Holistic Health and Me

“Why do we need a business plan?”

This is a common question among holistic entrepreneurs and business owners who do not understand the creative power of the written word in their business manifestation process.

Entrepreneurs too often give little attention to writing or updating their business plans let alone addressing potential pitfalls. Consequently, this lack of risk awareness turns out to be the most important reason for many a small businesses downfall. Nearly all failures can be attributed to not having a written business plan to follow.

Anyone who has ever been in charge of a successful major event knows that were it not for their careful, methodical, strategic planning — and hard work — success would not have followed. The same could be said of most business successes. On any major endeavor, having a roadmap to your destination is imperative; the lack of one often leads down the road to ruin or worse.

Many small businesses fail because of fundamental shortcomings in their business planning. It must be realistic and based on accurate, current information and educated projections for the future. Holistic practitioners need to have their feet firmly planted on the path to performance, especially in today’s marketplace. You need a good map that combines your design with quality help you can trust.

Southwest Institute of Healing Arts now offers holistic practitioners a roadmap to turn their passions and purpose into actionable plans with their new online class – Developing a Written Business Plan. This is a 10-week program that includes a step-by-step workbook and activities designed to help your dreams come alive and thrive in the marketplace today.

Self-employment is the All-American Dream, and a dream without a plan remains a dream. This class is specifically designed to help all Holistic Health Care practitioners design their business plan and take it step by step through to implementation; an opportunity to achieve the dream.

~ Wellness Wednesday ~ Under Fire For Promoting Alternative Healthcare?

Dr. Oz

Has anyone heard about the debate surrounding  Oprah Winfrey ?

A comment was made suggesting that viewers try incorporating  holistic healthcare into their lives on Oprah’s show, by her ‘medical guru’ Dr. Oz…The result?  Many people raised more than an eyebrow, they began throwing around words like “fraud” and “quack.” If this isn’t a cry for the importance of educating the public, I don’t know what is.

Apparently the well respected talk-show host is coming under fire for a series of statement’s her “medical guru” and frequent contributer to the show,  Dr. Mehmet Oz, made regarding alternative medical treatments.

The statement that raised a few eyebrows by his more conservative counterparts came about when he encouraged viewers to ’cure what ails them’ by trying out ‘energy medicine’.

Surprisingly enough, this was enough to stir up a sea of controversy.

Dr. Oz is a cardiothoracic surgeon and according to Oprah.com, he is also vice-chair and professor of surgery at Columbia University.  With all these impressive titles and years of medical experience behind him, this apparent expert is being questioned and being labeled as a “quack.”

According to an online article by People magazine , “Stephen Barrett, a vice-president of the National Council Against Health Fraud, told a US tabloid, ‘One part of Dr Oz is highly rational and scientific, but I think he’s also loaded with near-delusional ideas and gives some very bad advice. The bottom line for me is that he does more harm than good for American health.’”

To me this seems in stark contrast to his bio on Oprah.com which states…

“His research interests include heart replacement surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, complementary medicine and healthcare policy. He has authored more than 400 original publications, book chapters and medical books and has received several patents.”

So is this abrasive title of “quack” being assigned unnecessarily simply because many people are uninformed and in some cases even scared of anything that is not on the same level of the current mainstream ‘sickness industry‘?

My thought is yes, but hopefully this will all change – and think that it starts with places like Southwest Institute of Healing Arts that teach people not only the amazing benefits of living a holistic lifestyle, but also how to go out and spread this knowledge with the community in a loving and profitable way.

Another amazing influence is also at work.

If you believe that holistic and alternative healthcare should be recognized more readily by the US government, check out Dr. Gladys McGarey‘s, “the Mother of Holistic Medicine,” online petition site, to show that you support holistic health. Dr. Gladys has worked miracles throughout her lifetime and still continues to work them today.

With awareness comes understanding – and you know what? I think we will get there soon.

~Emily M

Tags: Holistic Health, Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, SWIHA

An education that prepares you for success…not a lifetime of paying off loans

If you recently graduated from a state college or a private university, chances are student loan debt is forefront in your mind.

I know from experience. Having graduated nearly 3 years ago, the debt I accumulated while taking my time to get through college is something I struggle with and with today’s economy…it can be a bit discouraging out there.

I can’t help but think maybe I could have earned a degree and still ended up at the great place I am now in my life…but without such a large chunk of debt looming over my head every day.

I won’t lie, I think it’s somewhat discouraging to see so many articles online, like this one from the Wall Street Journal, advising that perhaps a degree isn’t worth the inflated cost these days, because when I was the right age to start looking at college, all you read about was how much you could increase your overall lifetime earnings with a college education… now the story has changed a bit…go figure…

According to the Project on Student Debt about two-thirds of undergraduates (who graduated in 2008) left school with an average of more than $23,000 in loan debt. When you graduate as an entry-level worker in the field of your choice, that’s a heavy burden to bear.

While I don’t think this is strictly a black or white topic, I think there are definitely ways to have it all – an education and a bit more money in your pocket.

I know in school I loved taking the classes that directly related to my concentration (journalism) but there were so many unrelated, required courses that sort of felt like a waste of time and money. Now, as an employee of Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, I only wish I had originally taken advantage of an amazing practical and more affordable education like this.

Class tuition at SWIHA is so much more affordable than the average and if you qualify, there is Federal Financial Aid available. The cost of an education should be affordable to everyone and at SWIHA, it breaks down like this – $13 per credit hour, $18 for premium classes and $15 for online ones. You graduate with the skills to start your own business right away, no need to wait around if you are having a hard time finding available jobs and you have more cash to start that business than if you went to a more expensive school.

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities my degree has given me, however, I think if I could do it all again I would definitely take advantage of a lower-cost tuition and a degree that doesn’t take so many expensive years to earn. That’s a lot of money and a lot of time that could be used elsewhere – and with an education like the ones offered at SWIHA and SWINA, you walk out the doors as a graduate – ready to use your new skills in a growing industry. After all…shouldn’t that be the point of an education?

-Emily M

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Tags: Holistic Health, Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, SWIHA