The Focus Magazine January 2016

The Official Magazine of Focused Radio

JAN. 2016

2016 MOVING AHEAD. ALL ABOUT

CONTENTS 7. 2016 business resolutions for the new year

15. M.L.K. 24. Shop

Talk

30. January Is..

35. Jumpstart to 2016

Editor in Chief: TommyP Editor at Large: Naadir Love Art Director: KHAR

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Words from the Editor What’s Up Everybody?

Just like the cover says, “2016 [is] All about moving ahead. Which means we have to #StayFocusedMyFriends on the things that matter most to us this year. Whether that be making yourself a better person healthwise, we have information on that. Better than jus a new diet to go try, we have some healthy solutions and information to assist you in making the choice which best suits your lifestyle. We also have 10 great ways you can better yourself as an entrepreneur. The economic climate is changing out there. Job security isn’t what it used to be. We are here to show a path on which if you were thinking of going out on your own and starting a business, you now have tools to get you heading in the right direction.

Thanks for making @TheFocusedRadio the number one online radio station servicing the great state of Virginia out to the world. We see more and more downloads of the app and activity on our social media sites. With that we plan to keep giving you the hottest new music and old school from artist you love and some you may not of heard of before.

Truly the #BestofBothWorlds

Happy New Year, TommyP

2016

10 Simple New Year’s Resolutions for THE business entrepreneur:

1. Improve your health.

Why is this number one? You cannot run a business if you are sick. Everyone needs to be healthy especially the boss-remember there are people counting on you. Make sure you are getting enough rest. Make sure you are eating good food, leave the fast food alone. Make sure you bring healthy snacks and water because we must admit; most of us munch at our desks.

Extra weight is no good for anyone.

Exercise, keep those bodies moving. No excuses!!! Make the time.

2. Understand your finances.

Even though you may have an accountant or financial advisor. Take a course, read some books; you need to know about money, especially your money.

You should comprehend at least the basics of what the accountant or bank officer is talking to you about. How can you make any financial decisions if you do not know what future revenues, future operating costs, and assets may be needed to service your business’ future demand?

Pay off your bad debts (take the time to make an necessary arrangements with your creditors) Lower your expenses as much as possible.

This is a no brainer-stop spending what you do not have. (This applies to both personal and business spending) Improve your personal credit as it makes effect your business especially if you may need to get a business loan.

Contrary to what people tell you; your business is very

closely tied to you personally.

Pay attention to your business’ growth to ensure that you are meeting all anticipated goals. If not regroup and develop a new plan.

Bookkeeping is the backbone of every business.

Save all of your receipts especially if they are $80 or more.

Keep personal and business records separate.

Know which of your expenses are reimbursable, so that you do not have to come out of your personal pocket.

Keep daily records of expenditures. Check your bank account often, so that any discrepancies can be dealt with timely.

Every month make sure that your checkbook is balanced.

You must know where your money is coming from and why your money The focus JANUARY 2016 8

is going out. Keep records of all of your deposits and pay all of your business bills on time and keep records of them.

Paying on time will help strengthen your credit score.

Keeping neat records of all of your monies coming and going will help you in the tax season. You will be better able to utilize all credits that you may be entitled to.

Accounts receivables…the life blood of the business-you must stay on top of your receivables to stay in business.

Make those follow up calls, just stay positive and friendly...people can forget…friendly reminder….work out an arrangement if they can’t pay in full.

Just make sure you keep track of your arrangement, get them if you can to agree in writing and 9The focus JANUARY 2016

move on to the next customer. Don’t get stuck. You should have hard copies of all of your financial records just in case your computer crashes, the accountant takes a permanent vacation—in life we know stuff happens.

Find a good financial advisor and pay them. They can help you keep the books straight monthly and answer any questions you may have.

Always have money put to the side for major expenses.

Set money aside for taxes. If you put money aside every month, you are already prepared and won’t have to borrow should you find out you owe money. ***Cash***If you use cash it is very important that you keep all receipts, record what money was used for and when and put them

away immediately.

Cash is very hard to keep track of but you must discipline yourself if you plan to be successful in business.

3. Become a good and stronger leader.

It is said that a true leader inspires people. That means that those on your team are happy to be working with you. They will go that extra mile for you because they feel that they are part of a family. A good leader does not need to threaten his/her workers. A good leader does not need to lie to his workers, as a matter a fact people tend to work hard if they know what they are truly working with. No one likes to be lied to or left dangling with empty promises of things to come. Be

honest from Jump Street. Say what you can offer and what you can’t offer. This may be one of your biggest obstacles as an entrepreneur.

Most small business owners tend to try to do everything themselves, thinking they are saving money. What people do not realize is that when you delegate and pay a few dollars extra, you are freed up to really take care of business. Work at being a good and strong leader. This means delegating tasks-train your staff well and watch them soar, keep your staff motivated when their morale is low, welcome your staff ’s creativity and allow them to think outside-of-the-box, stay focused on where you want your business to go. Listen to your people. Talk less, listen more. If you are honest about

asking for input, then you need to give your employees time to express themselves. Some ideas may be implemented immediately, others may require more time, and even if you do not use their ideas, let them know that their input was appreciated.

You’ll be surprised with the ideas they will come back with.

Remember you are leading by example.

Your employees are your team; they are watching you probably a lot closer than you think. They know your attitude, your work habits, how much you focus on your customers and how you really feel about your customers. If you don’t show that you are 100% committed to your business then why should you be expecting your employees to work harder than

you, stay longer than you especially if you are not paying them extra. Lead by example: good employees are a treasure. If your team is not where you want them, look at yourself first. Do you keep your promises?

Do you acknowledge their birthdays? Do you acknowledge good performance on a regular basis or only at review time? How do you talk to your employees? Not many will stand to be talked to condescendingly for long, yet many men will do this to their female employees.

Not a smart move!!!!

If you have people who work for you on a volunteer basis, you are truly blessed. Don’t mess it up.

Volunteers are special people who see someone else’s vision and are willing to help out but unfortunately volunteers The focus JANUARY 2016 10

are rarely looked at as the blessings they are and often are misused. As a good and strong leader take a serious look at your team, remember you chose them, and treat them with the upmost respect for they are the driving force behind your business.

Count your blessings and utilize them correctly.

4. Become Social Media savvy.

You must have learned by now that social media is important. Use the social media to interact with customers, spread your brand and connect with the people who have influence and possible investors.

Start using those sleeping Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn accounts. Invest some time this next year being socially media active. It’s 11 The focus JANUARY 2016

expected. Oh by the way, keep it business at all times.

5. Spend less time in the office.

If you are working over 50 hours a week, you are definitely putting your personal life at risk.

There are only 168 hours in the week, so let’s do some math: 168 hrs total/wk – 49 hrs/wk for rest 119 hrs left to work, play, create etc.

-50 hrs/wk min working 69 hrs/wk to play, create, family time So you are now left with 69 hours to fulfill all the things you need to do for yourself, your family, your community etc.

You have roughly 9 hours every day.

So now think about how much time you will not have if you increase your work hours. Please

deduct the time you may spend if you must travel far to work. Time is our most valuable commodity don’t waste it.

Ok, you might have worked a lot of hours when you were getting started but if you still are at the office all day and late into the night you are probably on the road to getting sick and more than likely forgot why you wanted to be an entrepreneur. For most people, it is for more free time.

So make time for yourself and your loved ones. Get out of the office during the day, even if it’s just to clear your head. Guess what, the business won’t shut down, if you go to dinner with your spouse or to the children’s game or concert. Your family will remem-

ber all the events you missed and sadly to say may just think of you as a bank machine, if you do not take time to be with them throughout the week.

7. Hire only the best.

you are planning to leave your business to a family member, it is strongly sugHiring the right gested that you get people cannot be your family involved stressed enough.

Your staff represents in your business at an early age. Have you and your busithem learn every ness; they may be 6. Stay aware of the reason why some job by shadowing your employees and what is happening of your customers by giving them lots in current events. keep coming back. of hands on experiThe right staff will ence. This is a great Pay close attention to work hard for you summer job even what is happening in and they will help if they just work a the news. First of all, bring out the best few days a week or in you and their it is great for every a few weeks out of fellow workers. day conversation the summer. Don’t They will want to with people and it forget to pay them help your business provides entreprewhat you would neurs with what’s up grow become the pay your employees business’ greatest in their markets so promoter. Low staff at entry level pay. that they can make You will be teachbetter business deci- turnover is the key. ing them that they Hiring isn’t easy, be sions. Today because of the internet patient. Attracting must work for their money, teaching and keeping that and mass transporthem to think about perfect staff memtation, we live in a how they spend their much smaller world ber may cost you money and they get a bit more initially where everything to spend extra time that goes around the but it could be the world can affects us best money you ever with mom or dad.

This job experience spent because their and our businesses. presence and energy is priceless.

Do not expect your could greatly increase your business’ business to survive if chance of success. If your family does not The focus JANUARY 2016 12

love your business the same way that you do.

need help ask for it.

Stay focused on your goals; do not let your ego be the reason 8. Be more for your business to empathetic. fail. Find yourself a 10. Always Empathy means that mentor, read some you can put yourself remember why books. Many entreyou decided to preneurs/business in another person’s situation and comowners (small and be your own prehend how they large) have some bad boss. feel. It allows you Think back every so habits that they can to be sympathetic often and remember get rid of. No one to what is going on is perfect. Do not why you chose to in their life and to get stuck and keep be an entrepreneur. know what is imWas it to spend more moving forward. portant to them, so time with your famthat you are able to ily? Was it to make communicate with your neighborhood/ customers, employcommunity betees, shareholders and ter? Did you want investors. This is a to provide a quality must if want your product? It doesn’t business to succeed. matter if your busiEven if you can’t ness is booming resolve a situation, right now or you people will at least are going through appreciate that you trying times, think tried to see things back and rememfrom their perspecber. Now, are you tive. achieving everything 9. Take some that you had hoped classes. for? Are you treating Think about learnyour business like ing a new skill such a hobby and occaas accounting, sionally working at marketing, proit? Be honest! If you 13The focus JANUARY 2016

gramming or public speaking to help enhance your abilities at work.

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15 The focus DECEMBER 2015

Martin Luther King, Jr. was an African American Baptist minister, activist, humanitarian, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement.

Family History The King (father’s side) and Williams (Mother’s side) families came from the rural part of Georgia. Martin Jr.’s grandfather on his mother’s side, A.D. (Adam Daniel) Williams, had been a rural minister for years and then moved to Atlanta in 1893. He took over the small, struggling Ebenezer Baptist church which had roughly 13 members and made it into a powerful congregation. He then married Jennie Celeste Parks and they had other children but only one child survived and that was Alberta. Mi-

chael King Sr. had come from a sharecropping family in a poor farming community. He married Alberta in 1926 after an eightyear courtship. The newlyweds moved to A.D. Williams home in Atlanta.

Michael King Sr. stepped in as pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church upon the death of his fatherin-law in 1931.

Martin Luther King Jr. was born January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the second child of Martin Luther King Sr. (1899-1984), a pastor, and Alberta Christine Williams King (1904-1974) ***please note that his mother was shot and killed in Ebenezer Baptist Church, six years after MLK Jr.’s death)***, a former schoolteacher. His older sister, is Chris-

tine King Farris birth name: Willie Christine King (born 1927), and younger brother, Alfred Daniel Williams King (1930-1969).

You may or may not know this but Martin Luther King Jr.’s actual birth name was Michael King Jr. His father changed their names to Martin Luther as King Sr. was greatly influenced

by Martin Luther.

(FYI: Martin Luther (born November 10, 1483 – died February 18, 1546) was a German professor of theology, a priest, a former monk and an influential figure in the Protestant Reformation. Luther rejected several of the teachings and practices of the Late Medieval Catholic Church. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God’s punishment for sin could be purThe focus JANUARY 2016

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chased with money.)

Martin Luther King Jr. and his siblings grew up in the city’s Sweet Auburn area, which was then home to some of the most affluent and well-known African Americans in the country. King attended segregated public schools and because he was a very gifted student was admitted to Morehouse College at the age of 15, the alma mater of both his father and maternal grandfather, where he studied medicine and law.

Although it was not intention to join the ministry, he changed his mind under the mentorship of Morehouse’s president, Dr. Benjamin Mays, an influential theologian and outspoken activist for racial equality. After graduating in 1948, King went to Crozer Theological Seminary 17 The focus JANUARY 2016

in Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree. He also won an esteemed fellowship and was elected president of his predominantly white senior class. King then enrolled in a graduate program at Boston University.

He completed his coursework in 1953 and earned a doctorate in systematic theology in 1955.

While he was in Boston he met Coretta Scott (1927-2006), a young singer from Alabama who was studying at the New England Conservatory of Music. They were married in 1953 and moved to Montgomery, Alabama, where Dr. King became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. They had four children: Yolanda Denise King (1955-2007), Martin Luther King III (born 1957), Dexter

Scott King (born 1961) and Bernice Albertine King (born 1963).

The King family had only been living in Montgomery for less than a year when this highly segregated city became the focal point of the escalating struggle for civil rights in America, which was stimulated by the landmark Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Decision of 1954. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks (1913-2005), secretary of the local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chapter, refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery bus and was arrested. In 1955, he was recruited to serve as spokesman for the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which was a campaign by the African-American

population of Montgomery, Alabama to force integration of the city’s bus lines.

Most people do not realize this but it took 381 days of Montgomery, Alabama’s black population working together. These people made huge personal sacrifices, many had to walk miles every day to and from work. After such a show of unity, the U.S. Supreme Court finally ruled that racial segregation in transportation was unconstitutional.

his assassination in 1968. (Its motto was “Not one hair of one head of one person should be harmed.”)

As SCLC president, Martin Luther King Jr. would travel across the country and around the world, giving lectures on nonviolent protest and civil rights. He also met with religious figures, activists and political leaders.

In 1959, during a month-long trip to India, he met with family members and followers of Gandhi, the man he In 1957, Dr. King describes in his auwas elected presitobiography as “the dent of the Southern guiding light of our Christian Leadertechnique of nonviship Conference olent social change.”

(SCLC), an organiKing also authored zation that was start- several books and ed to help provide articles during this new leadership for time. the quickly expanding civil rights In 1960 King moved movement. He his family to Atlanta, would serve as head where he joined his of the SCLC until father as co-pastor

of the Ebenezer Baptist Church. This new position did not deter King and his SCLC co-workers from becoming the key players in many of the most significant civil rights battles of the 1960s.

In 1963, he led a multitude of the various civil rights groups in a nonviolent campaign that focused on Birmingham, Alabama, which was known at the time as the “most segregated city in America.”

The horrible brutality of that city’s police, was captured for the world to see through television imagery showing the continual assault of young blacks by the police using dogs and water hoses.

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rights legislation.

While being arrested and detained during this campaign Dr. King drafted the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” This letter or manifesto encompasses Dr. King’s philosophy and tactics and is required-reading in many universities worldwide.

August 28th, 1963, Dr. King was just one of many driving forces behind the March for Jobs and Freedom, which is now simply known as the “March on Washington.” This march brought in over a quarter-million people to the national mall. This is the place where Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, which flagged him as a social change leader and was a catalyst that helped inspire the nation to act on civil rights. Dr. King 19 The focus JANUARY 2016

was later named Time magazine’s “Man of the Year.”

was supposed to get rid of legalized racial segregation in the United States. The In 1964, at 35 years legislation made it old, Dr. Martin Luillegal to discrimither King, Jr. became nate against blacks the youngest person or other minorities to win the Nobel in hiring, public acPeace Prize. Many commodations, edfelt that is accepucation or transportance speech in Oslo, tation, areas which Norway is one of at the time were still the most powerful very segregated in remarks ever delivmany places. ered at this event. It was highlighted by The next year, 1965, the often-quoted Congress went on phrase “I believe that to pass the Voting unarmed truth and Rights Act, the 15th unconditional love Amendment, which will have the final was an equally-imword in reality. This portant set of laws is why right temthat got rid of the porarily defeated is remaining barriers stronger than evil to voting for Afritriumphant.” can-Americans, who in some cities, states Also in 1964, some had been almost tosay partially because tally disenfranchised. of the March on This legislation was Washington (rethe result of the Selmember it was the ma to Montgomery, March for Jobs and AL March for Voting Freedom), Congress Rights lead by Dr. passed the Civil King.

Rights Act, which

From 1965 through 1968, Dr. King’s attention moved to economic justice. He leading several campaigns in Chicago, Illinois. He strove for international peace on which he stood up for by speaking out against the Vietnam War. His work during this time ended up being the “Poor Peoples Campaign,” which was a wide reaching effort to bring together a multiracial partnership of underprivileged Americans who would work together for economic change.

death, riots swept through major cities across the United States. President Johnson declared a national day of mourning. James Earl Ray (19281998), an escaped convict and a known racist, had pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to 99 years in prison.

He later retracted his confession and gained some unlikely supporters, including members of the King family, before his death in 1998.

A campaign was started so that a holiday would be endorsed to honor his birthday. After the first bill was introduced, trade unions lead the campaign for the federal holiday. It was finally endorsed in 1976. After receiving support from the musician Stevie Wonder with his single “Happy Birthday” and having a petition with six million signatures, the bill became law in 1983 when President Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) Always remembered: signed a bill creatLater in 1968, Mrs. ing a U.S. federal Coretta Scott King- holiday in honor of On the evening of Dr. King’s widow, Dr. King. Martin April 4, 1968, Dr. officially founded the Luther King Day King was fatally shot Martin Luther King, was first observed in while standing on Jr. Center for Nonvi- 1986, although it was the balcony of the olent Social Change. not being respected Lorraine Motel in She wanted it to be in all states until the Memphis, Tennessee a “living memorial” year 2000. where he had travintended to contineled to give supue Dr. King’s work Martin Luther King port to a sanitation on important social Day, also known as workers’ strike. In problems around the Martin Luther King’s the response to his world. birthday and Martin The focusJANUARY 2016

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Luther King Jr Day, has been combined with other days in different states.

Such as: In Arizona and New Hampshire-it is combined with Civil Rights Day In Idaho it is observed with Human Rights Day In Wyoming legislature designated Martin Luther King Jr/Wyoming Equality Day This may be a bit puzzling or even like a backhanded slap but in some states it is combined with Robert E. Lee’s birthday

colleges close but others stay open and teach their students about the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. Small companies, such as grocery stores and restaurants tend to be open, although a growing number are choosing to close on this day. Some compensate by opening on Washington’s Birthday instead.

Recent federal legislation are encouraging Americans to volunteer some of their time on Martin Luther King Day working with citizen action groups.

For most people, it Public transit sysis seen as a day to tems may or may promote equal rights not operate on their for all Americans, regular schedule. regardless of their background.

Martin Luther King Non-essential Day is a federal holiGovernment depart- day held on the third ments are closed, as Monday of January. are many corporations.

Awards received Some schools and posthumously: 21 The focus JANUARY 2016

Presidential Medal of Freedom (1977) Congressional Gold Medal (2004) Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, Nobel Peace Prize lecture and “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” are among the most revered orations and writings in the English language.

His accomplishments are now being taught to American school children of all races, and his teachings are studied all over the world by scholars and students alike. Let it be known that he is the only non-president to have a national holiday dedicated in his honor. Let it be known that he is the only non-president honored on the Great Mall in the nation’s capital.

He is remembered through hundreds of statues, parks,

streets, squares, churches and other public facilities around the world as a leader whose teachings are still important to the development of the human race.

Below is a portion of speech that most people do not know about and the topic Dr. King was warned not to speak about: Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen: I need not pause to say how very delighted I am to be here tonight, and how very delighted I am to see you expressing your concern about the issues that will be discussed tonight by turning out in such large numbers. I also want to say that I consider it a great honor to share this program with Dr. Bennett, Dr. Commager, and Rabbi Heschel, and some

of the distinguished leaders and personalities of our nation.

And of course it’s always good to come back to Riverside church. Over the last eight years, I have had the privilege of preaching here almost every year in that period, and it is always a rich and rewarding experience to come to this great church and this great pulpit.

I come to this magnificent house of worship tonight because my conscience leaves me no other choice. I join you in this meeting because I’m in deepest agreement with the aims and work of the organization which has brought us together: Clergy and Laymen Concerned About Vietnam. The recent statements of your executive committee are the sentiments of my own heart, and I

found myself in full accord when I read its opening lines: “A time comes when silence is betrayal.”

And that time has come for us in relation to Vietnam.

By Sister Love

We challenge all of our reader to look up this speech and read/listen to it in its entirety.

You will find it at: http://www.americanrhetoric. com/speeches/mlkatimetobreaksilence.htm We will close out with a few quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

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SHOP

TALK Happy New Year!

​ anks to the weather, customers Th are still making appointments and keeping the stylist’s and barbers rolling in the dough!

the past. However, I think that setting goals is a much more effective way of change. Goals should be S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Accountable, Realistic, and Time specific). This leaves room for set-backs without causing us to just give up. In addition, the first step to taking action to any change is to “write the vision, and make it plain, so that they who read it may run” Habakkuk 2:2. So how about we resolve to be better, do better this year, beginning with the way start a thing. Remember, the race isn’t given to the swift or the strong, but to he that

Unlike the usual “New Year” Shop endureth! talk, customers, generally speaking, are not into the whole ‘New Year Uplift, Inspire & Be love!

Resolution thing’. Maybe because after all of this time, we finally realized that 9 times out of 10, these resolutions usually only last for a few months at best. Even those participating in the Daniel’s Fast; (A 21 day fast, including a limited diet of only fruits, vegetables and water, as Daniel did; Daniel 10:2,3), plan to continue the diet throughout the year.....I’ve never seen it Inspirational Speaker happen, I’m just saying. Please don’t get me wrong, the beginning of the year is a great time for self-evaluation and commitments that will lead to greater results than those achieved (or not achieved) in

Lenai Clegg

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National Healthy Weight Awareness Month: According to the US Public Health, January is National Healthy Weight Awareness Month. This is quite fitting since a popular New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight, eat healthy, get in shape – just be a healthier you! And why not? We could all manage our health better. So, what is stopping you? What keeps you from sticking with the program?

The Center for Disease Control reports that nearly 35% or 78.6 million American adults (age 19 and up) and about 17% or 12.7 million American children (age 2-19) are considered to be obese. These statistics are staggering and in spite of all the public health announcements and programs offered to help this epidemic, it would appear that Americans still struggle with healthy weight. Being overweight or obese carries many risk factors. It compromises cardiovascular health, could lead to the development of diabetes, not to mention the emotional and psychological issues that contribute to the struggle and must be addressed in the map to a healthier you.

A recent study done with people attempting to lose weight, researchers determined there were two major barriers to sticking to a healthy weight loss plan – “self struggles” which focused on the individual’s difficulties in changing food habits, health problems, lack of self-control and insecurity about dieting success; and “struggles” which centered on difficulties implementing a diet, both for social reasons like an unsupportive spouse and food-focused reasons such as cravings and the cost of buying healthy food choices. I believe these are universal across cultures. If you identify with these barriers there is hope! Along with this study and others, there are a couple of things you can do. (1) Find a health and wellness coach that can help you create a plan that will address all factors from self to environmental to an actual diet consistent with meals and purchasing the right foods so you don’t have to figure it out on your own. (2) Engage a fitness coach or someone that will hold you accountable to your fitness goal – popularly known as “accountability buddy”. (3) Take it one day at a time. It is so important that you do not get ahead of your plan but stick with it daily.

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LIKE US ON @Popworldart 29The focus JANUARY 2016

January is known for

Cervical Health Awareness Month National Birth Defects Prevention National Glaucoma Awareness Month National Radon Action Month Thyroid Awareness Month National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month National Folic Acid Awareness Week (second week of January) National Stalking Awareness Month Weight Loss Awareness Month National Codependency Awareness Month National Mentoring Month Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month Healthy Weight Week Poverty Awareness Month Mentoring Month National Blood Donor Month National Braille Literacy Month National Hobby Month National Staying Healthy Month

January 16th – National Religious Freedom Day January 18th – Martin Luther King Jr. Day (3rd Monday in January)

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Those Making it Happen

BEAST

Pacc Butler

Funded and produced “Young Bulls” Chicago Gang Violence documentary

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Beauty Multi-talented while remaining truly unique,

Anhayla (Ahn-hay-lah), a Virginia native, is a

songstress, writer and guitarist whose sounds have captured the heart and minds of her fans. If you need proof, ask her 61,000 plus subscribers on YouTube with a page that has over 9 million views.

She has performed nationwide at such places as Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Carpenter Center in Richmond, Virginia, the French Embassy in Washington D.C, The Richmond Jazz Festival, the 102nd NAACP National Convention in Los Angeles, and numerous Universities. Anhayla was chosen to showcase as a featured BET Music Matters artist in New York City.

The sound that is Anhayla is an infusion of Soul, Rock, Rhythm and Blues but she herself likes to say, “I just take a little bit from every genre and put it into my music. I sing about life so I try not to put myself in a box.” She is a producer, songwriter, and musician endorsed by crafter guitars.

Anhayla’s works include her single “If i Was” (2013), LP “If i Was” (2012), her EP “U.G.L.Y.” (2012), and her single “Call Me Selfish” (2011) Anhayla’s star is one to watch, as she will shine bright in this world.

Want More Anhayla? Go to anhayla.com and follow her Or check her out on @anhayla Instagram Facebook AnhaylaMusic

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GET A JUMPSTART ON

2016

T H G I R E H T WAY!!

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DIET

Eat less processed foods and drink more water.

Relax!! We are not telling you to lose weight, just telling you to be aware of what you are eating.

Too many of us are eating far too many refined carbohydrates, preservatives and additives. When we start reducing these items from our diet, it is almost assured that there will a boost of energy.

We need to choose foods that work well with our bodies not foods that impair our immune system.

Increasing our water intake will help us both physically and emotionally. Every part of our body is dependent on water.

Calculate how much water you need by doing the following: First thing you need to know is your weight. Then you will multiply your weight by 2/3 (or 67%) to determine how much water to drink daily. For example, if you weighed 175 pounds you would multiple that by 2/3, now you know you should be drinking about 117 ounces of water every day. Eat nutritious meals as well as organic fruit and vegetables.

Example: 175 x .67=117.25 Silence is golden!

Make room in your schedule to think!

Our bodies are the most awesome machines created and yet we abuse them in ways we would never do our vehicles. Learning to relax is the same as rebooting your computer or charging the battery of your car.

We need this time so that we can clear our minds to continue working on our goals.

Allow yourself between 20 minutes – 30 minutes every day with no interruptions.

Learn the meanings of the following: Total resting means sleep Passive rest means something your body is not actively involved in, but you are consciously aware of Active rest means light activity So, how will we accomplish this? Try spending 20 minutes meditating or doing a mindful activity such as yoga, or Tai chi. How about this one? Go to bed 30 minutes earlier normal for extra total rest.

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Let’s Move It! Be more active.

Move it or lose it. Nothing truer was ever said. We were not designed to sit behind a desk, we are designed to move. Our bodies are supposed to be bending, arching, striding, lifting, running etc.

When we exercise responsibly, 30 minutes-60 minutes may be enough to maintain good health.

If you’re just getting started, however, it’s important you don’t exercise too hard, too soon.

We should spend 30 to 60 minutes a day exercising, which including warming-up and stretches. Write it into your schedule. Start with a low-intensity exercises such as walking, tai chi, yoga or swimming, then as your muscles get stronger work your way into more intense workouts. Not sure what to do? Get a personal trainer.

Happy Thoughts!

Define and respect your core values.

The core values are the guiding principles that dictate behavior and action. Core values can help people to know what is right from wrong; they can help companies to determine if they are on the right path and fulfilling their business goals; and they create an unwavering and unchanging guide.

Unhappiness is often the result of making decisions that coincide with your values about work, health, private time, family and friends.

Making bad decisions causes stress, and chronic levels of stress can show up physically as excess fat, fatigue, anxiety and diarrhea.

When the body is in a constant state of flight or fight, it holds onto fat because it thinks it will need that excess reserve of energy.

Ask yourself what value do you place on your health, personal time, work and the community you live in? Use your new sense of self to decide how to spend your time and money. Don’t feel ashamed to ask yourself – how will this move help me get closer to my goal? It may not, it may just be the right thing to do. Most decisions may just be the right thing for you to do. Doing right and achieving one’s goals can go hand in hand, it just might take you a little longer to get there.

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FOCUSED

WE ARE EVERYWHERE WE ARE EVERYWHERE WE ARE EVERYWHERE

RADIO Nufocus October 2015