Daily Tip: Face unpleasant tasks with a cheerful sound and #CelebrityADHDSUnday

There is an old saying, "It takes a heap of living to build a home," and it is always time to clean my heap.
But the motivation is what it takes to do the work.
I used to mind the work as being tedious, odious and hateful. But, that's not important now since I have my iPod touch and Old Time Radio.
I find that I can do chores with the mp3 player.
If I want to clean up and need to get cracking, I choose a fun story to listen to from a number of downloads that are free on iTunes podcasts.
So, now I will do like I say, and sweep the kitchen, do dishes and make the bed while listening to "My Friend Irma."
I love stories, and I learn a lot too.
Some people like to listen to music as a motivator to clean, that is OK too.
Whatever it takes to make your home a gorgeous place is well worth it.
I didn't watch TV last night, and that was great.
I also spent another 60 minutes at the local gym working out.
My daily gratitude is regarding my iPod Touch. I am grateful to have such a great toy that I can use to get lost in stories and song, and it is a great backup to my smartphone.  When my phone is charging, I can go online and check my Twitter account and post things up with my iPod touch.
#CelebrityADHDSunday
Here is a celebrity I think who has A.D.H.D or A.D.D. by the way he acted, and felt the need for high-risk behavior and stimulating experiences that cost him a lot...remember, he can hyper-focus on the thing he loves, golf..however, none of us is perfect, including the formerly highly-respected sports superstar Tiger Woods.

I don't know whether he is a genius or a crackpot, or whether he has A.D.D., or A.D.H.D, or is just a thrill-seeker.  Still, we have met something more of the REAL Tiger woods. How he will try and change our impression of him now remains to be seen.
Be good,
Amy Zents
© Amalia Zents 2010

Daily Tip: Make time to exercise

Today is the third day in a row I am going to the gym.  I use only one machine, the recumbant cycle.  The Nautilus.  I sit on it and pedal for an hour.  I do intervals between level 4 and level 20 for 60 minutes, while studying a self-help book about getting real about getting rich.

The reason I pedal on the recumbant is to get cardio exercise, and tone my thighs, tummy and buttocks, areas I want to firm up.
Well, it is Saturday and I am scheduled to work at the radio station from 4pm-10pm.  I am going to the gym, walk the dogs, work on the songs for my upcoming St. Patrick's Day gig at the Loose Moose, make some food and go to work.
My daily gratitude is regarding my gym membership. I am grateful to have a place where I can go to exercise.  I don't have to exercise at home, but I can exercise in a nice place, on a machine that I like and go there and strengthen my body daily, and lift my brain.  They also say exercise and sleep assist in the learning process and in helping people with A.D.H.D to burn off excess emotional energy in a healthy way!
Have a great day and keep moving, and grooving!

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Amy Zents
© Amalia Zents 2010

Daily Tip: Schedule Less to do more

Does it seem to you time just evaporates when you make a giant to-do list?
I have some priorities that need to get done everyday whether or not I put them on my to-do list.
These priorities surround my pets, my home and my personal needs such as good grooming and exercise.  Nevertheless, mere existence is not the only thing I am focused on.  I have many other things I would like to do besides, eating, sleeping, dressing and exercising myself and the dogs.
But, these recurring chores have to find a place in my day because they are mandatory for a pleasant existence.
One of my biggest time-suckers is TV-watching!  I like to watch mysteries and comedies, exciting adventures and for some reason I generally wind up staying up half the night watching TV.
I find it stupid when I reflect on it, why watch so many other people having fun while I am robbing myself of special dreamtime?  It makes no sense!
So, from now on I will try and force myself to not watch TV after midnight.
I wish I hated TV!  It is such a wonderful amusement, but not very profitable or very healthy.
I wish I could confine my TV-watching to Thursdays and Fridays....I think I will try that for the next 6 months because I am on a weightloss trek.
I have dropped 6 lbs since Februrary 17th, 2010 by counting calories and cycling at the gym.
My daily gratitude is regarding sleep. I am grateful to have a chance to recharge my batteries in sweet slumber, per chance to dream.  To help me to make good on my promise to abstain from TV-viewing most nights, except Thurs. and Fridays, my husband helped me to feel good about myself, by purchasing for me a mystery novel, and a glamorous romance so I can unwind to a book instead of to the bright lights of the bedroom HD TV system. Being properly rested will help me in so many ways, I am certain.  Everyone would do well to get enough sleep, and keep off too much TV!'

Well, time to get moving!

Amy Zents
© Amalia Zents 2010

Daily Tip: Try and take a compliment

One of the hardest things I have found is to accept a compliment.
I got an email from a girl I work with, and the subject referred to a radio commercial I produced.
"Eggstravaganza ad."
Immediately, I thought, she is probably emailing me to complain.  Maybe she didn't like my work....
Well, this is what the email said:
I heard the Eggstravaganza ad and it sounds great!!
I would have never thought of putting the “Chicken Dance” behind it.
Thanks for helping me out!
So, my fears were not warranted.
It is hard for people who have A.D.H.D to believe in themselves.
Maybe it's time we do.
My daily gratitude is regarding my part-time radio job. I am grateful to have a glamorous job in show business as a radio broadcaster.  It helps me to feel good about myself while I inform and entertain others. And it makes me get out of myself, interview people on-air and it keeps me up to date with my community events, world affairs, and it is fun!

So, here's to self-confidence.  Let us find self-worth in what we do, and not by relying on others to praise us.  Once in awhile it is NICE to be complimented too!
Peace,
Amy Zents
© Amalia Zents 2010

Daily Tip: Be careful when being generous

Today I was charged 30 dollars for a 4 dollar overdraft at the bank.  I thought those days were behind me, but apparantly the way the bank I deal with doesn't care about disenchanting me by whomping me with the overdraft fee. 
Guess who is closing that bank account as soon as she can?  Me.  My gripe lies in the fact that their computer banking system is slow, and to me it feels as if they cheated me because I knew my funds were low, but the overdraft was not evident on my online account when I checked it yesterday. 
Why did I take out too much? 
I was trying to be generous. 
I was trying to buy our fuel for the past month, to help with the household expenses. 
We heat with corn stove fuel and everytime I go to buy it at the United Farmers Cooperative they only accept checks, so I write checks from my business account. 
I don't balance my checkbook, of course, because the detailed work is too cumbersome for a person who has A.D.H.D, that is, for me at least.
Well, I drove to the bank first thing this morning and put in monies to cover the overdraft, monies from a tuition check I received from one of my music students last week, and the paycheck I got from my radio job on Feb. 15th. 
That is another thing I fail to do very often, deposit checks. 
I get checks but I wait for them to pile up before I take them to the bank. 
You may wish you had that problem, but the checks arn't that big, and my employer has been promising direct deposit, but it has failed to materialize.
Money problems have to do with the organizational habits one strives to cultivate.  For me, I try to keep myself solvent by not racking up consumer debt through credit card use.  Nevertheless, if you do not balance your checkbook you may wind up in deep doo-doo, like I did: 
Flushing 30 dollars down the toilet in addition to the 4 dollar overdraft!
So before you write that check to be generous, be careful, you should have sufficient funds to cover it.
Or if you don't, you should have sufficient funds to make good on the overdraft and the overdraft fee!
My daily gratitude is regarding self-employment.  I am grateful to have a home-based business as a music teacher, it helps keeps me to feel good about myself while I educate others.  And it makes me tidy my home and it keep it nice for company, and it continues to nourish me in the field wherein lies my interest, that of music, and it nurtures my artistic ambitions, and entertains me as well, because music is fun!
Regarding money, I know that I need to care more for my income by managing it better, and monitoring it better.
I have a lot of cleaning to do now, since I have company coming over tonight.
Til tomorrow,
Stay happy.
Amy Zents
© Amalia Zents 2010

Daily Tip: Eat right and sleep right to feel alright!

I find because I have A.D.H.D. that I am hardly ever hungry, but I mostly eat for pleasure.  At other times, I ignore my hunger and then I go for hours on end without eating and then I feel famished and weak, and make up for it with overeating.
I think finding peace with food is vital for a good life and my husband and I are working on portion control, healthy eating habits and a good exercise program.
My daily gratitude is regarding the Internet. I am grateful to have a home computer, and the Internet that keeps me in touch with others, educates me when I need to do research on my interests and ambitions, and entertains me.  Regarding the Internet, I know that I need to care more for my band website for my band Molly and Sonny Boy, by improving it and updating it.
Yesterday I did a lot of things in the housework vein, and I almost ate more than my daily calorie quotient, but I did not overeat because I was counting my calories and so, when I stepped on the scale this morning I was pleasantly surprised.  I had dropped some weight, and I know this for a fact, if you count calories and manage your portion control you can succeed in weight control.
As for concentration, sleep is vital for it, and yet I am still lured to stay up half the night watching TV and movies.
I need to cut off my huge dependancy on Hollywood for mental stimulation, and get back into reading books.  That will surely benefit me in dropping off to sleep.
So, now it is time to head on over to the St. Peter food co-op, then hit the gym and do some cardio and stretching, a few full-range free weights, and some weight machines.
Have a beautiful day, and remember to remember, to relax and breathe.
Staying as focused as I can,
Amy Zents

© Amalia Zents 2010

Daily Tip: A good routine can focus you

I know that good habits are the foundation of success.

Applying such advice is not that easy.



Last night it was not easy to clean the mess in the kitchen and do some other necessary chores, even though they are my duty.

We have to sometimes revisit what we are about and what it is we want.

If you have A.D.D. or A.D.H.D sometimes our thoughts can make us work against our best interests, by making us give in to fear or procrastination.

The best motto is: Get it done now.

I am working on making space in my life for better things, both figuratively and literally.

I have too much clutter, and I don't need it all, at all.

I want to make my home a haven of rest and relaxation for my husband, my students, my pets and my guests.

I know that I work hard at maintaining our home, but I have a grander vision for my home.

My daily gratitude is regarding our home. I am grateful to have a home, and now I want to show how
much I care, by improving it and caring for it.

I am also going to care for my own home, my body.

I am starting a 30 minute treadmill walk today and for 6 days a week.

Today is day one on the treadmill.

Have a great day, and develop a good routine, to make you happy with yourself, and make others happy with you!

Musically yours,

Amy Zents

© Amalia Zents 2010