Being around pessimistic people that are always stressed is totally contagious and even worse – it’s a health risk! It can be  just as bad for you as breathing in secondhand smoke.

When you’re constantly listening to friends and co-workers complain about how under pressure they are, it starts to affect you because all you can do is empathize – you’re powerless to change the situation (well… to a degree)

If you notice that your heart rate goes up, you get a headache, or you become irritable after someone vents to you, take action – don’t be a sounding board!  Especially if it’s the same person day in and day out, coming to you with the same complaints and problems (you know, the ones they aren’t doing anything about) except giving you an ear full, as if you were a professional shrink.

Here’s a suggestion, set boundaries by telling him or her that, while you would love to be supportive, you don’t think you can be helpful with this specific situation. It may not be what they want to hear, but hey…let’s face it, it will free your mind and allow you to preserve your own happiness.

Here’s to you and focusing on the positive things in life that make you happy!

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Having a network of good friends may well increase a person’s life span, reports the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. A study of nearly 1,500 Australians aged 70 or over examined how relationships affected longevity over a ten-year period. Individuals with a strong network of friends had a mortality rate 22 percent lower than those with few friends. Active friendships also have a positive effect among the elderly when it comes to “depression, self efficacy, self esteem, coping and morale, or a sense of personal control,” says the report.

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Wanna be fit and trim? Of course you do. Then get more rest.

Why do the experts say that if you want to loose weight, get more sleep? Here’s one reason why. Do you ever notice during the day when you really start to lag…I mean, you feel like you can barely keep your eyes open…you start to munch and munch and munch?

I’ll give you an example, today around 3 o’clock I hit the wall, I felt super exhausted. I had two options…One, I could lay down and take a 30 minute nap and re-charge my batteries or go to the grocery store, get dinner for the night, go home prepare dinner and go to my evening class from 7:30pm – 9:30pm.

Of course, I decided to go with option two, why? Because I am woman, we never stop moving what do you expect? In any case, as I was preparing dinner I warmed up some hearty lentil soup and ate it. Feeling out of fuel, I warmed up another bowl and ate it as well. Then I saw the cherry pie on the counter, opened the box and started eating it. Not feeling satisfied and still very sluggish, I started looking for something else to eat that would give me some energy. I found a small piece of pineapple upside-down cake in the refrigerator, and yes I ate the entire piece. Feeling unbelievable full and now even more tired, I thought to myself:

“Why am I eating and why am I eating food that I know is full of sugar (what I like to call poison) and isn’t good for me?”

The answer is simple, I was to the point of exhaustion and instead of resting I was eating as to try and gain some energy back. Well, it did not work, I was now tired with a full tummy which made me feel uncomfortable and lethargic. To top it off, I have to get ready for my evening class now. Ummm, if I had only taken that 30 minute rest earlier, I would have felt rested and slim.

Here’s a tip…

Next time you are feeling run down in the middle day don’t start eating just to eat and defiantly don’t eat sugary foods (I knew better- and suffered for it BIG TIME) If you are able, shut your eyes for 15-30 minutes, when arising have a glass of water and/or a cup green tea.

You may also want to make sure that you are getting a full supply of B-Vitamins, Iron and Vit-C. If you do not have time for a rest, take a 15 minute walk and don’t forget to take lots of deep breaths. Upon arriving home or back to the office have a glass of water or a cup of green tea or both. If you are hungry, look for fresh fruit or veggies.

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Well, it’s gym day at Gold’s… I normally love going to the gym, mainly because it’s “my time” the only time I’m away from my phone, PC, PDA…etc. But this morning…it’s definitely feeling like a struggle to get ready and go. Once I’m there I feel great – it’s just getting ready and getting out the door that seems to be the battle. Maybe that is why Nike came up with that slogan – JUST DO IT…UMMMMM?

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