The world we live in can be a hectic place. With pressing time constraints and an ever growing to-do list it’s no wonder that so many of us are beyond stressed out. Meditation can help alleviate some of that stress. While you may not have the time to climb a mountain and speak with its resident guru, just about everyone can find a few minutes each day to center themselves body and mind.

The Basics

There’s no need to go out and buy a whole bunch of movies or sign up for expensive classes, you can, but it’s not necessary. You don’t even have to leave the office (as long as it’s alright for you to shut the door, turn off the lights and unplug the phone).

The important thing is for it to be quiet. Sit with your back straight, but comfortable. You can sit in the lotus position with each foot resting on the opposite thigh, or you can sit cross legged.

Sit in the quiet and clear your mind. Focus on the gentle in and out rhythm of your breathing. It’s natural for the mind to wander, let it briefly but pull your attention back to your breath. Remain mindfully aware of your surroundings and sit peacefully for at least fifteen minutes. This is relaxing, be careful not to fall asleep.

The Mental Perks

One of the most immediate differences you’ll notice after starting a meditation routine is the level of relaxation your mind and body will experience. Most likely you’ll discover that you’ve ‘lightened up’. No I don’t mean your latest, I mean your attitude. Things that used to bother you may not any longer. People who you found irritating might not bug you nearly as much.

Meditation teaches you to slow down and take each moment as it comes. Too often our lives pass us by, one moment a step to the next. By slowing down and seeing each moment for what it is your mind will become clearer and focused.

In addition to the benefits of slowing down and easing your overall tension levels, meditation can help build self-control. Teaching patience, meditation can help you stop knee-jerk reactions in stressful situations. Taken together these attributes will lead to better, clearer decision making.

For The Body

Study after study has shown the detrimental effect stress can have on the body. Blood pressure, cholesterol, digestive issues and a whole host of other problems are impacted by stress. Meditation lowers these harmful stress levels considerably and in turn health issues are better for it.

Often meditation can be the gateway to a healthier you. Maybe you’ll try yoga, or take a new spinning class at your gym. Perhaps you’ll start eating healthier or taking walks in the evening.

So take a seat, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself more relaxed, sleeping better, and thinking with a sharp clarity.

Leslie is a freelance writer and editor based in Charleston, South Carolina. She writes for edrugstore.md about a wide variety of topics including fitness, sexual health, and prescriptions such as Viagra.

Go online

To spread the word about your business, you want to make sure to have information online. If the idea of creating and maintaining a website sends shivers of terror up your spine, have not fear, there are plenty of easy-to-use alternatives. The easiest and cheapest way to start spreading the word about your venture online is via social-networking. Create a Twitter account and a Facebook page for your business; update frequently to build a following. If you’re a little more ambitious, create a blog for your business using free online blog sites like Blogger or WordPress. Look for online communities of like-minded businesses owners to share information or products. For instance, crafters and artisans can sell their wares on Etsy.com, or if you’re starting a dog-walking business, use sites like CragisList to advertise locally. If you do decide to build a website, there are plenty of online tutorials and web hosting services to choose from.

Susan Price blogs for AccessRX.com, a medication facilitator with a wealth of information on the health needs of baby boomers

Elegance is loosely defined as being tasteful in a simple and effective way. It makes sense to me then that elegance is created not by big swooping statement pieces or actions but rather by the little things. I try to pay attention to the little details in every area of life and believe that this creates a sense of elegance that runs throughout my days.

Of course, this all starts with finding ways to bring elegance into my home and my sense of personal style. Some of the little things that I think add elegance to my life include:

• I never give a gift that doesn’t include crochet or some other handmade touch.
• I always write real messages on cards instead of just signing them.
• I believe in simple jewelry. I don’t own a lot of it and most of it is handcrafted. I think that makes a nice statement, a little icing on the cake of appearance.
• I support feminine touches. Cookies in the oven and a teapot on the stove are nice in any home.
• I enjoy a crackling fire in the fireplace. It adds warmth beyond the physical. I don’t care much about keeping a perfectly clean house but I do want to have a house that is warm!
• I select comfortable clothing that exudes a sense of style. I don’t wear high heels to every event but I don’t wear sweatpants either.
• I say please and thank you. And mean it. And I don’t just say it to strangers but to family members and people I’m close to as well.
• I let people know what I like about them.
• I bring gifts to people’s home. This is one of those old-fashioned traditions (never show up empty-handed as a guest) that I think is worth keeping up over the years.

These little things make me feel elegant. But ultimately, it’s more about the feeling I hope that they give to other people. Although I’d be tickled pink if someone else called me elegant for these actions, I believe that elegance is really something that brings a comfortable and sweet touch to the lives of others. That’s why it’s important for all of us to aim to be elegant in our own ways!

This is a guest post by Kathryn Vercillo. She is a web writer who covers numerous topics but is particularly passionate about her crochet blog.

I am a beautiful 55 year old woman. I know this because I receive compliments from friends, loved ones and sometimes from strangers. And I know why I get compliments. It’s not because I dye my hair (I don’t) and I don’t wear a lot of makeup or have a perfect body. It’s because I project confidence.

Believe me, when I look in the mirror, especially the one that magnifies 8X so I can see my face without my reading glasses – I’m not thinking that I look beautiful! All kinds of negative messages are running through my brain! But then I remember that I have a lifetime of experience and that I love life (usually); and I stand up straight and smile – and it’s really that simple!

Part of my hard won experience is the knowledge of what styles look best on my frame. I inform myself of current styles and modify them to suit my body and my personality. I’m aware of the power and use of color and accessories to create the overall look that best reflects me. My clothing wardrobe consists of classic pieces carefully selected to fit my (current) body and that are suitable for work, play or going out. I love each piece and enjoy dressing to suit my mood. I also have a jewelry wardrobe, from which I use pieces to dress up a basic outfit, and to express the way I feel that day.

When it comes to makeup, I’ve learned that the right makeup for an older woman is not the same as what I used to wear, neither in fashion nor in application. It’s important to take the time to get feedback and analyze what looks best on your current face. Department store makeup counters are a good place to get an age appropriate makeover and the right products.

Don’t neglect your health. A healthy woman, one who has a proper diet, gets enough rest and exercise, has groomed hands and hair, and does things to make herself happy; exudes well being. This is very attractive.

As older women we have amassed a wealth of life experience. We have loved and lost. We have taken risks. We have been fearful. We have grown. We know so much and yet we realize how little we know. Yet when compared with our younger selves, we are so very much richer. This is who we are and this is what we should proudly project.

Finally – don’t be afraid to try different looks to find the ones that best showcase your personality and current body. Experiment with different styles. You will know when you’ve hit the jackpot. You are indeed beautiful.

Ms. Benator is the owner and designer of Gila Leah, Jewelry for the Unique Woman. Many of Ms. Benator’s clients rely on her sense of fashion and her creative ability to help them to select jewelry pieces that best flatter their build, skin tone, lifestyle, wardrobe and personality. Star of David jewelry is a specialty of hers.

Elegantly, efficiently, and economically …yes!  There are two unalterable facts to consider:  the holiday season is upon us and this miserable economy has hit our pocket books in a big way!

Whether you’re entertaining friends or business associates, you can do it at home. Forget pricey restaurants.  That money is more wisely spent on other things.  What you can also forget are the bags of chips, beer, and soda cans, paper plates,  and plastic cutlery.  These things are fine for the Fourth of July and birthday celebrations but certain holidays require bit more finesse.

First of all, decide if you want to invite people for lunch or dinner.  Will it be casual or formal?  Keep your invitation list manageable.  It may be better to invite eight people at a time and do it twice than have sixteen people all at once.  Another decision you must make is whether it will be a sit-down dinner or self-serve buffet.

Your advance planning schedule should include:

* the menu

* table setting and décor ( tablecloth or placemats?)

* background music selections ( nothing loud and brassy)

* areas you need to clear ( get rid of the clutter!)

* small gifts you may want to give (Check out the Dollar Store!)

Casserole recipes abound and they can be made well in advance.  If you plan to serve salad, put the greens in a large salad bowl and place other vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, and other salad items in partitioned dishes,  Let guests select what they want  in their salad.  Restaurants do it and so can you!

If you’re serving meat that needs to be sliced, do it ahead of time.

Never put bottles of condiments on the table.  Salad dressings, mustard, and catsup should be placed in small bowls with a serving spoon.  Water glasses at the table should be filled ahead of time.  A small folding table can hold other beverages.  If you’re serving wine with the meal, place the bottle on a coaster near you, and pour the drinks.  Another bottle can be placed at the opposite end of the table where your spouse or another guest can pour.

Dessert can be served on individual dishes from the kitchen or served at the table by you.  Before serving dessert, you will want to clear the table.  Never scrape plates or stack dishes in front of company.  Dishes should be removed two by two from the table.

How about those after-dinner drinks?  Your guests should be able to select from regular coffee, decaf, or tea.  If you’re serving a liquor, be sure to have liquor glasses on hand.

Efficient hosting means preparing everything in advance.  Your guests don’t want to see a frazzled person opening the door. Dirty pots and pans in the kitchen won’t be seen because the food preparation was done in advance and simply needs to be heated.

It is wise to have a repertoire of menus to rely on because the more often you make those dishes, the easier and quicker it becomes.

How economical can it be?  It depends on what you choose to serve.  A Swiss-turkey-ham bake serving six can be made for under ten dollars.  It’s always a good idea to stock up on certain ingredients when they are on sale.  For example, this recipe calls for Stove Top stuffing, water chestnut slices, cubed ham and turkey, cream of mushroom soup, and grated Swiss cheese.  Supermarkets run specials on all these items from time to time so it pays to stock up on such items.

If you plan to buy take- out food, you will spend more money.

The elegant hostess will be well-aware of cultural diversity.  If some of your guests celebrate a different kind of holiday, make an effort to learn about their celebration; then engage them in conversation about their holiday traditions.

‘Tis indeed the season to be jolly and you’re sure to find yourself brimming over with holiday glee once you begin to master the Triple E Way to holiday entertaining.

A whole month has gone by and you’re still crying yourself to sleep at night.  You stare at the telephone, willing it to ring, hoping to hear his voice on the other end.  You check your e-mail and mailbox thinking that there just might be a message from him.  Nada. Niente. Zip!  He’s left you before but you were always the one trying to “make up”, believing that there were enough good things in the relationship to keep it alive.  But now you think:  He has left once too many times and this time, I’m not going to be the one to patch things up.  I did nothing to deserve this!

If you’re brave enough to come to this decision, then you better have a game plan ready because you have recognized the death of a relationship and a death requires burial.  Elizabeth Kubler-Ross eloquently described the five stages of dying as denial, anger, bargaining, depress-

Ion and finally, acceptance.  Your job is to identify where you are at this moment so you can move ahead to that final stage.  You see, you are both the dying person and the grieving person in this process.

Something in you has died and needs to be laid to rest . The person you loved and thought you knew is gone for good and you mourn his loss.  There is no set period of time for grieving.  When a loved one dies physically, we mourn that loss in different ways.  Some people can resume a degree of normalcy within a short time whereas others may require several years.  You need to make up your mind to recover as quickly as possible.

So:  what happens next?  You need an action plan to maneuver through the rough spots.  Here some quick tips on recovery to help you along the way.

First, let’s talk about your short-term options.  When you get up in the morning, go into your bathroom, look at yourself in the mirror, and repeat three times: “ I am the strongest person I know”.  While it may sound a bit corny, it actually works!

Whenever what’s-his-name pops into your head, say aloud:  “ You can’t live rent-free in my head and then move on to an activity that will distract you.  Post that thought on your refrigerator door and read it several times during the week.

Remove all evidence of his presence: photos, gifts, his clothing – anything that is a reminder.  Pack it up and move it out!  If you aren’t quite ready to do that, at least stow it away somewhere so you won’t see it.

Keep a journal but write about your feelings, your progress, your setbacks.  Don’t use names- especially his.  A few sentences is all it takes.  Journaling lends a perspective on things.

Engage in some form of physical activity.  Whether it’s walking, biking, or exercising at the gym – or even at home, stick to a regimen.

You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish with chores around the house.  Make a list of all the things you had been planning to do and tackle them one by one.  Whether it’s reorganizing your closets or painting the bathroom, these tasks can be extremely therapeutic.

Once a week, plan to take an inventory of where you find yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually.  You can rate yourself on a scale of one to ten.  Be honest with yourself.

Take a good hard look at your long-term goals.  Make a list of things you would like to do and set your priorities.  This can be an excellent time to explore your options.  Someone once said that the best revenge is living well.  Is it as easy as it sounds?  Of course not!  You must be willing to invest the time and energy it takes to recover.

Here are some things that you don’t want to do:

1.  Indulging in an eating or drinking binge.

2.  Re-hashing “old tapes” in your head.

3.  Talking to friends about it over and over again.

4.  Trying too hard to make sense of what happened.

5.  Going out on the re-bound.

You deserve better and the only one who can see to it that you get what you deserve is you!

A very fine teacher used to tell her students: “Don’t ever be afraid of making a mistake.  Once you’ve made one, consider it a perfect mistake for learning.”  Every mistake we make presents us with an opportunity to learn, grow, and become a better, stronger person.  Right now you’re experiencing rejection disbelief, and even anger but in time, those feelings will dissipate and something far more important will emerge.  One day you’ll look into the mirror and say:  “I am a survivor!”

To help you start feeling good about yourself again, there are several things you can do.  One of them is talking to a therapist.  There are many excellent licensed clinical social workers who can help you through the rough spots.

There are also many books on the market that deal with relationships and two books you might consider are:

Rebuilding: When Your Relationship Ends by Bruce Fisher and Robert Aliberti

If It Hurts, It Isn’t Love by Chuck Spezzano

There are also several websites you may want to check out:

www.relatebetter.com www.lovesnotagame.com

If you are spiritually inclined, prayer helps.  Reaching for your Higher Power in time of need is especially helpful.  One woman recently told friends:  “I have learned to pray for what God thinks I need – not necessarily what I think I want.”

You may have been spared much more than you can possibly imagine at the moment.  That man you thought you knew and loved caused you temporary misery.  Trying to reclaim his love would have turned you into a victim because the pattern would likely repeat itself.

Celebration Time is right around the corner so take a deep breath and get started.  You’re going to be just fine!

This morning,after having my coffee and 2 bites of a muffin, I decided to do some meal preparation for the week.  As I applied myself to my usual multi-tasking procedure, I smiled to myself thinking,” I wonder what Rachel Ray would have to say about this?”

I personally don’t watch her show because I’m not particularly interested in food and I have only been to her web site once. Now I know she does a wonderful job and people seem to love her … but can she beat me in preparing four days’ worth of meals in 45 minutes?  By the way, that includes clean-up time!

Now here’s the way it works:

First, I place all the the things I plan to cook on the counter. Today I decided to cook chicken,salmon, pasta, and rice.  I put the tea kettle on to boil water for the pasta which I cook in a special container.  As soon as I put the water on to boil, I prepare a cup of rice and speldt to cook for 18 minutes in the microwave oven.

I then prepare the salmon and chicken to cook in my toaster oven.  Yes, they can be cooked at the same time, separated by aluminum foil and seasoned accordingly.

While all of that is going on (the water has come to a boil and the pasta is now cooking), I clean and prepare fresh vegetables that I’ll be using in salads.  This includes zucchini, mushrooms,broccoli, and carrots which I shred by hand.

Keep in mind that I do clean up as I move from task to task. I even collect vegetable scraps to feed to my ever-present squirrels in the backyard.  No messy pots and pans…no sink full of clutter.  and yes! I did it all in 45 minutes.  So my question remains:  Rachel Ray ~ Can you top this?  :):)

“The most creative force in the world is a post-menopausal woman with zest.” ~ Margaret Mead

Lost Your Zest? Get It Back! Many years ago, I heard a sermon that focused on attitude. The part I especially remember dealt with how a person can greet a new day. One can say: “Good God! Morning! or “Good morning, God!” The latter appealed to me as a solid expression of a certain zest for life. Until then, I hadn’t thought about whether this quality was apparent in my own life. Since then, I have become more aware of its presence, not only in my life but in the world at large. Unlike patience, perseverance, and empathy, zest does not depend upon certain circumstances to induce it. It is free-form and uninhibited; suited to every moment and purpose. It is the “how” of intense, vigorous A pursuit of what is at hand: challenging the uncharted sea or simply smell- ing the roses.

Zest is the hallmark of athletes and mystics; prophets and politicians. 93 It deals with the manner and intensity in which things are done. It is not confined to any particular ethnic group. Yet, there are groups who exhibit it with a particular flair. Consider the Greeks and their wild plate- smash- ing spectacles at a party. Plate-smashing for them is a fine indicator that a good time was had by all. Have you ever watched Polish youth as they stomp and shout through their endless polkas? Such revelry! Such gusto! Such zest! Religion and history are studded with personalities who displayed zest. You can work your way through the Old Testament and David with his marvelous psalms to St. Francis of Assisi with his passionate Canticle to Brother Sun and find zest. Alexander the Great ruled with it. And what about the Vikings and Columbus? Surely they explored with it. Our Pil- grim Fathers, Revolutionary heroes, and western pioneers fashioned our country in a spirit of zest and passion for life. Zest can be readily identified in theatrical productions. Who can for- get the brawny, lusty Zorba in Zorba the Greek or Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof with his rendition of “To Life”? The relish for life comes through in the paintings of such masters as Delacroix and Toulouse-Lautrec. Their style, color, and subject matter re- flect a keen enjoyment of what they observed and perceived. One’s spiritual life can be lived with zest as well. That venerable Bene- dictine monk, Dom Hubert Van Zeller, had the formula for it in his book, We Die Standing Up. Sports and zest are easily correlated. We see it on the tennis courts, on the football fields, and across the land with countless Little League players.

There is a myriad of musical compositions that must be played with zest: Italian tarantellas, Jewish horas, national anthems, and military marches. The Madison Avenue guys and gals have cornered the market and popularized it in their commercials. The Pepsi generation drinks with it; Old Milwaukee Beer fans go whaling with it; and odor-conscious people shower with it. Life without zest is drab and uninviting; with it, satisfying and color- ful.

LostThose persons who cultivate it are blessed with gratification in all that can be felt and accomplished in the daily celebration of life.

In the daily course of our lives disagreements are bound to arise and oftentimes they can erupt into violent arguments where our mouths become lethal weapons, injuring or even destroying a relationship.

You can choose to be reactive or proactive. If you choose to be reactive, you will most likely be on the defensive, stocking your arsenal of remarks that will never lead to a win-win situation.

If you choose to be proactive, you can be assertive without being aggressive.

Better yet, you will maintain your dignity and serenity – two things that no one can take away from you – unless you choose to give them away.

For some people, learning to communicate effectively may be equivalent to learning a foreign language but with practice and persistence, it can be done.  Anyone who has attempted to learn a foreign language and then traveled to the country where that language is spoken can testify to the advantages being able to communicate with locals in the marketplace, restaurants and elsewhere.

Here are five tools that have been proven to be highly effective.

1.  Eliminate the  you word.  It throws up barriers and obstructs

dialogue, putting the other party on the defensive.

2.  Offer to be part of the solution instead of the problem.  Simply saying

something  like “Look, I really want to focus on a solution. I don’t want

to be a part of the problem.

3.  Recognize “triggers” - unpleasant past events in that person’s life that

prompt a reaction to something happening in the present and has nothing

to do with you personally.

4.  Use the magic words: “Tell me what you need.”

5.  Assume ownership of your emotions”  ”When ___(describe the situation)

I feel ____  (name your emotion)

because____(give the reason for feeling that way). Add: Can we talk about this now or do you need a little more time?

*** This formula may sound like a foreign language at first but with time and practice it becomes a powerful proactive tool that really works!