New Year's Eve 2009

It is the end of a decade.

Let's party like it's 1999!!

I made a resolution many years ago NOT to make resolutions on New Year's Eve. That was an easy resolutaion to keep. But now that the years seem to fly by so fast, it seems like a good time to review the past year and set some goals for the future. Time flies. May as well get something accomplished.

Some of my major accomplishments for 2009:

joined Toastmasters International,
gave 5 speeches,
served as Toast Master twice,
eliminated about 90% of ums from my speeches.

Tomorrow I will publish my Resolutions for 2010

Top 5 Wellness Resolutions

Dr. Victor Dolan of Staten Island, NY sent me an interesting article in his newsletter today, so I thought I would pass it on. There is a link at the end to read the whole article.

New Year, New You: Top 5 Wellness Resolutions

Another year means another list of New Year's resolutions. How long is your list this year, and how confident are you that by year's end, you'll have stuck with them? To be successful in whatever you resolve to do, it's important to set realistic goals. Here are five achievable wellness resolutions to get you started.

TAKE MORE WALKS. If you haven't taken a walk for awhile, go for a 15-minute stroll during a work break or after dinner; we bet you'll immediately feel more refreshed and less stressed about the world. The simple act of walking - away from the relative confines of your office or home - allows you to enjoy nature and exercise all at once.

WATCH LESS TV. We're not suggesting you eliminate TV altogether, particularly if it's news- or education-based, but a few less hours a week of reality TV and late-night B movies wouldn't hurt. Substantial evidence links TV viewing to negative health outcomes, not the least of which is obesity. So turn off the boob tube now and then.

TRY NEW FOODS. Most adults are fairly locked in to their food preferences, which can be dangerous on several levels: If your preferences aren't healthy ones, you're in trouble; and if you don't mix things up occasionally, you risk getting bored. The solution? Try at least one new food a week, preferably the healthy variety.

MAKE TIME TO PLAY. Games, that is; games with your kids, your significant other or yourself that keep your mind sharp and take you away from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind. Whether it's a board game, a crossword puzzle or even a sport that keeps you on your toes (literally and figuratively), make more time to play.

SPOIL YOURSELF. Your last New Year's resolution is perhaps the most important one, because you can't be healthy, at least not over the long haul, if you don't spoil yourself occasionally. Schedule a vacation, plan a date night, or just commit to taking an hour or so at least once a week and relaxing all by yourself. You're worth it.

I would suggest just 15 minutes a day of self-hypnosis will reduce stress, boost the immune sytem and refresh you just like a mini-vacation! See www.EnlightenedHypnosis.com for the next self-hypnosis class.

--Gloria


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Holiday Wishes

I just want to wish all my readers:

A Very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to YOU!

ThursDay

Today is Thursday. Thursday is named for the Norse God of thunder, Thor.

I look forward to Thursdays, because I usually get to attend the weekly meeting of my Toastmasters International Group. I attend meetings during my lunch hour at work.

And today I get to speak! I always get excited about it. It is only a 5-7 minute speech, but that means you have to get right to the point. I tend to be sententious, but in 6 minutes you cannot really cover the information completely. So the challenge is to compose a speech that will intrigue the audience and leave them wanting more. I definitely think that brief speeches are better than long. The Gettysburg address was delivered in less than 3 minutes! Lincoln was one of several speakers that day. It was a brilliant speech, but his companions droned on for much longer. And does anyone know who else spoke on that day? Not many! Just a few historians.

So Happy Thurdsay to you!

A Spoken Review

Speaking will open doors, it creates opportunities, it takes you where you want to go. You are as good as you decide to be.

The title of the book is Speak like a CEO, Secrets for commanding attention and getting results, by Susanne Bates, and these sentences are all taken from this book.

Leading is all about communication. Communication is the most important skill of a leader.

Mastery is everything.

When you speak well, you enjoy it more.

Are these excerpts or quotations?

On the back of an envelope

I love being a writer. When I need to write, I find some paper, or the back of an envelope and start writing. I now have the pleasant task of choosing a topic for the next ToastMaster speech I write. I can write about learning, or about speaking. Actually, I think I will write one short speech about each topic. Then I will have my "hot seat speech" ready for the next time. Next year, which is only 3 short weeks away, I will be secretary of my club! To serve in this capacity, I had to attend a special training last weekend.

I also have some notes written on the back of a receipt I got at the grocery store...

How to Look 10 Years Older

Just read a magazine article yesterday (from an October 2009 issue, I'm right on top of things) about a study done on identical twins who look 10 years different in age. All the twins pictured were female.

One common difference for this small sample of twins, is that one smoked for over 10 years and the other didn’t. That is no surprise to me. I talked about twin studies and the effects of smoking at my Hypnotic Fountain of Youth workshop at the NGH convention in August.

Sun exposure also plays a role, as expected, the twins, one in Toronto and the other in Florida, look very different.

They also listed weight as a factor for several of these pairs. The conclusion is that extra weight is an advantage when you are over 40 years old, but a disadvantage when younger. In older women, the extra fat tends to smooth out wrinkles, so skin looks more youthful.

Divorce plays a role. The twin who divorced looks older than the one who stayed married. Fortunately this is not a cumulative thing, you don’t age 10 years with every divorce, just the first one.

They mention depression medication, though they don’t identify the twins who took it, as they did not want to be identified. However they note that taking anti-depressant medication for 10 years or more, tends to affect the slant of the eyes and make someone look older than they are.

They did not mention other pharmaceuticals, but we know that people addicted to illegal drugs, and to the legal drug, alcohol, look older than their years.

So if you want to look older, smoke cigarettes, get a divorce, and get out in the sun!