Issue No. 5 October 2018 by ThePrioritizedLife

Contents 22

Online Gaming: Risks and Tips

The Truth About Breast Self-Exams

DAYS 06 CELEBRATED IN THE MONTH OF

05 OCTOBER EDITOR’S NOTE:

BEST STORE32 THE BOUGHT “HOME-

COLORING 54 ADULT PAGES & MONTHLY

OCTOBER

MADE” COOKIES

HELLO FALL!

PLANNERS

Do-It-Yourself: Six DIY Fall Wreaths

10 Minute Meditation For Focus and Success

OF THE 52 RECIPE MONTH: CARROT

DOGS 50 CHARITIES: W/OUT BORDERS+

CAKE SMOOTHIE

HAVE A LISTEN: OCTOBER PODCAST WATCH

7 QUICK & EASY SELF CARE TIPS WOMEN NEED TO KNOW

WAGS & WALKS

FROM THE

Editor

HI THERE BEAUTIFUL! DO YOU FEEL THE CHILL IN THE AIR? NO? ME EITHER. IT’S OCTOBER THOUGH!

Fall is one of the best times for family fun. Pumpkins, festivals, crafts, and more! It’s the best time to really step outside your comfort zone, try something new and embrace the season. Bake a new pie, try your hand at creating home decor (I’ve got some ideas!), and don’t forget to post your awesome crafts and adventures on your favorite social media channel - try Instagram for your swoon-worthy pictures or Pinterest for your crafty tutorials. Or just post them on Facebook to get your brag on! As you work your way through the final quarter of the year, remember to continue challenging yourself, reviewing your current and future goals, start planning for 2019, and keep living your best life!

Miranda xoxo

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whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on in the month of 31

2 name your car day

October?

carve a pumpkin day

& halloween breast cancer awareness month

adopt a shelter do

When are those wacky holidays that no one really knows about but we all love to celebrate? Here are some notable ones for October. Want to know more? Click here>>

05 world teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day

cookie month

og month

take your teddy bear to work day

Self Care is the Best Care.

Health , Fitness & Self Care

OCTOBER 2018 | VOLUME 1 | ISSUE NO. 5

7 Quick and easy Self Care Power Nap Yes, you have permission to sneak in a nap. Keep it to half an hour and you’ll feel like you’ve recharged without slipping into a deeper stage of sleep. Your sleep cycles are 90 minutes, so if you wake up before the deep cycle begins you won’t feel as groggy. Caution While Applying Mascara Did you know that corneal abrasions are

one of the most common eye injuries? The cause? Mascara wands. Be careful when applying your mascara! Healthcare Some entrepreneurs sometimes go without health coverage, but you can’t afford to be caught without it so make sure you are covered. I was able to find really affordable care using Healthcare. gov (https://www.healthcare.gov/).

tips that women need to know Replace Your Skillet You might adore that cast iron skillet, but it’s allowing metal to seep from the pan into your food, so let it go.

Increase Your Vitamin D It can reduce the risk of ovarian and breast cancer by up to 50%, so make sure you’re getting 1,000 IU daily.

Ditch The Detox Don’t believe the hype. It isn’t a reset button for your body; it’s robbing you of essential nutrients. Drink more water, this helps cleanse your system in a safe way, and also reduces hunger.

When To Go Organic There are times when you should go organic and times it doesn’t matter as much. If you eat the skin, then you’re going to want to buy organic.

the Truth about breast self-exams

40 PERCENT OF WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER FOUND THEIR OWN LUMP OR BREAST CHANGE. ARE YOU PERFORMING REGULAR BREAST CHECKS?

It may sound like a scary thing. It may sound like a very minor thing. Especially if you are regularly attending your annual doctor visits, and you don’t have breast cancer history in your family. I always advocate self-care as the first step in preventing and treating health challenges. When it comes to breast health, the importance of self-care is a message I can’t share often enough. It is great to see pink ribbons everywhere in October during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month! If I had my wish, every pink ribbon would carry an additional important message for women. That message would read “You can improve your breast health and reduce the risk of breast cancer right now with a few simple lifestyle changes.” Through self-checking, I found a lump in my armpit. Luckily for me, it was not tumorous, but it

serves as a constant reminder to continue to check myself for any changes. I also had a uterine fibroid tumor removed last month (also non-cancerous), so I can’t encourage you enough to be aware of your body and any changes you might notice.

A Death Sentence Caused By Neglect Self inspection of the breasts should be a main priority for every woman. Breast cancer caught in the early stages of growth will give better odds for the patient to control the disease with the help of todays modern medicines and technology. An estimated 211,000 new cases of breast cancer was diagnosed this past year. Even with the increased awareness programs, early detection through annual mammography screening and instruction for self-examination, breast cancer

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remains a leading cause of death for women. There are four recognized developmental stages of breast cancer:

2.) Become knowledgeable about the types, stages, and symptoms of breast cancer.

(1) Stage 0: Cancer cells are present in either the lining of the milk glands (lobules), or in the tubes (ducts) that link the milk glands to the nipple. No cancer cells have spread to the nearby fatty tissue.

3.) Learn the correct procedure for self-examination tests, and perform them routinely.

(2) Stage 1: Cancer has spread to nearby fatty tissue in the breast. Tumor size is about 1” or under; no cancer cells are present in surrounding lymph nodes. (3) Stage 2: Size of tumor is 1” to 2” in diameter; cancer cells may have also spread to nearby lymph nodes. (4) Stage 3: Cancer is locally advanced. Tumors are approximately 2” or larger in diameter, or tumors of any size have spread to lymph nodes under the arm or in the chest (above or below the collarbone). (5) Stage 4: Metastatic, advanced breast cancer. The cancer has spread from the breast and lymph nodes to other parts of the body. Early detection of breast cancer remains a woman’s best chance of survival, and women of all ages should take advantage of all the resources available.

Every woman should: 1.) Become educated about the risk factors associated with breast cancer.

Long-term use of oral contraceptives, early menstruation, late first fullterm pregnancy, exposure to high doses of radiation – puberty through childbearing years, and inherited genetic mutation can all increase a woman’s risk of acquiring breast cancer. Women 40 years of age and older should also:

1.) Have an annual mammography screening. 2.) Become educated about increased age-related risks associated with breast cancer. Recent studies confirm that risk of breast cancer in midlife increases with regular consumption of alcohol, hormone replacement therapy, weight, and body mass distribution. Can You Reduce Your Risk? Check your Body Mass Index (BMI) to determine if your weight has become a health risk. Obesity and extreme

weight fluctuations can contribute to body changes. Color your diet with a large variety of colorful, cancer-fighting fruit and vegetables (choose 5-9 daily). Eat lean protein with every meal. Rev up your metabolism with activity. Lastly, get support to ensure you develop a healthful eating and health plan. Again, The most important step for a woman to prevent breast cancer is to schedule regular checkups, screenings and mammograms, learn how to perform her own exams, and also to acquire all the information she can about the subject.

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Let’s review: #selfcare app

“There’s no winning, no failure, no score. No diﬃculty, no ads, no notiﬁcations.” There are no shortages of apps that can be used for meditation and relax-

ation. I stumbled upon the #SelfCare app in the iOS app store last week. This is one of the easiest apps to use and get acquainted with. Seriously, once you open it, there is a short tutorial and you basically click around the

“We’re staying home for the day. We refuse to leave our bed. This is our space.”

bedroom to find all of the things available to play with. Cuddle with your cat, light a candle, consult your Tarot cards, collect things for your altar. What’s the point? Relax. There is a phone and computer in the room, but you are told

not to use it. These are simple mind tricks to help calm you. Go ahead, grab your phone and stay in bed. AVAILABLE FOR IOS AND ANDROID: http://truluv.ai/selfcare

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HAVE A LISTEN: PODCAST WATCH

Podcasts For living your best life WE DON’T ALWAYS HAVE THE LUXURY OF SITTING DOWN WITH OUR TEA OR COFFEE (OR WINE!) AND READING WORDS. IN THOSE CASES, WE NEED SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE PORTABLE AND EFFORTLESS. ENTER PODCASTS! WHO DOESN’T LOVE NEW PODCASTS TO FOLLOW? MY FAVORITES ARE USUALLY WOMEN CENTERED AND CATER TO CREATING YOUR BEST LIFE. I’VE STUMBLED ACROSS A GOOD AMOUNT, AND SHARING IS CARING! SO HERE IS A ROUND UP OF PODCAST EPISODES I’VE LISTENED TO THAT I THINK YOU SHOULD BE CHECKING OUT. ADD THESE GEMS TO YOUR PLAYLIST FOR INSTANT LIFE ENHANCEMENT. DON’T FORGET TO VISIT MY BLOG: WWW.THEPRIORITIZEDLIFE.COM/BLOG FOR MY VIEWS ON LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE.

01 THE LIVELY SHOW TLS #274 | How I’m making life a “game” and getting magical manifestations. http://jesslively.com/gameoflife

02 LET IT OUT 233 | Balancing Full-time jobs with creative projects, culture & identity, natural hair, millennial’s strengths & weakness, body image and more with Cat Lantigua. http://katiedalebout.com/podcast/cat-lantigua

03 WANTCAST WANTcast 046 | I Make Money Moves (How To Not Freak Out Over Your Bank Account) https://bit.ly/2PkZj2Z

04 THE CHALENE SHOW Stop quitting! Focus on the finish. How to stop quitting and follow through on what you’ve started. https://www.chalenejohnson.com/podcasts/stopquitting-start-finishing/

The most important thing in the world are Family and love.

gs y

Home & Relationships

Online Gaming: Risks andTips As the parent of a pre-teen, I see a lot of online gaming around my house. Some of the games I’m familiar with, but most of them, I’ve never seen before. I’m somewhere between the cool parent that knows what’s going on all the time (if that unicorn actually exists) and the parent who is clueless and can’t even get to Instagram on their phone. Parenting nowadays seems like it is so much harder than it used to be because of this internet age. There are so many things we don’t know and new games, lingo and whatever else popping up everyday. As the Nintendo Console and the Gameboy handheld was to us, online gaming is to the current generation of children. There are very few children or parents who have not heard of or experienced games like Minecraft and other online interactive games. These games can offer children an opportunity to connect with others, and can help them have fun while being somewhat social, but there are plenty of risks. Any child who is participating in online gaming should have a parent closely monitoring them, in order to curb possible dangers before they become an issue. It’s really easy to let your child (especially young teens) go off and play online while you do your other things around the house, but you have to be aware of what your child is doing online. There’s not just gameplay going on.

“Be aware of what your child is doing online. There’s not just gameplay going on.”

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Here are some things to keep in mind if Cyberbullying is unfortunately in online gaming is a part of your familyís abundance. It is far too easy for children day-to-day life. to group together online and be cruel towards a particular individual. Group RISK OF ADDICTION mentality kicks in and bullying can range from other players refusing to play with Online gaming can easily become your child for no particular reason, to addictive for any child, and the desire using foul language and insults directed to zone out can be strong for children towards your child. who are in stressful real life situations. It can be ok for a short time to engage in Bullying damages both the individual a stress-relieving activity such as online who bullies and the one being bullied. A gaming, but if you realize your child is child being bullied may seem sullen and using it as an escape from their life depressed, and feel torn wanting to play on a consistent basis, you will need to the game but upset about what is going find out what is going on. Perhaps your on when they do. child is struggling with school, going through the breakdown of a friendship, Unless you have a really close or dealing with depression. Instead of relationship with your child and they tell punishing your child for their desire to you everything, chances are you may play online constantly, it is important to never know this is happening. Short find out the root cause of your child’s of looking over your child’s shoulder strong pull toward it, so you can help while they are playing, it’s tough to see them. Once you get to the root cause, everything as it happens. Stay alert your cause may be OK scaling back their while your child is online - look for mood online gaming endeavors. changes while playing the game, and when you can, show some interest in BEING CYBERBULLIED AND the game and ask questions every once BULLYING in a while.

It will give you a chance to look in on the conversations (even if you can’t figure it out, current game and peek in the chat box a bluff goes a long way with young kids). without seeming suspicious or like a Frequently check over their shoulders, helicopter parent. literally, to take a peek at what is going on. LETTING IMPORTANT Have conversations with your child about ACTIVITIES GO their gaming, and what they like about it. Show an interest in what they are interested If online gaming is taking up more than in - most children will jump at the chance your child’s spare time, step in and say to give you endless details about their something. Gaming should not replace time favourite online game. spent on homework, playing outdoors, or time with friends. If it does, it needs to be Become knowledgeable about the games addressed. your child plays online so that you can understand when there is need for If you are having a hard time scaling back concern. Keep your child involved in real their time verbally, try limiting their screen life activities such as sports and playdates, time with apps like Microsoft Family, and so that they don’t feel an overwhelming Screen Time (https://screentimelabs.com/). need to connect online. Chances are, once With these apps, you can limit the hours of they try a new sport and make new friends, play, block specific times during the day - the urge to run home after school everyday like for homework or bedtime - and some to play online will likely diminish. even allow you to add tasks or chores which will allow them to request more time for The online world has its benefits and doing things around the house. drawbacks. As a parent, you can guide your child safely even through territories such KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN as online gaming. Stay involved, and use these tips to help your child have a positive Be aware of what goes on in online gaming. experience while participating in the online Let your child know that you will have full games they love. access to all their online activities and

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5 Top Games Your child

Pretend like you know wh

ALL ABOUT ONLINE GAMING The world of online gaming is so huge, there is no way we could discuss the games your child is playing in an exhaustive list. So, I’m going to give you a few I’ve seen around my house lately. I mention these because not only do your kids have the opportunity to play the game, they also have an opportunity to connect with other players via chat or audio, so you need to be aware of this and keep an eye on their online activity. Donger does not just lie in skeevy chat rooms anymore (remember AOL?). Depending on your child’s age, here are some of those games you might see (just the tip of the iceberg) and what kids can do while playing. Also note: All of these games have the option to make in-game purchases to upgrade characters and tools, so it might be wise to not have a card linked to their accounts.

FORTNITE

One of the biggest games out right now, Fortnite Battle Royale is the free 100-player PvP mode in Fortnite. One giant map. A battle bus. Fortnite building skills and destructible environments combined with intense PvP combat. The last one standing wins. There is some violene (it’s people killing people), so know what your child can handle. Rated T (Teen). 26

might be playing online

hat you’re talking about

MINECRAFT

Kids can create and explore their very own world where the only limit is their imagination. With players around the globe building and creating together, Minecraft ticks every box; it’s educational, social, creative and an endless source of fun. Rated E (Everyone).

THE SIMS

A life simulation game, It’s been around so long, they keep adding more editions. PC, mocile, free play, etc. There’s a version for everyone. The player creates virtual people called “Sims” and places them in houses and helps direct their moods and satisfy their desires. Rated T (Teen).

ROBLOX

Roblox is a free-to-play “imagination platform” for kids. This platform seems to be aimed at the 12 and under crowd from my experience. Over 64 million active players go on Roblox to play games made by community members. There are over 29 million games to choose from, and kids can create and upload their own games for others to play. Some of the gameplay is advanced, and many games include weapons. The site offers a safe-chat mode for those under 13, as well as a parent login that lets you oversee your child’s use of the site. Rated E (Everyone).

ANIMAL JAM

You will probably just see this one if you have younger kids, but I include it because it does have a chat room. Rated E (Everyone). 27

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Fall is a great time to create a wreath for your door to help celebrate the season. Luckily, it’s not that hard to create wreaths. Below is a round-up of awesome fall do-it-yourself wreath ideas that don’t require a lot of skill to be successful.

1. Rustic DIY Fall Wreath | Consumer Crafts This fall wreath idea is beautiful in its simplicity and shows that with just a few well-placed items you can bring the spirit of fall to everyone who crosses your threshold. All you need is a grapevine wreath form, vine, burlap ribbon, floral wire, pinecones (which you can get outside), a tag and a hot glue gun, and you’re on your way to making this simple wreath that is also beautiful to look at. It would make a great gift. https://bit.ly/2E2nWQI

2. Punch Fabric Wreath All you need for this is a straw wreath form that is covered in plastic, and about four yards of fabric cut into four-inch squares. You can use pinking shears to make different types of cuts and get frames in all shapes and sizes. After the fabric is cut, use a Phillips-head screwdriver to carefully punch the fabric into the wreath form until it looks full and rich from the front. Add ribbon, and you have a beautiful fall punch fabric wreath. https:// bit.ly/2y64cpH

3. Apple Wreath Not much says fall like red delicious apples. Use this example as your guide, but use your imagination to make it your own. This calls for Styrofoam wreath forms, burlap strips, fake apples, moss, and hot glue gun and sticks. All you do is cover the form with the burlap and then hot glue the apples to the form. It’s that simple, yet beautiful. https://bit.ly/1DsXrdv

DO IT YOURSELF:

SIX FALL WREATHS (A ROUND UP)

FALL WREATH DO IT YOURSELF ROUND UP

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4. Cookie Wreath

5. Monogram Fall Wreath

One idea might be to use salt dough instead of cookies to make this wreath, so that it can last longer and be used again. Whether you choose to color the dough or paint it, is up to you. But you simply make the cookies, form into a wreath using a cardboard wreath form, and either use frosting or a glue gun (if you use the salt dough) to connect the leaves to the form. https://bit.ly/2eaTa93

This is perfect for your front door or as a gift to someone else. You need a grapevine wreath form, burlap rosettes, your initial form, paint and a few more things to make this gorgeous sunflower fall monogram wreath for your front door. There really isn’t much to this wreath, but it looks great hung on an interior door. https://bit. ly/2PhZGv5

“Most items you can buy at Walmart, on Amazon, or at any local craft store.”

6. Pinecone Wreath This pinecone wreath idea is genius. Use paint, pinecones you find outside (or buy at a craft store), a pool noodle, or another type of base to get started. If you can stick the pinecones to the form, that’s all you need. It’s a super-simple project that anyone can do if you can follow the directions. You’ll get something unique that other people might not have thought of before, while using

what you have available. https://bit.ly/1Qm7TKs

Making fall wreaths is a fun family activity with a lovely payoff. They make great décor pieces as well as gifts for everyone in your family. You might even be able to make them for a fundraiser for your group or organization, just in time for the fall craft sale seasons. Get creative and have fun!

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WHERE TO FIND THE BEST “HOMEMADE” COOKIES WHEN YOU REALLY DON’T HAVE TIME FOR HOMEMADE Sometimes we over promise at the risk of under delivering, and that can be the worst feeling in the world - especially when it comes to our kids. Whatever the reason, bake sale, fundraiser, birthday party, etc., we commit to providing a fresh batch of cookies even if we don’t have the time. Either a short deadline or just a forgotten appointment on the calendar leads to the moment when you realize you don’t have 2 hours (or *gasp* all of the ingredients) to make your creation, and then you are left with the only other option: store-bought. Now, many of us don’t mind store-bought cookies, it’s more of a mom created stigma. But the thought of admitting to the PTA president you bought cookies instead of slaved away in the kitchen is what really scares us. For those times - and if you haven’t had the chance to experience it yet, trust me, your time is coming - we need to know who carries the best bakery cookies that we can throw on a plate or in a tin and pretend like we made them. Here is my round up of where to find the best grocery store goodies.

1. PUBLIX You can’t go wrong with the Publix bakery. Their sugar cookies are amazingly perfect (note: I’m not talking about Lofthouse sugar cookies - everyone knows you didn’t bake those), and they also have some great chocolate chip cookies. Note too big and not too small, their bakery cookies can easily pass as your homemade gems.

2. COSTCO Costco has a wonderful selection of cookies, and a few different flavors. Their chocolate chip cookies taste like Grandma baked them, and although they are bigger in size, you could get away with it. Aside from chocolate chip, they also have white chocolate macadamia nut and oatmeal raisin. 3. TRADER JOE’S

Usually found not too far from the door, Trader Joe’s has some delicious cookies in a bag. With flavors like peanut butter chocolate chip, and chocolate chip, you can’t go wrong.

cookies (like 3 for $1.00) and you might have trouble stopping once you start. Don’t forget to check out the rest of their bakery cookies, they tend to have a large selection.

4. ALDI

Of course, you are more than welcome to fess up and admit you didn’t have time to bake. That’s OK every once in a while. In those cases, everyone loves a good Lofthouse sugar cookie or even your standard Oreo. If you have time to bake but no ingredients, Tollhouse refrigerated cookie dough is always a winner. You’ll have no problem finding those at any grocery store nationwide.

Aldi’s Village Bakery brand cookies touts flavors like Kitchen Sink, Chocolate Chunk, and the occassional seasonal varieties, and they could fool just about any kid or PTA parent. 5. WALMART Lastly, don’t sleep on the Walmart bakery. They’ve got some affordable

Success is not Final, failure is not Fatal

Business & Money

How To Simplify Your Social Media Marketing Strategies Social media marketing strategies can get incredibly complicated. There always seems to be so much to do and so little time. However, there are ways to keep it simple once you know how.

KNOW YOUR NICHE The niche research you did when you first started your business should have revealed your people’s interests, pain points, problems, and spending limits. If you’re not sure, do some research. Above all, find out where they spend their leisure time on the Internet and target those sites. There’s no point in banging away on a social network if the ideal customer in your niche isn’t hanging out there.

BRAINSTORM HOT CONTENT Hot content is the kind of content that will appeal to those in your niche. As you do your niche research, you will probably see the same questions coming up repeatedly. Make a list of them and create content that answers these questions. Be sure to create paid products that do as well. Create a funnel with your free products upselling to your paid products.

Turn Every Stone.

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LEVERAGE THE CONTENT YOU CREATE

content on Twitter.

Make every piece of content you create work hard for you. One of the best ways to do it is to put it into more than one format. For example, your content could be an article, top-10 list, or a PowerPoint deck. Your deck could become a video on YouTube which you would then embed on your site. You could also share the deck at popular sharing sites like SlideShare, owned by LinkedIn, which has very convenient sharing buttons for all of the major social networks.

Then there are specific tools that will allow you to schedule posts in advance, such as Buffer, which will link with a number of different networks, and ViralWoot, which allows you to schedule Pinterest pins in advance. These tools have both free and paid levels, so you have nothing to lose by trying them out and seeing how useful they are.

CREATE A PUBLISHING SCHEDULE Once you leverage your content, schedule it. You obviously canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t publish leveraged content on the same topic back to back, but you can use your blog scheduler to set the date and time in advance and, for example, publish one each month for several months. Make video your priority, though, to build up a robust YouTube channel full of interesting content that will gain followers. If you are working alone, create your own calendar and follow it. The plugin Editorial Calendar for WordPress is incredibly useful. If you are working in a team, set up a shared calendar to make sure something of value is being published regularly. USE AUTOMATED TOOLS WordPress has a range of plugins that will create share buttons so people can just click to share on the social networks. In addition, they have plugins that will announce your new content on your social sites automatically, such as WordTwit for creating a link to your

If they make your publishing on the social networks easier, the cost will more than pay for itself in terms of the amount of time you will save. MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH SOCIAL FOR 1 HOUR EACH DAY Social media can devour your time if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not careful, so block out 2 appointments of 30 minutes each, morning and evening, so you minimize

the danger of getting distracted and wasting hours wandering around in an unfocused manner. OUTSOURCE Once you get things organized, outsource the work to a reliable virtual assistant. Draft in your teen or neighbor and free up your time to build your business in other ways.

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10 minute meditation for focus The Power of Meditation

What is Meditation?

Today’s world, thankfully, is changing. People are incorporating more holistic practices and mindful practices into their daily lives. From children to elders, meditation is one of those practices.

The practice of meditation has been around for centuries. People have used it for religious purposes and cultural reasons. There are as many forms of meditation as there are practices. The art and practice of meditation basically has one goal in mind – to slow down the mind. Especially in today’s culture, we all have such busy lifestyles and even busier minds. Stress levels are up, blood pressure is up and relaxation is down. This is where meditation comes into play.

We all know someone who takes on the practice of meditation. For some people, it’s a daily practice, while for others it’s just for emergency situations. What are some of those emergency situations? It’s those moments where you feel like your life is spinning out of control. It’s for times when you can’t seem to get out of your own way. Can you become one of the masses and take on the practice of meditation, as well? Does it sound like it’s too time consuming and not worth the trouble? If you think this way, you’ll be in for an extremely pleasant surprise. Not only is meditation most certainly worth the time and effort, but the rewards will speak for themselves. There are so many benefits to meditation which will delight and surprise you. First of all, let’s get into the subject of what meditation really is. Some people think you have to be a highly spiritual person or an expert in meditation with a certification to your name. This is not the case. Meditation is available for everyone, and why not? It has a multitude of benefits.

The art and practice of meditation is one where you allow yourself and, most importantly, your mind to relax, rest, and rejuvenate itself. You take time to practice the art of breathing, slowing down your mind and coming back to center. What is center? Center is the place where your deepest desires live and breathe. It’s the place where you can move forward from and get back on track. The true history of meditation is really the practice of getting into a thought consciousness of total awareness and not letting the mind wander. However, this is something that takes time and practice. The history and background of meditation is to serve one higher purpose. That purpose is to be in and experience present- moment living. What is the Power of Meditation?

While some people might view meditation as some sort of woo woo practice which doesn’t really work, the truth of the matter is that there is power behind meditation. When a person meditates, your brain waves change. Meditation actually has the power to change your mind, or at least your mindset. When someone meditates, their brain waves have the capacity to slow down. With proper breathing techniques, beta waves in the brain are more easily reduced. When the beta waves calm down and slow down, there’s sense of overall calm and well-being as an after effect.

relax, focus, and have more clarity. All this can come from meditation. Why So Many People Use and Promote Meditation Why do so many people use and promote meditation? The answer is because it works. Meditation is successful for many reasons. Meditation Decreases Anxiety Some people have what is known as too much fight or flight syndrome. Their gut instincts tell them they are in danger when they are really not. Meditation can help ease anxiety. There’s a neural pathway which leads to the part of our brains in which we need to determine whether or not we are in real, imminent danger. For some, those connections are so strong we feel we are in danger when we are not.

Meditation affects the brain and its brain waves. Each part of the brain, according to scientific studies and research, is affected by meditation. Incoming information can be slowed down when meditating:

When taking on the practice of meditating, this connection can be diminished, however, this is not a danger. This is a plus. Our brains have many parts, and the part that assesses reasoning is strengthened by meditating, while the irrational fear pathway is weakened. This becomes a win/win situation.

 Emotions are not as strong  Sensory input slows down  Over-thinking ceases  Information overload slows down There are several parts of the brain which are positively impacted by meditation:

Meditation Can Allow You to Become More Emphatic.

 Frontal lobe  Parietal lobe  Thalamus

During meditation, the part of your brain that is responsible for showing more compassion is activated.

Imagine being able to control your brain to some degree and be able to

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Scientific studies show that compassion and empathy are more active when someone meditates. Having more compassion is never a bad thing. Meditation Can Increase Focus It makes sense that meditation can increase focus because when you meditate, you are focused on the present moment. Present moment awareness trains the brain to stay focused. One of the biggest bonuses and benefits of meditation is to help you choose your focus and to pull your thoughts back to present moment reality. How often do you catch yourself having a busy brain and feel as though you are not able to reel it back in? Meditation can help with that. Not only does meditation help you to regain a sense of the present moment while you are meditating, but the effects far outweigh the present moment meditation. Meditation helps you to keep focused long after you’re done meditating. Meditation Improves Memory If you’ve ever walked into another room and wondered why the heck you went in there, maybe just meditation can give your memory a boost. Meditation activates a certain part of the brain which helps to decrease distractions and increase memory recall. So, the next time you walk into a room, you might just remember why you went in there in the first place.

Meditation Unlocks Creativity If you’ve ever gotten stuck on creating a new idea or had the experience of writer’s block, you may wish to take up meditation. Meditation has a way of unlocking and unleashing creative potential. In just about any job scenario, creativity is a useful asset. Whether you are a sales and marketing manager or a writer, a little creativity goes a long way. Meditation Helps Stress Better

You

Alleviate

When stress arises, you are faced with a fight or flight sensation. You either need to take flight and run away to protect yourself or you need to stay and fight. Neither of these responses promotes peace and healing. When you take on the daily practice of meditating, you have the ability to alleviate stress more. However, and more importantly, you get to alleviate stress with more ease and grace. Taking on meditation as a daily practice doesn’t only just serve you in the moment. It serves you throughout your day, your week and your life. Meditation Can Make You Smile More People who meditate are shown to be more positive and upbeat. Meditation has a way to calm and soothe the mind. When your mind is calm, your spirit is

“Meditation is like exercise for your brain. The more you use it, the better it can get”

bound to follow. The mind-body connection is a powerful bond. When you have a calm mind, you are more focused and can therefore be more successful. When you have a mind full of clutter, it’s difficult to focus at work. When you have clarity, you have momentum and therefore you have success. When you are less stressed, you are more focused. Meditation Helps You to Increase Brain Function Meditation is like exercise for your brain. While it may not be a muscle, but rather an organ, it does act like a muscle. The more you use it, the better it can get. Meditation has many ways of increasing your brain’s ability to function better. There are a host of neurological benefits to the brain from meditating. Whereas before it was once thought that only a region or two of the brain was positively impacted, new studies are beginning to show many areas of the brain are positively affected. The improvements are not just temporary either - they are long-lasting effects.

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Can Meditation Slow Down the Aging Process?

night’s rest. More importantly, it slows the activity in your brain so you can prepare yourself for a good night’s sleep.  Breathing in through your nostrils and exhaling through your mouth is a good way to alleviate stress, let it all go, and slow down your body’s rhythm. Slowing your body and mind down before bed is integral to getting a good night’s rest. More importantly, it is a great way to wake up feeling refreshed rather than groggy and craving more sleep.  Affirmations – it helps to use a releasing affirmation when you prepare to go to sleep at night. When you prepare to go to sleep at night, it works wonders to mix your deep breathing along with your affirmations. Make certain your affirmations are releasing affirmations. Choose whatever works for you; for example, “I release all that did not serve me today.”  Visualization – visualizing along with deep breathing and affirmations is a powerful trio. Visualizing your life as you wish it to be doesn’t make you ungrateful, it just leads you to a place where you accelerate the momentum to where you want to be. What are the benefits of a good night’s rest?  When you are well-rested, you are more productive  When you get a good night’s sleep, you are more focused  When you are more focused, you are more successful

The length of telomeres in your brain can determine the length of your life. When it comes down to it, the less stress and anxiety, the less disease and the longer your life. Now scientific studies and research are showing that the more a person meditates, the more it benefits in keeping aging at bay. It stands to reason that if meditation keeps illnesses at a decreased level, longevity will increase. A reduced response to stress can have someone lead a happier, healthier, and longer life. Improving Sleep Hundreds of thousands of people take sleep aids in order to assist them in getting a decent night’s sleep. These people suffer greatly from insomnia. No matter what they do it seems they keep tossing and turning and sleep just won’t come to them. They wake up in the morning feeling groggy and irritated, not to mention that without proper sleep it’s easy to get rundown or even sick. Meditation can help improve the quality of your sleep and make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. Here are three ways to incorporate meditation into your nightly routine so that you may experience a more blissful sleep.  Breathing – practice the art of meditative breathing. Meditative breathing slows the body and mind down. This is conducive to a good

While these are some of the benefits of a good night’s sleep, it’s important to explore which techniques to use and

what they are. Meditation Techniques and Practices to Get You Started Centering How often have you heard you need to return to center when meditating? Simply put, centering means to return to your home base. Throughout your day, your night and your week, check in with yourself. How many times do you find yourself thinking about a million things all at the same time? With so many activities and responsibilities to take care of, it’s easy to get caught up in the daily mindset of having a busy mind. Centering will help to gently and easily guide you back to your central foundation. That foundation is, or at least should be, one of peace. When meditating, you will begin the practice of gently bringing your thoughts back to the present moment of awareness. You will begin to train your mind not to think upon anything else other than what’s in the present moment. Grounding Grounding is similar to rooting. You ground yourself when you connect to the energy of the earth. Walking barefoot in the grass or standing outside while your bare feet connect with the earth is a great way to ground yourself. Nature has a way of healing us and when we connect with nature, it’s like a return home. While it’s not always possible to get out barefoot in the grass or dig your

bare feet into the mud, you can always use your imagination. While it might sound unusual, the act of visualization incorporated with meditation works wonders. You can start by getting as comfortable as you can. For some, this means sitting on a blanket or pillow on the floor. For others, it means lying on their back on the bed. And still others find much success standing up imagining their feet grounding into the earth. Imagine you are standing tall in a forest deep in the woods somewhere. Begin to breathe in slowly on acount to five. When you breathe in, take some time to create a statement that has a positive affirmation to it. You could even envision you are breathing in new energy as you prepare to release stagnant old energy. As you envision yourself connecting the soles of your feet to the grounds and roots of the earth, you can also imagine filling up those roots with pure light energy. The next step is to breathe out and release all the old stagnant energy. The point is to visualize as you meditate on what you want. If you want to release limiting fears and beliefs, then you need to envision new life entering your body as you release stagnant thoughts. Focusing on Breath You’ve probably heard the saying that you need to focus on breath, but there is more to this statement than meets the eye. Focusing on breath resets your sense of self. It brings you back to center, and helps you to focus on the

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simple act of breathing in and out so that you can practice mindfulness. When you focus on breath, you focus on where you are at in the present moment. Present moment practices allow you to quiet and calm your mind. Without focus on the breath, this is not easy to achieve. As you breathe in, envision all good things you want to create. Picture white light entering your body and resetting your life force. As you breathe out, picture all the negativity leaving your body and making way for the next light breath. Protective Shielding As part of the meditation routine, you can adopt a way to incorporate protective shielding into your life. Shielding is simply another form of visualization. However, with shielding you are protecting your own self from negative energies. Some people are more sensitive than others. When this happens, it’s easy to take on the energies of other people. It’s easy for other people to say to toughen up or not be so sensitive, but unless you are an empath, you don’t quite understand how difficult this is. Take on the practice of imagining a shield of protection surrounding you. If you are the claustrophobic type, then picture a shield rather than an encasing. However, it has to show up for you is how it will work best. As you meditate on this vision, you will feel more comfortable in places where comfort is not optimal.

Imagine yourself entering a board meeting or a party where you don’t know or necessarily like anyone there. This could be the perfect time to take on the practice of shielding. Taking on the practice of shielding is the perfect way to prepare yourself for uncomfortable events. A little preparation in meditating goes a long way. How to Get Started in as Little as 10 Minutes a Day With anything new you take on, there is always a learning curve. Meditation is something that doesn’t take a lot of practice, but it does require taking it on every day until it becomes a new habit. You will get to a point where you could not imagine meditation not being a part of your daily life. You will wonder how you got along without it this far. Meditation techniques: As discussed previously in this report, it’s important to get accustomed to the various mindfulness techniques and get used to them. Choose the ones which are right for you. Choose the ones which are in perfect combination for you and your lifestyle. You may wish to incorporate your new-found breathing techniques along with your ability to shield or you may find that visualization along with centering works best for you. Whatever combination you choose, just make sure it works for you, your life and your particular situation. Additionally, keep in mind that you will

be able to mix and match these techniques according to the scenario in which it presents itself. For example, if you are feeling stressed about a new job, perhaps breathing and visualization will work best. However, on the other hand, if you feel you are afraid to go into a social setting where you know no one, perhaps using the shielding and grounding techniques will work best for your particular scenario. Making Time Instead of Making Reasons Why You Can’t The biggest reason or excuse people say they don’t take on the practice of meditation is because they say they don’t have enough time. Not having enough time is not a true reason to disregard meditation. If you had an injury, you would go to physical therapy. If you had an illness, you would go to see a doctor. Then it stands to reason that you can most certainly find 10 minutes per day to work your way toward a whole and complete life. If you have to give up 10 minutes on your lunch hour or if you have to awake 10 minutes earlier three times per week or even if you go to bed 10 minutes earlier, you can certainly find time to incorporate 10 minutes into your day. Another great idea is to find 10 minutes in the morning on one day and on the next, find 10 minutes during the night and thereafter find 10 minutes during lunch. This way, it keeps you

accountable for your 10 minutes without feeling like a burden and more like a benefit. How to start as a beginner Any new endeavor takes time to get used to. Just like anything else, you don’t want to jump in too much too soon. If you are exercising for the first time, you certainly wouldn’t run a 5K on the first day. Here are a few tips to get you started:  Start slow – no matter how excited you are about beginning your meditation journey, it’s important to start slow. You don’t want to get overzealous and fall short. Many times when people start something new they go all out and get overwhelmed before they even begin. They have good intentions, but they don’t always stick with it.  Set up a space – It’s important to set up a space that you can call your own. It does not have to be anything elaborate. It could be a corner of your den or in front of the window of your bedroom on the floor.  Create a routine – it’s important just as you would with any new endeavor to create a routine. If you are going to alternate one morning with one evening and then a midday set of 10 minute meditations, keep to your routine. Lastly, Let everyone know you are taking on this practice whether they want to join you or agree with you – be up front and clear that meditation is important to you and you fully intend to reap the benefits.

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Charity of the month: dogs without borders

â&#x20AC;&#x153;DWB rescues stray and abandoned dogs from local shelters and as far away as Taiwan and Mexico.â&#x20AC;?

Dogs Without Borders rescues 90% of its dogs from Los Angeles kill shelters, about 5% as owner surrenders from the general public, and 5% from other lands such as Taiwan, Myanmar, Iran, and more. Dogs Without Borders does not have a facility and relies solely on foster volunteers to house and care for their rescue dogs until they are adopted. DWB is proud to have placed over 4000 dogs since its inception, and will continue to rescue thousands more with the support of generous donations, fosters, and volunteers.

h t t p s : // w w w . d o g s w i t h o u t b o r d e r s . o r g

Charity of the month: wags & walks

“Our team drives hundreds of miles each week and spends hundreds of hours to save as many wonderful dogs as we can. With your help, we can save so many more.”

Wags & Walks was founded in 2011 by Lesley Brog, the daughter of a veterinarian, who was devastated by the number of sweet and healthy dogs being euthanized due to overcrowding in LA shelters. Wags & Walks’ main goal when founded was to break the stigma that rescue dogs are damaged goods and to help decrease the number of dogs euthanized in local shelters by showing the community that you can find wonderful dogs of all breeds and sizes through rescue. That value has remained consistent as the rescue has continued to grow.

h t t p s : // w w w .w a g s a n d w a l k s . o r g

recipe of the month: Carrot cakeSmoothie with coconut whipped cream

This healthy and delicious smoothie tastes more like a decadent dessert than a nutritious way to start the day. The natural sweetness of the orange and carrots are balanced by a trio of complementary spices, while a spoonful of homemade coconut whipped cream serves as the perfect finishing touch. *Tip: For best results, use coconut milk that does not contain guar gum to make the whipped cream. Prep time: 10 minutes | Serves: 2

Coconut Whipped Cream Ingredients: 1 13.5-oz. can coconut milk, chilled 1-2 T. maple syrup (optional) 1 t. orange zest (optional)

Optional Garnish: Ground cinnamon Finely chopped walnuts

Smoothie Ingredients: 1 c. coconut milk 1 large banana, cut into chunks and frozen 2 large stalks celery, roughly chopped 1 large orange, peeled 4 large carrots, roughly chopped ¾ t. cinnamon ¾ t. ground allspice ½ t. ground nutmeg 4-6 ice cubes Directions: 1. Chill coconut milk in refrigerator for several hours or overnight. To prepare, remove can from refrigerator without shaking or turning and remove lid. Scoop out the solidified “cream” from the top of the can and transfer to a mixing bowl. Reserve remaining liquid coconut milk to use in smoothie. 2. Add maple syrup and orange zest, if desired, to mixing bowl and blend until light and airy. Allow coconut cream to warm up slightly before blending if lumps persist. Cover and place bowl in refrigerator until ready to use. 3. Add the coconut milk and frozen banana to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth, around 30 seconds. 4. Add celery, orange, carrots, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and ice cubes. Blend on high speed until completely combined and creamy, approximately 1-2 minutes. 5. Pour into glasses and top with a scoop of coconut whipped cream. Garnish with a dash of cinnamon or finely chopped walnuts, if desired, and serve immediately.

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ADULT COLORING

Free MONTHLY

PLANNING SHEETS â&#x20AC;&#x153;Artists are just children who refused to put down their crayons.â&#x20AC;? ~ Al Hirschfeld

Visit The Prioritized Life to grab your October coloring and planner pages! 5 Monthly Planner Pages Include: Calendar, Weekly Planner, Daily Planner, Monthly Menu Planner, and Gratitude Worksheet https://www.theprioritizedlife.com/coloring/

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MAKE YOUR OWN AUTUMN

Potpourri

One of the most awesome parts of fall is the smell. Cinnamon, cloves, apples, pumpkin, oranges, lavender, vanilla â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they all bring to mind the wonderful fall season along with the cool rush of air that signals the coming of the fall holidays. Mix and match scents until you find the best one for your home (or your mood!). Lavender and Spice and Everything Nice 1 bunch dried lavender 1 TBS ground nutmeg 1 TBS whole cloves 1 stick cinnamon 2 cups water Add to a small slow cooker on low with the lid on it. Keep going all day by adding water as needed. Dried Apple Spice Potpourri 1 cup apple slices, dried 2 TBS ground cinnamon 2 TBS whole cloves 1/4 TBS allspice berries 2 TBS Otis root powder 10 cinnamon sticks 10 small pinecones Cinnamon oil Combine into a jar big enough for the pinecones to fit, put the lid on tightly and shake. The smell should stay. Put in a basket to bring fall smells inside. Orange Spice Potpourri 10 slices freshly dried oranges 1 bunch of pinecones 1/4 cup star anise 10 cinnamon sticks 1/4 cup whole cloves Combine all the ingredients in a decorative bowl.

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