Read This First Before You Shovel That Snow!
Old Man Winter - did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or what?
All over the country, and the world for that matter, unsuspecting good citizens have been blasted with pile after pile of snow. The white stuff has made a starring appearance this year, more so then I can ever remember. Now, living in Virginia, it hasn't been so bad here. But the Northeast has been pounded. On a day when we did get quite a bit, I went outside to shovel my driveway. I think I would rather have run a marathon. The next day, I felt like I had been shoved in the washing maching on the imaginary "wring" cycle. Which led me to wonder - shovelling snow? Really? Am I a wimp, or is this more dangerous than I thought?
Answer - it was more dangerous then I thought. Each year, shoveling and snow-blower injuries result in more than 100,000 serious emergency room visits in North America. Some are just old injuries which are aggravated. But much more are very, very serious. Some suffer heart attacks and even death. We tend to think of snow as light and fluffy. But when it builds up, it becomes very heavy. Not to mention the fact that we repeat the same motion over and over again. All that upper body usage is something our bodies may not be used to, even in the fittest human beings. We don't think of snow shovelling as an exercise, and a heavy one at that. This is where we make a big mistake.
So what can we do? Well, for one, stretch and warm up BEFORE you go outside. Just like before any other strenuous activity, you need to warm your muscles up to prevent any strains or injuries. Another good tip is to layer your clothes. It may be cold outside, but you're going to heat up fast from all that bending and lifting. It's better to dress in layers that you can peel off as you go along. Also, make sure you keep water nearby. Yes, I know it's 17 degrees outside. But, as with any other exercise, you need to hydrate. Do NOT partake of any nicotine or caffeine, i.e. smoke a cigarette or drink a cup of coffee. This will cause your heart to work faster, which is the last thing you need.
Another important item to pay attention to is your technique. Many experts recommend pushing the snow rather than lifting. If you do have to lift, bend at the knees and step in the direction that you are shovelling. Don't forget to breathe. If you feel out of breath, stop until you can catch your breath. Sometimes it's a good idea to break the work up - for instance, clear one half of the driveway and then clear the other. Another great idea is to share the work with a partner. Maybe you can shovel half and then they can clear the other half. This is a great way to get the job done.
I have loads of clients that come in to me with injuries right around a heavy snowfall, and when I ask how it happened, nine times out of ten shovelling snow is the culprit. Now, I'm not saying don't shovel when it does snow. It's a necessity, obviously. But if you know the right techniques, are aware of the dangers, and take precautions, it can be a lot less scary. Don't forget after shovelling - try taking a hot epsom salt bath to keep those muscles nice and loose. Also, don't forget to book your massage the next morning. And if you're in the Richmond area, call me for the job. 
Be safe, and thanks for reading.
Gratitude - Wherefore Art Thou?
As I was cleaning the house the other day, I had "House Hunters" on the TV in the background. Now, for those of you who aren't familiar with House Hunters, the program takes a family or an individual who is looking for a new house and presents them with three houses to choose from, of which they eventually pick one in the end. This particular family was shopping in Atlanta, Georgia. They had a budget of about $1.3 million, and were ideally looking for a three car garage, as well as basement room, for their three children. The third house they looked at was beautiful, with a basement the size of my whole house combined. Upon reaching the garage, the wife looked around and said, "Is this a two car garage?", to which the real estate agent replied, "Yes, it is". The wife looked at her husband, crossed her arms, and said, "Now, THAT's a deal breaker".
A deal breaker? I was in disbelief. The house had everything they wanted, and it was bigger than my house and my neighbor's houses combined. But because they couldn't fit a third car in the garage - it was a no go.
I thought about this and thought about this, and for some reason, it really irritated me. It got me thinking about what we are used to in this fast, easy world, and what we take for granted. Now, before I go any further - I need to put out a disclaimer here, that I will end up sounding like a whiney old fuddy duddy. You know the type - "In my day", blah blah blah. But really folks - have gratitude and humility completely been thrown out the window? As an American who has lived in another country before, I am painfully aware of the image that is portrayed to other countries about the lot of us - and of course, this is just a stereotype, but stereotypes ring true for a reason. We are seen as convenience driven, wasteful, and above all, just not understanding how lucky we are. It's not just Americans who are seen this way either - really it's the entire Western world.
It's not our fault. First off, we do become accustomed to what we have. I know I do. If the drycleaning shop isn't open or the card shop opens at ten and not nine, look out! Our convenience has become our downfall. Also, we are accustomed to getting bigger and better things over time - upgrading, if you will. We hear it all the time. "I need that new phone". Well, you really don't NEED it. Unless yours has broken. You WANT it, sure. But you don't NEED it. Either way, we are all guilty of wanting more, and that's ok. But what happens when you get it? Gratitude, and genuine gratitude at that, are your next step.
My husband and I just bought a new house, and you had better believe I give thanks every day. Perhaps not out loud or in front of people, but all the same, I give thanks. I have a house, a car, and a career. Sometimes work can be up and down and I panic in the down times. All the same, I always try to show gratitude. You see, many believe that in giving gratitude, you are like a magnet, attracting positive energy as opposed to negative energy. The more you give thanks, the more you will have to give thanks for. I'm not talking about winning the lottery or drastic measures like that. It's the small things, building up over time, that you will notice.
What am I grateful for? A roof over my head. Good friends. Supportive family. My beautiful cats. The woods in my backyard. A car to get me to work everyday. A job that I need a car to get me to work everyday. Going out to breakfast with my husband. Everything, big and small, is included. Don't get me wrong, I'm not perfect. There are times when I am down and I stamp and pout and get angry about things that didn't go my way. I find that when I am in a state of thankfulness, even if things aren't going quite so well, it really does improve not only my mental state, but my physical state as well. I feel so much better when I have that overwhelming state of yes, things are going pretty good right now. Pitfalls are normal. It's how you get out of them that counts. That is a definite work in progress for me. Recognizing that is half the battle.
So remember - try to be thankful, as much as you can, for the little and the big things in life. It can really change your perspective on the world. Now....if I could just not fall asleep so early at night....then I would be eternally grateful.
Non-Profit Giving - Try It This Holiday Season!
One of my favorite sites is The Greater Good Network. The Greater Good Network features lots of different websites inside their own website. You can literally pick and choose which charity you want to support. Do you love animals? Try shopping at The Animal Rescue Site (www.theanimalrescuesite.com). As well as featuring their own "Purple Paw" products on anything from sweatshirts to mugs to jewelry, they also feature an array of items from around the world. You can find beautiful handbags handmade in Tibet, kitty wine stoppers, recycled ornaments, huge Buddha statues for your garden.....I can't think of anyone where I couldn't find something for them here. Your purchase goes to feed shelter animals. The donation varies by website. The Hunger Site pays for food for malnourished people in countries around the world. The Breast Cancer Site pays for free mammograms for needy women. The Literacy Site gives free books - you get the idea. When I shop at these websites, I truly feel that I am giving more than just a handbag or a plant holder - I am giving so much more.
The best part is, on The Greater Good Network, you don't actually have to buy anything to help. If you click once a day on the homepage button on any site of your choice, they will donate from that site to those that need it. For instance, if you go to the Animal Rescue Site and click on the button, they will donate one bowl of food to shelter animals. Easy peasy! This idea has been copied over the years by many non-profit organizations. On www.thenonprofits.com, they have a comprehensive list of many non-profits worldwide. All you have to do is point, click, and you have made a difference. What a simple way to do a little bit of good - imagine if everyone clicked everyday. What a snowball effect we could create!
Another great place to shop is The Non-Profit Shopping Mall (www.nonprofitshoppingmall.com). This site is a little different from The Greater Good Network. You still choose your favorite charity first (they range from the ASPCA to The Surfrider Foundation to EarthShare). The difference with the NPSM is that they allow you to shop at websites you would normally shop at, instead of having their own special suppliers and products. You can shop Target, The National Geographic Store, Nordstrom, Staples, and Best Buy, to name a few. All of the retailers and/or service providers listed on the site pay a commission to NPSM for sales that originate through the NPSM website. NPSM then donates a significant portion of those payments to the nonprofit selected by the consumer. The percentage noted beneath each retailer's logo represents the percentage of each consumer's purchase that is donated to the consumer's designated nonprofit. That percentage varies from retailer to retailer, and is fully disclosed on our website, along with direct links to the retailers' sites. (http://nonprofitshoppingmall.com/info/faq/#q2).
So before you just shop at any website this holiday season, why not try these two first? And they aren't the only ones; there are loads of websites online that give to good causes from consumer purchases. The economy is low right now and times are rough; it's not always easy to give as much as we would like to. But these websites make it so easy to give from gifts that we were going to buy in the first place. What a joy to know that we are making a difference simply by shopping. Try buying gifts with purpose this holiday season; it will do you, and the rest of the world, a world of good.
