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Archive for the ‘Photography’ Category

Friday’s Fresh Five! (8/5/11)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on August 5, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Reminding myself that “sharing and encouraging joy in life” is the intent of this blog, I quickly scanned the entries for today’s post. At first glance, perhaps a few did not reflect my goal, but after careful consideration, I decided I was over-thinking the issue. How could thinking about others, sharing with others, or helping others not create joy?

#1 – TED
Since I’m an idea person, I enjoy watching TED videos. TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas. For no cost, people around the world can watch humorous or thought-provoking lectures.

TED is owned by the Sapling Foundation whose goal  . . . is to foster the spread of great ideas. It aims to provide a platform for the world’s smartest thinkers, greatest visionaries and most-inspiring teachers, so that millions of people can gain a better understanding of the biggest issues faced by the world, and a desire to help create a better future. Core to this goal is a belief that there is no greater force for changing the world than a powerful idea. Consider:

* An idea can be created out of nothing except an inspired imagination.
* An idea weighs nothing.
* It can be transferred across the world at the speed of light for virtually zero cost.
* And yet an idea, when received by a prepared mind, can have extraordinary impact.
* It can reshape that mind’s view of the world.
* It can dramatically alter the behavior of the mind’s owner.
* It can cause the mind to pass on the idea to others.

Here’s a brief three minute video to wet your TED whistle – Jok Church presents A Circle of Caring.

#2 – 13,138 Dice
What do 13,138 dice have in common with artist and designer Tobias Wong? Sadly, that is the number of days he lived. In memory of his friend, artist Frederick McSwain constructed a portrait of Wong using this exact number of dice. It’s a special tribute to a friend and an incredible art installation.

#3 – Kitchen Substitutes
I received a call this morning from one of my neighbors asking to borrow some milk. Because I didn’t have any, we started brainstorming about what she could substitute in her recipe. It’s hard to be a spontaneous cook these days unless you have a full refrigerator and a well-stocked pantry. This list of Common Ingredient Substitutions offers help by providing alternatives. Check out what’s listed as substitutes for milk and read that the substitutes for ricotta cheese are silken tofu or cottage cheese!

#4 – Where in the World?
Do you like puzzles, photographs, geography, and geology? Then this site is for you! Take a look at these photographs and guess where in the world these areas are located. Bits of information are provided as clues and the answers are at the bottom of the page. Good luck!

#5 – Which Way Are You Going?
“Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.”
Henry David Thoreau

Wherever you go this weekend, have a wonderful time!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/22/11)

Posted in About me, Entertainment, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on July 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »

From afar their sheer beauty captivates, but up close flowers demand admiration. Flowers bring me joy. I’m drawn to them wherever I go and I can never walk past one without appreciating its loveliness. Is it the eye-catching color that begs me to stop? Is it the geometric perfection that makes me pause for closer inspection? Is it the velvety-softness of the petals that my hands want to touch? Or does the essence of its perfume send signals to me? It’s all of the above and more. I’m rarely without my camera, for I never want to miss an opportunity to capture beauty!

#1 – Houseplants to the Rescue
Plants are not only beautiful and decorative, but they can also improve the air in your home. Thanks to NASA research, here is a list of common household plants that remove pollutants and harmful gases from rooms inside your home or office space. Click on the link to read full descriptions of the plants and their care.

A. Areca Palm

B. Lady Palm

C. Bamboo Palm

D. Rubber Plant

E. Dracena

F. Philodendron

G. Dwarf Date Palm

H. Ficus Alii

I. Boston Fern

J. Peace Lily

#2 – Willy Wonka
For the love of Everlasting Gobstoppers – this year marks the 40th anniversary of the original Willy Wonka movie! Watching this movie and singing Umpa Lumpa songs with my kids always made for a fun evening. Thought I’d do well on this Willy Wonka Trivia Quiz, but not so! Either I didn’t drink enough Fizzy Lifting Drink or it’s been way too long since I sat down with the kids to watch the movie!

#3 – Treasures from the National Archives
View treasures from the National Archives, which include Victorian fashions, the Magna Carta, and documents from the Titanic, and maybe learn something you didn’t know before.

#4 – Workout Repetitions
Here’s something I didn’t know before and just read about in the most recent issue of Nutrition Action Health Letter: “To build strength, you have to use enough – but not too much – weight. Rule of thumb: if you can do at least 8, but no more than 12, repetitions, you’re using the right weight. Up to 13? It’s time to switch to a heavier weight.”

#5 – Let Go
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”
~Lao Tzu

Stop to smell the flowers this weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/15/11)

Posted in About me, Entertainment, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on July 15, 2011| Leave a Comment »

One of the most wonderful things about summer is the variety and availability of delectable summer produce. Every year at this time, I utter superlatives by the bushel and go on sensory overload. Peeling the skin off of a juicy, tree-ripened peach or taking an indescribable bite of a summer tomato topped with freshly-picked basil, just makes me happy. Could life get any better?

#1 – Crafting an Exceptional Life
The Positive Thoughts site had a post titled, “How Do You Craft an Exceptional Life?” With a list of 57 suggestions, there are several that are worth reiterating:

Get serious about gratitude.
Know the 5 highest priorities of your life.
Savor life’s simplest pleasures.
Create unforgettable moments with those you love.
Forgive those who’ve wronged you.
Give no energy to critics.
Remember that leadership is about influence and impact, not title and accolades.
Be authentic.
Never miss a moment to celebrate another.
Speak less. Listen more.
Be the best person you know.
Make your life matter.

#2 – Extraordinary Uses for Everyday Items
Can’t find the end of a roll of plastic wrap? Use a piece of tape to find and pull up the edge. I learned that little tip from an article called, Extraordinary Uses for 16 Ordinary Household Items. Discover uses for toothpaste, nail polish, hair dryers, cornstarch, coffee filters and more!

#3 – Incredible World
We live in an incredible world. Here’s a collection of twenty-seven photographs of our world that only photographers from National Geographic could capture!

#4 – Obechi
Can you win it, not in a minute, but in 5 minutes? That’s the challenge of Obechi, a computer game. The game involves capturing a set amount of moving dots in a set amount of rings. Unfortunately, you must sit through a brief ad before you play, but use that time to loosen up your fingers and focus your brain!

#5 – Enough Is Enough
“He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.”
Lao Tzu

Have an extraordinary weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/8/11)

Posted in About me, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 8, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Life is meant to be shared. This phrase sounds clichéd, but what would life be like if we could not share our highs and lows with others? “Sharing and encouraging joy in life” is the tagline for What About This? and is the intent behind every post written. Sharing ideas and thoughts that are helpful, inspiring, creative, entertaining, and sometimes thought-provoking has always been the goal of this blog. All of this sharing comes from a middle child, who always carefully guarded her possessions (that’s another story), but who now knows that life wouldn’t have meaning if she didn’t share.

#1 – All For Good
Looking for volunteer opportunities? Check out opportunities at All for Good by clicking on “search opportunities,” specifying what type of volunteer work you’d like to do (animals, seniors, hunger, etc.) and then typing in your location. A list of opportunities will come up within the region specified. According to it’s site, “All for Good’s mission is to facilitate volunteerism and community service. To meet that goal, we have developed a custom volunteer opportunity oriented search engine that is powered by the largest database of volunteer opportunities on the Internet.”

I’ve added All for Good to my Google home page, so I can see what volunteer opportunities are available to me on a daily basis.

#2 – Which Is Worse?
Fast food is not known for being healthy, but some fast food menu items are worse than others. Go through the short “Battle of the Fast Food Breakfasts” slide show to see how well you can recognize unhealthy food!

#3 – Reuse It!
Tired of throwing away lipstick tubes that still have lipstick in the bottom portion? Do you use a lip brush to get out every last bit? Have you found your perfect color is actually a combination of two lipsticks? My neighbor introduced me to a product called LipStix ReMix that conveniently solves these issues. By scraping out the bottom of two “used up” tubes and “cannibalizing” a partial tube of a “too bright” color, I created a whole new tube of lipstick using the kit. Not only did I save money by using lipstick that would normally be thrown away, I also created a fabulous new color by blending two shades. Plus, I even reused one of the original plastic cases to hold my newly created lipstick!

#4 – Conceptual Photographs
Unlike pretty photographs, conceptual photographs make you lean in for a closer look and, more often than not, make you think. Check out this collection called 30 Amazing Conceptual Photographs.

#5  – Joy Is An Inside Job
“We’ve put happiness outside of ourselves; we’ve put it into our job, into our bank account, our relationships. You’ve become so preoccupied with the search for happiness that you’ve actually forgotten that you’re already happy. Searching mode makes happiness external: It’s an outward-directed activity. Following your joy is an internal one.”
Robert Holden

Find and spread joy this weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (6/10/11)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Helping Others, inspiration, Organization, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 10, 2011| Leave a Comment »

As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I knew I’d said something stupid. As dusk approached, I peered out my kitchen window, scouting for pesky gray squirrels. While recalling the most recent antics of the rodent circus in my backyard, I spied the movement of a bushy tail, which was attached to a critter nibbling on fallen bird seed. Leaning over the sink for a better view, I asked out loud, “Is that a black squirrel?” Immediately, I realized that the “black squirrel” I was staring at was really a skunk! “What? A BLACK squirrel?” my husband said as he looked out the window and saw the object of my attention. He laughed at me. After the skunk trotted away, I sat down at my computer and “Googled” black squirrels. To my amazement and relief, I found that such an animal does exist. Feeling somewhat vindicated, I smiled at my husband, until he laughingly pointed out, “Yeah, but black squirrels don’t have white stripes down their backs!”

#1 – Project Linus
Here’s a volunteer opportunity that can be done in the comfort of your own home. A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post called “Blankets of Love.”  Upon their college graduations, I gave handmade blankets to each of my children. I wanted them to remember the warmth of my love wherever they went in life. Project Linus collects and donates “new, handmade, washable blankets to be given as gifts to seriously ill and traumatized children, ages 0-18.” In the last sixteen years Project Linus has donated over three million blankets to children in need. If you like to crochet, knit, sew, or have the time to tie knots in “no sew” fleece blankets, consider donating your time and materials to this cause and give away your own blankets of love.

#2 – Amazing Views From Airplanes
I love finding amazing photographs and sharing them. Here’s a series of aerial photos from around the world that is worthy of your attention!

#3 – Pinterest
Would you like to have a bulletin board that doesn’t take up a lot of space and can be shared with others? Pinterest is a site that “lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.” It’s a compact way to gather and display ideas. I enjoyed browsing through different pinboards, discovering interesting uses for pinboards, and seeing the creative ideas people have collected on theirs.

#4 – 29 Ways to Stay Creative
From Life on Michigan Avenue comes an interesting piece called, 29 Ways to Stay Creative.  Although it is aimed at creativity, a lot of what it says can apply to other aspects of life. Does any one particular line speak to you? Mine was number 25.

#5 – There’s Room Enough
“There’s room for everybody on the planet to be creative and conscious if you are your own person. If you’re trying to be like somebody else, then there is isn’t.”
Tori Amos

Have a great weekend everyone!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (6/3/11)

Posted in About me, Entertainment, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 3, 2011| Leave a Comment »

KA-BOOM!! The house shook and my dog frantically darted out from the cozy spot where he’d been snoring only seconds ago! An explosion of bright light and a deafening roar of thunder, of a magnitude unlike any I’ve ever seen or heard, made me scream. Had my home been hit by lightning? After calming down my dog and checking out my house and yard, I was thankful to discover that all remained unscathed. Heading out for a walk the following morning with my neighbor from across the street, I noticed a tall redwood tree in her front lawn had some broken branches. Upon closer inspection, we spied the telltale, vertical, lightning stripe on the tree where large sections of bark had been blasted off. Splintered branches dangled from their fragile supports, while severed branches hung down dejectedly. Here was the explanation for electrical problems in surrounding homes. I hope lightning doesn’t strike twice, because that was just too close for comfort!

#1 -Lightning News
Most often lightning is viewed as a mysterious or dangerous phenomenon, but did you know that the earth actually benefits from lightning? According to an article by National Severe Storms Laboratory, these are the benefits:

The earth benefits from lightning in several ways. First, lightning helps the Earth maintain electrical balance. The Earth is recharged by thunderstorms. The Earth’s surface and the atmosphere conduct electricity easily—the Earth is charged negatively and the atmosphere, positively. There is always a steady current of electrons flowing upwards from the entire surface of the Earth. Thunderstorms help transfer the negative charges back to Earth (lightning is generally negatively charged). Without thunderstorms and lightning, the earth-atmosphere electrical balance would disappear in 5 minutes. Lightning also produces ozone, a gas that helps protect the Earth from the dangerous rays of the sun.

“When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!” With crazy weather everywhere in our country, that little rhyme from the National Weather Service could save lives. Refresh your lightning safety knowledge by reading this brief NWS article Lightning: What You Need to Know.

#2 – Workout Music
From Shape here’s something we all could use to make working out more enjoyable – Playlists: Best Tunes for Every Workout. Click on an image, like “Killer Cardio Combo” and you will be taken to that playlist with links to iTunes where you can preview and purchase individual songs on the list.

#3 – Lightning Reflexes
Try beating the computer at this Lightning card game. How fast can you process information and react? Play your cards right and you’ll have a fun time challenging your brain!

#4 – Photo a Day
A collection of Polaroid photos dating from 1979 to 1997 tell a story. But there’s more. What started out as a “Photo a Day” project, became Jamie Livingston’s photo journal of the last eighteen years of his life. Read about Jamie’s project in mental_floss and the New York Times. To view all of Jamie’s photos, click here.

#5 – Life Is Like a Flash of Lightning
Human life is as evanescent as the morning dew or a flash of lightning.
~Samuel Butler

Enjoy your weekend and don’t forget to snap a few photos of “ordinary” days to capture the days of your life.

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (4/29/11)

Posted in Creativity, Entertainment, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on April 29, 2011| 1 Comment »

Koi fish swim lazily through the pool as dark waters envelope them. Small periscopes of water lilies jut above the water and rest on their large floating leaves. Shimmering reflections of palm trees create a disorienting effect. And busy tourists walk by this beautiful sight without as much as a glance. Their loss, my gain.

#1 – Educate Yourself For Free
Have the yearn to learn, but can’t afford costly classes? Take a peak at this article about 12 Dozen Places To Educate Yourself Online For Free and expand your horizons by taking a class or two. Major educational resources, as well as, well-known universities, such as UCLA, Harvard, Carnegie Mellon, and Yale offer these wonderful learning opportunities.

#2 – The Bottom Line About Green Tea
Can drinking green tea prevent serious illnesses? According to an article in May’s Nutrition Action Health Letter, the “jury is still out.” Here’s the article’s bottom line:

Green tea is rich in plant compounds that help protect laboratory animals from cancer and other diseases. But the jury is still out over whether it helps protect humans against cancer, strokes, or cognitive decline.

If you want the full range of potentially beneficial compounds in green tea, drink it freshly brewed and often.

If you drink bottled tea, look for one made primarily from brewed green tea, not tea extracts or concentrate.

#3 – Starry Night
Creating photo mosaics requires time, patience, and an eye for subtle color differences. This version of Van Gogh’s Starry Night was constructed from 210,000 tiny photographs. Zoom into the piece and see the individual photos that make up this amazing project!

#4 – Raindrops Keep Falling!
Another week, another game! Here’s a game that could help strengthen your mental calculations and quantitative reasoning. As each raindrop falls, answer the equation inside the drop. Easy in the beginning, but watch out for the downpours!

#5 – Every Day Happiness
Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.
Groucho Marx

Be happy this weekend!!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (4/15/11)

Posted in About me, Aging, Entertainment, Health, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Photography, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on April 15, 2011| 2 Comments »

Whether extraordinary or mundane, once a moment in life has passed, it’s gone forever. There’s no getting it back, or is there? When I look at the photo of me taken five decades ago, I cannot give you the exact date it was taken on, but I can give you details about the exact moment – the time of day, the location, the sights and smells, the clothes I wore that day, and even my mood. My parent’s grocery store had closed for the evening and the lights were dimmed. I had completed my chores at the store and was waiting to go home. Grabbing a handful of comic books off the round revolving rack, I plopped down on the magazine display and was quickly absorbed in the lives of Richie Rich and Archie, Betty and Veronica. I heard a voice call out my name and looked up to see Uncle Edgar, one of my adopted “uncles” and a longtime employee of the store, snap the photo. Although much time has passed, the memories of that innocent moment rush back and somehow rejuvenate me.

#1 – A Father’s Creative Photos
I discovered these photos taken by photographer Jason Lee of his two adorable daughters. They are so cute (both his daughters and the photos) that I had to share them with you! These photos sure beat the one taken of me! You can see more of Jason’s photos here.

#2 – How Fast Are Your Reactions?
Well, mine were not as fast as I thought they were! Although I did manage to graduate from “Sluggish snail” to “Ambling armadillo” in a few tries, I’m not going to stop there. This old body is aiming for “Turbo-charged cheetah.” Test your reaction speed by hitting the button when you see a sheep making a mad dash for freedom. Easy, right? Just don’t blink!

#3 – The Positives and the Negatives
We live in an amazing country, but each state in the nation has its strengths and its weaknesses. Check out these “infographs” and learn a different kind of geography lesson.

#4 – Homemade Half & Half
The other day I was testing a recipe that called for half & half, but I didn’t have any. Having only milk and cream, I wondered if I could make my own. But is half & half really a 50:50 ratio? I found my answer on Ochef. According to this site, you can mix either:

3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream
or
2/3 cup skim milk + 1/3 cup whipping cream

#5 – Happiness Is a Journey
“For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin, real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment you have and remember that time waits for no one. Happiness is a journey, not a destination.”
-Alfred D. Souza

Try to capture a moment this weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (4/8/11)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on April 8, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Bright, eye-catching circles of color made a pleasing display on my family room floor. The circles were really ceramic plates that I laid out to photograph for a color reference chart. Reminding me of a giant keypad, I resisted the urge to push these buttons!

#1 -When Someone Pushes Your Buttons
It happens. Someone pushes your buttons or gets your goat and now you’re annoyed and bent out of shape. Here’s an article that offers six ways to cope when that happens. Negative events often afford us the best opportunities to glimpse into ourselves and learn some life lessons.

#2 – Things You Should Never Share
Pushing buttons with your fingertips and then touching your face is a good way to spread germs. Sharing personal items is another way. Dr. Oz has some obvious and some surprising recommendations about items that should not be shared. For example, did you know that “keyboards have as many germs as your toilet”? Ewww. . . !

#3 – Kaleidoscope
Play with shapes, colors, lines and angles when you create your own computer kaleidoscope on this site. Oh, how I love creative distractions!

#4 – To Attach or Link?
Occasionally, I’ll see something on the internet that I want to share with someone and instead of sending the person a link to that site, I’ll convert it into a PDF first and then send it as an attachment, which can be saved, printed and replicated regardless if the website changes. Here’s a site that converts webpages into PDF documents. Just fill in the URL and click “convert.” It’s as easy as that, plus it’s free!

#5 – The Upside of Things
Now, when anything ‘bad’ happens, I remember that everything that ever happens to me has within it the seeds of something better. I look for the upside rather than the downside. I ask myself, ‘Where’s the greater benefit in this event?’
Jack Canfield

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (3/25/11)

Posted in About me, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 25, 2011| Leave a Comment »


He: What’s this in the freezer?
Me: Oh, it’s a container of hailstones.
He: Hailstones?
Me: Yeah, I saved some for you.
He: Why?
Me: Because I didn’t want you to miss out.
He: Miss out on what?
Me: Miss out on seeing the hail! We had two huge hailstorms pass through and I wanted you to see what you missed!
He: Why?
Me: Because I love you and like to share things with you! Why else?!
He: Can we throw it away now?

It’s obvious from this conversation that I was the only one in my family excited by the powerful weather that passed over us this week. In the midst of thunder cracking and hail flying, I crazily grabbed my camera and ran outside to see if I could capture the event. Photos don’t do the forces of nature justice. Only white streaks can be seen in the photos as the hails stones were hurled to the ground and frankly, without the sound effects of the roaring thunder and the pounding hail, it’s just not the same! That is how I rationalize saving the hailstones for my husband – he had to see them with his own eyes!

#1 – F.Y.I.
Have you ever wondered how hail stones are formed? According to Wikipedia: Unlike ice pellets, hail stones are layered and can be irregular and clumped together. Hail is composed of transparent ice or alternating layers of transparent and translucent ice at least 1 millimetre (0.039 in) thick, which are deposited upon the hail stone as it cycles through the cloud multiple times, suspended aloft by air with strong upward motion until its weight overcomes the updraft and falls to the ground. Now you know!

#2 – Earth From Above
Earth From Above is a collection of incredible photographs taken across six continents by aerial photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand.

#3 – Two Wolves – A Cherokee Parable
I found this parable on Global One TV and thought it worthy of sharing:

An old Cherokee chief was teaching his grandson about life…

“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.”

“One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, self-doubt, and ego.”

“The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.”

“This same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather,
“Which wolf will win?”

The old chief simply replied,
“The one you feed.”

Author Unknown

#4 – Fitness Tips
I often read articles from the Men’s Health Magazine and found this one full of helpful suggestions. After reading The 100 Best Fitness Tips, I am more motivated than ever to work out! And that’s saying a lot!

#5 – Who Holds You Back?
It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.
-Anonymous

Have a great weekend!

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