Archive for March, 2009
What’s your sign? No it isn’t just a pick-up line. Regardless of whether you are a believer in the mystique of astrology or if you have any clue as to the exact position of the planets at the time of your birth, everyone knows their sign. Even if you are a non-believer, it is almost certain you’ve come in contact with someone who is. And, of course, it does provide a relatively safe topic with which to break the ice with someone and begin to get to know him or her better. But, is there something to astrology or is it just some sort of mystical mumbo jumbo?
As one of the earliest sciences known to man, the science of astrology has been found in Babylonian records dating back to 1645 BC. Throughout history we find other cultures like those of the Egyptians and Greeks, who used the science of astrology to develop calendar and timekeeping methodologies. None can deny that the earth follows a path around the sun and the stars, like clockwork, change their position in relation to our earthly home with the change of seasons.
Early civilization may have used astrology to help define their place in the cosmos. After all, they didn’t have the benefit of space travel and exploration that we have today. And even with all we do know about the universe around us, we sense its vastness and yearn to understand its greatness. We, like those of long ago continue to contemplate the enormous expanse of planets and stars that surround us and wonder how we fit into its mystery.
Developing healthy eating habits to become a healthy eater begins with educating yourself on how to be food smart, on what healthy eating habits are, and then applying them to your daily lifestyle. There is more to being food smart than simply counting calories.
Becoming a healthy eater and learning healthy eating habits is about learning to moderate and balance your eating. Healthy eaters consume a minimum of three meals a day without limiting themselves to a specific food group or food type. Three meals a day is a minimum. Your goal should be to work up to five smaller meals a day to maintain your metabolism.
Here’s an eating schedule you might adopt. Adjust to suit your daily schedule.
1. 7:00 a.m. – Breakfast
2. 10:00 a.m. – Light snack
3. 12:00 p.m. – Lunch
4. 4:00 p.m. – Light snack
5. 7:00 p.m. – Small dinner with a treat
When worry becomes a constant state of anxiety and stress, it begins to take control of your daily life. We all worry at times. However, if you find that your worrying is taking over your daily life and leaving you with a feeling of debilitating anxiety, you may have Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or GAD.
Everyone feels the effects of anxiety and stress at times. Those that suffer from GAD often begin with worrying about everyday things. Their worry, however, continues to build until it takes over their life and may manifest itself in the form of other medical problems. If you think that you have GAD, you should talk to your doctor.
It is normal to worry about a job, relationship, money or health, even on a daily basis. Sufferers of GAD take everyday worry to a level where they obsess over their worries to the point of irrationality. Those diagnosed with GAD are found to worry constantly. Their worry is so distracting that it is impossible to do or think about anything else. From the time they awake in the morning until the day ends, worry is a constant part of life, even when what is being worried about has no true basis in reality.
I am sure you are asking just what barn raisings and flood-subs have in common with personal growth. A few of you may not even be aware of what they are.
Barn raisings refers to a time many years ago when friends and family would gather to help another build a barn or dwelling. In those days there were no cranes or lifts and the hands of many were needed to accomplish the task. This was also considered to be a social occasion for many as distance and the need to work on their own land often meant not being able to socialize for extended periods of time.
I smile when I think of Flood-Subs. In 1997 there was a major flood in our area. The effect was so extensive that you needed a boat to reach many of the areas. A friend of mine and I volunteered one day to assist with the sand bagging to try to save some of the homes in the flood zone. We arrived at the marshaling station early in the morning and were taken by boat to the home we were assigned to. One of many small islands created by sand bags in the middle of a body of water that extended as far as the eye could see. It was an eerie feeling as we passed over Highway 59 which was marked only by the roadside signage poking out above the water. Along the way we passed vehicles, tractors and other equipment and buildings which had had to be left to the mercy of the rising water.
Some of the barriers to personal change include being overwhelmed, time management, undefined goals, and mindset. Today we will look at how overwhelming goals can act as barriers to personal change.
Often if you focus on everything that needs to be done to reach a goal, you find yourself feeling overwhelmed. Being overwhelmed leads to self-doubt and procrastination. Self-doubt and procrastination act as barriers to personal change. To move past those barriers you need to reduce your focus to a more manageable size.
Once you have identified a goal you would like to achieve, the next step that must be taken is identify the steps that you need to take to reach your goal. This gives you a guide to follow. After you have broken down the steps, go over them once again and break them down even further until you have the smallest bits that are possible. After all, most of us cut our food into bite size pieces do we not? Yet we still manage to eat a meal. In fact, by reducing steps to their smallest size, and focusing on just that single step, you reduce the likelihood of that step not being done and becoming one of your barriers to personal change.
