Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted in faith.

Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted in faith.

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The Secret to Creating a Life of Incredible Stories

As a kid, I always found myself in trouble and looking for adventure.

I’ve listened to lectures about what not to do more times than I can count. Being extremely gullible, and a bit of a daredevil consistently landed me in front of teachers and parents discussing my future.

I can’t help it. I love spontaneity, being myself, and living on the edge. And I’m competitive and have an unyielding belief that one’s thoughts control the outcome of one’s life. So I never hesitate to take opportunities that others are afraid to engage.

The truth: I’ve always wanted the best stories to tell my friends and family. Consequently, I do. The funny part is that I don’t work hard to makes my life filled with great stories. Instead, I simply take the thousands of opportunities given me:

• A beautiful girl everyone is scared to talk to at a party, but me.
• Giving in when someone asks me to go with them on a last-second road trip to explore Yosemite National Park.
• Or even the one time when my brother convinced me to swing on a branch hovering thirty feet over a canyon.
• And the countless other stories…

Not all the stories have ended in a positive way, but each one is a learning experience. Also, I’ll talk about every story, even the ones that hurt, and that’s why I have so many to tell. What I realized: If you can’t speak about your stories that are painful, then you won’t take the risks to make your life filled with stories.

It didn’t take long to understand why I put myself in risky situations and uncomfortable settings—I believe in magic. Not wizards casting spells, but the magic of life’s truth that you can become almost anyone.

For most of us, we believe this when were younger. It started when I was a little kid playing pretend war with my friends. We threw acorns that we pretended were grenades and used Lego and K’Nex to make hand-held weapons and armor. We caused so much of a ruckus that we had to duct tape everything we made. For us, our imagination was our reality, and no one could tell us different.

Going to sleep and waking up as a kid who believes they are their own hero is truly magical. Whether you want to believe your Superman or Tony Stark, it’s time we comprehend the impossible is possible. Hopefully, you don’t forget this feeling as you age. Even though some of this feeling is likely to disappear, but for those who live a life of incredible stories, the best part remains: believing you can be anyone.

I don’t know about you, but I think that to be true. Each obstacle and opportunity to live my intended story—I take. It’s not always easy, you’ll find your hero moving in unintended directions. But then you remember that even heroes have to overcome hurdles, and that’s a critical part of each story, too.

We should all trust ourselves that we can live our stories and not someone else’s. We don’t need to live through celebrities, T.V., or movies because we should be living a life of stories worth telling. Moreover, a life full of stories doesn’t take time for anything ordinary when we should be extraordinary.

If you’re wondering who your hero is, then think about your favorite books where you have the strongest connection to the protagonist. It’s possible that’s the story you should strive to create out of your life.

I fell in love with stories that have an adventurous protagonist who conquers evil. Correspondingly, I take many risks and live life on the edge. Reading a story about a small kid who grows up to become a warrior and defeat a dragon leads me to believe I can go up against anyone.

It’s a fact that fiction novels help people beyond increasing their vocabulary and keeping the interest piqued. Reading fiction books can aid in developing a stronger emotional intelligence; as a result, this can give your success a nice jumpstart.

The best part: Great fiction stories are memorable.

Sad to say, but many college graduates can’t name ten things they learned in post-secondary education. However, they can tell you countless stories of risk and adventure. Stories are clearly one of the best channels to absorb information.

The hard part is that stories are not created by themselves. You have to take the initiative to make them happen. But the easy part is that you don’t have to look far because the opportunities are everywhere. Remember, creating stories is not so much about risk-taking as it is about creating a life worth living.

Let me ask you:

If you’re creating a story not worth being told, then why are you living?

The next time you see one of the thousands of opportunities around you, don’t doubt yourself. You can become whomever you want. That’s how people become president, and Elon Musk becomes Tony Stark.

You have the ability to live a hero’s life where you never waste an opportunity.

So what we need to ask ourselves: Why did we stop believing?

We became convinced that we couldn’t live as a hero unless we went through systems ingrained in our culture like attending college and working specific jobs. Progressively we accepted that we are not heroes, we are not unique, and dreams only live in fiction books.

It’s time to stop listening to the people who tell us what we have to do. Instead, listen to the people who turned their dreams into reality so they can see their hero every day in the mirror. These are the ones who know the world’s best-kept secret: you can turn fiction into fact.

If I stopped my child-like curiosity and dreams from propelling me forward, I wouldn’t be nearly as successful as I am now. Sure there have been a couple of bumps in the road, but no one starts as a hero, they must conquer challenges to become a champion.

Just like fiction heroes can overcome their fears, we can too.

I’ve never sat through a lecture and felt inspired. What has inspired me were fiction stories that told me I could be better than a student falling asleep in a college lecture. These same stories told me I could improve a small part of the world each day if I worked hard enough. Those are the ones I believe in because life is not worth living if that’s not true.

Keep in mind: If you don’t see yourself as having potential to change the world, then you won’t ever change it.

Ask yourself: What hero do you want to see in the mirror?

Remember, a hero always has an inner fire to drive them through the toughest times. And just maybe part of overcoming your hardest obstacles is understanding you are your own hero.

And because we can’t live someone else’s life, we must face ourselves.

The secret to living a life of incredible stories: find your fiction and turn it into reality.

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11 Weight Loss Tips from Professional Nutritionists and Trainers

Summer season is about to kick in, and your belly fat defies your efforts and struggles to make it slim and flat. Every time you start the new diet or workout regime on Monday, and try to stick with it until something disturbs the plans and you ditch them.

You don’t have the time. You’re too tired. You’re not in the mood. It’s boring. You’d love to eat all you like, and don’t restrain yourself.

Unfortunately, models in magazines and TV remind us every single day how human body can be beautiful, sexy, and impressive; when you watch them, you always think: “I’d love to have abs like that!,” or “Oh my God, how amazing would it be to have a figure like that! Damn you, Kim Kardashian!” Well, today we’re here to help you: Here is a list of 11 weight loss tips from professional nutritionists and trainers, who know what they are doing. Backed up tips that might change your body for the better, as well as your life. Here we go.

1. Drink more water, and know when to drink it.

Hydration of the body affects metabolism, the way your stomach digests food and how well food fuels your body. We’re actually more likely to retain “water weight” by not drinking enough of it rather than by having too much; by not drinking enough water, you’re giving your body signals to retain water, since you’re not hydrating the organism well, and it’s natural “defense” system is to retain water.

The needs of each person are different, but the general recommended daily amount is 64 ounces. It also takes up space in your stomach so you’ll feel fuller while taking in less calories. Again, drinking water (or any drinks) during your meal will make the process of digesting slower, and slow the metabolism down. Slowing the metabolism equals not losing fat. Ideally, good advice is to drink a big glass of cold water as soon as you wake up, and continue in that pace for 8 glasses throughout the day.

2. Cut The C.R.A.P.

Dawn Jackson gives us one very useful and direct advice. Cut the C.R.A.P. when you’re in a groceries shop buying food for your kitchen. Read the ingredients on the packages and avoid food containing:

• Chemicals you don’t use in your own kitchen. - Words like: azodicarbonamide, carrageenan, potassium bromate, soy isolate, brominated vegetable oil, and partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil.
• Refined sugar & flour. - Words like: refined flour, enriched wheat, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, and anything ending in –ose.
• Artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors. - Words like: caramel coloring, saccharin, aspartame, acesulfamepotassium, dyes, diacetyl, and just plain “artificial flavoring.”
• Preservatives. - Words like: sodium nitrate/nitrite, BHA, TBHQ, BHT, heptyl paraben, and propyl gallate.

3. Don’t starve. Ever.

People tend to starve themselves when they’re stressed out by their looks. Girls, sounds familiar?

This is so wrong: when you starve yourself, your metabolism goes to the critical state, when every calorie is important. Metabolism slows down in order to preserve itself from starvation, and slows down radically. This means when you finally eat something, your metabolism will digest it at much slower rate, because it was exposed to starvation, and in the best hope of surviving, the food will be digested really slowly. Any food left unspent as energy, will go straight to the fat cells for storage. This is how the organism works, and that’s what you are making it do with starvation. Elizabeth, MS, RD is advocates this in her work, and hopes to reach all young moms and women.

What starvation does to your body:

Your energy goes low, your fat stays where it was, and your MUSCLE gets eaten by itself! When starving and needs energy, human body is designed to reach out to carbohydrates in the body, then it goes for the muscle tissue, and later on to the stubborn fat. Staying on this diet will get you looking like a walking skeleton with bags of fat attached. Who would want that?

4. Caffeine is your friend.

Consuming caffeine is good on weight loss, and destroying fat cells in your body. Studies shows that caffeine consumption impacts thermogenesis, fat oxidation, or both. Consuming coffee or green tea benefits the body by increasing caffeine levels, keeping us awake, active, and productive.

Caffeine boosts metabolism, both active and passive. Harley Pasternak, a celebrity trainer and nutrition expert who has worked with stars from Halle Berry and Lady Gaga to Robert Pattinson and Robert Downey Jr. advises people on the mission to get leaner and thinner. We have to believe him on this advice, just look at his clients.

5. Any workout is better than no workout.

When you’re on to lose some weight, you need to be persistent, and strive through the process. You workout, watch your diet, take care of your body, and work hard.

And those days in the week arrive:

Even waking up and getting out of bed is a tough thing to do. Tired, grumpy, and sore, you’re not into doing anything today, and you need to workout. Damn.

During these days, it is important to try. Any kind of workout is better than no workout. If you have a scheduled running day, or specific strength training, try to do at least one third of the workout. The important part here is that you’ll get to do at least a bit of the scheduled training, and chances are that you’ll finish it. If not, and you’re still drenched, drag yourself home and try to relax. At least you have tried, and didn’t broke the cycle. Every trainer knows and preaches this.

6. Strength before endurance.

If you’re determined to lose weight, and sculpt the perfect body of your dreams, you must be diverse.

This news might surprise you:

Building muscle is the most effective way to lose fat; the more muscle you have, the more fat will be spent for everyday’s activities, including workout.

Many people start dieting and running in their life to lose the weight. This plan is overall good, but on the efficiency side, building muscle is way better. Think of it like this: with weights/strength training, you are going from point A to point B by car. And with only cardio/aerobic training, you’re traveling by bike. You’ll get to the goal, but much slower and with more pain. Among many other personal trainers & nutritionists, James Duigan advocates this approach.

7. Avoid liquid calories.

Today’s modern diet of average person includes drinking artificially sweetened beverages, like fruit juices and sodas. This drinks contain insane amounts of added sugar, to make them taste the way people like it, and to preserve quality.

You might think we point out to popular carbonated drinks like Coke, Sprite and similar, but fruit juices are also sweetened. If you’re watching your weight, or trying to lose it, do your best to avoid liquid sugars and calories in them. Bethenny Frankel,The Real Low-Cal Housewife, prepares healthy and low-cal beverages and cocktails to improve your weight loss.

8. Eat fats.

But, be careful which ones. You should watch your bad (LDL) cholesterol and try to increase your good (HDL) cholesterol. Healthy fatty acids actually help you loose fat, and improve your overall health. Mehmet Oz, M.D. America’s “Doctor” recommends increasing healthy fats consumption no matter your physical condition.

There are loads of healthy, full of HDL cholesterol foods. Try to add these in your food consumption strategy:

• Beans
• Salmon
• Avocado
• Garlic
• Spinach
• Walnuts and Almonds

With them in your eating regime, you’re on the right path to achieve the perfect body you always wanted, and improve your health.

9. Try Fasted Feasting.

Dr. Sara Solomon offers an interesting, but radical approach. Fasted Feasting can be split into two versions: The six-seven meals per day, on every two and a half hours, or almost nothing throughout the day, only water, tea, and amino acids in form of supplements. And after a hard working day, for dinner Sara eats ALL the calories she needs for that day. This seems a bit radical and unbelievable, but Dr. Sara backs up her story with lots of successful stories of weight loss and she also looks amazing; who wouldn’t want to work with her?

Dr. Sara Solomon have the knowledge, and body to back it up.

10. Don’t trust the numbers on the scale.

When people try to lose weight, and start putting effort in doing so, the scale is often the judge; if you’re few pounds lighter, you’re happy. And there are some days, when you’re getting heavier, even though you didn’t cheated.

Don’t go nuts about it; lean muscle is twice the weight than fat. Tape measuring is your friend. Jillian Michaels, The Biggest Fitness Winner is a big advocate on this. When you gain muscle, you might even weight more than before, but don’t freak out, look at your body composition, and see how many fat did you lost in time. Body mass index (BMI) calculator will help at this a lot. And believe, adding two pounds of muscle will recompose your body and change your looks.

11. Be stubborn.

This is an universal tip. Everybody knows that big and great results don’t come over night, yet people tend to abandon their goals and create new ones when that pants become too narrow, or the belly fat comes under the shirt.You have to be stubborn.

You have to strive, and persist, so your results will speak in your name. Your new and slim body is hidden under that layers of fat – go out there and sculpt it!

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How Successful People Plan Their Week

Achieving success requires a set of weekly habits and practices. By implementing these ideas consistently, you will become proactive and set yourself apart from people who simply drag themselves through each day. As you read this article, ask yourself which ideas you could put into action this week. Reading an article about success is a start but it is not enough to achieve your goals.

1. They Complete A Weekly Review

It is easy to be swept away by the stress of daily living. That’s why successful people use the Weekly Review to put their work and life back into perspective. Once you learn how to do a Weekly Review, you can master this success habit in a matter of weeks. At first, use the Weekly Review to review your calendar, email accounts and other information sources. Over time, you may want to add further steps to your Weekly Review. Once you establish the habit, an effective Weekly Review will take about an hour to complete.

2. They Review Big Goals

Successful people are excited by their goals. They not only have a bucket list – they take action to achieve those goals on a weekly basis. In order to keep your motivation at a high level, it is vital to set challenging goals. For example, author Jack Canfield recently published his 101 Lifetime Goals which included go on a safari in Africa, give a university commencement address and sell 1 million books. To make the process easier on yourself, choose 2-4 big goals from the list for the year and work through them.

Need Inspiration To Create Your Big Goals?

50 Things You Should Do Before You Die

How To Create and Manage Your Bucket List

3. They Plan Your Family Requirements With A Family Meeting

Successful people understand that family life matters. After all, what’s the point of making a fortune if you are alone and miserable? When it comes to running their week, successful people take note of their family responsibilities. That means sorting out school schedules, reviewing upcoming travel and planning dates with their spouse. In fact, you may even want to have a “family meeting” once a week to coordinate plans and make sure nothing important is forgotten.

4. They Put Their Priorities On The Calendar

Successful people live through their calendars. At first glance, a calendar may not appear to be a powerful tool However, successful people realize that a blank calendar represents a major opportunity to make progress. For example, I set aside time on my calendar for reviews, following up on management requests and writing projects. It may feel a little odd to create a “meeting with yourself” at first but it is well worth it, especially when you look back on all that you have achieved.

5. Plan Your Leisure and Relaxation

Successful people are driven to achieve demanding goals and take care of their responsibilities. They also realize that leisure and relaxation matter – without these activities, life will feel like an a never ending to-do list. Many high achieving people have hobbies and sometimes work so much that they forget to pursue them. For example, those who enjoy wine may do a Google search for upcoming wine tastings in their city and register for an event that suits their calendar.

6. They Think Through The Weekend

Weekends are important for successful people looking to refresh and recharge after a difficult week. Author Laura Vanderkam explored this topic at length in her book “What the Most Successful People Do On the Weekend.” It all starts with a proactive attitude – a good and refreshing weekend does not simply happen. Planning one or two “anchor events” (e.g. go to a sports game or visit an interesting restaurant) is a great way to make sure you have a pleasant activity to look forward to.

7. They Plan Fitness

Fitness is a great element to living a successful and full life. In fact, entrepreneur Michael Hyatt recently discussed the mental and physical benefits of strength training. Fitness is an excellent way to reduce stress and maintain high energy levels. Many successful people have an established morning routine where they fit in an exercise session before they start work. Cutting exercise is rarely a wise decision for those who care about their long term success.

8. They Practice Gratitude Each Day

Successful people often reflect on their success and the wonderful aspects of life. Simply acknowledging all the good things in life is a key insight that authors Tony Robbins and James Altucher practice to maintain a clear mind and a happy attitude. One highly effective way to practice gratitude is to use the Five Minute Journal. Writing about what you are grateful for is a great way to end the day.

9. They Schedule Time For Follow Up

Successful people know that reminders and follow up are essential habits to get work done. Like it or not, sending a single email is rarely enough to get a job done in the corporate world. Successful people often schedule 15-30 minutes on their calendar at least once per week to follow up on requests, problems and other important matters. For guidance on following up professionally, use the following resource: 7 Tactics of Following Up Without Being Annoying. The follow up skill also applies outside of the business world – following up on vacation plans, orders and planning important events such as wedding anniversaries.

10. They Know The Limits of Planning

As successful people approach their week, they understand the limits of planning. From time to time, emergencies will happen. You may walk into the office on Monday morning and learn that an important customer is angry about a late delivery. That’s why flexibility remains important. Fortunately, planning and taking a proactive approach to work tends to minimize the number of problems and emergencies you will face in life.

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If you fuel your journey on the opinions of others,…

If you fuel your journey on the opinions of others, you are going to run out of gas. – Steve Maraboli

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Keep your mind positive at all times. Interpret things to…

Keep your mind positive at all times. Interpret things to yourself in a positive way.

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