This month Darry Jopling of Refund Easy offers Balanced Media readers some advice on taking back control of your financial destiny and offers great advice on things every household should be preparing for and identiying in your own personal budgets.

I saw a George Clooney film recently called “Up in the air”. In it George as part of his role speaks about taking control. He talks about everybody’s personal backpack in which we carry all our lives and relationships and asks us to feel how heavy our backpack is. So how do we lighten our load? By reducing the day to day baggage we carry around and making choices to control what goes into our backpack. It will reduce the weight on your shoulders as you feel the straps stop digging into your shoulders.

There are many ways to reduce the load and sometimes you have to take the contents out and repack them selectively. Many things weigh each of us down daily but you can fight back and take control of your finances.

Aries... It looks like you will still have to deal with a career matter or person in power who you had difficulty with last month Aries… alternatively you may simply be continuing on your major turning point in where your life is going.  This may happen through a change in jobs, or other activities outside of your home that give you the opportunity to make a difference to the world.  This energy reaches a peak around the 3^rd.

Taurus... An unsettling situation involving one of your children, issues around love, friend and/or a group you belong to that were prominent last month should begin to settle down now and be finished with by the first week of this month.  The good news now is that you will be able to see the benefit that recent changes will bring you in the longer term, even though they were most probably a bit stressful at first.

Interview compiled by Emma Gardiner from shegoes.com.au - SheGoes is an ideal online hang out for adventurous, travel obsessed people who (reluctantly) find themselves behind a desk. It features travel tales from inspirational people, destination features, giveaways, product reviews, travel deals and fun interactive games like Where am I Wednesday and Tipster Tuesday. www.shegoes.com.au

Name: Sarah Ayoub

Age: 24

Occupation: Freelance Journalist, PhD Student & Blogger at www.wordsmithlane.com

Favourite travel destination?: I loved Paris, Switzlerland and Santorini but my all-time favourite place has to be Lebanon. My parents are Lebanese and I have been there twice in my 24 years. I am hoping to take my Anglo-Saxon man there soon. Before the civil war in the 1970’s, Lebanon was known as the Pearl of the Orient and the Paris of the Middle-East. You’d think its often shaky political climate would change that, but it doesn’t. There’s always heaps of tourists flocking there to enjoy its amazing mix of culture (both westernised and traditionally Lebanese), great food, party atmosphere, adventurous streak, ancient history (Roman temples, and Jesus made his first miracle at Cana in Lebanon) and its mediterranean edge.

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Young Designers Online is excited to announce their newest and youngest label, Soot! At the tender age of 18, Brisbane born entrepreneur and designer Edwina Sinclair is making waves in the Australian fashion industry with her invigorating and modish label “Soot”.

After launching her debut collection “Lessons in Darkness” in early 2010, Edwina has recently unveiled her second and current collection “Entangled Threads” featuring theatrical, Japanese street- style inspired fashion and accessories.

Completing a course in fashion through the Australian Institute of Fashion Design before she even graduated high school, this young trend- setter’s sights are set on a career in the glamorous fashion industry, following in the footsteps of her costume designer mother.

Want to feel more alive and do something positive for your health so that you can enjoy more of your life? Then it’s time to dust off those sneakers and hit the gym or get a Personal Trainer!

The latest scientific research, worldwide, is now showing that strength training is vital for women of all ages because strength training is the only interaction that is shown to stop the degeneration of, and replace, bone mineral density.

Degeneration of bone mineral density naturally occurs in most women, as they get older, if they do not perform some type of regular strength training.

As we get older we are also at a higher risk of arthritis, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and, of course the dreaded, ‘middle aged spread’ (more on that later).

This is a question I pondered today as my husband and I sit over our computers, run in and out of the house and try and meet all the deadlines. Scheduled into my day is time for my child, time to work, time to cook and time to clean but what about me time....

It sounds funny to say that we need to schedule me time but we do we need to allow time for us to be in our days and it is not or no longer should be at Work at Home myth  so how do we do it.

Prioritise your life

It is essential that you spend some time reflecting on all that you are doing. In the midst of not even having enough time to sit down for a cup of coffee, making time to reflect can seem like a big evil monster waiting under the bed. However it is not that scary and what you will find is a cute fluffy rabbit when we end.

In the savvy women interview series Jo Bassett, creator of the Living Savvy lifestyle program, shares the stories of women living savvy in their own ordinary, yet extraordinary, way.

I met Juliette Wright at a birthday party of little girl turning six. In those brief moments that parents have to talk at a children’s birthday party Juliette told me that only a few months earlier she created a virtual place for giving called GIVIT.

Her energy, enthusiasm and passion was captivating, as it was a few weeks later when she blasted into the café where we had agreed to meet to talk more about GIVIT. She was smiling, warm and generous – and she was absolutely lit up by the joy of making her dreams a reality with GIVIT.

6th July 2010

“There are two things that are certain in anything, there will be obstacles and there will be sacrifices, how you handle these two things will determine your success” – Ritchie Gibson

Businessman, Leader, Motivator, Trainer, Partner, Friend are all words that could describe Ritchie Gibson, though speaking with him one word stands out above the rest - Competitor.

To understand what drives Ritchie Gibson’s success we must look back to his beginning and principles that have driven his life.

Ritchie came from a poor background with his family rarely having enough money for any luxury items, however from a young age Ritchie was determined to be independent. In his own words “I never wanted to ask for anything from anyone, if I wanted something I wanted to work for it and get it myself”.

This motivation pushed Ritchie from school as a teenager and into a trade as an apprentice chef. Ritchie’s first few days went as you would expect when you are crumbing and slicing through thousands and thousands of lamb brains on a humid summers day in Sydney.

1st July 2010

Orange peel skin is a skin issue that up to 80% of women have to contend with. Most commonly seen in the bottom and thighs cellulite affects women with varying degrees of “dimpliness” and associated body image distress. It is possible to minimise the appearance of cellulite, however, the treatment requires more than just use of a miracle cream and can take time to have an effect.

Cellulite occurs in the subcutaneous layer, which is top layer of fat just under the skin surface. Between the subcutaneous layer and the dermis there is net of fiberous connective tissue, the septae, which stores fat cells in compartments. Due to decreases in microcirculation and increases in fluid retention and blood pooling the septae become less flexible and pressure builds up pushing the fat cells against the skin. With time, the septae become a fiberous honeycomb structure that traps the fat cells causing the large bumps that are the hallmark of cellulite. The area has very poor blood supply, which is why the skin where cellulite occurs often feels cold to touch and poor lymphatic flow so is not easily removed by diet and exercise.

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29th June 2010

Earlier last week, a woman was attacked by macaque monkeys while on holidays on Thailand.

She was reportedly trying to get over a phobia of the primates by visiting the ominously named ‘Monkey Island’, near Phuket, when a group of them attacked her. Her tour leader said some people had been teasing the monkeys earlier, and “that they don’t necessarily attack the specific person teasing them.”

That last bit makes sense when I think about all the people traumatised by monkeys while on overseas holidays.

A friend was staying in a Bali resort where monkeys hung out with the humans around the pool. A chef was sharpening his knives nearby when one of the little buggers galloped past and grabbed it. The furry thief ran up a tree and spent the afternoon threatening to throw it at resort guests, occasionally tossing it in the air and catching it to add a bit of excitement to his act.

24th June 2010

Sometimes, all we need to do is to make a few simple changes to get to a healthier weight or form healthy habits. Take a look at this list and see if any of these might be a weakness for you.  Little things can make a big difference!

At Home

• Avoid eating in front of the TV
• Do not read while eating
• Pre-portion food and put the box or package away
• Keep tempting foods out of the house
• Keep healthy foods, like cut up carrots, celery and capsicum, available and ready in the fridge
• Focus on activities other than eating
• Brush your te eth right after meals if feeling the desire to eat
• Use smaller plates and bowls
• Do not graze. Sit down to a real meal and stop when you are full

“People are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

Abraham Lincoln

16th June 2010

Attitude is everything.

People can choose to be negative or they can choose to be optimistic—it’s that simple.  Each person has the power to control their happiness in life because happiness is not determined by situations but by attitude.  Your attitude about a situation, not the actual situation itself, determines whether you view your circumstances as good or bad.

There is tremendous power in a positive attitude. A person who thinks positively will look at the facts of a situation and not feel doomed with despair. Faith, hope, courage and strength are important components of positive thinking. Fear, doubt, bitterness and defeat are emotions that hinder positive thinking. According to Olympic- and world-champion figure skater Scott Hamilton, who survived testicular cancer, “the only disability in life is a bad attitude.”

For some people, negative thoughts naturally occur first in their minds, but everyone can learn to disregard these thoughts and to focus on the positive. Attitude is not determined genetically, so the good news is that you can train yourself to think positively. From the mouth of a deaf and blind woman who triumphantly conquered what many of us would see as a miserable lifestyle, Helen Keller challenges us with this statement: “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.”

15th June 2010

In some countries, I am considered beautiful, and yet in other countries, I am considered a blubbery, white freak show.

The conclusion I have drawn is that beauty is as cultural as anything else.

My friend Tennille who is currently living in India recently wrote about a particularly cringeworthy visit to the beauty salon. She was told by various staff members that she was dirty, had greasy hair and that her pores were visible from outer space. Ouch. This same friend  is considered a goddess in Italy, Hawaii and most other nations where the people have eyes.

When I was 18, I spent a year in Thailand being told quite cheerfully that I was ‘oo-un’ (fat) every time I left the house. The truth is, I was a bit chunky after comfort eating my way through the deep-fried, coconut-creamy wonders of Nakhonsithammarat. I was homesick and when you’re a Rotary Exchange Student, you’re not allowed to indulge in anything remotely escapist (the four D’s – no drinking, no driving, no drugs and no dating). What was I supposed to do?

15th June 2010

Via: Online Schools

9th June 2010

Andi Lew may be a well-known television personality having hosted shows on Channels 7, 9 and 10 following four years on air with MIX101.1. However recently she is being recognised for another reason, as an author on preventative healthcare.

Andi co-wrote '7 Things Your Doctor Forgot to Tell You', released through Rockpool Publishing, with her husband, Dr Warren Sipser.

Together they identify the misconceptions and dangers of our past attitudes of ‘if it isn’t broke, then don’t fix it.’ insisting that prevention is about being proactive.

7 Things outlines an essential scientific guide including 7 easy things that you and your family can do to live a greater quality of life.

Warren and Andi both speak from experience when writing 7 Things with Andi discovering the natural secrets to improving health and wellness when all other avenues failed after being plagued for years with painful sciatica and fainting attacks, which prevented her from performing.

Dr Sipser on the other hand suffered the loss of his sister to cancer at a young age and her death inspired him to believe prevention is better than cure.

Dr Sipser went on to work as a volunteer paramedic whilst studying a double science degree to become a Doctor of Chiropractic, now caring for thousands at his practice in Elwood, Victoria and acting as the Secretary for the CAA VIC.

Below is an extract from the book:

6th June 2010

Forget about IQ and EQ – these days it’s all about developing our Resilience Quotient, or RQ.  Here, natural health practitioner, Antonia Ruhl, shows us how to bounce back from life’s obstacles, and develop emotional resilience.

Let’s face it, life isn’t always smooth sailing. We’re constantly faced with unexpected challenges, and while we may not be able to change, or sometimes predict, these events, we can change our attitudes and reactions towards them.

Why is it that some people are able to bounce back from life’s dramas relatively quickly, while others wallow in their misfortune for months? The answer is resilience – the capacity of people to cope with stress and adversity.

Many believe that how a population recovers from an event depends to some extent on its resilience quotient. In the days following the devastating Haitian earthquake in January, we all heard the remarkable stories of the Haiti people singing and dancing in the streets to praise God and mourn families and friends killed by the earthquake.

U.N Secretary General Ban Ki-moon lauded the faith and resilience of the Haitian people, and CNN’s Elizabeth McAllister said “The Haitian people are the greatest resource Haiti has to rebuild itself. Their resilience in the face of disaster forms a foundation upon which all organizations rushing to aid Haiti can build upon”.

28th May 2010

Making sure your kids get a nutritionally balanced diet is vital to their development and health.  Getting the right balance between good eating habits, good nutrition and delicious food can be tricky, so we have come up with some basic tips to get them eating great food and loving it!

Building a great family culture around food provides lots of opportunities for familes to spend quality time together planning, preparing and enjoying meals, get your kids excited about meal times by;

Having regular family meals – even if your schedules mean it’s only twice a week that you can all sit down together everyone will look forward to it with anticipation and the family can share their news and enjoy togetherness.

Being a role model yourself – kids copy their parents so make sure you eat healthily and teach your children the importance of good nutrition.

25th May 2010

Recently, 13-year-old American Jordan Romero scaled Mount Everest becoming the youngest person to do so, breaking the previously held record of 16-year-old Temba Tsheri of Nepal.

Jordan stated on his blog before he set off "Every step I take is finally toward the biggest goal of my life, to stand on top of the world,"

Jordan Romero didn’t allow fear to hold him back; instead by focusing on his goal he managed to achieve a feat completed by fewer than 1500 people in history.

What’s the point of this story: Fear stops achievement.

Presenting itself in many forms, fear can become a debilitating force, hindering your ability to extend yourself beyond your comfort zone, effecting your emotions and ultimately your ability to complete everyday tasks and reach your goals

Fear can either be a call to action or crippling feeling of helplessness, depending on how you react to that ‘churning at the bottom of the stomach’ type of fear.

In her best selling book “Starting from ‘NO’ – 10 Strategies to overcome your fear of rejection and succeed in business”, Azriela Jaffe identifies the majority of fears can be attributed to six broader areas.