Saturday, September 29, 2012

Planning a vacation: reduce stress

There's no place like home, There's no place like home.  Well, Dorothy's vacation wasn't the relaxing one I know you are hoping for.  So how do you plan a vacation to reduce or eliminate stress without causing more stress?

First, and probably the most important is, what is your budget?  You can't have a relaxing vacation if you are worried about paying for it, right?


Okay, you have your budge in place.  Who is going with you?  Spouse for a couples get away?  Family vacation with children?  Friends get away?

What is relaxing for you?  The beach?  (My personal favorite) Skiing? Gambling?  Write down your top three ideal vacations and start your search.  Do you want all-inclusive where your meals and drinks are included?  Are you flying to your destination or driving?  How many days do you plan on being on vacation.  All this comes into play when planning a vacation and the more information you have the less stress it causes planning it.  

Are your vacation days set in stone or is there some wiggle room to them.  I will tell you this, the many vacations I have planned and gone on....I have received better deals by being flexible on my vacation days.

You know where you want to go.  Do want a package deal that includes airfare?  I always recommend that you look at both options.  There are many search engines out there that will compare prices for you.  I will tell you this...the longer they have been in business the more expensive it will be to use that site.  New "vacation" sites are offered better deals and they can pass those to you so check out the new ones.  (I found this great blog on Aruba if you are interested in going there).

If you are able to say "NO" Google "timeshare" deals.  These are usually, but not always, all-inclusive resorts and you can get some great deals if you agree to give them 90 minutes of your vacation time to hear about the "great timeshare" they have available to you.   I know, I know it never last only 90 minutes but remember you only committed to 90 minutes so no matter where you are in the presentation...when 90 minutes are up you leave.  You can get some great deals doing this but ONLY if you can find the great airline price.  Most timeshare deals are open dates so you can purchase the week, give them tentative dates (with the guarantee that you can change the dates at no cost).  

Time to check the airlines.  Yes, the internet is a wonderful tool.  BUT...I will be honest with you.  The best deals I have ever received was not on the internet....it was calling and talking to a live person.   For example:  Our last vacation to Mexico (told you I loved the beach) if I were to purchase the airline tickets on the internet they were $530.00 per person round trip, direct flight.  Not bad as the timeshare deal I got was $600.00 for both of us for the week (all-inclusive).  So total was about $1700.00 with taxes.  Not a bad deal.....UNTIL I called the airline that was offering this.  I spoke to a wonderful representative (Always ask them how they are doing...if they thank you stay with them.  If they don't, hang up and call back).  I explained what I wanted and said we are flexible in our dates by three days either way but we needed 8 days, 7 nights.  Ten minutes and...gonna love this.....later and after hearing "no, let me check something else" or "no, that isn't going to work" he comes back on and says.....How does $247.00 per person on these dates, flying direct, leaving at 8:30 am and returning at 4:00 PM sound to you.  WHAT!!!!  I couldn't book it fast enough.  Remember people have emotions, computers do not. So three phone calls; the first one was to the timeshare to buy the week, second one to the airline to book the flights and third was to the timeshare to confirm dates.  No stress because I asked the professional who knows his job better than any computer to help me.

I do STRONGLY encourage you to check out any hotel/resort BEFORE you book it.  I like tripadvisor.com.  You have to remember when going to this site:  SOME PEOPLE WILL NEVER BE SATISFIED.  For example:  I called AppleVacations.com (notice I said CALLED) and told them we wanted to vacation in Cancun and gave her our budget.  Apple Vacations is an all inclusive, round trip vacation travel company.  Okay maybe we were being too "cheap" this trip because we couldn't get to Cancun on what we wanted to spend BUT...here's the nice thing about talking to them: If we wanted to go to Cabo.....we could do it on our budget.  Done, booked and ready.  Didn't research our Resort because it was Secrets....5 star I'm there.  Went on tripadvisor.com and got nervous....horrible reviews.  Well, we were stuck.  Some people can never be satisfied....To date...the best resort we have ever stayed at.  Read the blog about that trip here.  I highly recommend contacting the people who wrote reviews about the resort/hotel.  They will tell you more in a personal email than they ever will on a website.


Vacations are a wonderful way to reduce stress as long as they do not cause more or additional stress going or planning one.  No matter where you want to go or what you want to do make your vacation the best.


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Friday, September 28, 2012

How to reduce stress in your life

Let's face it...if you aren't stressed you know someone who is, right?  Stress is as common as drinking water.  Stress is unavoidable so what do you do to reduce your stress?  Earlier blog I talked about "good" stress vs. "bad" stress.  Today we will focus on how to reduce the stress in your life so the good doesn't turn into the bad and the bad doesn't affect your health.

I love the Mayo Clinic so I went there first to find out what they say:

  • Decide to make the change on how stress affects you and how you react to stress:  Simple enough....not gonna let things bother me anymore.  Okay, maybe not THAT simple but making the decision to change is always the FIRST step in change.
  • Identify your stress "triggers."  Now this one is going to be fun....I suggest grabbing a piece of paper because life is crazy today.  For me, driving into town (I live in a suburb outside of a city) and just thinking about driving into the city gets me stressed (and it's not a big city).  Your job (this may pose a problem if it's "your job" and not aspects of your job). Your spouse (oops another problem.....maybe put on your list when my spouse does.....), your children (okay, if you have teenagers, just put teenage children we will all understand) but if it's babysitter issues i.e. getting them to and from, etc. than be specific. You cannot fix what you do not acknowledge so BE SPECIFIC.
  • Don't forget on your list to put down the "positive" things that happen in your life that cause stress; marriage, birth of a child, VACATION (I know this seems crazy because vacations are supposed to reduce stress.....just plan one one time within a strict budget)
Now comes the attack plan:  How do you reduce or eliminate what is on your list?  Let's take "commute to work" as a stressor you need to reduce or eliminate.  What exactly is it that causes stress for the commute?  Is it traffic?  Cost of gas?  Running late?  Time it takes to get there?  Plan your work, work your plan.  If it's traffic can you leave a little earlier or later to avoid it?  If it's the cost of gas can you car pool or maybe work from home a few days (this would help with the traffic stress also).  Do you run late?  I have learned that people fall into three categories: laters, earliers or on-timers....and occasionally will do something different.  I, personally, am an "earlier" person...if I am not 15 minutes early somewhere I AM LATE.  Those of you who always run late cause stress on me and I have A LOT of people like that in my life.  I don't have much advice for those of you who run late all the time as I don't understand how you can always be 5 minutes late.  If you can be "on-time" 5 minutes late...than just be on-time.  If you are stressed about the amount of time it takes you to commute talk to your boss about moving to 4-10 hour days, work from home a few days, or...yes, look for a job closer to your home.

Attack each stressor on your list and come up with several solutions to tackle that stress.  If one doesn't work...move to the next way to attack it.  Keep trying and keep thinking of ways to eliminate or reduce your stress.

Find a way to relax whether it be exercise, reading, resting, mini-vacations, walking your dog, etc.  Do what you enjoy.  Take time every day for YOU!  Even if it is just five minutes to start out with...it will get easier and better with practice!!


Please tell me how you relieve stress.

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Stress: Is it good for you?


Stress kills.  We here that all the time; stress can lead to heart attacks, strokes and some say stress can "cause" cancer.

Stress does cause a physiological reaction with the body, whether it is good stress or bad:



The Body’s Stress Response (Taken from the HelpGuide.org website)The Body’s Stress Response "When you perceive a threat, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones rouse the body for emergency action.
Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed your reaction time, and enhance your focus – preparing you to either fight or flee from the danger at hand."
Too much stress can cause your body to react in a "not so positive way."  This type of stress can lead to many heath conditions that will far out-weigh the stress.  
So, how can stress be good for you?  Good stress comes from your reaction to whatever is happening.  As the Help Guide states:  when you perceive a threat you body releases hormones as a natural reaction.  What you do with it will determine if it will be bad for you or good for you.  We all need that adrenaline rush or life would be boring but "hanging on" to something that you cannot change can lead to unwanted consequences.
Let's look at a few major stressors that lead to bad stress: 
Loss of job:  
  • Will I find another job?  
  • How am I going to pay the bills?  
  • How will my family/friends "view" me now?
  • How am I going to pay for my family's doctor visits?
  • Will I find another job that pays me what I need to survive?
The list of reasons to stress goes on and on and unfortunately the best way to relieve this stress is to get another job.  This type of stress can lead to depression which brings on a more medical problems.  

Divorce:  
  • What did I do wrong?
  • How will I support my family?
  • What will my ex-spouse say to my children?
  • Will I ever find someone else?
  • How will I take care of my children?
This is another type of stress that can lead to depression and cause medical issues.

So what is good stress?  Here are a couple of examples.  
  • An almost car crash:  You slide on the ice and are heading towards an object that you are going to hit.  The adrenaline starts pumping.  Your body goes into fight or flight mode.  You are stressed in those few seconds.  You are able to avoid the car crash.  How is this stress good for you?  You learned from it and carry it with you.
  • Deadline:  Your boss places a file on your desk at 1:30 PM and it needs to be completed, proofed and approved  by 4:30 PM.  Stress right?  Again, your body reacts to this stress and the adrenaline starts pumping. This adrenaline can actually help you focus and complete the task at hand.  When you have the task completed there is a sense of relief and the "stress" is no longer there.
Life is hard.  Life today may be harder than it was a few years ago.  There is no doubt that we all experience stress.  What we do with it is up to us.  How we handle the stress will determine if it is good or bad.  One of my favorite quotes is by Maya Angelou:


“If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.”

I realize that this quote does not work for all situations as there are some stessors out there that just can't be helped.  Use this for the stress that happens in your life that you can change either the stress or your attitude towards it.

Please tell me how you relieve stress.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Ideal Body Weight?



You go to the Doctor's and the first thing you do....get on the scale.  And how many of us receive good news about the "result" that it spits out?  The percentage of people who are at their ideal weight is far less than those who are outside of their ideal weight.




According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) more than one-third of adults (35.7%) are obese.  They define obesity as your Body Mass Index (BMI) to be over 30 BMI.  Your Body Mass Index is determined by your height and your weight.  Here is a calculator (provided by the CDC) to see where you are.

Did you know that your race plays a factor in whether you are obese or not?  Also according to the CDC:

  • Non-Hispanic blacks have the highest age-adjusted rates of obesity at 49.5%
  • Mexican Americans are at 40.4%
  • Hispanics are at 39.1%
  • Non-Hispanic whites at 34.3%
They go on to further say that your socioeconomic status plays a part in it also:
  • Among non-Hispanic black and Mexican-American men, those with higher incomes are more likely to be obese than those with low income.
  • On the flip side:  Higher income women are less likely to be obese than low-income women.
  • As far as education:  With men there is no significant relationship between obesity but for women; those with college degrees are less likely to be obese compared with less educated women.
  • Between 1988-1994 and 2007-2008 the prevalence of obesity increased in adults at all income and education levels.
Obesity knows boundaries:  Some states have higher obesity rates than others.  Looking at the map of the statistics I was wrong in my original assessment.  I figured that the "sunshine" states would have lower obesity rates than those who see winter months, but as with many things...I was wrong.  For example:  Colorado, who is right in the middle of the states and definitely sees winters is the lowest on the list of state for obesity (maybe it's the Mountains) where in the South it is the highest obesity statistics (maybe it's that excellent southern cooking). 

I, personally, think many more factors come into play on determining if a person is underweight, overweight or obese.  Muscle weighs more than fat and some body frames are larger than others. Not every body is built the same so just using the calculator above and going off of that could be dangerous.  It is important that you discuss your weight with your doctor.  

Diets do not work....the fat melting pills do not work.....I don't care what their "guarantee" is.  The only guarantee is that they count on is you won't send it back for a refund.  Imagine selling placebo pills for $29.99 a month saying you will lose weight without changing your lifestyle.  Now let's make it interesting....the guarantee you will lose five pounds a month (they like the twist of 50 pounds but let's keep it somewhat believable for this scenario).  Imagine 500,000 people purchase this product monthly (who wouldn't pass up the opportunity to swallow a pill with your cookies and chips while sitting on the couch and lose weight, right?).  The weight loss industry in in the range of 58 BILLION dollars per year (Healthy weight network)

500,000 x $29.99 = just under 15,000,000 A MONTH!!! 
Now, let's assume 50% return the product for a refund minus the shipping and handling (gotta love that term) so they charge you $14.95 for shipping and handling (which you know they get great deals on shipping because of the volume):  They have $7,500,000 from the people who didn't return it PLUS the $10.00 "handling for 250,000 people is TEN MILLION DOLLARS A MONTH!  They stay in business for two years repeating the gross income is $240,000,000.  A smart business will have only 25% of their gross income as overhead costs but let's make it more realistic and do 50%.  They just netted 120 MILLION DOLLARS in just two years.  I'm thinking I could work for two years and retire on that amount, what about you?

Get off the diet routine, get off the "supplements" that promise to melt fat and change your life.

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What are your stories about diets, supplements and/or lifestyle changes?


Thursday, September 13, 2012

Fibromyalgia: What is it?

Fibromyalgia.  Just the name itself sounds painful.  I hear about it all the time and wanted to know more about it so I hit the internet and this is what I found.

I will be honest, until now, I thought it was diagnosed by process of elimination.  The Doctor couldn't figure out what was wrong so in comes the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia.  I now have a better understanding of what it is. 

Definition By Mayo Clinic staff
Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals.

Symptoms sometimes begin after a physical trauma, surgery, infection or significant psychological stress. In other cases, symptoms gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering event. Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that Fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals.
Women are much more likely to develop Fibromyalgia than are men. Many people who have fibromyalgia also have tension headaches, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and depression.
While there is no cure for Fibromyalgia, a variety of medications can help control symptoms. Exercise, relaxation and stress-reduction measures also may help.
Although there is no cure or no real explanation of how a person gets it, the Mayo clinic suggest that there are a few factors working together that may cause it:  Genetics, Infections and physical and/or emotional trauma.

So why does Fibromyalgia hurt?  (I love the Mayo Clinic)
Current thinking centers around a theory called central sensitization. This theory states that people with fibromyalgia have a lower threshold for pain because of increased sensitivity in the brain to pain signals.
Researchers believe repeated nerve stimulation causes the brains of people with fibromyalgia to change. This change involves an abnormal increase in levels of certain chemicals in the brain that signal pain (neurotransmitters). In addition, the brain's pain receptors seem to develop a sort of memory of the pain and become more sensitive, meaning they can overreact to pain signals.
WebMD states that before now when a person had Fibromyalgia the Doctor would tell them their pain was "in their head."  New tests are now available to correctly diagnosis Fibromyalgia and now medications are approved.
The researchers developed and tested the new diagnostic criteria on 829 people with fibromyalgia and a matched group of individuals with other pain disorders such as neck or back pain syndromes and osteoarthritis. They found that the widespread pain index, symptom severity, and number of symptoms were the most important variables in making the diagnosis. This new criteria will capture more than 88% of people with fibromyalgia without a physical or tender point exam.

For all your pain contact Premier Back Rehabilitation Center

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Please tell me about your Fibromyalgia story...I would love to learn more.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

What is Bone Density and who should have it?


Bone Density Testing

This information is taken directly from two Doctors about this situation.  Thank you for the wonderful information!  No one could say it better so I didn't even try.



According to Melissa Stoppler, MD: (taken directly from: MedicineNet.com)
In premenopausal women, estrogen produced in the body maintains bone density. Following the onset of menopause, bone loss increases each year and can result in a total loss of 25%-30% of bone density in the first five to ten years after menopause. Your doctor can help you decide when and if you need a bone density test. In general, this testing is recommended for women 65 and older along with younger postmenopausal women who have further risk factors for osteoporosis, including:A history of bone fractures as an adult or having a close relative with a history of bone fractures
  • Weight loss or low body weight; small-boned body frame
  • Early menopause or late onset of menstrual periods
  • Physical inactivity
  • Low estrogen levels

This information is taken directly from Dr. Sutton and his website

How To Prepare
Bone density tests are easy, fast and painless. Virtually no preparation is needed.

What To Expect
Bone density tests are usually done on bones that are most likely to break because of osteoporosis, including:

Lower spine bones (lumbar vertebrae)
The narrow neck of your thigh bone (femur) where it adjoins your hip
Bones in your wrist and forearm

Bone density can be measured using either a central device or a peripheral device.

Central device. A central device is a large machine on which you lie down during bone density testing. The equipment measures your bone density at your hip or spine through a test called a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scan, or DXA scan. A DXA scan offers very precise results and is the preferred test for diagnosing osteoporosis.
During the test, you lie on a padded platform for a few minutes while an imager — a mechanical arm-like device — passes over your body. It won't touch you. The test does, however, emit radiation, though your exposure during a bone density test is commonly about one-tenth of the amount emitted during a chest X-ray. The test usually takes five to 10 minutes to complete.
Peripheral device. A peripheral device is a small, portable machine that measures bone density on the periphery of your skeleton, such as in your finger, wrist or heel. Peripheral devices are often found in pharmacies and are considerably less expensive than are tests done on central devices.
Because bone density can vary from one location in your body to another, a measurement taken at your heel usually isn't as accurate a predictor of fracture risk as is a measurement taken at your spine or hip. That's why, if your test on a peripheral device is positive, your doctor might recommend a DXA scan at your spine or hip to confirm your diagnosis.


Results
The results from a bone density test can let you know how your fracture risk compares with that of other people of your age, sex and other similar characteristics.

Your bone density test results are reported in two numbers: T-score and Z-score.

T-score: Bone density score
Your T-score is your bone density compared with what is normally expected in a healthy young adult of your sex. Your T-score is the number of units — standard deviations (SD) — that your bone density is above or below the average.
T-score What your score means
Above -1 Your bone density is considered normal.
Between -1 and -2.5 Your score is a sign of osteopenia, a condition in which bone density is below normal and may lead to osteoporosis.
Below -2.5 Your bone density indicates you have osteoporosis.

Keep in mind that these scores apply mostly to white postmenopausal women, who tend to have lower bone density as compared with other racial groups and men. Interpretations may vary if you're a woman of color or a man.

Z-score
Your Z-score is the number of standard deviations above or below what's normally expected for someone of your age, sex, weight, and ethnic or racial origin. This is helpful because it may suggest you have a secondary form of osteoporosis through which something other than aging is causing abnormal bone loss.

A Z-score less than -1.5 might indicate these other factors are to blame. Your doctor would then try to determine if there's any underlying cause for the low bone mass other than aging or menopause, which are expected causes of bone loss. If your doctor can identify a cause, that condition can often be treated and the bone loss slowed or stopped.


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If you have ever had a bone density test please share your experience.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Who need's Vitamin B12 shots?


This is simple....everyone, but I know that won't answer the question appropriately.






Are often "tired?"
Do you find yourself sleeping "restlessly?"
Are you having trouble losing weight?
Do you feel "weak?"
Are you often light headed?
Do you find yourself short of breath?
Are you pregnant?
Are you breast feeding?
Do you suffer from restless leg syndrome?

If you answered yes to any of the above....you are definitely in need of Vitamin B12.
Over time, a deficiency in either B12 or folate can lead to macrocytic anemia, a condition characterized by the production of fewer but larger red blood cells, thus a decreased ability to carry oxygen. Due to the anemia, those affected may be weak, light-headed, and short of breath. A deficiency in B12 can also result in varying degrees of neuropathy or nerve damage that can cause tingling and numbness in the person's hands and feet. In severe cases, mental changes that range from confusion and irritability to dementia may occur. (Lab Tests Online)
According to Lab Tests Online:  The symptoms associated with B12 and folate deficiency are initially subtle and nonspecific. They are related to the resulting macrocytic anemia, nerve involvement, and gastrointestinal changes. People with an early deficiency may be diagnosed before they experience any overt symptoms.

Although a deficiency of Vitamin B12 is rare but can lead to very serious condition:
Diarrhea, Dizziness, Fatigue, weakness, Loss of appetite, Malabsorption, Paleness, Rapid heart rate, Shortness of breath, Sore tongue and mouth, Tingling, numbness, and/or burning in the feet, hands, arms, and legs (with B12), Confusion and Paranoia.

What a simple fix...Vitamin B12 shots.  Taking Vitamin B12 supplements, although is better than nothing, will not give you the dosage that you may require as it is lost through the digestion process.

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Monday, September 3, 2012

Ways to feel better: Believe in yourself

If you can see it, you can do it!  Click this video and come back and read.

The truth is if we don't believe in ourselves no one else will.  If you believe you are worthless you will be worth less.  You define your worth...and you are priceless.

Why are we our own worst enemy?  Alison Finch says it best:


  1. Feeling worthless is a safe option because it reduces the amount of pain you suffer when things go wrong. If you already know that you're no good and that no one will fall in love with you, or give you a job, or even care enough to listen to you, then when a rejection wings its way towards you - which it certainly will because it happens to all of us - then you're better prepared than most. You can say: "Ah ha, you can't ruin my life because I already knew this was going to happen; I already knew that you didn't really love me/want me/value me!"
  1. Feeling worthless is an easy option; if you're worthless there's no need to try to do well and succeed in the things that matter to you because there is simply no point. Also, if you act as if your opinions and your desires are all worthless then people leave you alone. If you say you have no remarkable skills or talents then there is no need to apply them. If you say that you are a useless, hopeless nobody then people will expect far less from you. And just maybe you could get lots of sympathy and perhaps even another person (on a white horse in shining armour) coming to your rescue to sort your life out for you.
What does this mean for you?  It means it's time to determine you worthMORE not worthLESS. Like the song says you need to say to yourself:  "I believe I can fly."  

“The year you were born marks only your entry into the world. Other years where you prove your worth, they are the ones worth celebrating. 
”
Jarod Kintz, This Book Title is Invisible
What you do today, how you feel about yourself will change your life.  Believe you can touch the sky, if you believe it; there's nothing to it.  Get out of your own way and spread your wings!!!

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Sunday, September 2, 2012

Ways to feel better part 3


Don't judge.  Too many times we look at others and have our minds made up of who they are and what they are about.  Many opportunities can be lost when we do this.  Every person, no matter what they wear, how they look or what they do has something to give us....maybe not as much as this story but even if it's just a smile....it can brighten your day.




A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston, and walked timidly without an appointment into the president's outer office. The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge. She frowned.
"We want to see the president," the man said softly.
"He'll be busy all day," the secretary snapped.
"We'll wait," the lady replied.
For hours, the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away. They didn't. And the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president, even though it was a chore she always regretted to do. "Maybe if they just see you for a few minutes, they'll leave," she told him. And he sighed in exasperation and nodded. Someone of his importance obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, but he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office. The president, stern-faced with dignity, strutted toward the couple.
The lady told him, "We had a son that attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. And my husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus". The president wasn't touched he was shocked.
"Madam," he said gruffly, "we can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery."
"Oh, no," the lady explained quickly, "we don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard.
The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress andhomespun suit, then exclaimed, "A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical plant at Harvard." For a moment the lady was silent.
The president was pleased. He could get rid of them now.
The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, "Is that all it costs to start a University? Why don't we just start our own?" Her husband nodded. The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment.
Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California where they established the University that bears their name, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about!  (Thank you  RogerKnapp.com for this great story)
Want  to feel better?  Leave the judgment of others to those with closed minds.  Open your mind, open your hearts and you will feel better and be a better person.

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Saturday, September 1, 2012

Ways to feel better: Part 2

"Judge a person by their questions, rather than their answers." ~Voltaire

One of my favorite quotes but you have to read it a second time to really "get it."




Judging other on how they answer or "view" the world is one of the most destructive things we do to ourselves.

Let me ask you a few questions:
Question 1:
If you knew a woman who was pregnant, who had 8 kids already, three who were deaf, two who were blind, one mentally retarded, and she had syphilis, would you recommend that she have an abortion?

Question 2:
It is time to elect a new world leader, and only your vote counts.
Here are the facts about the three candidates.

Candidate A:
Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologists. He's had two mistresses. He also chain smokes and drinks 8 to 10 Martinis a day.
Candidate B:
He was kicked out of office twice, sleeps until noon, used opium in college and drinks a quart of whiskey every evening.
Candidate C:
He is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, doesn't smoke, drinks an occasional beer and never committed adultery.

Which of these candidates would be our choice?

What are your answers?

Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Candidate B is Winston Churchill.
Candidate C is Adolf Hitler.

And, by the way, on your answer to the abortion question:
If you said YES, you just killed Beethoven.

Pretty interesting isn't it? Makes a person think before judging someone.
 
Remember:

Amateurs ... Built the ark.
Professionals ... Built the Titanic

I read this one day, and I apologize for not knowing who put this out first, and it changed how I viewed things.  How would you feel if someone judged you by your answers to these questions?  They are never as they seem, are they?  This is a very powerful song that you should listen VERY carefully to.....I hope it changes your life as it did min. 

Want to feel better?  Change how you judge others.

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