When was the last time you took stock? Stock of your home, your health, your finances??? We all need some time to clean house, clean-up shop, clean-up our act. Now begins the easiest time to start anew. Many people begin to feel renewed energy with the emergence of spring. There is something divinely inspirational about the promise of starting over. Many have spring cleaning routines, evaluate their finances because of tax time, and some even choose to participate in an internal cleansing program to get rid of the toxins that accumulate over a stagnant winter season. This is also a popular time of year to sign up for courses at night school or begin a fitness program too. In order to accomplish this, we have to make choices to manage the stuff in our lives. Stuff collects over time and overwhelms, becomes a burden, or is completely out-of-control. Part of the stuff we need to get rid of can include stuffy attitudes or the way we feel about our bodies after winter--sometimes we aren't comfortable with ourselves this time of year. Harness that emerging energy that you start to feel about now and prepare to begin by sorting through the stuff in your life--out with the old, in with the new.
Spring Cleaning Your Kitchen...
Take stock by clearing out the old stock and replacing with new colourful assortment of textures, flavors and aromas to becoming more aware of what foods that are available to making a fresher start to a healthier you.
Venture to your kitchen and start taking inventory.Start with cupboards, the fridge and do the same with your freezer. Don't forget to throw out those week old leftovers, wilted produce and old condiment jars.
Put aside any of your temptations. During this process ask yourself, “Is this good for me?” and then ask, “Will my family want this?” If you shouldn't eat it then why is it good for your loved ones? Replace them with more enticing healthier choies.
Tip # 1 If limiting comfort food is difficult, try a colourful solution to guide you. Place green stickers on each snack representing healthy choices and red on non healthy. Remind yourself with a visual warning.
When facing high cost and minimal freshness in your local grocery store, alternative solutions are available. Go to your freezer department to inspect the varieties of frozen fruit and vegetable products that are available. After the produce has been hand selected it's ready for our freezer full of glossy textures, freshness and full of nutrients.
Tip #2 Inspect the packages; “GRADE A” means top quality.
Canned produce is another option to get your nutrition when produce isn't the best. Remember they do have a higher salt and sugar content! When purchasing new canned goods, “ face your shelves” by putting the new stock at the back and the not as new at the front.
Tip # 3 Try different colourful fruits and vegetables to add variety in your diet. You can also buy fresh lettuce greens in ready to serve packages--just add your favorite chopped vegetables along with your favorite salad dressing.
Tip # 4 Have a prepared list in hand and remember shopping for you and your family shouldn't be stressful.
Choosing nutritional alternatives to unhealthy foods will be rewarding. You will notice an enormous change in your body and energy levels. You may even notice that you’re not snacking as much as before.
Creative Clutter
With spring on the not-too-distant-horizon, many of us are ready to ditch some of the
stuff that’s accumulated since our “fall cleanup”. It’s a time of renewal and a time of
cleansing. Looking around, there’s a lot of “clutter” in our personal spaces; some is
visible to the naked eye like the pile of magazines, dirty chandelier or dusty china cabinet
but some however, remains unseen. You know, where things are “out of sight and out of
mind”? The spaces where doors stay closed and others don’t venture? Places like
closets, dresser drawers, under beds, file cabinets, storage areas, junk drawers, and
kitchen cupboards? Where things end up because you don’t have the time to deal with
them or put them away? Awwwhh…now you remember!
Clearing out our “mass accoutrements” takes time and lots of it along with some
energy and motivation. We know all of this, but if we had these things in the first place,
we wouldn’t be surrounded by so much clutter now! I know…we should be thinking
about rounding up some cardboard boxes or plastic bags and sorting the clutter into piles
but if we only had the time and energy we’d…
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Taking Stock In RRSPs
As RRSP season is upon us, I am reminded of a day about 6 years ago when my husband encouraged us to take ‘charge of our life’ and open a self-directed investment account. Our RRSP’s had been in place with a financial advisor for a number of years making only stodgy progress. So we transferred funds into an internet trading account and began a journey into the starry galaxy of finance.
First my husband invested in Nortel stocks with reasonable luck. Their stock cracked the hundred-dollar mark. At close to $120 he cashed in making some impressive gains. Then he suggested I become more involved. I shakily took the helm of my own account, barreling ahead with 15,000 cash in my RRSP trading account.
In retrospect, that was like me taking the wheel of a Boeing 747 and trying to operate the plane. I knew nothing about stocks or investment but was willing to venture forward throwing myself wholeheartedly into the project. Days and nights were spent on-line. Surfing the internet for financial information was like trying to untangle a box of Christmas lights–it was a maze with no end in sight. Yahoo Finance became a favorite, though I followed a number of other investment websites too. Soon my eyes were on stocks with highest gains and volume on the NASDAQ, New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE) and CDNX. Companies with innovative technologies were popping up like dandelions in spring. It was enthralling, dangerous territory, and I was on the information highway with only a pair of running shoes!
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