Family First - November 27, 2006

The Family First Newsletter
Promoting family unity one issue at a time
Vol. 10 Issue 36 - Week of September 24, 2007
ISSN: 1527-6201
©2007 - Joyce Pierce --All Rights Reserved

Can it really BE the last week of September? At this rate, the end of the school year will be here in no time at all. Christmas decorations have been in the stores for some time now and the weather hasn't even started to cool down yet.

I am grateful for all of the blessings in my life, and I appreciate you! Please forward this issue to someone who may benefit from it!

P.S. Be sure to visit our sponsors! We have some great promotions going on this month.

Ever felt like you don't have enough time? Everyone has 24 hours a day. How come some achieve more than others? The secret is to do use the four magic quadrants to execute your tasks.

The four magic quadrants are the tool to prioritize your tasks. There are two elements in each task you should do: "important" and "urgent". Using these two elements, we have four quadrants to put each of your tasks into: "important and urgent" (Quadrant 1), "important and not urgent" (Quadrant 2), "not important and urgent" (Quadrant 3), and "not important and not urgent" (Quadrant 4). Quadrant 1 is tasks such as important project with close deadlines, or dealing with crisis. Quadrant 2 tasks are long term projects, maintaining good health by regular exercise, communicating regularly with your loved ones, or planning your tasks in advance. Quadrant 3 are things like jumping to answer every phone call whenever your phone rings, or stopping what you are doing to chat with every one that knocks on your door. Quadrant 4 includes activities like chatting your work time away, or staying too long in your office kitchen to drink coffee.

Most people feel like running out of time and stressed out because they spend too much doing things in Quadrant 3 and 4, and too little time on Quadrant 1 and 2. The problem is that Quadrant 1 and 2 contain tasks that will make the most positive impact on your life while Quadrant 3 and 4 will make no impact or negative impact on your life. If you only do things that have no impact or negative impact on your life, you are conditioned to go off-track of what you want to achieve in your life.

Let's imagine we have two people, Joe Smith and Peter Buck. Both have the same goal of competing project A by the end of 2007. Now is the first of January 2007 and Joe and Peter have one year to complete project A. Joe does not know how to use the four quadrants but Peter does.

Joe starts off the project by reading the objective of the project, and thinking that "Oh there is plenty of time ahead. I don't need to start now". In March 2007, Joe reads the project again and says "Ah still heaps of time. Let's go and have some coffee (Quadrant 4 activity). Also, I need to call my wife to remind her to buy some beef for tonight dinner (Quadrant 3)". Time passes. In November, Joe decides to plan something for the project and finds out that two months are not enough. He gets stressed and finally abandons the project. He fails to achieve his goal.

Peter, however, knows how to use the four quadrants effectively. In January, he plans the whole project over the period of a year, creates specific tasks for each month (Quadrant 2) and starts his tasks for January straight away (Quadrant 1). In each month, he completes tasks for that month without worrying about the next month's tasks (Quadrant 1). If anything urgent comes up that needs no attention such as phone call interruptions (Quadrant 3), he decides to finish the tasks for the month first and return the call later. One he finishes the tasks, he still can enjoy a cup of coffee to reward himself (Quadrant 4). So in December, the project is complete beautifully and Peter has no stress or worry and is still able to enjoy himself.

As simple as it may sound, by putting your tasks into the four quadrants and disciplining yourself to complete Quadrant 1 and 2 activities first, you achieve more in your life in no time.

Vinh Nguyen is a free spirit writer. He is passionate about what motivates people. He believes that everyone has only one goal in life – TO BE HAPPY and everyone deserves to be happy. Vinh Nguyen may be contacted at http://livingthesecret.thesgrprogram.com or thanhvinh75@hotmail.com

Weight Loss: As a person who's been a weight watcher most of my adult life, I know first hand that weight control can seem difficult and unattainable. But, the good news is, with a little common sense and a realignment of your mental perspective, it's not impossible to achieve. As a matter of fact, it may be easier than you think.

Weight control is about taking responsibility for your self and is a serious issue which should be considered carefully. It involves placing your mind, body, emotions and weight loss goal in harmony with each other while attending to your daily tasks and eating activities. It is also about controlling a range of weight-related events such as: food shopping, cooking, dining out habits, exercise and lifestyle.

In addition to the "physical" things you can do to control your weight, I'm also going to enlighten you on how simple meditation can keep you on-track to achieving your weight loss goal and maintaining your weight once your there.

Among all the weight control methods, the most effective technique is dieting. Although, dieting alone is rarely successful because the relapse rate is high, if you succeed in finding the right diet for your body, you can begin to have greater control over your weight.

In general, making a commitment to a weight control method which takes you though a slow regiment of weight loss, is commonly considered the best practice. This type of relaxed process will be an important step towards helping you gain control over your weight while still enjoying good health.

Exercise is another important point in establishing a proper weight loss program. It promotes fat loss while building lean muscle tissue which accelerates calorie burning. In addition, exercise may boost your metabolism and can help you feel an increase in energy while decreasing hunger.

It also leads to an improved psychological well-being and typically deters old snacking habits. Exercise is a proven requirement for good health therefore, establishing and following an intentional exercise program is a must for a long-term weight loss and management program.

You may not realize what an important part the mind plays in achieving personal goals, especially in the area of self improvement and personal development. Weight loss and weight control fall into both of those categories and are definitely considered a form of self help.

As with any goal you set, believing that you can and will achieve it puts you more than ninety percent of the way there towards the realization of it. In reality, what you think and believe about obtaining a certain goal is far more important than the action required to accomplish it. As the famous author Napoleon Hill stated: "Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve."

When it comes to training your mind to think and act in a positive way to obtain a goal, most folks turn to affirmations and declarations. But, there is a problem with these techniques. The majority of people who use them receive very poor results because the affirmations are used while in the awake, conscious sate of mind. In this state, normal distractions far outweigh the minds ability to work in a special more productive way which in turn inhibits producing the desired results.

On the other hand, when meditation is used in conjunction with affirmations, the affirmations become hundreds of times more effective because they work at the subconscious level of the mind. At the meditative level of consciousness, the mind can clearly focus on the goal at hand and move you towards achieving it at a much faster rate, no matter what the goal is.

A positive affirmation such as: "I enjoy consistently being at my normal weight of XXX pounds" will have a more profound impact in your weight control program when repeated mentally in a quiet state of meditation where the subconscious mind can clearly understand it and guide you to take the proper action. Particularly when you can vividly imagine how you will look and feel at that weight.

From this point, your subconscious will begin to play a big part in keeping you on-track to achieving your weight loss goal and maintaining your weight once your there. By default, you'll subconsciously find yourself eating less, eating food that's better for you, wanting to exercise more, and being conscious of having better health in general.

Dedicating as little as 15 minutes a day to a simple meditation practice will not only benefit your weight loss program, but it may also lead you to having a healthier, happier, more productive, stress free and abundant life.

The real key to successful weight loss and weight control is understanding it's a permanent change of lifestyle and not a one time event. Weight control, or consistently maintaining your weight from today on, is an ongoing process which you must take complete responsibility for.

Having a successful weight conscious lifestyle is a lot more than just being on a diet and what it takes to hit your target weight goal. It's about achieving your weight loss goal and having a plan to go forward from there.

Living a weight conscious lifestyle full of good health is more than what you eat, it is what you are. It's about empowering yourself to take control of your life and create the future you want.

The benefits of it are tremendous. You'll look and feel better, become healthier, increase your self-confidence, enhance your self-esteem and be able to achieve any other goal you want in life.

For the weight watcher like me, having a weight loss program which includes a well balanced diet and a suitable exercise plan, along with practicing daily meditation, is the perfect way to bring the mind, body and emotions into harmony with each other to create a better, healthier and thinner you.

Ed McDonough is a professional Intuitive Life Instructor and Coach dedicated to helping people become self-empowered towards living the ideal life of their choice. Through private sessions and guided meditation he teaches unique dynamic meditation techniques which allow you to effectively create your future. For more information and to get a free report detailing how you can start living life the way you want, visit: http://AnIntuitiveLife.com Ed McDonough may be contacted at http://AnIntuitiveLife.com

Halloween is chock full of fun and can bring some amazing memories for you and your child. Here are some tips to make sure your little goblins stay safe.

1. Choose a flame retardant costume. Your little one will probably be trick-or-treating on porches with lit jack o' lanterns.

2. Make sure your child's costume doesn't hang or drag on the ground. The costume should hit your child several inches about the ankles.

3. Choose a brightly colored or light costume, so you can see your child more easily in the dark.

5. Give your kids glow sticks or glow necklaces. This is a fun tradition and can help them stay safe, too.

6. Choose proper footwear for walking. Princess dress up shoes are wonderful for indoor Halloween parties, but you'll want to make sure your little princess is safe on the street.

7. Opt for non-toxic hypoallergenic face makeup instead of a mask, if possible. If the child's costume requires a mask, make sure the holes for your child's eyes are large enough that he can see all around.

8. Ask your child to take off his mask between houses, and place the mask back on when he arrives at each door.

9. If the costume includes accessories, such as swords, knives, or guns, make sure they don't look too realistic and that they are made of a plastic that bends easily.

10. When making jack-o-lanterns, leave the carving to adults. Children can draw the creation on the pumpkin and scoop the pumpkin seeds.

12. Make sure your children eat a good dinner before they start trick or treating, so they aren't tempted to dip into the candy bag before you have a chance to inspect it.

13. Make sure an adult accompanies small children. Older children should always go with a group.

14. If your older children are going out together, without an adult, make sure to discuss the rules of trick or treating beforehand: Don't eat anything before they return home. Obey all rules of the road, traffic signals, etc. Walk, don't run. Stick to the sidewalks , instead of running through yards. Stay with a group, and only go to houses with the porch light on. Under no circumstances should they enter a person's house or car.

15. Give your older children a watch, a cell phone (or enough quarters to make several phone calls) and a flashlight with new batteries.

16. Make sure you know the route your child will be taking ahead of time, and agree on a time when your children will return home.

17. When your child returns with candy, inspect all of it. Toss out anything that looks suspicious, including any unwrapped items, or candy that appears to have been tampered with -- or treats that have been homemade. Look at fresh fruit for cuts or holes and wash, peel, and cut it up before you serve it to your child.

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Go Green this Halloween – Eco-Friendly Party and Decorating Ideas
by Brenda Prevost

It is really pretty easy to adopt "greener" ways to celebrate the coming Halloween season. Here are a few ideas to help celebrate the holiday, help keep our environment clean and save you money.

GET CREATIVE

Paper Halloween party invitations are appealing but try "recycling" your invitation into something and avoid the wasted paper. Make your Halloween party invitations something they'll want to keep. Most dollar stores carry a variety of affordable favors that you can use for this Halloween party idea.

Throwing a Halloween party for kids? Instead of traditional paper Halloween party invitations, try using inexpensive party favors. Transform a Halloween treat bag into a unique party invitation by simply writing all the party information right on the bag. Have the kids bring their bag to the party so they can fill it with treats.

Luminary bags also work well for this Halloween party idea. Ask the guests to bring their luminary bag with them to the party. Get some Halloween themed candles and give them to your guests as they arrive. Your invitation just turned into a Halloween party decoration!

SAVE SOME GAS

So many parents follow their kids in the car as they trick-or-treat. Weather permitting; why not join them as they "scare" all the neighbors! You'll save on gas emissions, saved money, gotten some exercise and had fun doing it!

PAPER PRODUCTS

Whether it is Halloween decorations or party supplies, paper is the best choice. It is affordable and most of all recyclable. There are numerous choices of garland, streamers, table coverings and window décor; all are good choices for having an eco-friendly Halloween party.

For entertaining, use Halloween themed paper cups, plates and napkins for your party. They make clean up easy, just throw them in the recycle bin and you're done!

Also, don't forget all those aluminum cans, plastic utensils and bottles, they can all be recycled too.

FOR YOUR OWN TRICK-OR-TREATERS

If you have kids planning to head out for some treats this Halloween, give them a Halloween themed gift or treat bag to use for collecting their candy instead of the traditional plastic pumpkin. Usually the pumpkin gets discarded after awhile anyway. A Halloween themed gift bag makes a perfect "one shot" candy holder that can then be easily discarded and recycled.

SAVE ON ELECTRICITY

Most people who decorate with lights for Halloween know to expect an increase in their power bill. Did you know you can save up to 90% on your total energy bill by using L.E.D. Halloween lights? L.E.D. Halloween lights burn brighter, cooler, longer and more efficiently than their traditional counterparts.

Because L.E.D. Halloween lights burn cooler than incandescent lights, the risk of someone being burned by them is all but eliminated also.

L.E.D. lights last years longer than incandescent (up to twelve depending on the color). This means you won't be throwing away lights and replacing them with new ones as often. You'll be keeping waste down and saving money.

By burning less energy, less pollution is created to generate the extra power we all use at Halloween for our lights and lighted decorations.

Going "green" is the responsibility of all of us. As you plan your party and decorate for Halloween this year, think of ways to create a festive, fun atmosphere without creating the waste. With just a little effort, using these Halloween decorating and party ideas are sure to keep more cash in your pocket and help our environment stay clean and healthy. Happy Halloween!

Brenda Prevost is owner and founder of http://www.allholidaytreasures.com which carries lights and decorations for Christmas, Halloween, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day and other special occasions. Brenda Prevost may be contacted at http://www.allholidaytreasures.com or bprevost@allholidaytreasures.com

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