Relationships

As we approach Valentines Day, many of us start focusing on our relationships, or lack thereof. It is my wish that all of you reading this have a loving and healthy relationship in your life. But even loving and healthy relationships need our special attention from time to time. Relationships are dynamic, constantly changing. They must be tended to daily, and we must be flexible enough to shift and change along with them. I wanted to share with you some relationship advice that Dr. Laura Berman details in her audio program, Guide to a Loving Relationship. The “soft addictions” portion surprised me and I realized this was something that I needed to work on. The technological innovations that permanently connect us to the outside world are amazing, but they can get in the way of being present with the people we love.

Dr. Berman advises: ·

• Never go more than two weeks without having sex. Having sex regularly keeps you more emotionally in tune, more connected, you get angry less easily, and you fight less often. It’s also great for your immune system and your health. ·
  
• One key to keeping your relationship strong is making sure you take time to create your own life, what psychologists call “individuation.” Make sure that you have your own friends, your own hobbies, and your own life. While it’s very important to spend time with your partner, you also need to find time for yourself.
  
• Soft addictions (such as blackberries, video games, shopping) get in the way of intimacy between partners. National research shows that partners who spend more than an hour every evening tending to their soft addictions have significantly less sex than those who don’t. · When men and women experience stress, they respond to sex differently. Men fall into a “fight flight” response, which increases their adrenaline and makes them want to have sex to let off steam and feel more powerful. Woman fall into a “tend and befriend” response, which lowers their testosterone levels (the hormone of desire) causing them a lowering of libido. If you’re aware of this difference, you can be more sensitive to your partners’ needs.

How do you keep your relationship healthy? We would love to hear from you! Please add your comment below.

Get in Touch with your Spirituality

One of my New Year’s goals this year was to get back in touch with my spirituality. I’m not a very religious person but I am very spiritual. Whenever I’ve gone a long while without nurturing my spirit, I can really feel the chaos of life start to get to me. There is so much negativity that we face in our daily lives, it is necessary to balance it with spiritual positivity. One of the ways I do this is by meditating. Even five minutes of daily reflection or silent contemplation can help. So on this note, I thought I’d share with you a simple meditation I recently learned. It’s straightforward and easy to do anywhere.

Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Sit on a pillow with legs crossed and spine straight. Close your eyes and spend a few minutes checking in with your body. Focus on relaxing each body part from head to toe. Check in with how you are feeling at this moment, acknowledge this feeling and then let it go. Try to spend five minutes on each breathing meditation described below:

1) Breathe in and out as you normally would. Count your out breaths until you reach 10. Once you reach 10, start your count again

2) Repeat above, but this time count your in breath

3) Now breathe in and out and this time concentrate on following your breath as it goes in and out of your body

4) Finally, as you breathe in and out concentrate on how the breath feels on your top lip as you release the breath from your nose

This meditation is designed to focus your mind on your breath instead of your thoughts. If your mind does wander off, just bring your attention back to your breath without judgment. Once you accomplish this meditation, you can combine it with other meditations. Check out some of our guided meditation downloads like The Eflexx Awareness Meditation: Dissolve Stress, The Efflex Empowerment Meditation, Mantra Meditation for Creating Abundance, Meditation Emotion and Healing, Kabbalah Meditation, Chakra Breathing Meditations, One Gentle Soul Meditation, Beginner’s Guide to Meditation, Loving Kindness Meditation, Mantra Meditation for Attracting and Healing Relationships, Plum Village Meditations, and Meditation for Beginners

Staff Picks

For the New Year, I thought it might be interesting to share with you some top download picks from the iAmplify Team. Enjoy!

World of Collector Cars:

I recently brought home some of the Collector Cars downloads to enjoy and found that they have a value far greater than my own personal enjoyment… They are like the best babysitters for our toddlers. My two boys are obsessed with Cars, especially Classic Cars thanks Pixar. Can anyone say McQueen!!!??? My wife and I can now have dinner in peace as our two sons sit mesmerized watching and being hypnotized by Hudson Hornets and Packards, MG’s and old Jags. Even the Classic Mini, so Shagriffic! Bottom line, my wife has always loved our fitness and personal growth experts, but she never understood the true value of our platform until she watched our two cubs silenced by the simple joys of the World of Classic Cars. Download Now. Satisfaction and Quiet Guaranteed! Kipp

Tracy Mallet’s Elliptical Training Package and Yoga for Athletes:

Growing up, I had always been an athlete, training for hours a day. Now with my 10-year high school reunion looming, I am faced with the daunting challenge of getting back into shape. My biggest challenge: time and motivation. So, the first thing I did was head straight to iAmplfy.com and download Tracy Mallet’s Elliptical Training Package and Yoga for Athletes by Kimberly Fowler. Tracy’s cardio workouts have gotten me back on track and have kept me motivated for the entire time. As cheesy as it sounds, I actually look forward to going to the gym. And, Yoga for Athletes is the perfect combination of toning and total body strength training without any crazy yoga poses or chanting. Plus, I can do it in the bedroom of my tiny New York apartment on my computer so I don’t have to worry about making it to a class. For the first time, I feel like I have started a program that I can stick with…even on to my 20- or 30-year reunion (yikes!).
Joanna

J.K.D. Body Weapon and Wing Chung Complete Package:

I’ve been studying martial arts for a short time now and was in need of finding a way to practice at home after class. I decided to try one of the Master Wong segments on Tai Chi and found that this was a great addition to what I was already learning in class. Also, it has been a lot of fun learning new and different techniques from such a talented martial artist, all while practicing in the comfort of my living room! If you want get into shape and learn something useful for everyday life, I strongly recommend the Master Wong J.K.D and Wing Chun packages! Kyle

Plyomix Core-Matt Hughes:

I recently purchased Matt Hughes: Plyomix Core and found it to be well worth the cost. The entire work out is only about 35 minutes and it had so many great techniques to work out my core. What I found most interesting was the back stretches. Most people, myself included, don’t consider the lower back as part of the core and often overlook it but that won’t be me anymore. After a few weeks of this training I am already feeling a big change and hope to continue until I get my six pack abs. This is a great product. Eitai

Joe Navarro:

Any Joe Navarro product. Too much of our interactions with other people are spent looking without seeing and listening without hearing. Reams of information are communicated, not by words, but by gestures and tone and posture, and Joe teaches us in simple easy to understand steps how to interpret what is really being communicated beyond the words, and how to be conscious of what we communicate to others by how we stand, or move our hands, or where we look. Invaluable skills, whether in dating, business or poker. David

Core Fitness- Lindsay Brin:

Over the years I’ve struggled with sciatica and other back problems, and my physical therapist has told me the best way to fight them is to strengthen my core muscles. This download gives a tougher, more targeted core workout than any other I’ve tried! It’s really hard but really good and I can tell it’s making a big difference. Kate

Golden Touch Craps:

My favorite product from the iAmplify catalog is Golden Touch Craps, by Frank and the Dominator. This series really peaked my interest because, as an avid craps player, I am always looking for innovative ways to improve my controlled throws.The first time I reached for the dice with the rigid, four-finger technique I learned from the Golden Touch team, I knew that something had changed in my relationship with the game. The idea of being able to control the destiny of your throws transforms the entire experience. What was once a combination of learning the odds and betting on luck, has become an obsessive game of precision, strategy, and skill. I’ve been too busy to make to Atlantic City since acquiring this imposing bank of knowledge, but they better look out when I come marching through next month! Danny

Fytek Body Masters:

I really like this download because when I can't make it to the gym it's really easy to do when I'm at home or away. It comes with tons of different routines so you're never bored. The hip-hop routines are especially fun and I think in general it's a well-rounded workout - it includes everything from aerobics and muscle toning to stretching and nutrition. I highly recommend it. Sheri

Keeping on Track

Oprah has been all over the news lately, confessing how she has gotten off track with her health and fitness routine and how she has let herself fall back into old bad habits. She says she is embarrassed. After all, she is a role model to millions of women. She has tons of money to hire personal trainers, chefs, etc. Her everyday message is about our personal power to change. So she really has no excuse, right?

Well, I think this example of personal weakness is very inspiring. This is what I get from Oprah’s experience: Maintaining your weight, living a healthy lifestyle, asserting your control over personal weakness is an everyday process. It doesn’t matter how wealthy you are or how together your life seems. We all have to keep working to reach our highest potential in life. There are no short cuts and the work doesn’t stop.

Most of the time we set goals for ourselves and we are so focused on the end result that we lose sight of the everyday process. We think that our life will somehow be different once we reach that goal…that life will suddenly be perfect and we won’t have to do anymore work. I can’t tell you how wrong I think that world view is. You reach goals and then you make new ones. This is what life is about. If you have put on extra weight, your goal is to take that weight off. But once you reach your goal, do you think that if you stop exercising and go back to eating the way you did before that you will not gain that weight back? It is this perception of reaching some ideal place that keeps us from reaching and maintaining realistic goals and enjoying the process.

In How to Stay Motivated: The Goals Program, motivational speaker and master storyteller Zig Ziglar examines this very issue. At one point he says “so you didn’t reach your goals the first time you tried. So what? Failure is an event – it is not a person!... Failure is the result of the least persistence.” Without clearly defined goals and persistence, you simply can't achieve the success you want!

Also check out Denis Waitley’s Healthy, Wealthy and Wise. This 16 hour program is divided into 3 parts:

Part 1: Healthy: The Ultimate Fitness & Wellness System, How to build a Fat-Burning, Disease-Fighting, Age-Defying Body and Mind (based upon Denis' Olympic mental training experience.)

Part 2: Wealthy: The 12 Secrets of Self-Made Multi-Millionaires; The Richest Man in Babylon and Acres of Diamonds. A banquet of priceless knowledge on capital accumulation and financial independence, both philosophical and practical.

Part 3: Wise: The Psychology of Winning for the 21st Century (recorded live at Caesar's Palace) and a separate recording, The Psychology of Winning for Women, where Denis Waitley is joined by his two Ph.D. daughters, Deborah and Dayna Waitley.

How do you stay on track? We want to know! Share by commenting below.

New Year's Resolution Time

Happy New Year!

Now that the celebration is over, it’s time to reflect on 2008. What worked? What didn’t work? What would you like to change? What would you like to do better? This is a good time to tack stock of the past and make goals for the future. Here are some tips to help you make your new year’s resolutions a success:

Make a Plan

As you reflect on the past year, start a list. In one column make note of all the things you accomplished last year. Really think about it and give yourself credit! Meditate on how you were able to achieve these accomplishments and really congratulate yourself. In another column make a list of your setbacks. I know these are sometimes easier for us to come up with, but try to do so without judgment. What were the causes of these set backs and were the causes in your control or out of your control? Ask yourself how you could have changed the outcome if you had another chance. Also reflect on what you learned from your setback. Did you learn a valuable lesson?

Now make a third column. List the things you would like to improve or accomplish in the New Year. Make the list as long as you want and then whittle it down to something realistic --you can always add to it later. This will be your plan for the New Year. Put it somewhere where you can refer to it often.

Check out some of these motivating seminars to help start your new year plan off right: Activating the Law of Attraction, The Power of Vision, How to Build a Purpose Guided Life

Mix it UP

Each year, instead of making a classic resolution, I use January to jolt myself out of habits. It’s kind of a fast from my bad habits with some new habits sprinkled in. Weaning yourself off of your bad habits is hard, so adding some good habits in will help. And by good, I mean FUN! This year besides my usual abstinence from alcohol, I’ve decided to take a salsa class. It’s always a good idea to add something active into your routine when you are trying to wean yourself from a bad habit. First, it keeps your mind off of the habit and secondly, exercise sends you those lovely endorphins. Exercise saved me when I quit smoking.

Mixing up your routine is also a good way to keep from getting bored. Try some of these dance workouts to inject some fun into your routine: Disco Fit Workout, Bollywood Beauty, Brazilian Body

Happy Holidays

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Holiday Procrastination

Here I am again, it’s a week away from Christmas and I have not bought one single gift yet. Christmas seems to sneak up on me every year. I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like to buy a gift unless it’s perfect for the person I’m buying it for. I should probably get gifts throughout the year when I find that perfect thing, but that would be too sensible! I’m just your classic procrastinator who doesn’t like to fight the crowds at any time of the year, especially around the holidays. Internet shopping was made for me!

By now, I have an inbox full of coupons from various stores. But this year, I want to give something meaningful, not just another expensive trinket that will only take up space. Plus, I’m thinking about the packaging and shipping footprints that my gifts will leave on the environment. So I started to think about all of the great audio and video programs I’ve sampled since I’ve been at iAmplify, and I’ve decided to send a download gift that has special significance for the people I love. Here are a few of my picks:

The best gift you can give is to pass on what you cherish most. I decided to send one of my good friends “Energy Anatomy” by Caroline Myss which has inspired me so much these past few weeks. My friend’s been out of work for some time and has been extremely frustrated by her circumstances. I feel like she needs this inspirational lift too. Find More Inspiring Gifts in our Personal Growth Section.

Since I’m getting married next year in Mexico and my dad has been afraid to fly after a turbulent flight to his father’s funeral more than 20 years ago, I sent him “Fear of Flying” by Captain Tom Bunn. I’ve heard so many customer testimonials about this product, I was confident that this could finally be the program that gets my dad on a plane again. Find More Health & Wellness Gifts in our Health Section.

My sister has always wanted to learn how to knit, but she never has time to take a class. So I’m going to get her this great video instructional by LA Designer, Suss Cousins: “The Complete Knitting Course.” Find More How-to Gifts in our Hobbies & Games Section.

For my nieces and nephews I’m getting a few “Frog and Toad” titles by Arnold Lobel & the holiday favorite “A Christmas Carol” read by Scott Brick. . They love listening to stories and now they can listen to them over and over without bothering their mom! Find More Great Audio Selections in our Entertainment Section.

My fiancé lives for basketball, so I’m getting him this inspiring audio program by John Wooden: Values, Victory and Peace of Mind. Referred to as the greatest coach of the 20^th Century, he teaches his formula in achieving the highest victory in sports, business and life. Find More Inspiring True Stories in our Non-Fiction Section.

One of the great features about sending a gift from iAmplify is that you can schedule when it arrives to the recipients inbox. Buy it today or Christmas Eve, schedule it for Christmas day and you are done! Learn More

What are you getting your family this year? We want to know! Please post your gift suggestions below: