Archive for the ‘Featured’ Category

Tara’s the doctor and the expert.I’m the writer.

I’ll share what I can and then I’ll need to have her fill in the details – and probably correct some details too.

Over the last two weeks we’ve made some changes to our diet that resulted in each of us losing about 8 pounds each.This is somewhat shocking to me as weight loss has been a struggle over the last two years for both of us – and these changes, to be bluntly honest, I expected to actually pack on the pounds.

I also need to confess that these diet changes have not eliminated everything we’d like to eliminate.In this two weeks we’ve eaten pizza at least twice and we’ve had an evening bowl of ice cream (home made) in the range of 7-8 times.Let me just say, there’s no sense of deprivation occurring here.

First, a little history.

We’ve experimented with a variety of diets throughout our marriage.In the earlier years the goal was to find a diet that helped us feel better mentally and physically.Most of my life I’ve tried to gain weight, not lose it.

When we first met (I was 30, Tara 25) we enjoyed going for walks through neighborhoods in Portland.I’d experience complete energy lapses where I felt like I needed to stop and lie down on someone’s front lawn.I think I appeared healthy at that time, but I didn’t feel that way.

We tried numerous diets, including Eat Right for Your Blood Type, The Maker’s Diet, and a number of others that I don’t even remember.The results were mixed.

When we first moved to Sedona I developed a skin condition.Doctors diagnosed it as ring worm.I applied hundreds of dollars worth of topical treatments and later took medication that made me feel rotten, foggy headed.This lasted for six months.

What I discovered at that time was that whenever I ate any sugar, wheat, or product containing processed corn that I itched INSANELY almost immediately.This was good for causing me to *not* want to eat those foods.What I could eat were meats, milk, veggies, yogurt without sweetener, fruit and nuts.

Since I’ve never had a taste for veggies, it was convenient that Tara worked in the juice bar at the local health food store during that time while studying for her boards.I grew to crave those juices.To be clear these weren’t typical Jamba Juice concoctions or bottle of Ocean Spray, but instead juices that might contain fresh carrots, apples, greens, etc.

Eventually we discovered that my skin condition wasn’t ring worm at all – it was an allergic reaction to the juniper in the Sedona environment.Most people sneeze – I get a skin rash.As long as I ate well, the itching was at a minimum.Also note, the eventual cure for my condition was Ozonated Olive Oil thanks to the good Dr. Hutton of Sedona (olive oil infused with ozone) applied topically.

After Tara left that job and Rachel was born we both experienced our first weight gain together as a married couple.This was a stressful time and again my overall health went south.That craving for juices hadn’t left and I had a realization that I loved the taste of raw veggies (some of them anyway), but not cooked.

That was the start of the raw food diet for us – something we’ve done off and on to varying degrees over about six years.The longest we ever went at nearly 100% raw was nine months.During that period, in 2006, my weight was 164 lbs at its lowest.I was a big believer in the diet, primarily for the mental clarity and physical energy impact.The difference isn’t minor – it’s dramatic.

I had two problems on the raw diet however.The biggest is social – food is a big part of social interactions and you become acutely aware of that when you can’t eat anything with others.I also found that people are remarkably – REMARKABLY – offended, somehow, by this diet.

There is truth there however and I felt the proof was in the results.

The second problem was that I still had a craving for meat.To be honest, I don’t like eating meat. Ethically it bothers me.If I had to go out and kill my own food I don’t think I could / would do it.That just feels out of integrity to me, like it’s not something that’s right.Maybe I’ll feel differently one day, but that’s what I feel now and have always felt.

Now, the common argument against a raw vegan diet is that I had a need for protein but I don’t believe that’s accurate.The largest, strongest animals on earth are not meat eaters.Elephants, rhinos, hippos, giraffes – they don’t eat meat.Where do they get the protein?Well protein is the building block of cells – all cells.Protein is abundant in plants, but not if you cook them.Cooking changes chemistry; sometimes that’s good but usually it’s not.

Pasteurization of milk, for example, turns milk into an entirely different substance.Cooked milk is not, chemically speaking, milk.As a result we lose the true health benefits – and actually consume a product that is unhealthy to most.And there’s more to that story too.

Anyway, the raw food diet was important enough to us that we seriously considered – even invested money – in moving to a proposed raw food community being developed in Ojai, California.

This was much more than a fad to us – it was a lifestyle commitment, at least to me.

The other thing with that diet is temptation – it’s everywhere.A cookie doesn’t lose its appeal;nor does pizza or a BBQ sandwich or donuts.

Whenever we’d cheat on these things, like with my skin condition, the punishment for that transgression was nearly immediate.The result would be a headache, symptoms that resembled being drunk (except not at all fun), and intestinal distress.

I’d meet with a mastermind group once per week at a local Mexican restaurant and on occasion I’d cheat – for the rest of the lunch I’d be foggy headed, like I’d had a few too many beers, and later I’d develop a severe headache.It truly had the same effect on my body as drinking hard alcohol would.

Challenges around the diet increased as our family grew too.It’s just a lot of work for Tara.And gradually we began opting for quicker, easier meals that lead into falling away from the diet more and more.

Oh, and one more problem – expense.Our food bill on the raw food diet was 20-25% higher than normal.For our family we were spending $1000-1200 per month on food.

As we moved away from the raw food diet my weight, for the first time in my life, began to balloon. My weight increased from 164 in late 2006 to 202 by Aug 2009.And I think it’s important to stress that aside from nightly dates with Ben and Jerry and the occasional Domino’s pizza that our diet was relatively, even radically, “healthy” by typical American diet standards.

In August 2009 we went to Hawaii.I knew I didn’t look great, but I didn’t think I looked bad either.Then I saw pictures of myself at the pool and I didn’t like what I saw – I had become the fat, hairy, bald guy at the pool.

After seeing myself in action, I took action: I went back to eating raw, even going with a radical version of the diet called the 80/10/10 by Dr. Graham.

I also began working with a personal trainer.I’d set an initial goal of losing 15 pounds in six weeks; I lost just 5.That’s not the entire truth though, and getting at the entire truth is the goal here.My body fat did drop from 24.9% to 19.7% meaning that I’d actually lost 11 pounds of fat and gained 6 pounds of muscle.

After that six weeks I again reverted in my diet and stopped working out.If only I’d kept doing what I was doing it’s possible over six months that I would have lost up to 44 pounds of fat and gained 24 pounds of muscle transforming myself into a beast.J

I’m sharing this because that, and what happens the next six months, are important with regard to exercise.

My work with the personal trainer never involved using more than 8lb weights.In most workout sessions no weights were used at all.

My trainer, Paul Burke, is a former NFL tight end and has trained many NFL stars.He composed workouts that simultaneously burned fat, built balance, flexibility and strength while being low impact.

It’s called Functional Performance.

To be honest there were times I felt like I could, and should, work harder.Not that these workouts didn’t push me – they usually did – but my thinking was that if I was going to get my money’s worth then I should walk away feeling like I was going to puke.

I now understand the logic – actually brilliance – better than I did at the time.

After the training with Paul ended I was inactive again for two months before joining a health club.

 

 

What’s interesting is that I did these workouts more frequently, with greater intensity . . . and I saw zero change in my weight and body fat percentage.In fact my body fat actually increased.

That was discouraging and I’d remain stuck in this place for over a year, regardless of what I did.

I was eating a mixed diet at this point – usually raw for breakfast and lunch and then whatever for dinner.Oh, and Ben and Jerry came back too but then again Ben and Jerry have always been frequent guests.

But I don’t think this had much of anything to do with diet – not exactly.

I think these high intensity workouts did two things –

1.They made me tired.Most of the rest of my day, after these workouts, and the day after I was *less* active than normal.

2.They made me hungry; the workouts increased my appetite.

My conclusion is that high-intensity is good for building strength and endurance, but it’s not good for losing weight or building muscle.It’s probably more accurate to say high intensity is not good for weight control – because when I was young I over-trained too, hoping to gain muscle, and that wasn’t the result I achieved.I could do 80 plus pushups consecutively when I was 17 – but I was thin as a rail at 147 lbs and seemingly never able to gain weight.

Dr. Graham writes about this in his book.First, overtraining does increase appetite.  He states that it’s a catch-22 and you cannot lose weight that way, unless you starve yourself.  Second, it’s not the workout that causes growth, it’s the rest and healing period.Without adequate rest and healing a body will not respond to physical training and thus becomes sick trying.

In other words, training actually tears the body down.Rest is when it heals and grows.

Anyway, it’s taken this backstory to get us to where we are now.

Here on the farm I’m much more physically active than I was in Sedona.I feel stronger than I ever felt there – but my weight hadn’t changed.  I have probably traded a little fat for a little muscle but the difference isn’t going to make much difference in the eyeball test.  (BTW, I’m not that obsessed with my looks – I don’t really care if I look Fabio good – I just don’t want to look James Gandolfini bad)

BTW, I think it’s important to note that weight is only a number.My goal isn’t to be a thin 164 again.164 with 15% bodyfat isn’t the same as 164 with 5% bodyfat.At the same time I remember when I was in high school thinking that if I could get my weight up to around 164 that I’d transform myself into an athletic stud.LOL.That might have been true if I’d gained 17 pounds of muscle, but not 17 pounds of fat.

Tara began revisiting research by Weston A Price.He was a dentist who studied the dental health of people throughout the world.What he found was startling.

Dr. Price discovered that certain cultures had nearly perfect dental health without dental care.And these cultures had common diet traits.He also found that when specific changes were made to the diets of the cultures that dental health quickly deteriorated.

He believed, and I agree, that dental health was an important indicator of overall health.Future health problems could be predicted based on current dental health condition – and it had nothing to do with brushing.

He also did research – or maybe it was his foundation in later years – on ancient human remains.The finding were again startling.

Maybe you’ve learned that our ancestors had stronger bone structures.It was also found that dental health of most of our ancestors was excellent – again without brushing, fluoride treatments,or Crest.

Analysis of bones found that our ancestors ate a diet of primarily meat.We know this by comparing bone densities of our contemporaries.Meat eaters have a bone density nearly 4 times greater than the bone density of vegetarians.(But don’t assume anything quite yet meat eater.)

Yes, I hate to say that because it directly contradicts something I’d fight for.

And the cultures found in the highest health in contemporary times . . . meat eaters too.

But – and this is what requires all of this buildup and explanation – it’s not the meat and animal products of our times in modern America.It’s something different altogether.

I highly recommend watching films in the vein of Food, Inc.I never knew what our store bought cow ate.And I didn’t understand why it’s important.Those films do a much better job of explaining everything than I can do here – at least as far as why the system is the way it is, which can be summed up as “lots of cheap food is better for the businessman than good quality food”.

In America offering “lots for cheap” makes money – see Walmart.

All supermarket cows are fed a diet of corn.This is because corn is cheap (being subsidized by the government), you can fit 100 times more cows in the same space as if they ate grass (which is what they’re supposed to eat) and it makes them fat (meaning more money from the same animal since they sell by the pound).

OK, sounds great.

Except that corn makes cows very, very sick.It makes them so sick that they must be given antibiotics to keep them from dying before they can get to market.It makes them so sick that even on antibiotics they couldn’t live beyond about six months on that diet.

Could you possibly imagine eating anything that would kill you within six months?

So the goal is to feed the cow as much corn as possible, as fast as you can, propping it up with antibiotics so it lives long enough to make it to market, fat.

In other words, forget mad cow disease – all of our meat supply is sick and diseased.These cows are sick.This is the real reason that we need extreme food handling laws and why eating meat and dairy products result in human disease.

What we should be eating, in good health, is poisoned.

However, since American doctors have yet to embrace the idea that diet has any real impact on health (have you seen the food served in our hospitals?!) how can we expect anyone to correlate that to our meat supply?

A piece of meat is a piece of meat, right?Well, not if we really believe that we are what we eat.

Further, because these animals are not free ranging and healthy they are not rich with the nutrients we all need for good health – such as vitamin D.Why does our milk need to be fortified with vitamin D when it should be naturally rich with it?

Why is it *illegal* to buy raw milk, for human consumption, when milk is naturally sterile and as close to a perfect food as nature can offer?

Because of poor conditions and poor raising – plus the desire to extend shelf life.

A healthy product has been turned into an unhealthy product because it’s profitable and nobody knows the difference.

Here’s a spot where I need to learn more and maybe Tara can fill in the blanks.

In my lifetime an agenda has developed that basically says “Fat is the cause of most human health problems”.Over the last 20 years we’ve seen an explosion in low-fat foods on the market and yet the country now has an obesity epidemic.

Is fat the problem?

I have believed it was and most people do.

Well, it seems that fat isn’t the problem.In fact, Tara’s research is suggestingthat the healthiest things we can eat are foods high in quality fat.

We’re not talking about deep fried Oreos or donuts here.J

We are talking about taboos such as whole milk, butter, bacon, eggs, etc.Except that “milk” isn’t really milk, butter is laden with growth hormones and nutritionally deficient, bacon is full of nitrites and store bought eggs pale in comparison to the farm fresh, free range eggs we’re enjoying.

That’s what we’ve been eating – while cutting out a lot of the processed grains and sugars.

Side note: Many low-fat and fat-free dairy products have non-fat/low-fat dried milk added to them to improve the flavor.The problem is that dried milk has been proven to be a cause of heart disease; not because it’s milk, but because the milk is oxidized through processing.You’ve heard anti-oxidents are good for you?Well, oxidization of food is very, very unhealthy and we need anti-oxidents to counteract them.Don’t consume anything with dried milk in it and you’d be surprised by what that includes.

Now the lingering question on my mind is: Isn’t this unhealthy?Isn’t my cholesterol going to go through the roof?

Again, research suggests that depends on the source of the foods and how they were raised, fed and treated.

A GMO tomato grown in chemical fertilizers in a green house isn’t as healthy, nor does it taste as good, as an heirloom tomato grown naturally in your own garden – not even close.Tomato’s from the store are just as nutritionally devoid as is beef, milk or eggs, from the store.

Both might be called tomato, but they’re not the same thing.  As the guy who gets to pay the food bill around here, I hate to admit that out loud but it’s the truth.

The primary point here is this: much of what we’ve been lead to believe is unhealthy is in fact, healthy.And it’s even more healthy if you attain it from a better, more natural source.

Cholesterol – Tara just enlightened me on this “evil killer”.  Cholesterol is a bandaid of sorts that operates in our blood stream to help heal problems within the body.

There are two types of cholesterol: LDL and HDL.  LDL is often referred to as “good cholestrol” and HDL as “bad cholesterol”.  In reality, each is like a vehicle that is sent out from the liver, or back to the liver.  LDL is sent out for healing purposes.  And HDL is sent back when the problem is taken care of, or more cholesterol was sent than needed.

Cholesterol is a good thing used by the body to heal itself.  Its presence is not the problem – it’s an indicator that there is a problem within the body that the body is attempting to heal.

Therefore cholesterol medication does succeed in lower cholesterol levels but that can be akin to cutting off your nose to spite your face.

The underlying condition causing the body to move cholesterol for healing purposes still exists – there just isn’t any cholesterol left to help resolve the condition.

Heart disease – I’ll need this one explained to me again.  But here’s my best first crack.  Heart disease was not a significant health condition until the early 1900s.  In fact it was so insignificant that it wasn’t even studied, with research at that time focused on the real killers of the day such as tuberculosis.

The change in the 1900s began with the introduction of artificial – or man made fats such as are included in margarine.  Wait a minute?  Weren’t we told to eat margarine instead of butter because it’s healthier for us?  Well, I guess that wasn’t exactly the truth.  The truth is it’s cheaper to produce than the real thing and the way to sell it is to suggest that plant-derived fats are healthier for us than animal derived fats.

So our current diet looks like this for breakfast –

Two eggs
Two slices of bacon
A serving of grits with butter on them
A small glass of whole milk

Lunch

An apple
A pear
Cheese
A spoon full of peanut butter

Dinner

Beef or chicken stew
or
Mashed potatos
Green beans cooked in bacon drippings
Meat portion
Small salad

As a snack I might eat a handful of cashews or almonds.I love Cuties – those little tangerines.

And Tara occasionally makes a treat that includes milk, molasses and raw egg yokes in the blender.  Very tasty, energizing and filling.

It doesn’t sound like a lot of food, but it’s plenty.

Now, weight loss is great but I also want to stress in the backstory I talked about a desire for better overall energy, physical recovery and mental clarity.

I spend most of my time working – either here at the computer working on my Internet business or outside doing relatively physical labor like chopping wood, digging and moving land.My strength and energy are good – eating the occasional processed food, like pizza, negatively impacts that.

Mentally I’m clear and focused.I’m not foggy headed at all.I’d have to attribute that foggy response mainly to processed goods, especially wheat.

The main thing here is that I want to communicate is that health is an important thing to us and so we’ve done a lot of research – well, Tara has done the most of it – before jumping into anything.It would be ideal to have a before and after blood test, although I think Tara and I are both pretty convinced at this point that blood cholesterol levels actually have little to do with diet.  

We just watched a National Geographic documentary, for example, that correlates plaque build up in baboons to stress related to positions in the pecking order.  Baboons at the top of the order have clean arteries, while baboons at the bottom show serious arterial build-up.  A study of humans working for the government in the UK corroberate that finding.

And as I hope I’ve made the point, “milk” isn’t always milk.And we cannot claim with certainty that a food is bad without investigating how that food came to market.

Weight loss alone shouldn’t be the goal because that can, and often does, come at the expense of good overall health.The goal should be a healthy weight with optimal mental and physical function.

I have not experienced some of the additional health benefits Tara is claiming with this change in diet, some for obvious reasons.

She has had eczema on her hands for nearly a year and that has cleared up.Her skin feels noticeably softer and smoother.She also reports no PMS symptoms.She’s sold on the diet changes.

This is not a well-planned, carefully edited document.Like I said, I will confirm facts with Tara and I’m sure she’ll have an entirely new level of information to share.I’ve always wanted to do something like and it’s just naturally happened.

Personally I think the long-term diet, for me, is a combination of what we’re doing here *and* more raw foods.That’s why we moved to Tennessee, so that we could have plenty of land and a favorable climate for growing most of our food – especially fruits and vegetables.Who knows where this is going and we’re trying not to be attached –

All the best to you, John

 

Do you realize how much you can improve your outlook on life by simply being grateful? This is what is called an “attitude of gratitude.” If you cultivate an “attitude of gratitude” you’ll actually bring even more joys into your life like a fulfilling career, pay raises, wealth, health, and stronger relationships. 

An attitude of gratitude is truly a magnet for prosperity and success. After all, much of life is about your attitude and your outlook on things. It’s been said that optimists may be wrong and pessimists may be right about some things, but optimists enjoy the ride. Which are you? 

If you transform your attitude you can change your entire universe. And yes, you really can change in your attitude by showing appreciation a little more often.

Be Thankful for What You Do Have

Many people, maybe even the majority of us, believe their lives are boring or meaningless. Isn’t that awful? Oftentimes we see little to be thankful for because we’re always thinking about the things we wish they had. We may live in a comfortable home in a nice neighborhood and we may have plenty of food on the table, but we just don’t see the joys in the everyday. 

We often take the little things for granted. Are you one of these people? If so, it’s okay! There’s plenty of hope and there are plenty of things for you to be thankful for. 

There are so many joys in your life right now that you’re likely overlooking. For example, by reading this article you have obviously awoken for another day. Isn’t the fact that you are still alive something to be thankful for? After all, a cancer survivor, sure won’t take life for granted anymore!

Here’s something to think about: 

• Did the sun rise today? If so, be thankful for the gift of light and warmth.

• Did you have work to do today? If so, be thankful for the opportunity to earn a living for you and your family.

• Did you eat a nourishing meal today? If so, be thankful for the gift of food.

Even the smallest things in your life are reasons to celebrate! As we all know, “things could be worse” which is all the more reason to have an attitude of gratitude!

Lots of Gratitude = Positive Attitude

It’s a fact: those who are grateful are more uplifting and positive. By having a positive attitude, you’ll not only feel better, but you’ll also enjoy a vibrant physical health because our body, mind, and spirit are so heavily inter-connected. Now, that’s something to be thankful for, isn’t it? 

As mentioned earlier, by having a positive attitude, you’ll be a magnet for positive relationships. You’ll attract like-minded, go-getters who will not only inspire you, but push you further. After all, like attracts like, which is all the more reason to be positive!

Now ask yourself: What do I have to be thankful for today? Spend a few moments showing your appreciation to your loved ones, colleagues, or any random strangers you meet.

Are you fed up with the notions of what you’re supposed to do? 

We’re all taught early in life that we’re supposed to grow up and work for a company like an indentured servant for 40 years and then fade away at retirement with a company pension that barely covers the necessities of daily existence. However, people are becoming more enlightened and educated, realizing that there’s a better way. You can have a prosperous life and feel fulfilled!

“The Secret” Exposed

The incredibly popular book and movie, The Secret, has made such a powerful impact on people, but at the same time, The Secret isn’t really revealing anything new. It speaks of ancient secrets that successful people have used since the beginning of time. People within “inner circles” throughout the ages have jealously guarded this secret because they felt that if it got out, it would quickly be distorted or watered down. 

But now, the increasing educational level of people has allowed the average person to learn about and use the secret law. And that law is: like attracts like. This essentially means that you have to picture yourself as wealthy and successful in order to be someone who is wealthy and successful. 

• Creating a positive mindset and thinking about the positives in life is paramount to “The Secret” working.

If you can see yourself as wealthy and successful, then you can become that way – even if you start with nothing. Wealth and success are not matters of luck or some kind of rare talent. Success is created by habits. These habits are instilled in people through visualizing their dreams as reality. 

It’s More Than a Pipe Dream…

You have to do more than just visualize your bank account overflowing with cash. You have to be willing to take action, even if only baby steps. Keeping that positive mindset always at the forefront of your thoughts will help you focus and guide you to take the correct steps to prosperity.

• If you intensely picture your life as prosperous, you’ll begin to notice opportunities arising that will lead you to newfound prosperity, such as a job promotion or a new position with a different company.

• If you intensely picture your life as being debt-free, then you’ll see opportunities to make extra money to pay off those credit cards, such as doing odd jobs for neighbors, having a yard sale, or selling unwanted items on eBay.

• If you intensely picture yourself having a healthy body, then you’ll subconsciously start to make changes to your lifestyle. Sometimes a visual reminder helps keep you motivated, so find a picture of a healthy body and give yourself permission to want that for yourself.

When you can visualize your new life and focus on what you want to do and where you want to be, you’ll attract great things to your life. On the flipside, if you hold onto negative thoughts, you will only attract more negative feelings and experiences in your life. 

Give yourself permission to desire a good life and focus your mind deeply and fully. You must first believe that you deserve a good life before you can live one. That is the secret.

Whether you’re the person in charge of the group or simply one of the key people that help make the wheel turn, you’re in a position that’s critical to making everything work smoothly in a team. 

When it comes to teamwork, there are times when things can easily get out of control. Dealing with other people can sometimes make you feel frustrated no matter what the setting. 

There are things you can do to make working in a group more enjoyable. Let’s discuss a few collaboration techniques to make the process a more level playing field for everyone involved.  

Defining Every Member’s Role in the Group

There must be clear definitions of responsibility for every member of the group. This is important no matter how big or small the group is. Even if there are only two people involved, it will help alleviate problems such as duplicate work or missing pieces. A group won’t function unless everyone involved knows what their job is and is allowed to carry it out. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Always clarify your exact responsibilities for the project. 

• Consider the other tasks being performed and how they relate to your specific duty. 

• Think about the skills necessary to complete the project and who is best suited to perform those steps.

• Make sure everyone involved understands the project and all the steps needed to complete it. 

• Leave the floor open for questions and solutions should they arise throughout the project.  

Dividing Up the Work

No one appreciates having all the work of their teammates dumped on them so consider how much time each step of the project takes and divide the work accordingly. 

Always ask yourself:

• How many hours do you think a specific task will take?

• How will the added tasks fit into each person’s schedule?  

• What else are they responsible for? Do they have too much on their plate?

If you’re a team leader, remember that people won’t necessarily do things exactly as you would have done it, and that’s okay! Just because they do things differently doesn’t make their way wrong. 

Resist the Urge to Micromanage Your Team

The people you’re overseeing were put on your team for a reason. If you’re dealing with people you trust, simply trust them to do their job. While asking for an update is fine, constantly being after them about meeting their deadline is one way to drive them crazy or stage a revolt! 

Micromanaging is extremely alienating to members of a team. Unless you can make your team feel comfortable with their assigned jobs, you’ll end up with some really unhappy team members. 

Settling Conflict

When you’re working on a team, conflict is something you’ll have to deal with at some point or another along the way. In some ways, developing a teacher’s outlook is important. For example, unless the members with the conflict are going to bring it to you in a formal manner, it’s often best not to get involved. 

However, if you see active cruelty or malice going on, make sure you put a stop to it quickly. While there’s nothing necessarily wrong with heated discussions, make sure the entire team understands that hostility or disrespect simply won’t be tolerated. 

The above tips are four key areas that should be dealt with as soon as possible once the group is formed. Working with a team can be very rewarding when the strengths of its members are used in harmony.

When was the last time you said thank you for being alive? Sounds silly, doesn’t it? Well, if you barely have time to appreciate what you have, how can you ever desire anything more? 

We all have something to be thankful for, even those who live a modest lifestyle by choice or by circumstance. 

• Focusing on material possessions, rather than on the very fact that we’re living and breathing, tend to make us forgetful of the greater gifts, such as our families and our health.

Life is a miracle and can be taken away in a moment’s notice. Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, there are many ways you can show your appreciation for your life.

5 Ways to Express Your Gratitude 

Sometimes showing your gratitude can be as simple as saying “thanks,” but other times you can show gratitude by helping others, or “paying it forward.” After all, you’ll never know how a simple, kind gesture will affect someone’s day. 

Here are some ideas to help you appreciate life while also helping others: 

1. Reach out to your extended family and friends. Send them cards just to say “Hi,” call or email them, or even throw a party to reconnect and show these people they’re important to you. 

2. Reflect about your childhood and ancestors. Write a poem, essay, or short story about your life. What sacrifices did your parents make for you? What struggles did the family endure? How is your life better or easier than that of your great-grandparents? How did these events make you the person you are today?

3. Meditate, pray, or go to your place of worship. Find a quiet place to think about all that’s good – your health, family, or home – and simply say “thank you” to your Creator.

4. Reconnect with your spouse and children. Actions speak louder than words so turn off that television and spend some quality time with your family just to have some fun! Whether it’s a surprise getaway or a family game night, renewing your relationships with your family will strengthen your bond and bring you closer together.

5. Keep a gratitude journal. Write down all the things you’re grateful for in your life and reflect on all that is good. Even the simplest things – such as finding a parking space at the mall or locating your missing keys – are times to be grateful!

When You Need a Wake Up Call

Sometimes it’s all too easy to engage in these activities and give thanks for a good life, yet over time, we somehow fall back into our old habits. In these times, we need a jolt to remind ourselves of all that is good.

• Spend a few hours a week volunteering at a hospital, nursing home, or soup kitchen. Take a good look at the people you’re helping, listen to their stories, and be grateful that you’re fortunate enough to help those in need.

Giving Is Receiving 

When you give of yourself – either with a smile or another kind gesture – you receive the warm satisfaction of helping to make a difference in the world, one person at a time. Your uplifting attitude will be contagious and you just might be the recipient of a random act of kindness!

What do you have to be thankful for?

Starting your day off with some gratitude affirmations is a great way to remind yourself of all the wonderful things you have in your life. When you repeat aloud these affirmations of gratitude, you energize yourself and gain the courage to face the day and all of the frictions and adventures it may bring.

Affirming your gratefulness helps you recognize that you can have what you most want and need in order to reap the fulfilling life you deserve. Joy, money, love, and happiness are yours. You deserve it!

Affirmations are easy to do and they don’t take much time at all. In just a few minutes you can turbo charge your day better than a rocket-fueled cup of coffee ever could. By reflecting on your prosperity and abundance you’ll soar above your current highest high!

Gratitude Affirmations and Stress

Once you’ve worked affirmations into your morning (you can say them anytime again throughout the day or night, too) you’ll start to notice that your inner world is much less stressed. 

When you have finally let it sink into your subconscious mind that you can have all that you need and desire, your stress will start to slip away. Your negative reactions are soothed and they slip away. You can now enjoy peace of mind and a sense of calm that you may never have known before. 

12 Highly Effective Affirmations 

1. I feel an abundance of gratitude for everything I have and receive every day.

2. My needs and desires are generously met. For this I am thankful.

3. I am grateful for all the great health, love, and goodness that my life has revealed to me.

4. I am continually amazed at how abundant my life is already!

5. I am grateful for everything I experience in this lifetime. I overcome, I grow, and I prosper all the time. My abundant blessings, as well as my difficulties, all make me better, stronger, and more alive. 

6. I am so grateful for every person and every thing in my life.

7. I appreciate everything I have and I show my sincerest gratitude to my loved ones.

8. The universe pours joy into my life every day. It has my cup overflowing with wealth, health, and love.

9. My life is singular, unique and wondrous. For this I am profoundly thankful.

10. I clearly see the beauty of life that flourishes around me.

11. I give gratitude for God’s endless treasures.

12. I am grateful for my blessed ancestors living on through my blood.

Using the affirmations above along with your own will help you lead a less stressful and more fulfilling life.

Spending some time with positive affirmations, while appreciating all that you have and all that’s heading your way is one of the easiest “stress relief drugs” you’ll ever take. Yet, affirmations come with no ill side effects and they’re free. Choose peace in your life by using the power of affirmations and gratitude.

Some people may find this hard to believe, but every single person in this world is good at something. Yes, everyone!

Your strength could be your artistic hand or eloquence in speech. The key is to figure out your strengths and become an expert at them. 

How to Discover Your Strengths

You can do your own assessment of what you think you’re good at and what you’re most comfortable doing. Here are a couple of ideas:

• Make a list. Think about all the responsibilities of your job and everything that’s expected of you. Now go through that list and put a star next to everything you excel at or enjoy doing. Don’t be modest; be honest with yourself! 

• Study your list and meditate on your choices. Really focus your mind on the direction you want your career to take and which skills you need to sharpen to achieve your goals. Focus your attention on the skills that will immediately benefit you.

Discovering Your Strengths In Conversation

The second way to discover your personal strengths is to talk to others. You may tend to believe you know what you’re good at, but when you talk to someone who sees you with fresh, unbiased eyes, you’ll get a completely different perspective. 

• Don’t be afraid to approach your boss and ask him or her about your strengths. Be proactive! Take control of your career and take the necessary steps to improve your leadership skills and develop your expertise. 

• Take additional training and development courses. Does your job or company offer any kind of continuing education programs? Are there training classes that sound interesting and pique your interest? Follow those instincts and register for the class to build upon the knowledge you already have.

Of course, you can ask your loved ones to characterize your strengths and weaknesses. They know you better than anyone else, so they’re more likely to be able to read between the lines and help you discover new things about yourself. 

Chances are your friends and family won’t want to hurt your feelings by saying you’re no good at something, so instead, ask them to help you pick out your strengths. Or ask an open-ended question such as, “What jobs or skills do you think I have a talent for?” 

Make sure you understand your family’s biases before making any big decisions. Just because your Uncle Bob owned his own company, it doesn’t mean that’s the road you should take. 

How to Develop Your Expertise

Now that you’ve found your strengths, it’s time for you to bolster your expertise and become a true authority. This means you have to seek out opportunities to work on these skills. 

For example, if speaking is your strength, consider taking a public speaking class at a local university to improve that skill. Take every opportunity to speak in front of groups, whether it’s a fundraiser, company meeting, giving a toast at a special event, or speaking to your child’s class. 

Remember: no one becomes an expert without practice. That old adage “Practice makes perfect,” is true. You have to seek out the opportunities and take advantage of them. The goal is to find ways to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to sharpen your skills.

We live in a society where value and status are placed on material things like cars, homes, and clothes and we all dream about having more – more money, bigger homes, more cars – yet we never seem to be happy. In fact, instead of being thankful for what we do have, we feel envious of the people who have more than us. 

Being in constant competition with neighbors, coworkers, or family members can be exhausting! Eventually, you’ll lose sight of the important things in life, such as your children, relationships, and health. If you place a strong value on things, you won’t feel very fulfilled and you’ll end up creating an inner tension that will only drive you away from happiness. After all, happiness isn’t defined by the amount of stuff you collect.

Remember What You’re Grateful For

If you had to list what’s good in your life, right now, and you weren’t allowed to mention any material possessions, would you have a hard time coming up with the list? Do you have a hard time just being happy and grateful because you’re always longing for something bigger or better?

We all have big dreams for ourselves, but we can’t begin to work toward our goals until we accept who we are and where we’re at right now. That acceptance begins with a sincere appreciation for the life lesson’s of yesterday and the talents and skills we have today.

Sure, we all want a big house, nice furniture, big-screen TVs, better paying jobs, luxury cars, gourmet food, fancy jewelry, and designer clothes – but how can we appreciate the finer things in life if we can’t be thankful for the simple things? After all, a big-screen TV won’t matter if you didn’t have your eyes to see and your ears to hear! Of course, desiring good quality items isn’t wrong, but your focus should be on living and enjoying your life, not things.

• Expressing your gratitude doesn’t have to be reserved for Thanksgiving dinner. Share with your family why you’re grateful today and really listen to what your family says in return. 

• Encourage your kids to dig deep in their souls to find their gratitude. Kids need to learn how to take their focus off of material items and onto influential people, positive experiences, and quality of life.

Refocus Your Thoughts with a Gratitude Journal

A gratitude journal is simply a notebook where you write down everything in life you’re thankful for. It doesn’t have to take more than 5 minutes in the early morning or before bed each night. The idea is to clear your mind, reflect on the day, and see the goodness in life.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

• Buy or make yourself a nice, attractive journal so you’ll take care of it and will look forward to journaling everyday.

• Reflect on anything new that came your way: new friends, clients, or opportunities. 

• Don’t be shy about repeating things from previous days; praising your good health and loving family never tires.

• Did a friend do something nice for you today? Did you find a lost item? Did you handle a difficult situation well? Gratitude isn’t reserved for really big things; you can be grateful for the small things, too.

• Periodically, go back over your journal and read all that you’re grateful for. It’ll be a great pick-me-up on especially difficult days.

The more you add to your journal, the more you’ll teach your mind a new way of thinking. Your outlook on life will become more positive and you’ll feel a deeper sense of connection with those around you. And you’ll discover the sheer beauty that already exists in your life.

Suze Orman – On Generosity Video

It’s unfortunate, but in today’s society it is far too common for adults to drag on day after day, lacking the sleep their bodies desperately need. There is often too much to do and too little time, and so we take that time we need away from our sleep. Workaholics aren’t the only ones who sacrifice their sleep – college students and work at home parents are also known to stay up until the wee hours of the morning, getting maybe 4-5 hours of sleep each night. Our bodies don’t appreciate this, and in fact not getting enough rest can spell disaster.

At least two major studies (using a million or so subjects) have shown that those who get less than 7 hours of sleep each night have a much higher mortality rate than those who sleep more. There are many reasons our bodies begin to break down without adequate rest. Without the ability to completely recharge after a full day of running all its processes, the systems get sluggish, organs perform less than optimally, and the body itself becomes stressed. No longer does it have the ability to recuperate, to heal, or be properly nourished. It shuts down from the inside out.

If you need help getting extra sleep, try avoiding caffeine 6-8 hours prior to bedtime, getting regular exercise (early in the day), and sleeping in a dark and quiet room. Some people may even need a midday nap to give their body the daily rest it needs for optimum wellness. Quiet activities such as reading a book or watching a television show in bed can also aid in relaxation, but be sure to avoid activities that are taxing on your thought processes – the most common cause of insomnia includes the inability to stop thinking or worrying about what life may bring.

You may also want to get into the habit of setting aside quiet time to let your mind recharge during the course of the day.  If you’re like most people, you’ve probably got a lot of distractions and demands on your focus throughout the day, and such constant busyness can be incredibly draining.

If the thought of setting aside time to rest your mind seems like an unattainable luxury for you, you may be surprised to learn that it doesn’t have to take as long as you probably think.  Try using the first 5 or 10 minutes of your lunch hour to step outside and clear your mind of scattered thoughts.  Take a few deep breaths and maybe even walk a few paces to stretch your body at the same time.  

Do this again right before you go to bed in the evening, or after a particularly stressful situation.  For example, if you’ve been cramming for 6 hours to finish a project deadline, take the next 10 or 15 minutes to sit quietly or otherwise allow your mind to rest before jumping into the next project.  Sometimes that’s easier said than done, but you’ll notice a dramatic improvement in your level of concentration and focus if you do this regularly.

Finally, don’t neglect your spiritual renewal either!  You may not think your spirit is in need of rest and relaxation; after all, isn’t that part of us infinite and indestructible?  Most people would say so, but they would also probably agree that it’s possible to dim or diminish our spiritual selves simply by neglecting them for extended periods of time.  Take time each day to honor your spirit and connect with your inner essence.  You can do this through meditation, journaling, dance, prayer, creative pursuits, or any other activity that makes you feel in touch with the deepest part of you.

Relaxation Affirmation:

I give myself permission to rest, relax and recharge.

I deserve to feel peaceful and serene in all areas of my life.

I choose to release all tension, worry, fear and stress now.