How to Sleep When You Can’t Fall Asleep

There may come a time in your life when you can’t fall asleep. Insomnia is, unfortunately, a common condition for many people, and most of us will experience it at one time or another. If counting sheep isn’t your cup of tea and doesn’t result in getting the sleep you need, there are plenty of other methods. Keep It Simple If you’ve been lying in bed for a while, but sleep isn’t coming, focusing on it will only make matters worse. Worrying that you’re not falling asleep is counter-productive, and will cause anxiety which most likely will keep you awake even longer. Sleep is something that needs to come naturally and it can’t be forced. Sometimes just not thinking about trying to sleep is all that you need. Calm Your Breathing Insomnia could cause stress and an increased heart rate. Try some deep breathing exercises the next time you can’t sleep. Breathe in slow and steady, hold it for a moment, and then slowly exhale. Focusing on your breathing will not only slow down your heart, but it’ll also relax your body, making it easier to fall asleep. Daily Exercise Keeping your body active during the day could be the answer to your sleeping woes. A small amount of physical activity daily could help you sleep easier at night. Put Your Phone Down Being unable to sleep may cause you to pick up your phone and start scrolling. The light your phone emits is not conducive to sleep and won’t help you to feel sleepy. Checking your social media or playing games will keep your mind awake and engaged. Restrict your phone time to daylight hours or stop using it at least 30 minutes before you go to bed. So, To Get the Sleep You Desperately Need: Focusing on trying to fall asleep could be your worst enemy. It’s better to calm your mind, try some breathing exercises, and resist the urge to pick up your phone. By keeping things simple, you’ll find it easier to fall asleep. I tell my patients to at 8:30ish to take a warm bath or read a good book and to not watch TV which will only stimulate your brain and find it hard to relax. Plus, the blue screen from the TV or your computer will not relax you either. Source: Dr. Todd Singleton, 4/6/24.

15 Habits of Happy People

1. You manage your finances well and live within your means. You have enough money to do everything you want to do. 2. You set and reach goals on an ongoing basis. 3. You always make time for trips or vacations with family and friends. 4. You use your strengths to do what you do best every day. 5. You feel safe and secure in your community. 6. You learn something new or interesting every day. 7. You have someone in your life who encourages you to be healthy. 8. You eat healthy every day. 9. You eat five servings of fruits and vegetables at least four days every week. 10. You go to the dentist at least once per year. 11. In the last 12 months, you have received recognition for helping to improve the city or area where you live. 12. You don’t smoke. 13. You are of a normal, healthy weight. 14. You exercise at least 30 minutes at least three days per week. 15. You are active and productive every day. Source: mercola.com, 3/6/24.

Use of Chiropractic Care Increases by Almost 47%

1) Use of any form of Complementary Health Approaches (CHA) increased from 19.2% of the U.S. population in 2002 to well over a third (36.7 %) of the population in 2022 (approximately 122.3 million adults). 2) Use of chiropractic specifically in the previous 12 months increased from 7.5% of adults in 2002 to 11% in 2022 (an increase of almost 47%). That equates to almost 37 million adult patients. 3) Use of chiropractic for pain management also increased, from approximately 78% in 2002 to 85.7% in 2022. A research letter in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) provides initial findings from the most recent (2022) survey on the use of complementary health approaches (CHA). The findings include data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which conducts interviews both by phone and in-person. The CHA results have been published in 2002, 2012 and again in 2022. Seven forms of complementary care are included in the latest study: chiropractic, acupuncture, guided imagery, massage therapy, meditation, naturopathy and yoga. Unfortunately, the results from the 2012 survey are not relevant to the use of chiropractic specifically because osteopathy was included in the survey question that year. The survey asks respondents about their use in the previous 12 months. Use of any form of CHA increased from 19.2% of the U.S. population in 2002 to well over a third (36.7 %) of the population in 2022 (approximately 122.3 million adults). Use of chiropractic specifically in the previous 12 months increased from 7.5% of adults in 2002 to 11% in 2022 (an increase of almost 47%). That equates to almost 37 million adult patients. The use of any form of CHA for pain management also increased, from 42.3% in 2002 to just under half the population (49.2%) in 2022. For chiropractic patients, use of chiropractic for pain management increased from 78% in 2002 to 85.7% in 2022. **With the use of any form of CHA almost doubling (91% increase) during the 20-year period and the use of chiropractic care increasing by 47%, it is clear that the public’s health care preferences are shifting to less invasive forms of care that are not drug-dependent. This is especially true for pain relief. Based on these findings, the chiropractic profession will want to expand its effort to educate more consumers about the benefits of consistent chiropractic care. Source: Dynamic Chiropractic, 1/25/24

10 Ideas to Grow Your Business

I have been coaching small business owners just like you for the past twenty-one years. This gives me the unique perspective and vast experience to help you. This newsletter will outline a few universal strategies to growing any business. My sincere wish is that you implement what is presented. 1. Can you be proactive at least three hours per week? Too many business owners do not want to put the time in to grow their business and guess what? Their businesses don’t grow. Three hours per week is that too much to ask? 2. How was your Thanksgiving? Will you get into “Christmas Head” until January? After all, you deserve a break, don’t you? If you decide to check out for the rest of the year so will your business. Now, please don’t get me wrong. You should take a vacation or many vacations. All I ask is that when you are at work be present don’t day dream about your upcoming vacation. Is that fair? 3. Work smarter not harder. Strategy will crush tactics any day. Here is the problem that I have witnessed over and over ad nauseum. 99.9% of small business owners want the tactic and pay very little to strategy. Take this to the bank…STRATEGY CRUSHES TACTICS EVERY SINGLE TIME! 4. Get new business. This is the key to any business. How many current strategic methods are you using right now? If it is fewer than three you must change that. Do you have a market dominating position. 2024 will demand it from you. 5. Understand how to communicate with people. Your success with prospects, staff, family, EVERYONE depends on your communication skills. 6. Effective presenting is key to leading and landing new business. 7. Time management is an important key to success. If you are not getting a full sixty minutes out of every hour then you are wasting time. Time that you can never get back! 8. Systems allow you to take as many vacations as you want. They allow you to work smarter instead of harder. The problem that I have seen is that most small business owners either don’t want to take the time to create systems or they don’t know how. Fix this problem and watch your happiness and peace of mind soar! 9. Training staff is the difference between a happy stress-free day vs. chaos. 10. Goal setting allows you to create the plan for achieving all that you want. I have seen and continue to see way too many small business owners who do not create goals. Those that do, I have also seen, create amazing businesses and lives. Ten easy to implement steps. Do an experiment. Implement the above for the next six months and report back to me what happens. By the way, after twenty-one years of doing this, I already know what will happen. I want you to experience it for yourself if you choose. You heard it here first. Be sure to share this newsletter with someone who can use the information. Life is too short not to have a dream job or business. In Gratitude, Paul Source: Paul Inselman, 911profit.com, 1/6/24

Nailing the Sweet Spot for Exercise Volume

STORY AT-A-GLANCE 1) If you’re sedentary and begin to exercise, you get a dose-dependent decrease in mortality, diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, coronary disease, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, falls and more. 2) People who are doing the highest volume of vigorous exercise start losing longevity benefits. If you’re doing full triathlons when you're in your 40s and 50s, your risk of atrial fibrillation increases by 500% to 800% 3) In the case of moderate exercise (loosely defined as exercising to the point where you're slightly winded but can still carry on a conversation) there’s clear evidence that more IS better and cannot be overdone. 4) Every 1,000 steps you get on average per day reduces your mortality by 10% to 15%. Benefits plateau around 12,000 steps (6 miles) a day. 5) Strength training adds another 19% reduction in all-cause mortality on top of the 45% reduction that you get from one hour of moderate exercise per day. However, benefits cease once you go beyond one hour per week. The sweet spot is 20 to 40 minutes of strength training, two to three times a week. Above 60 minutes per week, the benefits of strength training are nullified, and you’re worse off than if you did no resistance training at all. I interviewed Dr. James O'Keefe, a cardiologist with the Mid-America Heart Institute at St. Louis Hospital in Kansas City, about exercise dosing. He completed his cardiology training at Mayo Clinic. He and three other coauthors published a meta-analysis in the March-April 2023 issue of Missouri Medicine, the journal of the Missouri State Medical Association, which has profound implications. I view this study as a landmark that radically changed my views on exercise. Without a doubt, we need exercise. The question is, how much? Many of us who are committed to being optimally healthy tend to overdo it, which is certainly true in my case. Had I had the information in O’Keefe’s study earlier, I could have saved myself a lot of time and effort. Too Much Exercise Can Backfire As it turns out, O’Keefe also has a history, just like me, of overdoing it when it comes to exercise, which is ultimately what led him to pursue this research, trying to find out where the sweet spot is — the amount of exercise that delivers the greatest benefits. Do We Have Programmed Life Expectancy? O’Keefe recounts the story of how his mentor at the Mayo Clinic, decades ago, would admonish him when he’d go for a run at lunchtime saying "You know James, you're just wasting your heartbeats. Your heart has only so many heartbeats." His mentor made the case that everything appears to have a sort of programmed life expectancy that correlates with your heart rate. A hummingbird, for example, has a heart rate of 500 beats a minute and lives a year or two. The mouse has a similarly high heart rate and lives about two years. Animals with really slow heart rates, on the other hand, like the whale, can live 200 years. This is not to make a case for being a couch potato though. "It’s a complex math problem," O’Keefe says. What you want is to do enough exercise so that your pulse remains nice and low while you’re not exercising. Take-Home No. 1: Too Much Vigorous Exercise Backfires Big Time O’Keefe’s systematic review revealed that if you’re sedentary and begin to exercise, you get a dose-dependent decrease in mortality, diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, coronary disease, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, falls and more. So, most definitely, you can dramatically slow aging and improve life expectancy with exercise. However, at the very high end, the people who are doing the highest volume of vigorous exercise start losing those benefits. O’Keefe cites a recent large-scale study that followed about 1 million individuals for more than 10 years. While vigorous exercise up to 75 minutes per week reduced the risk of all-cause mortality and other diseases in a dose-dependent manner, benefits plateaued after that. So, people who were doing four to seven hours of vigorous exercise per week didn't get any additional benefit, "and probably, from a cardiovascular standpoint, lost a little bit," O’Keefe says. Take-Home No. 2: You Cannot Overdo Moderate Exercise In the case of moderate exercise, however — loosely defined as exercising to the point where you're slightly winded but can still carry on a conversation — it’s very clear that more IS better and cannot be overdone. Perhaps even more surprising, moderate exercise also improves all-cause survival better than vigorous exercise — about two times better. "If you look at the people who are doing the most vigorous exercise compared to the people doing the most moderate exercise, the moderate exercisers have twice as good a reduction in long-term mortality as the high volume vigorous exerciser," he says. What this means in practical terms is that: a) There’s no need to engage in high-intensity strenuous exercise beyond 75 minutes per week. Doing so can be highly counterproductive. If you’re an overachiever, stick to moderate exercise instead and your benefits will continue to accrue and your efforts won’t eventually backfire. b) Once you get into your mid-40s and 50s, exercise should be fun and stress-reducing, not competitive. In his analysis, O’Keefe also stresses the importance of "social exercise" over solo exercise: playing a game of tennis or pickleball with friends, for example. Several years ago, he conducted a study with colleagues in Copenhagen, Denmark, in which they looked at long-term data on physical activity and longevity. Playing tennis conferred 9.5 years of extra life expectancy; playing badminton got seven years; running, swimming and cycling were associated with just 3.5 years of extra life expectancy. Health club activities such as weightlifting and running on a treadmill only conferred 1.5 years of additional life expectancy compared to sedentary life. At first, O’Keefe thought the analysis had somehow gone wrong. But then he realized it was the social aspects of the sports that conferred the added benefits. What Big Data Tell Us About the Benefits of Walking Walking should not be underestimated either. The average American walks about 3,800 steps a day, which is just short of 2 miles. It’s about 2,000 steps per mile, and every 1,000 steps you get on average per day reduces your mortality by 10% to 15%, O’Keefe notes. Track Your Steps, but Beware of EMFs If you’re strapped for cash, you don’t need to invest in a special fitness tracker. Most cellphones have free activity trackers, so all you need to do is carry your phone with you. It’s not ideal due to the electromagnetic fields (EMFs) emitted, but you could put it in airplane mode. I recently gave a lecture at an autism event called Documenting Hope in Orlando. They’re committed to research and have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to do detailed analyses of autistic children to identify the causes of autism. I almost fell off my chair when I heard the results. EMF was the No. 2 cause of autism. No. 1 was antibiotics, No. 3 was toxins, and No. 4 was vaccines. So, please, do take EMF exposures seriously. While adults aren’t going to develop autism from EMF exposure, it can still cause neurological damage. Take-Home No. 3: Overdoing Strength Training Is Worse Than Doing Nothing at All O’Keefe’s meta-analysis also detailed the sweet spot for strength training, and the results truly shocked me. I radically changed my exercise program after reviewing these data. Without question, strength training will improve muscle mass, muscle and bone strength. It can also boost your testosterone level if not overdone. It helps to improve mood and prevent falls. As you get into your 30s, you start to lose muscle mass and if you don't train to maintain muscle mass, you’ll eventually end up with sarcopenia (low muscle mass) or osteoporosis (low bone density). The benefit maxes out right round 40 to 60 minutes a week. Beyond that, you’re losing benefit. Once you get to 130 to 140 minutes of strength training per week, your longevity benefit becomes the same as if you weren't doing anything, which is nothing short of shocking. If you train for three to four hours a week, you actually end up with WORSE long-term survival than people who don't strength train! Recall, when you’re doing intense vigorous exercise in excess, you’re still better off than people who are sedentary. But for some (yet undetermined) reason, excessive strength training leaves you worse off than being sedentary. So, the take-home message here is that 20 minutes twice a week on non-consecutive days, or 40 minutes once a week is the sweet spot. You also don’t want your exercise regimen to center around strength training. It should be an add-on, as you get far greater benefits simply from walking, or any other moderate exercise. Get Your Nature Fix O’Keefe’s paper also discusses the benefits of spending time in nature. A British study cited found you need at least 1.5 to two hours outdoors each week for good health, even if it’s only a local park or tree-lined street. The Sit-Rise Test Lastly, we review a simple clinical assessment that gauges nonaerobic components of fitness — strength, balance and flexibility — skills that undergird long-term survival. It’s called the sitting-rising test (or sit-to-stand test). To perform this test: a) Standing, cross your feet at the ankles b) Squat down until you’re sitting cross-legged on the floor c) Raise yourself back up to standing The object of the test is to sit down and stand back up using as few supports as possible. A perfect score of 10 — 5 points down and 5 points up — is obtained if you can squat down and stand back up without using your hands, elbows or knees for added stability or support. For each body part that touches the floor — a hand, forearm, elbow, knee or side of the leg — either on the way down or up, deduct 1 point. This test has been shown to be remarkably accurate for predicting longevity. Having a score of 8 to 10 means you have a very low risk of dying within the next 14 years while a score of 0 to 3 is associated with six-fold higher all-cause mortality. As noted by O’Keefe, the ability of this test to predict survivability "speaks to the fact that fitness is a multifaceted thing and you need to work on all those different things," meaning balance and flexibility, in addition to aerobic exercise and strength training. Source: mercola.com, 11/26/23.

Are You Financially Strong?

I love Suze Orman's definition of money...it is security. Think of that for a moment. How would you feel if you had an extra $10,000, $100,000, or $300,000 just lying around looking pretty? Yup, I think you would be feeling more secure. Understanding where you stand financially often becomes a complex task. It is not solely about how much money is in your bank account but includes several other important aspects. It comprises how well you manage your resources, the state of your debts, the size of your savings, and the financial habits you have developed over time over time. I make it a point to work with each client and their finances because this awareness can significantly influence your financial decisions, plans, and, ultimately, your peace of mind. The following list will clue you in to if you are in a good financial state or if you need to work on it. 1. How Much Do You Have In Savings? Savings is a prime indicator of financial stability. These reserves serve as a buffer in emergencies and afford the freedom to chase personal ambitions. Building considerable savings over time is a sign of a financially stable individual. Frugal practices like reducing unnecessary costs and regularly saving part of your income can boost your savings. I always recommend having eighteen months of business and personal expenses socked away in a money market fund or savings account. However, with today CD rates at 5% or better I am putting funds into a non-penalty CD. 2. Do You Have Credit Card Debt? If you have credit card debt, you either haven't been reading my newsletters very long or they fell on deaf ears. Let me state this very easily. Credit Card debt is the killer of dreams! Lacking credit card debt signals an excellent financial place. The high-interest rates of credit card debt can create a vicious cycle of repayments. Thus, its absence indicates responsible spending and sound financial choices. To dodge credit card debt, pay off your balances every month and curb spending beyond your means. 3. Do You Live Paycheck-To-Paycheck? With crazy inflation like we are seeing, this may be a new phenomenon for you, and it can be scary. If this is your "usual" pattern, please take note. If you don’t anxiously wait for the next payday, it’s another sign of your financial well-being. This shows that your financial resources aren’t limited to your immediate needs. Frugal habits such as cooking at home or choosing budget-friendly entertainment can help stretch your income. 4. Do You Dip Into Savings? In my opinion, dipping into an emergency fund to meet a shortfall is okay. That is why it is there. However, if you are dipping into college funds, retirement funds etc. please take note. The ability to get through the month without resorting to savings underlines another aspect of financial stability. It demonstrates that you’re living within your means. Here, frugality can help through mindful spending, curbing impulsive buys, and prioritizing necessities over luxuries. 5. Is Your Mortgage Killing You? Are you house rich and cash poor. That is super-stressful. A manageable or non-existent mortgage is a definite sign of financial health. Large mortgages can impose immense financial strain. If your mortgage isn’t burdensome or has been paid off, you’re in a secure financial place. To sidestep hefty mortgages, consider purchasing a home within your budget and making extra payments when feasible. Let's start with these. Tomorrow, I will give you some more signs. If you need help, ask a friend, colleague, or me. You heard it here first. Be sure to share this newsletter with someone who can use the information. In Gratitude, Paul Inselman Source: 911profit.com, 10/14/23.

30 Rules You Need To Follow To Get Rich

This list is credited to Steve Burns of New Trader U. I could not agree with him more and this is exactly what I have been teaching my clients for 20+ years. 1. Understand the Value of Money 2. Cultivate Multiple Income Streams 3. Save More Than You Spend 4. Be Mindful of Taxes 5. Invest in Assets, Not Liabilities 6. Understand the Power of Compounding Gains 7. Protect Your Wealth 8. Educate Yourself About Money 9. Pay Yourself First 10. Live Below Your Means 11. Make Money Work for You 12. Keep an Emergency Fund 13. Learn to Negotiate 14. Diversify Your Investments 15. Understand and Manage Risk 16. Prioritize Debt Repayment 17. Consistently Increase Your Income 18. Automate Your Finances 19. Develop a Financial Plan 20. Keep Track of Your Net Worth 21. Leverage Inflation 22. Plan for Retirement 23. Understand the Market Cycles 24. Invest in Yourself and Your Skills 25. Network and Build Relationships 26. Be Patient and Think Long-Term 27. Continuously Monitor and Adjust Your Financial Plan 28. Give Back – Invest in Society 29. Embrace Change and Adapt to New Opportunities 30. Never Stop Learning About Finance. 31. THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS TO OWN YOUR OWN BUSINESS. THE TAX BENEFITS COUPLED WITH FREEDOM OF TIME AND FREEDOM TO MAKE YOURSELF RICH IS WELL WORTH IT. You heard it here first. Be sure to share this newsletter with someone who can use the information. Life is too short not to have a dream job or business. In Gratitude, Paul Inselman Source: 911profit.com, 8/27/23.

10 Ideas to Grow Your Business

Coaching small business owners just like you for the past twenty plus years, gives me the unique perspective and vast experience to help you. This newsletter will outline a few universal strategies to growing any business. My sincere wish is that you implement what is presented. 1. Can you be proactive at least three hours per week? Too many business owners do not want to put the time in to grow their business and guess what? Their businesses don’t grow. Three hours per week is that too much to ask? Stop being reactive, start being proactive. 2. How was your Memorial Day? Will you get into summer before September? After all, you deserve a break, don’t you? If you decide to check out for the whole summer, so will your business. Now, please don’t get me wrong. You should take a vacation or many vacations. All I ask is that when you are at work, be present at work. Don’t day dream and constantly think about your upcoming vacation. Is that fair? 3. Work smarter not harder. Strategy will crush tactics any day. Here is the problem that I have witnessed over and over. 99.9% of small business owners want the tactic and pay very little to strategy. Take this to the bank…STRATEGY CRUSHES TACTICS EVERY SINGLE TIME! 4. Get new business. This is the key to any business. How many current strategic methods are you using right now? If it is fewer than three you must change that. 5. Understand how to communicate with people. Your success with prospects, staff, family, EVERYONE depends on your proper communication skills. 6. Effective presenting is key to leading and landing new business. 7. Time management is an important key to success. If you are not getting a full sixty minutes out of every hour then you are wasting time. Time that you can never get back! 8. Systems allow you to take as many vacations as you want. They allow you to work smarter instead of harder. The problem that I have seen is that most small business owners either don’t want to take the time to create systems or they don’t know how. Fix this problem and watch your happiness and peace of mind soar! 9. Training staff is the difference between a happy stress-free day vs. constant chaos. Training your staff is very important to keep everyone on the same path to success. All staff must be consistent in procedures and explaining things to the patients. Poor training leads to inconsistency, correcting things and more work later. 10. Goal setting allows you to create the plan for achieving all that you want. I have seen and continue to see way too many small business owners who do not create goals. Those that do, I have also seen, create amazing businesses and lives. Ten easy to implement steps. Do an experiment. Implement the above for the rest of the year and report back to me what happens. By the way, after twenty plus years of doing this, I already know what will happen. I want you to experience it for yourself if you choose. If you need help, ask a friend, colleague. Just be like Nike and DO IT! You heard it here first. Be sure to share this newsletter with someone who can use the information. Life is too short not to have a dream job or business. In Gratitude, Paul Source: 911profit.com, 8/2/23.

Success Killers and How to Fix Them

We all have goals and aspirations that we want to achieve in life, yet sometimes it seems like no matter how hard we work, we just can't seem to make progress. This is because there are certain behaviors and habits that can act as "success killers", hindering our ability to achieve success. In this newsletter, we will be discussing some of the most common success killers and how to overcome them. 1. Procrastination: One of the biggest success killers is procrastination. Putting off tasks until the last minute can lead to poor quality work and missed deadlines. To overcome procrastination, it's important to break tasks down into smaller, more manageable steps and set deadlines for each step. Find someone to hold you accountable or hire a coach to do so. 2. Fear of failure: Fear of failure can prevent us from taking risks and trying new things. However, it's important to remember that failure is a natural part of the learning process and can teach us valuable lessons. To overcome fear of failure, it's important to focus on the process rather than the outcome, and to view mistakes as opportunities for growth. This is a BIG problem that I see with many clients when they first begin working with me. It brings such joy to the client and to me when they overcome this behavior. They feel like they had the brake removed and now they can hit the gas and achieve their goals. 3. Negative self-talk: Negative self-talk can be incredibly damaging to our self-esteem and can prevent us from achieving our goals. To overcome negative self-talk, it's important to practice self-compassion and focus on our strengths rather than our weaknesses. This is another BIG problem that I see with many clients when they first begin working with me. This bad habit can be easily overcome when the right tools and strategies are deployed. The strategies are different for each individual which is why I am not giving you a "one size fits all". 4. Lack of focus: Lack of focus can prevent us from making progress towards our goals. To overcome this, it's important to prioritize our tasks and eliminate distractions. Setting specific goals and creating a to-do list can also help us stay focused and on track. 5. Perfectionism: While striving for excellence is important, perfectionism can be a success killer. It can prevent us from taking action and lead to feelings of anxiety and self-doubt. To overcome perfectionism, it's important to focus on progress rather than perfection and to celebrate small wins along the way. Success killers can be incredibly damaging to our ability to achieve our goals. However, by recognizing and overcoming these behaviors and habits, we can increase our chances of success and achieve our full potential. You heard it here first. Be sure to share this newsletter with someone who can use the information. Life is too short not to have a dream job or business. In Gratitude, Paul Source: 911profit.com, 7/15/23.

How to Make Yourself Happy Right Now

We cover a lot of business topics for this newsletter. But really, running a successful business is about taking control of your life. And taking control of your life is about pursuing happiness, plain and simple. And yet, many business owners are so busy and focused on work that it’s easy to forget this simple question: Are you happy? This isn’t a box-checking exercise. You don’t need to ask yourself if you’ve done everything you wanted to at this point in your life. Just sit back and close your eyes and ask yourself, “Am I happy?” There is no wrong answer. But if the answer is less than a resounding yes, maybe it's worth trying to fix that. In the past decade, researchers have been combining the latest in neuroscience, psychology, and common sense to produce a range of practices you can use to boost your happiness. Want to give them a shot? I thought so, that’s why I’ve provided a few of the best below. Of course, a high-quality diet and exercise will help (in fact, a big dose of activity can make you feel happy almost immediately), but the following practices are ones you might not have heard of yet. Gratitude: This is one of the most powerful tools you have. Pick a time of day, like during your morning routine, to sit down and write out five things you are grateful for. They can be as simple as the taste of coffee or as big as your child’s smile. Over time, this practice trains your brain to remember the good things in life — even when you’re dealing with the hard stuff. Clean Your Living Space: Our mood and surroundings are deeply linked. When we live in places that are messy, it can make our thinking more chaotic. Try cleaning up your living space. If you want a big shift, you can even rearrange furniture for a major improvement. Complement People: One of the big mistakes a lot of us make is thinking that our happiness is all about making ourselves feel better. Set a goal of giving three complements a day (keeping them appropriate, of course). It’s amazing what this does for other people’s self-esteem, and seeing your power to help others ends up helping you, too. You heard it here first. Now go share this newsletter with someone who can use the information. Source: 911 profit, 5/27/23.

7 Reasons to Choose Experiences Over Things

With finite time and money, we’re all forced to make choices in how we spend our resources. Will we choose to allocate our resources to material goods or to experiential events? According to Forbes, 74% of Americans value experiences over things. But why? Doctors and scientists have been researching the value of experiences, and the findings may surprise and encourage you. Here are seven reasons that experiences should take precedence over things, especially in light of prioritizing your health. 1) You’ll be happier in the long run. We all know that money can’t buy happiness. But when you’re choosing how to spend your money, wouldn’t you like to choose something that has been shown to at least make you a little happier over time? In examining research conducted at Cornell University, The Atlantic reports that experiential purchases make consumers much happier than do material purchases. Looking back on purchases made, experiences make people happier than do possessions. It's kind of counter to the logic that if you pay for an experience, like a vacation, it will be over and gone; but if you buy a tangible thing, a couch, at least you'll have it for a long time … It’s the fleetingness of experiential purchases that endears us to them. Either they're not around long enough to become imperfect, or they are imperfect, but our memories and stories of them get sweet with time. Even a bad experience becomes a good story. Certainly, we’ve all been there. The new dining room table just sits there after a while. In contrast, even the rained-out camping trip becomes more and more epic over the passage of time. So instead of that new rug, maybe choose tickets to a rugby match. Instead of shopping, go backpacking. Rather than a new watch, choose to watch a ballet. Because even if the experience itself doesn’t turn out rosy at the time, chances are good that you’ll recall it fondly later. 2) You can learn new skills. Scientists have long studied the positive effects of learning new skills. Research shows that the brain physically changes, becoming healthier and more responsive with increased exposure to challenging learning environments. In fact, additional research shows that learning several new skills at once has a compounding positive effect. Meaning, taking different types of lessons at the same time has the potential to increase effectiveness in all areas. The implication is that taking a ceramics class while also learning karate could make you better at both. So instead of buying a new laptop, sign up for surf lessons or a painting class. Or both! Rather than buying your kids another toy, consider signing them up for innovation camp or tennis club. Your brains will thank you! 3) You minimize clutter. Research shows that clutter can actually have a negative impact on our mental and physical health. As stuff accumulates in our homes, it can lead to distraction, memory issues, and heightened stress levels. In addition, clutter can perpetuate due to an increase in procrastination tendencies and a sense of overwhelm at the prospect of minimization. This may lead to the mental health problem of hoarding. And, according to medical professionals, hoarding is linked to obesity and insomnia. Let’s avoid all that negativity. Instead of more action figures that pile up in his room, gift your child a superhero gymnastics camp experience. Instead of new shoes to clutter up your closet, join a walking club. Guard yourself from the chaos that more stuff brings! 4) You prioritize relationships. While technology certainly has its value, there’s an inherent danger in our society’s growing dependence on delivery apps and social media: loneliness. A recent study on loneliness states: “In the last decade, technology has changed how we interact with each other and with the world, raising questions about its impact on both our social connectedness and overall well-being.” The study also links loneliness to depression, dementia, hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. Bottom line: isolation and loneliness are detrimental to our health. Conversely, positive relationships are good for our health and well-being. Therefore, it is important to use our resources of time and money in a way that prioritizes relationships. Instead of buying the latest cell phone, consider investing in a weekend getaway with your bestie. Instead of a new TV, think through a zoo membership for the family. Rather than new golf clubs, book a few driving range sessions with your spouse. Time spent with your people is time well spent. 5) You increase anticipation and decrease anxiety. It’s no secret that humans get pleasure simply from looking forward to upcoming desirable events. One psychological study indicates that anticipating a new experience brings excitement while looking forward to a new thing has a tendency to bring only impatience. Researchers conclude, “Consumers derive value from anticipation, and that value tends to be greater for experiential rather than for material purchases.” Think about it: Waiting three weeks for an upcoming concert makes you increasingly giddy, but waiting three weeks to receive a new tablet makes you increasingly grumpy, right? In some cases, more stuff can actually increase anxiety. For example, having a newer, more expensive car may cause you to worry more over everything from increased insurance costs to door dings in the parking lot. So, in an effort to trade anxiety for anticipation, maybe swap that fancy SUV purchase for a family cruise instead. Or, rather than that designer purse, consider getting a theme park pass with your friends. 6) You model good values. In Luke 12, Jesus warns against the accumulation of possessions: “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” To illustrate his point, the Lord goes on to tell the parable of the rich man who accumulated so much stuff that he had to build bigger barns just to hold everything. Yet all that stuff could not save him; his life came to an end just like everyone else’s. And his greed displeased God. The world tells us that stuff matters. Materialism, comparison, and consumerism seem as “normal” as breathing. However, as believers, we can model something different: contentment and generosity. Instead of a new boat, maybe God is calling your family on a mission trip. Instead of buying a new wardrobe for yourself, consider buying new baby clothes for your local crisis pregnancy center. Jesus was clear in Luke 12: Giving is the best experience of all. 7) You create something that lasts. If you’ve seen the Pixar movie Inside Out, you might be familiar with the term “core memory.” Well, as it turns out, core memories are really a thing; rewarding experiences are preserved inside our brains. Researchers at Columbia University have proven that our brains weed out inconsequential events and save good memories. “We can’t remember everything…one way that the brain solves this problem is by automatically filtering our experiences, preserving memories of important information and allowing the rest to fade away.” The idea of using my time and money to create something that lasts holds a lot of appeal. I want to make those core memories for myself and my people! In the end, we know these good things remain: the kingdom of God and the souls of people. So instead of asking, “What do I want?” maybe the healthiest question to ask when considering our resources is, “Will this last?” By asking that, I think we open ourselves up to the best decisions about our time and money — healthy choices that bring lasting rewards for ourselves and those we love. What are some examples of experiences over things you have shared with friends and family? Source: Melissa Richeson, 4/15/23

Your Headspace Is the Key to Success

When you take charge of your own career and build businesses, so many things rely on you. So, if you can’t focus or think clearly, that can spell big trouble for the entire operation. That’s why your headspace is actually one of the most important elements of your business. I’m not saying that getting the blues will tank your bottom line, or that you aren’t allowed to be in a bad mood once in a while. But if you don’t set aside the time and energy to keep your headspace sharp, positive, and optimistic, every challenge is going to be that much harder. What’s worse, you won’t even see the world of potential all around you. But remember: it’s your headspace. That means you are in control, as long as you are proactive about it. How to Improve Your Headspace: There are four things you can start doing today that will radically improve your headspace going forward. Meditation: Over the last several years, many people have started to embrace meditation. That’s because it’s one of the most science-backed ways to improve your mood and focus over the long haul. Even 10 minutes a day can get you on the right track. It’s free and doesn’t take up much time, so what’s there to lose? Exercise: You don’t have to run marathons, but you do need to regularly get the blood pumping. It helps to have goals, too — like getting lean for beach season or getting strong over the winter. The energy you spend exercising comes back to you with interest, so it hits all the markers for a good investment! Make Time for Friends and Family: We can call this work/life balance, but it’s about more than that. What’s important to you? What are your priorities? It’s hard to actually know the answers to these questions without a strong connection to our community of loved ones. Protect Bedtime and Your Morning Routine: The hours before and after sleep are critical to your entire day. Before bed, make sure you aren’t having a nightcap or endlessly scrolling your phone. Those destroy sleep quality. And when you wake up, give yourself time to do a little exercise or meditation. Start doing these things today and check back in a week from now. I promise you; your business will thank you! You heard it here first. Now go share this newsletter with someone who can use the information. Source: 911profit.com, 3/4/23.

Just 8 Minutes of Exercise a Day Is All You Need

You can get all the exercise you need in just 8 minutes a day if you work out a bit harder, according to a new study in the European Heart Journal. Just 54 minutes of vigorous exercise per week provides the most bang for your buck, researchers found, lowering the risk of early death from any cause by 36%, and your chances of getting heart disease by 35%. Scientists examined data from fitness trackers worn by more than 71,000 people studied in the United Kingdom, then analyzed their health over the next several years. While more time spent exercising unsurprisingly led to better health, the protective effects of exercise start to plateau after a certain point, according to the study. A tough, short workout improves blood pressure, shrinks artery-clogging plaques, and boosts your overall fitness. Vigorous exercise helps your body adapt better than moderate exercise does, leading to more notable benefits, says study author Matthew Ahmadi, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Sydney. "Collectively, these will lower a person's risk of cardiovascular disease. Exercise can also lower body inflammation, which will in turn lower the risk for certain cancers," he says. The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of "moderate intensity" exercise each week, such as walking at a brisk pace. Or you could spend 75 minutes each week doing vigorous exercise, like running, it says. The CDC also recommends muscle strengthening activities, like lifting weights, at least 2 days per week. But only 54% of Americans actually manage to get their 150 minutes of aerobic activity in each week, according to the most recent data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Even fewer — just 24% — also squeeze in the two recommended strength workouts. So, 8 minutes a day instead of 30 minutes could persuade busy people to get the exercise they need. "Lack of time is one of the main reasons people have reported for not engaging in exercise," says Ahmadi. Vigorous exercise doesn't mean you have to run, bike, or lift weights. Scientists consider a physical activity "vigorous" if it's greater than 6 times your resting metabolic rate, or MET. That includes all kinds of strenuous movement, including dancing in a nightclub (without drinking) or carrying groceries upstairs. "All of these activities are equally beneficial," says Ahmadi. He recommends aiming for 2-minute bouts of a heart-pumping activity, spread throughout the day for the most benefit in the least amount of time. If you wear a smartwatch or other device that tracks your heart rate, you'll be above the threshold if your heart is pumping at 77% or more of your max heart rate (which most fitness trackers help you calculate). No smartwatch? "The easiest way a person can infer if they are doing vigorous activity is if they are breathing hard enough that it's difficult to have a conversation or speak in a full sentence while doing the activity," Ahmadi says. In other words, if you're huffing and puffing, then you're in the zone. Sources: Matthew Ahmadi, PhD; University of Sydney; European Heart Journal; 2/9/23

Tips To Reduce Financial Stress In 2023

Your finances can seem like both a gift and a curse when navigating through life. It can be a sense of overwhelming accomplishment or a downward spiral that can lead to health issues if not managed. According to a study by Thrive Global, 90% of individuals say that money impacts their stress levels. Whether your issues are caused by a loss of employment, accumulating debt, or unforeseen bills, financial anxiety is one of the most common stressors in modern life. We are often faced with challenges when money is involved, but knowledge and planning can help alleviate much of the stress that may occur. With a wide array of resources out there, it can be hard to know where or how to start your journey, but following the tips laid out in this article can help start you down a path to reach your goal. Reduce Debt Debt is often the biggest contributor to financial stress. This can be debilitating financially but also mentally. Once you’ve accumulated a large amount of debt, it’s hard to see a way out. How can you move forward if you’re paying your bills each month but the balance barely budges? Set a goal, educate, and organize. The first step on your road to being financially stress-free is to set a goal. This will provide you with direction, something to work for, and serve as the catalyst for changing your behavior. It can be hard to stay on track but maintaining focus is key to accomplishing your goal. Having zero debt does not have to be your only objective. To help you stay motivated and give yourself a feeling of achievement along the road, you might set smaller, more realistic goals. Educate yourself on the two main debt reduction strategies: the highest interest rate method and the snowball method. The first approach is focusing on the debts with the highest interest rates, such as credit cards and student loans. The goal is to pay these off as quickly as possible because they are costing you the most. This will eliminate your most costly debts first and be most beneficial in the long run. On the flip side, the snowball method focuses on the smallest debts. While making the minimum payments, put any extra money towards these debts and in turn, you will pay them off sooner. Although this approach could appear more rewarding in the short run, it typically results in higher long-term costs. Organizing your bills can seem like a daunting task, but it will serve as a guideline to being successful. You’ll need to know what, when, and how much you owe each month. Keep a spreadsheet or calendar to track your payments so you’re always aware of what’s due next. Create a Budget Creating a budget may be the most important step in the process of reducing financial stress because it’s the foundation for allocating where your money is going each month. A personal budget is an essential tool that helps you organize and prioritize the expenses in your life. This will help you make better decisions with money and ultimately reduce financial stress. Your net income serves as the cornerstone of an efficient budget. Your take-home pay is the sum of your income or salary minus tax and employer-sponsored benefits like retirement plans and health insurance. Focusing on your gross pay instead of your net pay may drive you to overspend because you'll believe you have more money accessible than you actually have. You should know what to expect with each paycheck and if you are self-employed, then you will need to keep thorough records in case of any fluctuating revenue. Now that you know how much money is coming in, you can start determining where it needs to go. Similar to organizing your bills, tracking your spending is crucial for staying on course. Tools like a monthly expense tracker are perfect for helping you stay focused each month. Begin with your fixed expenses such as your mortgage or rent, car payments, utilities, and other loans you may have. There is usually no wiggle room on these bills, so it’s important to account for these first. Next, address your variable expenses such as gas, groceries, and entertainment. These are areas where you may be able to make some cuts (more on that later). Credit card and bank statements are a great way to track what and when you made a purchase. Now you can analyze what you actually spend versus what you want to spend. Use the list of variable and fixed costs you created to estimate your spending over the next few months. Then compare that to your priorities and your net profit. This will determine if there is enough money to not only cover your bills but to start paying down some of your debt. Make a plan and stick to it. Staying diligent is the best way to avoid new debt and get closer to financial security. Also, remember to review your budget on a regular basis. Things can change from month to month or year to year, so keep on top of any changes that may occur. Cut Expenses It is important to be aware of what you are spending money on. No matter what you are buying, it’s likely there’s a less expensive version available and, in some cases, the expense could be eliminated altogether. Cutting expenses is really an extension of budgeting. People often feel societal pressure to sign up for a service or buy an item. Ask yourself a couple of questions: Do I need this? If so, is there a cheaper option? Remember, most of these things are called non-essential items for a reason. The easiest way to cut expenses is to update any subscription services you may have. These may include streaming services, memberships, or magazines. Has it been months since you've used them? If so, cancel them. You can always re-subscribe when your financial situation has loosened up. Limiting your utility use is another option, although a little trickier since electricity and water are essential. Any one of these tips won’t make a noticeable difference alone, but combining all of them can. Use LED bulbs instead of incandescent when possible. They may cost more to buy, but they last much longer and use 75% less energy. Also, make sure to turn off any lights when you leave the room. Caulk and weatherstrip drafty doors and windows. Seal any air leaks where plumbing, ductwork, or electrical wiring passes through walls, floors, or ceilings. Use a programmable thermostat. Set it to automatically turn your heating and air conditioning off or down when you are typically out of the house. Reduce the temperature of your water heater. Lowering it by 10-20 degrees could potentially save you hundreds of dollars per year. Repair leaky faucets, showerheads, or toilets. Most people don’t realize a continuous trickle or drip can increase your water cost significantly. Where you lay your head at night is usually the biggest expense when assessing your finances. There are both positives and negatives to renting or owning a home. Affordability and flexibility are what make renting most attractive. Your monthly costs can be lower since you’re not responsible for any repairs that may occur and you have the ability to move around when you want. You may also be able to negotiate a better leasing deal if you’re on good terms with your landlord. On the other hand, owning a home is more of a long-term play because you are building equity and will eventually own the home outright. If your credit score rating is sufficient to secure a good interest rate on a mortgage, then it may make sense for you to relocate and/or downsize to a new home. Insurance costs can add up quickly, from home to health, to car, with most people not shopping around for the best deal. There are more than enough insurance companies to choose from for home and car insurance. You may find that you could save money by switching companies or by bundling them together with the same company. When it comes to your healthcare, the good news is you most likely have several options, including a health care sharing program like Medi-Share. These are often less expensive per month than traditional health insurance’s premium costs. Find Ways to Earn More Money If budgeting isn’t enough, utilize your free time to earn some extra income. Although this may not be ideal for some people, it could be necessary to start making an impact on your financial goals. The best way to bring in some more income is to work extra hours at your current job. Capitalize on overtime pay if it is available. This will most likely give you the highest return for your time. Another option may be negotiating for a raise. If you have a good rapport with your employer and have put sufficient time in at the company, don’t be afraid to ask for a bump in pay. With high inflation and the current labor market, employers may be willing to pay a little more for a quality employee. A final option may be to get a side gig. These are not only good for bringing in some extra cash, but they can also provide new skills and experience to add to a resume. There are many choices when it comes to side gigs but here are a few suggestions: tutoring, blogging, delivering food, or selling items on e-commerce sites. For the most part, this isn’t a permanent situation to help you relieve your financial stress. These gigs may only be necessary for a month or two. Keep your eye on the prize and cut out the extra work or side gig when you feel the pressure has subsided. Build an Emergency Fund An emergency fund is a savings account that is specifically set aside for unplanned expenses or emergencies. This is critical for when unexpected events occur. This can include things such as job loss, medical expenses, home repairs, car repairs, or family emergencies. Many times, people fall behind and end up in debt because they were hit with an unforeseen cost that they could not afford. An unplanned expense could set you back years if you have no savings and have to go into debt to pay for it. Like everything else we’ve talked about, setting a goal is the first step. Most experts suggest saving three to six months’ worth of expenses. This can vary depending on if you have kids or pets to care for. Remember that saving even a small amount of money, such as one month's worth of expenses, is useful. Create a schedule for making regular contributions and automate it. Figure out a reasonable plan to automatically transfer funds from your paycheck to your emergency savings account. For example, you might transfer 5-10% of your paycheck or transfer a specific amount such as $40 per week. Either way, know you are preparing for the inevitable unexpected expense down the road. If you’re having a hard time setting aside extra money, refer back to cutting expenses. The money saved by canceling subscriptions can be reallocated to an emergency fund. Set a guideline so you understand how you want to use this fund. The idea is to use it to avoid creating new debt in an emergency. Instead of taking out a loan or using a credit card, which will end up costing more due to interest and fees, tap into your reserve fund if you have to. Remember, this is for emergencies, not vacations or Christmas shopping. You may feel more at ease if you are confident that you have enough cash on hand to take care of yourself in an emergency. Even if you can't plan for when an unforeseen expense or other problem may hit your budget, you can reduce your financial stress knowing that you have a reserve fund to help with costs. Conclusion Resolving financial problems is a slow and gradual process, but staying committed to your goal will soon show the results you’re looking for. Being overwhelmed by financial stress is a common feeling among many people, so remember you’re not alone. The sooner you start, the sooner you will reach a point of peace knowing you are on your way to being good stewards with what God has given you. With January being National Financial Wellness Month, it’s a great time to start improving your finances and limiting the stress that comes with it Source: Thrive Global, 1/7/23.

THE 6 HABITS OF THE ULTRA WEALTHY

This newsletter is credited to Tom Corley who published this article in Money/CNBC. I think it is spot on and I hope you enjoy it. Striking it rich is not a fluke. It takes hard work, fearlessness and a growth mindset. I spent five years studying the habits of 233 millionaires — 177 of them were self-made — to find out how they make use of their time. Based on my research, I identified six principles they all shared that helped them build wealth. The best part is that anyone can implement these and start working towards becoming a millionaire. 1. Self-made millionaires are constantly learning. For the millionaires I interviewed, learning and self-improvement were top priorities. Forty-nine percent reported that they took a few minutes every day to learn new words, and 61% shared that they practiced new skills (i.e., a sport or online class) for a minimum of two hours a day. Another 63% said they listened to audiobooks during their work commutes. Seventy-one percent said they often read self-help books. Many of them gravitated towards biographies of successful people. 2. Self-made millionaires listen more than they talk. One strategy that came up many times during my interviews was the “5:1 listening rule.” In group settings, for every minute they spoke, the millionaires listened for five minutes. This helped them to strengthen their work relationships and get a number of different perspectives on a given issue. And 81% said that they actively sought feedback from others every day, both inside and outside of the workplace. 3. Self-made millionaires build great teams. In my study, 86% of self-made millionaires worked an average of 50 hours or more a week. But they didn’t work alone. Many succeeded because they focused on their strengths and figured out a way to outsource their weaknesses. If they did not possess a particular skill, they delegated to someone who was great at it, so they could focus on the bigger picture and have more time and mental energy to execute it. Surrounding themselves with people who shared their vision made it possible to go the distance with their goals. 4. Self-made millionaires dream big. Many of the millionaires in my study used a strategy I call “Dream-Setting.” They sat down and wrote out what their ideal, perfect life looked like 10 years into the future. One of the millionaires in my study was passionate about wine, and thought that he could make millions investing in it. His family and friends didn’t think it was possible, but he was undeterred. Over the course of 15 years, he became an expert in the industry. In 2001, he liquidated a small fraction of his wine collection and was able to buy his dream home on the beach in Florida. He made $4 million in earnings — all because he refused to give up on an idea he believed in. 5. Self-made millionaires prioritize their health. Good health translates into longevity, which means more time to create more wealth. One millionaire struggled with her weight for a long time. One day, she decided to walk one mile a day. After a month, she increased to two miles, then three. By the time I interviewed her, she had run three marathons. She attributed her energy, focus and drive to succeed in part to these incremental fitness goals that changed her life. 6. Self-made millionaires make their own luck. I’m not talking about the kind of luck you have in Las Vegas; a whopping 94% of millionaires in my study said that they never gamble. Luck in this context isn’t happenstance, but taking a gamble on something new. Many of the millionaires shared an ability to see what is invisible to others, and come up with creative solutions and alternate routes to success. Ultimately, persistence creates opportunities, and luck eventually comes to those who refuse to quit on their dreams and goals. Source: Tom Corely, Money/CNBC, 11/19/22.

Exercising on a Budget

✓ Utilize the space you have and transform your garage or spare room into a small workout area. ✓ Buy multi-use equipment if your budget allows: o Resistance Bands o Dumbbells o Jump Rope o Step o Exercise Ball ✓ Shop second-hand stores or local online postings to find lightly used fitness equipment at a fraction of the cost. ✓ Incorporate body weight exercises that do not require special equipment to perform such as squats, lunges, pushups, and planks. ✓ Find workout videos that can be done at home and don’t require any special equipment or large amounts of space. ✓ Search for social media posts containing inspirational at-home workouts. ✓ Go outside! The outdoors are an incredible resource due to the unlimited possibilities for aerobic activity and bodyweight strength exercises. ✓ Get creative! Grab household items such as milk jugs, soup cans, or even your children to use as weights. ✓ Sign up for a fun sports league with some friends in your area; for example - volleyball, kickball, ultimate Frisbee, basketball, etc. ✓ Find some stairs outdoors and do laps up and down. ✓ Bike for transportation to save money on gas and get some exercise in! Family Activities for FREE! ✓ Engaging your family in physical activity is a great benefit to your health journey. ✓ Go on bike rides in your neighborhood or local trails. ✓ Walk to your local park and maybe perform a few pull ups on the monkey bars. ✓ Play tag in the backyard; whoever loses has to do 10 sit ups. ✓ If you live near a public beach, spend a day swimming and jumping over waves. ✓ Go on walks around the block to get some steps in. If the weather is poor, head to a local supermarket or mall to do some laps. What to Do Next There are a lot of cheap and free options to increase your activity levels. Be creative. Start today!! Source: Jesse Wirges, 10/26/22.

Do you know the top 4 benefits of sun?

Summer is in full force and the warm weather is everywhere, which means some of our favorite activities are back! The calendar fills up with pool days, walks in the park, trips to the local ice cream shop, hikes, family vacations, and school-free weeks. The return of the warmth entices us to get outside and enjoy the fresh air, but the constant reminder of protecting your skin from the sun is ever present in the back of our minds. Although the sun may get a bad rap due to the nasty burns it can cause if we aren’t careful, there are actually many health benefits that result from spending time in the sunshine! Good Source of Vitamin D Did you know that sun exposure for at least 15-30 minutes, especially around midday, produces vitamin D within the body? Vitamin D is an essential nutrient in the body and plays a vital role in calcium absorption, bone health, and immune system function, so ensuring the sun’s rays hit our skin to start the vitamin D production process is beneficial to our overall health. Low levels of this vitamin lead to symptoms such as fatigue, bone pain, muscle weakness or aches, and low mood. No wonder this vitamin is dubbed the “sunshine vitamin!” Ensures a Good Night’s Sleep Spending time in the sun during daytime hours also ensures we get that much needed sleep once our head hits the pillow at night. Our sleep, along with hormone production, body temperature, and digestion, is regulated by what is known as the circadian rhythm. This rhythm ensures that certain sleep hormones like melatonin are produced at appropriate times and amounts so that if any dysregulation is present, your sleep will be negatively impacted which is cause for concern since sleep plays a vital role in our overall health and disease prevention. So, get out into the sun! Spending most of the day outdoors or, better yet, spending full days outside on a camping trip, can reset your circadian rhythm resulting in a healthier sleep schedule. Helps Weight Management Not only does the warm weather provide more opportunity for outdoor physical activity, some studies show that regular sunlight actually helps fat cells sitting beneath the skin to shrink in size, thus reducing the amount of fat being stored within those cells. Although more research is still needed to observe the full cellular impact, we can still get moving outdoors to not only improve our cells, but increase our overall caloric burn as well. More movement alone aids in managing body weight and metabolic efficiency, so doing activity in the sun is just an added bonus for your body. Uplifts Overall Mood Yes, the sun can make us happy! When the sunlight hits our skin, our brain is triggered to release a “happy” hormone called serotonin. When levels of this hormone rise, we experience a boost in our overall mood which helps us feel more calm, happy, and focused. Studies even show that “among depressed participants, a dose-response relationship was found between sunlight exposure and cognitive function [mood, serotonin, and melatonin production], with lower levels of sunlight associated with impaired cognitive status.” So, if we are ever down in the dumps, we should focus on adding some sunshine to help brighten our day! Takeaway The moral of the story is that the sun isn’t to be fully feared and avoided. Although sun safety measures should still be implemented to ensure the harmful effects of too much sun time are prevented, regular time outdoors does indeed have a positive impact on our overall health both physically and mentally. We should enjoy those walks to the park or the family camping trips this summer…our bodies will thank us for the added time in the sunshine. Source: Jesse Wirges, 8/3/22.

Do You Have an Adaptable Attitude?

More from Denis Waitley, from his book Being the Best on page 222... If you want to thrive in life and in your business, you must have an adaptable attitude. The following four suggestions will help you put an adaptable attitude into action: 1. Instead of fearing change, expect it. View change as normal. Constantly check how flexible you are to new ideas, surprises and other situations that demand adaptability to change. My commentary - How did you adapt to the pandemic? Now that 8.6% inflation is here how will you pivot and adapt? How flexible are you to new ideas to combat this inflationary period? 2. Use the salvage-the situation approach. When things don't work out just the way you planned, don't panic or go into a blue funk. No matter what game you are playing, one loss does not make a season. One strike-out doesn't mean you can't win the batting championship. My commentary - How would you feel if you lost $80,000 in less than 20 minutes? Well now you know how I felt trading Apple options about ten years ago. Yup $40,000 evaporated in under twenty minutes. Trust me I was not happy, nor did I feel well; but, instead of giving up or going into a depression I learned what mistake I made and moved forward. In the ten years since I have made that $80K loss up dozens of times, if not hundreds of times over. One strikeout does not mean the end of the season if you can learn and adapt. 3. Ignore the little disappointments and irritations in order to reach your larger goal. Many people let the little things get to them and ruin their performance, attitude and chances for success. Adaptable people learn to live with a certain amount of inconvenience, embarrassment, discouragement, dismay and antagonism. They concentrate on what really counts-the major goal or objective. My commentary - I remember the first focus group that I did. Not only did I BOMB, but I embarrassed the hell out of myself because it was my accountant who set it up. By keeping the major goal in front of me I was able to analyze where I went wrong (everywhere!) and build a better presentation that has propelled my practice to soaring heights. 4. Remember the prayer of Reinhold Niebuhr. Change what you can, accept what you cannot change, and ask for the wisdom to know the difference. My Commentary-Amen to that! It is so spot on and when you live that prayer you automatically become adaptable. You heard it here first. In Gratitude, Paul Source: 911profit.com, 7/13/22.

40 Proven Business Killers

The article below will outline 40 proven business killers. Take an inventory of the list and cease any of the actions on that list. Next you must create a plan that will give you consistent growth by helping you to attract the best buyers in your market. This must be coupled with proper procedures. Lastly your plan must include business skills that will lessen your debt and start you saving for retirement. The time is now to make the changes. Inflation is ticking up quickly along with higher interest rates. Gas prices are high also. You deserve to stop living in fear and doubt. 99% of my clients probably started just like you. Hating the idea of being coached; hating the idea of spending money; and hating the idea of doing things differently. Go ahead and read some of their testimonials by clicking here. The following list will outline guaranteed small business killers. If you are inadvertently doing or not doing any of these, you may want to make the correction immediately. 1. You have no specific marketing plan 2. You are not spending present time consciousness with your customers/clients/patients 3. You are visualizing what you don't want instead of what you do want 4. You have a poverty consciousness 5. You don't read enough 6. You are in a constant state of fear 7. You do not train your staff 8. You do not have written goals 9. You are still using procedures that are old and have not been modified to reflect the present economy 10. You do not have a team of trusted advisers 11. You do not run or know how to read financial statements 12. You do not know how to create a budget 13. You do not understand business principles 14. You are not organized 15. You lack procedures 16. You do not understand how to strategically market 17. Nobody is holding you accountable 18. Your business practices are questionable 19. You are not innovative 20. You do not know how to upsell, down sell and cross sell 21. You fail to get out of your office to meet new people 22. You do not teach your employees how to run your business via systems 23. You are not using modern technology 24. You are frustrated 25. You are burnt out 26. You are apathetic 27. You don't donate time and or money 28. Your employees are not profit centers 29. Your staff needs to be told what to do next 30. You do not know how to control expenses 31. You have credit card debt 32. You are unprepared to pay your taxes 33. You live paycheck to paycheck 34. You wish you never went into your business 35. You do not have written goals 36. You do not look at your written goals daily 37. You waste time and procrastinate 38. You are not happy 39. You are not healthy 40. You do not wake up happy Start working on the list above and see what happens to your business or practice. You heard it here first. In Gratitude, Paul PS: A friend or colleague may benefit from what you just read. Please share it with them. Source: 911profit.com, 6/20/22.

15 hobbies to try that don't involve screens

Anyone else feel convicted when you get your “screen time” report on your phone each week? What about TV? How much time in front of that screen do we get sucked into during the week? Why are we so attached to these things? I have a theory that the total and even partial isolation we all experienced during the pandemic drove us more and more to our screens. Not that all of that was bad. Believe me, I’m grateful for technology keeping us all connected! But… Exposing ourselves and our families to too much of this can start to affect our thoughts and possibly even our actions—likely toward each other. It can be especially easy to get caught in the vicious cycle of scrolling mindlessly through our social media feeds—all in the name of connecting, of course. But does that really help us connect with each other? A study done by Stanford Medicine’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education cites that, “People who feel more connected to others have lower levels of anxiety and depression. Moreover, studies show they also have higher self-esteem, greater empathy for others, are more trusting and cooperative and, as a consequence, others are more open to trusting and cooperating with them. In other words, social connectedness generates a positive feedback loop of social, emotional, and physical well-being.” So, if real human connection is good for us in more ways than one and screens are seemingly counteractive to this connection, what should we do about it? May I suggest picking up a hobby… 1. Running I’m not suggesting to go into full-blown marathon training; however, there are many benefits to incorporating a running routine into your list of hobbies and even health goals. These can include increased lifespan, better sleep, sustained weight loss, and improved mental health. Want to find connection in running? Join a local run club or just grab a buddy and hit the pavement or trails! Start simple and see where it takes you. 2. Hiking Speaking of hitting the trails, maybe hiking through places like National or State Parks is more your style. No matter what type of trail you choose, it can be a total body workout. Not only does hiking get you out in nature, it can greatly increase your cardiovascular health, mental health, and relational health if you grab a friend or get the whole family involved. 3. Backyard Games With the weather warming up around the country, it’s the perfect time to invite some friends or neighbors over for a good old-fashioned Bar-B-Q, complete with an array of backyard games! Corn hole, badminton, and croquet are just a few. Or match up family vs. family in a classic game of kick ball. Your options are pretty much limitless! 4. Metal Detecting Get off those screens and get out looking for treasure! Whether it’s on a beach, along a trail, or even in a local park, it will get you out and moving. Living on the east coast of Florida, I hear stories all the time of folks finding old Spanish coins that washed ashore from centuries-old ship wrecks and were buried under mounds of sand. Though you may never find anything of great value, the thrill of the hunt can keep you out for hours! 5. Geocaching Okay, so this one may involve using your smart phone. BUT… it can be great fun to get the whole family involved. Parents can download the official Geocaching® app or use a GPS device and sign up for a free account to get started. Kids should bring a pen along to sign and date the logbooks when you find a geocache. They will love the experience of the adventure you create together! 6. Gardening Whether you have a black thumb like me or you fancy yourself a horticulturist, gardening can be fun and relaxing, and fairly easy to get started. If you’re worried about the upkeep, you can start small with planting a few herbs you know can be used in cooking, for example. Many stores will have herb kits to get you started. If you are looking to rival the gardens in HGTV magazine, it’s a good idea to visit your local nursery for tips and advice on which plants will thrive in your climate and the best season in which to plant them. The key to gardening is to be patient, no matter how you get started. 7. Painting Growing up in the 80s, Bob Ross helped us all believe painting was as easy as “adding some happy little trees”—simple enough for the average Joe. Though you may not be the next Picasso, there seem to be painting studios popping up all over the country with totally doable follow-along classes. With more than 240 locations all across the country, Painting with a Twist offers both in-person classes and take-home kits. Or maybe painting pottery is your thing. A quick Google search should help you find a studio near you. Hint: painted pottery from kids make excellent Mother’s Day, birthday, or Christmas presents! 8. Crafting While we’re talking about making gifts, there can be great satisfaction in creating things with your hands. From Christmas crafts to everyday home décor crafts, the possibilities are endless and DIY YouTube videos abound. You can also find a plethora of kid craft ideas plastered all over Pinterest—perfect for gifts for family and friends. 9. Camping One silver lining of the recent pandemic was the boom in camping. Families realized it was a great time to get outdoors and spend time together, reconnecting in nature. RVs are a great way to experience camping, or maybe you’re more into “roughing it” with a tent under the stars. Either way, with more than 60 National Parks and a multitude of State Parks wherever you are, there are plenty of exciting places to explore whether just for a night or an extended vacation. 10. Stargazing Speaking of being under the stars, have you ever looked up on a clear night and just marveled at the vast number of stars out there? A great way to appreciate God’s amazing power in creation and get your kids involved is buying a decent telescope and finding a clear space away from trees and lights. Keying in on the moon or fellow planets is cool enough, but don’t miss out on any number of meteor showers that take place throughout the year. 11. Rock Climbing You don’t have to live in the mountains to benefit from this extreme activity. Many cities throughout the US have indoor rock gyms these days. It doesn’t take much to get started, though if you decide it is something you want to do long-term, you may want to invest in some quality climbing equipment. This is also a hobby best done with a friend or two and is a great way to build up your strength and stamina. 12. Scuba Diving Maybe scaling high altitudes isn’t your thing. How about under water? Though considered an “extreme sport,” scuba diving can be very safe and, as I have found, amazingly fun (albeit not cheap)! You don’t even have to live near an ocean to dive as there are quarries, springs, or lakes just about anywhere that you can explore. The first step is to get certified through an organization like PADI. There are more than 6,600 PADI certified dive centers worldwide with a full range of classes including basic and advanced scuba, wreck diving, rescue certification, digital underwater photography courses, and much more. With diving, the world is your ocean—literally! 13. Cooking I used to like cooking… then I had kids. Enough said. However, there are so many new cooking shows out there that even my kids are now into it. Many places around the country offer family or group cooking classes where you can get step-by-step instructions as you work to create culinary masterpieces. Then, you get the advantage of being able to eat your creations together. And not just main courses. To my kids’ delight, they have been learning how to create decadent desserts. No matter what you choose to learn, enjoy the process (and the fruits of your labor) along the way. 14. Reading Ditch the screens and get lost—in a good book! Not only can reading improve your vocabulary, you get to use your imagination (assuming it’s fiction) which activates your brain rather than numbing your brain while watching TV for hours. This is a hobby you can even do for free by visiting your local library. Yes, you can access books on your mobile devices these days. But nothing beats holding a physical book in your hands and being able to flip through the pages. And if you have kids, your teacher will thank you for encouraging them to read outside the classroom. 15. Take Up an Instrument If you’ve had learning to play the guitar or piano on your bucket list, now is as good a time as any! In fact, make it a family affair and learn something together. The beauty of this hobby is you can learn at any age. It may take a while, but as they say: practice makes perfect. This Johns Hopkins article explores how music can impact your brain function and comes with many physical and mental health benefits that can keep us feeling young. Of course, this is not an exhaustive list. Whether indoors or out, you are only limited by your imagination as far as picking up a new hobby. The goal is to get out there and have fun, try something new, involve the family or even friends, and limit the time we spend looking at screens. I’m especially cognizant of this as a parent. I want to encourage creativity and adventure in my kids as they grow up, engaging in conversations, laughing together, and learning new things. They won’t be around forever, after all. Source: Rebecca Barrack, 5/16/22.

14 Reasons That Will Prevent you from Reaching your 2022 Goals

Here’s a list of reasons you may fall short of your 2022 goals: 1. You’re addicted to instant gratification. Otherwise stated you’re treating a marathon like a sprint. 2. You’re consumed with the ‘little stuff’ that doesn’t matter (what you’ll wear, what you’ll eat etc..). 3. You spend too much time consuming social media. 4. You’re waiting until you’re “ready” … Reasons come first and answers come second. You’ll never be ready to make a jump in and start swimming. 5. Staying in your head ‘deciding’ if it’s the RIGHT MOVE for you. 6. Worrying about people judging you. 7. Feeling selfish for wanting to change. 8. Telling yourself the ‘timing isn’t right’ because of the pandemic, Thanksgiving, Christmas, upcoming school holiday break, summer holidays… and the list goes on. Remember, start swimming. 9. Worrying that you’re rushing it and will regret it later. 10. Feeling that you’re unworthy and not deserving. 11. You don’t surround yourself with people that can help you. Your greatest successes come through other people… and the people that helped you get ‘here’ will likely not help you get ‘there’. 12. You don’t track your progress and therefore don’t realize you’re actually making gains. 13. You made a list of things you want but not a list of WHY you want them. When I do anything worthwhile, I create a list of reasons WHY I want to complete it and each time I get frustrated, rather than quitting… I read my list of REASONS. BOOM… bigger picture dominates the little picture and I push on. 14. This one need to be the first and the last. You’re addicted to instant gratification. Otherwise stated you’re treating a marathon like a sprint. You heard it here first. In Gratitude, Paul Source: Dr. Paul Inselman, 911profit, 3/26/22.

10 ways to use online reviews to beat the competition

1. Update your Yelp Page Start by claiming your business on Yelp and updating your page. Make sure essential information is correct so customers can easily find you. This includes your website, phone number, and hours of operation. 2. Respond to every review When choosing a local business, 78% of customers feel that an owner or manager responding to reviews is an important factor (BrightLocal). Your response isn’t just for the reviewer. It’s a message that prospective customers will see when they are considering your business. A polite and helpful response is a signal that you appreciate happy customers and take negative feedback seriously. 3. Personalize your responses Make review responses stand out by personalizing them. Pick something specific from each review to call out in your response. Imagine a customer raves about fast service. You might respond with, “We’re so glad we were able to serve you quickly! Fast service is something we’re obsessed with.” Personalization shows prospective customers that you read each review and truly care about providing a great product, service, or experience. 4. Reply to negative reviews Don’t shy away from responding to negative reviews. Customers typically don’t trust a perfect 5-star overall rating, so a negative review can actually help you earn more business. An analysis by Womply found that businesses earn the most revenue when they maintain a 3.5- to 4.5-star average. Compared to those with just a few negative reviews, businesses earn 13% more revenue when 15-20% of its reviews are negative. Many prospective customers read negative reviews to see what upset customers have to say and how you respond. Let’s say a customer complains about a long wait. You might respond with: “Thanks for sharing your feedback! We take pride in serving customers quickly and have recently made several improvements to get better. We hope you’ll give us another chance to see the difference!” That response tells other customers you really care and are working to address the problem. 5. Be polite when responding to unreasonable reviews It can be difficult to keep your cool when writing a response to a 1-star review that’s full of errors and exaggerations, but a scathing response can be a turn off for prospective customers. You’ll earn more business by responding politely and professionally. A study published in the Journal of Service Research found that people are more likely to empathize with you when you respond politely to a rude customer. Rather than getting defensive, tactfully offer helpful advice to anyone else who might be reading the review. For example, a customer left a 1-star review for a carpet and flooring company, claiming they had called to get an estimate, but nobody had called them back. The owner politely responded, saying she double-checked her phone records and could not find the message. The owner added that it was unintentional if she missed the customer’s call and was sorry if they let the prospective customer down. The owner’s response gave other customers confidence that a missed call was not a chronic problem, and the flooring company’s 4-star overall rating was justified. 6. Fix problems Reviews contain useful feedback that can help you improve the customer experience—even positive reviews can include insightful, constructive criticism. A popular restaurant with a 4.5-star rating received three reviews in a two-week span that mentioned dirt or hair in items served. The reviews ranged from two to four stars, and each reviewer complimented the restaurant for friendly service. This wasn’t a vindictive review from a single upset customer. It was feedback that signaled a potential problem that should be investigated and fixed. 7. Discover your unique advantage Online reviews can help you discover what makes your business special. A great example is a wine bar in Portland, Oregon called Oregon Wines on Broadway. It has a 3.5-star Yelp rating, but look closely and you’ll find some very consistent themes. People who love it mention a great selection of Oregon Pinot Noir, knowledgeable employees, and a great place to engage in conversation. Customers who don’t like it mention a loud, boisterous atmosphere and rude staff. How can both be true? Because Oregon Wines on Broadway is a great place to go when you want to discover great wine and meet some locals. The atmosphere is boisterous and the employees are pretty salty, which can make it a lot of fun if that’s what you’re prepared for. But it’s definitely not the place to go for a quiet, romantic date. 8. Don’t solicit reviews Yelp prohibits businesses from asking customers for reviews, but there’s another reason why soliciting reviews is a bad idea. A customer’s last experience with a business tends to be one of the most memorable. When you ask for a review, you’ve just made your request the last thing customers remember, rather than their great experience. Here’s an example: A landscaper installed a new front lawn at a customer’s home. When the homeowner mentioned how much he loved his new lawn, the landscaper asked him to write a Yelp review. In that moment, the customer was elated about his new lawn but worried about keeping it that way. This was a perfect opportunity for the landscaper to reassure the customer with some lawn care tips. Instead, the landscaper shifted the conversation from the new lawn to asking the customer for a favor (and failed to earn the review). 9. Be proactive and address issues early The best way to avoid negative reviews (and earn positive ones) is to detect and address problems immediately. A restaurant server asked a table the standard, “How is everything?” question. When one guest hesitantly replied, “It’s alright,” the server sensed something was wrong. He asked a few more questions and learned the guest didn’t care for the lasagna. The guest’s feedback was shared with the chef, who discovered a new line cook hadn’t fully mastered the lasagna recipe. The issue was quickly resolved, and the server invited the guest to come back and enjoy another order of lasagna on the house. Listening and acting on direct customer feedback prevented a negative review and earned the customer’s repeat business. 10. Inspire your employees Share reviews with employees on a regular basis. Positive reviews feel great and can inspire employees to work even harder to serve customers. Negative reviews can also be motivational if you use them constructively as ways to improve. Just be careful to approach negative reviews constructively, especially if the customer exaggerates or is unreasonable. Employees are more loyal to a business when they know their boss supports them. Source: J. Toister, www.yelp.com, 2/12/22.

Why No One Sleeps and What to Do About It

Sleep is a mystery. Sometimes it’s an easy, thoughtless process and other times it’s like trying to find a tiny piece of eggshell in a completely mixed cake batter. I’ve often thought about the mystery of sleep while rocking and coaxing (sometimes pleading) my now 11-month-old to sleep. As an adult, it’s still a necessity and yet rarely a priority. Whether it’s a result of overscheduling, emotional distress, a need to relax, or certain life stages (having young children for example), sleep is often sacrificed to create the extra space needed in our lives. Shocking Sleep Statistics and Trends Sleep Advisor compiled some shocking sleep statistics and trends for 2021 in which they noted that “In 1942, Americans had 7.9 hours on average per night compared to 6.8 hours in 2013, which is a 13% decrease.” Equally shocking is the statistic they sited from the CDC in which “35% of adults don’t get enough sleep (7 hours per day.)” That’s one out of every three people that are not getting the recommended amount of sleep. What could you do with an extra hour of sleep each night? The Power of Sleep While insufficient sleep can lead to a whole host of problems, good sleep can aid in “immune function, detoxification, and increased metabolism” to name a few. If we understood the power of proper sleep, we might just be more motivated to prioritize it in our lives. Dr. Fuhrman, from the Nutritional Research Foundation, links the rise in chronic diseases with the rise in patients suffering from inadequate sleep. He believes that sleep disorders, such as insomnia and sleep apnea, can be treated with diet, exercise, and good sleep hygiene. How Sleep Works As cited by the Sleep Foundation, although decades of research have been dedicated to studying the intricacies of sleep, scientists still have much to learn. What we do know is that within minutes of falling asleep, things in your body and brain change. Basically, your brain and body power down, and you expend less energy. There are also four different stages to sleep which include deep sleep and REM sleep (two of the most well-known stages.) Throughout a good night’s sleep, a person will move through these stages multiple times in what is called a sleep cycle. Our hormones and chemicals play a vital role in our sleep regulation, and it goes without saying that sleep is important. However, all of this science barely matters to you if you’re struggling with sleep. Healthy Sleep Tips So, what can you do about it? The Sleep Foundation created an extensive list of healthy sleep tips to help establish better “sleep hygiene” which include: Creating a Sleep-Inducing Bedroom Optimizing Your Sleep Schedule Crafting a Pre-Bed time Routine Fostering Pro-Sleep Habits During the Day Bypass the Afternoon Slump with Energy Sustaining Tips One of the healthy sleep tips under “Fostering Pro-Sleep Habits During the Day” is to avoid caffeine in the afternoon. Are you tempted to caffeinate when you feel that afternoon slump hit? Before reaching for that second (or third, or fourth) cup of coffee in the afternoon, stop! It may be what’s impacting your sleep. Consider bypassing the afternoon slump with these healthier habits. What is Blue Light and How to Protect Yourself The technological age that we live in has brought even more challenges to sleep hygiene. They certainly weren’t dealing with the effects of blue light in 1942 when the average adult was getting an extra hour of sleep every night. With screens seemingly everywhere we turn, how can we protect ourselves from blue light? Some of the many helpful tips from the article “What is Blue Light and How to Protect Yourself” include: Take screen breaks. Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Start minimizing or eliminating your screen time in the 2-3 hours prior to bed time. Use light-blocking or room-darkening curtains or blinds. Is Over-scheduling Causing You Stress and Inadequate Sleep? Stress can be detrimental to sleep and many families are victim to rampant over-scheduling. If you feel like your life is just too busy for you to prioritize getting adequate sleep, consider the helpful information in this article, “Is Over-scheduling causing you stress?” which includes warning signs of overscheduling and what to do about it. Conclusion Sleep is good. Sleep is important. Sleep is a mystery. Source: e. englert, 1/8/22.

How Exercise Can Help Inflammation

Achy joints, minor swelling, even aches related to weather change are common hindrances to pursuing activity goals. Many things can sidetrack us if we let them, whether reasonable or not. However, one of the more viable and common hindrances to pursuing healthy goals can be the pain brought on by inflammation. When our muscles and joints are aching, the last thing we want to do is MOVE. Because it hurts. Let’s explore how we can find the freedom to move again! WHAT is inflammation? Inflammation occurs when the tissues of the body are damaged by things such as bacteria, trauma, toxins, or various other irritants. These damaged cells then release chemicals that make the blood vessels leak fluid into the body’s tissues and swelling occurs. The manifesting characteristics of inflammation are redness, heat, pain, and often loss of function. Acute inflammation, caused by injury, sickness, or even allergies, is generally short-lived and thus typically has only a brief impact on healthy activities. When linked to disease, however, inflammation can become chronic. Ultimately, chronic inflammation, left unaddressed, can have a significant impact on overall health and well-being. We will take a closer look at who inflammation generally affects, why exercise is important, and how the right kind of exercise can confront and reduce the inflammatory pain to keep us moving toward our BEST health. WHO Is Affected? Those who are most commonly challenged by the pain associated with inflammation are those with conditions like fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 23% of the adult population in America suffers from arthritis of various kinds. Another 4 million Americans suffer from fibromyalgia. These conditions are caused and characterized by inflammation in the joints and muscles. Moving can feel painful when these conditions are escalated. Although not moving feels like the right response, it typically does not remove the pain or aid in reducing inflammation. In fact, inactivity can make things worse by creating stiff and weak muscles, leading to joint problems, and pain can increase. Allowing pain to dictate mobility often creates a vicious cycle of pain that can overall health. WHY Is Exercise Important? Foundational to breaking through the pain of inflammation is realizing that exercise is important for the health of the entire body. Cardiovascular and muscular training are innate to developing a strong heart, lungs, core, and limbs. Exercise keeps us functional as we age and provides us with the energy to do those things that are both necessary and enjoyable. Exercise effectively helps to keep metabolism higher so a healthy weight can be maintained. Cholesterol and blood pressure levels are also profoundly affected by exercise. Additionally, exercise is beneficial to mental health. With bodily exertion, “happy” hormones—epinephrine and norepinephrine—are released into the bloodstream which emotionally make us feel good! As we can see, because keeping the body moving is so very important to overall health, climbing over the hurdle of inflammation is worth the effort required. Ultimately, an immobile body tends to slowly decline because the important functions the body was naturally designed to perform are hindered. In a nutshell, exercise is key to every aspect of our health. HOW Does Exercise Benefit Inflammation? In most cases, exercise can have a significant impact on reducing inflammation. Positive and life-changing benefits come from gradually implementing movement, giving the body an opportunity to respond on the cellular and chemical levels in a natural way to reduce pain. With a doctor’s approval and recommendations, simply starting to move in small ways will begin the journey toward mobility. Recent research done by the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine found that even 20 minutes of moderate intensity exercise can be enough to suppress the production of the pro-inflammatory cellular components in the blood. Exercise naturally ignites the body’s sympathetic nervous system, which promotes the release of those “happy hormones” we talked about earlier. Those same chemicals that make us feel good after exercising also work to reduce inflammation. That’s what we call a win-win! Also, important to understand is that only moderate intensity exercise is necessary to experience these benefits. In other words, we don’t have to get out and sprint down the block 10 times to trigger this positive body response - a sure relief to anyone experiencing pain. Merely 20 to 30 minutes of moderate exercises like brisk walking can be enough to provoke the hormonal response that reduces inflammation. And there is more. Another important body response to exercise when joints are put in motion is that synovial fluid is released, which both lubricates and reduces swelling in the joints. Most of us have experienced stiffness in our joints and extremities after sitting or lying down for an extended period of time. After taking a few “creaky” steps, however, we loosen up and within a few minutes, the stiffness and associated pain subside. This has everything to do with the body’s lubricating systems being dormant and then rising to perform as they are called upon with movement. Being active helps keep these systems efficient and ready to provide the body what it needs to function in a pain-free way. Let’s Get Started The most important things to remember are: The first steps should be “small” ones. There is no need to rush! If you are just starting out, try to make very gradual increments of change and notice how the body will adapt to what is demanded. Here is an example progression. 2-3 minutes of easy walking. Brisk walking, cycling, swimming (try to gradually work up to 20-30 minutes). Simple bodyweight strength exercises like wall squats, lateral leg lifts, planks, and pushups (modifying as necessary). Gradually, resistance bands can be introduced, increasing the resistance level as joints and muscles adapt. Finally, remember that as exercise time increases and new challenges are being considered, it is always best to consult with a doctor if there is any question as to what is appropriate or wise. Remaining mindful of how the body is responding is important and any concerns should always be addressed with your doctor or physical therapist. Conclusion The body is an amazing creation! The components that make up the human body were wonderfully designed by our Creator to work in tandem for optimal function. When any part of the body is not working to its potential, it can be very discouraging and will most certainly impact the body as a whole. Pain is never fun and can be a powerful deterrent to an active and healthy lifestyle. Armed with the proper knowledge, hope can be found in breaking through that cycle of pain. As wisdom and patience are applied in a practical way, the body will be given what it needs to grow healthy. The joy of movement can be restored! *If you have any questions about diet, exercise or nutritional supplements that can help you reduce inflammation; ask one of the doctors at our office. Source: Medical News Today; 11/17/21.