barbarafilla's Blog

This just came to my attention.... have to share it with you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUQYJ77qa50&feature=player_embedded

How's that for your tummy, your heart, all of you?

Have a blessed day.

Barbara Filla
Thrifty Is Nifty Community

When I woke up this morning, I had many thoughts in my mind I want to share with you. They all have to do with beliefs, and making decisions. Last week I attended a discussion group titled 'Making Decisions'. It was inspiring because it brought things together for me in a simple, effective way. It made sense, was real.

Mr. Hable, a 72-year old, real-life genius, remarkable, with awesome wisdom. He researches, experiments, develops products and improvements everyday and never will retire as life is so much fun, enjoyment, challenge, he says.

He talked about our personal beliefs -- what are our beliefs, how did we develop our beliefs, because they are really our guiding principles in life... Along with our philosophy, which can and does change as we grow and mature and learn new things.

Our beliefs and our philosophies combine to become our guidelines for making effective decisions in our personal life, our business, our whole life. However, it is important to add due diligence and to find the truth. The truth combined with our beliefs and our philosophies are our guideposts that form the path to making decisions that will work best for us as an individual and that affect everyone around us, our country, the world. And we must always ask questions... until we get answers.

This is the most clear and simple explanation of how we can make good decisions that I’ve heard. Mr. Hable's info and wisdom made sense to me and I think it will make sense to you too. I have studied a lifetime, lived a lifetime, made decisions a lifetime. I've found a simple, complete system that will result in improvements in the decisions I make.

So I'll to share with you these simple, clear and complete concepts of belief, philosophy, and making decisions. Let’s take away the complexity and theory and get down to reality, to things that make sense and that work. They help me and I hope will be helpful and of value to you too.

After we develop a knowledge, an understanding, and a sound working system from our beliefs, philosophies, and the resulting decisions we make -- then we can delve deeper into the complexities to refine and further improve our results.

A couple questions it's important to answer for yourself:
-- Do you have core beliefs?
-- What are those beliefs?
-- Where did those beliefs come from ?-- your parents (conditioning), your friends and peers, TV, the media including newspapers magazines, reading, writing and learning, your own personal growth, development, and experiences??
Each of these sources, alone and combined, can and do have a different effect on your internal core system of beliefs. It depends upon whether these sources are of truth, opinion, or propaganda designed to impress and convince you to believe in a specific way or with a specific agenda that benefits those who present the propaganda.
-- If you're not sure of your core beliefs (join the huge masses of people who really don't have solid core beliefs because we just didn't think about them)... it is crucial to find your core beliefs

-- Remember this. You are intelligent, you can learn, you do SEE with your eyes, HEAR with your ears, UNDERSTAND from your experiences, FEEL with your heart, THINK with your intelligence. Therefore you come to the table with REAL knowledge, wisdom, insight, reality, understanding of what works and what does not work, what is valuable, what has principle and what does not... and lots more. Never, Never underestimate yourself.

Yes, you and I always must be open to learning and understanding more... because we change, life changes, circumstances and situations change, the world changes -- BUT... don't let anyone ever tell you or imply that you are not capable of making good, workable decisions and choices because you are just not informed or you just don't know enough.... You do know what makes sense because you live life every day... you are in the trenches of life, working and living hands-on. You have the best knowledge because it is real... not a fantasy, not a pipe dream, not a theory -- but reality, real life knowledge and experience.

Have a wonderful day thinking and then writing your core beliefs on paper....
YOU do have some... start with them -- you can always add, modify or change them as you learn more truth, more reality, and gain more clarity.

By tonight you will feel more 'whole' and so good from clarifying YOU... understanding YOU!

Talk and share with you more in days, weeks, months to come.

Barbara Filla
Join me at Thrifty Is Nifty – In Life, Business, Everywhere - A COOL Concept that Works! Community

P.S. I invite you to share your thoughts, comments because we are a team of sisters and people connected by our humanity.

Tax Day of April 15, 2010 has just passed. As a CPA I saw people forget about income taxes and planning -- then cringe when next year’s tax bill appeared. It’s up to you to keep the cash you earn.

NOW is the time to plan 2010 and also future years, so you can manage your income tax outlay legally and ethically. To plan you need some info on changes that are coming. I received this info and share it with you. The source of the information is a CPA with special expertise in taxes.

The information is about Federal taxes – both direct and indirect taxes. Direct taxes are those that affect you directly on your tax return.

Indirect taxes are taxes that are hidden, but you pay them whenever you buy something. Example: A federal tax imposed on medical supplies or drugs that the medical supply company must pay is passed onto you in the form of higher cost of the medical supply when you purchase it. You might call it a ‘sales tax’ added onto the cost of the product or service you buy. In each case, the real cash comes out of your pocket and goes to the government.

Hope this is helpful. If you learn of other taxes and costs that affect you, please share them with all of us so that we can manage our money better.

Here’s the website for the Federal tax information with 2 articles shown below, By John Campbell, Masters Degree in Taxation. For state information, seek your state resources.

http://www.flashreport.org/blog.php?postID=2010041609535122
**The Tax Man Cometh – 2010 Edition - Taxes Enacted in 2009
** Pending Tax Increases if Congress Take No Action – effects on all levels of taxpayers

It is time to plan and manage your cash and prosperity!
Keep your cash and spend it wisely for your family and community.

Barbara Filla
Thrifty Is Nifty Community

P.S. This info will also be posted in my “Thrifty Is Nifty” Community for future reference, so join now for access and refreshment as you need it in the future.

If you haven’t seen this movie yet and want a family movie of real life inspiration along with values, courage, ‘gentle warrior’ empowerment and more… I recommend you see the movie, “Letters to God”.

A real hero …… a young boy with brain cancer, showing amazing courage and insight, during his walk through life and faith and how he touches his community…….. how he connects and gives people meaning in their life, demonstrates forgiveness, inspiration.

We need more of these kinds of movies…. Real heroes, real history, real stories of courage, wisdom, principles and values that are examples for all of us… How can we encourage Hollywood to impact society with good things and move away from the sensationalism of violence, ruthlessness, vulgar language and behavior, immorality and all the stuff that takes away from goodness?

I read the blogs here and postings of all kinds on the internet … people are begging for goodness, peace, truth, being able to trust, for an opportunity for happiness and success.

So let’s gently, but very firmly demand that from those who provide entertainment, fun, books, movies…. Boycott the ‘grossness’ wherever we find it to let them know that we expect ‘much better’ from them.

Everyone of us are powerful leaders when we demonstrate what we expect -- good values and principles -- by our actions, our purchases, our approval… and lack thereof -- for those that don’t meet our high standards. We gently, peacefully encourage and control with our actions – for good – to restore society to honesty, integrity, freedom, liberty, accountability….

Have a blessed week and let’s find the real heroes and tell their stories to the world…. We are the only ones who can restore the world, starting with our community, our country, and be the light of the world!

We have the ‘thrifty is nifty’ good power and influence in ourselves. All we have to do is use it for good. What ideas and thoughts do you have - we welcome them always.

Barbara Filla
Thrifty Is Nifty Community

My Easter Gift to you - and feel free share with your family, friends, to stay healthy or to regain better health.

We are the most important ingredient in our personal health and care of our health. I just had tests and everything in excellent condition EXCEPT: blood sugar is borderline concern, even though just had breakfast, which increases the numbers temporarily.

That's the time to take action: understand it and consequences, find solutions to control it. Take control and take action on our own - take personal responsibility for our health.

How to Lower Your Blood Sugar

Step 1: Eat whatever you've been eating and write it all down
Eat normally, but use your blood sugar meter to test yourself at the following times.

Write down what you ate and what your blood sugar results were:
Upon waking (fasting)
1 hour after each meal
2 hours after each meal

What you will discover by this is how long after a meal your highest reading comes... and how fast you return to "normal." Also, you may learn that a meal that included bread, fruit or other starches and sugars (carbohydrates) gives you a higher reading.

Step 2: For the next few days cut back on your carbohydrates
Eliminate breads, cereals, rice, beans, any wheat products, potato, corn, and fruit. Get all of your carbohydrates from veggies. Test your modified meals using the same schedule above. See what impact you can make on your blood sugar by eliminating various high carbohydrate foods.

The closer we get to non-diabetic readings, the greater chance we have of avoiding horrible complications.

Here are what doctors currently believe to be non-diabetic readings:
Fasting blood sugarunder 100 mg/dl (5.5 mmol/L)
One hour after meals under 140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/L)
Two hours after meals under 120 mg/dl (6.6 mmol/L)

If you can do better than this, go for it. At a minimum, The American College of Clinical Endocrinologists recommends that people with diabetes keep their blood sugars under 140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/L) two hours after eating.

When you achieve normal blood sugar targets, you can start cautiously adding back carbohydrates, making sure to test after each meal. Stop adding carbohydrates as soon as you get near your blood sugar targets.

Recent studies have indicated that your "after meal" numbers are those most indicative of future complications, especially heart problems.

Step 3: Test Test Test!
Remember, we're not in a race or a competition with anyone but ourselves. Play around with your food plan. Test, test, test! Learn what foods cause blood sugar spikes and what foods cause cravings. Learn which foods give you healthy blood sugars.

No matter what anyone tells you, if a food raises your blood sugar over the targets you are aiming for, that food should not be part of your diabetes food plan. Your blood sugar meter will tell you what the best "diabetes diet" is for your body. Use it and regain your health!

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Power Point Slides - More excellent Info
http://www.bnl.gov/hr/occmed/hpp/linkable_files/ppt/DM%20Lose%20Weight%20To%20Control%20Blood%20Sugar.ppt#256

Have Your Health and Enjoy Eating Too.

Happy Easter to you and your family!

Barbara Filla
Thrift Is Nifty Community

Restore or increase joy and peace, view the inspiring nifty quotes.

http://www.findingjoymovie.com/

Joy, love and peace to you, dear BH sisters!

Barbara Filla
Thrifty is Nifty Community
The Place to 'spruce up' your personal and business life...

The new (Credit) CARD Act took effect on February, 22, 2010. One major provision has new rules for interest rates.
Credit Card issuers cannot increase your interest rates during the first 12 months of a new account. On existing accounts, if your rate is increased, the new APR (annual percentage rate of interest) only applies to your new purchases.

Your existing balance is still charged the old interest rate…. with some exceptions on both of these provisions:

** if the card has a variable rate and the index goes up.
** if the introductory period ends and the rate increases to the standard rate.
** the payment is more than 60 days late.
** payments fall behind in the debt management plan.
** Any monthly payments above the minimum amount must be applied to the balance with the highest APR first.

My take on this. Sounds good… But this one provision alone is confusing and complex. We, the customers, find it difficult to track this process to verify the law is being followed. Sound money management means we review the system for accuracy. Many times I find errors that rob me of my money. Hmm. Why can’t things be more simple, clear, usable and effective?

Solutions are available – when we take control and manage our money. Here’s some ideas.
1. Pay off the entire balance on your credit card every month…. pay no interest, special fees, charges. This means that we do NOT spend more than we earn – a basic financial management principle.
OR…
2. If the balances are too large to pay off every month – develop a specific plan to pay that balance off over time (as little time as possible). Make payments promptly every month and even increase the payments when have extra cash. Enjoy the feeling of peace, happiness, control in your life.
Each of these solutions are simple… But they do require work and focus on a plan.
The Good News: YOU are a BraveHeart Woman --- You can get results!! Make a commitment and do it. It will be one of the best decisions you ever made in your life. I stand by offering to serve you in any way I can .. feel free to email me.

3. Know and understand the other new Credit Card Act provisions, at least the basics, to see if there are any major pitfalls that need to addressed in your individual situation.

You can find the Major Provisions of the new Credit Card Act in my Community, renamed to “Thrifty is Nifty” from “Passion Branding”. Also feel free to contact me with questions. I welcome ways to serve you best. Your questions are the same ones other people have and they will appreciate answers too.

Take your money seriously! You are a BraveHeart Woman … You will accomplish results you commit to!

Barbara Filla
Thrifty is Nifty Community

Hi to all my BHW Sisters,

I saw this comment today, and it inspired me by reinforcing what I believe and feel. Just had to share it with you.

"The noblest question in the world is, What good may I do in it?" Who said it? None other than an American hero, statesman and patriot... Benjamin Franklin.

What good are you going to do today?

It's March, 2010. It's time to "March Forward" - that's what I'm doing. I invite you to join me... as we march together ... doing good for others and for ourselves too. See the P.S. below.

Barbara Filla
Thrifty Is Nifty Community

P.S. Notice my new Community Name - Thrifty is Nifty - in Life, Business, Everywhere. I feel I can do the most good for women and people all over by assisting all of us to use an 'old-time' virtue and habit that has been diminished and almost lost over decades.

My passion and purpose comes from values taught by my parents as a little girl and has stayed with me throughout my life. It's in my "cellular memory"... in my core values, and learning every day - tempered by reality, looking at long term results, peace, joy, fun and lots more... in life, business, everywhere.

Come join me and ask questions you have .... so I can SERVE YOU best. And... your question will help many other people... so you are doing good (a noble service) -- like Benjamin Franklin suggests.

In this fast-changing world – every day and many times a day, it is difficult, actually almost impossible to keep up with things that are important for living our lives, maintaining our businesses…………… 

Many people have deposits in money market funds……… Here's knowledge, facts you want to be aware of.   (Source. www.moneynews.com – website at end of article).

Money Market Funds Can Now Prevent Redemptions

Tuesday, 02 Feb 2010 10:23 AM

By: Dan Weil

Be careful how much cash you put in your money market fund.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has passed a new rule that allows the funds to prohibit redemptions in times of duress.

A fund can now prevent people from taking their money out if three conditions are fulfilled:

• The fund’s share price falls below the fund’s stable net asset value per share.

• The fund’s board of directors approves liquidation of the fund.

• The fund notifies the SEC of its decision to liquidate and suspend redemptions.

The new rules are part of an SEC effort to strengthen money market funds in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. In September, 2008 the Reserve Primary Fund became only the third fund in history to break the buck – reduce its share price below $1.

Investors in the fund then tried to exit en masse, and the fund suspended redemptions.

Some investors are still trying to get their money back.

“We understand that suspending redemptions may impose hardships on investors who rely on their ability to redeem shares,” the SEC wrote in explaining the rule.

“Accordingly, our proposal is limited to permitting suspension of this statutory protection only in extraordinary circumstances.”

The pundits at ZeroHedge.com are aghast at the new rule.

“The next time there is a market crash, and you try to withdraw what you thought was ‘absolutely’ safe money, a back office person will get back to you saying, ‘Sorry, your money is now frozen. Bank runs have become illegal,’” they wrote.

The SEC’s approval of the new rule explains why money market rates are near zero, the Zero Hedge analysts say.

“At this point, should there be another meltdown, money market investors will not, repeat not, be able to withdraw their money purely on the whim of (SEC Chairman) Mary Schapiro.”
© Moneynews. All rights reserved.

http://moneynews.com/Archives/StreetTalk/8/2010/2    February 2, 2010

I suggest you inquire of your financial institutions, brokers and those you use for more detailed information.  If they aren’t aware of this, be bold in questioning until you get full and complete answers.  Your life, your future is at stake and nobody cares about it more than you do.

Take care with your cash and your life.

Barbara Filla

P.S.  The highlighted text are my additions, but no word changes.

This info came to my attention and want to share it with you. http://cli.gs/M9tPAn

The internet is such a fabulous tool. Enjoy blogging and sharing your info, ideas, comments, thoughts……..

Barbara Filla

Merry Christmas to you.

Please click on the attached Christmas Tree Wishes.

Barbara Filla

Thanksgiving is the holiday of peace, the celebration of work and the simple life... a true folk-festival that speaks the poetry of the turn of the seasons, the beauty of seedtime and harvest, the ripe product of the year - and the deep, deep connection of all these things with God. ~Ray Stannard Baker (David Grayson)

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A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues. ~Cicero

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For, after all, put it as we may to ourselves, we are all of us from birth to death guests at a table which we did not spread. The sun, the earth, love, friends, our very breath are parts of the banquet.... Shall we think of the day as a chance to come nearer to our Host, and to find out something of Him who has fed us so long? ~Rebecca Harding Davis

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Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving. ~W.T. Purkiser

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You are very special in my heart and thoughts!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Barbara Filla
Passion Branding Community

Many things John said were so genius and timeless, I thought. Here they are just a couple (my words added to make a complete thought and sentence in this written format):

Which of these 2 decisions have we made in our life so far? Will we make in the future?
•Are we interested? in change, growth, better life, career OR –
•Are we committed? to change, growth, our dream life, career, business?

When we are “Interested” – We do what is convenient and comfortable for us

When we are “Committed” – we do whatever it takes, which does include pain and discomfort. To achieve anything worthwhile, we must pay a price. There is never a FREE ride for something of value.

Which would you rather have – the pain of Discipline or Pain of Regret?
•The pain of Discipline weighs OUNCES.
•The pain of Regret weighs TONS.

Which will you and I choose for our life, our career, our family, health, happiness, wealth…………??

Barbara Filla
Passion Branding Community

P.S. What other thoughts, ideas from John Assaraf’s presentation resonated with you? Share them with us.

Many Jewels of Wisdom came from Libby Gill at RISE… Her presentation addressed the process to clarify, simplify and execute to get ‘unstuck’. Note this is my partial, brief interpretation. Reviewing my notes was helpful for me, hopefully it is for you also. Now onto Ms. Libby’s wisdom.

When we want to change our life, we have to change our behavior. When we think about change, we can get totally overwhelmed because:

-- We don’t know what to do and how to do things to change what we want for our whole life or even one part we wish to change
-- Previous failures come to mind and it seems like it would be the ‘same old situation’ again.
-- We fear failure because we wonder who won’t love us then. This is our brain protecting us from risk.
There are several more reasons, too many to share here, but just know each of us has our own.

However the 3-step process is most valuable and here it is:

Clarify is Step 1
To develop authentic clarity, we must address our beliefs. When we are open to changing our beliefs, some of which are shared in the previous paragraph, then clarity will come. Beliefs and mindset are similar concepts to me. In Passion Branding Community, several mindset concepts are discussed in more detail.

Clarity that specifies exactly what we want in the form of goals and when is necessary as a foundation for getting what we want.

Simplify is Step 2
With a written list of our specific goals and desires, we must simplify these goals by breaking them into small baby steps, tiny, small goals that allow us to achieve the short-term mini-goals making up a larger long-term goal.

Execute is Step 3
Libby recommends we establish a ‘motto for the year’. That motto is our goal for one year, which we then break down into monthly milestones. It is most productive to focus on each monthly goal, maybe limiting each month with 3 actions steps of highest priority to achieve that goal.

Summary
Simple, effective steps and regular, consistent action assists us to progress toward and obtain what we truly want.
These steps resonate and validate my experience for myself and clients I’ve worked with over decades.

Clear and simple steps lead us to the most effective, simple actions we must take to get the most successful results!

This IS Passion Clarification, Passion Branding and Monetization! I invite you to join us in Passion Branding Community for more information and networking.

I look forward to any other comments and thoughts you gained or have.

Barbara Filla
Passion Branding Community

The first Jewel of Wisdom came from Ellie Drake. Her solution on how we can “Self-Master” ourself, posted recently. Recall that we can overcome and release emotional challenges such as “I don’t like…” and feelings of hurt, rejection, etc. with a one-minute exercise: Breathe, say “thank-you and 1-2-3 -- Let it go”. Become our own “Self-master”.

Second Jewel is Timeless Aging and Beauty –

Do we want it? Can we have it? How? The panelist at RISE was talking about inner beauty that manifests itself as outer beauty.

Several tips were offered of which some are shared here. Meditation along with taking action in these areas were suggested.

- Feel it’s a privilege to be in your body now. Share my heart, love, sincerity, authenticity.
- Move our body.
- Eat healthy and nutritious food.
- Focus on beauty as in ‘inside job’.
- Embrace anti-aging modalities, such as getting toxins out of our body
- Embrace spirituality – be of service and bless people around us.

Ask yourself this question and and reflect on it:
How old would you be -- if you didn’t know how old you are?

A thought I have about this: How old (young) do you want to be – inside - that will show on the outside? We can effect a change, at least some change when choose.

I googled “how old are you” and found some interesting information. The net and its vast info!

Blessings and joy to you every day.

Please add your comments and thoughts about what you remember relevant to Timeless Aging and Beauty Segment of RISE.

Barbara Filla
Passion Branding Community

Am I still on the RISE from RISE and will I continue to RISE? Maybe you want to ask yourself the same question too. For those of us at RISE to recall special thoughts and for those of you who couldn’t be with us, I’d like to share some Jewels of Wisdom – that can benefit us.

Note: The information came to us so quickly and was more comprehensive than I could scribble on my notepad, or remember. So I’m sharing what caught my attention as being relevant and important, along with my thoughts. Hope it resonates with you.

In Ellie’s opening remarks, she talked about challenges of women to ‘support ourselves’. One key principle she shared is that “we have to self-master ourself”.
We women are prone to feel and say, “I don’t like”, or we are quite sensitive to things like comments, rejection, and other things…. probably because of our nurturing nature, that we feel, respond to, and are affected easily by our emotions.

The challenges that we don’t like affect us by putting a stranglehold on our capacity and ability to function at our highest level. They prevent us… from feeling good about ourself, feeling confident, worthy, even from getting that promotion at work. These internal feelings linger in our heart and on our mind, preventing us from focusing on what we are involved in the next moments of our lives.

One-Minute Solution
Ellie suggested we look at these vexing challenges and issues as gifts that give us the chance to RISE UP and move on. Her advice: Breathe, say “thank-you and 1-2-3 -- Let it go”. Become our own “Self-master”.

Let’s take charge and conquer so we can thrive, not survive!

Barbara Filla
Passion Branding Community