Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Wait no more

The waiting game
You know the game, at least you think you do. 
It is the game of life.
You were taught the rules by your family, school and society.
What you didn’t know is that you bought into a system that is based on ego, greed, and getting ahead.
But getting ahead of who and what?
Are you truly happy in a competitive world where it is acceptable to cheat to get ahead, to be part of a system that is based on a false premise?
What is this keep up with the Jones’ business?
I know far too many people who are placing their happiness and security in all the wrong places.
Are you?
Do you really have security in a portfolio of miscellaneous numbers held in some bank server?
Are there truly any sure bets when it comes to your life’s saving?
How long are you going to wait before you begin to live the life you long for?
Just a few more years?
In the recent past, how many bank failures or stock market crashes have there been?
Are you you willing to bet that your future is secured by a failing government or a business that is based on greed at the expense of others?
How long do you have before your game of life is over?
If only I could pay off my debts and get back on top of things.
If only I could get a raise, then everything would be ok.
If only my partner would change, then I would be happy.
In my conversations with people I have listened as they describe the various conditions that rule their lives.
I hear the longing in their words to find a better life where they can finally be happy. 
All too often we focus on all the wrong things, the injustice that we suffer, the pains and aches that life offers as a reward to our hard work.
Take a few minutes and watch those around you. 
Sit in a restaurant or shopping mall and observe people.
You can tell those who are happy, those who are carrying the burdens of the world on their shoulders, and those who are carefree.
It is reflected in their faces, in their countenance, and in their spirits. 
If you observe long enough, you will even begin to feel and sense their thoughts.
Each year we watch and wait for the perfect moment to take that vacation, write that book, clean out that attic, or any number of things that are on “that” list.
Today is “that” day.
Wait no longer!
Let the “Jones’” go.
There will always be someone who is smarter, younger, faster, richer or any other number of things.
Peace of mind begins in the mind, with your thoughts and self talk.
Here are “my” rules for a happy life.
Don’t accumulate too much “stuff.”
If you haven’t used your “stuff” in a year you need to think about passing it on or getting rid of it.
If you haven’t used your “stuff” in two years you definitely need to pass it on or get rid of it.
Better yet have a “give away” and bless the lives of those who truly need your “stuff.”
Wake each morning and make a conscious choice to be happy.
Look at life’s challenges as an opportunity to fine tune your path.
Look for life’s little road signs and pay attention to what the universe is telling you. Ignoring the “caution” signs, invite accidents and major road blocks.
Be at peace with your life.
Give gratitude for the lessons learned.
Let the resentment and blame go.
Know that you are the master of your own life and everything that has happened to you has been for a reason.

And above all wait no more.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Choices

Choices

Every day we are faced with making choices. Some choices are automatic and some take a conscious decision.
Today as I drove my truck I made many choices, to drive the posted speed or not, to make a complete stop or not, to push through a yellow light or not, to be courteous to other drivers or not.
The conversation at breakfast was about the choices of a 10 year old. School is almost out and the teacher rewarded the students with candy and toys. The kids have been waiting all year for these rewards. Our 10 year old has been taught the importance of making good choices in food, water, rest and life. However, she chose to bring home several bags of candy filled with toxic ingredients.
Our decision to throw out the bags of candy is our choice.
My new hearing aids come with a blue tooth controller that allows me to change settings. I can use use it to stream music to my hearing aids.
The new music system in my truck is blue tooth enabled, I can stream music wirelessly from my cell phone.
Many of the popular headphones being marketed allow wireless convenience, they come in bright colors and are one of the latest gadgets to vie for our money.
The skies are filled with strange cloud formations. I have wondered why the blue skies of Utah are no longer blue. They have been replaced with chemtrails from planes that fly 24 hours day and night.
When I accept an invitation to have dinner with family or friends, I know that I am sensitive to chemical additives in the food and beverages. I know that if I ignore that most people now cook from packaged meals with little regard for chemical additives that I will get a headache.
The cellular phones that now dominate our lives have changed the way we interact with those around us. The comical drawings and photographs on the internet show us how obsessed we have become with technology. A group of students walking down the sidewalk all looking at their individual phones is indicative of our addiction and dependence on technology for information.
In writing these blogs I have become aware that I have a responsibility to share information that can help to make life better. I have also been keenly aware that many people do not like to have someone preaching to them.
What is it that makes us want to spread the bits of wisdom that come to us?
A sense of responsibility?
Moral obligation?
Wanting everyone to be the same as me?
My choices affect my health, safety, and well being.
Your choices will do the same.
It is no longer safe to assume anything!
Slick marketing schemes, fast talking salespeople, charismatic entertaining preachers, popular musicians, and popular movie stars all promote excessive consumerism and trust in advertising as normal.
If only I had a new car, then everything would be better.
If only I had that new Dr. Dre beats in apple red, then I would be popular.
If only I could move up on snob hill and build a big house then I would be successful.
If only my boss would promote me, then I would be able to be happy.
The fact is, there will always be someone or something that will make what we have now look old and obsolete.
We must take control of our life by advocating for ourselves and not allowing others to make life altering choices for us.
We are told that the food and drug administration,
a federal government agency will make sure that our health is protected.
Hah!
So, what can we do? 
What must we do?
Life is all about choices.
We can choose to be happy or not.
We can choose to educate ourselves, read the labels and make better choices in our food and beverage.
We can choose to limit our exposure to dangerous microwave frequencies by turning off the blue tooth and connecting via a wire.
We can turn off our cell phones and tune into the world around us and discover that we have our own innate built in abilities to find answers.
We can choose to call and write our representatives in government and let them know that we no longer will stand for our skies to be poisoned.
We can ask our family, friends and restaurants to disclose whether they used a package mix with harmful ingredients in the foods we consume.
We can choose to be happy with good old fashioned products that are built to last and be content with minimal possessions.
Expecting someone else to make us happy, healthy, and wise is a fools wish.
We must take control of our lives, choose the best choices and allow others to follow their own path.
I begin with myself.
I create my own sense of security.
I provide myself with quality food, water, education, and entertainment.
Are you ready to take control by making the best choice available?
I am.
I do.
You can too.


Thursday, June 4, 2015

Nail Polish

Nail polish

What do you say when a 10 year old wants to polish your finger nails?
Of course you say yes.
I am being immersed in a whole new world, ready or not.
While being painted I was unpleasantly subjected to a strong toxic chemical odor which made me wonder why nail polish companies use such harsh chemicals.
The New York times did an article on nail polish that brings out important information on the dangers of nail polish.
There is a toxic trio of chemicals, “The trio consisted of a known carcinogen, formaldehyde, used as a hardening agent, and two materials linked to developmental defects: toluene, to evenly suspend color, and the plasticizer dibutyl phthalate, or DBP, to add flexibility and sheen.”
For dedicated polish enthusiasts, The Environmental Working Group maintains a searchable cosmetics database at www.ewg.org/skindeep.
For more than 20 years I have been reading labels and avoiding products that are harmful to me. I am much like the canary that miners would take into the mines to monitor the air. I react to fumes and added ingredients in the water, food and air. I realize that not all people are as sensitive as I am but I am grateful for the headaches that some times last 24 hours from exposure to the myriad of substances that are all around. My headaches have acted as an early warning that danger lies ahead if I stay on the same path.
My previous job at the hardware store exposed me to many unknown chemicals. The off gassing of the packaging material, the products themselves, the hundreds of florescent lights, and worst of all, death row.
Death row was my term for the garden isle where monsanto branded products were only part of the overall toxic cocktail that I had to breathe each day.
The air quality was poor because of poor ventilation and no exchange with fresh air.
My 10 year old is aware of the danger of some of the toxic cocktails that we are exposed to each day. She asked if she could have a stick of gum. I reminded her of the added ingredients and the MSG being labeled as natural flavor. 
Her response was, if I only have one stick how many brain cells would that destroy?
The sad but true tale is that toxic chemicals are killing our brain cells.
I want to keep my brain cells intact and preserve them by avoiding and educating myself.
If you are not a label reader, you are playing Russian roulette with your health and well being.
I recently spoke with someone who follows a health code promoted by their church. I asked about the revelation that includes the prohibition of coffee and where it originated. 
After getting the explanation, I asked about the myriad of chemicals in sodas and the danger they pose to health.
His sad response was that he was counseled by his leaders not to be a label reader.
Do not read labels?
I walked away from the conversation perplexed at the wisdom of such council.
I purchased a book titledA Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives.” It contains over 12,000 different ingredients contained in food. It helps me to define the long chemical names labeled on food packages and make informed choices.
Pick up a loaf of bread and read the ingredients. I can promise you that most loaves will contain ingredients that are not necessary, they will have preservatives, fillers, colors, and enhancers you will find hard to pronounce.
I make bread from scratch, here is my recipe …
Water, flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and love … thats it!
Three years ago I purchased a McDonalds hamburger and fries. It is an experiment. I take them out of the sack once a year and examine them. They look much like the day I bought them. There is no mold, no smell, and they are representative of many of todays chemically enhanced foods. Many restaurants now reheat foods that are first prepared in huge kitchen facilities that are shipped to site and are ready to eat. Recipes that contain a myriad of chemicals, MSG derived flavor enhancers and colors to make our eating experience a lasting memory. 
MSG is highly addictive, causes obesity, and causes the brain synapses to fire uncontrollable until they burn out.
Dr. Russell Blaylock, is an expert in this field.
In his book “Excitotoxins the taste that kills,” Dr. Blaylock lays out the many different names the food industry uses for this toxic killer.
In todays world, you can no longer trust the corporate institutions to have your best interest at heart.
Whether it be weed killer, restaurant food, gum or nail polish, we are being bombarded by toxic substances.

Learn to read labels, make wise choices, live long and live healthy.