tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38537776459685542582024-03-13T13:46:53.430-07:00Self Improvement TipsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1559125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-64950409775438343102008-12-19T00:55:00.001-08:002008-12-19T04:09:45.720-08:00Trust Did Not Come EasyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-15814130326384567602008-12-19T00:55:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:09:03.510-08:00Trust Did Not Come EasyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-27601631281226251962008-12-18T10:41:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:02:27.203-08:00Self-improvement: the journey begins with you<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOYumOScLdeKwm9bkorADYb_zZxYCE_MvcHS0mvhLZJV-KcWzTQmYZEMtUXUx9fXb-xW5D9gIodG_5GHBSo0TO0A6LAZq_lilfMJCmL0KM5_cdTReOLSyAkq3qU_7xSEhc6kTGRHM2QI/s1600-h/Prescott_Lynx+Lake+Trail.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281240227181202338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 210px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOYumOScLdeKwm9bkorADYb_zZxYCE_MvcHS0mvhLZJV-KcWzTQmYZEMtUXUx9fXb-xW5D9gIodG_5GHBSo0TO0A6LAZq_lilfMJCmL0KM5_cdTReOLSyAkq3qU_7xSEhc6kTGRHM2QI/s320/Prescott_Lynx+Lake+Trail.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjm9MBsp9F_qbuyn0fZVyXfKL4uYv6XRbdIUfYIudFPL8eYWfwVAm_g5BSx_FOV6mQ8s2K4AZ4lWypRPpjoBh7YXHwpWxOdfDRFed6c8B6SLp5QnZ5Rj0tZEijbsQjE4WJzFKz1mCBIrk/s1600-h/Prescott_Lynx+Lake+Trail.jpg"></a>About this time of year, we begin to examine what we've accomplished in the past. Whether it's this past year, the past five years, or in our lives up to now. Some of us will come up with New Year's Resolutions. Some of us will just create a list of more things to do. And some of us will continue moving through life without a plan.<br /><br />I'm a planner myself. I like to have an idea of where I'm going before I set off on the trail to find whatever it is I'm looking for. I do kind of like to know what's up ahead. But sometimes, that's not possible. Up ahead may be obstacles I'm not aware of or don't know might step out in front of me, trying to block the way.<br /><br />If this happens to you, do you know how you will respond? Will you accept the obstacle for what it is and work toward figuring out a way around it, over it, or under it? Will you stumble and not know which way to turn? Will you stand still, paralyzed from fear or shame or guilt? Perhaps you just might sit down right there on the path and wait for someone to come and show you the way out.<br /><br />If you intend to continue moving forward in 2009, it might be a good idea to get to know your personal philosophy when it comes to dealing with obstacles. There is no wrong or right answer; it just has to do what will work best for you in your situation. And it's a good idea to have options to consider, so you have processes to can test to find your answer.<br /><br />With the world economy the way it is, we can all relate to a bit of uncertainty that may not have been there this time last year. The benefit of this is that it means we are not alone. I think that's a good message to take with you into the new year. Know that you are not alone.<br /><br />As you continue to improve your life, creating the success you know you deserve, help me help you and others out there to create a plan that will work for each of us. In order to move beyond the obstacles that we have experienced in the past, are dealing with now, or might face in the future, post a comment today. Tell me about the strategies you've found most helpful to overcome any of the following:<br /><br />_a divorce<br />_the loss of a job<br />_death of a close relative<br />_guilt from past mistakes<br />_unresolved relationship issues<br />_difficult work environment<br />_financial concerns<br />_overscheduled calendar<br />_transportation problems<br />_household budget challenges<br />_unimployment<br /><br />At some point or another in my life, I've experienced all of the above, and I can tell you from this experience that you will never be without a challenge of some kind. Life comes with lots of layers. That's what makes it most interesting. You'll confront good things, sometimes really awful times, and frequently surprising outcomes. Although we may not always know how to prepare for something that might be upsetting, might seem difficult to handle, or might result in joy we didn't even know to expect, the unknowns won't matter so much if you're prepared to respond, no matter what.<br /><br />Together, we can offer suggestions, thoughts and ideas that might help. You see, it's called self-improvement for good reason. That's where the journey begins.<br /><br />Thanks, in advance, for your comments.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-11160425730028247902008-12-18T09:59:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:00:27.208-08:00Patient Placement Systems Selects Iatric Systems, Inc. to Deliver Interfaces for MEDITECH Healthcare Information Systems<div align="justify">Atlanta, Ga. (PRWEB) October 30, 2008 -- Patient Placement Systems, the leading provider of Web-based admissions and referral automation software for hospitals and long-term care (http://www.patientplacement.com/), has selected Iatric Systems, Inc. to develop interfaces for MEDITECH healthcare software solutions. Under the partnership agreement, Iatric Systems will help healthcare providers link their MEDITECH hospital information systems and Patient Care Technologies home health management systems with the Patient Placement Web-based software solutions for online admissions and referral management.<br /><br />"Iatric Systems has decades of experience developing hundreds of interfaces for MEDITECH systems," said Eric Christ, president of Patient Placement Systems. "Healthcare providers benefit when their software vendors help them make critical software systems work together, and Iatric Systems is an experienced leader that will help our customers connect with the more than 2,200 healthcare providers using MEDITECH and PtCT solutions."<br /><br />The Patient Placement Discharge Referral System and Referral Management System automate and accelerate admissions and referral processes for continuing care providers and hospitals. The Web-based services replace manual paper-and-fax admissions and discharge referrals with a few simple mouse clicks, helping providers and hospitals admit and place qualified patients faster.<br /><br />"We've implemented more than 6,000 interfaces to facilities using the MEDITECH healthcare information system," said Joel Berman, president of Iatric Systems. "We're pleased to partner with Patient Placement Systems to help healthcare providers work more effectively. Our interfaces will connect the customer's MEDITECH system with Patient Placement's innovative online referral management and admissions automation software."<br /><br />About Patient Placement Systems Patient Placement Systems (PatientPlacement.com) helps hospitals and long-term care providers replace mountains of paper and fax frustration with fast, efficient online healthcare software for discharge planning and patient admissions and referral management. Patient Placement Systems is a proud Jackson Healthcare Solutions company, sharing a common dedication to providing the world's best healthcare software, technology and services. For more information, visit www.PatientPlacement.com or call 877-748-6656.<br /><br />About Iatric Systems: Since 1990, Iatric Systems has been helping hospitals and health systems leverage their HCIS investment by providing innovative software, interfaces and reporting services; most notably for the MEDITECH HCIS. More than 800 hospitals and health systems worldwide have implemented Iatric Systems' solutions in order to optimize patient care and improve workflow efficiencies in clinical, financial and administrative areas. Iatric Systems is committed to providing solutions with exceptional value backed by outstanding customer service. For more information about Iatric Systems, its products, and its services, call 978-805-4100 or visit www.iatric.com.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-15474405726667120512008-12-18T09:56:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:00:27.320-08:00Susan Lark, MD Offers 5 Tips for Managing Stress During Tough Economic Times<div align="justify"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Susan Lark, MD, noted medical researcher, clinical nutritionist and women's health practitioner, shares her top 5 tips to help deal with the added stress caused by the volatile economy.<br /></span></em><br />Potomac, MA (PRWEB) October 30, 2008 -- Susan Lark, MD, noted medical researcher, clinical nutritionist and women's health practitioner, shares her top 5 tips to help deal with the added stress caused by the volatile economy.<br /><br />"Without a doubt, these tough economic times can have a lot of negative effects on your body and mind, including stress, insomnia, tension, anxiety, depression, weakened immunity, and illness," says Dr. Lark. "You may be nervous about your future because your retirement accounts have lost value. Or maybe you're concerned about your income or job security. Certainly, there are a lot of scenarios that can cause a great deal of worry right now. That's why it's more important than ever to take a step back, take a deep breath, and focus on what you can control -- your own health."<br /><br />Here are five Dr. Lark's tried-and-true tips for managing stress:<br />1. Make sure you sleep soundly at night. Anxiety and depression can lead to sleep disturbances, and without enough sleep, your body and immune system can't function properly. To help you relax and fall asleep every night, Dr. Lark recommends taking 1-1.5 mg of melatonin each evening about two hours before bedtime, although you may see results using as little as 300 mcg.<br />2. Boost your energy reserves. If you're feeling sluggish and worn out, there are several nutrients that can boost your energy. Dr. Lark recommends taking 250 mcg of vitamin B12 a day, 250 mg of L-tyrosine a day, and/or 1,000 mg of L-carnitine a day in divided doses.<br />3. Build resistance to illness. Stress can lead to weakened immunity, therefore making you vulnerable to colds, sinus infections, the flu, and other illnesses. You are better off boosting your resistance to illness while you're healthy than trying to build it back up when you're sick. Dr. Lark recommends taking a high-quality multinutrient along with mineral-buffered vitamin C (1-2 grams in divided doses).<br />4. Reduce stress by exercising. Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress-not to mention lose weight and improve your overall health. Dr. Lark recommends going for an hour-long walk every day outdoors in the fresh air. While walking, take your mind off your worries and instead, focus on your breathing and enjoy your surroundings.<br />5. Stay positive. Having a positive attitude can be tough, especially when everything you hear in the news is negative. But, keep in mind, maintaining a positive belief system is crucial in creating your own reality, even in the midst of a greater reality like the bad economy. So try to identify at least one positive thing every day-even if it has nothing to do with the economy. You also may want to recite upbeat affirmations to yourself, such as "I am a strong, positive, upbeat woman." In addition, nurture your relationships. Financial security may be important, but love is the true currency that you can depend on each and every day without fail.<br /><br />"The more negative things seem to get, the more crucial it becomes to focus on the good in life-such as love, relationships, and even your health, says Dr. Lark. "I simply won't let worries about the economy affect my health. If you nurture yourself and stay healthy, you can weather any storm. And I tell my patients the same thing." </div><div align="justify"><br />Dr. Lark has devoted her career to raising awareness of women's health issues, such as PMS, obesity, hormone replacement therapy and osteoporosis. She pioneered the use of women's self-care treatments based on diet, nutrition, exercise and stress management, and has penned twelve books on women's health and healing. Her most recent title is Hormone evolution.<br /><br />Her monthly newsletter, Women's Wellness Today, and her web site, www.drlark.com, are dedicated to educating and empowering women to make the best choices for optimum health and beauty. Online visitors may sign up for Dr. Lark's free biweekly e-newsletter, which presents breaking health and beauty news along with lifestyle tips, easy recipes and simple exercises for health and beauty.<br /><br />Healthy Directions, LLC is the recognized leader in providing authoritative health and beauty solutions to consumers. In addition to producing online resources and publishing newsletters, Healthy Directions, LLC encompasses its subsidiary, Doctors' Preferred, Inc. (DPI), a vitamin and nutritional supplement business that markets primarily through direct mail. Located in the Greater Washington, D.C., area, Healthy Directions, LLC (www.healthydirections.com) is a leading publisher in America. The company provides quality products and services for the health and beauty marketplaces. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-74128188496901349662008-12-18T00:53:00.001-08:002008-12-19T04:09:45.924-08:00Something On LifeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-20938379365613193802008-12-18T00:53:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:09:03.679-08:00Something On LifeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-39421710122423055712008-12-17T00:48:00.001-08:002008-12-19T04:09:46.000-08:00Beautiful Success QuotesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-7921361684861633372008-12-17T00:48:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:09:03.725-08:00Beautiful Success QuotesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-71718200061286636852008-12-16T15:45:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:02:27.238-08:00A photo to soothe your soul<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRT-P24ACsDFPlGaz9wthWhoELTkK24vg1Me1sWZefkjqgpdUnStZZY1QqazpehI92bD-NCk_oq8kUOPA-r-8Ba3ccFvUMeEW2MWw06UrIOfRtqnQoDM8VTHaKvs8H8hcOy89nwKuTfxQ/s1600-h/Lake+Grass_Lynx+Lake.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280539649051400194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRT-P24ACsDFPlGaz9wthWhoELTkK24vg1Me1sWZefkjqgpdUnStZZY1QqazpehI92bD-NCk_oq8kUOPA-r-8Ba3ccFvUMeEW2MWw06UrIOfRtqnQoDM8VTHaKvs8H8hcOy89nwKuTfxQ/s320/Lake+Grass_Lynx+Lake.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDFfRoPxJeEAjpMGxy56L5clLigMrTFXHkm_M9rdHTekfSw3ll4EfS87ULtvju9ENBuM5uxo8iQkvo7wfeXTMQvtUME68hfyEnR6wm9EUKlz_JXoAf-8YJ3k3Bh060W2PipF1SwdvGLgA/s1600-h/Lake+Grass_Lynx+Lake.jpg"></a>It's such a small image from the entire scene that summer day in Prescott, but it speaks to me without words. And sometimes, we need that.<br /><br /><div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-15756679838181661332008-12-16T00:45:00.001-08:002008-12-19T04:09:46.082-08:00Precious Words.......Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-4485491177401341302008-12-16T00:45:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:09:03.759-08:00Precious Words.......Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-562341535761127882008-12-15T00:41:00.001-08:002008-12-19T04:09:46.129-08:00Follow Your DreamsUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-62046791684952497432008-12-15T00:41:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:09:03.801-08:00Follow Your DreamsUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-1490470890613208652008-12-13T08:02:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:02:27.280-08:00Will a bad economy unleash the bullies?As you know, I focus my BIKE work around challenges we face in our lives. One them may involve bullying.<br /><br /><div>It's been in the news a lot recently. Most of those stories, however, have centered around bullying children. An article I read <a href="http://www.womenintechnology.co.uk/news/-bullying--could-be-a-credit-crunch-problem-news-18876163">online last week </a>suggests bullying might even become more of a problem in the workplace now, because people are under stress from the economic downturn. This is happening worldwide. To get to the bottom of this issue and what we can do about it, I asked someone I know to see what she had to say. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikEXBcVaoDT9wK4XZfftP8PxAepG1De4dPATDNW_RdueDd6PDAPme53Mnw0JGhIxa9KyKM1YLuP2-0ciAbho2P12vsrxVfgeOkAG4OP2M6TLhClKkuH7XsmHblaSZmxPZPjr9utUF55Y/s1600-h/Bullies_Among_Us_book.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279324559276019250" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 129px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikEXBcVaoDT9wK4XZfftP8PxAepG1De4dPATDNW_RdueDd6PDAPme53Mnw0JGhIxa9KyKM1YLuP2-0ciAbho2P12vsrxVfgeOkAG4OP2M6TLhClKkuH7XsmHblaSZmxPZPjr9utUF55Y/s200/Bullies_Among_Us_book.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div>The person I turned to, <a href="http://badapplesolutions.com/about.html">Jean McFarland</a>, specializes in dealing with culture-based conflict among employees. She's recently published a book about the topic, called <em>BULLIES AMONG US: What To Do When<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9XAJCXhmgn4ZGpsyBD_-s1ZZjnRBHu5XK26hlFNjaRgCftdtIAF97hdByOH9Unhl8ijzrp_goeOGNTqIvsbn1opqfhzA9OaArf7xbNuNmsRCZGQqb3vfMXzowceeId-ma8bHzLzqr4Y/s1600-h/Jean_McFarland.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279323822245233442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9XAJCXhmgn4ZGpsyBD_-s1ZZjnRBHu5XK26hlFNjaRgCftdtIAF97hdByOH9Unhl8ijzrp_goeOGNTqIvsbn1opqfhzA9OaArf7xbNuNmsRCZGQqb3vfMXzowceeId-ma8bHzLzqr4Y/s200/Jean_McFarland.jpg" border="0" /></a> Work's No Fun,</em> in which she addresses the topic, its challenges, and the possible solutions to combating what could be, if this news report is accurate, an escalating problem for employers in the coming months.</div><div></div><br /><div>If you happen to be one of those employers, if you're an employee dealing with bullying, if you've ever been affected by bullying behavior, you might be interested in what Jean has to say:</div><br /><div></div><div><strong>Based on the article that suggests bullying in the workplace could become more of a problem now, what's your view?</strong></div><div><em>I wouldn’t say bullying is </em>caused <em>by the current economic situation, but I would say the added stress of the economic situation aggravates already existing situations and intensifies bullying. We will see more and worse cases of bullying, but perhaps less action, both from a legislative standpoint and within organizations, as people focus on what they see as bigger problems [economic]. </em></div><br /><div></div><div><strong>If, as your book states, two out of five employees experience bullying in the workplace, and if 64 percent of those targeted </strong><strong>by bullies are driven to quit their jobs, why isn't this more of a concern to employers?</strong></div><div><em>I think your underlying question is Why do employers keep bullies despite the fact that almost 40% of employees have experienced bullying and 64% of targets are driven out of their jobs? There are multiple reasons. Here are a few:</em></div><div><br /><span style="color:#33cc00;"><em>-</em><em>The vast majority of workplace bullies are “bosses” of their targets. Therefore they have power and are more likely to be believed.</em></span></div><div><em><span style="color:#33cc00;">-The boss’ superior doesn’t want to admit he/she made a mistake in hiring the bully<br /></span></em><em><span style="color:#33cc00;">-A blind eye is turned by all toward bullying behaviors as simply “differences in personality” or “that’s just the way he/she is.”<br /></span></em><em><span style="color:#33cc00;">-Many organizations have no policy in place for dealing with bullies.<br /></span></em><em><span style="color:#33cc00;">-Employers don’t know the real cost of workplace bullying. </span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#33cc00;"><br /> </div></span></em><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong>As a target of bullying yourself, how did you respond?</strong></div><div><em>When I was bullied in various workplaces, I didn’t know about workplace bullies. That seems strange to me now. How could I not know? But I find that people still don’t recognize the behavior they have tolerated as being bullying. People at my presentations make comments such as “I didn’t know I was bullied. I thought I just had a really mean boss.” Upper-management people who have read my book express their ah-ha’s when they realize that some really difficult people they have had to work with or for were actually bullies toward them.</em><br /></div><div><em>My response was always to try harder to get along with the individual and to try to improve my productivity. Of course, that is exactly the wrong response toward bullies. In turn, they step up their bullying activities. As with the majority of targets, eventually I separated from the bully—either I left or, in one case, the bully left.</em></div><br /><div></div><div><strong>Do you see a correlation between those who are bullied at home and those who are bullied at work? </strong></div><div><em>This is a difficult question. Workplace bullies generally target people or teams whom they find threatening and/or superior to them in some way. I believe domestic bullies are likely to be workplace bullies.</em></div><br /><div></div><div><strong>In one of your personal stories cited in the book, you mentioned that you'd lost respect for the boss. Does that make the situation worse for the target?</strong></div><div><em>Does loss of respect for the boss make the situation worse? In the case you reference, I don’t know if my boss understood I had lost respect for him or if it made any difference to him. I believe he had been a bully before he met me and would be a bully to someone wherever he was. Many bullies are serial bullies. In fact, research shows that after targets leave, some bullies adopt a new target within 30 minutes. </em></div><br /><div></div><div><strong>For the 39 percent of those who are bullied, those who you say file complaints, what is the usual result of this? How encouraging is this for the target? </strong></div><div><em>To date, results are discouraging. The situation is often made worse for the target. This is why I wrote</em> BULLIES AMONG US<em>. I want targets and managers to know they can take actions themselves against bullying, because they probably won’t receive much help.</em></div><div></div><br /><div><strong>What is the number one thing the target can do when first approached by a bully? </strong></div><div><em>Of course, this varies with the situation. One of the 8 actions to take that I name in my book is to</em> Make a Decision <em>whether or not, given the situation, the target wants to confront the bully. If so, I suggest having witnesses. Definitely, I would suggest writing down all the details of the incident. In my book, I present a form that targets can use to keep a record of all encounters</em>. For example, date and place, of course, but also witnesses, words spoken, behaviors, etc.</div><div></div><br /><div><strong>What is the number one thing an employer should do when made aware of bullying behavior in the workplace? </strong></div><div><em>Take action. Believe that an incident occurred until proven otherwise. Get all the details. Talk with the involved parties together to try to understand what’s going on. Keep a record of the complaint, the meeting, and results. Definitely do not blow it off as a personality conflict.</em><br /></div><div><em></em></div><br /><div><em>If there’s no policy against workplace bullying, one should be instituted as quickly as possible. All employees should be informed the policy exists, how bullying is defined, bullying won’t be tolerated, what to do if bullying behaviors are witnessed or experienced. This information should be posted where employees of all levels will see it. </em></div><br /><div></div><div>To read more, you can find Jean's book, <em>BULLIES AMONG US: What To Do When Work's No Fun</em>, online at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bullies-Among-What-when-works/dp/0982050801/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1229184121&sr=1-1">Amazon.com </a>and also at <a href="http://books.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.aspx?WRD=%22Jean+McFarland%22%3B+books">Barnes & Noble</a>. If you have any questions of your own for Jean, post them here, and I'll ask her to respond. Otherwise, you can read more about Jean's thoughts on bullying at <a href="http://http//www.bulliesamongus.blogspot.com/">her blog</a>.</div><br /><div></div><div>If you like what you read here, let me know. I'll be including more author interviews or book reviews in the future. As Jean and I agree, awareness can help you combat the challenges in life. If it's not bullying, it might besomething else.<br /></div><div>Thanks for visiting.</div><div>~Jackie </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-60466274219702427562008-12-12T07:21:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:02:27.302-08:00And then there's the Caylee Anthony storyIf you're not bummed about the economy, how about <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/12/12/caylee.anthony/">this story</a>?<br /><br />The detectives now have a skull, maybe other bones, and possibly more evidence to connnect Casey Anthony to her daughter's disappearance (or death?) last summer in Orlando, Fla.<br /><br />If you haven't been following this story, it's one of the saddest I can recall since the Scott Peterson (A man who killed his own wife pregnant with his unborn child!) conviction.<br /><br />Today, though, I doubt the poor enonomy can trump this current story that may involve the death of a toddler by the hands of her own mother. It's just too hard to believe. Greed, I get. Taking the life of your own baby, I do not.<br /><br />I've know a lot of people are criticizing the grandparents for trying to protect their daughter, but I can't help but think about what they've been going through these past six months or so. It's just too much. This is an obstacle I'm pretty sure even my BIKE, won't help. This requires help far beyond anything any one person or thing here on earth can offer. <br /><br />So I ask you to say a prayer for this family, for this community, and for anyone and everyone who has ever been affected by the horrific death of a loved one, especially a child.<br /><br />Let today be a day of prayer and concern for those who face challenges beyond that which we can imagine and which seem impossible to overcome.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-91095343611374917092008-12-12T00:42:00.001-08:002008-12-19T04:09:46.254-08:00Best Love & Relationships QuotesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-57795537566064086372008-12-12T00:42:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:09:03.827-08:00Best Love & Relationships QuotesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-42570785699663312792008-12-11T09:51:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:02:27.323-08:00Bummed about the economy?I heard on the news this morning that nearly 600,000 people nationwide applied for Unemployment last week. That's just last week! It's higher than the number of people who applied during the whole month in November.<br /><br />It really does sound like the economic situation is getting worse, just as economists have predicted. With these numbers, it's hard to imagine how bad it could actually get. It's even somewhat scary...even though there's no chance of me being laid off; I'm self-employed.<br /><br />Still, we're all dealing with this on some level. My workload has suffered. My editors aren't calling me with assignments (no money, no budget), or if they are, they pushing back the dates because of low ad sales. I'm pretty sure you're probably feeling the effects of the economic situation as much or more than I am. So my question to you today is this: What kinds of things are you doing to work through the fear?<br /><br />Here's a list of things I know help me overcome agitation, nervousness, and even fear. Given the specific situation you're dealing with, what would you add to this list?<br /><br />-Pray (as often as you need or feel comfort in the process).<br />-Go to the gym and work out with weights, ride the elliptical, or take a fitness class.<br />-Eat healthy (and in smaller proportions).<br />-Spend time with family and friends (Schedule it in if necessary during this busy holiday season.).<br />-Focus on what's going right in your life.<br />-Write in a journal.<br />-Practice meditation.<br />-Have a glass of wine (just one).<br />-Soak in a bubble bath.<br />-Bathe the dog or wash the car; it takes your mind off of other things.<br />-Ride your bike.<br /><br />During stressful times, it's important to take care of your personal needs. I know I skimp on these sometimes, but having a list in front of me reminds me to take care of me first. Then I can focus on the work I need to do.<br /><br />Today, I choose to make the day less stressful. How about you?<br /><br />All my best,<br />JackieUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-89057608073616060522008-12-11T00:39:00.001-08:002008-12-19T04:09:46.309-08:00Beautiful Inspirational QuotesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-69890618228321278822008-12-11T00:39:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:09:03.865-08:00Beautiful Inspirational QuotesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-36527315025363231622008-12-10T09:14:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:02:27.341-08:00The moral inventoryYesterday, I wrote about belief system. But how many of us actually take a moral inventory of what we value, so we actually know what we believe?!<br /><br />In times of stress or if you're dealing with a personal trauma, it's not always easy to distinguish between what is moral or immoral behavior. Although we may set a standard for ourselves, we often overlook behavior in others, both at home and at work. The problem with doing that, however, is that it may give someone permission to treat you in a way you wouldn't accept in "normal" circumstances, and vice versa.<br /><br />This is what happened to me during my marriage, except, I wasn't aware that I was doing this--at least, not on a conscious level. I wasn't even aware that I was doing this long before my marriage. That was an important observation for me. It kept me from trying to assign blame.<br /><br />As I write about often here, awareness is key.<br /><br />It is for this reason that reviewing what we value, what we care about, how we want to be treated and how we want to treat others is important. It's a good reason why spiritual fellowship with others who share your beliefs is important; it helps hold you accountable.<br /><br />When I first took a moral inventory of myself, I was told to ask myself these two basic questions:<br /><br />What are my strengths?<br />What are my weaknesses?<br /><br />That was easy enough. But then it got harder. I was told to dig deeper, and look at my strengths and weaknesses in relationship to or with the following:<br /><br />_Spiritual Life<br />_Financial Life<br />_Significant Parter<br />_Children<br />_Work Life<br />_Mother<br />_Father<br />_Siblings<br />_Yourself<br />_Those Less Fortunate<br />_Authority Figures<br />_Friends, Co-workers, Employees<br /><br />When it got to the point where I had to look at all my losses from various stages in life (childhood, adolescence, teenage years, adulthood), I wasn't quite sure I could finish. I had experienced the death of a father, an abusive childhood home, uncertainty about where I'd be living, childhood abandonment, two teenage pregnancies and a marriage, single motherhood, the death of a second spouse, and on and on. It was too much when I looked at it all at once like that. I was glad to be working with a mental health expert and a spiritual guide who helped me work through these losses and what they meant to me.<br /><br />I benefitted greatly when I found a 12-Step program. It helped teach me to see the losses for what they gave me and not for what they took away.<br /><br />And I realized that the work never ends. Even though I took the moral inventory that first time, I knew I'd have to keep doing it for as long as it took, for as many times as I needed to be reminded of what I valued, what I cherished and what I might need to change.<br /><br />If you've ever looked inside yourself that deeply, what was the greatest lesson you took away?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-63046118797014863332008-12-10T04:54:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:01:10.028-08:00How to have your best Christmas ever<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/r837Ea2gEvk&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/r837Ea2gEvk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />To find out how YOU can have the best Christmas ever, <a href="http://www.cadreministries.com/free/YourBestChristmasEver_2007.mp3">GO HERE</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-73082663340755785152008-12-10T00:37:00.001-08:002008-12-19T04:09:46.364-08:00Making A ChangeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3853777645968554258.post-80444748109718747062008-12-10T00:37:00.000-08:002008-12-19T04:09:03.895-08:00Making A ChangeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0