Inspirational Quotes and Thoughts for Women

Welfare is necessary

2011-11-21T10:01:00.001-08:00

Inspirational thoughts on compassion for those in need of welfare or a helping hand

In these tough times, it is important to be understanding, compassionate and giving with families who need a helping hand. Many people who want to work cannot find jobs, and those who can find jobs often must work two or three to put food on the table.

Families who need help are not lazy

People who cannot work are often hustling to get money to pay the bills by doing work on their own. Some of these people work as taxpaying independent contractors and some of them just take cash pay for different jobs. Sometimes, pay is low, and sometimes it is hard to collect payment. Sometimes contract workers go unpaid for their work.

A lot of them, even those who are working day and night to support their families, just cannot make ends meet for simple things like food, rent and a car to drive to work.

Don’t look down on people who need welfare

Sometimes, life is more than you can manage alone. It just is, and that is part of what keeps us together as a species. I don’t think I have to tell you that life isn’t easy, so it is important not to judge someone who is making a choice to receive welfare help.

Ask for help if you need it

Forgiving yourself and allowing yourself to seek help when you need it is part of this. Though you may not need financial help, you may need help in some other way.

Asking someone for help can sometimes benefit both the person who gives and the person who receives. Sometimes, people want to help and don’t know how. Other times, they may be completely oblivious for the need for help.

If you don’t know someone who can help, a local charity organization might be able to find someone for you.

Don’t stop looking until you get the help you need.

Inspirational Thoughts for Work as Meditation

2011-11-05T07:52:00.001-07:00

When your day is busy with work, it can be hard to find time for inspiration and meditation. Many people work all day, and they don’t have time to sit for a moment and gather their thoughts, let alone practice meditation.

I am one of those people. If you on this website, you just might be overworked and out of time as well.

Because I am an independent contractor, time is money, so I don’t just work an eight hour shift – I work all day, from when I wake up to an hour or so before I go to bed. Meditation is costly for me because every hour of my time is money.

One option is to meditate on your work. This is not a long-term option that you should rely on as a complete meditation, but controlled practice of the mind during work can have powerful effects on your ability to harness and control your mind.

Ideas for Meditations for Work

1. Focus fully on your work, blocking out all distractions around you. Fully delve into what you are doing with every fiber of your concentration, for a measured period. This period can be short (3-5 minutes) or long (10-30 minutes) depending on your ability to keep focused. Take short, timed breaks of a few minutes before returning to full concentration on the task.

2. Decide on a theme for the day, and stick to it. This can differ depending on your profession. If you are a writer, choose a rhetorical mode that you use throughout your work that day. If you work in retail sales, you can decide to focus on looking every single customer directly in the eye.

3. Decide on a concept, like love, forgiveness or success, and make your work decisions that day with that concept constantly on your mind.

Women’s Inspiration Carnival– Inspiring Articles for Oct 21, 2011

2011-10-21T13:16:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the October 21, 2011 edition of women's inspiration carnival.

Kathleen Gaga presents A tribute to my father - a gentle, kind and loving man posted at Daily Awareness, saying, "There is a deep sense of freedom knowing there IS so much more than beyond what is visible to the naked eye. It is in this freedom we find the greatest sense of purpose and connectedness."

Debra Fileta presents Faith 'til Death: posted at Lessons Learned While Being Still.

NCSue presents ...that they may be one as we are one posted at IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING.

Wise_Bread presents Simple Living: Overcoming Negative Inertia posted at Wisebread.

siobhan curious presents arrows into blossoms posted at Siobhan Curious, saying, "I'm excited to have discovered this carnival! My blog is about education, and often discusses the application of spiritual (especially Buddhist) principles to teaching. This post is about how to apply a Buddhist precept to the negative emotions students often provoke."

NCSue presents Seeing the big picture posted at IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING.

Amyra Mah presents Superwoman Under Stress: How to Overcome Over-Responsibility & Guilt posted at The Amyra Records.

inspiration

Kim Brevard presents Inspirational Thoughts; Small Intention, Huge Happiness posted at Self Personal: Inspirational Thoughts and Encouragement For You, saying, "Many times, its the little things that provide inspiration and add a little happiness to life."

Khan Ben presents B-Schools Seek Boost By Targeting Women posted at Higher Education and Career Blog, saying, "Some of the nation's top business schools are scrambling to break a glass ceiling on female enrollment. Here's how they're trying to reach out to prospective students."

Joan Justice presents Book Giveaway Celebrates Defiant Women! posted at Ogo Ogbata's Blog.

Another Somebody presents Rene Descartes posted at Another Somebody's Blog.

Moe White presents I AM NOT MY HAIR!!!! posted at Love Sex and Children.

Vicki Garcia presents Check Your Ego posted at My Kick Ass Coach!.

Surbhi Bhatia presents Mukhtar Mai – Defying All Odds posted at The Viewspaper » The Viewspaper.

Tomar Levine presents Finding One's True Work After Fifty posted at Blooming, saying, "There are no role models or career counselors to point us in the direction of our unique work. So I had to wait to evolve and develop before I was ready to discover it for myself. Are you ready?"

radite presents I just wanna be a Son of You posted at Blank Of Idea.

Nisrine presents Organize your Way to a Balanced Life: Part 1 posted at iSavvyMom.

L presents Tuesday Treasures | Sketch of a Nymphet posted at Sketch of a Nymphet, saying, "Be inspired, mes chéris!"

self-help

Vicki Garcia presents Growing Pains posted at My Kick Ass Coach!.

Anna Callahan presents Law of Attraction: how it works posted at Indie Times, saying, "Skeptical about the law of attraction? Scientifically minded? Read here the real reasons why this practice of gratitude and visualization can and does change lives. (By a science-minded woman thinker.)"

Vicki Garcia presents Kick Ass Language posted at My Kick Ass Coach!.

spirituality

Lana Kravtsova presents I Don?t Mind What Happens posted at Dream Followers.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of women's inspiration carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Share | Technorati tags: women's inspiration carnival, blog carnival.

Inspirational Quotes on Creativity

2011-10-03T16:20:00.001-07:00

What is your method for creating?

My method is to smatter it on the page to see it parts in a whole and push it into being.

The idea is not to put the perfect on the page, but to put down the imperfect and make it perfect. Assembling a machine.

Getting the guts of it on paper and arranging them into life.

This is my method. It could be yours. It might not. What is your method? Boil it down.

Beware Internet Quackery: How to Tell Bad Medical Information from True

2011-09-12T12:44:00.001-07:00

False Medical Information from Medical Amateurs Could Hurt Your Health

Take online medical information with a grain of salt.

Yes, there is a great deal of helpful information out there, but there is also a lot of false medical information and online quackery. Some medical and health information is accidentally erroneous due to a well-meaning amateur who has drawn mistaken conclusions from his research, while others supplying misleading medical information may intend to sell you a product or service.

Online Health and Wellness Gurus May Do More Harm Than Good

So when some blog you’re reading suggests a radical new diet, a great blend of herbs or the next fantastic superfood, give it some thought before you dive right in and participate. Research what they tell you to see if you can find corroboration from a reliable source, like a neutrally-affiliated medical or educational institution.

All things considered, if the person or organization giving you the information benefits from your having the information in any way, be it in money or in web traffic, consider the information suspect and find another source.

When the Condition is Serious, See a Doctor

Patients dealing with a severe, life or death illness or an ongoing chronic problem should see a doctor rather than relying on the information online.

Stop Googling stuff like “herbal chickenpox cures” and go to the doctor or emergency room if you think you are extremely sick. A little online exploration of possible illnesses is okay, but curing yourself of something serious without the aid of a doctor is going a bit too far.

If you have limited income, go to a low income health clinic or talk to a local doctor about giving you services at a discount.

Great Blog Posts: Penelope Trunk with Motivation Tips from the Bath

2011-09-03T21:34:00.001-07:00

How a Woman’s Motivation Can Come From the Little Steps

Every so often, I come across a great blog post by women or for women or just plain motivating. “Motivation Tips From the Bath” is one of those great blog posts.

Penelope Trunk is a well-known motivator and a reliably successful businessperson. In Trunk’s post, “Motivation Tips From the Bath” she writes about how moments in everyday life, whether boring, exciting or serene, can provide seeds for motivation into your future. Read the blog here:

Motivation Tips from the Bath | Penelope Trunk Blog

Thoughts on Thinking for Yourself: The Devil Can Quote Scripture

2011-08-25T13:40:00.001-07:00

Explore The Meaning Behind the Popular Quote “The Devil Can Quote Scripture For His Own Ends.”

You may have heard the quote “The Devil can quote scripture for his own ends” or “The Devil can quote scripture for his own purposes.”

You may have wondered where that quote came from, and what it means, and how it can be applied in your life.

The notion that the Devil can use scripture from the Bible to ensnare the otherwise faithful has been used by many great writers.

Notable wordsmiths like Shakespeare:

“The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. An evil soul producing holy witness Is like a villain with a smiling cheek.” (from Merchant of Venice)

and Dickens:

“Is any one surprised at Mr. Jonas making such a reference to such a book for such a purpose? Does any one doubt the old saw that the Devil (being a layman) quotes Scripture for his own ends.” (from Martin Chuzzlewit)

have used this idea in their works.

The Devil Quoted Scripture in the Bible

In the New Testament of the Bible, Matthew 4:5 and 4:6, the Devil uses scripture (Psalm 91:11 and 91:12) in a conversation meant to tempt Jesus into joining the dark side.

What Does This Mean To Me?

The essential idea of this quote is to inspire you to think for yourself instead of allowing someone to control you using the words from the Bible or other spiritual texts.

Just because someone is using scripture to convince you of something doesn’t mean that they, or their intentions, are good.

Be wary of someone who is using scripture to get you to take action against someone else, or to take action that you might not usually take.

Don’t Forget Your Other Guide: Your Conscience

In the end, scripture or no scripture, you have to square your actions and intentions with yourself and the higher power of your choice.

Don’t jump into something because someone quotes the Bible at you, because sometimes the speaker’s heart isn’t in the right place.

Read Relevant Spiritual Texts Yourself

If someone quotes scripture that means something to you, don’t just take it at face value: check it out.

Google search part of the phrase and find its location in the book. Many different free bibles are available online.

Read further into scripture and evidence before allowing someone to make you take an action or form a point of view based on a small quote, even if it is from the Bible.

Chances are, if you take some time to study more of the Bible yourself, you will find opposing points of view that will help guide you in doing what is right both spiritually and in your own mind.

Procrastination and Completing Projects: MUST READ

2011-05-13T18:02:00.001-07:00

I have linked to a must-read blog by one of my favorite people in the realm of conscious growth and living. It is essentially about the barriers that stop you from completing projects and getting things done. It talks about procrastination and how you can get yourself to stop procrastinating without making yourself miserably unhappy.

If this sounds like you, it is very important that you read this; it may help you identify your problems with procrastination or get a handle on some of your issues.

Many of the points about mentally abusing yourself over procrastination really hit home, and anyone who beats herself up over not getting things done as quickly or productively as she wants should give this article a good hard read and give herself a good, hard hug.

Love.

Read here:

Steve Pavlina: Completing Projects

Inspiring Quote About Being An Artist

2011-05-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

Here is an awesomely inspiring quote about the nature of being an artist and judging your own work:

The responsibility of the artist is to transcend the human ego. ~Hubert Selby Jr.

Do you know what this MEANS!?!?

It means it is a good idea, NAY, your RESPONSIBILITY to quit worrying about whether your art is any good, and JUST MAKE THE ART.

Other people will judge whether it is art, whether it is good, and whether it is worth paying you for.

So, do what you think is right. Make art out of everything in your life, and stop worrying about what you or anyone else thinks of it.

You don’t want to be an irresponsible artist, now do you?

Inspirational Article for Women: Ladies, You Are Just As Smart As Men

2011-05-03T18:18:00.001-07:00

If you are a woman, or even a man, who thinks that men are smarter than women, you may not know that this is false. Women on average score very similarly to men when it comes to IQ testing (Intelligence Quotient testing).

Yes, women, on average, are just as smart as men. And they are even smarter in some special ways. And that’s on average.

Some Women Are Much Smarter Than Most Men

That means that in the real world, some women are geniuses, and are much smarter than the average man. But the funny thing is that even though there exist no real differences in intelligence between men and women, men tend to think they are smarter.

There are female geniuses and female leaders, female revolutionaries throughout history. This will continue into the future,

and it starts with you.

Study Shows Men Think They Are Smarter

Give this study a look:

http://www.newsweek.com/2008/01/22/he-s-not-as-smart-as-he-thinks.html

According to Newsweek, on average, men tend to overestimate their own IQ, while women tend to underestimate their own IQ. This means that while a woman may be much smarter than her male partner, she may think that she is not as smart as he is.

So ladies, know with all boldness that testing shows that your brain is just as good as men’s brains. Be strong, and flex your special womanly talents to make this into a better world for everyone.

Inspirational Thoughts About Commitment: The Results of My 5-Day Cleanse

2011-04-29T10:56:00.001-07:00

A man's word and his intestinal fortitude are two of the most honorable virtues known to mankind. – Jim Nantz

So, I started out on this cleanse thing all gung-ho. Really. Then I tried to do it. I made this pea soup I was supposed to eat all week. Well, the peas were weird and boy did it taste bad. I couldn’t eat it. I have frozen it in case I ever starve. But the pea soup thing really threw me. After that I just lost the ability to commit to the diet.

You can’t just quit if something minor goes wrong. That is not the path to success.

If you are going to accomplish something real, you have to go through with it no matter what stands in your way. Whether you screw up your pea soup or you don’t get into the college of your choice on the first try. The failure is not a sign you should quit. The failure means that you need to adjust what you are doing and try again.

So, I’ll try this again. And the next time, I’ll have a better plan than shoddy homemade pea soup.

Next time: My recipe for a simple, safe cleanse part deux: the tasty option.

Work at Home Review: eCopywriters.com, Okay but Slow

2011-04-29T10:47:00.001-07:00

Working at home can give a woman who is stuck in the house an inspiring opportunity to make a few dollars without leaving the abode.

The Internet has made working at home easier and simpler than ever, but it is important to research companies to determine if they are reputable before doing work for them. One company that I have worked with successfully is eCopywriters.com.

eCopywriters.com is an okay company, but there are a few reasons I do and do not like to work as a writer with them.

Here they are:

Pros to eCopywriters.com:

1. Available work often has a wide variety of interesting topics.

2. Editors give it a personal touch, so working with them feels like having colleagues.

3. They pay as promised. When my work was approved by the payout date, I received payment on the promised date.

Cons to eCopywriters.com:

1. Very slow pay.

eCopywriters.com pays more slowly than any of the other content companies I have used, besides Examiner.com. They pay twice monthly, but if your article hits a slowdown in editing and misses a payment date, it can be almost a month before you see money from your article.

2. Inconsistent work availability.

There isn’t always work. Projects get cut off without notice.

3. Pay is low-ish for the effort.

Amazon Mechanical Turk often has higher paying writing jobs than eCopywriters makes available to those beginning with the company, and they generally pay out faster than eCopywriters.

eCopywriters is an alright company to work for if you want to write marketing copy on the Internet. They are not my favorite place to work, but they are legitimate and have so far stood by what they promised. If you don’t mind waiting a while for payout and like a little bit of easy work, they are a good company for you.

Though they do have work that I enjoy, and they pay a reasonable to good rate for the work, they just take too long to get payment to me for me to continue freelance writing for them on a regular basis.

My 5-Day Herbal Cleanse

2011-04-18T11:02:00.001-07:00

So, I have been gaining quite a bit of weight and bulk lately, and partially because I have been eating some seriously bad foods. I have decided to do an herbal cleanse routine over the next 5 days that will help me get rid of some of the toxic substances in my body from the sweets and packaged foods I have been eating recently.

Artisan grains and fresh fruit make a healthy breakfast.

A Light, Short Cleanse Without the Stress

My herbal cleanse is going to be a fairly mild cleanse, and I may extend it if I like it. After studying several different reports of Ayurvedic diets and cleanses, I have some up with what I feel is a fairly moderate cleanse that will help put my body back on track.

Technorati Tags: light cleanse,easy cleanse,low stress cleanse,cleaning diet,healthy diet,ayurvedic diet,diet plan

If you decide to follow me in my cleanse, I must ask you to see a doctor before you engage in any major dietary or lifestyle changes. This cleanse is designed by me, your faithful writer, and for my body, and your body may be different and do different things. I do not want to see anyone get hurt.

My Super Low-Stress Self-Cleanse Plan

Wake-up: Brush teeth, drink black and unsweetened hot coffee or caffeinated tea. Stretch for 5 minutes. Shower.

Drink cleansing herbal tea of your choice as directed throughout the day and eat fresh fruit liberally.

Breakfast: Fruit and whole grains, like 100% whole grain cereal, boiled barley or brown rice, with hot water to drink. Rest 5 minutes after eating.

Don’t forget to drink your tea. Drink hot water if you are terribly tired of the tea.

Lunch: Fruit, seasoned nonfat pea soup, bean soup or lentil soup and whole grains. An egg if you want it. Rest 10 minutes after eating.

Dinner: Dal and whole grains with a small side salad. Rest 5 minutes after eating.

Slow down on the tea and switch to hot water as the night approaches.

Dessert: Fresh, sweet fruit.

Bedtime routine: Brush teeth, wash face and put natural oils or lotion on your body. Stretch gently for 10 minutes.

Will this be effective? Is it safe?

I dunno. Maybe.

Like I said before, this is something I made up and I think will help me, based on my research, so I’m going to try it out. I’ll report back after the cleanse and maybe periodically to let you know how it goes for me. At any rate, we’ll all be careful.

Sweet Little Lies: White Lies and How to Handle Them

2011-04-11T13:13:00.001-07:00

White lies are important in our society because they can be the social grease that keeps the machines going. Without white lies, people would be mentally stuck on tiny transgressions that amounted only to someone having revealed the unfortunate truth at the wrong moment. And sometimes the unfortunate truth need never be known, since it makes no difference.

Both white lies and real lies can show their insincerity in the eyes.

Using White Lies for Good

However, when using white lies on a day to day basis, it can be difficult to know when you are creating white lies or real lies that could be hurtful to someone in the future. The key to knowing the difference relies essentially on two things: your timing, and your respect for the other person’s (or persons’) power to think and make choices.

Here’s a quick guide to help you evaluate whether your lie is a harmless white lie or a manipulative lie of another color.

1. Use white lies when the truth would be hurtful and it’s way too late for the person to change their decision.

Example: Your friend has been working on a Victorian costume for months prior to an evening costume gala. You haven’t seen it before the night of the gala, which is in an hour, and it is a wreck. She asks you how she looks?

Do you use a white lie? If it is truly too late for your friend to make improvements to her costume, I would say yes. Tell your friend she looks fantastic so she can have a good time. Don’t ruin her night with a pointless truth.

Technorati Tags: white lies,lies,lying,dealing with lies,deception,social interaction

2. It’s not a white lie if the lie, and the truth, can be discovered.

If you are telling a white lie that someone may discover later, it’s not a white lie. White lies are lies so small they don’t matter.

For example: Telling your kid you are bringing the (entirely inedible) tasty cupcakes they made to work for everyone to enjoy is only a white lie if you don’t put them right in the home trash can to be uncovered. And, you should probably teach them how to make good cupcakes later.

A more disturbing and direct example might be, oh, banging your babysitter and not telling your wife. Or gambling away the family savings and telling your family you donated it to relief efforts in Japan.

These are obviously not white lies, but you would be surprised what some people think passes as a white or harmless lie when in reality that are covering their everlovin behinds.

3. Don’t tell lies that someone else can reveal. If you are asking someone else to lie along with you, it’s probably not a white lie.

You are going to be late coming home to your wife after a long weekend because you want to take a few hours to see some friends in town before leaving. You know your wife will be upset. She asks you when you are coming home.

Claiming business or traffic delays, in this case, would be a little shaky because your friends might bring up hanging out with you.

And, it’s always kind of shady when your friends ask you to lie for them, so it’s better to avoid putting your friends in an uncomfortable position and out with the truth instead of telling a white lie.

4. Don’t tell lies that take options away from people. Let people decide their own fates.

Example: If you are heading out for a drink with your friends and you would rather just have a drink with your friends and not your wife, either tell her you don’t want her to go with you, or suck it up and take her. Don’t pretend your friend is having a crisis or that the car is full or that the bar is a dump. Just tell her what is up with your feelings and that you want some friend time. If she flips, that’s another problem altogether.

5. Choose white lies carefully. Don’t overdo it and do not make them part of your daily habits.

Ultimately, if you are emotionally intimate with someone, any instance in which you do not tell that person the truth can create a dent in the trust of your relationship that may not be able to be recovered. Choose white lies carefully and remember to respect the autonomy of the person you are lying to, and respect their ability and intelligence to make their own decisions.

Inspiring Quote About Success in Business

2011-03-12T22:08:00.001-08:00

I found this business success quote in the March 2011 issue of Entrepreneur magazine, and it was super inspiring, so I thought I’d share.

Here you go:

"When we started, we thought we were looking for smart people, but it turned out that intelligence was not as important as we expected. If you imagine someone with 100 percent determination and 100 percent intelligence, you can discard a lot of intelligence before they stop succeeding. But if you start discarding determination, you very quickly get an ineffectual and perpetual grad student."

~Paul Graham, venture capitalist, on choosing a successful venture.

From Mar 2011 Entrepreneur Magazine article “Money Man.”

Best Inspirational Videos from Motivational Speakers

2011-03-08T18:26:00.001-08:00

Inspirational videos can help get you back on the track when you get knocked off the path to motivation, but sometimes genuinely inspiring videos can be difficult to find. Whether you need motivation to improve your job, improve your living situation or change your relationship, these motivational videos can help inspire you into action.

Neil Pasricha – The 3 A’s of Awesome

Find positivity in the life you have.

Tony Robbins – Why We Do What We Do, and How We can Do it Better

Learn the principles of your own personal success.

Inspirational Business Quote About Planning for Success

2011-03-04T19:55:00.001-08:00

Sometimes, when trying to success, it can become discouraging when you repeatedly fail. Whether you are trying to get a job, perfect a work of art or design a process to help your small business run more smoothly, trial and error is often a large part of the process.

And it can be hard to go day after day with nothing but failure.

And many may tell you that after the dark comes the light, and that you may have success eventually.

And this is probably true; you probably will have success if you keep trying and operate ethically and do smart things and make the best choices with the best information you can.

But never forget that the dark is important because it teaches you how to, and how not to reach for the light of success.

Failure teaches you how to succeed. And so you should now consider the following business quote about success:

“In order to succeed you must fail, so that you know what not to do the next time.”

~Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book

This is a quote that rings true no matter what field you are trying to succeed in, but it is certainly most true when you are making plans. When you make plans for the future, whether it is your future or the future of a business, it is called process planning.

Plan Your Life Goals Like a Business Process

In business, process planning is designed to help you choose the best way to do things to get your business’s work done efficiently. It can also help you save money. Likewise, planning your future smart can help you save time by keeping you from making bad decisions that you already know are bad.

But planning your life process cannot keep you from failure any more than someone planning a business process can avoid failure from unknown elements. That doesn’t mean that they should top planning, or trying to optimize their business process to the best of their ability, does it?

No, when the owner of a small business is passionate about redesigning a business process, he goes about it full force. Using the failures of the plans he made before, he corrects his new process plans to create an efficient future for the business.

So don’t regret your failures or forget about your failures. Learn from them, but don’t let them weigh you down. Use your passions and move forward.

What failures can you use to correct your life process plan so you can get it moving the right way, right this minute?

Quotes on Hard Work and Procrastination vs. Motivation

2011-02-05T15:04:00.000-08:00

"Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves."

~Dale Carnegie

Dale Carnegie wrote "How to Win Friends and Influence People," which may quite possibly be one of the most popular inspiration books ever. It is a great read if you ever need to explore some confidence and social exercises that help you achieve more success in getting people to think you're a swell guy.

Anyway, one of the major problems that I have had lately is that I can't do some jobs because they seem too small. Even though they add up to a big thing in the end, the small jobs often look smaller than they are before I get into them. So, I procrastinate and procrastinate. I talk on Facebook, I chat with friends, I read quotes about life and quotes about procrastination to get myself to stop procrastinating. But it's all procrastination.

Looking for Motivation is Still Procrastination

In the end, it is only doing the little things that you need to do to get the big things done that is true action. Not planning, not thinking, not motivating yourself.

Simply put, only DOING is doing. So get to what you are supposed to be doing, and stop reading things that tell you to do what you are supposed to be doing.

(But please don't go away. I like you.)

Inspiring Thoughts to Motivate the Unemployed to Make and Do

2011-02-03T18:00:00.001-08:00

When you have been unemployed for a while and you are feeling desperate due to a lack of money, it is important to realize that it is not money you need: you need things. And things can be required with other things.

Guess what! You can make things and trade them for other things. You don’t need money, really. At least not all the time.

Part of the problem with the economy that we’re seeing right now is that Americans are not producing. They are petering hours away at the Internet in their jobs and watching television all night without accomplishing a darned thing.

Can you imagine what would happen if every American gave up one our of their precious day to help someone else out, to make something or to create something that might make someone else happy?

When you are low on money, realize that your time, your skill and your loving help is an asset to all those around you. If you cannot give money, give your time or make something to add to the economy. When goods start flowing through the economy again, Your pocketbook will reward you for the free time you put in.

Making something can be something that is easy and fun for you, in fact, it is best if it is. If you enjoy knitting and sewing, make some dresses. If you like to make music, download a music program and some sounds and experiment until you have made something. Grow a garden and give fruits and vegetables to those around you who do not have enough nutrition.

Design a new process or create a new way of doing things to add your two cents into our society and you will see this world change for the better.

Inspiring Life Quote About Misdirected Anger

2011-01-16T10:54:00.001-08:00

“Any reviewer who expresses rage and loathing for a novel is preposterous. He or she is like a person who has put on full armor and attacked a hot fudge sundae.”

Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut, an awesome author, said this about literary criticism. It’s true: people get mad about books. From complaining about the “Twilight” series to hating on “The Da Vinci” code, book hate is everywhere, and as Mr. Vonnegut pointed out, books are fairly strange things to be angry about. But it seems that we humans can get angry about many things that are normally insignificant, and we usually don’t know why.

At times, I find myself unusually angry about something. Whether it’s a bad driver, a bad movie, a pair of socks on the floor or a general disdain for the inconsiderate nature of people, these things are not real tangible problems in my life. They are bad feelings inside me that are finding their way out using the scapegoat I have chosen.

If you find yourself getting heated up about something that is, independent of your emotions about the situation, insignificant in your life, think about whether you are really angry about something else. If you can identify what that is and solve that problem, you may find your angry emotional outbursts diminishing.

Misdirected Anger at Celebrities

Take Snooki, from “Jersey Shore”, for example. There is a lot of celebrity hate floating around the Internet directed at hometown girl Snooki. Sure, she’s a little raucous, but people have to be who they are. But over the course of my Internet Snooki research, I have seen her called all manner of names that nobody wants to be called. Some people are super obsessed with being angry with Snooki, and they blame her behavior for their anger.

But, since they are nowhere near Snooki, she cannot really be the agent causing the anger. They are choosing Snooki as an outlet for their anger, which could be about any number of things. Like jealousy, for example.

Misdirected Anger at Gays

Take this example: Homosexuals. Some people are outspoken against homosexuals when they don’t even deal with the issue on a daily basis. Many anti-gay groups like Westboro Baptist make disparaging remarks in the public eye to draw attention to what I see as other people’s private sexual activity. Why? Because it disgusts them, it makes them angry. But since it’s not right in front of them, it cannot be what is causing their anger on a daily basis. And really, talking about what someone else does in their own boudoir is just rude.

In short, look inside yourself and ask yourself what the real, true problems in your life are and you may find the actual answers to your problems.

Maybe you need to get up an hour earlier and spend more time with your kids. Maybe you need to ask your boss for a raise. Maybe you need a new job/career/pair of underpants. Or, maybe you are physically ill and need treatment. Ask yourself and pay attention to what is real and important in your life and you will find out.

Most likely, what you will find is that Snooki, John Boehner, Nancy Pelosi and/or the OPEN FINGERQUOTE gay agenda END FINGERQUOTE are not dominant problems you face in your daily life. If they are, maybe you should talk to them about it.

Inspirational Quotes About Life for Women

2011-01-09T12:54:00.001-08:00

“Aim high, but not so high that the arrow comes and hits you on the head.”

When you are deciding your career path, keep in mind that everyone has to come in at the bottom. You are special, but you are not special enough to circumvent the hard work everyone else has to do to gain success in the field you want to work in.

The media will let you think that the ride to the top is quick and easy. Don’t believe them.

Lady musicians, learn your craft well. Do not rely on your looks for success. If you want to rely on your looks and don’t want to practice an instrument or your voice, be a model.

If you want to be a model, work out and take care of your body! This includes not doing drugs or abusing alcohol. If you are serious about being a model, this can include not getting pregnant and having a family until you have established your career.

Consider whether a lack of commitment to a path means that you really don’t want to do it.

If you want to be a model and don’t want to do the things it takes, like workouts and self-care, consider whether you really want to be a model. Maybe you really want to be a photographer or a fashion interviewer and not a model.

Reading inspirational quotes about life to get you inspired can only take you so far. You have to do the unpleasant grunt work everyone else has to do to get there.

Sorry.

Technorati Tags: inspirational quotes about life,inspirational quotes for women,inspiring quotes on life

An Inspiringly Pessimistic Quote about Dreams and Work Ethic

2011-01-03T10:14:00.000-08:00

"Whatever it is, you can probably do it. No joke. Most things only take a few years to learn to a reasonable proficiency. But you might have to work harder than you want to. And you don't get to decide whether you're really any good."

An Inspiring Thought About Achieving Your Dreams

2010-12-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

It is never the end. Chances keep coming, often in the darkest hour, and your skills have to be ready and in shape to take them or they will pass. As opportunities pass, new opportunities get smaller and more difficult.

Like a warrior, be ready to take what you want at your first opportunity. Do not for a minute let your prized skills go lax or out of practice, because that is when chances tend to strike.

Inspiring Thoughts for Beating Depression

2010-11-19T19:40:00.000-08:00

For those who are going through a period of depression, Silense Smith has written a charming and insightful guide to personal ways you can deal with a depressed state in your life. The article includes some steps recommended by the author to help treat depression.

If you are depressed and don't know what to try, I would suggest reading this article. It contains some inspiring quotes about depression that help put the emotional state into perspective so you can fight it. The plan has only two steps, so it might work for those who cannot or will not commit to a complicated set of instructions.

Read more:

A Two-Step Plan to Fight Depression

Inspiring Browser Tool: Smooth Gestures for Chrome

2010-10-28T17:29:00.001-07:00

Smooth Gestures is a free extension for the Google Chrome browser which I have come to like immensely, because it saves me having to scroll up and down pages manually.

The idea of Smooth Gestures is that you use mouse gestures to get your computer to launch tasks you commonly use. Now, the actual drawing gesture thing did not work for me; maybe my mouse is broken, maybe I have the mitts of a neanderthal.

But what makes this extension truly fabulous is its ability scroll to the top of the page or the bottom of the page by pressing right-click scrollup or right-click scroll down. On long pages of text and pictures like those I frequently encounter in my research, this tiny little part of the magnanimously function-laden Smooth Gestures Chrome extension makes it one heck of a scroll-saver.

If you can get those mouse gestures in Smooth Gestures to work, this program would be an utter gem. But as it is, the scroll function alone has sold me on the benefits of this extension.

Inspire Yourself By Learning

2010-10-26T13:57:00.000-07:00

Inspire yourself by blowing your own mind.

I ran across this page while researching corporate finance and economics today (business liquidity management, whee!), and it is awesome. The guy is a professor at UCLA and offers some really interesting ways of looking at ordinary stuff. There's a lot of information at the site and it's definitely worth a few visits if you're into quantum physics and economics and the like.

physics, quantum theory, symmetry, identity, group theory, money, economics, measurement problem, stories

Inspiring November Harvest Picks for the Thanksgiving Table

2010-10-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

The November harvest is a bountiful season in comparison with other seasons. Keeping up with the freshest fruits and vegetables that are in-season during the November harvest can help you give your family the most nutritious Thanksgiving feast peppered with the top of the line pick of this year's plentiful November harvest.

The fall is when the pumpkins come out, and if you have not had a chance yet, you should take your family to a pumpkin patch for a hay ride and some face painting to get the family feel into the fall holiday season. Pumpkins are also a healthy food that can make anything from soups to sweet pies and roasted salted pumpkin seeds.

Cranberries also come in season for the fall, and they are a vital part of any Thanksgiving dinner if your family loves cranberry sauce. You can buy cranberry sauce in a can or make your own by simmering the cranberries on the stove until they break open and become gelatinous. You can use sugar to sweeten the homemade cranberry sauce, but I prefer to use a pure Stevia powder that I get at Fresh and Easy. It's like 6 bucks for the jar, and I swear the stuff is chemical grade sweetener that you have to be careful with. I would suggest one or two teeny itty bitty scoops of pure stevia powder per 4 servings of cranberry sauce, but you can figure it out. But seriously, be careful with that stuff. If you have pure stevia, you will know it since it is shockingly potent.

Generally, November is the time for harvesting seeds planted in late summer. Aside from the normal Thanksgiving fare that rolls into the fresh farmer's markets in the fall, November bears a lot of leafy greens like brussels sprouts and lettuce. Yeah, you know. Salad.

More November Harvest Picks

Oh, and if you have a lawn, and you haven't started preparing it for the frost yet, you had better start fall cleanup on your lawn.

Inspiring Relaxing Rain Sounds for Meditation

2010-10-24T14:53:00.001-07:00

If you are looking for some relaxing rain sounds without music to help inspire you into meditation, here is a Youtube video that I think has some pretty nice ones. It’s 10 minutes long, and it’s a light rainy thunderstorm with no music. The same guy who makes this one also has a few similar videos on Youtube that you can check out for more ambient relaxation and environmental sounds for meditation.

The Sound of Rain Without Music: Enjoy!

Listen to Another Inspiring Song: Hannah Montana: The Climb

2010-10-04T15:40:00.001-07:00

You can do it, rawr!

An Inspiring Song I forgot about.

2010-10-04T15:26:00.000-07:00

This is "I Believe I Can Fly" by R. Kelly. It was overplayed to death at at the time, but it's really a very inspirational song about the ability to achieve your dreams if you believe in yourself.

Inspire Yourself into Indoor Exercise using Free Online Work Out Programs and TV Shows

2010-09-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

Winter workouts can be tough to dowithout the aid of a gym.

Photo: fitness by o0bsessed, on Flickr

Winter weather exercise can be tough to accomplish, but it must be done. Getting exercise is important for your brain because you have a nervous system that runs throughout your body; essentially, your body is part of your brain. When bad weather strikes, using workout TV programs and free streaming fitness shows can help keep you motivated and on track on your fitness routine.

Keep your brain healthy by moving your limbs. Sometimes it can be hard to work out, it's true, especially if the weather is poor or if there is nowhere fun to go to work out. Most people are safe enough to walk around their neighborhoods in the daytime, but others live in dangerous neighborhoods or places where the weather is uncomfortable all day long.

Some sources for work out TV shows and streaming online fitness programs:

Easy and Free Online Work Out Programs and TV Shows
Exercise Video Tutorial Site

Exercise has been the topic around here for a while, and I know I am harping on the subject, so this will be the last post about getting some exercise for a bit. But it's an important one. Work that body out, any way you can, at any level you can muster.

Inspire yourself to get some exercise.

2010-09-02T12:19:00.001-07:00

YOGA! July challenge by lululemon athletica, on Flickr

Exercise is not only good for the body, but it is also good for the brain. So nerds and geeks out there who pride themselves on their intelligence may actually benefit from becoming a bit of a jock.

Increasing the power of your body’s nervous system makes your body smarter, and increasing your cardiovascular system’s power to get blood flow to your brain and organs makes your brain work better. So get out, have fun, move around.

At the very least, do some yoga, pilates or tai chi from a workout video. Don’t just sit there, move around.

Free Yoga Videos Online: Inspire Yourself to Maintain Good Health

2010-08-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

I am a workout video fan, since I spend a lot of time indoors and sometimes need to have a quick way to exercise in a small space. Recently. Hulu put up a ton of workout videos, including one of the best yoga workout video series I have tried called Yoga Zone. If you need to get some exercise, you should check them out. The nice thing about doing fitness videos to keep healthy in your own home is that you can take them as far as you feel comfortable and make mistakes in privacy. Having an instructor help you with technique is good if you plan to do something long-term, but if you are just trying out the basics of a new exercise, you can definitely benefit from doing some streaming fitness videos online, especially if they are good ones.

Here is a gentle easy yoga video with good technique that Hulu has streaming online. It is a Yoga Zone video, as I have mentioned before. So far, my other favorite series is Namaste Yoga, which has beautiful photography and visuals, but Yoga Zone has better technique guides than Namaste Yoga.

Try out this Gentle Yoga video from Yoga Zone on Hulu:

Send Personalized Cards as Inspiring and inexpensive thoughtful gifts.

2010-08-24T21:10:00.001-07:00

When the economy is bad, it can sometimes be hard to find some extra money to send a kind thought along to a friend or relative. It can sometimes even be hard to find a few cents, but there are some very inexpensive ways you can send a kind thought to a friend or family member.

One way you can send an inexpensive thought is through a personalized card. You can find premade blank cards to personalize at the store, but they can be somewhat expensive buying them new. Many thrift stores and secondhand stores carry blank or seasonal cards that were never used, and you can sometimes find a very unique or almost vintage or antique personalized card to send to a loved one for not much more than the cost of a stamp.

If you absolutely cannot afford a card at all, you can make a collage out of paper scraps in the house to personalize a card. If you cannot afford postage, you still have options, since you can send e-cards to anyone with an email address for free if you find the right e-card site. But a hand delivered scrapbook style card is a charming gift for any friend who is into handmade art, especially cards made just for them!

Inspiring Music to Motivate Writers

2010-08-19T14:45:00.000-07:00

If you are like me as a writer, you may often have difficulty concentrating on your writing work. Distractions can cause you to lose focus and wander around the room, go to the bathroom, read a book, play games or get up for a snack. Writing with music can help block out sound distractions that keep you from concentrating on your work. With all of the music out there, it can be hard to decide on a type of music to help you write.

Many people are motivated by different things when they write, and types of music are no exception. Sometimes you can find help with inspiring songs by looking online for songs that have inspired other people like you. I have explored a few of these lists and find them to be very helpful. It is easiest to look around for a list of good songs to help you concentrate on your own, but sometimes recommendations from people with common tastes or problems can help you decide which songs to put on while you write.

Explore 4 Inspiring and Motivating Albums to Help a Writer Get Writing.

A Sort of Inspiring Quote about Self-Esteem by Trent Reznor

2010-08-13T12:22:00.001-07:00

“I've got more thanks and praise and more money than before. But from a self-esteem perspective, I've liked myself more.... I've lost friends. I've lost band members. I've lost a sense of selfworth in a way. And while I always wished I'd get to this place of success, once you get it, it's not that great. I'm not bitching about it. I mean, it is great in a million ways, but it's not self-affirming on every level, and you wish it was. I don't go to sleep thinking, "I'm Kevin Costner," you know, "I've done it!"

And the bigger you get in the rock arena, the more people want to fuck with you, to tear you down and criticize you. For example, you write a song that you think is dangerous to write because it says something that you're embarrassed to say. But because it's embarrassing, because it's extreme in its nature, then you've got everyone saying, "He doesn't mean it. He's just trying to cash in." You find yourself initially saying, "Yes, I did. I meant it. I am that bummed out."”

Read the rest of the 1997 Lost Highway Trent Reznor Interview at Lynchnet

Great Blog About Avoiding Regrets

2010-08-12T22:05:00.000-07:00

The Quick Fix to Avoiding Regrets

Read this blog to read some techniques for avoiding regrets and minimizing regrettable situations and actions. It's very well-put together and had some inspiring ideas about living your life the right way.

Inspirational Thoughts about Procrastination

2010-08-10T14:14:00.000-07:00

In this article, the author discusses what he calls the most dangerous word in the world...

... "Later."

The Most Dangerous Word in The World

Inspirational Quotes about Failure and Language Barriers from David Foster Wallace

2010-08-10T11:09:00.001-07:00

This is an awesome little talk by writer David Foster Wallace, a writer and philosopher who wrote, among other things, "Infinite Jest". Here, he gives a talk in Italy in which he speaks about writing fear, failure and the language barriers he faces visiting a foreign country. It's really inspiring and kinda cool when you run up on something that directly addresses something that you feel is oh so very personal. Enjoy David Foster Wallace's words here:

Le Conversazioni 2006

Inspiring Thoughts on Education and Potential: Valedictorian Speaks Out Against Schooling in Graduation Speech -- Signs of the Times News

2010-08-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a speech a high school valedictorian gave in June 2010. In this speech, she talks about the problems in the school system in helping students reach their potential. It is a motivating speech that tells you that it is not necessarily education that makes you great, but applying yourself to the path that is best for you.

Valedictorian Speaks Out Against Schooling in Graduation Speech -- Signs of the Times News

Favorite Inspirational Quotes about Writing

2010-08-06T19:18:00.001-07:00

Here are some of my favorite inspiring thoughts about writing. Some make me giggle, some made me think, and others are just plain inspiring quotes.

"I will speak ill of no man, and speak all the good I know of everybody."
- Benjamin Franklin

He that uses many words for the explaining any subject doth, like the cuttlefish, hide himself for the most part in his own ink. ~John Ray

Substitute "damn" every time you're inclined to write "very;" your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be. ~Mark Twain

I hope you enjoy these inspiring quotes that will hopefully help you write better and omit needless blathering junk in your writing that no one will ever read. Like this final paragraph here.

Tao Sexuality and Other Interesting Articles

2010-08-02T19:04:00.000-07:00

These articles are about perspectives on sexuality, including sex toys and transsexualism. Sorry, no pictures or illustrations here, but lots of interesting information about how different cultures feel about different aspects of sexuality.

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Inspiring Songs for Finding Your Motivation in Music

2010-08-02T18:44:00.000-07:00

These songs are not your typical wimpy inspiration music; off-beat inspiring songs with motivating lyrics and music that drives you to achieve. Create inspiring music ringtones with your favorites of the best inspirational music.

5 Inspiring Songs with Motivating Music to Help You on the Track to Success

Quitting is not an option, but failure is.

2010-07-09T14:59:00.001-07:00

This is going to be quick one. I wanted to remind you all that you cannot quit.
You can stop doing what you love, but you can never quit because what you love will always be inside you. You cannot quit your talent and you cannot forget the time you spent developing your talent in what you love to do.

To quit is just a frightened excuse to let a growing talent languish, and a poor one at that.
To quit is to give in to the opposition, but in all reality, quit means jack squat.

A smoker can quit smoking and buy a pack of cigarettes 5 minutes later. So, I guess, quit if you want, because it's an empty word. But consider that it may be more productive and less pathetic to stand up and fail like a real woman. (or man)

Inspire yourself to play games with your life.

2010-07-08T17:31:00.001-07:00

So, I’ve been bored lately. I am in a rut, but I like my rut and want to stay in it, but I want to pretend I’m not in a rut. So, I have randomized my tasks. This task, this blog you are reading, was chosen at random.

I have numbered the tasks I need to do every day, and each sub-decision is also numbered. When it’s time to chose a task, I roll the nature of the task, then I roll task specifics using a Random Number Generator. I have also written myself up a series of life quests through which the random rolls give me experience points toward the accomplishments of goals I set.

So, when I rolled for this task, I rolled “Blog” then I rolled “Inspire”. So here I am, inspiring! I hope!

It’s a rather nerdy way to go, this whole life-RPG-work-quest thing, and it’s complicated, and who knows if it will last. But there’s nothing wrong with trying new stuff when the old stuff isn’t working. The worst thing you could find out is that the old stuff really was working better than the new stuff.
Anyway, stay inspired, keep moving, keep learning and keep changing.

Oh yes, here's the Random Number Generator I've been using.

Earth-friendly Menstrual Care Products Inspire Environmental Peace

2010-07-08T08:54:00.001-07:00

You recycle. You take public transportation or you drive a hybrid to get around. You keep your car smogged, turn off the lights when you leave, and never crank the air conditioning just to make the room chilly. So why are you still using feminine care products with production processes and packaging trash that is damaging to the environment?

Blue Napkins of Skynet: California has outlined more environmentally friendly choices for dealing with monthly menstruation, including reusable options that can last several years and create no trash. If you are tired of tampon applicators and colorful sanitary napkin or Kotex pad wrappers littering your trash can, these Earth-friendly options for green feminine care may be the right choice for you.

Inspire yourself to take care of the environment and the Earth that gives you life.

Back pain? Stuck in your chair? Try “Chair Yoga”

2010-07-04T10:51:00.001-07:00

It’s hard to be inspired when you’re in pain.

I ran across an interesting site today while looking for a solution to my back pain.

As a freelance writer, working at my desk all day gets painful. Even if I try to sit in the perfect posture, I still get twinges from old injuries, which I will talk about later.

So, therein lies one issue: I have to write to work, and it hurts to write. I can’t get up and out of my chair every time my shoulder injury twinges once more. Ibuprofen is dangerous and hasn’t been effective lately, which is actually starting to scare me. So I searched for something, and I found it: Chair Yoga. They call it Sitting Yoga or Yoga Sitting.

This website gives you free chair yoga exercises and demonstrations that can help you stretch your back and neck to help relieve back pain. Though I doubt it is a good substitute for full-on Yoga, it’s a good supplement for those who are chair-bound for work or other reasons.

I was rear-ended in an accident several years ago, and although I got a settlement, I was sort of forced into it, both by USAA’s weird settlement practices (Life lesson: get a lawyer) and the statute of limitations on personal injury settlements in my state. These conditions made it such that I did not get proper treatment for my back and neck injury.

As a freelancer, I also do not have health insurance. Uh oh! So I have to find other means of healing my injuries, because doctors are way out of my financial reach right now. So essentially, I’m stuck with this pain until I win the lottery or fix it myself.

So, if you are in pain and you don’t want to take any more pain pills, try some chair yoga to strengthen your core muscles. And stay inspired!

An inspiring poem about the color Purple: Purple Glows by Emerson Robbins

2010-06-29T13:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a short haiku I thought I'd post. It's about how the color purple can make you feel. Read it here:

Purple Glows - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com

Today, I feel like giving up.

2010-06-28T08:26:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, moving forward and keeping your life going is the only thing you can do. I am under a lot of stress right now and it makes me want to throw in the towel. Sometimes it’s hard to see the good things in life and you have to keep moving forward in the darkness. Somehow through all you can’t see right now, there will be light. Nobody is perfect, especially at inspiration. Sometimes you have to dwell in your dark side (but don’t stay there).

Designing A Business Card: What to Do

2010-06-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking of designing a business card for ages. As a writer, a business card can get you in to places that you can't access without some kind of ID. A business card stating some basic information about your craft can get you in contact with people that can help you. A memorable business card can help grab clients into your service by attracting their attention. But what to do with your business card design? And how do you choose your design based on your budget. For a long time, this has been enough of a puzzler to stop me from getting a business card altogether.

There are free services like Vista Print that can get you started with some business cards at almost no cost (I think they charge shipping), but if you have some money to spend, consider getting custom, memorable business cards made.

Also, check out the following article which gives some great business card design tips and design inspiration for women creating business cards for their business.

How to Design Your Business Card | Webdesigner Depot

Try some foraging for food in nature.

2010-06-19T18:29:00.001-07:00

Nature, Mother Earth, is the source of all our food. Eating food from the surroundings nearby is a way of telling your body where you are in space and even in time. Eating local honey has been found to prevent allergies, and foraging can save you money if you do it right.

One important thing to remember when foraging for food is to avoid food near walkways, highways or other paths. Plants near pathways tend to receive a healthy dose of herbicide that make them unhealthy to eat. Try exploring a bit into nature to forage for food such as wild mushrooms, wild berries and greens, but be sure you are properly equipped with protective clothing and that you don’t eat anything that you can’t completely positively identify or you could get sick.

Enhance your kinship with nature by gently foraging, leaving as little a mark as possible. Do not destroy, tear or rake the bounty of nature…simply take what you need and leave quietly, absorbing the beauty of creation.

Inspiring Song for Women: Anna Bergendahl - This Is My Life (Sweden)

2010-05-29T19:57:00.000-07:00

Check out this song by Anna Bergendahl. It's breathtaking, and what a voice. The lyrics are so moving and inspiring and self affirming. This song should have won the Eurovision contest, but that's just the way contests go. But yes, please check out this very rad, moving and inspiring song.

Greek Yogurt is a big diet food these days. But what is Greek Yogurt?

2010-05-24T16:39:00.001-07:00

Man, if you read any health magazines or nutrition blogs, Greek yogurt is the hot diet trend of the day. I have seen it in the grocery store for a while, especially at stores like Fresh and Easy, specialty-type which carry some unusual trendy products. Usually, when I saw the Green yogurt, it was a brand I didn’t recognize, and since I didn’t know anything about the health benefits of Greek yogurt, I didn’t really pay attention. Plus, it’s kind of expensive.

Anyway, now Yoplait seems to be coming out with their own Greek style yogurt which is supposed to have no fat and twice the protein of regular yogurt. Since yogurt is usually so high in sugar, I avoid it, except sometimes I use plain yogurt for my sour cream.

Usually, I have used it as some kind of enhancement when I cook beans, like in burritos. I stopped using plain yogurt in place of sour cream once I found Daisy Light sour cream, which has a better texture and flavor than plain yogurt but comparable fat and calories per serving. I definitely like sour cream better than plain yogurt as a condiment on savory dishes.

So anyway, I’m anxious to try Greek yogurt. I’ve heard it is creamy and some of my friends who are Greek rave about the original Greek yogurt. I am not sure whether Greek yogurt and Greek style yogurt are exactly the same, but I am willing to give both yogurts a try to find out.

SOKO Fitness and Spa Group Hosts Investor Meetings in London, New York and Boston

2010-05-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

SOKO Fitness & Spa Group Hosts Investor Meetings in London, New York and Boston:

"HARBIN, China, May 14 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- SOKO Fitness & Spa
Group, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: SOKF) ("SOKO"), an operator of fitness center
and beauty salons and spas in Northeast China as well as suburban Beijing,
today announced that senior management will present at the Rodman..."

How women can ask for a raise and actually get it

2010-05-14T16:27:00.000-07:00

Your Money: A Woman’s Toolkit for Seeking a Raise: "One cause of the pay gap between men and women may be how women approach negotiations, researchers say.

Inspiration to help eliminate guilt

2010-05-13T10:59:00.000-07:00

Guilt can be a powerful force that can wreak havoc on your life. The Positivity Blog has posted a great, insightful post that can help inspire both men and women to improve their lives by dealing with their guilt. Check out this awesome blog:

The Short and Simple Guide to Minimizing Guilt

I need some good news.

2010-05-13T08:13:00.001-07:00

Anyone have any? Bonus if it’s about kitties.

Inspire yourself to stand up to bullies.

2010-05-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

Your Mother Wears Army Boots and Bikinis: Dear Ralphs and the Kroger company: Life without you is awesome.

This is the story of how the actions of a bad company can help lead you into better things. Large companies with huge corporate entities, such as grocery store chains, discount store chains and mall chain stores, can lack the personal touch required to treat a customer with basic respect. When companies are abusive and bully you, you don't have to take it lying down. You can stand up and take action, real, meaningful, legal action that will improve your life and exact revenge on the abusive company. While revenge can be sweet, it can also be costly and take a long time, but if you are willing to be patient with revenge, you can make a positive change that also alleviates your desire for retribution.

If a store gives you consistently bad service, don't go there.

If your cable company is too expensive and offers terrible programming, cancel it and find better shows on a satellite dish network or online at websites like hulu.com.

If your boss won't pay you what you are worth, find another job.

Stand up and ask for what you deserve. Demand to talk to the supervisor. Demand to talk to the supervisor's supervisor. If anything, you can punish the company for its bad behavior by calling repeatedly and demanding that they at least acknowledge it. Time on the phone with you is manpower that they have to pay for, so it's money out of their pocket.

If the prices are always getting jacked up at your local Kroger affiliated store, go somewhere else and find out if they are overcharging you. Chances are that your product is at a competing store for the original price you paid - or better.

Plus, you just might win. A better future is out there.

You don't have to believe to get inspiration from books of religion.

2010-05-06T14:07:00.000-07:00

Should an Atheist Be Reading the Great Books of Religion?: "

"I’m one of the least religious people you can find. I’ve never been to a church service in my life and I’ve never leaned towards a theological explanation of the world.

I’m also pretty hostile to the word ‘spiritual’. At best, it’s used as a glib catchphrase to suggest the person has non-materialistic motivations without being honest enough to say what they are. At its worst, it is used to justify beliefs that don’t bear any resemblance to reality.

Considering all of this, should I be reading more of the great religious books?

Why Read Religious Books, If You Don’t Believe Their Content?"

You are ON your intended path.

2010-05-05T13:36:00.001-07:00

When you look at other people’s lives, they can often seem glamorous or better than yours. But the truth is, you are living as you are supposed to be living at this point in your path. You are not walking the wrong path to be where you, you are walking the path given to you by the higher power, by God or by your own conscious choices.

This life is not a punishment; it is your fated path and the natural consequences of the choices you have made. It is neither bad nor good; it simply is.

Your choices have led you to this life, to this you. Do not discard the importance of where you are. Know where you are and what you need to choose in the future to be where you want to be.

5 Essential Zen Habits for Balanced Living

2010-05-04T12:54:00.000-07:00

5 Essential Zen Habits for Balanced Living: "

“Live a balanced life – learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.” – Robert Fulghum

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Anastasiya Goers of Balance In Me.

Do you sometimes wonder whether your life is in balance? It is easy to know if you lead a balanced life because if you do then:

- you enjoy every moment and every second,

- you can cope with any difficulties,

- you can be happy without any reason to be happy,

- you can be yourself and love the person you are.

Today the world constantly tries to throw you out of balance and sometimes no matter what you do you still feel like your life is going in the wrong direction (I know I feel this way sometimes.) Balanced living might seem like one of those theoretical terms that nobody can put into practice but in fact there is nothing simpler than living a balanced life.

Simplicity makes life balance simple.

These habits have been my lifeline for many years and I cannot imagine a balanced (and happy) life without them.

Living in balance is easy and very rewarding because your life becomes the one of joy, happiness and serenity. If you put some time and effort into turning your life into a balanced direction then you too will live a truly Zen life.

Read more from Anastasiya at Balance In Me, subscribe to her feed and keep your life in balance.

This is Inspiring: Laptops given to Gaza's children

2010-05-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

Laptops given to Gaza's children: "The One Laptop Per Child programme begins distributing computers to schools in the Gaza Strip."

Inspirational quote for women with unfulfilled dreams

2010-04-30T21:31:00.001-07:00

It is never too late to be what you might have been.
-- George Eliot

So what did you want to be when you were a child? There’s still plenty of time to do it. Not many careers take more than a few years to develop if you work hard.

Become your dream you.

Military woman hugging her child

2010-04-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

thingssheloves:

robertdowneyjesus:

mrbananabeaktoyou:

tumbldo...: "

thingssheloves:

robertdowneyjesus:

mrbananabeaktoyou:

tumbldore-:

thisisridikulus:

imgfave:

Le Love

i will never not reblog this

Overdoing it when exercising can damage progress

2010-04-27T12:41:00.000-07:00

Exercisers: Know Your Limits: "

Lighten up! Strict plans may slow your progress, according to a study in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

Students in a weight-training class were given identical workout lists; half could choose their workouts, while the others were told which to do. After 12 weeks, the choosers had greater strength gains compared with the guided group.

Philosophical musings.

2010-04-25T17:49:00.001-07:00

War is a quarrel between two thieves too cowardly to fight their own battle.

Thomas Carlyle (From brainyquote.com)

Inspiration for Women: Buy A Nice Gift For YOURSELF

2010-04-18T18:59:00.001-07:00

With the economic downturn, likely many women like me have given up many personal pleasures when we tightened the belts due to financial problems.

However, sometimes you have to reward yourself to restore hope and strength to move forward. Some rewards can be free, while others can cost just a little but can do a lot to help restore your sense of faith.

Free rewards you can give yourself for your hard work include an hour of solitude, a walk in the sunshine, a visit with a friend, a day at a church or spiritual center, or a day with your kids.

Rewards under 5 dollars that you can give yourself for huge accomplishments include splurging on your favorite cup of coffee, a bag of fresh fruit you don’t normally buy, or an on-sale frozen pizza.

Look for coupons in the grocery mailers that can save you money on your personal rewards, but choose with care. Food rewards should be done sparingly and not at the expense of your health and well-being.

Give yourself small, well thought-out rewards to propel forward your faith and well-being.

5 Things I like about Windows 7.

2010-03-29T14:07:00.001-07:00

So recently, my computer had a blowout. Actually, both of them went awry; one is very slow and the other perpetually won’t stay on. Anyway.

Windows 7 is really cool. It has some neat toys to play with to inspire you to do great things.

Windows Live Writer

Windows Live Writer on Windows 7 is awesome for bloggers. It pulls your blog into the program and allows you to compose in an easy setup with none of the slowness of using the online Blogger setup tool.

Speech Recognition

Though it is a little clunky and in no way faster than I type (though it probably is faster for some people), the speech recognition software in Windows 7 is really cool. It is a little annoying that it doesn’t work in OpenOffice Writer (and believe me, I tried to find a way, but if you want to jot some thoughts down in Notepad, it’s a cool way to do it.

Sticky Notes

Come on, who doesn’t love sticky notes. Windows 7 has them, and they stay on the desktop, and you can stack them up. It is so cute.

Windows Live Movie Maker

I haven’t figured it out that much yet, but Windows Live Movie Maker is inspiring for women artists who want to make their own movies without hefty programs like Final Cut, which can be expensive. Anyway, you can string film clips and photos together, and add sound. Pretty neat.

Handwriting Recognition

If you have a pen tablet, you can use handwriting recognition in windows to write down notes. It figures out the letters and types them for you. Pretty neat if you want to keep writing and your hands ache from typing.

Anyway, that’s my take on cool and inspiring stuff in Windows 7.

Inspiring Technology: The iPad in Schools: How the iPad will affect education

2010-03-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

Check out this inspiring post by Ben Kreeger about simple ways that the iPad can be used to change education for men, women and children alike.

"It seems like every day a new technology emerges with great potential to revolutionize the field of education: SMART Boards, iPods, Blackboard, and so forth. It should come as no surprise, then, that Apple’s new iPad should bring tremendous opportunities for engaging students in classrooms, as well as new ways for teachers to deliver content and interact with their classes."

Inspiration for those who feel that nothing matters anymore.

2010-03-23T01:31:00.001-07:00

Check out this awesome post. It contains this inspirational quote, which I found both saddening and moving:

That literally "nothing matters" becomes the very thing that transforms into thankfulness, bubbling up in surrendered gratitude for this precious life and all its appearances, like a compassionate, mysterious and effervescent spring bubbling up from the meaningless nowhere of nothing.
—jim sloman

Inspiration for Women Artists; Get a Safe Deposit Box

2010-03-19T19:52:00.000-07:00

No good artist is every completely comfortable with expressing the parts of herself that appear in her best work. Sometimes, when you write or make something you think exposes you, you destroy it or you throw it away. Who knows why we women artists do this; maybe it was a parent or brother that got into our journals or diaries at a young age. Maybe it was a cruel teacher who judged our work. Either way, don't throw your work away. Even if you think it is incredibly embarrassing, you may regret throwing it out one day. You never know which of your stories, songs or works of art will be prized by someone else beyond measure. So, get a safe deposit box if you just can't stand having them in the house. One day, if you don't throw away your work, you will treasure the memories, and possibly money, that your talent provides you when you are ready to release your work.

Organic Fertilizer and Plant Food for Farms, Gardens and Houseplants

2010-03-10T19:54:00.001-08:00

Organic farm fertilizer for your vegetables and specialized plant food for your flowers and plants can help yield a healthier and more productive garden or crop.

Read More

Support the Escondido Humane Society's Paws in the Park Fundraiser

2010-03-09T20:24:00.000-08:00

Mere and Coco are raising money for the Escondido Humane Society. Yes, that means animals. On March 28, 2010, the Escondido Humane Society is having a Paws in the Park Fundraiser. You can donate through Mere and Coco's fundraiser page, or participate yourself. Either way, supporting the humane treatment of animals is the right thing to do.

Inspirational Thoughts for Teachers: A Woman in her Thirties Picks her Battles

2010-03-08T10:43:00.001-08:00

Check out this quick little essay with some advice for new teachers, including how to conduct yourself socially in the lunchroom with your co-workers.

In short "Bring good lunches".

More here:
A Woman In Her Thirties: A Woman in her Thirties Picks her Battles

Dry Skin Update - It went away.

2010-02-23T18:08:00.000-08:00

I know all of you readers have been losing sleep over the state of the contact dermatitis around my eyes. Well, I washed my pillowcases and patted a warm coffee compress onto it a couple of times, and now it is gone. I'm not a doctor, I have no idea if it was eczema or what, but it seemed to go away with some light steaming and a warm rag with coffee on it.

It occurred to me that the dry skin might have come from my pillowcase because I had fallen asleep with some makeup on a few days ago, so i washed all of my pillowcases as well. Whenever my skin starts breaking out, it usually gets better if I wash my pillowcase.

I am not sure if this is necessarily inspiring in anyway, but if you have dry skin, maybe try steaming it a little. But it could be an infection, so really, ask your doctor.

Inspirational Tips for Teachers: Choose your Battles

2010-02-23T18:00:00.000-08:00

In life, we have all encountered difficult people who go out of their way to make our lives more difficult. Teachers have it double hard because they are up in front of people's children with very little to go on but how much the students respect them.

As students, we have all had inspirational teachers, and we have had teachers who flew off the handle for no reason and didn't teach us a single thing.

The battle to inspire or the battle to ...well...battle, these are both battles. The time spent yelling at some hooligan could be better spent educating a disadvantaged kid. Choose your battles, and forget the brat. Send him to the office or something. Teach the kids who need help. Don't lose your cool over something stupid.

The skin around my eyes itches and is flaking.

2010-02-19T16:55:00.000-08:00

I think it could be eczema, but I am not really sure. I found this article that helps outline some treatments for swollen, itchy red skin around the eyes. It's really stinging a lot around my eyes and is very uncomfortable, so I wouldn't mind getting some relief from this eczema-like problem.

Blepharitis Eyelid Irritation

Inspiring Thoughts to Get Up and Look for Alternative Work Freelancing

2010-02-18T22:05:00.000-08:00

I don't know if anyone told you this yet, but the economy sucks. The business world is a wreck. No one can get a loan. No one can get a job. It's horrible. It's like the second great depression. WE ARE SURE TO PERISH.

Not so inspiring, is it? Well, the good news is that you are your own economy. The less you depend on the business world for your sustenance right now, the better and more stable you will be. One way to get free of the bad economy is to start freelance work. Freelance work can mean more than just writing: it can mean anything. You can be a freelance cleaning lady, a freelance cook, a freelance life coach and a freelance photographer. Anything you can use around the house and get someone to pay you for doing it and you're freelancing. How about that?

If this is a revelation to you, you are not alone. We grew up thinking money meant getting a job, and a job was a corporate hellhole. Not so. You can freelance and do anything you want. Freelance gossip with your buddies if you can get them to pay you. Inspire yourself to freelance anything.

If you are not able to go outside and look for work because you have a house to clean, a disability or some rugrats you have to watch, there are a few jobs where you can work at home for free for no fee. While not exactly helping people, they can bridge the gaps between your bills and can help you make a little money. My favorite work at home resources for women are Demandstudios.com and Associatedcontent.com.

Both give upfront pay for your writing, but Associated content offers a combination of upfront pay and royalties on your articles. If you work hard at it, you can get a decent income. Signing up is free and they pay upfront pay within a week and royalties monthly.

But, this is because I am a writer. If you are a musician, go sit on the corner and sing songs with your guitar case open until the police shoo you off. Be nice to them. Start a blog about anything you want, enable Adsense and get your friends to frequent the blog, and you will have some pocket money.

If you are a salesperson, find a product with a good profit margin, buy it, and sell it to everyone you know. Forget the middle man we previously called an "employer".

Be polite and upfront with your friends when selling your products, and you may be able to offer them something they actually want. Making money for having friends is now possible in today's economy, ladies. How inspiring a thought is that?

How to help others even if you are unemployed and broke

2010-02-18T21:57:00.000-08:00

Many of you women may be unwillingly unemployed and feeling worthless or out of touch. Perhaps you aren't making ends meet, even though you spend all day doing nothing because you can't find a job to do. Well, I'm here to tell you that you don't need a job to make money and make a difference in the lives of others.

Let me start by saying that you do not need to invest a dime of your money in anything but helping others. If anyone is asking you for money to start making money or to start helping others, well, I'm afraid it is likely a scam. Anyway, you might laugh at their requests for money because you have no money to give them. Well, tell those peddlers of false hope to sail away, because the greatest hope lies in your own talents and desires.

First, figure out who you really want to help. Do you want to help the earth, save pets, start a no-kill shelter or cat sanctuary or start a homeless shelter? Would you like to start a community garden, help hungry families get food, or protest something inhumane or unbearable around you. Well, as an unemployed person, you have one very valuable asset: time.

Admit it. Hunting for a job really takes only a couple hours a day, especially once you have gotten to know your resources. You can sit there for the rest of the day and re-browse the same Monster.com and Careerbuilder listings, but you are only fooling yourself. It's time to stand up, help people and maybe make money with that extra time.

One thing you can do is volunteer. However, many organizations are corrupt and wasteful, so your help will be poorly dispatched. If you start your own nonprofit organization to address what you think is important, you can not only help people directly, but you can collect grants to grow your dream. You may one day be able to live off a basic salary from your nonprofit organization, a meager but intensely satisfying occupation.

You may think unemployment means despair, but it really only means that it's time to really pursue your dream. Use your unique talents to improve your lives and the lives of the people around you by starting your own nonprofit organization for your special cause.

Here are some helpful resources for starting and running an nonprofit organization. They are geared toward starting animal welfare organizations like no-kill shelters, but the information supplied in these PDFs applies universally to starting a NPO for any cause.

Inspiring Thoughts for Women who are Bored

2010-02-15T20:39:00.000-08:00

Are you bored with your life? Well, that's boring, and it's probably your fault. This isn't likely what you wanted to hear, but the reality is that there are a vast number of things you could be doing right now. For instance, you could be thinking about what would be more fun than being bored. Create something. Write something. Sew something. Call a friend. Dance like you just got fired from a job you hated. Sing in whatever capacity you have. If you are still bored after doing all these things, well, I don't know what to tell you.

Boredom can easily lead to depression. Movement gives us hope. Get up, take a walk, and think of something better to do than feel sorry that you are so bored.

Inspiration for Women: Financial Self-Reliance

2010-02-14T20:12:00.000-08:00

Inspire yourself to become and independent businesswoman by creating your own handmade soaps.
Check out this resource for soap making:
Complete Soap Making Supplies and Tutorial Resource

Cheap, Nutritious, Tasty Food: You Can Make it Happen, Page 2 of 2 - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com

2010-01-12T22:13:00.001-08:00

Cheap, Nutritious, Tasty Food: You Can Make it Happen, Page 2 of 2 - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com

Posted using ShareThis

Fart Too Much? How to Cook Beans that Won't Make You Toot - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com

2010-01-12T22:08:00.001-08:00

Fart Too Much? How to Cook Beans that Won't Make You Toot - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com

Posted using ShareThis

Greenhouse Gardener Tips

2010-01-10T17:18:00.001-08:00

Plants are easier to take care of in a greenhouse than gardening outside so you get more crops for ultimately less work. The only downside to a greenhouse is that you have to pick the right spot for your greenhouse to be built; somewhere sunny so your plants can get enough light, and you need to build a greenhouse that can house the plants you want to grow. Some more delicate greenhouse plants need climate control and air conditioning in order to survive.

You can use a hydroponic system for your gardening and enjoy a soil-free greenhouse gardening experience.

Check out these Greenhouse Gardener Tips, which might be helpful to any women who are feeling inspired to grow their own healthy vegetables. Becoming a greenhouse gardener is easy once you get your greenhouse set up and designed.

Inspire yourself to be in good health

2010-01-05T20:49:00.000-08:00

When the year changes, it's important to think about how you've lived the past year, and how it has affected yourself.

Eat a good diet and drink lots of water.

Make sure you get a mammogram and get your lady parts like your ovaries checked for cancer this year. Remember to get exercise and see your doctor for a physical regularly.

Laugh more.

Happy New Year ladies. Let's take care of ourselves.

Natural remedies for sinus infection relief

2010-01-03T12:22:00.000-08:00

I know this is not necessarily an inspirational quote, but good health can be a great inspiration, for women and for everyone. Sinus infections can be a great pain, but there are some gentle options for natural sinus infection relief which might already be in your home refrigerator or cupboard.

First, a warning: sinus infections should not be treated with herbal supplements without the supervision of a doctor. Sinus infections can be serious and it is unsafe to attempt home treatment without a doctor's advice. Before you start using herbal cures for your sinus infection, talk to your doctor and make sure they are safe for you.

Cranberry

Cranberry juice is a powerful ally in the fight against your sinus infection. Equipped with chemical components which effectively ward off bacteria, cranberry is useful for treating sinus infections, as well as mouth ulcers and bladder infections. According to World's Healthiest Foods, cranberries have antibiotic, antiviral and antibiotic effects that can help fight sinus infections. Cranberry also prevents many types of bacteria from attaching to your body's tissue. Since cranberry-laden bacteria can't get a good hold on your sinuses, cranberry can help clear out your sinus infection.

Echinacea

According to "The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook" by Tillotson et al., echinacea is a common cure for sinus infections. Echinacea works to reduce inflammation while boosting the body's immune system, helping it to fight off the infection. According to Holistic Online, echinacea is an immune system stimulant, and it helps to "increase the production and activity of white blood cells, lymphocytes, and macrophages." Echinacea should be taken as a treatment, not as a long-term supplement. You should not take echinacea for more than eight weeks without taking a break to let your body rest from the herb.

Licorice Root

According to "One Earth", licorice root is used to reduce sinus inflammation. An anti-inflammatory compound called glycryyhizin is found in licorice root. A form of licorice called deglycrrhizinated licorice has shown fewer negative side effects for patients taking medicinal licorice. The recommended dose of licorice root is 1 to 3 grams of ground licorice root taken three times per day for up to six weeks. For best results, licorice is often used in combination with other herbal formulas.

Honeysuckle Flower

According to Holistic Online's profile of the Honeysuckle flower, honeysuckle is used for anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. "One Earth" suggests the use of honeysuckle flower to reduce inflammation due to sinusitis. Holistic Online cautions against use of honeysuckle flower if your sinus infection is accompanied by diarrhea. Honeysuckle flower is often used in combination with licorice root, flaxseed, or turmeric to treat inflammation.

Chrysanthemum Flower

According to "One Earth", chrysanthemum flower is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat infections and inflammation. In a 1993 study by Benksy and Gamble, Chrysanthemums were found to have antibiotic effects. The herb also works to reduce the headache associated with a sinus infection. Chrysanthemum flower should not be used if you are pregnant, and may interact with some medications. If you are taking blood thinners, talk to your doctor about possible interactions with Chrysanthemum.

Resources:
World's Healthiest Foods: Cranberries
The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook: by Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.d, A.H.G., D.Ay., Nai-shing Hu Tillotson, Robert Abel Jr.; 2001
Holistic Online Directory of Herbs

Inspirational Thoughts for Kids and Teens Who are Being Picked On

2009-11-21T01:01:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about my school experience today, and one regret I have is that on the occasions that I was assaulted at school, I did not call the Police to report it. I didn't even know I had an option. When I was assaulted at school, all the school officials did was tell me I deserved to be assaulted, and that since none of the faculty had seen it, it didn't happen.

Call the Police. If someone hits you at school, report it. If someone keeps spitting on you at school and the school won't do anything about it, call the Police. The school does not want you to call the Police because they don't want it to get out that there are violent incidents at their schools. So, the best thing for you to do if you are being sexually harrassed, assaulted or otherwise illegally harmed at school, call the police.

In the adult world, people who are hit, pushed, or spat upon call the police. Adults can get restraining orders against people who are threatening or hurting them, and so can kids.

If the police will not listen to you, (this happens in small towns a lot) find someone who will. Call the district office that runs your school and call their bosses, too.

Our government is made up of a series of levels, and if you keep contacting people about your problem, someone will listen. If you are being assaulted at school, if someone hits you and the school tells you to keep quiet or shames you into feeling responsible for the incident, don't feel responsible. Hitting people is illegal, and adults who get assaulted call the police. They don't get into brawls or agree to meet in the parking lot after school; they call the cops. You should too. Insist on filing a police report, especially if you were injured by the assault. If you feel like you need to go to the doctor, go. Nobody, girl or boy, should be afraid of being harmed at school. That's not the way our society is.

Inspiring Quotes for Getting Motivated Into Action!

2009-11-13T20:06:00.000-08:00

Here's an inspiring quote for getting moving.

Heaven never helps the man who will not act.

~Sophocles

No matter how hard things are going, and no matter how many times you have fallen short of reaching your chosen task, you can never get anywhere by giving up. Sometimes what you need to do is work, and sometimes you need wait for something to happen and focus your energy on something else for a while. If something is bothering you, if you are trying to accomplish a task or finish a milestone in life, you must move forward to get anywhere. Never sit idle and feel sorry for yourself. Keep moving. Momentum is a real thing.

Inspring Books - A Place of My Own by Michael Pollan

2009-10-31T20:56:00.000-07:00

Inspring Books - A Place of My Own by Michael Pollan

Michael Pollan writes books about food, gardening, and life. His book, "A Place of My Own" explores the process of his building a small writing house on his property near his home. Pollan goes over the process he used to choose the design and placement of his little writing room, and the problems that he came up against when deciding how to build his own perfect place. Michael Pollan is a brilliant writer who also wrote "In Defense of Food". If you need some inspiration about setting aside your own space and the beauty of making yourself known in the physical world around you, check out this book. It's hard to describe how beautiful it is, but if you have experienced Michael Pollen before, you know how touching and grounding his work is. Highly recommended.

Natural Cures and Herbs for Anxiety

2009-10-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

Here is a wonderful guide that suggests some natural cures and herbs which can help relieve anxiety without dangerous and addictive psychological medications like Effexor, which causes liver damage, and Xanax, a highly addictive substance given far too often to people with simple health or lifestyle problems causing their anxiety.

According to peacefulmind.com, simple things like exercise, uplifting music and meditation can help you beat your anxiety. Herbs like St. John's Word and Valerian Root can also have an effect on increasing your mood, but the safest and most effective way to treat anxiety is free: get good nutrition, eat good fats and get a healthy amount of joy and exercise.

Always, always research anything you take, whether it is an herb, a diet, or a medication. Doctors do not always have your best interests in mind; sometimes your prescription helps bolster their pocketbook. Inspire yourself to keep an eye out for your own health and question anything that is confusing or downright dangerous.

http://www.peacefulmind.com/anxiety.htm

Harboring Independence: TurnkeyNation Review. Starting your Own DropShip Business

2009-10-18T18:58:00.000-07:00

In this post, I am going to take a look at TurnkeyNation, a service that offers pre-built and custom websites for e-commerce. Though TurnkeyNation offers a variety of options for e-commerce business types, including premade Adsense websites, premade affiliate websites, and many other types of websites. They also offer a chance to build As Seen on TV websites. For now,

I will just be covering TurnkeyNation's dropship options since that is the type of business I am looking to start.

Investment costs: The costs to start a website at TurnkeyNation.com vary from $60 to $350 for a pre-made dropship website, and $600 for a custom website.

Ease of Use: The premade websites are a bit of a navigational mess. I would not expect that these websites would run themselves unless they offered very deep discounts.

Flexibility: TurnkeyNation.com offers a lot of different website types for Dropship e-commerce, but they are category specific and would be difficult to vary merchandise.

Profitability: You earn a flat 50% commission.

Reputation: TurnkeyNation has a few reports of unauthorized debits to customer accounts. Other complaints allege that the company responds slowly to complaints or emails. I really dug hard and was unable to find any positive testimonials about TurnkeyNation.com; I did find a lot of complaints that the people who run their sites are sometimes scammers.

Overall, even without having explored any other options, I'd probably skip this one. It's expensive, the websites look like junk, and the company's reputation online, though a B at the Better Business Bureau, sounds poor enough to skip entirely.

Inspire Yourself with Education to Become Independent

2009-10-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

Owning your own business can be an empowering experience. Modern technology has developed ways for even the most homebound woman or mother to start a business of her own. Inspire yourself to own your own business by researching what it's going to take to get started at a level you can handle.

I have been considering opening an online sales business for a while, so I decided to do an article an research whether it was a good idea. I will also be researching some top companies which build e-commerce websites. At the end of the article, I am going to make a decision as to which company I will use for my e-commerce website due to the information I have found.

I will be evaluating the e-commerce turnkey website building companies on 5 points:

Investment Cost
Ease of Use
Flexibility
Profitability
Reputation

Here are the e-commerce companies I will be evaluating. If you have any suggestions as to a good e-commerce company that will drop ship and allow me to sell my own product, please comment here and I may do an evaluation on it later.

Shopster

DepotNet

Dollar Days

USellCorp

Websites Now

Turnkey Nation

Here is an inspiring quote about gaining your own independence:

“You have to do it yourself, no one else will do it for you. You must work out your own salvation.” ~Charles E. Popplestone

Heal your heart with Vitamin E

2009-10-16T18:23:00.000-07:00

Taking vitamin E can have some heart-healthy effects that you might want to explore. Vitamin E has been shown to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. According to some studies, Vitamin E has healing effects on the heart tissue, meaning it can even heal your heart after trauma.

Some foods that can be used to heal the heart due to their Vitamin E content include broccoli and sunflower seeds, both very tasty in a salad. For more information see Vitamin E for Heart Health.

Inspire yourself to live a long, healthy life. You deserve it!

Inspiring Posts and Advice for Women in Need of Motivation

2009-10-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the October 14, 2009 edition of the women's inspiration carnival!

Inspire yourself into creativity and motivation.
Photo by:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/evilerin/ / CC BY 2.0

advice

Yetti Chiu presents Goal Attainment posted at Michael A. Podolinsky's Success Series Blog, saying, "Goal Attainment. How to set goals you will attain?"

Britnee presents Moist Meat Balls!!!!! posted at Britnee Timberlake's Institute of Home Cooking Blog.

Inspiration

Igor presents Be Zen, My Friend.. posted at Be Zen, My Friend.

Candice Lovett presents Inspiration | Fitness 4 Her posted at Fitness 4 Her, saying, "My favorite women's fitness blog is by far www.Fitness4Her.com. The free to all featuring new posts daily on topics like Women's Fitness, Health, Inspiration, Affirmations, Motivation, Diet, Healthy recipies and more. The site is run by celebrity trainer and fitness model Karen Ficarelli. I was very very impressed and can't say enough good things about Fitness4Her.com"

Surbhi Bhatia presents Women – Puppets or Puppeteers? posted at The Viewspaper » The Viewspaper.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of women's inspiration carnival using our carnival submission form.

Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Inspriring Words for Caretakers: Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

2009-10-08T15:48:00.000-07:00

The Prayer of St. Francis is a peace prayer from an inspirational magazine published in France in 1912. It strikes a note regarding the purpose of a person in a position of caring, whether the person is a position of caring is a doctor, a nurse, a mother, or an insurance representative deciding whether a patient gets the surgery she needs. Considering all of the problems with health care, and with caring in general today, this prayer is definitely relevant for any doctors or nurses who wish they could do more for their sick and dying patients.

All of the health insurance representatives who are fighting healthcare options for the poor would also take a moment to remember why they were there in the first place. At least, why you probably hope they were there. To forget about money for a moment and think about helping people and to think about someone's suffering other than yours. Instead of hurting, help. That is all you can ask of a medical professional, and as a medical professional, that is all you can ask of yourself. As a person, that is all you can ask of yourself.

This is for all the caretakers whose hands are tied by the health care system as it is, or any caretakers whose hands are metaphorically tied for any reason. This is a prayer for mothers who just want to heal and for men who just want to help. This is a prayer to put the power of your faith in God or whatever you believe in and to give up control of the forces you cannot control and just give fully, and take care with all of the heart and the power you hold in your hands.

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

Here is the original text of the prayer in French, if you are nerdy like that:

Belle prière à faire pendant la Messe

Seigneur, faites de moi un instrument de votre paix.
Là où il y a de la haine, que je mette l'amour.
Là où il y a l'offense, que je mette le pardon.
Là où il y a la discorde, que je mette l'union.
Là où il y a l'erreur, que je mette la vérité.
Là où il y a le doute, que je mette la foi.
Là où il y a le désespoir, que je mette l'espérance.
Là où il y a les ténèbres, que je mette votre lumière.
Là où il y a la tristesse, que je mette la joie.
Ô Maître, que je ne cherche pas tant à être consolé qu'à consoler, à être compris qu'à comprendre, à être aimé qu'à aimer, car c'est en donnant qu'on reçoit, c'est en s'oubliant qu'on trouve, c'est en pardonnant qu'on est pardonné, c'est en mourant qu'on ressuscite à l'éternelle vie.

From http://www.franciscan-archive.org/franciscana/peace.html

Quotes about Self-Determination and Freedom

2009-09-10T23:18:00.001-07:00

To all of the rhetoric nonsense flying around right now about self-determination, I respond with this inspiring quote about the true nature of freedom.

"I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do."
Robert Heinlein

So to this line of manipulative rhetoric:

"Real reform starts with freedom, and real hope for America means upholding its founding principle of self-determination."

I must ask, what do you consider to be self-determination? To have options taken away from you for the cause of self-determination? Self determination means taking responsibility for your action. Self determination means doing the best you can for yourself with what you have to work with. Sometimes, we have to ask for help. That's part of self-determination too. By asking questions about what your options are, you expand your choices.

Self-determination is not about blinding yourself with pride and religion and plugging forward as hard as you can.

What else self-determination is not:

A way to get out of debt caused by a corrupt system
A way to heal illnesses
A way to get a job
A direct solution

Self determination means using the tools you have to succeed. Self determination does not require that you never, ever ask for help. We are a community. We help each other. That's what makes us human.

The next time someone says that people just need "self-determination" to escape debt, ask them if they have ever had any. Ask them if they've ever lived a day without having enough to eat. Ask them if they've ever entered their golden years with fear in their hearts about their health and financial future. The answer will probably NOT surprise you.

women's inspiration carnival: inspiring quotes and financial advice

2009-09-08T16:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the September 8, 2009 edition of women's inspiration carnival.

advice

Silicon Valley Blogger presents Work At Home Mom Shares Tips On Saving Money posted at The Digerati Life, saying, "Thanks!"

The Smarter Wallet presents How To Be A Millionaire: Secrets To Success posted at The Smarter Wallet, saying, "Thanks!"

Investing Toolkit presents Why Should I Start Investing? posted at Investing Toolkit.

inspiration

Suzanne presents How lazy can you be? posted at Without Dash.

spirituality

Tracy Dear presents How's Your Heart? posted at New Mercy, saying, "This is a post about a lesson I keep having to re-learn."

Teresa Dear tackles anger issues in How's Your Heart?

2009-09-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles rain shows the power of God in weather.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucas3d/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

Teresa Dear presents How's Your Heart? posted at New Mercy.

Teresa Dear's blog offers insightful quotes and exploration of life's issues with the help of the Bible. In this post, How's Your Heart?, Teresa explores the concept of anger, unconditional love and the spirit of true giving. She talks about her marital anger and how she deals with it in a positive way. It's very cool.

Here's an excerpt from Teresa Dear's blog, in which she talks about how she calms her anger with her spouse. "I went into the kitchen and gave it a well-deserved scouring. . . . Then I cleaned the table and swept the floors and moved the clothes into the dryer. All the while I am determining to myself that I will have a forgiving attitude and a cheerful heart and a welcoming, loving demeanor."

For more insightful inspiration for women and inspiring quotes from the Bible, visit How's Your Heart? posted at New Mercy.

CoEnzyme Q10's powerful antioxidants

2009-09-04T23:33:00.000-07:00

CoEnzyme Q10 is a popular new supplement that you may have heard of on the news or in women's magazines. CoEnzyme Q10 has many powerful antioxidants that, coupled with a good dose of Vitamin C, can fight oxidative damage to your system and can help reduce the effects of aging.

The Q10 pills can be expensive, but if you catch them at a drugstore or grocery store on clearance (some places offer buy one get one free to get rid of vitamin stock) then you can get CoEnzyme Q10 at a great price.

Other great vitamins for health and energy include vitamin B12, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Ginkgo, and fish oil.

Inspirational Quotes and Thoughts for Women

Welfare is necessary

Inspirational Thoughts for Work as Meditation

Women’s Inspiration Carnival– Inspiring Articles for Oct 21, 2011

inspiration

self-help

spirituality

Inspirational Quotes on Creativity

Beware Internet Quackery: How to Tell Bad Medical Information from True

Great Blog Posts: Penelope Trunk with Motivation Tips from the Bath

Thoughts on Thinking for Yourself: The Devil Can Quote Scripture

Procrastination and Completing Projects: MUST READ

Inspiring Quote About Being An Artist

Inspirational Article for Women: Ladies, You Are Just As Smart As Men

Inspirational Thoughts About Commitment: The Results of My 5-Day Cleanse

Work at Home Review: eCopywriters.com, Okay but Slow

My 5-Day Herbal Cleanse

Sweet Little Lies: White Lies and How to Handle Them

Inspiring Quote About Success in Business

Best Inspirational Videos from Motivational Speakers

Recommended Awakening Yoga Video

Inspirational Business Quote About Planning for Success

Quotes on Hard Work and Procrastination vs. Motivation

Inspiring Thoughts to Motivate the Unemployed to Make and Do

Inspiring Life Quote About Misdirected Anger

Inspirational Quotes About Life for Women

An Inspiringly Pessimistic Quote about Dreams and Work Ethic

An Inspiring Thought About Achieving Your Dreams

Inspiring Thoughts for Beating Depression

Inspiring Browser Tool: Smooth Gestures for Chrome

Inspire Yourself By Learning

Inspiring November Harvest Picks for the Thanksgiving Table

Inspiring Relaxing Rain Sounds for Meditation

Listen to Another Inspiring Song: Hannah Montana: The Climb

An Inspiring Song I forgot about.

Inspire Yourself into Indoor Exercise using Free Online Work Out Programs and TV Shows

Inspire yourself to get some exercise.

Free Yoga Videos Online: Inspire Yourself to Maintain Good Health

Send Personalized Cards as Inspiring and inexpensive thoughtful gifts.

Inspiring Music to Motivate Writers

A Sort of Inspiring Quote about Self-Esteem by Trent Reznor

Great Blog About Avoiding Regrets

Inspirational Thoughts about Procrastination

Inspirational Quotes about Failure and Language Barriers from David Foster Wallace

Inspiring Thoughts on Education and Potential: Valedictorian Speaks Out Against Schooling in Graduation Speech -- Signs of the Times News

Favorite Inspirational Quotes about Writing

Tao Sexuality and Other Interesting Articles

Inspiring Songs for Finding Your Motivation in Music

Quitting is not an option, but failure is.

Inspire yourself to play games with your life.

Earth-friendly Menstrual Care Products Inspire Environmental Peace

Back pain? Stuck in your chair? Try “Chair Yoga”

An inspiring poem about the color Purple: Purple Glows by Emerson Robbins

Today, I feel like giving up.

Designing A Business Card: What to Do

Try some foraging for food in nature.

Inspiring Song for Women: Anna Bergendahl - This Is My Life (Sweden)

Greek Yogurt is a big diet food these days. But what is Greek Yogurt?

SOKO Fitness and Spa Group Hosts Investor Meetings in London, New York and Boston

How women can ask for a raise and actually get it

Inspiration to help eliminate guilt

I need some good news.

Inspire yourself to stand up to bullies.

You don't have to believe to get inspiration from books of religion.

You are ON your intended path.

5 Essential Zen Habits for Balanced Living

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Anastasiya Goers of Balance In Me.

This is Inspiring: Laptops given to Gaza's children

Inspirational quote for women with unfulfilled dreams

Military woman hugging her child

Overdoing it when exercising can damage progress

Philosophical musings.

Inspiration for Women: Buy A Nice Gift For YOURSELF

5 Things I like about Windows 7.

Inspiring Technology: The iPad in Schools: How the iPad will affect education

Inspiration for those who feel that nothing matters anymore.

Inspiration for Women Artists; Get a Safe Deposit Box

Organic Fertilizer and Plant Food for Farms, Gardens and Houseplants

Support the Escondido Humane Society's Paws in the Park Fundraiser

Inspirational Thoughts for Teachers: A Woman in her Thirties Picks her Battles