Whether circumstances favor you or not, your commitment and your actions can always be working in your favor.

With or without reason, we cannot continue living like hell. We must continue, must go on, and must move on. We must reinvigorate ourselves. However, as the old saying goes "if to do is as easy to say, churches would have been cathedrals, and houses would have been palaces." It is not easy. But, it is not so impossible either.

How you live your life will mirror your beliefs. So if you're not living the way you want, try changing what you believe.

Being in alignment with your desires and goals from the inside out will help you to achieve whatever it is you want in life. But, the problem is that most people do the opposite. They have a conscious desire to either find a relationship, get out of debt, lose weight, heal from heartache or whatever the case may be.

Trying out a new habit can be hard at first. Stopping an old habit can be even harder. Have you ever tried trying a new habit or even breaking an old habit?

Are you tired of feeling like you are stressed all the time? Many of us are in debt up to our eyeballs, one step away from being laid off, stuck in a bad working environment, or worried about our future.

The main important keys to overcome any life threatening situation is to remain calm and relaxed. People are having a difficulty with this since they let their fear and their anxiety cover their minds. The self defense weapons and techniques can be used once an individual also learns to remain in a relaxed and focused mind.

Feeling good about what you are doing is the first step to being a good person. Most people who are happy with themselves are people who actually feel good about what they're doing. Personal growth plays a very big role in making a difference not only in your life, but in other people's lives as well. Becoming the best person that you can be starts with yourself.

Remember that the darkest hour is just before dawn. You will just have to hang in there. And dawn will surely come.

So, how long has it been? Two months? Six months?

The Universal Laws are inter-related and founded on the understanding that everything in the universe is energy, including human energy and that energy moves in a circular motion. At the microscopic level, you are a whirling mass of electrons and energy atoms spinning. Everything in the world is comprised of this energy and you are intimately connected with this energy mass, a sea of whirling electrons.

Imagine yourself being the person you've always wanted to be. Imagine, in rich and glorious detail, living the life you've always dreamed of living.

These 11 Forgotten Laws are as follows: the law of thinking- the law of supply- the law of attraction- the law of receiving- the law of increase- the law of compensation- the law of non-resistance- the law of forgiveness- the law of sacrifice- the law of obedience- the law of success. By looking at the list, perhaps some of the truth of the Universal Laws is coming back to your consciousness

Many people nowadays tell us to change our thoughts to change our life. But is it that easy? I think success instead of failure and - snip - there it is. I think money instead of debt and - snip - there it is. Would be nice - wouldn't it? Unfortunately it doesn't work this way. Change your thoughts is an essential step into a better life, but this does not mean it is enough or even the main work.

Look back at how far you've come since you started. See and understand how even the disappointing results have helped you to find your way forward.

The Norwegian government has excluded the Malaysian timber giant Samling from its pension fund on ethical grounds.

There are certain kinds of creative, off beat ideas that are simply obvious when you hear them. Tarak Shah and Sabina Nieto came up with one. With the economic downturn, every office building in the country probably has unrecognized resources: vacant cubicles. No doubt many are utilized as storage spaces for disabled copy machines, extra office supplies and the like, but here's an inspired possibility: how about the vacant cubicle as art gallery? Now after you read that last sentence, didn't you immediately smile?

Pumping up is easier for people who have been buff before, and now scientists think they know why -- muscles retain a memory of their former fitness even as they wither from lack of use.

After giving birth to premature twins, Kate Ogg was informed that one of them didn't make it. Devastated, she held her limp 2-pound infant against her bare chest. For two hours, the mother and her husband said their goodbyes, cradling and hugging their son as if he were alive. Two hours later, the newborn began moving and gasping. Ogg instinctively fed her son a few drops of breast milk and soon his gasps turned into real breaths. "A short time later he opened his eyes. It was a miracle," the mother recounts. Now five months later, the radiant parents are highlighting the virtues of skin-on-skin care for sick babies, a technique known as 'Kangaroo Care' for the way Kangaroos hold their young in the pouch.

How do you tell the story of one powerful man who moved a nation to independence, marched 241 miles (388 km) in a symbolic act of freedom, and brought violent conflicts to a screeching halt through fasting? How do you express the complexity of this shy and timid young man who grew into a fiercely gentle leader and pioneer of nonviolence? If you're MC Yogi, you rap about it. With smooth rhythm and lucid lyrics, he explains Gandhi's message to "be the change you wish to see in the world" and spins a tale that would warm anyone's heart.

What does it say that one of the largest producers of oil, The United Arab Emirates, is aggressively developing renewable energy? Clearly the country is thinking about a world beyond fossil energies.

Fujitsu's scanner is your new (albeit bulky) buddy if you want high-quality images. The sturdy document feeder gets pages in straight, so you get them out right.

You've probably spent a lot of time and energy building up your business, so now it's time to locate those people who love to shout from the mountain tops how great they think you are. Why? Well eventually you'll want to reach out to these very special people, thank them and treat them extra special.At my company VerticalResponse, we create a list of advocates from different channels so that when we're ready to really motivate them even more than they already are, we can do it easily. So where do you start?Your Employees - Your employees can be the very best advocates for your business. You know who your best employees are and those who love what they do. Ask them to talk about your business on Twitter and Facebook if they'd like, and to post that they work for you on LinkedIn.Best Customers - Look to see who your best customers have been, these are probably people that have purchased from you a number of times. Then based on your criteria, create your "best customer" list.Survey Responders - If you're sending out customer satisfaction surveys, why not monitor who responds positively to your surveys? Then create your "survey advocates" list.Google Alerts - Sign up for FREE Google Alerts with your business name, your name, even you competitors name. See if there is anyone who keeps talking about your business more than a few times. Call this your "google advocates" list.4Square - If you've got a local business, monitor who becomes the Mayor of your business on 4Square. When they check in, make sure you know and you find them and give them a special discount or deal. They'll be sure to visit often and tell their friends. Call this list your "4Square Mayor" list.Twitter - Search your twitter handle on twitter.com. You will see who is talking positively about you. We use TweetDeck and set up a variety of keywords to track. Then from that easy interface we can manage our conversations with them. Make sure you RT them asking them to send you an email, include your email address. "Thanks for the RT! Email me at [email address] for a special deal!" You only have 140 characters so make sure you can fit it all and you will get their email address so you can start to build your email list of "Twitter advocates."Facebook - Create a Facebook Fan Page and monitor who is speaking up with comments and likes. Set up a "Reviews" Tab and ask your followers what they think about you. Then message them back thanking them. Ask for their email address so you can send them something (free product, discount.) For anyone who "Likes" what you write, add them as a friend on Facebook. Then message them and ask for their email address as well. Start to build your list of "Facebook advocates".Blog - Check out those who've commented on your blog. Most blog platforms enable you to see their email address. These will be your "blog advocates."Now that you've collected all of your advocates, keep this list fresh at least every month. Then be sure to reach out to them with an email marketing campaign, thank them and give them some extra special love.Are you finding your best advocates? If so, how? Please comment! Twitter - Google Alerts - Facebook - Google - LinkedIn

Everybody want to be living their dream, their passion, So what does it take to live your dream and be a Young Successful Entrepreneur? First of all, it takes guts. You have to be willing to stand up without regard and stand outside of the crowd and be a leader. Sometimes, this is not the easiest task...

A year or two ago, it looked like instant messaging and other forms of online chat had reached their full potential as a business tool. Millions of people were using IM to interact with corporate colleagues. Live chat had also become a fixture on websites, giving customers a way to inquire about products and receive answers in real time.

String theory has finally made a prediction that can be tested with experiments — but in a completely unexpected realm of physics: quantum entanglement.

Each day, Inc.'s reporters scour the Web for the most important and interesting news to entrepreneurs. Here's what we found today:Google vs. Facebook: the employee bidding wars are on. Sure seems like a good time to be a developer at Google. According to TechCrunch's Michael Arrington, Google is combatting an increasing number of employee defections to Facebook by offering some astounding perks: in one recent case, Arrington writes, Google offered a developer threatening to leave for Facebook "a 15% raise on his $150,000 mid level developer salary, quadruple the stock benefits and...a $500,000 cash bonus to stay for a year." The most concerning part for Google? "He took the Facebook offer anyway," Arrington writes.Ten B-School courses not to miss. The debate over whether an MBA is of value to entrepreneurs starting a business will likely rage on forever, but for those who do choose to go back to school, Business Insider has a list of the 10 MBA courses entrepreneurs must take. Using data gathered from professors, venture capitalists, and entrepreneurs, the article lists the courses that have proven valuable to entrepreneurs facing real-world business dilemmas. Among the must-take courses are the core finance classes as well as classes on feasibility analysis and new venture management.Flex your personality muscle. Last month a group of online marketing and social media trendsetters came together to share advice on how companies could increase their influence online. This week the New York Times' MP Mueller reports how the findings of the aptly-titled "Influencer Project" can help small businesses. Overwhelmingly, and somewhat surprisingly, the experts agreed that good social media skills really boil down to good communication skills. The same things people have been doing for centuries offline -- telling great stories, listening intently, being transparent -- seem to work online as well. Use social media platforms to share your stories, passion, and ideas with consumers along with the products they purchase. Consistency is key to forging relationships and resonance with your audience. For more social media tips, visit our Social Media Toolkit.When will your cell phone be your wallet? Perhaps as soon as next month. Sure, the Japanese already have tap-your-phone-to-pay technology, and call it osaifu keitai. Now it's coming to the United States. Visa is releasing an iPhone case that makes the smart phone compatible with tap-to-pay consoles. And MasterCard is using tags that stick directly to phones. But these are just temporary solutions - Nokia will include near-field communications (NFC) chips in all new smart phones next year, Fast Company reports. At that pace, NFC should be ubiquitous in the United States in three to five years.31 start-ups named world's tech pioneers. Yesterday, the World Economic Forum announced a group of 31 tech start-ups having a noteworthy impact on the world (via ReadWriteWeb). Past winners include Twitter and Kevin Surace's, an Inc. Entrepreneur of the Year, Serious Materials. Some winners this year include the location-based social network Foursquare, and the augmented reality company Layar. The winning companies and their technologies were chosen for "empowering people in all walks of society by giving them more information, more options, a bigger voice in the world around them and more control over their own health and their impact on the environment."Entrepreneurs on the campaign trail. Today's Wall Street Journal tells the story of a few companies who attribute the bulk of their growth to political campaigns. Take VictoryStore.com. The Iowa-based company, run by a former Republican party chairman, expects to nearly double its revenue this year thanks to a new product line: cardboard cutouts of political incumbents. Other businesses, like Broadnet, are replacing automated campaign phone calls with interactive broadcasts of live town hall meetings. It seems regardless of who wins the Senate and House elections in November, there are some business owners who stand to win either way.Dr. Seuss on innovation. In the Harvard Business Review, Scott Anthony writes that bedtime reading helped him visualize why a company was approaching innovation the wrong way. Remember the story of the star-bellied sneeches? Well, they thought themselves superior to the sneeches without "stars upon thars." Sylvester McMonkey McBean unveils a machine to add a star to the belly, and then one to remove stars. Eventually, no one remembers who had a special star in the first place. How can this apply to business? When structuring a company, creating an autonomous group - like a board or a review panel or a marketing group - remember to make sure it is actually autonomous, and isn't just a special label applied, like a star upon the belly of a sneech.More from Inc. magazine:Get this delivered to your inbox.Follow us on Twitter.Follow us on Tumblr.Like us on Facebook. Wall Street Journal - TechCrunch - United States - Business - Google

Nowadays, businesses and services can be accessed through the internet. The power of the world wide web has changed the way people meet and talk.

You can't go far wrong in a truck equipped with an Astrata box. The device, half the size of a cigarette pack, can be wired into anything that moves - truck, car, shipping container - to head off nearly every conceivable type of disaster.

Staging Diva offers advice to aspiring home stagers, encouraging them not to settle for same old, same old.

The ultimate question to ask is how foreign exchange robots can help a dealer to make money the answer to that is easy the advancement in pc technology have allow program this type of software program to enable novice trader and experience merchants to become profitable in this market. These fantastic applications are develped and designed by expertise skilled traders in this sector.

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There is no lawful value for money and therefore no lawful ownership and no right to own things you have bought with money. Is this true? Surely no one has any right in itself to own anything, because everything on this earth was here before us. But don't we have to play according to the rules, that we have agreed on? Isn't the only opportunity to influence things positively, to gain influence within the system and make changes there?

Do you know that goal setting and having a clearly organized environment are strongly linked with each other? I am sure you know about goals and goal setting already. Now learn the relationship with an organized desk, room and mind.

Goals are important. Without them, you move through life as if you are blindfolded. Mind maps are great tools which can help you in creating even more powerful overviews of your goals. Read this article to get started right now.

Male midlife crisis, or rather what Happiness After Midlife prefers to call male midlife transition manifests itself via many symptoms such as becoming easily angered, becoming frustrated, feelings of anxiety, and a lot of hypersensitivity. Those going through male midlife crisis, or transition, could be any age, not just midlife. There's a hot debate on whether or not it is just a psychological disorder or due to hormones. Many men start to ask themselves:

The age at which midlife crisis symptoms ensue varies from one individual to the next, although the average age was discovered to be 46 in men and women. However, the length of time when midlife crisis lasts will vary in men (3 to 10 years) and women (2 to 5 years).

Every human being in this planet thinks and cares about their future and how they will live their lives. In fact, most of us thrive very hard for change.

Life indeed is just too short to let it pass by and success in its most phenomenal state is just around the corner if you simply apply a few of these theories and principles. 1.) Focus, focus and focus. By concentrating and focusing on your dream goals and steps for at least one hour per week, ...

If you were like me growing up, when it came to accepting presents or gifts from others, your parents may have told you, "No, you can not accept that." They told you this for a variety of reasons, but the message was clear. You should not accept gifts. To further complicate things you may have ...

Goals shouldnt have start in bigger ones. If you choose to start to have big goals, you will end up quitting and setting again other big goals, and then the cycle continues. Starting with smaller goals is much easier to accomplish. Even though the goal is small, it is more manageable and helps you to keep on track. Furthermore, its another way of planning and preparing you in creating bigger goals.

Aiming is a process in planning which takes time and should be done before you could fire your way into into a successful career, organization, relationships, and life in general. I have seen a similar thing in some people’s professional and personal lives most of the time. Several individuals ...

I want to give a shout-out to Seventeen Magazine for their Body Peace Treaty. You can see it here: You can read more inspiration here: Jess Weiner Body Peace Blog – Positive Body Image Advice for Teens – Seventeen They were even featured on Huge (one of the best shows this summer):

If you've always wanted to achieve Standing Bow pose with grace, now is the time. September is National Yoga Month, and to celebrate, over 1,000 yoga studios nationwide are offering one week of free yoga through October. The hope is to inspire more people to try yoga so they can reap all the physical and emotional benefits of regular practice. All you have to do is sign up on the Yoga Month website for a free week of yoga at any of the participating studios. After choosing a studio, you'll receive a card in your email, entitling you to a free week of classes; just print it out and bring it to your chosen studio. The one restriction is that you can't use the pass to get free classes at a studio you've already gone to; it's only for new students. Besides a free week of yoga, many studios will be offering free days of yoga that require no prior registration. There are also multi-day events and music/yoga festivals planned like the Evolve and Evanston music fests.

Our concept of health only exists in opposition to its absence. Healthy is the default position. We’re not “supposed” to get strokes, coronary heart disease, diabetes, or cancer. Sure, a few people, here and there, are far more likely to suffer the ravages of the degenerative diseases of civilization, but the real numbers are inflated. [...] Related posts:Learning From Moose Forging Your Own Genetic Destiny Grain Pain

Yoga is a great form of exercise. It can help you relax while building lean muscles. It will also help you with your flexibility.

I keep my freezer stocked with various frozen vegetables for those days times when I run out of fresh veggies. We already have quite a few reviews of Green Giant Vegetables, so I decided to a new variety, Green...

After posting my blog entry regarding hierarchical workouts I went to the gym and did one. I was in and out in no time and felt great leaving and for the whole day after. There really is nothing more productive and the research is just now beginning to document what is evident (to me at least) from the physiology and the evolutionary record. But, you must see the Essay for more on that. And, yes I do the db rows alternating sides; one set on one side and then one on the other. As for the question about GH I will say that GH is known to be a protein conserving hormone that shifts metabolism away from protein to other sources of energy. Thus, with my work outs and rest and deep sleep favoring GH release I am able to fast (a fast releases GH also) and still retain or even build muscle mass. For my work out today here is what I did. (I can't believe how good I feel even now from this work out and all I did today beyond it). !. I did 30 leg presses to warm up and went straight into the 15, 8, 4 protocol. I ran out of weight on the leg press machine, but stayed with it anyway. I had to peg the machine on the last set and could have done far more than 4, but went to a slight burn anyway. Then I pressed up with both legs and lowered with one for 4 more negative. 2. I did standing leg curls in the same manner. 15, 8, 4 with increasing weight and speed with each set. 3. I did incline bb presses on the Smith machine in the same manner, but with no negative. Just 15, 8, and 4 to a good burn in each set. 4. I did the same protocol in the bent over deltoid raise through the legs that I have described in other posts. 5. Then I did a drop set of Arnold presses for the deltoids; as many as I could with a heavy weight (only 40 pounds by that stage), then a lighter weight for as many reps as I could, then a still lighter weight to slight failure. 6. I finished with a few curls on a machine, one set only and some crunches in the correct way and some bird dog poses on the bench press bench. Then a nice walk in my neighborhood after a short drive home from the gym. It was so easy, yet hard for a moment. This kind of work out gives you a toughness that makes life seem so easy. Every set hurt a bit and then came a harder one. But, when you move to the next exercise the pain goes away and you are ready for another hit. I love it.

21% fewer calories • 42% less sat fat • 14% less fat than the original recipe—see the comparison. Simple better-for-you changes help ease the guilt without losing an ounce of deliciousness! From eatbetteramerica.

It's no secret that I'm nuts for nuts. From peanuts and almonds to cashews and walnuts, I'm a fan. A perfect snack for folks on the go, they satiate a hungry tummy while providing a healthy dose of fat and protein. Once upon a time, they were all the same to me. Now I pay attention to which nut I'm eating and how it benefits my diet so I can feel better about what I'm tossing on my salad or into my brownie mix. Almonds, a quick snack fix, and cashews, an age-old favorite, are the two nuts I feast on the most. To see how they fare against each other, check out my side-by-side comparison.

Pregnancy is all about being proud and feeling great. Feeling proud because you only being a woman can get pregnant (your spouse is not able to do it) and great because it does a lot and lots of good to you emotionally, physically and psychologically. Pregnancy experiences and excitement, the very feeling giving birth to a child makes every woman thrilled.

The work out I always come back to and the very best for all round strength and muscularity, not to mention leanness is the hierarchical work out. Briefly described, it is done in a hierarchy of movements and weights. Its objective is to ascend the fiber hierarchy from ST to FTa and FTb and then finish with an eccentric movement or explosive movement. A long discussion of this type of work out may be found in my Essay under the Research link at the top of this page. The rest interval is nil, just long enough to change the weight on the bar, cable or machine. New research now confirms that this style of work out is best for muscle mass and for strength. It is equally effective in comparison to other routines for power. Of course, the researchers did not add the finishing touch that I do and I suspect they would have also found that my routine gives an edge for power as well. Read the essay for a discussion of the theory behind the hierarchical work out. The essence is to promote a maximal anabolic hormone response and to shut off the stress hormone response through its brevity and relatively low volume. You begin with a target of about 15 reps with a weight that is challenging, but do not go to failure. Just use the "burn" to know when to move on. Lower the weight more slowly than you raise it and increase the pace of the movement as you progress through the reps. Then, with no rest, increase the weight and aim for about 8 reps with the same protocol. Then increase the weight again and aim for 4 reps in excellent form. Then do a couple of negatives if you can do so safely in that particular lift (few meet this standard, but some do). Then do an explosive move similar to the exercise or do drops. My favorite way to do this was with squats, but there is no way to do negatives with squats and, for safety, you should not descend to full depth on the last set. If you alter the depth, progressing to less depth with the heavier weight, you will hit all the fibers in the hips and quads and at many angles and extensions. Hitting all the mass is the only way you will get a fullness and completeness to your musculature. An example where this is quite safe is to do leg presses on a seated machine. Not one where you may get trapped under the weights. Do 15 presses, increase the weight and do 8, increase the weight and do 4. Then increase the weight or with the same weight press out with both legs and lower with just one leg. Do only 2 negatives this way. Then do some leaps either dropping off a bench to a rubber floor or holding a squat bar, placed on the rack, leap up as far as you can while holding the bar. Do as many as you can. Alternately, find a high bar you can leap up to and grab. Drop off and do it again, as many times as you are able. You can do a similar protocol with a cable row or one-armed db rows. With the db rows, I do the first three sets, the ascending 15, 8, 4 and then just go down the rack doing one rep. Go right down the rack to the heaviest db you can do in excellent form. Don't try this until you have prepared with light weights. You will get so sore you might stay in bed a few days, not worth it. Perfect form always, stop as soon as form begins to break down. Here is a recent abstract on short rest intervals. I am trying to obtain the other article I came across that further documents brief rest intervals for strength and mass gains. I am heading for the gym to begin my new sessions of hierarchical work outs. I am not recommending them for you; you must make that choice yourself. I used to work my 78 year old mother out this way. It is safe if you plan and take care. And the results are unbelievable. Keep it brief and do only 3 such movements in a single work out and get out of the gym. If you leave tired, you over did it. You should feel fresh and alive.

In my counseling practice, I occasionally work with clients on developing meditation – or simply "relaxation" – practices. Many of my clients who are extremely accomplished in the world nevertheless have a very difficult time quieting the mind and finding a sense of peace. They are able to work 12-hour days, but find it nearly impossible to sit in silence for five minutes. These clients find traditional relaxation practices to be inaccessible. For them, I often recommend what I call the "slingshot approach." I want to share the approach because even those of us who are able to meditate regularly may nevertheless find ourselves in a particularly stressful phase of our lives. At these times, we too may find it difficult to access a sense of peace. The slingshot approach can help at these times. To use Course in Miracles terms, the slingshot approach involves spending five or ten minutes throwing our focus entirely to our "ego-oriented" thoughts and feelings. Instead of seeking out a sense of peace, we seek for exactly the opposite. We take an unabashed look at the angry, anxious, guilty, resistant, or otherwise misery-producing thoughts and feelings that are bouncing around in our minds. We unmask them completely. Our goal is focus on them as clearly and completely as possible. To describe this process, I often use the metaphor of a parent with a temper-tantruming child. If the parent ignores or argues back with the child, the child will likely continue his tantrum. But if the parent gives the child her full attention – even encourages the child to be more descriptive, more clear, more expressive about his distress – the sails of the tantrum begin to lose their wind. The child will likely begin to calm down as the parent listens actively to the child's description of his pain. But imagine, as the child quiets, that the parent encourages the child to keep going. "Tell me more," she says. "Keep describing your complaints and frustrations." Fairly soon, the child will run out of steam. He might actually begin to turn in the opposite direction. He might find that the last thing he wants is to continue to describe all his complaints. Similarly, when we spend five or ten minutes listening completely to the tantrums of the distressed mind – when we put it fully on-stage, fully under the bright spotlights with a completely attentive audience – we'll often find that it no longer needs (or even wants) to pull at our attention. It's at this time that we can "slingshot" around (or through) the distressed mind to a deep sense of peace, just as spacecraft slingshot around planets in order to launch in an opposite direction. We have given our ego-oriented part of the mind our complete attention. We have calmly listened to all of its painful thoughts and feelings. And now, as it quiets under the spotlights, we may find that it creates an opening to a sense of tranquility. This article originally appeared in Dan's free Quiet Mind newsletter. For a selection of articles, or to sign up for the newsletter, please click here. PHOTO (cc): Flickr / 5150fantast  

To kick off the new month of September, we are challenging the Intent community to post one new learning-related intent every day until September 30. During our 30 Days of Learning Intents, we want all of you to get in touch with your inner passionate and curious student of life, whether or not you are an official student at an educational institution or not. All of us, no matter what age we are, can and should learn as though we are going to live forever. So what are some things our community is interested in learning more about?  Here are some answers posted on Twitter:  Here are some answers posted on our Facebook page:    We are seriously super-excited to read for the rest of the month what all of you are planning on learning more about. Stay passionate and never stop growing! 

My learning intent for the month is to start everyday with being clear on my "WHY."    As a teacher and student of life, I am hungry for as much knowledge as possible, and I was lucky enough to be inspired by a man named Simon Sinek, who's sole purpose is in helping people find their "why."  WHY do we do what we do?  Not how, or what, but why.  It sounds simple, but if you think about it, our society doesn't usually dig that deep.  Our society is about products.  Because I am in the fitness world, I will just use that as an example.  Exercise programs, workouts, gyms, etc sell the "perfect, in-shape" body.  That's a product. That's a what.  It's a how - just follow these steps and you will get the perfect body.     But just because you may get the "perfect" body doesn't mean that you will be happy.  Getting the "perfect" body in no way guarantees your happiness because it is just working on the exterior.     But the intenSati practice that I developed encourages self-love.  It works on the inner and the outer...  The WHY of intenSati? Even though I was in amazing shape as a fitness teacher, I still had body image issues. And the only way to work on that was through changing my thoughts.  And changing my thoughts changed my life.   That is my WHY. That is why I created intenSati and want to share it with everybody.  Align your body, mind, and spirit so that you may love it all.  It is not a product. It is a why.   With any area of your life, ask yourself, are you trying to sell a product, a how or a what?  Or are you starting with your why?   PHOTO (cc): Flickr / e-magic

 I think an essential part of the grieving process is what I've heard called "liminal space," or a time between things. If you've had significant loss in your life, you know that there is a time period when you are beyond the intense period of crying but you still feel the pit in your stomach, and the missing still aches inside you. It's as if your head says to your body, "Okay, this person is gone. He/she is not coming back. You have honored them, grieved for them, allowed them the freedom to 'go,'...now it's time for you to move on." So, your head and logic know that it is time to figure out what is next and how to take that next step and yet part of you doesn't want to. You are in a state of liminal space. I can tell you right now, I think it is an absolutely okay thing to be in that place. It's a time that can lead to hope. I can also tell you, based on my own loss of my brother to suicide, that it is a place you can and will move on from when it is time. What does that mean? Well, I think that pieces of our heart or soul need time to process how the loss of the one we loved has changed our lives and how we feel (really feel) without them here. We need time to just 'be.' Two examples: 1. A death involving cancer. You may have taken care of someone with cancer and you have known that death was coming for a period of time. You hopefully have had the time to say your goodbyes.The process has been draining and the grief has been drawn out. There may have been periods of hope and dreams of recovery until in the end, the cancer won. Liminal space may mean a time of relief that the pain, the not knowing, the battle is over, even though it was lost. It may mean feeling a sense of freedom from all of the anguish and caretaking. Then one day you wake up and floods of tears or anger or some strong emotion takes over you and you know you need to take a look at what it is that will help you. And where you go next. 2. A death that happened quickly (a car accident, heart attack, etc.). When someone dies suddenly, shock takes over and in many ways puts a shield around the grieving person's heart. Protection from the intense wave of loss that came so suddenly. It's like being blindsided and not knowing how to get any balance back without that person in the world anymore. It's wanting to tell the person things you forgot to say and/or reliving things you didn't say. In the beginning, liminal space may mean times of denial, or just moving on as a shadow of your former self, just trying to survive. One day, you break down or shut down and you realize, you need help or you need to do something more to heal yourself. In any case, or at any stage of grief, allowing yourself to be where you 'are' and trying hard not to judge it (and asking the same of others) can be instrumental in allowing yourself to think more with your own heart. I believe the heart or soul can really lead us to what is next in our journey of loss WHEN we allow it to speak to us. When we trust our own heart to guide us, knowing that it isn't a perfect process (and at times we may not hear the right message but that we'll keep trying)...I believe it can lead us to a place of hope. And hope can be a really nice place to sit for a while. We don't have to think we are happy or even feel good, but if we can get to hope, we can begin to see that our heart can open more to loving ourselves, and even allowing others to love us deeper while we grieve.  Hope can be the key to knowing that we can make it through the next day. And maybe the next. And that maybe the next day we can smile or laugh or just enjoy something like a flower or the sunshine. And maybe we can find the one we loved and lost in those things, in that hope. Maybe we can allow them to be there with us and to speak to us from where they are and to comfort us in whatever way that manifests.  May some form of hope show itself today no matter how much you are hurting. 

I’m stymied by another article from The Wall Street Journal challenging the plausibility and benefit of corporate social responsibility.  In “The Case Against Corporate Social Responsibility“ Aneel Karnani takes the Friedmanite view that companies are primarily responsible for maximizing shareholder profits. To make his point that profit trumps social good, he focuses on the relationship between company executives and shareholders, “Even if executives wanted to forgo some profit to benefit society, they could expect to lose their jobs if they tried—and be replaced by managers who would restore profit as the top priority.”  This argument is untenable because in reality businesses are judged by more than shareholders–namely consumers.  And increasingly, consumers are choosing not to support companies that exploit the environment, employees, suppliers–even customers’ own health.  The relationship between Nike and its shareholders was irrelevant, for example, when Nike lost licensing agreements and student groups and advocacy organizations pressured the brand to compensate Honduran workers who lost their jobs when two subcontractors closed their factories. In the end, Nike gave $1.54 million as a relief fund for the workers. Karnani fails to mention these myriad drivers of business decisions. (Although whether this was an act of corporate social responsibility or a case of back-up-against-the-wall is another debate entirely). What I find more amazing than Karnani’s neo-Friedmanite argument is his belief that CSR is ”an illusion and a potentially dangerous one.”  He writes, “As society looks to companies to address these problems, the real solutions may be ignored…. The danger is that a focus on social responsibility will delay or discourage more-effective measures to enhance social welfare in those cases where profits and the public good are at odds.” Even if this were true (and I believe we have ample problems that require numerous solutions and partnerships between all sectors), there’s an ocean between using business to save the world and accepting that business bears no responsibility for its impact on society and the environment.  Somewhere in this ocean is corporate social responsibility. Perhaps in the end Karnani and I stand together against corporate social responsibility. He believes it’s an impossible expectation and I believe it’s not enough. Image credit: Homedir

By  Deepak Chopra and Annie Bond Surrender to Be Alive You can be alive as you want to be through a process known as surrender. This is the next step in conquering death. Surrender is the act of erasing the line between life and death entirely. Surrender is ... Full attention Appreciation of life's richness Opening yourself to what is in front of you Nonjudgment Absence of ego Humility Being receptive to all possibilities Allowing love --Adapted from The Book of Secrets by Deepak Chopra Coming Home? I was away for a week at the ocean and when I returned to the driveway of my rural home. My senses were alive in a way that was noticeably different from when I left. I was drawn to the mottled green light under the forest canopy. I connected to it, felt it, and sensed the peace there. That night I noticed the sound of the wind in the trees. I now hear the crickets, those amazing insects who chirp the perfect fifth together, what Lau Tzu referred to as the perfect balance of yin and yang, and universal harmony. I hear the sound of my feet on the dirt driveway. In the face of work and information overload, how long will this sense of connection, of being one with my surroundings, last? How long do I have before the line between my mind and my surroundings hardens? By Annie Bond, author of Home Enlightenment PHOTO (cc): Flickr / cosmonautirussi

 Ok, after the heady drunken-ness of beginning my new blog "Stories are good medicine", I thought I'd follow up by starting a tradition: Story Prescriptions. And my first story prescription? Pledge to read to your children at least 10 minutes every day. It doesn't sound like much, I know. Most of us already do it. Bedtime, bathtime, pottytime - we read. But do we do it religiously, every day? And do we keep doing it when our children become readers themselves? This father and daughter, highlighted in the New York Times in March, kept up with this all the way through high school - and they called it "The Streak."  And they didn't let anything - not high school parties, not trips away from home, not late night play rehearsals, break it. Who'll join me? I call a nation-wide gathering of parents to participate in a "streak" of daily reading to our children!  What would such an act possibly do? 1. Promote a shared intergenerational vocabulary 2. Model a love of words and learning 3. Associate words and stories with attachment, love and closeness. Stories become not something enjoyed in isolation, but a shared experience. It's these benefits that prompted my colleague and role model the pediatrician/writer Perri Klass to begin her organization Read Out and Read: which promotes literacy by giving children free books at every pediatric visit and having doctors give "prescriptions for reading." All I'm suggesting is that we pledge to continue daily reading well beyond baby and toddler-hood. That we read to our readers and non readers alike. Every day without fail. We're reading Pippi Longstocking at our house, a good a role model as any for finding joy thinking outside the box. Come on, parents, let's streak! ___   Here's a lovely coincidence, after I posted this, I saw that there's a great guest post on reading aloud (with a list of suggested books for older kids) on From the Mixed Up Files of Middle Grade Authors. Check it out! PHOTO (cc): Flickr / sierraromeo

Wallet, keys, phone. We seldom leave the house without those items. What about emergency numbers? Some painkillers? Your medication? It always pays to be prepared. You never know when your good karma reverses and life starts unexpectedly sucking in the form of a delayed flight, a cancelled appointment, a bleeding blister on your foot, or (knock on wood) something even more serious. And then there are things worth carrying in your purse, backpack or messenger bag anytime you leave the house--not so much for doom and gloom scenarios, but to simply make life more pleasant when a minor inconvenience gives you some extra downtime. A good book to read, for example. Or a spool of yarn and some knitting needles to kill time for long waits in doctor's offices, train stations, and restaurants.Or duh, some breath mints or chewing gum because you never know when you're going to have bad garlic and onion breath before a first date or an important meeting. So what are your absolute essentials to tuck into your backpack, clutch or man-bag before stepping out of the house? Here is a very arbitrary list to get you possibly inspired to be more prepared in the humdrum of everyday life. Because for that next apocalyptic day when the trains stop running, a freak traffic jam gridlocks the entire city, and a gaggle of colicky babies within hearing distance decide to thow the loudest screaming tantrum fit ever,  you can be serenely zenning out with your nose in your favorite book, earplugs in. PHYSICAL HEALTH - Band-aids - Painkillers  - Medications - Eyedrops - Earplugs - Extra contact lenses, contact lenses case, travel-sized contact lenses solution - Glasses case - Emergency phone numbers (because believe it or not, sometimes your cell phone can die and we are living in an age when people don't memorize phone numbers anymore.)  - Chapstick - A bag of raw almonds for healthy, non-perishable munchies - Travel-sized toothbrush and toothpaste - Tampons (major duh for ladies)  MENTAL HEALTH - A good book - Your portable digital music, podcasts and audiobooks - A small notebook and pen - A sketchbook - Sudoku or crossword puzzles - A flipcam or digital camera - Knitting tools MAJOR SAFETY - An extra wallet with a very small amount of cash and coins in an immediately accessible pocket of your purse or messenger bag. (One public safety article recommended to have this at all times so that if you are ever mugged, you can hand this wallet to the mugger who demands for your wallet, as the majority of the times muggers leave you alone after they get something from their victim.)  - If you want to be mega-uber-worst-case-scenario-handbook prepared, a spare housekey and ten bucks in your shoe LOOKING GOOD - Hairbrush - Small compact mirror - Breath mints - Travel-sized deodorant - Bobby pins - Whatever else you consider a bare-bones make-up-and-beauty essential (I will not bother listing it all out here)  ET CETERA  - Reusable tumbler, mug or bottle - Reusable shopping bags and totes - Reusable chopsticks in a pouch (I have one of these, and I'm so excited to whip them out like a pro when I'm otherwise deprived of eating utensils)  - Sunglasses - A bottle opener - A small zip drive on your keychain - Lots of quarters - A lighter - Like, five ballpoint pens stashed in every pocket. Is it just me or is it just an etched-in-stone Murphy's Law that you will always need freaking pen when you least expect it and you DON'T HAVE ONE? Got other random essentials you can't leave the house without? Share in the comments below!   PHOTO (cc): Flickr / Valerie Renee

Your friend used to be a confidante and cheerleader; suddenly, she turns into a frenemy. At this point all secrets shared are at risk for public broadcast; perhaps, she has bonded with another close friend making you feel like a third wheel. Strangely, you still have feelings for her and she is charming when you socialize.  How did this happen? Are you in some way responsible? Should you try to mend fences? Attributes of a frenemy Essentially a frenemy is a smiling competitor, someone who gives off mixed signals. Criticism and compliments are both freely given, but the criticism is sinister because it undermines one’s self-confidence. Everyone knows that criticism can be helpful and is necessary for development; this is why one needs a friend for a reality check. In contrast, the frenemy offers a destructive type of criticism. Also when asked for help, if a frenemy does agree – it is often too little and too late! The hallmark of a frenemy is to steal your time and space. You provide that shoulder to lean on. You are the mirror for her narcissism. However, there is no reciprocity. A frenemy will be too busy, too self-absorbed to be there for you. This makes you feel unworthy because you are being used. What should you do? Women have a hard time letting go of friendships. They feel like they have personally failed especially since friendships that go the distance are idealized in many magazines and talk shows. On some level women tend to expect a great deal from their friends, like being a mind reader; consequently, they do not ask for what they need or suppress their inner hurt, allowing resentment to harden like a painful callous. Here are 8 questions to help you decide if a frenemy is predominantly friend or foe and if it is her or  you? * Is your body giving off symbolic cues to help decode your emotions: a bad taste, a stomach cramp, a rapid heartbeat or a headache when you are with this person? * Does your friend often speak sarcastically to you, using humor to veil her insults? * Does your friend dwell on your misfortune, interrogating you about the smallest details of your illness, breakup or job loss? * Does your friend monopolize your time? * Is your friend self-absorbed, rarely complimenting you – manipulating you by tugging at your heart? * Are you shy about asking for what you want? * Do you wear more makeup or dress more carefully when you are with her? * Are you jealous of her? Do you feel less than when you are with her?