You’ve probably heard countless times about the nutritional benefits of commonly labeled “superfoods,” such as kale, salmon and blueberries. And although there’s no official scientific definition of a superfood, it’s generally accepted that superfoods contain high levels of much-needed vitamins and minerals. They can also be a source of antioxidants, substances that shield our bodies from cell damage and help prevent disease. While there are a number of common foods that provide these nutrients, there are also several more exotic and less mainstream superfoods that are worth knowing.

One example is cacao powder. It contains flavonoids, which are known to help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to the brain and heart. It contains fewer than 15 calories per tablespoon and almost no fat. Cacao provides a strong chocolate flavor without the guilt. Before buying, be sure to read the label. Choose the raw or nonalkalized version, which contains all the phytochemicals and antioxidants. Try adding the powder to smoothies, healthy brownies or other healthy goodies for a rich chocolaty taste.

Chia seeds have become all the rage among superfood seekers. They are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and calcium. If you don’t consume a lot of fish, they’re a great way to get plant-based omega-3s in your diet. They have a great taste, crunch, and nutty flavor. Keep them nearby, so you can easily shake them on oatmeal, smoothies, salads, or stir-fries.

Native to the rainforests of South America, the açai is a small purple berry that has been promoted as a weight-loss and anti-aging aid. It contains very high levels of antioxidants in the form of anthocyanins, which help fight cancer and heart disease. It also contains the same heart-healthy fat, oleic acid, that’s in olive oil. Because fresh açai is often unavailable, it’s typically sold frozen or in tablets, powders, or juices. Buy packs of unsweetened frozen açai or powders that you can blend with veggie juices or smoothies.

Sea-grown vegetables, such as seaweed, are packed with omega-3 fatty acids that may prevent a heart attack or stroke. Seaweed also contains important minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, iodine, and zinc. You can incorporate seaweed into the diet by taking sheets of nori—the kind they use for sushi—and layering on some cooked brown rice and sliced vegetables. Then, roll it all together to make a quick, healthy wrap. Beyond nori, you can choose from a variety of seaweed, such as dulse, arame, hijiki, wakame, and kombu.

Give yourself a health boost with commonly labeled superfoods along with these lesser-known powerhouse foods.

The center of your body is often referred to as your core. It encompasses the abdomen, back, hips and chest. Core muscles are incorporated in almost every movement of the human body.

One of the most important functions of your core is to support and stabilize the spine. Another function is the effective transfer and production of force during dynamic movements like running, lifting weights or picking up a bag of groceries out of the car. Research has shown that athletes with higher core stability have a lower risk of injury. And for people who experience lower back pain, this is particularly beneficial. 

A strong core benefits everyone from fitness enthusiast to people who are less active. If you want to protect your spine, perform day to day functions relatively easy and reduce injury, strengthen your core.

Front plank is a great exercise to do daily to improve your core strength. Here’s how to perform it:

1. Lie on your stomach with your elbows close to your sides and directly under your shoulders with palms and fingers facing down.
2. Engage your abdominal muscles.
3. Contract/tighten your thigh muscles, straighten your legs and flex your ankles.
4. Slowly lift your torso and legs off the floor. Keep your torso and legs straight. Do not allow your hips or low back to drop. Avoid raising your hips into the air or bending your knees. Make sure your shoulders are directly over your elbows and your palms are facing down.
5. Work up to holding this exercise for 90 seconds.

Make training your core a priority and you will reap the benefits!

Although it feels like an eternity, it was not long ago that I was in dark place with little hope. I was in severe emotional pain, and I didn’t know where to go to get help. I just knew I needed it.

This was contrary to how I felt as a child and young adult. Back then, there were several real struggles like having a biological father that wasn’t present in my life, being a victim of molestation, having insecurities about my freckled appearance, and having struggles related to being part of a blended family. But from what I can remember, I felt comfortable, peaceful and had high hopes of having a great, fulfilling life.

So there I was, 35 years old, trying to fake it through my days while feeling empty, insecure, alone, anxious and hopeless. I was going through a divorce and having to share parenting time with my children. I was experiencing financial difficulties and having flashbacks from a traumatic event. I was getting further away from myself and self-medicating with alcohol making everything worse and me more depressed. All of my hopes of making a difference in the world, having a great marriage, being a great mother and doing something that really mattered disappeared. I had done it, I had hit rock bottom. All of the hopes I had as a child and young adult had vanished into thin air.

I came to the realization that I had only two choices. I could continue down this path of self-sabotage and die a slow, miserable death or I had to rewire everything. I met Matt, Keith and other friends that I slowly opened up to and became honest with about my feelings and struggles. I could tell them my deepest darkest secrets that had been living in my shadow and multiplying. I was shocked that they weren’t horrified and continued to be my friend. They held my hand while I slowly laid down a solid foundation and created more empowering habits. They held me accountable when I made choices contrary to the life I said I wanted to live. So, I suited up and showed up. Exercise, healthy nutrition, being vulnerable and honest and personal development work were all non-negotiable items that helped me build the foundation.

Looking back, I’m not sure the exact moment the transformation happened. I think it was over several months of creating consistent habits of exercise, healthy nutrition, being vulnerable and honest, and personal development work everyday, despite how I felt. All I know is, today, I wake up every morning with the same enthusiasm I had as a child and young adult regardless of the challenges I am facing. I love each day of the week. Years ago, this feeling was unfathomable. I feel comfortable, peaceful, and know that I will live a fulfilling life. My hopes of having great relationships, being an amazing mother and making a difference in the world have returned and are being realized.

Today, I am grateful for my health, children, friends, and my rediscovered passion and enthusiasm for life. Speaking from experience, your rock bottom doesn’t have to be the end of your story. Thankfully, it wasn’t the end of mine and I am grateful that it allowed me to get to this peaceful, beautiful place. Think about what you are grateful for today.

Say to yourself, today I am going to build something great. Something that reflects my purpose, embodies my passions and serves others. Waste no more time engaging in negative self talk or gossip. Leave victimhood, judgment, guilt, blame and shame behind. Free yourself of negative relationships with yourself and others and step into your greatness.

Choose today to build something worthy of your uniqueness and beauty. For the next 90 days, select an endeavor or project to work on everyday. Make it something so big that at the end of 3 months, you marvel at how powerful you are when your thoughts, words, actions and energy are no longer distracted by nonsense but rather focused on creating something great. When you gaze and reflect upon what you’ve brought to the world, from thought to realization, it humbles you and exudes love to all who experience it. And it serves everyone; especially you because it is a reflection of your self-love outwardly shared with the world.

Have you ever been shocked when you really stopped to listen to one of your thoughts? Yesterday, I caught one that was horrifying. “I stink at this template,” is what I thought while evaluating my design for a project. Wow! Not a thought of empowerment to say the least. Why was I talking to myself this way?According to the National Science Foundation, our brains produce as many as 50,000 thoughts a day. It is estimated that of those thoughts, about 95% were the same as yesterday and 85% are negative. These negative thoughts automatically happen unless we train them differently. We are told that our thoughts influence our actions. And our actions are what produce results in our lives. How can we change our negative thoughts into positive ones so we can live into our fullest potential?

Following are practices that can help cultivate positive thoughts.

First, be aware of your thoughts. Notice when negative ones appear. Challenge them with 3-5 options relative to the negative. Using my previous example, “I stink at this template,” I would challenge it with other options. One might be, “That’s not the quality I want, but with more time and practice I can master this skill and make a higher quality template.” The more time and attention yoiu give to positive thoughts, the more likely your actions and results will reflect them.

Next, practice gratitude daily. When you wake up in the morning, write down three things that you are thankful for in your life. This sets up your day in an inspiring way and trains your conscious mind to begin focusing on empowering thoughts right from the start. Also, if something happens in your day that initiates a negative response, think about what you’re grateful for instead. For example, let’s say you get stuck in traffic on your way to work. Rather than reacting negatively and allowing your thoughts to get out of control, respond with gratitude for having a car and job. And be grateful for all of the people that contribute to your  incredible life.

Also, create positive mantras that help you build positive self-talk. Put them on post-it notes and place them all around your spaces. This will help you create the habit of cultivating positive thoughts and self-talk. Some examples are, “I am capable”, “I share my happiness with those around me”, “My body is my vehicle in life; I choose to fill it with goodness”, “I love challenges and what I learn by overcoming them” and “Each step is taking me to where I want to be.” In addition to nurturing positive thoughts, this practice helps increase your confidence, attracts what your heart desires, and produces a healthier lifestyle with extraordinary results.

Lastly, savor what went well today and think about why. Keep a journal by your bed and write about all the things that made it an incredible day. Record how you and others contributed to it being great. You will end up with an inspiring book of short stories highlighting your life. And your sub-conscious will absorb all of these positive thoughts while you are sleeping.

Daily negative thoughts are automatic unless we train them differently. Follow the practices above to cultivate empowering thoughts, actions and results.

Love, Heather​

Keith JonesNovember 19, 2015

I made a lot of progress on big projects the last few months. I can point to a few philosophies that are responsible for this. One is the tried and true “be consistent” approach. The other one is the newly embraced attitude, “Fail Fast and Fail Often”.

Whenever I made gains on goals in the past, it was by consistently working at it. No matter how uncomfortable, painful or frustrating it was, I kept at it. Even if I procrastinated getting started on it, I would get to it later that day and work on it. With “Fail Fast and Fail Often”, I understand that failure is a part of the process and that it should be embraced. It produces deep learning that often only comes from experience. And for the perfectionist in you, it moves you past the attitude that “everything has to be perfect” before you can get started or continue.

Here’s how to apply “Fail Fast and Fail Often” in your life:
1. Select a project, goal or skill you want to show significant progress on or exhibit mastery.
2. Define what progress and mastery mean for you. Set this as your end result.
3. Commit a certain amount of time per day to work on it. This brings in the consistency element. It’s key because you get better at your craft by working on it each day. You have to work on it over and over to improve to the highest level.
4. Outline what you need for your goal. If you don’t have all the tools, get started with what you have. For example, if you don’t have the latest software, use what you have. If you can’t go to school to learn the new skill, try to find it on the internet so you can get started now. YouTube is a great resource.
5. Start! Begin working on the goal and skill immediately.
6. “Fail Fast and Fail Often”. Know that you will make mistakes along the way. And that’s welcomed because it accelerates the learning process. Keep working on your goal and new skill often because repetition produces extraordinary progress.
7. Keep doing step 6 until you reach mastery.

I am currently applying the “Fail Fast and Fail Often” approach to video editing. I have never taken a course for this. All I have are online tutorial videos, my computer and video clips to produce the movie. Going in with the Fail Fast, Fail Often mindset makes the task of learning how to edit video at a high level achievable. Because failure is part of the journey and key to mastery, I look forward to working toward this goal.

I invite you to pick a goal or skill to master and apply this approach to everyday for the next two weeks. Commit 20 to 60 minutes to it. You will have more fun along the way and accomplish your objective faster.

Keith

I was listening to a personal development interview this morning that had so many great ideas, practices and tips to live an extraordinary life. Brian Johnson was interviewing Robin Sharma about some of his latest books and practices. One item that resonated with me was being a part of the 5 a.m. Club!

I became a member of the 5 a.m. club by chance, not by making a conscious commitment to join.  A couple years back, I committed to doing a 6 week personal development workshop. Months before the workshop, my ex-husband and I had separated after 13 years of marriage. I was struggling with how to create my new life,  productively manage parenting time, and become financially secure. I joined the workshop that my close friend recommended. In doing so, I was also committing to 5 a.m. workshop and exercise sessions. This meant rising at 3:30 or 4 a.m. versus my usual 7 a.m. During the workshop, I would frequently wonder, “Wow, why did I choose this?” Nonetheless, I was all in! Consequently, I started to go to bed much earlier because 7 hours of sleep was another workshop commitment.

I started to cherish my early mornings.  They were so quiet, peaceful and productive. I enjoyed driving to my workshop and exercise sessions before the sun was up and seeing the sunrise. I felt like I was getting a head start on my day, while most others were still sleeping.

The workshop has obviously passed and I continue to be a part of the 5 a.m. Club, and I love it! I wake up between 4:15 and 5 a.m. and get my day off to an incredible start with a workout, personal development work, journaling, visualization and a meal of oatmeal with protein and veggie juice. I start my other work by 6 a.m. My sister and I were talking the other day and she asked, “Wait, so by noon, you’ve already put in 6 hours of your work day?” I have, and it’s a beautiful thing. Today, I like to optimize simplicity. It’s the small daily habits and commitment to the fundamentals that have made all the difference. Being extremely consistent has produced insane results over the past couple years in all areas of my life.

I wasn’t always a 5 a.m. member. On the contrary, I would stay up late, watch TV, drink wine, snack on unhealthy food and surf the internet. Transferring these unproductive night hours to productive morning hours has been a game changer!

Congratulations to all who have become a 5 a.m. club member! Research tells us, changing a habit takes approximately 28 days.  It will likely be challenging in the beginning. However in the end, it will be glorious and beautiful. Are you willing to change simple, daily habits to see insane results in your productivity, health and happiness?

Love, Heather

Keith JonesNovember 15, 2015

2BeRe-University is all about supporting a stronger humanity. We care deeply about making a difference in the world. Amy, Heather and I embrace opportunities to connect with people and help them reach their goals. We flat out love people!

Loving others is easy to do when you have a purpose as big as ours. While I am no saint, I am clear that I am my happiest and most fulfilled when I am in the service of others and sending love to everyone. My capacity to contribute with an open heart continues to grow daily. One might think that I would be depleted of energy with all this giving. And I use to be until I tweaked a few things. Here’s what’s working for me:

• I practice empathy with everyone. I consistently try to put myself in someone else’s shoes. This helps me do what life coach Brendon Burchard describes as “Honoring People’s Struggle”. I have no idea what their life experience has been or what they might be going through at the time. But if I keep my ego from judging, this clears space for me to be empathetic and send them love. No matter what a person may do or say to me, I allow it to pass. I just send love.

• I am deeply interested in people. I have been told that I have a way of engaging with people that makes them feel connected. I want to learn from them, grow with them and know them. Their dreams, fears and possibilities matter to me. Helping and seeing them flourish inspires me to be my best.

• I don’t take on other people’s negative energy. I failed at this for a long time. In my early years of helping people reach their goals, I would take their struggles and problems home. Over time, I learned how to manage this. And although I was better at handling it, I was still taking their negative “stuff” on. As a result, my energy and capacity to work on my goals and help others was depleted. So I made a paradigm shift. I said no thanks to people’s gossip, jealousy, envy, judgment, victimhood, martyrdom, pessimism and other negative projections. If they wanted to move from those ego driven emotions to positive ones, I had their back. However, if they wanted to stay in that space, I chose to move on. Now I feel light and energized.

These practices have helped me be unconditionally loving to others and myself. And with a commitment to give off positive projections, rather than negative ones, I see the good in everyone no matter what they have done or might do. This frees me from negativity that could distract me and 2BeRe-U from fulfilling our mission to support humanity.

Take an interest in everyone you know and meet. It will enrich your life in immeasurable ways.

Keith