Acupuncture and More…

You can lose weight if you set your mind to it! Are you ready to take action to achieve the body of your dreams?

The biggest barrier you face is actually your self-discipline and willpower.

You may have fallen into a vicious cycle. The cycle starts with eating a poor diet full of fats, carbs, and processed foods. These are the kinds of foods that make you feel tired and lethargic all the time. Then, because your body lacks proper energy, you don’t feel much like exercising.

What’s the end result? You end up with a huge loss of willpower and you feel miserable and hopeless.

But there is hope! You can make the change! If you truly want to lose weight, you first have to build the willpower to make it happen.

Here’s a list of things to consider when boosting your willpower:

1. Don’t Wait For Something Bad To Happen. Your willpower is within you and you don’t want something bad to happen in order to find it.

• We’ve all heard the stories about someone suffering a severe trauma, like a heart attack, and how that life event leads to a permanent change in their habits. You don’t need this to happen to you in order to get motivated!

2. Watch Your Portion Size. This is one tip that can allow you to start small. It’s hard to muster up the willpower if you’re trying to go from one extreme to another. Decide that you’re going to have the same meal tonight that you would normally eat - but give yourself a smaller portion size.

• The trick is to use smaller plates so the plate visually appears full.

3. Give Yourself A Cheat Day. It’ll be an easier transition for you if you allow yourself some fun once in awhile. Tell yourself that next Saturday you can enjoy that pizza for dinner or that chocolate cake for dessert. You’ll be less likely to give up knowing that you can eat some pizza next Saturday instead of “never.”

• Your “cheat” day doesn’t mean “over-eat” day.
  
  
• Savor the flavors of your food, even if it means having a smaller piece than you’re used to. Once you’ve finished your piece, your willpower should kick in and say “no more!”

4. Take Photographs. You can motivate yourself to lose weight by taking some self-portraits. We usually don’t have the best idea about how we truly look until we see ourselves in a photograph. Keep a picture with you and look at it when you feel like giving up.

• Update your photo often and compare them as you start to lose weight.

5. Make A Food List. Write down all the foods you enjoy eating, then evaluate whether or not these items are healthy. Chances are there are at least some healthy foods that you actually enjoy eating - such as fruits and vegetables. Make sure you start buying these foods for your home.

6. Exercise In Moderation. Adding exercise to your routine can also be a daunting task if you try to jump in too fast. Nobody is telling you that you need to join a gym and engage in rigorous workouts if that’s not your style. You’ll actually be surprised at how energized you can feel just by taking a 30 minute walk, three times a week.

Set Small Goals

No matter how you choose to approach your weight loss, it’s important to take small steps and remain in good spirits. Doing too much, too fast will only set you up for failure. Instead, set small, manageable goals like one pound per week. By focusing on the smaller, more attainable goal, you’ll actually see results far more quickly.

In the end, remember to reward yourself for a job well done. After all, you deserve it! Once you have mustered the willpower to succeed at weight loss, you can succeed at anything in your life!

With the media today focusing on super skinny women, it’s hard to think that you could possibly be desirable if you don’t look like the women on TV and in magazines. The reality is, the average woman in America weighs 164 lbs. and is a size 14.

A positive self-image is one of the top things most women struggle with. So, how can you learn to love your body the way it is?

First of all, you need to focus on what you do like about your body. Here are some questions to get you thinking about the things you DO like about yourself:

• What areas do you get complimented on the most? What do others notice about you first when you walk into a room?
• Are you shapely with a larger busts and hips? Do you have a womanly figure?
• Do you have nice legs? Are they thin and long? Are they muscular and strong?
• Do people comment on how pretty you are or often say that you have beautiful eyes?
• Do you like to show off your feet with pretty sandals or open toed shoes?
• Is your hair shiny and beautiful? Do you like to touch it or play with it?

Instead of being overly critical and negative, be grateful for the body and health you do have. So give yourself permission to see and accept the good!

Boosting Your Self-Image with the Perfect Clothing

Learning to love your body is important because having a good self-image empowers you in many ways. When you love the way you look, you feel more confident and confidence gives you the ability to do anything you set your mind to.

Dressing for your body type also plays a big part in how you look and see yourself, so it’s important to know what color, style, shape and material of clothing looks best on you. If your closet is full of worn out t-shirts and old faded blue jeans, it’s time for a wardrobe makeover.

Take a good, honest friend or family member shopping with you to help you choose clothes that fit well and colors that look best on you. Updating your wardrobe doesn’t have to be expensive either. Begin by shopping resale stores. Oftentimes you can find brand name, never worn clothes at prices greatly below retail. However, don’t settle for less than the best for your body type. If you can’t find the perfect items for your body, then don’t buy the clothes just because they’re cheap.

Build your wardrobe from the bottom up, starting with the basic necessities:

• Black dress pants for work or an evening out
• One dressy blouse for work or an evening out
• One power suit for job interviews or business
• A black skirt
• Camisoles in a variety of colors for layering
• A well fitting pair of blue jeans for casual days
• 2 to 3 casual tops (by casual I’m not talking t-shirts either)
• 2 pair of shoes: 1 for dress and 1 for casual

When you’ve got the basic necessities, then you can build your wardrobe up from there by adding dressy blouses or tops in different colors and styles, more skirts in various styles and colors and so on.

Once you start loving your body by recognizing what you do like about it and dressing to fit your body type, you’ll gain a whole new confidence like you’ve never felt before and other people will take notice too. You may notice others reacting somewhat differently toward you as they respond to your new confidence. Heck, you might even get a raise!

So start learning to love your body now. You’re beautiful!

Living with a chronic disease is difficult because of the pain, suffering, and shame that often accompanies the disease. It can be easy to fall victim to the negative mindset of “My life is ruined” or “I’m useless now,” but that doesn’t have to be the case no matter how debilitating the disease may be.

When living with a chronic disease, it’s important to focus on what you can do. Likewise, it’s important to disallow negative thoughts from dictating what you can and can’t do.

When you’re diagnosed with a chronic illness, there are many changes that take place:

• Change in your lifestyle
• Change in your attitude
• Change in the way you do things
• Maybe even a change in where you live

That’s a lot and all these changes can certainly be stressful!

Taking Control

Our mindset is the biggest factor on how you choose to react to a negative situation. Remember, your reaction is always a choice. You can let the news debilitate you or you can let it move you into new areas you might’ve never thought possible.

When I think of someone with a chronic disease, Michael J. Fox is one of the first people who comes to mind. He has Parkinson’s disease, which causes loss of muscle control throughout his body. Fox constantly shakes and trembles, making everyday tasks like brushing teeth and eating very difficult. Not only that, but he had to make a complete lifestyle change from a successful acting career to being an activist in helping others who have Parkinson’s or other diseases.

Does Michael J. Fox allow Parkinson’s to control his life? No, he took control and has learned other ways to live life to the fullest, despite his disease.

Making a Difference in the Lives of Others

You don’t have to be a TV or movie star to make a difference in your life or the lives of others either. There are many opportunities to help others and build a community. Some of these are:

• Start a blog about what it’s like to live with your disease. Others may benefit from knowing that they aren’t alone in their sufferings. You just may be the source of encouragement that strengthens others!

• Fundraising activities and events. Get involved with fundraising, whether it’s in your local area or worldwide via the Internet.

• Speak out about your illness. Be a speaker at a fundraiser, in a school or at other events to help raise awareness.

• Volunteer at your local community center. Be proof that living with a chronic disease doesn’t have to be debilitating. Be an advocate for yourself and those with the disease.

Support One Another

Make it your mission to find others to rely on for support and encouragement. Getting involved with support groups gives you the social support that is essential to your mental and emotional well being. Search for a support group online or in your local area and get active in the group.

Don’t let the disease have control over your life. By taking action and getting directly (or indirectly) involved with finding a cure, raising awareness in your community, and speaking to others about it, you’ll find that life doesn’t stop because of the disease. Instead, many doors of opportunity are waiting to be opened by you.

Speed reading is a much sought after skill that enables you to boost your reading speed, while also improving your comprehension.

Speed reading strengthens your ability to read any style of writing while still understanding the intended and deeper meaning.

For example, when speed reading, you’ll be able to skim right over the less vital pieces of information and pick out the sections which are more important far quicker than by using traditional reading techniques.

Whether you’re already a fast reader or not, once you start training yourself to speed read, you’ll notice your reading rate and retention will vastly improve over time.

Just like anything else, when learning how to read more quickly, you can’t expect to read faster overnight. To learn how to use this skill properly requires time, effort and practice. You’ll need to work at speed reading every day in order to become proficient.

Here are some effective techniques you can use to teach yourself to speed read:

1. Time yourself. When you first begin, time your current reading pace so you’ll have a baseline that you can use for comparisons. Time yourself often when reading to see your growing improvement.

2. Practice improving your speed. Try and force yourself to read a little faster each time you pick up the material. You can do this by skipping over common words like the, to, from, and, etc.

3. Read each and every day. If you only read when you feel like it, you can’t possibly improve. Work a little bit each day, otherwise you may find yourself having to backtrack and relearn skills all over again.

· Go to the library and grab plenty of books to practice with.

· Take time each day to sit down and practice quickly reading a chapter or two, then test your retention by paraphrasing what you read.

4. Learn good reading habits. Work to break yourself of habits that slow your reading down, such as sub-vocalizing words, which is pronouncing words to yourself or moving your lips when reading. Be sure you’re only saying the words in your head.

5. Read with your hand. Moving your hand down the page helps guide your eyes quickly through the material.

6. Avoid re-reading. Practice taking away understanding of your material the first time you read it.

· You can skim through the information from time to time if needed, but avoid re-reading it in depth if you don’t have to.

7. Read in blocks of words. Instead of reading words letter by letter or the information word by word, interpret the author’s ideas in blocks of words.

8. Avoid distractions. Interruptions can interfere with your capability and cause confusion.

· You may want to try reading in the morning or before you go to sleep, when there are likely to be fewer distractions.

Before you can speed read, you first have to make the commitment to continually refine your skills. Practicing Speed reading will help you improve your reading, writing and comprehension. As you strengthen your speed reading skills, you’ll soon find that you enjoy reading and learning new things more than ever!

Self-discipline is a powerful attribute to have, yet challenging to obtain.

Self-discipline is the ability to do whatever it takes to overcome obstacles and reach your goals, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable. It may involve saying: “no” to things you want or saying: “yes” to things you hate, but with the power of self-discipline, it becomes easier to stand up for yourself.

Most individuals would love to be more self-disciplined, yet very few people actually take action to acquire it.

Perhaps you start your day with good intentions, but veer off as the day progresses due to challenging issues, stresses, or distractions. Thankfully, there are some strategies you can incorporate into your daily life so you can become a master of self-discipline and stay on task.

Follow these techniques to strengthen your self-discipline:

1. Be committed to the cause. Are you truly unhappy being undisciplined? Is this something that you’re committed to improving? Many times people claim they want to be more self- disciplined, but the truth is, they honestly don’t mind being the way they are.

· Be honest with yourself. If this is something that you definitely want to improve in your life, it may take a bit of time and effort, but it can be done.

· The only way you’ll succeed is by staying committed to the cause.

2. Write it down. The process of writing your ideas and goals helps you clarify the thoughts in your mind so you can come up with an action plan that you can stick to.

· Write down all the areas that you wish to improve - your finances, relationships, career, or anything in between. Include what changes you would like to see and how you believe will be the best way to make it happen.

3. Enlist the help of others. It’s absolutely wonderful that you’ve committed to make a positive change in your life, but don’t keep it under wraps. Tell others that you want to make a change and boost your self-discipline.

· Don’t be ashamed that you weren’t more self-disciplined from the beginning. The important thing is that you’re now taking positive action! Those who love you will be there to support you and help you celebrate your successes.

· Your support group can also help you get through the bad days and put you back on track to achieve your goals.

4. Believe in yourself. Have faith in yourself and know that if you can master your self-discipline, you can do anything! There will be both good and bad days, but as long as you remain focused and committed, you’ll be successful in strengthening your self-discipline.

· Remember to focus on the big picture and concentrate on how your body, mind, and energy will change for the better when you stay committed.

Many people admire those who are self-disciplined. These people can stay on a schedule and never seem to lose focus on what they need to accomplish. They make more wise decisions, take action when they need to, and achieve their goals with relative ease.

Implement these strategies into your daily life and they’ll soon become habits. Self-discipline can become your way of life - if you want it!

Do you know what people are truly saying with their body? One way to decipher their code is to learn the secret meaning of body language.

Whether you’re questioning if you got the job after an interview or if that first date went well, body language can provide you with a secret edge.

Be careful, though, because body language can be easily misconstrued. Sometimes people have certain actions or posture habits that disguise what they’re really saying. But by remaining alert and observant you’ll fair better than most!

Here are a few things to keep an eye out for that’ll give you the upper hand:

1. Be aware of how they’re speaking. Positive ways of communication include speaking at the same tone and the same rate of speech that you’re using. It’s also a positive sign when someone can share a laugh with you and truly have a sincere and inviting sound to their voice.

· On the flipside, negative ways of speaking include speaking a lot louder, softer, faster, or slower than you. If their voice sounds unsteady or quivering, they might not mean exactly what they’re saying to you aloud.

2. Notice what they’re wearing. People who are truly interested do their best to make a long lasting and positive impression. Their clothing will usually be neat and tidy and their hair will be groomed as well.

· Someone who isn’t interested will often appear unkempt because they don’t really care about the impression they’ll leave behind with you.

· The old saying, “Dress for success,” is a simple way to remember that people do judge others by their appearance. Whether it’s right or wrong, it happens. If you were hiring a salesperson for your company, would you want the person who’s friendly and dressed in a suit or someone who looks like he just rolled out of bed?

3. Are they interacting with you in a positive way? When people relate positively with you, they may express body language signals that show it. They may look at your eyes while speaking, lean towards you, or touch you gently to accentuate a point.

4. Do they appear uninterested or distracted? Negative signals include looking away when they should be listening, crossing their arms, constant fidgeting or tapping their foot, clearing their throat, or yawning. This may be a sign of distrust, anger, frustration, boredom, or a lack of self-confidence.

5. Practice people watching. The best way to learn more about body language is to spend some time observing people. By becoming more aware of the way others react to certain situations, you’ll be better equipped to communicate effectively.

· All people have their own quiet signals they display during different times. A great way to become more in tune with these signals is to take the time to make people watching a hobby.

· Become observant. Whether in the supermarket, church, or at the mall, watch the way people display their secret signals. It will greatly help you in deciphering body language in your own personal situations.

Reading body language is an important way to figure out what people are truly saying. It can also help you build positive and long-lasting relationships. Use these tips often to help you discover the secret meaning behind body language and become a master of communication with others.

Are you suffering from burnout? Whether it’s caused by work issues, stress at home, relationship challenges, or a combination of all them, it can cause a frightening feeling of hopelessness!

Burnout often causes a feeling of numbness and not knowing how to get your life headed back in the right direction.

Take heart - hope is not lost! There are some strategies you can utilize to overcome burnout, once and for all.

Try these techniques to get relief from burnout:

1. Don’t blame yourself. Life is hectic and stressful, especially with all the intense demands placed on our shoulders. If you’re feeling burnt out, rather than blaming yourself, be proactive in getting back in the saddle so you can feel like yourself again.

· Remember, you’re in control of your destiny. Focus on what you can do, not what you think you should do.

2. Stop being so serious. With the stress and responsibilities you carry on a daily basis, you may be in need of some plain ol’ silly time. Release your inhibitions and have some fun!

· Whether it be dancing in your living room or swinging on the swings at a local park, take some time to find your inner child again. This will help you let go of your current stress level, even if it’s just for a little while.

· Making time to have fun will give you a chance to refocus and get your life and priorities back to where they need to be.

3. Stay healthy. It’s important to stay in peak physical condition when you’re under constant stress. Eat many servings of fruits and vegetables, drink large amounts of water, and exercise.

· Fit exercise into your busy schedule by making an appointment with yourself to exercise, and then keep your appointment!

4. Improve your time management skills. You may be burnt out because you’re trying to fit a week’s worth of stuff into a single day. Unfortunately, that’s impossible! Learning how to budget the time in your day more effectively will relieve a lot of this time pressure and stress.

· Good time management will lessen the feeling of being overwhelmed, as well as enable you to have the time you need to do what you want to do.

5. Get enough sleep. This allows your body to rest, rejuvenate, and start the upcoming day with more energy. You can also deal with stressful situations better when you’re alert and focused.

· If you adhere to the 8 hours per night rule, you’ll find yourself more focused, levelheaded, and patient.

Final Thoughts on Burnout

No matter how you may try to sugar coat it, modern life isn’t easy. It’s no wonder that sometimes we feel like we can’t juggle everything any more!

Although these feelings are normal from time to time, they can escalate out of control.

Before we reach that point, it’s important to get our lives back in the right direction. These burnout strategies and tips will enable you to better handle every-day stresses so you can enjoy all the amazing gifts life has to offer!

Our children are one of the most important and precious people in our lives. We want the best for them and hope they strive to do well in all things. Children, just like adults, can develop motivational roadblocks that hold them back from achieving what they’re meant to do.

Since the inception of the Internet, television, video games, and social networking, motivating our children has gotten progressively more difficult. To have them complete schoolwork, do some chores around the house, get more involved with school activities, or even just go outside to get some fresh air can be a struggle.

Here are some simple strategies you can use to help you motivate your children:

1. Praise your child for their accomplishments. When your child accomplishes something, no matter how big or small, be sure to express how proud you are of them. If they know that they’ve made you happy, they’re more apt to strive to make that happen again.

2. Avoid focusing on the negative. We all make mistakes, so it’s much more productive not to harp on them. You’ll receive much better results by focusing on what your child does well rather than the few mistakes they may make.

3. Show pride in your child’s work. Display a good grade or report card. Placing their work on the refrigerator door, believe it or not, still works wonders! When his accomplishments are proudly displayed, he’ll be motivated to achieve as much as he possibly can.

4. Brag. Call a grandparent, aunt, or uncle and tell them about your child’s recent accomplishment. When your child sees that you take the time to make a special phone call because you’re so proud, it encourages them and boosts their confidence.

5. Use rewards. Every child likes to be rewarded for good work. You can try things like a weekly allowance or a special treat, like a movie or ice cream, as a reward for good behavior. Whatever the reward, children will strive to do their best to obtain these special treats.

· This can be used for just about anything from a good grade to washing the family dog. Children enjoy being able to receive something tangible for a job well done.

6. Show sincere enthusiasm in the things your child enjoys. As a child grows, his interests may change frequently. As a parent, it’s important that you keep up with your child’s likes and dislikes.

7. Sit down and talk with your child. Find out why they’re interested in certain things and how you can help them with their activities. If you show sincerity and really listen to what they’re telling you, it’ll be a big motivating factor.

8. Don’t overwhelm your child with goals. Naturally, we want our children to succeed, but sometimes we can overdo it. After the homework, chores, and after-school activities, children deserve time to just be children.

· If you give them some free time to do what they want, whether it be playing video games, watching television, or anything else they choose, it will keep them motivated to do other things as well.

Children are each a unique individual and have different interests and goals in life. Though at times their motivation may waiver, we, as parents, will be there to point them in the right direction. Using these motivation tips will make that process just a little bit easier!

“Whatever you can see in your mind’s eye, you can accomplish” It’s a saying that I heard many years before I knew anything about the law of attraction. But that simple statement encloses so much truth, that we many times discount it for its subtlety.

What many people fail to understand about the law of attraction is that, it is always at work. Weather success, failure or mediocrity, whatever you focus on, that is what you will attract to yourself. Positive brings positive, and negative begets negative, it is that simple.

But, it is that simplicity that makes this simple law that much more important to understand. If your focus determines your outcomes, shouldn’t you be continuously seeking the rosy side of life and use it to your own benefit.

Here are some examples of The Law of Attraction in action:

1.    Health. Have you experienced health issues in your life? You can use the Law of Attraction to enjoy better health.

•    Be thankful for the fact that you’re alive and that you have another day to enjoy life to its fullest!

•    Remove negative thoughts and feelings from your mind and ask for healing.

•    Picture yourself as strong, healthy, and vibrant. You can even visualize the cells in your body conquering germs and disease, rebuilding themselves, and busily functioning at peak performance.

2.   Love. Many people have found their soul mate by using the principles that govern the Law of Attraction. You’ll find that love and your subconscious are both very powerful forces. Gratitude is imperative to achieve results.

•    Be thankful for the love and relationships you’ve been blessed with and ask for your heart’s desire regarding love.

•    Remove all negative thoughts and feelings so the subconscious will be able to process your request as pure and important.

•    Picture yourself with the person of your dreams - holding hands, smiling, looking into each other’s eyes, and so on.

3.   Money. Is it okay to use the Law of Attraction for something as material as money? The answer is yes! You can definitely apply the principles to attract wealth. As long as you properly request it, this too can be answered. Practice just as you would for anything else.

•    Be thankful for the money you do have, no matter how little.

•    Clear your mind of all negative thoughts and feelings and picture yourself with the money you desire. See yourself buying what you want, paying all your bills, and knowing that there’s always extra money in your bank account.

•    Let your subconscious take you to a place where you already have the money.

If you do these things sincerely and consistently, you’ll be rewarded with better health, more passionate love, and wealth.

However, you must have an open mind and heart. If you harbor any doubt in the process, it won’t work. Also, remember that wishful thinking without action is useless. Make sure to follow up your positive thoughts with positive actions that guide you toward your goals.

The Law of Attraction has worked for countless individuals. Use these tips to implement these principles in your life and reap the rewards today, tomorrow, and forever!

To own your own business, the ultimate American dream, and yet you wither away stuck behind your desk at work, watching your dreams fade away.

Let me ask you a question:

Do you still have that fire in the gut that moves you to try new things? Or are you content with being just like everyone else, day in and day out trapped in the same rut, looking forward to a couple weeks vacation every year, visiting your in-laws.

Do you dream of being your own boss, and calling your own shots? Or are you satisfied with working hard at your old job, and waiting in vain for some appreciation and recognition that never comes.

If you desire more out of life, but you don’t know where to start, keep reading.

You don’t have to risk everything in order to embark into a new venture, and although it may seem overwhelming, it is not as hard as you may think.

Consider taking advantage of options like these:

1.    Become a Virtual Assistant. Being a Virtual Assistant allows you the flexibility of staying at home while managing tasks for other companies.

•    This is a great option if you enjoy computer work, managing tasks, paperwork, or customer service.

•    Though it may take a bit of time to get your VA business off the ground, virtual assistants can command a high price for their services, especially if they have technical skills.

2.    Join an MLM (Multi Level Marketing) company. These businesses are all the rage lately, but they do have their pros and cons. If you think that perhaps an MLM company is the business for you, be sure to do your research.

•    Make sure the company you decide to partner with has a good track record. You can confirm this by speaking with other representatives of the company and checking the Better Business Bureau and similar websites for more information.

•    Another fact you must be aware of is the sign up fee that can range from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. Some companies even charge upwards of $1,000 to be a representative.

•    Many people succeed at a multi level marketing business, but countless others fail miserably. Research the details of what you’ll need to do to succeed in your chosen business and ask yourself if you can do what it takes.

•    It would be in your best interest to become informed and educated about the business before you sign on the dotted line and hand over your hard-earned money.

3.  Make and sell your own crafts. Are your friends envious about the beautiful things you can make with your own two hands? Then this may be the business you’re looking for! With websites such as eBay and Etsy, as well as local arts and craft shows, many people are making a substantial living selling their homemade creations.

•    Unique or one-of-a-kind items always sell at higher prices than the common ones.

4.    Become a Life Coach. This business opens up a realm of possibilities. If you enjoy listening to people and providing advice, becoming a life coach may intrigue you. A life coach provides good, solid advice to individuals relating to a particular area in their life.

•    A life coach can specialize in many different areas. For example, some coaches only deal with stay at home moms, while others help those wanting to make more money or lose weight. The options are absolutely endless.

•    You can go for training and become a certified coach at your local college or online.

•    You must promote and market yourself strongly, and it may take awhile to get the business of the ground. But if this is something that you truly hold a passion for, it can turn into an extremely lucrative endeavor.

5.    Become a Caterer. Does everyone say that no one can cook like you do? Do you get request after request for your recipes? Do you find spending time in the kitchen relaxing? Then starting a catering business may be something you’ll want to explore further.

•    As in any business, it may take a bit of patience and energy to get it started, but the benefits will be well worth the energy. Make sure to call your friends and family and tell them to spread the word about your new catering business.

•    Once you can secure your first party or event, you’ll have word of mouth recommendations marketing your business for you. If cooking is your passion and you learn how to manage food costs and market your business, then you’ll have no problem succeeding in this lucrative industry.

These are just a few ways to fire your boss and start your own business. Your next step is to decide where your passion lies. Decide what you enjoy doing and go from there. Beginning your own business is not easy, but with a dash of hope, dreams, patience, and hard work, you’ve just won half the battle!