I know this holiday season is going to be a pretty stressful one for most people. As Tim said in his post, there are lot of things to be worried about from Wall Street to Main Street these days. We have a lot of various issues to contend with ourselves. Tis the Season, so join the crowd. How we handle our stress will determine just how Happy our Holidays really are. We should not let our fears get the best of us and make us pull back from doing the things we need to do to maintain a healthy lifestyle. We need to find more conservative ways to do some things, just like most Americans are having to do these days. That does not mean we go back to the Value Menu at McDonalds or the lobby vending machine for lunch. It does not mean we cancel our gym membership and stop investing in our fitness equipment for the home and office. You need to take this time to invest in presents for your freinds and family that will help them make healthier decisions. We should invest in their health buy getting them a trial membership at your gym or a local gym, pay for them to attend a class or seminar with you, buy them a bike (so they don't have that as an excuse anymore), a pair of running shoes, enter you both in a local 5k or the entire family in a Marathon Relay, buy them some fitness videos or fitness equipment. Your healthy choices are almost endless this holiday. Start thinking of it as a way to get head start on 2009. Even in these tough times, we want to make 2009 our best year ever.
Invest in a Happy New Year by making Healthy Holiday purchases in 2008.

Here we go again on Wall Street!!

Another down day on Wall Street and a Major Power Outage in my area have only addd to the misgivings people are having about the economy. They do not want to make additional capital expenditures in these tough times. People are nervous about keeping their jobs and paying their bills. The stress is building and building in people and something has to give. We all can only hope and pray that it is not our health. That is why I am recomending to everyone I know to start investing in themselves and their families. What is your GREATEST ASSET??? It's not your house, your jewelry or your fancy car. It's YOUR HEALTH!! (and the health of your immediate family!!) Nothing, I repeat NOTHING is more important than your health. Some may say family, friends, career or some other important thing, but without your health you cannot participate in things like work or church and you may even become a burden on those family members you hold in such high regard. You should not place anything over the health of your family either. Our family members' health is also very important to us, because it impacts us physically, emotionally and financially. An illness in the family could lead to missed days of school or work, which could cause hardship later on down the line. That is why we need to start investing in and for our future!!

We need to invest our capital in better better foods and additional high quality activities. We need to invest our time in exercising and living an active lifestyle!! We need to invest our time and money into education!! We need to invest in courses on healthy cooking/shopping/living. This may seem like a lot to be investing in, but it pales in comparison to the amount of time and money a severe illness can cost you. As the old saying goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound cure!!" We need to start using those ounces of prevention to shed a few extra pounds. The best way to do that is to get to know yourself a little better. What are your strengths and weaknesses?? What do you need to do to be a better husband, father, brother, sister, friend, neighbor, co-worker?? Start answering those questions and you can start to develop a plan for investing in yourself. Work on strengthening your weaknesses and keep an eye out for articles, classes and seminars that could help you.

I can't lie to you, living healthy can be expensive!! Organic and locally produced products are not cheap, so you will have to make an additional capital investment in order to benefit from using these products. Seeing specialists, joining a gym, hiring a personal trainer, taking a weekend cooking class, attending a seminar, getting a massage, aromatherapy or other holistic treatment can also seem to be a financial burder, but in the long run your body and your family will thank you for investing in them. Think about investing in yourself before you reach out to your broker or log on to E-Trade. Better yet, here is a question to ask your broker. What holding in my portfolio is worth more or more important than my health?? Let me know what he or she says to that. (Berkshire Hathaway went up $500 a share today. Would that be more important to you than your own health or the health of your significant other?? Hmmmm!!)
Talk to you soon!!!
Tim C.