Goal For The Green

Most of us are doing our Spring cleaning from our house to our garage. Before you make a trip to the dump, check  your discard pile to see if there is anything you can give new life.  You just may save yourself some gas money and a trip to the dump.

If you have a tall wastebasket, use it to corral wrapping paper or crafting supplies.  You can even use hair scrunchies or elastic pony tail holders to keep the paper rolls in control.

Old furniture can often be put to use in a different room. An example, is a small nightstand or end table.  Either can be used in a bathroom to free up counter space and give extra storage for lotions and toiletries. Just paint it to your liking and you have a whole new look.  Coffee cups are useful to hold anything from make-up to pens and pencils.  Those hanging baskets that were meant for fruits and vegetables work great in little kids rooms for storing those small stuffed animals.  It looks adorable.  Give one to a teenager and they will find some cool use for it, just to have things close by the bed if nothing else.

Those old sheets and table clothes can be stitched up and used for storing, comforters, pillows, and blankets free from dust.  Sheets can also be made into easy tab-top curtains,or throw pillows.  All that is needed is a little time, ribbon and embellishments of your choice and you’ve put something old to new use, and saved money too.

Backless bar stools and laundry baskets work well to store anything from toys,camping gear, sporting  goods, or garden tools. Just turn the bar stools upside down and they do a great job of holding these bulky items.

Don’t toss those three-ring binders.  They are great for organizing recipes, (get page protectors), vet records, CDs (get the vinyl inserts) and anything of importance that you want to keep handy.  If they have writing on them, or they don’t match your decor, consider covering them with contact paper.

These are just a few ideas to help you wittle down your trash pile.  If you have books you want to get rid of, consider donating them to homeless or women’s shelters, nursing homes or hospitals.  Contact local thrift shops in your area for drop-off sites or possible pick-up of your unwanted items. Online sites to consider are charitynavigator.org and earth911.org for information on where to recycle specific items such as electronics.

Written in association with  waste management experts

It’s true – you can have, do and be anything you want in life.  But, we’ve been conditioned to think otherwise. So, how do we get it?

First of all, you need to know what you want and really get in touch with it.  Set aside some quiet time to meditate and take an inward journey.  Like the Bible says get to “know thyself.” It is a learning process to train your mind to get in the proper mindset, visions and positivities to create the life you want.  You need to know how to CREATE desired results.

The next step is to just “BE”.  To “BE” is simply the self-image that you hold of yourself in the corners of your mind.  You’ll know you have achieved your state of being, when it is no longer a question.  You ARE whatever you’ve set out to become.  Real change happens from the inside out.  The Law of Attraction, teaches us that like attracts like. Whatever your thoughts are, you attract those thoughts to your life. So, there is no room in your thoughts for negativity.  You must erase your “stinkin’ thinkin'” ( the stuff you were raised with that tells you that you can’t have what you truly want).  Replace it with your new self-image of what and who you are.  The hard part is, you must ACCEPT yourself in your new role.  It is a choice and a decision, but just do it.  You’ll be glad you did.

The next step is to THINK.  Is your life all that you want it to be?  If it is not, it is because of your thoughts.  Your thoughts control your life.  They are responsible for both the good and bad things that happen to you.  Don’t allow yourself to be a victim of your past. Don’t allow thoughts of lack, scarcity, or negativity to enter your mind.   Instead, take charge of your life, by taking control of your thoughts.  Create the life of your dreams.  Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow doesn’t exist yet- so, NOW is your point of EMPOWERMENT.

Watch what you say.  You know the old saying, “If you don’t have anything good or kind to say, say nothing at all.”  So, speak only good, kind, prosperous, and positive words in all situations.

Then play name it and claim it.  Act as if and truly BELIEVE you are already living your perfect life as you visualized and designed it.  Surround yourself with people you admire and look up to.  This process does take time and commitment to yourself.  Always tell yourself that you are worth whatever it takes.  Be consciously aware of the steps to creating change, and live everyday in the NOW.

     Perhaps you have made it a goal to make your health a top priority this year.  Did you know that regular tea drinkers lower their risk of cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke, and osteoperosis, as well as bacterial and viral infections?

     The health benefits of tea are much greater than that of coffee.  Green and white tea is the source of some of the most powerful antioxidants known.

     The true teas are black, green, oolong, Pu-Erh (poo-air), and white. They all come from the Camellia sinesis plant and are very healthy beverages.  Green and white tea have the lightest color leaves, which are minimally processed.  For this reason, they retain more disease protective polyphenols and antioxidants.  The darker teas, (black, oolong, and Pu-Erh) contain healthy theaflavins, that form when their polyphenols ferment and turn orange-red.  Herbal teas that we love to drink for their aroma and flavor, are NOT considered true teas, however, they may still contain beneficial antioxidants.

     If you are a coffee drinker, try to make it a goal to replace some of the coffee you drink with good quality tea.  Experiment with different teas and try to make it a priority to drink at least 4 cups a day.  If cutting back on caffiene is a concern, you can accomplish this by pouring water over the tea leaves.  Let the mixture stand 30-45 seconds. Drain the water and then brew normally.  Much of the caffeine is removed in this process, because it is very water soluable.  The polyfenols are more durable and not affected by doing this.  If you like adding milk to your tea, be aware that it does interfere with the antioxidant levels and activity of the tea.

     It has been said that black tea may lower the risk of heart disease and colon cancer.  Studies have shown that regular black tea drinkers reported a greater feeling of clam over a period of time.  They also had lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone that is thought to play an important role in heart disease. 

     Some people find green tea to have a somewhat ” grassy” flavor. Pleasant flavors to try are Zen, Jewel Green Matcha, and Japanese Sencha.  Japanese researchers have discovered that women who drink 5 cups of green tea a day, cut their risk for heart disease by 1/3.