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Performance News
Editor's Column
A Year Filled With Presence, by Valerie Lunden, MA
Perhaps this is an outlandish statement, but it might
be true, most of us have had opportunities to
feel loved during the last three months?
It's purely my belief, but I will readily share it,
that "the holidays" are
all about the celebration of love. Thanksgiving a
love of unity and family, Christmas the love of a
higher power and the birth of a profound leader.
For many it is a symbol of freedom restored and the
realization of a new divine presence.
Another
opportunity to love happens at the beginning of a
new moment
in time. Our willingness to embrace the coming of a
new year, a moment filled with renewed hopes and
expectations.
The idea I want to pose is that perhaps we may not
need planned celebrations to show our love for
one
another. Love surrounds us all the time, and
every single day is an
opportunity to be and feel loved, to celebrate
and be glad. Even
give gifts if we choose to.
If you would like to dig deeper and read more
about this phenomena, consider purchasing the book
reviewed
in this month's new column - Performance Book
Nods, The Power of Now.
I look forward to sharing this loving New
Year with all of you, being ever present and engaging
in
the
promise
of each new moment.
Happy 2006!
Valerie
BP ANNOUNCEMENTS
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- A NEW Column! Performance Book Nods
- A NEW Column! Performance Motivation
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WEALTH PERFORMANCE
Home is where the heart is. By Valerie Lunden, MA
Because of low interest rates: (yes, they are
still very low), the buzz lately has been all about
home purchase. For many folks the real question
is where to begin?
Owning a home versus renting does have merits
even if it begins with a simple exercise in math to
bring the true picture to life. The exercise makes
even more sense if the prospective homebuyer has
no children. Having assets of significance can
make all the difference when times become tough, or
dare we think it, retirement age looms and
we need a nest egg to pay for managed
care and assisted living.
The only tools required for this exercise are a
calculator, pen and
paper. The calculation starts with the number of
months rent has been paid during this period, (over
years), multiplied
by the monthly rent paid out.
How long
have
you
been renting?
The daunting surprise
maybe
revealed
by the total.
Be warned, this number could be shocking, so make
sure you're sitting down!
Exercise example:
Rent = $1000
One year = 12 months.
Rent Period is 5 years or 60 months.
The total dollars, $60,000
Where did
this money go and who benefited?
If this money had been applied to a home
purchase,
here are a few of the direct benefits over
those five years:
1. Reduction of mortgage (based on the loan
type).
2. Home appreciation.
3. Return on taxes paid, including taxable
income.
4. If investment property is purchased,
this may offer income after expenses, another
term for this is CASH FLOW.
The following are a few ideas to help begin a
home ownership plan.
1. Establish a separate home saving account
at your bank or credit union. If possible the account
should be interest baring. This money is strictly for
home
purchase and no other expenses.
2. Find out your credit score, sometimes called
the FICO. This is a
must. For resources go to the link
options. If you
have an unsatisfactory score (under
500), work on improving it.
3. Study your intended purchase market.
Should you
buy here, or should you consider finding a more
affordable area? How much must be saved to
afford the down payment for this area?
4. Start today!
If you have questions, contact a mortgage specialist,
or even our BP Mortgage Sponsor.
WEIGHT PERFORMANCE
Diet Started? What are you waiting for? By Valerie Lunden, MA
Well, it's February, have you started yet? There are
2 potential responses here, #1, I have and #2, I
have not.
If the answer is #2, the next burning questions might
be, what are YOU waiting for? Is the number on
your scale the one that you
are the most happiest with? For most of us, the
answer is probably no.
If you’ve ever wondered - it's true - miracle diets
don’t exist, and yes, the perfect diet hasn’t been
invented yet.
Let's examine the top 10 most popular diet
excuses. This could be considered a serious topic,
so
the challenge here is keeping the information light
yet meaningful.
Top 10 List of Excuses.
#1 Wedding Trauma?
Many brides want to look “bride-like” on their
wedding day. The day after the wedding, well,
whatever happens next depends on the bride!
#2 Just had a baby?
Breast feeders statistically have better success
returning to their pre-pregnant weight.
#3 The Doctor insisted. Do you suffer from high
cholesterol, diabetes, or excessive weight gain?
#4 The death of a loved one – extreme weight
loss triggered by stress.
#5 Eating disorders. Do you have one? Check
with your doctor before starting any diet.
#6 Thyroid problems. Again, check-in with
your doctor.
#7 You are entering a Beauty Pageant! Not the
best excuse!
#8 You want to be a movie star!
Less then 1% of the world population fits
into this category.
#9 Every supermarket on the planet has gone
out of business!
#10 Fill in the
blank_________________________.
A handful of diets have survived the test of time
and
have outlived the fads.
Note: If you are
beginning a diet, including any of those listed
below, make
sure you check with your doctor first. Certain diet
programs pose health risks.
#1. A Nutritionist or Health Professional
prescribed diet. Usually the best way to go
#2. Weight Watchers: With added
exercise
#3. Nutrisystem or Jenny Craig: With added
exercise
#4 The Zone: With exercise
#5. Gylcemic Index Diets: With exercise
Supportive diets appear to provide controlled
calorie reduction over time, which usually
means,
don't expect the weight to drop off overnight.
Patience is key!
In recent
years, the point-system approach has offered
an alternative to calorie counting. This type of plan
could be viewed as a gimmick, but like traditional
calorie counting, the premise does appear to work.
Prepared meal programs (Jenny & Nutrisystem): offer
controlled calorie reduction over time, but most
important, they
offer convenience.
If you don't have time to
count calories or points, this may be the way to
go.
Finally, the Zone plan offers moderate consumption
of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. This is
incorporated with a vigilant observation of sugars.
What most of these diets appear to have in
common is they can be maintained over a longer
period of time, and they can be incorporated into
most lifestyle patterns. They also offer variety and
versatility.
Here's are a few diet considerations:
#1. Do you spend more time eating then
exercising?
#2. Do you want to wear smaller dress size?
#3. Have you ever felt humiliated and
uncomfortable about your weight gain?
#4. Do you suffer from poor health – high
cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes? Is going on a
diet a life-saving situation?
#5. Have you been isolating
yourself? Has being with people become just too
hard, particularly at meal times?
#6. Has your weight become an issue in
everything you do, particularly exercise?
#7. Has being overweight created a negative
self-esteem?
#8. Do other people talk about YOUR weight
gain?
#9. Because of poor health, have you resorted
to taking medication?
#10. Have you started a high protein diet?
Why begin today?
Why not?
Why does Monday have to be DIET-DAY #1?
Based on those diets mentioned, if all
that's needed is a combination of
proper food choices and exercise, why are Mondays
usually chosen to start dieting? Why do you have to
wait until January or February? Why does the diet
have to begin on the day after the kids leave home
to go to college, or when the new moon appears?
Perhaps if you’re single, you’re waiting for Prince
Charming to show up, instead of being ready for
Prince Charming
to arrive!
Whatever the reason, the only real question that
matters is when will YOUR journey begin? Really,
what will it take to make you start eating sensibly
every
day and love
the body you're in?
PERFORMANCE BOOK NODS
The Power of Now
The world of endless possibilities begins here! This
book offers a new persecutive on living the richest
life
possible. The
concept is simple, the effort - one that requires
a small amount of practice. What is this book
about? A lot more than
just love.
Eckart Tolle writes with kindness and consistency.
The subject is complex, but he uses simple concepts
and examples to voice his ideas about being present
and conscious. I found the language style to
dodder in places, but overall Tolle writes with
conviction and
authority. Of course every word makes sense, that
is, in the NOW!
On a BP scale of one to five worms (bookworms that
is), The Power of Now gets a 5+.
PERFORMANCE POEM
Loving the
Now
by
Valerie Lunden
Love is here, the voice whispers.
I’m here waiting for you.
Love is knowing, the voice whispers.
Forever caring about you.
Love is now, the voice whispers.
Not then, not tomorrow, but in this moment.
Love is sacred, the voice whispers.
As constant as the prayers of my heart.
Love is honor, respect and truth, the voice
whispers.
It belongs to you, now and forever.
PERFORMANCE MOTIVATION
Shower Power
The following motivation idea is simple and in my
opinion, quite
brilliant. It’s called Shower
Power.
Soooo easy. First, write a list of all the
results you
want to manifest in your life. Then, post this list in
your shower. This will offer a daily review of what is
important to you. [Of course make sure you wrap
the list in plastic and use clear packing
tape to affix it on your shower wall]. I was told
suction
cups get moldy after a time, so try not to use them!
Here
are a few motivation examples for you list.
What will excite me today?
What will I do to show my husband (or wife) that I
love them today?
What will I do to be a better parent today?
Which friend can I call today to tell them how much I
appreciate them?
What will I do to improve my health today?
For most people showering, (or bathing) can be a
comforting tranquil experience. The shower is often a
wonderful place to refresh and refocus; a great time
to remember all the things that are important and
all the people we care about.
The list can be as long or short as you want. The
list can also include your goals or anything that YOU
feel is important to review.
Experience something new and life -
changing!
Make your list today!
SPIRIT PERFORMANCE
Consolation Prize, By Ruth Ann Karch, MA
Growing up in the game show era, I was always
stung by the inequality of the “consolation prize.”
The winner went off with a brand-new something;
the runner-up usually took home the products
needed to clean that item. Second place is
nowhere’s-ville, man. (I also watched a show
called “Dobie Gillis” with the quintessential beatnik,
Maynard G. Krebs.) And consolation wasn’t something
I ever wanted to find out about first hand.
But more than a few decades of living later, the
scales in my life have been heavily weighted with
consolation: for grief, for fear, for uncertainty, for
vulnerability. I am sure I have received more than I
have given. And either way it flows, it is a gift.
In “Bread for the Journey,” a book I often find myself
quoting, Henri Nouwen writes that “Consolation is a
beautiful word. It means ‘to be’ (con-) ‘with the
lonely one’ (solus). To console does not mean to
take away the pain but rather to be there and
say, ‘You are not alone, I am with you. Together we
can carry the burden.’”
Once when my daughter was small, she told me
about a problem. Right away, I barraged her with
approaches, reasons, solutions, logic – everything
but what she wanted. She humbled me by
saying, “Mom, I don’t want you to fix it. I just
wanted to tell you about it.” Clearly, she did not
want any “thing” – not the car, the vacation, or a
year’s supply of soap – just the consolation. That is
the real prize.
A Prayer to be Consoled and to
Console
Dear Infinite Spirit:
Thank you for the simplicity of true consolation. Help
me to appreciate what an honor it is just “to be”
with a Lonely One. Thank you for all of the many
times I have been consoled by you, directly and
through others. I pray that if called upon to console,
I will not seek answers. I will only seek to be part of
your Divine Presence. Show me ever fresh the ease
and opportunity of love in my life.
A most gentle Amen.
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