In honor of mothers and grandmothers, on my mother’s birthday.

Take a moment to remember your mom, and thank her for everything – in word or prayer or thought or letter.

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Proceeds go to the Japan Red Cross to benefit disaster victims of Japan’s Earthquake/Tsunami and to the American Red Cross for the victims of recent tornadoes in the southern United States.

If you surround yourself with negative people
You’ll never feel settled in or become equal – no.
They’ll suppress you of your spirit and rinse you dry of smiles.
So reach deep and release your inner child. Yeah Yeah!

Cuz’ you’re as old as you feel you are
And if you don’t reach for the moon you can’t fall on the stars
So I live my life like every day is the last, last, last

Stand up.
Stand up for yourself and for your life.
Stand up and get moving.

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Latin music is great for dancing, and Latin dancing is hot!

What are you waiting for?

• Take a Latin ballroom dance class with your partner. Think of how much fun the practicing will be at home.
• Join a Zumba class and whittle your waistline while you dance to world beats.
• Or just play the song below, and get up and move your hips. Yes, your hips. Sway them, circle them, shake them, work them!

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Live a little bit of your own vida loca.

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A.L.O.H.A. from Paradise!

Photo by John Mason

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People who regularly break up their sedentary time with movement as small as taking one step had healthier waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), and triglycerides than people who didn’t take breaks during long periods of sitting. That’s what Australian researchers found in a 2008 study.

But how to make a habit out of taking breaks? Toni Yancey’s Instant Recess book offers the following suggestions for people who feel chained to their office desks:

• Take a 10-minute activity break at a scheduled time every day.
• Park farther away from the places where you work, shop, play, study and worship.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Put printers a short walking distance away from your work or study space instead of right next to it.
• Replace desk chairs with stability balls — or use a standing desk to get rid of the chair entirely — to burn more calories while working.
• Fidget, stand up and stretch at intervals during meetings.

~ Eliza Barclay, Fighting That ‘Chained To The Desk’ Feeling (sidebar)

No excuses. Get up and s-t-r-e-t-c-h right now.

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Spring just seems so … violent this year. So many storms, so much action, so little time to be outside and enjoy the day.

Well, my umbrella’s tired of the weather wearing me down!

So put on a smile – you should look as good as your outlook; you’ve got a paradise inside – and get moving.

Let your endorphins bring on the sunshine in your day. Create the attitude you want to enjoy and project, and then share it.

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It’s not about the money, money, money…
It’s not about the cha-ching, cha-ching…
It’s not about the ba-bling, ba-bling…

We just wanna make the world dance
Forget about the price tag.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could all just dance together and let all the things that divide us fall away? We need to remember that the important thing is not whether we’re wearing the “right” shoes or the “coolest” sunglasses.

Don’t sell out to somebody else’s idea of who you should be. Your price tag? Should read “PRICELESS.”

Now get up and celebrate YOU with some dancing.

(note: explicit)

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We could all use more Money, Honey, but the smartest thing to do is use what we have brilliantly. That’s how we stay fiscally fit and fabulous – being smart with our m-o-n-e-y (so sexy!), and remembering that people (especially the people we love) are more important than things.

What do your spending habits say about your priorities?
Do you spend all your money on “treats” and have little or nothing left for necessities?
Do you budget for fitness and physical activities, like a bicycle or a gym membership or new athletic shoes?
Do you look for the free or inexpensive things you can do to enjoy your city?
How do you show the people you love that they’re more important than anything you buy?

Now grab the ones you love and get up and move! (It’s free!)

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You can still join the Fiscally Fit & Fabulous class, in session now! Sign up here.

In our fast-paced world, we don’t always take time to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.

Find ways to bring beauty into your daily life. Put a vase of flowers by your kitchen sink or in the bathroom (you know, where you spend time… what good do they do in the formal dining room?). Frame and hang a photo or print you love. Use your favorite fragrance; don’t save it for date night. Garnish your plates at mealtime – a slice of citrus fruit, a sprig of herb, a sprinkle of sliced almonds or sunflower seeds. Light candles for dinner (even when dinner is pizza). Smile.

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