You’re stuck. Frozen. Can’t seem to move forward. What’s stopping you? Is it because you’re afraid you might fail? Here are some ways to blast through the blockage and get on with it.

1. You have heard the expression, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.” Here’s your new motto: “Anything worth doing is worth being willing to do badly.” If something is important to you then you have got to be willing to try it, knowing that you may flop, because sometimes you will.
2. Consider the words of Saint Francis of Assisi: “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” Action breeds more action. Soon you are rolling right along.
3. Instead of trying to “think” your way out of a “stuck” situation, try “acting” your way out. Fear of failure feeds on over-analysis, excessive “What if?” thinking, and second-guessing. Sometimes you just need to get into action to overcome the inertia and start the momentum.
4. Rethink your concern about what other people think of you. Most people fear “failing” because they are afraid of what other people will think. Realize that people who truly care about you, love you for WHO YOU ARE, not WHAT YOU DO. After all, isn’t that how you feel about them?
5. Accept that failure is a natural part of the process of learning anything. “You do stuff. Some works, some doesn’t. You do more of what works.” This is the simple formula for learning – and for success. If you aren’t willing to make mistakes or “fail,” then you basically aren’t willing to learn and grow.
6. Insulate yourself from the consequences of your failures. You’re headed to Las Vegas for a gambling trip. You say to yourself, “I am going to set aside $200 for gambling money and when it runs out I will quit.” By putting limits on what you are willing to bet, you are insulating yourself from unrecoverable failure. When you take on new endeavors, decide how much to “bet” financially, emotionally, and time wise. Know up front what you can afford to lose. Set limits.
7. Try substituting the concept of “temporary defeat” or “temporary setback” for the concept of failure. A common cause of failure is the habit of quitting when overtaken by temporary defeat. Napoleon Hill says, “Failure is a trickster with a keen sense of irony and cunning. It takes great delight in tripping one when success is almost within reach.” Simple persistence will often be just what it takes to get you across the finish line to success.
8. Failure isn’t personal - it just feels that way. Realize that many times failure is not personal, it just happens. For example, your company is downsizing, you are laid off and have a hard time finding a job in a tough economy. Does that mean you are incompetent, unskilled, or a bad employee? No! It’s not personal, it’s just business.
9. Watch your language. The words we use to describe what we do and what happens to us carry huge implications for how we perceive ourselves and our actions. For example, feel the difference in the following statements:
“It didn’t work out.” , “I didn’t get the result I wanted.” , “I failed” (or “I am a failure”).

The first two statements are neutral statements of events. The last statement is personal failure. SO WHAT if you fail! Just keep going forward and the domino effect will happen.

Sure, spending time outdoors is great – except for all the bugs. But experts say you can stay bug free – without spending a fortune – if you…

Get out the clippers.
Keep tree branches cut back from your deck and patio, and minimize ants. Also, pull up any weeds nearby. Mosquitoes use them as rest stops.

Give flowers a shower.
Soaking them thoroughly with a garden hose before a picnic or party to mimic a rain shower. Pollinating insects like bees don’t like wet conditions and will stay away until plants dry out. That’s usually about two hours.

Blow bugs away… with a fan.
The air current from a fan will deter flying and biting insects because they aren’t strong enough to fly against the wind it makes. It’ll also blow away any trace of your scent, so they can’t find you.

Keep flies away with basil.
Flies hate basil, so if you keep a plant on your patio, they’ll stay clear.

Wipe down tables with vinegar.
Its a great disinfectant that bugs back away from, so they’ll stay away from your patio table. Outdoors, the odor will fade so it won’t bother guests.

Plant the natural pesticide.
Beautiful chrysanthemums. Their leaves contain the same chemical, pyrethin, found in most pesticides. Just having them in your garden will send bugs packing.

Heres how to keep the AC on the lowest setting and still be comfy, even on the hottest days.

Trying the shrubbery trick. Landscaping to shade your entire home from the sun is a great way to keep it cool for less. The best use of your landscaping dollars is to plant a few inexpensive shrubs to shield the air conditioning unit. This trick will actually boost the unit’s efficiency bill and save you money. Cleaning house at this time. Dishwashers, washers, dryers and vacuums all give off enough heat to make your air conditioning work 10% harder. Use them when your house is naturally cooler either first thing in the morning or after dark – and the extra heat won’t kick the AC into overdrive. Swapping your light source. Not only do compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) use about 75% less energy than traditional bulbs, but they also give off 75% less heat. Make the switch and your AC won’t be working so hard – saving you about $40 in cooling costs over the lifetime of just one bulb. Cracking an attic window. The hottest air in your home is on this upper level–and it can often seep lower into your living space. By cracking a window, you can lower the attic temperature–even a few degrees is enough to help reduce the stiflingly air that heats up the rest of your home.

One of the most dreaded cleaning chores is the mainstay of every kitchen – the stove. Here are some easy environmentally friendly ways to keep your stove shining with less effort.

Bubble away burnt-on bits. Coat stuck-on grime with a paste of baking soda and water and pour 1/4 cup white vinegar over it – the mix will bubble up and loosen the dirt, so all you do is wipe. Grease-proof your stove… With tea. Brew a strong cup (3 tea bags). When tea is warm to the touch, use it to wipe down the stovetop. Tea’s tannins will soak up grime. Make it sparkle with citrus. Squeeze the juice from one lemon into a spray bottle; add water to fill. Spritz and wipe. The citric acid cuts through grease like magic. Restore your burners' brilliance! Place each burner in a ziptop bag with 1/4 cup ammonia. After letting sit overnight, open bags (go outdoors or to a well ventilated space), remove burners and rinse. Food bits on a glass stovetop. Lift them away with a single-edge razor blade. Gently slide it under the cooked-on food and magic– it’s clean.

April 2010, a new federal regulation regarding lead paint has just taken affect for every building built before 1978 — and unlike an earlier law, includes apartments and not just common areas. Starting April 22, 2010, any hired professional – from outside contractor to your co-op or condo’s super — must have a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lead-paint-removal training and certification for any painting, window/door replacement or anything else that disturbs more than six square feet of paint in an apartment or house.

Two thirds of homes and half of the schools and day care centers built before 1960 have some lead-based paint.

According to the EPA, exposure to lead-contaminated dust is the most common cause of lead poisoning in children as well as health problems in adults.

For educational materials and brochures, please call the National Lead Information Center at 800-424-LEAD (5323) or please visit www.epa.gov/lead.

• Causes critical health issue for young children
• High levels of lead can result in anemia, hearing loss, GI discomfort,
  and even encephalopathy, seizures, coma and death
• Lower, more typical, levels of lead can affect neurological development
• Strong associations between even very low levels of lead as a child
  affects their IQ later in life
• Links to behavioral and learning difficulties
• Damage is essentially permanent – preventing exposure is crucial

• Increases chances of miscarriage and complications during pregnancy
• Fertility problems (both men and women)
• High blood pressure
• Neurological disorders
• Memory and concentration problems
• Potential cancer risks

Paint chips, while dangerous, are NOT primary source of poisoning. Dust from deteriorating paint is the primary contributor. Dust from paint accumulates on surfaces and toys and then sticks to a child’s hand, which are often placed in their mouth.

Adults may also be exposed to paint dust created at their place of work, eg. manufacturing plant.

For instance, painted door jams and window sashes create paint dust during use. For toddlers, who spend a great deal of time on their hands and knees, and who ‘test’ the world through their mouths, this dust presents a serious health hazard if it contains lead.

Testing
Knowing if you have lead based paint is half the battle. The paint can be tested on site by a lead abatement contractor who has specialized testing equipment that can give you instant results. The alternative is to send a sample to a lab for testing. Contact the lab first to get directions for obtaining and packaging the sample.

Dealing with Lead Based Paint
Keep it clean: Lead dust is the problem. Wet mop floors weekly and wipe surfaces to remove the lead dust. Some suggest using special detergents and discarding the mop after use. Information on detergents and cleaning protocols are readily available on the internet.

Encapsulate: The paint on the walls and ceilings are fairly safe because they are not wear surfaces. You can encapsulate these areas using modern paint applied over top.

Replace: Surfaces can be replaced rather than encapsulated. For example, you can remove and replace door jams with new wood.

Remove: Where encapsulation or wood replacement is not practical, you can remove the paint using chemical strippers. This task is time consuming and expensive and should only be done by an expert lead abatement contractor since proper containment is essential.

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Whatever its size, it’s easy to make your kitchen look more spacious.

Paint walls and cabinets with similar colours
For a seamless look, check out new paints that work on any cabinet surface.

Clear out unnecessary items
Clutter can make a room feel tight.

Hang ‘em up!
Use a pot rack to keep things like utensils handy, so counters remain clear.

Double your view.
Cover your backsplash with mirrored tiles to make the room look bigger and brighter.

See through.
Add depth to the room by replacing solid cabinet doors with glass panels.

Get comfortable.
Add a seating area– now you have a real live in kitchen.

Lead poisoning does not happen overnight, so do not panic. For peace of mind, you can test your children for lead poisoning with a simple blood test done by your family physician. Wash children's toys often - toys may collect dust. Wet mop floors and wipe surfaces weekly to minimize the amount of lead dust. Have children wash their hands often, especially before meals. Do not attempt to remove lead-based paint yourself as you may create a much bigger problem by spreading lead dust around your house. PILLAR TO POST ® HOME INFORMATION SERIES

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