A healthy colon is a vital part of a healthy body. The colon, along with the small and large intestines, are a major area where the nutrients in food are absorbed. If the colon is not clean, it cannot fulfill this important task. Not only that, but the impacted fecal material also builds up in the colon and intestines releases toxins into the bloodstream. You are in effect getting toxins instead of nutrients - not a very good trade.
Symptoms that a colon detoxification might be in order include tiredness, PMS, headaches, and of course, constipation. There are a variety of ways colon cleansing can be done, including colonic irrigation, enemas, dietary fiber, and laxative herbs. These methods can help, but each has negative points.
Another natural option for colon health is to use an oxygen-based colon cleanser. This method uses magnesium oxide that has been treated with oxygen and ozone. This substance will react with the hydrochloric acid in the stomach to release oxygen. The oxygen gets into the bloodstream to nourish all parts of the body, but it does more than that. It also nourishes the favorable bacteria that live in the digestive tract.
Unfavorable bacteria in the digestive tract will cause you to you vomit, give you diarrhea, and cramps. Favorable bacteria compete with the unfavorable ones for living space. An oxygen-based colon detox will encourage those good microbes, for better all-around health. So how exactly does it work?
An oxygen-based colon health product creates a chemical reaction that releases oxygen and melts the impacted material in the intestines and colon into gas and liquid. It will make you need to stay close to a bathroom for a day or so while you eliminate the material from your colon, but you will feel much better afterwards.
Look for an oxygen-based colon detox product that is available in a capsule form. Make sure it does not include ascorbic acid among the ingredients because ascorbic acid is an antioxidant. An antioxidant will undo the good that could be done by the oxygen. A good ingredient to look for, however, is GE-132. This is the germanium-132, which is good for the health of the immune system. It also facilitates and adds oxygen. It is considered to be a nutrient that is helpful for many ailments.
Cleansing the colon can help with weight loss. Many people who have eaten an average diet for years have accumulated ten to twenty pounds of impacted fecal matter in their colons. An oxygen-based colon cleanse will help the body eliminate this material, resulting in a quick loss to jump start your weight loss plan. Follow up the cleanse with reasonable portions of healthy natural food. You should have enough energy after the cleanse to start an exercise program, too.
You can also try a dietary cleanse that allows you to eat, clean meals over 3 days. I highly recommend this approach because this allows you to get the nutrients you need from food while using supplementation and supports the development of healthy eating habits. You can reap the benefits of a cleanse AND develop healthier habits and have "gentler" experience while gaining insight on how not to get the point which caused the discomfort in the first place.
When you’re stressed out, the foods that you’re turning to are most likely going to be traditional ‘comfort’ foods – think big meals, take-out, fatty foods, sweet foods, and alcohol. Let’s face it – we’ve all found some comfort in a tasty meal and a bottle of beer or glass of wine when we’ve been stressed out or upset about something. However, this isn’t a good permanent solution.
When you’re turning to unhealthy foods you can feel better temporarily, but in the long run, you will feel worse. When your body isn’t getting the right nutrition, you can begin to feel less energetic, more lethargic, and in some cases less able to concentrate and focus. All of this can lead to even more stress.
Foods that Fight Stress
If you’ve been feeling more stressed out than usual lately, it’s important to know which foods are best to choose and which to avoid when it comes to combating stress and helping you to deal with feelings of stress and anxiety. The best way to fight stress is to have a healthy, balanced diet which includes a moderate amount of each of the different food groups.
Filling up on foods such as whole grains, leafy vegetables, and lean proteins as the basic staples of the diet is the best way to ensure that your body gets the optimum amounts of nutrients to fight both physical and mental health problems. When it comes to choosing the foods to eat, some have a range of great properties which help the body to combat stress. Choosing these stress-busting foods will help to heal and calm your mind permanently, rather than providing a temporary fix.
Some of the best stress-fighting foods include:
Avocado - Avocados are a creamy and versatile fruit
which can be eaten in a range of different ways whether you enjoy it raw, made
into sauces, dressings and dips, or in a smoothie. These nutrient-dense fruits
have the properties to stress-proof your body, thanks to their high glutathione
content which specifically blocks the intestinal absorption of certain fats
which cause oxidative damage. Avocados also contain higher levels of vitamin E,
folate, and beta-carotene than any other fruit, which boosts their
stress-busting properties. However, be careful with portion control when eating
avocado, as it is high in fat.
Blueberries – If you’re
feeling stressed out and reaching for the snacks, swapping chocolate or chips
for one of the best superfoods is a great way to help you deal with your stress
levels and achieve a higher level of calm. Blueberries have some of the highest
levels of antioxidants, especially antho-cyanin, which means that this berry
has been linked to a wide range of health benefits including sharper cognition,
better focus, and a clearer mind – all of which can help you to better
deal with stress.
Chamomile Tea – Of course, it’s
not all about what you’re eating when it comes to managing stress; what you’re
drinking can also alleviate or worsen the stress you're feeling. Drinking
liquids which are high in sugars and caffeine, such as coffee, energy drinks or
soda, can actually increase your stress levels if consumed regularly. Chamomile
tea has long been used as a natural bedtime soother, and it has also been used
in clinical trials, which determined that chamomile tea is effective in
reducing the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.
Chocolate – Although it’s usually seen as an
unhealthy treat, there is an undeniable link between chocolate and our mood.
Studies have shown that eating chocolate can actually make you happier.
However, that doesn’t mean that you can start munching on chocolate bars every
time you're stressed out – chocolate works best as a de-stressor when eaten in
moderation and as part of a healthy and balanced diet. Dark chocolate in
particular is best for you, as it contains more flavonols and polyphenols, two
hugely important antioxidants which can help combat stress, more than many
fruit juices.
Beef – Grass-fed beef is not only kinder to
the planet and to animals, it’s also good for people too. Grass-fed beef has a
huge range of antioxidants, including beta-carotene and Vitamins C and E,
which can help your body to fight stress and anxiety. If you’re looking for
more reasons to spend a little more money on organic, grass-fed beef, it’s also
lower in fat than grain-fed beef while being higher in omega-3.
Oatmeal – Oatmeal is great in that it can be a
filling comfort food, but also has a large number of healthy properties to
actually make you feel better from the inside out. A complex carbohydrate,
eating oatmeal causes your brain to produce higher levels of the feel-good
chemical serotonin, helping you to feel calmer and less stressed. Studies have
shown that kids who choose oatmeal for breakfast tend to be much sharper
throughout the morning in school compared to kids who had alternative morning
meals.
Walnuts – If you’re looking for a healthy
snacking option which will help you to stay better in control of your stress
levels, walnuts are a great choice. There is no denying the sweet, pleasant
flavor of walnuts and they can be a tasty snack for in-between meals or as part
of a desert. A versatile nut, walnuts are great for salads, or add them to a
sweet treat such as coffee and walnut cake.
Pistachios – another food
which is great for snacking on and can also help to combat stress and anxiety
in the long term is pistachios. Studies have found that simply eating two
small, snack-size portions of pistachios per day can lower vascular
constriction when you are stressed, putting less pressure on your heart by
further dilating your arteries. Along with this, the rhythmic, repetitive act
of shelling pistachios can actually be quite therapeutic!
Green Leafy Vegetables – leafy, green
vegetables should be a pivotal part of anyone’s diet. Along with helping to
combat stress, leafy greens are full of nutrients and antioxidants which help
to fight off disease and leave your body feeling healthier and more energized.
Dark leafy greens, for example spinach, are especially good for you since they
are rich in folate, which helps your body to produce more mood-regulating
neurotransmitters such as serotonin, which is a ‘feel-good’ chemical. Making
leafy greens a part of your diet will help you to feel happier and less
stressed out overall.
Fermented foods – last but not
least, eating fermented foods such as yogurt can help to keep your gut healthy,
which actually in turn will help to improve your mental health and reduce stress
levels. The beneficial bacteria which are found in fermented foods such as
yogurt actually have a direct effect on your brain chemistry and transmit
positive mood and behavior regulating signals to your brain via the vagus
nerve.
Putting Together Your Diet Plan
Planning your meals wisely is key to not only staying
physically fit and healthy, but also to staying mentally strong and being able
to best manage your levels of stress. Knowing which foods to avoid and which
are the best to reach for to snack on when you’re feeling worried and anxious
is important to helping you get control over your emotions and fears.
When you’re feeling stressed, you may be tempted to reach for
classic ‘comfort foods’ – usually foods which are laden with sugar, very starchy, or
greasy. However, although these foods can make you feel momentarily better,
they will actually make you feel worse in the long run.
Having stress-busting snacks such as fresh berries, dark
chocolate, yogurt, walnuts or pistachios, or even a fruit smoothie with avocado
and leafy greens in it can help you to feel better in both the short and long
term when it comes to stress. When it comes to combating and dealing with stress
in the long run, it’s important to make sure that for the most part, you are
eating a diet which is healthy and balanced.
In order to stay on track, it’s a good idea to make a meal
plan for your week and plan ahead to make sure that you have a good selection
of these stress-busting foods in your kitchen to make meals and snacks from
when you’re feeling like stress-eating. Making sure that the majority of your
meals include foods such as lean proteins and leafy green vegetables will not
only make you feel healthier overall, but can improve your mental health and
stress levels, too.
A good example of a healthy, stress-busting menu would be:
Breakfast: Oatmeal with berries or a fruit smoothie with avocado and
berries
Mid-morning snack: Natural yogurt with fruit or a handful of pistachio nuts
Lunch: A whole-grain pasta salad filled with plenty of leafy
greens
Afternoon snack: Dark chocolate
Dinner: Grass-fed beef with vegetables
Before bed: Chamomile tea
Of course, you don’t need to stick to this menu – but it gives you
a good idea! Remember to exercise good portion control when eating foods such
as nuts, chocolate, yogurt or avocado! As the saying goes, you are what you eat
– so make sure that first and foremost, you’re filling yourself up with foods
which are good for your mental health.
Remember the benefits of omega 3s to brain health I talked about last week? Here's a delicious way to get those nutrients in your diet in less than 30 minutes. I'm excited to try this for dinner this week.
For many of us, gaining back full range of motion and strength after a health scare (stroke, multiple sclerosis or other illness that compromises mobility) is a goal that requires daily movement and practice. You can’t give in to despair. You can’t give up on yourself. You have to give yourself some grace when you have a bad day. You must remain relentless in your quest to be whole.
I do this through functional movement and retraining my brain to move in the way that most people take for granted. Like walking, talking, running, getting down to the floor from a standing position and getting up from the floor.
A huge part of my training is flexibility training. A muscle that is flexible has more capacity to become stronger and move as it was designed to move. I have found a program that I have done before and will be starting again and I am excited to see how far I’ve
come since doing my first round.
I’m getting stronger every day so I know I will do well this time around🤩
Recovery comes in many forms. We all struggle with something. The goal should always be to give your best every day you are blessed to wake up❣️ Through prayer and supplication I found the courage to embark on this journey. May whatever you struggle with today not overwhelm you. Make it your runway for you to take off towards your new beginning🤗
Would you like to get started on a new program to strengthen not just your body but also your mind too? Check out some options here.
I remember reading this for the first time and being like “Dang David! You didn’t have to come at me like dat!”
Buuuut...
He is 1000% right!
If you tryna do something big, i. e. accomplish great things and/or create an impact, and you’re not getting results or making the milestones toward your goal, then it’s time to take a looooooong look in the mirror and deal with some stuff.
Connect with some people that will hold you accountable and give you courage to do big things.
Simply put…
Clear the cobwebs out yo mind and spirit that keeping you from gettin the bag 💰
If you're really trying to reach some crazy, scary, I can't believe I'm even thinking about this, kinda goals, I encourage you to get Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins
Shout out to Aaliyah when she told us to dust ourselves off and try again❣️ RIP
You know I’ve been having a lot of conversations about health and wellness and taking care of your mind, body and soul. Some of us seem to think that it’s got to be all or nothing.
NEWSFLASH 📰
‘ALL IN’ doesn’t mean all or nothing.
It means betting on you for positive change!
All or nothing is the biggest misconception about the journey to getting healthier that I have ever heard. Like anything in life that you’re learning for the first time, there’s a process involved.
Maybe you have to write it down several times so you remember new information.
Maybe you have to hear it multiple times for you to understand the value of it.
Nevertheless, it is a process that is meant to be embraced, a process for good change to happen in any area of your life. Whether it’s a new job, new motherhood, a new relationship…whatever it is…you have to learn it and practice it to be good at it.
Would you throw your kid away the first time you made a mistake?
Would you quit your job after the first day because you didn’t learn everything in one day?
Would you stop seeing someone after the first date because they ate their salad with the wrong fork?
No you wouldn’t!
So why would you give up on YOU because the first day, the first week or the first month of learning what it is to take care of yourself for the first time doesn’t go as planned?
It’s a process.
Embrace it!
Give yourself some time.
Give yourself some grace!
You won’t learn everything in one day just like you won’t lose 100 pounds in one day… it’s a process… one day at a time, one lesson at a time, one pound at a time, one meal at a time.
REAL TALK
Whenever you’re trying to do something good, the enemy will rear its ugly head and try to throw a monkey wrench in your plans.
If you know what I’m talking about, holla at ya girl!
You gotta be better than the enemy and stronger than the enemy and have a little bit more faith in your Creator to get up when you’re knocked down and try again.
This week is an opportunity to try again.
Since the Lord blessed you to wake up this morning, what are you going to do with the new opportunities to TRY AGAIN this week?
You got good grades in school. You were a good girl and didn’t make any trouble.You did your best to be the perfect girlfriend. You had a moment of rebellion just to try to fit in. You met the man of your dreams and vowed to be everything he ever needed. You became a mother and swore to be the best mother God gave you the strength and power to be. You went college and earned an advanced degree. You went out to work in a world that demanded more than your best time and time again and you always and consistently delivered. You didn’t need anybody’s help. You got this!
For all your hard work 😓 you:
Still got rejected by your parents.
Still wasn’t what he wanted.
Still was the last to be invited to the party.
Still got bamboozled by the husband.
Still fell short as a parent.
Still got taken advantage of in exchange for your good will at work.
Still wasn’t smart enough.
Still wasn’t good enough.
For all your effort, you realize you ain’t got this!
Don’t you deserve better?
Don’t you deserve to live a life full of wellbeing and purpose?
Don’t you deserve to know love and peace in a way that surpasses all understanding?
Don’t you deserve to have more, do more, be more?
Don’t you deserve to enjoy good health, be financially fit and renew your mind to the highest esteem?
You can! Starting today! In order to have more you have to be more so you can do more. You have that power. It all starts with a desire and a decision to create change that creates focus and determination to go where you want to go and be who you want to be.
I know it’s a big decision. Bigger than the decision to get married, have kids, go back to school or even accept an offer for a job. Keep in mind, all those decisions were made in fear. Fear of your biological clock. Fear of being rejected. Fear of failure. Fear he wouldn’t love me. Fear she wouldn’t respect me. Fear of being alone. Fear of (fill in the blank) How about we change the narrative? How about we start stepping out on FAITH!?!
Why not change the thoughts in our mind to know and accept that anything is possible with God? How about we write some crazy, awesome dreams down on paper and take them to God in prayer? How about having some hope for something more than just checking the boxes of what the world expects of you?
What if you did that and changed your life in such an amazing way that you won’t even recognize the life you left behind? If fear was no object and faith took its place, what could your life look like in 5 years?
Have you ever needed to have a gut wrenching, crying out to God SOB?
Today was one of those days for me. I had just fallen AGAIN and I got up quick enough to get the rest of the groceries back in the house and then....I let it all hang out. I didn’t even know I needed to get that soul breaking cry out but before I knew it, it was happening! It was one of those cries where you can't even make the sounds you just...your soul is crying out to your Creator. Crying out for your body to function like it should. Crying out so you can do and execute like you know you should but you can't make your mind and skill work for you. You’re stuck! Crying out for the faith to overcome the fear that builds inside you daily and rears its ugly head when your heart wants to execute like your life depends on it. Crying, sobbing, begging for God to take over because YOU CAN’T anymore...not without HIM.
Sometimes in our lives the shift that you desperately want to happen doesn’t because your pride or toxic positivity (yeah, I said that!) doesn’t allow you the cleansing cry you need to achieve clarity. Be real when you get on your knees. He knows your heart anyway. That will make you bawl, for real!
Let’s be very clear. Your pride will have you thinking that crying is punking out and a distraction from what you need to be doing. But if you’re stuck and not making any progress toward your goals, it is likely that your fear is taking over and you don’t truly believe that what you have to offer the world really makes a difference. Toxic positivity is telling you that the little you are doing is baby steps in the right direction and you might be listening to other people telling you the same thing. But you and I both know its not nearly enough to make significant progress on your goals. When this happens, you might need a cleansing cry...one that I like to call a soul cry.
My soul cry today gave me clarity and frankly, the willingness to surrender my goals and dreams to God. I know He is going to let me know exactly where I am coming up short and where I need to lean in. I know that I have to choose faith, put my trust in Him and trust the process.
I have a renewed passion now. I know that I have to do the work to do the work. What does that mean? I have to create a plan and reverse engineer how to get there. This is something that needs to be done every day. With the help of my Creator, I know that I have the strength, courage and discipline to get the job done.
What area of your life do you need to have a soul cry about?
I used to be so overwhelmed with self-doubt that
often I wondered if I could do anything right. Whether it was struggling with
my weight, my relationships, at work or business, I never felt good enough and
so I often struggled with meeting my goals.
I became so frustrated I said to myself,
“something’s gotta give”. I started to pray. I started looking for ways that I
could overcome these problem areas in my life. I started researching these
different areas and see if there was any insight into how I could turn these
things around.
Eventually what I found was that I needed to conduct
a self audit.It looked a little
something like this:
🤔Was I doing the work necessary to get results in these different areas
of my life where I was having the most difficulty?
🤔Was I following a meal plan and exercising to reach my health goals?
🤔Was I trying to find common ground with people I work with so that we
can have a more collaborative relationship rather than a combative relationship?
🤔Was I talking about and promoting my ideas for new business ventures
in a way that made people want to invest in new products or services?
When I realized that I was coming up short, it was
time to start soul searching. It was time to start crafting a plan for every
area of my life where I wanted to see significant improvement. It was time to
start crafting a plan for success.
I began to take control of my life. I began putting
things in action. Then I started to get the results I wanted. I recognized that
I had the power to manifest my dreams into reality. I took ownership and things
started to turn around.
This process is simple but never easy. It is a
renewed commitment you have to make every day to move the needle forward in
your life. If I could do it I know that you can. You have that power. Never
surrender it to someone or something else. 🤗
👉🏽I’m really thinking a lot about the way I lived my life in the past and how I intend to live now to prepare for my future
👉🏽I can’t sleep at night and feel lethargic during the day
👉🏽 I would do about anything for just a little more energy
👉🏽I wanna focus on my health but who has the time?
I hear you. It’s been a crazy few months but you can find some calm in the anxiety and rejuvenation from the fatigue. Let’s focus on our health as the foundation for all other things we want to do. I have an idea that might help.
For starters, I’m joining my team’s 11 day glow up challenge starting July 6th. For 11 days, we are going to nourish our bodies in a way the reduces the stress, gives us a good night’s sleep (I know right, what is that😳), giving us the energy to get through the day!
Many good, God-fearing people have been asking questions like, “How can I help”, Where can I donate? What can I do? I’m only one person!”
Well, I have
answers! You can help your child learn RIGHT from WRONG just like you teach them
manners. You can DONATE time to your child’s upbringing and be in control of
what they are exposed to including but not limited to what they watch on TV,
what they are seeing on the internet and the company they keep. Guide h/her thinking
to not judge people by the color of their skin but the content of their
character. You have to be a living breathing example of what you claim you want
to help, donate and do in the world and pass that down to your kids. This is how
you can help. This is how you can donate. This what you do!
We won’t end
centuries of nurtured and cultivated racism overnight and we shouldn’t expect
widespread forgiveness overnight.
Depression is such a broad phenomenon. It covers so many things. Some people think it is just clinical depression that you should be looking out for when thinking about depression generally, but in fact clinical depression varies and is exhibited in all kinds of forms. Anxiety, loss of appetite, lack of desire to do something that you once loved, even lack of a sexual drive are all signs of depression. I'm not an expert or clinical psychologist but I've lived a little life and I’ve learned throughout my many different stages of life how you can fall in depression over things and you can really have a hard time coping with situations. Situational depression is one thing but if you’re not paying attention, it could also lead to a lifestyle of depression where you're in a funk for two and three years and it's the reason why I'm bringing this up today.
In our empowerment zone group, we use fitness as a foundation to improve other areas of our lives. We support each other not just in our fitness journey but also in our daily struggles with work and family and kids and friends and all that other kind of stuff. We have a mother and daughter team that's in the group and we found ourselves talking about a breakthrough that they made in their relationship with regard to the depression that the daughter was suffering at the same time that the mom was suffering from depression but they were dealing with it in different ways. The daughter revealed was that she had come to the mom on several occasions as a teenager to discuss feelings she was having and these dark places that she found herself in. The mom was always so preoccupied with something else.
During that perilous time in both the mom and the daughter’s life, the mom was just doing everything in her power and working around the clock just to ensure that her daughter is safe, getting three squares, has clothes on her back but with very little support. Even though the mom was married to her daughter’s father, the dad was not really doing all that he could he to support the family so the burden was on the mom. To hear the mom explain it, he had a weird job that some weeks he'd work he'd work ten hours a week other weeks he'd work 80 hours and it made it difficult for them financially never knowing what their what their situation would look like.
The mom shared with us that she was working two-three jobs at any given while going to school to try and just keep everything together because at the end of the day, she wants to take care of the daughter.
Unfortunately, while her mom is there sometimes and not there a lot, the daughter tried to confront this and tried to explain her depression to her mom. Since the daughter couldn't get her mom's attention, the daughter found other ways to cope.
The good news is that when the mom and the daughter finally had the conversation years later, the mom finally got clarity. She understood that as much as she wanted to provide for her daughter and make sure everything stayed afloat and even though she was going through her own thing, if she had a chance to do it all over again, she would most definitely be paying attention to her daughter. She started listening to her and they both were talking through the issues that the daughter was feeling and get her into therapy.
I share this because I think it is an amazing story. First of all, these groups are really great when we have the opportunity to help each other in a profound way. We can talk about these issues in private we don't share them with anybody and we end up empowering people to live happy, fulfilling lives. I'm bringing this your attention because depression is a real thing. Depression is something that you really have to address as parents, especially when you profess that everything that you are doing is for your kids. This is what I heard often during our conversations in the group. “Everything that I did and every day I got up was guided by how can I make this easier for her? I just don't want her to suffer like I suffered. I don't want her to go through what I'm going through.” What the mom in our group learned is, at the end of the day when your child is in front of you and needs to talk to you need to pay attention. I’m a parent too so clearly, I empathized with her. I know our kids don’t come with manuals. I do think there is a lesson to be learned here for parents of teenagers that are going through a lot of different things. Teenagers by virtue of the fact that they're teenagers are just going through a lot as they discover who they are. Their hormones are all over the place and sometimes they don't have somewhere to channel all this energy. They're just trying to learn about all that’s going on with them. So as parents, we sometimes have to drop everything. We might have a presentation for the CEO that's due tomorrow morning. At the end of the day, whatever you are doing, you're doing that for your kid. I just feel like when your kid tells you that they're depressed, when their kid when your kid tells you that they're feeling sad, when your kid tells you that something is bothering them, don't say ‘not now’. Do yourself a favor. You don't have to listen to me. Listen to your kids. I think it'll be good for you to understand them. So when they are in crisis, you will be the first to know. It’s critical!
At the end of the day, we want to provide our kids with the best life possible but let me tell you one of the things that your kids treasure the most as they're growing up and when they become an adult. They're going to remember the time they spent with you. They're going to remember that time you said ‘not now’ and it's going to impact them in a very negative way and it's going to contribute to years of depression and wondering why they're not enough and why they were never enough. I lived it as a kid growing up. God bless my parents. I didn’t come with a manual either. I think that they did the best that they could. However, during my adult life, I was dealing with a lot of issues of abandonment as a result of hearing ‘not now’ one too many dang times. So, I could so relate to this young lady who was sharing her story. The mother and daughter are in a better place. Thank God for His mercy that they went through what they went through together and separately and still ended up being the best of friends. Now that's a blessing and God's grace in an abundant way. I'm so happy for them and I'm so happy that they're doing this group together because it's going to help them continue to heal in ways that maybe they haven't explored yet. The daughter feels validated now and the mom is learning to forgive herself. It's a beautiful thing to watch. I'm blessed to be able to witness that and just kind of guide that process. It really is them they're doing this together and it's a beautiful thing so I'm glad that I could be part of it.
At the end of the day, if you're a mom or a dad with teenage kids or young kids and they come to you anytime and talk about feeling sad or feeling a certain kind of way just stop what you're doing for a second, look them in the eyes and say ‘baby girl, (baby boy) tell me what's going on’. That is going to mean the absolute world to them. Just remember as busy as we are as parents remember who you're doing it for. It's not an easy job raising kids and having to work outside the home, building a business and finishing your education. Trust me, been there, done that. Remember, what your kids want the most is your time to hear them tell their silly story, to hear them tell you what's wrong, okay?
So if this article was helpful, please share it. Please talk about it. Please let me know if you know a busy parent that's dealing with depression and relationship issues with their kids. Share this article with them and hopefully it'll help. Hopefully it'll give them some perspective. Hopefully this article gave you some perspective because I know I learned a lot of lessons raising my own baby girl and listening to this dynamic between this mom and daughter in my group and being a kid raised with a disconnect from my parents. So I know how incredibly valuable this can be to those who think there is no hope for their relationships with their kids. Please share and comment below let me know what you think. I'll talk to you soon.
This is such a taboo subject to write about and discuss but
I think that is because there is also a lot of confusion around Network Marketing
and how it is mistaken for what is known as Pyramid Schemes. In my humble
opinion, I believe a lot of people want nothing to do with it
because there are a lot of misconceptions of what network marketing actually is
and what it is not. I would like to take a moment to dispel some myths about
this business model and if nothing else, provide a better understanding of why
it is a valuable source for a side income.
Have you ever felt like there's
never enough like no matter how much money you make? Even when you take that
promotion, get that raise in pay doesn't it always seems like the
harder you work and the more you try to climb up the
ladder, there's always a thing associated with that come up that is just
draining you financially and you can’t seem to get ahead? I think that’s what happens to
most of us. Let's just be all the way real... that's most of us. On the other hand, there's a lot of us
work two and three jobs just to keep food on the table. We could all use a part-time job. I've been there, done that and I got the t-shirt, coffee mug, writing pad and pen to match, ok? But is network marketing really a better way?
Let me just be all the way real, ok?There's a lot of stigma attached to this
network marketing thing. But I think you
gotta go into any new situation with your eyes wide open. You also gotta go
into it with a certain amount of optimism and belief in yourself
and what it is you are capable of doing given the opportunity. So, let me just
dispel some of the myths and confusion because honestly a lot of the misunderstanding
of network marketing and pyramid schemes is not based in fact or supports the
legal definition of either. So what’s the difference between a network
marketing company and a pyramid scheme?
Pyramid schemes are, first and foremost, ILLEGAL. So, the
long and short of it is, if you ain't got no (yeah, bad grammar, my bad) product
to sell but you’re selling people a promise on being able to make money, you’re
probably in a pyramid scheme. If you can't make no money unless you have a
bunch of people investing and you rely on those investments to make money, you’re
probably involved in a pyramid scheme. If only the people who are at the top or
the first to invest are making the most money in the business, you are probably
involved in a pyramid scheme.
The defining factor about pyramid schemes is that there is
no product or service involved and your return on investment relies entirely on
people who sign up after you to invest and you get a piece of the sign up fee. Therefore, there is a ceiling on the
amount of money you can make. In other words, people are giving money to
something but there's no exchange of products or services. So, if you’re #500 of five hundred people that
invested in a “business” where no product or service exists, you're never gonna
make as much money as the first person. That’s
the makings of a pyramid scheme my friends. Here's where those pyramid
schemes comes up short …if for any reason the person who's doing allthe recruiting can't bring nobody else and those
“early investors”, top people don't get paid, people get mad. They should
because the entire enterprise is biased toward the first to enter scheme. That
is why it is illegal.
This could be confusing to some people when you think about
how traditional business is operated every day.If you think about early
investors in like Amazon, you recognize that when the stock sold at $5 a share
(just an example probably not the actual price) early investors are
now wealthy and someone who bought stock today at about $2,000 a share (approximate value as of the date of this writing) is not going to make as much money unless Amazon comes up with something
so extraordinary that it shoots the stock price sky high.
I can't tell you how
many times how much wanted to kick myself for not putting my $5 when they had
their initial public offering. I had already been spending money on textbooks
and trading textbooks on Amazon for years during my college years. I was doing
a lot of business with Amazon and I wish I invested because I knew what that
what they were offering in 2002 was an example of innovation in the online
space.However, you have to keep
something in mind…if a company is particularly successful over a period of time,
their stock prices will rise. All kinds of things influence the price of stock.
So as long as Amazon remains profitable,
those first investors will continue to reap the most profit.
Here’s the thing…Amazon has a product to sell to the end
user. Therefore, investors will receive
a dividend from their investment as a result of sales revenue and
innovation. So, this should clarify the
legitimacy of companies like Amazon and frankly, network marketing companies.
So, for people who think that network marketing are pyramid
schemes on the basis that only the people that get in first make the most money, I
have to say, you’re argument is weak at best. We have a legitimate system that
people invest in every day called the stock market and a concept called first
to market. First to market is when a company is first to bring product to the
market that meets the need of the consumer.When a company is successful at that, they will get the benefits of the
first fruits as they should.Once other
companies get wind of what is going on, and create their own version of the original product, the profits becomes more evenly
distributed based on the successful execution of the other companies that enter
the market afterward.In fact, companies
that come afterward, if they are really good at what they do, they may even
over run the company that was first to market. It's capitalism at its best. In this principle alone, I argue
that network marketing companies become more credible.
Now I can’t say that all network companies are created
equal. In my partnership agreement, NO ONE, no matter when you became a distributor, holds the market on how much
money can be made or whether the first to arrive will continue to make the most
money in comparison to those who join the company after they did. First fruits
may belong to the first to get into the business but if they are not working
hard to corner the market on profits they are not guaranteed to make the most money in the
long term.
In my company, there are some
people who came in at the beginning are
either not there anymore or they are not engaged in the business and therefore,
are not making any money or not nearly as much as people who came in 5 years
ago who are committed to becoming a millionaire and succeeds. I know that there
are probably other companies out there but I can't really speak to those because
I am not involved with those companies. What I do know from my own experience
is that as a new distributor, you can make money in retail (selling products to
customers) and building team (people on your team also sell to customers and
build teams of their own). Network marketing (aka multi-level marketing) is defined on the FTC website as follows:
Multi-level marketing is one form of direct selling. Generally, a multi-level marketer (MLM) distributes products or services through a network of salespeople who are not employees of the company and do not receive a salary or wage. Instead, members of the company’s salesforce usually are treated as independent contractors, who may earn income depending on their own revenues and expenses. Typically, the company does not directly recruit its salesforce, but relies upon its existing salespeople to recruit additional salespeople, which creates multiple levels of “distributors” or “participants” organized in “downlines.” A participant’s “downline” is the network of his or her recruits, and recruits of those recruits, and so on. (ftc.com)
Like most businesses, network marketing is a business model where
there is a product or service in exchange for an investment from the distributor or sales person. If you decide to become a distributor, you are going
to pay a nominal sign-up fee and possibly buy some products at sign up. However, the purchase of products is not a
requirement to become a distributor with my company. Other companies may have different rules. Having said that, it only makes common
sense that if you sign up to distribute a product for a company that you are
actually a consumer of the product.
This is where a lot of the confusion lies with some apparent
similarities between network marketing and pyramid schemes. Incoming team members in network marketing are placed under the
recruiter in a binary structure, such as it is in my company. For skeptics, the pyramid shape of a binary structure is seemingly not differentiated from the investment for no
product or service exchange that is characteristic in illegal pyramid schemes. However,
the appearance of a binary structure is where the similarities to a scheme begins and ends.
Now, I want to be very clear… there is a some language in the
FTC explanation that says if the bulk of your income is gonna come from
building the team that doesn't consume the products then there is a question of whether the company is a network
marketing company or the makings of a pyramid scheme. I can tell you from
personal experience that building a team doesn't mean anything if the people
that you're building the team with aren't buying products. Why? Because we are not paid a percentage of fees. Also, by design, the team bonus is significantly
smaller than that which a distributor can earn in commission by selling
directly to the customer.On the other hand, you
can’t get into the pyramid or Ponzi scheme without a minimum investment when there is no product in exchange.
In my company, you don’t have to buy product
to become a team member.It’s a little
less effective from a business perspective but I think what the FTC is
concerned with is a company making this a hard and fast rule. I can tell you I
have had team members that have never bought anything except for the first time
they signed up. There is no team bonus, no commissions or any financial reward
when people don’t buy products. No business makes money without repeat business
or new customers. No surprise there, right?
There are people in my downline right now that are just
sitting there paying a monthly fee just to be a distributor but they're not
really taking advantage of the of the wide array of products that'll help them
to live a happier, healthier life. They're not doing it so the company does not pay me. As a business, they
are not making any money either. The
monthly fee that they pay goes to the parent company not to me.
I think the key
here and where you actually build a business in network marketing is when you
have people who are actually buying and using the products that they need and I think that that is the key
for skeptics to understand. Like I said, I don't know how other companies do
what they do and what the compensation structure looks like elsewhere but what
I know about where I'm at. At the end of
the day, you won’t make any money if nobody's buying product. Period.
When I compare
network marketing to traditional business, I find that McDonald's don't make no
money if nobody is in the drive thru or the dining room. Staples doesn't make
any money if businesses aren’t buying office products. If the company doesn't have a
customer and team members are not buying product no one is making money in my
network marketing business.
Why should I listen to you?
Having said all of this, you must be asking yourself, “Why
should I listen to her?” I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Legal Studies
with a concentration in Business Law and Public Policy and a Masters in Business Administration.One of the fundamental things about the
program and my formal training is that you need to know how to do legal
research and analysis and critically assess information so that you can come up with a recommendation for your client. Not only have I been formally trained but I've
also done compliance work for big companies and universities where I have built
compliance programs around doing effective legal research and analysis.
Tips for finding a company to partner with
I have a deep appreciation for doing the research making intelligent
decisions on your own based on the facts found in that research.To be clear, I'm not even advocating that
network marketing or any other business model is for everybody because I really
don't think everybody should be doing it. However, I do believe that it is for
some people who want to create a side income doing something that they actually
really, really love and they know can serve people in a profound way AND are
willing to work really hard to accomplish that goal.
So, I think you can find
your fit out there among the many opportunities available in a way where you
don't have to put up a huge investment.I
think that network marketing is a very economical way to start a business.
Find leaders who are willing to share their secrets
If you pick the right one, the company will have
really good leaders that will share their secrets and teach you some business fundamentals
to help you succeed. A company worth its salt is gonna have extensive training in how to build a business and will teach basic business principles with really good leaders in your company that's willing to share what they've learned and implemented to build their business.
Do your own research
At the end of the day, do your research and
make an educated decision for yourself. Don’t depend on word of mouth and definitely
don’t listen to anyone saying that being in business for yourself is easy.
Follow some people who you know are in network marketing or doing
what you like to do you know and see what a day in the life looks like for them.
Make sure the company and its products align with what you already like
One of the first things I do when I'm
exploring a new industry, I evaluate whether it is aligned with the things that
I like. So if it's book club, makeup, hair, or fashion accessories, then I'm
gonna be looking for somebody who's doing that and doing that well or at least appears
to be doing that well. Then, I see if they have a social media outlet (other
than the one I found them on) dedicated to talking about the things
I like and other topics such as how to start a business or how to create a
product or any kind of teaching content. It’s clear they’re really adding value
to their community and they're really showing you how to do things.They're giving you business tips and they share
things you need to know and how you need to be thinking about business.
Let me be even more clear.This article is intended for intelligent, grown folk who are inspired or
need to start something on their own and is interested in a low cost of entry
in an industry that can turn into a significant income.This is not intended to try to convince
anyone who does not have an entrepreneurial spirit and is not open to learning
about better ways to create extra streams of income. Basically, I'm talking to
grown folk who are responsible, got homes of their own, got families of their
own and they want to make responsible choices in line with those priorities. I'm talking to those people who are of that age where we can make intelligent decisions
about our lives and about the risks were willing to take for the greater good
and who want to level up their lives. At the end of the day, don't automatically
dismiss network marketing as some kind of scheme or you think the products are
overpriced.
I haven’t addressed this in this article until now, however, I will say this.
I think that the differential in the price of the products in network marketing
companies and retail markets, is 1) the quality of ingredients, and 2) the time
and method it takes to sell the product.Again, this is my humble opinion based on the company I am with and the “belly
to belly” method with which we share and sell products. Personally, I think
that mass market products don’t come with 30 day money back guarantees even if
you consume all of the product.They
also include a lot of artificial ingredients and fillers in order to sell more,
in the least amount of time to the most people.If they sell it for an inexpensive enough price, most people will at
least try it.However, it is unlikely
that you will be able to get your money back if you so much as crack the seal
on that product.
When I tried my first program,
I invested because of the money back guarantee.Frankly, it did what it said it was gonna do if I did what the program
directed so I didn’t return it.I
believed in the system so much that I decided to become an advocate.Then I talked about it when people asked
about it because I then became I walking billboard not by harassing friends and
family.I started my business on being
an example of what works and I have found that people will invest in what has
been proven to work.
It would be worth the investment to find that company that
you connect with who has something that you want and that you would enjoy using
and consuming. That, in and of itself, for me as a consumer is worthwhile. I
think it’s really worthwhile to invest in when you know you can get your money
back. So, if the investment to get started as a distributor is $500 and you get
a guarantee from them that if it didn't work for you, you can't sell this thing
and you can send it back to the company and they’ll give you $500 back, you should go you should definitely invest in that product or
service-based company. With my company, you can invest as little as $160,
use the products for a month and then go about your business. If you don't like
it, return it, cancel your membership and go about your way. At least you gave yourself and the products
and the business a chance and you don’t have the regret of saying ‘what if’.
Bottom Line
A couple of things I want you to
take away from this article. First, know the difference between network
marketing and a pyramid scheme. Network marketing is legal. Pyramid scheme is not
legal. Only people at the top (early investors) make money in a pyramid scheme
while this is not necessarily true in network marketing (at least in my company).
In my company, some people who came in at the beginning, may not necessarily be making as much as someone who came in 5 years ago. My company has been
around for over 20 years the network has been around for 15 years. Someone who came in
12 years ago may very well be making no money at all if they are not treating
their business like a business.Meanwhile,
someone coming in a year ago could be killing it and become a
multimillionaire.Your level of income
in my business is truly going to depend on what level of time and grind you are
willing to invest in it not when you started your business.
Second, pyramid schemes don't have
products and services to exchange. Network marketing does. I believe in any
business you have to have something to offer people in order to justify the money
changing hands between the business and the consumer.You have to be selling something to be in a legitimate
business. There has got to be an exchange of goods and services. As with any
legitimate business there is going to be some skin put in the game in order for
that business to be profitable at some point. The harder you work in business
building activities, the more your reward. Anything worth having is going to
require a good amount of hard work. So do your research, be accountable to what
it is you're investing in, be smart, use your God-given intelligence to make a
good decision for you and your family and don't just listen to what everybody
else got to say about what it is you want to do in your business. Make
intelligent decisions by doing your own research.
Feel free to get a comprehensive overview of network marketing (multi-level marketing) on the FTC's website. They do a good job of laying out a layman's version of what it
is you need to be looking at when deciding to join a company as an independent
contractor. Do your research and figure it out for yourself. You don't wanna
get yourself involved in mess that is not above board.
So, if you're struggling financially and you need something beyond your full-time job to help ends meet, you need a side hustle and retail ain’t doin’ it for ya, this might be a cost-effective way to get started doing something on your own. It could be something that can be turned into something big, like a legacy for your children. Networking marketing could be something where you should shoot your shot.
Understand that every business, network marketing or traditional business is going to take hard work, determination and time to build into something that can replace your 9 - 5 income. I'm just saying if you think, “I was meant to do something more with my life, damn sure more than the hell I'm doing right now”, then investigate and find something that suits you.Find something that you love and go for it!
I hope this was helpful and it
cleared some of the mystery and misconception about network marketing. If it was
helpful, great! Share this article with your community.Comment below and let me know what you
think.Be constructive, not mean (cuz that
doesn’t serve anybody) then we can still be friends.Subscribe to the blog. There is always more
to come.
Connect with me on Instagramand
Facebookto
view some content there about improving your health, get tips on nutrition,
beauty and all kinds of fun stuff. If you want to start something new and
interested in what I do, fill out
this short questionnaire and let’s set aside some time to chat. Take care.
.png)
.png)
.png)