The Power Behind Continual Journaling

Thank goodness for journaling and those who journal.  If it were not for journals, much of history would be lost forever.  We owe so much of our knowledge of our forefathers and the world before us to those who took the time to make entries in their journal. 

 Ship captains kept daily logs while at sea and most of our founding fathers kept journals as they formed a new nation.  Long before that, records were kept on scrolls with quill and some form of ink.

Hieroglyphics line the ancient tombs of the pharaohs giving us an insight into what their lives were like.  Even cave men recorded history on rocks and hillsides.  Where would we be today if it were not for journals?

You may say, “Sure that’s all well and good for famous people such as presidents and celebrities, but I don’t have the time – and even if I did, nothing of any importance happens to me.”

Journals should be kept for you and what they can do for you regardless of your position in life.  That’s reason enough, but think how much your children and grandchildren will learn about their ancestors from the journal you may start today.

You may think you’ll always remember what you did on a certain date and why you decided to buy that article you always wanted but as the saying goes:  “The faintest ink is better than the most retentive mind.”  Writing down your thoughts and actions is one of the easiest and most compelling ways to remember and record your personal life.

Your brain is trained to think in a sequence of events.  Every thing is in order and has its place. The mind is capable of processing myriads of thoughts at any given moment.  And, as you would imagine, those thoughts are like sentences.  They contain a beginning, a middle and an end.  It’s like giving a speech when one thought relates to another and so on until the logical end.

By writing down your thoughts in a journal you can break free of sequential thinking and examine them from a new perspective.  Remember when Merlin in Camelot urged Arthur to soar like an eagle to view his thoughts and problems from high above the land.  From there he said there are no fences and no boundaries.  His thinking was set free with nothing to restrain it in conventional limitations.

Journaling gives clarity to your problems and allows you to substantiate your progress.  It’s easy to think you’ve made no progress and nothing of import occurred until you reread your journal a year later.  A question you may have thought impossible to solve will suddenly present itself with a solution when you view the written word.

Be specific when making entries.  It may seem trivial at the time but later when you examine the big picture you’ll see how it all came together and how events are still unfolding.  Write down your goals, intentions, obstacles, challenges, your likes and dislikes.  Make a note of people who’ve helped you and those who likely will in the future.

You can create a journal in a book or on your computer.  Software for this purpose is available.  A journal gives you direction.  It shows where you’ve been, where you are now and where you’re going.  Begin a journal today.  You’ll gain more insight into yourself than you ever thought possible.

How to Become a Person Who Takes Action

Some people are born doers.  Some people are born thinkers.  Some think about doing and never get anything done.  There are many ways to become a person of action and what works for someone else may not work for you.

Action people are usually people who are organized and seem to know exactly how to proceed from one project to another seamlessly and without effort.  Others flounder in a world of disorganization, haplessly moving one piece of paper to another location without knowing why.  At the end of the day, the doers typically have more energy than at the beginning as they feed on taking action.

The flounders at the end of the day are still floundering and can’t understand why nothing has been accomplished and they feel exhausted.  They step back to assess their day’s accomplishments and deceive themselves into believing progress is being made, when in realty little or nothing has been done.

For these people, organization is an essential key.  Whether it’s for your home or business, make a to-do list and prioritize it.  Put the most important ones at the top and each time you complete a goal or project scratch it off and feel the satisfaction.  Don’t mark it off until it’s done.  No cheating or rationalizing.

When everything on the list is finished, reward yourself.  Even if you don’t quite complete the list in one day, go ahead and celebrate your victories.  This gives you something to look forward to and gives you incentive to accomplish more.  Again, be honest with yourself and only accept reward when deserved.

Another plan of action states that you can waste too much time making lists and you should visualize your task at hand until you have the energy to do it.   They suggest you sit quietly, clear your mind of all other things and concentrate on your task or goal at hand.  See yourself doing the project in vivid detail.  Whatever the job entails imagine yourself doing each and every step.  Fantasize about it, if you will.

Thought waves become energy waves as you focus your mind on one central thought.  These energy waves build until you feel the energy surging inside you pushing you into action.

You’ll build up so much energy you will be forced to act.  At that point, take action.  It could be just a small part of your overall project but let yourself be compelled to action.  This energy will dissipate, so do as much as you can before it leaves your body.

You’ve probably worked with a mind energy force involuntarily.  There’s a problem you’ve faced during the day and can’t find a solution.  Clear your mind, concentrate on the problem, even sleep on it and seemingly out of nowhere the answer becomes clear and you can take action. A happy attitude is imperative.  Most people who are happy are active.  Associate with happy people.  Change the way your think and you will change the way you act.

How to Make Your Motivation Soar Even When Faced With Obstacles

We’ve all asked the question:  How does the motivator stay motivated when it’s obvious he or she is being beset with seemingly insurmountable obstacles?  No matter who we are, we will all be granted a share of success and failure.

It’s easy to stay motivated when we reach one goal after another.  We may even find it difficult to understand how someone can be down in the dumps when life can be so good to you.  Then, failures, problems and obstacles enter your life and it’s not so easy to remain motivated.

Even the most renowned leaders and speakers must find a way to overcome these burdens and move forward if they’re to maintain success in both their professional and personal life.

There are many ways to overcome your obstacles and make your motivation continue to soar; but on the other hand, there is no one perfect answer for everyone.  You must find the way within yourself.

Understand what’s causing your fears and your obstacles.  The reasons could be tangible or they could be emotional.  They could be real or imagined.  Once you’ve determined what your fears are, ask yourself what is the worse case scenario.

If all of your obstacles and fears become reality what is the worse thing that could happen.  When put into perspective, the culmination of these events probably would not be the end of your life or even your lifestyle as you know it.

Believe in your goals and yourself and nothing can stop you.  Analyze what you’re striving for and what you and your company, or your family, will gain by achieving these goals.  If you do not believe in what you’re doing then you’re on the wrong track and should return to square one for reassessment.

Take action quickly.  Visualize yourself overcoming these obstacles and your triumph over them.   Don’t put off positive action no matter how small and seemingly insignificant.

The smallest success that stems from your action instills faith and belief in yourself and your ability to succeed.  Obstacles have many faces and we must decide how we can stare them down.  If the magnitude of the obstacles is too large for you to handle emotionally, break it down into smaller tasks.

Remain cheerful and positive and watch the size of the problem diminish.  It’s the old rule of mind over matter, or obstacles if you will.  Refuse to let negative thoughts rule your brain.

Stay inspired.  You can do this by reading inspirational books, or watching motivational video or audio courses.  Your environment should consist of inspirational people and things.  Our surroundings enable us to become what we are.

Obstacles are inevitable but how we deal with them is not.  We can choose to overcome and be happy or we can be miserable.  Don’t dwell on self-doubt.  Are your fears realities or something you fear might happen if you fail to take proper action?  Faith is instilled when you tackle the task.

One of the great motivators of our time is Margaret Thatcher who said, “Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end.  It’s not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it’s when you’ve had everything to do, and you’ve done it.”

Starting Your Day Off on the Right Foot

Not everyone gets out of bed in the morning easily and in a good mood.  Some can bounce out of bed eagerly anticipating the day and will talk your ear off if there’s anyone to listen.  Others groggily stagger out of bed reluctantly and you better not speak to them or they’ll bite your head off.

Which of these describes you?  Or do you fall somewhere in between?  Which would you rather be?  Typically, the person who bounds out of bed wide awake is the person who gets more done in the morning and is happier to do it.  This isn’t always true.  Some get just as much work done; it just takes them longer to get to it.

If you’re not happy with your morning habits and want to change, it can be done but it has to be a concerted effort on your part.  Many people don’t want to change.  They’ve been that way for years and it works for them.  On the other hand, who wants to be an old grouch in the morning making yourself and everyone else miserable?

You can become an early happy riser and make it a habit you will embrace.  First, admit your current method of waking up in the morning isn’t working and you want to change.

Be willing to try a different method and realize it may not be the first different method you try that will transform you into a new you.

Technique is important.  Prepare yourself for bed with the same routine if possible.  With children and spouses this is sometimes difficult.  Start with a healthy diet.  Stay away from heavy fatty foods and sugars before bedtime.  Eat dinner early.  Of course, no caffeine or other stimulant before bedtime.

Try the early healthy dinner a few nights and make a note as to how you feel the next morning.  Is it working?  If not, don’t give up.  You just need to add more and different methods to your morning madness.

Exercise daily.  The better shape your body is in the better it will sleep and the better you’ll feel each morning.  Morning exercise is usually more helpful than just before bedtime. Nighttime exercise can get the blood flowing too much for you to fall right to sleep.

Do something pleasant before going to bed to put you in a good mood.  Read a good book for a few minutes.  Don’t get so caught up in it that you can’t put it down.  Don’t balance your check book or pay bills before going to bed.  Money worries are one of the main causes of sleeplessness.

Anticipate the morning routine.  Don’t give yourself something boring to look forward to.

Make time for at least some morning exercise even if it’s just stretching.  Perhaps, sit outside and greet the sunrise with a morning devotional.  Count your blessings and plan your day. New morning habits were not accomplished in a day.  Be patient and willing to experiment.  Soon you’ll like yourself better in the morning and so will your family.

What Goes Into an Emergency Preparedness Kit for Short Term Disasters?

Emergencies can be classified as either short or long term. You may deal with short-term emergencies – such as losing power for a day or having a health emergency. These usually pass fairly quickly.

But when something causes a short term emergency, unless you’re prepared, you could find yourself in a bind, putting yourself and your loved ones at risk.

Weather emergencies such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and blizzards are the top four causes of short term disasters that people are forced to deal with. These disasters create situations where you can end up without any lights, heat or air conditioners.

Without electricity, you won’t have a way to keep your food supply from spoiling. If the disaster causes a rush on grocery store supplies, there will be empty shelves, leaving you without a way to get food.

Without electricity, you can lose the ability to call out for help for health reasons or if there’s looting and the battery on your cell phone dies. The time to plan for a disaster is right now – while you have electricity – while you have the food you need and the means to get ready for what might come your way.

Prepare yourself now, but have an emergency preparedness kit. In that kit, you need water for every member of your family and enough food to last everyone for at least a week.

You’ll need a way to keep warm – especially if the disaster is during the colder months. Use thermal blankets and waterproof sleeping bags. Have battery powered or solar powered gadgets that can charge cell phones.

Have flashlights and radios on hand that run on batteries and keep extra batteries ready. Or, invest in the hand crack variety. Make sure you have a first aid kit that includes face masks and all prescription medications. Prepare your kit with infant and pet needs, too.

Keep antibacterial wipes with the kit and seal your personal ID copies in with the kit. In case your originals are destroyed in the disaster, you’ll have a backup copy that will save you from a future hassle.

You’ll need matches, a hand held can opener and a multi-tool as well as a whistle. A whistle can be heard over long distances and will make it easier to locate you. Keep all of your supplies together in an air-tight waterproof container and store the container somewhere that the temperature doesn’t vary.

There are places that offer readymade disaster kits – and some people choose to buy those. If you pick that option, don’t forget to add copies of your important paperwork since a readymade kit won’t come with that.

Making Clear, Conscious Decisions in Control of Your Life

Mankind has been blessed with the free will of making decisions.  These decisions can enrich our life or cause it to take a turn for the worse.  Not a day goes by that we don’t make dozens, even hundreds of decisions, most without even thinking. 

 Daily, we decide when to arise, what to eat, what to wear and what route to take to work or wherever our destination leads.  These are made with little pause or thought.  Others require a little more insight such as where to vacation, who to date, who to marry, which car to buy and which neighborhood is best for security and schools.

The decisions we make, whether major or minor, affect our lives to no small degree and those decisions must be made.  Some of us approach decision making with reluctance and dread being afraid of the consequences.  Sure, almost any decision we make could involves conflict and dissatisfaction.  Yet, we must take control and make the decision and accept the outcome, good or bad.

Decision making is a lot like bill paying.  Both must be done and usually within a certain time frame.  If we’re late paying our electric bill the consequences can be the discontinuance of power or a late fee.

If you fail to make a decision in a timely manner it could be taken out of your hands and placed in the hands of others.  Avoiding decisions or avoiding paying bills may seem easier but results are rarely desirable.

Why must you make a decision?  Identify the purpose, determine exactly what has to be solved and when.  It might make the problem become clearer if you make a pro and con list.  Study the list and the different choices and evaluate each in terms of consequences.  If I make this decision what will happen and if I make another decision this is the result.

Determine the best decision, evaluate the outcome and make the decision.  You might be criticized for making the wrong decision but you’ve done the best you can do with all the information available and you moved forward.  You made a decision.  You did something before being run over from behind.  The only people who are never criticized are those who do nothing.

A key decision can alter your life.  Accept this fact and approach it with eagerness.  In the movie Sliding Doors, a woman’s life is changed dramatically because she failed to make it through a sliding door.

The movie gives us an opportunity to see how she handles each set of circumstances. This is probably an over dramatization, but illustrates the power and importance of our decisions.

Gather information on the decision to be made, determine the best alternative and put that decision into action.  Look back only to learn from your past decisions but don’t dwell on them.  Move ahead and focus on your future.  Decision making requires a plan. If you don’t know where you’re going then one decision is as good as the other.

It’s a good feeling to make a conscious decision about yourself and your life and each time you do this the process becomes easier and your confidence builds.  Make a commitment, make a difference and take control of your life.

How To Track Your Body Fat

Many people place emphasis on losing weight, and measure their progress using a scale. However, this isn’t completely accurate, since it’s fat, specifically, that we should be trying to lose. When you lose weight, you may be losing water weight, muscle, or fat. The scale simply can’t tell you which one of these you’re losing. This is why you should make it a point to measure your body fat instead of your body weight.

Why Measure Body Fat?

When you are losing weight, your main aim should be to lose fat and not muscle or water weight. This is because water weight loss is temporary, and losing muscle will slow down your metabolism in the long run. The only way to know if you are losing fat is by measuring your body fat. If you track your body fat and it remains the same, but you are losing weight, you may have to change your weight loss approach.

What is The Normal Range of Body Fat?

The range of healthy body fat varies according to gender and age. Generally, women should have about 20%-30% of fat while men should have between 8%-25% of fat. Anything less or more than this range is unhealthy and efforts should be made to gain or lose fat accordingly.

How Do You Track Body Fat?

There are a few methods of measuring body fat, though a majority involve expensive or large equipment, or are just plain inconvenient. The two methods that are doable at home are the skinfold method, and the height and circumference method.

The skinfold method requires you to have a pair of body fat calipers, which you use to measure standardized areas of the body by pinching the area with the calipers. These measurements are then applied to an equation which will give you your body fat percentage. However, if you don’t want to use the equation, the measurements alone will give you a good estimate if you are losing fat.

The height and circumference method involves measuring different parts of the body using a tape measure and comparing it to a table of standard values to get your body fat percentage. There are many calculators on the internet that use this method to help you determine your body fat percentage, so feel free to try them out. Usually the neck, hip and waist are the areas measured.

You can use either of these two methods to easily estimate your body fat percentage, and track your fat loss progress. Hopefully you will be seeing more fat loss than muscle loss, and to help this happen be sure to eat the right kind of foods and exercise often!

Survival Guides for Any Situation

When you have the knowledge that you need, you can weather short-term and long-term disasters. But without knowing how to survive, you lessen your odds of making it through.

Survival guides share the knowledge that can help you to survive no matter what your location is – and knowing and preparing for the different ways to survive in any territory will provide you the skills you need.

Surviving an emergency situation isn’t the same in a desert as it is in an urban setting. There’s also a big difference between surviving in the woods versus surviving a catastrophic weather event.

But wherever you happen to be, always remember the first rule. Don’t panic. Panic can lead you to make foolish decisions that will hamper your chances of making it through. Regardless of your situation, food, water and shelter should be your focus.

With a survival guide for any situation, you’ll learn that whenever you’re traveling through a desert area, always have emergency supplies. No one ever expects a vehicle to break down or to get lost in the desert, but it happens.

You should have a hat to cover your head, water, a mirror, and matches on hand. Matches are necessary because the temperatures in the desert drop at night. Not only that, but you can use matches to burn tires or other items to signal for help.

You should have a flashlight, a first aid kit and a blanket with you. Remember too, not to wander away from your vehicle – it’ll be harder for search teams to find you. But don’t sit in your vehicle because the temperatures inside can get too hot.

Urban survival is different in that people aren’t conditioned for the break down of societal rules following a disaster. Urban survival can quickly break down to simply food, shelter and staying alive.

Survival guides that discuss urban survival always mention food storage, a means to cook the food, a water filter or purification tablets and facial masks to protect against contaminants.

Wilderness survival is different from desert and urban survival in that the location can offer special challenges depending on the area. You’ll need a waterproof backpack packed with the following items: first aid kit, food bars, matches, a compass, a knife, string, water purification tablets and a parachute cloth or one man tent. You can use the string to tie to trees, drape the parachute cloth over it and create instant shelter.

Disaster survival guides will cover how to survive in any area for specific length of times (short-term and long-term). You’ll learn the supplies that you’ll need to have on hand and the guides can give you the self-confidence to survive any situation.

3 Disadvantages Of Using Home Fitness DVDs

Home fitness DVDs are popular among exercisers who want to cut costs and avoid the gym. While they do have their advantages, using these DVDs as your main form of exercise also has disadvantages that you may be overlooking. Some of these drawbacks are highlighted below.

It’s Easy To Fall Off the Wagon

For most people, working out is an activity that requires a lot of willpower and discipline to make a habit out of. When one has a live personal trainer or has paid money for the gym, he or she is more likely to keep his or her motivation in check when it comes to working out. Working out at home may be convenient, but for the lazier ones among us, it’s an excuse to frequently skip workouts whenever the smallest things come up. It’s easy to start working out using fitness DVDs, but hard to maintain the habit of using them on a regular basis.

Lack of a Real Personal Trainer

While most home fitness videos are hosted by personal trainers, it isn’t the same as having a live one. A live personal trainer, or class instructor, will make sure you are working hard enough, and that you have the right posture and form when performing exercises. While home fitness DVDs usually have intense workouts that require some strain, you won’t have a personal trainer to make sure you are not overdoing it to the level of hurting yourself, or underdoing it so you aren’t getting much from the workout.

Lack of Quality

Home fitness DVDs are inexpensive, but you have to ensure you are purchasing the right ones. Some fitness DVDs are produced by inexperienced parties that present you with workouts that barely leave you panting. What’s worse, some workouts are too intense – if you’re not ready you could end up hurting yourself. This is why it is important to know what your capabilities and requirements are when working out before you attempt using a home fitness DVD, or else you may find yourself not getting the results you expected or worse, unable to work out due to an injury.

As you can see, there are a number of disadvantages that may be encountered when using home fitness DVDs are a form of workout. However, this does not mean you shouldn’t try them at all. They can definitely work, but be sure to stay disciplined and practice proper exercising techniques when using them as your sole form of working out. If you find that home fitness DVDs don’t keep you engaged, then attempt to try other things like running, jogging, going to the gym, or joining dance classes to get your exercise.

3 Benefits Of Using Home Fitness DVDs

When the word “exercise” comes to our mind, we often associat it with the gym, expensive equipment, or running for miles. The truth is, exercise doesn’t have to involve leaving your home at all or buying lots of equipment. It can be as simple as purchasing some inexpensive home fitness DVDs. Here are three benefits of getting some home fitness DVDs for your collection at home.

They Are Inexpensive

Most gym memberships cost a bomb, and home fitness DVDs are a great alternative that costs way less. Even though some DVDs require you to have some basic equipment such as light weights, exercise balls, or skipping ropes, these do not cost much and are usually within the budget of the average person. So instead of renewing that gym membership that you hardly ever used, why not cancel it and purchase a few home fitness DVDs?

They Offer Variety

For the average exerciser who often repeats the same exercises over and over or is bored of the repetitive classes at the gym, home fitness DVDs offer a nice change. There are a variety of DVDs available for one to purchase or even borrow from the local library, ranging from basic workout DVDs, to those for sculpting and toning, to those that are dance-based to increase the fun factor. When you get bored of one DVD, you can always switch to another that interests you. No matter what particular form of exercise you prefer, from aerobics to Zumba, there are several DVDs out there to keep things interesting.

They Are Convenient

Exercising couldn’t get any more convenient than when using home fitness DVDs. Right in the comfort of your home, you can pop one into your DVD player and start working out in your living room. There is no gas, babysitters, or going out involved. What’s more, you can work out with your spouse and kids too, if they are willing participants. There’s nothing like some family time to help keep the motivation to work out going.

Remember, there are drawbacks of using exercise DVDs, especially when it comes to keeping yourself motivated. However, if you don’t want to invest in an exorbitantly-priced gym membership or leave your home to exercise (especially when the weather is less than inviting), home fitness DVDs are your best option to get your daily dose of exercise in a convenient way.