.jpg)
Secondhand smokers are on the worst side of the cigarette.
Secondhand smoke is more dangerous than firsthand smoke: it contains 4000 chemicals, including 50 that can cause cancer.
Social ads (6)
It's never too late to become musical
Note: This is a guest post by Mike Meier from www.journeycalledlife.org
If you always wanted to play an instrument and you have strong images associated with it (you as the rock star with all the girls at your feet, or you as the classical piano soloist playing at Carnegie Hall), then it is never too late. What is it worth to you to play the piano (or any other instrument for that purpose)? Maybe $5,000? Maybe $10,000? Take that money, set it aside, get a teacher, and spend that money in music lessons, starting immediately. Take lessons every day to progress at a fast pace. Otherwise you will hit a plateau very quickly and get frustrated. Eventually, you will be able to study on your own.
It takes an adult longer to learn a musical instrument than it takes a child. One of the reasons for the slower learning is the fact that the adult’s brain is essentially “full.” All parts of the brain are already being used. To learn the new skill, the brain needs to make some “room” and reconnect synapses. Thanks to the brain’s neuro-plasticity, it is nevertheless possible to learn a new skill as an adult. In fact, you should do just that to slow down the brain’s decline as you age. What good is a healthy body when your mind is failing. Studying music is a great exercise for the brain, as it teaches you manual dexterity in both hands and uses a variety of areas in the brain. It also gives you one more small talk topic at any party, you won’t have to talk about the weather or yesterday’s TV program anymore.
To make the musical studies more enjoyable, there are a variety of short-cuts as long as you accept the fact that you probably won’t be the next Paganini or Rachmaninoff. You don’t need to, anyways. You only need to get good enough for the purpose that you have in mind. If you prefer the piano, there is a DVD series called “The Piano Guy with Scott Houston, Tips, Cheap Tricks & Professional Secrets” that teaches you precisely that. There are many similar study programs to make the process more enjoyable. I started playing the piano at an age when many people worry about their retirement, and my goal from the beginning was to become an entertainer. Thus, my focus has been on Blues and Rock ‘n Roll, which follow a simple basic pattern of three chords that can be learned quickly and on which one can expand as one progresses. For example, I started out with Kansas City, which uses a simple three-chord Blues pattern. Later I moved to Georgia on My Mind which roughly follows a Blues pattern but uses many more chords.
Finally, you are never too old to start. When I was in my teens, I played in a rock band. Our lead guitarist was in his early 20s and had only been playing for a year or so. He had been so fascinated by Rockabilly music that one day he went out, bought himself a $3,000 Gibson guitar, a fur jacket, and cowboy boots, and resolved to study the guitar. And boy, he did. His motivation was very strong because he had this vivid image of himself as the wild Rockabilly guitarist. He became the most incredible guitar player I know personally. Another acquaintance of my mine in his 40s became a professional Jazz pianist in the course of only one year (he had been playing the bass for years though). Finally, my piano teacher has a student who started in her early 80s.
Oh, you think your fingers are not nimble enough or somehow your body just won’t let you do it? I have seen several musicians who overcame what other people consider handicaps. Guitarist and singer Jason "Lefty" Williams plays guitar even though he is missing his lower right arm. He created a strap with a metal ring attached to pick the guitar strings. See www.lefty-music.com. The Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, blind since birth, won the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas in 2009. You can see him on YouTube.
This is an excerpt from Are You There Where You Always Wanted to Be? By Anonymous & Mike Meier. For more information, see www.journeycalledlife.org. There is a video on this subject.
... more
Pretty woman (Photo)
On Monday 8 we will celebrate an International Woman's Day. So, today I would like to publish the photo post dedicated to the beauty of a woman. Not a specific woman, but all women in general. Well, this is natural, of course, as all women are pretty! ;)
Money: means or goal?
Money has always been a very popular topic during all centuries. But, what is it really? What does it mean in our life? How to get them? Is it really important for a real happiness?
All people answer these question in many ways. I won't say any banal things right now. Money is very important indeed, and we can't do anything without it. We can't resist it's power. And we definitely need it in big amounts to live better.
But is it really the way to happiness? This is already another question. And before answering we should ask ourselves: Is money a means or a goal? Do we need just money to be happy or by having money it is easier to achieve our other goals? This is the real question we should answer.
We live in a complicated and cruel world. And money plays an important role in our life. We are nobody without it. It's sad, but it's true.
So, when answering the questions above, let's assume that money is a goal. Then we do everything to achieve our goals. We work hard, we have everything: desire, patience, persistence etc. And finally we achieve this goal. But what then? Is it really the happiness?
Now, let's assume another variant. We work, we are persistent, we have all necessary qualities, and we start to earn plenty of money. Then with the help of money we realize our dreams, we make our life more comfortable, we can easily build a nice future for our children.
So, what is it? Yes, if to make the conclusion, money is always a means. We really need it, but we need it as a tool for building a better life.
Further reading: Several actions to protect your money
... more
Healthy food for healthy people
You decided to lead a healthy lifestyle? Then first of all you need to eat healthy.
What products should you eat? Undoubtedly - vegetables and fruits. Vegetables and fruits should be included in your every day menu, because they can not be replaced by anything. They contain a lot of organic acids, vitamins, phytoncids, and fiber (cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin) which control the functioning of your gastrointestinal tract.
Many vegetables and fruits contain such important carbohydrates as glucose, fructose and sucrose. This combination can be found only in honey. The peculiarity of carbohydrates of fruits and vegetables is that they are slowly decomposed and absorbed in small amounts without causing an excessive concentration of sugar in blood. This ensures their proper use without becoming fat, which is very good for overweight and older people.
Some vegetables should be eaten without cooking (or at least frozen, pickled or canned), since cooking destroys a large proportion of vitamins, enzymes and phytoncides. When preparing dinner add a little onions, garlic, celery, parsley, dill - this will increase the biological value of your diet.
Eating too little fresh vegetables can cause serious diseases, because of the lack of vitamins, organic acids, nutrients and other substances that can be found in fresh vegetables, fruits and berries.
Vitamin nutrition should be given special attention. Because the lack of vitamins (especially in spring) can reduce your resistance to various diseases.
Further reading: Some FAQ about nutrition
... more
How to give up bad habits
What is a habit? It's an action that we do without thinking. It appears very simply: at first we make something consciously, controlling all our deeds, later it's already easier for us to do it, and at last we don't even notice as we do all these things. And this becomes our habit.
There are different habits. Some of them are very simple and don't influence us. Nevertheless, there are habits that are ruining our health or pushing away people. We want to get rid of them, but it's so difficult to do it! So difficult... but possible.
So what to do?
Determine why you do this
A habit it's not only an automated action, first of all it's the action that is caused by something in our subconsciousness. And before you try to give up your bad habit, you should determine the reason. For example, such a "popular" habit as biting nails is caused by stress.
I'll say it once more, if you try to give up a bad habit, first of all you should know the reason for it. When trying to get rid of some habits, you should learn to analyze yourself. It's very important.
Find something that you like in your bad habit
All habits have a pleasant emotional background. Because, if you do something all the time then you like it. For example, smoking can give plenty of emotions, people usually start a conversation with the help of cigarette.
So, if you want to give up a habit, you must decide whether it is important to you. For example, if you have a habit that irritates other people and you don't care what they say, then you don't need to give up this habit, to "torment" yourself. And vice versa, if your habit doesn't bring you anything except harm, you should immediately get rid of it.
Make a decision
A very important condition before trying to give up your habits is to make a decision. If you doubt it, you'll never achieve a positive result.
Get a new habit
A very good and easy way to give up an old bad habit is to get a new one, less harmful.
Make good conditions
Make good conditions when trying to give up a habit. For example, if you're trying to lose weight, avoid looking at tasty food, deserts etc.
Control yourself
Willpower is the most important factor for giving up a bad habit. When you can't control yourself, you won't be able to resist temptation, and you will fail to give up your habits.
Try a self-hypnosis
Try such things as:
- Motivation
- Relaxation
- Concentration
- Imagination
- Autosuggestion
Remember that our behavior is entirely composed of a variety of habits. Ability to manage them - is the most important skill that helps to control yourself, and thus to control your life.
And what do YOU do in order to give up bad habits?
... more
Wake up! It's the first day of spring!
March 1 - the first day of spring. At last! The cold winter is over, weather is changing for the better. When writing these words, I'm hiding myself from the bright beams of sun. It's already so warm outside (usually it's not).
Spring's coming!
We are making plans for future, we are waiting for the best! So, enjoy this beautiful season, because it will help a lot to become or, for someone, to remain an optimist, as it is the nature's awakening.
Try to notice all the beauty of it and those who can't enjoy good weather right now, don't be upset - it's only the beginning!
I wish you all to have spring in your souls, warmth and light in your hearts, besides - lots and lots of happiness and love!
