tips – Page 4 – Personal Growth Cafe

July 30, 2019March 26, 2018

Stop Settling and Start Sizzling

So, it looks like you’re stuck in a rut.

Are you bored with your life and the same routine day after day?

Of course you can’t be happy like this!

There’s an exciting world out there with a lot to offer.

Deep down you know you want to get out and take a big bite of it.

Sure, it may be a bit overwhelming, and even scary at times, but you can’t let your life just pass you by.

It’s time to live those dreams, take a leap of faith, and get out of your comfort zone!

But how do you get started?

Read on for some valuable tips and suggestions to help you be all you can be, now and always:

1. Decide what you want to do. Put your fears aside and step outside of your comfort zone.

If you could do anything without fear, money, or time being an issue, what would you choose?

2. Make a list of everything you would like to accomplish someday.

It doesn’t matter how crazy or outrageous you may think it is, just write it down.

It also doesn’t matter if your list has three or thirty-three things listed.

Just search your heart and your mind and write down what you would really like to do.

3. Faith. It’s important to have faith to see your journey until the end, yet this may be one of the hardest qualities to develop.

Remember how it feels to be stuck where you are with no excitement and no real purpose.

You know things can be better than they are now, but how?

4. All you need to do is believe in yourself.

You know that countless people before you have lived their dreams, so why not you?

What makes them so different?

There really is no difference between you and others, except for the belief in the possibility for great success.

You can be just like they are; you just have to believe you can do it!

5. Don’t keep it a secret. If you’re ashamed of how you’re feeling, you shouldn’t be.

Many people find themselves in the same predicament.

The only thing that should embarrass you is if you intentionally decide to stay in that rut!

Do yourself a big favor and open up to someone you trust.

Whether that’s a parent, spouse, or best friend, tell them that you’re ready to make a change in your life and they’ll be able support you throughout your journey.

They’ll encourage you on the good days and cry with you on the bad days.

6. Most importantly, they’ll be there to support you throughout it all.

It’s just what you need to achieve great success!

7. Take the first step. It’s time to take that first leap of faith.

As much as you want to step outside the box and get out of this rut, nothing will happen without taking that first big step.

No matter how frightening you may be, you need to focus on the big picture and the pot of gold at the end of that rainbow.

Muster up all the encouragement and support you can find and just do it.

Once the first step is accomplished, it gets easier!

You deserve to be the best that you can possibly be, and deep down inside you know this.

You’ll be so glad you took action – and you’ll be so proud of yourself when you celebrate at the finish line!

8. No one enjoys being in a rut and just going through the motions of life.

Don’t let your fears hold you back.

After all, this is a wonderful world that you deserve to enjoy to the fullest!

Go out and experience everything life has to offer.

Take that first leap of faith and you’ll never look back again!

How successful do you see yourself?

How do you feel about yourself and what you have accomplished so far?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Also, as your gift for taking this to heart – and this is profoundly important… to us ALL – go to UnitingPlanetEarth.com/ignition/ and do the Uniting Planet Earth 7-Day Quick-Start Ignition Program… and Allow it to Transform Your Life.

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July 29, 2019March 26, 2018

Transforming Grief Into Joy

Grief is one the hardest things to overcome.

The truth is, after a period of loss or grief, a part of us changes and we’re never completely the same.

But what we can do is learn how to handle it for the better so we can learn and grow.

Living in perpetual grief is no way to live our lives and surely this is no way our loved one would want us to live.

The question is this: is it possible to transform your grief into joy so your grief doesn’t overtake you?

Yes! Here are a few strategies you can use to help turn your grief into joy:

1. Remember that your loved one is in your heart.

Although they may be physically gone, they’re still close by.

You’re still able to speak to them, feel close to them, and have them in your life.

Any time you feel the need to feel closer to your loved one, go into a quiet room and close your eyes, then say a prayer or speak to them within your heart.

This simple strategy can be done at anytime and you can recall all the joys and happiness from you past to cheer you up.

2. Don’t stop talking about them.

If you love and miss this person so much, chances are there are others out there who feel exactly the same way.

Don’t stop talking about your loved one just because they have physically passed away.

Talk about the memories, the good times, the bad times, the funny times, and the sad times.

Just don’t stop talking and sharing with others about this person.

If something reminds you of this person, tell others.

Celebrate the amazing life they had and always keep their memories alive.

3. Create their legacy.

When someone we love passes on, we don’t want people to forget the impact this person made when they were here.

A simple idea is to do something in memory of this person that will live on forever.

For example, you can plant a tree, donate to their favorite charity, or create a scholarship in their name.

4. Know that they would want you to be happy.

The person you cared for so deeply would want you to be happy and deep down inside you know this too.

They would want you to go out and live your life to the fullest.

Doing this doesn’t mean you’re forgetting them, because they’ll always be with you in your heart.

It’s time to leave an impact on someone else just like your loved one impacted you.

The loss of a loved one is never easy.

We all take time to grieve our loss, but there’s a time that we must move on.

We need to forge on, but we can still carry our loved one in our heart and memories.

We must go out and make them proud of us, and they’ll continue to be right by our side as we move forward again.

How can you be happy after a loss in your life?

What activities do you do to move yourself forward and live on with your life?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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June 22, 2019March 23, 2018

How to Keep Your Cool During the Financial Meltdown

Everywhere you go, you hear about how awful the economy is, but you don’t have to let all the talk of our country’s financial meltdown get you down.

You can keep your cool.

Don’t let fear of the future take control of your mind and emotions.

When we live in fear, we make bad decisions, think irrationally, and are in a reactive mode.

Living in fear actually makes the situation far worse.

To help overcome the fear of your financial future, here are some proactive things you can do:

1. Turn off the news. Why would you want to listen to bad news over and over?

We already know the state of the economy, so listening to a news reporter talk doom and gloom all the time isn’t necessary.

2. Ensure you’re on a budget and living within your means. If you need to cut back, then find ways to do so.

There are many, many ways to reduce the cost of living with a little planning and effort. Here are some examples:

Reduce your cell phone bill

Get rid of your land line if you have a cell phone

Shut off the cable (who needs it anyway?)

Turn off the lights and unplug electronic devices when not in use

Turn your thermostat down in winter and wear sweaters to keep warm

Open windows in the summer instead of turning on the air conditioner

Use coupons and shop for the weekly sales at your local grocery store

3. Plan ahead by setting up an emergency fund. Of course, this involves living on a budget so you can save enough money from your income for emergencies.

An emergency fund is usually a minimum of $1,000 in savings at all times and is used for emergencies only, like unexpected vehicle repairs or medical needs.

If you can afford more, then save more!

4. Plan for the future by getting rid of debt and using cash only. Again, this requires living on a budget, but it can be done.

How to Budget in a Recession

Since we’re talking about budgeting so much and it’s the best way to keep your cool during the financial meltdown, let’s talk about ways to set up a budget and reduce debt.

1. Figure out your income after taxes.

Know what you’re bringing in each month so you can determine how much you have to spend.

Sounds obvious, but why is it so common for people to spend way more than they make?

Far too often, people don’t know how much they really make, nor where the money goes!

2. Make sure your living needs are met. These things include your house payment, utilities, food, and property taxes.

3. Next, make sure your transportation to get to and from work is taken care of.

Things like your vehicle payment, gas and maintenance.

This is one area you may be able to cut back on as well.

If you’re making a car payment, try to sell the car and buy a used one with cash.

You may also want to consider taking public transportation more often.

4. Pay off credit card debt. Start paying off the card with the highest interest rate first.

Once that card is paid off, put your payments toward the card with the next highest interest rate and so on, until each card is paid off.

You may also want to contact a financial planner to discuss consolidating the debt to make it more manageable.

5. Once your credit card debt is paid off, begin putting all the money you were paying out into savings.

The goal is to build your savings up to at least 6 months worth of income in case something happens, like job loss or disability.

By following the steps above, with diligence and determination, you can be debt free and survive the financial meltdown!

Of course, this won’t happen overnight and you’ll probably have to adjust your lifestyle so you can live below your means, but doing so will help secure your future financially.

How do you stay calm when everyone else seems to be stressed out?

How can you continue to have peace of mind during a time of crisis?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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June 17, 2019March 23, 2018

Overcoming Financial Strain

Financial strain is probably the biggest cause of stress, especially in today’s economy.

With so many people losing their jobs, just trying to make ends meet can cause added stress to your already stressful lives.

The good news is that there’s a way out!

Map Out a Plan

If you are not on a budget, you must get on one.

I know the word budget seems like a bad word, and it does require effort and planning, but it is the best way to relieve financial stress.

Living on a budget means you’re in control of your money, instead of your money controlling you.

There are many classes or programs specifically designed to teach you how to budget if needed.

Simply do a search online using the terms “how to live on a budget” or “budgeting” and you’re sure to find one that meets your needs and is easy to use.

The key to sticking to a budget is making sure it’s easy to implement.

Ask your friends and relatives what budgeting plans or programs they use and do a little research before deciding on one.

But whatever you do, choose something!

Good Food at Great Prices

Another area where you can save money is at the grocery store.

By using online and paper coupons, as well as flipping through the weekly flyers, you can save hundreds of dollars every month!

Again, this takes some planning, but it will help relieve a lot of financial strain.

Knowing how much you spend on eating out may be a shocker to you.

Cut back on restaurant food and plan more meals at home.

You’ll be surprised at how much money you’ll save and you may even lose a few pounds!

Review Your Automatic Payments

Cutting out automatic payments from your spending will also help you be in control of your money.

Look at any programs or services that you’ve subscribed to that automatically takes money from your account.

You may find some you never use that you can cut out. Or perhaps there are better deals to be had elsewhere, so do your research!

Choose Used

One of the best ways to reduce your expenses is by driving a used car.

If you’re making a car payment, you’re throwing away money that could be better used elsewhere.

If it’s possible, sell your car, pay it off, and buy a used car with the cash that you’re saving on monthly payments.

You may have to give up a little pride, but reducing stress and financial strain is far more important than pride!

Tips to Reducing Financial Strain in Your Life

Other ways to overcome financial strain is to supplement your income.

You can do this in a variety of ways. Some of them you may even find fun!

De-clutter your home of “stuff” by sorting through and selling it on eBay, Craigslist, or Kijiji.

Clean out your shed or garage and have a yard sale.

Sell arts and crafts or jewelry on Etsy or eBay.

Start an online business using skills you already have.

If you’re a good at a particular subject, start tutoring or teaching music lessons.

If you’re a golfer or skier, get a second job at a resort or golf club.

This will not only bring in extra income, but they probably offer discounts to employees, saving you money while still being able to enjoy something you love.

Get a second job that offers flexible hours. Use the extra income to pay down debt or start saving for your emergency fund.

Having a plan, sticking to a budget, and increasing your income are the best ways to overcome financial strain during these tough economic times.

If you’re diligent and determined not to let today’s economy stress you out, you’re sure to succeed!

How do you deal with financially tough times?

How does this make you feel about how you are living your life right now?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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June 16, 2019March 23, 2018

Seven Ways to Save Money Without Sacrificing Your Lifestyle

Are you looking for ways to save money, but don’t want to sacrifice your current lifestyle?

You’ll be surprised at how many different things you can do to achieve this.

Below are just a few ideas you can utilize to start saving money during these rough financial times:

1. Eating Out: For some people, eating out is one of their biggest variable expenses, but you can still save money without sacrificing your lifestyle.

You can often find restaurant coupons in the paper or online.

You can also cut your bill in half by sharing a meal.

We all know restaurant portions are huge and can probably feed at least two people.

Cut down on the amount of food you eat and save money by sharing a meal with a friend or spouse.

2. Gas: There’s several different ways you can save money on gas by simply thinking about how many unnecessary trips you take and planning fewer trips where you can.

This is where planning your day and clustering errands into one trip is key.

Also, if you have more than one driver in your family, the person who drives the furthest to work or school should use the most fuel-efficient vehicle.

It sounds obvious, but that’s because it is!

3. Consolidating Payments: Often your lender or bank will give you a loan to help reduce your monthly costs and interest payments.

If you can’t get a loan, see if you can transfer your high interest balances to a lower interest credit card.

If you have high interest credit cards, one of the smartest ways to reduce debt is to negotiate those interest rates.

4. Cut Out Unnecessary Fees: There are often hidden fees on credit cards, bank loans, and bank accounts that you may not be aware of.

Be sure to read the fine print before signing any contracts.

You’ll also want to check your monthly statements for any fees that you may not be aware of and call to complain if you spot anything funny.

In addition, avoid bouncing checks and cash advances.

Both insufficient fund fees and cash advances are probably one of the largest money suckers, but the easiest to avoid.

Being in control of your money and knowing where it’s going will help you save money on unnecessary fees.

5. Budgeting: You need to know how much money you have coming in and directing the money where you need it to go.

Budgeting means being in control of your money instead of your money controlling you.

When you’re on a budget, you can actually save money without losing the lifestyle you desire.

6. Gym Fees: Belonging to a gym is a helpful way to lose weight and stay in shape; however, the fees can be very costly.

Besides, you can still stay in shape and get great workouts at home, while saving tons of money.

Workout DVDs (or even free videos on YouTube) cost a lot less than a monthly gym membership and there’s a huge variety to choose from.

If you use the gym and it’s keeping you healthy, than it’s a good investment.

After all, your health is important.

But you should also be realistic with your workout expectations, meaning, if you haven’t gone for months, you’re probably not going to go all of a sudden, so you’re better off cancelling the membership.

7. Groceries: If you’re like most, your grocery bill is one of the biggest bills you have, next to house payments.

You can cut this bill by hundreds each month easily.

A little planning and effort is all it takes.

Using online and paper coupons, in addition to your grocer’s weekly sales flyer can cut your grocery bill by 25 to 30 percent.

The average family of four spends over $700 a month on groceries.

By using coupons and shopping the sales, you can save over $200 a month on groceries.

Couldn’t we all use an extra $200 a month right now?

Here are some other ways of saving money without sacrificing your lifestyle:

Turn off lights when not in use.

Open windows instead of turning on the air conditioner.

In the winter, wear sweaters to keep warm and turn down your thermostat.

Turn the water off while brushing your teeth.

Take showers instead of baths.

Unplug any electronic devices when not in use.

Finding a better way to enjoy the activities you love will not only save money, but will also reduce financial stress so you can maintain the lifestyle of your dreams!

How do you feel about your current lifestyle?

How have you adjusted your lifestyle based on the finances you have?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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June 14, 2019March 23, 2018

Five Simple Relaxation Tips

Everyone experiences times throughout the day where you just wish you could relax for even a few minutes.

You already know that relaxation helps your body re-energize, but sometimes you’re so busy and caught up in the moment that you just don’t have the time to unwind.

Well, fortunately there are simple ways to relax, even during your busiest days, that don’t require a lot of time or equipment.

Here are 5 Simple Relaxation Tips:

1. When you’re in line at the grocery store:

Instead of stressing out because there aren’t enough cashiers and every line has 5 people with heaping carts of groceries, use that time to relax your body by taking some deep breaths.

Deep breathing helps increase the oxygen in your blood.

Your blood then circulates that extra oxygen throughout your body helping your inner systems recharge.

Taking five slow deep breaths will do the trick.

The proper technique is to inhale and exhale deeply through your nose and out your mouth.

Not only will deep breathing help you relax, it’ll help to clear your mind, reduce brain fog, and you’ll feel much more alert and ready to tackle the next project on your plate.

Deep breathing can be done anywhere when you’re feeling stressed or just want to clear your mind.

2. When you’re at work: It’s often hard to find time to relax at work.

You might even get in trouble if you’re caught “relaxing.” Oh the horror!

However, there are some techniques you can do while you’re at work to help create a sense of calm that aren’t so obvious to others.

If your job requires you to sit at a computer all day, make sure you get up and move around for a few minutes every hour.

This helps circulate the blood throughout your body.

Just moving the blood flow will make you feel more alert and focused.

While sitting at your desk, roll your head around, from side to side and from front to back with your eyes closed.

This technique helps to relieve neck tension, increasing blood flow to your brain, which is a natural and easy way to relax.

If you’re on your feet all day, stretch out your back and sides by standing with your feet firm on the floor, shoulder width apart, and twist your upper body, including your head, slowly from side to side.

This will loosen up your back muscles and spine, releasing tension throughout your body.

During a break or lunchtime, go for a walk. Walking is a great way to clear your mind and your body will benefit from the extra exercise as well.

3. When you’re rushing through a busy day: Take just a few moments to daydream and escape the busyness of reality.

Daydreaming lets your imagination flow, causing instant relief from the stress of the real world.

Think of a place or experience that makes you feel happy or calm. Imagine how it smells, how the air feels, and who’s around.

After five minutes of a calming daydream you’ll feel relaxed, reenergized and ready to face the real world again.

4. Wherever you’re at, smile: Smiling is proven to help relax and rejuvenate your body.

When you’re out and about, smile at others around you.

When you’re at work, smile at your co-workers. Not only will it help you relax, it’ll help relax them as well.

Smile at your children when you’re toting them around to all their different activities. This will create a peaceful environment you’ll all enjoy.

5. When the going gets tough, laugh: Laughter’s proven to be an instant stress reliever.

Now I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t want to be seen as a nut case, so laughing out loud when you’re in line at the store or sitting at your desk may not be the best time.

When you can, get someone involved in your laughter with you.

Tell a funny joke or story to a co-worker (at an appropriate time, of course).

Play a fun game or sing a silly song with your kids as you’re driving.

Watch funny videos on YouTube.

Engaging in these simple, everyday relaxation techniques will help to sustain and strengthen you throughout your day.

It’ll also make it easier to unwind when you get home.

Your friends, co-workers, and family will all appreciate the new, relaxed you!

How do you keep yourself relaxed after a stressful or challenging day?

What activities do you do to relax your mind and body?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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June 13, 2019March 23, 2018

10 Practical Stress Relieving Tips

Stress-induced problems swirl around us all the time and it often feels like the pressure never ends!

Yet, there are simple ways to relieve stress without harming your body.

Here are 10 steps to a less stressed life:

1. Cut out the busyness.

What are some things you can cut out of your schedule to give you more quality time for you and your family?

What clubs or organizations do you belong to?

What meetings or activities are you involved in? Is it all necessary?

Carefully consider which programs and activities you can remove from your schedule – then do it!

2. De-clutter and organize your home.

When your home is cluttered and unorganized, you tend to feel cluttered and unorganized on the inside, causing you more stress.

Get rid of the stuff you never use by selling it, throwing it away, or giving it to someone who’ll make use of it.

Once you’ve done that, organize what’s left over and make a place for everything.

If necessary, use labels and organizational containers to make it easy to find things again.

3. De-clutter and organize your workspace. Organizing your workspace is no different than de-cluttering your home.

Remember, your external environment affects your internal peace. Messy on the outside likely means messy on the inside.

4. One of the major stress factors is money. However, there’s a simple solution: a budget.

Most people don’t like the word budget, but budgeting doesn’t have to be difficult.

In fact, financial planning actually helps you save money.

Do a search online to find a budgeting system that works best for you.

It needs to be simple and easy to use every day.

Once you’re on a budget you’ll feel a lot less stressed due to finances.

Seek the help of an experienced financial planner who can steer you on the right financial path.

5. Enjoy what you do have. In our society you’ve probably learned somewhere along the way that more is better. Well, it’s not.

When you learn to be content with what you have right now, you’ll find much more peace within yourself.

6. Get regular exercise. When you workout, your body burns off more than just fat and calories. Working out also burns off steam.

If you’re stressed due to work situations or family conflict, getting a good workout will help you relieve stress.

You’ll be able to think and reason more clearly, which will help you deal with some of the core issues that are causing your stress.

7. Eat healthier. Yes, eating healthy foods really does relieve stress because when your body is nourished properly, it functions optimally.

Eating right lends itself to clearer thinking.

8. Reduce your workload. If you have a heavy workload, either on the job or at home, do what you can to reduce it.

Take a good look at your routine and determine if the workload is really worth the toll it’s taking on your body and health.

If it’s not – and there’s no end in sight – perhaps it’s not the proper solution to your problems anyway.

9. Communication is key to relieving stress in your life.

If you have a friend you can talk to openly and honestly, seek them out.

Getting things off your chest will help you sort out problems and see your situation in a new light.

The less foggy your mind is, the more stress you’ll be able to remove from your life.

It often helps to have someone outside of the situation to talk to because they’ll likely see something you don’t.

10. Journaling is a great way to relieve stress. You can have an outlet without having to reveal your deep thoughts to the world.

Journaling is a great way to see the progress you’ve made, which can be very therapeutic.

As you can see, there are many ways to reduce stress. Put them into practice now and you’ll soon begin to see a real difference in your life.

Your stress will start to diminish and you’ll be free to enjoy your beautiful life!

How do you deal with stress?

What activities do you need to do more of to get yourself out of stress?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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June 12, 2019March 23, 2018

10 Practical Time Saving Tips

Are you looking for practical ways to save time without cutting corners?

Then you’ve come to the right place.

Here are 10 practical time saving tips you can start using today.

1. Menu Planning: Planning meals in advance not only saves time, but it also saves you money.

When you plan your meals for the week, you won’t be running to the grocery store every day to get the things you need.

Another plus to meal planning is not being tempted to eat out as often.

Meal planning is simple and easy to do and, with a little research for recipes online, you can plan something different for every meal for a month or more.

2. Scheduling: By creating and sticking to a daily schedule, you’ll save enormous amounts of time because you can stay focused on the task at hand, instead of what’s next.

You’ll also want to add events to a family calendar on the fridge, that way you’ll know when and where each family member needs to be for their different activities.

Plus, you’ll avoid the last minute rush and forgotten appointments when your schedule is centralized.

3. Keep Lists: Having lists of all the things you need to do in a day will help you stay on task, while giving you a sense of accomplishment as you cross off each item.

Without a list, you tend to be more scatterbrained.

You’ll find yourself repeating unnecessary steps or thoughts in order to get things done.

4. Organization: Being organized is one of the biggest time savers there is. When you’re organized, it’s easy to find what you need and be on your way.

When you’re physically organized, you’ll feel mentally organized, too.

Also, once you get used to putting everything in its place, the stress of losing your keys or phone vanishes.

The key is that, once you’re organized, you’ve got to stay organized!

5. Complete Your Errands In One Trip: When you need to get some errands done, try to schedule them into one morning or afternoon.

The biggest waste of your time is the “in-between” time while you wait for the next task or appointment.

As you know, frequently stopping and starting tasks stifles your productivity and wastes precious time.

6. Delegate, Delegate, Delegate! Whenever possible, delegate the daily chores or appointments to other capable family members or colleagues.

We have the strength of communities, families, and teams for a reason. You don’t have to do everything yourself.

7. Get Rid of Distractions: If you spend most of your time on the computer, turn off the programs that easily tear you away from the task at hand.

Social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook can be a huge distraction that sucks up valuable time.

When you focus more intently on getting things done, you’ll find that you’ll have more time for social networking and fun.

8. Learn to Say No: Once in a while, you’ll be asked to do more than time allows.

In these moments, you must learn to say no politely, and then either delegate the task or re-schedule for a more appropriate time.

By respecting your time, others will respect you, too.

9. Utilize Idle Time: While sitting in a waiting room or during your daily commute, use your time wisely.

You can catch up on emails, work on that important report, or plan out your shopping list.

Whatever it is, when you use idle time, you’re giving yourself more quality time with your family when you’re home.

10. Group Similar Tasks: Learning to incorporate tasks together that you can do at the same time will save you lots of time in the long run.

Do the dishes or pick up around the house while chatting on the phone.

When you go to the restroom, spray some cleanser in the sink and quickly wipe it down when you’re finished.

When you de-clutter a table or countertop, dust it off at the same time.

When you go to turn off the TV the kids left on, take a dust cloth with you and give it a couple of quick swipes.

Saving time doesn’t have to cut into your lifestyle.

By adopting and incorporating just a few of these ideas, you’ll soon spend more time doing the things you want to do!

How much time do you save in a day?

What activities can you do more of if you had the time to do it?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Before you leave…

Please share the link to this post on your Facebook, Twitter, etc., and like it, and comment right here – THANKS!

June 4, 2019March 22, 2018

Top Five Energy Boosters

With so many ads about which super foods are best, it can be confusing to decipher what’s a scam and what’s the truth.

That’s why I compiled a list of the top five energy boosting foods that will give you true, lasting energy to keep you hopping all day!

1. Oatmeal

Oats contain the energizing and stress-lowering B vitamin family, which helps transform carbs into usable energy.

Oats are also low on the glycemic index because they have a lot of fiber.

That means that your body gets a steady stream of energy, as opposed to a short-term spike, because the carbohydrates gradually flow into your bloodstream.

The key here is to look for high-fiber oatmeal, like oat bran.

For the best nutrition kick, avoid instant oatmeal and stick with more natural varieties, then add your own sweetness.

2. Lentils

Beans are a great source of fiber, which translates to a slow release of glucose, as well as B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium and copper.

Lentils provide both carbohydrates and protein, making them a great addition to any meal.

Lentils help reduce your cholesterol and blood pressure, and they’re low in fat and calories to boot.

3. Bananas

Bananas provide a lot of potassium, an electrolyte that helps maintain normal nerve and muscle function.

Unlike some nutrients, the body doesn’t store potassium for long periods of time.

This means that your potassium level can drop during times of stress or during strenuous exercise when the nutrient is lost through excessive sweating.

The sugar in bananas is an easily digested form of carbohydrate.

Other fruits such as apples, grapes, peaches and pineapples also make great energizing and refreshing snacks.

We all know we need to be eating more fruits in our diet!

4. Chocolate

Studies show that chocolate can elevate your energy levels by way of certain bioactive compounds such as tyramine and phenylethylamine.

Chocolate has also been claimed to improve anemia, awaken the appetite, aid in digestion, and improve longevity.

Chocolate contains sugar and caffeine along with fat and calories so consume in moderation.

When possible, opt for dark chocolate or raw cacao for the highest source of antioxidants.

5. Almonds

These little guys are great if you’re looking to improve your focus and mental clarity.

Monounsaturated fats such as almonds provide essential fatty acids, known as omega-3s and omega-6s that produce an alert mental state.

6. Healthy Fats

Other healthy fats to include in your diet are avocados, seeds, nuts, olive oil, and fish oil.

Of course, you’ll want to check with your health practitioner before making drastic changes to your diet.

Incorporating these foods into your daily menu takes some planning, so here are some ideas you can use to ensure you’ll have all the energy you need every day.

Breakfast

Smoothies: For breakfast, a banana fruit smoothie is a quick and easy way to get the potassium your body requires for normal function.

In a blender, combine a small banana, some frozen berries of your choice, ice, 1/2 cup low fat milk, and a teaspoon of vanilla.

You can also add a tablespoon of peanut butter or some raw cacao powder as well.

Oatmeal: If you need a quick breakfast, you may not always think of oatmeal, or you may think of instant oatmeal, which isn’t as nutritious.

Some companies are making instant oatmeal healthier by not adding as much sugar and artificial flavoring, but you’ll always want to compare the sugar and fiber amounts across a few different brands to find the most nourishing oatmeal.

Cereals: Another great alternative to a bowl of hot oatmeal is bran and muesli cereals.

They contain a lot of the energy boosting nutrients of oatmeal, and often contain healthy nuts and dried fruits as well.

Snacks

Almonds: These nuts are perfect as a mid afternoon snack.

Grab a handful and take them to work with you in a snack cup or baggie.

Dark Chocolate: When you’re feeling sluggish, a small dark chocolate bar is all you need for a great pick me up that will last longer than an hour or two.

Dinner Side Dishes

Beans: Lentils are a great side dish to enhance many dinner entrees such as tacos and burgers.

You can also make lentils a main dish by combining several types into one dish as a bean soup or bean casserole served with cornbread.

Another way to eat lentils is to add some pepper and melted shredded cheese as part of a healthy lunch.

Working these naturally energizing foods into your daily routine doesn’t have to be difficult.

With a little imagination and effort, you can have all the energy you need to stay awake and alert throughout the entire day!

What causes your energy to get drained these days?

What do you do to get back on track?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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June 3, 2019March 22, 2018

Top Five Family Stress Relief Strategies

Stress comes in all forms and from all directions, especially for families in these super busy, technologically advanced, yet tough economic times.

However, even with the technology we’ve available to us, one of the biggest causes of stress in a family is lack of communication.

The unfortunate reality is that kids communicate with seemingly everyone but their family through texting, email, Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.

Nowadays it can be tough to get through to your kids, which makes it a challenge to strengthen your family’s bond.

Getting Involved with Your Kids

One way to get more involved with your kids is to start communicating in a way that they’ll actually listen.

This may mean that you need to learn how to text, email and get on the social networks your kids are on.

The idea is to be a source of support for your child, and that means you need to be an active player in their life, even if they push you away.

Even if you get active in your child’s life online, the best way to communicate with your kids is while they’re at home.

Talk to them face to face and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

You might be surprised at how they respond.

At first it may seem awkward, but the more you do it, the easier communication becomes.

Communication with Your Spouse

If you’re lacking an open line of communication with your spouse, one reason may be that you’re not speaking each other’s love language or understanding their relating style.

This means that you need to discover what your spouse responds to the best.

Is it touch, the words you say, gifts, acts of service, or spending quality time together?

Once you know how to show love to your spouse, show it abundantly!

Also, listen to your spouse’s feelings, as this will often give you ideas about how you can fill their love tank.

If your spouse says something along the lines of “You never touch me anymore” or she wants to hold hands all the time, her love language is physical touch.

If your spouse often uses the phrase “We never spend any time together,” and likes to just sit and talk, their love language is quality time.

Spend Quality Time With Your Family

Another big stress on today’s family is not spending enough time together.

This is most likely because everyone is so busily involved in other activities that you barely have time to yourself, let alone one another.

So, how can you make time to spend with your family?

Set aside at least one day out of each week and deem it family day or game night.

Spending quality time with your family shows that you’re interested in what they’re doing and that you care about them.

Often teens think that their parents don’t care about them because they’re never home, or they feel that their parents play a passive role in their lives.

And because kids and teens often don’t spend quality time with their families, they go elsewhere to get the attention they crave.

Unfortunately, elsewhere may not be a good place for your kids to be!

Ensure you make time for your spouse.

Alone time is important for all marriages so you can continue to strengthen your relationship and explore one another’s dreams and desires for the family unit.

Make sure your family enjoys at least one meal together each day. Statistics show families that eat together, stay together.

Children do better in school and the overall atmosphere in the home is simply happier when you make eating together a priority.

The Financial Burden

Financial problems are another cause of major stress in families today.

Often, when the parents aren’t in control of their finances, their children suffer the same financial burdens later on in life.

As parents, you must teach your children financial responsibility from an early age.

Get your little ones a piggy bank to help them learn about the importance of saving money.

As they get older, include them in the budget planning and bill paying.

Help them understand the concept of financial responsibility.

Children need to know that money must be earned and that your debit or credit card isn’t magically filled with money all the time.

To recap, The Top 5 Family Stress Relievers are:

1. Communicate by speaking directly to your family.

2. Learn what love language your children and spouse speaks.

3. Spend time quality time together as a family with a family day or family game night.

4. Sit down for at least one meal a day with each other.

5. Openly discuss your finances and financial situation with your family.

Incorporating these strategies into your family life will help you have a more open relationship with each family member.

Plus, you’ll be able to relieve the stress and tension and replace it with joy, health, and happiness!

What are your favorite activities as a family?

How has this strengthened the bond that you have?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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