New Blog Address

I am thrilled to announce that I will no longer be using this blog.  That’s right – thrilled!!!  Why? 

I have a NEW, spectacular  blog/website. 

Please find me at www.staceygrewal.com. 

Thank you.

Stacey Grewal

What Color is Your Car?

My friend, Maria Morgis put together this great report, titled, “What the Color of Your Car Says about You”

It is such an interesting observation.

Check out her blog and then tell us…what color is your car???

http://mariamorgis.blogspot.com/

Pssst…my car is fire engine red!

The Trials and Tribulations of Publishing Your Own Book

October 23, 2009, is when I first began this post, as a rant about the trials and tribulations of independent publishing to help those considering it learn from my experience.  But my original post ended up being little more than a long, freak-out session about how difficult it has been finding good, affordable talent (editors, designers, etc.) to work with. 

NOTE:  Independent publishing used to be called self-publishing, but for those of you considering publishing your own book, you will need to know that the term “self-publishing” is out-dated and will make you look like a complete amateur, and ruin your credibility if you use it – enough said.

Here’s an excerpt of the first draft of this post for those who love drama…

“It’s taken me more than three years (so far) to write, edit and  put together my book, Gratitude and Goals…and today is just one of those days where I feel like throwing my arms up in the air and crying. Although every fiber in my bones is dying to point fingers and name names, I won’t.  That would be bad for my personal development.  And I’m sure you’d rather I didn’t.  But, boy I sure do want to! I loved writing the book, especially the first draft.  And surprisingly, the more I edited it, the harder it got.  But what I never expected, was the pain and suffering I would experience working with other people after the book was written.  Once you read my book, you will see that I have already suffered plenty  in my lifetime.  Adversity I can deal with; incompetence, well that’s another story!”

But then I stood back and realized it was just a little too “passionate”, if you know what I mean.  Nobody really wanted the breakdown of all the wasted money and time I spent on worthless ”work” by freelance editors and designers.  So, I put the first draft aside for three weeks (a highly recommended thing to do anytime you write something you know you might regret later) because I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it – until today. 

Today is the day that everything seems to be working in my favor. I found a new cover/interior book designer and potential business partner, Theodore.  Not only is he creative and completely experienced, but his work really speaks volumes.  He is also totally willing to work within my budget which is music to my ears!  I finally feel like it’s gong to be okay. (If you’re looking for a great cover and/interior book designer, I’d be happy to share Theodore’s information with you).

So, I came back to my original post, removed most of the freaking out and decided to focus on what is really important – helping people understand that publishing your own book can be an awesome, life-altering experience, if you know what you are doing.  If not, it can turn out to be a tremendous waste of time, unless you’re doing it purely for personal reasons, of course.  In fact, in the next few months, I will be developing another blog (potentially with Theodore and friends)  for those who are interested in independent publishing that will offer nothing but tips, facts, links, articles and resources  to help save you time, money and a whole lot of frustration writing, packaging, promoting and selling your book. 

On this note, I’ve been given the opportunity to promote a very worthy product that has already turned many famous, and not so famous authors into millionaires. In case you didn’t already know, one of the most profitable ways to make money with your book is with speaking engagements.  If you want to learn more about how you can make over $2500 + per speaking engagement, from top speaking coach, James Malinchack, check out this link: http://tinyurl.com/yja4g8z.  (Yes, I do make a commission if you decide to buy this program, but I can tell you, I’ve heard what he has to say and I have his book – this guy is the real deal; you can help you become a very rich author. I will be taking his boot camp myself in the spring 2010).

For now, here’s a quick update on my book, Gratitude and Goals…  It is completely written, edited and is now with Theodore, who is working his magic so I can launch the ebook on November 26th.  That is Thanksgiving Day for all my Canadian friends and family (or for those who never know which day of the month it is). I thought it would be fitting to launch a book about gratitude on Thanksgiving Day of all days.  I will definitely keep you all posted about that release…which is only 6 days away.

 

 

 

Nora Firestone and I talking about GRATITUDE on her radio show…

This was my very first radio interview, so although I do quite honestly think it could be better (I could have talked about my past less and gratitude and goal setting more), all in all I think it went quite well.

If you’re interested in learning ‘how’ to use gratitude in your life, it is certainly worth a listen once you get past all the personal stuff (fast forward to about 1/3 of th way).

 

The Truth About Canada’s Healthcare!

I am a Canadian living in the US. First, I would like to say that I do love living here. It is a great country; the people where I live are wonderful and the opportunities for advancement are endless. I only have one complaint, the very same complaint that I share with most of my American friends; the health care system sucks!

There is really something wrong when little kids are denied healthcare because their “size” doesn’t meet some arbitrary requirements…too thin, too fat, too tall, too short!  These children aren’t trying out for the Air Force.  They just want the equal opportunity to have medical coverage  – just like everyone else.

What really makes me crazy is when I hear people say that in Canada we have no right when it comes to choosing a doctor. That simply is not true. In Canada you can pick up the phone and call any doctor’s office and as long as they are accepting new patients -you are in! My experience here has been just the opposite. If I want a doctor here, first, I have to call my insurance provider and ask them which doctors in my area are accepting patients with my “brand” of insurance. The last time I was looking for a doctor, there was only one doctor in my area (actually in the next town over, and I live in a town with over 95,000 people) who was accepting new patients with my kind of insurance. That actually sounds a lot like what Americans seem to think the Canadian system is like, doesn’t it? What happened to freedom of choice? The only ones with freedom of choice here are: the doctors who can pick and choose what kinds of insurance they want to accept and the insurance companies who arbitrarily decide how much they are willing to pay for your procedures.

Lastly, yes, the lines to get into the emergency room are long in Canada. That’s because people don’t hesitate when they are in need of medical attention. Last time I ended up in the emergency room here in the US, I was in and out within 45 mins. Not because the doctor was so fast or because the service was better, but because of the fact that there were simply no patients!! Did I mention that I live in a town with over 95,000 people? But the best part about my trip to the emergency room was the bill. It cost over $1250 for my son to get a piece of tape for the cut on his upper lip. And two weeks later I got a surprise from the emergency room doctor for $100 and then another week later a bill for $250 from the hospital. So, I was out $350 for a piece of tape, not to mention the $500/month cost for insurance. Over the last 3 years my father has open heart surgery, prostate cancer surgery and knee surgery. The cost – $0, and he did NOT have to wait 6 months for the surgeries.

Ok, Canadians pay taxes for health insurance, but a recent Harvard study showed that at the end of the day Canadians pay far less via their taxes for 99.9% health coverage while Americans pay more per month in insurance costs for partial coverage. What system is better, you really need to ask? It’s really no contest!  Again, I am not America bashing.  Like most Canadians who spend their time on this issue, I just want to help Americans have the very same right I’ve had all my life…and never thought anything of until I moved here; the freedom of mental and physical health!

With Universal Healthcare comes something much more than just medical coverage; and that’s emotional security.   You simply cannot put a price tag on peace of mind!

Today I am grateful for:

1) Universal Healthcare.  Thank you, God, for the many years of health care that I have taken for granted.

2) My voice.  Thank you for the opportunity you’ve given me to use my voice and help enlighten those who are still on the fence about Universal Healthcare.

God Bless America!

Progress, baby, progress!

Today is really no different than any other day.  Like most other days, I took my kids to school, came home and then worked until I had to pick them up again.  But unlike most days, today (actually, the last few days) I am feeling a little frustrated, anxious, easily annoyed and quick to react.  And despite all my efforts to be upbeat and optimistic, I’ve been having a hard time feeling anything but glum.  Why; I am not 100% sure, but I do have a sneaking suspicion it has something – a lot- to do with my diet. Yes, you heard me right; I said, “my diet.”

I totally believe that we are responsible for our thoughts, feelings and actions.  But sometimes there are other influences which determine how hard we have to work at feeling “good.”  When I’m on a path of good, clean nutrition; eating fruit, vegetables, meat and drinking lots of water; I feel great.  The last month or so I reverted back to my old ways; when eating “crappy yeasts” that bother my system: such as wheat, gluten, soy, corn, sugar and dairy products were a normal part of my everyday diet.  Plus, I’ve been craving processed food like crazy (thanks, hormones)!  Needless to say, those yeast  promoting foods, combined with all the chemicals and toxins found hidden in the processed food, have been wreaking havoc on my poor body, leaving me feeling horrible; physically and mentally.

Well, there is good news in all of this.  With all the pain I have been feeling, I’ve found two (2) new reasons to be grateful…

Today I am grateful for:

1) Awareness.  Thank you for the fact that after several days of being frustrated,confused and basically trying to feel happy all the time, I finally understand what’s going on with me. Now that I am aware of what the problem is, no longer do I have to silently suffer, I can finally do something about it to create a change!

2) New beginnings.  No longer do I have to suffer because I understand that this moment is a new moment; an opportunity for a new beginning.  With this moment I can choose to eat the foods that I know will nourish my body and my soul.  And, if for some reason I “fall off the wagon” and eat something harmful, I can immediately make a positive change by choosing to eat right the next time.

Whether yeasty foods are your problem or not (or maybe they are your problem, but you just don’t know it yet), there really is a reason to be grateful for each and every person, place, thing or situation you encounter.  Realize this and then come up with a solution to make things better.  No one is perfect.  We are all a work in progress.  Progress; that’s all we can strive for. If we can make make progress, even a small amount, each and every day, then we sure do have a lot to be thankful for!

For more information on yeast and how it affects your well being:

http://www.yeastconnection.com/

Congratulations, President Obama!

As the saying goes; you simply can’t please everyone all of the time…

I know some people are disappointed by the decision to give Barack Obama the Nobel Peace Prize.  Unfortunately, most are the very same people who would criticize him no matter what he did; good or bad.  He could show up at their front door, hand them a check for $1 million and they’d still find reason to condemn him.  Maybe they wouldn’t like the color of his tie or the smell of his cologne.  The timing may or may not be right, and he may or may not be deserving of this award; either way, I’m personally much happier living in a country where its president is awarded for its policies, rather than ridiculed for his stupidity.  But that’s just my opinion.

In your lifetime, there will always be people who will outwardly criticize you for your hopes and ambitions. It’s up to you to decide what kind of life you want to live; better yet, who’s life you want to live.  Yours or theirs?  If what you want is to live the life of your dreams, on your terms, then now is the time to stop listening to your critics and start listening to those who support you and your endeavors.

“Better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool.” – Ecclesiastes 7

Set goals, put your head down and keep driving forward until you achieve them. And be grateful -oh yes, be very grateful – that you didn’t listen to the naysayers!

Congratulations, President Obama!  Thanks for doing things your way.