Raw Ginger..for Day...Raw Garlic.... for Night

As  you meander through life, you may come across certain items that you have discovered to be helpful in keeping you energized and your body revitalized. Two such items, for me, are raw ginger and raw garlic.

Both items though, are very different in nature and can be used at different times throughout your week.

Garlic has a heavy, almost meaty quality to it. It revitalizes and purifies the blood, and cleanses the digestive system, killing bacteria. But it is also very pungent and is better suited to be taken raw before bedtime.
A single garlic clove can be peeled and then chopped or crushes into "swallow-able" size and downed with water or tea. Be sure to drink enough water when you take raw garlic as raw garlic can also give a burning sensation and the water dilutes any harshness the rawness of the garlic brings with it. Water is also helpful for the quickening of the digestive system which always occurs after one has ingested raw garlic.

Some folks encourage the habit of taking one raw garlic clove every night, but not all. Raw garlic, fresh from the clove is a feisty substance and one needs to get to know how their particular body may react to it's active ingredients. Be prepared for any kind of effect which may or may not include a loosening of the stools and urgency to use the bathroom. Note that these effects may not always occur, once your body has become more accustomed to the presence of raw garlic.

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And now for Ginger, yes it can also be taken raw. Raw ginger, after you have just peeled it, has a rather odd stringy juicy texture. Ginger has a more gentle and pleasant taste and aroma when compared to raw garlic, but it is no less feisty in terms of it's effects on the body. Ginger is a sweet success. You can peel it from it's knubby brown state, and then mash or chop it into bits, and swallow just about half of a teaspoon of some of the smaller sized pieces with water. Or you can just add some to boiling water and make a tea out of it.
Ginger has been known for centuries as a digestive aid. That's why our grandmas always endorsed the use of "ginger ale" to help calm down an upset stomach.

Well, that's about all for now. My blurt is done.

Peaceful Productivity,
Carla

Disclaimer: Note that this blog is not intended as medical advice. The ideas in this post and the entire blog are intended for conversational purposes only. Medical advice should be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. The author and publisher of this blog does not accept any liability for the ideas presented or discussed.

When the Log Becomes Earth

Tip toeing through the forest with my little one, we came across this camouflaged treasure. To walk quickly through this area without paying close attention, one could easily miss it.

Right before our eyes was nature's exquisite example of how it naturally replenishes itself....the circle of life, through the symbol of a tree melting slowing into the earth from which it grew.

Can you see the faint outline of a fallen log?  The mystical and scientific process known as 

decomposition, or "composting" in more suburban terms.... had begun to break down the mighty fallen tree

into a luscious  brown earthy soil.  See the chocolaty shade of the dirt?

I love composting, but i love it even more when nature provides a real life example of what it has done by God's design for thousands of years. This is how the forests and swamps and wetlands continue to create nutritiously rich soils from which to grow more vibrant foliage and trees to house wildlife.

Without this cycle of growth, death and renewal, the soils would quickly become sandy like the desert and there would be little flora and fauna to boast about. And so it was a lovely classroom in which to teach my young one about this precious truth of how God made the earth to replenish itself, without any interference or "help" from mankind.

Peaceful  Day,

Carla

Knowing What Makes You Happy

The more obscure and kooky, the better, as long as I myself have arranged, designed, knit, glued, or drawn or painted it,.....or written it....ultimately it is the act of being creative that gives me immense joy.

I look around and think through some of the things that I've made over the past year and whether it's some earthy homespun wall hanging or a kooky cheapskate blog post, or a way to up-cycle an old chair or iron flower trough....I love them all, because I myself "thunk" them up. Sometimes it's just about gathering
up some lovely enormous pine cones, still coated in sticky white pine tar, and arranging them in a bowl for a table top. All the while, staying thoughtful, peaceful and philosophical and sharing the tidbits of wisdom I discover in my journey.

Sometimes it's about getting back to basics and using what I have on hand or using something utilitarian such as "jute" twine and re-purposing it into something I can use .......like learning  how to knit rugged earthy looking place mats.

(By the way if you want to learn how to make them....it's really super easy: You can buy plain brown colored jute in most dollar stores or you can sometimes find it dyed into red or green.
You simply use a basic garter stitch and load up the desired width of place mat you are trying to create and thereby choose the right amount of stitches to load onto your knitting needles. I tend to use metal circular needles because I like how they work fast, and how the jute slips easily off the metal needles. Then you just keep going with your garter stitch until the place mat is the size you want it to be. 
Then cast off the stitches, and you can duplicate the process to produce a whole table setting's worth of earthy jute place mats.

Note that jute is a very rough material to knit with and it does feel rough on the hands and also does shed while you are working with it.  These kind of place mats are best used in a rugged setting such as for camping or cottaging....because the jute continues to shed and wouldn't match a fine china type of decor.)

Well that is just a snap shot of some of the stuff that makes my day.....the heart of which is simply the "opportunity to be creative with anything I fancy" 

May this day bring you another glimpse into what brings you true joy.

Peaceful productivity,
Carla

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Shoot From the Hip

     

I used to draw a lot, especially if someone

gave me something to sign or write a comment in....like a yearbook or somethin' like that.

It seems like when I am in a kooky mood, that my imagination gets the best of me....How 'bout you?

Do you doodle and just allow your imagination to erupt ?

I used a pencil, ,my fave blue Sharpie and a possle of old fashioned Laurentian pencil crayons on a plain white art pad to make this sketch. Voila.

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Never Apologize for Wanting More

If this sounds like a feminist rant....don't be alarmed.it's really not and applies to all of us human mortals..

I have noticed in my neck of the woods that there is such a huge pressure in our local environment to "settle" for simply whatever you currently have and are. To be too ambitious or goal oriented is frowned upon . The idea is perpetuated by the business owners as well as by many volunteer organizations who glean a massive "free" work force from the locals who are "stuck" here. The business owners likewise glean a loyal work force who refuse to demand higher pay or decent benefits.

I have lived here for many years and the spirit and tone of this attitude still completely baffles me.

Why would any healthy society want to encourage people to accept much less than what they can potentially achieve and possess? Why would we want to "force" folks to live on less income than what they could be earning....either through active work or through passive investing?

Is it just the "devil" at work or just plain ole stupid human nature......or has the mind of the locals been kidnapped by aliens ?

I want to see people excel all around me. I want to see them become well read and fulfilled because they are meeting up with challenges and discovering the gift of "mastery" . (Yes, if you recognize that word "mastery" from Tony Robbins materials, then yes, you caught me....I am unashamedly a fan)

Some folks seem to live their lives with the sole purpose of "avoiding embarrassment". Is it really that important? Is it not more significant to be willing to fall flat on your face once in a while, so that in the long run, you might actually achieve something of value?

We have so much potential, both individually and corporately. My personal habit of reading the bible, has expanded my mind to great heights and depths. Despite the popular opinion that Christianity fosters a narrow minded attitude or mental frame work.....I have discovered the opposite to be true. The words of the bible have empowered me to become even more courageous and adventurous than I would ever have considered to become in the past. The words of Bible have shown me that at the end of the day, God has the final say, and therefore, we mere humans can actually chill out, relax a bit and learn to play in the awesome world that God gave to us as our own wonderful backyard.

Therefore, if perhaps a bit of Spring Fever has hit you, and you find yourself feeling restless......don't panic. You are not a rebel. You simply are feeling like you just might want more........

Go for it folks. Want more from life. Want more from God. Want more from yourself. Want more from the earth. When you seek "more" you will find "more". But if you stop seeking and simply settle with what you already have .....that is all you will ever have and ever be.

So, in a nutshell, I just want to say that I will never apologize for wanting more. I also would like to encourage you to give yourself permission to want more too. It's not greedy and it's not self-centered.....its about embracing with zest, this incredible life that God has given to us.

Peaceful productivity,
Carla.

Please Mr. Twitter....Don't Let Google Buy You

Perhaps it is a little bit risky....well maybe a lot risky to speak so boldly....it is Google after all, who
gives me this beautiful little blogging platform ....and all for free no less....

However, what fun would blogging be if you just couldn't speak your mind?

So today, I just wanted to say.... I really really really really really don't want Google to buy Twitter.

Why you may ask? Because Google already owns so much information about all of us.....Twitter would just give Google yet another access point into our lives and minds and everything that we really value.

If any of you have read "The Numerati" by Stephen Baker (if you haven't.....it is a MUST READ....in my humble opinion)   ...... you will admit that we are literally getting virtually sliced and diced and our data sold to the highest bidder whenever we use any internet platform that Google controls/owns. All that juicy info about our lives is very uber valuable to those who want to figure out how to sell us more stuff. Google makes billions of dollars out of chopping and packaging and then reselling data about our lives to massive corporations who just want to get an edge to figure out how to get us to buy their products. Not only do corporations want us to buy the products they already are selling to the public....they want to have a "pre-emptive" strike in anticipating what we will want to purchase next week, next month and next year and yes, five or ten years from now.

The internet just gives corporate marketers soooooo much data about how we live and what we value.

Well, I feel like I'm talking in a circle, so I'll stop my rant. But for those of you who might have an influence over the possibility of Google buying up Twitter.....please make it stop. Google has more than enough data about all of us already....they really don't need to buy up our tweets.....

And yes, you may re-tweet this post ")

Carla

2. Experimental Facts of Life

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If you are in the market for some brain stretching....take a chance and listen to a free class

offered by M.I.T  via their free course sharing venue called "Onlinecourseware"....

I am merely suggesting that sometimes it's wonderfully liberating and inspiring to listen to something that is completely outside of your usual frame of reference....

Take a giant step out of your comfort zone....you just might discover something very cool.

Peaceful productivity,

Carla

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

Pizza For the Neighbors

Hb No2 Pencil with Fave Red Sharpie, pencil crayons on paper,
Photo Negative effect.

Let's call it "Pizza for the Neighbors"

Cheapest Safest Way to Clean a Bathtub

For those of you who just aren't in the market for a "cheapskate" rant....you are more than welcome to skip over this post....'cause ya just won't get it ")


But for those of you who take profound pleasure from squeezing another drop of value from your hard earned bucks then this wee tip might do the trick.

Ever wanted to clean your bathtub, but didn't want to go out and buy another expensive spray on bathroom cleaner? Well, such was the case for me the other day. So I decided to do what many-a proud cheapskate is happy to do.....I improvised with what I had on hand.

To my delight, there were two simple items that I already had on hand that actually worked.
It was a simple bath mitt coated in Ivory soap.(yes those famous low cost bars of soap). Then I simply ran a bit of warm water and scrubbed down the tub with the bath mitt, which provided just the right amount of "scrubbing power". Then I simply rinsed away the film with warm water....and Voila! A Clean bathtub.

The cool thing is that there are NO toxic fumes or dangerous chemicals to protect your hands from when using such a simple process....bath mitts are epically cheap....as are Ivory soap bars...both available in most dollar stores in my neck of the woods.

Now to be perfectly honest, as I know y'all expect me to be...this isn't the sort of cleaning idea that is going to work for really heavy duty soap scum. You may have to use something a little bit stronger or more abrasive for that....such as adding some Sunlight liquid dish soap or by using yet another scrubbing device such as a new pot scrubber. Just be sure that whatever scrubbing device that you choose, is safe for your tub, as you don't want to damage the enamel or ceramic finish of your bathtub.

Well, that's all for now.
Have a great weekend, and share your thoughts in the comments below.'
Peacefully productive,
Carla

Gentle Three Day Mini Cleanse

This is for those of you....who have that feeling and acknowledge that your body is carrying around some material in the midsection that needs to be gently eliminated from your system.
It's not about some tidal wave powered high cost process that is going to leave you simply lying on the couch for seven days unable to function and carry on your daily activities.

I like health tips that I can incorporate into a busy day, and keep on focusing on my goals while refining my physique and enhancing both my energy levels, resistance to disease and appearance of vibrancy.

So, today I just want to talk about a quick mini cleanse that only requires two items:
B  Complex with Vit C added vitamin capsules, and three chubby cloves of raw garlic.

Basically for three nights in a row you take one chubby clove of raw garlic at bedtime, along with a capsule or two of B complex that has added Vit C in it. Consume a cup or two of room temperature water at the same time. Do this for three nights in a row. In order to get the clove of garlic down, you will need to chop it or crush it into smaller bits, but be sure to consume it raw and use only water to wash it down with.
 ( Vitamin B capsules without Vit C are also good too)
Vitamin B complex capsules can be found in any health store of the vitamin section of any major grocery store.) (for dosages of the vitamin B , consult your doctor)

What might happen? Maybe nothing....or maybe you may begin to see some of the following detoxification symptoms which although maybe be inconvenient, are actually a good sign that your body is eliminating stored toxins:
-loosening of the stools and a general relief from constipation. Unfortunately for some, this may have some urgency to it, so you may want to make sure you have a washroom nearby. But for others, they may find that they can continue on in their regular work/daily schedule without any too frequent bathroom breaks.
-Adult acne: your skin may erupt as the toxins start releasing from deep in your body.Your skin is part of the pathways through which our bodies shed toxins.This type of occasional adult acne is a good sign of detoxification and will clear up as your body becomes cleaner inside.
-More peaceful energy: Remember that raw garlic actually has been proven to lower blood pressure as long as it is in the body, so you may well notice a discern-able change in your mood...a kind of inner "slowness" that some may call peacefulness.

THat's It! Simple eh? Remember, I wasn't talking about a major health renovation, but rather a quick mini-cleanse that may just help tweak your body's inner's sytems into staying on track, help strengthen bowel function, as well as strengthening the immune system. Whenever our bodies become sluggish, it's often because we are lugging around stuff in our digestive system that should have been eliminated several weeks ago.

Why do our bodies store up unprocessed stuff  and clog up our mid sections?
It can be due to some of the following reasons:
*Too little water in the diet.... our bodies need water daily in order to maintain a healthy digestive system.
*Allergies to certain foods create reactions in our gut that slow down or halt proper digestion.
*Too little physical activity. Remember that we were created to move about, even slowly, but surely every day we do need to do something . Even a gentle slow walk around the block is going to help our digestion.
When we stop moving , it isn't just our leg muscles that atrophy, but also our digestive muscles. Walking helps to stimulate the digestive system in a healthy way.

I hope this discussion has been helpful. It's not always about massive change....but a tiny step in the right direction.

Carla

Disclaimer: This blog is intended for conversational purposes only.Note that this blog is not intended as medical advice. This author and publisher of this blog does not accept any liability for the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Medical advice should be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner.


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Gweneth Paltrow....You Go Girl

This Morning I was listening to a bunch of radio commentators lament the fact that Gweneth Paltrow has opened a new art Studio to which folks can pay to become members. According to the radio chatter, it's entry fee is a cool $1000 bucks plus another $1000 per year in membership fees plus more money if you want to attend one of the art classes.

I wish I could recall, the actual name of the radio show, as that would be all good and proper to give credit...but alas, I wasn't really paying attention as to precisely which radio show I was listening to.

Anywho, the only reason I am talking about this idea at all, is because I wanted to respond to the flow of resentment that seemed to be gushing onto the airwaves from such an eye rolling (yawn) commentary.
There seemed to be the thought by the commentators that Gweneth Paltrow is "out of touch" with the common man, and the, attitude of "how dare Gweneth start up a collective that isn't aimed at the lower or middle classes of humanity." type to 'tude.  To which, I must start to sigh and do a little bit of eye rolling myself.

Why is it, whenever a wealthy person sets up something that is marketed only to the wealthy, that it seems to upset those who clearly wouldn't buy such a product or service in the first place? Must every product be priced according to what "every human" can afford? Can't the rich just enjoy their wealth once in a while? Must they always hide it and act like we are all the same?

Now don't get your socks in a knot just yet. Yes, I believe we are all equal in the eyes of God. However,we are all at different stages in terms of where we fall on a financial scale. That's neither good nor bad....it just IS. Therefore, our ability and freedom to spend is influenced by where we are located on that financial scale. And again...that, in my humble opinion, is neither good nor bad....it just IS.

So let me just vent for a second. If someone has the means and social celebrity to build an ART collective that caters to those with high discretionary incomes....why is that wrong? Don't we want the wealthy to spread their money around? Don't we celebrate when folks don't hoard their wealth but prefer to spend it well?

I am all about personal freedom of choice, when it comes to wealth and it's expenditure. If someone can afford to spend millions of dollars on a private jet and hire personal assistants across the globe, well that's cool with me. When the wealthy spend their money it's better for all of us. Money is intended to circulate, to be spent, invested, lent and poured forth upon the earth....and if you're in Richard Branson's club,....you might even be spending/sending your good cash into space.. I get a good chuckle out of how a lot of folks spend their money. I don't resent it in the least when someone spends their fortune on some product or club to which I don't belong.

Yes, freedom of speech still rocks and folks are taking full advantage of it now-a-days on the radio and inter net, but there is also a time to just let things go and let freedom reign. When you decide to overspend on
eye cream and gold plated lint rollers.... I promise not to roll my eyes. ;)

In Peacful productivity,
Carla




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Fave Sharpies and a Pencil..

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This is my latest experiment with my fave Sharpies and a regular pencil on paper.Thirty minutes later Voila.....I call him Pierre.

When you get a hankering to doodle...what are your tools of choice?

Peaceful Productivity,

Carla

Kinda Disappointing.... Mr. Ferriss

 The writings, books and podcasts, and blogs of Tim Ferris have been nothing short of an adventurous inspiration for me for many years. How many of us, after having read "The Four Hour Work Week" thought to ourselves.....well if Tim Ferris can figure out how to do it....then why not me?

But this week, I was saddened to receive an email from Tim's people alerting me to a new podcast that Tim had published on his blog.....It featured a guest speaker who advocated the use of psychedelic drugs....for non-medicinal purposes.

Why must one of the most adventurous Thinkers on the planet delve into the dark side of foolish humanity?
There's more than enough drug abuse occurring all over the world..... We really don't need people to start considering taking drugs for even more uses and abuses. Really Tim what are you thinking?
Your teachings are read and "followed" by so many humans across the world....do you really want to be leading your vulnerable readers/students down that slippery slope?

Tim, I hope you realize that when you hold a position in the world as a "leader", you carry a greater responsibility for what you suggest to folks. Tim Ferriss' status brings about an undeniable influence that many thousands of people will blindly follow his suggestions, whether they have clearly thought through the pros and cons of it all or not.

It is a fortunate or unfortunate result of fame (depending on how you look at it) that folks will follow the ideas and suggestions of anyone who has achieved a certain level of celebrity and/or financial success. Therefore it is essential for those who find themselves in such a powerful position in the world to tread more carefully in terms of what they advocate as an acceptable pursuit or lifestyle.

Fortunately I don't require all those whose "stuff" I read to abide by my own set of expectations. Whenever I search for mentors or inspiring writers/thinkers I meander about...... I pick and choose the nuggets that I can really chew on and then literally spit out the rest. I can't use what I don't believe in. So actually, yes, I will continue to read Tim's blog and/or podcast but it is not without my cautionary flag waving.


Peacefully productive
Carla

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So You Wanna Prevent A Stock Market Crash?

Just a quick thought. This week as I was pondering the philosophy of the stock market and how modern man interacts with it, it came to my attention that many.....too many humans act like the stock market is operating beyond their scope of influence. Most humans wrongly assume that the stock market is controlled by some outword entity....some wall street big wigs.
But what I have noticed is that THE most powerful influence on the stock market is actually YOU and I....ordinary small time investors who either decide to stick with it or jump ship and sell when the going gets tough. The "crashes" that so many investors fear and loathe are created by US.....not some mysterious entity.
Stock market crashes occur when the majority of folks give in to fear and try to all sell their shares at the same time, thus driving the stock prices down to next to nothing.

So, in a quick summary, what can you and I do to prevent another stock market crash? Don't panic!!!
Stay in the market for the long haul. Don't be reactionary and pull your money out when you see some doom and gloom on the news channels. Stewart your money with intelligence and  prayer and accurate and up to date information.....just don't be hasty to abandon ship during rolling waves. Prices will always go up and down.

And yes, finally, yes oil prices will come back up in North America....it won't be overnight...but it will come to pass. Just wait and see.

Peacefully productive,
Carla

Is your DEBT Compounding FASTER than your INVESTMENTS?

I'm sure most of you already know what "compounding" interest means right?

Basically, just in case you need a bit of a reminder, it's the way in which, if a chunk of money that earns a certain percentage of interest is left alone for several years to compound.....it will gain great value over a lengthy period of time. Every year the interest is not only earned on the original principal amount but also on the interest paid out for the previous year(s). So let's say you invest $500 at 5% interest and leave it alone for 5 years, you won't just have $25 in interest earned at the end of the five year term. You will have much more than than because each year you will have earned "interest on your interest".

So the miracle of compounding is pretty awesome in the world of investing, especially if you have the fiscal discipline to leave your investment money alone before trying to withdraw any of it to spend.
Those who love the stock market and utilize dividend re-investment plans also use a similar concept of compounding in order to build up the value of their portfolios by simply "not touching" the dividends that their equities produce and allowing the plan to use the cash dividends to purchase even more stocks.

The scary part of compounding is that it can also seriously apply to instruments of DEBT. Therefore, if you have a debt owing of $500 dollars and you are paying 12% in interest yearly to the creditor....and you allow that debt to remain unpaid for five years, then after the FIVE years of compounding you won't just owe the company the original $500 plus a simple 12% interest payment....but you'll ALSO owe the creditor
"interest on the interest". That's why and how consumer debt gets way out of control so quickly. Many folks forget that DEBT also compounds when it is not quickly paid off in full. A small debt of only a couple thousand dollars can quickly balloon into hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt obligations if the debt is never paid off in full.

Remember that interest rates REALLY MATTER. One credit card might charge you 12% yearly in interest. Another credit card might charge you 28% in yearly interest. That is a HUGE difference and it will make a HUGE difference in the amount of money you are paying in interest to your creditor.

Today I just wanted to mention that when you are trying to get a healthy perspective on your financial situation you may want to dumb it down to this simple question..."
"Is my debt increasing FASTER than my investments?"
Is my debt costing me a higher interest rate than my the rate at which my investments are growing? It is a simple but very powerful tool to use to get us all to think about our finances in new and empowering ways.


For example, a simple equity portfolio might earn an average of 5% compounded annually. But what is your consumer debt costing you to carry it? 28% on a credit card is not uncommon for many department store credit cards. Therefore, if your investments are only GROWING at 5% and the consumer debt that you are carrying is ballooning in size at 28%.....something is not good. Ideally, we all want our investments to grow FASTER than our consumer debt. Then we will all stay ahead of the game and have something to retire on in the long run.

Think about it.

Peaceful productivity,
Carla

DISCLAIMER: Note the above blog post is not intended as professional financial advice and the owner/publisher of this blog does not accept any liability for the ideas discussed in this post. Professional financial advice should be obtained from a licensed professional.

Canadian and American Finance Authors

I don't know about you...but I latched onto that catch phrase "Readers are Leaders" and so it has become a habit to inhale books just as often as I can.

Therefore, in case your reading list, particularly in the realm of finance and investing, has become a little stale, permit me to share with you some of the finance authors that I have dabbled with in reading their books or speeches over the past decade. If any of them have also piqued your curiosity and provided meaty motivation, please go for it and share your feisty opinions in the comments section.
 Peacefully productive,

Carla.

Derek Foster "Aka, the Lazy Investor" has published several investing books written for the common folk. 
    to see his titles, go to his website www.stopworking.ca

The Millionaire Mind by Thomas J. Stanley

The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko

The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason

The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton

Robert Kiyosaki ----a large number of books....too many to list...check out his websites by googling him....or start with his breakout book  entitled "Rich Dad Poor Dad".

Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki wrote a book together called 
"Why We Want You to be Rich: Two Men One Message"

Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich"

Tony Robbins new book "Money, Master the Game"

Tim Ferriss---lifestyle hacker/author of the breakout book "The Four Hour Work Week"

Gail Vaz Oxlade--personal/family finance coach from TV seminars (Canada centric eh)
all major book sellers will carry her books.

David Bach--check out his website --www.Finishrich.com

Small Gains are Better than NO Gains

I recall listening to yet another of Tony Robbin's videos online and I appreciated what he was talking about in terms of "gradual gains".

Sometimes when/if one gets caught up in the "self help" motivation world, that folks just start making WILD long range goals that are really really large. Now, I'm not against making LARGE goals....however, I believe in taking SMALL steps towards LARGE goal.

For instance.....if someone is trying to lose a HUGE amount of weight, it may actually be broken down into measureable gains of losing just one wee pound at a time. We humans usually don't lose huge chunks of weight at a time, unless we are having some kind of surgical procedure. There we have to learn how to celebrate small steps accomplished. Lost one Pound? Celebrate that small step. No matter how many long term pounds you want to lose....it's important to focus on losing just one small pound at a time.

Same thing goes for financial gains. 99.9% of folks who make it rich, don't gain their wealth overnight in one huge big win. The financial gains come in smaller more bite size bits and spurts. Maybe you are trying to get out from under hundreds of thousands of dollars of consumer debt. But maybe the answer is not in the BIG chunks of debt, but rather in many small hundred dollar gains. Slowly but surely paying off debt, is not as sexy as paying it off in one showy extravaganza, but it may be more realistic for most of us.

So, in a nutshell, just permit yourself the small wins FIRST before demanding to win the BIG fish.
Before you figure out how to save many thousands of dollars, ya might need to celebrate the saving of just one dollar at a time.

Peaceful productivity.
Carla


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When You Make a Change....Give yourself Time to Acclimate

I hope you're havin' a good day. If you're one of the folks who stumbled upon my blog looking for some empowerment and motivation ....then I just might have a wee thought for ya today.

Perhaps you've been reading lots of blogs and books and have started putting some plans of action into place to make a change in your life. It takes a lot of gumption to wake up one day and decide that you don't like where your life is heading and have the courage to steer that boat into a new direction.

So maybe it has been a few months and you now know that it's not easy, but you know that it was the right choice to set your hands to a new plan of action. You've crafted your written list of life goals and now you've actually started to take action on at least one of those written goals.

But now, like many of us mere mortals, you're starting to feel uneasy. You hope that  you are making progress and feel like you're on the right track, but it all feels just soooooo new and strange. The newness and strangeness of it all, is enough to make you run back to your old comforting haunts and back to the ruts you once lived in. I want to encourage you to not give up now. The discomfort you might be feeling is simply your heart and body's way of telling you that it needs time to ACCLIMATE to the new and better direction of your life.

When any human being make s new life choice and starts heading into a more positive direction, it can literally takes years of feeling out of sorts before you start to feel comfortably like yourself again. New things ALWAYS bring a sense of strangeness and discomfort. We aren't used to the new pathways yet and our inner "curmudgeon" might just be griping about all the extreme changes.

But I just want to encourage you today.....just because you're feeling out of sorts doesn't mean that you have made a wrong choice. Take some time to get accustomed to your new way of setting and accomplishing your written goals. It is a very different lifestyle compared to just living from the hip.

Give your mind, will and emotions the rest that they require in order to start to begin to feel at home with your new goal centered life. It may not feel like the real "you" just yet. Give yourself time to get used to the massive changes you have undertaken. Don't doubt yourself and PLEASE don't give up.

If you are writing down goals and taking steps to accomplish them, you are on the right path. May God bless you with wisdom as you adapt to this new lifestyle filled with promise and adventure.

Peaceful productivity,
Carla


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What is Frightening about Prayer

I've come to a conclusion today....that what is actually frightening about prayer is not that it is hard or unfruitful or arduous, but rather quite the opposite.
Lately my experience with prayer has been that not only is it easy, but it is soooo fruitful, so very fast and excessively kind, loving and generous that the simple abundance and kindness of God is just so hard to wrap my brain around.

I love God. But sometimes it is just hard to comprehend how very generous and patient and kind He really is. When I spend time in prayer, however briefly or lengthy period of time I spend, it has begun to astonish me how quickly God answers my prayers. His door is sooo open. He is so very welcoming and listens so attentively.

I write these things, not to cause confusion or to invalidate any other kind of experience that you may be having or have had in the past regarding prayer to God. I have had, and probably might have in the future seasons of time when God seems oddly quiet....as if He is waiting me out to get me to do some of my own thinking and make some of my own decisions. God doesn't babysit us forever. There are times He lets us stand alone, for our own good and for the health of our relationship with Him. Mature folks learn how to stand, and kneel and sit and run and play and work and think and write and gallop......shall I go on? ")

There is room for all of your experiences, past and present, with God. He can handle all your fears, frustrations and confusion. He can heal your mind. He can heal your body. He does well for you.

Let it be that this day, you see the hand of your God at work in life today.

Peaceful productivity,
Carla





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Authors and Thinkers ....Authors and Thinkers

Yes, we are one and the same. You really can't be an author if you are not a thinker.....and if you are a thinker....then I highly encourage you to become an author.

I have seen around me that there are many many thinkers, but there is a lack of confidence in the common folk, in the leap perceived in jumping from "just thinking and speaking" to thinking and putting onto black and white the written words that you are thinking about.

Perhaps, of course, there is the fear that somehow or in some way one might make a mistake and have written something that is inaccurate at best or even false....at worst.But don't let the fear of making of making a mistake hinder your progress in sharing something of value with the world. We just might need what you have to say. Your thoughts may bring breakthrough to someone half way around the world.

But I want to encourage you, my friends and colleagues around this mighty globe....that you not consider your life as smaller than it needs to be. It came to my attention some years ago, that someone somewhere across the world might actually need my thoughts and inspiration to make their own dreams come true. I  came to see myself as someone that could potentially inspire and motivate others. I sensed that who God had created me to be was not necessarily for the gains of those who know me locally, but perhaps and maybe even more importantly, for those who might never meet me in person, but who will someday and in some format read my words or hear my speeches or songs remotely via recordings on line or otherwise.

It was from either of two documentary films either "Blue Gold" or "Flow" that a mild mannered gentleman from Asia declared softly and quite prophetically that this age is the season "For the common man". This
confirmed what I had begun to sense in my own heart.....that the access granted to us via the internet was and could be maximized as a POWERFUL SUCCESS vehicle where access to capital or people of influence was not necessarily required to gain entry or momentum.

Wisdom always does spread to wherever it is welcomed. Empowerment flows to where it is treasured. Encouragement trickles to starving hearts....no matter where they reside or what their yearly income is....or what their nation's GDP happens to be. May God bless the internet, and keep it open and free.

And so, to sum up my blurts from this early morning chat, I just want to encourage you to take a small step of faith, if indeed you are a thinker, but have not yet made the leap over to calling yourself an author. If you  know that you have good things to share with humanity, then please hear me, my brother, my sister......
YOU MUST WRITE.

Peaceful productivity.
Carla


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