Bye 2011, welcome 2012

As we approach 2012 it's time for us to reflect upon this past year of 2011, and ask ourselves what we accomplished and what experiences we gained. Did we accomplish everything we set out to do? Did we learn a lesson from someone (if so, who?) and did we get rid of a "bad" habit, as we promised ourselves we would do? Did we pass on knowledge to someone or cared for someone in need? Did we lend an ear to someone who needed to be listened to ? and at the same time did we seek someone to sit and listen to us, and maybe ask for an insight, wisdom or advice for a solution to a problem we may have faced? The list is endless and private for each one of us, but nevertheless as important as anybody's.


One thing that is evident in our society today is thay we have little time to stop for a moment and ponder about such things (who cares? and why do we need to?). One only needs to watch TV, listen to the radio or read the latest news on-line to see how much importance we place on 'material things'. We stand in lines for not only hours , but days, to find and purchace the most coveted new gadget. We trample over people to get there 'first', and we even get violent if someone gets in our way. What has happened?


As I was doing some Christmas shopping last week, I shared a little story with the cashier, how I accidentally had dropped our TV remote in water and my husband had to go search for one that would work. So, then she shared an incident that happened to her son: as he was giving his dog a bath he leaned over and his NEW and latest I-phone fell out of his pocket and into the bath water. He was devastated. Well, I would be too--I only damaged the TV remote and was bent out of shape, but an I-phone? It would make anyone sick, knowing how much those things cost. We are so into our 'material stuff' (things we cannot live without). We are more busy texting, listening to music, surfing the internet, playing video games, and wrapped up with our latest gadgets, that we fail to spend time with people, or have any quiet time for ourselves. We are always busy, and constantly bombarded with information and 'noise', no matter where we go. We are on overload and we cannot hear ourselves think......


Well, I don't know how we got to this point, but I do know that we can make a change if we want to. We can stop being 'busy' with trivial things and start by scheduling quiet times for ourselves. Our bodies were not really created for all this. We were created to serve God and for helping and serving others. We were created for a purpose, but how can we discover our purpose if "we don't have time?" We stess out knowing that we barely can get the daily necessary things done, let alone take on another "project", "our purpose", right? I speak from personal experience. I am sure some of you out there feel the same way. (Sometimes I feel as though I exist to complete my "to do list", to finish the tasks that I take on, because I alone can get them done!!!yeah right!
Then, I find myself lacking the time to really do what I would really enjoy doing).


So, maybe we can work on making some changes this coming year-not a New Year's Resolution, per se, but just a promise to ourselves that we will cut out ALL unnecessary "busy work", so that we may discover where our time should really be spent. Maybe by doing that, we CAN discover our spiritual gifts and live out God's purpose for us instead of living our self-absorbed existence.


Each of us has different gifts. If it is serving, we should serve, if it is teaching, we should teach, if it is encouraging, we should encourage, if it is contributing to the needs of others, we should give generously, if it is leadership, we should govern diligently, if it is showing hospitality, we should do it cheerfully, or whatever other "gifts" we have yet to discover, we should focus on doing them well. (See Romans 12:6-8)


This year, let's focus on finding our God given purpose and waste less time on what other people or other things impose on our time. I believe that there is a BIG gap between what society wants us to spend our time on and what God wants us to spend our time on. In 2012 I intend to find out what that is for me. Won't you join me and do the same?

Time spent cannot be retrieved. As they say, life is not a dress rehearsal, we need to do it right the first time and stop wasting our time.

May you all have A Happy, Healthy and Productive New Year, and may we all make our time count, according to God's will and NOT our will!

The Legend Of Santa Claus

He has many names in many countries. In the western part of the world, he is known as Santa Claus, which is derived from the Dutch Sinterklaas. But the real Santa Claus was born in 270AD, in a place called Asia Minor, which is now the country of Turkey, by the way, my birth place. His name was Nicholas of Myra. His parents died when he was a teenager, leaving him a lot of money, making him a very rich young man. After Nicholas went to live with his uncle the priest, he heard of a man who had no money to feed and care for his three daughters. Each night, for three nights in a row, Nicholas quietly entered the family's home leaving a bag of gold in each of the daughter's stockings hanging by the fireplace to dry. The last night the father awoke to find Nicholas leaving the gold and said, "Nicholas it is you! Thank you for helping our family!" Nicholas replied saying, "Please don't thank me. Thank God that your prayers have been answered, and do not tell anyone about me."

Nicholas continued to help others in secret, and as the years passed, he was chosen to become a Bishop. He always found a way to protect and help those in need, showing them how to love God and care for each other. After Nicholas died on December 6, 346 AD, he became the Patron Saint of children, sailors, merchants, archers and students. And as many spoke of St. Nicholas's good deeds, Sailors traveled the world, spreading the wonderful stories of St. Nicholas and how he protected and cared for children and those in need.

All countries all over the world celebrate the Birth Of Christ, they also celebrate the tradition of gift giving to those less fortunate and to those they love. A tradition created so many years ago by St. Nicholas. In Istanbul, Turkey, where I grew up, I remember as a little girl, we would celebrate Christmas but we did not get any gifts then. On New Years Eve we would celebrate the coming of the New Year by eating, playing games, cards etc..and at Midnight we would open all our gifts, from "Santa Claus".

As I mentioned earlier, he has different names in different countries, but the tradition has been celebrated for all those centuries. There are many people all around the world and in our communities who can use our love, caring and giving. May we all remember to be as loving as Jesus Christ and as caring and giving as St. Nicholas to those who are less fortunate, in this blessed Holiday Season.

Merry Christmas and may you all have a Happy New Year.

5 Things that you cannot recover in life

1) The Stone......after it is thrown


2) The Word.........after it is said


3) The Opportunity........after it is missed


4) The Time..........after it is gone


5) The person ...........after they die





Let's be wise with our time, our words and how we treat others.


Have a Great Day!

Come see us at our upcoming Book Fairs

Come join us for a day of fun and activities for the entire family
Oct 2 and Oct 8


Sunday, October 2nd, 2011
9:30-4:30PM
Children's Book Festival
Orange Coast College
2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa, California
Free Admission



Saturday, October 8th, 2011
11:00-4:00PM
Children's Fall Festival
Bank of Books
748 E. Main St.
Ventura , California
Free



Also don't miss:
Saturday, Nov 5th, 2011
10:00-4PM
Ventura County Book Expo and Author fair
Pleasant Valley Community Park Auditorium
Camarillo, California


They will have high caliber speakers and educational sessions that will cover topics of importance to authors and writers

Hope to see you at one of these events

Live Long, Live Strong, Live Well.........

Well, that is what we all would love to do, but unfortunately, we don't always do the right things to keep us well and strong. We don't always eat right and although we know we need to exercise, few of us keep to a disciplined routine. I try to walk 3-4 times a week and always have good intentions of doing strengh exercises and aerobics, BUT other things tend to get in the way and the excuses are endless. We just got back from a 7-day cruise to Alaska, our first one, and we had a great time. We ate and ate and ate all that delicious food, but what was also great is that we also walked and walked and walked. Why is it that we can get up and walk with no problem when we are on vacation and yet we find excuses when we are at home?

Galen and I also attended a Health and Wellness EXPO at our local Senior Center the other day and we really enjoyed it. We took various screenings that they were offering, for free, and to our delight we passed them with flying colors! They said to continue to do whatever we are doing. So, that was good news, but I know we need to do even more to stay healthy. One of the things they had lots of information on was 'caring for the elderly'.

Since both Galen and I have been lucky to have had our parents live a long time (in their eighties) we have had our share of caregiving. One of the things that so many of us fail to do when we give care to a loved one is taking care of ourselves. Caregivers need care, just like anyone else and sometimes more. They can be unsung angels of mercy for those in need--but their own needs too often are ignored. If you are tending to a sick or elderly loved one in the home, for your own wellbeing, it is important to take good care of yourself. Even if you have a family member at an assisted living facility, it can still be a very stressful time in your life. Trust me on this one! Caring for someone doesn't only involve physical stress, but also mental and emotional.

Here are some suggestions on what you can do for yourself:

1. Stay on schedule with your own medical needs: medicines, checkups, screenings and tests
2. Maintain healthy eating habits and get plenty of rest. Take short naps, when possible
3. Stay active. Enjoy any kind of physical activity at least 15-30 minutes/day:
Walking, gardening, cleaning or just going up and down stairs
4. Manage stress. This is a big one. Giving yourself time to relax is an important part of self-care
5. Take some quiet time for yourself-go to a peaceful place alone-take a break and get some rest
6. Listen to some soothing music (if that is something you enjoy)
7. Get a massage once in a while, if it is possible-they have so many affordable places now
8.Talk to a friend, and if need be, seek help from others
9.Pray and meditate, and above all, keep a positive attitude--refuse to let your feelings or
circumstances rule you or get you down
10.Accept that things are what they are and forgive yourself for sometimes feeling angry,
or depressed or not wanting to include the person you care for in all aspects of your life

And remember, if you forget to care for yourself you will not be able to care for anyone else. When we're on an airplane and there is an emergency, we're always advised to put on the mask first and then put the mask on the child or the baby--what good is the mask on the baby if you're are unconscious, right?

Have a Blessed day.

Gifts That Money Can't Buy

I just finished an interview with a Greek-Australian Magazine, in Australia, and I am so thrilled about it. It was published in the August Issue....If you are interested in reading it, please go to http://www.alfamag.com.au/ ...You see, to me that is one of those gifts that money can't buy. A month ago, I wasn't even aware that there was such a magazine, but another Greek author who read my book, contacted the magazine in my behalf and it resulted in an interview (my first one in a magazine). I enjoyed doing it.


Here are some other things that money can't buy:


The gift of listening. Really listen to others-no interrupting, daydreaming, looking busy, shuffeling papers on your desk, or planning your response. I used to have a boss who while we were talking, would pick up the phone, do her paperwork etc...It drove me nuts. How important do you feel when people do that to you? We are all busy, but we can also find the time to pay attention to whoever is talking to us.


The gift of affection. Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. The most touching things I saw not to long ago was an elderly couple who had been married for 50 years, and they were still holding hands.


The gift of laughter. Share articles, cartoons and funny stories. Your gift will say, "I love to laugh with you". Who doesn't love to have a good belly laugh ? It is good for the soul. I have a friend who always make me laugh, just by the way she says things, with a good sense of humor, she makes me laugh out loud just reading something she wrote to me. Of course, my husband and I laugh a lot too.


The gift of a written note. Even if it's a simple "Thanks for your help" note, it may be remembered for a lifetime. It only takes a few minutes to write a little note, but it can speak volumes. If you read something that makes you think of somebody, or you think it would be useful to them, send it to them.When I get something in the mail like that, I feel that someone took the time to think of me, I try to do the same. How many people really are thinking about us? Not too many. Everyone is busy. So, when they do, it is special.


The gift of a compliment. A simple, sincere, "You look great in that color," can make some one's day. Don't be phony. Be truthful, find something to compliment them on. "You have a great smile" (if they do!). "You have a great attitude". Sometimes we'll say that to a check-out cashier or a salesperson helping us, and that brings a huge smile to their face.


The gift of favor. Every day, go out of your way to do something kind for someone else. It doesn't need to be big. Offer your seat to an elderly person, if you baked a cake or you have a fruit tree, give some to your neighbors. I love getting goodies from my neighbors and friends.
I witnessed a kind gesture by a young woman just the other day at the store: We were standing in a long line for the cashier. An elderly man in front of me was holding a beautiful porcelain male giraffe ..... this young woman came over to him and asked him if he knew that there was a matching part to what he was buying, a female giraffe, sitting down. He said yes, but he only was interested in this one, or something to that effect--I had seen them both also, so I knew what she was talking about. He paid for it and walked away. Before it was my turn she came over to me, she was holding the female giraffe and asked me if she could cut in line in front of me and pay for it. She said: he really should have them both. How thoughtful of her to do that-she probably figured he could not afford them both. So, that was, I thought, a gift of favor and an act of kindness. So I let her go before me and told her how nice of her to do that and we exchanged 'God Bless yous..., and have a pleasant day etc..etc..That made an impression to me. I should learn to do that sometime.


The gift of solitude. Be sensitive to other's time, don't waste their time and if they look like they want to be left alone, by all means leave them alone and give them space. Our days are crowded with so much that we need to be alone and silent sometimes. We are bombarded with noise where ever we go, music at the restaurants, stores, the Mall, the Internet, the TV, games in our computers and everything else in between.


and last but not least...................


The gift of a cheerful disposition. Project a positive attitude. No one likes to talk to a grouch or someone who is always complaining about something. We had a friend who recently passed away and everytime I called to see how she was doing, she would tell me about all her aches and pains and all the medications she took and on and on and on..Well, after a while I stopped calling. When you go on like that, youpush people away. We are all dealing with problems of our own, just keep yours to yourself.

Fascinating facts about water

1) Approximately 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
2)In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.
3)Even mild dehydration can slow down a person's metabolism as much as 3%.
4)One glass of water shut down midnite hunger pangs for almost 100% of dieters in a University
of Washington study.
5)Lack of water is the number one trigger of daytime fatigue.
6)Research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water can significantly ease back and joint pain
for up to 80% of sufferers
7 Just a small 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with
basic math and difficulty forcusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
8)Drinking five glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%,
plus it can cut the risk of breast cancer by 79% and bladder cancer by 50%.


Again, we need to drink water as much as possible, especially in hot weather, and eat water-rich fruits and vegetables. Here are some fruits and vegetables high in water content you can easily include in your diet:

• Broccoli



• Cucumber



• Spinach



• Bell peppers



• Cabbage



• Cauliflower



• Oranges



• Apples



• Bananas



• Grapefruit



• Tomatoes



• Asparagus



• Carrots



• Watermelon



• Cantaloupe



• Blueberries



• Grapes

ENJOY!

DRINK UP!!

Water is crucial in maintaining good health.........Especially in the summer months. Many of us routinely feel the effects of too little water. Although I know how important water is, I frequently forget to drink enough, unless I make a conscious effort. Reports say that dehydration is one of the most frequent causes of hospitalization after age 65, and that is partly because seniors often have a reduced sence of thirst. My husband, Galen, has dehydrated more than once and we had to take him to the hospital for treatment. Now, he is very careful about drinking the right amount of water (but not too much either--because if you drink too much you can wash out your electrolytes, and that is actually what happened to him). And, we have all heard about young people, dehydrating and dying on the football field. So, you can see how critical it is to drink, drink, drink our water (preferably filtered water-contact me if you need information about Water Treatment Systems). However, avoid too much coffee or sodas, they are more dehydrating, it is not the same as drinking water. For example: if you drink one cup of coffee, they say you will need to drink twice the amount of water. Also, along with the right amount of water, make sure you eat fruits and vegetables that are high in water content(I will post a list of them next time).

So, how do we know if we are drinking enough ? To calculate your daily water needs figure your weight in pounds and devide it by 2. For example: If you weigh 150lbs, you will need to drink about 75 ounces of water per day. 150:2= 75 (a little over 9 cups of water).

Some of the symptoms of dehydration may include:

• Dry mouth


• Limited tear production


• Thirst and weakness


• Decreased or unusually dark urine


• Sunken eyes


• Cracked lips


• Dizziness, drowsiness, nausea or feeling faint


• Irritability


• Confusion

Since water makes up more than two thirds of the weight of our bodies, it is very important that we keep our bodies hydrated. The human brain is supposed to be made up fo 95% water, blood is 82% and our lungs 90%. We can live for weeks without food, but only a few days without water. So DRINK UP! and keep the world's most advanced machine "your body" running at its optimum.

By the way, have you ever tried "PERFECT WATER"? We enjoy it daily and feel a big difference. The Perfect Water is purified, ionized and remineralized, and it tastes great. If you would like to try it, you can contact me on gsb1@quixnet.net.

It's healthy to be thankful all year 'round

Practice Gratitude for Wellness sake....


Did you know that giving thanks year 'round can have a very real impact on your physical health? According to research done at the University of California at Davis, "grateful" people are healthier people. They take better care of themselves and engage in more protective health behaviors like regular exercise, a healthy diet and regular physical exams. "Gratitude" research is beginning to suggest that feelings of thankfulness have tremedous positive value in helping people cope with daily problems and especially stress. They tend to be more optimistic, which boosts the immune system. At the University of Illinois, studies done among cultures around the world found that the people of Ireland where they boast of a "count your blessings" culture, life satisfaction is among the highest.


So, if you would like to cultivate an "attitude of gratitude" here are some suggestions:


1) Keep a gratitude journal---Last year around Thanksgiving someone suggested writing a 'thank you" note daily and dropping it in a "gift bag". By the time next Thanksgiving comes around everyone shares their notes at the Thanksgiving dinner. I thought it was a great idea and started implementing it. I have the bag by the kitchen area and although I sometimes forget to do it, it keeps me on track, because when I don't do it for a few days, I feel like I am missing something. It is like keeping up with your to-do list, daily. It forces me to stop and be thankful for at least one think for that day. I can't wait to pull out my little notes at Thanksgiving day! I am sure there will be some surprises (some will be funny and some silly and simple, I am sure), since I would have forgotten some of the things I've written about. So give this a try, and see if it works for you.


2) Make a list of all the positive things and people in your life---Then ....consider how much you take those people for granted. Is it your spouse, your parents, your children, you boss, your friends, people you work with? even your pets? It could even be your job, or all the material things you have. It is different for everyone of us. This exercise can help you have a visual reminder.

I found that when I did that, I discovered that as I kept writing, more people and things came to mind. You would be surprised how many you can come up with.


3) Let your 'self-talk' be optimistic and appreciative---This will help you count your blessings. If you are in a challenging situation right now, try to re-frame it from a negative to a positive. For example: if you are trying to cope with a troublesome co-worker, or a family member, instead of seeing that person as a buren or a thorn in your side, think of him or her as giving you a chance to improve your patience, understanding or compassion. I try to do that whenever possible, which gives me a different perspective. Although at times I find it to be difficult and very challenging, I try to learn from the experience. I stop to ask myself, what it is that God is trying to teach me or teach the other person?

Even if I can't figure it out, it seems to calm me down and give me peace.

Try it for a while, you have nothing to lose.

1 Out of 10

Not too long ago I read in an article that the famous author Kipling, best known for the Jungle Book, made a fortune from his writing career. One day a reporter said to him that it was once calculated that from his books he made $100/word. So, he gave him a $100 and asked him to give him one of his hundred-dollar words. Mr. Kipling took the bill, put it in his pocket, looked at the reporter and simply said: "THANKS".





"THANKS" is, indeed, a valuable word-but not just because of the powerful meaning it conveys; it is a word far more rarely spoken in sincerity than one would think. And strangely enough, ingratitude is a persistent epidemic in our society, even in the midst of overabundance. How can we get so much and yet thank so little?





My husband and I recently attended a couple of graduation parties, and birthday celebrations. I was pleasantly surprised to receive thank you notes from a few of the 'gift recipients'. One of them (actually the youngest of them) even took the extra step and wrote a few very thoughtful quotes, besides her message; she wrote: 1) cheerful people are like sunshine, cheering up everybody around them 2) wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been and 3) of all the things you wear-your expression is most important.....those quotes were taken from the little book which was part of her gift..which made it a more personal note. A lot of people don't say thanks. It's implied, isn't it? But I remember a friend telling me why she decided to withdraw her name from the family Christmas gift swap-nobody ever thanked her for her presents. I hear this from many people. I enjoy cards, sending them and receiving them. Whenever I am in a gift shop I buy thank you cards and keep a supply at hand, my husband still writes them too.We send dozens of them out and never know what the recipients do with them, but it makes me feel good and I have come to appreciate the importance of this tradition/etiquette.





Maybe the reason more people don't send them is because they don't know what to say, but that is not the point. It doesn't matter how eloquently you can state your gratitude, just the simple act of saying thanks is enough. When we take a moment to express our appreciation, we acknowlege the efforts of others who give generously when they don't have to. When we do it, we bless them and blessings come back to us twofold.





In the Bible, Luke 17:11-19, Jesus and his disciples were travelling to Jerusalem on the border of Samaria and Galilee when they encountered ten men suffering from leprosy. These men stood at a distance because they were 'unclean'. The were not allowed to go to the Temple or live with their families, they were forced to stay outside the city. As they stood at a distance they called to Jesus: "Master, have mercy on us". Jesus responded to their pleas and healed them from a distance. He told them to go and show themselves to the priests in Jerusalem, and the 10 men were completely healed of their leprosy on the way. What makes the rest of the story interesting is that the only one who came back to THANK Jesus was a Samaritan. He praised God in a loud voice and threw himself at Jesus' feet, and thanked him. Samaritans were looked down by the Jews of that day, and were considered unclean and inferior in spiritual standing and they were excluded from temple worship. Yet, when this Samaritan figured out that God had healed him, he came back. The Jews, who would now be in good standing with their communities and temple worship, since they were cleansed, were too eager to get their religious status back that,they missed God Himself. So, Jesus asked the disciples, probably with great sadness, "were not all 10 cleansed? Where are the other 9? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner"? (V17-18) When Jesus healed these men, not only did he give them physical health-he also restored their independence, because they could now re-enter society and earn a living to feed themselves and their families. When we sincerely thank someone, we are acknowledging the fact that the person did something for us which we did not do for ourselves. A confession like this is sometimes an assault to our pride. That is often why we don't do it-we don't like admitting that we need others. Jesus did not revoke the healing from the other nine lepers because they failed to thank him, but when we take God's gifts and run, never confessing our gratitude and dependence, we miss out. When we choose to live with continuous gratitude we receive an intimate friendship with the Giver Himself.





Same thing applies today. We must actively thank the people who make or have made a difference in our lives. We should establish a daily habit of noticing the gifts and grace that we receive. Everyone needs a kind word of appreciation, so by all means, take time to write thank-you notes. Do it and see what happens.





Happy 4th of July and Happy Independence Day--as we thank those who made it possible for us. Let it not be forgotten that America has fought in more wars for the freedom of other peoples than any other nation in history. America's history is one that we can be proud of.

Some interesting books

I just finished reading two very interesting and totally different books. "Getting Lucky at Eighty",by Ms. Mavis Mathews, who at 85 years old published her own auto biography. She tells her story from the time she was a very young girl, until she was eighty years old. The book was meant to be read by her family only, but then she decided to publish it. It was very inspirational.

The second book is called Giorgi's Greek Tragedy. It is a novel about two brothers in the 1800's Greece, a time under the Ottoman occupation. It tells the story of the freedom fighters and their lives of hardship and survival.

Two different time periods and two different and diverse stories, yet they both deal with the human element and our lives of love, hate, survival and forgiveness.

See my reviews on Amazon.com.

How to quickly get rid of skunk stink

Many of us who have pets have found ourselves one time or another having to clean them from a nasty skunk spray. My neighboor's pitbull was skunked three times!! Although there are many new products on the market today that will help you wash away the horrible smell, did you know that there is also a product that most of us have in our refrigerator? BEER. I just found out about it very recently.

So, if your curious Fido has crossed paths with a skunk, and smells so foul that you can barely get near him, here is the fix: Rub a can or two worth of beer into his coat, then rinse with water and bathe him with doggie shampoo to remove any beer scent. Beer's yeast cultures will penetrate the skunk spray's water resistent oils so the brew's carbonic acid can dissolve them. Plus, the alcohol will kill odor-causing bacteria, resulting in a fresh-smelling cuddle buddy!

I hope you don't ever have to do this, BUT if you ever had to, hope that this quick fix will work for you.

The Happiest People.....

Just wanted to share this quote I ran accross this morning.

"The happiest people don't, necessarily, have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have".

Next time we want to complain about something we don't have and make ourselves miserable, this would be a great quote to remember!

Life is too short...............

Life is too short to wake up with regrets..So, love the people who treat you right and forget about the ones who don't.

Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it-and if it changes your life, let it!

Have a great week.

Helpful tips about depression

The other day I ran accross an article from the American Heart Association regarding what they recommend to do, if you or anyone you know is suffering from mild to prolonged or severe Depression. So much is going on in our world today and so many people are discouraged and disillusioned that I thought I would share what the article said. It is nothing new, mostly things we know, but it doesn't hurt to hear it again.


Adopting the following habits is a way to help protect you from the harmful effects of depression-related stress.


Talk with family and friends
A dialy dose of friendship is great medicine. Call or write your friends and family and share your feelings, hopes and joys.


Engage in daily physical activity
Regular physical activity relieves mental and physical tension. Physically active adults have lower risk of depression and loss of mental functioning. Physical activity can be a great source of pleasure, too. Try walking, swimming, biking or dancing evey day.


Accept the things you cannot change
Don't say, "I am too old." You can still learn new things, work toward a goal, love and help others.


Remember to laugh
Laughter makes you feel good. Don't be afraid to laugh out loud at a joke, a funny movie or a comic strip, even when you are alone.


Give up the bad habits
Too much alcohol, cigarettes or caffeine can increase stress. If you smoke, decide to quit now.


Slow down
Try to pace instead of race. Plan ahead and allow enough time to get the most important things done.


Get enough sleep
Try to get six to eight hours of sleep each night. If you can't sleep, take steps to help reduce stress and increase your physical activity which may improve the quality of sleep.


Get organized
Use "to do" lists to help you focus on your most important tasks. Approach "big" tasks one step at a time. For example, start by organizing just one part of your life-your car, desk, kitchen, closet, cupboard or drawer.


Practice giving back
Volunteer your time or return a favor to a friend. Helping others helps you.


Try not to worry
The world won't end if your grass isn't mowed.


These are such common sence advice and we don't need to work on them all at one time, but if we can make it a point to work on one thing and master that, then we can go on to the next and the next, and the next, until we get thru them all. Although I try to practice many of them myself, there are still some that I struggle with or need to work on, but that's what makes life interesting...keep learning and doing new things and when you see the positive results you will want to do more.

It's all Part of the Dance

I just finished reading a real good, uplifting book by Dr. Alan Gettis, it's called: It's all Part of the Dance: Finding Happiness in an Upside Down World. We are all looking to make our lives a little bit better and a little bit happier....so if you are looking to exchange Unhappiness for a little more Happiness and want to take control of your life, this is a great book to read.

You can read my complete review on Amazon.com

What can we learn from the geese?

So often we look to the sky and see the geese flying about or migrating to some far away place. It is fascinating to watch their "V" formation. Scientists have studied this flying pattern and what they discovered is very interesting, and something that is applicable to all of us.

FACT: As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

People who share a common direction and sense of community, can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the trust of one another.

FACT: Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone, and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front.

There is strength, power and safety in numbers when traveling in the same direction with whom we share a common goal.

FACT: When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies in front.

It pays to take turns doing hard jobs. Don't burn out doing all the hard work and don't burden others with so much that they will burn out.

FACT: The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

We all need to be remembered with active support, encouragement and praise.

FACT: When a goose gets sick or is wounded and falls out, two geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until the crisis resolves, and then they launch out on their own or with another formation to catch up with their group.

We must stand by each other in times of need.


I am so glad that there are more Geese in life than turkeys. Let's remember to uphold each other in friendship and give each other a big "HONK" as often as possible!!

WHAT WILL MATTER ?

It just seems like not too long ago we were getting ready for Christmas and New Year festivities and here we are already end of January. Well, last year was just that, last year. I am glad it is behind us. A friend sent me this beautiful reminder and I thought I'd share with you. I don't know who the author is, but it sure is well worth sharing, I hope you will agree.



Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, no hours or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else. Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.



It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed. Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear. So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.



The wins or losses that once seemed so important will fade away. It won't matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.



It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant. Even the gender and skin color will be irrelevant.



So WHAT will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

• What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built


• What will matter is not what you got, but what you gave


• What will matter is not your success, but your significance


• What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught


• What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched , empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example


• What will matter is not your competence, but your character


• What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a loss when you are gone


• What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you


• What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what

Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident---It is not a matter of circumstance, but of choice.

Choose to live a life that matters!