Getting Paid Your Worth - 3 Big Secrets

I am grateful to my colleague Caroline Rushworth for this guest post. Caroline can be contacted at her newly launched website www.carolinerushforth.com

The topic of money is a sensitive subject which affects each of us in different ways, but the relationship we have with prosperity is down to something we all have in common: our deeply rooted beliefs and the relationship we have with ourselves.

Throughout my coaching and training experience, I have witnessed both ends of the abundance spectrum. I have seen people persevere and succeed in reaching their goals and go on to be very successful in their business or chosen career. I have also seen many fall flat on their face, walking away feeling deflated and worthless. The good news is that we can all be successful – but there are just a few things you should be aware of first.

Big Secret Number 1:
You are to blame for the relationship you have with money

When you think about your past, what stories do you tell yourself and others about your childhood and money? Do you tell people that you had abundance or scarcity? Perhaps you think about the times where there wasn’t enough food or perhaps your parents didn’t buy things for you. All of these experiences will have an impact on how you relate to money and success in the present day.

When we were young we looked to our support network of family, friends and teachers as role
models, gently absorbing their beliefs and values so we could form an identity. As we developed we began to have new experiences that were either harmonious to our growth or detrimental, causing us to form additional personal beliefs according to our experiences. A mixture of these beliefs and values form who we are today and they shape our attitude towards money as adults.

Do any of these beliefs sound familiar?

• I have to work hard to gain money
• I don’t deserve to have money
• Money causes pain and suffering
• I never have enough money
• I can’t afford to spend money
• Money never comes to me
• I always have bad luck with money
• Wealthy people are lucky
• I am not worthy of being wealthy
• Money causes arguments
• I must work in a job I dislike to have money

These are referred to as ‘limiting beliefs’: they are beliefs that we hold close but they have a negative impact on our attitude towards money. Although these limiting beliefs can feel very real and true, they cause us to feel restricted in our relationship with prosperity. The same thing applies to any negative belief you have in your mind: the more negatively you perceive something, the harder it is to be flexible to opportunities for personal change.

Your beliefs and values can change at any time, but it is down to you to transform them if you are to have a more balanced and harmonious relationship with money. We are constantly reminded that abundance and prosperity is relative to our state of mind, so if you feel that you lack or struggle to obtain money, then a bit of mind re-tuning may be in order.

To learn more about your behaviours around money, take a piece of paper and some quiet time
and write down your honest answers to the following questions:

• Describe your spending habits. Are you an impulsive spender or a careful controller?
• Do you look to material possessions to lift your mood?
• How do you react to other people’s wealth?
• Do you find yourself spewing venom at anyone who is financially better off?
• How does it make you feel to receive money – from friends, family, clients or customers?
• Do you feel any resistance to giving money out?
• How does it feel when you pay your bills?
• Would you say you are lucky or unlucky with money? Why do you think that?

Many successful entrepreneurs know what it is to live a life of poverty. Some have come from homelessness or pulled themselves out of dysfunctional family situations. But their success hasn’t been down to simple luck; they changed their attitude and created a vision for themselves. An attitude shift can happen at any moment for anyone with the right mindset.

Taking the above beliefs, you can get into a habit of changing a few words around so the beliefs no longer seem limiting. To show you how this works, here are the same old limiting beliefs reframed as empowering, positive beliefs:

OLD LIMITING BELIEFS / NEW POSITIVE BELIEFS

I have to work hard to gain money / I allow success into my life
I don’t deserve to have money / I deserve to have money
Money causes pain and suffering / Money creates happiness and joy
I never have enough money / I can have enough money if I choose to
I can’t afford to spend money / I can spend money wisely
Money never comes to me / Money is OK for me to have
I always have bad luck with money / I trust myself with money
Wealthy people are lucky / It is OK for other people to have money
I am not worthy of being wealthy / I am equal to anyone else
Money causes arguments / Money allows me freedom and choice
I must work in a job I dislike to have money / I can make money doing what I love

A simple change in how you say things in your mind or out loud has a positive impact on your
mindset. That way, you can allow the thought to come, but without the feelings of guilt that may
have accompanied it before.

Big Secret Number 2:
You are worth it, you just don’t realise it yet

If you want to be successful in your business or career, it’s not someone else’s job to create your success; it’s down to you. In addition, if you don’t believe in yourself or your product or service, why should anyone else? Whether you want to get more clients or climb the career ladder, it’s your responsibility to make it happen.

Does any of this negative self-talk sound familiar to you?

• I never get offered a pay rise
• I don’t deserve money
• They can’t afford to pay me
• I’m not worth the money
• They won’t like my product/service
• My product is not good enough
• I am not good enough
• I feel guilty asking for payment
• I am embarrassed to ask for more
• I deserve more recognition

If you added up all the time and money you’d spent on your own personal investment into your skills and knowledge and into creating your product or service, how many hours would it come to? This is something people tend to forget but it is highly relevant, whether you have your own business or you are working for someone else.

Here are some reminders to help you feel more worthy of getting the financial reward you deserve:

Your time is worth money
Whether you have dedicated some of your life to self-development, university or employment to
up-skill, remind yourself how much time throughout your life you have invested into cultivating a
skill or expertise, and that you have created something of commercial value.

Money is an energy exchange
Sometimes we can complete an energy exchange by doing something else in return, but
essentially money allows us to buy nice things and enjoy a more comfortable life. Each time
we part with our money we are investing in someone else’s livelihood, and then they invest in
someone else after that.

It’s good practice to drill down and discover what having more money would do for you. Before
he was famous, actor Jim Carey wrote himself a cheque for 10 Million Dollars for “services rendered”. He is now one of the wealthiest and most famous actors in the world! Decide on a figure of money you want to have and write down all the things you would spend the money on, so you can start to bring in the essence with your ideas.

Ask for a pay rise
All successful business owners are driven by similar values – such as money, success, achievement and leadership. Whether you work for someone who is a senior manager, director or even the CEO of a company, or you work directly for the business owner, they all have something in common: they make money for the business. Business drives the economy; it pays for our survival and gives us more freedom to do the things we want to do. Every business owner will want the best, highest performing people working for him.

If this sounds like you, ask yourself: when was the last time you had a pay rise? Similarly, when
was the last time you asked for a pay rise? Notice the difference in your neurology when you think
about asking for money as opposed to having it offered to you. There are many ways you can be
proactive in asking for a pay rise and successfully achieving it!

Give your customers what they want
An artist selling her artwork may feel that because she has a natural talent for something, she is not deserving of reasonable payment for her work. But if you were a passionate advocate of art and beautiful pictures made your house look nice and brought your family great happiness, how much would you be willing to pay for an amazing painting to grace your walls?

Customers buy your product or service because it will benefit them in some way and it will turn a
problem into a solution. They could be investing in themselves, giving a gift or helping to change the way they feel. They need and want what you have, so why keep it to yourself? Tell the world about your gift. Your skills and expertise are no use tucked away in a cupboard or stuffed to the back of your mind.

Big Secret Number 3:
Your own self-belief and confidence have an impact on your success

For most people, the essence of success manifests itself in a feeling of self-love, self-esteem or self-worth. If you say to yourself “I am successful”, how does it feel? As you acknowledge your success it
becomes easier to view yourself as successful. So, if you tend to lean more towards focusing on all the things you didn’t get right or where you made mistakes, you will view yourself as not good enough, or even as a failure.

As you bring the feeling of success into your body more frequently, this feeling will draw further success to you in every area of your life. Appreciate where you are now and focus on how far you have come already in the amazing university of life! The more you acknowledge your success, the more you will build upon it.

You can change your mindset
The way you interact with your inner world and outer world makes a big difference to how
success finds its way to you.

Logic will get you from A to Z but imagination will get you everywhere.

Albert Einstein 

Your subconscious mind is a powerful driving machine. It has complete control over your behaviours, emotions and mindset and takes you towards more of what you think about. If you’re grumpy and constantly picking out the flaws in what isn’t working in your life, your subconscious mind will take that as your reality and bring you more of it. So, if you are a natural pessimist, perhaps it’s time to consider doing something differently. You may want to start by paying attention to your own personal navigation system, also known as your emotions. Learn to listen to your mind and body because when you tune in you will notice how much energy and enthusiasm you have for the day ahead. If you’re feeling flat and unfulfilled, your day will continue with the same energy output and attract it in. If you’re feeling broke and financially restricted, think about what you could do that enriches you that doesn’t cost anything, so you can get into a routine of changing your state of mind.

One of the most effective things you can do is focus on what is working well for you and consider
all the things you have already that many others don’t.

Get into the gratitude habit
The more gratitude you have, the more rooted and positive your body will feel, which has an
impact on your mindset too. Ultimately, this all contributes to the energy of money coming in and
out of your life.

To get into the flow of bringing more abundance into your life, it’s useful to create a habit of
reminding yourself about what you DO have already and why you are grateful. Then write out a
daily or monthly list of the things you would like. Tune in and discover what essence having those
things will bring you, then begin to behave in a way as though you already have it. To get you
started, write down ten things you are grateful for today:

10 things I am grateful for today are:
1. _______________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________
7. _______________________________________________________
8. _______________________________________________________
9. _______________________________________________________
10. ______________________________________________________


6 things I would like this month are:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

Having these things will make me feel:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


I really hope that you have found this article useful. If you have any questions or would like help
in transforming your business, uplifting your career or changing your relationship with money,
feel free to get in touch.

caroline@carolinerushforth.com

+44 7881 99 88 16

Caroline Rushforth trained at the University of California in NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and is a successful Wingwave® and NLP Coach. From her base in East Sussex, Caroline provides one-to-one coaching and transformational work either face to face or via Skype, both nationally and internationally.

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BLACK FRIDAY SALE - 20% OFF NIKKEN SLEEP SOLUTIONS ALL THIS WEEK

Do you sleep deeply? Did you know we (should) spend a 1/3 of our lives sleeping (it's important!)?

... in fact many health experts think sleep is the most important factor affecting our health.

It is something close to my heart as many years ago I had a long period of insomnia. Some nights I even tried sleeping in a cupboard to get dark and quiet enough to get a couple of hours sleep! It wasn't really funny of course. Sleep deprivation is used as a form of torture. Just one night's poor sleep will show up on blood tests the following day as a body in chronic stress. I can say first hand that I agree with the health experts "sleep is THE most important factor affecting health and mental wellbeing".

At that time I discovered a state of the art sleep solution that puts your body in the most natural environment possible in order for it to flourish. It's really easy to use - you place the Kenko mattress topper on your mattress, use a special pillow, quilt and eye mask. They work together to fully wrap you in a revitalising cocoon of overlapping magnetic fields. With advanced ceramic fibres and temperature control the system has been designed to enhance both the quantity and quality of your sleep. Please visit http://kenkosleep.com for more information.

"[The Nikken Sleep System] pulls you down into that deeply restorative sleep that people haven't had for years."  Dr. Jim Bews.

Deep stage 4 restorative sleep is where our body repairs itself and detoxifies, your brain gets a rinse through of cerebral fluids and processes mental worries so you can wake refreshed, ache and brain fog free and energised for the day ahead.

Rather than upgrading your phone or laptop again why not take advantage of this Black Friday to acquire something truly useful and life changing?

For the last week of November beginning today I wanted to let you know that the products are offered at a 20% discount. This is a rare opportunity to get your hands on these unique products at a discount (discount price list here >>).

The items are available individually or as a set. For anyone buying the full system I am giving away a magnetic sleep mask (retails at £31) free.

Would you like to try first? If you are local to Brighton, UK, I am opening my home for demonstrations. Please come along if you can or pass on this message to someone you know who needs to sleep better. I am taking bookings where I have space in my diary so do ask if you want to lie in it and feel what happens to your body.

Email (nicki@nutritionandhealing.co.uk) and tel. no. 07786 405366.

I really hope to help you sleep better. Insomnia is a thing of the past for me. The Nikken Sleep System has been the best investment I have ever made in supporting my health and wellbeing.

If you would like to support your health in this way do get in touch for more information or to order before the 30th November. You can also order on the website at https://tiny.cc/kenkopad between 24th & 30th November to receive the discount.

With best wishes

Nicki Edgell
Independent Nikken Consultant

The KenkoDream Quilt

• All seasons comfort
• Ventilation for freshness
• Advanced magnetic technology
• Temperature regulation
• Various sizes available

More »

The Mattress Topper

• RAM Magnetic technology
• Made from ecologically sound and renewable non-allergenic latex and natural materials
• Temperature regulation
• Various sizes available - single, double, king

More »

The Pillow

• Temperature regulation
• Breathable, natural fibre
• Adjustable collar
• Revolutionary magnetic technology

More »

The Eye Mask

• Patented magnetic technology
• Temperature regulation
• Creates a dark sleeping environment
• Comfortable and soft, yet sturdy materials
• Hand-washable
• Perfect to wear anywhere, at home, day or night, or when travelling

More »

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Why Faith is Replacing Knowledge

An earlier post inspired by the Silence book by John Biguenet asked Does Science Explain Everything?

The other day I picked up some books that were being recycled - ie. the previous owner had put a box out on the street in front of their house (this happens all the time in our town). As often happens by coincidence one of them was a book that someone had recently recommended to me. #theuniverseprovides!

Also in the box was a black hard backed pocket book entitled The Decision Book - Fifty Models for Strategic Thinking by Roman Tschäppeler and Mikael Krogerus.

This book is a quick read divided into four sections - How to Improve Yourself, How to Understand Yourself Better, How to Understand Others Better, and How To Improve Others.

Within the How to Understand Others Better section was an essay entitled The Black Box Model: Why Faith is Replacing Knowledge.

It goes something like this...

The world is getting more complicated. There is no way we can keep up, especially with technological advance. The amount we really know and understand decreases relatively all the time.

Say in the 1980s when computers first arrived on the scene teachers could still seek to explain how they actually worked. Many of us were taught the principles of binary code (via the on/off switch analogy) and some of us would have done a BASIC language coding course... if not.. then... go to... repeat etc.

Early "Basic" computer coding example

At school we probably learnt the basics of electrical circuits and how the planets circle the sun in our solar system. We would have learnt about sound waves and light, chemical reactions and biological reproduction. However if a sudden apocalypse were to be visited upon us there wouldn't be many of us able to actually put any of these principles into practice to rebuild our society (apart from the biological reproduction that is!). 

Technology has now sprinted ahead and is even racing towards AI where it's development itself will eventually become independent of any human intervention at all - the stuff of numerous dystopian science fiction scenarios!

The very intelligent and scheming android in the Ex Machina film as played by Alicia Vikander

We can't really possibly understand the workings of mobile phones and ipads. We just take all these things for granted. Such things, which would have been completely unimaginable to our grandparents, are now so ubiquitous we have no other choice. 

Our world has changed so much in the last century after relatively little "progress" in the previous millennia (the word "progress" in quotation marks as it hasn't all been for the good of course). It is now unimaginable to us how it will change further in the next 50 years - if indeed this acceleration is sustainable at all.

We are increasingly surrounded by what the authors term "black boxes", complex constructs that we do not understand even if they are explained to us. We can not comprehend the inner processes of a black box, but none the less we integrate their inputs and outputs into our decision making.

Basically we have to believe certain things, even if we can't understand them. As a result we are tending to assign more importance to those that can explain something rather than to their actual explanation.

The conclusion is that in the future it will be the norm to convince people with images and emotions rather than with arguments. Influencers will be the ones that can present and convince, not necessarily the scientists.

People no longer have the understanding or time to be experts in everything.

In my world of "alternative" health there are those that want to know all the science and empirical evidence and there are those that just want to trust that they will feel better. With increasing regulation of the industry many practitioners are beginning to concentrate on the latter, and that suits many consumers just fine.

It will become the norm to convince people with images and emotions rather than with arguments.

As one prominent leader in the field likes to answer when questioned "How does it work?" he simply says "Very well."

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Just looking at this waterfall makes you feel good. Imagine if you could drink it!

Now you can – with the Nikken Pimag® Waterfall Filter

Nature makes the best water, but until now it has not always been easy to access. The idea behind the Nikken tap water filter is to replicate the natural production of spring water as closely as possible in your own home.

A simple, economical solution, that uses gravity, not electricity - the Nikken Waterfall is the closest to nature you can get.

• Quick Factsheet
  
• Youtube
  
• 17 Good Reasons!
  
• Website

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Nikken's Founder Isamu Masuda, and The Five Pillars of Health

Nikken was borne out of an idea that occurred to Isamu Masuda back in the early 70s. Seeking cash to help his handicapped son, the young Japanese shop assistant hit upon the idea of putting magnets in people’s shoes – and created a business empire.

Magnets? It all sounded so weird, as strange stories spread about astronauts using magnets in outer space to stay healthy, and self-styled experts peddled fanciful theories about why magnets have healing powers. It turned out that NASA really does put magnets in astronauts’ suits, and magnets have been used therapeutically for thousands of years...

Isamu Masuda is now a slim man in his 70s who glows with health and exudes warmth. However it wasn't always like that - he was a sickly child from a poor family, with chronic hepatitis. His father died in the Second World War and his mother managed a small shop. At 18, Masuda found a job with a bus company and over the next few years worked his way up from washing buses to being a desk clerk. At 27 he met and married his wife Fumie, who was working as a travel guide.

Obsessed with health, he worked part-time in a health shop, and the chances are he would have continued in this ordinary anonymous way, had not his son, Koji, been born with a tragic handicap. Doctors couldn’t explain why Koji had been born with this extreme defect.  Isamu was devastated and, still sickly himself, was galvanized into action.

He decided, simply, that he had to make money:

“The doctors said it would be very expensive for Koji to have an operation and I had nothing.”

But he also wanted to do it in a way that would help others as well:

“I started thinking about how we use pebbles in our public hot baths. When you walk on them they stimulate the soles of your feet.  I knew magnets were therapeutic.  In Japan we’ve used them for thousands of years to help healing.  I put the ideas together and made a magnetic insole for a shoe.”

He began to sell his insoles door to door. There was immediate success. His customers claimed they felt better.  Their circulation improved, they had fewer illnesses; even chronic insomniacs began to sleep through the night.

“There were many problems and difficulties to face, but what drove me on and gave me courage was Koji. I had a vision. I was 100% certain that one day, people everywhere in the world, would be walking on my insoles. I knew I could do it, but I had no idea how.”

He approached Katsumasa Isobe, a financier, who remembers those early meetings:

“Isamu was not well. He coughed and looked awful but he had a good idea so I supported it.” 

...and by the time Koji was two, Isamu could afford the medical treatments his son needed.

As part of the Japanese tradition of holistic medicine, Isobe and Masuda expanded the business without worrying too much about why the insoles actually helped people to feel better. They were circumspect, making no medical claims, and never saying they could cure the sick – only that their magnets would give energy, and promote health and well-being.

For the first three years Nikken sold only insoles. Soon the product line and geographical reach was extended first by distributors in Taiwan, China and Thailand, swiftly followed by management staff setting up offices and factories. Nikken became one of the fastest growing companies in Japan's history and by 1993 had moved into 12 countries.

As Nikken expanded, Isamu Masuda mused that physical health was not enough on its own:

“There are five pillars of ‘wellness’. You must also be healthy in your mind, in your close relationships, in finances and in your connections with your community to experience total ‘wellness’.”

Because his own life had been filled with health challenges, this visionary father, like many Nikken consultants since, determined within himself to find an answer that would provide his family with both the money it needed, and the health he himself had been deprived of as a child.

Nikken was built on Masuda's original magnetic insoles invention. Today Nikken still supplies the latest in advanced magnetic insoles. Click on the banner below to visit my dedicated website>>



Adapted from a story by Sam Westmacott via www.theroyalalliance.com

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Become an Abundance Activator

How can you activate a wealthy life?

After the Summer Holidays and with September’s fresh new beginnings it’s a great time to press the START button.

The word ‘wealth’ comes from the old English ‘weal’, which means ‘wealth, welfare, and wellbeing’. Weal is in turn related to the older word ‘wel’, meaning ‘in a state of good fortune, welfare, or happiness’. ‘Wel’ then became ‘welth’ around 1250 AD, and ‘welthi’ a century or so later. By 1430 it seems to have settled around the idea of riches and prosperity, leaving behind the wider meaning of general wellbeing and health.

When you now say someone "has a wealth of talent”, you are referring to the quality of  their inner gifts as being abundant. So think of wealth as an expansive, enriching quality.

Here are 5 tips to help you line up positive, wealthy energy on a daily basis:

1. Learn to say NO.

People who are wealthy understand what to eliminate. They discard anything that does not matter, getting rid of what does not enhance their life. Like wasting countless hours online, putting energy into negative relationships, continuing bad habits at home.

2. Take enormous ACTION

After saying NO to letting those things and people into your life, put your energy into areas that really count. You must take action. Don’t just dream about it and talk about it. DO it. Get outside your comfort zone. Go ahead and make mistakes – unless you take action you will have no momentum and no feedback to help you adjust the trajectory of your success. Plus you’ll be in the same place 12 months down the road…Actually taking action is the key ingredient many people miss out in self-development pursuits.

I remember asking a friend once whether a particular self-help book actually worked. She said possibly but you had to actually do stuff (not just read it)!

3. Invest in RELATIONSHIPS

Your soul family is a powerful network that impacts your wisdom, health, and your energy. You can’t do it alone. Nurture your network. And remember, relationships thrive, when you’re being of service in some way.

4. Elevate Your EXPERTISE

Eliminating what is superfluous, taking enormous action and investing in relationships will only get you so far, if you lack the skills necessary in your niche. Acquiring a toolbox of knowledge is integral to your success. Be a student. Find a mentor. When you need to know something, take a course.

5. Pay it FORWARD

"Paying it forward" means to pass on a good deed to a new person rather than returning the favour to the original source. When you find your stride and have elevated your expertise, be open to teach your wisdom and skills to those who are less experienced and open to grow. Paying it forward is a sharing of positive energy – creating a beautiful ripple effect and wonderful energy exchange between you and the Universe.

By adding value everywhere and with everyone, you are feeling and doing GOOD.

You open unlimited opportunities in your life.

You become an Abundance Activator.

Words adapted from a post by Wealth Astrologer Tania Gabrielle

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Opportunity and Training Meetings with Nikken UK

Join us on the first Thursday of each month at the Aurora Hotel, Crawley, Sussex, UK.

Next dates -
Thursday 5th October 6pm (with Canadian consultant, Mike DiMuccio)
Thursday 2nd November 6pm

This is the monthly special presentation and training open to all Nikken consultants in the UK, as well as for people taking a look at the business.

Hosted by Ben Woodward who will join us in person to facilitate a lively participatory evening covering a range of topics, designed to support your Nikken business.

- Learn how to make effective product demos
- Learn effective ways to share Nikken to build your business
- Learn about effective planning for a successful and profitable business
- Connect with and learn from others in our purpose driven collaborative community
- Learn how to get appointments to show people how they can improve their health
- Learn how to explain 'your story' i.e. why you are doing the business
- Learn how to present the benefits of the business opportunity
- Learn how to sign up new consultants
- Learn how to share the benefits available to consultants
- Learn how to find time to build your business, even if you are busy

This is a great opportunity for you to plug into Ben's experience, mentoring, support and leadership.

Formerly President of Nikken, Ben stepped down in 2016 and is now building a business as an independent Nikken consultant, giving him more flexibility to spend time with his growing family.

Prior to choosing Nikken, Ben built a successful career in marketing, training and sales management and brings that wealth of business expertise to his Nikken mentoring and leadership role.

His dynamic brand of leadership continues to inspire and motivate a global audience toward a balanced lifestyle and entrepreneurial success.



BOOKING:

** Seats are very limited so please reserve your place now: **

Please call Nicki on 07786 405366 to book a seat.

For those living outside London and the South-East, there is an option to join via zoom.

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Sleep: THE most important factor determining our wellbeing

STOP PRESS!!
For one week only as part of the Black Friday shopping Friday the core Nikken Sleep Products are on offer at a 20% discount. Order between 24th and 30th November 2017.

At some point each of us will experience that feeling of lying in bed unable to sleep, whether it be as soon as we get into bed or if we wake in the middle of the night and are unable to drop back off.

A sleepless night is as long as a year.

Chinese Proverb

Sleep allows our body to repair itself and our brains to consolidate our memories and process information. Without a good night's sleep we can feel groggy, irritable and have a lack of energy. Poor sleep is also linked to physical problems such as a weakened immune system and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.[1]

Sleep hygiene

Many people can benefit from improving the quality of their sleep. The phrase sleep hygiene is often used to describe how lifestyle and environmental factors can affect our sleep. Positive sleep hygiene may help to improve sleep quality.

According to the MHF Sleep Report[2] the environment of our bed and bedroom can either help or hinder sleep; much depends on our own preferences. The obvious factors are noise, light, temperature and ventilation. Most of us prefer to sleep in a quiet environment. Earplugs may be useful for blocking out external noise although they do tend to amplify the body’s own internal noises which may be distracting.

Too much light can inhibit sleep since it affects melatonin levels; eye masks may be helpful. Room temperature is important, neither too cold nor too hot, although the ideal room temperature will vary from person to person. Ventilation can be improved by opening the window, although this is likely to alter the temperature and make the room noisier. It is important to feel comfortable in the bedroom environment, including selecting the right mattresses and pillows. People may need to experiment with all these factors until they find the ideal balance.

It is important that we take steps to help ourselves to get the best sleep we can, for the sake of not only our own health and wellbeing, but that of our partners and families too.

Sleep hygiene practices, such as those mentioned above, may help people improve their sleep quality, along with reducing caffeine in the evening, taking regular exercise and avoiding looking at phone/computer/television screens just before getting into bed.

Nikken offers the Naturest® Sleep System that contains a range of products that may be beneficial to your sleep hygiene.

• Naturest Kenkopad® – A non-allergenic latex mattress topper that molds to your body’s contours and may improve your comfort and support.
• KenkoDream® Quilt – The ceramic coated fibres may help maintain a constant temperature.
• Naturest® Pillow – Fully adjustable by removing or adding filler, the breathable cover may help to regulate your temperature, keeping you confortable.
• Kenko Power Sleep® Mask – Made of soft breathable fabric, blocking out light may help improve your sleep at home or when traveling or working nightshifts.

Discover more about the Nikken range here>>

references:
[1] https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk
[2] https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/sleep-report

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Professor Plumber in the Study with the Lead Piping

This week a plumber visited my home to fit a stop valve on our water system. The water mains supply into the house was discovered to be lead piping. On thinking about this it is not surprising. Like many houses in the UK, and in Brighton especially, the house is over 100 years ago. In fact lead piping was commonly used in the UK up to the 1960s and generally much later in the US.

If you live in an older property, your supply pipe - the underground pipe that connects your home to the public water mains - could be made of lead, and there's also a good chance that there may be some lead pipes inside your home. Old homes can have lead service lines, indoor plumbing with lead content, lead solder, leaded copper pipes, lead lined storage tanks, and even lead fixtures.

Is Lead Harmful?

The human health risks which relate to how lead can build up in the body have been studied extensively and are generally well understood. Lead is a highly toxic metal and a very strong poison which can lead to serious, irreversible conditions, which can sometimes be fatal. It can cause severe mental, physical, and behavioural problems, that can build up over a number of years.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that lead is the most serious environmental health hazard for children under 6 years old in the US. Young children are most vulnerable because their brains and nervous systems are still developing - lead can have an adverse impact on mental development and children's rapidly growing bodies absorb lead more quickly.

It has been estimated that infants drinking formula can get half of their lead exposure from drinking water.

Excessive amounts of lead may place adults at higher risk for cancer, stroke, kidney disease, memory problems and high blood pressure. Lead can cause premature birth, reduced birth weight, seizures, hearing loss, behavioral problems, brain damage, learning disabilities, and a lower IQ level in children.

In addition to piping lead can be present in lead-based paints, including paint on the walls of old houses and toys. It can also be found in art supplies, contaminated dust and some gasoline products, some jewellery, pottery, contaminated soil, batteries and even some cosmetics.

You wouldn't really want your water coming through these pipes would you?

From the 1970s onwards domestic uses of lead have been prohibited across Europe. As a result of health concerns, the UK Government banned the use of lead in many products, and it has not been used for water pipes since 1970. The Government also advises that we should minimise our exposure to lead from all sources, including drinking water.

How Does Lead Get Into Drinking Water?

Occasional lead occurs naturally in groundwater. However, this is a rare situation in the UK and
lead is not present in the water within our wider public water supply network. Furthermore if your home has been modernised since 1970 and all of the pipes from the water company's stop valve outside your home to the kitchen tap replaced, there should be no lead piping on your property.

However before 1970, many smaller water pipes were made from lead. It is therefore very likely that in older properties part, or all, of the underground service pipe connecting the water main in the street to your kitchen tap may be made from lead. It is also possible that some original lead plumbing remains within older properties especially if the kitchen has not been modernised.

In hard water areas the scale that forms on the inside of pipes protects against the dissolution of
lead from the pipe into the water. However in soft water supply areas there is a greater likelihood of lead from pipes being present in the water.

Another source of lead in drinking water is the illegal use of lead based solder to join together sections of copper pipe. Lead solder is still sold for use on closed central heating systems and mistakes occasionally happen whereby unqualified plumbers or householders use lead solder on drinking water pipes contrary to the law. Lead can also corrode from metal faucets and fixtures made from brass, an alloy of copper and zinc that often contains lead impurities, including chrome-plated brass fixtures. Brass fixtures can leach lead even in homes with plastic water lines. Solder is an alloy of tin with lead, antimony, or silver. Lead may also originate from the corrosion of brass fittings on certain types of submersible pumps used in groundwater wells.

For any of these reasons, the amount of lead in drinking water at a particular property may sometimes
be above the health based standard.

How to Check for Lead Pipes

Inside your home
Look in or behind the cupboards in your kitchen. You may also need to look in other places,
eg. the cupboard under the stairs. Find the pipe leading to the kitchen tap. Check if it is lead
along as much of its length as possible. Unpainted lead pipes appear dull grey. They are also
soft and if they are gently scraped you will see the shiny, silver-coloured metal beneath. You
can ask a plumber to carry out this check for you.

Outside your home
Open the flap of the stop valve outside your property. Examine the pipe leading from the stop
valve to the property. You may need to ask your water company or a plumber to carry out this check
for you as in some cases as access may be difficult.

Lead piping on the right

Other pipe materials in common use are:
• copper - bright, hard and dull brown
• iron - dark, very hard and may be rusty
• plastic - typically blue but if older may be grey or black.

How Can I Find Out if There is Lead in My Drinking Water?

If you suspect that your home has lead pipes you can ask your water company to test the water at your kitchen tap for lead. Water companies take daily samples from consumer taps for lead at
random and they will give you a report of this testing in your local area (water supply zone) free on
request. They will also tell you whether they are treating the water to minimise the likelihood of
lead pick up. Your water company will be aware of and will tell you if you live in an area with a
history of lead pipes having been used and not removed.

Since lead poisoning in water is colourless, odourless and tasteless, the only way you can be sure is to have your water tested.

You can also have your water sampled by a private laboratory for which there would be a charge and this can be through your local authority environmental health service. If you live in social housing or you are a tenant, your first point of contact for further advice is also environmental health.

What Do I Do if Lead is a Problem in My Property?

Water acts to dissolve lead from pipes and solder while the water is in contact with the plumbing. Therefore, lead concentrations in drinking water usually are the highest in the first water out of the tap; they decrease as the water is run. If lead pipes, leaded solder, or brass fixtures are present, even relatively noncorrosive water can dissolve dangerous amounts of lead if the water sits in contact with these materials for an hour or more.

In the short term if tests have confirmed a risk then you should not drink water that has been
standing in the pipes for long periods, for example, overnight, or if no one has been at home
during the day. Instead, before you draw off water for drinking and cooking, put the plug in the sink
or put a kitchen bowl under the tap, and let the tap run until the sink or bowl is full. This amount will
remove standing water in a pipe of up to 40 metres in length. You can then use the kitchen tap as
normal.

The above short term measure will protect you and your family but it is a waste of water and you
should take steps as soon as practicable to replace the lead pipes between the stop valve outside
your home and your kitchen tap. When arranging for this you should notify your water company
because they may be legally required to replace their communication pipe if lead levels are above the safe standard - in the UK this is measured as a maximum of 10 µg/l (10 microgrammes per litre).  By way of comparison in the U.S. the EPA set the maximum allowable concentration of lead in public drinking water at 15 µg/l.

Tests carried out in the US found that out of 872 first-draw lead tests from 2007 through to 2015, 16% exceeded the 15 µg/l drinking water standard. Of the 1,346 samples that were tested after the water had been run, only 3% exceeded the 15 µg/l level suggesting that most high lead levels were occurring due to corrosion of metal plumbing. It is not uncommon for lead readings from taps drawing on old little used plumbing to exceed the safe levels by multiple factors. A recent report on schools in Madison, Wisconsin, found measurements as high as 740 µg/l - many times above the safe level!

Measurements and standards are helpful but since lead serves no beneficial purpose in the human body, it is best if drinking water contains no lead at all.

Longer term it is of course best to replace any lead piping in and around your house if this is practical. When replacing lead pipes make sure this does not reduce electrical safety by removing any
earthing arrangements dependent on the pipes. Ask your electricity supplier if in doubt. Some local authorities offer assistance with removal of lead pipe from social housing.

Who is responsible for the pipework?

The part of the service pipe that links the water main in the street to the stop valve (or the meter) outside your property belongs to the water company. This is known as the communication pipe.
The part of the service pipe leading from the stop valve outside your property to the point where it
enters your home is the responsibility of the owner. This is known as the private or supply pipe.
All the plumbing inside your home to the kitchen tap is the responsibility of the property owner.

However in some cases the water company will be responsible for replacing lead piping leading up to the house if lead levels are above the legal limit. Please contact your local water company for further information.

Other Solutions

Acid-neutralizing filters can be installed to reduce water corrosivity by adding calcium and by increasing the pH of the water. Unlike other treatment options, these filters act to prevent lead from entering the water rather than removing it at the tap. In addition to reducing acidity, the added hardness produces a thin scale inside the pipes that reduces lead corrosion. These units normally cost over £1000 and may cause a noticeable increase in the hardness of your water.

Contrary to some claims, water softeners are not recommended for lead removal. Softeners are inefficient lead removal devices, and they are usually installed in the plumbing system ahead of the piping and fixtures where most of the lead originates. Also, softened water is usually more corrosive than un-softened water.

Reverse osmosis units and activated alumina filters are very effective in removing lead once it is in the water. These units typically are attached to the kitchen tap and treat only the water from that tap. Costs vary from £300 to more than £1,000. However reverse osmosis units of this size can produce only a few gallons of treated water per day.

Distillation units, also normally placed on the kitchen counter, are effective in removing lead from drinking water. However, they are relatively expensive to operate and produce only a gallon or so of water per day, depending on their size.

Other treatment devices such as granular activated carbon (GAC) filters can remove lead, but their efficiency is questionable. Small, inexpensive counter-top filter units are often marketed for lead (and fluoride) removal but consumers should check claims can be substantiated.

It is also important to note that small counter top units are limited in the amount of time that the filter is effective in removing lead. A National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) seal on treatment equipment is one method of ensuring that the unit has been tested for adequate removal efficiency. A NSF seal does not guarantee, however, that the filter will be effective after many months of continuous use, and filter replacement is always required periodically.

If you have a maintained Nikken water filter you don't have to worry about lead. As well as all the other health benefits the filter will remove lead in accordance with national standards. In the US the standard is demonstrated by compliance with  NSF/ANSI* Standard 53 (pertaining to the evaluation and certification of drinking water treatment systems for the reduction of contaminants including chemicals and metals) and specifically Standard 372 (low lead compliance).

In the UK tests have shown lead present in tap water is reduced by 91%. See this test sheet.

This gives assurance that whatever the extent of your potential lead piping under your house your drinking water will be safe.

*The National Sanitation Foundation, and the American National Standards Institute. Manufacturers voluntarily submit products to NSF International for independent testing and certification to NSF/ANSI Standards. NSF International performs a thorough product review and evaluation, and conducts rigorous product testing to verify that the product meets the requirements of the standard. NSF certified water filters for lead reduction have been evaluated in a study using water that contains 150 parts per billion (ppb) of lead. This lead concentration is ten times higher than the U.S. EPA maximum allowable level in drinking water. The filters are challenged at this level of contaminated water for beyond the filter’s claimed service life-cycle. Certification is only confirmed when the product has met all of the lead reduction and other requirements of the standard. NSF also audits the facilities in which the products are manufactured annually to ensure the product being manufactured meets the standard.

For further information please see http://www.nsf.org/services/by-industry/water-wastewater/residential-water-treatment

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Natural Healing - A Nikken Case Study

The following testimonial comes from Nikken Consultant Angela Pinem. Angela can be contacted via facebook at https://www.facebook.com/angela.pinem

Important Medical Disclaimer:

The following is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Testimonials are provided by persons who want to share their positive personal experiences. The testimonials are not endorsed by Nikken, nor is there any implied claim of healing, therapy or cure for anyone reading them. Our Independent Nikken Consultants do not make any medical claims. Nikken products are not medical devices and may not be recommended to treat specific medical conditions. 

Angela's Story

I want to share my experience that I have seen with nerve regeneration and bone healing with my daughter Sienna after she fell and shattered her elbow joint a year and a half ago.

It is important to understand how bad this injury was and then the nature of how it healed in the following months, it was quite extraordinary.

Initially after the X-rays the injury didn't seem so bad but then after the weekend when the consultant saw the X-ray on the Monday morning it was clear she needed surgery as soon as possible.

Before the surgery there was not really very much pain. I was told it would be about half an hour of surgery but when they started to operate it was much more complicated. Sienna had to endure two and a half hours of surgery where they wired the joint.

As soon as Sienna came out of surgery she was in a very distressed state and reacted extremely badly to the morphine they had given her during the operaton, she was also in terrible pain which I found so upsetting. I wrapped her immediately in the Nikken Cocoon Sleeping Bag*, to help calm her nervous system from the shock and trauma she was feeling.

Unfortunately she was in extreme pain but she had had all the pain killers she was allowed at that point. I had the Nikken seat with me which actually I sat on because I felt so distressed. I placed one of the Nikken insoles inside the sling in the area of the operation around her elbow. I put the Nikken Powerband round her neck.

She spent two nights in hospital. The first night was very stressful with her being constantly woken up to check that her fingers were ok and she could move them. They were very painful. I had also filled up bottles of water from the Pimag Waterfall which were an absolute blessing as Sienna was dehydrated and her system needed to start to flush out the painkillers, the morphine and anaesthetic.

The day after the operation she was up out of bed colouring, smiling and much happier.

When we got home from the hospital she slept in with me for a couple of weeks within the Sleep System which was so important for her nervous system because of the pain she was experiencing and the trauma she had been through - we had all been through a lot. The operation had left her totally exhausted and depleted.

I started to give her Nikken CalDenx supplements to aid with the bone healing.

In the couple of weeks following the operation her arm was in a half cast with two wires. It was clear though that two of her fingers had nerve damage from the operation probably because the ulnar nerve had been disturbed. They were very painful, and curled, she couldn't straighten them. I was told that it would take potentially a year or so to recover, as nerve regeneration is very slow, but it is far quicker in children because they are naturally growing all the time. Also that she may never be able to have full extension of her arm. I found it all hugely upsetting.

Once the plaster came off her arm was in an L shape and she didn't want anyone to touch it and she didn't want to move it. At this stage I was able to put a Powerband bracelet around the upper part of her arm. Her arm was constantly in a sling- she even slept with it on.

The surgeon told me not to massage the arm but from energy testing I felt it was what was needed, and along with physiotherapy bit by bit she was able to start to move it. It was incredibly stiff. Then I put the Kenko Wrist wrap around the area once the wound had healed with a Kenko Power chip magnet inside. These helped greatly with the discomfort and in keeping the area warm.

All the time she had the power band on day and night, the sleep system at night and after school in the following weeks she was exhausted so I would wrap her up in the Cocoon Sleeping Bag as soon as she got home. Lots and lots of the Waterfall Water. Lots of sleep too.

What I found was she did not need pain relief for as long as I thought she would have to. What I believe is that the Nikken products provided the right environment for her body to heal from the shock and trauma of the accident while aiding the bone to heal and the nerves to regenerate.

Two of her fingers though seemed permanently clawed and there was of course the worry of how the joint would long term recover. But I couldn't focus on that as I had to just take each day as it came and trust that she would heal in time.

Step by step more flexibility came to the joint and after about 6 months one day she just said to me "Look Mummy I can straighten my fingers!" I was so shocked it happened just like that - suddenly they were almost normal again. She now has full extension of her elbow.

I am so very grateful that we had all the Nikken products and the knowledge of which products to use purely because my husband had suffered his stroke just 6 months previous to all this happening and we had seen and continue to see how they have supported him and us all as a family.

Please contact me at angela@nikkenergy.com for more information, or leave a question or comment below.

* please note the Cocoon Sleeping Bag is available on limited edition only. Please call for details.

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How to Lead - by Eric Worre

Being a strong leader is one of the most important skills of a Network Marketer.  And leadership starts in the prospecting.  Too many people think that they don’t have to be a leader until they have a team to lead.  That’s just not true.  You have to be a leader first, or at least exhibit some of the qualities of a leader, while prospecting at the very beginning or you’re not going to get the success you want or attract the right people to your organization.

You can’t say that you’re going to build an organization, and then become a leader.  People follow leaders.  So, you have to show your prospects that you are a leader.

But does that mean you won’t succeed in Network Marketing unless you are already this strong, influential leader?

No! Leaders have to learn and practice in order to gain the skills needed to be effective and attractive. These skills need to be learned early on if you want your business to see some real growth.

Once you practise the skills needed for leadership, your team will grow with your leadership.

So, here are some qualities that you can learn and practise in order to become a stronger leader and that you can teach to your downline so that they become leaders as well.

Leadership Philosophy

What is your philosophy?  Is it all about you, your success, your paycheck, your rank advancement, your freedom?  Or is it about a cause bigger than you?

Or are you focused on freedom for others, doing something right, or spreading the message of how your products and services could help change lives?

Take the focus off of you.

This will make a huge difference in your leadership because when your philosophy is about something bigger than you, then your prospects will be more likely to rally around you.

Have a Vision

Leaders have Vision. What is your vision for your organization?  What goals do you want to accomplish, and what are your reasons for doing this?

If your vision is just about getting the money, paying the bills, or surviving, you’re not going to get a lot of people excited about it.  But if your vision is aligned with your philosophy where you are envisioning something that you and your prospects together can make something huge, then you will get people excited to join you.

So, spend some time thinking about what your vision is for what you’re trying to build in your Network Marketing business.  And get that vision clear in your mind.  Know exactly what it will look like.  Then get excited about it.  Become so excited about your vision that you can’t wait to tell that story to someone else.

Your vision is critical because when you focus on that, recruiting becomes less about getting people and more about achieving the vision.  

When you focus on the bigger dream, all of those small things like getting the cheques or advancing in rank, will happen automatically.

Share Your Vision

Now, you could have the greatest vision ever, but it doesn’t matter if people don’t know about it.  As a leader, you have to be able to articulate your vision.  This is why it is important to have a story to share with your prospects.

Tell the story of determining your vision and striving for it.  Or find someone else’s story to tell.  But articulate your vision through a story.

Your story shares your vision, so you’ve got to get people excited about it.

But don’t just figure out your story and then fumble through articulating it.  Find someone to practice telling your story to.  Tell it to them, get their feedback, tweak the story, and repeat.  Be the best at telling your story.  Get it to the point where anytime you tell your story, people get so excited that they take action.

Be Competent

It’s hard to be a good leader if you’re not competent.

You need strong reasons, a vision, and the ability to articulate that vision.  Understand that most learning comes from the doing.

You need to go out there, go to work, and do the activities.  By doing that, you will learn the things necessary to be a leader.

At some point, you have to have a certain level of competence.  You have to reach a level where you can lead, train, present, or whatever skill that you want to become known for.  Building up your competence gives people faith in you, and they feel they can follow you safely.

This is why personal development is so important.  When you strengthen your own skills, become competent in the skills, it gives prospects the confidence to follow a leader who knows what they are doing.

Lead by Example

And last, but most certainly not least, you have to lead by example. This is a must. How can you expect people to trust and follow you if you’re not willing to do the same things you ask them to do?

If you want to be a great leader, you need to do the things you’re asking other people to do first. And then after you do it, you can show your team how to do it.

Walk your talk.  Do it first, and then show others the way. Duplicate.

Adapted from an article by Eric Worre, https://networkmarketingpro.com/

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Harnessing the Earth's Natural Magnetic Energy

Magnetic energy is a key principle of both Far Eastern cultures and traditional Chinese Medicine. This principle has led to the development of practices such as acupuncture in the Western world. Nikken magnetic technologies have been developed for over 40 years to provide a carefully designed, supportive environment, and Nikken’s magnetic products are designed to fit easily into our normal day-to-day lives. This can be in the form of our Sleep System using products such as the Naturest® Kenkopad® and the Duvet Cover, via special magnetic insoles – Kenko mStrides® or even harnessing this magnetic energy whilst sitting down in the form of the KenkoSeat®.

The most recent development in magnetic innovation is represented by Nikken patented DynaFlux® Magnetic Technology. DynaFlux features a series of individual magnets within an organised structure that places them in polar opposition at several points. Positive or negative poles face each other. Interlocking construction holds these components in place to overcome the repulsion generated by this arrangement. Placing separate magnetic fields in opposition produces a multiplier effect with two notable results:

1. One result is that the magnetic field is intensified in each of these areas, providing 100% magnetic coverage of a complex field within a flat surface.

2. The other is a magnetic field that extends farther from the surface and increases the depth of penetration. This equates to increased gauss strength (the measurement of magnetic flux density).

Patented DynaFlux® Magnetic Technology is at the foundation of the KenkoTouch® and the MagCreator®.

The KenkoTouch® is a small handheld device that delivers pulsating magnetic wave therapy that may help relieve muscles discomforts. The massaging effect leverages the mechanical motion of strategically placed moving nodules; that produce a firm, slightly yielding sensation. The MagCreator® also harnesses this technology to specifically target the back. The specially designed magnetic head is engineered to roll fluidly down the spine and may help soothe tired, tense muscles. The surface nodules add an extra level of massaging stimulation. This can be used either on yourself or on others for that extra level of relaxation.

The MagCreator® is currently available with a saving of 50%. Please visit the online store here.

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