Light Meditation

LOHAS (acronym for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) provided three days of insightful panels and networking opportunities attended by thought leaders across industries, government, non-profit organizations, research organizations and academic institutions including Faith Popcorn, Joel Makower, Dr. Alan Greene, Philippe Cousteau, U.S. EPA’s Stephanie Owens, Coca-Cola’s Tom LaForge, eBay’s Elisabeth Charles, Edelman’s Henk Campher, Alex Bogusky, Dr. Larry Dossey, 1% for the Planet’s Terry Kellogg, Mother Jones’ Madeleine Buckingham, Malika Chopra, Ode Magazine’s Jurriaan Kamp, among others.

 

Key insights from the LOHAS 2010 Forum include:

“Learning from the Past to Shape the Future”
• “We are in the midst of an evolution of our Cultural mindset from a ‘me’ mentality to a ‘we’ point of view.  This transition is a response to a society where economics, ethics and environment are collapsing simultaneously,” said Faith Popcorn, founder of BrainReserve and best-selling author of EVEolution, Clicking, The Popcorn Report, and most recently Dictionary of the Future.

“LOHAS and LOHOE: How Health & Sustainability are Complemented by Hedonics or Economics”
• The mainstream is more often motivated to act upon hedonic reasoning (i.e. seeking pleasure and avoiding pain) and their choices are constrained by economic realities. 42 percent of the population considers buying eco-friendly or ‘green’ versions of big-ticket items if the price is about the same as conventional versions.
• “Frankly, there is a little HOE [hedonics or economics] in everyone.  It is natural human instinct to gravitate toward those things that bring us both temporal pleasure and long-term satisfaction.  We are all able to act upon our desires within the constraints of our personal economic situations,” said Wendy Cobdra, president of Earthsense.

“The Situation in the Gulf”
• “We spend 1,000 times more money every year in our federal budget for space exploration than we do to understand our oceans,” said Philippe Cousteau, environmentalist and founder of EarthEcho International.  “Knowing whether there was ever water on Mars – not critical to surviving on this planet.  The oceans are.”
• “There’s a lot of talk about boycotting BP while a lot of [BP] gas stations are owned by small business owners…it hurts those people.  What we need to be boycotting is our dependence on oil, single use plastic bags, plastic bottles, coal; shutting off the power; and living in more reasonable houses,” said Philippe Cousteau.
• “The type of dispersant that was chosen, Corexit, was only proved 56 percent effective in a lab.  There were 12 other EPA-approved dispersants, and two were 100 percent effective and they were not chosen.  That was an inside oil industry thing because Corexit is produced as a by-product from the refining process,” said Charles Hambleton, producer of Oscar-winning documentary The Cove.

“Where are the Green Jobs?”
• The Obama administration has made it a priority to connect low-income communities to green jobs based on the billions of dollars placed into the Stimulus Bill.  For example, the U.S. Department of Labor put out $148 million of green job training grants through its Pathways Out of Poverty grants. 
• “The economic business case for sustainability is being made every day by companies as diverse as Patagonia and Walmart. Their effort to green their supply chains is driving the economy and creating new business opportunities, innovations and jobs in support of sustainable business practices,” said Andre Pettigrew, executive director of Denver’s Office of Economic Development.

“Phood and Kids”
• The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has stated that children born in the year 2000 in the U.S. will be the first generation in our country’s history to have a lower life expectancy than their parents due to a projected 33 percent of Caucasians and 66 percent of African Americans and Hispanics contracting diabetes in their lifetime as a result of poor diet.  “We are actually killing our kids with food and this must stop,” said Ann Cooper, author of Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children, chef and educator.
• One in three American children now have autism, allergies, ADHD or asthma.  “As we work together, to inform and inspire each other about ways in which we can protect our children from toxins like growth hormones, pesticides, synthetic dyes and genetically altered ingredients in food, we realize that there is so much that we can do together to create the change that we want to see in our food supply,” said Robyn O’Brien -- author of The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It and founder of Allergy Kids.

“Understanding the Carbon Economy”
• The US represents five percent of the population yet emits 25 percent of the world’s carbon.  “We need to reduce our energy use now and promote renewable energy to offset the remaining energy we consume.  If we all do our part today, we can create a bountiful, healthy future together,” said Margi Gardner, CEO of Bonneville Environmental Foundation.

“Spirituality and Health: What the Fuss Is All About?”
• In 1993, three of the 125 medical schools in the U.S. taught courses in spirituality and health and now 90 schools have such courses.
• In 1997, the Joint Commission on Accreditation strongly recommended that every healthcare institution have a vehicle in place to assess the spiritual history of incoming patients, which is now a requirement.

“Global LOHAS”
• Mobium Group data shows that the Australian consumer market for LOHAS products and services has grown from $12 billion in 2007 to $19 billion in 2009 with 2011 projected at $27 billion.  (Source: Mobium Group)
• “LOHAS in Asia is a brand rather than a movement and, as such, offers a great opportunity for LOHAS companies trying to enter the markets.  By using LOHAS on their marketing material, they are appealing immediately to their target audiences in Asia,” said Adam Horler, founder of LOHAS Asia.

“Convincing Mainstream Consumers to Go Green: What really motivates them to make sustainable choices?”
• Conversations matter – when kids talk to their parents about green issues, it results in behavior change 68 percent of the time.  Those conversations with neighbors and co-workers result in behavior change 56 percent of the time. (Source: Shelton Group)

 

“New Paradigms in Health & Sustainability: What's Working and What's Not”
• Mainstream consumers comprise the majority of users for many LOHAS products such as compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), organic food, natural personal care and natural household cleaning products. There has been an increase in usage of many LOHAS products despite the recession, such as organic foods.  (Source: Natural Marketing Institute)

“The Social Currency of Social Media”
• If Facebook were a nation, it would be the third largest in the world with 50 percent of users logging in daily and over 70 percent of users outside the U.S.  “Measuring ROI with social media marketing is tricky, but the consensus is that more engagement correlates to achieving more marketing objectives.  So your goal should be to cultivate customer communities,” said Joey Shepp, founder of Earthsite.

“The Storytelling Value of Location-based Services”
• “Location-based social media is rapidly increasing in value, popularity and relevance.  LOHAS businesses will benefit from experimenting with tools like Foursquare, Gowalla and Twitter Places to get a feel for how these applications can help engage consumers and grow business,” said Nathan Rice, interactive director for Haberman Group.

Promoting lifestyles of health and sustainability, the annual LOHAS Forum brings together entrepreneurs, government heads, Fortune 1000 executives, investors, research institutions, academics and media for a program designed to inspire innovation and further expand the LOHAS market share.  The 2010 Forum was held from June 23rd to 25th at the St. Julien Hotel in Boulder, Colorado. 

In Honor of the 40^th Anniversary of Earth Day ~ I present a tomato powered lamp!

 Ok, this seems a bit out there…and is one of the reasons, lately, when I hear ‘green’, I see red!

 I was pioneering green when it was far from mainstream (not easy), and formed VITAL DESIGN LTD in 1997. Anyone who knows me considers me a shade of ‘bright green’, however, in this time of so much green washing, I have become ‘jaded green’. Is there anyone, or anything, that doesn’t have some eco–angle these days? From the ‘shock you green’ of terrifying statistics, nearly all Americans test positive for traces of BPA, and the ‘silly green’ of recycling everything from dogs to diapers, (ok, I was kidding about the dogs). 

This circus of eco mendacity is getting to me.

In our rampant Environmental Virtuosity, there is new research that suggests that those who make "green" purchases are subsequently more likely to behave selfishly, cheat and steal (Exposed: green consumers' dirty little secrets).  Beware the pitfalls of Eco Myopia!

 Yet in our crazy green-washed world it is the simplicity of nature that reminds me why I am ‘green’. A simple walk in Central Park renews my sense of wonder witnessing the magnificent resilience and rebirth of flora and fauna. I am awed by Mother Nature’s power and experience my own spring awakening.

 I believe our Homes are an extension of ourselves, and in order to connect with our 'greater home' (earth) we need to start with self (& our homes). By creating a loving, beautiful, comforting, non toxic, sacred healthy home environment, we can then go out in the world & be better humans, help one another, & basically live up to our highest & greatest good on this planet.  This is Vital, Enlightened Design and I am honored to be of service to this cause.

This is taking Green to whole new level. Happy Earth Day, ~ Happy Every Day!
~ Cheryl Terrace. VITALDESIGNLTD.com

 Ring the bells that still can ring. 
Forget your perfect offering. 
There is a crack in everything. 
That's how the light gets in.

Leonard Cohen

 VivaPrime, a global expert in promoting holistic healthcare and a leading manufacturer of holistic nutritional supplements will launch in the United States in March 2010. VivaPrime will offer Americans a range of condition-specific holistic nutritional solutions™ that will be available in health food stores nationwide as well as online atwww.vivaprime.net. A true global pioneer, VivaPrime has expertise in the areas of medicine, natural healthcare, nutrition and formulation. They have brought together an expert team of medical leaders and naturopaths to develop highly effective natural supplements to address 11 specific health conditions.

Although Americans are divided on healthcare reform, the public dialogue has increased health awareness for all Americans and has placed an emphasis on how many Americans are at serious risk when it comes to their health. 46.3 million Americans are uninsured. Millions more suffer from costly and debilitating illnesses that could be managed if they were embracing wellness and living a healthy and balanced life. Throughout this healthcare debate, some alarming information about the general wellness of the American population has been revealed, and it is becoming increasingly important for Americans to take an active role in their health.
 

Today, more than 90 million Americans suffer from high stress levels. That's nearly one-third of the population, and with the pressures of a poor economy, that number is on the rise. High stress is linked to cardiovascular diseases including high blood pressure and diabetes, which can lead to strokes and heart attacks. Even more disturbing is the fact that more than 80 million people suffer from one or more cardiovascular diseases.

Wellness programs and attention to prevention measures are becoming paramount. Americans, who have taken a keen interest in mind wellness with yoga and motivational speakers and authors, will need to evolve from "self help" to "self health." An era of self health is needed, and it can significantly reduce the risk of deadly medical conditions. 127 million adults in the United States are overweight and nearly one third of all Americans are obese. These are statistics that cannot be ignored, and the reality is that a new healthcare bill and tax dollars will be crippled under that weight. Every American is going to have to do his or her part in creating a healthier tomorrow. A holistic approach to a balanced diet, exercise and proven natural supplements can help to set Americans in the right direction.

VivaPrime's innovative product line is the brainchild of the company's CEO, Akshay Mehta, and developed by a multi-disciplined expert team of doctors, nutritionists, dieticians, pharmacists, herbalists and chemists. The team brings a profound understanding and decades of experience in scientific research, knowledge of human health systems, and nutritional requirements. The VivaPrime team is passionate about ongoing research to improve products with new knowledge and scientific discoveries from around the word delivering the most cutting edge solutions.

VivaPrime is dedicated to bringing the most efficacious health formulas to the market, and they do this through resource commit¬ment, state of the art research, high quality ingredient sourcing, advanced manufacturing and testing processes and new product formulation. All of the ingredients used in VivaPrime's formulas are evidence based with human trials. The formulas are designed with optimum dosages of each carefully identified ingredient—which means the amount of each ingredient is ideal to address specific health conditions. The formulas also offer comprehensive cohesion between the selected ingredients in each product to enhance and transform your body's ability to attain and stay at the peak of health. By offering products for optimum wellness, as well as products specifically designed to meet the nutritional needs for specific health conditions such as heart health, eye health, healthy blood glucose levels, brain health, healthy weight management, optimal immune health etc., VivaPrime makes it convenient to take charge of your health. Consumers can feel confident that they are taking a nutritional supplement that delivers the best-in-dass of self health care.

"Through our ongoing commitment to all areas of natural science research, the VivaPrime line of condition-specific supplements marries ancient, natural herbs that have been around for thousands of years and innovative science and technology to aid in the maintenance of a healthy and well balanced lifestyle," says Akshay Mehta.

The new VivaPrime products launching in the USA in 2010 are:
Vision Maintains healthy eyes and vision
Cardio Supports heart health
Beauty Promotes youthful, radiant skin, hair & nails
Neuro Supports brain function and memory
Glucozone Helps maintain healthy blood glucose levels
ImmuPlus Advanced support for healthy immune function
Trim Supports healthy weight management
Digest Promotes digestive health
Relax Eases stress and supports sleep quality
Ultiman Advanced daily nutrition for men
Ultiwoman Advanced daily nutrition for men

Our Charity Partner
One in three children world¬wide is undernourished. VivaPrime has partnered with Vitamin Angels, a non-profit organization, who reduces child mortality by providing infants and children under five with essential nutrients. They help children attain good health and the opportunity to lead meaningful and productive lives. VivaPrime donates 1 % of every sale to Vitamin Angels towards ending malnutrition in children, www.vitaminangels.org

About VivaPrime:
VivaPrime is a cutting edge leader in advanced scientific and holistic nutritional health products. We believe that wellbeing is a universal right and a worldwide need. Guided by industry experts, VivaPrime's Indian based mother company Mission VivaCare Limited has been in the healthcare business since 1992, establish¬ing itself as a company that produces breakthrough, high quality, efficacious healthcare products; promoting wellness of body, mind & spirit. VivaPrimes׳ products will be available in more than 20 countries by mid 2010. More information about VivaPrime and Mission VivaCare Limited is available at www.vivaprime.net

VivaPrime Benefits at a Glance
• Evidence based Natural Ingredients in Optimum Dosage
• Created by Team of Experts
• Breakthrough Innovative Holistic Solutions
• Multi Ingredient Condition Specific Nutrients for Overall Wellness
• Backed by High Science, Manufacturing and Testing
• Combines the benefits of groundbreaking Science and ancient traditional wisdom
• Individual blister packed to protect potency
• Individual Blister Packed • Vegetarian • No Preservatives
• No GMO • No Dairy • No Gluten • No Nut s • No Eggs
• No Fish • No Added Sugar/Sweetener • No Aflatoxins • No Artificial Colors /Flavors • No Sulphites • Halal Certified

Wall Street evaluates companies by dollar figures. LOHAS consumers judge by a different bottom line; whether corporate practices align with consumer values. Is it possible the socially responsible practices LOHAS consumers expect and brand building, revenue enhancement practices investors expect can be one and the same? Some analysts think so.

While companies have always engaged in philanthropy, when American Express began raising money for the Statue of Liberty restoration 25 years ago, engaging consumers directly in the fundraising process through a transactional connection was unique. Since then, cause branding has become increasingly prevalent though the benefits of corporate social responsibility (CSR) are sometimes difficult to quantify. One way companies derive Calculated Intangible Value (CIV) is by comparing their three year profits to that of competitors with similar tangible assets.

For Paul Herman of HIP (Human Impact + Profit) Investor, there are more precise measures, and many examples of companies that solve problems and serve human needs experiencing better revenue and tax positions, and lower costs of operation, raising capital and issuing stock. Examples include Toyota’s assent to number one automaker by capitalizing on a new market with the highly profitable Prius, Liberty Property Trust spending 2% more on LEED conpliance reaping 30 – 40% operating cost decreases, Walgreens tax breaks and lower operating costs from installing solar panels on 100 stores, and Burt’s Bees acquisition by Clorox for almost $1 billion. Finally, Herman points to Interface Flor’s re-branding around sustainability resulting in a billion dollar market cap and higher PE ratio than competitors.

Concurrently, companies like Mattel, once profitable based on what Herman calls “the China price”, are seeing their sales and stock plummet while “HIP price” products are increasingly popular and profitable. The furniture company Herman Miller, for example, charges premium prices while investing in sourcing sustainable materials, leading to enviable profit margins.

Nike views corporate responsibility as a catalyst for growth and innovation, concentrating efforts on improving conditions in factories, designing for a better world, achieving climate neutrality and unleashing potential through sports. They call the return on these integrated CSR programs “ROI2”. Youth focused community efforts using sports to inspire social change have obvious benefits for Nike by creating future loyal consumers. Nike has also reduced manufacturing waste by 45% since 1998, in part through closed-loop systems, with vendors receiving back waste materials from the shoe-making process to recycle into new materials for Nike.

In 2008, PR Week and the marketing firm Barkley released a survey quantifying the positive effects of corporate philanthropic activities. According to their results, 72% of consumers have purchased a brand because it supports a cause they believe in. Corporations report positive PR (65.3%), an increase in sales (26.7%) and an enhanced relationship with target demographics (52%) as a result of cause marketing. 56% of companies also report heightened staff morale and retention and 14.7% cite improved recruitment of quality candidates.

According to Barkley CEO, Mike Swenson, program effectiveness is measurable through cause marketing sales (events with product sales involved), cause event visibility (runs, walks, etc.), and cause branding traction (programs that define the company). In 1995, Barkley’s own client Lee jeans, looking to take advantage of trends toward casual Fridays and more casual workplace dress codes, and improve perception of the Lee brand among 24- 49 year-old women, started Lee National Denim Day benefiting breast cancer research. Brand tracking studies report 60% of women have a more favorable impression of Lee and 33% are more likely to purchase the brand based on its sponsorship of Lee National Denim Day. Further, women aware of the sponsorship are more likely to view Lee as a fashionable brand. Swenson also points to the Dove Self Esteem campaign repositioning a commodity product into a brand with a clear point of differentiation.

Other companies, World of Good for example, successfully established entire brands around CSR practices. The 3 ½ year-old company sells international, fair-trade style sourced hand crafts online and through strong partnerships with retailers like Whole Foods. With 300% annual growth, World of Good appeals to traditional venture capitalists and serves as an example of marrying positive impact with bottom line profitability.

According to another Barkely survey, growing evidence shows that cause branding also positively effects Generation X and Y stock purchases. For companies courting consumers and investors in their 20’s and 30’s, CSR is now an important decision point. At the same time, employees looking to find more meaning in their work are demanding that companies get more involved in problem solving and have a positive social, environmental or health impact.

When we buy without thinking, motivated perhaps by a super-low price, lust, or naked appetite, we are guilty
of Zombie Consumerism. But the parallels to sustainability and Zombies don’t have to die there. From gorefests (Grindhouse), to classic literature mash-ups (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), to freeway sign hacks (“Warning Zombies Ahead”), it’s clear that Zombies represent something culturally current. And acquiring Zombie culture as a lens provides a deeper look at our relationship with sustainability.

For example, George Romero’s Zombie movie Night of the Living Dead (1968) has been classically read as a commentary on race-relations. The movie’s African American hero is seemingly (and finally) mistaken (by a white redneck) for a member of the undead in the movie’s final scene. In 1978 Romero returned with part two of the ultimate Zombie trilogy with Dawn of the Dead. True to his intent to shoot a Zombie film every decade that would reflect modern culture, in Dawn Romero keeps pace with our ever-changing American psychographics by turning his blade to consumerism. This late seventies flirt with consumerism is a perfect place to begin a Zombie dialogue about sustainability. 



In Dawn, a band of heroes hide out in a mall, gorging themselves on free food as the Zombies pound at the doors. There are scenes of mass consumption as the survivors play with a pastoral sense of American bounty – everything at their fingertips to consume for free.

And the Zombies? They want in on it too. The thinly veiled undercurrent of the move is revealed as two main characters ponder why thousands of Zombies are stumbling around the mall parking lot, looking for ways to get in:

[Fran and Stephen are observing from the roof of the mall] Francine: “What are they doing? Why do they come here?” Stephen: “Some kind of instinct. Memory, of what they used to do. This was an important place in their lives.” 



Later, Peter says “They're after the place. They don't know why, they just remember. Remember that they want to be in here.” 



Shopping is in the Zombie’s blood. As in the current sustainability movement, the “mall as hope” is a clear tope in Dawn. Almost gleefully, one survivor yells to others “we’re going to the mall!” as the escape from the undead. 



The visual metaphor of Zombies consuming their way through endless isles of low-priced, but culturally-costly (Save money. Live better at the expense of others.) goods without concern for impact, save their own desire, is not a stretch. Spending time at any low-cost, big box retailer in the pre-dawn hours, and Romero look like a sustainability prophet. (Interesting overlap: you can find 69 different super cheap Zombie-related items for sale at WalMart.com.) 



Romero was pointing out that shopping malls are important cultural spaces. From coming of age films (Clueless, Mallrats) to chase and fight scenes (Blues Brothers, Terminator 2) the mall is an important social space that pushes forward many plots. Compare the malls in the original Dawn (1978) to its remake in 2004, and there is little structural difference, aside from new versions of old brands and anchor stores. The malls, the shoppers, and the Zombies (aside from speed) haven’t changed much in 30 years. But culture change takes time…or apocalypse. Both work, one faster than the other. (A quick side note on Zombie dexterity: It has been argued that the theatrical shift from slow moving Zombies to fleet-footed gymnastic Zombies as in 28 Days Later and the Dawn 2004 remake is a reaction to the digital age and speed of computers, or to continue the analogy, computer viruses).

In the movie, the mall serves cross-purposes – to feed the consumptive hunger of the unthinking Zombie and as a haven for the living. The irony is easily spotted as the survivors go binge looting and consume nearly everything in the mall and must find a new place and new source of food (or become a food source). To the survivors, it is at once the luxury of a shopping spree and a prison. In the original, as men are filling wheelbarrows with appliances, Francine says of the mall, “Stephen, I'm afraid. You're hypnotized by this place. All of you! You don't see that it's not a sanctuary, it's a prison! Let's just take what we need and get out of here!” Inside the mall it is un-conscious consumerism. Outside the mall it is just un-conscious. Consumerism in Dawn’s mall is just a liberating as in today’s shopping escapism – it numbs the pain. And if shopping can be painted as part of the solution to climate crisis, then by all means, keep calm and carry on shopping. It is escapism and delusion (isn’t that a good description of most inauthentic communication too?). All of this of course is wrapped up in the sustainability strategy of “shopping our way out of climate crisis.” 



Ultimately, in Dawn, leaving the mall or not having access to a mall is synonymous with death. (No sprawl. No life. Know sprawl. Know life.) So when Zombies attack, I hope to be a victim of sprawl and have a Wal-Mart within running distance. Of course the point Romero is making is that the difference between the mall-dwelling survivors and the mall-thirsty undead is blurry at best. In Romero’s view, we are them. They are us. But who creates whom? 



Moreover to the comparison, in pop culture (as opposed to authentic Haitian anthropology), most Zombies have a common origin: man’s hubris creates some kind of virus or environmental accident that (1) makes the dead undead; or (2) makes the living undead. Either way, man makes Zombies. As in climate crisis, we are the makers of our own demise. In Bio Zombie (1998), director Wilson Yip’s take on Romero’s Dawn of the Dead set in Hong Kong, the Zombies are created by sodas tainted with Iraqi bio-weapons (Note: the film is from 1998, not 2008). Control of the environment is a familiar theme in Zombie movies as it is in sustainability. Bioengineering, genetically modified food, cloning and now god-like climate engineering and Zombies all seem to stem from the same master. Why inconvenience culture with sustainable actions when you can engineer the science around it?

Even the Zombie taste-buds can be used in this lens. The consumption of brains is an apt metaphor for both the movies and the dumbing down of America through advertising – think about Hulu’s playfull ad campaign owning up to its role in culture. But really, hunger is about appetite. And as in the modern sustainability movement, Zombie Consumerism is about appetite for more. Not better. Just more. 



Zombies reproduce through consumption of the living, which serves as a nearly endless supply of brother and sister Zombies. Consider earth’s current human population explosion as a metaphoric never-ending supply of both brains and new Zombies. As one character in the original Dawn says when warning survivors of the process: "It gets up and kills. The people it kill get up and kill." It’s a never-ending supply of both consumables and consumers (a capitalist dream). But, of course, the perishable items (bread and bullets) in the mall run out. And when they do, survivors need to make very difficult choices. Where’s the next mall? What place do we pillage next? An island, perhaps? 



As today and in the Zombie world, sustainability and survival are interchangeable. When the resources for survival run out and the malls have been picked clean, then we will reach for sustainability as a final solution.

Or we will eat brains. 



John Rooks is the President of The SOAP Group, a consulting firm activating sustainability and social justice through communication projects that create positive cultural dialogue.   www.thesoapgroup.com.

Any of you old enough to remember the classic rock tune "My City Was Gone" by the Pretenders? Like singer Chrissie Hynde, I go back to Ohio, but my city (Akron, aka The Rubber City) is not gone. Can you imagine my surprise to find a great organic restaurant, VegiTERRANEAN, by none other than Chrissie Hynde herself, on my last visit?

While other little girls were into Barbie, I was idolizing Chrissie as the world's coolest rock chick. I think of her as a true pioneer, back in the day when MTV actually played videos. "Back on The Chain Gang" and "Middle of the Road" may have been bigger hits, but the anti-development anthem "My City Was Gone" has a blues rock riff that still inspires me.

My mother told me about VegiTERRANEAN and I was immediately on board. I must admit that despite my green leanings, kicking the meat habit has not been easy. Nevertheless, onward we went for our vegan meal.

Surprisingly, VegiTERRANEAN is not a tribute to Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders. There are a select few bits of memorabilia, a guitar on the wall type of thing, but Hard Rock Café it is not. The room is loft-style, swank by most city standards, with concrete floors, curved chain link walls and subdued blue lighting. It is dominated by a long bar serving a great selection of local microbrews and some organic wines. A little bit of SoHo in Akron.

The interior of VegiTERRANEAN.

Intrigued by my outstanding meal of garbanzo beans and tomatoes, I set up an interview with Chrissie. I wanted to get the scope on the little veggie haunt in Akron. She is a real rock star, so I have, well, edited her comments a bit to clean up the language, lots of F-bombs. Hynde is not your typical celebrity turned restauranteur, however. She made it clear: "I am not in this to make money." Her cause celeb is to reduce meat eating and its negative impact on humans and the environment.

"The vastness of American geography and the car culture have made everything less dense, why should you always have to drive to get some groceries? Why don't we eliminate factory farming?" She spreads the word through her music. "It was never supposed to be man vs. nature," she told me by phone from VegiTERRANEAN's bar. "We are meant to be stewards of the environment. A meat eater on a bicycle has a worse impact on the environment than a vegetarian driving a Hummer. Your body is confused as a meat eater."

She may well be right about this. Recent articles in The New York Times and London Times examine the wide-ranging environmental impact of raising cows, slaughtering them and delivering the meat to market. Scary stuff that can convince you to come over to the meatless side. I will admit that since reading The New York Times article, I have sworn off my previously beloved hamburgers and have dramatically reduced my meat intake across the board.

So how was my meal at VegiTERRANEAN? Spiced tomatoes and chick peas with baby arugula, tofu feta and crustini. Fresh tomato and artichoke bisque with fresh dill. For the main course, fresh whole wheat linguini carbonara with smoked "gardein" chicken, asparagus and leeks. "Gardein" is a type of garden grown protein, actually quite tasty and fulfilling in a tofu sort of way for us "gotta have meat" types. Prices are moderate, the food was fabulous -- kudos to executive chef J. Scot Jones -- but the service was on the uneven side at best. Let's just say the kitchen operations could use a tune up.

VegiTERRANEAN is kosher and vegan friendly. Let's hope this type of eatery becomes more common, organic food is a great alternative for lowering the methane emitted during meat processing. To date, Karyn's Raw Foods in Chicago and VegiTERRANEAN in Akron are my two favorites. When I asked Chrissie about plans for expansion - she said "definitely but in a better economy." Two places that could use a VegiTERRANEAN or like concept -- Las Vegas and downtown Los Angeles -- both had appeal to her. She liked the idea of "tricking people into vegetarianism through good food". Through her hard work, dedication to animal rights, and understanding ecological systems -- she is certainly on the path to helping us all eat better.

If you are curious about what she is doing musically these days, check out Chrissie out jamming in Paris in June 2009:

If any of you have favorite organic restaurants in your area, please comment to let others know about them. Thanks for reading!

An Engineer’s Journey of Rediscovery of Exploration, Creativity & Meaning.



A desire to re-connect with his inner creativity and a deeper meaning in life were the driving forces that gave birth to Jim Campbell’s OmLight Photography.

The mixture of Jim’s previous passion with photography, his newly found meaning with life through yoga and his personal practice on the mat led him to want to “be of service” and offer his camera to CorePower Yoga to get a number of overdue teacher bio photos taken.

All the teachers gathered one afternoon, and as often happens when you put yogis together in a room, a spontaneous mix of play and exploration occured. Sterile headshot photo work turned into an impromptu group yoga asana exploration…and OmLight Photography was born as an emerging yoga oriented business.

When we get on the mat, our life is reflected in the mat as our mirror. We have to face ourselves, and it gives us an opportunity to work through the layers of stuff such as ego, sadness, anger, jealousy, frustrations, confusion etc. Yoga brings us into our bodies – our physical being, and out of our head. Surfing through our bodies, riding on the breath, we practice letting go and becoming our authentic and true selves. We practice self- and other love. We practice compassion and acceptance.

“Through my photography, I feel I become part of, a witness of, the person’s inner shining, true self expressions. It is a beautiful process. People almost forget that I am there with my camera capturing them in various yoga postures, as they loose themselves in their inner practice.I am full-filled from an intellectual perspective through my work as an engineer, however, in recent years, I have moved into more of a management role, and I felt less creatively fulfilled as I wasn’t creating and exploring at work any longer – life essence photography through yoga has brought that back into my life.”

As I look at my calendar of obligations for the day of Wednesday November 11th, it is slightly overwhelming from the moment I awake. One of those days. Rushing from meeting to meeting. Mostly wonderful meetings, no less. A social media meeting with one of my absolute favorite lifestyle e-boutiques Vickerey at the Dushanbee Teahouse. Attending trapeze class with Frequent Flyers at the Dairy Center for Performing Arts – and then rush to OmLight Photography to meet with Jim Campbell and his lovely assistant Justina. Deep breath. Deeeeep breath.

I wasn’t entirely centered as I arrive at Jim’s studio in North Boulder. As Jim’s voice talks me through a selection of Surya Namaskar A+B posture series and encourages deep relaxation and breathing, coming into my own yoga practice, I feel myself quickly melt into my yoga space. It’s almost as if he isn’t there, except for when Justina aids hair away from my eye or Jim is queuing me to optimize alignment and camera angle. I am surprised to find myself actually getting deeply into postures and my ujaii (oo-JAI-ay) breath.

My 10 year old daughter, Amilija, had come along to check it out. As we are playing around, we decide to do some partner yoga shots of her and I. Feeling her resting on my back, trusting in me fully, as I am in downwardfacing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), I am surprised to realize that her sacrum against mine is an intimate and softening experience. How often do we connect as human beings, mothers & daughters this way? My heart has gone thru extreme openings and awakenings the past months; this unexpectedly close loving and warming experience bringing me so close to my daughter in a way I had never thought about, breaks open my heart another inch or two. It makes me realize, how many beautiful and fulfilling ways exist in sharing ourselves and our hearts with loved ones and the world at large. Now, I certainly had not expected a spiritual experience this evening through capturing my yoga asanas on camera. This is an experience I can highly recommend for anyone; lovers, mothers & daughters, sisters and brothers and just for your own individual experience (also perfect as a holiday gift to someone very special). So here I am, talking about the process and experience – obviously, you will walk away with a lifelong visual capture of your own shining asana heart!

 

You do not need to be a Shiva Rea or Seane Corn to get your yoga portraiture taken – this is for anyone, who has any level of experience with yoga.

Details

* $199 for a one hour session for a single person, $249 for two or more people.

Included with your shoot is one 13×19 print, which can be 1, 2 or 4 images.

Various photos options for purchase is available after the shoot.

Leigh Goldberg – an experienced partner yoga teacher , will guide you and your partner through postures, while Jim Campbell captures the essence of beauty, play and expressions. Call for price.

Contact omlightphoto@gmail.com for further questions, or to schedule your session. OmLight Photography.

 

From EnlightenNext, based on a talk by Andrew Cohen given at the LOHAS Forum 2009

Global warming. An increasing potential for pandemics. Weapons of mass destruction. Such threats to human survival understandably arouse fear. This fear can cause our perspective to contract rather than expand. Ironically, a focus on survival can impede our survival. The best way to survive and thrive is to evolve, not only as individuals but also as a species. The impulse to survive greatly differs from the impulse to evolve. The former can lead us to focus so narrowly that we lose touch with higher consciousness; the latter does the opposite.

The impulse to survive is ancient and instinctual. Like other animals, we’re biologically programmed to respond to threats to our individual or group survival. In contrast, the conscious desire to evolve—to become more as individuals and as a culture—is relatively new and not experienced by everyone. You experience the evolutionary impulse when you feel passionately excited about your potential to reach a higher level of consciousness. In becoming aware of your infinite potential, you get in touch with the best part of yourself and have an overwhelming sense of goodness. If we harness this evolutionary impulse, we can work together to accomplish all of the important things we want and need to do.

It’s tremendously important, then, that we inspire people to change, not in small ways or for petty purposes but profoundly so that they maximally participate in and contribute to the evolutionary process that continually produces greater consciousness. In other words, people must become enlightened. By enlightened I mean becoming deeply aware of one’s own consciousness and also igniting a desire to expand, or evolve, that consciousness.

Scientists believe that the known universe began about 14 billion years ago. All but a small fraction of that time passed before the appearance of self-reflective consciousness, awareness of one’s own awareness. However, the capacity for such awareness must have been present from the beginning of time. Otherwise, such awareness never could have emerged. Earth progressed from lifelessness to insentient life to sentient, or conscious, life. As organisms became more complex, mentality—interior existence—emerged. Eventually, humans developed the capacity to reflect on their own consciousness. The fact that sentience arose from insentience indicates unimaginable potential. We all share in that potential. To the extent that we actualize new and higher potentials, we advance the evolution of consciousness. That evolution is a process of expansion.

The opposite of such expansion is personal ego, a narrow focus on one’s own desires and fears. The ego is the perennial obstacle to higher spiritual development, especially in contemporary Western society, which, for all its advances, also ends up encouraging narcissism and self-absorption. In early infancy we’re entirely egocentric, aware of only our own needs and desires. We don’t realize that there are perspectives other than our own. As we mature, we become increasingly aware of others’ needs and perspectives. In most cases, our sympathies expand to include family members, friends, and other people with whom we have direct contact and then extend to all people who share our ethnicity, nationality, race, and/or religion. Many of us progress further, to a sense of oneness with all human beings. Relatively few progress still further and develop a sense of community with all sentient beings, all creatures who possess consciousness.

If God is everything that exists, then all consciousness can be said to be the mind of God. Your own consciousness, as well as that of every other sentient being, is part of that mind. Therefore, we all are part of the infinite and its boundless potential.

I first experienced a sense of infinite potential as a teenager. I had a feeling of great expansion, an increased awareness of consciousness—indeed, a cosmic sense of all consciousness. When you experience such awareness, you become inspired. You gain a new purposefulness that transcends personal circumstances. Acting on the evolutionary impulse, you’re filled with creative energy. Instead of seeking personal gratification, you see yourself as a vehicle of consciousness, the ultimate mystery. You shed your ego, which confines, and are free to experience fully. By regarding situations and events from a cosmic perspective, you realize your higher potentials and advance the evolution of consciousness.

Consider highly creative, intensely motivated people such as artistic and scientific geniuses or deeply inspired political leaders. Such people radiate positive energy. They’re passionately engaged in their work. Innovators, they envision what’s possible and make it reality. Like evolution itself, they turn the latent into the manifest. Driven by a desire for greater consciousness, they tap into infinite potential.

You, too, can tap into that potential. To the extent that you don’t, you’re only partly awake. At best, you cope. You don’t move yourself and others forward. The best way to overcome negative thoughts and feelings is to move beyond the narrowly personal and recognize that you’re part of something much larger than yourself: the very evolution of consciousness.

Engineers can design robots that calculate and that perform other functions, but engineers can’t create awareness. Consciousness has been evolving for billions of years, since the beginning of the universe. You can reflect as you do because of that long history. The direction of evolution has been toward ever-greater consciousness. If you’ll contemplate the amazing evolution of consciousness, you’ll feel awe and wonder that are the opposite of ego. At the same time, you’ll realize that you’re part of that miraculous evolution. You’ll appreciate the preciousness of consciousness and of the capacity for consciousness. You’ll marvel at the infinite potential that enabled consciousness to emerge and that becomes increasingly manifest as consciousness continually grows.

According to the Big Bang theory, all matter could fit on the head of a pin when the universe began. We all derive from that original matter. All things truly are one. If you understand and ponder that, you’ll begin to realize your higher potentials. You’ll experience oneness with the entire creative process. That oneness will liberate and empower you. You no longer will feel separate or insignificant. Instead you’ll have a cosmic, God-like perspective. Seeing the infinite potential in yourself and others, you’ll arrive at a higher level of consciousness. Through such consciousness, we won’t just survive . . . we’ll evolve.

If you want to view a video of Andrew's presentation from the LOHAS forum click here.

What is a million dollar thinker, anyway?

Million dollar thinkers think about things like money and making decisions in a different way from the average person, using both the conscious and the subconscious mind.

As an example: suppose you were $10,000 in debt. The average person would focus on the debt, how to pay it, how to get out of it. They may take on a second job to pay the debt.  The focus, no matter what, would be on the debt.

A million dollar thinker, on the other hand, would take that same situation and look at it 180 degrees differently. The million dollar thinker would look at the $10,000 debt, and immediately come up with a plan to earn $20,000. Focusing on solving a problem and strategizing how to make more money is infinitely more interesting, thought provoking and ultimately more prosperous than focusing on the negativity of debt.

Right now, make a choice to understand how your mind and thoughts work. The exploration of the subconscious mind and belief systems that keep us from realizing our biggest dreams is a fascinating study – and one that is well worth the time and effort to anyone who wants to be successful.

First, take a look at your belief systems – you know, the ones that everybody talks about but never really digs into?  Do you have thoughts like…

“I’m not good enough”

“I could do better”

“Money doesn’t grow on trees”

“There’s not enough to go around.”

“Money is tight”

“I don’t have enough”

Or even “if I have more than my share, someone else will suffer.”

These are beliefs that infiltrate the conscious mind; ones that people hold onto very tightly, unaware of the damage that they do. Of course, none of those self defeating thoughts is true but they feel very real when you’re thinking them.

It’s important to learn more about the mind and how these beliefs work. – especially, how the mind can create exactly the circumstances or situations we are thinking about. Even the bad ones. This is powerful stuff.

The subconscious mind is a subset of our entire brain system.  There are really three types of processing controls in the brain.  First is the unconscious mind.  It controls things like breathing.  Next is the conscious mind.  It is the part of the brain you are using to process the words on this page, to think thoughts, meditate, create and sort information.  It is the part of your brain that gets very busy, congested and filled with information and random bits of thinking, songs and entire paragraphs of text.  It is that little monster or angel on your shoulder that tells you great things or hurtful things about yourself.

Last is the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is kind of like a factory, processing the thoughts that your conscious mind gives it. It has no control or discerning capabilities to determine whether a thought is productive and serves you well, or tears you down and makes you cry. Either way, it just goes about its business, carrying out the thoughts you send to it.

If you can, picture the subconscious mind like a bunch of little workers, running around to make sure your thoughts are carried out. When you say to yourself “This is hard work,” then the subconscious goes to work, making sure your thoughts are carried out and the result is “This is hard.”  The subconscious mind has no line between good and bad, it simply works to the logical conclusion, which is the ability to make your thoughts come to fruition.

The subconscious mind does not understand things like “can’t,” and it is unable to comprehend the difference between what you want and don’t want.  Like a picture in your mind, it only sees the end result, and goes about achieving that end result. The subconscious mind has a lot to do with what actually shows up in your life, based on the pictures, words and language you use to describe what you want.

For instance, consider what it takes to train a dog to sit. Many dog trainers use a praise method to show the dog when they did something agreeable. Using the mind, they are able to create a picture of a desired result – in this case getting a dog to sit. Most people, however, think very hard about what they don’t want. In the case of the dog, they may concentrate not on sitting, but on not having the dog run away. In the mind, the picture of the dog running away — which is the exact image of what you do not want — is clear. The subconscious goes to work to make sure the end result is achieved and presto! the dog runs away.

The idea is to break negative subconscious beliefs. There is a Process to enable you to do exactly that. Here it is –

First, think. What beliefs are holding you back? Do you feel not worthy of success? Not smart enough? Not lucky enough? What originally led you to believe the thought(s) that is/are holding you back? Take one, for a start –

Say you grew up in a family where money was tight. You remember hearing your parents say, “We’ll never get ahead. To get ahead I this life, you have to have breaks. We just don’t have that kind of luck.” You listened to that and internalized it, growing up to believe that the deck is stacked against you. That, no matter how hard you work, the Universe is predisposed to keeping you in a state of lack. And so your work habits keep you sabotaging yourself – a way for your subconscious mind to stop you from being successful, and therefore disloyal to your family, who never achieved any great measure of success.

Now, close your eyes.  Take a few deep breaths and get very comfortable. Imagine being in a very beautiful place, a safe place – somewhere where you feel completely at ease and relaxed. Perhaps at the beach? The sand is white and perfect, with waves crashing up onto it at frequent and even intervals. The sky is a perfect and beautiful blue, and the sound of the surf is soothing and comforting. Sit down in the sand and relax.

Now, bring your parents into your mind’s eye picture, and have them sit down with you.  When you’ve done that, say these words. “Folks,” say to them in your mind, “I have an opportunity to be successful beyond my wildest dreams.  I’m holding myself back out of loyalty to you and I don’t want to do that anymore. I am choosing to be very successful in my personal, professional and financial life. I love you very much and respect everything that you are, and I want you to support me in this choice.”

In your mind’s eye, see your parents smiling, and speaking words of comfort and encouragement, such as —  “Darling, don’t you dare follow in our footsteps. You are a smart, wise woman and we want you to have anything you dream of. We love you too, and support you in your decisions.”

Now, don’t you suddenly feel lighter, freer? The monsters in your mind quieted? Open your eyes slowly. Know that you can use this new tool any time you feel concern for your well-being.

Beliefs such as “I’m not good enough” that can haunt your conscious mind, need close scrutiny.  Believing the “I’m not good enough” part can be easy, but where does it come from? Somebody gave you the belief!  But who?  When? If not your parents or other close family members, perhaps important people in your childhood? Perhaps a teacher once said to you, “You’re smart, but you don’t try hard enough. You could do better.” Your conscious mind will then repeat the teacher’s belief, telling you that you can do better.  Soon, the “I can do better” belief is firmly implanted in your brain, pervasive in your conscious thoughts.

Once you recognize that this was someone else’s belief and not your own (and not necessarily true!), you can begin to let go of it. Using the tool you were given above, have a meditation session with yourself to remove the mental file that holds the “I can do better” belief.  Replace it with a new file in your mind called, “I do things well the first time.” What a difference it can make in your thinking.

Then continue, taking a close look at many of the self defeating beliefs you’ve held, eliminating them one by one from your life, your vocabulary and your conscious thought. Once you bring your beliefs to the surface and determine the source, letting go of them is the next step to help you evolve as the successful person you want to be.

Can you identify your self defeating beliefs?

Have you ever stopped, I mean really stopped for a minute to listen, hear, smell and feel the sounds of the wild animals around you?

They’re everywhere…in the city, in the suburbs, in the skies and underground.

And they have something to say to you…can you hear them?

If there is something on your mind, a problem you’re trying to solve, a situation that needs a resolution or an unanswered question in your head, chances are the answer is right in front of you.  Animals are a symbol, a secret society that has a vast and amazing collection of communication, strategy and survival techniques that are as important in our everyday lives as they are in the wild.

Animals use their natural abilities to get what they want.  After all, you’ll never see a skunk trying to reach the tall tree leaves so easily accessible to a giraffe!  Yet, we humans spend so much time looking elsewhere and making things harder than they need to be.

Here are 3 things you can learn from animals in the wild:

1.   Find new ways to get what you want.

I live in a 3-acre ranch in the desert foothills in Arizona.  It’s surrounded by a block fence and a gate, and features a large pond filled with fish on the front acre of the land.  Our home is a sanctuary for us and also represents comfort and safety to a variety of wild animals.  Outside the fence, every night, is a group of coyotes.  In the middle of the summer, they get thirsty.

Very thirsty.

They want the water that’s in the pond.  And a fish might taste good too.

Now, when the gate is open, sometimes the coyotes just help themselves, coming right in through the front, going directly to the pond and enjoying themselves.  They might even go for the easy prey.  But mostly the gate is closed.   They still want the water.

We now have one very enterprising (and fearless) coyote who has figured out how to get to the water with very little effort, even when the gate is closed.  You see, coyotes can jump quite a few feet in the air, even with a lame leg (which this one has).  So Mr. Coyote has found the point on the fence lowest to the ground, and simply jumps up and over the block wall at that exact point to get to the water.

How many times have you jumped over, gone through, around, under or just plain broken through an obstacle to get what you want?  Animals do it all the time and never think twice about stopping because of the obstacle.   What’s stopping you?  How can you be like Mr. Coyote and get to what you want using another method?

2. A simple, repeatable strategy always gets you closer to your goal.

Sitting poolside at a hotel recently, I had the pleasure of interacting with a wild squirrel.  I’d love to say that the squirrel was hanging around because of my wonderful, magnetic and charming way with animals, but I’d be lying.

He wanted my bag of pretzels.

I watched carefully as the squirrel calculated different ways to get at the bag of  pretzels, laying wide open on a low table between two pool chaise lounges.  First, he sat up on the fence far away.  Then he moved in a little closer…and closer…and closer to get a good look.   Then he scampered away to reevaluate his strategies and options.

If he could talk, he probably would have said “Let’s see.  I could run up and grab the pretzels, but the human would probably try to catch me.  I could try sneaking in when she isn’t looking, but that’s too risky.  Wait a minute – I know!  I’ll use the patience strategy – works every time”.

And sure enough, the little guy sat down, just out of my reach, and waited.

He didn’t wait long.  I threw him a piece of pretzel within 5 minutes.

The little squirrel grabbed the pretzel, held it with both hands and ate it right there, on the spot.  I swear he was grinning.

Next, I held a piece of pretzel in my hand, just to see if he’d come closer.  Again, he played the patience game and won.  And again, and again and again.  Finally, with his full stomach, he left to take a nap.

How many times have you found something that works, only to change the strategy to something that seems “better” or “faster” or “different”?  Changing strategies constantly will only serve to cause false starts, delays and frustration.  Use a strategy to grow your business that works for you, not against you.  Who cares if it’s not the most recent, most popular or most unique?  Do what works and you’ll never go wrong.

3. Act in spite of fear

Rabbits are notoriously fearful.  They run away at the slightest movement, sometimes even afraid of the wind.  But have you ever seen rabbits work together to accomplish a goal?  They do, and it’s pretty amazing.

On our ranch, we have bunches of rabbits.  Spring is always a time for new, little furry bundles to show up with their brother and sister bunnies and begin to explore the world.

In their world, there are juicy, tasty hibiscus and desert flowers available, but they are hidden behind a retaining wall.  It’s a “no rabbit” zone.  Or so I thought.

Yesterday, I went out to my rabbit free zone to find – yes – a rabbit!  A very small one at that, casually grazing on my off-limits flowers.  A quick check outside the area and I saw 4 more full grown rabbits waiting patiently on the other side of the wall, presumably for the little one to come back with its report.

Well, report he did, because today I have full grown rabbits eating the hibiscus in my no rabbit zone.  Overcoming their fear, they have figured out a way to get in (I’m still not sure how they did it) to get at the really good stuff.

If a rabbit can overcome its fear to get good food, what can you do?  Is that fear of failure really so bad?  What’s the worst that can happen?  What’s the best that can happen?  Is it worth it to you to really truly face your fear head-on in exchange for success?  I hope so.

I recently faced my fear of heights for the final time.  For years, I was unable to even go into a glass building for fear that I would fall out.  To overcome it, I began riding roller coasters all around the country.  A few months ago, I faced the biggest one – the one that goes off the edge of the Stratosphere in Las Vegas – 100 stories in the sky – and lived to tell about it.

So next time you’re outside, look around.  The animals have something to say to you.  Are you listening?

It’s a brand new day.  You wake up after a great night’s sleep and get ready for work. 

You have objectives to meet, deadlines approaching and meetings scheduled which will make for a very full day. 
After a quick breakfast and a cup of your favorite morning beverage, you head to work.

Then your day goes haywire.



Traffic jams make you cranky.  Nothing on the news you wish to hear.  The parking lot is full and it is hot outside.  You finally make it to the office already tired and sweaty from the commute.  You walk in to find your employees, the same ones who are supposed to be helping you move forward, stuck in permanent water-cooler chatter.  They scurry back to work just as you arrive.

Mistakes, apologies, Internet surfing and just plain goofing off are ruining your productivity and the productivity and profitability of your company.   In short, you have C.R.A.P. – Confusion, Resistance, Apathy and Procrastination in the driver’s seat.  It’s time for a new approach to getting things done!

Before we go any further, let’s get real here for a minute.  Do you really believe that people come to work saying to themselves “I wonder how I can mess up this company and get paid for it?”  Probably not.  Down deep, every human being wants to be a part of something they can be proud of.  The rampant “what’s in it for me” apathetic approach to work cannot be tolerated.  At the same time, it’s an almost insurmountable job for an organization or individual to be responsible for changing the attitude of every employee individually.  While simple steps can be taken to reprimand bad employees, the root of the problem must be addressed as an organization before real change is to take place.

The root of the solution to the problem is a simple formula called F.A.S.T.  In short, your employees need to have the right Focus, take the right Action, have the right Systems, and be on the right Team in order to provide your company with the most profitable return on investment.

So how does this formula work?  Let’s take a look:

1. The Right Focus – Bad employee behavior is rampant when employees or managers are isolated and do not know the “bigger picture.”  People need to know what is expected of them and why.  With downsizing happening, many employees have taken on the job of others and have lost sight of this original focus.  They are unsure how their job fits in with the company objectives, which can lead to resistance and procrastination.

Additionally, employees need to know the actual requirements of their job and what is considered success.  For example, a bank teller may be required to process a particular type of transaction in a specified amount of time, or may be required to process x number of customers in an hour.  This sets a guideline for both employees and management/leadership of the organization by which success or failure can be measured.

2. The Right Action – Time productivity is a primary component of success, yet we are all bombarded with daily distractions, interruptions and “can you just fit this in now?” requests. Ill-equipped to handle the ever-increasing amount of information, email and phone messages, many employees are simply overwhelmed by the amount of work required and goof off because they can’t handle it all.

In order to set people up for success, allow them to have an hour a day of  “focus time” where they are not allowed to be interrupted.  They will use this time to tackle those high priority items on their list of tasks to complete.  This promotes a feeling of accomplishment and success and demotes the frustration of having too much to do.

3.The Right Systems – Take a look at how things are being done – do employees take the simplest and cleanest route to accomplishment or are they stuck in the process maze?  The harder it is to get things done, the more your employees are apt to be confused, nervous or just plain resistant to going through the pre-established systems.

It may be time to do an internal systems check.  Ask your employees which systems make it difficult to do their job in an efficient and timely manner.  Prioritize those which are most often reported, and fix it.  Create new and more streamlined systems that do the work with less effort, and employees will step up to be more productive

4.The Right Team – We all know how important it is to have the right person for the job, and the right team to make it happen.  Yet all too often, people are asked to step into doing jobs that have been vacated with disastrous results.  Simple tasks to some people may be daunting to others, which leads to decline of the organization.

It may be time for an internal individual audit of each of your team members.  Schedule a private interview with each one and ask them what they believe they contribute to the team, what is working for them and what is not working for them.  Then ask them what they need to be completely successful in their position.  The results may shock you, and when you take corrective action, they will also take corrective action, and profitability (not to mention productivity) will grow to new heights.

People have always been, and probably will always be the single most important asset to any organization.  At the same time, those same people can be the biggest problem in any organization.  By putting this formula into place, you will immediately see where you or your organization can create a structure that enhances both employee happiness and productivity which eliminates confusion, resistance, apathy and procrastination – and all those wasted trips to the water cooler.

Can you see the value of putting this formula into place in your business?

Much has been written on what it takes to win the game of life.

A lifetime of experience says it’s not as complicated as most people make it. Here’s my list. Take what you want.

1. You can’t succeed alone. Every story of success is a story of people working together, each contributing their own unique talents, skillsets and abilities. Do what you do best. And let others fill in the gaps.

2. Perseverance always wins. You can’t fail if you don’t quit. Find yet another way to make it work. Whatever *it* is for you. As Winston Churchill said in Britain’s darkest hour, “Never, never, never give up.”

3. Take time from your busi-ness every day – even if only 10 or 15 minutes – to center yourself. Some call it meditation. It’ll make you more effective and you’ll accomplish much more.

4. If you don’t like where you are today, don’t expect tomorrow to be any different without change. Change your attitude, your priorities, your activities. Change from being rea-c-tive to being c-rea-tive.

5. You are a product of your thoughts. It’s true that ‘thoughts are things’. Whatever you think about most of the time is what you create in your life. Hint: If you want more than you think you have now, don’t *ever* give energy to thoughts of lack.

6. You always receive what you give. Consequently, if you want help, be helpful. If you want honest relationships, be truthful. If you want success, help others get what they want. If you want love, be loving. The corollary is that you always find what you’re looking for.

7. Life really is like a movie. You write the script. You’re the star, director & critic. And like a movie, it ends. What’s important in life is not just the journey, but the quality of the journey. That’s why it’s important to make every day the best it can be, ‘cuz now is all you have.

What the heck. You might as well enjoy life. None of us are gettin’ out alive.


Have you learned to change something in your life if you don't like where you are today?

While some have said I’m some kind of Twitter expert, let me tell you a little secret:  a few months ago I had zero plans (yes ZERO) to use social media.  I found it to be confusing, overwhelming and frankly not much fun.  While I may have figured a few things out, in no way do I see myself as a guru of any kind.  That’s why I wanted to share with you today some of the things I learned on the way to my first 10,000 followers:
 

Like I said, I had zero intention of using any social media until my good friend Melanie Strick (@melcoach if you want to follow her) kind of gave me a challenge.
 

One night we were having dinner at a local restaurant and unknown to me, she tweeted an innocent message.  It said: “My friend Stephanie Frank won’t do web 2.0.  C’mon tweeps, let get her on here!”   (Tweeps?  What’s a Tweep?) Now of course, I knew nothing about this.  The next day, another friend Janet Switzer told me about this really cool tool called Addict-O-Matic http://www.addictomatic.com.  She told me to type in my name.
 

I did.
 

And up popped my friend’s tweet telling me to get with the program.  It was war.  So on December 11, 2008 I officially joined the ranks of the Twitter uninformed.  The first thing:  Call my friend to figure out what to do next.   From there, I’ve used that same strategy (asking people for tips) and started sending information.  Today, July 31, I hit 10,000 followers.  Thought you might like a few pointers and things I’ve learned along the way:
 

Tip #1 – NEVER answer the question “What are you doing?” directly. Nobody cares if you’re eating ice cream, preparing a proposal or tying your shoes unless there’s some value in it for them.
 

Tip #2 – Have a  beginning strategy.  I started out doing 3 things:  a) Asking a few friends to “show me around” by telling people I was on Twitter.  That got the first qualified followers.  b) Engaging with people directly and c) Sending quotes.  That’s all I knew how to do and it worked to get started.
 

Tip #3 – Continuously develop your strategy.  Today, there are 5 kinds of tweets that I do regularly:  a) My own Daily Do It (tips on personal peak performance) b) Retweet things I personally like or are helpful to others c) Engage with others personally d) Links to blog posts and e) Quotes or one-liners.
 

Tip #4 – Remember the “social” part.  The worst tweeters are the ones who tweet constantly about buying their stuff.  You wouldn’t walk into a party, shove a business card in someone’s hand and say “wanna buy a widget?”  Don’t do it here.  Show your personality and be (primarily) transparent.
 

Tip #5 – Everything you tweet goes out into the Internet Universe.  So if you don’t want everyone to know, don’t tweet it.  Enough said.
 

Tip #6 – Follow wisely.  At the beginning, I used tools to automatically follow anyone who followed me.  Then came the spammers, the porn people and the stalkers, so I turned that off.  Now I follow people who are interesting, who are recommended by friends and only those who have a picture.
 

Tip #7 – Remember your purpose. Twitter is like going to a party – you’re there to meet interesting people.  With this type of networking, you are also there to meet people who can connect you with (or you can directly connect with) that will help you in your career search, business endeavors or other goals.  It’s easy to get caught in a comfort zone and not reach out.
 

Tip #8 – Your tools may need adjustment. When I reached almost 9,000 followers, my tool of choice, TweetDeck, came to almost a standstill.  I lost people, friends, the columns weren’t moving, etc.  Turns out I had overtaxed the software and it needed adjustment.  Thank goodness for Twitter friends who helped me in a time of need.
 

Tip #9 – Ask Questions.  Referring to Tip 8 above, when I got stuck, the first thing I did was send a general tweet to anyone who might respond.  You can also use this to ask questions about any project you’re working on, research, getting help or if you’re just plain curious about people’s likes and dislikes.  People on Twitter seem to be great at answering questions and helping folks in need.  Just don’t overuse.
 

Tip #10 – If you get overwhelmed, stop.  Sometimes Twitter can be like a never-ending sea of people all shouting out into the ethers.  As human beings, we all need some time to take a break, unplug, relax and rewind.  Twitter can be very addictive but if you feel yourself feeling like you can’t disconnect or are overwhelmed, shut it down.  People will still be there when you get back.
 

I don’t know what else is in store for the social media scene and there are gobs of experts out there who are far better than me at this stuff.  But from a performance and leverage standpoint, being able to connect with so many people, in so many countries, send traffic to my websites and create strong new relationships in such a personal way is an authentic, real and much-needed resource.
 

Bring it on!

What has your journey to 10,000 on Twitter been like?

I just returned from the International Spa Association Annual Conference held in Austin Texas. This was my 4th ISPA event and it is always a treat. It certainly is the most well groomed, beautiful person event I go to. Spa is a big piece of LOHAS as it incorporates
health and wellness along with personal care and green building. The last few years has seen a surge in green health spas have seen a surge in green orientation with things like eco-friendly towels and robes along with natural and organic skincare, essential oils and body treatments. These elements are a no brainer for modern LOHAS consumers who want LOHAS products without sacrificing quality. LOHAS consumers are also a main target audience for spas as many are those who frequent spas for massage treatments or other forms of wellness for the body and soul. (that would be me!)

The spa market has exploded in the last 10 years but the term 'spa' has been butchered quite a bit. I can go to my local Wal Mart or strip mall and find nail and hair salons with spa incorporated into their name - (usually in bright neon lights). However when I go into them nose gets singed with smells of chemical toxins from manicures or hair products or get blasted into the street from techno music. I often see  articles and pictures of exotic locations with luxurious hotels with spas included in glossy magazine spreads. All of course with a hefty price tag that limit me to my imagination as to what the lifestyles of the rich and famous is like. Call me old fashioned and snobby but that is not what I consider the true meaning of spa. The whole point of the creation of the industry was to generate awareness of self and healthy lifestyles. These initially were wellness centers that provided space for integrative alternative medicine practices such as massage, acupuncture, energy healing and meditation. Somewhere along the way external beauty, pampering and opulence founds its way into the mix and led the growth of the industry. When I was growing up hotels that had golf courses were all the rage and was a status symbol of a quality hotel. Now if the hotel has a spa it is considered a luxury hotel.

The economic crisis has caused many hotels to reconsider this paradigm. Insiders of the industry have told me that many hotels that incorporated spas into their properties from a 'me too' type of keeping up with the Jones attitude often did not factor the costs of operation into their profit/loss margins. Rather it was blended enigmatically into overall hotel costs. A spa on hotel property was a thing to have and since business was good the scrutiny on spas was limited. Nothing like a crisis to mix things up. Now that hotels are struggling with occupancy so are hotel spas. Those that did not have a structure to measure costs and profits are really floundering. This is also true with destination spas. Some say the wealthy are still booking and traveling - that market will stay the same regardless. But the so called 'wealthy wannabe' are the ones who are not spending. Overall spas are seeing their customers still come to their spas but are spending less per visit. This was echoed by many who I spoke to over the course of the event. For us to have a sustainable economy on all fronts we need to hit the reset button.

The spa industry was visibly hit at the event as well. Last year the ISPA conference had over 3000 people. This year there were about 1700. The exhibit space was also about half as many vendors as last year. Obviously the foot traffic was much quieter than years past. Yet I was surprised when I spoke to most vendors that they felt positive about the event. They said that although the traffic was less those that were walking the floor were serious buyers who were purchasing orders from them and there was more time for a deeper discussions and relationship building.

I think this brings up a very significant point for all businesses - how deep does a relationship go once the transaction is taken out of the equation? This is something that many companies are facing as many people are not spending. The old ways of business are being re-evaluated to figure out how to maintain relevancy in an environment that is transaction less. If you have ideas on next steps please share your thoughts.

I think that this is also a time of opportunity for spa leaders to refocus attentions on wellness. Health care is on the forefront of many people's minds with the debates on health care reform getting a lot of media attention. I think spas are a great place for educating people on preventative care and relaxation. Plus if you think a massage or organic living is expensive you should look at the price of health care. The spa industry has seen a purge of businesses. Now if they can re-establish the focus on the reasons for wellness I think we would all find that refreshing. I would love to hear your thoughts.

While it may shorten your life, you can still live and breathe with poor air quality. Such is the case for many citizens of industrial megacities like Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, New Delhi, Mumbai and Beijing, among others. When it comes to water, however, cleanliness and freshness is essential to support life. In a growing number of nations, fresh water for drinking and hygiene is either not readily available, or, available only to those who can pay for it. Every human being is entitled to free air to breathe, but what about water to drink?
 

The shrinking supply of clean drinking water worldwide is on a collision course with its relentlessly growing population. And in a number of developing world countries such as Bolivia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Angola, and others, private for-profit corporations are taking over the water supply and charging high prices for this previously free commodity. In many cases, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank are behind this strategy.

The world’s three leading for-profit water firms — Vivendi, Suez and Thames — would counter that they are installing an infrastructure to support a supply of clean fresh water that otherwise would not be built by the governments of these under-financed nations. They also provide jobs and inject significant sums into otherwise struggling local economies.
 

So who is right? Nobody can charge citizens for the air we breathe. Should water be for sale or is it a basic human right? Is it possible for sustainable social policies and multinational, public companies to coexist? I think the answer is no. If Vivendi, Suez or Thames invest the capital to install the clean drinking water infrastructure and their business model is to sell drinking water, how can they be required to give it away to local citizens? This is the quandary we face especially in the developing world. Company CEOs and Board Members will argue they have a responsibility to their shareholders to maximize profits, while local governments have a responsibility to their citizens. These poor countries, most often targeted for privatized water systems, need infrastructure and money to provide clean drinking water. Private companies feel that by providing these essentials, they have the right to charge for water consumption, regardless of the consumer’s socioeconomic status.
 

This presents a classic zero sum game. There are many who say the green movement will lead us out of the worldwide recession. However, it remains to be seem who will support the upfront costs to do so. As I see it, meeting half way offers the best solution. The water companies that have been making billions off developing world water systems are going to have to sacrifice maximizing profits for basic human kindness. The developing world is going to have to transition into paying for water, but hopefully, at a reduced price that is achievable. For social equity and economy to coexist, we all must sacrifice something. Right now, as the economy is trying to recover, we need to get comfortable with this paradigm shift — profit maximizing is out for the very rich corporations and constant hand-outs are not sustainable for the very poor nations.