Personal Development: Be Your Own Cheerleader

 “Always concentrate on how far you’ve come, rather than how far you have left to go.” ~Unknown

You have to learn to celebrate yourself. We often freely praise others for their achievements yet withhold it from ourselves. So why do we find it so hard to praise ourselves when we achieve something? Well it doesn’t seem to matter whether our accomplishments are small or sensational, giving ourselves a pat on the back for a job well done is almost impossible for many. It could be, perhaps you were trained to be modest, hopeless or you simply didn’t learn to believe in yourself. Perhaps your past achievements were simply ignored by parents, peers or mentors and you’ve simply given up on expecting accolades.

Be your own cheerleader

However, if no one else recognizes the achievements you've made and the challenges you've come through, and you're waiting for someone else to pat you on the back, stop waiting for others. Learn to toot your own horn, without being boastful or arrogant about it, of course. Self-praise is important, more important than praise from others. Others are not always dependable. But, you can always count on yourself. So today, begin your journey of self-commendation. Correct your inner critic. You have to change the language of what you have been saying about you. Praise yourself for each achievement, however insignificant you may think it is. And don't concentrate on the things left to do, celebrate what you have accomplished. Watch yourself achieving as you go about your day. And give yourself a pat on the back... you deserve it. Five, six, seven, eight, who do you appreciate!

 

Dare to... Understand More, Judge Less

 Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding. Albert Einstein

Do you sometimes feel the judgmental parts of you constantly criticizing, sizing up, dismissing, and diminishing those around you. Outwardly, generally nice... helpful, polite, and funny, while internally not realizing just how much mental space and energy you're giving those internal judges... being bossy and mean.

However, your judgment of others is an extension of self-judgment, so ingrained, so normal, you don’t even recognize it.  You may be insecure with yourself, so you put other people down, or fear those who are different from you, so you judge them just because they are unlike you,  or maybe you're seeking a change in your life, but, in turn, are jealous of the changes you see others are making in their lives. When you catch yourself having a defining thought about someone, step back and use the following tips to help transform those judgments you may have:

                                                    1

Monitor your thoughts and think before you speak.

 Think about what you thinking about.

2

Look for the positive. Judgments are negative.

 There is almost always something positive 

you can find in someone or something. 

 3

Avoid stereotyping. Stereotypes are never, ever good.

 They really create a lot of negativity and you 

want to avoid being a part of that. 

4

Put the focus on your own life. Don't worry about what

 others are doing or wearing, etc. Think about your own life. 

Focus on what you want and go after it. When you're trying 

to avoid your own problems, it's easy to criticize others. Don't.

What you don't see or understand, is that your judgment leads to suffering - your own suffering. It does not touch the person judged; he or she is free of you, your thoughts and your judgments. You cannot change their behavior. Next time remember how it feels to be judged and how it felt the last time you judged someone else. It doesn't feel good to judge or to be judged so put an end to it... right now. 

The act of judgment is an act of pride and because of pride, you refuse to correct course. Judging others is an act of monumental pride - enormous pride, stupendous pride, galling, astonishing, fantastic pride.  You've looked at the evidence and you've made a judgment - it must be right! There couldn't possibly be any other conclusion to arrive at but the one you've chosen, could there? You're better than that. Think again, I dare you to... understand more and judge less.

From My Inbox: Cell Phones and Early Aging

“Apparently we love our own cell phones but we hate everyone else’s.” ~ Joe Bob Briggs

Believe it or not, your cell phone is aging you before your time. It really is screwing up your skin. You feel panicked without it. But, according to an article in the July issue of Cosmo, your lifeline to your friends, family, and work can be seriously screwing up your skin. The large amount of blue-spectrum light emitted can disrupt your natural sleep cycle, the touch-screen trend has caused a rise in acne in the phone zone: temples, cheeks, and chin... the dirt and bacteria that live on your screen are transferred to your skin. And  then there's the text neck—a slack, untoned neck and jawline caused by a breakdown in collagen and elastin... the constant up-and-down movement when texting or Facebooking weakens that support structure and more.  Read on for some quick fixes for these nasty habits.

1. Squinting to read the small type on your screen. Increase your phone's font size to 20 points or bigger, if necessary and up your screen's brightness. 
2. You talk long enough for your phone to get hot while chatting. A headset (or speakerphone) is your best bet.
3. You must read that last work e-mail (or tweet or text) before bed. If you have trouble shutting down before bed, dim the intensity of your phone's light, or make use of the invert-colors feature (it turns your screen black and fonts white)—both reduce the brightness and amount of blue light. 
4. Pressing your face against your phone (telltale sign: oil or makeup slicks on your screen). Use earbuds, and clean your phone daily with an antibacterial wipes.
5. Constantly looking down to refresh your Instagram feed and group-chat. Hold your phone at eye level to minimize folding, and apply a skin-firming, peptide-rich cream on your jawline and neck twice a day.

Well, there it is and research shows the artificial light from your smartphone can make you look up to 10 years older because it messes with your body's ability to produce melatonin, the chemical responsible for making you sleepy. In another case, NYC Dermatologist Dendy Engelman, M.D. stated there were a surge of 20somethings visiting his practice with crows feet and 11 lines... those vertical furrows between the brows, which he says normally doesn't show up until your 30s or 40s, wow! So be careful on your cell phones and for more fixes for these issues and more see the July issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine.

Nutritionwise: Get Fired Up for Some Meatless Monday Grilling

These Meatless Monday Grilling Tips

 Will Fire You Up for a Healthy BBQ Season

As you fire up your BBQ throughout the summer, instead of the typical meat-focused fare why not cook up some grilled veggies instead? Vegetables are amazing on the grill, plus meatless grilling is an easy way to add vitamin-packed, healthy seasonal produce to your diet, which can help reduce your risk of certain chronic diseases. So get grilling and take a break from meat with these 10 easy summer grilling tips:

1. Many vegetables can be thrown right on the grill with just a light brushing of olive oil (with delicious results)! Fresh corn, tomatoes, asparagus, eggplant, zucchini, squash, bell peppers and jalapenos are just a few to try.
2. Kabobs are a BBQ staple that make the perfect meatless entree. Add tofu cubes, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, roasted potatoes or just about any other vegetable that strikes your fancy.
3. Grilled fruit is amazing too. For a sweet side dish or dessert, try peach halves, pineapples, plums, melon, kiwi, bananas, pears or figs with a touch of honey marinade.
4. Swap a hamburger for a portobello mushroom burger or grilled eggplant slices. Put the BBQ’d veggies on a bun and add your favorite toppings, like avocados, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers or an olive spread.
5. Try a veggie burger recipe that celebrates hearty ingredients like black beans, lentils, quinoa and chickpeas. You can also find healthy pre-made patties at supermarkets and natural food stores.
6. Make a delicious, smoky pizza pie right on the grill — all you need is pizza dough, sauce and your favorite vegetables thinly sliced or pre-grilled.
7. Use your favorite marinade recipe to add flavor to extra firm tofu cubes. Grill them up and add them to a salad, serve them with veggies or enjoy them on their own.
8. Add grilled vegetables to a filling summer salad. Garnish fresh lettuces with a bit of fruit, feta cheese and olive oil to complete the dish; or think beyond lettuce and whip up a bean or grain salad.
9. Consider your sides when planning a meatless BBQ. Pasta salads, raw vegetables and hummus dip are great ways to turn your plant-based dishes into a full meal.
10. End the meal on a healthy note with a tray of fresh fruit, a parfait or homemade smoothies.

Looking for even more great summer grilling ideas? Sample some of our favorite meatless burger ideas in our free online Monday Burgers Cookbook.

Personal Development: "Be All In and Give It All You've Got"

 "Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out if they've got a second. Give your dreams all you've got and you'll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you." - William James

If you want to succeed in anything you do, you must be all in.  It applies to everything you do. Give it everything you have, heart and soul. Whether it's in a team environment, in business, your significant other or spouse, but most  importantly, it really all begins with you. So, what do you have to do to be all in and give it all you've got?

1. Commit yourself. You must make a commitment to your goal, team, the people involved and the outcome.  Just having a passion or desire is not enough.  A desire is a want and that's it, just like a passion.  We desire, along with being passionate, all the time. But, how many of those desires or passions have you actually followed through on or acquired?  Wanting something is not enough and it certainly doesn’t mean being all in or giving it all you've got.  It’s more than words, wants or desires; it's a promise.  People of integrity and real leaders keep their promises, therefore honoring their commitment.
2.  Hold yourself accountable. True accountability can only come from you.  You're the only one who can hold you accountable.  And to make it work, you must allow others to hold you accountable as well.   Success is never found on your own, it always takes other people to help in one way or another.  If you're not willing to be held accountable to the commitment you have made or for what you have to do or say you're going to do, then you're not really all in and you're not giving it your all... it's that simple.
3. Be dependable. Being consistent with your word shows, not only others that you're trustworthy and dependable, but yourself too.  When people stand in support of you, they know they can count on you to do what you say you're going to do. You build trust with them. It's like this, if you can't count on someone to follow through, then you learn very quickly you can’t rely on them and you will foster little trust in them and eventually you won’t waste your time on them, right?  Well, that's how it is with you too... it's a two-way street! Be willing to be all in, because those that are all in will to have leave you behind if you're not dependable. They will not give up their commitment to achieve their dream for one who can’t give it their all.

What you really need to know by being all in or giving it all you've got, is that you can't quit or stop because things get rough or life becomes difficult and gets in the way.  There will always be excuses or reasons that can get in your way and stop you from doing anything, if you let it.  This maybe a good time to change you thoughts, behavior or attitude before you begin justifying your lack of commitment.  Your actions or lack thereof, will always speak louder than words.  Remember no one finds success on their own, help from other people is always needed, some way, some how.  There's no such thing as a self-made millionaire. So know where you're going, enjoy the journey, be all in … and give it all you've got all along the way.