Sample Content Preview The temptation for many internet based business owners is to try to get everything right on the first try. This simply defies logic for many reasons. The first of which is that it totally negates the major underlying learning theories. That is, people learn from repetition and from making mistakes. It’s called the law of approximations. Products improve as the approach, or approximate perfection. Just as one rewards children for even the approximations of good behavior, so does the consumer reward the business owner when they approximate correctly. Consumers are forgiving and want to be involved in the producing of a product that they will enjoy. It’s call buy-in. Consumers buy-in to a product when they are allowed to provide feedback. When consumers feel apart of the process, that translates into profit for the business owner! That brings up the next reason; perfection is in the eye of the beholder. This will be examined more in detail in the preceding paragraphs, suffice it to say here that a producer can not know what a perfect product is until she has received feedback from the consumer. The goal is this: to release products in a timely manner as to receive constant feedback from consumers. This will allow for the producer to then get a better picture of what the consumer thinks is perfect, and to adjust accordingly. If product hit the mainstream only seldom, there is little feedback that can then be put back into the production system. It is the old theory of priming the pump. One used to have to put a little water in the well pump to get it to pump out water in return. The same principle works in the internet based information product world. It is ideal to release a product, get some feedback, rework the product and release again. Or even learn from the feedback received from one product to aid in the production of another product. Literally, the more perfect an internet based business owner tries to be with an initial product, the more likely it is not to be a perfect product. The following paragraphs will serve to illuminate some of the common perfectionists traps that internet based business owners typically fall prey to. It is not always easy to recognize them, especially in oneself. But the following paragraphs seek to help one look inside himself to find the traps that maybe hindering success. They will also seek to give some alternatives and ways to deal with the perfectionist’s traps. The Common Traps The common traps that will be examined are: When being a perfectionist is bad; perfection is in the eye of the consumer; Momentum: The success maker; The quicksand of perfectionism; and A Win/Win situation. If one wants their internet business to thrive, he must avoid these traps at all cost. By avoiding them, the internet based business owner will not only become a better person, but also the owner of a more successful business! Trap One: When Being a Perfectionist Is Bad Often times being a perfectionist is thought about in positive terms. They do things right the first time and do not have to do them again. This might be a good mantra for carpenters (measure twice, cut once) and mechanics (who wants a mechanic who truly works solely on trial and error?), but it is not a great way to run an internet based business. There are four key ways in which being a perfectionist can prevent an internet based business owner from becoming successful: too much time is spent in planning and not action, little or no feedback is received from the consumers, success is not allowed to build upon success and perfection can be a relative term. Planning is important. It is foolish to set out to build a home or a business or even a product without a plan. The problem arises when the plan becomes the purpose. The plan is not the purpose, the product, or the home or the business is the purpose. It is very much like the old adage that one can not see the forest because of the trees. If a business owner gets to in depth and detailed in the planning process, focus is lost on the overall mission of providing a product that the consumer will enjoy. Too much time spent in the planning process can also deter from the taking action part of the process. The goal is to get the product out to the public; too much time spent on trying to make the product perfect will often irritate the public who is waiting for it, thus having the opposite effect that one would hope for. Another fall back about being a perfectionist is that it often limits the amount of consumer feedback that is received. It can also taint the way in which such feedback is received by the owner as well. One can not stress enough how important it is to get feedback from the consumers to whom one is selling. Trying to produce a product without consumer feedback is like trying to hike through the Rockies without a map or compass. One is just going to end up lost, and possibly eaten by a bear. Consumer feedback is the compass that guides an owner to provided and later one producing a more perfect product. Tied along in this is that the more time one spends in perfecting a product, the more personal interest is put into it. That can be a good thing, but as often as not; it can also be a bad thing. Too much personal interest can cause constructive criticism and feedback to be rejected. Success has to be allowed to breed success. Fear of failure has to be challenged and in the end overcome so that success can take it place. Once success has taken seed, then in continues to grow in and of itself. It is like the first time someone rides a roller coaster. They are often scared to death, but when the ride is over, they find new strength they never thought they had. The next ride might be a step-up and fear may still be sensed, but once the ride is over, new strength is found once again! This could go on ad infinitum. The point is that success snow balls, but it cannot get started if a product is not allowed to start rolling. Being a perfectionist is bad when being perfect is relative. And in the world of internet-based businesses, it is. What might be a perfect product to an owner and her staff may not be a perfect product to the consumers. One has to take the chance and go out where the rubber meets the road to find out what perfect really is in their world. A product must be allowed to grow into perfection; much like a person goes through pain and effort to build muscles. How can one attain what one cannot define? And how can a business define perfect without letting the consumers be a part of the refining process? The obvious answers to these questions are in the negative. The goal of perfection may also be a maladaptive goal as well. Remember, the ultimate goal is to be successful, not to be perfect. And often times striving to perfection weighs one down in the journey to success. All that to say that a business owner must learn to take a chance. Being a perfectionist may help in other arenas of life, but in the internet based business world, it can cripple a business. In other words, a perfectionist’s attitude may very well suffocate success. That being said, once the ball gets rolling, once the perfectionists beliefs are laid aside, success has the room and air necessary to survive, grow and thrive. Prior planning does prevent poor performance, but obsessive planning will result in no performance at all. It is not hard, but it requires the letting go of some maladaptive behaviors that are often well engrained. The results, however, will more than compensate for any displeasure in giving up perfectionism. Trap Two: Perfection Is In the Eye of the Beholder This trap has been eluded to several times already throughout the article, but now it will be developed more fully. The basic premise is that one does not know if a product is truly “perfect” until it is available on the market so that consumers can provide feedback. Once again, the idea is that perfection in regards to a product or service is extremely relative. Without releasing a product to the public, one is left in his uncertainty about how good or “perfect” the product is. In actuality, a person can spend many more hours working on a product that would have already been considered “perfect” in the eyes of the consumers. Thus, time and money were wasted. An internet based business owner has no chance of getting ahead and ultimately becoming a success playing this “perfection” game. Do not despair: there is hope for the perfectionist! There are several basic mental process that one can go through to get the product out there without it having to be “perfect.” The first is that the business owner must lose the fear of failure. That does not mean they she has to be fearless. A person without fear is not successful, they are stupid. However, a person who learns to control her fears and move past them becomes a very successful and dangerous person in the world of internet based businesses. No one

Table of Contents Introduction 5 What Can I Do On Patreon? 8 Building Your Page 10 Per Month vs. Per Thing 11 Creator Photo 12 Cover Photo 12 Description 13 Milestone Goals 14 Rewards 15 Creator Video 17 Thank You Video 17 Getting Patrons 19 Facebook 20 YouTube 20 Instagram 21 DeviantArt & Other Communities 22 Tumblr 22 Keeping Patrons 23 Conclusion 25 Resources 26 Sample Content Preview Creator Photo Your creator photo is an important way to connect with your audience. It should either be a great representation of your own personality, or a great representation of your talent. If you are mostly known for your personality, such as if you’re a comedian, actor, teacher, or if you have a YouTube channel or social media channel that showcases you as a person, you will probably just want to use a really great photo of yourself. But if you are known more for your talent, such as if you are an artist, writer, filmmaker, or other area where people see your work a lot more than they see you personally, you might want to use your talent to create your photo. You could draw yourself in caricature, Cover Photo Your cover photo is another spot to showcase what you have to offer. Make sure it shows off your best work and represents exactly what your Patreon is about. For example, put some delicious looking pictures of food you’ve made if you have a cooking channel, or your best art pieces if you’re an artist. If you’re an entertainer, just put some pictures of you into a collage! Your cover photo should ideally be 1600x400, as that is the largest size it will be displayed at. Description Your description should not be some robotic, programmed response that you think people will want to hear. Your personality should shine through. After all, many people sign up to support you as much as they do your work! In your description, you should do two main things: Describe who you are and what you do Tell people exactly why they should sign up to support you, and what they will receive if they do Try to approach the writing of your description from the viewpoint of a visitor. Make sure you let people know how much value they will receive if they sign up to support you, but do it in a way that doesn’t make it seem like you’re greedy. You’re just a passionate creator who wants to be able to spend their time creating, right? Milestone Goals Milestone goals can either be focused on something for YOU or something for your PATRONS. They’re a very good way to encourage people to subscribe at higher levels, especially if they see you’re getting close to your goal and they’re interested in seeing you meet that goal. Personal milestone goals would be something like getting a new laptop to help you process videos faster, or a new set of expensive paints. You can make a personal goal seem like it will also benefit your patrons with creative wording. For example: “If I reach this milestone, I will purchase a new laptop that will help me process videos faster, which means you’ll get to see new videos more quickly and I’ll be able to produce them more often!” Milestones that benefit your patrons would be more like: “If I reach this milestone, I will start posting two new paintings per week instead of just one!” You may think people won’t care about such milestones, but if people are paying to support you and your work, they DO care! So be sure to set a couple of realistic milestones to help encourage people to pledge as much as they can. Rewards The rewards you offer are generally the most compelling reason people have to support you, so they should be valuable and appropriate for your audience. I can’t give you specific suggestions for rewards, because they will vary wildly based on your industry. Just try to think about what your fans might be interested in. Perhaps they would be interested in downloading your custom brushes if you’re a digital artist. Or if you’re a musician, they might like to get access to your new songs early, or even songs that aren’t available anywhere else. Think along the lines of offering either tools they can use, special tutorials, or exclusive or first-look items. You will probably want to have multiple levels, with better rewards for each level. For example, at the $2+ level, they might not actually get a reward, but you could have levels at $5, $10, and $25 that would offer increasingly better rewards. You can check out what some other people are offering in niches related to yours to get ideas.

Table of Contents Introduction 5 Recent Changes 7 Be Linkable 9 Backlink Best Practices 12 Site Authority 12 No-Follow Links 13 Link Location 13 Link to Content Ratio 14 Buying Links 14 Exchanging Links 16 Getting Links 17 Content Marketing 17 Social Media 18 Mentions 19 Resource Pages 20 Infographics 20 Help a Reporter Out 21 Conclusion 23 Resources 25 Sample Content Preview Be Linkable The first step in obtaining quality backlinks is to make sure your site is “linkable”. This means getting your content out there so people can find it, and making sure your content is relevant, targeted and share-worthy. You’ve probably seen your share of content round-ups, right? Those articles titled with headlines like, “Top 10 Must-Read SEO Articles”. The reason these are so popular is because they’re an easy way for bloggers and website owners to create content for their site without writing a lot themselves. Rather than having to craft an original article, and spending hours doing so, they simply create a post that shares the top resources, with outbound links to relevant websites. Needless to say, because these posts are so popular, they are also fantastic sources of quality backlinks! So, you need to make your content as attractive as possible to the people who are creating those types of articles. You can do this by creating “link bait”, which are high quality articles that other people will want to link to because they extend coverage of a topic, provide more value and help readers expand their knowledge. According to Moz, about 75% of content found on the internet has zero inbound links. This is partially due to the sheer volume of content, of course, but it’s also due in part to the lack of quality. Let’s say you’re running a blog for internet marketers. You’ll want to create a few articles that are much longer and much more in-depth than the rest of your content. These articles, known as “pillar content” will form the cornerstone of your website, and they’ll be the articles that are most likely to generate backlinks. But you also need to be sure your content is easy to find for people who want to link to it. One of the best ways to do this is to make sure your content is available through social media. Pinterest is one of the first stops for a lot of people who are creating effective content round-up articles. It’s easy to find content on Pinterest because of the visual format and overall structure, and with its millions of users, it’s easy to tap into your market and maximize exposure. If you want people to find you easily on Pinterest, be sure you create high quality images that are taller than they are wide, feature text that lets people know what your article is about, and includes a couple of primary keywords in your description. Be sure to share your content on other social media channels, too, and include keywords and hash tags. Sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram can also help your content get discovered. As for what you should share, begin by creating content that you know your audience is actively looking for. If you develop content around what your target market finds most valuable it will be easy to reach out to new visitor’s while maximizing exposure within your market. Then, create complimentary (or auxiliary) content that supports your main articles. This could include a series of blog posts, podcasts, video content or even tweetable posts that are easy to share. Backlink Best Practices Simply getting links from social media communities isn’t enough. There are other factors at play that can have a big impact on the overall effectiveness of your links. So, let’s take a look at a few of the most important factors that you’ll want to pay close attention to. Site Authority Perhaps the biggest factor in the effectiveness of the links you get is the overall authority of that site. I’m not referring to how respected the site is in general, but the actual search engine authority of the domain and the page the link will be hosted on. It’s not even worth the effort it’ll take to get links from sites with low authority so you want to focus on high-quality content websites and blogs that have an existing readership and are relevant to your market or niche.

Sample Content Preview create a plan to increase your income. It might be going back to school, obtaining a higher paying job, or developing a profitable website. The key is moving from an indefinable desire to tangible, measurable steps. If you focus your mind on positive goals instead of fear, you put your brain to work creating a plan for success. You are no longer worrying about the future. Instead, you’re beginning to do something about it. - Lack of direction—If you don’t know what to do, how can you possibly be motivated to do it? When you’re focusing on having an ultimate goal, direction means having a day-to-day plan to achieve it. Not having direction can destroy motivation, because without an obvious next action we succumb to procrastination. The key to finding direction is identifying the activities that lead to success. Make a list of all your activities and arrange them based on the results you achieve from each activity. Then make a make an action plan that focuses on the activities pay off. When you keep track of your most important tasks you will direct your power towards success. You have to possess specific targets if you wish to remove confusion. It's like attempting to carry out a number of things at the same time. You'll certainly not get anything done trying to complete everything. When you feel yourself losing motivation, you can regain direction by creating a plan that contains two positive actions. The first one should be a small task you’ve been meaning to do, while the second should be a long-term goal. When you immediately do the smaller task, you create positive momentum. Then it’s easier to take the first step to achieving the long-term goal. It’s practically impossible to avoid periods of low energy, bad luck, and even the occasional failure. Motivation can be difficult during these times. There is no simple solution for a lack of motivation. Even after beating it, the problem reappears at the first sign of failure. This book will give you tips you can use to help pull yourself out of a slump before it gains momentum. Motivation Tips Here are 101 tips you can use to improve and maintain motivation. For any new project, however, the first three tips should always be done to improve your chance of success and help maintain motivation. 1. Know what you want to achieve—If you don’t know what you want to achieve, how will you know when you achieve it? Deciding exactly what you want to do is the beginning of staying motivated to finish it. 2. Determine the steps to reach your goal—There are things you need to do for anything you want to do. Knowing what the steps are will give you a guideline. They’ll also give you mini successes as you complete each step. 3. Devise a plan—Though there may be many steps to take, it is necessary to know in what order you need to achieve them. If possible, alternate between those that are easy to achieve and those that will take longer. This way, you don’t go through long periods of time without completing part of your plan. It will help you feel more successful if you complete parts of the plan often. Goals provide focus. With no guiding plan, people tend to drift. Goals also provide a measuring device for progress, enhance productivity, improve self-esteem, and increase commitment, so you're more likely to achieve whatever you set out to conquer. 4. Increase the challenge of your project—If you’re lacking motivation to do anything, try something you've never done before. Simply the thought of doing something new and exciting can give us temporary motivation. 5. Remember success is your personal responsibility—You need to believe that initiative, effort, and persistence are key factors in achieving success. Too many times, individuals are more likely to view success as dependent on available resources and situational constraints. They simply say the task was too difficult for outside reasons. Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and it is your responsibility to find it. 6. Think of demanding tasks as opportunities—When facing a task where success is uncertain, think of it a challenge or an opportunity. Don’t think of them threats that may lead to failure and embarrassment. This causes you to give up before you start. 7. Remember striving for achievement can be enjoyable—Perseverance pays off. Approaching each task with dedication, concentration, commitment and involvement can help you maintain motivation. You may find you enjoy it, and the obstacle isn’t nearly as difficult as you figured it to be. 8. Learn to value achievement striving—If you value hard work in and of itself, you’ll enjoy it more, and therefore, be more motivated. Unfortunately, too many people view it as not “cool.” Their typical excuse is that working too hard may only keep them from having a social life, or even cause them to have a heart attack. What it really does, however, is lead to success and happiness in their lives. 9. Improve your skills—Sometimes you may have a goal that you don’t have the necessary skills to achieve. Don’t give up! Skills can be improved. Sometimes all it takes is practice. 10. Learn what you need to learn—If information is keeping you from achieving your goals, determine ways to fill in the gaps, and build this into your action plan. Be willing to study and work hard to reach your goals. 11. Persistence works—Continued effort and commitment will overcome initial obstacles or failures. Don’t see an early failure as a sign of things to come. Remember the old saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Once you achieve your first success this way, you’ll be less apt to give up and lose motivation too quickly in the future. 12. Try living in the now as if it were the future that you hope to have—For example, if you want to lose weight, don’t think of yourself as someone struggling to lose it. Think of yourself as someone pounds lighter. See yourself as healthier, and having a different lifestyle. To maintain this lifestyle, you have to eat healthier and exercise. Just think of how your life will be then, and do it now. 13. Put your goals in writing—Sometimes, the act of writing down what you are going to do is a strong motivator. Writing down goals helps you make them more specific and less vague. When you write them, use action verbs. 14. Give all your goals measurable outcomes—By doing so, it help you know when you’ve achieved each goal you set. 15. Specify completion dates—You won’t always complete your goals on these dates, but setting them helps you stay focused on completion. Many people work better with deadlines. Don’t make them unrealistic, but do set them so you’ll have to push yourself to achieve them.

Sample Content Preview Living in rural areas increases your risk of seasonal allergies. Now that we've covered what seasonal allergies are, the main symptoms, and the most common causes, let’s look at some of the ways to relieve them - starting with the spring and summer allergies and moving on to the autumn ones. Section 1 - Dealing with Spring and Summer Allergies Fresh cut grass, blooming trees and flowers, and weeds all release pollen, causing seasonal allergies in millions of people every year. The medical term for hay fever and seasonal allergies is allergic rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis can strike anyone, at any age. Some children have it and then outgrow it. Others might experience ever-worsening symptoms as they get older. Some people might get it for the first time as adults. Others might move to a different part of the country or the world, and suddenly start experiencing seasonal allergies. Likewise, some people might move in the hopes that their allergies will go away. (This is not usually likely, however, because allergens are everywhere, and can also travel far.) For example, Arizona used to be a popular place for allergy and asthma sufferers to move to. However, many people moving there in the last 40 years or so has meant them introducing plants that can trigger allergies. Every plant releases pollen, but people only usually react to one or two plants. As mentioned, mold is a common allergy as well, and can affect people both outdoors and in their own homes. Mold season lasts for all but the coldest months of the year, so anything sufferers can do to avoid mold and keep down mold in their homes can help offer relief. The Dangers of Allergies There are a number of dangers related to allergies. Left untreated, seasonal allergy symptoms can drag people down and even spur asthma attacks. Approximately 80% of those with asthma also suffer from seasonal allergies. Treating hay fever symptoms promptly can reduce asthma–related emergencies and trips to the hospital. Allergy-induced asthma attacks, also referred to as allergic asthma, typically present as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, and sometimes blueness around the lips. If you or someone in your family is not getting help from their inhaler, this should be treated as a medical emergency. Other Respiratory Issues People with compromised immune systems, such as HIV/AIDS or those who have had a transplant, often have lung issues that can be worsened by season allergies such as hay fever. Those who suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other respiratory conditions need to manage their seasonal allergy symptoms to prevent further complications. A Challenge Every Season Someone suffering from seasonal allergies faces the same challenges season after season and year after year. Some years will be worse than others depending on weather conditions in the winter and then spring and summer. In damp conditions, mold will proliferate. In windy conditions, pollen of all kind will blow far and wide, including in your windows, doors and cars. There’s really no escape. But you can do your best to fight allergies on a number of fronts. Here are several suggestions on how to deal with your hay fever, tree pollen and grass allergies.

Table of Contents Chapter 1 .. 5 What Is Reverse Aging? .. 6 Turning Back The Biological Clock 6 Biological vs Chronological Age ..... 9 The Natural Approach to Reverse Aging .... 10 Chapter 2 ...... 13 The Science Behind Reverse Aging . 14 Epigenetics 14 What Else Does Science Say? 16 Genetic Component . 17 Circadian Rhythm ... 18 Hormonal Decline ... 19 Chapter 3 ...... 22 Benefits of Reverse Aging .... 22 Preventing Cognitive Decline 23 Preventing Immobility ... 24 Preventing Frailty/Sarcopenia ..... 25 Preventing Immune System Deterioration 26 Improving Cardiovascular Health 27 Promoting Independence ...... 28 Chapter 4 ...... 30 Lifestyle Changes ..... 31 Phasing Out Destructive Habits ... 31 A Boost for Self-Esteem and Confidence .... 38 Chapter 5 ...... 40 Food and Diet ..... 41 “You are What You Eat” . 41 Chapter 6 ...... 51 Daily Routines .... 52 Proper Sleep ..... 53 Exercise ..... 53 Sunscreen Application .... 54 Adequate Hydration 55 De-stressing ...... 57 Socialising .. 57 Home-cooked Food . 58 Chapter 7 60 Best Ingredients for Young Looking Skin .. 61 Choosing Skin Care Products Wisely .. 61 Chapter 8 ...... 70 Anti-Aging Supplements ...... 71 Sample Content Preview The Natural Approach to Reverse Aging Reclaiming your youth does not have to be an impossible task. It can be as simple as changing the things we do to ourselves because the damage that we bring on ourselves is the easiest to correct. There are a number of ways that you can optimize your health and prolong your life. Step One This part of the reverse aging program deals with making dietary changes, boosting the immune system, reducing systemic inflammation and removing toxic waste from the body- all pretty basic stuff. In other words, this part of the damage control is up to you. You are in charge and play an active role in how effectively you can reverse aging, but more about that in later chapters. Step Two The second part of damage control involves preventing and reversing damage at the cellular level. This component of reverse aging may not totally be up to you as factors promoting aging are genetically programmed in your cells. Having said that, there are still some proactive measures you can take to prevent damage at the cellular level. For one, you can incorporate more exercise into your daily routine to keep circulation moving, the heart pumping well, and the lymphatic system flowing freely. This will, among other things, nourish and replenish your cells well. Second, you can invest in some quality anti-aging products that will work internally to regenerate cells and minimize aging effects. A lot more on this in upcoming chapters. Step Three The final step in this process addresses hormonal changes that affect aging at a macro level. Hormones are the body’s chemical messengers telling the body what to do and when. With regards to aging, hormones tell the body how to age and any fluctuations in hormonal levels affects aging. While hormonal production cannot be completely dominated by any single treatment, you can make small but sensible changes to restore these imbalances. Some basics to boost the body’s ability to create and balance hormones include changing lifestyle and dietary habits while staying away from common stressors and detoxifying. And then of course, there is all that hormonal therapy that you could get involved in, but do you really to go there? Instead follow a sensible age reversing protocol that will help you better control the way you age. These basics can not only prevent and reverse chronic illnesses but also the signs and symptoms of aging. In this book we will look at the different factors that affect the production of collagen, on the external front, concerning the look and feel of skin. On the internal front, which is equally important, we will look at what is crucial to keep you young and healthy on the inside. Chapter 2 The Science Behind Reverse Aging While a lot of research has been done on the subject, a recent one was actually successful in reversing the process of aging in mice. The study indicated that not only did the mice appear younger but that their lifespan was extended by approximately 30 percent. And while the study has only been done on mice, the researchers are hopeful that the same would be ready for human trials within ten years. Epigenetics The basis of this research was something called epigenetics. By definition, this means the study of inherent changes in gene function. As we move through life, our genetic makeup changes in many different ways. For instance, outside factors such as environmental pollutants like smoking or lifestyle habits like alcohol and drug dependency can bring about changes. And with a change in our genes, our bodies change as well. When the body changes, it starts to age. Whether these changes promote a predisposition to an inherited condition such as heart disease, diabetes or arthritis or create a new condition that the body remains unable to recover from, such epigenetic changes supply a lot of information for why these things happen. And when scientists find out why these changes happen they can work on a way of stopping them from happening, or even reversing them such as in aging. Scientists have also determined an age reversing agent known as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide or NAD+. This compound was present more in younger mice than older ones and is very important in repairing DNA damage. There is also another DNA repair agent called PARP1 which responds well to NAD+ levels in the human body. So the higher the NAD+, the more PARP1. Younger individuals, much like younger mice, have higher levels and these levels start to fall as people age. This, in turn, makes it harder for DNA to restore itself. So with this in mind, scientists gave more NAD+ to older mice and sure enough, they started to appear younger, biologically. As a takeaway, research findings concluded that by changing adult cells into their earlier stage, reverse aging may be set in motion. But that is for the scientists to do. As for your part, what you can do to reverse aging is to take better care of yourself to stop cellular damage at different levels. Once your cells are working well, they are in a stronger position to repair DNA themselves and stop aging prematurely. What Else Does Science Say? Science has a whole lot more to say about reverse aging, but we will only look at some basics here. Just enough to get an idea about established research into the topic. Genetic Component Looking for a way to halt aging has undoubtedly stepped into science labs to unlock the mysteries of aging. In fact, research believes that not only may we be close to stopping aging but actually reversing it as well. For starters, as mentioned earlier, your genes have a big role in how fast or slow you age. But because genes are something beyond your control, here is what you need to know about genes affecting the aging process.

Table of Contents Introduction . 4 Chapter 1 – Advantages of Outsourcing Business Processes . 7 Advantages for Your Company 7 Advantages for the Consumer 9 Provides Employment Opportunities 9 Disadvantages of Outsourcing . 10 How to Know When You Should Outsource . 11 Chapter 2 – Identifying the Need for Outsourcing 12 How to Identify Projects for Outsourcing 13 Everyday Tasks You Should Consider Outsourcing . 13 Things to Consider Before Outsourcing Tasks . 22 Chapter 3 – The Best Places to Find Outsourcers . 24 Finding Qualified Customers 24 Popular Freelancing Sites 24 Top Tier Outsourcing Advantages 27 Chapter 4 – Posting Jobs, Evaluating Candidates, and Hiring Freelancers . 28 Create a Clear Job Description 28 Detailing the Job Requirements . 29 Determine How Much You Will Pay 29 Evaluating the Freelancers 30 Narrowing Down Your Choice 30 Picking the Most Qualified Candidate . 32 Chapter 5 – How to Avoid an Outsourcing Catastrophe 35 Rule #1 35 Rule #2: . 35 Rule #3: . 36 Rule #4: . 36 Rule #5: . 36 Conclusion 38 Smart Outsourcing . 38 Sample Content Preview Chapter 1 – Advantages of Outsourcing Business Processes One of the most important things that you have to consider before talking about the advantages of outsourcing is that it may not be a great option if you are only interested in making massive profits. You will need to assess whether outsourcing will be a viable option for you or if you need to search out other alternatives for completing the task. The United States and India are among the leading outsourcing countries in the world. Here are some of the advantages your business can gain by outsourcing some of your business processes. Advantages for Your Company One of the most significant advantages of outsourcing your business tasks is that it allows you to start out small, unlike hiring employees, which is a substantial investment. Starting out small becomes an essential way for you to hone your delegation skills. Outsourcing allows you to delegate mundane tasks that begin to slowly eat away at your valuable time. If you hire employees to complete these tasks, it could end up costing you more than it’s worth. Having freelance, remote workers can help to free up your time so you can focus on the essential aspects of running your business. Outsourcing allows you to run your business from anywhere in the world, as long as you have access to the Internet. It provides you with the opportunity to travel, visit friends, and spend extended weekends out of town without losing the ability to complete essential business projects. When you outsource, you don't have to have an office. This is a considerable advantage of outsourcing. Outsourcing allows you to quickly access skills for anything that you need. You don’t have to spend money or time training new employees and can build a network of freelancers, allowing you to quickly and easily accomplish any task. Since you can hire individuals who love performing the tasks that you hate, outsourcing can help to reduce your stress. It can also lessen the stress when you lose an employee. Having to go through the hiring process is time-consuming, causing your business to struggle every time you have to replace an employee that has left the company. Freelancers are much easier to replace. Outsourcing is also a great way to complete temporary or seasonal tasks. You can bring them on for a short amount of time without having to deal with hiring, training, and eventually letting them go when the project is completed. If you are just starting your business, outsourcing is a great way to get your business up and running. It allows you to pay for specific tasks rather than spending your time and money hiring employees. Outsourcing your business processes can also save you a ton of money. Not only are you able to pay international rates, as opposed to the rates of your country, but you don’t have to worry about health insurance, vacation or sick pay, or any other types of costs that are usually associated with running a business. Advantages for the Consumer Outsourcing not only provides benefits for your company but is advantageous for your customers as well. In most instances, when you outsource your business processes, it leads to a lower production cost of the goods and services you offer. When you spend less on production, you can pass those savings on to the consumer through lower prices on the finished products. Provides Employment Opportunities One of the most substantial advantages of outsourcing is the global employment opportunities it provides. Let’s assume that a single company outsources various business processes to a few hundred workers located around the world, then thousands of companies outsourcing work could result in millions of people gaining employment. Employment is one of the most critical issues facing today's world leaders. By outsourcing your business processes to countries with high unemployment rates, you can help to reduce the number of unemployed individuals, resulting in better economic conditions for people around the world. Disadvantages of Outsourcing Unfortunately, like with any business task, outsourcing can have its disadvantages. There will be instances when your favorite freelancer is unavailable to help you with an urgent task. Luckily, there are ways you can avoid this issue. The best option is to have three or more freelancers that you can go to for each area of your business that you are looking to outsource. While finding enough talented freelancers to work with can be time-consuming and stressful, especially when you are working on tight deadlines, with the right planning and networking, you can limit this issue. You may also have a language barrier to overcome, depending on where you're looking to outsource. This can cause misunderstandings that could be detrimental to your business success. To avoid this, you need to make sure that you are providing the freelancers with detailed, written instructions along with screenshots or an instructional video to ensure that everything is 100 percent clear. Remote workers have to be self-motivated and have a tremendous amount of self-discipline, as well as being extremely organized. Since you won’t be around to motivate them personally, you have to find freelancers that possess these skills. This can sometimes be difficult to find. Outsourcing requires you to continually grow your skills as a supervisor so you can manage your freelancers. This doesn't mean that you should be micromanaging them. There is a considerable difference between micromanaging and managing.

Table of Contents Introduction . 6 Dangers of Being Overweight 6 Why Lose Weight .... 7 Chapter 1 – Get Your Head In The Game . 10 You Think of Food the Wrong Way ... 10 You’re Not Willing to Change Your Habits ..... 11 Your Weight is Connected to Psychological Problems.. 12 Chapter 2 – Getting Prepared ..... 14 Get Your Health Evaluated .. 14 Write Out Your Goals ... 15 Set Up Your Rewards ... 16 Make Your Baseline ..... 17 Educate Yourself ... 18 Chapter 3 – Nutrition & Diet Overview ..... 20 Macronutrients 20 Carbohydrates 21 Proteins ... 22 Fats ... 23 Calories ... 24 Chapter 4 - Proven Principles of Long Term Weight Loss & Healthy Eating . 26 Track Calories and Macronutrients ... 26 Meal Planning . 28 Get Support.... 29 Weight Loss Diet Accelerated .... 29 Simply Slim – Simple Secrets To Permanent Weight Loss What is Ketosis?.... 30 Chapter 5 - Exercise 31 How To Boost Your Results From Traditional Aerobics/Cardio .. 32 Chapter 6 – Sample Weight Loss Meal Plan For A Week ..... 37 Monday .... 38 Tuesday ... 38 Wednesday..... 39 Thursday .. 39 Friday 39 Saturday .. 40 Sunday .... 40 Breakfast Tip .. 41 Lunch Tips 41 Dinner Tip 42 Snack Tip . 42 Chapter 7 – Tips For Healthy Food Shopping .. 43 Always Have a List 43 Eat Before You Go . 44 Don’t Linger.... 44 Check Labels .. 44 Chapter 8 – Beginner Mistakes To Avoid .. 46 Focusing Too Much on Avoiding Carbs .... 46 Getting Stressed ... 47 Not Getting Enough Sleep .. 47 Trusting Food Packaging .... 47 Eating Artificial Sweeteners 48 Skipping Meals 48 Conclusion – Long Term Health Planning .. 49 Simply Slim – Simple Secrets To Permanent Weight Loss Bonus Chapter - Resources & Apps to Aid in Weight Loss ... 51 Keto Diet App . 51 Ketone Meter .. 52 Fitness Tracker ..... 52 Diet Coach ..... 53 Sample Content Preview Chapter 1 – Get Your Head In The Game For everyone that is overweight, there are one or more reasons that they can’t seem to lose weight, but unless they have a legitimate medical condition that is preventing them from losing weight, then the biggest barrier is their mentality. There are several reasons that many people share that can make it difficult or even impossible to lose weight. You Think of Food the Wrong Way For many people, food is a way to comfort or entertain themselves. They eat not because they’re hungry or because they need to sustain themselves, but because they’re sad, happy, or bored. Often, the foods we eat when we’re sad are high in carbohydrates and unhealthy fats, and are known as “comfort foods” because they comfort us. Instead, you have to start thinking about food for what it actually is: a tool that you’re using to provide nutrients to your body. It can make you gain weight or lose weight depending on how you use it. It can make you healthier and even cure various afflictions if you’re using it right, or it can make you sick by causing new conditions or worsening existing ones. You’re Not Willing to Change Your Habits Most of weight loss and weight maintenance is about having good habits. However, for many people, they feel stuck in their ways and aren’t willing to change their habits for the long term. A crazy crash diet can help you lose weight fast, but you won’t be able to keep it off for long since you most probably will go back to your old habits as soon as you’ve dropped a few pounds. To lose weight and then keep it off, you have to be willing to change your habits, particularly when it comes to eating. Everything you are is a result of your habits, from where you are in your job to the way your house looks and how much you weigh. Cutting out bad habits and replacing them with good ones is the only way that you’ll be able to get yourself healthy. Your Weight is Connected to Psychological Problems For some people, a bad relationship with food and bad eating habits are connected with deep psychological problems related to shame and a fear of getting close to people. They feel ashamed of being obese, but eat as a way of dealing with the shame. Or, they are afraid to be vulnerable with people and see their extra weight as a way to keep people from getting too close to them. It may be hard to admit, but if you fall into this category of having these deep-seated issues, then you won’t be able to start your weight loss journey until you get professional help to deal with these problems. Just as you would see a medical doctor for a medical condition that you can’t solve yourself, you shouldn’t feel ashamed to seek help from a doctor to get help from a psychological problem. Once you get your head in the game and are mentally prepared to lose weight, it’s time to move onto the next step in the preparation process before you can start your weight loss journey. Chapter 2 – Getting Prepared Before jumping into any new diet plan to lose weight, it’s important to prepare yourself. For one thing, if you don’t know where you’re starting from, then it’ll be hard to see the progress you’re making since weight loss can often be slow and steady. So, here are a few things that you should make sure you do before you start your weight loss journey. Get Your Health Evaluated If you have not yet been evaluated by a doctor regarding your weight, now is the time to do it. For some people, it’s impossible for them to lose any weight because they have an underlying medical condition. One of the most common conditions that causes weight gain is hypothyroidism. With hypothyroidism, many of your body’s processes are slowed down, including your metabolism, making it impossible for you to lose weight no matter what you do. This is because you will be working against your body. In order to lose weight, you will have Simply Slim – Simple Secrets To Permanent Weight Loss to work with your doctor first to correct the hormone problem with medication. Another important reason to see your doctor before you get started is if you are going to be starting to exercise as part of your weight loss journey. Although food is the most important part, exercise can certainly help to boost your weight loss. For that reason, you’ll want to make sure you get the all-clear from your doctor to start an exercise regimen. Write Out Your Goals You should have two basic types of weight loss goals, one primary, long-term goal and smaller milestones that will help you reach that goal and keep you motivated. Carefully evaluate where you currently are and where you want to be. Then, set a realistic long-term goal, whether you want to lose 30 pounds in a year, or 100 pounds in 5 years. Once you have your long-term goal in place, then you can set up your milestones. Usually, the best way to do this is to divide the total weight loss that you’re hoping for into 5- or 10-pound Simply Slim – Simple Secrets To Permanent Weight Loss increments. You should also set specific timelines for these as well. Something to keep in mind, however, is that you will likely lose weight faster at the beginning, so give yourself some wiggle room as you go. Set Up Your Rewards At each milestone and of course at the end of the long-term goal, you should set up a reward for yourself so it’s something that you can look forward to. What’s more important than the size of the reward is that it’s not food-related. Letting yourself eat an entire chocolate cake because you lost a pound kind of defeats the purpose of having lost the pound.

Sample Content Preview The third approach involves collecting emails after people bought a product. Usually, this takes place near the end of the sales cycles. They buy a product, they pay for it, and then they get redirected to a download page that collects emails by promising them some sort of a digital freebie or newsletter involving something closely related to the solution that they just bought. Finally, you can collect emails by putting the email collection at the front of the sales process. Somebody goes through your site, they like what they see, they click to buy, and the first thing that greets themis not a payment form. This is not the form that they entered their PayPal email address in or credit card information. Instead, they see a simple form asking them for their name and email address. Little do they know that even if they abandon the sales process, they end up on your mailing list. Once they opt in, they then get redirected to the OTO page. All the processes I described above lead to an OTO page. That’s how an OTO works. It’s still the same page and works the same way but getting there takes at least four different ways. Really creative marketers, I’m sure, have innovated additional approaches. However, the four common ways I described above should give you a place to start. You can customize these. You can innovate on them. You can fit them to your particular set of circumstances. Sounds good so far? Well, don’t get too excited. A lot of people build OTOs. In fact, it has become fairly routine and standard in the online marketing industry. As you can well imagine, when something becomes routine, people often drop the ball and they do. Why Do Too Many OTOs Fail? It really is quite tragic but the majority of OTOs simply fail to live up to their fullest potential. The OTO as a concept is a slam dunk if you know how to play it right. Imagine, you have all the pieces in place but you just dropped the ball at the last minute. All you needed to do was shoot the ball through the rim, but too many marketers fail to do that. Think about it. Your prospects are hot. They’re definitely interested, either they bought something or they are interested in a booklet or that they’re interested in a particular piece of information or they just want to join your mailing list. Whatever the case may be, they already entered their email address and name. They already committed. You know that they are interested in a particular subject matter. You know that they have a certain range of problems that your OTO product addresses. Regardless of all of these advantages, your OTO still failed. That’s right. It fell flat on itsface. How can this happen? If you commit the following mistakes, your OTO will fail. That’s the bottom line. Thankfully, the list is short but I need you to use your imagination to come up with variations of these. These come in many different forms but if you were to boil them all down, there are three main reasons why OTOs fail. Failure Reason #1: Offer the Wrong OTO The most basic mistake marketers make is they offer the wrong OTO. How do you know it’s the wrong OTO? First of all, it’s not selling. That’s a dead giveaway. However, digging deeper, the reason why the product is not moving is because it is not directly related to the set of problems of your audience. People who see your OTO have a certain set of problems. They are hot regarding a particularset of solutions but your OTO has nothing to do with what they’re interested in. At this point, your OTO is dead in the water. It is obvious to the people seeing your offer that it has nothing to do with what they are interested in. At the back of their minds, they’re asking “Why are you showing me this?” Failure Reason #2: You Failed to Pump Up Enough Interest Before Showing Your OTO As I mentioned above, getting people to the OTO page is pretty straightforward. There’s four general ways to get there. However, this is not automatic. This is not just a simple case of filling in the blanks, following the steps and you have yourself a collected email address. You have to manage expectations before people get to your OTO page. You have to make the right promises to the right people at the right time to produce the right results. Sounds simple enough? Unfortunately, there are many things in life that are easier said than done and this is one of them. The essence of marketing involves amplifying interest. In other words, when people go through the email signup process, they must be pumped up. They must be in a really white-hot emotional state that they are brimming over with hope, anticipation and mental images of a bright future as far as a particular problem is concerned. If your squeeze page or sales materials and even your content do not engender or wake up a sense of urgency in the eyes of your target audience members, your OTO is going to have a tough time. People who end up on your OTO page feel that they’re just getting a freebie or that they just bought a simple product and they’re ready to move on. They’re not motivated enough to look for enhanced or value-added solutions to the problem that they think they’re already solving by signing up to your list. Do you see what’s wrong with this picture? You have to work the emotional state of your buyer before you put up an OTO page in front of their face. Otherwise, they wouldn’t think that your OTO is that big of a deal. They have higher priorities and ultimately, your offer falls between the cracks. Your conversions suffer. Failure Reason #3: Use the OTO with the Wrong Email Collection Process If you collect your email in a very confusing way or you create the wrong expectations along the way, your OTO is not going to work like it should. This is the bottom line. You have to make sure that the email collection process that you use must be geared towards people excited enough to want to buy something. If, for example, your digital freebie like a book gets people excited about getting a complete solution and you make it clear that the book is a complete solution, I can almost guarantee you when they get to your OTO, they’re not going to lift a finger. They’re not going to do anything. Why? You already told them that the book they just downloaded addresses all their problems. So, you have to make sure that your email collection process uses the right incentive. Maybe the better approach here would be to use a free email-based course. The OTO simply sums up everything or gives them a tool that speeds up everything. This way, the OTO is offering added value. If it turns out that your freebie or the item that they get in exchange for their email already solves the vast majority of their problems, they would see no valuein spending hard-earned dollars on your OTO. Do you see how this works? Good. What Kind of OTOs Can I Offer? The kind of OTOs you can offer truly depend on your imagination and creativity as well as your particular set of circumstances. I don’t mean to beslippery but this is how you have to approach it because if you are going to offer an OTO on an automatic or formulaic basis, you’re just going to fail. There, I said it. I don’t mean to depress you or discourage you but that’s the truth. You have to pay attention to the actual behavior of your customers. You know your market better than anybody else. You should play around with the OTOs that you offer. Run different OTOs two weeks at a time. Pump traffic to your squeeze page to study OTO behavior. Patterns should arise. At the very least, you should consider the following three. Rotate among them and pick the one that gets the most conversions. First, you can offer steep discounts on a product or service. For example, if I am offering an email-based autoresponder course on how to make money blogging, I can offer a steep discount on an automated blog system where people just select a topic and the software does everything else. Do you see the connection? Blogging takes a lot of time. It definitely can take alot of effort because you have to figure out what to write, collect information, write out the information, get pictures, make sure your content is SEO compliant, so on and so forth. It takes a tremendous amount of attention to detail. If you were to offer an OTO that automates all of that, people would sit up and pay attention. In this particular context, your autoresponder email course opens their minds to how much money they can make blogging but it also makes them fully aware of how much of a hassle blogging could be. Once the OTO appears, they get a clear alternative. You can do the same with a free book or a “walled-off” part of your blog that really gives the viewer the inside scoop regarding a particular problem.

Table of Contents Introduction ....... 6 Chapter 1 .. 12 What Is Mindful Meditation? ....... 12 The Origin Of Mindful Meditation 12 Mindfulness To Tackle Daily Challenges ........ 13 The Positive Impact Of Mindful Meditation .. 15 Chapter 2 . 18 How to Practice Mindful Meditation ..... 18 The Essentials ....... 18 Getting Started With Mindful Meditation ...... 19 Meditation Helps You Overcome Stressful Situation ...... 21 Walking Meditation ...... 22 Chapter 3 . 25 More Mindful Meditation Techniques ... 25 Focus on a Specific Object Meditation ... 25 Body Scan Meditation ... 27 Counting Mindful Meditation ........ 29 Find Your Happy Place Meditation ........ 30 Chapter 4 . 32 Mindful Meditation and the Brain ........ 32 What Scientists are Learning ..... 32 Chapter 5 . 37 Why is Awareness So Important? 37 Awareness Promotes Positive Attitude & Perspective ..... 40 Eliminating Bad Habits With Mindful Meditation . 43 Chapter 6 . 46 Mindful Meditation and Work ..... 46 Negativity Ruins Professional Life 47 Embracing Mindfulness For Better Performance ... 48 How To Practice Mindfulness At Work . 49 Chapter 7 .. 52 Mindful Meditation and Relationships . 52 How Mindful Meditation Nurtures Healthy Relationships ..... 53 Chapter 8 . 58 Mindful Meditation and Happiness ...... 58 Gratitude Equals Happiness . 59 Mindful Meditation Proven To Cultivate Happiness ...... 60 How To Meditate For Happiness .. 61 Chapter 9 . 64 Successful People Who Meditate .. 64 Chapter 10 69 Great Mindful Meditation Apps ... 69 Headspace .... 70 Mindfulness Daily 71 Smiling App . 71 Insight Timer ........ 72 Aura ..... 72 Omvana ........ 73 Stop, Breathe & Think .. 73 Calm .... 73 The Mindful App .. 74 Chapter 11 76 The Benefits of Mindful Meditation ...... 76 1. Mindful Meditation Can Reduce Pain ...... 77 2. Mindful Meditation Can Improve Sexual Experience ........ 78 3. Mindful Meditation Can Improve Mood .. 78 4. Mindful Meditation Enhances Empathy .. 79 5. Mindful Meditation Can Enhance Focus .. 80 6. Mindful Meditation Reduces Stress . 81 7. Mindful Meditation And Resilience . 82 8. Mindful Meditation Boosts Creativity ....... 83 Chapter 12 86 Create a Mindful Life . 86 Strategies To Practice Mindful Meditation In Everything You Do .. 87 Conclusion ........ 92 Sample Content Preview Chapter 1 What Is Mindful Meditation? Mindful meditation is actually very simple, yet it comes with great benefits. The Origin Of Mindful Meditation It’s a Western practice with roots in thousands of years of Buddhism, where it’s referred to as “Insight Meditation.” As that name suggests, it is meant to develop our mental skills and become more aware. However, mindful meditation is not associated with any specific ideology. Mindfulness is a skill we all possess, but not all of us develop and cultivate it fully. The unique thing about mindful meditation is that it allows us to take an active part in our thinking process instead of remaining passive. It’s more than being aware of the world around us; it specifically refers to that exciting and sometimes mysterious world inside of us. Mindfulness increases our awareness of ourselves and how we think. It’s an effective way of knowing ourselves better. Mindful meditation is always purposeful and non-judgmental. We calmly accept and acknowledge what is. Instead of moving through the day on autopilot, mindful meditation allows us to be more present and gain more control over our thoughts and activities. This invariable enriches our lives beyond measure. Mindfulness To Tackle Daily Challenges When we practice mindful meditation consistently, we gain an inner calm that will help us deal with life’s many challenges. How often have we become so stressed that we have consciously avoided thinking about our problems, which then only worsen as we become more stressed? Sometime, it may feel easier not to think at all. But in the long run, reality will take over. Non-judgmental awareness allows us to remove ourselves mentally from the mental tsunami and remain calm in times of adversity. We become more connected to our experiences in a healthy, non-threatening way. On a basic human level, it’s natural for us to push aside unpleasant thoughts by distracting ourselves from what is really important. Addictions to alcohol, drugs and social media are just some of the ways we avoid dealing with the present. This obviously is not helpful and merely generates greater anxiety and stress. Daily mindful meditation keeps us focused on the present and helps us deal with problems rather than avoiding them. Fortunately, becoming more aware is a skill that can be learned. Like playing a musical instrument or a sport, the more we practice, the better we become at it. The Positive Impact Of Mindful Meditation Mindful meditation has moved from the mystical to mainstream. Many studies have confirmed the benefits of regular mindful meditation. 1. Less stress-related illnesses 2. Better sleeping habits 3. Lower blood pressure 4. Better immune system 5. More energy 6. Better pain management 7. Better decision-making ability 8. Greater resilience when faced with adversity The reason mindful meditation has proven so powerful is that the body and mind are intricately connected. When our emotional state suffers, so does our body. This is especially relevant to stress, which can cause many physical problems. As a result, mindful meditation not only improves our mental health, but our physical health, as well. In the past, doctors have concentrated on prescribing medication for anxiety and stress-related symptoms. However, following a myriad of studies in recent years, doctors are now recognizing the value of mindfulness and recommending mindful meditation as a treatment instead of prescribing pharmaceutical drugs. A study at John Hopkins University showed that 20 percent of 3,500 patients using mindful meditation showed improvement in symptoms of depression as opposed to the placebo group. These numbers are the same for patients using anti-depressants. That means meditation has the same effect on our brain as medication. Interestingly, these patients only meditated two and a half hours each week. That’s how powerful mindful meditation can be. The study concluded that if patients were to spend even more time meditating, they would see even better results. Neuroscience has revealed that people who meditate regularly show an increase in gray matter in brain regions that regulate emotions and learning. Similar studies have found that areas of the brain that process fear decrease in size. Science is providing a connection between meditating and brain waves, and studies are continuing. Another study showed that three months of regular meditation affected enzyme activity that control how we age. This important finding could link meditation to a slowing of the aging process. Chapter 2 How to Practice Mindful Meditation With all of its benefits, practicing mindful meditation is extremely easy. Let’s go through the steps. The Essentials Wear comfortable clothing. You don’t want to have your focus interrupted by a tight pair of pants or skirt. Find a comfortable seat. Ideally, it will be in a peaceful spot without clutter and noise. You can meditate indoors or outdoors. Start your meditation with short sessions of around 10 minutes. This will make it easy to develop the habit of meditating and working your way up to half an hour or even a full hour. Mornings or evenings are the best times, but any time you spend meditating works. You can also split your meditation sessions and do half when you get up and the second half before going to bed. Getting Started With Mindful Meditation Either sit in the traditional lotus position or simply relax in a comfortable chair, with your feet resting on the floor. Keep your spine straight but not stiff. Let your head hang naturally with a downward gaze. Your hands should be resting comfortably on your thighs. You can keep your eyes open, but most people seem to prefer closing them. Do whatever works best for you. The goal is to get completely comfortable and not to worry about whether you are doing it right or wrong. Just do it, and you will enjoy the results. Start focusing on your breathing. All your attention should be on how the air feels as you inhale deeply through your nose down to your stomach, then exhale. Notice the physical sensations of the air moving down your body, then being expelled through the nose. Become aware of the rise and fall in your chest as you inhale and exhale. Don’t worry if your attention wanders. This is perfectly normal. What is important is that you don’t try to stop those intruding thoughts. Just let them flow through your mind non-judgmentally and return your focus to your breathing. If you find your thoughts 20 wandering too often, don’t worry. Simply observe whatever is happening. Don’t judge or blame yourself. Just observe what your mind is doing. When you’re done meditating, sit quietly for a moment before opening your eyes. Take a minute and observe what you are feeling. Again, it’s important not to judge yourself. When you are ready, go about your day. The act of focusing on your breath helps you become aware of your thoughts and emotions. The more you meditate, the more aware you become. And as we’ll discuss in the next chapter, meditation is all about increasing your awareness. Meditation Helps You Overcome Stressful Situation Daily mindful meditation will help you cope with stress, but even normal days can make it challenging to remain in focus and mindful. Your boss wants to see you in his office NOW. Your spouse has been argumentative all week. Your child, who has just received his or her driver’s license yesterday, has disappeared with your car and five best friends. It’s stressful, and it’s called life. Mindfulness can help you cope with these adversities.