Happy New Year Resolutions

Happy New Year!

Amazing – it hasn’t quite sunk in yet that it is 2011. I haven’t actually had the need to right the date anywhere until just now, and it doesn’t seem real! And even more amazing is that tomorrow is already January 3rd – how did New Years Eve already get 3 days behind us? I hope everyone had the opportunity to enjoy the Holidays with family and friends, raise a glass in good cheer, and usher in 2011 with good tidings!

One thing that is very natural to consider at this time of year is Resolutions, vows we make to have positive changes occur in our lives for the upcoming year. I want to share with you some tips for making, working through and keeping resolutions, whether they are made January 1, or at any other time during the year!

Remember, the opposite of success is not failure; the opposite of success is quitting. I could add that quitting can also be defined as having all the skills, ideas and resources to do something, but never starting. Start! The rest will fall into place as you make your way down the path!

Tips for making resolutions:

Allow room for growth

It is always easier to make a resolution than it is to keep it! Give yourself some room to grow, become better and stronger, then tackle the resolution again.

Avoid using “absolutes” when making your vow. Saying things like “I promise to always, forever...” or “From now on, I will only...” or “Never again will I...” or “Every day this year I will...” can very quickly becoming a suffocating task instead of a liberating accomplishment. This is because all it takes is for you to miss one single day and the entire resolution is over, finished, failed, and the reasons may be perfectly excusable! Illness, family or work commitments, being out of town/country and many other things that may be out of your control can stop you from making the daily promise.

Instead of giving yourself ultimatums like this, try making your resolutions goals to achieve instead. Use wording for your resolution similar to these: “I am setting a goal to reach my ideal weight by May 1st, 2011” or “I will have this storage room cleaned out before the house party in June” or “I am going to finish writing this book by February 20th, 2011”.

Reset your focus if required

The next step is a direct influence from your goal, and is difficult to do because it involves personal will power. The most obvious is sticking to a routine that might be daily or weekly goals, and making sure you keep on track. A good tip here is to make your new routine a habit. Once something becomes a habit, it becomes a natural part of your life and therefore very easy to maintain. The trick is continuing with something long enough to make it that habit!

The other part of this is continuing on, pushing through to reach your goal, even if you miss the deadline! Every successful person, in sports, media, politics, business or any endeavor, has learned how to constantly reset their goals in order to attain them. It is a very rare person and situation in deed that reaches the goal on the first try!

Let’s use the example of reaching your ideal weight by May 1st, 2011. And let’s assume that your personal weigh-in day comes on May 2nd, and you realize you are still 10 pounds away from reaching your goal. This is not a time to throw your hands up in disgust, grab a bag of sugar donuts and forget the whole thing! Look at far you’ve come! You’ve probably already made some positive lifestyle changes, lost some weight and some inches, and even if you haven’t, do you really need to wait another 8 months before trying again with a new resolution. All you need to do is reset your goal! Maybe you can make a new date of June 15th, and then go for it! Get some advice from someone who has already lost that weight, or a personal trainer who understands your needs and goals, and then keep working at it!

Use the resources available to you

Did you know that you have unlimited resources? It’s true! I don’t have space in this email to really dive too deeply into this topic, but let me sum it up this way: have you ever heard of the Six Degrees of Separation? Did you know that mathematically most everyone on the planet has a friend or associate that connects you to another person, who connects you to another person, and so on, until you effectively can reach almost everyone on the planet within approximately 6 jumps? So if you are looking for a photographer for your wedding or other special event, somewhere within the network of people that you already know is a person who has a great recommendation for you! You need to start asking, and soon it will come to you! Like I said, there really is a LOT more in depth to this, but this will give you the important highlight!

Think of it this way – imagine an archer shooting at a target. He pulls back the bowstring, lines up his shot, and lets fly! The arrow, however, misses the target. The archer does not look to see what is wrong with the target that caused him to miss! Instead, he looks internally to himself to see what he needs to change about himself in order to hit the target on the next shot.

To say it another way: the road to success is paved with failure. Each failure brings with it an opportunity or a lesson, and if we are humble enough, it allows us to grow into a stronger, better person or team, which brings us closer to the desired goal!

I hope this helps you to set some goals for 2011, and succeed! I am more than happy to help with your resolutions if I am able to, even if that is simply discussion to help clarify a goal.

God bless, everyone! And Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Andreas Zimmermann

What Exactly is Organic Food anyway?

From the pages of The Wellness Wire, the monthly online publication from Nutrilite! Here is a question I have been asked a lot, and here is a great response to the question.

I highly recommend the book suggested below, The Optimal Health Revolution. Fantastic book and excellent source of knowledge for a healthy lifestyle!

What does organic really mean?
Choose organic products when they are available.

If you’ve been to a grocery store lately, you’ve probably seen a huge growth in the number of products that claim to be some form of organic. When you’re considering purchasing an organic product, you might wonder, “What does it take to be considered a true organic product?”

To be certified as organic, food products need to come from farms and processing plants that are certified as organic. This means that they are inspected to ensure that the organic farms are up to standards. The inspectors make sure that only organic methods are used and that the environment is not contaminated with pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or other non-organic compounds. Go to www.nutrilitehealth.ca and click on Why Nutrilite?

What do the labels mean?
Foods that are organically grown can state that fact on the label. It is important to understand exactly what organic labels mean, to know what you’re paying for.

100% Organic label
Foods that are labeled as 100% Organic must contain all organically grown ingredients except for added water and salt.

Organic label
Foods that are labeled as Organic need to contain at least 95% organic ingredients, except for added water and salt, plus they must not contain sulfites added as a preservative. Up to 5% of the ingredients may be non-organically produced.

Made with Organic Ingredients label
Product labels that claim Made with Organic Ingredients need to contain at least 70% organic ingredients, except for added water and salt. They must not contain added sulfites, and up to 30% of the ingredients may be non-organically produced. Food products made with less than 70% organic ingredients may state which ingredients are organic, but they cannot claim to be organic food products.

Dr. Duke Johnson, M.D., Medical Director, Nutrilite Health Institute, shares in his book Optimal Health Revolution, “Eat organically grown and raised fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy products. If you don’t have an organic choice, keep eating your 5 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables daily because their massive phytonutrient load seems to be of greater benefit than the risk of chemicals they could contain.”

Andreas Z.
Zimmermann Enterprises
www.zimenterprises.biz
866-277-0017

You Never Can Tell

Hey Everyone!

I came across this poem while reading a great book, Fifty-Two Lessons for Life, by Napoleon Hill and Judith Williamson. It is talking about having a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) and how important it is for everything we do in life, because what your attitude is will also be the attitudes of those coming back to you.

I'll sum up my viewpoint on attitude this way: bad things and good things happen to us, and in either case our reaction to them is our decision. Our attitude is a choice, and reflects directly on our beliefs, will power, thoughts, strengths and weaknesses. You are only as big or small as the challenges that you let get you down.

As an example, your car might break down. You can choose to be angry and frustrated by it, or you can choose to keep a smile on your face knowing that somehow you will get through this challenge. Either way, the car is still broken down and needs fixing! Choosing anger will probably just make matters worse. Choosing happiness might not make the car get fixed, but it will allow the stress of the situation to wash away more easily, leaving you with better peace of mind.

I am writing the poem here, and I highly recommend the book as well! The poem was written by Ella Wheeler Wilcox (died in 1919, you can read about her life and writings here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ella_Wheeler_Wilcox).

I hope this can help you somehow. Enjoy!

Andreas Z.

You Never Can Tell
by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

You never can tell when you send a word,

Like an arrow shot from a bow,

By an archer blind, be it cruel or kind,

Just where it may chance to go,

It may pierce the breast of your dearest friend,

Tipped with its poison or balm,

To a stranger's heart in life's great mart,

It may carry its pain or its calm.

You never can tell when you do an act,

Just what the result will be,

But with every deed you are sowing a seed,

Though the harvest you may not see.

Each kindly act is an acorn dropped,

In God's productive soil.

You may not know, but the tree shall grow,

With shelter for those who toil.

You never can tell what your thoughts will do,

In bringing you hate or love,

For thoughts are things, and their airy wings,

Are swifter than carrier doves.

They follow the law of the universe,

Each thing must create its kind,

And they speed o'er the track to bring you back,

Whatever went out from your mind.

How To Have A Great Day

Hey everyone,

I received this from my mentor, Brian, today, and wanted to pass it on to everyone else I know! A lot of great tips and wisdom in his list. It can be hard to do the entire list of 30 every single day, but making the attempt to try a few will definitely improve the outlook and outcome of the day!

Have a great day everyone!

Andreas Z.

Have a Great Day… Here’s How:

1. Live here and now!

2. Write out your goals and desires
3. Get plenty of quality sleep
4. Give someone a helping hand
5. Eat healthy foods like fresh, raw veggies and lean protein
6. Smile, it’s infectious
7. Read, read, read
8. Exercise
9. Look for ways to improve yourself
10. Take a deep breath and prepare for anything that comes your way
11. Be appreciative of the things you have
12. Take vitamins
13. Laugh!
14. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today
15. Avoid negativity at all costs
16. Practice your visualization exercise
17. Play and laugh with children
18. Play with your pet
19. Drink plenty of fresh, clean water
20. Take time out for your family and friends
21. Stretch both before and after exercise
22. Admit to your failures and shortcomings
23. Over deliver on your promises
24. Relax
25. Learn from your failures
26. Don’t take life too seriously
27. Dance
28. Have fun
29. Be forgiving of others failures and shortcomings, as you would want them to do for you
30. Never give up on your dreams or yourself

2010 New Year Wish For You

I wanted to send something to you all on New Year's Eve, or shortly thereafter, but the words just didn't seem to be coming to me. So I kept on my daily routine of reading something positive, listening to positive speeches on CD, and finally I got some of the right words to share!

It really came down to what do I wish for everyone I know in my life for this new year, 2010. I wish the best for you all, I really do! In whatever endeavors you are currently involved in, I really hope that you have great success in it for yourself, your family and loved ones, and for the community around you. But saying "good luck" didn't really seem adequate for giving you some inspiration for this upcoming year. I needed more.

And then I found this wonderful little tidbit while listening to one of my favorite speakers on Saturday. The CD was on in the van, and I think I have heard this particular talk about a dozen times, but I put it in again anyway. One small part here that he talks about, that seemed to jump out at me for the first time, I want to share with you:

(paraphrased from speech)

"...be good at Plan A, but learn to be really great at Plan B. We've had many times where we have prepared ourselves for what we thought might happen, and then something happens - some circumstance or situation out of our control - and we have to switch to Plan B. Or Plan C, Plan D, Plan E....or whatever it takes to make it happen. It was hard at first, because when things don't go your way it is easier to quit. But those people who are truly successful find a way to move beyond the challenges and keep trying until they make it through to success...."

I couldn't agree more! And that is my wish for all of you reading this for your New Year: set your goals, but be prepared to have a Plan B, or C, or D, or E....or as many Plan ___ as it takes to accomplish your goal! You know you can do it - somewhere, deep down inside, you know you can accomplish whatever dream it is you have in your heart, otherwise you never would have been able to dream it in the first place.

The opposite of success is not failure. The opposite of success is quitting. And that's why "Plan B" works every time, because as long as you refuse to quit, as long as you insist on pushing forward towards your goal, you will achieve it! Set your goals, put the action in, back it up with belief and faith, and it will be yours.

I wish you all the most fantastic 2010! God bless!

Sincerely,

Andreas (& Tracy) Z.

The courage to do what it takes, even when you can't see your goal

Hey everyone!

I thought this article I read from the 2010 Olympic page was fascinating. Read the short blurb about an incredible Olympic athlete, and then I will add a couple of extra notes below. This is awesome!

As a member of the Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing (CADS) Edmonton, Viviane completed only one year of competition on the Canadian and North American skiing circuit with the Para-Alpine Canadian Development Team before she was invited to join Team Canada in 2008 to compete on the World Cup circuit. Amazingly, Viviane had only limited experience skiing before she began competing.

Born in the Montreal suburb of Brossard, Viviane is an intense competitor and took up alpine racing because of its independence, freedom and adrenalin. With only 4% vision, Viviane is led down the slopes by her guide Lindsay Debou, an accomplished athlete in her own right, at speeds over 100 km/hr. Through the use of radio communication, Viviane follows Lindsay's instructions to navigate the ski hill.

This past year, Viviane garnered many medals for Canada. She won gold in Super-Combined at the 2009 World IPC Championships-High 1 in Korea, as well as four more silver medals. At the 2009 World Cup Finals in Whistler, Viviane took home two gold and two silver medals.

Viviane is a well rounded athlete. She has already won two Paralympics gold medals in the sport of Goalball. She competed in the 2004 games in Athens and the Sydney games in 2000. Viviane retired from Goalball in 2005.

Isn't that fantastic? If you didn't catch it the first time, I want to paint this picture clearly for you. This woman cannot see down the mountainside, and yet she travels over 100 km per hour down the mountain! And the only thing she has to guide her is the sound of her coach's voice, telling her when to turn, when to anticipate a jump, and when to stop at the end.

How many of us would be willing to strap on some ski's, head to the top of the mountain and put a blindfold on before hurtling ourselves down at break-neck speed, with only someone talking in a radio to guide us? Wow! That is courage! That's guts! And a whole lot of faith that the person talking will not steer them wrong.

How many times have I been trying to achieve a goal, finish a task, or say the right thing to teach my children, and felt like I was stumbling blind in the dark all the while with no clear way to see my objective? You go on faith that it will happen, you'll make it, and everything will turn out right!

My encouragement for everyone is to keep going! Listen to the soft voice inside you: not the nagging, negative voice of defeat, but the outgoing, positive voice in your spirit that pushes you forward! That voice is your very soul looking forward, even when you are blind, and guiding you to the end of the race. Some call it 'Women's Intuition', 'Whispers of an Angel', 'Guidance from God', 'Gut Instincts' or whatever else you want to term it. I am a Christian, so I know what I call it, but the important thing is for you to listen to it, because you know it's right 99.9999999~% of the time, right? =-)

Happy holidays everyone! If I don't talk to you again before hand, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy time with your families, and if you have missed goals in '09 thus far, reset them in January for 2010. I believe in you - now believe in yourself! Looking forward to hearing your success stories in the coming year!

Sincerely,

Andreas Zimmermann

Taking action creates positive feelings

I ran across an old audio clip today that was really good, and I want to share it with you. It was from a PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) audio series from several years ago.

Have you ever had a time when you thought "When the timing is right, I will get this project done" or "When everything settles down, then I will get to work on this", or "I am waiting for the perfect moment to do this"?

Have you also noticed that more often than not, the perfect time never comes? We all have projects or hobbies or business or something that we should, could or really want to do!

Some of us are looking for that "special feeling" before we start doing the work. But the fact is this: that good feeling doesn't come until after the work has been started!

Everyone has had a time in their life when they had to sell something - in your profession, for a fundraiser for your kids, or even back in school when you were getting people to buy something from you for your camping trip, or the school band, or whatever event it was you were fundraising for! At some point in time, we have all sold something!

Think about that for a minute - did the good feelings come before you took action, or did the good feelings come after you made your first sale? It was after! You wanted to give someone a high-five, you were jumping and skipping around, and suddenly whistling a different tune, weren't you? And that good feeling made you want to go do it again!

So stop looking for that feeling: it's going to come, just do the work! And when the action comes, guess what? Winning will also win more people to your side! Birds of a feather flock together, and so do winners! As you win more, you will be attracting more winners to your side, which increases your ability, networking and influence to be able to succeed more in the action you are taking.

This isn't just in sales - it's in everything you do.

Some people wait their entire lives for their ship to come in - others go swim out to it. Which one do you want to be? It's your decision. Take action, and discover the potential you have inside you!

Andreas Z.