Sometimes, Staying Positive Takes Work

I sometimes think of keeping a positive outlook as if it was my job. I don't feel like going to my job every day; and yet I still go, because I have to. There are measurable benefits to going to work: a sense of purpose, money, health benefits. Same for having a positive attitude.

When I try to stay positive, I get certain benefits:
1) lack of misery
2) less stress
3) happier people around me
4) attraction of more positive experiences and opportunities

Inspirational Conan O'Brien Quote Poster

If you work really hard and are kind, amazing things will happen.
 -Conan O'Brien 

I really love the positive message in this screenprint, conveyed simply in just typography; you can buy a copy at Etsy.

Via Swissmiss

Ensure A Happy Return By Housecleaning BEFORE You Travel

image by lululemon athletica on Flickr

It is June, and travelling season is well upon me and my husband. One thing we try to do, no matter how much we hustle and bustle to get everything packed and out the door, is to clean the house before we leave. Maybe it's not a full-on housecleaning, but at least get certain things in order. Doing so makes the inevitable return home -- and return to work -- much more bearable.

Coming home to a messy house after a vacation is rather depressing. There's no bigger way to say "your vacation is over" than having to face a ton of mess you need to clean. Assuming you've gone away during a weekend or a predetermined period of time off from work, you may in theory not even have time to really tackle the mess until the next weekend.

My First "Raw" Food Experience: BluePrint Juice

I'll admit that I didn't even realize that BluePrint Juice's "Red" was even a raw, unpasteurized food product until I was 1/3 in the middle of drinking it (probably not the smartest way to go about things, actually). My husband had purchased it at a health food store and I grabbed it from the fridge. Drinking it at work, I noted the "100% Raw" imprint on the minimalist packaging and decided to look into it further.

First, about Red: it's a rather hearty blend of apples, carrots, beets, lemon, and ginger. I'm looking for juice drinks that are more veggie than fruit, and this fit the bill nicely. Beets are a great way to get the taste of sweetness in your veggie drink (I recently reviewed the excellent Columbia Gorge's "Carrot Beet Celery"), and the root has tons of antioxidants that fight stuff like cancer and heart disease.

Most Americans Buying Wrong Greek Yogurt (Please Support Fage!)

This news is unbelievable to me: according to Ad Age, Fage -- the best-tasting, most yummy and healthy Greek yogurt -- is losing the battle at the American cash register to also-rans such as Chobani. It is described in the article as "essentially getting muscled out of the market."

I echo the sentiments expressed in this Gawker article: ARE AMERICANS CRAZY???

Fage, even in its plain, zero-fat form, is streets ahead of a brand like Chobani. Simply put: Fage tastes much better. Much much much better. To hear that Fage's shares continue to drop (now down to less than 15%), whereas Chobani is now #1 in the Greek yogurt race, is quite depressing news.

Let's recap yummy Fage Greek yogurt options:

The Total 0% Fat Fage:

This is the powerhouse, with a whopping 18 grams of protein and only 7 grams of sugar. Great by itself or in a protein-packed smoothie.

Mr. Rogers Inspirational Remix "Garden Of Your Mind"

If you're feeling down at all, this video featuring vintage Mr. Rogers clips, "Garden of Your Mind," will pick you right up again!

Zombie Fatigue: Should We Avoid Reading The News When It's Too Dark?

Must...read...more...newssssssss.... (image by Digital Sextant on Flickr)

"Zombie Fatigue"
The last week or so has been a ratings bonanza for various news outlets, what with news of "cannibals," "zombies," "Canadian zombie cannibals," and so on. It seems like each day brings stories on some new over-the-top horrible affront to humanity; many of the readers of these gory tales comment that it seems as if the world is ending, that we are in the grip of some terrible fire-and-brimstone Apocalypse. It makes people feel incredibly fearful and without any control in their lives.

Rationally, I know that we are not in the midst of the End Times, or some sort of zombie outbreak. I think these sorts of horrible things have been happening -- even in "civilized" modern society -- just about forever. Rather, the News -- and by extension, us -- have been focusing on these types of stories more often, picking them out of the wilderness of police reports and local coverage. If the "Miami Cannibal" story did gangbusters hits on various websites, they are going to do their best to extend the news cycle with follow-ups and similar stories. I'm in the media myself, and I totally get this.