EcoSmart Natural Bug Killer Value Bundle Giveaway!

Perhaps you remember my, ahem "critter issue"?  I had lots of fun ants living with me, who would NOT go away.  Finally, I got smart and used the EcoSmart Ant & Roach Killer, pictured below.  It's the best natural ant killer I have ever used.  Lucky for you, Ecosmart is giving away the insecticide value bundle of your choice to a yournontoxiclife reader!!!

Each person can enter up to 5 times by following the list below.






To enter once: comment below, telling us why you need or want this all natural bug spray bundle.

Bonus entries:

• become a follower of this blog
• blog about this giveaway and comment back with a link
• tweet about this giveaway with @yournontoxiclif (that's without the "e")
• become a fan of yournontoxiclife on facebook

The giveaway will close one week from tomorrow, March 5th at midnight CST.  I will randomly select a winner one week on Saturday, March 6. I will contact the winner by email, so please include your email in the email box of your comment.

Good Luck!!

Stress Free Video

This is a fun, amateur video done by students in a psychology class. Funny ending, too.

Focus on the positive outcome of goals | Psychology Today

Focus on the positive outcome of goals | Psychology Today
This is a great way to jump start any New Year's Resolution that may need fine -tuning at this point.

Top-6-mindless-money-wasters

top-6-mindless-money-wasters: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

This is a good article on awareness of money wasters, which are:

-->Convenience Stores

-->Cell Phone Plans

-->Soft Drinks at Restaurants

-->Unnecessary Bank Fees

-->Magazines at the Check Out Line

-->Annual Credit Card Fees

These are indeed BIG money wasters and worth checking out.

Seven Days To Stress Relief

Seven Days To Stress Relief
I found this great article on relieving your stress in seven days. You are walked through the following aspects of stress:

-->Acknowledge Your Stress

-->Identify Your Stress Triggers

-->Avoid The Drama Queens

-->Learn to Breathe

-->Think Positive

-->Set a Sleep Schedule

-->Take Cues From Those Around You

This is one worth checking out!

5 Tips to Get What You Really Want from GiftCards

So, here we are. It's January and you probably have already burned through many of the gift cards you received over the holidays.

The ones you still have left are probably from somewhat obscure places or are for places that don't carry what you really want.

Bear in mind I use the term "general fund" a lot. The general fund is the fund I use for regular, household purchases: groceries, paper products, linens, health/beauty products, etc. These are the items that we use the most of and need replenishing regularly.

Cases in point:

Tip #1
I had a gift card for Target,but they didn't carry the vacuum cleaner I wanted. Walmart did. What to do?
Read More

Happy New Year!

(Photo credit: Optical illusion)

8 Secret New Year's Resolutions

After Christmas, instead of asking everyone, "How was your Holiday?", I would like to ask, "Did you find what you were looking for?"

This year, I was looking for a little companionship and fun. And to be honest, I didn't really get either.

I have realized that I need more fun and friends in my life. That is why my New Year's Resolution reflects that. I plan on socializing more in 2010. Or how about just socializing at all?

I think this is somewhat the way others determine their New Year's resolution. Every year many get their hopes up. It's called Holiday Spirit. People try to get "into" the meaning of the holiday. Others look to family and to a lesser extent, friends, to fulfill their Holiday Spirit needs.

I believe our secret New Year's Resolutions reflect, what deep down inside, we realized we were missing after the Holiday.

So we move on to improve things. We figure the new year is the answer for what we missed at the holidays.

The following are 8 well-known New Year's Resolutions and their secret counterparts:

1. The most popular not-so-secret New Year's Resolution's is to lose weight. With similar secret resolutions being: to look younger, wear more fashionable clothes, apply make-up more professionally, and of course, have more good hair days.


2. Probably the next most favored resolution is regarding money. Something along the lines of spend less, and/or make more. The connected secret aim is to get a new car, bigger house and more toys.


3. There's the infamous career advancement, which really means I want the boss to like me.


4. Of course, another attractive intention is to have closer relationships, companionship and understanding. These people secretly want love or just better sex.






5. I've also heard a lot about spirituality. People really want inner peace, change, a fresh start/clean slate, less stress, hope, relief, freedom, or just an easier life.


6. Another leading declaration is to be more organized, which translates to having a clean house or just more time in the day.


7. The people who wish to be smarter, declare themselves to want to go back to school.





8. The resolution to quit smoking is sometimes about health, but most often about control.


In my mind there is nothing wrong with trying to improve your life through a resolution, as long as one is committed and can sustain the momentum all year. My 2009 New Year's Resolution was vague, but I think I (barely) managed to sustain it. It was to put more effort into yournontoxiclife. How'd I do?

There may be more to come on the 2010 New Year's Resolution. I may use yournontoxiclife as an online diary of how well I do with making more friends and having more fun. Stay tuned.

Happy New Year!!!


(photo credits: Abigail Silvester, alancleaver_2000, Qfamily, DorkJr)

Running Alone

On most days, I like to get up before the world and go running. I try to slip out of my house as quietly as possible, lest I hear "Mommy?" and have to be her.

Rather, I like to get out there and have my "alone" time. As I start out, in the dark, though, I often find myself anything but alone. Even at that early hour, there are others. As I run near the main arteries, I am always surprised to see how many people are already rushing to get places.






However this is a different rush than I see if I run in the evening. In the evening, the rush is more plaintive, more acute and people are more likely to make noise: the squeal of tires, squeaking to a stop, and honking out of frustration. There is actually more anger in the evening traffic. Perhaps people have run out of patience by that time in the day. Perhaps people are so close to home that any delay causes a tantrum.

The morning traffic keeps their tension to themselves. However, when they see me on a cold, snowy morning, I can feel their surprise. They are not expecting to see a runner. But I digress.

Running in the early hours gives me my time, but even with the opportunity to be one with my thoughts for 30 minutes, I still find myself trying to connect. I always greet any other runners with a wave a nod. (We have a secret handshake, but it's hard to run and shake at the same time.)

But what I spend most of my time on is: spying.

I spy the yards of my neighbors. I check out the holiday lights that are still blazing at that time. I observe the well kept houses versus the run down houses. I see who's lights are on in what rooms; I know who leaves early for work and who comes home really late.

The thing I am most obsessed with, however, is who has come before me. After a snow, I always notice the foot prints in the snow and am surprised when mine are not the first ones. I mean who could come out before ME? I follow the prints to see if I can determine who the person is. Where did they come from and where are they going? Most importantly, was it a fellow runner?





I used to run on a crowded path, where no matter how early I would get out, I would find myself dodging cyclists and dogs. I wasn't the only runner, either.

I very much like my new running route where I make it as much about other people as I want, which, as it turns out, is very much.

(Photo credits; davidcoxon, ibm4381, _Shward_)

Happy Winter Solstice!

(photo credit: ItzaFineDay)

Can I Apply For A Job As A Rich Woman?

Here is my application:

Name: Magda Madison
Contact Information: magsmadisonATyahooDOTcom

What experience do you have being rich?

• Flew first class to the west coast. I handled myself quite maturely when I realized Bonnie Hunt was seated two rows behind me.

• Searched online for Mercedes cars.

• Know someone who has a Rolex.

• An avid watcher of Santa Barbara.

• Experience trying on diamonds.

• Cleaned a house in a gated community.

How do you plan on keeping a high profile?




Ok. That's easy, I will make sure to have plastic surgery, eat at Taco Bell and break windows with golf clubs.
I will volunteer for a reality show, where I will go bra-less and adopt some kids from another country.
I will change my name at least twice, change my hair at least weekly and only wear red--it will be my trademark.
During slow times, I will be prepared to go commando.


What causes will you champion?

• Anything remotely related to an illness
  
• the Beverly Hills Public Library
  
• the Association for Hybrid Bentleys.

How will you maintain your lifestyle?

Simple. I will hire someone to maintain it for me.


Who will your friends be?

• Sally Struthers
  
• Bob Saget
  
• Meridith Baxter (she's all the rage, ya know!)
• Carol Burnett
• Perez Hilton (I just love her!)

(photo credits: char1iej, Swamibu, FunnyTivoFace, birdtoes)

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

(photo credit: sweet clementine)

Getting Your Inner Light Relit

No matter what your religion, this is a time of spirituality for many.

It seems to be everywhere. I hear it in the Holiday music. I see it on the street corners. I even feel it, deep down inside.

This is also a time for questioning. Where do I fit in? How do I matter this Spiritual Season? Do I even care?

It's hard for many of us to confront the issue head on. It's an existential question about our future, that is rooted firmly in our past.

How we were brought up, religious or not; spiritual or not; open minded or closed; all combine in a unique recipe of our present reasoning.





It is through this reasoning that we find ourselves here. With questions, doubts or apathy.

Sometimes our inner light simply needs to be re-lit. But to do this, we have to let go of some of our reasoning. We have to let go of the guilt. Once we let go of the guilt there is a space for our Inner Light. It's not a perfect light. Our Inner Light does not have all the answers. Perhaps our inner light is full of questions. It can Seek and Find the right answers for our unique recipe.



Where can you get your Inner Light re-lit? It can be a place of worship. It can be an AA meeting. It can simply be seeing a good deed. The key is we have to allow what we feel to come inside and in it's basic, pure form, relight us.

(photo credits: Francisco Javier Martín, Photos8.com, Lighthelper :) Offline due to heavy workload!)

Wisdom

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts."
Bertrand Russell

As I approach my next birthday, I am reflecting on the decades before. In my teens I found myself to know it all. I had everything figured out and didn't worry about anything. I was confident, even if I didn't have any experience at life.

In my twenties, I found the reality of life crushing. I didn't' know anything at all. Worse, as I learned of the things I didn't know, I found I didn't even have an opinion on them. Opinions were what I always counted on in my teens. I was lost.

My father promised that my thirties would be better. More balanced, he said. He was right--to an extent. I have now found my thirst for knowledge drowned by my utter lack of time to study and learn. I now have the drive I wished I had in college, but without the seemingly stretches of hours I had back then for nonsense. There is so much to learn and too little time to do it.

What will my forties bring? My dad doesn't really have an answer for that--except I do remember his "mid-life crisis" starting about then. But that's another post.

What I do hope my forties will bring is some wisdom. I feel I have tasted a little of that recently. A colleague of mine came to me in a panic, feeling he had utterly blown it in a crisis. I listened and listened. I sympathized with his concern. He had gotten awfully emotional.

However, in the end I felt he had followed the procedure and not let his inner panic keep him from the overall goal of safety. But his chief complaint of himself had been that he had not handled it as I would have--calmly and reasonably.



I reminded him I had been through very similar crises many times and that experience had taught me how to handle things with an inner calm. But was this true wisdom? Does wisdom come from experience?

I don't really believe it does. I imagine the assembly worker who can put together a gizmo in record time because he has done it thousands of times. But there is no real wisdom there. Just a great knowledge of gizmo assembly.

If repetitive experience doesn't bring wisdom, then what does?

"Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure."

William Saroyan

Ah, failure! Of course, that I have plenty of. With some of my failures, I have gotten up, dusted myself off and tried again--this time with some additional skills I didn't have before. And it helped.

Of course, something else I have been realizing is my great thirst for knowledge really does mean one thing--I mustn't have known very much at all before. It's clear to me now, that I am not as smart as I thought I was. I know less now than I used to. I suppose I should be checked by a neurologist.

But really, at least I am bright enough now to know how dumb I am.

(photo credits: Zest-pk, Wonderlane)

Realize Your Potential This Wordless Wednesday!

(Photo credit: lostinmiami)

Top 10 Signs You Drive People Crazy and What To Do About It

You either fall into the "popular camp" at work; the small group camp or no camp. If you are reading this, you know who you are. Maybe you even
know someone you can forward this to.

Don't panic, there are things can be done. It's like marketing or damage control. Remember, if Hugh Grant and Richard Nixon can do it, so can you.


1. People seem to have a quick excuse to leave your company
Problem: Everyone seems to be really busy around you, even during the off-season.
What you can do: Stick to short, relevant conversations with peers. If you must go off topic, inquire in a friendly way about your colleague's families.

2. Your phone calls always go to voice mail
Problem: It's amazing because it happens even when you KNOW they are there.
What to do: Keep the vmails short and email when possible.




3. No one stops by or even walks by your office, cubicle, etc.
Problem: People take the long way around instead of walking by you.
What to do: Don't tackle anyone who does come along. Just smile at them, and don't start any conversations. If they talk to you, be friendly and don't complain about anything.

4. You frequently eat lunch alone.
Problem: Though you tell yourself it's by your choice, you know it's really everyone else's choice.
What to do: Start eating in the cafeteria, and don't bring any reading material. Be open to conversations, but don't dominate them.





5. If you are talking to someone, suddenly another person always seems to come by needing that person.
Problem: It's the classic "save" technique and this means people have a plan in place in case they get stuck talking to you.
What to do: People are doing this because you are annoying to talk to. Try to improve your social skills. Listen empathetically and let them ask you about yourself.

6. You are never consulted for office parties or gatherings.
Problem: Things just seemed to get decided when you are not around.
What to do: Offer to help take down decorations. No one wants to do this, but it will show you are a team player.

7. You don't have a best friend at work.
Problem: In fact, when you really think about it, you have no friends at work.
What to do: This will take a lot of hard work. Your best bet may be to help mentor a new hire. Talk to your boss about helping new employees learn the ropes. Try to bring in treats for everyone regularly. Bake or buy. Even a veggie tray during the holidays is really appreciated.

8. No one inquires about your holiday plans.
Problem: The sad truth is, people just don't want to know if you will be alone, as they don't want to have to invite you.
What to do: Politely ask about your coworkers plans. They will most likely feel obligated to ask you about your plans. Keep your answers positive and short.

9. No one shares family photos with you.
Problem: When your coworker returns after maternity leave, she doesn't approach you to show pictures of the new baby.
What to do: Ask her in a friendly way when you first see her. Gush and say really nice things about the baby. Don't give advice or talk about your cousin's kids. Offer her your help with any catching up she needs to do.

10. Your boss has stopped teaming you up with others.
Problem: Most of your job duties are solitary and your committee work is minimal.
What to do: Talk to your boss about helping out more and volunteer whenever possible. Try to do considerate things like go on lunch or coffee runs whenever possible. Buy birthday cards for everyone in the office.





These are good steps to take. They will prove you can collaborate, you can be a good friend and you can play nice with others.

(Photo credits: jlastras, archie4oz, cocoate.com)

It's Wordless Wednesday!

(Photo credit: solution_63)

Boundaries Anyone?

Do you say no?

Do you take time for yourself?

Who do you live your life for? Your kids? Your spouse? Your work? Your blog?

Are you a super hero?

Wrong answers.

There's something I just noticed myself doing. I was having another family over for a BBQ and instead of telling them 3pm, which would have been better for me, much better for me, I found myself saying 2:00pm, out of some fantastical theory that that time was better for them, although I had nothing to base that on. Why didn't I just say come at 3?

Since that BBQ, I have been much better with my boundaries. I have even said, "No." a few times (even though I felt mean doing it). I have called in sick when sick, even. I am on a roll. But...

Enter the Holidays.

I received an e-vite for a birthday party. It's for the weekend before Thanksgiving and really NOT what I want to do that weekend. I thought about it. Felt like maybe I could do it. Maybe I could just stay up really late the night before Thanksgiving and get everything done I would've done over that weekend.

But then, my peoples, I got real. I said no. I said, "That's the last weekend before Thanksgiving so I'll have to pass." And I felt pretty bad.





But, get this: I think they actually understood. I felt bad, but they were pretty cool about it. Maybe I was on to something?

Then there was another challenge to my "boundary sobriety". My kids' school sent out information on the Holiday Fair. They wanted volunteers. My kids REALLY wanted me to do a 3 hour shift (that's right--THREE hours). And they said, "Please, please, puuuhhlleeezzzzee?" They gave me that look, too.

But I had to say, "No." Just like that. I told my kids I'd rather spend the extra time with them and that we could stop by the Holiday Fair, but that we would spend time together afterward, at home.

Now I realize I am on a roll, but will soon need to face the biggest holiday, guilt-ridden challenge of all: my mother.

Wish me luck.

(Photo credits: Groene Sint, Tostie14)

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Berlin Zoo & Aquarium, originally uploaded by kacos2000.

11 Red Flags that you're Friends with a Psycho

Are there rules to friendships?

Some would say no. They would say true friendships come naturally and if everyone plays well with others, rules aren't necessary.

But, others...Others would say yes, friends need to treat each other a certain way. Their certain way. Now the specifics are a little tricky. It seems of those who have friendship rules, each has their own, unique set of symptoms, uh, I mean rules.

If you are concerned one of your friends may be pushing things a little too much with you or you find yourself on the receiving end of one tantrum after another, look below.

You may be friends with a psycho if:


1. You must return their calls the same day.
Their thinking: If they are a true friend, they will always prioritize my call.

2. You must return texts within an hour.
I have seen this one with possessive boyfriends, too.

3. You must reciprocate communication exactly.
This is classic "score keeping" and they are the only ones keeping tally marks.



4. You must remember all birthdays, holidays, etc. This one keeps card shops in business and can be a nightmare for those of use with bad memories.

5. You must assume all Friday nights are Friend nights.
It's the assumption that is the red flag here. Why not ask?

6. You must take turns buying lunch.
This may sound like common courtesy, but I'm talking about when pennies are counted and someone brings up you ordered one more drink than they did.

7. Your closet is their closet.
I know this sound so junior high, but this thinking can be expanded to include tools and kitchen appliances.

8. Your friend feels invited to all of your parties, automatically This can be really tricky if you want a party just for family. Some "rule following" friends consider themselves to be just like family and will feel VERY rejected if they are not welcomed at all events.

9. Your friend tells you everything. And by everything, I mean EVERYTHING. Just a warning that this includes confessions of the illegal and immoral kind.

10. You must drop everything and stay over if they get dumped.
OK, what once was automatic, has now changed as you are not single and have witnessed your friend get dumped by half of Boston. But they may still consider it your duty.

11. They are your only best friend.
This one is pretty self-explanatory. It means no one else can have a personal joke without them.

Now some of these may seem perfectly normal to you non-rule followers. However, notice that most of them fall into two categories: possessiveness, and score keeping. I don't know about most of you, but to me, that's a little too first grade to be normal adult behavior.

And the thing is, many people who have rules of friendship, follow like close to ALL of these rules. I think that is where the rest of us get into trouble.

One, we don't really think about all this with our friends. And two, going into a potential friendship with rules that are basically invisible to one person, is a set up for a let down. And a fight.

You might be wondering what would happen if someone with rules became friends with someone else with rules?

Think mutual restraining orders.

(photo credits: e v e n, and ClevelandSGS,)