Tuesday April 21st:

Henry VIII ascends to the throne, Gene Roddenberry’s ashes go where no man has gone before, and my sis is born 🙂

Tuesday Nutrition Tip:

There’s quite a bit of controversy quietly brewing over a little green bean that HAS BEEN THE DARLING of the health world. Soy what? Soy…. that’s what. Perhaps it’s not all we thought it to be. The following is an excerpt from Johnny Bowden’s book, 

“The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth”

(Click on picture to read more about the book)

If you are a soy devotee, you may want to read up on the latest:

Tuesday Nutrition Tip #2:

Speaking of great nutritional info in a gorgeous book, take a gander at this EXTREMELY well rated (over 100 very positive reviews on Amazon) book…. you can buy it on Amazon or browse/buy it at Lazy Acres, and probably many other book stores:

“The World’s Healthiest Foods”

(Click on the picture for more info)

Tuesday’s Look at “Sweat Equity”:

More evidence that regular exercise translates to some very real benefits beyond the vital signs and bathroom scales… from the docs at Real Age:

Can Workouts Make You Wealthy?

The best way to keep your job might be to leave your desk. That’s right: The less time you spend sitting on your bottom, the better it might be for your — and your company’s — bottom line.

In a study of entrepreneurs, people who worked out regularly also had companies that performed well. In fact, those who ran regularly were better at meeting their personal goals, and their companies had better boosts in sales than those owned by nonrunners. (The researchers didn’t ask about walkers.) People who stuck to a strength-training regimen were also better at meeting their personal goals than people who don’t lift weights — but their businesses weren’t doing off-the-charts better.

Researchers suspect that the lift in confidence and energy that people get from regular exercise may spill over into their careers, giving them an edge. Plus, getting into shape often means developing a mind-set that accepts and embraces hard work — a definite perk when it comes to moving a business through tough times and beyond.

If your boss likes to see you in your chair and nowhere else, remind him or her that people who exercise have less anxiety, tension, and stress. And that means you can think clearly — and probably even talk nicely to the shrill-voiced client who calls 37 times before lunch.

Ultimately, taking time to work out may actually help you get more done during the work day. The best time to work out? Whenever you’ll do it. But we recommend setting your alarm 30 to 60 minutes earlier than usual and getting moving first thing.

Tuesday Metaphysical Moment:

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”

– George Bernard Shaw

For years I have been pretty vocal about my disdain for New Year’s resolutions. I maintain that if we truly mean to do something, why wait for January 1st? Studies back me up…. most New Year’s resolutions last an average of 2 weeks.  

I recently ran across the site of a woman named Donna McCallum, a South African who shares her philosophies at Fairygodmotherinc.com. Donna discusses “setting intentions” rather than “making resolutions”.  I think she’s on to something here: 

 

When you create your intentions be aware of the image that comes up in your mind when you think about it.  Eg. when you say, “I want to give up smoking”, the image that appears in your head is of you smoking. When you say, “I want to stop working long hours”, the image that appears in your minds-eye is one of sitting behind your desk, with work stacked up and working long hours. So make sure any intention that you set brings up POSITIVE images of what you want. 

Instead of “I want to give up smoking”, replace it with “I am healthy, vital and energetic and truly care for my body”, and then imagine yourself doing gym classes, eating good food and feeling great.

Instead of “I am going to stop working long hours and being stressed” replace it with– “I am leading a balanced life where work and play are equally combined”. Then imagine yourself spending free time with family and friends, without being distracted and leaving work at 5 feeling good about what you have done that day.

So….. here’s the gig. Lie down on the floor (bed may trigger tendencies to sleep or other activities 🙂 )  and close your eyes, become aware of your breathing and gently relax. Now imagine that you are in December 2009 – you can be anywhere you decide that you want to be – you may be on a holiday, at a party with friends, the last day at the office or school.  Take a look around your surroundings – what do you see, what do you hear, what do you feel?   Now imagine that there is someone that you are speaking to – it could be a work colleague, friend, partner, family member.  Imagine that you are telling them about your incredible 2009 and why it has been so fantastic – tell them about all the things that have happened during the year that have made it your best year yet.  Imagine that you have your cell phone or digital camera with you while you are chatting to them and while you are talking you are flicking through and showing them photos of all the incredible things that have happened during 2009.  Hear yourself speaking to them, see the photos of what has happened in the year and feel the emotions of excitement and elation and happiness as you speak to them.

 

When you are ready, open your eyes and write down on a piece of paper all of the things that you told the person in your imagination about what had happened in 2009.

These are now your intentions for 2009.
Put these up in your bedroom, bathroom mirror, office – somewhere visible so that you can see them often and reflect on them.

Now every morning for the next 30 days, lie down, close your eyes and imagine the story that you have just created of the day in December 2009. Imagine it with all five of your senses, as if you are really there.

In the intentions used above eg.,  “I am leading a balanced life where work and play are equally combined”, you will see that they are formed in the present tense using ‘I am’ rather than in the future tense ‘I am going to’, or ‘I will lead a balanced life’.
Why is that important? 

Consider this analogy: Imagine you are planting a beautiful vegetable garden. You buy lettuce seeds from the nursery, you dig holes and place the lettuce seeds in them and then you water those seeds every few days.  You would say to a friend “I planted lettuce in my vegetable garden”.  

What you have actually done is just plant SEEDS in the ground, but because you are so certain that they will grow into lettuce you say “I have planted lettuce”, like the lettuce already exists.  Your words automatically create an image in your mind of beautiful green, succulent lettuces growing in the soil.

And so it is with intention. The more certainty you give it, the more certain it will be.

Tuesday Cool Stuff:

Britain’s Got Talent Dance Group “Flawless”

Tuesday Brain Game:

Try your knowledge cap on at the History Channel’s Trivia Quiz

Tuesday Funny Stuff:

Thanks to my dear friend and birthday girl ZT for this one:

Everything’s Amazing, Nobody’s Happy

(sorry for the 30 second ad :-()

 Vodpod videos no longer available.