Boomer Chick Universe by BoomerChickUniverse

Spring 2014 /// Issue 1

Contents

BoomerChick U n i v e r s e

w w w. B o o m e r C h i c k U n i v e r s e . c o m Publisher’s Note

REV UP YOUR ENERGY... Female, Fat, Fifty & Frustrated

Jan Rose Distel

Fat, Sick & Frazzled? Identifying Food Sensitivities Cures What Ails You

Jill Place

Am I losing My Mind???

Jan Rose Distel

What is Tapping?

Nicolas Ortner

BOOST YOUR BOTTOM LINE... To Attract the New and Better, Purge the Old and Stagnant

Ali Brown

The Passion Test

Janet and Christopher Atwood

27 7 Careers That Pay You to Give Advice

Tag & Catherine Goulet

Jean Fain

34 How Do I Become a Virtual Assistant? Tawnya Sutherland

It’s Not About Money

Awesome At 85: Block Island’s Mary Donnelly

Barbara Stanny

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Amanda Winkler

A Vision of Magnificent Strength: Tao Porchon Lynch

Women You Should Know

BECOME EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL... Thoughts on Beauty

Cindy Joseph

50 Are You Ready to Go Nearly Naked & Express Your Unique Style? Crista Grasso

Blooming Beautiful! 4 Ways to Wear Florals This Spring

Deborah Boland

7 Ways to Ignite Your Passions

Oprah’s Life Coach on Achieving 57 Your Goals

Kendall Summerhawk

Take a Break with a Remarkable Woman...

Jonny Bowden PhD, CNS

The Dirty Dozen: 12 Dirtiest Fruits & Veggies

Handling Debt with Confidence & Clarity

The 7 Energy Boosters

Suzanne Evans

Jan Rose Distel

Fat, Gay & Broke

Little Woo

It’s Never TuTu Late Cocoetco.com

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Editor In Chief Jan Rose Distel

Jan@BoomerChickUniverse.com

Graphic Designer Korana Stojcic Photo Kirsten Laura Getchell Chick Graphic Sherry Brimacombe Support:

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Publisher’s Note...

Dear BoomerChicks, Because 90 is the new 60... Because 60 is the new 40... Because it’s time to “Lean In”... Because the world needs us... Because women change the world... Because we are amazing creatures... Because we are worth it... because we shall show the way. I write this because you are precious to all of the lives that are touched and moved by your spirit. Life is Good... And the Best is Yet to Come!

Jan Rose Distel Publisher BoomerChickUniverse 3

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Female, Fat, Fifty & Frustrated A

nd let’s add discouraged. Is this you? You eat healthy food… no you’re not a health food “nut” but you eat better than you did 10 years ago. So why are you gaining weight? And how DO you create that… magical fat burning, metabolism boosting, dream body that seems to belong to some mythical super lady with perfect genes? Running here, running there… doing, doing, doing! You’re getting the walking in every day, so why do you feel the mid afternoon blues or wake up in the morning still tired?

How did you get stuck in this fat woman’s body? Have you ever thought, “Who is this fat woman living in my body… and how DO I get rid of her?” Just know that creating an efficient, energetic,fat burning metabolism is totally doable. By understanding the biology of being female (no complicated science… just a quick over view), you’ll understand why you are shaped your particular way, what you can only adjust and what you can actually fix.

FIRST FACTOR/ OUR BIOLOGY… Our female biology dictates that our body has almost double the amount of body fat as men. You see fat is the major energy source needed for fetus development and protection. The fat cells in the lower body, where women tend to put on inches, are more prone to fat storage… 4

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thus the fat belly, butt and thighs. And yes it is your biology to store the fat there! And just to make it even more frustrating… if you have dieted somewhere in your fifty years (do you know a woman who hasn’t?) the tendency now will be that you’ll lose body fat from your upper body first; and new weight gain will go directly to… you guessed it-your belly, butt and thighs… thus preserving that small boobs big butt look that we all love… NOT!

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THIRD FACTOR / OUR MENOPAUSE… During peri-menopause (the 10 years prior to menopause), we begin producing less estrogen, which is a protective hormone. This effects sleep for some causing insomnia and for others appetite increases… or both. But the real kicker is that even if you managed to stay thin, those nasty fat cells now tend to accumulate around the waist and chest which gives us that apple on a stick or broad on top of skinny legs look… hmmmm. It’s my new look and I can’t say it’s my favorite. But most importantly, this particular fat gain is a health risk. Accumulating fat around our vital organs, especially the heart, is a big factor in heart disease and overall general health. In fact, some health professionals actually gage our overall health by our amount of belly fat!

SECOND FACTOR/ OUR FERTILITY… We’re the first generation to take birth control pills. If you used them, it was not uncommon to gain 3-5 extra pounds. Since the pill usually expanded our breasts; well, that was considered a good plus for some. Then add those pounds to pregnancy, when fat cells in a woman’s body not only expand, but often multiply in number and you have a recipe for disaster. For when the pregnancy is over, those fat cells remain and are always ready to enlarge when the body takes in more calories than it uses. Ah, yes, you’ve probably noticed that one by now. In addition, the thyroid gland, which drives the metabolism, becomes notoriously sluggish during pregnancy to help the body hold onto fat. Not surprisingly, after two or three children, you may have noticed that the thyroid gland has been doing a most excellent job of helping your body hold onto its fat! www.BoomerChickUniverse.com

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FINAL FACTOR / OUR AGING… Now let me congratulate you if you don’t happen to weigh 500 pounds given all of the above biology saying be fertile, be fat, be full figured like the Goddess of Wilendorf , an ancient fertility icon found through out European cultures. But even if we manage to weigh close to what we did in high school (over the years gained and lost 25 non pregnancy pounds), like me; our body doesn’t look the same. I was what we would describe as “Maine rugged, athletic”. Yes, grew up in Maine, weighed 120 pounds of good sized muscles in my thighs, butt and calves and my stomach was flat, my arms strong and toned and in my case, I was a 32 D for my upper. Now, I’m 120 pounds of some muscle and a fair amount of mush with a broader back and bust, 36 C, “muffin top” stomach and love handles, flabby arms and skinny legs. Hmmmm… How did I get to look like this? Well, fact is… beginning in our mid-20’s we women lost an average of 7 pounds of muscle mass each decade (the guys lost about 5). Since I’m in my early 60’s that computes to about 28 pounds of what used to be muscle, now known as 28 pounds of the mush creating my “new” body. And I love to dance (you’ll hear more about that in future articles) and I make decent food choices. For those of you who are not exercising, you’ve been gaining at least 1-2 pounds of fat a yearfor life. It’s just how it works. So if that were my body and I added that to the 28 pounds of muscle that now is fat; I would be carrying 4080 extra pounds with significantly less muscle to help me get around and feel energetic. So what would I look like? I would be a woman in my 60’s at 5’4” weighing between 160-200 lbs without much muscle tone. Look familiar? And to make matters worse, can it get any 6

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Publisher Jan Rose Distel in performance with Don't Quit Your Day Job Dancers

worse, (well, yes); aging also makes excess fat harder to hide. As skin begins to lose its elasticity and sag, it has a harder time containing fat cells, giving the skin the rippled appearance often referred to as cellulite or “cottage cheese”. So before you decide to end it all in a tub of chocolate or vow only to eat grapefruit and celery sticks for the rest of your life, you need to know there are women just like you creating the body they love, living the life of their dreams with energy to spare. I’ll be sharing their stories, their strategies and the latest and the greatest research that is selected just for us women.

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The 7 Energy Boosters Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS

re you tired all the time? You have plenty of company. About 10 million doctor visits each year are attributed to fatigue. And all of those bottomless cups of strong coffee won’t help. Too much caffeine actually saps energy and makes fatigue worse. The only way to beat fatigue is to create the conditions that bring more energy into your days and remove the obstacles that drain it away. Most people know that exercise is energizing. It increases blood flow and circulates oxygen

to the brain and other tissues. It also increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that improves alertness and focus, along with physical energy.

Alert: Get a Better Night’s Sleep Without Pills Other energy-boosters that really work...

1. Green drinks We are always being told to eat more greens, but d rinking them can be a much better choice when your energy flags during the day. What to do: Take advantage of the liquid greens in health-food stores. Juices made from wheatgrass, barley and other vegetable extracts are alkalizing. They increase pH and shift the body’s balance to a less acid state. Too much acidity - a consequence of all the meat and grains in the American diet - impairs energy as well as health. The grasses used in green drinks contain chlorophyll and related substances that remove energy-depleting toxins from the body. The drinks typically have little or no added sugar, so they won’t cause the spike and drop in blood sugar that you get from sweetened soft drinks or fruit juices. Green drinks are not delicious. They have a slightly grassy taste that takes some getting used to. My favorite is Barlean’s Greens, which is readily available online and in healthfood stores and tastes surprisingly good.

2. Whole eggs You need plenty of protein to satisfy your appetite, keep your energy humming and prevent the postmeal slump that occurs when you eat too much. www.BoomerChickUniverse.com

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For years, people thought that egg-white omelets were the perfect high-protein meal. Not true. Whole eggs are better because the yolks are high in choline, a B vitamin that reduces inflammation - and the fatigue that accompanies it. Don’t worry about the saturated fat in egg yolks. It’s not the enemy that people once thought. When researchers from Harvard and other institutions analyzed 21 previous studies that looked at the relationship between saturated fat and heart disease, they found that saturated fat did not cause an increase in heart disease or stroke. What to do: Include a source of protein with every meal. It could be eggs, nuts, fish, grassfed meat, beans or tofu.

3. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) This is probably the most important energy-producing nutrient that most people don’t get enough of. CoQ10 increases the activity of mitochondria, the energy-producing structures within cells. The body naturally produces CoQ10, but it’s a complicated process that involves at least seven vitamins. Since many people don’t get enough of these nutrients - including vitamin C and a variety of B vitamins - levels of CoQ10 tend to be too low to boost energy.

4. High-glycemic foods occasionally You probably have heard that the best carbohydrates for long-term energy have a low-glycemic load. Fiber-filled foods such as lentils, peanuts, carrots and chickpeas are absorbed slowly into the intestine. They keep blood sugar and insulin at steady levels - not too low or too high.

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There’s one possible exception. If you’re trying to lose weight and still keep your energy high, you might want to have occasional servings of high-glycemic foods. There’s some evidence that people who mainly eat low-glycemic carbs but allow themselves a high-glycemic meal every four to seven days help the body to overcome its tendency to burn fewer calories during a weight-loss diet.

What to do: Supplement with 100 milligrams (mg) of CoQ10 daily if you’re generally healthy. If you have been diagnosed with a heart condition or are taking a cholesterol-lowering statin, increase the daily dose to 200 mg. Statins deplete CoQ10 from the body. It’s particularly important for heart patients to get enough because the heart requires CoQ10 to beat efficiently.

My advice: Suppose that you eat mainly low-glycemic carbs but still want to lose a few pounds. Once or twice a week, have one meal that includes faster-burning carbohydrates, such as pasta, white potatoes or white rice. Scientists speculate that the jump in insulin overcomes the slowing of your metabolism that comes along with dieting.

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5. Replenish your bacteria You might not think that digestion has much to do with energy, but the action inside your intestines greatly affects how you feel. A study published in Journal of Psychiatric Research found that probiotics (live, beneficial bacteria) may have antidepressant effects. The same organisms improve immunity and make it easier to fight off the fatiguing effects of viruses and bacteria. My advice: Eat one or more daily servings of live-culture yogurt. Look for the letters LAC (Live and Active Cultures) on the label. It means that the yogurt contains at least 100 million live organisms per gram.

6. Lights out Nothing saps your energy more than a poor night’s sleep. And what people don’t realize is that even very dim lights - such as the small LED indicators on computers, cell phones and bedside clocks - can make it difficult to get a decent night’s rest. Sleep scientists have found that even trace amounts of ambient light inhibit the production of melatonin, a sleep-promoting hormone. My advice: Minimize the amount of light. Turn your digital clock so that it faces away from the bed, for example, or drape something over the computer to cover up the “on” light. If you don’t get enough sleep, take a nap. Napping improves memory, lowers stress and improves all-day energy. Studies done by NASA have found that a short 26-minute nap can increase performance by 34% and alertness by 54%. Limit your naps to 26 minutes or less, preferably late in the morning or early in the afternoon.

7. Breathe deeply and well You would think that nothing is more natural than breathing, but many people don’t breathe the way that nature intended. Reason: We live in a very fast-paced world…

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and we spend a lot of time hunched over desks, staring at computer screens. Both stress and poor posture tighten muscles in the upper body and make it harder for the lungs to expand. We have become shallow breathers, which decreases oxygen and causes mental and physical fatigue.

Alert: Photos of Food Can Ruin Your Appetite My advice: Every few hours, take a breathing break. While sitting or lying down, place one hand on your abdomen and one hand on your chest. Slowly breathe in through your nose, then exhale just as deeply through your mouth. Make sure that the hand on your belly rises and falls while the hand on your chest barely moves. During the day, if you notice that you’re breathing shallowly or more quickly than usual, remind yourself to relax and breathe in more fully.

onny Bowden, PhD, CNS, a nutritionist and weight-loss expert based in Los Angeles. He is board-certified by the American College of Nutrition and is a member of the American Society for Nutrition. He is author of The Most Effective Ways on Earth to Boost Your Energy and coauthor with Stephen Sinatra, MD, of The Great Cholesterol Myth (both by Fair Winds).

www.JonnyBowden.com Copyright © 2013 by Boardroom Inc., 281 Tresser Blvd., Stamford, Connecticut 06901-3229.www.BottomLinePublications.com To get more inside information from the world’s best experts, download Bottom Line Personal’s free iPad App [Link to: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bottom-linepersonal/id582465375?mt=8&uo=4&at=10lmB8] or visit Bottom Line Personal.com [Link here:http://www.bottomlinepublications.com/?utm_ source=BoomerChicks&utm_medium=App&utm_ campaign=7+Energy+Boosters ] today!

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U n i -

The Dirty Dozen:

12 Dirtiest

Fruits & Veggies Yet, many of us don’t buy organic because it’s either not available to us (although even Walmart is carrying some organic produce these days) or it’s just too pricey. So, when you have to make a decision based on either price or availability, use the following guidelines. The following have the absolute highest level of pesticide contamination and should always be bought organic.

THE DIRTY DOZEN You can lower your pesticide consumption by nearly four-fifths. How? First, buy the “dirty dozen” only in their organic form. Second, choose fresh produce from the list of least contaminated fruits and vegetables.

• Celery By Jan Rose Distel

ogic tells us that “if we are what we eat”, then eating fruits and vegetables that have little to no poisonous pesticides on them are certainly better for us than the alternative. In a perfect world we would eat only organic produce. But even in an imperfect world you will receive greater benefits from eating any of the “dirty dozen” fruits and vegetables rather than continuing to consume processed food that is overly salted or overly sugared and filled with deadly chemicals and preservatives!

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• Peaches • Strawberries • Apples • Blueberries (domestic) • Nectarines • Bell Peppers • Spinach • Cherries • Kale/Collard Greens • Potatoes • Grapes (Imported)

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Notable findings: Of the twelve most contaminated foods, seven are fruits: peaches, strawberries, apples domestic blueberries, nectarines, cherries and imported grapes. • More than 96% of peaches tested positive for pesticides, followed by nectarines (95.1%) and apples (93.6%). • Nearly 86% of peaches contain 2 or more pesticide residues, followed by apples (82.3%) and nectarines (80.6%). • Strawberries and domestic blueberries each had 13 pesticides detected on a single sample. Peaches and apples were second, with 9 pesticides on one sample. • Peaches had been treated with more pesticides than any other produce, registering combinations of up to 67 chemicals. Strawberries were next, with 53 pesticides, and apples with 47. Celery, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale, collard greens and potatoes are the vegetables most likely to retain pesticide contamination: • Some 95% of all celery samples tested positive for pesticides, followed by potatoes (84.2%). Nearly 85% of celery samples contained multiple pesticides, followed by sweet bell peppers (61.5%) and collard greens (53.2%) • A single celery was contaminated with 13 different chemicals, followed by kale (10) and collard greens, and spinach. • Celery had been treated with as many as 67 pesticides, followed by sweet bell peppers (63) and kale (57).

*All of the above is based on information and studies by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Consumer Reports, and the Environmental Working Group.

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Fat, Sick & Frazzled? Identifying Food Sensitivities Cures What Ails You. By Dietitian Jill Place

hope you can help me. I’ve had Irritable Bowel Syndrome for years. Now I can eat very few foods without running to the bathroom. I’m 25; I don’t want to take Immodium my whole life. The whole thing is embarrassing! I’m surprised my husband still loves and supports me. PLEASE HELP! This is the kind of message I get many times a day. IBS has become a major health issue, especially in women. And a lot more in women over 50.It occurs in the US in 10 to 15% of the entire population, accounts for 12% of visits to primary care providers, and costs us $21 billion annually. Unfortunately, medical interventions only treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)symptoms. Sad, isn’t it, that the only treatment doctors have for IBS is either something to stop the diarrhea. Or something to stop the constipation.Why do they keep coming up with medications that are only band-aids? For something that’s becoming a greater and greater health problem both physically and financially.The truth is that medical interventions can’t heal what causes the real problem in the first place. So what is the real problem? Well, my theory is that the environment is so toxic that most of us are on inflammation overload! Our bodies 12

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were not made to withstand the complexities of the toxic burden of today’s society. Not only are they overwhelmed by auto exhaust, pesticides, food additives and other chemicals, they’re also overburdened with food sensitivities.

What are Food Sensitivities? Now you’re probably thinking... are you talking about allergies? Actually not. Allergies are rare; less than 1% of Americans have full-blown allergies. That’s where you eat even a tiny bit of a food and get instantaneous reactions like rashes, hives or trouble breathing. Allergies have been mostly diagnosed in childhood, and

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probiotic bacteria we’re constantly urged to get in yogurt or supplements these days; probiotic bacteria inhibits the growth of all those other “Bad Gut Guys” as well as keeping the lining healthy. The small intestine also has little fingers called villi throughout it where food is absorbed. In addition, as you’ve probably learned from all those probiotic yogurt commercials, about 60 to 70 percent of the immune system also resides in the gut. It’s a very busy place!

most allergy-challenged people already know that they have them. Food sensitivities are far more insidious. And far more damaging in the long run. Long-term sensitivity can cause long-term inflammation. And there’s been a ton of research lately about how inflammation plays a major role in serious problems as far-flung as heart disease, hypoand hyper-immunity, Alzheimer’s and even eating disorders. Research has also begun for a condition called “non-celiac gluten sensitivity”. In a recent review article in Cellular and Molecular Immunology, scientists suggest that this sensitivity causes a host of symptoms such as compromised immunity, inflammation, and changes in gut microflora and terrain. They speculate that as many as 30 percent of Americans have this condition.

Outside toxins and inside food sensitivity reactions inflame the gut, which causes its protective lining to break down. “Good” bacteria cease to thrive, causing a “Bad Gut Guy” overgrowth. In addition, small openings appear between cells that allow “bad” bacteria, molds, toxins, and even undigested food to slip between these gaps and into the blood stream and other places where they don’t belong. You’ve probably heard of this; it’s called “leaky gut”. The immune system then goes on full alert, swooping in to neutralize these “foreign invaders” and thus causing even more inflammation. On top of that, those little bravely-standing villi become damaged in the violent onslaught, thus hampering absorption and contributing to weight gain. What a mess! This downward spiral causes the body to become even more prone to food reactions. Immune cells attack now-sensitive foods, causing

Here’s a simplified version of how the digestive system... the gut... gets compromised by food sensitivities. The gut is normally covered with a lining that keeps out most toxins, molds, bacteria and other things that may make us sick. The lining is also a breeding ground for that friendly, www.BoomerChickUniverse.com

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more dysfunction and damage. And whenever you eat one of those sensitive foods, the immune system goes wild. More damage results with every meal and snack. But the crazy thing about food sensitivities is that they’re DELAYED reactions to foods. So it’s impossible to keep track of what did what when. Also, if you eat several reactive foods at once, they may form a perfect storm that keeps the immune system freaking out and causing a whole host of symptoms. A perfect storm of sickness brought about by our toxic environment plus modifications in raising and preparing what we eat plus our sedentary, stressful lifestyles. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? The toxic burden or the sensitivities? Hard to know, but one thing is definitely clear. You’re left with a chronic problem that flares up at worst and festers at least. And gets worse and worse over time. Can you see now how it can’t be solved with an antacid or stool softener? You definitely need to heal the system, not the symptoms.

What’s the Solution? Most people that come to me have tried many treatments for their IBS. I also have tremendous success with conditions as diverse as migraines, fibromyalgia, heavy metal toxicity, skin rashes, hives and eczema, hormone

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imbalance, muscle and joint pain, congestion, depression, and anxiety. To name just a few. My program, called FOODStrong, uses LEAP food sensitivity testing. But the test is just the beginning. Once we draw blood and get back your unique results, I design an entire food plan based upon them. I walk you every step of the way through whatever lifestyle changes you need to make to remove sensitive foods from your life. And help you focus instead upon enjoying the many others that can start you down the path to wellness. I’m often in awe of the results myself. One of my clients, Maggie, got immediate IBS relief in her first ten FOODStrong days She said, “I can’t believe how good I feel! I stopped running to the bathroom the first day.” Another, Susan, described her pre-LEAP life like this, “a gastroenterologist told me that I had chronic constipation and that regular laxatives would be necessary for the rest of my life. What I did not expect were the side-effects of the medications: intense pain that eventually crippled my digestive system and gave me severe allergic reactions... Now, I don’t carry fiber bottles in my purse and the word ‘laxative’ belongs in the past”. She also said that FOODStrong, “gave me my life back.” Actually, I could tell the same story for over 100 IBS clients. Of the many problems that seem to be helped by identifying food sensitivities, IBS appears to be the easiest to cure.

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Food Sensitivities and Weight Loss Oh, and did I tell you how great it is for weight loss? It seems that food sensitivities help the body easily store excess calories as fat. And then won’t allow the body to release that fat. Probably mostly due to their penchant for messing with the body’s use of the master hormone, insulin. This is called Metabolic Syndrome; onequarter of the world’s population suffers from this condition, which can lead to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. ARRGH! One of my current clients, Audrey, came to me primarily because she was frustrated with her inability to lose weight. I instantly suggested food sensitivity testing. After she got the results... I guess she was “testing” the waters... she ate a sensitive food and called me horribly upset. She had gained ten pounds! In one afternoon! But, once she got with the program, she lost twenty pounds and dropped 5 percentage points of body fat. Another, Natalie, explained her weight loss journey like this, “I was overweight, constantly bloated, lethargic, depressed, and unable to lose weight no matter what I did. We did the LEAP testing and within two weeks my energy improved 100%. I began to lose weight and the bloated look went away almost immediately... I have lost 40 lbs. and have been able to keep it off”. So if you’re older, a woman, and having digestion or weight issues, you might want to consider food sensitivity testing. I’d also suggest that you don’t mess with general elimination or detox diets that can still keep you wondering what’s bugging you.Instead, finding out what really ails can not only soothe your mind with a solution. It can also, as Susan said, give you your life back.

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ietitian Jill Place has been called a visionary and a trailblazer by the medical community and her peers alike. Jill became fiercely passionate about the effect that food and nutritional supplements had upon health by running huge seminars for the authors of the then-bestseller, “Fit for Life”. So passionate that she returned to school and became a Registered Dietitian, then a Certified Clinical Nutritionist. Jill was among the first dietitians to study Alternative Medicine and became well-known internationally in the cancer community by writing chapters in several Oncology textbooks and speaking all over the world about nutritional supplements. Currently, Jill has a private practice where she specializes in Alternative Medicine, food sensitivity and other cutting-edge nutritional testing, eating disorders, and weight loss. She counsels clients both in person locally and on the internet globally. Jill is currently readying a diet-less weight loss program called “Y of Weight Loss”, a journey toward getting lighter from the inside out; it will be available in early 2014.

You can read about

FOODStrong and LEAP testing by going to

www.ynotactnow.com and clicking on the tomato. Hope you’re not sensitive!

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Am I Losing My Mind??? So you are boomer age or older and like, Pam Peterson, the witty cabaret singer, you might be wondering if you are losing your mind, getting early Alzheimer’s, or…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzSaoN2LdfU

So… How Can I Tell? What are the Signs? Here is what Mayo Clinic, National Institutes of Health and leading Alzheimer’s organizations say are signs of “normal age related memory loss” versus the early signs of Alzheimer’s Disease.

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Signs of Alzheimer’s

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Normal Memory Loss

Memory Loss That Disrupts Daily Life…

Typical Age Related Change…

Asking for the same info over and over Relying on a family member for things you used to handle yourself Forgetting important dates or events

Sometimes forgetting appointments but, remembering them later on

Difficulty Completing Familiar Tasks At Home, At Work Or At Leisure…

Typical Age Related Change...

Trouble driving to a familiar location, remembering the rules of a favorite game, managing a budget at work.

Sometimes needing help to use the settings on a microwave or to record a television show

Confusion With Time Or Place…

Typical Age Related Change…

Losing track of dates, seasons and the passage of time Trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately Forgetting where you are or how you got there

Getting confused about the day of the week, but figuring it out later

Trouble Understanding Visual Images And Spatial Relationships…

Typical Age Related Change…

You may have difficulty reading and judging distance You may have trouble determining color or contrast Perception, you may pass a mirror and think someone else is in the room… not realizing that it is you in the mirror

New Problems With Words And Speaking… You have trouble following or joining a conversation You may stop in the middle of conversation and have no idea how to continue Or you may repeat yourself You may have problems finding the right word

Vision changes related to cataracts

Typical Age Related Change… Sometimes having trouble finding the right word

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Signs of Alzheimer’s Misplacing Things And Losing The Ability. To Retrace Steps… You may put things in unusual places You may lose things and be unable to go back over your steps to find them again Sometimes, you might accuse others of stealing. This may occur more frequently over time

Normal Memory Loss Typical Age Related Change… Misplacing things from time to time, such as a pair of glasses or the remote control

Decreased Or Poor Judgment…

Typical Age Related Change…

For example, in dealing with money, you may give large amounts to telemarketers You may pay less attention to groom-ing or keeping yourself clean

Making a bad decision once in a while

Challenges In Planning Or Solving. Problems…

Typical Age Related Change…

You may experience changes in your ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers You may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills. You may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer than you did before

Withdrawal From Work Or Social. Activities… You may start to remove yourself from hobbies, social activities, work projects or sports You may have trouble keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete a favorite hobby You may also avoid being social because of the changes you have experienced

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Making occasional errors when balancing a checkbook.

Typical Age Related Change… Sometimes feeling weary of work, family and social obligations

Changes In Mood And Personality…

Typical Age Related Change…

You can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious You may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends. Or in places you are out of your comfort zone

Developing very specific ways of of doing things and becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted

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What is tapping? M

illions of people are settling for lives filled with poor health and emotional baggage. Not knowing how to achieve the joyful and satisfying lives they desire, they’re stuck accepting a lifestyle of emotional trauma, chronic physical pain, compulsions and addictions, or perhaps just an empty feeling inside. Along with these problems come pills to kill the pain, sleep at night, and suppress anxiety – but this is hardly better than the disease. If you’re like many people, you feel trapped, caught in this cycle. You’re tired of feeling sad, depressed, anxious, discontent, and unwell. You’re sick of the expensive and ineffective treatments. You’re fed up with relinquishing the power over your health and happiness to psychologists and doctors. You’d like to grow, flourish, and thrive, putting the past in the past. You want to be your best, living a life that is filled with peacefulness, joy, and fulfillment, from day to day and moment to moment. With Tapping, you can do that. You can discover the vital secret for emotional wholeness and physical relief. You can take your physical and emotional well-being into your own hands. It’s simple for anyone to master, and it’s free. Tapping provides relief from chronic pain, emotional problems, disorders, addictions, phobias, post traumatic stress disorder, and physi-

cal diseases. While Tapping is newly set to revolutionize the field of health and wellness, the healing concepts that it’s based upon have been in practice in Eastern medicine for over 5,000 years. Like acupuncture and acupressure, Tapping is a set of techniques which utilize the body’s energy meridian points. You can stimulate these meridian points by tapping on them with your fingertips – literally tapping into your body’s own energy and healing power. Your body is more powerful than you can imagine… filled with life, energy, and a compelling ability for self-healing. With Tapping, you can take control of that power.

So How Does It All Work? All negative emotions are felt through a disruption of the body’s energy. And physical pain and www.BoomerChickUniverse.com

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Tapping points

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The basic technique requires you to focus on the negative emotion at hand: a fear or anxiety, a bad memory, an unresolved problem, or anything that’s bothering you. While maintaining your mental focus on this issue, use your fingertips to tap 5-7 times each on 12 of the body’s meridian points. Tapping on these meridian points – while concentrating on accepting and resolving the negative emotion – will access your body’s energy, restoring it to a balanced state. You may be wondering about these meridians. Put simply, energy circulates through your body along a specific network of channels. You can tap into this energy at any point along the system. This concept comes from the doctrines of traditional Chinese medicine, which referred to the body’s energy as “ch’i.” In ancient times, the Chinese discovered 100 meridian points. They also discovered that by stimulating these meridian points, they could heal. Call it energy, call it the Source, call it life force, call it ch’i… Whatever you want to call it, it works.

disease are intricately connected to negative emotions. Health problems create feedback – physical symptoms cause emotional distress, and unresolved emotional problems manifest themselves through physical symptoms. So, the body’s health must be approached as a whole. You cannot treat the symptoms without addressing the cause, and vice-versa. The body, like everything in the universe, is composed of energy. Restore balance to the body’s energy, and you will mend the negative emotions and physical symptoms that stem from the energy disruption. Tapping restores the body’s energy balance, and negative emotions are conquered. 20

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In some ways, Tapping is similar to acupuncture. Like Tapping, acupuncture achieves healing through stimulating the body’s meridians and energy flow. However, unlike Tapping, acupuncture involves needles! “No needles” is definitely one of the advantages of Tapping. Acupuncture also takes years to master. Acupuncture practitioners must memorize hundreds of meridian points along the body; the knowledge and training take years to acquire. Tapping is simple and painless. It can be learned by anyone. And you can apply it to yourself, whenever you want, wherever you are. It’s less expensive and less time consuming. It can be used with specific emotional intent towards your own unique life challenges and experiences. Most importantly, it gives you the power to heal yourself, putting control over your destiny back into your own hands.

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Nicolas Ortner is the CEO of “The Tapping Solution,” and Creator and Executive Producer of the breakthrough documentary, “The Tapping Solution,” which explores EFT or “tapping,” a healing tool based on ancient Chinese acupressure and modern psychology. The film follows ten people faced with tremendous challenges, such as 30 years of chronic back pain, fibromyalgia, insomnia, devastating grief and more, and explores how this technique can be used to change their lives. The results, as documented in the film, are real and extraordinary and have inspired tens of thousands to follow suit and apply tapping to their lives. Nick has also produced the “Tapping World Summit,” a free, worldwide online event currently heading into its fifth year, which has been attended by over 500,000 people. (www.tappingworldsummit.com) He has also created the “Tapping Insiders Club,” a monthly membership program filled with articles, interviews, and videos with experts from the tapping field (www.tappinginsidersclub.com). Nick also offers his popular seven-week EFT coaching programs, which cover common issues such as finances (3,000 participants in 2012), weight loss (1,500 participants in 2012) and more. A dynamic speaker, Nick has presented breakthrough live tapping sessions and has shared the stage with speakers such as Bob Proctor, John Assaraf, Lynne McTaggart, Dr. Joseph Mercola, David Wolfe, T. Harv Eker and others. Nick and the Tapping Solution team are committed to spreading tapping throughout the world, and particularly to supporting its revolutionary and worldchanging usage. They’ve raised over $250,000 for tapping related charities such as ProjectLight:

Rwanda, which aids genocide victims in that country (http://www.ProjectLight.com), The Veterans Stress Project, for veterans with PTSD (http://www.stressproject.org/), and You Can Thrive! for women with cancer (http://youcanthrive.org/). He has a new book, “The Tapping Solution: A Revolutionary System for Stress-Free Living” coming out in April 2013, published by Hay House. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Brenna.

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To Attract the New & Better, Purge the Old and Stagnant BY ALI BROWN

cabinet.

henever I’m feeling stuck and want to attract new and better ideas or opportunities, I clean out my file

Yes. That’s one big secret! I clean out my file cabinet. Can’t explain exactly how it works, but it does. Just last week, I wanted to get back to working on my book, but was feeling totally resistant. I told myself at least I would pull out the file to work on later, so it would be in my face on my desk all day. When I opened my file drawer in my desk and started digging, it hit me. There were papers, records, and notes in there from abandoned projects, persons I no longer worked with, old clients, an unpleasant legal matter, and even a crazy ex-fiancé! In order for me to mine for the gems, I had to trudge through all my old sh*t. I had to WORK to find the good stuff. Hmmm. Think about that. Not good! Physically or energetically. Time to shout “Clear the decks!” and line up the Hefty bags.

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This principle applies to everything in your life from files to relationships - but today let’s focus on your office and workspace. Here are my BIG 3 areas I have clients attack right away: 1. Your Files - I bet most of the stuff in there you can honestly trash right now. If there are records you absolutely should keep, get them out of your workspace and into neatly organized boxes that are stored elsewhere. (I used to rent a small storage unit, and then I had nice cabinets installed in my garage.) Then organize what you DO need and want on hand in beautiful colored file folders that are nicely labeled. (I’m a huge fan of the P-Touch labeler!) And here’s the BIG secret: Create files not only for the business you have now, but especially for the business you want to create!

It was time to create space for exciting new projects, amazing new clients, and titillating new opportunities in my LIFE, so it was surely time to at least create them in my DRAWER! To attract the new and better, you have to purge the old. From Aristotle and Einstein way back when, to physicists today, both scientists and philosophers agree that (at least here on Earth) nature abhors a vacuum. Meaning, when you create space, the Universe will gladly fill it up for you, with what your intentions are set on. The problem is if you don’t have space, nothing new can come in. So, I don’t care how busy you are. If you are feeling a bit stuck, you’ve got to clear away some of that old energy and make ROOM for the new.

Have sections that draw attention to exciting new projects or opportunities or business. For example, if you dream of working with high-paying clientele, create a folder that says “$10,000 Clients”. Because I want to focus on my book, my book project is right up front in a beautiful file folder. 2. Books - Some guys in the industry I know brag about how big their home libraries are. I’m not a fan of keeping hundreds of books around to clutter my office and home. Very stagnant energy. I suggest you only keep books on hand that you: 1. are currently reading 2. that you LOVE (not just like) and want to have around forever 3. refer to regularly. Otherwise keep a bin in your office handy to toss books into as you are done with them. Then pass them on to a friend or client, or donate them to a local library or school. www.BoomerChickUniverse.com

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And guess what? If you ever miss a book you gave away or you need it again, you can buy it again. In all my years of purging, this has only been necessary about three times. Puts it in perspective. 3. Photos & Mementos - An old acquaintance of mine had dozens of shelves in her home that prominently featured her work with past clients. Problem was, I came to learn at least three of these clients either were suing her or had tried to sue her. (Why she was attracting this was another story.) What terrible energy to have photos, mementos, and work related to these toxic relationships in front of her every single day! There was one point a few years ago I looked around my office and realized there were photos of people I didn’t associate with anymore. I had some great digital snapshots of my babies, my best friends, and some recent amazing experiences on my computer, but they weren’t around me at my desk. So I had the best ones printed, and picked up some nice frames for them. Now as I look around my office, I’m surrounded by the loving smiles of my wonderful family and friends.

Warning: Be Ready for “Energy Eruptions”! There was one particular purging day I remember from years ago. I was getting rid of so much stuff that represented the OLD me—there must have been at least 10 trash bags going out the door—and it brought up a lot of weird feelings. I was throwing out many mementos from my first failed marriage and also early business ventures from when I was very unsure of myself, including some projects that had gone sour. Later that day, I not only felt exhausted, but devastated, like I’d been knocked down by a truck! I cried for hours and felt a bit nauseous

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ntrepreneur mentor Ali Brown teaches women around the world how to start and grow a profitable business that make a positive impact. Get her FREE CD “Top 10 Success Secrets for Entrepreneurial Women” at www.AliBrown.com

as well. (As if I was going to chuck up some internal files of my own!) Whether conscious or not, know that purging your environment physically will also bring up anything that needs to come up energetically. Be gentle on yourself and make sure you have some time to rest afterwards. Just know that when you wake up the next day, you’ll feel amazing walking into your home office set up for the NEW you! And something magical will happen from it—I promise. I’ve had clients attract new opportunities, clients, or the exact idea they needed as soon as the very next day. So schedule a spring cleaning PURGE this week or weekend. You’ll thank me later!

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How to Be Happy in Life The Most Important Decision You’ll Ever Make By Chris Attwood

anet and I often say the sentence above is the most important part of The Passion Test Process. We ask our Passion Test facilitators to memorize it and use it in their workshops. We repeat it over and over and over again. Why? Because your passions are the pipelines to your soul. They connect you with your soul’s purpose in life. They are the light guiding you to fulfill your unique and special reason for being alive. As we say in The Passion Test: “What you love and God’s will for you are one and the same.” It’s not an accident you love the things you love. It’s not an accident you care about the things you care about. Nor is it an accident that when you are disconnected from those things you start feeling miserable and have to drag yourself through your day. These are all ways that life gives you feedback, telling you whether you are on the path of your purpose or off. If you listen, you’re passions will always tell you how to be happy in life.

Finding Your Passion and Using Your Talents In the world of business, people talk about “beating out the competition,” but you have an unfair advantage. When you’re aligned with your passions, there is no competition. No one can fulfill you unique role in the world except you. The only time you have to worry about “the competition” is when you’re trying to be something or someone other than yourself. When you make decisions based first on money, rather than the things you love and care about most, then there is a real chance you’ll find “the competition” is beating you and you’ll begin to suffer. www.BoomerChickUniverse.com

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Passion + Skill + Talent + Need = A Purpose in Life In the same way that your passions emerge in you from somewhere inside, you are born with certain innate talents. There are things that come easily for you and are difficult for others. Just as it’s not an accident you love the things you love, it’s not an accident you are good at the things you are good at. As you get older, you’ll discover that your talents intertwine with your skills–the things you’ve learned to do well through education, training or experience. Now, here’s an interesting point: You can make a great living with just your skills and talents–but you will never be fulfilled until these two are aligned with your passions as well.

anet Bray Attwood is a visionary, a transformational leader, and a world humanitarian. Janet is the co-author of the New York Times bestseller, The Passion Test – The Effortless Path to Discovering Your Life’s Purpose. She and her business partner, Chris Attwood, have trained over 1,000 Passion Test Facilitators in 45 countries. The Passion Test process has been featured on Fox Morning Show, O Magazine, Success Magazine and in other media around the world. She has spoken on the same stage with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Richard Branson, Stephen R. Covey, Tony Hsieh, Jack Canfield, Nobel Laureate F.W. deKlerk among others. For her ongoing work with homeless women and youth in lockdown detention cent-

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We all Share a Common Purpose While you have a unique and special purpose in life, there is a common purpose we all share. It’s to serve each other. When you discover the reality that “there are no accidents in creation,” you’ll begin to see that the intersection of your skills, your talents, and your passions is where the unique way you can serve others is located.

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ers, Janet received the highest award for volunteer service in the U.S., The President’s Volunteer Service Award from the President of the United States.

hris Attwood is coauthor of the New York Times bestseller, The Passion Test – The Effortless Path to Discovering Your Life Purpose. He is an expert in the field of human consciousness and is also deeply grounded in the practical world of business. His latest book, co-authored with Janet Bray Attwood and Sylva Dvorak, is titled Your Hidden Riches, will be published in September, 2014 and provides a guide for busy modern achievers to harness the power of ritual to manage their time, their energy and their thinking, and access their inner “hidden riches.”

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7 Careers That Pay

You to Give Advice BY Tag and Catherine Goulet

o friends frequently turn to you for advice? Do you enjoy offering suggestions or solutions to problems? Do you ever post your opinions online? If your answer to any of these questions is “yes,” why not consider a career that lets you earn a living giving advice?

Here are seven careers that give you the opportunity to get paid to do what you love. Each career description starts with an inspirational quotation from some of the best advice-givers in the world -- moms.

Business Consultant “I just want what’s best for you.” - Mom As a business consultant you can get paid to give advice to business owners and executives. Business consultants meet with clients in companies and other organizations to identify business problems, then gather information and recommend solutions. Some business consultants focus on a particular industry such as health care, while others specialize in areas such as marketing, human resources, technology, or small business.

Etiquette Consultant

“If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 28% say anything at all.” - Mom of consultants do not have a degree, but you do need business-savvy and experience in the If you would like to share your love of good manners with others, consider a career as an area you are consulting in. etiquette consultant. For advice on how to get started in a career in business consulting check out the FabJob Etiquette consultants give advice in one or more areas such as business etiquette, children’s etiGuide to Become a Business Consultant. www.BoomerChickUniverse.com

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quette, dining etiquette, international protocol, social etiquette, or wedding etiquette.

Image Consultant

As an etiquette consultant you can offer individual consultations or group training programs on topics such as telephone skills for customer service staff. You can actually get paid to say “mind your manners” and “don’t talk with your mouth full.”

“Always wear clean underwear in case you get into an accident.” - Mom

For advice on how to get started in a career in etiquette consulting check out the FabJob Guide to Become an Etiquette Consultant.

Financial Planners “Money does not grow on trees.” - Mom

Image is the way other people see us. As an image consultant, you can give people advice that will help them achieve what they want -- whether it is to get a new job, to make a good impression, or simply to feel good about themselves. You might get paid to give people feedback about their overall image (also known as makeover consulting) or you might advise them on how to improve specific aspects of their image such as wardrobe, makeup, or vocal and nonverbal communications. For advice on how to get started in a career in image consulting check out the FabJob Guide to Become an Image Consultant.

Life Coach “Eat your vegetables, so you’ll grow up big and strong.” - Mom Life coaches help people to achieve success in their careers, relationships and life. As a life coach you will help people identify what is holding them back from having everything they want in business or life, and coach them to overcome those challenges. As a financial planner you will help people manage and maximize their money. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, financial planners use their knowledge of investments, tax laws, and insurance to recommend financial options to individuals. After meeting with clients, financial planners select appropriate investments compatible with the client’s goals, attitude toward risk, and expectation or need for a return on the investment. While most planners offer advice on a range of financial topics, some specialize in areas such as retirement and estate planning. 28

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People use life coaches for the same reason that they use sports coaches: they want someone to work with them, to encourage them, to push them. As a life coach, your job is to listen, to ask questions, and to give honest feedback. (It sounds a lot like the job done by many moms!) For advice on how to get started in a career in life coaching check out the FabJob Guide to Become a Life Coach.

Motivational Speaker “What if everyone jumped off a cliff? Would you do it, too?” - Mom As a motivational speaker you could inspire students to stay in school, say no to drugs, become leaders, and prepare for life after graduation. (In other words, you’d reinforce the great advice their moms have given!) You can also give advice to adults and inspire them to follow their dreams and achieve their goals. You could help people to succeed in business, improve their relationships, develop a positive attitude, become healthy, achieve financial prosperity, and have more fun in life. For advice on how to get started in a career in motivational speaking check out the FabJob Guide to Become a Motivational Speaker.

Professional Writer

Technical writers write the manuals that advise people, step-by-step, how to use anything from computer software to cars to kitchen appliances. Even fiction writers can give advice, weaving moral lessons into their stories, and showing readers it is much wiser to act like the hero than the villain. For advice on how to get started in a career in professional writing check out the FabJob Guide to Become a Freelance Writer or see guides to a dozen different careers in writing and publishing. So if you have a talent for giving advice, consider a career where you’ll get paid to tell people what to do. Mom would be proud.

“Why? Because I say so.” - Mom It’s not only advice columnists who influence people with their writing. Many types of writing careers allow you to earn a paycheck in return for telling people what you think they should do. For example, advertising copywriters try to influence people to buy their clients’ products, while critics tell people what they should (and should not) spend their entertainment dollars on.

Tag and Catherine Goulet are founders of FabJob.com, a publisher of career guides offering step-by-step advice for breaking into a variety of dream careers. Visit www.FabJob.com to discover how to break into the career of your dreams.

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Oprah’s Life Coach on Achieving Your Goals Jean Fain, L.I.C.S.W., M.S.W. Licensed psychotherapist and author, ‘The Self-Compassion Diet’

I have great respect for life coach Martha Beck, though I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m loyal fan. I’m talking about the O, The Oprah Magazine advice columnist and New York Time’s best-selling author of “Expecting Adam” and “Leaving the Saints.” Saying I’m not a fan of Oprah’s favorite life coach, I realize, might sound like I’m saying I do not like Dr. Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham.” Who in their right mind would say anything less than glowing about a cherished children’s classic or one of Oprah’s chosen few? That would be me. (Oh, but I do wholeheartedly love “Green Eggs and Ham.”) For sure, Beck’s “O” column brims with illuminating insights most every month. But it’s her simple solutions to complex problems that I don’t fully endorse. Life is complex. My therapeutic understanding of lasting change just doesn’t fit into her view of the world. As a psychotherapist specializing in eating issues, it’s a rare day that a handful of insights, practices or experiences is enough to help a client change for good. Given my issues with Beck’s solutions, like her zero-anxiety, zero-attachment diet, you might wonder why I agreed to a long-distance coaching session with the Phoenix transplant (she hales from Provo, Utah). I certainly found myself wondering just that as I turned to her column in the latest issue of “O.” 30

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Truth be told, I wanted to learn more about Beck, so I contacted her with the intent of turning it into an interview. She agreed, but only if I would allow her to coach me on something. I wasn’t thrilled, particularly about giving her control of the interview, but I wanted to learn more about her, and my curiosity overrode my reluctance. But if she was going to coach me on something, what of all things should I have her coach me on? As it turned out, I had plenty she could help me with. True confession: Writing “The Self-Compassion Diet” had made me weak. I’d been having trouble getting back to exercising and dealing with my osteoporosis, the bone-thinning dis-

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ease. So I agreed to let her coach me on that. Frankly, I could use all the help I could get. The coaching experience didn’t go anything like I’d expected but, in the end, Beck helped me more than I could have hoped. Here’s how it went. “Coaching is not like school, and it’s not like therapy.” I was all ears as Beck started the session. “It’s a conversation between equals,” she explained, “where one person volunteers to be a leader by serving the other’s life quest for truth.” To a traditional psychotherapist like myself, Beck’s approach sounded like a refreshing change of pace.

Life coach Martha Beck of the closet after separating from the Mormon Church and the father of her children. What’s more, she has effectively recovered from depression, anorexia and fibromyalgia. If anything took me by surprise, it was her takecharge attitude from the get-go.

Enthusiastically, Rigorously, Self-Compassionately After explaining my wish to workout more enthusiastically, rigorously, yet self-compassionately, I expected Beck to do what she does in her writing - prescribe simple, practical solutions. However, unlike her writerly self or Ellen DeGeneres’ yogi, who recently offered me the requisite insights on the interview topic at hand, Beck decided I needed help with both my exercise routine and my writing regimen. I wasn’t so sure, but I went along for the ride. I’d already done a journalistic background check, so I wasn’t surprised by the ambition or complexity of her approach. This Harvard Ph.D., come to find out, is not only an accomplished coach and writer, but a successful business woman. She runs a consulting company with Karen Gerdes, her business and life partner. Beck, a divorced mother of three, came out

“Do you have a favorite poet?” I didn’t know how my youthful infatuation with Sylvia Plath or Edgar Allan Poe would help me improve upon my fitness or my writing routine, but I tried my darndest to answer Beck’s questions: “Ever think about lines from movies, TV shows or novels while you’re doing other things, like driving or doing the dishes?... Where does your mind go when it’s just idling?” Hmm. When I came up with nothing, Beck simply kept the thoughtprovoking questions coming. When she asked me how it feels to come up with a great story idea like the one I wrote about another of Oprah’s coaches, Geneen Roth, I eagerly explained how the ideas just bubble up. Could we be getting somewhere? Hard to say. Before I could get my bearings, Beck forged ahead with a scientific explanation about the origin of ideas, then stopped me in my tracks with her unusual honesty.

Curiously, Suddenly, Pointedly “I don’t think you’re being compassionate to yourself!” she declared. “Not in your writing, and not in your working out. Nothing that serves our www.BoomerChickUniverse.com

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life in one area destroys it another way.” Yikes! I had no idea how Beck had reached such a sudden and curious conclusion but, as much as I hated to admit it, she’d just hit the nail on the head. I did what I could to sound curious, not defensive, but truthfully, I was feeling a good bit of both. As Beck spelled out her provocative position, passion turned up her volume. We didn’t evolve to sit in a chair, she explained. “We’d starve to death if all we did was sit [2000 years ago]. We evolved to move and to learn with all our five senses!” Expounding on the all-too-common expectation that children sit still in school, her passionate pitch hit a crescendo. “It’s grotesque! It’s like foot binding!” “I see that you’re passionate about the subject,” my inner therapist managed to say before my inner child, and then Beck broke up laughing. Equals at last, but not for long. Foot binding, horse whispering, turtle stepping, oh my! Before I could catch my breath, Beck forged ahead. With each new poetic comparison, with each new scientific explanation, I found myself going where I’d never planned on

going -- deeper into confusion. In hypnosis, which I’ve been known to teach my own clients for habit change, there’s a term for what Beck seemed to be doing: confusion technique. That’s where the hypnotherapist so completely confuses the subject that the subject drops down into a very deep, receptive state. I didn’t believe Beck’s intention was confusion, but that was the net effect. Suddenly, out of my confusion bubbled clarity, and the quotable quote Beck had requested earlier. “I went to the woods to live deliberately,” I found myself quoting Henry David Thoreau. “That’s a quote that actually motivates me.” “There you go,” she chimed. “It’s the elephant part of the brain. Elephants never forget.”

Gently, Affectionately, Incrementally After all was said and almost done, Beck gave me what I’d been expecting all along -- simple, practical, personalized solutions: • “Consecrate a space just for exercise.” You want it to be a worry-free zone, she added. “No

The Self-Compassion Diet:

Guided Practices to Lose Weight with Loving-Kindness

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AUDIOBOOK CD

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emails, no phone calls -- a place where you don’t have to think about work.” • “To make an activity joyful, keep adding things until the activity as a whole becomes more appealing than repulsing.” Like lifting weights to music that literally moves you. • Train yourself as you’d train a horse -- gently, affectionately, incrementally. “Tiny steps will get you to your goal months and months sooner. A little is better than a lot.” Uncharacteristically, I found myself admiring the simplicity of her solutions. And yet, I was having trouble imagining taking one turtle-step forward. In trying to keep up with Beck, hopelessness had settled over me like a lead dentist’s apron. I told her as much. At which point, she asked me two final questions: “What would Oprah say?” and “What would you tell a friend about this coaching session?” I told her Oprah would say something understanding, encouraging. As for my friend, I’d tell her I valued some of Beck’s suggestions, especially the one about consecrating a space. Answering these questions resurrected some hope, but not my belief in myself. I wasn’t sure if I could now beef up my workouts, or even do what I routinely do: spin a story from a phone conversation. In the final minutes, Beck helped me envision success. Like a skilled hypnotherapist, she gave me several direct suggestions: Put down the phone. Pick up a notebook. Go for a walk. Have fun. Do three push-ups. Tomorrow, write down what you truly think. Write: “I talked with Martha Beck. She told me to go play in nature, to trust something will bubble up. I’m not sure this will work, but I’m going to try it.” To my happy surprise, I followed her suggestions to a T. I hung up, grabbed a notebook and hit the hiking trail out back. Almost immediately, ideas started bubbling up, just as Beck said they would. I walked deliberately through

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ean Fain, MSW, LICSW, is a licensed psychotherapist and a Teaching Associate in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. There, she teaches health psychology and supervises new psychotherapists. In her Concord, Massachusetts private practice, she specializes in everyday eating issues, from yo-yo dieting to compulsive overeating. Her writing career predates her clinical practice. A veteran journalist, she’s been writing health and fitness features for newspapers (from The Boston Globe to The Los Angeles Times) and magazines (Oprah Magazine, Shape, Conde Nast Traveler) for three decades. Through the ‘80s, she wrote a syndicated fitness column, distributed world-wide by The LA Times Syndicate.

Thoreau country, savoring the glorious weather. When I got to a sunny clearing pond-side, I dropped down on a golden bed of pine needles and did the best push-ups of my life. I felt remarkably energetic, strong, capable. As I write the final words of this blog, I’m well aware that I may never like Oprah’s coach quite as much as Ellen’s Yogi Cameron. But an effective coach, Beck has taught me, need not be your favorite person. I may have loved Cameron’s words of wisdom, but it was Martha’s health-affirming advice I put into play. Go figure. Better yet, go outside and play. By the way, if you see Ellen, tell her to give me a jingle. We need to talk about her new book. For more information, see

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How Do I Become

a Virtual Assistant? It’s not always easy to switch from a real world corporate administrative working environment into the virtual world but once you do, you can be making anywhere from $25-$100 an hour depending on the services you offer. I am a specialty Internet Marketing VA and earn $125/ hr and have a 4-6 month client waiting list. At our network, http://VAnetworking.com (which sponsors this Linkedin Group), we have some resourceful suggestions to making this corporate to virtual transition less confusing and very simple for any entrepreneur just like yourself.

By TAWNYA SUTHERLAND Founder of VAnetworking.com

elcome on your new journey to become a Virtual Assistant (VA). Arriving here at the largest social network online for Virtual Assistants is a sure-fire way of learning all about becoming a VA. There are many qualities and variables you should have to startup a successful Virtual Assistant business, from a having a solid history of administration work experience to having a strong network of like business individuals to learn and share business knowledge with. Every potential Virtual Assistant’s scenario will be different and it is seldom two are the same. This makes us so unique to one another which is why this is such a non-competitive industry to be in and very profitable. 34

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First, if you haven’t already, join our FREE Virtual Assistant Networking Forum where you will find everything you need to know to start up a Virtual Assistant business through the advice of other successful, veteran Virtual Assistants.Â Also download our FREE VA Kickstart Package.

You may also want to consider upgrading your FREE membership above to the VAinsider membership which includes everything from free business templates and internet marketing seminars to free VA eBooks plus FULL access to our daily job board where you can find NEW clients! You can read more about the benefits of being a VAinsider by clicking here.

If you already have some administrative work experience, then I highly suggest looking at investing in the VBSS System – For the entrepreneur who is more frugal, is a do-it-yourselfer type and just needs the knowledge to start up a VA business in a step by step

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VBSS System Workbook laid out in a 30 day step by step instructional format. Template CD-ROM full of over 130 templates you will use in your everyday workings of your VA business already made for you will alone save you weeks of work designing. • Bonus CDs full of eSeminars, Interviews and eBook Resources • Business Plan plus Financials • Book by Elayne Whitfield-Parr & Janice Byer – How To Build a Successful Virtual Assistant Business • Books by Michelle Jamieson – The Virtual Assistant’s Guide to Marketing plus The VA’s Guide to Multi-VA Business eBook guide without someone cracking a whip over their head to complete it. Starting up a Virtual Assistant business requires a person who has an entrepreneurial spirit, is passionate about working from home and loves what they do for a living. These are the true tell-tale signs of a successful Virtual Assistant business in the works who just needs some inspirational instructional help to encourage and make it happen. The VBSS System includes everything you need to get your business up and running quickly and efficiently in the least amount of time including a website! Have a look at what is included here or you can read what it contains below in point-form: If you are a person who disfavors lengthy reading and writing – be rest assured – this entire VBSS System Deluxe was designed with SIMPLICITY and PRACTICALITY in mind. An easy balance between short reading passages, writing exercises, helpful tips, over 130 templates and checklists will keep you both visually and intellectually stimulated on your journey to entrepreneurship. Contains:

• Book by Jeannine Clontz & Lauren Hidden – Entrepreneurial Freedom • Website Templates or Website Blog to get your website up and online quickly • Domain Name Registration for your website • Website hosting for a year • Submission of your website to over 50 Search Engines • Coupons and discounts for many VA resources from our Premier Partners • Coupon for 1 hour coaching with Tawnya Sutherland • Membership to exclusive online forum for VBSS System members only • Membership in the VAinsider Club (value $249) VAdala, the Official Wearable Symbol for VAs Download our free VA Startup Checklist at our site.

Follow our Virtual Assistant Startup Blog at http://virtualassistantinabox.com/blog and our blog for advanced Virtual Assistants at http://VAinsiders.com/blog www.BoomerChickUniverse.com

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About Tawnya Suterland When people want information regarding any topic within the Virtual Assistant industry they turn to one of its Pioneers, Tawnya Sutherland.

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cess. Tawnya has become the go to person for Virtual Assistants wanting to share, learn more, and grow their businesses. More recently Tawnya has decided to take her knowledge of the Virtual Assistant industry together with her skills as a Certified Internet Marketing Business Strategist to educate business owners on how to outsource their business needs to a Virtual Assistant. ”Virtual Assistants today can do so much more than just basic administrative tasks, their skill sets now run the entire gambit of abilities from basic secretarial work to full on accounting, web management, and strategic planning”

“Create the skill base you need to enable you to outsource your workload to a VA specialized in the skill set you need to free working capital, and more importantly your time. Allowing you more time to do what you do, promote your business” Created 12 years ago, Tawnya’s first venture, (and still operating today) Mediamage Business Solutions was forged from the need of a divorced mother of three to find a way to put food on the table, a roof over their head and still find time to spend time with her kids. Tawnya took those hard learned skills and founded VAnetworking, the largest and most prolific Virtual Assistant Social Network online today. With thousands of members worldwide VAnetworking.com is the place to find the latest information about the VA Industry, and locate the fastest growing opportunities for VAs looking to put their business on the fast track to suc-

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With her member site VAinsider Club, Tawnya has also created a built in resource of talent for those entrepreneurs looking for the skilled personal they need to help lessen the load of business ownership, freeing themselves up to re-concentrate on the expansion of their business’ or get that free time that they so well deserve. Tawnya uses her Internet Marketing skills to help business entrepreneurs turn clicks into cash. She is a VA Expert, coaching new and veteran Virtual Assistants on how to make money with their business online. Hundreds of VAs have utilized her Virtual Business Startup System to get their businesses up and running quickly and easily. Tawnya started the VA Virtuoso Seminars so Virtual Assistants could access top notch advice and support from Tawnya and her exclusive worldwide network of business experts. See more at:

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It’s NOT about Money!

“The Bag Lady Syndrome” THE LEADING AUTHORITY ON WOMEN AND MONEY By Barbara stanny

he Bag Lady Syndrome is alive and well. In the latest Allianz Women, Money, and Power Study (2013), almost half the women polled are scared of becoming a bag lady –even those earning more than $200,000 per year. Why do so many bright, capable, and…yes…successful women continue to struggle with financial insecurity? Why do you?

The answer, I believe, has nothing to do with money…and everything to do with our fear of (or ambivalence about) power. Phyllis Chesler wrote in her groundbreaking book, Women, Money, and Power: “Money is a power sacred to most men and foreign to most women.” These words written over 30 years ago, still hold true today. The problem, as I see it, is this: We’ve never been taught the secret wisdom of creating

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wealth and exercising power, as women. Studies reveal that the sexes view money and power through very different lenses.

than pushing women to pursue power in traditional fashion, Sacred Success® seeks to redefine power from a feminine perspective.

Generally speaking, a man’s self-esteem comes from his achievements; power itself is the ultimate goal. A woman derives self esteem from relationships; power is a means to an end.

I’ll be exploring this whole issue of women and power in future blogs. Meanwhile, I’d love your feedback: How would you redefine power? Or would you?

So while men covet the cachet of the corner office, women crave the opportunity to help others, grow personally, and live authentically. The word ‘power,’ which comes from the Latin word, potere (‘to be able’) means the “ability to act or produce an effect.” The definition applies to both genders. But as it relates to women, I much prefer to define power using the words of psychologist Eric Fromm: “The main task in life is to give birth to our self to become what we actually are.” When you view power from that perspective, you begin to understand our resistance more clearly. Essentially, our fear of power is our fear of becoming who we really are, doing what we were put here to do, in the biggest way possible. This fear keeps us settling for less instead of asking for more, shrinking to fit rather than playing full out, clinging to safety to avoid taking the leap. This is precisely the reason I developed my new body of work, Sacred Success®. Rather

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Fat, Gay & Broke www.suzanneevans.org

ay I be the first to point out my obvious obstacles and some just may surprise you! LOL

Yep, I am overweight. Yep, I am gay. Yep, I was broke. And I had no business skills, was unsure of my purpose, and was working over 60 hours a week in a day job. I had excuses. I had obstacles. I had a potty mouth and I am really opinionated. While growing the business I also lost three family members. I lost team members. I can’t use technology. I was in debt big time, too. I am sure I have left some things out, but here it is all in one big list for all to see. Something on the list may even offend you, but the list is me. In all the truth, vulnerability, and imperfection. You either do it or you don’t. All the business building, marketing classes, social media spin offs, and mindset adjustments in the world will not help you make money or make a difference if you decide to let the obstacles be in control. If you choose excuses and blame over action you will stay stuck. If you choose what’s wrong over what’s possible it will be impossible.

Ask yourself where you fall. Ask yourself the real heart of the WHY you aren’t where you want to be and how many people, reasons, and obstacles are you blaming. I had to do it. I had to do it no matter what because I wasn’t going to live this life playing small. I wasn’t going to live this life not having lived my dreams. I want the same for you - I want you to do it despite your circumstances. I want you to do it despite your situation. Life is unpredictable. All your plans will change. You will fail. And you can get back up. If I can do it fat, gay, and broke – you can do it. GO change the world, but start by changing yours. If you are waiting to be perfect, you are actually keeping people from an experience of learning from you now and just the way you are. Your flaws are your relevance and your obstacles are your guide posts to success. Stop cursing the pain of growth and change. Start celebrating that you can feel it and that you are living it. If in this moment you are comfortable then you aren’t stretching big enough. Take a no excuses approach. There is no other way to make this all work. www.BoomerChickUniverse.com

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Handling Debt with

Confidence & Clarity

by KENDALL SUMER-HAWK

here’s no question about it: if you’re running a business (or thinking of starting your entrepreneurial venture) then debt is likely something that’s on your mind.

I’m always shocked when financial experts like Suzie Orman advise that you save a year or more of expenses before starting your business. If I — and the hundreds of women I’ve coached to be successful in business — followed that strategy, we wouldn’t HAVE any businesses! Businesses are traditionally started and grown on loans, and your entrepreneurial venture is no exception. And this can be a positive reason to create debt. Whether you’ve borrowed money from a family member or from your savings accounts or you’ve used your credit cards to fund the startup and growth phases of your business, a growing business needs working capital. When I first started my business I relied on money from the sale of my house to cover my bills while I learned how to market my services.

The main point is not whether or not you have debt, but how you handle it. Here are some of my top tips for handling debt with confidence and clarity:

Surprisingly, there are many reasons why it can make sense to create debt for your business. But for most women, debt stirs up feelings of guilt or failure, which can chip away at your confidence in making choices about where and when to invest in growing your business.

Tip #1 – Begin By Forgiving Yourself

What’s important to remember is that debt, like money, is just another mirror of how much you believe in YOU.

In almost every case, debt was created for reasons that felt right and necessary to you at the time. Rather than blaming yourself, be honest

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about what your reasons were, the underlying emotions that were influencing those reasons and what you were trying to achieve with your purchases. And then let it go. Next, rather than wasting time agonizing over the past, put your focus on taking action and begin reducing the debt. Every time we make choices from this empowered place, we strengthen our heart and spirit to continue taking positive, proactive steps forward.

Tip #2 – Have a Debt Power Payoff Plan If you want to be debt-free with confidence, you need to stop pretending it doesn’t exist and instead, tackle it directly. This will help you feel in control and puts you in the driver’s seat of your finances. From here you can make informed, conscious choices about money and investing in your business because you’re able to see the entire picture. And if you decide to take on new debt, start early on with a plan for repayment. For example, if you’re borrowing to invest in a training course or in mentoring, I recommend applying a portion of the new income you’ll be making towards paying back the amount borrowed. Viewed in this way, creating debt is an investment in YOU and in your business. Using this strategy you’ll be able to quickly pay off the amount borrowed, making it a wise and valuable investment that will pay you back in increased income for years to come.

Tip #3 – Don’t Shy Away From Creating Appropriate Debt This is the time to trust yourself and be willing to keep moving toward your dreams. Freezing with fear about creating debt is a mindset that will start to creep into other areas of your life and business. Being stuck is not a

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ould you like to learn simple ways you can brand, package and price your services, quickly move away from ‘dollars-for-hours work’ and create more money, time, and freedom in your business? Check out my website, http://www.KendallSummerHawk.com, for free articles, resources and to sign up for my free webinar, ‘How to Make More Money in One Day (as much as $3,000 - $10,000) Than You Currently Do All Month Even if You Don’t Have a Big List.’” Award-winning, multi-million dollar coach Kendall SummerHawk is the leading expert in women entrepreneurs and money.”

place from which much gets accomplished, including actions that will bring in money. You’ll feel more confident in your financial decisions if you’re willing to use your intuition. This is a Divine Feminine gift we all have (women and men) and you simply need to begin tuning in and trusting it to support you in how you grow your business. Remember that you must invest in yourself and your business if you want to grow! There’s no value in resisting, ignoring or panicking over debt as you’ll find it creates a similar pattern that will appear elsewhere in your life. Instead, focus on investing in smart ways to help grow your business. From this new and empowered position with money you’ll quickly find yourself generating the kind of income you’ve dreamed of! www.BoomerChickUniverse.com

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Awesome at 85: Block Island’s Mary Donnelly and the Power of Private Charity 42

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By Amanda Winkler

“

The fact that the Mary D Fund can take care of people, it’s an amazing privilege,” said Mary Donnelly of Block Island, a small community located 13 miles off the coast of Rhode Island.

Donnelly is the island’s state nurse and administrator of the Mary D Fund, a charity she created to provide year-round residents with much needed financial help during the harsh winter months. Last year, the 85-year-old mother of seven gave grants totaling $50,000 to roughly 30 percent of the island’s 1,000 residents.

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http://reason.com/reasontv/2013/01/08/the-mary-d-fund-helps-block-island-resid

Donnelly has paid bills as big as a mortgage and as small as a ferry ticket to the mainland. Recipients must meet three requirements: They must be year-round residents of Block Island, they must request the help in person or by letter, and they must give Donnelly the actual bill to pay. She also tells them “they have to take a money-management course” to help mininmize future financial squeezes. Donnelly says that she was moved when, after recently giving someone a small check, “they returned it, saying they realized other people would need it more than them.”

The charity takes no government money, relying instead on individual donations and grants. By not taking taxpayer money or having government oversight, Donnelly says she is able to better manage where the money goes. In an America that is struggling economically, bailing out whole industries, and dead-set on implementing a government-run health care system, Donnelly is an inspiring figure who can teach us a lot about how to help our friends and neighbors.

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A Vision of Magnificent Strength Tao Porchon Lynch by Women You Should Know

he Woman You Should Know in this gravity defying yoga pose is Tao Porchon-Lynch. At age 94, she is an active yoga master, a competitive ballroom dancer with 543 first place awards, and a 2013 Athleta Sponsored Athlete and blogger. She is also a founding member of the American Wine Society, a former MGM Studios starlet and former model for top Parisian designers like Coco Chanel. Her mantra: “There is nothing you cannot do”. If seeing is believing, then we are completely smashed on the Master Tao Kool-Aid.

We came to know of Master Tao by way of the above portrait taken of her by artist, photographer and WoMAN You Should Know Robert Sturman. On May 13, 2012, at the age of 93, Master Tao was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest living yoga teacher. To celebrate and capture her history making moment, Robert met with Master Tao in New York City’s Central Park for a photo shoot. Her timeless grace and strength combined with Robert’s artistry resulted in a series of stunning portraits that are nothing short of inspirational. During his afternoon with this “very cool lady”, a poignant moment occurred. Robert recalls, “She thanked me. This light filled 93-year-old, beautiful, intelligent, sharp woman, thanked me (three times) for being patient with her while she got into her poses and we made art together. Where do I have to be? What do I have to do? Who am I not to be patient?” This article originally appeared on womenyoushouldknow.net. Republished with permission.

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e are grateful to Robert for graciously allowing us to share some of his portraits of Master Tao from their May 2012 Red Shoot in Central Park. After turning 94 in August 2012, she did a second shoot â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Blue Shoot â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with Robert in the Connecticut countryside. The resulting photos are equally as beautiful and certainly worth a look.

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http://www.womenyoushouldknow.net/about/

About WOMEN YOU SHOULD KNOW is a digital media property and community all about dynamic women… our drive and passion, our interesting stories and professional talents, what we care about, what we consume and how we live. Our mission is to tell the untold stories of relatable, everyday women across the country and globe who are making things happen in their world; women who have outperformed, innovated, discovered, defied and soared. By sharing their stories and giving them a voice, we have an incredible opportunity to inspire others. It’s not about 15 minutes of fame, but about connecting and holding each other up. These are women who deserve recognition and news headlines, but who all too often don’t get either. They are WOMEN YOU SHOULD KNOW.

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Thoughts on

Beauty

E very cosmetic company advocates anti-age, anti-wrinkle, anti-us! Trying to hide our age only makes us look desperate. We have all seen make-up that accentuates wrinkles in an attempt to hide them. Or a woman wearing clothes to try and look younger than she is. They are not fooling anyone. Let me ask some questions here. Who decided wrinkles were a bad thing anyway? How about celebrating your age and wearing it proudly? How about being an example for younger women and taking on a positive happy, healthy attitude towards yourself and aging? Would we have benefited witnessing women older than ourselves celebrating themselves? Aren’t we over 30 years old a larger percentage of life than we are under 30? A woman’s face tells an individual life story. Our beauty is born out of self knowledge, confidence and wisdom. Let’s reveal and celebrate the beauty we have earned! Lets do it for ourselves and the young men and women in our society looking up to us for inspiration. You look fabulous as you are. It’s your/our decision. Through example we have the power

to change society’s points of view about aging. You have vitality, joy and wisdom. Let the beauty you have gained shine through.

I recognize that women of all ages want to be seen, noticed, flirted with and valued. There is no age limit to those desires. Many women believe we cannot have that kind of attention later in life because of the societal meswww.BoomerChickUniverse.com

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Negative concepts of aging are make-believe, man made and invented. We make them true by believing them. When you change your mind, and start living according to your new points of view, you begin changing truth. I am interested in creating a new truth. I believe all women are attractive. It’s our nature. We bring fun, desire, appetite to everything we do. When we find ourselves perfect, exactly as we are, we change our persona. That changes how others perceive us. Feeling good about who you are is attractive. Enjoying ourselves is attractive. The texture of our skin does not make us attractive. Our hair color does not make us attractive. Our clothes do not make us attractive.

sage we’ve heard since birth. We are led to believe that as we age we lose value. We are told that only youth is attractive. This insidious message can haunt women at a deep psychic level. For many women, as soon as the first grey hair appears or wrinkle becomes noticeable, the battle against time begins. We use all the cosmetics that claim to wipe away our age. Some women go to the extent of cosmetic surgery. The money spent on Botox, collagen injections, and hair dye keep the beauty product companies thriving. Women go to endless measures in a futile attempt to fool themselves and others. I believe it is a waste of time and money and in many cases, health. Don’t get me wrong. I understand why women do this. I have empathy for the desire to look younger. I am a woman living in this society. I am all too familiar with what it feels like. I want attention too. I want to be valued as well. However, I do not believe the way to get that is to try and hide my age, nor do I want attention simply for the way I look. How about taking these points of view into our own hands by firstly, changing our own minds about beauty and age.

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How we feel about ourselves and how much we are enjoying ourselves is what makes us truly attractive. When we embrace ourselves and life with joy, we become beautiful. “Taking joy in living is a woman’s best cosmetic.” Rosalind Russell.

I am not interested in looking younger. I want to look healthy and radiant. I want to look like me. Are you ready to throw away the matte, dull, dry, and old fashioned cosmetics that attempt to wipe away you age and hide who you are? We are free women. Aren’t we done with all that nonsense? No more slavery to cosmetics! Beauty is about natural color, glow, moisture and joy! You don’t have to put on your face anymore. You already have one. Are you ready to reveal your skin and features and let them radiate the natural beauty you have?

I am open and honest about my age and appearance. However, that was not always the case. I grew up thinking that the girls and women on the covers of beauty and fashion magazines looked

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that way naturally. Always comparing myself to those images, I never felt I was pretty enough. I started wearing make-up in high school to try and look as close as possible to those models. I loved experimenting with make up, on myself and my friends. Mostly it was just plain fun. However, there were a couple years I was wearing make up to hide.

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the belief that aging is bad to continue selling products. In my experience, I have been getting better as I get older. I have more of all things I value. Health, love, tolerance, pleasure, compassion, self esteem, control, discipline, education, knowledge. In a nutshell, life experience and wisdom.

I went through a long difficult struggle with my self esteem. Discriminating between surface beauty and beauty of the character was a long philosophical pondering for me.

Having fun with fashion and make up can be a real pleasure. I think its a good idea to check in every once in a while to see what my motivation is. I make sure it is sourced in fun rather than fear.

I took a close look at what women in our society were doing when they were getting their hair done, making themselves up and dressing in the latest fashion.

I would like to thank you for looking deeper than the facade and seeing more. I have faith that womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspectives about themselves are changing.

I read about cultures throughout the world and what the women did to their hair, skin and bodies; make up, tattoos, piercings, scarring, jewelry, apparel, and wrapping, cutting, dying, twisting their hair. In all societies there was body adornment in one form or another. My research was proving it was a natural behavior of our species. Most of these practices were inspired by religious ceremony, social status, or celebration. I found this a bit different than what was happening in our society. I found that observing the motivation made the big difference. If I was making up and dressing for fun, it was a pleasure. If I was doing it out of fear of rejection, not getting the guy or trying to fulfill a desperate emotional need , it was a serious matter to me.

In my 23-year career in the fashion and beauty industry as a makeup artist, I had many opportunities to test the myriad of skin care products on the market. Most products fall into two categories. The first group are highly processed and packed with unsafe chemicals, and the second usually includes many herbs and socalled natural ingredients.

Many girls and women feel they are not enough, not right, just as they are. In the name of looking younger, women are subjecting themselves to products and surgeries that can have devastating results.

In choosing a product I apply all the knowledge and experience I have accumulated over my career, deciphering the long list of ingredients and eliminating what is unsafe or not necessary. I have found that the more complex the theory and the higher the price, the less the product does for me. Less is more. Trusting my body and working in harmony with the natural cycle and process of my body has proven to work best. You have lived a long and rich life. Your face tells a wonderful story. Why hide it? See more at:

www.boombycindyjoseph.com

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Are You Ready to Go Nearly Naked & Express Your Unique Style? By Crista Grasso

Owner & Designer of Go Nearly Naked

s a Nearly Naked woman, you love to be a little risqué and unexpected. You aren’t afraid to break the rules and live life on your own terms. You stand out in a crowd and inspire those around you because you’re brave enough to be yourself in a world where everyone is trying to be someone else. And as a Boomer Chick, you’ve got the confidence and experience to not only know who you are, but to go out and express it to the world. It is time to shine, unleash your sexy style, and look and feel fabulous doing it! There are so many things that can limit the way you express yourself through fashion. Whether it be a certain dress code at the office, the proper attire for an event, or what you can wear based on your size or body shape. Jewelry is one of the few things that can always be an expression of you and reflect who you really are. It can make you feel strong, sexy, and confident. If your jewelry doesn’t do this for you, you are wearing the wrong jewelry. Go Nearly Naked offers an original line of luxury fashion jewelry designed to help you express your unique style. Add some flair to your wardrobe and be completely unforgettable with elegant bracelet-ring handpieces, sensual body and belly chains, long necklaces and earrings, and beautiful naked sandal foot jewelry. You can’t 50

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help but feel strong, sexy and confident as soon as you slip into a piece of Nearly Naked jewelry. Handpieces are a must-have addition to your collection of accessories. They add the perfect amount of sass to any outfit and can be worn almost anywhere. Think business suit to little black dress to casual chic… wear to the office, fundraiser, gala, or on a day shopping with friends. Our handpieces range from dainty to dramatic and can be worn alone or layered with other bracelets and rings for a truly unique look. When you want to add a bit more sass and embrace your sensual side, our line of body chain necklaces are just the answer. Wear them over any form-fitting top or dress, or be bold and

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jewelry. Wear barefoot or with any heels or sandals. Your feet will sparkle and shine. Jewelry is such an artful means of self-expression. Have fun with it. Take risks. Be bold! Choose unique items like handpieces, body chains, and naked sandals that show off your sexy and sassy spirit and express to the world that you love the way you look and you’re ready to Go Nearly Naked.

wear them nearly naked when you have datenight with that special someone. However you choose to wear them, you will make a statement and be captivating. Love going barefoot or wearing heels? Add a stylish pair of naked sandals to your feet. Created from Victorian castings and set with gorgeous stones in vintage-inspired palettes, there is nothing expected about this foot

Crista Grasso is the Founder, Designer, and Editor-in-Chief of Go Nearly Naked, a lifestyle brand dedicated to helping women look and feel sexy, beautiful, and irresistible at any age or size. Nearly Naked’s original jewelry line is handmade in the USA and includes naked sandal foot jewelry (aka barefoot sandals), bracelet-ring handpieces, hairpieces, body chains and belly chains. Nearly Naked’s Magazine features tips on how look and feel your sensual best, and express your own unique style. Explore the Nearly Naked online jewelry boutique and magazine at www.gonearlynaked.com and become a Nearly Naked Insider here. Are you ready to go nearly naked?

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Blooming Beautiful

4 Ways to Wear

Florals This Spring By Deborah Boland Florals are always popular for spring, but this year designers are taking us on a beautiful walk down the garden path showing us 4 new ways to wear them. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a look at what you can expect.

Dark Florals Spring florals are typically small, light, soft and delicate, but this season weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeing a much more edgy version. Big, bold florals set on black or dark backgrounds are fresh and modern. These moody florals are popping up on everything from dresses to top, pants and even shoes. You can wear a dark floral with a neutral (a black top with black floral pants, for example) or with a bright. Bright accessories in one of the colors from your floral print will make your outfit pop. This stunning dress is accented by radiant orchid, the color of year.

Artistic Botanicals

Many of the prettiest florals out there are so striking look like they belong in an art gallery. Some are classic and fine and serious, others are bold and abstract and fun. Either way, they possess a beautiful artistic quality that makes them look like paintings come to life. Stunning!

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Mixed Florals This season, the more florals the better. Designers are showing outfits that combine two or more floral prints for a modern, creative look. For example a floral top is paired with pants in a totally different floral. Florals are also being mixed with stripes. Talk about a bouquet of choices!

3D Florals If you are looking to make a statement this spring then take a look at 3d florals. Clothing adorned with intricate 3d floral appliques pop out at you making you feel like you’re in the middle of a gorgeous garden. These florals are imaginative, one of a kind and real conversation pieces so if you are looking for something different, you’ll want to check these out. Floral trends like these are redefining modern femininity. Try one on this spring and look Blooming Beautiful!

lorals come in many colors. But you need to get the right colors for you to make you look Wow! To find out how to look Fabulous After 40 with color please pick up a copy of my popular ebook Color Me Fabulous: The colors you need to wear to look Age-Amazing.™ Deborah Boland is a leading style expert and the publisher of Fabulous After 40®, a global style hub and fashion community that helps women 40, 50 and beyond to Tweak their Chic® and Look Age-Amazing.™ Visit www.FabulousAfter40.com to pick up your free special report: 5 Massive Mistakes that Make You Look Too Old, or Too Young, and How to Get it Just Right. Ladies, Life is too Short to be Frumpy!

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7 Benefits of

Living Out Your Passions By LITTLE WOO

You open up new realms for others

Whether it is related to work, play or overall lifestyle – your exploration opens up doors not only for yourself but also for your peers. Maybe your friend Sarah never heard of Contact Improv dance until you got involved and now she is traveling the world to study it!

You get to be yourself

When you honor who you are, what you love and what you believe in, you are authentic. It’s so freeing because you don’t need to hide, pretend or make excuses. Yeah, it takes courage to be yourself because not everyone will like you. But hey, even when you pretend to be something else – not everyone will like that version of you either. Your true and passionate self however, will find its real friends and fans.

You feel fully alive

When you are doing what you love, you feel fulfilled and you have a lot of gratitude for your life. Every day is an opportunity to explore, to learn, to play and to evolve. You have very few regrets and your life is experienced in full Technicolor. 54

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You gain affinity with strangers and friends By being open about our passions, we find shared interests more easily with others and can connect with just about anyone. Maybe you never realized that your co-worker Jamie was equally passionate about Sky Diving and you bond more in these 5 minutes than in the previous 2 years of working together!

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5 You can find your tribe When we are being ourselves and doing what we love, people of like-minds come out of the woodwork. Especially in this age of social networking tools (like facebook, youtube, blogs), we are more than ever able to share our interests and find our tribes! No matter how specialized the topic – you will find that you are not alone. Even if your family of origin doesn’t share your values or passions, you will have extended families who understand you!

6 You can geek out with others Whenever you find affinity with another or with a tribe, you can thoroughly geek out together! You bond, you share resources, you exchange knowledge, you stoke each other’s engines and up the ante. Often, you’ll go further with your interest when you have a community around it. The combined energies can also fuel collaborations, mutual solutions or be inspiring incentive for you to keep at something despite obstacles.

7 Your enthusiasm revs up the life force of others When you are full of pep and passion, you are really invigorating to be around! Your enthusiasm and joie de vivre are priceless medicines because it reminds others of their own vital life force. Everyone has this precious life force but it can get stifled by beliefs and habits (e.g. manifested as a particular lifestyle or career choice). When we live wholeheartedly, we are poetically reminding others about their own potential for happiness, passion and fulfillment!

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ittle Woo is a magical mentor who helps Dreamers create magical adulthoods!

Discover how to truly be your quirky and wonderful self AND build an eccentric income, career and lifestyle that honors you. Get practical and creative steps to turn your life into a beautiful work of art filled with passion, play and purpose. After transforming her own life from despair to enchantment, she now helps others bring beauty into every aspect of their lives – even the dark parts! When she is not a pirate, mermaid or unicorn, Little Woo is a memorable presenter and speaker who has wowed audiences at venues ranging from the Sistahood Festival, The Great Turning Unconference to the Living Vision Retreats. She has been profiled for her innovative ethos in media such as the Georgia Straight, Vancouver Sun, Conscious Living Radio and CBC Radio.

For more treasures, visit her School of Enchantment and blog for magical people at:

http://littlewoo.org

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It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams. Gabriel Garcia Marquez

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