Has this ever happened to YOU?

 

When making a turn out of the barn Friday evening in the little utility vehicle I heard something drop into the street. Suddenly, a fire truck with flashing red lights comes up the normally very quiet road so, of course, I get out of the way. It goes up the street, makes a u-turn, goes back down the street, makes another u-turn, than back up the street again, now followed by an ambulance. Hmmmm. Wonder what's up? I hope my neighbors are ok. I finish my chore (dumping horse poop, it makes you strong) and I drive back to the scene of the thud to investigate what might have dropped out of my coat pocket (it wasn't the manure bucket).

Ah! My cellular device...no telling how many times it got run over but the cool thing was it still had power, it still barked (ring alert), quacked (text alert) and did everything it was designed to do BUT I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT FOR ALMOST FOUR DAYS because the screen was shattered. It's kinda pretty, eh? In a painful way:(

Now here's the take home...

Why would I share this story other than to make you laugh? 

(especially if this has happened to you in some way)

Experiences like this can stress you out! 

But it doesn't have to be so bad...

Here are 8 LESSONS I LEARNED during the epoch:

1. Always have a backup.

• Back up your data, whether it be your phone, computer, or some other electronic gadget.
• Don't assume it is automatically backing up to "The Cloud" or some cyberplace (I made up that word). Check periodcally. My backup button was OFF!!!
• Maybe have an old phone you can switch to until your new one arrives.

2. Don't rely so heavily on one device.

• Indeed, it's cool to be techy, streamlined, and efficient, but don't neglect old-fashioned paper! Had I filled out the blank calendar on my desk I would have known my schedule for Monday and Tuesday rather than going to work and simply waiting to see who shows up!
• I'm also going to check out that Google Calendar thing. I hear it's a great way to coordinate your schedule with co-workers and family members. How's that for time and stress management?

3. Remember to be THANKFUL.

• No matter how bad a situation is, it can usually be worse. Start looking for anything you can give thanks for and focus on the positive so the negative stuff won't take over your mindset! For instance: 
• I was thankful my phone stayed on so I was able to back it up to my computer even though the cloud thing was deactivated. 
• I didn't get hit by the truck. Did you know that I got hit by a truck in Dec., 2010? Funny thing is the truck ran over my foot but my cell phone was in my outstetched arm and was fine, LOL
• I was able to work 11 hours straight on Saturday (we had a brain mapping day) without interruptions and check messages later!

4. Know and/or keep a record of your usernames and pass codes for account status, message retrieval and information recovery. 

5. It's a good idea to have one of those "life-proof" cases for your phone.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I hear there's Lifeproof and Otterbox. I actually looked it up last week but didn't follow through with order. I'm looking for one that is waterproof and shock proof. Can't figure that one out, obviously. Help!!!

6. Don't procrasitnate on this list, it can save you a lot of stress!

7. When things are not going your way, slow down, take a breath, and look for another path. There could be an even better plan for you besides your own.

This ordeal was quite a lesson for me. I took the time to ponder it all. When the new phone finally arrived, while my data uploaded, it still would not work. The SIM card was not recognized and it would not go on the network, ugh! I was getting cranky, my relief was just out of reach and I was at the breaking point! Even the Sprint store guy had to call for tech support (thank you for the stellar service) but while waiting I ran into a cherished old friend and had a lovely visit. So, you see, if things had gone my way and worked without intervention, I would have missed that serendipitous appointment with my friend! Sometimes we just need to let go, get out of our own way and let good things happen in the midst of a storm.

8. Zip your pocket!

I encourage you to laugh and share this post and by all means, do some electronic device disaster prevention!

Stay tuned for my next post. I spent some time reading vs. surfing on my iphone. Interesting facts about reading, coming up...

Happy New Year!

Ok, I just couldn't let another day go by without checking in and writing a greeting for the New Year... sooooo without further deliberations... Wishing you all a happy, healthy, blessed and prosperous New Year! It's that time of year when people typically make New Year resolutions. In fact, according to recent statistics (click here for the stats) about 45% of Americans usually make them (I would have thought this number was higher) but only 8% are successful in achieving them. So how can we improve that number?  It's about when high hopes, aspirations, and commitment meet with results. I want to be that person who helps folks figure it out! But it's not about me...it's about YOU! That's right. And you've heard me say it before, "IT ALL STARTS IN YOUR BRAIN!"  It begins with a thought, then a feeling, emotion, then a decision, action, habits...character...then results... (or not). This is why one of the first things I do when I work with people is to discuss the importance of MINDFULNESS.  So today is January 1 and many folks are mindful about resolving to do something or do something better, etc. But here's my thing... WHY WAIT UNTIL JAN.1? Really, we can choose to do this ANY day. We can start over or start something new ANY day. We can choose to live one day at a time and/or do something for just one day, one 24 hour period, then build momentum as time progresses, as we become mindful, take our thoughts captive, change our attitudes, focus on goals one day at a time. Can you tell I have been working a 12 step program? LOL Yep, that's why, other than Facebook (by the way, I would so appreciate it if you would "LIKE" and "SHARE" my Edge NeuroFitness FB page!) I have been pretty much off the radar, lots of studying, lots of personal development and resolving issues in preparation for taking this brain fitness practice to the next level. It started last winter when I met Dr. Daniel Amen in person at a conference. He invited me to become an Amen Clinic Affiliate so I went through his training and now use many of his tools to help people identify brain system issues and optimize their brain health. So cool! By the way, if you like his stuff, you can order on his website and get a 15% discount by entering my special promo code ECENTER321 But sometimes I still felt like I was stuck, without answers, resolving many issues but still some symptom or thought that just wouldn't turn around... Well folks, announcing this new technology...coming this month to Edge NeuroFitness is the Brainmaster Avatar which will allow us to image and record brain activity at all 19 electrode sites in 3D, real time, and provide biofeedback to guide the brain to where it needs to be to function at its peak! Woohoo! Check out this short video: BrainAvatar by BrainMaster Avatar takes all the guesswork out and saves us thousands of dollars in brain scanning, sending data out for brain mapping, years of psychotherapy...we can collect the data painlessly with no medical intervention in about 30 minutes then determine where we need to go for more focus, relief, and peak performance, because it all starts in your BRAIN! Just for the record, here are 10 things you can do to take care of your brain for the New Year and the rest of your life! Eat better (fresh whole foods) Sleep 7-8 hours/day Exercise regularly Begin each day with 10 thankful/grateful thoughts Eat fish or take fish oil Drink 8-10 glasses of water/day Maintain a healthy weight Meditate daily Spend time with positive people in your life Manage stress Remember, if you don't take care of your mind, you could LOSE IT! Cheers to a healthy brain in 2014!!!    As I always say, "Unlock Your Brain's Potential!"  Think healthy, eat healthy, and stay well and  HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!