hit or smash things (BTW – don’t do it!)
• Violence impulse – don’t do it! Stop and take a break!!!

There are others. You probably have your own special cues where your body is trying to alert you to the fact that you are tired. The best thing to do if you are tired is to get some rest.

Often you can prevent getting over-tired. Not always, but it is worth trying to manage your energy levels. It will pay off in a higher quality of life.

Preventing Low Energy

Have regular schedules. Here are some suggestions:

Eating

• Eat on a regular schedule.
• Eat nutritious foods.
• Eat the Goldilocks Amount – just right, not too much and not too little.
• Eat snacks as needed.

Sleep

• Have a regular sleep schedule.
• Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
• Take breaks – at least 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. (Try a meditation nap! Even 5 minutes can help a lot!)

Planning

• Plan your work on a daily and weekly basis.
• Plan for play! – make time for music, exercise, hobbies, dancing, laughter, love, quiet time, etc.

What to Do If You ARE Tired

Get some rest! Read this article “What to Do If You Are Tired” and find out how to handle this best!

Please Share

If this article was helpful, please let us know with a comment or even better, please share with your friends on Twitter, Facebook, Stumble or Pinterest!

Thank you!!

Are You Tired and Don’t Even Know It? is a post from: Life Learning Today

This week I researched floating share button bar plugins for my websites. A floating share button bar is a widget that remains stationary on either the left or right side of your website with links popular social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or StumbleUpon. Here is a review of 4 of the top free floating share plugins along with an additional one you may want to check out that I didn’t test myself.

I will add more if I come across other plugins. Feel free to subscribe to comments so you can be updated as well as let me know if you want to suggest any that I don’t cover.

Best Floating Social Media Share Button Bar Plugins

And the winner is…

UPDATE: A New Winner is crowned….

ShareBar. This plugin gives you a customizable  floating share bar on either the left or the right. You can customize the color, the border, the width, and the location. A great feature is that this share bar will become a horizontal set of buttons if the browser is not wide enough to display the bar. The buttons available are: Digg, Twitter, Facebook, Share, Buzz, Reddit, DZone, Yahoo, StumbleUpon, DesignFloat, and email. Pinterest is available through the “Share” button. It will be nice when Pinterest is added as well as maybe comments and RSS too. Follow the author of this plugin to stay tuned to updates. Sharebar’s website. Sharebar’s Forum for questions.

The Runners Up….

WP Socializer. This is the best of the runners-up, in my opinion. You can download it here or you can simply go to your WordPress dashboard and add it in the Plugins section. This plugin has a lot of flexibility and ease of use. You can have all the main social media in the floating bar along with options for print, email, and comments. You can additionally have a list of icons at the top and/or bottom of your posts and/or pages too. The author of this plugin seems to be pretty responsive at his forum for questions about the plugin which is a big plus as well. Ultimately I had to switch because it was interfering with my feed and I couldn’t solve that. If it is updated in the future I may switch back because I really like this one!

Digg Digg. You can download it here from the WordPress plugin directory. This one was good, but I found the buttons a little too large for my liking. It has email and print buttons. Worth a look.

Slick Social Share. You can download it here from the WordPress plugin directory. Again the buttons were a little too big for my preference, but it has a cool “slide-out” feature that you may like and many buttons to choose from. This is made by Chemical Design who also makes other plugins both free and premium.

Get Social. You can download it here from the WordPress plugin directory. This one is also nice, with lots of options, but I didn’t care for the “share” logo on the bar. There is a companion plugin that will track all your social media stats which looks attractive.

Others I haven’t tried but look promising….

WP MashSocial Widget. You can download the plugin from the WordPress plugin directory. I don’t know much about this one, except that it was inspired by the share bar on Mashable.com. It is rated 4.2 stars out of 5 on the WordPress plugin directory.

Mashable Social Share Bar - This one you’ll need to know how to hard code this into your theme. They provide the code they are using, but not explicit instructions on how to implement it. If someone knows where detailed instructions are, I will happily add them here.

Additional Resources

Smashing Magazine: 25 Social Media Plugins for WordPress – a list of 25 plugins for social sharing for your website, a few of which are floating, but most are not.

Please Share!

Do you have any Social Media Share Bar plugins to recommend? If you do, please let us know about it in the comments below.

And speaking of sharing on social media, if you found this post valuable, please share it with your friends and the world via your favorite social media! Thanks!

Best Floating Share Bar Plugin for WordPress is a post from: Life Learning Today

Ok, we’re on a golf roll here. Yesterday my dad taught us all how to improve our golf game with the perfect swing.

Today he’s going to teach us how to eliminate slicing the ball once and for all.

It’s all in the grip.

“Strong Grip” – The Golf Grip to Eliminate Slicing

(This is demonstrated with a person who is right handed. For Lefties, just reverse everything.)

Traditional Golf Grip

Here is a picture of the Traditional Golf Grip.  The V’s where the thumb connects to the hand are lined up together down the club towards the ball.

The Strong Golf Grip

Here’s a picture of the Strong Golf Grip. The left hand is in the same position as the traditional grip, but the right hand is turned out. The four fingers grip the club strongly but without tension. The finger of the right hand are in line with the V of the left hand.

By using the Strong Grip, it will keep the face of the club from opening up during your swing.

The “Tight Grip” Instructional Video

Here is a very short video demonstrating this grip.

Don’t be afraid to try the Strong Grip. You’ll hear golf announcers saying that the Strong Grip is bad. This is not true. It completely changed my dad’s game. Try it and see for yourself. And let us know what you think!

Please Share

If you have any helpful insights into eliminating the slice in your golf game, please leave us a comment below.

And if you found this valuable,, please share it with it with your friends via email, Facebook and Twitter. See the Share buttons below.

Thanks!

How to Stop Slicing the Ball in Golf is a post from: Life Learning Today

This is a guest post by my Dad as told to me.

This is how it started:

DAD: Kris, I’ve figured out the essence of the perfect golf swing.

ME: Oh?  (I don’t really golf)

DAD: You have to stick your ass out.

ME: What?! (laughing) Tell me more. Here’s the juicy essence of perfecting your golf swing.

How to Improve Your Golf Swing

There’s a reason you need to stick your rear-end out:

You need to “keep down on the ball” when you swing. “Sticking your butt out” is what will help you to do that.  It will also help with your balance. This is for both drives and iron shots.

“Staying down” means keeping the knees bent and the line of the upper body in the same angle relative to the ground.  Of course your back is going to twist during your swing, but the line of your spine should remain the same.

With your iron shots, make sure you hit the ball first as opposed to the grass. Hit the ball first, then the divot.

Keeping It Simple

Here’s the beauty of it. Don’t think about the knees or the spine. Just remember to stick the butt out and the rest will automatically fall into place.

If you watch golf on TV, watch the pros. Some on the pros will noticeably stick out their rear-ends. Many don’t because they know they need to “keep down” on the ball as they swing through.  For the rest of us, sticking out your butt will help you “keep down” through your swing.

As an example, if you take a look at the divots that Tiger Woods leaves, they are very long. This is an indication that he is staying down on the ball for a long time through his swing.

So keep down on the ball during your swing. Sticking your butt out will help you to do this. Remember that this is all for nothing without a full follow-through at the end of your swing, keeping your eyes on the ball the whole time.

The Importance of Practice

Practice this as often as you can in your back yard with a club, even in your house without a club. The more you practice this position, the more it will become a part of your muscle memory. That’s what you want. You want this to be automatic. Pretty soon you’ll start to notice that you don’t have to put in as much effort and also the ball will be more likely to go in the exact direction you want.

So practice.

So here is a very short video that demonstrates this concept.

I Didn’t Invent This

My dad wants me to say here that he didn’t invent this. This has come to him through observing the pros and then trying to implement it himself. He noticed that the pros never lift up their whole body throughout their swing. Everyone always says “don’t lift up your head.” Well if you’ve lifted up your head, you’ve probably lifted up your whole body from your original position and that’s what’s killing your swing.

A Note on the Back Swing

Bring it back “low and slow.” Low means keeping the head of the club low to the ground as long as possible.. This will help you get the most twisting power out of your upper body. And lastly, it’s not important to bring the club back super far. The more important thing is the follow through at the end of your swing all the way around.

Please Share

Please let us know what you think after you try this. Also if you have other critical pointers, please post them in the comments below.

And if you found this valuable, please share this with your friends via email, Facebook and Twitter. Thank you!!

The Perfect Golf Swing is a post from: Life Learning Today

photo credit: Oxymoronical

There are two types of people in the world: those that manage time and energy well (like my dad) and those that don’t (like me.)  So if you’re like me, you may often find yourself taking on too many tasks, doing too much, working too late, becoming physically and mentally tired, and then finally in a state of total exhaustion, doing all the wrong things to fix how you’re feeling. Usually this involves doing more tasks without being very productive while becoming crankier by the minute.

Luckily there is a solution, and I’m writing this post to myself so I’ll remember. Read on…..

If You Are Tired….

You should REST!

Duh!

Yes!

Of course! Why is that so difficult to remember and then once remembered, so difficult to actually do?!

It’s probably because people like me never want to accept that time is up, that it is time to transition to the next phase, whether that’s having lunch, taking a break, or finishing work for the day.

How to Rest

I’m laughing at myself for even writing that headline, but let’s spell it out. Rest means rejuvenating yourself mentally, physically, maybe spiritually, whatever needs to be rejuvenated. Here are some things you can do to rejuvenate.

1. Take a short walk. This is especially good if you work at a desk. Some smart people advocate taking a 10 minute break every hour! Can you imagine! I’d like to do this. I need to babystep my way there though!
2. Meditate or Nap. Set your alarm, close your eyes and let the world go for 10-20 minutes and Just Be. Gosh, whenever I do this, seriously, it works like magic. In a chair, lying on the floor, anyplace is fine.
3. Sleep 7-9 hours a night. You can figure out how much is right for you by allowing yourself to wake up naturally. If you feel awake, then you’ve slept the right amount of time. Becoming an early riser can help with getting your sleep onto a regular schedule. If you have trouble sleeping, click here.
4. Eat healthy foods. When you’re exhausted, all you want to do is reach for the chocolate and chips. Well try not to let yourself get too far gone in the first place and eat your fruits and veggies. You’ll actually be less likely to crave the bad stuff. Really. Green smoothies are great for this.
5. Talk or have a laugh with a friend.
6. Listen to some music, sing, and/or dance!
7. STOP WORKING WHEN YOU FEEL TIRED! Walk away if you can, and just do something, anything else, as long as it’s not more work!

Managing Your Energy to Avoid Becoming Overtired

If I use my dad as an example of how to do things right, his secret to success seems to be keeping to regular routine with regular breaks. Here’s how my dad does it. Nothing fancy, but that’s the beauty of it.

My dad rises around 6:30 everyday, runs 3 miles around 7am, showers, and eats breakfast. He starts work in the morning around 8:30am. He eats lunch every day right around noon. Granted he doesn’t really take breaks, but he paces his work in a way that isn’t frantic so the breaks are somewhat built in. For instance, he’ll allow himself a little time to think about the next task and plan it out before doing it. This is a break of sorts.

Hhe wraps up work between 5 and 5:30 to wind down for dinner at 6pm. He’s lived this way almost his whole life. Since he’s 70, he now will sometimes play golf in the late afternoon before dinner. So he works hard, but he paces himself and never gets exhausted.

So here’s Your Action Step:

Schedule in breaks to your day and take them. Find a way to make them non-negotiable.

If you’re tired, get some rest!

(I’ll try to do that!)

Please Share

I’d really like to hear your thoughts on this in the comments below! What do you think?

Thank you for sharing this with your friends if you found it valuable!

What To Do When You Are Tired is a post from: Life Learning Today

Do you ever find yourself in the quicksand of heavy emotions, struggling to understand and handle them? Do you have a habit of reacting to those emotions that you would like to change? If you would like to have a life that is lighter emotionally, more peaceful and joyful., you can achieve this. The key is understanding your emotions.

Managing emotions can be quite challenging at times, especially when we are deep in the emotional muck of life. I’ve had a minor health issue this summer that has challenged me. Because it sidelined me from life a bit, I’ve been able to observe this “Emotion + Reaction Pattern” phenomena in myself and have come up with some insights that I hope you’ll find useful.

Why Understand Emotions?

Whenever we want to change something, understanding it as fully as possible will allow us to pinpoint root causes. Then we’ll be empowered to change our reaction patterns. Knowing our triggers, we can plan new ways to react that keep us more even keeled and happier. So understanding your emotions is the key to managing them well.

Emotional Combinations

Just like primary color combinations can make more complex and varied secondary colors (example: orange= yellow + red), the same is true with emotions and physical states.  Here are some combinations that I noticed:

Tired + Ambitious = depressed, hopeless

Happy + Success = Euphoria

Happy + Failure = Blah

Tired + Caffiene = Agitated (needing to go slow, but being forced to go fast)

Low Energy + Desire = Frustration

Love + Dislike = Confusion

Fear + Pain = Terror

Tired + Mental Overload = Stuck, hard to move forward

Fear of Success/Change + Avoidance = Apathy

Tired + Working too hard = Exhaustion, Can’t think straight

High Energy + Caffeine = Mania

(These combinations can add up to different outcomes too depending on your overall state. For example, High Energy + Caffeine = Super Productivity. I used the Mania example because that is something that can be challenging for some people.)

How to Use Emotion Combinations

1. When you are experiencing a difficult emotion, try to decipher it’s component parts. What is your energy level? What is your mood? What is your hunger level? How are you physically (sick? hormone fluctuations?) This can help you understand where you are feeling.

2. Address each part of the emotional combination. If you are Tired and Ambitious, you need two solutions. First is rest and the second is to take some time out for goal planning.

3. Establish new emotional reaction patterns. So in our last example (Tired + Ambitious= Hopeless, Frustrated) your usual reaction may be to throw your hands up, say “I give up,” and then flush yourself down the emotional toilet. Going forward, now that you understand the parts of this feeling, you can recognize that you first need to rest – NOT beat yourself up. And then once you’ve allowed for the rest, then you can set aside some time to review your goals and modify or create a strategy.

Over time, using this method will lead to a more even keeled approach to the challenges of life and hopefully more peace and happiness in your life.

What Do You Think?

What emotional combinations do you notice in life? How have you dealt with them? Please share your thoughts on this in the comments below!

Thank you for sharing this article via social networks with your friends!

Understanding and Managing Emotional Combinations is a post from: Life Learning Today

I recently read one of the most incredible books I’ve ever come across. It’s called “Application of Impossible Things” by Natalie Sudman. It tells the amazing story of Natalie’s near-death-experience while working as a civilian in Iraq. I highly recommend this book because I think it has the power to change how you view life for the better. It has really opened my mind up to the rich continuum of life that doesn’t end with physical death.  If you’ve ever been curious about the after-life, please read on. And if you’d like to experience more peace in your own current life, please read on!

Near Death Experience in Iraq

I discovered Natalie Sudman’s story on NDERF.org. After reading a little bit about her story there, I immediately bought her book, “Application of Impossible Things.” In it, Natalie relays her incredible story of what happened when she and her convoy were struck by a road side bomb in Iraq. She left her body and had an amazing spiritual experience.

Near-death-experiences are often difficult to describe because what happens beyond the physical realm often there are corresponding words to accurately describe those experiences. Natalie, however, uses words deftly. Her precise descriptions deliver you right into her story. You get to experience right along with Natalie, the sensations she experienced.

Why You Should Read This Book

This is a slim volume, (120 pages) but it is very full of revealing and inspiring information. This is what I liked and what came away with after reading her book:

1. Life is a continuum. We may or may not have been here before and we may or may not be back after this physical life is over. But we certainly did exist before our life on earth and will continue to live afterwards.
2. Heaven (my term) is all about creating, exploring, expanding our consciousness (not sure how to describe that), experiencing truly unconditional love, and enjoying it all.
3. Physical Life is all about the same things as heaven. It’s a continuum! We continue our work, our creating, our love, and our joy – where ever we are, whether physical or spiritual. One of our greatest purposes is simply to enjoy our life! How liberating is that!!
4. Heaven is not boring!! It’s beyond our comprehension because we are experiencing life through our physical body which acts like a filter. We can’t see, hear, taste, feel, etc things in their pure form. Once we are released from our physical body, the kaleidoscope of experiences begin.
5. All is good. Even bad things are good. You must read the book to get the full explanation on this, but the bottom line is that everything that happens, even bad things are not only ok, but good because of the learning that we receive from them. This can be tough to wrap our minds around, but when you consider the entire continuum of our existence it starts to make sense. And opening to this idea, I believe, is quite liberating. It gives us the permission to release bad experiences. We don’t have to hold onto them in a negative light.
6. You are the co-creator of your experiences, both here and beyond the physical life. You have more control over your experience than you realize. Your heaven may be very different from mine. It will be what you want
7. We are unique individuals AND at the same time we are all part of one source. This may seem contradictory. It is. Which leads to #8:
8. Contradictions are all correct. The answer can be both yes and no. Again, this is hard to wrap our minds around, but Natalie does an amazing job of scratching that surface enough that we can start to get a twinkling of how that could be true.
9. We have guides or angels, whatever name you want to give them, who do watch out for us. We can call upon them to help us. Our openness to them can help us.
10. No religion required and at the same time no religion excluded. This is my own observation. I am Christian, but I am very liberal in my beliefs. Her experience doesn’t seem to limit anyone’s belief system. I see it as an add-on. For instance, Jesus is the son of God, but so are we all, in our own way. We all come from the same source.
11. No Gurus. Natalie doesn’t prescribe any religion in particular. In fact she says, “Don’t follow me. Don’t trust me. Trust your own experience.” I like that!

I felt so joyful after reading this book. I truly feel like “Life is Good” after reading this book. In fact, it’s more than good. It’s unbelievably awesome!

Other Natalie Sudman Resources

Natalie Sudman Interview on YouTube

Natalie Sudman online interview

- this is a text interview at First Church of Metaphor – dot – Org – click here.

Natalie Sudman’s Blog

- fantastic writing and insights into expanding your consciousness. – click here.

Please Share

Have you read this book? Do you have an experience to share or a question to ask? I look forward to our conversation!

If you found this interesting or valuable, please share with your friends with the share icons below! Thanks!

Application of Impossible Things – Book Review is a post from: Life Learning Today

Are some things impossible? Maybe? Like time travel, walking through walls, traveling to another galaxy, etc. (who knows maybe someday even these things will be possible) But mostly there are things that only SEEM impossible. What would you like to do that seems impossible, but you’d really like to do it? Here are 3 mini-stories that illustrate that many things we think are impossible really are possible. I hope these stories inspire you to follow your dream even if it seems impossible.

3 Impossible Yet True Stories

Touching the Void – Joe Simpson

This is the amazing story of mountain climber, Joe Simpson, and how he survived what truly seems impossible. While climbing a 21,000 foot mountain in the Andes, Joe fell into a crevasse and broke his leg. Abandoned by his climbing partner and facing a mammoth blizzard, he should not have survived. But he did. It took him 3 days to get back down the mountain with a severely broken leg, frostbite, no food or water, and no encouragement from anyone but his own sheer will to live.

Here is the description from Amazon. This story is available in both book and video. It will change your outlook on what is possible! I highly recommend reading or watching this story!

Break-Through the Impossible! is a post from: Life Learning Today

Brainstorming for Bloggers from DoodlesandJots

Do you have a dream project? Have you been putting it off forever because you “never have time to work on it.”  (There’s my story again!) Well I have a solution. It’s called chunking and it’s a very simple concept. Check it out.

No Time for My Project

I have a few projects that will each take some time. For a while I just kept postponing working on them until I “had some time.” Finally one day I woke up from my delusional thinking that I would ever suddenly “have the time” to work on these projects. And I decided to Chunk my project, that is space it out over time.

Before I would take care of my usual daily tasks first thinking, again, “I’ll work on my project if I have time later.” And I never did. So now I set aside a certain amount of time to work on my project and now it is getting done!

Project Planning Tool to Make Your Dream a Reality

Chunking Your Project

1. Create a plan for your project.
   1. Write out the major things you want to accomplish.
   2. Write down all the things you need to do to to reach each step. Having the steps written down makes it easier to take action when you go to work on your project.
2. Schedule in time to work on your project.
   1. Each day take a chunk of tasks from your master project plan and write them down.
   2. Work on those tasks until time is up.
3. Make notes for yourself for next time you work on the project.
   1. Where you left off.
   2. What you need to do next.
4. Repeat.

Keep It Simple

Keep things simple. I purposely didn’t suggest any planning software or online planning programs because sometimes choosing those becomes a project in itself. Stick to pen and paper and see how productive you will be.Work in compartments.

Don’t worry about the overall project. If you focus on a small part each day you will complete your project! Think about ants and how the dig an ant hole and tunnels, one grain at a time. It may not seem like a lot, but over time they move a mountain and create their world.

If the ants can get it done so can you!

Wishing you enjoyment as you plan, execute and celebrate the completion of your project!

Dedication

This post is dedicated to my sister who really knows how to get things done. She is no nonsense, practical, productive, and always calm. She plans well and paces herself. And at the end of the day she is content. Thanks for always being an inspiration and teacher to me, Annie! Check out her creative blog: Doodles and Jots! A great post there is Brainstorming for Bloggers.

Please Share

What project are you working on or which one would you like start or revive? Share your project journey in the comments and then come back to let us know when you’ve completed it!

Thank you in advance for commenting and sharing this post with your network of friends!!

How to Make Your Big Dream Project a Reality is a post from: Life Learning Today

photo credit: gemma maree

Here’s what I mean by “What is your story?” Have you ever noticed that each person you know has a certain theme or story that they are always telling in one form or another? For instance, you may have a friend who is always short on cash. Her story might be “I never have enough money.”

Or maybe you have a friend who always tells the story of the guy who cheated on her.  Her story: “Men always cheat (on me.)” Or maybe you know someone else whose story is more broad-based where somehow he is always the victim of some transgression. We are often blind to our own stories.

So what is your story and more importantly is it serving you well? Could it be that your story holds the key to living the life you really want? Let’s explore….

Facebook Stories

As I was reading through Facebook the other day I noticed that some people had a theme and a story they were always telling. For some people their story is positive, uplifting, and supportive of their life. And some people it seems have a storyline that seems all about limits, disappointments, and things that hold them back from a fulfilling life.

So then I thought “What is my story?” Do I tell a story that limits me? I think I sometimes do. My limiting story is “I’m so busy. I never have enough time.” I hope that I also have positive story lines too, but this story is the one that holds me back.

Changing My Story

Using my story as an example, how could I change it to empower my life instead of limit it?

“I’m so busy. I never have enough time.”

This could become:

“I have enough time to do the most important things in life. Because I prioritize, I always do those things that are most valuable to me. I choose quality over quantity and I savor the good in my life. I have enough time.”

Maybe I could condense that:

“I have enough time. I only spend that time on activities that I value.”

I could use this new story to improve my life: Each time I  consider doing a particular activity I can run it through a filter so that I can either

• recognize that it is valuable even though I might not want to do it.
• OR
• determine that it doesn’t support my new story, and I should not do it.

Valuable or Not? Filter

Examples:

• Taking out the garbage (non-fun necessary tasks)- yes valuable because I like to have a clean odor-free home.
• Reading a Catalog (mindless activities)- no, because I have all I need and I don’t want to spend money unnecessarily.
• Writing before I do my little errands (top priority tasks vs low priority tasks)- yes, this is one of my most important activities. The errands will get done in time, but if I do the “errands” and little tasks first then my big priorities won’t get done.

How Can You Change Your Story?

If you don’t already know your story, that one that is limiting your enjoyment of life, then spend a few days listening to yourself as you talk to others. Listen to what you say to yourself in your head.

In order to change your story you must be honest with yourself. If you story is one of the following examples, here’s what you might want to consider:

“I have no time.”

Maybe you are short on time because you have many things to do, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have any time or that you can’t use the time you have more effectively. Your new story could be “Because I use my time effectively, I always have enough time for people and activities that are important to me.”

“I gain weight so easily.”

Maybe you gain weight more easily than others or than in your younger years, but guess what? You can change that and remember that you always have the control! Don’t let go of the control. Watch your net calories each day. Commit to it and you can change your story to “I am in control of my body and little by little I am changing it to what I want.”

“I never have enough money.”

This is like the weight loss one. Regardless of your income, you still have control over many things, namely how you spend your money. Really examine needs vs. wants when it comes to spending.  What expenses can you cut which will make your life lighter for a while? Cable TV? Your car – if you live in the city or if you can use a bike. Eating out?

Make a commitment to budgeting. In fact it might be that you just need to learn how to budget. Learn that and do it. Invest your savings. Your new story could be: “I have enough money for my needs, my life is full, and I am building a nestegg for the future and for rainy days.”

“People always let me down; I am always a victim;”

Everyone has disappointments, betrayals, and transgressions committed against them. Some have more. Some less. Some are bad and some are atrocious. At the same time we all have good things in our life. We must change our perspective and focus in on the good. This is a Habit that can be developed and strengthened, just as focusing on bad experiences is a Habit.

Watch your thoughts and if you want to be happier, change your focus to the good in your life. Remember: just because someone betrays you or lets you down doesn’t doesn’t have any bearing your worth or specialness. You are still wonderful. Release bad experiences to the past. The more you do this the easier it gets.  Your new story could be “Regardless of life’s challenges I am blessed with many good things and I am continually moving towards more good things that I know are coming my way.”

“Drama. Drama. Drama.”

Some people live in a world of constant drama, upheaval, and unbelievable calamities. Why is this? There is a high that goes along with all this drama. It’s called excitement. We feel the drama through the rush of adrenaline and for some people this high is somewhat addictive. Maybe it drowns out something else they would rather ignore.

The bottom line is this: if this is you and you recognize that too much drama detracts from your life, then you must be honest with yourself and set up new ways of handling daily life that lead to more stable outcomes. In the past, whether you realize it or not, you have put yourself in the center of these dramas, and you have the power to keep that from happening going forward.

Choose to be on time. Choose to treat others the way you want to be treated. Choose to let go of things that don’t support your life. Let others handle their own mess. You don’t need to get in the middle, no matter how much you want to help. Your new story: “I choose a life of peace. I avoid drama and seek excitement in things that serve my life well.”

What Do You Think?

What is your story? How can you change it? I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments and who knows you may help someone else who is having the same challenge!

Please share if you found this valuable! Thank you!

What Is Your Story? is a post from: Life Learning Today

I’ve been seeing a lot of braids recently, probably because I’ve been on Pinterest a lot lately. I decided to try out a new braid. I thought I made it up until I searched and saw that others have done similar things. Here’s mine and here is a visual graphic that will instruct you how to make your own four strand braid.

Four Strand Braid – How To

This image will show you how to create your own 4 strand braid better than I can explain it in text. You could practice first with string or something other than hair. If you slightly wet the hair it can make it a little easier to handle.

Here is a post from Crochet Clouds that has another great graphic aid for how to do this and also a beautiful finished braid seen below. Definitely click through to her instructions which also has a video.

Please Share

If you like this post, take a picture and put a link to it in the comments so we can check out your also!

Also, if you like this please share on Pinterest or your favorite social media! Thanks!

4 Part Braid is a post from: Life Learning Today

I have a “new” blog called RunningZen. The goal is to share tips, ideas, and reviews for runners. Some of the content will be pretty standard, but useful. And I hope that some of the content will be eccentric-and useful. This is a work in progress. I would love it if you would come visit and check out some of my beginning articles. I’d love it even more if you find it valuable enough to subscribe and share your thoughts in the comments there.

Click through for a sampling of my latest articles.

RunningZen- Tips, Ideas and Reviews for Runners

No Brain, No Pain – getting outside of your thinking brain to escape from pain and discomfort.

Programs to Track Your Running – a review of several online and smartphone applications for logging your running stats, creating training plans, and more.

Smile Power – my experience with a little trick that truly made my workout easier.

Running Mantras – mantras that you can use to enhance the enjoyment of your run, to improve performance, to keep going when it’s tough, and more.

Please Share

Please click on over to RunningZen, take a moment to subscribe, and if you find something interesting, please leave a comment! Thanks!

Running Tips is a post from: Life Learning Today

Any blender or any food container for that matter when used frequently can get a fine build-up of residue.  There is a super simple way to remove it from your Vitamix blender and it doesn’t involve any harsh chemicals! You’re going to love this!

How to Clean Vitamix Blender

Steps:

1. Sprinkle baking soda inside your Vitamix blender.
2. Pour about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of white vinegar into the blender.
3. Swirl around. You will see a fizzing action occurring as the baking soda and vinegar react with each other.
4. Add 2-3 cups warm/hot water.
5. Run on high for 30-60 seconds.
6. Rinse thoroughly.
7. Let dry.

Your container should be like new, sparkly and clear. And the vinegar will not only clean it, but also sanitize it by killing germs! Who knew?!

Don’t Do This with Your Vitamix

1. Don’t clean your Vitamix in the dishwasher. (This will void their amazing warranty).
2. Don’t use Comet or other abrasives.
3. My suggestion: don’t use bleach. Vitamix says you can use a small amount for sterilizing once a month, but vinegar will actually give you the same result! Vinegar kills as much germs as bleach, but it won’t poison YOU!

Other Vitamix Resources

Vitamix Review: Should You Buy One?

Vitamix Recipes

Healthy Yummy Salad Dressing

Green Watermelon Smoothie

Protein and Fruit Smoothie

Marinade for Chicken

Creamy Vegetable Soup

Please Share!

If you found this post valuable, please share it via email, Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon or your favorite social media below! Also, I would love to hear your feedback on how this works for you! Thanks!

How to Clean Residue from Your Vitamix Blender is a post from: Life Learning Today