Grateful for His protection!

I thank God for giving me the courage to be truthful. I feel sorry for those who live their lives cloaked in secrets.

Lately, God has been pulling back the curtain and giving me a glimpse into a couple of situations that caused me to question myself and humanity as a whole.

I would ask Him, "why?" and "what did I do wrong?" and "how did I miss this?"

I guess He finally got tired of me questioning myself and revealed to me that it had nothing to do with me. The so-called obstacles that were placed in my way were not put there to prevent me from getting what I wanted. The "obstacles" were placed in order to protect me. Now that He has made me aware of just how wrong the path was that I was considering, it's like the first time I can actually feel just how deep His love is for me.

It's amazing to know that the "suffering" I thought I experiencing was actually His protection over my life and well-being.

As I posted earlier today on fb: Telling the truth doesn't make me perfect. I will never be perfect. Telling the truth makes me free. Being truthful allows me to live an authentic life. That's just about as good as it can get.

I feel so blessed to have been given the courage to be truthful. There are many who fear the truth to the point where their whole life becomes one big ole lie. I'm not saying I've always been this way but, I know for sure that the truth has always been in my heart and whether I've been guilty of suppressing it initially, at some point, the truth just bursts out of me because I can't live my life authentically and look for that in others if I go around and perpetuate lies.

Sometimes, it's best to stay home and just be with yourself versus going to a church where you can get lost in fellowship and forget about who you really are and what you're really doing in your life.

Sometimes, it's better to be with just YOU and God and no one else where He can see into your heart and guide you to where you can be free. FOR REAL.

What have you got in the palm of your hand

That was such a great question posed on facebook this morning, I decided to pose the question on my blog too.

So, during this year that has been trying at best for so many, now that we're rapidly approaching the end, what lessons do you take away from this year? Have you accomplished the goals you set for this year? Does 2010 mark the end of your five year plan? What are your plans for next year? The next five years? How will you go about accomplishing your goals? Who will you enlist to help you?

This year: As far as my health goes,

I've learned that the few moments of discomfort I experience while exercising is only a fraction of the extra years of joy and freedom I will experience because I took the time and made the effort to live a healthy lifestyle when I'm surrounded by an environment that encourages and accepts a lackadaisical attitude towards health and fitness.

I also believe it is my duty to go the extra mile to accomplish my fitness goals because then, the people I care about and some that I've yet to know will see that, whatever you want to do, it can be done. If I can do it, anyone can. I'm not superhuman, I'm not any different than the next human being, I simply refuse to let go of a dream that I have within me to accomplish. This is one thing that is truly up to me and me alone. The same is true for you. So, I figure, if I stop taking the long way around the bend, stop and just do what I know has to be done, then guess what, it will get done. Period.

Other goals may require additional help but this one...it's in my hands (as yours is in your hands) as long as God sees that I am healthy enough to make healthy lifestyle decisions for myself.

I'm on a mission and I'm taking all of you with me so...you better get ready! :)

Forgiveness

"Give up the hope that the past could have been any different" in order to start on the true path towards forgiveness and ultimately, your future.

Do you think this is true? I think I'm like most people that take trips down memory lane. I think about if I had gone to a different school, my life would have turned out so differently. If I had taken a different job, my life would have turned out differently. If I had gone back to school sooner, my life would have turned out differently, I mean, this could go on to infinity.

So when I think about that eloquent advice that Oprah credits one of her former guests with, I wonder, if I stop wishing for things to be different in the past, does that give me power to move towards the future? What about you?

Yanni Brown, Author of "Making Love Better Begins Within" says, "leave the pieces on the floor" in order to move forward which is another way of saying to let the past stay in the past as well. Maybe there really is something to letting go of the past in order to move towards your future. I wonder...what it feels like when you know you've let go of your past...

One thing I know for sure is, had I made different choices, I wouldn't have met some of the incredible people I've met on my journey and whenever I stop short with that thought, I tell myself, "Nope, I wouldn't change a thing," because there is no way I would give up meeting every single person I've crossed paths with in my life to this point so no, I guess not...I wouldn't change a thing.

Are you an Everyday Entrepreneur?

I know that I normally write about health related issues and how supplements can enhance and elongate your life but today, well today, my mind is on a different sort of enhancement to your life-specifically, your wallet.

What do Puffy, Eve, 50 Cent, Nelly, Naughty by Nature, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Jay-Z and Beyonce all have in common. It should be a pretty easy observation but just in case it isn't...they are all entrepreneurs.

It's pretty amazing when you think about it. All of these people have created multiple streams of income through marketing. They all took the one check they were receiving as a result of singing or rapping and parlayed that into multiple streams of income wherein, they receive checks for the many ventures they have embarked on as a result of their hard work and marketing efforts. That's one tenet I want to impress upon you through this reading.

These people were visionaries in that they were able to see that they could leverage one income and turn it into-at the very least-two.

Even other entertainers such as Kimora Lee Simmons-who started out as a model and is truly one of the pioneers of our generation, Serena Williams-professional tennis player and Sara Jessica Parker-actress, realized how beneficial it would be to leverage their income in return for more.

Not only did they leverage their income, they personally branded themselves so brilliantly that the other projects they've taken on that have net them multiple streams of income seemed almost...well, seamless in their simplicity.

Because they had achieved celebrity status, the marketing efforts of their respective PR teams was really an easy task. They simply had to promote their message to the appropriate audience effectively-which is a simple implementation of the 4 P's of marketing and 1 and done. The sales practically became passive and residual income for them.

The product (the entertainer and their line of clothing, cologne, etc.) was promoted (commercials, billboards,etc) for the right price (whatever number they felt would be comfortable for the intended consumer) and the message was placed (everywhere) with the right audience. If you already have a platform, in all honesty, the world becomes your target market because you just never know who you have touched with your talent/skills. A celebrity can literally throw spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks in instances like these because celebrities have far-reaching influence.

Now, I put all of the above information out for your consumption to get you thinking. As an entrepreneur who doesn't have a following, it's really incumbent on you to find your audience and nurture them. Once you, as an everyday entrepreneur find your niche audience, you have the potential to be just as golden as the celebrities that have a loyal following as well. Heck, if you think about it, those celebrities worked just as hard at their first job as a lot of nine to five employees do everyday. The difference is that their first job really created an opportunity for them to accumulate that passive and residual income they now enjoy. You and I can do that too. We simply have to rely on the product being really good and our personalities making such an impact on those we come into contact with that they too will want to have us and our products in their life in some tangible way.

That's really the only difference when you look at it. Celebrities have followers that like what they do for their day job. So they follow them to their other job to try to capture a piece of them. Some may even believe that by buying a celebrity's cologne or clothes that makes them more like the celebrity they envy or revere.

Everyday entrepreneurs have followers who like what they have to offer which, in my opinion, has a lot more depth to it. Most entrepreneurs have a tangible service or product that genuinely improves the lives of those they share it with. They aren't just selling something to be selling something because they know they can make a buck.

I guess this is my food for thought for today. What do you think?

Cocoa and flavanols

We all know how delicious chocolate is but did you know how healthy it can be for you? Whew, well I'm going to tell you-this is gonna be goooooood!

Chocolate is made from cocoa which is an herb but did you know that cocoa flavanols (protective substances that are also abundant in dark chocolate) help improve blood flow to the brain which could slow the mental decline that comes with age? Cocoa stimulates endorphin production that gives us the feeling of pleasure and satisfaction.

Even though we definitely have to watch our caloric intake as most of the chocolate we buy in stores is made from the waste product of the herb chocolate, a Harvard study indicated that moderate candy eaters such as those who reached for one to three candy bars a month were most likely to reduce their risk of dying by thirty-six percent versus those who didn't eat chocolate.

There is a catch to this though. To get the most benefits of chocolate, you really need to partake of either the solid chocolate candies of those with nuts versus those with creamy fillings such as a chocolate kiss.

Chocolates are full of antioxidants that allow us to live longer. Chocolate has even more antioxidants than strawberries which is my favorite fruit, especially during the summer when you can find strawberries at the peak of ripeness full of natural sugar that are delicious in my all time favorite fruit slushies that I make from scratch.

Chocolate actually has ten times the antioxidants of strawberries and chocolate (dark chocolate) packs in 5700 antioxidant units in 1 1/2 ounces of chocolate which is roughly the size of a standard chocolate candy bar. I won't name specific candy bar names until I get an endorsement deal but you get my drift don't you?

I tell you, it is such a comfort knowing that my love affair with chocolate doesn't have to end in an effort to improve and maintain my health. I have this incredible recipe that I absolutely love for a chocolate cherry slushie which just proves that yes, you can have your chocolate and eat it too. Notice I didn't say cake. I didn't say cake on purpose because chocolate cake has a lot of unnecessary calories in it so I don't endorse eating chocolate cake as good as it may taste unless of course, like everything else that isn't necessarily good for you-you do it in moderation.

Now, scroll down for my Cherry chocolate slushie recipe

2 cups of low fat chocolate milk (the soy chocolate milk is a wonderful choice)
2 tablespoons of instant espresso powder
3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup of honey
3/4 teaspoon of almond extract
1 1/2 cups of ice cubes
1/4 cup of low fat whipped cream
1/2 cup of dark red cherries
1/2 cup of shaved chocolate from a dark chocolate bar

Combine the milk, espresso powder, cocoa, honey,cherries and almond extract in a blender until there is a smooth consistency. Add the ice cubes and blend until frothy. Pour into three glasses. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon of the whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Toast and enjoy. Use the triple treat chocolate from Youngevity in your recipe to yield the best results. It's the healthy chocolate alternative. Click here to order yours now. http://bit.ly/1C1L0O Item # TLC1 and Item #Tru6half

If you like bell peppers, your heart (and eyes) will love you for it!

Like bell peppers? That is a particularly good thing for you and your eyesight. Those bell peppers are packed full of lutein and zeaxanthin-key plant compounds that play a powerful role in preventing the onset of macular degeneration (loss of sharp vision as the macula is that tiny spot in the center of the eye's retina that is responsible for sharp vision) that comes with age. It's unfortunate that as we age, we must come to expect that our bodies won't perform at the same level as when we were young. Of course a great way to slow down the aging process is with exercise as we all know but now, we're finding out everyday just how valuable a good diet filled with food that comes in all the colors of the rainbow can help to ward off the degeneration of our most valuable asset, our health.

Interestingly enough, those key plant compounds-lutein and zeaxanthin are common pigments found in the macula. Most studies have shown that people who suffer from macular degeneration that comes with age have lower levels of these pigments than those who don't have the disease.

So go ahead, toss those bell peppers in your salad, spread them on your italian bread instead of traditional tomato toppings for an even better bruschetta and dip your way to improved vision with red bell peppers. Indeed, red bell peppers are even better than the green ones because they are also chocked full of vitamin C. In fact, there's more vitamin C in red bell peppers than you find in an orange! Having a red bell pepper will actually save you 1/3 the calories that you'd take in eating an orange. Now I'm not saying stop eating oranges for they are delicioso-especially if you find the right one. I'm just saying that you now have yet another alternative to get in your vitamin C.

Now when you eat your red bell peppers, you'll know that you are helping your body to destroy those horrible free radicals as well as helping to save your eyesight as you age. Now that's a flavor worth savoring! Eat up, my lovelies...

The best solution for fluid retention? You guessed it...Water!

When the body gets less water, it perceives this as a threat to survival and begins to hold on to every drop. Water is stored in extracellular spaces (outside of the cells). This shows up as swollen feet, legs and hands-not a good look at all.

While it's true that diuretics offer a temporary solution, what you really want is a long term, non chemically-dependent solution, this is what is ultimately best for your body. Diuretics force out stored water along with some essential nutrients and that is the last thing we need is to lose nutrients-it's hard enough as it is to get them into our bodies so we want to do all we can to keep essential nutrients inside as long as it benefits our body, right?

When diuretics are busy forcing out stored water, the body also perceives this as a threat to its survival and will replace the lost water at the first opportunity. This is why diuretics are only a temporary solution-when the medicinal effect wears off, the condition comes right back.

The best way to overcome the problem of water retention is to give your body what it needs-plenty of water. Only then will stored water be released.

While water is the best natural solution, we can't forget the healing and therapeutic powers of the almighty essential oil called Rose Geranium. Not only is Rose Geranium good for the skin, anxiety and even warding off mosquitoes, Rose Geranium also helps to relieve fluid retention as well as helping to fight cellulite. It blends very well with Clary Sage, Lavender, Lime, Orange and Rosemary in the preparation for use.

If you have a constant problem with water retention, excess salt may be the problem too. You body will tolerate sodium only in a certain concentration. The more salt you eat, the more water your system retains to dilute it. Luckily getting rid of unnecessary salt is easy-just drink more water. As it is forced through the kidneys, it takes away excess sodium.

Happy drinking! Just one week away from Memorial Day weekend! Got big plans? Revealing your new bikini body? Make sure to keep plenty of water on hand, especially if you're out in the hot sun! Hydration is the name of the game!

Check out my website (www.youngevityonline.com/rhondae, click 'order now' and type item #67034 in the search box) for more information or to order your Rose Geranium essential oil. My line of essential oils called, Ancient Legacy, is of the highest quality and has been certified for their purity of origin, biochemical specificity and exact botanical species-in other words-I've got the real thing for you. These are no 'street oils' by any means nor have they been compromised in any way (no reconstitution, diluted, adulterated or 'burned' essential oils at all).

Don't wait until you're thirsty to drink water...by then it's too late!

That's right! If you wait until you're thirsty to drink water, it's too late! You're body is already dehydrated. Chalene Johnson reminded me of this in a recent tweet and she's so very right.

Another little known fact about water; the overweight person needs more water than the thin one. Larger people have larger metabolic loads. Since we know that water is the key to fat metabolism, it follows that the overweight person needs more water.

Water helps to maintain proper muscle tone too. It gives muscles their natural ability to contract. Water also helps to prevent the sagging skin that usually follows weight loss-shrinking cells are buoyed by water, which plumps the skin and leaves it clear, healthy and resilient.

Water helps rid the body of waste. During weight loss, the body has a lot more waste to get rid of-all that metabolized fat must be shed. Again, adequate water helps flush out waste.

So...here's just a few more reasons why you need to make sure your body gets the adequate supply of water it needs each and every day! Who knew that the best way to mobilize your weight loss lies right in the kitchen sink. So get yourself a filter for your faucet and drink up!

Wanna lose weight? You gotta up that water intake!

Water...yes, it does a body good!

Incredible as it may seem, water is quite possibly the single most important catalyst in losing weight AND keeping it off for good!

Although most of us take it for granted, water may be the only true 'magic potion' for permanent weight loss! Here's why:

Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat! Isn't that amazing? There is an additional way to get to that stored fat after all! Woohoo! So, you know what that means right? It means that the opposite is also true. If you decrease your water intake, this could cause fat deposits to increase while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits! You know why? Well, let me tell you...the kidneys can't function properly without enough water. When they don't work to capacity, some of their load is dumped onto the liver.

One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body but, if the liver has to do some of the kidney's work, it can't operate the way it's supposed to. As a result, the liver metabolizes less fat and more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops...bummer, right?

So, get that water in people! Especially if you're trying to lose weight and just because you need water in your life period. Can't drink water straight up? Try it with a twist of fresh lemon and lime. Still not doing it for you? Add one of those drinks to go from crystal light into a 16 ounce bottle filled with water. Add that fresh lemon and lime to the mixture and you'll soon be slurping that water by the gallon. By the way...the daily minimum goal is 64 ounces but, you can do better than that...try to work your way towards doubling it! 128 ounces. If you're trying to lose weight, that 128 ounces will have you looking slim and svelte in no time! Remember, there are only 13 weeks until Memorial Day weekend! Get ready, get set, Drink!!!

An apple a day is so much more important than you think!

It has always been said that an apple a day will keep the doctor away, right? Well, let me tell you, that is right in a MAJOR way!

Aside from the fiber content that is contained in the peel alone, which by the way is 20% of what you need daily, the meat of the apple itself is very high in quercetin - the key chemical that protects against strokes. Quercetin also fights heart disease by preventing cholesterol from sticking to the walls of your arteries, making them narrow and therefore, vulnerable to a heart attack.

My favorite at the moment is that juicy honey crisp apple. Have you tasted it? Oh, it's so good! When you break the skin with your teeth, you can hear the crispness. It's so luscious, the juice runs down my wrist and I feel like a kid enjoying a piece of candy! It's a combination of granny smith and red delicious rolled into one and I have to say, I simply love them! They haven't been so easy to find though...I had to go to one of those fancy, schmancy gourmet grocery stores but, I tell ya, it is worth the trip!

Don't like raw apples? Here, try this recipe I ran across for Apple Cranberry Muffins. They are so sinfully delicious, you'll have your daily quota taken care of in no time flat! Grab a cup of milk to go with it and enjoy! Here it is;

Apple Cranberry Muffins

1&3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of sugar (divide this in half as you won't be using it all at once, okay?)
1&1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup sweetened applesauce
1/4 cup butter or margarine-melted
1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, combine 1&3/4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup of sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, combine egg, milk applesauce and butter; mix well. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir just until it's moist. The batter's gonna be a little lumpy but don't fret and DO NOT OVERMIX. In a small bowl, toss cranberries with remaining 2 tablespoons flour then fold them into the batter. Spoon batter evenly into 12 greased 2&3/4 inch muffin cups. In measuring cup, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over tops of muffins. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove muffins and place on a wire rack to cool. Beware, if you use a muffin tray where the cups are a different size, the cooking times will vary so you may have to adjust to more time, if the cups are larger or less time if the cups are smaller. Happy eating!

Vitamin D and your sexual health!

Vitamin D is more than just a vitamin, it is actually a hormone. A very necessary part of daily living that we would all do well not to skimp on.

Nevertheless, vitamin D deficiency is more common than you might expect. People who don’t get enough sun, especially people living in Canada and the northern half of the US, are especially at risk. Vitamin D deficiency also occurs even in sunny climates, possibly because people are staying indoors more, covering up when outside, or using sunscreens consistently these days to reduce skin cancer risk.

Vitamin D deficiency may leave your sex life cold and grey, while plenty of this most amazing vitamin will bring out the hots. During these cold winter months, it's hard to get that 15 minutes of sunlight needed to ensure proper daily intake but if you enhance your diet with foods that are high in Vitamin D such as mackeral, sardines and salmon, you're sure to be just fine.

Let's be honest though...mackeral, sardines and salmon aren't always very sexy, are they? Ladies, you certainly wouldn't want to consume fish prior to sexual activity and men...I know you appreciate that, don't you?

Put the sexy back in and use the luscious body custards by Soul Purpose. The Brazilian Jackfruit for the women and the Haitian Vetivert Pepper for the men will make your night turn out right for sure. Studies show that people with high levels of Vitamin D have really high sex drives....fellas...did you hear that? Ladies...you're welcome!

Order those luscious custards, lotions, and shower gels that I talked about above by the boatload from my website and cheers to your sexual health! http://lapoluxury.soulpurpose.net

Relationships...to be or not to be...for me

For as long as I can remember, I've been a voyeur. I love to watch people go about and interact with one another. I think it's because there is a lot to be learned from the simple act of observation. We learn to mimic, or as some like to say, 'fake it til you make it', right? Is that really how we learn to do things? Or should we learn to do things by having the experience for ourselves?

Until recently, I thought it was better to watch and learn vs. do and learn.

Now, I feel differently. I've found that by watching vs. doing, I've missed out on a lot. By watching vs. doing, I take out a bit of the authenticity of how a situation can really evolve. Especially when it comes to building, fostering and maintaining relationships.

You simply can't watch people interact and learn how to build and maintain a relationship...of ANY kind. Whether it is a friendship, business relationship or love relationship, you simply have to get down in the trenches and experience it. By simply observing, you aren't risking anything and; unless you're willing to risk something, you aren't going to gain anything.

You guys won't believe how I actually learned this lesson. But, I'm going to share it with you because we're all friends here right? No judgments, no ridicule, none of that. Just pure acceptance, living and learning and maybe even improving because of what we share.

Okay, here goes...I learned this from being on Facebook and Twitter. Yep, that's what social media has taught me. Over the last couple of years of building up networks on both sites, I've come to realize that these relationships are 99% observatory because I've not taken that extra step that a lot of people on these networks take. Many of the people on these networks use them as tools to actually meet people in person and foster the relationship they've begun on social media. Some of the people are truly fearless in their pursuit of good relationships. They put themselves out there no matter what because they believe that it's possible to build and foster relationships that will be beneficial to them; whether it is business or personal.

After much observation (yeah, I know, I'm still doing it), I find that I'm in awe of these people. They are fearless, courageous and deserve to have whatever comes from forging ahead to uncover the unknown, all the while having faith in the fact that it can be something precious and worthy of maintaining in the long run. Also, if it doesn't become a lifetime relationship, that's okay too. It has to be okay.

It has to be okay because not every relationship we have is meant to last forever. That reason, season, lifetime 'thingy' that I referred to a couple of months ago is an actual fact, and not just something to wax poetic about...Now, to actually take that step into the unknown. All together now, get ready, get set....Let's go!

What do you think? Do you agree with me? I'd love to hear from you.