Healthy Eating and 9 Ingredients To Use

Boost vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants with a snip or two of fresh herbs.

Being a healthy eater requires you to become both educated and smart about what healthy eating actually is. Being food smart isn’t about learning to calculate grams or fat, nor is it about studying labels and counting calories.

Healthy eating is all about balanced and moderate eating, consisting of healthy meals at least three times per day. Healthy eaters eat many different types of foods, not limiting themselves to one specific food type or food group.

Eating healthy requires quite a bit of leeway. You might eat too much or not enough, and consume foods that are sometimes more or less nutritious. However, you should always fuel your body and your brain regularly with enough food to keep both your mind and body strong and alert.

A healthy eater is a good problem solver. Healthy eaters have learned to take care of themselves and their eating with sound judgment and making wise decisions. Healthy eaters are always aware of what they eat, and know the effect that it will have on their bodies.

We have researched the internet and found none ingredients that can make your meals healthier. Did you know that if you add oregano to your meal you provide yourself a quick way to load your dinner down with antioxidants? Lavender can provide you with a needed source of iron. Let’s all take advantage of those fresh herbs we see overflowing at our local farmers’ market and start our journey to healthy eating.

Oregano

If you use only one herb in your cooking, make it oregano. This potent herb (which some chefs think actually tastes better dried) contains up to 20 times more cancer-fighting antioxidants than other herbs, on average, and holds its own against fruit, as well. According to USDA researchers, 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano has the same antioxidant power as an entire apple. And gram for gram, the herb has twice the antioxidant activity of blueberries.

Lavender


Most people associate lavender with candles and potpourri; it has a pretty solid reputation for relaxing you and alleviating stress. But if you’re not cooking with it, you’re missing out on all the nutrients stored in its fragrant leaves. A great source of calcium and vitamin A, lavender also has a decent amount of iron and vitamin C, the latter of which can help ward off seasonal allergies.

Thyme                 

Thyme has been used for everything from killing germs to curing colds. This herb is known as one of the most commonly used medicinal herbs. Don’t just keep this herb hidden away in your medicine cabinet, because we have found that just two teaspoons of this herb can provide just about 20 percent of your daily requirement for iron. Thyme is also rich in manganese. Manganese is a mineral that boosts our brain functionality as well as aids in healthy bone, skin and cartilage formation.

Parsley

Interesting fact about this herb is that the ancient Greeks utilized parsley as an aphrodisiac. If that is not a great reason to incorporate this into your meals, how about the fact that it can freshen up your breath; but really, this herb is also a great addition to any meal because of the benefits it brings into our bodies. Just two tablespoons of fresh parsley will provide more than 150% of our daily requirement for Vitamin K. Vitamin K plays an important role in helping our liver function properly, in bone formation and in blood clotting.

Lemongrass

This aromatic, citrusy grass is probably best known for its prevalence in Southeast Asian cuisine. And exotic lemongrass—which derives its flavor and scent from the same compound found in lemon zest—is not only a great addition to recipes, but also is prized in natural medicine for its ability to relieve fever, muscle cramps, upset stomachs, and headaches. It’s loaded with antioxidants, as well, which help protect against oxidative stress, one of the leading causes of heart disease and cancer. Studies have also found that lemongrass contains antimicrobial properties that fight E. coli.

Rosemary

Who doesn’t love a good grilled steak? But exposing meat (red or white) to the hot flames of a grill leads to the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs), carcinogenic compounds created when meats are barbecued or grilled. Add rosemary, though, and that doesn’t happen, according to researchers from the University of Arkansas, Iowa State University, and Kansas State University, who found that cooking meats with rosemary could lower the levels of HCAs by 60 to 80 percent.

Cilantro

Love it or hate it, you may want to make sure you always throw a few sprigs of cilantro into your next chicken dish. Researchers from the University of California have found that a compound in cilantro called dodecenal is nearly twice as effective at killing salmonella bacteria (commonly found in raw meats) as commercial antibiotics, and they isolated a dozen other antibiotic compounds that were also effective at killing other food borne bacteria. Those same compounds were also found in coriander, the spice made from seeds of the cilantro plant.

Sage

This strong-flavored herb is an antioxidant powerhouse, ranking just behind oregano in terms of antioxidant content, and this herb, widely used in herbal and traditional cures, boosts your brain power. In a study published in the journal Pharmacological Biochemical Behavior, 45 adults were given either a placebo or varying levels of the essential oils found in sage. Those receiving even the lowest levels of sage oils had better memory and subject recall, based on cognitive tests, than people taking a placebo. If you’re a local-food addict, try pineapple sage, a variety you can grow in your back yard that tastes and smells just like the tropical fruit but without the food miles.

Peppermint

Peppermint does more than just dress up a cocktail or freshen your breath. It ranks third, behind sage and oregano, in terms of antioxidant content, and it might actually keep you skinny. Simply smelling mint can reduce cravings, so much so that a study from Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia found that people who sniffed peppermint every 2 hours for a week consumed 2,800 fewer calories that week than non-peppermint-sniffers.

When someone is unable to take control of their eating, they are also likely to get out of control with other aspects of life as well. They could end up spending too much, talking too much, and even going to bed later and later.

You should always remember that restricting food in any way is always a bad thing. Healthy eating is a way of life, something that you can do to enhance your body or your lifestyle. If you’ve thought about making your life better, healthy eating is just the place to start. You’ll make life easier for yourself, those around you, and even your family.

Kids Eating Healthy

Fast food is a big part of modern life these days, making it very hard to teach a child how he or she should eat healthy.  The cheapest and easiest foods are those that are normally the least healthy.  If you give your child the choice between healthy food and junk food, you normally won’t like the results.

Even though it isn’t possible to get a child to like all healthy foods, there are some ways to get your child to try and hopefully like at least a few of them.  You can be as creative as you like, as getting kids to eat healthy foods can be a little harder than you may think.

–  Sneak the healthy food in.  Even though it would be great if your kid understood the importance of fruits and vegetables, this isn’t always possible.  If you can’t get them to eat good food willingly, there are ways to sneak them in, such as making muffins out of bananas or apples, or pizza with spinach on it.

–  Call fruits and vegetables by funny names.  You can refer to broccoli as “trees”, making them more fun to eat.  There are many different names you can call fruits and vegetables, even making up your own if you prefer.  Most kids prefer to eat foods that sound fun.

–  Make the foods taste better. Ranch dressing is great for broccoli, while peanut butter is a great topping for celery.  There are several combinations for vegetables that can make them taste much better.  You can let your child pick a topping for a vegetable, even if it’s something you wouldn’t normally like yourself.

–  Dress the vegetables up.  Just as much as calling them names help kids eat healthy foods, making them look funny also helps.  You can do this by making funny designs on the plate, or setting them up to look like people.  Although some parents don’t like their kids playing with their food, sometimes it helps to get them to eat healthier.

There are several ways to make your kids eat healthier, but to make them enjoy it also has to be fun as well.  This isn’t always an easy task, because kids normally don’t like foods that are good for them.  It can however, be done with a bit of creativity.  Hopefully, doing this will help your child develop a love of healthy foods for the rest of their lives.

Learning the proper diet to lower cholesterol

Cholesterol is one of the major substances that cause heart attacks, high blood cholesterol levels, and weight problems. Despite its “bad guy image,” this waxy, fat-like substances made in the body by the person’s own liver serves a number of vital functions unknown to many.

Basically, there are two types of cholesterol: the Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and the High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL). The former refers to the bad type of cholesterol that is known to clog the person’s blood vessels, thus, increasing the risk for a heart attack or a heart disease. Studies show that a diet that is high in saturated fat is a main dietary cause of a raised LDL cholesterol level. The latter, on the other hand, is the good type of cholesterol that helps clear LDL cholesterol out of the blood stream, thus, reducing the risk for any heart illness. Researches have shown that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables along with average levels of omega-3 from fish oil greatly helps raise HDL cholesterol levels.

Although diet is the major reason for having high cholesterol levels, experts agree that factors such as genetics, lack of exercise or regular physical activity, obesity, unhealthy lifestyle such as excessive drinking and smoking, hormones, and varying high and low cholesterol levels can trigger the sudden increase of cholesterol levels in the body. 

GETTING STARTED

Indeed, cholesterol is a growing problem in the health of many people in the world. Experts say that people over 20 years of age should be more concerned about their cholesterol levels; thus, they should start doing everything they can to lower LDL cholesterol. Although it is quite hard to stick to the needed requirements and regiments to combat the growing problem, experts say that it can be controlled with the proper diet to lower cholesterol.

Studies show that a good diet to lower cholesterol can reduce a person’s risk for heart diseases while getting rid of bad fats because this diet to emphasizes on eating heart-healthy foods. But, aside from using the proper and proven low cholesterol diets available today, the most important thing is that knowing and taking in the right foods and effective cholesterol formulas to assist in lowering cholesterol levels. 

Experts say that a diet to lower cholesterol includes good foods like grains—especially whole grain products and cereals—fish rich in omega3 such as salmon and tune, a variety of fruits and leafy vegetables, nuts, juices, and the like. Here are other effective means of lowering cholesterol level through diet:

1. Make sure that you visit your attending physician first before trying out any low cholesterol diets so he/she could administer the proper examinations and access your general health status.

2. You can lower your cholesterol levels by replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat in meat, chicken, and whole milk products.

3. Refrain from eating refined carbohydrates contained by bakery products, pastas, and sugary or sugar-added foods.

4. When eating out, makes sure that you ask the waiter to make serving substitutions like steamed or boiled food preparations. If possible, also pick lean meat, fish, or skinless chicken that is broiled, baked, grilled, steamed, or poached instead of being fried and ask for lots of vegetable side dishes and fresh fruit desserts.

5. Cutting down on eggs, margarine, or butter out of your daily diet.

6. Use natural-based oils such as vegetable, corn, and olive oils when cooking instead of the usual cooking oil.

7. Load up on a lot of garlic when you’re preparing dishes because it contains substances that help lower HDL cholesterol.

8. Take in high quality daily vitamin mineral supplements like Vitamin E to improve blood circulation, and Vitamin C and vitamin B3 to lower your high cholesterol levels.

Differentiation

Over the years, the widely use of social media within any business marketing mix has become as common as pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving time. Nowadays, being responsible for managing an established presence on at least the big three of social media is normal. Any business that wants to survive the Social Media era must have a presence on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.  

This is even true for local companies in my neck of the woods. Both companies exist in the grocery industry, and utilize social media; but, are they truly taking advantage of what social media can offer them?

Lowe’s Supermarkets is a Littlefield, Texas-based company that has been serving families since 1964 (Lowe’s Supermarkets). Since 1964, they have grown to over 140 stores. This is a tremendous growth for the supermarket chain, but how much bigger can they grow if they utilize their social media outlets more. Currently, they manage a Facebook and Twitter account; although, it seems as if they do it spiraling. Their last update to Twitter was on June 6, 2014. They currently have a total of 96 overall tweets and 43 followers. The interesting thing about this was they do tend to update more frequently their Facebook page. They currently have 803 likes on Facebook, which makes you wonder if they would put more engagement into Twitter how many more followers could they gain. Another very interesting observation I made was that they had videos in their Twitter account. Lowe’s could take advantage of social media and create not only a Google+ page but a YouTube page. This would increase their online visibility and move them further along in the utilization of social media to grow their business.

Like Lowe’s Supermarkets, there is another supermarket that is quickly growing at least in my area. Vista Markets/Vista Quality Markets are a chain of grocery stores designed to cater to the tastes of the El Paso community (Vista Markets). This supermarket started in the mid-80’s but have quickly grown into a strong competitor at least in this area. I foresee them expanding within the near future to the bordering states and other cities within Texas. Like their competitor, they don’t do regular updates to their Twitter account. The last update was actually back on May 22. Which makes me question if there is in-house changes going on since before that date there was at least two if not more daily updates. They currently have a total of 1,065 overall tweets and 145 followers. Their Facebook page was updated frequently like their Twitter account, but stopped for some reason on May 22. They currently have 535 likes which seems more about the norm. I think that they could utilize social media more by creating a Google+ page as well and a YouTube channel. This supermarket has the potential and uniqueness to really grow big if they utilize social media the right way.

Both companies can better use social media to differentiate their brand as well as advance their growth and goals. It will be interesting to see if they do change their ways of using Social Media and they grow and change from it.

Lowe’s Supermarkets. (n.d.). About Lowe’s Markets. Retrieved June 25, 2014, from Lowe’s Markets: http://www.lowesmarket.com/?page_id=65

Vista Markets. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved June 25, 2014, from Vista Markets: http://vistasupermarkets.com/pages/home/about-us-2/

Benefits of Cardio Interval Training

In a long-term study of the health of the people of in the United States, the U.S. Public Health Service documented the chances of developing heart disease among various groups in the population. Long before the any symptoms appeared, epidemiological research could identify high-risk groups.

Among the highest risk factors are male sex, age over 35, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, high levels of certain blood fats, and a family history of cardiovascular disorders.

Other researchers have added to this list another risk factor: the compulsive, hard-driving, highly anxious personality. The greater the number of severity, the greater the person’s overall risk.

These threats to the heart can be divided into two main categories: those beyond individual control, such as age, sex, and heredity, and those that can be controlled, avoided, or even eliminated. Among those in the second category are what cardiologists call “the triple threat.” These are the high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, and high cholesterol levels in the blood.

If you smoke a pack of cigarettes a day, your risk of having a heart attack is twice that of a nonsmoker. If you smoke, have hypertension, and eat a diet high in fats without any exercise at all, your risk is five times greater than normal.

The Healthy Heart

If these risk factors endanger the heart’s health, what enhances its well-being and improves its odds of working long and well?

Obviously, quitting cigarettes and eating a low-fat diet will help. The next best thing you can do for your heart’s sake is to give it what it needs: regular exercise or a complete cardio interval training.

The heart is a muscle, or, more accurately, a group or “package” of muscles, similar in many ways to the muscles of the arms and legs. And just as exercise strengthens and improves limb muscles, it enhances the health of the heart muscles as well.

Since World War II, several large-scale statistical studies have evaluated the relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular disease. One well-known survey compared 31,000 drivers and conductors of some bus companies. The more sedentary drivers had a significantly higher rate of heart disease than the conductors, who walked around the buses and climbed stairs to the upper level.

The why and how behind these statistics were bet explained by classic experiments with dogs whose coronary arteries were surgically narrowed to resemble those of humans with arteriosclerosis. Dogs who were exercised were had much better blood flow than those kept inactive.

The exercise seemed to stimulate the development of new connections between the impaired and the nearly normal blood vessels, so exercised dogs had a better blood supply to all the muscle tissue of the heart. The human heart reacts in the same way to provide blood to the portion that was damaged by the heart attack.

To enable the damaged heart muscle to heal, the heart relies on new small blood vessels for what is called collateral circulation. These new branches on the arterial tress can develop long before a heart attack — and can prevent a heart attack if the new network takes on enough of the function of the narrowed vessels.

With all these facts, it is now boiled down to a single question: What should be done in order to prevent such dilemmas?

Some studies showed that moderate exercise several times a week is more effective in building up these auxiliary pathways than extremely vigorous exercise done twice often.

The general rule is that exercise helps reduce the risk of harm to the heart. Some researches further attested the link between exercise and healthy heart based from the findings that the non-exercisers had a 49% greater risk of heart attack than the other people included in the study. The study attributed a third of that risk to sedentary lifestyle alone.

Hence, with employing the cardio interval training, you can absolutely expect positive results not only on areas that concerns your cardiovascular system but on the overall status of your health as well.

This particular activity that is definitely good for the heart is a cycle of “repeated segments” that is of intense nature. In this process, there is an interchange periods of recuperation. It can both be comprehensive activity and moderate motion.

Consequently, the benefits of merely engaging into this kind of activity can bring you more results that you have ever expected. These are:

1. The threats of heart attack are lessened, if not eliminated

2. Enhanced heart task

3. Increase metabolism, increase the chance of burning calories, therefore, assist you in losing weight

4. Improves lung capacity

5. Helps lessen or eliminate the cases of stress

Indeed, cardio interval training is the modern way of creating a healthy, happy heart and body.

An In Depth Look At Muay Thai

 

Also known around the world as Thai boxing, Muay Thai is an ancient art of self defense that was created and tested in battle by the fearless warriors of ancient Thailand.  Today, Muay Thai is used all around the world.  The United States Navy SEALs, Thai military, and even the CIA takes full advantage of the devastating and bone crushing techniques this martial art offers.

Unlike other martial arts, students of Thai don’t earn belts for their skills and their progression.  Instead, their skills are tested in the ring.  Since Thai fighting first began, the only things that the fighters themselves are interested in are the championship belts which showcase their dominance in Muay Thai fighting.

The skills that are taught with Muay Thai are far more dominant to other striking based martial arts.  Muay Thai uses very little grappling, but focuses more on crushing kicks, punches, and bone shattering elbows.  Students of Thai fighting can often take an opponent down with just one shot, often times breaking bones and sometimes even killing them with just one lethal kick or elbow.

The reason why Muay Thai didn’t utilize ground grappling or submission holds is because it was developed in ancient battlegrounds where there were always multiple attackers.  These attackers were knowledgeable in sword fighting skills, which made the need for a dependable martial art more or less a necessity.

Muay Thai used swords, spears, sticks, and hard strikes.  In this type of environment, you didn’t want the fight to go to the ground.  The strikes and weapon movements needed be fast, hard, and very precise.  With these types of conditions and the type of environment, Muay Thai needed be a very fast responsive martial art with an excellent weapons system.
Even though grappling and submissions were planned for Muay Thai, the martial art became more of a ring sport before grappling could be implemented.  With Thai originally being a martial art for striking purposes, a lot of martial artists have started using the techniques that have been proven time and time again with time boxing.

Although there are other martial arts that put a lot of emphasis on striking, Muay Thai is quite different.  The first area in which Muay Thai differs is the effective use of both elbows and knees.  The elbows and knees that are used with most Thai techniques are feared all around the world by boxers and other stylists.

Kicking and kneeing is the main objects in Muay Thai.  In order to become efficient with kicking, the shins need to be conditioned – which can be quite painful.  Once the Thai stylist has conditioned the nerves in his shins for impact, the shins can be used just like a club or a baseball bat.  This is something you should really see for yourself in action – as the sound of the impact alone can send chills down your back.

Through years of training and conditioning, Muay Thai fighters can become lethal and deadly weapons.  A properly trained fighter can make deadly impact, meaning that his knees, shins, and elbows are quite possibly deadlier than a gun or other type of weapon.  For this very reason – Muay Thai is one of the deadliest and most feared martial arts in the world.

All in all, Muay Thai is a great martial art for defense and competition.  Thai is one of the best martial arts in the world, proving it time and time again – in both ancient times and anytime it is used today.

Best Food That is Part of the Diet to Lower Cholesterol

People have to eat in order to have energy to do certain things. Some are able to make three or four trips to the buffet table while others are satisfied after one round. In any case, the type of food brought to the plate could be healthy or harmful and the choice is really up to the person.

Those who love to eat red meat and other dishes that are fatty or oil are at risk of getting sick. This isn’t diarrhea but something worse which could be life threatening because of the amount of bad cholesterol that is being taken into the body.

The high levels of cholesterol in the body are happening more often now than ever before. This is because of the variety of food offered now in the grocery and in restaurants. The person can still recover from this by eating foods that are not high in saturated fats.

Is there one food product that can be called the best to lower cholesterol? The answer is no because a well balanced diet must come from all the food groups.       

Instead of drinking full cream milk or mixing this with cornflakes or whole grain, it is best to use non fat milk instead. The taste is almost the same is much healthier than the regular brand bought  in the supermarket.

Instead of having steak when having a cookout or picnic, this should be changed with lean meats instead. These things don’t have that much fat in the center or in the edges and taste just as good as the big slab served with mash potatoes.


The healthiest thing to have either for lunch and dinner is food that comes from the ocean. This can be fish or shellfish that is known to carry Omega 3, which is very effective in lowering the levels of cholesterol in people.

Eating a candy bar or a slice of cake doesn’t see so bad but these things are rich in fat. Those who need to fill the stomach with something should try nuts or fruits instead. These products are rich in fiber as well as have vitamins and minerals that are healthier to consume.

In each meal, the person must not forget to add some fruits in the plate. A salad works best or having a few carrots or potatoes as a side dish. There must always be a balance whenever the individual decides to have meat or fish.  

Chicken is not good if this is fried. Those who want to eat it for a change can still do as long as the skin has been removed. This can also be steamed which is a healthier way of cooking it before this is served in a plate.

There are many ways to cook the food mentioned. The individual can get a cookbook or download some recipes from the Internet to be able to come up with something delicious and at the same time lower one’s cholesterol levels.

If following the instructions are hard, there are always shows on television that teach homemakers and other people the basics into cooking something fat free which is good for the diet.

It is never too late to make some lifestyle and changes in order to live a longer and healthier life.

“Rapid Weight Loss Techniques”

Other than physical appearance weight affects a person in many ways. This could be the overall quality of life, self-esteem, depression, health risks, and physical incapabilities. There are a lot of positive changes once a person experience weight loss.  It is for this reason why a lot of people are searching for a weight loss technique that will surely trim down those fats and get a super slim head turner body.

The first thing that an over-weight should do is seek a doctor to recommend the best weight loss regimen. This will be done after a full physical examination, which leads to the determination of proper weight loss technique. And to lose weight fast and effectively four aspects of life should be changed: what to eat, how to eat, behavior and activity level.

Here are fast tips that can change an over-weight’s life:

First: Fast weight loss composes of a multifaceted technique that consists mindset, exercise, and in other cases, diet supplements.  Begin by learning a diet food plan that can easily be accustomed with.  Incorporate an exercise plan that allows even at least fifteen minutes a day like brisk walking, running, swimming, and dancing.

Second: Set realistic approaches.  The ability to focus and have proper mindset enables someone on a diet to quickly lose those extra pounds. With discipline and proper mind set, a dieter will never be discouraged and lose focus.

Third: Listen as the body speaks.  Each and everyone’s body metabolism reacts differently to different fast weight loss programs and plans.  Try substituting one program for another to compensate the body’s reaction.  Exercise program must be suitable to one’s body, as others are not able to exercise as rigorously as others can.  If walking is all that can be done, then walk for this is proven the best exercise.  Muscles burn more calories than fats so it’s also best to put on a little muscle and looking good too.

Fourth: Eat more fibers for it makes a person full sooner and stays in the tummy longer, slowing down the rate of digestion.  A single serving of whole grain bread moves fat through the digestive system faster.  Grains turn into blood sugar that spikes the body’s insulin level.  Thus, making the body more energized and ready to tell the body when it should stop burning fats or start storing.

Fifth: Keep away from fried foods especially deep-fried as this contains a great amount of fat.  Although fish and chicken appear leaner than beef, this white meat can contain more fat than when a beef is fried.  It is recommended for those on strict diet to opt for grilled food as this does not have or contain less amount of fat after the food is cooked.

Sixth: Takes lots of fluid.  Drinking at least six to eight glasses of water a day keeps the body refreshed.  Since weight loss depends on how the body eliminates body wastes, the body must stay hydrated.

All in all, discipline and consistency is still the best practice and the key to a rapid weight loss success.  Light dieting, workout, and right amount of supplementation applied in a regular way everyday will result in faster weight loss than having a massive action only to be followed a return to old habits as this would only lead to gaining more weight than when the weight loss plan has started.

On a personal note, I wanted to share with you how my friend Greg dropped over 70 pounds and a whopping 10 inches from his waist using a WEIRD 90 second trick…

How did he do it?

He used a secret weight loss technique that Dr. Phil has hailed as, “The most important innovation in weight loss in decades.” I’d argue it’s the most important fat blasting tool EVER in history…

Watch the Free Video Lesson Here

Oh, and for the record, Greg is no freak of nature. He’s just a normal 37-year-old guy who likes to eat pizza, wings, and drink beer while watching TV after a long day at work … and he still does.

In fact, it doesn’t matter if you’re a man or woman, young or old, completely out of shape, or even if you have a medical condition, bad genes, big bones, or are addicted to food.

Watch the Video Lesson Here

Enjoy!

The essential keys to self improvement and motivation

What are the three keys to self improvement and motivation?

1. INSPIRATION.

Inspiration is critical to staying motivated and improving oneself. If you are not interested in your business, your motivation level will never be high and you will not be able to sustain interest for very long.

Take an honest look at your inspiration level. Are you excited about going to work or is it an obligation? You would be surprised at the number of people who choose a business that looks good on paper, but in reality does not interest them in the least.

These individuals will grow weary and uninterested pretty quickly because they have no inspiration or passion to sustain them during the difficult times they will encounter as a small business owner.

If you do not like your work, then think how you can re-focus your small business to better match your needs. Or consider making a change entirely. Without inspiration, there will not be motivated to even try self improvement.

2. SETTING GOALS.

Short and long-term goal setting is vital for any business owner. If you do not set goals, you would have no definite purpose on which path of self improvement to take.

How could you possibly be motivated if you were unsure about the direction of your company?

Take the time to put your goals in writing. A business plan may sound daunting, but it is really nothing more than goals, strategies, implementation and a budget. Write your own business plan and update it at least annually.

Include “mini-goals” that can be accomplished in a matter of hours, days or weeks as well as the more ambitious “grand-goals” that may take years to complete. Refer to this plan throughout the year.

But can a business plan really help motivate you? Of course. Written goals will make you feel more professional and certainly more connected to your business. It will also free you from having to reinvent your business goals every single day.

3. NETWORKING.

Another key factor in getting and staying motivated is networking with other small business owners. No one person knows all the knowledge.

However, when a number of people begin working together, the challenges will just be there waiting to be conquered.

In fact, the isolation of working alone is of one the most difficult parts of being an entrepreneur. You can never be on your way to self improvement without the help of others.  Mutual support is motivating.

Make it easier on yourself by connecting with others either in your community or online. Even when businesses are not related, you will often find common ground and ways to work together.

Many successful entrepreneurs report that finding the right networking group was a turning point in the growth of the business. Working together, a networking group can help its members generate more qualified sales leads and solve problems faster and more efficiently.

Sharing ideas, expertise and experience is also an invaluable aspect of motivation and self improvement.

Your own personal team of business owners will help re-energize you when the burdens of running your own business seem too much.

With your networking team to rely on, you can accomplish more in less time and probably have more fun in the process. You will feel motivated to accomplish self improvement when you know you are not alone.

A Look At Wing Chun

Up until the turn of the twentieth century, the martial art known as Wing Chun was very obscure not known much about.  Back then, Wing Chun was just getting started, not practiced by a lot of martial artists.  Over the years, it became a very dominant force in China, becoming one of the most prominent martial arts in existence.  Even today, hundreds of martial artists study Wing Chun and everything it provides them with.

The first thing that students are taught when studying Wing Chun is that they should always use force to counter force.  By using force against force, weaker and smaller fighters can easily and quickly take out bigger and stronger opponents.  Whenever they get in a confrontation, Wing Chun stylists will use their brains – and use an opponents strength and force against him.

Throughout training, a lot of emphasis is put into that very concept.  Students will learn all about force and strength, and how they can properly counter it.  What many don’t realize, is the fact that countering force requires very little strength from the stylist.  Even the weakest Wing Chun stylist can take down an opponent 3 – 4 times his size if he uses the proper technique and his opponents force against him.

Wing Chun teaches other techniques as well, such as punching, kicking, and a few grappling holds.  It doesn’t teach much grappling though, as most of the techniques use force against force through throwing and striking.  The strikes that are taught with this martial art are very fast, and aimed at vital areas on the body of the opponent.

A majority of the most vital areas on the human body are found along the center line, the very area that Wing Chun teaches stylists to protect as well as attack with their techniques.  This line is the most vital in battle, which is why martial artists should always aim their attacks for any area that exists along this line.  Most of the vital points found in the center line can be the end of the encounter if the stylist is able to land one powerful blow.

As Wing Chun emphasizes time and time again, the shortest straw between the stylist and the opponent is the center line, which is where a majority of movement takes place. Due to the linear fashion of Wing Chun, students will spend a lot of their training learning how to direct attacks as well as opposing force towards the center line.

Wing Chun is an exceptional martial art, teaching students how to use force against force in any type of encounter.  There aren’t that many grappling holds or weapons used with Wing Chun, although the techniques and moves that are taught are tried, proven, and above all – very effective for self defense.