An Eyeful For the Pizza Guy

Sometimes, the little things slip your mind, e.g., rehooking your nursing bra when the pizza guy rings the doorbell.

The other day I answered the door to a college student selling one of those pizza coupon deals to raise money for the project du jour. I listened to his pitch while the girls buzzed around me like frenzied bees about to swarm. The baby had just fallen asleep in a milk coma and was cuddled down in the family room, hands limp and face peaceful.

Even as the guy talked, though, I could see him struggling to maintain eye contact. Now, I’ve always been a well-endowed girl when it comes to The Girls. Breastfeeding has certainly, shall we say, amplified that. Still, I didn’t think it was such a spectacle as to cause that much obvious embarrassment in the 20-something young man. A little irritated, both from my raucous children and his wandering eyes, I quickly wrote a check, grabbed my pizza coupons and closed the door.

At which point I realized that 1) my top t-shirt was pulled halfway up my belly, leaving my stained and brightly colored tank top exposed and 2) I’d neglected to re-hook my nursing bra. This left one breast hanging out against my t-shirt where a dark circle of leaking milk had formed. More notably, the appendage in question was also significantly LOWER than the other, contained, side.

There was a time in my life when I would have been mortified. I would have quickly yanked my clothes back in to place and been torn between a desire to run after the guy and rattle off some kind of inane explanation or to close all the drapes and go huddle in a corner in total abject embarrassment.

5 Reasons I’m Working Out at 10:30 PM–And Why You Should Be Too

I’m not proud of these reasons, but they keep me motivated.

At 10:30 at night when the house is asleep and the bed is calling, why am I really working out? I’m not proud of some of these answers, but they are the truth.

1. Vanity I’m not ashamed to admit it: Vanity is a great motivator. I like my old clothes and I like how I looked in them. When asked why she works out, a friend recently echoed what I hear (and think) time and time again, “I’d like to believe it’s about health — but I think it’s to look better.”

2. Pride I want to prove something to myself and to others. Squeezing an 8-lb., 11-oz. baby with a head size in the 100th percentile out of a small opening should have taken care of that. The strength we must call upon to give birth (or go through an adoption) should relinquish every mom of the need to ever have to prove herself again. But for me, at least, it’s a reason.

3. Sex Truly, I think the fact that I just gave him an offspring should trump how I look in a negligee for a while. If a man can wear beer goggles in his younger years, surely he can don postpartum goggles for at least 12 months as a small favor to the mother of his child.

4. Time I want at least 30 minutes a day that belongs to me and only me. Sometimes, you just need to turn it off to tune it out. I am convinced this is the true reason they invented iPods — not for the young and hip 20-somethings featured in the ads, but for the old and hippy Mommies who just need to turn it of. It was Calgon that took our Moms away — now it is our “mojo-pods” and working out that bring our best escapes.

5 Positive Things For You To Do Today

Create positivity for yourself by doing these 5 simple things each day. They do not take much time out of your day and can help you stay upbeat and healthy throughout your daily activities. Why not give it a try?

Goals1. Take 10 minutes to do absolutely nothing but rest. Take a break from your day, close your eyes, breath in slowly and deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Repeat several times. Think about a place you love that is relaxing, spend 10 minutes there in your mind.

Goals2. Write down something positive about yourself. It can be a trait, a body part or something nice you did for someone. Learn how to appreciate yourself each day.

Goals3. Plan your dinner. During the day think about what you will make for dinner, that way you are prepared. Eat healthy throughout the day so you are not starving and won’t be tempted to drive through somewhere or eat junk. Think about what you can have in the house or what you need to pick up on the way home.

Goals4. Stretch for 5 minutes- child’s pose, touch your toes (hamstring hang), stretch you neck. Stretching can alleviate stress, prevent injury and increase circulation.

Goals5. Laugh-find humor in something. Laugh with a friend, read some jokes online, be silly with your kids, animals, friends, family, anyone. Laughing is a great stress reliever and can instantly boost your mood.

What You Should Know Before Having Plastic Surgery (From a Plastic Surgeon)

Making the decision to have cosmetic surgery is not a small matter. Some women make the decision, know what they want, and are comfortable with whomever they have decided to see. For most, however, there is much more involved. You should plan to see more than one surgeon, and decide whom you feel most comfortable with. You should feel that the doctor is listening to your concerns, and is not so imperious and egotistical that he cannot let you describe what is bothering you and what you hope to gain from any procedure.

If you are considering cosmetic surgery, there are important points you should be sure to ask about and be familiar with during initial consultations.

Your Doctor:

What to know about plastic surgeryAsk your doctor if he specializes in certain procedures, what type of training he had and what board certification he has. There is not one particular board that qualifies a doctor to perform every cosmetic surgery procedure. Many different specialties offer training and excellent surgeons who perform cosmetic surgery. It is common that one surgeon might specialize in noses, eyelids, and facelifts and one does mostly breast surgery. You can (and should) ask, and it’s quite possible your doctor feels comfortable performing all procedures and has a busy practice doing a variety of procedures.

Surgery Location & Anesthesia:

Ask where your surgery will be performed and if the facility is accredited by the Institute for Medical Quality or the AAAHC. It’s also important to know who will be providing anesthesia and what type of anesthesia will be used. For most cosmetic procedures, IV sedation is excellent. I have worked with both anesthesiologists and CRNA’s (nurse anesthetists) who are exceptional.

Remember The Light Side: In Praise Of Fun

There is no need to feel guilty about having fun; having fun and being happy is our birthright.

Often when we talk about fun, or doing things just for fun, we talk about it in a dismissive way as if fun isn’t important. We tend to value hard work and seriousness, and we forget to pay our respects to the equally important, light side of silliness and laughter. This is ironic because we all know the feeling of euphoria that follows a good burst of laughter, and how it leaves us less stressed, more openhearted, and more ready to reach out to people. We are far more likely to walk down the street smiling and open after we’ve had a good laugh, and this tends to catch on, inspiring smiles from the people we pass who then positively influence everyone they encounter. Witnessing this kind of chain reaction makes you think that having fun might be one of our most powerful tools for changing the world.

Laughter is good medicine, and we all have this medicine available to us whenever we recall a funny story or act in a silly way. We magnify the effects of this medicine when we share it with the people in our lives. If we are lucky, they will have something funny to share with us as well, and the life-loving sound of laughter will continue to roll out of our mouths and into the world.

Of course, it is also important to allow ourselves to be serious and to honor that side of ourselves so that we stay balanced. After a great deal of merriment, it can actually be a pleasure to settle down and focus on work, or take some time for introspection until our next round of fun begins.

Fitting Balance Into Life

Having balance in one’s life and work is not about spending equal measures of time for all the areas of your life. That has never been a possibility for most people. For those of us who have to work, there will probably always be more time spent in earning a living than in the other areas of life. Creating balance is about finding ways to fit quality time in–not equal time–for the various parts of our lives. It’s even about being in a place of balance while at work.

In the U.S. it’s easy for people to become consumed by working so many hours per week that they become too tired to spend quality time with loved ones or quality time for themselves–reading for pleasure, taking a walk, or going to a movie. In the past, I have been one of those people and have learned some needlessly hard lessons in either getting sick or multi-tasking myself into overwhelm. I love to work because I love my work. But I also love and need to play and relax.

When was the last time you played a game, danced, or laughed till you cried? When was the last time you took a whole day off to just do the things that refresh you mind, body, and spirit? Do you look back on your week and see with wonder what an amazing, joyful week it was?

I don’t think there are many people who on their deathbeds say to themselves or others, “Gosh, I wish I could have worked one more day.” Instead, many people wish they had expressed more love to others, laughed and smiled more, or enriched more moments with the awareness of joy.

15 Ways For You To Do Your Best Work

1. Do your best work by challenging the way you did things yesterday.

2. Do your best work by allowing your passion to see the light of day.

3. Do your best work by becoming part of the solution versus growing the problem.

4. Do your best work by expecting nothing less than you playing at world-class.

5. Do your best work by giving away the credit (especially when you crave it)

6. Do your best work by practicing your skills so you become a virtuoso.

7. Do your best work by releasing excuses and doing important things.

8. Do your best work by getting up when you’ve been knocked down.

9. Do your best work by keeping your promises; to others and to yourself.

10. Do your best work by showing integrity.

11. Do your best work by delivering more value than anyone could ever expect from you.

12. Do your best work by making time to refill your well.

13. Do your best work by having a strong foundation at home.

14. Do your best work by becoming as fit as a pro athlete.

15. Do your best work by doing work that makes a difference and inspires others to do the same.

As Chuck Palahniuk once said: “The goal isn’t to live forever. The goal is to create something that will.”

I’d love to read your comments on the lines I’ve shared above.

Keep Leading Without a Title.

Weekly Health Tip: Why Trans Fats Are the Bad Guys

Surely you’ve heard the bad news about trans fats. New York City has banned their use in restaurants. Many state governments have taken action to limit their consumption and use in mass-produced foods. And health experts around the world agree that their presence in foods should be reduced to trace amounts, if not eliminated. Why does this kind of fat inspire dire health warnings and legal action? Because trans fats raise the risk of coronary heart disease, and play no positive nutritional role. Most trans fats are created by adding hydrogen to certain unsaturated fats. The hydrogen makes these fats slower to spoil on a store shelf or in a restaurant pantry than other fats, which is why trans fats had been used in many packaged foods and restaurant cooking. These partially hydrogenated fats raise the level of LDL cholesterol, which is bad for your arteries, and lower the level of HDL cholesterol, which is beneficial to your arteries. Numerous studies have found that people who consume a lot of trans fats have a higher risk of developing plaques in their arteries, which leads to coronary heart disease. And that’s why trans fats are the outlaws of the nutritional world!

The good news is that it is becoming easier to avoid trans fats, in light of the new legal limitations on their use. Knowing where these dietary bombshells are hidden is your best defense against habits that will ruin your heart health. Start by reading nutrition labels: In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration mandated listing trans fat amounts on packaged food. The legal definition of “trans fat-free” is less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. Look for the phrases “partially hydrogenated oil” or “vegetable shortening.” Those are ingredient-list code for trans fats. Seek out foods with no trans fats, or just trace amounts. The American Heart Association recommends that no one eat more than 2 grams of trans fats per day. None at all is even better. Many restaurants now post nutrition information online. Before you order, scan the menu for items without trans fats. (Pay attention to saturated fat and sodium, while you’re at it. Those can be bad guys, too!) Do you have a favorite snack or fast-food splurge? Do you have any idea whether it contains trans fats? Try to find nutrition information on your treat by checking the company’s nutrition information online, and let us know what you find out.

Body Awareness

As I meditate I scan my body to bring awareness to the messages I am conveying to my soul through body signals. Over time, I have definitely recognized certain recurring patterns of discomfort…

One thing I notice is that I often hold my breath. When I think about what this means, I can reflect back to painful times in my life during which I stuffed in, or buried hurt instead of confronting head-on and letting go from a place of peace. My continued holding of my breath indicates to me that I still have some releasing of stress and toxins to do.

Another discomfort I have become aware of is locking of my jaw/clinching teeth/tight lips. With increased awareness, I can quickly let go and now and smile instead, which really creates an immediate change in my mood.. Whatever the subtlety may be, it feels good! I think this tightness is an indication of residual rigidity in the way I have lived my life in the past. A reminder that I need to continue to allow control to be released.

Finally, I have realized that my mind is still impatient. I can flow into the gap easily now and let go of thoughts for a short amount of time, but the minute I feel something stirring in me, I get excited and want to put it in action and words right away. This tells me that I still need practice in stilling my mind.

With all this said, I am super happy that my awareness is ever expanding. Simply experiencing this increase in awareness has already changed my life immensely!

Seven Simple Tips For Waking Up In The Morning Refreshed And Well-Rested

Sometimes it’s not easy to get a good night’s sleep. Problems that seem manageable during daylight somehow magnify right when it’s time to go to bed. Most of us know the feeling of thinking, “All right, if I fall asleep right now I can still get five hours”…only to watch five turn into four… or worse. Repeated nights of poor or inadequate sleep can have adverse effects on both your mood and your health. Follow these steps and you’ll feel refreshed in both body and mind.

Darkness. Experts say that even the smallest amount of light can affect your internal clock and disrupt your levels of melatonin and serotonin. And when they says “smallest amount” they mean it. Cover up your clock radio and get rid of any nightlights. Try not to even turn on the light if you need to use the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Keep Temperature at 70 Degrees. People tend to keep their homes far too warm for achieving good sleep. Numerous studies, such as this one, find that relatively cool temperatures are best for sound sleep. Experts recommend seventy degrees to be the optimal good sleep temperature.

Make Your Bed a Sanctuary. Lots of us sleep with our pets, but let’s face it. It can be uncomfortable and hairy and sometimes smelly. Duke doesn’t have to get up and go to work in the morning or deal with children. He’ll be just fine in a bed beside yours and you will wake up without fur on your face!

Turn Off the Television. You need REM more than you need Leno (or anyone else). DVRs and online content means you don’t have to miss your favorite shows. Catch them when you can, later, and feel better in the morning.