Saturday Study & Learn: HOW TO DAIL BACK STRESS

Every Saturday I try to feature something that we can all learn: And since I have felt a bit stressed at times, this article from Barry Eisen – Motivational Speaker, Hypnotist, Trainer and Coach – is spot on…Read for yourself. 

STRESS: Dial It Back! 

by Barry Eisen 

Stress is a huge influencer in most of our lives. Stress does not come from the world around us; it's our perception (our reality) of what's going on... our personal attachment and reactions. Stress can come from eating poorly, over promising, our reaction to traffic, noise, pollution, toxic relationships, disappointments, pain, fears, poor sleep, multi-tasking, etc.

The short list of not dealing with stress properly can be misplaced hostilities, strokes, poor sleep patterns, lack of focus, heart attack, diabetes, mood changes, sexual dysfunctions, erratic business performance, panic attacks, depression, memory loss, anger, etc. It's not pretty.

We are, in many regards, "too close to the trees to see the forest." But in slowing down to recognize and deal with things as they are, not as we justify them to be (everyone has a compelling back story as reasoning for self destructive behavior), positive change can make us physically healthier and mentally sharper.

7 STRESS MANAGEMENT IDEAS 

#1 Learn and use meditation or self-hypnosis regularly. Studies worldwide show fewer cases of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia and memory loss for those who practice meditation and/or self-hypnosis. Meditation and S-Hyp. promote better sleep patterns. During quality sleep (REM) toxins (residual proteins and tags) are flushed from the brain cells. Toxic build up in the brain, over a period of time, is like rust developing on a neglected garden tool left outside in the rain. Take care of your brain and it will take care of you.

I prefer self-hypnosis because, aside from the health benefits of better sleep and energy, the advantages of using this state of mind to change habits and attitudes and improve performance and memory... is so valuable.

LEARN TO SLEEP WELL

1.  Darken the bedroom as best you can and keep the room temperature on the cool side. 
2.  Don't nap during the day. 
3.  Stop eating, drinking and exercise 2 hours before bedtime. 
4.  Use the bedroom for sleep and sex not as an office or a place to accumulate and use all your digital devices. 
5.  Create a bedtime routine (reading is preferable to TV). 
6.  Put together a to-do list and prioritize it just before going to sleep. 
7. Go to bed the same time each night. There are always exceptions to the rule, but heading in the direction that will well serve you allows your brain to anticipate creating and duplicating a good sleep cycle

#2 De-clutter your life. Organize the mess that may exist in your car, in your home, in your office and create filing systems that work so your mind can experience that the "tail is not wagging the dog." Your mind likes and appreciates, "neat!" Delegate responsibilities when you can. Dial back on negative relationships. Spend less time with the draining, negative, sarcastic life wasters around you. Being around supportive, well speaking, energetic, doers will keep you younger and healthier longer. Good food is good for the body; good mental stimulation is good for the brain.

#3 Find reasons to laugh. Outwardly. Holding a laugh back is repressive, letting it out produces an immediate endorphin rush.

#4 Exercise. Weights, aerobics, Pilates, yoga, stretching on a regular basis produce more endorphins and have an anti-inflammatory effect. Schedule the time and perhaps engage a workout buddy or personal trainer if you find it hard to maintain consistency. You know this is important--just do it!

#5 Eat well. Be conscious of what you choose to put into your body. Eating clean allows for better absorption and healthier more responsive muscular, respiratory, circulatory and lymphatic systems, producing less cancer causing free radicals. Weight loss and body health is 20% exercise, 80% nutrition and 100% mindset. What's good for the body is good for the brain. Let go of the old clichés and reasons you've used to justify doing what's easy, not doing what's right.

#6 Schedule to and show up for your appointments early. Feeling like you're constantly running behind puts extra pressure on mind and body. It doesn't have to be that way. Slow down and do more...comfortably. Manage your time or it will manage you.
Slow down once in a while and do a little check up from the neck up.

#7 Periodically throughout the day take a minute to do nothing but concentrate on taking deep slow breaths. Close your eyes, lower your shoulders, relax. Be MINDFUL of what you're doing and feeling.

There are, obviously, many more great ideas that can make a positive difference. Find and create small rituals or systems that work for you.

Thanks for reading. Please do pass this on.

Make it a great day!

Barry Eisen

For more information visit: http://barryeisen.com

Saturday Study & Learn: The Science of CHICKEN SOUP!

To keep with my winter cold theme…I thought this information might be useful from the NY Times.  Seems Mom might be right about Chicken Soup!

The Science of Chicken Soup

My doctor recently told me to treat colds, chicken soup may be a better choice than over-the-counter cough and cold medicines.

Andrew Scrivani for NY Times

Now, with government experts questioning the safety and effectiveness of cold medications for kids, the best option for parents this cold and flu season may be home remedies like chicken soup. As it turns out, a handful of scientific studies show that chicken soup really could have medicinal value.

The most widely cited of these studies, published in the medical journal Chest by Dr. Stephen Rennard of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. He conducted laboratory tests to determine why chicken soup might help colds, beginning with his wife’s homemade recipe, handed down by her Lithuanian grandmother. Using blood samples from volunteers, he showed that the soup inhibited the movement of neutrophils, the most common type of white blood cell that defends against infection. Dr. Rennard theorizes that by inhibiting the migration of these infection-fighting cells in the body, chicken soup essentially helps reduce upper respiratory cold symptoms.

The researchers couldn’t identify the exact ingredient or ingredients in the soup that made it effective against colds but say it may be the combination of vegetables and chicken that work together. The tested soup contained chicken, onions, sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, carrots, celery stems, parsley, salt and pepper. The full recipe, as well as the scientific article, are available on the university’s Chicken Soup Web site. The researchers also compared commercial soups and found many of them also had a similar inhibitory effect.

Another study by Mount Sinai researchers in Miami also suggests that chicken soup has more than just a placebo effect. They looked at how chicken soup affected air flow and mucus in the noses of 15 volunteers who drank cold water, hot water or chicken soup. In general, the hot fluids helped increase the movement of nasal mucus, but chicken soup did a better job than the hot water, according to the 1978 report, also published in Chest. Chicken soup also improves the function of protective cilia, the tiny hairlike projections in the nose that prevent contagions from entering the body, according to a 1998 Coping With Allergies and Asthma report.

None of the research is conclusive, and it’s not known whether the changes measured in the laboratory really have a meaningful effect on people with cold symptoms. However, at the very least, chicken soup with vegetables contains lots of healthy nutrients, increases hydration and tastes good, too.

Read the full article from TARA PARKER-POPE 

at http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/science-of-chicken-soup

Saturday Study: Female Veterans Write their War Stories.

A veteran looks at a handwritten diary from World War I during writing workshop for female veterans at the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library. The women participating represent most branches of service.

The women at the table are on a mission. They've only just met a couple weeks earlier, but they have developed a camaraderie that will carry them through to the end of this latest assignment.

Kelly Wilkinson / The Star

Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library founder and CEO and veteran Julia Whitehead more

All are veterans, meeting at the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library in Downtown Indianapolis to share their "war stories" and learn how to put those stories into words on paper.

Women Veterans' Memoirs: A Writing Workshop has brought them together. It's a free workshop designed to help women craft their military stories through prose or poetry. A grant from the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation paid for the program.

Led by Shari Wagner, an instructor for the Indiana Writers Center, the class meets twice a month through March. The best work from each veteran will be published in a book by the Writers Center and celebrated at a public reading in May.



INDIANAPOLIS STAR

Tully: As World War II raged, she stepped up to serve

These vets are a tough and varied bunch. The youngest are in their 30s, the oldest in their 60s. Collectively, they've served in just about every branch of the military, during times of war and peace.

"I watched as the planes flew into the Twin Towers, and I watched as (the towers) fell. It was my freshman year of college, and I felt the pull of my country at that moment."

Those are the words of Christylee Vickers, 33, who enlisted in the Army in 2002 and served in Iraq as a light-wheel vehicle mechanic. It was the hardest thing she's ever done, and she still bears the scars. She describes her time with her unit at Fort Campbell, Ky., as a "battle" and her command "toxic."

She completed her service in 2007 and eventually moved back to her hometown of Shirley with her husband and two children.

"The biggest and most important thing I learned when I was in the Army was not how to change a radiator on an HMMVW, or how to search vehicles for bombs. And not how to march in step, or even shoot a gun. It was that I have a voice, and that I can impact the way things are if I stand up and use it," she said.

"I use everything that happened when I was in the Army. And every bad day I channel that into making a difference," Vickers said. "I advocate for veterans' issues."
2 of 15

Specifically, mental health issues. Vickers has been treated for post-traumatic stress disorder and struggles with her experiences during war.

She can still smell and hear the mortars, improvised explosive devices and small-arms fire that were part of life and death in Iraq. She remembers the buildings shaking, roads crumbling and people dying.

"As a mechanic, I had to fix the broke stuff, ignore the blood and get the truck back on the road."

When people talk about post-traumatic stress disorder and war trauma, they automatically think of men, she said. "I want my fight and all the pills I take daily to be worth something."

Crafting their stories

At each class, the women are given a writing prompt, such as "Why I enlisted" and "What I learned in boot camp." They work on that section of their story before returning for the next class, at which point they take turns reading what they've written and listening to gentle suggestions from peers and from Wagner.

"I’m a big believer in the importance of memoir writing as a way for anyone to make sense of his or her life stories and to share those stories with others," Wagner said. "But I think it’s particularly important for veterans to explore their experiences, which often are painful, through writing.

"When you create a well-written story from the reservoir of memory, you, like any artist, are exerting control over your material," she added. "It’s a process that brings enlightenment and healing and, ultimately, a powerful sense of connection as you craft something that becomes a gift to others."

Wagner also was pleased to learn that this workshop would be for female veterans because most military memoirs have been written by men. "I think it’s vital that female voices start to be heard."

Bugs on the menu

Leslie Bales and Laura McKee are survivors. The two Air Force vets found out while talking after the workshop that both had completed survival training during their service, a week of intense physical and mental challenges that few women attempted 30-plus years ago.

Bales, who served from 1978 to 1984, was the first female to qualify as a load master on a C5 transport aircraft in her unit.

Because women weren't permitted in career fields in the military at that time, she said she had to work hard to convince her superiors that she deserved a shot.

Though she didn't serve during wartime, "I went up against a male-dominated military; it was a fight," said the 55-year-old, who now serves as director of customer operations for the Department of Defense. She's been at the Bean Federal Center at the former Fort Benjamin Harrison since 1992.

Her time training in 7-foot snowdrifts taught her to use her strengths, to prove that she was capable. And she succeeded. The only thing she couldn't force herself to do? Eat bugs. "That's why I went in February," she told McKee.

For her part, McKee chose eating bugs over miserable cold during her survival training experience. "I couldn't have done it in winter," she said.

The 46-year-old has been with the Air Force Reserves since 1990, serving as a jet engine mechanic. She joined because she was inspired by her grandmother's travels around the world, and over the years, she has seen her fair share as well: England, Germany, Ireland, Australia, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Guam.

"I'm glad I got to do it then as opposed to now because of all the threats around the world," said McKee, women's veterans coordinator for the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs.

Painful Past

Sometimes those threats came at the hands of the very people the women served alongside.

Lisa Wilken was raped 22 years ago by a fellow airman during basic training at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. She was 22. What followed was years of torment, some of it caused by those charged with investigating the assault, some from the anxiety and depression she suffered as a result. She went on to serve as a lab technician at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio before being granted a medical discharge three years after the rape.

Her story was detailed in The Indianapolis Star and USA Today in 2013.

Leaving with anything less than an honorable discharge was not an option, said the Westfield mother of two, adding that military sexual trauma veterans like her had three choices: take it like a trooper, go AWOL or kill yourself. She refused to quit. Her attacker was identified and forced out of the military but never served jail time.

Wilken said she told her commanding officer to remember her name "because I won't always wear this uniform and you will hear from me again."

In 2013, she testified before Congressabout the care and treatment of military sexual trauma veterans, and she continues to advocate for female veterans.

Vickers, too, hopes her story will give others the courage to seek treatment if they suffered military trauma.

"The best help I've gotten isn't pills or talk therapy. ... The best for me is talking vet to vet, being supported, understood, validated."

In Vickers' mind, a war story is supposed to be heroic, something they make movies about. Her story is about fighting for her place in the Army and for equal care once PTSD closed in. She kept a journal during her deployments in Iraq and has copies of letters written to family members during that time that will help in shaping her story.

"In my own perfect world, the soldier isn't given a boot in the ass and tossed out the door the day their enlistment ends. If their experience is anything like mine, that only makes the war trauma more intense. Then you truly feel alone and abandoned again," she said.

"We need real change to happen; we need real services for vet reintegration, and we need it soon. That is how I will heal, I will advocate for change."

by Maureen C. Gilmer /  maureen.gilmer@indystar.com

Saturday Study: KRUSING AMERICA LA Premiere at the historical Pickford Theatre at Raleigh Studios, Hollywood

As the longest continuously operating studio in the country, Raleigh Studios has played a central role in creating and supporting the modern entertainment industry. Over the years, the studio has thrived because of its commitment to providing both the highest levels of studio service and the most advanced production technology.

In 1915, the studio commenced operations as Famous Players Fiction Studios, with a Mary Pickford production as one of the first features to be filmed on this historic Hollywood lot. Although the silent era was still in full swing, an early owner had the vision to build one of the world's first soundstages - complete with a glass top so light could enter without disrupting sound recording. This kind of innovation has marked Raleigh Studios throughout its history.

The studio passed through a number of hands and operated under several different names during its colorful history. Some of the industry's most influential leaders have called the lot home, including Douglas Fairbanks, Lillian and Dorothy Gish, Walt Disney, Bette Davis (the cult classic Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? was filmed at the lot) and Jim Henson and the Henson Companies.

As television swept the industry in the 1950s and 1960s, many of the original film studios faded. On the Raleigh Studios lot, however, television was not viewed as a threat, but rather as an opportunity. The studio adapted to the new technology of television shoots and became a popular venue for top television producers. Over its long history, some of televisions' most famous early shows and pilots were filmed at the studio, including Superman, Gunsmoke and Perry Mason.

Raleigh Enterprises purchased the studio in 1979 and immediately launched a comprehensive renovation of its historic buildings. As part of an extensive five-year master plan that added modern new soundstages, support facilities and offices to the lot, the refurbishment of the studio ensured the preservation of the best of its Hollywood traditions. As part of this process, Raleigh Enterprises virtually reinvented the art of soundstage construction as no new facilities had been built in nearly three decades.

In 1998, Raleigh Studios furthered its growth with the opening of its Manhattan Beach facility. This state-of-the-art lot with nearly 600,000 square feet of stage, support and office space solidified Raleigh Studios’ position as the industry’s premier independent production studio. With three locations and including studio and production support space, Raleigh Studios is the largest independent studio operator in the country. In addition, Raleigh’s parent company, Raleigh Enterprises, purchased an interest in Hollywood Rentals in 2001 and fully acquired the grip and electric company in 2004, bringing one of the industry’s largest equipment providers into its fold and making Raleigh a full service provider of nearly every facet of production services for the entertainment industry.

Although Raleigh Studios has seen many changes over the years, one thing has remained constant, its commitment to assisting visionary leaders in commercial, film and television production.

Raleigh’s long operating history and role as a leader in production service, studio development and management provide a sense of its capabilities as a manager and or equipment provider.

Saturday Study: Origin of Trick-or-Treating & Halloween!

Trick-or-treating—going from house to house in search of candy and other goodies—has been a popular Halloween tradition in the United States and other countries for an estimated 100 years. But the origins of this community-based ritual, which costumed children typically savor while their cavity-conscious parents grudgingly tag along, remain hazy. Possible forerunners to modern-day trick-or-treating have been identified in ancient Celtic festivals, early Roman Catholic holidays, medieval practices and even British politics.

Although it is unknown precisely where and when the phrase “trick or treat” was coined, the custom had been firmly established in American popular culture by 1951, when trick-or-treating was depicted in the Peanuts comic strip. In 1952, Disney produced a cartoon called “Trick or Treat” featuring Donald Duck and his nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie.

Halloween has its roots in the ancient, pre-Christian Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated on the night of October 31. The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, believed that the dead returned to earth on Samhain. People would gather to light bonfires, offer sacrifices and pay homage to the deceased.

Still another potential trick-or-treating predecessor is the British custom for children to wear masks and carry effigies while begging for pennies on Guy Fawkes Night (also known as Bonfire Night), which commemorates the foiling of the so-called Gunpowder Plot in 1605. On November 5, 1606, Fawkes was executed for his role in the Catholic-led conspiracy to blow up England’s parliament building and remove King James I, a Protestant, from power. On the original Guy Fawkes Day, celebrated immediately after the famous plotter’s execution, communal bonfires, or “bone fires,” were lit to burn effigies and the symbolic “bones” of the Catholic pope. By the early 19th century, children bearing effigies of Fawkes were roaming the streets on the evening of November 5, asking for “a penny for the Guy.”

Some American colonists celebrated Guy Fawkes Day, and in the mid-19th century large numbers of new immigrants, especially those fleeing Ireland’s potato famine in the 1840s, helped popularize Halloween. In the early 20th century, Irish and Scottish communities revived the Old World traditions of souling and guising in the United States. By the 1920s, however, pranks had become the Halloween activity of choice for rowdy young people, sometimes amounting to more than $100,000 in damages each year in major metropolitan areas.

The Great Depression exacerbated the problem, with Halloween mischief often devolving into vandalism, physical assaults and sporadic acts of violence. One theory holds that it was the excessive pranks on Halloween that led to the widespread adoption of an organized, community-based trick-or-treating tradition in the 1930s. This trend was abruptly curtailed, however, with the outbreak of World War II, when children had to refrain from trick-or-treating because of sugar rationing.

At the height of the postwar baby boom, trick-or-treating reclaimed its place among other Halloween customs, quickly becoming standard practice for millions of children in America’s cities and newly built suburbs. No longer constrained by sugar rationing, candy companies capitalized on the lucrative ritual, launching national advertising campaigns specifically aimed at Halloween. 

Today, Americans spend an estimated $6 billion annually on Halloween, making it the nation’s second-largest commercial holiday.

Excerpts from http://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween

Saturday Study & Learn: 10 Things Likeable People Do

“Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder”. In the same way, if you like a person, it may be due to your personal reasons. But there are people who are liked by everyone. Likeable people are people with a friendly gesture, positive attitude and enjoyable personality. Likeable people are always preferred in comparison to others. Likeable students are always teachers’ favourite, and likeable patients are always treated well by doctors. Everywhere you go, likeable people are welcomed by everyone.

Given below are 10 traits of likeable people: –

They have a positive attitude towards everything: –

Everyone likes a person with a positive attitude. They never let failures rule them. They always come up with something good even in bad situations. If you have a positive attitude, people will always want to talk to you. There is a lot of negativity in today’s world. So people always are inclined towards a positive person.

They are open- hearted: –

They are open to new people. They like to make new friends. They accept others without any hesitation. They are always open to new ideas, new ways and others’ lifestyle. Their openness can be judged from the way they talk to others. The way they talk is also very attractive.

They are not judgemental:-

If you judge people, you leave a very bad impression on others. Even if you don’t show by your behaviour that you have a bad opinion about that person, the person always gets to know. It is not your responsibility to point out good or bad in others. Likeable people mingle with people the way they are. They are very understanding and they never try to change others.

They are not fake:-

People who are fake are avoided by everyone. Likeable people never try to pretend. They always show their real personality before others. They never try to be over friendly with anyone by bearing everything. They always keep their opinion in front of you. But they will never impose their opinions.

Likeable people like you also :-

Imagine a situation when you continuously keep liking a person and that person gives no response. You will start hating that person after a few days. People whom you like, they also like you. And even their liking towards you is genuine. They behave with you the way you behave with them.

They are not insecure:-

There are people who never cross their comfort zone before everyone. If you meet such a person, you will also not be able to mix with that person nicely. Likeable people are not insecure. They interact with others with a positive attitude.

They accept things easily :-

“Sorry” is a word which egoistic people never use even if it’s their mistake. Likeable people accept their mistakes. There are people who boast about their knowledge, but likeable people feel free to say that they don’t know about a particular topic.

Competing for everything is also not good:-

Competitive nature is always appreciated. But likeable people are not into competition always. They always know the right place for competition. There are people who even during a conversation would try to win a conversation. It is not always good.

They always encourage you :-

Talent is present in every person but everyone cannot realise it or are afraid of facing the world. Likeable people always boost you up to present your talent in front of the world. They never leave a chance to encourage you.

They think the way you think :-

They are just like you. They have the same mentality, the same likes and dislikes. They hang around with same people you do. And since you like yourself, you will always like a person like you.

From http://businesswolf.org/10-things-that-likeable-people-do-consistently/

Saturday Study & Learn: "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" starring Jimmy Stewart / Released October 17, 1939

One of my favorite movies of all time with one of my favorite actors, Jimmy Stewart was release on this day, October 17, 1939.  Fifty years later it was haled as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the National Film Registry. If you haven't seen it - You really should!

MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON is a American political comedy-drama film, starring James Stewart and Jean Arthur, about one man's effect on American politics. 

It was directed by Frank Capra and written by Sidney Buchman, based on Lewis R. Foster's unpublished story.[3] Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was controversial when it was released, but also successful at the box office, and made Stewart a major movie star.[4] The film features a bevy of well-known supporting actors and actresses, among them Claude Rains, Edward Arnold, Guy Kibbee,Thomas Mitchell and Beulah Bondi.

Nominated for 11 Academy Awards, but winning only for Best Original Story.[5] In 1989, the Library of Congress added the movie to the United States National Film Registry, for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Award	Result	Winner
Outstanding Production	Nominated	Columbia Pictures (Frank Capra) Winner was David O. Selznick - Gone with the Wind
Best Director	Nominated	Frank Capra Winner was Victor Fleming - Gone with the Wind
Best Actor	Nominated	James Stewart Winner was Robert Donat - Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Best Writing, Screenplay	Nominated	Sidney Buchman Winner was Sidney Howard - Gone with the Wind
Best Writing, Original Story	Won	Lewis R. Foster
Best Supporting Actor	Nominated	Harry Carey Winner was Thomas Mitchell - Stagecoach
Best Supporting Actor	Nominated	Claude Rains Winner was Thomas Mitchell - Stagecoach
Best Art Direction	Nominated	Lionel Banks Winner was Lyle R. Wheeler - Gone with the Wind
Best Film Editing	Nominated	Gene Havlick, Al Clark Winner was Hal C. Kern, James E. Newcom - Gone with the Wind
Best Music, Scoring	Nominated	Dimitri Tiomkin Winner was Herbert Stothart - The Wizard of Oz
Best Sound Recording	Nominated	John P. Livadary Winner was Bernard B. Brown - When Tomorrow Comes

Other honors

• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was named as one of the best films of 1939 by the New York Times and Film Daily, and was nominated for Best Film by the National Board of Review.
• Jimmy Stewart won the 1939 New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor.
• In 1989, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was added to the United States National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."[25]

American Film Institute recognition

• 1998 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies #29
• 2003 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains:
• Jefferson Smith, Hero #11
• Senator Joseph Paine, Villain - Nominated
• 2006 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Cheers #5
• 2007 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) #26

Saturday Study: First Week of October: Animal Welfare Week & (AVMA) American Veterinary Medical Association

FIVE BASIC FREEDOMS for ANIMAL WELFARE:

1. Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition
2. Freedom from physical discomfort and pain
3. Freedom from injury and disease
4. Freedom to conform to essential behavior patterns
5. Freedom from fear and distress

The (AVMA) American Veterinary Medical Association's Mission is to be the trusted leader in protecting, promoting and advancing a strong, unified veterinary profession that meets the needs of society. To lead the profession by advocating for its members and advancing the science and practice of veterinary medicine to improve animal and human health.

Who We Are  The AVMA is a not-for-profit association representing more than 86,500 veterinarians working in private and corporate practice, government, industry, academia, and uniformed services. The AVMA acts as a collective voice for its membership and for the profession. 

Governance  AVMA members are represented by elected or appointed volunteer leaders serving in a wide range of positions. Have questions about the AVMA’s governance structure or strategic planning process? You’re in the right place.

AVMF  The American Veterinary Medical Foundation, the AVMA's charitable arm, is the national foundation for veterinary medicine and animal health. Its mission: "to embrace and enhance the well-being and medical care of animals."



Student AVMA (SAVMA)  The Student American Veterinary Medical Association gives a national voice to more than 12,000 veterinary student members from over 33 schools of veterinary medicine, both within the U.S. and across the globe.

Allied Organizations  The AVMA’s allied organizations are represented in the AVMA House of Delegates and provide representation for members of specialty groups (constituent organizations) and state veterinary medical associations (principal organizations).


AVMA Store (Products)  View and purchase client education brochures, veterinary practice resources, market research reports, and classroom/children’s materials. Many items can be downloaded for free; others require a nominal fee. AVMA members receive discounted pricing.

For more information: http://www.avma.org/

Saturday Study: Support H.R. 3551 THE SAFE STUDENTS STUDY ABROAD ACT Bill / "Ravi Thackurdeen Safe Students Study Abroad Act''

My dream is when laws are in place to protect our traveling education students, when parents and students can make informed decisions and that no family will have to go through horrific despair and many unanswered questions. 

– Ros Thackurdeen

A month ago I wrote about this Act; today it is also known as the "Ravi Thackurdeen Safe Students Study Abroad Act''. Ravi Thackurdeen is the son of my sweet friend Ros Thackurdeen.

Ros's son, Ravi died a 100% preventable death on a Study Abroad trip. Many have been raped, mugged, drugged, murdered - Sadly NO ONE REALLY KNOWS HOW MANY.

Study Abroad is federally funded, unregulated and in many schools mandated as a graduation requirement. Schools do not share what happens on prior programs. Knowledge of previous deaths and injuries is the foundation of fatality prevention. With comprehensive and transparent study abroad safety data, patterns can be revealed, and a science-based understanding of prevention achieved.

I signed the petition then and now...This Bill: The Safe Students Study Abroad Act is also called  the ``Ravi Thackurdeen Safe Students Study Abroad Act''.  Read more below and SUPPORT H.R. 3551 The Safe Student Study Abroad Act by leaving your comments at:

https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/114/hr3551

We need support, please read and sign…Thank You!

SUMMARY

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require additional reporting on crime and harm that occurs during student participation in programs of study abroad, and for other purposes.

STATUS

This bill was assigned to a congressional committee , which will consider it before possibly sending it on to the House or Senate as a whole. The majority of bills never make it past this point.

THE BILL

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require additional reporting on crime and harm that occurs during student participation in programs of study abroad, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Ravi Thackurdeen Safe Students Study Abroad Act''. 

SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF CLERY ACT TO PROGRAMS OF STUDY ABROAD.

(a) Reporting of Crime Statistics.--Paragraph (12) of section 485(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)) is amended-- (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (C); (2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (D) and inserting a semicolon; and (3) by adding at the end the following: ``(E) while a student is participating in a program of study abroad approved for credit by an institution of higher education, distinguished by whether the criminal offense occurred at a location described in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (D), or at another location, without regard to whether the institution owns or controls a building or property at such location.''. (b) Additional Reporting for Programs of Study Abroad.--Section 485(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)) is amended-- (1) by redesigning paragraph (18) as paragraph (19); and (2) by inserting after paragraph (17), the following new paragraph: ``(18)(A) Each institution of higher education participating in any program under this title, other than a foreign…CLICK BELOW TO READ MORE

Please SUPPORT H.R. 3551 The Safe Student Study Abroad Act by leaving your comments at:

https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/114/hr3551

We need everyone's support…Thank You!

Ros Thackurdeen

Saturday Study: 20 LIFE LESSONS You Should Unlearn...

 To Be Happy

Ever noticed that happy people have a certain spring in their step? They seem to walk their talk and illuminate the room as they shine with joy. Happy people seem to have figured out the heartfelt way to live a full life.

Happy people have habits they practice daily and most of them contradict what society says is best. Happy people don’t look outside themselves for happiness; instead they lean on their inner compass.

I know from personal experience that happiness is 100% a habit. Happiness is cultivated by action, and the faster we can unlearn the life lessons that society tells us are right, the sooner we'll really feel happiness.

Here are 20 life lessons you should unlearn in order to be happy.

1. There is a right way and a wrong way to do something.

Trying new things and exploring different processes is part of growing. What works for one person may not work for you. Find your own process and your own beliefs, and let others have their own.

2. Fitting in is belonging.

Trying to fit in means you have to contort yourself to fit other people’s views. Doing so is not being true to yourself. Instead of trying to fit in, focus on aligning with your true self. You'll belong when you are fully comfortable with yourself because you won’t need others' approval.

3. Working hard will make you successful.

The harder you work, the more worn out you will be. You won’t be able to fully enjoy your efforts. Instead of working hard, consider working smarter. Gauge your success by how much joy you are experiencing.

4. Failing is bad.

Failing is a fabulous way for you to learn more about yourself. When we try things and they don’t work, it's an opportunity to figure out why it didn’t work and how you can do it differently to succeed. The most successful people in the world have failed a million times. Ask yourself: are you failing enough?

5. Being alone means you'll be lonely.

When you enjoy your own company, you'll find you are rarely lonely.

6. Life is supposed to be smooth and free of problems.

The ups and downs of life are how we live a balanced life. Embrace each turn and allow for the changes; you will feel peace when you stop resisting.

7. What people think of you is important.

The only thing that matters is what you think about yourself. Work on your relationship with yourself and you will feel more love and joy than you ever thought possible.

8. If you were skinner, prettier, smarter, richer, or healthier, you’d be happier.

Waiting for happiness to arrive based on a destination outside of yourself will keep you in a constant chase. How many times have you actually reached that goal weight, found that dream relationship, landed that so called perfect job, and yet you still weren’t happy? Every time! Happiness is not a place outside of us; it is inside of our own hearts.

9. Your life is off-track.

Feeling like you are not where you are supposed to be or that your life hasn’t turned out the way you planned keeps you from enjoying the present moment. You are right where you need to be, trust that everything is in right order.

10. Letting go is giving up.

Letting go of stuff that weighs you down is the key to reaching new levels of success and happiness. When you let go of what no longer serves you, you make room for what you really want and need.

11. You should hold on to what’s no longer working.

Learn to be comfortable with the unknown. We hold on to things that don’t work because we fear the unknown and are afraid we don’t deserve better.

12. You need to postpone joy.

Retirement, vacation, the weekend — all are excuses keeping you from enjoying life right now, in this moment. Reach for happiness every day and you'll no longer need a vacation to achieve balance in your life because your life will be full of joy.

13. You should listen to your head over your heart.

Your head will talk you out of what you feel is right. Trusting the guidance of your heart is never wrong. Ask yourself if the situation feels right, instead of thinking your way through the problem.

14. If you don’t know how to make it happen, you shouldn't go for it.

We learn the way to achieve our dreams on the way to achieving them, so go for it. Your future self will thank you.

15. Unsupportive people don’t care about you.

What others say and do has nothing to do with you. If you have a dream that people don’t support, ask yourself if you believe in it. The more you believe in yourself and your dreams the less you need others to.

16. Self-love is selfish.

When you show up for yourself, you can show up for the world.

17. Your dreams should take a back seat to responsibility.

Your dreams are your responsibility. Don’t let excuses keep you from following through on your purpose.

18. The destination is the reward.

There is no destination; the journey is the reward, so start being present during your journey.

19. Being vulnerable is a sign of weakness.

Fully sharing yourself is the key to a happy life. Being vulnerable means you don’t hide away; instead you fully embrace yourself and shine your light.

20. Who you are is what you do.

You are not a noun. You are so much more than your job title, role or position in life. Start celebrating you for you, because you make a difference just as you are.

BY SHANNON KAISER

From the research I’ve completed while writing my next book, Mental Makeover, I have learned that it comes back to habits. Happy people have habits they practice daily and most of them contradict what society says is best. Happy people don’t look outside themselves for happiness; instead they lean on their inner compass.

I know from personal experience that happiness is 100% a habit. I found this out as I left my corporate job to follow my heart and be a writer and life coach, in the process walking away from depression, drug addictions and eating disorders, which prevented me from being happy.

Happiness is cultivated by action, and the faster we can unlearn the life lessons that society tells us are right, the sooner we'll really feel happiness.

September is CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS Month because kids can't fight Cancer alone!

Families, caregivers, charities and research groups across the United States observe September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. In the U.S., 15,780 children under the age of 21 are diagnosed with cancer every year; approximately 1/4 of them will not survive the disease. A diagnosis turns the lives of the entire family upside down. The objective of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is to put a spotlight on the types of cancer that largely affect children, survivorship issues, and – importantly – to help raise funds for research and family support.

And did you know:

• 1 in every 285 children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer
• In the U.S., one out of every five children with cancer will not survive
• The vast majority of kids who do survive will suffer long-term side effects
• 14,583 kids will be diagnosed with cancer this month alone

And every single one of them is hoping that the next treatment is the one that will save their life. 

For more information visit: http://www.acco.org/awareness-advocacy/childhood-cancer-awareness-month/

http://www.stbaldricks.org/blog/post/get-involved-in-september-for-childhood-cancer-awareness-month/

Because kids cant' fight Cancer alone!

Saturday Study & Learn: CHARITY WATER – Bringing clean water to 50,000 in need! #nothingiscrazy

SEPTEMBERCAMPAIGN 2015

This September, a community of world-changers is proving that #nothingiscrazy when it comes to raising money for clean water. 
And you can join them.

https://www.charitywater.org

There are 663 million people in the world living without access to clean water. Let's change that!

We're #crazy4water and we think it's crazy that 663 million people around the world drink contaminated water every day. They collect it from rivers, lakes, and holes in the ground. It causes diseases, keeps kids out of school, and takes hours to carry back home.

We want to help, so each Smile Generation®-trusted office is raising money for charity: water. It's crazy that so many people today are without clean water. But doing nothing is even crazier. Help us help them by making a donation today.

Learn about the September Campaign

This year, we’re rallying a community of bold, creative, quirky and passionate world-changers to bring clean water to 50,000 people in need. You can help.

https://my.charitywater.org/empire-dental-group/empire-dental-group?sc_cid=eBlast_20150908_charitywater_video_EM&et_cid=1159498&et_rid=37_11490