Are You Successful?

Are you successful? What does that word mean to you? Unlimited wealth, “toys” as far as the eye can see, or family gatherings at your cottage on the lake?

Success is a state of mind, and I would like to help you Succeed! Below are some dynamic belief steps to follow.

S – Start believing in yourself and what you do!

Starting=beginning. If you wouldn’t have taken the risk and got on your bicycle for the first time, would you have the confidence that you do now as you mount your bike for a ride through town? This belief comes from within and turns your dreams and vision into reality!

U – Understand another's point of view.

You don’t know it all, so don’t appear to. Put yourself in their shoes and listen. Have empathy.
What does the other person want? What are they feeling? Block out your own feelings and the voice that has a response to their statements and truly “BE” with the one you are talking with. Don’t interrupt! Have you ever thought up the perfect response, so witty and smart, that it burst out of your mouth, only to stop the sentence coming out of the other person’s mouth. You missed them and possibly the sale or relationship.
Have you ever truly been understood? It is the best feeling in the world. When you put yourself aside to put the other person first, that is true sacrifice and success.

C – Confidence isn’t a feeling, it is an action. You need to have it, even when you just don’t feel like you can!

C – Collaborate , share your successes, be vulnerable and share your mistakes. Be real! You will become a people magnet. Surround yourself with people you admire. Look for like minded people, people who have what you want, who believe as you believe! Find out how they got to where they are and then do the same. Billionare Ross Perot paid millions to attract the brightest to his company. Be people smart.

E – Exercise your brain and body.

Read, read, read! Readers are leaders. Have you thought about that, it is true. The more you know, the more confident you feel and the more comfortable you feel collaborating with those who have what you want. Sound familiar?

Run, run, run! Keep your body in shape. Make a list of the people you admire, who have what you want? What do they look like? Do they exercise or take care of their outer body as well as their mind and soul?

E- Encourage others! Your friends, family, business partners all deserve to hear praise. Dig deep to find something they are good at or have done well, then say it, write it, sing a song to it, whatever, just acknowledge it to that other person!

D- Determine to be better than who you are and you’ll be surprised at who you’ll become! Use the bulldog determination like the tortoise and the Hare. Even the snail made it to the ark. Determine not to quit, creatively begin again and again, and again!
How hard are you going to work? How bad do you want it! It isn’t that hard, just…

Start believing in yourself.
Understand another’s point of view.
Confidence – do it and then feel it!
Collaborate with those who have what you want.
Exercise your mind, body and soul.
Encourage others.

Determine to be better than who you are and you’ll be surprised at who you’ll become.

"The Versatile Antioxidant Vitamin"

Slice an apple into half, and it turns brown. A copper penny suddenly becomes green, or an iron nail when left outside, will rust. What do all these events have in common? These are examples of a process called oxidation. If the sliced apple is dipped in a lemon juice, however, the rate at which the apple turns brown is slowed. It is because the Vitamin C in the lemon juice slows the rate of oxidative damage.

Since its discovery 65 years ago, vitamin C has come to be known as a “wonder worker.” Because of its role in collagen formation and other life-sustaining functions, Vitamin C serves as a key immune system nutrient and a potent free-radical fighter. This double-duty nutrient has been shown to prevent many illnesses, from everyday ailments such as the common cold to devastating diseases such as cancer.

The water-soluble vitamin C is known in the scientific world as ascorbic acid, a term that actually means “without scurvy.” We depend on ascorbic acid for many aspects of our biochemical functioning; yet human beings are among only a handful of animal species that cannot produce their own supply of vitamin C. Like these other animals, including primates and guinea pigs, we have no choice but to obtain this nutrient through food or our daily diet.

Vitamin C can enhance the body's resistance from different diseases, including infections and certain types of cancer. It strengthens and protects the immune system by stimulating the activity of antibodies and immune system cells such as phagocytes and neutrophils.

Vitamin C, as an antioxidant, helps reduce the activity of free radicals. Free radicals are by-products of normal metabolism which can damage cells and set the stage for aging, degeneration, and cancer. It shouldn’t come as any surprise that vitamin C is being used for cancer treatment. In large doses, Vitamin C is sometimes administered intravenously as part of cancer treatment.



Vitamin C prevents free radical damage in the lungs and may even help to protect the central nervous system from such damage. Free radicals are molecules with an unpaired electron. In this state, they're highly reactive and destructive to everything that gets in their way. Although free radicals have been implicated in many diseases, they are actually a part of the body chemistry.

As an antioxidant, vitamin C's primary role is to neutralize free radicals. Since ascorbic acid is water soluble, it can work both inside and outside the cells to combat free radical damage. Vitamin C is an excellent source of electrons; therefore, it “can donate electrons to free radicals such as hydroxyl and superoxide radicals and quench their reactivity.”


The versatile vitamin C also works along with glutathione peroxidase (a major free radical-fighting enzyme) to revitalize vitamin E, a fat-soluble antioxidant. In addition to its work as a direct scavenger of free radicals in fluids, then, vitamin C also contributes to the antioxidant activity in the lipids.

Optimal health, however, requires a balance between free radical generation and antioxidant protection. One of the functions of Vitamin C is to get and quench these free radicals before they create too much damage.

However, there is research to show that vitamin C may act as a pro-oxidant. In other words, vitamin C, under certain conditions anyway, may act in a manner that is opposite to its intended purpose. This has raised concern among thousands of people who supplement their diets with vitamin C...but that's another story.

3 Ways To Inspire A Love Of Reading In Your Children

If your child is showing little interest in reading, there is hope. Sometimes moms and dads have to get sneaky, but you can still turn your child into a reader, even if he is reluctant about it.

1. The Early Bedtime trick.
One of my favorite ways to get my kids to read is something they hopefully will not figure out until they have kids of their own. Two words “Early Bedtime”.

You might be wondering how an increase in sleep can help your child to spend more time reading. Well, here's the trick. Set their bedtime for 45 minutes to an hour before they need their lights out.

Here's how our bedtime routine goes. The kids brush teeth and use the bathroom. Then I read them their stories. This is all done before their official bedtime. Then, I simply give them an option. I say “It's time for bed, now. Would you like lights out or would you like to stay up and read for a bit?”

Unless they are really tired, they'll always choose to read awhile. I do not have to beg nor manipulate them into reading. In fact, they think it's their idea and they have grown to love their chance for a 'late' bedtime. Then, I back off. I don't try to instruct them in any way, nor help them choose books. This is their time. They can choose whichever book they like and look at it however they like until I come in to kiss them goodnight and turn their lights out. Of course, if they want me to stay and listen to them read, I'm more than happy to comply. Try it. It works.

2. Summer reading incentives.
You can sign up for a summer reading program at pretty much any library in the country. If your local library does not have a summer reading program, then create one at home, with rewards for reading books. You can use a Monopoly (or Life) board and allow your child to move one space for each book he reads. Or if you want to have more fun, let him roll the dice each time he reads a book and have prizes available for passing certain points.

Make sure the rewards are something very desirable. If your child values time with you more than toys, then set a date together doing his favorite thing. If he values a certain toy, let him earn it. Or let him earn a chance to get out of his regular chores. Take him to his favorite restaurant. Just have fun with it and he will, too.

3. Read the book before you can see the movie.
This is a standard in our home. We won't go see any movie until we've read the book. Whether my husband and I read the book to the kids or they read it alone, each member of the family can go see the movie after the book is read. So, if your child is looking forward to seeing the next Chronicles of Narnia movie, the next Harry Potter movie or the next Lemony Snicket movie, they'll have to read the book first.

That’s it. Three easy ways to turn your child into a reader for life.