Dr. Wayne Dyer - Excuses Begone!

My excuse for not paying attention to this is my general laziness. Nevertheless, here are some slides he presents as well as changing the reason for an excuse to something else.

Never underestimate your power to change yourself; never overestimate your power to change others.

When you correct your mind, everything else falls into place.

Habit is habit, and not to be flung out the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time.

We do not attract that which we want; we attract that which we are

Meme

Habituated mind vs the subconscious mind

Awareness

Alignment

Contemplation

Willingness

Passion

Is it true?

What would my life look like if you couldn't use these excuses?

Top excuses and affirmations to think about it differently

It will be difficult.
I have the ability to accomplish any task I set my mind to with ease and comfort.

It's going to be risky.
Being myself involves no risks. It's my ultimate truth and I live fearlessly.

It will take a long time.
I have infinite patience when it comes to fulfilling my own destiny.

There will be family drama.
I'd rather be loathed for who I am than loved for who I'm not.

I don't deserve it.
I am a divine creation, a piece of God. How could I be undeserving?

It's not my nature.
My essential nature is perfect and faultless. It is to this nature that I return.

I can't afford it.
I am connected to an unlimited source of abundance.

No one will help me.
The right circumstances and the right people are already here and will show up on time.

It's never happened before.
I am open and willing to attract all that I desire beginning here and now.

I'm not strong enough.
I have access to unlimited assistance. My strength comes from my connection to my source.

I'm not smart enough.
I'm a creation of the divine mind, all is perfect and I am a genius in my own right.

I'm too old.
I'm an infinite being. The age of my body has no bearing on what I do or who I am.

The rules won't let me.
I live my life according to divine rules.

It's too big.
I think only about what I can do now. By thinking small I accomplish great things.

I don't have the energy.
I feel passionately about my life and this passion fills me with with excitement and energy.

It's my personal family history.
I live in the present moment by being grateful for all my life experiences as a child.

I'm too busy.
As I unclutter my life I free myself to answer the callings of my soul.

I'm too scared.
I can accomplish anything I put my mind to because I know I'm never alone.

JILLIAN MICHAELS MASTER YOUR METABOLISM

Some slides form Jillian's lecture on PBS.

Metabolism is how your body burns calories based on your bio-chemistry.

You have the power to change your metabolism.

3 parts of Master Your Metabolism

• Remove
• Restore
• Rebalance

Step 1 Remove

Key Players

• Thyroid - regulates metabolism, burns fat
• Human Growth Hormone - fights aging, maintains lean muscle, burns fat
• Testosterone - boosts sex drive
• Cortisol - stress hormone, makes you overweight
• Insulin - makes body store more fat

Remove

• Yo-Yo dieting
• Processed foods
• Environmental toxins
• Too much stress
• Not enough sleep
• Pharmaceutical overload
• Cigarettes

Anti-nutrients

• Trans fat
• Refined grains
• High fructose corn syrup

Foods that boost thyroid

• Salmon
• Olive oil
• Avocado
• Brazil nuts
• Lamb
• Whole grains
• Sesame seeds

Foods that boost human growth hormone

• Lean proteins
• Organic yogurt
• Lean turkey breast
• Tilapia

2 hormones that control appetite

• Leptin
• Ghrelin

Foods that boost your levels of leptin

• Food with Omega 3
• Foods with zinc

Hormones that trigger weight loss

• Testosterone

Foods that boost thyroid

• Beef
• Dark meats
• Oysters

How to decrease cortisol

• Lower sodium
• Increase vitamin C

Foods that do not have to be organic

• Fish
• Fruits & vegetables with thick skins
• Broccoli

To save money on organic foods

• Buy food in season
• Buy local
• Look for organic websites
• Buy in bulk and clip coupons

Step 3 Rebalance
Prioritize your sleep
Do not skip meals

Carbohydrates
Protein
Fat

Calories and toxins make you fat

Do not eat carbohydrates at night. Carbs increase insulin which inhibits ability to create HGH.

Your choices create the reality of your life.

Put yourself first.

Greening your life.

Greening your home

• Change your air filters regularly
• Put a water filter on your tap
• Use natural cleaning products

Check face products for

• Paraben
• Sodium lauryl sulfate
• Phthalate

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILL

ED SLOTT'S STAY RICH FOR LIFE

You will have a plan when you retire, either the one you plan, or the one that is planned for you.

In these tough times, Slott calls it the YOYO economy - You're On Your Own.

Since corporations can no longer take care of their employees and have shifted the burden by using 401ks, and the government is also broke, it's up to you to take care of your financial needs.

"I'm proud to pay taxes in the United States; the only thing is, I could be just as proud for half the money."
- Arthur Godfrey

401ks and IRAs are not taxed until they're withdrawn. But if you wait too long, Uncle Sam could end up taking more of it than you.

Top Federal Tax Rate
1918 77%
1946-1963 Over 90%
1964 77%
1965-1981 70%
1982 50%

"History does not repeat itself, but it rhymes."
- Mark Twain

These are just Federal tax rates. There are also state and city taxes. Some counties are broke too so they may need to tax more to get out of debt. San Mateo was hit big and lost a lot of money.

"There is no way for me to express how bad we feel about the loss."
- San Mateo County Treasurer

The Big Lie
You'd Be in a Lower Tax Bracket in Retirement

Free and Clear Forever
Not many people pay off their mortgage, but people used to do it. Why don't people think about their retirement savings the same way?

Take an example. Imagine having a $200,000 mortgage on a house worth $500,000. If you pay off the $200,000, you are free and clear. Now imagine having $200,000 in retirement savings. How much is your mortgage? You don't know because it's up to the government to decide how much they will take based on what they need at the time.

It's a good time to move accounts that are
Forever Taxed to
NEVER Taxed!

There are two vehicles to reduce the tax.
Roth IRAs and life insurance

Start Converting IRAs and 401(k)s to Roth IRAs

Roth Recharacterization
If you decide to convert, you still have time to change your mind.

Another benefit with the Roth IRAs is that you can keep your money in the account as long as you want.

Life Insurance
Single biggest benefit in the tax code. Some wonder why the government would give such a break. It's similar to deductions with charities. Why aren't they taxed? So the government won't have to give money to charities. Same with life insurance. They want to give you the benefit so they won't have to take care of you.

IRA Beneficiaries
If you list your son or daughter as the beneficiary, you can skip the estate tax. Additionally, it can be "stretched" to the lifetime of the son or daughter.

Real money is spendable money, money that can be spent. Rather than using the IRA as retirement money, take a life insurance policy out. Should that person die, the distribution would be estate and income tax free. The premium can be paid for from the IRA.

Another plan is to name the son or daughter as a contingent beneficiary.
Should the spouse die, the wife gets the $1,000,000 life insurance. She can then "disclaim" the IRA, goes back to the husband estate and goes to the daughter.

"Martyr Syndrome"
You refuse to spend your own money. Plan well so you can spend without guilt.

Five Step Plan
1. Know who you are and where you are.
2. Get educated.
3. Avoid mistakes.
4. Don't be short-sighted. Take the long view.
5. Take action in small, consistent steps.

Step 1 - Know Who You Are and Where You Are

Know . . .
- Your Time Horizon
- Your Risk Tolerance
- What You Want For Your Family

Have a Family Meeting

Step 2 - Get Educated

Advisor vs. Salesman

Use multiple sources with un-biased opinions.

Step 3 - Avoid mistakes

Some of the biggest mistakes are tax mistakes. Your investments may go up and down, but when you get taxed, you won't get any of it back.

Thinking someone else took care of it.

Impulsiveness - Hot tips

Too Good to Be True (Schemes and Scams)

Don't invest in something you don't understand.

Being a do-it-yourselfer. Get a professional advisor to help you.

Step 4 - Don't be shortsighted. Look at the long view.
Think about the benefit you'll get later, not now.

Step 5 - Take action in small and consistent steps.
Small steps = Big victories!

Ancient Greeks said that suffering arises from trying to control what is uncontrollable, or neglecting what is in our power to control.