Easy Income

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

M - Motivation

How To Develop A Motivated Mindset


From time to time, each of us will find ourselves in a rut of boredom and disinterest.  We seem to lose our zest for life and feel tired, irritable and unmotivated.  We want to hide under the covers rather than face the day.  Perhaps you're feeling overwhelmed by work, or sad about the pain and suffering in the world, or just bored with the routine of your daily life.

You are not alone.  We all go through periods like this at some point.  The good news is that we can do something about it. Here are some tips to help break out of the rut and feel excited about life again:

1) Take a "Time Out" - Prolonged stress can wear us down and zap any enthusiasm we once had.  Before doing anything else, take a few minutes to breathe and just BE.  Empty your mind of all stress and worry.  This takes practice, but don't give up!   As thoughts come into your mind, gently push them back out and continue to keep your mind empty and calm. Take slow, deep breaths and let all of your muscles relax.   Sit quietly and recharge your batteries.  Try to do this daily, or even twice daily (morning and night).  We need quiet time as much as we need anything else in life.  Give yourself the gift of inner peace.

2) Get Inspired - Read something motivational, inspirational or uplifting. Look at some beautiful nature photos, or read something humorous.  Consciously move your thoughts to a more positive place.  Focusing on nothing but work and our daily tasks in life can leave us feeling pretty uninspired.  It's easy to turn it around if we want to.  We just have to seek out things that will lift our spirits and our moods.  Make it a point to laugh, be happy, joyful and lighthearted each day.  Don't wait for inspiration to come knocking on your door, go out and find it, or create it.  Conjure up some funny or touching memories.   Write them in a journal so you can go back and read them when you're feeling down.

3) Get Excited - Think about the things you have planned for the day, and rekindle the enthusiasm you once felt for them. When we first begin a new project, or start a new job, we are excited about the possibilities and eager to get moving!  Over time, we can lose that enthusiasm for a variety of reasons.  Travel back in time for a moment, and think about what got you so excited at the beginning.  What made your heart beat a little faster? Recapture that feeling and hang onto it!  Even if your tasks aren't anything to be really excited about, at least think of some positive benefits to doing them.  For example, list the ways they will benefit your children, your spouse, yourself, your job or your home.   Identify the payoff, and focus on that. Even mundane tasks have some benefits.  Sometimes it's just a matter of switching our mindset to see the positive side.

4) Baby Steps - Sometimes the hardest part is actually getting started.  A project seems so monstrous that we cringe at the thought of all that time and energy we'll have to expend. Instead of overwhelming yourself, start small.  Set a timer for 15 minutes and just start working on it.   Allow yourself to stop after 15 minutes if you really want to.  But most often, once we actually start working on something, we won't want to stop. Don't focus on the big picture, look at the smaller details and take them on one at a time . Any large task seems manageable once we break it down into smaller steps.

5) Care of the Body - Sometimes our feelings of fatigue are caused by physical deficiencies, not mental.  Be sure you are getting enough rest, eating food that nourishes your body, drinking enough water, getting enough exercise, etc . Especially when we're very busy, we tend to grab the quickest, easiest meals, which aren't always the best choice for our bodies . Eating a lot of highly processed foods and sugar is like putting watered-down gasoline into our cars.  In order for our cars to run smoothly, we need to maintain them properly, and so it is with our bodies also. Remember, the body is the vehicle for the mind and soul! ;-)

Finally, remember to reward yourself from time to time, and be gentle with yourself!  There will always be things that "need" to be done.  But some of us take on way more than we can handle, and our lives turn into a pit of drudgery because of it.  Try to eliminate the things that truly don't bring you joy, or at least minimize the time you spend on them.  Do what you can, and let the rest go.  Or ask for help.  Don't feel you have to do everything yourself.

Remember that motivation, just like happiness, is something we CHOOSE. We may need to give ourselves a little push at the beginning, but once we get into the right mindset, it's simple to stay there if we choose to.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

L - Lower Cholesterol

Best Food That is Part of the Diet to Lower Cholesterol

People have to eat in order to have energy to do things.  Some are able to make three or four trips to the buffet table while others are satisfied after one round.  In any case, the type of food brought to the plate could be healthy or harmful and the choice is really up to the person.

Those who love to eat red meat and other dishes that are fatty or oil are at risk of getting sick.  This isn’t diarrhea but something worse which could be life threatening because of the amount of bad cholesterol that is being taken into the body.

The high levels of cholesterol in the body are happening more often now than ever before.  This is because of the variety of food offered now in the grocery and in restaurants.  The person can still recover from this by eating foods that are not high in saturated fats.

Is there one food product that can be called the best to lower cholesterol?  The answer is no because a well balanced diet must come from all the food groups.      

Instead of drinking full cream milk or mixing this with cornflakes or whole grain, it is best to use non fat milk instead. The taste is almost the same is much healthier than the regular brand bought  in the supermarket.

Instead of having steak when having a cookout or picnic, this should be changed with lean meats instead. These things don’t have that much fat in the center or in the edges and taste just as good as the big slab served with mash potatoes.

The healthiest thing to have either for lunch and dinner is food that comes from the ocean.  This can be fish or shellfish that is known to carry Omega 3, which is very effective in lowering the levels of cholesterol in people.

Eating a candy bar or a slice of cake doesn’t seem so bad but these things are rich in fat.  Those who need to fill the stomach with something should try nuts or fruits instead.  These products are rich in fiber as well as have vitamins and minerals that are healthier to consume.

In each meal, the person must not forget to add some fruits in the plate.  A salad works best or having a few carrots or potatoes as a side dish.  There must always be a balance whenever the individual decides to have meat or fish. 

Chicken is not good if it is fried.  Those who want to eat it for a change can still do as long as the skin has been removed.  This can also be grilled which is a healthier way of cooking it before this is served in a plate.

There are many ways to cook the foods mentioned.  The individual can get a cookbook or download some recipes from the Internet to be able to come up with something delicious and at the same time lower one’s cholesterol levels.

If following the instructions are hard, there are always shows on television that teach people the basics to cook something fat free which is good for the diet.

It is never too late to make some lifestyle and changes in order to live a longer and healthier life.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

K - Kitchens

WHAT MAKES AN IDEAL KITCHEN.

It is a mistake to suppose that any room, however small and unpleasantly situated, is "good enough" for a kitchen.  This is the room where housekeepers pass a great portion of their time, and it should be one of the brightest and most convenient rooms in the house; for upon the results of no other department depend so greatly the health and comfort of the family as upon those involved in this 'household workshop'.

Every kitchen should have windows on two sides of the room, and the sun should have free entrance through them; the windows should open from the top to allow a complete change of air, for light and fresh air are among the chief essentials to success in all departments of the household.  Good drainage should also be provided, and the ventilation of the kitchen ought to be even more carefully attended to than that of a sleeping room.  The ventilation of the kitchen should be so ample as to thoroughly remove all gases and odors, which, together with steam from boiling and other cooking processes, generally invade and render to some degree unhealthful every other portion of the house.

There should be ample space for tables, chairs, range, sink, and cupboards, yet the room should not be so large as to necessitate too many steps.  Undoubtedly much of the distaste for, and neglect of, "housework," so often deplored, arises from unpleasant surroundings.  If the kitchen be light, airy, and tidy, and the utensils bright and clean, the work of compounding those articles of food which grace the table and satisfy the appetite will be a pleasant task.

It is desirable, from a sanitary standpoint, that the kitchen floor be made impervious to moisture; hence, concrete or tile floors are better than wooden floors.  Cleanliness is the great desideratum, and this can be best attained by having all woodwork in and about the kitchen coated with polish; substances which cause stain and grease spots, do not penetrate the wood when polished, and can be easily removed with a damp cloth.

The elements of beauty should not be lacking in the kitchen. Pictures and fancy articles are inappropriate; but a few pots of easily cultivated flowers on the window ledge or arranged upon brackets about the window in winter, and a window box arranged as a jardiniere, with vines and blooming plants in summer, will greatly brighten the room, and thus serve to lighten the task of those whose daily labor confines them to the precincts of the kitchen.

The kitchen furniture.
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The furniture for a kitchen should not be cumbersome, and should be so made and dressed as to be easily cleaned.  There should be plenty of cupboards, and each for the sake of order, should be devoted to a special purpose.  Cupboards with sliding doors are much superior to closets. They should be placed upon casters so as to be easily moved, as they, are thus not only more convenient, but admit of more thorough cleanliness.

Cupboards used for the storage of food should be well ventilated; otherwise, they furnish choice conditions for the development of mold and germs.  Movable cupboards may be ventilated by means of openings in the top, and doors covered with very fine wire gauze which will admit the air but keep out flies and dust.

For ordinary kitchen uses, small tables of suitable height on easy-rolling casters, and with zinc tops, are the most convenient and most easily kept clean.  It is quite as well that they be made without drawers, which are too apt to become receptacles for a heterogeneous mass of rubbish.  If desirable to have some handy place for keeping articles which are frequently required for use, an arrangement similar to that represented in the accompanying cut may be made at very small expense.  It may be also an advantage to arrange small shelves about and above the range, on which may be kept various articles necessary for cooking purposes.

One of the most indispensable articles of furnishing for a well-appointed kitchen, is a sink; however, a sink must be properly constructed and well cared for, or it is likely to become a source of great danger to the health of the inmates of the household.  The sink should if possible stand out from the wall, so as to allow free access to all sides of it for the sake of cleanliness.  The pipes and fixtures should be selected and placed by a competent plumber.

Great pains should be taken to keep the pipes clean and well disinfected. Refuse of all kinds should be kept out.  Thoughtless housekeepers and careless domestics often allow greasy water and bits of table waste to find their way into the pipes.  Drain pipes usually have a bend, or trap, through which water containing no sediment flows freely; but the melted grease which often passes into the pipes mixed with hot water, becomes cooled and solid as it descends, adhering to the pipes, and gradually accumulating until the drain is blocked, or the water passes through very slowly.  A grease-lined pipe is a hotbed for disease germs.

Monday, June 6, 2011

J - Jewelry

Throughout the ages, men and women have used gemstones and crystals in personal ornaments and body decorations as bewitching jewelry.  Wearing them as charms, talismans or amulets, they were believed to possess the power to ward off evil spirits (or attract benevolent ones), keep one safe from harm, or to find love.  To this day, many people of all ages and from all walks of life believe in the magical power of certain gems and make bewitching jewelry part of their everyday attire.

Take pearls, for instance.  In the olden days, if a maiden wanted a man to fall in love with her, she would put pearls ground into a fine powder into a glass of wine and somehow get him to drink it.  A pretty costly way to catch a man, that method.  Nowadays, wearing pearls is believed to enhance one’s inner character and bring about peace and serenity. Gold is another example of bewitching jewelry.  Since time immemorial, it has captured the fascination of all people, and is one of the cornerstones of the science of alchemy.  Gold is used to enhance the power of other gemstones, hence its popular use as a setting.  It is also believed to attract wealth and influence, because the wearer is perceived to be strong and powerful.

Bewitching jewelry is not confined to fashionable purposes.  The Indian warriors of old used to have swords that were adorned with garnets, secure in the belief that this would bring them luck in battle.  Today, garnet jewelry presented as a gift signifies the giver’s feelings of eternal love and commitment.  It can also be worn as a charm to increase sensuality and sexuality.  Similarly, diamonds are said to aid in the release of sexual tension and to help the wearer enjoy a fantastic sex life.  I wonder what that says about girls who treat diamonds as their best friend?

Sapphires are benevolent examples of bewitching jewelry.  Aside from preserving friendships and promoting loyalty, they are also believed to protect the wearer from capture.  Turquoise is likewise popular as a talisman because of its alleged property of changing colors when the wearer is in peril.  Plus, it is used in amulets in many cultures because it is believed to be a bringer of luck.

There are many, many other beliefs regarding the use of gemstones as bewitching jewelry. They may be worn as talismans, charms, amulets or simply as fashion accessories.  But for many people today, as in the ancient times, jewels are chosen not only for their beauty, but for the perceived benefits that they will bring to the wearer as well.

Friday, June 3, 2011

I - Investing Basics

Investing Basics – What Are Your Investment Goals


When it comes to investing, many first time investors want to jump right in with both feet. Unfortunately, very few of those investors are successful. Investing in anything requires some degree of skill. It is important to remember that few investments are a sure thing – there is the risk of losing your money!

Before you jump right in, it is better to not only find out more about investing and how it all works, but also to determine what your goals are. What do you hope to achieve with your investments? Will you be funding a college education? Buying a home? Retiring? Before you invest a single penny, really think about what you hope to achieve with that investment. Knowing what your goal is will help you make smarter investment decisions along the way!

Too often, people invest money with dreams of becoming rich overnight. This is possible – but it is also rare. It is usually a very bad idea to start investing with hopes of becoming rich overnight. It is safer to invest your money in such a way that it will grow slowly over time, and be used for retirement or a child’s education. However, if your investment goal is to get rich quick, you should learn as much about high-yield, short term investing as you possibly can before you invest.

You should strongly consider talking to a financial planner before making any investments. Your financial planner can help you determine what type of investing you must do to reach the financial goals that you have set. He or she can give you realistic information as to what kind of returns you can expect and how long it will take to reach your specific goals.

Again, remember that investing requires more than calling a broker and telling them that you want to buy stocks or bonds. It takes a certain amount of research and knowledge about the market if you hope to invest successfully.