Seven Dimensions of Wellness

While July is only Social Wellness Month, it is still important to consider the other areas of wellness in your life.

The 7 Dimensions of Wellness, according to the University of California, Riverside, are:

1. Social

2. Emotional

3. Spiritual

4. Environmental

5. Occupational

6. Intellectual

7. Physical

Each factor of wellness interacts with the others; so while you are focusing on Social Wellness this month, you are improving other areas of wellness too!

Check out these books if you need some help improving other areas of wellness.

Environmental Wellness:
http://atlantic-pub.com/green.htm

Occupational Wellness:
http://atlantic-pub.com/career.htm

Follow us on Twitter for more!

Social Wellness Assessment

Are you socially well? Take this assessment from Definition of Wellness to find out.

Social Wellness Assessment

The social dimension of wellness involves developing, nourishing and encouraging satisfying relationships.

Read each statement carefully and respond honestly by using the following scoring:

Almost always = 2 points

Sometimes/occasionally = 1 point

Very seldom = 0 points

_____ 1. I contribute time and/or money to social and community projects.

_____ 2. I am committed to a lifetime of volunteerism.

_____ 3. I exhibit fairness and justice in dealing with people.

_____ 4. I have a network of close friends and/or family.

_____ 5. I am interested in others, including those from different backgrounds than my own.

_____ 6. I am able to balance my own needs with the needs of others.

_____ 7. I am able to communicate with and get along with a wide variety of people.

_____ 8. I obey the laws and rules of our society.

_____ 9. I am a compassionate person and try to help others when I can.

_____ 10. I support and help with family, neighborhood, and work social gatherings.

_______ Total for Social Wellness Dimension

Score: 15 to 20 Points -  Excellent strength in this dimension.

Score:  9 to 14 Points – There is room for improvement.  Look again at the items in which you scored 1 or 0.  What changes can you make to improve your score?

Score:  0 to 8 Points – This dimension needs a lot of work.  Look again at  this dimension and challenge yourself to begin making small steps toward growth here.  Remember:  The goal is balanced wellness.

How did you do? If you need to improve  your social wellness score, keep up with our Twitter all week long for tips on improving your social wellness.

July is Social Wellness Month

Social Wellness Month is sponsored by Words of Wellness and was put in place to assist people in their efforts to live a healthier life. Social Wellness Month offers an opportunity to help others feel good about themselves and build stronger social ties to the people you love.

According to Definition of Wellness, social wellness is having positive interactions with and enjoying being with others. It is having comfort and ease during work and leisure situations and communicating feelings and needs to others. It involves developing and building close friendships and intimacy, practicing empathy and effective listening, caring for others and for the common good, and allowing others to care for you. It is recognizing the need for leisure and recreation and budgeting time for those activities.

At Atlantic Publishing Group, we can help you improve your social well-being. All of this week we will be Tweeting facts and tips for social wellness, blogging about ways to enhance your social wellness, and sharing links to websites for more information.

Check out this book for more help:

How to Start and Make a Conversation: How to Talk to Anyone in 30 Seconds or Less

For more, take a look at our Self-Help books, or follow us on Twitter!

Teachers Can Make a Difference

Teachers can be one of the most powerful influences on children. Their actions go far in shaping the behavior of students, and they often serve as role models for students. They can directly affect their achievements in school, have an influence on future school and career goals, and encourage students to succeed in other parts of their lives.

This article explains the part a teacher can play as a role model:

http://www.brighthub.com/education/special/articles/17266.aspx

Creating a positive student-teacher relationship is important in having a favorable influence on children. A positive relationship is necessary to raising student achievement, as this article explains: Positive Relationships. If teachers have a positive attitude and outlook and try to get along with students, they are more likable and can have a more positive impact.

If you are a teacher, there can be a lot of pressure for you to be that positive influence. The first year of teaching has the most pressure, and at Atlantic Publishing Group, we have books to help you be successful in your first year.

• How to Be Successful in Your First Year of Teaching Elementary School: Everything You Need to Know That They Don’t Teach You in School
• How to Be Successful in Your First Year of Teaching Middle School
• How to Be Successful in Your First Year of Teaching High School

From an Expert

Author and Parent Advocate Sue Scheff believes that educating parents on an industry that is extremely confusing is the first step to finding the best help for their teen. Take a look at her WordPress blog and see what she says about National Make a Difference to Children Month.

http://suescheff.wordpress.com/

Her latest post explains The World’s Longest Group Motorcycle Benefit Run. It started July 17th in St. Augustine, and is heading to Alaska to raise awareness and funds for the non-profit Ski-Hi Institute. Ski-Hi supports the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind.

Make a Difference to Children

You have the power to make a positive difference to children, even if you are not a parent. This includes children of all ages, so don’t forget about teens! Volunteering your time to organizations that help children in need, donating money to a worthy cause, or simply eating dinner with your child every night are a few ways you can make a difference.

Throughout the week we will be Tweeting about organizations dedicated to helping children, websites that provide ideas for you to make a positive impact on a child’s life, and events you can attend.

At Atlantic Publishing Group we have many books on parenting, but these in particular are about helping children:

In Search of a Family: A Story of an International Adoption

Not all children are fortunate enough to have parents. If you are unable to have children of your own or you want to make a huge impact on a child’s life (and have the ability to take on this responsibility), consider adoption.

The Complete Guide to Understanding, Controlling, and Stopping Bullies and Bullying: A Complete Guide for Teachers and Parents

Whether a child is being bullied or is a bully, you can be a trusted adult and help resolve the situation.

Your Child’s First Pet: A Parent’s Guide to Ensuring Success

If you are able to have a pet in your home, think about getting your child a new friend. Just remember that a new pet for your child doesn’t mean you won’t have to take care of it!

July is National Make a Difference to Children Month

Every day is an opportunity to make a positive impact on a child’s life, but use this month as a time to start! Since it’s summer, children are not in school — which is a great time to spend time with your own children or help those in need.

Next week we will be explaining ways you can make a difference in a child’s life. Keep up with our Twitter as we go over big and small things you can do, because even giving a little can mean a lot.

Writing A Children’s Book Is Easier Than You Think…

Activity #4: Write a book

Resource: How to Publish Your Own Children’s Book: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply

Top publishers and writers in the children’s book industry were interviewed and have lent their expertise to this book to provide an overview of everything that is needed in the process. The reader will learn what morals and values publishers and readers look for in children’s books and what to expect in a publication deal. The book also provides information to help the reader recognize what market their book appeals to and how to adjust their book to fit a market where it will be most likely published. The author will also inform the reader on the basics of the children’s book publishing industry and how it is fundamentally different from that of the regular publishing industry. Publishers and print on-demand options will also be explored, as well as how to package the book and make it visually appealing to the intended market. From there, the reader will learn how to gain publicity and build their book into a long-term career.

Sneak peak of the book:

Click here for a tip on originality.

Click here for a chart on organizing and establishing characters.

Click here for advice when setting up a contract with a publisher.

Reviews:

Marissa writes a blog called Mama Sparkles. She read our book and posted her thoughts on her blog. Check it out!

Lynette has a blog called Crazed Mind. She posted her thoughts on her blog as well. Check it out!

*For more information on this book or other similar books, please visit our website.

Host Your Own Summer Affair

Activity #3: Plan an event

Resource: The Complete Guide to Successful Event Planning: With Companion CD-ROM

This ultimate guidebook equips the reader with new ideas, support, and creative problem-solving skills. The chapters follow the dynamics of the actual event planning process and are supported by extensive checklists and timelines. The information found in this book is suitable for creating any event for any theme, size, location, or budget. The reader will be brought up-to-date with the latest trends in technology and in understanding what is appropriate for each particular event. The latest audio-visual equipment that will dazzle participants and provide the best environment possible for communicating the message is also included in this book.

*This book was awarded an honorable mention for the Eric Hoffer Award as a business book in 2007.

Excerpts from the book:

Click here for a tip on the beginning steps of planning an event.

Click here for ideas on how to save money during the process.

Click here for an important element to consider when booking an event.

For more information of this book, please visit our website or Amazon.

Butter Recipe

Making Basic Butter

Ingredients

Heavy cream (not ultra-pasteurized)

Because you need only one ingredient, it does not matter how much heavy cream you use; the more cream you churn, the more butter you will get.

Salt (optional)

Most people are used to eating lightly salted butter, but salt is not necessary for making butter. Whether you add salt to your butter should be determined by your taste and what you plan to do with the butter. If you plan on using the butter to cook or bake with, you may want to omit the salt as many recipes call for unsalted butter.

Other possible additions to this basic butter recipe are described in The Complete Guide to Making Cheese, Butter, and Yogurt at Home: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply.

Directions

1. Pour the cream into a jar with a tight fitting lid. For the best results, the cream should be about 60°. If the cream is coming from your chilled refrigerator, remove it and allow it to sit out until it reaches the desired temperature. If the cream is at room temperature, you can refrigerate it until it reaches the desired temperature. Make sure the jar is not full to the top as you are going to be shaking the jar and the cream needs room to move.
2. When the lid to the jar is on tight, shake the jar for about ten minutes. As you shake, you will notice the cream will go through several changes. The cream will foam and will become whipped cream. Keep shaking; small solids will start to appear. You will notice that larger solids are forming and the color of the solids is a pale yellow.
3. When the pale yellow solids appear, you can stop shaking. Looking into the jar you will notice that a bit of separation has occurred. You will see the pale yellow solid and a cloudy liquid; the liquid is true buttermilk. This is not the same cultured buttermilk that you buy in the store or that you will make in Chapter 5.
4. Let the jar sit for about five minutes. During this time, the solids will continue to separate from the buttermilk.
5. Put a fine screen sieve over a bowl and pour the buttermilk and solids mixture into it. The buttermilk will flow through the sieve and the solids will be left behind.
6. Pour the buttermilk (liquid) again through a doubled piece of cheesecloth. Retain the solids left behind and add them to the solids left in the sieve. Retain the buttermilk; you can use this later to drink or to cook with.
7. Put the solids into a food-grade plastic or stainless steel colander and rinse them with cold water. As you rinse the solids, they will start to firm up. This sounds counter-intuitive, but it is a good way to get the butter into a condition that is easy to work with.
8. Gently knead the solids with a wooden spoon. A good way to do this is to gently work the solids between two large wooden spoons. As you do this, you will notice that you continue to work liquid out of the solids. You can just as easily perform this action in a bowl or on a flat surface. The important thing is to work as much liquid out of the solids as possible. The reason you are working the liquid out of the solids is because butter that has too much liquid in it will spoil quicker.
9. Continue to knead the butter until most of the liquid has run off, which will take between five and ten minutes. The solids will start to look more like the butter you are familiar with as it gets thicker and denser.
10. Put the butter into a bowl and knead it a couple more minutes to       make sure you have gotten all the liquid out. Some liquid may still separate at this point; you can pour that off.
11. If you are going to add salt, this is the time to do it. Knead salt in to taste. If you began with 1 pint of heavy cream, you might add 1/4 tsp of salt. Do this a little at a time so you do not over-salt.
12. You can use the butter immediately or chill it in the refrigerator. Keep the butter refrigerated in a covered bowl. More about storing butter will be discussed in the book.

This is the simplest recipe for making butter. This is a recipe kids love to take part in, and you will appreciate their ability and love of shaking the jar. One caution, however: Make sure that they shake the jar in a place where if the jar is dropped it will not break all over the floor. Overzealous shaking is good for making butter, but it is easy to drop the jar.

*This recipe is excerpted directly from The Complete Guide to Making Cheese, Butter, and Yogurt at Home: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply.