TGIFYGDF

TGIFYGDF…Thank Goodness It’s Feed Your Good Dog Friday!

April 2, 2010 by Rose Caplan

Whether you celebrate Passover, Easter, or Life’s renewals this time of year, take a day this weekend to “power down” and “stop and smell the roses”.

Reboot, a non-profit group of Jewish artists in search of a modern way to observe a weekly day of rest, provide us with a guide to do so. The guide is inherent in Reboot’s creative project The Sabbath Manifesto , which is designed to slow down lives in an increasingly hectic world.

Following are some of the core prinicples from the Sabbath Manifesto’s Provisional Guide for Observing a Weekly Day of Rest.

Avoid technology.
Connect with loved ones.
Nurture your health.
Get outside.
Find silence.
Give back.

Reboot also, this year, initiated a National Day of Unplugging. Thousands unplugged from cell phones, ipods, computers, etc. from Sundown, Friday, March 19 to Sundown, Saturday, March 20. The people in this YouTube video tell us how and why they unplug, or. . . not.

Source: Sabbath Manifesto: Slowing Down Lives Since 2010.

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!
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TGIFYGDF…Thank Goodness It’s Feed Your Good Dog Friday!

March 26, 2010 by Rose Caplan

National Women’s History Week was first celebrated in March, 1980. This was made possible by The National Women’s History Project (NWHP). NWHP lead the efforts of thousands of individuals and hundreds of educational and women’s organizations to make sure it happened then and for each and every year thereafter. In 1987, after national recognition, multi-state declarations of National Women’s History Month, and further NWHP lobbying efforts, Congress declared March as National Women’s History Month in perpetuity. A special Presidential Proclamation is issued every year which honors the extraordinary achievements of American women.

This year to mark their 30th year, NWHP’s theme is Writing Women Back into History. To honor this theme, NWHP has highlighted pivotal themes from previous years. Each of these past themes recognizes a different aspect of women’s achievements, from ecology to art, and from sports to politics.

Take a few minutes this weekend to remember and honor the contribution of the women in your life in general. You may also be inspired by the list of more than 230 NWHP’s honorees which you can access here.

Additionally, the NWHP is holding an on-line auction through March 31 to raise money for its cause. If you are a history buff, or if you would like to support NWHP continue its educational mission to ensure a place for women in our history, you can check out the auction here.

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!
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TGIFYGDF…Thank Goodness It’s Feed Your Good Dog Friday!

March 5, 2010 by Rose Caplan

Turn your thoughts ‘round…the first intentional step toward the first day of the rest of a positively lived life!

The Power of Positive Thinking
by Remez Sasson
Source: SuccessConsciousness.com

Practical Instructions

In order to turn the mind toward the positive, inner work and training are required. Attitude and thoughts do not change overnight.

Read about this subject, think about its benefits and persuade yourself to try it. The power of thoughts is a mighty power that is always shaping our life. This shaping is usually done subconsciously, but it is possible to make the process a conscious one. Even if the idea seems strange give it a try, as you have nothing to lose, but only to gain. Ignore what others might say or think about you, if they discover that you are changing the way you think.

Always visualize only favorable and beneficial situations. Use positive words in your inner dialogues or when talking with others. Smile a little more, as this helps to think positively. Disregard any feelings of laziness or a desire to quit. If you persevere, you will transform the way your mind thinks.

Once a negative thought enters your mind, you have to be aware of it and endeavor to replace it with a constructive one. The negative thought will try again to enter your mind, and then you have to replace it again with a positive one. It is as if there are two pictures in front of you, and you choose to look at one of them and disregard the other. Persistence will eventually teach your mind to think positively and ignore negative thoughts.

In case you feel any inner resistance when replacing negative thoughts with positive ones, do not give up, but keep looking only at the beneficial, good and happy thoughts in your mind.

It does not matter what your circumstances are at the present moment. Think positively, expect only favorable results and situations, and circumstances will change accordingly. It may take some time for the changes to take place, but eventually they do.

Another method to employ is the repetition of affirmations. It is a method which resembles creative visualization, and which can be used in conjunction with it. It is the subject of another article on this website.

The other articles at this website, about the power of concentration, will power, self-discipline and peace of mind also contribute to the development of a positive mind, and are recommended for reading and practicing.

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!
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TGIFYGDF…Thanks Goodness It’s Feed Your Good Dog Friday!

February 26, 2010 by Rose Caplan

Good work done by Share Our Strength’s Operation Frontline – A Strong Front Against Childhood Hunger.

Taste of Atlanta’s Silent Auction proceeds benefitted Share our Strength’s Operation Frontline program:

Share our Strength is a national organization dedicated to ensuring that no child in America grows up hungry. Share our Strength’s Operation Frontline program is nationally sponsored by the ConAgra Foods Foundation and is celebrating 15 years of groundbreaking nutrition education. This cooking-based program provides a strong foundation in nutrition, cooking, and household budgeting through specialized courses for adults, kids, and teens. Professional chefs and nutritionists volunteer their time and expertise to lead hands-on courses that teach adults, teens and children how to get the most nutrition out of a limited budget. Operation Frontline has reached more than 51,500 families across the country since 1993.

Volunteer to teach others how to eat healthfully and how to make good nutrition decisions … get involved with Share Our Strength.

Other Sources: Vicki Steine and Georgia Spice Company.

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!
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TGIFYGDF…Thank Goodness It’s Feed Your Good Dog Friday!

February 19, 2010 by Rose Caplan

Kindness: How Good Deeds Can Be Good for You!
Source: Random Acts of Kindness Foundation
Entire article here

People who perform Random Acts of Kindness generally agree that doing a kind deed for someone else makes them “feel good.” But apart from sheer niceness, why should people be encouraged to commit Acts of Kindness? Are there any other concrete benefits that would motivate more people to become kinder?

The answer is an overwhelming “yes!” A number of scientific studies show that Acts of Kindness result in significant health benefits, both physical and mental, for those who perform them.

One of the most compelling studies of altruism was performed by Allan Luks and documented in his 1991 book, The Healing Power of Doing Good: The Health and Spiritual Benefits of Helping Others. Luks is the former executive director of the Institute for the Advancement of Health and executive director of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of New York City.

The volunteers in Luks’ study testified to feeling a rush of euphoria, followed by a longer period of calm, after performing a kind act. This feeling, which Luks calls “helper’s high,” involves physical sensations that strongly indicate a sharp reduction in stress and the release of the body’s natural painkillers, the endorphins. This initial rush is then followed by a longer-lasting period of improved emotional well-being.

This reduction in stress is vital to the health improvements reported by so many study volunteers. (In fact, more than 90 percent of Luks’ volunteers reported that regular volunteering produced feelings which are a powerful antidote to stress.) Why is stress reduction so important? Because stress can be the root cause of so many maladies, according to Hans Selye, a Hungarian physician who wrote a groundbreaking book called The Stress of Life in 1956.

Selye’s findings on stress are cited by Luks because many of his study volunteers had stress-related health problems that improved after performing kind acts.

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!
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TGIFYGDF…Thank Goodness It’s Feed Your Good Dog Friday!

February 12, 2010 by Rose Caplan

SOMETHING TO CONTEMPLATE THIS WEEKEND AND CONSIDER DOING IN THE NEAR FUTURE

Consider participating in a volunteer activity at your child’s school in any way you can…the smallest gesture can make the biggest impact with your child. Talk to neighbors and friends, contact the school or a PTSA representative, or go to the school’s website to find out ways in which you can help. Try and volunteer for something that gives you visibility … whether they show it or not, the kids love to see parents working on their behalf. Be There provides us with reasons why your involvement in your child’s education is a good idea and research to back it up:

Parent involvement research can now document:

1.Create a home environment that encourages learning
2.Express high (but not unrealistic) expectations for their children’s achievement and future careers
3.Become involved in their children’s education at school and in the community

Parent involvement research can now document:
These benefits for students:

1. Higher grades and test scores
2. Better attendance and more homework done
3. Fewer placements in special education
4. More positive attitudes and behavior
5. Higher graduation rates
6. Greater enrollment in postsecondary education

These benefits for parents:
1. More confidence in school
2. Teachers have higher opinions of parents and higher expectations of their children, too
3. Greater confidence in themselves as parents and in their ability to help their children learn at home
4. Greater likelihood that the parents will enroll in continuing education to advance their own schooling.

Read the research, and find out more about Be There here

And, remember…Feed Your Good Dog, so your good dog always wins!
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