2013 New Year's Resolutions

 

 

Best wishes to my beloved friend for an amazing year ahead. May the sunshine of happiness always shine above you. May the dove of peace rest over you and live in your home. May the dense forest of love surround you all year round. Every end is just a new beginning. Keep your spirits and determination unshaken and you shall always walk the glory road. With courage, faith and efforts you shall conquer everything you desire

Another year filled with sweet memories and joyous times has passed. You made my year special and I wish you continue to do so. With you around, every moment is an occasion for me. I hope you have a great year ahead. May God bless my love, with his care and warmth. I love you and wish you a very Happy New Year.

Blessings,        Charlie Farricielli

 

Getting healthy need not be overwhelming. Here are six simple, straightforward ways to get on track toward optimum health in 2013..

1. Post It On the Fridge! Adopt the Anti-Inflammatory Diet
The anti-inflammatory diet isn't a weight-loss program (although you can lose weight on it) or a temporary eating plan. It is a lifelong guide intended to counteract chronic inflammation, now known to play a central role in the development of heart disease, many cancers and Alzheimer's disease. Poor diet is perhaps the main contributor to chronic inflammation. The anti-inflammatory diet can help you correct that: it points the way to food choices that can help you remain optimally healthy. Here's a link to the anti-inflammatory food pyramid. Print it out and post it on the fridge. Along with influencing inflammation, the diet will give you steady energy and provide all the vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and dietary fiber you need.

 

 

2. Get Smart About Snacking
Snacking throughout the day is actually a good idea, as it can help keep blood sugar levels and energy steady - which leads to improved mood, better productivity and more effective appetite control. But if you're trying to lose weight or to eat a healthier diet, that convenient bag of chips can sabotage your efforts. Processed foods contain too many calories, the wrong kinds of fat and carbohydrates, and have too much salt and too many additives. Instead, plan snacks ahead of time and make sure you always have healthy ones on hand: fresh or dried fruit; raw, unsalted nuts (pistachios, cashews or walnuts); flavorful natural cheeses and dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa solids. And don't forget to set aside leftovers from the healthy meals you'll be preparing.

3. Get Serious About Breathing Exercises
Simple breathing techniques offer a drug-free way to help lower your blood pressure, calm a racing heart, or settle an upset digestive system. Proper breathing has direct influence on emotional states and moods. When you're upset, you breathe rapidly, shallowly, and irregularly, but you can't be upset if your breathing is slow, deep, quiet and regular. At first, the effects are subtle, but they will gain power the more you repeat them. Whether you want to address health problems or just relax and reduce stress, make this the year to learn and practice these breathing techniques.

4. Fitness: Consider a Personal Trainer
If you're really committed to getting into shape in the coming year, a personal trainer can get you off to the right start. A study at McMaster University in Canada found that people who are new to exercise do better when they have some professional help. If you plan to do strength training (and you should!), you'll need a trainer to learn the correct form so that you won't injure yourself. If you can afford it, continued weekly training sessions will keep you motivated and ensure that your workouts are appropriate to your age and fitness level. If you can't afford weekly sessions, pay for one or two to set up a program. When you've achieved your initial expectations, schedule another training session to set new goals.

5. Take Time for Tea
Drinking green tea can improve your cholesterol ratio, as well as help protect against cancer and bacterial infections. The difference between green and the more familiar black tea is in the preparation: both come from the same plant, Camellia sinesis, but to make black tea, leaves go through an oxidation process that darkens them. This process deceases some of tea's beneficial compounds, including polyphenols called catechins. Green tea is unfermented, which means that it contains more catechins. But don't think of tea drinking only as a utilitarian way to imbibe those healthful compounds. Learn to appreciate the subtle fragrance of good quality green tea and use tea time to unwind, meditate and as a respite from your stress du jour.

6. Volunteer to Help Others
Service organizations always appreciate donated money, but giving of yourself, especially in a way that draws on your unique talents or skills, is more satisfying. You can volunteer to feed the homeless, help people with terminal illnesses, and help to clean up the environment. Donate clothing you no longer wear and other items you don't use. Look for ways to help those close to home: take meals to shut-ins, offer transportation to elderly or disabled neighbors and tutor or read to children. Don't focus only on the needs of strangers. Look for ways to help friends and family members, too.

Make 2013 The Best Year Ever

1. You can learn how to say no to people. It’s actually quite easy, isn’t it? You’ll probably be surprised it took you this long to figure out but don’t beat yourself up about it. The important thing is that you got to the point where it finally resonated with you. You can start the year off as a doormat, as a “yes” man, and then slowly start to feel your resolve build. When I was younger, I didn’t know how to say to no to anyone ever and as a result, I spent my formative years getting taken advantage of by just about everyone. Then, seemingly overnight, I hit my limit and decided that I’m going to put myself first and cut the fat. My social life is now decidedly more anorexic than it used to be but I don’t mind. Now that I’ve learned how to create boundaries with people, everyone who’s still in my life is meant to be.

2. You can take more risks. Risks are always nice. It’s no fun being stuck in your ways, especially when you’re in your twenties, and still have a lot of insane living left to do. Risks = potentially amazing things happening in your life. No risks = no sex, no joys, lots of stagnant evenings in bed watching Netflix. Being high-maintenance doesn’t get you anywhere besides living a life that’s permanently constipated.

3. Stop being such a curmudgeon. There are cynical assholes born every second so why do you feel the need to add to it? Be kinder to people, don’t burn bridges, be more understanding. Is it just me or were people really behaving like dicks in 2012? I was so tired of the constant insults and outrage and annoyance. Take a chill pill, you freaks. You all have your iPads and your HBO subscriptions and dinner parties. Life cannot be the worst thing ever and if its, let me play a song for you on the world’s smallest violin.

4. Read more. Reading is like brain food and the more you do it, the more enlightened you will become. And no, reading Keep Calm And Carry Ondoesn’t count. Go read something less Soccer Mom Having Deep Thoughts At Her Book Club. (I know I said stop being a curmudgeon but book snobbery is a *thing* and always will be.)

5. Cut out the exes who make your bones ache and your heart hurt. Protect yourself against those who don’t value you as much as they should. Getting treated like shit loses its luster after awhile. People don’t tell you the truth, which is that it can actually feel good for an allotted amount of time, it can feel good to see how low you’ll go to feel recognized by someone, but then it just starts to reveal itself for what it is: you not respecting yourself enough to not get walked on all over.

6. Vow to be honest, vow to be ridiculous, vow to make out with as many people in dark bars as you want, don’t worry about what other people think of you because no one’s worth the decision to live your life on a low volume, stop freaking out about getting a full eight hours of sleep in fact never turn down a night of potential fun for sleep because can sleep give you a blowjob or make you laugh?, paint the picture of what you want your life to look like and do it DO IT DO IT.

2013 IS THE YEAR OF DOING. START NOW. RESOLVE THE SHIT OUT OF THIS