By Allison McDonald-Sordo, Investment Advisor TD Waterhouse Private Investment Advice

If you’re expecting a tax refund this year, think about what you’re going to do with the money before it arrives. If you are expecting a sizeable tax refund, you have a choice. You can decrease the things you owe or increase the things you own. Try to make a decision that will protect and increase your net worth, which is what you own minus what you owe. Consider the following options:

Pay Down Debt. If you have high-interest debts, reduce or get rid of them completely.

Mortgage Payment. Your home is, almost certainly, your single biggest asset. Depending on the terms and conditions of your mortgage, you may be able to make a lump-sum payment to reduce your mortgage.

Tax-Free Growth. A Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) is a new way for residents of Canada to set money aside, tax-free, throughout their lifetimes.

Emergency Fund. It’s a great idea to have some cash available in case of an emergency. Try to set aside an amount equal to 3 – 6 months’ pay. Consider keeping this money in a liquid money market mutual fund to earn competitive rates of return until you need it.

Education Savings. Contributing to a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) for your children can go a long way towards paying for a post-secondary education. The Federal Government will top-up your annual contribution by 20%, subject to certain conditions.

RSP. Avoid the rush of next year’s RSP contribution deadline. Get a head start by taking your refund and putting it directly into your RSP

Start a conversation with a professional investment advisor about your long-term financial goals. It is never too soon to put a wealth building strategy in place.

This article was prepared by TD Waterhouse Private Investment Advice for Allison McDonald-Sordo who is an Investment Advisor with TD Waterhouse Private Investment Advice and is for informational purposes only. It is not an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase and sale of any investment fund, security or other product and does not provide individual, financial, legal, investment or tax advice. Please consult your own legal and tax advisor. TD Waterhouse Private Investment Advice is a division of TD Waterhouse Canada Inc., a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. – Member CIPF. TD Waterhouse is a trade-mark of The Toronto-Dominion Bank, used under license.

By Aurea Crotty

Happy International Women’s Day.

We are so happy to share that we were featured today in Metro News Canada in a story focusing on the new generation of female leaders and their determination to find work life balance.

The female leaders of tomorrow are a generation like no other, savvier than any generation past with more opportunities they are relentless when it comes to defining their personal and professional development on their own terms, refusing to wait on the side lines to be subbed into the game of life.

Companies are looking to hire people who can hit the ground running – self sustaining individuals that are low maintenance. It’s a sink or swim situation out there, many corporations just don’t have time to mentor their staff, and the young female leaders of tomorrow don’t want to wait for someone to take notice. They are taking action, educating and supporting themselves by avidly reading self help books, hiring coaches, enrolling in post graduate studies, belonging to networking groups, and in general just being very present in their lives and careers filling any gaps which exist.

This new generation of female leaders represents what women for centuries have been fighting for. Sure, they have been scrutinized and labeled as “impatient” and “entitled”, but from their perspective why wait for life to happen? Why wait for someone else to take notice? They are paving the way towards a new work order that celebrates living their fullest life.

You can read the Metro News Article Here

By Liz Radzick of Manifest Consulting

So you’ve been invited to be interviewed on TV or on a webcast for the first time. You’re excited and nervous! What can you do to prepare for this kind of situation so that you look and sound your best?

1. Prepare answers for the questions. Call the producer or the interviewer in advance to ask if you can get the questions that will be asked. Think in sound bites – I usually suggest that people speak an answer aloud and then rewrite it afterwards. Then you don’t have to worry about memorizing the exact wording from the start, but simply tweak the answer you would more naturally generate. Remember, you don’t want to talk for too long – 30-45 seconds is a fairly long answer.
2. Make up the questions. If you can’t get the questions in advance, compose a list of 10-15 questions and prepare answers for them. Doing this will mean that you are better able to improvise on camera because you will have thought through your content in advance.
3. Rehearse and tape yourself in advance. Try to re-create the set you will be on (sit or stand based on the show) and get a friend to role play with you. You can record yourself using a webcam. Nervous gestures like lip biting or fidgeting will show up immediately and you can practice focusing on eliminating them. Don’t forget to breathe before you speak!
4. Choose your wardrobe carefully. Wearing white close to your face washes you out on camera, fabrics with tight patterns like checks, stripes, herring bone and hounds tooth have a vibrating jumpy effect on the TV screen, and shiny or noisy bracelets/dangling earrings create audio and visual distraction. Go easy on the lip gloss or you’ll look like an 80’s throwback.
5. Dial-Up your energy. Although the camera visually expands us by 10 pounds, it also tends to compress our energy. In order to look engaging and interesting you need to be aiming for a delivery energy of an 8 on a scale of 1-10. You may feel like you are acting like Grover on Sesame St. but if you tape yourself then review it with the volume off, you will discover that you actually don’t look as crazy as you feel. (Makes you wonder what being around Ty Pennington must be like in real life!)

Hope to see you on YouTube!

By Victoria Joanna  BBA, CNP, RNCP http://www.victoriajoanna.com/

By now, I’m sure everyone has heard about the importance of starting your day with a good breakfast.  Even so, this is still the meal among many of my clients for which I see the most room for improvement.  Given that it is such an important factor in setting up how you will feel the rest of the day, I thought the message is worth repeating.

The most common mistakes I see (outside of skipping breakfast altogether!) is not eating enough, eating too much sugar (this includes fruit) or eating too many carbohydrates.  The key is to have a balanced breakfast that includes a proper serving of protein so that your blood sugar is balanced and remains steady throughout the day.

We’re all incredibly busy and morning is one of the most hectic times of the day.  But I promise you, once you experience the benefits of a proper breakfast you will be changed for life!  While it may be tempting to grab a coffee and maybe a banana on the way out the door, remember that by not getting the right combination of nutrients at breakfast, you are more likely to get tried mid-morning and mid-afternoon as a result, and very likely to eat more at dinner.

Consider these benefits of balanced blood sugar levels: prolonged and sustained energy, reduced cravings, reduced risk of weight gain and obesity, reduced risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome, improved hormone balance, immunity, concentration and mood.  Sounds good doesn’t it?  It’s definitely worth the extra effort in the morning!

You don’t need to make anything fancy or overly complicated.  It’s funny that when I give people examples of a healthy breakfast, they often feel they have few options and are afraid of getting bored.  Let’s face it…. Having a bagel with cream cheese or muffin and coffee for breakfast every single day isn’t exactly adventurous, yet many of us do this every day without thinking twice.  Instead, find two or maybe 3 healthy breakfast options that work with your lifestyle and alternate them throughout the week. 

The best breakfast choices include a combination of low glycemic complex carbohydrates, lean protein and healthy fats.  Avoid foods that are high glycemic and high in sugar or contain processed grains such as sugared cereals, white bread, bagels, muffins, croissants, etc.

Here are fast and easy breakfast ideas:

Warm and Hearty Oatmeal

-          Best options are slow-cooking or steel cut oats

-          Add 1 scoop of vanilla protein (once it’s cooked) for a better glycemic balance

-          Add 1 tbsp ground flaxseed to maximize fiber intake

-          Add a few chopped almonds/walnuts for added crunch, protein and healthy fats

**Quick tip: if you prefer to have your breakfast at work and don’t want to eat cold oatmeal (I highly don’t recommend micro-waving your food), I usually suggest buying Instant Organic Oatmeal packets (make sure they are organic), adding the flaxseed, protein and nuts and packing it in a container.  Once you get to work, you can just add water and enjoy.  While instant isn’t the ideal option, by adding the flaxseeds you are still getting your fiber and this breakfast is much better for you than muffins, bagels or fruit alone.

Protein & Fruit Smoothie

-          your choice of frozen fruit (1 cup total)

-          1 serving of vanilla whey protein powder (rice, soy or vegan protein powders are also an option if you have a sensitive digestive system)

-          1 cup of 1% organic milk (or dairy alternative such as almond or rice milk)

-          1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds

Eggs

-          use 1 whole egg + 2 egg whites

-          scrambled, hard-boiled or omelette with choice of vegetables

-          add 1 slice of whole grain bread

Really in a hurry?

-          Grab 1 slice of whole grain or sprouted bread

-          1 tbsp of natural nut butter (almond is a great choice for the calcium content)

-          1 small fruit

If you’re currently crunched for time in the mornings and can’t imagine making breakfast, here’s a tip: prepare your ingredients or make your meal the night before, or get up 10 minutes early (that’s all it takes!).  Taking that extra 10-15 minutes is worth it.  You and your health are worth it.  It will set you up for a great day so you can be at your best for your career, your friends and your family.

Words have power. The very words we say and think not only describe our world but actually create it. They have a profound impact on our lives; in fact, our self-talk produces 100 percent of our results. In this pioneering, practical book, Yvonne Oswald teaches us how to filter unsupportive words to produce outstanding results, changing our perspective, relationships, and ability to manifest our deepest desires. The easy-to-follow formula holistically blends the science of language, physical well-being, and emotional cleansing. The “Keys to Success and Happiness” reconnect you with your original empowerment blueprint and develop your understanding for a lifetime of success.

Every Word Has Power charms all of the senses and delivers powerful, easy tools for change. Tips, exercises, scripts, stories, metaphors, and science are interwoven to create a dynamic blend of quantum self-growth that immediately jump-starts your transformation.

About The Author

Yvonne Oswald is in the process of completing a PhD in clinical hypnosis and is on the ethics committee of the Association for Integrative Psychology. A highly respected therapist and facilitator, Yvonne is a qualified teacher and hypnotherapy trainer. She is a master NLP and Time Line Therapy™ practitioner, and a regression therapist. A keynote speaker, Yvonne regularly appears on regional and national radio and television programs encouraging personal growth and development. She lives in Toronto, Ontario. 

http://www.globalwelcome.com/home.html

Meet Yvonne On March 24th Click Here

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By Wendy Litner

I have developed a healthy coating of paranoia in my professional life, but this dubiousness has yet to permeate my personal one.  I don’t know if it’s just my nature to be trusting or if it’s because of the boring, suburban neighbourhood in which I grew up, but I have a tendency to believe that absolutely everyone is telling the truth.  As a child, I obviously would never have taken candy from a stranger;  but I likely would have taken chocolate.  In fact, had anyone in an unmarked van offered me Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups I may not be here today.  Despite a feverish naivety, faith in people, belief in the good – whatever you may call it – I made it through my childhood and adolescence, un-kidnapped and un-phased.  Not for lack of trying. 

When I got lost on the streets of France as a sixteen year old exchange student, I didn’t hesitate jumping into the back seat of a Maserati with two young Frenchmen who pulled up to the curb where I sat reading the wrong page of a map.  Through broken French I explained to them my predicament, that the university’s emergency number wasn’t working (sacre bleu!) and not a single person in the country, including myself, knew of my whereabouts.  It was dark, way passed my curfew, and while their jeans were a little tighter than I was used to, I really had no reason to believe that Marc and Jean-Luc wouldn’t deliver me straight back to campus.  They did promise to after all.  Even though I politely declined their invitation for a ménage à trois in my dorm room, they still waited to ensure I made it safely through the campus gates, going so far as to even watch me type in the university’s confidential 4-digit punch code.  I was touched by their concern, I mean, I only just met them!

One would think that adulthood would make me savvier, more conscious of the ways of the world, but it seems that experience has taught me nothing.  I still maintain that people really do have the best of intentions.  Even in the face of strong evidence to the contrary, I go a long way to give almost everyone the benefit of the doubt.  If “despite everything,” Anne Frank could believe that “people are really good at heart,” then certainly I can too.

Which is why, having made a wrong turn while walking home from work, I didn’t think twice about strolling through Moss Park at night to solicit directions.  I had no trouble providing my exact address to the oversized man with the tear drop tattoo so he could give me turn-by-turn directions to my front door.  After all, what’s to say he is the murderer from the chronic news reports and even if he is, he has clearly already paid his debt to society.   

Volunteering in a retirement home, I gladly held the door open for a resident who claimed the handle was too difficult for her to operate.   Was I shocked to hear the security alarm sound as she ran out the front door?  Sure, but at the time, her desperation to get outside seemed reasonable, even if it was a little too cold for my comfort.  Who was I to question her?  The nurses were able to catch up with her halfway down the block, but it still seemed appropriate for me to turn in my volunteer badge. 

My unyielding trust isn’t bestowed upon just people.  I routinely leave bowls of food and milk on our porch for Dim-Sum, the neighbourhood cat, trusting the insatiable racoons to respect boundaries, as the meal is clearly not for them.  Despite my best intentions and my perpetually haemorrhaging heart, I felt awful watching my husband clean up the shredded garbage strewn across our front lawn yet again.  Though silent, his condemnatory glances made me feel small.  I resolved to be less idealistically imprudent.  I would try and be more impervious, more unaffected by the world around me. 

Just the other evening though, I was deeply struck by a homeless girl, about my age, sitting on Queen Street, hugging her knees in the cold behind a cardboard sign.  “Everyday I pray,” it scrawled, “that tomorrow will be better.”  What choice did I have but to empty out the full contents of my wallet into her tired coffee cup?  While I don’t believe in the power of prayer, I believe that she does.  I believe her that she prays every day and she shouldn’t have to go hungry while she does it.  Touched by her faith, kneeling down, I offered her a hug. 

I know I should be a little more wary of people, a little more leery of circumstances and a little more on guard.  I know people might take advantage of me.  I know people might capitalize on my naivety, but I just can’t seem to change my ways.  I guess no matter how many times the universe has let me down or those I care about disappoint me, I remain hopeful that people will be better, that tomorrow will be better.

By Liz Radzick of Manifest Consulting

Superbowl Sunday was over two weeks ago and although I’m not a sports fan, I know for certain what happened before the kick-off took place: Both teams warmed-up in order to play their best game.

I believe that giving a presentation is no different from a sporting event because it’s a physical event. You don’t just communicate with your mouth – you use your whole body and presence. So what can you do to warm-up before a presentation?

Stretch and Bend. To avoid muscle stiffness and locked knees it’s a good idea to do some side bends, calf stretches…anything that you might do before other sports to get the blood flowing. I often start at the top of the body with neck rolls and shoulder circles and arm stretches. Your gestures will be much more relaxed and you will feel more comfortable gesturing with your arms away from your body than if you are tight in the pecs and upper body.

Face Off.  Nothing like a blank, expressionless face at the front of the room delivering good news on the 4^th quarter sales results to inspire the troops. Facial relaxation exercises are important because sitting in front of a computer all day doesn’t encourage eyebrow, mouth and cheek movement. Say “Bee-Boh” slowly over and over while exaggerating your facial movements –make a wide smile on “Bee” and a long fish face on “Boh.” Do not do this in front of your audience.

Untie Your Tongue. My favorite tongue exercises are as follows: Count from 1-10, recite the days of the week and the months of the year while holding the following positions: biting the tip of your tongue so that only the back of your tongue can move, placing your tongue over your lower teeth and behind your lower lip as if you had a poppyseed stuck in your teeth, and hanging your tongue out of your mouth like Gene Simmons from KISS. (Have I just dated myself?) Doing these exercises will help relax and limber up your tongue so that if you have an early morning conference call you won’t sound slushy.

Just Breathe. Take in 3 or 4 slow breaths while sitting in crash position in a chair. You’ll feel your belt dig into your stomach. You’ll feel your ribs expand. Now sit up slowly and take 3 breaths while sitting up. This should calm you down.

Now get out there and win!

 

By Dr. Samantha Ristimaki, BSc, ND of Balance Wellness Center

In every patient consultation I have, the one thing that I always ask of patients is to provide me with a brutally honest outline of what they eat on a daily basis.  The old saying “you are what you eat” becomes reality for many of my patients given that lifestyle related disease is affecting people at a younger age.

Most busy generation Y and Xers are becoming accustomed to an instant lifestyle.  Gone are the days of taking time to slowly prepare a meal from scratch.  Forget about sitting down to take time to enjoy each and every meal at the dining room table.  We find ourselves all too often grabbing something on the go. 

Most of us think of fast food as items you pick up at your local McDonalds when in fact most items that you grab on the go are high in carbohydrates which convert to sugars, as well as saturated fats, that clog arteries and promote inflammation. 

With more and more people developing diabetes prematurely, fast food is suggested to be a contributing factor.  One study demonstrated that people have double the chance of developing insulin resistance if they eat fast food as little as twice per week.

Most of us can deduce that too much fried food is bad for your waist line but it can also elevate one of your liver enzymes known as ALT.   High ALT levels are correlated with an increased risk of type II diabetes, liver and cardiovascular disease.  The fried food will also sharply increase you LDL “bad” cholesterol which can increase your risk of heart disease and stoke. 

Even children can be affected at a young age.  A study done by the University of Alberta showed that in children, eating fast food twice weekly cancels out the protective effect that breast feeding has on children in preventing respiratory disease.  In addition, a strong link was found between fast food and asthma.

It is not easy to eat perfectly healthy if you live a busy lifestyle but if you plan to keep up your pace in good health, you may want to prioritize taking time to prepare your own food and take time to savour every morsel.

Your mind is so much more powerful than any technology yet invented. Discover easy ways to open up more time for success, happiness, work and play in this new and pioneering seminar.

• Change your self-talk, which produces 100% of your results
• Decision making made easy –save hours every day
• Instant self confidence techniques
• Make procrastination, stress and anxiety a thing of the past
• Optimistic thinking equals great results-learn to switch your brain to bounce back to cheerfulness
• Find ways to motivate and inspire yourself to do more in less time and really enjoy doing it
• Balance your career, personal relationships and leisure time

Worldwide, businesses are using proven NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) techniques to dynamically improve and build successful relationships and accomplish spectacular results. In this experiential and interactive seminar you’ll discover new ways to control your life.

Discover compelling techniques to become the Master Creator of your own success NOW!

To WIN free tickets to Become a Time Master on March 24^th (Value of $58.00)

Share your Time Managment challenges and why a Time Management seminar will help You.  Post Below.

3 Tickets Avilable

Winners will be chosen on March 8, 2010

Your mind is so much more powerful than any technology yet invented. Discover easy ways to open up more time for success, happiness, work and play in this new and pioneering seminar.

• Change your self-talk, which produces 100% of your results
• Decision making made easy –save hours every day
• Instant self confidence techniques
• Make procrastination, stress and anxiety a thing of the past
• Optimistic thinking equals great results-learn to switch your brain to bounce back to cheerfulness
• Find ways to motivate and inspire yourself to do more in less time and really enjoy doing it
• Balance your career, personal relationships and leisure time

Worldwide, businesses are using proven NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) techniques to dynamically improve and build successful relationships and accomplish spectacular results. In this experiential and interactive seminar you’ll discover new ways to control your life.

Discover compelling techniques to become the Master Creator of your own success NOW!

About The Speaker

Yvonne Oswald is a National U.S. award winning pioneer in the field of personal growth. She was also recently nominated for the COVR Visionary award for her unique CD “Mind Magic”; her way to release negative emotions and limiting beliefs in 59 seconds. A renowned and respected Communications Trainer and Keynote Speaker, she is a Certified Trainer of Hypnosis and a Master Practitioner of NLP. She has an outstanding reputation for her exciting, innovative and interactive seminars. British born and a qualified teacher with 20+ years’ experience, Yvonne helps every audience (live, radio/television) clear issues and quantum leap their personal growth and life choices. Her best selling book, “Every Word has Power” was published by Atria/Beyond Words, who brought you The Secret.

Media: A regular on local radio and TV in Toronto, Yvonne has also appeared on AM Northwest USA, Channel 11, Eye on Toronto, City TV, The Steven and Chris Show, Canadian Business News Network, WTV, Global News, MTV and CFRB, AM640 and CBC Radio, as well as numerous US Radio shows. Print articles include Martha Stewart’s Body and Soul, (LA), New Way Wellness magazine, Great Health magazine, Bodhi Tree’s “Evolve” Magazine, T &D and the Globe and Mail.

For more information and to register click here