REBUILD: What Made Me Do This?

Hi!

I'm Te-Erika and I am the publisher of My Savvy Sisters. I am 31 years old and I live in Hollywood, Florida. I have a background in journalism and communications and I absolutely love philosophy. I am a fanatic when it comes to personal development and eastern philosophy. I am a student of success, which means that I am always on the lookout to read about and learn from people who have accomplished their dreams.

My Savvy Sisters is my baby. I love writing, editing and coaching other writers. My creative ideas are endless. I never run out of things to share and I hope you've enjoyed our offerings so far. I truly enjoy the countless hours that I put into working on this site.

The Rebuild Your Life project came to me as an idea one morning. I believe it was my intuition that told me, "You are going to face your fear of being homeless and it will help women overcome theirs." My intuition is my tool for life. It is my direct guidance. It sounds like ME except it is never fearful or shaky. When I hear my intuition is sounds so clear and I feel peace.

Today I'm not feeling peace though. I'm scared. I have been homeless before so I'm not afraid of that part. I am afraid that I'll be misunderstood when it comes to my mission.

Allow me to clarify. I am doing the Rebuild Your Life project to show women how to move past their fear of failure. I have started over many times in life. If you think about it, you have too. When I went away to college, all I had was a suitcase and $80. When I moved back to Miami I had a couple of suitcases, 2 kids and no money at all.

I have had to rebuild countless times. I'm not even going to mention the time I packed up my car and drove to Houston, Texas with no place to live, no money, no job and I didn't have a single friend in the city. All of those faith moves I made gave me exactly the result I was looking for. I found jobs that helped me to fine tune my desires for my career and I transformed into this woman who has a tremendous faith in herself, even though it seems no one else does.

I've fumbled. I've fallen. I've broken down doors and I've burned bridges that I can never cross again. I've made so many mistakes that I now know what NOT to do in many situations. I know what it's like to have to make a choice to go for what you want or stay where you are and be miserable. For me, it's no choice; I HAVE to go for what I want out of life. I don't believe life is about misery. I believe in myself. I believe in my abilities. I am DAMN good at what I do- and I do a LOT.

All I needed was an opportunity to show what I can do in an environment where I felt safe and supported. None came so I had to create an opportunity for myself.

With this project, I am going to live on the streets as a homeless person and shoot videos and write articles on this website so that women can follow me as I go after my dream of becoming an inspirational speaker, author and website publisher. I am doing this for my dream of independence. If I can raise awareness about this website, it's resources and my message of empowerment, I may be able to continue to live in my dream.

I am living in my dream today. I wake up and work on my business, this website, every day all day. This brings me the type of joy that is unmatchable. It's better than an orgasm! It's better than maine lobster tails. It feels like meditation and the kisses of raindrops on a hot day.

After my intuition gave me that direction about going homeless, I thought about it and it made sense. So many women have dreams that they feel they CAN do, but the fear of failure and losing everything paralyzes them and they remain stagnant where they are.

What could you accomplish if you knew you could not fail?

What would you attempt to do if you knew that no matter what happened, everything would be alright?

I want to show you. I believe in myself. I believe in you too.

Check back in with me on this website as I prepare to make my big move. I'll be writing about it and sharing videos too.

All my best!

Te-Erika

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Getting Rid of Road Rage

You're in your car and all of a sudden another driver cuts you off. They didn't signal, they didn't honk their horn or even acknowledge your presence. Your blood begins to boil and in your tiny cocoon you begin to yell expletives at the top of your lungs. You imagine jumping out of your car, grabbing the other driver by the throat and choking the life out of them.

You're surprised by this aggression because on an average day you do not behave in this way. Where does this aggression come from?

At the root of who we are, we are all hunters, gathers, warriors and nurturers. We have primitive instincts that are constrained because we live in a civilized society. Our natural urges prompt us to react instinctively when we feel we are threatened or in danger. This is why we hear stories of mother's exhibiting supernatural strength to rescue their children who are in danger. The natural aggression that we feel when we experience the stressors of life are instinctual and we can not turn them off because this is our body's natural way of preparing us to fight off predators or enemies in the wild.

In modern society, there are no predators or wild animals to kill, so we react with this same aggression during simple activities like driving or when we are dealing with gossiping co workers at work.

Get Rid of Road Rage by:

1) Understanding that when we are driving, whatever it is that another driver did to upset us has already happened. Your screaming and yelling will not help the situation or change it. It will most often trigger the natural aggressive reaction from the other party. Relax. Breathe in. Breathe out. Adjust your driving pattern and move forward. You are still on the way to your destination and that is what matters most.

2) Becoming involved in a physical activity like a sport or an exercise group. Your urge to react aggressively can be channeled into an activity that is beneficial to your body. This can also become beneficial to your wallet if you dedicate enough time to fine tuning your performance and become a leader or teacher in your activity.

3) Understanding that every single day we are moving closer to our deaths. If other drivers want to rush to this final destination, allow it. By allowing them to affect you in a negative way which may push you to react in an aggressive manner, you are joining them in their race to the finish line.

4) Understanding that their actions are not a personal attack against you. You may be reacting to another situation in your life that you feel you have no control over. You are displacing your anger over your circumstance onto your interactions with people who are not involved in the situation. The world is not out to get you. You can relax and react passively, allowing the people and situations around you to be chaotic if they must. You do not have to join them.

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Blog Carnival 3 - Resources For Women

A Blog Carnival is an event for bloggers to share their writing and expose their blogs across the blogosphere. Today My Savvy Sisters hosts its 3rd Blog Carnival. Submissions were sent in from bloggers sharing their expertise and inspiration on different topics just for women.

Peruse the blog posts and enjoy!

Samantha Miller presents 3 Quirks Writers Would Do Well to Change posted at Bachelor of Arts.

April Davis presents 5 Reasons to Choose a Green Career posted at Accredited Degree Online.

Sarah McCrum presents How to make money quickly posted at Money Talking.

Angela Yan presents How Women’s Magazines Screw With You posted at The Art of Communication.

Allen Delper presents Stylish Tweets: 55 Must-Follow Fashion Twitter Feeds posted at AAS Degree.

scott palat presents Reading Before Kindergarten, A Good Idea or Not? posted at Colleen Palat.

Teresa Jackson presents Annulment Vs Divorce ? Which is the Better Option? posted at Masters In Psychology.

NHEZ presents Natural Herbs To Help Women Conceive posted at Natural Health Ezine.

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Make Your Dream A Reality On Second Life

If you have a fantasy that you want to fulfill but you think that it is impossible, you may get a kick out of test driving it by joining the Second Life community. Second Life is a virtual world where you can create an avatar, dress yourself up and live the life you always wanted to live.

When I was a part of the second life community I had so many great experiences. I was able to live out my wildest dreams and you can too.

I was a stripper for a night.

I partied at night clubs.

I went to church.

I hung out around the house.

Second Life is a social networking site that allows you to join groups and become active in careers you always imagined. You can find jobs that pay real money and build your own house. You can travel to Africa or Australia and it all looks so real. You can change your race and see what it feels like to be a member of another cultural group.

You can fall in love with a real person you interact with through avatars, voice and text. You can have a baby and get married. Your body can look any way you want it to. You can even be an animal if that's what you prefer. You can open up your own business. You can enjoy meditation classes, crafting classes or anything else you can imagine.

Warning- For first time users, Second Life can be highly addictive due to the ability to be exactly who you always wanted to be. Many people become so caught up in the fantasy that they may ignore their FIRST LIFE. View my Second Life blog filled with stories from when I was a magazine editor during my time there. These stories explore the African American community on Second Life and the motives behind why people chose to "play" the roles they played there.

To begin:

1) Activate your account by creating a username. This username will be your first name in Second Life (SL). You can not change this after you begin. Your last name can be chosen from a list of pre-selected names.

2) Choose a gender and "face". Your gender may not be changed after you create your account but your face and body type can be changed later, if you desire. There are shopping malls dedicated to different body styles and clothing that you can pay to shop in. In general, you will spend money on things in Second Life but it's just like spending money on any activity you enjoy.

3) Download the application. You must download Second Life to your computer because it is a game. Once it is installed you can begin your next adventure.

There is an entire WORLD right at your fingertips if you want to try it just check it out, it's FREE. Second Life

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Childless by Choice: Angela's Story

Angela L. Riggio, 36, lives in Genoa, WV and is a Literary editor. She has been married to Jason Riggio, 38, for 14 years.

I am an only child. I was raised on a farm with horses and cattle. I had a pony and always had cats and dogs. My parents divorced when I was seven, but shared joint custody and only moved ten minutes apart so they both could both equally remain involved in my life. They put their differences aside for me, and I was always top priority. I had a wonderful childhood, and didn't feel at a disadvantage compared to my friends with parents who had not separated. Quite the contrary, I had two of everything. I never heard my parents bicker, argue, or so much as complain about the other around me. As an adult, I look back and realize just how difficult that must have been at times, but they never faltered. My grandparents, and a very special aunt and uncle also played an active role in my life when I was a child.

I don't recall anyone in particular who was childless by choice that I looked up to and said "I want to be like them and not have children because they don't". I've always known I didn't want kids, I never seen myself as a mother. I never even picked out would-be names. I viewed children as something that would stand in the way of things that I wanted to do in my life, career, travel, etc. As a matter of fact, when I was 15 years old, I made a bet with a family friend. After hearing me say that I didn't want kids, he bet me that I would be a mother or have children by the time I was 25. About six months after my 25th birthday I ran in to him, and reminded him of our waiger, and true to his word, he shelled out one hundred dollars.

Having such an amazing partner in life who feels the same way I do about not having kids makes things very easy for me. I know I'm very fortunate.

On our second date, my husband declared that he loved the idea of getting married but didn't want any kids. It was a major factor in my decision to marry him because it wasn't something to which I was willing to compromise. Since I can remember I've always told people that I didn't want to procreate, but a lot of people didn't take me seriously. After two years of marriage, I finally got tired of the question "So when are you going to have children?" My husband and I made the decision one night to just start telling people that we were not going to have any kids, so we proceeded to tell everyone at that point. It was liberating, though I had been saying it all my life. It just seemed to carry more weight after I had settled down, people finally realized that I was serious. I think most people thought I would change my mind once I was married.

Nearly all my friends have children, and for the most part, they all respect and support my decision. A few can't wrap their heads around it, but some have voiced their regret about having children and tell me how lucky I am. I still go to baby showers and birthday parties because I love my friends and support their choice, just like I expect them to support mine. I don't dislike children. I love and cherish my role as a doting aunt to my brother-in-law’s daughter. I just do not want any of my own.
I recently became a member of a childless by choice on line social network group that is filled with such a wonderful group of intelligent and supportive like minded people. I simply love being a part of it.

I love to come and go as I please, it's wonderful. Also, I don't have the expense of feeding and clothing a child or saving for a college education. Not to mention the constant worry a parent has about a child's safety and well being.

We volunteer our time and make frequent donations to the ASPCA, The Humane Society, Defenders of Wildlife, and a local animal advocacy group called "Little Victories". It provides a safe haven, proper medical care, and foster homes for homeless and/or abused and neglected animals.

I'm also and instructor for the Tri-State Literacy Council, a non-profit organization that, of course, promotes literacy.

I also hold themed reading programs for children at our local library. I encourage them to dress in costume, and I do as well. In addition, we play trivia and other games resulting in awards. I think I have more fun that the kids do.

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April 1 Deadline Fast Approaching for Illinois CPA Society Scholarships

CHICAGO, March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Friday, April 1, 2011, is the application deadline for 2011-12 academic year Illinois CPA Society scholarships. Students pursuing an accounting degree with plans to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) can apply for these scholarships funded by the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois:

• Illinois CPA Society Accounting Scholarship: Multiple scholarships up to $2,000 each are available to Illinois accounting students enrolled as seniors or graduate students; financial need is a consideration.
• Herman J. Neal Scholarship: Multiple scholarships up to $4,000 each are available to African-American accounting junior, senior or graduate students.
• Illinois CPA Society Advancing Women in Accounting Scholarship: Scholarships up to$4,000 each are awarded to high-achieving female students going into their senior or fifth year, including graduate studies.
• Textbook Scholarships: This award covers up to $500 in book and curriculum expenses.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis for the CPA Exam Award which reimburses the $823 National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) fee for students demonstrating achievement and financial need. The next application deadline for this award is June 15, 2011.

To be eligible for these scholarships you must be a permanent U.S. resident or a U.S. citizen currently residing in Illinois and enrolled in an Illinois College or University. Candidates must also have a 3.0/4.0 GPA or equivalent, plan on sitting for the CPA Examination and demonstrate a course of study reflecting this goal. For more information about these scholarships and to apply online, visit www.icpas.org, or call the Students & Young Professionals department at 312.993.0407 with any questions.

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I Love My Wife: Latraila Porter

Rahsheen Porter Loves His Wife Latraila Porter

How many years have you known her?

I’ve known her for about 5 years.

What was your reaction when you first saw her?

It was a blind date, so I had no clue what to expect. It wasn't some magical love-at-first-sight moment, but I was intrigued by her personality...and certain other characteristics.

How has knowing her changed your life?

She has helped me open up in a lot of ways. She's shown me the importance of family. Her honesty has helped me recognize my own strengths and weaknesses. Her confidence in my abilities makes me want to reach for the stars.

What would your life be like without her?

Unproductive and a waste of time.

What song would you like to dedicate to her?

This one...

Finish this sentence: She is my _____________.

I want to say she is my "soul" or my "heart," but that would be unoriginal, so I'll go with CPU. She is my secondary Central Processing Unit. I can function on my own, but things happen faster and more efficiently when I have her by my side. Doesn't matter if it's making a career choice or figuring out what's for dinner.

For My Savvy Sisters: Do you know someone who adores his wife? Let him know about this feature and have him email us to include his dedication in celebration of My Savvy Sisters who are adored by their husbands.

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Book Mark My Savvy Sisters On Your Phone

Be sure to create a shortcut for My Savvy Sisters on your phone to receive inspiration and information on the go!

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Savvy Blogger We Love- Patricia Miswa

Patricia Miswa

Age: 25

Current Residence: Kenya, Africa

Writer and Handmade card designer

Patricia Miswa is the editor and founder of AfroElle, an African based online magazine that focuses on encouraging, empowering, entertaining and elevating women of African decent from all over the world.

She has been a blogger for 5 years after blogging anonymously for 3 years as a college student trying to find herself. "Blogging for me was and is still therapy," Patricia said. "Keeping an online journal has helped me in terms of growth as a person. I can easily go back to my posts to remind myself of where I have been, the dreams I’ve had along the way and where I hope to be."

Patricia started AfroElle Blog last year, formerly known as The Ladies Room because she was going through a certain experience and felt like she was all alone. She decided to confide in a friend and realized that they were going through almost the same thing. Through that breath of clarity and enlightenment she realized the power in women talking and sharing.

"I think the most amazing thing about AfroElle is that it brings women of African descent from all over the world together, to talk and share experiences. Through this blog I have met and networked with fabulous women who I would not have otherwise met and that in itself is amazing," Patricia said. "It doesn’t matter if you are an entrepreneur, a stay home mom, juggling school and the corporate world, as women we share a common bond. Most often than not women go through the same struggles and as women, we understand each other’s problems. At one point or the other we have gone through the same things. I know it’s said that we are our own enemies but I believe women can be their greatest supporters. I believe together women can very powerful!"

This 25-year-old blogging icon understands the value of learning, growth and purpose. "I don’t want to live as if I’m groping into the darkness, I take every day as an opportunity to learn, to grow and a step towards reaching my purpose," she said. "I don’t believe in waiting for things to happen, I make it happen. I handle my business. Being savvy is an important part of my life because it helps me live my life to the fullest and helps me towards my purpose on this earth."

Visit her beautiful blog AfroElle to learn more about her work.

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Confessions: I Am A Cheater

Sometimes My Savvy Sisters aren't perfect. Sometimes My Savvy Sisters break the rules. Sometimes, we need a confessional to release the guilt. This is just the place for it too.


Confession: I Am A Cheater

I can count how many times I have been faithful in an intimate relationship: ZERO.

I recently caught up with an old “friend” of mine and quickly reminded myself that I had, in fact, cheated on my then boyfriend with him. I started to wonder why I did that, but what I realized is that I always do that.

I’m a cheater.

This is not something that I am proud or something that I talk about. I guess that makes me a “closet cheater.” I have a guy friend that used to always say, “You treat MEN, like MEN usually treat WOMEN. You are the 'dude' of the relationship!” And I knew exactly what he meant. I don’t always call when I say I will, I don’t always show up when I say I will, and well..I’m unfaithful when I want to be and don’t I care if I get caught.

After taking a closer look at myself, I have decided that I am not the woman that has confused sex with love, nor do I have a sexual addiction. I am a REVENGE cheater.

Every man that I have cheated on, has cheated on me first-that explains why I don’t care if I get caught. When I have been betrayed by a lover, my first thought is to make myself feel better and feeling better means feeling wanted.

For me, when I find out that my mate has been unfaithful, it always makes me question myself. Am I not pretty enough, not skinny enough, not smart enough? I always envision the “other woman” as a beautiful, single woman with a nice car! (And of course, I am usually wrong..ironically, most of my men cheat down, instead of up..)

I have never gone in search of a person to cheat with, as fate would have it, I usually “stumble” upon them in a moment of weakness. Sometimes, it’s a lover from the past, sometimes an acquaintance and sometimes a stranger. I do what I do, then throw the skeleton bones in the closet and hope to never open that door again.


For My Savvy Sisters: Do you have something you need to confess and let go of? Submit your confession to confessions@mysavvysisters.com and we'll post your confession anonymously. Don't worry, we don't judge and we will never tell.

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Remedies For Common Ailments

Over the years while struggling as a student, single mother and waitress I often found myself without health insurance. I had to be really creative to combat typical illnesses until I could save enough to see a doctor. I want to share my remedies with you. I hope they help.

Headaches

I find that my head starts aching when I have not drank enough water. Smoking incessantly and drinking soft drinks contribute to the headaches too. When I have a headache I have to take the time to drink a couple of glasses of water and simply lay down in the dark. I relax my mind and massage the aching part of my head until my body relaxes.

Cold & Flu

When my body is aching and I feel like I’m about to fall down even while I’m sitting down, I force myself to go to the store to buy a packet of Theraflu. I buy the powder version and after I drink it dissolved in a glass of warm water I feel like I have been kissed by an angel.

Diarrhea

I had a bad case of diarrhea once and I read somewhere online that if I drank a capful of apple cider vinegar it would suppress it so I could go out and run errands. I tried it and it WORKED. I was able to go out for 3 hours with no problem until I could afford to go to the doctor and see what was going on in my body.

Sore Throat

When my son has a sore throat he doesn’t want to eat anything; even soup irritates him. Because I want him to eat to keep up his strength, I discovered that chilled fruits like pineapple slices, peaches and frozen grapes don’t irritate his throat and he was able to stay nourished while he was sick.

Toothaches

When I have a toothache and I can not afford to go to the dentist I go out and buy a bottle of Dr. Tichenor's Antiseptic Mouthwash. It is purchased in a concentrated formula so you will have to dilute it to use it as a mouthwash. But, when my tooth is aching very badly, I pour a cap-ful into my mouth and hold it over the infected/aching tooth and it numbs the pain right away. It also works to prevent infection of minor cuts, scrapes, and insect bites.

For My Savvy Sisters: Do you have any fast relief remedies for illnesses to share?

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Childless by Choice: Jennifer's Story

Jennifer, 33, lives in San Francisco, California and runs a research desk for a financial services company. She has been in a committed relationship with her boyfriend Uri, 35, for 3 ½ years.

I am the youngest of three children by 8 years. I had a very loving Latin mother who gave me a ton of attention. My dad wasn't as affectionate but always provided for us. I guess you could say we were upper middle class. I never really fantasized about having a family. From my family I observed that family sticks together and that family consists of parents and children and grandchildren and cousins.

No one helped me make the decision to be childfree. I never wanted children and I never expected to have them. I made the decision for myself. I did become more comfortable with accepting myself for not wanting children as I met other women in my life who decided not to have children and were happy. One British woman I met while studying in China in particular sticks out. I met her about 6 or 7 years ago. She was in her 50s and sat next to me in class. She traveled the world and lived in HK. I thought to myself, “Wow. There are women who have remained childless and have a rewarding life. There are women who like their lives, have friends and are active." Since meeting Jane I have met several other women my age who have decided not to have children. We are all educated, working, and come from loving families.

Deciding to be childfree is not like coming out gay where you have to make it official or tell everyone. I just always knew. The first time I discussed it was with a boyfriend at the age of 18 or 19. He was shocked. Whenever asked by family or friends or boyfriends I have been honest that I didn't want them and no I wasn't going to change my mind when I hit 30. I have had a couple of relationships break up over it.

I do have friends who have children. They accept my decision for my life. When I was younger they said I would change my mind when I was in my thirties or that I just hadn't met the right person - a lot of pre-conceived ideas about kids and the notion that I would inevitably want them. I interact with them great. I love other people's kids. I play with them, watch them and enjoy them. I just don't want any of my own.

I give my love everyday to friends and family and the world by being a good person and treating others how I would want to be treated. I volunteer to help animals, I tutor immigrant teenagers to pass the SAT and I treasure mother earth and don't take natural resources for granted. I accept people for who they are regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation.

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VIDEO: How To Make a Big Mac

Care to try your skill at making those delicious McDonald's Big Macs at home? Todd Wilbur has the top secret recipe and he gladly shares it with on his youtube channel, Top Secret Recipes.

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Community Economic Development Fund Lends Money to Businesses That Can't Get Conventional Lending

MERIDEN, Conn., March 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Businesses are getting big help in a difficult recession from the non-profit Community Economic Development Fund (CEDF), which is committing $4 million in a loan fund for Southwestern Connecticut small businesses. Commercial enterprises ranging from corner stores to small manufacturing plants are eligible for the loans, aimed at helping small businesses that can't get conventional bank loans.

If a small business is in need of working capital, the Meriden-based CEDF will lend it up to $250,000. Up to $500,000 will be available for small businesses to obtain 25-year, fixed rate commercial mortgages on mixed-use property, or to rehabilitate existing business property. SW Connecticut business owners who have a low- to moderate-income and are unable to obtain conventional financing are encouraged to apply. Businesses in Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven, Danbury and many surrounding communities are also eligible for the loan fund.

Funds for the $4 million loan pool comes from the private sector and is matched by the state of Connecticut. "We are grateful to our investor banks and the state which has made it possible for us to lend this money," said CEDF President and CEO Donna Wertenbach.

Since 1994, CEDF has helped create thousands of jobs by providing money, training and support to small businesses. It has been a leader in lending money to women-owned and minority-owned small businesses. Once a business owner qualifies, CEDF offers training, business counseling and support along with business loans.

Terms of most loans vary, said Wertenbach. "Every business has different needs, and that's why we lend money on flexible terms," she said.

CEDF established the Southwestern Connecticut Segmented Loan Fund after the agency established a similar fund in Eastern Connecticut with great success. That fund, launched in 2003, lent nearly $4.7 million to small businesses in Eastern Connecticut and helped create scores of jobs. The SW Connecticut fund aims to achieve the same goals of helping small businesses by creating jobs and improving communities.

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Childless by Choice: Susan's Story

Susan, 34, works in the Tourism & IT industry in Adelaide, South Australia. She blogs about her life as an expat on her blog Suzerblog. She and her husband Steve, 36, have been married for 3 years.

I was an only child, raised around a large, extended family, including close friends in addition to aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins. This taught me that family has many definitions. As my family was spread out across the country, and we traveled to visit them all, my fantasies about having my own family in adulthood included having a partner to travel the world with, expanding the list of places I wanted to see and experience.

I wouldn’t consider it a matter requiring influence from anyone aside from myself. I simply never had any desire to have children, therefore it was a given decision. There was no time at which I made it official, as it was always the path I planned to take. Family, friends and acquaintances have always known that my family would not include children of my own.

About half of my friends have children. We also have 6, soon to be 8, nieces & nephews, so there is no shortage of children in our lives. I interact with my friends the same way, regardless of whether they have children or not. Sometimes we have get-togethers including the children, and sometimes we don’t.

My husband and I spend a lot of time traveling, both overseas and within Australia. We also have more time to spend on our individual hobbies and time together.

As an expat in Australia, one of the many ways in which I spend my extra time giving back to the community is by organizing an expat/international social group in Adelaide. We have over 400 members, and monthly meet ups that are constantly bringing new people together.

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My Savvy Sister Of The Week- Nancy Colasurdo

Nancy Colasurdo is an independently contracted Life Coach. She has years of experience under her belt since she had to coach herself to success through many trials and obstacles. Today, Nancy celebrates not only being debt free but also stress free. She teaches the keys she used to triumph on her FoxBusiness Column.

My Savvy Sisters asked Nancy to share a bit of her life's growth by playing the "I Used To Be....But Now I'm..." game. This exercise awakens your inner spirit by cataloguing your growth right before your eyes.

Nancy Colasurdo

I used to be very black and white in my thinking, but now I see gray area all the time, everywhere. I love that feeling of opening up to nuance and possibility. It is a better quality of life.

I used to be nearly oblivious to homelessness, which I'm not proud of, but now I see it and try to understand it. After a layoff in 2002, I hit a rough patch financially and began to notice the homeless. That's why I started giving a pro bono coaching session each week through my local homeless shelter and I've been doing so for over three years. It's been a wonderful experience.

I used to be a sports journalist for a newspaper, but now I write a twice-weekly life coaching column called Game Plan for FoxBusiness.com. Already a seasoned journalist, coaching training in 2002 helped me become a better interviewer and listener.

I used to be a suburbanite, but now I'm all about urban life. That realization came from paying attention during a Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellowship at the University of Michigan back in 1996. I realized how much I enjoyed the energy of walking out my door and having countless possibilities within walking distance. It transformed my life.

I used to be very resistant to social media, but now I actively participate on Facebook and Twitter. It's an invaluable way to create a community, gauge societal reactions to what's happening in the world and in pop culture, and share business and personal information with people.

View the massive archives of Nancy's wisdom on her blog.

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Editorial: Behind the Media

By Christina Fermin

Society & Politics Columnist

Have you ever wondered who it was that gave you the daily dose of your news? Well consider this, there are six companies: General Electric, Walt Disney, News Corp, TimeWarner, Viacom and CBS. These six companies control the entertainment industry from television, publishing companies, internet content, magazines, newspapers, radio, production companies and the list goes on. Yes that is six companies, that means six people decide what you watch, when you watch it, how you watch and in what way they are going to spin it to you. These six companies have made millions and billions of dollars a year. This is why I always refer to the media as the corporate owned media. All this information is posted on www.freepress.net.

What happened to freedom of the press, our wonderful first amendment right? It seems to me that it has been hijacked by the corporate elitists. With six companies literally controlling the media it is no wonder that Hillary Clinton made the statement that we are losing the information battle. While the protesting has been going on the middle east, our wonderful corporate owned media has been reporting about Charlie Sheen and other non sense. It is no wonder that more Americans are turning to alternative news sites and television programming such as Al Jazeera. If people really knew about what was going on we would have Americans out protesting by the millions, storming into every government building and demanding the impeachment of all three legislative bodies.

Republicans in congress have been trying to defund neutral public radio such as NPR and PBS, because they still practice real journalism and also because unlike the other news outlets NPR and PBS do not give political campaign donations. These companies to some extent are giving Americans accurate news without taking a liberal or conservative stance. They also take charge in investigative journalism since none of the other outlets do. I have given up on television and news. Before TimeWarner purchased Huffingtonpost, Huffingtonpost was my primary news provider. Now, I do a daily check of Canadian news, Al Jazeera, Russian Times, blogs and news outlets outside the U.S. to get an accurate depiction of what is really going on.

These six corporations pick and choose what to report, spin news stories to incite fear, and give snippets of the truth so they can spin it in a way that does not benefit the majority. For this reason I do not watch a lot of television, they know how to get into your head and spread not only lies, but fear. Fear is very powerful, it can cripple a nation from thinking and persuade the public to vote a certain way, act a certain way or rush into things that are not supposed to be rushed, such as going to war with Iraq and Afghanistan. The media is very powerful and for you to doubt its power would be foolish. How do you think Hitler took over Germany? Through propaganda, how is propaganda spread? Through the media.

With the recent fraud that has been exposed not only in the mortgage industry but the financial industry as well, who do you think was their partner in hiding this information from the American public and continues to do so? These news organizations still refuse to mention things like 400 people have more wealth, stock and property than 155 million Americans COMBINED! Can we say goodbye Democracy and hello to Plutocracy, Oligarchy or whatever you would like to call it. I do believe more people are catching onto the insidious lies the corporate owned media spreads and that is why so many people have stopped watching the news and stopped purchasing newspapers.

The truth is out there and I know it can be hard to pin point it because there are so many distractions. If you are just as upset as I am about what has happened to our once great Republic you can write to each of these organizations, you can start your own news site, contact your representative, sign the petition at freepress.net and the simplest of these suggestions: cancel the cable and stop watching the news, the reality TV, the commercials and all the other garbage that comes on the channels. You will not only save money, but you will see a difference in your overall mood, anxiety and stress levels and you will feel better about yourself. Instead you can fill your time with things that matter, like family, friends and yourself.

Peace & Harmony,

Christina

About the Columnist

With a bachelors degree in political science from Florida Atlantic University, Christina Fermin has always cultivated her love for history, politics, sociology, ancient knowledge and teachings, the outdoors, the ocean and the environment. Christina strives to make our world better by helping us all create a new reality and understanding of all taking place here and now.

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Childless by Choice: Lindsay's Story

Lindsay Aronstein, 35, is the owner of a women's boutique in Houston, Texas. She has been married to Scott Aronstein, 38, for 6 years.

My parent's were both married and had children from their previous marriages. I am their only child together and pretty much grew up as an only child. They have been happily married for 36 years. My parents will often tell me that little kids annoyed me at an early age. For example if a child were crying in a restaurant or in a store I would be easily annoyed. I did fantasize about having my own children but only wanted to have one if any.

Honestly most of my friends had children very quickly after they were married and I saw the influence it had on their lives and the impact it had on their marriages and I wasn't sure I wanted that for my husband and I. We love to travel and spend time with our furkids (3 dogs) and we love that it is just the two of us! I read the book Two is Enough: A Couple's Guide to Living Childless by Choice by Laura S. Scott and I knew then that we had made the best choice for us. Also the book No Kids: 40 Good Reasons Not to Have Children by Corinne Maier was such an eye openener! I didn't feel alone after reading these books. My Mom and Dad also were very supportive and my Dad said "Not everyone has to have kids, you will be fine."

My husband and I initially thought we wanted children, because that's what you do, right? You're supposed to get married and have a baby. So we tried naturally for a while and were told we would have to do IVF if we wanted children. At that point we decided absolutely not, and that really told us that honestly we really didn't want them to begin with! It was meant to be and I am so glad it worked out the way it did! We have ZERO regrets!! We told our best friends and our families and they were more than supportive! It was tough at first because we are the minority. People wonder what's wrong with you if you don't have kids, or that you hate babies, or God forbid it's just the two of you!

Yes people I really like my husband!

So after making our decision we traveled to Colorado on vacation for a week and the entire time we felt so free and happy. Of course I cried over the thought of never seeing a little Scott running around, but I got over it really quickly. We enjoyed discussing our future without kids and all of the things we would accomplish and all the places we would go!

We have many friends with children. They call us Aunt Lindsay and Uncle Scott. Just because we do not want children doesn't mean we don't adore our friends' kids. We have an adorable niece who is 6 and she is our little buddy! She stays over and enjoys being with us no matter what. Our friends were very supportive of our decision and understand that we are so happy with it just being the two of us with our 3 dogs. My best friend actually told me she never could see the parent lifestyle for me and boy was she right!

I believe we gain so much by this lifestyle. We are able to be there for each other 100%! We are both self-employed and have time for our marriage. If we had children we wouldn't be able to have all of that. We are able to travel, shop, eat and explore and only have to worry about each other. It's really nice to not have the worries that our friends have, schools, colleges, paying for weddings, kids ending up hating you, etc. We do not have one regret about our decision.

We do a lot for our niece and enjoy her very much. Being an Aunt and Uncle works best for us! We enjoy being with our dogs and give a lot of support to different animal causes. We are a very generous couple with our time and when friends and family need us we are there for them. We often keep our niece for sleepovers so my sister n law and her husband can have a date night because Scott and I can't imagine if we never had that alone time together!

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Childless by Choice: Your Choice, Your Life

Greetings to My Savvy Sisters!

This week I would like to introduce an alternative lifestyle that many are unaware of. I was first introduced to this concept last summer when I met a young lady who was recently married. I always ask about love stories and she eagerly shared hers with me. After mooning over the bliss of true love I asked, "So when are you going to have a baby?"

"I'm not," she shared.

"What do you mean?"

"I am not having any children. I told my husband before we were married and I guess he didn't believe me. I don't want children."

I was awestruck. "You don't WANT children? How can that be?"

She shrugged. "Motherhood doesn't benefit the woman in any way," she explained. "I'm not getting into that."

For the next few days I couldn't get her perspective out of my mind. Recently, as I researched various topics to explore on My Savvy Sisters I came across a woman by the name of Laura Scott, who has written a book called Two Is Enough: A Couple's Guide To Living Childfree by Choice.

I was astonished by the Childless by Choice Project and the work that Laura has put into it. On her website she published the results of a survey that details the attitudes of 171 voluntary childless/childfree individuals living in the U.S. and Canada.

The website reports the results of the survey as follows:

The Top Six Motives are:
1) I love our life, our relationship, as it is, and having a child won't enhance it.
2) I value freedom and independence.
3) I do not want to take on the responsibility of raising a child.
4) I have no desire to have a child, no maternal/paternal instinct.
5) I want to accomplish/experience things in life that would be difficult to do if I was a parent.
6) I want to focus my time and energy on my own interests, needs, or goals.

The first three motivations listed above were determined to be top motivators because they were rated a 4 or 5 on a scale of 0-5 by more than 70 percent of the respondents. The remaining three were rated a 4 or 5 by over 60 percent of the respondents indicating they were also strong motivators for the majority of the participants. All of the motivations above had an average rating of more than 3.5.

What are the Least Compelling Motives for this group?

The following motive statements had an average rating below 2.5 indicating that were compelling motives only for a minority of the group surveyed.

“I delayed having children and eventually decided I wanted to remain childless.”

Only 21 percent of women and 22 percent of men gave this statement a rating of 4 or 5. That is not surprising as only 21 percent of the survey respondents described themselves as “postponers.”

The rest of the survey respondents had made the decision to remain childless early in adulthood, or had “acquiesced” to a partner’s wish to remain childfree, or were “undecided.”

“I am concerned about the physical risks of childbirth and recovery.” Only 24 percent of the women rated this statement a 4 or 5. However it is interesting that 12 percent of the men surveyed rated this statement a 4 or a 5 indicating that some men are concerned about the risks of childbirth and recovery, too.

“People I know have not realized the rewards they expected as a parent.” Only 30 percent of men and 25 percent of women surveyed strongly identified with this statement.

“I don't think I would make a good parent.” Interestingly, only 26 percent of the men and 30 percent of the women surveyed were strongly compelled to remain childfree because of perceived lack of parenting skills or aptitude.

After reaching out to Laura Scott to congratulate her on her work, I asked her if she knew any women who wouldn't mind being profiled for this feature. She posted an announcement on her facebook page and 5 delightful women contacted me to be a part of this feature. Each day this week I will post a new profile of a woman who is happy being Childless By Choice.

Whether you're enjoying motherhood or deciding to live a different lifestyle, there is a lot to be learned from women who take a stance to do what they feel is best for them rather than following the status quo to appease others.


Women Who Enjoy The Childless by Choice Lifestyle

Lindsay's Story

Susan's Story

Jennifer's Story

Sheila's Story

Angela's Story


With Love,

Te-Erika

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