108-year old Mother reveals secret to longevity

In honour of Mother's Day, I am pleased to share with you this inspiring story of Alice Herz Sommer. At age 108, Holocaust survivor Alice Herz Sommer still practices piano for 3 hours every day. At age 104, she had a book written about her life: "A Garden Of Eden In Hell." At age 83, she had cancer. Alice survived the concentration camps through her music, her optimism and her gratitude for the small things that came her way - a smile, a kind word, the sun. When asked about the secret of her longevity, Alice says: "I look where it is good."

Alice's story touched me personally as my mother too was a holocaust survivor who didn't play piano, but had the most beautiful singing voice. My mother thrived through her music like Alice. She would lose herself in beautiful melodies, forgetting her pain and suffering for those brief periods not only from the concentration camps, but later in fighting her cancer, just like Alice. I honour my mother for Mother's Day by sharing this video with you. Don't miss this powerful video. It features an interview with renowned Motivational Speaker, Anthony Robbins. If you want to be moved, inspired and learn some simple truths that can change your life, watch this video and pass this email along to others.

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What inspired you most about this video? Your comments are welcome.

My Personal Visit with Jack Canfield

On December 8, 2011, I had the pleasure  of spending close to two hours up-close and personal with Jack Canfield in a booth at The Palms restaurant in Las Vegas.  I spent about twenty minutes interviewing Jack for my radio show, How to Thrive After 35, and the rest of the time we just talked. This was all just a dream a few short months earlier so I thought it would be fun to share with you how I turned this dream into reality. This is a story of setting a goal, dreaming big, synchronicity, not giving up and seizing opportunity. This is a story of excitement and accomplishment. My wish is that my story will inspire you to dare to dream big and go after your dreams too. You just never know what could happen if you just take action.

Here’s what happened:

I first met Jack Canfield in July 2011 at the eWomen Network conference in Dallas where both Jack and I were interviewed for an Oprah-inspired documentary to air on the OWN network. Jack was interviewed right before me so when I walked into the room, I had the unexpected opportunity to introduce myself to Jack and of course have a photo taken with him. Other self-help experts interviewed for the documentary include Lisa Nicols, Les Brown as well as others, some of whom are also known for their appearance in the movie, The Secret. I was so excited to meet Jack and be interviewed for the Oprah documentary that I didn’t even think to invite Jack to be a guest on my radio show. It only occurred to me afterwards. Even then I wasn’t sure how to go about it. I just knew it was something I wanted and had to do. The goal was set. The seed had been planted. The dream had begun.

However, as things like this often go, I just dreamed at how amazing it would be to have Jack on my radio show and then got stuck at the dream stage.  I just put it out there and in a sense let it go as I had no idea how it could possibly all come together. Then as synchronicity, law of attraction, divine intervention or whatever you want to call it, a few months later, I interviewed Steve Olsher, known as America’s Reinvention Expert, who mentioned that he is co-starring in a new self-help movie called The Keeper of The Keys starring Jack Canfield, Marci Shimoff and John Gray. How amazing was that? This was the link to Jack that got the ball rolling. From there I introduced myself to Robin Jay, the producer of the film.

Robin and I totally hit it off and I knew I had to have her on my radio show too. I was completely enthralled with her energy and her concept of taking the hell out of self-help movies. I was then totally honoured when she invited me to attend the Red Carpet Movie Premiere event in Las Vegas as well as the V.I.P. Luncheon to meet all the stars of the movie. I came up with the idea to have all the stars and co-stars on my radio show to promote her movie and give added exposure especially to the lesser known co-stars of the film. It turned out to be an ideal opportunity to meet them all in person and do some live instead of the usual recorded interviews. If you haven’t yet listened to my interviews with these self-help experts posted to date including an amazing interview with Marci Shimoff, please be sure to do so at https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/howtothriveafter35.

Building on the personal and professional connection I had already made with Jack, I invited him to be a guest on my show to not only promote his role in The Keeper of the Keys film, but also to promote his personal story of how he became the success he is today as well as his newest book, The Golden Motorcycle Gang which Jack is clearly very passionate about as you'll hear in the interview.

After many emails with his office back and forth, I was told that I could have five minutes with Jack following the V.I.P. luncheon event at the Palms restaurant in the Caesar’s Palace hotel and that it was up to me to grab him after his photo sessions. Needless to say I stood close by as I couldn't let the opportunity pass me by and managed to even get in on the photo session too. I knew I only had a few minutes so we had to improvise as to location for the interview. We quickly grabbed a booth in the restaurant as I didn't want to waste any precious time traveling to another location. The unfortunate part is that the acoustics were not great and there is some background noise in the interview, but that was the compromise I had no choice but to make.

Sitting in that booth one-on-one with Jack Canfield was surreal. After months since the idea came to me, it was finally happening. I was excited but not nervous. I was proud that I could be an example of what Jack teaches in terms of setting and achieving goals which is partly what we chatted about in the radio interview. There I was sitting in a restaurant booth directly across someone I have looked up to for years. After all, Jack Canfield is the co-author of the #1 New York Times best-selling Chicken Soup for the Soul series, which has sold more than 500 million copies in 47 languages. He is considered America’s number one success coach and authored the bestseller “The Success Principles”. Jack is also a featured teacher in the movies The Secret and Tapping the Source and most recently The Keeper of the Keys; and has appeared on more than 1,000 radio and television programs. Jack is also the CEO of the Canfield Training Group and the founder of the Transformational Leadership Council.

I did not ask Jack for anything. I did not ask him to endorse my book or the typical things that authors may ask of him. It meant more to me to just have the time with him to get to know one another, to share, to engage, to connect and to share him with the listeners of my radio show around the world. I invite you to listen to my interview with Jack and not miss a moment. I do apologize for the background noise, but if you can put that aside and focus on the content, I promise you will be engaged and inspired. I invite you to soak in Jack’s wisdom and learn from his experience and of course to get copies of his books and join his online community at http://www.jackcanfield.com.

LISTEN TO INTERVIEW NOW

GET YOUR COPY OF THE KEEPER OF THE KEYS MOVIE ON DVD NOW

Does one's body size and appearance determine our expectations?

Have you seen the YouTube video about Jonathan and Charlotte on Britain's Got Talent? See  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOuJ0WxsopA. As much as I was moved to tears by their beautiful singing and humility, I was also intrigued by how Simon, the other judges, and the entire audience laughed as this boy and his friend first came on stage. Although those laughs quickly turned to applause and tears when Jonathan and Charlotte started to sing, I couldn’t help but wonder why they were all laughing in the first place? Is it because of Jonathan’s size and appearance?  Did his size and appearance cause everyone to have such low expectations of what talent this boy could possibly have?  

If yes, then why would they have such low expectations of him? Is it because there’s this notion or pre-judgment in our society that someone who is oversized and not attractive in the mainstream way can’t possibly be talented? Is talent only reserved for the slim and beautiful among us? How many people on the judge’s panel and in the audience consider themselves religious or spiritual, I wonder? If many of them are, then as they sat there laughing, does it mean they believe that God only chooses attractive people to bestow his/her talents and gifts upon? I’m just sharing my thoughts here and I’d love to hear what yours are. I wonder how many of those reading this article feel the way I do. Does what happened in this video imply that we really expect less from people who are overweight or less attractive than our society’s definition of beauty? If some of those people are already self-conscious enough as it is in their size and appearance, do our obvious low expectations of them help or hinder them? What then happens to their expectations of themselves?

As a personal coach who helps people lighten up for good through healthy lifestyle, weight management, stress reduction and emotional resilience, I have come across clients in my own practice who have told me that although they say  they want to lose weight, get in shape and improve their health, lifestyle and confidence, underneath it all maybe on some level they don’t really want to. Why do I say this? Because I ask them ‘what underlying reason might you have to stay exactly the way you are now?’ An answer I’ve heard more than a few times goes something like this: “Maybe if I lose the weight and get healthy and confident, I’d have no more excuses to go after my dreams. Other people’s expectations would be higher of me and I’d be more than likely to have higher expectations of myself because I’d have no more excuses. I don’t know if I want that responsibility to live up to and what if I fail?” I’m not saying this is true for everyone, but the question I have for you is what are YOUR expectations of YOURSELF? What are YOUR excuses for not living the healthy, happy life you want? Do you truly want to be healthy and happy? What is stopping you?

These are the questions I help people answer in my coaching practice. I have helped many people set themselves free and move forward in their lives in more positive and meaningful ways by learning how to LIGHTEN UP FOR GOOD in ways that are way more meaningful than just a number on the scale. Many of us are overweight in ways that don’t even show up on a scale as our excess weight is carried in our hearts and in our minds. That weight can be just as harmful to our health and quality of life than the physical weight we can see on our bodies.  If you want to weigh less, beat stress and truly lighten up for good, then start today by simply making the decision that you are worth it and then get started. The decision will lead to commitment and if you are truly committed, then the right solutions will find you. Make the decision, make the commitment and never give up.

What are your thoughts on what I’ve shared in this article? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please send comments to roslyn@roslynfranken.com.

For more information about Roslyn’s LIGHTEN UP coaching services, visit http://www.roslynfranken.com/coaching.htm. Roslyn offers a limited number of complimentary telephone consultations each month. To take advantage of this opportunity, send email request to roslyn@roslynfranken.com with subject line: Complimentary Consultation Request. Or call today at 613-843-0155. Consultations are booked on a first come first served basis, so don’t wait, email or call today.

YouTube video

Do you have a teen in your life? Then don't miss what this teen star has to say.

On Dec. 8/11, I had the privilege of meeting 17-year old Raven Magwood, published author, motivational speaker, filmmaker and co-star of “The KEEPER of the KEYS” movie starring Jack Canfield, John Gray, Marci Shimoff and a host of other amazing co-stars.
I was especially eager to meet her in person after interviewing her just days before for my radio show called 'How to Thrive After 35'. If you've never listened to my show, then what are you waiting for? Now's the time to start. Over the next few months, I'll be bringing you more exciting interviews with stars from the newest self-help film, “The KEEPER of the KEYS”, produced by an amazing woman I've come to know, Robin Jay.

Maybe you're wondering WHY I would interview a teen for a radio show targeted to those over 35?
Because many of my listeners are raising teens or have teens in their familes. Because I believe that too many teens and parents alike do not recognize their gifts, purpose and potential. Because Raven Magwood is an example for us all, teens and parents alike and anyone just needing that boost to get their lives on a more fulfilling track.

Listen to this amazing teen and how she is making a difference in this world. Get ready to be inspired. Raven shares her winning attitude, practical guidance and inspiring messages on how to maximize your own personal potential and help your teen do the same.

The photo above of me with Raven was taken in Las Vegas on Dec. 8th, 2011 at the Red Carpet Movie Premiere event of The Keeper of the Keys.

LISTEN NOW and be sure to share this interview. Be sure to tune in next month for my live interview with Jack Canfield.

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FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD

My husband and I are both foodies. We love all kinds of food. Trying new recipes, tasting new foods and discovering new restaurants gives us tremendous amounts of pleasure. Why? Because it’s fun and it tastes good, why else? So when my husband recently got a bacterial infection in his colon and was told he had to follow the BRATTY diet, it was devastating. The BRATTY diet stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast, Tea and Yogurt. That’s it. That’s all he could eat. Nothing more and nothing less. After just one day on the diet, he already started feeling much better, but he still had a week to go on the diet.  Here’s what happened and some vital lessons we’re learning from this experience that can help you manage your own love of food. And if want to lose weight, this article will help you too.

While on his strict diet, we went to a friend’s house warming party and the food was incredible. They really went all out with a variety of gourmet cheeses and crackers, crab salad, jumbo shrimp, meatballs, a selection of wonderful fresh breads, gourmet cookies and so much more. And sadly all my sweetie could eat was his cooked rice, bananas, applesauce and yogurt that we brought with us in Tupperware containers. He pleaded with me, “Can’t I just have a little bit of all the other wonderful foods?” Jokingly I said, “Eat as much of it as you like as long as you don’t swallow it.” He said, “Really???” And so what he did was put the foods in his mouth to taste it, chewed it a few times and then spit it out into a napkin. I know that sounds disgusting, but he was very discreet and it allowed him to enjoy the taste without suffering the painful consequences. When people go to a wine tasting, they swish the wine in their mouths and spit it out openly into a bucket so how can what he did be so bad? The taste and spit strategy allowed him to have the satisfaction of the taste without the added calories and more importantly in his case the pain and negative consequences of his illness. I must say he’s looking a bit trimmer this past week than prior to his illness.

Now that he’s getting better, we’re slowly introducing more foods to the diet, but still avoiding dairy and sugar and keeping things really simple as in no spices and very little fat, if any. The strange thing is that the grilled chicken with no sauce or seasonings actually tasted really good. Last night we baked fish in the oven coated with egg and breadcrumbs, that’s it. You know what? It was really good. Neither of us missed the usual seasonings and sauces that we’d normally put all over our food. Not only was it good, but we were actually satisfied with a smaller portion. I’m not suggesting that you start eating all your food without seasonings and sauces, I’m just suggesting that so much of how we eat or how we think our foods ‘should’ be eaten is simply a matter of habit. He also tried some salad but with no dressing to avoid the fat. He said he didn’t mind it at all and that it was nowhere as bad as he thought it would be. He said he would even do it again when he’s not on the BRATTY diet for when there may be a lot of excess fat in other parts of the meal. As for his tea, he’d normally take sugar, but recently switched from sugar to honey. With the BRATTY diet, he couldn’t even add honey so he had to drink it straight. He was astounded at how good it tasted to him without the honey. For years he always added a lot of sugar because that was his habit. He never thought he could enjoy his tea without any sweetener and get used to it in such a short time.

Taking this all to heart, I went to a business luncheon yesterday and had the chicken in a cream sauce, steamed vegetables, a bun and salad. Since the sauce was somewhat creamy, I opted to have no butter on the bun and no dressing on the salad like I normally would so as to compensate for the creamy sauce that I chose to partake in on my chicken. I didn’t miss the butter or dressing one bit. All this to say is that the choices we make in our food, how we eat and the portion sizes are so much a matter of habit.

I encourage you to look at your habits. Look at what you eat and why you eat it in the way you do. Do you really have to add all that salt, butter, mayo, sugar and sauces to your foods? Do you really have to order dessert with your meal? Do you really have to have that extra glass of wine or beer and that before bedtime treat? Do you really have to have all that extra cheese on your pizza? Do one thing slightly different today and see how it goes. A little less salt on your food, a little less sugar in your coffee or tea, a little less butter on your roll, a little less cheese on your pizza. Or maybe one less cookie or handful of chips. Focus on one thing and let me know if you have a success.

Email me at roslyn@roslynfranken.com and let me know the changes you've made, your successes,  how it felt and if you think you could do it again. How much of a difference did it really make? Was it so bad that you would never do it again? If you have habits you want to change, whether in your eating habits or otherwise, just pay attention and do one thing differently that you can feel proud of at the end of the day.

Roslyn Franken is a proud cancer survivor, motivational speaker, author, coach and radio host committed to helping people lighten up for good. Using her 9 proven life-changing principles for healthy eating and positive living, Roslyn inspires and educates people on how to live healthy and be happy for life. For more information, visit http://www.roslynfranken.com.

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GREAT article every woman should read

A client of mine sent me this article recently. If you are a woman you NEED to read this and please share this with as many women as possible. I posted this on my Facebook page and the feedback has been wonderful so wanted to be sure to share it here too.  You can share it through Facebook too. If you're not already following me on facebook, please feel free to go to  http://www.facebook.com/roslynfrankenfanpage and join by clicking on the LIKE button.

Here's a link to this fantastic article.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1210814/Lizzie-Millers-Glamour-magazine-shoot-How-models-picture-shook-world-flabby-tummy-all.html

Be sure to send me your comments here on my Blog or on Facebook.

Wishing you continued health & happiness always.

Roslyn

Winning Ways to Beat Holiday Stress

The holiday season may be the most festive time of year,
but with the longer check-out lines and extended To-Do lists,
we spend more time fighting stress than spreading cheer. 

We get so caught up creating the perfect holiday
Hunting the malls for the perfect gifts, preparing the perfect feasts
Eager to meet the grandiose visions of what the perfect holiday should be 

Maybe the grandiose visions are not as realistic as they once used to be
Maybe by simplifying, you’ll be less stressed and fatigued
But what can you do about all the stress you ask
Let’s look at the warning signs and put you to task

The cultural expectations start weighing you down
You eat too much, drink too much and start losing enthusiasm
Your head starts to hurt, your muscles are tense,
Balancing work, family and holiday obligations is getting way too intense 

So my advice is slow down and take a step back
Stop trying to be so darn perfect and believing it’s all up to you
Sit down with your family weeks in advance
and say "hey, let’s decide what we each will do"

YES, you can delegate cooking or shopping to others
You can encourage families to host pot luck dinners
Plan ahead, simplify and focus on what’s truly important
And you and your family will all come out holiday winners

For healthy living tips, recipes and learning opportunities, join Roslyn Franken's FREE mailing list today at http://www.roslynfranken.com.