Ten New Year Other Kinds Of Answers…

New Year's is the only holiday that celebrates a passage of time. Perhaps that's why, as the closing seconds of the year tick away, we humans become introspective. Inevitably, this mental examination of our own feelings and motives turns to thoughts of self-improvement and the annual ritual of making resolutions, which offer the first of many important tools for remaking ourselves for the better, we can only hope.

Simply by subscribing to blogs and bookmarking web sites (such as THIS ONE) that could give you some new thoughts or other ideas. Then make the time to scan your feeds and bookmarks for interesting posts every week. Even limiting your reading time to an hour per week means you can read at least a dozen thought-provoking posts in the time it takes to eat your lunch. Hey, you may even learn something that could be worth while, or give you an answer of another kind…

OKOA Resolutions Basic Ideas…

1. Debt Reduction and Savings Building

One of the first things you have to do before any debt can be eliminated is to stop adding to it. If you continue to unnecessary spend, you are only fueling the problem, and adding on to the debt, not resolving it. Keep some kind of daily diary of all money spent, whether it is by cash, check, credit card, etc. Once you know where your money is going, then, and only then, can you take the steps needed to prepare a good plan that you can live with and make huge strides to plan your debt away. It is not easy, but well worth it.

Make a resolution now to stop charging anything and to get financially stable. If you can't pay cash for it, you don't need it, make it just that simple. At first, apply all you can to get rid of any debt owed, then as the debts are paid, start a saving account, and pay yourself first by putting away at least 5% of your net income. Then as you learn this simple habit better, each year increase the percentage put away by 2-5%. It is amazing how fast the total will add up, and how good it feels to have the cash to cover should something happen.

2. Lose Weight and Get in Better Physical Shape

Physical activity builds physical vitality. With every year of your life, you have more to gain from being physically active; as your age-related risks of chronic disease increase, regular exercise generally slows or reverses that trend. In fact, you're even more likely to notice the benefits of regular exercise if you already have a persistent condition reminding you that you’re getting older by the second.

Are you ever going to be fit again as long as you live? The answer is unless you make a resolution to get fit – you’re never going to be fit – ever. The choice is yours; it begins by opting for the stairs instead of the elevator, fruit in place of sweets, and enthusiastic rather than sedentary activities.

3. Learn Something New

People throughout the world are realizing that a strong resolve to lifelong learning is more than just education and training beyond formal schooling. A lifelong learning framework encompasses learning throughout the life cycle, from cradle to grave and in different learning environments, formal, non-formal and informal. Some of the side effects from this action could also help your own body, mind and inner-self.

Perhaps you are considering a career change, or having one forced upon you, want to learn a new language or musical instrument, or just how to become a better cook? Whether you take a course or read a book, you'll find education to be one of the easiest, most motivating and beneficial resolutions to keep. Challenge your mind in the coming year, break out of currents routines and challenge every comfort zone and watch your horizons expand to who knows where.

4. Stick to a Budget

It’s been said that the best defense is a good offense. Developing and sticking to a realistic budget is a brilliant offensive move as it prevents overspending and ensures peace of mind. In today’s often uncertain world of downward trends and bailouts, having a firm grip on your own financial matters is more then key!

Many people find it very difficult to stick to a budget. It does take hard work and a lot of self-discipline, at least in the beginning. The good news is that most people find the longer they can stick to a budget, the easier it becomes.

5. Enjoy More Quality Time with Family & Friends

More and more people are resolving to spend more quality time with family and friends this year. This means you must consciously decide to actively and purposely work on improving your situation every day. You may need to do such things as reschedule business activities to make time for your friends, help your children set and achieve worthwhile goals, and setting aside at least an hour a day for the family, every day.

Starting right now, you can begin to make choices and take day-to-day actions that will create nothing short of a phenomenal family or friends. You can choose to have this if you just resolve to do it and know where to put your focus. Making our lives stronger and healthier is important to our communities, our state and our world as a whole.

6. Quit Smoking

Becoming a non-smoker is probably one of the best decisions you can ever make, and is a life changing as well as a life-saving and a debt reducing decision. The benefits to your health, relationships, finances, vitality, the environment and to your sense of self-esteem for having conquered a really hard-to-kick habit will make any and all of your efforts and determination more than worth while. The resolution to become a non-smoker will also help you to live longer, have more time and enjoy the finer things in life.

Once you’ve made the resolution to stop, acted upon it and succeeded, you'll feel great about what you have achieved. Resolving to give up this habit is your decision, and will improve your life from that moment on. No one else can make you quit, and no one can help you make the resolution. You have to do it yourself, you have to want to do it, and you need to do it now!

7. Increase Income

A new year provides a sense of getting a free do-over, so you can try again and get it right. Many people resolve to find better jobs or to take a new approach to the jobs they've already got. It's corny, but true -- most of us get reflective at this time of year and if we are in jobs already, we begin thinking: Am I on the right path? Do I like where my position and my company are headed? Am I even in the right career?

So you've been hearing that voice again, the one that says you're not doing what you were born to do. That may be true, but how do you figure out what you should be doing? To begin answering this question, examine whether your current career path matches your core interests, beliefs, values, needs and skills. Resolve to ask and answer those essential questions before making any new career changes.

8. Volunteer and Help Others

A popular, non-selfish New Year's resolution, volunteerism can take many forms such as spending time helping out at your local library, mentoring a child, or even help building a house for others to name a few. Volunteering has risen sharply in the years since we began making resolutions. This suggests the likely emergence of a new civic generation and a resolve to make a bigger and better difference with our lives.

Resolve to replace the pursuit of success and materialism with the pursuit of contribution and generosity. For this to occur, the critical question must move from, “How can I become successful?” to, “What can I contribute that will significantly impact other people's lives?” By focusing on what we can contribute, we will automatically become successful. Try it and see for yourself.

9. Delegate effectively

We all want to work less and get more done. Here's one of the greatest secrets of time management: successful delegation. Start by writing down every activity you and yours undertake for an entire week, and then review the results hard. There are likely a number of activities that won't help you achieve your goals, or could be done better by others. Focus on working to get those low-priority activities either delegated better or dumped all together.

While writing down everything, be sure that all items are in roughly scheduled order as to when they are actually getting done. This simple act may even show how a task is taking up multiply time slots and who could do the task needed in one stop, at one time. This in it self, will free up more time for all.

10. Get Organized

Resolve this year to plan your days, reduce interruptions, clean off your desk, say "No", and make detailed lists. The benefits of getting more organized include being able to save time, as you no longer look for the same things over and over again or need to replace things you can’t find at all.
You will reduce stress because when you know where everything is, there’s no last-minute rush to find what you need and get out the door on time for school, soccer practice, or that important business meeting.

You will also find yourself being much more productive, as all the time you once spent looking for things can now be used to do more important or more enjoyable tasks. Most people define being organized as quickly and easily able to find what you need. While this is certainly true, organization is so much more. The ability to staying organized lets you focus on accomplishing your most important goals. That’s the true benefit of being organized.

Here's Hoping For Our Success...

It’s a stark irony of the Western calendar that the odometer turns over smack dab in the middle of winter—the one time of the year when most people can’t rouse themselves to clean their own bathrooms, much less make an ambitious, life-changing, behavioral U-turn. If you’re the type who likes to ring in the New Year with an engraved in stone list of resolutions, I hope that my list above will give some ideas that you have not come up with or even tried yet.

Now, for the rest of us, don't just read the above list and start making excuses, just think how nice it would be to have the time or inclination to really try this year. You can actually do any one, two or the needed of the above list! These could boost your life, in many ways, just by bookmarking this blog or printing it out and at least working on a couple of the above points over the coming months. Soon you will be noticing the benefits. Good luck, have a great year ahead and never stop building upon your success, while always be looking for Other Kinds Of Answers…!

Healthier 2009 supplemental Other Kinds Of Answers…

Well, with another year almost behind us, it is time to start to look ahead to 2009. As this will be the year that I will turn the big 50, I have looked into many things, such as diet, sleep, and other activities that will help keep all of us going for a lot of years to come. Not quite ready to pack it all in yet, got a lot more living to do.

What you put into your body affects more than just your weight; food doesn’t just quiet a rumbling belly, it influences your moods, has an effect on energy levels and your overall health. It’s now time to open a new skylight to your soul and take in the healthier panorama that will truly feed your mind and body in 2009. By now hopefully, either you are taking vitamins already or have decided that the benefits of taking some vitamins daily could be a true key to a healthy, and more vibrant you in the years ahead of all of us, If you are taking the right dietary supplement.

Water-soluble vitamins travel freely through the body, and excess amounts usually are just excreted. The body needs a good water-soluble vitamins and minerals in daily, regular doses and these vitamins are not as likely as fat-soluble vitamins to reach toxic levels. A truly balanced diet usually provides enough of these vitamins, but in today’s busy world, how many of us get a truly balanced diet? Truly most all of us humans older than thirty years, and some with other lifestyles, like vegetarians may need to use a good dietary supplement to get enough of the basic daily requirements just to be healthier overall.

And keep in mind that our bodies also cannot make vitamin C and our capacity to store vitamin C is limited. We must, therefore, take in some daily. You are likely to need even more vitamin C if you are under a heavy stress load, have any healing wounds or infections, or if you smoke. Vitamin C also serves as a powerful antioxidant. It works synergistically with vitamin E as a free-radical scavenger. Recent studies also suggest that the combination of vitamins C and E in daily doses can even help reduce some the risks of developing of diseases. Remember that water-soluble vitamins, the B-complex group and vitamin C, dissolve in water and the excesses are eliminated in our urine. We need a continuous supply of them in our diets to ensure proper health and nutrition.

A BIG Question: LIQUID VS. PILLS dietary supplements?

What kind of vitamins do I take? Liquid or pills? What dosages? How many? Should I have to pay for dozens of individual vitamins instead of just taking a single dietary supplement? I have done some great research, so you do not have to spend hundreds of hours on the info for dozens of different pills that you have to swallow. Can you imagine swallowing as many as 10 or 15 pills a day, just to get your vitamins? Just buying that many different vitamins a month could cost you around $300.00 Dollars or more. But read on, you are about to be let in on the dirty little secret that pill manufacturers don't want you to know about.

You can only put a very small amount of ingredients into a pill. Why? Think of a pill as if it was a nearly full suitcase. The pill is the suitcase and the inside is full of clothes and everything else you need for a trip. The only space left is for the things you buy when you get where you are going. This is the space available to put actual active ingredients (such as vitamins) inside the pill. Everything else is needed to keep the pill stable (or to get you where you are going).

Because of this, as much as 80% of a pill can be fillers, binders, chelating agents and film coatings. In order to get the amount of vitamins that you can get with a high quality liquid dietary supplement, you would need to take at least 12 pills a day. Why swallow 12 or more pills a day when you can take as little as a One ounce of a high potency liquid dietary supplement and get more vitamins, minerals, fruit, vegetable and plant extracts than you could get by taking dozens of pills? It just doesn’t make sense, but day after day people take a basic “once a day” dietary supplement and believe they are getting what they need. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you aren't even getting close via this pill method.

Decades ago, simply taking dietary supplements was accepted as a novel way to give your body what it needs. Due to the advances of science, we now know that just because you take a dietary supplement does not mean that your cells are efficiently absorbing the nutrients. This action is called Bioavailability; The proportion of a dietary supplement that reaches its site of action in the body and the rate at which or degree to which a nutrient is absorbed and made available for the body’s use. Simple put you want the highest bioavailability level you can get; more of what you are paying for and taking in is getting to your cells.

There is something New on the supplement market...

Consequently, there has been a long-standing quest to discover a legitimate breakthrough technology that would allow efficient and maximum cellular absorption of nutrient-sized particles. Well, in September 2008, something new came to the dietary supplement market, Called Max N-Fuze, by Max International. For full disclosure, I am taking this product and have been on it from release date, feeling really great and that this is working for me. What's in it...

Max N-Fuze uses a patent-pending nanotechnology to efficiently deliver targeted nutrients that are capable of readily being absorbed and utilized at the cell level. This breakthrough technology consists of enveloping nano-sized nutrients in a highly purified water cluster and efficiently delivering the nano-sized particle to your body’s cells. And it is an easy to shallow liquid that tastes great, in single serving easy opening daily packet. No fuss, no muss, and no Solid pills! Not only do people not get the vitamins they really need, they fail to absorb the vitamins they taking due to the vitamin being sold in a solid pill form and then they get stuck with paying the full retail price for all of these vitamins because they buy it in a retail store that has to pay for overhead, employees, a physical store and more. Why not get your vitamins, minerals, and more, together in one great tasting and proven effective product, delivered direct to your door, a full 30 day supply without hassle? Yes, right to your mailbox and at wholesale pricing?

Ok, How About Pricing, What is Retail and Wholesale? The Retail price for Max N-Fuze is $85.00 plus flat rate shipping of $9.95 and where applicable state taxes. The Wholesale price is $69.00, same shipping and applicable taxes, plus you are in full control of the whole process, via the internet or toll-free phone number, as to when and where it is shipped. Customer service folks is great, quick and they are in Utah, not halfway around the world!

Max N-Fuze was subjected to vigorous safety testing at Clemson University. Additionally, Max International is a member of the Institute of Nutraceutical Research (INR). The INR is a leading research group that consolidates the intellectual and physical resources of the faculty at Clemson University and links these resources to South Carolina Nutrition Research Consortium (SCNRC) involving the South Carolina Research Authority, the University of South Carolina and the Medical University of SC in a unique partnership.

Max N-Fuze is an unparalleled breakthrough in liquid vitamin and mineral supplements, using cellular absorption and nanotechnology. This may seem complicated, but really all this means is that nano-sized nutrients are being delivered directly to the cells. This means the maximum amount of vitamins in the minimum amount of time, actually cutting cellular absorption down to one hour rather than 18-36 hours. Ready to Try some, Just click on any of the Max N-Fuze , or just drop me a E-mail, for more in-depth info, questions or service.

Very Powerful words and products - and also part of the reason I joined Max International. I was not only searching for change in my lifestyle, but I wanted to feel better, have more energy, and be involved in something positive. The science behind Max N-Fuze is truly amazing, the reasons we should all take it are over-powering, but there are enough articles about that. The reason for this blog is more about the life changing direction our lives can take when we are part of something that is bigger than us. Finding truly powerful Other Kinds Of Answers...

These above statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This statement has been added to comply with federal, state, and local laws.

Just got to love the Other Kinds Of Answers…

I really did start this OKOA Blog, mainly to see what “I” could learn from it. But partly due to my always looking for other kinds of answers, my life paths have never been boring, straight, or perfect. I have met a lot of neat fellow humans along the way and do not want to re-do much of what I’ve been through. The story continues, and here’s hoping the journey will be on-going for a while.

The latest “Fork” in my thoroughfare of life actually came from a reader of my little blog, in the form of a short comment by e-mail. Simply put, “Love it!!! Please keep typing your blog; I think I’m getting it!” Seems that this blog is getting read, mostly by friends, co-workers and family, but even they are recommending, share it or send a link on to others. From those simple acts of sharing, folks that I never thought would see it are and that is fine with me.

Now before I get too deep into the e-mail, let me share a little something that was taught to me many years ago. My tutor for this instance was a great man, now passed away, that I loved and admired very much. He was my Father’s Dad, my Grandpa “Dee”. He was a big Dutchman that was quiet, stalwart, firm, intelligent, could fix most anything, and loved his grandkids. When “Dee” did take the time to speak or told us something, all us grandkids listened well, because to not listen, was always trouble.

I happen to ask him one day about some kind of boy’s life choice question, and He, in return, asked if I knew the difference between a “Fork” and a “Y” in the road yet? This was something that my then youthful brain had not even vexed about, and I guessed back an answer, “not yet”? He smiled, and then said, “A ‘Y’ is where the road you’re on becomes two roads, a left or a right choice. A ‘Fork’ is where you are on the left or right and they meet to become one road ahead. Just remember you have many choices on the roads of life.” He then added “Don’t forget to look back down the other “Fork”, if just to see what could be down there.”

We don’t think of a "fork in the road" as an integral part of daily life. Usually it indicates some defining moment of change -- the end of a one thing or the beginning of a new one. The accepted thing about forks in the road is that they are obvious to everyone -- if not before, at least after the fact of stumbling across one.

A fork in the road presents us with choice: Do we continue on the same path we have been following all along, or do we take a different path? Maybe the new path will lead us somewhere, maybe it won't. It's hard to know before we try. There's a risk involved in making a decision, and it can feel very scary. The problem we face is whether or not we're willing to take the risk of making changes.

Sometimes, there is a one additional problem. It's not just that we are hesitant to follow a new path... we are not even aware that it exists. We do not see any fork in the road. Yet, there is usually a fork in the road... even when we're so blinded by our old ways of thinking that we can't see it. Making changes starts with seeing the forks in the road, where we once didn't even notice them.

And here is the three dollar word of the day is: Bifurcation; meaning the splitting of a main body into two parts or any place where one thing divides into two. Unless you are heavy into biology, it is a word that most of us will never even come across in our normal lives. It is a great word for scrabble though.

In closing, just keep going down the road and try to find all the Other Kinds Of Answers you can… They will show up when you least think about them and you may even get two from one.

Nastier Other Kinds Of Answers...

A hard working co-worker came up to me today, getting ready to leave the building in a hurry, coat in hand, and a full hour before normal shift end. I had to ask “Are you Ok?” and quickly followed that up with; “Is it anything I can help with?” With a quick blink of very teary red eyes and a weak smile, “No… thanks, E.” was all they said, before producing work keys checked out this morning were returned to me, logged in, punched out and out the doors was gone? Hope you get the same feeling something could be wrong…as I just did.

I want to chase after, but could not go, Not that I never have, just it was so busy this time of year. This is someone that I would call a friend, someone that I have played with their kids, one that held my arm as I could barely walk. This person is one of the true leaders in my work place, and can even issue a butt chewing when needed or earned with a smile given back as change. I guess anyone can have a bad day, make a career-ending mistake, or have a run-in with a Nasty!

Now I should add that I have no idea what happen to get this person in this state. I’m not going to ask, because I just don’t want this person to re-live the events again. It could be anything from bad or urgent news from the home life, a run-in with a frenzied out of control consumer, (and you know who you are!) Even the best holiday retail arena work demands pull or over load the best employee to their knees every now and then. Still my gut feeling, which I have come to trust quite well, is given me an alert not for a fire, a riot, or doom, Just a Nasty out prowling.

I immediately began to reflect on the various Nasties who I have worked with over the years. I thought of five people in particular who didn’t know what a carrot is, but they had a mountain of sticks. They need a mountain of sticks because they wear them out or break them so quickly - figuratively bashing those that don’t do exactly what they want, when they want over the head, backs or careers. More even frustratingly they will often employ their clubs when they only have a very small amount of facts, often clubbing a semi-innocent person. And once proven wrong, they can barely muster to say “I apologize,” instead they are out clubbing the next person like a jockey in the home stretch, in second place.

By clubbing, I am referring to the nasty, accusatory, paper work driven and even sometimes public scolding that a large number of us have had the displeasure to witness (or experience). You know the type – the ones that has nearly every working member of the organization is in fear of and only serves to public point the finger at an individual(s). More often than not, its purpose is to cover the butt of the person doing the clubbing. This is because they are admitting that, while the subject of the clubbing is near and dear to them, they couldn’t manage to stay engaged in the mission to help keep it on track. But they will now cast blame, after the fact, where they believe it should be. Go back and re-visit these events you have had, with a key player or even a leader, do they accept any responsibility? I am willing to bet that in 80% of the cases that answer is NO.

What these individuals never seem to understand is that this behavior does not accomplish what they hope. My belief is that they feel that by publicly chastising people, it will motivate that employee to work harder the next time. While I am not a Psychologist, I have to believe that this actually de-motivates people as well as it creates bitterness and resentment. It can often lead towards the escalation of this nastier behavior as de-people begin to lob their own verbal grenades at others in the work place, and could even start or lead to full inner-department wars.

I would also argue that as a result of these behavior productivity decreases, which is exactly the opposite effect that the “club” holder would argue they were trying to accomplish. I’ll even be willing to go a step farther out on this limb, with the point that it is the “club holder” will someday club the wrong person, let’s call them a “quiet land mine” type and BLAM! We all will be on the ten o’clock news.

If there was no upper intervention following a “clubbing” the employees learn that they need to “CYA” from this point forward. So they begin to document every step and wait for countless approvals and signoffs before they move forward. Projects and work begin to take much longer than they could or should, often because the employees are covering their butts by documenting where the problem has probably always existed – with the person(s) doing the clubbing. The net effect is that the mood of the group drops and so does overall sales.

I disagree completely with publicly embarrassing a colleague and those that do it should be disciplined. And when it is done with a lack of clear evidence the penalty should be more severe – up to and including termination, No matter their place or rank in a company. People who are too busy to pick up the phone, or visit with a colleague that they “believe” missed the target, in order to gather data and possibly council them (if necessary) are too busy to continue to work for the organization.

Because of the nature of business, retail asks employees to deal with a lot already - from 40 hour work weeks, nearly 7 day work weeks, and on and on. We should not hire or tolerate nasties that make work life even more difficult then it is. And when you consider the overall price of unproductive behavior, loss of sales and possibly future legal activity, Nasties can produce a very tangible negative financial impact on the whole organization.

So to the Nasties, a lot of us little folk have very long memories, and One day, you may need us for something, that could make or break you. I only hope that the welt marks from the clubbing you have issued, don’t get in the way of us helping you and that you will start looking for Other Kinds Of Answers…

16 OKOA to thwart holiday stress and despair …

When stress is at its peak, it's hard to stop and regroup. Try to prevent stress and despair in the first place, especially if you know the holidays have taken an emotional toll in previous years.

Take back control of holiday stress and despair

Remember, one of the basic keys to minimizing holiday stress and despair is that the holidays can trigger stress and despair. Accept that things aren't always going to go as planned. Then take active steps to manage stress and despair during the holidays. You may actually enjoy the holidays this year more than you thought you ever could.

These are very simple OKOA things to head off holiday stress & despair. Not all original, and they may not all apply but this list has helped me in the past:

1. Acknowledge your feelings. If a loved one has recently pass away or you aren't able to be with your loved ones, realize that it's normal to feel sadness or sorrow. It's OK now and then to take time just to cry or express your feelings. You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season. Memories should be the best part of any holiday plans.
   
   
2. Seek support. If you feel isolated or down, seek out family members and friends, or community, religious or social services. They can offer support and companionship. Consider volunteering at a community or religious function. Getting involved and helping others can lift your spirits and broaden your friendships. Also, enlist support for organizing holiday gatherings, as well as meal preparation and cleanup. You don't have to go it alone. Don't be a martyr; you are still among the living of life.
   
   
3. Set differences aside. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all your expectations. Practice forgiveness. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time a needed discussion. With stress and activity levels high, the holidays might not be conducive to making quality time for relationships. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday stress and despair also.
   
   
4. Get an earlier start. There's no rule that says that all Holiday activities have to be crammed into the few weeks. Set your own time table and plans, you can decorate your home for the holiday season in July if you want (or even, like I do, leave some Holiday lights up all year round.) Food for the holiday season can be bought in advance, and holiday gifts can be bought any time of year. Stretching out your holiday activities over a longer period of time can really reduce your holiday stress and despair.
   
   
5. Stick to a budget. Before you go shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend on gifts and other items. Then be sure to stick to your budget. If you don't, you could feel anxious and tense for months afterward as you struggle to pay the bills. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Donate to a charity in some one's name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange. Most people in today’s world will understand, as they are trying to live in it also.
   
   
6. Plan ahead, but be flexible. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make one big food-shopping trip. That can help prevent a last-minute scramble to buy forgotten ingredients — and you'll have time to make another pie, if the first one's a flop. Expect travel delays, especially if you're flying or driving. Allow for those things that can not be planned for – Weather, misc. events, and add yours here...etc...
   
   
7. Learn to say no. Believe it or not, people will understand if you can't do certain projects or activities. If you say yes only to what you really want to do, you'll avoid feeling resentful, bitter and overwhelmed. If it's really not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to eliminate something else from your plans to make up for the time lost.
   
   
8. Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for several weeks, talk with a doctor or a mental health professional. You may have other issues that the holiday madness and stress has only brought closer to the surface of life.
   
   
9. Don't abandon healthy habits. Don't let the holidays become a dietary free-for-all. Some indulgence is OK and even normal, but overindulgence only adds to your stress and guilt. Have healthy snacks before holiday parties so that you don't go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks. Continue to get plenty of sleep and schedule time for physical activity.
   
   
10. Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Steal away to a quiet place, even if it's to the bathroom for a few moments of solitude. Take a walk at night and stargaze. Listen to soothing music. Find something that reduces stress by clearing your mind, slowing your breathing and restoring inner calm.
    
    
11. Rethink resolutions. Resolutions can set you up for failure if they're unrealistic. Don't resolve to change your whole life to make up for past excess. Instead, try to return to basic, healthy lifestyle routines. Set smaller, more specific goals with a reasonable time frame. Choose only those resolutions that help you feel valuable and that provide more than only fleeting moments of happiness.
    
    
12. Look at the bigger picture. Ask yourself honestly, "Will this matter in a year? In five years?" The general answer is usually no. Realizing this makes a stressful situation seem less overwhelming. This year try asking how much stress are you willing to endure for the holidays?
    
    
13. Be realistic. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Hold on to those you can and want to. But accept that you may have change or let go of others. For example, if your adult children and grandchildren can't all gather at your house as usual, find new ways to celebrate together from afar, such as phone calls, sharing pictures, e-mails or even videotapes.
    
    
14. Avoid the hype if you can. Yes, every retail outlet and commercial center on the planet is having a SALE; we all know this is going to happen. Add to that everyone else is stressed out, trying to cope and get thru the holidays just like you are. People watching and finding other ways to do things can be fun. Doing nothing on a holiday can be great for your health and is O.K.!
    
    
15. Forget about perfection. Holiday TV specials are filled with happy endings. But in real life, people don't usually resolve problems within an hour or two. Something always comes up. You may get stuck late at the office and miss your child's school plays, your sibling may dredge up an old argument, your partner may burn the cookies, and your parent may criticize how you're raising the kids. All in the same day. Accept the imperfections in yourself and in others.
    
    
16. Share your stress with others needing to vent also. You may not be able to change a frustrating stressful situation, but that doesn't mean your feelings are not justifiable nor unsolvable. Phone a close friend, schedule a meal, or even just go window shopping and talking. You’ll feel better after talking it out aloud and even sharing other kinds of answers with them…
    

Remember the Key trigger points of holiday stress and despair.

Holiday stress and despair are often the result of three main trigger points. Understanding the main trigger points can help you plan ahead on how to accommodate them better.

* Finances. Like your relationships, your financial situation can cause stress at any time of the year. But overspending during the holidays on gifts, travel, food and entertainment can increase stress as you try to make ends meet while ensuring that everyone on your gift list is happy. You may find yourself in a financial spiral that leaves you with despair symptoms such as hopelessness, sadness and helplessness.

* Relationships. Relationships can cause turmoil, conflict or stress at any time. But tensions are often heightened during the holidays. Family misunderstandings and conflicts can intensify — especially if you're all thrust together for several days. Conflicts are bound to arise with so many different personalities, needs and interests. On the other hand, if you're facing the holidays without a loved one, you may find yourself especially lonely or sad. Handle either case with great care and respect.

* Physical demands. The strain of shopping, attending social gatherings and preparing holiday meals can wipe you out. Feeling exhausted increases your stress, creating a vicious cycle. Exercise and sleep — good antidotes for stress and fatigue — may take a back seat to chores and errands. High demands, stress, lack of exercise, and overindulgence in food and drink — all are ingredients for a basic holiday illness.

Remember to go easy on yourselves; the holidays are just a small part of a entire year.

Have a Very Merry and Happy whatever holiday, and God's Blessing, One and All!

Earl,
Other Kinds Of Answers...

It is time for Other Kinds Of Answers to this bitter pill…

Turn on your television for even thirty minutes and you are likely to catch a commercial for the latest sleep aid, erectile dysfunction pill or depression medication presented first by sad, alone folks often filmed in black and white, then suddenly happy, attractive people in living color. Funny that I have never seen them even take the medication in question? Wonder if that simple action on TV is against a law or a FCC regulation somehow? I guess I’ll have ask my Doctor or TV station about that one.

Pharmaceutical companies spend roughly $18 billion a year marketing their many prescription drugs to us. Direct-To-Consumer ( DTC ) promotion of medications including but not limited to: ad in newspapers and magazines, TV ads, coupons, and industry and company funded websites, newsletters, and patient support services. I have read that on average, an adult in the U.S. is exposed to 100 minutes of DTC television ads for every minute spent seeing a doctor. And DTC promotion seems mainly to be only on a handful of drugs – the ones that are most profitable, by my own research. Marketing dollars seem primarily spent on the newest, most expensive drugs, for which some or all the risks may not yet even fully be known. Anyone else feeling like a lab rat yet?

Now do not get me wrong, I will admit to giving more than my fair share of my paychecks to the Pharmaceutical companies, under doctor’s Rx. And I have picked-up Over-The-Counter ( OTC ) items for myself and loved ones for years. I am also pretty sure that all the Pharmaceutical companies want to stay in business, and are doing a good job at testing everything they make. And all those pens, pads, tissue boxes and other items adorned with prescription drug logos found in most doctors' offices, I know, are just another kind of ad for some meds out now. I have taken marketing courses in college, and do understand “branding” well.

Hey, even I have some products that I take, that work well for me, and I am willing to share what I have found with everyone that wants to hear about them. So here is my DTC promotion for a water based Nano-nutrient supplementation called N-Fuse and a second product called MaxGXL that can increasing your glutathione level naturally, thus should increase your energy levels, detoxify your body and strengthen your immune system. Just click this text to learn more.

And it is not all bad news, things are getting better as more questions are asked. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA, ( http://www.phrma.org ) has adopted revisions to its code of conduct on interactions between sales representatives and physicians, effective Jan. 1, 2009. They even have a Complaint Link on their home page, where and to whom your complaint goes, I don’t know.

In the U. S., DTC ads are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ). However with that said, the FDA does not approve ads before distribution and lacks the staff to monitor the accuracy of all the DTC ads. When the FDA learns of a misleading ad, the agency can complain in writing and require the company to stop using the ad. But such letters are rare, and it may take many months for the FDA to force a drug company to stop circulating a misleading drug ad.

These ads for drugs don’t provide consumers with all known risks. The drug companies are not required to provide such info as long as the ad refers the consumer to an Internet site, a print advertisement, a toll-free telephone number, or a health care provider. Also the FDA which regulates prescription drug ads does NOT regulate so called help-seeking ads, which are basically selling diseases rather than drugs.

Now, just for those that I may have lost during my ranting, my main issue today is the above in blue. Selling diseases…, not for me, No Sale Here! I have enough of my own now. I only really hope that we will just turn off these ads and our TV’s too, have an apple or something else healthy, while we all go for a brisk thirty minute walk daily, outside on this beautiful world all we live, with the ones we care about, still looking for Other Kinds Of Answers…


Some other Links to ponder over:


Medical Education Project - PharmedOut ( http://www.pharmedout.org )

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/11/25/drug-companies...

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/jul/20-drugmakers-prepare-for-a-smackdown