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Increasingly, I work with leaders who use design thinking, agile development, and other innovation-growing methodologies. In my experience these tools are at their most potent when used by highly self-aware people.

No matter what methods or techniques your organisation uses to increase innovative capabilities, individuals, teams and leaders all benefit that much more when they are operating from a place of higher self-awareness.

Self-aware employees are sure of their strengths and gifts in any situation, can guard against unconscious biases, and know how to bring everyone else along with them in their quest for innovative success.

Self-aware people also understand why others are different to them, and find it easier to have empathy for those whose shoes theyve never walked in.

No matter what role people hold, or which problem theyve been asked to creatively solve, there are a range of ways in which they can access their spirit of innovation and bring a fresh perspective to even the oldest problems.

Open your mind with empathy

When we think through a problem, we need to put ourselves in the shoes of the person who will become the end user.

What will they need? What problems do they need help solving? What will the potential solution feel like or look like, how will it work or be accessed?

Self-awareness is our strongest tool. We must use it to empower ourselves to build a career and a life thats designed for who we are and how we want to live

These kinds of questions are a great jumping-off point when youre looking for an innovative solution to a business challenge.

Exercise idea: Find someone who is an opposite type of person to you and ask each other a series of questions around a topic or subject matter; dig a bit deeper on their answers and later you can consider what was similar and different about the answers you both gave. Great for limbering up your empathy!

Good communication makes great collaboration

Part of self-awareness is knowing both how you communicate, and how well you communicate. Having the best ideas in the world will get you nowhere if you dont land them well with the others in the room.

Knowing who youre talking to, and what theyll need from you in order to get behind your idea is key; how you pitch your idea to the team will be the thing that makes it stand or fall.

Exercise idea: To give everyone an opportunity to input into idea generation and conversation you need to be aware of the preferences of everyone involved.

Some people will happily speak up, others will appreciate solo reflection time, others will enjoy interactive exercises.

Make it your job to find out what motivates other people, and make space for their communication style too.

Look back and learn

Simply landing on a solution and implementing it well isnt the end of the process. We should all be lifelong learners.

Part of the innovation process is reflecting on how you showed up as the project unfolded the good, the bad, and the ugly.

There should never be an end-point in your journey of self-awareness, and looking at how you perform in an innovative environment can be one of the steeper parts of the learning curve.

Exercise idea: Ask for feedback from others on how they saw you perform. How do they think you could be even more effective? What could you stop, start, and continue doing?

If youre truly honest with yourself, do you have blind spots in your perception of your performance?

Use your failures to move you forward

Much like innovation, self-awareness isnt something you are going to get right every time. We should take every failure as an opportunity to learn and improve.

In both innovation and self-awareness, we can be clear on what success looks like for us. Whether its a project output or a successful meeting, having a good understanding of this can help you assess whether you achieved it or not.

Exercise idea: Create a journal of failures or feedback that indicates room for improvement. Reflect on these how can you improve next time? What will you learn from this?

Go back and note how you iterated your approach to overcome this failure the next time; was it more successful?

These self-awareness techniques can be used or repeated at any stage of the innovation process. Self-awareness is our strongest tool. We must use it to empower ourselves not only in an innovative environment, but to build a career and a life thats designed for who we are and how we want to live.

About the author

Kim Anderson is a designer for Insights

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Self-awareness: an indispensable tool when it comes to innovation - Training Journal

Kobe Bryants airballs in the final game of his rookie season drew derision and added kindling to the perception that he should have gone to college. Those misses were the first of many public failures throughout his 20-year NBA career, and his response to adversity was the same in those early years as it was when he got older.

[ The different eras of Kobe Bryant: Kobe the rookie ]

He endeavored toward self-improvement, undeterred by swirling narratives. He had gone from playing 35 games as a senior at Lower Merion High School where he was always the most physically imposing player on the court to 71 games as a rookie in a league of full-grown men. He devoted more time to his conditioning the following offseason to prepare for that grind.

Strengthened legs provided a foundation for the increased burden he would be asked to shoulder in the 1997-98 season. Lakers head coach Del Harris promoted him to the sixth man role, where he was asked to back...

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The different eras of Kobe Bryant: The youngest All-Star starter in NBA history - The Athletic

In my minds eye, I can see him squaring up on an isolated defender, out near the free-throw line. He leads with a jab step, feinting a drive that was, even in his final years, still quick enough to streak by people. Bryants man would bite and backpedal a step, enough to give him room for a shot. But Bryant always wanted more. More touches. More shots. More championships. Hed spin away from the basket for more space and gather the ball, all in one fluid sequence, his one-man ballet fooling the defender into thinking it would end with Bryant reclining into one of his patented fadeaways. But this, too, was a fake. By the time the defender recognized the ruse, he was already midair, having lunged forward to block a fadeaway that would never come. Meanwhile, Bryant was pivoting toward the basket for an easy 12-footer. That was the thing about Bryant: He always seemed to have one more pivot.

In recent years, an aura of legend has surrounded Bryant, one that will only grow now, given the tragic circumstances of his death. But he wasnt always as widely beloved as yesterdays outpouring would suggest. When Bryant entered the league, he was seen as self-consumed. In those naive years before social media, his obsession with his own narrative of destined greatness felt both novel and off-putting. But he was still growing up, still in his teens, still in possession of his own fandoms, expressed most poignantly by his mimicry of Michael Jordans physical tics, down to the loping movements of the elder mans gait (and least poignantly by his Jordan-esque cruelty to teammates).

When Bryants feud with Shaquille ONeal broke into public in 2000, during their first championship run, it was easy to side with the big man, who seemed more at ease with himself, especially for a fan base whod grown up on Magics smile. By comparison, Bryant came off as calculated. He seemed like basketballs answer to Mark Zuckerberg. Some suspected that his carefully controlled demeanor concealed something more sinister, a suspicion that seemed prophetic in 2003, when Bryant was charged with felony sexual assault in Colorado.

The facts on record from that night in Colorado arent great for Bryant, and they must be looked at, squarely: After a brief encounter in Bryants hotel room, a 19-year-old front-desk clerk left with a bruise on her jaw and bloodherson her clothing and Bryants. The next day, a rape exam would reveal vaginal injuries. In the run-up to trial, Bryants legal team would make much of her sexual history. The case was dropped just days before opening arguments when the woman, who later received a settlement in a separate civil case, refused to testify.

Its hard to know how the Colorado incident, as Bryant coolly described it in a 2014 New Yorker profile, would have played out in todays media environment. After the charges were filed, he lost many of his sponsors, but Nike stuck around, and in time others came back. By the decades end, journalists had mostly stopped asking him about the alleged assault, except as a means to frame his comeback. Even as late as 2018, when Bryant won an Oscar at an Academy Award ceremony that was haunted by that years #MeToo scandals, he managed to avoid a sustained public relitigation of the case.

Continue reading here:
Kobe Bryants Unfinished Business - The Atlantic

YOU Season 3: Netflix Release Date, Cast, And What To Expect From New Season

There is something very captivating about Netflix U. Completely adapted from the series of books of the same name by the American author Caroline Kepnes, she invites us to the mind of the primordial psychopath Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley).

Although a program with such a theme should be more controversial, you are a great success among the public on Netflix. After being abandoned by the Lifetime cable network in the US In the US, Netflix bought the program at the end of 2018.

Season 3 was announced on January 14, with a production tax credit of more than $ 7 million to renew for another series. We will continue to explore the twisted lives of Joe and his new partner, Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti), after a wildly unexpected ending in season 2, then we will reveal when Season 3 is broadcast on Netflix, and summarize everything. What do we know about the next set of episodes so far?

Netflix has not confirmed an exact release date for Season 3 of YOU, but when news of the renewal appeared on TVLine, it was revealed that 10 new episodes would arrive in 2021. The official Twitter page for the program posted an ironic video to Early January, which read New Year, New Tum, a beautiful drama about the pseudo comment of self-improvement in the second season of Yu.

While condemning viewers for a full year before they can check back with Joe and Love, its good to know that a new season is happening at an age when Netflix is broadcasting its The original is not afraid of canceling the show

As it is not known till now when the production will begin in season 3, there is only confirmation of two returning cast members: Badgley will return as Joe and Victoria Pedretti as Love.

The continued presence of Loves Joe in life was something very definitive about how the second season ended, in a very unholy union with the couple (plus what that turn means for season 3 below). Hopefully, we will also see the return of an extended season of Quinns family and friends from season 2.

It is likely to be established in Los Angeles in the foreseeable future. With the tax incentives mentioned above for production in California and the closing season of the second season that saw how life adapted to live in an idyllic suburban home, it is safe to assume that the third season replaces the change of season. It wont be like the tickets for the second season of New York.

In season 2, they entered the melodrama of the books, revealing an extremely shocking character. When Love is forced to confront Joes true nature by her first victim, Candace, she takes the news in a way that some have seen coming: stabbing Candace in the throat.

It was the jaw of a moment, which shows that love is obsessed and inclined towards murder. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Badley provided an idea of gender policy, which shows the show challenging the darker trends of his partner.

It is not just loved that the third season is planned to be further questioned. Showrunner Sera Gamble is also planning a dark future for Joe. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gamble talked about how the end of season 2 does not indicate good things for our protagonist.

Following the revelations of Loves murder, he surprised Joe with the news that he now takes his son, securing his future with her (for now). We see two steps in the suburbs (with Loves mother in tow) and it is here that Joe spies through the fence of his new neighbor, a possible new theme of his obsessive nature.

Although their stories are very different, we learn that both carry out acts of physical and emotional abuse, as well as acts of violence at a very young age.

The final was designed to establish a much more suburban and insular world where Joe would be a complete fish out of the water. How the next season in which Joe will become a father will be an interesting element: the last two seasons have shown that he is particularly protective of the children in his life.

Badgley told TVLine that Joe and Love are not soulmates. He is afraid of him in the end. Originally, this is somehow established for Season 3, where they would be the enemy of the other. You Season 3 has a lot of potential content to explore.

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YOU Season 3: Netflix Release Date, Cast, And What To Expect From New Season - The Digital Weekly

From getting fit to getting all As, students and visitors at Texas A&M University-San Antonio recently shared their New Years resolutions and goals for the semester. Mesquite reporters conducted interviews around campus Jan. 15.

Students strengthen faith, health

By Andrea Rangel and Matthew R. Serna

Communication junior Dee Garca said she wants to become a better steward in her faith in 2020.

Im a Christian, she said. I havent been going to church as much as I want to, so my New Years resolution is to start going to church and to start praying more.

Garca said she has started to pray more but has not begun her habit of going to church yet.

She attends Pearl Street Church at the Pearl near downtown San Antonio.

Cheyanna Ramsey said she plans to stay sober and stay away from alcohol.

Ramsey, who recently completed nursing school, was visiting campus this month while her mother attended class.

My family struggles with alcoholism on my dads side so its like, let me kind of break the chain for a little bit, she said in an interview on the second floor of the Central Academic Building.

Ramsey said she discovered she is allergic to beer.

Another reason why I kept my resolution is because I went into anaphylactic shock.

Anaphylactic shock is when a person has a severe allergic reaction to things such as foods, insect bites or certain medications, according to WebMD.

I ended up almost dying that night, and I was like, Oh yeah, I should try not to drink anymore, she said.

Ramsey plans to spend more time with her goddaughter and keep her friends aware that she can be their sober babysitter when they are out.

Im also just telling my friends, Hey, Im only drinking water and Red Bull, she said.

Students actively pursue fitness goals

By Onassis Figueroa and Amber Mayt Villarreal

Kinesiology junior James Otholt has a New Years resolution of getting in better shape and eating healthier.

He plans to go to the universitys gym in the morning before his classes begin and make adjustments to his diet. He enjoys vegetables and burritos.

Otholt also enjoys outdoor activities including biking, hiking, camping and intramural sports such as flag football and soccer.

I just like being outdoors, said Otholt, a front desk staff member at the universitys gym.Finance junior Daniella Aldaba said she hopes to be consistently active.

Aldaba joined Golds Gym in mid-December to prepare for the challenge.

I believe I can do anything I set my mind to, she said. It is going to take a lot of determination, and Im going to need motivation.

Aldaba wants to exercise at least three times per week and include meal prepping as a part of her daily ritual.

I want to feel like Im doing something good for myself. This is the perfect chance to start.

Success through studying

By Ava L. Palacios and Dana Michea Marquez

Computer science junior Leonard Gonzalez said he has never been a bad student but wants to keep improving.

That means keeping up with assignments, planning, balancing work and school better, he said in an interview in a STEM study room.

Gonzalez wants to improve his grades from B- and B+ to As to help him in his future career as a coder.

I think this will help me with job assignments and planning, Gonzalez said.

Biology sophomore Esmeralda Solis said she will be the first in her family to earn a bachelors degree and become an orthopedic doctor.

To help reach that goal, she plans to get As this semester.

Solis said a personal experience inspired her interest in studying medicine.

I had a small accident and I really like what they did, she said of an orthopedic surgeon who treated her at Brooke Army Medical Center. I was riding an ATV. Somehow, one of the parts on it got loose or wasnt put on right. The part cut my left inner bottom part of my calf.

The doctor at BAMC not only stitched her up; he also sparked her desire to pursue an M.D.

He explained why he wanted to be an orthopedic doctor, Solis said. He talked to me about his schooling and how he practiced. I took an interest in it. Also, I had many visits with the doctor for about two and a half to three months.

Student believes in year-round improvement

By Hannah Richards

Education senior Roxanne Saunders strives to be a year-round go-getter.

She said she doesnt believe in New Years resolutions but believes self-improvement is something people should focus on no matter the time of year.

I dont do New Years resolutions because theyre normally just a Band-Aid, Saunders said during an interview in the Central Academic Building. I always try to set goals that are attainable and will have an outcome when Im done.

Saunders has tried New Years resolutions, but noticed they never got her to where she wanted to be.

I used to do New Years resolutions with dieting, but it was more like yo-yo dieting. I didnt want that for myself anymore, she said.

Excerpt from:
Out with the old, in with the New Year's resolutions | Texas A&M University-San Antonio | TAMUSA - The Mesquite

Weve all been theretrying to remember an actors name, which is right on the tip of your tongue, only to hopelessly give in to Googles promise of a quick, correct answer. What about pacing around the house in a hurry, desperately trying to remember where you left your keys? Its incredibly frustrating to feel like your brain isnt working to its fullest potential. Luckily, there are ways to keep the mind sharp and strong, improving things like memory and recall speedsomething that becomes increasingly vital as we age.

Meditation is often referred to as exercise for the brain, training your focus and attention to be more present and mindful of tasks. Doctors have found that routinely engaging in meditation may help to reduce the thinning of the prefrontal cortex, which can keep memory loss and impaired concentration at bay.

After pulling an all-nighter or spending a night tossing and turning, trying to function quickly and effectively the following day is always difficult. Thats because sleep helps your brain work faster and more accurately, giving your neurons a break from the activities of yesterday, and preparing them for the stimuli of tomorrow. One City University of New York study showed that students who got inadequate sleep chose simpler math problems than those who slept well, meaning they were more likely to pass up difficult tasks, which is not exactly a promising way to get ahead. Sleep also improves memory attention, and the brain is actually better at establishing memories when youre not awake.

Weve all heard the phrase brain food or been urged to eat a balanced breakfast before a big meeting or exam. While theres no single food that holds the key to a strong mind, nutritionists urge that one of the most important strategies for maintaining a sharp brain is to follow a nutrition plan filled with fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Certain foods, like berries, fatty fish, and leafy greens, are particularly helpful in improving overall brain health and cultivating mental function. To reap the full brain-powering benefits of a healthy diet, stay consistentthis will ensure the memory and mood boost that nourishing foods promise.

As kids and young adults, school requires us to continually develop our brain and improve the critical thinking skills required to expand brain power. But, as we age, were often less exposed to the kind of cognitive tasks that we encounter in school. This can make us more susceptible to conditions like dementia, making consistent brain stimulation as important as physical health. Many adults choose to continue their education in order to both develop their academic abilities and keep their minds sharp. Scientists have called it a fantastic tool for overall health and consider it a primary factor for brain health specifically. Consider joining a book club, taking classes at your local community college, or signing up for a foreign language course.

Though its recent popularity in the self-improvement field has positioned brain training as another fad, its fundamental to the maintenance of cognitive skills throughout life. Brain training helps with skills like attention, memory, problem solving, reading, and psychosocial functioning. Often used by psychologists and occupational therapists, the exercises include puzzle games like crosswords and sudoku, reading, writing, playing an instrument, and cooking a new recipe.

Our minds are the most powerful tool we have, deserving of respect and proper care. Prioritizing our brain power ensures we honor our greatest asset, helping us to stay sharp, clever, and high-functioning.

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Five ways to improve brain power - PhillyVoice.com

As we close out 2019, Latter-day Saints the world over are scratching our heads about what the heck to do with the Book of Revelation, which is our scripture topic for December.

As you read Revelation 1222, look for parallels between what John saw and what you see in todays world, says this weeks curriculum for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Seek spiritual guidance to help you find personal lessons as you immerse yourself in Johns symbolic language.

According to biblical scholar Timothy Beal in "The Book of Revelation: A Biography," this confusion makes contemporary Latter-day Saints pretty much like all Christians everywhere in every age. And yet despite our inability to fathom pictorial images of red dragons and women clothed with the sun, Christians have tended to find in Revelation whatever we want, based on the biases of our own time and place. What makes Revelation successful for this purpose is also what makes it bewildering to read: Its so fragmented and heavily symbolic that wildly divergent groups in every age can read themselves into the text.

We seem to use it for two basic purposes.

First, we position our own particular religious stories in the text and place ourselves in the tiny minority of the human race who are depicted in Revelation as doing stuff right. Somehow, the readers who claim to have unlocked the Book of Revelation are always among the 144,000 elect people who get saved, not the other 108 billion or so hoi polloi who have ever walked the earth. For Latter-day Saints, this tendency also means that we interpret the angel in Revelation 14 as referring to Moroni unveiling the truth to Joseph Smith, and we see Revelation 7 as prophesying the restoration of the gospel (to us, conveniently enough!) in the latter days. We become the heroes of the text. And, in doing this, we are utterly typical of Revelations other readers throughout history.

The second thing is that people weaponize Revelation to other the groups that disagree with us, whether its Luther pinning a papal tiara on the unidentified whore of Babylon or Americans in the 1980s noting with glee that Ronald plus Wilson plus Reagan evoked the number 666. Im glad to see that the Latter-day Saint curriculum doesnt fully go there there are no attempts to pinpoint the identity of the beast or call out the deficiencies of other churches. But it does leave the door open for Sunday school classes and families to have that conversation, as the curriculum asks, What thoughts do your family members have about the deceiving beast? How do we detect and avoid deceptions we see in the world today?

What the church curriculum generally attempts to do with Revelation is a fascinating reflection of our own me-centered, therapeutic era: the Bibles most controversial book becomes a road map for each persons own spiritual growth. This approach manifestly does not work, but I have to admire the attempt, given how disastrous some of the other interpretive directions could have been.

For example, the section discussing the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 23 is headlined Jesus Christ knows me personally and will help me overcome my challenges. Instead of those chapters narrating a cosmic good-and-evil throwdown about which churches are bad and which are beloved, per the original, this regards the letters as self-improvement vehicles along the lines of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Its all about the individual believer pluckily trying to become a better person. (The curriculum also claims that the seven individual churches represented each branch of the church in Johns day, reflecting a centralized and thereby anachronistic misunderstanding of the autonomous chaos that was first-century Christianity, but ... whatever. Thats hardly the only historical issue here, since the curriculum also conflates the author of Revelation, John of Patmos, with the person who wrote the Gospel of John and the three letters of John.)

To transform Revelation from apocalyptic literature to self-help, the curriculum needs to defang the violence of the text, and it does this quite successfully. Here there be no dragons. The lessons do not talk about how God deploys angels to wipe out humans in new and ever-more-creative ways. The curriculums version of Revelation has no beheadings, no lake of fire, no plagues, no moon turned to blood, no rivers poisoned by God in order to kill us, no giant locusts with the tails of scorpions and the hair of women. In fact there are few references to Revelations many terrifying, lethal hybrid monsters. That whole petrifying section around Revelation 9 or so is dispatched in one summary paragraph that once again brings our focus back to individual self-improvement: As you read about the events John prophesied and watch some of them unfold, what are you inspired to do to better prepare yourself and your family for the Second Coming?

In other words, add more pinto beans to your years supply of food storage.

Like I said, Im actually grateful that the curriculum writers chose to go in this gently domesticated direction given the other possibilities at their disposal. (Whom do you think the Lord should consign to the Lake of Fire? Why or why not? is not a conversation Id like to have with fellow church members.)

There is more ink given here to the new heaven and the new earth of Revelation 2122 than there is attention to the disquieting chapters that lead up to it, which are largely about how God scorched the original earth beyond recognition in the first place. The curriculum offers material about God wiping every tear from our eyes but is silent about the earlier chapters in which God is the one who gave us every reason to weep when he sent, for example, a plague to wipe out all creatures in the sea or commissioned his angels to cut down human beings in our tracks with giant sickles. Its hard to know what to do with that.

So, how might we teach and think about this strange, dangerous book? Heres one strategy the Latter-day Saint curriculum suggests trying that Beal has experimented with profitably with his university students: Draw pictures of what you read about in Revelation.

I like this idea. This particular book of the Bible is not merely a text, Beal says, and thats not just because there were more than 300 manuscript versions of Revelation floating around in the first few centuries of Christianity before the canon was fixed and this book quite improbably, given its unveiled and totally impolitic criticisms of the Roman Empire that gathered the canon squeaked into place as the New Testaments culminating book. Its because Revelation is highly visual and experiential, a multimedia constellation of images and stories that are intended to evoke feelings more than to explicate doctrine.

A Gospel Doctrine class in which 20 people drew their interpretation of the same passage of this book would yield 20 completely different artistic understandings. And they would all be, in their own ways, correct. What could possibly be more reflective of our own era?

The views expressed in this opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.

See more here:
Jana Riess: What do Latter-day Saints do with the Book of Revelation? - Salt Lake Tribune

What are the market pressures investors need to be ready for in the new year, and how can they improve their portfolios while at the same time possibly improve the world?

By Will Lofland, Director and Head of Intermediary Distribution | GuideStone Funds December 20, 2019 Contact Me

As we near the new year, setting resolutions will be on the minds of many. Feeling in need of a fresh start, many individuals create goals for themselves centered around weight loss, self-improvement and making better financial decisions.

Making better financial decisions sounds like a wise thing to do in theory, but what all does that actually entail?

For many, one of the most overlooked resolutions within that bucket revolves around investing. When it comes to your portfolio and investing techniques, its easy to set it and forget it in a sense, but its a missed opportunity not to take advantage of aligning ones resolutions with changes in your portfolio.

While investors dont need to make tweaks constantly, the new year can serve as a reminder to check in with your approach, where you are today and where you want to be over the short and long term.

As we head into 2020, here are three resolutions to consider specific to your investment portfolio:

Its no secret that 2019 saw its fair share of market volatility. In fact, many in the industry are saying that we are in the ninth inning of this bull market, so a downturn to some extent is inevitable.

While we are cautiously optimistic, there are market concerns at play including the Fed cutting rates again, geopolitical turmoil and the upcoming political season expected to dominate the headlines for the next 12 months.

While we dont recommend taking the chips off the table heading into 2020, we do recognize where the markets may go. Implementing a defensive strategy can reduce portfolio volatility while still providing long-term capital appreciation. For example, the health care and utilities sectors have a defensive nature and may be worth working into an overall allocation in the new year.

The beauty of todays market environment is that there are new ways individuals can approach their investments. For example, five to 10 years ago, investing philosophies such as SRI (socially responsible investing), ESG (environment, social and government) and faith- or values-based investing were in their infancy stages with only one or two fund families that offered niche products.

Now, with hundreds of products on the market within these arenas, investors have easier access and the ability to truly align their values with their portfolio. According to a survey conducted by Bank of America, 82% of high-net-worth investors who align with ESG portfolio choices ones backing companies that are good corporate citizens see investing as a way to directly express their personal values.

At the start of the new year, take time to determine what values define or matter to you. Are you anti-tobacco? Do you support water-preservation efforts? Do you want to avoid companies that align with gambling? Have an open dialogue with your financial professional and highlight what matters to you, and he/she can identify appropriate solutions to weave into your portfolio.

Every company has room for growth and room to make an impact. Understand that as an investor, you have the power to do more. For example, there are faith-based investment companies like GuideStone with shareholder advocacy programs that work to encourage other companies to evolve based on community and consumer preference (e.g., CVS opting to take tobacco off their shelves). The goal is to take your investing habits to the next level by engaging with companies to communicate why your values matter in your investment decisions.

With 2020 right around the corner, remember that setting resolutions for the new year is about taking a specific interest in amplifying your portfolio and making the intentional effort to adopt those changes. Over the coming weeks, work closely with your adviser to implement these resolutions and others that may be important to you.

As with any resolution, the road to success begins with the desire to change and the thoughtfulness to create a solid plan.

Will Lofland is director and head of intermediary distribution at GuideStone Funds based in Dallas, Texas. In addition, Will oversees GuideStone's shareholder advocacy strategy and represents the firm as a participant in the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility.

Comments are suppressed in compliance with industry guidelines. Click here to learn more and read more articles from the author.

This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA.

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3 Resolutions for Investing in 2020: How to Make the Most of Your Portfolio - Kiplinger's Personal Finance

Clean eating is more than a movement. Its a holistic approach to food that can lead to a tougher immune system, increased energy levels, a stronger heart, improved brain health and more. So what does eating clean for beginners look like in practiceand what does it take to reap the benefits?

Getty

What is clean eating?

According to the Mayo Clinic, clean eating describes following a whole food diet, which consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats, while limiting the consumption of processed snack foods, sweets and other packaged goods.

Healthy eating benefits

This season, you should think French green beans over French friesand for a variety of reasons. Medical News Today reports that clean eating can deliver significant health benefits, including:

Food blogger and author of Anti-Inflammatory Drinks For Health Maryea Flaherty knows quite a bit about the upside of clean eating. After her mother was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic cancer, Flaherty began researching the relationship between nutrition and diseasewhich ultimately inspired her to rework her approach to food and start a blog focused on nutrition and natural living. Today, Flaherty writes on a variety of food and wellness topics via Happy Healthy Mama.

While in the past she never made the connection between food and health, Flaherty says she now credits clean eating for contributing to the overall health of her family, including her two young children.

I have healthy kids because they have a nutrient-dense diet, says Flaherty. When you eat a lot of processed foods, you eat fewer fruits and vegetables because theres less room in your diet. Her regular family meals now include eggs, oatmeal, chicken and vegetables.

Getting started with healthy diet changes

It may be the season for eggnog, latkes and a slew of other seasonal sweets, but Flaherty has guidance for those aiming to eat clean during the holidays, and perhaps adjust their habits more permanently. Consider these quick tips if youre looking for healthy lifestyle diet changes.

Think delicious with your clean eating diet

People have preconceived notions that eating a healthy diet cant be tasty, says Flaherty. But for the healthy food advocate, nutritious combinations can please the palate, too.

Many of her featured recipes include items such as pitted dates, nuts, cocoa powder, raw honey and unsweetened shredded coconut, for instanceingredients that pack a flavorful punch without the added sugar and calories. For Flaherty, the trick is to dedicate some time to educate yourself about healthy alternatives to anything thats fried, high in sugar or packed with trans fats. Incorporate those still-tasty alternatives into your daily diet, and the easier it could be to commit long-term to a clean eating regimen.

Shop smart for your whole food diet

Clean eating begins in the grocery store, not your fridge. Consider these tips when youre shopping:

Eat organic when you meal plan for clean eating

There are plenty of advantages to eating organic foodsproducts that dont contain any pesticides, fertilizers, solvents or additives. USDA-certified organic foods are grown and processed according to strict federal guidelines that cover everything from soil quality and pest control to animal raising practices. While not everyone can afford to limit their diet to organic food, it doesnt need to limit healthier choices.

If you can afford organic, thats fantastic. Then youre getting less pesticides in your food, says Flaherty. But non-organic foods are still nutritious. So if you cant afford them, dont let that stop you from eating fresh produce.

Be kind to yourself with healthy eating lifestyle changes

Clean eating should be a life goal, not a daily obsession, says Flaherty. Theres a fine line between being conscious and trying to eat clean and becoming obsessed with healthy eating.

Cutting out sugar-laden and fatty foods can certainly improve your mood and boost your energy levels. But eliminating entire categories of food, such as carbs or grains, can be counter-productive. I try not to demonize any food groups, says Flaherty. I just eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains rather than foods that are processed.

Identifying how to start a whole food diet is all about finding balance: making smart, thoughtful choices about what to purchase and prepare while educating yourself and prioritizing self-improvementnot perfection.

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A Guide To A Clean Eating Diet Over The HolidaysAnd Why A Year-Round Regimen Makes A Difference - Forbes

The holidays are all about being kind and generous to those around you, and its definitely a vibe thats holly jolly for humanity. But this year, the universe is doubling down on all those warm, fuzzy feelings with a new moon in Capricorn.

Its all happening on December 26, and its going to draw out your holiday spirit a liiittle bit longer, says Donna Page, a certified astrologer in Atlanta. Of course, its a little more complicated than that. Heres what your sign can expect:

Backing up a sec: A new moon happens when the earth lines up with the sun, making the moon all but invisible from Earth. There are 12 new moons a year, and each is linked with a different astrological sign.

This particular new moon is vibrating with Jupiter, basically turning you into a cooler version of Santa Claus, Page says. Jupiter likes to do things up right, so youll find yourself going big on late holiday gifts (those post-Christmas discounts can be pretty deep...) for other people and, ya know, yourself.

FYI: Your Zodiac Sign Changes Every 30 Years

The new moon in Capricorn is also going to fill you up with some serious optimism. "Theres a huge feeling of expanding possibilities and hope, and a sense that you can accomplish your dreams," Page says. So, maybe 2019 wasnt your year, but 2020 can will be.

While musing on that kickass future, youre going to want to spend some solid time with your best buds. You might even start up your own Friendsmas tradition to help celebrate the people who make up your chosen family. (Come to think of it, December 26 seems like a pretty perfect day to start such an awesome tradition, right?)

To top off the cherry on that new moon sundae is a huge humanitarian vibe. Youll take a beat to think about how you can make the world a better placeand then actually do something about it. Whether that means volunteering at your local soup kitchen, fostering a shelter dog, or carrying your elderly neighbor's groceries for her, you'll be all about lending a helping hand.

The new moon in Capricorn will affect every zodiac sign, but Capricorn and Cancer will feel it the most, Page says.

Here's what your sign says about what you like in the bedroom:

Since the New Moon is sending all kinds of do-gooder energy your way, you have two options: You can roll your eyes at it and keep doing your own thing, or you can take a sec to actually think about what positive changes you can bring about.

Take option A, and life will continue on pretty much as usual. Go for option B andnot to be totally sappy, butyoull feel really, really good about where youre headed in life, and what youre contributing to the world. Tbh, neither choice is wrong, but one def gives you the chance to do a lil' self-improvementjust in time for your 2020 New Year's resolutions.

The next new moon is happening on January 24, 2020 in the sign of Aquarius. When it goes down, you might be dealing with some complicated emotions but, dont stress, its not necessarily a bad thing (maybe a slightly weird thing, because Aquarians, but not "bad").

Until then, soak up the sweet vibes of the new moon in Capricornand pay it forward.

Read more from the original source:
Decembers New Moon In Capricorn Is The Last Of The Decade And It's Bringing Good Vibes - Women's Health