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Jill Bolte Taylor's stroke of insight | Video on TED.com

Jill Bolte Taylor's stroke of insight | Video on TED.com

“The True Meaning of Thanksgiving” - November 22, 2009

I haven't posted in a few days so I thought I would share this with you.  I've been helping a friend with a new blog, and his Thanksgiving Article was so good I decided I couldn't have said it better myself!  He addresses all aspects of our being:  Mind, Body & Spirit.  Interestingly, Stewart generally writes on topics concerning finance and estate planning.  He's pretty smart and insightful for a "financial guy".  

The Real Meaning of Thanksgiving by Stewart H. Welch, III
"Thanksgiving Day is coming…a time for families to get together and share turkey dinner. It’s a tradition that goes back to the founding of our country. Consider the true meaning of Thanksgiving: ‘To give thanks’. This Thanksgiving, take a moment to give thanks for all of your blessings: all the things you have; all the people that you care about and that care about you; that you live in a country that embraces freedom and allows everyone the opportunity to turn their dreams into reality…to achieve their highest potential.

Here’s my prescription for leading a life that you can be truly thankful for:

Feed your mind. A positive attitude can be a powerful antidote for the many challenges we face today. The mind’s natural state dwells in protectionism. Like the sentry on the ship, it screams, “Iceberg!” at just about every situation it encounters. Take control over your mind and train it to react with ‘possibilities’ and ‘learnings (from mistakes)’ versus fear and avoidance. We all have a certain ‘comfort zone’ that we live within. All personal growth is a result of pushing through fear into our ‘uncomfort’ zone. Train yourself to constantly challenge your comfort zone. For once you’ve broken through it, it is expanded forever.
Feed your body. Our bodies are truly amazing. Literally trillions of cells operate both independently and in harmony with each other. These bundles of energy require constant fuel in order to operate and we get to choose whether that fuel is high octane or low grade. Based on the obesity epidemic in America, it’s clear most of us are choosing low grade. Use Thanksgiving Day as a new beginning. Stop at one helping from the buffet line and focus more on the foods that support a healthy body. Commit to getting physical exercise every day, even if it’s just a short walk after dinner. Advancing medical science is dramatically extending life expectancy. If you want your retirement years to be active and healthy, adopt a healthy lifestyle starting now.
Feed your spirit. You are your ‘input’. What you read, watch, think about and talk about on a daily basis becomes who you are. Think of your mind as a computer with a massive hard drive. Your ‘computer’ is nothing more than the sum total of the data you have programmed into it. Make sure that you spend time feeding your mind subject matter that will support your mental growth. It has been said that you are the ‘average’ of the five people you spend the most time with. Who are those five people in your life? Are they a positive influence or is it time to ‘upgrade’?
Feed the Universe. In my experience, the deepest happiness comes from helping others. Ultimately, the purpose of life is to become the best person you can be so that you can help others become the best they can be. This requires that you become a person of action. Don’t just think about it, do something about it! This Thanksgiving, reach out and help someone less fortunate than you. Take dinner to a needy family; serve at one of the many food shelters; make a donation to a charity." You can read Stewart's Weekly Articles and follow him on his blog at www.StewartWelchArticles.com 

Carry on Bag Only!

My friend Katie Gilbert who travels the world asked me to share how I recently managed to pack for a 10 day trip with only a carry on bag.  Hmmm ... strategy:  Pick a basic color, black - Black pants, skirt, dress, yoga pants, tights and stockings.  All of my (10) tops, plus two cammies were lightweight & I chose fabrics that don't wrinkle and I rolled everything rather than folding. All my toiletries were the small size and fit into a quart bag for passing security, and I only needed a small make up bag.  I packed my flat iron, but left my blow dryer at home, packed black boots and one blazer. I even had room for a pair of pajama pants and a tank top to sleep in, and I took 3 scarves.  Part of my strategy was what I wore on the plane ... jeans, a top and a black leather blazer --- all more bulky, but great items for mix & match.  And here was my insurance policy ... that SECOND carry on you are allowed to take.  I put my computer, and normal event purse (large enough for the computer and notebook) inside a larger duffle bag so if I had extra items on my way back, I had room.  I made certain that it would fit under the seat in front of me.  Katie, I took MOST all the "equipment" you like to take ... Computer, back up hard drive, Cannon Camera ... a small one ... and my Flip Camera.  The major difference is that I don't have that LARGE camera that you like to use (and would like to have one, too!).  Did I forget anything?  YES!  I forgot my business cards!  Solution?  I went to  Staples online to choose, design and have 200 printed at a nearby store.  It took only 4 hours and I had cards for the event.  Problem solved, quickly and easily ... You can follow my friend Katie and her adventures on HER blog at www.LivingAdventuresoftheHeart.blogspot.com.  

I'm stuck in traffic crossing the Hoover Dam! Trip across the desert this afternoon had been awesome!

Food Inc. 2 of 2

For those of you who watched Food Inc. 1 of 1 a few days ago, here is part 2.  I hope you will all take time to watch, learn, take the actions you can as an individual to make better choices when you purchase your foods, and then share this video with others.  One person and one purchase at a time we can make a difference in our health, the quality of our food, our communities and our planet.