http://richhabits.net/will-your-child-be-rich-or-poor/

Will Your Child be Rich or Poor? 15 Poverty Habits Parents Teach Their Children

When I travel the country speaking to high school and college students about exactly what they need to do to become financially successful in life I always begin my presentation by asking three questions:

“How many want to be financially successful in life?”

“How many think they will be financially successful in life?”

Almost every time I ask the first two questions every hand rises in the air. Then I ask the magic third question:

“How many have taken a course in school on how to be financially successful in life?”

Not one hand rises in the air, ever. Clearly every student wants to be successful and thinks they will be successful but none have been taught by their parents or their school system how to be financially successful in life. Not only are there no courses on basic financial success principles but there are no structured courses teaching basic financial literacy. We are raising our children to be financially illiterate and to fail in life. Is it any wonder that most Americans live paycheck to paycheck? That most Americans accumulate more debt than assets?  That many Americans lose their homes when they lose their job? Is it any wonder that most Americans cannot afford college for their children and that student loan debt is now the largest type of consumer debt?  

What’s worse is what our children are being taught by their parents, the school system, politicians and the media. They are teaching our children that the wealthy are corrupt, greedy, have too much wealth and that this wealth needs to be redistributed. What kind of a message do you think that sends to America’s future generation? It is teaching them that seeking financial success by pursuing the American Dreams is a bad thing. The Occupy Wall Street movement was a manifestation of this “wealth is bad and needs to be redistributed “mindset. . 

Here are some statistics from my five-year study on the daily habits that separate the wealthy from the poor?

1. 72% of the wealthy know their credit score vs. 5% of the poor
2. 6% of the wealthy play the lottery vs. 77% of the poor
3. 80% of the wealthy are focused on at least one goal vs. 12% of the poor
4. 62% of the wealthy floss their teeth every day vs. 16% of the poor
5. 21% of the wealthy are overweight by 30 pounds or more vs. 66% of the poor
6. 63% of the wealthy spend less than 1 hour per day on recreational Internet use vs. 26% of the poor
7. 83% of the wealthy attend/attended back to school night for their kids vs. 13% of the poor
8. 29% of the wealthy had one or more children who made the honor roll vs. 4% of the poor
9. 63% of wealthy listen to audio books during their commute vs. 5% of the poor
10. 67% of the wealthy watch 1 hour or less of T.V. per day vs 23% of the poor
11. 9% of the wealthy watch reality T.V. shows vs. 78% of the poor
12. 73% of the wealthy were taught the 80/20 rule vs. 5% of the poor (live off 80% save 20%)
13. 79% of the wealthy network 5 hours or more per month vs. 16% of the poor
14. 8% of the wealthy believe wealth comes from random good luck vs. 79% of the poor
15. 79% of the wealthy believe they are responsible for their financial condition vs. 18% of the poor

The fact is the poor are poor because they have too many Poverty Habits and too few Rich Habits. Poor parents teach their children the Poverty Habits and wealthy parents teach their children the Rich Habits. We don’t have a wealth gap in this country we have a parent gap. We don’t have income inequality, we have parent inequality. 

Parents and our schools need to work together to instill good daily success habits as follows:

• Limit T.V., social media and cell phone use to no more than one hour a day.

• Require that children to read one to two educational books a month.

• Require children to aerobically exercise 20 – 30 minutes a day.

• Limit junk food to no more than 300 calories a day.

• Require that children set monthly, annual and 5-year goals.

• Require working age children to work or volunteer at least ten hours a week.

• Require that children save at least 25% of their earnings or gifts they receive.

• Teach children the importance of relationship building by requiring them to call friends, family, teachers, coaches etc. on their birthdays and to send thank you cards for gifts or help they received from anyone.

• Reassure children that mistakes are good not bad. Children need to understand that the very foundation of success in life is built on learning from our mistakes. 

• Punish children when they lose their tempers so they understand the importance of controlling this very costly emotion.

• Teach children that seeking financial success in life is good and is a worthwhile goal. Children need to learn what the American Dream is and that it is something to be pursued in life.

• Children need to learn how to manage money. Open up a checking account or savings account for children and force them to use their savings to buy the things they want. They need to learn that they are not entitled to things like cell phones, computers, fashionable clothes, flat screen T.V.s etc. 

• Require children to participate in at least two non-sports-related extracurricular activities at school or outside of school.

• Parents and children need to set aside at least an hour a day to talk to one another. Not on Facebook, or on the cell phone, but face to face. The only quality time is quantity time

• Teach children how to manage their time. They should be required to create daily “to do” lists and these lists need to be monitored by parents. The goal should be to accomplish at least 70% of their tasks on their daily “to do” list.

Wealthy people do certain things every single day that sets them apart from everyone else in life. Wealthy people have good daily success habits that they learned from their parents. These daily habits are the real reason for the wealth gap in our country and the real reason why the rich get richer. Unless we teach our children good daily success habits, and level the playing field, the rich will continue to get richer and the poor will continue to get poorer.

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If you want to find out if you are teaching your kids the right habits find out here: RICH HABITS TEST PARENTS

If you are interested in helping your kids, grand kids or students succeed in life check out my award winning book, Rich Kids – How to Raise Our Children to be Happy and Successful in Life.

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I Believe, Help Thou My Unbelief

http://youtu.be/sa4VJUsEL_o

I believe, help Thou my unbelief

I take the finite risk of trusting like a child

I believe, help Thou my unbelief

I walk into the unknown trusting all the while

I long so much to feel the warmth that       others seem to know

Should I never feel a thing

I claim Him even so

I believe, help Thou my unbelief

I walk into the unknown trusting all the while

http://www.whysoawake.com/a-possible-cause-of-insomnia/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=promoted&utm_content=fbaprilrow14&utm_term=none

Could the wake system in your brain be causing your insomnia?

Understanding the two systems that affect your sleep

You know you have insomnia, but what does that really mean? Our understanding of how our brains regulate sleep and wake has evolved. As a result, we've gained greater insight into insomnia and what causes it.

Scientific discoveries about insomnia have shown that your brain actually has two systems. One helps you sleep; the other helps keep you awake. The wake system sends out signals that put your brain into an alert, or more active, state. This helps you wake up in the morning and stay awake during the day. The sleep system sends signals that help you fall and stay asleep at night.

When your two systems function as they should, they complement each other, taking turns being in charge and sending signals at the right times. But that's not always the case. If your wake system stays active when it's time to sleep, it's considered to be in an overactive state and insomnia may be a result.

Talk to your health care professional about your wake and sleep systems and what may be causing your insomnia.

The feeling of being trapped between wake and sleep has more science behind it than you may think. When you wake in the morning, your brain sends signals that move it into an alert, or active, state. This helps you stay awake during the day. If these signals don't slow down at night, and you stay in an alert state, your brain is believed to be in a position of overactivity. If this happens, your sleep system may not be able to take over – this may be what's causing your insomnia.

Print this page to discuss this information with your health care professional.

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http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/school-choice-empowers-african-american-families-b99707171z1-375906401.html

School choice empowers African-American families

Credit: Donna Grethen

By Virginia Ford And Robert Enlow

Angelicia Rathell knows there's no such thing as a get-out-of-jail card in life, but the Milwaukee mom credits a local school voucher program for keeping her boys on a path toward success and away from bad choices. 

"If they would have stayed in public school, they certainly would have stayed in trouble because there was so much fighting in their school," Rathell said of her two sons, Dustin and Donovan. "I think they would have had a chance of dropping out and doing stupid things. Now, one is about to go to college and the other will enroll in college next year."

The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, a voucher first enacted in 1990 for families earning 175% of poverty level or less, enabled her sons to attend Milwaukee Lutheran High School, where discipline and academics are a deep part of the school culture. She said her children now have great aspirations, unlike many of their peers. "They are going to turn out great in life," Rathell said.

Sadly, that's not the case for far too many students of color like Dustin and Donovan. 

According to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, black students represent 16% of student enrollment, but 27% of students referred to law enforcement and 31% of students subjected to a school-related arrest. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics has reported that the incarceration rate for African-Americans is six times as high as the national average, and in 2010 nearly a third of black male high school dropouts aged 25 to 29 were imprisoned or otherwise institutionalized.

These dramatic numbers are a reality despite the fact that the United States spends billions each year on social and school programs designed to help low-income, minority families break the cycle of poverty and crime.

Fortunately, there now exists evidence that educational choice — like the Milwaukee program that empowered Rathell's sons and similar state and local programs across America — may be an easier and more affordable solution than many of these federally administered programs.

According to new research, exposure to private school through parental choice lowers the rates of crime among low-income African-Americans as young adults.

Corey DeAngelis and Patrick J. Wolf of the University of Arkansas just released a report that examines Milwaukee's Parental Choice Program and found that those students who used it through high school had a 5% to 7% decrease in misdemeanors compared to their peers who attended public schools, as well as a 3% reduction in felonies. Among all crimes, the drop ranged between 5% and 12%. The longer students stayed in private school with the voucher, the less likely they were to become involved in criminal activity.

Currently, Milwaukee's voucher program supports 27,000 students who attend 110 private schools. 

Research has shown that other forms of school choice also have had positive effects on minority students. A 2011 study, for example, found that high-risk students who won a charter school lottery in Charlotte-Mecklenberg County in North Carolina had a significantly decreased risk of committing a crime. 

We know from our own research that parents across America, particularly those in urban areas, are clamoring for access to charter schools, private schools and other school choice options. They tell us they don't just want their child to get a better education in a better academic environment; they want their children to be in safer schools that emphasize discipline. Some of them are even willing to risk going to jail for lying about their address to get their kids a seat in a better school. 

Without access to a quality education, these students are likely to fall behind and may wind up as expensive statistics in our criminal justice system. Educational choice lowers that risk by empowering families to send their children to schools that meet their needs. 

For low-income families across our nation, the American dream doesn't look like a Norman Rockwell painting. Rather, it's the opportunity to succeed, to break down barriers and to move forward. The best way to accelerate that trajectory is ensuring students are well-educated. 

As Rathell of Milwaukee said of her two sons: "They have a great future."

That's what we all should want for our students, and we should empower more families with the options to help them get there. 

Virginia Ford, who serves on the D.C. Advisory Committee of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, is a board member of the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice. Robert Enlow is president and CEO of the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice.

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http://idealist4ever.com/the-real-reason-introverts-absolutely-hate-small-talk/

The REAL Reason Introverts Absolutely Hate Small Talk

By Christine Schoenwald

It ALL makes sense now.

I’m definitely an introvert. It’s not that I constantly sit by myself in a corner and never talk to people. I can be social, but I also get overwhelmed in social situations. I’m famous for leaving parties early.

I enjoy spoken word and comedy shows, so I’m forced to go out and see people. Often times, I’m required to speak to people before or after a show, and make small talk. Small talk isn’t my jam. I’ve crossed the street to avoid talking to people.

We introverts aren’t great at small talk; in fact, we aren’t good at it at all.

A piece on The Huffington Post revealed the rationality behind why introverts have issues with small talk. The reason introverts would rather hide out in the frozen foods section of the grocery store than talk to an ex-classmate is because it feels completely false and meaningless. 

When you’re stuck at a party and find yourself talking about the appetizers with someone you barely know, you’re not learning anything new or even getting to know your conversation partner any better.

Psychologist Laurie Helgoe, author of Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life is Your Hidden Strength, contends that small talk actually blocks true interaction.

“Introverts do not hate small talk because we dislike people,” she writes in her book. “We hate small talk because we hate the barrier it creates between people.”

People who are introverted tend to prefer substantial conversations about philosophy and ideas rather than chit-chat. In fact, introverts can get easily intimidated, bored or exhausted by small talk. They’d much rather be real with someone and talk about more weighty topics.

Besides feeling fake and pointless, small talk drains an introvert’s limited people-energy. If you look at the energy supply that introverts have for social interaction as a battery, their battery gains or loses energy depending on the social interaction.

If they’re speaking to a friend about a topic that fascinates them, their battery is recharged and at full capacity again. However, if they’re waiting in line at the post office and someone they barely know is going on and on about the horrible service, all the energy has drained out of the battery.

Unfortunately, to succeed in the world you need to be able to make small talk without feeling like you need to retire to a cave for a few months. The key to surviving making small talk tolerable and less draining is to take control of the conversation and steer it toward topics that are actually interesting.

Introverts get energized and excited by ideas. Delve in and ask questions, and if they ask you a question, give them an interesting, more-than-one-word response. Make those questions interesting and creative: “What can you tell me about your latest project?”

The upside to asking questions and listening to the responses with interest, is that you’ll be more likable and make a better impression. Knowing that might help make small talk a little easier.

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This article has been republished from YourTango.com

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https://lifereimagined.aarp.org/stories/41949-How-to-Stop-Feeling-Like-You-Don't-Have-Enough-Time?cmp=SN-FCBK-LR-POST-2016#prclt-ckd324fp

How to Stop Feeling Like You Don’t Have Enough Time

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How frequently do the words “I don’t have time” pass your lips? Quite often, I'll bet.

But here's some news for you: It’s a lie. We all have 24 hours in each day—you, me, Oprah. If you are alive, you have time. But how to allocate your time on this opportunity-rich Earth is up to you.

Every time we say “I don’t have time,” it makes us feel weak and out of control. We buy into the myth of the rush against the hourglass—the daily race we’re all losing to get it all done.

The truth is, you are in control of your hours and your life. And hate to break it to you, but you are likely wasting a lot of it! According to Nielsen, the average American watches about five hours of TV per day.

But I know it's not as easy as simply turning off the TV. Here are four concrete steps that'll help you take back control and get time on your side.

Take Back Your Time!

1. Ask yourself: What activities really, really matter to me?

Some popular responses I hear (outside of our jobs): cooking, yoga, date nights, side-hustling, watching House of Cards, Skyping family, reading, taking bubble baths, hanging out with friends, going to sporting events, and catching up on sleep on Sundays.

These are all awesome and important things—if they make you happy! And all of these can be done over the course of a week. Think about it: If you work eight hours per day and sleep eight hours per day, you have eight hours per day for everything else.

Depending on your job, it could be a little less—maybe four or five hours per day. But that's still plenty of time to whip up a nice dinner, enjoy some social time with people you love, hit the gym, kick back with a podcast, and even catch up with President Underwood for an episode or two.

These hours exist. Acknowledge them! They can add up to a solid good chunk per week, not including the jackpot of extra hours: the weekend!

2. Identify your blocks.

Be honest: Do you spend an hour or two scrolling through Facebook and Instagram every day? Are you a little too hungover on Saturday mornings to work out or run some necessary errands, which eats into your time to chill or read? Are you spending time with people that you don’t really like just to please them? Are there meetings you attend that you can politely decline?

It’s time to get real about the hours in your week that add up to a whole lot of dissatisfying nothing. Think instead of how you can eliminate daily activites that are not useful and replace them with things that satisfy you. I love nothing more than saying no to a boring brunch date to sit with a book for two hours. Bliss!

3. Set an agenda.

People tell me how they have no time to read or will start their blog/yoga teacher training/closet clean-out when they “have the time.” Well, the time is now, my friend. But like planning for a nice meal or a job interview, you have to prepare a little.

The solution: Put it on your calendar! My calendar includes mani-pedi dates (a great two-in-one activity to catch up with a friend), researching books, coaching clients, writing, checking out a new eatery or two each week, meditation slots, calling my best friend in Australia, updating my software skills, walking my dog, and even going to the bank. This stuff doesn’t just happen. You’ve got to schedule it.

Plus, I have a blast planning. On Sunday nights, I love to sit down with a glass of chianti or a cup of tea, light a candle, and get excited about the week ahead. I always lock in the fun stuff first! I block off social stuff in purple, creative work in pink, workouts in turquoise, and business projects in blue. My calendar feels fun and vibrant. It’s like my trusty assistant—not my domineering boss!

4. Change your language.

Words matter. They have power. And let’s be honest: Saying “I don’t have time” is a bullsh*t excuse for not wanting to do something. Here are some awesome, empowering alternatives:

• “I choose not to start that project until next year.”
• “I’d love to read that book—I’ll get to it after my home renovations are complete!”
• “CrossFit sounds fun, but I love my current cycling and Pilates mix.”
• “I’d love to party this weekend but have a work deadline I need to prioritize.”

As Steven Covey, the late, best-selling author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, wrote, “The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”

So for the love of all things holy—get better at saying no. Turn off all those distracting notifications on your phone. Use little pockets of time the universe gives us (friend running late, cab stuck in traffic, meeting ending 10 minutes early) to squeeze in some productive thinking or action—and meditation totally counts. All these things can add up over time more than you believe!

Yes, it might feel strange at first. You’re seizing your power. But when you don’t have a plan for your life, someone else will plan it for you. But it's your life. And your precious hours on planet Earth. They’re all you’ve got!

Susie Moore is Greatist’s life coach columnist and a confidence coach in New York City. Sign up for her free weekly wellness tips on her website and check back every Tuesday for her latest column!

This article was written by Susie Moore from Greatist and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.

          To make sure your next step is the right step, go to Lifemap

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http://blog.wholetones.com/2015/05/18/3-health-problems-music-can-solve/?utm_campaign=3healthproblems&utm_medium=ocpm&utm_source=facebook&subid=3hpcms&utm_term=lookalike

3 Health Problems Music Can Solve…

Music and sounds in general are very powerful and influential forces in our lives.

Consider the sounds on a city street…

Birds chirping outside your window…

A crack of thunder in the distance…

These elicit very specific responses and reactions in our bodies.

Let me ask you…

Did the shark in Jaws snap you to the edge of your seat with its now infamous THEME … dun-dun…dun-dun?

Can you still hear the music from the Titanic?

Was Darth Vader more intimidating with the ominous Imperial March playing behind him?

Do you think of Jack and Rose pretending to fly on the bow of the Titanic when you hear the opening to My Heart Will Go On?

Of course the answer is yes…

The soundtrack to a movie is what creates your mood … moves you to feel anxiety, serenity, and even the pain of the characters…

In fact, throughout our entire history, music has had the power to transform us spiritually and physically.

Because as Longfellow pointed out…

Music is the universal language of mankind.

Now we’re discovering what the ancients have known for millennia – music also has the power to heal.

Here’s a glimpse of three problems music has the power to solve…

1. Brain Damage

Every year, approximately 90,000 people will be left with a long-term movement or speech disability as a result of a brain injury.

Researchers have found that music can provide a rhythm or beat for these individuals to walk to despite these impairments.

We’ve also seen that music can help patients sing words when they are unable to speak.

We may not understand exactly how or why this works, but we are starting to learn.

2.  Hearing Loss (Prevention)

A fascinating study that compared hearing in lifelong musicians to non-musicians suggested that exposure to music can help people process sound better and longer throughout life.

One comparison showed that a 70-year-old lifelong musician was able to hear, in a noisy environment, at the same proficiency of a 50-year-old non-musician.

That’s a profound difference.

In this case, music might not be curing any ailments, but it certainly appears to be helping people hear better and longer throughout life.

And all this just from listneing to music over the course of your lifetime…

Imagine being able to enjoy the sounds of nature when you’re older just because you listened to music…

Imagine listening to the laughter of your grandchildren and great grandchildren whereas otherwise you might struggle to hear…

3.  Heart Attack Recovery

Listening to music can mend a broken heart.  No, not love or loss, but we’ve seen tremendous results from heart attack patients and heart surgey patients.

Certain music can help lower blood pressure, slow the heart rate, and even help reduce feelings of anxiety.

Research shows that listening to a more upbeat, joyful song can help with increased circulation and expanded blood vesssels.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.  Music is being used more frequently in hospitals to soothe postoperative pain, lower blood pressure, and boost immunity.

The reason for this is because music can balance hormones, boost the release of endorphins, giving you a greater sense of peace … which could lead to faster recovery and give you more profound healing.

If you’d like to learn more about how music can  improve your health, click on the link below:

http://wholetones.com

You’ll learn about 7 special musical tones that have been found to relieve stress and promote healing…

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