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Broken In Plain Sight nominated for The Henri

Posted by Bridgette L. Collins on September 9, 2012 at 4:53pm

Everywhere you go these days, the mental health of our community seems to be a primary subject and concern. We have finally come to grips with the fact that not all of our problems are financial and social. Some of our problems are borne of unspoken misery and unresolved pain.

That’s why I published a book earlier this year filled with healthy living tips for the mind, body and soul. “Broken In Plain Sight” provides a perfectly crafted fictional, highly imaginative platform that proves that love is the common denominator to vibrancy and healing. The novel-like feel works to illustrate the underlying reasons for unhealthy lifestyle habits and offers practical and innovative solutions for living healthier. In its fictional, diet-guide like format, the book exposes the struggles, secrets, and corruption within an African American family and their journey to find love, truth, and healing.

Now, six months later, my new book, “Broken In Plain Sight”, has been nominated to receive The Henri at The 2012 Christian Literary Awards in November 2012. See for yourself why it was nominated and purchase your copy today. In order to take home this prestigious award, I need your vote! If you liked my book, I would greatly appreciate if you would take a minute and vote for it.

Just visit http://www.awards.joyandcompany.org/about. You’ll need to create an account, then after receiving your password, you’ll need to “Login” and follow the prompts which include clicking “2012 AWARDS” and selecting READER'S CHOICE to CAST YOUR VOTE for “Broken In Plain Sight” in the Fiction Category. Voting will close on September 30^th. Please tell your family and friends to vote!!!

Broken in Plain Sight is engaging, entertaining and enlightening. It’s available at Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well as Kindle and Nook. Too many of us are broken in plain sight and don’t have to be!

Thank you in advance your support and vote!!!

Bridgette

CEO Blueprint to Optimum Work-life Balance

Posted by Tangela Davis on April 17, 2011 at 2:18pm

CREATING A BLUEPRINT FOR OPTIMUM WORK-LIFE BALANCE
by Tangela M. Davis
B-Alert System by "The Power of Focus", Jack Canfield, Mark Hansen, Les Hewitt

“When you work, work, and when you play, play. Don’t get the two mixed up!”

You are going to walk away from this article a little more enriched in how to manage a healthier and more balanced lifestyle.” I, like some of you, may sometimes feel that you are Superman or Superwoman. “You rise early in the morning and work long hours, say you are going home to be with family and end up taking your work home with you and work even longer hours."

My topic for our April Newsletter is “Creating A Blueprint for Optimum Work-life Balance.” Do you relate to the following scenario... You rise early in the morning, no later than 6:00 am, drink 2-3 cups of coffee before you start your day, work hard all day including skipping lunch, maybe tell yourself you are going to spend time with family and will arrive home at a reasonable hour; however, you end up working later or taking work home with you and sometimes working into the wee hours.” This is becoming more and more common as people struggle to find a healthy balance in their lives. Often times greater pressures are on women, who work full time building a career or business, still expected to cook, clean and somehow cater to her family’s needs. In the mix, you lose site of taking care of yourself. Let me assure you, there is a better way and there are people who have achieved optimum balance in their daily lives. Let me share a story with you. Let’s take John and Jennifer who have been married for 15 years with two kids. Jennifer started her own business six years ago (a health spa center). This family takes annual vacations. At least six weeks off for fun every year. John and Jennifer had parents with strong values that influenced their habits growing up. An important value they learned was “If you are going to do a job, do it to the best of your ability.” Another strong value learned was saving and investing. By the time they were married, they both had a savings plan in place and they were able to maximize hetheir joint savings plan. At work, Jennifer has a first-class personal assistant who allows her to focus on what she does best. She does not get caught up in unnecessary paperwork and rises early to kick-off her day. She rarely arrives home later than 6pm. At the beginning of the year Jennifer and John sit down and plan their personal and family goals. This includes scheduling time for vacation and mini-breaks. Twice a year Jennifer enjoys a long weekend away with her Mastermind Group to enjoy skiing.

Everyone, here is the million dollar question, “Do you enjoy a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle, doing work that you love, and that gives you an excellent financial return and allows you to have significant time off to pursue your other interest?” The answer is either “Yes” or “No.”

If your answer is “No”, let me introduce you to the B-ALERT System. If you check the dictionary for the word alert it reads “At the ready, mindful, using intelligence, on guard, conscious, and prepared.” Being at the ready every day and using intelligence will keep you mindful of your priorities and your state of balance. When you are truly alert you are more conscious of what is going on. Now what is the opposite of alert? Mindless, unprepared, unconscious, off-guard and stupid! If you had choice which side of the scale would you like to sit on?

“Every well-built house started with a definite plan in the form of blueprints.” – Napoleon Hill

B is for Blueprint– This is how you prepare for your day. You do prepare don’t you? A blueprint is simply a map for the day. There are two options for preparing your blueprint for the day. Either do it the night before or early the next morning before your day has started. You only need an extra ten to fifteen minutes to do this. Set specific time limits for your appointments. Also give over what projects must be worked on, and determine if you have reserved enough time to deal with them. It’s important to have your own blueprint recording system. Create one that works for you. For best results, keep it simple.

“The one thing that separates winners from losers is, winners take action!” – Anthony Robbins

A is for Action– When it comes to reviewing your results, the amount of action you put into your day will directly determine your score. You probably have already noticed, there is a major difference between being busy and taking specific, well-planned action. You can have a busy day with nothing to show for it. You didn’t move closer to accomplishing you goals. The day passed you by. You allowed little emergencies or yourself to be interrupted to many times during the day. Concentrate on the activities that produce the greatest results for you. Set limits on what you will and will not do. Delegate effectively, and be alert to stepping outside your boundaries. When you are on vacation or having a day off for fun, your action is to simply enjoy yourself.

There are essentially two things that will make you wiser – The books you read and the people you meet. – Charles “Tremendous” Jones

L is for Learning– Another well-balanced day includes taking time to expand your knowledge. Develop the habit of reading at least twenty to thirty minutes in the morning. It’s a great way to start your day. What should you read? Anything that is stimulating, challenging or that gives you an edge in your industry or profession. What ever you do, avoid digesting any negative portions of the newspaper or internet. Thousands of books reveal the lives of interesting and successful people, from sports, stars and celebrities to adventurers, entrepreneurs and great leaders. There is a wealth of ideas in these books waiting to be absorbed by anyone with a little curiosity and desire to do better. Turn your car into a learning center. AudioCDs are one the most productive ways to expand your awareness. Tuning in for twenty minutes a day will give you over 100 hours per year to learn more. Finally, you can learn a lot more by observing and studying other people. What do wealthy people do? How did they become rich? Another idea for learning is to invite a successful person out to lunch every month – someone you really respect and admire. Drag the lunch out, the more courses the better. Ask questions. You’ll uncover a wealth of information.

“Having all the money in the world isn’t much good if you can hardly get out of bed in the morning to enjoy it.” – Author Unknown

E is for Exercise– I hear the “Oh Nos”. Do you want to be rich in health? Creating an excellent balance in your life means you don’t treat your health lightly. A little daily exercise is part of the prescription. About twenty minutes is all you need. One of the easiest ways to exercise is to enjoy a brisk walk. If you take fifteen minutes and walk around the block a few times, your body will thank you. If you take a forty-five minute walk four days a week you can lose up to 18lbs over the course of a year, without dieting.

Exercising improves your sleeping habits.
Exercising increases your energy levels.
Exercising relieves stress and anxiety.
Exercising protects you against injury.
Exercising promotes a health posture.
Exercising relieves digestive disorders.
Exercising enhances your self-image.
Exercising expands your longevity.

A final thought on good health. Make it a study. Find out more about your metabolism and how to optimize the magnificent vehicle you have been given.

“Oh, to be free from the stifling pressures of life – to rest, a peaceful slumber that will rejuvenate my soul. – Les Hewitt

R is for Relaxing– This is the time to recharge your batteries during the day. Take a TPM. Twenty-five Peaceful Minutes. You may understand it as taking a nap. In warmer climates, a siesta is a normal part of the day. When you were a young child, your mother probably put you down for nap after lunch. As an adult, why not do the same. It’s good for you. You’re probably thinking, you are crazy, I don’t have enough time as it is without snoozing the afternoon away. Let me assure you that the most progressive and profitable organizations realize that a highly productive workforce is not achieved by pushing people until they drop from exhaustion. This doesn’t mean you need to lower your performance standards. Consider a TPM when you arrive home from the office. If you can plan a TPM for yourself before you switch roles, it will give you a chance to catch your breath, relax and mentally ready to focus on the family. If you plan to take one day off per week, make sure it’s a full 24 hours. Call it fun-time. This means the entire 24 hours you do nothing business related. If you have worked long, hard hours all week, you deserve a break to re-energize.

“If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.” – Peace Pilgrim

T is for Thinking– If you want to have unusual clarity about what is working and what is not working in your life, schedule time for reflective thinking. At the end of your workday, or just before you go to bed, take a few minutes to take a mental snapshot of the day. Regard each day as a mini-movie with you as the star. How did you do? Rerun the CD and take another look. What did you do well? Focus daily on the progress you made. Be alert to any shortcomings, but don’t beat yourself up. Learn from your mistakes. Make reflection a daily habit. It only takes a few minutes, and it will make you stronger and wiser in the weeks and months ahead.

In conclusion, would you enjoy a better balance in your life if you had a clear blueprint for the day, were able to stay focused on your most important activities, maximized your energy and clarity with a little exercise and reflective thinking, and had some time off for fun? The answer is obvious. Of course you would! Make the effort and leverage the B-Alert System. Remember excellent balance will greatly enrich your mind, body and spirit, not to mention your relationships and bank account!

A New Year… A New Decade… A New Strategy… A New You!

Posted by Bridgette L. Collins on January 3, 2010 at 10:20pm

If you’re like most people, each year, you lay out your strategic plan for living healthier. Once the year starts, the plan starts to change. Despite the best intentions, you can't always anticipate how life’s challenges, demands, obligations and relationships will change what you’ve outlined for implementing healthier lifestyle habits. So, what’s the solution for staying on track in 2010? You have to lay out a general plan but also have a targeted lifestyle infrastructure in place. That’s what you’ll need to make sure you’re able to adapt as internal and external priorities and initiatives change.For those times when you become overwhelmed and frustrated with thoughts, feelings and activities that revolve around a busy schedule, a stressful job, a contract that ended unexpectedly or didn’t materialize, a ministry that is stalled, the rumors of job layoffs, an unfulfilled relationship, a pending divorce, the memories of an unresolved past, a medical condition, and/or a mountain of bills to contend with–you must have a strategic plan in place that addresses them without impacting your follow-through. If you don’t, the idea of eating healthier and exercising will inevitably and continuously be placed on the back burner. There will never be enough time in the day to exercise or prepare a home cooked meal, get a sufficient amount of sleep, drink the appropriate levels of water, or get that much needed annual physical examination.Now is the time for you to sit down at your kitchen table and focus your attention on how you’re going to maintain consistency with living healthier in 2010. The road to a healthier you begins with the following four tasks: (1) conducting a self-examination of those things that challenged you in 2009, (2) developing a strategic plan for how you’re going to align living healthier with new pursuits and challenges, (3) implementing your strategic plan that outlines specific goals, and (4) routinely conducting a self-evaluation to identify areas for improvement. You must proactively leverage your living healthier initiatives to protect your strategic plan from the threats presented by life’s uncertainties and distractions.One of the most important transactions you’ll make in 2010 will be to develop, and implement your strategic plan, and to evaluate it routinely to ensure you remain focused on achieving your healthy living goals all year long.This health and fitness message is provided for your consideration only. It is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about your specific health and fitness needs.

Behind the Scenes: The Healthcare Crisis

Posted by Bridgette L. Collins on April 19, 2009 at 7:05pm

According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease (primarily heart disease and stroke), cancer, and diabetes are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems. They are considered preventable because they are tied to our lifestyle choices. Choices that we have the power to control.Each waking day our lives are filled with messages that cause us to think about and encourage us to live healthier. We see them on T.V., hear them on the radio, read them in the newspaper or our favorite magazines – they even pop up while we’re surfing the Internet. And there’s a reason why these messages are so prevalent. It’s because our neighborhoods, our communities, our cities, our states and our nation are saturated with disease and illness that have our healthcare system in a financial bind.The CDC states that the medical care costs of people with chronic diseases account for more than 75% of the nation’s $2 trillion medical care costs. The bottom is, we all have the power of choice and it’s our responsibility to implement it not only for ourselves, but for those in our lives, to include the neighborhoods, communities, states and nation that our unhealthy lifestyles will impact.So, how are you going to respond to these messages? You see them. You hear them. They’re everywhere. Hopefully, you’ll respond by implementing change in your life. For months during President Obama’s campaign trail, we heard a message that resonated throughout this country. ‘Yes we can!’ It was a statement of possibility, a statement of hope, a statement that caused us all to believe. Well, that statement doesn’t have to end with President Obama’s campaign trail. You can make it your own by saying ‘Yes I can!’ You can even add to it and say, ‘Yes, I can change and make better choices!’Our leaders are working on legislation to help families make ends meet, as well as to address not only our economy and other issues, but our healthcare crisis. With all of the changes that are underway, though, it’s critical that we do our part. And we can start with our health and fitness.Just think about the following comment I recently heard from a lady. ‘I never made the connection of my lifestyle habits and the healthcare crisis until recently. Now, I think about my father who recently had a massive heart attack that costs somebody – Medicare, insurance company, etc. – over $150,000. I think about the costs associated with my debilitating arthritis which primarily stems from my excess body weight. I think about my cousin’s stroke that caused paralysis on her left side. I think more and more about how our unhealthy lifestyle habits were contributing factors that led to our health predicaments.’Take the time to figure out how you’re going to respond to the messages you’re seeing and hearing. Yes, you can change!This health and fitness dialogue is provided for your consideration only. It is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about your specific health and fitness needs.Fitness coach Bridgette Collins is the author of Destined to Live Healthier and Imagine Living Healthier. For general health and fitness questions, please feel free to visit www.BridgetteCollins.com or email Coach Collins at Bridgette@bridgettecollins.com.

Living Healthier in the Midst of Uncertainty

Posted by Bridgette L. Collins on March 1, 2009 at 4:23am

At a time when the world is reeling from the worst financial collapse since the Great Depression, most people are experiencing an economic recession that will undoubtedly have an impact on their lives in 2009. Each day we hear about companies failing, industries needing government assistance, retailers struggling, increased joblessness, housing foreclosures, and more. Even more overwhelming and frustrating are our daily thoughts, feelings and activities that revolve around a busy schedule, a stalled business, a stressful job, a contract that ended unexpectedly or didn’t materialize, the rumors of job layoffs, an unfulfilled relationship, a pending divorce, the memories of an unresolved past, a medical condition, a mountain of bills, and so much more. All of which have the potential to stifle our desires and intentions to implement and/or sustain healthier lifestyle habits. So, how do you plan to address your desire to live healthier in the midst of a life full of hassles, demands, obligations, and uncertainty? Which lifestyle habits will you try to spend more time on? What will you decrease spending on to live healthier?As you began to sift through those thoughts and feelings about how your life has been and will be impacted by the state of the world and your personal circumstances, and those actions you intend to modify in 2009, don’t put off evaluating those related to healthier lifestyle habits. It’s no secret that when you have so many feelings, thoughts, interests, and activities vying your attention, the idea of exercising or eating healthier will inevitably and continuously be placed on the back burner. There is never time enough time in the day to exercise or prepare a home cooked meal, get a sufficient amount of sleep, drink the appropriate levels of water, or get that much needed annual physical examination. Are you one of those people?Now is the time for you to sit down at your kitchen table and focus on how you’re going to achieve the following three important tasks related to living healthier: (1) conduct a self-examination of those things that challenge you everyday, (2) develop a plan for how you’re going to align living healthier with your pursuits and challenges, and (3) implement your plan that will help to alleviate a continuum of poor lifestyle choices. The one thing you have to your advantage is the power of choice; taking responsibility for your actions and learning that your faith, determination, and perseverance are necessary for overcoming your challenges, rearranging your priorities, and embracing healthier lifestyle habits. One of the most important transactions you’ll make in 2009 will be to live healthier in the midst of it all.This health and fitness dialogue is provided for your consideration only. It is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about your specific health and fitness needs.Fitness coach Bridgette Collins is the author of Imagine Living Healthier and Destined to Live Healthier, two entertaining and inspiring books that uses fictional stories to illuminate familiar patterns and truths about common lifestyle habits. For more information about Bridgette L. Collins (Coach Collins) and her books, go to http://www.BridgetteCollins.com.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.