Instructions for Life by The Dalai Lama

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 Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

1. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
2. Follow the three R’s:
   -  Respect for self,
   -  Respect for others and
   -  Responsibility for all your actions.
3. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
4. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
5. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
6. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
7. Spend some time alone every day.
8. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
9. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
10. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and
    think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
11. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
12. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
13. Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.
14. Be gentle with the earth.
15. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
16. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
17. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
18. If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
19. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

Success Can Be Yours!

Why do people wait for the New Year to start over? Why wait? Why keep making excuses for your life? It’s time to wake up!!!! You aren’t guaranteed next year, next month, next week or tomorrow for that matter! What is a person to do? Here’s a start: 

Wake up each morning grateful to be alive! Take some deep breaths and start your day!

Exercise first thing in the morning, that way it’s out of the way and you won’t make excuses later on to not work out! 

Limit yourself to one; no more than two cups of coffee. Be mindful of what you put in it. Not all creamers are good for you! 

Eat healthy 85-90% of the time starting with breakfast daily. Yes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day! 

Eat every 3hrs or so. It keeps your metabolism going, keeps your energy levels up and regulates your blood sugars! 

Eat with the seasons! 

Stop eating when full. Don’t eat when bored, stressed, or angry. Get in touch with your emotions. Write in a journal. 

Try meditation. It helps reduce stress. Start with two minutes and work your way to 15minutes. It’s quite calming. 

Make sure you sleep! Each individual body is different. Try to get 6-8hrs if you can. Need a new mattress? If it’s been 10yrs since your last purchase, it’s time for a new one!

Those are just some of the things to do for health. Don’t wait another day to start getting healthy! So what if you had a burger, fries and a beer. You get to make a choice of making the next meal a healthy one! YOU make the CHOICES! Planning and preparation is the key to living a healthy lifestyle. You have to stop making excuses. Start living your life in a healthy way and you will have success in life! Don’t overhaul at once. Small changes add up! You can do this!

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza...Happy Holidays!

Tis the season! Hanukkah is kicking off this Holiday Season! Hanukkah started last night. For those of you celebrating: Happy Hanukkah! Enjoy these 8days and nights! My family is Catholic; we celebrate Christmas! Merry Christmas! I hope Santa is good to you! There are 12days of Christmas. For those that celebrate Kwanzaa..Happy Kwanzaa! I must admit, I don't know much about it. No matter what you celebrate, I hope you are celebrating in a deliciously healthy way!

Do you get offended if someone says Happy Holidays? If so, why? Do you expect a stranger to know what religion you are and what holiday you celibrate? Unless you wear the Star of David or a Cross on your neck, how is anyone to know? It's not like you can just look at someone and know automatically what religion, if any, a person practices. Happy Holidays is a nice way to include everyone without stereotyping and guessing. Wouldn't you rather someone acknowledge you in an inclusive way? I would. Personally, I don't find offense in it. I am grateful someone is thinking of me and wishing me a Happy Holiday. It's better than a Scrooge! The holidays are about being kind to one another and finding peace within oneself and with others. So, the next time someone says Happy Holiday to you, say thank you and pay it forward to someone else! You never know when you are uplifting a person with something as simple as an acknowledgement with a smile and a few simple words. Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza...Happy Holidays! From my family to yours... I wish you love, peace, health and happiness!