Things to do at 40----Gardening

Things to do at 40 – Gardening

It has been a minute since I wrote some suggestions to you. I guess the time got away from me in the busy, day-to-day toils. That is okay as long as I get back to the “goal” at hand. It’s all good  (I love this statement)

I am not sure if you know this but there are some hobbies you can do around the house. Those activities could help the household while at the same time give your mind and body the mental/physical vacation from the daily stresses. Plus, it could save on the wallet (save money). You know we have to get creative or go back in the day the way our money needs to be stretched.

I have been talking to my mom who happens to be 80 years young and gorgeous (YES, I am biased. YOU ARE TOO! ) just like her lovely gal pals (They are so cute when they get together for girl time). Anyway, I told her how much I wished I had a vegetable garden and how much I missed the home grown food she grew in her garden. Sure, I get vegetables from the farmer’s market or farming vendor. However, nothing is like coming home and walking through your garden or field to pick your vegetables and fruit right off the vine or tree. Talk about some “GOOD EATS” (Love that saying and the show too… ). Plus, the effort and time you put in the soil will give you something to watch grow from the dirt into existence. For some people, this act of toiling, weeding, planting and watering is medicinal physically and mentally.

Gardening can be an individual event as well as a group event. You can take some time while listening to some music and pull some weeds while water your garden. You know if you gardened with a friend or family, it will create a lasting bond with your garden partner (s) or at least show that you can work together. And you can take it one step further to prepare the meal together once you picked something from your garden. How cool would that be? By the way, if you intimidated of plants thinking you don’t have a green thumb, talk to a garden specialist or better yet Big Momma ‘cause you know grandma did some gardening back in the day 

Anyway, I am seriously trying to figure out how to get a garden planted at my place with my type of soil. I’ll consult my mommy-dearest and get some suggestions. I am sure two heads are better than one and we’ll come up with something.

Garden-away!!!!



By: Sonya Gibson

It's Time to SAVE---Never to LATE By:S.Dickerson

In my last posting, the discussion centered on finding ways to save, followed by ideas for some very stable (little to no chance of financial loss) investment options for beginners. Make no mistake, it takes time to build a nest egg, especially if there are pressing financial obligations that must be resolved prior to stepping into the saving zone. When you find you are finally in a position to invest, you’ll need to do some homework if you want to avoid being an ignorant investor. Check out my experience…




Recently I had a visit with an investment banker. I found him through the recommendation of a very trusted friend, so I felt good about scheduling a visit with him, especially since it cost me nothing. I figured the least I could do was listen to professional advice and recommendations, while at the same time gaining an idea of how he thought I was doing thus far.



My visit started with a professional’s assessment of my current financial well-being. This was accomplished through answering a few key questions:



• Are you currently employed and investing in a retirement account through your company such as a 401K?

• Do you have an IRA (Individual Retirement Account), and if so is it a ROTH or a Traditional account?

• Do you have a six month emergency fund that will cover ALL your expenses in the event of the loss of your current source of income?

• Do you currently have any investments?

• How much would you feel comfortable investing without dipping into your emergency fund?

• What are your investment goals?



There may have been a few other questions, but these were the main ones, establishing whether I was actually in a position to take the next step towards investing. Once these were answered, we were able to direct ourselves towards the best options for me at this particular time in my life. We discussed the pros and cons of investing in mutual funds, with one in particular being recommended. I like the idea of investing in mutual funds, and have been considering taking the leap for several years, sending for and pouring over many prospectus which laid out their performances over 1, 5, 10, and 20 year periods.



The way to make money by investing in mutual funds is to hold on to them through frightening stock market fluctuations, and of course, choosing one that has proven itself to be solid, reliable, well-established. The other area you’ll want to look at is what fees and costs are associated with managing your fund…there are often fees included, some of which are not as clearly visible as others. The investment banker I spoke with wanted an initial investment of $5,000 minimum for 5 years.



Before talking to an investment banker or broker, there are some things I recommend you do. First, have a thorough understanding of your current financial situation. If you don’t have cash readily available to invest, consider purchasing short term money market CD’s as a way of building your savings. Next, go online and do a search of mutual fund companies. Most of them will send you a free prospectus for your review in the privacy of your home without feeling any pressure or inadequacies you might experience when talking to the professional bankers. Pay close attention to minimum initial investment requirements, associated fees, and costs of managing your fund. Make notes of things you may not fully understand so that when you do speak with an investment manager, you have a better chance of coming to a well-informed investment decision.



My final thoughts on this article concerning investments: I usually begin my articles by talking about the one person who has most inspired me and the decisions I’ve made in my life---my mother. There was one main lesson my mom taught me a very long time ago about money, and that was to give the first 10% to God. Though I may not have always understood why this was important, once my faith and understanding of where all my help comes from was clear, I was even more committed to be obedient to this lesson. In time I realized without the help of God, without the love of Jesus, without His divine intervention on my behalf, I could do nothing, have nothing, be nothing, so once again, thanks mom…you haven’t led me astray yet.

Dating @ 40

Dating @ 40

By Tonya Johnson



Hummm…. A VERY DIFFICULT task to undertake. We have accomplished so much at this point in our lives but being single and loving it--- is a lie. I think we tell our selves I have plenty to do and I don’t have time for the non-sense of trying to break thru the drama of getting to know yet another guy. Well LADIES a woman has got to do what A WOMAN has to do. We have lists and characteristics that we want our potential “Man” to possess but did we take the same inventory of our shelves. We want them tall, sexy, big penises. And of course as we get older our lists changes. We want a big credit score.



The same lists you make for the qualities he must have---make the same lists for your self. Stop making the situation (date) more than it is-----go out have fun-- nothing more nothing less. If you have more rules than dates ---than it is possible you have too many rules. No one said settle----you should have standards but why should the standards be unobtainable.



There are several social sites to re-connect us to our last or long ago lovers. There is an abundant amount of dating sites to help us along the dating battle grounds. I can’t personally recommend any sites because I have not used any----but I do have friends whom can testify to its usage. The dates are random and awkward. The dates could be fun and interesting to say the least—but how much does one except to gain from a computer love match. What happened to the accidentally bump into and a smile across a crowded room. Now we have advanced to blackberry messenger and I Phone connections. I have met a lot of men on tagged.com but what kind of man did I really meet the real dude or his lying representative either way it was a hit or miss situation.



What will make US more marketable? Degrees, property owned, businesses owned, because every woman I have met has the same body parts so what will make you stand out above the rest---YOU---your personality and your sexual appetite---seriously man really like woman that like what they like---I definitely not talking about changing YOU for a HIM---just that the him you chose should be similar to your YOU. Never lose yourselves to have a HIM---because you would surely be unhappy and began to leash out on HIM and the people closest to you in your life.



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Never To Late to Manage Your Money 2

By S. Dickerson

My mother is and always has been my hero. As a single mother, she raised six children while barely making minimum wage working in a chicken factory five and six days a week. She never had “extra money” for extravagances like weekly allowances for us kids, or snacks like chips, ice cream, cookies, etc. at the grocery store. We only had enough for life’s essentials with the help of relatives. I remember when I started school (I was number five of six, my youngest brother following three years after me), not being able to get my school books until the end of the second or third week of school because my mother couldn’t afford to pay for 5 sets of books at the same time. With the assistance of great aunts and uncles, she managed to afford a few groceries each week, pay a few bills, and ensure each of us eventually got what we required most---namely books and school supplies---to make it through each semester of elementary and high school. While our neighbors and best friends’ parents were purchasing new clothes and shoes, my mom was sorting through older brothers’ and sisters’ clothes to see what could be handed down to us younger kids. Through her struggles, our mother taught us early the difference between essentials and non-essentials.

We began our journey to sound financial health by taking a close look at our income versus our expenses, as well as paying close attention to our credit reports. In my humble opinion, there are no quick paths or short cuts to financial well being; this is something requiring well thought-out plans and deliberate and decisive action on your part...yes, you actually have to do something.
Let’s say your credit report has no discrepancies, your payment history doesn’t make you cringe, and you haven’t maxed out all our credit cards. It sounds like you’re ready to take a step towards investing, but you’re still not sure where the extra cash you’ll need will come from. Remember when we talked about luxuries disguised as necessities?

Start by assessing your spending habits.

• Start a spending diary. Get a little notebook and record every penny you spend and what you spend it on.

• If you’re an emotional spender (shopping when you’re sad, lonely, angry, depressed, etc), make a small note of how you’re feeling when you splurge, too.

If you don’t cheat on this, but actually record every cent you spend, two great things will happen: you will become much more conscientious about what your hard earned income is going towards and you will clearly see the “fat” in your budget that can be redirected towards a six-month emergency fund, long-term savings and investment goals. At the end of the first month, take a look at how much you spent on eating out, after work cocktails, movie tickets, music downloads, CDs, DVD rentals and purchases, etc.

Find ways to save.

• Slip coupons and save at the grocery store, and remember, never shop for food when on an empty stomach.

• Use your local public library as an excellent source of free entertainment. Thy have the newest selection in books, DVDs, video games, music, etc. It’s not the library you grew up with in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

• Save on gas and carpool when feasible, and if you’re close to work/church/school, try walking or riding your bike a few days a week.

Get down to the business of saving!

• Take stock of your new found thrift and start off by purchasing a three or six month money market CD. Though the returns on money market CDs aren’t excellent right now, they are safe (you won’t lose a dime), and it keeps your funds out of your hot little hands so you won’t spend it if self control is an issue for you. As your CDs mature, add to them and roll them over for the next three to six months. As you slowly watch your money grow, you’ll become more excited about saving.

• Enroll in some sort of retirement account. Most employers who offer these will match your contributions up to a certain amount…that’s almost like getting free money.

• One of my favorite investments is US Savings Bonds. For $25, you can buy a $50 EE series bond. If you have a bit more cash available, you can purchase up to $20,000 in additional denominations of $75, $100, $200, $500, $1000, and $5000. You have to hold on to these for at last one year before they can be cashed in. Find out more about EE and other US Savings Bonds by visiting www.savingsonds.com.



These are just a few ideas to get you started. There is a plethora of information to be found on the internet…just be sure to look closely before you leap on any “get rich quick” schemes. We’ll explore other types of investment options in our next installment. See you next time.

Expression of Self

Self Expression – Things we are not too old to try

Well, I’m 40 (turned 40 in April) and find myself full of “GO! GO NOW!!, I’M NOT THERE YET??, WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG??” energy. Is it because 40 is another milestone for each of us to reach and I went running into it? Could it be the hustle of everyday living (do the hustle…da da da dada dada dad da…Okay, the song is stuck in my head)? Whatever it is, I kind of like it since it give me momentum to try different things so I won’t get too bored with myself. I may be a little older but age does not give me an excuse not to try one or two of those hobbies I was itching do when I was younger. 40 is not too old to try different things. Hey, by the time you were 40, you KNOW there are things you would have loved to have tried when you were in your teens, 20’s or 30’s. I’m not the only one! 



For example, I always wanted to do an art painting class. I took one class of drawing with charcoal many years ago (NOT THAT MANY YEARS PEOPLE) and thought a painting class would be cool. Never got around to it (college or later)… Responsibilities (getting a degree, working, church responsibilities, pets, etc.) and cost put the art class on the backburner. Well, I can now mark the art class off the list. I went with a group of friends recently to a class where you bring your snacks and drinks and get instructions on how to paint. We had music (supplied by one of the participants painting), brought the snacks and wine and had a great time painting. I was a little skeptical about how the paintings would turn out especially since the picture was full of different colors and textures. I was thinking “THERE IS NO WAY MY PAINTING WILL LOOK EVEN REMOTELY SIMILAR. HELLO, MY PAINTING WON’T EVEN BE RECOGNIZABLE!!!” I was very surprised and pleased on the outcome By the way, you do not need to know how to draw. These instructors gave us an outline to follow. Kudos to the instructors!!! You made it look so easy (yeah, we had A LOT of help). As for the cost, it was $35 which includes instruction, paint, brushes and canvass. WELL WORTH IT!!! It was 3 hours of fun and I didn’t break anything. People still ask me who did your painting. 



Most of the time I am consumed with work, home chores, helping family, pets, etc. that I have to miss some of my hobbies. Mostly my hobbies are there to keep me sane so when I can’t find something relaxing or enjoyable to do, it tends to stress me out. Now, some people use the gym to distress themselves but I find it stressing ‘because I began thinking about that darn W word (WEIGHT) or that P word (POUNDS) when I exercise at the gym. Somebody ALWAYS has to bring up weight issues when I am there!! I know, I know… It defeats the purpose. I still go but I now use a radio to tune out weight concerns. Anyway, over a year ago I thought about finding another form of exercise and at the same time strike another entry off the TO-DO list. I love to dance so I enrolled in a belly dancing course in my city. That was one of the BEST thing I could have done. I LOVE IT!!! (Yes, I am 40 and belly dancing. GET OVER IT!) All the ladies there are a blessing to be around and no one is critiquing your body. We are all there to enjoy the dance and that is what we do. My instructor teaches traditional Egyptian (very graceful I might add) and NO YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DANCE. We (some of the beginners) even got to participate in the class recital last year eventhough some of us had not been dancing 6 months yet. It just shows how much we (the women and I) enjoy the class. NO MEN ALLOWED in this class so ladies you can be yourselves. Besides, at 40, we are only going to be ourselves. That is what Mother Nature intended (I know this statement came from a commercial somewhere…).



So what are some other things to try once the milestone of 40 has been attained? There are activities where you can sit (needle craft, knitting, and quilting) and meditate (read and writing). There are others that require movement (ballroom dancing, climbing mountain, riding roller coasters (watch the hair), etc.) There are some activities that require standing like cooking. Is there another Iron Chef in the mist??? Whatever it is, you are not too old to try them. Live just a little bit. Find a hobby that you enjoy and is willing to share just a little of your time each week. At least you will get to keep your sanity



Sonya G



Note: Readers, write back to me and let me know new hobbies that you are now doing in your 40’s that you enjoy.

What 80 YEARS Looks and Thinks Like

Lee Anna Gibson

This article will feature a wonderful and beautiful lady that has single handedly raised children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other folks' children also. This outstanding lady promotes family, business-owners and education of her children and other people's children. This fearless lady has maintained two homes and has traveled as far as Cuba to ensure that her family was “ok”. This exceptional lady was interviewed and these are her words of 80 YEARS of wisdom.

Q. What were your greatest accomplishments:

A. According, to her the greatest accomplishments were raising her children and the children of other people and watching them grown up and become successful. Another accomplishment was being able to live with her husband A.B. Gibson Sr., until he died.

Q. What makes her HAPPY:

A. Life is nature and being apart of it makes her HAPPY

Q. Why you never re-married after being married to A.B. Gibson Sr.:

A. Because her family fulfilled her life and she never found another man that could relate to her understanding of her nature of life.

Q. What kind of MAN makes a good mate:

A. A man that (both) can laugh about same things and work out the bad things and make sad things joyful. And not always seemed depressed or stressed but understood that being together both parties could work out anything.

Q. What wishes did you have for yourself:

A. That she wanted to be a teacher and or a nurse (but raised a teacher, nurse, engineer, lab. tech.)

Q. What were the things you feel you missed out on (if any):

A. The experience of being HIGHLY educated (college educated). Traveling to other regions of the world.

Q. Some advice for WOMEN:

A. Stay prayed up, be steadfast and always have a GOAL

Always be a woman that as the qualities of a good mother and wife

Q. Some of the SECRETS of Life:

A. Love life and learn to appropriate the small things in life and know the value of LIFE. Most people don’t understand the worth of prayer but prayer is the sincere desire and need of something that needs change or to be done that could not be ordinary by themselves but they need that power of HOLY SPIRIT to take charge.

Q. How do you stay so YOUTHFUL:

A. To mix spiritual with nature things of life that brings success and prosperity. Learning to love even when you are not loved.

Q. Money Management Skills:

A. Learn that a part of all you earn is SOME of YOURS to keep and if it to be done it is up to you whatever the task may be. Remember that Pennies makes DOLLARS! Think about what you buy before you buy it learn the value of it (will it be useful or something that your eyes wanted). Money has a will of its own and if you don’t handle it will handle you---so therefore, you must always be in control of MONEY.

Q. How would you like people to think of you:

A. As a woman of determination, steadfast, always a friend to other WOMEN and men and an example of a GOD fearing woman. Also, an example of Christianity showing hope, trust, faith and love at all times.

Interviewed/Written: By Tonya Johnson

Never To Late to Manage Your Money

My mother wasn’t big on proverbs when I was growing up, but there was one lesson she was determined to pound into my head using one short phrase…and it stuck and has silently guided me through countless decisions with what to do with my limited funds. That one phrase continues to echo in my mind when I pull out my check book, prepare to swipe my credit card, or just lay down cold hard cash. What seven words could have such an enduring impact on my spending habits, you ask…? I can hear the voice of my mother as clearly now as I did the first time she imparted this pearl of wisdom to me…A fool and her money are soon parted…

I had no intention of being that fool, so through trial and a good bit of error I slowly figured out how to avoid being foolhardy and broke, and I’d like to begin by sharing these tips with you.

First things first: assess your current financial status by taking a close look at what you earn, actual take home pay, versus what you owe. Don’t omit any financial obligation--- rent, utilities, transportation, credit cards---everything must be listed. Don’t hide anything because you’ll only be hiding it from yourself and effectively sabotaging your road to financial health and freedom…Now dry your tears and let’s get down to the real work.

Get a free copy of your credit report at https://www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228. This website will allow request a free credit report from each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting agencies, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, each year. Be smart about it and see your credit report once every four months by scheduling your requests one at a time instead of getting all three at once. To do this, simply request a report from Experian in January, Equifax in May, and TransUnion in September (you get the idea) each year to successfully track any discrepancies and monitor your credit.

Now that you have your credit report, review it carefully to ensure your personal information is accurate. Look for any fraudulent activities whereby someone may have obtained a credit card using your information. Your report will also reveal payment history and any adverse reporting from creditors. What’s so great about good credit, you ask? The better your credit is, the easier it is for you to obtain a loan with a decent interest rate. This is especially important when looking to purchase a home or a vehicle. Your credit rating could also affect the amount you pay for insurance premiums.

Verifying the accuracy of your credit report should lead you to the next important step: taking control of your credit cards. Start by listing each card with its balance and the interest rate you’re charged for each one. Pay off cards with really low balances instead of paying the minimum monthly amount. As you pay off the lower balances, apply that payment to your card with the highest interest rate. Always, always, always pay more than the minimum required payment in order to free yourself from giving credit card companies your hard earned resources through excessive interest rates.

If you’re finding it hard to make ends meet, take a close look at your spending habits. Now may be the time to forego some luxuries disguised as necessities. You may have to scale back on entertainment, dining out (even for lunch), hair and nail appointments, new clothes and shoes (you get the idea) until you get your spending under control. Eliminating credit card debt is the best way to build your savings, because instead of paying Sears, you can start paying yourself. In the next issue, we’ll talk about building a nest egg.


Written By Sylivia Dickerson

Keeping Women Healthy in Their 40’s

By Dr. S. Hardy

As we age, we begin to notice subtle changes in our appearance and physical/mental abilities. It seems that all of a sudden, one day, out of nowhere, we realize that we can’t stay up all night and function the next day. We can’t run a marathon during the day and go out on the town that same night. We can’t seem to remember things as well as previously. Though our bodies change physically and mentally, there are things that we can do to optimize our health and live life to the fullest, even beyond our 30’s.

It is very important for us to do basic things when it comes to health maintenance. I will discuss a variety of things that are necessary to help maintain vitality and strength as women age gracefully. There are some things we cannot change due to genetics, but the things we can change should be made a priority.

Mammograms: With breast cancer being prevalent in our society, it is imperative that women over 40 get yearly mammograms to detect any abnormalities in the breasts early on. If you have a family history of breast cancer, your mammograms would start even sooner. Before you turn 40, every female who has menstrual cycles should know how to perform a self breast exam at home. Oftentimes, you are the first person to detect a problem from a simple home breast exam. After all, you know your own body better than anyone else.

Pelvic exams: This is also a part of a woman’s annual physical (or checkup). The pap smear takes cells from your cervix to help detect abnormal (cancerous or precancerous) cells. Since cervical cancer can occur in women in their 20’s, it is very important that women have this test done regularly. In addition, please ask your doctor to include an HPV (human papilloma virus) test with your pap smear since this is the primary cause of cervical cancer, it is not automatically done in all offices. Early detection is the key to avoiding an untimely death from a cancer that is preventable.

Blood Pressure: With the prevalence of obesity in our society, it is very important to have your blood pressure checked regularly, especially if there is a strong family history of hypertension. It is possible to have a normal blood pressure for years and suddenly, it becomes elevated to a level which requires medication. A diet low in salt and daily exercise are important factors in maintaining a normal blood pressure and weight. A systolic pressure above 140 and a diastolic pressure above 90 defines hypertension.

Blood Cholesterol: As a contributing factor to hypertension, cholesterol levels are also an important part of your health maintenance exam. This test is presently done in children also due to the overwhelming levels of obesity in our society. It is important to know what your total cholesterol, LDL level (bad cholesterol), and HDL (good cholesterol) levels are. Again, a diet low in saturated fats and exercise are primary ways to avoid an unhealthy cholesterol level. Sometimes, medications are needed to reduce overall cholesterol levels when conservative measures are not effective.

Blood Sugar: A large number of persons living in the United States are afflicted with diabetes. It is, therefore, imperative to have a fasting blood sugar level done at your routine health check, especially if there is a strong family history of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes generally develops in childhood and occurs because the body does not produce enough insulin to keep blood sugars in a normal range. Type 2 diabetes is usually seen in adults who have obesity, hypertension, and elevated cholesterol. However, we are seeing an increase in type 2 diabetes in children as they are developing adult type medical problems due to childhood obesity. There is also something called “pre-diabetes” which means that you don’t have diabetes but you are at a high risk of developing it. The frequency at which your blood sugars are checked is determined by your doctor based on your individual risk factors.

Thyroid screens: If you suspect problems with your metabolism, then it is a good idea to have a thyroid screen done. An over or under active thyroid can cause multiple symptoms and can be a medical cause of your weight problems, mood changes, or bowel problems.

These above listed screens are important areas that must be addressed in women as they enter their 40’s and beyond. Although, there are additional tests/procedures needed based on individual health problems, these screens are necessary for most people as they strive to maintain a healthy and productive lifestyle. As you can see, diet and exercise are both important in preventing a multitude of health problems. Although, it is not always fun to exercise or eat healthy, it is a vital part of health maintenance and prevention. There are many health problems that we can’t avoid no matter what we do, but for the ones we can, let’s take an active approach in prevention and get moving to a healthy life!

Be blessed and live long!
Seneta Hardy, M.D.
Atlanta, Georgia

Self Expression ---What else to do

Now I talked about trying new things last month. Yes, I am still having a ball and loving my hobbies. They give me some self-fulfillment and keep me out of trouble. (Hey! TROUBLE is living in the refrigerator so the hobbies help with this problem) I talked about a couple of hobbies to do outside of the house. What about inside the house???




You know something that could be done inside house hobby-wise is “write”. I am sitting at my desk starting a new meal intake log for my fitness program. I figure if I can fill this out, I can write something. (Wait a minute??? Isn’t doing this article writing so to speak???) I have been told by a few people in my life to write but there lies the problem… WHAT TO WRITE. This will be another question I will need to figure out later. Anyway, there are some natural writers out there just waiting to start on that poem, short story or self-help book. I say go for it! You have it in you to do AND it can put your mind at ease away from the day-to-day hustle. Take 30 minutes to an hour a day or every other day and jot down some ideas to write about. It’s a thought



Another “inside the house” hobby you can do is cooking. There are lot of chefs and restaurants started out in the home kitchen. Take recipes and change an ingredient to see if you can create something different. Try making desserts your specialty. (If you do, I’m coming over as a taste tester) Create your own dressings for salads. However, the most important thing to do is “write it down”. You don’t want to forget what you created. There are a few recipes that came from family and friends of the family that has gotten lost. I am whimpering over them now (sniff sniff).



Let’s see. What else can be done in the house that will allow the creative juices to flow? Oh, I have another one but it is technically outside the house… Gardening… I know… Most may not have the “green thumb” but that is where you should find an easy plant, bush or flower to maintain. Once you mastered the easy to raise plant, you can move on to other types of plants. You can start a vegetable/fruit garden. It could definitely help you on the food bill and it is healthy. Plus you are burning some calories while working on the garden. Those foods can be used at a restaurant as well as your garden.



Now I could mention the E word (exercise) for a home hobby. I know there are some over 40’s that are not trying to read about exercise but I promise you it does help clear the mind. At least that is what it does for me. I will say it helps me more when I have someone that is tagging along for the ride. Walking on the treadmill can put you in another frame of mind that gets you away from the daily routine. You can do this while watching television to pass the time. You would be surprised how the mind and body responds.



Reading is another hobby to do at home. Pick up your favorite author and read ‘til your heart is content. Pick up your favorite subject to read about. Grab something that will put you in fantasy land for a little bit of time.



You know what the fallout is when you do some of these hobbies: Others will notice and do as you do AND you might see a new career in the mist. When others see your creative side emerge, they will tend to find something to tickle their fancy (hobbies). The kids could see you reading or cooking and want to participate too. Really, the new things may point you in a new direction for your career. It could jump start the entrepreneur in you. Who knows??? You just have to try.

Written by S.R. Gibson