Time Passages

Boy, I tell ya...time sure has a way of flyin' on by...can't believe it's been two months since I last posted here. I have really been involved with lots of business and personal stuff!


My team has grown and needs daily involvement for ME to also grow and prosper along with them. If you haven't visited my team site, you might want to wander off for a moment over there and look around at how we work together from all over the country (and in other countries, too) and have a profitable home business offering value to moms, dads, boomers, retirees, students, and just about anyone!


We are still adding on to my house for my parents' benefit...they get to move in with me (only child and all that). YIPPEE! After considering that for awhile, I re-planned the new addition to hopefully give me more of a private space. After all...being a "boomer" gal...kids are grown and have their own lives and hubby and I have been alone for quite awhile with only the "doglets" as company. Mommy and Daddy moving back in is a shock to the system, and the stories I have heard from others prompted me to find the best solution and floor plan to create separate spaces.


By the way, I researched and tried to find some other way to make Mom and Dad (mine) happy, healthy, and safe. I have considered all sorts of options like nursing homes (WOW, are those expensive or what?!?), but the parents really don't need nursing. They are healthy, just not mentally able to handle the day-to-day cooking, cleaning, dressing, finances, etc. I am blessed with their health, though. How about a retirement center? Well, not just expensive, but they don't offer the sort of care they need. OK. So, I compromised and have them now with a home care company that pretty much supplies maids and companions that cook, etc. Still, pretty expensive stuff.


I also have a girlfriend that goes in and cleans and cooks for a day or two each week. I tell you, though...both of these options that I am currently using are also a real budget strain. With running two home businesses, it doesn't leave ME the time I need to run over there constantly, and the solutions I have put in place just aren't feasible in the long term.


SO...I digress. I am building on. Still. Have barely broken ground. They were supposed to BE here by now, and I am stuck with a lake of water (thanks to the Oklahoma floods this year) and muddy backyard that my pooches can't even use...more on my adventure soon if I EVER get this project off the ground...or in the ground...or grounded...or anything!

Secrets....

Along the same lines, have you seen "The Secret"? You can order the DVD online on my Squidoo lens, and I tell you...if you work at home, work outside the home, have any relationships in your life, or have always wondered why there are others who seem to "have it all" while you're just plugging away at life, I can't urge you enough to get the DVD yourself and watch it at least once a week for the next six weeks!
There's a lot of motivational books and tapes out there, but this one has got to be on the top of my list. If you really want to age gracefully and live life, get the "Secret" insight of what others who are highly successful do to be so "graced".
My team has been having a Saturday morning class just on "The Secret". We have an exemplary team leader that has put together life lessons and assignments from the DVD. It's amazing to hear the changes in others' lives that I have been working with for some time. The Secret is the reason for the change!
Happy, successful, motivated, contented, positive...does this sound like you? If so, you have probably been exposed to many of the "Secrets" of life before. If not, then...what are you waiting for? Get that DVD or go watch it right now! There's some books on my Squidoo site that you also might enjoy...check them out and order right there on my site! Get busy and do it...just might change your life like it has millions of others!

Failing Forward and Aging

I recently read John Maxwell's "Failing Forward". What a motivational book! I invite you to apply the principles he uses. The subtitle is "turning mistakes into stepping stones for success". How many of us wish we could do that? What mistakes have you made that you would give just about anything to undo?


The point he makes over and over again is that WE cause ourselves so much pain and grief by living and re-living these mistakes in our minds over and over and over...causing much of our own heartache. We have to reach outside ourselves and find lessons, then take them to heart...and then, and only then are we able to finally lay the mistake to rest and move on.


It's all in how we look at experiences that affect our futures. If we fixate on particular events (and who is ever fixated on something good?), we need to focus on the LESSON rather than the FAILURE. Everyone has negative things happen to them, but Maxwell says that if we act negatively, then continually replay these events in our minds...that is what causes failure...and more failures heaped on top of that one!


Maxwell talks about Thomas Edison (remember that he failed so many times that it's nearly un-countable!) by saying that Edison believed that failure is actually conceit. "People don't work hard because in their conceit, they imagine they succeed without ever making an effort." I have seen this so many times with girls and guys that want to work from home. They love the idea of working with a team of successful people, but they forget that one little "four letter word"...WORK.


So, what does all this have to do with aging gracefully...or not at all? Well, if we have a happy, positive outlook on life, it can't help but give us positive, energizing thoughts. Those thoughts have magic! In our appearance, in our carriage, and actually CAUSE us to feel successful and contented. If you don't believe me, then you need to read more, and hey...get the DVD "The Secret" and then we'll talk!

Reminiscing and Recollections

I was working today on my Squidoo Lens and started recalling all the neat old stuff that we women are prone to remember. Stuff like first dates, dances at school, what I wore to my "first prom", college frat parties, junior high fashion (LOL) and started thinking about how many changes we have had in not just our outlook on life, but on our way of thinking!
Do you remember how sure you were in High School that you could change the world? How absolutely certain our whole generation was that we knew it all and would make a difference?
What do you think now? Do YOU feel that we have done what we set out to do? I am interested in hearing your thoughts.
What about the impact we've had? Do we still have a chance to change things? Should we try? What have been our best accomplishments? Where did we leave our footprints in the sand? Will someone remember us? Is that important to you?
I believe we HAVE changed much of the world...some things are much better, others probably aren't. Space travel has opened up a whole new universe for us. Is the world ready? By that I mean, is the world "grown up" enough to accept the idea of planetary travel? Do you think it is possible in our lifetime? What about music? NO ONE can say we didn't leave an impact there! Religion. How has our search for answers impacted the world's religions? Spirituality. Do you think we as a group are more spiritual or less?
Work. WOW. Away back when, women stayed home, then we all decided we were good enough to work, just like the men. Has that affected our homes and families? Is that why there's such a trend to work at home? Moms are finding that leaving their babies to be raised by sitters and daycares may not be the best thing for the family. How does this affect the entire population? Will we eventually all be working at home, except for the "menial" laborers that have to run the retail stores? Or, will we just all buy online and do away with malls?
Do you see what we have left our children as a good legacy or bad...or somewhere in between?

You're only as old as you FEEL?

Well, I suppose that may be true...we've all heard it enough anyway! Did you ever see a 60-year-old that you thought was over 80? About one that you thought "might be" 40-or-so? Why do you suppose that's the way it works? Good genes or good JEANS?
Did you know that people that are active actually age less? Then, why is it that so many of us are unhealthy, inactive, couch potato types? Is exercise a "four-letter" word?
Only one in five New York adults engages in the regular and sustained physical activity that is needed to reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and other health problems which lead to premature death or disability (according to a recent joint CDC and New York State Health Department survey).
So, you don't live in New York so you don't have to worry, right? Well...NOT. What's the big deal about exercising anyway? Why do so many people hate it so much? It's NOT fun? Nah...we are just too busy to be bothered! That's for "older" people that "need" it...girls, that's US! Horror! We're getting there and we're UNhealthier than our parents were at our age, even though we are gonna live LONGER!

Regular physical exercise can:

• Reduce your level of anxiety (there's that STRESS level again).
• Help you manage stress more effectively.
• Improve your positive self-esteem and confidence (motivation and confidence again).
• Help alleviate depression (poor me).
• Improve your appearance (beauty tips, too!).
• Help you relax (aahhh...a great massage).
• Combat the likelihood of many degenerative problems (UNhealthiness).
• Improve your overall quality of life (now you're talkin').
• Teach you about goal setting and dedication (and get rid of that J.O.B., too!).
• Assist in efforts to stop smoking (even though I do, I am planning to quit stinkin' up the environment soon).
• Help to relieve and prevent migraine headache attacks.
• Help you sleep more restfully (and I have a snorer to live with, too!).
• Help improve your immune system (better energy levels, etc.).

The all-important first step...get off the couch and outta the house! Walk the dog, go walk around your yard, clean up the toilets...MOVE IT or lose it, as they say. More tips and some fabulous info at AHealthCafe. They offer free seminars and newsletters...check it out.

If YOU'RE older, how about your PARENTS?

Boy, I tell you! Today I received a 5:00 am call from my elderly (96, yes he's old enough for my grandfather) father. He said that he needed help...apparently he and my mother had both fallen, but Mother was in bad shape. So, hubby and I threw on some clothes, ran to their home, and checked out what had happened.
Do you watch horror movies? That's what came to mind when I saw my sweet (88 yr. old) mom. She had fallen and cut a really bad gash in her forehead and one at the corner of her eye. Poor thing. I took her to the ER for stitches. Nasty stuff, that.
What does one do when their loving parents are the ones that need to be cared for just like a small child? Has anyone had any experiences they'd like to share, or even questions? I'd love to start a discussion on parenting the parents. Maybe a new blog is in the wings?
I have made a searching and fearless decision (finally, after 2 years of agonizing and checking out various options) to add on a new wing to my house. They have to be taken care of, and we simply don't have the room in our current home. Rather than taking on a HUGE added expense of building a new home right now, we have decided to give my parents the old wing and build a new one for us. That means that I will now have "big kids" underfoot all day 24/7/365. Pretty scary stuff. Not sure if I am ready for that type of commitment, but, hey, they ARE my parents and did pretty well by me.
I've searched out all kinds of things, and this seems to be the best for us right now. If you have any links or ideas to share, LET ME KNOW!

Are you Motivated and Younger Yet?

Does that thinking right stuff seem dumb? Well, some detractors say so, I even heard it on the Today show this morning about "Secret" blasters. Have you seen the Secret yet? It's not a "Secret" anymore, by the way. I have had the DVD for awhile now, and have heard even more about the law revealed in the Secret.
What do you think?
Can you think right and change things? Of course, scientists will say not...they aren't the most positive bunch of examples, anyway. What do they know? They can't see it, so it's not there? Well, duh...SCIENCE used to put leeches on people and drain their blood, too.
I say the scientists need to go back to their microscopes and leave the rest of us alone. The majority of them don't even believe in God, spiritual stuff, or anything that can't be proven by their own set of laws. Scientists once told Columbus he was stupid, too.
I know too many people, including myself, who see a difference in their lives when they think they do! That might be an oversimplification, you have to actually believe the difference will happen, but hey, IT DOES!
Can you think yourself younger? I think so! I think many people who think right also look right! Maybe that because the way they treat themselves is different from the rest of the crowd, but who wants to look like an old crone at 50? That's too close for comfort for me...I don't wanna look or feel old!
Hey...my dad, he's 95...yep, old enough to be my grandfather, and you know...NO ONE thinks he's 95. They think he's in his 70's. There's lots of reasons for that, and I promise to do some stuff about that sometime, but there's one thing I can tell you that he's done all his life. He's got this office in his house...it's got bookcases built in all the way around the room and they are packed. All sorts of books, but the one topic that ties most of them together is motivational. Inspiration, positive thinking, all sorts of how-to's and that sort of self-help stuff. Who's gonna tell me that it doesn't have something to do with how he ACTS, LOOKS, and FEELS?
He thinks it does, and after all...that is what matters!

The "Blast the Bad Thoughts" email

I promised I would have Mike's entire email, so here it is...I really like the Think Right Now site. They offer some gimme stuff, and free, inspiring emails...I mean, really...who thinks right now all the time? By the way, I don't work for or with Mike, I just enjoy his emails! So, no profits here, thought you might enjoy reading the entire thing!

- Not again! Why does this always happen to me?
- What can I do to get even with them?
- Why do I always fall for his tricks?
- Why am I always the last one to be picked?
- How come I always get the worst territories?
- Why is she demand so much from me?
- How will we survive?

There are no good answers to these questions. So why is practically everyone alive addicted to asking them?
The answer is because there is no school that teaches how to ask yourself empowering instead of disempowering questions.
It's because there are no perfect parents who were trained by THEIR parents from the time they were kids to ask themselves questions that created optimism and determination and happiness.
If more people saw themselves as able to handle any challenge that came along, more people would accomplish more things in their lives and wouldn't be worrying about what everyone else was doing.
If more people learned how to "shrink down" the size of their problems and experience their setbacks and failures in such a way that when things weren't go well, they felt inspired instead of beaten-down, there would be much more happiness in the world and less anger, jealousy and dishonesty. If their problems didn't look and feel so big, the average person would be less concerned with mere survival and would be able to concentrate on building a great life.
If more people could just put a smile on their face and find a way to enjoy themselves in their labor, better products would result, cleaner neighborhoods would be the norm everywhere, more people would be physically fit, there would be less crime and drug abuse, etc., etc., etc.
If more people were to learn how to move their focus off the pain of the past, they would be able to see and grab the opportunities of today that are all around them.
If more people were less fixated on what everyone thought of them, they would be able to think more about what is truly important to those other people, they could provide more of it, and more people would love them.

This is just the teeniest, tiniest glimpse into what can happen when you elevate the quality of your thinking.
You can feel wonderful almost all of the time by manipulating your perceptions (your thoughts).
You can get more done, do it better and in less time every day of your life if you could control your focus (thoughts) and raise the quality of work that you are willing to accept from yourself.
The nature of life on Earth is always going to be uncertain.
There are never any assurances that if you do everything right that everything will work out for you. It probably won't!
So, the best thing that any of us can do during our short time here on Earth is to discover our purpose/mission in life, do the things that give us the pleasure without hurting ourselves or others and make a positive difference to as many people as we can.

Helping people to do those things is my purpose and the mission of Think Right Now International.
You will achieve what you want to achieve and have the life that you want when you eliminate the kind of thoughts listed at the beginning of this letter. Eliminating those kinds of thoughts and replacing them with positive, empowering, life affirming is the first step, the middle step and the last step to a successful, happy life.
If you want to make incredibly positive changes in your life, the fastest, easiest, biggest way I know is to conditioning your mind on a daily basis with the empowering thoughts of the people who are the best in the world at what you want to do, those people who seem to do what you want to do effortlessly and naturally.
If you own any Think Right Now audio programs, use them to learn how to be, do and have what you want.
If you don't own any, you are missing out on the Holy Grail of personal development. It's in front of you now. It's time to decide to do what you deep down inside know needs to be done.
Improve your thoughts, improve your life.
Think Right Now programs have helped thousands of others all around the world to achieve great things. They can help you achieve what you want in life, too.

I love you all,
Mike Brescia

=======================================
What if you had the same minute-by-minute thoughts as the super successful? Mike Brescia has developed the ultimate mental conditioning programs that can help anyone wipe out intense fears and enjoy huge successes in all areas of life. FREE details==> http://www.thinkrightnow.com/ FREE email course ==> mailto:successcourse@aweber.com =======================================

Immediate Change

I read something today that really makes sense to me...Mike Brescia (of Think Right Now) sends out email newsletters that are really powerful, so I sent an excerpt of his latest email to my team. I will try to post the entire message soon, but basically, he wondered why nearly everyone alive asks themselves questions like, "Not again! Why does this always happen to me?", and "How will we survive this?" Do you do that? I know I do and have done it a LOT.

There's really no good answer to these types of questions...I suppose that's why we keep asking them!

Why do we shoot ourselves in the foot by asking this negative, "disempowering" type of questions? Would we not do better to ask "HOW can I change this?", "What can I do today to improve this situation/person/relationship?"

These questions are still JUST as honest, but they look at the "half-full glass" of life, rather than seeing only the "half empty glass". By looking for what the options are, we shrink the problem to a manageable size and concentrate on BUILDING ourselves and our lives!

Looking for, and believing in, the opportunities...actually creates MORE opportunities. It moves our thinking off the "bad" into a more positive focus.

Just this little adjustment in "thinking" can elevate your entire life to a more constructive, motivational outlook. You know, there's no guarantees in life, but by focusing on the positive, rather than the negative, you can change your whole being.

There's loads of info about this. Researchers find that there really is another universal law, just like gravity, and it's called "the Law of Attraction". Why bring about more harm than good in your life? As Mike Brescia says, "Eliminating those kinds of thoughts and replacing them with positive, empowering, life-affirming ones is the first step, the middle step and the last step to a successful, happy life".

You can make a considerable, and IMMEDIATE difference in your life...rather than saying, "Why did this happen?", "Why do these things always happen to me?", or "Look at this...why God?"...think "WHAT CAN I DO?", "HOW SHALL I HANDLE THIS?", "WHAT OPPORTUNITY IS HERE FOR ME?" and you'll find that you will indeed, HANDLE IT and have a wonderful opportunity that you never would have seen before!

It's simple...STOP your brain when it asks those negative questions. Change the question to a positive one. LOOK at the possibilities. LISTEN when you get the insight. It's YOUR attitude...

OK, OK, Here's a bonus!

A good friend read my blog recipe and berated me for not putting up "her" Garlic Bread recipe to go with my Ravioli. In my defense, I was in a really big hurry, but I promised her I would give a little extra value to my readers, so here goes "her" recipe...

Garlic Herb Bread

3/4 cup butter (softened)
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp whole summer savory
1 tsp whole thyme
1 clove garlic minced or garlic salt

Mix the ingredients together to make a paste. Spread on french bread. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Now for "my" variation...
I use the garlic in a jar from the grocery store. LOVE that stuff! Easier than mincing garlic, and tastes bunches better...I probably use a couple of teaspoons for this (I love garlic) recipe.
I also top each slice with either mozarella or cheddar cheese before baking...Excellente!

Speaking of TIME Management....Quick Recipe

Thought I would give a bonus to stressed-out girls that the family (especially hubby) will love. Here's a quick, easy, and really good idea for TONIGHT'S DINNER:

Special Ravioli

2 cans Ravioli (Chef Boyrdee or any brand, even generic)
1 cup (at least) shredded cheese (use anything you got!)
1 lb. ground beef (I suppose turkey or some veggie burger stuff would work, but...)
1/2 onion, diced

Spray the casserole dish. I use about a 2 qt. pan or dish. Brown the beef and throw in the onion and saute until the onion is soft. Put a layer of ravioli straight from the can in the casserole, then a layer of beef mixture, then a layer of cheese. Continue layering, ending with cheese last. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until everything is bubbly. For company, here's a really good recipe that just about like the one above:

Better Special Ravioli

Instead of the canned ravioli, use the fresh stuff from the grocer's refrigerator. I used 4-cheese and another package of chicken and basil for a church supper that everyone RAVED about.
Instead of any-old kind of cheese, use mozzarella.
Instead of ground beef, use ground sirloin.
Can't think of anything better than a diced onion, but hey, maybe Vidalia?
Cook the ravioli, brown the beef, add the onion, layer the casserole. Maybe use a better dish, too.
Don't worry...they will love it!

Tips for a YOUNGER you?

Well, we all know we ain't 20-something, but does that mean that we have to be old?
Nope. We can stay young and active until we really ARE old...and past that, too! I think working from home and staying active (in mind and body) lead to a younger me! Keeping mind and body going strong, having a purpose in life, paying attention to the spiritual, and genuinely helping others leads to growing younger every year.
I found some of these ideas on "thinking young" at A Health Cafe. Click on their "Health Tips" section. There's some good reminders there. Actually, the Newsletter is better. You can sign up for it on the site.
So, without purpose...no time for the spiritual...lack of belief...don't know who or how to help others...don't you already feel old? How could one possibly find time for all that stuff, especially when trying to support a family and remain in (or get to) the top of a profession?
I know quite a few women...men, too...that chucked it all...actually quit their jobs right in the middle of great careers. They found that the J.O.B., the constant driving to excel...the competition...gave them more than ulcers. It made them older than their years by not providing at least some personal time. One couple I am close to owned a fabulous Real Estate agency...one of the top in their town. They worked 60-70-80 hours a week to get there, too. Was it worth it? They decided not.
There's some others I know that actually had too much time on their hands, but what they lacked was purpose in their lives. Some "stay-home moms" wanted more, especially when the kiddies grew up and out.
For lots of them, the first step was finding out about themselves. 'Tis a hard, hard thing I do - to learn about me. Meeting self...boy, is that a tough introduction. Takes some real searching. I read John Maxwell's Failing Forward recently, and it was a real eye-opener. I recommend it to anyone that's looking for WHY their life isn't what they want it to be.
Hang around, I have been reading lots of "motivational" stuff, so I'll share some more later.
For now, if you want to find a place that has a spot for you no matter WHERE you are in your thinking, Get the facts about working with a team of others. Working alone can be a real drag. But, these people can provide you with support and mentoring so that your career and your personal life don't have to be at odds with each other.

Stress-free from Home?

So, maybe you want to work from home because you have too much stress in your life now? Well, working from home is still that...WORK! And, by nature, work creates stress.
So, what can you do when you're at home to relieve some of the stress? Well, admittedly, it's much easier at home than at a "typical" workplace, the trick is to not become so stress-free that you forget to go back to work!
Here's some ideas that I use:
1. Schedule yourself. Use some "time management"! If you don't have a day planner now, you better get one! This is so important...especially if you're a homepreneur...you don't have a deadline other than the one YOU create. Eliminate all distractions until your time slot allows you a break.
2. See #1. There's just nothing better to discipline your own behavior...and then, you will be able to spend that "free" time with family that you are looking for. Then, make sure to schedule in your family. Make time for your spouse, kids, parents, and even friends.
3. Make sure your workspace is your WORK space. Remove kids' coloring books, your guest list for the party, and that favorite novel. Your space should be totally dedicated to working.
4. Get technical. If you are working from home, make sure that you're up-to-date on technology. Invest in the fastest Internet connection, the highest speed computer, the most RAM, the largest hard drive, a read/write CD/DVD, external speakers, microphone, and a great back-up drive. Your investment NOW will eliminate a lot of lost data and slow connections in the future (and the resulting stress levels).
5. Network with others. Find other women in your market, in your town, in your COUNTRY. Just because you work at home doesn't mean you can't have ANY social life!
6. Speaking of a social life, get away from the house at least once or twice a week. Get out. Go shopping. Spend some of that cash you're saving in commuting.
7. Listen in. Find a great CD or DVD...or iPod/Zune with nature sounds (thunder, rain, ocean) and plug it in. Listen to Mozart or other classical stuff, keep the stress level down. Also having motivational tapes playing is good for subconsious enlightment.
8. Visit a masseuse. Get a massage. Very important to loosen the muscles, especially if the majority of your work is with a computer.
9. Take time out to read. Stay in touch with yourself. Read a great motivational book. There's zillions of places online to find them...I like www.zooba.com because they provide hardbacks at a reasonable price ($9.99). I actually have several books "in progress" beside the toilet...where else are you able to eliminate distractions, after all?
10. Find a mentor. Keep in touch online with "experts" in forums, discussions, etc. Learn what they do. Do what they do. Act like they do.

Requests?

I planned on making this page something that other women can relate to...especially the 40's and 50's crowd. Thought I might add some recipes, quick and easy ideas, time management tips, what-to-do if you're alone stuff, all kinds of things. Help me out here...let's hear from the American (or wherever) woman!

CHANGE in store?

I say let's get involved in life in many different areas. Maybe a BIG CHANGE is in store?
Why not make some changes NOW before WE get too old to want to change?
I'll tell you more about what I did later on...for now, check out some of the links here...maybe a "professional" career isn't what you wanted after all...or maybe a stay-at-home-mom career has gotten old? Maybe you're in a dead-end job headed nowhere?

Getting Older isn't Getting Stupider

I have seen so much on the Internet lately dealing with young moms and older seniors...what about us "empty nesters" or "soon-to-be-empty-nesters"? No one seems to pay attention to us anymore...
We can have wonderful, uplifting, rewarding lives and still worry about hubby and the decisions our kids are making (even though we secretely KNOW they're wrong, we'd never say it to their face), whether soup's on tonight, and if that neighbor down the street is still having health problems, right? Even if everything physcial is approaching gravity-central, still...our lives are all fairly liveable on a day-to-day basis and we're able to accept life as is.
Diapers are long past...soccer's completely out of fashion in the 20-something's group that our kids have now joined...maybe we still work, but we really don't gotta do it...and hubby is pretty set on the path of upward mobility.
Let's explore some of OUR concerns...wants...dreams. Are we so different than anyone else? We still have needs and wants! We have all kinds of concerns like parents-approaching-nursing-home-care, kids-approaching-crazy-destinies, hubbies-approaching-or-should-be-thinking-of-retirement, us-approaching-wanting-something-more-from-the-daily-routine.
How about a career change? HA! TRY to change a job if you're 40+. Not gonna happen, unless you consider "customer service" as a step up. No way does Corporate America (do they deserve capitals?) think that an experienced woman with better-than-average intelligence could EVER do anything that a fresh-from-the-farm twenty-something couldn't do twice as well.
Have you had these problems?
Do you see YOU here?
Do you want MORE?
Let's hear what the grown-ups have to say!