Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
Posted by Michelle Moquin on December 27th, 2008
We went to the movies last night and saw an amazing flick called ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. A brilliant little film based in India, about a young man named Jamal who is a contestant on the Hindi version television show ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ – Yes, the same show that became very popular here in the US.
Jamal exceeds the expectations of the show and the producers suspecting that he is cheating, have him arrested and interrogated. During the interrogation we see flashbacks of his life that explains how Jamal is able to answer the ‘Millionaire’ questions. It is brilliant the way the director Danny Boyle ties together Jamal’s life experiences with his answers on the show.
And yes, there is a love involved; A childhood sweetheart, Latika whom Jamal has been in love with since he was a young boy. I don’t want to give to much of it a way just in case you have not seen it but the film really does run the full gamut of emotions as we see him growing up, falling in love, coming close to death, and escaping from his unfavorable predicament.
But, what really stood out for me was his unwavering commitment to survive in life and his life long goal to be with his beloved. Through all of his trials and tribulations he did not lose sight of what he wanted in life, nor did he let anything stop him, even when his closest friend, his brother, said to forget about her and move on.
As always, I am moved by love and the ways that people express their commitment, not through ‘words’ but through the ‘actions’ they take. Actions always speak louder than words and reveal the true intentions of a person. The words, ‘I love you’ need never be spoken when actions express it so much more fully. And in fact, the words ‘I love you’ can feel empty and meaningless when there is lack of meaningful action. Jamal never needed to say words, as his actions and intentions said everything.
A beautiful, sweet little film, and a must see.
*************
Oops got to run – I’ll say hello to all of you tomorrow…..
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor
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December 27th, 2008 at 8:27 am
ZANDER ON HOW STRESS CAN HELP YOU
Americans are stressing out as never before. Last year, a survey of 1,848 people by the American Psychological Association found that a disturbing 70% of respondents reported having physical and psychological symptoms of stress. But the survey also had some good news — 60% of those polled said they would be motivated to change, including learning to manage stress more effectively, in order to feel better. With that encouraging news in mind, I called life coach and frequent Daily Health News contributor, Lauren Zander of the HandelGroup (www.handelgroup.com) for her unique advice on managing stress.
MUCH STRESS IS PERCEPTION
First, Lauren says, it is important to understand what stress really is. Sometimes stress comes from painful circumstances, like illness or loss of someone dear, that only time can heal. But there are loads of other potential stress triggers, from unpaid mortgages to difficult relationships or health problems, that you can do something about. These circumstances themselves do not create stress. Rather the stress results from how you respond to them. “Stress comes from wishing something were different and the worry that you cannot change it, which leads you to feel stuck,” says Lauren. You feel upset, you feel helpless and the result is you feel “stressed.”
However, Lauren doesn’t believe we should always view stress as negative. She views it as a natural outcome of an increased desire for a better life. “We live in a smarter world today,” she says, “and our agenda now is to do well for ourselves.” Stress symptoms can serve as an invaluable ally to help people achieve a better life. They are an informing voice that tells us it’s “time to do something” — if we try to ignore the voice, it gets louder and more insistent. Lauren teaches her clients to make stress work for them, instead of against them. How? First step is learning to accept it as a positive force and motivator… kind of like a wake-up call or feedback from a good friend.
THE TWO LEVELS OF STRESS
Given that stress is a call to action, it is critical to investigate the nature of life stressors to decide what the appropriate action should be. There are two levels of stressors… the first, Type 1, belongs in what Lauren calls the “to-do” world. This incorporates bills, appointments, arrangements and the many other tasks that involve making and spending money and managing life as a grown-up. Although people moan and complain about the frustrations of handling these aspects of their lives, Lauren points out that in the to-do world there are always solutions. You may not love the solutions — for example having to rein in spending habits to live within a compromised income, or disappoint someone by saying no to an invitation — but they are there for you to find and implement.
Type 2 stressors, though, include the ones few people talk about… they are the “scary” ones in the world of emotion, says Lauren. Fear fuels many of these stressors — fear that underneath it all you aren’t capable… or lovable… or that your marriage is no longer working… or that you aren’t attractive enough… or that you will get a terrible illness. The list of hidden stressors in the emotional world is long and complex, but this is where stress can be used to make life better, as we shall see.
If you feel stress because you’ve gained 15 pounds and don’t feel sexy, that’s a call to action — but if you weigh the same as always and still feel undesirable, it’s different. This feeling deserves a confession. You can “tell on yourself” to your husband or a friend, which is how to get what you need to feel better, such as a hug or a compliment, a “you’re crazy, you have the best body and I love it!” Personally, I use funny consequences for “bad mind habits.” When an inner dialogue causes stress, I charge myself a dollar if I dwell in those negative stressful thoughts longer than 30 seconds… and it stops me dead in my tracks. My “no harping” rules keep me from adding stressful thoughts and feelings to my life.
You can learn to view your worries as an alert to take an action to feel better. When you actually go to the gym, make the phone call you’ve been putting off, or pay the bill that’s weighing you down, you will feel calmer. You will have heard what the stress is telling you and responded to it. It is only when you don’t take such an action that stress continues to build. This is how your body and mind communicates about what is not working well in your life.
CUTTING STRESS DOWN TO SIZE
Once you recognize these two types of stress, it becomes feasible to take control of them on both levels. Here are Lauren’s recommendations for doing that:
• Start observing your crazy-makers, the things that annoy or irritate you. It may be easiest to make a list. Most, if not all of these are truly insignificant — small stuff such as traffic or long lines. Stressing about them is useless. One way to eliminate the stress of crazy-makers is to alter whatever you can in your schedule or arrangements to decrease what annoys you so much. Leave earlier to escape heavy traffic, take care of errands on off-hours whenever possible… don’t say yes to social invitations you don’t really want to attend… that kind of thing. Changes like this will help, but a shift in attitude about them will likely help even more. Deflate the stress by refusing to take these situations so seriously or accept demands as “required” and you will see that their upset-quotient begins to diminish.
• Write out the list of your responsibilities that fall somewhere between Type 1 and Type 2 stressors. These are in the “to-do” world and therefore, have “to-do” ways to solve them. Start with those that most distress you, but include them all. Big to-dos such as paying off debts or dealing with a difficult medical diagnosis for you or a loved one can seem especially difficult and overwhelming. Cull through the list slowly and carefully and come up with ways you can address these problems. Ask for help if you need it and consider the value of hiring someone when appropriate. For instance, if you have no time to clean your house, hiring someone will cost money of course, but it may pay dividends for you in time, positive energy and orderly surroundings.
• The next challenge is the big one — to take on the Type 2 stressors directly. Write out what you would like to change about you and your life. Oftentimes these desires live just under the surface as unconscious wishes and exist as stress because you are frustrated or unhappy with your current situation. The act of writing them out makes them conscious and gives you the means to evaluate their content. Your wishes might include a different career, living in another city, being nicer, thinner, or maybe more athletic. A good deal of your stress, though, may come from factors you cannot possibly change — wanting to be young again, say — or can’t change now, such as moving. In those cases Lauren says a shift in attitude is mandatory. Pining away for something you cannot have — ever or for the time being — only heightens stress. It may feel hard to do this at first, but here is how you make such an attitude shift — tell yourself that this is the way it is, just like some days its raining when you wish it was sunny. You can’t control it, so you accept it. Once you accept the fact of your situation, realize that you are capable of living with it. Tough, yes, but you can do it… which leaves you free to move on to the stressors you can do something about now, and put this in the category of “later.”
• Now decide what life changes on your list you consider important enough to tackle… and gather ideas about how to achieve some solution. You may even find that among these are ways to address even the seemingly impossible ones. Let’s say you wish your mate didn’t have a serious disease, Parkinson’s for instance, but you have accepted that you can’t change the diagnosis. What can you do? Find activities that you and your partner can continue to participate in together, in spite of his/her disease. But remember, select just one or two areas to start with and take baby steps toward your goal. You will see that even small changes here and there bring you to a place where you do indeed feel better, says Lauren, and that you are not so stuck after all.
Stress will never go away. “It’s called being alive,” says Lauren. Once you see it as a necessary and useful tool to make life better, stress becomes your friendly messenger, an ever-present well of energy for you to draw from.
Source(s): ??Lauren Zander, life coach and chairman, the HandelGroup, http://www.handelgroup.com.
December 27th, 2008 at 10:12 am
hi Mischa, I saw this movie just the other day. Excellent description and in addition to your ‘take’ on love and it’s expression which I agree with totally I love the sights and sounds of India and it’s culture. On iPhone so I’ll keep it brief. Ciao, Zen Lill
December 28th, 2008 at 9:56 am
FLAX SEED, ANCIENT HEALTH SECRET TURNED 21ST-CENTURY POWER FOOD
Several people have asked me how they are supposed to eat flax seeds, which are often touted for their wide range of health benefits. Personally, I like to stir them into my smoothies at breakfast time — but I thought it was a good question to ask Leo Galland, MD, an authority on nutritional medicine whose research and writing has highlighted the important role played by the omega-3 fatty acids found in flax seeds. Dr. Galland is director of The Foundation for Integrated Medicine in New YorkFlax has a rich history, he told me. Cultivated since the dawn of history, the tiny seeds of this plant were supposedly used to provide nutritional sustenance to soldiers of the Roman legion as they expanded their empire. Flax stems were and still are used as a source of fiber to make linen clothing. Modern science continues to confirm the powerful nutritional benefits of flax seeds in supporting cardiovascular health. “Flax seeds are an excellent vegetarian source of the omega-3 fatty acids that are essential to the heart, brain and immune system,” says Dr. Galland.
Research indicates that consumption of flax seeds may help:
• Reduce blood levels of cholesterol (including the so-called “bad” LDL-cholesterol).
• Decrease blood levels of triglycerides, another potential risk factor for heart disease.
• Reduce absorption of sugar from food, slowing blood sugar spikes during digestion.
• Increase blood levels of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), the omega-3 fatty acid that boosts mood and fights inflammation.
• Relieve constipation.
• Maintain a healthy ratio of estrogen to progesterone during the menstrual cycle in premenopausal women.
Dr. Galland added that to achieve maximum benefit, omega-3 foods including flax seeds should be consumed as part of a nutrient-dense diet high in antioxidants from fruit and vegetables.
HEALTHY EATING TIPS
Though flax seed oil is widely available and recommended by some experts, Dr. Galland prefers freshly ground flax seeds which deliver the additional nutritional benefits of the alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid important in cardiovascular health (higher ALA is generally associated with a decreased risk of heart disease)… the high concentration of inflammation fighting/cholesterol-reducing lignans… and the fiber from the seed. You can purchase flax seeds at health food stores and in some supermarkets. Dr. Galland says to buy packaged ones, rather than bulk, because they are fresher and cleaner. Dr. Galland prefers organic flax seeds, which have no pesticides. He also recommends buying relatively small amounts at a time, as the nutritional value fades with age. Because flax seeds have a very hard outer layer, you will need to grind them with a coffee grinder right before eating.
Dr. Galland told me he likes to build his flax seed consumption into the first meal of the day, breakfast. He sprinkles one tablespoon of freshly ground flax seeds into his oatmeal, but says they’re also good with cold cereal or mixed into a smoothie. Similarly, flax seeds can be stirred into yogurt or sprinkled atop a healthy dessert such as unsweetened applesauce, with added cinnamon. Or flax seeds can be tossed into a salad, adding a nutty taste and texture.
Note: Flax seeds need to be consumed with adequate water or they can cause an intestinal blockage. Drink eight ounces of water along with each tablespoon of flax seed.
Source(s): ??Leo Galland, MD, is a board-certified internist in New York who received his education at Harvard University and the New York University School of Medicine. He is author of more than 30 scientific articles for publications including The Journal of the American Medical Association and is the director of the Foundation For Integrated Medicine in New York.