ARE YOU BREATHING? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 144

When I was a little girl I would hold my breath when I had to take medicine, have a shot or a vaccination. The doctors would tell me to breathe and not hold my breath.  When I lived in cold climates and had to drive on wet or icy roads I would hold my breath until the possible danger had passed.  As I got older and needed to exercise I would hold my breath when I was doing something strenuous or using a machine that I happened to dislike.  The trainer or coach would tell me to stop holding my breath.  Then when I had a number of life-threatening surgeries I found that much of the time I would be holding my breath.  Again, the doctors and nurses would tell me to take deep breaths to ease the pain, to lessen the nausea, etc.  Most recently I have had physical therapy for several different problems, and the therapist told me to stop holding my breath.  I guess old habits die hard, but I am trying to reduce the stress in my life and my body by remembering to breathe.

What about you?  Do you hold your breath?  Do you breathe shallowly instead of deeply?  What makes you hold your breath?  The good advice I am trying to take is to put my shoulders back, sit up or walk straightly, and

BREATHE DEEPLY!

WHEN? WHEN? WHEN? - CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 60

What are your hopes and dreams?  Do you want to start a business?  Is it time to start a new diet and exercise program?  Do you have a pet needing obedience training?  Is there a new hobby or skill you want to pursue?  Is there a trip you are pining to take?  Do you have a lot of debt needing to be repaid, or do you want to have a savings plan?

For whatever thoughts are rolling around in your mind, have you established a start date?  What are you waiting for?  Things to slow down at your day job?  The children to be older?  To save enough money?  The start of a new week or a new month?  To find someone to teach you?

It has been proven time and time again that the old Chinese proverb is true:

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Getting started can be as simple as doing some online research about what is required in your location to open a business.  You can research competition for your idea, copyright or patent laws and applications, legal decisions, licensing, and free webinars to give you encouragement and information.  

Getting started can be as easy as lacing up your walking shoes and walking around the block each day until you build up stamina to do more.  It can be as simple as signing up for an exercise program at the community center in your town.  It can just mean giving up fast food or junk food for the day or the week to get into the spirit.

Getting started may require nothing more than watching free tutorials on You Tube or searching for information on eHow.  You can learn how to bake a pie, make a dress, build a bookcase and almost anything else just by utilizing the Internet resources.  If you don't have a computer go to the public library and use one of theirs.  If you are not computer savvy then borrow books that will show you how to do whatever you hope to learn.

Getting started means just that............getting started!  Keep track of your expenses daily for at least a week.  Review the list and learn where your money is going and the difference between what is necessary and what is desirable.  What can you eliminate painlessly and use that money to pay down your debts.  Just throwing your change in a jar at the end of each day can ultimately provide a source to begin a savings account or to add to debt repayment.

Today's message answers the question of when to start:

TODAY IS THE DAY!

DO YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 29

Phew!  Just getting this blog in under the wire as it is 10:45 P.M. and this day will soon end.   My apology for being late in the day with the blog...............will try to do better each day going forward.

I do hope you believe in yourself.  If not, then I encourage you to take steps to start believing in yourself as it is the key to success.  Glean some hope from this daily blog and apply the words of the day to your own life.  Think of them, exercise them daily, and see what happens.

Today's message is:

Go confidently!

ARE YOU STRESSED? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 23

Life seems to be particularly filled with stress these days.  No matter your age, occupation, health, family, or income we are all susceptible to stress.  Stress is very damaging to  health and well being so it is crucial that you take care of yourself and find ways to relieve your stress.  Exercise, hobbies, music, volunteering, resting, reading and meditating are all known to be stress relievers.  Find what works for you.

Today's message is

Defeat Stress

CARE FOR MYSELF - CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 19

Today's message is

Care for myself!

Many of us have been raised from childhood to care for others, and as parents many of us have put ourselves last.  It is not selfish to care for yourself.  In fact, if you do not take care of yourself you may very well not be around to take care of others who depend on you.

Today's blog post is brief because today I need to take care of myself.  I am not feeling well today so I am going to practice what I preach and take care of myself.

I hope all of you will take great care of yourselves!  We get only one body in this lifetime and we hope it lasts a very long time.  Eat right.  Exercise.  Seek medical care when needed.  Pamper yourself at times.  Get enough sleep.  Rest when you are tired.  

Happy 2013

Now that the Christmas decorations have been packed away for another year and my house returned to some semblance of normalcy, I want to take time to wish all of you a very happy, healthy and blessed New Year.

I could not resist making a few resolutions (like many people I make resolutions but break them within days ............a very unattractive quality I think).

• The usual one topping my list is there again..........losing weight by getting more exercise and eating healthier food.  I am pleased to report that at least the number of pounds I need to lose is less than this time last year (when I had my lung surgery I lost 15 pounds, but I do not recommend that as a way to do it).  
• The next one always on my list is to get control of spending and saving (perhaps our government will ultimately provide some ideas if ever they are able to cut spending to match their revenues...........a novel concept).  
• My third and last resolution is to spend more time working on my Internet business selling handmade clothing and accessories for babies and toddlers.  Life-threatening health problems the past three years pulled my attention away from my business, but if I am healthy in 2013 (God willing) then I plan to focus more time and attention on my website www.malcolmfortots.com and my ETSY shop www.malcolmfortots.etsy.com  

I have no idea if you made resolutions or what your resolutions are, but I do know they are usually easier to make than to keep.  That being said, I wish you much success in keeping yours.   Perhaps by including mine in this blog post it will hold me more accountable than in previous years.

As the world seems to be embroiled in turmoil, anger, financial ruin, tragedies, divisiveness, etc. my primary resolution should be that I will do my part to contribute to Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men.  Mahatma Gandhi said something to the effect that we should be the change we want to see in the world.  Therefore, I hope I can be more patient, more tolerant, more helpful, and more positive.  Like the song says,
"Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me."

Happy New Year, everyone!  May there be peace, happiness and good health in your lives.