Hapy New Year

Turner Enterprises, Inc. wishes everyone a safe and Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays

Turner Enterprises, Inc. hopes that everyone enjoys the holidays!

A Few Photo's From Office Night

 Our Owner, Darrell Turner and Administrator, Ashley Brancheau

 Our Assistant Manager, Lindsay Carr and Administrator, Ashley Brancheau

Our Assistant Manager, Dana Sellers

Chairty Dodgeball Tournament

We are having another charity dodgeball tournament tonight! 

Here are the previous champs!

Turner Enterprises, Inc. Christmas Party

We are currently planning our Christmas Party! Our goal is to be able to organize an event during this Christmas Party to donate to the Family Giving Tree. The Family Giving Tree works year round to provide school supplies and fulfill holiday wishlists for children in need. We are honored to be able to help such an outstanding charity during this holiday season.

Check out the Family Giving Tree at www.familygivingtree.org

It's The Journey That's Important By John McLeod

It's The Journey That's Important

 
By John McLeod

Life, sometimes so wearying
Is worth its weight in gold
The experience of traveling
Lends a wisdom that is old
Beyond our 'living memory'
A softly spoken prayer:

"It's the journey that's important,
Not the getting there!"

Ins and outs and ups and downs
Life's road meanders aimlessly?
Or so it seems, but somehow
Leads us where we need to be,
And being simply human
We oft question and compare...

"Is the journey so important
Or the getting there?"

And thus it's always been
That question pondered down the ages
By simple men with simple ways
To wise and ancient sages...
How sweet then, quietly knowing
Reaching destination fair:

"It's the journey that's important,
Not the getting there!"

Ronald McDonlad House

We are planning a baking night for the Ronald McDonald House. The Ronald McDonald House allows families to stay close to their hospitalized children. They provide temporary homes for families who travel from around the world to have their children treated by the best pediatricians. The Ronald McDonald House has many different ways for others to reach out and help them maintain their mission "to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well being of children." We previously went and cooked a dinner for the families there and loved the opportunity to help such a wonderful cause. We plan on baking brownies, cupcakes, cookies and much more!

Check out the Ronald Mcdonald House at http://rmhc.org/ !

Fun Turkey Facts for Thanksgiving!

Here are a few fun turkey facts!

A scared turkey can run up to 20 MPH

Benjamin Franklin wanted the national bird to be the turkey

A wild turkey has vision up to 270 degrees 

To check our more turkey facts visit http://home.aristotle.net/thanksgiving/turkey-index.asp

Welcome Home from Atlanta, Georgia!

Turner Enterprises, Inc. just got back from an amazing week in Atlanta, Georgia. We were fortunate enough to learn from some of the most influential speakers in the business!

While in Atlanta Turner Enterprises, Inc. was able to participate in tournaments to raise money for the Haiti Relief Fund. Curtis Farley was a member of the winning team for the bowling tournament while Lindsay Carr and Dustin Woods took home two corn hole boards for winning the corn hole tournament. Great job!

Want to help or learn more about the Haiti Relief Fund? Check it out at http://haitirelieffund.org/haiti-relief/

Our New Assistant Manager, Dana Sellers!

We have recently promoted our newest assistant manager, Dana Sellers. Dana started off her career working for Wallstreet. She soon decided to go back to school to obtain her math degree. While attending school for she began her search for a part-time job. Dana began working for Turner Enterprises and loved the advancement opportunities. Her dedicated work ethic and outgoing personality quickly moved her into the assistant management position. We are so proud of Dana and cannot wait for her to open her own office!

 Darrell Turner and Dana Sellers

Dana Sellers at her promotion!

Christmas in Atlanta!

We will be leaving next week to attend out Christmas party in Atlanta, Georgia! We are so excited to see our managers from offices throughout the country. This will truly be an exciting early Christmas party!

The Victor by: C.W. Longenecker

The Victor

by C. W. Longenecker

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you like to win but think you can't,
It's almost a cinch you won't.
If you think you'll lose, you're lost.
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will.
It's all in the state of mind.
If you think you are out classed, you are.
You've got to think high to rise.
You've got to be sure of your-self before
You can ever win the prize.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.

Hapy Halloween

Have a fun and safe Halloween!

Halloween Facts

        Halloween Holiday Trivia          

• Orange and black are Halloween colors because orange is associated with the Fall harvest and black is associated with darkness and death.
• Jack o’ Lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday.
• Pumpkins also come in white, blue and green. Great for unique monster carvings!
• Halloween was brought to North America by immigrants from Europe who would celebrate the harvest around a bonfire, share ghost stories, sing, dance and tell fortunes.
• Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.
• The ancient Celts thought that spirits and ghosts roamed the countryside on Halloween night. They began wearing masks and costumes to avoid being recognized as human.
• Halloween candy sales average about 2 billion dollars annually in the United States.
• Chocolate candy bars top the list as the most popular candy for trick-or-treaters with Snickers #1.
• Halloween is the 2nd most commercially successful holiday, with Christmas being the first.
• Bobbing for apples is thought to have originated from the roman harvest festival that honors Pamona, the goddess of fruit trees.
• Black cats were once believed to be witch's familiars who protected their powers.

Our Newest Top Performers

Jonathan Jenkins grew up in Southfield, Michigan. He attended Oakland University where he majored in Communications and received a minor in Marketing. He worked in the entertainment industry where he wanted to become an entertainment manager. While searching in the entertainment industry for a position that offered more advancement opportunities, Jonathan stumbled upon our ad at Turner Enterprises, Inc. He was intrigued by the advancement opportunities and training the company had to offer and immediately joined our team. His outstanding work ethic and positive attitude has allowed him to quickly advance within the company. Jonathan is striving to complete the management in training program and plans to open his own office by fall of 2012 in Colorado!

Chuck Weeden was raised in Oxford, Michigan. He attended Oakland University where he obtained his degree in Business Management. His life long dream was to open his own business for computer repair. After college he began searching for career opportunities in the Michigan area. He interviewed with Turner Enterprises, Inc. and loved that our advancement opportunities would allow him to fulfill his dream of opening his own office. Chuck has mastered his leadership skills and is planning to open his own office next year in California.

Conference in Chicago!

Everyone is excited for our annual conference that will be held in Chicago, Illinois this weekend! Our office's throughout the country will be attending and everyone is excited! Chicago here we come!

Expanding into Philly!

Ever since we opened the doors to our office a couple of months ago, our office has not stopped growing! Due to Allasandra Walkowkiak's positive attitude and dedication, she will be opening up her office in Philly by the end of 2011. Philadelphia is such a terrific area to expand to due to their huge population of over 6 million people! We are so excited to start planning all the office details!

You Can Be Whatever You Want To Be! by: Donna Levine

This is a great motivational poem!

You Can Be Whatever You Want To Be!

by: Donna Levine

There is inside you
All of the potential
To be whatever you want to be;
All of the energy
To do whatever you want to do.
Imagine yourself as you would like to be,
Doing what you want to do,
And each day, take one step
Towards your dream.
And though at times it may seem too
difficult to continue,
Hold on to your dream.
One morning you will awake to find
That you are the person you dreamed of,
Doing what you wanted to do,
Simply because you had the courage
To believe in your potential
And to hold on to your dream.

Vacation and Dodge ball Tournament

We just got back from our wonderful company vacation! During this trip we were able to help raise money by playing in a charitable dodge ball tournament, which we won, as well as attend the promotions of two of our owners to organizational consultants. Great job guys! There is nothing better than relaxing on the beach and having fun on the companies dime! :) Here is a picture of the El Conquistador Resort we stayed at!

Our Addition to the Administrative Family

Let's all give a warm welcoming to our new administrator Tarryn Lamb! She started with us on Monday, 9.12.2011 and we can already see that she will go far. Her goal is to become an organizational admin and through her hard work and dedication she will get there in no time! She is excited to learn the in's and out's of our office and we are truly excited to have her. Welcome to the team Tarryn!

Things Work Out By: Edgar A. Guest

Things Work Out
By Edgar A. Guest

Because it rains when we wish it wouldn't,
Because men do what they often shouldn't,
Because crops fail, and plans go wrong
Some of us grumble all day long.
But somehow, in spite of the care and doubt,
It seems at last that things work out.

Because we lose where we hoped to gain,
Because we suffer a little pain,
Because we must work when we'd like to play
Some of us whimper along life's way.
But somehow, as day always follows the night,
Most of our troubles work out all right.

Because we cannot forever smile,
Because we must trudge in the dust awhile,
Because we think that the way is long
Some of us whimper that life's all wrong.
But somehow we live and our sky grows bright,
And everything seems to work out all right.

So bend to your trouble and meet your care,
For the clouds must break, and the sky grow fair.
Let the rain come down, as it must and will,
But keep on working and hoping still.
For in spite of the grumblers who stand about,
Somehow, it seems, all things work out.

A Few Suggestions on Attitudes

"You must be interested in finding the best way, not in having your own way." - John Wooden, former UCLA basketball coach

"People can alter their lives by altering their attitudes." - William James

"The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible." - Arthur C. Clarke

"When you do not know what you are doing and what you are doing is the best - that is inspiration." - Robert Bresson

I hope everyone finds these helpful!

Labor Day!

I hope everyone enjoys their Labor Day weekend!

Dreams Allowed by: Charles Ghigna

Dreams Allowed
Charles Ghigna

Don't be afraid to dream aloud                        
The things you want to do;
Just saying what is in your heart
Will help your dreams come true.

R&R

R&R in Puerto Rico is only 17 days away! Here are a few of our people who will be going!

Administrator: Ashley Brancheau, Owner: Dustin Woods, Asst. Manager: Allasandra Walkowiak

Office Night

Bowling tonight with the office! Should be a great time!

A Creed to Live By: Author Unknown

Don't undermine your worth by comparing
yourself with others.

It is because we are different that each
of us is special.

Don't set your goals by what other people
deem important.
Only you know what is best for you.

Don't take for granted the things closest
to your heart.

Cling to that as you would your life, for without
them life is meaningless.

Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living
in the past or the future.

By living your life one day at a time, you live all the
days of your life.

Don't give up when you still have something to give.

Nothing is really over ... until the moment
you stop trying.

Don't be afraid to admit that you are less
than perfect.

It is the fragile thread that binds us to each other.
Don't be afraid to encounter risks,
It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's
impossible to find.

The quickest way to receive love is to give love.

The fastest way to lose love is to hold on too tightly,
And the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

Don't dismiss your dreams.

To be without dreams is to be without hope.

To be without hope is to be without purpose.

Don't run through life so fast that you forget
where you've been.

But also know where you're going.

Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored
every step of the way.

Tigers Game

Detroit Tigers game on Sunday with the office! Can't wait!
Go Tigers!

Promise Yourself

Promise Yourself
The Optimist Creed

Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel like there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.        
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living person you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, and too strong for fear, and to happy to permit the presence of trouble.

Fundraiser Canceled

Our fundraiser for Operation Smile was canceled yesterday due to the rain. It will be rescheduled! Details will come soon for the rescheduled date!

A Special Thanks to Pete and Joel

Pete and Joel will be hosting our office night this Thursday at Pete's place. Everyone is so excited! Thanks again guys!

Here are just a few of the people who will be attending!

Updates for Operation Smile Fundraiser

We will be holding our fundraiser for Operation Smile this Sunday, 8.14.2011 from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Rosie's Park in Madison Heights, MI. There will be events throughout the day as well as food and drinks for everyone! The pricing is as follows:

$25 everything included
$40 per couple, everything included
$5 per event


This event will be open to the public! All proceeds will go towards our organizations effort to raise $125,000 for Operation Smile. Check them out at www.operationsmile.org.

Assistant Manager

Check out our new assistant manager Allasandra Walkowiak!

She's in the gray on the left! Next to her is Lindsay one of our top reps!
Congratulations again Allasandra!

Allasandra's Promotion

Congratulations to our new assistant manager Allasandra Walkowiak. Her hard work and determination has finally paid off and today we will celebrate her promotion! This next step in her career will bring new challenges and we are positive that she will overcome them! Great job Allasandra and keep up the good work!

You Can Be Whatever You Want To Be! by: Donna Levine

You Can Be Whatever You Want To Be!

by: Donna Levine

There is inside you
All of the potential
To be whatever you want to be;
All of the energy
To do whatever you want to do.
Imagine yourself as you would like to be,
Doing what you want to do,
And each day, take one step
Towards your dream.
And though at times it may seem too
difficult to continue,
Hold on to your dream.
One morning you will awake to find
That you are the person you dreamed of,
Doing what you wanted to do,
Simply because you had the courage
To believe in your potential
And to hold on to your dream.

8 Tips to Finding and Maintaining Happiness

Here are some great tips to finding and maintaining happiness! Check it out!

8 Tips to Finding and Maintaining Happiness

Operation Smile Fundraiser

We are currently in the process of planning another fundraiser for Operation Smile, a charitable foundation that performs cleft lip surgeries to children around the world. We plan on hosting a field day with corn hole, three legged races, kickball and much more! All the proceeds will be going toward our organizations effort to raise 125,000 dollars.

All the details will be coming soon! Check out Operation Smile at www.operationsmile.org.

7 Powerful Tips to Overcome Failure from Life Optimizer

1. Rise up and don’t regret; you have spent your time wisely

A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.
George Bernard Shaw

When we fail, we might be tempted to think that we have wasted our time and thus regret it. But that’s should not be the case. The fact that you have done something is much better than doing nothing. Many people who despise persons who fail never do anything themselves. Rise up and move on. The regret lies not in doing, but in not doing.
2. Understand that failure is there to bring you wisdom

Good people are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure.
William Saroyan

Failure is there not without a reason. It’s there to give you the wisdom you need to succeed. Each failure you encounter increases your wisdom and brings you one step closer to success. If you have this mindset, you will see failure differently. You will see each failure as an opportunity to learn.
3. Learn as much as possible from the failure

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
Albert Einstein

While failure brings you wisdom, how much wisdom you will get depends entirely on your ability to harvest it. So don’t waste the opportunity to learn; harvest wisdom as much as possible from the failure. If you fail to do this, you may waste a lot of time by repeating the same mistakes in the future.
4. Don’t give up; maybe you are only one step away from success

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
Thomas A. Edison

The thought of giving up is tempting, especially when we have failed over and over again. But who knows that maybe you are only one step away from success? Will you waste the long journey you have passed when you are already so close to your destination?
So hold on tight and don’t give up. Thomas Edison failed thousands of times to perfect the light bulb. He knew what it means not to give up.
5. Maintain your enthusiasm
Not only you should keep on trying, you should also do it with the same level of enthusiasm as when you first began. Otherwise your subsequent effort will have less and less power.
So how do you maintain enthusiasm? One good way is by realizing that you are now one step closer to success thanks to the lessons you learn. There’s no reason not to be enthusiastic when you are getting closer to success. Another way is to keep your mind on the destination, which brings us to the next point.
6. Keep dreaming big dreams
Always have your destination in mind; keep dreaming your big dreams. Spend time to visualize them and let the dreams energize you. Let them make you passionate and enthusiastic. Once you cease dreaming, soon you will also lose your energy and be back to mediocrity. To overcome all the obstacles you encounter you always need a greater why, and that why is provided by your dreams.
7. Keep your confidence in yourself

Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so.
Belva Davis

http://www.lifeoptimizer.org/2007/11/07/7-powerful-tips-to-overcome-failure/

The Will To Win by: Berton Braley

The Will To Win
(one the most classic motivational poems)

If you want a thing bad enough
To go out and fight for it,
Work day and night for it,
Give up your time and your peace and
your sleep for it

If only desire of it
Makes you quite mad enough
Never to tire of it,
Makes you hold all other things tawdry
and cheap for it

If life seems all empty and useless without it
And all that you scheme and you dream is about it,

If gladly you'll sweat for it,
Fret for it, Plan for it,
Lose all your terror of God or man for it,

If you'll simply go after that thing that you want.
With all your capacity,
Strength and sagacity,
Faith, hope and confidence, stern pertinacity,

If neither cold poverty, famished and gaunt,
Nor sickness nor pain
Of body or brain
Can turn you away from the thing that you want,

If dogged and grim you besiege and beset it,
You'll get it!

-- Berton Braley

Don't Quit

Don't Quit

by: Unknown Author

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit.
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns
As every one of us sometimes learns.
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out:
Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are.
It may be near when it seems so far:
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Leaders from Nashville

Everyone had such a great time in Nashville for our National Business Conference! There are a few leaders that need to be recognized for their amazing accomplishments. Congratulations to Steve Gonzalez, Dana Sellers, Curtis Farlee, and Clive Holmes for all winning the top leader pins! They were all rewarded for their success and achievements within the company and we are excited to see what the future has in store for them! Great job Steve, Dana, Curtis and Clive! Keep up the good work!

Stress Management Tips by Michael Castleman

37 Stress Management Tips

By Michael Castleman

Stress is a fact of life, but being stressed out is not. We don’t always have control over what happens to us, says Allen Elkin, Ph.D., director of the Stress Management Counseling Center in New York City, and yet, that doesn’t mean we have to react to a difficult, challenging situation by becoming frazzled or feeling overwhelmed or distraught. Being overly anxious is not just a mental hazard; it’s a physical one too. The more stressed out we are the more vulnerable we are to colds, flu, and a host of chronic or life-threatening illnesses. And the less open we are to the beauty and pleasure of life. For your emotional and bodily benefit, we’ve consulted experts and come up with 37 easy, natural alternatives to anxiety. Enjoy!
1. Breathe Easily “Breathing from your diaphragm oxygenates your blood, which helps you relax almost instantly,” says Robert Cooper, Ph.D., the San Francisco coauthor of The Power of 5 (Rodale Press, 1996), a book of five-second and five-minute health tips. Shallow chest breathing, by contrast, can cause your heart to beat faster and your muscles to tense up, exacerbating feelings of stress. To breathe deeply, begin by putting your hand on your abdomen just below the navel. Inhale slowly through your nose and watch your hand move out as your belly expands. Hold the breath for a few seconds, then exhale slowly. Repeat several times.
2. Visualize Calm It sounds New Age-y, but at least one study, done at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, has found that it’s highly effective in reducing stress. Dr. Cooper recommends imagining you’re in a hot shower and a wave of relaxation is washing your stress down the drain. Gerald Epstein, M.D., the New York City author of Healing Visualizations (Bantam Doubleday Dell Press, 1989), suggests the following routine: Close your eyes, take three long, slow breaths, and spend a few seconds picturing a relaxing scene, such as walking in a meadow, kneeling by a brook, or lying on the beach. Focus on the details — the sights, the sounds, the smells.
3. Make Time for a Mini Self-Massage Maria Hernandez-Reif, Ph.D., of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine, recommends simply massaging the palm of one hand by making a circular motion with the thumb of the other. Or use a massage gadget. The SelfCare catalog offers several, such as the S-shaped Tamm unit, that allow you to massage hard-to-reach spots on your back. For a free catalog, call 800-345-3371 or go to www.selfcare.com.
4. Try a Tonic A study at Duke University in Durham, NC, found homeopathy effective in quelling anxiety disorders. Look for stress formulas such as Nerve Tonic (from Hyland) or Sedalia (from Boiron) in your health food store, or consult a licensed homeopath. To find one near you, contact the National Center for Homeopathy, 801 North Fairfax St., Suite 306, Alexandria, VA 22314; 703-548-7790 or go to www.healthy.net.
5. Say Cheese Smiling is a two-way mechanism. We do it when we’re relaxed and happy, but doing it can also make us feel relaxed and happy. “Smiling transmits nerve impulses from the facial muscles to the limbic system, a key emotional center in the brain, tilting the neurochemical balance toward calm,” Dr. Cooper explains. Go ahead and grin. Don’t you feel better already?
6. Do Some Math Using a scale of one to 10, with one being the equivalent of a minor hassle and 10 being a true catastrophe, assign a number to whatever it is that’s making you feel anxious. “You’ll find that most problems we encounter rate somewhere in the two to five range — in other words, they’re really not such a big deal,” says Dr. Elkin.
7. Stop Gritting Your Teeth Stress tends to settle in certain parts of our bodies, the jaw being one of them. When things get hectic, try this tip from Dr. Cooper: Place your index fingertips on your jaw joints, just in front of your ears; clench your teeth and inhale deeply. Hold the breath for a moment, and as you exhale say, “Ah-h-h-h,” then unclench your teeth. Repeat a few times.
8. Compose a Mantra Devise an affirmation — a short, clear, positive statement that focuses on your coping abilities. “Affirmations are a good way to silence the self-critical voice we all carry with us that only adds to our stress,” Dr. Elkin says. The next time you feel as if your life is one disaster after another, repeat 10 times, “I feel calm. I can handle this.”
9. Check Your Chi Qigong (pronounced chee-gong) is a 5,000-year-old Chinese practice designed to promote the flow of chi, the vital life force that flows throughout the body, regulating its functions. Qigong master Ching-Tse Lee, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Brooklyn College in New York, recommends this calming exercise: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and parallel. Bend your knees to a quarter-squat position (about 45 degrees) while keeping your upper body straight. Observe your breathing for a couple of breaths. Inhale and bring your arms slowly up in front of you to shoulder height with your elbows slightly bent. Exhale, stretching your arms straight out. Inhale again, bend your elbows slightly and drop your arms down slowly until your thumbs touch the sides of your legs. Exhale one more time, then stand up straight.
10. Be a Fighter “At the first sign of stress, you often hear people complain, ‘What did I do to deserve this?’” says Dr. Cooper. The trouble is, feeling like a victim only increases feelings of stress and helplessness. Instead, focus on being proactive. If your flight gets canceled, don’t wallow in self-pity. Find another one. If your office is too hot or too cold, don’t suffer in silence. Call the building manager and ask what can be done to make things more comfortable.
11. Put It on Paper Writing provides perspective, says Paul J. Rosch, M.D., president of the American Institute of Stress in Yonkers, NY. Divide a piece of paper into two parts. On the left side, list the stressors you may be able to change, and on the right, list the ones you can’t. “Change what you can,” Dr. Rosch suggests, “and stop fretting over what you can’t.”
12. Count to 10 Before you say or do something you’ll regret, step away from the stressor and collect yourself, advises Dr. Cooper. You can also look away for a moment or put the caller on hold. Use your time-out to take a few deep breaths, stretch, or recite an affirmation.
13. Switch to Decaf Wean yourself slowly, or you might get a caffeine-withdrawal headache that could last for several days, cautions James Duke, Ph.D., the Fulton, MD, author of The Green Pharmacy (Rodale Press, 1997). Subtract a little regular coffee and add some decaf to your morning cup. Over the next couple of weeks, gradually increase the proportion of decaf to regular until you’re drinking all decaf. You should also consider switching from regular soft drinks to caffeine-free ones or sparkling mineral water.
14. Just Say No Trying to do everything is a one-way ticket to serious stress. Be clear about your limits, and stop trying to please everyone all the time.
15. Take a Whiff Oils of anise, basil, bay, chamomile, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, rose, and thyme are all soothing, say Kathy Keville and Mindy Green, coauthors of Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art (Crossing Press, 1995). Place a few pieces of rock salt in a small vial, then add a couple of drops of the oil of your choice (the rock salt absorbs the oil and is much less risky to carry around in your purse than a bottle of oil). Open the vial and breathe in the scent whenever you need a quick stress release. Look for the oils in your local health food store, or try one of the following mail-order companies: Aroma-Vera, 5901 Rodeo Rd., Los Angeles, CA 90016, 800-669-9514; or Leydet Aromatics, P.O. Box 2354, Fair Oaks, CA 95628, 916-965-7546.
16. Warm Up Try this tip from David Sobel, M.D., in San Jose, CA, author of The Healthy Mind, Healthy Body Handbook (I S H K Book Service, 1997) : Rub your hands together vigorously until they feel warm. Then cup them over your closed eyes for five seconds while you breathe deeply. The warmth and darkness are comforting.
17. Say Yes to Pressure Acupressure stimulates the same points as acupuncture, but with fingers instead of needles. Michael Reed Gach, Ph.D., director of the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley, CA, recommends pressing on the following three points:

• The Third Eye, located between the eyebrows, in the indentation where the bridge of the nose meets the forehead.
• The Heavenly Pillar, on the back of the neck slightly below the base of the skull, about half an inch to the left or right of the spine.
• The Heavenly Rejuvenation, half an inch below the top of each shoulder, midway between the base of the neck and the outside of the shoulder blade.
• Breathe deeply and apply firm, steady pressure on each point for two to three minutes. The pressure should cause a mild aching sensation, but not pain.

18. Schedule Worry Time Some stressors demand immediate attention — a smoke alarm siren or a police car’s whirling red light. But many low-grade stressors can be dealt with at a later time, when it’s more convenient. “File them away in a little mental compartment, or make a note,” Dr. Elkin says, “then deal with them when the time is right. Don’t let them control you.”

7 Life Lessons I Learned on Success, Happiness & Creativity - by Dumb Little Man

7 Life Lessons I Learned on Success, Happiness & Creativity - by Dumb Little Man

Succeeding in Our New Office Space

We have officially moved into our new and permanent office space. As a new partnership we will be confronted with obstacles however, we are determined to succeed. Through our personal efforts and teamwork we will continuously strive to be on the top. This is our new start, our new adventure and our new home.

"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending".  ~Author Unknown

Life Lessons from Geese

Fact 1: As each goose flaps its wings it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.

Lesson 1: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

Fact 2: When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front of it.

Lesson 2: If we have as much common sense as a goose, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.

Fact 3: When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position.

Lesson 3: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each others' skills, capabilities, and unique arrangements of gifts, talents, or resources.

Fact 4: Geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

Lesson 4: We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one's heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others) is the quality of honking we seek.

Fact 5: When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.

Lesson 5: If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.

You are only one choice away from changing your life

Think about that. One choice, just one, can change your life forever. Simply put, your life today is what your choices have made it, but with new choices, you can change directions this very moment. For me, that idea alone is highly motivational because it offers tremendous hope, regardless of circumstances, for a better tomorrow.

Your life-changing choice may be to leave a negative relationship, to go back to school, to live a healthier lifestyle, to adopt a child, to start a business, to lose weight, to start a charity...just to name a few. If you have the courage to do so, you could make any one of those choices today and that choice would change your life. Sometimes it's a different kind of choice. It can be to not quit or not to give up in the face of adversity. We've all been put in those situations.

Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen received 77 rejections for their idea Chicken Soup for the Soul. They had to make a decision each time, should they throw in the towel and say enough is enough, or should they keep trying to pursue their dreams? You know the rest of the story. The 78th publisher said “yes” and they went on to sell over 100 million books.

So never forget that you are only one choice away from changing your life. Do you have the courage to make it?

Staying the Course

If someone asked me to pick one word to describe any success I've had in my life, I wouldn't hesitate. The word would be perseverance. There have been many potholes, detours and roadblocks along the way!

We should never forget what we all have in common. That is...at some point in our life, we will face adversity. It's not a matter of if, but...when. And when adversity strikes, it's not about what happens that will determine our destiny, it's about how we react to what happens. And so many times, it'll be about...staying the course, which is why I selected BJ's article by that title, to share with you today.

Staying the Course
By BJ Gallagher

Our journey of life is about progress,
not perfection.
It's not about doing one thing
100% better -
it's a matter of doing 100 things,
1% better each day.

Progress is evolutionary
not revolutionary,
and most days we measure our progress
in inches,
not miles.

What matters most
is showing up for your life
whether you feel like it
or not.

Ask yourself,
"What two or three little things
can I do today
that would move me forward?"

You'll be amazed
at how much distance
you can cover
by taking it in increments.

The little things add up;
the inches turn to miles;
and we string together our efforts
like so many pearls.
Before long,
look what you have -
a whole strand!

Ah... beautiful.