One thing drilled into me at Hippocrates was the slogan HOPE = Hormones, Oxygen, Phytonutrients, and Enzymes. Eating a healthy plant-based diet that is preferably raw and nothing cooked above 118 is ideal. The reason to eat raw or utilize low cooking and dehydrated foods are to retain the vital enzymes in the food. When we eat cooked foods, the body expends a lot of energy digesting it and creating its own enzymes to do so. With cooked foods, the body utilizes cups of digestive enzymes vs spoonfuls to break it all down. Eating cooked foods slows down the entire process and depletes the body of enzymes. Enzymatic exhaustion is aging. Enzymes are the spark of life, the electric. Hippocrates maintains that eating cooked foods causes digestive glucose cytosis - where your body engages white blood cells to go 'on attack'. The immune system doesn't recognize processed and cooked food as food. The thought process here is that a lot of energy the body spends 'fighting' cooked foods could be spent on detoxing and curing cancer. At the very least, raw foods should be consumed with cooked and eat the raw foods first, followed by the cooked ones.
Enzymes help you alkalize. An alkaline system is inhospitable to cancer. Enzymes benefit cardiovascular and degenerative diseases. Digestion is the #1 thing. If you lack enzymes from your food, your body will borrow it from other places and that is not a good thing. Enzymes are necessary to break down fats, carbohydrates and protein. Getting enough enzymes helps regulate healthy weight. It is recommended to take enzymes with each meal or snack regardless of whether the meal is raw or cooked. I do not take an enzyme when I juice, however, as I consider juicing to be 'pre-digested', meaning it is all fresh raw ingredients, macerated into a juice without pulp (see my article on Juicing vs blending) so that the body has minimal work absorbing the nutrients. I typically juice first thing in the morning as my 'breakfast' and then later eat a solid breakfast of salad, typically or hummus etc.
I love feedback so please post your success stories and comments after being on enzymes. ♥
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Supplements - Synthetic Vs Plant-Based
Are you concerned about the quality of your supplements? Are you vegan and find it frustrating to assure that there isn't anything animal based in the supplements you take? Do synthetic vitamins provide the same quality as plant-based supplements?
About Me - I have been primarily organic with food and skincare the last 25 years and completely detoxed my home care about 20 years ago. Most of my life I lived primarily vegetarian and spent all of 2016 studying with Hippocrates Health Institute. Hippocrates was a life-changing experience for me, where I learned how the higher up the food chain we eat (other animals) that we increase our body burden of toxins stored in our fat. Plants do not store toxins the same way animals do. When we filter our nutrients through another animals body, rather than getting those vitamins and minerals directly from the source (plants) we increase the body burden because our bodies, as animals, store anything that cannot be detoxed right away, into our fat to protect the entire system from shutting down.
No matter how cleanly you eat, you have a body burden. The entire planet is polluted to a greater or lesser degree because of factory farming and an onslaught of chemicals in our air, soil and water which all move, they know no borders.
Therefore, we all must supplement to aid our bodies in getting the highest nutrition (soil erosion has wiped out vitamins and minerals) and help our DNA remain strong and repair. If you plan on rearing children, your kids will also thank you for that genetic boost because that will be passed down! On that note, I hear folks say that they have a history of heart disease or cancer and I want to assure you that 90-95% of cancer is from what you're exposed to and 5-10% is genetic. The body wants to heal and survive so give it the tools.
Here are my rules:
1) Plant-based - The supplement must be plant-based and contain no synthetic ingredients because I believe the body, at a cellular level, doesn't adequately absorb them or see them as food. What you want are the full spectrum nutrients you would get if you were eating optimally. Seeing NOS which is Naturally Occurring Standard certified, on the label lets you know the product is not synthetic.
2) Organic (or wildcrafted) - The supplement must be organic so I look for certification there. The reason is that generally the quality of the supplement is going to be better, more nutritious and being organic let's me know it is non-GMO and that no pesticides were used.
3) Vegan - Both the product itself and whatever the softgel or capsule is made from should not be animal based.
4) Quality Control - How is the product sourced and how is it made, what is the process, or facility the supplement is made in because this matters to assure contaminates are minimized.
5) Value - I price check and ingredient check to come up with what I believe to be the best deal.
Back in the beginning of all supplements, every one was plant-based. Then science found a way to synthesize nutrients which saves a ton of money but at what health cost? Synthetics are a cheaper supplement to create because rather than harvesting live crops, the nutrients are synthesized in a lab. They will tell you that doing things this way keeps the consistency, such as if one bottle has 500mg of C, the next batch will too because its a formula based on a synthetic and not a live plant where one plant is going to vary slightly from another. While I do understand why synthetics are on the market, in my training at Hippocrates, all synthetic based supplements were shunned. The reason is that while we may know a particular thing, such as biotin is great, the issue is that when we take it as a synthetic, we are getting just biotin synthesized whereas when we take it in food form, from a plant, we are getting the full spectrum of nutrients in our supplement. All things work together to form a whole. This is how the body expects things to be because this is what happens naturally when we eat healthy food. A salad, for example, will have numerous components, which the body knows how to break down and utilize. As Hippocrates phrased it, "High doses are not required since biology's orchestration enables your cells to fully embrace the unified chorus of superior elements."
There are varied schools of thought but I believe that the body doesn't recognize, at a cellular level, a synthetic vitamin in the same way it would recognize it in food and therefore, will not absorb and utilize it the same way with the same effects.
Hippocrates has their own brand, LifeGive, which I use as well as reviewing and sourcing both through what I market as an Independent Consultant and online shopping.
Below is a link to Hippocrates if you are interested in going down the rabbit hole of knowledge. The link will provide you with a free syllabus.
Essante and Miessence links below offer great organic and wildcrafted supplements and skin care and home care.
I'm available for any questions. ♥
www.miessence.com/puretemple/en/category/1/skincare
www.EssanteOrganics.com/Puretemple
https://op.hippocratesinst.org/moreinfo/static/34
About Me - I have been primarily organic with food and skincare the last 25 years and completely detoxed my home care about 20 years ago. Most of my life I lived primarily vegetarian and spent all of 2016 studying with Hippocrates Health Institute. Hippocrates was a life-changing experience for me, where I learned how the higher up the food chain we eat (other animals) that we increase our body burden of toxins stored in our fat. Plants do not store toxins the same way animals do. When we filter our nutrients through another animals body, rather than getting those vitamins and minerals directly from the source (plants) we increase the body burden because our bodies, as animals, store anything that cannot be detoxed right away, into our fat to protect the entire system from shutting down.
No matter how cleanly you eat, you have a body burden. The entire planet is polluted to a greater or lesser degree because of factory farming and an onslaught of chemicals in our air, soil and water which all move, they know no borders.
Therefore, we all must supplement to aid our bodies in getting the highest nutrition (soil erosion has wiped out vitamins and minerals) and help our DNA remain strong and repair. If you plan on rearing children, your kids will also thank you for that genetic boost because that will be passed down! On that note, I hear folks say that they have a history of heart disease or cancer and I want to assure you that 90-95% of cancer is from what you're exposed to and 5-10% is genetic. The body wants to heal and survive so give it the tools.
Here are my rules:
1) Plant-based - The supplement must be plant-based and contain no synthetic ingredients because I believe the body, at a cellular level, doesn't adequately absorb them or see them as food. What you want are the full spectrum nutrients you would get if you were eating optimally. Seeing NOS which is Naturally Occurring Standard certified, on the label lets you know the product is not synthetic.
2) Organic (or wildcrafted) - The supplement must be organic so I look for certification there. The reason is that generally the quality of the supplement is going to be better, more nutritious and being organic let's me know it is non-GMO and that no pesticides were used.
3) Vegan - Both the product itself and whatever the softgel or capsule is made from should not be animal based.
4) Quality Control - How is the product sourced and how is it made, what is the process, or facility the supplement is made in because this matters to assure contaminates are minimized.
5) Value - I price check and ingredient check to come up with what I believe to be the best deal.
Back in the beginning of all supplements, every one was plant-based. Then science found a way to synthesize nutrients which saves a ton of money but at what health cost? Synthetics are a cheaper supplement to create because rather than harvesting live crops, the nutrients are synthesized in a lab. They will tell you that doing things this way keeps the consistency, such as if one bottle has 500mg of C, the next batch will too because its a formula based on a synthetic and not a live plant where one plant is going to vary slightly from another. While I do understand why synthetics are on the market, in my training at Hippocrates, all synthetic based supplements were shunned. The reason is that while we may know a particular thing, such as biotin is great, the issue is that when we take it as a synthetic, we are getting just biotin synthesized whereas when we take it in food form, from a plant, we are getting the full spectrum of nutrients in our supplement. All things work together to form a whole. This is how the body expects things to be because this is what happens naturally when we eat healthy food. A salad, for example, will have numerous components, which the body knows how to break down and utilize. As Hippocrates phrased it, "High doses are not required since biology's orchestration enables your cells to fully embrace the unified chorus of superior elements."
There are varied schools of thought but I believe that the body doesn't recognize, at a cellular level, a synthetic vitamin in the same way it would recognize it in food and therefore, will not absorb and utilize it the same way with the same effects.
Hippocrates has their own brand, LifeGive, which I use as well as reviewing and sourcing both through what I market as an Independent Consultant and online shopping.
Below is a link to Hippocrates if you are interested in going down the rabbit hole of knowledge. The link will provide you with a free syllabus.
Essante and Miessence links below offer great organic and wildcrafted supplements and skin care and home care.
I'm available for any questions. ♥
www.miessence.com/puretemple/en/category/1/skincare
www.EssanteOrganics.com/Puretemple
https://op.hippocratesinst.org/moreinfo/static/34
Detox Heavy Metals, Radiation & Other Toxic Substances; Spirulina, Moringa & Chlorella
Eating a healthy, predominately raw plant-based diet is the big step forward in anyone's health. Today I want to discuss a few of my favorite superfoods. All of us need supplementation and with 95% of the supplements on the market being toxic or a waste of money, I strive as a vegan lifestyle coach, organic skincare Independent Consultant and affiliate marketer, to basically do the research and shop all day, reading ingredients, where things are sourced, then who has the best 'deal' on both quality and price (value) and write about it here.
See below for my links to inquire or purchase. While this is my work, where I earn my living, my first and foremost goal here is to educate (and I am always learning myself) because nearly my entire family was wiped out by cancer with two more on their way out. Whenever I am running low on something, I shop, I look for the best value and I share that information in my blog to help you too. ♥
Here are my rules: 1) Plant-based - The supplement must be plant-based and contain no synthetic ingredients because I believe the body, at a cellular level, doesn't adequately absorb them or see them as food. What you want are the full spectrum nutrients you would get if you were eating optimally. Seeing NOS which is Naturally Occurring Standard certified, on the label lets you know the product is not synthetic.
2) Organic - (or Wildcrafted) The supplement must be organic so I look for certification there. The reason is that generally the quality of the supplement is going to be better, more nutritious and being organic lets me know it is non-GMO and that no pesticides were used.
3) Vegan - Both the product itself and whatever the softgel or capsule is made from should not be animal based.
4) Quality Control - How is the product sourced and how is it made, what is the process, or facility the supplement is made in because this matters to assure contaminates are minimized.
5) Value - I price check and ingredient check to come up with what I believe to be the best deal.
Spirulina or Klamath Lake Blue-Green Algae - Known to purge the body of heavy metals such as mercury, this plant is knowns as the best nutrition in the ocean, spirulina contains zinc, manganese, selenium, copper. We could live abundantly on just this plant and water. Spirulina has 58x more iron than spinach, enables the body to repair DNA and protein levels are 400x more than beef. Here we want the Klamath Lake spirulina as this algae is the purest form.
Moringa - Containing all 8 amino acids, one tablespoon is equal to 2 cups of greens. Protein, calcium, iron and fiber are all great things in this nutrient-dense plant powder. Great for post-workout inflammation and overall detox.
Chlorella - Chlorella is a sea plant or seaweed. It is a powerhouse of b12, biotin, vitamin a and is known for taking heavy metals and radiation out of the body. This supplement is what I reached out to Naoto Matsumura and recommended a few years ago. Naoto is the man who during Fukushima fled with the rest then later returned to his hometown of Tomioka where he remained to take care of all the pets left behind.
Links to shop & prices :
Spirulina or Klamath Lake Blue-Green Algae -I like Pure Synergy Organics as it is cold processed and stored in a glass bottle. You can do powder however, it tends to clump unless mixed well into a smoothie. I recommend the capsules, taken throughout the day and getting the powder in a blend for smoothies and salads.
Blends - Miessence Deep Green, which is a synergistic combination of Chlorella, Spirulina, Wheat and Barley grasses amongst others. I am an Independent Rep for this brand because the entire line is clean and certified organic. Their skincare is edible too!
https://www.one.organic/puretemple/en/category/1/skincare
Moringa - Moringa Source raw organic Moringa is a good value with 16oz for $15.99. Kuli Kuli Organic Pure Moringa Vegetable Powder is 10oz for $24.35 which is higher but I chose this one as the company states that they source the plants in a sustainable way, utilizing growers in a network of farms across the globe. I want the rainforests to be happy.
Chlorella - Anthony's organic Chlorella powder is the best price but does not say where the Chlorella is sourced. $13.00 nets you 8 oz. I believe the bareoganics Chlorella is the best value, however, because the company assures that the product is raw (not heated where it would lose enzymes and vitamins) and is grown in stainless steel tanks to protect the chlorella from toxic substances and also assure a better flavor. Blends - If you are looking for a great blend of superfoods, I highly recommend Miessence Deep Green, which is a synergistic combination of Chlorella, Spirulina, Wheat and Barley grasses amongst others. I am an Independent Rep for this brand because the entire line is clean and certified organic. Their skincare is edible too!
https://www.one.organic/puretemple/en/category/1/skincare
For those with allergies to Seaweeds or algae or wish to augment with other superfood combinations, another great blend of superfoods, I highly recommend is Essante Earth Greens which is a mix of Barley and Wheat, Kamut grasses, lemongrass, kale, amongst others and does not contain spirulina or chlorella. I take all of these things in a rotation and do both the powder and the capsules, which are easy to do traveling or on the go. Because all of their products are wildcrafted or organically grown, I am an Independent Consultant for Essante as well.
www.EssanteOrganics.com/Puretemple
I appreciate feedback and encourage you to report back on what you are using and how it has helped you.
See below for my links to inquire or purchase. While this is my work, where I earn my living, my first and foremost goal here is to educate (and I am always learning myself) because nearly my entire family was wiped out by cancer with two more on their way out. Whenever I am running low on something, I shop, I look for the best value and I share that information in my blog to help you too. ♥
Here are my rules: 1) Plant-based - The supplement must be plant-based and contain no synthetic ingredients because I believe the body, at a cellular level, doesn't adequately absorb them or see them as food. What you want are the full spectrum nutrients you would get if you were eating optimally. Seeing NOS which is Naturally Occurring Standard certified, on the label lets you know the product is not synthetic.
2) Organic - (or Wildcrafted) The supplement must be organic so I look for certification there. The reason is that generally the quality of the supplement is going to be better, more nutritious and being organic lets me know it is non-GMO and that no pesticides were used.
3) Vegan - Both the product itself and whatever the softgel or capsule is made from should not be animal based.
4) Quality Control - How is the product sourced and how is it made, what is the process, or facility the supplement is made in because this matters to assure contaminates are minimized.
5) Value - I price check and ingredient check to come up with what I believe to be the best deal.
Spirulina or Klamath Lake Blue-Green Algae - Known to purge the body of heavy metals such as mercury, this plant is knowns as the best nutrition in the ocean, spirulina contains zinc, manganese, selenium, copper. We could live abundantly on just this plant and water. Spirulina has 58x more iron than spinach, enables the body to repair DNA and protein levels are 400x more than beef. Here we want the Klamath Lake spirulina as this algae is the purest form.
Moringa - Containing all 8 amino acids, one tablespoon is equal to 2 cups of greens. Protein, calcium, iron and fiber are all great things in this nutrient-dense plant powder. Great for post-workout inflammation and overall detox.
Chlorella - Chlorella is a sea plant or seaweed. It is a powerhouse of b12, biotin, vitamin a and is known for taking heavy metals and radiation out of the body. This supplement is what I reached out to Naoto Matsumura and recommended a few years ago. Naoto is the man who during Fukushima fled with the rest then later returned to his hometown of Tomioka where he remained to take care of all the pets left behind.
Links to shop & prices :
Spirulina or Klamath Lake Blue-Green Algae -I like Pure Synergy Organics as it is cold processed and stored in a glass bottle. You can do powder however, it tends to clump unless mixed well into a smoothie. I recommend the capsules, taken throughout the day and getting the powder in a blend for smoothies and salads.
Blends - Miessence Deep Green, which is a synergistic combination of Chlorella, Spirulina, Wheat and Barley grasses amongst others. I am an Independent Rep for this brand because the entire line is clean and certified organic. Their skincare is edible too!
https://www.one.organic/puretemple/en/category/1/skincare
Moringa - Moringa Source raw organic Moringa is a good value with 16oz for $15.99. Kuli Kuli Organic Pure Moringa Vegetable Powder is 10oz for $24.35 which is higher but I chose this one as the company states that they source the plants in a sustainable way, utilizing growers in a network of farms across the globe. I want the rainforests to be happy.
Chlorella - Anthony's organic Chlorella powder is the best price but does not say where the Chlorella is sourced. $13.00 nets you 8 oz. I believe the bareoganics Chlorella is the best value, however, because the company assures that the product is raw (not heated where it would lose enzymes and vitamins) and is grown in stainless steel tanks to protect the chlorella from toxic substances and also assure a better flavor. Blends - If you are looking for a great blend of superfoods, I highly recommend Miessence Deep Green, which is a synergistic combination of Chlorella, Spirulina, Wheat and Barley grasses amongst others. I am an Independent Rep for this brand because the entire line is clean and certified organic. Their skincare is edible too!
https://www.one.organic/puretemple/en/category/1/skincare
For those with allergies to Seaweeds or algae or wish to augment with other superfood combinations, another great blend of superfoods, I highly recommend is Essante Earth Greens which is a mix of Barley and Wheat, Kamut grasses, lemongrass, kale, amongst others and does not contain spirulina or chlorella. I take all of these things in a rotation and do both the powder and the capsules, which are easy to do traveling or on the go. Because all of their products are wildcrafted or organically grown, I am an Independent Consultant for Essante as well.
www.EssanteOrganics.com/Puretemple
I appreciate feedback and encourage you to report back on what you are using and how it has helped you.
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Plan B How To Achieve When Life Throws Curveballs
A thing we each commonly share is that sooner or later, life will throw you a curveball you were not expecting. Whether it's the yacht or Jaguar needing maintenance, the inner tube requiring a patch and Pacer engine exploding, or job or relationship loss, stuff will happen that we are in some way not fully and on all levels prepared for.
A friend was sharing his disbelief in how so many of us have day jobs, working for the man rather than for oneself, building up our own business. I added my 2 cents which were promptly deleted on his post. But I understand exactly why the majority of us work for the man. I also totally get why many of us dream of being more in control by owning our own gig and I would love someone to join me and help me share the cool products I represent (see below).
For 26 years I worked at Sprint and made decent money the last decade of it. Then I was laid off and went to work for ATT as a contractor and making similar money in contracting that paid $45.00 an hour starting out. This was fantastic, I was working from home which is something I had been doing and wanted to continue doing, I was no longer salary and that meant far better control over my hours and scope of responsibility. Earning $1800.00 a week and NOT working a minute over 8 hours each day was golden for me. I actually did put in a few extra hours but that was my choice and I was free to make that up during the week by cutting out early when able to do so. I was not so overloaded as I was 95% of the time at Sprint, so I really had what everybody talks about when they spout on about a work and life balance. I had that FINALLY! I was learning something new and just loved my job. I loved my work at Sprint too, just not the long hours I typically put in and at no additional pay. After months of being new and acclimating, I finally fit into the pecking order. The team was cohesive except for one guy who was a rat and a troublemaker. This little dude was on me from day one so I suppose he is pleased as Hawaiian punch right now as they kept him on the project and I was one of the laid-off people.
While working, I continued writing this blog, writing product reviews and answering plant-based lifestyle questions, sharing knowledge from my Hippocrates Health Institute training and selling organic skin, body and home care products as an independent representative of 3 great companies.
I love helping people and sharing why they should go organic, doing facials or helping them with a green detox or supplement but 3 years in, I pay a lot more to keep this blog going and my Independent Rep status, than what I get paid. Frankly, I am at a loss as to how I can earn $1800 a week take home pay doing my own gig. So, yes, Randy my friend, I do understand your frustration as well as why folks have their day job, putting so much into that work that sometimes it squeezes out everything else. Because life happens. And as a business owner, an entrepreneur, I completely get how freaking hard this is to pull off. In part, this is because I don't just follow the money. No, I fully research and vet what I am suggesting folks buy. I read the ingredients and assure that there are no toxic substances in the label. I will only talk about and recommend what I have already vetted as safe. I price check to see what product between the 3 lines may be cheaper or better for you. Then I talk about it. I am not pushy and therefore I have few paying customers and give a lot of free advice out. This would be why I really miss my day job but also brings us back to why having a plan b and preferably a plan c as well, is critical in life.
You can be filled with all the knowledge and enthusiasm in the world and still be sitting staring at a dwindling bank account. You may take exquisite care of your vehicle but take it someplace and they put in a part you never needed and you cannot prove that they just took $1600.00 of your money that was utterly unnecessary. You can never go back to a place that screwed you and you can get another job if you get laid off but it is the in-between, the plan b, that will keep you afloat and calmer when the feces hits the fan.
Back up plans are not always ideal, which is why they are back up and not primary plans. First, you must exercise a level of control and realize that less can be more. You compete with yourself and your highest good, not the Jones's next door. My neighbor sort of hoards stuff. He gets most of it for free or really cheap. But his garage is packed to the gills with stuff he doesn't use or need. Learn to let it go. I just sold my car. I had 2 and one paid off. I kept the one paid off. We have more space now and no car payment. So whatever your current financial situation, a backup plan is respect and love for yourself. It is also respect and love for your family.
Steps to Creating a Backup Plan:
HELOCs - If you own a home where you have any equity at all, consider getting a HELOC, which is a Home Equity Line Of Credit that you never need to use but just have available in case of emergency. Unlike a mortgage, in most states, there are no fees for this type of loan other than the interest carried on any balance.
At various times, I have used my HELOC to pay off a primary mortgage, a vehicle, to remodel that home as well as to remodel another home.
When using a HELOC or any other kind of loan system, this is not going to be ideal. Of course, you can write off the interest on a HELOC at tax time but it is still money lost. Use with discretion, and don't be the one making the minimum interest-only payments or you will never get ahead or get the loan paid off. I make double payments, at least, every month. My goal is to get the loan totally paid off but also in doubling up on my payments each month, this creates more bandwidth in case I ever must tap into the loan again.
CREDIT - Don't carry credit card debt. Pay the balance in full each and every month which will save you money as well as help motivate you to dial it down if you are spending above your means. If you currently have credit card debt, pay the higher interest rate first and get that knocked out. Then go to the next highest rate card and so on. You also want to pay your smallest balance first, depending upon how long that will take you and what the interest rate is that they are charging you in order to create cash flow. Cash flow is king. It helps create plan Bs.
Look for 0% interest when you get into a bind and need to extend something out. We recently had a remodel that ended up being more and then more yet. I swung some of the fixtures onto a zero for 6 months loan rather than having to pay in full when the bill came in. At the time, I did not know I was getting laid off so I am very glad now that I planned ahead, just in case.
Savings - When working I loved to move my direct deposit into various accounts so some would be for immediate spending while others were dovetailed for savings. Having this done automatically helps because even the best of intentions can get derailed otherwise. Pretend it isn't there and shortly you will have a nice little nest egg.
Respect For What You Have - Keep your things in good condition so if you tire of them or need to sell things off, they are ready for the next buyer. From my homes to my cars, everything is in tip-top shape and maintained that way. This means far less drama when it is time to sell something off. Recently I sold the Jaguar. To get it ready for sale simply meant a hose and soap. It has recently been waxed and the interior leather treated so easy peasy. My 24-year-old car would need a wax. That's it. Both homes are market ready with the landscape on a regular maintenance schedule. We rent out the one place but if we were ever in need of selling, it's ready to go in a nice paying it forward way too (don't ever forget about Karma).
Keep Your Resume Updated - Don't ever assume you are safe. Getting laid off came suddenly and shockingly. We all tend to stack rank ourselves and I knew I was doing well and was not the troublemaker on the team so it came as a surprise when it happened to me. Networking and keeping up with connections and a fresh resume takes the edge off.
Learn New Skills - Look at emerging fields and at other ways you can apply the talents you currently have in a new way. I'm a project manager, great at the minutia of where all the widgets currently are and where they need to be while making it look easy in front of a customer. These are valuable skills I can apply to anything from a construction or remodel project to implementing an API. But I also adore animals and recently went through some heavy stuff with our resident Doberman and am currently studying CMT, Canine Massage Therapy to be an animal bodyworker. Like acupuncture, it is an emerging field for our fur kids and I will be one of the few in Dallas doing this a few weeks from now when I am certified.
Consider Blogging - You can become an Amazon Affiliate Marketer or write about your particular passion and gain a following. For interested parties, check out my Getting Started page. Just know that blogging takes time and patience to grow a business. There are so many great niche markets out there to explore.
The Products I directly sell: www.bioceutica.com/puretemple Great skin and body care that is plant & science based with no known toxins
www.EssanteOrganics.com/Puretemple Organic and Plant-Based Line Coconut water-based
http://www.miessence.com/puretemple/en/category/1/skincare Organic and Plant-Based Line that is Aloe Vera Based
Where I took my life changing training - https://op.hippocratesinst.org/moreinfo/static/34 For the free syllabus Online Life Transformation!
A friend was sharing his disbelief in how so many of us have day jobs, working for the man rather than for oneself, building up our own business. I added my 2 cents which were promptly deleted on his post. But I understand exactly why the majority of us work for the man. I also totally get why many of us dream of being more in control by owning our own gig and I would love someone to join me and help me share the cool products I represent (see below).
For 26 years I worked at Sprint and made decent money the last decade of it. Then I was laid off and went to work for ATT as a contractor and making similar money in contracting that paid $45.00 an hour starting out. This was fantastic, I was working from home which is something I had been doing and wanted to continue doing, I was no longer salary and that meant far better control over my hours and scope of responsibility. Earning $1800.00 a week and NOT working a minute over 8 hours each day was golden for me. I actually did put in a few extra hours but that was my choice and I was free to make that up during the week by cutting out early when able to do so. I was not so overloaded as I was 95% of the time at Sprint, so I really had what everybody talks about when they spout on about a work and life balance. I had that FINALLY! I was learning something new and just loved my job. I loved my work at Sprint too, just not the long hours I typically put in and at no additional pay. After months of being new and acclimating, I finally fit into the pecking order. The team was cohesive except for one guy who was a rat and a troublemaker. This little dude was on me from day one so I suppose he is pleased as Hawaiian punch right now as they kept him on the project and I was one of the laid-off people.
While working, I continued writing this blog, writing product reviews and answering plant-based lifestyle questions, sharing knowledge from my Hippocrates Health Institute training and selling organic skin, body and home care products as an independent representative of 3 great companies.
I love helping people and sharing why they should go organic, doing facials or helping them with a green detox or supplement but 3 years in, I pay a lot more to keep this blog going and my Independent Rep status, than what I get paid. Frankly, I am at a loss as to how I can earn $1800 a week take home pay doing my own gig. So, yes, Randy my friend, I do understand your frustration as well as why folks have their day job, putting so much into that work that sometimes it squeezes out everything else. Because life happens. And as a business owner, an entrepreneur, I completely get how freaking hard this is to pull off. In part, this is because I don't just follow the money. No, I fully research and vet what I am suggesting folks buy. I read the ingredients and assure that there are no toxic substances in the label. I will only talk about and recommend what I have already vetted as safe. I price check to see what product between the 3 lines may be cheaper or better for you. Then I talk about it. I am not pushy and therefore I have few paying customers and give a lot of free advice out. This would be why I really miss my day job but also brings us back to why having a plan b and preferably a plan c as well, is critical in life.
You can be filled with all the knowledge and enthusiasm in the world and still be sitting staring at a dwindling bank account. You may take exquisite care of your vehicle but take it someplace and they put in a part you never needed and you cannot prove that they just took $1600.00 of your money that was utterly unnecessary. You can never go back to a place that screwed you and you can get another job if you get laid off but it is the in-between, the plan b, that will keep you afloat and calmer when the feces hits the fan.
Back up plans are not always ideal, which is why they are back up and not primary plans. First, you must exercise a level of control and realize that less can be more. You compete with yourself and your highest good, not the Jones's next door. My neighbor sort of hoards stuff. He gets most of it for free or really cheap. But his garage is packed to the gills with stuff he doesn't use or need. Learn to let it go. I just sold my car. I had 2 and one paid off. I kept the one paid off. We have more space now and no car payment. So whatever your current financial situation, a backup plan is respect and love for yourself. It is also respect and love for your family.
Steps to Creating a Backup Plan:
HELOCs - If you own a home where you have any equity at all, consider getting a HELOC, which is a Home Equity Line Of Credit that you never need to use but just have available in case of emergency. Unlike a mortgage, in most states, there are no fees for this type of loan other than the interest carried on any balance.
At various times, I have used my HELOC to pay off a primary mortgage, a vehicle, to remodel that home as well as to remodel another home.
When using a HELOC or any other kind of loan system, this is not going to be ideal. Of course, you can write off the interest on a HELOC at tax time but it is still money lost. Use with discretion, and don't be the one making the minimum interest-only payments or you will never get ahead or get the loan paid off. I make double payments, at least, every month. My goal is to get the loan totally paid off but also in doubling up on my payments each month, this creates more bandwidth in case I ever must tap into the loan again.
CREDIT - Don't carry credit card debt. Pay the balance in full each and every month which will save you money as well as help motivate you to dial it down if you are spending above your means. If you currently have credit card debt, pay the higher interest rate first and get that knocked out. Then go to the next highest rate card and so on. You also want to pay your smallest balance first, depending upon how long that will take you and what the interest rate is that they are charging you in order to create cash flow. Cash flow is king. It helps create plan Bs.
Look for 0% interest when you get into a bind and need to extend something out. We recently had a remodel that ended up being more and then more yet. I swung some of the fixtures onto a zero for 6 months loan rather than having to pay in full when the bill came in. At the time, I did not know I was getting laid off so I am very glad now that I planned ahead, just in case.
Savings - When working I loved to move my direct deposit into various accounts so some would be for immediate spending while others were dovetailed for savings. Having this done automatically helps because even the best of intentions can get derailed otherwise. Pretend it isn't there and shortly you will have a nice little nest egg.
Respect For What You Have - Keep your things in good condition so if you tire of them or need to sell things off, they are ready for the next buyer. From my homes to my cars, everything is in tip-top shape and maintained that way. This means far less drama when it is time to sell something off. Recently I sold the Jaguar. To get it ready for sale simply meant a hose and soap. It has recently been waxed and the interior leather treated so easy peasy. My 24-year-old car would need a wax. That's it. Both homes are market ready with the landscape on a regular maintenance schedule. We rent out the one place but if we were ever in need of selling, it's ready to go in a nice paying it forward way too (don't ever forget about Karma).
Keep Your Resume Updated - Don't ever assume you are safe. Getting laid off came suddenly and shockingly. We all tend to stack rank ourselves and I knew I was doing well and was not the troublemaker on the team so it came as a surprise when it happened to me. Networking and keeping up with connections and a fresh resume takes the edge off.
Learn New Skills - Look at emerging fields and at other ways you can apply the talents you currently have in a new way. I'm a project manager, great at the minutia of where all the widgets currently are and where they need to be while making it look easy in front of a customer. These are valuable skills I can apply to anything from a construction or remodel project to implementing an API. But I also adore animals and recently went through some heavy stuff with our resident Doberman and am currently studying CMT, Canine Massage Therapy to be an animal bodyworker. Like acupuncture, it is an emerging field for our fur kids and I will be one of the few in Dallas doing this a few weeks from now when I am certified.
Consider Blogging - You can become an Amazon Affiliate Marketer or write about your particular passion and gain a following. For interested parties, check out my Getting Started page. Just know that blogging takes time and patience to grow a business. There are so many great niche markets out there to explore.
The Products I directly sell: www.bioceutica.com/puretemple Great skin and body care that is plant & science based with no known toxins
www.EssanteOrganics.com/Puretemple Organic and Plant-Based Line Coconut water-based
http://www.miessence.com/puretemple/en/category/1/skincare Organic and Plant-Based Line that is Aloe Vera Based
Where I took my life changing training - https://op.hippocratesinst.org/moreinfo/static/34 For the free syllabus Online Life Transformation!
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