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Life Lessons Learned on the Tennis Court 


To say that I was a tennis player would be a stretch. Although I love the game and like to play when I can, in reality I spend more of my time as a spectator.

My son and husband are both passionate about tennis, so between watching professional tennis matches live and on TV or sitting on the sidelines during my son’s lessons and USTA matches, I have developed an appreciation for the intricacies of the game. 

The better educated I become, the more grateful I am for the lessons my son is learning that extend to his life on and off the court.

Here are some of the parallels you can draw to life:

Success takes an enormous amount of hard work

Succeeding at tennis, like all sports, takes focus and discipline. Players must be dedicated to their goals in order to achieve success. They discover that if they are willing to put in the time and effort, they will improve and succeed; and this lesson will carry over into their academic life and future careers.

It is not about how many times you fail, but how many times you get back up

In tennis you lose more than you win. At the end of the tournament, only one person goes home with the winning trophy. Players may have won many matches to get to the semifinals or finals; but in the end, without the trophy in hand, they are not completely satisfied with the result. 

It never ceases to amaze me how these young kids put themselves out there week after week. Even behind the glass watching the matches, you can feel the immense pressure. As parents watch the outcome of every point, you can hear a pin drop. Disappointed faces are hard to cover up when their child loses the point or match. Emotions seen on the court exhibit the players’ fear of not only letting themselves down but the people around them.

The lessons they learn from losing a match can be far greater than if they had won.  

  1. Losing a match isn’t the end of the world. Life goes on
  2. Appreciate the small victories even within the matches that were lost
  3. Failure is a temporary setback; continued practice and focus are required to achieve success
  4. Experiencing loss and the feelings that surround a loss, can make victory even sweeter. In life, we sometimes have to experience suffering to recognize real joy

Learn how to handle emotions and lose gracefully

We often see kids come off the court banging their racquets, yelling at themselves or their opponents. Most of them learn pretty quickly that this is poor sportsmanship. A good sport gives his or her opponent credit for the game they have played. Recognizing an inappropriate public display of emotions is part of being a good sport. A successful tennis player will use the loss as an opening to understand what they need to work on to become a better player.

We are all faced with defeat in our lives, and sports provide us the experiences for learning to handle defeat

You are accountable, and you are in charge of your own destiny

As an individual sport, the outcome of the match is solely your creation. There are no time limits in tennis. No matter how far behind you are, it is plausible that you can make a comeback and win the match. 

You control your own destiny on the court and in life

Belief in yourself and the power of the mind are critical to success

As important as conditioning to support the physical requirements of tennis, mental toughness is what can separate the top players. A momentary lapse in focus or confidence can change momentum quickly and cost you the match. In many instances, the winner is the player that could isolate himself from the distractions.

In life and on the court, always keep your eye on the ball

You can never be fully prepared for what life throws at you, but how you handle those moments can make all the difference

Tennis players are giving us a performance. However, unlike lines in a play that can be recited over and over until committed to memory, or a dance that when rehearsed enough allows the body to move to the music almost on its own, a tennis player cannot prepare for every shot that is going to come at them. The variations can be infinitesimal, dictated by speed, angles, topspin, backspin, flatter, higher, weather, and surface. No two shots are ever identical. The player has a split second to make a judgment on where they want to place the returning shot and how the body needs to be aligned in order to achieve that result. 

You can never fully prepare for life or a match. but critical decisions made at key points on the court or in our lives can determine the outcome

 I am happy that my son has found something for which to be so passionate. I am impressed with his dedication and commitment to the sport. The young USTA players deserve immense credit for their resilience. As a child, I don’t know if I could have handled that pressure or the range of emotions–or had the buoyancy to continually put myself out there.

No matter what role tennis ends up playing in my son’s life, I am confident the lessons he has learned on the court will help him to succeed in his journey of life.

Melissa Reagan Brunetti

Tennis Mom, Freelance Writer, Certified Nutritionist

http://embracebalancedhealth.com/

Boost a Positive Mindset

There is nothing more frustrating than to be in a negative mood and have people tell you to be more positive. It is not just a switch you can flip. Imagine telling someone “Be more rich” or “Be more athletic” – it takes steady effort over time. Instead of telling you the one secret to being more positive, we have come up with 10 ways to improve your positive mindset.

  1. Get Physical – Doing more exercise is well known to improve your mood and boost positive thoughts. Once may not do the trick, make it a habit.
  2. Change Your Reading Habits – Where you are getting your news is going to affect your mood. If you are reading, listening or watching negative news all the time, you cannot also have positive thoughts. Reduce consumption or find a source with more happy topics.
  3. Change The Time You Spend With People – You will often here that you should get rid of negative relationships. But you cannot always do that. What you can do, at least, is lesson the impact they have on you by limiting time and interactions with people who bring you down.
  4. Swap In Positive Activities for Wasted Time – Neutral activities, like unwinding in front of the TV at night, can be turned into mood boosters by swapping that time for more active activities, such as hobbies, time with friends, learning a new language, etc.
  5. Get More Social – Speaking of friends, more social people are usually happier and live longer.
  6. Develop a Positive Mindset With Stoicism – Stoicism is a simple philosophy that helps you deal with daily challenges and focus on what you can control and reduce how much other things bother you. To get started, sign up for the Daily Stoic.
  7. Ask Your Significant Other To Support Your Effort To Improve – If you have a good relationship with someone you respect and can be honest with, work together to point out negative thoughts and comments and try to focus on more positive things. The buddy system will help you both reinforce a change in focus.
  8. Get Away From Electronics More – Be more aware of your surroundings, nature, people and things happening in the real world. This means less time with your nose pointed at a device. Time to think, away from online and email, will help you be more creative and more positive.
  9. Leave Work at Work – Do you have a stressful job? Practice leaving work at work. If you go home and discuss and think about problems at work every day, you need to practice leaving work at work OR find a new job that does not have negative consequences in your life outside of the hours you are paid.
  10. Clean Up Your Diet – Positive moods are difficult when you feel sluggish and you are out of shape. Eat cleaner, healthier food more often. Cook more. Then give yourself a cheat day to eat those bad things you miss. Your mood will lift with the accomplishment of disciplined better eating as well as the well-earned cheat day where you eat your old favorites.

Choosing the Right Kind of Deck for Your Backyard

Backyard decks are an amazing space for grilling during the summer, and they enhance the appearance of your yard. However, there are different materials that are used to create decks, and thus, you should determine the best material for you. Choosing the most suitable material for your deck is more significant than the shape itself. In addition to different kinds of materials, the decks that are available differ in color, texture, installation, and cost. Below are the most common categories of materials used to make decks that you can choose from.

  1. Wood decks

Decks created from wood are strong and comfortable; however, you will have to put a lot of effort into maintaining it compared to other kinds of deck materials. Wood decks require annual cleaning and also re-cleaning some years. Despite these maintenance and cleaning activities, your wood deck is likely to experience breakdowns as a result of rotting, warping and splintering, especially older decks. Therefore, you should apply a colored protectant to your old deck so that it can last for more years.

There are three common types of wood that you can select from:

a) Pressure Treated wood

These are the least expensive deck woods; however, you should perform the installation process carefully because they contain dangerous chemicals. You can choose from many shades, and they last for a very long period of time.

b) Redwood and Cedar

These kinds of decks are very common because they contain a good visual appeal and resistance to bugs. Whereas they are soft and wear out quickly, they can last for many years with suitable maintenance.

c) IPE hardwood

This kind of deck wood is found in South America and does not wear out easily. It is costly, but it can last for more than 25 years.

While wood material for your deck is a good choice as you will save a lot of money, in the long run, it requires a lot of maintenance. Also, you will spend some money after a couple of years to clean your deck so that it can remain in good condition. You will find a lot of information that is available in the various ways to clean your wood deck.

Similarly, it is simple to build a wood deck using simple tools and hardware compared to composite and PVC decks that need advanced tools. Ensure that you choose certified wood for your deck so that you can be certain of high quality and durable deck for your backyard.  Also remember you are most likely required to have a building permit to add a deck to your [city1] home.

  1. Composite Decks

These types of decks are built using a combination of plastic and waste woods fibers that increase its resistance to rot. They have the same appearance as the wood decks, and you will simply choose your most preferred color. Generally, composite decks are more costly compared to wood decks but the advantage is they require little maintenance.

  1. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) Decks

PVC decks are completely recyclable, and they do not rot. They are more expensive but resist fading. They are available in a wide range of colors.

When searching for the right deck, you should take into consideration the appearance and materials that you want. If you are interested in the appearance of a wood deck but still desire a low maintenance deck, then you should choose the composite deck. Composite decks do not shrink or split, and if you are interested in a colorful and durable deck, then your best choice is the vinyl deck.

Determine your purpose of the deck that you want so that you can easily pick the right material that will enhance the value of your home.

An outdoor deck is a big investment, and thus, you should begin by determining your budget and do your homework on the different types of decks that are available. Choose a deck material on the grounds of quality and affordability.

Additionally, make sure that you ask for a warranty for the materials that you will buy. In the case of maintenance, it is important that you read the specifications provided by your deck manufacturer so that you can determine if you can manage and be sure to pick a reliable builder.

Saving Tips For The American Family

Many companies try to entice the consumer into buying their particular brands over those of the competition regardless of the value or the quality of their products.  A pretty product that is packaged well and looks pretty may perform worse than the simple packaged one.  As a consumer, you may fall for the marketing and buy the pretty package over the better one, but hopefully, you will make the mistake only once.

Many Americans are struggling with mortgage payments, car payments, insurance payments etc, to worry about other things like comparing prices, weight or performance of the products they are buying, but being savvy about the products they are using should save a buck or two, and in the long run, make us better consumers.

What are some of the items we use daily that can save us some money?

Gas and Electricity: Comparing prices for gas and electricity can save hundreds of dollars every year for the average American family.  There are many companies one can choose for gas and electricity, and even if entering into a contract with a particular company, it will save you money.  Be choosy when signing a contract, and make sure the penalty for canceling it early is not too much.

Car Insurance: If you want to save in car insurance, you need to shop around.  If you have a good history of no accidents or other claims within your company and you do not get any discounts with them, you need to shop around with other companies.

Dishwashing Soaps: According to a Consumer Report test, all dishwashing soaps perform equally well and according to them you should really buy what’s on sale because all dishwashing soaps perform equally well.

I can personally tell you that I do not agree with their results.  I can tell you for example that for me Palmolive, does not perform better or equally well than Dawn.  And some generic brands that you find on the shelves at the grocery stores, pharmacies or Wal-Marts require almost double the amount that you would need for Dawn.

Very recently, I tried a brand called “simply done” a registered trademark of Topco Associates LLC.  By simply looking at the bottle, it reminds you of the generic brands you see at the store.  I expected the same results as well.  The truth is that you do not see a difference between “simply done” and Dawn.  Is there a difference?  There may be a difference between the dishwashing soaps, but the price does not warrant buying the most expensive brand.

Restaurants: Despite having issues with money, Americans are spending over $3,000 eating out according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The convenience of having food readily available without having to cook it is very enticing, but the convenience of having no dirty dishes or cooking chores come with a steep price. Eating out should not be abandoned by families but should be treated as a treat instead of a necessity.

Saving is very smart, try to practice the habit.

Flooring For Every Room In Your House

Many people make New  Year resolutions to begin the year with a bang.  Many of us do not stick to them, and some of us make resolutions that are bound to fail from day one. If you made a resolution this year to spruce your home and declutter, that’s a resolution that makes sense and that you might be able to accomplish.  If you are replacing the flooring of a room in your house and don’t know where to begin, read ahead.

Depending on the room in your home, flooring can be an easy decision to make but also it can present itself with questions about what it’s best for your family.   

Kitchen and bathrooms: These wet areas require flooring that is sturdy, and won’t be damaged by water spills.  Some flooring can become slippery when wet and can be very dangerous for your family.  The best flooring for these type of rooms are:

  1. Vinyl
  2. Laminate
  3. Tile

Keep in mind that there is some specific laminate flooring you can use in these rooms.  Normal laminate flooring can become very slippery and warps rather easily with small amounts of water on it.  You need to find the laminate flooring that can withstand water or other types of liquid spills without damaging it.

Living Room, Dining Room, and First Floor Rooms: These high traffic area rooms need a more sturdy, high-quality flooring that will not only be durable for your home but can make your home look beautiful as well. These are some of the types of flooring that are most commonly used for these rooms in your home:

  1. Hardwood
  2. Bamboo
  3. Laminate
  4. Vinyl
  5. Carpet

For many environmentally conscious homeowners, hardwood does not seem like a very likable option.  Many of these homeowners have chosen to opt for the more environmentally friendly bamboo flooring. If you are thinking about vinyl flooring for some of these rooms – especially for dining rooms, kitchens, bathrooms and the main entrance of the home- vinyl has come a long way from the one sheet vinyl flooring our parents and grandparents grew up with.  The look of vinyl is not what it used to be, so choosing it over other types of flooring is not outdated.

Carpet for the bedrooms of the home has been the main choice for many homeowners though out the years, but if you have children with allergies or other respiratory problems, laminate or bamboo flooring can be a very nice second option for you.

There are many pros and cons you have to consider with every choice of flooring there is. Price, durability, ease of installation, look.  But, remember, buy what you love for your home.

Mushroom Coffee Review

One of the most exciting things I have discovered in a long time is mushroom coffee by the guys over at Four Sigmatic.  Sounds disgusting, right?

Bear with me – because what it did was amazing.

I heard from Tim Ferriss that this mushroom coffee increased focus, energy and mental sharpness so I ordered some right away.  After all, he is the guy always experimenting, trying to find the optimum performance.

Got the order and in one day it was like a fog cleared.  No, it does not taste as good as a normal cup of fresh brewed coffee, but it was not bad.  But let me list the benefits I experienced (Keeping in mind I am not a health professional and results will vary).

  1. Experienced sharper mental thinking within an hour
  2. Enhanced will power later in the day – I often fade as the day goes on and start eating badly.  (Lost 7 pounds after 2 weeks of this coffee)
  3. Worked longer and more productive hours – because I got less distracted and bored.
  4. Stopped drinking 5-7 cups of normal coffee.  Now just drink this stuff and green tea.
  5. Accomplished more goals and remain very excited about getting stuff done.

What is even more interesting is that my Wife and my teenage daughter had almost identical effects.  Our daughter scored her first perfect college math score IN HER LIFE after being on this for a while.  She reported she is simply more patient and understands the lectures better.

I LOVE this stuff – you can buy it here: Check out the flavors. I recommend Lion’s Mane Coffee.

Is Your Car Heater Not Working?

There can be several reasons why your car’s heater could be broken or simply just not working. The following reasons may help you to understand why it is not working and why you need to take it directly to a mechanic to have it fixed.

It could be as simple as the engine thermostat, the fan motor, or simply a fuse that is out or simply not working properly. You will need to take the vehicle to a car repair shop right away to have them diagnose the problem and get your heat flowing properly once again. If you decide to fix the problem yourself you may be doing more damage to the vehicle by not knowing the correct diagnosis. Car repair shops can easily diagnose the problem. So take the vehicle to a mechanic and save yourself the headache and money of making it worse off.

Many people think that they may just be low on coolant in the radiator and try to fix it themselves. By doing so you can cause yourself and your car some serious damage. The cap could release and intense amount of steam that has been built up by pressure and burn you very badly.

So the best remedy if your car heater is not working properly is to take it to a car repair shop and let a real mechanic fix it.

Jobless But Earning – Three Ways To Earn Money Online Without Actually Being Employed

Intriguing title, isn’t it? After all, a lot of us would want to earn money without having to work, but hold up. Don’t get me wrong here. This is not one of those posts that say you can earn money just by lying in your bed all day. Don’t confuse the phrase “not being employed” to being lazy because I’m pretty sure those two are not the same. And just to be clear, I do not know of any way that you can earn money just by doing nothing.

This post, however, will provide you three ideas where you can possibly make money online without actually being employed. By employed, I mean that you have your own employer with definite working hours throughout the day. I would also like to clarify that this is not for everyone and not every person who will read this post and try out these ideas will be successful at it. This will still take some effort on your part and perhaps, a little bit of luck. Are you ready to hear out these ideas? Let’s begin then.

  1. Set-up an online business. I know, very original, but seriously, consider the perks of this. You are your own boss. The success of your business, however, will depend on how much you work for it, but if it’s something that you love doing, it’s not work at all. If you love baking, you can set up a small cupcake business. Cupcakes are so in these days, so you may have a lot of competition, but if your products taste absolutely amazing, word will spread. Don’t be shy. Ask your friends for help, they can recommend prospective clients to you. You don’t even have to own a bakery to do this. In fact, I would suggest starting a homebased business. It will cut your initial costs while you’re still starting up. Another great online business would be selling knick-knacks, especially if you love visiting thrift stores for collectibles. You can set it up in an online marketplace like eBay and start earning.
  2. Sell gigs. What are gigs, you ask? Gigs are simply things you offer to people who need to outsource work online. There are many websites where you can sell gigs, like Fiverr and Gigbucks. Are you a writer? Offer to write a 1000-word story for a gig then. Do you like making crafts? Great, you can offer to make a scented candle for a fixed price. You don’t have any talent except that you look cute and quirky on cam? Not a problem! Gigs can be serious or wacky, it doesn’t matter. If you’re good at something (wholesome, please), offer your services in the site. Who knows? Someone might find the video of you singing Happy Birthday adorable and will hire you to make one for him.
  3. Sell items at an online consignment shop. Are you one of those people who like to buy designer bags or shoes, but get bored after wearing them twice? Well, there are a number of online consignment shops that offer to sell your gently-used clothing or bags. The shop will have to take a percentage off the sale, but that’s normal. Besides, you can get rid of you stuff to make room for more and earn money to pay for your next designer item.

So, there you have it. While these ideas will work, success will not be possible without some effort on your part. These may not be actual jobs, but it requires hard work and ability to make it possible for you to earn some money from it.

Do you have other ideas on how to earn money online? Share them with the other readers by commenting below.

Tax Advantages with Home Based Businesses

Tax advantages with home based businesses are plenty that there is no reason not to take the income opportunity home based business provides. Tax advantages include equipment deduction, deductions on office supplies and furniture, and travel needed to provide service.

Employing yourself to the income opportunity home based business basically means that you may have a certain area in the house dedicated to the business. The IRS regards this as the work space and allows deductions for any needs that will support that area of the house.Equipment including computers and service equipment needed to start the business can be deducted from taxes and allow ample opportunity to purchase what is needed. Thinking big in your business can be an excellent way to kick start the career from home but it is generally recommended to start small and then work up to more expensive equipment depending upon the area of expertise.

Deductions include furniture and office supplies for your income opportunity home based business and can provide the office space with enough to feel comfortable. Working from home should be a comfortable experience in order to provide enough space and arrangement for furniture to work within the area. Creating a theme in the workspace is highly recommended for the career from home minded individuals for a pleasant working environment.

Traveling, entertaining, and fuel expenses can also be deducted from the taxes of a home based business. These are plausible opportunities to gain further clients and provide service or products for the growth of the business.