Surviving Hurricane Sandy...Still No Electric

That Was Some Storm

It is odd...did not see a lot of rain during Hurricane Sandy here, and though saw some gusts of wind, it did not seem bad...up here in the Catskills that is.  Having no TV, devoid of the instant news updates of the devastation downstate, had thought perhaps the news media had over billed the storm with their Frankenstorm comparisons.  Then I woke up to no electric, and began to realize just how bad things were.  Once able to get online (thanks to a inverter purchased at Radio Shack) started seeing just how bad the storm had been.

At this point, being without electric, having to throw away hundreds of dollars in groceries that is slowly going bad in the frig, feel VERY LUCKY.  Used up a few of those groceries to do up a meal that was not in my 30 Day Cleanse regime, but in hard times we do what we have to do.  I have no television, and admit to missing my CNN, but doing pretty well.

Because I had charged up my camera batteries, was able to get out a bit today, though limited in where I could go due to down trees.  Caught a few bird pics, but no pictures of the devastation.  Maybe tomorrow on that front.

For now, just trying to relax and ignore the cabin fever that comes with being almost completely out of touch with the rest of the world...cell phone works, but trying to conserve the battery.  Can run my computer and get on the internet sporadically, and have no TV or Radio....

Everyone be safe, and say a prayer for all those that got hit harder than the rest of us.

Sunday Evening...Bracing For Storm

Hurricane Sandy Could Threaten Indian Point

Last night I could not sleep, saw the Tsunami warning for Hawaii shortly after the 7.7 quake hit up in Canada...disconcerting, but my mind was already focused in on the Frankenstorm that has New York directly in its sites.  Waking up this morning, you could almost feel a sense of foreboding in the air, Hurricane Sandy's clouds blanketing the sky.

 

I was down in Yonkers, had to drive up to Peekskill and then cross the Bear Mountain bridge, the Hudson river just beneath me...even if you had not been near a radio or television, you knew something big was brewing...dozens of military Hummers pulling trailers of supplies and equipment crossing the bridge to make their way down toward New York City from West Point.

 

As I made the drive the news seemed to darken, Mayor Bloomberg enlarging the mandatory evacuation area, President Obama declaring a State of Emergency even though the storm has not yet made landfall.

 

I've laid in emergency supplies, and feel confident of making it through...sounds funny, but if things get bad I have toilet paper, water and Isagenix...my new age survival kit.  Wonder how long one could be OK in a State of Emergency like this with just my water and Isagenix.  I have other things prepared, candles at the ready, fresh batteries in the flashlights, my car battery jumper, and the batteries for my battery pack tools all plugged in and charging...cell phone charged, laptop plugged in and charging down.  Even without a back up generator, should be OK when the electric goes down, especially with lots of extra blankets at the ready.

 

What I worry about...the people who are not ready, or who have no choice but to go to the Emergency Shelters of last resort...it is scary to think about New York City shutting down all of its mass transit systems, scary to think that the Nuclear Power Plant (Indian Point) which  already feel is dangerous could get flooded if the storm surge is significant enough...Fukishima on the Hudson.  It is worrisome to think that the Emergency Response after the storm could decide who sits in the White House.

 

In short, am pensive tonight, and just pray that even in the states about to be slammed by Hurricane Sandy weather the storm, and find out afterward that they escaped pretty much intact.

Sunday Morning Shake...Thinking On Body Challenge

Sitting here about to get seriously motivated and drinking down my morning shake, and was looking around on the internet and came across an Isagenix article that shares 20 TIPS for those of us competing in the Isagenix Body Challenge, and thought I would share those tips here for my readers.

20 Tips to Becoming an IsaBody Challenge™ Winner

Try these easy tips to keep you on track to reaching your health and weight-loss goals this year and inch your way closer to becoming a winner. (full article)

1. Set Goals — Visualize how you want to look and feel. Set a realistic goal and go for it. Don’t look at the overall picture or you will get overwhelmed. Develop smaller goals along the way, whether it’s losing a certain amount of weight each month or fitting into those skinny jeans you haven’t been able to wear in months.
2. Stay Positive — Identify the crutches that can interfer with your success. Turn negative thoughts into positive ones or they will hold you back. Create positive affirmations, write them down and read them daily. Feed yourself with positive information such as listening to the coaching calls on the challenge Web site and reading motivating books. Eliminate excuses like lack of time, the expense of the products and many others that will just get in the way.
3. Create Visual Reminders —Purchase a pair of jeans or little black dress that you want to fit into and leave them in an area where you’ll see them every day. They’ll help keep you motivated every time you see them.
4. Get Motivated — Think about your family and the people you love most and ask yourself if you want to be there for them in the future. Don’t ever say “I can’t.” Come out of the old view of yourself, and change your mindset. Instead, say “today I can!”
5. Mind Over Matter — Remember that Isagenix is not a diet; it’s about changing your lifestyle and improving your health. Don’t procrastinate. Be willing to make sacrifices and it will happen. Write your dreams down and believe in them. No one can make you feel bad about yourself unless you let them.
6. Recruit a Friend — Try an Isagenix system with your spouse or friend. Sharing the experience will help bring you closer together. Recruit your friends or family to join the challenge with you so you can work together.
7. Make it a Family Experience — Incorporate Isagenix into your family lifestyle. Encourage your kids to try IsaLean® Shakes to improve their health as well.
8. Stick to the Rules — Follow the systems as intended. Don’t micromanage yourself in the process. Use the products every day the way they are intended. Be 100-percent committed.
9. Get Moving — Exercise regularly. The more you do it, the better you’ll feel. Don’t work out hard; work out smart. Have fun doing it. You can still watch the baseball game, but do it from a treadmill at the gym or at home. For extra energy before your workout in the morning, take Ionix® Supreme when you first wake up and then have your IsaLean® Shake after your workout.
10. Stay the Course — If you mess up one day and eat something that isn’t good for you, just keep going and don’t give up. Don’t sabotage your efforts; just get back on track. If you hit a weight-loss plateau, work a little harder to make up for it.
11. Eat Healthy — Cut processed and sugary foods from your diet because they’ll only drag you down. Stay away from soda and coffee. Fill up on fruits, vegetables and other Isagenix products. Make your meal decisions healthy ones. Keep healthy food on hand, like a bowl of assorted fresh fruits, but only one of each. The color and variety will keep you satisfied. Buy things like meat in bulk and wrap and freeze them individually so you can pull them out and enjoy the right portion size.
12. Don't Give Into Peer Pressure — Don’t let pressure to eat out with your friends or others keep you from reaching your goals. Learn to say “no” and modify your plans so they don’t revolve around food. If you eat out, find the healthiest options on the menu. Don’t skip out on enjoying special occasions—just plan in advance for them. If you’ll be attending a wedding at the end of the month and you want to enjoy the meal, save up your calories for it and work out extra hard.
13. Reward Yourself — Reward yourself along the way. Do something for yourself that makes you happy and healthy. Go shopping. There’s nothing like trying on new clothes and seeing how much your body has changed to inspire you to work even harder. Give yourself permission to cheat once in a while. The body needs the break occasionally. Just cheat responsibly and make it the exception, not the norm.
14. Stay on Schedule — Develop a rhythm and stick with it. Be consistent. Just try the products for 30 days — you have nothing to lose, but some weight.
15. Get Support — Ask your family and friends for support. There are plenty of people out there who want to encourage you and help you to succeed. Connect with other challenge people. Reach out and ask for help, listen, and use the information you receive. Trust your coach. They’ve been though the same thing. Get to know your team, and ask them to hold you accountable.
16. Product Tips — Try all of the products and don’t give up on them if you have a hard time at first with the taste. As you improve your nutrition, the flavors will taste different. Incorporate IsaDelight™ on your Cleanse Days; it makes cleansing so much easier.
17. Shake it Up — Start with daily IsaLean® Shakes. They’re exactly what your body needs, especially when you’re busy and don’t have time to make breakfast in the morning. Try adding a little bit of seasonal fresh fruit to your daily shake to give your routine some variety and a little extra flavor.
18. Cleanse Days — If you’re hungry on Cleanse Days, you should have a little something. A small handful of almonds can often do the trick. When you get an urge to eat a snack or treat, brush your teeth to get rid of the craving. Keep yourself busy. Watch your favorite TV show to keep your mind off of food and cleansing. Get a manicure or pedicure to relax.
19. Track Your Progress — Take monthly measurements to track your progress and stay motivated. Taking your measurements is vital. There will be times when the numbers on the scale don’t change, but your measurements will. Don’t be discouraged when you don’t see results overnight. Keep at it.
20. Take Advantage of Available Resources — Take advantage of the support tools that are available within your team and through Isagenix. Attend Isagenix events to connect with people. Stay informed by listening to team calls, attending Isagenix events, trainings and tuning into Webinars. They’re goldmines for support and inspiration.

Week In Review...My First Isagenix Training

What a what week...think the book, "What a long strange trip its been".  First, find myself missing my two day cleanse, and thinking I need to get another bottle of "Cleanse for Life" so that I can do one more before the end of my 30 day cleanse program.  I have my autoship arriving in time for next month, but find myself a bit sad knowing that my first 30 Day Cleanse is coming to an end way to quickly...can hear everyone saying, "It's not ending", and I know that!  Also know, that this 30 Day Cleanse, the process involved in going through it has been and will continue to be transformative for me, this first month completely magical in so many ways.

Healthier body at a cellular level

There are the obvious things...

• Lost inches
• Lost weight
• More energy
• More positive attitude

Then there are the other more substantial things...

• New friends cheering me on (on Facebook)
• Old friends commenting on how good I am looking
• Understanding "being a product of the product"...as my coach says, Chocolate or Vanilla.

Which brings me to this past Thursday, and my first formal Isagenix Training...

 

WOW  DOUBLE WOW EVEN...

 

My coach for my 30 Day Cleanse is Andrea Hameed, and her dear friend and upline person in Isagenix is Elisabeth Anderson who had traveled to New York all the way from Oklahoma to attend a conference in New York city.  My LUCKY WEEK, turns out that Elisabeth was going to be spending some time with Andrea up in Woodstock, NY...shades of Arlo Guthrie here, and the significance of the pickle...sure some of you will smile in understanding.  Can you guess where I am going here...do you already know that I was fortunate enough (could even say graced) to have the opportunity to have my first training with both of these Isagenic Up Line Dynamos!

 

My take aways were many, but a couple of big ones...

 

You can't reinvent the wheel, so don't spend your time trying to, as it has already been done, BUT (love this but) you can create and add a beautiful spoke to the wheel.

 

Always look to asking the magic question.  What is the magic question...it depends, which is why when sharing Isagenix with someone else you look for them.  Let me explain through an example I had earlier in the week.

 

I shared the magic of Isagenix with a friend of mine who works in our little Coffee Shop/Convenience store in the hamlet of Mountaindale...that always sounds so charming...think English Accent...OK, if it is me doing it, think Monty Python..."I live in the charming hamlet of Mountaindale."

 

She was excited, actually moved me to close.  Everything went smoothly until it got to the part in the ordering process where I needed her Social Security number...she was VERY UNCOMFORTABLE with that, was in fact adament, did not like the thought of her social security number being shared over the internet...period, end of discussion.   It never occurred to me to ask the MAGIC QUESTION which Elisabeth provided me in the training session.  "Would you feel more comfortable if I called Isagenix Headquarters and got a customer service representative on the phone for you?"

That question NEVER OCCURRED TO ME, and because it did not occur to me, I did not close the sale that night, missed an opportunity to bring the magic of Isagenix into another person's life. 

If you ever have the opportunity to do a training with these two angels, make sure you seize the opportunity, and if you read this post, start looking for those MAGIC QUESTIONS...to ELisabeth and Andrea...THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

I have seven days, one week left in my 30 Day Cleanse, and find myself wishing that a month had 60 days in it, but the GREAT NEWS...my autoship is going to be arriving next week, and my journey continues.

If you would like to know the magic of Isagenix, feel free to email me or call me at (845) 693-4513...if I am not home, do please leave a message, and I will call you back.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words...A Thank You

Sometimes, bad things happen to good people and we struggle to understand the why of it, find ourselves incapable of finding the answers we seek in our struggle, feeling hopeless, sad, angry, frustrated and a whole host of other emotions.  It is in these times of trouble when some people have a beautiful way of stepping up, being there, lending a helping hand when the world seems darkest.

 

Last night I witnessed such a moment, and saw both the generousity and magic of the Isagenix family.

 

Two of my closest friends here in the tiny hamlet of Mountaindale are Kelsey and Mark who live kitty corner across the street behind the Upstate Karate studio here on Main Street.  I refer to them as kids because I'm almost 57, they in their mid 20's.  They are beautiful people, talented musicians and hard working folks.  They have a beautiful cat, and the friendliest dog (Kia) that you would ever want to meet...she is one of those loving, happy, beautiful dogs that everyone falls in love with the instant they meet her. 

 

Yesterday the kids found out that Kia has cancer...they are at the vet's office as I type this having more testing done, finding out what stage Kia's cancer is in...needless to say, Mark and Kelsey are devastated at this news, especially since Kia is not yet five years old.  I put up a post in the isaMasterminds group on Facebook, then duplicated it in Isa Pets group...the concensus advice...reach out to Andrea who saved her dog's life (Star) with Isagenix.  I reached out to her (she is my coach), informed her that Kia's test had come in positive, that Kia has Lymphoma.

 

Mark, Kelsey and I were outside the Mountaindale Inn last night hugging, crying and petting Kia when my cell phone rang.  It was Andrea who was in NYC attending a conference with someone we all know.  She asked if Kelsey was there, as Jim Rhoades wanted to talk to her about Kia and what Isagenix Super Food might be able to do...WOW.  That was/is a moment, is one of those times when you realize just how truly loving and giving this Isagenix family is. 

 

So Andrea Hameed and Jim Rhoades...THANK YOU...last night the two of you truly were God's angels, there when  dear friends of mine needed you.

Need To Lose Weight? Need Extra Money For Christmas? Join My Team...Isagenix Announces You Plus 2, Them Plus 2 Bonus Plan

I'm really EXCITED today...why you ask?

First, I have lost 13 pounds on the Isagenix 30 Day Cleanse, and this is just my 20th day on the program!  My energy levels are up, and my very noticable Budda Belly has lost almost 4 inches, is slowly but steadily going away.

 

Secondly, I am so excited about this product that I have been sharing it with my family and friends, telling them just what a wonder product and super food it is, and today SIGNED UP MY FIRST ASSOCIATE in Isagenix!  Doing the Snoopy Dance here...more importantly, because I believe in this product because of what it is doing for me, am wanting to share it with others, and Isagenix has just made it even more profitable to become a product of the product by becoming an associate.  From my perspective, it is simple...get healthy, loss weight, find more energy, and start your own business all at once.

 

For those wanting to know more about the business end of things, here is the skinny on it...if you would like more information, or would like to enroll please email me at isagenixguru@gmail.com, call me (home) 845-693-4513, (cell) 845-346-6523 or visit my Isagenix Home Page!

 

New Money Just in Time For the Holidays

Available October 22, 2012 – August 4, 2013

Isagenix® just delivered a game changer just in time for the holidays! If you’re ready to make extra bonuses on top of your already-lucrative weekly compensation, then get ready for our New Money promotion. The best part? Everyone can participate!

 

The New Money promotion, available October 22 through August 4, 2013, says “good-bye” to the Star Consultant rank and “hello” to two new exciting ranks; Manager and Director. For every new Consultant you create, whether you’re new enrollee or not, you’ll earn a $100 Consultant bonus!

Plus, our Crystal Fast Track will pile on the bonuses if you move fast while helping new Associates join Isagenix following our “You+Two and Them+2″ system for succes. You could earn up to $4,650 in bonuses in 90 days!

 

Here’s how it works:

 

1. Get two people to join Isagenix on Autoship with 100 BV or more. (You+Two) = You Become a Consultant!

 

2. NEW! Teach them how to do the same so they get two people each (Them+2 (two new Consultants)) = You Become a Manager! Do it by November 22 or 30 days from the time you enroll and you’ll become a Crystal Manager!

 

3. NEW! Get a total of 6 personally enrolled Consultants on Autoship = You Become a Director! Do it by January 21 or 90 days from the time that you enroll and you’ll become a Crystal Director!

 

4. Get a total of 10 personally enrolled Consultants on Autoship = You Become an Executive! Do it within your first six months and you’ll become a Crystal Executive!

 

Get all the details and discover how you can amp up your earnings and put yourself on the Crystal Fast Track; take a look at these resources:

• Flyer with details and FAQs
• IsagenixBusiness.com for your 2-Day, 30-Day and 90-Day Plans for Success

Just In Time For Holidays...Get Healthy & Earn Money

For those following my Isagenix Journal blog, you know that I am very excited about Isagenix, about being a product of the product...for those who wonder what this means, it means that I tried Isagenix, went on their 30 day cleanse, started using the product, and the incredible changes inside my body, in my energy levels, in amount of weight loss are the (by)product of using the product, thus the phrase, "a product of the product".  The changes that I have seen in less than 20 days astound me.  So much so that I cannot help but tell all of my friends and family about the changes I am experiencing...people are noticing those changes, and this is also giving me an opportunity to share my story, allowing me the opportunity to share what Isagenix can do not just for me, but for those in my life I care about, and at some point one or some of those people are going to say to me, "Sherwood, I want to experience what you are experiencing, SIGN ME UP".  When that happens, my Isagenix business begins to grow, and as those friends and family members start sharing their own stories, the process will repeat itself, and their businesses will start to grow.  

THAT IS PRETTY COOL.

NEW MONEY...In time for Christmas...hear the webinar.

Well, the time to say, "I want in, I want to live a healthier life, and have my own business in the deal" because Isagenix has just added some incredible incentives to those looking to create a new income stream, for those looking to earn extra money in time for Christmas...did I mention you get paid on your Isagenix Debit Card, your earnings deposited to your account each and every Monday?

If you can answer yes too any of these questions, please give me a call.  Sherwood (845) 693-4513 or send me off an email at isagenixguru@gmail.com and start your Isagenix Journey today.

1.  Are you wanting to lose weight?

2.  Are you wanting to rid your body of environmental toxins that we take in just living our lives and breathing the air?  Oh...and the toxins we take in from eating processed foods.

3.  Are you wanting to elevate your energy levels?

4.  Are you wanting to increase your athletic performance?

5.  Are you wanting to introduce your body to the world's best SUPER FOOD?

6.  Are you looking to create a new or second income for yourself or your family?

Are you dialing my number yet?  Sure you answered yes to at least one of these questions, and almost all of us could use some extra income between now and Christmas! 

Saturday Morning Isa Update

Been a wonderful Isagenix week here for me. 

In what was a big creative moment for me, got my new Canon L series 100 lens on Monday, and have spent some part of every day since playing with it, seeing what the lens can do, and what it can do just amazes me.  Never have I had the priviledge of using a lens that gives me the clarity and depth of field that this lens gives me.

 

Tuesday and Wednesday did my second Isagenix Cleanse. for Life deep cleanse, and because I remembered to actually eat some of my Isagenix snacks, it was a much easier experience than my first deep cleanse...On Thursday morning I took my body measurements for the first time since going on the program, and the results are miraculous.  I've lost so far 16.5 total body inches, with the largest loss in my gut (Budda Belly).  In just two short weeks...ended the cleanse on my 14th day of my 30 day Isagenix Cleanse, I can see a very noticable change in my body shape, and in the fact that my clothes are already fitting much looser.

 

Some other changes I am noticing...think of it as David Lettermans Top Ten List.

 

1. Noticing that my eyes are sparkling again.
2. My face looks healthier...I get chip munk cheeks when I gain weight, and face is thinning down.
3. My finger and toenails look healthier...more pink, and less brittle.
4. I am getting thinner everywhere.
5. With Isagenix and the exercise I am getting, my body seems to be getting more tone and definition.  Still not BUFF, but seeing tone.
6. Emotionally feeling better about myself, and see myself caring more about how I look and how I present myself to the world.
7. I seem to have more mental clarity, am able to focus better.
8. The Isagenix combined with the water I have been drinking has my bodily functions working better.
9. Find myself exciting and embracing of this new lifestyle...Isagenix is a life/lifestyle choice, not something you pick up and put down.
10. My energy levels are WAY UP!

Going to go back in my post today and see how I am doing on the goals I set for myself, and already know that if I get my stationary bike ride in today, have hit one of my most important goals of the week, which was to bike or hike at least 5 out of the 7 days in the week...so, as I stated, has been just a fabulous Isagenix week.  One thing I want to fucus in on more, is KNOWING THE PRODUCT, and how to best share it with friends, family and strangers.  Everyone have a great day.

First Day of Deep Cleanse Coming To End

My coach has me doing a five-two-five-two program for the first part of my cleanse.  Five days of shots and a shake, a two day Deep Cleanse, then five days of shakes and two days of Deep Cleanse...coming to the end of the first day of my second deep cleanse...just drank my forth installment, and feeling pretty good.  Hungry, so in half an hour after the cleanse and my water are settled, going to treat myself to an Isa Snack. 

I had a decent day...took my new lens out and photographed for several hours today.  A lot of driving (to the point of being almost lost), and a lot of walking.  Would see something, park the car and then walk around to get the shot, including a one mile walk up to our Fire Tower where unfortunately the gate to the tower was locked, so was not able to go to the top which was my plan.  Came home and did some basic editing, and though learning this new lens is going to take some time, got a few shots that I like.

My energy levels are fine today, but noticed this second Deep Cleanse seems to be hitting me a bit harder on the emotional side than the first one.  Best way to describe it, is I just feel and have felt most of the day down, almost but not quite sad, and a bit out of sorts.   Thinking a part of that might have to do with the fact that I ate some foods this weekend that were great on the taste buds, but not overly healthy and am wondering if that might have something to do with it.

Hoping at the end of this cleanse to see my weight under 180 pounds...been at least a decade since my body has seen anything under 180, so fingers are crossed.

Thinking I might crawl into bed early and read a book till I fall off to sleep.

Evening Update...Blog Now Can Be Read In 35 Languages

I don't readily admit it, but am a bit of a Geek here.  I am constantly looking for new gizmos and gadgets that make my blog accessible to a greater audience.  This e vening I decided to try out the Google Language Gadget on this blog...you can find it over on the right side bar just down from the top of page.  Click on the drop down menu and select your language, and instantly the blog is translated into one of 35 languages from around the world.

 

This for me is such exciting news for my Isagenix blog, truly will allow me to share my own journey, and the opportunity that is Isagenix to a world wide audience with the click of a mouse.  Looking at the various countries that Isagenix does business in, looking at the company's potential for world wide expansion, this gadget truly excites me.  Cannot wait to reach a point where I can qualify myself to sign up Associates in foreign nations around the world.

 

In other news of a more personal nature:

 

1.  For those who have my blog since its inception, you'll understand the significance of this...I unburied my bike today, and tomorrow will start making it road ready.

2.  Got my new Canon L series 100-400 MM Zoom lens...WOW, what a lens.  Did take one picture with it...shared above, but it poured down rain ALL DAY, so it was not the day to be taking such a delicate piece of equipment out in the woods for a few hours.

3.  Getting myself ready for my second two day Deep Cleanse...this time I will remember to eat my Isa Snacks.

Waiting On Camera Lens, Setting Weekly Isagenix Goals

Big thing for me today is waiting on my Canon L series 100-400 MM Zoom lens.  For anyone who is familiar with digital cameras, its arrival is a BIG DEAL for me, and sure you understand it.  So hurry up Fed Ex!  Even though it is raining out, so wanting to get it soon enough to at least go out and play with it a little bit.  

Yesterday, starting laying out a few goals that I am going to further outline below...one of them was to use my stationary bike or go hiking at least five out of the seven days this week starting today and running through Sunday.  This morning I biked, covering 7.11 miles and burning off 166 calories.  My goal is to look at pushing my ride time up to 48 minutes next week.  Putting a nutritious super food like Isagenix into my body is not enough to take me where I want to go...I have to exercise as well.  So, my goals for the week:

1.  Use my stationary bike, or go out hiking (at least five miles) a minimum of five out of the next seven days from October 15-21.

2.  Stick to my Isagenix Routine.

3.  Do my second two day Isagenix Deep Cleanse...this starts tomorrow morning.

4.  Water,,,,drink lots and lots of water each day.  Right now, that means at least 90 ounces each and every day.  As someone who has never been a big water drinker, this is a HUGE ONE for me...so far, have managed it.

5.  Work on my blog more...already put up the new Contact Me page today, and have also put up a page that goes right to my page on the Isagenix website.  So, want to keep working on this, but can check it off and it is ONLY MONDAY.

6.  Keep reading Isagenix group posts, watching Isagenix videos and learning.  Wanting to start putting some of the things I am learning right here on the blog so people have easy access to them.

7.  Continue to work on sharing the Isagenix way of life with my friends.

8.  Unload my car, take care of laundry, and clean the apartment...UGGGG...there is a full morning or afternoon's work.

9.  Get my LeMond (a real bike) out, put air in the tires and get it road ready.

10.  Since I cannot afford a personal trainer, do some online research on what it is I need to do to get in shape, do set goals, and come up with a workout routine.

I think that is a good list of ten goals for the week.

Smoking...The Ugly White Elephant In The Room

As a small child, though born in Saint Louis, spent my early years in the small town of Jeffersonville, Indiana along the banks of the Ohio River across from Louisville, Kentucky.  Remember with fondness the Belle of Louisville and Delta Queen steam wheelers going up and down the river, picking golden rod to take home to my mom who never told me until I was much older that she was allergic to them.  Sunday evenings after dinner were spent in front of the black and white television watching Ed Sullivan, Bonanza and of course Disney World.  

About half way through Disney World (think back then it was called the Wonderful World of Disney) they would have a Marlboro commercial...I and my older brother would watch in both awe and envy a cowboy ride his horse up to the top of the bluff, dismount, reach into his saddlebag and light up a Marlboro (red pack) as he watched the sun go down...he had everything a kid growing up in the country could want.  A horse, chaps, cowboy boots, a saddle and bags, and FREEDOM...in short, myself and many others like me wanted to grow up an be the Marlboro man.   Sure that commercial played a big part in my brother and I's thievery of my father's non-filter Pall Mall cigarettes from atop of the refrigerator all those years ago when I was just six years old.  We would sneak out behind the barn, light up and pretend we were that cowboy on his gallant steed...that was fifty, almost 51 years ago.

Sitting here today on what is my twelfth day in Isagenix thinking again the same thoughts I have thought about so many times before...you know, you really should quit smoking, it would be good for your health.  

Fact is, it would be good for my health, the issue of quitting is that proverbial White Elephant in the room, perhaps the biggest obstacle in my path as I try to embrace this new Isagenix lifestyle, as I work toward letting a new me emerge from the ashes. (pun not intended)  I've tried quitting before,  once making it almost ten months before life issues and (perhaps) a lack of personal will power saw me succumb; thinking I would just have one or two...much like most of my life, as I sit here writing after having gone outside to have a smoke, realize that my habit has been pretty consistent at a pack and a half too two packs a day for probably four decades...became what one could call a habitual smoke around the age of 16.

Not sure why, but over the past few days have been having a nagging thought, that little voice in the back of my head whispering to me..."Your success in this (Isagenix) depends on you giving up that nasty habit".  That other little voice saying, "Don't listen to that...you've been a smoker your whole life, and you enjoy smoking don't you?"  Ignoring the second voice mostly because I don't want to answer that question.

So, as I sit here pondering this, so methodological questions about the when and how pop up.

1.  Is it too much on my plate to try stopping in the middle of my first 30 day cleanse?

2.  If it is too much, then when is a good day to stop, and should I go cold turkey?

3.  What can I do differently this time to MAKE IT?

Any one have any thoughts, opinions, suggestions...

What Isagenic Can Do For You..."Jill's Birth" Video Needs No Words

Rarely am I speechless, and rarely is there a "You Tube" video that needs no words of explantion...I was just friend-ed by Jill Birth on Facebook, and feel honored...especially after watching her transformation video on You Tube, seeing what Isagenix has helped her too achieve...as a newbie to Isagenix, as a person wanting to have my own transformation, could not ask for a more awe inspiring video to help boost my own ego as I begin my journey.  If have landed in my little space here on the internet, if you are wanting to lose weight, or are just looking for some inspiration as you effect change in your life, watch her video...it will bring tears to your eyes...tears of both understanding, sadness, and in the end, tears of joy and celebration.  To Jill, thanks for accepting my friend request, and for sending me the note that had a link to your beautiful transformational video.  I on my eleventh day in Isagenix watched that video with tears and my eyes, and look forward to the day when I can look at my own before and after pictures...thanks for the beautiful share.

Sunday Thoughts, and Isagenix Challenge Update

Sitting here mid-afternoon on Sunday looking over the past week amazed at everything that is going on, proud of what I have accomplished, but also wanting to keep my eye on the ball and set new goals for the week and months ahead.  There is no denying that my first ten plus days on Isagenix have changed me in ways I cannot yet measure, though some changes are noticeable.

1.  Highly elevated levels of energy.

2.  Twelve pounds of lost weight.

3.  I look (and feel) healthier.

4.  Seem to be more focused and on some level more goal oriented...IE, worked out in some fashion 7 out of my first ten days on the program...if I get my stationary bike ride in today, 8 out of 11.

At times, caution is the word of the day.  When I look at my gut and realize I still need to lose at least 20-25 more pounds, it is easy to see doubt wanting to creep in and I pull myself back to the here and now with the old adages of "Rome wasn't built in a day" and "Take it one day at a time".  Today I am on program, today I got some exercise, today I drank the required amount of water to both hydrate and cleanse my body.  Each of these are small daily victories that I need to celebrate on what is a journey of not days, but months, even perhaps years as I embrace and move into a new life and lifestyle, one of being a healthy and happy human being.

On the subject of celebrating (and looking ahead) should celebrate my victories over this past week, some of which are identical to things listed above.

1.  Began using Isagenix...actually started the week before when the product arrived.

2.  Took my body measurements, and entered (at urging of my coach) the Isagenix Body Challenge...more on that shortly.

3.  Lost both inches and pounds this week.

4.  Completed a two day Deep Cleanse.

5.  Walked a total of ten miles this week, and rode my stationary bike another 35...this last one really excites me.

My Contest Before Picture

The Body Challenge was a tough decision, and requires a lot of long term commitment...first example, is entering the challenge locks me in, commits me to dedicating myself over to Isagenix, listening to my coach and getting myself in better shape for a period of not just a few weeks, but for a period of 90 days, three months...longer when you read the fine print in the contest rules and see you are required to maintain what you have gained if you finish your duties before the contest ends which I believe is in June of 2013. (If you are going to enter anything, it helps to read the rules...I read them last night, then copied and pasted them into an email to myself so I can refer back to them as I move forward.)

Being on Isagenix for three months is the easy part...I am committed to that.

The rules make it clear that the challenge involves not just losing weight, but actually getting in shape, becoming a healthier person, and this means exercising, working out, training even.  They suggest getting a personal trainer...that is not within my reach right now, so need to look to plan B...TRAIN MYSELF.  Tough one, as to do that, I need a CLUE.  Yes, I know getting on the stationary bike or going out for a five mile walk/hike is a good start, but that is not really training.  Did stop in my travels this weekend to purchase two eight pound weights...people getting in shape, training, always seem to do weight training, so it seems like a good idea on my part.  In the movie Rocky, he was always running up and downstairs...I've not ran in years, let alone ran up stairs!

Can you tell by now I am far from a personal fitness trainer?  So, consider this a call for help...if any of you are personal trainers, or have worked with a personal trainer, would LOVE SOME SUGGESTIONS in the comments section down below.  In the meantime, later today and into tomorrow going to start letting my mouse do the walking as I start trying to come up with some kind of a training program to go along with what Isagenix is doing for me.

There are other things in the rules...IE, a 200-500 word essay on how Isagenix is positively changing your life.  I got time to fuss, fret and worry about that one later.  We can supplement our essay with a video...my first thought...OMG, I need a video camera, and a film crew (can one volunteer friend constitute as a film crew?).  AS my mind reels in a thousand different directions, I remember...FOCUS on today, set your goals and move forward ONE DAY AT A TIME.

So, that being said, as far as the contest is concerned going to commit to the written word a few simple goals for this coming week.

1.  Stay on Isagenix, and complete my second two day Deep Cleanse.

2.  Walk or ride my stationary bike at least 5 out of the next seven days.

3.  Do some research into personal fitness, and begin laying out a fitness plan for myself that respects where I am right now, while also pushing me to attain specific goals in the weeks to come.

Hope everyone is having a great Isagenix Sunday.

A Day Ten Report...My Program Becoming Routine

Do You Have Isagenix Shakes On Tap?

Today for various reasons has been a hard day...metally, physically and emotionally.  It is the kind of a day when I would have normally have craved comfort food, the kind of a day where at lunch time I would have gone to the nearest fast food place and gotten a couple burgers, a order of fries and a large soda.  The odd thing was, wanted NONE OF THAT, just wanted my shake and some water.  So, on a very stressful day, proud to realize I stuck to my routine, having my two shakes, drinking my water, and of course taking my accelerator, and most pleasing...did not really think about it as it was and is my routine, what I not only need to do, but what I want to do to get healthy, to be that person who for too long was screaming to get out.

Have not yet signed anyone up on Isagenix, but find myself sharing what it is doing for me, and have two or three people that I think might decide it is something they want to try in their life...that is exciting.  Find myself thinking about things like business cards, informational packets and handouts, all the things needed to more adequately share just what Isagenix is...in the meantime, I keep doing more reading, watching videos and spending time in the Facebook Isagenix groups. 

In my first week, I fulfilled the goals that I set out for myself, in some cases exceeded them...think on Monday it is time to set myself down and lay out a new set of goals to move myself forward on this new and exciting journey.  One of those goals...find out what I need to do to take those people who show interest, and get them to the point of saying, "Yes, I want that magic, sign me up."

It has probably been used already, but like the slogan, "Isagenix is changing lives one shake at a time."

The Sludge Report

Picture Taken on 5 Mile End Of Cleanse Walk

It is late here, and really should be asleep, but sometimes sleep does not come easy...even more so when you find yourself reflecting on dramatic changes taking place in your life and body in the course of just nine days...the time that I have been on Isagenix.  Just over one week, one Deep Cleanse, and though I still have a long way to go, feel like a new man in so many ways.

 

The title of this article, "The Sludge Report" really says everything about my own experience with my personal Deep Cleanse.  My sponsor told me how a cleanse works on a cellular level, told me that the Isagenix two day cleanse would be removing environmental and food product toxins from my body...OK, I'm game, lets give it a try.  It's hard to talk about poop...lets just say, that the materials that the cleanse ridded  me of in those two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) earlier this week literally reminded me of the sludge you see at a Sewage Treatment Plant...there was no doubt that something was happening, and that what was happening was a good thing...my body was being detoxicated!

 

Proper nuitritution thanks to what many have labeled a SUPER FOOD, my energy levels soaring as I went in the course of a week from feeling lethargic and tired to feeling energized, alive and mentally sharp.  Nine days, and this is what I have witnessed first hand so far:

 

1.  Mental Clarity...improved

2.  Weight...down...have lost 11.4 pounds (and not starved myself doing it)

3.  Total body inches...down...for instance, my thighs have lost almost two inches each.

4.  Energy levels WAY UP.

 

I am excited because I am SEEING RESULTS, results that I would not believe possible if I had not taken that leap of faith, and given myself the opportunity to be a product of the product.  I am looking forward to my second deep cleanse this upcoming Tuesday and Wednesday, am anticipating what reaching the next level in my own personal Isagenix journey is going to reveal.  Special thanks to my coach (Andrea Hameed), and all the wonderful folks on the Facebook Isagenix groups who are being the best cheerleaders and advice givers a person could ask for.

 

Isagenix is so much more than a group of products...it is a lifestyle choice, one I am happy to have made.

First Day of Deep Cleanse and Tenth Blog Post

It is 7:39 on this brisk fall Tuesday evening, and I am most of the way through what Isagenix calls a Deep Cleanse...the first of two I will do in my 30 day program to getting healthy.  How do I feel one might be tempted to ask, and I would say, "No different than I felt like yesterday, or the day before.

 

That's not quite true...

 

Surprisingly, a tiny bit hungry, but not HUNGRY, and sure when I have my fourth and final glass of the Isagenix Cleanse for Life of the day that my hunger will disipate again.  From a physical body perspective, this first day of my cleanse has not been as hard as I had imagined it to be...well, other than the drinking water part, as I have never been a big consumer of H2O...that said, have to say I am proud of the (so far) six pint glasses of water I have consumed today.  (That is 96 ounces for those wondering.)  I've not had an apple slice yet today, though have had two of the Isagenix chocolate treats so far. 

 

Managed my bike ride, something I have done five out of the six days since I started on Isagenix.  I've burned at least 160 calories a day in each of those rides, and covered at least 7 miles.  Today's ride was harder, had to push myself to get on the stationary bike and set the machine to its level 4 30 minute weight loss ride, but I did it, and ended up riding 7.1 miles and burning 165 calories.  Difference today from the other days so far...I felt and feel it, the ride sapping me a bit, leaving me feeling more than a bit running on empty.

 

Mentally and emotionally, it has been a HARD DAY...one has to be committed to the process, and one has to believe in that process, and for those of us early on in our journeys, believing in both the process and the product is one that has to be taken on faith.  On some level, think when we do this DEEP CLEANSE, based on some of the stories we have heard, that we expect it A) to be something very difficult to do, B) that during the process itself we are suddenly going to feel, and perhaps even look different, and as a result of A&B think C) that we perhaps hype ourselves up a bit too much and then when there is not that great burning bush to stare at, that great ah hah moment where we can say, "OMG, I feel so much better" or "OMG, can feel the toxins being stripped away at a cellular level and then that C is not there as a part of the day, it is hard not to feel a bit of a let down, not to see that faith falter a step or two.

 

Which is when perhaps I had my ah hah moment of the day.  Everyone knows it takes dicipline to accomplish our goals, but where does that dicipline come from?  What I came up with is, "the three D's of discipline theory...well, maybe calling it a theory is a bit presumptious, but when the thought popped into my head I liked it.  Here is the thought...

 

"Dicipline is the byproduct of our dreams, desires and dedication to a goal."

 

Too long for a bumper sticker, so thinking maybe express it as a mathematical equation D=d+d+d or the other way around, d+d+d=D.  Not a great bumper sticker, but best I can come up with 3/4 of the way into my first day of DEEP CLEANSE.  Think I will just stick to the Three d's of Disipline and call it a day.

 

Just quaffed my four and final glass of Isagenix Cleanse for Life and starting on a glass of water...think I can call my first day a success.

Twas The Night Before Deep Cleanse

Got My Fresh Picked Apples Ready

Just had a very nice Greek salad for dinner, coupled with one large iced tea (no sugar) and two tall glasses of water.  Sitting here now at home and contemplating my first Isagenic DEEP CLEANSE that will start tomorrow and go through until I awaken on Thursday morning."  Why am I thinking, "Lions and tigers and bears OH MY!...shades of Dorothy and the "Wizard of Oz"

 

So have my Cleanse for Life ready to go, have put my coach's number on SPEED DIAL and have my Isagenix Facebook groups now safely and easily accesible in my favorites list.  Water...need lots of water.  All in all, think I am ready for the first all important day...day two...not even going to think about that one until I wake up on Wednesday.

 

Thinking it might be a good idea to take my measurements before and after the fast only because I have heard some pretty incredible stories about what to expect during this cellular level cleansing.  Who would have thought just eight days ago that I would be writing about cellular level cleansing in a new blog dedicated over to my personal journey with Isagenic.

 

So, if you stop by, wish me luck, and leave any suggestions you have in the comments section at the end of this post.

 

Monday Monday...Day Five on My Isagenix 30 Day Makeover

Just finished my morning shot and a shake, and need to drink a glass or two of water...cannot believe how much water I am now drinking.  The overcast skies of yesterday are gone, the sun sparking on the last of the dew clinging to the leaves.  Took my camera out on a walk about and snapped a few photographs, sipping my coffee along the path. 

 

Trying to adjust to the changing feelings inside and outside my body, as well as the paridigm shift in my emotional/mental state of mind that goes along with suddenly having a sudden well spring of energy that seems to be coming from a newly tapped in reservoir, as if at almost 57 I have found the illusive "Fountain of Youth" that so many tales have been written about, heroes unknown always coming close but never quite finding that magic elixar. 

 

It is all a bit scary (in a good way)...At the beginning of day five of my 30 day quest, so incredible (almost impossible to believe) changes are taking place.

 

1.  My waist line is down 3 inches from 45-42.

2.  I got on the scale this morning, and my weight is down to 187.6 from 193 pounds.

3.  My appetite is changing...my morning routine for decades has been, wake up drink coffee (lots of coffee) and smoke cigarettes...LOTS OF CIGARETTES.  This morning I woke up, and was hungry for my shot and a shake, followed about half an hour later with my Isagenix Natural Accelerator.

4.  Find myself wanting to be active...active meaning I am looking forward today to going for a long walk with my camera, or doing my half hour ride on my stationary bike.

 

It is odd in a very positive way to be sitting here writing this post thinking to myself, who is this suddenly active man that has taken up residence in my body,

 

Everyone have a great Isagenix day, and if you find yourself wanting to turn over a new leaf, wanting to lose weight, wanting to rediscover that energy of youth we find ourselves missing, give me a call at (845) 693-4513 and let me share with you my testimony and introduce you to the life benefits of using the Super Food and the Super products of Isagenix that are reshaping the who of me.  Isagenix is not just a company, not just a group of products, but a way of life.

 

Sunday Morning Musings

Pre Isagenix Buddha Belly

 Wish I had some great epiphany to share with my readers, some great truth passed down from some Buddha I found sitting on mountain high...alas, no such enlightenment this morning.  Was busy working an auction yesterday, which saw me returning late in the evening.  My Isagenix 30 day cleanse is making good progress with a few important milestones to be noted.

1.  I have formally entered the Isagenix Body Challenge!...starting weight is/was 193.

2. Saw myself work out on my stationary bike for the third day in a row with yesterday my best ride yet with 193 calories burned, and a distance of over 7.5 miles.

3.  At the start of my fourth day on Isagenix product.

4.  Got on scale this morning, and starting (hopefully) a downward trend...more on this as I move forward in my journey.

My thought of the morning...beginning to realize that success can be noticed in little ways if you happen to become aware of your own small actions.  Example...Measured my waist yesterday morning and it shrunk just a titch, and I felt good about it.  A couple hours later I showered, dressed,  drank my shake then afterward went in to brush my teeth and noticed a small dot of chocolate had spilled on my bright yellow shirt.  I grabbed a washcloth and dabbed it off...suddenly realized that I cared about how I looked as I got ready to head out the door.  

What a concept...caring again about one's appearance, feeling good enough about yourself to care.  That to me is success.

If you would like to join me on my journey to better health, call me at (845) 693-4513
If you are wanting to lose weight, are looking for success in that endeavor, give me a call at  (845) 693-4513
If you are looking for a residual income selling great product give me a call at (845) 693-4513

Have questions about me, my blog or Isagenix please email me at isagenixguru@gmail.com

Starting The Journey...Moving Forward Means Looking Back

Buried Touring Bike

Slept way late today...a cold that was softly creeping finally caught me in my sleep so found myself this morning feeling more than a bit under the weather...still, wanted to start on my 30 day journey, did not want to see myself pushing it off, procrastinating until I lost my momentum to effect a change in my own personal appearance.  

On one level, this all seems pretty straight forward  Get your product, use your product and 30 days later be a product of the product.  Poured myself a shot of Ionix Supreme a bit ago, waited about 15 minutes and had a chocolate shake...not bad, reminded me of my youth when I would have chocolate malted milk for breakfast.   In the past half an hour have drank two glasses of water.   Can almost hear a drill sergeant calling out cadence...left, right  left right left.

Making a decision to pursue something like this makes you (deliberately or not) look backward on some of the things that got you too where you find yourself right now.  193 pounds (at least 30 pounds over weight) with a gut measuring some 45 inches around.  As a part of my journey have decided I need to do some exercise, which in turn saw me look into my storage room where both my bike and biking machine have sat ignored and lonely for far too long which then saw me asking myself, "Why"?

If you look over on the right side of the picture you'll notice the handlebar of a beautiful LeMond bike that I purchased several springs ago.  All these years later, and that bike has seen maybe all of 30 miles put on it...Why?

I hate crying...can almost hear my father saying, "big boys don't cry so stop your crying or I am going to really give you something to cry about.

Shortly after I bought that bike I was attacked.  I was kicked down onto steps, my right arm landing on the edge of a step just above my head.  A second kick struck that arm snapping the bone.  Was in a cast for six weeks, and then because the bone did not heal right so the bone was re-broken in surgery, a four inch titanium rod holding everything together, a second cast and another eight weeks of being a one left handed man.  Once the cast was taken off I was fitted with a wrist support and started into physical therapy.

Sitting here today after looking at the bike it is hard to realize that I have not been on that bike and gone out for a bike ride since the day of that attack, hard to realize that said attack and its aftermath is when I started putting on weight, and in many ways started hiding myself from the world, feeling safer locked behind closed doors.  That attack changed me...

New goal...as soon as I am done with this cold, need to put air in the tires of that bike and go for a ride.

Some Measurements:

Neck         16.5 inches

Forearms   12 inches (L) 12 inches (R)
Chest         40 inches
Diaphragm 40.5 inches
Waist         45 inches ...no wonder those size 38 feel so tight.
Buttock      39 inches

Thigh         23 inches (L)  23 inches (R)
Calf           16 inches (L)  16.5 inches (R)
Knee          15.5 inches (L) 15.5 inches (R)

Total Inches 356.5

4:00 PM  First Day Update

Made myself get on my bike machine and do a half hour workout.  Burned off 168 calories in what was clocked as a 7.18 mile stationary ride.

My Coach In Isagenix, Her Friends...A Testimony About The Heart Of Isagenix

Sometimes the cosmos has this wonderful habit of stepping in and changing lives...over the past few days since I was introduced to Isagenix have spent time doing a lot of reading on the site, and in several groups over on Facebook.  What drew me to investigate the company, and the opportunity it seemed to present was one woman, her story, her testimony.  There in front of me was a changed person, someone who had taken a journey of self discovery and change...there was no argument that her involvement with Isagenix had changed her in the most beautiful of ways.  As she explained it to me, she was successful with Isagenix for a very simple reason.  She was a product of the product, a woman who had reached the depth of despair, and climbed her way out to bask in the sunlight some 130 pounds lighter.

Isagenix is not just products, but about sharing, caring and changing hearts and souls...that point was made in a poignant way tonight when I read a post on Andrea's (my coach and sponsor) blog.  Her article about her friends in Isagenix speaks about change, but it speaks about the heart connections that the product made possible as three women all on the same journey met and became life long friends.  Below I have copied a brief snippet of her article...I encourage you to go visit and read the rest.

The Incredible Women of the 100 lb. Club

I met Linda Williams on the telephone - she living in Utah - and myself living in New York.  I had started my first facebook group and she was one of the first people that joined.

Pondering Strategy...Thinking About Life, Reflecting on Robin Williams "Dead Poets Society"

Sitting here late in the night...or is it early in the morning?  Have spent a great deal of my time today directly and indirectly evaluating my involvement with Isagenix, where that involvement can take me, and how best to move forward.  Though not by any stretch of the imagination familiar with network marking, after looking at some of the information found on the Isagenix site, the formula for success seems fairly simple...I get the two plus two and so forth and so on process.  Talking with my sponsor, private messaging a few other ISA consultants,  understand and have set for myself the goal of five on the right and five on the left with each of them having five on the right and five on the left...my 10 100 plan for myself.  The numbers simple, my success found in the giving of myself, in the sharing of my skills and knowledge, helping others to climb up that proverbial ladder to success.

 

Question then becomes...how to get there, how to accomplish my goal, my dream.  Play the part of Santa Claus making a list and checking it twice.   This part of the process is where my mind started wondering, pondering, the initial thoughts like a pebble tossed into a pond as the ripples move out toward the shore in 360 degrees.  Part of me remembering the Kiss Principle, while conceeding the fact that few things about myself, my life have ever been simple...visualize tossing a few more pebbles into the pond, ripples crossing ripples, new patterns and possiblities expanding out from not one but numerous center points.

 

Back decades ago my Mother (God bless her soul) gratuated high school with straight A's but college was not a reality for her...my Dad conversely had an opportunity to attend college, did so but never graduated.  On one hand lack of opportunity, on the other opportunity squandered.

 

Growing up I was not like the other kids...different is not necessarily a bad thing, and sometimes there are reasons behind that different that some of us are.  I found sitting under a railroad bridge, my feet dangling in the stream far prefarable to playing with the other kids...it was easier, there was no having to explain things like how I got all those bruises on my back and legs.  I loved reading a good book, or writing poems that no one would ever read...in short, I would have been one of those teenagers that would have fit in as a member of the "Dead Poets Society".

 

Opportunity...

 

When I graduated high school there was not enough money to pay for my graduation gown so I skipped my graduation ceremony, so as one can probably guess, college was not an opportunity on the horizon for me, though later on in life I was finally able to some degree to cross that goal off of my own life list of thingss I wanted to accomplish.  I spent a brief amount of time in the new "All Volunteer Navy" realizing I was not really military material...what can I say, was not very good at taking orders, or following directions...is there really a difference between those two words?

 

I've been called stubborn, driven, intense.   I am one of those people who stands out in a crowd, a person who people always seem to remember.  A lot of my friends would say I find a way to be successful (depending on one's definition of the word) in spite of myself.  I'm also a bit of a recluse, preferring the company of my camera, or a pencil and writing tablet some place out in the woods...a part of me would say, "It is safer that way."

 

Money...

 

I love some of the creature comforts that come with having a few dollars in my pocket.  A good bottle of Merlot, the occassional good cigar, or shopping for food for a dinner to be shared with close friends, but money is not something that drives me...if it is a byproduct of some of the things I do that is great, but never really worked at accumulating or keeping it.  Most times, especially now at almost 57, find that I much prefer using my talents in a way that make others smile, which might explain why it is that I don't have what one could call a real job...of course, having spent most of my adult life being an artist, a creative soul tilting at windmills, not sure I have ever really had (for any long period of time) what one could call a REAL JOB.

 

Opportunity...

 

Right now sees me residing in a small hamlet on the edge of the Catskills, my apartment nice, most of the people I know struggling, working hard just to put food on the table and keep a roof over the heads of themselves and their children...many of the things that many of us take for granted they see as distant dreams, something they wish they could do while secretly believing that goal out on the horizon is out of reach, something unattainable, an opportunity not really there for them.

 

If you are lost and confused at this point, don't feel bad...just as lost here as I try to wrestle with what I am envisioning for my own plan to get from A-J in Isagenix.

 

Tell me if I am stupid here...seriously, I have no problems being seen or even considered the "Fool on the Hill"...Beatles FLASHBACK...Scroll down if you do not want to read the lyrics.

 

Day after day,
Alone on a hill,
The man with the foolish grin

is keeping perfectly still

But nobody wants to know him,
They can see that he's just a fool,
And he never gives an answer,

But the fool on the hill,
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.

Well on the way,
Head in a cloud,
The man of a thousand voices talking perfectly loud

But nobody ever hears him,
or the sound he appears to make,
and he never seems to notice,

But the fool on the hill,
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.

And nobody seems to like him,
they can tell what he wants to do,
and he never shows his feelings,

But the fool on the hill,
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.

Ooh, ooh,
Round and round and round.

And he never listens to them,
He knows that they're the fools
They don't like him,

The fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.

 

Opportunity Given...

 

After much thought, am thinking I would love to find a way to build my first ten associates, five on the right and five on the left by giving them the opportunity they cannot afford, finding a way to have them put skin in the game in some way other than with the cash they really do not have to get started in Isagenix. 

 

Not a free handout, not charity, but a chance, an opportunity wished for, dreamed about, but because of the cards dealt to them, an opportunity that in the current here and now is out of reach for them.  

 

 Looking at my own buy in, my own skin in the game, can cover a similiar investment in the futures of ten deserving souls...the question becomes how to find them...how many of us have known someone and said to ourselves, or to someone else, "All they need is a break, a chance, and think they would run with it"?  How many of us have given someone a chance, a break, the opportunity to prove themselves?  How many of us have been a success in our lives because someone took a chance on us?

 

I like my stategy...the devil is in figuring out how to find those ten people who will  run with the opportunity, will one day walk across the stage at a Isagenix conference to share their story, their head held high, while I stand in the back of the auditorium beaming like a proud teacher watching a favorite student as they are handed their diploma, my thanks their smile as they step to the podium.

 

Again it is three in the morning, and I really should turn out my lights and get some sleep...if you read this post, would appreciate your thoughts and feedback on my idea.