Getting Your Feelings Down on Paper
May 14, 2008
Journal Expressions
If you haven’t already done so, please start keeping a journal today. It is one of the most effective ways to hear your own voice. You should not share the information in your journal with anyone. These are your private and innermost sacred thoughts. You should not hold back in any way when expressing yourself within your journal. Let it flow freely, using any language that most accurately conveys your true thoughts. It is incredibly healing and calming to get your thoughts down in written form. Later, you can return to your entries to see how you’ve grown or are handling similar situations differently. The key is in knowing that no one else will ever see your entries.
Paper Journal
Keeping a paper journal offers you the advantage of being able to make entries at any time you feel. You can also express yourself through drawings or sketching as well. I’ve even pasted pictures inside. You’ll notice that you write larger and with a heavier strokes when angry or anxious. While feelings of appreciation and peace will show up differently in your handwriting. All of this is a wealth of great information when looking back on your earlier entries of several months or years ago.
Need A Boost In The Self Improvement Area?
May 14, 2008
Need A Boost In The Self Improvement Area?
by: Sandra Stammberger
Choosing the right personal development program is going to change your life. If you are ready to take a step in the right direction and make a positive change then you need to start looking into some good self improvement courses. Actually, there are several proven strategies that can be used to help us be successful in our efforts to improve an aspect of our lifestyle.
You can learn everything that you need to know about being all that you can be with a good personal development program. This will teach you how to be a mature and whole person. It is amazing how many of us do not know how to function at our ultimate potential level. We are not taught in school how to really get by in life well. We all deserve to be happy and only a personal development program is going to teach us how to do it.
Resistance Training First; Fat Burning Second for Weight Loss
May 13, 2008
Most men and women that I have trained over the years that were interested in weight loss, before meeting me their routine always included the bike or treadmill for 15-20 minutes or so, then proceeding on to the weights for some resistance training. Approximately one out of ten did both, and most either did one or the other. What’s worse is most people watch other people work-out, and they simply incorporate other people’s routine into their own. What they don’t realize is one person’s routine may not be good for the other. Also, who’s to say the person they copied is doing the exercise properly. Fact is, for weight loss and muscle tone you must first exercise with resistance weight followed by a 20-45 minute fat- burning session. Why? When working out with resistance using weights, during the movement your body will mostly rely on sugars (stored glycogen in the muscles) for energy, therefore after a 20-30 minute session your sugars have been depleted causing a decrease in the fat-inhibiting hormone insulin. Now, when you begin your fat-burning session it will be much quicker for your body to deplete your muscle glycogen stores, making it possible for your body to use stored fat for energy in as little as six minutes! Since your insulin levels are low, your body will turn to fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. Also, by working first with resistance weight it increases blood flow dramatically, therefore increasing the concentrations of noradrenaline and adrenaline in the blood. Both are hormones that contribute to the removal of fatty acids out of adipocytes (fat cells).
Taking Charge of Your Life
May 12, 2008
Taking Charge of Your Life
by: Roger Ellerton
How do you live your life? At cause or at effect? It is important to be aware of this distinction. It is the rare individual who always lives his or her life at cause; however, far too many of us live a large portion of our lives at effect - responding to the whims, desires or emotional states of others.
Being at cause means that you are decisive in creating what you want in life and take responsibility for whatever you achieve. You see the world as a place of opportunity and you move toward achieving what you desire. If things are not unfolding as you would like, you take action and explore other possibilities. Above all, you know you have choice in what you do and how you react to people and events.
It Seems We Have All Taken a POW
May 11, 2008
Just for a moment think of what is stopping you from living your dream. Is it fear? Is it change? Most people in today’s world have thought that at some point in their spirits evolution that money is the root of all evil. The correct way to look at that is that the love of money is the root of all evil. Money itself is a means to an end.
In order to achieve anything in this world we need resources whether they be friends, information or money. I have always lived my life with the knowing that I am a creator of my reality. I always have plenty, and plenty to share.
When I think of business opportunities I always am thinking of my family, my friends and my community and then that extends out to the world. I would never choose to harm the environment just for the means of another dollar in my pocket. But the things that I do choose are always consistent with my beliefs. What do you believe?
Stress Management Techniques
May 10, 2008
Self-Care Strategies:
Substantial breakfast daily Regular sleeping habits (minimum of 7 hours) No smoking Moderate use of alcohol, caffeine and other drugs Minimal intake of sugar & highly processed foods Maintenance of proper weight Regular exercise program Drink much more water than you usually do.
Relaxation Techniques:
Jog in place or do jumping jacks-count to 300 Roll head and torso from side to side Tense your muscles individually, then relax them Pull seat of chair for 5-count: repeat with legs xtended Take a deep breath to count of 4, exhale to 4, and repeat 4 times Massage your forehead or temples; repeat the word "calm" Try to walk at least 10,000 steps a day. Walk off your worry. Meditate for 20 minutes Listen to music and close your eyes Take a power nap. Train yourself to sleep for 12 minutes.
Time Management:
Decide what your time is worth. Hire some tasks done. Learn to delegate. You don’t have to do or supervise everything. Set priorities. Invest your time in the thing that will give you the highest return on your investment. Plan your day according to energy levels. Manage the paper tiger. Try to handle paper only once.
It’s No Secret
May 9, 2008
It’s No Secret
by: Kathy Gates, Professional Life Coach
When you were a teenager, did you always sit as far in the back as you could in class or church or even the movies? Most of us did, probably to avoid the attention of teachers or other adults.
And as you grew older, did you find that you sat in the back of conference rooms or seminars? But that habit probably doesn’t put you up for promotions or being known as a ‘go-getter’.
If you think about it, you’ll find many things like this in your daily life. Most of what you do on a daily basis is not a product of some deep dark psychological reason. It’s just a habit. And that habit that may have worked for you at one time. But if that same habit is not helping you today, then it’s time for change.
A common habit is making excuses. If you had a parent who let you get away with things or get out of work with your excuses, it’s likely that you learned this behavior well. Very Well.
Maximize Your Fat Burning Potential
May 9, 2008
Do you compete in sports for weight loss or fat burning? Are you frustrated by that stubborn fat that seems to stay with you no matter how hard you train?
Many athletes are in the same boat. They train hard, lose some weight, but then hit a plateau and the fat loss stops. There are reasons for this, but more importantly, there is a solution! Often, athletes are unable to trim down to their ideal weight or shape due to factors such as:
· Eating too much and eating the wrong foods
· Training too HARD (YES! You may need to slow down to burn fat), including not taking recovery days
· Skipping strength training workouts
· Feeling stressed about "getting all your workouts in"
As a former athlete, reality started settling in after I graduated from college and I needed a fitness and nutrition plan that worked! The mac & cheese and meatless spaghetti diet was failing me. I was getting a gut and I was tired all the time. I started making massive changes to my diet and finally got back to being trim and fit and had more natural energy.
Using An Elliptical Trainer For Weight Loss And Fitness
May 8, 2008
My second favorite form of cardio exercise is using an elliptical trainer (First is mountain biking). Elliptical trainers make your weight loss cardio program quiet, low impact, and challenging.
Elliptical trainers are kind of a combination of rowing, cross country skiing, and bicycling. You move all major muscle groups in a very fluid, low impact way. A high quality elliptical trainer is very solid, (No jerky motions) quiet, and usually comes with a display that will let you know the amount of time you have been riding, calories burned, mileage, etc.
I prefer using an elliptical trainer because of the full body workout plus the fact I can watch TV, listen to music, or even read while I am riding. The sound of a high quality elliptical trainer will not disturb others in your home. The fact that your whole body is involved makes it less likely that you will get bored or experience discomfort while on your elliptical machine. It is easy to track progress and easy to fit into your schedule. Even the busiest people I know watch at least a half hour of TV per day, now you can combine your exercise, weight loss routine with your TV time!
Some Day Never Comes
May 7, 2008
Some Day Never Comes
by: Skip Weisman
My wife thinks I’m crazy that I don’t have any maps in my car. She’s probably right as I don’t even have them with me when we go on long trips to an area I’m not familiar with. Sometimes it gets me in trouble. Some day I’ll learn my lesson (the good thing, or bad thing for her, is that she has an outstanding sense of direction and saves me frequently).
I remember one trip a few years ago, we were driving down a relatively familiar interstate highway late at night. After awhile I realized I was unsure of where I was as the surroundings were difficult to make out in the dark and the most recent exit markers I didn’t recognize as being on our path.
But being the macho male driver (you know, the kind that has a fear of asking for directions?), I kept driving sure I would see something I would recognize soon. After about an hour my wife woke up and asked me where we were to which I answered, “I’m not sure,” and got a glare in return.
