What would the world look like if we each set an intention and meditated daily for world peace? http://ping.fm/h3jlB

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." -- St. Augustine

Clean Living Week Challenge

This week I've accepted a challenge from MorningCoach.com to a week of clean living. In order to achieve abundance, spiritual, financial, etc. we must first take care of ourselves. We must live a life believing that we deserve the things we want in our lives. We must believe in and value ourselves first!

Zig Ziglar tells a story of a million-dollar race horse. If you owned a million-dollar race horse would you feed it coffee? Fast food? Cigarettes? Alcohol? I didn't think so. Why do we treat ourselves so much worse?

It's important every now and then for us to change things up. How do we expect things to change if we do the same things over and over again?

This week, beginning today, I'm changing my routine.

Here's the challenge for the week:

1. No sugar - reading labels becomes very important here
2. No alcohol - oh how to sleep without my nightly glass of wine?
3. No caffeine - yikes! Starbucks - I will come back - I promise!
4. Go vegetarian - this might be tough for me - made it today - oatmeal for breakfast, lentil soup for lunch and cheese quesadilla for dinner.
5. No fast food - not a problem
6. No heavy lifting or resistance training - Zumba is my friend here!
7. Drink fluids - plenty of water and teas
8. Have fun with it - posting this blog is my first attempt at putting the challenge out there.

Monday thru Sunday - that's the challenge. The goal is to live cleaner. I'm up for it? You?

Join the 'Smovement

Need some encouragement?

Join the 'Smovement - Smile and Move!

Plant NOW!

I received this from tut.com today:

...the Chinese say, "The best time to plant a tree was always 20 years ago. The second best time is always today."

Funny how planting trees and taking action on the life of your dreams are the same that way.
    The Universe

It all boils down to action doesn't it.  Clearly without action aka inaction, nothing happens. Funny isn't it. Trees don't get planted, businesses don't grow.

Today is the day.

Blessings,
Jan

Communication Skills

I did an interesting online course this week about "Communication Skills". I don't believe you can ever communicate "too" well. It's an area I believe can always be developed.

Some interesting facts:

• 50% of what you say is never heard
• 25% of what you say is forgotten
• 15% of what you say is not understood
• 10% of what you say is actually remembered

Wow! I thought it was more like 20% of what you say is remembered; very eye opening to learn it's actually more like 10%.

Trust is developed and maintained when we seek not only to be understood, but also to understand. What the other person has to say is always more important that what we have to say. We have 2 ears and 1 mouth - we should use them accordingly.

Hmm...interesting food for thought!

Down is the New Up

Keller William's Annual Family Reunion (FR) was held February 21 - 25, 2009. I was blessed to be "required" to attend as a part of my job.

From the FR blog: "Attendees at Gary Keller’s Down is the New Up were treated to a live performance and on stage interview with guitarist Bill McLaughlin.

For twenty years, Billy astounded audiences around the world with his complex and rhythmic music. In 2001, he was diagnosed with Focal Dystonia, an incurable neuromuscular disease that rendered him unable to play his own music.

By 2002, Billy McLaughlin’s career was over. In 2006, Billy began a comeback."

I hope you find the message of hope in this video as I did in experiencing this live.