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Pretty In PinkEducating Daughters on Early Detection

The Meaning of A Touchstone

Te r r y S imp s o n o nP o s i t i v e

Pub e r t y ? Nurturing Positive Self-Image

A Ripple of Good Humor

By Deanna Davis, PhD

Vitamin Angel’s Operation 20/20

Saving the world, ten dollars at a time

What Do I Have to Become to Get

What I Want?By Todd Smith, Little

Things Matter

Life Looks Pretty Good From Here

By Mel Majoros Empowerment Radio

The Law of Gratitude:

Be Thankful, Positive

ThoughtsWho’s the next Positive Ripple

Renegade?

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But What Do We Know? {8-9}

Creating Ripples {62}

Positive Presents {26-27}

Recipes {66-67}

Positive News in the News {70}

Crossword {41}

C o n t e n t sf e a t u r e s

O n t h e W e b

50 Top Inspirational Blogs and Websites {13-15}

Empower Radio {53}

Soul Space {21-23}

Hope, Healing & Inspiration to an Entire Community {38-39}

W e l l n e s s

I n s p i r e d A c t i o n

The Positive Ripple Effect {6}

New England Walkers for Knockers {18}

Commit to Give New England {56}

Time Well Spent {50}

P o s i t i v e G r o w t h

Turning Financial Crisis into Confidence {24-25}

Touchstone Jewelry {44-45}

A Year of Positive Action Activities {32-33}

Get More Done {68-69}

i n e v e r y i s s u e

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O n T h e C o v e r

Pretty in Pink {28} Q&A with Mary Ann Wasil Nilan of the Get In Foundation

Life Looks Pretty Good From Here {34}

Empowerment Radio’s Mel Majoros Cancer Warrior

Positive Thoughts on the Law of Gratitude {40} Be Thankful

The Meaning of a Touchstone {42} Look, Touch, Remember

Positive Puberty {48} Terry Simpson on

Nurturing Positive Self-Image

What Do I Have to Become to Get What I Want {58} Todd Smith, Little Things Matter

A Ripple of Good Humor {10} Author Deanna Davis, PhD

Saving the World $10 at A Time {62} Vitamin Angel’

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Many contributors have made this inagural issue of

A Positive Ripple Effect possible and we give them

our since thanks. Their stories of inspiration have

provided the meaningful content for our magazine.

We would like to extend a special thanks to

those partners in positivity who helped with the

final touches and provided their great insight and

encouragement.

Our special thanks goes out to Sandra Boissier, Deanna Davis, and Cheryl Heflin for their expert

input in reviewing and editing.

C o n t r i b u t o r s

Sandra Boissier

Deanna Davis

Nancy Gallant

Steve Gardner

Irene Johnson

Karina Lourerio

Cheryl Maloney

Mary Ann Wasil Nilan

Tiffany Walke Peterson

Lanette Pottle

Meaza Ridley

Terry Simpson

Brenda Smith

Todd Smith

This issue of A Positive Ripple Effect Magaine was edited by Cheryl Heflin, The Editing Empress

Visit her Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/

EditingEmpress

For information on becoming an advertiser or submitting an article, please contact the publishers at apre@comcast.net

S p e c i a l T h a n k s

6

In December of 2009 in a discussion with one of our mentors he suggested our jewelry website should offer something that would give visitors a reason to come back to our site often. After watching the movie Julie and Julia, Kim Wierman and I decided to commit to blog every day about gratitude. It was our belief that if we could be an example of gratitude then we could show others what they can accomplish. Over the course of the last 9 months the impact of a small group of individuals focused on positive energy has become

apparent. Over time we have realized that this has grown outside of our own company and had a Ripple Effect.

Terms like the Butterfly Effect and the Ripple Effect have been around

for years. The Butterfly E f f e c t , summarized,

is that a minor event can have a long term and much larger impact. It is a little harder to quantify. However, the Ripple Effect is summarized in comparison to something dropped in water that can

be followed outward incrementally, as seen in economics, sociology, and charitable situations. The Ripple Effect shows that an event can disseminate and be passed from community

to community. With the addition of social media, the community is no longer connected to a geographical region or territory; it b e c o m e s limitless.

The Positive

Ripple Effect

by Cheryl Nordyke, Co-Publisher, A Positive Ripple Effect

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Getting Social

In August of 2010, while posting and communicating on Facebook, I found myself referring community members to other communities that would provide them information, encouragement, and inspiration. While sharing this with Kim, an idea emerged to create a magazine that would allow various positive influencers to contribute material, information, and resources in one common publication. We could offer this magazine online at no cost to the reader and, hopefully, over time, have a Positive Ripple Effect. Our hope is that something within the pages of this magazine will inspire you to do something positive and you in turn can create your own ripple. Individuals will then be inspired by you and likewise create their own positive ripples. Over the course of a year, we are hoping to see the Positive Ripple Effect Magazine reach millions of individuals and inspire and encourage others to do the same.

Thank you for reading our publication. From everyone that was a part of making this possible, thank you. These are only our thoughts, but what do we know. In the end, it is up to you to decide.

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Kim WiermanCheryl likes to ask people the question, “What would you do if you won the lottery?” If earning money and making a living were no longer a necessary part of my life, I would respond with, “Have a publishing company.” I like the idea of bringing to print or screen good messages and useful information. The first time I ever responded to that question was long before the time when the business of providing information online was

Cheryl NordykeI have spent my life trying to learn from every situation I find myself in. I have learned we can teach ourselves so much by just observing our own lives and what has worked and what hasn’t. I observed how I reacted and how that improved or changed the situation. My life hasn’t been that difficult, according to me. Then again I tend to see life through grateful eyes. That is the one lesson I cherish the most from my grandmother. There is so much we have in each day to be grateful for, if we start with

gratitude anything is possible. So of course to me my life has been blessed. I have had some pretty unusually situations I faced before the age of 13. However, I had my grandmother as my inspiration. So I am an observer, and as one, I have a lot of thoughts to share. I realize I am no expert in other people’s lives so I have spent my life saying, “But what do I know?” and that has become my tag line. That is it the reason for this column. Both Kim, our co-publisher, and I have realized how much we have learned in our time on this big round ball we call Earth, so this column is where we will share our dose of optimism. In my entire life anytime my life has exceed mine or other’s expectations it has been in moments where my attitude was one of gratitude and hope. I was thankful for what I had, hopeful for what could be, and accountable to make my dreams happen. But, what do I know???

But What Do We Know?We share our thoughts on situations. Ultimately we each must make

our own choices

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If you have a question you would like to submit and get the publisher’s view point on, please email us at apre@comcast.net.

E v e r y w h e r e , everyday there are people who with one small action create a huge ripple. Their ripples in turn create more ripples. In Creating Ripples, we will highlight some of the people who we know are making a difference. If you know someone who is making this kind of difference, send us an email at apre@comcast.net and we will highlight them in an upcoming issue.

Who do you think should be the next Positive Ripple Renegade?

even something conceivable. My response 20 years ago was the same as it is today, only the opportunity is there to reach so many more people all at once.

I think that what makes a good magazine – or website or book or any other written piece – is to provide content and messages make people think, feel or experience something new. Maybe it’s a different approach on familiar subject or an added piece of insight that helps the reader make even the slightest changes in their lives resulting in a positive ripple.

We may never know the full reach of our magazine and our words, but one thing we do know is that each message from each of our contributors takes a positive approach to one of the many facets that make up a complete life. The positive is there ready to be discovered and acted upon. But what do I know?

☼ Person or organization who has started a positive ripple effect.

☼ Renegade has taken inspired action toward their cause.

☼ There needs to be at least 2,000 people in their community. Others with smaller communities can be submitted but to be feaured minimums must be met.

Qualifiers

☼ Renegade must be willing to be interviewed for an upcoming issue.

☼ Contact the publishers at apre@comcast.net

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by Deanna Davis, PhD

I look for humor in pretty much any situation, not just because it’s my job as an author or a speaker or an entertainer, but because I’m an admitted laugh-aholic. It doesn’t matter if it’s a celebration or challenge, event or absurdity, I’m a firm believer that we can either laugh until we cry or cry until we laugh; but, either way, we have a choice to experience both. For example:

● Police officer pulls over speeding car driven by wildly overwhelmed, chronically disorganized yoga-goer. Woman weeps uncontrollably while Zen music blares from car radio during entire traffic stop. Hilarity visits woman’s home, yoga class, and evening report at police station. Check.

● Woman suffers significant back injury that leads to long-term physical pain and both personal and professional

challenges. Finally capable of getting out of bed long enough to walk to the kitchen, she re-injures her back by slipping on a Little Golden Book buried under a massive pile of undone laundry on her bedroom floor. Grimaces lead to

giggles, which lead to guffaws. Check.

● Well-intentioned family member visits grandmother after her ER visit

for vertigo to ensure her safety. Said individual convinces gram to rest for a while and enjoys a brief catnap herself.

A Ripple of Good Humor

Choosing Humor

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She awakens to find her 88 year old vertigo-stricken grandmother perched atop a high ladder reaching into a deep cupboard for something completely unnecessary. After convincing her to descend the ladder, dutiful granddaughter leaves briefly to visit her own family. Upon her return, and on a cold, dark, evening, she inadvertently locks her grandmother out of her home, only to find her smiling through the back door window after searching the entire house for her in a panic. Family delegates other individuals to care for gram in the future. Laughter ensues. Good-natured ribbing follows. Check.

What I’ve found through all of these (and far too many other) circumstances is that lightheartedness soothes everything from a wounded ego to an injured body, and that laughter connects us to both one

another and to what holds meaning and purpose in our lives. Good humor has the power to distract and deflect, to help and to heal.

Recently, a book reviewer suggested that, while funny, my most recent book, Laugh, Cry, Eat Some Pie, “may be too cloying for some readers during these hard times.” I briefly considered feeing slighted or disappointed. But then I realized that I had no idea what the word “cloying” meant. So I looked it up. And then I shared the review with a fellow writer, who also had no idea what it meant and also had to look it up. (In case you, too, are wondering, it means “too sweet”).

But then she said, “when’s the last time you ate a pie that you truly loved and

said to yourself, ‘WOW! That’s the most sour, foul-tasting, pucker-worthy pie that’s ever graced my taste buds!’” I snickered as I pictured it, and the snickers transitioned into full-fledged laughter, even in the midst of disappointment. But I felt better almost immediately because the infusion of a moment of lightheartedness created a whole different way of viewing the situation.

I realized in that moment of absurdity that I’d much rather be accused of introducing more positivity and good humor into “these tough times” than

continued on page 71

Cloying? Huh?

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Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” ~ Mary Anne Radmacher

It’s life. Only funnier.Introducing Deanna Davis’s newest book

In this inspiring new guide, Davis blends all the best ingredients—wit, wisdom, insight, and inspiration—

to serve up practical strategies for transforming your life.

“Laugh, Cry, Eat Some Pie is a delightful book that delivers profound insights about

life, laughter, and the pursuit of happiness...Treat yourself to a generous serving of this

outstanding read today.” —Marci Shimoff, New York Times bestselling author

of Chicken Soup for the Soul

Laugh, Cry, Eat Some Pie is available through your local bookseller, all major online book

retailers, and at penguin.com

Laugh with Deanna Online!

Perigee Books A Member of Penguin Group (USA)

© D

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Treat yourself to a great collection of free resources, including videos from Deanna’s one-woman comedy show based on Laugh, Cry, Eat Some Pie. Stop by for a laugh today at: www.deannadavis.net

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Daily Inspired Thoughts365 days of uniterrupted blogging about gratitudehttp://inspiredthoughts.wavesofgratitude.com/

Positive ThoughtsPractice the power of positive thinkinghttp://positive-thoughts.typepad.com/

Waves of GratitudeThoughts and ideas to create an attitude of gratitudehttp://wavesofgratitude.blogspot.com/

Positively PresentLiving Happily Ever After Nowhttp://www.positivelypresent.com/

Our Abundant LifeLife is plentifulhttp://www.ourabundantlife.com

My Inspiration LoungeBe inspired. Get informed. Embrace life.www.myinspirationlounge.com

Little Things MatterImproving your life one thing at a timehttp://www.littlethingsmatter.com/

Hybrid Mom Life works herewww.hybridmom.com

Braveheart WomenFor women who choose to be inspired in actionwww.braveheartwomen.com

1000 Awesome ThingsDaily blog of things that are awesomewww.1000awesomethings.com

Inspiration, information, encouragement and a place to connect with others sharing your goals and in-terests are found in throughout the blogosphere. We’ve selected 50 websites or blogs that do all of this and more. We sent out a call for people to let us know about their inspirational blog. Some we discov-ered through our own incredible connections. These wonderful websites educate, inspire, and help us grow.

O u r F a v o r i t e 5 0Top Inspirational Websites & Blogs

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Divine CarolineLife in your wordswww.divinecaroline.com

Simple Steps Real ChangeAchieving your dreamswww.simplestepsrealchange.com/

Time Well SpentCollaborative, inspired and sustainable changehttp://twsblog.wordpress.com/

Life is A Fork in the RoadExploring the paths we choosewww.lifeisaforkintheroad.com

ThankfulforInspirational stories of gratitudehttp://blog.thankfulfor.com/

Welcome to a New WorldFrom a diagnosis of Polio Syndrome to the Boston Marathonhttp://www.newworldgreetings.blogspot.com

Laureen Hudson’s Excellent AdventureSailing the world with her family http://theexcellentadventure.com/elemental-mom/

Notes from an Unmarried LifeStrategy, planning and humor on the single lifehttp://firstpersonsingular.org/

The Beauty BeanHealth, wellness and positive body imagewww.thebeautybean.com

Michele Howe’s Burdens Do A Body Good Meeting life’s challenges with strength and Soulhttp://michelehowe.wordpress.com/

Diana’s NotebookEssayist Diana Raab’s observations and inspirations for writershttp://www.dianarab.com/blog

Unlimited Inner PowerSelfempowerment resources to help people live fulfilling liveshttp://UnlimitedInnerPower.com/blog

The Queen of My SelfMeaning, Moxie and Majesty for Midlife Women on Beliefnethttp://blog.beliefnet.com/thequeenofmyself

Positively SunnyA holistic approach to being positive, peaceful and productivehttp://www.positivelysunny.com

Healthy Joyful LivingReclaiming joy, creativity and family timewww.healthyjoyfullivingblog.com

My Life on a BikeShares her experiences as a cyclist http://www.mylifeonabike.com/

Kindness GirlExploring random acts of kindnesshttp://kindnessgirl.com/

The Heart of AwakeningBrining out the best of your heart and soulhttp://www.theheartawakening.com

Kindness CommunityStories of kindness from around the worldhttp://www.string-ring.com/blog

One Woman’s EyeLife and work after corporate Americahttp://onewomanseye.blogspot.com/

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Blueprint for a Neighborhood SchoolThe inspirational work of neighborhood revitalizationwww.howtowalktoschool.com

If Women Ran the WorldCelebrating all the wonderful thing wom-en dowww.ifwomenrantheworld.blogspot.com

Diabetes SistersNurture your health. Nourish your spirithttp://www.diabetessisters.org

The Go To MomA place for positive parentinghttp://www.thegotomom.com/blog

A Sweet LifeSearching for life’s beautyhttp://www.asweetlife.typepad.com

It’s All About WomenA place to revitalize your lifehttp://itsallaboutwomen.com/

The Nice LifeEvery decision you make changes the worldhttp://www.blog.thenicelife.com

Operation NiceEncouraging individuals to be proactively nicehttp://www.operationnice.com

The Mom Renewal ProjectA mom community committed to helping moms recharge in body, mind and spirithttp://www.momrenewal.com

The Power of PrayerLet’s make a difference together through prayerhttp://powerofprayer.tumblr.com/

Happy ThingsAlways a positive thoughthttp://happythings.tumblr.com/

That Inspires MeEmbrace some inspiration and evoke a greater appreciationhttp://thatinspiresme.tumblr.com/

Insight: Life in 360Inspiring, changing and motivating the worldhttp://subzerofangire.tumblr.com/

My Happiness ProjectUse your smile to change the worldhttp://henzellovestosmile.tumblr.com/

Quote BookA collection of pictures with words and quoteshttp://quote-book.tumblr.com/

Breathe For MeRenewing life on a daily basishttp://hersavingrace.tumblr.com/

A Place to Love DogsWho wouldn’t smile when they see a cute dog?http://aplacetolovedogs.com/

In A WordFinding the inspiration in wordshttp://inaword.tumblr.com/

Opening the Gates of the HeartInspiring people to open the gate to a new lifehttp://www.gatelady.com/

Heal Your LifeArticles, blogs, and affirmations from fa-vorite authorshttp://www.healyourlife.com

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Cheryl Maloney, Simple Steps… Real Change

Every moment we choose the life that we live. Each situation that we encounter, we get to choose how we react. With every thought, every word, and every attitude, we make a conscious choice to be happy or not.

How we live our lives is 100% within our control. When we choose happiness, we acknowledge responsibility for our lives. In misery, we choose to see ourselves as victims where someone else is in control.

It took me many years to realize that I had a choice. What I came to understand is that, in every situation that I encountered, there was a lesson that I needed to learn. As long as we are learning, we are growing. And in that education, we become the persons that we are destined to be.

It is true that bad things happen to good people. It is, however, not the event but how we deal with it that defines us. It’s a matter of perspective. When you look for the positive, the silver lining, in any situation, you find it.

In recent years, my career of almost 25

years ended when my company was acquired. Being 52 years young and unemployed was not something that I ever anticipated. There was no golden parachute, and for every position for

H a p p i n e s s

Happiness is a matter of how you choose to see each situation.

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which I applied, there were dozens, if not hundreds, of other applicants. I went from the big job to no job. There are plenty of reasons to be unhappy and, for a while, I obsessed about them. What I came to realize, though, is that I had a choice. In the end, I chose to see this life change as my opportunity to do the things that I enjoyed rather than work in a position where I wasn’t having fun. That doesn’t mean that the transition was easy--far from it. It was, however, a simple choice to focus on the positive.

focus on the positive.

Positive Views

Each week we publish new Simple Steps and inspirational video quotes on our website at: http://www.simplestepsrealchange.com/

It doesn’t matter in what stage of life you are. Use this moment and choose to be happy. When you do, you will never want to go back to your old ways again. And that feels great!

This golden age of technology has created access to nearly unlimited resources.

How do you choose to live your life? If you are

ready to focus on the positive aspects of life then download a free

copy of “Simple Steps… Real Change, the Book”

In the blink of an eye, we can read a book wirelessly delivered to our Kindle or connect with friends with whom we graduated from high school decades ago.

Government and business activities receive international attention because tools exist that televise events in real time. We can research a car before we buy it, visit cities around the world from the comfort of our own home, and conduct banking on our IPhones.

All of these technological advances however have created a culture of impersonality. People feel isolated and worse they believe that they are alone in

Continued on page 20

i s a C h o i c e

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their lives affected by breast cancer in one way or another. Our main goals continue to be: to raise money towards finding a cure for breast cancer, to raise awareness of the preventative

measures one can take to help detect breast cancer, and to get more people involved in thinking about and helping others in need.

Since 2006, New England Walkers

by Brenda Smith

NNew England Walkers for Knockers (NE-W4K) was created by team captain Brenda Smith. This NE-W4K Team started as a group of individuals from the ages of 8 to 65, both female and male, who simply

wanted to help someone they loved with her passion. In the midst of it all, many of those helpers have now become as passionate as Brenda has for the cause. Everyone on the team has someone in

New England Walkers for Knockers

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for Knockers has worked together as a team to raise over $80,000.00 towards finding a cure for breast cancer. These donations come from our family and friends, community members, businesses, and many fundraising events we hold throughout the year. When organizing these events, we have also gotten many people involved, which has allowed them to experience what it feels like to help others in need.

Our first fundraiser for 2010/2011-The First Annual Ride for the Cure and After Ride Bash was held on 10/9/10. This event was a motorcycle ride followed by a celebration party which included a DJ, 2 live bands, a fashion show, raffles, and much more.

For more information on how to join NE-W4K or support them, please email Brenda Smith at bsmith_new4k@yahoo.com or check out our website: www.ne-w4k.org

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their experiences. The time has come to bridge the gap that technology created.

At Simple Steps…Real Change, we’ve created a Facebook page that does just that. We exist to connect like-minded people together to share positivity, support, and love. We have created a safe harbor where we respect all beliefs. Through sharing, we realize that we are not alone in our experiences. We can inspire others having similar challenges as we did and be inspired by those who have been down a path before us. We do all of this in the comfort and safety of our own homes.

New friendships are born & grow in our community. We share experiences, offer support, and exchange gratitude and cyber hugs. We feel the love. And at the end of the day, we bridged a gap that enables others to cross.

continued from page 17

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S O U L S P A C E By Angel Energy, Sandra Boissier

This is the story as told by the Angels about authenticity. Within each of us resides a pristine navigation system called the Emotional Golden Compass. It is a simple way of learning about what feels good and what does not. The goal is to flow towards what feels good but away from what does not. Within that wide range of emotions is a plethora of information with which to discern and make friends.

This amazing navigation system connects to Higher Self. Higher Self connects to God or Source or LOVE. All divine inspiration and information flows in from God or Source to our Higher Self to our Emotional Golden Compass. Paying attention and acknowledging these emotions is the first step in connecting with Higher Self. Higher Self is the best possible human experience that exists within you.

Thankfully, every emotion that exists has a name. Each one of those names is a deep learning experience for your soul. Within your soul lives a language so powerful that it has an energy. Deep within that language begins the concept of origination or authenticity. The language of your soul may be translated in various ways, such as telepathically, visually, and empathically, or it can even be auditory. Since we are all unique, it is important to learn which one works best. Making it fun and an exploration of the self is the intention that we want to culminate from the start.

Listening to the language of your soul and paying attention to your emotional compass is a powerful practice. The two combined create a very solid impression of the authentic

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expression that is YOU. That YOU is ONLY you. There is no other YOU. YOU are all there is and YOU are unique unto yourself.

You came to this powerful planet because the unique quality of your authentic self needed a full spectrum expression.

The Power of Choice

How you choose to share that incredible beauty is entirely up to you! The power of choice offers you the opportunity to share that authentic expression as an artist, musician, lawyer, poet, teacher, nurse, mother, athlete and reflect it into the world. Conversely, if you chose not share that authentic soul energy, again that is entirely up to you. All that matters is that you live out that unique expression, outlet, or channel while you walk the face of this fine Earth.

The language of your soul is an energy

that feels different from your head, your heart or your body. If you are not sure what this means simply put your left hand on the place above your heart, then lay

your right hand over it. Just breathe into yourself. Connect with your soul. Close your eyes and lower your gaze into that deep soul space and put all your attention on it. Putting attention on anything makes it expand. Putting attention on your soul is glorious and it tickles too.

The pure essence of your soul space will allow you to live a life of truth and

fulfillment. Instead of walking around from your head-space or your heart-space, you are walking around from your soul–space, which is pure and unlimited. Your intentions and perspectives are very different from a soul-space reality. Your creations are original and authentic because you were able to translate a language meant only for you by you into something tangible. This is how and why we have artists such

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as Picasso, poets such as Rumi, musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, or writers such as Oscar Wilde. They reached deep into their soul-space for their t ranslat ions a n d outpoured t h e i r p r e c i o u s g i f t s onto this beau t i f u l Earth.

We are in our greatest incline in c o n s c i o u s n e s s at this time. These very simple applications from the Angelic realm have been the oasis in the desert of ever-evolving change. Checking-in with your soul space daily takes a total of 5 seconds. You can do it at a traffic light or as a daily morning ritual. It’s all up to you. The only thing that matters to the angels

The pure

essence of your soul space will allow you to live a life of truth and fulfillment.

is your intention. Your intention is so powerful that it resonates in heaven and beyond. They hear it loud and clear.

Choose a life well lived from the

p r o f o u n d recesses of your soul-s p a c e . T o u c h into the p o w e r and grace

of who you truly are.

Maintain a daily focus on

getting to know your Emotional

Golden Compass. Know that the Angels support you and love you infinitely.

Angel Energy reminds you that: The Power to Change Our Lives, Unfolds from Within.

www.angelenergy.org

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By Steve Gardner

When it comes to money, the past three years have been incredibly difficult for many people. Interest rates began to rise, housing prices began to fall and the stock market hit its all time high during 2007. It started out as a drizzle, grew into a steady rain and

built up to a violent storm that climaxed as a near collapse of the financial system in the fall of 2008. The Great Recession has earned its name because it is the worst economic downturn and worst financial system crisis since the Great Depression.

For some it has been an entire decade of the investment blues. It began on the heals

of the dot.com bubble initiated by the growing number of people who owned a computer with a high speed i n t e r n e t connect ion, and the beginning of a new century in the year

Turning Financial Crisis into Confidence

25

2000 (known back then as Y2K). The century began with a bust of the dot.com bubble and the descent of the stock market. It has been 10 years and the stock market (as measured by the Standard and Poor’s 500) has, by and large, ended the decade where it began.

So, where are you? The answer likely depends on your own personal circumstances, what you learned about money growing up and your age. You may be one of the 10% without a job or the additional 6% that are under-employed. Others are still working but may be concerned about keeping their job. Or, you may be self employed and after many years of your investments not growing as anticipated, you may be wondering if your will ever be able to retire.

These circumstances can lead to fear, anxiety and a sense of being out of control. This is a normal response to the stress created. Overcoming fear and anxiety and gaining a sense of control begins from within. While we often focus on what we can’t do or can not control, the key is to begin recognizing what we can do and what we can control. This is

where we begin to build confidence.

The very first thing you can control is how you think. I sure hope that you have those things and people in your life that are important to you and provide satisfaction. Things and people that give

you pause to give thanks. They make you feel grateful that they are part of

your life. It may be your contributions to your profession, volunteer organization, friends or family.

What is it that keeps you going? Sit down with a pen and paper. Write down the things that make you frown and the things that make you smile. Next to those things that make you frown, write down what is missing, that is, what you wanted to happen. It will often lead you to those things that are important (i.e. having money to enjoy spending time

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with the grandchildren). Once you know what is important to you it is time to begin focusing on how to improve your financial life.

The process is the same. It starts with writing down where you spend your money. Get as specific as possible including that morning latte you buy at the local coffee shop. Many of the people I work with get more from this exercise than they expected. It helps them take stock of where they spend money. It is also a tool. They can match up what is important to them with how they are spending their money. They can then make changes to

the way they spend and save their money to be in better alignment with those things that are most precious to them.

In working with my clients, I have found that it sometimes takes a crisis to help people refocus on what is important. They learn that suffering can be the pathway to inner peace. You see, in order to dig themselves out of suffering they must begin moving forward. They accomplish this by becoming grateful for those things and those people that make their lives meaningful. As we begin to take this to heart our confidence grows not only in ourselves but also in the world around us.

Gifts We Love to Get & GiveAspire by Kevin Hall From the Foreword by Stephen R. Covey

This masterfully written book will help you understand that words contain an inherent power, a force capable of lighting one’s paths and hoped-for horizons. Used correctly, words are the first building blocks for success and inner peace. Used incorrectly, they are capable of undermining even the best of intentions. Aspire will help you understand what words mean in their purest sense and unlock their importance as you develop a new leadership vocabulary.

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Tees for Change

The organic sustainable tees from Tees for Change are some of the softest bamboo fabric we’ve seen. The graphics are not your typical words on cloth and the quality and fit is like that found in a high-end boutique. The artwork looks as good as new after several washings and the fit stays true to size.

On Gratitude

Seeing what there is to be grateful for is sometimes easier through the eyes of someone else. While reading the answers to the question by Todd Aaron Jensen, “What are you most grateful for?” each celebrity reminded me of what I also felt about gratitude for where I am and what I am doing. More than 40 celebrities share their take on gratitude in this compilation of moving and inspirational stories. ~KW

Personally endorsed by the publishers of A Positive Ripple Effect

Po

siti

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Pre

sen

ts

Do you have a product you love and would like us to review? Send your request to apre@comcast.net. We will give reviews on positive products with priority given to those items that are part of a positive ripple effect.

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T o look at Mary Ann Wasil Nilan you would only see a beautiful, strong woman

driven by a passion to educate girls around the world on how to begin a life-long habit of breast self-exam, the practice that saved her own life. She would modestly tell you that her story of surviving breast cancer is like so many others and she that she attributes her ability to overcome to a deep faith in God and the support of family and friends. All true but there is so much more to the story. Here it is in her own words. You can read more on her website at http://getintouchfoundation.org/inwords.php. Mary Ann spoke at the Women’s Conference, the Nation’s

Premier Forum for Women, October 24-26, 2010, Long

Beach, CA.

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Q. You are a breast cancer survivor with an incredible story of determination, faith and strength. What is it about going through this experience most made you want to start the Get In Touch Foundation?

A. The Get In Touch Foundation grew from my desire to understand what my own breast cancer diagnosis meant to my daughters, who were turning 12 and 13 at the time. My diagnosis meant that they now had a “family history of breast cancer,” so I felt it was important that my daughters begin a relationship with their own bodies. I taught them how to do a breast self-exam, encouraging them to become comfortable with their changing bodies and know what their normal, healthy breast tissue feels like. And then I realized that I wanted all girls to be empowered with this education, not just the girls that call me Mom. So I started the non-profit Get In Touch Foundation and began developing our cornerstone mission, The Get In Touch Girls’ Program & Daisy Wheel breast health initiative.

Q. What is the Daisy Wheel and how is it creating a positive impact for young girls?

A. The Daisy Wheel is an interactive tool specifically designed for girls in grades

5 through 12, guiding girls through 8 steps or “petals” of a breast self exam using language appropriate and interesting to their age group. The goal of the program is to encourage girls to regularly view “Getting In Touch” with their breasts as a normal part of their life. We launched our Get In Touch Girls’ Program & Daisy Wheel breast health initiative on September 1, 2009 and to this date (September 23, 2010) our program is being implemented in 36 states, Washington, DC and 13 countries! The program is free to schools that request it and our goal of “changing the world one girl at a time” is well on its way to becoming reality!

Q. It seems as if you’ve formed some great alliances and partners in your quest. How is this helping you reach out even further?

A. We developed the program with school nurses in mind. They are on the front lines of health care for the children in our nation, in the world, for that matter. We involved them from the beginning, inviting them to participate in focus groups that took information we obtained from similar focus groups we did with girls ages 8

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to 18. The Daisy Wheel is the result of what school nurses felt was appropriate conversation to have with girls about breast health. We are thrilled to have the support of the National Association of School Nurses, as well as the Overseas School Health Nurses Association; NASN Vice-President Tia Campbell is even a member of our Consulting Board. School nurses are our heroes; they make our mission a movement!

Q. Tell us about the Get Your Pink On campaign. What has been the response from the people who have participated? What is the greatest impact you think the campaign has made?

A. National “GIT Your Pink On!” Day is the third Friday in October (National Breast HEALTH Awareness Month) and

this year is October 15th. We encourage schools and businesses to wear pink that day and donate one dollar to Get In Touch. How can one dollar make a difference? Well, “one dollar is one Daisy Wheel. One Daisy Wheel is one girl, one girl is the whole world.” That is one powerful dollar!

Q. What is your vision for GIT? How do you see it spreading and continuing even beyond the reach you can physically do yourself?

A. We have always seen ourselves as a non-profit organization providing an educational breast health initiative with global impact. The vision was always large.

We could never stop at just one girl…we want all girls, everywhere, to be smart about their bodies and the choices they make today about “getting in touch” for life. We see Daisy Wheels in as many languages as there are girls…we are well on our way!

Q. You have two beautiful daughters. How has the work you’ve been doing impacted them and the rest of your family?

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A. My daughters,and my son, are compassionate, thoughtful, smart young people. They are full of the grace that only a child confronted with the potential loss of their mother can have. I never had that, so I am in awe of them and how they managed to care for me as well as each other during our “wellness challenge.” We are a family that speaks the language of “hope!”

Q. You must have some great stories of dedication toward ending breast cancer that has come about in your travels. Can you share one with us on how someone was inspired to take their own positive action?

A. My surgical oncologist, Dr. Barbara Ward, told me early in my diagnosis that I reminded her of her own mother, who, at the time, was a 38-year breast cancer survivor. Her mom had found a lump on her breast, had the necessary treatment, and went on to live a full and joyous life. Dr. Ward told me this over six years ago. Today her mother is a 44-year survivor. I can’t help but think about

this woman finding the lump on her breast in 1966, when I was just two years old. She saved my life the day she found that lump on her breast. Her breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment profoundly affected her daughter Barbara’s decision to pursue surgical oncology and spend her life saving other women’s lives; my life. You know the story, “a butterfly flaps its wings and sets off a tsunami.” The “positive ripple effect” is alive and well and her name is Mary Ann Wasil Nilan. Hope Lives!

By: Mary Ann Wasil Nilan,Mother of Three Teens, Breast Cancer Kickin’ Survivor & Health Activist,Executive Director & Founder, The Get In Touch Foundation www.GetInTouchFoundation.org

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Challenges come so we can grow and be prepared for

things we are not equipped to handle now. When we

face our challenges with faith, prepared to learn, willing

to make changes, and if necessary, to let go, we are

demanding our power be turned on.

~ Iyanla Vanzan

A Year of Positive Action Activities

Try putting some of these ideas into action & experience first-hand how small things

can make a big difference!

• Send a thank-you card or letter to someone

who has had a positive influence on you.

Let them know how much their words

and actions have meant in your life!

Positivity Nation™

www.facebook.com/positivitynation

Vision:Positivity Nation™ is creating a world-wide epidemic of positivity.

Mission:Positivity Nation™ is a global community changing the world

through positive thoughts,

words, and actions.Features:

Daily uplifting quotes &A Year of Positive Actionactivities …small, simple

actions that can make a BIG difference.

Founded: April 18, 2010

Founder & Chief Inspirational

Officer: Lanette Pottle

See Us on Facebook

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• Deliver a random act of kindness. Do something nice for a stranger or

someone that you do not know very well. Remember, small things can make a

big difference! Take note of the reaction you get and how it makes you feel.

• Develop an attitude of gratitude; start a gratitude journal. Every day take

time to record three things for which you are thankful. (There is power

in actually writing these things down on paper!) STRETCH to include the

not so obvious things, the little things, the less than pleasant things that

helped you learn a lesson; and if you experience sorrow, finding a way to

be thankful, even if it is only for those who are there to support you.

• Make time to encourage a child. You may never know what an important

impact you make. Investing time in a child is investing in the future!

• Practice self-care. Talk a walk on the beach. Get a massage. Read a book

• Forgive someone. Make the doctor appointment you’ve been putting off.

Go to the gym. Do the things that you never make time for but feed your

spirit. Clean up some “incompletes” in your life. Renew. Rejuvenate. Relax.

go to the gym...do the things that you never make time for but feed your

spirit...clean up some “incompletes” in your life. Renew. Rejuvenate. Relax.

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By Mel Majoros

I have always been pretty lucky. I was able to attend the college I wanted and have the career I wanted. I spent 10 years working behind the scenes on some very popular television shows in post-production. When I made the move from California to Michigan in 2004, I found the only entertainment job in a town of about 8,000 people, working at the local radio station. That’s p r e t t y lucky. Life was pretty good at the time; I was w o r k i n g , h a d wonder fu l f r i e n d s , and a great man to take care of

me. Three years later, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. That was obviously a shock, as I was in great physical shape, and who ever expects to get cancer? Certainly not me! I went through a lumpectomy, 16 rounds of chemo, targeted gene therapy for a year, and 16 rounds of radiation. Through all that, I battled fatigue, mood swings, baldness, depression, weight loss, anger, and

sadness.

I still feel lucky. Now before you think this lady has gone off of the deep end, let me tell you why: Positivity. I would always walk into the chemo treatment room with a smile on my face, even when I knew the harsh chemicals would turn my skin scaly and make it difficult to eat. When the radiation would zap all of my energy and I would be so tired, barely being able to make it to bed, then having

i n s o m n i a for nights on end, I r e m a i n e d positive.

I would go into work with a smile on my face every day; some of my coworkers

Life Looks Pretty Good From Here

35

would say “I don’t know how you can be so happy. I couldn’t keep a smile on my face if I was going through what you went through.” I was grateful they didn’t go through what I went through.

About three months after my surgery, I started blogging. I didn’t think anyone would read it. For me, it was simply cathartic, to get out everything I was feeling. At the time, I wasn’t aware of Facebook or Twitter, so I started writing. In March of 2009, I got an email saying

that my blog was one of the top 30 inspirational blogs by mritechnicianschools.org. I couldn’t believe it. People were reading what I wrote and finding it inspirational. It was such a great feeling to know I was helping people.

I kept writing. Now I can’t tell you when I found Facebook or Twitter, but I liked the immediacy of it. Suddenly I could instantly connect to survivors who were like me,

36

you had asked me back when I was in college if I would be advocating, speaking out about patient empowerment, survivorship, and other issues that relate to survivors, along with having my own radio show, I would say you were crazy. I always wanted to be a behind–the-scenes person. Truth be told I am kind of shy, except when I am passionate about something. Because of this dreaded disease, I have found my voice.

One thing people usually ask is if I would change getting cancer. I would have to say no. I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I wouldn’t be able to speak out for those who can’t, I wouldn’t have met some of the amazing people I have met, and I wouldn’t have been able to help the people I have helped, whether I realize I helped or not. That’s why I remain positive. That’s why I am lucky.

Mel Majoros hosts “The Cancer Warrior” on Empower Radio. You can also find her blog at www.thecancerwarrior.blogspot.com.

who were going through what I was going through. Even though I kept a positive mental attitude throughout my treatment, I felt alone. Suddenly I wasn’t. Through social media, I was able to find organizations and people who could help and whom I could help.

While I was working at the radio station, I also started producing shows for an internet station Empoweradio.com in April of 2009. About 5 months later, I was asked if I wanted to host a show about cancer survivors that focuses on the positive aspect of cancer and survivorship. Although I was nervous, I immediately said yes. I knew that the survivors and organizations that I would spotlight on my show, The Cancer Warrior, would have a positive impact on me, and I hope that I would have a positive impact on them.

I always find it funny when I think about what I do now. If

37

Challenges come so we can grow and be prepared for things we are not equipped

to handle now. When we face our

challenges with faith, prepared to learn, willing

to make changes, and if necessary, to let

go, we are demanding our power be turned on.~ Iyanla Vanzant

Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything

requires faith and beliefin yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication.

Remember all things are possible for those who believe.

~ Gail Devers

Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive,

and then go do it. Because what the world needs is

people who have come alive.

~ Harold Thurman Whitman

It takes but one positive thought,

when given a chance to survive and thrive,

to overpower an entire army of negative thoughts.

~ Robert Shuller

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can

see.~Mark Twain

Quotes & InspirationContributed by Positivity Nation

38

Light One Little Candle

The Light One Little Candle Foundation was created by Dr. Joelle Pauporte, a young mother and psychiatrist dying of breast cancer. During the course of her illness, she discovered that no matter how sick, exhausted or overwhelmed she felt, she and her daughter could find comfort sitting together and reading. In partnership with hospitals and cancer care centers, Light One

Little Candle provides new children’s books to those patients undergoing treatment. Additionally, the books come with special bookplates for patients to write notes and memories that their children will treasure.

Including the new Dempsey Center program, there are

Hope, Healing and Inspiration to an Entire Community

The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing

If you were to ask someone today if they knew anyone who had been diagnosed with cancer, most would respond with a yes. Cancer has affected virtually every community

and most families by very few degrees of separation.

When Patrick Dempsey’s mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, the reality of how cancer affects people hit very close to home. He learned quickly that no one should have to go through cancer without access to good care, relevant information and strong support system. Partnering with Maine Medical Center, he created the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing.

39

The Quilt Project

Going through a challenging life experience such as cancer can be likened in several ways to creating a patchwork quilt.

The process of selecting your treatment

ten Light One Little Candle Programs distributing 20 to 50 books a month per facility. The program is currently available at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, CT, MidState Medical Center in Meriden, CT, Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, CT, Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London, CT, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and CancerCare in NY, the Dana-Farber/Brigham & Women’s Cancer Center and M a s s a c h u s e t t s General Hospital in Boston, MA, and the Moores UCSD Cancer Center in La Jolla, CA.

For more information or to make a donation, please visit our website at www.l ightoneli t t lecandle.org or contact Lee Rosenberg, Executive Director and President: lee@lightonelittlecandle.org | (516) 767-8787.

and personal support teams and making choices about any behavioral changes (such as diet, exercise, learning new coping skills, etc.) is akin to choosing fabrics and patterns.

Much like the response to a cancer diagnosis, quilting involves putting pieces together to get the best result. Finally, there is always an element of mystery: no matter how much planning goes into the

process, we can’t know exactly how the quilt - or how our lives - will turn out. Recognizing these similarities, we have chosen quilts as a symbol for The Dempsey Center.Beaut i fu l patchwork quilts

decorate the Center’s walls. “Comfort quilts” created by caring community members are given to patients receiving treatment. Volunteer quilters are constructing an “Honor Quilt” and a “Memory Quilt”. These quilts -- consisting of 6- by 6-inch squares embroidered with different designs, fabrics, and embellishments -- honor both those who are living with cancer as well as those who died from it.

Hand-made by Mary Dempsey

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This is the most important of the universal laws, in my opinion. Acknowledging it allows the

other laws to fall into place and prepares us for an incredible journey through life that we control. When we are able to be thankful for what we have--truly thankful, not just words we recite but a feeling of thanks from within--our world outlook changes. Consider the word “being”. It is a verb, an action word. When we are in the action of being, it is something we are and all the characteristics associated with what we are “being” apply.

Imagine the following statements and see what images come to mind when you picture a person in this role: being supportive, being loving, being romantic. As you picture someone in these roles, you are able to describe actions and feelings associated with

each. Now imagine the actions and feelings associated with Being Grateful. What comes to mind? I imagined peace, happiness. The words you imagine may differ, but the messages they send will be the same.

When you are “being” grateful, you are feeling all these words from the inside out. The essence of these words will be reflected in everything you do and with everyone with whom you come into contact. Life

changes. The more you apply this law in your life the more you will help others through it. By uplifting others, you raise their energy, which in turns raises yours. Imagine how often in the course of a day you have the opportunity to do this! With your changing energy, you will begin to notice more opportunities coming to you.

From Positive Thoughts, http://positive-thoughts.typepad.com/positive-thoughts/2010/05/index.html

The Law of Gratitude : Be Thankful, P o s i t i v e

Thoughts

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C r o s s w o r dP o s i t i v e P u z z l e

1

2

3 4

5 6

7

8

9

10 11 12

13

14 15

16

17 18 19

20

21

EclipseCrossword.comAcross

3. The release of past requires

5. Author of Chicken Soup

6. Heard at the end of Yoga - the divine within

8. Within every situation is

12. To achieve

13. The lion within us is

14. We get by with a little

17. Make your dreams come

18. Something an artist has

21. Its all in how you see it

Down

1. A basic need

2. Troops and peace for children

4. We must first have

7. Something to remind you what you want to think

9. The best medicine

10. Laugh, Cry Eat Some Pie

11. Measure your own

15. Everyones is unique to them

16. Something we all have equally

19. The result of a kind action

20. The opposite of Nope

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would carry in his pocket, literally a touch-stone. When he would touch it, he remembered his goals and dreams, and was able to keep his positive intentions focused on them. Cheryl gave it a try. She found a rock, but more often than not, it was lost at the bottom of her purse and not much of a reminder. (We girls

don’t wear something with pockets every day.) The idea came to wear a bracelet or something that could always be with her. She could reach out and touch it whenever she needed a reminder of what she wanted in her life and the power to stay

focused on her intentions. Nothing on the market spoke to her sense of both style and message.

That was the beginning of Waves of Gratitude and the reason our TouchStones are so effective. We created them specifically to be touchstones. We infused their purpose into them from concept through final production.

Created with Intention

Why are touchstones so effective? We

By Kim Wierman, Co-Owner, Waves of Gratiude

What do a rock, a tattered photo, a saying on your coffee mug, and a rubber bracelet all have in common? We use them to remind us of something. When we look at the items in our lives to which we have given special meaning, we turn them into TouchStones. The benefits of TouchStones are extensive and personal. Finding the right TouchStone, looking at and touching it often, creates a personal benefit. Whether it says I can “Live Strong” or just reminds us of our goals, it is our own TouchStone.

At Waves of Gratitude, we discovered firsthand the power of a touchstone. Cheryl had been a successful business development director with an impressive track record. When her position was eliminated, she thought about what she had read by Lee Brower, a contributor to the book by Rhonda Byrne, The Secret. He wrote about having a rock that he

L o o k , T o u c h , R e m e m b e r

The Meaning of a Touchstone

43

have an average of 60,000 thoughts a day. I know I would be hard-pressed to name even a thousand of those as conscious, decisive thoughts. That means that tens of thousands of thoughts are passing through our heads, which can distract us from the most important of those thoughts – the ones that can lead us to our intended actions and outcome for our lives.

Thoughts are fluid. They are constantly moving, like an ocean. Our thoughts can aimlessly float along in an habitual pattern if we do not learn to focus them. Not only was the perfection of the cycle of nature the inspiration for the specific TouchStones created by Waves of Gratitude, but these TouchStones are symbolic of the positive energy we were feeling, an energy which is constantly moving and flowing.

A Defining Moment

In the beginning, we referred to our TouchStones as Inspiration Jewelry. This segment of the jewelry industry was only a few years old and it seemed the best fit. But it wasn’t exactly the right fit. While TouchStone jewelry can have a religious intention, it was more than that. It wasn’t until we met author Deanna Davis, PhD, that we had a definition for this

contined on page 46

The bridge from our thoughts

to reality. Wear your

Touchstone!

44

TouchStone Jewelry

by Meaza Ridley 

Waves of Gratitude is proud to present to you, TouchStone Jewelry.  So what is a TouchStone?  There are several definitions; however, the

one that applies here is “a functional or quintessential part or feature.”  And how does that apply to Waves of Gratitude’s TouchStone Jewelry you ask?  It’s pretty simple.   When Waves of Gratitude went in search of a designer, they wanted some-one special who would create pieces that were “special.”  They found that magic in Jessica Fields.  Founders, Cheryl and Kim asked Jessica to de-sign  touchstone pieces resembling ocean waves at different stages,  with each piece  receiving a purpose  of design.  Each design was then cast in silver with intent.  If you are energetically inclined, you know that creation with intent results in an energetic charge.  This charge is then transferred to each piece, which transfers to the lucky recipient when he or she wears it. I hear the skeptics grumbling and questioning the validity of what I just wrote, and I am here to tell you that I am a “skeptical until proven otherwise” kind of person.  The beauty of my lesson is I wasn’t even expecting my piece to be energetically charged.  I was planning to use it as a physical reminder of my goals and achievements.   Imagine my surprise when after wearing my Accomplishment piece for only a couple hours, I could literally feel the difference in my brain activ-ity.  Before I move on, let me tell you that my mind is always active, always contemplating, wondering, brainstorming; it’s always doing something.  I meditate every night to sleep and all night via guided meditations on my laptop.  I never even realized my brain could be more active than it already was.  I had no idea that my life was about to change, in a positive way, by placing that Accomplishment Wave on my neck.  All I can tell you is I had to feel it to believe it and now that I have, I can’t tell people fast enough about it.   If you are a statistical person, the numbers tell a story all their own.  Waves of Gratitude has been around since 2007 and in three years, they have never had a single return.  Let me repeat that: In three years it has never had a single, not one, returned item.  That is an impressive statistic.

45

 I encourage you to visit the website at http://www.wavesofgratitude.com and order the Wave or Tree of your choice.  Your satisfaction  is guaranteed.  Take a look, place an order; you have nothing to lose and so very much to gain.  If you read my blogs, you know I’m a straight-up, tell-it-like-it-is person and I don’t write what I don’t believe.  This prod-uct gives you so much more than your money’s worth.   

• Bring the calmness of nature’s strength with the Curly Wave.

• Be reminded to listen to your inner music and live life with pas-sion with the Dancing Wave.  

• Focus on all you have to be grateful for with the Gratitude Wave. 

• Celebrate the value of your family with the Family Wave. 

• Recognize the core of your well-being is health of body, mind, and soul with the Health Wave. 

• Find your serene state of mind with the Serenity Wave. 

• Acknowledge your accomplishments while appreciating those who helped along the way with the Accomplishment Wave. 

• Wear the Strength Wave to respect strength of mind, body, and soul. 

• Show your commitment to Mother Nature and being “green” by donning the Nature Wave. 

• Unite your body with consciousness and consciousness with your soul with the Yoga Wave. 

• Or you can honor the life cycle of an ocean wave by wearing the Signature Wave, which combines Accomplishment, Gratitude, and Health, to create a breath-taking, eye-catching piece that is as unforgettable as it is inspiring. 

And if you’re not into waves, Waves of Gratitude offers the Tree of Hope in various sizes. A bargain with almost every piece priced at under $100, Waves of Grati-tude TouchStone Jewelry brings value to your life without breaking the budget.  Add your favorite Wave or Tree to your collection and start feelig the energy.  TouchStone Jewelry works great in conjunction with self-improvement programs, life coaching, specialized retreats, medita-tion, and so much more.  Or you can simply wear it and let it work on you.  This author and former skeptic give Waves of Gratitude Touch-Stone Jewelry Two Thumbs UP!

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important sector of the jewelry industry. I don’t believe in coincidences, but it was serendipity perhaps that led Deanna to rrespond to a Facebook ad for the first time ever. She saw the Gratitude Wave necklace in our ad and wanted to give it to her return conference attendees. When she had the jewelry in her hands, she described it as, “touchstones to center our lives on positive intentions for creating states like health, strength, and serenity in our day-to-day lives.”

TouchStone Jewelry as a new market was born! What we had felt, what was part of the design from the first drawing and created with intention every step of the way, now has a name for it.

Real People, Real Life Advocates

So, today when I read in Kevin Hall’s book Aspire about how Richard Paul Evans had bracelets he and his friends wore to focus on making the best seller list, or I see Helen Mirrin wearing a diamond encrusted safety pin on a morning talk

show to remind her of a successful movie shoot, we have a name for what they are

wearing--a touchstone.

Marvin Towler, Spiritual Entrepreneur, refers to his touchstone as the bridge between what we think and live to where we want to be. Both he and Tiffany Walke Peterson talk about the energy they feel from their touchstones as they wear them. The feelings and power of a touchstone have existed probably since the beginning of time, but it was just in the last 90 days that we defined for the world what we knew for a long time: touchstones will enhance our lives.

Our story is just one more example of a Positive Ripple Effect. We read the Secret, which talked about a rock, which led to finding our own symbol to stay positive, which lead us to Jessica Fields to create our jewelry, which led to defining a category of jewelry known as TouchStone jewelry, which made Waves of Gratitude what it is today.

Our goal is to reach 2 million people who can achieve their goals and stay focused on their intention by wearing a touchstone. By doing this, we create an even bigger splash and another ripple outward. Waves of Gratitude, from the very first draft of our business plan, has included contributing 10 percent of our net profits to positive organizations that are creating their own Positive Ripple Effect.

continued from page 43

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“The reason birds can fly and we can’t is simply that they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings” ~ James Matthew Barrie

“Hold my hand, I’ll keep you safe. I’ll protect you the best I can. Then time sweeps in and grabs on tight and before the day turns to night. Your hand I may no longer hold, but you hold my heart in the palm of your hand. So journey where life is meant to take you, and know I am always here when it is home you need to return to.” ~ Cheryl Nordyke

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P o s i t i v e Pub e r t y ? By Terry Simpson

O ur bodies are shifting and changing all the time. Given the rigors of our society and the demands

placed on us, our physical being is forced to keep up. The significance of life’s demands has been greatly intensified on young people. In fact, behavioral and environmental factors have become so stressful that research is showing a shift in children’s biology as a result. In particular, young females are enduring puberty, both

physical characteristics and menarche (menstruation) at an ever-decreasing age. Causation for precocious

puberty is difficult to pinpoint but there are growing bodies of research linking obesity as, at least, a contributing factor.

Overcoming Struggles

As a fitness trainer and group exercise instructor, I’ve witnessed the struggle

for young girls due to obesity across many segments of our population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 1963-1965 through 2007-2008, there has

been a significant disparity in racial and ethnicity obesity rates with non-Hispanic white girls increasing from

49

I encourage my young female

clients to let go of the image of life and get into how it feels to be in their bodies.

coninued on page 52

8.9% to 14.5%, Mexican-American girls from 13.4% to 17.4%, and non-Hispanic African-American girls from 16.3% to 29.2% during this time period (CDC, 2009). Consider for a moment that African American girls start puberty, on average; about a year earlier than other races and you can see how the argument can be made that obesity may play a role for these young people.

Body Image

So, why is all this heavy (excuse the pun) information coming out from this “positive” publication? Because as a trainer and clinical health psychology doctoral student, I believe society, in particular the medical community, is too quick to pathologize or classify obesity as a disease. It is a behavior; in some cases, a genetic condition. But it is not a life sentence. Calling it a disease is convenient but

denies the life experience of the individuals living with it. Due to our ever-present emphasis on

image, we constantly shame and criticize young girls, unconsciously or subliminally, that if they

don’t look a certain way, they will fail and not be lovable or desirable. Rather, we should encourage the strength of the female spirit to endure, not their face, hips, or buttocks.

Beautifully Feminine

The feminine is real power. The energy that radiates from the feminine is magical and can alter the course of history. I encourage my young female clients to let go of the images of life and get into how it feels to be in their bodies, that life is

h a p p e n i n g within them, not just outside of them. Taking care of themselves is a blessing and not a curse. Weight can be

temporary, not permanent, unless you want to hold on to it.

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The mission of Time Well Spent is to inspire, educate and empower people in suburban communities to live with mindful awareness of the impact of their daily lifestyle and consumer choices on the quality of life for self, those in need and the environment. In its most basic terms, the mission is to expedite the growth of conscious consumerism.

Beginning with those already actively taking steps toward living with a w a r e n e s s of the impact of their daily lifestyle and c o n s u m e r choices, Time Well Spent will appeal to those members of the local creative arts economy, the “green” economy and l i k e - m i n d e d community members who connect with the mission. A key target market will be women in the midst of transition, needing to re-evaluate their own life’s

purpose even as they learn about the repurposing of salvaged materials and found objects and the needs of those less fortunate, allowing them to focus on both self and others.

A recent project of Time Well Spent was not only an example of its core mission but brought together the troops with children from the countries where they serve in an outward act of goodwill.

In conjunction with Operation Troop Support, a grateful teen was instrumental in sending 627 Beanie Babies to the troops. Here’s the story of Robbie

Time Well Spent

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Brengle by Time Well Spent founder, Nancy Darcy Gallant:

“I always open the summary descriptions written by my service learning teens with a bit of trepidation. Did they get the point? Did they experience what it truly means to help people, help those in need? To put it simply, did they feel they spent their time well? After reading Robbie Brengle’s reflection and the email he sent to me with the document and some pictures, I think the questions can all be answered with a resounding, ”Yes!”

So, mentoring a young person, helping people get their Beanie Babies out from under while avoiding the trash, helping Operation Troop Support show our support to our military and, in turn helping to ease the sadness and stress of a child in a war torn country, and in general setting an example of empowered collective decluttering. That’s at least 7 ways this DeClutter For Good can be considered Time Well Spent!

To be sure, the drive “ended” decidedly late in terms of the calendar. Still, I feel

that Robbie’s exper ience with the D e C l u t t e r For Good beanie baby drive was a positive one. In addition to helping double the number of beanie babies that would have been c o l l e c t e d by the more t y p i c a l D e C l u t t e r

For Good drive that involves one drop-continued on page 54

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Weight can be temporary, not permanent unless you want to hold on to it.

continued from page 52

Now, I’m not suggesting that mere words and concepts can alter DNA, but instead of blaming, I find accepting more powerful in helping young girls change. And, oh by the way, some never lose a pound but find peace within them to live a happy and healthy life. And the lack of stress has been shown to be a buffer against early puberty.

The picture of health does not necessarily correspond to the feeling of health. There are a lot of skinny people who were stressed out and hated themselves in the cemetery. Putting a label on obesity as a disease or negative condition is something they don’t need. If they are already overweight, a label is the last thing they want to read because it reminds them of what they shouldn’t have (ingredients or calories) or

what they may never be (loved or successful) according to our media society.

Positive Living

If we can focus on the positive aspects of living, that in order to have good health, you must

first heal (can’t spell health without it) and see taking care of yourself because it feels good, not just looks good, perhaps the strength and virtue found in young girls will nurture powerful and positive women to help lead us into the future.

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Positive Radio

Uplifting Stories to empower listeners

Brent has over 20 years in the radio industry programming stations and connecting with listeners in markets across the country.

His upbeat attitude and positive energy are contagious. Brent is the President of Empower Radio and hosts “The Empower Radio Show” with uplifting stories and interviews to empower listeners to live the life they were meant to live!

CRE8SYNERGY is a concept put in motion each time I teach my classes, work with individual clients and study in my doctoral research field of understanding the neurological effects caused by chronic pain. In my opinion, we need each other in order to heal. If we can combine our energy in a positive way, we can affect change in ourselves and others.

He teaches some of the most highly attended & popular fitness classes at The Sports Club LA.

Terry Simpson,

Brent Carey, Empower Radio

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off weekend in a given month, I believe the two teens, now rising seniors, learned quite a bit about not only the physical logistics of materials-based collections, but also about the people side of the equation.

I also feel that there was plenty for me to learn from the experience. For one thing, their letter to the editor led to a front-page story, top of the fold even! That being said, I can’t share the link here currently because it is not available online. (Note to self: contact Ipswich Chronicle and explain the point of social enterprise.) The teens went to New England Biolabs to pick up a large donation of the little stuffed creatures and saw how traditional businesses can embrace

the concept of corporate social responsibility by doing their share to support the community and the environment.

And, lastly, they learned that it isn’t over until it’s over, that it doesn’t matter whether the papers have been turned in, the front page photo taped proudly to the fridge, the accolades

have been made and received, the job isn’t done until the d o n a t e d i t e m s h a v e

been delivered to the service organization that will get them into the hands of those in need. I’m so pleased to report that today was that day and there’s a whole bunch of photos of Robbie delivering the Beanie Babies to Operation Troop Support in Danvers, MA, to prove it!”

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As a child I spent many hours in my friend’s tree house. I remember how it was set in the middle of this big oak tree. Its branches secluded us from the world we were in and allowed us to dream our biggest dreams and share our deepest fears.

When we were there, we felt no boundaries. We could do anything or nothing. We could be whatever or whomever we wanted to be, and all of our wishes were within reach. The tree house endured all; heat filled days and star filled nights, the wind and rain; it was always there to welcome us.

Years later, I returned and the tree house was gone, but the tree still stood. It was then I realized the beauty in the tree and it was not the tree house we had gone to all those years, but the tree. For the tree was

what made the house special. It held us up close to the clouds and allowed us to view the world from a magical vantage point. On its branches we had climbed. Its leaves had sheltered us from the wind and the rain. It had become our friend, and the tree house had been merely a box filled with moments and memories.

Our friends are like the tree and our friendships like the tree house. They have beautiful qualities that even they fail to notice. They are always there to hold us up, withstand the winds without bending, and continue to grow with us. In our friendships, as in the tree house, we feel secure to be who we are and know that is always enough. Our friendships have many wonderful memories and will share many more. ~ by Cheryl Nordyke

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Commit to Give – New England (CTGNE) is a private volunteer organization that provides New England based nonprofit organizations and charitable groups with an opportunity to promote their events, list their volunteer opportunities and connect to those who are interested in volunteering or supporting a particular cause. For volunteers, financial donors, or those who simply enjoy giving back to their communities, CTGNE is the gateway to finding volunteer opportunities, local charity news and potential job opportunities. Giving back to your community just got easier with Commit to Give - New England.

Commit to Give New England was founded by Irene Johnson of Massachusetts. Its

concept was born of her own desire to volunteer and her struggle to locate and learn about the volunteer opportunities and

needs of her community.

In Search of A Place to Give

After weeks of research and thorough investigation, Irene created the CTGNE online database of nonprofit organizations and charitable groups in the New England area, set up a website, contacted several of these organizations and groups, informed them of her intended services and invited them to participate in her new venture, thus creating the CTGNE network. The reception was overwhelming.

Once the nonprofit o r g a n i z a t i o n s and charitable groups seeking volunteer staff or financial s u p p o r t e r s made the commitment to work with CTGNE, CTGNE embarked on the second part of

Commit to Give - New England Shines the Spotlight on Volunteering and the

Commitment to Give Back

Irene Johnson. Founder CTGNE

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its mission - to inform potential volunteers on how to use the CTGNE network to find these organizations and groups. Through CTGNE’s website and social network sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, CTGNE, in such a short period of time, has become very successful at establishing itself as a powerful resource of information to hundreds of potential volunteers.

Volunteers Make the Difference

New potential volunteers, nonprofit organizations, and charitable groups are joining up with CTGNE regularly to make a difference. Volunteers and supporters looking to give back need only view the CTGNE website, Twitter or Facebook Page and they will be greeted by a myriad of opportunities where they can donate or volunteer and become a part of this

wonderful and rewarding experience.

CTGNE is a free service that is offered to nonprofit organizations, charitable groups and to those who enjoy giving back to their community whether through volunteering or financial support. When nonprofit organizations and charitable groups join Commit to Give – New England, they are granted permission to post their events and/or volunteer opportunities on CTGNE’s website. All events and volunteer opportunities posted on CTGNE’s website transfer to CTGNE’s Facebook and Twitter sites for maximum exposure.

To learn more, visit us at http://www.ctgne.net, Like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CTGNE or follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/Irene_CTGNE.

Some Organizations Listed with CTGNE

• One Tail at a Time Rescue, Inc. - Haverhill, MA

• Dining Out For Life – Boston

• New England Walkers for Knockers – New England Area

• Music to Cure MS – Massachusetts

• The Lynn Museum and Historical Society – Lynn, MA

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Far too often in my career I have observed that people focus exclusively on the “things” they need to do to achieve their goals without giving any consideration to their personal character is t ics. In other words, they never ask themselves if they have the traits necessary to accomplish their objectives. And if they don’t, are they willing to do what it takes to become the person they need to be?

Several personal development gurus have written about this concept. Jim Rohn, one of my personal mentors, said, “For your life to get better, you must get better.”

E x p r e s s e d another way by Les Brown, “To achieve something you have never achieved before you must become someone you have never been.”

Darren Hardy, p u b l i s h e r of Success Magazine has also focused on this idea. He truly

is a master of doing the little things that matter. Perhaps that’s why we have become friends. I highly recommend reading Darren’s Designing the

What Do I Have to

Become to Get What

I Want?By Todd Smith, Little Things Matter

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Best 10 Years of Your Life series in the Success Magazine blog. In Part 6, he provided two examples to illustrate the significance of becoming the person worthy of achieving your goals.

Example #1 By Darren Hardy

“When I was single and ready to find my wife and be married, I made a long list of the qualities of the perfect woman (for me). I filled up more than 40 pages describing my wife to be in great detail—her personality, character, key attributes, attitudes and philosophies about life, tastes, interests, even what kind of family she’d come from, culture, and of course physical makeup down to the texture of her hair, etc. I wrote in depth what our life would be like and what we’d do together.

I then looked back at

every aspect on the list and asked if I had those attributes myself. Additionally, I asked myself this question: What kind of a man would a woman like this be looking for? Who do I need to become to be attractive to a woman of this substance?

I made a long list of all the traits, qualities,

behaviors, attitudes and

character is t ics that I assumed a woman of this caliber would be looking for in a man. Then I went to work on becoming this person.

Guess what? It worked! As if she was peeled off the pages of my journal and appeared in front of me, my wife is exactly what I described and asked for, in almost eerie detail. The key for me was getting clear on who I’d have to be to attract and keep a woman of her quality, and doing the work to achieve

that (and I’m still working on keeping that part!).”

Example #2 By Darren Hardy

“Let me give you another example to bring this home for you. Let’s say your goal is to earn another $100,000 this year. Now we need to ask

the question, ‘Who do you need to become to be an extra $100,000 valuable?

Your answer might contain some attributes—stated in the positive, ‘I am’—such as:

► I am a disciplined

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master of time efficiency.

► I focus solely on high-payoff and high-productivity actions.

► I wake up an hour earlier and review my priority objectives each morning.

► I fuel my body properly and exercise four days a week so I am energetic and highly effective each work hour.

► I feed my mind ideas and inspiration that will support and bolster my passion.

► I surround myself with peers and mentors who elevate my expectations and prod me to rise to greater levels of discipline, commitment and achievement.

► I am a smart, confident and effective leader. I

seek and cultivate the strength and greatness in everyone around me.

► I deliver excellence to my clients and continually find ways to ‘wow’ them, encouraging repeat transactions and abundant referrals.”

Darren’s example also re-enforces the ideas

expressed in What’s Your Value to the Market? In this post, I highlighted the fact that if you want to increase your income, you must first increase your value.

Todd’s Five Challenges

1. Select one of your most important goals and define it as clearly as possible, just as Darren did in describing his future wife. The more clarity you bring to what you want, the more likely you are to

achieve it.

2. Set your sights high. One of the reasons I have enjoyed a rewarding and satisfying career is because 25 years ago

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I made a list of all the elements I was looking for in a dream business.

3. Determine who you must become to achieve your goal. Make a list of the qualities and attributes that you must have to be a person worthy of achieving that goal. Identify which of those characteristics you currently possess and determine whether improvement is needed. And most importantly, recognize those that you don’t have, so you know where you need to focus your efforts.

4. Believe in yourself. You are an amazing creation capable of achieving anything you desire. Make I CAN DO IT your mantra and repeat it daily.

5. Start today to focus on becoming the person

About the Author: Todd Smith is a successful entrepreneur of 29 years and founder of Little Things Matter.To receive Todd’s daily lessons, subscribe at www.littlethingsmatter.com . All Todd’s lessons are also available on iTunes as downloadable podcasts.

Todd’s podcasts are listed in America’s top 100 podcasts.

worthy of achieving your goals. Remember that growth comes from the compounding effect of small daily improvements.

Will you accept my challenge? It will define your future!

“When you become a

millionaire, it’s not the million dollars

that makes you valuable. It’s the

person you become in the process.”

– Jim Rohn

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Vitamin Angels Founder

The definition of a conscious visionary is Howard B. Schiffer, Founder and President of Vitamin Angels.

Vitamin Angels is a 501c3 charitable organization dedicated to reducing child mortality worldwide by advancing availability, access and use of essential micronutrients, especially Vitamin A, to newborns, infants and children under five. In 2010, Vitamin Angels is connecting over 20,000,000 children in 40 countries, including the US, with the vital nutrients they need as a foundation for good health.

Take note folks: Howard went out into the world as a spiritual activist providing undernourished children with the essential nutrients required to survive infant mortality rates and thrive by age five through his organization, Vitamin Angels. He began in the natural products industry to make the world a healthier place deeply intuiting a soul mission within.

The Inspiration

The Northridge Earthquake was the inspiration that launched the idea of Vitamin Angels. I got happy chills when I read Howard’s story on his website. He made one phone call and

E v e r y w h e r e , everyday there are people who with one small action create a huge ripple. Their ripples in turn create more ripples. In Creating Ripples, we will highlight some of the people who we know are making a difference. If you know someone who is making this kind of difference, send us an email at apre@comcast.net and we will highlight them in an upcoming issue.

“Saving the world, ten dollars at a time”

This Issue’s Featured Positive Ripple Renegade

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had 3 pallets of vitamins delivered to the help earthquake victims. He followed by meeting the same local relief agency that contacted him about the earthquake victims. The agency connected him to undernourished children in rural communities and villages around the world.

In 2005, Vitamin Angels distributed 100 million supplements to children and families in need around the world, forcing Howard to take out a 2nd and 3rd mortgage on his home. In 2010, the organization has already reached over 22 million children in 40 countries including the U.S. Gratefully, the have grown to a level of targeting 30 million children next year and as many as 50 million children a year by 2013.

Vitamin Angels’ cost to reach one child for a whole year with the vitamin A necessary

to improve their health is just 25 cents! For $1 you can reach one child for the first four years of their lives when they are most vulnerable and reduce the risk of child mortality by 23%! And you can feel good about donating to Vitamin Angels; their efficiency has earned them two consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity

Navigator for sound fiscal management, and they were recently named one of the Top 10 Highly Rated Charities Relying on Private Contributions.

Get On Board

Check out Howard’s website: www.vitaminangels.org. Get on board in anyway you can either with donations or just spreading the word. Remember, 25 cents can make a huge impact on the life of a child in need. Vitamin Angels is a pristine model of Spiritual Activism from the heart of one man to the world.

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bronze angels: $5,000 - $24,999Vitamin Angel’s work is made possible with the support of corporate sponsors, promotional partners and product donors. List provided courtesy of VitaminAngel.org corportate sponsor pages.

“We can work together for a better world with men and women of goodwill, those who radiate the intrinsic goodness of humankind.”

~ Wangari Maathai

Vitamin Angels embodies the quote by Wangari Maathai. Help us join the Positive Ripple Renegade to raise funds for Vitamin Angels.

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“Saving the world, ten dollars at a time”

A Positive Ripple Effect Magazine selected Vitamin Angels as our feature organizaiton that is creating ripples and making the world better. In an effort to encourage and enable others to see how easy it is to make a difference we have commited to update the status of the fund raising efforts in every issue as well as include the event in our social media efforts. We are hoping to show people our lives and the legacy we are creating is unfolding with every action we take every day. We are asking our readers to take the money they would normally spend to purchase a magazine and match that amount with a $10 donation.

Magazine from the newstand: $5

Morning cup of Starbucks: $5

Lunch out with friends, Tip: $5

Skip just two and donate to Vitamin Angels: $10

PRICELESS!

Join us by donating $10. With the help of 500 of our readers, we will equal the minimum contribution of a bronze corporate sponsor. This demonstrates how one person can and does make a difference.

DONATE NOW

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Cheryl’s Grandma’s Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients1 cup Crisco1 cup Sugar1 egg1 Cup Cooked Raisins3 Cups Flour1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon Baking Soda (dissolved in 1 cup water from cooked raisins)2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg½ teaspoon salt1 teaspoon vanilla1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips2 Cups Oatmeal

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg and salt together and set aside. Boil raisins ahead of time for 10 minutes at a simmer so the water has time to cool. Set aside 1 cup of raisin water.

Blend the Crisco and sugar until blended. Add egg, vanilla and water and blend until mixed, do not over blend. Slowly add dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips and raisins.

Drop by teaspoon unto cookie sheet and bake at 350 from 8-11 minutes.

Fall Favorites

R e c i p i e s

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Kim’s Chicken Pot PieUse recipe with your favorite 2-crust pie crust recipe

Ingredients1/3 cup Margarine or Butter1/3 cup Chopped Onion1/3 cup All-Purpose Flour½ tsp Salt¼ tsp Pepper1 ½ cups Chicken Broth2/3 cup Milk2 ½ to 3 cups Shredded Cooked Chicken1 ½ cups Steamed Carrots, Sliced½ cup Canned Peas

1. Heat oven to 425°. Prepare pie crusts for 9” pie pan.

2. Melt margarine in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion. cook 2 minutes or until tender. Add flour, salt and pepper. Stir until well blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring until bubbly and thickened.

3. Add chicken, carrots and peas. Mix well. Remove from heat. Spoon chicken mixture into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust. Seal edges and flute. Cut slits in several places in top of crust.

4. Bake at 425°F. for 30-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. 6 Servings.

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Success Strategies

Get More DONE!Tiffany Walke Peterson, Success Coach

Would you like to take more action and get more done?

For most of my coaching clients, this is the very reason they hire me as their coach. They KNOW they want to achieve goals and to accomplish MORE in their lives, yet they’re not getting it done as effectively, timely, or in such an inspired manner as they would like.

In Principle 13 of “The Success Principles,” Jack teaches about the importance of taking ACTION; it’s one thing to think about your goals and dreams and it’s another to get into action with those goals and dreams. As it’s beautifully stated, “The Universe doesn’t pay you for what you know, it pays you for what

you DO!”

To help you get into action immedia te ly, I’m going to share with

you one of my favorite success strategies that empowers clients to take action NOW! It’s called

“The 15 Minute Rule.” Most often we think about whether or not we take action on our goals (exercise, write for our book, get organized) if

we have enough time, which usually is answered, “no.” We often feel that we need an hour or more to go exercise. We may feel we need three hours in a perfect, serene environment to work on that book or project. We may put off organizing the garage or home office because we don’t have a full Saturday to commit to the organizing project.

“ This perception of waiting until you have

enough time stalls your goals and stunts your progress – the very opposite of the successful life you desire to

create.”

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This perception of waiting until you have enough time stalls your goals and stunts your progress, the very opposite of the successful life you desire to create. So, here is your success strategy of the week – The 15 Minute Rule.

Taking any one of your goals, commit to taking action for a focused 15 minutes. Go on a brisk walk in your neighborhood for 15 minutes. Take 15 minutes and work on writing that book or that project. Focus on organizing that home office or garage for 15 minutes. You can set a timer on your cell phone, computer, or kitchen appliance.

See, many of my clients will say they want to be healthy, for example. Yet they’ve stuck themselves in thinking they need to go to the gym six days a week for an hour each visit to consider that they are achieving that goal. Or they know that the clutter in their office, home, or car is sabotaging their energy, yet they are stuck thinking they need three hours to work on it. The important ingredient here is to get into ACTION versus putting it off. Success is a habit my friends. Therefore, the habit is more important than the time amount.

Get into action today with at least one 15 minute commitment in an area that matters to you and watch the momentum increase as you move your goals and your life forward by taking action NOW! This is a doable success strategy that you can begin living today. Good luck!

www.thelighthouseprinciples.com

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MANCHESTER, N.H., Oct. 18, 2010 ― FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a not-for-profit organization founded by inventor Dean Kamen to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology, announced that the highest-winning robotics teams from the 2010 FIRST Championship were recognized for their achievements during the White House Science Fair. President Obama saluted the work of FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC®) team #341, “Miss Daisy,” of Ambler, Pa.; FIRST®Tech Challenge (FTC®) team #25, “Rock ‘n Roll Robots,” of Arcadia, Calif; and FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL®) team #3013, “The Inventioneers,” of Londonderry, N.H.

Each day we are bombarded with news. We turn on the computer and on our homepages are the most sensational headlines. The teasers on the broadcast news often have us gasping at the awful news. This column is different. We went in search of not only positive, good news, but also stories about people, places, and events that are creating positive ripple effects. If you have any such news you would like us to share in an upcoming issue of APRE, please email it to apre@comcast.net

The White House Science Fair fulfills a pledge President Obama made to recognize student accomplishments in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) with the same fervor

afforded professional athletes.

“It was out of this world to be at the White House,” said FIRST LEGO League participant, T.J. Evarts, a homeschooler

P o s i t i v e N e w sI n t h e N e w s

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from Londonderry, N.H. “The President is really funny, and he said that with our SMARTWheel invention, he would not be able to drive and eat a hamburger at the same time. What he wants to do is

to make sure that his daughters have our invention when they are old enough to drive and he was very interested in how we came up with

the ideas.”

“The Inventioneers” (Team #3013), a homeschooled team, took home top honors at the 2010 FIRST LEGO League World Festival for their SMARTwheel, a special steering wheel meant to combat the problem of texting while driving. The team, all between the ages of nine and 14, completed a special program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and are already working on a second-generation prototype of their invention. SMART stands for Safe Motorist Alert for Restriction Texting. The invention is a sensor-laden steering wheel cover that detects texting behavior and emits alerts to bring the driver’s attention away from texting and back to the road. Future optional features include data collection and notification of employers, parents, or insurers of the driver’s unsafe behavior behind the wheel. Courtesy of USFIRST.org

cultivating despair and hopelessness. If I’m going to err on one side or another, the side of lightheartedness seems far more bearable and, fortunately, far more en te r ta in ing than the alternative.

So call me cloying if you will. But you’ll have to catch me if you want me to hear it. Because I’ll be otherwise o c c u p i e d sliding across Little Golden Books or speeding to yoga class or locking unsuspecting grandmothers out of their homes in failed attempts to ensure their safety. And I’m thinking I’ll probably be spreading a ripple of good humor along with me, yes, even in the midst of “these tough times.” Won’t you join me?

Deanna Davis, PhD

Author of Laugh, Cry, Eat Some Pie, The Law of Attraction in Action, & Living With Intention

For great free resources and more reasons to laugh, visit www.deannadavis.net.

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