Sue Tracy wrote me and asked me to talk about: commitment, follow through, success, failure and the value of muscling though?

Commitment is central to success. When things get tough and they always do, commitment is the only thing that carries me somedays. I just have to do the work. Sounds simple, right? It's not. There is a fantastic book that I read, and re-read when I am in a slump: Do The Work by Steven Pressfield. Commitment requires courage, self confidence and a strong desire to make things work. My motivation to stay committed comes from remembering why I was ever passionate about the task or idea to begin with. It's easy to get lost in the minutia of a task and unless the task is looked upon as part of the greater good, the whole, it...

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What motivates you to exercise? In my case, my jeans are feeling snug these days and I do not like how sluggish I feel because of the extra 10 pounds (okay, 15) I am carrying around. It’s not just the number on the scale, but also the fact that when I look and feel more toned, I feel better about myself and I feel more attractive to my mate. Aside from the obvious health benefits of exercise, there is another reward when you regularly work up a sweat: healthy skin.

Glowing Skin
That post work-out glow? It comes from aerobic exercise which gets the heart pumping and delivering a blast of oxygenated blood to the skin.

Wrinkle Reduction
Regular workouts also helps maintain healthy levels of the stress-related hormone, cortisol. According to Noëlle S. Sherber, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist based in Baltimore, Maryland....

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Each year for the past 10 years, The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit organization that advocates for policies that protect global and individual health releases one of its most valuable pieces of research - A Shoppers' Guide to Pesticides in Produce.

EWG analysts use U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration (USDA) pesticide-residue testing results as a basis for ranking 48 different fruits and vegetables. The total number of pesticides detected on a crop and the percent of samples tested with detectable pesticides are also factored in. Pesticides have been linked to a number of health problems, including certain cancers and lower IQ in children.

The EWG Dirty Dozen are the foods that carry the highest amount of pesticide residue and other toxic agricultural chemicals and should always be purchased organic. Keep in mind when you head to your...

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Diane Nelson asked me: "How does your son inspire you to be ..."

I like that she left the question open ended. On first impulse I was going to write about how my son has inspired me to a better person and I was going to talk about all the things that you might expect me to say as a mom, the lessons I've learned along the way.

Here's how I am going to fill in the blank and address your question, Diane, "How does your son inspire you to be fearless?"

16 years ago today, at 6:08pm, I gave birth to my 7lb 8oz son, John Clark. He's named after my father and my favorite movie character, Clark W. Griswold. Johnny arrived a week early; my water broke the morning after a night of dancing at Polishfest in Milwaukee. My Pitocin induced labor lasted a grand total of 60...

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This question comes from my customer, Lynne F., "How do you find love and patience in steaming situations?"

I'd like to tell you, Lynne, that I just grin and bear it, turn the other cheek or ignore it, but the truth is that unless it's something or someone I love, I have no patience. And even when it is something or someone I love, I have to really work at letting steam roll off of me. I have had to learn how to handle conflict, which is a given in today's world, and not a strength that I posses.

In my business, I tend to personalize things that I should not and I suppose this is the fall-out of being a small business owner with a degree in nursing, rather than a business degree. I am self-taught. But in these situations I must work even harder at being objective and...

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This is The Barefoot Contessa's Shrimp Salad recipe and I've been making it for years. It's the perfect summer salad, easy, delicious and if you keep frozen shrimp on hand in your freezer, it can be whipped up on late notice. Thaw the shrimp quickly by placing them in a colander under cold running water. Fresh dill is best, but dried is fine, too, in a pinch. I add 2 Tbsp. of capers to my recipe because, well, I love capers. I made this salad just last week for a girlfriend and I. I served it with a croissant, fresh fruit, and a glass of Pinot Grigio. This makes a large batch, I usually cut the recipe in half when I make it.

Summer is here and in Wisconsin this means mosquito season has arrived.

I have an all-natural remedy for you that will ward off mosquitoes; it's a blend of essential oils that will naturally repel them. My bug spray is not intended for deep woods, but it will help for backyard protection.

C9SC Bug-Off Essential Oil Blend
Essential Oil Ratio:
50% Citronella
25% Lemongrass
25% Peppermint

To make a 6 oz. spray bottle of Bug-Off Spray:

• Blend 1/2 - 1 oz. of the above essential oils in a glass bottle with a dropper dispenser. Shake well.
• Rinse out and use an old spray bottle, or buy one.
• Using a funneal, fill the bottle with 1/2 cup water,
• Add 1/4 cup Witch Hazel,
• Add a few drops of glycerin. The glycerin gives it holding power, but if you don't have any, just leave it...

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Whenever I need to lose a few pounds (like right now), one of the easiest ways for me to do so is to make exercise a priority and replace one meal a day with a protein drink. I have tried a whole lot of them and most are gag-worthy. Shakeolgy is the best, but Orgain comes very close.

Orgain Organic Protein Plant Based Powder in creamy chocolate fudge flavor is surprisingly awesome. It's from Cosco and the cost is $24 for 27 servings. I whip this up in my blender for lunch and I actually look forward to it. It's delicious, curbs a chocolate craving, and it fills me up. I am not hungry again in an hour.

Lisa's Drop 10 In A Few Weeks Shake
1 1/2  cups unsweetened Almond Milk
2 scoops Orgain Creamy Chocolate Fudge Powder...

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