It’s holiday season again! This weekend many people all over will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day! For a lot of people, this holiday is all about the booze. If you are watching your weight and working hard to stay healthy, there are plenty of healthy alternatives that you can indulge in. If you are having a party or attending an event, check out these festive and healthy recipes that are easy and delicious! You will be sure to hit the pot of gold with these!

Fruity Rainbow Pot of Gold

For a colorful and delicious snack, gather fruits of all colors of the rainbow. Think strawberries, kiwi, grapes, etc. Slice them up and arrange them into a rainbow on a platter. For the “pot of gold” try slicing up bananas and arranging them at the end. This snack is cute and healthy!

Over the Veggie Rainbow

Here’s a healthy way to snack. Fill small bowls with your choice of a healthy dip like guacamole or hummus. Slice up peppers (red, yellow, green) and lay them over the dip in the bowl, resembling a rainbow. Slice up cauliflower and put it at each end. These will resemble clouds. Then have sliced carrots on the side for your gold! What a way to get your veggies in!

Leprechaun Hats

Here is a fun way to wear your green! Slice up cucumbers into one inch cylinders. Slice these in half, you will now have two hats! You can mold these and shape them into the hat you choose. Cut some cheese into thin strips and line the hat. Then take yellow peppers and cut a small square as the buckle of the hat. You can assemble these with agave as “glue” or just use toothpicks. Enjoy!

St. Patty’s Parfait!

If you are craving something sweet, this is for you! Find some key lime and orange low fat yogurt. Layer them in between Lucky Charms marshmallows. That’s it! This one is super easy and super festive! Try serving it frozen for a cool treat!

No matter how you are celebrating, keep in mind, you can still be healthy!

Keep reading our Get Thinner blog for more inspiration to achieve your goal and resolutions this year!

Remember to Buy your Get Thinner Blox.  Keep it near you and read it all the time like this:

“When I am THINNER, I am Gratified, Attractive, Inspired, and Confident!”  If you see it and read it, you will believe it and become it!!!

Bloxstar

Be Thinner!

http://www.mentalblox.com/blox/get-thinner/

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We all question our human experience, some of us many times in a day. Those in the spiritual path know this is part of growing and “doing the work” in this journey. Questions such as “Who am I?”, “Do I have a purpose?”, or “Do I value my life and daily action?” are common things we all explore at some point. March is the National Spiritual Wellness month, and it’s the perfect time to start looking into your Spiritual Wellness!

Spiritual Wellness

Spirituality can mean many things to each person but we all can agree that it is the search for Higher Power/Consciousness. Spiritual Wellness is the steps we take to explore our inner self to connect to the Higher Power.

5 Things to Practice Spiritual Wellness

Thru meditation and prayer, we are able to practice Spiritual Wellness. In addition to these two, here are five other exercises or practices to help you:

• Be, not Do: We are human Beings, not human DOERS! Take a few minutes each day to just be… Take a deep breath to connect with yourself and stay in the moment.
• Practice acceptance and gratitude: Accepting yourself is probably harder than accepting others. Catch yourself in those moments throughout the day when you are not being kind to yourself and instead practice gratitude for what you were given. For example, if you are one of those that when in front of the mirror instead of saying nice things about yourself, you say “I hate these bags under my eyes” or “Oh, these stretch marks!” or “My hips are too big”. Instead, practice gratitude and acceptance toward your body.
• Challenge yourself: Try something new! A new practice for example such as chakra healing, regression, Kirtan, sacred dance, reiki, acupuncture, seeing a counselor, a meditation challenge, or joining a spiritual meetup in your local community.
• Be Compassionate: This can be part of practicing acceptance towards others too. Instead of anger, share a compassionate thought towards others around you. For example, instead of getting angry at the person that cut you off in the highway, send them a positive thought instead. The truth is, we don’t know why that person is driving the way they are, and this is the truth for much in life; we don’t know what other person is experiencing in their lives to make the choices they make.
• Share with others: sharing and giving are a great ways to practice compassion, acceptance, and gratitude with those close to us. Opening up to our friends and family can also help the process of healing.

If this is the first time you are thinking about spirituality wellness in your life, we welcome you to our Get God blog to continue help you in this journey. For spiritual motivators, go to our shop.

Remember to get your Spiritual Blox.  Keep it near you and read it all the time like this:

“When I am SPIRITUAL, I have Hope, Faith, Support, and Love!”  If you see it and read it, you will believe it and become it!!!

Bloxster

Be Spiritual!

http://www.mentalblox.com/blox/get-god/

Photo By jamiejchase

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Since its Valentine’s week, many people are focused on their loved ones and romancing others. We want to focus on another important part of Valentine’s Day – your heart! After all, your heart is what drives you through this holiday! Having a healthy heart is such an important component of your overall health. With more and younger women suffering from heart attacks, now is the time to take action. There are many things you can do to improve the health of your own, so here are a few simple ways to do your part this Valentine’s Day.

Eat More Fish – What better way to do so than with a nice romantic dinner out with your sweetie? Fish is a wonderful addition to a heart-healthy diet. Full of omega-3, fish can be prepared in many different ways depending on your appetite. You can try this week to cook up a home-made recipe. Spicy mango tilapia is always a favorite of mine! Many restaurants have seafood on their Valentine’s Day menu, so pick a place to enjoy and cheers to your health!

MMM-meditation – Meditation can have many benefits for your body and your mind! When you are meditating, you have a sense of calm. Studies have shown that this decreases your stress levels, which in turn, improves your heart. They have also shown to lower blood pressure. All of these benefits circle right back to a healthy heart. This Valentine ’s Day, trying meditating as a couple!

Soda is a So-Don’t! – If you order a diet soda at dinner, you may be saving some calories but you may still be consuming harsh chemicals and other artificial ingredients that are not good for your body and your heart. These ingredients have been suspected to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes by 44%. If you love that bubbly soda, try ordering a seltzer. Add fresh juices or lime to flavor it up and get creative! Water is your best bet to stay hydrated and fit!

Remember to keep your heart healthy this Valentine’s Day!

Remember to Buy your Blox for yourself or someone you care about. Keep it close.  Pick it up, turn it, and read it all the time like this:  

”When I am Well, I am Healthy, Energetic, Happy, and Strong!”

If you see it and read it, you will believe it and become it!!!

Stay Tuned and subscribe! Also, comment on our facebook page.

Get Well!

Bloxstar

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Fired or laid off recently? Yes, I have found myself in that position too. My resume is great and could have any other 9-to-5 if I wanted to quite easily, but the truth I found out after attending a few interviews is that the only reason I stayed in my job was because I enjoyed it and loved the company I worked for. I would not want to work for any corporate job where I have to wear a suit, punch in a time card, and be in a cubicle. I am way past that even though I am still a baby and far from retirement. I have many projects and ideas “cooking” all the time and understand that working for someone is not what I enjoy. Once I realized that, I was able to create my own job!

Create Your Own Job

I believe I might be from the generation where having a 9-to-5 and a retirement account doesn’t mean much to me. I have read many books and heard many success stories of people who started their own companies or businesses after they were laid off. For me it was the same thing, I needed someone to push me to take that leap of faith to do what I enjoy. The key is to go deep within yourself and find something you enjoy to do and you can get compensated to do it.

Where to Start?

Working as a consultant is the easier to start because it doesn’t involve startup cost that other business have. All you need is business cards and maybe a website. Be willing to give some work for free or at a reduced price at the beginning to let the word out. Ask people to refer you and give you a testimonial after you complete the work. You can also invest in registering your company with your state and get a Tax ID number, those are free, and that way you can file taxes and do business more officially. There are many benefits in opening an LLC or Inc; study these and see what fits you best.

Reading Materials

Here are three books that can help you get inspired to start your own business or company:

• The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future by Chris Guillebeau. This book had me crying! I felt so inspired by what others were doing that it was so much to take in. I like that the author presents real life examples and uses data and facts to guide you. This is not a new-age book by any means, this is for people who need specific data to understand how other people have made the move from working for someone to working for themselves.
• The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferris. This is the first book I read that made wondered if one day I could work for myself. I didn’t believe until I saw friends making it work, working less time for more money and traveling while still making it work.
• Rework by Jason Fried of 37 Signals, creators of Basecamp. This is an awesome book for the creative types and people who are ready to get to working! I keep this book with me in my office every time I need direction.

Remember to Buy your Blox for yourself or someone you care about. Keep it close.  Pick it up, turn it, and read it all the time like this:  

”When I am Hired, I have Income, Security, Benefits, and a Workplace!”

If you see it and read it, you will believe it and become it!!!

Stay Tuned and subscribe! Also, comment on our facebook page.

Bloxter

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Time is money! And what better way to get rich than to manage your time well? February is the National Time Management Month, a great time to refocus on goals and learn to make the most with your time.

Time Management Month

February is the perfect time to get organized and begin a new page in your path to financial success. After the holidays and New Year resolutions are over, we begin to feel that we are ready to get back to our normal routine. Take advantage of that feeling, improve the way you manage your daily and weekly tasks in both your personal and professional life so that you can begin to see changes and improvement on how much you can accomplish.

How Much Time Do We Really Have?

A day has 24 hours, 8 of them are spent sleeping (hopefully), that leaves us with 16 hours to accomplish things. Depending on whether you have a 9-to-5 job, that will leave you with 8 hours, not counting commuting and getting ready for work. At the end of the day, you are left with about 4 hours to “do stuff”.

Tips to Manage Your Time Better

Whether is at work or at home that you are looking to spend your time well, here are some tips

• Eliminate distractions and communication addictions (such as Facebook and Twitter) when you start your day. Leave 30 to 45 minutes later in the day for these
• Delegate! It’s hard at the beginning, but once you learn it and trust it, it’s very easy to do
• Break bigger projects into smaller tasks that would be easier to accomplish
• Be honest about how fast you can work and how much you can take on. Learn to say “NO”
• Write down ideas or future projects for later
• Resist the urge to answer your calls and emails as they come in, reserve a time in the morning or afternoon for these
• Make time for your body! Our bodies and brains need food, exercise, meditation, and rest; in order to be more productive your body will need time for all these so it can keep up with your daily tasks
• Divide your tasks in priorities and length of time. For example, replying to emails might take 30 minutes, but writing a blog may take 45 minutes and needs to be published by 10am, so start with the blog and then reply to your emails.
• Work for 25 minutes and take a 5 minute break to stretch your legs and reorganize
• Get a kitchen timer or use your phone’s timer to keep you in line with how fast time goes
• If you have the flexibility or working from home or making your own schedule, find what are the times in the day that you are most efficient and schedule the harder tasks for that period of time

Time is money, and learning to manage your time better to accomplish the most important things, will help you be more efficient at work, home, and with any other projects.

Remember to Buy your Blox for yourself or someone you care about. Keep it close.  Pick it up, turn it, and read it all the time like this:  

”When I am Rich, I have Abundance, Wealth, Money, and Prosperity!”

If you see it and read it, you will believe it and become it!!!

Stay Tuned and subscribe! Also, comment on our facebook page.

Bloxter

Photo By RLHyde

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February is the Avocado and Beans month! Two of my favorite vegetarian sources to get healthy fat and protein from.

Health Benefits of Avocado

Avocado is known as Nature’s Butter, and if you have ever had a good avocado, you know it melts in your mouth! Avocados have B6 and E vitamins and folic acid as well as what is known as healthy fat, which helps maintain a healthy heart and prevent strokes, lower cholesterol, and regulate blood sugar. Avocados also help control blood pressure and skin care. Avocados are a great anti-cancer fruit and even aid in eye health. Because of its high Alkalinity, avocados are essential in recovering from illness and help transition from a SAD diet.

Health Benefits of Beans

Beans are a legume and a great source of protein. For those building muscle or underweight, eating beans is a healthy way to aid your body. Beans will help the body lower cholesterol and blood pressure, regulate the colon and prevent constipation, reduce risk of cancer, and balance blood sugar. Dried beans are extremely affordable, especially in this economy or if you are concerned about your budget while getting healthy, and will fill you up!

Easy Recipe of Avocado and Beans

Fresh beans and avocados are delicious! Here is an easy recipe to get all the best health benefits of avocados and beans this month! This is what you’ll need:

1 small to medium ripe avocado

1 cup of mixed dried beans (lima, pinto, garbanzo, navy, and black)

1 organic small to medium tomato chopped (fresh not from can)

1 Handful organic cilantro, chopped

½ organic lemon

Organic cumin powder, Real Salt, and a healthy oil (hemp, flax or unprocessed olive oil)

Optional: garlic

Soak the beans overnight and rinse well. You can soak them longer and even sprout the beans but change the water as often as possible. Steam for 20 to 30 minutes with some Real Salt and cumin, and if you opted for the garlic, steam the garlic as well.

Once they are steamed, put on a bowl, add cilantro and oil. Let it cool off a little bit and add the chopped tomatoes, and mix well. Cut the avocado in pieces and put over the beans and tomatoes. Add a few drops of lemon and mix a little bit to get the avocado to “melt” over the beans.

This is enough as a meal alone for one person or a side dish to share with others.

Avoid eating canned beans or processed avocado “dips” so that you can really get all the benefits of both without the sodium and preservatives.

Remember to Buy your Blox for yourself or someone you care about. Keep it close.  Pick it up, turn it, and read it all the time like this:  

”When I am Well, I am Healthy, Energetic, Happy, and Strong!”

If you see it and read it, you will believe it and become it!!!

Stay Tuned and subscribe! Also, comment on our facebook page.

Get Well!

Bloxster

Photo By morganglines

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This Sunday, February 3^rd is Super Bowl Sunday! For most people, this means two things: food and football! If you are trying to lose or maintain your weight, a party full of fatty foods can sometimes throw you off track. From the sauce-heavy chicken wings to the dips full of creams and oil, it can be a scary setting! Luckily, there are some easy, healthy and delicious swaps you can do to save some calories and still enjoy the game! These are some of the top recipes from Fit Sugar.

Spicy Chicken Chili

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 jalapeños, thinly sliced
1-1/2 pounds ground chicken
1/4 cup chili powder
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon chicken stock
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon salt
2 cans dark red kidney beans, drained

To garnish: (optional)
Light sour cream
Shredded Mexican-blend cheese
Cilantro

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat canola oil over high heat. Add onion, pepper, jalapeños, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the onion is tender (about five minutes.)
2. Add chicken — cook, stirring to break up lumps until the chicken loses its pink color (about five minutes). Stir in chili powder, and cook one minute.
3. Stir in tomatoes, broth, sugar, vinegar, hot sauce, and salt. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer, stirring often until the chili is thickened (about 45 minutes.)
4. Stir in beans, cook until heated through, about 15 minutes. Uncover for the last 15 minutes of cooking.
5. Top with garnish of your choice, and enjoy!

Cucumbers and Ranch Greek Yogurt Dip

Ingredients

1-2 cucumbers, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1 clove garlic, mashed into paste
1/2 bunch chives, thinly sliced
1/4 bunch flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
1 6-ounce container of strained Greek yogurt
Lemon juice to taste
Salt to taste

Directions

This dip will complement any raw vegetable, so be sure to try it on bell peppers, carrots, and broccoli florets.

1. To make garlic paste: chop garlic then add a generous pinch of coarse salt. Mash the garlic and salt mixture with the flat side of your knife.
2. Stir garlic paste, chives, parsley, and lemon juice to Greek yogurt until well combined. Salt to taste.

(Lighter) Seven Layer Dip

Ingredients

2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 avocados, mashed well
1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
2/3 cup black beans
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Sliced black olives and scallions to garnish

Directions

1. Spread chopped romaine lettuce at the bottom of a large bowl.
2. Add avocado layer on top, and smooth out with a spoon to even height.
3. Spoon Greek yogurt layer, and smooth if necessary.
4. Layer black beans, then diced tomatoes on top.
5. Sprinkle cheese, and add olives and scallions.

Make Your Own Trail Mix

Try these mixes or create your own:

• Cashews, dried cherries, and dark chocolate chips
• Almonds, walnuts, dried apricots, dried cranberries, and milk chocolate chips
• Roasted almonds, dried ginger, and bittersweet chocolate chips
• Almonds, sunflower seeds, spicy wasabi peas, curry powder, and coconut flakes
• Pecans, raisins, dried figs, and peanut butter chips

Kale Ricotta Dip

Ingredients

1 bunch green kale, stems and tough ribs stripped out and discarded, leaves sliced
1 small onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Juice of 1 lemon
Lemon zest to taste
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, combine kale, onion, garlic and 1/4 cup water. Set over medium heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 12 minutes; add more water a tablespoon at a time if the pan dries out.
2. Transfer vegetables and any liquid in the pan to a food processor or blender and let cool a few minutes. Add ricotta, Parmesan, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper flakes. Process until smooth.
3. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

Enjoy the game!

Keep reading our Get Thinner blog for more inspiration to achieve your goal and resolutions this year!

Remember to Buy your Get Thinner Blox.  Keep it near you and read it all the time like this:

“When I am THINNER, I am Gratified, Attractive, Inspired, and Confident!”  If you see it and read it, you will believe it and become it!!!

Bloxstar

Be Thinner!

http://www.mentalblox.com/blox/get-thinner/

Photo By Triple Tri

The post Superbowl Fun without Supersizing your Waistline! appeared first on Motivational Tools. Inspirational Blogs. Community..

Even though our actual Blox were designed to show you what it looks like when you are unstuck, we have heard from many of you that you need more help!  We have blogs available to help you.  We have the Blox available to help you.  And now, we have the Mental Blox Goal Book.  It’s not glamorous or designed by some uber designer … it was designed by our staffers.  We put our heads together and looked at all the motivational tools out there and decided to build our own, albeit not beautiful.

So, please download it and REALLY REALLY use it and give us your feedback.  This is just our first attempt at providing you a tool that you will hopefully USE alongside your Blox to keep you motivated until you reach your goal(s).

Looking forward to hearing from you!

*Click on the photo to download the PDF Goal Book!*

Remember to Buy your Blox.  Keep it near you.  And read it all the time like this:  

”When I am Fit, I am Healthy, Strong, Toned, and Vibrant!”  

If you see it and read it, you will believe it and become it!!!

Stay Tuned!

Chief Executive Blogger

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January is the National Artichoke and Asparagus month to help promote the consumption of vegetables. I personally love these two veggies and can’t get enough of them when they are in season.

Benefits of Artichokes

Artichokes are alkaline, an amazing source of energy with anti-cancer properties. It helps the liver, the digestion system, and reduces cholesterol; not to mention high in antioxidants and fiber! It’s best eaten steamed to save all its goodies for your body.

Benefits of Asparagus

Asparagus is anti-aging, packed with antioxidants and vitamins as well as an alkaline veggie. Helps fight cancers and heart disease. Because of its high content in K and C vitamins, it helps your bones, blood pressure, and immune system.

How To Eat Them?

I don’t like to spend too much time in the kitchen anymore because I have too many projects I’m involved in and therefore I don’t want to be stressed out about my food. I have enjoyed being creative in the kitchen and at some point it was my only way of expressing creativity. But now I go for simple, fast, healthy, and tasty. I buy both the asparagus and artichokes fresh and steamed them because it’s the healthiest way to cook them and enjoy all their benefits.

1 Medium Artichoke

1 Handful of Asparagus (about 10 sticks)

Real Salt

Hemp Oil or Flax Seed Oil

½ Avocado (sliced)

Seasoning (could be Mexican, curry, Thai curry, Italian, Mediterranean, etc)

Sesame Seeds to sprinkle

The artichoke takes the longest, so put it in first for about 35 minutes and sprinkle some Real Salt, it’s from Utah and contains great minerals for your body. Nothing like the “fake” table salt that doesn’t have any health benefits.

On a plate, after rinsing the asparagus, add Real Salt and some seasoning. Steam for 10 minutes and your veggies will be ready. Move to the plate and add some Hemp or Flax seed oil to taste. Add the sliced avocado and sprinkle some sesame seeds and voila!  Quick, delicious and healthy plate for dinner or lunch!

To make it even faster, you can skip the artichoke and only steam asparagus for 15 minutes and add some brussel sprouts or kale leaves.

Buying canned or preserved artichokes and asparagus is not the same because of the amount of bad sodium they contain and preservatives they have. Sautéing may sound good at first for the asparagus but then you are killing a lot of its nutrients not to mention you may be adding hydrogenated oils to it by heating the oil to fry them. Fresh veggies are always best and if not steaming is the next healthiest method.

Remember to Buy your Blox for yourself or someone you care about. Keep it close.  Pick it up, turn it, and read it all the time like this:  

”When I am Well, I am Healthy, Energetic, Happy, and Strong!”

If you see it and read it, you will believe it and become it!!!

Stay Tuned and subscribe! Also, comment on our facebook page.

Get Well!

Bloxster

Photo By JamesCohen

The post National Artichoke and Asparagus Month | Get Well appeared first on Motivational Tools. Inspirational Blogs. Community..

As we mentioned earlier this month, January is National Mentoring Month. You can get involved with this in so many ways. Being a mentor in your own local community is a way to express your care and concern for others. Even some of the biggest celebrities are doing their part to show they care.

Rapper Eve is doing her part to help disadvantaged youth. She is partnering with the Big Brothers Big Sisters and releasing a new single, “Make It On Our Own”. The single will be released on January 22^nd. The release of this song is part of the “hip hop homecoming” at the Big Brothers Big Sister organization. The song is about overcoming the odds. It is aimed to help the youth overcome their own hardships in order to succeed in school.

Big Brothers Big Sisters pairs adults with at-risk kids, aiming to provide stability in their lives. The release of this song is part of the “hip hop homecoming” at the Big Brothers Big Sister organization. They hope that with a big name like Eve, they can spread the word about their organization.

Visiting a local Big Brothers Big Sisters can be a great way to get started with your part in helping at-risk youth. Do your part to make the world a better place!

Remember to Buy your Blox.  Keep it near you.  And read it all the time like this:  

”When I am BULLY FREE, I am Happy, Safe, Protected, and Relieved!”  

If you see it and read it, you will believe it and become it!!!

Get Bully-Free! And…Get & Stay Connected, Subscribe to our Bully Free Blog!

Bloxstar

http://www.mentalblox.com/blox/get-bully-free/

Photo By rogercarr

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