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I haven’t posted a Friday Favorites in probably about two years, but today it’s back! It’s back because I had recently had an opportunity to try Fascial Stretch Therapy

I’m sure that you are shaking your head wondering what is Fascial Stretch Therapy. I was thinking the same thing when Ashley Brodeur of Active Lifestyle Fitness told me about this unique form of stretching.

We all know how important stretching is for us. But how many of you really take the time to stretch? I’m right there with you. I always say that I have to do it, but I NEVER do.

What is FST?
Fascial Stretch Therapy also is known as FST is a method of assisted stretching that focuses on the manipulation of the fascia. What’s fascia? Fascia is the connective tissue system of the body that penetrates through and wraps around muscles, nerves, and organs.

What Happens?
I began my session laying flat on a table listening to relaxing music. I will admit that the hardest thing for me was to relax and let Ashley move my muscles as she needed to. But after a few minutes, I was able to decompress and let her work her magic.

Ashley started lightly stretching my legs (I was hoping that this would make me taller). But, no luck there.

She then began to open up my hips, which felt amazing by the way. All of the stretching was not what we are used to with stretching. It was light pulling, yet felt effective. It was not painful in any way.

FST involves your entire body, from your legs and hamstrings to your glutes, arms, and neck.

The 50-minute session flew by. I definitely could have stayed there much longer.

The Benefits
FST is pain-free. I can personally say that nothing hurt when Ashley performed it on me. FST is said to help reduce pain and stress. It also said to improve sleep, mobility, and posture. (All of these I need). This type of stretching is also known to improve the mobility of your muscles and fascia.

The Findings
Ashley has gone through a rigorous training program and knows exactly what to look for when she is performing FST. After your first session, she will be able to tell you what is tight, off balance or needs improvement. She says that has seen people who don’t need much stretching at all and some who should get the therapy every day.

In my case, she found some tightness in my left should which she was able to work out. My glutes were also tight, but nothing out of the ordinary.

My Results
I have a very difficult time sleeping and the night that I had FST done, I found that I fell asleep much faster than the average night. I also felt more relaxed throughout the day.

Would I do it Again?
Absolutely! The benefits are amazing and to spend 50 minutes relaxing while knowing that you are helping your muscles is a win-win. I highly recommend that you try FST with Ashley. For more information go to Activelifestyle.com.

And if you try it, let me know what you thought about it!

Cheers to the weekend!

 

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Scarlett Lewis started December 14th, 2012 like any other day- she kissed her son Jesse as he woke up. As always, Jesse, the fun-loving first grader was so excited to start the day. On his way to school, Jesse stopped to write, “I love you” in the frost Scarlett’s car.

Scarlett could never have imagined what would happen later day. A day that she and thousands of others will never forget.

Just hours later, Jesse was senselessly murdered in his first-grade classroom. He was one of the 26 victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut

As a mother, I honestly can’t even comprehend what Scarlett and the other parents went through – and what they are still going through. No parent should ever have to lose a child.

There are people in this world who take the most horrific incidents in their lives and turn them into something else. Call it a mission or a purpose. But, I believe that they are put on this earth to do something that very few people can do.

Scarlett Lewis is one of them.

I was fortunate to meet Scarlett at her Sandy Hook, CT farmhouse for The Hustle interview with Jenna Jorge of Goodman Speakers.

Prior to meeting Scarlett, I was nervous about what to say. My heart hurt for her and I wasn’t sure if I could look her in the eye without crying. All I could think of is how does she get through the day? How is she so strong? And how did she find the strength to do what she is doing?

Well, this woman is stronger than any person I ever have met. Scarlett has found her strength in forgiveness.

She has turned the pain that she went through and had made it her mission to educate people throughout the world to choose love.

Weeks after Jesse’s murder, Scarlett immediately began researching the root causes of the sort of violence that killed her child. She became convinced that one thing that matters in these mass shootings is the inability of many children and teenagers is to manage their emotions and connect with others.

In 2015, Scarlett started Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement, an organization that brings curriculum into schools to teach what’s called social and emotional learning.

We have had way too many schools and workplace shootings. Every time another one happens, we hear about gun control, arming guards, metal detectors, and who’s to blame.

But what we are not hearing about is what educators are doing to prevent these children from getting to a place where they want to harm others.

In the next few weeks, I'll be sharing more about Scarlett’s story and her mission in next episode of The Hustle.

In the meantime, I ask that you go to the Jesse Lewis Choose Love website to learn more.

 

 

 

 

 

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Facebook continues to be in hot water. Today, a New Scientist investigation has found that data from 3 million Facebook users who used a popular personality app, including their answers to intimate questionnaires, was left exposed online for anyone to access. 

Online privacy is becoming more of a concern for consumers and now even advertisers. Recent news has some companies second-guessing the social media platform. 

Brand Distrust
Some brands are and having losing confidence in Facebook. A few large companies are already scaling back on their Facebook advertising. Proctor & Gamble and Unilever have been threatening to pull their advertising.  And according to Digiday, Adidas has already stopped buying video ads on Facebook and has not ruled out other cuts, said another executive, whom Adidas briefed on the matter.

Now, don't shut down your page or pull your ads from Facebook just yet.  Once the dust settles and Facebook has fixed its kinks their advertising platform will be better because businesses and Wallstreet are demanding it. 

The Cost of Advertising
Facebook users may be inclined to share less data. The less data they share, the harder it is for advertisers to target their audience. If it becomes more difficult, the cost could go up too. 

Advertising on Facebook isn’t getting any cheaper, Digiday says that in the first quarter of 2018, the average price per ad on Facebook jumped 49 percent, according to Facebook’s latest results.

But, Facebook advertising is still far less expensive than traditional advertising. It's targeting tools are also increasingly effective. 

Facebook also continues to develop sophisticated artificial intelligence to analyze user data. This will put the social media platform on top of the advertising marketplace. 


Don't Rely on One Source
Like anything else, don't put all your eggs in one basket.  Companies should be doing is exploring other advertising avenues for their brand.  Marketing managers should focus on other efforts to acquire new customers. The two things business owners should think about what additional ways can you market to people? And how are going to identify with your customer?

Keep Advertising
The worst thing a business can do is stop advertising. While you may need to tweak your advertising platform and plan, you must figure out how to cut through the noise. Do your research, reach out to professionals or hire an in-house marketing and advertising team. But you must reach your target audience somehow and advertising will help you get their easier. 

Crisis Planning
If there is one take away from Facebook's data scandal is that a crisis can hit any company large or small at any time. It is more important now that ever that you have an effective crisis plan in place. And review it often. The number one thing a company can do is be prepared and stay on top of the story. 


Don't let Facebook's recent issue scare you off the platform, but I highly recommend you dive deeper into your digital advertising strategy and ensure that your message is getting to the right people. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this and if you have switched to other advertising platforms. Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!