Up Your Stamina with Cold Exposure

Ok, ok, now don't jump to conclusions. I am not a fan of frost bite or anything like that.

But lately I've been pondering Tim Ferriss' and Tony Robbins praises of "cold plunges" followed by "hot/warm plunges"....Both Tim and Tony are motivational "Type A" men
and they are BOTH HUGE fans of cold plunges. They use cold plunges into icy waters to "reset" something within themselves.( see Tony's blurb about the power of cold plunges HERE.)
( see Wikipedia's description of Contrast Bath Therapy HERE as Tim Ferris podcast suggests on his
("The Random Show")

So, since we are still in the thick of our wonderfully convenient CHILLY Ontario, Canada winter, I've decided to give my two cents about my experience with similar phenomena.

For the record, I have not yet done a professional "cold plunge" into icy water.
And No, I have not gone to the store to buy ice and thrown it into my bathtub to create my own indoor "cold plunge tank".

But what I have done, is simply RELAX more as I do force myself to go out for 20 minutes walks into the chilly winter air that currently surrounds my home.I used to hate the cold, and blamed my middle age on my lack of "cold tolerance". But lately I've been tweaking my perspective. Cold can be good. Cold can help me live better and feel better. 

So, before I go outside I bundle up; I wear a fab coat with excellent winter protection. Occasionally I wear a hat or hood  to combat falling/blowing snow, because there are some days that are just sooo cold that my big hair no longer is sufficient to insulate my head ....lol.

Growing up in Ontario, tobogganing and building snowmen was part and parcel of being a kid.
My recent ponderings of "pro cold plunges" brought back to my remembrance how I felt when I would come back home from a raucous afternoon of tobogganing.
 I remember rozy red cheeks.... feeling pumped and on top of the world. Perhaps there was some kind of internal "resetting" going on then too.
I recall feeling so refreshed and energized. I recall icy blue skies and seeing our breaths as we plodded back home dragging whatever was left of our dented toboggans. Back then, we actually had a steel toboggan. I don't think I've ever seen a steel toboggan since I was a kid.

So what's my point? Maybe Tim Ferriss and Tony Robbins are simply restating an obvious fact that I did know experientially to be true. I experience it again, whenever I do force myself to go outside for a very chilly winter walk. After only 20 minutes of walking in the frigid winter outdoor air I come inside and find myself feeling renewed, refreshed and yes, a definitely delightful boost of stamina and exhilaration.

Is that adrenaline? Is that my body's response to the outdoor air's attempt to lower my body temp?
Is that simply the affect of fresher outdoor air replacing stale indoor air in my lungs?
I have no idea.

All  I know, is that, being out in the cold even for a brief 20 minute walk, while fully dressed in winter garb, gives my stamina a great kick in the pants. I simply feel better.

Thank you to Tony Robbins and Tim Ferriss for making it "cool" to get cold ")

How 'bout you? What gets you feeling better in the winter months?

Ttys,
Carla.

DISCLAIMER: Note that the author and publisher of this blog does not accept any liability for the ideas discussed in this blog post or any other post on this blog. This post is intended for conversational purposes only and is not intended to be taken as advice or medical advice. Medical advice should always been sought from licensed medical professionals. Before undertaking any new or unusual activities seek advice from a licensed medical practitioner.




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Changing State a la Tim Ferriss and Tony Robbins

So, are you familiar with Tony Robbins teaching about "Changing State"?

Well, in a nut shell, Tony studied many different methods we mere humans can utilize to
quickly and easily "change our state". His reasoning is that when we are stuck in a mental funk, the easiest thing to do is to change our physical state and that state change will result in an improvement in our mental and emotional state.

So, one of the habits that Tony Robbins and Tim Ferriss have in common is the method  of
"cold plunges" into freezing cold water. It is said that this will reset us internally and result in a more energetic and positive mind set. ( Disclaimer: This is not intended as medical advice, and should not be perceived as any kind of suggestion. Please consult your licensed medical practitioner.)

Well, I've never tried a cold plunge, other than jumping into a cold Ontario lake in early summer.....or perhaps an unheated pool. But recently I did go for a walk in probably minus 10 degrees weather. The wind was so cold, I could feel my cheeks turning bright pink and the wind whipped the cold air into an even stronger burst of icy air current.

But once I got over the shock of it all, I did find that I actually felt terrific after my subzero walk.
Hmmm, maybe I'll do this again.

You see, Ontario winters can be long and dreary and  it can be easy to slip into a mid-winter funk, simply because if you aren't into any winter sports, it's easy to spend virtually all of your time indoors and without fresh air and sunshine.

So, my brief 20 minutes walking out into the subzero cold Ontario winter, DID do something cool for me mentally and emotionally. It took a while to kick in, but it almost felt like a burst of adrenaline...similar to a "runner's high.".

Well, that's it. Have you tried anything lately to boost your mood and/or energy in the wintertime?

Looking forward to reading your comments below.

Peace,
Carla.



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What does President Elect Donald Trump and Bernard Kelly have in Common?

There are some practices and/or daily habits that successful people have in common .....because
as Tony Robbins says "Success leaves clues".

So are you curious? Bernard Kelly, by the way, just in case you don't recognize the name is the gent who has spent all of his working life working for McDonalds and amassed a fortune and wrote the book
entitled " Flipping Burgers to Flipping Millions".

On page 64 of the above named book, Kelly describes a daily success habit
"Every day I read the financial pages of at least one major newspaper".

I have read and/or skimmed through a couple of books that Donald Trump has written and I apologize for not knowing which precise book/paragraph to quote, but I recall specifically enjoying reading about how
President Elect Donald Trump actually has made a determined point of reading major newspapers on a daily basis, and if my memory serves, i believe he was referring to consuming up to 10 major newspapers on a daily basis.

Why do i like writing about this? Because Tony was right. Success does leave clues. What works for
President Elect Donald Trump and Bernard Kelly will work for you.

And yes, you may have to stand alone. I am the only woman I know who goes out of her way to find and read a current copy of the GlobeN Mail. Which section do i gravitate to? The business section.
Why? Because, again it must be said that "Success leaves clues" and to quote an another oldy but goody
"Knowledge is power". If you make it a habit to seek out accurate and current knowledge you will see that you become more empowered to succeed.

What we read is CRUCIAL in determining what we become and what we will possess. 

Peacefully productive,
Carla.

Monitored, Controlled and Designed by YOU

Tony Robbins has a powerful teaching called "Changing State".

How do we know when we need a "change of state"?
Well, we don't need a doctor to recognize the signs:

• miserable countenance
• circular ( getting nowhere) style of thinking
• funky emotional state
• uninspired spiritual state
• unpleasant social interactions
• being too hasty to react to circumstances beyond your control
• lethargy
• feeling physically undisciplined
• sluggish mentality
• losing sight of your most precious goals

So.......here's the great part....this part is 100% designed and controlled and monitored by YOU!
No one else is going to tell you how to change your state. You are going to discover or uncover the
simple magic ticket that will allow you personally to change your state!

So, here's the cool part. Just answer these very few questions to uncover your own personal
state changing magic ticket.

1/ Which activity is most accessible to you? Pick one that you can handle and isn't too far from reach.
   such as walking ( treadmill or round the block/track), swimming, dancing, biking ( on a stationary or on a real bike on a real road ")

2/ Ok, now that you've chosen the activity...and begun to do it.....start to become aware of yourself. You will most certainly discover precisely when your change of state will occur. You will start feeling good !
Your sense of well being will rise.
  For example: For ME, I only need to do 41 minutes of walking on a treadmill and I begin to sense my state change by minute number 26. Yes, I continue to do the whole 41 minutes, but the change of state begins to occurr already by minute number 26.

3/ Then write down that number. Share it with someone. Writing it down is going to make it more concrete for you to repeat.

4/ Lather, rinse, repeat. It really is as easy as shampooing your hair. You find what "product" works best for your personality and then you repeat it as necessary. Whenever, you begin to feel the doldrums set in, or your notice that you haven't taken any baby steps lately towards your most precious goals, then, it's time for you to repeat your own "self-prescribed" state changing strategy. Use it as often as necessary.
Allow it to prevent burnout, both emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

Use your strategy to help you retain a more disciplined emotional life and it will also permit you to regain more control over your physical state.

I'd love to hear what you works for you, when you design a strategy to change your state.

Peacefully yours,
Carla

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Shop With Me

Want to browse a book store like "Chapters" with a friend who loves the same books you do?
 Now you can! Come putter through my shop with me at my Amazon Store. I've selected a few of my favorite Boot Strappers and Epic Life Hackers who never cease to make me pause and have a good "think".
Enjoy  my   Shop Till You Think Shop   .

Another Potential Win for Canadian Investors

Was happy to notice a wee blurb in Monday May 2 ,2016's Globe and Mail
entitled "The investment industry's growing unrest over hidden fees" by Clare O'Hara.( section B--pages 1 and 7)

There is more hope on the horizon for those Canucks who still insist on purchasing mutual funds. The
"hidden" commissions that "financial advisors" earn for the period of time that a consumer holds units of a certain mutual fund will, Clare asserts, in the near future become more restricted, AND/OR much more transparent.

After all, why should there be so much murkiness in the "investment product" industry?
Since when are investments now known as mere "products "??

Since when are "investors" merely treated as "financial product" consumers?

It used to be....or at least it "felt" more that way when I was young, that investments were something
that held "unlimited " potential. The mystery and the myriad of ways in which a potential financial investment could grow or morph or produce multiple income streams was a beautiful and alluring "unknown".

Now it seems that banks and financial investment companies are determined to
"capture and control" every single aspect of an "investment". No more surprises....only more legaleze, and more ways for the investment industry to make money off the backs of hard working and naive "investors".....They don't even call us "investors" any more. We are merely "consumers" who are being sold "products".

By the way, we prefer to be called "investors"....no matter what the amount we are able or willing to "invest".

Anyway, pardon the rant..... This post is intended to be positive.
If even the investment industry is ready and willing to admit that there needs to be changes that "help" individual investors, then we are indeed poised for greater gain.

Tony Robbins,through his book  "Money, Master the Game" , exposed much of the murkiness in the USA's mutual fund industry and explained how so many many fees and hidden costs are bound up in the American mutual fund industry. The fees and extra charges are so complex, hard to find, and so "murky" that few, if any, invididual investors even know how much in fees that their investments are actually costing them at the end of their investing life. Those hidden fund fees and charges can eat up the majority of any potential profit that an individual investor may earn over their lifetime by holding mutual fund units."Mutual Fund Buyers beware"......was Tony's timely advice.

Yes, Tony's book was written for the States. But maybe Canada listened in on the conversation and has begun to take some preventative measures.
If Canada's mutual fund industry is willing to play a little more fair and transparently, then maybe, just maybe, you won't have to run and hide from mutual funds any more and stop picking stocks for yourself. Maybe.... just maybe.. maple syrup toting DIY investors might start trusting the advice of the "professionals" again.

Clare's article sheds a few good Canadian rays of light on the matter.
Happy investing, friends,
May you live long and prosper.

C.
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Learning Without Mastery

 On several occasions I have blogged about Tony Robbins and Napoleon Hill's thoughts on success and mastery. But what I wanted to discuss today is that there is validity to all learning and all knowledge even if we never reach that point of mastery.

For example, I may never become a "master chef" .....but that doesn't mean that my attempts to learn how to cook new dishes is wasted. I am learning...but mastery is not necessarily my goal.

You may enjoy knitting or crochet or some other crafty hobby, but  it is valuable because of your enjoyment of it, not necessarily because you must press towards mastery.

There has been a rather all encompassing flow of social pressure towards "mastery" in all areas of life.
But must we always put so much pressure on ourselves to perform and become obsessed with perfection?
Athletic activities are still valid even when they never progress beyond amateur status.

But I want to ask you, my beloved readers, isn't it still wonderful and well worth your time, to continue to learn even when mastery is not your goal?

It is still wonderful to master one simple piece of piano music rather than forcing oneself to master an entire collection. It is wonderful to memorize one verse of scripture, even if that is the only one that you commit to memory in your lifetime.

I suppose that what I am speaking of is simply doing things out of the joy of life and out of a personal interest or respect for a certain subject matter.

My endorsement remains towards "life long independent learning" however, I still encourage learning and the gathering of knowledge....... no matter what the result is.....even if the student stays at a "beginner" stage for many years, or even forever. There does not need to be "performance orientation" in everything we do.
The term "performance orientation" was thoroughly explained and researched by the Christian author team of John and Paula Sandford. To develop a better understanding of their teachings, I would highly recommend anyone to gather up as many books that they have written as possible. It may take the expenditure of  many valuable hours  to ponder and grasp their writings, but I promise that it will be well worth it.

Doing certain activities are valid and legitimate in their own right. I am not talking about laying down your list of goals. I am talking about encouraging you in your personal path of growth and knowledge gathering, even when you are not heading for mastery. To continue to increase your knowledge base, in any measure.... is a beautiful path. But sometimes, in our obsession with performance and "measuring" our achievements, we mistakenly invalidate our modest efforts.

So, in conclusion, I wish you all, my readers a blessing on all your learning, both your grand exploits and achievements, as well as our most meek and modest interests.

Peace,
Carla.






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Synopsis Of Tony Robbins: Money Master the Game

I've kept listening to various CD's and youtube recordings of the audio book ofTony Robbins' new personal finance book entitled "Money..Master the Game". Tony's new book is hot in demand at all of the local libraries.

As I review what I've gleaned so far I keep trying to pinpoint what precisely it is that I have learned.

So, permit me to jot down a few ideas that Tony seems to promoting in this book:

1. Mutual Funds are hurting a lot of Americans by charging tons of extra fees many of which their buyers are not even aware of. One point seems to be that Tony is advocating Vanguard "Low Cost" Index Funds as an "ideal" investment vehicle. Why Vanguard? Tony's perspective is that Vanguard seems to be taking the "low fee" moral high ground versus a plethora of other mutual fund dealers who are robbing their clients through outrageously high fees.

2/ Financial advice, is often not very objective in the  USA with many investment advisors having obvious and not so obvious conflicts of interest because they often receive monetary incentives for convincing their clients to purchase certain investments versus others. Therefore, Tony advises folks to use "fiduciary" advisors, which are supposed to cling to a higher standard and act more altruistically in the best interests of their clients. Tony also advocates using "fee only" advisors instead of those who charge ongoing management fees that take significant chunks out of folk's investment nest eggs.

3/ Tony unashamedly promoted two financial/investment companies namely STronghhold Financial as well as High Tower. Without going into much detail...one or more of these companies can be accessed through links that Tony mentions in the book, and provide "no cost" analysis of your current investment portfolio. I have not accessed any of these online tools that Tony promotes, but I am wary....because in the long run, they will for sure be promoting the use of these companies as paid financial "handlers" or "advisors". Businesses are in business to make money...and this book is not a food bank type of social service. Tony wants to promote the financial services of those who have treated him and/or his company well over the years. Can you blame him?

4/ There was a significant amount of time spend "name dropping" supposedly to inspire us to believe that if these finance/investment success stories figured out how to make it big....then maybe we can too. However, it was difficult for many of us to relate to the "larger the life" investment "icons" such as Ray Dalio or
Carl Ichan. However, I have yet to read through all his "real life" testimonials...so perhaps there will be a few that I can relate to.....

5. Tony advocates a simplistic ideology when it comes to how we plan our finances. He calls it his "bucket" method. He says our "security" bucket should included those investments that have a low level of risk and a high level of "guaranteed or "can't lose" type of investments. He also mentions another bucket...which Tony labels as a "risk/growth" bucket.  This kind of simple ideology is actually quite effective in helping regular folks to get a grip on their own risk tolerance and to help them implement good financial planning techniques.

6. There are some specific investment vehicles which Tony mentions, perhaps more for inspiration, not because he is qualified to compare one vehicle over against another investment vehicle. For example Tony talks about a product called "T.I.P.S" which are actually called "Treasury Inflation Protected Securities".
I could not find a verifiable source of these in Canada....so either perhaps they don't exist in Canada or maybe I just don't know the right place to look. What I found attractive in this type of investment vehicle is that it protects the investor from the formidable threat of inflation, which is a worrisome force for any long term investor.


Well that's it for now....I still have not made my way through the entirety of the whole audio book.....I've been what you might call literary "grazing".

One youtube commenter made the bold comment asking "What precisely can  you actually learn from this huge book?" Well, although the answer is not too obvious, I would say that there is merit in this book, but it meanders about and isn't set out in a straight forward manner. The ideas are not hiding in plain sight. Tony uses this book to air his thoughts....both his rants and raves and financial aspirations and actual portions of his financial history for us to pick through and rejoice in what nuggets we can glean. He allows us, quite candidly to learn from some of his mistakes and take inspiration from some of his victories. But that being said.... Tony doesn't act like he's "arrived"....financially. He comes across quite humbly as a student of many of these titans of personal finance like Carl Ichan and Ray Dalio, among others. Tony's attitude is something many of us can learn from in and of itself, even without any factual tidbits to sink our teeth into. Why do I say that? Because coming from a perspective of respectful "studiousness" and being willing to learn quietly from the big wigs is a remarkable skill that can catapult many of us from obscurity to prosperity faster than we think.
Having a great attitude puts us in tune with like minded individuals who possess what we may be lacking in our ladder to success. We all need mentors...and we attract more helpful interactions with our mentors when we have a great "confident, friendly and still humble and teachable" attitude.

Bottom line.....I'm still not done the entire audio or hardcover format of his book yet. So I will refrain from commenting too freely until I feel that I have given the book it's full due diligence.
Frankly, I still find that there are not enough personal finance books on the market...to which the common man/woman can relate. So I do appreciate that Tony has even attempted the feat...albeit with some mixed
results.

Tony's gift is his personal charisma....and you can hear it come shining through in how he wants to help empower us to feel like we can tame this dragon called "financial planning" with confidence, vigor and a fearlessness that puts a wee bit more bounce and joy in our steps. I am grateful to Tony for the courage and friendliness that comes across loud and clear in this book "Money...Master the Game". Even if the book is blatantly promoting some finance/investment firms over others....it is still done in a professional and pleasant manner. Thank you Tony, your efforts have not gone unnoticed.

Peaceful productivity,
Carla

Tony Robbins and John Reese

Just watched a quick video of a conversation between Tony Robbins and John Reese.
I think the concept that sticks out from that discussion is that they admitted that folks
HAVE TO START SMALL!

That was kinda refreshing, especially when you are listening to folks who play with millions/billions.
John Reese was talking about the day in 2004 that he earned 1million dollars in one day (18 hours to be exact).
Then Tony and John discuss how they mentally framed themselves and prepared themselves psychologically to be able to operate in those kind of numbers. They both advocate having specific goals. Yes, I agree, but I would add that they HAVE to be WRITTEN goals. If you are not willing to write down your goals, who are you kidding? Do you really expect someone else to take your plans seriously if you yourself don't even take them seriously enough to jot them down in black and white?

Ok, so we agree we have to have SPECIFIC goals.

Then they both talked about the concept that I thought was really worth repeating to ya'll....and that was this idea that progress has to start SMALL. They both wholeheartedly agreed that if you some day want to be able to make 1 million dollars in one day, that you absolutely HAVE to be able to make one dollar per day FIRST! Then Tony chimed in with his famous quote "Progress is Happiness".  Gosh it must be hard for him to be right so often.

So yes, Tony, you're right on that count too. But I really like those two words you and John threw around called "Incremental Progress". First we figure out how to make a dollar a day. Then we master that. Then we make a higher goal, maybe 5 dollars per day...or more according to what you believe and can visualize.

So, I can really appreciate that there is a modesty and practicality in their motivational speeches. Thanks John and Tony. Keep it up.   Video Clip here

Paid to be ME.
Carla

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Let's Discuss Tony Robbins New Book "Money- Master the Game"

Ok, I'm still chugging through the book, both in paper form and via the audio version of it.

At this point, I am not quite as thrilled with it as I first was, simply because I feel like I am being sold mutual funds and financial advisors. Is this book an ad for STronghold financial, High Tower, and Vanguard Index Funds???

I hope I am simply jumping to conclusions and maybe I've missed some of the better chapters, but please Tony don't tell me you're just going to sell me this stuff. I want to learn facts, accurate information, and strategies.

That's kinda why I still appreciate Robert Kiyosaki's books, because although his tone is somewhat snide and aggressive at times, at least you feel like you are getting an honest analogy of the modern economy and investment horizon. I'd rather be told the truth from a "mean man" than be coddled into compromise by someone who is nicey nice.

Anyway, as I said before, I hope I am wrong and I've simply not read the best parts of Tony's book yet.
Have you read or listened to any of it yet? What were your impressions?

Peaceful productivity.
Carla


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Success Can be Replicated

If you're tired of hearing self help blah blah blah,....I hear you...and I apologize for
sounding like one of "those" type of folks. But on the other hand....who cares? If you don't like it, or it feels like you're hearing nails scraping on chalkboard...just don't read on ")....

I continue to be inspired by those who teach other humans how to replicate success.

There used to be, and still is to a certain degree, a certain mystique that follows "successful" people.
It's like they possess some kind of secret that the rest of us haven't yet figured out.
Certainly, we might muse to ourselves,  they possess more intelligence, more fortitude or simply more "luck" in order to have achieved what they have achieved.

But I want to ask you.....have they really? I know so many wealthy people who are certainly not the sharpest tools in the shed. Were they born into money? Nope. But all of them possess this one simple trait...and that is simply that they "REFUSE to GIVE UP".

Successful people are obsessive in their focus, gathering their ability to concentrate on their chosen goal with 100% percent of their time and energy. They don't permit others to divide their time, their passion, or their
assets. They use EVERYTHING within their circle of influence to see to it that their goal or project succeeds.

They also know the value of good and accurate advice. They value good advice so highly that they are willing to travel almost ANYWHERE just to obtain better and more qualified advice.

It was Tony Robbins...(and yes, I know that I quote him a lot ")
who first brought to mainstream media, the idea that success can be broken down into digestible bits and replicated. Sure there were others before him, who studied success and wrote books about it.......powerful and studious men such as Napoleon Hill and Andrew Carnegie. But it was Tony Robbins who brought it down to a level where the common man/woman could understand and tap into the process of achievement.
For many folks of my generation, Tony Robbins was one of the first "self help" leaders who they listened to in audio form, on wee cassette tapes wafting into their cars/homes.

If you want to get in a flow where you feel empowered, you need to surround yourself with folks
who believe in accomplishment. Don't permit others to dull down your enthusiasm.
Your passion and excitement of what you can accomplish is VITAL to maintaining momentum.

The bible in Proverbs 4:23 talks about "guarding your heart". I believe that this is such an ESSENTIAL strategy for success. If you surround yourself with people who don't believe in your gift and talents, pretty soon YOU won't believe in them either. I'm not suggesting that you have "yes" men/women around you night and day. But you must feed your heart, mind and spirit with an atmosphere
of  the following:
Intelligence
"teachability"
patience
thoughtfulness
"CAN-DO" attitude
goal setting
confidence
resourcefulness
ingenuity
compassion
friendship
support
camaraderie
kindness
generosity
accuracy
love of knowledge
skillfulness
success
..........
and that is just a tiny list to get ya rolling...
Guard your heart and mind and emotions my friends.
Be blessed and confident in the goals and plans that you have set into place.

Peace and productivity.
Carla

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Changing State

Trying to get yourself motivated and just can't?
Try one of Tony Robbin's fave coins of advice, which he calls "changing your state".

It isn't something complicated. For me, I can change my state with
my own personalized prescription of 41 minutes of walking on the electric treadmill.
Why 41 minutes? Just 'cause over the years, I've realize that that's all that it takes for
me to change my frame of mind, my perspective and my physiology.

Sometimes, we just get stuck in proverbial inertia...
Wikipedia describes inertia in these words:

1. Inertia is the resistance of any physical object to any change in its state of motion, including changes to its speed and direction. It is the tendency of objects to keep moving in a straight line at constant velocity.

That's a pretty accurate description of "stuck humans". We resist any change in speed or direction because we are comfortable with what path we have been on for any length of time.
We instinctively resist change, because it is new and unfamiliar. 

Even when we know that we are really ready for something new to come about in our lives, we still have that natural draw to cling to what is our personal "comfort zone".

So, one of the ways that Tony Robbins helps empower his "students" is by teaching them how to "change their state". When we change state, we have a new emotional condition and a new set of physical circumstances. We mentally prepare ourselves for good new things.

So, before you hedge your bets on some enormous New Year's Resolution, consider
allowing yourself a change in state first, to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for whatever new idea that you have in store for this coming year.

Blessings, empowerment and peace.

Carla









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