Start The Day Wet & Raw

So often we read about the importance of starting the day with a good, healthy breakfast. The very word 'breakfast' perfectly captures the fact that this first meal of the day 'breaks' the 'fast' we have endured during the night. Depending on what time you eat your last meal of the day and what time you eat your first meal of each new day, this nightly fast can be lengthy. For example, a 7 pm dinner and 7 am breakfast equals a 12 hour fast. Even if you succumb to a late night snack, your sleep time alone is, for most people, between 6-8 hours long.

So starting the day with a healthy breakfast is something I do every day to fuel my body for the day ahead.

However, even before I have breakfast, I like to start the day with what I call 'breakdrought'. In other words, I start the day with a hydrating drink. Because in the same way that we haven't eaten during the night, we also haven't been hydrating our bodies.

Plain water is fantastic. Water with lemon or lime, or any fruit, is equally great - some say even better. Herbal teas will do it, as will any number of healthy juices, if you don't mind the calories. Unfortunately, as much as I love good coffee, for me that has to wait until later in the morning. Simple hydration comes first. Hence the 'wet' start to my day.

I also try to incorporate something raw into the start of my day. Most people who are concerned about their health understand the importance of increasing the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables in their diet.

The variety of ways in which you can include raw fruit and vegetables into your breakfast are endless. Eating the same thing every morning soon gets boring, so it's good to have a few options. Some of my favourites include:

• Whole or slices of fruit (whatever is your favourite, or in season)
• Fruit sliced/diced, or frozen (thawed) berries with cereal or yoghurt
• Fresh fruit juices
• Fruit & vegetable smoothies
• Toast toppings – tomato slices, avocado
• Supplementing poached egg on toast with a handful of baby spinach leaves

It's easy to start the day with the best intentions of eating 'healthy', but intentions and eventual actions don't always align as planned. But by incorporating raw fresh fruits and/or vegetables into your breakfast, you get to tick that box before you even head out the door for the days. First things first, and all that.

 

If you have any creative ideas about how to start your day with fresh fruit and vegetables, I'd love to hear them!

Why Sexy Is Sexy

Sleep: Why We Need It and What Happens Without It

5 Easy Ways to Cultivate Balance in 2015

by Fran Bishop

As we're thrust deeper into the holiday season with thoughts focused on the New Year, a great temptation is about to rear its ugly head.

No, it's not the temptation of yet another batch of holiday cookies. It's the impossible-to-resist pull to set unrealistic, Herculean goals for 2015.

And yet while the setting of New Year's resolutions isn't a problem in itself, making unrealistic promises to one self or others disrupts balance and ends up making you feel more frazzled than ever.
Here are 5 balanced, realistic ways to achieve your goals in 2015:

1. Create a Goal Board/Calendar
You want 2015 to be a great year. You have 20, maybe even 100 different things you'd like to achieve. But a goal without a realistic plan is merely wishful thinking.

Create a goal board and/or calendar and choose ONE goal per month for the first quarter of 2015. Choosing fewer goals will not only help you prioritize; it will help you create a manageable plan for actually achieving those goals as well.

2. Ask the Tough Questions
What do you really, truly want in 2015? On the surface, your goals might include launching a new business, getting healthy, spending more time with family, and other worthwhile pursuits.
But what is at the core, or heart, of those goals? What is your "why" behind seeking a new business, a healthier body, or better state of mind?

Determining what you truly want underneath the surface will help you choose goals that reflect your deepest aspirations. It will also help you shift your lifestyle and bring every aspect of your life into balance.

3. Do Your Research
You're not alone when it comes to achieving goals and cultivating balance in 2015. Examine some different resources, including blogs, books, mastermind groups, and coaches, and see which of these resources can help you achieve your goals.

The resources you choose should not only help you reach your goals, but should help you focus on your overall performance and create more equilibrium in your life.

4. Evaluate Pro's and Con's
Be honest - what aspects of your life are just not working for you? Which facets do you love and want more of in 2015?

Sometimes it can be difficult to know from where your lack of balance originates. Take a good, hard look at what's working and why those aspects of your life make you happy.

Take another hard look at what's causing you stress and draining your energy. Keep in mind that goals can also include ending toxic relationships and spending less time and energy on certain projects and/or people.

5. Treat Yourself
It may sound counterintuitive, but one of the most effective ways of reaching your goals is by doing something totally unrelated to your goals.

Take a vacation, sign up for an art class, attend a conference, or treat yourself to something seemingly unrelated to your personal and professional life. You'll not only learn about yourself and the world; you'll discover surprising answers and new perspectives that will, in turn, help you achieve your goals that much faster.

Bonus: Tighten Your Focus in 2015
A wonderful goal-setting treat for 2015 is called Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting. This book, by author Lynn Grabhorn, will help you get laser-focused about what you want to achieve and how you're going to get there in 2015.

In Chapter Three, Grabhorn writes, "Focus on what you don't want, and watch it get bigger. If you're giving some passionate attention to something you truly do not want, it will eventually grow up to smack you." Focus instead on what you DO want, and be sure that focus is directed toward one goal at a time.

If you had to narrow it down, what is your ONE goal for 2015?

About the Author

Fran Dean Bishop is an award winning business coach and CEO with 20 years in the health management industry. She founded Aerobodies Fitness Company, (now AFC Management Services), in 1994 as a corporate service provider of health promotion, fitness management and behavior change programs for the private sector and federal agencies. Fran also designed and launched two successful health technology innovations, MyEquilibriumCoach and MECkids.com. To request Fran for a speaking engagement or workshop, contact her at franb@afmsco.com - 703-402-8477.

Article Source: http://goarticles.com/article/5-Easy-Ways-to-Cultivate-Balance-in-2015/9927175/
 

Top 4 Reasons For Choosing the Single Life

by David Cunic

There is a hilarious movement in this country trying to tell you that you NEED to be in a relationship with someone. That somehow that is more normal than not being in a relationship. There is an unspoken emphasis on starting a family and finding a soul mate that has been in place since the fifties. What is odd is every other ideal since then has evolved, yet we still truly believe and fall victim to that. The idea that we cannot love ourselves or define ourselves unless we have someone next to us, doing it for us. That we cannot face tragedies or troubles in life and make it through them solely on the strength of ourselves. But why is it an ideal that existed in a long dead time is still forced on us? Why are people who choose to be single still looked at as strange? I can tell you being one of them that a GREAT many of my friends on the other side of the fence tell me how unhappy they are.

I say we live in a new age. An age where we should be allowed to be somewhat selfish, and being single makes that a hugely enjoyable act. Some may be single unwillingly, but this is me raising a glass to the people who are single by choice, and know just how much fun that can be.

1. Times Have Changed
I am not here to insult love or relationships. Love is pretty magical when it works, and for those who want that and find that and experience that daily, I tip my hat to you. May it last forever (though we all know how rarely that actually occurs). But why is it that starting a family and being in love seems normal, and being by one's self seems strange? It is completely true, the old adage that you cannot love someone until you love yourself, so let me ask: How do you learn to love yourself if you never spend any time alone with you? I want you to think that over for a moment. Truth is, you don't.

2. Not Answering To Anyone
Love, if you do it right, is about factoring someone in to every single decision you make. This also means, when the love is true, putting yourself last. As wonderful and altruistic and selfless as that is, are the people who do that always happy? When did we learn that doing things for OURSELVES was bad? When were we taught to be punished for rewarding ourselves our doing something primal and enjoyable? We must have been programmed to feel that way, because no one knows how to be happy anymore, and the lack of doing anything to work towards that is not going to change that.

3. The Art Of Casual Sex
Despite WHATEVER you have been taught to the opposite, two consenting adults can have casual sex. The act of sex without love or a relationship exists, and guess what? Even though people equate being single with celibacy, such is not the case. If you are an adult and an honest, open one, you will find other souls like you who may have no interest in the drama of a relationship, but know how beneficial sex is to one's life. This opens the door for the €but love makes sex better€ argument, which also opens the door for €love without sex leads to life without drama€, so we could probably back and forth this hours. Remember, this is not the 50's. You want to lock yourself down, that is your prerogative. But a LOT of things have changed. Shake the shackles of those ideals if it means you will be happier.

4. Is It Lonely?
Here's the thing. Being single is a lonely life if you choose it to be. Yes, you can do nothing with nobody if that is what you want, but you can also do (and this is my entire point here) whatever you want, whenever you want, with whomever you want. Pop culture may try to trick you into thinking single people are miserable, but do they ever poll he people who are willingly single? The people who say no to relationships because they choose to? The people who actually like the freedom it buys them and how it allows them more time to get to know who they REALLY are without defining themselves by someone else?

Well, let me tell you. It is pretty kick ass. I'm not going to lie. Remember, live the life you WANT. Not the life you have been conditioned to believe you are supposed to have.

 

About the Author

David M. Cunic, is a successful physical therapist and personal trainer for Pazoo, Inc., a Health & Wellness company for people & pets. To learn more visit us at http://www.pazoo.com.

Article Source: http://goarticles.com/article/Top-4-Reasons-For-Choosing-the-Single-Life/9753814/
 

3 Easy Ways to Free Up Time

There's always plenty to do in your business, and your work is never done.

 It's easy to slip into a pattern of being busy, without feeling you've actually accomplished something.
So how do you change that?

How do you stay on top of things that need to be done, and still have enough time to relax?

How do you get more done without working harder or stressing out?

And how can you make sure that you FEEL like you've done enough and made progress?

These tips help you get more focus, more freedom, and get more done in the same amount of time:

Tip #1: Spend your time on what matters most

How do you want to spend your time? What's most important to you?

And are these the things you actually spend most of your time on?

Write down everything you do from getting up to going to sleep for a week.

 This will give you some interesting insights.

When I did this myself, I was quite unpleasantly surprised by how much time I wasted. (On email, for example. And on Facebook.)

I bet you can find (and eliminate) some time wasters too when you do this exercise. That will free up some (or a lot) of time every week.

Tip #2: Do this inner work before you start working

Take some time each morning to do this exercise:

Step 1:
Close your eyes. Imagine it's later this evening, and you're about to go to sleep. You're smiling and feel great as you look back on your day. You feel good about yourself, this day, and what you've accomplished.

What actions did you take to make you feel like this? What made you feel good? How did you spend your time throughout the day?

Step 2:
Open your eyes and take a couple of deep breaths. Write down 1 to 5 actions you will take today - the actions that will make you feel as good about your day as you just imagined.

Step 3:
Start with the action you most resist taking. Once that's out of the way, the rest of your work will be so much easier.

Take 5 or 10 minutes each morning to do this exercise. The results will amaze you!

Tip #3: Create a weekly schedule

Having a template for how you spend your time each week gives you a lot more freedom & focus. This schedule can be as detailed as you like. Just create something that works for YOU.

 For example: do all your admin stuff each Friday morning. Write newsletters or blogs each Thursday morning.

You can use this schedule every week, so you can stop thinking about what you have to do (and when you will do it) all the time.

I really love working with my weekly schedule. It gives me more focus, I get more done, and it gives me peace of mind.

Do you already have a template like this? If not, take some time to create your own personal schedule. It really works!

Just remember:

Your schedule is a TOOL to help you. Change it whenever your situation or your wants and needs change.

And make sure YOU stay in charge of your life and how you spend your time.

Don't let your schedule, to-do-lists, or other people's agendas and expectations determine that for you.

 

About the Author

Brigitte van Tuijl is a Soul Purpose & Breakthrough Expert for heart-centered entrepreneurs,
author of the forthcoming book 'The Art of Divine Selfishness - transforming the world by thinking of YOU' and originator of the unique 7 step F.R.E.E.D.O.M. process to turn your purpose into a profitable business you LOVE
www.brigittevantuijl.com
Subscribe to the fr.ee weekly ezine with tips to get unstuck, get on purpose and get paid for your mission: [http://www.brigittevantuijl.com/ezine/]

Article source: http://goarticles.com/article/3-Easy-Ways-to-Free-Up-Time/9314476/
 

The Amazing Power of Your Mind - A MUST SEE!

Tips to Structure Your Day

Can Other People's Vibrations Affect You?

Have you ever seen someone in a bad mood walk into a room and bring everyone in it down? The atmosphere in the entire room changes. Suddenly everyone becomes more irritable, on edge, and pessimistic. Likewise, a person in a great mood can walk in and make everyone feel better, lighter, and more optimistic. Suddenly people are joking around more, smiling and laughing. What happened? From an energetic standpoint, the person walking into the room actually changed the vibration of the people who were already there, and brought them down or up to their level. We actually have the ability to affect each other's vibrations, especially if we're not conscious of the fact that this is happening.

Each of us is emanating a vibration, which is the result of our predominant thoughts and beliefs in each given moment. So, if one person is thinking happy thoughts and feeling good, they're giving off a high, positive vibration. If another person is thinking sad thoughts and feeling bad, they're giving off a low, negative vibration.

When these two people come together, one of three things is going to happen.

Scenario 1
If the person with the higher vibration is more stable in their frequency, the other person's lower vibration will be raised to meet the higher one. What do I mean by "stable"?

Let's Say Mr. Happy is in a great mood because it's his birthday. He's decided that because it's his birthday, he's going to be in a good mood all day. He refuses to let anything bother him, and he walks around humming a little tune. Nothing can get him down. He is very stable in his high vibration.

Mr. Grumpy is in a bad mood, because he got annoyed by traffic on the way to work. But he's not obsessing about it. So when the two men meet, Mr. Grumpy's vibration is changed by Mr. Happy's. He will gradually feel better and better until eventually, if they stay in the same space long enough, and providing that Mr. Happy continues to stay stable in his vibration, Mr. Grumpy will feel just as good as Mr. Happy.

Scenario 2
If the person with the lower vibration is more stable in their frequency, the other person's higher vibration will decrease to meet the lower one.

Mr. Grumpy is in a bad mood because he hates his job. He thinks a lot about how much he hates his job. In fact, it's pretty much all he thinks about while he's at work. Mr. Grumpy is very stable in his low, negative vibration.

Mr. Happy is in a good mood because he got a great parking spot. It put a smile on his face. The parking spot isn't that important, though, and he doesn't really think much about it after he walks into his office. His high vibration isn't very stable, at all.

When the two men meet this time, Mr. Grumpy begins to complain to Mr. Happy about how crappy his job is, how the deadlines are too short, and how the food in the cafeteria is always the same. Mr. Happy's vibration is changed by Mr. Grumpy's. He will gradually feel worse and worse until eventually, if they stay in the same space long enough, and providing that Mr. Grumpy continues to stay stable in his vibration, Mr. Happy will feel just as bad as Mr. Grumpy does.

Scenario 3
Both Mr. Happy and Mr. Grumpy are stable in their respective vibrations. When this happens, the two CANNOT stay in the same space. Have you ever been in a bad mood and someone all shiny and happy came into the room? Didn't they just annoy the crap out of you? Didn't you just want to slap the smile right off their face? You couldn't stand to be around them, and as soon as you had the chance to, you got away from them. Your vibrations were literally repelling each other.

When we live non-consciously, when we don't train ourselves to hold the vibration of our choosing, two things happen:

First, we tend to be a lot more stable in our negative vibrations than our positive ones. That means, a person in a bad mood will be much more likely to bring someone in a good mood down, rather than the opposite happening.

Second, we are at the mercy of whoever is around us.

These two criteria added together will result in rapidly spreading lower vibrations. Is it more likely for you to walk into an office where everyone is generally happy, or everyone is generally grouchy?
But we can stop this cycle. All we have to do is learn to stabilize our vibrations. Not only will this mean that we are no longer affected negatively by others, but we will actually be able to influence others in a positive way.

So, how do you stabilize your vibration? You can simply decide to focus deliberately on thoughts that make you feel good. Just like when it's your birthday, you can decide that nothing's going to bring you down. Keep focusing on reasons to feel good. It's a beautiful day. The receptionist smiled at you on the way in. You got a good parking spot. Your children are healthy. Your favorite team won last night. It doesn't matter what the reason is, as long as you intentionally focus on it. You are deliberately and consciously making yourself feel good.

And when you are intentionally feeling good, you are stable in your vibration. Practice holding a strong, higher frequency. You'll notice that people in a bad mood - grouchy, pessimistic people - will either change in your presence, or will simply not be able to stand being around you. The Law of Attraction won't be able to bring you together. They'll have an impulse to go to lunch a little earlier than you, or park in a different spot so you don't see them on the way in.

What's more, if you're truly stable in your high vibration, you won't be bothered by their bad mood anymore. If you find yourself being bothered by it, you're allowing them to lower your vibration to meet theirs. Stop that. Just keep focusing on thoughts that feel good. Stay strong in your high frequency and the Law of Attraction must bring you vibrations that match it. Your world will become a much friendlier, more beautiful place.

Did you like this article? Learn more about how our vibrations affect what we manifest in our reality by reading LOA Articles about Vibrations.

Melody Fletcher writes about the Law of Attraction and spirituality. Her main goal is to help those that resonate with her information to find the empowerment, freedom and happiness that every one of us truly deserves. She invites you to visit her website DeliberateReceiving.com.
 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melody_Fletcher

Law of Vibration - The Key To Understanding The Law of Attraction

Of all the universal laws, the law of attraction is both the most fascinating and the most misunderstood. Fascinating, because as humans we naturally want a tool to help create the life of our dreams, and the law of attraction can certainly help us to do that. Misunderstood because, unlike a tool that we can pull out and use now and again but is otherwise inactive, the law of attraction is operating in our lives constantly and independently, whether we are consciously aware of it, or believe in it, or not.

In other words, there is no need to engage the law of attraction, it is already at work in your life and always will be. So long as you are alive and breathing, the law of attraction is at work. This is great news! You are already using the law of attraction to create everything in your life whether you realise it or not. The results that you are experiencing: your career, finances, relationships, health, home, community, and so on, are a direct result of the law of attraction and your interaction with it in the form of thoughts and feelings.

If you're not creating the kind of life you want though, chances are you are creating by default, allowing the law of attraction to bring you more and more of the same. Unfortunately, we weren't handed a life manual at birth and, for many of us, our parents were not aware of the law of attraction and so did not teach us. At Attract Like Magic we are dedicated to helping you understand this powerful universal law and how you can begin to use the law of attraction to consciously create the life of your dreams. On the Attract Like Magic site, and in upcoming newsletters and articles, we will explore everything to do with the law of attraction and provide tools that will help you to harness its power.

But in order to really understand the law of attraction, you first need to understand another of the universal laws, the law of vibration.

Law of Vibration

According to the law of vibration everything is made of energy and has a distinct frequency or vibration. With the advent of powerful enough technology, science now agrees. Quantum physicists have shown that, although matter may appear to be solid, when you look at it through a high-powered microscope so that it is broken down into its smallest components: molecules, atoms, neutrons, electrons and quanta (the smallest particles measurable), it is ultimately mostly empty space interspersed with energy.

In other words, at the quantum level, everything is comprised of energy and empty space and what makes you, your home, your car, the chair you're sitting in, seem solid is the frequency of the vibration of the energy that makes it up.

Not only does your body and all that you consider to be "you" have a distinct and unique vibration (or more correctly a mix of vibrations), but your creations, in the form of thoughts, also have distinct vibrations which affect or blend with your overall vibration.

In turn, your vibrations affect everything around you - your environment, the people and animals around you, the inanimate objects, even the seemingly 'empty' space and they, in turn, affect you. That's why, when you walk into a room where there was an earlier argument, you can sense it. We even use terms like "bad vibes", "you can feel the tension", and "you could cut the air in here with a knife" to describe it. In each case what we are referring to is the energy imprint of the earlier occupants.

Similarly, you may have gone to someone's home, office or business where, as soon as you entered, you felt the "good vibes" that filled the place. That's because, over time, a place becomes imbued with the energy imprints of the dominant vibrations of the people who live or work there. So a home, for example, can literally become filled with love or tension or anger or sadness or any other emotion, and that home will feel that way to a visitor even if none of the regular occupants are at home at the time. If you've ever entered such a place you may even have noticed how you just relaxed and felt good in response to the "good vibes" around you. Of course, the extent to which you take on the vibrations of the people and things around you is up to you - but for most people, this is not a conscious decision.

So, you are giving off vibrations every second of every day. You are also simultaneously receiving and translating the vibrations of everything and everyone around you. If we use the analogy of television, you are both a television transmitter, beaming out your own unique station, and also a television set or receiver, able to tune in to all the stations or frequencies being broadcast around you. Sometimes we refer to these incoming vibrations as intuition or "gut feelings".

So how do you know what your vibration is at any moment?

Simple - ask yourself how you are feeling.

Your emotions are a quick and handy guide to your vibration in any moment. If you feel loving, you are vibrating at the frequency of love; if you feel angry, you are vibrating at the frequency of anger; if you feel curious, you are vibrating at the frequency of curiosity, and those vibrations are received by everything and everyone around you. You are also, through the law of attraction, bringing to you more experiences that will match this vibration so when you feel angry the law of attraction will bring to you more experiences that will elicit the feeling of anger, you will attract angry people and find yourself in the middle of angry situations.

Have you ever had a day where you felt lousy, but tried to pretend that everything was OK to family, friends or co-workers? It doesn't work does it? Your friends, family or co-workers know straight away that you are not how you are pretending to be. They may ask if something is wrong, or comment that you don't seem to be your normal self. They pick up on the incongruence between what you are saying and your vibration. Because we are not used to explaining in terms of vibrations, they may attribute their knowing to something more mundane like tone of voice or body language, but even people without the full use of their senses can detect this type of incongruence.

To sum up, you are sending out vibrations every moment of every day. Those vibrations are a mix of your thoughts and feelings and they affect everything around you. At the same time you are also receiving and translating the vibrations of everything around you (which can, in turn, affect your vibration by how you react to them). Now that we understand vibration, let's look at how it interacts with the law of attraction.

Law of Attraction

The law of attraction, simply put, means energy attracts like energy. You may also have heard it expressed as "like attracts like', "that which is like unto itself is drawn" and even "thoughts become things".

The law of attraction is at work in your life every minute of every day. Your vibrations are constantly being broadcast to, and received, by the universe. This activates the law of attraction which then matches your vibrations and attracts to you similar vibrations in the form of people, things and situations in your life. In other words you are always creating your life through your thoughts and feelings. The conditions in your life, whether they are what you want or not, are always a match to your dominant vibrations.

The law of attraction, like all the universal laws, operates whether you are aware of it or not, or believe it or not. The often-used terms "what you focus on grows", "careful what you wish for (cause you just might get it)", "birds of a feather flock together" and "you can't get enough of what you don't want" are all examples of ways that we describe the law of attraction in action.

So, the question becomes - if your life is not how you would wish it to be, how do you change it? And the answer most often given by law of attraction and personal development teachers is a simple one - change your thoughts.

Simple - yes, but not easy. Here's why.

Somewhere between 94 - 98% of all thoughts are subconscious, that is, below or out of conscious awareness which means that only 2 - 6% of your thoughts are ever conscious. So, even if you managed to change all of your conscious thoughts to be positive, that still leaves an awful lot of subconscious thought, at least some of which would be negative, vibrating away in the background without you even being aware of it! If you're having trouble creating what you want in life, chances are your subconscious mind is at fault.

In our next article we will explore the subconscious mind and how it can interfere with your Law of Attraction efforts.

Yvonne Ellis has been studying personal and spiritual development for over 20 years. She teaches and coaches in these areas and is co-author of the website http://www.AttractLikeMagic.com where you'll find loads of information about the Law of Attraction and the Universal Laws including free eBooks to start off or enhance your Law of Attraction library. To subscribe to the Attract Like Magic newsletter and make sure you don't miss out on our subconscious follow-up click here To receive your FREE Attraction Acceleration Report featuring Bob Proctor and Stephen Pierce click here
 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yvonne_Ellis

Middle Age: How Extensive Is It and What Can You Do About It?

Middle Age: A Few Facts And Implications

"The more I learn about John McCain, the more I like his maverick spirit. For instance, his critics say he's too old. So what does he do? He keeps aging." Stephen Colbert, On the Colbert Report
Aging is all the rage these days. We have a few presidential candidates over 60 - one candidate in 2008 was a lot over 60. Nobody since Reagan running for president was as old as McCain. Our age obsession is fueled by Hollywood and by the baby boomers, now gaining eligibility for Medicare and Social Security. Perhaps the nation is fascinated, as well, by the fact that I, too, am getting up there in years.

Whatever the causes, the consequences of and fears about aging are omnipresent. Frankly, I'm sick of aging and may give it up entirely, go cold turkey and simply refuse to do it anymore. I will, too, as soon as I learn how.

Who invented aging, anyway? When did it begin? If people have always aged, then why should we insist on making such a big deal about it at this time in human history?

I read somewhere that the concept of an aging population was first described in France in the 1830s, due to concern among the leaders of that society about declining birth rates. Leave it to the French. Later, in the 20th century, gains in life expectancy in the industrialized nations led to fears of overpopulation. Nearly everybody, except the kids of course, is talking about middle age, and what drugs to take to deal with it.

What is middle age? Nobody knows -- but that does not stop people from going on about it. Ogden Nash said, "Middle age is when you've met so many people that every new person you meet reminds you of someone else." (Thoughts Thought After A Bridge Party.) Donald Robert Perry Marquis, who had too many names, remarked, "Of middle age the best that can be said is that a middle aged person has likely learned how to have a little fun in spite of his troubles." (The Song of Mehitabel.)

In any event, the growth rate of the 60+ age group (of which I was recently unceremoniously expelled) throughout the Americas is 3.5 times greater than the growth rate of the rest of the population. This is the kind of statistic that pops up all the time due to the focus on aging. In China, watch out - geezer alert: By 2025, China may have 300 million people over 60 years -- nearly the size of our population today. If everyone starts living a wellness lifestyle and participating in triathlons and such, we can expect that competition in the senior age groups to get really intense.

Most people in developing countries live in poverty, but they are less likely to die early than in the past because of environmental advances and medical interventions. Also, fertility rates have been reduced by worldwide adoption of modern contraception, despite the resistance of primitive religious hostility. These improvements hasten the demographic transition to an older population.

One concern about this trend is that the number of younger people usually drops as the number of older folks increases. A shift over time from high to low mortality and high to low fertility brings this situation into existence. Another term for an aging population is to say society is undergoing a demographic transition. Another phrase of interest in this aging business is epidemiological transition. This deals with the shift to chronic and degenerative illnesses as causes of death rather than infections and acute conditions, which are more likely to befall younger populations.

The good news for us is that the number of chronically disabled Americans aged 65 and over has not increased as would have been projected, based upon the increasing numbers of seniors. A chart of the years 1982-1986, from the British Medical Journal (Butler, RN. Population Aging and Health, 1997; 315: 1082-1084) indicates that we are not only living longer, we are also staying healthy far longer.

What are a few wellness implications of all this for you? Face it -- you can't change global or national population trends, you don't want to die young (and besides, it might be too late for that!) and you really can't choose not to age, so what is a wellness enthusiast to do?

Live well, of course, and look on the bright side of life as much and as long as possible. Recognize that older people commonly use more health care services than younger people, but try to avoid having to do that by looking after yourself everyday.

Publisher of the ARDELL WELLNESS REPORT - an electronic newsletter devoted to weekly commentaries on current issues that affect personal and social well being from a quality of life perspective. The emphasis is on REAL wellness. REAL stands for the key issues embraced and advanced in Don's philosophy, namely, Reason, Exuberance, Athleticism and Liberty. Sample copy of latest edition by request. If you like it, you can sign up - the price is right - free. awr.realwellness@gmail.com
 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Ardell

Middle Aged Dating Tips - Getting Started Again

Good coffee and great conversation can make for a safe and easy first-date.

Many people are now starting to try to get back in the dating game after many years of being married, either due to divorce or being widowed. Regardless of why you are back on the dating scene, trying to date at middle age can be fairly intimidating. If you have been married or with someone for a very long time, you will quickly see that the dating scene has changed a good bit since the last time you dated. How do you get started again, and find that special someone? That is the focus of this article.

The first thing to do is to really take a good look at your own wants and needs. Before you can possibly try to go out and date someone else, you need to have some type of idea of the type of person you would want to date. The best way to do that is to know those things that you are willing to compromise on, and those things that you are not. If you are a Christian, nonsmoking, animal rights lover for example, you would not want to go out hunting for an Atheist, smoking, fur lover. This seems obvious, but it is something we all must do when going into the dating market. At middle age, you do not want to waste a lot of time dating people that you know you will not have any long term interest in. Find those qualities you are looking for, and then move on to the next step.

The next step is to take those qualities you are looking for in a date, and consider where you might find such a person. If you love racing, get out to the racetrack. If you love dancing, get out to the various dancing clubs around. Generally speaking, it is easy to figure out where you might find those people that suit you if you just give it some thought.

Another middle aged dating tip is get out and try something new. Many people find someone to spend time with simply by attending a "beginners" type activity. The benefit here is that all are beginners in the classes, so you instantly have something in common to talk about. Jump into conversation with those around you, and you might be surprised that a number of them may be single. Do not be afraid to ask somebody out if they attract you and they seem to be of the same mind.

The biggest key to middle aged dating is to get out there and try. So many people do not even try as they feel they are too long out of the game. The bottom line is that every age group has a number of people that are in the same situation as you, and they are just as scared and nervous. You simply need to get out there and find them so that you can be nervous together.

When dating at middle age, it is also important to take things slow and resist the normal urge to rush. Many middle-agers feel as though "the clock is ticking" and that they must find someone quickly. This is simply not the case for the vast majority, and finding the wrong middle age date is much worse than being alone. Take your time and find that person that you enjoy. They are out there, and you will find them if you just put in some effort.

 

After years of being in a relationship, you need to also realize that the times changed in the dating world. There are now tons of options that were not out there when you were younger. Online dating services are a wonderful way to meet people of the same interests, and are rather easy to use. Just be sure that you do some online dating research and find a reputable online dating service to use.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kim_Ladd

15 Tips to Empower Yourself This Year

By Marian Buck Murray

Take control of your health and well-being. Empower yourself with nutrient-dense foods and strengthening habits. Gradual, consistent steps will get you where you want to go, sometimes quicker than you can imagine.

1. Reduce Sugar -- Sugar weakens you. Excess sugar leads to inflammation, reduced immunity, and the proliferation of harmful bacteria. In addition, refined sugar products deplete important minerals, such as magnesium and calcium, needed for strength and endurance.

2. Eat Mushrooms -- Mushrooms stimulate the production and activity of white blood cells, making them beneficial for fighting infection. Rich in B vitamins, vitamin D, and selenium, mushrooms will help keep you strong, happy and healthy. Delicious shiitake, maitake, cremini, and portabella mushrooms all contain immune-enhancing nutrients.

3. Detoxify -- Boost your body's natural detoxification system by incorporating seaweed, beets, greens, probiotic foods,and cruciferous vegetables into your diet. Releasing toxins will help you clear your focus, boost your energy, and strengthen your immune system.

4. Drink Tea -- Both green and black tea contain L-theanine, which helps strengthen immunity. By dunking your tea bag up and down during brewing, you increase the release of antioxidants.

5. Spice Up Your Diet -- Use immune boosters such as cinnamon, garlic, turmeric, clove, oregano and ginger. These spices, and many more, are a delicious way to protect yourself from illness.

6. Express Gratitude -- Writing a daily gratitude list will help you feel happier, and more optimistic about your life.

7. Use EFT Tapping -- EFT Tapping will help you release weakening thoughts and feelings. EFT is also effective for boosting feelings of courage and self-confidence.

8. Sleep -- Sleep deprivation is linked to lower immunity, inflammation, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and diminished brain function. 7-9 hours of sleep daily will help strengthen your entire body and mind.

9. Meditate -- Even if it's for 5 minutes a day. Regular meditation will help you tap into your inner source of power.

10. Spark Your Creativity -- Take creative breaks to explore your talents and abilities. Allow yourself time and space to express your creativity. Honoring your gifts will help you feel joyful and recharged

11. Create a Success Jar -- Keep a stack of scrap paper to write down your successes. Include small, medium and big successes in all areas of your life. Keep at it, and you'll begin to realize how successful you truly are! The more successful you feel, the more success you'll create for your life.

12. Move Your Body -- Move your body in a way that feels good. Get your limbs, muscles, joints, and lymph going. Regular physical activity will help keep you strong, and flexible.

13. Volunteer -- Volunteer your time for a meaningful project. Volunteering is an excellent way to develop your skills and talents. Volunteering in the way that's right for you, can give you a powerful sense that you really can make a difference in the world.

14. Enjoy Your Morning Ritual -- For a daily boost of power, enhance your morning ritual with activities such as meditation, yoga, journaling, or walking. Dedicate time to connect with yourself, before the onslaught of daily distractions.

15. Let Go -- Let go of activities, habits, circumstances, and worries which drain your power. Make a list, and begin today.

Marian Buck-Murray is a certified EFT Practitioner and Transformational Health Guide. She offers private sessions via skype, phone, and in person at her Maplewood NJ office. For a free Tame Your Inner Critic Mp3, visit http://www.marianbuckmurray.com
 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marian_Buck_Murray

9 Tips to Practice Guitar Like a Pro

By Umang Bhat 

How to practice guitar like a pro
Most of us, at some point have considered practicing boring at some point in our time as a guitarist. Well, it turns out if you think practicing is boring, you're not doing it the right way. Correct practice, is fun and directed towards a particular goal of achieving or improving a certain skill. You must focus entirely on your practicing. Here are a few tips and guidelines towards fulfilling and useful practice sessions. Make sure that you follow all of them simultaneously.

#1 Know your current skill level
Practicing correctly involves proper knowledge of your current playing skill and what you hope to achieve with a certain exercise or practice session. You cannot play exercises designed for advanced players in a beginner stage or if you're an advanced player, playing an exercise made for a beginner might be a waste of time. Selecting exercises best suited to your playing skills is very important, and so is setting a realistic goal on what you hope to accomplish from a particular exercise.

#2 Set Realistic Goals
Set a proper goal on what you hope to achieve from a certain exercise. I mean, you can't become a guitar god by playing an exercise you find effortless at a slow tempo. You ought to know how much improvement there will be from a certain exercise or practice session. This will prevent disappointment caused by setting unimaginable goals.

#3 Practice with full Focus
The most common reason for finding guitar practice boring or ineffective is when you practice without focus and concentration. If you practice while watching TV, then change your ways immediately. Guitar practice is something that is to be done seriously, with one's full attention and concentration. Otherwise, you'll just be another weak guitarist who dreams of becoming a better player but does nothing to do so. Just make sure that whenever you practice, you do it with full vigour. So next time, don't slack off.

#4 Challenge Yourself
If you can play a particular exercise too easily and without much effort at a certain tempo, then you're not doing yourself any good. An exercise will only be useful, if it requires a certain degree of effort to play properly. Of course you don't have to play an exercise that is too difficult for your level, but you also can't play something that's too easy for you. Whenever you can perform an exercise at a reasonable level of ease, just increase the difficulty. Progressing as a guitarist is only possible if you constantly raise your level.

#5 Don't Rush Into Things
Don't rush into playing at higher BPMs or playing difficult exercises before mastering an easy one first. I've made this particular mistake and if you do the same, you'll just sound sloppy and will be disappointed by your playing. Ensure that you sound fluid and clean before moving on to faster tempos and tougher exercises. Patience is the key here. Moreover, don't compare yourself to other guitarists. Everyone learns at different speeds. In order to get the best from practice, ensure that you are comfortable by your learning pace.

#6 Always Practice With a Metronome
Make sure that you always practice with a metronome. It helps to establish a proper sense of rhythm and timing. Plus it's important to maintain the right tempo when playing a difficult exercise. Your playing must be consistent; otherwise, you'll just end up sounding sloppy. And yes, exercises do seem boring when played without a metronome.

#7 Playing Songs is Not Practicing
You'll have to understand this one properly. Playing songs is not practicing. Practicing does not include covering or playing songs. Playing songs when you are meant to be practice will only waste your time. You ought to have different time periods for practicing and playing the guitar. Understanding this difference will only do good.

#8 Spend more time playing exercises rather than searching for them
The internet offers a vast resource of exercises which can be easily looked up. But the problem is that many people follow an incorrect method of practicing and then, they blame the exercises. As a result, instead of improving their method and practicing, they look for more exercises, which ironically, they won't use properly either. So, focus more on practicing and playing exercises, rather than searching and searching for the so- called perfect exercise. You'll never find the perfect exercise, you'll just have to step up your game accordingly.

#9 Practice Daily
Always practice the guitar daily, even if someday you're busy and can only play for a short time. Practicing 10 or 15 minutes every day is better than practicing 60 minutes once a week. Try to follow a proper practicing schedule, and don't break that schedule.

Finally, I'd like to say, don't give up practicing just because you don't get the desired results. You just have to correct your method of practicing.

Happy Practicing.

For more tips, tutorials, tabs and guitar stuff, go to www.guitarcover.in
 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Umang_Bhat

12 Great Facts About Coffee



By David R Huggett 

Coffee is an integral part of so many peoples' daily routine, we often don't give it a second thought. So we thought it would be amusing to put together a list of interesting facts about coffee that you might not know...

No matter what anyone tells you, caffeine cannot help you sober up, it's a complete myth. Shame.

Hawaii is the only US state that grows coffee.

Coffee was originally eaten and not drunk. It's said to have been discovered when goat herders noticed increased energy levels after their goats had been eating coffee cherries that had fallen on the ground.

Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world, after oil. To give you an idea of how widely consumed it is, Starbucks alone employs 151,000 people worldwide, while in Kenya, 5 million people are reliant on the coffee industry for their income.

The price of espresso served in bars and cafes in Italy is regulated by the Italian government because it is considered an essential part of their daily life.

All of the world's coffee is grown in the 'bean belt'. So specific are the conditions needed to successfully grow coffee that the northernmost coffee producing country in the world is Pakistan.

An epidemic of theft and violence is sweeping the coffee industry in Kenya, a country where a kilo of dried beans can be worth a week's wages. A special police force has been set up to deal with the problem, but raids by armed gangs are a daily occurrence. Coffee growers have being forced to sleep in their fields so they can fend off would-be thieves. The thieves aren't subtle, with reports of security guards at coffee factories being shot with arrows and beaten to death with branches. Villagers have taken to fighting fire with fire, and criminals caught in the act have been lynched in the street.

Over 500 billion cups of coffee are drunk each year, or around 1.4 billion cups per day. Over half of this is consumed during breakfast.

Coffee can be used to fuel a car. While the technology is still in its infancy, there is something reassuring in knowing that the same cup that gets you going in the morning could one day actually get you to work as well.

A little known fact, but worth knowing anyway - brewed espresso has 2.5% fat, while filtered coffee contains 0.6% fat.

The world's first webcam was invented at Cambridge University to let scientists in a technology group know if their coffee pot was full or not. In 1991, they aimed their camera at their coffee machine and streamed the footage live on the web to save themselves the disappointment of a fruitless trip. This picture is of the first ever broadcast.

Irish coffee was originally invented to warm up cold American airline passengers flying from Ireland.
If you have any more of your own to share, we'd love to hear them so please get in touch with us at Java Caffe.

Here at Java Caffe, we have a wealth of information about coffee, recipes, funny stories and other articles. Visit http://www.javacaffe.co.uk to take a look. We also stock coffee grinders at Mazzer Grinders Direct
 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_R_Huggett

5 Ways To Start Your Day With A Bang

By Malcolm Clarke 

All of us have woken up to the sound of our alarm blasting us from a comfortable sleep and groaned at the prospect of getting out of bed. Once that initial feeling of tiredness passes, we must motivate ourselves to make the most of every day.

Here are five ways you can set yourself up for a productive and successful day.

1. Get Up Earlier And Read
Reading expands the mind. By trading thirty minutes sleep for thirty minutes learning you improve your knowledge, you become active more quickly and you invest time in yourself to become a better person. You become alert more quickly by exercising your mind in this time you would otherwise have spent sleeping.

2. Eat A Healthy Breakfast
Breakfast clubs for children in schools exist because it is well-known that a healthy diet ensures the body works at its optimal level. We learn, retain information and concentrate more effectively when we have had a healthy meal. If you miss breakfast you will be less alert and less able to concentrate during the day, so be sure to eat something healthy every morning.

3. Make Positive Affirmations
Having a positive mental attitude is vital to engaging with people effectively and dealing with the inevitable challenges we face each day. Start your day with positive affirmations and by doing so you will program yourself to be alert, energetic and in the perfect frame of mind to achieve everything you want to that day.

4. Make A List Of Tasks You Must Complete
With such a good mental and physical approach to every morning, having a clear list of exactly what you want to achieve will help you take advantage of this excellent frame of mind. You will easily achieve your list of tasks every day which will make you feel purposeful, successful and eager to achieve even more the next day.

5. Exercise Before Work
If you are fit enough you may wish to collect an endorphin boost by exercising before work. You will arrive at work feeling fantastic and be fully alert straight away. There will be no more losing one hour as you gradually wake up at work as you will arrive at work full of vitality and ready to grasp the opportunities of the day ahead.

It is called the present because every day really is a gift and these five steps will help you achieve as much as possible every day.

Malcolm Clarke is based in the North East of England and writes on a number of topics including Politics, Social Commentary, Sport and Gaming.

If you use Twitter then you can follow Malcolm by clicking here
 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Malcolm_Clarke

10 Things I've Learned From Being a Mediator

By Vivian A. Scott 

I'm lucky that I've had so much training and experience mediating issues between others. It's impossible to be a part of the mediation community for so long and not learn a thing or two about oneself in the process. So, I'm going to share, in no particular order of importance, 10 things I've learned along the way.

1) Gossip is boring. I don't mind people sharing updates about family or friends with me, but when it turns into a conversation that has too many oohs, ahs, and smirky faces, I'm out. My threshold for listening to someone jabber on about others is low because I have learned that if they talk about other people like that, they probably talk about me like that. No thanks.

2) Everyone cares about something so much that they'll do crazy stuff to defend it. In the world of mediation those things are called core values. But, without going into too much detail about them, I now know that when someone reacts to a small situation in a big way, it's because something they value is being threatened. And now, rather than jump back at them, I'm curious to find out what that "something" is.

3) I don't have to like you. I struggled for years trying to find the good in others, feeling guilty for being too critical of some people, and beating myself up for not making more of an effort with difficult folks. Now? I'm good not to like every single person on the face of the planet.

4) I don't have to fix everything. It's okay, and I mean okay, for me to let other people work out their own issues on their own timeline. I'll just be over here focusing on my own life, thank you.

5) Everyone is a mess. I read a quote once that said something like, "everyone has a life and no one gets out of it", meaning that every one of us experiences sad, bad, and lousy events that mess with us. We all have issues and we're all trying to mask them, deal with them, or sometimes share them in the most inappropriate ways.

6) I can work things out when I'm ready. It's okay to lick to my wounds, think about things, vent to my trusted confidants, wait a while, think about things some more, and then resolve issues with others. It doesn't have to be on anyone else's timeline if it doesn't feel right for me.

7) Giving space to others doesn't mean I'm giving up. If I'm willing to give myself the time and space to think things through, it's certainly okay for me to do that for others. Everything doesn't have to happen right here, right now.

8) Sometimes it's not possible. Mental health issues, addictions, and things greater than all of us really can, and do, get in the way of mending relationships.

9) I truly can be happier walking away. After so many failed attempts to build a relationship that feels authentic and genuine, it's okay for me to let it go. I mean really let it go. I've discovered that the empty feeling I thought would be there is actually a space that gets filled with contentment and peace.

10) I can think whatever nasty thoughts I want. Over the years I've become much better at editing my critical thoughts about others. I've also become much, much better at editing how those thoughts sound when they exit my mouth. But, there are those days when I give myself permission not to edit anything rolling around in this brain of mine. I've learned that I can think whatever I want about whomever I want and that doesn't make me a bad person. In fact, last I checked, it makes me human.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vivian_A._Scott

Passion - Inspirational video