6. Do you hire other folks to do your chores? Now that American workers (including women) are producing more then ever, we have more money, but less time. Lots of us are hiring other people to do our chores. Everything from cleaning house, to mowing lawn, to picking up groceries, is getting done by somebody else. More time for you at your desk means fewer calories burned. Again, if you’re eating same amount, you’re going to get fat.

7. Commuting to your home office? Those of us who are working from home are saving several hours a week by not commuting. That’s great, because commutes are exhausting! Whether your commute was in a car, a bus or a train, all that movement burned calories. And you know where unburned calories go…

8. Where’s remote? Scientists predicted decades ago that we would get fat because we watch too much TV. People didn’t get up for hours, except to change channel. Then TV remote was invented and we didn’t get for hours, period. That’s nothing! In today’s world we have remotes for stereo, air conditioner, even blinds. If we could figure out how to use bathroom by remote, we wouldn’t get up all day! Guess where fat goes?

9. Do your kids go to public school? If so, then they probably eat chips, soda and other junk foods from a vending machine and cafeteria is serving tacos, pizza, and hamburgers. All that high fat, high carb food is fattening and on top of that, schools are eliminating physical education to save money. All food and no play makes your kids fat and may shorten their lives.

10. Love computer games? If you (or your kids) are hooked on them, then you probably are spending a significant part of each day moving nothing more then a couple of fingers. Remember how you used to play? Remember bikes, softball, dancing to your favorite record? When even your play is sedentary, you’re really not burning fat!

Okay, this is a pretty discouraging list, unless you remember that in a world so full of choices, you have opportunity to choose what makes you happy. So if your environment is making you fat or unhappy for any reason, then one of easiest ways to change is to re-design it. Does that mean you have to give up foods you love or do exercise you hate? No, surprisingly, when environmental design is done well, benefits are so powerful, you don’t miss anything!

You just enjoy having life you’ve always wanted.

If you want to know more about how to design your personal environments to feel fully alive, visit Visionary Coach, Julia Stewart, www.yourlifepart2.com, at CoachVille Fully Alive Community http://dbc526.cvcommunity.com or email Julia@coachville.com.

Distribution is encouraged as long as content, copyright and contact are intact.

Copyright, Julia Stewart, 2004 julia@coachville.com www.yourlifepart2.com

If you have a garbage can for a head, life will look like garbage to you.

2. Learn to develop a cheerful attitude toward life.

Life can be painful, but it's possible to overcome.

Choose to behave in a cheerful way as much as possible even if you don't feel like it. You may be surprised at what happens. Cheerfulness is contagious.

A positive attitude toward life may help ward off sicknesses. Psychology Professor Sheldon Cohen (Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh) found that relaxed, happy people are less prone to catch colds than unhappy, anxious people.

3. Deal with stress as an opportunity to grow.

Stress can be a killer.

People who go through stressful events seem to get sicker more often than those who have less problems confronting them. But some people thrive on stress. This tends to show that problem is not stress, but how we deal with it.

When we experience times of anxiety and fear, our brains release hormones as part of fight-flight syndrone to prepare us for dangerous situations. When body receives too many of these "danger" messages from our brains, our disease-resistance systems are weakened.

Stressful situations seem to cause increased illnesses in those who consider themselves to be victims and who react with anxiety and frustration.

Others see stressful situations as opportunities to overcome. So why not choose this positive approach yourself?

4. Make right friends.

Select people who are cheerful instead of depressed for majority of your friends.

Emotions can be transferred almost by osmosis. Retired baseball Coach, John Scolinos (from California Polytechnic College, Pomona), used to tell his winning baseball players, "Show me who you're with and I'll tell you who you are."

We need a positive social life that includes friends, close family members, churches and members of organizations.

Those who have satisfying social lives enjoy improved resistance to illness.

5. Let wisdom from world's greatest book be your guide.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up bones" (Proverbs 17:22 NIV).

"All days of afflicted are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast." (Proverbs 15:15 NASV).

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Want to jump-start your emotional health? Stop letting what's eating you hurt you and begin to enjoy life in a brand new way.