Upcycle Shot of the Day!!!

This Hulk sculpture is made entirely of scrap metal.

See original post here.

5 Things Breakthrough Marketers Do

Here are the five core elements these people truly worthy of the term marketer have mastered:

1. Focus on intent.

Great marketer decides what he or she wants to accomplish with the target and creates a campaign in which every detail has purpose and intent to compel the target to that specific action. Everything else is a crapshoot or waste of resources. From now on, every time you make a marketing decision to take action, ask yourself why you are doing so. If you don’t have a good answer, don’t do it.

2. Craft the message.

Great marketers break through by crafting a compelling value proposition that resonates with the need of the potential customers. Identify the pain you can solve for your customers and let them know you are there to resolve their issues with your product or service. They won’t care about you until you demonstrate you care about them.

3. Coordinate actions.

Successful marketing is a coordinated series of events that build upon one another to help drive a potential customer to action. Make sure your messaging is aligned with your value proposition. Every piece of marketing should have a distinctly related feel to everything else you do. Chart out the path of the customer, and use each tool to enhance the experience along the way. Make sure your sales team uses the tools and the language or they will derail the entire process.

4. Engage creativity.

Breakthrough marketers understand that they are entertainers first. They use the entire palette of color to delight the potential customer. Most people want to have fun whenever they can, so give them the chance, and they are sure to come back to you more often.

5. Practice measurement.

Many in the marketing profession think the creation and distribution of a marketing piece is the endgame. They are proud of the website they built, or brochure they created and distributed to the masses. Breakthrough marketers understand that the only endgame is return on investment. Those who are serious about marketing are data hogs watching the responses on every level so they can tweak and adjust to get to the optimum return. Find a way to measure return on every marketing dollar you spend. If you can’t measure it, reapportion the resource to a campaign that is quantifiable. Ultimately, every company hires a marketer for one reason, to make money.

Check out the original post from Inc.com here.

Upcycyled Shot of the Day

Old Glass = New Lighting!

Upcycled Shot of the Day!!!

This a great example of pallet building. Functional wall decor for the bathroom. Yes!

“They” got me.

I usually am really good at keeping my mind focused and on task when it comes to what I spend my time on, what I read, watch, and listen to. The recent happenings in Ferguson have effected me quite a bit. I mean think about it.

People shot and/or killed for doing things that most Americans do. Yes, things you do daily. Have you ever shopped at Walmart? Have you ever walked to the local corner store to buy something real quick. Not that Walmarts or corner stores across our nation will be effected by this but the chances are, I’ll be eliminating the very few reasons I’d have to go to either of these places.

Car accident… knock on the nearest door to ask for help.
Corner store… who’s watching the neighborhood? Someone who wants to shoot someone.
Walmart… holding merchandise that they sell in the store.
Barbershop… broke up a fight.
Corner store… again… this time it’s the jakes.
Called 911 for assistance to stop a robbery… dispatched officers killed the guy who called them for help.
Went to Vegas…mistaken for a homeless drug addict, cuffed, then shot.
Answered the door holding a Wii remote controller… playing video games?
Getting fast food… don’t get out of your car.
How about, got kidnapped, escaped… shot while running from where they were held and tortured.

For the record, I don’t live any closer to the places where these lives were taken than you do and I do not know the REAL story behind what actually transpired. These have all taken place this year, 2014.

With that said, do you go to the store?
– or the Barbershop?
– Have you ever called 911 for help?
– Have you ever processed a welfare check?
– Do you want to go to Las Vegas?
– Do you play video games?
– Fast food?! (I don’t care for taco bell, but sh*t.)
– Ever been in a car accident?

A, supposed, unarmed person has been killed in each of these scenarios.

F*cking speechless…

Could have been you. Could have been me, or my son. Could have been one of my neighbors. Could have been your father or your mother. Who’s to say, next time… ?

This has all lowered my vibration quite a bit. And, I’m pretty sure it has lowered the vibration of quite a few others.

This is what “they” want.

They don’t want you to wake up from this horrible dream.

A lot of people throughout social media are asking, “What can I do about this?”

What can you do to change things?

What can you do to change the world?

First, change you. Be the best you, you can possibly be. Whatever that means for you, do it. No matter how long it takes, or how painful the transformation may be, you are charged with becoming the best version of yourself you can become. Do it now, ready or not.

Second, when you have the opportunity to be right or to be kind, be kind. You are not doing this for whoever you’re in front of (although they will think you are), do it for you. Small and consistent acts of kindness will raise your vibration, quickly and effectively while also raising the vibration of others around you.

Third, once you’re the best you can be (which hopefully means you’re working out regularly and eating a clean and substantial diet), you can fully detoxify yourself and maybe, just maybe, you’ll start to open up to the possibilities around you. The process of becoming the best you you possibly can be will open new doors of opportunity for you. Go through them and stack the odds unevenly in your favor. Do it. Enjoy it, while you can.

Conquer your fears. Do this or be held back by them for all of your days.

The time is over for coddling our children and those that are offended or afraid of the truth. You are they first person who needs to stop believing the lies.

The truth.

The truth is you are an infinite being manifested in the physical plane of this existence. 99% of the human being is completely unexplainable, unseeable, unsensable. You can’t touch it, or smell it. The other 1% is what you think you are. Become the whole you.

I’m not here to teach anybody anything, I’m only reminding you of what you already know. Now, right now, is the time to do something about it.

Don’t let them get you.

Go, be great, I will do the same.

Love.

7 Ways To Motivate Yourself

7 Unconventional Ways To Motivate Yourself

We need new ways of finding motivation,and here’s 7 of them.

When it comes to motivating and pushing yourself, it’s usually filled with cliché advice. “Don’t give up”, “Get over it” or “Always look on the bright side of life”. These are a few examples.

While they’re all correct at the root, conventional thinking like this just doesn’t cut it anymore. In fact, they are so trite and used so often that the message is lost to most of us. Heck, it even pisses people off, which is the total opposite of what it’s supposed to do.

 The 7 Unconventional Ways Of Thinking

1. “Welcome the pain”

Yep! Welcome the pain. Accept it willingly.

There’s a saying, “Pain is weakness leaving the body”, which means to say, no matter how tough or how much pain you’re feeling, you’re going to emerge stronger after that. So don’t be afraid when things get tough. Push yourself to accept what is coming instead and know that you’re going to grow from it.

2.“Look forward to feeling good”

This is my main, personal method in motivating myself. I believe that when you work hard, the feeling you get after that is the reward. The sense of satisfaction and accomplishment is the backbone of it all.

The fitness mantra, “Do you want to be sore, or sorry later?” works the same way.

So only aim for the feeling. Ask yourself how you want to feel later only. Forget about how you’d feel in between.

3. “Stop moving forward, take a step back instead”

Stop progressing altogether for a second. Just stop.

Take a step back instead.

It may seem paradoxical, but you know what it can do for you? You’ll be able to gain more clarity.

Go back for a second, re-evaluate your goals and remember your why. This effectively gives you the motivation to move forward.

And you’ll make better progress.

4. “Quit”

Or better yet, quit. Give up altogether on what you’re doing.

This requires some reflection and evaluation though. Sometimes quitting is the best thing you can do. You just have to realize that what you’re doing isn’t helping you anymore.

And after you quit, you’re free to do whatever you want as you’re no longer trapped by whatever it is which held you down.

5. ”Have a really good break”

This kind of goes hand in hand with point (2): Look forward to feeling good.

I find that a lot of people have lousy breaks. They don’t do themselves the favour they deserve. E.g. Instead of recognizing that a break time is a time to recharge, they end up being completely idle by doing mindless things like surfing Facebook, Twitter or watching random YouTube videos they aren’t even interested in watching in the first place. That is dead time. It does not help you at all and before you know it, you’re back to work.

6. “Failure is your best friend”

Or, failure is your ally.

Embrace failure, for it will give you the best and most meaningful lessons you actually need to move forward. That being said, failure is not the end.

When you don’t get the results you want, it doesn’t mean it’s over. Instead, you’re given the opportunity to learn and grow the fastest way possible.

7. ”Have fun”

Whatever it is in life, just have fun. Make that your sole aim.

Don’t take life so seriously. Laugh at your mistakes. Never sweat the small stuff. Just have fun, and be thankful for what you have, and that everything is going to be okay anyway.

Check out the original post here.

Top 11 Ways to Get Plant Based Protein – Without Using Expensive Protein Powders

As much as I love the convenience of throwing a couple of scoops of protein powder in my smoothie or whatever I may be mixing up, there is much debate these days about which protein powders are good or not. Some contain GMO’s, others contain ridiculously high levels of heavy metals and unnecessary toxins. For all the trouble, often I’ve been skipping them altogether. The only time I still use protein powders now is immediately following an intense workout. In my opinion, this is only real time to use protein powder.

Any other time you’re craving something filling or are short on time, try adding some of my favorites to your smoothie instead to get that protein that our bodies need – 

Coconut Milk – With upwards of 5 grams of protein for every 8 ounce cup, coconut milk is a great way to up the ante on your smoothie, overnight oats, or chia pudding. Check out this easy recipe for making your own coconut milk out of water and shredded coconut. Or if you wanna work a little harder, here is a raw coconut milk recipe.

Flax Seeds – Along with vital Omega 3 fatty acid and plenty of fiber, flax seeds pack about 2 grams of protein for every tablespoon of whole seeds. Flax should always be soaked or ground to ensure that it can be digested easily once in the body. Try this smoothie that makes great use of flax for an Omega Powered Smoothie!

Oat Meal – Over 10 grams of protein for every cup of raw oats, no matter how you get them in, these little oats are an essential part of  numerous healthy break-fast meals. For some ideas on what to do with oatmeal to incorporate it into your diet more, check out this post. 

Chia – from the Mayan word for “strength” this misleading little seed is jam packed with Omega 3’s, iron, more calcium than cow’s milk, and complete protein. Still unsure what to do with these little seeds? Although my favorite way to use chia is as chia seed pudding, you can find a couple ways to use them here.

Pumpkin Seeds – With about 3 grams of protein for every tablespoon of whole seeds, pumpkin seeds are an easy way to add protein, magnesium, zinc, omega-3s, and lots of other nutrients to your plant based lifestyle. But be known,pumpkin seeds also contain tryptophan, the sleep-inducing amino acid  that can also be found in turkey. Add pumpkin seeds to your favorite evening smoothie or sprinkle over a big salad for some added goodness.

Quinoa – Every cup of cooked quinoa has 8 grams of protein, containing all the essential amino acids, as well as magnesium, fiber, and iron. For a quinoa smoothie check out this recipe.

Raw Egg – Organic, Free Range, Certified Humane Eggs (usually directly from a local farm within 20 miles of my house) are the only eggs that I’ll eat cooked or raw. One of the easiest ways to add 6 grams off protein to any smoothie, not to mention a rich, creamy consistency, is to throw a raw egg in there with it. “You gotta get in there!!!”

Yogurt – If you’re still a little freaked out by some of the other super foods still, yogurt is always a sure bet. With around 14 grams of protein for every cup, you can’t go wrong. If you have dairy issues, opt for greek yogurt if you’d like. Here is a delicious smoothie that uses greek yogurt but you can use whatever you prefer.

Sunflower Seeds – With 7 grams of protein for every quarter cup (1/4 cup) of seeds, not many others hail in comparison. Along with manganese, magnesium, potassium and iron, sunflower seeds are a great source for vitamin E and vitamins B1 and B5. Try this Coconut Avocado Sunflower Seed Smoothie. 

Hemp Seeds – Technically a fruit, hemp “seeds” contain all essential amino acids and have about 11 grams of protein for every three tablespoons of hulled seeds. Hemp seeds are rich in disease-fighting, plant-based phytonutrients and anti-aging antioxidants such as vitamin E and they provide quite the array of minerals including zinc, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and iron. Try this smoothie on for size. 

Goji Berries – With five times as much vitamin C as oranges these little red berries are my absolute favorite way to get plant based protein in. One ounce of goji berries, a little less than 30 grams, contains upwards of 15 grams of protein, which is more protein than any other fruit on the planet. Antioxidants, essential vitamins and minerals, in addition to plenty of fiber make this little berry the best way to get your plant based protein. You’ll love this Strawberry Banana Green Smoothie.

There are plenty of other plant based protein options out there for you, these are just my favorites. 

How do you get your plant based protein?

Choices & Choices

Every moment of every day, we are changing.

Right now, every cell in your body is going through a metamorphosis in which the new you is the end result.

You can do one of a variety things about this:

1. completely ignore natural processes occurring within yourself and continue as you were
2. observe what happens and play it safe with what you choose to be, have and do what you think you’re supposed to do
3. take complete control and responsibility for what you choose to be, do, and have guiding your life in the direction of your specific design
4. ?

Any one of these choices is usually a choice for life that people grow into and will stand and fight to the death for. The only thing anyone can do is make their choice and be a shining example of whatever it is one chooses to be. That is all we can do to help anyone, to guide our families and loved ones, to teach our friends and associates, to show our communities, to assist humanity. Doing this is something else… Nobody is perfect and most are battling with the best and worst of themselves all day long. Just know that the obstacles that may arise are not there to stop, they show up for you see how bad you want it. All you can do is all you can do.

But… you have to choose to.

You have to choose to shine. YOU have to choose to shine bright as a magnificent example of what you are. You are a star. Just like the stars we see shining in the night sky, we are going through a transition. The big secret everyone so inconveniently forgets to tell anyone is… you have to choose to shine your light.

Shine your light as bright as you can.

I get asked a lot, “what can I do about anything?” “What can I possibly do about all the crazy things going on in the world?” Its a loaded question, I know, but what do you do about it? The only thing you can do anything about is what you choose to be, do, and have. If you need an idea, here is where you can start…

Think.

Positive and negative thoughts are contagious.

We all affect the people around us in one way or another. This happens physically and subconsciously through our thoughts, feelings, and body language. People sense our energy, are affected by it, and vice versa.

Positive thoughts are the most important medicine one can take. Positive thoughts, words and attitudes bring out positive and happy moods and actions. When the mind is in a positive state, euphoric, creative, and loving chemicals are released into the blood creating more happiness and positivity. This the way of achievement, peace of mind and happiness.

Negative thoughts, words and attitudes, on the other hand, bring out negative and depressing moods and actions. When the mind is negative, poisonous emotional chemicals are released into the blood, which cause more unhappiness and negativity. This is the way to failure, frustration and disappointment.

One’s attitude and thought patterns don’t change overnight, some inner work is needed in order to turn the mind toward the positive. The power of thoughts is a universal power that is always shaping our lives. This shaping is usually done on the subconsciously level, but it is possible to make the process a conscious one. Practices you can adopt to facilitate a positive state of mind are:

• read, think, or meditate about things that make you feel genuinely good, think about times in your life that were great and how those times made you feel
• persuade yourself to persevere and continue to think, read, listen to, or watch positive messages for at least 30 minutes throughout the day
• ignore what other people might say or think about you when they discover that you are changing the way you think
• use imagination to visualize only favorable and beneficial situations
• smile, even if you’re not happy – by smiling long enough, your brain will release a combination of “happy” chemicals educing a state of calmness and euphoria
• once a negative thought enters your mind, you have to be aware of it, and endeavor to replace it with a constructive one – the negative thought will try again to enter your mind, and then, you have to replace it again with a positive one

At any given moment, there will be things that are desirable to focus on and things that are less enjoyable to focus on. We must choose to focus on that which promotes joy. Think of it like there are two pictures in front of you, and you can to choose to look at one of them, and disregard the other. Persistence will eventually teach your mind to think positively, and to ignore negative thoughts. In case you feel inner resistance and difficulties when replacing negative thoughts with positive ones, do not give up, but keep looking only at the beneficial, good and happy thoughts in your mind.

It doesn’t matter what your circumstances are at the present moment. Think positively, expect only favorable results and situations, and circumstances will change accordingly. You can transform the way your mind thinks the thoughts it creates. It will take some time for the changes to take place, but with focus and determination, they will.

But… you have to choose to.

People worldwide are getting more and more particular about what they’re eating because we are all starting to feel the effects of chemical laden, super processed, corn fed, and genetically modified foods that were staples of daily life for years. When you don’t feel good or even worse when you actually become sick because of the food being eaten on a daily basis, it is easy to start asking questions. But until then, it takes blind faith and determination to continue to eat actual food. Why does this matter?

What you eat determines what fuel your body has to create all these emotional chemicals and reactions that we went over above. If you’re full of artificial and acidic things and your mind is full negativity, your body will not be able to heal and maintain balance the way it was designed to.

A lot of people are finding out that the best foods they can eat are grown locally, grown organically, and sold in a reasonable manor to those that actually desire whole, healthy food. These foods are available in specialized shops and farmers markets, along with the big name grocers that span every corner in most communities in North America.

Get what you need however and wherever you can. If you truly desire to be healthy and think healthy, than you’ll find what you need. If you have a burning desire to eat food that is actually good for you, than you will spend your money on food that will help you reach your health goals. Those that create, find, or accept excuses as to why they think they can’t get healthy, won’t. The simple fact of the matter is, if you want to eat food that will fuel your life and help keep in a positive state, you can do just that.

But… you have to choose to.

The very best source of whole, organic foods is your very own garden! If you accept reasons why you can’t grow your own food, than that is of coarse your choice. If you are determined to grow your food, then every inch of free space and soil is up for grabs.

Think positive, eat actual food, and spend time meditating. These are key building blocks to staying in a positive and productive. There are plenty of other things you can do to keep yourself in an optimal state but this is a great start. Need help meditating? Watch the video below –

Upcycled Shot of the Day!!!

Coolest D.I.Y. instrument ever!!!

Upcycled Shot of the Day!!!

Great way to use all those junked tires all over the neighborhood!