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Having Some Problems?

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to be happy and positive when things are going well? When there are no interruptions, obstacles or problems around you, it’s easy to enjoy life. You might even say, “I’m feeling pretty good and everything seems to be just fine; life is great!”

But what is your reaction when something unexpected interrupts your life? What about when something unpleasant comes up? Suddenly, for many, it’s not so easy to remain positive; or is it?

No one welcomes problems with open arms, no matter how insignificant they seem. I don’t know of anyone who anticipates having to deal with something unpleasant. However, you and I both know that things are going to happen from time to time; that’s just how life is. Tires wear out, drains get clogged, and people, at times, do stupid things.

When something unpleasant occurs, most people stop being happy and positive. Whatever it is that happens, it’s enough to change their attitude. And for some people even the slightest bump in the road and they change from happy to angry in a matter of seconds.

We really can choose what thoughts we are going to think. The thoughts that we choose to think have a direct effect on our feelings and our emotions. We can’t always choose what happens, but we can always choose how to think about what happens.

I’m not trying to imply that we should live in a make-believe world where you just tell yourself, “Nothing is wrong; everything’s okay.” When something comes up we most certainly need to assess the situation. We need to find out what is going on before we issue a positive statement.

What? A positive statement? Yes, a positive statement: a solution-oriented statement. I know some will say that certainly is not a proper reaction to a negative or unpleasant situation! Or is it?

Suppose you come home from the grocery store and find that your bread is smashed like a pancake in the bottom of the bag because of the way your groceries were packed. What would your reaction be to that situation? Would you become completely livid? Some people would.

“I am so mad! Now I’ve got to go all the way back to the store! Why don’t they teach those young kids how to do it right? I knew that kid packing up my groceries had a lousy attitude! He probably piled those heavy cans on my bread on purpose. I’m going to talk to the manager about this! ”

Hold on just a minute! Chill out!

Now this may sound like a silly illustration to you, but as a teenager I worked at a grocery store, and saw far worse reactions than in this example!

Instead of having that kind of an attitude, why not have a positive attitude and make a positive statement? What? Say something positive about your smashed bread? A positive statement? Sure, why not?

“Okay, I’ll just take the bread back and exchange it. I wonder if there is anything else I need that I forgot to pick up at the store. I’m sure glad that they have more bread. In fact, I’m glad that there is so much food available.”

Hey! But what about the guy who smashed my bread?

Here’s the point: Our thoughts trigger our emotions and feelings. And our actions so many times follow our emotions and feelings. In fact, the kind of mood you are in right now is not somebody else’s fault. It is because of your decision to think the way that you are thinking.

The next time something unpleasant comes up, take note of how you react. Observe where your thoughts go. What emotions are triggered? Those emotions are directly tied to some information.

Now stop and think about it for a minute. Do you really expect that everything is always going to go perfectly smooth without any hitches? No one that you will ever deal with will ever make a mistake, right? We all know that is never going to happen. We do not live in a perfect world.

So then why are we surprised when someone makes a mistake? Why get angry over something that someone did that inconvenienced us? It wasn’t the first time and it will not be the last time.

The real question you need to ask yourself is not, “Why did he smash my bread?” but rather, “Why am I so angry about this?”

Do you expect perfection in all that you do? Do you beat yourself up when you make a mistake? These are interesting questions, and it is important to find out just why you are angry. You certainly don’t want to live with anger, do you? You don’t want to see yourself as an angry person, do you?

Once you recognize the anger, and see how it is attached or tied into situations, for whatever reason, then choose to get rid of it. Look that anger right in the eye, and say, “Anger, you need to go. I don’t want to live with that emotion any longer. I may have been angry in the past, but now, I choose to get rid of this anger. And, in its place, I choose to put in patience, understanding, and, forgiveness.

Most people just keep looking at the incident. As a result they stay angry. Then, they just love to relate the incident to someone else. As a result they stay angry. How does that help you live your life?

You see, it really doesn’t matter if they smashed your bread on purpose or by accident. What matters is do you want to control your own life, or, do you want to have your life controlled by circumstances and situations. Do you really want other people’s actions to determine your own happiness?

Your own life is in your own control.

Thomas Edison’s workshop burned to the ground one day and he had no insurance. They asked him, “What are you going to do now?” He answered, “We’ll start rebuilding tomorrow.”

Michael A. Verdicchio offers a FREE special report, “9 Keys to Answered Prayer!” for signing up to his weekly news letter, “The Pep Letter,” at http://www.confidenceandjoy.com He also offers a FREE “71 page eBook, entitled, “Keys To Enriching Your Life Now!” at http://www.EnrichingYourLifeNow.com Michael is a husband, father, minister, author, and broadcaster. He has been the voice on numerous projects and productions including Mike’s Pep Talks!

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Food Matters A Guide to Conscious Eating with More Than 75 Recipes

Food Matters A Guide to Conscious Eating with More Than 75 Recipes

From the award-winning champion of culinary simplicity who gave us the bestselling How to Cook Everything and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian comes Food Matters, a plan for responsible eating that’s as good for the planet as it is for your weight and your health.

We are finally starting to acknowledge the threat carbon emissions pose to our ozone layer, but few people have focused on the extent to which our consumption of meat contributes to global warming. Think about it this way: In terms of energy consumption, serving a typical family-of-four steak dinner is the rough equivalent of driving around in an SUV for three hours while leaving all the lights on at home.

Bittman offers a no-nonsense rundown on how government policy, big business marketing, and global economics influence what we choose to put on the table each evening. He demystifies buzzwords like “organic,” “sustainable,” and “local” and offers straightforward, budget-conscious advice that will help you make small changes that will shrink your carbon footprint — and your waistline.

Flexible, simple, and non-doctrinaire, the plan is based on hard science but gives you plenty of leeway to tailor your food choices to your lifestyle, schedule, and level of commitment. Bittman, a food writer who loves to eat and eats out frequently, lost thirty-five pounds and saw marked improvement in his blood levels by simply cutting meat and processed foods out of two of his three daily meals. But the simple truth, as he points out, is that as long as you eat more vegetables and whole grains, the result will be better health for you and for the world in which we live.

Unlike most things that are virtuous and healthful, Bittman’s plan doesn’t involve sacrifice. From Spinach and Sweet Potato Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing to Breakfast Bread Pudding, the recipes in Food Matters are flavorful and sophisticated. A month’s worth of meal plans shows you how Bittman chooses to eat and offers proof of how satisfying a mindful and responsible diet can be. Cheaper, healthier, and socially sound, Food Matters represents the future of American eating.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Informative, Sensible, Practical
Already a fan of Bittman and the Minimalist series, I enjoy the practicality of his recipes — few specialized ingredients, easy to be modified for smaller amounts, and they don’t require hours in the kitchen. His book “Food Matters” is an example of this minimalist approach to food, but with some additional insight into what we’re eating and the consequences to ourselves and our environment. It’s the non-dieters diet, that doesn’t require elimination of anything, doesn’t leave us guilty over having a Big Mac occasionally, and doesn’t chain us to a hard and fast meal plan (although he does include that as example). It’s pure common sense with the research and facts to back it up. A good read with some great recipes.

4 Stars An eye-opener
Wow! What an interesting read this was. I got a whole new appreciation for the planet and how everything we do (including what we eat) affects every other thing on the planet. It’s not a diet book. It’s more about being conscious of the choices we make and shockingly, for me, how the cattle industry affects the planet (just one example but the most surprising for me). And it’s not just being conscious of food but conscious of the way we live - for example how running an SUV for a few hours is equal to a steak dinner for a family of four while leaving all of the lights on in the house. It will definitely make me think about my own lifestyle going forward. I’m not saying I’ll change everything immediately, but over time, I will continue to reduce my own footprints in anyway I can. The author, Mark Bittman, also provides recipes that look really delicious (including recipes with meat like Thai Beef Salad). Overall, a very informative, interesting read even if you don’t cook. I’ve already recommended this to a few friends.

5 Stars Another winner for Bittman, and us!
What a great follow up book to read after Michael Pollan’s Eater’s Manifesto. Bittman has rethought our diets with a world view: think globally, eat locally. The recipes I’ve tried are great–fast and infinitely flexible–Bittman’s forte. The book’s so good, I’m already revamping my eating style–he makes it pretty easy.

5 Stars Food Matters
I loved this book. Coincidentally I had decided to go on a Vegan diet for a while in order to loose weight. 2 days later watched Mark Bittman on NBC and was convinced to get the book. You don’t have to go vegan but his way of eating makes so much sense. After 3 wks I was much more alert and had more energy. This is NOT another diet book , just a better way of eating. Mix it up , eat meat, do whatever but his book is very good.

rl

4 Stars Good book for dieters…
If you like Michael Pollan’s books on the politics on food (”Omnivore’s Dilemma”, you will like this one too. Great way to start a diet. There are recipes too, but a bit unusual… D.Syme

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Natrol Acai Berry 1000mg per daily serving 60 caps

Natrol Acai Berry 1000mg per daily serving 60 caps

Acai, a dark purple berry indigenous to the Amazon rainforest, is a nutritious and powerful fruit, valued for its rich nutrients. With a high ORAC (oxygen-radical absorbance capacity) value - twice that of blueberries - Acai could be considered the berry of choice for good health. Natrol Acai is available in vegetarian capsules.

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Stunning Canon 5D2 Time-Lapse Video

Having great equipment helps, but both of these examples show that equipment is only part of the equation.img src=http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/trarticles/~4/59ETKGhmshk height=1 width=1/