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By Bob Cox Like all old sayings, the more I heard them growing up, the more I accepted them as absolute truth. So, when my world was turned upside down during 7th grade, I applied the principals of the phrase “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me” by ignoring the taunts of several new kids in our school. It didn’t take long for me to realize that this strategy didn’t work. Like a virus, more and more kids jumped on the “Bobby bashing bandwagon”. I was like a character out of a kung-fu movie, minding my own business and being under constant attack. My only respite came after the final bell, where I would retreat home and drown out my sorrows in chocolate milk. The more I packed on the pounds, the bigger the target I became. The constant barrage had taken a huge toll on my self esteem and confidence. Worst of all, I felt ashamed of myself for being too afraid to stand up to my tormentors, many that towered over me like menacing skyscrapers. Then one day, one of the kids started in on me and my fear was overcome by rage. As I walked past his desk, I smacked the back of his head and accepted his invitation to a fight after school, which never happened when he didn’t show up. After standing up to another bully, the torment ended as quickly as it started. As I reminisce on the bad old days, I’ve come to recall the poor kid I targeted the year before because he had the nerve to carry around a Bobby Sherman lunch pail like a love struck schoolgirl. Because his unusual behavior rubbed me the wrong way, I felt completely justified “To set him straight”. In other words, I dished out the same abuse I would suffer the following year. Since I had never heard of the universal law of karma, I failed to make the connection until an embarrassing number of years had passed. So, after surviving the ordeal of 7th grade, you would think that I would’ve gathered up a morsel of wisdom by vowing to never do what was done to me. Of course not! I had to learn my lesson the hard way when one of the kids I had been tormenting for being a huge Star Trek fan grabbed my pinkie finger and twisted it like a wishbone,
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ending my days as a self-appointed enforcer of all things normal. And speaking of bones, I suppose the one advantage of growing older is bone loss, as my skull isn’t quite as thick these days. After being on both sides of the bullying coin, I believe all kids need to be taught, both in school and at home, about the powerful benefits of building healthy relationships based on respectful behavior towards others and ones-self. We do not have one single subject that addresses this subject, so is it really any wonder why we have a prison population that’s out of control? The United States has just over 4% of the world’s population but houses around 22% of the world’s prisoners. The cost of all the prisons, jails, probation and parole cost around $74 billion a year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. The cost of humans mistreating one another is sadly incalculable. For far too long, we’ve had an over-reliance on gathering knowledge with a glaring absence of wisdom building subjects. What good does reading, writing and arithmetic do when we fail to teach our children the value of treating others, no matter how different they may appear to be, with kindness and compassion? With the rising consciousness of the anti-bullying movement, now is the time to teach the subject of relationship building, starting in our preschools and continuing all the way to the highest levels of education. Studies have shown that when too many rats are placed in a cage, they begin to fight. We are not rats and earth is not our cage. But if our world’s population continues to swell, we need to learn how to learn how to treat each other better or settle for the worst case scenario by living with another old saying; “The rat race”. Bob Cox is the founder and publisher of Go For It Magazine. He can be reached by phone at (916) 266-3115. His email address is coxrobert@comcast.net. Go For It Magazine is owned and operated in Rancho Cordova, CA. Copyright © 2016.
ART is a Start Why is ART important to our community? Because it can inspire, unify, and transform that community. At our kickoff for the the Community Arts Alliance, Jenna Abbott from the Mack Road Partnership told the story about how a local artist, BAMR, with ties to the neighborhood, painted a mural on the wall of a 7-Eleven where tagging and crime were a BIG problem. The work is entitled “Hold on to your Dreams...” Once the mural was up, tagging has been eliminated there and crime in that area much reduced.
Lesson learned: Art can make a statement and have a huge impact without saying a word. And it happens one corner at a time... Read more positive impact art stories and our plans to weave more in our area at BobsPocket.com * Visit BobsPocket.com for Bob’s bio, past blogs, and to learn more about events & organizations. April 2016
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By Bob Cox I was recently introduced to a reader that has become an energetic and ardent advocate for Go For It Magazine. Here is what she had to say: Thank you so much for such an uplifting and helpful magazine. I moved to Sacramento in January 2015 and your magazine functions like a new-comers magazine for me. It is obvious you care. Thank you for a product that uplifts and has excellent coupons! Dr. Blakely and Ralph Opfer Floors have helped me and their integrity shines in their articles. After seeing Dr. Blakely, I was able to drive pain free yesterday for 12 hours. My arms, hands and legs were giving out because of a pinched nerve in my back that was too bad to even try to crack. She has a special machine that she ran across my back and it has helped me tremendously. I would be happy to talk to anyone that’s looking for an excellent chiropractor because she’s got a holistic approach that is rare. She charges a price that’s very affordable because she really cares and it shows in her eyes. She is excellent! —Laurie M.
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I feel extremely grateful for my clients like Dr. Beth Blakely and not just because of their financial support. They are truly amazing and wonderful people who care deeply about serving their clients with the best products and/or services possible. Because we feature some the very best businesses in our community, I always feel confident whenever I refer business to our sponsors and advertisers, including my family and friends. I never have to worry about my referrals being mistreated or ripped off because the people that advertise in our magazine have the integrity to put their customer’s needs first. Thank you to all of our advertisers for being such wonderful people. I’m truly blessed to work with you all! Editor’s notes: Dr. Beth Blakely is a chiropractor that specializes in holistic health care practices. She can be reached at (916) 944-1444.
Confidence By Dr. Andrade A bright and beautiful smile goes a long way. When I come home, the first thing I look for is the smiles of my kid’s faces. I always give them a hug and a kiss and let them know how much I care for them. Same thing goes for my wife. Her smile still warms my heart. As a dentist, I know I can impact someone’s life in a very positive way. I meet people almost every day that are shy or embarrassed about showing their smile due to some flaw they haven’t taken care of yet. It could be a missing tooth, a broken tooth, stained yellow teeth, a crooked smile, swollen gums, bad breath or a loose denture. Everyday, I get to help someone smile bigger, feel more confident, eat better and get out of pain. It’s a hard job, but very rewarding. I get up every morning, up to the task to help someone finally be able to smile with the smile they deserve and radiate to the world everything they are. A friendly and beautiful smile is a welcome sight in any language. For the upcoming year, put your best smile forward. My team and I are ready to see you and give you the smile you deserve.
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Taming the Monster with doTerra has increased from 51 percent to 59 By Bob Cox percent, according to a recent study. In this modern age of instant Direct-to-consumer advertising of gratification, we expect to receive drugs became legal in the USA in 1985 everything we want immediately. We and then escalated in 1997 when the get our news and information with Food and Drug Administration eased a swipe of a finger across our smart up on a rule obliging companies to ofphones and tragically, a similar pracfer a detailed list of side-effects in their tice is often used to maintain our infomercials. Last year alone, the pharhealth. We simply take a pill and the maceutical industry poured almost $5 problem goes away. Only one mibillion into this form of promotion. nor problem here, the little monster There has to be a safer, less exdoesn’t stay away for long. It usually it pensive and more effective way to comes back bigger, meaner and nasbeat back the monster without the tier than ever! Rebecca and Victor Alejandre have enjoyed greater dangerous and deadly side effects and Common sense tells us that pop- health & vitality using doTerra essential oils. short-term benefits of synthetically enping pills is not a viable long-term sogineered medications. Fortunately, there is a company called lution for what ails us. Unfortunately, common sense tends to doTerra that was founded in 2008 that specializes in high qualfly out the window if we’ve been squeezed too hard and too ity essential oils, oils that have the potential to help people long by the monster also known as pain and misery. So, we enjoy better health. may feel tempted to escape into the boob tube by enjoying Essential oils are volatile aromatic compounds that are our favorite program, only to be interrupted by yet another found in the seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers and other parts pestering pill popping commercial. of plants. Essential oils have been used for centuries for food Prescription drug use in America is on the rise and I believe preparation, beauty treatment and health-care practices. that the pharmaceutical industry’s ability to advertise on TV to I spoke with Rebecca Alejandre, a doTerra wellness reprethe general public has a great deal to do with this trend. From sentative to learn more about these intriguing products. 1999 to 2011, the number of adults using prescription drugs Q: How did you get introduced to doTerra? A: I have a couple of friends that are like my daughters and they were using the products. I noticed a very positive change in one friend’s mental state. She also lost weight and her overall health improved. My other friend Cindy got even greater results. She also lost weight and got relief from her depression. She became much more peaceful and balanced. She also had a cavity that her dentist confirmed had cleared up after using our toothpaste. After seeing their results, I decided to give these oils another try. Q: So you used the oils before joining doTerra? A: Yes, I had a neutral experience initially because I wasn’t shown how to use them properly.
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Q: How do people use essential oils? A: Essential oils are used for a very wide variety of things. They can be used either as an individual oil or combined with others. They can be inhaled when diffused, applied directly to the skin and ingested. Q: Did you have a better experience the second time you used the oils? A: Yes, my husband Victor suffered from a chronic cough for six years. He had been diagnosed with spots on his lungs and we just couldn’t get rid of the cough. Our doTerra rep told him to apply the oil across the top of his toes once in the morning and once at night. The next day, his cough was completely gone! Q: What are the most positive changes you’ve noticed for yourself? A: I’ve lost weight like my friends but I primarily use an oil called deep blue and it’s greatly reduced the pain I get from arthritis. I use a lot less of the prescribed medication and no longer have to take ibuprofen because these oils also reduce inflammation. I used to have fluid drained out of my knees periodically but I don’t have that problem anymore either. I put a drop of lemon oil in my water every single day, which helps reduce anxiety and stress. Q: Any other success stories you wish to share? A: We had an Avon customer who told me that his wife was very sick. She had been constipated for three weeks and they had tried everything in the drug store that’s made to relieve constipation, but nothing else worked. He was planning to take her to the hospital but she said she would divorce him if he tried. I gave him two different oils and asked him to rub those oils around her belly button every hour and it would give her relief. He came back the next day and said in 20 minutes she went to the bathroom.
me that they’re elated to see how quickly the oils work on them. Q: What makes doTerra essential oils so different from other essential oils? A: A large percentage of essential oils that are in retail stores claim to be pure but are extremely diluted. doTerra’s essential oils are patented and have a Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade (CPTG). This is the purest form of oil you can get. With doTerra, you’ll get essential oils that are potent and pure. Q: Are doTerra’s oils affordable? A: Yes. You can buy the products at either retail prices or pay a $35 fee and earn wholesale prices. The retail price for a bottle of our least expensive product (lemon oil) is $13.33 and the wholesale price is $10. There’s 250 drops in a bottle of lemon oil, so your money goes a long way. Q: Are there business opportunities to either earn extra money or begin a new career with doTerra? A: Absolutely. I am excited to help our reps get off to a great start and we offer training along the way. Editor’s notes: Rebecca Alejandre is a doTerra wellness representative and an independent Avon representative. Her Avon store and training facility is located at 5159 Madison Ave. in Sacramento (One block east of Auburn Bl.) and her phone number is (916) 331-1001. Her doTerra website is www.mydoterra.com/oilsbyrebecca and her Avon website is www.youravon.com/rdorsey.
Q: You are also an Independent Avon Representative with the only retail store in Sacramento. Are you finding that a lot of your customers need help for various ailments? A: Yes. A lot of my customers are women and many suffer from hot flashes. We have an oil that helps women during menopause and it works great. Before using the oil, I was experiencing hot flashes all the time and couldn’t sleep at night but I don’t have hot flashes anymore. I’ve had several customers tell
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Losing It By Alika Salazar What does it take to be a successful young entrepreneur these days? You definitely need to have a lot of passion for what you’re doing. Fortunately, I’ve always loved electronics. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve enjoyed tinkering with all kinds of electronic contraptions. I believe that you definitely need to be passionate about whatever you’re going to do for work, because if you don’t have a passion for it, you’re probably not going to want to do it for long. Along with passion, I believe that to be successful in business and life, you need to have enough energy to accomplish your goals. I realized this last year when the extra weight I was carrying around began to prevent me from keeping up with the rapid growth of our three stores. I started feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, which affected my passion. I knew I needed to make a big change, so I decided to join a program called Take Shape for Life. With the help and support of my health coach Joyce Swanson, I was able to lose 100 pounds in nine months! I definitely I have a lot more energy now than when I started
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this journey at 280 pounds. When I was at my heaviest, I didn’t have the energy to do what brought me joy, which really sucked. But now that I’m lighter and eating better, I definitely feel a lot better too. I’m able to work more hours To learn how Alika Salazar lost 100 than ever before and do pounds, call him at 936-9316. what I love most! If you have an electronic device that’s taken a turn for the worse, before you toss it into our overcrowded landfills, stop by one of our three stores and get a free quote. While we specialize in repairs of mobile phones, laptops and iPads, we do not limit ourselves to fixing these kinds of products. You may be surprised that a simple and inexpensive fix it all that’s required to bring your little friend back to life. Editor’s notes: Alika Salazar is the owner of iParts Phone Repairs. He can be reached at (916) 936-9316.
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Car Tech Talk The Streets of Sacramento By Dave Trux Sacramento has many treasures, including The American River Parkway, The Crocker Art Museum and Fairytale Town just to name a few. Yet few of us ever give a second thought to one of our most unwanted treasures; potholes. Our roads are full of them and, despite the efforts of our road departments; they aren’t going away anytime soon. I heard on the radio the other day that potholes have become a billion dollar industry. Nationally, auto insurance carriers process thousands of claims from pothole damage each year. While the majority of these claims are generated in regions of the country that experience harsh winters, Sacramento vehicles are also vulnerable to pothole damage. This is especially true in years with average or above average rainfall.
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That being said, what kind of damage can potholes do to your car? At a bare minimum, your car’s alignment will be affected. Drivers may notice everything from a slight drift to an actual pull. Suspension and steering components can also be affected. Vibrations, shimmies and clunks are a few of the concerns I hear from drivers on a consistent basis. Additionally, tire and wheel damage can occur as well. From the perspective of preventative maintenance, I recommend an alignment check once a year. Your service center should also be able to inspect your suspension and steering components, your tires, and your wheels at that time. Editor’s notes: Dave Trux is the owner of Valley Motorwerks. He can be reached at his shop, which is located at 11403 White Rock Road in Rancho Cordova, CA. His phone number is (916) 6369526 and his website is www.vmwerks.com.
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