Join us for The 31 Days of Kindness-and-Sweetness Campaign

Join the conversation. Please tell us what you’re doing as part of The 31 Days of Kindness-and-Sweetness Campaign. How will or are you being kind and sweet to others?
When was the last time you did something really kind and sweet for someone else with no expectation of getting anything back in return?
Have you noticed that when you give freely to other people or organizations that you tend to forget or at least ignore your pressing problems? Plus, you feel so good for being so generous.
Now, for those of you who ned to weight , your frustrations about about the number on your bathroom scale won’t seem all that important when you’re focused on giving.
Plus, if you’re a sugar or carb addict, your plight will fade away or at least greatly diminish when you do something sweet for someone else or several something elses.
In fact, being kind and sweet makes you feel so good that it’s a lot easier and more enjoyable to eat healthy, wholesome, unrefined, natural foods that don’t contain a lot of sugar, gluten, salt, fat or other additives.
Anyhow, I’m so excited to invite you to join me for The 31 Days of Kindness Challenge.
Although I’d love to be able to claim this fabulous idea as my own, I can’t.
This great suggestion for The 31 Days of Kindness Challenge. comes from speaker/communicator Ryan Avery,, who is co-author with Jeremey Donovan of Speaker, Leader, Champion: Succeed at Work Through the Power of Public Speaking, featuring the prize-winning speeches of Toastmasters World Champions.
Ryanaverys31daycahllengeFYI, please note that I’m personalizing the experience. Although I plan to do kind and sweet things every day for 31 days (and probably longer) and I’m printing out Rya’ns list, I won’t t follow his guidelines exactly. Rather, I’ll use them as suggestions.
Ryan-Avery-Keynote-Speaker-300x300Furthermore, with Ryan Avery’s blessing, I hope, for my fans, I’d like to rename this The 31 Days of Kindness-and- Sweetness Campaign, because you’ll be focused on giving or doing something kind and sweet instead of stuffing your face with something sweet.
Now, let me tell you how I plan to kick off tomorrow, day one of The 31 Days of Kindness-and-Sweetness Chaallenge.
At last, I’ll write a thank you letter to the amazing pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Robert Lustig for the valuable work he’s done to raise people’s sugar consciousness and to improve the health of the planet.
More importantly, though, along with my thank you note, I plan to make a donation to his Institute for Responsible Nutrition, whose mission is to reverse childhood obesity and type 2 obesity.
Institute for REsponsible Nutrition rewbztj9dvkvr8ifs30aThis is something I’ve been planning on doing for a while. In fact, my envelope (without a stamp attached yet) has been ready for weeks. So tomorrow, thanks to Ryan Avery’s polite nudge, I’ll finally do this.
As you probably already know, the remarkable Dr. Lustig is acclaimed for his powerful Sugar: The Bitter Truth lecture, which has had nearly 5 million views on YouTube.
You can watch Dr. Lustig’s lecture below. (By the way, Dr. Lustig will be participating in my upcoming Sugar World Summit. Stay tuned for details.)
In addition to watching the video below, I urge you to get Dr. Lustig’s remarkable, bestselling book, Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease.
So will you join me in The 31-Days of Kindness-and-Sweetness Campaign?
To participate, first get guidance from Ryan Avery, who offers great ideas on how to join in.
Then, will you join me by kicking off your involvement in The 31 Days of Kindness-and-Sweetness Campaign tomorrow by making a tax-detuctible donation to Dr. Robert Lustfg’s important Institute for Responsible Nutrition?
Join the conversation. Please tell us what you’re doing as part of The 31 Days of Kindness-and-Sweetness Campaign. How will or are you being kind and sweet to others?

7 Ways a Social Media Vacation Can Help You

TwitterJoin the Conversation. Are you taking a Social Media Vacation this holiday season? Post your comment here.
Are you taking a Social Media Vacation this holiday season?
Or are you worried that if you take time away from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram or your blog, people will forget about you or you’ll lose valuable momentum?
Lately, I’ve become a fan of taking becoming deliberately and intentionally “anti-social” on the Internet for a while in order to become more social later on, as I shared recently on this Sugar Shock Blog.
FacebookI contend that occasionally, you may need a Social Media Vacation. To begin, you need time off if youo’re facing family or personal emergencies.
But you don’t need to suffer your Dark Night of the Soul to step back from social media.
You need a Social Media Vacation at least twice a year for a few days at a time, I contend.
It’s simply not healthy to be “on” all the time.
For at least of the holiday season, I believe, you need to turn off your social media mind for a few days or even a couple of weeks for the sake of your health, relationships, and state of mind.
Here are 7 benefits of taking Social Media Vacations:
You can spend precious time with loved ones, who you may not see enough.
When you’re absent from social media, you can become more fully present in your life. For instance, you’ll better enjoy your significant other, children, siblings, nieces and nephews, friends, etc. Plus, you’ll have more fun and be more open to new, exciting experiences.
When you’re not distracted by social media and you’re not overly focused on the kinds of and number of responses you get on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, Instagram or your blog, you can get clearer about your long-term goals.
When you’re inactive on social media, youi “fill yourself up” in a way that food can never do. Like a car, you need to refuel and put healing, rejuvenating “gas” into your tank.
By giving yourself what you need — necessary R & R — you can emerge with more energy, passion, and enthusiasm to share valuable information to your fans through social media.
You also can gain valuable perspective, insights, and ideas by turning off your social media brain.
Social Media Vacations, like regular vacations, are good for your health. For instance, when you take vacations — something most Americans don’t take enough — you’ll gain better focus and relieve stress..
Learn more here about how Social Media Breeaks can help you when your heart is breaking.
New to this Sugar Shock Blog?
Bestseller Beyond Sugar Shock BSBlog founder Connie Bennett is a bestselling author of Beyond Sugar Shock and Sugar Shock, which been praised by such acclaimed health gurus and celebrities as “America’s Favorite Doctor,” Dr. Mehmet Oz; as well as “Tthe Father of Motivation” Dr. Wayne Dyer, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Dr. Daniel Amen, Brian Tracy, Bernie Siegel, Marci Shimoff, John Assaraf, JJ Virgin, and Jimmy Moore. Connie’s sour-to-sweet story kicked into gear in 1998, when after reluctantlyly quitting sugar on doctor’s orders, all 44 of her baffling ailments vanished, including brain fog, heart palpitations, mood swings.
Now, 15 years later, the compassionate, self-mocking Connie is acclaimed as The Sweet Freedom Coach, and she has helped thousands of sugar and carb addicts worldwide discover that Life is Sweeter When Sugar Doesn’t Seduce You™. Connie is also an in-demand motivational speaker, a popular blogger (Sugar Shock Blog), a widely published journalist, a certified life coach, certified health coach, and tapping practitioner (now completing EFT training). Subscribe to this Sugar Shock Blog and like Connie on Facebook..
– See more at: http://www.sugarshockblog.com/#sthash.tvCR8MMx.dpuf.
Join the Conversation. Are you taking a Social Media Vacation this holiday season to become more energized, enthusiastic, and refreshed. Post your comment here.

9 Ways Strategic Social Media Breaks Make You More Social

In today’s world you need to be social even if you’re not naturally gregarious or extroverted.
To spread the word about your book, program, product, or professional expertise, you have to be active in social media in a BIG way, using such tools as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, your blog, Pinterest, etc.
But what if you’re feeling decidedly anti-social, because you’re facing a grueling Dark Night of the Soul?
Should you continue to post regularly on Facebook, Twitter, and your blog when you’re enduring an existential crisis like a terminally ill parent or spouse, the breakup of your long-term marriage, or the death of a cherished loved one?
TwitterWhen you’re shaken up by such a trying situation, I contend, you need to take Strategic Social Media Breaks of varying lengths of time—from a few days to a few weeks.
Something interesting happens when you become deliberately anti-social. Ultimately, after you devote time to yourself and your healing, you ultimately become more social.
In other words, staying away from social media paves the way for you to become active again and to return with vitality, peace of mind, and a better frame of mind.
Gab with the Gurus Large LogoFor my part, I discovered the value and need to take Strategic Social Media Breaks soon afterddiscovering that my mother—who lived on the other side of the country—was terminally ill with stage 4 lung cancer.
Over the next two years, I took several Social Media Breaks—during Mom’s final months when we enjoyed a plethora of plays, operas, and farmer’s markets together, and she taught me how to die with grace and spunk.
Three months before Mom died, I became quite active again on social media when my new new book, Beyond Sugar Shock, was published. But soon afterwards, I needed a longer Social Media Break after Mom passed away and I was grief-stricken and depressed.
Again, I needed more time away from social media when I needed to travel around to find a new, peaceful place to live; and when I needed to Take Back My Power and heal from my mother’s unintentional cancer-driven rage, abuse, betrayal and symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome.
If you’re facing a family crisis, I urge you to step back from social media. Here are nine benefits of staying away from the Web for a few days or weeks.
You can spend precious time with a loved one. (This is especially important if your loved one is very ill.).
You can take ample time to go inward and put your attention on nurturing and nourishing yourself.
Focusing on yourself rather than on posts or tweets allows you to emerge more compassionate and committed to giving valuable information to your fans through social media..
When you’re absent from social media, you can become more fully present in your life.
You can reassess your priorities without getting distracted by social media.
When you shift your focus from serving others to preserving yourself, it’s easier to triumph over your stressful, heart-breaking situations.
When you’re not concerned about the responses you’re getting to a comment, quote or photo you posted on Facebook, your blog or Google+, you have more energy to face your profound pain, which, in turn, will help you move faster away from the dark and into the light.
When you’re not sidetracked by social media, you can gain valuable perspective, insights, and the distance you need to rise above your pain.
A Social Media Break “fills you up” so that you can return with more energy, exuberance, and enthusiasm to serving people.
So how do you know you need a Social Media Break? Youi may benefit from time away from social media if you haven’t regained your mojo, zest, or gusto after your Dark Night of the Soul. In other words:
You often feel anxious, depressed, and devastated after the death of a loved one.
You just don’t have much enthusiasm to share great information with your fans. Rather, you need to focus on healing after your challenging time such as the end of your marriage.
You just don’t feel ready to serve your Facebook fans, Twitter followers, blog readers, etc. Before being so visible ot he world, you need to regain your strength.
Anyhow, now that I’m active again in social media, I invite you to become social with me.
Please subscribe to this Sugar Shock Blog; listen to my Gab with the Gurus Shows on BlogTalkRadio; connect with me on Facebook; and follow me on Twitter.
Share Your Feedback: Have you ever taken a Strategic Social Media Break? Why and for how long? How did being anti-social help you to become more social? Let us know your experiences here.

Best Times to Post on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest & Your Blog [Infographic]

When should you post updates on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn or your blog?
That’s the big question we all want answered so we can get lots of eyeballs to grace our fan pages, read and retweet our tweets, connect with us on LinkedIn, right?
Well, Woo Hoo, now, thanks to Fannit for sharing this infographic, you get answers about when to put your social media feet forward.
Bear in mind, though, that it’s a good idea to check out if these times hold true for your audience.
Post at the right time and bump up your online presence to a high degree; post at the wrong time and you’ll fail to reach your audience. – See more at: http://www.fannit.com/social-media-infographic-when-are-the-best-times-to-post/#sthash.Kf92uPRj.dpuf
Fannit’s Isaac Campbel advises: “Post at the right time and bump up your online presence to a high degree; post at the wrong time and you’ll fail to reach your audience.”
Share this with your friends and fans. And tell us about your experiences with different posting times.
Source: Special thanks to Isaac Campbell of Fannit for the great infographic. And special thanks go to Social Buzz Club founder Laura Rubinstein for letting us know about this.

Sugar Addicts: Get Personal Help During The Sugar Freedom & Forgiveness World Tour

Bring me Into Your Living Room, Community Center, Place of Worship or Business to Discover “Secrets to Fast Forward Beyond Sugar Shock to Get Slimmer, Sexier & Sweeter”
All Stops are by Request Only
Sugar_freedom_finalSugar addicts, let’s connect and let me help you in the flesh—not just virtually through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+ or YouTube.
Bring me into your living room, community center, place of business or worship so you’ll discover “Secrets to Fast Forward Beyond Sugar Shock to Get Slimmer, Sexier & Sweeter.”
Drum roll!
I’m thrilled to announce that, in honor of my 15 years sugar-free (mostly) — or “my 15-year-sugar-free-iversary” — in mid-April, I’m going on the road to personally help, encourage, and inspire thousands of sugar and carb addicts as part of The 2013 Sugar Freedom & Forgiveness World Tour.
You now have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to book me to speak to intimate groups (10 people and up) in your private home, community center, place of worship or business all across the United States and parts of Europe, including San Francisco, Atlanta, New York, Paris, and Sydney.
Please note that all stops are by request only.
Apply here to be included as part of the 2013 Sugar Freedom & Forgiveness World Tour.
During my talks on the tour, you’ll get:
New (never-shared) secrets to easily let go of your sugar habit.
1 super-simple tactic to get started on your way to being sugar-free, slimmer, sexier and sweeter.
Super-cool tools to help you easily get back on track after you’ve “slipped,” “fallen off the wagon” or “blown your diet.”
A way to avoid the single biggest mistake — and easy-to-avoid error — that most people make when trying to quit or limit sweets.
A fun, interactive Adventurcise (adventurous exercise) so you can identify your biggest block to sugar-free success.
Larger groups (50, 200, etc.) of interested women, parents, or teachers also can book my talk, “Secrets to Fast Forward Beyond Sugar Shock to Get Slimmer, Sexier & Sweeter.”
I’m also available to work privately with health or life coaches, as well as other health professionals, to help them help their clients.
This talk is for you if:
You want to shed excess weight to get slimmer, sexier, and sweeter, as well as happier, positive, and more focused
You feel addicted to sugary foods or processed carbs. (You can relate to alcoholics or drug addicts.)
You want to boost your energy.
(Females) You have horrible female challenges during either your time of month (your period) or life (menopause).
(Males) Your libido isn’t what it used to be.
You have hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes.
You suffer from one or more of the following symptoms: mood swings, severe fatigue, headaches, crying spells, difficulty concentrating, depression, forgetfulness, and lightheadedness.
You’ve read one or both of my books, Sugar Shock or Beyond Sugar Shock, but would like personal guidance to Easily Achieve Sugar Freedom.
You want to look and feel younger, turn heads whereever you go, and out-perform people 15 years younger
The 2013 Sugar Freedom & Forgiveness World Tour kicks off mid-April in the Western part of the United States. Apply here, on this Sugar Shock Blog, to be included in this once-in-a-lifetime event.
Please note:
Limited opportunities are available.
You can choose between: A 45-minute talk, a 3-hour Sugar Freedom Play Camp, a 1-hour Smart-Sugar-Sleuth Supermarket Tour, and half-hour private coaching.
First-come, first-served.
Beyond Sugar Shock notebooks and pens will be provided as my gift. (Until they run out.)
Your advance orders of 10 or more copies of Beyond Sugar Shock will be shipped in advance.
The 2013 Sugar Freedom and Forgiveness World Tour is dedicated to my beloved mother, who recently passed away.
To bring me into your home, community or place of worship to discover “Secrets to Fast Forward Beyond Sugar Shock to Get Slimmer, Sexier & Sweeter,” submit your application now.
If you have any questions, submit them here. (They will not be published unless you agree.)
Connie Bennett is a bestselling author (Beyond Sugar Shock and Sugar Shock), an internationally acclaimed transformational speaker, and a sugar-addict-turned Sugar Freedom Coach, who runs the popular Sugar Freedom Now Course.
Connie’s sour-to-sweet story began in 1998 when she was ambushed by a whopping 44 mysterious ailments, including crippling fatigue, unpredictable mood swings, and scary heart palpitations. On doctor’s orders, Connie reluctantly gave up her cherished candies, cookies and other “culprit carbs,” and much to her delight, ALL of her symptoms disappeared. Quickly, people wanted to know Connie’s secrets, and she’s now known as The Sugar Freedom Coach.
Connie’s new book, Beyond Sugar Shock, has been endorsed by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer and many others. Her first book, Sugar Shock, was praised by Dr. Mehmet Oz.
In mid-April, Connie will embark on The Sugar Freedom & Forgiveness World Tour. It is designed to help sugar addicts around the globe easily release their dangerous habit so they can get slimmer, sexier and sweeter — and have fun at the same time.
The tour — which also is intended to help people discover that Life is Sweeter without Sweets™ — will raise awareness about the harmful dangers of over-eating sweets and refined carbs. (The average person over-indulges in these fast-acting non-foods, whether she or he knows it or not.)
The Sugar Freedom & Forgiveness World Tour is commemorating Connie’s 15-year-sugar-free-iversary (fifteen years of mostly shunning those dangerous sweets). It is dedicated to Connie’s recently deceased mother.
Connie has been featured by hundreds of media outlets, including “CBS News Sunday Morning,” “Oprah & Friends Radio,” “The Howard Stern Show,” TIME magazine, Woman’s World, Women’s Health, Delicious Living, Shape magazine, The Chicago Tribune, and Detroit News.
Connie is a certified life coach (Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching or iPEC), certified health coach (Institute for Integrative Nutrition), and accomplished reporter (with a master’s of science degree in journalism from Northwestern University’s respected Medill School of Journalism). She hosts the popular Gab with the Gurus Show, for which she interviews bestselling authors and experts in a variety of fields, from wellness to relationships to social networking.
Get free gifts at Connie’s website, BeyondSugarShock.com, and connect with Connie on Facebook.

Connect on Facebook, Master Your Subconscious Mind & Name My Next Book

Motivating Morsels
This week’s Motivating Morsels will be quick, because I’m supposed to be on bed rest, according to my new neurologist.
4 Quick Things:
IN THIS ISSUE:
1) Post-Concussive Syndrome
2) Name My Next Book – The Follow-Up to Sugar Shock
http://tinyurl.com/NameMyBook-SugarShockFollow-Up
3) Master your Subconscious Mind with Debra Berndt & Bob Doyle of “The Secret”
4) Connect With me on Facebook & Follow me on Twitter
5) Are You Single? Learn about Love Mentoring with Dr. Diana Kirschner
Now here’s this week’s Motivating Morsels.
1) Post-Concussive Syndrome
Well, my suspicions were correct. My aching head was telling me something.
Learn more here: http://www.sugarshockblog.com/2010/07/postconcussive-syndrome-dr-says.html
2) Name My Next Book – The Follow-Up to Sugar Shock
http://tinyurl.com/NameMyBook-SugarShockFollow-Up
Have you shared your ideas yet on what to name my next book, the follow-up to Sugar Shock?
Please let me know what you recommend – http://tinyurl.com/NameMyBook-SugarShockFollow-Up
Power-of-your-subconscious-mind 3) Master your Subconscious Mind
My hypnotist friend Debra Berndt – whose healing downplay is helping my head a lot – is presenting an amazing 4-week program, beginning Tuesday night, with Bob Doyle of “The Secret” on how you can Master Your Subconscious Mind. Sign up now here: http://letloveinbook.com/MasteringSub.html
4) Connect With me on Facebook & Follow me on Twitter
Are we connected yet, thanks to social media? I invite you to take the next step.
My goal is to inspire, motivate, educate and nurture you using a variety of social media platforms.
First off, I invite you to become one of the Smart Habits Fans on Facebook. There you’ll be able to get links to interesting articles, Daily Smart Habits Tips, pointers to break free of your sugar addiction and other bad habits and much more.
Facebook-logo Just go here: http://www.facebook.com/smarthabitsfans
Once you connect, please make sure to post your thoughts, comments and insights.
Twitter_logo_header Also make sure to follow me on Twitter. Just go to http://www.twitter.com/smarthabitsgirl
(If you don’t have an account yet, just start one at http://www.twitter.com and then follow me. It’s that easy.)
I hope I inspire you!
Feel free to share interesting articles and ideas, too.
5) Are You Single? Learn about Love Mentoring with Dr. Diana Kirschner
If you’re single, you’ll definitely want to know about this exciting fr*ee program on Wed., July 14 at 9 pm Eastern (6 pm Western) with my friend, the acclaimed relationship expert Dr. Diana Kirschner, author of “Love in 90 Days.”
Diana — who has helped thousands of people find love — is doing a a wonderful fre*e teleseminar with another friend Cynthia Rowland, to tell you about the value of love mentoring to find love.
Study after study has shown that adults who are mentored are more successful in their careers and in school. Women, in particular, have greatly benefited from mentoring with reports of greater self-esteem and a heightened ability to break through the “glass ceiling.” And love is no different. Learn more here about this fr*ee program to educate you about love mentoring: http://tiny.cc/ks0su