The "BEST BREATHING EXERCISES" Health, Fitness & Personal Power Blog

Go For It This Year!

I've always been a bit of an adrenaline junkie.

Not completely addicted, but I definitely like to push it now and then.

When you look at my favorite activities over my adult years...such as martial arts,
(including full contact fighting), scuba diving, bungee jumping, driving too fast....well,
I have to admit, I like the stimulation of activities in which you have to test yourself,
AND in which there is an element of danger you have to respect.

Having seen death firsthand, and having been through several experiences that
could have resulted in my own death or serious injury, I am certainly not
oblivious to the dangers out there.

I've never been reckless, nor have I ever deliberately placed myself in a position
of danger.

But I've always pursued my favorite activites and interests with gusto. Sometimes
even with obsession.

Until about a year or year and a half ago.

When I became a mother, I of course experienced all kinds of changes. My
entire world view changed. Guess that's typical of anyone who becomes a
parent.

Once you have this little human being in your life...who is totally dependent
on you for everything...you feel an immense sense of responsibility.

With this responsibility comes the commitment to take care of yourself, to
ensure that you will be around as long as possible - AND be a constructive
and positive resource - for your little ones.

Well, I have noticed in myself that this changed my "go for it" attitude quite
a bit. And not completely for the good.

For example, I have shied away from many of the activities that I used to love.
I rationalized this from a time standpoint: don't have the time, can't get away,
etc.

And to some point this is true. My time is more limited now because I choose
to spend a chunk of time each day with my son.

But there's more to it than that. I realize that my underlying motivation is to
avoid any type of dangerous situation. Whereas before I would hardly give
things a second thought...I now have this consideration uppermost in my
mind.

So what's the big deal? I mean, it's not like I'm a police officer, military person
or firefighter, where my livelihood is inherently dangerous.

Well, here's the big deal:

I believe the same part of me that enjoys the thrill of challenges, risk and
potential danger, that seeks out the adrenaline...is also the part of me that has
helped me be successful in so many areas of my life.

This is the part of me that I have been stuffing down for the past year or
more. And I feel like it has affected every aspect of my life ...from how I
approach my businesses...to how I have been training...to my health....to
relationships..and so on.

This needs to change. I am going to change it in the coming year. I am going
to go for it with gusto in the key areas of my life.

Here's my point to you: you may also be holding yourself back because you
don't recognize, or are ignoring, who you really are as a person.

As you look ahead to 2007, do some soul searching about what you really
want in your life.

Not what you THINK you should want, or what other people SAY you should
want.

What do you want? What makes you really sit up and take notice? What
gets you excited, jazzed?

What you truly desire is what you should focus on. That is where you should
spend more of your time and energy this coming year.

I'm not saying to completely ignore the other, perhaps more mundane aspects
of your life. But be sure to reward yourself with the time each and every day to
work towards your most significant dreams and desires.

Go for it this year!

Well, that's it for 2006. Thanks again for reading, listening and writing me
back. I'll see you on the flip side - Happy New Year!

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Start your New Year off right by embarking on a fitness and health
adventure. Discover how deep breathing and energy exercises can improve your
stamina, transform stress, and put you in touch with your inner power. Go to
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/dynamic_energy2.html...your copy
of the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume II is waiting
for you!

P.P.S. The New Year is almost upon us....have you made a commitment to
finally improve your breathing, your health and your fitness? If so, I can help
you. Become a member of the Dynamic Fitness & Health Letter before January
1st...and you will receive all the benefits of Charter Membership, plus get in at the
low 2006 membership rate.

For more information about the Letter, or to sign up, go to
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/NLInfo.html. Your first issue is on me...
but only through the end of this year.

Copyright, KVN Enterprises, Inc. 2006

**The contents of this daily email are not to be considered as medical
advice. Always consult a physician before beginning or changing any
health or fitness regimen.**

Focus On These Five Areas

As you look forward to the New Year, you've probably given thought to the changes
or improvements you'd like to make in various areas.

The three areas that people think about the most, according to surveys, are:
relationships, health, and money.

Unfortunately, I can't help you with the relationship or money aspects...at least
not directly.

Although I can make the argument that improving your health and fitness has
a direct and dramatic impact on how successful you are in the other areas of
your life.

But I can definitely help you with the health and fitness aspects.

If you have any kind of chronic health condition, you're more motivated than most
people to take really good care of yourself.

You may have an additional hurdle to overcome, one that most people don't
have to worry about. And a health problem is one heck of a hurdle. In fact, it can
affect just about every area of your life -- including your relationships and
career.

As you plan ahead for the coming year, I'd like to suggest you formulate some
goals pertaining to your health and fitness, and the steps you think you can take
to improve them.

To organize your thinking, here are the five major areas you can consider when
planning:

(1) Learning and applying basic stress management and coping techniques,
including targeted visualization, deep breathing, and relaxation and stretching
exercises. This helps you control your response to life's challenges, control pain,
manage stress, and achieve clear thinking and mental focus.

(2) Learning and performing on a regular basis (daily if possible) deep breathing and
other dynamic exercises and techniques. This is critical to helping you gain control
over your breathing, build lung power and stamina, improve the health of your
digestive system and internal organs, and maximize energy.

(3) Starting, and sticking with, a rational exercise program. This helps you get into
better shape, build stamina and strength, and protect you from disease. When you
embark on a well-planned program, you can enjoy your workouts and favorite
activities.

Imagine that, you can actually enjoy exercising!

(4) Learn how to make simple modifications to your diet, as well as leverage
emerging information on nutritional supplements, to help improve your health and
energy levels. This is also important to eliminating the root causes of so many health
problems, including inflammation, allergies, breathing problems, diabetes, heart
disease, arthritis and so forth.

(5) If you are seeing a doctor for a particular medical condition, work more assertively
with your physician on the optimal regimen to help overcome it. And, as appropriate,
investigate alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, homeopathic or complementary
medicine approaches.

In the coming year, I'll continue to focus on these five areas and provide you with
leading-edge information, through these tips....the Dynamic Fitness & Health Letter....
and new Best Breathing programs....that will help you successfully achieve your goals.

I'll also discuss other, more general health and fitness topics, because I think we
all realize that our overall health is so important to success in every area of
our lives.

Thank you again for being part of these daily tips, and/or being a Best Breathing
Exercises customer. One of my favorite things to do each day is to write to you.

Here's to your health and to an awesome 2007!

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Start your New Year off right by embarking on a fitness and health
adventure. Discover how deep breathing and energy exercises can improve your
stamina, transform stress, and put you in touch with your inner power. Go to
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/dynamic_energy2.html...your copy
of the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume II is waiting
for you!

P.P.S. The New Year is almost upon us....have you made a commitment to
finally improve your breathing, your health and your fitness? If so, I can help
you. Become a member of the Dynamic Fitness & Health Letter before January
1st...and you will receive all the benefits of Charter Membership, plus get in at the
low 2006 membership rate.

For more information about the Letter, or to sign up, go to
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/NLInfo.html. Your first issue is on me...
but only through the end of this year.

Copyright, KVN Enterprises, Inc. 2006

**The contents of this daily email are not to be considered as medical
advice. Always consult a physician before beginning or changing any
health or fitness regimen.**

How To Prepare For the Best Year of Your Life

In yesterday's tip, I discussed what a prime time this week is to take stock of
2006 and look ahead to the coming year.

The first step in deciding what you want for the coming year is to think back over
the past year....about the good things, as well as the not-so-good things,
that came into your life.

Think also about what you did (or did not do) to achieve those good things, or
to bring / allow those not-so-good things.

We learn from our mistakes as well as our successes, so it's good to spend a
few minutes on each.

If you're like most people, you are your own worst critic. So, I recommend
you spend more time congratulating yourself on the good things -- the things
you achieved this past year.

And there ARE good things - no matter how bad your year may have been. You
may have to think a little bit, but they're there.

Hopefully, you've taken the time to think about what you would like to achieve or
bring into your life in 2007.

Now, I'm not talking about making new year's resolutions. Resolutions are for
amateurs.

I'm talking about setting meaningful, exciting goals for yourself.

Humans are inherently goal-oriented. So setting, planning for, and working toward
goals is a natural, powerful mechanism for moving forward in life. Goals are critical
to the process of constructive change and growth.

It's good to have balance in your goals. In other words, look across all the
areas of your life and think about the outcomes you would like to see in each
of them.

As I mentioned yesterday, some key areas to consider include: health and fitness;
relationships; career or business; financial; personal development; spritual
development; and contribution and service.

You can have specific goals for any and every area of your life. And one of
the most, if not the most, important area is your health.

In fact, I think that setting a goal or goals pertaining to your health and fitness
is critical to having a positive and constructive year. If your health or fitness
is lousy, it will negatively impact every other area of your life.

On the other hand, if your health and fitness levels are high, you will have the
energy, confidence, and sense of well-being that literally propel you forward to
the achievement of even your most difficult goals.

And the Best Breathing Exercises programs -
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/productspage.html - can help you
with this. Each one teaches you how to tap into the inner power that you usually
ignore or underestimate.

The most direct way to this inner power is through your breath. It's like a super
highway that drives straight to your spirit, emotions and internal energy.

Tomorrow we'll speak more specifically about how to set goals related to your
health and fitness, as well as the optimal number of goals for the year ahead.

Til then, spend a few more minutes thinking about the coming year.

Here's a good way to begin: pretend it's a year from now, and you are looking
back over 2007.

What kind of year will you be reviewing? What will you feel really awesome
about having achieved or completed? What will you be most excited or proud
of?

Usually the first few things that pop into your mind are good candidates for
your major goals for the year. Because these are the things that you really
want and desire.

And strong, burning desire is the master key to unlocking your internal
powers and achieving your goals.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. The New Year is almost upon us....have you made a commitment to
finally improve your breathing, your health and your fitness? If so, I can help
you. Become a member of the Dynamic Fitness & Health Letter before January
1st...and you will receive all the benefits of Charter Membership, plus get in at the
low 2006 membership rate.

For more information about the Letter, or to sign up, go to
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/NLInfo.html. Your first issue is on me...
but only through the end of this year.

Copyright, KVN Enterprises, Inc. 2006

**The contents of this daily email are not to be considered as medical
advice. Always consult a physician before beginning or changing any
health or fitness regimen.**

Your Morning After Ritual

Hope you had a wonderful holiday!

Thank you for all the Christmas and holiday wishes that you sent. I can't respond
to each one personally, but I wanted to let you know how much I enjoy and
appreciate them.

Even if you don't celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday - and I have many
friends from other faiths who do not - I hope you still took advantage of the
holiday spirit and the day off from work, and enjoyed yourself.

We had a great time here. We had Christmas Eve dinner at my house. Then
we awakened early and did presents for the kids here.

My son Miguel is old enough now to sort of know what is going on. He had a
great time opening gifts and helping other people open their gifts too.

Later in the morning we went over to my brother's house and had more presents
and a big, traditional Christmas feast in the afternoon.

Last night...well, let's just say that even Miguel was pooped. And he is usually
the energizer bunny, right up until bed time.

Hopefully you are still enjoying some time off from work, and hanging out
playing with your Christmas booty...or your kids' booty.

If you are back at work, you have my sympathies.

Although, I have to admit, when I went into the office at this time of year, I actually
enjoyed it. I could go in for four or five hours and crank through so much stuff.
Without interruption! Oh heaven.

You know, now is a great time to take stock of the past year.

Think about what went right. What went wrong. In what areas were you
successful, or did you make progress? In what areas did you fail, or simply
not follow through?

Since you are speaking with yourself about these things, and don't have to
worry about what anyone else thinks....be honest with yourself.

Of course, give thanks for the blessings and positive things and people in your
lilfe.

But also give an honest appraisal of where you are in the important areas
of your life.

Look at your health and fitness. Your personal development. Your family and
relationships. Your career or business. Your financial health. Your spiritual
health. Your contribution.

How have you done in each of these areas?

This is a ritual I follow each and every year, prior to the New Year. It gives me
a chance to assess where I am in relation to where I want to be...count my
blessings....then so some planning and make decisions.

This helps renew the motivation that comes naturally from having interesting,
exciting and challenging goals and dreams for my life.

So think objectively and honestly about where you stand today. Are you happy
and content with every aspect of your life?

For tomorrow, we will use this as a foundation for setting goals and making plans
for a successful and - above all - fun and interesting 2007.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. The New Year is almost upon us....have you made a commitment to
finally improve your breathing, your health and your fitness? If so, I can help
you. Become a member of the Dynamic Fitness & Health Letter before January
1st...and you will receive all the benefits of Charter Membership, plus get in at the
low 2006 membership rate.

For more information about the Letter, or to sign up, go to
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/NLInfo.html. Your first issue is on me...
but only through the end of this year.

Copyright, KVN Enterprises, Inc. 2006

**The contents of this daily email are not to be considered as medical
advice. Always consult a physician before beginning or changing any
health or fitness regimen.**

Merry Christmas

I plan on taking a couple of days off for some family time, so I will not be sending
out a regular tip today or Monday. But I'll be back in a few days to speak with you
again, and help you get ready for the new year!

I want to thank you for your support this year. I truly enjoy speaking with you each
day, as well as hearing from you when you email or write me.

My greatest hope is that the information, ideas and motivation I provide through
the Best Breathing programs, as well as these Daily Tips, help you take action
to achieve greater levels of health, fitness, confidence and fulfillment. 

"Into a world filled with darkness came light...Into a world filled with hopeful hearts
came love..."

May your holidays sparkle with the light and magic of the season, and may all
your dreams become reality in 2007!

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

Copyright, KVN Enterprises, Inc. 2006

**The contents of this daily email are not to be considered as medical
advice. Always consult a physician before beginning or changing any
health or fitness regimen.**

Can Singing Carols Improve Your Health?

Can singing Christmas carols improve your health?

Sounds pretty far-fetched, doesn't it. Bear with me though. There's a lot to singing
that can benefit you.

First off, professional singers of the classical or operatic variety (even, I've heard,
some popular singers as well) are avid students of breathing.

They study with breathing coaches and practice breathing techniques. They apply
these techniques to their singing. This enables them to hold and control each
note and sound, and not have to breathe excessively when singing a piece.

Of course, this also helps them really belt it out, a la Kathleen Battles or
Luciano Pavarotti.

It's a well known fact that many of the great singers live long, healthy, active
lives, and continue to perform well into advanced age.

So there is something to this breathing thing....

Singing well requires that you make each breath count. You have to develop lung
capacity. You also have to control your exhalation, make it last, with sufficient
strength and energy.

One way to appreciate and practice the control and lung power required is to sing
along with your favorite song. For example, try to sing the entire verse of
"Jingle Bells" with only one breath.  Maybe start with two breaths. And don't
cheat by rushing through it.

It's hard to do, isn't it?

Singing in this way, by seeing how long you can go before taking a breath, is a
great way to build lung power.

In the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume II -

http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/dynamic_energy2.html - one of the
exercises has you attenuate (stretch out) your exhale.

This is akin to singing as long as possible without taking a breath.

Stretching out your exhale is a great way to build control over your breathing. In
the exercise, you do this against "resistance" which adds to its lung-building
effects.

It's difficult to do at first. But after you have practiced it for just a few days, you
will be amazed at the difference just this one exercise makes in your breathing.

So be sure to gather 'round the tree, or the fireplace, and sing some of your
favorite seasonal songs.

Even if you think (or have been told) your voice ain't so great....who cares. Take
a swig of the (spiked) egg nog and belt it out!

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. The December issue of the Dynamic Fitness & Health Letter features a set
of dynamic energy exercises that open up your energy centers and nourish your
body with vital force, making you healthy and youthful. Doing these exercises
regularly is a wonderful way to bring in the New Year!

There's still time for you to get your own copy of the December issue...if you
sign up today. To learn more about the Letter, or to become a member, visit

http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/NLInfo.html.

P.P.S. The opportunity to become a Charter Member of the Letter closes on
December 31st. Don't delay...sign up today!

Copyright, KVN Enterprises, Inc. 2006

**The contents of this daily email are not to be considered as medical
advice. Always consult a physician before beginning or changing any
health or fitness regimen.**

Eat Drink and Be Merry

A priority for most us during the holiday season is to spend more time with family
and friends.

A priority for most us during the holiday season is to spend more time with family
and friends.

If you live at my house, you have no choice. My brothers live in the area, so they
will be over here Christmas Eve and Christmas day. My parents live only 3 hours
away, and they will be arriving Saturday morning.

We also have friends of the family who will coming up from Virginia Beach for
a day or so. And of course, assorted friends and neighbors will be dropping by.

Needless to say, my shopping cart was overloaded today!

This is the time of year when you are actually expected to duck out of work early
(or not show up at all) for last minute shopping, parties, and so forth.

It's also the time of year when we all have permission to eat more than usual.

I'm a proponent of using diet and certain nutritional supplements as important tools
in your arsenal to improve your breathing and your health. A good healthy diet has
a powerful healing effect on a lot of acute and chronic conditions.

Clinical and field studies, as well as anecdotal evidence, have shown a remarkable
link between diet, breathing quality, and health. Eating or drinking certain foods and
beverages (and avoiding others) can help reduce inflammation and protect the body's
organs and systems from the ravages of free radicals.

Eating properly also boosts your overall health and energy levels.

This time of year, it's tough to stick to your normal foods and beverages. And that's
not necessarily a bad thing. I think it's important to enjoy some variety and partake
of your favorite holiday foods.

Amongst this bounty of goodies, you can help yourself by making a few healthy
choices. (I'll focus primarily on choices that support healthy breathing and lungs.)

First off, most of the traditional holiday dishes are home made. This helps avoid
the high level of refined, overly processed carbohydrates that are a staple of many
peoples' diets.

Place your focus on the meat (turkey, ham if you eat it) and side dishes made of
vegetables and fruits. Veggies and fruits contain anti-oxidants and phytochemicals.
Many of them also contain bioflavonoids that act as natural antihistamines. This is
a big help if you suffer from any respiratory ailments or allergies.

Smoked salmon or meats are popular items on snack trays. Limit your consumption
of these foods, as they contain a lot of free radicals that can cause inflammation.

Feel free to enjoy coffee or tea after your meal. These beverages contain compounds
called methylxanthines, powerful compounds that help open up your airways.

Chocolate also contains methylxanthines, as well as powerful anti-oxidants, so you
can enjoy that chocolate cake or fudge for dessert. (Dark chocolate has the
highest amounts of anti-oxidants.)

If you prefer apple pie, that's OK too. Apples contain quercetin, which inhibits the
release of histamine.

Even though wine or egg nog may be your beverage of choice, be sure to drink
a lot of water, too. For optimum health, I recommend you drink at least half your
body weight in ounces of water each day.

Drinking a lot of filtered water is good for your lungs. Water helps thin mucus in
the airways. Plus, drinking water throughout the day will help you maintain your
energy levels.

Remember also that the extra eating, doing, socializing, and so forth puts a
strain on your system.

If you're starting to feel a little stressed out, short tempered, or short of breath, take
a few moments away from the crowd. Do some deep breathing, regain control,
and relax.

The exercises from the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course,
Volume I, are excellent for relaxing, releasing tension, and transforming stress
into a calm, quiet energy.

You can get your copy before the year is out if you order today. Visit
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/dynamic_energy1.html for more
information or to snag a copy.

I heard a psychologist yesterday on the radio, who said that a lot of the stress
of the holidays comes from people having such high expectations.

They think that everything should be perfect, the dinner should be perfect,
the gifts perfect, etc., etc. So they set themselves up for failure.

Believe me, it's OK if the rolls get burnt, some of the side dishes don't turn out so
well, or your mom has one too many apple tinis and says some things that are
better left unsaid.

No one will remember the burnt rolls. And mom's shenanigans will become part of
family folklore.

So relax and enjoy.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. In the near future, I'll have a lot more for you on diet recommendations that support
healthy breathing, robust energy levels, and achieving your ideal weight. Stay tuned.....

Copyright, KVN Enterprises, Inc. 2006

**The contents of this daily email are not to be considered as medical
advice. Always consult a physician before beginning or changing any
health or fitness regimen.**

How To Tap Into This Power

There's a power in the air this time of year...a special energy you can tap into
to improve your mood, your metabolism, and the way you move through life.

It's the spirit of gratitude and joy that permeates the season.

You can apply this spirit to help improve your breathing and your health.

This is a great time of year to express appreciation for the people, things and
events in your life.

As you take stock of all the good things that have happened to, and for, you over
the past year -- and yes, there were good things, no matter how poorly your year
may have gone -- you feel full of positive energy. You feel expansive and happy.

The feeling of appreciation is probably the most profound you can have. It's actually
a lot like love.

You vibrate on a higher level. You feel more in harmony with the world. You feel
your energy skyrocket and you become less self-centered and withdrawn.

When you suffer from any kind of chronic problem, whether it's health related, stress
related, relationship problems, you name it -- you tend to get too wrapped up in
yourself and your problems.

You view your world through the patina of pain, disappointment, or frustration
brought about by your present condition.

Trouble is, this does nothing to relieve you of your condition. In fact, it just makes
it worse.

To snap out of this negative cycle, you need to "get outside of yourself".

What I mean is, you need to focus your thoughts and feelings outside of yourself
and your personal problems, even if just for a few minutes or hours.

And the easiest way to do this is to express appreciation. The holiday season
provides a perfect opportunity to do that. In fact, it's practically mandated..... so what
are you waiting for?

Start to look outside yourself and your present problems or frustrations. Count your
blessings, both large and small.

Doing this can help get you into a very positive and relaxed state of mind. It cancels
out the negative energy you may be feeling due to health problems, stress at work,
holiday blues, and so forth.

This same mechanism is used in many techniques that combine visualization with deep
breathing. These techniques are used to improve breathing capacity, counteract
asthma symptoms or attacks, and control pain.

The visualizations may vary, but the goals are the same: to (1) move your attention
and focus away from your ailment; (2) make your breathing fuller and freer; and
(3) energize and relax you.

The Secret Power of Dynamic Energy Exercise Course, Volume I -
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/dynamic_energy1.html - includes 7
breathing and energy exercises and 2 visualization techniques that get you
relaxed, breathing free and feeling tuned in to the energy...within minutes.

It only takes a few minutes of thinking gracious thoughts to begin to relax and
free your breathing. 'Tis the season -- take advantage and try it!

By the way...thank YOU for being part of these Daily Tips. It means so much
to me to have the chance to share these thoughts with you.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. The December issue of the Dynamic Fitness & Health Letter features a set
of dynamic energy exercises that open up your energy centers and nourish your
body with vital force, making you healthy and youthful. Doing these exercises
regularly is a wonderful way to bring in the New Year!

There's still time for you to get your own copy of the December issue...if you
sign up today. To learn more about the Letter, or to become a member, visit http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/NLInfo.html.

P.P.S. The opportunity to become a Charter Member of the Letter closes on
December 31st. Don't delay...sign up today!

Copyright, KVN Enterprises, Inc. 2006

**The contents of this daily email are not to be considered as medical
advice. Always consult a physician before beginning or changing any
health or fitness regimen.**

The Season of Giving

We're now in the heart of the Holiday Season.

Monday night, my best friend and I took our kids downtown in D.C. to see the
National Christmas tree.

The kids loved the tree. My son's favorite part was the "choo choo" trains they
run around the tree.

For some reason, I haven't been as into the holiday swing of things as I usually
am. But the kids really got me into it.

I think if you can see the wonder and mystery and joy of the holidays through
childrens' eyes - your own or other people's - you will always stay young at heart.

Whether or not they celebrate Christmas, or Hanukah, most people I know still get
into the spirit of the season.

Some of the hallmarks of the season include the giving of gifts, the expression of
gratitude and joy, and making time for family and friends.

These are fundamental concepts that we (hopefully) carry over to our regular
lives, during the rest of the year.

Each relationship in our lives involves both giving and receiving. To successfully
build the relationships that are the most important to you, I think you would
agree that giving has to come first.

You have to give the gifts of interest, time, genuine concern, support, respect,
and so forth, to truly develop a friendship, love interest, or relationship with a
family member.

You give these things knowing that, if the relationship is a good one, you will
receive as much, if not more, as what you give.

The same principle holds true for breathing.

It's the natural order that you first have to exhale before you can fully inhale.

Imagine trying to take a full, complete, unrestricted breath without first exhaling
completely. It's not possible.

Yet, that is how many people breathe. They focus on the inhale rather than the
exhale.

Likewise, you may often focus on what you are receiving, or wish to receive,
ahead of what you are giving or releasing.

You may try to fill yourself and your life with breath, or energy, or material things,
without taking the required step of releasing and letting go.

When you work on improving your breathing, one of the first things you should
do is learn to focus on your exhale. From the basic to the most advanced
breathing methods and techniques, you'll often see more emphasis placed
on the exhale.

This is because, if you get the exhale right, the inhale will usually (99.999%
of the time) take care of itself.

The Dynamic Energy Routine, from the Secret Power of Dynamic Energy
Exercise Course, Volume II -
http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/dynamic_energy2.html - includes
exercises in which you exhale longer than you inhale.

Exhaling and holding the breath out in specific ways can actually provide a
natural ventilation effect. This provides welcome relief anytime you are having
difficulty breathing, or simply feel tight and tense.

Being able to breathe fully and completely, including a robust and thorough
exhale, is one of the keys to good health and high levels of energy. Even if
you have a chronic condition, you can improve your health by leaps and bounds
by simply focusing on your breathing.

Exhalation accompanies feelings of releasing and letting go. Think about when
you give someone a gift, and you're not quite sure whether they will like it.
Don't you kind of hold your breath, at least a little?

When the recipient opens the gift and responds with a genuine smile or
exclamation, indicating they really like the gift, you let loose, exhale and relax.

The importance of being able to release and let go is a powerful principle, and
a prerequisite for successful renewal or change. Think about where you would be
in your life now, if you had never been able to let go of your old thoughts, attitudes,
biases, or unsuccessful patterns of behavior.

Think about what you might be able to accomplish in the new year, if you are
willing to let go of limiting thoughts or beliefs, to "release and think anew", and to
see your life with fresh eyes.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. The December issue of the Dynamic Fitness & Health Letter features a set
of dynamic energy exercises that open up your energy centers and nourish your
body with vital force, making you healthy and youthful. Doing these exercises
regularly is a wonderful way to bring in the New Year!

There's still time for you to get your own copy of the December issue...if you sign up
today. To learn more about the Letter, or to become a member, visit

http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/NLInfo.html.

Copyright, KVN Enterprises, Inc. 2006

**The contents of this daily email are not to be considered as medical
advice. Always consult a physician before beginning or changing any
health or fitness regimen.**

How To Quit Those Bad Habits

When my mom tried to stop smoking the first time, we begged her to start again.

I was a teenager at the time. My mom was such a terror when she tried to stop.
She had been smoking since she was 16 years old. And she had a definite
nicotine addiction.

I'm afraid we were less than supportive, because it was impossible to live with
her while she was off the butts. She lasted maybe a week and started up again.

She tried once more unsuccessfully a few years later. The third time it finally
stuck. She has been smoke free for 12 years now.

I'm so proud of her, because I saw firsthand how difficult it was for her
to quit.

The insidious part of smoking cigarettes isn't the habit so much as the nicotine.

Here in the U.S., the top manufacturers and peddlers of this killer were
summoned to Congress and taken to the courts for lying about the amounts
of nicotine and other chemicals they put into their product.

We found out that these things are actually more addictive than ever suspected.

Having said that, this doesn't mean I am giving you a pass.

If you smoke, you need to stop...pronto, if not sooner.

This is one case where I recommend you look into medical support, in the form
of the nicotine patch or the newer drugs that have come out. You need to see
your doctor for the drugs, but it's worth having the discussion.

I don't know of any doctor who wouldn't be thrilled that you want to stop
smoking.

Aside from that, probably the most important thing you can do is to develop
a new, healthier habit to replace smoking.

Deep breathing and the energy exercises I teach are ideal for this. Any time
you have the urge to light up, take 10 deep breaths instead.

One reason people like to smoke is that it calms and relaxes them, while
increasing their feeling of alertness.

Well, proper breathing can do the same exact thing for you.

Visualizing in synch with your breathing can add impact. For example,
picture your lungs as they currently are: red and inflamed in some areas,
black as coal in others, and hardly able to function.

Then quickly swoosh into your lungs as they will appear when you stop
smoking: pink, full and healthy, with plenty of capacity. Picture yourself
walking, running or doing other activities without getting out of breath, and
with plenty of stamina and energy.

Finally, adding exercise into your daily schedule is a huge help, anytime
you are trying to kick an old habit...and especially when you are trying
to overcome an addiction.

Could be an addiction to smoking, to food, to alcohol, doesn't matter.

Regular physical activity is one of the keys to taking control of your body,
mind and emotions, and propelling yourself forward into a fresh, healthy
state of being.

Here's one example of how exercise can help you:

In an experimental program a number of years back, doctors and prison
officials took a control group of inmates, all of whom had addictions. We're
talking hard core stuff too, not just smoking.

At the heart of their program was deep breathing and visualization exercises,
along with a running program. The combination of the breathing and running
released endorphins into their systems.

These "feel good" chemicals helped replace the sensations once derived from
cigarettes or other drugs, helping the inmates get over the hump and break
the addiction's hold on their bodies and minds.

If you're not into running, choose an activity you enjoy, and get going.

One more thing: once you become active, you will quickly realize how
damaging smoking is to your lungs, stamina and energy. There's something
about wheezing, hacking and coughing up half a lung that really gets your
attention.

You Can Do It!

Karen Van Ness
http://www.BestBreathingExercises.com

P.S. Could you use a regular dose of information, inspiration and motivation
to help you "get going" towards your own fitness and health goals? My monthly
newsletter, the Dynamic Fitness & Health Letter, could be just the thing that
helps you drop the excuses and experience the joy and satisfaction of achieving
your goals.

The opportunity to become a Charter Member - with its special low membership
rate and other benefits - is closing fast and is only available through the end of
this year - a mere 10 days or so away. So don't delay...gallop over to

http://www.bestbreathingexercises.com/NLInfo.html and come on board.

Copyright, KVN Enterprises, Inc. 2006

**The contents of this daily email are not to be considered as medical
advice. Always consult a physician before beginning or changing any
health or fitness regimen.**