By: Lisa Schulteis
Today’s Virtual Edge, LLC
www.todaysvirtualedge.com

You’ve started to see them everywhere… those little black and white squares that look similar to a bar code, but aren’t quite the same.  What are they?  They are QR codes (abbreviated from Quick Response code) and they are two-dimensional codes that can be read by smart phones everywhere.

In this very mobile world, QR codes are becoming very popular.  You may have seen them in a magazine, on the door to your favorite restaurant, or somewhere out on the web.

There are a lot of creative ways that people can use QR codes. Some of the more creative uses I have see are on For Sale signs and real estate flyers to the Tree description tags at Home Depot.  The most creative use I have seen is by Tesla, a Korean grocery store, that is using QR codes to allow people to shop for groceries while waiting for the subway train!  Here are some additional ways you can use QR codes:

Welcome to the New Year.  Let’s start with a definition of  “Optimal Well Being”.

Optimal is ‘Most Desirable Possible’.    Well is ‘In a Satisfactory Condition’.  Being is ‘The Quality of Existence’ or ‘Essential Nature’.  So, here we have our topic:  Goal Setting for the Most Desirable, Satisfactory Condition of our True Nature.   From a spiritual point of view, the earth, our world, all creatures, and man are ever changing, growing, searching, and expanding for the best, that is our true nature.    Or to steal a quote from the US Army,  “Be All You Can Be”.

Notice the word “Be” that is not the same as “Do”.  Long ago at the EST training(given by Werner Erhard in the 70’s), I learned that, as humans, the creation of what we want goes in this order: BE, DO, HAVE.   In our goal setting, it is important to remember how we achieve our goals – our desired results.  First we Be, from that we are inspired to Do, then we Have the result.  Let’s break that down with the emphasis on “Be”. The word ‘Be’ means to exist, to have the quality of existing, to be identical to existing.  In other words, in order to ‘Have’ the result, I have to Be the result first.  And how can you  ‘Be’? You ‘Be’ the type of person that already has that goal, that result, in your thoughts, words, feelings, and actions.

Another year has come and gone as the hustle and bustle of the holidays are now behind us. January is the time many of us start to think and reflect on those resolutions we failed to achieve last year.  OK, let’s stop here for a moment.  And what I mean by that is, let’s S- step back, T-think, O-observe, and then P-proceed.

Instead of thinking about what you didn’t accomplish last year, step back from those original thoughts and think about those things you did accomplish – I’m sure you’ll find many more than you might have ever imagined.  Now observe your feelings as you acknowledge these successes versus dwell on your failures – and they don’t have to be big successes – great things come in little packages!  Feelings of disappointment, sadness, discouragement, or anger will magically morph into positive feelings of happiness, pride, excitement, and hopefulness.  To quote Barbara Fredrickson, world-renowned researcher and psychologist in her book Positivity:  “Positivity opens us.  The first core truth about positive emotions is that they open our hearts and our minds, making us more receptive and more creative”.

With your newly opened and creative mind, begin asking yourself the following questions:

• What strengths do I have that allowed me those successes last year?
• Who or what supported me when I needed it most?
• How did those successes align with my core values?
• What strategies did I use to overcome my obstacles?
• What is most important to me now when it comes to my own health and well-being?

You are now ready to proceed forward in setting goals (not resolutions) that are optimal for your well-being.  Remember, your answers to the above questions will fuel your success!

Getting started, set your goal, ask yourself what your WHY is, identify strengths and weaknesses, set yourself up for success, be accountable, have a fitness journal, importance of physical well being, suggestions/ideas for adding physical activity to your daily routine

With every New Year comes goals that are set for the year.  One goal that is very important is the goal to take charge of your physical well being.  As with any goal, goals need to be written down and committed to, understanding that when you stray away from your goals that you must not let that defeat you but rather get yourself back on track.

Determine your WHY for setting a goal to improve your physical well being.  Once you determine our WHY, write down what your goal is.  Identify your strengths and weaknesses and hold yourself accountable. Sometimes it helps to have a support system which can be a work out partner, a spouse or friend that encourages you.  Create a fitness journal to track your progress as well as motivate you to continue toward your goal.

1. Set Your Goal
You need to know what you WANT so you know what you’re working FOR.  Create and write down a specific, attainable, realistic, smart goal.

2. Determine your Why
You’ve got a smart goal set and you are ready to take it on.  Now ask yourself & write down WHY do I want it?  Go into specifics to help make it “real”.

3.   Know Your Strengths & Weaknesses
Which time of the day am I more productive?  Do I focus better after a workout?  Is there a part of the day that I catch myself wasting time?

4.  Set yourself up For Success
Say your goal is weight loss:  get rid of the junk food if weight loss is your goal.  Pack your gym bag & always have it ready.  If you’re already low on energy, make sure to add supplements to your healthy eating habits to get optimal results as well as to compliment your new healthy lifestyle.

5.  Be Accountable.
Put your goal on paper, in a journal or a vision board.  THEN, share it with friends or family.  This is important to do, once you start sharing it, your goal becomes a part of you.

You need to take a good long look at yourself, the woman inside.

Just a few definitions you may find helpful

• @reply: A direct tweet sent to another Twitter user.
• Dweet: Tweet sent while drunk
• Hash Tag: The “#” sign. Allows Twitter users to group tweets by topic, making it easier to search particular conversations using Twitter Search.
• MisTweet: A tweet one later regrets.
• ReTweet: To repost something that’s already in the Twitter stream. Usually preceded by “RT” and “@[username],” to give credit to the original poster.
• SnapTweet: A tweet that includes a photo taken with a cell phone, uploaded to Flickr and posted to Twitter via snaptweet.com.
• Twittcrastination: Procrastination brought on by Twitter use.
• Twadd: To add someone as a friend or follower.
• Twaigslist/Twebay: To sell something on Twitter.
• Tweeter/Twitterer: Someone who uses Twitter.
• TwinkedIn: Inviting friends made on Twitter to connect on LinkedIn.
• Twittectomy: To remove someone from the list of people you follow.
• Twitterati: The A-list twitterers everyone follows.
• Twitterfly: Twitter’s version of a social butterfly, marked by the extreme use of @ signs.
• Twitterlooing: Twittering from the bathroom.
• Twitterpated: Overwhelmed with Twitter messages.
• Twittfeinated, Twigged Out, Twired: To be so hyped up on twittering that you cannot sleep.

Enjoy!