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You are here: Home / 2009 / Archives for March 2009

Archives for March 2009

The Key to Happiness is in Our Own Hand

March 29, 2009 by Joi Leave a Comment

How to Be Happy?  Be Happy.When my daughters were 8, 7, and 4, they got along beautifully most of the time. However, as you’d imagine, they were perfectly capable of mini wars that left everyone miserable.

I remember one summer day in particular. Each of the 3 was positively furious with the other 2. Such scowls!

It was one of those, “She’s touching me!” and “Make her stop looking at me!” days. Even our cats were in nasty moods.

Around 3:00 pm, things began to return to normal and the oldest (Emily) and youngest (Stephany) even headed out to the backyard to play. While I was fixing supper, my 7 year old (Brittany) came around the corner with lopsided pigtails and a pooched out bottom lip. She had one sandal on her foot and carried the other in her hand, seemingly undecided about what to do next: Put the second sandal on and join the fun outdoors or take the first one off and stay inside, away from the laughs, sunshine, and playing?

Keep reading →

Filed Under: Positive Thought, Self Help Tagged With: happiness, how to be happy

Quotes About Miracles: Instant Inspiration!

March 29, 2009 by Joi 6 Comments

Trees

Have you ever taken a good look at your hopes and dreams and thought, “That one will take a miracle, this one will take two miracles, and that one? At least three. Maybe four!” We’ve all been there. Whether our hopes and dreams include a happy family, a bulldog puppy, a new house, a new job, meeting that special someone, a baby, etc.

There was a time in my own life when I tried not to hope for too much or dream dreams that were too big. Then I read a simple little quote that said, “Somewhere right now a miracle is happening.” That’s all it took. One simple little quote opened up my mind and heart to the very real possibility of miracles. Of course I always believed in them, but these words took up residence in my heart and have served as a reminder to me ever since.

If you have high hopes and dreams, I want you to find a way to hold on to them. Even when your arms get tired, don’t lower them. Heaven help the person or situation that’s up against an individual who believes in their dreams so much that they don’t just invite a miracle into their life, they stand at the door waiting for it.

I’ve rounded up what I think are some very powerful miracle quotes. If you’re needing that extra little encouragement right now, I hope you’ll find at least one quote that’ll help you. If waiting for your own miracle has drained you so much that you find yourself slumped over, let the words below prop you back up!

“I have found in life that if you want a miracle you first need to do whatever it is you can do – if that’s to plant, then plant; if it is to read, then read; if it is to change, then change; if it is to study, then study; if it is to work, then work; whatever you have to do. And then you will be well on your way of doing the labor that works miracles.” – Jim Rohn

“Impossible situations can become possible miracles.” – Robert H. Schuller

“Miracles happen to those who believe in them.” – Bernard Berenson

“For every mountain, there is a miracle.” – Robert H. Schuller

“Where there is great love there are always miracles.” – Willa Cather

“A coincidence is when God performs a miracle and decides to remain anonymous.” – Author Unknown

“I am realistic – I expect miracles.” – Wayne Dyer

“Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature.” – Saint Augustine

What are your own thoughts about miracles? Share your thoughts, favorite quotes, or even personal miracles in the comments.

Filed Under: Daily Quote, Positive Thought, Spiritual Tagged With: inspirational quotes, miracle quotes, quotes about miracles

Clean Like a Germiphobe

March 26, 2009 by Joi 1 Comment

CloroxCharles Gerba, Ph.D. is a professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona and a member of the American Academy of Microbiology. I was recently reading a health magazine and a few of his quotes jumped off the page and caused me to make a face like I’d just drank sauerkraut juice.

“We are exposed to millions of germs a day.  It’s always a gamble.  You never know when you’re going to touch the wrong thing at the wrong time.”

I’m not a germiphobe – that’d be far, far too time consuming for someone licensed to fly by the seat of her pants.  Granted, in cold and flu season, I do carry antibacterial hand gel in my purse and use it often when I’m out and about. Sure, I’m a free spirit, but I don’t like to be a sick one any more than I have to be.

The quotes made me think more about something I think a lot about:  Home Sweet Home.  I love my home!  I love everything about it.  Yesterday, I heard one of the bathroom doors squeak and one of my girls mentioned that their dad needed to “oil it.”

I love that bathroom door.  There are three young girls in this house who use this particular bathroom the most.  The door’s flat worn out!  It’s a wonder it hasn’t just jumped out of its frame and begged for me to make it into toothpicks or something.

I have an Office Supply blog called Office Freaks because I’m a total freak for office supplies and get the happy shakes when I go into Staples, Office Depot, Office Max, or even the school and office supplies in Target or Wally World (a.k.a. Wal-Mart).    Well, I’m also a Cleaning Freak.  I LOVE cleaning supplies – spray bottles, cleaning rags, dusting spray, spot removers, vacuum cleaners, and… fair warning… never get between me and my Swiffer.

I even checked the availability of Cleaning Freaks.com one time!  The domain’s taken but nothing’s there. They cleaned Green Works so much, they apparently wiped themselves out.  I did come across a website called Clean Freaks.com with lots of vacuum cleaners and janitorial supplies.  There was a carpet steamer that I shot eye love on for a few minutes before moving on to my e-mail.

Anyhoos (my spell checker LOVED that one), I’ve been thinking about germs and cleaning since reading the quotes.  I’ve been researching germs in the house as well as the newest philosophies for keeping our homes as clean as we want them to be.  Below is the fruit of my research:

How Clean is Our Laundry Room?

This quote also brought about the sauerkraut juice face:  “Bacteria thrives in warm, moist places like the washing machine.  Be sure to dry your clothes quickly to avoid bacteria formation.”  According the the man who was quoted, Thomas Weida, M.D., this means that the system most of us have in place (washing the clothes, then putting them into the dryer when we’re good and ready), is creating a breeding ground for bacteria.

Who knew?!  Wouldn’t you think the washing machine would be one of the cleanest places in the house?  It smells so clean and looks so shiny.   I have a big family, so we have laundry going day and night.  I admit it, I don’t jump and throw things into the dryer as soon as they finish drying.  Or, I should say, I didn’t jump.  I do now.

Weida also recommends washing whites in hot water, using bleach, and to always wash underwear separately from the rest of your clothes.  Reasons, apparent.

How Clean is Our Kitchen?

An unclean kitchen is where a lot of illnesses begin.  The cross-contamination of raw and cooked foods, meats not being fully cooked, spoiled food, expired food, etc.  These can all lead to big problems.

Always be certain that anything that touches raw meat is sanitized and kept from touching anything else.  Salmonella and other bacteria that cause illnesses are rampant in meat.  So, wash your hands thoroughly after handling meat of any kind.  Weida (you remember him from the Laundry room) suggests using a bleach cleaner to clean and disinfect your kitchen – the sinks, stove, counter tops, cutting boards, etc.

How Clean are Our Computers, Remote Controls, and Televisions?

Think of the places in your home where fingertips and hands run amok.  The computer, laptop, phones, remote controls, televisions – these are all places that automatically come to mind.  Multiple germs throw parties in these places.  I’m not suggesting that any of our family members are dirty or germy, but think about this.  Anything that any of us go out and touch (on grocery carts, store scanners, door handles, public restroom doors, etc) come home with us on our fingertips and hands.  THEN, we give them safe passage to things inside our home.

The surfaces of these gadgets and gizmos need to be wiped down at least a few times each week.  You can find buckets of these at Staples, Best Buy, Target, etc.  They’re in tubs that you’d swear were baby wipes.

How Clean are Our Bathrooms?

Swiffer LoveStaphylococcus aureus is bacteria that causes skin infections. It thrives in moist, warm areas like bathtubs, sinks, and showers.This is another area that can trip you up because the mind THINKS of these places as the cleanest places in the house.  After all, soap hangs out there, right?

After cleaning ourselves, we need to clean where we were with bleach-based cleaners and then, very importantly, wipe it dry.  Bacteria, it would appear, don’t like dry places.

Another place of emphasis, of course, would be the toilet.  Did you know that when we flush a toilet, we cause the germs inside the bowl to become airborne?!  Keep that lid shut when you flush.

Be sure to clean and disinfect all areas of the toilet – handle, surface, bowl – and frequently wash any rungs and lid covers you have around “Johnny.”  A final word – experts recommend keeping your toothbrushes as far from the toilet as possible.

How Clean are Our Cleaning Supplies?

I don’t even want to think about the bacteria that calls a sponge home.  Our cleaning supplies often just move dirt and Cleaning Spongegerms around.  This notion is what caused me to fall hard for Swiffer wipes.  I know that economically and environmentally they aren’t as sound as the traditional method – and, generally, I’m very good about these sorts of things.  But the convenience and tidiness of cleaning an area then tossing what I just cleaned it with floats my boat.

I would consider a mop with a mop head that could be thrown into the washer, but even then, it’s just more work and more washing.  And I’m not THAT wild about the mop swishing around where my clothes will be.  Rational?  Not even close – but it’s a hang up I can’t take off the hook.

How Clean are Our Hands?

When your mom told you to wash your hands, she wasn’t just getting in her required number of Mom-isms for the Anti-Bacterial Hand gel from Bath & Body Worksday.  As a mom with ‘ims out the wazoo, I can tell you, we always have a reason.

Did you know that the average adult puts his or her hands in or on their nose and mouth about 18 times an hour.  Those of us with allergies, no doubt,  do this twice as much.  The average child touches their nose and mouth as much as 50 times an hour.  Each touch increases our chances of becoming sick.

The remedy is as easy as eating chocolate.  Wash your hands frequently.  Long ago, I found the trick to making my girls want to wash their hands – Bath and Body Works.  They make soaps and anti-bacterial hand gels that smell like Heaven, itself.

One of the best places to buy cleaning supplies is actually an unexpected place: Lowe’s. I love Lowe’s for a lot of things (bedding plants, light fixtures, birdseed, bird houses, etc) but cleaning supplies are at the top of the list. They have everything you could possibly need to clean like a germiphobe.

In fact, the tips below are courtesy of a recent Lowe’s circular:

Tips for a Healthy Home:

  1. Dust with a damp cloth or mop to reduce dust mites and allergens.
  2. Change air filters as recommended.
  3. Vacuum regularly with a model with a HEPA filter (The Bissell Healthy Home Vacuum Cleaner has an AireTight HEPA filtration system that purifies the air as you vacuum.)
  4. Clean and disinfect germ-prone areas frequently.
  5. Properly ventilate damp and humid areas to avoid mold and mildew buildup.

 

Filed Under: General, Health, Self Help Tagged With: germiphobe

Finding Happiness in the Workplace

March 24, 2009 by Joi 3 Comments

Cup of Coffee

The following is a guest post by Courtney Phillips.

With so much being discussed about the economy on a daily basis in major media outlets, it can sometimes be difficult to keep a positive attitude. Many people are going to their jobs wondering when the proverbial axe will fall. While there are a great deal of people who don’t find satisfaction with their current careers, many find ways to look beyond the cubicle for inspiration and motivation.

Figure Out What You Love
This may be a time of relative adversity, but necessity is the mother of invention. Economists are noticing trends growing in entrepreneurial fields that were once the domain of mainly business people. As the needs of the public change, the people providing goods and services will no doubt change in kind. Figure out what it is you really love and start working toward making that change.

Practice Gratitude
Think about all of the people out there who’ve lost their means of gainful employment. If you are fortunate enough to still have a job, you should be thankful for that each day. Things could definitely be worse; you could be standing in the unemployment line or looking at a foreclosure notice. Try to keep things positive and be grateful for what you are able to have and do because of the job you have.

Find the Silver Lining
Every time something gets you down in your work day, try to find an aspect of your job that counters the negative. It could be a co-worker’s funky ties or an inside joke at the office. Keep photos of family and friends nearby to help you through the tough spots. For added inspiration, place photos of future vacation destinations or some of the places you’ve visited in the past.

Take a Deep Breath
Deep breathing is always pleasurable because it satisfies one of your body’s most basic needs. Inhale deeply through your lungs while relaxing your diaphragm and then exhale through you mouth slowly for twice as much time. Doing this ten times when stressed can help you to relax and center yourself before going on about your day.

Smile Often
Attitudes are contagious—especially negative ones. Try your very best to maintain a positive attitude and smile often. You will soon see others smiling back and this one gesture can foster a pleasant environment of respect and positivity. Rather than spreading the poison of gossip and negativity, be happy and smile as often as you possibly can. You’ll notice remarkable results when you do.

This post was contributed by Courtney Phillips, who writes about the online colleges rated. She welcomes your feedback at CourtneyPhillips80 at gmail.com

Thanks Courtney! “be happy and smile as often as you possibly can.” is wonderful advice for everyone. It makes life go down so much easier!

Filed Under: General, Positive Thought Tagged With: attitude, positive attitude

Recognizing the Winter Doldrums for What They Are!

March 20, 2009 by Joi 4 Comments

Busy, busy, busy. Alexa (one of our beautiful cats, the only one interested in working) and I have been so busy lately that we haven’t even had time to breathe.  We have a few deep breaths scheduled for early next week though and are looking forward to them.

But you know what?  I love it!

When our oldest two daughters were growing up, sometimes they’d spend the day at their grandparent’s house.  (The youngest didn’t because she has never been a fan of being out of Mom Range for too long at a time.  And you know, I can’t recall ever minding.) When they came home, their words would run all over the place as they excitedly tried to fill me in on their day.  Emily would give the precise details of everything that happened, at the precise time on her Little Mermaid watch when each took place.  She’d tell what they had ordered at McDonald’s… what they’d EACH ordered, including my parents!   She’d tell what conversations took place, the jokes my dad had told, what their dog and cat were up to, which cartoons they saw, and so on.

Brittany?  Well, she would recount everything she’d gotten into.

My ideal night is one in which I look back on the day, like Brittany, and can’t possibly name all of the things I got into.

As a mother and, most of the time, a human being –  I’ve always found that the busier you are, very often the happier you are.  Any time my daughters have looked kind of downtrodden, I’ll do my best to find something for them to “get into.”

With Self Help Daily and Out of Bounds, I get a lot of e-mail. Love it!  A few nights ago, one of my girls walked by and noticed my inbox said “200.”  She said, “Wow!”  My response?  “Yeah, it’s a slow day.  Where is everybody?”  I’ve noticed a trend lately, like over the past three months.  It honestly breaks my heart, but more and more people are feeling really sad, not enjoying things they once enjoyed, and are experiencing relationship problems left and right.

How could relationships NOT suffer if everyone’s sad and not enjoying life?!

If you’re experiencing anything at all like this, I’ll tell you what I pretty much tell everyone else:

  1. Doldrums are common during this time of year. We aren’t getting enough sunlight OR activity and, as a result, many people begin to feel “run down.”  The good news is, pretty weather is on the way – it’s in as big a hurry to see us as we are to see it.  Grab a jacket, if necessary, and get the heck out of the house or office.  Spend at least 20 minutes outdoors, preferably walking.  Sit on a bench at the park and watch the squirrels and birds during your lunch break – a Subway sandwich and bird watching are a beautiful match.
  2. Do something each day. If you combine the advice in #1 with this one by, say, doing yard work or cleaning out your car or garage – then you’ll be racking up bonus points.  Pick up limbs, sweep off your walks, scout out places to plant flowers and/or trees, put out bird feeders, clean out the garage, wash and wax your car, and so on.  Fresh air, sunshine, AND activity?  Forget about it, you’ll be so happy you won’t be able to stand yourself.
  3. Do something for someone else. Do a totally wonderful deed for someone else without even considering the pay off for you.  Bake a cake or cookies for someone who’ll cherish each bite or call someone up to see a movie – your treat.  You’ll both feel as giddy as an 8 year old in McDonald’s.
  4. Don’t buy into all the gloom and doom you see in the media. Everything’s going to be fine!  God’s still in Heaven, after all.  If He ever walks out on the job, then I’ll worry.  I’m not trying to say there aren’t real problems around us – I’m not saying that  AT ALL.  My head isn’t in the sand, but it’s not hanging either.  If everyone gets down, no one will be up to get the work done!

If you feel down, get moving and grooving and do it in the great outdoors. If it’s still chilly where you live, grab a jacket!

One of the reasons my updates on Self Help Daily and Out of Bounds haven’t been as frequent as usual is the busy-ness I alluded to.  The past few weeks have been filled with online projects.  I’ve done a few things for my husband’s company and a few others for another client.  Add to that the maintenance of our own websites and blogs.. this chica and her gato grande (I had Mexican for lunch, it always affects me this way) have been grinding it out.  But, as I said, loving it.

I’ve also put up another blog.  Actually, it was a website that I’d had up for years and dearly loved.  One of the hats I wear is that of a dreamologist, and this particular site addressed that fascinating field.  I’m not talking about hocus pocus or “If you dream about kissing a frog, you’ll meet your prince or princess tomorrow.”  That stuff is deliciously fun, mind you, but about as accurate as my check book ledger (or as it would be if I kept one).  I’m talking about the fact that our dreams give us insights into what’s going on in our lives and in our heads.  Many times one dream will tell us more about ourselves than a whole year of soul searching.

This website was Dream Prophesy and a while back, when everyone and their grandmother was hacked, it was one of our casualties.  It kind of figured, really.  It was the largest of my sites, with the most comments, and interaction. It was also a Search Engine beast (that’s a good thing).  Of course it went down!

Even though I got a lot of e-mails from people wanting me to put the site back up, the thought of starting all over was SO completely overwhelming that I just kept responding to their e-mails and telling them, “Maybe someday”.  I mean, this site had hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of pages, articles, posts, dream analyses, dream guide entries, etc.  What was I supposed to do, go back and make page one all over again, then page two, and so on?

I think I’m up to a whopping 16 pages now.  But hey, that’s better than none.  Right before I decided to “go for it,” I remembered advice I once gave to  someone who was completely overwhelmed.  She asked, “What are you supposed to do when you have two billion things to do?”  I said, “Number one.  Then, number two.  Then, three…”  So I decided to heed my own advice.

I used the marvelousThesis Theme to build the site.  Love me some Thesis. Get this, the site was down for about a year and fell off of Google’s map.  I just put it back up this month (the 12th) and it already ranks number 1 in Google for it’s main search terms – Dream Prophesy.

With the last theme I used, it took months to get to the top spot.  I’ll let you know how it goes, but I have a feeling Thesis will help it rank really high for all of its keywords.   Because, well, that’s just how it rolls.

EDIT:  Apparently I didn’t have time to breathe or proofread!  I just added an “e” to breathe that had refused to show up for work.  I guess it took Friday off.  Don’t you HATE when you know full-well how to spell a word but your fingers get ahead of your brain and you look like you skipped spelling class.

Snap, I loved spelling class.  It was math I bailed on.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: dealing with depression, feeling happy, lifting your spirits

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