I Have a new blog! Check out: www.dianafletcher.com/2011

Will You Get the Flu?

It’s on your mind, so let’s talk about it. The Flu.

I would like to point out that it is not a given that you have to get sick every Fall and Winter.

You can significantly reduce your chances of catching colds, the flu, and everything else going around.

If you take care of yourself, you may not get sick at all.

Just so you know, my two daughters had what the doctors assume was the H1N1. We were not invited into the doctor’s office as they are trying to avoid those germs, so it was not verified with a test, but they probably had it.

So, I made sure they got plenty of rest, plenty of liquids, and Tylenol for the headaches. I did end up taking one daughter in to have the doctor listen to her chest, but there was no problem. The fever lasted 4 days, the cough a few days longer, and they are fine.
I never caught it, though I was with them all the time, and in very close contact. There are things you can do to avoid the flu and other sicknesses.

 

1. Make your rest a priority. If you keep going without enough sleep, your body’s defenses will be down and your immune system will not be able to fight off germs. It will take you longer to recover if you do get sick.
2. Get plenty of fresh air. Don’t stay inside all of the time.
   
3. Consider getting a flu shot. I had the flu once when my three children were small and I was miserable. I now get a flu shot every year. I do not get sick. Do the research to decide whether or not you want the swine flu vaccine. Many people of a certain age have already built up immunities to it.
4. Don’t smoke. Just stop it. Yes, you can.
5. Drink tons of water. Hydrate those cells, and flush your body out!
6. Wash your hands often–at least 20 seconds with warm, soapy water. Before cooking, and after touching, well…just about anything.Carry and use liquid hand sanitizer.
7. Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth. The viral infection enters your body’s airways through mucous membranes in the nose, eyes, or mouth. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.(Teach your children to do the same.)
   
8. Banish sneaky germs: According to the November issue of Health magazine, flu germs can live on your cell phone and other everyday items for over 8 hours!  Use disinfectant spray* on your purses, briefcases, cell phones, credit cards (!), your rings,door handles, car steering wheels and desktops. (One suggestion in the article for cleaning cell phones, was Wireless Wipes, $2.95 at WirelessWipes.com. I HAVE not checked these out yet, but will soon.)                                                                                *Disinfectant spray should say it kills 99.9 percent of germs and bacteria, or make your own: 1 part bleach to 20 parts water.

    

9. Get Chiropractic adjustments. Make sure the natural healing messages from  your  brain can get to all the parts of your body!
10. Get exercise.  It will increase lung capacity, and reduce stress. (You know I love that one!)Your body will be stronger.
    
11. Eat your veggies and fruits. Junk food will not offer protection against the onslaught on germs. Don’t weaken your body with sugar and white flour!

12.  Take a multivitamin and Vitamin C daily.

Most importantly, don’t stress about this. If you follow these suggestions, you may not even get sick.

If you do get sick, go to bed, and take good care of yourself. REST. Do not hurry back into your crazy, busy, over-doing-it schedule. Even after the flu symptoms are gone, there could be up to a week or more of residual coughing and fatigue. Many of the complications you hear about are because people tried to resume strenuous schedules too early.

Stressing about any of this will make it worse, and could make you sick.
Take some deep breaths, (outside and away from the sick people and germs) and relax!

I Wish You Could Feel This Energy!

As many of you know, I was in Michigan the weekend of October 3rd for the Michigan’s Next Movie Star Event.

I had such a great time and met some really wonderful people, but the thing that impressed me the most was this: Positive Energy!

The event was being held in Flint, Michigan, not far from Detroit.
Saying things are not good in Michigan may be the understatement
of the year.

BUT, I met some amazing people who want to change all that, and are willing to look for a new way to employ people and give them something to look forward to!

Clemon Crum, of Manifest Productions, held this event to encourage people to step up and try something new–get in on movie making in Michigan.

He was so positive and so upbeat, we couldn’t help but have a great time!
The audience was wonderful and the actors, producer and everyone else
who took part in this just wanted it to be a success! And it  was!
Elizabeth Brady-Marasco,Owner of Brady Events & Planning
Clemon Crum,Owner,ManifestProductions


Actor, Dustin Diamond Lev,Disc Jockey,Flint,93.7

Actors Jordan Hodges,Robert Miano

It really makes you think–if these people, in this economy, can stay happy and upbeat–why can’t everyone try it?

I am not saying that we should ignore reality–
I am saying we should look at reality, and figure out the best way to make things work!
If things aren’t working out for you–look at them differently.

Negative energy creates more negative energy.
And Positive Energy creates more Positive Energy!

You can change your reality, by changing your thoughts.
Really notice what you are thinking about throughout your day.

• Do you beat yourself up and call yourself names?
• Do you think derogatory stuff about other people? Even if you aren’t saying it aloud, it is hurting you.
  
• Do you dismiss creative and positive ideas and insist they won’t work?
• Do you forget to dream?

With dreams and imagination, you can change your world!
Try a change of energy–it feels great!

Want to break into the movies?

Find out how at Flint event By Chad Swiatecki

Flint Journal October 01, 2009,

Clemon Crum thinks it’s time aspiring actors and other film industry talent in the Flint area cashed in on Hollywood’s growing investment in Michigan. Which is what led the Flint resident and entrepreneur to organize Saturday’s “Michigan’s Next Movie Star” showcase and workshop at The Whiting for prospective actors, writers, camera talent and others looking to break onto the silver or small screen.

“Hollywood is coming to Michigan but most of that business is going to Detroit when we could be doing things right here,” said Crum, a co-producer of the event. “It seems like a lot of the reason we’re getting passed over is because there’s not an awareness of what we have here, and a lack of training on the technical side of things. We’re trying to change that.”

For a first foray into nurturing the Flint film economy Crum’s Manifest Productions and Brady Events and Marketing of Grand Blanc have scheduled veteran character actor Robert Miano, television star Dustin Diamond and motivational speaker Diana Fletcher to give presentations about what it takes to achieve a career in the entertainment industry.

Would-be starlets will also get to network with local photographers, prospective agents and other entertainment professionals, and audition for one of several spots in “Happy Deathday,” a horror movie filming in Michigan soon.

Crum secured Miano and Diamond for the event while they were in the Flint area filming “Minor League: A Football Story,” a movie he invested in making. “People will get some real perspective on what it’s like in Hollywood, that you can’t get out of any book or class,” he said. “People will benefit from hearing their stories and the networking opportunities they’ll get.”

Elizabeth Brady Marasco, owner of Brady Events, said she and Crum looked at similar workshop events in Detroit — which had a part in 30 films in the last year versus Flint’s three — to determine what locals needed to hear to help them get a start in front of or behind the camera.

“What really works is getting stars involved so they can share what it takes to do this,” she said. “We expect this will be the first of many events that will educate people about all aspects of the movie industry. We want to establish a baseline level of training in this area so when a movie comes here we have the people they need to make it work.”

While Diamond and Miano will share insights into their careers, Fletcher will help attendees prioritize their lives so venturing out in a new career isn’t so daunting. “When you’re trying something new it can be very exciting but there’s also the chance that we can freeze, your heart starts racing and fear takes over,” said Fletcher, a published author and life coach based out of Pennsylvania who centers most of her presentations on learning to handle and reduce stress.

“With something as unique as pursuing an acting career, there’s the chance that other people won’t understand something that’s so out of the mainstream or have an idea that going to auditions isn’t really working. Handling that all comes back to eating right and taking care of yourself, so you can deal with the stresses that come from striking out on a new career.”

Be aware of stress to manage it BY Christy Strawser SPECIAL TO THE Detroit FREE PRESS

Sandra Finkel has heard all the excuses for racing through life.  But she doesn’t buy them.

Finkel, who holds a master’s degree in public health and works as the manager of stress management services for the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center, said one simple lesson can benefit nearly everyone: If you can’t control it, don’t get upset about it. “Shift focus, and be aware of how you’re reacting,” Finkel said. “Discern whether it is something within your control. That defuses a lot of stress.”

So, the first step toward conquering stress is awareness. Here are more tips: Set up a schedule. Create one that includes everything you need to do, but doesn’t leave time for anything unproductive. Include work, family time, whatever would lead to a more fulfilling life. Make it easier by putting weekly errands into one or two blocks of time and turning off the BlackBerry and television during set hours.

“A lot of superficial, time-wasting stuff doesn’t have room when your schedule is full of things you want to do,” Finkel said. Learn to say no. Make no excuses for being selfish with your time. Saying no to requests to organize a fund-raiser or bake five dozen cupcakes may seem selfish, but could pay off for your health.

“Stress has been shown to increase a lot of risk factors, cholesterol, blood pressure, inflammation in the arteries, belly fat,” Finkel said. “What do people do behaviorally when they’re stressed? They overeat, drink or smoke.

” Quiet time. Diana Fletcher, a Pittsburgh author and life coach, advises that people spend 15 minutes a day sitting quietly. “The problem is that we never stop,” Fletcher said. “We are always so busy trying to keep up with this crazy world — but we just can’t.”

Be in the moment. Feeling scattered in different directions is one of the major reasons people feel stressed, so decide to focus on what’s in front of you. Finkel recommends meditation as a way to learn to live in the moment, which requires sitting still for a few moments and clearing your mind. Focusing on the present is an especially good tip for the legions of metro Detroiters who are out of work, Finkel said.

She said a recent study showed people experience more stress if they’re working and worried about losing their job than after they’ve been laid off, which means uncertainty is a bigger stress inducer than joblessness.

Exercise. When you feel overwhelmed, remember exercise is a wonderful stress reliever. Walking, riding a bike, swimming, dancing to the radio or skipping rope, even for just 15 minutes, releases feel-good endorphins. “It gives energy, it doesn’t sap it,” Finkel said.

Michigan Film Incentive Brings Great Opportunities as a Dynamic Event is About to Take Place!

Former Michigander, Motivational Speaker and Stress Reducing Expert, Diana Fletcher Speaks Out to Help with the Transition into an Exciting New Industry

Diana Fletcher Life Coach and Stress Reducing Expert, announces today that she will be one of the speakers at the upcoming Michigan’s Next Movie Star event on Saturday, October 3, 2009 at the Whiting in Flint, MI.

Having been born and raised in a suburb of Detroit, Dearborn Heights, Diana is excited to get back to her roots and help her former neighbors with the transition from being an auto industry based state to a movie industry based state.

The economic times have put a strain on the auto industry in Michigan and now it is time to look ahead to new opportunities, one being the incentive package made available to the film industry.

In 2008 alone, 37 movies were made bringing in approximately $120 million in revenue for the state of Michigan. Included was between $50 and $60 million paid to Michigan residents who worked on those films.

“Besides someone having a passion of working in the film industry and now having the opportunity, I think we are excited about the extra revenue the movie making industry is bringing to the state. But with change comes fear and stress,” Diana says, “and I plan on speaking at this event to help those attending overcome their feeling of fear, and help them find the joy in trying something new and exploring new careers.”

“Our hopes are that Michigan’s Next Movie Star will help catapult the interest and excitement in Michiganders, and I am here to help with the emotional transition,” says Diana.

Other speakers will include actor Dustin Diamond best known as Screech on Saved by the Bell; actor Robert Miano who has played in hundreds of films, but most recently, Fast and the Furious 4; and Joel Reisig a writer/actor/comedian/producer best known for his role in the film Fraternity House; each offering their secret tricks of the trade.

ABOUT DIANA FLETCHER: Diana is a Stress Reducing Coach, Author and Motivational Speaker and an expert at helping people reduce stress to achieve optimal health. For more information visit http://www.DianaFletcher.com.

Stay Here! It Can be Really Relaxing!

Here is a wonderful stress reducing strategy:

(Warning: It can work really, really well but can be difficult to do.)

*IT IS definitely worth it!

You need to force yourself to be totally in the present.

I say force because that is actually what you have to do. After awhile, you will be able to do it more easily, but in the beginning, your mind will want to run away. Your mind will not want to sit still for you!

Reading this article, be right here. Do not think about what you will do next or what you just finished doing.

Be totally here, reading every word and understanding every word.

Not so easy, but doesn’t it feel good? You can feel yourself relaxing if you totally focus on right now.

Take a deep breath in through your nose as you close your eyes. Think about how good it feels to fill your lungs with oxygen. Imagine the oxygen being delivered to every cell and every part of your body.

Now, breathe out through your mouth. Blow the air out, to totally empty all the stale air that was lingering inside you.

Feel how good your life is right now, in this minute, in this second.

Breathe.

Be in the moment.

Aaahhh. The present is all you have.

Enjoy it.

If You Want to Change, You May Have to Deal With Discomfort!

We know this on one level, yet deep down inside, we hope that it isn’t true.  This is why the diet ads, the diet pills, the “magic” exercise machines sell. We want to change–we just don’t want to feel uncomfortable while we are changing!

I love the ads that say, “eat whatever you want and lose weight!”  What the what?

That doesn’t even make sense! Were people always like this? Did people always want the easy way?

I am not saying that everything has to be difficult. I often think we make things harder than they have to be, but we also want things to be really, really, easy, or we give up.

I think it comes down to this–no one wants to be uncomfortable.  We want the perfect temperature, the perfect weather, the perfect relationship, the perfect friendship, and it just isn’t always possible.

Sometimes life is uncomfortable. Sometimes, even the people we love can make us uncomfortable.

Our lives can sometimes get complicated and uncomfortable.

And change, or the attempt to change, makes us really, really uncomfortable.

I often warn people who are trying to make healthy changes that this could be very uncomfortable. Whether the change is to build a routine of exercise into their lives, to change their eating habits, or to reduce their stress, it can feel very awkward.  And not just for them–for the people around them, too.

It is important to keep focused on what you want in the long run.  If you keep that picture in front of you, of what you want your life to look like, what you yourself want to look like, you can weather the discomfort.

In the case of Stress Reduction, a technique may be to make a list of the goals: Better sleep, sharper thinking, more calmness, less colds, better relationships, clearer skin, and a happier life.

For weight loss, displaying pictures of the look you want to have, or the clothes you want to wear, can be extremely helpful.

For someone trying to build exercise into their life, a calendar or chart to track their progress with stars can be a really fun visual to use. Signing up for a race whether it is a walking, running or biking race, can help keep the goal in mind.

If you can visualize where you want to be, when the changes feel uncomfortable, you can remind yourself of the reason you are making the changes.  You need to keep the end goal in sight.

Other people can be very uncomfortable when we make changes. There are a lot of reasons for this.

It is sometimes threatening in some way, there may be jealousy, or it may put them out and change their schedule. Again, you need to keep the end game in sight.

If you are making changes that will make you happier, better your life and your health, and you are not hurting anyone, you have to keep going. No matter who is uncomfortable!

Even a Stress-Reducing Expert Feels Stressed Sometimes!

I am the expert. I help people reduce their stress all the time, yet here I am, having to coach myself! I am feeling stressed!

I have speeches coming up which I love doing. That isn’t the part that is causing me stress.  It’s all the prep, and going out of town! I have to make sure that all my handouts are ready and the family is prepared for me being gone. That is stressful.  Am I forgetting anything? Are there appointments people need to get to? Will my husband be here on time? My house is a mess! And I am not quite sure what I will wear for the speech tomorrow, and have to pack in a couple hours!

I am taking some time to breathe and meditate this morning. It’s not that I have a lot of time to do this–it’s that I know I need to do this. When we feel we have no time, that is the signal that you have to stop, and make time. No matter what.

So in the midst of chaos, I will turn on some soothing music, sit quietly and try to concentrate on my breathing. I will add some yoga poses. As I write this, I can actually feel a part of me relax. I will reassure myself that everything that needs to get done will get done. Because it always does. And if something gets forgotten or left behind, as long as it isn’t a child (!), we will all survive.

I know this will work, because, after all, I am the expert! 🙂

Huge Time Waster and Stress Inducer!

Huge Time Waster: Looking for Things!

An easy way to create space in your day is to stop wasting time looking for objects.

How much time do you waste looking for the same items, every day, over and over? Keys, cell phone, Blackberry, etc.  How much time do you spend looking for what you need every time you start a project or task? What a waste of time! You go to do some cleaning, and you left your supplies in another room. You are ready to start a job fixing something, and you cannot find the tools you need to start, let alone finish. You go into your office and nothing is where you thought you left it.

Stop. It’s time to get organized. Break the organizing into small steps and do it once and for all.

• Decide on a place for items like keys, phone, etc. and always keep them there. Sounds simple, but so many of us do not follow this rule, and we spend way too much time looking for lost items and getting frantic on our way out the door. •
• Children and students need to find one spot for their backpacks and school supplies. Every night, backpacks, lunches and projects can be put in the same place, preferably near the door, so there is no last minute freaking out before the day even begins. •
• Think of the trouble spots. Where do you get slowed down the most? Start with the one that bothers you the most, and go to that area. Buy containers and boxes to hold supplies. Keep them in the same place, all the time, with warnings like DO NOT TOUCH if you anticipate problems. (My children always used to take my tape and scissors. I now hide them.)
• If you are overwhelmed, there are professional organizers who do this work. They are able to help you “zero in” on the trouble spots and give you good, solid suggestions on how to become more organized. Once you have your tools and supplies in place for all projects, and your phone and keys in a regular “home,” you will save huge amounts of time.