Everything In Moderation

Recently I spent some time visiting my daughter and her three sons who live in Pennsylvania.   The older boy, who is six, has chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, every day.  I decided to try to explain the saying “everything in moderation”.  I told him he needed a variety of fruits and vegetables, dairy and whole grains.  It didn’t go well.  He still wanted his pancakes.

“Everything in moderation” goes for your business, as well.  What type of marketing do you do?  If you do the same thing over and over again, maybe it is time you rethink your plan.  Add another dimension to your marketing and see what happens.  Test the waters with social media, e-newsletters, a coupon campaign, or a contest of some sort.  Better yet, get out there and meet your clients face-to-face.

Everything in moderation means a little bit of everything.  So shake things up a little bit and add some spice to your business.  Replace that peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a turkey club every now and then.  Let me know what great things are happening as a result.

Just Do It

Just Do It.  I don’t know where Nike came up with that slogan, but it works.

Procrastination is a major problem for a lot of people.  Who knows why.  Maybe it is fear of getting the job done.  Maybe the job is so big you don’t know where to start so you just put it off until another day.   Maybe you really don’t want to do it in the first place.

Whatever the reason, the answer is to Just Do It.  You are going to have to do it one way or the other so figure out a way to get it done.  If the job is just too big a project, break it down into little segments and work on one part each day until you are finished.  If fear is the problem, think about what it is that you fear and work from that angle.  If you just don’t want to work on that particular project, well, get over it and Just Do It.  The sooner you start, the sooner you will be done and you can move on to something more exciting.

Swine Flu

Flu season is upon us, but this year we also have to contend with Swine flu (H1N1).  Whether you want to admit it or not, everyone is just a little bit concerned about it.  As someone who has a compromised immune system, I thought I would let you know the answers to my questions.

I have Crohn’s disease and did not want to get a flue shot if it contained a live virus. The “flu shot” is an inactive vaccine (containing killed virus) given with a needle in the arm.  It is approved for use in people older than 6 months and is the best form for those with a chronic medical condition such as asthma or heart disease or for someone who is pregnant.  The nasal spray is a vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses.  This form is approved for use in healthy people 2 to 49 years of age.  As my immune system is compromised I choose the flu shot with the inactive virus as my system would not tolerate a live virus.  I would not be able to fight off the flue as easily as a healthy person if I were to get it.

One of the concerns of those who are actively vocal against the flu vaccine is the thought that it contains mercury.  Thimerosal is a mercury-based preservative that is used in some influenza vaccines to keep them free from contamination of microorganisms.  Various vaccine manufacturers are producing some of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine in single-dose units which do not require the use of thimerosal.  Some vaccine will come in multi-dose vials and will contain thimerosal as a preservative.   The nasal spray is produced in single-units and will not contain thimerosal.   If mercury is an issue for you, check with your local health care provider to see how your vaccine was manufactured.

Administration of the flu shot has come to Southwest Florida and I was one of the first in line.  I do not regret my decision, no matter what anyone else has to say.  I really do not want to get the flu and will do whatever I need to in order to keep it that way.

What was your decision on getting the flu shot?

How to Find Your Work/Life Balance

According to Wikipedia, balance (metaphysics) is a desirable point between two or more opposite forces.  For most people work and life are those opposite forces.  So how do you find the balance?

No one can tell you where your balance should be as everyone has different priorities.  You must find your own balance. You don’t just wake up one morning with inner peace and harmony in your life.  It is a process that constantly needs to be worked on.  WebMD had these tips to help you get started:

1.  Figure out what really matters to you in life.

2.  Drop unnecessary activities.

3.  Protect your private time.

4.  Accept help to balance your life.

5.  Plan fun and relaxation.

I am still in the fine tuning stages.  This is where I will be for many more years.  And I can live with that!

For the complete article, please go to:  http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/5-strategies-for-life-balance

The Mayonnaise Jar and Two Beers

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the two Beers.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.   When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes.’

The professor then produced two beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

‘Now,’ said the professor as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to
recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things—your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions—and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else—the small stuff.  ‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.

The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you..

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.

Take care of the golf balls first—the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’  The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of beers with a friend.

LIFE ISN’T ABOUT WAITING FOR THE STORM TO PASS… …IT’S LEARNING HOW TO DANCE IN IT.

This story has been around for years.  I recently came across it in a newsletter sent out by the Sanibel, Florida, Chamber of Commerce.  Pass it on to friends, family and coworkers to remind them to take time for the important things in life.

Breast Cancer Awareness

On a recent visit to Virtual Assistant Forums, I read a thread written by a fellow VA asking for support for her mother as she walked in the Weekend to End Breast Cancer on September 11 – 13, 2009. This is one of many similar 60 kilometer walks in Canada to support research, treatment, and services through the Campbell Family Institute at The Princess Margaret. According to the Cancer Institute of Canada, approximately 20,500 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and 5,400 will die of the disease.

In the United States, a woman has a 1 in 8 risk of developing breast cancer in her life time with 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer expected to be diagnosed during 2008 (latest available estimate according to the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts and Figures 2008).

As a woman in the high risk category (my mother was a two time survivor) I am very familiar with the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the many activities in which you can participate in order to raise funds to help spread Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s message that early detection saves lives. The success of this breast cancer awareness program only happens when people are willing to take on the challenge to participate and make a difference in the fight against breast cancer.

On March 14, 2009, the Susan G. Komen affiliate closest to my home will be hosting the third annual Susan G. Komen 5K Race for the Cure, at Coconut Point, in Estero, Florida. Last year more than 6,000 local participants raised more than $800,000 in this event. A few years ago my husband and I participated in the Race for the Cure in Washington, DC, along with approximately 20,000 other people. This was a truly amazing experience that I will never forget.

Please consider participating in a breast cancer awareness event. There are various events held all year long in over 100 countries in the world. Do it for your sister, your mother, your daughter, your friend … yourself.

For more information regarding Susan G. Komen and future dates for the 5K Race for the Cure, Marathon for the Cure or Breast Cancer 3 Day, please visit www.komen.org.

For information regarding Tee Off Against Breast Cancer, plus the new tennis and dinner programs, please visit www.rallyforacure.com.

For information regarding Debbie Blanchard and her Weekend to End Breast Cancer 60 kilometer walk in Canada, please visit http://www.endcancer.ca/site/TR/Events/Toronto2009?px=2877518&pg=personal&fr_id=1323&fl=en_US&et=9kQ7aH0w53VxlaQ8-Cv55w..&s_tafId=219336