Winter has arrived in Southern Ontario !

Hi Folks;

Winter has finally arrived in Southern Ontario !

My stand of evergreens are covered in ice (very pretty
actually at least the Spruce) and the frail Norway Pines
look pretty sick with 7 and 8 foot long branches hanging
to the ground under the weight.

I had planned to thin them in the spring anyway so I
guess this will make it easier to decide which to remove.

Still, I faired better than some. as I drove around town
yesterday I saw a number of huge beautiful trees with
limbs broken and dangling or laying on the ground.

But all was not lost. The kids got a day off from school
since we are reluctant to send school busses out on ice
covered roads and even walking was hazardous. (When
driving around town - mainly to my curling club - I stuck
to main streets which were well salted and sanded.)

They say we'll be back to unseasonably warm temperatures
within a few days so this won't be too hard to take. We sure
are getting spoiled - watch out for next year!

Len McNally

PS.

If you have a website or any other product to promote I
recently came across a new product that can send a message
directly to the desktops of people who have agreed to receive
these messages. It looks like a fantastic alternative to email
advertising with all the barriers and resistance to reading.
You can check it out at:
http://www.DesktopLightning.com/aodrlen

But before you go, why not sign up for my weekly ezine.
Its FREE already !

Len

Resolutions and Stress

Resolutions and Stress

As if we don't have enough stress in our lives there seems to be something
about our society that demands we set "New Years Resolutions" to do more,
be more, achieve more in the coming year.

Setting "New Years Resolutions" isn't all bad but:

When we set impossible goals

That we do not have the tools

Or the skills

Or the know how to accomplish

We are setting ourselves up for failure.

And any time we find ourselves in a situation where we are failing

Or appear to be failing

Or feel destined to fail

We are creating stress.

And while stress CAN be a good thing

A necessity to achievement and to growth

This kind of stress is bad.

This kind of stress kills!

A few years ago I attended a conference where a very expensive psychiatrist
told us that the secret to reducing stress is to reduce the gap between our
expectations and reality.

Since we can't change reality ( we can change our perception of reality but that
is another story) this means we must reduce our expectations - not the ticket to
high achievement.

What we need to do is to be realistic in setting our objectives in the first place.

When we are setting objectives ( I really don't like the "Goal" word) which is what
"New Years Resolutions" are we should take careful stock of who and what we
are, what resources we have available and determine what we need to have, do,
and become in order to achieve these objectives.

We should commit to objectives only after we have determined that they are achievable
- with a lot of sincere effort - within the framework of our resources.

So, don't set yourself up for failure.

Examine your resolutions

Examine yourself

Examine your resources

Examine your motives

And then commit to what you are realistically capable of achieving this year.

You can then set long term objectives to be accomplisher in 2, 3, 5, 10 or even
20 years and then take action steps this year to bring you closer to being able
to accomplish them.

On the AODR "Yes I Can" Website, on the "Products" page under "Ecurriculum"
there is a course available entitled, "Setting and Achieving Objectives" and another
course entitled "Know Yourself".

Visit:

http://tinyurl.com/yarthk/products3.php

Either (or both) of these just might be what you need to set and achieve your 2007
"New Years Resolutions" without getting all stressed out.

At any rate I do hope you will resolve to make 2007 your best year ever!

Happy New Year!

Len McNally

PS.

Once again that URL to visit is:

http://tinyurl.com/yarthk/products3.php