Daily Meditation for Success: Do This First Thing Every Morning

There are so many myths about how to meditate, what a daily meditation practice means, and what the overall experience of meditation should be. I was happy to see Bhanu Narasimhan from the Art of Living Foundation debunk common meditation myths.

Here's the thing: Meditation is for everyone, and it's different for everyone. There is no right or wrong way of doing it, and meditation can help you increase your focus, reduce stress, and prevent common health ailments. While some people have a meditation practice that is part of a larger religious or spiritual path, it certainly doesn't have to be.

If you're a little skeptical about the benefits of meditation, I love this Lifehacker post, "What Happens to the Brain When You Meditate (And How it Benefits You)," written by a former skeptic of meditation.

In this episode of She Takes on the World TV I want to make meditation super simple for you, with this daily meditation technique I learned in China.

Check it out:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/natalie-macneil/meditation-for-success_b_4233955.html?utm_source=Alert-blogger&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Email%2BNotifications  

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/natalie-macneil/meditation-for-success_b_4233955.html?utm_source=Alert-blogger&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Email%2BNotifications

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Q&A: What are trans fats, and why are they so bad?

Q&A: What are trans fats, and why are they so bad?

Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES--What is a trans fat, and why is it so dangerous that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration wants it removed from the food supply?

These are just some of the questions on the minds of diners as they digest Thursday's FDA action. Although consumption of artificial trans fats is already on the decline, FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg said further reductions could save 7,000 lives each year.

Need help understanding this news? Read on:

Question: What is a trans fat?

Answer: These fats -- also known as trans fatty acids -- are made by adding hydrogen to liquid oil, which turns it into a solid, like margarine or Crisco. This makes it a handy ingredient for processed food manufacturers, since it improves the texture, stability and shelf life. It's also inexpensive. Today, it's often used in foods including microwave popcorn, coffee creamers, packaged cookies, cans of frosting and frozen pizza, among others.

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Q: Where does it come from?

A: Trans fats are a natural component of animal products such as milk and meat. The FDA says that it is synthesized in the guts of grazing animals.

Artificial trans fats were invented in 1901 by Wilhelm Normann. The German chemist added hydrogen gas to liquid oils and came up with a cheaper alternative to natural products like lard and butter. For many years, these partially hydrogenated oils were believed to be safer than trans fats from animals, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, or CSPI. But by the early 1990s, epidemiologists were realizing that the fats contributed to heart disease.

----

Q: Why are trans fats bad for your health?

A: It's not just bad, it's doubly bad. For one thing, it increases blood levels of the "bad" cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein. High levels of LDL increase one's risk of coronary heart disease, including angina, heart attacks and other potentially fatal problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To make matters worse, researchers also believe that trans fats reduce blood levels of high-density lipoprotein, the "good" cholesterol. HDL appears to reduce heart risks by funneling blood cholesterol to the liver, where it's broken down and removed from the body. There's also evidence that HDL slows the buildup of dangerous plaques in the arteries, the American Heart Association says.

CSPI, the nonprofit advocacy group that petitioned the FDA to require labeling of trans fats way back in 1994, has declared artificial trans fats "the most harmful fat of all" on a gram-per-gram basis.

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Q: Haven't trans fats been banned already?

A: In some places, yes. In 2006, New York City became the first city to prohibit the use of artificial trans fats in restaurants and bakeries. California passed a law to phase out their use in restaurants in 2008. The first country to virtually ban artificial trans fats was Denmark, which took that action in 2003.

----

Q: What about foods I buy in the grocery store?

A: Many food makers have reformulated their products to remove artificial trans fats -- and when they do, they often tout their success on packages. Some examples of processed foods that are now trans-fat-free include Oreo cookies, Cheetos, Pop--tarts and instant Jell--O pudding.

----

Q: So what exactly happened on Thursday?

A: The FDA announced its intent to remove partially hydrogenated oils from its list of ingredients that are "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS). That would effectively prevent food makers from using it in their products. Members of the public will have 60 days to comment on the proposal. If it takes effect, it would mark the first time since 1969 an item has been removed from the GRAS list. (Then, the artificial sweetener cyclamate was knocked off the list due to concerns about bladder cancer, liver damage and birth defects. Subsequent studies have found it to be safe in humans.)

----

Q: Remind me again -- what are partially hydrogenated oils?

A: These are the primary source of artificial trans fats. (Think of Wilhelm Normann adding hydrogen gas to liquid oils a century ago.)

----

Q: Will this FDA action improve my health?

A: There's good evidence that removing trans fats from foods -- both through government regulation and voluntarily measure by industry -- has already improved the nation's health.

To cite just one example: Researchers from the CDC examined concentrations of trans fatty acids in blood samples collected as part of its ongoing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They found that between 2000 and 2009, levels of four types of trans fatty acids fell by an average of 58 percent. They reported their results last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Another study based in part on the survey's data calculated that the average American consumed 1.3 grams of artificial trans fats per day between 2003 and 2006. That's a significant reduction from the 4.6 grams that the FDA said each American adult was eating every day (on average) in 2003. These findings were published in 2012 in the journal Food Additives and Contaminants.

----

Q: If trans fats are so awful, shouldn't I reduce my consumption to zero?

A: Not necessarily. It would be great to eliminate all artificial trans fats from your diet, but remember that some trans fats occur naturally in meat and dairy products. Unless you're a vegan, you'll probably keep eating some of the fats.

But you shouldn't necessarily freak out about this. The Institute of Medicine considered this very question in a 2005 report and concluded that reducing trans fat consumption to zero would cause radical changes in diet that might deprive people of protein and essential micronutrients. The health consequences of this are "unknown and unquantifiable."

======== 

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What to Do When You're Broken?

What to Do When You're Broken

Though no one likes it, each of us will find ourselves broken at some point in our journey. When we find ourselves there, what do we do? I've been broken many times—through illness, through the loss of a job, through the derailment of a dream and most recently, through the death of my father. For all of this, I can offer a mysterious truth that life has given me: that we are stronger, gentler, more resilient and more beautiful than we imagine, and that the resource we call life is never far away. 

I know this because every time my heart has been shattered, I have felt certain that it could never be put back together. And every time, without exception, not only has my heart mended but it has become larger, stronger and more loving for the breaking. The mysterious and unfailing journey of how this happens is the ordinary art of staying awake. It involves the deep and continuous act of being present in all ways, in all directions. Being present in this way is the practice of holding nothing back. 

Feeling broken can be debilitating and hard to move through. A few steps we can take to refind our wholeness include the effort to: 

1. Accept the Weather

Realizing that we will be broken is not a pessimistic view, but a wholehearted acceptance of the unfolding nature of life. Being tossed and turned by circumstances is part of life's weather. You may trip on obstacles, hurting someone you love. You may find yourself alone, without the person with whom you thought you'd spend the rest of your life. You may become ill. 

How do we meet these challenges? For me, I try to remember, when breaking, that every crack is an opening. No matter how harsh the experience, something is always opened within us; and what is opened is always more important than what breaks us. We might experience cruelty or unfairness or indifference or the brutality of chance—all of which are difficult and life-changing. And while cruelty and injustice are never excusable and need to be rectified, we must not get stuck in our list of legitimate grievances, or we will never be able to enter the depth that becomes available for being open. 
Very quickly, when broken open, we are exhausted of our differences. We don't try so hard to keep up needless boundaries and are forced to realize we are all the same, and this allows us to touch and be touched more directly. Things we thought that mattered don't. I know once my heart is opened, I can find the courage to lean into the place where I am broken, to lean into that opening, letting life rush in and touch me there, even though that place is incredibly tender. I've discovered over time that the rush of life into the tender place where we are broken is the beginning of resilience. 

3. Ask Yourself, "What Kind of Part Am I in What Kind of Whole?"

Beyond all our good intentions and hard work, not getting what we want and working with what we're given can lead us to realize and inhabit a larger geography of being. Despite our resistance, we are led to accept that we are a living part in a greater Living Whole. Now we can begin a deeper part of our journey by asking, "What is my relationship to the Living Whole?" 

It's hard to keep this deeper understanding of life in view when in pain, when in fear, when confused and worried. But this is the nature of being broken. It limits our view, for the moment. One of the purposes of love is to help each other not stay limited in our view of life. Like a surfer who, when catching a wave, is for the moment at one with the swell of the ocean, when helping each other move beyond our limited view of life, we are, for the moment, at one with the unity of life, which lifts us back into a feeling of health. 

4. Look Beyond the Broken

In my recent conversation with Oprah on "Super Soul Sunday," I found myself saying, "To be broken is no reason to see all things as broken." This notion has been a profound teacher for me in meeting difficulty. Though it's understandable to be consumed with what we're going through, it's essential to remember that all of life is not where we are. In fact, this is when we need the aliveness and vitality of everything that is not us. When closed, we need to open. When fearful, we need to trust again. When feeling lost, we need to remember that we are in the stream of life, which is never lost. 

I've come to believe that we were all broken from the same nameless heart, and every living thing wakes with a piece of that original heart aching its way into being. Along the way, we are broken open like seeds that bear fruit, so we can meet each other and be touched by each other; so we can remember and inhabit the one precious life we're given. And when broken of all that gets in the way, we suddenly know each other below our strangeness. This is why when we fall, we lift each other; or when in pain, we hold each other; why when sudden with joy, we dance together. Life is the many pieces of that great heart loving itself back together. 



Read more: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/What-to-Do-When-You-Feel-Broken-Mark-Nepo/2#ixzz2k6BYPtRR

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7 Things Your Partner Wants to Hear Every Day!

7 Things Your Partner Wants to Hear Every Day

"I'd rather be spending time with you."

Yes, there's a "Save the Library" march tonight, which you must attend because your town is closing branches right and left. And yes, your husband understands the gravity of the situation and has even brought up supportive points like: "Libraries aren't just about books! They have free DVDs!" But as you race out the door to fight for universal literacy (and free DVDs!), or to meet up with your old friend from England, or to make the last-minute meeting at the office, letting your significant somebody know that he is preferable to any of your causes, obligations or goals not only keeps him from feeling like just another check-off on your to-do list, but also affirms that he is item number one on your to-adore list.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/relationships/What-Your-Partner-Needs-to-Hear-Every-Day#ixzz2k4OLeRoM

"The best thing about how you play Monopoly is that you let the kids win."

The reason to mention this—oh so casually—is not so much about the particular board game as it is about the dark, insidious spider web of associations that goes along with it. For example, let's say your spouse's father was a business tycoon who mocked his young son for not being tough enough, and forced him to play rounds of impossible-to-win, ego-shriveling chess. Naturally, your spouse is terrified of growing up to be just like his dad. To help him with this daily horror, you can always say, "You're not like your dad," over and over, but the repetition will dull the point. Furthermore, in my wee experience, saying it so overtly will mean that he will never believe you. Insecurities are like this: they resist the truest, easiest solution to their madness. A roundabout affirmation that he is not the person he least wants to be, on the other hand, will make him think, "I'm not like my dad!" And as all of us know too well, we humans tend to believe that voice in our heads above all other voices. Bonus point: He may also let you win...

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/relationships/What-Your-Partner-Needs-to-Hear-Every-Day/2#ixzz2k4ORCBxw

"I was hoping that'd be you."

One day there will be a psychological study that proves how this golden little phrase saved 91.9 out of every 100.1 marriages in an experimental group of couples monitored over 53.8 years. Until then, just say it, please—most particularly when he calls. He, too, is aware that, in this age of texting, the sound of a phone ringing (or chirping or playing jazzy glockenspiel) is irksome. By saying this to him, you make him also aware that this minor irritation is, in fact, an experience you look forward to...as long as it's his voice on the other end of the line.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/relationships/What-Your-Partner-Needs-to-Hear-Every-Day/3#ixzz2k4OWReUR

"Plain Crest toothpaste in a tube!"

We all have those hard-to-find things that make us happy: popcorn-flavored jellybeans; jumping, joyful three-legged dogs; the first summer day when fountains spurt on in hot public parks. Texting him a photo with a line like, "Plain Crest toothpaste in a tube!", reminds him that he is not the only one bewildered by the endless new-and-improved formulas involving baking soda and whitening chemicals, as well as annoyed by the stand-up pump dispensers that punk out and deny you the last two centimeters of paste. In addition, it brings to his attention that the world is still a recognizably excellent place; the hard-to-find things are not impossible to find. They are here: in an aisle at Rite Aid. Between the Aim and the Colgate.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/relationships/What-Your-Partner-Needs-to-Hear-Every-Day/6#ixzz2k4OkNnSk

"I sleep so much better with you."

Think about it. Who doesn't have problems with sleep? We can't get to sleep. Or we get to sleep but wake up due to worries or noise. We cuddle body pillows or take pills or run sound machines or cover the windows with dark drapes or slap a mask over our eyes. Then—crap!—we sleep too much. When you mention that he helps you sleep better, you're really saying something along the lines of: You know that big, ugly problem that the rest of the world has? I don't have it. Because of you. Nobody else relaxes me like you. Nobody else can make me dream.

Leigh Newman is the Deputy Editor of Oprah.com and author of Still Points North: One Alaskan Childhood, One Grown-Up World, One Long Journey Home.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/relationships/What-Your-Partner-Needs-to-Hear-Every-Day/7#ixzz2k4OtCPVg

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5 Moments You're Most Likely to Overspend!

5 Moments You're Most Likely to Overspend!

When You're Avoiding the Crowds

You may be tempted to tackle your shopping list at 7 a.m. on a weekday, when Walmart is practically guaranteed to be blessedly empty. But shopping at crowded stores could help your wallet: We're less likely to buy unnecessary items when we're surrounded by swarms of people, a Journal of Consumer Research study found. It's like we go into survival mode, where we immediately think of what we need to get in and get out (and emerge relatively unscathed).

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/money/Moments-Youre-Most-Likely-to-Overspend-How-to-Spend-Less#ixzz2jzOVpaT0

When You've Opened Another Bank Account

It's hard to resist the $50 cash bonus for opening an extra account or starting a "fun" fund to get you through those slogging winter months, but a May 2013 study found that people tend to save more when they have just one place to deposit money. That's because they have a better knowledge of how much is there—and how much they're spending, researchers say. When our income is spread across a few places, we can easily justify a purchase by thinking, "Oh, but I have money in that other account, too."

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/money/Moments-Youre-Most-Likely-to-Overspend-How-to-Spend-Less/2#ixzz2jzOa9w78

When You're Buying Something Embarrassing

If you've ever bought some candy, a magazine or a collector's edition Seinfeld DVD box set to deflect from what you really need to pick up (ahem, antifungal foot cream), you're not alone: almost 80 percent of people spend money on unnecessary extras to divert the cashier's and other shoppers' attention, finds a July 2013 study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

If the thought of buying just the item you really need makes you anxious, search for a distraction purchase you'll use, like paper towels or toothpaste. It may even save you a 10 p.m. grocery-store run in a few weeks.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/money/Moments-Youre-Most-Likely-to-Overspend-How-to-Spend-Less/3#ixzz2jzOfLrhR

When You Could Use a Little Support

It's no surprise that we're likely to splurge when we're feeling down, but 75 percent of women say they're shopping to treat someone else, finds University of Hertfordshire research. Sadness can make us crave others' support, and buying gifts for those we care about can help us feel more connected to them, explains Sheconomics co-author Karen Pine, PhD, who conducted the study. Plus, when money is tight, it's easier to justify spending on someone other than ourselves.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/money/Moments-Youre-Most-Likely-to-Overspend-How-to-Spend-Less/4#ixzz2jzOjL98W

When You're Reminded of the Time

The clock can rule our schedules, our thoughts and, as it turns out, our bank accounts. When a sign encouraged people to "spend a little time, enjoy C&D's lemonade," they were more likely to stop and buy a drink—and pay 51 percent more for it (compared to a those who saw a sign that asked them to "spend a little money"). Why? In the 2008 study from Stanford University,researchers found that 'spending time' makes us feel more like we're buying an experience, not parting with our hard-earned cash.

The subtle shift is enough to make us feel like we're investing in something to do—which most other research states will make us happier than material possessions—but in essence, it's just stuff masquerading as an experience.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/money/Moments-Youre-Most-Likely-to-Overspend-How-to-Spend-Less/5#ixzz2jzOnn6Lk

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7 Ways to Get a Better Body in Under an Hour!

In as little as a minute a day, you can make noticeable changes to your physique…and your fitness level (if you keep it up over time, of course).

If you have one minute…drop and do 10 push-ups (or 20, or 5).

There's a reason that push-ups are every trainer's favorite exercise: They engage muscle groups in the arms, chest, abdomen, hips and legs; they don't require any equipment; they're endlessly adaptable (you can work them into a yoga routine; add jumps to turn them into a cardio move; change your hand position to make them a triceps toner). More important to most of us is the fact that these intense moves get results. "Female clients have told me that they've seen noticeable differences in their arms after doing daily push-ups against a wall or on the edge of a sink," says Shirley Archer, a certified fitness expert and a co-author of Weight Training for Dummies. In as little as two weeks, the exercise should feel easier (no more soreness!), says Archer, and you may see a visible difference in muscle tone after four to eight weeks, depending on your age and your exercise history.

7 Exercises to Change Your Body—and Your Life

Jessica Matthews, an exercise physiologist at the American Council on Exercise, breaks down the key moves you need to know to build muscle, prevent high blood pressure, and more.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/health/Exercises-to-Change-Your-Body-and-Your-Life#ixzz2jz6zaIp9

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Top Products I Blog About.......Check them Out!

The Letter I write each potential client that I Blog for.....

I am a marketer with over 35 year experience and I would like to offer my help getting your name out into more homes, NOT ASKING FOR ANY MONEY so please keep reading!

This is the concept:

Let me start by explaining myself to you so you know what I am doing and why. I am a marketer and Graphic Designer with over 30 years owning a Panasonic Dealership in California rated #1 for over 25 years.  I retired in 2005 and was so bored I thought I would go crazy so I started Using Stained Glass paint on Wine Glasses packaged with a variety of things however they were funny and people started buying them like crazy. It grew bigger and soon I was making glasses for all different things and selling them. This is the product that started the parties however it was not long before I started being asked to do Graphics; I started with a simple blog that outgrew itself very fast so I just completed the designing of my website. www.networkingdimensions.com. Hence, how the “Product Parties” started once a month with between 6 and 15 new reviewed and paying clients submit products as well as information about their company. They give the substance to the parties; change them up each month so I always have a huge turnout. Last month I brought in over $5,000 dollars between the different Sponsors. . I am still not complete with bringing over all the information from the blogs but almost. The 5,000 grand I made at last party only included $410 from my products and the rest were products sold for my clients and people who send in things for review. It keeps the parties alive because the products are always different and a several of the same people come back to look at all the new products, they are a blast! I had a client buy me 6 laptops so I could run all the different Powerpoint presentations during the parties:   www.networkingdimensions.com. at clients send me. If people want to become a distributor, I have to be able to connect with you so you can set them up however. My number by the way is 435 705-3247if you ever want to chat or ask questions. The next one is the 23rd of November so if you want to participate I will need any information you want me to know about your products, even Powerpoint presentations if you have one. I have 6 Laptops that run the presentations so people can see what they are about. You send me whatever products you want me to review; if there are any I cannot review I have 5 others that give me information for reviews however this does not happen often. I give you 30 days of free tweeting about your products, 24 hours a day, rotating 100+ tweets you write or if I wrote them it is only $25.00. I post your review on its own page with information about your products and then the review below it. There will be all links to you and information you want. I also post your review on my Blogs, Pinterest, Facebook and various Social Networks I use daily. On the main page of my website will be a link to your review, under the new review section on the front page. Last but not least, your product will be part of our monthly Newsletter the month it is reviewed. At the party if I have order forms, I can have them fill them out and I take checks and then send everything to you the next day. If they want to be a distributor and this is something you offer, it helps if I can call you with the client here at the party. It all started because I sell stained glass wine glasses and it has turned into this wonderful thing that I get paid well to do for my big clients. The new reviews are party of the party but there is no charge to you. Let me know if I can explain anything further? I do have the Faith that I can get your name out there! At the end of the 30 days after the review, all you lose is the tweeting and if this is something you would want to keep, you would only pay $50.00 per month to continue. Your review stays on my main site and on all my blogs even after the first 30-days have expired. Let me know what you think! Sincerely, Sherri Hill www.Networkingdimensions.com

List of Clients and Blogging Partners www.Networkingdimensions.com Click on Reviews Link on the bottom of the Page, the Website  above has the reviews on the site. FANTASTIC BOOKS spreading joy perky jerky jimmy bars quest nutrition jewelry in candles  hannah q drinks soapery sweet mr. feel good lotion chewy.com moe parnes pet 360 andalaou naturals dna publicity guylian chocolates Young Living Essential Oils by Nance Ciasca Carmen De'Sousa Author Chobani Yogurt Dr. Scholl's Active Wear Montagne Jeunesse Beauty Visalus International POND'S Beauty Kopali Chocolates Bumble Bars O' Bar B' ArtWorks (Pet Portraits) Hillbilly Goblets Say It Loud Glass Core 150 Shakers Derma Juvenate Ziyad Borthers Importing Hummus Do you have a product or service you would like reviewed? Networkingwithsherri@gmail.com (435) 705-3247

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Helping a friend in conflict!

When friends, loved ones, and colleagues tell us about a conflict they’re experiencing, how we respond helps shape their conflict story. And what they do next.

A friend who mediates legal cases was regaling me with a story about a court employee who treated her with disrespect. As I listened to my friend’s description of the employee’s behavior, I felt outrage on my friend’s behalf. I heard myself say, “That’s just not acceptable! How could she think it’s ok to talk to you that way?” I watched my friend grow increasingly more incensed as she told the story and I supported her by endorsing her outrage. With my own outrage I was contributing to the construct of her conflict story about this employee.

What if, instead, I had said something like, “Oh my! Do you think she must have been having a terrible day to have said something like that?” Or, “Yikes! You sure can be a force to be reckoned with when someone inadvertently steps on your toes.” Instead of endorsing a story already taking shape with gusto, I could have chosen to help my friend consider other ways of looking at her experience.

Who knows whether those ways would have been more useful or helpful to her? I tell you this experience simply to highlight that the way we support someone has an impact. When we conflate supporting with endorsing, we become one-trick ponies with limited ability to truly help those we care about.

Supporting can mean something more than endorsing their conflict story. Helping a friend in conflict can mean helping them think. It can mean helping them understand what happened in different ways than the one they've chosen. It can mean challenging their thinking in a kind and loving way. We can say things like,

• What do you think you’re going to do about it?
• What are some additional ways of understanding what happened?
• How can I help you think this through?

Dr. Tammy Lenski helps individuals, couples, and organizations resolve interpersonal conflict more simply and effectively. 

Check out her site.....            

http://lenski.com/

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WIN A ELECTROLUX INDUCTION RANGE!

First you must join http://www.influenster.com and you could win:

Join the #ElectroluxLive Twitter Conversation & Watch the

 

Competition on Food52.com Wednesday at 1pm EST

Participate and you could win an: 

Note: Images might not represent actual product giveaways.

YOU COULD WIN.....

Electrolux Induction Cooktop

OR.....

 Electrolux Induction Range

I have loved this site and have had the opportunity to review many 

free products. Join Now!

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11 Ways to Boost Your Self-Esteem in Less Than an Hour

If you have... 1 second:

Sit up straight.

Research suggests that people with good posture have more confidence in their thoughts than slouchers.

2 seconds:

Practice Good Scents.

One study found that women felt more confident in social, business and romantic situations when wearing perfume.

3 seconds:

Knock Wood.

Psychologists have shown that embracing superstitions and carrying good luck charms can help you perform tasks better.

5 seconds:

Nod Along.

When you nod your head while listening to someone, research has shown that your belief in what you're thinking is heightened.

10 seconds:

Flirt.

Social psychologist Laura Kray, PhD, has demonstrated that smiling, laughing and engaging in slight physical contact when negotiating can help you win the day.

2 seconds:

Get pumped.

For a quick shot in the arm, life and business strategist Tony Robbins practices a unique ritual—and, crazy as it sounds, it works. Shake out your body, clench your hands like claws, and rock back and forth, breathing in and out quickly. Stop moving, then shake out your body again. Now clap, shout the word "Yes!" five times—and head out there to face the world.

2 minutes:

Strike a Pose.

Standing for two minutes in a "power pose"—think of Wonder Woman, with her feet flat on the ground, shoulders square, and hands on her hips—can help you feel 40 percent more powerful than sitting with your arms crossed.

10 minutes:

Focus on your breathing.

Those who regularly practice Buddhist mindfulness meditation report increased self-acceptance.

15 minutes:

Grab a cup of joe.

One more reason to love your latte: 100 milligrams of caffeine has been shown to increase alertness, energy and confidence.

20 minutes:

Break a sweat.

Science long ago proved that exercise enhances your mood—but did you know that a 20-minute workout can sharpen your state of mind for a whopping 12 hours?

1 hour:

Assemble a confidence toolbox.
Carol Dweck, PhD—professor of psychology at Stanford University and author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success—says that a well-chosen array of objects can give you a major morale boost. (Provided you keep them hidden away "in a drawer or on a bookshelf," says Dweck, "so that when you come upon them or seek them out, their associations are still potent.") Here's what to include in your collection:

Proof that you can be bold.
Did you keep the phone number your now husband gave you—after you asked him out? Or the party hat you wore when you started a conga line at a friend's birthday bash? "Letting loose makes you feel assertive," says Dweck, so hang on to evidence that you know how to bust out of your shell.

A photo of those closest to you.
"Feeling loved is a source of strength," says Dweck—in part because it provides a social safety net: You're more likely to take a leap when you know there are people who will catch you if you fall.

A symbol of a new endeavor,
like a French-to-English dictionary if you're learning a language, or a snapshot if you're taking up photography. "You can derive confidence from the fact that you're pushing yourself," Dweck says.

A token of improvement.
Were you once hopeless at finishing crosswords, but now you're acing the Sunday edition? Or maybe you couldn't run a block six months ago but you just completed a 5K. If so, don't pitch that puzzle or your number from the race. Quantifiable achievements provide an instant jolt of self-esteem because they make it easy to measure progress.

A biography or magazine profile of your idol.
Dweck has her students research personal heroes to learn how they became successful. "The students get inspired because they see that everyone has setbacks," she says.

An invitation to an upcoming social event. 
Reminders of future get-togethers bring to mind relationships with loved ones. And, says Dweck, "looking forward to something keeps you focused on good things to come."

A token from a time you were there for someone—
say, a thank-you note from a friend. "Contributing to another person's life boosts self-esteem, especially when it helps them make progress toward their own goals," says Dweck.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Quick-Confidence-How-to-Boost-Self-Esteem/11#ixzz2jnBzYR8I

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