photo credit: Sam Howzit

I saw an awesome segment on ABC news the other night. It was called “Made in America.” This gist is this:

If each of us spent just $64 on American made goods during our holiday shopping, the result would be 200,000 new jobs.

The rallying call is: “ARE YOU IN?” Would you try to buy American-Made products this year at Christmas (and I say beyond) in order to help create jobs for America? I’m in! With so many products made overseas it’s not easy to find American- Made products. So for those of you that “are in,” here is a list of nice products that are Made in the United States.

Great Products Made in America

I’ve done some research for you. I’ve tried to pick out the items that either I have used myself that I really like or ones that look really cool and/or useful. Hope you find the list helpful for your gift shopping. Don’t forget to get something for yourself too!

Clothing Made in America

American Apparel

very nicely made clothing. So much to choose from. This picture shows the yoga pants they have that I love. They come in a ton of colors. I also like their t-shirts too. The owner of this company, Dov Charney, is a very interesting person. My husband used to work for him so I know first hand how much he really cares about his employees.

Leather Work Gloves

Cotton Socks – Ankle No-Show Cut

Dance Arm Warmers with Thumb Hole

Convertible Dress – 8 Different Looks, 2 Different Color Choices – looks so cool!

Stretch Knit Dress – many colors and blends to choose from.

L.L. Bean – boots, bags, coats, gear, and more.

Household Goods Made in America

American Kitchen -10 piece stainless steel kitchen set.

Rada Cutlery Set

Nested Plastic Mixing Bowls

Non-Stick Skillet

Cherry Red set of 3 Spatulas and Basting Brush

Munchie Mug – Spill-proof Snack Cup for Toddlers

100-Percent Organic Cotton Oversized Towel Set

Luna Premium Hypoallergenic Waterproof Mattress Protector 

Toys Made in America

Green and Tan Army Men – need I say more. Ultimate boy toy.

Wooden Alphabet Blocks – they say this is truly the ultimate toy for a child. They can learn so many things from blocks.

Arrow Copter Rubberband Slingshot Launcher – this looks like a fun toy!

45-ft. Mylar Fire Dragon Kite – who wouldn’t want to fly this kite!!?

Monster Blocks Interlocking Plastic Building Blocks – move over legos!

Green Toys Cookware & Dining Set – we’ve had this set and it is very sturdy and nice. Hours of great play time.

Tangram Puzzle – Mental Aerobics – great for Grownups too! – We have a set like this. It’s a fun game for grownups to play with their kids.

Womens Products Made in USA

Comfort Bra by Momjamas – great for nursing moms or any woman looking for a comfortable bra.

Classic Promenade Eco-friendly Recycled Tote Bag – many colors and patterns.

Small Leather Sling Hobo Bag

100% Cotton Extra Large Canvas Yoga Mat Bag

Men’s Products Made in USA

Tough Traveler Passport Wallet – comes in many 9 colors. Great for women too.

Scout Pack Backpack – comes in 11 colors. Great for women too.

JJ Weston gold plated double ended knot cufflinks – click through to see many other styles.

Tough Traveler Prestige Duffel

Portable Basketball Hoop – 50 Inch Backboard

Hope you found something you liked here. Let us know if you find other great “Made in USA” products!

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Post from: Life Learning Today

Gift Guide: Buy American Made, Create Jobs!

photo source:thetruthsoflife.com

This is a quote from Mahatma Gandhi. It sounds good, but what does it mean? How do I “do this?” I’ll give you my take on what this means, how to implement it, and how it will benefit your life and the whole world.  The Whole World? Really? Sounds dramatic doesn’t it. Well it is true! I’ve experienced it helping me and the people in my life.  The key is to stay focused on it, and it will help you too!

 How to “Be the Change You Want to See”

To explain this, let’s take an example. Let’s say you are married and you wish that your spouse would be more __________(fill in the blank). (Loving, patient, affectionate, non-judging, tidy, etc) Whatever that quality is that you wish for, that is what you should now focus on being more of yourself.

Sometimes we don’t realize that we are just as “guilty” of the grievance we have as are the people we have the grievance against. Let’s take another example, and after that we will address any skepticism you may have about this being an effective strategy.

Catching or Dissolving Anger?

For our next example, let’s say that you get upset by angry drivers. When other drivers beep their horns, swear, and gesture angrily at you, how does that make you feel? Perhaps angry, frustrated, and upset? How do we usually react? Most of us respond in kind with cursing the other driver and/or letting loose with our own choice hand gestures. Why? We are reacting to the hurt by trying to hurt back. It’s a knee-jerk reaction.

But does it make you feel better? It may help you release your frustration, but you create more anger when you engage in it. You may throw some back at your “attacker,” but now you have created more anger! In addition you are carrying the original anger inside of you as you remember the transgression and your anger about it. They threw the “ball” and you “caught” it. And then you added to the ball. It’s bigger now.

Now that you have the anger ball, there is a good chance that you will soon throw it to someone else, continuing the pattern.  (Watch out to the next person who aggravates you even slightly.) Notice that I say throw it “to” someone not “at” someone. This implies that the recipient has the choice of whether to catch it or not. When we catch the ball of anger, it keeps getting passed around. So what’s the alternative?

Be the change you want to see.

Be the patience, the kindness, the compassion you want to see. How? When anger is sent your way, meet it with compassion and understanding that the person throwing the anger is struggling and doesn’t yet know how to do so in a constructive way. Their struggle probably has nothing to do with your driving and more to do with some other frustration. So meet their anger with kindness and compassion. This melts the anger which can then no longer be thrown. This takes lots of practice and preparedness for when it does happen.

How “Being the Change” Helps the Whole World

Compassion is understanding, relating to the other person’s struggle. We’ve been there too. If we want it we must give it. And as the law of attraction states, you will receive more of what you give. When you give compassion, others will be more likely to do the same. Why? When you give kindness it melts people’s hearts, opening them up to give kindness back out to someone. That’s a ball you want to catch and throw over and over again!

Now the other driver may or may not receive your kindness, but don’t count it out. As you choose compassion towards the driver, in that instant you become ready to share it more easily with the next person you meet. And like ripples in a pond, your kindness will travel from person to person rippling through the world, making the world a kinder place – the change you want to see! Chances are that in some way it will reach that driver eventually!

Still Skeptical?

It’s understandable to feel skeptical.  What if you feel like you are already being kind to your spouse, you already smile at drivers who curse you, and you still encounter mean grumpy people? Yes, you will continue to meet those people. Your spouse may continue to be less kind than you would like. But YOU will have changed! You will no longer be reacting to life, but rather living on purpose in the way that you hope to see in others. You will be happier on the inside despite grumpy people around you. Your happiness is your choice.

The other thing to remember, also, is to give without expectation of receiving. You must be kind and compassionate without judging others’ level of kindness and compassion. You can only control you. If you are “being kind with your spouse” but at the same time harboring judgement against them, they will pick that up – even if your judging is only in your head! You can’t hide it. Really!

So you must release expectation and release judgement of others, otherwise people will feel your judgement. Judgement makes people close up. This will defeat all your good work of being more affectionate or kind. Be the change you want to see in the world in the purest sense you can.  Challenge yourself to be honest about your “work” on this, but at the same time be compassionate towards yourself too. Recognize your good work and let that be a joy to you.

How to Establish a Habit of “Being the Change”

1. Write down the things that have been bothering you in general – with co-workers, friends, your spouse, or strangers.
2. Write down what change you would like to see.
3. Think of ways that you can be that change. Gently meditate on this.
4. Mentally rehearse it so you can be ready for it in real life. Take a small amount of quiet time for this.
5. Be the change you want to see.
6. Repeat daily.

As I said before it takes practice to establish this as a habit, but YOU CAN DO IT! Practice it in real life and in your mind each morning and night. You will be amazed at the results!

Please Share!

Have you ever experienced the benefits of this? I’d love to hear from YOU!

Post from: Life Learning Today

Be the Change You Want to See in the World

photo credit: Biys || .S.Y.I.B.L.I.

I used to be the person least likely to become an early riser. I liked to stay up late.  I loved that cozy morning sleep.  And boy did I love extra snoozing.  Does that sound familiar to you? Well if you are reading this you may have had a change in your life (like I did – having a child) that has prompted you to become more of a morning person.

Being a morning person is not necessary for everyone, but if it’s right for your life now, there are many benefits to being an early riser. The transition doesn’t have to be painful either, believe it or not. And let me tell you, if I could do it then YOU CAN TOO! Here’s how:

Benefits of Being an Early Riser

Having a clear vision of the benefits you will experience is always the best way to embark on any change. If there weren’t benefits why would you make the change? Even if you are being forced to become an early riser, the benefit of not being tired is likely a powerful one. So in light of that let’s start with the benefits of becoming an early riser.

Imagine how your life would be improved with these benefits from early rising:

• be able to get up without feeling tired.
• be awake, alert and happy for your small children who wake early and need you to
• start an exercising routine that you didn’t have time for before.
• have a schedule that allows for more quality time with your spouse who also rises early.
• enjoy the peaceful feeling of early morning quiet when the world is just coming alive.
• get more done during the day, particularly in the morning.
• be the early bird for events so you can avoid crowds and long lines.
• feel more in control of how you are living your life.
• increased productivity: start work earlier when there are less distractions and be able to leave work earlier for quality leisure time.
• enjoy less stress because of all these benefits.

How to Become an Early Riser

Listen to Your Body

Post from: Life Learning Today

How to Become an Early Riser

photo credit: tiffa130

A popular article here on my blog is “Relationship Gold” where I talk about the power and importance of kindness in a healthy and happy relationship.  Equally important is the relationship gem of Being Present. This has the power to revive a weak relationship and keep a good one healthy. If any of your relationships are in need of some help, then please read on.

How Does It Feel For You?

In your relationships, how often do you really pay attention to the other person? How often is your attention only half there or, worse, not there at all? How often are you distracted by an electronic device or caught up in your own thoughts? How does it feel for you when you are on the receiving end of, well, not receiving?

In a lot of ways this is very normal, so don’t beat yourself up. But, now that you are aware of it, it’s time to do something about it.

Being Present: What Does That Mean?

Being present means giving all your attention to the other person. We can’t be present all the time, but it is important to make time to do this on a regular basis.  Think about how you feel when someone is actively listening to you and is interested in what you have to say? Feels pretty darn good, right? What does their actions say to you when someone really listens? You probably feel respected and liked in a big way.

Now imagine if you gave that feeling to your partner, your child, your parent, your sibling, or your friend? Imagine if you gave them that little gem on a regular basis? What do you think would happen?  I’ll tell you what I’ve experienced.  It will strengthen your relationship. It will repair broken walls and cracked foundations.

Not only will the other person feel respected and liked, but you will receive something too, that also reinforces the relationship. You will gain compassion for the other person. By truly listening and becoming interested in the other person you start to develop a deeper understanding of that person. Judgement falls away and in it’s place arises a warmer heart in you.

Being Present: How to Do It

There’s not much to it, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. This is especially true if you have a strong habit of checking email, answering the phone, watching TV, surfing the web, etc. while someone is talking to you. But any habit can be broken and a new one started at any time. The saying about old dogs couldn’t be less true! It’s all about wanting to change and then taking action.

Being Present

1. GIVE ATTENTION: When you are with your friend, partner, lover for some relaxation time put all your attention into listening and being interested in them.
2. MAKE THE TIME: Be conscious of making this time happen as often as will fit into your relationship schedule. So maybe that means first thing in the morning for couples. Or maybe it means at lunchtime with a friend.  Or it might mean an evening phone call with a parent or sibling.
3. TURN OFF DISTRACTIONS: Turn off electronic devices. You can watch TV together later, but keep in mind that that does not count as Being Present time. Even if you are on the phone with the other person, do not be looking at a computer, TV or cell phone while having a conversation. That is not Being Present.
4. IGNORE PHONES: Don’t answer the phone unless you know it’s urgent. And what is urgent? It should mean that answering it will help avoid a problem. If it’s just “interesting” urgent then it’s not urgent.
5. COMMUNICATE: Listen actively by asking questions. Cultivate interest in what the other person is saying. Being interested is a choice.
6. RELEASE JUDGEMENT: We humans love to judge. This happens especially in close relationships. We want the other person to do things differently or to think differently. During your time of Being Present, release judgement. Approach with the kindness and openness that we give to a new acquaintance. The opposite of judgement is kindness or compassion. Cultivate this by trying to understand the other person’s struggles, recognizing that their struggles are no less challenging than our own.
7. CLOSING WHILE GROWING THE CHAIN: Wrap up your time together with a bow. Say thank you for the time. Express your feelings. Plan for the next quality time together. This might be most difficult for people who live together, but I think it is important because we can’t be present all the time. We have chores to do, we do need to take phone calls, we need to plan for tomorrow. But we make our time together quality by putting brackets around it, by not allowing interruptions during that quality time. And we build our relationship when we explicityly plan for the next time at the end of each quality time together. It gives each person something to look forward to and helps us to be patient with each other when we have work to do and can’t be present.

Post from: Life Learning Today

A Relationship Gem: How to Revive a Relationship

Think you can’t grill in the winter? Think again. And I’m not talking about the George Foreman Grill. I’m talking about indoor grilling on your stove top using a cast iron grill. There are many to choose from.  They are easy to use and easy to clean. Here is a quick marinade recipe that you can whip up quickly in your Vitamix blender. (the perfect gift for yourself!) Here is this simple and yummy recipe.

Sweet Grilled Winter Chicken

Marinade Ingredients

• 1 Orange – peeled
• 2 T Mango Chutney or any type fruit preserves (jelly)
• 5 cloves garlic – yes!
• 1 t Salt  (more or less to your taste is fine)
• 1/2 t Pepper
• 1/2 t Curry powder
• 1 t Garlic powder
• 2 T Olive Oil

Marinading Instructions

Put all ingredients into your blender (Vitamix blenders whip this up in about 15 seconds). Blend on high until smooth. Pour into glass or plastic container. Add chicken.  I used Thin sliced chicken breasts. You could also use tenderloins. Stab chicken with fork to let marinade soak in. Marinade in fridge for 1 hour or over night is fine too.

Grilling Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Set aside a lightly oiled sheet pan which can hold all your chicken.  On your indoor grill, (this is the one I use) turn the heat up to med high/high. Once the grill is hot, place the marinaded chicken onto the grill and cook on each side until nicely browned. Each side will take around 3-4 minutes depending on how how the grill is. You may need to use your stove vent, but you might not. It shouldn’t be very smoky, mostly steamy.

Once browned, remove chicken from the grill and place on the sheet pan you prepared. If you’re doing a lot of chicken you can start to grill your next batch. Once all your chicken is on the oiled pan, place this in your preheated oven for 15 minutes. (By finishing the cooking in the oven you will ensure that the chicken both cooks all the way through and stays moist. I learned this from Chef T who really knows his stuff!) Remove chicken from oven. Let sit for 5 minutes and then you can serve.

You can also freeze some of this chicken in single serving sizes. You’ll have a healthy go-to food that you can heat up anytime. Having lean protein handy is very helpful for dieting and losing belly fat.

Clean Up Instructions

Cleaning your cast iron grill is super easy. Place it in the sink and spray it with very hot water. Do not use soap. Use a stiff brush to clean off any food. If you have any burnt on food, let it soak for a bit then use your metal spatula and/or the stiff brush to remove food debris. Once cleaned, immediately towel dry the grill. And then lightly oil the grill. I use my hands to spread the oil and then dab up any excess with a paper towel.

Please Share!

If you try this recipe, please let me know how it goes!  I love to hear from you!

Post from: Life Learning Today

Sweet Grilled Winter Chicken

Here is a tasty and nutricious dressing you can make quickly using a food processor or a blender or even by hand if you need to. The recipe is “adjustable” to your taste. Read on for the recipe!

Lemon Garlic Dressing Recipe

Ingredients

• Fresh Lemon Juice
• Garlic cloves
• Almonds
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Optional : Garlic Powder, Hot Pepper Flakes, Basil, or your favorite spices!

Directions

1. In food processor or blender (my favorite blender) or bowl*, mix equal amounts of lemon juice and olive oil
2. Add few cloves of garlic and a couple pinches of almonds.
3. Salt and Pepper to taste.
4. Additional seasonings to taste.
5. Blend until fine to medium granularity – or even smooth if you prefer.
6. Add additional seasoning if necessary.

*If preparing by hand, chop the garlic and almonds by hand first and then whisk everything together until emulsified.

2 Tablespoons = 80 calories.

YUM!

Enjoy!

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Please Comment! We’d love to hear from you!

Post from: Life Learning Today

Lemon Garlic Dressing Recipe

photo credit: Andre Santos.foto

If you are a dance performer, this post is for you. It will help you arrive ready at your performance with very little stress because you will have remembered everything! At the end of this post is a free Excel version of this checklist which you can modify according to your needs.

Checklist for Belly Dance Performance

1-2 Weeks Before Performance

• Choose Music
• Mix Music (if needed)
• Create and Learn Choreography
• Practice with friend for editing ideas
• Video Your Performance to Edit and Improve Your Choreography
• Purchase or Make costume, props, and jewelry.

1 Week Before Performance

• Full Costume Rehearsal including jewelry and props
• Create 2 Music CD’s
• Test both Music CD’s – preferably at the location/on actual equipment
• Assemble Your Costume Bag
• Create Your Personal Checklist of Items to bring.

1 Day Before

• Remove nail polish
• Shave legs, etc
• Plan your performance day with Timeframes for each activity.
• Plan when to start getting ready
• Plan when you will leave your house
• Allow for an extra 30 minutes in case of traffic.
• Be realistic about transition times between activities

Day of Performance

• Place your Costume Bag in the car or by the door
• Tape your Checklist on your front door
• Paint nails
• Style Hair
• Plan to arrive at least 1 hour before showtime to warm up, etc.

Costume Bag Checklist

• Jewelry (think arms, neck, ears, ankles, hands, head)
• Safety Pins
• Make-Up
• Deodorant
• Nail Polish & Remover
• Hair Brush
• Hair Spray
• Hair clips
• Hair curler or iron
• Footwear
• Pants, stockings, leggings
• Skirts
• Tops
• Underwear and Bra
• Inserts
• Coverup for before performance
• Props:
• Cane
• Zills
• Veil
• Sword
• Isis Wings
• Clothes to wear after performance
• Full length mirror if needed
• Music player
• Music CDs
• Healthy snacks

Belly Dance Performance Checklist is a FREE excel spreadsheet which you can download and customize.

Costumes, Canes, Jewelry, Veils, Coin Belts, Zills and More!

Please Share!

Please share with your dance friends and if you have suggestions that I’ve missed, let me know in the comments so I can add them here and to the free spreadsheet bellydance performance checklist.

Post from: Life Learning Today

Belly Dance Performance Checklist

photo credit: Charlotte Astrid

Have you “tried everything” to lose weight and not really had the success you’d like? Would you like to finally get the job done and feel good about yourself? What if I told you It Can Be Done, it’s (relatively) easy, and it won’t cost you anything for the advice? Would you listen? Would you do it? Ok here’s how.

How to Really Lose Weight

To really lose weight you must eat less calories than your body burns each day. It’s simple math.

You’ve heard it before right? As you know, there are a million weight loss strategies out there. But none of them will work if they don’t create a calorie deficit each day. Some of them may create that deficit, but if you’re not monitoring the numbers in a disciplined way then you are setting yourself up for failure.

You may have tried calorie counting. If it failed it was because you either stopped counting calories to take up an “easier method” -(No Carbs, Food Combining, Going Vegan, Exercise Dieting) or you simply stopped counting calories period.

So if you want to get it done this time and keep it off, here is my free and 100% money back guarantee of how to do it:

Steps to Losing Weight

Online
1. Use the free website: www.LoseIt.com. This will allow you to do all the manual steps below right online. This is very easy to use and again it is FREE! You can enter recipes and food labels for foods it doesn’t have in its database. It also has an app for iphone, ipad, android and probably others. (I get no monetary compensation for this! It just works!)

2. Log your calories, exercise, and weight. The website will take care of the calculations.

Manual (If you want to keep a written log instead)

1. Find out your basal metabolic rate. This is how many calories your body burns just living. Here are some calculators:
BMI Calculator
Discovery Health BMR Calculator
Calories Per Hour Calculator
WEBmd Calculator

2. Each day count all your calories you take in. Subtract from your BMR.

3. Count all your exercise calories and add it to your BMR. This allows you to eat more calories.

4. Keep a daily log of calories in and out. If you want to lose 1 pound per week, you should aim to have a 500 calorie deficit each day. (7×500=3500. 3500 calories= 1 pound) If you want to lose 1/2 pound each week then shoot for 250 calorie deficit each day. And so on.  (Want even simpler way to track  calories? Try the “High Five” Diet!)

How to Keep Off the Weight

Once you have reached your goal weight, you simply stick with the program but eat calories that roughly match your BMR, keeping a weekly check on your weight. If you find that it fluctuates up, then just adjust your eating down a bit.

So, yes, this is a lifelong habit. No big deal. Just do it and you will reap the benefits of keeping your weight right where you want it.

Don’t think of it as a chore. Think of the benefits you get from doing it. Health, mobility, clothes that fit, and sense of well-being. And so much more.

Tips for Weight Loss Success

Creating a calorie deficit each day shouldn’t be too difficult. You shouldn’t feel really hungry if you spread out your calories and eat mostly non-processed healthy foods. These tips will make doing this a little easier.

1. Be patient at first. You may be a little hungrier the first few days. This will pass.

2. Avoid activities that spur mindless eating, like watching TV. Have healthy snacks for such times or do something else with your hands such as needle work, crosswords, etc.

3. Exercise each day for at least 30 minutes. This will allow you to eat more calories which always makes life feel better!

4. If you can’t exercise, don’t sweat it. Just stick to your calorie deficit plans.

5. Find healthy foods that you like and then mix and match them. A somewhat boring diet that is nonetheless satisfying will make you less likely to overeat. (Examples: always have grilled chicken in the fridge, make your own low calorie dressing from 1t olive oil, 1t balsamic vinegar, and 1t lemon juice plus salt and pepper. Very good, easy, and only 33 calories. Will coat 4 cups of salad!)

6. Don’t worry if you have a calorie surplus on any given day. Pay attention to your weekly total as the main focus.

7. Eat lots of fiber foods (25-30 grams per day) and enough protein (roughly 30% of your total calories) to feel full longer. Learn to love your veggies! Use a little olive oil and spices to enhance the flavor.

8. Have “go-to” treats for when you want a “dessert,” one that don’t take up too many calories, but that will allow you to feel like you’re not giving up goodies. Examples: low calorie cookies, plain greek yogurt with Truvia, air-popped popcorn with garlic powder, salt and 1t olive oil.

9. Avoid low-fiber sugar foods as much as possible. Why? High sugar, low fiber food get stored almost immediately as fat. So minimize sugar! Try to use Truvia (stevia product that tastes best) wherever possible instead. Try making your own ice cream. (Milk, cream, vanilla, & Truvia) So easy and lower calorie. Check out these ice cream makers. Here’s the ice cream maker I use: Donvier Ice Cream Maker.

10. Low Calorie Foods to mix and match.

11. Eat slower. Avoid stress at meal time. This might mean eating before your kids.

12. Watch the calories in alcohol! They add up fast!

13. Watch out for very salty high sodium foods. They will leave you feeling like eating more when you are actually thirsty. They will also bloat you.

14. WOMEN: BIG IMPORTANT TIP: Don’t weigh yourself in the last 2 weeks of your cycle, or if you do, realize that there will be water weight there. Your most accurate weight will be 5-7 days after your first day of menstruation.

15. Have a “go-to” low calorie healthy snacks ready ahead of time. Examples: cut up fruit, nuts, air popcorn, low-fat cheese or plain greek yogurt.

16. Eliminate from your pantry and desk drawers high calorie foods you can’t resist.

Summary for Losing Weight

Count your calories in and out each day in relation to your BMR. Seek a calorie deficit each day. Focus on the week total most. Exercise will make it easier, but you don’t have to as long as you have that calorie deficit. Make it a lifelong habit!

Good luck!

Please Share

Please Share your thoughts and success tips in the comments below. Please share this post with others on Facebook, Twitter and via email.
Thank you!

Post from: Life Learning Today

How to Lose Weight – For Real, For Good, No Gimmicks, No Cost

photo credit: Steve-h
Do you have some tasks that you’ve been putting off? Do they weigh on your mind?  It could be a project, individual tasks, a phone call, or even a conversation you need to have with someone. Do you feel bad about not getting those tasks done? Do you feel a little hopeless about ever getting them done because you’ve procrastinated for so long now? How would you like to shed your bad feelings and finally get some of those tasks done? If so, then please join me on my Productivity Journey. Here’s what it’s all about:

What Is the Productivity Journey?

Over the next month you are invited on a journey to complete some of those nagging tasks you’ve been putting off for so long. In the process you will gain a lightness in your life, no longer carrying them around in your mind! Can you imagine how good that will feel? Seriously, the weight of those unfinished tasks places a heavy burden on your mind whether you realize it or not. In taking this journey, step by step each day for the next 30 days, you will be establishing a new and powerful lifelong habit that will set you up for success! Wow!

Are you excited yet?! Because I am! I want that feeling of accomplishment. How about you? We Can Do It!!

How It Works

In order to have success we are going to keep things simple! There’s just 3 steps and you really only need to do the third step.

1.  Mentally Commit

Today is a new day. Believe that. Let go of self criticism. Decide to go on the Productivity Journey and stick with it.

2. Success Totem

Create a physical item that you can add to each day that shows your cumulative success on your Productivity Journey. This will serve as a reminder to you that you are accomplishing things. Often we are getting things done, but once they are done there is no physical reminder that we completed the task and so we don’t give ourselves credit and savor the feeling of accomplishment. That feeling of accomplishment is a natural driver for continuing our journey tomorrow. So we want to make sure that you get that juice each day!

Your Success Totem could be a necklace or bracelet to which you add a bead each day. It could be a tower of blocks, one for each day that you complete a task. Or it could be a simple written calendar or log of your accomplishments that you post somewhere in your office or home.  Click here for some other Success Totem ideas.

3. Take Action!

Duh! Of course, right? Taking action is both simple and complex. Simple in that all you have to do is DO IT! And complex in that we may have a hard time choosing which task to to and also complex in that our brain is always being tempted to do the “little tasks” that we think need to be done. They are tempting because they are simple to do. But they often don’t have to be done NOW. We just want to get them out of the way before we do our important stuff. That’s no good though. We must do the difficult important stuff first! So – let’s Take Action!

Simply: choose one task. If you have trouble choosing, always choose the toughest one because it will give you the most satisfaction juice when done!

Do the Task!

• Project Type Tasks: set aside a certain amount of time to work on it each day until it is done. Always work on it as early in the day as possible.
• Short Term Tasks. Just do it. First thing.

Success Factors:

Turn off your cell phone. Don’t answer the land-line phone. Don’t look at email. Ignore all distractions including all the things you “have to do.” They can wait until later. (Write them down to get them off your mind.)

Take one step. Then take another step. Then another. Finally, you will have climbed a mountain! You can only do it one step at a time. Accept that. Do what you can today. Do more tomorrow. Be patient. Build your Success Totem to see your cumulative success. Keep moving forward and you will get there!

JOIN THE JOURNEY!

Please share your successes, plans, and ideas in the comments below. Subscribe to get updates on more success tips during the Productivity Journey!

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Productivity Journey: 30 Days of Getting Things Done!

photo credit: Steve.M~

How often have you wondered “Why am I not getting the thing I want?” Perhaps it is a promotion at work, or maybe you want to find a fulfilling life partner. Or it could be you simply would like to encounter more friendly people in your day. Whatever it is that you are searching for, this little tip may help you. You need to be receptive and open to actually receive it. Think about it. You can’t catch a ball if your glove is closed, right? If that makes you think “Aha! I never thought of that,” then read on for tips on how to open up so you can “catch” that “ball” you are seeking.

What Does It Mean to Be Open?

Simply put, being open means that you expect to get what you want. This is your mindset. In terms of getting what you want, it is just as important to believe you will get what you want as it is to take the actions to get it. If your mind and heart are closed to receiving then you will not get what you want even when it is within reach.

Let’s take the example of wanting good customer service. If you expect good service, how will you approach those situations? You may smile. You’ll speak politely. You’ll show patience. You will take the social risk of doing these things because you believe that you will receive good service. The person serving you will pick up on this and will be likely to give you better service than if your belief was a negative one. If you believed you would get bad service, you would probably show signs of anger, impatience, and frustration. The person serving you will likely respond with poor service.

No matter how subtle, what we believe affects how we approach challenges, it affects how people treat us, and ultimately it affects what we receive. Believing that good things are coming our way gives us the energy to keep trying. Being truly open to receive can facilitate wonderful changes in your life.

Of course you also need to take actions to facilitate getting what you want. These are the things that will get the ball to be thrown your way.

What Can I Do to Be More Open?

1. Know what you truly WANT. I have known many people who were really upset because they didn’t have what they wanted. When I asked them what they wanted, their answer was vague. So their results were vague. Be precise and focused in your mind so the results will be the same. For example:

VAGUE DESIRE: I want to get ahead at work.

PRECISE DESIRE: I want to be promoted to (specific job title.)

2. Know what YOU truly want. Simply put, make sure what you seek is what YOU really want and not what you think you should be going after. Really think about this one. Are you chasing what will make your parents happy, friends happy, society happy, or what will make YOU happy?

3. Believe you deserve it. Meditate on this. Is there something that is keeping you from believing this? Explore that so you can address those undercurrents of doubt that you may not even be aware of. Finally build up the strength of your belief by listing out the reasons why you do deserve it.

4. Believe you will get it. Take a few minutes 3 times a day to open your mind. Remove doubt. Remove fear of failing. You won’t lose anything if you believe. Fill your mind with visions of getting what you want. Feel it. Expect it. Don’t be in a rush for it. Know that it will come when the time is right. And smile. Smiling is your body’s way of telling your mind, “Yes, I do believe.”

5. Work to get it. Establish the steps you must take to achieve your goal. Ask yourself the right questions. Ask yourself questions like “What do I need to do to get X?” instead of asking yourself limiting questions like “Why do I never get X?” Write down the steps and take action on them. You can do it!

6. Be happy where you are today. Look for the good in your life. I know it is cliche, but how often do you stop to do it? So do it now. Count your blessings. Especially all the little small things in your life that are so often taken for granted.

Wishing that your most important dreams come true!

Please Share!

What dream do you wish for? We’d love to hear from YOU!

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To Receive You Must Be Open

photo credit: DesheBoard

Do you have a mountain of things you need to get done? Does the sight or thought of it paralyze you into inaction or procrastination disguised as busywork? Well I hope to show you light at the end of that tunnel and a technique to get out the other end and into the light!

Over the last couple months I have been working on several home renovations. I was blessed to have my father as my partner in the project. Actually, he was the leader of the project. Why? Because he is the original king of “Getting Things Done!” He could have written the book, but he was too busy getting things done all his life! So I learned some great things from him that I will share with you now.

When faced with a mountain of tasks where do you start? And how do you get it all done? The answer: “Quick Daily Lists” and lots of “Doing.” Here’s how.

Quick Daily Lists and Doing

The thing with lists that has always tripped me up in the past is spending too much time on them and putting too much on any given daily list. Here’s how to make lists work for you.

1. Have one “Master List.” All your foreseeable tasks will be on this list. Add tasks to as you think of them or as they are presented to you. This will allow you to prioritize and get your most important tasks done first. You will be in proactive not reactive mode making you more effective. You can pick and choose from this master list for your daily list each day. Update your master list at least weekly or as needed.

2. Write out your Quick Daily List. Each day sit in a place without distraction or computer and write out all the things you should do that day. Set a reasonable, yet short, time limit such as 15 minutes. If you have room in the day you can add other less priority items. This is your Quick Daily List. Leave room to write numbers next to each so you know exactly what to do after each task. Don’t forget to write in mealtimes, breaks, and time for driving or transition time. If you want more detailed help on using daily lists check out this post.

3. Prioritize the list. Often, but not always, an easy way to know what your priorities are to ask yourself “what is the toughest thing I need to do?” Usually that is what you should do first. Next hardest is second, and so on.

4. Start doing! In no time you will be warmed up. Check off items as you complete them. Change your list as needed throughout the day. Some things will have to be moved to tomorrow or maybe to your Master List if you need to wait for something in order to complete that task.

5. Stop for meals and breaks. Don’t skip eating. If you do this, you will be low on energy. Energy is what you need to get things done. You don’t need coffee. You need good healthy food (and enough sleep too!) My dad has eaten lunch at 12 and dinner at 6pm every day of his life. He doesn’t need coffee. He is able to be so productive because he lives a very balanced life. This may seem very unexciting. There’s no adrenaline rush that we modern people love so much. Ah, but when you are able to look back at your steady and continual accomplishments, that is a rich reward that will more than make up for the addictive frenzied lifestyle in which most of us currently live.

6. Mentally: keep a calm steady mind. Don’t allow yourself to think anxious thoughts. Don’t contemplate the large mountain. Simply work on the immediate task at hand. Have faith that by simply plugging away you will complete it all. (Or at least the most important things – as long as you are prioritizing!) This is an important step. Keep coming back to this all day.

7. Stop work for the day. You could create tomorrow’s list or do it first thing in the morning. Have dinner and enjoy some evening activities. Review your accomplishments and be proud of yourself. Then let the day go.

I’ve seen my Dad live this way all his life, but during this gigantic project I truly tried to model his strategies and, wow, do they work! As I look back I can see that I accomplished so much. Before this experience I don’t think I could have done something like this by myself. Now I know I could.

This is not to say that I haven’t accomplished large amounts of tasks before in my life. I have. I guess the difference is that now I have the tools to do it much more effectively and also with a sense of calm and confidence that I will get it all done. This is contrasted with how I used to feel inside which was overwhelmed, impatient, and frustrated.

Quick Summary

• Keep Quick Daily Lists.
• Get busy Doing your highest priority tasks, one after the other.
• Keep Balance with breaks, rest, and eating.
• Cultivate a Calm Mindset of confidence and serenity.

Life is Good! Enjoy it, and please share this article and share your thoughts below in the comments! Thanks!

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Seriously, Just Do It

“Ultrametabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss“ by Dr. Mark Hyman

If you are looking for the complete package on losing weight in a healthy manner, this is a book you should definitely check out. It is much more complete than the average diet book. In fact it’s more of a healthy living book. I like books that explain the science behind why things work. This book does just that. The writing is flows very fast probably because he makes the subject so interesting.

“Ultrametabolism” is written by Dr. Mark Hyman, who was featured recently on 60 minutes for his volunteer medical work he is doing in Haiti since the earthquake. He has many other books and audiobooks on health, stress, and the mind.

Ultrametabolism is divided into three sections:

Part 1: The 7 Myths That Make You Gain Weight

Here Dr. Hyman reveals all the false beliefs we have about weight loss with solid scientific evidence. It will have you saying “Aha, well that makes sense now.” Things such as “The Starvation Myth,” “All Calories are Equal Myth,” “The (Eating)Fat makes you Fat Myth,” and more are brought into the light for examination.

Part 2: The 7 Keys to the New Science of Weight Loss: The Owner’s Manual for Your Body

In this section Dr. Hyman describes how to increase your metabolism, control your appetite, subdue stress, reduce inflammation, use exercise for boosting metabolic power, and how to detoxify your body.  Again this section is extremely interesting, highly readable, and way more valuable than the price of the book. He teaches you how to live your life to have the healthiest body possible. A healthy weight is a natural by-product of this.

Part 3: The Ultrametabolism Prescription

This is where the instructions of how to implement this information are detailed out for you. Many topics are covered: whole-foods recipes, setting up your kitchen for success, how to avoid common pitfalls along the way, which supplements are good and why, details on detoxification, and more.

There are several appendices, resource lists, and conclusions at the end. And if you are looking for more there is also a corresponding cookbook: “The UltraMetabolism Cookbook: 200 Delicious Recipes that Will Turn on Your Fat-Burning DNA.”

The Bottom Line

These days I read so many books that I always check them out from the library first. The ones that I love and that are truly valuable I buy them. “Ultrametabolism“is one I am buying. I think reading it once a year is probably a good review.

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Review: Ultrametabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss

photo credit: dan taylor

What is a Favicon and Why Should Your Blog Have One?

A favicon is short for “favorite icon.” It is the little image you see in your browser tab next to the name of the website you are viewing. All favicons are the same size: 16×16 pixels. The one for Life Learning Today blog is:

The reason why you want to have one is for branding purposes. People will get to know your favicon and can quickly switch to your site on one of their browser tabs simply by recognizing your favicon. They will also be able to quickly spot it in their list of bookmarks. So now that you see the value in doing this the next step is how to get a favicon image. It’s really easy and free. Here’s how:

How to Create Your own Favicon for Your WordPress Blog

The easiest way is to go to Favicon.cc. Here you can create your favicon in one of 4 ways:

1. Create one from scratch using their design tool. You fill in each pixel separately with the colors you want. Very easy to use.
2. Search for one that is already created by typing in search words for the types of images you want.
3. Customize a favicon that you find through searching. Once you find one you can adjust the colors very easily.
4. Upload an image and they will convert it to favicon size for you. You can customize that image too.

How to Install a Favicon for Your WordPress Blog

1. Once you have your favicon image at Favicon.cc then click on “Download Favicon.”
2. Upload the favicon image via FTP to your webhost. Use the “html” or “public_html” folder.
3. In your WordPress dashboard click on “Editor” under “Appearance.”
4. Locate the “header.php” file and edit by adding this code: (make sure your image is named “favicon.ico”)

<linkrel="shortcut icon" href="favicon.ico" >

5. Save your changes to “header.php.”
6. Go to your site and do a hard refresh (Ctrl+F5 keys) to see your favicon in your browser tab.

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How to Add a Favicon to Your WordPress Blog

photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography

The other day, I took a wrong turn while driving in a parking lot. I immediately realized my mistake, but before I could wave “sorry” to the driver next to me, she was beeping and cursing me out furiously. If this had happened in the grocery store with a shopping cart instead of a car, I hardly think most people would unload that kind of anger. It would be quite shocking and scary if they did.

When I saw the look of rage on this woman’s face as she drove by me, it was still shocking even though I couldn’t hear her. I just wanted to say sorry, but she didn’t give me the chance. Then I felt angry at her impatience. And then I thought about it. I’m sure I’ve done the same thing to other people myself. *shame* In fact, I was doing it immediately to her. Maybe she was having a bad day.

The bottom line is this. Anger helps no one. For yourself, when you are angry it is the equivalent to drinking poison. For the person receiving your anger, it only creates either anger or sadness in the other person, and probably doesn’t get you the result you really want, which is what? What are we looking for when we are angry?

The Goal of Anger

When we are angry our first reaction is we want to strike back and deliver equal “hurt” to the person who hurt us. The problem is this doesn’t bring us peace. Even if you could squish the person who “hurt” you like a bug, it still would leave you with anger in your heart. If we look deeper, what we really want, what our heart wants is acknowledgment of our pain, an apology, and a promise of the hurt not happening again in the future.

Sometimes it is possible to get one or all three of those things. We must do something first in order to get it. We must soften our hearts and show that to the person who hurt us. That means letting down our guard to expose our pain instead of covering it up with anger. “I feel hurt by X. I wish for Y instead.”

Sometimes we can’t get any of those things from the person or thing or group that hurt us. Sometimes we have to do the healing work ourselves. In that case, we must find compassion and some level of understanding for the other person. Try these questions.

• Why did they do that?
• How can I avoid this in the future?
• How can I can I avoid feeling this way when this happens again (if this is inevitable)?

Freeing Yourself from Anger

Obviously, there are all kinds of “hurts”: big “hurts” (betrayal of a friend or partner), little “hurts” (being cut off in a parking lot), and other “hurts” (your sports team or political candidate lost). It might not be possible to always curb your anger, but it is possible to minimize the amount of time you engage in it. Here are some tips on how to do that.

1. Give the benefit of the doubt to others.
2. Before you react to small slights, ask yourself “Was this really a big hurt and worth getting upset over?”
3. Seek to understand why something happened.
4. Ask yourself “How can this be turned into a positive experience? What have I learned?”
5. Take a walk to cool down before discussing.
6. Get perspective. On chronic anger-triggers, ask “Is this something I can live with if I change my view of it?” – If not, take action to move away from anger-triggers that are unacceptable to you.
7. Ask yourself “What is my role in this? What can I do to make things better?”
8. Have a general attitude of patience and generosity towards others, so that if, for example, someone steals your place in line, you have already given it to them.
9. Plan to arrive early always. When you are not in a rush, you can be more patient with how other people drive.
10. Choose to be amused at annoyances, rather than angry. Smile more. Fake it til it becomes a habit. (It works!)
11. Be kind to others.
12. Be kinder to yourself.
13. Meditate daily. (It’s easier than you think)
14. Take breaks to give you the energy to be patient.
15. Be aware of your reactions. Awareness is the key to unlocking the door of change!

If you work on these daily, you will find yourself more often reacting with compassion instead of anger. This will vastly improve your life. You’ll probably live longer and happier. And you will be elevating the overall level of peace and happiness in the world! Your actions are that powerful!

I’d love to hear what you have to say about this!

Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Just Say No to Anger

Certainty = Security = Good

Certainty = Same-Old-Thing = Boring = Bad

Little Surprises = Something New = Exciting = Good

We want to feel safe in our relationships. We want safety on all levels: emotional, physical, spiritual, etc.  We also crave things that are new.  Over time, in our relationships we start to take for granted all the good things about the other person.

We get caught up in life and don’t take the time to do special things for each other. Sometimes this is because we think that it will take too much time, energy, or even resources (like money).

Here is a very simple way to add newness to your relationship. It takes little time, energy, and it’s free.

The little surprise that will keep your relationship like new is

(drumroll please……)

Kindness.

Kindness is always refreshing. It can be extraordinarily surprising as well, especially when it is unexpected. And kindness is heartwarming.

When we first meet a friend, neighbor, colleague, or new lover, we are exceptionally kind. Kindness where we start new relationships. We give the benefit of the doubt. We forgive easily. We have low expectations. We reserve harsh judgments.

We are kind.

And relationships bloom from that starting point.

But then we get complacent. We become impatient. We judge harshly. We see only the annoying things. We dig in our heels into arguments. And so on.

So. Where can you insert a little kindness today to add surprise and renew a relationship?

Ways to Be Kind

Here are a few ways you can be kind.

1. Pay a compliment. Simple. Genuine.
2. Be the first to say sorry.
3. Show understanding and compassion, especially where you have shown resentment and judgment in the past.
4. Hugs and kisses.
5. Give a massage with no request for reciprocation.
6. Show patience where you usually are impatient.
7. Tell the person what you admire or respect or love about them.

Kindness is relationship gold.

I’d love to hear your ideas on this as well!

Please share your ideas in the comments below!

Did you like this article? Please see below to print, email, bookmark, or share socially! Thanks!

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Relationship Gold: How to Keep a Relationship Like New

The way to stop being frustrated by politics? Get involved! (And before you stop reading because you have no spare time, please know that there are small ways to get involved that don’t take a lot of time!)

Think about a sports game. It can be frustrating watching a game when your team is losing. But when you are in the game, you can be affecting the outcome and at least know you did your best even if you don’t win. It is the same with politics! So, get on the field of play and use your energy, resources, and your right to contribute to our government. It won’t just make you feel better, it will make your community and country a better place!

Whether you are on the right, the left, in the center, or out in left field, you CAN make a difference in the world. “Somebody” is already making a difference. Why not join in?

If you don’t like the way things are going, stop shouting at the TV and do something! Here’s how:

How to Get Involved with Politics and Make a Difference

Small Time Commitment

• Put up a lawn sign for the candidate or issue you support.
• Contribute funds to a campaign.
• Send a letter to your congressman, senator, governor, president that states how you feel. Find your representatives at Project Vote.
• Spread the word to your network of friends and family and encourage them to do something even if it is small. (You could pass along the link to this article along with ideas of how to make a difference.)
• Hold up signs on voting day.
• Vote!

Medium Time Commitment

• Spend a couple hours working at a phone bank in support of your candidate.
• Collect signatures on a letter for your elected officials on a subject you care about.
• Call or schedule a meeting with your representative.
• Volunteer in your community doing things to help others or help with issues that matter to you.
• Distribute flyers that educate others citizens on the facts of your issue or candidate or even opposing candidate (such as voting records).
• Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper stating your position on the issues and candidates. Be solution focused.
• Start a blog and write about your thoughts and opinions. Build an audience slowly over time and then use your influence to encourage others to take action.

Larger Time Commitment

• Create a TV show for free using local access TV resources.
• Organize a group of voters around a particular issue or candidate. Invite your representative or candidate to a meeting.
• Attend a legislative hearing.
• Organize or contribute your time to a political campaign.
• Organize or contribute your time to a volunteer group that helps your community in some way.
• Organize a demonstration, march, or rally.

Democracy is Only as Strong as its Participants

My personal feeling is that we citizens need to do a whole lot more participating and volunteering, and do a whole lot less complaining. Complaining has its place. When we are dissatisfied, we need to talk about it. But then we need to make some plans, and then take some action on getting things done, just like we do in our own personal life.

How will all this help YOUR life? At the very least, hopefully it will help you be less frustrated with government. When you get involved you will understand that change takes time, patience, and perseverance. At its best hopefully you will be improving your community and nation which will benefit you in the long run. And lastly, hopefully your actions will inspire others to do the same, creating a snowball effect of improvements for our world!

Helpful Resources

How To’s

Being a Successful Citizen Lobbyist.

Tips for citizen lobbying.

Do’s and Don’ts of Citizen Lobbying.

Holding Elected Officials Accountable to Our Issues.

Building a Volunteer Program.

Citizen Lobbying Kit. This is a very complete list of things you can do and how to do them well. This is from a conservative group, but the ideas here can be used by anyone with any political affiliation.

Lobbying 101. From the Humane Society, but again the ideas here can be used by anyone advocating for any issue.

Articles

Citizens Impact as Grassroots Lobbyists. Interesting article on how important ordinary citizen lobbying is!

Volunteering

Organizing for America. Find ways you can voluteer in your community to make it better.

Communicating Your Opinions

Tell President Obama what you want to see in 2010!

Find all your government representatives. Just type in your zip code.

Organizations that help citizens organize to make their voices heard:

• Public Citizen
• MoveOn.org
• Organizing for America

Take Action Today!

Will all your frustrations go away by participating? No, but some of them will when you see your efforts making a difference.

Do it with your kids. It will teach them many great lessons about service, perseverance, and about how our government works.

Do it with your friends and family. Make it a social activity. It’s better than shopping!

Be a part of the solution!

“Be the change you want to see in the world!”- Gandhi

Please Share!

Please share what you have done or plan to do and how it made you feel!

All comments big and small are very welcomed!

Post from: Life Learning Today

How to Stop Being Frustrated by Politics

photo credit: ShedBOy^

This time of year can be very stressful. Heck, any time of year can be stressful! Am I right, or am I right? Meditation is one of the best stress busters out there. But sometimes even those of us who meditate can use a fresh approach. Here is a simple and effective meditation to use to achieve the perfect chill-out.

Meditation without a Goal: Just Be

Sit in a quiet place in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and countdown from 10 to 1 while taking very slow deep breathes in and out, holding on both the inhale and exhale as is comfortable.

Once you are “there” then loosely focus on the following contemplation points, along with any others that open your mind beyond your daily struggles, goals, habits, and patterns. If you forget one or even all of the contemplation points, that’s ok. Just keep to the general spirit of the meditation.

Helpful tip: Very…..slooow….contemplation………..is…………….best.  Meditation can be done for 15 minutes or as long as feels right.

Contemplation Points:

Be. (just be. no intentional thoughts.  breathing. just be. “i am.”)

Be Slow. (slow heartbeat. slow breathing.  slow expectations. slow thoughts. slowwww.)

Be Open. (to yourself.  to messages from all around you and from inside you.  to new ideas.  to love.  to self-acceptance)

Be Enough. (for the moment.  in who you are.  in what you have.)

Just Be.

Please Share!

What would you like to say about this? All comments big and small are very welcomed!

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Just Be

Bottom line: yes, I do recommend buying a VitaMix 5200 blender. I bought mine 2 years ago. and I use it almost everyday! Why? Because:

• it saves me money on food that I can prepare cheaper than store-bought
• it makes me healthier – because it makes eating healthy food so easy and delicious
• it saves me time – most recipes take only seconds to process and clean-up takes only seconds also
• it’s so easy to use!

If you buy one, I’m sure you’ll fall in love with this extremely valuable and easy to use tool. I love it so much, I bring it with me when I travel to visit family. They all love the yummy, healthy treats I make with it, and I can’t stand to not use it while I’m away from home.  Let me share with you some of the details of this amazing blender.

How a VitaMix Blender Saves You Money

Have you ever thought about buying a high quality product and made the decision to buy a cheaper product instead? And then in the end the cheaper product didn’t perform they way you wanted so you ended up buying the better product later? I know, me too.

Let me tell you, if you’re thinking about buying the VitaMix, don’t spend more money in the long run by going with the cheap option first. The cheaper models out there simply can not do what a VitaMix is capable of. This is exactly the reason why top chefs use and recommend Vitamix. It’s also the reason why any smoothie shop you go into most likely has a Vitamix blender.

I can’t tell you how many processors and blenders I bought and used before buying the Vitamix. If I had just bought it first, I would have saved a ton on products that didn’t work well and that I never used because they were so complicated and difficult to clean.

The Vitamix 5200 is an amazingly well constructed appliance. It is made is the USA. You’ll notice this in its sturdy construction. It comes with a 7 year guarantee. That’s the best guarantee out there on a blender. (In fact how many products come with a guarantee that is longer than 1 year these days? Not many!) No other company stands by it’s blender like VitaMix does. And if you take a peek on the web in cooking forums you will see people raving about their VitaMix that they’ve had for years and years!

How a VitaMix Blender Saves You Money on Food

I used to buy a lot of prepared foods at the grocery store and I never really paid too much attention to price. I figured that these were food that were too complicated or time consuming to make myself. Now that I’ve become more health conscious, I have really learned how to eat healthy. And now my grocery bills are so much less. That really helps in this economy!

On top of everything I found that cooking all these things is really not that difficult. Especially if you have a great tool like the Vitamix blender.

Here are some things I love to make that are so yummy and also healthy. They cost pennies to make versus the dollars they cost to buy prepared:

• Hummus – it’s fun to make different variations.
• Creamy Vegetable Soup (it’s vegan and creamier than the richest soups made with cream, without the saturated fats!)
• Pesto (again, I make a vegan version (no cheese) that actually tastes better than non-vegan, and so much better than store-bought) – I make a large batch and freeze into small containers. ($6.99+ and more for store bought. Try $1.00 for about 4 times the amount when making it from scratch!)
• Smoothies - I have so many variations of smoothies it’s amazing. I save $5+ everytime I make my own!
• Roasted Garlic Bean Dip – this is out of this world delicious, but without any of the guilt of most dips!
• Nut Milks – don’t knock til you’ve tried it. So easy, so cheap compared to store bought.
• Vegetable juices – your own homemade V-8. Control the taste, nutrients and the sodium level.
• Peanut Butter – easy? check! healthy? check! no poisons or germs or recalls? check! cheaper? check!
• Tahini – great for middle eastern recipes!
• Pâtés- if you like meat pâté, but would like a cheaper healthier yummier version, it’s a snap!
• Frozen drinks! – pina colada anyone? strawberry daiquiris?
• Fancy Coffees - saving $3-5 with every yummy drink I make!
• Alfredo sauce
• Marinades
• Salsa – so fun to experiment with different kinds.
• Tomato Sauce
• Salad Dressings – I never buy salad dressing anymore. The ones I can make are so much yummier, healthier, and cheaper.
• Ice Cream – Move over Ben & Jerry! Design your own flavors!
• Italian Ice treats – again make your own flavors. My favorite is coconut ice made with real coconut! MMMMmmmmm!
• Cheese Fondue – make it and cook it all right in the blender!
• Spinach & Artichoke Fondue- mmmm!
• Pancake, crepes, and waffle batter - no lumps!
• Bread and cookie mixes
• Low-fat whipped topping
• Baby food – please, don’t buy the little jars anymore! Save yourself so much money and grow your baby so healthy! You can make a batch and freeze them. Each night take a few out of the freezer to defrost for the next day.
• Grind your own grains – talk about making food cheap! This is done with the dry blade container.

All these recipes (over 300) are in the free recipe book you get when you buy the Vita-Mix 5200 blender. You’ll also find many recipes right here on my blog. As they become available, I will add links above. The more you use your VitaMix, the better you become at coming up with your own recipes!

How a VitaMix 5200 Blender Makes You Healthier

Do you want to be healthier? Do you feel overwhelmed at the thought of changing how you eat? Has this been keeping you from making any changes at all? Let me comfort you by saying there is a way to make a change and have it be easy. In my book on healthy living I recommend taking one small step each day to become healthier, such as learning one new recipe. The Vitamix 5200 makes it so easy to do this.

• Vegetable Juices – better than juicing. Get all the nutrients plus keep the fiber too. Fiber keeps you healthy and trim.
• When fruits and veggies are blended into very small pieces, your body is able to derive 3 times as many nutrients than if you chewed it yourself.
• Don’t like eating green veggies? Drink ‘em! Delicious and fast! Mix them into both veggie drinks (homemade V-8) and fruit smoothies.
• Get more nutrients from fresh produce than from processed foods that have stripped all the goodness out of the veggies.
• It’s so easy to use, you’ll want to keep trying more recipes each day.
• No more trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, and chemical preservatives in your family’s food!

How a VitaMix 5200 Saves You Time

• Spend less time checking labels for bad ingredients now that you’ll be preparing your own food.
• The VitaMix’s 2 Horse Power (1380 watts) motor is so powerful that processing your food literally takes seconds.
• No chopping before adding them to the VitaMix. This blender can pulverize anything even large frozen chunks of fruit and ice in seconds.
• Clean up takes 20 seconds, literally. Fill with water soapy water. Blend for 10 seconds and rinse out. That’s it! Really! There’s no disassembling the machine into multiple dangerous parts.
• Actually cooks foods like vegetable soup in minutes, due to the amazing power of the motor!

Other VitaMix 5200 Blender Features

• New Eastman Tritan™ copolyester 64 oz. container is as durable as polycarbonate -now with improved sound damping and is chemical resistant (when cleaning your Vitamix). Comes with ergonomic soft-grip handle. And No BPA’s!
• New Swedish-built 2 peak HP motor, custom designed for this machine, runs substantially cooler with energy savings and improved performance.
• No attachments make this blender super easy to use!
• Feedback-type variable speed control provides consistent power regardless of load. Speed ranges from 11 m.p.h. to 240 m.p.h., wider than any standard blender.
• Unique stainless steel hammermill and cutting “wet” blades process whole foods like no other appliance to deliver up to 3 times the nutrition.
• Patented, spill-proof vented lid with removable lid plug lets you measure and add ingredients safely while machine is running.
• Patented tamper for extreme processing power helps when preparing foods such as nut butters and frozen treats.

VitaMix Blender vs. Other Blenders

What about other blenders? Like I said above, don’t even bother with cheaper, noisy, powerless models. You will just be wasting your time and money. If you are considering another high-end blender such as Blendtec, here’s why my final decision was to buy a Vitamix. The warranty on the Vitamix was much better which tells me the quality is better because who knows a product better than the company selling it?

Also, I did a lot of research online, and although there are positive reviews of Blendtec blenders out there, on the whole I found an overwhelming amount of positive reviews of Vitamix and more reviews of Blendtec that expressed disappointment in its performance. To give you an idea of how happy I am with my decision, I have never had a single regret, as can sometimes be the case when I make large purchases. I receive excellent value from my Vitamix blender everyday. I love it!

How to Buy a VitaMix 5200 and get Free Shipping

The VitaMix 5200 is definitely an investment, yes. But, as mentioned above, it is an investment that will save you money in the long run and help make you healthier with ease! How much is that worth to you? For me, being healthier and having it be easy to do is worth the price alone. Isn’t it time you bought something for yourself that will give you back true value?

To order a VitaMix online click here or on any of the links above. If you prefer to order it over the phone, please mention this  article and mention this code: 06-003178 and that you would like free shipping. Using this code will make you eligible for the free shipping . The phone number is 1-800-848-2649. You’ll find the sales professionals at Vitamix to be so helpful both when you purchase your blender and after if you want any guidance.

Hopefully my article has been valuable in helping you to take another step towards a healthier life! I wish you happy healthy eating! Please share your VitaMix experience with us here! And be sure to subscribe to get updates on new healthy Vitamix recipes in the future for free!!

Please Share!

Do you have a great recipe or Vitamix testimonial?All comments big and small are very welcomed!

Please note: This is not a paid review.  I am sharing it because I know how much my Vitamix has helped me become healthier and hope that it can do the same for others.  If you do use thefree shipping code(06-003178), I do receive a small commission from vita mix. Thank you for your support!

Post from: Life Learning Today

VitaMix 5200 Review: Should You Buy One?

photo credit: Chrysaora

If you’re like most people you engage in negative self-talk quite a bit. In fact, it probably happens a whole lot more than you realize and causes a lot more limitations on your life than you want. The good news is that there is a key that will unlock this door. On the other side of that self-negativity door is a brighter, happier reality for you.

I started thinking about this subject when I recently listened to Pema Chodron’s audio program “Bodhisattva Mind,” (which I highly recommend. She is an amazing buddhist teacher with a light and humorous style.) In her program a student had a question for her that went something like “How is it that I can meditate for so long and still always wake up as my same shitty self.” Pema’s answer was to build compassion for one’s self, which is definitely the way to go. At the same time I felt there was more to it than that. Namely, what is at the root of the problem and how can we solve it?

The Source of Self-Loathing

The term “shitty self” made me think about the source of negative self-talk. I think self-critiquing comes from being in perpetual judging mode. In our culture, we are critical of everything. We are critical of others, both those we know and  those we don’t know personally.

We observe and hold judgment over people like President Obama (has he got enough done so far? why hasn’t he accomplished more?), Tiger Woods (who did he sleep with?), Jessica Simpson (did she gain weight?). We judge the person in line next to us who has a scowl on their face (why can’t you be in a good mood -[ironic huh?]). And in between judging others, we relentlessly judge and criticize ourself.

We are harsh in our thoughts and judgments of others and even more so with ourself. We get really good at it by doing it all the time. It becomes an unconscious habit we don’t even think about or realize we are doing. Consuming the daily news certainly strengthens our judging mode.

The problem is that nothing good comes of holding judgment over others. Gossip wastes time, ruins relationships, and fosters unhappiness. Constant judging of ourselves holds us back from our happiness and our greatness. So how do we turn off our critical mind?

Compassion as Antidote for Judging

When we are judging we are being harsh with others and with ourselves. The opposite of a harsh approach is a soft,  compassionate approach. Where do we begin to cultivate this new mindset of compassion as opposed to the impatient, critical, harsh, judging mind?

The first step is to imagine a time when you were kind to someone or someone was kind to you. Connect with the feelings involved. Perhaps you gave the gift of forgiveness for mistakes made. Maybe someone gave you unconditional acceptance with no need to be more or less than you are. How did that feel? Can you feel your heart soften and open when you imagine those moments? (close your eyes for a moment to capture the feeling)

How do we encourage a small child who becomes frustrated while trying to learn something. Are we harsh and judging? No. We offer kind encouraging words. Maybe we give hugs. We give the highest praise for the smallest bits of progress and effort. We give unconditional kindness and love. We don’t judge them harshly. We give them a wide berth for landing their ship successfully.

When we do this, what do we see? Positive results. We must do the same for others and for ourselves.

The next step is to have the intention to be kind, patient, accepting, and compassionate toward everyone in your life that day. This includes people you know and strangers, (yes, even bad drivers, in fact, especially bad drivers.) And it means you. Have the intention of being kind to yourself.

Start each day with this intention and find ways to remind yourself throughout the day. Combine it with something that you do daily such as brushing your teeth, meditating, or at mealtime. Set physical reminders to help you stay on track. Some ideas are:

• a note on your mirror
• daily electronic reminders
• something that you can wear such as a bracelet or a pin
• new picture on your cell phone that reminds you of your new daily intention

As you build this new habit watch the wonderful changes that happen in your life. The less you judge others, the less you will judge yourself. The more patience and kindness you give to others, the more you will give to yourself. When you can do that you will be empowered to reach your goals and live with happiness!

Wishing you peace and contentment on your journey!

Please Share your thought in the comments below.

Have you ever tried this? How has self-judging held you back? All comments big and small are very welcomed!

If you found this post valuable, perhaps you’ll be kind enough to vote for this with a Stumble or Delicious bookmark. Votes are always appreciated!

Post from: Life Learning Today

How to Stop Negative Thoughts About Yourself

Too much stuff is not only bad, it’s worse than you think. And it’s not just about the environment. It’s about people too and the quality of their lives.

Check out this preview video of “The Story of Stuff.” If you are interested, you can view the full version which is just below the first video.

And before you become depressed or start feeling hopeless, know that there are things YOU can do to actually make a difference. Identifying a problem is the first step in a brighter future. Check out the top 10 things you can do to make a difference here.

Preview of “Story of Stuff”

Full version of “Story of Stuff” (only 20 minutes)

What You Can Do to Change the “Story of Stuff”

There are many ways to get involved. The Story of Stuff website (www.StoryofStuff.com) has a page called “Another Way” that will give you the top ten things you can do to make a difference such as:

1. Waste Less
2. Buy Less
3. Tell a Friend, a School, or a Community about this information.

So, check it out, bring it into your consciousness each day, and  bit by bit we can shape a more positive future!

Please Share!

What is your relationship with stuff? All comments big and small are very welcomed!

Post from: Life Learning Today

The Story of Stuff

photo credit: felipesp

You don’t have to save the world single handed. It’s not an all or nothing proposition for each individual. It’s simply about doing the best you can in any given day. What I’m doing today is spreading the word for Blog Action Day 2009: Climate Change.

As Monika Baurlein states today in MotherJones.com, “Fix the Climate or the Kid Gets It.” (Clever title!) We need to convince “Americans that something we care about is actually at risk here. And of course something is is. Climate change poses the greatest danger not to polar bears, not to glaciers or beaches, but to our kids.”

So what’s a busy person to do? Here are some ideas that are easy:

10 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint and Save the Earth for Your Children

1. Turn Down the Heat/Turn Up/Off the A/C.
2. Use Less Paper Products. Use cloth napkins, regular plates & cups, etc instead of paper ones.
3. Only Use What You Need. Don’t leave the faucet running. Use less water on small laundry loads. Use less paper, plastics. Turn off lights, TV’s, Computers that aren’t being used.
4. Use Green Cleaning Products. Especially baking soda and vinegar!
5. Eat Vegetarian/Vegan When You Can. Vegan (non-animal) foods put less of a strain on the environment.
6. Unplug. Unplug electrical devices that aren’t being used. (“Green” power strips can make this a little easier.)
7. Keep Tired Fully Inflated. Better gas mileage is also more money in your pocket.
8. Turn Water Heater Down. Try 1 or 2 degrees. A little bit that you won’t notice, but if everyone does it, it can add up to a lot.
9. Use Your Own Water Bottle. That’s at least 365 less plastic bottles in a landfill!
10. Recycle. Keep it simple. Set up your process once and then you’ll be on auto-pilot.

For more ideas check out these additional posts:

The Coolest Green Habits to Adopt Today

Things You Can Do Today to Save the Environment

Please Share!

Got any other easy ideas for helping the planet? All comments big and small are very welcomed!

Post from: Life Learning Today

Too Busy for Climate Change?

photo credit: Ana_Cotta

I love the song, “Maybe God is Trying to Tell You Somethin’,'” from the Color Purple soundtrack.  It is a very passionate and moving gospel song. Every once in a while, something happens in my life where I can hear a message from God. It’s not always earth shattering, but even when it is a simple message it is still a delightful intermission from my usual mundane thought patterns. Hopefully this story will spark your interest to  adjust the dial on your “tuner” in order to hear the messages you may be receiving right now.

I got a cold recently. The worst part was that it made me so tired. So tired, in fact, that I had to take a nap nearly each day. I never take naps so this means my body was really tired. After 5 days I thought it was gone and so I resumed my normal routine.

The following day the cold came back the next day. Arg. That was frustrating. This cycle of feeling better and then relapsing kept happening. Finally after the 3rd time it came back, I sensed there was a message and also some “assistance” from God. The message was “slow down” and the “assistance” was that I was finally able to sleep normally again after about a month of quasi-insomnia.

My insomnia was caused by worrying too much about, well, everything. Work, family, health, etc.  I would wake up at 2am and worry for 3 hours while wishing I could go back to sleep. The problem was that a habit had formed and I was getting better and better at worrying, a skill which serves no one well. The kicker was that I really didn’t have anything to be worried about. I was worried about possible problems. Not very productive!

By having this cold and a bonus case of poison ivy too, God effectively removed my ability to worry in the middle of the night. I was too tired at night and too itchy when awake to think of anything else. The worry habit was interrupted which is all I needed to kick the habit!

The situation of repeatedly healing and relapsing is similar to training a dog to do something  You must repeat the training over and over again. For a while the dog doesn’t get it. But as the training continues, at last, the dog finally understands the message and then they learn the lesson. Once the lesson is learned it is important to be reminded of the lesson and to practice it.

Each time I felt better, I was like my dogs. I wanted to go back to my normal routine, doing too much and not taking care of myself, but everytime I did God gave me a “correction” to convey his message of “slow down and stop worrying.”

Now you could say “All you had was a cold, there’s no ‘message from God’ there.” Maybe you’re right. But, here’s the thing, I find that when I finally “tune in” and listen to these little messages, which for me are usually “slow down,” and “stop worrying,” my life definitely improves.

I think it is God. I still have many questions and doubts about God, but for me I can’t dismiss the idea of God simply because my senses are not keen enough to perceive God in the way I think he should be perceived. Or maybe we are perceiving God all the time in the form of witnessing the amazing abundance of life on earth, but, like dogs in training, we are missing the obvious. We don’t see how life IS a manifestation of God.

In slowing down I had the opportunity to read a neat book that helped open my imagination up to the possibilities of what God and heaven really are. I recommend checking out “Life After Death” by Deepak Chopra. In the recent past when explaining heaven and God to my son with the explanation that they are “up there” in the sky, I found myself having difficulty imagining where that really is and what that’s really like. In “Life After Death” Chopra paints a picture that is more expansive, vivid, and believable than I have been able to conceive on my own.

So what about you? Have you experienced something recently that may have held a message for you? Please share your story with us. Perhaps telling your story will help someone. Or maybe telling your story will be like a key unlocking a message that you can  finally receive. Either way, thank you for reading and for sharing! May you hear the messages the universe is sending you, and may it bring you peace and joy!

Post from: Life Learning Today

Maybe God is Trying to Tell You Something

How to set up a WordPress Blog and Make Money

image byMike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

Are you a writer? Would you like to make some good money writing about topics that interest you? Then starting a blog is something that I highly recommend. Because of my experience and success, I’ve had a couple friends and family members ask me how to set this up. I thought I would share it with everyone here for free.

This is a Complete guide to starting a WordPress Blog and earning money from it. And as a bonus you can download a free checklist to keep you on track. Here are the topics that will be covered:

1. Create Blog File
2. Picking a Domain Name
3. Sign Up with a Web Host:
4. Point Domain to Web Host.
5. Install WordPress
6. Login to WordPress
7. Install WordPress Theme
8. Set Up Permalinks
9. Install Plugins
10. Set Up RSS with FeedBurner
11. Set Up Google Analytics
12. Making Money – Set Up Advertising
13. Getting Traffic to Your Blog
14. Learning More
15. Can Someone Do This For Me? Yes!

What Is a Blog?

A blog is a website that has some automatic organizing features included in it. Your theme, the look and feel of your website, will be consistent on every page. Your readers will find navigating your website very easy if it is in the blog format. They can browse by category, tags, or date. And you can make money all while offering your content free to your readers. How?

How Blogs Make Money

Blogs make money through having advertisements on them and also by selling products or services. I will cover all of this in detail in Step 12 below. For now, know that if you are persistent in building your blog, your content, and your readership, over time you will have the potential to make good money. How much?

Some people make very little and give up. Don’t do that! When starting out, you might only make a few dollars a month while you are building your readership. Over time you could quite easily earn an extra $1000 per month from advertising revenues. Some top bloggers make a full living off their blog earning 5 or 6 figure incomes. And their are the tippity top blogs that earn in the millions. Your income potential is only limited by your belief and the work you put in.

Of course you will need to be persistent and stick with it even when it seems like things are going nowhere. Build your network of blogging friends over time and compare notes, ask for feedback and share learnings with each other. And, of course, continually provide great content for your readers and they will reward you with loyalty and referrals.

Complete Guide to Setting Up a WordPress Blog

There is a ton of information available on making money through blogging. This post will give you the steps for setting up a WordPress blog, customizing it, getting traffic to your blog, and how to make money from your blog. I promise to offer details where it is necessary and help make things simpler where there is already a lot of complexity and confusion. There are other blogging platforms out there, but none compares to WordPress. It is the most popular and the easiest to use. It is also free. (Your only costs will be domain registration – about $10/year and web hosting – about $6.95 $5.95/month.)

I’ll guide you to getting the most important things done so you’ll get off to the right start. Then once your blog is up and running, you will have enough knowledge and experience to search the internet for information that will allow you to hone your blog even further. For now, this guide will be all you need.

There are many steps, but with this post and the free Blog Setup Checklist (free excel download), you can complete this quickly, in a day or two working full time, or you can spread it out over as much time as you need. The Blog Setup Checklist will help you keep track of where you left off and a place to write down notes or questions to follow up on at a later time.

The Best Way to Use this Guide

Bookmark this page. Download the WordPress Blog SetUp Checklist (free excel document). Check off your progress and follow the steps one by one right online with this post.

The Steps to Setting Up a WordPress Blog, Building Traffic, and Earning Money

1. Create a BLOG FILE.

This is where you will keep all the usernames, passwords, affiliate codes, login URL’s, instructions and anything else relating to your blog so that you can reference them whenever you need to. There will be a lot of them, so start this right away and be diligent about putting every new item into it.

The easiest way to do this is to create a text file or a Word document. This way you can just copy and paste the information into your BLOG FILE. When you need to find a particular item, just use the “Find” feature in your text file or Word document to search for the information you need. If you want you could use a notebook instead or any other method you like.

For each item that you enter into your BLOG FILE, type a title of what the information is. (Example: “Web Host Username and Password”) This will make searching for the information easier in the future.

2. Choose a Domain Name.

This is the name of your blog (www.YourBlogName.com). You can check on availability at GoDaddy.com . You can also purchase your domain name there. That is where I keep my domains. I like to keep my domain name separate from my web host in case I ever need to switch web hosts (which I have done in the past.) When you switch registrars, you can experience prolonged downtime of your blog which you don’t want.

GoDaddy.com is a low cost provider with excellent service ($10/year). If you want you can wait to purchase the domain name from your web host in Step #3. When you do purchase, it’s important to know that Google search engines give more favor to sites who have bought their domain for longer than 1 year.

When choosing a name think about how you want to brand your blog. You can choose a name related to your blog’s theme, you could choose to brand with your own name, or you can make up a name that sounds cool. Or you could do some combination of those. Usually “.com” is preferable to other extensions such as “.net” or because it makes it easier for people to remember. Everyone thinks “.com” but if you can only get “.net” with your favorite name that should be fine.

When it comes to picking a domain name I suggest brainstorming on paper first. Mindmaps are helpful for generating ideas. Get feedback from some people about the names you’ve picked. Then click over to GoDaddy.com to check availability. You may need to modify some of the names you thought of. They will also make suggestions for you too.

3. Sign Up with a Web Host.

A web host is the company that will store all the files of your blog and serve them via the web to your readers. I recommend using BlueHost as your web host. They are the #1 on WordPress’s list of recommended web hosts. Here’s some info about BlueHost:

• $6.95 $5.95/month (at the time of this writing)
• unlimited hosting space, unlimited file transfers, and unlimited domains.
• If you decide to register your domain with them, the first domain for the first year is free.
• $25 credit towards Yahoo ads and $50 towards Google ads for promoting your blog.
• 24/7 Support via phone, online LiveChat, and Support Forums

They offer an excellent deal. Once you sign up, be sure to put all the info they send you into your BLOG FILE. There are others, but BlueHost is the best in terms of both price and quality. And it is super easy to sign up right online.

4. Point Your Domain to Your Web Host.

Once you are signed up with your web host, you now need to tell your registrar (GoDaddy) to point your domain name to your web host. This way when people go to your new blog (www.YourDomainName.com) they are automatically sent to where your blog is, at your web host (BlueHost).

This may sound scary, but it is simple as pie and only takes about 5 minutes. Sometimes this step is called “Modify DNS” where DNS= Domain Name Server.

Only complete this set of steps if you bought your domain through GoDaddy.com separately from BlueHost. If you registered your domain with BlueHost in addition to hosting with them, you don’t have to do this step.

Steps

1. Open email from Web Host – BlueHost.
2. Look for the “NameServers.” There will be two.
3. Copy the first nameserver. It will look something like:
   1. ns1.bluehost.com
      
      
4. Go to GoDaddy.com and login using the user name and password they sent you in an email.
5. Go to “Domains”
6. Go to “My Domains”
7. Click on your domain name (the name of your blog.)
8. Click on NameServers
9. Click on the “Custom Nameservers”
10. Paste your first nameserver (that you copied) in the first nameserver box.
11. Do the same thing with the second name server. (i.e. “ns2.bluehost.com)
12. Click on OK.

Here is a screenshot of where you will type in your two nameservers:

Now your domain name will be pointed to your web host. That’s it! It takes about 3-5 hours for the site to propagate over at your web host. And in rare cases it can take up to 24 hours. Once propagated you and everyone else will be able to see your site on the web.

Even though you can’t see your site on the web yet, you can still work on getting your blog set up at your web host!

So let’s move right onto Step #5!

5. Install WordPress.

This process is where you install all the WordPress code to your server at your web host (BlueHost).

This is very easy too because BlueHost has a one click install! There are a few steps but most of the steps only take 3 seconds to do. It goes pretty fast.

Don’t be intimidated if you see words you don’t recognize. It justs looks weird because you’ve never done it before, but don’t worry you can do it. Just follow the steps below. If you are a visual person, you can see these steps in a free online tutorial at BlueHost here:

Steps to Install WordPress on BlueHost:

1. Go to your new blog website. (http://www.yourDomainNameHere.com)
2. Click on “cpanel login.” If you don’t see this then go to “www.yourDomainNameHere.com/cpanel.”
3. Type in your username and password that you chose when you bought the web hosting. Should be in your BLOG FILE.
4. Scroll down to “Software/Services.”
5. Click on “Simple Scripts.”
6. Click on the WordPress Icon.
7. Choose the latest version of WordPress. (The highest number is the latest.)
8. Click “Install Now.”
9. Select your domain name.
10. Leave the “subfolder” box empty.
11. Give your site a name. This is the name of your blog, i.e. “My Big Honkin Blog.” Usually the same name as your domain name.
12. Enter a tagline – caption catchphrase. This would be like your branding, i.e. “The Place Where You Learn All About Ducks.” (You can modify this very easily later so don’t worry about it being perfect now.)
13. Uncheck the check box next to “Generate Admin Login.” This way you can choose your own.
14. Choose your Admin user name and password. This will be for logging into your WordPress Dashboard for writing your posts and setting up your blog. It is best if this is different from you cpanel user name and password.
15. Leave “Automatically create a new database” checked.
16. Check the legal agreement.
17. Click “Complete.”

You’re done installing WordPress!The system is now installing all the WordPress code for you! It only takes a few minutes.

You will receive a confirmation email from BlueHost (your web host) with the username and password you chose along with any other information you might need like support phone numbers etc. Copy and Paste the key parts of that email into your BLOG FILE. Give it the heading “WordPress Login Info” or something like that.

6. Login to Your WordPress Dashboard.

This will bring you to the place where you control almost everything about your blog including writing posts and customizing how your blog looks.

1. To login go to: “YourDomainName.com/wp-admin” in your browser.
2. Enter your WordPress Dashboard Login username and passsword that you just set up in Step#5.

If you don’t land at your dashboard, just give it a couple more minutes while your web host is installing WordPress to your site. When it is installed this is what you will see:

In Step #14 I have links to multiple articles on getting started with using WordPress. In the meantime, lets continue with the next step which is setting up the look of your blog, called your Theme.

7. Install WordPress Theme.

Where to Find Free Themes

In this step you will choose the overall look of your blog. There are many free WordPress themes. The best place to search for one is at the WordPress Theme Viewer. All themes can be customized with different colors, fonts, font sizes, layouts and more. However, you should look for one that is pretty close to what you like unless you are comfortable changing the code in your theme. Below I list some premium themes that make customization easy if you don’t want to deal with changing code.

Look for themes that are compatible with the latest version of WordPress that you just installed. You’ll be able to check on this at the theme view.

You can also find themes by searching for “WordPress Themes” in Google or your favorite search engine.

The theme that I am using as of this writing is the “Genki Theme Fixed Width” by ericulous. It is compatible with WordPress 2.7 and I like how it has 4 widget areas in the sidebars.

The Benefits of a Buying a Premium Theme

If you want be able to easily customize a theme, (and not have to deal with coding!) you might want to consider a premium theme. These themes have a one-time cost that gives you an additional dashboard for changing the colors, fonts, layout and more on your theme. So making changes to the look of your blog is easy.

With premium themes you will have access to online tutorials on how to use the theme and you’ll also have access to online support when you have questions. Often these are not available with free themes.

With free themes when you want to customize them you will need to change the coding which can be a little tricky if you’re not familiar with coding. If you are new to this, a premium theme can save you time and hassle learning how to code.

If I were new again, I would choose a premium theme. Even today knowing how to do a little bit of coding, I would choose a premium theme just for the convenience of being able to change the theme so easily.

Here are 3 Premium Themes that I have researched and that are very user friendly for new bloggers.

1.”Headway Theme”

Headway Theme is my favorite premium theme. It is incredibly flexible and fun to use. Definitely check this one out! I’ll be writing a review of this one very soon.

2.”Thesis Theme”

The Thesis Theme is my 2nd favorite. It also comes with a control panel for customizing the look of your blog. When you click on the above icon to see more about the them you’ll be able to see many blogs that have used this theme to create spectacular looking sites. This one is also a little less expensive than the Affiliate Theme.

3. “Affiliate Theme”

There are many ways to configure this theme including several different layouts, all without touching a line of code! Unique Blog Designs is known for their beautiful, simple, and elegant web designs.

Click here to see a very short video demonstration of how the theme looks and works. (Click on the “Learn More” button to see the video.)

They are all excellent and all are highly recommended within the WordPress blogging community.

Steps to Install WordPress Theme

1. Download the theme that you like the best. Look for the “Download” button on the website offering the theme. This will deliver a zipped folder to your computer. Choose “Save.” For now I would choose save to your Desktop. When you’re done you can move that folder to a designated “Blog” folder that you set up for all blog documents and files. You can download and install as many themes as you like. At the end of this process you’ll choose one to activate.
2. Open the Zipped Folder and choose “Extract All Files.” This will then open a new folder with all the files unzipped and ready to use.
3. Important: Check to see if there is an extra folder inside the Theme folder you downloaded. So the folder you unzipped might be “ABC Theme” and when you click on that folder to see the contents you see another folder called “ABC Theme.” (Yes, the same name. Or maybe different.) The bottom line is it is this inside folder that you will need to upload. If you click on the unzipped folder and you see files and and image folder etc, then it is the top level folder that you upload.
4. UPDATE (FEB 4 2010): You can skip steps 5-20 nowby using the “Add New Themes” option under “Appearance” in your WordPress dashboard.  Here are the instructions. (NOTE: You can still use FTP if this tool doesn’t work, which sometimes happens. In that case just go to steps 5-20 listed below starting with “Download FileZilla….)
   1. Click on “Add New Themes” under “Appearance” in your WordPress dashboard.
   2. Under “Install Themes” click on the link that says “Upload.”
   3. Click on “Browse” to find the zipped folder that contains all your theme files. (Don’t use the unzipped file.)
   4. Click on “Install Now.” Skip down now to Step 21 below to continue.
5. Download FileZilla if you don’t already have an FTP application on your computer. Click on “Download Filezilla Client.” This application allows you to upload files to your blog, such as theme files, pictures, and plugins (which add functionality to your blog – we’ll get to that later.) This is quick, free, easy, and painless.
6. Open FileZilla or whichever FTP application you have. (FireBug is another great option. It is a free add-on for FireFox browsers. It opens right in a browser tab eliminating the need to open another program, like you must do with FileZilla.)
7. Click on File -> Site Manager.
8. Click on New Site.
9. In “Host” type “YourDomainName.com”
10. In “ServerType” Choose FTP.
11. In “User” type your WordPress FTP username. (from Step #3 – you will set this up with your webhost or they will send it to you.)
12. In “Password” type your WordPress FTP password. (from Step #3)
13. Click on “Connect”
14. Under “Remote Site” expand your folders by clicking on the [+] sign. This will show you all your blog files that are on your BlueHost server.
15. Double Click on “public_html”
16. Double Click on “wp-content”
17. Double Click on “themes.” Here you will see a couple of themes already loaded: “Classic” and “Default” which you are free to use if you like them.
18. On “Local Site” search for the (unzipped) folder that holds all the theme files.
19. Drag that theme folder to your “Remote Site” into the “Themes” folder. You will see a running log of all the files being transfered over to your site.
20. Login to your WordPress Dashboard: “YourDomainName.com/wp-admin”
21. Click on “Appearance” in the left hand navigation section. This brings you to “Themes”
22. Click on the new theme you just uploaded. This will show you a preview of how your site will look.
23. Click on “Activate” in the upper right hand corner of the preview box.
24. Scroll to the top of the page and click on “Visit Site” to see how your site looks. (Bear in mind that you may not see it show up if you are still waiting for your nameservers to propagate.
25. To customize: for Free Themes you’ll need to change code in “Appearance”->”Edit.” For Premium themes, follow their instructions to find the theme control panel within your WordPress Dashboard.

Congratulations! Your theme is set up!

Troubleshooting tip: if the theme you uploaded doesn’t show up it may be because of step 3 above. Double check that again.

8. Set Up Permalinks.

This is a small little step that will make your posts more likely to show up in search results. You want this so that you will get more traffic. Here’s what you do:

1. In WordPress Dashboard, click on “Settings” in the left hand navigation panel.
2. Click on “Permalinks.”
3. Click on “Day and name” option.
4. Click “Save changes.”

That’s it. Takes less than 2-3 minutes and it is well worth it!

At this point, you could write your first post if you wanted to. If you want to wait until everything is in place then keep taking the next steps.

9. Install Plugins.

These add functionality to your blog. The install is the same process as installing your theme (Step#7). You download, unzip, and then transfer the plugin files to your site via FTP (FileZilla) except this time you put them in the “Plugin” folder on your “remote site” not the “Theme” folder. The “Plugins” folder is inside the “wp-content” folder on your remote site. Have that folder open before you drag the plugins over.

Once uploaded, go to “Plugins” in your WordPress Dashboard and click on “Activate” to enable each plugin. For each plugin, there may be additional instructions for usage that you will find on the page where you downloaded the plugin.

Here are the plugins that I recommend installing. They are all free, as are most WordPress Plugins. The ones that are in Bold I recommend installing first. You can click on the link on each to get to the download page:

How to Install Plugins

1. Download plugin and save to your computer.
2. Open the zipped folder.
3. Click “extract all files”
4. Upload files or folder to “wp-content/plugins” on your “remote server” via FTP on FileZilla.
5. In WordPress Dashboard, click on “Plugins”
6. Click on “Activate” to enable each plugin.
7. Follow any specific instructions on how to use each plugin.

10. Set Up Your RSS Feed with Feedburner

This will allow your readers to subscribe to your blog via a reader or via email for free. It will also allow you to monitor the growth of your subscribers!

Steps:

1. Sign up for free at FeedBurner.
2. “Burn” your feed by typing in your feed URL (http://www.yourDomainName.com/feed). Feedburner will then give you a new RSS Feed URL that will allow you to track your subscribers. (Put this new feel URL into your BLOG FILE!)
3. Enter your Feedburner RSS feed URL into the plugin called “FeedBurner FeedSmith” to enable tracking.
4. Add “Email RSS Form” to your Blog with the next steps:
5. In Feedburner click on your feed.
6. Click “Publicize” tab.
7. Click “Email Subscriptions”
8. Copy code for the subscription form.
9. Go back to WordPress Dashboard.
10. Click on “Appearance”
11. Click on “Widgets”
12. Choose the sidebar where you want to put this mini-form.
13. Click “add” on “Text” widget under “Available Widgets.”
14. Drag the widget to the location you desire. (Usually at the top)
15. Click “edit” on the Text Widget
16. Paste the subscription form code in the main box. You can also give the Widget a title or leave it blank.
17. Click “Done.”
18. Click “Save changes”

Now you can go and visit your site to see how it looks. That is the basic process for adding any widget, so you might want to copy and paste these instructions into your BLOG FILE.

11. Set Up Google Analytics

This will allow you to monitor and analyze the traffic to your site. It’s very powerful and it’s FREE! Here are the steps:

1. Go to Google.com/analytics. Sign up for free account.
2. Copy the code they give you and paste it into the Google Analytics plugin you installed.

That’s it!

12. Making Money – Adding Advertising

There are several ways to make money. I will cover the 5 main ways here. They are:

• Contextual Ads
• Affiliate Ads
• Ad Networks
• Direct Ad Sales/Sponsorships
• Selling you own products/services

The best way to figure out what works best for your site is to test, measure the results, and then test other options to see if it is better or worse than a previous set up.

Contextual Ads

These are ads that display on your website that are related to the content of your site. The most popular is Google Adsense and is probably all you need.

It is important to note that youshould be sure to follow Google’s rules closely because if you don’t you can find yourself kicked out of their program will no chance for appeal. (You need to actually read their rules and understand them.) Being banned from their program could be a really bad thing if a lot of your income comes from them.

That is why a lot of super top bloggers look to find ways to diversify or replace that income over time so as not to be so dependent on an income source that could be taken away at a moment’s notice.

I still recommend using these ads because they are easy to implement and as your blog traffic grows so will your income. Yahoo also has a program. To find others do a web search for “contextual ad program.”

How to Set Up Google Adsense on Your Blog

1. Sign up with Google Adsense. It’s free.
2. Create the ads you want with Adsense’s tool.
3. Copy the code they give you.
4. WordPress Dashboard ->Appearance->Widgets
5. Add “Text” Widget to desired sidebar.
6. Drag widget to desire location in sidebar.
7. Click “edit” on widget.
8. Paste in Adsense code. (like you did in Step#10- setting up your RSS)
9. Leave title bar blank.
10. Click “done.”
11. Click “Save changes.”
12. Check how the changes look on your site.

There’s a lot more that goes into doing Adsense right. You might want to check out either or both of these books which describe how to maximize your profit from Adsense:

The AdSense Code: What Google Never Told You About Making Money with AdSense~ Joel Comm

The Best Damn GOOGLE ADSENSE Book COLOR EDITION: How to make dollars instead of cents with Adsense~ Harry J. Misner

Affiliate Ads

When you become an affiliate for a certain product or service you receive a “commission” whenever you refer a sale. Sales are referred by your readers clicking on a banner ad or a text link ad that takes them to the company’s website.

Here’s an example. Let’s say your blog is about dogs. So readers who come to your site are interested in dogs, so you will probably do well by having a few key affiliate products that you advertise on your site.

The quality of the affiliates ads you have on your site reflect on your website so it serves you well to choose high quality products and services.

Once you find products and services that you think are good quality and that your readers would be interested you will seek to join their affiliate program. Most products and stores have an affiliate program.

Once you join the program you may promote their product with a banner ad in your sidebar. You set this up similar to setting up Google Ads by inserting the affiliate code into a text widget.

You can also promote affiliate products directly in your blog posts. This can be more effective because you can give a description and personal recommendation of the product. In this case you simply link to the product using your affiliate link.

Just like Google Adsense, with affiliate programs the product or service provider does all the tracking of sales and will usually send you payments automatically and electronically.

The other way to find affiliate programs that fit well with your site is to join an affiliate network and browse for products and services with which you can become an affiliate. Here are a few well known networks:

• Amazon Associates
• Clickbank
• Commission Junction
• e-Junkie
• myhelphub (many great writing products)
• Linkshare

Ad Networks

These are networks that work as a middleman. They secure the advertisers and you provide the advertising space. The way they come together is by placing their ad code in a sidebar text widget. When you sign up with any of these they will give you the code you need and instructions for placing it in your blog.

They will keep track of all sales and they will usually pay you monthly either through ACH, PayPal, or a check.

• Text Link Ads
• PeopleJam
• Blogher.com
• Adbrite
• Kontera
• Chitika
• ShoppingAds
• BlogAds.com

Direct Ad Sales/Sponsorships

This setup is where you secure the advertisers or sponsors. You are responsible for setting your rates, invoicing and setting up the coding of the ads whether they are a text link or a banner ad. The coding is not hard at all. Here is the basic html code you would use:

Text Ads HTML code:

<a href="Insert Link Here" >Anchor Text Here</a>

Banner Ads HTML code:

<a href="insert link here"  ><img src="link for image here" ></a>

You simply put the code into a text widget in your sidebar or insert it into a post. And then keep track of payments. Here is a good article on how to set your advertising rates.

Selling your own products/services

This is pretty self explanatory. You come up with the products and services that you want to sell personally. Then you design the text or banner advertising to go along with it. You place the promotion for your products and services into blog posts and/or into your sidebar with text widgets.

You can also outsource the production of products that you’d like to sell and have them drop-shipped to your buyers so that you never have to handle inventory or shipping. One example is CafePress that will produce t-shirts, mugs, and other items with your artwork on them.

Advanced Techniques for Making Money

The Blog Mastermind Coaching Program. This is a  step-by-step, weekly coaching program led by famous six-figure income blogger Yaro Starak. He has pages and pages of testimonials from his successful students. He teaches  you how to set up and profit from your blog. If you want to fast-track making money from your blog, this is truly worth your consideration.

“Blogging All the Way to the Bank” - this ebook teaches you some advanced techniques for growing your blog and making money. I learned some new and profitable tips from this book and definitely recommend it.

13. Getting Traffic to Your Blog

The number one rule is to create valuable content. This is really important. You want people to keep returning to your site. But, how do you get them there in the first place? Time and lots of effort. If you keep at it, using these suggestions below, you will grow your site. I’ll cover both online and offline strategies. Try them both. The easiest to start with are the online ones.

Offline Strategies to Get Blog Traffic

1. Tell all your friends.
2. Create flyers or business cards to give to everyone you meet.
3. Write a press release.
4. Do some interviews on TV, radio or in newspapers.
5. Create a local access TV program where you present similar information that your blog presents and be sure to make your blog URL prominent on the show.
6. Post flyers in places where your target audience frequents – also try libraries, the post office bulletin board, supermarkets, and community centers.
7. Merchandise: bumper stickers, t-shirts, etc. You could look into CafePress.com.

Online Strategies to Get Blog Traffic

1. Email all your contacts that might be interested and ask them to pass the info to their contacts that might be interested.
2. Social Networking. Join the top social networking sites and grow your network of friends who are interested in your topic and who are willing to support your writing with votes on social network sites. I cover this in more detail in the next segment.
3. Comment on other blogs. Every time you leave a comment you will get a link to your blog and people who read comments might come visit your site. Seek out blogs that are similar to your and have a large following which you can tell by the number of subscribers they have and the amount of comments the blog gets.
4. Participate in blog carnivals. You can find out about them by searching online or you can check out BlogCarnival.com.
5. SEO: Optimize your site for search engines. This practice is called Search Engine Optimization or SEO for short. I’m convinced you could read about this for the rest of your life, but at some point you need just the basics so here is a good article by a trusted source on some basic SEO techniques. (The author also offers a free e-book on identifying the best keywords to use.)
6. Create a contest for your readers that gets them to tell other people about your blog.
7. Write guest posts at other blogs for exposure to new readers.
8. Build links to your blog by commenting on blogs that have “dofollow” links which means that search engines will see those links. This helps you get more search engine traffic eventually.
9. Write really good content. Write really good content. And write some more really good content.
10. Brand your blog for success.

Here are a few other articles on getting traffic to your blog:

• How to get traffic for your blog.
• How to get traffic and links from popular blogs.

Social Networking Basics

There are so many social networking sites out there that it can become dizzying trying to figure out which ones are best given our limits on time. So I will give you some basic advice that should really benefit you while keeping it simple.

Here are the basic and most popular sites you should consider joining:

• StumbleUpon
• Delicious
• Digg
• Reddit
• Twitter
• Facebook
• MyBlogLog
• BlogCatalog

I recommend starting out with StumbleUpon, Facebook, and either MyBlogLog or BlogCatalog.

Facebook: Use this to notify your circle of friends and family about your blog and keep them up to date on posts. You can create groups on Facebook of just people who are interested in your content. You could ask them to share it with their friends.

MyBlogLog/BlogCatalog: Use this to find other blogs and bloggers. You can learn what makes a good blog. You can comment on great blogs, and also make friends with people who would like to help support and promote your writing either on social networking sites or with links to your blog.

StumbleUpon: This can probably bring you the most traffic. Here’s what to do:

1. Join. It’s free.
2. Read about how to use this service for discovering new websites that interest you.
3. Search for topics related to you blog or particular blog post.
4. When search comes up, check out the profiles on the right hand side that list users who are interested in this topic.
5. You can contact or each of these people.
6. Craft a polite email that says you noticed that they are interested in “Topic X” and that you write content in that topic. Offer them a link to your site or blog post. Offer to review anything that they may want you to look at.
7. Of the people who respond, ask if they would like to agree to support you and you support them on StumbleUpon.
8. If so, add them as a friend, write a positive “review” of their profile on StumbleUpon, and ask for their email.
9. Compile a list of emails of social networking friends who would like to support you.
10. Over time email your list with new posts that you would like to share with them and ask for a review if they like it. Offer to review anything of theirs in return. Be sure to use the BCC feature on your email when sending to a whole list so that your social networking friends emails are kept private.

Over time as you gain more friends, you could see considerable traffic from StumbleUpon if a lot of people review your blog posts. Always be courteous, don’t pressure people, and offer to reciprocate support. Be sure to let people know that you don’t expect them to automatically vote for you, only if they like your content.

14. Learning More About Blogging, WordPress, and Making Money.

All these steps take time, but if you are persistent and write good content, you will have success. And once you have the basics down you’ll probably want to learn more.

Don’t forget to download the free Blog Setup Checklist which will help you keep track of the blog set up process and a place to write down notes or questions to follow up on at a later time. (Clicking on the link will download the free excel checklist.)

Here are some basic articles from WordPress.org on getting started with their blogging platform:

• Introduction to Blogging
• First Steps With WordPress
• WordPress Semantics – Learning the Jargon
• New To WordPress – Where to Start
• Creating Individual Pages
• Using Images
• More WordPress Beginner Lessons
  

Here are a few highly recommended programs to check out:

“Blogging All the Way to the Bank” - this ebook teaches you some advanced techniques for growing your blog and making money. I learned some new and profitable tips from this book recently that I am excited to implement soon.

“Launch the *** Out of Your eBook” - for when you write your first ebook. This is an awesome book that will help you sell lots of copies of your book. I highly recommend it as do many others.

“SEO Book Training Program” - This is a comprehensive training program for learning SEO. It comes highly recommended. They also offer many free and very valuable SEO tools plus some basic free training. There is a fee for the advanced training.

15. Can Someone Do This For Me? Yes!

(UPDATE: Dec 14, 2009)

If after reading all the above information, you want someone else to do all the heavy lifting of setting up your wordpress blog for you including the web hosting, installing of wordpress, etc., then look no further than Page.ly. This is a new offering that I haven’t seen anywhere else! Everything is set up for you. There are dozens of super cool themes to choose from. The greatest part is that set up literally takes 2 minutes! And if you want read what others think of Pagely they have many testimonials praising their service. If I was starting all over again, I would be very tempted by this option!

Combine this with The Blog Mastermind Coaching Program to get ramped up quickly on making money from your new blog.

Blogging Extras

Find out how to add a Favicon to your site. A favicon the little image that appears in the tab of your browser along with the title of the website.

Final Words

I hope you enjoy blogging as much as I do! And I wish you much success in making money from your writing. With practice of your writing craft and persistence in building traffic to your blog, you will definitely succeed!

Please Share!

Please share your comments, thoughts, questions, and links to your new blog! Please come back and fill us in on your progress & success!

Post from: Life Learning Today

Complete Guide to Set Up a WordPress Blog and Make Money

photo by roland

This is a guest post by a good friend of mine who wishes to publish this anonymously.

MAKE A PLAN AND STICK TO IT

Is your weight or health a problem that needs addressing? Do you want to be healthier, lower cholesterol, lower your risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer, get rid of that belly, and get rid of all the worry over health issues? Do you want to lose weight, have more energy, feel better, be more active, do more, be more productive and be sharper mentally; in short do you want to be happy? If so, you need a PLAN.

All diets work if you are committed. But then you return to your life and the problem is back. Solving a problem requires thought. Who knows you, your problem and your life as well as you do? Not all the diet planners out there. We can learn from their strategies and although we all share many of the same traits, your combination of needs is unique. One size does NOT fit all.

You need to MAKE A PLAN THAT SUITS YOU AND THAT YOU CAN LIVE WITH. You know you can’t have it all. You can’t eat everything you want and still have all those things listed above, good health, long life and freedom from health worries. YOU NEED TO MAKE SOME FIRM DECISIONS AND STICK TO THEM LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT, BECAUSE IT DOES. YOU CAN DO IT. I know you can because I am doing it. It is a work in progress, always will be and I am loving it.

You can live, feel well, think, remember, walk without pain, have restful sleep, satisfy your hunger and enjoy this incredible world by just giving up a FEW things, and by being committed to and focused on a FEW SMALL CHANGES in your life.

Think of it VISUALLY. Set YOUR PERIMETERS. Create the SPACE wherein your life and health are secure and you are pleased with yourself. Decide on the BOUNDARIES OR BOARDERS beyond which you will not go, beyond which you know and feel your health and life are in jeopardy. In the jumble that is life, this space will always be unmovable steady ground you can rely on.

Is sugar an issue? Does it affect you like a drug? Does it reduce or eliminate your desire for nutritious, less processed foods like vegetables and whole grains? If you find it extremely difficult or impossible to limit sweets and deserts, if sugar is something you cannot control, if it is an address or a place that controls you, DON’T GO THERE. DON’T LET IT GET INTO YOUR HEAD. DON’T LOOK AT IT AT THE CHECKOUT COUNTERS. CERTAINLY TURN OFF ITS COMMERCIALS, SKIP THE BAKING RECIPES IN THE “DECOR” MAGAZINES, AND FOR LIFE’S SAKE REFUSE TO EVEN REMEMBER THE EXPERIENCE OF PROCESSED SUGAR. MOVE ON. YOU CAN. Make that barrier strong. It will protect you.

The SUGAR thing is mine, the #1 point in my plan, the barrier I don’t cross.
The other points or signposts in my plan are:
#2 TRANS FATS (UNHEALTHY FATS – FRIES ETC) – NO WAY. I stay away from there.
#3 SATURATED FATS (DAIRY ETC) AND WHITE FLOUR – boundaries I cross with caution.
#4 HEALTHY FATS (OLIVE OIL, NUTS), WHOLE GRAINS AND PORTION SIZES – have flexible boarders.
#5 EXERCISE – YES, definitely an essential piece of my “rock”, my safe space. A 40-60 minute walk, 6 days/week, that’s -200 to -300 calories a day.
#6 CALORIES – I count them, roughly, in units of 50 or 100, 200 etc. Lots of portions can be estimated this way eg 1 slice of bread, 100 c. It gives me a close estimate and that’s all I need. I do some guessing but I also read labels. I pay attention. I Tally during the day & I keep a daily journal. I eat between 1200 & 1900 calories a day. It’s flexible. I estimate I’m loosing a little over a pound a week.
#7 LATE NIGHT EATING – only if the hunger will keep me awake, and then only something small.
#8 ADEQUATE SLEEP – YES, another essential piece of my rock – 8 hours a night.
#9 PACING MYSELF – YES, I watch the time I spend on things. I avoid exhaustion & I try not to get sick.
#10 USING A SCALE TO TRACK MY WEIGHT – Definitely NOT in my plan or my safe space, too much pressure. Instead I look in the mirror & see my clothes getting loose.
#11 THINKING ABOUT FOOD – having to shop for and plan meals can be a minefield, a dangerous and distracting place that requires vigilance and focus. I block thoughts and memories of foods I have trouble limiting.
#12 PRACTICING PATIENCE – YES, YES, YES.

But this is MY PLAN, a slow non-spartan plan that I can do. What can YOU do? What do you and your life require? Decide on a PLAN THAT INCLUDES REAL CHANGES BUT ONE THAT YOU THINK YOU CAN STICK WITH. EVEN SMALL CHANGES, CONSISTENTLY HELD TO, WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Make REAL changes and you will have real results. AND BE PATIENT.

SETTLE BACK AND RELAX. DON’T LOOK FOR RESULTS. LET THEM FIND YOU, SURPRISE YOU. THEY WILL HAPPEN. JUST LET THEM COME. Be confident and at peace in the knowledge that you have made REAL changes, CHANGES YOU CAN LIVE WITH. DON’T STRESS OVER THE RATE OR PACE OF THE RESULTS. KEEP IN MIND that REAL changes have got to produce real results. Don’t think in terms of days.Think in terms of weeks and months and years. You have the rest of your life to enjoy the security and freedom from anxiety that will accompany you on this adventure.

One last thing. DON’T EVER ALLOW YOURSELF TO FEEL SORRY FOR YOURSELF. It will sabotage you.You are not being deprived. These are YOUR decisions. YOU are CHOOSING to live, to get up each day, rested, lighter, satisfied with yourself and ready to go, rewards to which NO chips or fries or desert binge can begin to compare. There will be no need for a vacation FROM or a reward FOR keeping to your plan because your plan IS the thing you needed and wanted most in this world. It will keep you here as long as possible.

It’s really as simple as that. If YOU have a problem THINK AND DECIDE on YOUR solution. MAKE A PLAN AND STICK TO IT. Keep to the plan and it will hold you up. It will carry you. You will see and feel results and your life will be better and longer.

This is how I set up my plan, how I started. This is what I wrote down for myself:

THE PLAN: THE ANSWER TO – “I NEED A PLAN” (BECAUSE WITHOUT ONE MY LIFE IS CHAOS AND I DON’T STAND A CHANCE OF CHANGING IT)

YES OR DAILY:
1 WALK
2 SALAD
3 OLIVE OIL & VINEGAR & SPICE HOMEMADE SALAD DRESSING
4 LOTS OF VEG (AVOCADO, LOTS OF GREENS)
5 LEAN PROTEIN (FISH)
6 DECAF COFFEE
7 RICE MILK
8 MORE WATER
9 TOMATO SAUCE
10 NUTS

YES / BUT OCCASIONALLY OR RARELY &/OR LIMITED PORTION:

1 SLICE WHOLE GRAIN BREAD
2 WHOLE GRAIN PASTA
3 HAMBURGER WITH BUN
4 CHEESE, MILK
5 ONE SLICE PIZZA
6 FRIED FISH (OLIVE OIL)
7 EGG
8 BAKED POTATO
9 GRILLED CHEESE (OLIVE OIL)
10 HOMEMADE CRAPES
11 LEAN HAM &/OR BACON
12 OJ, CRANBERRY JUICE
13 FRUIT
14 CHOCOLATE RICE MILK(IN COFFEE, 1/DAY TREAT)
15 STUFFING
16 RED WINE (1/4 CUP A DAY)
17 HONEY (TEA) MOLASSES(BBQ SAUCE)

NO, NO, NO:

1 PURE REFINED SUGAR,CANDY,CAKE ETC
2 TRANS FATS (FRIES)
3 BUTTER
4 MAYO
5 SALAD DRESSING
6 DIET SODA

OTHER POINTS:

1 CUT PORTIONS IN HALF TO START
2 HAVE MORE IF NECESSARY TO SATISFY HUNGER
3 EAT PROTEIN OR NUTS TO SATISFY HUNGER
4 GET ENOUGH SLEEP (8 HOURS/NIGHT)
5 PACE YOURSELF DURING THE DAY-DON’T GET EXHAUSTED
6 DO THE WALK NO MATTER WHAT, DO YOUR BEST, PUT IN THE TIME
7 KEEP DAILY TRACK OF CALORIES, EXERCISE & SLEEP
8 DON’T FEEL SORRY FOR YOURSELF
9 REVIEW THIS PLAN OFTEN
10 BE PATIENT. THIS IS FOR LIFE. YOU HAVE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE TO SEE RESULTS. (BY THE TIME YOU DIE YOU’LL BE LIKE BENJAMIN BUTTON)
11 KEEP ALIVE THE MEMORY OF HOW YOU LOOKED AND FELT BEFORE YOU MADE THE CHANGES
12 RECOGNIZE THAT EVEN THE SMALL CHANGES ARE ACHIEVEMENTS. DON’T MINIMIZE THEM. VALUE THEM.

After 2 and 3 weeks on my plan I THOUGHT I was beginning to see changes in myself. I decided to be calm and patient and I wanted to continue because I was feeling better and walking easier (belly not weighing me down as much). At 4 weeks the results were definitely not imagined. My clothes were looser. I was looking better.

Stuff happens: parties, entertaining, restaurants, paying bills, taxes, work, family obligations. I need a plan, a structure that helps me stay on course. Maybe a plan would help you too. I also need to review, to keep my eye on the plan so I don’t drift off course.

One thing I find really helpful is to start a meal with a hot cup of coffee, delicious. Life is good. Good luck.

Additional Resources.

• The Secrets to a Healthy Life by K. Stone. This is an ebook by Life Learning Today author, K. Stone, on healthy living that details the easiest way to lose weight covering diet, exercise and much more.
• The Truth About Six Pack Abs – a total fitness and nutrition program targeted at losing belly fat. Included is a 21 day trial offer, a Free Mini-Course, and a 100% money back guarantee. Highly recommended.

Please Share!

Want to share your story, thoughts, or question? All comments big and small are very welcomed!

Post from: Life Learning Today

Do You Want to Change Your Life? Do You Want to Live as Long as Possible?

photo by Willow&Monk

Bears do it.

Koi fish do it.

So do frogs, squirrels, and several other animals. So why should you allow yourself to feel bad when you feel it’s effects? What I’m talking about here is hibernation.

Of course, humans don’t hibernate fully, but when the cold and short days of winter come around, many of us feel a physical change. We may want to sleep more. We may want to eat more. We may want to be less active and leave our home less frequently. I had a revelation about this recently. Since this is totally normal and most everyone experiences it, then there is absolutely no reason to feel bad about it!

The way to transform your winter blues is simple. Reconsider these winter changes from a new perspective. Here’s how:

Change the labels you put on the physical changes that you feel. Instead of calling these changes the “Winter Blues,” call them what they are: the “Hibernation Effect.” It’s not bad or good. It just is. Just like your hair color. It’s not bad or good. It just is. You decide what label to put on it. You decide how to perceive it.

If you want the “Hibernation Effect” to work for you all you have to do is decide to take a few simple steps, most of which are wrapping your mind around the situation differently.

Making the Hibernation Effect Work to Your Advantage

1. Stop Judging Yourself. If you’ve ever called yourself a loser for not wanting to get out of bed in the morning on a cold day, you can stop right now. Yes, that’s right. You have full permission to stop being critical of yourself. It’s not you! It’s the weather! And everyone else feels the same way you do! The same goes for all the other things you’re feeling. Instead begin to revel in the cozy rejuvenating aspects of the Hibernation Effect. You have the power to make these winter changes work to your advantage!

2. Get More Sleep. Yes, Yes, Yes! I know that many people in today’s frenzied world are looking for ways to do more on less sleep. “How to Sleep Less” type articles are very very popular. Here’s the deal, though. If you are getting less sleep than YOUR body needs, then you will not only be grumpy and tired everyday, you’re also likely to gain weight and die younger than if you got enough sleep. How much is enough? The most recent health guidelines say 7-9 hours per night. Listen to your body to find out what is right for you. If you’re tired every morning, go to sleep a little earlier.

3. Wake Up Slowly. We keep our home on the cooler side at night and I’m rarely excited about putting my feet down on the cold floor in the morning. The way to make it a little easier is to set your alarm so that you have about 15 minutes to wake up slowly. Establish a routine that works for you. Here are some ideas:

• Drink a warm cup of tea in bed. (Keep a hot pot in your room to make the tea in the morning.)
• Read the morning headlines on your cell phone.
• Sit up and write out your plan for the day or journal your waking thoughts.
• Sit up and daydream.
• Sit up and meditate for 10 minutes focusing on a positive mantra for the day.
• Do some deep breathing to bring some fresh air into your lungs and energize you.
• Stretch: up to the ceiling, child’s pose, sun salutations, twists, whatever feels good.

4. Enjoy Indoor Activities. If you don’t feel like leaving your house on a particular day, then don’t. And don’t feel guilty about it or else you may as well go out. Give yourself some “free days” to stay inside when it’s really cold. (I think taking the odd sick day to rejuvenate your mind and soul is a healthy choice probably resulting in less actual sick days.) Enjoy those things you don’t always get around to doing such as watching a movie, reading, practicing music, doing some art or a creative project. Give thanks to the Hibernation Effect as you enjoy a fully deserved lazy day.

5. Getting Out of the House. On the days that you’re feeling some cabin fever, by all means, get out of the house. Bundle up and go for a walk. You will feel so good! Here are some other ways to help get you out of the house:

• Take a class in something fun, interesting or that involves body movement, such as belly dancing!
• Join a gym with a friend. Make dates to meet at the gym and you’ll be more likely to stick with it. Focus on how you’ll feel afterwards for motivation.
• Go for a walk in the mall on cold days.
• Go see a movie, a show, an art gallery opening, etc.
• Reward yourself for getting out.

6. Eating Right. Enjoy a little comfort food each day whether it’s a couple cookies, a muffin, a slice of pizza, or whatever you are craving. Try to save it for the end of the day after eating lots of fruits and veggies during the day. The reason to save it for the end of the day is that if you eat highly nutritional food early on in the day you won’t have such a big craving for bad foods. At any given point during the day, try to make healthy choices. If you do this 80-90% of the day, you’ll be golden and won’t have to worry about gaining weight.

7. How to Handle a Grumpy Day. If you wake up on a particular day and you feel tired and aggravated right from the start and you can’t afford to take a day off, then do the next best thing. Take it slow. Plan your day with lots of transition time and buffer time. Be kind to yourself, to others and take lots of breaks during the day. Take 5-10 minutes to close your eyes, breathe deeply and remind yourself to take things slow today. The world can wait. In most cases the rest of the work can get done tomorrow when you have more energy. Avoid or decrease your intake of caffeine so you can reduce agitation and so you can get to sleep a little earlier tonight.

8. People Power. Be with people. Talk to people. Seek out your good fun friends. Make a call. Send an email. Set a laughing lunch date. (What is that? I don’t know, but it sounds good, right?) We lift each other up. It’s like magic. Go grab some for yourself. Be on a mission to lift someone else up too. If this is hard for you to do, set up electronic reminders via Gmail or Outlook or whatever calendar program you use to get in touch with friends on some periodic basis.

9. Moving & Grooving. You may be feeling more sluggish given all the layers of clothes we need to wear in the winter, but at the very least, ease yourself into some activities at least every other day. Be sure to give yourself credit for things like shoveling, stacking wood, and other winter work. The best way to enjoy exercise is to do it to some music or make it a social activity or both! If you don’t want to go outside to exercise, get yourself a rebounder which is a mini-trampoline. Minute for minute, it’s about the equivalent of jogging although it is easier on the knees. For those icy and snowy days it’s a great replacement for people who normally walk or jog. And they are cheap compared to most exercise equipment.

10. Awaken Your Joy. Check out this very cool course on developing true deep rooted happiness called Awakening Joy. Here is my review of the Awakening Joy course. I highly recommend it!

The Bottom Line

Remember that it is natural, normal, and ok to feel a little different in the winter. Don’t criticize yourself for this. Find ways to enjoy it and make it work for you.

Of course, if you feel like you have a little more than the winter Hibernation Effect going on, check with your doctor for other treatments that may be helpful for you whether it’s talk therapy, light therapy, or medication. This is also nothing to judge yourself about. It just is. Getting some help through it can lead you to finding the silver lining.

Please Share!

How do keep your spirits up when winter gets you down? All comments big and small are very welcomed!

Post from: Life Learning Today

Easily Transform Your Winter Blues into Winter Joy!