Overviewing The Slight Edge - Chapters 1 and 2

In these two great chapters Olson unveils the philosophy the drives the slight edge principle. The difference in those who have success and those that do not is in their philosophy of life, success, and happiness. That philosophy will either lead to necessary actions that guarantee results or it will lead to mediocrity and unrealized dreams. The philosophy will either be positive or negative. And it is easy to possess either one. In the video I explain the difference. Enjoy!

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Overviewing THE SLIGHT EDGE - Introduction

Is there really a difference between those who seemingly have the best that life offers and those that do not?  Do you ever, like I do, ponder questions like that? Many people live good lives yet still have yearnings of greater success or unrealized dreams. I was given a copy of The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson and, although I have read countless books on personal development, I was so intrigued by its' contents. 

 

Whether it is business or career success, goal achievement, or physical changes (like weight loss) Olson inspires a new way of thinking. I can't recommend the book enough.  

 

  

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Challenges for the Stay at Home Mom

Adapted from http://voices.yahoo.com/the-challenges-rewards-stay-home-moms-3658.html
Name: Collette Knittel Age: 29
Occupation: Stay-at -Home Mom
Whoever thought of that tossed around, worn-out title should be locked in a room and forced to listen to The Best of Elmo on repeat while whiney toddlers crowd around, searching for pant-legs to tug on. Stay at home, mom. It's the only job title with a command built right into it. It sounds more like what you tell your dog than an occupation. Combine the catchy title with the fact that stay-at-home moms are required to use up every ounce of their patience, creativity and energy on a daily basis with no hope of monetary compensation and it's understandable why this group doesn't get a booth at the community job fair.

Before my son, Gabe, was born I felt "unsettled" about my decision to give up my spot in the working world. As the staff writer for a state trade association, I commuted over an hour each morning to arrive at a gray fabric-walled cubicle where I planted my butt in a squeaky office chair for eight hours before tackling evening traffic. A dream job it was not. But it did have several perks, such as grown-ups and sick days and ample time to stare off into space. One of my girlfriends, who has two sons under age 3 liked to joke, "I go to work so I can relax." That comment echoes in my head often, usually when I'm chasing my 16-month-old down in a supermarket or cursing our dogs for barking at an errant squirrel and bringing naptime to a premature end. Even when Gabe isn't tearing around, running the house, I'm rushing to put dishes in the dishwasher, laundry in the dryer and scrub a toilet bowl or two. So far I've lost 10 pounds in addition to my pregnancy weight. I think they call it Elmo-cize.

I talk to my old work friends from time to time, but have found it difficult to maintain relationships with women who have had kids and returned to work. It feels as if a chasm has developed between "staying at home" and "working". In reality stay at home moms don't merely stay at home and working moms don't merely work, but somehow the labels have stuck. The first thing my working friends usually ask is, "So, what have you been up to?" This question seems to have a mental attachment accompanying it, depicting me beached on the couch, eating Spaghetti-Os and watching daytime TV. Then, when I get a minute to call a friend at work I picture them busy "working" so I don't bother to call. Not only are the labels misleading, they force us to make a choice and adopt a school of thought.

The women I talk to who work all use the words "well socialized" when describing their children. "Karley loves daycare. She gets bored at home with me. You should hear her squeal with delight when we pull into the parking lot." Sometimes they even take it a step farther and add, "I don't know how you can stand staying at home." While, most days, I am happy with the decision I made for our family (giving up the hours on the freeway and the mind-numbing fluorescent lighting to raise our son) I still find myself trying to create my own identity. There are times when I struggle with loneliness. I look over at my son with turkey deli meat waggling out of his drooley mouth and imagine what the girls at work are chatting about over Tazo iced-tea and focaccia sandwiches at the favorite lunchtime café. There are days when I feel like I have the most demanding, least appreciative boss around, even if he is less than three feet tall and can't speak English. But just when I feel like I can't stand to fold one more sock, or listen to "Elmo's Song" one more time, my son does something adorable like belly laugh at the dog or come bounding over to plant an enthusiastic, wet kiss on my face…and I'm glad I didn't miss it. --------------- Perhaps here's a solution:

A Man named LaLanne

Francois Henri "Jack" LaLanne (September 26, 1914 - January 23, 2011) was an American fitness, exercise, and nutritional expert and motivational speaker who is sometimes called "the godfather of fitness" and the "first fitness superhero." He described himself as being a "sugarholic" and a "junk food junkie" until he was 15. He also had behavioral problems, but "turned his life around" after listening to a public lecture by Paul Bragg, a well-known nutrition speaker. During his career, he came to believe that the country's overall health depended on the health of its population, writing that "physical culture and nutrition — is the salvation of America." Most of us remember him warmly. His advice is timeless and priceless.

Six Ways to Build Muscle with No Equipment or Gym Membership

HOW TO STAY HEALTHY

You don’t need expensive weight-lifting equipment or a costly gym membership to tone your body and increase lean muscle mass. The following six tips will show you that all you need is a little space and an open mind. In just a few short weeks, you can see a dramatic improvement in muscle tone and energy levels.

1. PUSH-UPS

Push-ups can help strengthen your shoulders, arms, chest, abdominals and back muscles. To perform the perfect push-up, first lie facedown on the floor with your legs together. Put your hands next to your shoulders with your palms flat on the ground. Raise your body onto your hands and toes. Now, counting to six, slowly lower yourself until your chest is just a few inches above the floor. Pause for one second and then repeat the movement. At first, do just three repetitions of a few sets. As your strength grows, increase the number of reps.If you have trouble performing a “classic” push-up, try the modified version. Instead of extending your legs and pivoting on your feet, let your knees touch the ground. Using your knees as the pivot points will reduce the amount of force needed to raise your body. But this method will still give your muscles the challenge needed to grow stronger.

 

 

 

2. CHAIR DIP

Using a sturdy chair or bench, begin by sitting with proper posture. Firmly grip the front of the bench and slide your feet forward until your butt is completely off the bench and your weight is supported by your arms. Your arms should be straight. Now bend at the elbows to lower your body. Straighten your arms to come back up. Just as with your push-ups, begin this exercise with three sets of just a few repetitions. As your strength and confidence grow, increase your reps. This exercise is great for your triceps, rear deltoids, lower pectorals, lower trapezius and lower latissimus muscles – the muscles that make up an attractive chest and torso for both men and women.

 

 

 

3. LUNGES

When it comes to giving your legs, hips and buttocks a workout, nothing beats the forward lunge. Stand with good posture and your feet shoulderwidth apart. Take a slow, exaggerated step forward with your right leg. Slowly bend your right knee to a 90-degree angle with your thigh nearly parallel to the floor. Lower your left knee until it almost touches the floor. Slowly reverse the movement and come back to the beginning position. Through the movement keep your back and neck straight and your eyes looking forward. Pause for a second and do the same movements with the opposite leg.

 

 

 

4. SIT-UPS

Sit-ups are great for strengthening your core muscles, but care must be taken to keep good form in order to protect your back.Begin by sitting on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your feet underneath a couch or other sturdy object that will help hold you in place. Cross your arms in front of your chest and tilt your upper body back slightly so it is at less than a 90-degree angle to the floor. Continue to slowly tilt your upper body back until it reaches a 45-degree angle to the floor. Pause for a few seconds, then slowly come back up to the starting position. Do not allow your back to fall all the way down to the floor. This will shift the stress from your abdominal muscles to your hips and lower back.

 

 

 

5. COBRA

The cobra exercise will help stretch and strengthen your hip flexor muscles, which tend to tighten as a result of bad posture and too much time spent sitting down. To perform the cobra exercise, first lie facedown on your stomach in the same way you would to perform a push-up. However, throughout this exercise keep the tops of your feet touching the floor. Place your hands palms down next to your shoulders. Instead of pushing your entire body up as you would in a push-up, use your arms to raise just your upper body. Feel your back stretch as you try to keep your pelvis flat on the floor while raising your upper body. If you feel pain in your lower back, come back down until there is no pain and hold there.

 

 

 

6. SQUATS

The squat will help strengthen your back, thighs, buttocks, abdomen and calves. You can increase the effectiveness of your squats by holding soup cans, milk cartons or other weighted objects in your hands as you work out.Keeping your head up and back straight, stand with your hands at your side and your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly bend your knees until your upper thighs are almost parallel to the floor. As your knees bend, let your buttocks move backward, and try to keep your back straight. You will naturally need to lean forward slightly, but do not bend too far forward at the waist. Hold the position briefly, then return to the standing position. Repeat several times.

 

 

Adapted from "The Art of Growing Young Magazine"
Be Blessed,
Tony Guthrie, Ph.D.
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The Danger of Belly Fat in Men

How to Stay healthy:

Belly fat can lead to increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. Many men ask the question, "how do you stay healthy?" or "how can you stay healthy?" In a recent study researchers followed about 360,000 Europeans enrolled in one of the largest, longest health studies in the world. They found that people with the most belly fat had about double the risk of dying prematurely as people with the least amount of belly fat.

 

People who carry their excess weight around their middles have a significantly increased risk for heart attacks and strokes. Also, the risks of other diseases, including diabetes, some cancers, and even age-related dementias are increased.

 

A man is considered at risk when his waistline measurement exceeds 40 inches; for women, the danger point is 35 inches. Viscerally-obese men (having "beer" bellies) have an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers, as well as lower levels of HDL, or "good" cholesterol. Belly fat raises the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, a linked group of dangerous conditions that includes insulin resistance, high blood glucose, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. This fat is also associated with sleep apnea and mental problems, including memory loss and reduced verbal fluency.

 How can you stay healthy?: Reducing Visceral Fat

Experts agree that the best way to rid yourself of visceral fat is through diet and exercise. Brisk walking for 30 to 45 minutes five days a week is ideal. A good rule of thumb is that your workout should be intense enough that your heart speeds up, but not so rigorous that you can't carry on a conversation. Trimming belly fat by cutting calories, exercising and limiting yourself to two alcoholic drinks a day can also help. Augment your exercise routine with a high-intensity workout one or two days a week. Before beginning any exercise regimen, consult your doctor.

 

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/348800-what-are-the-dangers-of-belly-fat-in-men/#ixzz29CEB52JW

 

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Turning Negatives Into Positives

How to Stay Healthy

 

The perspective that you choose to view your world from can make a huge difference in the types of people, experiences and circumstances you encounter. A positive outlook will attract positive situations into your life, while a pessimistic outlook will attract negative situations into your life. One of the easiest and most helpful things you can do mentally to help improve your quality of life is learn how to turn negatives into positives.

 

Depending on your current perspective, turning negatives into positives may be something you already do without realizing it. Let’s say you wake up on a rainy day. If your perspective is negative, you may think, “What a dreary day. It’s so gross out there that I don’t even want to get out of bed.” But if your perspective is positive, you would be more inclined to think about the fresh flowers and lush grass that come from the rain. This would be living the reminder that Jesus said that God takes care even of the lilies of the field.

 

Instead of giving into the negative and staying in bed, a positive perspective will encourage you to get up and experience the day in a positive light, despite the rainy weather. Turning negatives into positives is easy; all it requires is an open mind. The next time you find yourself thinking about something in a negative way, stop yourself and consciously look for something good to think about. For example, when you encounter a person whom you don’t get along with, instead of automatically dwelling on all the things you wish you could change about the person, take a few moments to think about the person’s qualities that you admire. The key is to pay attention to your feelings or your emotions. When you practice it for a while, it is easy to do – much easier than paying attention to the hundreds and thousands of thoughts you have each day. Just pay attention to your feelings, and when you realize your feelings are negative, switch to a positive thought. Any one will do: chocolate cake, your girlfriend or boyfriend, your children, a remembered pleasant vacation, or anything else.

 

When you switch to positive thinking, you will be in positive mode and attract more positives into your life. It is really fun – try it! Another time when we tend to focus on negatives is Monday morning. The beginning of the workweek can be a hectic time. We are reminded of busy schedules, looming deadlines and unhappy coworkers. Research has shown that this is actually the most prevalent time for people to have heart attacks. But turning your negative feelings into positive ones will make your job and week much more enjoyable. Instead of falling into the trap of complaining to your friends and coworkers about how much you have to do, think about how good you feel after meeting deadlines. The first way of thinking will lead to procrastination and more negatives. But changing your feelings to positive ones will help you accomplish more, which will, in turn, lead to more positive experiences at work and at home during your personal time. These are just a couple of common examples.

 

 

 

When you start to take notice, you will find that every day is filled with opportunities to switch from a negative frame of mind to a positive one. There is a very real and measurable force in effect to all of your actions, whether positive or negative. Your positive actions and outlooks will be met with more positive experiences. On the other hand, your negative actions and outlooks will be met with more negative experiences.

 

The goal is not to whitewash the world or live in denial. There will always be pain, sadness and negativity in the world. However, when you encounter these things, acknowledge them for what they are and allow yourself to experience the emotions attached to them, but do not dwell on them. Instead use them as examples of what you do not want in your life. Move forward and look toward positive times. Here’s a secret tip that will help make turning negatives into positives second nature: Start more sentences with the words “I can” or “I will.” I can change what is bothering me. I will make a difference. These positive phrases will help you refocus your thoughts and align your actions with positive forces. These words can be especially helpful on Mondays. Imagine how productive you could be if you started every Monday saying the phrase, “I will accomplish my goals this week and feel good about it. Others will notice me and I will attract positive people into my life.” This is much more motivating than saying, “I have so much to do, I don’t even want to start.”

 

Can you see how turning this negative thought into a positive one can directly change your entire week for the better? Negativity is like an addiction. In the beginning, it feels easier to allow yourself to dwell on the negative. And the more you do that, the more you will attract more of it into your life. But with just a little bit of practice, turning negatives into positives will be easier, because the more you do it, the better you will feel.

Be Blessed,

Tony
Work for Yourself from Home
(adapted from The Art of Growing Young Magazine)

 

Book Review: The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson

There are some books that everybody should read. Obviously the Bible tops the list. But every once in a while there comes a book that just makes sense for all of us. When one ponders why some people just seem to have it all in, seemingly, every area of their lives the question as to why arises. Jesus taught the principle of going the extra mile, particularly with our adversaries. What a thought to apply to our lives! But going the extra mile is a great concept that does not have to be relegated to adversaries alone.

In The Slight Edge Colson affirms the notion that 95% of people live lives of mediocrity or worse, failure. Most people never realize their dreams or their full potential. Olson acknowledges that the difference between the few who realize their dreams and goals and those who do not is a small little difference; a slight edge. This slight edge is merely doing the things that are uncomfortable now, so you don't have to do them later. Most people run from struggle or challenge. But those with a success mentality welcome it and actually affirm that challenges are simply a part of life. They don't fear them, they embrace them. Successful people face the challenge head on rather than cower in fear from them. Most people do the easy thing, flee. But successful people do that which is, in reality, equally easy; face the challenges and conquer them.



We live in a world of instant gratification. Everything is seemingly available to us now. So the concept of working consistently toward a goal over the long haul seems uninspiring for many, if not most, people. The concept of planting, cultivating, and then harvesting is well understood among farmers. And at one time in the culture this was a concept one understood as it relates to any goal. You first plant, then you cultivate, and eventually you harvest. With any goal or dream the planting stage involves doing the initial work to move in the right direction. After this the cultivation stage begins. This involves weeding (reassessing/re-focusing/evaluating/re-tooling) and watering. After the cultivation stage then comes the harvest. Successful people understand this while most people in our instant gratification world think they can jump from planting to the harvest; avoiding the necessary work of cultivation altogether.

Earl Nightingale reminded us that success is "the progressive realization of a worthy ideal." Progress takes time, energy, and effort. Successful endeavors oftentimes involve doing the uncomfortable things now so you don't have to do them later. Olson reminded us that if we take the easy road now and avoid the uncomfortable things then our present ease will eventually give way to discomfort later in life. Successful people simply invert the process and do the uncomfortable things now. This is why they enjoy happier, more successful lives.
This is a great book.
All the best!

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Work for Yourself from Home