Change Now Magazine - February 2014

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py Da p s Ha tine len a V

Volume 1

Issue

#08

FEBRUARY 2014

this issue

NEW BEGINNINGS 8 LUNCH BOX IDEAS 10-11 TEEN SCENE 14-15 ASHLYN RAMAN WINS GOLD 19 BETTER PARENTING 24-25

AZEEM Cassim

Young Entrepreneur Making Change.

Fashion Health & Sport Home & Gardens Parenting Travel Food Money Matters Entertainment Teen Education

Be the Change!


No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, “ or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite. Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom

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CHANGENOW MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2014

3

PUBLISHER

Raj Maree rmaree@changenow.co.za

EDITORIAL

Carl Niemann Phone: +031 464 2270 / 4517 Email: editor@changenow.co.za ISSN 2307-5570

CONTRIBUTORS

from the publisher

LOVE Change Hello ChangeNOW Supporters Thank you Jaco Boyens, the Principal of Audi Umhlanga Centre and Brand Ambassador, Damon Beard of ECR for embracing us on our December Cover. We are thankful and grateful ... and sincerely privileged to have had the opportunity to feature the Audi Umhlanga Centre Family. We wish you all a phenomonal year ahead filled with great prosperity. Along with the entire team at ChangeNOW Magazine, I'd like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a very Happy New Year, filled with love, light, peace, joy and good health for 2014! I'd also like to extend a very special thanks to all of our writers, contributors, partners and advertisers for their continued support, may this be another awesome year for us all. As we start the new year, we bring you uplifting editorials to make small changes that will lead to a positive mindset for the year ahead. Congratulations to Dr Leanne Reddy who has moved to new premises at Queensburgh Medical Centre. We wish you all the best and trust that you will grow from strength to strength. I am very humbled by the fact that this great opportunity came to Dr Reddy via ChangeNow Magazine.

... www.changenow.co.za

Below I share with you a poem by one of todays contemporary gems.

Touched by an Angel - Maya Angelou We, unaccustomed to courage exiles from delight live coiled in shells of loneliness until love leaves its high holy temple and comes into our sight to liberate us into life. Love arrives and in its train come ecstasies old memories of pleasure ancient histories of pain. Yet if we are bold, love strikes away the chains of fear from our souls We are weaned from our timidity In the flush of love's light we dare be brave And suddenly we see that love costs all we are and will ever be. Yet it is only love which sets us free.

Live ... LOVE ... Laugh.

Be Safe & Believe in YOU! Publisher - Raj Maree www.changenow.co.za

Tasha Lee Maree Felicity Keats Deviya Sundram Monica Mehta Dr. Mercola Dr. Leanne Reddy Attorney - Christina Ponnen

ADVERTISING Sales and Marketing: Mahomed Yaseen Tel: 031 464 2270 Cell: 081 790 5153 Email: sales2@changenow.co.za

DESIGN

Creative Direction: BullzEye Advertising & Marketing

PHOTOGRAPHY

Harriet James Kevin Hsu Photography

PRINT

Art Print - DBN. GENERAL ENQUIRIES Postal Address 46 Chrisway Road, Malvern, Queensburgh, KZN, 4093 Email: info@changenow.co.za DISTRIBUTION Property Junction Stands from Bluff to Hillcrest and select stands in Durban North. Participating Garages, Restaurants, Schools, Libraries and Churches. COPYRIGHT All material appearing in ChangeNow Magazine is copyright unless otherwise stated or it may rest with the provider of the supplied material. ChangeNow Magazine takes all care to ensure information is correct at time of printing, but the publisher accepts no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of any information contained in the text or advertisements. Views expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher or editor.


Azeem Cassim A Young Entrepreneur con Featured Photos by Kevin Hsu Photography • 084 655 5668

Coalition CSTO is currently planning the set-up of international operations as subsidiary companies. The company has created a range of retail integrated positioning, focusing on offering annuity or recurring income products that complement each other within the insurance industry and the cellular industry, with the prime focus being electronic top up of all pre-paid voucher products across Africa. An exciting range of annuity based security products are offered. Coalition CSTO in partnership with BBK (China) and SAPP (South Africa), designs, which modifies and manufactures hardware that addresses the unique requirements of the public telephone and electronic pre-paid top up markets.

Azeem Cassim, CEO of Coalition CSTO, a distributor of wholesale and retail personal computers, cellular products, and airtime to dealers, service providers and end users in the South African and African markets celebrates ten years in business. Cassim’s success in the telecommunication industry is attributed to customer retention through all levels of the practical implementation of his business model with continued maintenance and diversifying of his business. Cassim is married to Yasmin Cassim, who is the marketing and administration manager of Coalition CSTO. They have two sons, Rehaan and Armaan Cassim. His success has allowed him to travel extensively worldwide and indulge in his passion for luxury cars. Cassim’s zeal for exotic cars has allowed him to indulge in high performance Italian sport cars, a Ferrari which he owned for a few years, but for now, he has settled for a Maserati.

Coalition CSTO is a 100% black owned company, which was established to merge the marketing, sales skills and relationships of various information technology experts in the computing and telecommunications industry. The business in most instances markets and distributes its products and services through its own branches and approved dealers. “We are a user, re-distributor of Airtime for Vodacom and Cell C networks on the community platform in South Africa. In Africa the distribution sales have been achieved through network,” says Cassim. The company has established a national distribution channel for hardware movement in and outside of South Africa. “We expect to supply more than 18 franchises in Africa under the Coalition CST banner by the end of February 2014. These franchises will market our hardware products and distribute annuity products complimentary to the electronic and tele-communications industry across a wide spectrum,” says Cassim.

“Our dealership programme ensures that we have more reach into the communities and attract businesses through responsible dealers who have respect and rapport being cellular dealers, computer retailers or entrepreneurs in those areas,” adds Cassim. Coalition CSTO operates its own backend servers and remains in control of all processes, attending to any technical issues immediately with a response time of 5-8 seconds. Cassim is also the director of Coalition Community Services Project, a community-based organization, which is an umbrella organization set up to cater for the commercial and employment needs of the community in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands. He is championing a cause that is both close to his heart and vitally important to the future of attaining sustainable food security. This Project involves large-scale community and individual small holding crop production in the Rietvlei Area, Greater Karkloof Region. Community co-operatives will have the preferred distribution of chicken, eggs and crops with the supervisory assistance of Coalition


FEBRUARY 2014

ntributes to Changing the face of South Africa.

5

CSTO who intends to assist in resetting and rehabilitating the community that originated within the precincts of the Karkloof area and surrounds. The overall objective of the project is in accordance with the Government Agricultural policy of increasing food production and diversification of the present farming system. The project intends to embark on the cultivation of 200 acres of major food crop including but not limited to high yield potato, tomato and carrot crops and the raising of chicken stock, harvesting of eggs and calving game animals.

As a young innovative entrepreneur, what has inspired you to start Coalition CSTO?

I have always had a desire to create other entrepreneurs, many of whom now also provide jobs supporting thousands of families. I am a strong believer that Need breeds resourcefulness. Coming from a humble family, I was determined to attempt to distinguish my achievements. In this endeavour, I credit early on, my parents and strong commitment to God and later, the unwavering support of my wife proved invaluable.

You have made a significant contribution to our mass market, by providing business modules for rural entrepreneurs. Tell us more about your strategy to empower rural entrepreneurs? I would like to think that I have made a small contribution and that there is still much work to be done. If all businesses adopted a progressive attitude, I believe we

could quite easily reduce unemployment drastically. For me, the key has been in attempting to infiltrate the despondent psych of the youth, many of whom feel a lack of hope and are quite frankly in a comfort zone. I constantly entrench that you are the decider of your destiny. With motivational talks and training, we are able to enhance their self worth and expand a world of dreams they can turn into reality. Chief among our strategies are the initiation of affordable business packages which markets a desirable product that creates an annuity earning stream. This keeps the new business not only sustainable but also viable for the future.

How has your business evolved since technology is changing at a rapid pace? The face of the business has changed as rapidly as the industry has. I thrive on change and challenges and so, it is the ideal industry for me. We started out as a simple provider of pre-paid airtime vouchers and now import and export vending

machines, software and telephone systems around the world. Our systems and our equipment is used in well known corporate in Africa and in Europe. Diversification I believe is key to ensuring viability.

What does the future hold for Coalition CSTO?

We are currently embarking on the mammoth task of empowering both the banking and non banking population of South Africa. Imagine a bank account that’s simple to set up, free of admin fees and charges, and has no cash deposit Fees. This project launches in February 2014 and will see 14 000 stores dispense bank cards to South Africans who want to make use of this facility. We expect this Mpesa project to revolutionise the way people think about banking in the country.

The Coalition Community Services Project is very dear to your heart, what are the upliftment initiatives for the project?

We have recognised that our disempowered people need guidance and support. We have sought to drive the entire horticultural process, from preparation and planting to marketing, sales and export. This is to be a vital component to their sustained growth, survival and eventual progression. The focus has relied on supporting registered co-operatives that would in turn support at least ten families. The idea has been to impart the skills and allow a new group to benefit every two years.

Cover and Featured Photos shot on location at the African Pride Audacia Manor Boutique Hotel, 11 Sir Arthur Road, Morningside

{Exclusive to ChangeNow Magazine}

Serious companies or entrepreneurs considering a dealership for Airtime, Talktime discounting, mobile business phones, computers, laptops or banking services please contact our Dealer Manager Mr Azam Khan 031 305 786/5. Queries must be emailed to admin@coalitioncsto.co.za. Parties considering discussing a Super Dealership should mail azeem@coalitioncsto.co.za. ...Directly... Pricing to Dealerships are Guaranteed to be the Lowest in the country


6

CHANGENOW MAGAZINE

VALENTINE PARTY PUNCH Valentine Punch *(can be served cold or hot ) 1 quart cranberry juice 1 quart apple juice or pineapple juice 2 cups orange juice 3 tbs sugar 2 sticks cinnamon 10 whole cloves Combine juices and sugar. Tie spices in cotton bag, add to juices. Heat very slowly(do not boil) about one hour. Remove spice bag and serve. If punch is to be served cold omit spices and serve. Makes about 20 servings

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happiness Live .Love .Laugh. CHANGENOW MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2014

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What can Electric Muscle Stimulation Do for you?

A key facet of the programme is the EMS machine. The machines are used by those who battle to exercise due to a lack of time and knowledge, because of injury and even those athletes who use the machines to improve strength in conjunction with weight training.

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We MOVED!

To NEW Premises

Dr Leanne Reddy

MBhB (UCT), DCH

(SA) ,Dip HIV Mx (SA

)

Heart Matters fore art thou Romeo? Romeo! Romeo! Where less and lovestruck Juliet! ... whispered a breath month of love, with Though February be the king for new hearts to mischievous Cupid loo inder to check up on all entwine, it is also a rem Love ealth issues included. matters of the heart ...h racing h wit – s les ath aded, bre can leave you light he ms. ble pro ac rdi ca s iou ser heart ... but so too can ctors with various People come to their do that give us clues to es on complaints but the in, blems include chest pa underlying cardiac pro he ac ad he ns, atio lpit pa ess, breathlessness, dizzin ns itio nd The underlying co and swollen legs/feet. ges ack, heart failure, blocka att art can vary from he a me na to n.. sio en d hypert in the blood vessels an ted to iga est inv y full be to ed few. The symptoms ne uses. I think the most ca ac rdi ca n no e lud exc uldn’t ember is that you sho important thing to rem k see r he rat t rsen, bu wait for symptoms to wo gement na Ma . set on st rlie ea medical attention at the uld co It ty of the condition. depends on the severi eating . eg s tion diet modifica be simple changes like le sty life e; win red drinking a low salt, low fat diet, … ng oki sm p sto changes – exercising, s – taking specific ge an ch stic Dra re Mo To g procedures eg. stentin ing rgo medication, unde or bypass surgery. s this year and enjoy life So… be heart consciou of asured by the number – because life is not me your e tak t the moments tha breaths you take but by breath away!

We Are NOW Here!

Dr Leanne Reddy

rn

233 Main Road, Malve ve) (opp Church on the Mo

308 7366 031 464 0996 • 076w.d rlee.co.za ask@drlee.co.za

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NEW BEGININGS HOW TO START AFRESH

Deviya Sundram

Life Coach Specialist

There are times in your life when a crisis leaves you uncertain about what path to follow. Times of crisis or change force you on a journey of healing, selfdiscovery and enlightenment. At these moments, the choices you make will determine not only your future life but your future character. Each positive choice makes it easier for you to create experiences that serve you well. As you embrace openness rather than feeling trapped, you will find your life evolve in line with your deepest hopes and aspirations. Here are a few suggestions to get you going on your journey. “The most sacred place dwells within our heart, where dreams are born and secrets sleep, a mystical refuge of darkness and light, fear and conquest, adventure and discovery, challenge and transformation. Our heart speaks for our soul every moment while we are alive. Listen... as the whispering beat repeats: Be...gin, be...gin, be...gin. It's really that simple. Just begin... again.” - Royce Addington

ACCEPTANCE When you fully acknowledge and accept where you are right now, it is so much easier to let go of the baggage of the past. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. We might not know why, but accepting that it happens for you rather than to you, allows you to move forward gracefully. Life is simple. For everything you lose, you gain something else and vice versa. You don’t have to like it – it’s just the way things are. The choice to either regret or rejoice this law of the universe is yours.

EMBRACE CHANGE Don’t be afraid of something new, change can be refreshing. Keep a positive frame of mind and allow the unknown to take you to new levels and surprising areas in your life. Remember, growth is impossible without change. By transforming every part of your life, you will empower yourself. LESSONS LEARNED Our hardships, mistakes or failures are valuable lessons as they open up opportunities for improvement. Never regret anything that has happened in your life. It cannot be changed, undone or forgotten so take it as a lesson learned and move on. LET GO OF FEAR As mentioned in my previous newsletter, we all have deep-rooted fears that hold us back from achieving all we want in life. With every choice, you have a chance to start on a new page. By letting go of these fears, you open yourself up to endless possibilities with fulfilling and positive results. SHIFT YOUR FOCUS When one door closes, another opens. But we often look so long and so regretfully upon the door that closed, that we do not see the one which has opened for us. Change your focus to your future. Choose a path, be positive, establish priorities, create realistic goals and remain focused. Direct your valuable time and energy towards the things that are important. Whatever you focus on, grows. A new beginning could be in fact just as a result of a focus change. Focus on what matters. “Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.” – Dr. Dale Turner

BABY STEPS Every journey begins with one step at a time. I once read somewhere that every person who is at the top of the mountain did not fall there from the sky. They had to be willing to climb to the top to enjoy the view. Great things come to those who are willing to put in the effort and hard work. You need to maintain action to reap the rewards. Remember, it’s okay to fall off the wagon every now and again. Get up, dust yourself off and get right back on. Remember at these times of minor setbacks, you are so much further away from where you were and so much closer to where you want to be.

LAUGH MORE OFTEN Even during your most difficult times, you can find reasons to laugh. Too much stress and seriousness will weigh you down. Fun and laughter helps you relax and recharge. Humour lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. After all, laughter is the best medicine. “Don’t look further for answers: Be the solution. You were born with everything you need to know. Make a promise to stop getting in the way of the blessing that you are. Take a deep breath, remember to have fun, and begin.” – Jonathan H Ellerby No matter what your circumstances are, you can be the person you were meant to be, and live the life you’ve always wanted. By having faith and always trying, even just a little every day, you will live your life with passion and purpose. Relax and enjoy it.

Live your authentic life! www.lifecoachspecialist.co.za info@lifecoachspecialist.co.za


Joy Live .Love .Laugh. CHANGENOW MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2014

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As Mr & Mrs To-Be fall deeper in love with each passing day, the last subject they feel like discussing is a marriage contract. Whilst some bridal couples become so engrossed in the wedding planning, not giving any thought to a marriage contract, other couples feel uncomfortable approaching the subject of a marriage contract as no sooner have they walked down the aisle are they thinking of divorce. There are basically three options for a bridal couple, that is, Marriage in Community of Property commonly referred to as COP, Marriage out of Community of Property and lastly Marriage out of Community of Property subject to the accrual system. Basically put a marriage in COP is where everything which is his is hers and everything which is hers is his, both assets and liabilities. Whilst this may be the way you view marriage and the very spirit in which you wish to enter into marriage, a bridal couple must ponder on the following: 1. If one spouse has acted irresponsibly and gets into financial trouble, creditors have a claim against both spouses. 2. If one spouse wishes to apply for credit, eg. A clothing account, the other spouse has to also sign the application. 3. If one spouse has a bad credit history or record, it affects the credit-worthiness of the joint estate. If a bridal couple chooses not to have an antenuptial contract drawn up, then their marriage will automatically be one of COP. If a bridal couple enter into an antenuptial contract commonly referred to as an ANC, the marriage will automatically be subject to the accrual system, unless it is specifically excluded from the contract. Some of the advantages of being married out of COP are: 1. If one spouse goes insolvent, creditors may not attach the assets of the other spouse. 2. Spouses may enter into contracts unilaterally, that is without the consent of the other spouse. To those of you out there who are already married and regret your choice of marriage contract, please do not despair. Our law, specifically in terms of S21(1) of the Matrimonial Property Act provides that a husband and wife may apply jointly for leave to change the matrimonial property system which applies to their system, however, there are certain requirements that have to be met. *So to all of you out there who are planning on marrying in the near future or to those wishing to change their matrimonial property system, please take advantage of our free 30 minute consultation to discuss further.


10

CHANGENOW MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2014

14 Fun Lunchbox

Try these menu items to jazz

Pasta Lover's Lunch Salad

Everything Is Better on a Mini Roll Whole-wheat rolls are a wonderful foundation for hardy sandwiches that stand up to being in a backpack or locker all morning. Start with one regular or a few mini rolls. Add tuna or lean, roasted, and sliced turkey or roast beef. Top it off with reduced-fat cheese and fresh tomato, onion, and lettuce or sprouts.

high-fiber multigrain flour tortilla, available in most supermarkets. Spread on mustard, hummus, light salad dressing, or green or sundried tomato pesto. Then fill 'er up with chicken Caesar salad or assorted lean meats, cheese, tomato, sliced onion, and shredded Romaine lettuce. Just roll it up and wrap in foil. Kids can eat it like a burrito - by unwrapping it on one end and working their way down.

Mediterranean Pita Pocket

Celebrate Lunch Salads

Noodle Soup Cups

Fill a pita pocket with meat balls and some homemade or storebought hummus. Some meat balls come cooked and ready to add.

A plastic container can hold the makings of a delicious salad lunch. For a Cobb salad, fill it with spinach or chopped dark green lettuce, chopped hard-boiled egg, light cheese, and/or lean ham. Or toss in the ingredients for a Chinese chicken salad: dark salad greens, shredded chicken, shredded carrots, sliced green onion, and toasted sliced almonds. The salad will stay fresher if your child adds the dressing at lunchtime. Put a light dressing into a small container, buy packets of light dressing, or use extra packets of dressing left over from a fastfood meal.

Many schools offer a hot water dispenser so older kids (or young kids with assistance) can add hot water to packaged noodle soup cups. Even the more healthful soup options can be high in sodium, however, so you may not want to pack them in your child’s lunch more than once a week. Some brands are lower in sodium and fat, and higher in fiber, than others. The nutrition label tells the story. If your child has access to a microwave, you can pack one of the more healthful microwaveable individual soup containers now available from major brands.

It's a Wrap!

Veggie Sushi

Pack a cold pasta salad and a plastic fork, and your pasta lover will love you, too! Make the salad with lean meat or low-fat cheese (so it has some protein), lots of vegetables to boost fiber and nutrition, and whole wheat or whole-grain pasta. Toss everything together with a light bottled vinaigrette made with extra virgin olive oil or canola oil.

Fruit and Cheese Plate Fill a divided plastic container with assorted cubes or slices of reduced fat cheese, easy-to-eat fruit such as apple and pear slices, grapes, berries or melon and whole-wheat crackers.

Peanut Butter Fun Pack Make a peanut butter fun pack by spooning two tablespoons of natural-style peanut butter in a reusable plastic container, along with whole wheat crackers or whole wheat pita pocket wedges and raw vegetables such as celery or carrot sticks.

Wraps are a nice change of pace from the usual sandwich. Use a

Not all kids will go for this, but some children really like seaweed-


CHANGENOW MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2014

11

Ideas for Kids

up your lunchboxes.

wrapped sushi rolls. You can now buy pre-made sushi at many supermarkets. Choose sushi that is filled with veggies (such as avocado and cucumber) so there's no chance that it will get a little "fishy" in your child's backpack.

Fun Fried Rice When made with eggs, tofu or chopped lean meat, and lots of veggies, cold fried rice can be a satisfying noontime treat. Make your own using brown rice. Or set some aside for the next day when you get take-out Chinese food for dinner.

BBQ Chicken Sandwich Your child can assemble a yummy BBQ grilled chicken sandwich fresh at lunchtime. Just pack a grilled, boneless, skinless chicken breast with some lettuce and sliced tomato in one baggie and a whole-wheat bun in another. Add a packet of BBQ sauce and it's good to go.

Muffin Mania Muffins can add flavor and flair to a bag lunch. If you bake them ahead and keep them in the freezer, you just have to pull out one or two in the morning. By lunch, they’ll be soft and ready to eat. There are a few tricks to improving

the health value of muffin recipes. Substitute in whole-wheat flour for at least half of the flour in recipes that call for white flour. Incorporate other whole grains when possible. Add in summer fruits such as berries or peaches or vegetables like corn or grated zucchini, when appropriate. You can also cut back on the sugar called for in a recipe when you add in fruit. Switch in smart fats (such as canola or olive oil), when possible, and reduced saturated fat options (such as reduced fat cheese).

Tasty Filo Puffs Triangles These spinach-filled filo puffs are vegetarian finger food that’s fun to eat. Some stores carry frozen filo puffs that you can bake in the morning or the night before and pack in your child’s lunch.

Soy Much for Sandwiches For a change of pace, make soy the center of your child’s lunch. There are more and more great-tasting soy-based products available. For example, specialty grocery stores carry meatless hotdogs. Meatless versions of chicken nuggets are also available and can be prepared just like the hot dogs. The trick is finding a brand your child enjoys that isn’t too high in sodium.

Add some of these to round out your child’s lunch: • Fruit cups (with no sugar added) • Applesauce in flavors such as pomegranate or cranberryraspberry (also with no sugar added) • Nuts or seeds in a shell (if age and allergy appropriate), such as walnuts, pistachios, peanuts, or sunflower seeds • Raw veggies (ready to pack) such as carrot sticks, sugar snap peas, celery, or jicama sticks • Cheese sticks - available in 2% sharp cheddar, part skim-milk mozzarella, pepper jack, and more • Healthy snack bars (individually wrapped) with 3 or more grams of fiber, less than 10 grams sugar, and no more than 1 gram saturated fat • Yogurt in individual containers (keep it cold by packing them with a reusable ice pack or a small water bottle that has been frozen.)


Every extra hour of television that a toddler watches weekly takes a toll on their waist size and athletic ability by the time they turn 10, scientists claim. Waistlines of 10-year-olds who had watched 18 hours a week at the age of four were 7.6mm bigger than those of children who had watched the average amount of 14.8 hours, the study found. The distance children could jump was also reduced by a third of a centimetre for each extra hour of TV they had watched per week at the age of two. The two-year-olds monitored in the study watched an average of 8.8 hours per week, rising to 14.8 hours for the four-year-olds. About 15 percent of the 1 314 children analysed were already watching more than 18 hours of TV a week, the University of Montreal researchers found. It is hoped that the study, published in the International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, will encourage authorities to target the factors behind childhood obesity. Researcher Dr Linda Pagani said: “The bottom line is that watching too much television is not good. “Across the [Western] world, there have been dramatic increases in unhealthy weight for children and adults in recent decades. “Our standard of living has also changed in favour of more easily

prepared, calorie-dense foods and sedentary practices. Watching more television not only displaces other forms of educational and active leisurely pursuits but also places them at risk of learning inaccurate information about proper eating. “These findings support clinical suspicions that more screen time contributes to the rise in excess weight… thus providing essential clues for effective approaches to its eradication.” Her fellow researcher, Dr Caroline Fitzpatrick, said: “The pursuit of sports by children depends in part on their perceived athletic competence. “Behavioural dispositions can become entrenched during childhood as it is a critical period for the development of habits and preferred activities. “Accordingly, the ability to perform well during childhood may promote participation in sporting activities in adulthood.’ Meanwhile, another study has found that couch potato kids are more clumsy than those who are active. It found that those who sat around for most of the day were

up to nine times less likely to have normal levels of co-ordination. Importantly, brief bursts of strenuous exercise did not make up for the damage apparently done by a sedentary lifestyle. The study tracked the movements of more than 200 children aged nine and 10 using a gadget to measure activity levels over five days. The children were tested to measure their balance, speed and co-ordination, including walking backwards on a beam. On average, the youngsters spent three-quarters of their time sedentary – defined as sitting or lying down – with the girls less active than the boys. However, the impact on coordination was greatest for the boys, with male couch potatoes five to nine times less likely to have normal co-ordination, the Journal of Human Biology reports. The findings stood even when height, weight and other exercise were taken into account. Researcher Dr Luis Lopes, of Minho University in Portugal, said good co-ordination was linked to a healthy weight and heart: “Childhood is a critical time for the development of motor co-ordination skills which are essential for health and well-being.”


CHANGENOW MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2014

13

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14

CHANGENOW MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2014 If you have any requests or ideas for topics to be featured in our next issue or just to give us feedback contact me at tmaree@changenow.co.za

By Tasha Lee Maree

Changing Thoughts ...

The ChangeNOW Team would like to wish Tasha our valued contributor a very Happy

Sweet 16th Birthday

May you always remain as amazing as you are and Thank You for being an inspiration to us all.

It could be “Now or Never” One of the world’s most loved rappers will soon be hitting Durban shores. Famous hip hop rapper Kendrick Lamar is due to perform in Durban on the 7th of February at the Wavehouse, Gateway. Lamar will be touring debut studio album “good kid m.A.A.d city” which has recently gone platinum worldwide. The “Swimming Pools” artist will also be touring in johnnesburg and Cape Town. Tickets range from R350 – R1900 and are available through Computicket. So girls if you’re a fan of Kendrick Lamar you might want to hint your valentines gift to boyfriend. Boys if you’re the rap lover … buy your own ticket.

“Love is Respect” February is national teen dating violence awareness month. As youngsters its incredibly important for us to take action against abuse. Abuse and violence can come in different forms from physical, emotional, verbal, sexual and digital. You should never be in a situation that makes you uncomfortable you have the right to say NO! Join the cause and wear orange on February 11th For more information visit www.teendvmonth.org/take-action

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FEBRUARY 2014

The greatest Love story of all The classic tragedy is coming back to the big screens with a new cast. The Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet comes back to life with Hailee Steinfield (Juliet) and Douglas Booth (Romeo). This Romeo may not be Leonardo Dicaprio but he is definitely some eye candy. The movie is set in the fair city of Verona where two teenagers belonging to wealthy rivalry families fall in love. There couldn’t be a better movie for the month of love.

SnapChat Welcome to the conversation of pictures, Snapchat has been around for a while but it’s growing larger and larger. If you dont have this app please crawl out from under your rock and get it because personally this app is addictive. Send friends funny, weird faces or maybe something exciting you want to share.

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LOVE & MATTERS OF THE HEART Everyone needs love – it is perhaps more important than most other so-called essentials, and genuine love is a rarity. Plants need love, animals need love, children need love, and two adult people who find themselves attracted to one another, each need the love of the other. It is easy to damage this love in the early days and we need to distinguish love as something different from lust or love of the flesh. Genuine love happens when there is a connection – a mercuric feeling of attraction which is the first indication of the development of a loving relationship. Genuine caring, listening, and loving one another starts a relationship off on a sound foot that could develop further, into a serious commitment and later to marriage. At this point, each of the pair needs to be very sensitive to the needs of the other. Perhaps a big mistake is in giving a person what one partner thinks he or she wants, without listening, and assessing what the genuine need is. Developing a love relationship takes work on the part of both people. A genuine listening, and a sympathetic ear are essential, but there needs to be time for

both parties to participate in the give and take of an honest loving relationship. For instant, if she loves plants and thinks it unkind to cut flowers off from the plant, to give that lovely girl a bouquet of flowers might not bring the joy to her heart you would like them to. Similarly if he hates brown, and the young lady concerned did not listen and hear, and bought him a beautiful jerkin in brown, she might have touched a wrong cord. Other tips would be, bring joy to the relationship, not your troubles and complaints. Do not speak endlessly about your pet subject. Short snatches with time to listen to his hobbies and interests can make for appreciation of each other. Listening is a rare quality, but one that will help to cement a new relationship as two people assess what it would be like to have a constant chatterer for a serious partner, or worse, a complainer. Kind words, kind thoughts, little gestures of giving, warm the heart. Love is a special need and gift.

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Ashlyn Raman brings home Gold in the Durbanite

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International Table Soccer Federation World Cup held in France {Exclusive to ChangeNow Magazine}

What a great edition for Ashlyn Raman from Asherville, Durban who won the Table Soccer (also known as foosball) Division 2 World title and will step up to Division 1 for next World Cup 2015! This was an amazing victory for Ashlyn Raman who knocked out N°1 World International Table Soccer Federation (ITSF) Rob Atha from Great Britain in the Men's Single qualification round. Raman now ranks nineth in the world. How did you start playing table soccer? I began playing table coccer when I was 10 years old. I had walked into a game shop and saw a Soccer Table, as soon as I held those bars on the table I fell in love with the game. Even though I was little and my first game was against boys that were much older than me, playing on that table at that very moment was more important than the fact that I lost the game. That sudden rush of a fast pace game drew me to the passion I have for it now. How many years are you involved in Table Soccer? Professionally, I have been involved in it for 6 years. What makes you love this sport so much? My main reasons are: A) It is a very challenging sport and I love a challenge. It is a sport which needs a lot of concentration and quick hands. B) The play of the sport is always evolving and new shots are being invented. The roaring cheers and support from the audience just ignites me to play at another dimension, specially those fast trick shots.

Tell us how you were chosen to represent South Africa in the Soccer Table World Cup held in France in December 2013? In order to represent South Africa in the World Cup, you must win a tournament which is based in South Africa during the year. There are two major Tournaments, namely: (1) The South African Championship, (2) The South African League Cup. I had participated in both tournaments and had a ranking of: (A) Singles South African Ranking 2nd (B) Doubles League Cup Ranking 1st These both rankings guaranteed me a place in the South African Team for the World Cup in Nantes (France). Do you think this sport gets the recognition it deserves? Honestly, I don’t think it gets the recognition it deserves. In certain countries Table Soccer is as big as any other sport, but in South Africa it’s not. In other continents, the countries that play are sponsored in the World cup. The South African team is unfortunately not sponsored which forces each individual player finance himself to represent the country. We are still seeking sponsors to brighten the way for this game and team. How has wining the World Cup and beating the Number one World ITSF Rob Atha from Great Britain feel? Winning the World Cup for South Africa is an AMAZING experience and honour!! It’s a sudden rush of anxiousness, joy and pride to win something this big for your country. It’s truly mind-blowing. Just before the final goal is scored there’s shaking feeling of nervousness, but as

soon as its scored, an eruption of jumping and screaming is definitely to follow. To know that I have beat World's ranked number one, three games to knock him out, has truly increased my confidence levels. It has given me recognition with the other countries and it is a goal I can tick off now. I feel like a Champion and it feels great. What is your message to all the amateur Table soccer players? Being a great player doesn’t come overnight but with a lot of practice, patience and motivation you can achieve being a champion. Just like in life if you show these 3 traits it will take you far in achieving your goals. You learn patience and also how to show good sportsmanship weather you win or loose. It’s a good way to let loose and have a fun time socialising without getting involved in drugs and crime. Other info • SA team played Bulgaria in the semi-final • SA team played Argentina in the final and won 3-1 • Over 30 countries were represented at the event • Took place in Nantes (France) • SA Team takes 1st place in Division 2. • Ashlyn Raman World Championship ranking is 9th in the World. • (Captain) Leonard • Players that represented South Africa Leonard, Ashlyn, Ali, Mohammed, Ebrahim, Shaheed, Ziyaad.


THE FAMILY MEAL Eating Together

When was the last time you sat down to dinner with your family? The kind of meal that involves passing of dishes, good conversation, and genuine family bonding? For many, it may have been on rare occassions, but this type of important family event needn't happen only once or twice a year. Families that make an effort to eat meals together at least three or four times a week enjoy significant benefits to their health, well-being, and relationships. Family Dinners May Be a Growing Trend The family meal hit a low point in the 1950s, the era of the TV dinner and the cultural shift that began to regard cooking dinner for the family as a major inconvenience. As foods become more readily available and storable in the freezer and in the pantry, the idea of cooking from scratch became almost passé. Today we’re largely a nation of “heateruppers” - not cooks - and this means less time spent together with your family during the traditional ritual of preparing a meal. That being said, this seems to be changing, perhaps because people are beginning to miss the security and the socialisation that family meals impart. One study conducted earlier this year found that most families eat dinner together most nights of the week, and 34 percent eat together seven nights a week. And wouldn't you know… 84 percent said that the time their family eats together is actually one of their favorite parts of the day. Family Meals Lead to Better Nutrition and Emotional Health. Research shows that children who share family meals three or more times a week are more likely to be in a healthy weight range and have healthier eating patterns. They’re less likely to eat unhealthy foods, more likely to eat

By Dr. Mercola

healthy foods and less likely to have an eating disorder. But that’s far from all. Teens who eat with their families at least five times a week are 40 percent more likely to get A’s and B’s in school than their peers who don’t share family meals. They’re also 42 percent less likely to drink alcohol, 59 percent less likely to smoke cigarettes, and 66 percent less likely to try marijuana. They were also less depressed. The benefits are truly profound. Separate research showed, for instance, that with each additional family dinner, adolescents had: • Fewer emotional and behavioral problems • Greater emotional well-being • More trusting and helpful behaviors toward others • Higher life satisfaction

One of the keys to optimal health is having someone in your family (or someone you hire) invest some time in your kitchen, preparing meals from scratch.

Families who eat together build stronger relationships. Culturally, humans have been joining together for meals since ancient times, and we may be engrained to build relationships in this way. Even in modern times, family relationships appear to grow stronger around the dinner table.

If you value the importance of a family meal, however, you must make it a priority. This might mean your family meal takes place at lunchtime instead of dinnertime on certain days of the week, but ideally strive to eat together as often as you can, scheduling non-essential activities around your dinner, and not the other way around.

Family meals may provide a unique opportunity for building stronger families and young people. Creating environments where frequent family meals are normative, valued and feasible for families may result in benefits for young people that extend beyond good nutrition. Still more benefits associated with family meals include: • Better vocabulary development among children • Increased self esteem • Helps children build resilience • Lower rates of teenage pregnancy

Family Meals Help Pass Down Healthful Cooking Traditions You may have certain recipes and other culinary traditions that you learned from your mother and grandmother, which you plan to pass on to your children, too. This is important, as often these passeddown recipes rely on traditional cooking methods and real, whole foods – not the processed convenience foods that are so common today.

Making Family Meals a Priority

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Spending the time together to eat the meal you’ve prepared is likely equally important, but both take planning to make them a reality. One of my favorite sayings with respect to your meals is if you fail to plan, then you are planning to fail. This means not only shopping ahead of time so you have the food available to cook, but also setting aside the time to eat together. Many sports for kids are scheduled at the family dinner hour, for instance, or parents may have a hard time getting home from work at a reasonable hour.

T he benefit of the family meal isn't only the time you spend eating together, but also the time you spend preparing your meal and cleaning up. Getting your children involved teaches

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them invaluable lessons about food preparation and how you function together as a family, and the more you involve them in the process, the greater the benefits are likely to be. If you are seeking to use food to optimize your health, it is helpful to pay attention not only to the food quality, but also to how you prepare it, being careful to use methods that do not seriously impair its quality. Seek to get back to the basics of cooking, such as: 1. Creating bone broth: Simmering leftover bones over low heat for an entire day will create one of the most nutritious and healing foods there is. You can use this broth for soups, stews, or drink it straight. 2. Extending a slow-cooked Sunday roast to use for weekday dinners 3. Learning how to make hearty stews from inexpensive cuts of meat 4. Cooking with real ingredients like coconut oil and butter in lieu of polyunsaturated vegetable oils or margarine 5. Planning your meals around the seasonal produce available in your area Quite simply, we've strayed too far from the foods we are designed to eat, exchanging the convenience of processed foods and fast foods for our very health. Going back to basics and refocusing your diet on fresh, whole, unprocessed, "real" food prepared and shared in your own kitchen can improve just about anyone's health, and at the same time help you fulfill your own family’s need for coming together over a good meal. What hits home the most? There is a direct and visible impact on our family's health and well being from what is going on in our environmentfrom what we eat to the products in our homes to the air we breathe. If you love your family and friends, going green is the absolute best thing you can

do for them, even if its hard to change your habits. Just remember, it's a lot of LITTLE habits you can change one by one. Why? In general, our organs have a hard time handling foods that don't occur in nature, or toxins in our environment. Our bodies have to strain to process these elements. That means our cleaning systems, like the kidneys and lymph nodes, and our pumping systems like the heart, lungs and veins have been getting a mean workout. And the extra energy that this takes depletes secondary systems in the body- the ones that aren't critical to survival. And sedentary lifestyles, where we're cooped up all day, don't give the body a chance to do it's cleaning, either. How did we get here? The way we live now is unique to our era, it's a byproduct of cars and highways and mass production and packaging and agribusiness- and all kinds of other things. Plentiful, diverse and inexpensive food- any where any way you want it- never before have we had so many amazing choices. It's quite a miracle in terms of human history to have the opposite problem- so much food you don't know what to do with it. It's just time for the pendulum to swing back into balance. Many of the connections between the products we surround ourselves with and our health are just becoming known. Adopting a green lifestyle isn't about getting depressed because we've let things go this far. Instead it's about learning how to trust the natural order of things and trust what feels healthy and what doesn't. Get in tune with your body - not only your taste buds!

Going Green is a gift you give to yourself - greater consciousness about what goes into your body- through the mouth, through the skin- and the impact of your choices on the planet. From a family health perspective, that may mean more fresh air into your lungs, more leg stretching, better eats- and generally more mindfulness around the general care of you, your family, your home and your community. There's no authoritative checklist to a green lifestyle, but here's a start that will help your family health: • Walking and biking more; less time in a car and more time in nature • Eat local organic foods as much as possible- but if you can't do that all the time, follow these basic rules: • have a zero tolerance for fast food • No products containing high fructose corn syrup • Eat more slowly and intentionally • Water water water • Peruse the labels of cleaning supplies and skin care products to make sure that they are free of synthetics, chemicals and toxins that could do inadvertent harm.

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CHANGENOW MAGAZINE

Why Our Brains L Achieving your goals isn’t just about hard work and discipline. It’s about physiology. By understanding how the brain processes success and failure, you can jump-start your productivity to create a winning streak and put an end to failed New Year's resolutions. The more times you succeed at something, the longer your brain stores the information that allowed you to do so well in the first place. That’s because with each success, our brain releases a chemical called dopamine. When dopamine flows into the brain's reward pathway (the part responsible for pleasure, learning and motivation), we not only feel greater concentration but are inspired to re-experience the activity that caused the chemical release in the first place. This is why the cultivation of small wins can propel you to bigger success, and you should focus on setting just a few small achievable goals. While your ambitions can remain grand, setting the bar too high with goals can actually be counterproductive. Each time we fail, the brain is drained of

dopamine making it not only hard to concentrate but also difficult to learn from what went wrong.

Why We Learn More From Success Than Failure Ever find yourself destined to repeat the same mistakes over and over again? According to a study completed by researchers at MIT’s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, that is exactly how our brains are wired to work. Their findings determined that our brain cells only learn from experience when we do things right and failure doesn’t register the same way. In the experiment, monkeys viewed two images on a computer screen, one that presented a reward if the subject reacted by looking right, another when it looked left. The study showed that the brain response when a monkey received an award for looking the right way improved its chances of performing well on the next trial. The study makes important discoveries not only about the way we learn but the brain’s neural plasticity or ability to change in response to experiences. When


CHANGENOW MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2014

Like Short-Term Goals behavior is successful our cells become finely tuned to what the animal was learning at the time while a failure shows little change in the brain or improvement in the monkey’s behavior.

Set Goals Your Brain Likes Collecting wins, no matter how small, can chemically wire you to move mountains by causing a repeated release of dopamine. But to get going you have to land those first few successes. The key to creating your own cycle of productivity is to set a grand vision and work your way there with a few, achievable goals that increase your likelihood of experiencing a positive outcome. “Your vision is your destination, and small, manageable goals are the motor that will get you there,” says Dr. Frank Murtha, a New York-based counseling psychologist with a focus on investor psychology, behavioral finance and financial risk taking. “Without the vision you’re on a road to nowhere. Without the goals, you have a destination but no motor. They work in tandem, and you

need both.”

Create a Road Map for Your Subconscious Mind Kick off goal setting by preparing a short vision statement of where you want to go. “Vision creates a picture for the subconscious mind. Our subconscious is what makes us such good problem solvers compared to a computer,” says Dr. Richard Peterson, a psychiatrist and neuroeconomics researcher who has written two books on financial risk taking. “We can see 1,000 dimensions of a problem and sort it down to the most important very quickly.” The subconscious is not only responsible for 90 percent of the decisions we make in day-to-day life, but is also the part of the brain that is largely in charge when we are performing creative tasks or charting unknown territory. The very act of giving your emotional brain a detailed portrait of your end goal also ensures that, even inadvertently, you will take the steps needed to steer yourself toward it. Articulate your vision with words

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and a picture or two; the more detailed the better. Post this where you can see it regularly.

Work Your Way There With Short-Term Goals To rack up those first few wins, you’ve got to set only a few shortterm goals at a time. Each should ideally take no more than three months to achieve. The goals should be realistic and specific, and incorporate your strengths. Writing them down, ideally in a place where you will see them every day, will help you stay focused. If success releases the production of dopamine, failure can do the opposite. Setting over-reaching goals, or too many goals at once, can be counterproductive for those seeking to harness the power of the brain’s reward center. If you set four goals and achieve only two of them, it’s human nature to focus on what went wrong; even the successes you were able to accomplish fail to drum out what you weren’t able to achieve. Remember, success begets success.

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Being a parent is tough. Most of us feel like we could do a better job, but resolving to be more patient rarely works. That's because sometimes the first step to being a better parent is actually about how we treat ourselves. We can only give what we have inside. And if we can't manage our own emotions. we can't expect our kids to learn to manage theirs. But if you want to become a more inspired parent – and a happier person – that’s completely possible. I’ve seen countless parents do it. How? Step by step. • Start by committing yourself. • Envision what your life will look like when you keep this commitment, and how you'll feel. Notice how much closer you feel to your child. Notice how much happier your child is, and how much more cooperative. • Revisit your commitment daily, including your image of how keeping that commitment makes you feel. (You're programming your subconscious.) • When you mess up (and you will, if you’re human), offer yourself total compassion, apologize to your child, and take a positive step in your desired direction. Two steps forward, one step back still takes you where you want to go. • Make a small positive change every day. Find support (like my free daily emails) and give yourself constant cheerleading. At first you'll see small changes. But sooner or later, small changes add

up to big changes. Wondering where to begin? Here are 10 Commitments that will make you a better parent – and a happier person. Start with one, or commit to all ten. I’ll be here to support you each step of the way. 1. Commit to taking care of yourself and staying centered so you can be the happy, patient, encouraging parent your child deserves. That means integrating daily sustainable self-nurturing into your life: Go to bed earlier so you’re better rested, eat healthfully to maintain your mood, transform any inner negative voices into encouraging ones, and slow down your pace so you can enjoy your life. Most important of all, commit to managing yourself. When your emotions are dysregulated, you're in fight or flight, and your child looks like the enemy. Calm yourself before you engage with your child. 2. Commit to loving the one you’re with. The one thing we know for certain about child development is that kids who feel loved and cherished thrive. That doesn’t mean kids who ARE loved – plenty of kids whose parents love them don’t thrive. The kids who thrive are the ones who FEEL loved and cherished for exactly who they are. Every child is unique, so it takes a different approach for that child to feel seen and loved. The hard work for us as parents is accepting who our child is, warts and all – and cherishing him or her for being

that person, even while guiding behavior. The secret? See it from his perspective, use a positive lens, and celebrate every step in the right direction. 3. Commit to staying connected. Separation happens. That’s why we have to repeatedly reconnect. Remember that quality time is about connection, not teaching, so it’s mostly unstructured. Hug your child first thing every morning and when you say goodbye. When you’re reunited later in the day, spend fifteen minutes solely focused on your child. (What do you do in that 15 minutes? Listen, commiserate, hug, roughhouse, laugh, listen some more.) Stop working before dinner time so you can devote your evening to your family. Eat dinner together. Have a chat and a silent snuggle at bedtime every night with each child. 4. Commit to role modeling respect. Want to raise kids who are considerate and respectful, right through the teen years? Take a deep breath, and speak to them respectfully. Not always easy when you’re angry, so remember the cardinal rules of managing your emotions with kids: You’re the role model, don’t take it personally, and this too shall pass! 5. Commit to teaching emotional intelligence. In addition to modeling emotional self management, we help kids learn to manage their emotions by:


FEBRUARY 2014

• Teaching them to self-soothe. Contrary to what you may have heard, little ones don't learn to self-soothe by being left to cry. (That just creates an over-active amygdala and panic response later in life.) As anyone who has ever tried to calm herself down knows, soothing is a physiological process. When a baby cries and we soothe him, his body responds by sending out oxytocin and other soothing biochemicals. What you see is that he calms down. What’s happening biologically is that he’s solidifying the neural pathways for these selfsoothing hormones. That's how he develops the ability to soothe himself when he's upset. • Giving them the message that their full range of feelings is understandable, even while their actions must be limited. (“You wish you could have a cookie”) • Empathizing with their emotions. • Listening to them when they have feelings to express. Occasionally this will take the form of words, and it helps to give kids words for their feelings: “You’re so mad!" But more often, children just need us to give them the safety of our loving presence while they cry or rage to vent their feelings. Often they won't be able to articulate what they're upset about, and it isn't necessary. But this helps kids learn to accept and process their emotions, so they can move past them rather than having to act on them. (That's what "acting out" means -- we act on our feelings rather

than simply tolerating them as they sweep through us and dissipate.) 6. Commit to looking for the needs behind your child’s behavior. Your kid has a reason for whatever he’s doing that displeases you. It might not be what you consider a good reason, but it’s what’s motivating his behavior. If yelling at him about his behavior were going to change it, that would have worked already. Only by addressing the underlying need do we change a person’s behavior. Parents who address kids’ need pre-emptively by noticing problem areas (“Hmm…. looks like she wants to choose her own clothes, even if they don’t match!”) are rewarded with kids who cooperate. 7. Commit to guidance rather than punishment. Kids only behave to please us. When we constantly criticize and discipline, they harden their hearts to us. Parents who lead by loving example, address needs rather than focusing on misbehavior, redirect pre-emptively rather than punish (“You can throw the ball outside”), and set limits empathically (“You’re mad and sad, but we don’t hit. Let’s use your words to tell your brother how you feel”) end up with self-disciplined kids who WANT to behave. 8. Commit to remembering what’s important and an attitude of gratitude. Stay positive and choose your battles. Every negative interaction with your child uses up valuable relationship capital. Focus

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on what matters, such as the way your child treats her siblings. In the larger scheme of things, her jacket on the floor may drive you crazy, but it probably isn’t worth putting your relationship bank account in the red over. Be grateful for every single thing she does that you like, and you’ll find her doing lots more of those things. 9. Commit to radical selfacceptance and compassion. Want to feel more love in your heart? Give it to yourself! Love is a verb. Yes, love can just happen – but we only make more (and feel more) by giving it away. And we can only give our children as much love as our own hearts can hold. Go ahead – stretch your heart. Every time you feel bad, for any reason, offer yourself love. You’ll be amazed how your life transforms. 10. Keep Perspective. Sure, your kids will make mistakes, and so will you. There are no perfect parents, no perfect children, and no perfect families. But there are families who live in the embrace of great love, where everyone thrives. The only way to create that kind of family is to make daily choices that take you in that direction. It's not magic, just the hard work of course correction to stay on the right path. But if you look for it, you can always find trail marks and support to beckon you onward to a more rewarding life. Just keep taking positive steps. Before you know it, you'll find yourself in a whole new landscape.


CHANGENOW MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2014

Shannon Connolly

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Kings and Queens of Comedy @ ICC Event Type: On Stage, Comedy Date:14 February 2014 The Kings & Queens of Comedy is SA's leading comedy brand and they are back on a national tour with a line up filled with royal hilarities.

Durban - Folk / Acoustic 14 February 14 Jimmy's Killer Prawns Glenashley South African-based acoustic singer/songwriter, Shannon Connolly, has been performing since her early teens. She spent time busking and performing in Greece, London, Galway and Turkey before returning to Durban, where she has been hard at work cementing her name in the Durban music scene as a dynamic and unique artist.

99% Zulu Comedy - Playhouse Event Type: On Stage, Comedy Date:14 February 2014 SA's only and No. 1 vernacular comedy show returns to Durban with a line-up that will leave patrons with aching stomachs from laughter.

From 6.30pm to 10pm Its FREE so book your place early 031 562 3333 e • martinyoung2907@gmail.com a • 46 Ashley Ave., Glenashley

I Am I - Isizulu Theatre – Sibaya Event Type: On Stage, Drama Date: 07 February 2014 A theatrical production that boldly aims to inspire youth to realise their dreams and maximise their creative potential.

The Golden Horse brings you the Valentine's Day Concert with Lloyd Cele! Join us on Valentine's Day, 14 February 2014, for an evening of sensual sounds with one of South Africa's highly acclaimed musical talents.

7 Deadly Sins - Elizabeth Sneddon Event Type: On Stage, Comedy Date: 06 – 28th February 2014 This wicked comedy is the latest instalment of zany madness from the team that bought you Abbamaniacs. It's a hilarious musical comedy.

Be mesmerized by Lloyd Cele as he takes you on a musical journey and makes your Valentine’s Day one to never forget!

Late Night Comedy - Catalina Theatre Event Type: On Stage, Comedy Date: 14th February 2014 Durban's best comedians in an interesting comedy format that is guaranteed to be a whole lot of fun... or your money back (not really).

Starts at 7pm. Cost: R120 cover charge Golden Horse Casino t • 033 395 8136 e • info@goldenhorse.co.za w • www.goldenhorse.co.za a • 45 New England Road, Petermaritzburg

FOREVER YOUNG Event Type: Great Musical Icons Date: 28 Jan - 9 Mar 2014 Forever Young is the show that is dedicated to those icons and singers who remain etched in our memory because of their incredible music.


We are Here

www.changenow.co.za

031 464 22 70 l 031 464 4517 l 081 514 3993 info@changenow.co.za



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