5 Unexpected Tips to Beat Your Holiday Stress

'Tis the season to be jolly. If you're seeking ideas on how to ease into the holiday season and lessen your stress, read on for 5 Unexpected Tips to Beat Your Holiday Stress!

1. Recognize your holiday stress triggers: A stress trigger is an incident that causes either a negative physical (e.g., headache, cold, or pain) or emotional response (e.g., anxiety, insomnia, or sadness). The holiday challenge is that stress triggers can be associated with family and personal relationships, or finances. What are your holiday triggers? A dreaded encounter or perhaps the absence of a loved one? Concerns about your holiday shopping list or travel? Becoming aware is your first step to lessening your stress.
2. Be willing to let go of past resentments: Once you've identified your triggers, consider viewing them from a NEW perspective. If you're already dreading an encounter, try imagining that your experience will NOT be negative.  Set an intention to approach the person with a positive outlook, and not allow their comments or behaviors to affect your stress level. 
3. Seek out lower-cost holiday options (e.g., "grab bags," "Secret Santa’s," or “potluck” dinners): If your trigger is your finances, be honest with yourself and your family about what you can and cannot take on this year. Focus your attention on how great it will feel to spend time with those whom you love. Infuse yourself with the true holiday spirit of loving and sharing!
4. Tune in to your holiday self-talk: We all have a running script of "self-talk." These are unconscious thoughts about finances, relationships, or goals that occur when you're stressed or overwhelmed. Coach yourself to flip your script for a more positive outlook. When you notice a negative thought, tell yourself to STOP! Take a deep breath, think of a positive statement, and reflect. Think of as many positive ideas that show the negative perspective is NOT true. 
5. Give yourself holiday ME-TIME: With the hustle and bustle, it can be easy to forget your needs. Build time into your holiday schedule just for you. Take on a new physical activity; or social activity, like volunteering to help others in need. Sharpen your mental abilities with a new book; unplug from your devices. Create more space in your mind for holiday joy!

This year has been a year of many changes for me, some of which I've not yet shared with you. Looking back, I'm thankful for all of the expected AND unexpected blessings that 2014 has brought me. For example, I literally have a new looking-glass through which to view the world, my new living space! Now, I'm looking forward to spending time with my parents and extended family over the holiday season.

What are YOU most thankful for? How will YOU beat your holiday stress? Comment here or tweet me on Twitter. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Vote by FRIDAY to Help a Woman Business Owner

You've got to be in it to win it! And, I am -- now I need YOUR vote!

Perhaps you've heard of the Chase Mission Main Street Grants for Small Business? The program will award up to 20 grants of $150,000 to help small business owners to grow their businesses.

Now, through FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, small business owners who have been in business for at least two years and have less than 100 employees can submit an application. InStep Consulting has applied, and I'd love to have your VOTE of support!

What Would a $150K Grant Mean to InStep? 

2014 is a milestone year -- I've been in business for 10 years! It's definitely been a roller-coaster ride that I couldn't imagine doing any other way. 

 

Now, it's time to think about the next 10 years. I do know they will be different -- because the business landscape has changed dramatically just in the past few years.

 

This grant would help me to do some of the strategic planning and sustainability consulting work that I offer to clients on my own business! That would mean hiring PR/marketing and business coaches; plus, I'd like to increase the bench-strength of the coaching and consulting team.

Voting is really easy! Visit the Chase Mission Main Street website:

• Click the VOTE NOW button
• Input your Facebook login
• Click VOTE!

I need at least 250 votes to be considered for a grant. Thank you for your support! Feel free to "Share Your Vote" with your social network afterwards.

Rise & Shine: A NEW Cup of Joe to Improve Your Health

Do you love coffee? DID YOU KNOW? About 90% of the naturally occurring antioxidants in regular coffee are destroyed during the roasting process—so they never even reach your cup. No worries, because there's a NEW coffee from Zrii called RISE™  that retains those antioxidants.

Back in 2006, when I was dealing with my chronic indigestion / acid reflux, I stopped drinking coffee to avoid anything that could upset my stomach. Little did I know that I was losing out on so many health benefits of coffee including: reduced risk of Alzheimer's or dementia, oral cancers, and stroke!

If you love your coffee like me, and want to get healthy too, this is the cup for you. Zrii RISE™ has green coffee bean extract from beans that haven't been roasted to preserve powerful antioxidant benefits and still give a boost. Green coffee antioxidants counteract the damage caused by free radicals (including aging of the body’s cells).

Zrii RISE™ also has the unique super-fruit Amalaki that enhances vitality and overall health—including digestion, immunity, and cellular functioning. With all of this, Zrii RISE™ has more antioxidants than most of us consume daily from fruits and vegetables combined!

Watch this video endorsement of Zrii RISE™ from Dr. Deepak Chopra:



I'm excited to be able to include Zrii RISE™ coffee as part of my healthy living and wellness offerings, especially for those of you who are committed to clean eating! Let me know in the comments (or tweet me) if you have more questions about the coffee or want to know how to order Zrii RISE™ online.

What Will Medicine Look Like in 10 Years? You Need to Know!

Medicine is Changing -- Will it Work FOR You or Against You?

Evolving medicine means that we are learning new things and using new techniques constantly. How do you expect to stay at the forefront of your own health?

The Evolution of Medicine Summit will shine a light on the work of more than 30 innovators leading these changes, to set a vision for a more empowered, proactive and patients-value focused healthcare system.

Whether you're a health or wellness coach like me, or just someone who wants to be healthier, The Evolution of Medicine Summit will show you the future of healthcare. Plus, it's ONLINE and FREE from September 8-15, 2014.

Here are a few of the incredible presenters: 

• Deepak Chopra, MD, Best Selling Author; Ayurvedic and Mind/Body Medicine 
• Mark Hyman, MD, Multiple Best Selling Author, Chairman of IFM 
• "Food Babe" aka Vani Hari, Activist Blogger; Digital Innovator 
• Joe Cross aka "Joe The Juicer" 
• Larry Palevsky, MD, Board Certified Pediatrician

Navigate your way through the overwhelming amount of health information to elevate yourself and your family towards optimum health.

Come listen to The Evolution of Medicine Summit ONLINE for FREE from September 8-15, 2014. Be a force of change for the future of health and medicine! Register TODAY! 

Tweet me your thoughts and reactions to the sessions and use the #EvoMed hashtag to join the discussion.

What's Your WHY?

So much of what we do comes down to WHY -- even if we're not consciously aware of it. The more you tap into your WHY, the closer you can get to what really matters to you. My WHY to support the American Heart Association is because I want my mom to continue living a healthy life -- and NOT be impacted by a stroke.



My grandma died suddenly of a stroke, and it was devastating for me. Since then, my mom has changed her diet so that she can manage her blood pressure and other vital functions. As a health and life coach, I have no problem with her healthy eating and living habits. I'd just love for her once to not be so concerned about sodium in meals when we go out for special occasions. She's a real trooper -- has an inner strength that I've only just begun to really recognize. It just would be nice to take that concern off her plate, if you will.

So, that's my WHY for creating a team for the AHA Brooklyn Heart Walk coming up on Sunday, October 5th.

What's your WHY to join us to walk or support our efforts?

Help Women Leaders WIN in Berlin this October

Have you ever applied for something ... almost on a whim ... and thought "This is such a long-shot, but I'll throw my hat into the ring just for fun!"? Well, that's what happened to me with my WINConference Speakers Proposal. WIN stands for "Women's International Networking," BTW.

I've been receiving emails about WIN's women's leadership activities (including Corporate Network, Development Fund) and conferences for a few years now. I've been inspired by their mission to help women "run companies and initiatives with noble values, and to fully live their lives with beauty and enthusiasm." WIN seeks to accelerate change by developing, empowering and connecting women leaders to a global, authentic and feminine vision.

In the back of my mind, I always had the desire to participate in a WINConference; yet I never acted upon that desire -- until recently. For some reason, THIS June, I was prompted to submit a proposal to offer my Mindset Reset for Business training as one of their workshops. And, I guess I forgot that when I ASK the universe for BIG things that will benefit others, I can RECEIVE exactly what I request.

Which brings me to the purpose of this post. I'm seeking backers, supporters, and sponsors to make this goal a reality -- so I can accept my invitation to present Mindset Reset for Business at the 17th Annual WINConference in Berlin, Germany this October 1-4!

I've created a sponsorship campaign on Indiegogo (my first!) to help fund the journey "across the pond" to Berlin. It includes several specially-priced PERKS of my coaching products and VIP coaching sessions. Click below to learn more.



YOU can become part of this authentic, global vision for women! Give if you feel inspired! Spread the word to your network! And, DANKE -- THANK YOU for your support!!

How to Eat Healthy -- At Home or On the Road

Do you fall into the “eat what I can, whenever I can” category? Does your digestion suffer because of stress or poor eating habits? 

If you answered "yes" to either one of those questions, you are not alone. Now that summer is upon us -- which brings BBQ's and other outdoor adventures -- it can be a good idea to consider your eating habits. Are you taking advantage of the fresh fruits and vegetables that now are in season?

It IS possible to make healthier eating choices, even with your busy lifestyle. It just takes a little advance thinking (about WHY it's important to you) and planning (adding simple steps into your normal routine).

These are some of the ideas that I recently shared during my appearance on Menu for Great Health – At Home or On the Road, a radio show hosted by Chef Tom Castrigno, author of the forthcoming book The Confidence Diet.

Tune in to hear me share self help tools to balance your diet and increase your motivation to achieve your personal health vision. Plus, hear more about how I manage to include healthy foods into my entrepreneurial lifestyle. As always, let me know what you think -- in the comments here or tweet me your thoughts on Twitter!

Find Your Inner Sanctuary: NEW Guided Meditation

Do you long for a sense of inner peace and stability? You can begin to transform your mental state using my NEW 10-minute guided meditation, so you can improve your relationships, achieve your goals, and be your BEST self!

Want to know WHY I've decided to create this transformational audio series? Then, read on ...

In 2006, when I received my certification in the Coping with Work & Family Stress program, I was given a CD with a series of guided meditations as part of our trainers' toolkit. I found listening to them to be helpful in maintaining my own meditation practice. Back then, I'd never have considered professionally recording the meditations in my own voice and style. Yet, when I would teach stress management seminars for clients or give public talks, instead of playing the pre-recorded CD, I would lead the meditations myself -- revising the content to match the audience and program focus. Often, people would approach me at the end of the sessions and remark that they found my renditions to be relaxing and peaceful.

In response to that feedback, I've decided to embark on a journey to record a transformational audio series of guided meditations. Loosely based on the meditations I received, they will include my own inspiration and insight. I'm also seeking out inspirational music partners to create flowing tracks that help to create a sense of calm and delight.

I'm excited to announce the release of the FIRST guided meditation in the series called Inner Sanctuary Meditation.

I hope you will take the time to listen (sample is available on the website) and then download this 10-minute meditation. If you do listen or download, please let me know what you experience as a result! And, if you feel called to share this resource with others in your world, that would be fantastic! As always, I'm committed to improving your health and success, namaste'.

In Which Direction is Your Mindset Taking You and Your Business?

It's been said that your mindset is like the steering wheel of your life. In which direction is your mindset taking you? Could you use a Mindset Reset?



What would you do if your business became unrecognizable to you in the second half of 2014?

I'm looking for a few business leaders who are ready to work on their most important business goals like they knew they couldn't fail. Sign up for a Mindset Reset for Business Coaching Session using the button below:

Get Real About Your Mental Health: Hangout on May 8

Do you know someone who has been affected by mental illness? Chances are, you do ... even if you're not aware of it because so many of us hide our challenges for fear of the stigma. Now, it's time to Break the Silence and Get Real About Mental Health!

Join me on Thursday, May 8 at 1 pm ET for a Google+ Hangout: Let's Get Real About Mental Illness: Pain as a Platform to Wellness. I'll be speaking with Hakeem Rahim - certified mental health educator and advocate. May is Mental Health Awareness month. Hakeem will share his story of diagnosis with mental illness, his recovery and commitment to wellness. 

We invite you to join us for a real conversation to break the silence and shift your perspective on mental health. Learn what is mental illness, and how to seek treatment. Hear what is it like to have bipolar disorder, and how sharing one's story can inspire recovery and resilience.

Post or tweet me your questions to be answered live on-air. Sign up to watch our Hangout today!

Learn Top Time Management Mistakes You Can Avoid on April 30

Your TIME is your greatest asset. It's the one thing you can't get back -- once it's spent, it's gone!

What if you could develop new habits and a mindset about how to manage your time (including “time wasters” and distractions) so you could focus on what's really important to you?

Join me on April 30th for Tik Tock on the Clock: Time Management Made Easy. I'm offering this primer workshop because I've heard that founders and leaders like YOU who are out there in the arena, making things happen can use a little more focus and organization.

What will you get out of attending?

• Discover how you REALLY spend your time so you can reclaim your schedule and get more done in less time
• Reveal your true intentions so you can refocus your attention on what’s most important and get pumped up about doing it
• Find out what’s causing your indecision so you can reduce anxiety, make decisions faster, and stop procrastinating 
• Eliminate clutter and distractions so you can achieve your goals faster and crush them

This workshop IS for you if you're an ambitious rock star, who wants to be more self-aware; if you feel like you're not making fast enough progress, and want to expedite success in your life and business.

Tik Tock on the Clock: The workshop don't start till you walk in ... if you're on time! :-)

Sell Tickets Online through Eventbrite

From Health Scare to Health Coach: NEW Video

I know firsthand how difficult it can be to maintain a healthy lifestyle -- especially for folks like you and me who are out there, "in the arena," trying to create change in the world. Life is what happens when you're busy make plans, right? And, yet, we each continue on our self exploration journey -- aiming to make today be a little bit better than yesterday.

This NEW video is a quick snapshot into my journey -- from my first (minor) health scare way back in 2006, to the present, and my commitment to help YOU reduce YOUR stress so you can be your best Self.



Watch and let me know what you think! Then, tell me: What other aspects of my health journey or coaching work would you like to know more about?

Coordinating Care at Merck Social Health Hackathon

Here are the ideas from today's Merck Social Health Hackathon! We're creating 1-Health an app to coordinate care for caregivers. Our logo is

The Problem: 
Today, there is no dedicated platform among allied health professionals and doctors who are treating patients with chronic conditions, nor between caregivers (e.g., parents caring for children with special needs or adults caring for aging parents. As a result, patients receives treatment and other providers don't know what has occurred. Caregivers don't always understand medical terminology or protocols to help their loved ones adhere to treatment plans.

Our Value Proposition:
1-Health app will create enhanced communication between medical providers and allied health professionals to promote holistic health and improved adherence to treatment plans.

This is our team: Wendy, Lulu, and me! Looking forward to presenting our idea in a couple of hours.

1-Health team hard at work!

Name the Sheroes of NEW Community for Women

I believe that a solid support system is essential for women to achieve and maintain good health, optimal well-being, and a stellar lifestyle. I want to help women create the lives we really, really want.

For these reasons (and more!), I'm creating a community for women that's based on authenticity, empathy, and self-awareness. I want to use my coaching skills and the tools I've used  for my own development to benefit other women.

Not wanting to build this in a vacuum, I'm reaching out for your input and feedback. The first way you can help is easy and FUN! Help me name the She-roes of our new community! Take 4 minutes to vote on your 4 favorite names in the polls below. These she-roes will represent the four profiles through which we can learn more about ourselves as women and relate better to one another. I'll share the poll results and more info about our sister community soon! THANK YOU!

Which is your favorite girl name?

Bailey

Beth

Bianca

Brianna

Bridget

Brooke

poll generator

If you were naming a girl (baby, kitten, puppy) which name would you choose?

Gabrielle

Gail

Gianna

Gina

Giselle

Grace

Poll Maker

Your best friend asked your help naming her little girl. Which name would you choose?

Rachel

Raven

Rebecca

Rebekah

Riley

Robyn

Poll Maker

You're excited! Finally a new girl is being added to your team; and her name is ...

Yasmin

Yesenia

Yolanda

Yulia

Yvette

Yvonne

Poll Maker

What are the Top Qualities of a Senior Leadership Team?

In this NEW video -- one of a series of six videos I've produced on Teamwork & Motivation -- I share the top 6 characteristics I feel are important for senior leaders like you to develop as you lead your companies and teams into the New Year and today's ever-changing marketplace.

Qualities of a Senior Leadership Team

• Which qualities are most relevant to you? 
• Did you learn these traits 'on-the-job' or acquire them in other ways? 
• What was the most challenging characteristic for you to develop? 

Let me know your thoughts and experiences here in the comments or tweet me on Twitter.

What I'm Thankful For This Year

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought I'd share some things for which I'm grateful that have happened in 2013. It's been an interesting year of wonderful surprises and unexpected challenges. Here are just a few that come to mind:

I'm thankful for ...

• My parents -- for their continued support and encouragement, and for their sheer presence at this stage in our lives 

• My friends -- both my "golden oldies" who are always there for me, and my new-found acquaintances and colleagues

• My journey to becoming a runner -- both my Couch-to-5K training and my first race taught me so much about extending beyond my (perceived) physical limitations. I'll never forget the jitters I had while riding on the F train to Coney Island to run my first full "Turkey Trot" 5K in 20-degree weather, and how my fingers were freezing while waiting for the race to begin. Nor the doubts I overcame even while jumping up and down to stay warm waiting on the boardwalk! My finish time now gives me a goal to achieve in 2014 -- running under a 10-minute mile!

Pre-Race: Coney Island Sports Fdn Turkey Trot 5K

• My trip "down under" to Australia -- not only because of the miracle of traveling to the other side of the world (I will never forget the landing in Sydney, AU) but because of the internal/external work that was involved in me getting there. There was no guarantee that I'd be going on the trip -- I had to push beyond my (perceived) professional limitations to sell enough registrations and attract enough mentors, sponsors for the event to be viable, before my ticket was even purchased! 

Sydney Opera House: Sydney, AU

This year's "1-Word" for me to operate by was SURRENDER. I believe I'm still learning and internalizing the definition of that word: "trusting that God, the Universe, or a higher intelligence can accomplish anything, even when you can’t foresee the outcome of a situation." -- Deepak Chopra

At some of my lowest or scariest moments this year, I've been able to surrender to the higher intelligence even when I didn't know how things would turn out. Often, it's been that I've realized after my experience that my perseverance is in itself a form of surrender -- a sustained focus on my intentions, with trust that things will turn out for the best (on a larger, universal level). 

I'm learning to be grateful for ALL of my experiences because of the lessons they teach me. It really isn't about the destination, but about the journey. So, on this recognized day of Gratitude, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Would love to know what YOU are thankful/grateful for? Tweet me or share in the comments below.

My StrataRx Ignite Presentation: Fitbit - You Had Me at Smooches

As promised, here is the video from my September 2013 Ignite talk at the Strata Rx conference about my quantified self mission to track my Couch-to-5K runs with Fitbit. I'm proud to have accomplished this communication 'challenge' given that the Ignite format is pretty prescriptive.

Take a peek and let me know what you think! Share your comments here on the blog or you can tweet me on Twitter. Always excited to hear your health, fitness, and wellness success stories too! **Smooches**

This is MY Moment: The Girl Declaration

"I was not put on this earth to be invisible. I was not born to be denied. I was not given life only to belong to someone else. I belong to ME. I have a voice and I will use it."

These are the first few lines of The Girl Declaration. So empowering! Even more inspiring when you hear Yaweta Chavula and Laiba Shahzadi announce the initiative on behalf of Nike at the Clinton Global Initiative. Watch until the end of the video below to see how they steal some of the thunder from Chelsea Clinton!



On this Blog Action Day, I've decided to write about Girl's Rights, since the health and well-being of girls has been shown to be an indicator of how well all humans are doing. You could argue that if we protect the rights of girls that we are protecting the rights of all people.

I'm inspired by this Girl Declaration as a woman and as someone who didn't always believe in the power of my voice. I've since learned how important it is for me (and all girls and women) to speak up for that in which we believe. The words of the Declaration are based on research and consultation with over 500 girls, ages 10-19, living in poverty in 14 countries around the world. It was written with girls, for girls. I think this Girl Declaration should be posted in every classroom to remind girls of the power in their voice. Of course, that presumes that girls are allowed and encouraged to attend school in their community!

The goals of The Girl Declaration are so powerful in their potential to impact everyone -- given that there are close to 600 million girls aged 10-19 living in the world today or approximately 8.5% of the population. [UNICEF State of the World's Children 2011]

GOAL 1—EDUCATION
Girls reach adulthood with relevant skills and knowledge to participate in economic, social and cultural life.

GOAL 2—HEALTH
Adolescent girls have access to safe, age-appropriate health and nutrition information and services, and possess the confidence to make healthy transitions to adulthood.

GOAL 3—SAFETY
Adolescent girls are free from violence and exploitation and are supported by enforced laws, child protection systems and their communities.

GOAL 4—ECONOMIC SECURITY
Adolescent girls know how to build and protect their economic assets and earn a safe income. Governments, communities and the private sector uphold girls' economic rights.

GOAL 5—CITIZENSHIP
Adolescent girls have equal access to services, opportunities, legal rights and personal freedom, and are able to fully participate as citizens of their communities.

The Girls Declaration was written because girls were left out of the original Millennium Development Goals to eliminate extreme poverty around the world by 2015. Now that girls have been included, what will we do to support the growth and development of girls around the world? What can YOU do to support a girl in your family or community? Share your thoughts and ideas here in the comments, or you can always tweet me on Twitter.

This is OUR Moment!

I Traveled 8 Hours to Give a 5-Minute Talk About My Fitbit

Data Makes a Difference was the tagline for the Strata Rx 2013 conference on using "Big Data" to drive innovation in Healthcare.  In my opinion, so does community ... and, of course, so do we as empowered patients ... make a difference, that is. This was an underlying theme for my #Ignite talk last week -- Fitbit: You Had Me at Smooches!

This is me speaking below. You can hardly tell that I had just traveled 8 hours to get to Boston ... from New York! I was so fortunate that the Amtrak train delay/power failure en route didn't cause me to miss my 5-minute appearance.



For those not already familiar with #Ignite talks, the format is you have only 20 slides and 5 minutes to tell your story. Even more fun for presenters is that your slides are automatically advanced every 15 seconds!

I've previously shared my journey to becoming an "urban datasexual" who has become part of the Quantified Self community by tracking my steps (and often my sleep) using my Fitbit. In fact, my June blog article was the basis for my #Ignite talk -- given the first time in Denver at the Healthcare Unbound conference (July), and last week at Strata Rx.

What's changed since July is that I'm now in Week 8 of my Couch-to-5K training, sustaining runs of at least 25 minutes long. As a result, my distance/steps have increased to an average of about 7,000 steps per run. My personal best day is 14,123 steps and 6.65 miles in one day in August. I've noticed that my motivation to run is also changing.

I'm still motivated by the personal challenge of running; yet, I'm also inspired by the "likes" I get on my Facebook page whenever I post my latest accomplishment. That's why I believe that community makes a difference in health care and our overall well-being. I heard that sentiment echoed in many of the Strata Rx presentations -- that our social connections impact our decisions and health behaviors. Observing our friends and family making positive health choices can lead us to do the same. And, of course, the opposite is true -- we're, perhaps, even more strongly influenced when we observe others making unhealthy choices.

I'll share the link to a video of my talk as soon as it's available. In the meantime, I'm curious about what makes a difference for your health? Do you have a "health posse"? What health behaviors are you looking to increase (or decrease)?

Detox & Cleanse this Fall for More Energy, Less Colds this Winter

Fall is a natural time of transition and new beginnings. It's also the perfect time for a natural, gentle detox cleanse to reboot your mind, body and spirit to prepare for a winter of wellness!

"Ayurvedic health educators say it's important to slow down, support your liver's natural ability to remove toxins from the body, and take stock of the influences that you allow into your life—from the kind of food you eat to the amount of time you spend in front of an electronic device." Yoga Journal

Beginning September 23rd (and continuing through mid-October), I'll be hosting my 7-Day Fall 2013 Cleanse. You can pick which week works best for you!

I'll be providing support and guidance throughout the week -- we've got an online community so you can share what you're experiencing and receive feedback. In just 7 days, you'll discover the gentlest cleansing herbs, most nutritious foods, and easiest stress reduction techniques so you can still do all of the things you love to do while getting your body in shape for the winter season. That's right, NO harsh diuretics and NO fasting!

Why not give yourself the ultimate ME-time gift to rejuvenate yourself -- mind, body and spirit! Visit the 7-Day Fall 2013 Cleanse website to complete your (free) registration and to learn more about the PURIFY Ayurveda cleansing kit ... the same one used at the Chopra Center for Wellbeing during their retreats!

Let's get Back to School, Back to Work, AND Back to Healthy Living this Fall!

 

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